The Sun. — London, England, 1847-01-28 00:00:00

.......1 1 / 0 " 1 nt ca?tair 5 WARD. ?ERS. at Lloyd's ed an order, on the and of and af ig . to duty m of In d ian Lrcels winch artabon. JEBEC. AdmiraltYl Fayal l e " Lebec, winch I abandoned up bY land, whic h supposed to ion. DAY•) Clover ditto, 2s per I°ll Clover ditto, oad. A full 16s; C l°ver 3s per loAd. aad• the folio , 3g 6d t° to 4 3 I(tjler re this Mori' ten dog' ss; Veal; tk the otrei• uirY, on the t oo' 33 6d to 6d per OP Pigs, 16 5 t ° , 1 to 18/ eblu ac rl' h. 3 6d ; e to 4s Gd II COO ' the Returag.,o..,o land and arm Is' ltd Od 5 nded. AY') to. ;strninster 1 from the de' „i ng the Pr°. iof the sar i ,: o f the 000' S PA Y) LAND.) •pi 1 too k 040 is case, but °S ,ver till f ' :4l .; o we to o° FIE Cli'tl6ll°' port left•). ucE.) iff, purchan r ' t bot a nnear. med odi c ' two u ro giir th the re od i, e of the ion of a port n, and*. Ide° 9 were ent it le; l ust reg Ar 'c tha Pinion Oa- with i n • bto to 07 °-8 Y.) S 13)1 ' u ,OO vui? e l l 'I A I ° reenw— h • LI., paid to 4 ? f a ult. olse t The d efe on 133°14 of g ills ," O e m oney one' atticbristl (110 g ot io bus an t t boo 'he P a , e n r dre le ant, / 4 " . d the bitt vere, t o adflot the hia l ,r o ! • bte tote' broug ael" t. as ecoe OA t, P IO a o ; defend , An d 0 0 , 1 40 t ,erest Wes iccount ed. 00 1 55. for 0 free pel •-bouse stoner. for inder sfosviog d in Pr o d a letter ad ot r be co- e. O preju d;c e ot to ought io tb nty• d e 2 P'' "or in au •„fori t expe l/ t or said O A t. 'Vag ee g • r reC er ati ed A Iy A Is. as sisentece eo° 0 , ig Sr rilliCO3 the to Y isl ° d a 1011 iely dker cb an # be t h3 w w ea panfr e laW tb i OC tO P iso1" when fil c h w open no t core 00 16 9 Snr o r d th e 1 i i i:; erCb g; 10Ia of,snto I the M -0 bon d fOl O3 er e dera ble re si p risoot h ea were of t ell " - unish r ler n c harsc h • woo, ta" r ) „ 'gr. 1184 - or sa le 111 oner or a h a l Ay °f el" tbat it was° observ e shillings for the barrow full. He would destroy it if he was discharged. 111 r• HAt discharged him, but ozdertd the fish to be de aud destroyed by the police. PETITIONS ON PRIVATE BILLS. „„ HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(THIS DAY.) flown 22, before Mr. Examiner SMITII and Mr. Assistant- Examiner FRERE.) UN oiArosED LIST. The formal proofs were completed in the following case s Ipswich and Bury St. Edmunds Railway (No. 2), Extension "Thu Bury St. Edmunds to Newmarket and Ely. Huddersfield and Manchester Railway, branch from Old mirtn to Ashton and Guide-bridge. London and North-Western Raillwav, Lease and Purchase " the Huddersfield and Manchester Railway and Canal and the Leeds, Dewsbury, and Manchester Railway. Ashton Gas Amendment. 13irkeahead Improvement (Gas Works), with power to PUrchase the Birkenhead and Claughton Gas Works. Nest Cornwall Railway, branches to St. Ives, Norwavman's "had, and construction and enlargement of quays at - Hayle. Charing -cross-bridge, hitherto the Hungerford and Lam 'MA Suspension Foot-bridge. Blanchester and Salford Waterworks Acts Amendment,Ex tension of Works, with powers of sale or lease to the corpo ration of Manchester. ~§.outhampton and Dorchester Railway Acts Amendment , cymouth Branch ). Southampton and Dorchester Railway (New Forest De viation and Branches). OPPOSED LIST. EASTERN UNION RAILWAY (BRANCH FROM MANNINGTItEE TO HARWICII.) In this case the opposition was withdrawn, and the cus tomary formal proofs wore put in. OPPOSED LIST. SOUTHAMPTON AND DORCHESTER RAILWAY (BLANDFORD BRANCH). This petition was opposed. (Room 23, before Mr. Examiner MAY and Mr. Assistant- Examiner GurixELL.) UNOPPOSED LIST. The following cases being unopposed, the customary formal proofs were completed : Westminster Improvements. North-Western Railway Deviations at Skipton, Casterton, and Sedbergh. Birkenhead Improvements, Waterworks, and Purchase of the Birkenhead and Claughton Waterworks. Manchester and Leeds Railway, Alteration of Levels of the Brighouse branch of the West Riding Union Railways, and new line into Leeds. Huddersfield and Manchester Railway, Deviations and Al terations in Oldham Branch Extension to Manchester, through Medlock Valley, and Branch from Oldham to the Extension Line. Stourbridge Rates. ADJOURNED CASE. NORTH BRITISH RAILWAY (No. 2). This case was then resumed, and occupied the rest of the day. The Examiner said that an allegation as to the accuracy of the sectional figures which he had received was sustained by the evidence. No other allegation of any im portance was sustained to-day. MELANCHOLY .DISASTER at SEA. LtvEuroot, WEDNESDAY.—A melancholy duty devolves upon us to-day to chronicle the loss of the captain, first and second mates, five seamen, and a boy, belonging to one of our noble packet-ships. The Columbia, Captain Rathbone, left New York on the 2d inst. ; on the 13th a gale sprung up u and while scudding before it the whole nine men were swept' suddenly from the deck by a sea and hurried into eternity, amidst the waste of waters. . . Five days after the ship was fallen in with, without a com mander, and in distress, by the Lady Falkland, arrived at this port from New ()dean; this morning. The Lady Falk land put her mate on board the Columbia to navigate her to Liverpool. The Columbia has not yet arrived ; but she was perfectly tight, and will, no doubt, be heard of in a short tune. The Lady Falkland experienced a suceession of vio lent gales during the last 16 days. A few words are due to the memory of the gallant and la mented dead. We never knew a man more Estimable than Captain Rathbone. As a professional man he had no su- Perior,*and to him we owe the discovery of the short route across the Atlantic. As a private individual there was none More gentlemanly, more humane, or more noble in all the qualities that render man worthy of esteem, than Captain tiathbone. ' DESTRUCTIVE FIRE. Between the hours of one and two o'clock on Wednesday Morning a dreadful fire broke out in the spacious premises r aa on-i, g to Mr. Challener, situated on the east side of ann-street, near Wapping, Liverpool, which destroyed l uildin gs and other property to a very considerable amount. s eems to have originated in a wooden shed used by Mr. Challener as a place of temporary deposit for flour: but, as :J.! most cases of th e ki n d, t h e cause o f its origin is involved o impenetrable mystery. The alarm was instantly conveyed fire station and Mr. Hewitt lost no time in sending the 7, ll olles to the spot, but in the meantime the high wind 'al prevailed that night, aided by the fury of the devour ing element , the Nv speedily ignited the adjacent property. From Chan n shed the flames were carried across a yard to Mr. add that stable, which was burnt down ; and we regret to lener's le c i n at d a fine horse which was in the stable was also burnt er• at an entire, The tire next communicated with Mr. Chal store la rge 'warehouse, which was used partly as a flour Was and partly as a block manufactory. This fine building entirely gutted. The roof, joists, and floors gave way petiod, and nothing now . remains but the bare ory lue property consumed in this building was to a great amtunt. Three of the rooms were fully stored Frith flour, and the other rooms contained a large stock of "reks and st eam machinery, the whole of which have been }ther wholly destroyed or rendered utterly useless. The .t!' r e next communicated with a fine warehouse belonging to benl • Thomas Booth, the corn-merchant, and this warehouse together with the whole of its contents, has likewise t destroyed. The roof and floors have been burnt .2 r e ugh, and the bare walls only are standing. A second l:house belonging to Mr. Booth. and a large warehouse belonging to Messrs. Lodge and Pritchard, on the east side Hurst -street, both took fire, but, owing to the vigorous e xertions of th e fi remen, t h ey were on l y part i a ll y d amage d. 13, small dwelling-house adjoining Mr. Challoner's warehouse Was also on fire for a short time, and its preservation is en tirely owing to the efforts of the firemen. Too much praise cannot indeed be given to Mr. Hewitt and the men under his command, for their promptness and energy; and, when it is considered that they had to contend against flames which spread almost with the rapidity of lightning, and raged with u ngovernable fury, the wonder is that the entire of the pile of buildings which skirt Mason-street on the one hand, and Hurst-str ee t on the other, were not entirely laid in ruins. Mr. Challener informed us that he was insured in the Star ce, and no doubt Mr. Booth is also insured. The large block manufacturing premises of the former gentleman, Which have now been consumed, were the most complete in Liverpool, they having been built expressly for the purpose at great expense. Several engines are still engaged in play ing upon the smouldering pile, and large crowds of persons are assembled in all the adjacent streets. No correct esti mate can as yet be formed of the value of the property de stroyed, but, doubtless, it will amount to several thousand pounds.—Liverpool Courier. THE LATE MR. W. CLOWES. , . 'jd Sr - We have to record the death of one whom we may pro perly term distinguished. bin William Clowes, the head of the largest printing establishment in Europe, expired, after a short illness, on Tuesday evening. He was the architect of his own fortune, having come to London, some forty years ago, after the expiration of his apprenticeship to a printer in his native town of Chichester. He soon after commenced business on his own account, in a small way; and by un wearied industry and perseverance, gradually established a respectable connexion. He was amongst the first, a quarter of a century age, to see the new era of printing that was opened by the introduction of the steam-press; and his engines at Northumberland-court were the earliest ap plied to the production of books. The demand for cheap literature, of which the Penny Magazine was the most extraordinary example, gave a new im pulse to the energies of Mr. Clowes ; and, in connexion with a vast amount of Government business, gradually es tablished the gigantic printing manufactory of Duke-street, Stamford -street, so often described and so celebrated wher ever English books penetrate. To have accomplished the great results of his business from small beginnings required the efforts of no common man. Mr. Clowes did not aspire to the honours of the learned printers; but he possessed the highest powers of business organisation, and an energy which overcame every ordinary difficulty, and in many in stances accomplished undertakings which are almost ma rve l s . ro work off half-a-million sheets of paper in a week—to set up the types and complete the impression of a thousand folio pages of a Parliamentary report in the same time—to print