The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-19 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JULY 19, 1658.

IMPERIAL PARLIA_MEN T.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—(THIS DAY.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at 12 o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The Lords' amendments to the South-Eastern Rail-
way (Canterbury and Whitstable, Stc.), and Great
Western (Henley) B lls were considered and agreed to.
The Hall Dare's Estate, Castlemaine Estuary Recla-
mation, and Poulnasherry Inclosure Bills were read a
third time and passed.

The Jesus College Estate and Sergison's Estate Bills
were read a second time.

A great number of petitions were presented by vari-
ous hon. members in favour of the inspection of nunneries.
[urn SATING.]

STAMFORD RACES,

(THIS DAY.)

ORDER OF RUNNING.
Sweepstakes-2.45.
St. Leger-3.15.
Burghley* Stakes-4. O.
Handicap Plate-4.30.
ARRIVALS.—Sister to King of Troy and Nelly.

BANKRUPTCY COURT.-(THIS DAY.)

(Before Mr. Commissioner Holroyd.)

IN BE GIME.

FAILURE OF A GOVERNMENT CONTRACTOR.—This
bankrupt was described as of Chatham, carcase butcher,
&c., &c. To-day was appoint f.ar consideration of his
certificate. sr

The balance-sheet, prepared !).y lerssarS: Robinson and
Knowles, Ba.singhall-street, commences Jan. 7, 1852,
with a deficiency of 1071., the bankrupt having been a
loser on Government contraas. The bankrupt had made
purchases to the extent of nearly 15,0001. between
Janitaty and December, and had lost 7161. The present
debts amount to 1,034/. 3s. id. ; and to creditors fully
secured 1,8761. 4s. 6d. The assets are small.
There was no opposition. His Honour granted a
cextifica,te of the second class.

DECIMAL CURRENCY.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—With reference to some remarks upon a decimal
currency in your money article of yesterday, I beg to
remind your correspondent that the object of a coinage
is not to express with exactness any arbitrarily given
fraction ; but rather, to expreis fractions sufficiently
small for tbe convenient transaction of the monetary
concerns of life. This condition would be fulfilled by
some such scheme as the following, for instance :—Let
the present two shilling piece be the unit, composed of
tFent:,' (not twenty-four pence), each such penny to con-
lest of five farthings. To suit such a plan, no alteration
in our existing coinage would be needed, excepting in the
copper coins, while the derangement in existing mone-
tary contracts would be infinits;inally small.
I say nothing, of course, upon the general question of
the merits of c ay decimal system, as compared with our
present one ; because upon this point no man who has
ever thought five minutes on the subject can entertain a
doubt.--I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

