The Sun. — London, England, 1847-02-22 00:00:00

ease perfectly clear, and he must add that the Right Hon. Gentleman had exhibited skill and knowledge in the statement he had made. He could not consent to this new grant to Ireland without he had some pledge' to compel the property of Ireland to maintain its poor—(Hear, hear)—and he very much regretted that the Right Hon. Gentleman had sat down without saying one word upon the remedial mea sures which had already been promised.—(Hear, hear.) lie must also regret that the Right Honourabl e G en t! eman, after stating such undoubted roof of the wisdom and advantages that have arisen troin the liberal policy of former years, did not say one word as to these future reforms which were so much calculated to increase the commerce of the country. With reference to the article of tea, he did not think that tho revenue would suffer anything by the reduction of the duty on that article. 01 the 600,000,000 yards of common calico sent out of this country, 180,000,000 yards of it went to China only. Ho thought thut by a reduction of the duty on tea a great increase would be made in the quantity of consumption. of custornable and exciseable articles. He thought the Government was taking s a one-sided view of the subject in th e course they had proposed. Then, again, with respect to the duty on copper, which amounted only to the paltry sum of 40,0001. or 30,000/., he thought that the country lost three times that amount by the system of policy pursued by this country. France and the United States were already beginning to smelt their own copper because of the restrictions imposed on the article in this country. There were also 150 or 200 articles the duties upon which should be swept away from the statute book. The whole Policy of the Government seemed to centre in Ireland. There was no doubt that the state of that coun try was one of the greatest emergency; the Government should, however, treat Ireland as an extraordinary charge and take the surplus revenue for the purpose of libe rating the commerce of the country, treating Ireland by extraordinary means. He was quite dissatisfied with the policy pursued by the Government ; the utmost freedom should be given to the com merce and the manufactures of the country, He held a statement in his hands which set forth, that, during the last two months, a decrease of 1:11 ; ,. e ll in full employment, and increase of men `" half employment had taken place in one part of the country also, who was to support them? (Hear, hear.) Such an extraordinary emergency as the one with they had to deal ought to be met by extraordinary measures. By a great change in their commercial policy. The surplus bal ance was, he believed, 76,000/. ; this year it was 2 ,800,0001., which was to be attributed to the partial carrying out of rational and proper measureste for the extension of commercial en tarise ; but was not this a strong proof still t hey ought to go on and remove the shackles imposed on trade, by promoting other measures having for their object the promotion of sin cerely unfettered by injurious restriction. He bra a h °P that such measures would be be; brought forward without delay. Even the money ', ll g spent in feeding the unemployed in of edl d Scotland would promote the regeneration they people. Certainly there was no hope of r egenerating the people of Ireland, because t hey would lead them to believe that, in similar emer fencies, they would be supported by the state, and not Y the owners of the soil who ought to be compelled to support them. There was more hope f or Scotland, as the proprietors had come forward and aided them. Then every one of the estimates had been increased. THE BUDGET. SUMMARY. At ten minutes to six o'clock, the House of Commons resolved itself into a Committee of Ways and Means. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER then rose to make the financial statement for the year, and claimed the indulgence of the House while he made the statement which he would make as short as was consistent with clearness. It was many years since a CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER had to report such heavy demands upon the Exchequer, but those demands were occasioned by the dearth of food, which was a visitation of Providence. Thousands of starving persons in Ire land appealed to this country for sympathy and assis tance, and that he could not refuse. Never, however had the finances of the country being so able to bear these demands. For the first time there had been no deficiency bills, and the produce of the revenue had been sufficient to defray the expenses of the State. In the Customs, the produce of every article for the last nine months, had, with the exception of articles on which duties had been reduced, exceeded the estimate. In the Excise, with the exception of soap, the same had take n place. By the return of the quarter ending 13th February last, he found an increase of nearly half a mil lion. But it was not to be expected that such a state of things would continue, and after the unexampled prosperity of the last two years he found they were on the verge of a check. He, however, saw no symptoms of a revulsion, but he merely feared a check, for he thought commercial matters were on a sound basis, and he considered that the measures for regulating the currency which, had been passed two years since by Sir It. PEEL, had tended to prevent such a revulsion, by placing the currency on a sounder basis, and by inducing investments in works at home instead of in Mississippi stock or Pennsylvanean Bonds. He thought, therefore, that no revulsion' would follow, but still the high price of food would tell in the diminution of comforts and the diminution of the consumption of articles of luxury. which wer e su bj ect to Excise dut i es. Th e w h o l e pro duce of Customs and Excise for the last year was 84,500,0701., of this 5.530,0001. was contributed by ar ticles of food, 21,781,0001.; of drink, and by tobacco, 4,336,0001.; making 31,653,0001. out of 34 ' 500 ' 0707 . This must have diminished ;in con sequence of the diminution of employment in the manufacturing districts. On the 9th of January, there l,tis I vrere worki ng f u ll t i me 25 ,845 p e rsons; short time, ; and without work, in consequence of the stop- Page of mills, 1,690. On the 9th February, there were working full time 22,949 persons ; short time, 15,862 ; and out of work, 2,613. The drain of bullion on the Bank had not been so great as might have been ex pected. The amount of bullion was only 1,200,0004 less than it was this time twelve months. The late CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER had calculated upon foreign sugar. a surpl us of 776,0001., the actual surplus was 2,846,000 /. including 304,0001. paid as duty on the import of gar. He now would state what the probable income of the year, from sth April, 1846, to sth April, 1847, would be. Last year the duties on corn Produced 793,0001. He could not calculate upon such art amount, but still he calculated in security. There had been an increase on the importation of butter, ch eese, and silk last year, consequent upon the reduction of d uty, and he calculated that this increase would con tinue, and he assumed that the probable revenue from Customs during the next year would be 20,000,000/. During the present quarter the increase of Customs duties had been 204,000/. Up to January the amount of Excise duties had been 13,9 88,0001., and he reckoned for the ensuing year an increase of 13,700,000/. The increase on the Excise from the beginning of the quarter had been 106,0004, and in Ireland, extending to January, there had been an increase. He contemplated from Stamps a revenue of 7,500 ; 0001., from Taxes 4,270,0001. from Property-tax 5,390,0001., from the Post offices 845,0001., from Crown Lands, 120,0001 from miscellaneous sources of revenue 427,0001.; making a total of ordinary revenue of 52,065,000/. The ex penses of the inerest of the debt and the Consolidated Fund would b e 30,735,000 1 .; f or t h e army, 6 , 840 , 074 1 .; The Navy vote would be 7,561,000/, ; the Ordnance vote the vote of last year , a grea t p or ti on of whi c h was d ue , as in h e e case of th e N av y, t o a d e ferred vote of last year. The residue was owing to an increase of 1,200 men and to putting the ports in a state of defence. The miscellaneous votes, exclusive of votes for Ireland, would be 3,750,0004, being an increase of 397,000/. The in crease was was owin g . t o t h e expenses of the poor-law and prosecution of prisoners, and another portion to the increase of printing and stationery for the Houses of Parliament. Tho whole of the estimates would amount to 20,851,0771., making the whole 51,576,0001. He had p urposely oug i s h t rt ewould s sin omitted rdin in tryf d ahi e s xp t en te di En tu en re t all allusion to g rants for the relief o Ireland; and he would now state what h eth be required for the distress t o be advanced by the Treasury for whatever burden might ultim a tely be throw upon the landlords of Ireland ; hitherto they had paid nothing, save indeed 393,000/. of poor-rates. It was not easy to state precisely what the expenditure required would be. In four weeks of November the ex penditure had been 383,000/., in December 742,0001., in January 772,000/. The persons relieved in October were 150,000, in November 285,000, in January 440,000, and in February 571,000. Up to 20th February there had been issued by the Exchequer to Ireland 2,400,000/., in November 2,000,000/., of which had been issued to the Board of Works. The expenditure for the future he expected would not fall below a million a month. He expected to effect, however a saving by administering relief through the medium of the soup kitchen. lie expected that many labouier would be taken from the public works by the working of the Bill for the Improvement of Lands, but to work that Bill, it should be remembered that ad vances were to be made by the Treasury. It would be necessary that relief should continue at least until the next harvest, and for some short period after the harvest, advances would be necessary. Taking all these circumstances into consideration, he could not estimate the advances to be made to Ireland tinder 8 ,000,000/., which, including the 2 ,000,0001. advanced since August, would amount to 10,000,000/. Now, if the 16,000,000/, proposed by the Nvble Lord had been . ose to , ti o, s ee: I iog re t fr e th :p i rise ,d 010 oP jeaioce, to tw 0,0001.,,1 be debt " 11 r e, ex peil di to tti Oe will 00 q. f 67, cr dl. f than e o Wag s of m 'o ot caio ok ,, I n vert 0 0 01, vo l r th e " April 10, to oraiiiol/1 penditure 000 000 asentered en e at i r e t i c le the it beet l hot th at lye ° c a sh 1 ro red°b If w ide , 14 , t heta bat la p is talPti° • O r the be ) ~,t it e l ' the to of e n o r lt j e leS• b l e d 0 6 a do be e " a ten d e d d e e% , ' fi at beve lb° lia le to o Pu t ' I '''! , t il t r ote, 3, Vote ,erva fop; a t It o InSdi 7it # rt xt.p. MONDAY "EVENIN THE WAR IN THE CAUCASUS. TIMEBISOND, JAN. 12.