The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-08-24 00:00:00

THE CORN CROPS AND THE CORN LAWS. (From the Newcastle Journal.) The state of the Wheat crops throughout the country is a subject of much attention and anxiety at this moment; and a diversity of opinion appears to prevail as to the prospects of the ensuing harvest. A season of severe scarcity is pre dicted on the one hand, and on the other we are assured that the harvest will realize a fair average produce. Speculators in foreign grain, of course, encourage apprehensions of a deficiency in the year's crop, their object being to raise the price c,I corn, and then enter their stock on hand for home consum ion at a nominal duty; and there are party politi cians who h not scruple to inveigh against corn laws on the presumption ~ ,bat those apprehensions are well founded, thereby spread'. g the delusion still further. Though the state of the weath for some weeks past bas been exceed ingly, unfavourable, at though in some districts the crop . - . mag b4s clefieient i yet country the year's ar‘p will not fall much below an average one. This wilt W evident on perusing the accounts sub joined, which wi have selected front other similar ones which have reachepis from all parts of the kingdom. ENGLAND. HA M p‘HIRE.—The wheat crop in this county, and indeed in the whole south and west of England, never looked cleaner or better. It is true that, from the heavy effects of the late severe winter, it is thinner than could have been wished for; but then the straw is abundantly fine, and, from the extra ordinary improvement in its appearance and growth, arising from the very genial weather of the past three months, it is expected that it will yield an average crop within a sixteenth. NOTTINGHAMSHIRE.—AIthough the crops of corn in the northern parts of this county are later than they usually are by three weeks, yet they are in fine condition, and will soon be ready for the reapers. The wheats are changing fast, and promise one of the most abundant yields we have experienced for many years; whilst complaints are made in some districts of the maggot, the grub, and other insects injuring the ears, in this neighbourhood nothing of th e kind has been dis covered, but fine, healthy, and large ears give promise of great abundance. Some barley will be ready for cutting during the ensuing week, and we may safely aver that a larger, a finer, or a heavier crop has never been seen stand ing. Oats are as good as barley, and are better corned than the farmers have known for the last twenty years. SUSSEX.—Wheat has continued to improve, but not to ripen so fast as was anticipated; even where its aspect is good and in nowise beaten down by the storms, heavy rains, or strong winds, it still promises a very fair crop of corn and straw in this neighbourhood, proportionate with the thinness of the plant on the field, the ears being generally of a good size and weight. and as yet free from blight. SosixeseT.—The harvest has begun in our neighbourhood. in sheltered grounds the crops are remarkably heavy, the ears being full and the straws fine. But in exposed localities, which were much visited by the north windsot the winter and spring, the stalks are very thin. Taking all the lands to gether, the crops will fall considerably below the average. WARWICKSHIRE.—With reference to the corn crops, con flicting accounts are given. The corn districts nearest hand certainly do not appear to have suffered as yet—the wheats look strong and healthy, and if the weather takes up soon the harvest will be an abundant one. The late untoward weather has nevertheless induced many large speculations in corn, and they have been carried on to such a great extent that it is confidently anticipated by experienced parties that foreign corn, in the course of the present month, will be imported and sold at the lowest scale of duty. CUMBERLAND.—The continued wet has a serious effect upon the grain crop; the wheats are generally very thin planted, and the white wheats are in many places much milde wed. The harvest will be a late one; we conceive it will be full six weeks before a commencement will take place, and should the weather continue in its present wet state, it may be much longer. Barley and oats are making a bulky crop, and probably some little barley will be harvested before the wheat, but it will he confined to warm dry situations. WORCESTER.—In consequence of the severe frost in the winter, and the backwardness of the spring, the wheat was unusually late in coming into ear, and since then the weather has been cold and unsuitable for the wheat, during the for mation of the grain, which, in our opinion, will cause a seri ous deficiency in the yield, for in examining the ears, grubs are to be found, where there ought to be wheat; and it ap pears to be general, for we have not found one field that is not affected by SHROPSHIRE.—The wheat crops would be greatly bene fitted by warmer weather, and more sun, they being very backward, and what is still worse, very much infected with a yellow maggot about the eighth of an inch long. IRELAND. The Dublin Evening Post, a paper that may be considered high authority on the subject of agriculture, in a long and able article on the harvest, states the gratifying fact that "now at the present moment, there perhaps was never such a prospect of an abundant harvest as there is in Ireland."— "We have now before us" (continues our contemporary) "a letter from a nobleman, than whom there is not a better practical farmer in Ireland, from which we shall give the following extract :—' On a tour through the midland coun ties Kildare, Meath, Longford, and Cavan, I have found the present appearance of the crops luxuriant and promising to an almost unexampled degree, and as yet not a stalk is broken or laid. The weather, however, is unfavourable, the hay badly saved, and ripening retarded for want of sun and genial warmth.' We may add, that this statement is corro borated by communications received from various parts of the country. In one word, should the weather clear up within a week—but we would not extend the hypothesis much further—the country will be blessed with abundance. Per haps, however, there never has been a more critical fortnight in respect to food than the next will be." SCOTLAND. ABERDEEN.—The editi;;ofiiie - Aberdeen Herald says:— We had lately occasion to visit the more important districts of Aberdeenshire, and from personal observation and the opinions of experienced farmers, are prepared to lay as much information before our readers as will enable them to form a very just estimate of the state of the crops. In Garloch dis trict the crops are very late. Wheat is an average crop. The same may be said of Barley, unless on very low-lying farms, where it has been much injured by the late rains. In the Mar district the crops are about three weeks late, per haps rather more Corn has a good appearance, and pro mises to weigh well, and give good straw. The crops are further advanced in the Skene district than in any other, we dare say, in the county. One field of Barley, in Mr. Valen tine's farm, is already turned, and we noticed a field of Oats, on the same farm, beginning to colour. Harvest will be little past the usual time in Skene. The late rains have been much against the crops in the Vale of Alford, particularly on marshy soils. Corn looks well; Barley fair. The crops in Buchan suffered a good deal from the cold spring. Some fields of corn and barley have been blasted; but, speaking generally, an average crop is promised. AYRSHIRE.—Never, we believe, were the crops more plen tiful than this year, but they must be late, and exposed, in many parts, to great risk, although favourable weather should soon ensue. EDINBURGHSHIRE.--We regret to state that the weather still continues very unfavourable for the prospects of the farmer. It has rained more or less every day this week; and some of the showers being unusually heavy, we were afraid that the corn in many places must be greatly laid. Even if the weather should speedily improve, as we fervently hope it may, all kinds of crops will be unusually late; and it seems to be generally feared that the harvest would be rather under average. BERWICKSHIRE.—BarIey, Wheat, and Oats are now all in full ear, and, where they are not beaten down by the rain, look extremely well, generally speaking; but certainly, unless the weather takes up immediately, and becomes per manently warm and dry, the most serious apprehensions may be entertained for the harvest, which, under any circum stances, must now be a late one. The above accounts from the principal of the corn growing counties vary in many particulars; though all of them speak of the crop as nearly an average one. Complaints are rife of the maggot, grub, and other insects, but it is not probable that the crop will any where suffer materially from these causes. The greatest danger is apprehended from the late ness of the season, and the unfavourable state of the weather. In Ireland, the wheat crop especially is represented as an abundant one, and in Berwickshire and the Lothians the barley and wheat crops are looking exceedingly well. Under these circumstances, we are satisfied there exists but little ground for the apprehensions which corn jobbers are endea vouring to excite in the public mind; for though in some districts the wheat crop may be comparatively a failure, the average will be little short of that of last few years. A person who is said to have large dealings in corn, it is stated in the London papers, waited on the Lord Mayor at the Mansion-house the other day, for the purpose of inform ing bis lordship, as chief magistrate of London, that if Par liament did not interfere, bread would soon reach a famine price, the immediate cause being the general apprehensions of a deficiency of the wheat crop. This apparently disinter. ested individual suggested that a petition from the Court of Common Council should be sent to each House of Parlia ment, praying that Foreign Corn at present in bond should be brought into the market free of duty. His lordship ac quiesced in the propriety of the suggestion, and accordingly, on Monday last, convened a special Court of that body for the purpose of " taking into consideration the present alarm ing rise in the prime article of human food; and at this meet ing a proposition to the above effect was discussed and nega tived. Thus the attempt of this " extensive" corn jobber to Procure the introduction of foreign wheat to the manifest in jury of the British farmer was signally defeated. The pretext of averting impending famine was too flimsy to screen the interested motive of this heartless adventurer, and his proposal was scouted accordingly. It needed, indeed, but little discrimination to perceive that if the apprehensions of scarcity were well founded,—if the crop of wheat were be low an average one,—the remuneration of the farmer could only be found in the high prices which would necessarily fol low—it being a simple matter of arithmetic, and plain to every one, that if forty shillings per quarter compensated him with a crop of 750 quarters, it would require sixty shillings to compensate him when the some relative quantities of land and labour yielded a crop of butsoo quarters. The admission of foreign corn, duty free, would no doubt reduce the price of bread; but it would at the same time entail a ruinous loss on the farmer. It would enable every foreign adventurer to pocket his cent, per cent., but it would sacrifice the British agriculturist. The hardship of high prices is now spread over the entire kingdom —every class bears its proportionate share, but if wheat were reduced by the admission of foreign grain into the British market, duty free, from sixty-nine shillings and elevenpence, its present average price, to forty shillings, or fifty shillings, a corresponding loss would be sus tained exclusively by the growers of British wheat, who would, in short, be defrauded of their property. But such is the even handed justice of the liberal clamourers after free trade. It appears that there are now 700,000 quarters of foreign Wheat in bond, the better half of which has been imported withia the last two or three weeks on speculation that the lowest rate of duty will prevail, when large quantities