H. W. MEA.bE KING.
liverpool, 16th July, 1853.

Loss,. MONIES.— Letters from San Francisco state
that Cola Montea bad arrived in California, and had
appeared on the stage there, in her favourite character
in Lot, c M 011165 rn Bacit',.e. Her success is described as
immense.
THE YELLOW FEVER.—SOUTHAMPTON, Ju)7 18.—The
total number of cases of yellow fever on board the
Orinoco,. which arrived from the West Indies on Sunday
evening, was 48, of which 14 proved fatal. The firs
case made its appearance on the day a:ter the ship N.-
rived at. St. Thomas, in the person of a seaman, and.
during the remainder of her stay, while waiting for the
intercolonial steamers, no less than 33 cases occurred.
These were confined to the seamen and stokers, with the
exception of a midshipman, Mr. Hey, and three engi-
neers. .fter leaving St. Thomas there were 15 fresh
cases, among whom was the servant of a French gentle-
man. The fore peak of the steamer was fitted up and
used as an hospital during the time the ship was in har-
bour at St. Thomas ; but on her leaving, the heat being
excessive from the closing of the porta, the medical
officer of the ship, Dr. Finlay, suggested the removal of
the sick on deck, and Captain Hast immediately ordered
a double awning to be spread on the fore part of the
spar deck, where, after their removal, the sufferers soon
felt the benefit of the change, which was attended by a
diminution of the sickness. The passengers and ship's
company, feeling that they were greatly indebted-to Dr.
Finlay for his kindness and humanity, presented that
gentleman with a very flattering address. It appears
that Dr. Finlay performed not only the immediate duties
of his office, but also those of nurse and constant attend-
ant on the sick, night and day, during the awful ravages
of the scourge. The Rev. John Freeman, of British
Guiana (a passenger by the Orinoco), was most assiduous
in affording spiritual consolation to the sick and dying,
and performing the last sad offices of committing the re-
mains of the departed to the deep. He also suggested,
after his sermon on Sunday, July 10, that a collection
should be made for the relief of the widows and families
of those who had died of the fever. The sum of 47/.
is. 6d. was accordingly subscribed, and placed in the
hands of Captain East for distribution among the sun
vivors.
4MSTERDAM AND ROTTERDAM PRODUCE MARKETS,—
The weekly reviews from the Amsterdam and Rotter-
dam produce markets state, that no material change had
occurred in business. Coffee was steady, but the trans-
actions bad been limited ; and sugar, raw and refined,
was in greater demand, with a tendency to improve-
ment. Indigo was maintained at firm prices ; dried
fruits were well supported; and the transactions in rice
had been more animated.
ROUEN.,—The letters from Rouen speak of dullness in
the market for manufactures, the unfavourable state of
the weather having generally checked business.
GREAT LUXEMBOURG COMPANY.—The seventh annual
report of this company, which is to hold its meeting in
Brussels, on the 22d inst., and in London on the 20th,
st des that all difficulties have been surmounted -and
nothing hinders the conclusion of the undertaking within
the time stipulated in the last convention made with the
Belgian Covesnment. The whole of the land required
for the line from Brussels to Namur has been purchase'at fair pieces. The men employed on the line are work-
ing in double bfgadee, and the works are pronounced
to be well executed. The directors make it appear that
they have saved the company 36,000/. in the purchasing
of rails, comparing the price with the present market
rates. A new ; ace from Namur to Arlon lias been de-
termined on in conjunction with the authorities ; the
distance is now reduced to 84 miles without a single
tunnel. Upon this trace the contractors are now at
work. The directors propose making another call of
11. in the course of the year, upon the 10/. s'x per cent.
guaranteed new shares.
CnomEu PHILANTHROPIC SOCIETY,—The tenth anni-
versary of this society was celebrated yesterday, when
upwards of 30 gentlemen sat down to dinner, at the
New Inn, Geavesend ' • Mr. John Moore in the char.
It appears that since the last report was published 1142.
has been distributed among a number of deserving per-
sons, many of whom have thus been saved the humilia-
tion of appealing to the parish for relief. The :and
raised by means of small weekly contributions from thc
members, who hold periodical meetings at the Boot,
which, in " Barnaby Rudge" (1775), is described as "a
lone house of public entertainment in the fields at the
back of the Foundling Hospital."
SOCIETY FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF VICE.—At the
annual meeting of this society held at the offices, No.
57, Lincoln's-inn-fields, Lord Robert Grosvenor in the
Chair, the report of the committee, detailing the opera-
Vons of the society for the past year, was read by the
secretary, Mr. Pritchard. It commenced by a state-
ment of the efforts made to obtain the introduction of a
bill for the suppression of betting-offices, a subject which
engaged the attention of the committee at the begle-
ning of the year. Several interviews took place with
Mr. Walpole and Lord Palmerston, with a view to
promote this object, and it was with great satisfaction
that the committee now saw the si'bject taken up by the
Government, and a bill brought in to suppress the
nuisance. During the past year there have been seven
prosecufons of persons for selling obscene and licen-
tious books, and several seizures have been made on
the premises of parties trading in these infamous pub-
lications. In proof of the good reevlts of the society's
exei Lions, it may be mentioned that since the year
1838, seizurea of immoral works to the following extent
have been made, viz.:--117,509 obscene prints and pic-
tures, 12,919 hooka filled with abominable engravings,
five tons of letterpress of the same character, besides a
quantity of blasphemous publications ;" 4,594 sheets of
obscene songs and handbills; 3,398 cards, snuff-boxes,
and other articles ; 816 copper plates, 80 wood blocks,
11 printing presses, with type and stereotype. The re-
port further stated that the periodical inspections, from
which co much good has resulted, have been continued,
and all the shops believed to engage in the traffic are
now under the notice of:. the society ; there are not more

than 21 in number, although nerly. 300 have been uncle;
the surveillance of the scciety since 1833. The receipts
for the year from donations and subscriptions, and in-
cluding a legacy of 5451., have been 1,0031. 4s. 3d.; and
deducting the e.upendUrre for the same peviod, there re-
mains a balance iz hand of 351. 13s. 9d. Mrch satis-
faction was expressel at the tenour of tie repo: which
was unan.mously adopted. The officers for the yer?
were then re-elected, and, after some routine business, '
the proceed.ngs terminated. _

COUNTY OF THE TOWN OF DROGHEDA.—The
joined notice of motion has been given in the House of
Commons by the member for Diogheda. Through a
_ _

non-representation of the wish-'s of the inhabitant; for
an additional member in 1832, it was considered that

the commercial, manufacturing, and maritime interests
of the populous borough were unjustly overlooked. In
consequence, petitions emanating from late meetings of
the corporation and the inhabitants at large have been
presented to Parliament. It would, however, we con-
ceive, be expedient for the hon. member to defer this
question unt:l next session, when the introduction of a
new Reform Bill will aftbrd a fair opportunity for a con-
sideration of the cla'nis of Drogheda, as it is not pro-
bable that any local arrangements with regard to seats
will be made during the preJent session :—" That one
of the existing vacancies in the Imperial Representation
be given to the county of the town of Drogheda, so that
it may exercise the privilege of returning an additional
member, and thereby obtain a more adequate and just
representation of its increased trade and commerce."