Northern Times. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-04-20 00:00:00

.b...-_ rtr , InE LATEST TELEGRAMS. BOMBAY MAILS. • ALEx ANDRIA, April 12.—The Bombay mails of the 26th March leave to day. The increase in im port duties caused great excitement among the mer :l"tile co mmunity of Bombay. Meetings were held Z Prot est against th e measure , an d mem orials were "lig prepared for the Home Government and Par -I,ent. The last traces of rebellion were fast disappearing. ibe reb el armies are broken and dispersed, and their leaders are fugitives in the jungles. The rebels 7 . la great numbers in Nepaul, and Jung Bahadoor 43 4 11 sent troops into the jungle to root them out. The B ° o l AA C t wers of the Begum and Nana number about "u• Brigadier Kelly was watching their move :l3lll,' Oude continues tranquil. A great many h as e , 4 have surrendered. The Nawab of Furruckabad been sentenced to death. and re at excit emen t h as b een occas i one d i n B om b a y Calcutta 'owing to the new Customs tariff. k o ra Ports are little better. Exports more doing. to 2 9Y easier. F re i g h ts stea d y. E xc h ange , 2 s lid qui,: lad. Money mar k e t e a s i e r. Import market tx Cotton i n goo d d eman d. F re i g ht s s t ea dy. c o „ e + han ge, 2s lid to 2s lid for credit. Two per Cp ' s, ; Fours, 781. : r eign -office and India-house despatches are to alm os r ilt as the intelligence conveyed in them is to pubi v . c 'rbatirn t o th e a b ove , we d eem it u nnece ssar y th e uovir ' s s ll .3 thena, as it would only be a repetition of Advises NAPLES. , 16th • ha been received from Naples to the I(j a ,: list . After a terrible attack of his malady, the rec eived th e sacramen t, an d a ft erwar d s blessed Bedebeen farewell to his family — . Signor Filangieri " 11 summoned to Caserta. FRANCE. gee r Ql 3 ' Monday. —The opinion which more n ot prevails here to-day is, that matters are s ettl e which a state which should make us despair of a but "le nt witho u t an appea l t o th e sw ord. For th e a i rice, it is rumoured that the latest proposal of o f p',nlPerial Government, viz.,—that the admission Of L eth a Ont to the Congress should be the condition eee '" general previous disarming- has been hi e by Austria, and that Russia had some tnlrlg to do with the matter. Again, that the po!lish Government, harrassed by repeated disap %till:l:neat; and vexed at systematic mystifi perCs' had at last very fully told its mind —as, th at - P s ' it should have done long since, and ea Austria and France consequently appear less ; also, that the Emperor has become less °llkejAe-"et, less ambiguous, and less disinclined to a r arrangement than two or three days ago. a word, th a t the " situation," as it is called, has lill ' reve d• If lam asked what solid reasons there oi are 'l 3r this feeling, I answer I cannot tell; and, N re ever, I doubt whether any one can d o so . t so. anythinger was more rapidly varying than t h s d i a lati ee•" It is not the same for a week, nor nor an hour. The despatch written at two ia e i d e e l i will be rendered useless by the unexpected i anei of thre e , an d what s true at four is but t o th e th 4t h istory" at six. Of course there is a reverse t o l d t c eual, and you are almost in the same breath waras t he Emperor is at bottom as much for tro o - 8 p eve r; that the armaments, movements of with in a " Prepartions in the ports are going on guess as ceased activity. I do not hazard even a l the re L° Which i s r i g ht or which is wrong, but namely °t ~ e thing which I affirm without hesitation, tien ee ' the public are awaiting with an impa-. Ntaini e — and an anxiety not to be described, Lord th ose litY's long-expected disclosures, and, as iark before to throw full light on what is now so ,uefore this can reach you, I refrain from all l ePe ; ll i tati " for the present. of th: ‘ ,,. B4 , i d that one of the clerks under the orders he p i Minister of Finance has been sent to Turin to went at the disposal of the Sardinian Govern -44141,' °l. ganizing the pay department of the Sar , array. , ALGERIA. Le °ll f r g the addre sses p res ented to Prince Napo the k.°4l places in Algeria, on his retirement from NIA °4l places of Algeri a and the Colonies, was one has r e turned °ns tantina, and to it his Imperial Highness th e following reply I( 1, 048. " Palais Royal, March 22. 00, 04 7 0 ieur le Prefet,—l have received, on the Se t . ; ri o f my r e ti remen t f rom th e Ministry of Fea t ' Et and the Colonies, an address signed by a Pro vi n umbe r of the inhabitants of the town and to et ne e of Constanti n a. Will you be ki n d e no u gh tr ek ress to them my tha n ks, and to sa y that I a m etpteY g ra tified with the sentiments which they %1 04 s Called on to direct the affairs of our great hod" i n Africa, I employed all my efforts to do I shall be happy if,• in spite of the diffi ittseParable from a nee organisation, l'her:' all have succeeded in a tain measure. 'were reasons not connected with my a~iand Ikstratio n which caused my retirement, h therefore l Ki entertain the hope that . t e 11 1), I Z' I 'Y °I Algeria and the Colonies will not be given I° ,tle f alls e the future prosperity of the colonies is 1111 ; 1 , 4 - tll e great pre-occupations of the Empero t hat °- ; e ' l lt questions have been studied, especially be 0 1 ,;% ail waYs, and the decisions adopted will soon t rib ute out. I rejoice at having been able to con -4411 ' e to the solution which Algeria awaits with te tire 4110 w ahle impatience. Notwithstanding, 11(4 e lli"t from the administration of affairs, I shall my itt eli ,° l 4 se to make myself, on all occasions, the fee a et of the interests of the colony ; you may assurance of that to the population of your '4eut." PRUSSIA. otter,.thi from Berlin of the 15th inst. says : Ole in . r ig authentic as has yet transpired respecting . e a u Pit t l ssi t t of Archduke Albrecht of Austria to our ' l 'l s • 43- e has had a private conference with the h Ite 4CI Th a g e nt, and the Prince of Hohenzollern has - e ull ference with th e Austrian Ambassador. 14 1, report that the Archduke will, on leaving Ber ilichit°o,direct to St. P e t ers b urg h, to endeavour to Qp —4 Emperor o f R uss i a to observe neutrality, confirmation. 