will, of course, be entered for home consumption, a t a no mi na l duty of one shilling per quarter. If the object of the corn speculators who have been so eager in spreading alarm as to the state of the crops and the prospects of the harvest had been to relieve the poor by reducing the price of bread, the present prices of wheat are such as to enable them to do so w ith profit to themselves, The duty is now sixteen shillings and eightpence per quarter, and the next return probably will not rate it at more than six shillings and eightpence, so that no obstacle except the mercenary one created by inte rested corn-jobbers prevents the introduction of foreign corn Into the English market under the existing law. Besides it does not follow that if Parliament were at once to grant the wish of these foreign adventurers, the price of corn in the English market would be lowered, because the importer is not compelled to dispose of his wheat immediately on reliev ing it from bond ; b ut havin g paid the duty, or entered it for Smoayth: i t preventive t a i n v e d in f home consumption, duty pfrreoep,erh.e s ell e what way he may think expectant famine is in this instance completely fallacious. If relief is to be administered , under the present hi g h pr i ces, let it fall equally on all classes of the communit y, an d not on one class exclusively, as would be the case under the opera tion of the plan proposed. The above plan, it is obvious, could only originate with a small knot of corn-jobbers in the metropolis, where the scheme was hatched, and if it could have been carried into operation speedily, that is before fresh importations of foreign grain were made, the present holders of bonded grain would have been enriched by some thousands of pounds; but immedi ately on the arrival of more grain prices would settle down, and would continue to fall until they operated as a check on further importations. The outcry attempted to be raised against the corn laws is not less absurd than the motives of the individuals are inte rested; for even supposing that the corn laws were at this moment abolished, would that secure us against unfavourable seuous? Certainly not; nor would it render our supply o f corn under such circumstance mor e secure th an it now is. Th e fa r l i l c a e ci o o f u s i ovinneg; h ypothesis of the f ree -t ra d ers i s ev id en tl y a becam e as wa ges wou ld f a ll i n proport i on as t h e p could be eme cheaper, it is plain th a t no presentedinduce ment to corn speculators,—and they would then be Y =BMus as or more so than they are now,'--to induce them to supply the English market in preference to any other; and, therefore, •no greater security could be af forded for a regular supply during a scarce season than at present exists. Indeed our supply would then be less se cure, for under the present system a comparatively small supply of foreign wheat is required, and for that supply we can afford to give such a price as will ensure it in any market in the world, whilst under the free system, the supply re quired would be exceedingly large and the money we had to offer for it would not be such as would present an inducement for it anywhere. A favourable change has already taken place in the state of the weather, and if it continue fine a salutary check will be administered to the operations of those who are speculating on the miseries and privations which a scarce season would produce. Whatever apprehensions might have been reason ably entertained at one period for the safety of the crops, there now seems no ground to fear that the year's produce ~ ... A...a ••• ••••• LEI, Y. , ww M.I. gimpy& agc ULM, elle Witt De gumerea under favourable circumstances, there vvillbe plenty through out the land both for man and beast. "",; r - COURT CIRCULAR. Her Majesty and her august mother attended Divine ser vice nn Sunday morning, in the Chapel Royal. St. James's. The sermo❑ was preached by the Rev. Dr. Maddy, who took his text from St. John, chap. ii, verses 23, 2-1, and 25. The prayers were read by the Rev. Mr. Knapp; the lessons by the Rev. C. Wesley; and the altar service was read by the Rev. Messrs. Knapp and Wesley. The Te DRUM and Jubilate were by Aldrich; the Sanctus by Hawes; and the responses by Nares. The anthem (full) " Wherewithal shall a young man," was by Boyce. Sir George Smart presided at the organ. The Dean of Hereford was the deputy clerk of the closet in waiting. In the roval suite were the Marchioness of Nor manby, Lady Flora Hastings, Hon. Miss Pitt, Hon. Miss Murray. Lord Gardner. Hon. Colonel Cavendish, and the Hon. Major Keppel. After the service her Majesty and suite returned in three carriages to the New Palace. The Queen, attended by the Marchioness of Normanby, took an airing in the parks on Sunday afternoon, in an open barouche and four. Her Majesty visited the Princess Sophia at Kensington. The Hon. Colonel Cavendish attended her Majesty on horseback. The Duke of Sussex visited her Majesty on Monday, at the New Palace. Viscount Melbourne had an audience on Monday of the Queen. Their Serene Highnesses the Prince and Princess Hohen lobe Laugenburg left Buckingham Palace, where their serene highnesses have been staying on a visit to the Queen, at half-past twelve on Monday, for Woolwich, to embark on board the Lightning steam-packet, for Ostend. The Hon. Colonel Cavendish, clerk marshal, attended the Prince and Princess to Woolwich, and afterwards returned to town. Viscount Melbourne and Sir Frederick Watson joined the royal circle at dinner on Monday evening. Mr. Baxter had the honour of attending at the palace to make a sketch of her Majesty's coronation dress for his pic ture of the coronation. Her Majesty, accompanied by the Duchess of Kent, and at tended by the Marchioness of Normanby, left the New Pa lace at half-past four o'clock on Tuesday afternoon, in an open harouch and four, with outriders, for Windsor Castle. The Marquis Convngham, lord chamberlain, and the Earl of Belfast, vice -chamberlain, attended her Majesty and her august mother to the carriage. The royal suite in two car riages and four followed, and included Lady Mary Stopford, Hon. Miss Pitt, Hon. Miss Murray, Lady Gardiner, Ba roness Lehzen, and the Hon. Col. Cavendish. A party of hussars escorted the Queen. The royal standard was lowered front the marble arch on her Majesty entering the park. The Queen gave audiences on Tuesday, at the New Pa lace, to Viscount Duncannon and 'Viscount Melbourne. MELANCHOLY FATE OF A POOR STROLLING PLAYER AND HIS SON. ( From the Inverness Courier.) About eight or nine months since, when autumn was fading into winter, and—in the words of the Scottish song— " When the wan leaf frae the birk tree was fa'ing," a poor strolling player, his wife, and two children—a fine boy and girl—arrived at Lairg, in the county of Sutherland. The inhabitants are literally " few and far between," separ ated on all sides by rugged mountains, which impart a feeling of utter solitude and seclusion to the scene. A cluster of cottages, however, lie about the manse, on the south side of Loch Shine, and there are huts scattered among the hills, which, though they at first elude observation, are rife with inmates. The player resolved to try a performance, but, it being Saturday evening, he deferred astonishing the simple people till Monday or Tuesday. He put up at the inn, and the respectable landlord—Mr. Mackay—informed us that the intelligence and information of the man made a strong im pression on all who conversed with him. The poor wanderer, however, was destined not to gratify the people of Lairg by " fretting his hour" upon their stage. He set out towards Altnaharrow to rouse the country and collect an audience, taking with him his son, to bear him company over the mountains. Neither of them returned—the " play" was, of course, postponed—and day passed after day without bring ing any tidings of the actor or his boy. IThe wife and daugh ter departed, and the circumstance was forgotten, when, last week—on a solitary part of the farm of Shines—the bodies of a man and boy were discovered in a state of great decompo sition. The occurrence was noised abroad, and the moulder ing remains were identified by the people of Lairg as those of his unfortunate stroller and his son. It has been conjec tured that they lost their way among the hills, and were over taken by a storm, which they had not strength to resist. They had apparently sank down on the ground exhausted, and the boy's bead was supported by his father, over which he had thrown a part of his coat, as a protection from the night or the storm. The man's name and history are unknown— and thus perished the lone outcast of the drama, with his un fortunate son, in a land of strangers, amidst the wildest scenes of nature, and under circumstances as touching as any which have drawn tears or applause on the stage. What a contrast to the gay and crowded theatres in which the poor player had probably performed in his better days! " 112 e angel of death in the desert had found him, And stretched him unseen by the side of the hill." [What has become of the poor wife and daughter the Inver ness paper does not say.] SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. MANCHESTER, TUESDAY EVENING. The desire exhibited at the Wolverhampton meeting to support the first favourite of Scott's lot for the Doncaster St. Leger has unquestionably had an effect upon the spirits of his party here. It is now pretty well known that 3to 1 was taken to a largish stake at tae above-named meeting; and that, too, with considerable zest. The position he now holds here, is, to be within a shade of being premier; nay, some parties contend there is not a straw to choose. This, how ever, just depends upon the whim of the hour, or of the per sons present: 4 to 1 would be eagerly snapped at on either. The dash of spirit shown by the immediate party for a week or two past, in backing the winner of the Newcastle St. Leger, and the Duke of Cleveland's colt, has brought them into very general request; the laye rs h ave , h owever, b ecome shyish. Indeed, it can scarcely be wondered at, when we look at the weight of money the stable have pencilled down. 7 to 1 was taken on the first-named colt yesterday; and 100 to 7 have been repeatedly booked on the duke's. Grey Mo mus, having rallied in the London market, has taken away some of the apathy shown since his Goodwood running, by his winter and spring proceeds here. We recollect observing on the 10th, that there was a strong disposition to lay against this undoubtedly good public horse at every course; and a point or two was not considered worth a thought. Yesterday we found him backed at 200 to 20, which price had for the two previous ones been accepted ; that figure, being the extreme at Tattersall's, may advance him nearer the top of the tree, provided it is the will of his noble owner to "van" him as he did Elis. Appleton Lad was backed at 13 to 1 yesterday; and a few fives laid out on the Marquis of West minster's colt within the past three days. Cobham has been only so-so in favour; many imagined him a little " off." The same observation maybe applied to Talleyrand. The outsider most deserving notice is Major Yarburgh's filly by Brutandorf, called Easter. At the close of last week, she was backed by two or three parties at 100 to 3; they laid it on to win about £l,OOO. The St. Leger bettings (to say nothing of the list) almost invariably attract many of the principal sportsmen from Liverpool and Manchester to attend the August Meeting at York: so it is this week, many hav ing passed on yesterday and to -day. It is certain that La nercost will not be " p u ll e d ou t ; " however, Creeping Molly, the Watchman, Easter, Jagger, and the Pucelle filly (all in the St. Leger), are expected to run in their respective en gagements. The following are the average prices of the evening : THE DONCASTER ST. LEGER. 