The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-01-08 00:00:00

FOREIGN AND COLONIAL. INDIA AND CHINA. An eitraordinary express has put us in c— lews from Bombay of the 3rd ult., and the! 23rd November, in anticipatie— iro44 Nitiettfa of The intelligence supplied 41 of il o* . oVerland mail. R auch importance . v ll4 tVcivao — e'S not possess drao ObsaYriei'-'Gieeral had caused a .0F to bo pThpareclo, 'tipenfrig ep the coasting trade of Ind& to the ships 'of all nations, and thus extending to all parts of India free trade in its fullest acceptation. Some disturbances had occurred on the Peshawur, frontier, but Colonel Lawrence, with a number of troops, was orddred to march against the disaffected. In every other respect India was tranquil. The heat was tremendous at Bombay, the thermometer being 90 degrees in the shade, and 120 in the sun. Much illness prevailed at Sukkur and Mooltan, particularly at the latter piece. His excel lency the Governor-general (Marquis of Dalhousie) re mained very unwell, though not prevented from travelling, The Commander-in-chief (Sir C. Napier) was in good health, and was moving about with as much activity as many of those who were half a century his juniors. Commercial affairs both at Bombay and Calcutta remained in much the same state as when the previous mails left those presidencies. COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE (From the Bombay Times.) BOMBAY, SATURDAY EVENING, DECEMBER I.—The smallness of the stocks of goods received since our last, and the intelligence received by the last English mail of the advanced prices ruling for Manchester cottons—which has had the effect of causing holders of these goods here to exhibit considerable firmness—have kept the import market in a very tranquil state, and but little business has been done, though the demand has in no way diminished. In exports, little has been done, owing to the small quan tity of produce, cotton in particular, procurable ; but that little has commanded and obtained extreme rates. The advices received by the last mail of the rise in prices of cotton at home have induced large purchases of that article, and numerous contracts for tonnage have been entered into. (From the Bengal Hurkaru of Nor. 21.) CALCUTTA, NOVEMBER 21.—The business done in im ports has neither been large nor general. In some of its branches, however, rather a better feeling is apparent. The demand for Manchester cottons is not brisk. With the exception of the very ordinary descriptions of grey and white skirtings, of which stocks are extensive, most staple goods are saleable. In some instances prices have given way a little. There is no general desire, however, to sell, Imports do not press, and the decided upward movement in exchange should give support to holders Glasgow cottons, for many of which the season now com- menses, are in more demand. Turkey red cottons are saleable, but printed goods are out of season, and neg lected. Mule twist has not been sold so largely, but prices can scarcely be quoted any lower. General Jerome Bonaparte has been created a Marshal of France. Street lamps have recently been introduced into the European quarter of Alexandria. The official Berlin paper publishes the king's permis sion accorded to 89 Prussian subjects to wear the British war medal?. An opera, by the Duke of Saxe Cobourg Gotha, " Dil Vergeltung" (The Reprisals) has been performed with great success at the Court Theatre at Gotha. . . _ The British fleet has left Baiska Bay for the Masconissi Islands. The return of the French fleet to Toulon has been countermanded. The electric telegraph has brought intelligence from Paris, by which it appears that the resolution to send a considerable armed force to La Plata was carried by a majority of nine to six. THE Housa OF LORETTO.—The anniversary of the House of Loretto (carried, according to the legend, by angels through the air from the Holy Land to Italy) was this year celebrated with unusual pomp, under a great concourse of ecclesiastics and pilgrims. THE BRAZILS.—By the Seraphina, Captain Goole, we have dates from Pernambuco to the Ist ultimo. The go vernment had assembled about 2000 troops, with the in tention of surrounding the remnant of the rebel army that had taken refuge at a place called Agoa Preta. It was confidently anticipated that this decisive measure would entirely restore the province to a state of quietude. The new sugar continued to command high prices, and on es a considerable advance had been esta- some qualiti blished. WivEs WANTED.—The Philadelphia North American publishes the following very singular extract of a private letter from California :—" I have been, as you know, over eight years in California, and am yet unmarried. My friend Mr. C— has lately left for Scotland, and I have given him a commission to bring me out a wife of the fol lowing description—not less than six feet, blue eyes, and auburn hair. lam either to marry her, or pay a forfeit of £lO,OOO. Ido hope, as soon as the country is a little more settled, about 10,000 first-rate girls will start for California. We have goods eAough and gold enough, but we want wives." Files of papers from New Zealand have come to hand, the latest bearing date the 10th of August. The Legis lative Council had not closed their sittings. At Auckland the outfit of vessels for California appeared to have been constituted a regular branch of business, and several were advertised for that destination. The settlement of the land claims was a question eagerly debated, the slow pro gress made being a subject of complaint. The latest ad vices from Wellington intimated that another severe flood had been experienced in the valley of the Hutt. A dis covery for cleaning native flax, which was said to have been clearly tested, is noticed in the journals. Favour able accounts were given of the export trade of Nelson, grain occupying a prominent feature in the returns. The season in this locality for agricultural operations had been extremely satisfactory. SIR CHARLES NAPIER'S LAST.—The commander-in- Chief in India has published a general order to the follow ing effect :—" Adjutant General's Office, Simla, Bth No vember, 1849.—His Excellency the Commander-in-Chiet has - received the most extraordinery letters from officers commanding corps, both regular and irregular, praying to have the destination of their regiments changed. The Commander-in-Chief begs to inform these gentlemen that the troops are moved to suit the public convenience, and not the convenience of individuals, and he desires that such an unsoldierlike and disorderly , practice may not again take place to the disgrace of military discipline. The Commander-in-Chief seldom, intentionally, leaves any one's letter unanswered; but he will - not in future reply to letters of such a nature as these : for this once he assures these gentlemen that not one of their unmilitary requests shall be complied with." THE LATE RAT HUNT IN PARIS.—The scavenger's of Paris dined together on Sunday evening at Bercy, to cele brate their late rat-chase in the capital. Some guests were present, and the cover was laid for 165 persons. Mr. John Warton, of London, who had purchased 600,000 rat-skins, at 10 c. a-piece, sent 25 bottles of champagne, and the two persons of Grenoble„ who had at first been in treaty for the skins, sent 50 bottles of fine Macon. At the second service two enormous Nile's de Chartres were placed on the table, weighing 251bs. each, on the crust of which was represented a scavenger trans fixing a rat with a lance. At the dessert, M. Desire Far geau proposed as a toast La Republique &nate et mo diree, and Mr. Georget Romain, The complete destruc tion of the gray rats of Norway, and the black ones of England 1" The dinner continued to twelve o'clock at night, when the guests separated in great good humour. Mr. J. Warton has paid 60,000 f. in bons du trisor for the skins of the rats killed during the fifteen days' hunt. The sum was divided amongst the 144 scavengers of Paris and their brigadiers, all of whom have taken out a book at the savings -bank, with an inscription of 500 f., making up the difference themselves. They all refused to accept the gratuity offered by the Municipality of Paris for the de struction of the rats. Mr. J. Warton proposes to make ladies' gloves of the skins.—Galignani's Messenger. EXPERIENCE IN THE GOLD REGION.