The Sun. — London, England, 1847-06-19 00:00:00

b t kr:.l QUEEN'S BENCH.-(THIS DAY.) COBBETT V. HUDSON. The plaintiff in this case is the son of the celebratt William Cobbett, and the defendant is the keeper of the Queen's Bench Prison, in which the plaintiff has been c onfined ever since 1842. The action was brought to re cover damages for an alleged false return made by the de fendant to a writ of habeas corpus, requiring the de fendant to bring up the body of Mr. Cobbett at the Court at Westminster, for the purpose of showing upon what grounds he was detained in custody. After hearing counsel on either side at souse length, Lord DENMAN was of opinion that a false return had not been pro ve d, an d th a t as there was no c a s e m a d e out f l et the jury, a nonsuit ought to be entered.—Nonsuit entered accordingly. Mr. Knowles, Q.C., appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. Watson, Q.C., for the defendant. Mr. Cobbett (the Plaintiff) was present during the trial of the case. C RARING-CROSS BRIDGE COM PANY.—(THIS DAY.) A special general meeting of the shareholders of this Strand, at one o'clock this day, Mr. Hawes in the chair, for the purpose of formally rescinding th e contract en tered into some time ago, for the sale of the bridge to Mr. 'Jackson, Sir Joshua Walmsley, and Mr. Fuller, and for assenti ng to the creation of new shares, for the purpose °E . defraying the liabilities of the undertaking. After the advertisement had been read, The CHAIRMAN proceeded to explain the nature of the m eeting to the shareholders. He said the actual expen 'dilute • ; up to January in the present year amounted to 126,4851., for which 8,0001. had to be deducted for rent received from the wharf, making the total cost 118,4851.; It had been estimated to cost 106,0001., but, as they Were already aware, there had been an excess over that estimate of 12,4851., which he thus accounted for— alteration of piers and foundations, 3,0001.; new works P.% in the estimate, including toll-houses, gates, light tin:, 2,000 L; float, 1,500/.; law expenses, 1,5001., eluding the cost of obtaining their three Acts of Par tat tent. There was a debt of 1,000/. due to • Hungerford Market Company for damages, Which had been referred to arbitration, and W hich would be settled as soon as possible. Then there wa s 4,0001. of interest owing to the bankers and °tilers, making, as he had said, a deficiency of 12,4851., nt • in round numbers, 13,0001. They had already raised al together, up to the present time, 120,000/., their capital having been originally fixed upon as 106,000/. In order t 0 meet the liabilities it would be necessary to raise new capital to the amount of 19,450/., or, in round numbers, 20 ,000/. Th e f o ll ow ing w ere the liabilities:--Messrs. Jackson and others, 9,000/. ; the bankers, 3,5001. ; Works, 1,9501. ; her Majesty's Commissioners, law e xpenses, obtaining Acts of Parliament, and claims `.° o o/., due upon the toll account 3,000/., making alto tether 19,4501. Out of these items the following might selected as absolutely pressing for payment :-9,0001. 1 ° Messrs. Jackson, out of the 10,0001. deposited, 1,0001. eying been forfeited, and the bankers 3,5001. All 14,aiese must be placed on a proper footing for payment. "„ac directors proposed to provide for the payment of these liabilities under third clause of their Act, and to 181SUe 3,200 quarter-shares of 61.55. each, these shares t o he first offered to the shareholders ; but they did not Zuside r it a d v i sa bl e th a t they should constitute any per t." of the permanent capital of the company. The MC of the bridge would in the course of the next year e t t two be so much increased by the opening of 1 ,,. ° "' South-Eastern, South-Western, and the Great syestern, and Birmingham lines, in the immediate vicinitya the bridge, that he confidently anti cipated that the directors would be enabled to Pay off 10,0001. or 12,0001. without any difficulty W eatever. They therfore preferred rather to raise m oney by means of new shares than in the shape of a l oan. or of making the amount proposed to be raised 4 ,Portion of the fixed capital of the company. He con cluded by calling upon the clerk (Mr. Lawrence) to read the report. Mr. LAWRENCE then read the report, which was as . kno ws 4 Your directors called this special general meeting of S hareholders to submit for their approval the arrange -I,l,!!)nts they have acceded io with Messrs. Jackson, Reed, P r almsley, and Fuller, for the settlement of their con tractT f or t h e purc h ase o f t h e b r id ge; an d a l so to su b m it plan by which they propose to raise the capital re r:ired to repay to those gentlemen 9,0001., part of the f .OOO/. deposited by them, as w e ll as t o provide the s for the liquidation of the outstanding debts of I °_e company on the capital account, which have hitherto en provided for by temporary loans from the bankers. Your directors are anxious to accomplish this with tlt increasing the fixed capital of the company, and therefore, although they feel obliged, in fulfilment of the Spirit of the provisions of the company's Act of Parlia _ m eat, 6th Victoria, chap. 19, sec. 5, to offer the new Shares they propose to create to the proprietors, they ' L eant it right to state, it will, in their opinion, be more advantageous to the company that the shares should not, „,it can be avoided, become part of the permanent capi tal of the company, but be used as a security for the ~temporary advance of capital, which your directors feel _ e _ l 7 confident the company will be able to repay as soon :4 the Great Railway station, now in progress, and close to the southern terminus of the bridge, is completed. this Your directors think it right to state distinctly that I ° l capital is not required to pay for any unforseen and _cexuased expenditure, but simply to place the finances TZit the c om p an y on a more sa ti s f a ctory footing, and has en forced upon them at this time by the necessity of ',,Olupleting the proposed arrangements with Messrs. uackson and others. ‘‘ To accomplish these objects in the manner best cal 'Wilted to promote the - permanent interest of the com pany, the necessary resolutions, as well as the proposed a greement to carry them into effect, will be submitted to the m eet i ng. " in reply to several parties, The CHAIRMAN said that the present traffic, in round c ambers, yielded a revenue of 7,0001. a year. The share holders might take the new shares ; but in the event of eir not doing so, they must of necessity take them into J ackson market. One-fourth of the money due to Mr. rksort had to be paid in a fortnight, but the payment ° the remainder would depend upon subsequent arrange ments ; it would be advisable, however, to pay the Mount without delay, in order to avoid the payment of interest. ,The first resolution, annulling the agreement with "" 1 :1 Jackson, was then read, „ The C H AI R MAN, in reply to a question, stated that ifte Bill for the sale of the bridge was now before Par :;.111, eat. They had been unable to obtain a com c:deemittee,'4- , a sufficient number of members not hay g attended on the two occasions in which it was n ot to form a quorum. They thought they could 1 4 carry it with the opposition which had been arrayed a gainst it, yet it had not been withdrawn. Their lega l "'risers were of opinion that the transfer of the bridge could not be considered a public act, in the words of the preamble if it had to encounter the opposition menaced; nd tho ug h it had been read a second time it was still before Parliament. _ Captain K ELLY w as surprised that any one could call a private contract a public benefit. The CHAIRMAN said Lord Shaftesbury refused to pass H without these words. The 10,000/. received had been thus expended :-5,000/, to the Exchequer Commis sioners, and the remainder had been carried into the general account. Thus they had saved the payment upon the 5,0001. paid to the Commissioners. It was °Pen to the shareholders to make the new shares a por tion of the capital at a future period—they could not rai se more by debentures than they had raised. Mr. F E W considered that it would not be well to pay off the new shares at a future period out of the tolls, and that the option of taking the shares at par at a future Period should be offered to the shareholders. , The CHAIRMAN considered the suggestio n a g ood one, out he was so confident of the great increase of the traffic, that no difficulty would be found in paying off the amount he had stated without interfering materially With the revenue from the tolls. Th e tend report was then received and ordere d to be en -- on the minutes. 1 , Mr. O RD censure d th e con d uc t of the directors, and , : ulamed th em f or no t h av i ng acted in the same conci 'lrY and upright way in which Mr. Jac kson had acts; if they had done so a great portion of the law expenses which had been incurred would have been nat ed.