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 of corn, and then enter their stock on hand fur home consumption at a nominal duty; and there are party politi cians wbo do not scruple to inveigh against corn laws on the presumption that those apprehensions are well founded, thereby spreading the delusion still further. Though the . gate _of the weather for s o me w e eks past has been exceed- zdgly tlnravourSTll thertzfrtn-girrrre-- c li, e f f i e 4 4 .-44.i.. 4 . 441 , may be deficient, yet we are persuaded that throughout the country the year's crop will not fall much below an average one. Ihis will be evident on perusing the accounts sub joined, which we have selected from other similar ones which have reached us from all parts of the kingdom. ENGLAND. HAMPSHIRE.—The wheat crop in this county, and indeed in the whole south and west of England, never looked cleaner or better. It is true th a t, f rom t h e h eavy e ff ec t s o f th e l a t e severe winter, it is thinner than could have been wished for; but then the straw is abund a ntly fi ne , and, from the extra ordinary improvement in its appearance and growth, arising from the very genial weather of the past three mouths, it is expected that it will yield an average crop within a sixteenth. NO TTINGHAMSHIRE.—AIthough the crops of corn in the northern parts of this county are later than tney 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 the 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 harley, and are better corned than the farmers have known for the last twenty years. Sussax.—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. SOMERAET.—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 winilsof the winter and spring, the stalks are very thin. Taking all the lands to gether, the crops will fall considerably below the average. WARIVICKSHIIIII.—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 almindant 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 S 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 barvested before the wheat, but it will he confined to warm dry situations. WORCESTER.—IU 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 it. 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 iu 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 editor of the 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 suirered a good deal from the cold spring. Some fields of corn and barley have been blasted; but, speaking generally, au average crop is promised. AYRiiilßE.—Never, we believe, were the crops more plen tiful than this year, liut they must be late, and exposed, in many parts, to great risk, _ although favourable weather should soon ensue. EDINBURGHSHIP.F..—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 ()C crops will be unusually late; and it seems to be generally feared that the harvest would be rather under average. BERW ICKSHIRE.—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 au 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 he little short of that of last few years. A person who said to have largedealings 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 his lordship, as chief magistrate of• London, that if Par liament did nut 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 mposition 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 hitn 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 sacrihce 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 eleven pence, its present average price, to forty s hillings, 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 within 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, at a nominal duty of one shilling per quarter. If the object of the corn speculators who have been sn 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 with profit to themselves. The duty is now sixteen shillings and eightpence per quarter, and the next return probably will not rate it at snore 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 ; but having paid the duty, or ent ere d i t f or home consumption, duty free, be may sell it w h en.and in what way he may think proper. So that the preventive of expectant famine is in this instance completely fallacious. If relief is to be administered, under the present high prices, let it fall equally on all classes of the community, and 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 'mall knot of corn-jobbers in the metropolis, where the scheme 'vas 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 atel • ti aon ui t , h l e arrival of more grain prices would settle down, further continue to fall until they operated as a check on The importations. not ou t c ry less ab surd attempted to be raised against the corn laws is forsuerd than the motives of the individuals are inte rested; moment a.bollieZsaupposing that the corn laws were at this seasons? Certainly that secure us against unfavourable foreign corn under such n "t; nor would it render our supply of now is. The hyp:ireh,- circumstance more secure than it f a ll ac i ous ono ; for as , : a s of the free-traders is evidently a price of living became a ge s would fall in proportion as the went could be presented toeca_OPron s Cheap er it is plain that no induce peculators,—and they would