The Express.
London, England, 1850-04-25 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

THIS DAY.

MANSION-HOUSE.

Till ROBBRIIT 01, THIII PUOIT
Brown, who steads charged with stealing the Poet-Ake
letter-beg wee brought before Alderman Gibbs, for final
ersatioation.

Mr. Peacock, on the part of the Post•ofce authorities,
stated that, notwithstanding the offering a reward, the
dragging of the river, and the greatest genral exertion, the
bag ►ad not been discovered. Ifs had no further evidence
to offer, and therefore bad to request that the alderman
would commit the primner for trial on the testimony already
adduced.—Committed accordingly.

WEDNESDAY EVENING.
A letter received by Mr. W. P. Robertson frcm
Don Manuel &candor, of Mexico, states that surly
300,000 dollars remain pending process of recovery,
and he may reckon on a remittance on tobacco amount
in hum of 100,000 dollars. This latter is irrespective
of the first payment of • like amount which will be
remitted by Messrs. Manning and Mackintosh. Mr.
Robertson mentions that from his correspondent's
letter he further infers that Congress is willing to
grant 3,000,000 dollars of the American indemnity
money, but co larger sum, for the benefit of the
Mexican bondholders.
The statement made in the House of Commons on
Monday evening, by Lord Palmeratoo, that mi:daters
are as yet unable to state the result of the Negotia-
tions which have been opened with the government
of France with respect to the alterations in the
French navigation laws u they affect the English
system, cannot excite surprise, as the French minis-
ters appear fully impressed with the gravity of the cub-
ject,and determined not to be hurried into any line of po-
licy without full previous deliberation. It must be said
to the credit of the present cabinet that they are not
above taking the opinions of those who alone can pos-
sess a practical knowledge of the question under dis-
union, as is proved by the invitation address-d to
the deliberative bodies of the French ports, in which
they are requested to forward an exposition of their
views in detail for the consideration of the govern-
ment. The responses to this appeal received
from the various Chambers of Commerce of
the Republic hare been distributed in a printed
form, accompanied with some explanatory re-
marks and suggestions of the government to the mem-
bers of the general council of agriculture, manutac-
wee, and commerce, at present sitting at Paris, to
the earnest consideration of which body the entire
subject is referred. This document possesses little
claims to attention as an exposition of the views of
the French cabinet ; for the most complete reserve is
maintained on this point ; bat it is valuable as
showing the salient points of the question which will
more especially attract attention in the debates of the
council. After propounding the question—!s it ex-
pedient for France to enter into the path of recipro-
city, as thrown open by England?—and alud.ng to
the desire of the cabinet to seek out all obtainable
information, the official note proceeds to state that
the Chambers of Commerce of Nantes, of La Ito-1
chelle, of St. Male, and of Dunkirk, express themselves
adverse to a withdrawal of the protection hitherto
extended to the shipping interests of the country.
The reason assigned by those Vati3oll bodies for the
adverse opinion which they express forms an interest-
ing subject of enquiry. The Chamber of Nantes is of
opinion that the French shipping interest would not
experience any ill effects from free competition with
England alone, the cost of construction and naviga-
tion being about the same in both coun-
tries; but it deprecates the adoption of
the new principle on the ground that France
cannot compete with the United States, Sweden,
Norway, Bremen, and Sardinia, where ship-building
materials are obtainable at a much lower cost than in
France, and where the expenses are so much less in
seamen's pay and food. The chambers of La Ro-
chelle and St. Melo express a general opinion that
France cannot compete with England, the advantages
possessed by the two nations not bring equal. Ti e
reply from the Chamber of ;CdIIIII2tICO of Dunkirk
is somewhat remarkable for its extravagance;
it actually recommends, instead of any conces-
sion to Great Britain, the re-enactment and strict
enforcement of the third article of the law passed on
the 21st September, 1793, which entirely prohibits
importation by any other than French flags. From
Calais, Granville, Bordeaux, Bayonne, and Topton,
the replies received are lees decided than the above:
they recommend that the entire question he sub-
