The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-11-29 00:00:00

2 : \-- • N .1 ,Eiberpoot taifbarb. TURSD.dY MORNING, NOV. 29, 1853. DRUNKENNESS AND CRIME. ALARMED at the sad array of facts which have, we had almost said ruthlessly, been collected and treasured up against us as a nation, it has become a fashion, and a bad one, torepresent British society as the stronghold of drunkenness, to describe ou r cities and towns as the peculiar temples in which the worship of Bacchus is maintained with all its Most frightful orgies, and where his votaries and victims are more willing and more numerous, relatively as well as absolutely, than in any other country or among any other people. Such statements are unquestionably fallacious. The vice of drunkenness is unfortunately too prevalent, much too prevalent, among us ; but in this, as in other cases, it is quite possible to overdraw the picture, and, like many others, the scene has been painted in colours more dingy and repulsive than the blackest tints of the reality would warrant. The truth of this assertion, we make not the least doubt, will be readily apparent on comparison; and what must inevitably force itself on every observer, in such a town as Liverpool, confirms it. If foreigners are the comparatively abstemious men they are represented to be, by those who so vehemently stigmatize the British, how comes it that foreigners of every land and clime are so easily induced to worship at the shrine of Bacchus on their arrival in our port ? But, to come nearer the point, let us take an example. The Norwegians are generally represented as a simple and virtuous people, and such we • readily believe they are; while admitting their virtue and simplicity, however, we hesitate to promulgate a wholesale condemnation of our own countrymen. Instead of doing so, let us take London and Christiana, the capitals of the two countries, and by a comparison between them endea vour to effect a means of judgment. From well-authenti cated returns, it appears that in London every three hundred-and-sixtieth man is, in the course of the twelve months, arrested on a charge of drunkenness, while in Christiana, during the same period, every twenty-seventh man is arrested on the same grounds ! This astounding result of comparison we sorrowfully admit is no just ground of triumph ; and though we could repeat it in every pos sible case of comparison, it would, after all, form only a negative ground for congratulation. Drunkenness exists as a fearful evil in the British Isles, and ever . " , well-wisher of humanity must desire its abatement. Probably no social affliction produces an amount of present and prospective misery equal to that which is directly and indirectly traceable to intemperance. Look at the records of crime, as these are unfolded in all their loathsome atrocity, and we shall there see that their most prolific source is to be found in intoxication. Inquire into the history of family suffering, and domestic misery, and individual degradation ; and, ten to one, but these are found immediately to arise out of drunkenness, or may be readily traceable to it as a primary, though it may be - remote, cause. Investigate carefully into that course of physical and mental degeneracy which seemes at first sight to threaten, at no distant day, the conversion of a large portion of the lower orders of society into a race of brutalized and ferocious savages, destitute of reflection, and displaying few of those attributes which distinguish man from the inferior animals; and, in the majority of instances, the origin and progress of the malady will be found rooted in, and consequent on, drunken debauchery. If any one is disposed to question the pro priety of such an inference, let him examine the initiatory stages of crime,as these are unfolded before the magis trates and judgg of our inferior and police courts. He will there find every variety of the social pestilence dis played before him, from the maudlin stupidity of him whose senses have been so steeped in oblivion that he knows not how or whence he came, to him, who, in the mad excitement of inebriate frenzy, has plunged the murderous weapon into the bosom, it may be, of his best friend, or of some one entirely unknown to him, and towards whom he cherished no feeling of either love or enmity ;—from the degraded female, forgetful at once of virtue and of self-respect, to the horrid destroyer of home's sacred harmony, the despoiler of her husband's household, the vile assassin of her children's happiness ;—from the lisping victim of parental drunkenness, to the hardened, though still youthful, malefactor. From such and so sad a display of the demoralizing effects of intemperance, he will become acquainted with many of the channels by which the social health • is wounded, and through which the general well-being is threatened with destruction ; but in even these nume - rocs and appalling instances, he will be unable fully to understand or realise the amount of social degradation arising from intemperance. ,With so alarming a source of evil—so readily traceable a cause of misery before him—is it surprising that the philanthropist is roused to the suggestion of many erro neous antidotes ? The magnitude of the evil to be over come —the multiplicity of forms in which it shows itself — must plead powerfully in mitigation of even mistaken nostrums for its cure; but, while admitting this in its fullest sense, we cannot acquiesce in every scheme pro posed even for the eradication of drunkenness. To attempt the cure of the worst malady, by even worse remedies, is quite a possible thing. One of these, dangerous and inju dicious, is being attempted at present by an association dating from Manchester as its headquarters, with an im portant ramification in Glasgow—its object a legislative prohibition of the sale of any and all intoxicating liquors — in other words, the introduction into this country of what is known among our transatlantic brethren as the " Maine Liquor Law." To the introduction of such a law there are many and serious objections, not the least of which is the difficulty, not to say impossibility, of having it fully acted on ; besides which, we are entirely ignorant of the efficacy of its operation, where, by some enthusiasts, it is said have worked such wonders. We cannot consent to indorse the theoretical excellence of such a law, and also to receive, as evidence of its efficacy, the ipse dixit of one man, even although he should be the fortunate husband of Mrs. BEECHER STOWE ; nor do we feel warranted in be lieving a two years' experiment conclusive on so important a subject. Are we, at the bare bidding of any individual, to surrender our right of judgment as something with which it is dangerous to entrust us, and so convict our selves, as a nation, of a grosser amount of degradation than even our worst enemies would charge us with ? Surely, we have not yet so far descended in the social . scale. If there is not sufficient moral virtue left among us to vindicate ourselves from the charge of universal drunkenness, the cause of temperance is indeed a hopeless One. In so moribund a condition, we should indeed be sorry to contemplate it ; but we look for the healthy growth, the fall development, and the final triumph of temperance from the employment of other and more legitimate means than the application of physical force. We hope for the restraint of • intemperance and its kin dred vices from the extended operation of the same means and causes which have rendered our people, as a people, more religions, more virtuous, and more happy, as genera tion has succeeded generation. We confidently rely on the influence of that Gospel, and of those ministrations which have raised us from the serfdom of savage life, and from the bondage of a degraded Paganism, to the exalted freedom of religious knowledge and Christian practice ; and we trust to the operation of those civilizing arts ; which have at once raised the national character, and improved the individual condition of its sons and daugh ters. Are we to believe that the powerful agencies, which, under God's blessing, have so far forwarded us in social advancement, have at last become paralyzed ? Are we to completion, and the bill to give the necessary powers was passed through parliament last session. In accordance with this agreement, by which a right of property in the South Reserve, which adjoins the beaching ground at Woodside, was secured to Messrs. BRISSEY and Co., they commenced operations in the course of the summer, on the outer wall of the North Reserve, and since then the works have been proceeded with as rapidly as their peculiar nature will permit. Those who cross the Mersey, either by Woodside or Seacombe ferries, may have observed the gradual extension of the northern wall, over which is a double line of rails, laid upon a course of piling within and without. In the course of this work, which is of the most sub stantial character, great difficulties have to be encountered, owing to the wall being brought almost to the extreme edge of the sandy formation, and the necessity of securing a firm foundation for such massive erections. The portion yet unfinished is only uncovered at low water of spring tides, and, consequently, the men employed can only work at it about four days in a fortnight, which accounts for the seeming delay that has taken place in its completion. In the mean time, however, the embankment at the northern part of the South Reserve is being actively pro ceeded with, in order to join the outer wall, and thereby exclude the tide at this point ; so that, when the gap in the northern wall is filled up, the water will be shut out from the whole of the northern portion, including the space intended for the central dock, which will form the entrance to the Great Float. When this part of the work has been done, which will probably be in about a month or six weeks from this time, many hundreds of additional labourers will be employed, and a rapid progress made with the works. These will comprise, in the first instance, the completion of the North Reserve, and a long line of wharf, extending from Seacombe Ferry along the side of the Mersey and the central dock to the entrance of the Great Float, the interior forming an ample space for the erection of com modious warehouses. On the southern side will be a dock or basin, opening from the Mersey, of the spacious area of 37 acres, capable of receiving vessels of a larger burthen than any that have yet reached the Mersey, and affording shelter to shipping fully equal to any of the docks on the eastern side of the river, at the same time forming a magnificent inlet to the vast area of the Great Float. 