then be as numerous as or La re 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 indudement 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 oft hose 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 ~t ound to fear that the year's produce ..11T " will rda much - be - low aLI - aVeraretlit'ffirile-iernerimi• under favourable circumstances, there will be plenty through out the land both for man and beast. COURT CIRCULAR. Her Majesty and her august mother attended Divine ser vice on Sunday morning. in the Chapel Royal, St. James's. '['he sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr. Maddy, wbo took his text from St. John, chap. ii, verses 23, 24, 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 DE UM 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 royal 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 andfour. 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 au 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 Norman by, left the New Pa lace at half-past four o'clock on Tuesday afternoon, in au open barouch and four, with outriders, for Windsor Castle. The Marquis Con vngham, 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 Lebzen, and the Hon. Col. Cavendish. A party of hussars escorted the Queen. The royal standard was lowered from 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 frao 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 retuned—the " play" was, of course, postponed—and day passed after day without bring ing any tidings of the actor or his boy. 'The 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 decoinpo sition. The occurrence was noised abroad, and the moulder ing remains were identified by the people of Laity, 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 head 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! " The 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 the 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 (lash 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 layers have, however, become 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 Loudon 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 ad vance 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 I 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 tavour; many imagined him a little "off." The same observation may be 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•" pull e d out; " y however, Creeping Molly, the Watchman, Easter, Jagger, and the Pucelle hily (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 (7M 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 Tallevrand 200 to 7 „ Charming Molly (taken) 200 to 15 „ Major Yarburgh's Easter (taken) 200 to 5 „ Mr. J. 0. Fairlie's The H ydra (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 . Cobbam, were severally b ac k e d f or sma ll sums , w i t h out any positive advance. Alzira and Jemmy Jumps area 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) 11 to 1 „ Mr. Bowes's Appleton Lad (taken) 18 to 1 „ Mr. S. L. Fox's Jemmy Jumps (t & aft off) 20 to 1 „ Duke of Cleveland's Alzira (taken) 25 to 1 „ Major Yarburgh's Easter (offered) 33 to 1 „ Mr. Thompson's Predictor c (taken) 35 to 1 „ Mr. Fairlie's The Hydra (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 60 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?" 'e You said that Mr. M. had been tried." " True." " Very true." " Hung." " Most true." " Now, Sir, lam the gentleman himself." " Impossible !" " I assure you it is a fact, and now I hope you will contradict what you have alleged." " By no means, Sir." "How! what do ynu 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. TIT FOIL TAT.—Two tradesmen who reside within a short walk of Holmfirth, and who are noted fur their shrewdness in bargain driving, have been trying to overcome each other in a novel manner, but more for the purpose of joking than cheating. O ne o f them, some time since, purchased of the other a quantity of potatoes at an extra price, on condition that they should be picked ones, and when they were deliver. ed they proved to be such, the largest among them being about the size of a marble. A few days ago, an opportunity occuried for r e t urning the compliment. The person whii had before been outwitted, beamg the other inquire for an October calving co w , bethought him of one with part of a tail, which he purchased; and, furnishing her with a new appen dent, sent for his friend, who bought her at a handsome profit. Next morning the man servant was sent into the field along with the maid, to milk the cow, which started off when the girl commenced; Hodge snatched at her tail, but it came off, remained in his hand, and 'left the beast minus her. flytasher. —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 g reat excitement prevailed. Consols closed yesterday at 941 for Money and Account, and opened this morning at the same prices; and-for the Oc tober Account, 9412. Exchequer Bills, 72 74; India Bonds, 73 75; Bank Stock, 2071 81; India Stock, 264151. In the Foreign market the prices are the same as th e y c l ose d a t. Spanish Active 211 a; Portuguese improved to g7 l ; Three per Cents., 2,41 I; Brazilian, 841; C o l om bi an , 261 ; Mexi can, 241; Dutch Two-and-a-Half per Cents., 541 a. HALF-PAST ONE.