The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-12 00:00:00

BIRMINGHAM, JAN. 11

STOCK EXCHANGE.—The market here still remains dull,
the continued wet weather causing prices to decline.
Shrewsbury and Birmingham stock was done at 67.

HEALTH OF LONDON DURING THE WEEK.—The official
report says—The total number of deaths registered in
the metropolitan districts in the week that ended last
Saturday was 965. In the ten corresponding weeks of
the years 1843-52 the average. number was 1,145, which,
if raised in proportion to the increase of population during
these years, gives a mortality of 1,260 for the present
time. Therefore the deaths returned last week exhibit
a reduction of 295 on the estimated amount. At the
Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean height of the
barometer in the week was 29.485 in. The mean tem-
perature of the week was 45.3 de..., which is 9.7 deg.
above the average of the same week in 38 years. The
mean daily temperature was much above the average on
every day of the week. It was highest on Sunday,
when it was 48.9 deg., or 12.6 deg. above the average,
and on the following days the excess was, successively
7.7 deg., 11.3 deg. 9.7 deg., 7.2 deg., 11.4 deg., and
8.3 deg. The win(lllew from the south or south-west.
The amount of rain that fell in the week was 0.71. in.
The di Terence between the dew point temperature tend
air temperature was 5.8 deg.
CONFERENCE OP THE FRIEND 3 OF PEACE.—It is in-
tended to hold a general confi.:rence of the friends of
international arbitration a-ad peace, at Manehester, on
the 27th and 28th of this month. As it is proposed that
this meeting should mainly consist of gentlemen inte-
rested in the progress of the above objects, from various
parts of the United Kingdom, the attention of the con-
ference is to be principally directed to the consideration
of our own national policy at home and abroad, as it
affects questions of peace and war, with a reference also
to the character and probable effects of the recent law
for the enrolment of the militia. The following members
of parliament are enrolledlon the list of those promoting
this conference :—Messrs. George Hadfield, John Bright,
Thomas Milner Gibson, Richard Cobden, Charles Hind-
ley, Edward Mall, J. B. Smith, W. Ewart, Apsley
Pellatt, James Kershaw, Joseph Brotherton, James
Bell, John M`Gregor, Joseph Crook, W. P. Price,
Samuel Carter, Frank Crossley, and Lawrence Hey-
worth.
PORTUGUESE MEASURES FOR RELIEVING THE Drs:
TRESS IN MADEIRA.—The following documents from the
Board of Trade were received by the secretaries of the
Manchester Chamber of Commerce and Commercial As-
sociation yesterday morning :—" Office of Committee of
Privy Council for Trade, Whitehall, 10th of January,
1853. Sir,—l am directed by the Lords of the Commit-
tee oflPrivy Councill for Trade to transmit toyort for the
ififorniation of the Chamber of Commerce • at Manchester,
the enclosed translation of a decree published by the
Portuguese Government, having for its object the alle-
viation of the distress in the island of Madeira, conoe-
quent on the vine disease. I am, Sir,,. your obedient,
servant, J. EMERSON TENNENT. The Secretary, Cham-
ber of Commerce, Manchester.7---(Tra,nslation.) Finance
Department.—Having taken into consideration tha ex-
ceptional circumstances in which the island of Madeira
is at present placed, and being desirous of alleviating,
by all the means within my reach, the evils which
afflict its population, I am pleased, in accordance
with the representation of the commission appointed to
consult with respect to the best means of providing
against the injuries proceeding from the disease which
has attacked the vines in that island, to decree the.fol-
lowing :—Art 1. All merchant vessels, whether pro-
pelled by sails or steam, calling at Funchal inerelyfrom
fe
supplies,'or to land passengers, shall be exempted
payment of Custom-house clearances, as wellv
, frnts.
m
the charges for the health office and Government
Art. 2. Potatoes and pearl barley shall be admitted free
of duty through the Custom-house at Funchal. Art 3.
The import duty on salt fish, at the Custom-house at
Funchal, is reduced to'ls per cent. ad valorem. Art. 4..
The favours mentioned in the second and third articles
are granted for the term of one year, to be reckoned
from the day on which this decree shall begin to be car-
ried into effect. Art. 5. All legislation to the contrary
is revoked. Art. 6. The Government will render an ac-
count to the Cortes, on their next assembly, of the dis-
positions contained in the present decree.—Palace of
Necessidades, 12th November, 1852.—Signed by the
Queen ; countersigned by all the ministers.
NUMEROUS AND EXTENSIVE FIRES.—For about SIX
hours yesterday morning the engines and firemen of the
London Brigade were called into use in different parts
of London, and a great loss of property ensued. lit a
licensed victualler's, the Royal Tent, Silver-street, • Gol-
den-square, about 4 o'clock, the back rooms Lln three
floors, with their contents, destroyed, most ,the roof
off, and other parts of the h
lr,
house and furniture seriously:_e
damaged. The landlord, Wilcox, insured in h
Monarch-office. Two houses. t
adjoining, Messrs. HiOgg
and Stratten, butchers, backs of houses and roofs da-
maged,
and contents by water • the two latter families;not insured ; cause of fire unknown.' Parliament-wharf,Messrs. Radford and Co. • Lobbies on the wharf damaged,
)y fire 9 -

• 0, Union-place, -Tabernacle-square. Old-street,
louse of Mr. Rowlandson, paperhanger : The partition
between shop and counting-house destroyed, shop stock

amaged,
and upper part of house and furniture by

smoke—Cause unknown ,• insured in the Royal Exchange
and Monarch offices. No. 1, Bell-alley, Golden-lane,
house of Mr. Carter ; The bed and bedding on the first
floor destroyed from a spark of a candle—Not insureid•
10, Ray-street, Clerkenwell : Slight damage done to the
house and furniture of Mr. Hildich, boot-maker,
Cornwall-road, Lambeth : House of
Mr.
trijoyeee'd, and
floor, back room—not insured ; 51, White Horses-sefaet,
._.4,
frame maker, front room on first floor,
other damage—not insured—caused by
stove, berry wines ex-
SHERRY WINES.—A return of the samount to have
ported during the past year shows
ti 161,622 from Fort St.
been 20,532 butts from Xeres, findl.
in Xeres were'—P.
Mary's. The largest shippeercc:
2,487 butts ; P.lt3eig-
Garvey, 2,548 butts ;
P.
M;tsin ; Gonzalez and Duhcsc,
beder and Co., 2,0:17 and ,544 butts ; Gordon
1,606 butts ; Pemart'uifisa, and Co.,'Bertemati, I,ISI butts ;
a stipeasrk from the
and Co., 1,256 butts ;
815 butts ; Haurie Nephew, 671
1,C07,5 butts ; Simon de la Sierra, 943
udez and Co., 654 butts ; F. W.
Berm
butts ; Widow
621 butts , D.Goni,
• 509 butts. From Port St.
Cosens,
bBc)utnt's a,nßd
largest were—J. W. Burdon. 2,518 butt,t,'• i
buttsfPa;naur and:
IY-te hrspeellasio.atinasdid C. 0., 2,506 butts ; Duff Gordon and
.Gva
es srigroati,.al; 391014 buttsbutt s t
and Co 1
Widow Harmony and Co., 751 butts'; 11. and F. Tozar,
750 butts ;
Co., '2,lo6butts.;, M.oo3raB,
J. M. Pico, 711 butts ; W. Oldham, 611
butts. All other shippers were under 500 butts each.
Mousley