The Sun.
London, England, 1853-12-03 00:00:00

Cotton

Sheep's wool .... ~
lbs. 70,336,038 .....375,042
... 94,045,710
The total declared value of all the exports amounted
to 6,168,0261., which, as compared with the like month
of last year, shows an increase of 1,312,360/.

THE IVAR IN THE EAST.

(From, the now.)

By the latest intelligence from the banks of the
Danube, we are informed that the Turks made an ad-
vance from Kalafat on the 25th ult., and constructed a
large intrenched camp at a point about 12 miles distant
from the river, in the direction of Krajova. Nothing
can better illustrate the uncertainty of the reports from
these parts than the announcement now made. For
some days past we have been positively assured that the
retirement of the Turks from Oltenitza had been fol-
lowed by the evacuation of all their posts on the left
bank of the stream, and, though it was admitted at first
that Kalafat formed an exception, and was still held by
a detachment of the Ottoman army, we are told no later
than Tuesday last, that this position had also been
partially abandoned, that 8,000 of its garrison had re-
crossed the Danube to Widdin, and that the Turks were
undoubtedly concerting a general retreat to Bulgaria.
This retreat is now converted into an advance, and, so
far is Omer Pasha from designing to evacuate Wallachia
that he has marched, it is said, some distance up the
country, and has established a fortified camp capable of
holding three times the number of his force which was
so successful at Oltenitza.

Though we have reason to believe in the authenticity
of this latter statement, it is no more than prudent to
reserve our conclusions for a time ; but, if the intelli-
gence before us is correct, it certainly discloses inten-
tions on the part of the Turks of very material impor-
tance. It is true that the advance of 12 miles is not
considerable, and that the construction of a camp might
appear to indicate designs rather of passive than of ac-
tive operations. Still, if the plans of the Turkish com-
mander involved nothing more than the mere mainte-
nance of a position near Lesser Wallachia, it is difficult
to see bow his new camp could offer much improvement
on the strong and convenient post which he already
occupied at Kalafat ; and in any case it is clear that he
neither intends to remain inactive, nor to retire altoge-
ther before the assembling forces of Prince Gortschakoff.
At some future time we shall probably learn more dis-
tinctly with what motives both Turks and Rus-
sians have continued so long without any material
movement in this part of the principalities. Accord-
ing to the best of our information, strong divisions of
the two armies must have confronted each other at
Kalafat and Krajova ever since the close of October,
whereas, excepting some accidental skirmishing at the
first passage of the river, we have heard of no operation
in this quarter until the present movement. General
Dannenberg, who at one time commanded the Russian
force between Krajova and Slatina, left, we are told, to
assist at the attack on Oltenitza, but it does not appear
that he took with him any considerable body of troops,
and it is certainly remarkable both that the Turks at
Kalafat should have abstained from attempting any
diversion during the protracted conflicts at Oltenitza
and Giurgevo, and that the Russians, after acquiring at
length the ascendancy at the two latter points,, should
have directed no operations against Kalafat.
Now, however, if our intelligence is trustworthy,
affairs in these parts seem to be undergoing a change,
and we must needs conclude that the advance from
Kalafat is preliminary to some operations of a more de-
cisive character. This much, at any rate, is plain, that
not only the war, but the campaign, is to be prosecuted
without intermission, and we may, perhaps, hear,
when Prince Gortschakoff's reserves have conic
up, of a grand attack upon the Ottoman positions
in Lesser Wallachia. What may be the result of
this conflict can, of course, be only conjectured,
but, from the details of the battle of Oltenitza, which
have at length reached us in a well-authenticated shape
from eye-witnesses of the engagement, it is impossible
not to infer that the Russians may encounter a most for-
midable opposition. We now know that a force of at least
8,000 Russians was repulsed with serious loss by some
3,000 or 4,000 intrenched Turks. The stories of the
bayonet-charges and the close fighting of the troops
prove to be pure fabrications. Our correspondent,
whose account of the battle we published on Wednes-
day, says that the Russians could never get within 100
yards of the Turkish works, and Omer Pasha himself, in
his well-written official despatch to the Ottoman govern.
ment, describes the enemy only as "advancing with cool-
ness and resolution almost to the brink of of the trench."
But this, though it does not quite prove that Turks are
a match for the Russians in the qualities demanded for
the manoeuvres of a pitched battle, prove, at any rate,
that Omer Pasha can take up such positions as are invin-
cible against double his numbers under Prince Gorts-
chakoff. These very tactics he seems now to be pursu-
ing in Lesser Wallachia. _ .