—The mercantile accounts from Con stantinople, to the 27th July, are of a favourable tendency; .li4Y-6144-I.llittiusiDe.ss, which had b?en for a long tithe in a greiTto7l) stagnation, 131 an' tr a rektlt a (t444f trfflimir great number of purchasers from the interior arriving lately, had given an impulse to the market; the storehouses were nearly empty which contained the articles 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 941 1 to 941 sellers for the Account. Money 948, little doing. Exchequer Bills, 7274. India Bonds, 75. Bank Stock, 2081. In India Stock nothing doing. In the Foreign Market Spanish Active heavy at 214 1. Portuguese a shade lower, 371 1. Three per Cents., 241. Brazilian, 841. M ex i can , no a l tera ti on , 241. D u t c h Two and-a-Half 548 I. Shales are all lower. Brighton, 3 discount. Birmingham, 75 yin. Great Western, 101 pm. QUARTER BEFORE THREE.—Consols for the Account, 9441. - (From the official list, containing the business actually t ransacted.) BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. Bank Stock, 2081 'lndia Stock, 3 per Ct. Red., 947 1 5 India Bonds, 75 pm 3 per Ct. Con., 941 South Sea Old Anns. 9571 31 per Ct. Anns. 1818, 1021 1 Bank Stock for Acct., 911 3M per Ct. Red. 10214 Consols fog Acct., 941 New 3% per Cents., 11111; 1 £lOOO Ex. Bills, 72 74 pm Long Ans. 1860, 15 9-16 - 1 £5OO do. 72 75 pin Ditto, 30 yrs. 1859, 151 7-16 Small ilo. 72 75 pm Ditto, 30 yrs. 1860, Ditto Commercial, SHA: (The quotations give the actui RES. al price, without reference to discount.), Asphalte (Claridg , e's Patent) premium or Birm. & Derby, 32 311 Great Western, 751 London & Brighton, 8 Lon. & Birmingham, 167 168 London and Blackwall, 6% Manchester and Leeds, -14 Northern -& Eastern, 61 South Eastern and Dover, 3 Asphalte, British, 2h London and Greenwich, Loudon and Southampton, Danube and Mayne, 281 South Midland, Manchester and Birmingham, Ci'anada, 28 ,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 inscriptidn, assisted by Mr. Kelly, mason, who has contracted for all the bridges. The baud 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 shimbering dreams" of fancied prosperity without effort to realise the good promised to exertion, and all united in 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 into 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 superior 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 Hbeef, 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 Royle, 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 Royle, Mr. Bcnj. Brassey, Mr. Macleod, Mr, H. B. Briscoe, Mr. Hammond, Mr. Lister, Mr. W. Worrell, &c. &c.—Chester Gazette. EXCHANGES, &c. 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 dollars are said to be equal to the Spanish. The "Carolus" dollars arc 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 the3lst of July, 1834, contained 2471 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 18-1214 parts of a grain of pure gold, worth, according to our present mint .valuation, 4 dollars 877-120. The Spanistrdoubloons 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 1822, Spanish doubloons contained only from 360 to 352.1-10 grains of pure gold. This would make their average value; at our mint valuation, about 15 dollars' 56.1 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 444-9 are assumed as the par of exchange on England. This practice began when the 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 31 534-1000 centimes. But as foreign coins are not a legal tender iniFrance, and as a siegnorage of about I 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 cen ti mes . This is, by some writers, assumed as a par of exchange on France. Other writers assume 5 francs 34 centimes as about par. 'rho 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 45 144-1000 cents. United States currency. The rix dollar of Bremen is money of account equal to 80 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 pi ()cured, when the hon. gentleman, in company with a friend, went with all baste 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 tho 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, Mout 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 Planche. 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 t heir 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. Th e 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. 1 here 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 most exquisite workmanship, as we ll as the arms attached to them, and which will be used at the melt:ie. The knights are to be armed cap-a-pie. The squires in half or allecret armour, 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 Pontius Pilate.--Glasgow Courier. MISCELLANEOUS. STATE OF .TRA DE.—There continues to be a fair demand both for goods and yarn, without any change of prices since last week.--:Manchester Guardian. A SOP 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 Howick departed for Antwerp on the same (lay 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 Contment.—Norwich Mercury. EXTRAORDINARY TROUT.