The Sun. — London, England, 1840-05-14 00:00:00

--1_7141*47114470 rniT 2 J.L _ 4 O lON . COURT CIRCULAR. The Queen and Prince Albert took an airing yesterday ternoon in the Parks in an open carriage and four, with outriders, Viscount Melbourne had an audience yesterday of her Majesty. The Royal Dinner Party at the Palace last cycling in cluded her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, attended by Lady Anne Maria Dawson, the Earl of Surrey, Earl of Morley, Viscount Melbourne, and the Hon. Wm. Cowper. The Band of the Ist Life Guards were in attendance at the Palace during the evening. The Duchess of Kent visited the Princess Augusta and the Duchess of Gloucester yesterday. Earl Howe had a Dinner Party last evening at his resi dence in South Audley-street. Her Majesty the Queen Dowager, accompanied by the Duchess Ida of Saxo Weimar, and attended by Frances Lady Clinton, and the Hon. Miss Clore, their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, attended by Lady A Somerset and Baron Knesebeck, and the Noble Directors of the Concert of Ancient Music, formed the party. Her Majesty, their Royal and Serene Highnesses, and the Noble Directors, afterwards accompanied his Lordship (the Director for the evening) to the performance of the Concert of Ancient Music at the Hanover. square Rooms. Her Majesty the Queen Dowager, and Duchess Ha of Saxe Weimar, visited the Princess Augusta and the Dike and Duchess of Cambridge yesterday. After the Juvenile Fete at the Queen Dowager's, on Tuesday evening, Prince Ernest of Hesse Pnilippsthal left Marlborough House, on his return to the Continent. A Cabinet Council was held at two o'clock yesterday afternoon, at the Foreign Office. It was attended by Vis count Melbourne, the Lord Chancellor, Marquis of Lan , - downe, Earl of Clarendon, Marquis of Normanby, count Palmerston, Lord ohn Russell, the Chancellor cf the Exchequer, Earl of Minto, Sir John Hobhouse, Loid Holland, Mr. Labouchere, Viscount Duncannoo, Loid Morpetb, and Mr. Macaulay. The Council sat two hours and a half. Mr. Williams, M. P., for Coventry. Mr. Mark Philie s, M. P., Mr. Brocklehurst, M.P., and Mr. Frederick Hodg son, M.P., bad an interview with the Chancellor of the Etchquer yesterday, to recommend a grant to promote Schools of Design in the manufacturing districts. Sir G. Chetwynd and a Deputation had an intervie w with the Marquis of Normanby yesterday, at the Hon e Office. A Committee of the Lords of her Majesty's Most Honour able Privy Council, bad a mee 'ng yesterday at the Council Office. There were present the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of York, the Marquis of Lansdowne, Marquis of Normanby. Earl of Clan ndoa, Mr. Labouchere, the Judge of the Prerogative Court, and the Judge of the Admiralty Court. Mr. C. Greville and the Hon. William Bathurst, Clerks of the Privy Council, were in waiting. Mr. T. J. Birch and Mr . Piercy had interviews with the Marquis of Normany, at the Home Office yesterday. The Swedish Minister transacted business yesterday, at the Foreign Office. FASHIONABLE INTELLIGENCE. ARRIVALS. Major Eardley Wilmot, in Mount-street, from Malta ; the Hon. Mr. and Mrs. Tollemache and family, in Half moon -street, from their seat, Huntsmore-park, Middle sex ; Mrs. George Rowley, at Coulson's Hotel, from Tendering Hall, Essex ; Sir Montague Chapman, Bart., M.P., at the Cavendish Hotel, Jermyn-street, from the Continent ; T. Duffield, Esq., at ditto, from his seat, Town.hill House, Bradford ; Captain and Mrs. Robin son, at ditto, from the Cape of Good Hope ; G. H. Ward, Esq., at ditto, from his seat, Northwood, Lle of Wight ; C. L. Walker, Esq., at ditto, from Bristol ; Mr. and Mrs. Aubrey, at ditto, from a tour on the Continent; the Earl of Belfast, at Fenton's Hotel, St. James's-street ; Mr. and Mrs. Marmaduke Maxwell, at the Burlington- Hotel ; Viscount Clive and the Hon. Percy Sydney Smythe, the Dowager Lady Carmath, C. B. Ha milton, Esq., M.P., at the Pulteney Hotel; Sir William Burnett, the Hon. Captain and Mrs. de Sauma rez, Mr. and Mrs. Eyre, at the Burlington Hotel ; the Hon. and Rev Robert and Mrs. Wilson, at the Pulteney Hotel ; Mr. Wyndham, M.P., at ditto; the Dowager Lady Sitwell and Miss Smith Wright, at the Carlton Ho tel; Beckwith, Esq., at the Clarendon Hotel; Mr. and Mrs. John Mansfield and family ; Lord and Lady Bolton, at Thomas's Hotel ; the Lord Bishop of Carlisle, Mrs. Percy, and the Misses Percy, at the Sackville Hotel, Sackville-street • Mr. and Mrs. Childe and family, at ditto, from Shropshire ; Lord and Lady Dufferin, at ditto ; Mr., Mrs., and Miss Brown, at ditto; the Right Hon. Mr. and Mrs Conyngham and family, at ditto, from the Continent; Baron Spasburgh and Lady, and two sons, at ditto, from Rome; Mr. and Mrs. Colquhoun and daugh ters, at ditto, from Bath; Rev. Mr. Mackie, from Leices ter ; the Earl of Belfast, at Fenton's Hotel; Lord Lo ♦et, at the Burlington Hotel ; the Countess -Dowager Craven and the Lady Louisa Craven, at the Clarendon ; Lord John Manners, Lady Charles Bentinck, Lord and Lady Queensberry, and Lady Georgiana Douglas, at ditto ; the Earl of Caledon, Colonel Calvert, the Hon. Major-General Murray, Mr. and Mrs. Burrowes, at the Burlington; Robert Branaby Cooper, Esq., at ditto ; the Hon. and Rev. George and Lady Charlotte Neville Grenville; Lord Wynford, at Beattie's Hotel. DEPARTURES. Sir Ralph Howard, Bart., M.P., for Dublin, and Mrs. Barlow Hoy, from Thomas's Hotel, for Hants ; Viscount and Viscountess Middleton, for Pepper Harrow ; Lady A. and the Hon. Miss Paget, for Hants ; Lord Rayleigh and the Hon. Misses Strutt, from Long's Hotel, Clifford street ; Mr. and Mrs. Nightingale, from the Carlton Hotel, for Hants ; Lord William Montagu ' for Hemel Hempstead ; Alexander C oc kb urn , Esq., from Fenton's Hotel, St. James's-street ; th e H on . Captain and Mrs. Watson, from Grillion's Hotel, for RoCkingham Castle ; Lord Verulam and Lord Grimston, for Gorbambury ; Mrs. Nelson of Mocklenburgh-square, and Mrs. Pitts, of Pelhsm..creseent, for the Norfolk Hotel, Brighton ; Sir G. Scott, for Petersham ; the Hon. Captain Liddell, for Windsor ; William Barry, Esq., from Fenton's Hotel, for Dublin ; Mr. Harcourt, M. P., fiom the Brunswick Hotel, for Anker it yke House ; Captain Meade, from Cox's Hotel ; Captain the Hon. W. Keith, from Mivart's Hotel ; Lord James 0 ' Breen, for B ath ; Captain Garth, R N., from Thomas's Hotel. THE PRINCE'S THEATRE. A new German opera, in two acts, was produ6d last eveaing at this theatre, entitled Nachtagler in Granada, or A Night in Granada. It is the work of Krcutzer, who composed it about four years back, and it is perhaps the best and the most taking of some twenty or thirty previous operas by the same master. The libretto is of a *inch better ordor than our musicians generally procure in this country, and it has been translated—though not into verse— literally and without pretension. The story of the opera is a very simple one. In a valley of Granada there are some Spanish shepherds, one of whom, Gomez, is betrothed to a pretty innocent maiden of the name of Gabrielle, who has a favourite dove that had beau given her by her lover taken by an eagle, and who superstitiously interprets the incident against her own destiny. In her first interview With Gomez he wins her from her grief by holding ant a hope of confirming their union—by going in search of the Prince Regent, who is anticipated is tile country upon an ' Imperial hunt," and procuring his consent to and bless ing upon their marriage. While Gomez is en this mission, and Gabrielle left in the ruin of the Moorish castle of the valley, a strange jager or huntsman makes his way from dangerous heights into the vale, and brings with him a dove that he has taken from an eagle's nest. This dove is Gabrielle's, and, in restorirg it to her, the jager asks for refreshment and rest ; moreover, he falls in love, and would fain pursue a little amorous dalliance hero, but that Ga brielle tells her history, and claims hie intercession with the ['since Regent, whom he has told her he serves. While he is yet, however, half flirting with the pretty shepherdess, in com? sense Spanish shepherds of the val ley, and one of them, fired by jealousy, and the rest by an idea that the jager is seducing Gabrielle from their comrade Gomez, determine to revenge themselves by in flicting a treacherous death. They feign kindness, how ever, and convey the jager to rest in the ruins of the castle, whither they propose repairing to murder him as soon as he shall sleep ; but Gabrielle suspects their designs, and forewarns the huntsman, who re ceives the assassins when they arrive with his own good sword. He is at conflict with them, which is inter rupted by the entrance of Gabrielle and her returned lover Gomez, with peasants and a number of huntsmen of the Imperial hunt, the chief of whom at once recognises the jager as the Prince Regent himself. The opera concludes with the happiness of Gabrielle and Gomez, consummated by the blessing and generosity of the Prince. These slight mate' ials have been thrown together with simple skill, and the story is not without interest. The music is throughout charming. The part of Gabrielle was well sustained by Madame Schumann Herr Poeck was the jager and Prince. His voice is not a bass, but a fine bari tone of power and flexibil:te. The tenor Schmezer ac quitted himself faultlessly of the part of Gomez. The opera was creditably produced, and deserves to prove at trective. At the fall of the curtain all three singers were called for, and it rose for the purpose of enabling them to present themselves together to the audience. A new operetta succeeded the opera, entitled Rosciusco. The music was made up of French, Polish, and other airs of a character less ravishing than fam;Far. DREADFUL FIRE AND LOSS OF LIFE. This morning, about one o'clock, a destructive fire broke out on the premises of Mr. Clark, grocer and cheese monger, No 33, Marylebone-street, Golden-square, which we r e gret to state was attended with loss of life. Mr. Clark, who was in bed at the time, was the first to dicover the fire, which proceeded from the shop, and hastening to the tire-station of the County Fire- office, which is with-in four doors of his own r. sidcnce, rang the fire-bell of that esta • blishment, and Cartar, the fireman, with other men, ran to the assistance of the inmates, all of whom they saved, ex cept an individual named Marsden, who was sleeping i❑ an upper room in the house, and who, we regret to state, pe rished in the flames. There was a great scarcity of water, and the consequence was that the house where the fire commenced and unothur were nearly burnt down in half an hour. F CRT lIER PA kTIC CLA RS. There is now no doubt whatever that the lives of two human beings have fallen a sacrifice to this conflagration, the one a young man of respectable connexions, who was clerk to Messrs. Stultz and Co., tailors; and the other a Mr. Marsden, cashier to M.:ssrs. Boyle and Co., of Waterloo.place, Regent-street, coal merchants. Both thesC persons lodged in the house, and slept in chambers on the third story. ETONIAN FESTIVAL.