4 4 ' , h allti nle we have a little congress of Princes thi s „, Grand D u k e of Oldenburg hav i ng arrived Ittys'erning with the purpose of remaining some they r , As re gards 1) 41- I ' e at this the Princes of Central Germany, moment holding a conference the bieiltadt to decide upon their line of action at This The eat a certain eventualities. Duke of Coburg has left Berlin for London. t hing Zoe, who is devoted more especially to any: lid ing to the national development g Germany, is the primary cause of Archduke Albrecht's visit. It will be understood that the Duke of Coburg expects something from Austria for. German nationality after the line of conduct fol lowed by the Cabinet of Vienna during the last ten years. The doubt about the meeting of Congress is not so strong to-day, but no one thinks that Austria will make any great concessions, and the general opinion is that if the Congress does meet, it will not be attended with any satisfactory result. " Prussia'does not intend to mobilise any portion of her army. It has been reported, it is true, that she intended placing three corps crarmee on a war footing, but the report is devoid of foundation. It is only in case the Federal territory should be threatened, or largo bodies of troops assembled near her frontier, that Prussia will take military mea sures. This is, at least, what the Minister of War himself lately ,expressed at an evening party." SECOND EDITION. NORTHERN TIMES OFFICE, WEDNESDAY, 9 A.M. DISARMAMENT OF SARDINIA. The Daily News has received the following despatch:— "At a Council of Ministers held early on Tuesday morn ing, at which the King was present, it was resolved—That in order to give to Europe a proof of the desire of Sardinia to remove the difficulties which delay the meeting of a Con gress, Sardinia yields to the demand of England and France, and accepts the principle of disarmament, the details of which she will leave to be discussed in the Congress." The .Times' City Article observes that the idea that the Emperor Napoleon intends, by a bona fide disarmament, to undo the work on which, at a cost of ten to fifteen millions sterling per annum he has been engaged for the past four years ; or that, as regards his naval preparations, he will so much as pause, seems scarcely to be entertained in any quarter. ELECTION NEWS. General Williams has retired from Calne, to make room for Mr. Robert Lowe. Mr. Montague Chambers goes to Kidderminster, and with the undivided support of the Liberals opposes Mr. Ilud dleston. Mr. W. Williams has reconsidered his determination, and will not retire from Lambeth. Visconnt Sandon has retired from Litchfield. The Hon. Captain Anson, who returned from India two or three days ago, succeeds him as a candidate. So far as can now be ascertained, there are 646 candidates for the 492 seats in England and Wales. COMMERCIAL. The Funds opened this morning at a fall of nearly 1 per cent., the feeling of discouragement previously existing being increased by the ministerial statements with reference to Continental politics. The downward tendency was checked, however, by the appearance in the iffoniteur of another official note of a pacific tendency, but more particularly by the fact that the supply of Stock afloat is limited. During the afternoon, the market gradually strengthened, and at the extreme close firmness was evidenced by a statement that Sardinia has consented to disarm. Consols finally left off the same as yesterday. The drain of gold from the Bank, in payment for silver obtained on the Continent, continues. The amount withdrawn to-day was £112,000, making a total of about £260,000 since the date of last return. According to the telegram, the Exchange at Bombay presents an alteration of about 11 per cent. in favour of England.—Daily News City Article, Tuesday Evening. The statement on the war question in Parliament, last evening, caused the English Funds to open very heavily to day at a decline of & per cent., at which they remained for some time. The article in the Moniteur caused a rally, and the closing prices were the same as yesterday. The telegram from Bombay to-day announces a favourable movement of about 2 or 3 per cent. in the rate of exchange, and an advance of about 11 per cent. in the price of Government securities. At Calcutta, whence the date is to the 16th of March, there had also been an improvement in the price of securities, but the rate of exchange shewed no alteration, and the charge for discount was still 9 per cent.—Times City Article, Tuesday Evening. - The Queen will hold a privy council on Saturday next at Windsor Castle. In the city, on Tuesday afternoon, an absurd report was circulated of an attempt on the life f the French Emperor but obtained little credence. The Herald says the news published on Tuesday, to the effect that English ships of war were about to be sent to Trieste, is altogether false—a mere Stock Exchange canard. Lord Derby stated, on Monday night, that, before finally abandoning all hopes of an adjustment, the British Govern ment had suggested one more proposition, the nature of which he was not at present at liberty to state. The Times says that this proposition is understood to have been despatched to Vienna only on Monday afternoon, and the answer is not snpposed to have been yet received. The Daily News asserts that ministers have converted the Queen's speech into a hustings address. Her Majesty is made to represent that her functions are in some way impaired because Lord John Russell's resolution obtained a majority of votes. It is not true that the crown is less powerful because the House of Commons would not have Mr. Disraeli's Reform Bill. Ministers are dissolving Parliament because they will neither resign nor conform to the general wish of the representatives of the nation on the subject of reform. THE NORTHERN TIMES, "WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20 1859 SPAIN. Some of the Madrid journals of the 14th express surprise that when the affair of M. Collantes was before the Chamber of Deputies not one member, even of his own party, expressed a conviction that he was innocent. M. Collantes, whose arrest was effected with all the regard possible, had been lodged in custody in the residence of the Prefect of Police ; but apartments had been set apart for him, and he was allowed to receive his friends. He is represented to be but little affected at his position, and to entertrin the conviction that the Senate will acquit him. The Senators absent from Madrid had been summoned by telegraph to the capital to take part in trying him. A commission, consisting of functionaries of the War, Marine, Finance, and Foreign Departments, have been formed to pay off th debts still due l o certain Englishmen for supplies to the Queen's armies in the civil war. The journals are again complaining that emigration to Algeria has recommenced on a somewhat large scale from the provinces of Alicante, Murcia, and Carthagena . The Chamber of Deputies had commenced th discussion of a Bill for authorising the annual levy of 25,000 men for the army. The President of the Council (O'Donnell) explained to the Chamber that this levy would not constitute an augmentatiou in the effective force, and