—The storms of the month of De cember had interrupted our relations with the Circassian coast. Yesterday the arrival of several vessels from Kertch and Suckum-Kaleh brought us positive stews of great im portance relative to events of which Circassia has been the theatre. The following details,' which are derived from the best source, are as well known at the Russian Consulate as at the Palace of Halil Pacha. - After two years of the most perfect tranquillity, which permitted the Russians to direct their entire efforts against Schamyl, the famous chief of the Tschetschenses and Lesgians, war has again commenced on the banks of the Bl ac k S ea and of the Kouban with the greatest ferocity. On the 7th of December the Governor o. the Fort Golowin, sit ua t e 30 l eag ues to the north of Suckum kaleh, was warned by his spies that the warlike tribe of the Übbikhs was planning a night attack against the fort, and that at the same time the Tschigetes, commanded by Hadj-Terike-Okow, one of the bravest chiefs amongst the Circassians, w e re collecting in the mountains, in order to surprise the fo r t ress o f Gag-ra. On the same day the Russian steam-boat, coining from Redut-Kaleh and proceed ing to Kertch touched at Fort Golowin. The Governor of that fort immediately dispatched it to Gagra, to apprize the garrison of the danger which threatened it. This circum stance saved the Russians, for during the same night 4,000 mountaineers attacked the retrenchments of the Gagra with the greatest fury. The fortress, which is surrounded on all sides by lofty rocks, would have been certainly captured by the Circassians, if the garrison, accustomed to peace during two years, should have b een t a ken unawares. But, notwith standing the brave resistance of the garrison, 800 men strong, protected by artillery, the loss of the Russians was consider. able. The mountaineers, not being able to scale the walls, well defended by the Russian infantry, possessed themselves of a great rock to the north of Gagra, upon which the Russian s h a d es t a blished a post. Thence they directed a murderous fire against the interior of the fort , and their ball s reac h e d even the sleeping apartments of the officers. This po s iti on was h e ld during two days, notwith standing several sorties made by the garrison, which were repulsed. The w an t o f ammun ition at length compelled the Tschigetes (the lost Circassian tribe to the south of the great chain) to retire to the mountains. The attack upon Fort Golowin took place two dare afterwards. More than 5,000 mountaineers of the ÜbbMa territory had surrounded the fortress. Although all their attacks were repulsed, the Rus sians themselves admit that the enemy showed more courage, boldness, and fury than on any previous occasion, and that but for the information given by their spies, the fort would have incurred a great risk of being captured. With respect to the movement on the Kouban we have no accurate in formation. We are assured, however, that 4,000 Sch.ap soukhes, com man d e d by Ch or e Beg, had passed the river near Ladoschskaja. The cause of all this commotion, after an uninterrupted tranquillity of two years, is owing to the following circumstances :—The Circassians are in want of corn and salt, which they are compelled to purchase from the Russians. In order to accustom them to pacific relations, Prince Woronzow had accorded them considerable advantages, and he carried his complai sance towards the Circassian chiefs so far as to permit them to trade with Turkey, and to send their female Circassian slaves for sale. But by degrees the Russian generals be came more exacting. They demanded of the Circassian chiefs to surrender the Russian and Polish deserters, of whom several hundreds are dispersed through the mountains. They demanded hostages for their fidelity, and they required that the_ Circassians should deliv er u p Schamyl's emissaries. When the Circassian chiefs refused to consent to these con ditions, the Russians refused t o supp ly th e Übbikhs and other tribes with corn or salt. Th e Übbikh s wer e ever re markable for their antipathy to the Russians, and when at length the latter captured a T ur ki s h vesse l near Pit zoun d a , lad with 60 female Circassians, the mountaineers lost all patience and revolted on three different poiuts, aided by the majority of the Works, the nobility of the country. G 9 THE SUN, LONDON, advanced to railroads, he did not think it would b© possible to have secured one farthing of this 10,000.0001, and therefore he was rejoiced to see the majority by which that measure had been rejected Under these circumstances, it was manifest he must go into the market to borrow. The question was, whether he should borrow the whole or only a part ; by following the latter course, he would considerably reduce the balance in the Exchequer, from which source the advances have hitherto been made. This was a course he:was for many reasons unwilling to adopt, and he there fore thought it more adviseable to borrow the whole rather than put any further pressure on the Bank of England, or incapacitate the Government from making advances to the landed proprietors of England and Scotland. Besides, the prospects of the next har vest were uncertain. Hitherto we had been living mainly upon the produce in other countries of the har. vest of 1845. There had been entered for home con sumption 5,388,000 quarters of foreign corn ; and he was confident that up to the harvest of 1847 we should have an abundance ; but by that time the produce of 1845 and 1846 would be exhausted, and we should be dependent upo❑ the pro duce of the harvest of 1847. The large surplus in the Exchequer had alone hitherto enabled them to make the necessary advances, and he felt that it would be most imprudent to lessen that surplus more than was absolutely necessary. Therefore the wiser course was to borrow the money. It would not be a permanent debt, because a considerable portion was to be repaid out of the property of Ireland.—(A laugh.) The next question was, whether the loan ought to be accompanied by increased taxation. He was unwilling to add this amount to the debt without taking means for it extinction, but he thought that during the present year it would be uefortunate to attempt any change in taxa tion. The present year was an exception to all others. If we had a good harvest there would be no necessity for further advances, if it should be bad it would be necessary to make a further demand on the country for the assistance of Ireland, and there fore he thought it better to postpone the question of the imposition of additional taxation. Besides, next year it would be necessary to deal with the Income-tax, and it would be unwise to attempt to prejudge in what manner Parliament—a new Parliament perhaps—might chose to deal with the Income-tax, he therefore thought it best to leave the whole question open till next session. He calculated on a surplus of 489,0004 of ordinary revenue over expenditure. He calculated be could borrow the 8,000,000/, at three and half per cent., the interest of which would be 280,0001; but then, he calculated he should have to raise the interest of Exchequer-bills. The interest at present was lid. a day, and he proposed to raise it to 2d., which would amount to 142,000/. ; giving an in crease of interest of 422,000/. ; making the total ordinary expenditure 51,998,000/. ; leaving a surplus of 67,000/. From Chinese money the next year he should receive 450,0001., but against this he must place an extending expenditure of 185,000/. to cover the excess of naval expenditure of the year ending sth April las t. The total of income, therefore, would be 52,515,0001. ; the total of expenditure 52,183,0001., leaving a surplus of 332,0001. [LEFT SPEAKING.] it r . THE PROSPECTS of the POTATO CROP.—GOVERNMENT INQUIRY. At t e beginning of last month the Poor-law Com missi) ers announced to the Assistant Commissioners and others, that Government was anxious to receive infor mation from leading gentlemen of practical experience, on the following point connected with the failure of the potato crop during the last and present year, viz., " whether any sorts of that root have not been more or less than others injuriously affected ?" It was also stated that the object of Government in directing an in quiry into this branch of the subject appears to be to collect such information as may serve as a guide to farmers who are making choice of sorts for planting ; and looking to the probability of future failures, it is a question of paramount importance, and to which atten tion does not hitherto appear to have been sufficiently directed. In accordance with the wish above expressed, Mr. Hawley, the Assistant Poor-law Commissioner, ad dressed a letter fram Durham to Mr. Milburn, of Thorp field, Thirsk, to which he received the following reply : " Thorpfield, Thirsk, Jan. 26, 1847. " Sir,—l beg to inclose replies to your queries in re ference to potatoes. I have paid a great deal of attention to the matter, and am quite convinced that no causes, such as I infer are thought of by the tone of queries, are so far in operation as to account for the disease. Both the old and the new kinds were equally affected, and those which escaped most in 1845 suffered most in 1846. " I am aware how very little value opinions are of in the matter ; but I think the following statements are justified by facts : " Ist. That in 1845 the white varieties and late va rieties suffered most by the disease. 2d. That it mani fested itself most about the 12th of October, and pro gressed after they were removed from the ground most severely. 3rd. That all kinds were most free from dis ease which were taken up early, say, before the Ist of October. 