'While these works are in progress, the contractors will complete the outer wall of the South Reserve, in a similar manner to that on the north, so as to join the corner next Woodside. This will form another extensive wharf sur rounding a large area for the erection of substantial build ings, for the purposes of trade, the whole communicating with the line of railway, and giving such facilities for commercial operations as will not be surpassed at any other port in the world. Between the south wall, at the upper end of which is the entrance to the Morpeth Dock, and the pier and esplanade of Woodside Ferry, is a well sheltered beaching ground for colliers and other small vessels, of the extent of about sixteen• acres. We may remark that the outer wall, which is now being constructed, is of the most substantial masonry, present ing a smooth surface to the action of the' tide, the upper course being several feet above the level of the highest spring tides ; and there can be no doubt,. from the high character of the eminent contractors, that the whole work will be carried out to completion in a manner to do justice to their reputation. They have also now a greater interest in the dock works being brought to a state of completion, owing to their own extensive foundries and workshops which they have recently erected at the upper end of the Pool. When the whole has been finished, which may reasona bly be anticipated in about two years from this time, there will be a total area of wet docks on the Birkenhead side to the extent of at least two hundred acres, which is equal to that of all the docks on the Liverpool side of the Mersey. But, in addition to this, there will be ample facilities for increasing the dock accommodation to almos'c any extent, both in water space and quay-room, should the growing trade of the port demand such extension, as both on the Seacombe side and the Birkenhead side of the Great Float there is ample room, and all of it more really accessible than the extreme north end of the Liverpool line of docks, and far less costly to make it available. We have hitherto confined these observations on Birken head facilities for shipping purposes to the spacious area known as Wallasey Pool ; but this is by no means the limit • of the advantages which the western shore of the Mersey presents for extending the trade of the port of -Liverpool. Between Woodside and Monks' Ferry, as have been noticed already, will he-two large ship-building yards on land leased by the Liverpool Corporation to Messrs. CLAYTON and Co., and Messis. CLOVER and Co. ; and the whole of the intervening space will be thus occupied. From the upper side of the-railway station to Birkenhead Ferry, including the whole of the land up to Church street, with the exception of a small spot in the south west corner belonging to Mrs. La FRENCH, the space will be occupied by Mr. JOHN L.A.ino) with iron ship-building. Along this frontage the Corporation has engaged to build a river wall, and construct graving-docks and other ap pliances for building and repairing large vessels. Immediately beyond what is,n.ow the Birkenhead Hotel, and which will form the southern extremity of Mr. LAIRD'S premises, is a partially formed dock, originally the outlet of Tranmere Pool. The mouth is covered by a light wooden bridge, connecting the Birkenhead and Tranmere Ferries ; it has been partially walled, and on the north side is a slip dock, where corn and coals are landed. A very moderate outlay might serve to render it a. commodious wet-dock, while -the outer wall would serve to continue the boundary of the Mersey, which would then be complete from this point to Seacombe Ferry, and prove of very great advantage. to, the clear course of the tidal stream—an object of much importance in preserving the mouth of the Mersey from:being obstructed by sand banks. Above Tranmere Dock tbctre is also a spacious bay formed by an indentation of the Mersey, which, if more dock-room were required, might be made available by constructing a river wall and embankment from the point at Tranmere, to one near Rock Ferry. This would have a two-fold advantage, as it would not only still further preserve the tidal stream,. but make available a consi— derable space now of little. value, from its being too low_ for complete drainage. It would also be admirably adapted for ship-bundin purposes, as the river is here. very deep, being that portinu known as the Sloyne, where large vessels usually find a good anchorage ground. overlook or repudiate the fact, that in those circles, whence the example is set in social life, habits, in respect to drink ing usages, are now prevalent and on the increase, which, in the days of our fathers, would have been looked on as the habits of anchorites ? No ! We cannot bring our selves to believe that, with so good and improving an example set before us, irreligion, ignorance, and drunk enness will not suffer a steady, though it may be slow, diminution. On the rising generation, in this respect, must be fixed the nation's hope. While we endeavour, by all means, to reclaim the aged and mature from vice and its contingent miseries, let us devote every effort of love and of persuasion to secure for the young increasing know ledge, religions and secular, trusting more to these elevat ing agencies, and the blessings which must inevitably rest On them, and less to vituperation and coercion. THE PORT OF LIVERPOOL. No. V. Et the contract which was entered into with Messrs. Ba.isszy, M'CortmicK, and Co., at the close of last year, 1 1 the then Birkenhead Dock Trustees, and confirmed 1 )7 the board which was subsequently elected, in which the PartY familiarly known as the Blue List so strongly Pre ponderated, it was agreed that the outer works adjoin ing the Mersey should be completed, so that the Great 111 11 , °a t might b e rendered fully available for dock 8 11) %es, and t h e tidal water excluded from the large 1 1 ;e ae : 6 ,, 1.11411 3 - destined to form the North and South eminent dough T hrough the liberal terms upon which those of the ht e'ntr a ctors agreed to undertake the responsibility the Dock °y which would necessarily be incurred, ,step t„„, stew were enabled to take this important "" 4 ' 14 the realisation of the long,-cleferred hopo of TIIE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, AND GENERAL COMMERCIAL ADVERTISER of the regency of these kingdoms, and, in conformity to the said constitutional charter, I swear to maintain the Roman Catholic apostolic religion, the integrity of the kingdom, and to observe and cause to be observed the political constitution of the Portuguese nation and other laws of the kingdom, and provide for the general good of the nation to the utmost of my power. I also swear to preserve fidelity to the King, Lord Dom Pedro VIII., my above all much loved and hi L ,hly prized son, and to resign the government to him immediately on his attaining his majority." The Government is triumphing in the municipal elections. BA.DEN. — The government measures against the refrac tory Roman clergy have led to deplorable riots. The gendarmes, who were ordered to arrest several priests, were attacked by the peasantry in the Tauber Valley. In other places the priests were rescued by the populace. AIISTRIA. — The Press states that the Austrian govern ment has appealed to her Majesty's government to make with it, as a service to Russia, who does not herself choose to originate the suggestion, a joint proposition for an armistice between the Turkish and Russian forces during the winter. Russia.—lt is said that the Czar, in reply to an inquiry of Austria, has stated that he is still willing to enter into negociations, if the Porte will submit a project of peace. The Grand Duke Michael has been• appointed to the com mand of the Russian army of reserve. This army, it is said, is to be directed upon the Caucasus. A Russian bulletin, dated the 11th instant, has been published. It states that the Turks, who, on the Bth, occupied the island of Mokan, near Giurgevo, evacuated that position on the 9th, because they were smashed (foudi•oyes) by a Russian battery of 14 pieces. was launched at the unfortunate little entrenchment, encompassed on three sides, as it appeared, by its enemies. Skirmishers were duly thrown out, and on a close approach were recalled. Be it understood that the infantry ad vanced in columns on both occasions close on quarter distance—very ridiculously, it is thought, though of course the world must bow to the superior knowledge and experience of such a military nation as Russia. The columns had not advanced many paces when they appeared overwhelmed with the infantry fire of the entrenchment, and the artillery fire of a battery on the right bank. They were thrown into the most complete disorder, and retired utterly discomfited. Again their artillery opened, and drove tunnels into the entrench ment, and continued firing for half an hour. On the retreat of the infantry, through the glass their dead could be seen in numbers strewing the ground. There could be no mistake about it, as there were hundreds of pairs of eyes that saw them, with or without the assist ance of the telescope. A hearty cheer from the entrench ments gave vent to the good spirits of its gallant defenders. It was echoed by one from this side by the united voices of the chief's staff and posse comitatus. The Turkish force was commanded by Hall Pacha, as lieutenant-colonel in the service, who, upon his presenting himself to Omer Pacha, was made a full colonel. One of General Prim's aides-de-camp, Colonel Detente, was present in the action, and escaped unhurt. The commander received a slight wound in the hand. The report of the killed on the Turkish side is only 20; but this was an hour or two after the action, and many who were then simply wounded, have since, poor fellows, left this scene of trouble. This morning (sth) it is stated that 1000 stand of arms have been taken. One half of the: 11th division of the corps frarme'e contains the 21st Selimginski and 22nd Takut : they have four battalions, each active. The num bers in the calculations above are therefore below the