--The noblemen and gentlemen who have received their education at Eton College, have their anniversary dinner on Saturday, the `23d instant, at the Th-tched House Tavern, St. James's-street, when Lord Littleton will preside. Thera is every prospect of a strong muster of Etonian& Tfl P, SUN', I,OIVDON, TITTIRSDAY,___MAY 14, IS4O, NATIONAL LOAN FUN U LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY. The Annual General Meeting of Proprietors in the National Loan Fund Society, for the purpose of r eceiving the Directors' Repo: t, elec.ing some Directors, &c., took place yesterday. It was held at the London Tavern, Bishodsgate-street. It was numerously and most respectably attended. Amongst the gentlemen present we observed the Lord Provost of Glasgow, Andrew White, Esq., M.P., Mr. Stoddart, the Treasurer of the City of Edinburgh, and several proprietors, forming the Local Committees from Bath, Exeter, Liverpool, Bristol, Salisbury, Bir mingham, Brighton, and other large towns throughout the country. T. 'JAMIE MURRAY, Esq. (the Chairman of the Board of Direction), took the Chair. The Secretary (Mr. CANtiroux) having read the requisition convening the meeting, The CHAIRMAN s:atcd that the Board bad prepared a report for that annual general meeting. It was a full and ample statement of all requisite circumstances ; it set forth the amount and extent of support that the Society had received from the public, and adverted to the expectations which that support warranted as re garded the future. As that report embodied the sen timents of all the Directors, it was unnecessary for him to say any more. The Secretary would read the report. The Secretary then read it : " REPORT, &c. " The Direelors have to express the pleasure they feel in meeting the Proprietors for the first time since the formation of the Society. " Although the principles of the Society were first promulgated in July, 1837, and afterwards constituted under the deed of settlement from the Ist day of Decem ber in that year, yet for more than 12 months previously had the most active but cautious examination been made into the solidity of its principles and the elements of suc cess it was likely to draw around it. " In the general interest excited in favour of the Society the Directors have not been disappointed ; they are ne vertheless aware that however good the principles are upon which an Institution of this kind is based, its pros perous working must depend upon an extended system of agency and co-operation.—( Hear, hear.) This object has not been overlooked by them, and in order, if possi ble, to give a greater efficiency to it, they have been oc cupied in the formation of Local Committees ; they have sought to obtain by this means more general support and extension, notwithstanding the difficulties attending such a system, often, in the first instance, presenting a want of unity and cohesiveness, but which the rapid and prosperous progress of the Society in the end converts into very powerful auxiliaries. " The Society has been everywhere received with favour—it seems to have awakened in the breasts of many the hope of securing an independence for their survivors, who had previously despaired of accomplishing such an object out of means more limited or uncertain than those more favoured by fortune, who had already availed themselves of the protection afforded by Life Assurance Societies. It has not, however, been forgotten by the Directors that the class so circumstanced comprises by far the greatest number of the community, and are possessed of by far the greatest aggregate amount of wealth.—(Hear.) In guiding the objects of the Institution over which they were called to preside, so as to reach the possessor of the smallest surplus in come over the usual wants of life, they felt convinced that by this means they were enlarging the basis of security and profit to the wealthier classes of insurers, a circumstance that this class would neither be slow to perceive, or fail in immediately converting to their advantage. " The short experience which the working of the Society afforded to the Directors the means of judging, has fully satisfied them that a considerable number of the policies opened with the Society belong to a class of individuals whose families, before its institution, had been rarely, if ever, protected by means of life assur• ance.—( Hear.) On the other hand, the number of policies issued by the Society for large amounts bespeaks confidence in that class of insurers, that the profits to be realized and divided among the assured will be con siderably enhanced by its universality and the vastness of extent to which the uninterrupted progress of the Society is likely to be carried. " In the month of May 1838 the Directors first pub lished the plan of Deferred Annuities, which was de signed at once as a remedy for the palpable deficiences and insecurity experienced by the contributors to bene fit societies, as well as to offer a more beneficial investment for the capital of the industrious classes than was within the scope of the savings' bank, while at the same time it secured to them the leading benefits and avoided the obvious defects of both those institutions. -.- " The seriousness with which this plan has been dis cussed and adopted by the public satisfies the Directors that it is adapted to the peculiar wants of a very large portion of the community, and that to draw towards it the support of this extensive class of society, it but requires the continuous development and the perfection of a system of agency co-extensive with it.—(Hear.) " The attention of the Directors has been continually directed towards this object, and, although the magni tude of the subject itself, and the minuteness of its detail, requires the utmost deliberation, they trust that during the period that must elapse before the next annual meeting, they will have made considerable progress. " In order to give a still further consolidation and security to the Society, the Directors felt it their duty to apply to the Legislature for an Act of Parliament, which, they are happy to inform the meeting, not withstanding the serious opposition which they encoun tered, they have obtlined, and the Society is now em powered under 2d Victoria (Session 1837-8). " The original capital of 500,0001. of the Society is divided into 50,000 shares. Of this number 18,623 have been disposed of, and the deed of settlement has been executed by the proprietors of 14,659. " On a careful review of the continuous increase of the business of the Society and its accumulating re sources, already forming in itself so ample a guarantee to the policy holders, the Directors were induced by a resolution, dated 28th January last, to suspend the further issue of the remaining 31,377 shares, except at a premium, increased from time to time as the prosperous progress of the Society would warrant.—(Hear, hear.) " The premium fixed on the first issue is one pound each share, and the number determined on by the Direc tors to be issued at that premium is 8,000. The re mainder of the shares will be emitted in the same manner, but with an increasing premium. " The sum to be received from this source will be very considerable. It will be applied, in the first in stance, to the discharge of all previous expenses, and the surplus (which will belong exclusively to all the Pro prietors) will be invested, and its income appropriated to diminish the annual charges of the general manage ment, so that at the first division the entire profits will be distributed, and afterwards, with the least possible deduction, among the:assured and the Proprietors of the guarantee capital of the Society (exclusive of the five per cent. as interest paid to the latter), in the propor tions regulated by its deed of settlement. " The number of policies issued by the SoCiety, in , eluding Deferred Annuities, amounts to 1,230, and the aggregate premiums received therefrom amounts to 31,2191. 19s. 7d. The sum received on Immediate Annuities amounts to 21,2511. 