The Press.
London, England, 1853-08-13 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

THE REPEAL OF THE WINE DUTIES was discussed
and advocated at a meeting held on Tuesday at Fen-
dell's Hotel. Many members of Parliament and
city magnates attended, and a committee was organ-
ised to co-operate with Mr. Oliveira, M.P., in pre-
paring the necessary steps for procuring the reduc-
tion of the present high duties on foreign and colo-
nial wines, and collecting the views and opinions of
the various interests involved in the question of reci-
procity and other international advantages to be de-
rived from an extension of the principles of free trade
to the article of wine.

AT THE CRYSTAL. PALACE CoNPARY'S meeting on
Tuesday, the satisfactory prospects and progress of
the undertaking were the chief subject of remark.
The whole of the south (or Norwood) end of the
building, it was stated, is now complete, together
with the ironwork of the north end; and the only
operations of any great importance remaining to be
accomplished in the building are those connected
with covering in the central transept, which has been
already commenced.
THE FIRST SOD OF THE. NEW PoRTS)IOUTH RAIL-
WAY was cut on Saturday at Bariton, on the estate
of Mr. Bonham Carter, M.P. This line is to corn-
mence at Godalming, by a junction with the South-
Western Railway, and to terminate, for the present.,
at Havant, on the South Coast line, but hereafter to
be extended to Portsmouth. There will be a short
junction line to the South-Eastern, thus opening
communication with the two termini at Waterloo and
London Bridges. The intended railway will save
twenty-two miles in distance, and nearly an hour of
time, between London and Portsmouth.
THE MIDLAND RAILWAY DIRECTORS Will recommend
at the ensuing meeting a dividend at the rate of
per cent. per annum. This is equal to the divi-
dend last declared, and # per cent. per annum more
than that paid in the first half of 1552.
THE SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY COMPANY held
their half-yearly meeting on Monday. The report of
the directors was agreed to, and resolutions declaring
a dividend of 31 per cent., and authorising the eon
struction of a double line from Dorchester to Exeter,
and a double lino from Southampton to Exeter, were
passed with general approval.
NEW CHURCH AT BROCKLET-HILL PARK, FOREST.
HILL.—The Conservative Land Society has reserved
a portion of land on the summit of the Brockley-hill
Park estate, near the Crystal Palace, for the site of
a new church. Subscriptions for the endowment
have been already promised by many shareholders.
The proposed church will be surrounded by an
ornamental garden, with walks, shrubberies, B:c., for
the special use of the allottees on the terrace, which
commands one of the finest views in all Kent.
A TEsTimoxi.u. To :AIRS. CHISHOLM, as a mark of
" respect and gratitude for her long, arduous, and
successful efforts in improving the condition of emi-
grants to the British colonies," was promised at a
meeting held on Tuesday last at the London Tavern.
Mr. Vernon Smith, M.P., presided over the meeting,
at which many of the most eminent London mer-
chants and bankers were present, Mr. Sidney Her.
Bert, Mr. Lowe, Mr. Baikes Currie, and Sir I. L.
Goldsmid being the chief speakers. Subscriptions
amounting to nearly 9001. were announced in the
room as a foundation for the testimonial fund.
THE PERIODICAL RETURNS or• THE BOARD OF
TRADE appeared on Saturday last. In the month
ended the sth July the declared value of our exports
WKS 0,772,7331. against 5,760,090/. at the same period
of the preceding year.
THE NEW CHARTER OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE or•
PtivilictAxs, which has already been in draft before
the medical profession, is not expected to receive the
sanction of the Legislature during the present session
of Parliament, Lord Palmerston having admitted the
expediency of further deliberation ou this matter.

Loan PALMERSTON'S SMOKE isiI'ISANCE BILL, as
altered, hat► been printed. From the let August,
1854, furnaces in the metropolis are to consume their
own smoke. Steam-vessels on the Thames between
London-bridge and Richmond-bridge, from the same
day, are to consume their own smoke. No person is
to be liable to any penalty in respect of any furnace
or engine where coke or other fuel not emitting
smoke is only used. Constables are empowered to
enter and inspect furnaces and steam-engines.
A DErrrArtom, consisting of the Earl of Rosse,
president of the Royal Society ; the Rev. Dr. Robin-
son, late president ; and Mr. Hopkins, president-elect
of the British Association fur the Advancement of
Science; and Colonel Sabine, had an interview with
the Earl of Aberdeen on Wednesday, to recommend
the establishment of a telescope of high power in the
southern hemisphere, for the purpose of increasing
our knowledge of the nebula of that region of the
heavens.

