The Sun.
London, England, 1853-11-21 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 21, 1853.

descending into the hold of the vessel with the meter. 1
The meter stands with a shovel in his hand. Two
porters hold the bushel and force it into the bulk of corn,
the meter filling it simultaneously with his shovel. A
third porter holds the sack whilst the first two porters
fill it, one of them strikes the bushel, the meter at the
same time taking tally with a chalk mark on his shovel.
Three, four, or five other porters are on deck to hoist
the sack up out of the hold of the ship into the barge.
" That in cases where corn is delivered out of granary,
and a City admeasurement is required, an order is given
to the buyer, who applies for and proceeds with a meter
and three or more porters to the granary. The meter
and porters merely fill and strike the bushel and fill the
1 sacks, leaving the remainder of the labour and the deli-
very to be performed by the granary keeper, and for this
metage, ex granary, a charge of about 2id. per quarter
is made.
" That the following are the rates of charge for metage,
&c.,.. in several of the outports of the United Kingdom.
IN o doubt in many instances the same objectionable sys-
tem prevails as in the port of London, for it must be
apparent that corn can be measured for id. per quarter
I as well at most if not all the other ports of the United
Kingdom, as at Wakefield, Bristol, Plymouth, Ports-
mouth, or Lynn.
"Liver pool.—Metage and porterage, 2d uarter.
. per q
" Ditto.— Weighing, -&d. per quarter.
" Wakefield.—Metage and weighing, id. per gum ter.
"Bristol.—Metage alone, id. per quarter.
" Gloucester.—Metage, with trimming, bagholding,
weighing, and landing, 2,i,d. per quarter.
"Ipswich.—Metage and porterage, 1 1-sd. per quar-

ter.
" Ditto.—lf weighed, in all, 11d. per quarter.
Wisbeach.-IVletage and porterage, about 11d. per
Quarter. If weighed, 31d. per 10 quarters extra.
Boston.—Metage and porterage, wheat, 2d. ; oats,
Id. per quarter.
" Portsmouth.—Metage, ld. per quarter ; sackhold-
ing, 6d. per 20 quarters.
• Plymouth.—Metage, bagholding, and weighing,
ld.; delivering over ships' side, id. per quarter.
" Lynn.—Metage and tumbling, per ten quarters, 6d.
"Southampton.—Metage and porterage, about 1g d.
per quarter.

- "Hull.—Metage, labour, and weighing, 27-10 d. per
quarter.