the "Nautical Almanac," consisting of 500 or 600 pages of figures, without a single error, in 16 or 17 days, are amongst the recorded wonders of Mr. Clowes's establishment. The labours of Mr. Clowes's _life will be permanently associated with the intellectual development and the persevering energy which are distinguishing characteristics of our own own times; and his loss will be deeply lamented by a large circle of friends, to whom he was endeared by his kind and gene rous nature. DEATH OF REAR-ADMIRAL EDW. ELLICOTT. We have to announce the decease of the above flag-officer, who expired on Sunday, at Alcombe, near Minehead, Somer set, in the 79th year of his a'e. The gallant deceased en tered the navy in 1781, at a comparative early age, and had seen considerable service during the war under Admirals J. Muchbridge, Sir Richard Strachan, G. Palmer, F. Cole, Lord Bridport, and the immortal Nelson. When lieutenant on board the Revolutionnaire, he gallantly distinguished him self in the capture of L'Unite. and in the following year, un der the camtnand of Lord Bridport, he assisted at the fa mous victory off Cape St. Vincent. At the critical period of the mutiny on board the fleet the same year, the intrepi dity of his conduct was so much appreciated, that he received the thanks of his commanding officer, as welt as from the Admiralty. While on board the Perseus, he was severely wounded in an engagement with the enemy. He served un der Nelson in 1801, in that gallant hero's unsuccessful at tempts on the flotilla at Boulogne. In 1806 he was wrecked off the coast of Heligoland, and was immediatel) afterwards appointed to the command of the Hebe, and while in the command of that vessel, assisted at the bombardment of Co penhagen in 1807. For his eminent services in the Baltic, the King of Sweden decorated him with the order of the IC -night of the Sword of Sweden. He was appointed lieute nant, 22d June, 1794; commander, 12th June, 1797; cap tain, 12th August, 1812 ; and by the recent retirement accepted the rank of rear-admiral. TROTTING MATCH FOR TWENTY POUNDS.—Yester day the one mile trotting match, between Mr. James's cob and Mr. Bunce's mare, for 101. aside, came off at Dulwich. The contest was in harness. The cob took the lead, which he maintained throughout, and won the match cleverly by twelve yards, having covered the one mile of road in three Minutes and twenty-eight seconds. COURSIN G MATCH FOR FIFTY POUNDS.—Yesterday the long -pending coursing reatch, between Mr. Ryan's cele brated dog Albert and Dr. Guthrie's bitch Fly, was decided with trap hares, on Wandsworth-common; in the best of three courses. In the first course Albert turned the hare . twice, and ultimately picked her up. In the second course Albert did all the work, and was dec:ared winner. THE GUARANTEE SOCIETY.—A meeting of the proprietors of the Guarantee Society took place yesterday, at their premises in Birchin-lane, for the election of three direc tors and one au di tor, who had gone out by rotation. The same gentlemen were re-elected unanimously, showing the confidence of the shareholders in the manner in which the affairs of the society are carried on. The chairman took the aPportunity of stating that the affairs of the society were in 'ltr'ery prosper o us con di t i on, and that the number of persons had whom security has b een g i ven and the income received aad progressively increased. xithoultsouGnETOLE TH E S C T T A R .Mc C o n D T E Nt i as E G R e O A m P etedPßoOnM e P d E TaEy last,B 0 opening for the first time te'egraphic commu n i ca ti on be tween Loudon and th e b order* of 'Lincolaehire. THE SUN, LONDON, THI,TRSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 28, 1 8 17. THE MIDDLESEX ELECTION. The following correspondence has taken place between Lord Robert Grosvenor and Mr. Henry Hoare:— " New-street, Spring-gardens, Jan. 21, 1847. "My Lord,—l have been requested by several of the electors of Middlesex, who have met together this day to consider the course to be taken with reference to the presort vacancy in the representation, to bring under your Lordship's notice one very important topic, to which they find no allusion in the address published in this morning's papers. We cannot doubt that your Lordship is fully alive to the importance of a free communication of sentiment between a candidate and the constituency he seeks to represent. The connexion between your Lordship and the county of Middle sex, when formed, is one which may be expected to endure for many years to come; but it would be disappointing to both parties if there were afterwards discovered to exist dif ferences of opinion on important subjects, such as to render a dissolution of the connexion inevitable. " The point to which we desire to draw your Lordship's attention is that of the contemplated endowment of the Ro mish priests in Ireland. We speak of it as ' contemplated,' not meaning thereby to imply that it is likely to be imme diately proposed to Parliament; but rather, that being re garded with favour by some of the leading men in all the great parties into whirls the nation is divided, it is not probable that the next Parliament will expire without hav ing had some such proposition urged upon its acceptance. " Regarding it, then, as a subject of the deepest importance, and as one which is likely to be brought before the House of Commons in the course of a comparatively short time, we earnestly desire a candid explanation of your Lordship's views and intentions respecting it. " Allow us to add, that our inquiry has no reference to the possible details of such a measure. It is not as a question of finance, or unjust taxation, that we regard it. If it could be shown that the Irish priests could be endowed by means of Crown lands, church leases, land-tax, or any other purely Irish resources, that circumstance would not in the slightest degree lessen our repugnance to the measure. Our oppo sition to it rests wholly on religious grounds, and would not be in any degree affected by a variation in the financial arrangements. " Entertaining these views, and believing them to be par ticipated in by many of the electors of Middlesex, we request at your Lordship's hands a statement of your views and in tentions with regard to this important subject.—l have the honour to be, my Lord, your Lordship's obedient and very humble servant, " HENRY HOARE. " The Lord Robert Grosvenor, &c., &e." " Moor Park, Jan. 23, 1847. " Sir,—l beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 21st, which should have had an earlier reply, had it been delivered at my house in town before Friday evening., but as I left London in the afternoon of that day, it did not reach me till this morning. "Permit me, in the first place, to thank you for the cour teous terms in which you are good enough to put to me the question it contains, an act which could tot require the smallest apology on your part. Though I have no difficulty in replying to it, I regret being compelled to do so, because I find myself under the necessity of avowing an opinion not in unison with your own and that of those gentlemen in whose name you speak. "Having for so many years represented a constituency identified in political feelings with the friends and supporters of the late Mr. Byng, the vacancy caused by whose lamentd death lam now called upon to fill, I thought it would not be inconsistent with the respect which I entertain towards them, to abstain from entering into a detail of opinions which I conceived would be already known to them ; and, in regard to the particular point upon which you desire explanation, I might mention two reasons for not having made it an exception to the rule : first, because I concur with you in thinking that, after the declarations of the Prime Minister, and also of the Irish Ro manist hierarchy, made only last year, it is very unlikely that the subject will be brought forward at present ; and, secondly (though I am far from expecting that every one will be acquainted with the political acts of so humble an individual as myself), because I have, upon two occasions, indicated with tolerable distinctness my views upon the point at issue. " The occasions to which I allude are, my votes upon the motion of Lord Ellesmere, then Lord Francis Egerton, made, I believe, in 1827, for the endowment of the Irish Romanist clergy, and upon the additional grant to Maynooth College, proposed at a recent period. I made no objection to the ad ditional grant, but voted with Mr. Ward, in order to record my opinion, that the present Protestant Establishment in Ire land is more than commensurate with the requirements of its members; in 1827 I voted with Lord Ellesmere. Now, I do not attach any exaggerated merit to political consistency; one may be as obstinate in a failing as in a virtue, and could I bring myself to the conviction that I had erred in these votes, I trust I should at once confess it. Having, however, attentively and seriously reconsidered the subject, in its religious not less than its political aspect, I am bound to declare, that—abstaining from any pledge as to detail—holding myself at liberty, sliou!d I then have a seat in Parliament, either to acquiesce in, or to oppose, upon its own merits, any measure that may be laid before the House having for its object the endowment of the Romish clergy in Ireland. There may be again, as there were be fore, propositions to that effect submitted to the Legislature, at a time, and under circumstances, which will ensure my concurrence. " I must apologise for the length to which, owing to the nature of the question you have put to me, I have been com pelled to extend my reply ; but with one more observation I will conclude, namely, to express a hope that in this, almost ray first public communication with any considerable portion of the electors of Middlesex, I have manifested a desire to keep up a free intercourse with them, and to give to whatever question they shall think proper to address to me a candid, straightforward, and respectful answer. "1 must again repeat my unfeigned regret, that I find myself differing with yourself, and those friends in whose name you write, upon an important subject; and I beg to subscribe myself, with great deference, sir, your most obedient and very humble servant, ROBERT GROSVENOR. "11. Hoare, Esq., New-street, Spring-gardens." LITERATURE. HOOD'S OWN; or, LAUGHTER FROM YEAR TO YEAR. Happily for us there is no necessity for any analytical examination of the contents of this cele brated volume ; we say happily, because were there that necessity, we should find ourselves phced in a bewildering dilemma; we should feel, at one and the same moment, incited to enlarge upon it to the ex tent of many columns, and compelled, notwithstanding that inclination to condense our observations in con