The Sun. — London, England, 1847-02-26 00:00:00

THE our re •e it luiP; aired, an! a ll trace from big ;iven 11: 11 Y displacing ise quentlyl As a proo , t, we mat immediate raised, and Mr. Jobn iderweut 11 th e ir testi the subject. verdict of fly satisfied ersons who ) far as We essle, dead ; DW lying at rom Loolh nternal ia o the bootie company, to )t and knid i to beliefs iduals Were rstand that taken place idr. not bi ipproachiei )1. the Tor' ing-mastere Lnuy, i 3 ;lad to hear, v i ga tor sou A. H• . 111- :egimenP 011 ant, Second,. h e disable u all passi bi ! Id the Ow to float the 'rations are lay. 0 d Pembrok h about 49 ''l Clare o .ks of whal t i 7 sack ; a° 'at this po,: t i f iccorapaul .c. noste, . Via 1U • BOW at the CAP . ath of De' CAs 111 ; , ning, nade in .w n ( .t num b i e l r id ong . !en's richiltedo rly inv ell d e al botr ti, ig lust / ten 1, have n ae. ) ,tly Sta so, that the r sa d d...0n«,_1 order' Kee- e, evi - f sent story o term deal tad, r comPle_ v Co . • oru f th l e a Ce, led upon b 1 and the I.' CIATIO, • held at the tors on tn. z t he Bra if; f homas, to, it the a gree_ it and )40 Congo soco2 )f the Dar?' _e, the P ra t r en ann ,purta ual 1 3_, c vi he syste ON' by , to ne groc•-• • harehelder'r P! a ll of 21. , Should tbA t?' urned to the re Pk °r efl lit be b r° 'n the .5.1i0t4 that yo and a l t t he so ti-P : o ry renla al t he idreinpor"g utPfosi 1111 07T - 2,M'c 1 -1 - '` - ra - aTr'' - "T"‘ BENS I 1 re6.leo()l,elleele tel,eeN s The sixth a nnua l meetieg of the members of the beneeelei t ue partment of thi s use f u l assoc i at i on took p l ace on `la ursday evening, at the London Tavern, Bishopygete-street. „aohn Abel Smith, Esq., M.P., the treasurer of the as,ocie. , took the chair, at six o'clock p;ecisely. I,.. al . a , i n j o h e n g , t t h s e g g , entl e m en present we phase veil Thomsen Hen- Mark Boyd, Esq., James alackilep. I!q.. red &nee, Esq., F.R.S., B. H. Jones, Esq., J. W. %Vetch, 8 ), W. J. Jordan, E,q., A. Dawson, Esq, S. Netley, Esq.. r ms, Esq., W. S. Sawtell, E sq ., W. Maitland, E-q.. N‘ W. "aticfn, Esq., R. Price, Esq., J. C'arke, Esq., J. Lintoit, Ha and W. Rennell, E. Itiliver..Thosess I JII7LLINDIII, the Secretary, having read the tweed Jots convening the meeting, tw ee ' J ° ll Eir, chairman of the boird of managers, pro toprucew read the manual report of the state and af ! ( _ liti gS of the institution, to the evident satisfaction their satisfaction members present, many of whom testified . b satis faction at the rising prospects of the institution load applause. Te h eti h . Port set forth that the manaers had mch satis • on rin stating that the amount of pagtronage which it had 711 their pleasure to announce at former meetings had not ,_Y been continued to th e assoc i a ti on , but during the past •' , ar had beeu'increased. the last annua l meeting it had been determ i ne d t o a dd h c o Z r.,, T ue o r r a e o a i nnuitants to those already elected, and that the re etiai l s took the r equ i s i te steps for g i v i ng pu bli c ity to the such. an intention, and that at a special meeting, l° on the fah May, at which the treasurer, J. A. Smith, 2,5 -9 0 11 •Pe Presided, aged clerk was voted an annuity of the l and a widow of a clerk an annuity of 151., and that on t4t e r e e lli ng of the day of election the event was commemo • p ai ZY a . public dinner, at which the Right Hon. the Ear Peet e we nne, President of the Board of Trade, presided, sup- te en ' bY the Right Hon. Lord J. Russell and many of the gem , em inent merchants and bankers. Above two hundred .600/ eat en were present, and during the evening upwards of reao lWaa subscribed in aid of the Benevolent Fund. The th e :era on the present occasion, desirous of carrying out to thjects "the association to the fullest extent, recommend de r i e meeting that two additional annuitants be elected the li g the present year, the one to be a member, the other The of a member. ethic: had then enumerated some of the advantages aad been afforded to members during the past year. tneet: B * -- , In 1846 the sum of 7151. had been lent to ate ec re , in amounts varying from 101. to 251., and many in been 0/ I d come before the managers in which such aid had re e di t tae greatest service, and that while the managers had tim e res Punded to prey applications, they had at the . same rondeavoured to pent such aid being granted to the e r a lL vident, and the board were happy to state that the in- Zia 'trete generally punctuaay repaid. coats . t r ) tirri ts.—The board during the past year had many statthroe hrought before them showing extreme diatress, e ft, sickness and other causes, and they were happy to nee • eVery one had received assistance according to its minim rla sA ., tive of . l uw k Boos.—This department had been produc could t - • le u good during the past year, as many inembera , es% maw • icA L gralliiious ' Lul l"- —The report alluded to the continued of th e h ad vice of the medical ,officers in London , and refe rees hono urable conduct of many of the provincial medical breth r .' W ll O had f o ll owe d th e example ot. their London this b ` ll ' The numb er o f new members who had joined of thiteanch during th e past year wa s 152, and the income furid Ives 816/. 18s. 4d. iltstuaal'rePort then alluded to the annual meeting of the h en _ Life Assurance branch, held on the 18th January . lo ghi ll ud quoted the fact announced at that meeting of the th at iY4Pruclaerous state of this important department, via., sum s 846 the number of policies issued had been 374, for 1845, mounting to 69,200 1., being more than double that of Year's business was more than double that of t r ,., 1 and that such was the increasing prosperity and - -P • i rts a the life department, that a special meeting had • taite ne el d the same evening, Jan. 18, for the purpose of oh -I,l4)hir`i/P°., we h r ic t.o h extend the amount to be assured from 5001. proposition had been unanimously adopted. had i'. lel aneeesheet showed that the sum of 1,421/. 10s. e t as. had received during the past year for the Benevolent uponand that after paying all expenses there remained a f 4751 - Os. 8d on the year's account, without infring le p e the annual topesubscritions, which had been applied alat t l ine nt of gratuities embere, annuities, loans, &c., e „_ c purchase of 200!. stock. Da ` r u o e report, after alluding to the continued support and ee en fage of the treasurer and trustees, concluded with an th e appeal to the members to exert themselves to make a4 r „ r : ii s cpies and objects of the association as widely known 7 1 ‘ , 1 nee and to endeavour to induce others to join. directors, B :2 s i i n .r,i p . reposing that the report should be th e - "ela adopted, and .rinted, according to the discretion of when 1 entered this room, I seas to • are that 1 was to be honoured by having this [melee f * Omit to you. I am sure that the satisfaction I feel is eit - I Witure ell person present at the rising nature of this . i su. speak as a director myself of a life assurance -la ne 40a.0.an! ; and the directors of such company, as far as I am a u," wjudge, have not been favourable to these kinds of in eelliana generally speaking. lam proud to hear, and it be a sour c e o f g r e a t satisfa.ctian to those connected with this institution to know, that it is progressing so satisfac n• I can say that those parties who preside over it are rntlernen of knowledge and honour, who will on all occasions ste adily promote those interests necessary to ensure its s ta. nding. Under such auspices the institution cannot despair °, ultimate success. My duty is to move that the report W hich has just been read be received, adopted, and printed, according to the discretion of the managers.-( Hear, hear.) M.T. THOMSON HAMLET, jun., in seconding the motion, said ' - eSir, I have very great pleasure in seconding the resolution which Mr. Boyd has proposed, and I have greater pleasure in Whorl ma. -ermg the terms in which it was proposed, by a gentleman I have the happiness to see here for the first time on any Inch occasion as this meeting. lam sure, from the expres- Lama that he has used to us, he will continue the sup. 7 1 . end assistance which he has given to us at present upon occasions. It is well known to a great many friends va w h h e - a -- ,..l se e around me, that I have on almost all occasions, B uds Teals meetings have taken place, attended here, and i :1 - ` 1 % must say, in substance, the observations I have now th in ake• All that I have now to say is, that the condition of e Institution is very much more satisfactory now than it "Ita last year. I have had to offer ervation on every ?seasion upon which I have had to stand s in this room, and therefore I will not dwell upon the subject at the present mu bleat. I can also say, that when such a report has been it n read to you as has been presented to this meetin g , 1 4 ti.st be a source of great pleasure to you , and It must also be satisfactory to know, that in every rear from the commencement of this institution until the Present moment it has not only greatly, but . rapidly increased prosperity. I do not know what milder . term I can me in such a case,—but I say again, that it is . a source to -sa of great satisfaction to know that this institution does t l nive, and that its prosperity is connected with that good s e f t e ,ing which I believe has existed, and which I believe doe - Ault, and which I trust 1 shall always find between the pri ncipal of everyhouse and those who carry on the executi v e d epartment under him. I think that theLccess of this in ' . at ution is a strong proof that that feeling does exist London Where m ore than i n L on d on an d amon g the clerks of Lon«n , abt l I think that it is as satisfactory a state of affairs era one can possibly desire to see. I believe !h at , Principal of a house must feel how essential!) Wo is to him and to the welfare of his re, that th e c l er k s who have the management —so grea . t . i cul trge and responsibility as the management of the deep ilta-eilaould feel not only that their principal takes . a t_e o i r b rest in their prosperity, but that they are provided f the efforts of - that principal, and secured, as tar as practi cable; against any unforeseen calamities or events which may oval every individual, and none more likely than those who thangg in trade and commerce. It cannot be otherwise „a Source of great pleasure to every principal to know ea t i " ss uis clerks are placed in such a situation ; and it it is "actory to him, it must be elnally satisfactory to the c e , rk to ir le -now, that it is by his own saving, by his own eco- I ai TY and provident habits, that he has rendered himself ti 87Pendent against the day of calamity ; and, when the hour lion ckbe ,sa or misfortune shall conic, he will not feel, in midi hauo.ctnat necessary calamity which miafortune and the I ti • 0, God inflicts upon him the additional sting of know •- • that his own improvidence has injured him, and law s be conscious that his want of care and Whi ch i " have added to those sufferings from b.a little providence might have released him. It must dour of to the clerk—to every man—to know, in the e u e u v r . f illneas, that it 'le his own prudence which has the d his sufferings, 'and which has rendered him hide /Tale of unforeseen calamities, and enabled him to feel that , la r hand of God shall take him out of the world, his widow ~„;:l.,Vaildren will not suffer so severely as they otherwise ;T?. not only from the loss of the services of the money ' 3l he was earning, but from the loss of the assistance et r t 7et be vi li n ef;t an fu y ed. That must always be a point of great in .