reality. on speculation, and 580 in transitu. The sales the whole of last week were 8,095 bales, of which 3,272 were for export, 3,604 for home use, 900 on speculation, and 319 in transitu. We quote : NEW YORK CLASSIFICATION. N. Orleans Upland. Florida. Mobile. & Texas. Ordinary 7l •• • • 71 •• • • 71 •• • • if Middling Middling fair Fair Total import since Ist instant 13,894 bales. Export from Ist to 15th Nov. 1853, 8,208; 1852, 10,785. RECEIPTS, EXPORTS, AND STOCKS OF COTTON. Exports to Total Exports Stock, and Receipts. Gt. Britain. to For. ports. on ship b'd 1833 288,649 85,267 117,234 213,673 1852 528,349 159,629 207,878 302,366 Increase — Decrease From W. P. Wright's Circular of November 15. — The quality of the new crop, so far received from the Atlantic States, is decidedly inferior in colour, staple, or cleanliness to that of the last, and with tigreater propor tion of quality below middling. I hear the same com plaint from Charleston and Savannah, as well as the inte rior towns of South Carolina and Georgia. There has been too little cotton received here from the Gulf ports to form an opinion from actual observation, but letters from Mo bile and New Orleans make similar complaints of the re ceipts at those points, although hopes are entertained that, when the last pickings arrive, a manifest improvement will exist. In regard to the crop, I confirm my remarks in my last circular. We have no accounts as yet of frost having passed over the south-western cotton region, nor has any injury been done in Southern Alabama, Florida, or Louisiana. In portions of Mississippi, Tennessee, North Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina, the frost of 21th October has done more or less injury, according to situation, and it seems not improbable that the production of these localities may fall below that of last year. SALT.-Sales have been made of 400 sacks Bromilow's Liverpool fine at $1,50 cash, and 10,910 do. ground and fine, on private terms. Coin.-45 tons Liverpool cannel havebeen sold at $12,50, four months. Cumberland is in active demand at $3,75 for fine, and $4 for run of mine, and $4,35 cash, delivered at Baltimore. I wy.—Scotch pig has been in good demand, and some 1,200 to 1,400 tons have changed hands, chiefly at $36,50 to $37, 6 mos., and in some instances $32,50 to $34,50, cash. We quote English bars $65, and common Swedes $83,50 to $B4. 150 bdls. English sheet, assorted numbers, brought Eric., 6 mos. BkEADSTUFFS.—For flour there' was an extensive de mend till near the close of last week at an advance of fully • 12ic. per barrel on the quotations of the Bth instant. The receipts on Friday of the telegraphic adviees per steamer America ; via Halifax, to the 29th ult., received on Friday, gave a *father slight impulse to the demand, but, since the arrival of the Baltic, yesterday morning,• the turn of the market has been in favour of the • buyer, although we do not quote any actual decline from the advanced rates of last week. Wheat is without change in price, but prime qualities are scarce. Indian corn has been in good de mand, part for export. PRovisma . r.—With increased receipts and , a , moderate demand, western:mess and prime pork declined 25c..t0 374 e .; but there was moredoing at the decline, the market closing heavily ; other descriptions are scarce. Beef haseontinued in active request. Lard is plenty and lower. Butter is arriving freely. Cbeesv continues dull. I!RElGHTS.—Freightir to' Great Britain and the Con. tinent are scarcely io>firm since the arrival of the . Baltic, though rates have not veried materially. Shipowners and agents are unwilling te , submit to a decline so long as the offers continue so large,and4he tonnage in port so small,• as • at present. To Liverpoolithe rates are, for cotton, 1 3-64, to id. per lb. ' • flour, 3s. &L per barrel ; grain, 124 d. to Bid. per bushel. To London, four, 4s. 9d. per barrel ; grain, nt. balk, 15d. to 16d. per bushel.. To , Havre, cotton, id. per lb. ; flour, 95c. to 100c.per barrel; grain, in bags, 255:. per'bushel. CAIARLESTON, Nov. 13.—Ithe sales of cotton yesterday were - 350 bales. The quotations range from Bc. to 104 e. Mr.nfzr, Nov. 11.—Middling is. quoted 84c. per lb., with sr , quiet market. Freight , to Liverpool id., and to Havre li3c. per lb. NEW OIMEARS, Nov. 15.—COttbn was very active yes terday. Sales 9,000 bales, at my advance . of 4d. on the better qvilities. The quotations , are, middling, De. to ; gooAniddling, 91-e. to 10e. Preightto Liverpool, id. to Id. per lb:. HirAngi.Nov. 8 —Sugar was quiet and , unchanged. The stock in , Begin warehouses was 99,850 boxes, and in 'private warelionses 8,000. The clearances of the week at Havana and Matanzas were 6,887 bores.. Freights are more nurnersm ; and engagements to 'Cowes were. made at £3 to £3 2s. 64. - and to the Continent £3 ss; to 1.3 7s. tid.; to France, 80fr.. Y to 85fr. Exchange . erg 'London were 114 to 12 preminnv- AUSTRALIA. • ARRIVAL OF THE INDIA SC QUEEN. Bythe Indian - Queen, Captain Mill, belonging.to Messrs. .I.Jsimes Baines anel. Co.'s "Black Ball " line of Australian !packets which reached this port yestercliy, we haveadvices ifrom Melbourrk.tce the 30th of August.- The Indian Queen. has brought about.9o passengersarsd 438,992 ounces eiVgold dust on freight ~besides a have amount in the hands of passengers. The Indian Queen sailed from Port Pip; at 1 .p,m., on this 30th of August, after remaining in pert for •twently ; three days ; passed Swan Island, Bass's Straits,• on the 31st August ; the•ootermo,st point of New. - Zealand on the /fith September ; passed Cape Horn, 6th. October; and the Equator on thaist Nov. Her greatest .day's running-. going out was 31.1, miles, and coming home for several , rkiys she ran 3.30 o miles per day. She performed the, voyage out and home- in six months arid. eleven days,. hawing left Liverpool on the 17th May. The Melbourne..lllarning Herald gives:4lle following: as -a summary of the.-news :—" The priceotgold has re— mained immoveabletthroughout the week, motwithstanding, oonsiderable fluctuation , in the extent of the supply, w.hichs now invariably falls..off after the middle of the week. Thee , aspect of gold dast'and, ingots for the week, np,to yester-- 1 day, was confineftta that shipped by the Argo, but to-day, the Bavaria was to clear out for New York, with some. 'ask or seven thousand:ounces. The receiptsof Specie have not much exceetidd . £30,000. In money and • banking: affairs we have no changes to note, beyond the extension_ o 6 demand for draughts on London, whiCh shows that ether remittances;besides gold dust are largely required at present to meet the:increasing bulk of importations.. The Arnited States alko,begin to draw off ourbullion —the ''tdeparture of the -finst vessel direct for the commercial ;;capital of that Republic- having been announced for to-day,. lea referred to al-ose. On the other hand„remittances to- L',lthe amount of a:milliton, or upwards, will. be shortly lflowing into the-eolony, from the recent wooi.sales, and wall restore the dance: which now turns against us. The usual weekly return of shipping and imports, ap-- 'pended hereto, includes eight days on the present occasion„ awing to the return having been made up-. a day earlier . ban usual last week; fOr transmission to Prland by the:, 'Argo. The aggregate of the two weeks shows an arrival. •of over 4,000 tons of shipping, and about six thousand, passengers. The principal feature in the iiiiports has been. a decline in the receipts of flour, and a large increase in. those of building ,materials and useful implements, from_ Great Britain; America, and other distant. ports. Thew arrivals, together-.-with the large amount of, .more sub-. stantial builelingsnow in progress in theeitT, can .hardly fail to affect, shortly, the enormous rents still . demanded for small tenements, and promise ultimately to increase largely the-amount of storage, both for, wholesale and retail dealers.. Although a slight appearance of activity. has been. im parted to some branches of the wholesale trade -this week by speculative purchasers, nothing has transpired effec tually to.stop the downward tendency which the constant heavy arrivals of goods occasion. The flour trade may, how ever,be4illtxceptedfromthisdepressicnAdditionalfirmness having been evinced in the colonial imports of that article, which now find a market at the full rates of the- town mills. We have also heard of good., barrel flour realizing nearly , the same figure. Bran continues very Beanie, and some-importers are asking ss. 6d. per bushel, The very large receipts, of oats keep down the price of that corn ; and far prime-English barley lls.„ is. obtained with diffi culty.. Quotations in the wine trada- are ,considered nominal, and'all descriptions of spirits, except rum, have-gone down lower. Martell's brandy has been ,sold.at 10s.. 6d. to 12s. per gallon. Malt liquors are also lower ;. a Inge quantity of bottled porter (choice brand, as changedbands at 10s. in Abe , Bay. In the provision trade thereia a further decline in many argyles,. particularly English; hams and. bacon. Tea, CAffee, and sugar maintain previous ratee,, except English leaf sugar, which is decidedly, lower. A decline of about 2d. per. lb. hasbeen submitted to in manutictured tobacco. Timber is ten to twenty per cent, lower, but the prices are still highly favourablefor the importers. We lately noticed the increased importation of articles of luxury, as marking our progress onward to a more• settled condition : we, have , now the gratification to per , eeive a constantly increasing import of food for the mind, in the way of books, pictures, musical instruments, &c. Another and more matter-of-feet evidence of this progress is the almost daily- announcement of new joint-stock eorn panies for carrying out desirable and practical objects in that city. The Cleopatra ; steamer was to sail from Melbourne on the Ist of September. Two of the. persons implicated in the recent extensive gold escort robbery, had been arrested and lodged in gaol at Portland., There was. a, great demand in the labour market, and in consequence, the rates of wages had slightly advanced beyond those last reported. The Government escort from Melva; and Goulbouru arrived at the Treasury, on the 26th of August, with its usual punctuality, bringing down 1,408 ounces of gold. Last number of certificates, 1,534 ; Goulburu, 17. The Government escort