—An intelligent young friend who has just returned from California gives his experience in brief but emphatic language. After a wearisome voyage round the Cape he reached San Fran cisco, and left immediately for " the diggings." His tent was in the midst of dry sand heaps, with the thermometer at an average of 112 degrees during the day. Many of the amateur gold diggers were exhausted with the hard labour and suffering from blistered hands ; others were going about with their arms in slings from th e same cause. Finding his recovery doubtful if he remained at the mines, after paying the nurse 500 dollars, and the physician 700 dollars more, he was able to reach San Francisco and em bark for home. Just before he left that place two young men, whose parents are opulent in New York, and whom ho had often seen in fashionable costume on Rroadway, accosted him. Their rough exterior had so disguised them that they were not recognised. One of them was driving an ox team at 200 dollars per month, and the other, at similar wages, was carrying bricks on a board strapped round his neck, as a tender to some masons. With scarcely an exception the gold hunters were all anxious to return. Pride prevented some ; want of means others. Some of them congratulated him that he had such a good excuse for returning. They would willingly ex change their health for his inability if they could only reach their homes again. Disappointment and dejection were common. Scarcely one had realised even moderate expectations.—New York Journal. CLERICAL INTELLIGENCE. The Rev. A. C. Pemberton has been appointed to the perpetual curacy of Pemberton, near Wigan. Patron, the rector of Wigan. POOR LAW CHAPLAINCES.—The Archbishop of York has declined to license a Chaplain to the York Work house, unless the salary be fixed at £5O per annum, in stead of £3O as proposed. Mr. Thompson, the Scripture read er , t o w h om th e R ev . W. F. Powell, Vicar of Cirencester, refused to administer the holy sacrament a short time ago, presented himself, on Christmas Day, at the Lord's table i n Ci rences t er Church, and then and there received the communion. The decision, or judgment, of the Judicial Committee of Privy Council, in the " Gorham case," is now ex pected to be delivered before the end of the present month. It is also generally expected, by legal men, that it will be of a kind to " give a triumph to neither party." PARISH OF MANCHESTER.—The churchwardens of this parish have resolved to bring about church reform. The parish contains upwards of 34,000 acres, divided into 30 townships ; and it is inhabited by 400,000 people. The piety of our ancestors had properly endowed this great parish with 120 A acres of land, and with all the great tithes therein ; and this wealth, amounting, even under present bad management, to £6OOO a year, exclusive of surplice fees. the church still enjoys. There are in Man chester, exclusive of the cathedral church, 54 districts, and other churches and chapels. These churches and chapels are served by 87 clergymen ; and if to them be added the 10 clergymen connected with the cathedral church, and the 6 chaplains of the public institutions of the city, the whole number of its clergy is about 103. In section 9 of the proposed act of parliament it is enacted, that after the next avoidance the dean Now supposed to be pai,l ..191311t X 2000) be paid £lOOO, and the canons (now ....potted to derive £lOOO each from the living) be paid K5OO eSeh per annum. The rectory and parish to be set Ottt for the cathedral or collegiate church is to be annexed td the deanery, and one of the other rectories is to be an nexed to each canonry. The chaplains are to be ap pointed by the dean, and to have the title and rank of minor canons, and to be relieved from duties, except in the cathedral end parish annexed to it. The right of no mination to existing churches to remain ; but, in any ad ditional rectory to be constituted under this act, the pa. tronage is to be vested in the bishop. The patronage of the dean and chapter is to cease with their office, (or be fore, with their consent), and be vested in the bishop. IRELAND. Mr. John O'Connell has sent in his resignation for Limerick city, where it will be received with welcome. The free-traders created so much disturbance at the Limerick Protectionist meeting on Thursday, that no resolutions could be passed. At Cork sessions, last week, the Judge gave:damages of £l7 2s. 6d. against a man for assisting a tenant fraudu lently to remove his crops. The act of parliament creates a penalty of double the amount of crops so removed. A vacancy is likely to occur within the month in the representation of Mayo. It is said that Mr. Dillon Brown has been appointed by Earl Grey to the govern ment of the Falkland Islands. ROBBING OF THE MAIL.—Some few nights ago, as the mail-car was on its way from Nenagh to Temple more, the driver was attacked near Moneygall, and the mail-bags taken out of the car. The bags were found by the police near the town on the next morning, robbed of their contents. THE ROYAL CANAL OF TRcLAND.—Another breach was made in the banks of the canal on Saturday night last, within about a mile of Kilbeggan, and only a short distance from Lowertown, where another breach was ma liciously made a few days ago, to repair which it cost nearly £5OO. An equal amount will be required to repair the injury done on Saturday night. The address to the Queen, from Ireland, in favour of Protection, has now several thousand signatures. In short, there is hardly a barony, a parish in Ireland, that is not represented in this most important document. The Earl of Buckinghamshire, with upwards of 400 tenant farmers in one district in Sligo, has signed this address, and every post brings in signatures. Mr. Michael Doheny, one of the hue'd and cry'd, in a letter addressed "To the Democrats of the City of Dub lin," dated from New York, says:—" Heed not the cant of grievances. Heed not those who rail at the Church. It is a dream of mockery. If every vestige of the Church Establishment were destroyed to-morrow it would not give one of you an additional potato or an additional rag." MURDER IN TIPPERARY.—A horrible murder was per petrated in the main street of Cashel, within 100 yards of the police barracks, on Wednesday night. Four young fellows, sent on that night with a cart load of bread to one of the auxiliary workhouses, had a quarrel on the way, and one of them, named Ryan, received a violent blow of a skull-cracker, which rendered him at once senseless ; he expired shortly after. Head-constable Hallam arrested the three youths implicated. LORD RODEN.—An address has been presented to Lord Roden by the Norwich Protestant Association, in which the members express their sympathy with his lordship under the painful circumstances in which he has been placed by the unjust, impolitic, and unconstitutional act of the government, and their admiration of his lord ship's dignified demeanour and Christian patience. His lordship, in his reply, says the indignation which has been expressed by so many of his countrymen admits of no doubtful construction, that he believes truth will ulti mately prevail, and that many who considered the circum stances of his case unfavourably had changed their opinions, and that the parties to the address have sup ported by unanswerable arguments the sentence they have pronounced. He concludes with thanks for this mark of their approbation, which he values the more as coming from so numerous a class of his countrymen as the Protestant operatives of Norwich. BRUTAL MURDER.—About five weeks since an inhu man murder, and an attempt at a second murder, was per petrated by an old beggarwoman named Catherine Con nelly, who lived at Lanagh, in the county Cork. In the neighbourhood of Lanaght, a family resided of the name of Driscoll—a man and his wife, and female child, of about seven years of age. On the day of the murder, Driscoll left home to attend to his field work. and his wife having promised to be in Dunmanway, got the child of a neighbour, also seven years of age, to keep company with little Driscoll during her mother's absance. Shortly after the mother left, Connelly, who is about 70 years of age, went into the house with a young lad, and shortly after Connelly took up an iron tongs, and beat the two children on the head, until she thought both were dead. She then ransacked the house and decamped, taking with her a piece of frieze and a piece of flannel, and three shillings in silver. In some time after a girl passing the door saw the two children lying on the hearth and gave alarm to a policeman passing at the moment. The constable found little Driscoll dead, but the life appeared not to have left her little companion, who under the care of Dr. Donovan has since recovered, and a few days since wss enabled to identify the murderess. For some weeks the murder was involved in mystery, until little Morris was capable of speaking, when she gave the name of the old wretch. POLITICAL MISCELLANY. -4- The resolutions in favour of protection were carried with much rejoicing at the Dublin county meeting on Friday. - A vacancy is likely to occur in the representation of Mayo, Mr. Dillon Browne having, it is said, been appointed to the Governorship of the Falkland Islands. A demonstration has been got up at Manchester, by the Irish residents for the purpose of thanking Mr. Bright for his advocacy of Irish interests at the late meeting at the Free-trade Hall. Mr. Roebuck, who is residing with Lord Brougham at Cannes, is said to be preparing a Ten Years History of a Liberal Administration, which will contain his lordship's views as well as his own. The three daily protectionist journals have been christened anew by the Times. The Morning Post it calls the `' Morning Panic," the Herald the " Hard-up," and the Standard the " Stark-mad." A writer in the Daily Neces asks whether the farmers are bound to pay " the same tithes as they were assessed at when there was protection I" Truly, coming events are casting their shadows before. The Weekly Chronicle states that among the earliest measures to be submitted to parliament will be a bill to provide an extention of the suffrage both in Engalnd and Ireland, and that this reform will be recommeuded in the speech from the throne. THE NAVIGATION LAWS.