7 to 2 against Lord Chesterfield's Don John (takers at 4) 7to 2 „ Colonel Peel's lon (4 to 1 taken) 7to 1 „ Mr. Parkin's Lanercost (7 y, taken freely) 10 to 1 „ Lord G. Bentinck's Grey Momus (t freely) 13 to 1 „ Mr. Bowes's Appleton Lad (taken) 13 to 1 „ Mr. Coombe's Cobham (takers at 16) 20 to 1 „ Lord Westminster's Albemarle (taken) 100 to 7 „ Duke of Cleveland's Alzira (taken) 100 to 5 „ Mr. Fox's Jemmy Jumps 100 to 3 „ Mr. Thompson's Talleyrand 200 to 7 „ Charming Molly (taken) 200 to 15 „ Major Yarbur g h' s Easter (taken) 200 to 5 „ Mr. J. 0. Fairlie's The Hydra (taken.) TATTERSALL'S—MONDAY. DONCASTER ST. LEGER. The business yesterday, taken either with reference to the quantity transacted, or the alterations resulting from it, pos sessed very little interest. The two favourites are now pretty nearly at evens, the Newmarket nag having merely a nominal call. Lanercost, Grey Momus, Appleton Lad, and Cobham, were severally backed for small sums, without any positive advance. Alzira and Jemmy Jumps are a shade higher in the quotations, but we did not observe any strong feeling to back them. The following were the average prices at the close : ST. LEGER. 7 to 2 against Colonel Peel's lon (take 4 to 1) 4to 1 „ Lord Chesterfield's Don John (taken) 7to 1 „ Mr. Parkin's Lanercost (taken) 10 to 1 „ Lord G. Bentinck's Grey Momus taken) 12 to 1 „ Mr. H. Coombe's Cobham (tk and aft off) 14 to 1 „ Mr. Bowes's Appleton Lad (taken) 18 to 1 „ Mr. S. L. Fox's Jemmy Jumps (t 8c aft off) 20 to 1 „ Duke of Cleveland's Alzira (taken) 25 to I „ Major Yarburgh's Easter (offered) 33 to 1 „ Mr. Thompson's Predictor c (taken) 35 to 1 „ Mr. Fairlie's The HI dra (taken) 40 to 1 „ Lord G. Bentinck's D'Egville (taken.) 5 to 1 laid against Jemmy Jumps, Alzira, and Appleton Lad, and the same against the first two and Cobham; 4 to 1 laid against Grey Momus and Cobham. DERBY. 2000 to GO against Mr. Theobald's nomination, Hamlet, (taken.) " A distinguished editor," says the story, " was in his study, A long, thin, ghostly-visaged gentleman was announced. With an asthmatic voice, but in a tone of studied civility. for otherwise the editor would have transfixed him with a fiery paragaph the next morning, the - stranger said—" Sir, your journal of yesterday contained false information." " Im possible, Sir, but tell me what you allude to ?" "You said that Mr. M. had been tried." " True." " Very true." Hung." " Most true." "Now, Sir, lam the gentleman himself." " Impossible !" " I assure yo u i t is a fact, and now I hope you will contradict what you have alleged." "By no means, Sir." " How ! what do you mean? you are de ranged." " I may be so, Sir, but I will not do it." " I will complain to a magistrate." "As you please, Sir, but I never retract. The most that I can do for you is to announce that the rope broke, and that you are now in perfect health. I have my principles, Sir, I never deceive."—Blackwood. Tyr FOR TAT.—Two tradesmen who reside within a short walk of Holmfirtb, and who are noted for their shrewdness in bargain driving, have been trying to overcome each other in a novel manner, but more for the purpose of joking than cheatin g . other a quantity ne o of f them, some time since, purchased of the potatoes at an extra price, on condition that they sho u ld b e picked o nes, and when they were deli , the largest among them being about the size of a mar b le deliver ed they proved t o be suchr - occurred for returning the A com fe p w l a ime y n . s t a gror,haen person oppo opportunity u whon .Y had before been outwitt e d, hearing the * other inquire for an October calving cow, bethought him of one w w t i t t h h a part of a tail, which he purchased; and, furnishing her dent, sent for his friend, who bought her at a hands n o e na w e a p P r P ofi l t. Next morning the man servant was sent into the field along with the maid, to milk the cow, which started off w h en the girl commenced; Hodge snatched at her tail, but it came off, remained in his hand, and left the beast minus herflulasher. —Blackburn Standard. COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE AND MONEY MARKET. WEDNESDAY, TWELVE O'CLOCK.—We understand that a vessel has arrived at Hamburgh, which left the coast of Mex ico on the 4th of July ; she brings the information that the blockade still continued, and that great excitement prevailed. Consols closed yesterday at 941 g for Money and Account, and opened this morning at the same prices; and for the Oc tober Account. 9-1 g 2. Exchequer Bills, 72 74; India Bonds, 73 75; Bank Stock, 2071 81; India Stock, 2641 51. In the Foreign market the prices are the same as they closed at. Spanish Active 2lg i; Portuguese improved to 3.7-1-; Three per Cents., 241 1; Brazilian, 841; Colombian, 261 4 ; Mexi can, 242; Dutch Two-and-a-Half per Cents., 54g HALF-PAST ONE.—The mercantile accounts from Con stantinople, to the 27th Julv, L arssof a fayourkkigjeudeßciy,;, great state of stagnation, had at length taken a turn, and a great number of purchasers from the interior arriving lately, had given an impulse to the market; the storehouses were nearly empty which contained thearticles of importation, and sales for various articles continued daily at advantageous prices. _ Consols are not quite so buoyant as in the early part of the morning, and have receded from 94.1 to 911 sellers for the Account. Money 941, little doing. Exchequer Bills, 727.1. India Bonds, 75. Bank Stock, 2081. In India Stock nothing doing. In th e F ore i gn M ar k et Span i sh Act i ve heavy at 211 I. Portuguese a shade lower, 371 I. Three per Cents., 21. Brazilian, 811. Mexican, no alteration, 24t. Dutch Two and-a-Half 543 a. Shales are all lower. Brighton, 3 discount. Birmingham, 75 pm. Great Western, 102 pm. QUARTER BEFORE THREE.—Consols for the Account, 91A y. (From the official list, containing the business actually transacted.) BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. Bank Stock, 2081 , India Stock, 3 per Ct. Red., 944 5 India Bonds, 75 pm 3 per Ct. Con., 9-13 h South S ea ld Anne. 95'7- 31 per Ct. Anne. 1818, 1028 3 Bank Stock for Acct., 9-11 3 per Ct. Red. 1023 4 Consols for Acct., 941 New 31.. s per Cents., 1012 I £lOOO Ex. Bills, 72 74 pm Long Ans. 1860, 15 9-16 ff £5OO do. 72 75 pus Ditto, 30 yrs. 1859, 153 7-16 Small do. 72 75 pm Ditto, 30 yrs. 1860, Ditto Commercial, SLIA (The quotations give the actu RES. tal price, without reference to • discount.) lAsphalte (Claridge's Patent) premium or Birm. & Derby, 32 311 Great Western, 752 London & Brighton, 8 Lon. & Birmingham, 167 168 London and Blackwell, 63 Manchester and Leeds, 44 Northern & Eastern, 6A South Easter❑ and Do;er, 3 I Asphalte, British, 2h London and Greenwich, London and Southampton, Danube and Mayne, 281 South Midland, Manchester and Birmingham, Canada, 281 Midland Counties, CHESTER AND CREWE RAILWAY. Workmen have been employed in cutting this line about ten days, and the progress they have already made is truly astonishing. On Monday the first stone of the bridge under which the line is to pass, was laid in a field near the canal, close to Hool-lane Locks. John Uniacke, Esq. Chairman of the Board of Directors laid the stone with a silver trowel, bearing a suitable inscription, assisted by Mr. Kelly, mason, who has contracted for all the bridges. The band played "God save the Queen," and the assembled populace hailed this " first pledge" of public spirit in Chester with loud and repeated cheers; every one present appeared animated with a hope that the good old city was just awakening from "its slumbering dreams" of fancied prosperit2, without effort to realise the good promised to exertion, -and all united iu ex pressions of hearty wishes of prosperity to the Chester and Crewe Railway. The company entertained the whole of the men employed in the work, consisting of one hundred and ninety, with a substantial dinner of roast beef, bread, Cheshire cheese, and abundance of ale. The arrangements were excellent; and the half-inch slices of sturdy rounds were demolished before you could say "Jack Robinson"—every one of their "eating engines" were up to "high pressure," and assisted by the additional steam, produced by plentiful libations of John Barleycorn, their digestive organs appeared in full play, and rounds and sirloins disappeared with magical rapidity. All was peace while the operative part of the work continued, but the close of the feast was turned into a fray by some of the men who had taken too much, but the " rumbumptous" proceedings of the "Naveys" were pretty soon reduced down to quiescence, by Mr. Hill and the party of police under his orders. All ended in peace—few of them had broken " fron tispieces," and none of them fell iuto the canal, or had broken heads. The dinner given by Murray Gladstone, Esq. the engineer of the railway, to the directors and friends of the undertaking was one of a suprior description. The tables were laid in a tent on the ground—and the display on them for neatness and variety, exceeded anything of the kind we have seen for a length of time; every thing that nature and art could pro duce to satisfy the palate, Mr. Bell, the hospitable landlord of the Hop-pole Inn, had taken care to provide;—beet', mut ton, tongues, fowl, grouse, salmon, hunter's beef, potted meats, tarts, jellies, iced-creams. &c. with an excellent des sert—and wines that could not be surpassed, crowded the festive board. Mr. Gladstone presided, and amongst the company we no ticed—Miss Clemison, Miss Wilson, the Misses Hoyle, John Uniacke, Esq. Ald. Dixon, Aid. Cross, Captain Stuart, Cap tain Clemison, Dr. Phillips Jones, Robert Wilson, Esq. Mr. Clemison, Henry Kelsall, Esq. Mr. William Palin, Mr. J. Seacome, Mr. Thomas Seacome, Mr. John Rovle, Mr. Benj. Brassey, Mr. Macleod. Mr. 1-1. B. Briscoe, Mr. Hammond, Mr. Lister, Mr. W. Worrall, &c. &c.—Chester Gazette. EXCHANGES, &e. The subjoined account of the weights of coins issued in various countries and of their value in United States currency, is taken from Mr. Woodbury's "Report on Exchanges," and may prove of great service to merchants in this country. The American dollar contains 374 grains of pure silver, or 416 grains of standard silver. The Spanish dollars are not all of the same weight. Those in circulation in 1829 were said by the director of the mint to be worth on an average, 100 cents 3 mills _ The Mexican dollai; are said to he equal to the Spanish. The "Carolus" dollars are the Spanish coined prior to the year 1809, in the reigns of Charles 111. and IV. They are said to be not superior in weight and firmness to the Mexican. The American eagle of the old coinage, previous to the 31st of July, 1834, contained 2-171 grains of pure gold. The American eagle of the new coinage contains 232 grains of pure gold. The British sovereign, when coined, contains 113 grains 18-121-1 parts of a grain of pure gold, worth, according to our present mint valuation, 4 dollars 877-120. The Spanish doubloons should, according, to the regulations which have nominally prevailed since the year 1772, contain 376 grains of pure gold, which would, at our mint valuation, be worth 16 dollars 20 cents. But, according to assays made at the London and Philadelphia mints previous to the year 1829, Spanish doubloons contained only from 360 to 362 4-10 grains of pure gold. This would make their average value, at our mint valuation, about 15 dollars 56i The Patriot doubloon are said to be equal in weight and fineness to the Spanish. The difference in the price of Spanish and Patriot doubloons, and of the different species of dollars at New York and Phila delphia, is chiefly owing to difference of demand for them in foreign markets. In the price currents, 4 dollars 414-9 are assumed as the par of exchange on England. Thi s p rac tice b e gan w hen th e Spanish pillar dollars were in circulation, and when the mar ket value of gold, compared with silver, was less than it is at present. The true par varied as the market value of gold varied, when compared with silver. It was estimated by Mr. Gallantin, writing in 1829, at 7 per cent, above nominal par; by others at 8 per cent. Since the passage of the act of 1834, for reforming the American gold coinage, the true par exchange with England, estimating gold against gold, is about 9 7-10 - above the nomi nal par. The quotations of exchange on France are so many francs and centimes payable in France for a dollar paid here. Ac cording to the regulations of the French mint, the silver franc should contain 69,453 troy grains of pure silver, equi valent to 18 708-1000 cents in silver currency of the United States. The quantity of pure silver in an American dollar is equal to that in five francs 3-1 531-1000 centimes. But as foreign coins are not a legal tender iniFrancj., and 'is a siegnorage of about 11 per cent. is charged on silver coinage at the French mint, American dollars, when sold as bullion in France, are said to bring, on an average, not more than 5 francs 26 25-1000 centimes. This is, by some writers, assumed as a par of exchange on France. Other writers assume 5 francs 34 centimes as about par. The quotations of exchange on Holland, are so many cents a guilder; of Hamburg, so many cents a mark banco; and on Bremen so many cents a rix dolllar. The exact value of the guilder of Holland is 39 97-100 cents., of the United States silver currency; but 40 cents. are usually assumed as the par of exchange. The mark banco of Hamburg is a money of account equal to 45 114-1000 cents. United States currency. The rix dollar of Bremen i;;;Ueiofaci;Ount equal to SO cents and a very small fraction United States currency. At a recent marriage in high life a very singular circum stance occurred, that has occasioned great talk in the beau monde. After the whole of the family circle had assembled in the vestry-room, preparatory to proceeding to the altar, the bridegroom discovered that he had entirely forgotten the license. A hackney cab was immediately procured, when the bon. gentleman, in company with a friend, went with all haste to Doctor's-commons. The parties left the church for their mansion in C—h-square, and after a delay of an hour and a half returned, when the marriage was solemnised. The noble father of the bridegroom, during the interval, went to a neighbouring jeweller's to purchase a ring, saying " Perhaps the silly fellow has forgotten that also.