mitted to the consideration of the general coun-
cil, at the same time advocating the admis-
sion, duty free, of the original materials employed
in the construction of vessels, as the only means
of placing France on an equal footing with other na-
tions. But the most liberal and intelligent opinion is
expressed by the Chamber of Commerce of Havre,
which, after a debate distinguished by the enlight-
ened end sound views of the various speakers, decided
by a large majority upon recommending the adoption
of the broad principle of reciprocity, only sipulatiog
for the remission of import duties on shipbuilding ma-
terials in their natural state. " The difficulties of the
question," says the official note, " may be appreciated
from the nature of these replies." The number of
recommendations for the repeal of the duties on s`iip-
building materials has, it appeare, induced the French
ministry to give the question serious consideration,
especially as the measure was advocated so far back
as 1845 by the Chambers of the principal ports, and
received the suffrages cf the general Council ofCom-
inerce, which sat in 1845-6, and also of the
sister assembly, the Council of Agriculture.
On this occasion the Council of Manufac-
tures alone, whilst admitting the progressive
decay of the French mercantile marine, passed
' a reso-
lution condemnatory of the proposed hange on the
plea that a large portion of custom would be direrted
from the naval factories, a plea which the present
government does not appear disposed to admit. The
principle, nevertheless, was introduced into the pro-
ject of customs law brought before the Chamber of
Deputies on the 31st March, 1847, the object being
the complete repeal of the duties on iron, copper,
iron plates, zinc, hemp, and flex intended for
the construction and equipment of emelt, whether
of wood or of iron. The benefit which this measure
would have conferred on construction was estimated
to amount to 17f. 30e. per ton, but it was ultimately
rejected by the committee appointed to examine the
bill, who regarded it as an attack on the protective
principles 'auctioned by the legislature. The present
government appears favourable to the principle of the
measure, so far as it applies only to the introduction of
the primary requisites for naval construction, but it re-
fuses to sanction a proposition laid before the National
Assembly on the 27th O,.tober, 1819, by M. LoFds
Dubec, authorising the free importation, in addition,
of all manufactured articles required by the builders,
such as cables, anchors, sailcloth, cordage, &c. With
this slight exposition of their views the French mi-
nistry places the question before the general council,
upon whose debates appears to depend the future
policy of the country as regards the navigation laws.
St. Petersburg adrioes of the 13th, state that the
estimate of the supply of new tallow had been raised
to 113,000 casks, which was thought a very close
approximation to the truth. About 300 casks bad
been taken for export at 112 It , and for August at
108 cash. In Flax nothing had been dote, and prices
were expected to decline. The supplies of hemp were
estimated at 1,300,000 ponds. There wore sellers of
this staple at previous rates ; but clean on contract
could not be secured under 87 It. cub, or 89 It. with
an advance. • The demand for bristles continued
unabated, with few arrivals. For grain and deals the
market wai dull. The post-office authorities had
given notice that the postal eommunicath.ta by steam
packets between St. Petersburg and Stettin will com-
mence on the 6th May, and be continued every fol-
lowing Saturday. The exchange on London was
quoted 38J. to 381 d.

Advicies hue been received frcm Adelaide, South
Australia, to the 17th of January. They are of a
most interesting character, inasmuch as they convey
the intelligence of the discovery of gold in several
districts; this had given rise to the formation of two
distinct companies; one en'itled the South Australian
Gold Company, in 1,600 shares, tho greater portion
of which had been taken up by the public. This
company bad secured twenty miles of water comae,
and had produced specimens ot the preolous metal found
in their recently acquired property. A genuine sample
from the chief diggins4 and washings on comparison
ith a sample of California gold dust, had been pro-
nounced by competent judgi s to bo at least equally as
pare. The whole line of Oukopuinga, in which dis-
trict the gold company of that name have their pro-
prrty, is said to xhibit auriferous deposits, and one
of the richest aectiou in Mount Barktr is the pro-