—The council of ministers at Turin has prepared a bill by which all the restrictions at present imposed upon British vessels arriving at the ports of Sardinia are to be removed, and they are to be placed in every respect upon the same footing as national vessels. Two great Protectionist meetings were held on Friday, one at Chelmsford, the other at Salisbury. At both reso lutions were carried to petition the Queen for a dissolution of Parliament. The Free-traders in vain endeavoured by lawless conduct to impede the business of the latter meet ing. SIR ROBERT PEEL IN FEBRUARY, 1842.—" 1 DO say it is for the public advantage that I should say to him (the farmer) continue your improvements ; I cannot un dertake to guarantee to you, by legislation, a particular price, BUT THIS I WILL SAY, THAT AS LONG AS CORN IS UNDER 51 SHILLINGS, YOU SHALL NOT BE EXPOSED TO THE IMPORTATION OF FOREIGN CORN." The Protectionist movement goes bravely on. Since our last there have been meetings held and Protectionist societies formed at Ripon and Driffield, and in Notting hamshire, Suffolk, Essex, and other places, till, altogether, now the National Association is supported by three hun dred and twenty local institutions. In Ireland a still more lively Protectionist feeling has been evoked, and every day is adding to the number of deserters from the enemy's camp. THE CURREACY.—The Rev. John Twells, vicar of Eaton, recently delivered alecture upon this subject at the Town-hall, Retford. The reverend gentleman, after ob serving that he bad been for many years convinced that the monetary system was the main cause of the depressed state of the country, gave a review of the experience of the country for the last thirty years, and this experience, he said, teaches that a contracted currency has invariably lowered prices and brought distress ; and that an abun dant currency has lowered prices to rise to a remunerative level, and restored Prosperity. PROTECTIONIST MEETING.-011 Baturday a meeting of the " members of the Leicestershire Agricultural Society, and others favourable to the principle of just protection to every British interest," was held at the Bell Inn, in Leicester, for the purpose of " taking into consideration the circular of the British Association for the Protection of British Industry and Capital, and the propriety of addressing her Majesty the Queen on the present depressed state of the country." Abut 500 noblemen and gentle men were present, consisting of the leading agriculturists in the neighbourhood, with a sprinkling of professional gentlemen and tradesmen. Among the company were the Marquis of Granby, M.P., Lord John Manners, Lord Charles Manners, M.P., the Hon. H. W. Wilson, and Mr. C. W. Packe, M.P. Altogether it was looked upon as being the most influential and numerous meeting of the kind ever held within the borough. LORD WHARNCLIFFE ON PROTECTION.—This noble man has just written a letter in reply to an application that he would take part at a meeting to petition in favour of the restoration of the corn duties. At the close of this letter his lordship says : " As a measure of protection, in which light it is clear that the proposal is mainly to be considered,—l am fully convinced that the corn duties cannot be restored, and that to expect it is mere delusion, than the propagation of which nothing can be more perni cious to the true interests of any branch of industry. I can therefore take no part in any proceedings for such an object. What the agriculture of this country really needs, is a wider and more energetic application of capital and skill. To invite this should be the end and aim of every true friend to its prosperity. To accomplish it, the one thing requisite above all others, is a reliance upon settled prospects, without which the hope is small of attracting either the one or the other. I am therefore firmly per suaded that no course can be so deeply prejudicial to the cause of domestic agriculture as that which tends to pro mote and continue agitation and uncertainty, for objects whose very nature is, to say the least of it, in the highest degree problematical." His lordship's property is much more likely to be benefitted by the extension of Sheffield, Rotherham, &c., than by protection to agriculture. SOCIETY FOR THE REFORM OF COLONIAL GOVERN MENT.—An influential society has been formed in Lon don, the object of which is to obtain " for every de pendency, which is a true colony of England, the real and sole management of all local affairs by the colony itself, including the disposal of the waste lands, and the right to frame and alter its local constitution at pleasure." According to the views of the society, this entinicipal or local independence, this entire relief of flietant colonies from the great evil of being ruled in local chattel& by a department of the administration in Londet, innad of being incompatible with allegiance to the crown of Eng land, is really calculated to substitute for growing disaf fection, and for the present danger of lt dismemberment of the British empire, a loyal aad devoted attachment on the part of the colonies towards the mother country, by removing the worst impediment and affording a new and powerful encouragement to colonisation proceeding from the United Kingdom. It will be a main object of the society's endeavours to relieve the mother country from the whole expense of the local government of colonies, except only that of the defence of the colony from ag gre•Asion by foreign powers at war with the empire. The council is composed of influential gentlemen of all poli tical creeds, among whom are the Hon. Francis Baring, M.P., (chairman,) the Lord Lyttleton, the Right Hon. M. Gibson, M.P., Sir W. Molesworth, Bart., M.P., Augustus Stafford, Esq., M.P., J. Hume, Esq., M.P., R. Cobden, Esq.. M.P., E. Horsman, Esq., M.P., J. Napier, Esq., M.P., J. Simeon, Esq., M.P., C. B. Ad derley, Esq., M.P., H. Ker Seymer, Esq., M.P. COURT AND FASHION. _._ The Court remains at Windsor Castle. The Duke and Duchess, and Prince George, and the Princess Mary of Cambridge, are visiting her Majesty. All the Royal Family are in good health. The Bishop of Manchester has arrived at Windsor Castle on a visit to her Majesty. Her Majesty's new year's gift of meat, bread, coals, potatoes, blankets, and clothing, were distributed on Tuesday morninz, to the aged, infirm, and distressed poor of Windsor and its vicinity, in the presence of the Queen and Prince Albert and the royal family. RAILWAY AFFAIRS. The expenditure on the new and old lines, the traffic returns of which are not published weekly, amounts to about £l6,ooo,ooo—that is, £9,000,000 on the former, and £7,000,000 on the latter—making, with the £181,000,000, a total of £197,000,000 expended on 5,950 miles of railway, being an average cost of £33,110 per mile. RATING OF RAILWAYS.—At the Macclesfield petty sessions, on Monday, it was decided that an assessment on the London and North-Western line, in that township, should be reduced from £1,500 to £6O per mile ; and on the station from £2OO to £ll2. Another appeal of the same company, against an assessment of £2OO per mile in Adlington, was compromised by the overseers consenting to reduce the amount to £3O per mile. PARTIAL FALLING OF A BRIDGE.—SOMO sensation was created in Hindley, last night week, by the falling of a portion of the battlement of the bridge on the Liver pool and Bury Railway that passes over the valley near to Hindley Mill. On closer examination, it was observed that the arches of the viaduct were cracked in several places, and men were set to work on Saturday and Sunday last to secure the fabric. Fortunately the injury was discovered in time to prevent any accident happening to the trains. RAILWAY TRAFFIC FOR 1849.