from Castlemaine, in charge of Lieut. Messenger, and a troop of the mounted 40th, arrived at the Treasury, on the same day, with 35,360 ounces. Last numbers : Forest Creek, 10,567 ; Sandhurst, 18,137 ; Eagle Hawk, 85 ; Fryer's Creek, 666 ; Golden Point, 11; Wederburn, 204; Amherst, 74 : Moliagull 89. Exchange on London for 30 days bills, was quoted at par or per cent. discount, for every additional thirty days. DEVICE OF FItEXCII DIIEVES. — An elegantly-dressed gentleman ordered, some time ago, at a hatter's, in Paris, twenty-five hats of an entirely new form. The maker , when they were finished, tried one on, and finding that it became him, made a twenty-sixth for his own personal use. The individual who had given the order called punctually for the hats, and paid cheerfully. The next Sunday, the weather being very fine, the hatter gave his new head-piece an airing in the Champs Elysdes. When at the Rond Point, he. observed several persons adorned with the coverings he had made. One came up and said, with a peculiar wink, " A good day for booty, and no breaks about !" Dear me, thought the hatter, I should not wonder if I had been making hats to serve as a rally ing signal to members of a secret society. Rather con cerned he kept on his walk. Under the Arch of Triumph he saw other individuals sporting other specimens of his last new style. One came quickly behind him and said— " Here, put these in your deep : and these, and these." He handed him three watches with broken chains, two purses, and five handkerchiefs. The hatter now saw plainly enough the sort of society with which he was in league. He hastened to the nearest commissary of police, and the twenty-five pickpockets were speedily lodged in gaol. FOREIGN MISCELLANI. FRANCE.—AII the Russian residents in Paris; have received orders from St. Petersburgli to settle their affairs, and to hold themselves in readiness to leave France-at any moment, should it become necessary for them to do so. Several political arrests, some say as many as 18, have lately been made at Dijon.—At Perigueux inflammatory placards have been posted.—At Gasny, (Eure) 111. st week, four seditious placards were torn down by the police. One of them was in verse, and proclaimed the sovereignty of the Capets.—Great complaints are made at L3.ons that the Emperor's image is habitually defaced upon the copper coinage, and it is probable that a decree will be issued, declaring defaced money not a legal tendee.—On Monday the Cour de Cassation met in full session,and gave judg ment in the proces of the " correspondence." It has affirmed the right of the police to open letters at the post office. As this is the judgment of the united court, there-, is no further appeal. Commissioners have been appointed by the Minister of Agriculture, Commerce, and Public Works to prepare a report on the best mode of establish ing re gularity and security in railway . travelling.—Letters from Vienna state that, during the interview which the Duke of Nemours had at Frohsdorf with the Count de Chambord, he treated him not only as a cousin, but as his Sovereign ; and, in addressing him,. made use of the words Sire," and " .Roi." On seeing about him. the chiefs of the legitimist party who have not quitted the Count de Chambord since Is3o, the Duke de Nemours observed that he was too happy to see him surrounded by personages who had proved their devotedness and fidelity to the royal house of France. The Duchess of Orleans is said to have given her adhesion to the fusion. If this be the fact, her adviser, M. Tillers, is thrown overboard , and his rival has gained clay. SPAlN.—Accounts from Madrid of the 17th inst. state that the bureau of the assembly will, in all probability, be composed of the same members as last session. In the senate the majority was doubtful, but the railway question was considered likely to produce stormy debates. It was believed that the session would be of short duration. The es-Queen of the French, Mario Amelie, landed at .Cadiz on the 13th, with the Princes, her sons. On the 19th thelession of the Cortes was opened by a royal commission. It is confidently stated that, in the last council of ministers, it was decided to withdraw all pro jects for alterations of the constitution. The Heraldo of the 17th contradicts the rumours re specting a projected Montemolinist movement. It also states that the Spanish fleet is to be stationed at the Bale aric Isles. PORTUGAL—The City of London ,embarked at Cadiz the Prince and Princess de Joinville and suite for Lisbon, and on arrival at that port the Princess dreamt of the death of her royal sister having occurred but a few hours before. The royal party were subsequently escorted to the house of the Duchess of Braganza. The King Consort had assumed the regency, and hr.d issued the following proclamation :—" Portuguese,—God has been pleased to call to his glory to-day, at half-past eleven o'clock in the forenoon, the Queen Lady Donna Maria the Second, my much-loved and highly-prized spouse—a severe loss, which plunges me and my dear children in the deepest grief, and fills the sensitive and faithful Portuguese cation with mourning. In these sor rowful circumstances, obliged to fulfil those sacred duties imposed upon me by the law of the 7th of April, 1846, confirmed by the additional act to the constitutional char ter of the moarchy, I take upon myself the QUrd§s3 TURKEY. Advices from Bucharest of the 21st state that the Turks have quitted the island near Oltenitza, and retired to Turtukai. Their camp there during the last five days has been almost deserted. General Dannenberg, in consequence, left Budeschti on the 22d with the chief part of his force, leaving 1200 men and eight cannon behind CONSTANTINOPLE, Nov. 10. The Turkish capital is in a state of joyful excitement. A bulletin has been published, announcing that, on the4th inst., Omar Pasha defeated the Russians at Oltenitza. On that day the Russian general led 30,000 men against the position which the Turks had taken up on the 2d and the 3d on the left bank of the Danube. The combat lasted six hours. The Russians were routed, and left a large number of muskets and large quantities of ammunition on the field of battle. 800 Russians were killed in the en gagement, while the Turks had only 13 killed and 72 wounded. _ _ . On the 10th instant all the vessels of the fleets of Great Britain and France were concentrated in the Bosphorus. A fresh division of the Turkish fleet was to enter the Black Sea, where several Russian vessels had been ob served sailing for the coast of Asia. The firm of Baltazzi has advanced the sum of 7,000,000 f.• to the Porte: The loan is guaranteed by the tribute froas Egypt: The British steamer Fury, which arrived on the 7th, has brought another draught of a note, which the Am bassadors of France and Great Britain are instructed to recommend to the acceptance of Turkey ; but, since the Porte did not seem inclined to accept the draught, it has been withdrawn by Lord Redcliffe. The fortress of baktscki. has not heen:destroyed by fire. The Turks are throwing up new entrenchments. The Hermannstacit Journal says highly credible letter of the 11th, from Jassy, says that the corps of Osten-Sacken, which was thirty-five days' march distant when the order to advance' was given, cannot reach the Pruth before the Ist of lii Jassy the Rus sians openly pressed a number of Jews, who could only escape the military service' by paying a considerable sum. It is rumoured in the Wallachian capital that the' son of Prince'Vogorides, who was married and settlechin Bucha n 1;, had been sent in chains to St. Petersburg,. as a consequence of his correspondence with Omer' Pfielia . ,. in which the movements of the' Russian troops were made known, having been intercepted: Six Boyar& are . also said to have been sent to Siberia' for keeping.up •a , con nexion with Omer Pacha." Wallachiim artillery has been sent to Brailow, only one' battery having been there previously. Other Waliachian troops, horse - and foot, await marching orders. Advices from Constantinople or the'lsth instant have . reached Paris' aria Marseilles. They 'announce the arrival: of General Bainguay d'Hilliers. It was asserted that the Austrian rnterntincio, 13arowdee Bruck, and Majir Wildenbruck, the-Prussian negotiator. had been recalled: The second division of the Turkish fleet had entered tie , Black Sea, for . tlio purpose of joining' Muchaver Pasha:R. squadron. Four hundred vessels are loading corn at Odessa. ALEXAVIDRIA; Nov. 19. 10,000 auxiliaries were yesterday skived for Constar,- tinople: The Mahomedans-of Hindostan are in , a state of great excitement. THE BATTLE OF OLTENITZA. A circumstantial account of the mitten between the Russian and Turkish..forces, at Oltenitza has been trans mitted by the speehit military correspondent of the Morning Chronicle- As-the details which have hitherto reached . London had previously been sifted at Russian head-quarters, the report of an impartial witness will be acceptable to ;ill. The present despatch, then, dated from Turtakai, on the 4th and sth instant, deseribes the action which occurred on the former of these two days-as a very fiercely contended affahi art both sides ; and,. in its:result, as incely to exercise great influence, in a moral point of vimiv, throughout thefwhole war. The complete repulse of the • Russians, why: attacks were unule with great energy and skill, must long be memorable-to the Turkish troops, who will not have.been slow, either, to recognise anomen which the writer alludes to, in a poetieal, strain, saying that, had he laensitperstitious, he .should himself have-drawn a good augury from the apperaunce. "Early this mornin;(he.ebserves) the moon, a new one, roseaccompanied by the morning star. * * * It reminded one of the Turkish standard —path ?Ad, .with a crescent and star in it;._asyen know." After describing the , 2Turkieli entrenchment, the-works of - which had been prosecuted vigorously ow thepreceding day, .the writer states that at one o'clock, p.m., .on the 4th,,the Russians commenced their attack,. The Cossacks first advanced, being aov.ered by the Chasseurs.. A few shots were interchanged, mut by 2 rum ) four squadrons of cavalry and: .two guns dellimehed from the village of Oltenitza, with_ about 500 er• 600. Cossacks in skirmishing order. They were makingA reccenoisance ; for -as soon as they laid received about siie or seven shots from...the