The Express.
London, England, 1846-11-04 00:00:00

LTEST INTELLIGENCE.

THIS DAY, Four o'Clock.
rue petition of the merchants. planters, landholders,
other inhabitants of the Island of Ceylon, which
been addressed to the Lords Commissioners of
Majesty's Treasury, complains of a variety of par-
connected with the administration of that
v, which should receive the prompt attention of '
;ant. The heavy burthen of taxation for
Ivy purposes, unprecedented in any other British
ennnt. makes provision for a European force
and what is required for the military defence of
island, and absorbs an amount of revenue, which
• g diverted from more useful purposes, mate-
]• cheeks the advancement of the colony.
o "vezunly this evil it is proposed by the pe-
.„er; to reduce the regiments of the line
tioned at Ceylon to one corps; to augment
rifle regim :nt to ten companies, thus saving
opense of a double staff; and to raise
battalion of native pioneers, under scientific officers,
oon be employed in the execution of important
blie works, and in opening out military and trunk
k The latter suggestion is a valuable one, for
means of transit in Ceylon is at present so im-
effect that large tracts of land remain ium•asible,
phisliwwwier-different circumstances, 'fit be
rOfit'W.y cultivated. Let goad roads be con-
tleted, and there will soon be an increase

re,t cue more than sufficient to defray
charge of a pioneer corm, which can be
eged in advancing the general prosperity,
le acquiring such a knowledge of the interior as
it render it most efficient for defence, whether in

of intrrnal commotion or of foreign aggression.
'itary authorities are proverbially slow to adopt the
tons of non-professional experience, but there
bowl ing so reasonable in the plan which has
Fo:Lted out, that it can scarcely fail to be re-
red with attention.
In mitt, Ts commercial the petitioners complain of
export duty of one shilling per pound at present
'ed num Cinnamon, which amounts to about one
drill per cent. on the value of the same spice from
hr in the London market, and operates as a
as on the produce of other countries to the
❑t injury aid ultimate ruin of the trade of
lon.

Itisal-4 objected that all foreign commodities are
'mt to double the import duty levied on British
s. and that in many instances foreign vessels are
',eluded from landing cargo at the ports of the
bny, th,.ugh such cargo be the produce of the coon-
ies to which they belong. Thus French, Spa-
ih, and many other vessels are prohibited
wi sending wine, spirits, and other articles, the
sduce and manufacture of France and Spain, though
1 such restrictions prevail in the territories of
c East India Company. The working of such
system as exists in Ceylon is mischievous in many
ire but one is obvious. The foreign customer is
Iv aloof, and the staple products of the island, as
!Tee, cinnamon, cocoa-nut-oil, &c., have not a con-
ception on the continent of Europe to the extent
kich wo.ild prevail under a more equitable scale of
wort dnties. _ _ . _ _

r•-•
fonneeted with the land ques'ion, the petitioners
• t, that by raising the upset price from a. to 20s.
. acre, the government has, in effect, restricted
ioation, settlers being unwilling to invest at such
The consequence is that land sales have
checked, whereas the policy should have been to
ate them, seeing that eight-tenths of the island is
a junglr ; and it is accordingly proposed, by way
rtmedy, to encourage immigration by fixing the
price of land at ss. per acre, and permitting
'piers to purchase and hold estates.
I:prm another matter of much importance to the
rity of Ceylon we give the following extract
the petition :
Tint the constitution of the legislative council is no longer
priate to the exigencies of the colony. The number of
slat t.r independent members is but six, viz., three
p ae. , one Malabar, one Singalese, and one Dutch
Lint, all of whom are recommended by the Governor,
titer- fore cannot he considered as the representation of
class to which they belong. The number of official
her. holding situations under government is nine, and
Governor has a casting vote. The unofficial or inde-
nt members can neither bring forward any project of
.cane eon they even induce any subject of discussion.
Thu, is their usefulness cramped, and the council refl.
I:ztle better than a pageant.
Tear petitioners would earnestly pray that the number of
dent members be made equal to that of the official
tubers; that the practice of appointing members recom-
sd d by the class to which they belong be resumed ; that
ind.ependent members be allowed to introduce projects
*aw ; and. above all. that they be not, as at present, we-
ed fr m ever introducing topics for discussion.
That the sums of money voted annually by the legislative
•veil few public works often remain unexpended for years,
t the absence of the sanction of the executive to the
or, and thus help to swell what is termed a " surplus
entp.." which surplus, instead of being a test of the
A7critT of the colony, proves nothing but the neglect of
'c werl.s, such works, of course, having been considered
lately nectwory at the time the vote was called for.
r pe.titinnen would pray that when such grants are
e, and base receiv ti the due sanction of her Majesty, in ,
e''• the ohiect of the said grants be forthwith carried
, and that the unexpended balances appearing on such
its nt the end of each year (being considered as already
reprinted until the works are cow leted), shall he kept
irele separate from the statement of revenue for the tid-
ing year.