—(Hear.) Mr. COPE proposed an amendment to the following eff ect —That it was expedient to postpone the rescind ing of the agreement until the financial affairs of the co mpany had been investigated; and for the purpose of e ffecting this be proposed that a committee of seven share holders should be elected, three to form a quorum, who, With the aid of an accountant, should make this inves tigation, and that the meeting should adjourn u n t il the 1 2th of July. Mr. LLOYD seconded the motion. STUTELEY, the chairman of the Market Com- P I TY, considered that, as the nature of the accounts had t aken the meeting by surprise, they ought to adjourn. • T ho liabilities must be paid, but the great considera va°o was how they were to be paid; he considered , luerefore that they should not hastily come to a deter mination. te mperate a prolonged discussion, not remarkable fo r the ~'`l re Perate manner in which it was conducte d, a ballot s "iok pla ce , when the numbers were—for the motion 73 tc a and one proxy, against it 31 votes an d 132 p roxies, mak ing a majority of 89 against the ori g inal Th 'on. The seventy proxies belonged to the Market Co mpany, and were received under a pro test, sub j ect to th e Opinion of' counsel ; Mr. Stuteley also delivered, in a protest against this proceeding on the pa rt of the di rueters. The second resolution was then proposed, authorising the directors to raise 20,000/. f The amendment of Mr. COPE, which bad been de -"led until this motion, was then proposed. Considerable discussion ensued. The CHAIRMAN emphatically declared that the whole t he opposition arose from the animus which the Hun gceford Market Company entertained against them. Mr. STUTELEY—I deny that. The CH AIRMAN c a lled upon Mr. Stuteley to de fine the grounds of his opposition for as yet: no specific charg es had been made against the directors. Mr. STUTELEY said the accounts had not been drawn properly up, as the accounts of all public bo dies were prospect sip; that they had a heavy debt with b ut little r`°sPect of paying it, and besides their profits had been materially reduced. The CHAIRMAN briefly replied. He was q uite Justified in th e ex p ress i on h e had used, as they found the Chairman of the Market Company and their clerk °PPosing every step they proposed, and altogether their °l P c ' e ition was most unjust and uncalled-for. The book s 0 the company were open, by law, to every shareholder Tun_ SUN, LON ATUIVDAY EVENING who chose to inspect them.--(Hear, hear.) They had paid 41. per cent., but, owing to their opposition to the negotiations with Mr. Jackson, they had been compelled to reduce it.—(Hear.) The property was improving. Their conduct had compelled them to seek this additional sum; but they might have borrowed it without the intervention of the shareholders, because they had power in the Act; and because they came forward in the most unreserved manner they wished to pass a vote of censure upon them, although they had left nothing undone to promote their interest. Some allusion had been made to forfeited shares, and that they might have been made available on the present occasion. Until 1843 they were not made available— they could not get rid of them—but they succeeded in in ducing their contractor to take them in part payment, at a discount, and the result had been that he had realised 20/. a share. (Hear, hear.) And with respect to the law proceedings, he might say that he had, in ar. d out of Court, offered arbitration, which had been re fused, and the consequence was that great expense had been entailed upon both, and now they had resorted to it. The votes for the amendment were even-16 to 16 ; but the Chairman considered it his duty to vote for it, as he was anxious that every inquiry should be made ; he considered it, however, tantamount to a vote of censure. The amendment was accordingly carried, and the meeting separated at half-past three o'clock, after a substantive motion had been carried, directing that the accounts, when made out, should be printed and circu lated amongst the shareholders. THE LATE SIR EARDLEY WILMOT. From the _Hobart Town Advertiser, of Feb. 190847.) The following addresses and replies have been handed to us, with a request that we would publish them: — At the monthly meeting of the committee of the Van Diemen's Land Congregational Union, held 11th of February, 1847, H. Hopkins, Esq., in the chair, it was resolved— " That this meeting, in recording the death of his Ex cellency Sir J. Eardley Eardley Wilmot, Bart., late Lieu tenant-Governor of this island, feel that it is due to his memory to express their sense of the impartiality of his government in reference to the various ecclesiastical denominations of this colony. " That they have understood with sorrow that rumours, affecting his moral character, which they regard as false, were received by the late Secretary of State, and so far credited as to place in abeyance the confidence of the Crown. " That this meeting tender their condolence to the family of the late Sir Eardley Wilmot, and while con fiding in the justice of the Sovereign, so far as the injury inflicted admits of human reparation, commend the be• reaved to the consolations to be found in the principles of Christianity. (Signed) HENRY HOPKINS, Chairman. Hobart Town, Feb. 12, 1847. Sir,—l have had the pleasure of receiving your letter, dated the 11th inst., inclosing a resolution passed by the committee of the Van Diemen's Land Congregational Union in reference to the death of my late lamented father. In the name of my family and myself I return our sincerest thanks for the kind expressions of condolence contained therein, which I should feel glad if yo u would communicate to the committee, as it will be my great happiness to do to my family on my arrival in England. If anything could lessen the grief which we feel upon so melancholy an occasion, it would be the knowledge that we share the sympathy of so worthy and exem plary a Christian portion of the community. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, H. EARDLEY WILMOT, Major R. A. ,kins, Esq. H. Hop' At a meeting of the officers of the Wesley an Society, in Hobart Town, held in the vestry of the Centenary Chapel, on Monday, Feb. 15, 1847, it was resolved— " 1. That this meeting, in recording the death of his Excellency Sir John Eardley Eardley Wilmot, Baronet, late Lieutenant Governor of this island, &el that it is due to his memory to express their high sense of the important services he has rendered the church of which this society is a section, both here and in England, by affording it the aid of his sanction and influence in a variety of instances. "2. That this meeting tender their sincere condolence to the pious and devoted Lady Wilmot, under the severe dispensation which has pleased Divine Providence to permit to come upon her, and also to the family of the late lamented Baronet. "3. That this meeting, resting assured that their be loved Sovereign the Queen will, as far as it is now pos sible, render strict justice to the injured character of the late Sir Eardley Wilmot, would at the same time fer vently tray that the consolations of our holy religion may be graciously vouchsafed to those who have been so afflictedly bereaved." (Signed) J. A. MANTON, Chairman. Government Cottage, Hobart Town, Feb 16, 1847. My dear Sir, I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, enclosing resolutions passed at a meeting of the officers of the Wesleyan Society in this town, expressing their high seuse of the services rendered by my late la mented father to that branch of the Christian church. I need hardly mention how gratifying it has been to me to receive such a communication from a body whose piety and zeal are so well known, and for whom my late father ever entertained the highest esteem and respect. It will be highly gratifying to the members of my family to read such a generous and voluntary vindication of my father's memory from those aspersions by which it has been assailed. La•y Wilmot will indeed be grateful for the feeling manner in which they have been pleased to allude to her melancholy bereavement. Allow me in conclusion to express to you personally, and through you to the members of the Wesleyan So ciety, the sense which my family and myself must ever entertain for your and their kind sympathy.—l am, dear Sir, with very great respect, your obedient servant, (Signed) HENRY EARDLEY WILMOT, Major R. A. Rev. J. A. Manton, Wesleyan Minister. Hobart Town, Feb. 11, 1847. Sir—l am directed to inform you, that at the monthly meeting of the committee of the Van Diemen's Land Aux iliary Bible Society, held on the 18th inst., the Rev J. A. Manton in the chair ; the following resolution was unani mously adopted : That this committee have heard, with deep concern, of the removal by death of the president of this society, his Excellency Sir John Eardley Eardley Wilmot, Baronet ; and beg respectfully to convey the expres sions of their condolence to the members of his family, earnestly hoping that, under this afflictive bereave ment, they may be sustained and consoled by the truths of that holy book, which it is the object of this society to circulate. —I have the honour to be , Sir, your faith ful servant, FREDERICK MILLER, Joint Secretary. DEATH OP CARTER, TIIE LION KING.—Mr. James C. Carter, known as the celebrated " Lion King," died yesterday morning, at his residence, No 12, Arundel street, Strand, of inflammation of the chest. Mr. Carter was in his 35th year. He was born in Thornberry, Gloucestershire, but passed the greater portion of his life in the United States. He earned a wide reputation in England, and on the continent, by his daring and wonderful feats with lions, tigers, &c., a fine collection of Which animals he had recently purchased, for the purpose of again making his appearance in public. Mr. Carter has left a widow and a very large circle of friends to mourn his early sudden loss. SUDDEN . DEATH AT VAUXHALL GARDENS.—A melancholy i nstance of sudden deeth under circum stances of a very distressing nature occurred in Vaux hall Gardens about half-past eleven o'clock i on Thursday evening. The unfortunate deceased, Aspi nall, was a member of the corporatio some few years since held the office important borough. Mr. Aspinall was in ness of a temporary nature, and dined on Thursday afternoon with a party of friends at the Conservative n Club, after which, in company with Mr. Ridley Warn man and Mr. Watts, two friends, resident in St. James's street, the unfortunate gentleman proceeded to Vauxhall Gardens, where he participated in the gaieties of the royal property, during the evening appearing in ex cellent health and spirits. After partaking of supper the deco aced accompanied his friends to the newly erected Gallery of Arts, after inspecting which he was in the act of descending the staircase when he fell sud denly to the ground, and on being raised who happened was discovered to be insensible. A medical gentleman to be near the spot applied the lancet, but without avail, death having been instantaneous. The body was im• mediately removed, with all the privacy possible, to the Vauxhall 'rap, adjoining the gardens, where it will re main until after the inquest, which Mr. Carter, the coroner for Surrey, has appointed to be held this day. The event caused some consternation among the com pany in the gardens. The friends of the deceased, who were greatly excited at the awful occurrencee , sheet io received from Mr. Wardell, the less ee, every possibln. Mr. Aspinall was a man of extraordinariny stature, mea suring 6 feet 4 inches high, and weighing upwards 20 stone. He was in his 42d year. BRISTOL SUGAR MARKET, JUNE 18.