`_:ere, to those whose situations place them in the way of benefit from such an institution as this. Gen etusen, I have to apologise for again intruding my opinion stoat opinion which I hve so often given, and which I hope ie liovelyto:i;:e a and again upon similar occasions.— C 8 h eera•) For my friend on my le . tt (Mr. J. A. Smith ), I n th as long a s he is able to A i . e 'services which at he has so essentially rendereder f orm thee to this iti atitution, so long will be render them, and his ample will induce others to follow in his s that example, and give to the institution that assistance which he has done. I can only say that, as long as the in stitution exists, so long, if I am able, lehall be happy to take Illy part in anything which can be of . service to it. I again Vologise for trespassing upon your time, and, in conclusion, Shall thank you for your attention to those remarks which have made in seconding this resolution.—(Cheers.) The CHAIRMAN then said—lt has been moved by Mr. °PI, and seconded by Mr. Hankey, that the report whi..ll has been read should be received, adopted, and printed at the r discr e ti on of the managers. B e f ore go i ng t h roug h t h e louremofti.hat resoution I am anxious to say one word with referenc e to that report. I shall confine myself solely to the question of accounts, which are the soul of all business and t he secret o f a l l prosperity and advancement. Anybody look ;nognaidaetth g ese accounts cursorily, without thoroughly rin Instiu; the objects and views of the funds of this e ree -am, would think it very unfair oo seeing so 1 ) ,." a portion of the annual expenses of both ~,;,atiches of this institution borne by the benevolent fund— In Tch bears about a half, or very nearly so. My object in al ding to this subject is because . I feel it vital to the advance hi !ut. and involves so completely the principles, of this este treitehillenr, that it was necessary to take the liberty to b irrasa upon your attention with a very few words iu .ex ie-ilation• It would be most unfair and improper, as I think, fu 4d, th e weight of these expenses upon tee ee de benent 4 d , if it were not that the benevolent fund has the greetest possible interest in the success of the benefit fund. A cer eetn_n portion of the profit derived from the benefit departineet I^ n ent to create the benevolent fund,the effect of which will be, ' 1 . 0 4 great degree, to save the finances of the benevolent fund being called upon. It is on this principle thst I hope e .°_are to continue. It was because it was to create a . pe: ( - 1 rwent life interest that the benefit fund was established t r h ain the benevolent fund. It was called early in its infancy it L s e ,elit fund, but meaning, in fact, a life derived fr ere '7 ar that, in a great measure, success must be th e - e ,;,, t s It must be obvious to any person inquiring into ap on "uJect, at first sight, that this benefit fund was framed and e a ra P rine iPle of self-support. It will support itself shortly, te 11 that time it is the interest of the benevolent fund c ontribut e lib era ll y and fairly to its expenses. Wliethet l'j tio n ot vr I h ave succeeded in making myself clear Ido not o ne ' but I know th at if I h ave d une so, t h at t h ere ' s n ot tlai e eg en tleanan present who will not concur with me in es . iu ng that the managers have used a wise and solid etlon e t ev. „ ...aiar.do themaking the benevolent fund pay as it has done expenses of the benefit fund. With the view of 0 7,,X: in jog that I have taken the liberty of expressing my whetl'lletewB and feelings upon the subject, and I now ask th ,_ _ r any gentleman has any observations to make upon I;irreport before I put it to the meeting? aer eati ° _ 331024 1) LEWIS said—l do not rise to make any ob euve an in o bj ection to the report, the contents of which u n - r In given me great satisfaction. After the very able ntan re other speakers have proposed and seconded the t ri tl ;rrs I shall intrude upon your attention for a very short r. ,,„'„ An alteration has taken place in the last twelve ' . " 111 in Vas :tiles of the institution, which, during the last rro nr veer , : T here constently proposed. I allude to pull. 'yes before this restricted to 5001., and the alteration ,ow limits it to 1,000/. That alteration will contlibute ma rielev to the success of this nee itution. 1 have striven for this 'point, and I have been in a minority meal it, until the present time. I feel great satisfaction that the al• tersoien has taken place, and although I did not know it until I entered the rum to-night, I can assure the gentlemen present that the success of tOie institution has been peed) accelerated by it; and such will be its effect that in the ceusse of a few years the managers will have to go further than that. The CIIAIRMAN—The report does not lead to any point as to the future alteration of the benefit fund, and therefore these remarks are a little out of order. O:r. LEWIS—Mid not the report led to that point I should net have spoken upon it, but as I found some reference to it I alluded to it. The success of this institution will be such that in a few years an alteration will be compelled to be made. Those who have given their attention to life assur ance will find that the greater amount of policies are far above SON., or even 1,000!. They are at present limited to 1,0001. in this institution, but as the business increases the amount must increase also. In the neighbourhood—in Grace church-street—an establishment was conducted on the same principle. It had only existed eleven years and was yet in its infancy, and yet the income was from 90,0001. to 100,0001. I shall conclude by saying that I hope to live to see the in come of this institution as much.—(Cheers.) The CHAIRMAN then put the report to the meeting, and it was unanimously adopted. Mr. MAITLAND then proposed the second resolution.-- " That on the 31st of May next, or such other day as the board may appoint, due notice of the same being given to the members, a special meeting be held for the purpose of elect• Mg two additional annuitants, one being a member, the other the widow of a member duly qualified according to the rules." He said—Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, the resolution which 1 have to propose is one which gives me great pleasure to put to the meeting. That resolution affords a proof of the progress of thin association; and I do trust from year to year to ascertain that the same kind attention has been given by the trustees. I have no doubt that the gentlemen who have already greatly assisted to form the strengh of the establishment will continue to do as they have already done. You alt know and feel how fairly, and by what means, this association has been supported by the principals of houses, and what large stuns have been raised, and you must also feel that assistance can only effectually be given to the association by the clerks themselves. It is to their benefit to promote it. I do not say these words in discourage ment, for you have heard, that during the past year, 150 new members have entered one department, and 374 another, which is a strong proof of the progress of the institution, and the favourable manner in which it is going on. You are all aware that tie clerks of this country are not numbered by hundreds or thousands, but by tens of thousands, and I hope that out of that numerous body many will still augment the numbers of this association by your means, as the augmenta tion is an object of considerable importance to this institu tion. I have tosapologise for the trespass upon your time, and 1 will conclude by moving the adoption of this resolution. Mr. IV. G. Hunsox seconded the motion. The CHAIRMAN put the resolution to the meeting, and it was carried unanimously. Mr. Jonas then proposed the third resolution, which way— ' That the warmest thanks of this meeting are due, and are hereby presented to the treasurer and trustees, for their continued patronage and support." He said—As chairman of the board of managers, I have the pleasure on this occa sion to move a vote of thanks to the trustees and treasurer, 1 have no occasion to say anything upon this subject, and I shall merely move the resolution without any remark at all, as it is unnecessary. Mr. WELCH seconded the resolution, which was then put and carried unanimously. •The CHAIRMAN then said Gentlemen, I wished Mr. Hankey to return thanks, because first of all, he would do it much better than I can, and also because I have it done so so often, that I am unable to find different words to convey my thank, to you, and I have, indeed, only one form of do ing so. Mr. Hankey and others have talked this evening about what has been done for you by myself and others, but I say do not trust to that. The institution is not worth helping if it wants help. The institution is in itself able to take care of itself, and it recommends itself to public support, and is consolidated by the endeavours of the principal and the clerks. It has many advantages, and which Ido rot believe are owing to the help from the principals, but because the in stitution is safe and good in itself. As long as it is so, and is properly managed, I believe it will flourish, whether helped or not. 1 sin sure that I speak the sentiments, not only of myself, but of all the other trustees, when I assure ycu that it has afforded, and continues to afford, all the principals the most unfeigned satisfaction. It is a good institution, because it is carefully, and because carefully, well and safely ma naged. That in an institution like the present is of consi derable importance. It is not only a stimulus to economy, providence, and care, but it will be valuable in its results to the clef ks. It is a fund which is formed by the labour of look forward with certainty to receive relief without the clerks themselves, and to w hich the sick and distressed may disgrace to themselves, as it is the result of their own tOr bearance, providence, and care, and also that of their fellow labourers in the same cause. Gentlemen, not only on my own part. but on the part of those gentlemen with me, I thank you for your expression of feeling, and I can assure you that with equal warmt h of feeling we wish prosperity to the institution and to y ou. Mr. RENNELL said—Mr. Smith and gentleman, in rising to propose the fo urth resolution of the evening, I shall take the opport unit y of saying a few words. Although it appears from the report that the number of new subscribers this year has increased, as compared with any former year, still the amount subscribed is very small indeed when we consider the vast number of clerks in this metropolis and in the country, who are each capable of putting down their guinea to the institution. There are many who feel disposed, and, no doubt, do subscribe more than one cr two to different charities, but I say that before they give their guineas to any charity let them come to the Provident Clerks' Institution, because it is the most closely asso ciated with their interests. I did certainly ex pect, from the large increase in the assurarce department, to have had a greater increase to the benevolent fund, and as far as my own exertions go, I have made a great many converts to the institution. All I can do is to endeavour to persuade you to act in a similar manner. If every one of you endeavours to persuade your fellow clerks, and find it difficult to succeed, tease them— (Laughter)—until you become in fact a bore.—(Continued laughter.) I would venture to say that you would succeed at last. 1 have done so.