" Glasgow.—Measuring and porterage, 2id. per
qaarter. _

- "That it is the dnty of the master and crew of every
vessel arriving at any port of the United Kingdom,
pursuant to the ordinary terms of the charter-parties
and bills of lading in use amongst merchants, to assist in
the delivery of all cargoes entrusted to their care ; and
in the port of London all goods, including even flour,
except corn are delivered by, or at the expense of the
captain ; and it is obvious from this, that the practice
which has prevailed (however originating) with respect
to corn, has imposed upon the merchants and consignees
of the city of London a burden and expense which does
not of right belong to them, and which has tended, and
is continuing, to divert business from this port ; and, in
fact, a very large quantity of corn is now brought to
London by railways, chiefly to avoid the heavy charge
of metage.
" That as evidence of the result of the charge for met-
age ex granary, and in support of the general views of
the trade on the entire effect of the system complained
of, it should be added, that from 20,000 to 30,000
quarters of grain were only a few years since measured
ex granary, in the port of London, by sworn meters,
whilst not more 2,000 quarters are now so measured.
"That there is no doubt that if the merchants and
factors engaged in the corn trade in the city of London
were left quite unfettered to make their own arrange-
ments with respect to the measuring and delivering of
corn, they could procure responsible parties to perform
the whole for 11d. per quarter ex ship, and id. per
quarter ex granary. The committee, however, desiring
to take an extremely liberal view of the remuneration to
be paid for the work done, and having regard to the
guarantee afforded by the superintendence of the city of
London, recommend that the present numerous charges,
amounting in the whole to the before-mentioned sum of
about 4d. per quarter ex ship, and 2/d. ex granary, should
be reduced to 2d. per quarter on heavy grain, and 10.
on light grain ex ship, and lld on heavy grain, and ld.
on light grain ex granary, to be paid by the importer or
seller, thus avoiding the great expense and trouble of
collection from buyers in all parts of the country.
"That as the result of the elaborate and expensive
manner in which the privileges claimed are carried into
effect, a profit income, as the committee are assured, of
from 15,0001. to 20,0001. a year, is derived by the
corporation ; and however meritoriously this annual
sum may be applied, it is submitted that the levying
of any such impost, even if sustainable in a point of
law, is wrong in principle and prejudicial in effect,
amounting, in fact, to a tax on the consumers of grain
throughout the most populous part of the United
Kingdom, and further it is submitted that the charge
complained of can only be sustained as a reasonable
compensation for the measuring, to perform which the
corporation claim the exclusive right, and that any
charge beyond such reasonable amount could not be en-
forced in a court of justice.
" This committee, however, wish to express in the
i strongest manner their confident hope that the corpora-
tion, by voluntarily reducing the charge to the amount
above suggested, as enough and more than enough am-
ply to pay for the services rendered, will themselves do
justice to all parties concerned.
" Dated the 11th day of January, 1853.
(Signed) " Daniel Birkett, Edward Hales, John Gar.
ford, Robert Wright, John Hutchinson,
W. Bardgett, Millis Coventry, John John-
son, K. Kingsford, James Giles."
Such was the statement of the grievances of the corn
trade, and after all this correspondence matters still re-
mained as they were before. The last letter received by
the committee of the trade from the corporation was
dated April, 1853 ; but the committee had not taken
any further step since then, their reason being that they
knew the present commission was to be appointed, and
the corn trade wished for the present to delay pushing
matters to extremities, as they had intended to do. In
fact, they had intended (and, if necessary, they would
still persevere in the intention), to adopt a similar course
to that which had been pursued by Messrs. Combe and
Delafield, viz., they would not refuse to pay the dues
altogether, but would tender payment of what they
considered to be a reasonable amount, and leave the
City, if it declined to accept it, to show its right to
exact the full amount of its claim. With regard to the
fellowship of City porters, it used to consist of about
3,000 men, for many of whom there often was very
little employment, and the body is very distressed, and
has for some time past been sinking into decay. The re-
cent active demand for labour in other branches of busi-
ness has also induced many of them to leave so precari-
ous a calling, and they are not to be found now on the
banks of the river. The various dock companies of
London succeeded in excluding the fellowship porters
from their premises, but when they accomplished this
the dock companies themselves created as great a mono-
poly as the City had exercised, because when they shut
out the City porters they charged the same rates of por-
terage within the docks as the fellowship porters do ;
and now the docks pay men ld. per quarter of corn for
doing the work, while their charge to merchants is 3d.
per quarter.
The Chairman—ls there any advantage in placing the
metage in the hands of the City corporation ?
Mr. Hales—There is. The import of foreign corn
into the city of London is now as great as the quantity
imported into the whole kingdom was formerly, and this
year it will amount to four million quarters. I believe
the fellowship-porters have at last been thrown over-
board by the corporation, which tells us now that we
can employ anybody that we please. The charges for
metage and porterage are usually made together, but I
do not think that the City claim to both charges rests
on the same footing. The fellowship porters were ap-
pointed by an act of the corporation two hundred years
ago.te I think it would be satisfactory to the trade of
City if the corporation still retained the supervision
of the metage of corn, because it is desirable that the
to have meters authenticated
quantities should be certified as between buyer and seller
by an independent public
publicwant,
bodyin fact,
o f
credit. I think,
be exercised by private
vt
ihdaut a
lthes
I think
the ought t
desiree
of the trade is that the City should mete all corn, and
that if they have not the rigt now to do so, they should
beTvheestcedhawirimthasnu_chuaavigrignht.re
,gard to caseyslu havei
tt kethatoef
the Messrs. Combe and Delafield,would
metage so regulated that parties mightableo beto t
th
e 2
refuse
or to accept the metage as their own intrests die
Mr. Hales--I would ; but I would have
ittosohraevgeultahteeidr
as it would be the interest of all parties
corn meted by the City, and I believe thatinth
of
the case of
foreign imported corn particularly, nine-tenths
traded would desire to have it meted by an independent
authority, even if the charge were somewhat higher than
it is. (The witness then went into evidence to show
that the metage dues of the city of London tended to re-
strict the trade, not only of London, but of the country
at large ; and read letters from his own correspondents
at Plymouth, Boston, and other outports, in which the
me of a theg aex-
cessive stated that they were prevented from sending
many cargoesand x
extravagant
vgargaai
porterage.) He then continued—ln regard to foreign
nnttcohaLrogneds reasonoenxacbtyedfo
corn, I would have the metage by
pulsory. The Board of Customs in London takes the
the city made com-
City meters' measurements, but in the outports the Cus-
toms mete the corn by their own officers, in which case,
however, the work is very wretchedly done. The City
charges are ingeniously amalgamated, but I believe the
City meters receive three' farthiNg per quarter for work
performed, and the City authorities receive another three
farthings, or rather more, for doing nothing. With re-
gard to the dock companies again, they profess to take
in a large ship and dock and undock her for the sum of
10s. 6d. • but it is clear that that amount can never pay
them, and that the dock companies must look to the por-
terage charges to remunerate them.
Mr. C. Lewis— Do you think it likely that if the rates
of the City porters were reduced, the porterage of the
docks would also be lowered ?
Mr. Hales—l think it would be so.
The next witness examined was
Bank of L.K2nsglaynedar.s.
Mr. T. Hankey, who stated—l am a merchant of the
citywar
_osf Lo_ondon, where I have carried on business for up-
wards
have
et
neveryear resided
swi
da
es d i governorn the
City, of
andthe
neither myself noro any of my artners has ever beencon-
merochrpaonrtastioofnthe
nected with the
affairs of ocfhtaliirenicaourp_orTa of
City the
take city.
anySciamrrcteliyu any
of the leading
Chairman—To do you attribute their indis-
position Mr. Hankey—lt arises partly becauseth the great mer-
city, and partly
chants heave ceased to reside in
from the onerous nature of the dutiees ts..ched to the
higher offices in the corporation. Theatautmleasaiosfteitihael
I aldermen, for instance, are so mixed up with