4th. That the disease was most in wet and clay districts, and least felt in dry and sand districts, as at Thirsk and Doncaster. sth. That very diseased sets still had vitality, and would produce plants, in some cases less tainted by disease than the sets free from dis ease would do. " While, 6th, in 1846, the red varieties were the worst diseased. 7th. That the disease manifested itself in one night, say, about the 23rd of August, all the tops being blackened as if by frost, though the night was thick and oppressively hot ; but no progress was made by the disease after the plants were removed from the soil. Bth. That the early kinds were the worst, and those the earliest removed from the ground suffered the most. I think it probable that this year they improved by laying in the soil. 9th. The districts most free from the disease in 1845 were the most affected in 1846, to wit, Thirak and Doncaster, and sand districts. " My opinion on the whole is, that it is owing to that mysterious law of nature, that bounds shall be set to the great increase of any species of animals or plants, and thus the balance of creation shall be duly kept. " My impression is, also, that the disease will be less severe in this year than last, and by and by it will wear out as the "curl" in potatoes. and 'the dry rot have done before, but not before there is much misery and suf• fering. . _ _ " I trust her Majesty's Government, in carrying out their present judicious and merciful measures for Ire land, will provide seed corn, especially rye, which will grow on the poor soils of that country, and be a tran sition from a delicate exotic vegetable to a hardy one, less accustomed to suffer by variable influences. Better to pay the Irish for growing and tilling their own soil and find them seed, than have a nation of paupers.—l have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant, " MATTHEW MARMADUKE MILBURN. " To W. H. T. Hawley, Esq."— Leeds Mercury. PASSAGE OF THE STRAITS OF MAGELLAN. (From the Liverpool Mercury.) IMPORTANT TO SHIPMASTERS. The following letter well deserves the attention of those of the nautical world interested in voyages to the west of South America : " TO THE EDITORS OF THE 'LIVERPOOL MERCURY. ' " Gentlemen,—l shall feel obliged if you will, give in sertion to the annexed remarks on the passage of the barque Cape Horn, of Glasgow, under my command, throne -1i the Straits of Magellan, on her last passage from Valparaiso to this port. " On Monday, November 16, 1846, at eight P.M., we made the Evangelists, bearing N.N.E. fire miles, wind west, and tolerably clear ; at midnight Cape Pillar bore S.S.W. three miles, and by keeping the starboard shore on board, strangers will find no difficulty in finding Long Reach. On Tuesday, 17th, at noon, we entered Crooked Reach ; at ten r.M., were off Port Famine, which is a safe anchorage ground, and where there is a Chilian settlement, at which refreshments can be easily pro cured. On Wednesday, pith, at 430 P.M., came to anchor in Gregory's Bay, in fifteen fathoms; good hold ing ground. On Thursday, the 19th, at 330 A.m., got under weigh; at 7 30 A.M., entered the First Narrows, with a strong flood tide against us, which we found no difficulty in stemming. At two P.X. we were clear of the Straits. At six r.st. we rounded Dungeness ; and, after the experience of four voyages round Cape Horn, in September, 1843, August, 1844, August, 1845, and the present voyage, I must say that the wear and tear, owing to the bad weather we encountered, with heavy cross sea so prevalent between the west entrance to the Straits and Cape Horn, contrasted with the passage through the Straits from the west caast is, in my opi nion, not to be compared; and had I another passage to make at the same season of the year, or in the winter season, with moonlight, I would take the Straits for my passage. The risk of life and property, and the wear and tear in the one, are not to be compared with the other.—Yours, &c., " JOHN LONGMUIER, Master. 4, 36, Upper Pitt-street. Feb. 11, 1847." THE RIVER PLATE. Extracts of letters received from the River Plate by the William Peile, arrived at Liverpool. BUZNOS AYRES, Nov. 30, 184 G.—From the interior all is quiet. We are led to believe that General Urquiza is quite fa vourable to this Government, and we have no reason to doubt our information, notwithstanding all sorts of rumours to the contrary. Rivera has opened his campaign with a few native fol lowers and some French basques. We are of opinion he will de nothing, although great hopes are entertained to the con trary at Monte Video. Jerked beef and tallow are allowed to be exported from this, by special permission from the Government lli c. B.—Political matters offer nothing new. An active and strenuous opposition will be made by the Monte Video circle to prevent any arrangement whilst they are in receipt of 2,0001. per day from the Custom House. Exchange-745. per doubloon; doubloons, 320 dolls. Mows; VIDEO, Dec. 15.—1 n politics nothing worth re peating. Affairs in Entre Rios continued about the same. Exchange.-45d. to 450. (From the British Packet, Buenos Ayres paper, of Dec. 5.) Messrs. Graham and G. L. Brent arrived in town on Monday last from Paraguay, with dispatches for the United States legation. It is understood that Signior Lopez had not only issued a decree, as was before stated, suspending hostilities against the confederation, but actuslly disbanded his army. For the rest, the Paraguay ruler appears to be as infatuated as ever with the idea of dissevering that pro vince from the national union; and there is but too much reason to apprehend that his eyes will not be opened to the folly of such a pretension until he shall have shaken off the ominous influence of Brazilian diplomacy. That Signior Lopez should remain for any great length of time under his present delusion we deem quite improbable ; and we look forward with confidence to the period of pacification and re newal of commercial intercourse as the commencement of an era fruitful of results demonstrative of the immense benefits to be derived from preserving the national union unimpaired, and equally conclusive as to the selfish motives by which the Imperial Cabinet is actuated in encouraging a separation by which Paraguay would be the only loser, and Brazil the sole gainer. Although the mission of Messrs. Graham and Brent has failed to attain the main object for which it was undertaken, it will, nevertheless, be productive of one very useful result in contributing to correct the erroneous impressions so pre valent abroad with respect to everything connected with Paraguay, and thus leading to a just appreciation of the na ture of the question at issue. OFFICIAL NOTE. Buenos Ayres, Nov. 9, 1846. The Minister of Foreign Relations, &c. To Commodore Sir Thomas Herbert, Commander-in-Chief of her Brit;sh Majesty's naval forces in the river Plate. The undersigned, by order of his Excellency the Governor and Captain-General of the Province, has the honour to ad dress you, for the purpose of placing at your disposition the articles composing the luggage of the British officer Charles G. Fegen, commander of the schooner Federal, captured by the Argentine forces stationed at San Lorenzo, on the passage down of that vessel. His Excellency the Governor has directed the under signed on this occasion to forward you a copy of the list re !flitted with said luggage by the provisional Commander-in- Chief of the department of the north. General Lucio Mancilla, and also of the note addressed under this date to that officer, detailing the motives of this resolution. The undersigned trusts that Commodore Herbert will look upon the slight demonstration of the Argentine Government Its a fresh proof, among so many others that it has evinced, o f the esteem with which it regards the recent course of policy adopted by her Britannic Majesty with respect to the Argentine Confederation. The undersigned avails himself of this opportunity to re new to Commodore Herbert the expression of the high esteem with which he has regarded him at all times. God preserve you many years. FELIPE ARANA. PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS. (From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons.) NOTICES GIVEN AT THE PRIVATE BILL-OFFICE. SATURDAY, FRB. 20. The following Railway Bills are appointed to be read a second time:— THURSDAY, FEB. 25. Paisley and Renfrew (Sale and Improvement). East of Fife (Markinch Deviation). Eastern Counties (Ilford to Tilbury Fort and Southend, with a Branch from Vange to Battle Bridge). Chester and Holyhead (Extensions at Chester and Holy. head, &c.) Dublin and Belfast Junction and Navan Branch. Dublin and Drogheda (Branch from Navan to Kelly). Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Stour Valley (No. 2 Branches. Cornwall. Oldham Alliance. FRIDAT, FEB. 26. Northampton and Banbury. ER' LEv of jE om .— mo l n ' 3 h g e av ß e ßightlion. he r t a it n e d s the l B3p ar eT l a i kl a i m eEr en oS t f a P ry HouseEl e:tertainment on Saturday last, at his man sionman on this occasion being in Eaton-square; the gtuheestlseaodfinthgernßeimghbte.rsHoofnt.hGeentle k the Marquis of Chandos, Vis counteluded Lerd George Bent n inc m. Pro tectionist party. Covers were laid for . 