—The receipts from all sources, on forty-six railways, for the past year, amounted to the sum of £10,876,866, of which sum £6,530,700 was received from passengers, and £4,346,166 for goods. The entire number of miles open was 5,063 i. The highest sum taken in one week was by the London and North. Western. It amounted to £52,031, but the fluctuation, owing to the cholera and other causes, was so great, that for several weeks the receipts were as low as £44,000. The number of miles opened by the North-Western was 478 i, and the entire receipts for the year £2,154,400. The company which approximated nearest to the North- Western in receipts was the Midland, the earnings of which amounted to £1,117,803. RAILWAY TRAFFIC AND THE CHOLERA.—From a comparison of the aggregate amount of traffic on railways in the United Kingdom between the 22d of August and the 3d of November, 1849, with the traffic of the corres ponding periods of preceding years, it has been estimated that the falling off in the traffic in consequence of the cholera at that period amounted to £155,000. In the week ending the 25th of August, the falling off amounted to £5,000 ; the week ending Ist of September to £9,000 ; Bth of September, to £19,000; 15th of September, to £25,000 ; 22d of September, to 30,000 ; 29th of Septem ber, to £26,000 ; 6th of October, to £20,000 ; 13th of October, £13,000 ; 20th ofOctober, £6,000 ; and the 27th of October, £2,000. It appears, also. that the whole amount of this traffic was lost, because there is no corres ponding increase shown in the traffic during the remainder of the year to make up the deficiency. In addition to this the traffic on the northern lines of railway was seriously reduced, for several months prior to the period mentioned, from the same cause. Were it not for that deficiency, the aggregate amount of the railway traffic for the year 1849 would have amounted to £11,168,800 instead of to £11,013,800. MANCHESTER, SHEFFIELD, AND LINCOLNSHIRE On Wednesday a meeting of shareholders in this railway was held in Liverpool. Mr. Bradshaw occupied the chair, and, after a few introductory remarks, he called on Mr. Morton, of Wakefield, to move the first resolution. Mr. M , rton prefaced the motion by taking a retrospec tive view of the conduct of the directors, and gave a very melancholy picture of the present state of the railway, in asmuch as the value of the shares was deteriorated from £lOO down to £l3, and in regard to the dividend, hardly a hope could be entertained that anything would be de clared, and even the debenture holders would be minus, if the bank did not lend £20,000. To make up deficiencies, the directory intended to go to parliameet for powers to raise £500.000, and he therefore moved that in the opinion of this meeting the disastrous condition of this railway re quires that an unrestricted investigation may be forthwith made into past, present, and future condition, and that the intended raising of £500,000 shall not be made until that investigation shall be closed. Mr. James Holt se conded the resolution, which was , carried unanimously. A. requisition to the directors, founded on the above resolu tion, was then adopted. A RUNAWAY ENGINE—THE NORTH KENT RAIL. WAY.—On Tuesday, as a special engine and carriage were in the act of crossing from the down to the up line, at the junction of the two lines near the old Gravesend station, they were run into by a ballast train, the driver of which, in consequence of the density of the fog, did not perceive any object in advance of him. The carriage (which, for tunately, was empty) was smashed by the ballast trucks, and the driver of the engine, dreading the effect of, the collision, -unfortunately sprang from his engine to the ground, when it, affected by the accelerated impetus re ceived from the concussion with the other train, set off at full speed in the direction of the Gravesend station, where the up train to London, just about to start, was standing at the platform siding. The switchman, unable to account for the approach of an engine at full speed, turned the points to send it forward on the main line, and it pro ceeded at a rapid pace through the station. The moment it had passed, the information was telegraphed up the line and to the London-bridge station, where the infor mation was immediately communicated to the chairman and superintendent of the railway. The latter instantly proceeded on an express engine down the line, and soon after his departure the telegraph brought the account of its having passed the Woolwich station. Under the personal directions of the chairman and other officials at the London-bridge station, preparations were instantly made for its reception at the station, if it should arrive there at speed, so as to prevent any ill consequences en suing beyond injury to the engine itself. Sleepers were placed upon the road, and an engine was fixed there as a buttress to receive it. The special engine carrying the superintendent met the runaway engine between the Bricklayers' Arms junction station and the New-cross bridge, then backed to follow it, crossing at the junction on to the same line as the runaway, which it pursued and overtook, running into it at speed. The driver of his engine gallantly sprang from the pursuing engine on to the runaway, and immediately obtained control over it, and the two engines thus arrived at the London-bridge terminus. &Herat Aliatilanv. It is stated that £lOO,OOO in gold is expected to arrive from Russia in about a fortnight.—Times, On Thursday, Brunswick Honse, situate on theWands worth road, London, was destroyed by fire. _ _ Frederick Grimwood, who had previously broken out of Ipswich gaol, has made his escape from the gaol at Bury. - GAME FOR WORKHOUSES.—The Earl of Carlisle added several fine hares to the repast of the inmates of the Mel ton union workhouse on Unristmas Day. The British navy, which is victualled by rontraot, is at this moment supplied from foreign, and not British pro duce. A Stone barge, name not known, sank in the river at Bristol on Tuesday. She was very deeply laden, and went down in the swell caused by the Osprey steam . packet- The Dean and Chapter of Durham have given £lOO to the fund for the relief of the widows and orphans of the South Shields pilots. The sum already subscribed amounts to about £3,000. At a court martial at Plymouth, on Tuesday, Lieutenant Lowry, of Her Majesty's sloop Britomart, was found guilty of intoxication and other unprofessional charges, and sentenced to be dismissed the service. From the Roman Catholic directory for this year, it appears that there are now in England 674 chapels, 880 priests, 13 monasteries, 41 convents, 11 colleges, and 259 schools. A testimonial has been presented by the operatives of the Times establishment, to John Walter, Esq., expres sive of the high regard in which he is held by every mem ber of his establishment. On Friday morning, Vernon, the Chartist, was released from prison by her Majesty's command. It is understood that the punishments of other misguided parties will also be mitigated. Lord Seaham, the son of the Marquis of Londonderry, has met with a severe accident while shooting in Wyn yard Park. Some small shot struck his lordship's left cye, of which he will lose the sight. A Sherborne paper says, that the purchaser of the bed on which Sarah Thomas murdered her mistress in Trench ard-street. Bristol, by a bidding of 2s. 6d., has disco vered £7OO stowed away in it. AMERICAN CIDER. - A vessel, just arrived from New York, has brought some barrels of cider, consigned as a portion of her cargo. This is a very unusual importation from the United States at this season of the year. A Sunderland captain, who was lately in Russia, re ceived there a copy of the Sunderland Herald, but all the articles relating to Hungary, Austria, or Russia, were cut out by the authorities, and the amount of postage was 3s. 6d. Several accidents have occurred on the ornamental water in St. James's-park. Among the number who were providentially saved was the well-known M. Soyer, of the Reform Club, who, as a mark of gratitude, sent ten guineas to the Royal Humane Society. Messrs. Overerd, Glirney, and Co. bill-brokers, have given notice to their customers of their having re duced the rats of interest upon money at call to one and a half per cent. An incendiary fire broke out on Thursday night, on the farm of Mr. Stratton-of Manningford, near Hungerford. Two extensive ricks, the produce of five acres of corn, a large stable, besides other farm property, were entirely consumed. Among some skaters and sliders who were immersed by the breaking of the ice on the ornamental water in one of the London parks, on Monday last, was M. Soyer ; but happily neither the distinghished chef de cuisine nor any of the others sustained any serious harm. At a meeting of the London dock proprietors held on Tuesday, a dividend of £2 10s. for the half-year, free of income tax, was proposed ; after which, and the appro priation of £15,000 to new works, there would be a balance of £33,900. SHIP-BUILDING AT SUNDERLAND. — There are now 93 new vessels on the stocks on the River Weare, and the demand continues good for them. As a proof, out of 14 vessels now building upon the Sands at Monkwearmouth Shore, all of them of large tonnage, 13 are sold. Three men were killed in Glasgow, on Monday week, by an explosion of gas. The gas escaped from the main pipe in one of the streets, penetrated a large vault belong ing to a fishmonger, and on the three men entering the cellar with a lighted candle, an explosion took place, which resulted in their deaths. A TALL or MYsTEur.