—(Cheers.) I have been laughed at in many instances, but I have succeeded. The resolution I have the pleasure to move is—" That the best thanks of this meeting be presented to the auditors, medical officers both in town and ceetritry, to the actuary, and the honorary solici tors, for their valuable services during the past year." Mr..Joian't said—Sir, I beg leave to second the resolution, which Mr. Rennell has just moved, and I am sure that al though there is ample room for me to make a long speech if I wish so to do—for here are our auditors, medical officers, both in town and country, the actuary, and the honorary so citors, to speak about—yet, sir, I think there is no neces sity for my doing so, as we all know that to these gentlemen our thanks are in an especial manner due, and I shall there• fore content myself with seconding the proposition, which I do with the greatest pleasure. The resolution was then put from the chair, and carried. Mr. CoLeswe said—ln rising to ask your concurrence to this resolution, I am sure that I shall have an easy task, and you will at once be prepared to allow this when I read the resolution to you. It is —" That the best thanks of this meeting are due to the board of mana gers for their continued attention and devotion to the interest of the association." I think that if the resolutions which have preceded this have obtained your unanimous support, this will follow as a matter of course. It is necessary for the well-being of this society that the board of management should olosely attend to its interests, and in the report pre sented to us to-night we have a convincing proof of sacrifices made, which entitles them to our gratitude. We see sums subscribed to the institution which have been the means of benetitirg many. When we refer to this we must envy the feelings of those gentlemen who have been the means of effecting so much gocd among a class so interesting as those connected with this association. I think that, as a general rule, the affairs of this institution have been admirably conducted ; and if we descend to particulars—and I can speak of those which affected myself—the same care and attention will be found to be exhibited. It will be re membered that on a former occasion I ventured to call the attention of the board of managemept to the eastern part of London. Soon after that I received a communication re questing me to call at the office. I did so, and gave the best information I could with respect to the means of dissemi nating a knowledge of the association in that part of the metropolis. I am happy to say that they met my views on this subject. I then endeavoured to gain the consent of some influential gentleman in that part of London to take the chair at a public meeeting, and I am happy to say that a meeting is to take place in the Eastern Institution on the 25th to sot a ri t ko t ,s, end s in int similara t t o t ci p o t r it e al s ,r i et d ie e er o wo n fe t rt h eh e em o c c ai c td a s 3e. March, and that George Frederick Young, Esq., has contented w ion t wh re — ( 0 u shouldgChloi e u e t r s soonthe various v f h s e a p eo l u i as number of contributors sufficient to satisfy the gentleman who has lately spoken Lsalee airfoulndllmlae,;Vtill I hope and trust that many of those I give us their support on that occa reourierasnp)ass so far, we should wish, sir, to have your assistance at the ( E l Last end, e e s n ' d i g a ntdhel Chairman) you ew3. . tious l receive as welcome a t s iou are so ohm' the city of London. The r m ec e e ri p t t a io n ti ti f i r e om ins u ti s tu a v t l o ous, that when I asked the preside over our meeting, m so es connected with gentleman have already named merit in he said, I see a number of infletentia l l the association, but these have not my eyes as the real benefits of the insatuotilloeintrhave.— (Cheers.) I think that if we could manage assistance we could add materially to the extensiOnstoyour association. I have much pleasure in moving that thefbtehse thanks of this meeting are due to the board of managers t for their continued attention and devotion to the interests of the association. Mr. OSMOND LEWIS said that the resolution wl.icli he was requested to second was only placed in his hands on entering the room, and he could not resist the temptation to do so when he had glanced at its object. He had, therefore, great pleasure in seconding it; and, after the able way in which it had been brought forward, he would not add another word in support of it. The CHAIRNIAIL in putting the resolution, added his con viction that they possessed in the board of managers a body of gentlemen eminently qualified to ensure success in both branches of the institution. The resolution was carried unanimously. Mr. R. H. JONES said—Mr. Smith and gentlemen, am extremely obliged to y ou f or t h e ki n d ness w ith which p h l i e s as resolution is a e n v d en if in th g e , r i e t is is a th n e y you detractsha have irons t e l t ! e t the deputaocheirmau, an ab sence t h e more to b e d ep l ore d as, t a li b i s n e g n e t e h a o t f I regret to say, that I believ e h e i s on hi s death-bed. I may mention, as Lowing the interest he took in the prosperity of this institution, that in his delirious moments nothing but " Provident Clerks' Association "escapes adfeeli ngs d that idea pervades the and s lips; and let me prompts all the ex ertions of your managers. I beg to assure von that every manager devotes the best energies of his mind, as far as cir cumstances and other duties will allow, to the best interests of the association.—(Cheers.) have the announcing that in the present year theinstitution pleasure of institution is going on in the same satisfactory it did in the past years. We have many that man y s ubscribers to the benevolent f un d, and threey new ad ditional ones since entering the room this evening.— (Cheers.) We have completed 76 policies during the present year, representing a sum of 16,0501. ; we have proposalsl7 accepted, and only wanting payments to complete them ; and 23 are waiving examination.—(Cheers.) I thi n k that, with ( r that statement before us, all that has been said of the satis factory progress of the association is well borne out.— (Cheers.) Mr. Ossiosen LEWIS said—l beg to propose that the thanks of this meeting be given to the secretary of the institution. I do not km w that I sin out of order in this course, but feel ing as I do that the success of this institution has principally arisen from the able management of the board, assisted by our excellent secretary, I could not, although I have not the happiness of a personal acquaintance with him, resist the plea sure of proposing that the best thanks of the meeting should be given to hun.—(Cheers.) Mr. TARRANT had witnessed the unceasing efforts of the secretary in former years, as in the present, to carry out the FOREIGN RAILWAYS. iii: is i the Fr - -nch railway paper (the Journal des Chemins do ler) respect ing the progress of this system of e .romunieation 00 the continent of Eaz ope, the present account being cont . : to the enumeration of the undertakings whi..ll have been con tructecl and opened for the ace,.mnaolation of goods and passenger traffic ;n the German states. According to this statement, three rail vays were cn structecl and brought into operation before the year 1833, but these were worked by horses. These lines were, the Budweis to Germunde (Austria), opened in 1825, 68 kilometres; the Prague to Lahna , opened in 1830, 57 kilometr es; an d the Budweis to Linz, opened in 1832, 129 kilometres. The first railways upon which locomotive power was used were the Nuremberg to Furth (Bavaria), opened in 1835, 7 kilometres in length; the Vienna to ‘Vagram (Austria), opened in 1837, 17 kilometres; the Berlin to Potsdam (Prussia), opened in 1838, 26 kilometres; and the Leipsic to Dresden (Sax ony), opened in 1839, 117 kilometres. It will, therefore, be seen that up to the close of the last-mentioned year, Germany possessed 421 kilometres of railways completed and opened for traffic. In 1840 the lines brought into operation were the Mayence to Frankfort-on-the -Maine, 44 kilometres in length; the Wagram to Brunn (Austria), 116 kilo metres; the Magdeburg to Leipsic (Prussia). 118 kilo metres; the Manheim to H e id e lb u r g (Grand Duchy of Baden) the Munich to Augsburg (Bavaria), 60 kilo metres. In 1841 an additional 442 kilometres of rail way were opened. Thee included the commencement of the Trieste line from Vienna to Neustadt, 50 kilo metres ; the Stukeran branch, 23 kilometres ; the Dus seldorf to Eberfeld (Rhenish Prussia), 26 kilometres ; the Berlin to Coethen (Prussia), 152 kilometres : the Cologne to Aix-la Chapelle (Rhenish Prussia), 65 Ili lometres ; the Landenburg to Olmutz (Austria), 80 ki lometres ; and the Brunswick to Harburg, 46 kilometres. In the year 1842, the total length of railways opened in Germany increased from 1,220 kilometres to 1,450 kilometres, by the addition of 185 kilometres, of which 25 kilometres were contributed by the opening of the Neustadt to G-loggnitz (Austria line ; 20 kilometres by the Hamburg to Bergedorf line ; 40 kilometres by the Breslau to Brieg (Prussian Silesia) line ; 84 kilometres by the Berlin to Frankfort-upon-Oder (Prussia) lines and 20 kilometres by the Leipsic to Altenburg line The lines opened in 1843 were the Altenburg to Krim mitztchau (Saxony), 30 kilometres; the Heidelburg to Carlsruhe (Baden), 75 kilometres; the Brieg to Oppeln (Prussian Silesia), 42 kilometres; the Oseherleben to Wulfenbuttel (Brunswick), 62 kilometres; the Magde burg to Halberstadt (Prussia), 40 kilometres; the Berlin to Stettin (Prussia), 135 kilometres; and the Aix-la-Chapelle to the Belgian frontier (Rhenish Prus sia), 20 kilometres. _ _ In 1844 the lines opened were the Cologne to Bonn (Rhenish Prussia), 30 kilometres ; the Carlsruhe to Rastadt (Baden), 20 kilometres; the Rastadt to Oos (Baden), 10 kilometres ; the Hanover to Brunswick (Hanover), 60 kilometres ; the Oos to Offenburg- Kehl (Baden), 40 kilometres ; the Frankfort-upon- Main to Darmstadt (Hesse), 20 kilometres; the Bam berg to Nuremberg (Bavaria), 36 kilometres ; the Mirzaschlay to Gratz (Austria), 95 kilometres ; and the Breslau to Freyberg-Schweidnitz (Prussian Sile sia), 57 kilometres. In 1845 the lines opened were the Olmutz to Prague (Austria), 293 kilometres ; the Krimmitzschau to Zwickau (Saxony), 14 kilometres ; the Liegnitz to Thinzlau (Prussian Silesia), 45 kilo metres ; the Cronsta , it to Unter-turckheim (Wurtein berg), 3 kilometres ; the Leherte to Celle (Hanover), 30 kilometres ; the Cologne to Dusseldorf (Rhenish Prussia), 25 kilometres ; the Dresden to Radeberg (Saxony), 12 kilometres; the Graiitz to Marburg, south line (Austria), 45 kilometres ; the Offenberg to Frey berg (Baden), 61 kilometres ; and the Ruleberg to Bischofsw•erda (Saxony), 20 kilometres. Up to the end or this year the system of railway communication through the German States had extended to 2,845 kilo- metres. The year 1846 showed Etill further progress, the length of railway opened during that period being 1,315 kilometres. This extension included the section of the Upper Silesian lire bi teeen Kosel and Ratibor, 28 kilo metres; the section of the Colove to Minden line be twt.en Dusseldorf and Driesburg, 17 kilometres; the section of the Northern Bavarian between Bamberg and Lichtenfels, 30 kilometres ; the continuation of the Benin and Stettin line to Stargard, 35 kilo metres ; the; junction between the Munich and lines, AugEburgh and Northern Bavarian 3 kilo metres ; the continuation of the bax ? n-Bavarian to Reichenbach, 16 kilometres ; the section of the South AustriEn line betwee n Graetz and Cilly, 125 kilometres ; the section of the Thuringe line, from Weissenfels to Halle, 30 kilome tres ; the continua tion of the Saxo-Silesian line from Bischotswerda to Bautzen, 19 kilometres; the Hanoverian state line be tween Lehrte and Flidelsheirn, 24 kilometres; the Darm stadt and Heidelburg line, 88 kilometres; the Potsdam- Magdeburg (Prussia), 118 kilometres; the part of the lower Silesian lime between Bunzlan and Frankfort. on tLe-Oder, 166 kilometres ; the Coetten-13einburg line, 20 kilometres; the Vienna- Bruck-upon-the-Seytha (Aus• tria), 40 kilometres; the branch of the Sagan to Glogow (Prussian Silesia), 70 kilometres ; the section of Berlin and Hamburgh grand line between Berlin and Boizenburg, 220 kilometres ; the Lichtentels to Neu macht, 40 kilometres ; the Stutgard to Constadt (Wur temburg), 18 kilometres ; the Koenigshatte to Myslowitz (Prussian Silesia), 18 kilometres ; the Leipnic to Weiskirchen (Austria), 20 kilometres ; the Esslingen to Plochingen (Wurtemburg), 9 kilometres ; the Boizen burg to Bergdorf (the Hamburgh to Berlin grand line), 30 kilometres ; the Bautzen to Lcebau (Saxony), 60 kilometres ; and the Weimar to Weiisenfels (the Thuringe line), 70 kilometres ; making the total length of railways opened in Germany up to the Ist of January, 1847, 4,130 kilometres, or about 1,030 leagues. TUE SUN,_ LONDON, FRIDAY EVEN ING t FEBRUARY 26, iBl7. FLANDERS MAIL. BRUSSELS, FEB. 22.