As further evidence of the unremitting energy with
which hostilities are continued, we receive a succession
of interesting reports from Giurgevo. This, it will be
remembered, is the fort opposite that of Rustchuk, and
the only point at which the Turks, at the opening of the
campaign, failed to accomplish the passage of the Danube.
They never, however, entirely relinquished the attempt,
but maintained themselves for some time on an island
in the stream, half-way between the two forts. This
positions
the Russian repeatedly and at last successfully
attacked ; but on the 21st ult., as we are informed, the
Turks recovered the island and held it, in spite of two
distinct assaults, until the 24th, when the Russians once
more got possession of it. The desperate fighting at
this point indicates that both parties foresee events in
which its importance would be extreme. Whether the
Turks desire to secure the position for an attack still
contemplated upon Giurjevo and Bucharest, or whether,
as is perhaps more likely, the Russians wished ti estab-
lish at this point an available communication with the
right bank, we do not stop to conjecture, but in either
case it is plain that no intermission of hostilities is at
present probable.
This, in fact, unless an armistice can be imposed upon
the combatants by the mediation of independent Powers,
is the conclusion to which all the intelligence of the
last few days unavoidably conducts us. The "whole of
the Polish army"—that is to say, of the Russian force
quartered in that part of the Imperial dominions—is
reported to be under orders for the Principalities, a cir-
cumstance -which must necessarily betoken on the part
of the Czar a resolution of continuing the war to extre-
mities, since months must elapse before troops
hlead
vancing from the Polish provinces could be available
for operations on the Danube, On the other sit ao
though no considerable Turkish reserves are known
,ttie
exist, the army of Omer Pasha has suffered asuyet_b in
from the campaign ; it is flushed with unexpe
arch exPeri-
and, if the Russian reserves now on theto triw‘
ich Prince
ted success,
ence any such decimations as those to
Gortechakoff's division is said to have b
the belligerent
exposed,n it is
possibily that the disparity
between
considerably less
forces, even some time hence, Y
than the results of former Pin
excoensider, upon the whole/
hulttriorn:hsausces
rlence would have sug-
gested. We cannot, indueerd,.
that the quality of the Turkish
we see bow to reyceotnh;ileensueuch-
ith the
ficiently approved,
a conclusion as than! nor do
Russian empire ; but ituinswobsv,i)ous
known power of thokslcu"
that Omer Pasha lo
and that he intends to bring these..
with some confidence
chanceshi to
prospects,
the test of trial.r
some misgivings or some pacific dis-
ould have
have argued eeitl:peart of the Porte, while
position pwretext for
Russians of any
advanceimmehdisiatelt
of the
deprivedelliteli
g the state of war ; but t
Turks towards Krajova, coupled with .
their activity
ine
Turks
the whole is evidence
_th. at
aka],
' only yat the beginning of the Wallachian
we are
campaign. ----,---..---..---,...

SOUTH WARWICKSHIRE ELECTION.—Sir W. E. C.
Efartopp, Bart., the High Sheriff, has fixed Saturday
next, the 3d inst., for the election of a representative
for the southern division of the county of Warwick, a
vacancy having occurred by the elevation of the late
member, Lord Brooke, to the peerage, by the title of
the Earl of Warwick. The only candidate at present
in the field is Mr. Evelyn P. Shirley, on the Conserva
tive interest, and there appears to be every probability
that he will be returned unopposed.
ROYAL SAPPERS AND MINERS.—WOOLWICH)
—One serjeant, three corporals, and six privates DEC.D -•
ix privates of this
corps are under orders to embark fora passage to Au.
stralia, where they are to be employed as coiners in the
Mint established in that country. The non-commissioned
officers and privates have been selected for this special
service owing to their intelligence and
general good con-
duct, and have for several months past been employed
at the Mint in London, in acquiring a thorough know-
ledge of the art of coining the current coin of this
country.