—We have experienced an improved demand for raw sugars this week, and a slight advance has been established on the former currency: the refined market is rather dull, and prices muet be quoted easier, say from 60s. to 635., for brown to standard quality. Nothing doing in rum. — Bristol Mercury. MANC HESTER PRODUCE MARKET, FRIDAY.—The sugar market has assumed a firmer aspect this week, and the sales, which have been to a fai r extent, establish an advance of 6d. per cwt. on last w eek's p rices. Refined sugar aid treacle are lower. Fine golden syrup is quoted 265. The tea market continues quiet, without any alteration in prices.—Manchester Guardian. THE TURNIP FLY.—At a meeting of the Royal Agricultural S oc i e ty l as t week, Mr. Hillyard, of Thorpe lands, near Northampton, described a successful mode which he had adopted to destroy this pest. It was by keeping heaps of twitch on different sides of his farm, ready to be fired when the fly made its appearance on the crop ; he then lighted those heaps which lay on the windward side of the farm, and placed brimstone on the top of each of them, when the combined effluvia of the burning twitch and brimstone being carried over the turnip field the fly was most effectually destroyed. — Banbury Guardian. YANKEE TRICK ON A PILOT.—One day last week the Cros:kirk pilot-boat boarded the American brig Eurotus, of New Orleans, the captain of which engaged one of the men to pilot him through the Pentland Firth, who was to have a barrel of flour for his tee. The vessel was safely piloted through the Firth, and the pilots re tecne,7, bringing with them the supposed barrel of flour, which, on opening, turned out to be nothing but a mix ture of oakum, rope ends, bits of wood, flour, and Indian corn—the sweepings of the vessel I The captain had come from some port in Ireland, and was bound for St. Peteraburgh.— Caithness Chronicle. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sin,—Seeing in your paper to-day that the Parlia ment would probably be prorogued about the 13th proximo, and a dissolution take place iu September or October next, I would suggest, for the eneral welfare and benefit of the nation, that a serupu.ous revision of every voter be previously made by the appointed barris ters, thereby giving to the country an opportunity of testifying their real and unqualified sentiments, by adding to the lists of voters all such persons as may at present be disfranchised by unjust and fraudulent means, and erasing from the lists the names of those who are not duly qualified. A SUBSCRIBER. Wyke Regis, near Weymouth, June 18, 1847. THE CROPS IN LANCASHIRE. (From the Preston Guardian of this day.) ECCLESTON, NEAR LEYLAND.—The crops in this neighbourhood look very promising, potatoes never looked better. Carts laden with potatoes from Burs cough, Rufford, &c., are now passing through here for Bolton and Blackburn. I cannot hear that there is a single complaint as to the appearance of the potato murrain. A party in charge of one cart, which was only partially laden with potatoes, said he had paid 151. for them, and fetched them out of the field, so that the farmer had not been put to any expense beyond getting them out of the ground. He stated that the crop was very productive, and that those farmers who were fortunate enough to have forward crops were reap ing_a fine harvest.—Correspondent. POTATO DISEASE.—FRIGHTENED BEFORE HURT.— The following anecdote will explain how the reports of the potato disease get circulated. We would, however, caution parties not to cry " Wolf, wolf," too much, lest the wolf in reality should make his appearance as a just visitation for their murmurings :—A farmer called upon a gentleman the other day, and stroking down his hair exclaimed, " Oh, dear, I don't know what ull be come uth country olong o' this potatoe disease." The gentleman replied, " Why, Bob, have you got it among your crops ?" " Now, now," said the farmer, " but my nebbur has getten up o lot, up he fun TW bad uns omung um ! ! !" HOARDING UP STILL.—One farmer in Wrightington has upwards of one hundred loads of meal yet unsold. I suppose that he is intending to wait for the harvest of 1848. The crops here look splendid, and no appearance of the disease amongst potatoes.—Correspondent. POTATO CROPS IN LONGTON.—Your correspondent for this place must have been mistaken as to the statement he put forth last week with regard to the potato disease having re-appeared. There may have been a few tubers found in a rotten state in some of the old gardens, which is nothing unusual ; but up to the . present time there is not the slightest trace of the epidemic of last year. On the contrary, potatoes were never known to look so well. There are great quantities now ready for the market, a cart load having gone this day (Wednesday) from here to Blackburn.—J. P. HAS THE POTATO DISEASE APPEARED ?—A gentle man who has travelled through the places named below during the past week says, that after diligent in quiry he was glad to find that there was not a single complaint of the potato disease having appeared, and what is still more gratifying, that none of the sets have missed germinating, and that there is every pro spect of a very abundant crop. Places referred to, starting from Wigan, through Pemberton, Orrell, Up holland, Standish, Wrightington, Welsh Whittle, Cop pull, to Chorky. POTATOES.—UNFOUNDED RUMOUR.—Happening to see a copy of your contemporary of Saturday last, I found a statement of the potato disease having appeared in Worden Park, which I beg to contradict, as I never saw them looking more healthy and prosperous than they do this year. There have been some got up, which were perfectly free from disease.—An occupier of the greater portion of Worden Park, Leyland. THE CROPS, LEYLAND.—AII kinds of grain crops look well in this neighbourhood. Yesterday was a splendid growing day—fine and warm after the genial rain. For ward potatoes look remarkably well, and bid fair for an abundant crop. There are some rumours here and there of a bad potato being found—but to set up a report of the potato disease having made its appearance, is, I think, going too fast.—Leyland Correspondent. THE CROPS.—GARSTANG AND NEIGHBOURHOOD.— The crops in these surrounding neighbourhoods were never known to look better; wheat looks very well, and is progressing rapidly in growth; oats are much im proved, and present a healthy appearance, the grub having now disappeared; beans, since the late rains, promise well, and the stems are studded with bloom from the top to the bottom. Potatoes present such an appear ance as to justify sanguine expectations both as to quan tity and freedom from disease; some of the cottagers who have got up the forward sort have got from twenty to thirty potatoes at one root.—Garstang Correspondent. POTATOES.—MORE GOOD NEws.—At your request I have made it my business to inquire of the farmers at tending the market here to-day from the great potato district west of this, and can hear no complaints of the I potato disease; they all speak well of the prospect of the grain crops, and state that wheat is getting every' day fuller on the ground.—Garstang Correspondent. THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS IN FURNESS.—WO have had a delightful week of sunshine and showers, and the crops are rapidly advancing under their genial influence. The grain crops are spoken well of on all hands, and, uo doubt, the markets are feeling their in fluence, as wheat, of which there was an abundant supply in our market on Thursday, fell Gs. per load. Potatoes are getting up well, and our market at the latter part of the day was supplied with them as low as twopence per lb. The crops in the ground look healthy, and promise well. THE WEATHER AND CROPS IN THE FYLDE.—WO have had a good supply of rain, and during the latter part of the week the atmosphere has been mild and warm. As a consequence vegetation continues to pro gress satisfactorily. Wheat, which has now begun to shoot, continues to maintain a healthy colour, and pro mises to be a good crop. Oats are recovering from the effects of the grub, and have improved within the last few days both in colour and growth; beans and barley are also doing as well as possible. The fields and mea dows look remarkably well, and the hay harvest, even on high lands, which suffered in the early part of the season from drought, will be tolerably heavy. Potatoes in this district still maintain a healthy appearance, and I cannot but think that the reports of the disease have been greatly exaggerated, probably for the unworthy purposes of speculation.