—The Senate alo e ted yesten'ay several projects of law, one of whiolt was, that eleert: the pensions of uedeers and of icert.' widows to nalienubfe. It, opened and closed tite ner.,l (1.-bate , on the projs et of law for granting :. vote o: end:, to tile war department, and a general ..iscus,,ion of tiie budget of the departnient of justice. 1 he Chamb,T of Itepreentatives resumed to-day the debate on the pn.ject of.Lw relative to the clearing of the waste lands. At the conclusion of the sitting, the Minister of Public Works presented a project of law relative to the bolts on the iron railways. The communc,:tion of the project of law relative to the Commercial Society for Exportation, miry be consi dered as terminated. The reporter will be appoint& tat the next meeting of the Central Section. Toe Minister of Foreign Affairs has proposed as an amendment to pro hibit the Society from all manufacturing operations, and as for frequenting the markets of Europe, he consents that the statutes shall exclude for the present the mar kets of France ; the markets of Spain may be opened or closed against them, according to circumstances, as st;on as Spain shall have promulgated a tarif which shall per mit the regular importation of our linen into that country. BERLIN, FEB. 20.—" Her Majesty the Queen has had an uninterrupted and refreshing sleep, and is to-day in a very satisfactory state. " Dr. SCIIONBEIN. " Dr. VON STOCH. " Dr. GRIMM. " Berlin, Feb. 19, half past nine A.M." Her Royal Highness the Princess of Prussia returned o Weimar to-day. COURT CIRCULAR. The Queen will hold a Privy Council to-morrow (Satur day afternoon, at three o'clock, at Buckingham Palace. The Royal dinner party at Buckingham Palace on Wed nesday evening, included her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, the Duchess of Sutherland, their Excellencies Prince and Princess Callimaki, their Excellencies Mons. and Ma dame Van de Weyer, Lord John Russell, the Earl Spencer, Lady Fanny Howard, Baroness de Speth, Lord and Lady Charles Wellesley, Lord Marcus Hill, and the Right Hon. Sidney and Mrs. Herbert. The Band of the Coldstream Guards attended during dinner, and performed the following pieces : Overture, " Joseph in Eopt."—Mehul. Fantasia sur la Favourite.—Donizetti. Valse, " The Bridal."—Jullien. Glee, "Blow gentle Gales."—Sir H. R. Bishop. Morris dance from Fair Rosamond.—J. Barnet. Yesterday morning her Majesty and her Royal Consort took their usual early walk. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge visited the Queen and Prince Albert yesterday. The Duke of Northumberland bad an audience of her Ma jesty yesterday at Buckingham Palace. His Royal Highness Prince Albert rode out on horseback yesterday, attended by the Equerry in Waiting the Hon. A. H. Gordon. Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales, Prince Al fred, the Princess Royal, and the Princess Alice, took their accustomed walks and rides yesterday. The name of Mr. En art. M.P., was accidentally omitted in the list of company present at her Majesty's ✓ Levee on Wednesday. _ _ The Queen and Prince Albert honoured with their pre sence, last evening, the performance at her Majesty's Theatre for the benefit of the fund for the distressed Irish and Scotch. The royal suite consisted of the Marchioness of Douro, Lady Caroline Cocks, the Honourable Miss Paget, Earl of Listowel, Colonel the Honourable Charles Grey, and Captain the Hon. A. H. Gordon. Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and his Serene High ness Prince Frederick of Hesse, attended by Lady Augustus Cadogan and Mr. Edmond Mildmay, also honoured the per formances with their presence. Wednesday was the birthday of the Duke of Cambridge. His Royal Highness Prince Albert paid a visit to the Duke at Cambridge House. Many of the nobility and gentry called during the day and left their names for his Royal Highness. In the evening the Duke and Duchess of Cam bridge, accompaniel by Prince Fredetick of Hesse, dined with her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester, at Gloucester House. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent visited the Duchess of Cambridge yesterday. The Chancellor of the Exchequer rnd Lord John Russell, accompanied by the Lords of the Treasury, the Secretary of the Treasury, and also by Mr. J. 13. Heath, the Governor of the Bank of England, and the Deputy-Governor, received a [umber of capitalists of the city of London yesterday morn ing, at the Treasury, on the subject of the terms and condi tions of the new loan of eight millions. A deputation of the Committee of the Spanish Bond • holders' Association, consisting of the Cheirman, Mr. Dempster Herring, and Mr. Henry Chard, had an interview with the Earl of Clarendon yesterday, at the office of the Board of Trade. The Commissioners of Railways, the Right Hon. Edward Strutt, Earl Granville, Sir Edward Ryan, and Major Brand refit, accompanied by the Inspector of Railways, Captain Cuddington, visited the Great Western Railway yesterday. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England had a meeting yesterday. The Marquis of Lansdowne and Earl Grey left town yester day for Cambridge. alajor H. L. Play fair had an interview yesterday with the Earl of Clarendon. A deputation from a meeting of the railway interest, con sisting of Mr. Hudson, M.P., Mr. Russel!, M.P., Mr. Glyn, Mr. Mac Gregor, Mr. SAunders, Mr. Swift, Mr. Ellice, and Mr. Mangles, had an interview, on Wednesday, with the Hight Hon. E. Strutt. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. TATTERSALL'S.—TIMRSDAY. Business was so languid that on some of the principal events we are spared the trouble of making a quotatiun. The chief betting, in fact, was on the Liverpool Stuple Chase, for which Brunette and Roarer were backed freely, no one offering more than 5 to 1 on the field at the close. The few beta laid on the other events noticed led to no change in the prices. LIVERPOOL STEEPLE CHASE. sto 1 agst Mr. Preston's Brunette-6 to 1 taken freely 8 to 1 agst Lord Strathmore's The Roarer—taken freely 10 to 1 agst Mr. Watts' St. Leger—taken 13 to 1 agat Mr. Courteney's Matthew—taken 14 to 1 agst Mr. D'Arcy's Culverthorpe—taken 15 to 1 agst Mr. 0. Higgins's Pioneer—taken 25 to 1 agst Mr. R. J. Moore's St. Ruth—taken NORTHAMPTON HANDICAP. 9 to 1 agst Lord Orford's Footstool 15 to 1 agst Lord Stradbroke's Lynceus—taken 16 to 1 agst Sir C. Monck's Vanish—taken :20 to 1 agst Lord Glasgow's Discontent—taken 20 to 1 was betted agst Vanish to upwards of 100/. CHESTER CUP. 20 to 1 agat Mr. Gully's Mendicant—taken 22 to 1 30 to 1 agst Mr. Wilson's Punch—taken to 501. 400 to 10 agst Mr. Minor's Duke of Richmond—taken 500 to 10 agst Mr. W. Scott's Sir Tatton Sykes—taken No others mentioned. DERBY. The only bets to our knowledge were 1,000 to 50 agst. Glentilt, whose backer would have gone on ; 1,000 to 35 agst the Horn of Chase, 500 to 15 a g st Allertonian, 330 to 10 agst Wanota. 500 to 10 agst Christopher, 500 to 10 agst Bedlam, 600 to 10 agst Montpensier, and 1,000 to 15, five times, agst Black Dwarf. 200 to 10 was laid agst Keat's lot winning the 2,000 Guineas Stakes, Derby and Oaks. OAKS. 15 to 1 agst Slander, laid to 20/., was the only bet. Offers to take 15 to 1 about Miami, and 16 to I about Nerissa. A case arising out of the Treaty of Utrecht was brought to a hearing on Friday before the Cour Royale, Paris. According to Arts 33 and 34 of the Treaty And Art. 8 of the Special Convention of 1769 between Prance and Spain, the Consuls of each nation are declared to be the legi timate administrators of the effects of all their fellow-coun trymen dying within their respective jurisdictions. A short time ago, Mme. de Portago, a rich Spanish lady, died in Varis, leaving at her residence property of great value. The Spanish Consul proceeded to take possession of all she left behind her, in order to transfer it to the parties entitled. M. Pichard, an interested party, interfered and insisted that the property of the deceased should be administered according to the common forms of law in France; but the President of the Civil Tribunal, before which his claim was brought, decreed that the Spanish Consul alone was entitled to take the possession of the property, to dispose of it, and place the produce in the hands of a Spanish merchant, to be selected by himself in compliance with the treaty anti convention above cited. It was further decreed, that, of the effects, 7,500 f. should be paid into the hands of M. Labaudy, notary, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the last illness and interment of the deceased and other urgent claims upon the estate. M. Pichard appealed against the first part t f this decree, and the Consul against the second part. The Cour 11,,yale dismiss , el the appeal of M. Pichard, and admitted the validity of that made by the Consul, declaring that all the produce of the tff•cts of the deceased should remain in his hands, and that it belonged to him only to settle and pay the debts and other claims upon her estate.—Gallonane An event took place on Tuesday last, which created considerable sensation, and seasonably enlivened the town of Brighton—WC allude to the marriage of Miss Catha rine Cecilia Craven, younger daughter of Cherles John Craven, Esq., of Kemp Town, with Walter Ricardo, E q., late of the 7th (Queen's Own) Hussars. The cort(•qe lett Sussex-square at ten o'clock, and proceeded to the Old Clutch, where the ceremony was performed in a most lm pressive manner by the Rev. James Anderson, preacher el Lincoln's Inn. The brick was given away by her father, and was attended by the lion. Miss Gage, Mi,s Craven, Miss Caroline Randolph, Miss Slater, and Miss Anna Bird, who officiated as bridesmaids. The gallant bridegroom was sup ported on this interesting occasion by his brother, Mr. Albert. Ricardo. The party who were present at the ceronmey con sisted of Lord end Lads- Gage, Lady Henley, Sir John and Lady Pollen, Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Ricardo, Mr. and Mrs. A. Keyser, Mr. Fulwar Craven, Mr. M. Ricardo, Mr. Albany B. Saville, Mr. Alfred Peel, and Mr. W. IL Morlpi i , The interestnor- , ing was unusually fine, and this, combined nleb t t h e i d s , town en d I a s 7n. t r s es o p f ec t g foi their charitable who have been always so distinguis hed acted a large concourse exertions and real benevolence, attracted which for resident,felt taken in whoM the bride has alwaysrd to take a farewell look of their assembled in the churchyard 3 s ' irewed flowers in the path of the youthful patroness, anti i .