—London Paper. QUEEN'S COLLEGE OXFORD.—We feel the highest gratifi cation in being able to state, upon authority we can place confidence in, that the memorials which have been forwarded from Cumberland and Westmorland to the heads of the Queen's College, Oxford, have produced the desired effect, and that the exclusive privileges heretofore enjoyed by the natives of these two counties, at the college in question, will be continued to them. We trust that the agitation of this question will-give such an impetus to education in this and the adjoining county as will prevent a renewal of the complaint of the want of the requisite amount of attainments on the part of the candidates for the honours of Queen's College.— Carlisle Patriot. TOURNAMENT AT EGLINGTON CASTLE.—The following is a description of the proposed tournament at Eglington Castle:—Who shall say the age of romance is passed, or the military ardour of our knights abated? Old Froisart, Mont facon, and Chaucer will rejoice in their graves when they hear that the blast of the herald's trumpet is again about to sound the onset. The empty harness in Goodrich Castle will echo with the rejoicings of Meyrick, and the elms of Bromp ton quiver with - delight at the ecstacies of Manche. A tour nament is actually announced to take place at the seat of Lord Eglington, in Scotland, during the present summer. A real tournament, in all the panoply of gracious chivalry. The combatants have been supplied with the most gorgeous armour and every suitable requisite for the joust, by the Messrs. Pratt, from their Gothic armoury in Lower Grosvenor street, and we understand that the pageant will be under their direction, assisted by their able coadjutor, Mr. Tucker, three of the most able antiquarians of the day. The splendour of the spectacle will be much greater than such games were be fore they had fallen into disuse, because the knights in this case are to be habited in the armour of different periods, thus doing away with the monotony of the scene. There will be the mailed knight of the crusades rUnning a tilt with the plate clad warrior of the Elizabethan era. Charlemagne encoun ' tering probably the Earl of Leicester or William Rufus. Some of the suits purchased for the occasion we have seen : they are either Milanese, German, or Spanish, and of the n t t o h e b i e n a , r a m n d e d w , h a i p t - w p i i l e l . be T u h s e e used g a i t , r t h e s e i m n e h tl l e f . most exquisite w or k mansh i p, as well as the arms attached to e e e k r e n t i g a h un t s o a u r r e , or the attendants in brigantines, jacks, and jazerines, with every other particular of costume peculiar to the time. In all these articles the splendid collection of the Gothic armoury abounds, and every facility is given to any one curious about such in teresting matters; visitors are permitted to take their own time in examining or even sketching any article. The herald in attendance has caught some portion of his employers' knowledge, and in this respect is superior to the beef-eaters at the Tower, who have been known to assure their company that a lobster-backed helmet, which they point out, was worn by one of the guards of Poutius Pilate.—Glasgow Courier. MISCELLANEOUS. STATE OF TRADE.—There continues to be a fair demand both for goods and yarn, without any change of prices since last week.—Manchester Guardian. A Sor TO CERBERUS.—The government papers say that Mr. Daniel Whittle Harvey, M. P. for Southwark, is to be appointed registrar of hackney carriages under the new act. - - - Lord John Russell left town on Thursday for the Isle of Wight. Lord and Lady Ilowick departed for Antwerp on the same day in the Princess Victoria steamer. YARMOUTH ELECTION.—SeveraI meeting of Mr. Wil shere's friends have taken place, and have evinced a deter mination to return him again as their member. This is being done without the hon. gentleman's knowledge, he being on the Continent.—Norwich Mercury. Yal nAOKIIIN A z Efinrr.-.. . -tm Montray Week, a retdaric ably fine trout was caught by Mr. Timothy Thackray, fisher man, at Otley, near Pool Mills, with the minnow. It measured from the head to the tail 225 inches, round the body 12 inches, and weighed four pounds and a'quarter.— Manchester paper. On Friday last, the Sheffield and Birmingham "Telegraph" coach was overturned on Whittington Moor, in consequence of one of the wheels coming off. The passengers were thrown into the mud, but flittunately no serious injury was sustained by any one. MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE.--The marriage of Lord Viscount Milton and Lady Frances Douglas is intended to take place on Monday, September 10th, in Scotland, at the Earl of Morton's. The marriage is to be solemnized by the Rev. J. S. Upton, domestic chaplain to Earl Fitzwilhain. So strict a❑ eye is kept over the movements of foreigners in France, that an American having lately forgot his lodgings, was obliged to go to the Police-office to obtain the necessary information; when, to his great surprise, he was told who he was, where he lodged, and where he had taken his dinner. The parish of Milton Abbot, near Tavistock, is in a most desolate state, owing to the want of female society. There are but six married farmers, six-and-thirty bachelors, all re spectable steady agriculturists, four widowers, and only one unmarried female therein.— Western Times. Stanfield, the royal academician, is on the eve of taking his departure for Greece: After visiting the various islands, and all the objects of art in that interesting country, he in tends to return through Sicily, and to "winter in Rome." Stanfield will be absent from England six or eight months. STRANGE BRILLIANCE.—An Inverness paper; in con gratulating the public on the immense catch of herrings last week, winds up his remarks by saying, "On Wednesday evening the quays of Wick and Puleneytown presented a most brilliant sight—with almost every station lighted up, and hundreds of persons actively engaged in gritt:dy,S-c" The Yatch squadron at Cowes has sustained a serious loss this season, by the secession of four of their leading mem bers, namely, the Duke of Norfolk, the Earls of Durham, Belfast, and Errol. Earl de Grey, also, we believe, does not intend to go afloat this season. The Duke of Norfolk's cutter yacht Arundel Las been purchased by Wm. Wan ham, Esq. A NOBLE BEER SELLER.—At the seat of Lord Lyttleton, at Hagley, a bazaar was held in order to increase the funds for building a new church, towards which the sum of £1,450 was raised. The noble proprietor had on a tent " George Henry Lord Lyttleton, licensed to sell beer, ale, and cider by retail, to be drunk on the premises." EXTRAORDINARY PACKAGE.—The following letter was ac tually sent by Messrs. P. and Co., army contractors, Long acre, London, on Monday last :—" Sir, I havesent off a crate directed to you, containing one quartermaster, threeserjeants, three corporals, one drummer, and forty privates, for the Wiltshire Yeomanry, which I hope will arrive safe.—Yours, &c." The expected crate must be a rather large one.—Bath Journal. A. swarm of honey bees have made their nest in the cornice which surrounds the steeple of Christ Church, above the se cond story windows. The industrious little insects may be seen laboriously improving "each shining hour," going and returning loaded with their sweet provision. Their location was discovered by the dropping of the honey on the steps be low, during the intensely but weather in the early part of the week.—Baltimore Sun. We stated last week, that, in one diocese alone, there were not less than twenty applicants for episcopal ordination, from the ranks of the dissenting ministry. We would repeat it again with all the emphasis we can give it. A clerical friend of ours has assured us, that he himself has received several applica tions from priests of the voluntary principle, requesting him to employ his influence with his diocesan, for the same pur pose.—Christian Advocate. ROCHDALE FLANNEL. MARKET, MONDAY, AUG. 20--To dav being the wakes, is generally injurious to the transaction of - business; but more goods have been sold than is usual at these times. The demand for flannels still continues brisk; but prices are but low, considering the high price of wool, There has been no change in the price of flannels or wool to. day, though iu the latter article there has been rather more doing. THE Moons.—The grouse on the moors in this neighbour hood are very numerous, but only in poor condition, which is owing in a great measure to the severe weather in the spring of the year; notwithstanding this, the birds are exceedingly strong on the wing. Good shots are also very plentiful on the southern moors of Scotland, and in a pretty forward state. —Kendal Mercury. AN INFANT DWARF. — oollSiderable curiosity has been excited in the neighbourhood of Shenhousemuir, for the last fortnight, by the birth of an extremely diminutive child. It is a girl, and was born at the full time, though measuring only seven inches, and weighing two pounds. The face of this fairy-like child is no larger than a watch dial; but we are happy to add that, "with the mother, it is doing well."— Caledonian Mercury. . THE QUEEN AND HER MlNlSTERS. — Ministers seem de termined not to let her Majesty escape them for even a single week of the parliamentary recess which has just commenced. Finding that her Majesty had taken Norris Castle in the Isle of Wight, for a short period, Lord Melbourne and Lord John Russell have taken houses at Ryde, in order to be as near as possible to her. Lord Palmerston is also, we are told, hurry ing down in the same neighbourhood. What a pity it is that this respectable trio do not establish themselves under the same roof with the Queen, in order that in the most minute occurrences of her daily and hourly existence, they may be at hand with their advice and assistance! Truly the presence of these "battered beaux" can confer no dignity on her Ma jesty's retirement. —United Service Gazette. MOWING MATCH.—On Tuesday last John Hampson. of Little Hoole, and Henry Hosker, of Longton. met in a mea dow on the estate of Mr. George Taylor, of Longton II all, to decide a wager, made about which would soonest mow an acre of grass. At seven in the morning the two competi tors, with their respective friends, were on the ground; and the whetting of scythes announced the approach of a hard day's labour. Both men appeared to entertain the greatest confidence of success. At one o'clock p.m. each man had mowed three roods, when Harnpson manifested symptoms of fatigue and distress, and was advised by .his friends to give in. Hosker, on the other band, declared himself able to mow at the same rate till sunset; consequen tly h e con ti nue d his work, and finished his acre of 71 yar d s to t h e ro d, i n seven hours and three quarters.