—The following singular adver tisement appeared in the Times of Saturday :—" E. M. P. —All is known, all is made right at the bank, and all is forgiven ; only immediately communicate with and return to your father, his arms are open to receive you. You have nothing to fear; your brother still at home." 1:_, - WRECK OF Two ENGLISH VESSELS.—A letter from Fecamp of the 30th ult. announces the wreck on that coast of the English brig Planet, of Whitby, and the Anna Lucy, of London. The crew of the Planet were saved ; the fate of the crew of the Anna Lucy is not known. FATALFIGHT.—On Saturday week, a man named Blane, a labourer, residing at Delamere Forest, and another man of the name of Bracegirdle, whose friends reside in or near Northwich, had a quarrel in a beer-house, in Witton street, Northwich, and fought for some time ; when the latter gave the other an unfortunate blow on the neck which instantaneously deprived him of life. BLACK SHOWER.—AIong various parts of the braes of Angus and Mearns, we have heard of late that a black substance has been noticed, and which, it is supposed, has fallen from the heavens; so great, in some places, that it could be shovelled up like a thin coating of snow from the ground. The sheep had, in many cases, their fleeces quite blackened by it.—Dundee Advertiser. The Ipswich Express says that, on Christmas Day, as S. Tillett, Esq., of Hill House, near Colchester, was in the act of drawing a cork from a bottle, the neck broke, and his left hand was so much lacerated, that he became quite exhausted from the loss of blood. A surgeon suc ceeded in stopping the blood, but Mr. Tillett has been since confined to his bed. BURIAL CLUBS.—Most of the burial clubs in this county have been broken up since the proceedings in Tendring hundred showed the crimes they might instigate. The system was to pay 6d. each on the death of a mem ber, and parties in this neighbourhood state they were occasionally called on for 2s. at a time, and had paid con siderable sums in this way, all of which is of course lost to them.—Chelmsford Chronicle. SCIENTIFIC VISIT TO :ICELAND.—Dr. Daubeney, pro fessor of chemistry at Oxford, states, in the London Guardian, that a steamer is to start rom Leith, about two months before the next meeting of the British Asso ciation, for the purpose of carrying out a scientific expe dition to explore the geology of Iceland. It is arranged that the voyagers shall return in time to communicate the result of their observations and discoveries to the con gress in Edinburgh. A REMARKABLE INCIDENT.—The . directors of the Sheffield Banking Company have addressed a circular to their shareholders, containing the following notice :—" In pursuance of the powers given in the deed of settlement, the directors of the Sheffield Banking Company. finding that, in the present state of commercial and monetary affairs, they cannot profitably employ so large a capital as heretofore, have concluded to return to the shareholders the sum of £lO per share." THE SMALL TENANTRY OF SUTHERLAND.—We un derstand that the Duke of Sutherland has determined to grant leases to all the industrious and deserving of his small tenantry. This step has long been in contempla tion on the part of his grace and Mr. Loch, his commis sioner, who think that this course can now be adopted. It will still more popularise the " good duke" among the small tenants, and will, we trust, be found to benefit all parties.—lnverness Courier. AWFUL EVENT.—A fearful circumstance occurred, a few days ago, at Unstone, near Dronfield. A tailor, of the name of Garforth, formerly of Chesterfield, was drinking at a public-house at that village, and, as had been his custom, we are informed, for several years, when in liquor, was mocking imbecile persons and such as had the misfortune to present deformity in their appearance, and whilst in the act of frightfully distorting his counte nance, he was struck with paralysis, and remains a most hideous object.—Derbyshire Courier. In the London Insolvent Court, on Friday. George William Drummond Hay, late a Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery, was remanded to prison for six calendar months, in addition to two months of imprisonment already en dured, for " obtaining money on checks which he had no right to give," for " most frightful extravagance," and "utter recklessness" of living. The insolvent was now twenty-two ; his debts had twice been paid by his friends, and now amounted to £2,000 within the last eighteen months. CURIOUS DEATH.—On Thursday, at Hastings, a child named Tapp, nine years of age, ate two (onions from a bottle of pickles, and drank some!of the vinegar, which shortly afterwards suffocated him. At the inquest the surgeon stated that he had made a post-mortem examina tion of the body, and found it to contain some undigested food, and about two ounces of vinegar (a wineglass full) ; and he had no doubt that deceased died from suffocation, in consequence of having got some of the vinegar in the windpipe. Lord Londonderry has notified to his tenantry that until they have adopted the improved system of agricul ture that has been introduced, ' they have no right to call upon him for a reduction of moderate rents, fixed at a pe riod when produce was lower than at present;' and that, although prices have since greatly fluctuated, some years being so high as to justify an increase of rent, yet none was made, because ' a vacillating system of payment, suc cessive ups and downs, would be altogether inadmissible on a great estate.' TREASURE TROVE.—A short time ago, Mr. Joseph Tunstall, of Bowes, Yorkshire, was engaged in opening out some ground on his farm near that place,: when he found what appeared to be a large oval ring, open at one side; such as might be put round the wrist of a female. A further search disclosed five more, of three different sizes, and all have much the appearance of the letter G. On being tested, they were pronounced to be pure gold. The whole weigh nineteen ounces. _ _ Two BROTHERS DROWNED.—An accident occurred on the ice near Cirencester, on Saturday, by which two of the sons of Mr. Thomas Bowly, draper, lost their lives. Daniel Bowly, aged about twelve years, was passing along the ice, when it broke, and the youth sank into the water. An elder brother, named Thomas, aged 14, on seeing his brother sink, courageously rushed in after him, and in a fruitless attempt to save his brother, he also sank, and both were drowned. The father of the deceased was at the time in London, but was expected to return that night. MELANCHOLY OCCURRENCE.—On Thursday, the 27th ult., a man named Henry Page, residing near Hastings, Sussex, while shooting on Winchelsea marshes, accompa nied by a friend, named Kent, was accidentally shot in the knee by a discharge from his companion's gun, which was of such a dangerous character as to render am putation necessary. The shock which the nervous system had endured appears to have been too great for the unfor tunate man, for, when least expected by his medical atten dants, he died on the morning of the following Tuesday. Page was shortly to have been married to Kent's sister. BURNING WATER INSTEAD OF LAMP OlL.—The New York Sun has a letter from Worchester, Massachusetts, in which the writer claims to have invented and put in use an apparatus which separates the oxygen of which water is composed, and produces gases for lights. This is done at no other expense than that of the machinery, as no material but water is used. The water is decom- posed by a current of electricity, evolved by the appara tus ! The labour of five minutes, once in two hours in the day, in winding up the machine, is all that is required to produce 250 cubic feet of gas. The expense of the machine is 300 doilars, and it can be carried by a man under his arm. Such is the description of it. Time will determine whether it is even so. itonurt Hoon'e TOWN.