sequence of the press of Parliamentary and miscel laneous intelligence. But, fortunately for us, there is not merely no necessity for any lengthened criticism of " Hood's Own," but such a criticism would be little better than a wilful impertinence to the public. We should just as readily attempt a critical dissection of "Robinson Crusoe ' " or "Tristram Shandy," or " The Visit to the Other World," as we would of " Hood's Own." One is about as much familiarised with the popular mind as the other, and all of them are equally associated with our pleasantest recollections. Why, we should have ample matter for commentary upon the profusion of illustrations scattered through the letter-press—and such illustrations ! Forms and faces as much in accordance with the pro portions of nature, as with the elementary principles of art. Faces and figures little more artistic in pencilling than the monstrous shapes pro duced by a child on its satchel. But brimming over with the extravagantest drollery imaginable ! A joke in every line—a witticism in every movement of the pencil. Throughout the kingdom, these comical engravings have, by one means or another, been cir culated in periodicals, in a variety of editions, in broad-sheets, and so forth. They cannot be circu lated too much, for they have a morally medicinal effect upon the mind of every spectator; they drive away the nightmares of indigestion and the day mares (if we may so call them) of melancholy, and whole swarms of blue devils and morbid phantassies ; and they drive them away to the most hilarious of all music—explosions of laughter ! Such is the inevitable effect of this, the most humourous work of one of the most humourous beings that ever breathed. MURRAY'S HOME and COLONL4L LIBRARY No. A L.—Gatherings from Spain. Part IL By Ri chard Ford. As pleasant and good-humoured as its com mencement is the conclusion of this excellent sketch of Peninsular society. Here and there Mr. Ford ex hibits a quaint formality that almost reduces-his style to the grotesque, but the principal portion of his nar rative is keen and sparkling. The philosophy with which he scans the people of Spain in their present degeneracy is sweet and homely. Without any os tentation of shrewdness, the s arcasm o f M r . F or d i s at times descendants of urpris th in e gl e y medium of national prejudice, but with a calm, im partial gaze. When he is wandering through the streets of their principal cities he doubtless bears in recollection the age in which those same streets reverberated with the warlike wail of Ay dt tai Alhanta! and the citizens drew their brands against the Moors. Nevertheless, if his mind is teeming with these remembrances, he seldom allows them to appear, and that is what we conceive to be the chief deficiency of the book. Probably he con ceives such dreams about the romantic chapters of Spanish history to be the hallucinations of a contem plative rather than the embellishments of an observant writer. For the pleasure of the thousands, who are lovers of that tobacco which Mr. Ford poetically and expressively terms " the anodyne for the irritability of human reason," we copy sundry notes about the "divine weed," contained in the closing pages "In Spain the bulk of their happy subjects cannotafford eithf , r the expense of tobacco, which is dear to them, or the gain of time, which is very cheap, by smoking a whole cigar right away. They make one afford occu pation and recreation for half an hour. Though few Spaniards ruin themselves in libraries, none are with out a little blank book of a particular paper, which is made at Aleoy, in Valencia. At any pause all say at once—" pues senores ! eehatemos on cigarette—well then, my Lords, let us make a little cigar," and all set se riously to work ; every man, besides this book, is armed with a smell case of flint, steel, and a combustible tin der. To make a paper cigar, like putting on a cloak, is an operation of much more difficulty than it seems, al though all Spaniards, who have done nothing so much, from their childhood upwards, perform both with ex treme facility and neatness. This is the mode : the petaca, Arabic& Butak, or little case worked by a fair hand, in the coloured thread of the aloe, in which the storke of cigars is kept, is taken out—a leaf is torn from the book, which is held between the lips, or downwards from the back of the hand, between the fore and middle finger of the left hand—a portion of the cigar, about a third, is cut off and rubbed slowly in the palms till re duced to a powder—it is then jerked into the paper-leaf, which is rolled up into a little squib, and the ends doubled down, one of which is bitten off and the other end is lighted. The cigarillo is smoked slowly, the last whiff being the bonne bouche, the breast, la pechuga. The little ends are thrown away : they are indeed little, for a Spanish fore-finger and thumb are quite fire-browned and fire-proof, although some polished exquisites use silver holders : these remnants are picked up by the beggar-boys, who make up into fresh cigars the leavings cf a the usand mouths. There is no want of fire in Spain ; everywhere, what we should call link-boys run about with a slowly burning rope for the benefit of the public. At many of the sheds where water and lemonade are sold, one of the ropes, twirled like a snake round a post, and ignited, is kept ready as the match of a besieged artilleryman ; while in the houses of the affluent, a small silver chafing dish, with lighted charcoal, is usually on a table. Mr. Henningsen relates that Zumalacarreguy, when about to execute some Christinos at Villa Franca, observed one (a schoolmaster) looking about, like Raleigh, for a light for his last dying puff in this life, upon which the Gene ral took his own cigar from his mouth, and handed it to him. The schoolmaster lighted his own, returned the other with a respectful bow, and went away smoking and reconciled to be shot. This urgent necessity levels all ranks, and it is allowable to stop any person for fire ; this proves the practical equality of all classes, and that democracy under a despotism, which exists in smok ing Spain, as in the torrid East. The cigar forms a bond of union, an isthmus of communication between most heterogeneous oppositions. It is the habeas corpus of Spanish liberties. The soldier takes fire from the canon's lip, and the dark face of the humble labourer is whitened by the reflection of the cigar of the grandee and lounger. The lowest orders have a coarse roll or rope of tobacco, wherewith to solace their sorrows, and it is their calumet of peace. Some of the Spanish fair sex are said to in• dulge in a quiet hidden una pajita, una reyna, but it is not thought tidier a sign of a lady, or of one of rigid virtue, to have recourse to these forbidden plea sures; for, says their proverb, whoever makes one basket will make a hundred. " Nothing exposes a traveller to more difficulty than carrying much tobacco in his luggage ; yet all will re member never to be without some cigars, and the better the better. It ie a trifling outlay, for although any cigar is acceptable, yet a real good one is a gift from a king. The greater the enjoyment of the smoker, the greater his respect for the donor ; a cigar may be given to every body, whether high or low : thus the petaca is offered, as a polite Frenchman of La Vieille Cour (a race, alas ! all but extinct) cffered his snuff-box, by way of a prelude to conversation and intimacy. It is an act of civility, and implies no superiority, nor is there any humiliation in the acceptance ;it is twice blessed, It blesseth him that gives and him that that takes.' It is the spell wherewith to charm the natives, who are its ready and obedient slaves, and, like a small kind word spoken in time, it works miracles. There is no country in the world where the stranger and traveller can purchase fur half-a-crown, half the love and good-will which its in vestment in tobacco will insure, therefore the man who grudges or neglects it is neither a philanthropist nor a philosopher." This is a pleasant enough description. James I. of England, and Louis XIV. of France, would have thought differently ; but the imperturbable Spaniards would, no doubt, have retorted upon their irascibility — wo ‘ u l l P d u h e a s v , e se b n e o e r i e l s n e e e x h p a r e e e s m si o v s e u c t o t u c n i t ga er zi l t a o s . t " to Th th a e t counter-blast of James and also to Louis, " qui /ails soil le tabac vinl - ptlierement," according to La Beau melle. THE ECLECTIC REVIEW. We observe that the Eclectic R( view, for January, devotes more Ih p a r n ese a nt merely cursory review to the the multitude: ti‘ailtri.nr,;aasgtihteattieoxntfsoor of its education of an ejaculati • mes progress of thie tithaeikwersi,tinand Dr. Vaug,hi n. After on to the memory of Robert and gs of to the systems of Lancaster and Bell, writer enters upon a co o n f si i deration of the alarm ingtuhtetewrirn for some and of the increasedw th art d extension necessity s eo y af s r t s e t t n h a e t i c m ost in struction.o lie is irrate at the e s, the an d d i h ff e u i s s i oinnya indignant continued for a long series of va s clergyt l g y T nant at that manner in which the inveterate opponents ofoppoopicenrenetisassknowledge same clergy an their ungraceful conversion th to the cause of education (simply because that further antagonism on their parteym saw be utterly, ineffectual), wanting to monopo lise'on the direction and superintendence of the national school.s. We are amazed, considering th e frankness and impartiality of the article generally, to find the reviewer in one part characterise the Crusade against Ignorance, led on by Lord Brougham as " earthy" aad its measures all of the earth. As if the mere absence of conventional phrases of devotion derogated from the divine and god-born influence of the study of Nature's laws and of the organisation of the universe ! As if the contemplation of the phenomena of this globe, and of the mysteries of the skies were ini mical to religion, and not an almost irresistible im pulse to its Inc re ennobling impressions ! The deve lopement of the Free Trade question in France is noticed, as is also the doctrine of Future Punishment, the Career of Thomas Clarkson, the Abolitionist, and Dr. Croly's Fiction of Marston. KNIGHT'S :MONTHLY VOLUME. No. Vl. Molicre and the French Classical Drama. To those enviable individuals who have not yet made their acquaintance with Jean-Baptiste Pogue lin, commonly/ called Moliere, the little book which forms the present number of the monthly volumes, formerly published by Mr. Charles Knight, but now publiAed by Mr. Charles Cox, will prove an admi rable pioneer. Even to those few who are ignorant of the French language, the little work translated from the original of Madame