—Hanchester Courier. ATTEMPT TO POISON A FAmity.—A few days ago, a boy, about fifteen years of age, an apprentice of Mr. Hull, wheel wright, of Melbourne, attempted to poison his master and mistress by putting arsenic into the sugar which they were about to use fur breakfast, stud which they actually put into their coffee ; but, the cream not being added to it, the poison was detected by its colour. The wretched boy had bought the arsenic under the pretence of poisoning rats and mice, which he said were so troublesome that travellers would not come to their house. Mr. Hull keeps a small beer-shop.— The lad got up before the rest of the family to mix the poison with the sugar. He has absconded. THREE CRops OF POTATOES IN ONE SEASON, FROM THE SAME RooTs.—The followin g is an instance of the great productiveness of that valuable esculent, the potato:—Aaron Berry, of Longton, blacksmith, gathered, at an early period of the spring, a crop of forward kidney potatoes. which were sold in Preston market at 7d. per pound. Ele carefully planted the same roots, which produced a better crop in quantity than the former. He has the third time planted the very same roots, which are progressing, and promising to be as fruitful as the first. They are to be seen now growing. The stems for the second and third crops never raised them selves, nevertheless they continued fresh and green in ap pearance.—Preston paper. Too HOT OR TOO HEAVY.—Wednesday afternoon a young woman, who was engaged in what is called in Sheffield " ironing," having overheated the iron, placed it on a step outside the door to cool; while there, it caught the eyes of one of those prying thieves who are ever on the look-out for an exposed article. The sharper laid hold upon the " sad iron," which, although it appeared literally to stick to his hand for a moment, was rather too heavy to be carried away —the thief, indeed, needed no bidding " hands off." Hudi bras alludes to the numerous dangers "which environ the man that meddles with cold iron ;" we believe the sharper in question will long remember the "hot iron." CLOUD OF GNATS.—A remarkable phenomenon was ob served on the evening of the 2d instant, at Boudry, near Neufchatel, in Switzerland. Opposite to the mountain of Boudry a flight of an immense quantity of whitish objects was seen, which some persons took to be birds of a dirty white colour, about the size of a pigeon —others to be volumes of smoke. This moving mass was in width equal to the height of the mountain, and was about ten minutes passing along, the objects of which it was composed always preserving their distances. Upon close observation it was, however, found that it was an immense cloud of gnats, which became visible only when the insects got into the oblique rays of the setting sun. SINGULAR ESCAPE.—A remarkable escape from destruc tion by lightning occurred at Wandsford on Sunday after noon. About two o'clock, during a short, but heavy storm, Mr. Isaac Smith, farmer, of that place, happened to be in the act of drawing on a pair of boots, when the electric fluid entered the window, and, IA ith a loud explosion, struck one of the posts of the bed, close to - Which he sat, and shivered it into laths from top to button'. It then passed between the floor and the wall to the kitchen beneath, forcing pieces of plaster with great violence to the opposite side of the room, and finally made its exit up the kitchen chimney, splitting several of the stones at the top. One of the daughters of Mr. Smith experienced a stunning concussion of the head, from which she suffered some inconvenience for a day or two, but, happily, no other injury was done by the awful visitation. The house was filled with a sulphurous smell fur some time. —Lincoln Mercury. EXTRAORDINARY CANINE SAGACITY.—The following fact, which we lately witnessed while passing in one of the steam-boats down the Clyde, so far exceeds any ordinary in stance of sagacity in the dog, that one is almost tempted to pronounce it a real case of ratiocination. As the steamer approached, a little dog, seemingly a terrier, was seen to issue from a boothy used by the salmon fishermen, and waded into the water till nothing was observed but the animal's nose. It immediately returned, however, with the end of the lope to which the net-floats are fixed, which it carried a considerable distance upon the ground, where it carefully left it high and dry. Now, as every one may know, just be fore the advance of a steam-boat in a narrow river, the water, owing to the action of the paddles, suddenly subsides, and as suddenly again rushes in violent waves above water-mark. Had not the dog known this, and taken the proper precau tion, the rope and floats would to a certainty have been car ried off. This curious incident elicited the strongest admira tion from all the passengers.—Scotsman. A WEDDING POSTPONED !—On Sunday last the house of W. Toinkins, Esq., near Yeovil, was robbed of several arti cles of food, and amongst the rest of a large piece of beef.— Suspicion fell upon James Grant, a man about to be married on the following day, and a search warrant being procured his cottage was searched. Amongst the articles found were the identical piece of beef, knives, forks, a gold brooch, shirts, &c. belonging to his master. On Grant being taken to pri son the bride elect voluntarily came forward and exclaimed, " Well, James, if you are transported for fourteen years I'll wait for you until your return." So that it may be truly said the marriage is postponed for the present.—Dorset County Chronicle. DEATH OF A DIIUNKARD..—On Saturday evening, Mr. John Bunbrow, a young man of considerable property, but a notorious drunkard, was removed from the parlour of the Blucher's public house, at Boinford, into the stable, where he was laid upon some straw in a stack, he being at the time in a state of brutal intoxication. The landlord visited him several times during the evening, and found him snoring. Thinking at last that he had slept enough, the landlord sent his son to awaken him, when the lad returned and said he was dead. A surgeon was immediately sent fur, who pro nounced that he had died of apoplexy from excessive drink ing. The deceased was about 30 years of age, and the patron of the living of the parish in which he resided. His conduct, and that of his associates, has of late years been disgraceful.— Essex Herald: The reports from the fisheries on the north coast last week were very satisfactory.—Glasgow Courier. UNFORTUNATE NAME.—A popular itinerant preacher in Sussex possesses the not very env►able cognomen of Scamp. WIESBADEN, AUG. , 6.—lt is reported that his Royal High ness the Duke of Cambidge will come and make a long stay here.—German Paper. THE TEA-TRADE, MONDAY.—The deliveries of this article amounted last week to 421,7001 b. The trade is not quite so brisk as previously. GitousE.—All accounts concur respecting the birds in this neighbourhood as being remarkably wild, and much more scarce than usual.—Carlisle Patriot. A party on pleasure from North Shields to Warkworth, witnessed on Monday last, an extraordinary take of salmon THE GREAT WESTERN STEAM-SHlP.—The brig Argus, Captain Bell, which has arrived at Swansea, from Quebec, after a passage of 33 days, passed the steam-ship Great Western, on the 29th ult., i❑ lat. 46 20, long. 41 8. The steam-ship Sirius, which sailed from London on Wed nesday, the first inst., reached Cronstadt on the Btb, having performed the voyage in seven days, including a detection of 24 hours at the Sound. MINISTERIAL ECONOMY.-With the exception of Lord Holland and the Marquis of Lansdowne, there is supposed to be not one of the present ministers who does not live within his official income, a vet); rare occurrence, as Mr. Pitt and others knew to their cost. BOROUGH OF WARWICIC.—A report is rife in Warwick that Mr. Collins, M.P., is about to retire from the represen tation of that borough, and that Mr. Bolton King is to suc ceed him. Considerations have been named for this change. —Northampton Herald. Lord Melbourne will leave town in a few days for the Isle of Wight. The Chancellor of the Exchequer will leave town this week for Mount Treuchard, in Ireland. Five ladies of the Sisters of Charity institutions sailed from Dublin last week for New South Wales, to found a branch of their order in Sydney. DENBIGIISHIRE YEOSIANRY CAVALRY.—The Lord Lieut. of the county has appointed Captain W. Lloyd to be Major- Commandant,'vice Fitzhugh, resigned. - - .0u Monuay morning the Duke of Montrose broke ground on a small section of his Fintry Moors, (Stirlingshire,) and bagged twelve brace in a very few hours. , Moons.—James Duff, Esq., M.P. and a friend, shooting together, bagged on the 13th 70 brace of grouse, and on the 15th 114 brace, on the Earl of Fife's moors at Braemar. The riband of the order of St. Patrick, worn by the late Marquis of Ormonde, will be given, it is said, to the Marquis of Headfort, one of the Lords in Waitipg, or Lord Ofanmore. EXTENSIVE VIA - num—We perceive that in the works on the line of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway, which is just commencing, it requires a viaduct of 682 feet long and 60 feet high, to cross the Almond Water Valley. THE GUN STOnx.—The new and easy recipe for polishing gun stocks now (1838) is to varnish them precisely like the panels of a carriage. Hawker's Instruction to Young Sportsmen. OVERFLOWING OF THE RIVER AlRE.—Owing to the con tinued rain of last week, this river overflowed its banks between Utley and Steeton, and caused serious damage to the hay crop, the hay-cocks in some instances being barely visible above the water. PROLIFIC STOCK.—Thomas Pye, of Waddington, near Clitheroe, has in his possession two broods of chickeus, all of which are in full feather, amounting to thirty-five in number, nineteen of which were hatched by one hen and the remain ing sixteen by another. REMUNERATION TO ENGLISH COMPOSERS.—For "Cherry Ripe," one of the most popular melodies, not only in this country but on the continent also, Mr. Horn, the composer, received ten pounds; and Mr. Barnett, for "the Light Gui tar," the prodigious sum of two guineas! STATE OF TRADE, Mornay.—Several buyers attended on Monday, but prices are so depressed that little business was done. Stocks are light, attributable in a measure to the du ration of the hay harvest, and the employment of many hand loom weavers in mills. A little firmness on the part of the seller would inevitably raise the value of the hand-loom fabric in the market.—Blackburn Standard. PHENOMENA.—On Thursday week the people of Jedburgh were astonished during the storm of rain which occurred on that day, by the fall of a large quantity of small salmon fry from the clouds, some of which are yet alive. It is conjec tured that they must have been caught up into the clouds by a whirlwind, and this is the more probable as about that time, this neighbourhood experienced several very severe storms.—Glasgow Courier. There was good sport on the Northumberland Moors on Monday last, the first day of Grouse Shooting, and fine birds are selling in this town at five shillings a brace. On account of the influx of strangers, the demand is very great. —Newcastle Journal. A complete collection of the minerals peculiar to Russia and Siberia, comprising nine hundred and eighty specimens, have been presented by the Emperor of Russia to the Natu ral History Society of this town, to be delivered here free of all charge.—Newcastle Journal. ENORMOUS PEAS.—Last week a few pods of early peas, of unusual dimensions, were sent to our office : they were of the early sort; measured in circumference, 2i inches—in length, 64 inches ; and con t a i ne d f rom six to eight large grains. These gigantic specimens of the pulse tribe were raised in the garden of Mrs. Boswell, Sandgate..—Ayr Obser. THE WEATHER PROPHET.—Wednesday week was an nounced by Mr. Murphy to be a day.of high temperature, though the . thermometer in the pulse of it was below 50; and on Friday "a storm" was foretold, while the whole of the day there was not wind enough to ruffle the leaves.— Herald: RUMOURED MILITARY APPOINTMENTS.