28. The circle in ;inner Hon. C. E. Law, Sir Bernard, Lord John John Tyrrell, Colonel Sibthorp, Major Sir William e V r cesrfnoerrd,, Manners, Mr.e Right D israe y i r Hon. F. S M l i a le w s; B. Palmer, . Christopher, Mr. Mr. dmintin Dick, Mr. Neeld, Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Finch, Mr. Bankes, Mr. Newdegate, M t r i . Pa A ck rk e, w h r l ig r. ht H , uAlisro.nG, G. A. Mackinnon, Mr. Henley, and Mr. Houldeworth, Mr. F. to pay his respects . ved in company with Lefroy. After the banguet the Rig s h e t ssi H on o . n. G T e h n e tlem p a u n ke hel o d f his first levee for the present Wellington was amongst the earliest to the Sp e aker. His Grace am comprised the following members of t Viscount Sandon, The Earl Jermyn, Viscount Mahon, Lord Charles Wellesley. The general h ci e rc L le ow a e t r And Tilorne, Lord Visc,ount Ehrington, Viscount Newry An IB,ororodkce,leLmoerndtsD, aLlomrdeneLyr,neLsotrdßrJuacien, LordT. Liddell, the levee Hon. H. Fitzroy Hon. T. V ' ese3, • Sir Benjamin Peel, Right Hon. Sir James Graham, Right Hon. the At torney-General, Sir William Somerville, Sir Charles Douglas, Hall, Sir Charles Lem i : g o h , esnSotna.rt,H. Norreys, Sir John Pakington, Sir W. Heathcote, Sir Richard Bulke- Sir Montague Cholrneley ; ley Phillip,t Sir E. Sir. coi e b ß r o o b o e k r e t , Sir A.L. Hay, Sir Robert Inglis, Sir John Hope, Right Hon. 11. T. L. Corry, Right Hon. E. Strutt, Right Hon. Fox Maule Right Hun T. Milner Gibson ; Captain Right Hon. Colonel G. L. Damer, Boldero, Captain 'Connolly, Captain Egerton, Captain James cAldermanFerguson, redoAi] r C i. r o : p v : lDa l rd a .u r d i bg d i dr , : ago D itc:o r n li ,s i o rA w .i r ril i . N Bodkin kar .n ai b nj l i, i. r t . oclAllf,rc,. o:sinare , n. l dip, mro Dir. sdord.T:,C a.sßlack burnMr.ritri... well, Mr. Stuart, M Connell'O. Gore, Mr. D. Barclay, Mr. Gibson Craig, nr. Muntz, Mr. Walpole, Mr. Willshere, Mr. Spooner. Mr. R. D. Mangles, Mr. Townelev, Mr. Godson, Mr. V. Stuart, Mr. Protheroe, Mr. Kemble, 'Mr. B. Denison, Mr. Romilly, Mr. Bannerman, Mr. Gregory, Mr. Williams, Mr. Hindley, Mr. Rosa, Mr. Capps, Mr. Mackenzie, Mr. Hayter, Mr. Rich, liir. Wrightson, Mr. wtord, Mr. Dundas, Whitbread'rench P. Butler, Mr. Brothertun, Mr. W. Brown, Mr. Hastie, Mr. A M l r d . a p m e , rr b a l n r. d, B lt r i o r wn s r . i e gg ra , and Mt. Hildyard. Sir Thomas Fremantle, M r . Mr. Setwell, and some tew other gentlemen, not having seats in the House, paid their respects to the Speaker, at the levee. The Duke of Wellington was the only Member of the House of Peers present. CABINET DINNER.—The Earl of Clarendon has issued invitations to his several colleagues for a cabinet dinner on. Wednesday, the 3d proximo. " Liver] FOREIGN RAILWAYS. The Journal des Chemins de Fer furnishes some fur ther interesting information relative to the progress of the railway system on the continent of Europe. The details in the present instance are chiefly confined to the undertakings opened or in course of construction in Belgium and Holland. The progress of railway construction in Belgium is thus described :—ln the year 1835 tht line from Brussels to Malines was opened, being 20 kilometres in length. In the year 1836 the line from Malines to Antwerp was opened, being 26 kilometres in length_ In the following year, 1837, the three lines, Malines to Louvain, 20 kilometres; Termonde to Wetterin, 10 kilo metres; and Louvain to Tirlemont, 25 kilometres, were opened. In 1838 the Tirlemont to Ans, 45 kilometres; the Wetterin to Gand, 23 kilometres; the Gand to Bruges, 30 kilometres; and the Bruges to Ostend, 36 kilometres, were opened. The lines from Gand to Courtray, 44 kilometres, and from Landen to St. Troud, 10 kilometres, were opened in 1839. In 1840 the Brus sels to Jubise line, 25 kilometres, was opened. In 1841 the Jubise to Jurbise, 25 kilometres, and the Turbise to Mons, 10 kilometres, were opened. The Ans to Liege, 3 kilometres ; the Mons (French frontier), 27 kilometres; and the Courtray (French frontier) lines, 27 kilometres, were opened in 1842. The lines opened in 1843 were, Liege to Chaudfontaine, 12 kilometres ; Chaudfontaine to Verviers, 16 kilometres; and Verviers to the frontier of Prussia, 12 kilometres. The line opened in 1844 was that from Mouscron to Tour ney, in length 19 kilometres. In 1845, the Braine-le.Comte to Charleroy, 23 kilometres ; the Godardville to Gosselies, 21 kilometres, and the Charleroy to Namur, 37. kilometres, were the three lines opened. The lines opened in 1846 were the Antwerp to St. Nicholas, 1$ kilometres ; and the Bruges to Thourout, 32 kilometres ; thus making the total length of railway up to the end of that year, including the interior branch of the Antwerp, 3 kilo metres, and the Junction Line of the Brussels, also 3 kilometres, 609 kilometres. Among the lines specified, only those from Antwerp to St. Nicholas, and from Bruges to Thourout were constructed by private enter prise, the whole of the others being carried out at the expense of the State. It, therefore, appears that the Government works include 559 kilometres, of which 362 kilometres are double rails, and 197 kilometres single rails. According to official accounts, the sum expended by the Belgian Government in these under takings amounted to 159,174,827 f., which is at the rate of 1,339,130 f. 85c. for the league of 5 kilometres. The lines in course of construction, and for which special concessions have been granted to particular companies, include the Liege and Namur, length 70 kilometres, estimated to cost 18,000,000 f. ; the Ath to Termonde, length about 50 kilometres, estimated expense about 12,000,000 f. ; Manage to Mons, length 25 kilometres, estimated expense 5,000,000 f. ; Lou vain to Jemmappes, length 55 kilometres, estimated cost 20,000,000 f ; Jurbise to Tourney, length 48 kilo. metres, estimated cost 8,000,000 f. ; St. Trond to Ilas selt, length 15 kilometres, estimated cost 4,000,000 f. ; the lines of the Sambre-et-Meuse, length 94 kilometres, estimated cost 10,000,000 f. These concessions, granted in 1845, show works undertaken to the extent of 423 kilometres, which will require au outlay approach. ing 101,000,000 f. Independent of the railways already mentioned, others are projected, among which should be noticed the Erquelinnes and Charleroy, and the Great Luxembourg, both being regarded as exhibiting features of importance connected with the routes proposed to be opened by them. It is mentioned with regret that up to the present moment the want of cordial feeling between the Belgian and Dutch authorities has prevented the continuation of the Belgian Northern line from Antwerp to Northern Bra bant, the result of which would be the connexion of the railway network of Holland with the Belgian and French lines, and the opening of a direct communication be tween Amsterdam, the Hague, Rotterdam, and the whole of the Pays Bits with Paris. In Holland the lines opened to the public to the end of the year 1846 were those of Amsterdam to Haarlem (opened in 1839), 18 kilometres in length ; Haarlem to Leyde (opened in 1843), 28 kilometres in length ; Am sterdam to Utrecht (opened in 1843), 36 kilometres in length ; Ley de to the Hague (opened in 1844), 15 kilometres in length ; and the Utrecht to Arnheim (opened in 1845), 129 kilometres in length; making the complete extent of railway communication in active he line fromp 1 plans s theto perfect n e goe kilometres. operation in the h eG ov Netherland ernme kingdom e at country that date are 5ti11226 occupied th 'aril to Rotterdam, and from Ant is being carried forw their system. with arrangingA t this between Rotterdam and Utrecht aeroeninnesiionascthisaiv%. been - arrangements two heim to the frontier of Prussia; besides which . th . e works sum up these Rhenish Prussia. bordering on Hanover and recently made, one for a line in Dutch Brabant and . the other for a line in the Eastern. Netherland.provinces, M INCHESTER, FEB. 20.--B Olt OUG II ELECTION. — At a meeting of Lord Lincoln's committee, held yesterday, it was resolved that a deputation should proceed to London on Tuesday next, to present the requisition, asking his Lordship to offer himself as a candidate for the representation of the borough,—Jfaxchester Guardian. FP 13 RIT AR Y 22, 1847. q a u st at E i s c YcluAbcsn gave a v C e r. u t h u e . i — r a T n h n i i s v e fit s r a s ry o b f a l l ou on e me ß tro O p lr o A li L tan Tn a after m in u s g ic w cb eo i et Commodore, md u oo n dn fl oe a r g e unflagging Lord og ampler ardour, dj ust Alfredie to to i, Ea oog the ent , giving i o n fg midnight. Adam's th the health The orchestra, o h b her lNoble Thursday evening, the company mus t er i ng, w i t h mem b ers till an early hour of the morning, an el egan t supper h av i ng and visitors, nearly four hundred. D anc i ng was k ept up Majesty, which was enthusiastically received, alluded to the especial honour accorded in her graciously becoming the patroness of the Royal Thames Yacht Club; and Mr. Joseph Wilkinson, in a very neatly-turned speech, expressed the de light which the club felt at the presence of so many of the fair sex, to whom the flag of every yachtsman oust strike, and whose smiles were his best guerdon either on the deck or in the ball room. The admirable arrangements of the stewards were the topic of general comment, whilst their courteous attention to their guests, throughouttheentireeven ing, was unremitting. Such was the demand for tickets that the supply was wholly incompetent to meet it, and how ever we may sympathise with the disappointed, yet the en joyment of the evening was greatly enhanced by the judi . cious restriction as to numbers, and the great care exercised in the distribution of the tickets of admission. SEIZURES OF ILLICIT DISTILLERIES.—OLL Friday appears to have been a busy day amongst the Excise officers, as no less than four illicit stills were seized by them in the course of the day. From the observations of Messrs. James and Frederick Pargeter, officers of Excise, of pre , mises 27, St. Peter-street, Bethnal-green, and the delivery there of certain suspicious articles, they were convinced that something illegal was going on, and on obtaining a search-warrant they proceeded to - the house, and having gained admission, they soon found that those suspicions were perfectly correct. On proceeding to the front kitchen, they found a large copper still in full work, running off strong spirits. They then went to the back kitchen, when another still immediately met their view, also at work. In this room two men were_engaged, and to busy were they, that for some time they were unaware of the presence of the officers. One of them was holding a bladder with a funnel in it, while the other was filling it with spirits from a tub. One gave the name of James Brown, and the other Alfred Crompton, but protested they were only servants. There was a large quantity of fermented wash and spirits, and the usual distillery apparatus, which they seized. The next case was at 7, Scott-street, Bethnal-green, kept by a man named Joseph Adlington. The officers got over a gateway, and effected an entrance into the house, where they found a still at full work, running off spirits of wine, a quantity of Spirit 50 per cent. over proof, fermented wash (which was de stroyed), and all the usual apparatus, which were seized and conveyed to the Excise warehouses. The third case was in Stoney-lane, Petticoat-lane. Messrs. Bayford and Lewins, the officers, from information received, went to a house in the above street, and after