THE CORPORATION OF LONDON.

( From the Morning Chronicle.)

An act of Parliament, passed five centuries ago, after
stating in its preamble that the "errors, defaults, and
misprisions notoriously used in the City of London, for de-
fault of good governance, by the Mayor, Sheriffs, and Al-
dermen, could not be inquired nor found by people of th•
same city," proceeded to enact that the corporation should
forthwith amend its behaviour, under penalty of fines for
the first and second default, and of disfranchisement for
the third. Provision was further made that "it should be
begun to inquire upon them at St. Michael next coming,
so that, if they did not afford due redress, it should be in-
quired of their defaults by inquests of people of foreign
counties," which " foreign counties" the statute then enu-
merates. Surrey, however, is not mentioned, which is
somewhat singular, especially as Sussex has a place in the
list. The omission may perhaps be partially accounted
for by the fact that the only portion of the metropolis
which then existed on the Surrey side of the river, being
(as it still is) in an anomalous species of vassalage to the
City, could not supply an independent tribunal ; whilst
the rural parts of the county had not at that period at-
tained any great commercial importance. On the connec-
tion existing between London and Southwark we now pro-
pose to make a few remarks, leaving those who are so in-
clined to speculate on the possibility of some analogy being
discoverable between the ' errors, defaults, and mispri-
sions" of the fourteenth century and those of the nine-
teenth, as well as the difference between an inquiry before
the Commissioners of Edward 111. and those of her pre.
sent Majesty.