Turkish artillery in the entrenchment, with a few, from the right ilenk of the Danube, they retired out or shot, and remains& on the same spot watching the Turks till nightfall. At second regiment of cavalry, with twch•guns, likewise 1121Ide its appearance by a wood on the read to Oltenitza, as well as a regiment of infantry with the baggage. On the-part of the •Tick% a field battery- , otartillery, and a number of .boat-loads of infantry, were sant as a reinforcement. It is remarked, en, passant, that the Turkish troops, rave every confidence• that things lrave changed since the , Turks drew the sword to make conquests. Their proved efficiency and the talent of the general who come =lids them, are felt more strongly,every day. Writing. :tier, on the nighitei the 4th, thanilte foregoing appears to• have been committed to, papeie the witness of these , events proceeds with his narrative 4, or rather re-states:it, as follows :- 1 This day, (New, 4,) I hope will .I:se-memorable, as cat,it ,was fought as gallant an actiela as history can record. ':During the messing not a , soldier of the Russian fierce was to be seen.. The whole country was scanned by eager eyes straining themselves through, every imaginable species of telescope, I ionoele, jumelle,Arc. They, howeverc,fiiiled in detecting .aught but an empty village, and an open plain. Later: a, cavalry pikke,4 was discovered, which led people to suppose that they were not quite alone—a sup position meat fully realisek afterwards ; for at about twelve, or half-past, the Russians gradually led out their• forces on the plain. Twelve guns were placed asa battery of position, at about 1,200 Cu 1,300 yards from the quaran tine station. Two bodice. of infantry—it remains to be known whether they were regiments or battaliens—placed themselves under coven- iii, a wood on the right of the guns—their right. On their left rear were two more bodies infantry, =di on their left two. more. It is doubtful, as has be-evisaid, whether these were regiments of throe battalions, the usual continental organization, or simply single battalions ; and on this fact rests the possi, bility,af forming ang..stimate of their force. In the former case the infantry w,oula amount to 10,800anen—a number,, it isimagiued, far4oo great ; and in the.latter to 3,600 - a number far toe - little , This calculation , takes a battalion, of 600 each. - But( supposing them to, be of 1,000 eaele it would give 6,000 men, which is not anihiprobable number. On the Russian left were three regiments of cavalry echelloned out of range, each having, two guns. There was likewise ; a body of Cossacks, to the amount perhaps, of 600. The batteries were worked by some 300 gunners, giving a total of—at the medium calculation of tbeinfan try-3,900 men upon the field. The Turks, if their report is to be trusted, lied in the intrenehments three battalions and two, companies, amounting to 2,400 men ; an the gunners,, 1.50„ and the irregular cavalry as many more-2,700 men. On looking at the above numbers, with the recollection of the troops as they were in, the field, the- Russian force appears undervalued. Be that as it may„ at one, p.m., the Russian artillery opened its fire, and was replied to by the guns of the entrenchment, the grass of the battery at the eastern end of the intrenchment before described, and by the guns on the right bank of the river. The can nonade was kept up most vigorously on either side. The Russians had their battery of position accurately es paced, each gun being placed at an equal distance from its fellow,—the fruits of good drilling. Their practice, as far as could be judged from this bank of the river, was most excellent, their shells bursting beauti fully. They opened at a long distance, it is true ; but the guns were no pop-guns to gallop with cavalry, but twelve. pounders, such as are usually employed in similar circum stances. The remainder of the artillery appeared to consist in the cavalry guns, or horse artillery, but attached in pairs to regiments of cavalry, as was formerly the ease in most European armies. Two of these guns took up as flanking a position as the Argisch river would permit them, but could not have caused much damage as enfila ders. On the Turkish right the other four guns opened on the entrenchment. At 2 10 p.m., the Russian artillery exploded one of the Turkish ammunition-waggons, or limber-boxes. At 2 15 p.m. the infantry made their ap pearance from the Turkish left, emerging from under cover of the wood, which they had most judiciously occu pied. This attack was seconded by the advance of the infantry on the (Turkish) right of the battery of position, and by the other regiments from the village. The chief attack, the serious one rather, being on the left flank of the entrenchment where it met the river—the only portion not properly completed. Their advance was steady ; the Turks plied the firelock vigorously, and after the enemy had got up to perhaps fifty yards, they turned, and beat a retreat to their snug little quarters in the wood. They must have been very severely handled, as they were close under the muzzles of the musketry, whose every bullet surely found its billet. Just as they advanced, a second and a similar explosion took place in the entrenchment — sadly inopportune, as was doubtless thought by the Turks. The Russian artillery redoubled its fire, and the cannonade recommenced fiercely. It should have been stated that the battery of position had come up to about 650 yards, their shot reaching occasionally to the hitherward side of the Danube, ant 0.10 POD.; a second attack of infant*, INDIA. The India mail has arrived at Alexandria, with dates from Calcutta to Oct. 20, Madras, Oct. 24, Ceylon, Oct. 29, Hong Kong, Oct. 11, Singapore, Oct. 18, Penang, Oct. 20, Bombay, Oct. 28, and Burmah, Oct. 8. Another war is fully expected at Burmah. There is a strong report that the King of Burmah has been put to death. More fighting has taken place in the Nizain's dominions. Mr. J. R. Colvin is appointed Governor of the North western Province*. _ Trade at Bombay is dull. Exchange at Calcutta on London, 2s. lid. Shanghae is still in possession of the insurgents. At Amoy there is still some fighting between the Go vernment troops and the rebels. The country round Ninypo is in a very disturbed state. Canton is at present quiet. Exchange at Hong Kong on London, 6s. 6d.; trade brisk. The exportation of grain from' Egypt lo still permitted, AMERIeA. ARRIVAL OF THE AFRICA. Et the British and North American royal mas 3 steam ship. Africa, Captain Harrison, whiehiresched the Mersey Ai half-past eleven on Sunday night s we have intelligence from New Yak to the 16th instant. She has brosight honie - 7-Is passengers, and 500,000 dollars - in specie: The American steam-ship Baltic, from Liverpool, amiss' ed. out at New York on the 14th instant, at 11.45, a.m. The' Africa , passed the steamer Arabia's. fi'-om . Liver Peas going into• New York on the 16th. The American mails from Boston werestot delivered in New York. until Monday the 14th, late in-the afternoon: Th e delay . was• caused,—first by the boisttrotie weather; and then Of an accident on the railway, whiCh prolonged the delay twelve hours. In consequence, they mails which left here by The . Baltie r ronr days after the Arterica sailed ; were deliveredthiNew York first. The Hon. 3fr. Atherton, United States senator, and confidential framd;of President Pierce, died at Manches ter, N.H., on tlielsthinstant. The Liverpool. paeket ship Western World, reported some time since' as - having: gone ashore on the' Squaw Beach, had broken up. Her decks drifted ashore, all broken to pieces, many of which were wrapped'aronnd with dry goods, which compote a part of the cargo:- Her bottom, with a considerable amount of iron in it r ileont of sight under water.: The Boston packettsbiP Meridiiin had arrived at that port from Liverpool in 35 - days-,- with upwards or 500 passepprs to train and , Co:, all in good health, and not a. death on the passage: The-American Union; : from Liverpool, arrived out at' New York on the 15tholestant, witii , the loss of severtt- - five passengers and five- of the crew from cholera. The Centurion, also from Liverpool, lost thirteen of her pas sengerass and the Statesman; from Antwerp, tstenty-fiver, A severe hurricane had occasioned some loss of life andi damage to , property. Yelltw fever had'sain appeared at Natchez with fatal effect. An Amerisen horse had, for as stager,. trotted one hundrefiniles in 8 , hours, 55 minutes,. and; 53 seoonds ; although the , horse did not at the finish. appear greatly distressed, afterwards died. Captain. Comstock s of the Baltic, hal been presented with a testi !inonial by his passengers.—The Washington corres pondent of the New York Ifirald asserts ) . that the state ' merit that lie Secretary of the Treasury will recommend in MS rep&t a reduction of Cie , duty on iron is incorrect. . NO reductions of the duty on that artielssis now contem ' phited in that, class denominalsi railroad iron, and even then it is • probable that the adainistration will not seek to guide the . action of congresos. The. secretary will not recommend: , a change in the existing system of collecting the revenue from ad valorem to - special duties. The tea times of his report will briefly beans enlargement of the list of " free articles," and a recommendation to continue this buying up.of United States stocks at nlreminrn, and a patronising slap on the back to tle-independeut Treasury law. The secretary will also endeavour toi demonstrate that; his , purchase in. New York for ant assaye-office has saved the. government a large amount. Respecting the forthcoming,message, the correspondent writes,—" It is understood the , President, in his message, will come oat pretty definitely upon the subject of the Pacific railroad, and itrisoch a manner as toosatisfy - the strictest eoustructionist.. * * His feelings, the subject of internal improvements by the generalkovernment may Bes gathered from the fact that he declares he sees RE. reason now. to , change the viewss he formerly held on that questiOn, and that his votes, in. Congress at the time show truly his present positions. * * * The Garay and !Tehuantepec grant wills be endorsed by the administration . , and the treaty negotiated by Judge Conkling, reccgisisang . the Sloo grant, wilt not be noticed in any way, onothe ground that there was no authority given to Colliding .to negotiate a treaty, and that the Sloo grant is a. diplomatic fraud to gets rid of the Garay grant. *' * The President will recommend a general system of. reciprocal trade wiclithe.Britislrpro- - vinces, of al. articles the growth andsproduct of each, country, ands thesadmission of fish, duty free, upon our fishermen being permitted to fish unrestrictedly on then coasts of Nova:Scotia and New Brunswick. The proposi-e Lion of the 7.siglish government to permit, colonial vessels., to obtain American registers will not he opposed, but thee suggestion to• throw open the coasting tradeof California will be rejected as uticonstitutional. ASeomplete revisions. of the tariff will;; it is. confidently ststed s .be suggestelts and with this view tha.Seeretary of the-Treasury is busily engaged in,preparing voluminous data s to show the con sumption of ;the.several articles of trade, and will suggest important/modifications in all such astieles as come luster the head or necessaries- It is yet doubted 'whetherany material.modifications will be made.