The Express.
London, England, 1848-01-07 00:00:00

GLOUCESITRSIIIRE.

NATIONAL DEPitlCEl3.La.Valinumerous meeting
was held at the public rooms, Bristol, on Wednesday even-
ing, for the purpose of adopting a petition to parliament In
opposition to the recommended augmentation of our military
force. The chair was taken by Mr. Robert Charlton, who
opened the proceedings by explaining the nature of the pro-
posed augmentation, and the consequent increased wet to
the country. He denied that there were any grounds for
anticipating an invasion from France—the relaxation of the
commercial tariff had led to increased commerce between
the two countries. The French, who bad been heretofore
abut out by high prohibitory duties, were now enabled to
trade with us at a profit, and the Custom-house returns
showed that they had not been slow to avail themselves of
the advantage. It was not likely they would quarrel with
their customers. He believed that many of the advocates
of the scheme were not sincere, and an article in the last
number but one of the Naval and Military Gazette had let
the at out of the bag, and showed that the real object
was to provide increased employment for half-pay
officers. The chairman denied that there was a war feeling
among the masses of French society, and spoke from per-
sonal experience of the peaceful desires of the bulk of the
population.—Mr. John Mills, a member of the corporation,
proposed a resolution deprecatory of the proposed increase.
He wished to speak with every respect of the Duke ot Wel-
lington, whom he revered for his years and his many
achievements ; but the Duke of Wellington was an old man,
and aged persons were apt to dwell and ponder on the pur-
suits of their youth. Like Commodore Trunnion he had con-
templated his deeds of youth till he bad fought his battles
over again, and he could not help thinking (speaking Wl*
all respect) that his letter partook of a kind of military
monomania.—Mr. W. Wills, also a member of the town
council, seconded the motion, which was adopted nem.
can.—Mr. N. P. Jackson proposed a petition to be
entrusted for presentation to Mr. Cobden. He pro-
posed that if the aristocracy so loved fighting, to
let them pick out an equal number of French nobles and
fight it ant themselves. If they did not destroy each other,
as the Kilkenny eats were mid to have done, the survivors
should he transported to Norfolk Island and kept on bread
end water. He called on the people to speak out and the
government would defer to them.—Mr. Norris, in seconding
the.reeolution, ridiculed the idea of the French invading
England, and read some statistics of the comparative strength
of the two navies in 1840, which showed • very large pre-
ponderance of strength in favour of England. Ile did not
believe that invasion was really feared. &me old men in
second childhood who made their shutter' of iron for fear of
the people of England ; and some n-ho bad amassed enor-
mous wealth and turned themselves into watch dogs might
fear it : but as to *then he believed it was • delusion. The
House of Lords counted 118 and the Hasse of Commons 140
members, directly interested ia the maintenance of the army
and navy, and the real object was to provide for the younger
sons of the aristocracy.—The lie v. J. P. Ham, Mr. Capper,
Mr. Godwin, and others, addressed the meeting, and all the
resoles ions were unanimously adopted.
KENT.

MESSRS. lIALFORD, BALDOCI, AND SNOt:LTEN'iI
RANICROPTCY.—The Kodiak (*WWI says : " This bank-
ruptcy took place in Oct., 1841, and, as inquiries are occa-
sionally made as to the dividends paid under it, and the pro-
bability of future dividends, we are euth,rised to state, for
the information of the creditors generallt, that under
the joint estate of Halford, Baldock, and Bnoulten, debts
amounting to 112,8741. 12a. sd. were proved, on which
dividends of 4i., 16. 9d., and Is. Bd., amounting to
71. sd. in the pound, have been paid ; under the sepa-
rate estate of Hslford debts amounting to 20,0651. 14s, ad.
were proved, on which a first dividend of 3+. 03d.
has been paid ; under the separate estate of Baldoek,
debts amounting to 11,2811. 6a. 10d. were preyed, on
which dividends of 55., 2a., and 104 d., amounting to Is 104 d.
in the pound. have been paid ; the creditors on the separate
estate of Snoulten were paid in full, and that 7,2021. 14s. Id.,
the surplus of that estate, was carried to the credit of the
joint estate. We also find that the following balances re-
main in the hands of the official assignee, namely,
2821. 13s. 7d. on account of the joint estate ; 2281. 13s. 2d.
on account of Halford's separate estate ; and 291. 13s. 7d.
on account of Baldock'a separate estate ; and that under the
present practice in the Bankruptcy Court the expenses of a
final dividend of the joint estate will nearly coalmine the
balance in hand."

pne ficts.
THE NAIYINAL LiALLERY.—There are critics in
art, and wise ones too, who are at a loss to recount for the
selection made by the trustees of a single picture from the
Vernon collection fora place in the present National Gallery.
Bat the reason is obvious. There is only room for one, and
in selecting " A View of Venice " by Mr. Turner, and keep-
ing it underneath another" View of Venice" by Ceaeletni
the trustees silently direct the attention of visitors to the ne-
cessity of finding another gallery for the munificent gift of
Mr. Vernon's collection. The picture, though small, is •
capital specimen of Mr. Turner's middle period ; something
M
between his picture of " The Thames and the Medway," and
those feverish eccentricities of which even this possesses &o-
ven! startling indications.
" SCENE FROM THE EARLY LIFE OF OLIVER GOLD"
sacra."—Mr. W. H. Simmons has just completed a canal
mezzotint engraving from a picture by E. M. Ward, A.R. A.,
representing a well-known incident in the early life of Oliver
Goldsmith. This delightful writer is said, while in Treace,
to have occasionally maintained himself by his skill on the
date, and his poem of " The Traveller " lends some autho-
rity to the story :
How often bare I led thy sportive choir,
With Zemkss pipe had& the murmuring Loire.
The incident is at once picturesque and personal, a repast at
a cotttgedoor, with young and old assembled in the sunny
scene, and Oliver playing on his bate, while children stop