a good deal of trouble effected an entrance. In a back apartment they found a very large still in full work, and a man attending to it, with an immense quantity of fermented wash prepared for carrying on a large trade, with spirits ready for sending out. The apparatus was of a complete description, the whole of which was seized. NARROW ESCAPE FROM ADDITIONAL CALAMITY. — The mother of the unfortunate boy, George Beale, whose un timely end was recorded in our paper of the 4th inst., was herself on the point of perishing upon the Downs, betweenu‘i omun the receipt Cherhill and Yatesbury, on the nig ht of the severe snow storm of Monday week last. It see ms that on communicated o of the melancholy intelligence, whic h was ci her by the Rev. Dr. Money Kyri e, she had started from m London on a sudden impulse, "to see her child 's grave." He was her favourite son. When ne ar Yatesbury she en countered the full force of the storm. Blinded by the drift t nk_ she lost her track, and was overpowered by constantly i e veral feet p ac es ing in the snow, which in many 1 w re little better deep. A man who accompanied her was in Yatesbury in an plight. She was brought to the rectory at t nof proper almost insensible state ; but, by the administra t h ° t-and-forty remedies, was happily so far restored in 0 8 We hours as to be able to return by rail to London. urne hear lis that a subscription, proposed to help her on her journey, the y' a N r s ish readily responded to by all the principal farmers of p —Devizes Gazette. On Fridav BURGLARY AND EXTENSIVE ROBBER Y. .. • morning it was discovered that the premises of Mr. Mar shall, in the Edgeware-road, had been ente red, a nd watches of different descriptions, to the amount of 1001•, s t o len from the shop. MO UTII, FEB THE ISLAND OF ASCENSION.--PORTS 19.—Letters from the Island of Ascension, u p to the 29th o December, have been received. They furnish the gratifying intelligence that all the inhabitants were in goo d health; been taken that the turtle had re-appeared in abundance, and the water tanks and the ponds filled with them ; and that Charles Hotham, in were also well supplied. Commodore Sir her e Majesty's ship the Devastation steamer, accompanied by on the 26th of De- Actreon,Captain Mansell, had put to sea () ails and visit and camber, intending to be absent for three mo ot , s Africa, and the inspect the different stations on the coast l s am left her men-of-war cruising off them. Sir Charfoer II her oth officers and fte Majesty's steamer Hydra at Ascensio n, . r a long cruise on crew to obtain refreshments and rest, a that he was ap the coast. Commander Morell had heard and on the ar pointed to the Hydra, vice Young, promoted,take command of the rival of Captain Hutton, who was to ill bring that steamer Tortoise and the Island f Ascension, will w lst of February. The to England ; she was to sail on the with the exception of African squadron were all at sea, and, ad been tolerably healthy. her Majesty's brig Wanderer, h She has lost about ten office rs and men from fever. T he home to be paid off, Larne, 16, and Espoir, 10, are ordered n mmisson and the having been nearly four Yearsi on the coast of Africa. greater part of the time employedF 36, Commodore Sir Letters from her Majesty's ship Ist of January, have dated the Henry Blackwood, Bart., • about to sail for Inn arrived here, announcing her being station for England comalec, and expected to leave the during the month of May. The officers and crew of the Fox were all well. A document TENURE OF LAND IN IRELA ND . --A t n possessing much much interest at the present m e o rs m . en lt w co u nt o ains an day issued among the Parliame c n e t%ry l s p o a f p unions throughout abstract of returns from the er of persons holding land, corn- Ireland relative to the holdings, &c., and is reprinted from parative size of tothethe House in the session of 1845. The papers presented census of 1841 is ta ken as the basis of the calculation. From this return it appears —"That in the year 1841, the total population 0 was 8,17 f the 130 unions oand 4, 29 - the total area 19,14 6,502 statute acres. Of this population the num ber of personsr holding land was 883,097 (representing w ith their .families a gross number probably littl e short of four an d a half m illions). The numbe r o f persons h o ldi ng not land, whose holdings do exceed one acre of ground, is 124,407. T hose holdings between one and two acres amounted to 50,233; between 2 and 3, 35,368 ; between 3 and 4, 45,135 ; between 4 and 5, 52,071 ; between 5 and 6, 86,468 ; between 6 and 7, 40,374 ; bet ween 7 an d 8, 35,549 ; b etwe en 8 and 9, 40,822; between 9 an d 10 , 34,792. The number of persons holding from 10 to 20 acres was 186,155 ; from 20 to 50,121,681 ; from 50 to 100, 42,772 ; from 100 to 200, 15, 458 ; from 200 to 500, 5,947 ; from 500 to 1,000, 1,127; from 1,000 to 2,000, 284 ; from 2,000 to 5,000, 46 ; from 3,000 to 4,000, 11; from 4,000 to 5,000, 3 ; and above 5,000, 6. The am sof land held in common or joint tenancy were 1,902,547 ac.ss ; the number of holders not included in the foregoing classes, 30,316. In the notes ap pended to the return, there is stated the amount of waste, bog, and otherwise unprofitable land, appertaining to many of the unions ; but there is no estimate formed of the whole extent of such land, although it has been included in the return of the gross acres of land giv en a b ove. F irEs inaE, ST. MONANCE.---T IER WELTHRR AND F isim sse—The weather has been particularly fine the whole et the wee k, and our fishermen have been diligent.. The herring fishing has been prosecuted with indefatigable and unfired earnestness. Many of our crews have slept little during the week. The fishing being at the May Island, seven miles from our place, in moderate weather it requires a considerable portion of the fishermen's time in making their passage to and from the fishing -ground ;that, combined with other labours which they have to perform during the day, prevents them from getting regular rest. The turbot fishing, which has been backward for sonic time, looks better, and several of our crews have this week caught fourteen or fif teen at one haul. The cod- fish have almost entirely disap peared again ; several boats having abort lines caught only a very few. The wind has been prevailing from the north west, with keen frost, which has pinched our fishermen very much. The herring-fishing has not been very general. Se veral of our boats have been singularly fortunate, but the ma jority have barely made wages. —Edinburgh Weekly Reporter. We understand that th e Q ueen h as d ec id e d that the Garter, vacant by the decease of the late Duke of Nor thumberland, ;hall be conferred upon his Grace the Duke of Bedford. ) LIVERPOOL GUARDIAN SOCIETY MR. ROWLAND HILL IN LIVERPOOL. On Friday evening last, the Guardian Society of this town, established in 1523, for the protection of trade, celebrated its twenty-fourth anniversary by a public dinner, at Eastwood's Royal Hotel, where exactly one hundred and forty gentlemen were entertained with all the substantials and elegancies which that first-rate house is so well-known to afford. More than usual in terest was excited on the present occasion by the fact that Rowland Hill, Esq., the distinguished originator of the Penny Postage system, had accepted the society's invitation to dine with them. The chair was occupied by Mr. Denton, the President of the Society for the past year. On his right sat George Hall Lawrence. Esq., Mayor of Liverpool, Mr. Coun cillor Tinne, and Mr. Councillor Parker ; on his left were Rowland Hill, Esq., Mr. John Smith, of the Liverpool Mercury ; and Mr. Evens, the Society's solicitor. At the same table we observed Mr. Manchester, President of the Preston Guardian Society; Mr. Walthew, Presi dent of the Houseowners' Guardian Society; Mr. Fran cis Venn, Sergeant at Mace of this borough; Mr. Wrenn, Treasurer of the Society; Mr. Coward, Mr. Condliffe. and Mr. White. Immediately in front were Mr. Reay, the Secretary of the Society; Mr. Cottam. Secretary of the Manchester Guardian Society ; Mr. Hemming, Se cretary of the Birmingham Guardian Society; and Mr. Carr, Secretary of the Preston Guardian Society. The vice-chair was occupied by Mr. Richard Crossley, in the absence of Mr. J. R. Jeffery, the President elect. As soon as the cloth was withdrawn, the Secretary read letters of apology for unavoidable absence from Lord Sandon, M.P., Sir Howard Douglas, M.P., 'William Brown, Esq., M.P., Mr. Alderman Watkins, President of the Manchester Guardian Society, and other gentle men who had been invited. The CHAIRMAN proposed the health of the Queen and the other usual loyal and patriotic toasts. Mr. Joni , ' SMITH rose, and expressed the pleasure it afforded him to hare been requested by the committee to propose the health of one of the greatest benefactors of the country, and of the world—(Cheers)---the author of the Penny Post System—(Cheers)--one who, though far from being an old man, was an old friend of his, viz., Mr. Rowland Hill.—(Loud cheering.) When Mr. Hill's first pamphlet, advocating that noble measure, appeared, the copy which Mr. Hill had been good enough to send to him followed him to Dublin, where he read it aloud to a social and fashionable party, whose attention was rivetted to it as much as if it had been one of the most popular novels; the men of business felt keenly the evils of the old system, the cost of correspondence, and the trouble which one friend imposed upon another of carrying letters to parties in towns they might be visiting; those who had near and dear relations at a distance were constantly annoyed by the long delays or serious cost attending written communications with them; and even the young ladies were not un conscious of the advantages which the proposed system would confer in certain affetires du cceur.— (Loud laughter and cheers.) It was a high gratification to the Liverpool Guardian Society to have the oppor tunity of testifying their gratitude to the author of that system. The health of Mr. Hill was given amidst loud applause. Mr. ROWLAND HILL on rising to address the com pany was received with rapturous welcome.