- , d bride. The ceremony over, the beautiful and accomplisat, ' ' - I b-zii,u -of spectators. The children ofthe Brig a ht l t i T e O ly rp in h t a e n re A st s , y , lu ,e n r i e , thetl o hi 111 dlijeriner a-la merous circle of friends, partookone the happy pair took their leave, fourchette. At half-past one Park, Sunning-hill, the seat of S. and proceeded to Tit . they intend passing the honey-moon. Ricardo, Esq., where that the trousseau was of the We are given to party returned to description. It will be gratifying to our 1 Susses -square, e b l e e i g n a g n j r n e( . that the bride was attired in a white lady readers to know with throe deep flounces of Limerick glue& silk, covered consisted of a long veil of the same lace ; the head-dress b a wreath of orange blossoms and jas• material, encircled y ds wore white tarlatan muslin dresses min. The withbridesmbarioad pink sashes, and transparent bon with scarves, of roses. —Brighten Gazette. nets, with cockadesGu OF most magnificent S CHEMISTRY, HANOVEL.- ROYAL COLL inaugurated, last evening, understand u s by the first general. dent of the evening; was Lord Sandell, The president I by Viscount Newry and Lorne, poses. supportet M P., who was Fs m.P., Philip Pusey, Esq., lq.P., M.P., W. Ewart, . q l:ewis, F.R.S., Sir George Hamilton, Dr. Arnett, Capta in tfman read a report upon the state of che mical Professor Hon meeting of members, for scientific pur l- the invention of Professor l3un eer pruicip Le tery upon a the occasion by Dr. Kolbe. It differed d lent for sera an ' battery in this respe . ect—that charcoal pre- SQUARE.—The above college was particular manner was substituted for plaiinum. Wan . d, and then exhibited a galvanic bat a substitute was perfect, various expeihnents show that the , To Votes of thanks having been passed to the were performed. Noble Lord in the chair, the proceedings and the Professor al terminated. _ : p i:: i c i enadi sciencei nrc e s i n E HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE. • The Queen and his Royal lii;!liness , the Prince Albert ho 'loured the pri,imanc'es at her Majesty's Theatre yesterda . evening with their prerencr.The royal Suite consisted 0 the l'ilarchi , :nc.ss of Douro, Lady Caroline Ccx, the Hon. Ai l'agf.-t, the Earl c f Listuwel, C...10nd Grey, and Captain Cur ; their Royal IliAine,ses the Duke and Duchess of Cam bridge, kccoaapaii•A b by his Serene Highness the Prince Fre derick of flesse, and attended by the Baron Knesebeck, Mr. Edmund Mildmay, and Major :itephens, also honoured the theatre with their presence. Amongst the company were— the Marchioness of Ailesbuty, the Marchioness of Clanricarde, and the Viscountess Palivrston, the Prince Louis Napoleon, the Duchess of Sutherland, the Duchess of Hamilton, the Marquis of Ailesburv,, the Marquis of D onega l, t h e Marquis M of Lansdowne, the arquis of Clanricarde, the Marquis and Marchioness of Londonderry, the Marquis of Douro, the Mar quis of Sligo, his Excellency the Russian Ambassador, the Baroness Brunnow and Mademoiselle Olga de Lechna, the Prince Castelcicala, the Earl of Munster, the Earl and Coun tess of Cadogan, the Earl of March, the Earl and Countess of Clarendon, the Countess of Blessington and the Misses Powell, the Earl of Morpeth, the Earl of Cardigan, the Earl and Countess Grenville, the Countess Grey, the Countess of Lincoln, the Count de St. Aulaire, the Count de Noailles, his Excellency the Austrian Ambassador and the Countess Dietrichstein, his Excellency the Belgian Minister, his Ex cellency the American Minister, the Count Reventlow,_ the Count Koudriafftly, the Viscount Cantalupe, Lord Mont eagle, Lord Ernest Bruce, Lady Brougham, Lady Murray, Lady Emily de Burgh, the Ladies Elliott, Lady Woodford, Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence, Lord Harry Vane, Lord Foley, Lord Carrington, Lord and Lady Beaumont, Lady Jane Stewart, Lady Mildmay, Lady Monson, Lady Gordon, Sir Robert Peel, Bart., and Lady Peel, Sir George Wombwell, Bart., the Hon. Miss Foley, Mr. Hubert and Miss De Burgh, the Hon. Sidney and Mrs. Herbert, : Hon. Captain Duncumbe, Hon. Mrs. Norton, the Count de Revel, Sir Ralph Foley, Sir Henry Webb, Sir John and Lady Clay, Sir A. Forster, Sir Fitzroy and Lady Kelly, Lady Macfar lane, Lady Montefiore, Mr. Packe Redding, Mr. C. W. Packe, M.P., Mr. H. Baring, Colonel Lindsay, Colonel and Mrs. R. Trevor, Mr. Moncton Mills, &c. &c. AMERICA. LIVERPOOL, THURSDAY. By the packet-ship Washington Irving, Captain Caldwell, we have advices from Boston to the sth instant inclusive. In consequence of the prevalence of easterly winds the Washington Irving was detained off Holyhead for two days. The political intelligence by this arrival is without in terest. CHARGE OF ARSON AGAINST A YOUNG LADY. BRISTOL, FEB. 24.—At our Police Court to-who is young and handsome lady, named Sarah Outeridge, who is said to be well connected, was placed at the bar upon suspicion of having set fire to five rooms at Langley's boarding-house, Cumberland-street, St. Paul's. It appe are d frog thole evi dence of the numerous witnesses examined, that •Miss Outeridge is the sister of a lady named Meredith, who, with her husband and child and Mr. Meredith's mother, tad come about a week since from Lancashire to take up eir resi dence in Bristol, and had taken apartments f or a time in Mr. Langley's house. On Tuesday evening .Mr. and Mrs. Meredith went out, and Miss Outeridge remained at home in charge of their young child. At about tw ent y minutes past seven o'clock some persons who were passing along Cumberland-street observed that one of the bed-rooms over looking the street was on fire. They immediately gave the alarm, and when the family went up stairs they found bliss the furniture and bedding in the room occupied .by Miass Outeridge and Mrs. Meredith, sen i or , w ere in flames. With the assistance of some neighbours, the fire was extinguished. In about three-quarters of an hour after this, Mr. Langley bed- room on obscured r t y h e e d same inthe sto s r m y a w ll observed that his bed-room was on fire. He gave an alarm, and with some difficulty the flames were extinguished and it was hoped that all was over. Half an hour after this an alarm of fire was ain heard, and it was found that a third of the bed and bedding were in flames, but they were extin gui,lied. Scarcely had thii been fully accomplished, when fire w• mination of the premises was now made, floor, the curtains and window blinds of this apartment being also wrapped in flames. The burning materials were pulled down and the fire was soon extinguished. A minute exa- L:.rainwinfigam-roeos.m,The hanging' eluded that all danger was completely over, when another alarm was given that the front parlour was on fire. On entering . the apartment, the window hangings and blinds, which, as in the previous cases, were far removed from the fireplace, were found to be in fla mes ' A policeman and several other persons exerted the selves and saved the remainder of the furniture ,and thaton selves a close examination being made, the police fou .st there was a blister mark on the painted wall against anodnittwheasficrsonti which the bottom of the curtains hung, as Proved h th a e d m b . een T p h l e n e ce , d id t e h n e c r e e , w fo u r ie the purposefaded show of setting i n f n yrE:fi. motive, v t e o , was of a merely circumstantial character. It was p the parlour a few minut, s before th at was hole time, also that she seen ns inii flames; but a servant was w ith i that the prisoner was seen in one of the bedrooms shortly before it caught fire , an d els her for the w or within a few mome nts of the whole time_ likewise shown that Miss Outeridge had bet n i she was lust up stairs, and must have set the r h oom h o t r r i told t that . s a fire, and she said she supposed she must, ut brotherwould when paydamage.cburthaeeeenntleft. ____------- Th e ex amination was proceeding comprising the ---- ---------- re of direct heirs ie e ls i n :burg. The author A memoir was read on Saturday before the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences of Paris, by Mr. Wheaton, late American Minister at the Court of Berlin, and corres ponding member of the Academy, upon the question of the n D n l g a a h l n e t i , sh o o of this memoir traced the history of the royal succe! , sion in Denmark up to the earliest times, and shoe ed that the rule f f mt s oh u ne c a c ir) e cr s eh s s) i e, o ,n n ti nrt reigning hgtenhieenvgde i i h r to e u r os e fe n t toi if s eo t aft failure of sum anion formerly existing in that kingdom had preferred the male line of all the royal descendants to tLe female, and that the latter had never been resorted to unless on the total failure of the former. A different rule had been introduced, together with the absolute monarchy, by the famous revolu tion of 1660, by which the succession of the Crown was limited to the O ,cendants of the then reigning sovereign , Freder i c k 111., both male and female, to the exclusion of col laterals. Such was the present law of succession existing in the kiogdorn of Denmar k ; but it was questionable how far.- ' it might be applicable to the Duchy of Schleswig, and quite cer tain that it c ould not be applied to the Duchy of Holstein, w h er e the Salic la w had always prevailed as in the other German states; so that the Danish monarchy was threatened w i t h di s memberment i n case of the ultimate failure of direct male heirs to the p resent reigning house. The otil certain me ans of preventing this catastrophe, without the inter ference of the grea t European Powers, and without the the danger of war on account of the conflicting claims t d uc hi es , appeared to be the abolition of the /ex and the restoration of the ancient Danish law, by regia, the succession was op en to all the descendantswhichof the the royal house with a p reference of the male to female lines. The consequence of such a change would be, that the rule of succession would be the kingdom as in the duchies • and, consequentre in the of the Danish monarchy, which was me of Y, the unity tial elements of the balance a European _ owe the essen tial against the dangers by which it 1' r, would be If this change were at the same time coupled . w • was threatened. of a representative constitution for the united with the grant monarchy, would be an effectual means of reconciling the narchy, it the Danish and Teutonic races , of whic h it wen rival claims of was true that the lex regia had been declared by its author Is t to be immutable; but as it was introd ucedYa b a solemn compact between the sovereign, and his people , there wag no reason why it might not be altered in the same mutual consent.— Galignuni. manner by their The House of Commons, as at present consists of 656 Members, the two vacant constituted, being still in abeyance, making the total seats for Sudbury these there are 44 Members between thenumber 658. Of 159 between 31 and 40 ; 213 between 41 eges of 21 and 30 ; 51 and 60; 67 between 60 and 70; and 50 ; 155 between oldest Member in the House is Mr. e a n n ' d 15 above 70. The West Surrey, aged 77 -. the youngest, ‘thi e so, the Member for Member for Chester, aged 22. The a ' Earl of Grosvenor, House is 50 years.