—Sir J.d'Urbau, the present commander-in-chief at the Cape, will, it is said, succeed Sir John Keane at Bombay; and there is great pro bability of Sir Jasper Nicholls, who has just sailed for Madras, succeeding Sir Henry Fane as commander-in . -chief at Cal cutta. • The annual meeting of the shareholders of the Newcastle Commercial Banking Company, was held at the Banking Office, Bridge E n d, on F r id ay t h e 10 th, when the report of the Directors was read, and the balance sheet laid before the shareholders, which gave great satisfaction. A dividend at the rate of 5 per cent. Was announced.—Newcastle Journal. WORTHY OF IMITATION.—A few weeks ago, Mr. Ward, gardner to the Earl of Lonsdale, at Lowther Castle, had a severe apoplectic stroke, which has incapacitated him from fulfilling the duties of his situation; whereupon his lordship, with his wonted benevolence, has settled upon him the ample sum, we believe, of eighty pounds per annum during his life. Mr. Ward is a middle aged person.—Carlisle Patriot. THE MOORS.—Sunday last, being the 12th inst., moor game shooting did not commence till Monday, on that day the Hon. Colonel Lowther, and Sir James Musgrave, from Leicestershire brought down forty brace between them on Shap Fells; and on Tuesday the same gentlemen bagged fifty brace on Birkbeck Fells. Birds are plentiful, though small, but at the same time strong on the wing and wild, and the 'nom are very soft and wet.—Carlisle Patriot. STEAM CO.MISIUNICATION WITH INDIA.—The first of the intended line of steamers between,London and the East In dies arrived at Falmouth on Friday last. She is called the Madagascar, and is commanded by Capt. M'llougal, late Commissary-General of the. Queen of Spain's marine. The vessel is rigged with topsail yards, and otherwise calculated for sailing when the wind permits. She left on Monday for the Mauritius and Bombay, but had no passengers.—Cornwall Gazette. Mr. O'Connell says lie owes the defeat of his petition against his return for Dublin in a great measure to the talent of Mr. Byng, the member for Middlesex. Now, that Mr. Byng is a very respectable old gentleman, and a very consistent old' whig, nobody doubts; but of his extraordinary talents we never heard before: while we heartily pity Mr. Byng that at the eud of a long public life he should come under the disgrace of Mr. O'Connell's praise. THOUGH STRANGE, YET TRUE.—There are six individuals at' present living at Lanark, among whom there are no less than three wives, three husbands, ►wo fathers, one son, two fathers-in-law, two brothers-in-law, two sons-in-law, two step mothers, two daughters, two step-daughters, two sisters, one brother, two cousins, one uncle, oue niece, and two sisters•in law, forming, altogether, twenty-nine distinct relationships from these six individuals.—Glasgow paper. Pt A TINA Wtatis.—A musical composer, named Fischer, has proposed the substitution of platina wares for those of steel or brass. It is, he says, more elastic and ductile, and the sounds produced by this metal are sweeter; air and damp do not act upon it, and as it combines with iron, cords might be made of a composition of the two, which would present the advantages of each. PARLIAMENTARY DURATION.—The session of parliament which has just expired, which began in November last, met nominally for about nine mouths, calculating from N ovember to August; but the number of actual sitting days, in which list is included the " no houses" were, fur the lords 144 days, and the commons 173 days. The bare enumeration of the matters brought before them occupy, for the lords 980 folio pages, and for the commons, 1,580 folio pages, exclusive of appendices, supplements, &c. DREADFUL CASUALTY.—On Monday evening week, a poor woman, named Kate Duane, residing in Pump Lane, near Moyderwell, left her infant child in the cradle, while she went out of her cabin on some business, leaving nobody in the house to take care of the infant, when, shocking to relate, on her return she found the poor baby nearly devoured by a hungry pig—the eyes and face, with many parts of the body, having been .lacerated and eaten. The poor innocent must have suffered dreadful torture before death put an end to its agony. —Glasgow Courier. THE BAR IN NEW SOUTH WALES.—The recent act of their honouts the three judges, in proposing to institute a course of educational training for the future supply of the colonial bar from the ranks of our native youth, is one of the most import ant in its probable consequences upon the colonial mind that we are aware of for a long time past.—Colonist. ' Th e "gen tlemen of the long robe" then, i n future, will be of home ma nufacture—one way of improving the profession, and ensur ing unifirmity of the practice of English law. We did not know barristers were so scarce.l MURDER AT ECKINGTON.—A most atrocious murder was committed at Eekington, some time in the night between Tuesday and Wednesday last, on one of the workmen of the North Midland Railway, named Richard Sanderson, sup posed to be a native of Long Sutton, in Lincolnshire. The inquest will not be held in time to allow of our giving au thentic details of this horrible deed. The following, how ever, are the leading circumstances :—On Tuesday evening the deceased was at the sign of the Bear, in Eckin"ton, drinking with some others, and rather late left the house in company with them. It does not appear that any serious quarrel had taken place, though some angry words passed at the Cross; and they afterwards walked forwards along, the Jo hn Guest, to a narrow alley, called Rotten-row, where Guest, one of the party, resided. What passed there remains to be inquired into; but it is quite certain that Guest went into the house and brought out the blade of a sythe, with which he struck Sanderson on the head. The blow divided the scalp from the corner of the eye, across the- top of the head, almost to the neck behind; and completely sesobred a large portion of the skull, and the projecting part of the brain. The sequel is yet involved in obscurity, but several persons were taken into custody early in the morning, and from their own statements, Thomas White, a sawyer, of Barl borough, and John Turner, the son of publican in Eckington, were so seriously implicated, that, together with Guest, they were sent to Chesterfield to await the verdict of the coroner's inquest. After Sanderson had received his death-blow, he appears to have staggered back into the street and repeatedly fallen; for in the place where he fell there was a pool of blood; and in one spot the detached portion of his skull, some inches in extent, was found on the pavement, no doubt torn off from the flesh in his agony. He afterwards dtruggled amongst the wood in an adjoining wheelwright's yard, the blood still streaming ftom him, and there must ha ve b ecome completely exhausted. After daylight, the poor creature was found under a tree in Lady Sitwell's school-yard, but he never could have walked thither; for it is nearly 200 yards from the spot where the last trace of blood could be seen; and so com plete was his exhaust ion, that Mr. Askant, surgeon, who stood for some time talking with a person between 2 and 3 o'clock (certainly after the sufferer had been deposited there,) and within a few yards of the spot, heard nothing to indicate his being near. Every possible attention was paid to him; but though he lived till 3o'clock on Thursday morning, he never spoke or showed the least sign of consciousness. On stripping him, it was discovered he had also received a severe wound in the loins from some sharp instrument. An inquest was held yesterday before Mr. Hutchinson, coroner, and a most respectable jury, and after thelexanaination of witnesses, it was adjourned until Friday next.—Derbyshire Courier: ... . On Tuesday last, as the workmen were digging on the site of Salem Chapel, at York, two ancient coffins were found 11 feet below the surface. They each consisted of a solid block of oak, hollowed out, but one was much decayed; the other, which was 22 inches broad, contained a skull and other bones. The York antiquaries have assigned them a very early date, supposing them to have belonged to the ancient Britons. GLASGOW AND AYRSHIRE RAILWAY.—James M'Call, Esq. of Daldowie, and John Fleming, Esq., of Claremont, the chairman and deputy-chairman of the company, attended by the secretary, Captain Humfrey, arrived at the Ayr Arms Inn on Thursday, and proceeded next morning to inspect the railway. We understand that they expressed themselves highly pleased with the progress of the operations at that end of the line.— Scottish Guardian. TYPII US FEVEII.—As typhus fever is generally.found to may nor oe untimely [o-men tion that nitrous acid gas possesses the power of destroying its• contagion, and of preventing its spread. By the following simple method the gas may he produced at a trifling expense. Place a little powdered saltpetre in a saucer, and pour on it as much oil of vitriol as will just cover it; a copious discharge of acid gas will instantly take place, the . quantity of which may be regulated by lessening or increasing the quantity of the ingredients. The Marchioness of Lansdowne has resigned her place as chief lady of the Queen's bedchamber; and the Countess of Burlington has been appointed to the vacant post.—Some of our contemporaries attribute the resignation of the marchio ness to misunderstandings and breaches of etiquette; whilst the government papers affirm that the resignation is the re sult of long previous arrangement, it having been understood from the commencement that her ladyship would be able to hold the office for a limited period only. THE SWIMMING MATCH. —A society has recently been formed in the metropolis for encouraging the useful and health ful art of swimming. The prizes are to be open to the com petition of all England, and the scene of action is to be from shore to shore across the Serpentine in Hyde Park. There are to be four heats, and the successful parties are to start for the grand prize on Friday morning. ' The hour is fixed at half past six each morning. It is a singular fact that last year, when for the first time the prizes given by the society were contended for, the result was as follows :—Civilians won five prizes, a soldier one, and watermen and sailors one. LARGE CEDAR.—In. Quenby-park, Leicestershire, the seat of W. NV. Ashby, Esq., there is a magnificent cedar tree, which presents an object of wonder and attraction to all who visit there. The dimensions are as follow :—Cir cumference at the bottom, 17 feet 9 inches; at nine feet from the bottom, 13 feet 2 inches • at twelve feet from the bottom, 13 feet 8 inches. Hei g ht o f The tree, 40 feet 6 inches. Cir cumference of the largest branch close to the butt, 5 feet 5 inches. Length of the longest branch from the butt, 41 feet 5 inches. The longest horizontal extent of its branches, 76 feet 6 inches, Height from the ground to the forked part, 26 feet 8 inches. It contains 420 cubic feet of timber. THE "ROMANCE OF REAL. LlFE."—Many of our readers have, no doubt, seen an account running the round of the provincial papers, of the sudden accession of a Bilston collier, named Robert Taylor, to the property of the late Lord Ken nedy. The "fortunate youth" is stated, upon the authority of a veracious contemporary, to have recentiv become pos sessed of £60,000 a-year ! The believers in 260,000 persons assembled in Holloway Head will, no doubt, give credence to this equally indisputable fact ! We confess that after the circumstances connected with his "lordship's" history, which have transpired in this town during the last week, we are not inclined to be so far gulted.—Birminyhant Advertiser. DEFEAT OF RADICALS AT CHELTENHAM.—OU Tuesday, pursuant to adjournment, a meeting was held in the parish church, for the purpose of receiving the report of the scru• tineers appointed to inspect votes given relative to the repairs of St. Paul's Church. The numbers were declared to be— Voters. Votes. For the repairs 479 I 1162 For the adjournment Majority 5 I 454 There being thus a majority of votes and voters in favour of repairing the church, notwithstanding all the exertions of the anti-church patty, who in their anxiety to carry thei► object. brought up to the poll persons who had been dead for some time ; at least, the virtuous and honest liberals procured some of the respectable men of their party to personate defunct voters. CAUTION TO RETAIL BREWERS.