- In Robin Hood's Town, near Whitby, there dwells, or rather did dwell, two very old women (sisters) of rather superstitious and eccentric de meanour. Their father was a "true British sailor," and principally employed in the coal trade. Upwards of forty years ago this good man brought home two coals of ex traordinary size, which were carefully deposited in an old chest. This chest has since been kept locked, and its contents carefully guarded with sacred vigilance. A fort night since one of these old women tied, and her last re quest was that when dead the old chest should be opened, and one of the large coals taken to burn at her " wake," which was accordingly done. The other coal is yet safely preserved, for the purpose of being burnt at the wake of her sister. DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.--Shortly before one o'clock on Thursday morning, a fire, by which two persons nearly lost their lives, broke out in the Ship in Distress Tavern, Wardour-street, Soho, London. It seems that Mr. Pearce, the landlord, after having closed for the night, was filling a vat with gin, when the candle came into con tact with the spirit, which immediately ignited, and with the rapidity of lightning fired other vats, and in a short time the flames were rushing up the stairs and commu nicating to the rest of the house, Mr. Pearce havinz barely time to alarm his barmaid, with whom he escaped out of one of the windows. Notwithstanding the prompt attendance of the engines, the flames were not extin guished until the whole of the valuable stock was con sumed. LABOURERS IN SUSSEX.—The Epiphany Quarter Ses sions for the Eastern Division of the county were held at Lewes on Tuesday. In charging the Grand Jury, the Earl of Chichester (chairman of the sessions) called atten tion to the fact that of the 32 prisoners charged in the calendar, 17, or more than half, were from Brighton ; the remainder, 15, being the total of the commitments from the agricultural districts of the county. He thought they might therefore conclude that there was no great dearth of employment. It was highly creditable to the farmers and to the county to know that notwithstanding the great pressure and difficulties, they had taken the wisest step for their own interest as well as the community, in keeping their labourers honest by affording them employment. There was plenty of agricultural employment, if they had capital to carry it out. Lord John Scott has discharged his gamekeeper, and has give his tenants notice that they are at liberty to kill game on their respective farms. His lordship reserves the woods and plantatious to himself, with a request that, as he does not make a 4affic in game, his tenants will follow his example. He particularly requests that foxes may be preserved on his estate. AFFECTING DEATH.—A melancholy event occurred in the town of Builth, near Hereford, about a fortnight since, entirely, though not directly, caused by that never failing source of direful accidents, the incautious use of fire-arms. Mary Hushes, a respectable female servant who had been two years in the service of two widow ladies, was suddenly informed of the death of a sister at Wimbledon, Surrey, who was shot accidentally by a gentleman discharging a gun in the direction of a door which the poor girl at the moment suddenly entered. Although a cheerful young woman previously, Mary Hughes never recovered the shoek, but falling into hys terical convulsions survived only a few days. A LAWYER'S PROMISE.—At the late meeting of the Yeovil Agricultural Society, all the professional gentle. men present were called up in succession to speak. Mr. George Hancock, although "not least," came "last." and, after expressing his gratification that the gentlemen of his profession should be so liked by the meeting, ob served, in reference to a remark which had previously fallen from one of his professional brethren, as to the pro bability of the estates falling, by-and-by, into the hands of the lawyers, that " he could assure them he should be very glad when that time arrived (a laugh, and applause), as he would then make a considerable reduction in all their rents to meet the times. (This promise elicited roars of laughter and cheering.) SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH.—The concession signed by Louis Napoleon and the Minister of the Interior, M. Dufaure, granting to Messrs. J. Brett, Toche, and Co., the right to establish an electric telegraph line between France and England, by a sub-marine communication, has arrived. The company propose to establish, by means of the electrio telegraph, an instant communication be tween the two countries. The patentee guarantees that this telegraph shall, by the aid of a single wire, and of two persons only, (the one stationed in France, and the other in England,) be capable of printing, in clear Roman type, (on paper,) 100 messages, of fifteen words each, including addresses and signatures, all ready for delivery in 100 consecutive minutes. AVERAGE PRICES OF WHEAT.-The average annual price of wheat, since 1838, has been as follows :- . 1 . Od. per bushel Bs. 10d. „ five years' d. „ average,Bs. a bushel. 1838..645. Id. per quarter, 8s 1839..705. 8d 1840..665. 4d 1841.. 645. 4d 1842.. 575. 8d 1843.. 50s. ld 1844.. 51s. 3d 1845.. 525. Od 1846.. 545. 8d 7s. la, 63. 3d, 6s. sd, 6s. 6d 6s. 10d, PIP I six years' I. average, 6s. 9d. 1847.. 695. 9d. „ Ss. Bd. „ abushel. " I 1848.. 50s. 6d. „ 6s. 9d. „ J The average of the above eleven years is 595. 2d. the quarter. The average of the first five years is 655. 7d. the quarter, and of the last six years it is 545. Bd. the quarter. DISTRESSED NEEDLEWOMEN.—The following docu ment, from the pen of the Earl Stanhope, has been received by Mr. S. Herbert, in reply to an application to that no bleman to aid the project for the emigration of the dis tressed needlewomen of the metropolis :—" Sir,—l have received your circular letter respecting the distressed needlewomen, which, I think, ought to have been sent exclusively to those who, in common with yourself, have supported the system of free trade, which is the principal cause of their destitution, and not to any of those who, like myself, have strenuously opposed it, and are not re sponsible for its consequences. Tbere are innumerable other victims of free trade, and in order to redress their grievances it is indispensibly requisite to protect fully and effectually every branch of British industry against the competition of foreigners in the home market." INTOLERANCE OF A ROMISH PRIEST.—A Jewish Rabbi in the City of London who keeps an Irish servant, last week, found out, to his great astonishment and grief, that whole leaves had been torn out of his Hebrew Bibles, and other books, and even out of his manuscript works, among which there is one presented to him by the late Duke of Sussex. On examining the servant, she openly admitted that, having made confession to a Catholic priest in London, and having stated to him that she lived with a Jewish Rabbi who studied his Hebrew books day and night, he advised her to destroy them ; and she therefore tore out as many pages as she could, and lit the fire with the obnoxious papers. Incredible as this story may appear in a civilized country and age, it is nevertheless true. The Rabbi has dismissed the servant; but the matter will be further investigated, and perhaps the stupid priest may be brought to his senses.—Jewish Chronicle. NARROW ESCAPE OF A SURGEON AND HIS FAMILY.— On Monday, while the ice in the Round Pond, in Ken sington-gardens, London, was described as being one and a half inch in thickness, and there were about 1000 per sons upon it, Mr. J. Merriman, surgeon, 9, Kensington square, his son, his two eldest daughters, and two young ladies of the name of White, also relatives, were proceed ing arm-in-arm across the ice, when it suddenly broke, and the whole of the parties fell into eight feet of water, and before they could be rescued one of the Misses White went under the ice. Icemen Deze and Cook instantly proceeded to the scene of the accident with breaker ladders and the sledge. After considerable trouble the whole of the persons, with the exception of Miss White, were extri cated, and' to rescue her the iceman was obliged to put his arm under water as far as his shoulder, when be happily succeeded in reaching her and pulli ng her out. She was of course much exhausted. OFFICIAL RETURNS OF THE BOARD OF TRADE.