—(Enthu siastic plaudits continuing for some time.) He bugged to thank his friend Mr. Smith for the manner in which he had proposed, and the company at large for the manner in which they had received the toast just given. He had done himself the pleasure of accepting the in vitation with which the society had honoured him for several reasons—first, that he might in person acknow ledge the friendly interest the society had taken in what so much concerned himself ; secondly, that he might explain the nature of the duties attaching to his present position in connexion with the Post-office ; and above all, that he might investigate on the spot those alleged defects in the postal arrangements of this lo cality, which had been so ably stated, from time to time, in the Liverpool Mercury. It was a matter of personal convenience to himself that his duties in the Post-office should be clearly understood, as the erroneous ideas which prevailed respecting them had involved him in a correspondence which occupied time which ought to be devoted to other subjects. His duties were to advise the Postmaster-General, on all points to which his Lordship might be pleased to direct his attention, and to carry out gradually the remainder of his own system of Post-office improvement, of which the penny rate was only one feature. Without a ge neral understanding to this effect, he need scarcely say that he should not have felt justified in accepting office. (Cheers.) Of the management of the present details he had no control whatever. But though a slight considera tion would show that it was impossible that he could ex ercise any direct power in the Post-office, he had the good fortune to serve under a nobleman who, with ex cellent business habits, united a thorough appreciation of , the duties and responsibilities of his important office, and who was sincerely desirous of making the institution, over which he presides, as useful to the public as pos sible. He wished to convey to his hearers some idea of the magnitude of the institution. Were he merely to state that so many millions of letters passed through the post-office in a year, no one could form any accurate con ception of the reality. The best mode probably to con vey any idea of the whole, would be for him to describe some part. For instance, last night, when he left Lon don, he was at Euston-square when the mail was brought in to go by the train, this being only one of many which are dispatched by railways. It was considered an exceedingly light mail ; but small as it was, it literally filled six large omnibuses ; and the heavy mails for warded on a Saturday night, filled nine carriages of a amilar description. Again, the number of dead letters since the adoption of prepayment had become a very small fraction—less than the two-hundredth part—of the whole ; nevertheless, the average amount of money found , in such letters, in coin, bank notes, and bills of exchange, was 400,0001. per annum.—(Hear, hear.) Many thou sands of pounds were actually found in letters with no address whatever.—(Laughter.) The company would see, therefore, that in so vast a machine the difficulties in the way of any extensive change were very great. Another difficulty was, that the machine was constantly in mo tion ; it never stood still night or day, and the greatest care forethought, and calculation were therefore neces sary in making alterations. In improving it would not do to make a mistake ; that might stop it altogether ; they could rarely try an experiment ; all must be inves • tigated and settled with unerring certainty beforehand. If a steam engine became defective, it could be stopped, and the requisite repairs made ; but not so with the post-office. He wished the society to bear these facts in mind, and to continue to him some portion of that great confidence which they had hitherto reposed in him, assuring them that so far as he was concerned no time should be lost in carrying out the remaining portions of his plan.—(Cheers.) With reference to the pecu liar defects in this neighbourhood, he had not the requisite local knowledge to say that all could be remedied, but he thought he had heard enough to justify him in saying that there was much room for im provement, whilst there were reasons for adhering to some existing arrangements which, no doubt, appeared injudicious. It might seem to many absurd that letters should be carried past a town for which they were in tended, and then brought back ; but it was not really absurd. It arose fromthe impossibility of every town making up a bag for every other town. There were about one thousand post towns, and if every one of these made up one thousand bags, there would be a million of bags ; in fact, more bags than letters. It had often struck him that some pains should be taken to make the main features of the Post-office system intelli gible to the people. There was no department of Go vernment which came so much into contact with the people, and it was advisable that they should know what arrangements were capable of improvement and what were not. His desire had ever been, in all the difficul ties and opposition with which ho had to struggle, to do justice to the institution, and he was happy to be able to hay that even before he went to the Post office, instructions had been sent to the surveyors to make certain returns with reference to the distribution in this neighbourhood; though, owing to the many other duties they had to perform, these returns had not yet been made.—(Hear, hear.) Perhaps it might be inter esting to the company t o rever t t o a f ew facts connected with the change produced by the plan of penny postage. —(Cheers.) Immediately before the introduction of the reduced rate of postage, the number of chargeable let ters— not including franks —delivered amounted to seventy-five millions annually. Last year it had amounted to two hundred and ninety-nine millions and a half, or to four-fold the original number. It would re quire something more than that to brin4 the Post-office revenue up to the former gross amount; but less than fivefold would effect that object. At the present moment the number of letters delivered in the London district, comprising a circle of 12 miles round the Post-office, St. Martin's-le-Grand, was as great as that which, under the bid system, was delivered in the whole United King dom. The increase was rapidly going on, and amounted to twenty-eight millions last year compared with the previous year. It was the opinion of many gentlemen, that the introduction of the penny rate increased the difficulty of effecting improvements. It was said they could not afford to give cheap postage, and greater faci lities also ; but, in fact, improvements had followed one another more rapidly since the penny postage came into operation than before. When the plan was first pro posed, the large towns had only a single mail connecting theta with London : now they have two mails per day. Again—ln England and Wales there were formerly only two thousand post-offices of every kind ; now there were four thousand. There was a growing conviction in the minds of all connected with the Post-office, that to make the establishment profitable, they must make it as use ful as possible, and to that great object his best efforts should be devoted. Mr. Hill concluded amidst great cheering. After some other toasts, the company separated a little before twelve o'clock. DEATH OP ADMIRAL SIR WILLOUGIIBY LAKE, LC.B.—This distinguished officer expired at Blackheath on the 18th inst., aged seventy-four, and after a connexion with the British navy of nearly sixty years duration. He was the second son of Sir James Hunter Lake, Bart. At an early age be entered th anointed d . after a probationa Novemberservice as midshipman was appiLieutenant, 22, 1790, his other commissions being thus dated :—Commander, November 22, 1794 ; Post-Captain, January 4, 1796 ; Rear- Admiral, August 12, 1819; Vice-Admiral, July 22, 1830 ; and Admiral, November 23, 1841. Sir Willoughby was Captain of the Magnificent, in Sir Home Popham'a squadron, on the north coast of Spain, in . 1312 ; and, during the Penin sular War, commanded. a division of seamen and marines, landed to co-operate with the guerillas. In some skirmishes which ensued he was twice wounded. In 1812 he was honourably mentioned for his services in the London Gazette. In 1824, during Lord Melville's Administration at the Admiralty, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief on the North Ame rican station, and in that capacity remained until 1834. Sir Willoughby married, in 1795, the daughter of Vice-Admiral John M'Bride. He was in the enjoent of a per l ion of 3001 ! per =um, in addition to belt-pay.ym LITERATURE. BENTLEYS MODERN LITERATURE.—The; Letters of Horace Walpole, 6 Vols. 7'he Letters of Lord Chesterfield, 4 Vols. On the first appearance of this serial publication we took occasion to remark upon the numerous excel lences by which it was characterised, and upon the advantages it afforded those who were desirous of tleibsrtatrhiees.thenthe publication,sufficient and htaos showelapsed making substantial and valuable additions to their merits Since ofwheto ther the promises of the prospectus have been capable of fulfilment. According to the arrangements of the publisher, the various copyright works comprised in his plan have continued periodically their course of publication without any intermission, and without any abatement in the style of their " getting-up." Twice every month a separate Part has been issued ; once every month a Volume, massively bound and ele gantly emblazoned, has appeared, so that twenty-four parts or twelve volumes are forwarded to subscribers in the year. While the paper is richly glazed, and of a very durable texture, the type is large and clear, the printing distinct : the arrangement of the contents complete in all respects, and the embellishments nu merous and appropriate. So many advantages, coupled with such remarkable moderation in price, cannot fail to redound to the credit, and to ensure the compensation of the entrepreneur. It would savour more of affectation than of judgment to volunteer any critical remarks upon the epistolary works here republished by Mr. Bentley, the celebrity of the letters of Horace Walpole and the Earl of Chesterfield being equivalent to the extra ordinary abilities they display. Of Horace Wal pole, Bari of Orford, as a correspondent, it is impos sible to speak too highly. His " incomparable let ters" are beyond all panegyric. It is upon those apparently ephemeral, but really immortal, composi tions that his fame rests, more