-in the duty on iron; but, not withstanding the most urgentremonstrances cake esano s o etorers of railroad iron in thesUnited Statessit is believed a- repeal, of the duty on thatspartieular be recomm ended. The Secretary Atha Navy will recom mend act entire revision of the perwai,el and materiel of the nervy.. Perhaps the most important feature of tins mes sage 'sill be,its edlusion to the polition of the Sand:with Islands..and the bald avowal of the. importance ott their beinj annexed tathe United Stales,. * The seess s iisesists and the Abolitionistadlying off - agails as they did iu 1850. I understand the President will, also make thcsaffairs of Europe, should they. continue , to, ripen to words a general explosion, a prominent - feature of his message.. AsSar as the opmioas of the Cabibet can be gathered on this Turkish question, and its. consequences, yosinny rely-upon it that the: administration/ understand the advantages a European war will ,offer in, the solution of the great doctrine of " manifest destiny." Hence, to seine -extent, the continued outcry . of the 'Union on the ' m s seepizi s tion of Cuba. notwithstanding the fact that Mr. Crampton, has officially inf./ruled the President that the charges and fears of Mr. Nicholson concerning the schemes, .of; Great Britain are utterly groundless.. A now York paper states that the.gosernment of Mexico, has granted an importarlpatent act to, F. H. Southworths in regtsrd to the fisheries, on the. Mexican coast. Mr.. 5.,. under an old law, has secured the sole privilege of catoh-- ing. and curing fish, packing and shipping oysters, &e,, of: which there are immense-numbera all along the Mess:lean. coast. The same paper. says, "The newest rumour about Santa Anna is, that the $250,0,00 he has been tubing to, pay the interest 01A the Mexican bonds, held in England,. was furnished by the Pope of Rome. For the sebum, of this civility it is, affirmed the Mexican President resestas blished the onto of the Jesuits." From Havana. We have advices to the Bth. There. was some political excitement In the island. The rev,oluticaary paper, Vox del .euebto, had been again published. Several arrests had been made, and rumours of revoltwere current. It is stated that a vessel had appeared off Baracoa, at the east end of the-island, and hoisted what appeared to be a signal of distress, when, simultaneous wAlt the hoisting of the signal, the fort was attacked by 7Qmen on horseback, who were repulsed. Some 'prisoners were made, and they were on their way to Havana when the Isabel sailed. A British war vessel had arrived at Havana,being the second '.within a few days. Mr. Murray, of Philadelphia, fell dead in the streets of Havana on the 4th instant, supposed from enlargement of the heart. Venezuelan advices of the 15th October report that the new coffee was arriving but slowly in the market, though the demand for it was considerable. The quotations are:— For that of the Ara ua va ll eys, $ l2 to $ l3 per qu i n t a l , or 100 lbs., shelled; unsh e ll e d , f rom $lO to $10.50. Hides were quoted at from $l2 to $l3 the quintal, and were abundant, for want of p urc h asers. I n di go was i n ac ti ve demand, bnt there wa s none i n t h e mar k e t . I n th e money market the English so vere i gn was quoted at $6,50, and the United States eagle (Fold) at $13,37i- ; the English shilling at 311 c.; and the United States dollar at $1,344. COAL lERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. NEw YORK, Nov. 15. STOCKS AND MosEL—There is a better feeling in the Stock Market than prevailed last week, but the sudden rise of stock on Monday is not fully maintained yesterday and to-day. The returns of traffic on the principal rail roads continue to show an increase upon the receipts of previous_ i years. Bank shares ar e heavy, and the demand light. There s a decided improvement observable in the money market. Demand loans are freely offered at 7 per cent., and rates of discount are lower, now ruling at from 10 to 12 per cent. per annum on first class bills. There has been considerable business in sterling exchange, and prices closed firm. We quote bills on London 9c. to 9-k per cent. preen .; Faris, &c. f.5.12i to f.5.13i, 60 days, and f. 5.0- short sight ; Hamburg, 361 to 36,1; and Frank fort, 44k. COTTON.—The market has continued depressed, and the prices of Monday last show a decline of to lc. previous, closing with a downward Current yesterday being again in favour The sales for the three days are 4,359 from tendency, taes 3 th bao o fc s ; e ubtdi u o uh f ye t e : s rates the The for export, 3 ,706 wale use, 672 TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1853. THE LATE QUEEN OF PORTUGAL. Os Monday last week was announced, by a telegraphic despatch from Lisbon, the unexpected intelligence that Donna Maria da Gloria, Queen of Portugal, died in child bed on the 15th instant. Upon the previous accouchement of her late Majesty, the faculty greatly feared she could not again surmount the difficulties and dangers attendant upon her state of corpulence, but, as she had been all along in perfect health and spirits, the risk was lost sight of, and the public were ill-prepared to hear of the Queen's death, at half-past 11 o'clock on the 15th, before it was known that she had been ill or in danger. The effect of her Majesty's melancholy decease was enhanced by her having been to the list seen in the midst of the people; no one appeared more to enjoy the theatre on Sunday night, and she was amusing herself with her children in the palace-gardens on Monday ; but on Tuesday the Queen was no more. Her son, Dom Pedro V., was proclaimed King, and his father, Dom Fernando, installed as regent until he attains his majority of 18, on the 16th of September, 1855. Although still young, having been born on the 4th of April, 1819, only a month before Her Majesty Queen Victoria, her name belongs to transactions and contests which have long passed away. Her life, especially in her earliest years, was singularly agitated and unfortunate; and the subsequent period of her reign has not responded to the enthusiastic hopes of the constitutional party which placed her on the throne. Her political career may be said to have begun in her infancy, for she was still at Rio Janeiro, the place of her birth, in 1826, when the death of King John IV., followed by the renunciation of the Crown by her father and the proclamation of the constitutional charter, raised her to the throne, and she was betrothed a few months afterwards to her uncle, Dom Miguel, then made Regent of the kingdom. No sooner, however, had this Prince assumed the reins of Government in the name of his niece, than he usurped the Crown, and his first act was to forbid his Sovereign and his bride from landing in her own dominions. Donna Maria then came to England, where she was received by George . IV. as Queen of Por tugal, and the leaders of the Constitutional party prepared for that struggle which they ultimately led to asmccessful issue, with the assistance of the other members of the quadruple alliance. During that contest the young Queen resided in Brazil or in Paris, and it was not till Dom Pedro had captured Lisbon that she was enabled, in Sep tember; 1833, to enter her capital and ascend her throne. Her father, unhappily, survived this event but one year, ' and on the 18th of September, 1831, the Cortes were in duced unanimously to declare their Sovereign, then only fifteen, to he of full age, and in complete possession of her royal prerogative. A few months later she contracted a • marriage with Prince Augustus, of Leuchtenberg, the eldest son of Prince Eugene Beauharnais ; but here again the singular 21-fortune of her life prevailed, and the Queen, married in January, 1835, was a widow before Fas 4 ,!er. A second marriage was concluded in the following year with Prince Ferdinand, of the Romanist branch of the Coburg family, which bar conferred upon the house of Braganza no less than eight lineal descendants. - A reign of twenty years is thus abruptly terminated, ' and, although it Ins , not fulfilled the hopes of its first adherents, or rewarded , the exertions made by other Powers to secure the succession in the constitutional line,. it is due to the memory of the late Queen to bear in mind the extraordinary difficulties of the position in which, by no. fault of her own, she-was placed. Raised to the throne in childhood, born and bred S .- m.lth America, and de prived of her parents before . she - knew their worth, she had• to encounter the intrigues of a profligate court, and the incessant struggles of political- parties, in which per sona" ambition and rivalry held a. large share. Between these contending factious she had to steer her course, though scarcely a year passed without some violent attempt to change the Goverzanent, or some open collision between' the national party and , the• prerogatives of the crown. At times the opposition assumed the form of open insurrection, and, in 1837 - mere especially, it is pro bable that the Junta of Oporto would have succeeded in its objects, whatever they were, Sut for the direct inter ' position:of 'England, France, and; Spain.