— The official returns of the Board of Trade for the month and the eleven months ending the sth instant, are pub lished. Increase in exports on the month, 375,900; and on the year, 9,652,000. Metals, on the whole, shew an increase, but not nearly as marked as that on textile goods. Exports of hardware and cutlery were larger : and in glass there was a slight increase. A large quantity of silt ma nufactures shipped. In quantity of coffee imported into the United Kingdom there is an increase from 23,241,0001 b. to 33,928,000 lb. There is a decrease in cotton yarn, but an increase in rice, silk manufactures, sheep's wool, spi rits, foreign sugar, and tea. The imports, during the eleven months, shew an increase in coffee, flax, silk manu factures, brandy, tallow, and sheep's wool ; in rum and tobacco a falling off, and no great increase in wine. In the shipping employed in foreign trade, entered inwards, there is an increase during the eleven months of 582,800 tons ; and in those cleared outwards, during the same period, of 451,800 tons. There is a slight falling off in the coasting trade, owing no doubt to railway depression. Mr. Barnum has addressed• a letter to the New York Herald, correcting some mistakes as to the offer he has made to Jenny Lind to cross the Atlantic. He writes— " I understand and believe that Mr. Knowles, manager of the Manchester Theatre, who engaged Jenny Lind to sing in the provincial towns of Great Britain, paid £4OO sterling per night. I understand, also, that it was no unusual thing for Mr. Lumley, director of the Queen's Opera in London, to receive £l,BOO to £2,000 sterling on Jenny's nights. It is absurd, therefore, to suppose, that I could expect to engage her two hnndred nights for 50,000 dollars—only 250 dollars per night. Now, the truth is, I have o f fered her four times that amount per night, besides paying the expenses from Stockholm, and during her engagement of herself and her companion, a financier (probably her father), and two servants, besides placing a carriage always at her disposal, and paying every description of expense attending the concerts or operas in which she may sing ; and I have offered to place £lO,OOO sterling in the hands of her banker in London, to secure the fulfilment of my proposition." As shocking a circumstance, says the Times, as ever disgraced the administration of the Poor-law has just oc curred at Southampton. A wretched creature, one Eliza beth Biggs, far advanced in pregnancy, was starved to death in the hands of the Poor-law officials of that town, during the last days of last week. The details of the case are so dreadful that, but for the solemnity of the investi gation by which they were brought to light, we should almost hesitate to admit the possibility of their truth. Upon whom the definite blame should be fixed is not yet very clear. The coroner's jury who had heard all the evidence, and who, by their verdict, appear to have been inclined to discharge their duty in a conscientious spirit, could not arrive at any certain conclusion upon the sub ject. Their verdict was to the effect that the miserable woman had died from starvation, and exposure to the cold, and want of the common necessaries of life. " There has been," added the jury, " ereat and culpable neglect on the part of some of the officers connected with the admi nistration of the Poor-law, at Southampton, in not receiv ing the deceased into the workhouse, and providing for her proper lodging and nourishment on the nights of Fri day and Saturday of last week ; but it is not made clear to us who aro the parties actually to blame." The reliev ing officer has been dismissed. NARROW ERCAPE OF MADAME SONTAG AND PARTY. —On the morning of Friday last, Madame Sontag and party left Glasgow for Aberdeen, to attend the morning concert on the following day. All went well until the train reached Glammis, when a greater depth of snow was experienced, and from thence to Lawrencekirk the speed was materially retarded. At Middleton Bridge, about a mile or a mile and a half further on, the engine ran into a cutting filled with snow to the depth of six feet, and then became completely immovable. At this time, five in the afternoon, the blast was most fierce and cutting, carrying the drift from the fields into the hollow of the railway, and rapidly burying the carriages. The situa tion, as may be imagined, was anything but agreeable to the passengers. A consultation having been held with the guard and driver, Mr. Wood determined to leave the train, and endeavour to reach Lawrencekirk on foot. This, with the assistance of two guides, he happily ac complished, although the strength of the wind, and the depth of the snow, brought them several times to a stand still. Aid having been procured, and a basket of provi sions being got ready, the parties again started for the embedded train. The wind being now in their faces, the task became more difficult, as well as dangerous, but by avoiding the roads and taking through the fields, from which the snow had been partially dislodged, the train was once more reached at half-past seven. The question was now whether it was possible to remove the ladies from the carriages, and gain the summit of the cutting. Madame Sontag, with undaunted energy, at once de termined to attempt it, and descended from the carriage. The men were sent on before to make a track, when Madame Sontag, after great exertion, and several falls, reached the level ground. There the blast became quite blinding ; but Madame Sontag having covered her head with a cloak, was soon supported through the fields and over the fences to the house of Mr. Wilson. a most hos pitable farmer, where, along with Count Rossi, Mr. F. Lablache, Signor Calzolari, and Signor Piatti, she re mained all night. Mr. Wood, with some others of the party, again faced the blast, and reached Laurencekirk in safety, although much worn out. Between Drumlithie and Middleton Bridge, there were five engines and four trains all fast. Next morning the snow bad so com pletely filled the cutting as to bury the carriages. The railway authorities are using every exertion to clear the line.—Caledonian Mercury. THE SCHISM AMONG THE WESLEYANS.—The Nao tinghatn Journal states that the Wesleyan are no* regularly divided into two sects, the matter in disput4 being the expulsion of the three ministers by the Con" ference. At the meeting held in the Corn Exchange, Lincoln, the lights were put out, and blows harder than words were resorted to by way of arguloent. It is stated by one of the sufferers that some of the " fair sex " were quite as anxious to use their finger nails as their tonguesti Fifty years ago a controversy was raised as to the proper commencement of the century ; on one side it was con tended that the period commenced on the Ist of January, 1800, on the other it was argued that the first day must be determined by the commencement of the notation, viz., January, 1801. Though upon the decision of this ques tion depends the other question, whether we have entered the half century or not, we must leave it as it has lain for. fifty years, still doubtful. INCONGRUOUS BROTHERHOOD.—In Loch Shierclaig there is a small island or rock, abounding with rock pigeons, and frequented ay large flocks of aquatic birds. A. very small crevice in this rock affords a home to three" very incongruous companions —a hawk, a roek pigeon, and an owlet—who have lived there in the greatest har— mony for years. On this rock, last harvest, Kenneth. APNair, gamekeeper, killed 24 hawks and a vast number of seafowl in one day.—lnverness Courier. QUARRY DRAINED BY A SYPHON.—A novelty in this quarter has been introduced by Mr. Bayne who lately be came lessee of Siddy quarry*at Munlochy, Inverness-shire. Its ample resources have hitherto been unavailable, from the depth and quantity of water, which not only obstructed the workings beyond a limited depth, but also prevented the best quality of rock being obtained. To have drained. off the water, either by pumping or gravitation, would have entailed much expense. Availing himself of the facilities afforded by the nature of the locality, Mr. Bayne has succeeded, by the advice and assistance of Mr. Esson, of the Inverness Gas and Water Company, in completely carrying off the water by a syphon of large diameter, and• about 200 yards in length, at something like one-sixth of • the cost that would have been incurred by either of the other two methods mentioned. " Jock," said one of the quarry-men, our maister's surely daft, he eanna think to mak the water' run up the brae—it's against nature." Jock's companion, has since, however, been disappointed' —the quarry has now been emptied.—lnverness Adver— tiser. HEROIC CONDUCT OF THE RECTOR OF FALMOUTH.-- Early on yesterday morning week a schooner was observed to be entangled on the coast between the Manacle Rock and Pendinnis Castle. Later in the morning sh& stranded directly under the cliff, above which is the mansion of the Rev. W. J. Coope! the rector of Falmouth.