3s. 2d , and the present income of the Society is equal to 19,065/. Bs. 9d. " The claims already paid by the Society on five po licies amounts to 1,8001., and the sum received on short and lapsed policies, upon which no claim can accrue, amounts to 1,5711. Is. 9d. It is upon these results, so early exhibited in favour of the National Loan Fund Life Assurance Society, that the Directors have ven tured to anticipate a steady and prosperous future.— (Hear, hear.) " The business to be transacted at the present meet ing is the election of Directors, who go out by rota tion, two of whom arc re-eligible, namely, Hunter Gor don, Esq., and John Rawson, Esq., and who arc candi dates for the office ; for the election of Clement Tabor, &q., who is proposed Ly the Court of Directors to fill up one of the vacancies, and &so for the election of two Auditors, namely. Dr. Oiinthus Gregory, F.R A.S., and Prol'essor Wheatstone, F.R.S, who are re-eligible, and candidates for the office. The meeting is also called on, in accordance with the 15th clause in the deed of settlement, to fix the remuneration of the Chairman and Directors. The annual sum appropriated up to this period by the deed of settlement was 1,5001. The actual amount received by the Directors, including the salary of the Chairman, in the last year has been 1,1291.:45. The Directors are of opinion that an increase in their number beyond the present vacancies would be highly advisable. For the purpose of effect ing this object, when such individuals have presented themselves whose position in society would render them highly eligible, a special general meeting of the Society will be called. " In conclusion, the Directors beg to express their thanks for the efficient support they have received from the Local Committees of the Society, and their future reliance on the cordial co-operation of the Proprietors at large, comprising so many individuals of high respec tability and influence, in assisting them to carry out the great objects of the Institution." The Report was received with marked attention— frequently cheered—and at its conclusion it was warmly applauded. Mr. STODDART, Treasurer of the City of Edin burgh, moved that this very gratifying Report be adopted. In doing so he would trespass on the meet ing for a few minutes ; but as he knew the value of time, it should not be long. His attention had been particularly directed to the subject of insurance—it was one that was attended to in Scotland to a very grea t extent. It was unnecessary for him to remind them that the Scotch were naturally a very shrewd and cautious pe..ple ; and that they therefore did not hastily involve themselves in any schemes. Now he was tolerably well acquainted with the largest insti tutions in that country, and with their origin and pro gress ; and he hesitated not to declare that there was not one of them with which he was acquainted that had made such rapid progress as had this Society,— . (Cheers.) He had been connected with one which recently held its septennial meeting, where there was pos sessed a paid-up capital, and its annual receipts for fire premiums were only 21,000/., while here, at the end of a year and a half, there was a receipt of upwards of 31,000/. —(Cheers.) That was a striking illustration of the rapid progress of this Society.—( Hear, hear.) With out desiring to detain the meeting, he could not but advert to one very distinguishing feature of this Institution, namely, that regarding deferred an nuities.—( Hear.) He declared that it was calculated to confer one of the greatest boons on the country, especially on the labouring classes, on clerks, and on all persons with limited salaries or incomes.—(Cheers.) When they became unfit for further labour, the most effectual means of securing support were here pointed out. The plans of those deferred annuities, and that of the life annuities, were among the very best provisions for old age and for family provisions that ever were devised.--(Cheers.) Even those who could set apart only a few shillings at a time, would here find the very best mode of appropriating the same for future benefit.—( Hear.) He saw other institutions similar in some respects growing up around them, copying the plan of deferred annuities ; that was gratifying ; but still was it no: taking a leaf out of their book ?—( Loud cries of "hear, hear.") Although this was plagiarism—to adopt the mildest expression—it was so far gratifying that it was proof that the public were now more extensively beginning to be aware of the benefits arising out of the principles of this Society. Still this Society was entitled to the credit of having first promulgated the principles now so extensively but only partially imitated.—(Hear, hear.) The Report was in every respect most gratifying. The extent of business done showed that the Society already possessed the confidence of the public, while the small loss, or demands upon the Society's resources, showed with how much cautiousness its businets had been conducted, and that was calculated to produce increased confidence in the Directors, and on the value of confidence it was unnecessary for him to enlarge. And this led him to speak of the disinterested conduct of the Directors. The deed allowed them to appro priate a sum not exceeding 1,5001.; they had only appropriated 1,1001., when they might fairly have taken the full amount.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.") To the active and excellent conduct of the Board he could personally speak. He and another per son connected with the local Board in Edinburgh waited on Mr. Murray (the Chairman) about a year ago, for inforMation respecting this Society ; the fullest information was most satisfactorily given ; it was so satisfactory that they strongly recom mended the Society to the Edinburgh Branch. And that Branch, owing to the information they were enabled to give, and consequently the confidence to in spire, largely increased its business, and one gentleman, after learning all particulars, and going home to talk over the matter, had returned and paid down his 11,000/. for an immediate annuity on a comparatively young life. —(Cheers.) Now that was for what might extend over a long period of time ; yet such was his confidence, from the proofs adduced, that he at once had paid that large sum.—( Hear.) That was a marked proof of the value of confidence, and consequently of the excellence of the Chairman's and the Directors' conduct and attention. In conclusion, he begged to impress on all Proprietors the necessity of exerting their utmost to secure business to the Society ; each might do something, and it was asto nishiog how much might be effected by such means. He concluded with moving,—That the Report now read be adopted, that it be printed, and that it be circulated among the Proprietors.—( Applause.) Mr. A. WHITE, M.P. for Sunderland, said that he with very great pleasure rose to second this motion. The mover of the resolution and the Report had gone to fully into the merits of the Society, that it would be unnecessary for him to detain them with further re marks thereon. When called upon to preside at a meeting in his district, for the purpose of considering the propriety of establishing a branch there, he com plied with very great satisfaction, being then per suaded that it was calculated to be of the greatest benefits to the labouring classes. Further expe rience, and the very gratifying Report, had only strengthened that opinion. He considered that it was a good investment for persons in every branch of society.—(Hear, hear.) The motion was put, and unanimously adopted. Hunter Gordon, Esq., and John Rawson, Esq., whose period of office had expired, but who were eligi ble to be re-elected, were unanimously re-elected. Dr. Olinthus Gregory and Professor Wheatstone (Auditors), whose term of office had expired, but who were eligible for re-election, were unanimously re elected Auditors. Mr. STUDLEY moved a resolution that a sum not exceeding 1,5001. be set apart for the remuneration of the Chairman and Directors. Mr. MURDO YOUNG seconded the motion. Agreed to. Mfr. JAMESON (Agent and Secretary to the Edin burgh branch) said that he was very deeply interested in the meeting, and being a shareholder, and having a policy in the Society, he hoped were the best proofs he could give of his approbation of the principles of the Society.—(Hear, hear.) He would not occupy much of their time, for, as men of business, they must know the value of time. They might say much, but what could they say better than adopt ing the Report ? and if they adopted the Report would not that be declaring, in the most effective man ner, their approbation of the doings of the Chairman and Directors ; and if they did so, could they refrain from, on the contrary, were not they bound to return their cordial thanks to the -Chairman and Directors?— (Hear, hear.) Ho had narrowly watched their con duct, himself and scveral friends being deeply interested in the prosperity of this Institution, and he had found that they merited the fullest support and confidence. He had no fault to find with them, except, perhaps, of their over cautiousness ; so that if they erred it was on the safe side. He had sometimes thought that if they possessed a little more enterprise or speculation it would be advantageous to• the Society ; but so cau tious were they, that prOposals recommended even by his °Am nationally cautious Directors had been de clined, which were afterwards eagerly snapped up by some of the old Boards in Edinburgh. The principles of the Institution deserved all praise on account of their bold originality ; and so ob viously beneficial were they that the world wondered they had not been found out before. They brought home to the poor man's door the benefits of the So ciety, by showing him the means of protecting himself, and of securing comparative affluence, and that by his own exertions.