B'az de Bury, (née S:uart,) will be comprehensible and, we will under take to say, most charming. The smallest quotations of wit, irony, sarcasm, retort, equivoque, and so forth, from the exuberant drolleries of Moliere, are given throughout with their English version. Every paragraph in this composition of Madame (le Bury is stored with anecdotes or critical observations of a piquant or delightful character. KNIGHT'S WEEKLY VOLUME. No. CXL The Romance of Travel. Vol. 11. By Charles MacFarlane. We should feel disposed to utter a somewhat lengthened commendation upon the oriental sketches of. Mr. MacFarl ane , b ut t h at we d eem such eulo giums to be a lt oge th er super fl uous, f rom the popu larity already acquired by his writings. Like Eothen, and Elliott Warburton, and Mrs. Romer, he regards the East from two separate points of view— first as a ferve n t wors hi pper o f t h e p h ys i ca l creation, and, secondly, as a shrewd contemplator of the spiritual nature of the lands visited; he looks at one moment to the peculiarities of the country which he is traversing, at another he regards the society, the habits, the customs, the disposition, the creed, and the traditions of the multitudes by whom it is popu lated. Mr. M ac F ar l ane h as an e y e f o r the pic turesque, and one capable of appreciating the beautiful, whether of the moral or actual world. PROGRESS OF 71IE NATION in its Various Social and Economical Relationsfrom the Beginning of the Nineteenth Century. By G. A. PORTER, ER. S. A new edition. The work, of which this is a new edition, has long since been universally recognised as the authority on all matters relating to the statistics of the British Empire, and for years past it has been constantly ap pealed to as such in Parliament by men of all parties. The statistics of the empire are, in this edition, brought down to the close of the year 1847. In his preface to this edition, Mr. Porter, to whose demon stration of the absurdity of the protective system, the destruction of that system is mainly owing, and to whose record of facts, quite as much as to the " un adorned eloquence of Richard Cobden," the conver sion of Sir Robert Peel may be attributed, thus speaks of the mighty victory of truth over fallacy which is accomplished in the year 1846 : "During the year in which these- sheets have been passing through the press, changes of the most momen tous character, affecting our commercial relations, have been crowned with legislative sanction. The protective system, which only a few years ago appeared to be so interwoven with all our habits and interests that any man who should venture to raise his voice against it, was stigMatised as a visionary an d a theorist , has sud denly yielded to the force of argument, and is abandoned by every one having valid pretensions to guide the opinions, or to govern the decisions of the legislature. "If this sudden change could have been foreseen, some of the arguments might possibly have been spared, that appear in the following pages, and that were levelled against positions which, at the time, were by most per sons deemed impregnable, but which are now and for ever given up as no longer tenable; for it is not to be conceived that a victory so signal over deep-rooted pre judices, and which has been gained by charging the convictions of the great majority of those by whom they v.ere entertained, can ever be revered, nor that circum stances can hcreaft,r arise to call for a repetition of the means by which that victory has been achieved," is admirably said. We join with Mr. Porter in cele brating this signal victory over deep-rooted preju dices, and we entirely agree with him in opinion that a victory so gained can never be reversed. THE PARSEES ; OR FIRE-WOR SHIPPERS OF INDIA. (From the " Camp and Barrack•Reoaa") The supposition is natural to the mind of man in whatever position he may be placed, that a Being exists, superior to himself, who watches over and in fluences his destinies either for gocd or evil. While in his rude and primitive state, he hesitates with what at tributes and powers to clothe this mysterious one; he is necessarily sensible thst the sun is the source of light and heat, and that summer, whose genial warmth gives verdure to the earth, is the consequence of its protracted appearance. On the other hand, as winter epprcaelics, he sees the flowers wither away, and the trees shorn of their leaves; he feels the cold and storms of the season; and therefore wishes for the return of that time of light and beauty which presents so many pleasing objects to his senses, and which alike enables him to preside for present wants and future necessities. Thus sensible of the great benefits resulting from the emanations of the sun, it cannot be a matter of surprise that this glorious luminary is associated in his mind with all that is good and powerful; and that a feeling of gratitude is en gendered which gradually merges into adoration. Hence, mankind, in almost every age and every coun try, in the absence of revealed religion, have wor shipped the sun and fire as its prototype, under different features. In the new world the nations of the South adored it, and hailed the Spaniards as its children, a circumstance which considerably facilitated their con quest by the latter; and there is every reason to suppose that the practice existed amongst them from a very re• mote period. acebus, the light of life, was the fa vourite god of the Greeks, as well from his being sovereign of the sun, as from other qualifications suited to the inclinations of a polished people. The sacred fire of the Romans, guarded and kept alive by the vestal virgins, was never to be extinguished; such an occur rence being considered as portentous of dire calamity to the empire. Anterior, however, to the era of Latin supremacy, fire-worship was almost universal in Persia, and had already been reduced to an established form several hundred years before the birth of Christ. Thus, if great antiquity of origin, as some say, stamps to a certain extent the tenets of a creed with truth, that of the Parsees has strong claims upon our belief. Fire-worship is said by some writers to have been in troduced into Persia by Zoroaster or Zerdisht, an emi nent philosopher, whom they affirm to have flourished in the sixth century before Christ. Others maintain that fire•worship existed long before that period (having been first instituted by another Zoroaster, a king of Bactria, who is supposed to have lived some time before the Trojan war, and who, like Pythagoras, admitted no visible object of devotion except fire, which he considered the most proper emblem of a supreme being), and that Zerdisbt only reduced the practice to systematic order. The followers of Zoroaster aver that extraordinary and miraculous occurrences preceded his birth, which event took place under most unusual circumstances ; while his life was like that of all other celebrated law givers, a tissue of marvels. For example, some of the old Persian writers say that he was induced, from mo tives of wisdom and virtue, to lead a solitary life upon a mountain, which he found one day in a flame of celestial fire, out of which he came unharmed, having been en gaged on certain sacrifices to God, whom he declared had appeared to him. According to many of his followers, Zoroaster did not die a natural death, but was taken up into heaven. The new, or revised doctrine, as it may have been, was first taught by Zoroaster in the province of Aderbiian, and spread rapidly from thence over the whole empire. Gushtasp, who was then sovereign of Persia, is said to have been converted by his son Isfundear; and to have subsequently built temples in every part of his kingdom, ordering at the same time 12,000 cow-herds to be finely tanned, that the precepts of the prophet might be written on them, and when this was done, carefully placing them in a vault at Persepolis. A war with Arjasp, King of Tartary, was the result of this change of religion on the part of Gushtasp, which was prosecuted with the exterminating fury of fanati cism during its continuance. Balkh, then the capital of Persia, was taken and sacked, and all the priests and fol lowers of Zuroaster there put to the sword. The Tartars likewise captured the sacred standard of Persia, the apron of the blacksmith Kawap ; but in another engage ment, Isfundear totally defeated them, slew their king Roweendeh, and re-captured the national banner. Under the dynasties of the Seleucithe and Parthians, the religion of Zoroaster was neglected, and conse quently became corn upted. Ardisher Babigan, how ever, a military adventurer, who rose from a low rank to the sovereignty of Persia, and who assumed the title of Sha bon Shah, or king of kings, after overthrowing Arduan or Artabanus, the last of the Parthian mo • naschs, about the year 229 of the Christian era, re stored the religion of the Guebres to its primitive purity. From the reign of Ardisher Babigan, until that of Chosroes, the contemporary of Justinian, a period of about 300 years,t he doctrines of Zoroaster were main tained in their primeval purity, and continued to be the established religion of the State. Mahomet new appeared before the world; and while still little better than an obsure adventurer, sent a formal requisition to Chosroes, then in the zenith of his power, to renounce the religion of his fathers; this he received with the utmost contempt, tearing the letter of the prophet to pieces; an act deemed sacrilegious by the Mahometans, and to a hich they ascribe all that monarch's subsequent misfortunes. The next attempt to subvert the ancient religion of Persia was made by the Caliph Omar, who effected a passage across the Euphrates with a strong body of Arabs, and although repulsed in several engage ments, at length won an important victory, which paved the way for Mahometan ascendancy. Yezdijiird 111., on his accession to the throne, found his kingdom seriously threatened by the Arabs, and immediately dispatched an envoy to their general, Saad, to effect, if possible, an amicable adjustment with him of mutual differences. Saad communicated with the caliph, and a deputation was sent by the latter to the Persian monarch, to whom the terms proposed were that his people should become converts to the Moslem faith,upon which no Arab should enter his territory without permis sion. If they did not choose to do this, they should pay the taxes levied upon infidels ; and ieboth these condi tions were refused, they might prepare for war. Yezdi jurd rejected these proposals with disdain, and prepared for hostilities. In the first general engagement, the Persian monarch was defeated, and his army all but annihilated, the sa cred standard falling into the hands of the enemy. After the battle Yezdijiird fled to Hulwar, with all the