The Express.
London, England, 1853-07-14 00:00:00

COMMERCIAL AND MARKETS.

MINCING-LANE.—THIS DAY.
SUGAIL—The public sales consisted of Foreign Bahia
and Pernambuco, and the bulk was bought in ; prices gene-
rally are unaltered to day.
Correa.-2,066 bags Costa Rica sold in public sale a
shade lower than last week. Plantation Ceylon is pro-
gressing heavily, and prices with difficulty supported.
TEA.—The non-arrival of news from Cbioa by the India
Mail is a subject of disappointment •o those interested in
this article. Duty paid in London for the week ending
9th July, 652,169 lbs.

COTTON.-450 bales sold yesterday on 'Change. The
small pablc sale of 250 bales Surat was chiefly bought in
at Sid. to 40. per lb.
In other articles no material alteration.

TALLOW MARKET.-THIS DAY.
The market is quiet to-Jal at the annexed quotations:
Town Tallow, Ms. 9d. nett cash; Petersourg, Y. C. on
the spot, 65c; Oct. to Dec. (new), 51s. 6d.

SMITHFIELD HAY NIARKET.—THIS DAY.
Mr. E. J. Davis reports the supply short and the trade
brisk : Prime Meadow May, 965. to 105 s. ; inferior, 701. to
80s.; new, 50s. to 801.; Dowen, 459. to 545. ; Clover, old,
105 s. to 1205.; second cut, 80s. to 100 s.; Straw, 28s. to 335.

(ET ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)
DEAL, THURSDAY, 9.16 A.M.
Wind W. S. W., blowing very strong.
Passed.--James, of Beltast, for Cronatadt, 1 lth
French schooner Marie, for London.
Put back.—Queen Margaret, for Sydney; Chris.
tiane, for Dunkirk.; Sre Feutella, for Geaoa.