—(Cheers.) He did not complain of the exertions of various benevolent institutions ; but he could not avoid thinking that to be the best benevo lence which showed individuals bow they could best work out their own security, advantage, and independ ence.—(Hear.) The Chairman deserved their warmest thanks, for he not only was the sole _ discoverer of the peculiar and admirable principles which distinguished their scheme, but bad most ably worked out his own plan. He had not quite such delicate feelings as the Chair- man and Mr. Stodart, and he did not like to see these imitations of their plan, which he would not call plagi arisms, but piracies.—(Cheers.) Previous to the in stitution of their. Society, life insurance had certainly been progressing in this country pretty rapidly he would admit, but then it was at ordinary carriage speed, but since, it had been going on at railway speed, so complete had been the success of their principles, that they saw others coming forward, clumsily clothing them selves in their garments, as their best claim to public support. He was glad, however, to find that their own success showed that the public understood that their institution was not only based upon sound principles, but that they also had agents best skilled in the working out of those principles.—(Loud cheers.) As a proof that the Directors were worthy of their con fidence and their thanks he would merely refer to the statement in the Report which had just been read, which showed that the Directors had not actually divided the whole of the very moderate sum which they were enti tled to divide among themselves.—(Cheers.) lie knew the value of time in London to all, more especially to all men of business, and although the remuneration voted might look large in one sum, yet when it came to be di vided out into driblets and extended over a whole year, it would appear that the Directors, so far from having received any remuneration, had actually attended at a loss to themselves.—(Cheering.) To his com munications with the Board of Directors he had always met with the most ready and rapid answers. He was a man of business himself; and knew the necessity of speedy communications well, and had he found that his communications to the Directors had remained for some time unanswered or unattended to, of course he should have concluded they were not men of business ; but the contrary was invariably the case , an d t h e rap idi ty of their communications had only been equalled by the rapidity of the communication between the northern and southern capitals of the empire. Were they entitled to their thanks or not ? (Loud cheers, rnd cries of " Yes.") There were also other officers on the establishment, besides the Chair man and Directors, to whom their thanks were due. —(Cheers ) He did not refer now to Dr. El liotson or Mr. Syme, because those gentlemen were included in his former proposition. The varied and high attainment!, and the deservedly proud position of his friend Dr. Elliotson, were a complete security that only such lives would be taken as fell fairly within the scope of the Society's tables. But thanks were not due to him alone ; the fact that only 1,8001. had been paid for insurances, showed that all their other medical officers well understood the . nature of lif e cont i ngencies and the risks which were incurred.—(Loud cheering.) They also were deserving of their thanks.—(Loud cheers.) There was also another person most eminently entitled to their thanks, and that was th e person b y whose mathematical skill their tables had been calcu lated. There was a degree of complexity in these cal culations, and their number was so great, as ma d e i t . absolutely hopeless to follow him them, but they had all had ample corroborative testimony of the correct ness of the calculations on which the scheme is based. They found that the calculations of life had been made under the actual value—this was safe, profitable, and • sound to them, while, at the same time, they were en ablcd to act with proper liberality, so as to do justice at the sane time to the institution and to the public gene rally. They could not give more for money than money would produce. They had to calculate the risk so as leave a fair profit to theniselve4, Ivithout, at the same time, unfairly taxing the public.—(Loud cheering.) A more d:flicult calculation it was scarcely possible to make. Tile calculations as to the deterred annuities could not he obtained from previous tables, and the difficulties cf these calculations were increased by the peculiar feature of their scheme giving their option to the annuitants to receive instead a heavy policy at death, however small their then chance of life might be. Extensive calculations had to be made to enable the Society to do this without danger to them selves, nod without acting unfairly by the public. The gentleman who had made these calculations in such en accurate manner was entitled to their most cordial and sincere thanks.—(Loud cheers.) But all these things would have been of little avail, if they had not , found a competent Secretary. If they had not a good Secretary, the labour of the Directors would often he of little avail.—( Hear, bear.) As Manager and Agent of the Board of Edinburgh, he of course in his small way—(A laugh)—although he believed the Board of Edinburgh, by the bye, did more business than any other local board—(Cheers) —had had con stant communications and correspondence with the Secretary ; and be believed he was speaking not only his own sentiments, but those of all his brethren, the other Managing Directors of local Boards, when he said that they had every reason to be satis fied not only with the zeal, talents, and efficiency, but with the courtesy, urbanity, and kindness —(Loud cheers)—of the Secretary. He would, there fore, ask them whether they could hesitate in acceding at once to the proposition he was about to make : that the thanks of the Proprietors be given to the Chairman, Directors, and other officers of the Society.—(lmrnenre cheering.) Mr. JAMESON—After such a reception, I will not ask any one to second the motion, as I believe every one present has done so.--(lmmense cheering.) The question having been put, and carried unani mously, The CHAIRMAN said—l confess that, of all the tasks which have been imposed upon myself and the other Directors, from the commencement of the institution up to the present moment, each one has appeared light to the one which I now have to execute. Both my colleagues and myself feel quite overpowered by the cordial manner in which the resolution just proposed has been received. I therefore wish, as briefly as pos sible, to say how impossible it is for us to give a proper degree of expression to our feelings on this occasion.— (Loud cheers.) The manner in which Mr. Jameson introduced this resolution ought to be most gratifying to our feelings, and if anything can sanction us in giving, expression to our feelings of congratulation on our suc cess, it is our having been able, at this our first annual meeting, to show to you that we have reaped such an ample harvest of public confidence.—(Loud cheering.) I have, during the greater part of my life been engaged in the proposition of many things new, and can say from experience, that although it may be difficult to obtain the support of public opi nion in the first instance, yet that where deserved it will ultimately be obtained. Therefore, had the degree of support which we have obtained not answered our expec tations so early as it has done, I should not have doubted of our being enabled ultimately to carry out the principles of the Society, knowing, as I do, that they are calcu lated largely to benefit the country, and the indus trious classes of the community.—(Cheers.) You have been pleased to couple, with the expression o! thanks to us, thanks to the medical officers likewise. It would be unnecessary in me now to attempt to state more than the high opinion which we all entertain of the great and extreme value of their services —(Hear, hear, and loud cheers.) To Mr. Woolhouse the greatest possible debt of gratitude is due for his most laborious, skilful, and exact calculations. From the nature of the scheme itself, the calculations ari necessarily most complex, and if there is any valor in it, it is owing entirely to Mr. Woolhouse. The Institution has ground to pride itself on being able to obtain the services of that gentleman ; in him they pos sess the highest mathematician in Europe.—( Cheers.) You have also passed a vote of thanks to the Secretary. I can bear witness to his unremitting attention to his arduous duties, which call upon him at times to descend to the most minute details, and occupy him frequently many hours out of the ordinary course of business. This must necessarily be the case at the commence ment of every institution ; and sure I am that no one can discharge his duties better or more efficiently than Mr. Camroux.—(Loud cheers.) Mr. Jameson has alluded to the plan of this Institution hav ing been copied by other Societies.—(Hear, hear.) I believe that since its commencement no less than 40 new establishments have, more or less, taken up our principles, and all without the least acknowledgment I do not feel hurt or wounded by this.—(Hear, hear, hear.) It merely tends to demonstrate the value of our scheme, it shows the direction that wa. are progressing in, and I am sure that those will do business with this institution who inquire int( the particulars of it.