property he could carry, and continued the war for a few years ; but his defeat at Nahavund decided the fate of Persia ; its monarch, a fugitive in his own dominions, dragged out a miserable existence for ten years, when he was murdered, and the religion of Zoroaster terminated in Persia. From the death of Yezdijiird, historians generally date the era of the modern Guebres. Shortly after that oc currence, the persecutions of their fanatical conquerors induced many of them to emigrate into Khorassan,where they remained for about 100 years ; and some modern travellers suppose that the Siaposh Kaffirs, or black clad infidels, inhabiting a mountainous district near the Kama, are the descendants of these refugees ; both from their manners and customs, different from those of their Affghan neighbours, and the remains of pyrathire to be seen in their country. Certainly, from Khorassan a large portion of the Guebres withdrew to the island of Ormuz, in the Persian Gulf, where they staid for a period of fifteen years ; when not finding it a residence suited to their wishes, they sailed for India, and landed at Diu. But on consulting their written oracles they ascer tained a protracted stay here would not be auspi cious ; and again embarking on board their ships, they put to sea, and reached a fertile part of the coast of Guzerat, after encountering a severe tempest, which seriously damaged their fleet. The prince of this terri tory received them favourably; but as they were numerous and well armed, he bound them to the ob servance of five conditions, ere he allowed them to land: That they should explain the mystery of their faith, lay aside their arms, and speak the language of the country, that their women should appear unveiled, and that their marriages, according to the customs of his people, should be solemnised at night. As there was nothing in the writings of the Guebres which forbade their acceptance of these conditions, they gladly consented, and were per mitted to land. The Indians, discovering something analogous be tween many of the strangers' principles and their own, treated them kindly, and gave them land to build a town on, which they called Sanjan; and shortly after, obtain ing another grant of land, they erected a fire temple, in pursuance of a vow they had made should they escape tke tempest which had assailed them. At this place they remained together for about three centuries, when they dispersed to Baroach, Surat, and other places along the coast; and in the lapse of time Sanjan gradu ally became depopulated. They were, however, recalled by the Sovereign of Guzerat, on his being threatened with invasion by the celebrated inconoclast Mahmood of Ghuzni, in order to assist in the defence of his terri tory, when 1,400 of them were found capable of bear ing arms. A large number of Gaehres fell in an engagement with the A ffghatis, and the survivors fled, leaving their city_ to be pillaged; and carrying their sacred fire along with them, they proceeded in quest of another tn settle ment. Thus th e y con ti nue d to wander from place place along the c o astforseve n r h al taina centuries, permanent ast aihorne.gh they were nev e r destined to Bence, until at last they founclasecwureerae theysylum re i a nSurat Bombay, and a few other places, h per mitted to enjoy the free and undisturbed exercise of their religion. ersia without becoming proselytes were treated Such of the Guebre t s n as jsi r a e h m n ed a m i r n n s m P , distinguished by the bAbaduct, or seat of religion, with the greatest rigour , and their number g raduall y decreased. At Yezed,however, appellation of the Daru of the town, which or fire-temple, in their own quarter sacred fire in it since the days of the Guebres are still permitted to have an Attush Kudu, they assert has had th!l ce of the Government, which are indebted to tax , of twenty-fire rupees, be sideslevies on them a capitation ut redress for the taunts and Z the m a as va t r er ice, n ß o u t t t f h o e r tolerance, of they leaving them of these Guebres does not despised faith. The religion their tenets having become indignities ever levelv‘le'idttboyfanatics at the followers of a exist in its original purity with is the case in India, where Ma hommetans. The contrary their worship undisturbed, and gradually mixed up th ; ose of the Christians and they have practised pre served some cha racter, to the present time. The an o; iginal principle, ana logousof their t r i eli e g . ious books, in a peculiar The Parsees maintaincreated the author of evil ; d P l o t crea tion, for by it the formation of to eternity, and A g r h i t m , a w! n ter, fire, Hormuzd, the source of all speech precedi n g a beings and matter wa s effected. Hormuzd is adored and Adman held in detestation Their belief thus far closely for his beneficence , for his malevolence. S re sembles that of the H indoos, whose three g reatest deities are Brahma , t he creating power; Shiva, the de stroyi,g; • and yi ll hnu, the preserving.m any of the traditions of the Guebres relating to the early condition of the world, like those of the Greeks and Latins, are assimilated to Scripture truths, although barely dis cernible through the mists of fable which obscurd them. With respect tni fire, the Guebres place its fountain head in the sun, called by them Mithras, or Mihir, and to which they pay the greatest reverence, as well in gratitude for the various benefits resulting from its ministerial omniscience, as from the belief that the throne of the author of all good is placed in that lumi nary. But they do not confound the creaturo with the creator. They view the sun simply as a passive instru ment, controlled by the power of the deity, and as pos sessed of no qualities of sense or reason; while at the same time they only give it a secondary place among the works of creation; the first being occupied by the mind of man. According to their sacred books, the holy fire should be found in every-town and settlement; and if necessitated to move, it should be carried with them. The Guebres alit ge that the holy fire, Behram, is the guardian of their nodes and destinies ; th a t i t is fhe extract of 1,001 fires, taken from fifteen other fires; and that it muit always to preserved unextinguished in absolute purity. Many sacrifices are performed before it, either by priests in their temples, or by individuals in private. In the temples the fire burns on a vase, within a grating, which none may approach but the priests who keep it alive, and watch perpetually over it day and night; the light of the sun, from its superior brilliancy, being carefully excluded. Should any person of another sect approach within the temple, the priests consider themselves defiled, and have to undergo a cere• mony of purification, during the course of which they are suspended from the performance of their sacerdotal duties. As to these priests, the Guebres hold them in the greatest reverence, as has been the case in every age ; and Gibbon, when speaking of their tenets, says— " If the destours, or priests, be satisfied, your soul will escape hell's tortures ; you will have praise in this world and happiness in the next ; for the destours are teachers of religion, they know all things, and deliver all men." Independent of their sacred fire, the Guebres have the greatest veneration for that element in general, and when once kindled, they deem it sacrilege to extinguish it un less by a particular method. A candle must either burn . . out to the end, or if they wish to save a portion of it, the part next the wick is cut off, and being carried to the hearth, is left to burn out. A light is blown out with the wind of a fan or the hand, but never with the mouth, for that would be impure ; and should their houses take fire, they will not permit the flame to be extinguished by water in the usual way, but pull down the surrounding parts, that it may expire of itself when it has nothing to feed upon ; their principle being to let fire die away, without any endeavour on their part to abbreviate its duration. They will allow no person to meddle even with their shop•lights ; and a European can scarcely insult them more grossly than by attempting to light a cigar or pipe with them. One of their traditions touching fire is very poetical ; it says, that when a child of a great prophet was thrckwn into a large fire by order of Nimrod, the flame instantly turned into a bed of roses, where the infant sweetly reposed. The festival days of the Guebres are very numerous, but their principal festival is celebrated on the last ten days of the year, when they believe that the souls .of the just descend within three bow-shots of the earth. The 3• likewise carefully observe their birthdays, and those of their children, towards whom their conduct is affectionate and indulgent in the extreme. But in no respect are these people more singular or distinct from other sects than in the treatment of their dead. The The corpse is placed in a round tower, or circular edi fice, open at the top, on a stone floor, elevated from the ground, and sloping to the centre, where there is a deep well or sink, into which the bones are gathered after decomposition, by means of an iron rake, subterra neous passages beneath communicating with the sink and preventing it from being filled up. Exposed to the birds of prey in this way, the bodies of the dead pre sent a most revolting appearance. Yet the Par:ees, from habit, look on with indifference, and even draw omens of good or evil as regards the stase of the de parted spirit, from the eye which is first plucked out by the hawk or vulture. Marriage is a favourite condition among this people, while sterility is, on the contrary, a reproach. Polygamy is not allowed amongst them; yet if a man has no off spring by his wife, he may, with her consent, take an other, she still continuing to live with him. When a young woman attains maturity, she may demand that her parents provide a husband for her, and if they dis regard her request, it is considered a culpable negligence on their part; but if she, on the other hand, declines the married state, and dies a virgin at eighteen, her soul is believed to descend to hell, where it, remains until the end of the world. The marriages of the wealthy are celebrated with great pomp, and as I witnessed this cere mony while at Bombay, I will endeavour to describe it to the reader. Happening to proceed to Fort George on business, I found the street it was necessary I should pass through literally blocked up with carriages, palanqueens, and people, and on inquiring the cause of this unusual con• course, I learned that a Parsee marriage was about to be celebrated. The wedding guests or friends of the par ties, to the number of about 500, were seated on forms placed at each side of the street, in