particularly than upon any of his more laboured productions, although we have an eminent authority for rating his other literary pieces at more than their ordinary va lue. We remember that Lord Byron, in the preface to his splendid tragedy of " Marino Faliero, ' thus vindicates Horace Walpole from the contempt with which he is too generally regarded :—" He is the father," says Byron, "of the first romance and last tragedy in our language, and surely worthy of a higher place than any living writer, be he who he may!" We are not prepared to go so far as Lord Byron has gone in this momentary ebullition of spleen or enthu siasm; but bating the conduct of Horace Walpole to the wonderful poet, the author of " .Ella," and his frivolities at Strawberry Hill, and his ridiculous jumbling together of oligarchism and democratism, we regard Horace Walpole as entitled to our esteem as an author, and to our gratitude as the writer of his delightful and matchless Letters. The epistles, again, of Phillip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield, though redolent with pedantry, and ludicrous from their aristocratic primness, are always pleasant, always sparkling, and al ways instructive. The present beautiful edition is illustrated with editorial notes by Lord Mahon. Both series, namely both the Walpole correspondence and the Chesterfield correspondence are rendered peculiarly attractive and interesting from the cir - cumstance of their being accompanied by numerous letters now first published from the original manu scripts. In the present deteriorated state of the bulk of periodicals, " Modern Literature " is a welcome and deserving innovation. HISTORY of EUROPE front 1789 to 1815. VoZ I. By Archibald Alison. Seventh Edition. Any criticism upon this splendid and elaborate historical composition would be superfluous. The great work of Archibald Alison, has, both from the European importance of its subject and from the eloquence of the narrator, assumed a position in our national literature as elevated as it is permanent. An analysis of its character and an examination into its merits were consequently unnecessary. So much has already been written upon the dramatic and elegant style of Alison, as well as upon his endeavour to maintain throughout his pages a scrupulous im partiality, so familiarized is the general public with his magnificent production, and so fully are the abilities of our historian appreciated that we shall content our selves with simply commenting upon the peculiarities which exclusively characterise the present edition, In its publication the utmost care has been taken to preserve every portion of the original, untuutilatee and unabreviated, so that in the compass of a most portable volume are comprised the entire contents of an octavo, or even of a quarto. The classification, the arrangement of the chapters, the footnotes, and the marginal references are singular for their com pactness; and this supervision has even extended to the enumeration of the authorities quoted in the nar rative. A merely superficial glance at this catalogue will be sufficient to show the enormous research and labour required in the composition—a research ex tending over many hundred volumes, and necesitatiog a perusal of documents in German, French, English, Italian, Spanish, Latin, and Russian. Even in ex ternal appearance the work is remarkable for the attention paid to its general character, the binding being at once chaste and substantial. As a frontis piece there is a beautiful engraving from the admir able bust of the author, produced in the studio of Patrick Park. A better edition, suited to the public at large, could not possibly have been issued. It is observed by Mr. Alison in the interesting preface affixed to the commencement, that " a subject so splendid in itself, so full of political and military instruction, replete with such great and heroic actions, adorned by so many virtues and darkened by so many crimes, never yet fell to the lot of an historian." No one will dissent from this esti mate, no one will deny that " the annals of modern Europe will be sought in vain for a parallel to that brief period of anxious effort and chequered achieve ment ;" and no one will hesitate to aver that in earnestness, in enthusiasm, in perspicacity, and in judgment, Mr. Alison has shown himself competent to grapple with that vast multitude of astonishing events, or that his earnestness is not usually modu lated by his impartiality, his enthusiasm tempered by his justice, his perspicacity varied by his illustration, and his judgment unswerving upon the most delicate and complicated questions. KNIGHT'S WEEKLY VOLUME. No. CXIII. Bacon; his Writings and his Philosophy. Vol. 111. On this excellent abstract of Lord Bacon's philoso phical and miscellaneous writings, arranged by Mr. G. Craik, we have already spoken at some length. Now that the production is completed in the present vo lume, it would be a matter of supererogation to insist upon advantages which are so generally acknow ledged. In the miniature compilation of Mr. Craik, the very kernel of the wisdom of " the wisest of man kind" is contained. While, however, the elaboration of the great originals of the immortal Verulam is evaded, there is no sacrilegious mutilation of his thought and dogmas—even the quaintnesses of his manner are preserved, and we are rejoiced at this, for those quaintnesses form the most characteristic gar ment of the Baconian philosophy. THE CABINET HISTORY OF ENGLAND. Vol XXII As an abridgement of the chapters entitled, " Civil and Military History," in the Pictorial History of England, accompanied with a continuation up to the present time, by the author, Charles McFarlane, this pocket edition of our national records is singularly complete and sensible. It has now proceeded to a sufficient extent to enable us, in a great measure, to estimate the value of the work as a whole, and it is impossible to deny that it is deserving of particular commendation. While the main narrative possesses all the staidness of Goldsmith, its minor episodes are sketched with a brilliant and effective pencil. As an example, we may quote the description of the closing scene of the Reign of Terror. The master murderers are caught in their lair, at the Hotel de Ville. Ro bespierre has broken his jaw -bone with a pistol-shot in attempting suicide. Coffinhal has hurled Henriot from a window into an open sewer. Lebas has killed himself with a bullet. Saint Just had armed himself with a dagger, and Couthon has crawled under a table, when they are surprised by Leonard Bourdon and his associates. " When Leonard Bourdon burst into the room, fol lowed by some gendarmes (himself, according to some accounts, including his own, being disguised as a com mon gendarme), Robespierre was sitting bleeding on a chair, with a knife in his hand ; Couthon was lying under the table as though he were dead ; the municipal officers were throwing off their scarfs, and apparently preparing for flight. One or two pistols were tired by the gendarmes. and then all the conspirators quietly submitted to be taken and bound. Henriot, badly wounded, disfigured, and covered with filth, was . dis coveredßobespieirrn othewtabsulapisloacefowuhnedre alive,he had thoughfallen -chamber and :viAosug limbs broken e w n e and re n a o wskull crowding fractured. into Some the of cn u armednthueii running over every part of the vast the building, table, and pro out Couthon by the heels from under upon he opened his eyes posed throwing his carcase into gare th th e e S m ein to e ;unbduet understand d twhoaut wounded d w was r n e o t p y u e t t dead, nor bra n so on rd much r stretchers, eto dying. hers , r a r n h a e , shouting " Victory ! Victory I" Leonard Bourdon con ducted them to the Tuileries. By this time it was between three and four o'clock in the morning. At lour o'clock in the afternoon, after suffering insults, out rages, and tortures, which proved that those who triumphed were as ferocious as those who fell, Robes pierre, his brother Augustin, Saint Just, Couthon, Hen riot, and sixteen others, were carted at the Conciergerie us,edh taoc idpusbeen are ii dby a said to to be carried through the busiest streets of P ar i s to t h e Place de la Revolution. The car t ts la:nh, Ni l ' y ea dever housetops they)a r cpunsfollowed countless multitude, and the wind fib o h a v c e s t b i n e been aand morn 1 a u g hit crowded g. befo re. j g bets, were mixed with dire curses, shrieks, and anathe mas. During a halt, a band of women, formerly his own Tricoteuses, or Furies of the Guillotine, executed an in fernal dance round hi s cart, with clapping , of hands and other demonsti ations. of joy. On arriving in the Place de la Divolution they laid him down ou the ground at the foot of the scaffold, for he was to be executed 14" -of the twenty-one, and he could not stand—indeed, he too was now almost dead, his face was livid, his oyes wars sunk in his head. At the fall of each head?: countless multitude shouted and waved hats and caps, and they shouted the loudest when Sampson held up the heads of Saint Just and Couthon. At last, Robespierre's turn came, for the axe had clanked down twenty times, and there remained none alive but he. As his ghastly figure and well-known sky-blue coat (now torn, and streaked and clotted with blood) slowly emerged to the surface of the sc.iffold, there was another universal roar of voices, and a still more enthusiastic waving of hats and cape. Samson tore off his coat, biutally wrenched the foul linen bandage from his jaw ; the broken left jaw fell, and then a horrible cry or scream proceeded from him, being the first sound of lamentation or suffering he had been heard to utter since his arrest. This fearful cry was still ringing in the air, when the heavy axe, wet with the blood of his brother and his friends, clanked down once more. Samson held up the frightful head ; the specta tors shouted and appllud , d for several minutes, and then went away singing. It was towards seven o'clock in the evening of the 10:h Thermidor, or 28th of July." We perceive that Mr. Mac Farlane takes the most charitable view of Robespierre's character, regarding him as a madman. We suspect Mr. Carlyle would be indignant at the insinuation. Albeit, the incon gruities or the incorruptible's character and conduct are only reconcilable on the supposition of his in sanity. HE SHOES of