—John Whittingham, retail brewer, New England, Marsh-lane, appeared before the magistrates at the Town-hall yesterday, to answer a charge of having refuse , ' to open his house door on Sunday morning last, to the police-officers, aft er b e i ng reques t e d t o do so. The magistrates remanded the defendant that the penalty for the offence of which he had been guilty, was that he should be fined £5; but as it was pr o b a bl e th a t he was not aware of that fact, and he had not been before the magistrates on any former occasion, he must be more careful for the future, and for the present offence he would only be called upon to pay the ex penses of the hearing, which he did forthwith.—Preston Pilot. WORKING DOGS IN LONDON.—The great increase of the number of dog-carts within the last few years has been a sub ject of serious complaint. It is the practice in some parts of the town to let dogs to hire, and they are kept to the number of twenty or thirty by one individual, for that purpose ; when not at work they arP suffered to stray about the streets, to the great annoyance of the neighbourhood, and the increase of public danger from the bite of mad dogs. One witness, Mr. Sewell, the veterinary surgeon, attributes the late increase of hydrophobia " to the employment of dogs in carts ; they are over exerted, that brings on fever, and whenever they have any attack of fever it exposes them to rabies, from the pain and irritation of the feet " The same witness states it to be his opinion that the very fact of employing a dog in a cart is cruelty, because the animal is unfit for the employm'ent.— Report ofthe Committee of the Metropolitan Police. SAVING OF HEAT.—A practice has been followed for some time by the spinning masters of Johnstone, and; we believe, in some other parts of the county, to prevent the escape of heat from steam-boilers. Every one is aware that, when standing near a steam-boiler, a great degree of heat is felt making its escape; of course, all heat passing off is just so much clear loss. To prevent this, the method taken is to cover, to the depth of a few inches, all the exposed part of a boiler with a quantity of old cotton waste, of no other use, and then to plaster it over with a coating of the mud that is scraped from the stre-ets, When so covered in a proper way, the hand may be laid on the coating, when the heat is found scarcely perceptible. As the method is at once cheap and of easy application, and as the saving. of fuel is considerable, while much of the disagreeable heat felt in the vicinity of boilers is got quit of; the plan is worthy the attention of all who have occasion to u s e s t eam p ower . Probably other sub stances, such.as saw-dust, moss, &c. may form a good enough substitute for cotton waste.—Glasgow Courier. THE WALKING MATCH OF A THOUSAND MILES IN A THOUSAND HALF Howls GIVEN UP.—This extraordidary undertaking was commenced on Wednesday night last, in Hall's Cricket Ground, Camberwell. Molloy- continued his task with the greatest ease until Saturday afternoon, but in going up the steps leading to the room in which he took re freshment, &c., he slipped and bruised his left leg. It was, however, considered of no consequence, and he continued walking. Yesterday Inotnin;.7,, however, at an early hour, he complained of severe pain in that leg, and Mr. Massey, a surgeon of Camberwell, was sent for, who promptly at tended, and sent a lotion, which was used every tone lie came in. At two o'clock he said he felt quite relieved from pain, and was in high spirits, and after partaking of some dinner he again set out, apparently quite fresh. He, however; walked very lame, but continued till half-past four, (having then completeth his 278th mile,) when his leg became so in flamed and swollen that he was unable to proceed at a quar ter to five, and the wager was consequently lost. It is said upwards of £5OOO will change hands on the occasion. Morning Herald. REPORTED INTENTION OP HER MAJESTY TO RESIDE AT KENSINGTON.—For some days past a report has been ex tensively current at the west end of the town, and to which, by many persons professing to be well informed on the sub ject, considerable credence has been attached, that it is her Majesty's intention to reside a portion of the year at the royal palace of Kensington, the place of her birth, and which is endeared to her by so many fond recollections. It is said that the ancient palace is first to undergo a thorough repair, and to he considerably enlarged; and it is even asserted that estimates have already been sent into the Board of Works, of the probable amount of the expense. Certain it is that the Princess Sophia will shortly vacate her apartments at Ken. sington Palace, and remove to a large mansion, formerly the residence of Colonel Wynne, in Church-lane, Kensington; in preparing which, and making enlargements, upwards of a hundred workmen have for some weeks been employed; and, for her royal highness'Accommodation, an entrance has been made from the rear on to the palace green. The inhabitants of Kensington are on the tiptoe of anticipation on the subject, and anxiously express a hope that that the report may be well founded.—Sunday paper. RAPID THAVELLING.—The performance recorded in the following parag,ragli is one among many modern instances of improvements in the mode of travelling:—A gentl&man, pas sengers in the Royal William steam-ship, left Trieste on the 15th June, and after passing through Italy, Switzerland, France, and England, visiting four of the European capi tals, and spending twelve complete days at the different places mentioned above on his route until his arrival in Liverpool, the port of embarkation, reached New York on the 24th July. Thus the whole distance was performed in thirty-nine days; from this time is to be deducted twelve days of detention at the following places:-- Venice Milan 3 Lausanne Paris 2 • Boulogne London Liverpool • 12 days, and there are left twenty-seven days of actual travelling. SWINDLING.—In an article, headed "An accomplished Swindler," in the Guardian of Saturday last, we gave an ac count of c.n ingenious fraud attempted to be practised upon Messrs. Potters and Norris, of this town, by addressing an order to them purporting to be from Messrs. Hartley and Morton, drapers, of Halifax, for a quantity of goods, which were accordingly sent. The goods, it will be remembered, were received by Messrs. Hartley and Morton, who,not hav ing ordered them, wrote to Messrs. Potters and Norris to in quire if there was not some mistake; and afterwards, at the request of the latter, sent them to the Goldeh Lion coach office in Leeds, to which place a person who gave his name William Howard came for them, but he was taken into cus tody. He was brought np at the New Bailey on Monday last, when Smith, the beadle, stated the circumstances of the case, as appeared in Saturday's Guardian; and a salesman from Messrs. Potters and Norris stated, that he received the order, and saw that the goods were taken into the packing room to be sent off. Smith produced the letter to Messrs. Potters and Norris, ordering the goods, and to Messrs. Hart ley and Morton, requesting them to forward the goods to Leeds; and the prisoner, after being cautioned by Mr. Maude not to say any thing against himself, admitted that they were in his writing. A bookkeeper from the Golden Lion coach office, Leeds, stated that the prisoner came to the office on Thursday, and asked for a parcel addressed to a person of the name of Morton; the parcel was given to him, and he paid for it, and signed for it in the book. The witness, by Mr. Maude's desire, then compared the writing of the priso ner in his book and the writing of the letters, and said they appeared to be written by the same person. Smith said the goods were returned from Hartley and Morton; and he went to Potters and Norris's. and they packed up a second quan tity, and sent them off to Leeds.—Mr. Maude : The goods which were ordered, then, the prisoner never got at all ? Smith : No; the order was made a second time exactly in the same way.—Mr. Maude : Then they sent off a second quantity of goods of a similar nature to those sent to Hartley and Morton ?—Smith : Yes; and 1 went to Leeds, and waited at the coach office two days, expecting some one to come for them; but as no one did, I came away.—A person, who stated he was a salesman in the silk department at Messrs. Potters and Norris's, said that in the second parcel they only put four pieces of bombazeen, the order was for six. Smith said there were two or three other cases in which the prisoner had obtained goods in the same way ; in one case he got some goods frotn Messrs. S. and J. Watts's, and sold them at Liverpool.—Mr. Reed, deputy-constable of Leeds, stated that he was in the coach-office when the prisoner came in for the parcel, which he gave to a porter, and told him to take it to the railway office • but he, M r . R ee d , to ld the prisoner that he must take both the parcel and him, which he accordingly did.—The prisoner, wh o a p peare d to be about 21 years of age, said that he was an accountant, and came from London.--After some consideration, Mr. Maude said he doubted whether the charge of o bt a i n i ng t h e goo d s from Messrs. Potters & Norris could be sustained, as the prisoner had not, in fact, obtained those goods by means of the false pretence which be had used. That charge was consequently abandoned ; but the prisoner was detained, and he will be brought up again in a day or two, to answer another charge of a similar Datum Guardian. .~ EDINBURGH AND DALKEITH RAILWAY:—It is worthy or note, says the Edinburgh Advertiser, that, throughout the whole of this controversy, only one journal hashed the hardi hood to avow itself the advocate of Sabbath desecration—to stand forth in defence of the practice of Sunday travelling ; need we add, that the journal we allude to is the Scotsman. Among the novelties at Bristol, during the last month, was the publication of a medal to commemorate the holding of the Methodist Conference in that city. It presents on the obverse, a well executed and expressive likeness of Mr. Wes ley, in the act of preaching; and, on the reverse. exhibits the names of the President, Secretary, and Irish Representative's, and the numbers in society, &e. THE VICTORIA STEAM SHIP.—On Monday Mr. L. Jacobs, the solicitor to the old Hull Steam Packet Company, applied to Mr. Justice edale for a writ cer ti orar i to remove the "tiTtllr me vrctorif Queen's Bench, on the ground that thedeodand (£1500) levied by the coroner's jury on the engine and boiler of the vessel is exces sive. The writ was granted, and the whole case will be again argued before the judges. A list of petitions for private bills during the last session of parliament, with the proceedings thereon, has just been pub-- lisned, from which it appears that the total number of peti tions for such bills was 232. Of these 155 passed tbroush both houses and received the royal assent, including► 17 ilia wa y bills ; 34 for roads, bridges, and improvements; 4 for the: establishment of public companies; 14 for naturalization and 17 enclosure bills. • NEW POOR Lew.—On Monday the people of Sowerby• attempted to prevent their aged parents and relative from being removed from the workhouse of that town to the union. workhouse of Halifax, and the police were obliged tube called in from Halifax, to enable the poor law officers to carry off the paupers. On the poor people leaving the town. the scene was most heartrending, the air being filled with the sobs of the aged and destitute parents, which were responded , to by their offspring, now from them many miles.—S4gield Iris. - . • THE LATEST JOB.—The appointment of the son of Idr. Spring Rice, a youth of three or four and twenty, to the , Commissionership of Excise, has excited very general dis— gust. It is felt that an office of this• kind should .not ,have. been bestowed on a young gentleman of whom nothing is known but his parentage. When there are so many-old- friends of the liberal cause, of proved aptitude fotbusineit, neglected, it is most offensive to see an appointment suitable for them misbestowed.--Examiner. SERIOUS MISTAKE.