and other functions, occupying so large a portion of a
person's time, that a merchant could not feel justified in
undertaking them.
The Chairman--Do you think it desirable that any
attempt should be made to connect more closely with
the corporation the great mercantile body in the city of
London ?
Mr. Hankey—lt has always appeared to me to be
matter for regret that the merchants, as a body, have
no voice and take no part in the management of the
corporate affairs of the town with which they are so
intimately connected, and in which they carry on their
business.
The Chairman—Can you suggest any means by which
the great merchants would be likely to be induced to take
a greater interest in the management of the affairs of
the corporation ?
Mr. Hankey—l do not think the merchants would
ever be willing to take part in the corporation as its
affairs are at present conducted. They consider that
there are many abuses connected with the corporation,
and whilst the parties who hold its principal offices con-
sist chiefly of the class of small retail traders, who are
now ambitious to fill such situations, I do not think the
leading merchants would be disposed to share in the
exercise of municipal duties. No indisposition is, how-
ever, shown by the leading merchants to act as income-
tax commissioners, or as churchwardens, or to fill other
parochial offices in they respective districts where they
reside ; and I do not, therefore, see any insuperable
reason why the great merchants of London should be
less ready to act in conjunction with the corporation,
if that body were rightly constituted. I think the hos-
pitality of the Lord Mayor might be made less ostenta-
tious and more useful than it is at present. The annual
dinner at the Guildhall entails a very heavy and most
useless expense upon the corporation.
Mr. C. Lewis—Does not the great number of persons
who attend the banquet at Guildhall tend to prevent
the speeches of the Ministers present from being so well
heard as they would be if the attendance was smaller ?
Mr. Hankey—As far as the object of the banquet is
to bring the members of her Majesty's Government into
mutual contact with the authorities of the City, I think
that object would be much better attained by confining
the assemblage to the Mansion-house, instead of holding
it in the Guildhall. I always find, on occasions of pub-
lic interest, or in times of political excitement, that the
persons present take great interest in the speeches, and
an opportunity is afforded for meeting the members of
Government and distinguished foreigners, when the as-
semblages are held at the Mansion-house ; but I never
knew any good to be attained by the Guildhall enter-
tainments.

Mr. C. Lewis—ls it not the fact that the speeches
delivered in Guildhall are totally inaudible to the great
majority ?
Mr. Hankey—Whilst I was an officer of the Bank I
was always invited to the Guildhall banquets, and al-
though I was always accommodated with a place of
honour, I never could hear a thing that was said.
Mr. C. Lewis—Do you know what is the feeling in
the City with regard to the Lord Mayor's show 1
Mr. Hankey— I believe that no interest is taken in
it, except by the idlers and the children who are
_taken
to see it.
Mr. C. Lewis—ls it acceptable to the persons who
witness it in the streets ?
Mr. Hankey—l should think not. I should think
the trades Men in the City must consider it a great in-
convenience and annoyance, and the upper classes must
derive little enjoyment from it. It can only afford gra-
tification to children, and to the idlers who often come
up to the City to see it, and then spend their money in
riot and drunkenness.
Mr. C. Lewis—ls it conducive to the dignity of the
office of the Lord Mayor that his carriage should form
part of the procession ?
Mr. Hankey—l think that so long as there is a Lord
Mayor he ought to move about in a carriage calculated
to show the importance attached by his fellow-citizens to
the office; but as the pageantry is at present conducted,
I do not think it is of any use whatever, and, so far from
adding to the dignity of the office, it is perfectly ridicu-
lous.