FORTUNE, and Other Tales. By flans Christian Andersen. This little volume contains translations of many of Christian Andersen's children's tales, and a de lightt ui little book it is. There are very few authors so well qualified to write for the amusement of the young as is Christian Andersen; it is not necessary for him to assume a new style, or to write in a different language when addressing juvenile readers, for his habitual strain of thought and form of expression are always simple and natural, and, in the true sense of the word, childish. So much is this characteristic apparent in this little vo lume, that so tar from writing down to suit the capacity of his little readers, he appears rather, in most instances, to be only expressing his own thoughts and feelings. So great is the simplicity of this little book, so extravagant are the fancies of its author, that, we doubt not, many of the precocious juveniles of " the rising generation" will look down upon both book and author as too childish and too ridiculous to afford them any amuse ment. On the other hand, all, of whatever age, who can appreciate the natural, and, remembering the fan cies of their own youthful days, can sympathize ;with the childish, will experience pleasure in looking over these miniature tales. Andersen gazes abroad on the great field of nature with the imagination of a child, and the appreciation of a poet. With the imagination of a child, however strange the expression may appear, with the imaginative fancy, which invests every object with life, and thoughts, and feelings, and with the power of speech. To him there are literally, " Tongues in trees, books in the running brook, " Sermons in stones, and good in every thing." Yes, "good in every thing," for most of these simple tales, besides evoking smiles during their perusal, are calculated to inspire some moral reflection at their close. The first story, the " Shoes of Fortune," which gives its title to the book, is founded upon a not very uncommon contrivance in fairy tales, the transporting or transforming of some favoured in dividual into the place or person he might happen to desire. By putting on the " shoes of for tune," the poor man takes the place of the rich, the poet is metamorphosed into the bird carolling above his head ; the would-be traveller longing to behold the beauties of southron lands, finds himself suddenly in disagreeable quarters in a well packed diligence, and of course in all these and the other changes occasioned by the wonderful shoes, the favoured object of fortune finds no reasen to approve of his change of state, and learns, it is to be hoped, a lesson of content. The first trans formation occurs to one Councillor Knap, who always admiring the days of King Hans. some four hundred years ago, finds himself; on putting on the fairy shoes, transported to that ancient epoch, on which his admira tion gives place to very different sentiments, as we sus pect would, under similar circumstances, be the case with those who talk so much of " the good old times." It is unnecessary to particularise the various tales ; to those who can admire or appreciate one, the whole will be most attractive, and the little volume a delightful re creation. It were difficult to find a more amusing book for those children in years who are not too wise or too learned to be really children in feelings. SPORT ING INTELLIGENCE. HUNTING A PPOI NT N 1 ENTS. Mr. Theobald's ed., Newton (Suffolk); Sat., Quy, at 11. Lord Eleho's lids., Tues., Budle ; Wed., Lilburn ; Fri , Twizel Howe ; Sat., Beltord. Mr. Horudon's hds., Thurs., Chapman's Wells-101. Mr. Roe's hds., Wed., Bigbury Court ; Sat., Crey Combe• Tiverton hds., Wed., Winsford Village; Sat., Dulverton —lO%. Devon hds., Thurs., Bradley-11. York and Ainsty hds., Tues., Dringhonses; Thurs., Seri yen ; Sat., Skelton-10'4. Sinnington lids., Tues., Dalby ; Fri., Gillamoo-10. Hurworth Ms., Tues., Nerthallerton ; Sat., Hilton-10%. Bedale hds., Wed., Hutton Conyers; Fri., Catterick Bridge 10%. —Sir C. Constable's stglids, Wed., Hedon-1114. Cleveland Ode, Thurs., Guisborough Park. Mr. Drake's lids., Tues., Marston St. Lawrence; Thurs., Ed} cott Village; Sat., Fenny Compton Wharf-1 0 1,4. Mr. Watson's hds., Wed., Warkworth ; Fri., Longhirst —lO%. Mr. Hildyard's hrrs., Tues., Swainby Bridge; Fri., Hil ton-10%. Mr. Fane's hrrs., Wed., Little Haseley ; Sst., Watlington. Warwickshire Hs., Tues., Whichtord Village; Thurs., Lower Sliuckburgh Village; Fri., Church Tysoe; Sat., Sherington. V. W. H., Tues., Hournington Hall; Thurs., Lechlade ; Sat., Charlton Gate. Berkshire lids., Wed., Tar Wood; Fri., Step Farm. Lord l'arkei's lids., Tues., Nuneham Park ; Fri., Cane End. LORD HARDINGE ON RAILWAYS IN INDIA. On Monday was printed, by order of the House o f Commons, a copy of railwayreports from India. Th ere are seven papers in the document, the last of which is an importont communication from the Governor-Gene ral, Lord Hardinge, dated the 28th July last, wherein his excellency states his opinion on the proposed Indian railways, and also his confidence that the speculation will entirely fail, unless it be largely and liberally encouraged by the East India Company. The following observations of Lord H . ardinge show the importance of the proposed undertaking:—" The limitation of the Company's liber ality may be safely calculated by the positive and palpa ble advantages which a railway from Calcutta to Delhi would confer, and it need only be guaranteed to be forthcoming when an efficient and daily com munication by railway shall have been actually com pleted between the two extremities, and measures have been taken to ensure that it shall be permanently kept up. The calculation of the contribution to be given would be based on the political, military, and commer cial advantages which would be derived from the com pletion and full operation of such a line. In a political point of view, the daily del iver y of the mails from Delhi to Calcutta in sixty hours, instead of eight days—the electric telegraphic communicating important orders in a few minutes from one extremity to the other—would give the Government great ad;itional powers, approach ing almost to übiquity, as compared with the system of ddk runners and d:cilt travelling. Such a facility would decide the question os the Governor-General and the auembers of tioveroment moving up to the frontier; or, if it were necessary, to move rapidly up, the return would be equally speedy. The vigour, the confidence, anti the economy with which the Government would be carried on would be greatly increased. In a military point of view, I should estimate the value of moving troops and stores with great rapidity, would be equal to the services of four regiments of infantry. This reduc tion of military establishments would be a saving of 10,000/. a year on the lowest scale. When the Lanca shire Yeomanry were moved to Birmingham, they com pleted 120 miles in three hours, rode their horses quite fresh zo the scene of the disturbance, having accom plished a distance of 130 miles in five hours, and being again at their houses on the following day. In this country, where no man can tell one week what the next may produce, the facility of a rapid concentration of in fantry and artillery, and stores, may be the cheap pre vention of an insurrection, the speedy termination of a. war, or the safety of the empire. I need not enter into the commercial and agricultural advantages which would repay the Exchequer for a lar g e portion of the outlay k n - contributed w n and i,o by State. g tl e ie neraly l merelywell l conclude by stating my opinion , that on military coml.- admitted, Al the that points so derations alone the grant of one million sterling, or an annual contribution of five lacs of rupee s, ma y be contri buted to the great line, when completed, from Calcutta to Delhi. and a pecuniary saving be effected by _ e edl nution of military establishments, arising out o fth ca! faci lity with which the troops w ould be moved f ro m ona lint to another." lock, an accident of s hortly after four o' c , Th urs d a y morning, urred in Stheir livent-stre eset, Sout For some wark. a most alarming sons s o n cc early lost FALL OF . by w hi c h sevenT7o .....TIOLISES I N l E NT-STILEET.-011 cons idered unsafe, chapel, had been , use d As a e ld e rly lady, named bmith, and her two notwithstand ing which , an time past the housePenatwnnumbered 215 in the street, formerly to a violent gale of wind, a lofty stack of continued to reside therein. On the morning in q uestions owing chimneys, together with the party wall, fell with a crash resembling a peal dr thunder. The heavy mass falling upon the top of that house, and on the one adjoining, known as the Temperance Union Coffee-house, both roofs were forced. in, and also the floorings, so that the interior of both houses became filled with bricks and rubbish. At that time Mrs. Smith and her two daughters were in one building, and Mr. Smith, the landlord of the coffee-house, with his wife and two sons, were in the other. For some time it was feared that all the parties had perished, but the joists and flooring having settled upon the top of Mr. Smith's bedstead, they formed a kind of arch, which protected the inmates, and they thereby escaped. Mrs. Smith and her daughters also, by some extraordinary means esca p e d d es truction ; one of ? the parties only received any personal injury. and that merely a cut on the head. The upper room of the coffee-house was decorated with tents and canopies for the use of the society termed " The Sous of the Plicenix." The whole of the para phernalia has been destroyed, and Mr. Smith has lost furni ture valued at upwards of 100/.. DUNDEE TRADE, FEB. 16.---We have no particular change in the state of our market to notice. It is under stood, that the sales of flax during the past week have been of considerable extent, and at full prices. Tows and codillas are in demand, and have been sold at an advance on the prices previously paid. In the value of jute there is no alte ration. Linens continue in fair demand as well as yarns although some particular kinds are rather neglected. No arrivals ft om iureign 4ince our last.—Courier. BRISToL SUGAR MARKET, FEB. 19.—The de mand for all descriptions of sugar continues limited, and ices are with difficulty supported. The Ingleborough,froro Vom is tin only iugav 'hip repot this yfetk•-.-Briztoi ibroir'•