he declared that, in consequence of the present state of Europe, a reduction in the army would be inopportune, and even dan gerous. The Chamber expressed approbation of his views. At Aleudia, in the province of Cadiz, a mob had assembled, vociferating against the dearness of bread ; but the municipal authorities had, after causing the gendarmes to firo their carbines in the air to frighten the people, succeeded in re-establish ing order. The Marquis de la Panega, father of the Duchess de Malakhoff, was seriously ill. A Protes tant family of nine persons were about to be baptized as Catholics at Seville, and the Duke and Duchess de Montpensier were to act as their sponsors. . LORD COWLEY AND COUNT WALEWSKI. The Independance Beige has the following piece of gossip "A report has been circulated respecting a rather sharp discussion which took place two days ago between Count Walewski and the British Ambas sador. In the coprse of the discussion Lord Cowley, it is affirmed, introduced, little cere moniously, the subject of the maritime disarma ment of France. Count Walewski, not without some reason, replied that England was taking analogous and equivalent measures ; yet the French Govern ment did riot dream of interfering. Mention was also made during the conversation of the chance of a bombardment of T r i es t e , i n case o f w ar ; when the English ambassador very warmly protested that, as the port belonged, so to sp ea k, t o the marine of all nations, it ought to be exempt from the fatal chances of the struggle . . It is affirmed that, in the heat of the conversation, Lord Cowley went so far as to de:Aare that Enffland had been deceived, And played upon." TILE PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF ,LORDS.-TUMIDAY. The House met at two o'clocZ:„ for the purpose of proro- gation. The Commissioners were—the Lord Chancellor, the Mar quis of Salisbury, the Marquis of Exeter, the Earl of Hardwicke, and the Earl of Delawarr, all of whom entered the House at two o'clock, and immediately despatched a messenger desiring the attendance of the Commons. In a few minutes the Speaker made hie appearance, followed by Mr. Disraeli and other members. The Clerk at the table then proceeded to read the Royal Commission, after which the Royal assent was given to the following :—The Exchequer Bill (£13,277;400) bill, the Consolidated Fund Appropriation bill, the Manor Courts Ireland bill, the Evidence by Commission bill, the Medical Act (1858) Amendment hill, the Indemnity bill, the Not tingham Charities bill, the Marriage Validity bill, the Re creation Grounds bill, the Local Government Supplemental bill, the Manslaughter bill, the Public Offices Extension bill, the Confirmation and Probate Act (1858) Amendment bill, the Naval Medical Supplemental Act bill, the Remission of Penalties bill, the Affidavits by Commission bill, the Superannuation bill, the Combination of Workmen bill, the Municipal Elections bill, the Kirkwell Harbour bill, the Londonderry Bridge bill ; the Sunderland and South Shields Water bill, the Weymouth and Melcombe Regis Railway bill, the Glasgow Corporation Water bill, the Traveller and Marine Assurance and Accidental Death Insurance Companies Amal gamation bill, the Findhorn Railway bill, the Banff and 111‘Duff Railway bill, the Great Western Railway bill, the Falmouth Docks and Harbour bill, the Norwich (City) Water bill, the Glasgow Public Parks and Galleries of Art bill, the Kingstown Water bill, the Mersey Dock and Harbour bill, the Pool Water bill, the Cork •and Kinsale Junction Railway bill, the People's Provident Society bill, the Scarborough Gas bill, the Standard Life Assurance bill, the Tralee and Killarney Railway bill, the Commercial Docks Amendment bill, the Belfast and Londonderry Junction Railway bill, the Tavistock Markets, &c., bill, the Leominster and Kings town Railway bill, the Great Northern Railway bill, the East Suffolk Railway bill, Purdy's Disabilities Removal bill, and some other private bills. The Lord Chancellor then read the Royal Speech, announ cing the dissolution of the present Parliament. The Parliament was then formally prorogued to May sth, after which the House separated. HOUSE OF COMMONS.-TUESDAY. The House met at a quarter to two. Two or three unopposed returns were agreed to and ordered, as were also the following : THE LATE ACCIDENT AT THE POLYTECHNIC, Sir Benjamin Hall moved an address, that there be added to the return relative to the Polytechnic accident a copy of the official report of Mr. Eales, architect, made to the coroner. EXEMPTION FROM POOR RATES. Mr. John Locke moved for a return of all houses and buildings and lands which axe exempted in any parish from the payment of poor rate on the ground of the same being devoted to public purposes, as well charitable as others, or exempted under the statute 6 and 7 Vic. c. 36. RATEPAYERS. Mr. Newdegate moved an address for a return of the number of persons rated to the poor, at the sums of £5O, £4O, £3O; £2O, £lO, and upwards, respectively, in each county or division of county, exclusive of the represented cities and towns in England and Wales ; distingnishing, as far as possible, the number who are householders. THE DISSOLUTION. Mr. J. Dunlop asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the dissolution would take place, and when the writs might be expected to be delivered. The Chancellor of the Exchequer said, that a council would be held on Saturday morning, when he would be advised to dissolve parliament, and the writs would be issued the same evening at two o'clock. Sir A. Clifford, Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, summoned the Speaker to the House of Lords to attend the ceremony of prorogation. Almost all the members present followed him, and other gentlemen. • After an absence of about half an hour, the Speaker returned, and read THE QUEEN'S SPEECH. MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN, We are commanded by Her Majesty to inform you that it is Her Majesty's intention forthwith to dis solve the present Parliament, with a view to enable her people to express, in the mode prescribed by the constitution, their opinion on the state of public affairs. GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, We are commanded by her Majesty to thank you for the wise liberality with which you have granted the necessary supplies for the military and naval defences of the country, and for the provisions which you have made for the exigencies of the other branches of the public service during the interval which must elapse before the estimates for the year can be considered by the new Parliament, which her Majesty will direct immediately to be called. MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN, Her