The Chairman—The procession has undergone alters•
tion lately, I believe. It used to be a memorial of anti-
quity, and it is now of an allegorical character, is it not?
Mr. Hankey—l think the altered character it has as-
sumed since I have lived in the City has only served to
make it still more ridiculous.
The Chairman—lt never recalls the days of antiquity?
Mr. Hawkey—No, except it be by the antiquity of the
coach. The allegory is got up by Astley's and similar
establishments.
The Chairman—Then it is no longer a type of the pro-
cessions of the middle ages ?
Mr. Hankey—l think not.
Mr. C. Lewis—But supposing, as some seem to think,
it were desirable to keep up such an entertainment, ought
the Lord Mayor to form part of the procession ?
Mr. Hankey—lt is absurd enough now ; but if the
Lord Mayor were to be left out it would degenerate into
an unmeaning absurdity.
The Chairman—You would have the Lord Mayor, as
the chief magistrate of the first commercial city in the
land, to exercise a decent, and even a splendid, hospi-
tality, would you not ?
Mr. Hankey—l would, and in a manner that would
command the respect of those who attach importance to
such ceremonial observances.

The Chairman—Do you know anything of the hospi.
tality exercised by the Mayor of Liverpool or of Man.
chester 1

Mr. Hankey—l believe it is conducted in a quieter
manner than in the city of London, and at the same
time in a manner to secure the respect of the inhabitants
of both Liverpool and Manchester.
The Chairman--Do the Mayors of Manchester or
Liverpool ever invite distinguished visitors ?
Mr. Hankey—l believe so.
Sir J. ratteson—Great part of the company at the
Guildhall banquets consists of common councilmen and
their families, and not of guests, does it not ?
Mr. Hankey—Yes ; and the banquet at the Guildhall
is a farce, unless it is to be considered as a mere oppor-
tunity for giving certain people a dinner, for they
neither see nor hear anything, and very few can even
see the guests as they first enter the room.
The Chairman—Suppose the Lord Mayor was not
chosen from the aldermen, do you think that leading
merchants would be found willing then to accept the
office of Lord Mayor ?
Mr. Hankey—l think the duties of the corporation
might be so arranged that the merchants would not be
unwilling to undertake corporate offices.
The Chairman—Don't you think a great merchant, as
a matter of public duty, might be willing to accept the
office of lord mayor, although he might not consent all
his life to hold the office of an alderman ?

Mr. Hankey—That might be so ; but I see no reason
why the office of alderman should continue for life, any
more than the office of churchwarden, and many other
public offices, which men will undertake for one year,
but which they would be quite as unwilling to hold for
life as they are the office of alderman.

The Chairman—Have you turned your attention to
what would be the best form of municipal government
for the city of London ?
Mr. Hankey—l certainly have often thought upon
that subject, and it appears to me that the functions of
the corporation are by no means useless in London, but
I think they are inapplicable to the present state of
affairs, being confined to the city of London alone.
There are certain functions which could be better exer-
cised by a corporation throughout all London, and I
would have corporations for all London. With regard
to the question whether there ought to be only one cor-
poration for all London or not, I think it would be much
better to adopt the system established in Paris, which is
divided into certain arrondissements or departments,
each arrondissement having its own mayor and a sepa-
rate staff of officers. I think that in Paris each mayor
and his subordinate officers attend to the duties of their
own arrondissement; and in London you might have
similar divisions formed, each having its mayor and staff
of officers annually elected) and these separate divisions
might be all combined together for certain purposes, re-
quiring them to act in a general capacity. The improve.
ment of the streets is a very useful function, and I should
be sorry to see it taken away from the City corporation
until a better body was formed for the discharge of that
duty, not only in the City but throughout the whole
metropolis in a more effective manner. I think many
abuses exist in the City corporation, but I am no
advocate for abolishing the system altogether. On
the contrary, I think it ought to be extended through
the whole of London. At the same time I consider

that the office of magistrate forms no part of muni-
cipal functions. The system of paid magistracy in the
metropolitan districts generally works very well, and
I can see no object as regards the City in devolv7