—(Cheers.) So far from feeling hurt or wounded by the adoption of our principles by other Societies, I consider all these adoptions only as so many advertisements of our scheme—( Cheers)—and I will give them all the advantages they can possibl) derive from it without any feelings of jealousy ; and as the business to be transacted by such institutions as ours is as inexhaustable as human life itself, it is utterly impossible for any one Society to Embrace the whole of it. The scope and object of the Society is a topic on which I should much like to address you, but 1 will not detain you now. The objects of our Society arc fully explained in our Prospectus, and have been already amply discussed. There is scarcely a newspaper in Great Britain or Ireland which has not taken part in this discussion. It has also attracted the attention of man) eminent philanthropists. Pamphlets have been written on the subject, and lectures delivered, and one philanthro phic gentleman, the Rev. Mr. Butler, of Nottingham. whom I had never seen until the other day, has been giving lectures at his own expense in different towns, for the purpose of explaining our scheme, and this without having any pecuniary interest in our suc cess, for he is not either a shareholder or an insurer, but actuated by pure motives 0: philanthropy.—( Loud cheers.) Allusion has been made in the Report to the operation now carrying on with regard to the reserved shares. As the Repor; was read in a rapid manner, I will endeavour to explain it to you. There are 31,000 shares re served. It is proposed to issue 8,000 of these a a premium of 1/. per share. Any further it.- crease of the guarantee capital of the Society is Ewa w h o lly unnecessary, as the accruing premiums and investments from the insurances effected in the Society are much more than sufficient to meet any dis bursement there can be called for. In the first year it i, requisite to have a guarantee capital ; but with the increase of business this guarantee becomes less and less necessary. The risk undertaken in the first in stance by the first Proprietors of the guarantee is now cover, but it is not fair to them to admit to an equal participation of profits new Proprie tors, on the same terms, who have neither under taken the first risks of the Society, nor partaken of the expenses of founding its business. It is there fore proposed that the farther issue of shares should only be made at a premium commensurate with the ad vantages to tie derived by those who enter into a busi- ness without risk, and with a profit already secured to them. The first issue of shares will extend to 8,000, and at a premium of one pound for each share. The further issue will be made at an increased premium, justified by the success of the Society. My own pri vate opinion is that from 50,0001. to 60,0001. will he realised on these reserved shares. This fund will be first appropriated to the liquidation of all expenses already incurred, and when the profits come to be divided, they will be without deduction, and be the same as if the Society had been carried on without any expenses whatever. Beyond this I believe there will be a large surplus, which it is intended to fund, and the income resulting there from will cover in part, if not wholly, the future ex penses of management, so that the entire profits may be divided amongst the Proprietors and the assured in their respective proportions. We shall be prudent in the issue of shares to those only who wish them for in vestment, and to grant them to those only who feel an in terest in promoting the extension of the Society.--( Hear.) I have only now on the part of myself, my colleagues, and the officers of the Society, to return you our sin• core thanks for the honour you have done us, and to express cur hope that at our next meeting we shall lay before you a statement that will give you even greater satisfaction than the present one.--(Loud cheers.) Before we go I have to propose a vote of thanks to the managers of Local Committees.—(Loud cheers.) The motion having been put, and carried unani mously, A. BITE, ESQ., M.P., said that as one of the local Directors of Sunderland he begged to acknowle(lge tale honour which had just been conferred on the local I): - rectors. lie was rejoiced to hear of the flourishing state of the Institution. as he thought it was one which was likely to be of immense benefit to th e w h o l e of the United Kingdom.—( Loud cheers.) The a.eeting then separated. The Earl and Countess of Warwick and Lady Caroline Nee ld have sent liberal contributions towards th'e building of the new episcopal scho o l at Milverton, near Leamington-spa. The sum of 841. ss. was collected on Mon day last, after an eloquent and appropriate discourse preached by the Rev. A. 13. Campbell. The schools wilt he opened in June. THE WEATITER.—Since our last we have had almost continued rain, which, though accompanied by a con siderable reduction of temperature, is producing a striking and most beneficial effect upon vegetation. On Sunday we had a very heavy gale from the north-east, so strong, indeed, as to blow down a tree in Broughton-lan e ; and it must bare done some little damage to the apple blossoms in exposed situations. What seems at first sight somewhat remarkable, is that on the same day it was quite calm at Wrexham, with very copious rain; and some striking differences in the direction of the wind and the state of the weather have existed in different places.--Mane/(ester Guardian. NE W ZEALAND. On Monday we published a full description of Port Nicholson, given by Colonel Wakefield, in his second despatch to the New Zealand Companies. The fol lowing are further interesting particulars of his inter views with the natives, the purchase of the land and the general appearance of the country. We are in- debred for them to the New Zeitiaild i .Touriur I, which published the document in an extra Number on Tues __ day. Having concluded the bargain, and delivered the articles to the Chiefs, who distributed them among their people, Colonel Wakefield adds : " On entering the harbour, a fine expanse of water presents itself to the view. Tbe distance from the reef, and from the top of the harbour inside to the beach at the bottom of it, is about six miles, and three or four in width ; over the whole of which is found nn- chorage ground, and in the deep bay which forms the real harbour perfect shelter from ull winds. In the whole space no inconvenience can arise to any vessel with the usual precautions, as none but the true wind kit, instead of the flurries which are so troublesome in the other ports I have been in on the Southern side of the Strait. An island placed near midway down the harbour, is of considerable size, and offers itself as well adapted for a fort which would command the entrance and the whole extent between the hills which enclose Port Nicholson to the East and West. These hills are by no means of the formidable height of those in the Sound and in the Oyeroi. They are covered with trees of a brighter foliage than those we had left in the morn ing, and present no obstacles to their cultivation. In the beauty of their appearance they reminded us of the woods of Mount Edgecumbe, the last we saw in Eng land. We had not anchored when we received on board two canoes full of natives, who hailed Mr- B-- as an old friend and companion in dan ger. Epuri, an old chief, eagerly inquired the motives of our visit, and betrc.yed the most lively sa tisfaction at being- informed that we wished to buy the place and bring white men to it. He was follosed by Warepori, his nephew, who is about thirty-five years old, and has for some years superseded the older chiefs in influence by his prowess in war and skill in the rude arts cultivated by these people. He also in fine words expressed his desire to see white people here, and his willingness to sell the land, which was solemnly made over to him by the natives of this place five years ago, when the greater portion of them emigrated to one of the Chatham Islands in an English vessel, whose master they partly obliged to carry them. Warepori and the tribes which now inhabit the whole district of Port Nicholson were a little before that time driven out of their own country in the neighbourhood of Lount Eg mont by the tribes about the boiling springs, and have the same right to this place as Raupero has to Entry Island, and as the Waikati people have to Kawai, from which they expelled the latter chief. This right is that of possession ; sanctified in this case, in the opinion of the natives of all these parts, by the formal cession of the land by the natives who abandoned it, which constitutes the lawful power of use and disposal throughout these islands. Moreover, as regards this district, there is no one who disputes his claim, for the original possessors have made their homes at the Chathams, and having greatly decreased since their departure, would be incapable, if so disposed, to regain their ceded territory. " The two chiefs remained on board at night. They informed us that the schooner had left some native Missionaries here, who were instructed to have houses and chapels built by the time Mr. W-- was ex pected, with which orders they had complied. In dis cussing the merits of the Missionary labours as opposed to the former practices of the natives, viz., those of war and cannibalism, they deprecated the constant occupa tion of praying and singing, which took people off from their, potato-grounds and their canoes ; the younger one 'lecturing that the incessant worship had nearly driven nim mad, whilst they at the same time warmly de nounced any further fighting. What we want,' they said, 6 is to live in peace, and to have white people come imongst us. We arc growing old,' alluding to the nu merous aged chiefs on shore, and want our children to have protectors in Europeans ; but we do not wish for the Missionaries from the North. They are na tives. We have long been told of vessels coming from Europe. One has at length arrived ; and we will sell nor land and harbour, and live with the white people •xlsen they come to us.' " The old man asked what the Missionaries meant when they said that all who were not Missionaries were Devils ? And said that they told him his father would come and see him again, when everybody knew that his father had been dead and eaten these thirty years.' " Saturday, 21st September.