Majesty commands us to inform you that the appeal which she is about to make to her people has been rendered necessary by the difficulties expe rienced in carrying on the public business of the oountry, as indicated by •the fact that within little more than a year two successive administrations have failed to retain the confidence of the House of Common, and her Majesty prays that, under the blessing of Divine Providence, the step which she is about to take may have the effect of facilitating the discharge of her high functions, and of enabling her to conduct the government of the country under the advice of a ministry possessed of the confidence of Parliament and her people. Several of the members shook hands with the Riglv Hon. Gentleman, and the House broke up. THE DISSOLUTION. The Times announces that, though the prorogation of the existing Parliament has taken place, yet it believes that the writs for the new Parliament will not be issued until Saturday. They will be proclaimed in the several boroughs and counties on Monday, and when three clear days have elapsed from that date the elections for the new Parliament will begin in the boroughs, and three days afterwards in the counties. MEETING iY SUPPORT OF THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH COMPANY. A large and highly influential private meeting of the shareholders in the Atlantic Telegraph Company, resident in Liverpool, was held on Monday last at the Clarendon rooms, South John-street. The chairman of the company, the Right Hon. James Stuart Wortley, M.P., accompanied by Mr. Seward, the secretary, attended for the purpose of affording information, and in order to obtain the opinion of the local proprietors upon the arrangements proposed to be submitted to the approactring extraordinary general meeting, for the purpose of resuscitating this interesting under taking. The Right Hon. Gentleman having taken the chair, com menced his observations by stating that, although he had become the chairman of the company at a comparatively recent period, he was yet one of the original shareholders in it, and as evincing the warm' regard entertained by him for the welfare of the great enterprise over which he haft{ been called upon to preside; he mentioned that although at present immersed in political engagements 'in Yorkshire, calling for his very active attention he had laid everything aside to come over from that county this morning for the purpose of attending the present meeting. He then went on to describe the present position *of the company ; their absence of immediate funds for the attempted restoration of the old cable, or for the prosecution of *a new one ; pointing out the various applications that have been made by the' board to her Majesty's government for guarantees of a similar character to that granted with such success to the Red Sea and Indian Telegraph Company, and contrasting the niggardly manner in which half measures of assistance aro doled out to great national works in this csamtry, with the large and open-handed policy of the French government, which, although it has guaranteed fixed divi dends to works of public utility, involving- an aggregate capital of over thirty-two millions sterling, has never yet been called upon for any contribution whatever towards making up the dividends so secured. • Mr. Stuart Wortley then adverted to the terms ultimately offered by government, after long and anxious negotiations with them on the subject, which terms the directors in London con sidered might form a basis, in connection with other auxiliary arrangements, for inducing the subscription of the necessary amount of capital for the prosecution of the work. The terms offered were as follows :—" A' guarantee of 8 per cent. upon the capital to be employed, not ; this guarantee to be for 25 years, conditional upon the successful working of the cable, at a rate not less than. 100 words per hour. A postal contract of not less than £20,000 per annum for the business of the government ; any excess of work to be paid for at the company's ordinary tariff. The company's contract with the American govern ment, whereby a further minimum sum of £14;600 per annum is secured to the company, is to be allowed to subsist, so that by this arrangement the guaranteed revenue of the company, independent altogether of mercantile support, will be £34,600 per annum. The government to' allow £20,000 of the guaranteed capital to be expended in. efforts to resusicitate the old cable. The company to transfer to , government that portion of their privileges, under the agree ment between themselves, which contained the exclusive right to land cables from Europe on the shores of Newfound land." The chairman remarked, in reference to these terms, that they had been considered by the board as worthy the acceptance of the company, not so much as offering any very attractive inducement to capitalists to invest in the under taking, which had been started in a more unselfish spirit than most undertakings of a public nature, as that with subsidiary arrangements to which he was about to refer, they would be a protection, to as full an extent as is possible under the circumstances, against the risks to which such investments are necessarily exposed. It would be for public spirit to do the rest, and he (the chairman) had full faith in the result. The subsidiary arrangements alluded to were s— "A marine insurance on the successful submergence of the new cable, which it is believed can be obtained, at comparatively moderate outlay, if divested of any condition as to the working of the cable when laid, and a contract on the following basis, which Mr. Wortley was enabled to state would be readily entered into by parties of high respecta bility and responsibility. The contractor to make all preliminary experiments as to the form of the cable, and the manner of submerging it, charging for the same the bare cost of such experiment. So soon as the right plans are decided on, the contractor to proceed to make and lay the cable, keeping separate accounts of the whole cost, and allowing a proper check upon all his expenditure for such purpose. The profit to be calculated at a per ceutage upon the actual cost of making and laying the cable. The contractor to take payment in shares of the company for a portion of the actual cost of making the cable. The contractor to forfeit the whole of his profit, and a penal sum of ten thousand pounds absolutely, if the cable when laid, does not work satisfactorily during thirty days after the date of its submersion between shore and shore." - The Chairman proceeded to say, that it was proposed to issue the new capital in shares of five pounds each, with a view to popularise and extend the interest in