- All confidence between the - SOvereign and the nation-had. long been de stroyed. The mixt was regarded as faithless in its en gagements;.bigated in its opinionptand absolutist in its tendencies ; it was always a matter . of uncertainty how; long: such a government could- hold its ground. Since the last singular rising of Marshal. Saldanha, by whi=ch that veteran politician forced himself upon the crown =and • the • country, he has held!. the- rudder with a firm hand, but several reasons warrantithe-belief that his power is not likely to be of very long. duration. Upon the accession of the-young king, the Cortes will doubtless be convoked, and, although the king-consort has naturally received:the temporary powers of regent, it will probably be the wish of the nation to anticipate, by a few months, the legailinajority of tNeir new sovereign;,andi to remove, as much as possible,•from his court, those influences which are supposed to have contributed so powerfully to the errors and-the unpopularity of the late reign. Her Majesty has left seven children ;.. namely, Dom Pedro Alcantara, -Duke of Braganza, born Sept. 16, 1837; Dom Louia•Thilippe, Duke of Oporto, born Oct. 31, 1838 ; Dom Joio; Dike of Saxe and of Beja, horn March 16, 1842 ; Donna • Marie-Anne; born July 21, 1843; Donna Antonia, born •Feb. •17,1843; Dom Ferdinand, born July 23, 1846 ; anst.Dom Augusta, born Nov. 4, 187. LAW' INTELLIGEIVC.K. LIBEL IN " THE TIMES."—An application,..on Friday, for a rule, call upon Mr. William Harrison, the pub lisher of The Zinses 'to show cause why a criminal infor mation should not be filed agalrist him, for a likapublished in that journal against the Ron. Mr. Scott7-and other gentlemen convected with the South Western Railway Company, was postponed till next term. THE EASTEL.S\ AltcalrELA'Ao.—Judgment was given on Tuesday in the Exchequer , Chamber onA the long pending case of the Queen v. the Eastern Aiehipelago 'Company. The present proceedings arose, primarily, from a scire facias, hatted at the instance of Sir James Brooke, suggesting that the conditions of the company's charter had not been fulfilled. The jury found in favour of the Crown, and the Company appeded to the Queents, Bench. The judges here- had to decide- upon two cezestions : whether the nornpayment of the !£50,000 within twelve months, and the commencing of business before. that was paid, were such a. breach of the , conditions as to entitle the Crown to cancel the charter ;.: and .vhetherthe charter could be annulled, by scire Arias. Lord Campbell and Justice Wightman idecided in fiivour 'of the Crown, but Justices Coleridge and Erie held i a different opinion. Judgment was entered for the Crowns but a writ of error was brought, on which judgment was now ttv be given. The Lord Chief Justice of Common: Pleas, Justices Wil liams, Talfourd, and Cresswell, and the Chief Baron, with Barons Alderson Platt, and Martin,. were of opinion that the judgment en tered in the Queen's Bench was correct ; that the Crown Lad the power to annul the cliarter upon a breach of the conditions ; and that any subject of the realm might proceed .by scire (.acids ; the prerogative of the Crown being ; - held for the public benefit Mr. Baron Parke was the only dissentient from, this opinion ; and judgment was therefore entered for the Crown, CRIMINAL LIFORMATION.—Inn , the , Bail Court, on Thursday, befove Mr. Justice Crompton, Sir F. Thesiger said he had to move fora rule to show caumewhy a criminal information should not be filed against the publisher of the Morning Advertiser newspaper, ftfr a libel upon Mr.W. K. Gardner, late Comptroller of the •Cuatoms at the port of Li verpool. The: libel arose out of theproseeution of the Customs against the great dock; ieteresta. Mr. Gardner was at the time the C,omptrollerof the• Customs at the port of Liverpool. He was summoned; to. Leaden, and he was employed to assist the solicitors to.the prosecution, but he did not originate them and did not receive any reward, either directly or indirectly-, for his services. He was therefore much astonished and hurt to find that on the 28th of October an article appeared. hie the Morning Ad-. vertiser, generally upon theaoard: of Customs, but reflect-. ing in a vary serious manner • upon Mr. Gardner. The. learned council read the paragraph, which alleged that the, comptroller of one of themorthern ports had brought for t . ward false charges in theCustome prosecutions for his own, sordid purposes. The affidavit, set forth, stated that Mr.. Gardner-was the person. alluded to by the newspaper. He. (Sir F..Thesiger) could not- imagine anything more reja,. chevioue or more likely to. prejudice the character of 'an officer whose service& had been beneficial to the country. —Rua' granted. ENTRAORDINART CASE.—In the Bail Court on Tuesday, Wednesday, and. Thursday, a case Wilbraham v. Bickley, occupied theswhole of these days, and excited un usual interest. Thenction was to recover the amount of a bill of the 22d of May, 1852, for £92, drawn by the de fendant, and accepted by one Fell, and endorsed: by the defendant to the plaintiff. The defendant pleaad, that he had only endorsed it to enable the plaintiff to. obtain the money from Fell. under his bankruptcy. It appeared that the plaintiff is. a gumnaker, carrying on business in the Strand, and the. defendant is an attorney, having chambers adjoining the- 'Temple, and acting as the attorney for the plaintiff. According to the plaintiff's statement, the de fendant raliPd upon him in June, 1852, and asked him to discount this bill, and he gave him £BO,, and subsequenty £lO. On. the day it became due the• plaintiff asked the defendant to present the bill for him„ andsin the evening he said he had presented it, but it was not paid ; but he ' added, "It is all right, old fellow, Iwill get you the money. Fell has plenty of property in Ireland." Some time after he told the plaintiff that they mild get the money directly if they struck a docket against Fell, and the plaintiff gave the defendant £lO to take the requisite proceedings. On the part of the defendant it was said that the statement of the plaintiff was untrue;. that the defendant had been in the habit of lending the plaintiff money, and, as re garded this bill, that the defendant had endorsed it merely that the money might be obtained from Fell; and, as re garded all the other hilja, they were given expressly, for the accommodation of ie plaintiff. On Thursday Mr. Justice Crompton, in summing up, said he thought that the jury would agree with the learned counsel and himself, that on one side or the other most deliberate perjury must have been committed. The only question for them to decide was—to which side they gave credence. The jury retired for three hours, and, on returning, found a verdict for the plaintiff for £129 7s. ld. A CASE OP SHARES.—III the Court of Chancery, on Thursday, the case ex parte Nielson in re Edmond came on before the Lords Justices of Appeal. This case came before the court in a somewhat irregular manner, the order brought under discussion having been pronounced by Lord Justice Knight Bruce, sitting in bankruptcy as Vice• Chancellor, so long ago as August, 1850, at which time the learned judge gave the parties leave to submit a case for the opinion of the Court of Exchequer. The facts of the case were these :—ln June, 1845, a prospectus was issued for the formation of a joint-stock insurance office at Liverpool, called "The Royal Insurance Company," with a capital of £2,000,000, in 100,000 shares of £2O each; and it was completely registered. In this association Mr. Edmond became the allottee of 200 shares. He paid all the calls, but did not execute the deed of settlement, and was not a registered shareholder as required by the 26th section of the Joint Stock Companies' Registration Act, 7th and Bth Victoria, chap. 110. These shares were sold for Mr. Edmond by Messrs. D. and J. B. Nielson, his sharebrokers, at Liverpool, and the transfers were executed but not registered. Mr. Edmond became bankrupt, and Mr. Commissioner Skirrow decided that the bankrupt, not being a registered shareholder, the sale was of no avail, e brokers appealed ms si e r to, but and that the shares formed part of his es tate. Cha that a c a se neello r, who agreed might b withe s ubmitte d su the com missioner, the Vice-Chancellor, leave for the opinion of a court of law. Thu argument§ laud proceeded only a short time, when Lord Justice Turner suggested that the opinion of the full court had betteov; taken.—Lord Justice Knight Bruce said be agree d te mode of proceeding his learned brother preferred. , . da y MAJOR BERESEORD.-11 1 the Bail Court, on xrl (before Mr. Justice Crompton), an application was ,( 131 , 9d 0r e for a rule under the following circumstances : 2 " -a i Beresford and others, to the number of eleven, we re % II: . nested with the election for Derby. Two of them, 31r i; t. Beresford and Mr. John Huish, had removed the it i lu o l ve ment into this court, and were bound to plead, an. ,a " ces , notice of that, or they would forfeit their recogn' 1 Mr. Beresford pleaded on the sth of November, and PI the notice of trial on the 14th for the Middlesex sittipcl Mr. Huish had pleaded entire on the 14th, and bad gi,v . S due notice of trial. Five other defendants did not g r " t ; until the 21st of November, too late for the prese i eti aich give them notice of trial for the sane she ' o "„ et ice Mr. Beresford had given notice of trial. The eoneq - diot. would be, if matters remained as at present, the il' .p., ment would be tried against the two defendonts,'hoe Beresford and Mr. Huish, and the others wouldn°",spet their notice. He believed, therefore, that the Po course would be to move for a rule calling 11P° 11 ,,,,t of five defendants, who had not pleaded till the ._‘' sac ii November, to show cause why they should not tai'eve, suet nwohryietehoef trial as nf Theepriosndeientunitoersatc,ould forthwith P t he as re garded th e o . ° l l o two, should not be postponed till after HilarS Ter ni "-aii2g the prosecutors would give notice; and furthert7ol upon Mr. Beresford and Mr. Huish to show wIIY th e oo should not be postponed unless the other decen t 4 0 should consent on the above terms, or unless th„, e .2:0 4 procure their assent to such notice of trial. The re 04 another ground for the application. It would IR tbc sary on the trial to have the attendance of sane hart; officers of the House of Commons, as well as tll o; hand-writer who attended the select committee of I ss ies but there was a resolution of the house that all w i a the examined before the