—Poulton Correspondent. CEYLON RAILWAY. A general meeting of this company was held yester day, at the London Tavern, to receive the report of the directors ; W. H. Thomas, Esq., in the chair. The advertisement convening the meeting having been read, the secretary, Mr. Noad, was requested to read the report, the substance of which was—That in the first instance the sum of ss. per share had been subscribed in order to pay the expenses of the preliminary surveys, but that in consequence of the extensive railway operations in progress at that period, some time elapsed before the directors could secure the services of a competent engi neer to make the necessary surveys; and it was not until March, 1846, that arrangements were made with Mr. Drane, who, on the recommendation of Mr. Bendel, the consulting engineer, left England intrusted with this im portant mission, b the mail of that month. On his ar rival in Ceylon, I/Ir. Drane proceeded to survey several portions of the country, and was enabled to complete his inquiries and investigations so as to leave the island iu February, 1847, and to reach this country the latter end of March. It appeared from his information, re ceived by the directors, that the cost of the railway from Colombo to Kandy would amount to about 850,0001. ; and it became the province of the directors to determine in what manner they could shape their proceedings, so as to secure the co-operation of her Ma jesty's Government, and especially to obtain such a gua ranteed dividend as would justify the outlay of the capital. The directors have now the gratification to an nounce that these views have been entertained by her Majesty's Government, and that an ordinance will be sanctioned, comprehending a free grant of the land re quired for the railway, for a term of ninety-nine years, and a guaranteed dividend of five per cent, per annum for that period ; the Government having the right of purchase after the expiration of fifty years, and the re version of the line without purchase at the end of ninety nine years. The original capital was to have been 1,000,000/., but in consequence of the arrangement with the Government, it was submitted, that a new company be formed, with a capital of 300,0001., in 20,000 shares of 151. each ; and that the holders of the existing scrip receipts should be entitled to claim the same number of shares in the new company, as though the directors bad found it possible at once to constitute the society con templated by the subscription contract. But as the directors contemplate an extension of the anrangement with her Majesty's Government, and fully purpose carry ing out the original project of completing the railway communication with Kandy at no distant period, power will be taken in the deed of settlement to increase the capital, and to give to the holders of the new 151. shares an option of subscribing for a rateable proportion of the additional stock to be created. Over the division cf the line first to be undertaken, all the traffic between Colombo and Kandy will pass ; and it is estimated that at the existing charge of transport, without including any revenue from passengers, a return of about nineteen per cent. on the capital invested may be realised. During the present year the directors do not anticipate being called upon to expend a larger sum than will en able them to limit the calls to 20s, per share; and as it does not appear probable that the works on the first section of the line can be completed within less than two years, the further calls will necessarily be extended over that period. The directors bad much pleasure in annexing a copy of the report of Mr. Bendel, the con sulting engineer, which entirely confirms the views of the directors. The directors have endeavoured to con duct the affairs of the company with the strictest eco nomy, and referring to the accompanying statement of receipts and expenditure, concluded the report by ex pressing a hope that they may have earned the appro bation, and continue to possess the confidence of the shareholders. _ . _ It was further stated that the calls during the present year were not likely to be more than 20s. a share, and the traffic for goods between Colombo and Candy, a distance of 32 miles, was estimated at 40,000 tons car ried up the line, at Is. per ton per mile, 64,0001.; 22,500 tons brought down the line, at 4d. per ton per mile, 12,0001.; making a total of 76,000/.; and deducting for working expenses 19,0001., there would be a profit of 57,0001., or 19 per cent. on the capital. From the cash account it appeared that the total re ceipts on calls and from other sources was 5,3761., the payments 4,9591. 7s. ld., and the assets in hand are 4071. 12s. lid. In consequence, however, of money ad vanced by the directors for the purposes of the com pany, there is a small deficiency of 3091. 7s. Id. between the liabilities and the assets. The engineer's report was appended to that of the directors, by which it appeared that the railway was intended to commence at the east bank of the Kalany river, about three miles from the city of Colombo, and following for the first 32 miles the general direction of the great military . road to Kandy and Kornegalle, which the line crosses twice ; then, entering the Valley of the (river) Maha o,ya, follows its course for 23 miles to the hill country at the Kaddoganava Pass, or Gordon's Bridge, where it commences a rapid ascent to the summit on which Kandy is situated, and terminates about three miles short of that city, being a length of 14 miles, and making the whole length of the railway 69 miles. Over the first division of 32 miles the country is flat, the total rise not exceeding 170 feet on the whole length, and the highest land passed over between these points not exceed. ing 240 feet, involving a class of gradients better than 1 in 150 to lin 200. The estimate is 258,7951., supposing the land to be given by the Government. The second division would involve heavier gradients and works than the first division, as the country becomes more broken. The gradients need not, however, exceed 1 in 150 to 1 in 200, for 17 miles, but beyond that the gradients might have to be so steep as 1 iu 100 to 1 in 50, for the re maining five miles ; the work of construction over the whole being, however, moderate, and such as the estimate of 177,1491. would accomplish for a single line, as be fore. The total rise of country on this division is 540 feet, without any intermediate summit. The third divi sion, as before stated, forms the ascent to Kandy; the elevation to be overcome is 1,100 feet, and the gradients may, it seems, be so arranged as not to exceed 1 in 50, the numerous ravines of the mountains admitting of a lengthening of the line so as to accomplish that object. Such gradients may be safely worked. Goods traffic at 10 miles per hour, and passenger traffic to average 17 miles an hour, prudent limits in that countr y . It need only be added that the cost per mile, including stock, of the two first divisions of the line will be some what under 9,0001., and the third division from 21,0001, to 22,0001. per mile ; all single line, made on a secure but economical plan. The CHAIRMAN recapitulated the principal parts of the report in moving its adoption. Before it was finally accepted, Mr. ANDERTON observed that, after all, the Govern ment guarantee amounted to nothing, and that the pro perty was only a leasehold. Mr. LEVY trusted the Hon. Proprietor would not throw in any element of discord, for that he thought the guarantee of the Government a great advantage. Mr. ANDERTON wou ld b e qu ite as ready to take Mr. Levy's guarantee for th e am ount. The report was u lti ma t e ly adopted, witbout any dis sent, and the meeti ng , w hi c h was numerous, and it need not be said hi g hly r e spectable, separated, ap parently well satisfi e d w ith the day's proceedings. FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT AND LOSS OF LIFE. Last night, shortly before seven o'clock, considerable consternation was caused in the Borough by a most se rious accident which occurred upon the works in con nexion with the North Kent or London and Gravesend Railway, in consequence of the falling of an arch, pass ing over Great Russell- street, at its northern end. In the midst of the confusion which prevails, the following facts with reference to this disastrous occurrence have been gathered, which, though far from being sufficiently in detail to furnish a complete account of the accident, may, nevertheless, be relied upon as accurate as far as the facts could be procured of the parties who witnessed it. During the latter part of the afternoon, it appears that several of the men employed in the erection of a viaduct, or rather in the widening of the tramway of the South-Eastern line over Great Russell-street, were engaged in removing the stouts and centre-pieces from the brickwork forming the permanent way for the new line. But a few minutes had elapsed after the re moval of these timber supporters, before a sudden crack ing was heard overhead by some of the men who were at that time under that portion of the railway which forms the present Greenwich, Croydon, Brighton, and Dover lines. Before it was possible to give any alarm, or to warn the parties who were passing under the bridge at the time, the whole of the new work came down with a tremendous crash. One man was at work laying con crete at the time over the archway. He was brought down with the mass of rubbish, consisting of several tons, but, fortunately, he escaped with a considerable bruising. It was apprehended at first that several per sons who happened to be passing under the bridge at the time had been sacrificed, and the rumour became almost instantaneously rife that not less than eight per sons had been killed, and more seriously injured. As soon, however, as it was possible, workmen were set to work to remove the rubbish, and in a short time three persons were found severally most severely injured ; they were conveyed without delay to Guy's a sh to discernible. a m um Soon m afterwards the body of a middle - aged female frightfully mutilated was Hospital, where every attention was paid to them by the y, scarcely a trace house-surgeon. In p rosec uting their further search the men met with the body of a respectably-dressed man , owhof hisw was literally beinglysm found. It is scarcely necessary to add that both parties when taken out of the ruins were quite dead. It was rumoured that two boys were seen close to the spot where the unfortunate accident took place, but up to the time of our going to press no other bodies have been found. The deceased persons have been removed to the dead room at St. Olave's school, to await the inquiry of the Coroner. TUB PIIILOLOGICAL SCHOOL.—yesterday the an nual examination of the students educated in this insti tution took place at the school -hous e i n t h e N ew-roa d. The Lord Bishop of Lichfield presided, and was sup ported by the Rev. R. Walpole, 8.D., the Rev. E. Sco bell, M.A., the Rev. W. J. Hutchings, M.A., the Rev. C. T. Johnson, 8.D., and several other clergymen and g entlemen. The examination was cond uc t e d by the Lord Bishop of Lichfield and the Rev. Edwin Abbott, M.A., the - head master of the school. Th e s t u d e nts we re examined in Thucydides, Herodotus, Xenophon, Virgil, Sallust, Horace, and other Greek and Latin classics; in Euclid's elements, tri gonometry, an d o th er branches of mathematical science, as well as in all the subjects pertaining to a sound and liberal English edu cation. In religious subjects there was also a close ex amination. At the close of the proceedings the Bishop of Lichfield addressed the students, congratulating them upon the success which had a l rea d y crowne d their exertions, and urging them to renewed perseverance. The Right Rev. Prelate then retired, and the meeting broke up. ROYAL PRESENTS.