MR. HANNAY'S LAST LECTURE was delivered yes-
tet day evening. The series, commencing with Horace and
Juvensi, has embraced the whole range of satirical lite-
rature, and the conclusion brought it down to our own
time. Byron and Moore, of course, received marked
attention; and we were glad to find that Mr. Han-
nay thinks better of Byron, and worse of Moore, than
most people. Among satirists of the present day he
stave an honour to Thackeray, Jerrold, Dickens, and
Disraeli. Distinguishing the last by his invariable dignity
and grace, the lecturer observed that "he is al-
ways Apollo when he sneers,
of the discourse,eers,andPeasuhsowwevheern,
he kicks." The main portion
was less about satirists than satire. Mr. Hannay showed,
what must be very satisfactory to us all, that satire has not
died out, and has no chance of ever dying oat ; that it per-
vades every department of literature more than at any
former period, and that it is only as a distinct pursuit that
it has suffered any decline. Mere jesting Mr. Hannay
treated with appropriate severity, as having no more
relation to literature than tumbling, or any species
of dexterous gymnastic; and the literary followers of
that hopeless pursuit he compared to the fool of
the middle ages, who did then for the great baron
what the comic man does now for the mob. On the
whole, the lecture was perhaps the best of the series; and it
was keenly appreciated by an intelligent audience, among
whom we noticed many persons of mark, and not a few of
eminence.
NEW DUTIES ON SPIRITS ACT.—The new act
which rem ived the royal assent on Friday
.has just been
printed, to impose additional duties on spirits in Scotland
and Ireland, and to alter the countervailing duties on spi-
rits the manufacture of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, and
Sark, imported into Scotland or Ireland, and the counter-
vailing duties and drawbacks on the removal of certain
mixtures and compounds between Scotland, Ireland, and
England, and to amend the laws relating to the collecting
and securing the duties of excise upon spirits. There are
41 clauses and several schedules in the new act, which has
three periods of operation. As to the duties and drawbacks
granted and imposed and allowed, the act is to take effect
from and after the 21st April last; and as to the abatement
or allowance to be made in respect of the deficiencies in spi-
rits warehoused, from and after the passing of the statute
(Bth July instant) ; and as to all other provisions from and
after the 10th October next. The first part of the new
law relates to the additional duties mentioned ; the
next to the countervailing duties, and the third to the col-
lecting and securing the duties of excise on spirits. Among
other things, it is enacted that a proper spirit store is to be
provided in every distillery, and the officer in charge of the
same is to attend daily. All spirits distilled are to be re-
moved into the store within SIX days. Casks are to be
marked with the quantities. Permission is given by this
act to distillers to carry on the trade of a wholesale neater
in spirits, within the distance of two miles from the dis-
tillery. The additional duties and drawbacks are to be
under the management of the Commissioners of Inland
Revenue. There is a provision to enable persons who have
made contract for the sale of spirits, to add the increased
duties to the price. Accommodation is to be provided for
excise officers by proprietors of distillery stores arid ware-
houses, under a penalty of 501.
COMMISSIONERMIIPS OP THE INSOLVENT COURT.
—The resignation of the Chief Commissioner of the Insol-
vent Debtors' Court, Mr. H. R. Reynolds, after a service
of 35 years, has been accepted, and Mr. Serjeant Murphy,
M.P., has been appointed a commissioner, with a salary of
1,500/. a year. The appointment creates a vacancy in the
representation of the city of Cork. It is expected that the
senior Commissioner (Mr. Law) will be appointed Chief
Commissioner, a promotion which involves an increased
salary of 2,0001 per annum.
GLASGOW ART UNION.—The annual meeting of
the members of this society was held recently in the Mer-
chants' Hall, Glasgow. The attendance was numerous, and
amongst those present was a large assemblage of ladies;
Mr. Davidson, of Ruchill, in the chair. Mr. Charles Wil-.
sone Broun submitted the report, from which we make the
following extract: "The subscriptions in the years 1847
and 1848 amounted to 8001. This year, lam happy to in-
form you, they have reached the sum of 6,0001. The en-
graving or the year has been highly approved, and it is the
determination of the committee to do all in their power to
keep up the quali.y of the engravings issued by them. You
will be happy to learn that the one now in progress for the
subscribers of next year is from a tine painting by one of
our most celebrated artists." Mr. G. L. Walker begged
simply to move, " That this meeting approves of the report
now submitted, and offers its best thanks to the committee
of management for the manner in which they have fulfilled
their duties, and I.kewise sincere thanks to the numerous
honorary secretaries, at home and abroad, for their able
exertions, as well as thanks to Mr. Robert Alexander
Hidston, acting secretary, for the zeal and industry he has
bestowed on the affairs of this association." The balloting
then proceeded, and the proceedings terminated.
ROBBERY AND RESTITUTION.—A singular case
came before the police court, at Newcastle-on-Tyne, on
Tuesday. A youth, named Charles Bowden, 16 years of
age, cook and steward of the ship Sarah, of Brixham, now
lying at Newcastle quay, charged two girls with robbing
him of a purse containing 20 sovereigns and 35.6,1. in silver.
The youth stated that he had just returned from a voyage
to Leghorn, and had been paid the above sum as his wages.
Thoughtless Jack, finding himself ashore, went in the even-
ing to a low public house in Sandgate, where he met the
two girls, and treated them with a pint of ale. In paying
for it he took out his purse and revealed the golden
treasure it contained. All three were seen to go
out together; the youth stated that the girls
accompanied him along Sandgate, on his way to
the ship; but coming to au entry, they. asked him to
go in, to which be consented, not knowing what. was
their object. They then threw him down, robbed him of
his motley, and ran away, be all the while shouting " mur-
der" and "police." A man who knew one of the girls saw
the transaction, but thought it was " a lark ;" and when
I the youth said he had been robbed of 201. he still considered
it a joke. The girls were apprehended by a policeman,
who had to break open the door of a room where they had
concealed themselves. But the most singular part of the
transaction remains to be told. Early next morning, a per-
- son unknown to the prosecutor came on board the Sarah, .
Increase £320,911 10. SS and gave him 20 sovereigns, thus restoring nearly all Abe ,"
Annexed are the latest reports from continental mow.; ho bad lost. The bench convicted the prtoonek•
bourse., as received by Mr. Reuters telegraphic
undrm the Vagrant Act, and sentenced them tfr thfna
nirmtbs' imprisonment
express: Ameterdam, Tuesday, closing prices :
WATERFORD AND KILKENNY RAILWAY.-114RTI
Dutch Four per Cents., 94 9-16 •, ditto Two-and-a- of traffic for week ending July 9, £194 4e. 2d. (29 mike
Halt per Cents., 631 ; Spanish Deferred Three pre I open.) Corresponding week last year, £6l 191. lit (11
Cents., 22; ; the Old Three per Cents., foreign, :Minoru.)