ing judicial duties on men—who cannot be so well
fitted for fulfilling them as educated lawyers who have
devoted their whole time to legal pursuits. I hold that
the business connected with drainage, water supply,
cleansing, paving, and lighting, can always be best man-
aged by a corporation. If, for instance, it were left to
the vestry of each parish, one parish might begin to
improve a street, and when it got to the parish boundary
there it might have to stop, because the views of dif-
ferent parishes might clash, whereas there would be no
fear of such collisions in matters of jurisdiction if the
businessNvouwladaysbeeconducted by a body acting in a corporate
capacity.
weSriertJe.hPatteson—lf the other parts of the metropolis
would it haveke
ydt_toios tobiietnlcmdatiriviggchodoterpdtnooo2raftoirorans,oodeo
oyoorpuortahtiinoku, theor
City
corporation, but that
naMturre. I:fasnuch general arrangements ,
question would
mbweeo too large
al
sda rmegpieeguhdfto
br
upon
apdoesuei
deemed
tgehldee
nreecinessityor flis.
aexbpsoelduietentorforiuthheereenntti
City should begin and end with Term There can be no
instance,ieb why the
the-abr.rid The con-
ductl
the river show their inaptitude for takingcagreees
of the corporation with regard toPevinced
fcnrctoehsceis
interests of the public traffic. The hesitation
by them in purchasing Southwark-bridge, because they
would not give 50,0001. more or less, for an otject so
imperatively, demanded by the public convenience, argues
great want of sagacity or sympathy with the public re-
quirements.
Mr. C. Lewis—At present there is no taxation ap.
toe in a
thede City throughout
funds
to entireth e
public exchequer ?
e is not, because there is no cor-
porationto
hich is co-extensive
metropolisiii,inithPor°uvtengloeinntgs
Mrli
with the whole metropolis.
Mr. C. Lewis—Might there not be a board of works
paonskseeys—sinTghaer
jurisdictionw
s establishedoudl
to
effect
for the
pwholeublic ofim pitl.ioevmemeternotpso?lis, whose duty
h
Mr. Hankey—l think there might be.
Mr. C. Lewis—Would you have that board ap-
pointed by the Government, or popularly elected ?
Mr. Hankey—lt would be desirable that the tax-
payers should have a voice in the elections.
Mr. C. Lewis—Would you give such .a board a power
of taxation extending over the whole metropolis, and

have a representative of the Government present to
guard the general interests of the State ?
Mr. Hankey- -I cannot see that that would be objec-
tionable ; at all events I think it would be more accept-
able) to the public than the existing system.
The Chairman—Have you any other observations
whi. ::11 you wish to make?
Hankey—l would just say a word respecting cham-
bers ,pf commerce, which are a subject more in my line.
I do iao t think that either a chamber of commerce or a
tribunwd of commerce would be at all useful in the city
of London. Chambers of commerce may have been,
and pia )bably are found to be, useful on the Continent,
because, they are so general there ; but in England I
think t hey are very liable to degenerate into merely
political bo dies. This tendency, I think, has been seen in
the case of the Chambers of Commerce in Liverpool and
in Manchester. Such bodies may be more useful in pro-
vincial towns ; but in the City of London there is such a
diversity of interests among so large a mercantile com-
munity, that there is very little common ground among
the merchants on which joint action by means of a cham-
ber of commerce would be practicable, or even possible.
Besides, ti 'ere are distinct bodies already in existence in
counectioi i with particular branches of commerce. There
are the West India Association, the Baltic Coffee-house,
Lloyd's Sh ipping-offices, and associations for those en-
gaged in tt Le East India and in the Levant trade, and
similar al:tier bodies for different branches of commerce,
and at the se places any information can be obtained and
any questions discussed relating to distinct branches ;
but a chat) iber of commerce for the city of London would
be upon 1;eo large a scale for such questions to he
satisfactorily entertained. Then, as to the facilities which
it is said tthat a chamber of commerce would afford for
communicating upon questions affecting the interests of
commerce 'with the members or with departments of the
Government, I can only say for myself that I have ex-
perienced no difficulty in the course of my business in
making any representation which I have felt to be neces-
sary, to any member of the Government, from the highest
to the loweist. Of course it is evident that the merchants
of Liverpool and Manchester have not equal advantages
(in putting themselves in communication with the Go-
vernment) with the merchants of the City, who carry on
their business at the very seat of the great departments
of the State. _

Mr. Rankey then withdrew.
Mr. Alcock, wholesale dealer in the City, examined—
I have paid attention to the constitution of the corpora-
tion. I consider that the constituency is too narrow to
represent the general body of the inhabitants of the City,
and I would extend the franchise to every householder
paying scot and lot and residing for six months. I would
not allow a liveryman to vote as a liveryman, but simply
as a householder. I live in the ward of Aldgate, where
the number of freemen having votes is only 209, whereas
the number of inhabitant householders (who I think
ought all to have the municipal franchise) is 900. By
extending the constitue icy, you would obtain a better
class of representatives. The election of aldermen is very
objectionable, and ought not to be for life. The wards
ought to be reduced in number and equalised in extent.
I think there ought to be paid magistrates to administer
justice in the City instead of the aldermen. I would
abolish the Court of Aldermen as a separate court, deprive
them of their magisterial duties, and subject them to pe-
riodical election. If the Court of Common Council were
elected by the constituency I propose, I think that court
might be safely inti listed with the appointment of the
Chamberlain, and other officers now elected by the Com-
mon-hall ; but I would still reserve to the general body
of the constituency the privilege of choosing the chief
magistrate, the Lord Mayor.
Mr. C. Lewis—Would not that mode of election in-
crease the expense to the Lord Mayor ?
Mr. Alcock—He need not go to any great expense if he