—Some packages of pictures have arrived in this country from Holland, for the Queen and his Royal Highness Prince Albert, being presents from ' his Majesty the Xing of the Netherlands. PREVALENCE OF FEVER. An epidemic is springing up in cities and towns, under peculiar circumstances, which demands the serious at tention of the Government, the Legislature, and the public ; a striking illustration of which is afforded by the character and the extent of the fever which is pre vailing at the present moment in the metropolis. Dur ring the months of April and May the admissions into the London Fever Hospital were treble the number of admissions in the three preceding months of March, February, and January. The number is steadily in creasing. Wards which had been shut up for several years are now open, and are already full. There is at the present moment scarcely a vacant bed in the house, and some days ago patients were brought to the doors of the hospital, but could not be admitted for want of room, and soon upwards of twenty were on the list, waiting their turn for the next vacant beds. Out of the total number admitted during the last two months about one-third are Irish. Of these, by far the greater number have either recently arrived in London, or belong to families that have received relations or acquaintances just arrived from Ireland. Many of these poor people were actually in a state of fever on their arrival, but still more were in such a weakened and exhausted condition, that they fell into fever in a few days after their abode in the wretched houses and the poisonous localities in which they lodged. Every case of this kind acts as a ferment thrown into a mass of materials just ready to take on the protNss of fermentation. If the season should prove warm, and the air close and stagnant, that process must go on and extend in all those fever districts. The character of the prevailing fever is also peculiar, and exhibits one of the symptoms hitherto thought to be distinctive of the plague, namely, a remarkable tendency to glandular in flammation. In plagues these glandular inflammations chiefly attack the glands of the groin, constituting bubo; in the fever at present rapidly spreading over every part of London, they attack the glands of the neck and face, particularly the parotid gland; but be yond this difference in its seat, there is no appreciable difference in the nature of this affection in plague and typhus.—Chronicle. DOMESTIC EXTRAVAGANCE.—The wanton and wicked extravagance that has taken place, and is taking plaee, by servants in many noblemen and gentlemens' residences, and even in many middle class families, calls for an immediate correction. The waste of bread, meat, potatoes, &c., in many families is truly shocking, and which if heads of those families were fully aware of, would produce astonishment to them. A correspondent writing to us upon this subject says he has seen such wanton and wicked waste of bread, meat, potatoes, &c., by the domestics of a gentleman's family near to where he resides, that it has positively shocked him. An immediate correction ought to take place by the prin cipals of all families; not a niggardly correction, but a necessary one of wastefulness. DEATH OF MR. PAPWORTH.—The death of Mr. John Buonarotti Papworth, late Vice-President of the Royal Institute of British Architects, occurred on Wed nesday last, at his residence, Park-end, St. Neots, whither he had retired from London, after more than fifty years professional practice. Amongst the clients to whom he owed an extremely varied practice he num bered several of the late branches of the Royal Family, especially the Princess Charlotte, and also the present Ning of Wurtemberg, from whom he, having desigaed the palace and English part at Kaunstadt, received the appointment of architect to his Majesty. Mr. Daniell, the African traveller, has reached this country, after escaping all the vicissitudes of a compara tively unknown country in South-Western Africa. He has had several attacks of fever, and escaped death under various guises. He has, however, reaped a rich ethnological collection, which be intends immediately to lay before the Ethnological Society. He has minutely studied the distinctions whioh the various tribes of negroes of the south present, compared with the un civilised men of the north of Western Africa. The Portuguese possessions, especially the penal settlements —a new and rich field of inquiry —have engaged his marked attention. The slave trade is rapidly gaining ground in Angola, and the adjacent countries, to the great detriment of our legitimate commerce ; and, not withstanding the reputed vigilance of our cruisers, a vast number of slaves have been transmitted to the Brazils, the exports of a few months exceeding the ordinary amount of past years. A vessel has been equipped in the port of Soanda, the chief Portuguese settlement in South Africa, and had successfully escaped with a full cargo of slaves. One of the members of the Portuguese Court was implicated in this affair, and has been dismissed from his post by th© Government. JUNE 19 1 AA, THE LATE RAILWAY ACCIDENT. (From the Preston Pilot.) We have given in another part of the paper a long account of the very lamentable accident on the railway, at Wolverton, on Saturday evening last ; but as there were two of the passengers who most miraculously escaped that belong to this immediate district (and who were in the carriage in which the seven persons were who were killed), we have been enabled to obtain a few par ticulars, which will probably be interesting to many of our readers, inasmuch as they refer to a gentleman (Mr. Henry Smith, of Fleetwood) who was one of the suf ferers, and who is so well known and so highly respected in this neighbourhood. The gentleman who has furnished us with the particulars is Mr. J. Pearson (son of Mr. Pearson, of Spring-cottage), a student at Cambridge, and who was returning to his friends in Preston to spend the vacation. In the department of the carriage in which he sat he thinks there were three killed, but in the confusion and bustle which prevailed, and he himself having been so miraculously preserved, he scarcely knew what he was doing. Mr. Pearson states that about a minute or two before the accident occurred, Mr. Smith, who sat opposite to him, and who was reading a book, asked him "if he could read in a railway carriage ?" At that moment there was a slight undulation in the motion of the carriage, and Mr. Smith laid the book across his knee at the same time saying, " This is very like running off the line," and was in the act of putting down the window when the crash took place, and he became one of the victi us of the negli gence of the company's servant. Mr. Pearson him self got bruised, and had the sole of his boot partly taken off, as well as his stocking cut, and his foot injured ; he was much stunned, and must have lain some time before he came to himself ; but when he did, he found that he was clear of the carriage, though how he had become so he had not the most distant recollection. After wandering about for some time, he went to the place where the dead bodies of those who had suffered had been placed, and recognized the gentleman he had been talking to imme diately preceding the accident. As is known, the luggage got all into confusion, and Mr. Pearson waited till the next mail train to bring his with him, and on his arriving at home he found, stowed away in his luggage, the very book which the gentleman was reading, and which he again recognised. This was a volume having a label on the side, " Fleetwood Reading So ciety," and on the inside label Mr. Smith's name is the next to whom the book had to be sent, and it appeared to have been forwarded to him on the 12th of May. We wonder that some inquiry was not made by Mr. Pearson, after finding this book, whethere there was not a gentle man of the name of Smith at Fleetwood, particularly after it was known that one of that name was among the killed. As it was, the first intimation that his friends had was through the report in the London morning papers of Tuesday, where it was stated that one of the bodies had not been owned, nor had he any memorandum about him to show from where he came; but that his linen was marked " Henry Smith," and gave some other particulars as to his watch chain, &c. It being known that Mr. Smith was in London, and intended coming down, it became almost certain that he was one of the sufferers, and in con sequence his brother-in-law, Mr. Thomas Langton Birley, and Mr. S. Burridge, who is in the office of H. Smith and Co., of Fleetwood, went up by Wednesday morning's mail train, and, on reaching Wolverton, found that their worst fears were realised, Mr. Smith having, indeed, been killed. His remains were brought down by the London express train (which reaches here about half-past eleven o'clock at night) on Thursday, and were immediately conveyed on to Kirkham, where , they will be deposited in the burial ground of the parish church to-morrow morni n g . Mr. Smit h was most extensively known as an active agent of the Belfast steam-boats at Fleetwood ; and his loss, both as a public man and as a private friend, will be keenly felt, as well on the other side of the Channel as at Fleetwood, where be has now resided for some years. Mainly owing to his activity and enterprise the line of Irish steamers from Fleetwood has been esta blished, and brought to the perfection to which it has now arrived ; and the only regret is that he has not longer lived to enjoy the fruits of his untiring diligence and industry. Not one who knew him but will say, " We could well have spared a better