front of the bride groom's house, and these, clad in their costume of spot less white and singular hats, all exactly alike, presented a strikingly characteristic and unique appearance. Pre sently the bridegroom, a boy of about fourteen years of age, descended the steps leading from the door of his house to the street, his dress being completely covered over with gold leaf, and mounting a horse richly caparisoned, and having long garlands of flowers trailing from his trappings, one of his relations took an egg and cocoa nut, as the emblems of plenty, from a basket filled with them, and after holding these above his head for a moment, dashed them against the ground, when the pro cession already marshalled moved onwards. First came several carriages filled with children, from three to eight years of age, their little caps closely fitted to the head, glistening with ornaments of gold, and in many instances with precious stones, the rest of their dresses being formed of the richest stuffs. After the carriages were borne palanqueens filled with the chil dren of such as had no equipages. Next in the procession came several boys and girls on horseback, the former dressed like English generals and staff officers, and the latter like English women, their horses being led by servants. A sepoy band in full uniform succeeded to these, which endeavoured to make as much noise as pos sible; being immediately_ followed by the wedding guests en masse, another sepoy band coming after them. Behind the band came between twenty and thirty low caste Hindoos, who exhibited a mock fight with short sticks, and after these were a crowd of native musi cians, the noise of whose tom-toms, brass trumpets, six or eight feet long, &c., &c., was absolutely deafen ing. The bridegroom now appeared, his horse led by his nearest relative, while several servants fanned him. He held a folded handkerchief in his hand, which he every moment pressed gracefully to his forehead as he salaamed the numerous spectators ranged along the streets. He was followed by about a hundred women, one of whom carried a silver lotah and a representation of a sugar•loaf in a line with her shoulder, es emble matic of the comm(-ncement of housekeeping. These were siaiply, yet richly dressed in a gown and spencer, with large shawls of the choicest fibric thrown over their heads, which fell in loose and graceful folds around them, exhibiting to the best advantage their deep borders of gold and silver lace: their stockingless feet, in many instances beautifully white, were encased in tiny kid slippers, peaked and turned up at the toes. Although the Parsee women are not, generally speak ing, handsome, some of these, despite features of an olive cast, were so, and possessed those large melting eves peculiar to Orientals, while their- pencilled brows and glossy hair were both as dark as the wing of the raven. The women closed the procession, which proceeded through various streets of the fort, returning at length to where it had started from ; that quarter being now lit up by innumerable small lamps, disposed in clusters, which produced a brilliant effect. The Parsecs of Bombay number most probably between ten and eleven thousand, and although it may be styled their head-quarters, a much larger portion of them are scattered through the various towns along the coast, so that on the whole the amount of this people in India cannot be much short of thirty-five or forty thousand. Many of them are very wealthy, and may be classed among the princely merchants of the' earth ; and takir , them altogether, they are an i n d ustr i ous, enterprising b people, among whom the extreme of individual poverty is unknown, as the rich invariably assist the poorer when required. They may be said to monopolise the trade of Western India, displaying in commerce the energy and acuteness of the British merchant, alorg with the craft and latent duplicity characteristic of Asiatics in general. The Parse, s of Bombay have branch es tablishments in all the principal towns and military stations of the presidency, and in Lower and Upper Scinde ; while their vessels trade to the several ports in the East and to England. In many instances, they have become extensive landholders by purchase, and their country seats are mostly elegantly fitted up in the English fashion, whom they love to copy in everything, with the exception of religion and dress. Their equi pages are the most beautiful in Bombay; they use Eng lish saddles, and are good horsemen; and continuing the analogy, like many of our countrymen they will stop at nothing to acquire money, and have their prodigals to squander it again. Like the generality of Asiatics they are sensualists in their pleasures, and lascivious in their conversation, and many of them keep European mistresses. They resemble the Irish for sociability of manners, and have houses in the country, the property of the whole fraternity, where they as semble for convivial purposes. On these occasions l t i he bon vivants frequently quarre l in their cups; genera y, however, at an advanced perio d of the night, when rows ensue which would rival those of Ireland. In all the Government and public offices, Parsees will be met with, either in posts of trust, or as clerks. duties which are ever fulfilled with honesty and ability; in deed, as a people, they justly merit the indulgent light in which they are looked upon by the authorities of the Presidency, being equally susceptible of polish and re finement with the European, although closely wedded to their ancient mode of dress and to their religion. A. Parsee convert to Christianity is among the phenomena of the East. FLEET THE LATE F PRISON.—it appears from the report of the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, just pub lished as a Parliamentary blue book, that nine tenders were made for the purchase of the Fleet Prison, in sums carrying from 8,2001. to 18,0001. A s, however, t he ' highest of the offers was considerably below the minimum price which, by the advice of their architects, the Commissioners had been advised, previously to opening the tenders, to accept, viz., 25,000/., they were all declined. Subsequently the Corpora tion of London treated for the purchase of the property, with the view of converting it into a house of correction in lieu of Giltspur• street Compter, and the Commissioners asked the sum of 25,000/. Th e City offered 22,8001. as its full va l ue, iwhich was r e f use d , and the sum of 25,0001 . , NA as agreed to be paid on a conveyance of the freehold to the City; to be paid free and clear of and from the expellee of the conveyance. R V /4 HAMBURGH IV .. .. . .. POLISH FRONTIERS, JAN. 10.—Th 4g r p ,, • . . . r t> troops in the kingdom of Poland, i 3 . . 'srert- *oi. - i.>:. 2 markable manner, by- the addition :c t 4 V - interior of ail kingdom, especially li celis)(*; - -,,, , -/A'r, i p t,...__ again become passable • five regiment o 4 , .1 , .t ..:// of dragoons, betides light cavalry ancl i il ryp t gle, , arrived since the middle of last month i; ' . e(folid'6,r l Brzezz Litewski alone, to be placed in cantonments in different parts of the kingdom. Now, as everything here is perfectly 0111, it is difficult tl conjecture what may be the object of these reinforcements of troops, and we . begin to suppose that there may become truth in the former re ports, which indeed have not wholly died away, respect ing the conversion of the kingdom of Poland into Russian government. < .An article from the Polish frontiers in the Mannheim Journal, saes that the Emperor is expected in Warsaw before the commencement of spring, on account of im portant changes to be made in the administration of Poland. Among these, it is said, are a new organisa tion of the courts of justice, of the schools, and numer ous measures, the object of which is, to introduce greater uniformity in the administration of the kingdom with that of the Russian provinces. The Emperor is said to be averse to moderate the prohibitive tariff in favour of Polish manufactures. BERLIN, JAN. 17.—Our journals, and a Breslau Gazette have mentioned the foundation of a special Professorship in our university for the statistics of prisons. The intended professor, as far as we know, is Mr. Tellkempt; who has gained already considerable reputation by numerous publi cations relative to this subject. He was lately here for a long time, and was appointed member of a com mission, which was established to consider the forma tion of a definite system, for the management of prisons in the Prussian Monarchy. He was, at the time, a Member of the University College in New York, and to the best of our knowledge, returned to that city in 1843. At all events, his invitation to this University would be generally approved. ' With respect to the commercial affairs of Cracow, in telligence was received here a few days ago, that Mr. Von Kamptz had partly succeeded in his present mission to Vienna ; but, it is added, that another part of his proposals could not possibly be accepted ; and this latter account is accompanied by some not very edifying state ments respecting smuggling. FROM THE RHINE, JAN. 12.--While some public journals bring the information that negotiations are now carrying on between the Dutch Government and the Zollverein, in order to conclude a commercial con vention which may be suitable to the interests of Ger many and of Holland, we learn from an authentic source that France has likewise lately made some attempts to enter into a convention with the Cabinet at the Hague; in consequence of which, the treaty of commerce and navigation concluded on the 25th of July, 1840, will undergo an entire change, to adapt it to present circum stances. Six years' experience has shown that the ad vantages which were expected, both in France and in the Neth:rlands, have not been realised. BERLIN, JAN. 15.—1 t is now decided that the mili tary occupation of the province of Posen shall be strengthened, the whole of the sth corps of the army will in future be garrisoned in that province. The cavalry regiments will be quartered in the small towns, the artillery and infantry will be divided between Posen, Griesen, and Bromberg. HAMBURG, JAN. 22.—The London Mail of the 19th had not arrived when we went to press. The state of the ice in the Lower Elbe, and in the mouth of the river, is scarcely changed, on account of the south and south west winds lacing too faint to clear the channel entirely of floating ice. There has been no fresh ice for some days here; above the:stream has been gradually freed from the ice GLucrcsrAnr, JAN. 21.—The wind being from the south-west, the floating ice is increased on this bank. A thaw has set in. VIENNA, JAN. 17.