does not wish to be elected by improper means. In the
ward of Bassisshaw, in one instance, an alderman made

freemen of twelve persons by paying the fees for them,
in order that they might be enabled to vote as he wished
—an act which, if not bribery itself, was very close upon

The commissioners then adjourned till twelve o'clock
next day.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

MALTA, Nov. 12.
Letters from Constantinople to the sth are in town.

The English and French beets are lying off Therapia.
The Russian Consuls throughout the dominions of
Turkey have, without exception, lowered their flags or
their armorial bearings and departed, leaving under the
protection of Austria their subjects, native or protected.
The reports of the attack on the fortress of Isaktchi
are confirmed. The action lasted five hours, and the Rus-
sians lost their commander, 30 men, and two gun-boats.
Thy Turks were driven from their entrenchments, and
retired to the heights. This was the result of an acci-
dent, the explosion of a powder magazine, by the burst-
ing of a shell from the Russian boats; the town also took
fire, and the inhabitants fled in the greatest consterna-
tion. This event, however, is trifling compared to those
which have since succeeded.

The action at Batoum, though not generally credited,
has also been confirmed ; it seems, however, not to have
been more than a skirmish, yet a Russian General and
six soldiers were made prisoners, and have reached Con-
stantinople.
The only movement in our port has been the arrival
of the steam-frigate Leopard, on Wednesday last, with
detachments, and her departure yesterday with invalids
and prisoners, under the command of Lieutenant Boyle,
R. A.

The Shearwater, from Corfu, has arrived, and is in dock
for repairs.
Several of our ships have been on shore. The Furious,
with Admiral Dundas on board—no damage. The Ad-
miral proceeded to Constantinople by the Tiger.
The Rodney was on shore six hours, in a calm; got
off without damage.
The Arethusa, going nine knots, has also gone ashore,
but escaped without damage.
The Retribution has also touched the ground.
The Albion has fouled a merchant vessel, and carried
away her mainmast (the merchantman's).
The Fury left for Constantinople on the Ist inst.

PORTSMOUTH, Nov. 20.

In consequence of the complaints lately made in the
public prints (first brought under the notice of the autho-
rities in the United Service Gazette) of the extravagance
of junior officers' messes in the navy, a return has been
called for by Vice-Admiral Sir T. Cochrane, the Com-
mander-in-chief at this port, from each ship under his
command, demanding the amount of entrance-money, of
monthly expenses of mess, wine, &c., of each officers'
mess on board ; also the hour at which the ward and
gun-room officers, and the respective ships' companies
dine ; the information relative to officers' messes to be
furnished by the caterers (officers), who are to be held
responsible for the correctness thereof.
No movement is as yet ordered to be made in the
fleet at Spithead, and it js not considered probable by
those on board that any move will be made under the
present aspect of Eastern affairs.
The Duke of Wellington's crew have not been paid
wages yet, and the St. Jean d'Acre is not ready to join,
having only left the steam basin yesterday, after being
docked to receive false keel, &c., and she is 90 short of
her complement.
The Frolic, 14, Commander Nolloth, is not yet manned.
No fact could speak louder than this in support of the
support of the supposition that a scarcity of seamen pre-
vails at all the ports, as the Frolic is a class of vessel that
men-of-war's men will "hold on" for months and years
to get into in preference to heavier ships. The Frolic
has entered upwards of 100, and has sent to open a ren-
dezvous at Plymouth to endeavour to obtain the re-
mainder—only about 20.
The Princess Charlotte, 104, was brought down from
the ordinary yesterday to be docked and prepared for
service.

The Boscawen, 70, at Chatham, is ordered to be fitted
immediately for a flag, supposed to relieve the Cumber-
land on the West India and North American station.

The Hastings, 72, is being fitted as a permanent re-
ceiving hulk in this harbour, and will take the place of
the Blake, unfit for her great age and decay to receive
ships' companies without great danger to their health,
and a total absence of comfort. The hulk Victorious is
nothing better.
The Gladiator, 6, paddle-frigate, is ordered to undergo
very considerable alterations in her engine department,
which will occupy at least two months. She is not to
be brought forward in her rigging at present, as at first
ordered.