our petitioners would therefore pray your lordships to
le tto• above circurostaners into consideration, and to grant
bef from the said restrictions and disabilities, and your
m in duty bound, will ever pray.

1 t would seem that certain changes are contem-
ted hr the Belgian government in the laws of
ration, by which ships touching at Cowes for
eri ate to be treated in the ports of Belgium. It is
;eh
0 gather from the papers the precise mode in
;eh the matter is to be dealt with ; but it may be
cavil to be the intention to subject shipping so
uz-,•hnecd to the system of differential duties, or
an (n:cmeement of the duties which may now
t.,h soon them. The attention of this govern-
ah•add he early directed to the subject, as one of
t interest to the mercantile community of this

TO THE EDITOR OP "THR RXPRES.C.”
34, Cornhill, 4th Nov., 1846.
IL—Raving seen a notice in your paper a few evenings
al.,tive to the direct line of steamers from Trieste to
twhia for Indian pissenzers, we, at the request of the
tias Lloyd's S. N. Company, solicit your kind insertion
wentuoanying ropy of a letter addressed to them by
P2,-(nzets arriving from India last month.—We Te-
a,. , WAOHORN 8: CO,

. ,
(Corr.) ,
Trieste, 23rd October, Int&
I'')^, -We• the rindersigned,passengers by the AustsianLloyd's
" ,mnmonrr," on her first s °Naze direct from Alexandria to
• b.: o..•soi,ss our entire and unqualified satisfaction with the
~,,,- 01 row tomniny. We found Captain l'allina. rind the
°I." •• nost pain, and attentive, the table abundant and
tle 'ern, corafortah:e and the performance of the vessel dur-
Ill' T'''''" 'xi 'ix fiass And two hours, ineludinc a stay et eight
at earful elm/41nd. Fcery effort has obviously been made to
re 'l`,. nenfict and even eninyment of the passengers. We have
that the Leaks offered us be Lieut. Warhorn for sending
ll''''''Y Isriage. complete all that was wanting to make this
. s raureno rd as it is nrreerble.
~.r ,I. Pia wr, Ceylon civil Wiliam Glen, merchant.
se.
dd. Minister, Church of
s.i.
it:, mrseh.int.
'enlimuihi. llRltlc:hto.r Rat, n, Lieut., 62d Regi.
I O. F. If alst.
1 A. M. Knight, Lieut., IGth Lan-
i. K. Willi.. ewarers.
Edward Lyon.
It ll'''. MlN'''. , °Rh Regt. I.. Moore, Capt., retired list.
Pmt llalnifin
• • .lustrum Lloyd's Company at Trknde.
I '

lO.s OF OvEHTNORED Ltres.--iccounta received I
as from Austrian Friuli, contain particularsof an unfor-
le event that hail lately occurred at Goritz. A large
her of soldiers and citizens were crossing a bride of boats
lheporpow of assisting at a military review, when and-
bridge, which was inadequate to support the weight
h it was loaded, broke down, and a great many of
D'r-ons upon it fell into the river. According to the most
firty-three Chasseurs and about forty citizens
1..14.1ael in the waters of Isonza.
DI4TDITTION RC FIRE OF THE GARRICK THE VIRE.
m'ffling, shortly before four o'clock, a most alarming
&gnu tive fire was discovered by the policeman on the
horning in the lower part of the well-known place of
nainment, called the Garrick Theatre, situate between
an-street and Great Alic-street, Goodman's-fields. The
!re, which has been for some time under the manage-
of Mr. Conquest, was last night very fully attended,
during the performance a scenic spectacle, called the
ttrle of Waterloo," was represented, attended by a pyro-
.",,i' doubtlesi in honour of the forthcoming
"'II of November." From inquiries instituted by the
rter upon the spot, shortly after the outbreak of the fire,
s party who was present at the theatre last night, it ap-