man." We have been favoured with the following particulars of this melancholy and fatal occurrence by Mr. George Eastham, of Walton-le-Dale, near this town, who was also one of the passengers in the train to which the accident happened. He says, that on Saturday evening last he booked at the terminus of the London and Birmingham Railway, in London, for Preston, by a second-class carriage in the mail train. The carriage in which he was seated was the fifth from the tender, including the two vans, and he was in the last com partment but one, and with his back to the engine. There were 19 carriages in the train. There were two gentlemen on his right hand, one on his left, and three others opposite to him. In the course of conversation it appeared that the gentleman on his left was only going as far as Wolverton, and that being desirous of obtain ing a little sleep, he had closed his eyes, and requested Mr. Eastham to waken him on their arrival in Birming ham. There is no doubt but that this gentleman was M . r. Cooper, of Wolverhampton , who was killed. Nothin g unusual occurred until about a quarter to 11 o'clock, when there was a sudden and most severe shock. Mr. Eastham's first impression was that one of the tunnels, of which our readers are doubtless aware there are seve ral on this line, had fallen through, and this idea was somewhat strengthened from its being excessively dark, so that it was quite impossible to see what was going on. The shock was almost immediately followed by the crash of the carriage, the roof was broken outwards, and sepa rated from the sides, the sides were smashed in, and at this moment the bottom of the carriage also broke up, and the gentlemen who were on the same seat with Mr. Eastham fell through. He, however, retained his seat for a few seconds longer, but then fell also on the top of those who were gone down, and be also became com pletely jammed in the broken pieces of the carriage, and although the screams and groans from those beneath were truly horrible, yet from his own position he was utterly unable to lend the slightest aid. He remained thus for about twenty minutes, when from another slight motion of the train he was enabled to extricate himself. While he was fixed in the carriage the groans from those unfortunate gentlemen who had fallen gradually ceased as they one after another expired, until the last cry was heard and the last perished. On finding himself once more out of danger, Mr. East ham had time to notice what a merciful escape he had had—two carriages completely destroyed, and no less than seven persons hurried at once into eternity. At the time of the accident he had a travelling cap on his head, and was holding his hat in his hand, but both these were lost. The sole of his left boot was torn off ; the trousers, on both knees, split up ; his ankles slightly sprained, and the skin scarred on his knees. Both the gentlemen on his right hand, and the one one on his left, were among the killed ; out of the seven in that compartment only three escaped. There was a delay of about an hour and a-half at the Wolverton station, and the train being then re formed, he and part of the passengers came forward ; part stayed at Wolverton, and part determined to go back to town. Very slow speed was maintained as far as Birmingham. Mr. Eastham left his luggage at Wol verton, and it was forwarded to him a day or two after. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PORTSMOUTH, JUNE 18.—The Serpent, 16, and the Champion, 18, were undocked last evening, having un dergone a thorough repair. The Orestes, 18, was docked to-day to be repaired, as were also the Echo and Rocket steamers. The Echo has only this week returned from Woolwich, at which place she had her engines repaired; but it appears that they could not spare her a dock, and the repairs to her hull were obliged to be deferred till her arrival hero. The Scourge steam-sloop is stripped, and will, it is believed, be paid off the beginning of the week; although even this is doubtful, for so changeable are our naval rulers that last evening they ordered her, if possible, to be taken to Woolwich. It all depends, therefore, on the state of her engines. If they are trustworthy, she will be rigged again, and proceed to the river; if not, she will remain here. The Maria Somes transport, Lieutenant John R. Black agent, sailed this afternoon for Cork to embark pensioned settlers for Canada. The dockyard artizans having objections to wearing the undress uniform assigned for them in the streets of the town, a deputation from the working shipwrights, the most influential body, waited on Mr. John Fincham, the master -shipwright, yesterday, to request permission to deposit their dresses in the yard every night after drill, which request being granted with the greatest ap parent good-will, the men greeted him with three cheers, and appeared highly gratified with his kindness. In Harbour—The Victory, the Excellent, the Vic toria and Albert, and the Vengeance; the Avenger, the Scourge, the Tartarus, the Undine, the Myrtle, and the Fairy steamers. At Spithead—The St. Vincent and the Howe. In the Basin—The Britannia, the Ajax, the Retribu tion, and the Odin. In Dock—The Prince Regent, the Orestes, the Sap pho, the Leander, the Echo, and the Rocket. Orders have been issued by the Board of Ordnance to convert the curtain which connects the platform bat tery with the King's b astion on these 'walls into a for midable battery for the heavie s t metal, by raising it three feet higher (its height fro m the foot p ath being now about five feet) and cutting embrasures at proper dis tances the entire length. The raising the curtain of the King's bastion, which we noticed some time since, is being rapidly proceeded with, and the saluting battery will shortly undergo similar alterations, and the six pounders with which it is at present mounted give place to far heavier metal. PLYMOUTH, JUNE 17.—His Danish Majesty's cor vette Flora, Captain Ellbrecht, sailed this morning for the North Sea. Wind E.S.E., blowing strong. Her Majesty's steam-sloop Growler, Commander Potbury, atter being 60 miles to the westward of Scilly, put back yesterday, having encountered heavy gales of wind. Her chain-bolts are drawn and broken, and she is gone up Harnoaze to repair damages. Tsai ACCIDENT AT WOLVERTON. — In the course of the day it was mentioned by one cf the officials of the company that the unfortunate event will invole the company, in an expense of between 20,0001. and 30,0001., and it may be stated that the policeman was accompanied to the gaol by his betrothed, to whom he was to have been united last Friday. Some of the friends of the un fortunate deceased complained to the Coroner of their bodies having been plundered of the monies which were in their possession. The company promised an investigation in the matter.—Manchester Courier. THE WEATHER.—We have had an excessive amount of rain for some days past—this day it has fallen h eav ily, without intermission, flooding the fields and rivers. Hitherto the surplus . moisture cannot hav e p r oved injurious, but a cont i nuance of such weath er muc h longer could not fail to excite some uneasiness and approlionsiou.—lnverness Courier. PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONS. From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons.) FRIDAY, JUNE 18. COMMITTEES ON PRIVATE BILLS. - - Order read for resuming adjourned Debate on Question (11th June), "That it is expedient that the constitution and practice of all Committees on Private Bills, in future sessions of Parliament, should be assimilated as nearly as may be to those of Committees on Railway Bills; and that it be an instruction to the Committee for revision of standing orders to make provision accordingly :—Question again proposed:— Debate resumed :—Question put. The House divided :-- - MAJORITY-AYES, 116. Acland, T. D. Forster, Matthew Paget, Colonel Aldam, William Gibson, T. M. Palmerston, Viscount Arkwright, G. Gladstone, J. N. Parker, John Arundel, Earl of Gordon, Admiral Patten, J.W. Baring, F. T. Gore, Robert Pattison, J. Baring, W. B. Gower, Leveson Philips, G. R. Barrington, Viscount Grey, Sir G. Plumridge, Captain Berkeley, Craven Grogan, Edward: Powlett, Lord W. Berkeley, Captain Hanmer, Sir John Protheroe, Edward Boyd, John Harris, Hon. Capt. Pusey, Philip Brown, W. Haatle, Archibald Rich, Henry Buller, Edward Hatton, Captain V. Richards, Richard Burke, T. J. lleneage, Edward Roebuck, J. A. Callaghan, D. Holland, Robert Shaw, F. Cardwell, Edward Hope, A. Shell, R. L. Chapman, B. Ilorsman, E. Somerville, Sir W. Clay, Sir W. Howard, E. G. Sotheron, T. H. Colebrooke, Sir T. Ho war d, P. H. Stanton, W. H. Collett, W. R. Jervis, Sir John Strickland, Sir G, Collett, John Labouchere, Henry Strutt, Edward Courtenay, Lord Langston, J. H. Tancred, H. W. Crawford, W. S. Lascelles, W._S. Thornely, T. Dalrymple, Captain Lefroy, A. Tomline, George Denison, J. E. Lincoln, Earl of Towneley, John Dennhstoun, J. Lindsay, Colonel Trelawny, J. S. Dickinson, F. F. Loch, James Mihail, H. Divett, E. Mackinnon, W. Turner, E. Dodd, G. Marshall, William Villiers, Charles Dugdale, W. S. Marsland,_Henry Vvian, J. H. Duucan,:Viscount Maule, Fox Wakley, Thomas Duncan, George Miles, William Walker, Richard buncombe, Thomas Moffatt, George Williams, W. Dundas, Sir David Morpeth, Viscount Winnington, Sir T. East, Sir J. B. Moetyn, E. Wood, Colonel T. Ebriugton, Lord Muntz, G. F. Wortley, J. S. Ellice, Edward Nicholl, J. Yorke, H. R. Escott, Biekham Norreys, Lord Esmonde, Sir T. O'Brien, J. Estcourt, T. G. O'Conor, Don Ewart, William Ogle, S. C. Trusss. Greene, Thomas Heatheote, Sir W. MINORITY-NOES, 88. Adare, Viscount Egerton, Sir P. Morris, David Baillie, William Entwisle, William Newdegate, N. Bankes, George Feilden, Sir W. Newport, Viscount Barnard, E. G. Fielden, John O'Ferrall, R. M. Beckett, William Ferguson, Sir R. Palmer, G. Bentinck, Lord G. Forbes, William Pechell, Captain Bernal, Ralph Fuller, A. E. Peel, Colonel Bodkin, William H. Gaskell, J. M. Prime, Richard Brotherton, Joseph Gisborne, Thomas Rashleigh, W. Brisco, M. Gore, Montague Repton, G. W. J. Broadley, 11. Grahams, Sir James Rice, E. R. Broadwood, H. Hall, Sir B. Ross, D. R. Buck, L. W. Hamilton, W. J. Sandon, Viscount Buller, Sir J. Y. Hamilton, Lord C. Seymour, Lord Burrell, Sir C. Heathcote, G. J. Sheppard, T. Carew, W. H. Pole Henley, J. W. Smith, R. V. Cavendish, G. H. Hildyard, T. B. Somerset, Lord G. Choimeley, Sir J. Hodgson, F. Spooner, R. Christopher, R. A. Hodgson,,Richard Trollepe, Sir J. Clerk Sir G. Howard, C. W.G. Trotter, John Clive, Viscount Hudson, G. Vane, Lord H. Codrington, Sir W. Ingestre, Viscount Vyse, H. Cole, Hon. H. A. James, Sir W. C. Waddington, H. S. Corbally, M. E. Kembie, Henry Walsh, Sir J. B. Deedes, W. Lowther, Sir:J. Welby, G. E. Disraeli, B. Lowther, Hon. Col. Worcester, Marquis Douglas, J. S. Lygon, Gen. Duckworth, Sir J. Mackenzie. T. WILLEM. Duncombe, A. Manners, Lord J. I ng li s, sir „ z. .