the under taking, and that the summary of what the directors would have to offer to the public over and above the national character of the work, and its value as a commercial and imperial agent, would be as follow :—" First. A capital of £600,000 in 8 per cent. preference shares of five pounds each, guaranteed by the government, contingent on success, Second. A guaranteed minim um income 0f£34,000 per annum; in support of such preference, independent of public support. Third. A policy of insurance upon the successful extension of the cable from the shores of Great Britain and New foundland. Fourth. A guarantee for careful management and electrical success under a contract similar to the one just described, whereby 'the interests of the contractor are involved absolutely in those of the company." The right hon. gentleman concluded by hoping that the foregoing explanations would be satisfactory to the meeting, and that he might be enabled to say, when the extraordinary general meeting of the shareholders took place in London, that the arrangements now shadowded forth, without committinc , any one to details, or anything but general policy, would be acceptable to the shareholders in Liverpool. Mr. J. C. Ewart, M.P., expressed his admiration of the exceedingly lucid manner in which the chairman (with whose clearness and perspicuity he was well experienced in another place) had explained the present position of the company, he (Mr. Evart) cordially agreed in the views set forth by Mr. Wortley, and approved of the course recom mended to be taken by the board for raising the new capital. Mr. Bushell, president of the Chamber of Commerce, in rising, observed that, for his own part, he was so satisfied with the general features of the proposal which had been so clearly and ably pointed out by the chairman, that lie was desirous, if it would strengthen the hands of the board, to test the feeling of the present meeting, although a private meeting only by offering a resolution on the suoject. He would therefore move, " That in the opinion of this meeting the plan suggested by the chairman, the Right Hon. James Stuart Wortley, for the obtainment of capital for the pro secution of this great work. is an admirable one, and is entitled to the best consideration and support of the Atlantic Telegraph Company." Mr. Rankin (of Messrs. Rankin, Gilmour, and Co.) seconded the resolution, which was carried unanimously. Mr. Charles Holland, in proposing a vote of thanks to the chairman, said he could not altogether allow the reso lution just carried to be passed without comment, lest it should be accepted as binding upon those present, not merely as to its general tenor, but as to the matters of detail involved in carrying out the policy shadowed forth by the right hon. gentleman. For his own part, while deeply appreciating the disinterested and' valuable services of Mr. Stuart Wortley and the other directors, he could not but think that the proposition which had been made by our Government, was not fair towards a body of share holders who had so zealously prosecuted this great enterprise with so little of selfishness or desire' of gain. He considered the Atlantic line—connecting . to the home government our Great North American Colonies, to be of no less Imperial consequence than the line to India, and the proprietors nmre deserving of aid than the shareholders of the Red' See, and the Indian Telegraph Company, to whom an unconditional guarantee had been extended, inasmuch its the Atlantic proprietors had been heavy sufferers from their patriotism, having fearlessly come forward with their capital when all around the idea of an Atlantic Telegraph was dark and uncertain, and having been the first to put to the test, and that too. in a success ful manner, as regards the interests of science, though injuriously as to their own pockets, an experiment of so hazardous and national a character. Re felt a degree of mortification when he reflected that it should have been possible and just for the right hon. gentleman to contrast the ready assistance so freely granted to works of natural importance by a foreign government, whose general cha racteristics possess many features adverse to the mast cherished principles of Englishmen, with the tardy and stinted help which is dealt out to similar undertakings in this country. Mr. Holland concluded ,by very warmly expressing Ms gratitude to the chairman, and by proposing a vote of thanks' to that gentleman, which, having been briefly seconded by Mr. Christopher Bushell, was carried unanimously, after which the meeting broke up. PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT. The Queen held a Privy Council at one o'clock on Monday, at which Parliament was ordered to be prorogued from yesterday (Tuesday) until the sth of May. I THE WESTERN BANK.—TIie magnificent buildinc , of the ELECTION NEWS Western Bank, in St. Andrew-square , was p urchlsed on . Sir Wednesday by Messrs. Gibson Craig, Dalziel , and Brodie, Wm. Clay is likely to com e for ward as a candidate to WS., for £15,000, IWIr the Scottish Widow s ' Fund Assurance Society.—Glasgait: -Press. succeed Mr. W. Williams for Lambeth. A DANDY. --Touching dandies, let 113 consider, with some It is confidently announced there will be no contest at scientific strictness, what a dandy specially is. A dandy is Birmingham. a clothea wearing man—a man whose trade, office, and of clothes. faculty Sir S. M. Pete was unable to obtain a hearing at a meet- purse, and person is heroically consecrated ing in Finsbury on Monday night, owing to the disorderlT 'of his soul, spirit , the wearing of clothes wisely and well ; Ito this one object - we exiF.tence consist in the wearing . Every i conduct of a packed theeting. ; so that, as otheys dress to live, he lives to drelp!--4'fir/isk. DItEADFITL FIRES AND LOSS OF LIFE. Yesterday morning, between the hours of tWo and three o'clock, the inhabitants of ()Such-street, Soho, in London, were aroused from their slumbers by the springing of rattle and loud cries of " fire." In the course of a few minutes it was found that the premises of Mr. Carlisle, chair and couch-maker, wbre on fire. The discovery was made by one of the inmates goinc , down stairs and observing smoke issuing from the bmk'room'. He immediately aroused the other inmates, why were soundly sleeping, the house being let out to several families. The police de 7 spatched messengers for the royal fire escapes and the London Brigade' engines, which promptly arrived from Crown-street, Cl : lt...lidos-street, and Holborn, fol lowed by the parish engines. A plentiful supply - of water being obtained, the Crown-street engine got to work in an admirable manner under Engineer Wilkinson, when the fire was speedily extinguished. Mrs. Emma arlisle, aged 35 years, was found on the ground, with one of her arms and legs burnt off her body, by Engineer Wilkinson. A shell being procured, the bogy was conveyed to thedcad house of Soho. Information has been forwarded to Mr. Bedford, the coroner, but no day is yet fixed for the inquirv. The premises are not insured.