—On Monday week, a remark " cauuht by Mr. Timothy Thackray, fisher man, at - Crflb3 - 7 - fren ----- r. witn -- rae-nrrrnznysr: measured from the head to the tail 22% 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 fortunately no serious injury was sustained by any one. MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE.--Tie 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 Fitzwilliam. So strict an eye is kept over the movements of foteigners 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 be was, where he lodged, and where h e 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 gutting 4-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 Aruadel Las been purchased by Wm. Wan ham, Esq. A Non LE BEER .SELLka. 7 —At the seat of Lord Lyttleton, at Hagley, a bazaar was held in order to increase the funds for building a uew church, towards which the sum of 121,450 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 have sent 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 hot weather in th e ear l y part o f th e week.—Baltimore Sun. We stated last week, that, in ondiocese alone, there were not less than twenty applicants jor 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 uo change in the price of flannels or wool to day, though in 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 shuts are also very plentiful on the southern moors of Scotland, and in a pretty forward state. —Kendal Mercury. AN INFANT Dwaits..—Considerable 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 N orris Castle, in the Isle of Wight, for a s h or t p erio d, L or d Melbo urne 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 Husker, of Longton. met in a mea dow on the estate of Mr. George Taylor, of Longton Hall, to decide a wager, made about which would soonest mow au 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 Hampsou manifested symptoms of fatigue and distress, and was advised b_y his friends to gi ve in. Hosker, on the other h an d, declared himself able to mow at the same rate till sunset; consequently he continued his work, and finished his acre of 71 yards to the rod, in seven hours and three quarters.— Manchester Courier. ATTEMPT TO POISON A FAAIILY.—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 m i stress by putting arsenic into the sugar which they were about to use for breakfast, and which they actually put into their coffee ,;_ hut, the cr e a m no t b e i ng a dd e d t o i t, t h e po i son W a s 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 following 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. p er pound. He 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 peara.nce.—Prestorz paper. Too HOT on 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 iyith 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 sorue persons took to be birds of a dirty white colour, about the size or 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 dista nces . Upon close observation it was, however, found that it was an immense cloud of gnats, which became visible only when the insects got into tht• oblique rays of the setting Sllll. StriGur.Art 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 Co be in the act of drawing ou a pair of boots, when the electric fluid entered the window, and, .with a loud explosion, struck bne of the posts of, the bed, close. to which he sat, and shivered it into laths from top to bottom. 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 ifs 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 for 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 'toothy 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 rope 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. Tomkins, 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 DRUNKARD.--On Saturday evening, 111 r. John Bunbrow, a young man of considerable property, hut a notorious drunkard, was removed from the parlour of the Blucher's public house, at ltoinford, into the stable. wher e 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 for, 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.—Glasyow Courier. UNFORTUNATE NAME.—A popular itinerant preacher in Sussex possesses the not very enviable cognomen of Scamp. WIESB A DEN, 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 tcx 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 lost, an extraordinary take of salmon on the Coquet, in one boat, of 134 fine fish. THE GREAT' WESTERN STEANI-SHIP.—The brig Argus, Captain Bell, which has arrived at Swansea, from Quebec, Western . , on the 29th Cat. 46 20, long. 41 8. The steam-ship Sirius, which sailed from London on Wed nesday, the first inst., reached Cronstadt on'the Bth, having 'performed the voyage in seven days, in c ludin g a d e t en ti on of 24 hours at the Sound. MINISTERIAL ECONOM Y.-NVith 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 very rare occurrence, as Mr. Pitt and others knew to their cost. BOROUGH OF WARWICK.—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. —Nor:hampton 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. DENBIGHSHIRE YEOMANRY CAVALRY.—The Lord Lieut. of the county has appointed Captain \V. Lloyd to be Major- Commandant, vice Fitzhugh, resigned. 'On Monday 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. Moors.