-, Duncombe, 0. Miles, Philip W. S. B ro th erton, Joseph Egerton, W. T. Morgan, 0. HEALTH OF TOWNS BILL. Order for Committee read; Motion made, and Question proposed, " That Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chain"— Amendment proposed, to leave out from the word " That" to the end of the Question, in order to add the words " this House will, upon this day three months, resolve itself into the said Committee," instead thereof:—Question put, " That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Question." The House divided:— MAJORITY—AYES, 191. Acheson, Viscount Evans, Sir De Lacy Nicholl, John Acland, ,T. D. Ewart, William Norreys, Lord Milani, W. Farnham, E. B. Norreys, Sir D. Antrobus, Edmund Ferguson, Sir R. O'Brien, Joha Arundel, Earl of Fitzmaurice, W. O'Brien, Timothy Baillie, W. Forster, Mathew O'Connell, M. J. Baine, Walter Fox, C. R. O'Conor, Don Bannerman, A. Gibson, Thomas M. O'lerrall, R. M. Barclay, David Gill, Thomas Ogle, S. C. Baring, F. T. Gore, Robert Pakington, Sir J. S. Bateson, Thomas Gower, Leveson Palmerston, Via. Beckett, W. Greene Thomas Parker, John Bell, John Gregory W. H. Patten, J. W. Bellew, B. M. Grey, Sir G. Pechell, Captain Berkeley, Craven Grosvenor, Lord R. Perfect, Robert Berkeley, Captain Grosvenor, Earl Philips, G. R. Blake, Martin J. Hall, Sir Benjamin Pinney, William Boyd ;John. Hamilton, W. J. Powlett, Lord W. Bramston, T. W. Hanmer, Sir J. Protheroe, E. Briseo, M. Harcourt, G. G. Posey, P. Broadley, Henry Morris, Captain Reid, Colonel Bretherton, J. Hatton, Captain Repton, G. W. Brown, W. Hawes, Benjamin Rice, E. R. Buller, Charles Heathcoat, John Rich, Henry Buller, Edward Heneage, E. Roche, E. B. Busfeild, W. Hervey, Lord A. Romilly, John Byng, G. S. llobhouse, Sir John Round, J. Cardwell, Edward Hodgson, F. Russell, Lord J. Cavendish, G. H. Hope, Alexander Russell, Lord C. Chichester, Lord J. Horsman, Edward Sandon, Lord Christie, W. D. Howard, C. W. Seymour, Lord Clay, Sir W. Howard, E. G. Seymour, Sir H. B. Clifton, J. T. Howard, P. H. Shell, R. L. Colebrooke, Sir T. Hutt, William Smith, Vernon Colvile, C. R. James, Sir W. Somerville, Sir W. Conyngham, Lord A. Jermyn,lEarl Sotheron, T. H. S. Corbally, M. E. Jervis, Sir John Stanley, W. 0. Courtenay, Lord Johnstone, Sir J. Stanfield, W. R. Cowper, W. F. Ramble, H.; Stanton, W. H. Crawford, W. S. Labouchere, Henry Stuart, Lord J. Dalmeny, Lord LambtOn, H. . Strickland, Sir G. Dalrymple, Captain Langston, J. H Strutt, Edward Davies, D. A. Lascelles, W. S. Talbot, C. R. Dawson, T. V. Lawless, Cecil Tancred, H. W. Denison, J. E. Legh, G. C. Thomely, Thomas Denison. E. D. Lincoln. Earl of _ Tollemache, John Dennistoun, J. Lindsay, Colonel Tommie, George D'Eyncourt, C. T. Macaulay. T. B. Trelawny, J. S. Dickinson, F. IL Mackinnon, W. Turner, Edmund Duckworth, Sir I. M`Donnell,;./. M. Vane, Lord H. Duncan, Lord' M`Geachy, F. A. Villiers, Charles Duncan, George Malnwaring, T. Vivian, J. H. Duncombe, T. Marshall, W. Wakley. Thomas Duncombe, A. Moreland, Henry Walker, Richard Dundas, Admiral Mettle, Fox Ward, IL G. Dundas, Sir David Mildmay, IL SLJohn White, Samuel East, Sir J. B. Miles, P. W. S. Williams, W. Ebrington, Viscount Moffatt, George Wood, Sir Charles Egerton, Sir P. Monahan, J. H. Wortley, J. S. Ellice, Edward Morpeth, Viscount Wrightson, W. B. Emlyn, Viscount Morris, David Wyse, Thomas Escott, Bickham Morison, General Esmonde, Sir T. Mostyn. E. M. SlLLtis. Etwall, Ralph Mare, Colonel 'llene% Hoary Evans, William Neville, Ralph Hill, Lord Marcus MINORITY-NOES, 50. Adderley, C. B. Douglas, J. D. S. Newdegatc, C. N. Archdall, Captain Dugdale, W. S. Newport,:Visct. Arkwright, George EgertonZW. T. Palmer, !Robert Bankes, George Floyer, John ' Rashleigh, William Bentinck, Lord G. Forbes, W. RoHeston, Colonel Bodkin, W. H. Frewen, C. H. Shirley, E. J. Borthwick, P. Fuller, A. E. Spooner, Richard Broadwood, 11. Granby, Marquis of Stuart, J. Brooke, Lord Halsey, T. P. Vivian, J. E. Buck, Lewis W. Henley, J. W. Vyse, H. Buller, Sir J. Y. Hudson, George Vyvyan, Sir R. R. Burrell, Sir C. Hussey, T. Waddington, H. S. Carew, W. P. Ingestre, Visct. Walsh, Sir J. Cole, H. A. Lennox, Lord G. 11. Yorke, R. H. Deedes, W. Lowther Colonel Dick, Q. Manners, Lord C. Divett, Edward Miles, W. Douglas, Sir C. Neeld, Joseph =LENA. Manta, G. F. Sibthorp, Colonel COURT CIRCULAR. The Queen and Prince Albert took their accustomed early walk yesterday in the gardens of Buckingham Palace. His Royal Highness Prince Albert rode out on horse back yesterday, attended by Colonel Bouverie, Equerry in Waiting. Her Majesty honoured the performance of the French Plays with her presence last evening. Her Majesty was attended by the Marchioness of Douro, Lady Caroline Cocks, Lord Byron, and Lord Alfred Paget. His Royal Highness Prince Albert dined with the Duke of Wellington at Apsley_House, at the Waterloo Banquet, yesterday evening. His Royal Highness was attended by the Groom of the Stole, the Marquis of Abercorn ; the Master of the Household, Major-General Bowles; and the Equerry in Waiting, Col. Bouverie. We have authority to state that the two Royal pic tures by Winterhalter, will be removed from St. James's Palace on the Ist of July next. Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince George, visited her Majesty the Queen Dowager, yesterday, at Marlborough House. Her Majesty the Queen Dowager, and her Royal Highness the Hereditary Grand Duchess of Saxe Weimar, visited her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester yesterday at Gloucester House. Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge, and the Princess Mary, honoured the Austrian Ambas sador and the Countess Dietrichatein 'with their com pany yesterday evening at their residence in Chandos street. The Most Rev. Doctor Nicholson had an interview with Earl Grey yesterday at the Colonial-office. Mr. Grahame had an interview with the Right Hon. Edward Strutt yesterday at the office of the Commis sioners of Railways in Great George-street. A deputation from Liverpool on the health of towns, consisting of Lord Sandon, M.P., Sir Howard Douglas, M.P., Messrs. Earle, Rushton, Nicol, Bennett, Ferguson, and Hart, and Dr. Duncan, had an interview with Sir George Grey yesterday, at the Home Office. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England had a general meeting on Thursday. Mr. Barkly, 11. P., and Mr. Macgregor, had an inter view with the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday, at his official residence in Downing-street. The Rev. H. W. Maddock had an interview yester day with Earl Grey. The Earl of Besborough had an interview with the Earl of Clarendon yesterday. Dispatches were sent off last evening from the Colo nial Office for the Governor General of Canada, and also for the Governors of the other North American provinces. COWES, ISLE OF WIGHT. (ritcw OUR. OWN CORRESPONDENT.) JUNE 18, 1847. ROYAL YACHT SQUADRON INTELLIGENCE. ARRIVALS. June 13. Fair Rosamond schooner, William Lyon, Esq., from Portsmouth. 14. Alarm cutter, Jos. Weld, Esq., from Lymington. 15. Osprey cutter, John Petre, Esq., from Torbay ; Maud schooner, Thomas Leigh, Esq., from Cherbourgh. 17. Water Lily, yawl, John Ilibbort, Esq., from Eastward. SAILINGS. June 17. Maud schooner, Thomas Leigh Esq., for Cherbourgh ; N oran cutter, S i r H. B. H o hton, Bart., for Tynemo u th ; L ark, ditto, Capta i n C. bi• R.N., for Plymouth. 18. Witch cutter, Henry Oglander, Esq., for West ward on a cruise. YACHTS AT AND ABOUT THE STATION. Schooners—Fair Rosamond, Fairy, Esmeralda, Merlin. Yawl—Water Lily. Cutters—Elizabeth, Turquoise, Talisman, Osprey, Antelope, and Alarm. ~~°""`' NAVIGATION ' LAWS. The Select Committee appointed to inquire into the operation of the navigation laws met on Thursday. There were present Mr. M. Gibson (chairman), Mr. Alderman Thompson, Mr. Ilitchtll, Mr. Liddell, Sir George Clerk, Mr. Ricardo, Admiral Dundas, Sir Howard Douglas, and Mr. Ly•all. Mr. Cumming, the witness who was under examina tion on Tuesday, was recalled, and examined. By Mr. Alder man Th ompson —H e had ascertained that the Swedish ship Si r Ch ar l es F or b es , five years old, had been insured at Lloyd' s f or twe l ve mo nths at eight guineas per cent. He did not k now t h a t t his was the ordinary rate of premium, as th ere were so f e w Swedish ships insured in this country. He should certainly be surprised if Alderman Thompson produced seventeen policies of insurance on Swedish ships by one house, in the course of three years, at six guineas. So far as his own knowledge went he was not aware of Swedish sn'iln being insured at less than eight guineas per cent. the The premium on a British ship going to the Baltic and home in the fall of the year went as nigh as 60s. or 705., or even higher than that. He should infer that there was a greater risk in insuring a sh;;) in the Baltic trade, whose home was in the Baltic, than another ship whose home was in England, as it was t n. , re dangerous to English seas. navigate igtattLrtheie.orße,almticighint iefactwinter than account a 'or premium charged on foreign s hi p s. A B. t.hshipP of the first class for a voyage fr o m Liverpool to Calcutta e hig and back would be insured fo r ;Os. p er cent. He known two French ships to h ave been insured far a s.irrit had . lar voyage at 80s. per cent. H e had ships for the Calcutta voyage. He w ould insure a first,-lass Dutch ship for the voyage from Holland to Java and back at six guineas. He preferred the Java vo y a g e to the voyage to the East Indies. A Liverpool ship to Java would be insured at 51. 