—Jersey Times. verage age of the entire success of the institution, and he would have great pleasure in ;I.c The re soluth.n was cat reed unanimously. Di*. Mil-LINDER then rose and said—Mr. Chairman and brother members, the gentlemen who has had the kindness to move this resolution is not, perhaps, aware of a family secret—perhaps a family quarrel. lie spoke of the kind feeling existing between tie bard of managers and myself. Now we are always quarrelling —(Laughter)—and I will tell you the cause of the quarrel. It is which of us will do the most to advance the interests of the association.-- (Cheert. ) But I cannot say more, or say better, than this-- such has been the celebrity which the Provident Clerks have achieved that it has extended even to the Antipodes ; and 1 have received a letter from the secretary of the Sydney, New South Wales, Provident Institution—(Loud cheers) — asking us in London to advise, counsel, and direct them in their movements.--(Continued cheering) I think that no better evidence need exist of increased prosperity, or of what we are capable of doing, than this which is before us—the fact that our fame has reached the other side of the globe. We are now sitting by candle light, and they are, perhaps, sitting by sun-light, and if we cannot communicate by the electric telegraph, we, at all events, shake hands together.— (Cheers.) Gentlemen, I thank you. This compliment is undeserved, as it was uncalled for, and I feel grateful for it. Mr. Purees said, I rise cow to perform a melancholy task, because it is the closing scene; I have to move—" That the warmest thanks of this meeting be presented to J. A. Smith, Esq., for his kindness in presiding this evening, and fur the continued and deep interest he has shown in promot ing the success and prosperity of the association." I need not occupy your time by expatiating upon this resolution— you all see what he does for us.—(Cheers.) Although all do not know so well as the board of management how much of his valuable time he bestows upon the affairs of this in stitution, or the kind and handsome manner in which he re ceives the board of management when we require to worry him with some particular details, lam sure that you will all join me most cordially in this resolution. Mr. DAwsoN felt great pleasure in seconding it. The CHAIRMAN, who rose amid loud cheering, which con tinued for some time, said—Gentlemen, I assure you I am not going to trouble you with a second speech. I can only repeat what I have said before now, that 1 thank you for this hood nature and kindness to me. There is one thing, however, to which I wish to call your attention, as it fur nishes a striking example of the success of this institution. Mr. Jones ought to have mentioned it, but I suppose lie forgot it. In the two months of 1847 we have done, in the assurance office, 501. more than in the whole year of 1844. (Loud cheers.) I think that if we talk to this time next year we cannot add one word to that fact ; and, although I cordially agree with the gentleman to my left (Mr. Rennell), that the guineas which we have received for the benevolent fund are vastly dispro portioned to the cumber of clerks in the metropolis, I believe that a time will come when those who are partakers of the great advantages which the guir.ea confers will think these too great to be extended to other individuals at the like price of a guinea a year. This is the case with all asso ciations which have got rich and prosperous. They naturally and justly feel, and it becomes with them a question, whether new subscribers should have the benefit of these advantages for the original subscription. I sincerely hope and trust that, as this is the case, the words of my friend on my left will sink into the minds of those present. I do trust, also, that as you admit the efficiency of the board, wa may observe that Members should co-operate with us in extending the benefits of the institution. With these few remarks I take my leave, bidding you all good night, and I trust that when we meet again we shall have the same pleasant task to perform that we have bad to do this night. The Chairman, on leaving, was loudly cheered. The meet ing then separated. PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS. From the Votes and Proceedings Of the House of Commons.) THURSDAY; FEB. 25. The following Railway Bills were presented, read a first tale, and ordered to be read a second time : East Lancashire (Clitheroe, Mitton and Padiham Branches) —" t enable the East Lancashire Railway Company to make Branches from the said Railway to Clitheroe, to Mit ton, and to Padiliain, in North Lancashire." Waterford and Limerick—" to authorise certain alterations in the Line of the Waterford and Limerick Railway, and to amend the Act relating thereto, and for other purposes." Great Northern (Branch to Horncastle and at Brayford Mire, Lincoln)—" to enable the Great Northern Railway Company to make a Branch Railway to Horncastle, in the parts of Lindsey, in Lincolnshire, and another Branch Rail way to certain wharfs at Braytord Mere, in the city of Lincoln." London and North-Western ( Portobello and Wolver hampton Branch, &c.)—" for enabling the London and North-Western Railway Company to make a Branch Line of Railway from Portobello to Wolverhampton, and for other purposes." Edinburgh and Northern, St. Andrew's and Newburgh Harbour Branches and Road Crossings (Newport Railway Extension)—" to enable the Edinburgh and Northern Rail way Company to construct Branch Railways to St. Andrew's and Newburgh Harbour, and to divert and alter the lavas of certain Turnpike Roads in the Line of the Newport Railway Extension." York and North Midland (Hull Station and Branches)— " for enabling the York and North Midland Railway Com pany to make ;a Station at Hull, and certain Branch Rail ways connected with their Railways and the said Station, and for other purposes." York and North Midland (Harrogate Branch Extension and Terminus)—" for enabling the York and North Midland Railway Company to extend the line of their Harrogate Branch Railway, and to make a Station at Harrogate." Newcastle and Berwick (Cramlington and Percy Main, and Killingworth and other Branches)—" for enabling the New castle and Berwick Railway Company to make certain Branch Railways in the borough and county of Newcastle upon-Tyne, and in the county d Northumberland, and for other purposes." Newcastle and Berwick (East Coast Line, Blyth, Seaton Sluice, and other Branches)—" for enabling the Newcastle and Berwick Railway Company to make certain Branch Railways in the county of Northumberland, and in the borough and county of Newcastle-upon -Tyne, and for other purposes." Taw Vale Railway and Dock—" to enable the Taw Vale Railway and Dock Company to lease their undertaking to the London and South-Western Railway Company." Great North of India—" to alter, vary, and extend the powers of the Great North of India Railway Company, and for facilitating the construction of a Railway for connecting the Cities of Delhi, Agra, add Allahabad, in India, and for extending the same to Mirzapore and Benares, with Branches to Meerut, and other places in India aforesaid." The following Railway Bills were read a second time, corn nutted, and referred to the Committee of Selection : Chester and Holyhead (Extensions at Chester and Holy. head, &c.) Dublin and Belfast Junction and Navan Branch. Dublin and Drogheda (Branch from Navan to Kells). St. Helen's Canal and Railway (Warrington and Blackbrook Branches, &e.) Oldham Alliance. Eastern Counties (Ilford to Tilbury Fort and Southend, with a ' , branch from Vange to Battle Bridge). East of Fife ( hlarkinch Deviation). Airdrie and Bathgate Junction Amendment and Deviation. Great Northern (Branches to Sleaford). Great Northern (Extension to Leeds and Wakefield, Deviation of Methley Branch of Wakefield, Pontefract, and Goole Railway). Great Northern (Purchase of Ambergate, Nottingham, and Boston and Eastern Junction, &c.) Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Stour Valley (No. 2) Branches. Paisley and Renfrew (Sale and Improvement). NOTICES GIVEN AT THE PRIVATE BILL-OFFICE. The following Railway Bills are appointed to be read a second time MONDAY, MARCH 1. Herne Bay and Canterbury Junction. Shrewsbury and Chester. East Lothian Central. London and South •Western. Ipswich and Bury St. Edmund's (Branch from Ipswich to Woodbridge). Guildford Extension, and Portsmouth and Fareham. Duffryn Llynvi, and Porth Cawl and Llynvi Valley Rai).- ways Amalgamation. Royston and Hitchin (Extension from Royston to Cam bridge, &c.) Royston and Hitchin (Sale or Lease). WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3. Eastern Counties (Somersham to Ramsey). Eastern Counties (Lynn and Ely, and Ely and Huntingdon, and Lynn and Derebam Railway Lease). Eastern Counties (Purchase of the North 'Woolwich Railway). Eastern Counties (Maldon, Witham, and Braintree Railway Purchase). Newmarket and Chesterford (Repeal of Provision authorising the Company to use the Liue of the Eastern Counties Railway). Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow, and Dublin. Birmingham and Oxford Junction (Deviation of Line). Birmingham and Oxford Junction (Warwick and Stratford Line). LEATLI.—At his residence, 10, King's Arms-yard Coleman-street, on the 2* inst., Charles Lloyd, Esq., aged 50 years, for many years the principal book-keeper to Messrs. Fletcher, Alexander, and Co., and an original promoter and Deputy-Chairman f the Provident Clerks' Association—a man of sterling worth, great talent, and unbounded kindness, possessed of all those qualifications which ennoble the mind. His loss will be deeply felt by all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance _ _ f.oalslowing letter f rom Au s g t. sb p ur e g tt h rsburg CHINA ' —Th e Gazette publishes the h, Feb. 6.—" A letter been received from Kjuchta, a commercial town . in Russian China, which, alluding to accounts from Canton, says :—` We are ePoch• In ten •e lproaching towards a very interesting Asia will considerabl hence the state of affairs in Easteru liberty developing change. There is a sentiment of with rapid strides the itself in China which is bringing about Thousands of ruin of the existing form of Govern ment.connected with the destiny3elsons assemble to discuss on matters appearing among the of the human race. A spark is out into a flame. theypeople which will not be long in break ingof liberal principles, and Keying, are becoming warm defenders Canton. dare take no stepsl now Governor General of people.'" Without the consent of the REPRESENTATION OF MANCHE RETIREMENT OF Loßi, LINCOLN. m STEIL—RUMOURED 24. A deputation from Lord Lincoln's c tICHESTHR, FEB. his Lordship, by appointment, London.yesterday, in waited upon. pre sent him with the requisition which has now ee to of signature fur some mouths. It is reported here ntliiins course ing that owing to the representations of the deputation his L o rdship has declined to come for ward as a candidat e . te ." have made very strict inq uir y into this re p ort, and from the best information I can obtain, and 1 believe it is correct, I have no hesitation in saying it is perfectly true. Lord Lin coln is, therefore, the rejected of Manchester. There are many reasons assigned for this want of success, but the principal one appears to be that many of the supporters of Mr. Gibson are afraid that if Lord Lincoln came forward the Right Hon. Gentleman would be thrown out. The recent flagrant violation of the treaty of Vienna, in the suppression of the free state of Cracow, has justly awakened feelings of indigmtion in the 'heart of every hone‘t man. Her Majesty's Government law not shrunk from expressing its opinion upon this utter disregard of the most sacred obligations; and we are glad to learn that a grand public meeting, to petition the Crown with reiterence to the subject, will be held on Tuesday next, at the Freemason's Hall. The Marquis of Northampton will occupy the chair, supported by many distinguished and influentril persons, and we are sure that, considering t h e importance of the object, the meet i ng w ill b e f u lly and respectably attended.