—A , second fire broke out on the premises of Mrs. Mary Pimsa, broker, Brill-place, Somer's Town, which was not subdued until considerable damage was done. Cause unknown, Morgmer and Marshall, who were lately brought up at Bow-street,. charged with conspiring to nervciate the sale of an ensigney, were on Monday committed for trial. The Duke of Cambridge was examined. The New Orleans Delta maintains that there is as great a depth of water on the bar at the Mouth• of the Mississippi now as there• was a century or fifty years-no. It says the reason that vessels stick fast now, is that they are built larger than formerly. So the case is el - cute—any vessel can easily cross the bar„ provided she does net draw too much water.• BUYING STorxx• S4IINEP. —A correspondent - writes as on a point of Scottish law. If a man purchases stolen sheep, though entirely ignorant of the theft, the transaction is invalid, and the owner of the sheep is entitkd:to recover the animals or their value• from the buyer. Our , Correspondent thinks this absurd, as•the principles of honesty cannot be discovered in a man'S• face, when he offers sheep for sale. How is a ,stranger to knows that he is dealing with , a rogue? We are assured, however, by our legal friends here,. that the law is to the effect stated, and that there are -various deci sions affirming it. The• only security is, that intending purchasers should be careful from whom they buy sheep. — Inverness Courier. Active steps are being taken in order to have the Great Eastern ready for sea by the latter end of the month of July or the beginning of August. The unrestricted freedom of access which was given some weeks since by the-company, is now followed, by a system of the most rigid exclusion. The directors (the Observer says) found that the privilege accorded to the public was grossly abused; had it been extended to a much longer period there would not have been a moveable or portable article left in the hull of the great vessel. Whetever there was a piece of moulding or metal which could be wrenched off the vsitors appeared to think it a fair trophy. The knobs and handles of the cabin doors rapidly disappeared, and Captaiii Harrison's cabin was literally stripped of everything beyond the bare boards and partitions! DINNER or THE THEATRICAL FUND.---The anniversary dinner of this charity took place on Monday evening, at the Freemasons"favern, under the presidency of Mr. harles Mathews, Lord Eliot, Sir W. Fraser, Mr. Buckstone, and Mr. Toni Taylor, being among the guests, who in all num bered about '2OO. The usual loyal and patriotic toasts hav ing been disposed of with an unwonted display of enthusiasm, the chairman gave the toast of the evening. liiispeech was entirely of that versatile and humorous kind which those who have once heard Mr. Mathews speak do not easily forget, and mixed up with. professional jokes and laughable allusions to the colleagues by whom he. was surrounded: The funded stock, he said, now amounted to upwards of £ll,OOO, and the payments out of the yearly income included annuities of £3O, £6O, and £9O per annum, the large majority of the recipients of which were ladies. The rules of the fund permitted singers, dancers, and panto mimists to belong to it, and any member whose period of subscription reached seven years, became entitled to an annuity from the fund. The report of the fund for last year showed that the total income amounted to £1,320,. while the expenditure fell short of that sum by £460, which balance had been transferred to the funded property of the association. Towards the close of the evening the secretary announced a list of subscriptions of upwards of £soo'. The musical arrangements, as might have been expected from the nature of the festival, were of the very best kind, and included some of the most eminent vocalists of the day, all of whom gave their services gratuitously. Miss Ransford, Miss Poole, Mr. Donald King, and Mr. Chip (instrumentalist), were most warmly encored and applauded. PROPOSED RECEPTION FOR Srn JOHN LAWILENCL••••— An influential meeting was held at Willis's Rooms, on Monday, for the purpose of considering how hest_ to organ ise a public reception of Sir John Lawrence, G.C:13;, - /ate Governor of the Puujaub, on his arrival in this country. Sir F. Currie, Bart., occupied the chair; and amongst those present were Sir George Pollock, G.C.8., and Sir R. Vivian, G.C.8., Sir A. 'Wilson, G.C.8., do. The chairman said that to many then present Sir' John was no doubt personally known, and all who had served in India would warmly respond to any. feeling whereby it was proposed to do honour to so able and zealous an officer as Sir John Lawrence. (Loud applause.) For himself, he (the chairman) might say that be had great pleasure in being called upon to preside on such an occasion as the present, and he was anxious to give all the co-operation lie could to such a movement. (Hear, hear.) The question had arisen as to what kind of a reception should be given to the (reliant officer whose public services they now intended to honour, and it had been. considered best to carry out such a demonstration in the form of a public banquet. (Loud applause.) He would at once, therefore, put to the meeting whether such be the proceeding adopted, by moving " That Sir John L. M. Lawrence, Bart., be invited to a banquet." (Applause.) Several gentlemen at once rose to second , the proposition, and the motion was carried amidst enthusiastic applause. Captain Eastrick, member of the Indian. Council, moved, "That the banquet be given by officers of the civil, military, and naval services, and by gentlemen connected with the official administration of India," Mr. Kaye seconded the motion, :which, after a further brief discussion, was carried nem. con. A com mittee having been appointed to carry outthe objects of the meeting, the proceedings were closed with a vote of thanks to the chairman. A DANISU THIEF.