—This morning the two chiefs renewed their conversation respecting the sale of land, and begged me to go and look at the place and tell them what I thought of it. They did not wish to talk any more about disposing of it till I had seen it ; and Warepori said that he should go and finish a large canoe he was working ai, and that we should not see him for two or three days, by which time I could tell him whether the place suited. me. " I accordingly went on shore at the bottom of the harbour, and procuring a small canoe, proceeded with a chief who had been appointed to spew nic everything up the fresh-water river, which empties itself in the har bour at about a n.ilc distant from our anchorage. This river is seven or eight feet deep at its mouth, where it T reads itself over a large extent, forming a lagoon in fluenced by the tide. It has also made for itself three other streams, which divide it at a distance of many miles from its mouth, and increase the extent of inun dated land. The valley in which it flows seems to be about forty miles in length, and is from three to four miles broad. " On each side gently sloping hills, about two hundred feet in height, covered with timber, bound it to the East and West, as far as a very high range of mountains par tially capped with snow. At about three miles up the river commences a grove of fine trees of the best des cription for ship and house building, intermixed with large pine-trees. One of these trees, called the Kaika tea, measured twenty-one feet in circumference, and is nearly the same size upwards for sixty feet without a branch ; and I did not select this one for its peculiarity. The pines would furnish yards and masts of all ,izes. A tree, called by the English here the honeysuckle, furnishes excellent woad fOr boat building. The only white man living in Port Nicholson showcd me a boat of eight tons, which he had constructed of this wood, the planks of which he had himself bent in the sun. He had sawed the whole of it with a hand-saw, and made the nails for it out of old hoops. " We found fifty or sixty people working up the river at their gardens, and a few higher up, who had fled yesterday on hearing our guns when the New Zealand flag was saluted. These were reassured by our guide, and returned with us. Those we had passed in our ascent had prepared baskets of potatoes in their ovens for us on our return, and all eagerly greeted me as lately from Europe direct. The White Missionaries they consider as much natives as themselves : at one of their stations they inquired of my guide, as the canoe glided by down the current, whether the ship contained Missionaries ; No,' said he, they are all devils The shouts of laughter betrayed their acquaintance with his allusion, and their opinion of the uncharitable tenet which had given rise to it." The sale of the territory was the subject of a formal discussion among the tribes, of which a graphic de scription is given. ' Monday, Sept. 23d.—This morning I went to visit all the settlements in the harbour. At one of the largest we found Warepori at work at a large canoe, the bottom of which oonsists of a single tree, sixty feet long, hollowed out with the adze. In the course of the forenoon, two large canoes put into the cove where we were, at the signal from him. They were on their way to the principal village near our anchorage, carrying the chiefs of two tribes to a meeting, at which the proposed sale of the land was to be discussed. When these had landed, there were assembled about sixty men, and the affair which occupied all minds was brought on the carpet. After an introduction of the matter by Warepori, the leader of the opposition, by name Buacawa, rose and addressed the assembly. He objected to the sale of the place, on the score of the treatment to be expected by the natives from white settlers, and the inexpediency of parting with the homes which they had obtained after so much suffering, when driven from their native territory. He spoke for an hour, and cvinoed consi derable power. His diction and gesticulation were most vigorous, and the most ignorant of the language in which he spoke, and the most inexperienced in phy siognomy, could not fail of taking the sense of his ora tion from his expression and action. Matangi, the oldest and formerly the most influential chief of these tribes, favoured the sale, and almost cried with joy when he spoke of the white people coming to protect the Port Nicholson people from their enemies, and put an end to war. " Warepori replied to his opponent, and talked a good deal about himself. He said that lie was known in Europe, and that the ship had been sent out to him. Before lie concluded, all but the leader of the opposi tion had moved off to another part of the ground upon the appearance of a large mass of baked birds and potatoes, which had been cooked in honour of our visit. " I favoured these discussions, from feeling assured that the more the affair was debated the more binding would be the bargain I should succeed in con cluding. And in themselves they had nothing disa greeable; for, in all seriousness, I can assert that I never saw a deliberative assembly conduct its busi ness in a more regular or decorous manner ; and that the solemnity of the appeals of the speakers, and the encouraging applause or earnest dissent of the audience, were becoming the importance of the trans action they were engaged in. At the close of the arguments, which ended in a decision in favour of the stile, most of the meeting went away in canoes to the chief village, where another debate was to take place. Indeed, in every settlement this floating Parliament assembled upon the occasion, and formally proceeded to take the sense of the inhabitants. It realized, after a manner, Mr. Crossett Pelham's notion of an ambulant Legislature. " Turscay, 24th september.—l was on sl.ore to day at the principal village, when the debate was re flowed. It ended, as yesterday, in a large majority de ciding to sell me all their rights in this harbour and district. At its conclusion, I formay asked the chiefs, through Mr. B-, whether they had made up their minds ; and they asked, Have you seen the place, and how do you like it ?' I replied, that I had seen all I racted, and that it was good ;' upon which they told me that it was now for me to speak, for that they had decided to sel (their land upon their own judgment and by the advice of their friends in the neighbourhood, notwithstaneling the dissent of some grumblers who owned but little of it, and whose only argument against the sale was, that the white people would drive the natives away, as in Port Jackson. They had pre viously had fully explained to them, that a reserve of land was to be made for them, and showed their knaw ledge of its meaning by now referring to it in answer to this argument, and by saying that they would live with the English as with each other. " I begged the chiefs to go on board the ship to morrow, when I would let them see what I could give for the land. Afterwards they spoke but little of the affair, and gave •us some specimens of sham fights, in which all the violent distortions of the countenance, put- ting out the tongue to the greatest extent, &c. &C., which you have heard of, took place. " I found a territory of forty or fifty miles in length by twenty-fivo or thirty in breadth, containing a noble harbour, accessible at all times, and in the very highway between New Holland and the western world, and land exceeding in fertility any I have seen in these island s , and equalli ng th a t o f an English garden. I found a race of people of warlike habits, and but little used to intercourse with Euroi-eans, just emerging from their barbarism, and inclined to cultivate the arts and intimacy of Great Britain ; appreciating the protection from their hosiile and still savage enemies that British settlers would afford, and anxiously desiring to assist them in their first labours in a new country. I found these people, mustering, upon the slightest call, three hundred armed men, and quite capable, as they have repeatedly proved themselves, of retaining their possessions, and never having parted with a single acre of land in their district by sale or otherwise, now, for the first. time, disposed to make over their country to me, as the representative of a body of my countrymen, in consideratie n of the promises of remuneration and advantage I had held out to them. Under these cir cumstances, and following out the spirit of my instruc tions, I determined to act in the most liberal manner in the transaction. Moreover, I was most anxious to dis tinguish this bargain from all others .that have been made in New Zealand, that none of the haggling and petty trading which usually take place between the Europeans and natives of this country should enter into any operations between the latter and the Comaany's agents ; and that the value of this.property should not be regulated by what has hitherto been considered the standard of exchange in similar transactions. " Sunday, September 19.