— , Morning Paper. ENCOURAGEMENT TO FlSHlNG.—Government has voted 3,0001. for the e ncour agement of the fisheries on the westi coast. It will b e g i ven t h roug h the Fishery . Board, and will be chiefly expended • in the providing of lines and other fishing mat • materials for the destitute tishermen.—John .o' Groats . Journa l . COMMERCIAL. BOSTON, FEB. 4—Corn continues in good demand for ex port, and nearly all the southern that is on the way has been sold to arrive at about 1 doll. per bushel cash. Flour remains without alteration. Genessee, good brands, 6 dolls. 75c. to 6 dolls. 87c. cssh. Molasses—Sales of a cargo of cardenas, new crop, at 23c. 6ms. Distilling molasses is held at 19c. to 20c. Mackerel are in better demand, at improved prices. 'Sales of No. 1 at 81 dolls.; No. 2,5 i dolls.; and No. 3, 4 dolls. per bushel cash. White beans—From 5,000 to 7,000 bushels, being. about all there was in the market, have been sold at 1 doll. 25c. to 1 doll. 75c. per bushel cash, for export to England. DREADFUL FIRES. Yesterday morning, between the hours of 4 and 5, a very destructive fire, by which the lives of numerous persons were jeopardised, broke out hi the lofty building termed the Red Lion Tavern, situate 123, Jermyn-street, St. James's, the property of Mx. Williams. The flames originated in the lower portion of the premises, from some unknown cause, and hen first discovered they had obtained such a strong hold that it soon became apparent that at the least the entire building would fall a prey to their fury. The inmates, consisting of nine persons, were, after much delay, made sensible of the great danger to which they were exposed ; and they immeinutely made an attempt to de scend the staircase. They had, however, barely got upon the landing, when a shower of sparks and volumes of smoke rushed upwards, and cut off all retreat by the regular means. The poor creatures hardly knew what to do; but having run into one of the front rooms, they closed the door, and then appeared at the windows supplicating the crowd to as sist them. A ladder was soon brought to the spot, but that proved too short to be of any assistance, and whilst the parties were gone to fetch the lire-escape, the whole of the residents got out of window, and by passing along a narrow lead flat, were enabled to reach the balcony of the next house, and were then admitted through the windows without receiving any personal injury. Not one of them was able to save an article of clothing. '1 he engine of the County-office was the first that arrived, and was followed hy'several others of the London establishment, and the West of England one from Waterloo-road. Fortunately an abundant supply of water was obtained front the plugs in the street, which was copiously discharged into the blazing building, in spite of which the flames continued to progress most tearfully until floor after floor was hurled down. Owing to the praise worthy exertions of the firemen, the flames Isere confined to the premises in which they originated, but they were not extinguished until the furniture, stock in trade, and other effects were destroyed, and the house nearly gutted. The origin of the calamity is unknown. Fortunately Wil liams was insured—the stock in the Licensed Victuallers'. office, and the building in the Royal Exchange. A few hours after the engines had returned to their sta. tions another fire, by which one life was lost, occurred at 19, Foi and Kaot-court, Snow-hill, occupied by a poor family, named‘Coney. It appeared that three children had been left by their parents in a room in which a fire was burning in the grate. Whilst thus alone, one of the children lighted a piece of paper, and threw it on the floor, when some wearing apparel took fire, and very soon the clothes of Mary Coney, aged nine years, became one mass of flame. She had an infant in her arms, which she threw down, and then rushed into the court with the flames mounting over her head, A Mrs. Grady made an attempt to put out the fire, but was unable, and had her hands dreadfully burned in so doing. At length a rug was procured, and the child having been wrapped in it, the fire was eventually extin guished, but nut until her body and head were burned as black as a coal. She was taken to St. Bartholomew's Ilos- pital, where she lingered till four o'clock in the afternoon, when death terminated her sufferings. About half past three o'clock yesterday afternoon a fire broke out at No. 19, Holiday-yard, Creed-lane, Ludgate bill, in the occupation of Mr. Robson, which was also attended with loss of life. The discovery was made by one of the neighbours perceiving an unusual glare of light in the third floor front. An immediate alarm was raised, and upon the inmates of the court opening the door of the room, a huge sheet of flame rushed out, and they were forced to retreat. The engines from Farriugdon-street station quickly attended, and, with the aid of the police and inmates, the flames were extinguished, but not before they had penetrated the parti tions, and had done considerable damage in two rooms. As soon as the fire was extinguished, the firemen beheld a most distressing scene; upOn the flooring, where the flames had evidently burnt most fiercely, wasiying the body of a female child, most frightfully burned. An assistant of Mr. Baker, the surgeon of Wardrobe-place, attended, and pronounced life extinct. The deceased's name was Eliza Robson, and she was between four and five years old. The child, it appears, had been left alone whilst the mother was out at work. The Emperor of Russia, having learnt that the French Government had sent out an artist to select blocks of the finest porphyry he could find in any country, to be used in raising the monument to Napoleon at the Invalides, has given orders for blocks of the requisite size to be hewn from the quarries belonging to the Crown, and sent to Paris. The porphyry from these quarries is considered to be unrivalled in the fineness of its grain and the delicacy of its shades. TENANTS LIABILITY FOR RENT.—A recent de cision was given in a small debt case, decided by Mr. Sheriff Robertson, at Stonehaven, to the effect that a tenant's po• tato crop having failed by the general blight of last year, he is consequently legally free from all liability for rent; and more than this, that if the proprietor prosecutes for his rent, which, as may be inferred from the report of the case, was not a " conditional," depending upon the success of the - crop, he may even be saddled with the expenses of the suit. Edinburgh P, ost. Two MEN FOUND DEAD.—On Sabbath morning week two men were found dead in a plantation near the Broom, on the road leadieg to Newton Mearns. It appears that the unfortunate deceased were father and son, and had left the Mains Toll about half-past ten on Saturday evening, on their way home to Hazleton Head. The son, it is said, was a little intoxicated when he left, and it is thought that, having felt fatigued, they hail both lain down in the planta tion and fallen asleep, from which they never awoke. There was no appearance of violence on either of their persons. — Scottish Guardian. A FERRET IN A Cnuncis. A few days since, during one of the weekly services at the church, in Wim borne, a little girl approached the minister and accosted him thus, " I hope you will excuse me, sir, but there is a ferret !tinning about the church." The service was immediately suspended, and the few females then present being much alarmed, speedily made their exit, and the minister and clerk endeavoured to secure the intruder, but without effect. The animal made its escape. —Poole FOLKESTONE. --- We understand Messrs. Golder and Lucas have contracted for 300 houses to be built at Ash ford, for the South-Eastern Railway Company -- 72 to be finished by the end of July next. The carrying - out of the horn, cr jetty, at the extremity of the harbour, has caused the sea to encroach upon the East Cliff, and to wash away large qu-intities of beach and sand near Copt Point. The wreck of a ship has been discovered, supposed to be the Grantham, East Indiaman, L5OO tons, wrecked there about 110 years since. She was laden with a general cargo. Many persons have visited the wreck, and have succeeded in getting some of her timbers, which are in a fine state of preservation. She will, however, be scarcely visible till the next spring tides. -Kentish Observer. The Hon. H. Howard, brother to Viscount Mor peth, Secretary to the British Legation at the Hague, left town on Wednesday evening; to resume his diplomatic duties. Mrs. Howard• remains with I:er noble relations, Lord and Lady Stefrircl and the Marchioness of Wellesley, at Cos ttaey Hall, Norviich. It is reported a marriage will take place between the Hon. Frederick Petre, the third son of Lord Petre, and Miss Musgrove, eldest daughter of the late Sir Christopher Musgrove, Bart. LOOK TO YOUR POCKETS.—Managers of legitimate theatres, Irish Members, authors of syncretic epics, and others, are hereby informed, that a gentleman in the City was robbed the other day of 10,000/. Persons in the habit of receiving large sums should therefore be on their guird.— The Mon in the Moon. TIIE PATENT TllEATRES.—Yesterday the follow ing shares in the Theatre Royal Drury-lane were disposed of by auction by Mr. Lovell, at the Auction Mart. The first.lot consisted of two 5001. renter's shares. They entitled the possessor to the privilege of a free admission, which was transferable, and to a charge on the theatre of. Is. 3d. per night during every night it was open for performance. The sum paid on them last year was 3/. 10s.: and, as tranferable, they respectively realised three guineas per annum. They were sold for 62/. each. The next lot consisted of five 100/. proprietor shares, all paid up, and subject to no further liability. There were no returns upon them, but the holdtr of them was eligible to he returned on the Committee of Management. They fetched 101. There were tliree other similar lots, each ,f which went for 91. 10s. Mr. Lovell then put up fur sale a 500/. renter's share in the Theatre Royal Covent-garden. It entitled the possessor to a free admission (that for the present season having been sold), was held for a term of nearly fifty years and the sum of 131. 10a paid on it annually. The auctioneer stated that there-w. was s a i s prospect of a great increase in the value of these shares. The company which had the management of that property had taken a lease of it for six years, the rent for three of which had been deposited, while the admissions were sold for the season, these averaging from 10 guineas to 12 guineas. The possessor was entitled to a pay ment of 24/ per annum. The first offer for it was 15 ( 3., when after au active competition, it was knocked down for 2051. The Marchioness of Lansdowne has left town for Bowood, Wilts; but i s expected ton return shortly. The Earl of Shelburne still cont i nues at 'Rome. - LITERATURE. HOMES AND HAW%TS OF THE MOST 17:,iIHVEN1' BRITISH POETS. 