The Express.
London, England, 1851-09-04 00:00:00

COMMERCIAL AND MARKETS.

MINCING LANK-THIS DAY.

SCOAR.—The public sale of GOO casks of Porto Rico went
off steadily, without altering general quotations ; prices
ranged from 335. 6d. to 41s.
Curren.—The public sales are progressing heavily, and
prices are with difficulty supported, although importers arc
buying an freely; low good ordinary native Ceylon sold in
public sale, at 38s. 6d., which was a full price.
TRA.—The public sales arc progressing steadily, without
altering previous quotations.
Rust remains steady.
SPICE:. wear a dull appearance.
Corros continues firm.

In other articles no material alteration, hut the amount
of business done has been limited, partly attributable to
large sales advertised for to-morrow.

TALLOW MARKET.-THIS ])AY.

The market is mther flrmer,in consequence of the accounts
from St. Petersburg, the shipments being 25,000 casks short
of last season, and 30,000 short of the previous one. Prices
stand as follows:—Town Tallow, 375. ; Petersburg Y. C.
on the spot, 38s. ; last three months, 3'Js. ; Jauuary and
March, 395. 6d.

SMITHFIELD HAY AIAItKET.—THIS DAY.
Messrs. Cooper and Davis report the supply short at the fol-
lowing quotations:—Prime Meadow Hay, 70s. to 755.; in-
ferior, 50s. to 655.; Itowen, 6.55.; Clover, old, 70s. to 905.;
Straw, 245. to 30..

LOCAL SHARE MARICETN.

LIVIIBTOOL, Sart. 3.—Our shire market has been ra-
ther quieter to-day, sad yesterday's prism were barely supported. The
follawMg are the tranmettoes:—Lvneashlre and Yorkeliire, 481 1
—Ditto (8 per cent. preference shares), 131—Loadon and North
Western (New 1 shares), 11 p.—Maneheeter, Sheffield, and Lincoln,
441—Midland, ,11—Ditto (1 shares) 24 d.—South Eastern and
Lover, 19(—Boulogne and Amiens, 101.
BRISTOL, SEPT. 3.—There was not a large amount of
business trimaeted in our share market, purchasers waiting for a fall.
The only variation we have to note is in the Bristol and Exeter stock.
which closed at 80, ex di..
MANCHESTER, SEPT. 3.—There was not much business,
but no perceptible change took place in prices. The closing Wee
were—East Lancashire, 111; Lancashire and Yorkshire, 481; Ditto,
Fifths, 8 18.16 d.; Shetld and Lincolnshire, 44; South East.
ern, 191.
BIAMINCIRAX, SEPT. 3.—Shares were all firm, especially
Midlands. in this market toutay ; the tone appeared to be rather het-
ter. Urns bring more orders to putehsee for investment. Quotations
a Aids Messy than yesterday.
Lazo., 3.—There is little more doing this morning,
sad prises menale fins. The transactions entered into se iis rearty
thermals et yesterday's quotations, via : Lancashire and Yorkshire,
48 ; Lads Northers Extensions, No. 3, Its. sd. dia. ; ditto, Fifths,
2 ; Mitt & sod Halton. II; Rd. Rutland; 40 Ms.

PRESERVED MEATS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE EXPREBB.