—After service I went round the settlements in the harbour with Warepori, in order to see how the people were satisfied with. their goods, and to invite them to a war-dance at the prin cipal village to-morrow. I wished to muster them, in order to know their strength, and to convince them that I placed entire confidence in them. On landing at the Taranuke, or slave settlement, Warepori begged me to take a place in a canoe which was hauled upon the beach, and seating himself, proceeded to address the occupants of this wretched village. He represented the value of English settlers coming to the place ; and excused the smallness of the quantity of goods he had sent to them, on the plea of the free settlement having required the greater share ; but, concluded he, You have now arms, and should Raupero, or the Boiling water tribe attack us, you will be able to defend your selves. If we go to war, and any ofyou fall, )013 have now the satisfaction of knowing that such will be buried with their muskets and cartouche-boxes, and that their friends will mourn over them as men who died with weapons in their hands.' By his tact in thus suiting his speech to the taste of his audience, lie soon conciliated them ; and when ono of the Missionaries appeared and reproached him for not haying kept one-halt of the land for them 'mid the white men of his profession expected from the North, they applauded his rebuke of him, which was eloquently delivered, and contained matter which I little expected from him. He asked him how he, a child, dated to reprove him for anything he had done ? and whether, when the land had been sold to the white Missionaries, they might not have sold it again perhaps to Frenchmen or Americans ? "l'his Rangatira-hoya,' i. c. gentleman-soldier, he said, drawing attention to me, will bring many people here from England ; and how could they live in the same place with their ene mies ? They are not all Englishmen that come from Europe : I have been in Port Jackson, and know the English ; and none else shall. come to interfere with those who are coming to live here. There is a man from Europe on board the ship who is not an English man ; I know him by his tongue.' This was in allusion to the German naturalist, After re-entering the boat, be said he wished to satisfy every body ; that he had reserved nothing for himself ; that when be had learned English, he would go to England ; and laying his head on my knee, he added, that if the natives were ' dissatisfied with him, he sould live with the English, and they should be his fathers. He the!) invited the young men to attend at the principal village to-morrow, six miles off, at a war-dance in honour of their visitors. " Before leaving the head of the harbour, I pro posed to buy the houses and chapels that the Mis sionary delegates have built on a beautiful piece of flat land, already cleared, on which I propose to plant the first British settlement ; but Warepori objected to my paying anything more, saying, Have you not already paid for the land, and every thing on it?' I engaged the natives, however, to be active in collecting provi sions, clearing the land, and bringing timber for houses to this spot. " At all the other settlements similar scenes took place ; and I had the satisfaction of being received on alf hands as a benefactor, and to hear the reiterated as surances of contentment with the purchase money, and joy at the expected arrival of settlers. " I must not omit to do justice to the Chiefs who are parties to the deed, by informing you that they were equally anxious that the sale should take place, and that the purchase should be valid and binding on themselves and heirs. They repeatdly informed their people that the land would be gone from them for ever, with the excep tion of what the white people would allow them to live on and cultivate ; that they would never receive any fur ther payment for it, but be paid for any labour they might perform for us ; and that the contract would be held as sacred as similar ones which arc frequent amongst themselves." The confirmation of the contract : " Monday, aOth September.— In the course of the morning we observed the natives from all parts of the port mustering at the prescribed place for the appointed ceremony. Although the wea ther was bad, canoes full of armed men, women, and children, on foot, hastened to the rendezvous. Warepori and the Chiefs, who had slept on board, went on shore ea' ly to make preparations for our reception. In every direction on the beach the native ovens threw up clouds of smoke ; and an immense 111 g-staff was reared, with the assistance of our carpenter, on which to hoist the colours of New Zealand, which I intent to leave here. ;:ie afternoon, at a signal from the shore, all the cabin-party and those who could be spared forward landed, and were received by about three Imndred or more men, women, :.rid children. The former, amount ing to two hundred, were all armed—most of them with muskets or fowling pieces, spears, tomahawks, axes of various sizes, pointed sticks ; and the dozen umbrellas which they had received from us figured in the hands of the others. They were divided into two parties, which occupied separate parts of the village and beach ; and were led respectively by Warepori, who insisted upon wearing a large hussar cloak of mine, and was armed with a beautiful meri of green stone and kaihaya, and an old chief, known by the nickname of Dog's-car, and for his warlike feats and his detestion of Raupero and his tribe. Immediately on landing I had the New Zealand flag hoisted at the flag-staff head ; when the same was done at the main of the ship, which saluted it with twenty-one guns, greatly to the satisfaction of the assembly. \Varepori then inquired whether we were ready ; and apologised for the absence of many me n , either absent on an expedition to the westward, em ployed in their potato-grounds, or deterred by the lowering state of the weather. " Preparatory to the review, each party shook off their clothes and took to their arms ; after which they went through their customary dance, which excites them to vigour of action, to the csdenco of an harmoni ous recitative breathed out deeply from the lungs. Leaving their clothes as a regiment leav es i ts knap sacks prior to the execution of rapid manoeuvres, each raty took his station on the bea c h at a b out two dred yards distance from its oppone n t. Then commenced the war-dance, which consists of saltatory whilst one hand extended upwards grasps the weapon, and the other at each d escent of the body slaps the thigh. The whole body of the i.) in and performers kept perfect i time in these movements, d sounds which accomp an i e d t h em. The deep tv,,o 6tu • columns ut then passed each other at the utmost speed, and wheel ling about with great precision, took up a different ground nearer to each other. After the dance had been repeated, and in this the women joined, making the most frightful distortions of countenance, andp,r traying the demons of discord by their appearance and action, a challenge was brought from one party to the other, and delivered in pantomimic signs, and you may judge of our surprise when we found that. the bearer o. this gage, disguised in an easy undress, and his head ornamented with a profusion of feathers of the houya, gracefully arranged, was the catechist, from the Bay of Islands, Richard Davis, so named after his white god father and teacher. He was most expressive in his action, and throughout the scene ; and subsequently, in bringing up a reinforcement from the next village with great rapidity, s howed that his keg sojourn among st his reverendemployers had not changed his ! I inborn tastes , or abated his skill in the sport. As the d a y was closing in, and this was intended as a most amicable meeting of the tribes, no sham-fight took place, but the Chiefs addressed the forces, and assured each other of mutual good-will. One of the bodies Yid, IPPIN 1!,447C1"14! OITION, f then performed a war song, in the execution of whi great exertion of lungs, and limbs, and accuracy of ti were displayed." >tic/ "Thursday, October I.—lt remained for me r r v . only to leave a person to watch the interests of Company, and to make preparations for the arrival 1 4 -, ! ,,, settlers ; and I had brought with me a persott fro Queen Charlotte's Sound, a trustworthy man, we qualified by his knowledge of the language and habit 4 0k4 YEAS of the people, for the purpose. 1 left with him saws, tools, garden•seeds, and various articles o f tiade, in which to pay for native labour, and to supply himself with food. Warepori undertook to put him up in a new house at his village, and render him every as.istance. I had landed also a sow which bad littered on cur voyage from England, and her progeny ; the go Is, and the poultry. I left Mr.S:— ample instructions to encourage the natives to build temporary houses at Thornd o n, t o pl an t p o t a t oes , and to keep their pigs for th e i r exp ec t e d v i s it ors ; an d su ppli e d hi m with boards to place on the most prominent spots, on which is painted' New Zealand Land Company.'" :~;~-t MONEY MARKET and CITY NEWS. (WEDNESDAY EVENING. TlMES.