2 Vols. By Widiam Howitt. previous writings of Wil iam Agreealiho as have be: n the iiowitt, this is unquestionably the most delighful work he has yet produced. There was a necessity, moreover, fur a book of this description, a book forming a topographical illustration to the inimitable biographies Dr. Juhrson, and perpetuating as far as possible the remembrance of the scattered localitics in which the poetic genius of England has resided. Without some clue to the abodes of the departed illustrious it were difficult to form any conception of their domestic habits, of the incidents by which their lives had been diversified, or of the natural and artificial objects by which they were continually surrounded ; and without some know ledge of those habits, incidents, and local characteristics, it were almost impossible to conceive to ourselves the idiocyncracies, the dispositions, the partialities, or the prej udices of those men otherwise than from their composi tions. That would indisputably have been a lamentable toss to humanity, for it is from the contemplation of the biographies of remarkable persons that we derive some of our most salutary and benign impressions. From the perusal of biographical works we derive a plenitude of experience ; the memofials of our distinguished prede cessors are for us fountains of the purest wisdom. In this respect biography is superior to history, and it is superior to history because the vicissitudes of in dividuals come more home to each of us than the vicissitudes and revolutions of empires. The story and the moral of biography is more applicable to our con fined fortunes, that the story and moral of those records which relate to the progression of entire races. To the statesman, the legislator, and the anointed sovereign, history furnishes an inexhaustible instruction ; to every one, without exception, biography teaches truths that are essential for the happiness of mankind. It is in consequence of these immutable principles, it is from our intimate relationship with one another, the prince with the mendicant, the sinless infant with the most reprobate felon, it is from the similarity of the human character in all grades and positions of society, that biographical compositions are invested with such a peculiar fascination. In the narrated peregrinations of the great, we find reminiscences of our own wanderings; in the utterance of their homeliest sentiments we listen with rapture to the thoughts which have floated through our own imaginations; in the troubles by which they have been buffeted, we discover a striking similarity to our own misfortunes; in the joy which they have ex perienced we frequently recognise something parallel to the emotions of which we ourselves have been con scious. It is like the realisation of a dream; it is precisely that mysterious sensation, sometimes of awe, sometimes of delight, which agitated the heart of Charles Dickens when as he tells us in his little volume upon Italy, he came upon a secluded spot in Switzerland when evening was closing in, and his carriage was toiling up the hill at some distance behind him—a quiet scene which, though of very ordinary features, thrilled him with the most unaccountable feelings of awe, as though he bai known it in connexion with some appalling murder, and in a previous state of existence. Strange and bewil dering as these things are, they are nevertheless by no means unfrequent ; and it is nearly impossible to read much or to talk much without being sometimes affected in a similar manner. But biography does not only afford us these eccentric sensations, it gives us lessons it is pleasant and useful to con; it presents us pictures fraught with wholesome truths; and it almost enables us to live in imagination many times instead of once. The work to which we would here especially direct attention is to our mind an addition to our national biography as va luable as it is novel. It comprises, indeed, some of the most essential elements and rudiments of biography, for it is descriptive of those homes and haunts from the peculiarities of which our poets have derived the whole colouring and bias of their intellects. What, for ex :apple, would Drummond have been had he resided elsewhere than in Havkhornd'en ? What would have beea the result had Falcon(-r never -"Sailed along the deep, Where the stormy winds do blow;", had Wordsworth never trod the herbage bf Grasmere or Rydal Mount; had Burns never stirggere.l through the streets of Dumfries ; had Shaltspere never poached smong the fern of Stratford, or strayed into the parlour of the Mermaid Tavern, Friday-street, Cheapside? ehould we have heard ought. of the Shipwreck, of the ural sonnets, of Tam O'Sh,inter, of Jacques, or of Bar dolph? Would Spencer have ever imagined Gloriana, or the Shepherd of the Ocean, if he had never loved the woodlands or encountered Raleigh ? had Chaucer never known the Tabard Inn, in Southwark, where would have been his priest, his reeve, and his miller? Because these men received particular impressions in their most impressionable mo ments from the scenery, whether of their homes or of their haunts, they wrote as they did ; jiad they never beheld that particular scenery at those particular times, they would have written otherwise, and perhaps not at all. Hence we are satisfied that we are gratifying more than a merely idle ; curiosity , . when we s e ek , after the houses, and the the fields, and the streets sanctified by the footsteps of genius. Hence the researches of William Howitt, in the neighbourhood of Belvoir, when coilecting materials for his paper on Crabbe, of Laracor for Swift, of Sandy-knowe for Scott, of Sloperton for Moore, and of- Sheffield for Mont gomery, have a purpose higher than that of pandering to some unprofitable appetite of the multitude. So satisfied are we with the labours of Mr. Howitt in the production of the two volumes now under notice, that we are solicitous the subject may be completed by one who is evidently so well qualified for it by his industry, his literary enthusiasm, and his graceful and fluent style. There are, of course, minor blemishes in the book, such for example as the monotonous repeti tion of the same phrases, Take as an instance the fol lowing iterations occurring within scarcely one hun dred pages of the second volume .—p. 365, " the scene in the gardens and the pavillioni s not surpassed by any thing of the kind in the language;" half-a-dozen lines lower down, "one of the loveliest poems in the language:;" p. 448, "gems of as noble and perfect poetry as any in the language ;" p. 461, " amongst the most perfect things in the language ;" and so on over and over again. Otherwise the composition is simple and vivid. Occasionally, too, Mr. Howitt, evinces an acerbity that jars in upon the subject treated of, very unpleasantly. It must be acknowledged that he encountered in his gentle and amiable inquiries after the homes and haunts of the English bards treat ment enough to irritate the most gentle and amiable disposition. As specimens of this treatment, we may refer with a very sympathetic indignation to the articles upon Thomas Campbell, Sir Walter Scott, Shelley, and Mrs. Tighe—a poet, by the way, not very appropri ately introduced among such illustrious and immeasurably* superior minds. Since the publication of Mr. Howitt s work upon the British poets, we have seen with regret a singularly ungenerous and undeserved attack upon him from a correspondent of the Athentruni newspaper —that correspondent being none other than the widow of Robert Southey. We are altogether . unacquainted with either Mrs. Southey or Mr. Howitt personally; to our knowledge we have never even seen them ; our remarks, therefore, are uttered with the most disinterested feelings. Mrs. Southey on the bare representation of an anonymous critic, chooses to become very indignant with Mr. Howitt; for, inasmuch as she has been assured by the said critic, that her deceased husband is spoken of with undue harshness in the work entitled "The Homes and Haunts of the English Poets." Beyond this, Mrs. Southey couples the expression of her indignation with a petulant insinuation, that Mr. Howitt speaks thus harshly of her dead husband, out of revenge for the refusal of his widow to supply him with anecdotes of the private life of Southey. And, as a climax to this ungraceful aspersion, Mrs. Southey observes, that she has never read a syllable of the "Homes and Haunts," and remarks that she shall probably never even see the book ; as much as to say, it is too con temptible a production. It were well if Mrs. Southey had read the beole before writing as she has written; had she dune so, we would wager that she would have written: otherwise, and might probably have abstained from , vriting at all upon the matter. For Mrs. Southey would have found that obnoxious article to have been dictated in the kindliest spirit towards her Inishand, - ;diniiii: noblest manlier towards herself. The close of the paper ind , ed amounts to a panegyric upon Mrs. Southey - . As a proof of this, take the following simple sentence, vol. 11., p. 247—" Such a woman," (Airs. Southey) "who has adorned the literature of her country with some of its most exquisite contributions, and sacrificed every thin:: to render the lastdays of one of its finest writers as serene as pessable, ought not to be left to wear awav the retnain4er of her life in the res angusta domr, stripp'td of those simple elegancies and enjoyments to which, as a gentlewoman, she has always been accus turned !" It were well it Mrs. Southey had read the article of which that is a solitary sentence. In that article Mr. Hewitt awaris a thousand folftmore praise to Southey as a poet than we ourselves'eonsidered to he deserved. The onlpoiot in which he sp eaks in depreciation of the " Like Poet," is in reference to his suddQn transformation from a .liberalist and a revolu tion into a tory and a bigot. And what honest man could speak of Oat mournful and suspicioui charge in.other than language of depreeiation. De ntortuis nd nisi bo' num, has always appeared. to us a very sickly and maudlin sentiment Acting upon it, we should become the panegyrists of the most depraved and vitiated. Give us t h e manly nil nisi verion ; give us the man who can call things by their right names without any spurious modesty, or any bowing down before the idols of Con ventionalism. That Southey was nothing better than, ave w th a e s an arrant renegade as a politician, no metamorphosisowi3 clesi r g i l e ting it by ll a.n li y other too m (.rity abrupt or rtii allow idiotism 0 f t o our designating epithet ; and consequently it became incumbent upon p o h n a , ti a c s al h l e y in reprobation . of that i °Li n t ts monstrous u s s p t e e a r k s git s er e s m at i i of S,uthey's virtues and abilities. We h does in approval plainly, because of the fallacious and i ' a d ve spoken thus the charge levelled at Mr. How', cvi uous nature of from these fascinating volumes it. Any . quotation, testimony of the talent b • whichwould be insufficient ass. We shall content biographical sketch in the collection" i th o as discriminatin • ourselves). they are characterised.. of s. with observing that the , as it is Scott is among the most brilliant eulogium upon Tennyson is is daintily embellished g it is deserved; that the publication it is ti with equally ornamental ' as a critical composition. wood-engravings ; and that in appearance, and excellent ... A REVENUE tUTTER SUNK AT SKA.—BetWee' , two and three o'clock qn Friday afternoon, the 19th instant , for , Nimble cutter, Mr. J. P. Blundell, commander, was standir Jo. along shore, between Berry Head and Dartmouth , in e l .1 a s e e of a small smack, when her progress was sudde nl y arr • Est ed by a sunken rock, and caused a rapid leak; t he vess,4 f : an ' over on her starboard aide, drifted from t he rock, a'Ad ;•- a ,'"' stantly Sunk, in an upright position , in d ee p water. fi fe c 0 e ; were eared by hastily cutting away the 'lola from ;the tackles, but wiibc , lt clothes, bags, or bedding. It is s•• •ic i ; he fatal rock is not laid down in an y chart, and that #' ' '- wander is a zealous officer and highly respected, rile c% al- =