—His Majesty has been pleased to appoint the son of the late Archduke Palatine, the Arch duke Stephen, to be locum-tenens of the dignity of the Palatine of Hungary. This imperial decision was made known to the Chanelry of Hungary. GALICIAN FRONTIERS, JAN. 14.—The 29th of this month is the day fixed for the union of Cracow with the Austrian Custom-house line. The negotiations of M. Von Kamptz ceased some weeks ago, and the final declaration of the Vienna Ca binet is already di , patched to Berlin. It remains to be seen whether, in case the Russian Government should not be satisfied with the concession made by Austria with regard to the entrepots, it might not be advisable to refer the further discussions on the subject to the Con ferences at Vienna, which were appointed to discuss the affairs of Cracow, and are not yet broken up. A report has been lately spread of the discovery of a conspiracy at Cracow ; whether there is any truth in it must pear in a few days. STORM AT LIVERPOOL.— LI VERPOOL, WEDNESDAY. —We [have experienced a very severe storm here, which commenced shortly after midnight, and continued with un abated strength for several hours. The Dublin mail had to lay- to during the storm. A large American ship, supposed to be the Swatara, is reported outside with loss of masts. The widow of the late Lieutenant-Colonel Faw cett, whose melancholy death in a duel with his brother-in law, Lieutenant Monro, in 1843, will be fresh in the recollec tion of our readers, was married on the Bth inst., at the chapel of the British Embassy, in Florence, to Mr. A. Shaw, of the 2d Madras Infantry. Tne Empress of Russia, according to accounts from St. Petersburgh, has derived so much benefit from her sojourn at Palermo last winter, that her Majesty's health is quite re-established. Yesterday a Court of Directors was held at the East India House, when Lieutenant-General Sir Willongby Cotton, G.C.8., Commander-in-Chief of the Company's forces on the Bombay establishment, was appointed second member of Council at that Presidency. THE INNER TEMPLE BENCHERS.—The judges re cently decided in Mr. Hayward's case, that a member of the bar acquires no legal right by being made a Queen's counsel to be elected a bencher. As their Lordships, however, re commended an alteration in the mode of electing benchers for the future, and intimated dissatisfaction at the power of exclusion by a single black ball at a very full assemblage of the benchers on Friday evening last, it was unanimously re solved that henceforth no one shall be elected to the Bench of the Inner Temple, unless he obtain the votes of a majo rity of the existing benchers; and that four black balls shall be sufficient to exclude—an arrangement which certainly appears unobjectionable. GRAY'S INN, JAN. 27.—Mr. John Worsley and Mr. Samuel Rolls Ewen were this day called to the degree of barrister-at-law by the Hon. Society of Gray's Inn. THE 43D REGIMENT.—The 43d Light Infantry, Colonel James Forlong, K.H., were officially inspected yes terday morning on the Grand Parade, Portsmouth, by Lieut.- General the Hon. Sir Hercules Pakenham, K.C.8., the Lieutenant-Governor (their Colonel). The regiment, up wards of 800 strong, marched past in slow time, and at quarter column distance, and performed other manoeuvres with the most soldierly precision and efficiency, at which the General was pleased to express his warmest satisfaction, say ing he hoped ere long the weather would admit his inspect ing them in field exercise on Soutbsea-common. This gal lant regiment returned from Halifax, Nova Scotia, in April last, and arrived at Portsmouth from Dover on the 14th inst. The 43d will shortly, it is expected, be presented with new colours By the Hon. Lady Pakenham prior to the General b:ing relieved of this command. Their present colours were presented at Gibraltar on the eve of embarkation for Por tugal, in January, 1827, by the lady of General Dunn, then Governor of Gibraltar. CITY OF LONDON LYING-IN HOSPITAL, CITY.. ROAD.—Yesterday the annual meeting of the supporters of this hospital, which was established in 1750, for the recep tion and delivery of poor married women, was held at the institution, City-road; W. Hanley, Esq., in the chair. James Clift, Esq., solicitor and secretary, road the report. Duda.. the year 467 in-patients, four of whom had twins, received relief; which was a considerable increase on the pre vious year; and only five deaths took place. The financial statement exhibited a great incroase in subscriptions, al though considerable expense was incurred in enlarging and repairing the hospital. The report, in conclusion, expressed great regret for the loss sustained by the death of John Co el, Esq., the treasurer. The report was adopted. G. Bentley, Esq, V.P. was elected treasurer ; Willi am H an dl e y an d Henry Jackson, Esqrs. were elected vice-presidents; and thanks were voted to the officers of the hospital and to the clairman. REVENUE OF THE BISHOPRIC OF SALISBURY.— Tuesday's Gazette contains an Order in Council directing that from and after the next avoidance of the see qf Salis bury, the Bishop succeeding thereto, and his successdrs, shall pay to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners the annual sum of 1,850/. By a recent valuation it appears that the revenue of the see exceeds by thin sum the amount fixed by the Commissioners "as suitable to the circumstances thereof." The income so allotted was 5,000/. a year. PRIZE MONEY.—In the Gazette of Tuesday notice is given to the officers and crew of her Majesty's ship Star, IL J. W. Dunlop, commander, that an account of the bounty , money on the tonnage, and a moiety of the sale proceeds of the Diligencia, Brazilian slave schooner, captured on the Bth of February, 1845, will be deposited in the registry of the Admiralty on the 2Gth of February next. STEAM-BOAT ExpLosioN.—Yesterday morning, as the Jane, a Woolwich small steam-tug, belonging to the Shipowners' Towing Company, was towing a v . esseiup the river, between Blackwall and Greenw ich, the holler suddenl y L t a t wo w r s s tst standing lnea r oud the explosion.boier at t Tthe e captain tiinen f o_ f t h_tlei occurrence,eJ Jane, was scalded slightly on the back, and a dog belonging to the tug was kiled. The rest of the crew, who were standing for ward, escaped without injury. The tug was immediately brought up opposite Messrs:Enderley's factory, where she now lies. DINNER TO SIR TATTON SYKES.—On Tuesday last a grand dinner was given in the De Grey Rooms, to Sir Tatton Sykes, by the members of the York and Ainsty Hunt, as a token of the high esteem in which that respected Ba ronet is held by them. Between GO and 70 persons were present. The chair was occupied by • R. Gilbert, Esq • and , W. Reed, Esq., and Bateman, Esq., officiated as . ' vice-; chairmen.— York paper. THUNDER -STORM A T MANCHESTER —A thunder storm broke ove r M anc h ester on Tuesday n ight ' with extra ordinary violence, but it was happily of only a few minutes' duration. The snow which had fallen last week had disap peared, and the atmosphere on Tuesday was as mild as could be expected on a fine spring morning, up to about six P.M:, when a little rain fell, accompanied by a cold wind. About nine o'clock the thunder-storm burst; about three or four vivid flashes of lightning being followed by loud peals of thunder and a heavy fall of rain. The roaring of the wind during this short lived storm was almost equal to the noise of the tbunder itself. When the thunder and rain had ceased, the wind continued to blow hard, and did not sub side till morning, Yesterday the weather was mild and calm again. DESTITUTION IN THE METROPOLIS.—The want of employment is severely felt by the journeyman garment dyers and the trade of calico glaziers, likewise painters and glaziers, &c , &c. ln and about Knightsbridge and Bromp ton, the bread of the cheapest description is still selling at 14 per 4lb loaf; coals ls. 10d. per cwt., and all other arti cles equally proportionately dear. THE LATE ARCHDUKE PALATINE OF AUSTRIA The deceased Archduke was born on the 9th of March, 1776, and had tilled the office of palatine for a period of fifty years. The mode of palatinate election is peculiar; four candidates are proposed by the Government to the Diet, of whom the latter select one. The post is proyisionally occupied by the Judea Curiae, Count Alkilath, NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PORTSMOUTH, WEDNESDAY.—The Scourge steam sloop, Commander Caflin, left this morning for Bristol, to load with meal for Ireland. The Echo steam-tug will convey Mr. Bellamy, the Assist ant Master Attendant of this dockyard, to the neighbour hood of the wreck of the Sphynx, this evening or to-mor row, to await a favourable opportunity of making another attempt, in conjunction with other vessels and officers, to save that vessel, which remains in the same position as when last specially alluded to. The Royal Frederick, 110, building in this dockyard, on the same or very similar lines as the Queen, by Sir William Symonds, is being rapidly expedited for launching, for which she is ordered to be ready by August next. Upwards of 160 hands are now employed upon her. The Sharpshooter and Rifleman, screw steam gun dispatch vessels, built on the design of Mr. Fincham, Master Ship wright of this dockyard, are ordered to this port from the river, to be fitted for immediate commission. They are to mount very heavy guns of long range. The Rochester navy lighter sailed this morning for Devon port, with stores. The African steam-tug. which left, as supposed, yesterday for Sheerness, returned in the night with a merchant brig in distress. She had been lent by the Admiral Superin tendent of the dockyard for the above good purpose to Messrs. Garret and Gibbon, the agents to Lloyd's at this port. THE FOREIGN MAILS. 'ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE ENSUING MONTH. The following notice of the postal arrangements for the departure of the foreign mails fur the ensuing month has been issued at the chief office, St. Martin's-le-Grand : The Indian Mails.—Mails for Gibraltar, Malta, Greece, lonian Islands, Egypt, Ceylon, India, China, &c., rid South ampton, will be dispatched from hence on the mornings of the 3d and 20th of February. The Achilles, fur the above mails, on the morning of the 3d of February, which will sail from Southampton. India, &c., rid Marseilles.—Mails for the Mediterranean, Egypt, India, China, &c., via Marseilles, will be dispatched from hence on the evening of the Bth and 24th of February. The Peninsular Mails.—Mails fur Vigo, Oporto, Lisbon, Cadiz, Madeira, Gibraltar, &c., will be dispatched from hence on the mornings of Feb. 8, 17, and 27. . . The Queen ior the above mails, on the morning of the Bth of February, which will sail from Southampton. - Madeira Brazils, Buenos Ayres, &c.