The Growler, 5, paddle-sloop, having undergone a sur-
vey and been condemned to be broken up, was begun
upon in one of the docks yesterday.
The Admiralty have just 4irdered a return to the
ticket-of-leave system, which has lapsed into desuetude
in the navy, and in future no petty officer, seaman, ma-
rine, or boy is to be allowed to go ashore without a
ticket-of-leave, which gives a full and accurate descrip-
tion of his person, name of his ship, length of leave,
&c., signed by the commanding officer pro tent. Thus,
any of the above classes found ashore without one of
these tickets will be liable to apprehension. Forfeiture
of pay will commence the day after the expiry of the
ticket-of-leave and the non-appearance of the holder.
The Spy, 3, brigantine, Lieut.-Commander Beresford,
arrived at Cowes last night, and Spithead this morning,
from the coast of Africa station. She sailed from
Ascension on the 23d of September, and Sierra Leone
October 4. The Penelope, 22, Rear-Admiral Bruce ; the
Tortoise, 12, Captain Kitchen ; and the Myrmidon, 4,
Lieutenant Jolliffe, were at Ascension at that date, but
affairs at this great "cinder island" do not progress so
smoothly, satisfactorily, or harmoniously as they did
when Captain Hutton was the Governor. The latter
officer was much venerated at Ascension and in the
African squadron. The Alecto, 5, Commander Crofton ;
the Volcano, 5, Commander Coote ; the Waterwitch, 8,
Commander Gardener ; and the Crane, 6, Commander
Miller, were on the south coast when the Spy sailed ;
and the Britomart, 8, Commander Heseltine ; the Poly-
phemus, 6, Commander Phillips ; and the Linnet, 6,
Commander Need, were on the north coast. The Com-
mander of the Spy, during the early part of her com-
mission (Lieutenant Hill), died on board about two
years and a half since. She has taken three prizes (one
schooner and two boats), but one of them was not con-
demned. Mr. G. Brand, her Majesty's Vice-Consul at
St. Paul de Loando ; Mr. G. S. Thunder, acting chief
engineer of the Teazer ; Mr. G. R. Harvey, acting mate
of the Polyphemus ; and Mr. Forest, midshipman of
the Crane, have come home in the Spy, which has
sailed over 40,000 miles during her commission of two
years and ten months. The Spy has had exceedingly
bad weather. On the 2d, 3d, and 4th inst., she en-
countered a severe gale from the N.W., in which she
lost jibboom and foretopmast, and was compelled to ap-
propriate the mainyard to supply the loss of the jib-
boom. It was feared she must part with her guns, but
sh'e weathered it out in safety. She spoke, on the 4th
of nveinber, in' lat. 41 12, long. 27 40, the ship
Araminta, of Liverpool; Noy. 15, the Confederance,

Evans master, 49 days from Marseilles to Glasgow ;
same day, the Dutch bark Margatina, Wilcken master,
55 days from Bahia, in long. 49 13, lat. 9 10 ; also the
Dutch bark Bantano, two days from Portland-roads, on
the 18th.

The Royal Yacht t quadron yacht Sylphide, Mr.
Thomas Leyland owner, Mr. Richard Mowll master,
arrived at Spithead this morning from Marseilles and
Gibraltar. She sailed from the former port on the 9th
ult., and the latter on the 31st. She spoke on the Bth
of November, lat. 45 15, long. 14 10, the ship Har-
mony ; on the 14th, lat. 49 40, long. 9 50, the ship
Seringapatam ; on the 15tIn lat. 48, long. 8 15, a screw
steam-bark, second distinguishing pendant No. 8,045.

PLYMOUTH, Nov. 20.
Her Majesty's screw steam-ship Agamemnon, 91,
Captain W. R. Mends, left the port, between 7 and 8
this morning, for the Mediterranean, to take the flag of
Rear-Admiral Sir Edmund Lyons, second in command
at that station. She went outside the Breakwater under
steam, and then set all plain sail, and stood away to the
S.W. Wind, N. W.

The steam-tender Sprightly, Master Commander Allen,
arrived from Portsmouth on Friday with supernumeraries
for the Agamemnon, and left again the same evening.
The screw steam-ship Nile, 90, is ordered to be fitted
for commission with the utmost speed. Her copper has
been taken off, and she is to have her bottom caulked.

The brig Saracen was masted to-day, and brought
alongside the jetty, preparatory to being put into com-
mission.

WOOLWICH, Nov. 19.
APPOINTMENTS.