- She proved to be the Mary of Dartmouth, from the coast of Africa, 105 days. Her crew were seven in number, of whom two were blacks. They had been fourteen days without any provisions, except an allowance of two table spoonfuls of flour daily, and it had been agreed to kill the dog on board on Friday for sustenance, unless relieved. The stranded schooner lay, the waves dashing over her at each return, and the crew clinging to the leeside, making earnest gestures for assistance. At length the expedient was adopted of throwing the log line from the ship. Tha rector, having a great knowledge of the footing on the cliff, attempted to catch the line, for which purpose he waded into the water some feet, and was nearly carried off by a sea. To the log line a large rope was attached, and to it a hemp cable. The end of the cable was fixed round a bridge in Mr. Coope's walk. The first who ventured and succeeded in reaching the shore was the mate. The remainder of the crew were got on shore one by one in a barrel, hung by a hank to a cable. As they landed they were taken to the mansion of Mr. Coope, and treated with great benevolence. THE NEW HOUSE OF COMMONS,—The ceiling is divided into eighteen compartments by moulded ribs, each space being again subdivided into pannels. Over the speaker's chair is the reporters' gallery, formed like the other fittings, throughout of oak, and left of its natural colour. There is a metal railing above the front of the gallery. The traceried openings seen above the speaker's chair will be filled in with open metal work, to screen a gallery to which ladies will be admitted. At the bar end is a much larger gallery for strangers. The floor of the house is of iron, perforated for the purpose of venti lation. The windows: will be filled with stained glass;. but there are no coloured decorations. The length of the chamber is 62 feet, the width 45 feet, and the height 45- feet, nearly one-third less in length, therefore, than the House of Lords, which has the same width and height, and is a double cube. The Commons' lobby, south of the bar, has a similarly-formed ceiling, in nine main divi sions. The connection of the Houses of Parliament with Westminster-hall, by means of an enormous archway, nearly the whole height of the hall, is formed, although the steps are not yet constructed, and justifies our antici pations of its fine effect. This communicates with St. Stephen's Gollery, the stone work of which is being cleaned down. The groin vaulted roof of this gallery is a fine piece of work. The restoration of the cloisters is being proceeded with ; the beauty of the old work there is marvellous. From 300 to 400 men, in the whole, are at present engaged on the building.— The Builder. NOVEL STORY—A GOAT HUNT.—On the Ist instant,. the echoes of " the beetling cliffs of Gamrie Head" were waked up by the baying of dogs, the firing of guns, and all the excitement of a regular hunt. From an early hour in the morning till nearly dusk, upwards of a score of men might be seen scrambling along the rocks over hanging the seas, and every now and then a flash was visible, as a gun went off with the muzzle pointed against a group of horned and bearded quadrupeds, which scam pered about and capered from rock to rock at th e dis charge of the firearms. The animals shot at were a herd of goats, which inhabit the locality, and which, having been allowed to run about for years on the almost inac cessible cliffs which there stem the tides of the Moray Frith, on the scanty herbage of which they manage to feed, have become wild. The first pair, we believe, were brought to the district some ten years ago, by Mr. For dyce, one of the tenants on the estate of Weitehills, and being suffered to feed among the rocks, they have in creased to such a number, and have become so wild in their habits, that they frequently make a descent during the night upon the farms in the neighbourhood, corn-- mitting extensive ravages in the corn and turnip fields, and making off to the fastnesses on being disturbed, or on the approach of morning. Annoyed at the destruc tive nature of these visits, a party assembled on the morn ing above mentioned. The party mustered twelve guns, and had several dogs, and, commencing operations about ten o'clock in the forenoon, kept up the sport till four, when it was found that they had brought down eight goats. To any one acquainted with the locality, it is scarcely necessary to say that the sport was of the most exciting character. The party had not only to exhibit the utmost watchfulness in order to come upon the ani mals, but they had to exercise the utmost care that they themselves did not miss their footing, and thereby make a plunge-bath of the Moray Frith, which washed the rocks over which they clambered. Notwithstanding the number killed on this occasion, the herd still remains in great force ; and should any of our southern friends be anxious for a day's sport, of a much more exc i t i ng nature than grouse- shooting or deer-stalking, we think we may. safely promise them a cordial welcome, unless, indeed, in the interim, a bill be introduced and passed through the legislature, declaring goats to be game, and ranking them in the same category with " woodcocks, snipes, quails, landrails, wild ducks, or conies."—Ban f fshire Journal. THE PUBLISHING TRADE.—We (the Athenceum) alluded some time since to the healthy condition of the London publishing trade, and of the state of the book market throughout the three kingdoms. What we ob served then has been more then confirmed by the result of Mr. Murray's great annual trade sale at the Albion Tavern, in Aldersgate street, during the present month-- Few of our readers are, perhaps, aware that it is the cus tom of the two great London houses, Murray's and Long mans', to put their books up to a kind of auction every year ; that the sale is prefaced by a dinner, at which all the booksellers of " credit" in London are invited to be present; and that as soon as the cloth is removed, Mr. Hodgson, the auctioneer, of Fleet-street, commences the business of the day by offering the books seriatim, as in the printed catalogue, to the attention of the guests. The practice is not, as at other auctions, to knock the lot down to the highest bidder, but to put the book up at certain price below what is usually called " subscription price," or, in other words, below the figure at which the book can be obtained on any other occasion. It is also the custom to put uplbooks, not ready for delivery, but only nearly so ; and it is curious to watch the interest that is felt throughout the room when a book of name is offered for the first time. It is a matter of ancient and proper deference_to the great houses to let "the Row" begin. Thus, with a popular work, Longman will start with 350, —Simpkin with the same number,—Whittaker with 250, —Hamilton and Adams with the same number; till at last it comes to " twenty-fives," and " fives,"—and at times only " one." Not less interesting is it to behold the eager way in which the numbers called out are placed. promptly on paper by the several booksellers—or the _ quick tradesman.like manner in which they cast up the several totals, and look with mute astonishment one at another at the greatness of the demand. Sales of this description are limited to the two houses we have men tioned, and are always looked forward to with interest as affording an index of the approaching season. Mr. Mur ray's last sale was the best he has had since his father's death ; he disposed of books on that day to the amount of £19,000. Nor would this be wondered at when the numbers sold are put together. For instance, the trade took on that occasion 2,000 of Lord Campbell's " Chief Justices," 5,000 volumes of " The Colonial. Library," 1,400 of Layard's " Nineveh," 1,400 of Byron's Works in one volume, 1,300 copies of Mr. Burrow's new work " L'Avengro," 900 of the new edition of Mr. Cunning' ham's " Hand Book for London," ;750 of Mr. Grote'6 " Greece," 750 of Mr. Curzon's " Levant," and 600 of M. Guizot's new work. School-books sold in still greater proportions : 5,000 Markham's " Histories, 4,000 " Little Arthur's History of England," 2,000 Wordsworth'it "Latin Grammar," 1,200 Somerville's " Geography,' and even Mrs. Rundell, though thought to be antiquated, maintained her reputation with her new dishes, and in her Authors benefit as well as booksellers by a new dress. sale like this. I - LEC VINCULA FEREMUS ? — To classify under one head disorders the most incongruous and even opposite- - to disturb the timid and the nervous by false alarms—to lull the really afflicted with false hopes—and to deceive all by promises the most extravagant and absurd—as it is the chief characteristic of the medical adventurer of the present day, so it forms one of the most painful subjects of contemplation that can present itself to the eye of those who scan over the advertisements which crowd the columns of the newspapers of our time. Among the many medicines obtruding themselves upon our attention , it is some relief, however, to find one at least which (while its proprietor avoids those gross inconsistencies that, with but very few exceptions, disfigure all others) is sanctioned and employed by the most distinguished practitioners, as well as the most eminent and enlizhtened individuals of the age, who have honoured with their favour and confidence the Compound Antihiti ous PilL 9 of Mr. Cockle, the &entleman above alluded to. TIE 1111 , 11144 i sTAO)Aiii; Jan. 8, lsso. of on