—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 ribitul of the order of St. Patrick, worn by the late Marquis of °monde, will be given, it is said, to the Marquis of fleadfort, one of the Lords in Waiting, - or Lord Oranmore. EXTENSIVE VIADucT.—We perceive that in the works on the line of . .the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway, which is just commencing, it requires a viaduct of 632 feet long and 60 feet high,.to,cross the Almond Water Valley. Tim GUN STOCK.—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 AlRS.—Owing to the con tinued rain of last week, this river overflowed its batiks 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 chickens, 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, seceived ten pounds; and Mr. Barnett, for "the Light Gui tar," the prodigious suns of Iwo guineas! STATE OF TRADE, MONDA Y.—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, 2h inches—in length, inches; and contained from six to eight large grams. 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 course 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'Urban, 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 Jaspar 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 End, on Friday the 10th, 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 fe* weeks ago, Mr. Ward, gardner to the Earl of Lnnsdale, 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 annu m d ur i ng hi s lif e . Mr. Ward is a middle aged person.—Carlisle Patriot. THE Meoits.L-Sunday last, being the 12th inst., moor game shooting did not commence till Monday, on that day the llon. 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 moors are very soft and wet. —Carlisle Patriot. STEAM COMMUNICATION WITH INDIA.—The first of the intended line of steamers between London and the East In dies arrived at Falmouth on FridayJast. She is called the Madagascar, and is commanded by Capt. M'Dougal, 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.—Col nwal/ Gazette. Mr. O'Connell says he owes the defeat of his petition against his return for Dubli❑ 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 whip, nobody doubts; but of his extraordinary talents we never heard before: while we heartily pity Mr. Byng that at the end of a long public life he should come under the disgrace of Mr. O'Connell's praise. THOUGH STRANGE, YT TRUE.—There are six individuals at present living at Lanark, among whom there are no less than three wives, three husbands, two 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, one niece, and two sisters-in law, forming . , altogether, twenty-nine distinct relationships from these six individuals.—Glasgow paper. Pt ATINA WIRES.—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 he made of a compo s ition o f th e t wo , w hi c h would present the advantages of each. PARLIAMENTARY DurtATloN.—The session of parliament which has just expired, which began in November last, met nominally for about ninemonths, calculating from November to August; but the number of actual sitting days, in whi c h 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. —Glavow Courier. THE BAR IN NEW SOUTH WA LES.—TheleCeOt act of their honours 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. [The "gen tlemen of the long robe" then, in future, will be of home ma nufacture—one way of improving the profession, and ensur ing uniformity of the practice of English law. We did not know barristers were so scarcel Murmur. AT ECKINGT.ON.—A most atrocious murder was committed at Eckington, some tune 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 Eckington, drinking with some otherss 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 Southgate to a narrow alley, called Rotten-row, where John 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 severed 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 Bar-- 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. Ile afterwards struggled amongst the wood in an adjoining wheelwright's yard, the blood still streaming ftom him, and there must have become completely exhausted. After daylight, the poor creature was found under a tree in Lady SitweWs 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 exhaustion, that Mr. Askatn, 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 the;examination 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 1? 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 AYUSHIRE RAILWAY.—James 111'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. TYPHUS FEVER.—As typhus fever is generally found to pre vail at this period of the year, it may not be untimely to men tion that nitrous acid gas possesses the power of destroying its contagion, and of preventing its spread. By the following „liinle.__9?)J3d the gas may be produced at a trifling expense. as much oil of vitriol as will just cover it; a copious dischare 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 bas 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. Tim SWIMMING MArcti.—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, a nd th e scene o f ac ti on i s t o b e f ro m shore to shore across the Serpentine in Hyde Park. There are to be four heats, and the successful parties ore 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 a s follows:—Civilians won five prizes, a soldier one, and watermen and sailors one. LARGE CEDAR.