house, or before a committa _ otb house, were entitled to the protection of the lio ix o t respect to anything said b them in their evideeq,, ~,e that no officer or shorthand-writer should give elli ge flee in respect of any proceeding before the house or corairoi without special leave of the house. The re ' vas rtsh lej ' any —Sir h o ; s. e n si ie t a t i i ge ng r , s a o p t p h e a a t red no paenirmyissiofar umcro.tßeddrhesefaord, JOl,Ol had taken every means of bringing the matter to Fe u hie retainedot lier d o e f r g i e ntic4l. ito t pres;n r ic rorail t; defendants. H rt,s e ll. l u v 3 a isi n iri t : ed no delay, IWIt he wt s oa u t the neorwenience of the baud ea f rd c w ,, l . t h vete Justice Crompton said t a l li e lecaa ru tuille le iYw : e o ur ul el3: f"::; 11.1-e 1:11:h. ponement unles Mr. M. Smith consent*" i,ad o° , soon after came into court, and said tht , t lie oeu, t h o a ri n t g y h t t o i c t on li sai r t ; bheutwouldlet hitshceliccclrlgitle°;pted he it t h should follow by Sir F. Thesiger. HE LINEL ON A . f as 01, The case of The Queen Willmer andLADY - " Piot; brought hefore the Court of Queen's Ben° ~.f a se. when the defendants were. called upon to s hoo' „t fi t, a criminal information should not be filed sli P - 9t! for a libel published in that Journal on the 1. the 1 i 071 imputing to a lady of great respectabilitY ,ser°'the bottrhood of Liverpool the crime of adultery w""1sal - Mr. ASPLA.ND, on the part of the defencloi,'_e' r ess, e i did not appear to justify the' libel, but rather to enure their part their great regret that the libel colt,. 11 1 should have appeared in the ockmns of their PR' of t ll 3 begged to state that they did. not act as e diWi las ert 't paper,. and the paragraph in question had be en . e tte (l . l ; regl ig .o l 7, without their knowledge, and they deePb" Tlie•editor also joined with thopoprietors enso.e.,' his4regret, and all of them withdrew, in the s tr° ta v el sible-nianner, all imputations of every kind 011 ,,, 0 " -- loetet the libel,- and they most sincerely and hum for any annoyance which the paragraph had ! )c "- the family whom it concerned. the Lord CAMPBELL : What does the. counsel for Oil plicant say to the apology ? °I ) 48 SirP:Parriustsin said he could not Ilkutt this ~r ` ie ; to pass =without condemning in the stronge st I ' l- nie ui' o• impropriety of which editors of newspapers Ore guilty in publishing such paragraphs asthe one It was. true . that an apology had been made; h il l a- 1 ° 0 f 'lately,. that could not remedy the evil vschich 1)3 Door s been done, nor effarie the recollection 0 1 t il°s h e ad tbst unhappiness. which asmost respectable forna fact gone. EN/I:with regard to the future, it ws s t'pe toiler' there were many persons who would be , pro,'') l t o t` t i l " that thochargw would never have been rizo; le oc e, not been, sone foundation for it . ; so that thenu.3oll,ecoteere. had been, done was almost irrevocable. The d P r if i el,l 3 . e jt however,. had no desiie to be vindictive;;-a n f r om ` lO 4 anxious, moreover;. to discharge the subj' OP° 0, minds al , soonias possible; and therefore, aft er the i lci which had been 1) co made, lie (Sir proceedingsF. Thesi,rerY se and consent that no furthershomi ci a " - of e But, in onlerthat the Court might mark AS g q3- 119 ,1 offence, ho. (Sir F. Thesiger) insisted, thosgil sh°o ceived nuinstructions on-the subject, that tiW f 4 bS be discharged only on the payment of 010' 03- .f defendants Lord CAMPBELL. said, the prosecu t or s had • - P i liberally and liandsomeiks in withdrawing fro secution of such a publication. No editor was r;0011ty inserting sixth a slander. iixhis journal. P lll " *.i° , s to 0 had nothing to do with private slanders ; and it v l l l O O O credit of the press that the/sanctity of privataill,,,e he e ot , now trenplied upon. The. prosecutors would t oe justified in this case in pnrating a More severe et - , 5 0 , as it was, the character of the lady would moa t ' s s. t e . and unspotted as he (Lord_Campbell) believeibit Iv Rule cli*esharged, on the,payin- O ut of costs . ' I.II E RANSITAY CASE. In the Mut - of Queen'tiA3ench, on Friday,-eriiO4rvet SIGER moved for a rule to:show cause why orini should not issue to bring upan order made bY Sessions cf'Lancashire, on tho 30th of Jinit,lsS• i it was resolved that the susmiof £53 7s. order of two magistrates, should be allowed surer's accounts. It appeased that, in theor,h• - complaintihad been made to .the Chancellor • co ill . of Lancaster .of the conduct - of iMr. RainsbaYnt;opolt Court judge at Liverpool. An inquiry WaS tu'a AO' s + stituted ifefore the Chancellor and his Icarus ors citeir (Mr. T. P.' Fllim), who sat at Preston for ° l.c 'th is ,ttetl. Several t£ - the justices attended this inclui r i'i;ri'fioll' families, and refreshments , - were very &eel,' At li`b These refreshments were not of a very costk. k ty consisting only of sandwiches and wine, 011 00,. 5 the amountat to £53 7s. 6d. In • the first insta l ",:ist °:00' ordered to be paid and charged to -the ac_.., fi rds ode Preston, sessions ; but the payment wastbe u 10 t° lowed hy'.the county sessions... A pp li ca tion' o 'l w il l l.le o to the Chancellor of the Duchy, who said he,:" 4 .,:bis pay for whatever might have•been consuino- , Zettie'lsY assessor;' which, however,. was a very sinas - ,...' r 0 .,0, 0 t $ for nctiang beyond that.. The matter 14 ' 1 0 .4c( 1 ,,, - 1 ,4 before the quarter sessions,: when it was seSP' l mandamus should be applicator to conipel•r j .Twas 101 0 pass fite, account ; upon which an amend 511 111 5 c oii" of which no notice had bees given, that the,rhis slf' e j be all Owed and paid out 4 'the county rate.' apP, ll b t ment•was opposed by the gentleman whco' se the Court, upon the ground . that' the exPerl:oilitio" have-been defrayed by subscription. Mi.' tot ate carried. _r 05 . , 4 te. 0 Lord CentrnELL saidle was not awar e v ia whiffauthorised such an appliention of. Sir F. THESIGER said: the order.• 35 , ' u . ' r ecilw notice of the resolution , . had been givaur the.lsth and 16th of - Vittoria, c.• 50. faze, was for a certio , eari to bring u p,, the °- vitw to its being quashed; Rule nisi granted. lii the CourtToHfßilLehA.eiqVueOr,Folinirentd. ay, of •••••••••••••••• „a Galway v. Marshall, was brought before Ol io bo roe by was a demurret•to a.declaraticu , in an g s ia l in ief iatV a clergyman against the defendant, for ~, the . defendant, having alleged that the laiutiff "•''• tl , e an illegitimate abild:, 12 aecl • M a ten n° r. Turner, in support of the demurrer, ee o ot $ o re the statements imputed to.the• defendant werW i „ ii$; 0 0" able, because they-did. not affect the plain ti . t h his 1 1 11 .4 , fession, and the could not be aonnected wj4 aOt a ti, fl i ke tid e 'co li t , l i t i Lions as a clergyman, Th e dec l ar ation "l ot , e ,ii , that the plaintiff was. a beneficed clergylu watiar halt, charge was one which, could only affec t the fed A in , spiritual court.. The learned counsel Su e (2 , D., . Craven, 10 Q. B:,J and Brooke, 9 4. the , anti; James: port of his argument. ofral ov of . Mr. Baron Parke. N doubt the c harg e ec a an ,a o ,oi , o • ,_„d b _,,, ..0 plaintiff would be actionable if there li' fic ede''" o f a li t, ment in the deelaration that he was a bel l , e „ 0 1;e 0 _ te ,r, t.'" The chief Baron.:—lf what is said ie. l 'o r t cli;',e. e o in his profession, so at to affect him i n "; e the r 4 . Crslo law presunges.danage ; it does not in ii r" ) .tyr 311 ,,„ / )11 .51c „,-.1 Mr. Baron. Alderson.—The os e ,,, ° charg i e iarg e 111- 0 decides that it it is not actionable `4 c ...ti iLioW such with boing :. incontinent; but sure l K a id n O " t to affect him •in his profession. I " , q ed th 5,40, man to. come into my house. tor 14 '4° - to i- o r de dara , ii a $ co , M. WW I, . in support of the 8 10 4 .4 was • lloor o, l * charge, made against the plah l " a office „ o rsoe , f p l him for the discharge of his saer e (lying '• -1.1? 0" • such, a man hear the confessions of 7 t „ c_ ,1 1111. , o en_, ‘o r pronounce absolution in the nal ° ;:i c h, it 1. 1 a",, do a ease of Parrott v. Carpenter, in w ipintill ‘• ( leaßerl that it was necessary to aver that the puie co n they 1 ficed clergyman, had been overruled- „,/,', office, Teff s ot if the:words affected the plaintiff io , lu, li n e .A,,yve 4 4 o actionable ; and, under the Church Pis,e o g t be cl e rooNil a charge were proved, the plaintiff nil ' he wa s 1 in ii t bis living. To f chant that _ )0 ro p • say o a mer ~„1 4 oleo, 11$ °' . would be actionable, because it Wvw that be IC 4 business. So, to say' of a bishoP tD e C' V k would be fairly the subject of au actiotillior tha t oi Mr. Baron Alderson.—To say of a. ul s able ? , not read Greek—would that be action d e f ~, tIO °V i e examine clergymen in Greek. clergYre-1 aY t ip- The Chief Baron.—To report of a ~,n a s a .. 00 3 1 a common liar would be as InjuriouS 1 " t? n ..,,,;;_. ea ca c , :o te charge, but you could not bring an acteiocof L',., a n 04 ment. The law of England does not n In" 4 . this sort. io a,, oe .. abun'- i ett Mr. Baron Parke. — Tlaey were so very uirtd-, ~„ time of Queen Elizabeth that the courts n " .e:fooi rule to stop such actions. the ui g, The Chief Baron.—lf we were to relax ~, , a l. 4, 0 has existed for centuries, it would give rise to e 0 ., ,, , s contentious actions. tha t tii i 4 ‘ 411 ;I ° The learned counsel went on to argu9 x i a li . 0 0,4 spoken were such as would injure the plao2,llotsttt , and that there was in the declaration a sutnA: u " fer , tai N V to enable the court to see, and a jury t u . bee efie ed of words were spoken of the plaintiff, as a „ dic tion 0 man in Buckinghamshire, within the jai o e bisTheho of the diocese. 0 1_ 2 p Chief Baron said the court woula consider its judgment. Jidgment deferred. iiiitlYi cages 11" JIILLIEN has been appointed one of thej b itioni l del I the New York =n l ,i , a ro l ; o r l Y - e distribution of prizes at __ PERSONELLE OF OMER PA.CIIA.-111' : i Or/ ralissimo served in Syria under AdmirallsaVioaeat 0 a very high op_inion of him. Ile J$ fo l „ 4 , e rfe e ,,l , soldier, an excellent horseman, in manners f e co' ', i f tleman, and is much beloved by the trooPs• ot her very little to Mahometan customs—amogo tiorTo openly drinking wine at tale. He litu ng ilf P " ClealV t 0 QUO Wife 3 CLUAUtltri4lll lady frOlallr°'r