—There is a notion on the Stock Exchange that the Government will raise money fry an extension of the Long Annuities to the year 1880, instead of having recourse to any other method. This impression may serve to account for the gradual rise of Consols during the last few days, and the no less steady decline of Exchequer Bills, which would naturally fall as the notion of a funding, which had sustained ti'em, began to lose credit. Consols are quoted 91/ to 91i for Money, and 91 . E (buyers) for the account, w hi c h i s a further advance of /. Exchequer Bills are a shilling lower, and are quoted 19s. to 21s. premium. Some communications made at a meeting of the Committee of South American bondholders yesterday evening being considered satisfactory, so far as related to the Mexican Government, there has been to-day a disposition to speculate in Alexican securities, which have considerably advanced. They are quoted at SO to 11, and at 32 to for the new bonds. Spanish Ac tives arc flat at 288 to - i t ; Portuguese Five per Cents. are 3.11 to 8 ; and Dutch Two-and-a-Half per Cents. stationary at 53/- to 4.k. The Share-market i very hlisk, and the [Alen of all the lines are still :advancing. Birn ing ism are 8) to 2 premium. Great Western, 24 to 25, and 12 to ,t for the half-shares. Brighton, 5-4- to 5 disci:mot. • Blackwall, 1:1 to / pm. SUN.—A good amount of business was transacted it pat.& secutities this afternoon, and prices rate aga a about per e. nt. Flom these gradual improvements in Consols, it appears evident th it the johbers have abandoned the design of depressing the market in ex poctation that the Chancellor of the Exchequer will re quire a new loan, and let the public have the scrip on easier terms. Fur present transfer Consols brought 91i 1, and for Time 911 to ; Exchequer Bills were heavy at 19s. to 21s. prem.; and India Bonds at 2s. to 4s. pretn.; Bank Stock was firm at 175; ; India Stock rose to 251 ; and the New Three-and•a-Half per Cents. to 1001. The Market for Spanish Stock continued depressed up to the close of business, arising, in a great measure, from the A_pproaching settlen.ent of the account, and the arrangement of the options. The Active Bonds closed at 281 e ; Portuguese New Five per Cents. were heavy at 34 1 4- to ; and Colombian receded to 26 ; Mexican, in consequence of the directions forwarded to the agents of the Republic in this country, to receive here the Coupons representing arrears of interest on the debt, in payment of Custom Dues, whereas hitherto they have been available only at the ports of Mtsieo, rose from 29k to 301 ; French Five per Cent. Rentes brought 113 75, being a slight improtement ; Dutch Five per Cents. touched 101. There was a large business done in the Railway Shares this afternoon, and in almost every instance at itnprot ea quotations. The London and Birmingham Shares realised 82, the Great Western 24, the New 12,4, the North Midland 64, the New 131, the Man chester and Leeds New 1 1 3, and the South Western 13a- premium. The Brighton were 5, and the Man chester and Birmingham 6, and the Eastern Counties 8 discount. London Joint-stock Bank Shares were at 3/ premium. The official return of the present quantity of Foreign Grain in bond shows the stock to be under 300,000 quarters. The imports of Colonial Wheat last week were a mere bagatelle. The revenue derived from the duties paid upon the admission of Grain and Flour for home consumption, was aboat 1,200,000. After all the outcry against the late Chancellor of the Exchequer, it appears that the amount of Bills afloat last year was less than for four years previously, except in 1837. SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS. FROM THE MORNING PAPERS OF TILTS DAY. (From the Morning Chronicle ) There was a fanatical gathering in Exeter hall yester day, wi en, as usual, the Catholic Emancipation Act was denounced, and the building rang with acclamations for its repeal. An awful event occurred in the sudden death of the Rev. Dr. F'cocock. It has been often said by divines, that death is the great teacher of charity. He is so, to the common human heart ; but this moral function seems to be abdicated when he appears on the platform of Exeter Hall, at a " Protestant meeting." It is saying but little that these ceaseless attacks upon the civil rights and status of our Catholic fellow-countrymen arc a dis grace to the party that strengthens itself by such means, while its leader affects to condemn them. The evil pene trates deeper. They desecrate the Church whose name is a‘sociated with them; and in multitudes they stimulate the worst feelings towards Christianity itself. 'Phe Owenitcs are innocuous enemies of religion, as to actual it:ll:mace over people's minds, compared with the M'Neiles and Stowells. (From the Times.) The writli;rigs of Irish Radicalism under the expected infiction of Lord Sunley's indispensable measure become more frantic every hour, as the time approaches for dis cussing the committal of the Bill. The English language has heen,rannekt d for terms the most opprobrious, less in relation to the Bill itself, than in disparagement of tho Noble Lord, his history, motives, and character as a con stitutional statesman; the knaves if Downing-street finding it somewhat eaiier, as well as more congenial to their own malice towards the man they dread, to fling out vague Billingsgate against his person, than to deal with anything in the shape of argument against his measure, and capab!e of refutation on the face of it. " Recreant Whig," " apostate," " renegade," &c.. are samples of description, cheap and vile enough, and often applied for factious ends to the moat virtuous public men in the community. But will the calumniators of Lord Stanley point out to us any one act of the Noble Lord's life which entitles him to the epithets we have quoted ? The act by which, above all others, the noble Member for North Lancashire has slimed the rancour of those who admired so long as they could make use of him, was one which has gained fer him the tsteem and attach ment of every dispassionate politician in the empire, and of all observers of our national character amongst foreign nations, who are capable of judging on what fame and honour ought to rest. (From the Morning Herald.) That the Melbourne Ministry are what the Globe, no doubt with a sly reference to the long run of good for tune which has attended the " thimble-rig" game, termed " the lucky Administration" is unquestionable. It is true that several of the most notorious of the characters that have figured in the pages of that species of history which is filled with ;he exploits of dishonest ingenuity, have had a great flow of " good-luck," though they have made ill ends at last. But we do not see why the Melbourne poli tical gamblers should not continue to be as prosperous for the next ten years as they have been during the ten years past, seeing that even when their own knavish tricks seem to recoil upon them, and fortune itself to lour, their Con servative opponents are sure to come to their rescue—drag them out of the quagmire into which they were fast sink ing —scrape the dirt from their begrimed persons to befoul themselves with, and give them once more a secure footiug upon tie disgraced and degraded destinies of the country. (From the Morning Advertiser.) Petitions from the parishes of St. Pancras, Marylebone, and Lambeth, numercusiy signed by the inhabitants of the said districts, have within a few days past been presented to the House of Commons, praying Parliament to adopt, without delay, measures for stopping the murdtrius ca reer of quaciceb ; and, in order to effect this purpose, that a report may be drawn up of the evidence obtained by the Medical Committee of Inquiry in the year 1834, and of which, with shame be it spoken in reference to those who had pledged themselves to act differently, no use has yet been made. We understand that many more petitions signed by the inhabitants at large are speedily to follow from various quartets, breathing the same prayer. We trust that some Honourable Member, upon the strength of the presentation of these petitions, will move that a report shall be immediately drawn up on the ample stock of evi dence already printed by the House and obtained by the counteract th o o f e efforts another a th fo o r s c e sa widho Committee—so would t heappointment C o mmittee of Inquiry , which will p rove p urel y usele ss. move for a s t and will only be had recourse to for the sake of procrasti nating medical reform. It is said that. Madame Vestris cleared 4001. by the benefit at Covent-garden on Monday evening. LONDON WELSH PROVIDENT SPCIETy.— A numerous party of the members and friends of this Society took tea together at the Queens Arms, in Newgate-street, on the 12th inst. After tea a mee:ing was held, at which Griffit Davis, Esq., P. R. S., the President of the Society, presided. Mr. Ilugh Owen, the Honorary Secretary, read a report, giving a highly satisfactory account of the progress which the society has made since its establishment in January, 1837: The meeting was addressed by several gentlemen, and separated at an early hour, greatly pleased pith the proceedings of the evening. THE OPERA.—The unexpected disappearance of one of the principal dancers of her Majesty's Theatre was the subject of much conversation yesterday, among the Labitues of the Opera House. The young lady, who was premier danscusc at the Academie Royale, had been engaged by the manager at the instance, it is said, of an illustrious personage across the channel, and the terms were that Madlle. A— was to recei-:e 40,000 francs for her services for the season. On Monday, when the messenger called at the lodgings of the fair daughter of Terpsichore, in Jermyn-street, with a note, to at. tend the general rehearsal of Guerra's new ballet from Le La de Fees, he was informed that Mademoiselea in the n. and her sister had obtained passports for Paris , for which city they had set off. There was, therefore, a void i n the corps dc i ballet lug, and the fair danseuse has not since been heard of, mps tain 31st 000 000 000 000 ,c to ions fi— ling be r ig, sad _ DUO me eft iod Of 01, 1 Ali 1 I I, I I R