—In Quenby-park, Leicestershire, the seat of W. W. 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. Height of 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, H eight from the ground to the forked part, 26 feet 8 inches. I t 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 recently become pos sessed of £60,000 a-year ! The believers iu 2t30,000 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 (luring the last week, we are not inclined to be so far/Jul/ed.—Birmingham Advertiser. DEFEAT OF RADICALS AT CHELTENDABI.—On 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 1162 I For the adjournment Majority . There being thus a majority of votes and voters in favour of repairing the church, notwithstanding all the exertions of the anti-church party, who in their anxiety to carry their 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 refused to open his house door on Sunday morning last, to the police-officers, after being requested to 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 babl 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 are 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' Tile 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 employment.— 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 oft' is just so touch 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 streets. When so col ered 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 use steam power. Probably other sub stances, such as saw-dust, moss, &c. may form a good enough substitute for cotton waste.— Glasgow Courier. 'fig WALKING MATCH OF A THOUSAND MILES IN A THOUSAND HALF HOURS GIVEN UP ? —This extraordinary 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 moinin . g, 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 time he 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 Rerald. 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 be 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 TRAVELLING.—The performance recorded in the following paragragh is one among many modern instances of improvements in the mode of travelling:—A gentleman, 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 21th 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 pl aces: — - Venice Milan Lausanne Paris • 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 an ingenious fraud attempte I 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 Golden 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 the hook. 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 ()flit 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, 1 came away.--A person, who stated he was a salesman in the silk department at Messrs. Potters and Norris's, said that iu 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 from 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, Mr. Reed, told the prisoner that he must take both the parcel and him, which he accordingly did.—The prisoner, who a p peare d to be about 21 years of age, said that he was an accountant, and came from London.—After sonic consideration, Mr. Maude said he doubted whether the charge of obtaining the goods from Messrs. Potters & Norris could be sustained, as the prisoner had not, in fact, obtained those goods by means of the false pretence which he 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 nature.—Slanehester Guardian. EDINBURGH AND DALREITH RAILWAY.—It is worthy of note, says the Edinburgh ildvertiser, that, throughout the whole of this controversy, only one journal has had 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 Representatives, and the numbers in society, &c. THE VICTORIA STEAM SHIP.—On Monday Mr. L. Jacobs, the solicitor to the old Hull Steam Packet Company, applied to Mr. Justire Littledale for a writ certiorari, to remove the case of the Victoria steam-ship into the Court of Queen's Bench, on the ground that thedeodand (£ISOU) 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 A list of petitions for private - bilrs during the !MIMI:lion 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 through both houses and received the royal assent, including 17 rail way bills ; 34 for roads, bridges, and improvements; 4 for the establishment of public companies; 14 for naturalization; and 17 enclosure bills. NEW POOR LA W.—On Monday the people of Sowerby attempted to prevent their aged parents and relatiVe front being removed from the workhouse of that town to the union workhouse of llalifax, and the police were obliged to be 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.—Sheffield Iris. THE LATEST Jon.—The appointment of the son of Mr. Spring Rice, a youth of three or four and twenty, to the Cmnmissionership 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 for business, neglected, it is most Offensive to see an appointment suitable fur them misbestowed.— Examiner. SERIOUS MtsTAKE.