—On Tuesday. last; a person named John Brown, in the employ of R. Mellin, Esq. ' of Wakefield, actually drank a quan tit y o f ammon i a, which was standing in a tin vessel, and which he took for water. The pool' fel low was so thirsty as not to find out his mistake until he had taken a second draught. He then discovered his error, and medical aid being soon procured, and_. proper -treatment adopted, he is now in a fair way of recovery... It was at first reported that some evil-dispo se d p e on n had placed the liquor there for a malicious purpose, but .tipon inquiry it appeared to have been entirely accidental. . • • • MYSTERIOUS ROBBERY AND LOSS OF 'SIXTEEN LIVES--; On Tuesday se'nnight Mr: Wear. innkeeper, of Whitby,. put two notes in a nest of drawers fixed to his ceiling. On the Monday following, on going to:get out the money, he, to his consternation, found the notes gone. Nu -reason. c 0414., be assigned for the mysterious disappearance of the money. A person suggested that Wear should take up the Ilnor abii4e; which he did, and found his notes placed amongst alitter,-on which two rats had brou g ht i n t o th e world- tiro families amounting to sixteen in number, the whole of which were, without any mercy, executed, together with their parents,' upon the spot. • • NON -LIABILITY OF WINE MERCHANTS TO BILLET SOL* nturts.—A question having arisen as to the liability of wine merchants having soldiers billeted upon them a case was snit for the opinion of the attorney-general, which has been pro- . cured, and is as follows:—" 1 am strongly of opinion that wine merchants are nut liable to have.soldiers bi ll eted upon.). them, notwithstanding any li cence given to them for that pur pose; that they do not keep victualling houses, or inns, or ale houses, and do not retail spirits, or wine, to be drunk in their own houses, or places thereunto belonging. I think -their houses are private houses, within the meaning'olthe act. " Temple, Aug., 1838." (Signed) .1. CAMPBELL.. AWFUL ACCIDENT.—On the morning of Monday last a. man named Kennedy, in the employment of Mr. CaSey, soda-water manufacturer, was killed, by the bursting of the - cylinder (technically called the ball) of the machine: • The . : unfortunate man was stooping over it at the moment of the explosion, and was stricken by the portion: propelled' on';the , • shoulder and head. The arm was fractured, and.his brains literally dashed out. The explo s i on mus t h ave bee n owing to an excess of carbonic gas in the cylinder, althoUgh it 'Waif '• proven at the inquest that it had been more highly charged . • with gas on the previous Saturday. A verdict of accidental death was returned. The deceased was a married man, and has left six children.—Droyheda Journal, • MIDLAND COUNTIES' RAILWAY.—The neighbourhood of • Spondon, near Derby, has present e d a b usy scen e f or t he last week. A diversion of the canal had to be made by the railway company, which could not be effected without stop, ping the navigation, for which there was a penalty of £2 per, , hour. The contractor (Mr. Mackenzie) taking advaUtage.of a stoppage of the canal, mustered his forces from the other. parts of the contract, and has succeeded in executing the . di;, version while the repairs of the canal were going on, to the - astonishment of the natives. Between 200 and 300- men • were employed in a very small space, and, when all busily at work, presented a very animated spectacle. To induce the men to persevere and work an extra number of hours, Mr. Mackenzie supplied them daily with a substantial dinner of beef and ale, (in addition to their wages,) which-was served out and eaten on the works.—liailway SAVING BANKS,—An account of the number of depositors, and of the sums peposited, in savings'-banks, diVided into classes at the close of the last quatter o f each of the yeatt from 1830 to 1837, both inclusive, has just been The details are extracted from official returns. They show' the increase or decrease in each of the above years, to whiCh is subjoined a statement of the securities or stocks in which_ such deposits were invested at the end of the last quarter of each year. From this it appears that the number of dePovi="' - tors during the foregoing series of years has increased from, 421,129 to 624,560; that the deposits have increased in gross amount to £4,768,955. This document further supplies the number of persons to whom dividends are payable out of the before-named securities on the 19th of October, '1837, and sth of January, 1838. From this it appears that' there were 86,927 not exceeding £5; 25,983 not exceeding £100;' and 1,363 not exceeding £2OO. • A SUTHERLANDSHIRE PATRIARCH.-Mr. Donald 114.`Kay of Crombach expired at Brawlbin, on the 4th instant, in this country, at the patriarchal age of 108. The deceased served in the Reay militia so far back as the year 1745, the memora ble one of the rebellion, and was one of those engaged in the capture of the money which had been forwarded from the continent for the use of the unfortunate Prince Charles. Stuart. The old man had a store of anecdotes relative to the.. history of the eventful period alluded to, as also of wally , re- markable individuals who then figured in the scene of action... M'Kay was the intimate friend of the celebrated Rub. Donn, the bard of Lord Reay's count r y, w h ose poetical, efft.isions. were held by him in much estimation, and some of whOse.... favourite songs he was in the habit of chaunting until tsitbin. a few days of his death. He was a man of exceedingly sober habits, having been rarely or ever known to indulge in.ardent spirits. During the latter part of his life he was employed in. selling cattle and horses, and visited the Beauty market. for • this purpose so late as the year 1832.—John o'Groati.Tinirnal. . - FEMALE HEROISM.—On Sunday, whil s t M r . Mumford, of Woodford Hall, near Bvefield, and his family and servatiti were gone to church, leaving Eliza Whitmell and three chit. - dren under nine years of age in care of the house, two men, habited as gipsies, demanded admittance, which being refused, they tried to batter in the door. Eliza, from the - first-floor window, desired them to be gone, as either they or she should die rather than they should rob the house. The fellows, dis= regarding her threat, battered at the door in.the expectation of beating it in when the girl went up stairs, rind, taking her master's gun, tired it at them, which she did four. times,. Mr. Mumfot d's eldest daughter, a child of nine years old, supply; ing her with powder and shot to enable her to reload the piece. The thieves finding the girl determined, two-of thetribeing.-.... slightly wounded by the shot, decamped without gaining an entrance. The depositions of the servant and child true taken on Monday, and pursuit after the thieves wdsiet on foot.—Northampton Herald. ERUPTION OF MOUNT VESUVIUS.—A letter frony.Nanles, • dated August 6, gives an account of an eruption of MoUnt Vesuvius, which took place on Wednesday; the. ht r;rAti-i gust, the same day on which, the Queen of Naples was deli vered of a prince; a coincidence which the Neapolitans con.. sidered as a curious one. On Wednesday, at Inel4l4y, there were three streams of lava over the old pathway rip the cone. - On Thursday also, at mid-day, a fresh flow of lava took itince over the same ground. On Thursday night (says the writer of the letter),l went up alone, by a road of my own exploring.. It was the finest night of the three, viz., Wednesday, Thurs.. day, and Friday; and the: stones were more celestially in; dined than I have ever seen them, excepting. on the Ist. of April, 1835. There was an electric .fire flying between the two mouths (situated very close to each other, and near the centre of the interior of the great cone,) and the roaring was louder than I ever heard it. On Saturday it began- to,decrease, and yesterday the lava no longer flowed from above. .• T.n-day there is not much smoke from the mouths. As if to give me the lie, the mountain, on my looking up from my paper, has just Made a fine heave. It was but a slight fit ;• it is over again now • but perhaps to-night there will be a re l a p se . Etna has also been in full activity for some time past; and Stromboli, which is always smoking, has shown- more fire than usual. . THE PERILS OF A TAILOR.-At an early hour on the morning of Tuesday the 7th current, white it blew a. seliVe gale from the west, the people on b oa rd the Ni t h s d a l e ' s t e ahili• described a small boat buffeting the billows to the windward . ' of Blackcoomb, and many miles distant from land. • At this time the steamer might be two miles off; but Captain von, nine bore up immediately, got to the windward of the - tiny: craft, stopped the engines; and laid to. As the boat-neared - • the steamer, it was observed that one solitary individual was • on board; and after repeated directions to keep the prow of his craft to the Nithsdale, he was able to seize a rope frosw the paddle-box, and was thus rescued, it may be said; from,. certain death, in a gale in which well-appointed vessels were not free from danger. The boat was also' taken ow bowed after its late occupant; and as soon as the poor fellow, had • been warmed by a cordial, he gave the following - account of himself, and of his perilous.trip. His natLe is Richard Crane, aged between 25 and 30; and he follows the occupation of a tailor, in Kettle Market, Douglas, Isle of Man. On the pte ceding.day he set out on foot, in company with two other men, from Mona's capital, fur Laxey fair, which• was held at a few miles distance; and in the evening the party purposed returning home by coasting it in a lugger called the Crown. With this intention the three to whom we have alluded, and who were now accompanied by a man in a state of •intoxica tion, took a small boat to lift the anchor of the lugger, and bring her to shore for the master. While thus employed, however, the drunken man seized the helm of the Crown, and' placed her in such a dangerous position that . the tailor, , becoming alarmed, sprung into the small boat he had recently left; and as the painter, or rope which extended between the vessels, got parted, he was drifted out to sea in a dark stormy night. His presence of mind fortunately forsook biiny: , 6 not, and he made the most vigorous efforts to keep his small bark before the wind: although he had a pair of oars, he,el could only use one of them; for the brine boarded him .so;' ' 5 copiously that he was occasionally covered .to the knees, and.'sl had to employ one hand in baling with his hat, and scullirool the boat with the other. Still he had small expectations thata4 he should ever be rescued alive, and he had lashed himself to the prow of the boat, in the hope his body might receive ' 4 '. decent burial, in the event of the boat being, drifted on shore.. Previous to the Nithsdale doing him such essential service, the solitary boatman had been tantalized by the view of a steamer and two sail vessels at a short' distdnce ; and though he hoisted his handkerchief aloft on the spare oar, they saw or heeded him not. The poor tailor was thankful indeed for his rescue, and had struggled manfully for it, for his hands were entirely blistered from the use of the oar. While bear ing down on the Nithsdale, Crane reports that he was appalled by the figure of a dead man, which was swept past him on the crest of a wave, and who wore a glazed hat attached to his head by a strap beneath the'chin—in all likelihood sore luckless mariner who had previously perished. The humanity of the captain, crew, and passengers of th e Nith s d a le •is deserving of the most special commendation; for the tailor owes to them not only his life, but a handsome suns which was raised by subscription to carry him back to - Mona. •139 the Nithsdale he was taken to Liverpool free of expense, and, when once there, will readily find his way back to his native country, where he has an aged mother wholly de pendent on him for the means of support, and other relatives, who by this time may have given him up for lost. On Wed nesday the tailor paid a visit to Dumfries, and, in detailing ~ his hair breadth 's cape, sa id t h at t h e last hint his mother gav 6 him before going to Laxev was, " that those who went to a , ) fair without an errand, generally found one' before they gt. :; 4l. back."—Duntiries Courier. * •