Sin,—ln your paper of Monday, August 25, I
observe a notice of a case at the Gmport Petty Sessions,
where the superintendent and storekeeper of the Royal
Clarence Victualling-yard were brought before the magis-
trate for a public nuisance, namely,the stench analog from
the preserved meats for the use of the navy.
This is a subject I have been long expecting to seo
brought before the public, and even before parliament, and
I have often thought of addressing you upon this matter.
I have time now to do so, only very briefly.
From my own knowledge 1 can say that one of her Ma-
jesty's ships some years ago, while engaged on a distant
and arduous expedition, found a very large proportion of
the preserved meats supplied for the use of the sick in such
a condition that they were obliged to be thrown overboard
week after week. If one of the meat-cases in this state
happened to be opened the stench rendered the ship un-
bearable for en hour afterwards. At the same time, out of
the private stock of preserved meats purchased by the
officers for their own use not one case turned out defective.
The officers bought of an old established respectable house,
and gave a good price; and when the meats were bought
the vender said that they. had cost him as much or more per
pound as the contract price for which the public stores were
supplied to the navy.
I have heard from good authority that in Sir James
Ross's last expedition in search of Sir John Franklin the
preserved meats were so bad that they could not be used,
that the men and officers, and even Sir J. Roes himself,
were consequently attacked by scurvy and their energies
paralysed, as well as their confidence in their supplies de-
stroyed. On the same authority I was informed that the
preserved meats taken out by Sir John Franklin himself
were part of the same stock as those afterwards supplied to
Sir J. Ross. Now if my information on these two points be
correct, or if not, if the preserved meats supplied to Sir J.
Franklin were only as bad as those supplied to the ship in
which I myself sailed, the failure of Isis expedition is easily
accounted for. I have but to hint at the supposition that,
depending on these treacherous supplies, he had pushed on
as far as possible. and that in his first, second, or third
, winter he had found his provisions a nuisance, instead of a
I support, to call up to our imaginations a scene too painful
for them to dwell on. . . .

Hoping that sonic one with more leisure and authority
than myself will investigate this matter,
I remain, yours, &c.,
BETA.
P.S. Since writing the above I have heard that in her
Majesty's ship Herald, lately returned from a aix years'
cruise In the Pacific, half her preserved meats had usually
to be thrown overboard, and the ship had frequently to be
fumigated from a defective case having been opened. I be-
lieve, if an investigation took place, there is scarcely a ship
in the navy to which these stores have, within the last ten
years, been supplied, but would have the same complaint
to make. Now, sir, these preserved meats are the stores
kept for emergencies on distant expeditions, where nothing
else is to be got. Boats are supplied with them when
about to be absent some days or weeks from the ship. But
I feel r need not enter into any further details.
August 29, 1851.

MONEY ORDERS.—General Poet Office, Aug. 1851.
—The undermentioned offices will be opened as minor
money order offices on the following days, viz. on the let of
September, LeThum, Yorkshire: Bth Septembar, Farming-
ham, Kent; Pnoces Risboroligh, Buckinghamshire; Theale,
Berkshire; Wye, Kent. N.B.—Thorp Arch, Yorkshire,
inserted in the list for July last, (Instructions N 0.23, 1851,)
should be designated as Boston Spa, Yorkshire.
NAVAL APTOINTMENTS.—ADMIRALTT, SEPT.. 3.
Clak, Crealock, to Rodney; J. T. Spark., to Vtrafo ;
R Edwards, to ; and 11. J. C. Mitchell, to Dirk.
--Second Mastefilvtillullto Fiegord.—Master'n Assist-
ant;.
Dattedlos
J. Johnstone, to Victory.—Gunner: E. J. Hum-
ys, to e.
Tut BarTrANY GRAZIERS have induced the South
Western Steam Navigation Company ta alter the time of
their steam pickets leaving Modem for Southamp-
ton. Hitherto the packets have left on Wedneedays ; sn
fame Hwy will leave on Thursdays. The cattle exported
hem Maga in these boats will, therefore, be landed at
S on Friday, sent to London on Saturday, and
aliterls= all day on Sunday, will be quite ready for
Smieblieli market on Monday. A day's keep and housing
fo ffide ...airy will, therefore, be saved by this arrange-
ment, which, for a hundred or a hundred-and-twenty besets
in a single cargo, amount to something considerable. This
trade in cattle with France, by means of the Southampton
and Morlaix boats, is thriving. The beasts are driven to
Morlaix from a distance of between 30 and 60 miles, from
the rich grazing lands of St. Pal de Leon and Lesneren, fa
the department of Finiaterre.