---At the Leeds Towrrifall, on Satur day, Luis Peter Nicolai Ernst, a native of 'Elsinore, John Page, Daniel Rowbottom, and James Mitcgremor, were placed in the dock, on remand, charged with being con cerned in the recent burglary at. the Hadingley Parsonage. During the night of the 30th ult., the parsonage-house, at Headingley, near Leeds, the residence of the Rev. W. Williamson, incumbent, was burglariously entered and robbed of a gold watch, a quantity of silver plate, and other articles. Page, Rowbottoisi, and Macgregor were subsdquently found dealing with portions of the goods so stolen, and when they were taken , into custody they implicated Ernst, who was subsequently arrested, on their information, in Liverpool. On his way to Leeds with the police officer, Ernest acknowledged the burglary, saying that he broke ope:t the drawing-room window with a large stick he found in the yard ; and that he then forced the closets and other places where the plate was locked up, took some wine from an escritoire (?) in the dining-room, and then got rid of his. plunder in Leeds and Manchester. He also confessed to the burglary at Manor Heath, Halifax (the residence of John Crossley, Esq.), for which he now stands committed , . to York assizes. The history of Ernst, as developed by the industry of the Leeds police, reminds one of the wildest creations of Har rison Ainsworth. His " Jack Sheppard" and " Jonathan. Wild" were notorious in their way; bat, everything con, sidered, Ernst, as a foreigner, eclipses their most wonderful achievements. He was convicted of burglary at Gloucester in 1853 ; at Worcestershire assizes be was ordered to be imprisoned for two years ; be, was convicted at the Glouces tershire assizts still more recently; and since his release has been scouring the country. He is " wanted " at Birkenhead for a desperate burglary ; he broke into a blacksmith's house at Brambam cross-roads, on the 14ta inst., and some of that property was found upon him when apprehended in Liverpool; on 22nd March he assisted in a burglary at Blackmoor, near Shadwell, in the house of Mr. Thomas Shires, farmer ; on the day previous he was at Manor Heath, near Halifax, inspecting the plate basket of Mr. John Crossley.; lie was at Sealby, near Scarborough, , on the 11th Mareb, and. will he prosecuted for his robbery there upon his trial; and on. the 30th ult. he was at the Headingly Parsonage, near Leeds, where he obtained a gold watch, som,e spoons, and other property, to the value of £3O or £4O. Such is the web which has at present been unr avelled by the Leeds police, and it is not known h ow f ar the catalogue may extend. Ernst appe H ars e to is hate a spice of romance in his composition. years of ago, of sallow eomplexio •_ _ n about 38 , middle height, wears gold ear-rings in his ears, scars about his body • the right l and has many ow in blue ink with the fetters 44 AN lower arm is marked A-LPNE," and a ship with three masts; the left arm is marked in bl ue ink with the figures of a woman, a mermaid, and the letter " M " in the centre of a hea r t ; and a tree, a man, underneath, the letters " M M," a woman and he has many other grotesque marks ab ou t is person. Ernst was committed for trial at the next York assizes and the other three prisoners yfl), b e go ' —llll te • evidence against him, LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF EXCHEQUER.— APRIL 18. (Sittings in Banco.—Before the Lord Chief Buren, and Barons M art i n, Bramwell, and Channel) Tlf 13 MA RQUIS OF SALISBURY v. GLADSTONE. —THE it f illTa OF COPY ROLDPIUL PEY IMPORTANT QU TON. —Mr. lanisty . moved for a rule, calling on the d e f en d an t t o s h ow cause why the verdict which had been found for him in was against the weight of evid this case,lthould not be set aside, e IT In the course of the on the ground that it upon by the defen trial, which had taken place before e t o n u t lcl tl i a f t i w t eaxsitshteedstiinkipecotinotf aofbifficeo.(iexecxici,scitteions, Justice Bytes, the question arose whether the custom relied . in point of . and did defen dant not come . within the present application. • been brought to recover a copvhold tenement held by h h defendant, on the ground that he had forfeited his tenure by committing waste, in taking the surface' of the land for the purpose of making bricks. The action was brought to try the question of right, and not to enforce the judgment. Mr. Baron Martin : I understood it was an attempt to get pos session of the whole of Sunderland. Mr. Manisty : It really was no each thing, my lord. Mr. Baron Martin : Well, all I can say is, I never knew such a struggle as took place before me at chambers. Mr. Manisty : I hope that the case will be sent to be tried where the whole country is not against us. The question never has been decided, and it affects the rights of all the lords of manors in England. The Lord Chief Baron said he was of opinion that there should be no rule, for if there was any doubt as to the custom it could be tried' on the bill of exceptions, and the . court was not called upon now to enter into the question whetter the custom was reasonable or not. The only question which they had to consider was whether there was evidence Vs. go to the jury. They were satisfied that the custom relied upon, whether reasonable or not, did exist, and the learned judge who had tried the cause was perfectly satisfied with the verdict. There should be, therefore, no rule. The other learned judges concurred. Rule-refined. The•sniling ship Sidney Hail' has been chartered by Government for the transport of shot and shell from Wool— wich to Gibraltar. The sailing transport Vicar of Bray left Woolwich for 'Valparaiso, on Mondmy, laden with ammuni— tion and War stares. The Elections in Prince Edward Island have resulted unfavourably to the Liberals--so called! The Opposition claim 18 seats out of 30 !—With a new House, a new Executive Council and a new Governor, that "Great Country" ought to advance rapidly in the course of political improvement. It will lie seen that a bill has passed the House of Assembly to relieve clergymen, with salaries under £3OO a year from taxation. We think the principle of this measure is wrong ;it a precedent. for further class legislation, and we trust that it will be rejected by. the .Council.—Chards Witness (New 13kunstrick We learn from the Acadian Recorder that in most of the constituencies of Novia Scotia, the electors are busily pre paring. for the coming elections. Governmental and opposition candidates have been nominated pretty generally throughout the different Counties, and an exciting struggle of parties for political pre-eminence is duly anticipated. Loss OF LASS AT WESTMINSTER NEW BRIDGE : SERIOUS INJURY TO SETERAL PERSONS.