It is understood that Lord Dalhousie has recom-
mended that the Itajmahal line should be carried up
the valley of the Ganges to Allahabad, and by all
persons acquainted with that district the recom-
mendation will be hailed with feelings of the
liveliest satisfaction. This line would pursue, along
the entire route, the beaten track of commerce through
the moat populous and productive regions of India,
and has, besides, the great ads antage, that every few
miles, when opened, would be available for traffic,
and yield some beneficial result on the capital ex-
pended. The actual linear distance from Calcutta to
Mirzapore by this route would only be increased by
about 80 miles—a disadvantage far more than coun
terbalanced by the consideratiocs already pointed
out. There then remains further work for the Indian
government in the promotion of enterprise for carry-
ing the railway system through Upper India, the
vast resources of which aro as yet, comparatively
speaking, totally undeveloped. The fear entertained
by those who are acquainted with the underhand
working of the whole system of Indian
government, is, that jobbery and favouritism
will, in this, as in so many instances,
flourish. It is quite clear that the Indian govern-
ment must take up a fair position towards future
railway companies, and the dangers of creating a
monopoly of the railway system in that quarter
must be especially guarded against. A copy of the
late correspondence with Lord Dalhousie has just
been ordered, on the motion of Sir Herbert Maddock,
and it is to be hoped the production of this important
paper will rouse public attention yet more effec-
' tually. More decisive testimony as to the necessity
of these lines of railway could scarcely be afforded
than the words of the chairman, at the court of pro-
prietors, in June, 1847, which were to the following
I purport :—" As to cotton in Bengal, it was more im-
portant to have railways for that article than in any
other part of India; because the cotton produced In
the Nerbudda lest twelve months from the time it
was gathered until it was exported. It was liable
during that period to great deterioration, to charge.tor
warehousing and transport." Five years have elapsed
since this official declaration, and unless " pressure
from without " be exercised, it is greatly to be feared
five more may pass away ere the Indian government
will move effectually in the matter.
A summary of the total published traffic receipts
of the leading home lines of railway for the first half
of the present year shows the following satisfactory
results as compared with the correspondicg period
of 1852 :

---- .
Traffic o f the halt. 'halloo( the half- In. Per
year ending June year ending/ June cream, mt.
27, 1832. 26, 1853.
Per mile Per mile
London and North per week. per wctk.
Western £1,152,879 £BO £1,231,638 £B3 £99,959 8.73
Great Western 430,105 61 493,108 59 36,703 12.99
Mouth 01a.tern 311,533 42 350 475 47 34,890 12.46
South Wtstern
Midlaid ... . . 560,849 43 602,811 46 41,969 7.48
Lancashire & York 427,871 63 472.39% 69 44,52510.40
E .stern Coun•.lee 371,312 44 409,805 46 38,463 10.35
York ona N. Mid.

land, Votk.ie;-
canto sod fler
I.Lds Nora, 375,508 35 624,503 36 48,995 8.51
Um., 04
S. COLOt
Man., Suet, 172,935 40 183,017 42 10,964 6. 3
Great Nortbrrn . 290,142 48 377,103 31 86,963 29.97
Total Jam 27, '52 £4,786,332

Total Jane 26, '23 £5,307,413