IN THE CASE OF THE LAST LIVERPOOL ELECTION
the reeognisances to the petition against the mem-
bers lately returned are declared to be unobjection
able. Though tho petition will not be proceeded
with this session, counsel are already engaged to
defend the return of the sitting members.

SATURDAY,

IT is in contemplation to fit out another Admi-
ralty expedition to explore the source of the Niger,
with the view of promoting civilisation in Africa, and
opening up new sources of commerce.
THE EARL Or WARWICK, K.T., died at Warwick
Castle on Wednesday morning, after a protracted
illness. The deceased peer was in hie 75th year,
and is succeeded by his only son, Lord Brooke, now
Earl of Warwick, born in 1818, and married to a
daughter of the present Earl of Wentyss. The late
earl was a Knight of the Thistle, Lord-Lieutenant of
the county, and Colonel of the Warwick Militia. A
vacancy in the representation of the southern divi-
sion of Warwickshire is occasioned by the elevation
of Lord Brooke to the Upper House.
Is THE NEW SuCcEbSION DUTY ACT, which has
now become a law, there are 55 clauses and a eche
dale of tables and rules for determining the new
duties and the value of annuities. The act is to be
taken to have come into operation on the 10th of
May last, and imposes the following rates of duty :
Where the successor shall be the lineal issue or lineal
ancestor of the predecessor, at the rate of 1/. per
cent. Brother or sister or descendant of a brother
or sister, at the rate of 3/. per cent. Brother or
sister of the father or mother, or a descendant of a
brother or sister of the father or mother of the pre-
decessor, at the rate of 5/. per cent. Brother or sister
of the grandfather or grandmother, or a descendant
of the brother or sister of the grandfather or grand.
mother of the predecessor, 01. per cent. Any other
degree of collateral consanguinity, or strangers in
blood, at the rate of 101. per cent.
THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY or ENOLAND,
at their last monthly council, on Wednesday, re-
ceived from Mr. Faulks, of Crosby, near Liverpool,
and Mr. James Bell, of .dinburgh, some interesting
statements concerning the important discovery of ex-
tensive excrementitious deposits of sea birds on

islands and caves along certain ranges of the eastern
coast of Africa. The immense amount of deposited
guano, they remark, cannot be calculated : it is found
in extensive caverns as deep as could be pierced
with two boarding-pikes, lashed together, about
twelve feet. It is also found covering the side of the
island less exposed to rains. There is enough to
supply Great Britain for twenty years.
TABLES OF CAB FARES, REOCLATIONS, ke., are
ordered by the police to be posted conspicuously
inside and outside of all 'hackney -carriages. Forms
of the tables may be seen at Scotlandyard: they
contain a statement of the fares to be charged by
time and distance, the quantity of luggage that may
be taken, and the charge allowed for extra luggage
and passengers. The Hansom cabs must carry them
inside, on the offside, close to the roof, near to the
front glass blind ; and outside, on the near side close
to the roof, to the right hand of the window panel.
Clarence cabs and others must have them inside the
panel of the off-door, immediately under the window,
and on the outside on the back panel in the centre
close to the roof. All who neglect to supply their
vehicles with these tables forthwith are to be sum-
moned, and the penalties enforced. The commis-
sioners supply the tables for Is. each on application.

THE NI;3IIHER of FMB:RANTS who sailed from the
United Kingdom, during the spring quarter, was
115,959, of whom 74,640 sailed from Liverpool. The
countries to which the emigrants went were—United
States, 75,205; British North America, 20,107 ; the
Australian colonies, 17,1r)2 ; and other places, 495.
THE FIRST TURF of the Peebles Railway was cut
on Monday in presence of a large assemblage. The
proposed line will connect Peebles with the Estbank
station of the North British Railway. It is expected
to be completed in twelve months, at a cost of
70,000/.