—Considerable sensation was created yesterday, at the New Westminster-bridge works, in consequence of a frightful accident, attended with loss of life and serious injury to several persons. It appears that the workmen were moving a block of stone with a travelling crane when the machinery gave way, and the stone fell with a tremendous crash, striking a man named Jones, who fell into the water, and was killed, also injuring several others. ATTEMPTED FRAUD. —Mr. John Graham, of 10, Ludgate hill, has sent us a letter he received purporting to come front Lady Stafford, Wilton-lodge, Berkshire, requesting him to send some black silk dresses and moire antique; from four to six guineas, on approval. Mr. Graham states that the young man sent with the parcel to Paddington station, ascertained that Lady Stafford has been dead upwards of three years, and that there is no such place as Wilton-lodge, Berkshire Mr. Graham. therefore wishes to caution tradesmen from being defrauded by any similar application. A formidable convoy of 10-pounder guns, and loaded ammunition waggons, together with the numerous train, composing four seine batteries, have departed from Wool wich garrison for Colchester and Chichester, in command. respectively of Major Franklin, C. 8., Major Barry, Captain.. Leslie, and Captain Milward, R.A. Each gun was drawls by 12 horses, the four batteries employing about 500 horses. Each of the marine stations has now been manned with two additional powerful batteries complete, which will render the entire line of coast defensible against any suddea invasion. LTVERPOOL DISYENSARIES.—Number of patients during the past week : *New cases received advice and medicine at the Institution : North, 227; South, 158 ; total, 385. New cases visited at their own houses and supplied with medicine : North, 83; South, 75 ; total, 158. Grand total, 513. President: Rev. Rector Campbell, AM.; Vice-President of North Dispensary : Captain Bourne; Vice-President of South Dispensary : Mr. Charles Booth ; Treasurer : Mr. Francis Mill ; Secretary : Mr. J. Whitby Williams. Office : Leith Offices, Moorfields. A SCI{OONEU. ABANDONED. The schooner Fanny, of Limerick, Messrs. J. N. Russell an d S ons , owners, was abandoned by her crew on the 7th inst. in Dingle Bay. It appears she drifted in shore during thick weather, and the crew finding her close under the cliffs let go an... anchor and took to the boat, leaving all sail set, in which . position the ship remained until the following day,when, at great risk, she was boarded by the crew of Her Majesty's cutter Desmond, Commander Brown, who slipped her cable and ran the vessel safely into Dingle harbour. The cargo, consisting of flour and meal, is valued at £l,OOO. LAUNCH AT PEMBROKE DOCKTARD.---OR Saturday even— ing last, a splendid 91-gun steamer, on two decks, called the Revenge, was launched from Pembroke yard. The pro— cess of rigging will commence at once, and she will thee. proceed to Plymouth for commission, she having been fully fitted for sea while on the stocks. She has been about four years in hand, and is rather an improvement on the Renown, to which she is a sister ship. The following are her prin— cipal dimensions :---Length between the perpendiculars, 244.9 ; length for tonnage, 200 ; breadth extreme, 55.4 ; breadth for tonnage, 51.6 ; breadth moulded, 53 8 ; depth in hold, 24.6 ; burthen in tons, 2,317 78-94 ; horse-power,. 800. COLLISION' AND LOSS OF LIFE.—The Vestris, fishing: smack, belonging to Mr. Henry Smith, of Greenwich,. returned from Harwich, reported the loss of four of her crew; but a few hours afterwards three of the men arrived.. home by the railway, much to the joy of their friends, and it appears that only one of the crew was drowned, under the following circumstances :---On Friday morning the mew werd engaged in fishing off Harwich, when the boat was capsized, and the fishing gear was carried away by a vessel, the crew of which succeeded in saving the lives of three of the occupants. of the boat. The weather being hazy, the master of the Vestris considered that four of the crow were drowned, and returned to Greenwich under this impression. A NEW FREAK. OF TIIE DRAMATIC CNE s a7e . r been or de ni vo a t i l years past the metropo litan theatres h during Passion Week to entertainments not strictly dramatic in their c haracter, and no objection has been offered to the practice by. the officials of the Lord Chamberlain's depart— ment. Acting upon long-established precedents, several caterers for the public put forth their programmes for the present week, and, among others, Mr. and Mrs. German_ Reed announced their intention of giving their popular entertainment at the Olympic Theatre ; but, on. Monday morning, a letter was received by them from the Examiner of plays, conveying an intimation that the Chamberlain's licensee to a theatre is suspended during the penitential season, and that the building, not possessing a magistrate's license for music, cannot be used for any pezformance of which this forms a feature ; and they were consequently compelled to close the doors against the public. W e understand that a similar notification was forwarded to . Mr. and Mrs. Howard Paul at Sadler's wells, and to Mr. Adams, who had announced, for the 29th yea w r ith hts musica Astro— nomical Lecture at the Haymarket, illustrations. The iron-screw steam transport Perseverance, 2, Com mander Edward It. Power, left Plymouth on Sunday after noon for Pembroke and Queenstown. - In relation to the inquiry last week at Devonport before Capt. Woodford Jr. Williams, it has transpi re d that at the time of the coll i s i on, 10 o'clock on Mond ay tight , the 11th inst the barque Ava, , with coal, was u n d er all plain can vass on the port tack, with . her head toward s th e land. She is said to have b een pre viously seen f or a quarter of an hour b. y the look-out om board the Pe rseverance, who reporte d accor di ng l y. The aft cer of the watch went forward, saw her, returned aft, an& gave _the orders "ease her," and " stop her," but toe late. The Perseverance was going full ten knots, and had. not lost much of her way. Very little noise was made on. deck, to prevent unnecessary alarm to the 200 troops be h lo a v ve . Providentially there was no sea on, or both ships might 33g_ gone down. The Ava was struck ' on the starbo ,r a h r t d i g n u the way, and her mainstay and rigging were steamer's bowsprit, went down. when the spar broke, and the baroi t i s quarter-boats, Meanwhile, the steamer's two fore.mngo a pparatus, were which held on for aboueteateui; minutes, which are fitted with Clifford's le_ rd out oa all the crew, a dos, and and took n quickly disengaged. The starboard the sinking barque,lowering soon got alongside fr . gto the men. It is said that some bags of clothing bel"aeick of the Perseverance to her the distance of the promptquarter-deck of in case of such an emer— gency prevents very great length of the ship precludes her front gene) , ; that the.uickly, or what is termed "answering • turning her d he d that q the extreme brightness of the night her helm;" an . might have deceived t e o cei h ffi •of the watch in calculating; the distaWN of the Ava when first seen.