—On Tuesday last, a person named John Brown, in the employ of B. Mellin, Esq., of Wakefield, actually drank a quantity of amm on i a , which was standing in a tin vessel, and which he took for water. The poor fel fow was so thirsty as not to find out his mistake until he had taken a second draught, H e then discovered his error, and medical aid being soon procured, and proper treatment adopted, he is 'anis , in a fairway of recovery. It was at first reported that some evil-disposed person had placed the liquor there for a malicious purpose,, but upon inquiry it appeared, to have been entirely accidental. • MYSTERIOUS ROBBERY AND Loss OF SIXTEEN LIVES.— On Tuesday se'nuiaht Mr. 'Wear. innkeeper, of Whitby, put two notes in a nest of drawerS fixed to his ceiling. On the Monday following, on goin g t o get out t h e moue) , he, to his consternation, found the not es gone. No reason could be assigned for the mysterious disappearance of • the money. A person suggested that Wear should take up the floor above, which he did, and found his notes placed'anrongst a litter, on which two rats had brought into the world two families amounting to sixteen in number, the whole of which were, without any mercy, executed, together with their parents, upon the spot. NON-LIABILITY or WINE MEncsANTS TO BILLET SOL pmts.—A : question having arisen as to the liability of wine merchants having soldiers billeted upon them a case was r3nt for the opinion of the attorney-general, which has been pro cured, and is as follows:—" I am strongly of opinion that wine merchants are not liable to have soldiers billeted upon them, notwithstanding any licence given to them for that pur pose; that hey da.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 of the act. "'Temple, Aug., 1838." (Signed) J. CANIPBEI.i. • AWFUL Acctni.:NT.- . —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 bead. The arm was . fractured, 'and his brains literally dashed out. The explosion must have . been owing to an excess of carbonic ga s in th e cylinder, although it was proven at the inquest that it had b'een 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.—Droghed a Journal. MIDLAND COUNTIES' RAILWAY.—The neighbourhood of Spondon ' near Derby, has presented-4 b us y. scene f or t h e 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 advantage of a stoppage of the canal, mu s t e r e d hi s f orces 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 3(X) 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 numher 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.—Railway Times. SAVING BANKS,—An account of the number of depositors, and of the sums peposited, in savings ) -banks, (Uyided into classes at the close of the last quarter of each or - the years from 1830 to 1837, both idhlusive, has just been published. The details are extracted from official returns. They slurs 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 deposi tors durini , the foregoing ser i es o f years. has inc eased from 421,129 to 624,560; that the d e p os its s ave incretiied in g ross 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, 18.38. From this it appears that there were 86,927 not exceeding £5; 25,983 not exceeding £100; and 1,363 not exceeding £2OO. A SUTIIERLANDSH lea PATRIARCH:—Mr. Donald M 4 KaY of Crombach expired at Brawlbin, On the 4th instant, in.this country, at the patriarchal age of 108. The deceased 'served in the 'Bea) , militia so far back as the year 1715, 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 many re' markable individuals who then figured in the scene of action. M'Kay was the intimate friend of the celebrated ltob Donn, the bard of Lord Reay's country, whose poetical effusions were held by him in much estimation, and• some of whose favourite songs he was in the habit of chaunting until with'° a few days of his death. He was a man of exceedingly sober habits, having been rarely or e ve r k now n t o indulge In ardent spirits. During the latter part or his life-he was employed 10 selling cattle and horses, and visited the Beauty market for this purpose so late as the year 1832.-John o'Groat Journal. FEMALE Hunotstu.—On Sunday, whilst slr. Mumford, of Woodford Hall, near Byefieldi and his family and servants were gone to church, leavin g Eli za Whit me ll and three chit' dren under nine years of age in care. of the house, two men,. habited as gipsies, demanded admitt ance , w hi c h b e i ng re fused, they tried to batter in the door. - Eliza, from the first4lo o ,l window, desired them 'to be gon e , a s e ith er th e y o r s h e s hould die rather than theyshould rob the house. The fellows, dis' regarding her threat, battered at the door' in the expectatio n of heating it in, when the girl went up stairs, and, taking he t master's gun, tired it at them, whi c h s h e da - four times, Al r ' Mumfotd's eldest daughter, a child o f n i ne } rear s o ld , supPb" ing her with powder and shot to enable her to reload the piece . The thieves finding the girl determined, two of them bein„g slightly wounded by the sh o t, d ecam p e d w i t h ou t ga i n i n g a: entrance. The depositions of the servant ..and child we r ,", taken on Monday, and pursuit, afte r th e thieves was set n'' foot.—Northampton Herald. ERUPTION OF MOUNT ViSUVIUS.