—Mails for Madeira, Brazils, Buenos Ayres, &c., will be dispatched from hence on the evening of the 4th of February. (From August to January inclusive, the packet touches at Pernambuco and Bahia on her outword voage to Rio Janeiro, and the other six months on her homeward.) Her Majesty's brig Swift for the above mails of the even ing of the 4th of February, which will sail from Falmouth. Sydney, New South Wales, &c.—Mails for Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, &e., will be dispatched from hence on the evening of the Ist of February. The Glentauner for the above mails of the evening of the Ist February, which will sail from Gravesend. The American Mails.—Mails for British North America, Bermuda, and the United States, will be dispatched from hence on the evening of the 3d of February. The Cambria for the above mails of the evening of the 3d of February, which will sail for Liverpool. The W, st India, &c., Mail.—Mails for the British and foreign colonies in the West Indies, Venezuela, Madeira, &c., will be dispatched from hence on the morning s o f th e 2d an 17th of February. Mexico, Honduras, and Havannah will be included in the above, of the morning of the 2d of February only, and not in the 17th. Bermuda, San Juan de Nicaragua, New Granada, Chartres, Chili, and Peru, will be included in the above of the morning of the lith only, and not in the 2d. The Avon for the above mails of the 2d of February, which will sail from Southampton. France.—Mails for France, rid Dover and Calais, will be dispatched from hence daily (Sundays excepted). Belgium, &c.—Mails for Belgium, &c., via Dover and Ostend, will be dispatched from hence daily (Sundays ex cepted). Holland.—Mails from Holland will be dispatched from hence every Wednesday and Saturday mornings. Hamburg.—Mails fur llamburg, &c., will be dispatched from hence every Tuesday and Friday. Wednesday lE H. Lord Sidmouth, committed suicide at his father's residence IcmE la O st r the Tl ren . st E co . ur A t D A D d i d N i G ng T t ° o N n,7on °,l)l at Albury, near Guildford. It appears that the unfortunate young man (whose age is only 24 years) had for some time past been labouri ng un d er mental aberration, h i s ma l a dy being considered to be the result of a fever caught in the island of Corfu while on military service. On the 9th inst., by the recommendation of his medical attendants, he was placed under the surveillance of a keeper. The coroner for West Surrey (Mr. J. C. Woods) held an inquest on the body on Friday, at the Drummond Arms, Albury. From the evi dence of George Collins, the keeper referred to, it appeared that on the morning of Wednesday, while shaving the de ceased, he earnestly solicited to let him take the razor and shave himself, which of course was retwed. Some time after wards deceased proceeded to his bedroom, the keeper watch ing him, but not following him. Entering, however, shortly afterwards, he saw deceased suspended to the bedstead by a black silk neckerchief. Notwithstanding prompt assistance deceased never rallied. The jury returned a verdict of " In sanity."—Sussex Advertiser. EXTENSIVE FAILURES IN BIRMINGHAM AND WOL II VERIIAMPTON.-13IRMINGIIAM, TUESDAY.—A house in this town, very extensively engaged in the continental, but more especially in the Spanish trade, has just suspended payment. Its engagements are yet unknown, but they are, by the most likely to be well informed upon the subject, supposed to be to a large amount. A composition has been offered, but has been declined by many of the creditors. The firm is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, in Birmingham, and held the a gency for the Copper Company. Henderson's house, of Wolverhampton, largely engaged in the tin plate manufac ture, has also closed. Its liabilities are said to exceed 30,0001. PAINLESS SURGICAL OPERATIONS.—The establish ment of the fact that surgical operations may be performed without pain, has been properly described as " good news for traveller* by railway,—Punch. MUSIC. THE TURF. (0! what a time fora little bit of Sonnet tiny.) A Racing ..`ong. By Harry Ilicover. Not " The Turf " of Mark Lemon. No ; but a capital song upon that most suggestive and delightful theme—a song worthy of being carolled in the petite comedic of the editor of " Punch." Those who thoroughly enjoy anything relating to the field sports of England will remember with pleasure the hunting song of •` The foremost flight," by the same " know ing hand" as the present. To say that " The Turf " is a fit companion to its predecessor is admirable praise, and is well deserved. ROYAL POLYTECHNIC INSTITU- TION. To our mind there are few plans better calculated to impart instruction and amusement to all classes than this establishment, The principal lectures which are being delivered at this well-conducted institution are upon Schonbein's gun-cotton and the electric telegraph; the former by Doctor Ryan, and the latter by Doctor Backhoffner. As we have already given a notice of Dr. Ryan's admirable lecture on the gun cotton, we need not repeat it, but as the latter has not appeared, we with pleasure give a short notice for the advantage of our readers. The learned doctor particularly pointed out in the commencement of his discourse the peculiar application of electricity to the purposes of the electric telegraph. In addition to the usual lucid explanations of the principles of magnetism, and an historical notice of the application of the invention to railway and pub lic purposes, Doctor Backhoffner entered into a length ened illustration of the practicability of the mode of communication by the index upon the new principle secured by patent to Messrs. Nott and Gamble. It is but just to observe, in a passing notice of the various instruments invented for the purpose of facilitating the transmission of messages, Sce., in such cases the new patent of the above-named gentleman is far superior to any that has preceded it. The simplicity of the index, and the direct communication established by the electric current, the ringing of the bell to the most distant station on any line of telegraph, appear mighty strides towards the necessary simplification of this most im portant, but at present not sufficiently ppreeiated agen t. Most admirable practical exemplifications of the applisa bility of the invention w e re given during the lecture, by conveying messages from one side of the stage to the other from two beautiful working m odels on the princi ple of Messrs. Nott an d G am ble. 'The le cture was fully attended by a highly re3pectable audience, who ap peared to appreciate the learned doctor's discourse. -SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. LEAMINGTON STEEPLE CHASES—WEDNesnAT. The Leamington Cup of 1,000 Guin eas, Three miles. Mr. R. Sutton's Ki ng of tl ' ieVallt 3, llst ilb (Capt. Broadley) I Mr. H. de Rodes's Pullawa3, 71b .............'•"•"" 2 Captain Barnett's Marengo, .12st . ................................ Lord Guernsey nd En ietie Sue ................... .............. 4 Several others started: Won by a bead. A fine ....race, the third only beaten a bead from of seconds each, &c. . The Professional Steeple Chase Stakes, 3 sov Three miles. Mr. E. S. Devonport's Victress ..... ...... (W. Saunders) 1 Mr. J. Brown's Hip Briar .................................... Four others started. Won easy. • The Thludicap Hurdle Stakes, of 10 sous each. Two miles. Lord Strathmore's Belshazzar, list.... .............. (Owner) 1 Mr. E. Nunn nd Waterman, aged, lOst ........................ Mr. Clarke's Leo, lOst 121 b ............ .............. bolted. COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, WEDNESDAY.--The Queen and Prince Albert took their accustomed early morning walk. Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales. Prince Alfred, the Princess Royal, and the Pr took i nce ss Alice walking and pony exercise to-day, on the eastern terrace of the Castle nd the Slopes. Her Royal High. ness the Princess Hele a na was also taken an airing. His Royal Highness Prince Albert, acdom esc panied by Count Alexander Me nsdorf, Earl Fortue, Lord Camoys, and Colonel Seymour, enjoyed the sport of shooting this morning. Sir Robert and Lady Gardiner are expected to arrive at the Castle to day, on a visit to the Queen. Tho Royal dinner party at the Castle this evening i s e xpected to inc lude her Royal. Highness tho Duchess of Kent, Count Alexander Mensdorf, Lad y Fanny Iloward, the Baroness de Speth, Earl Forteseue Earl of Aberdeen, Sir Robert and Lady Gardiner, a n'd G. E. Anson. The band of the Scots Fusilier Guards will attend during dinner her Majesty's private band afterwards attend in the Castle. . consistrog of , the Earl of Lucam, Lord A deputation l e , Lord Bernard, 3i r. French, Mr, George A. N o a ne . r i ai n, mr. v v. S. O'Brien, Mr. Gregory, Mr. Colonel Cottony, and Mr. Lefro • Lord John Russell, Sir George had an into Grey, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, yesterday, n ce of the Fi rst L ord of the Trea• at the official Downing -street.reside sury, ill _ Lord Acheson had an interview with Sir George Grey, at the Some -office. M r. R oss had also an interview with Right Hon. Baronet, yest er d ay . yesterday, A deputation from the _Mauritius As soc i at i on, consist ing of Mr. D. BarclaY• MX., Chair man; M r. A. L. 1 Gower, Mr. Milligan, , Mr. A. Stale, M r . Rowland son, Mr. S. Bak er, ana_ r_. Guth re y, h a d an interview with the Chancello r of the Exchequer, yesterday, at his official residence, in Downing-street. i t t h h e t c h e e m ß m i g i b s s t i e n n o e r n s . Mr. Hawkins had aanttihne office ieeewewf E. Strutt, yesterday , of Railways, in Great George-street. Viscount Morpeth gave a din ner to the Cabinet Ministers, yesterday evening, at his residence in Grosve nor-place. The Lord Advocate bad an interview, y esterday, with the Chancellor of the Exchequer. ---- SUN EXPRESS EDITIONS.--The Leicester Chronicle, in its Second Edition, published on Saturday morning, says— "We learn, from the Third Edition of The Evening Sun of yesterday, that the Corn Bill 'was forwarded through its remaining stages, and the Navigation Bill read a second time last evening.' CHESTER ELECTION.—The sheriff of the city of Chester has fixed Saturday next for the election of a burgess in the room of Lord Robert Grosvenor. The only candidate at present in the field is Earl Grosvenor, son of the Marquis of Westminster. SALE OF A KENNEL OF GREYHOUNDS.—Yesterday, at Aldridge's Repository, St, Martin's -lane, the sale of Mr. Parkinson's well-known kennel of greyhounds took place by auction, and, 'notwithstanding the celebrity of some of the dogs, as winners of cups. Ste., yet, in consequence of the coursing season being nearly closed, there was but little com petition for the dogs, and the best greyhounds were knocked down to bidders as low AS till 4 gliillee4 an d a bait, lisl • ~.~~ --= .-'..