10s. per Cent. By Admiral Dundas—Other things being equal he should be inclined to insure ships whose Officers had un dergone an examination. By Mr. Ricardo—He was sorry to say the general im pression was that the foreign captains and crews were more temperate, more intelligent, and better educated than English captains and crews, excepting ships of the first class. By the Chairman—The rate of insurance always be gan to rise rapidly after the Ist of August, and con tinued high till the 12th of January following. By Mr. Ricardo—The American ships were navi gated with fewer hands than British ships • yet he had insured an American ship at a lower rate than an Eng lish ship of the same class, and it was probable that the former vessel might have been the weaker of the two. The impression was that the Americans took more care of their cargoes. They used more machinery on board their vessels, and the consequence was four or five men were enabled to perform as much work as it would take seven or eight men to perform on board British ships. Mr. Jansen, a ship-broker and underwriter, was next examined. By Mr. Mitchell—He had given a paper to Mr. Young, which that gentleman had laid before the committee, re garding the equality of insurances on British aad foreign ships. He believed that he had added some qualification to the opinion when be signed the paper; but he was not sure that he had done so ; and he was prepared to authenticate the statement as it stood. There might be a difference under certain circumstances of a half per cent. in the insurance of a Dutch as compared with a British ship. With regard to the Swedish ships he thought, allowing for the difference of risks, that they w r e e d s were insured at a h a lf p er cent . l ower t h an t h e E ng li s h ships. With respect at to 4 per Prussian een t. highership s in th a the E English trade they were ships, but that difference was entirely ascribable to the difference of the voyages. The value of the ship was an element in the calculation of premiums, but not equal to the character of the captain or of the cargo. In fact the character of the ship was the last element in the cal culation. By Admiral Dundas—He was not of opinion that the English captains were more intemperate than foreign captains ; but be believed that they were more reckless, and frequently pressed on more sail at times, when foreign captains, who were more prudent, would shorten sail. Again, it was often found that an English captain would put to sea in weather when a foreign captain would reef close in harbour. By the Chairman—He thought that marine insurances tended very much to encourage shipping. By Admiral Dundas—He thought that the intention of the navigation laws was wrong, but there were a great many other wrong things in the world.—(Laughter.) He was of opinion that these laws tended in their opera tion to make the few richer, and the many poorer. He could not say what might be the effect if the trade of this country was in the hands of foreigners, or whether that would happen from the repeal of the navigation laws. He was an insurance broker and not a legislator. Mr. Carruthers, another underwriter . , was next ex amined. By Mr. Mitchell—He was prepared to confirm the letter he had written to the Hon. Member regarding the difference in the rates of insurance between British and foreign ships. He did not agree with Mr. Jansen that the reason why Prussian ships were insured higher than English ships was that the latter carried more valuable cargoes, for in point of fact he (Mr. C.) believed that the one carried as valuables cargoes as the other. He always fuund that underwriters looked to the value of the ship itself as an essential element in calculaing the rate of premium. He had never heard that such an opinion was entertained at Lloyd's of the superiority of foreign over British captains as to counterbalance the superiority of English over foreign ships. Ile concurred generally in the evidence given by :fir. Cumming. By Mr. Alderman Thompson—lie thought that eight guinees per cent. would he a fair average for all English sips engaged in the Baltic trade, but he believed that ships had been insured in that trade at less than seven guineas, but they were not done for twelve months, but for the season during which the Baltic trade was open. 'rho Committee adjourned till Tuesday, at 12 o'clock. LECTURES ON THE SLAVONIC NATIONS. On Thursday afternoon, Count Valerian Krasinski delivered his fifth lecture on the political and intellectual development and present condition of the Slavonic na tions, at Willis's Rooms. The lecturer commenced by calling the attention of his hearers to the latter portions of his last lecture, which he stated went very far to prove that the population of Russia was composed of a mixed number of patties, whose creeds as well as lan guage were different in every way to each other. He likewise glanced at the state of the Slavonic nations during the eleventh century, when they were ravaged abroad by the depredations of the blood-thirsty and in satiable Tartars, their most deadly enemies, and at home were subject to the fierce despotism of the tyrants who sat upon their thrones ; one of whom carried his bar barism and cruelty to such a fearful height as to have many of his subjects put to the most excruciating deaths that a wicked mind could possibly conceive, in order that he might delight himself with the torments of the suffering victims. In proof of this the Count related two instances. The regal murderer hav ing fancied that a conspiracy was on foot to dethrone him, and that the conspirators had assembled in a cer tain village, repaired thither, and put the whole of the inhabitants to the sword. On another occasion, he ordered a large number of his subjects to be driven into the river for the purpose of his beholding them drown. The Count also observed that the Muscovites and the Russians were races distinct of themselves, and ought thenot to be present c °u fu policy n d e e f d t witheach he R n sai an o t c he r ah , nt te although considerit was them as one and the same people. Leaving these dark hisand a s t o t e m n b ti r o e o p t a o ss t a h g e es m i o n re h is address, pleasing t topic pio L o e f c Lecturer turned turnd progress e made by the Russians in literature and the liberal arts. The Emperor Alexis, he stated, had made many im provements, by giving a new code of laws, which, in accordance with a certain rule, was enforced by deputies. Of Peter the Great, he remarked, that that Emperor had, by his extreme anxiety to arrive at a state of the utmost perfection, as regarded his army and navy, as it were almost converted his people into foreigners, by taking persons of all lands into the important offices of his kingdom ; and he introduced the present system of rank in the aristocracy. He, however, did small things to advance the liberty of his country. But little, the Lecturer stated, was done in the way of literature until the reign of the Empress Catharine, when several useful and instructive works were translated and pub lished at the expense of the Government. This Em press also assembled the various Deputies, in order, with their aid and advice, to concoct anoth er code of laws ; she was, however, frightened at some words which came from the mouth of one of the Deputies, and alarmed at the state of France at the time,hene d r i a sm bl i e sse medal d Deputies with her thanks and an each. About this time also a lodge of Freemason s, who honourable had done much good in the country, was dispersed by her orders, and the members desired to retire to their m s t p a r t e e s s o fElizabeth country;also didc u country h se b a y ts w f a oawhile. The way of of improving theE many valuable books being translated and published at the Government expense. The Lecturer then thanked his auditors, and informed them that for certain reasons his lecture intended for delivery next Saturday would be deferred for a few days. The lecture was attended by a select and highly respectable company, who appeared much interested in 'he details laid before them. TUE GERMAN HOSPITAL.—Yesterda Y the annual general meeting of the su b scr ib ers to the above hospital was held at the Lond on T avern, Bishopsgate- street. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge was in the chair, supported by the Chevalier Bunsen, the Prussian Minister, Ernest Bunsen, Esq., Baron Knesebeck, Lord Ashley, the Venerable Archdeacon Robinson, the Che, P i valier Heb e l er , & c. , & c. The report state d, that since the openi ng o f t h e h osp i tal 611 pat i en t s had been ad mitted into th e war d s , an d 1,998 out-patients had been relieved. Th e t ota l amou nt received during the past xeevnt ionrßunsen, i year was 2,678/. , and the balance Ln ow A r c e o m n a y i a n l i e n s g e e i la n t h f a u n n d 4 h as deducting bee nfo a r l expenses,l medbym s o w e as i ladies in London and M au . relieffLord u n to patients 8 e n Chester, l , foeratvhineg the r o s h h eo i ssp Excellency el On ey the h motion of t affording ln pecuniary Ashley, second ed b y the re port was unanimou s ly adopted. The committee and o ther year were then elected k a nd a Tote of thanks passed to those retiring. A similar comp liment was paid to the Roy a l Ch a i rman, a f ter w hi c h officers for the ensuing the meeting separated. TIIE NAVY CLUB.—ENTERTAINMENT TO YR* FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY.—The members of the Navy Club gave their customary annual entertainment to the First Lord of the Admiralty, on Thursday last, at the Thatched House Tavern, St. James's -street. The Earl of Auckland, the First Lord of the Admiralty, accompanied by the Hon. Captain M. F. Berkeley, and the Hon. William Cowper, arrived at half-past seven, shortly after which dinner was announced. Admiral Sir E. Codrington, G.C.B. and G.C.M.G., presided. The party separated shortly before eleven o'clock.