Surgeons—James Laird (1852), to the Medea paddle-
wheel steam-sloop at Portsmouth, vice Harvey ; Charles
W. White (1841), to the St. Jean d'Acre, 101, screw
steam-ship, at Portsmouth.

Midship—man—R. J. Hancock, to the Victory flag-
ship, at Portsmouth.
Acting Second-Master Syndercombe, to the Monkey
steam-vessel, at Woolwich.
Master's-Assistant—E. A. Deane, to the Princess
Royal, 90, screw steam-ship, at Portsmouth.
Naval Cadet—E. C. Haworth, to the St. Jean d'Acre.
Clerk—Adderly W. Chimmo (1848), recently serving
in the Cleopatra, 26, on the East India station, to the
'Magicienne, 16, paddle-wheel steam-frigate.
The Saracen brig, commissioned on Thursday, at De-
vonport, by Master-Commander Joh:- Richards, is in-
tended for surveying service on the coast and rivers of
China.

The Jasper being now ready for service, and a steam-
tuz required at Devonport, Master-Commander Allen,
of the Lightning steam-vessel, received the charge of her,
and, with the crew of the Lightning to navigate her, left
Woolwich this morning for Devonport.
The Widgeon paddle-wheel steam-vessel, at present
serving as a tug steam-vessel at Pembroke, is ordered
round to this port, and Master-Commander Peter Rundle
and the crew of the Widgeon are to be turned over to
the Prospero steam-vessel, now fitted fur tug service,
and will return to Pembroke with her to do duty at
that port.

The Tyne storeship, Master-Commander James B.
Tucker, was taken out of the basin to-day, and is now
at moorings in the stream, preparatory to her departure
for Ascension and Rio.

The Black Eagle steam-vessel, master-Commander
Petley, was taken into the west:dock to-day to be ex-
amined.

A very melancholy circumstance has occurred during
the week, in connexion with this dockyard, by the sui-
cide of a fine young officer, William A. Ward (1846),
borne on the books of the Fisgard flagship at this port
since December, 1850, and who was appointed in the
latter part of the last week to be clerk in charge of the
Rifleman screw steam-sloop at Woolwich, preparing for
foreign service. Mr. Ward went to the office where the
books of the Fisgard are kept on shore on Monday morn-
ing last as usual, but he had not been there long when
he pulled off his naval uniform coat, and went out with
his overcoat on, and since that period no traces were ob-
tained of him until the police on the Essex side of the
river reported that the body of a suicide had been found
by some men in Wanstead Forest, death having taken
place by a stab with a knife in the jugular vein. Mr.
Ward's father went over from Woolwich to Wanstead,
and identified the body as that of his son, who had been
missing fJr some days, and a coroner's inquest is to be
held upon it to-day. No reason can be assigned for the
rash act, but that it had been observed for several weeks
past the deceased was low spirited, since the death of
one of his children and indisposition of his wife. When
he went from home on Monday he left his watch, his
rings, and his money, but no traces of where he was
going.

COMBINED FLEETS AT CONSTANTINOPLE.

The Debats publishes the following relative to the
movements of the fleet :

" The combined fleets have at length shown their
colours before Constantinople. The causes which have
hitherto prevented their movements are now known ; it
is simply the wind from the north, and the strength of
the currents which kept them fast at their anchorage from
the 22d to the 28th ult., notwithstanding the assistance
of the steamers. This is a very important fact to note
for the future. In keeping the fleets at the anchorage
at Besika Bay, it was thought that, at the most, only 36
hours were required to have the ships towed up to Con.
stantinople. It required six days for the Henri IV. and
Jupiter to arrive at San Stefana, although each of them
had two steamers ; and yet they arrived 48 hours before
the two English vessels, the Albion and Vengeance,
with which they have since gone and taken up a position
between Therapia, in the waters of Beicos. As it was
agreed that everything should be done together, the
French, who arrived the first, waited for the English
for two days, but afterwards, when they were to pass
before Constantinople, the English, owing to some mis-
understanding, passed the first, and alone. The morn-
ing before last the Vengeance appeared the first, towed
by two steam.frigates, before Seraglio Point; and such
is the strength of the current at that spot, that in order
to pass from thence to Tophani—that is to say, to cross
the width of the Golden Horn—it required more than an
hour ; the Albion, which endeavoured to pass the Ven-
geance, was obliged to give up the attempt, and remain
until the next day, followed by the Jupiter, and this
morning the Henri IV. passed in her turn. These four
line•of-battle ships and some steamers are all that have
been as yet sent into the Bosphorus ; as to the remain.
der, they are anchored in different places below Constan-
tinople, but none of the vessels appear to be going to
station themselves before the capital of the empire."