--A . l4teT from NaP l ,: j i dated August 6, gives an account ; of au emotion of Mou" Vesuvius, which took place on Wednesday, the Ist of Nr, gust, the same day on which the Qu ee n o f N a pl es w as del l vered of a prince; a coincidence which- he Neapolitans cop; sidered as a curious one. On Wednesday, at mid-day, th e e , were three streams of lava over the did Ilithway tip the C 01 1 , 4, On Thursday also., at mid-day, - a fresh flow of . lava took Pi a ", , over the same ground. On Thursday night (says the write, of the letter) I went up alone, by a road of•niYon explori"; It was the finest night of the - three, viz., Wednesday, Thtq e - , day, and Friday; and the stones were more celestial l e f dined than I have' ever seen them, 'excepting on the 19 1 ,,,, April, 1835: There *as an electric fire 'flying between 4 2 . • two mouths (situated very cl ose t o e ac h ot h er , an d ne ar fr o . centre of the interior of the great cone,) anti the roaring If o, louder than lever heard it. On Saturday it began to d e ereed and yesterday the lava no longer flowed from above. Ti ). o f there is not touch smoke from the mouths. A s if t o giee ho f the lie, the mountain, on my looking up front my parr , of just made a flue heave. It was but a slight fit; it is ° ,e. again now • but perhaps to-night there will he a reler o al Etna has also been in full activity f u r so me ti me past; 0,4 Stromboli, which is always smoking, has shtmn more than usual. Tot: PrAtit.s OF A TAILOR.—At an early hour O r el morning of Tuesday the 7th current, while it blew a oc el ot gale from the west, the people on board the Nithsdaleste, 3 o o ) described a small boat buffeting the billows to the wino, i iag of Blackcoomb, and many miles distant from land time the steamer might be two miles off; but Captain of, ning bore up immediately, got to. the windward a W er e , ' craft, stopped the engines, and laid to. As the boat n e the steamer, it was observed that one solitary individn 3l „.0 1 on board; and after repeated 'directions to keep the his craft to the Nithsdale, he., was able to seize a roPer r ol' t the paddle-box, and was thug rescued, it may be said , o rr i certain death, in a gale ini which well-appointed vessel h ori l not free from danger. The boat was also taken on hd after its late occupant; and as soon as the poor fello7ot ' been warmed by a cordial, he gave the following acc°,! re ne. himself, and of his perilouspip. His name is Ric hard - o f t 0 aged between 25 and 30; and he follows th e o c cupatit, P e tailor, in Kettle Market, Douglas, Isle of Man. On ,o' 4 ceding day he set out on. foot, in company with men, front Mona's capital, for Laxey fair, which was 11 0 , 0, a few miles distance ; and in the evening the party P u cr o oe',j returning home by coasting it in a lugger called the With this intention the tilt ee to whom we have allu,e:oic°,l who were now accompanied by a man in a state of T e ' r, tie j, tion, took a small boat to lift the anchor of the Ing 4 ooYe e bring her to shore for the master. While thus etnl ow ic i.t : however, the drunken man seized the helm of the tal'° l i and placed her in such a dangerous position that t h f ec eov becomint , alarmed, sprung into the small boat he h a il re el; left; and as the painter, or rope which extended her„ % ar ic vessels, got parted, he was drifted out to sea in 0 14 l',ll stormy night. his presence of mind fortunately for sn'oe not, and he made the most vigorous efforts to keeP, oa rs, ? bark before the wind : although he had a pair ol d 10 0 (1 could only use one of them ; for the brineboar d , e _ e ef,, ii ii copiously that he was occasionally covered to the Ki i ' s , o l' lo l had to employ one hand in baling with his hat, atv io ps the boat with the other. Still he had small e xpeeta,l o seh i ,4 he should ever be rescued alive. and he had lashed re ce re , the prow of the boat, in the hope his body tili,-, fl oo decent burial, in t fie event of the boat being drifte , !_ i se ry f t Previous to the Nithsdale doing him such essenc e the solitary boatman had been tantalized by the th°o steamer and two sail vessels at a.short distance; r heY,fi ‘ he hoisted his handkerchief aloft on the spare oa, l !dee'', or heeded him not. The poor tailor was thankf ul is hart his rescue, and had struggled manfully for it, f;Thile bll were entirely blistered from the use of the oar. ing down on the Nithsdale, Crane reports that hen . , .st hin co t , 'by the figure of a dead man, which was swept r'tt"chsol!'. the crest of a wave, and who wore a glazed I . l cii hood tQ his head by a strap beneath the chin—in all 11 , 1 ‘ be hon e luckless mariner who had previously perished. 1 14 04 3 4 . 1 i ., of the captain, crew, and passengers of the for th e : t hii deserving of the most special commendation . _ su m 1; owes to them not only his life, but a hanilsomf iN t a na• ce f i was raised by snbscription to carry him back t oof esr,elo, fr ee,e the Nithsdale he was taken to Liverpool ho , u e 5, and, when once there, will readily find ,;ier wir , native country, where he has an aged ton- , i _ er re We 'OF pendent on hint I'M. the means of support, a u d, ° , L t l : O i n o il' who by this time may have given him up fnr '!_' er nesday the tailor paid a visit. to notaries, a is ro tn_ or tvd his hair breadth 'scape i said that the last hint " v h o ot e y g o him before going to Laxev was, " that those, _ fore the. fair without an errand,Teiterally found one D' back."— unyries Courier. - • ,