The suzerainty enjoyed by the City over the Borough,
originally established by a charter of Edward 1., and con-
firmed in several succeeding reigns, was extended to its
present limits by Edward VL—who, in consideration of
a sum of 6471.25. ld., added to the former grant a convey-
ance of all the property of the Crown situate within the
borough (excepting certain specified tenements) together
" with the lordship and borough late the possession of the
Archbishop of Canterbury." For 500 marks more, seig-
niorial rights and a considerable extent of legal jurisdiction
were also conceded ; and the powers which the corporation
thus acquired by bargain and sale—on terms which were
fair enough, according to the estimate of the times in
which the transaction took place—have not been suffered
to become obsolete by non-user. Mr. Pocock, one of the
speakers at the meeting of the inhabitants of Southwark
on Friday last, states that he has resided in the borough
more than fifty years, and has been repeatedly summoned,
by the Lord Mayor's precept, to serve on grand and petty
juries • and another gentleman complains that he and his
neighbours are required to attend Corporation Courts, only
"to be toll that there is no business for them to do, and
that they may quietly retire to discharge their own," but
that they are nevertheless fined if they disobey the man-
date. From a third speaker, we learn that the City has
disposed of the meterage of the borough "in what they
call offices"—a purely technical term, which, when em-
ployed in connection .with coal and corn duties, may be
said to derive its signification from the Latin verb officio,
" to obstruct or annoy"— and that it has monopolised the
entire csntrol of the river, in which the inhabitants of
the southern shore have an equal interest with the citi-
zens. A member of the medical profession, who also
attended the meeting, dwelt on a grievance of a dif-
ferent character—stating that the governing body.
had wholly neglected the duty of cleansing streets and im-
proving drainage, as well as of taking other precautions
against infectious disease. The complaint, though b c:
y la
means unfounded, was, perhaps, in one respect, somewhat
unreasonable—for " charity begins at home," :and the pa-
gtrroenats of Smithfield minitthhfieelrcelmcaoyi
nanootfbnenei xaapenccets. It is a
ed
to
act
that
an any, by
an old statute of Henry VII., the slaughter of cattle with-
in the walls of London was forbidden,as a practice " al-
lowed in few noble cities and towns,avoer none within Chris-
tendom, where travelling men h
should " engender sickness, to the destarubocntiredon''o' fle,s,tthist
people ;" but the penalties which that act imposed—viz.,
xij pence for an ox, and viij pence for a cow or other beast,
killed iu violation of its provisions—have since been re-
placed by a table of tells, more advantageous to the go-
verning body, if not to those over whom their jurisdiction
extends. Probably, there is no part of the metropolis
which so much requires improvement as Southwark ; but
there are reasons which render it very
improbable that the
corporation, as at present constituted, will be inclined to
contribute for such purposes any large
portion of the vast
funds at its disposal.
We have already referred to the manner in which the
' Borough became in a certain sense, the property of the
City ; and, at first,
nised the principle that property has its duties as
thew a st
its rights. Before the close of the year in which
for the wardn
the corporation practically rere g..
from Edward VI. was obtained, aid
of the other districts ; and,
according
to the Common Council.
of Bridge-Without took his seat with South-
wark'itahgettoheasrentoprewese,nfetive
at one period Without was restricted
In course of time, however, Bridge_
old London-bridge ; and on
to certain houses at the foot of .
sent deputies
no houses in the corres-
ponding position,
the erection o
against which we
,Wwilthhout
dignities became a sinecure,
much resembling those a
re marked in our Clergy Lists. sea,
agent Con-ItimPta per mare in the present case, not the
agent of destructionw
the constituency was swal-
but the river ; andalthough
fane
wßribrdingdecgieent
suffered any similar catastrophe. To
belonging to the office .
Or Alderman is his turn may re-
tirelowed up, we are not awarethattheinfluenceand patronage
Bridge Without each seni
and may enjoy that repose
which digestive powers imp
whenever a vacancy
a right to demand. occurs,
in the public service have
b y the position in which
The inhabitants of Southwark not unnaturally feel
themselves somewhat aggrieve(l
they are
placed. They entertain a very reasonable objec-
tion to taxation without representation ; and they fairly
inquire why their own borough should be " left behind in
the march of improvement,' now that Manchester and
they to seek an entire dissolution
ought Birmingham have obtained municipal institutions. On the
question whether
of partnership with the City, or a maintenance of the pre-
sent connection with a more just and equal distribution of
power,
there was some difference of opinion in the meet-
ing; but the majority were of opinion that the latter al-
ternative would be the more desirable. The attendance,
however, was not sufficiently large to render the resolution
subsequent
the
u ea
which was ultimately passed a decided indication of the
public feeling of the Borough ; and this is scarcely to be
regrettotebdj
e,
esince,in
astcheer t presentain
facts,s tageof the
inquiry,leaving
for
considet
oration the legislative measures which it maybe de-
On one le
pointp
only we can speak without hesitation.
E
age of tke day,
a ~esrnyta
sira sd.
baepptheaorrsoitioghbley,
sifted, and
language
either converted
vinhißgetm hsatt
into a reality, or altogether got rid of. 0 n
Friday._ln ques
mustr nen—ntoo
ltoaukge
ear nbeexamp compelledl e from t 0 thewaste
s evidenceteth e
ir
time in attending purely
formal meetings. As matters stand, they are bound to
lieve them of that trouble, peace,
i t
yhiesynaort
assist in maintaining the Queen's
the common ground of the' rr peace, but the police re-
useirhedeatouposeen,tbhuatt
there is a salaried cenrecrog
surveyor far more competent to deal with
such matters. They are enjoined to examine weights and
measures, but there inspector paid to do the work.
And lastly, is an
they are directed to prevent those who are not
freemen from opening shops in the city; but this, so far
as it is done at all, is done by the Court of Aldermen and
the ward beadles. Navigation Committees, again, Fist
not in future consist of twenty persons, " florist(/' whom
have any knowledge of the river beyond what
ofl yu•ffihs
picked up as committee-men ;" and the ulanmesod„f pay.
cers
—or their fees, if it be necessary to retain seoportionea to
merit so objectionable—must be honestlye per,
a not to the
the value of the services which they n
for theirplaces, or to
price which they can afford to pay .
s with the dispensers of
the influence which they possess with
will cordially
patronage. We hope that thescooropo
obviously expedient ;
co-operate in effecting reforms
the resolution recently
and we observed with P
in which they express
court of Alderman,
agrd to by the
the inquiry now proceeding, and their
their desire to assist,
documents and information
supply ' all the
willingness to
y acting in accordance with thia deter-
in their Power
'll best discharge their duty to the public,
urination they wi •
whilst they wlll secure a favourable consideration for sunk
i .
evidence &15 I may
t be in their power to produce.
P