The Sun.
London, England, 1853-02-17 00:00:00

45
25 35 20 30

PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS THIS DAY.
Brazilian Bonds, 5 per Cent. —
Ditto New, 1852, 41 per Cent 97i
Ditto New Bonds, 1829 & 39, 5 per Cent lO3
Buenos Ayres Bonds, 6 per Cent 63
Mexican 3 per Cent
Peruvian Deferred 3 per Cent 62g 3
Portuguese 4 per Cent. 39
Russian Bonds, 5 per Cent.
Ditto, 4 per cent lO4
Sardinian Bonds, 5 per Cent.............
impish Bonds, 3 per Cent 471
2
Spanish New Deferred, 3 per Cent 23 f
Spanish Passive (Converted) si
Spanish Committee Cert. of Coup. not fun 4B p a
Swedish Loan Li i g d
Venezuela Bonds 3i per Cent. —

x d

Ditto Deferred,lper Cent l4i
Dutch Exchange 2a per Cent 651
2
Ditto 4 per Cent. Certificates......... .
THREE O'CLOCK.

Consols
Ditto March Account

99991

THE MUTUAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY.—The annual
meeting of the Mutual Life Assurance Society was held
in the London Tavern yesterday,' Mr. R. F. Davis in
the chair. The directors peesented a very favourable
report, from which it appeared that of 228 proposals
made last year, 174 had been completed, and while the
assurances in force rn Deeember 31, 1851, were 1,367
for 874,3471., the premiums amounting to 29,0581., the
assurances in force in December 31, 1852, were 1,492
for 931,0281., the premiums amounting to 31,1721.
Of 49 assurances written off in 1852, only eleven
were for claims by death, 12 were purchased by
the society, and the remainder were forfeited, or
had expired. Advantage had been taken of the high.
price of the public funds to realise a considerable pro-
portion of the society's stock, and invest it in mort-
gages of land and other securities. Nearly 25,0001. had
been added in the year to the invested capital, making a
total closely approaching to 200,000/. ; and the
annual income had increased more than 3,0001.,
being now 39,3001. A vote of thanks to the
directors was followed by a vote of thanks to Mr.
Brown, the actuary, which was proposed by the Rev. T.J.
Rowsell ; and the chairman having, in reply to Mr.
Sharp, of Southampton, stated that since the discovery
of gold and the positive insecurity for life at the " dig-
gings," the directors had restricted their policies to the
Australian colonies, so that all persons might now go to
the Australian colonies, and to all parts of them except
the " diggings," without paying extra premium beyond
that exigible for sea-risk, the proceedings terminated.
MULTI( Or LONDON DURING THE WEEK.—The increase
of mortality announced in the previous return appears to
have been fully maintained last week. In the week that
ended Saturday, sth February, the deaths registered
dailyreargao
were 1,220 ; in the week ending 12th February, there
were 1,235. The effect of the cold weather has been to
shorten the lives of more than 450 persons in a fortnight ;
the number who died in Januaay, weekly, having been
less on the average than 1,000. Last week the births of
849 boys and 804 girls, in all 1,653 children, were regis
tered in London. In the eight corresponding weeks of
from thanThndewet
daily
htl nphe
point
aenoanmtuv
south
h ga t .
the years 1845-52 the average number was 1,427. At the
Royal Observaiory, Greenwich, the mean height of the
barometer in t,shtvrTefhhowueicerhwekidnisawdyl:sas.sws2bhT9yi.ch2h3Thel.6bsmledienemweali.gea.
robsnl.eMw oirnodma yt,h
efel l
northto 800;
temperature was below the average on every day of the
week, except Monday, when it scarcely exceeded the
average. On Friday and Saturday it was less than the
average, by 6 deg. and 8 deg. The mean of the week
r7ipodretl:l
teotowuhanf aserttgeh3own4 beginningSaturday..hBtsameihedeh deg.,
eaoesfk3t hiB:B3wdBe deg. on
• e was 29.2 deg,

ELECTION COMMITTEES.- ( THIS DAY.)

LANCASTER.

The Committee appointed to inquire into the petition
against the return of Mr. Armstrong, the siting mem-
ber for this borough, met for the first time this morning ;
Mr. Divett in the chair.

Mr. Mere wether and Mr. Sergeant Wrangbam at-
tended on behalf of the petitioners, and Mr. Monk and
Mr. Wheeler appeared for the sitting member.
Mr. Sergeant WRANGHAM, in opening the case, said
that he very much questioned if what was generally
asserted, viz., that bribery had diminished of late years,
was true. He had little doubt of being able
to show to the • Committee, that in Lancaster
bribery had been carried on to a considerable extent
during the late election. The large body of electors in
that borough were men whose poverty would induce
them to accept a bribe. The total number of electors
was about 1,600, some of the freemen were scattered
in more than 30 townships, and this gave great oppor-
tunity for treating. In the year 1837 two members
were returned, one of whom, Mr. Green, has retained his
seat till the last election ; and it was remarkable that at
last election, Mr. Green should find his large majority
converted into a minority, while his political opinions
remained the same. This fact could only be accounted
for in this manner at the last election. There were four
candidates, Mr. Green, Mr. Armstrong, Mr. Gregson,
and Mr. Ellice.

At this election at the close of the poll the numbers
were :

Gregson 699
Armstrong 690
Green 609
Ellice 432
And so Mr. Green lost his seat. The cause that led to
this result he had no doubt would be made manifest by
the evidence he should bring forward. He would not
contend that his learned friend was guilty of transactions
which would not bear the light ; but if any of his agents
had been so, he must bear the responsibility.
The case was proceeding when our report left.

CANTERBURY.
The select committee to inquire into this petition met
this morning.

The counsel for the petitioners were Mr. Sergeant
Kingslake, Mr. James, Q.C., and Mr. Elliott; and the
sitting members were represented by Mr. Sergeant
Wrangham and Mr. Merewether.
When Colonel Seymour had taken the chair,
Mr. MEREWETHER said that the sitting members
would acknowledge great indiscretion on the part of
their agents, and were willing, if the petition were with-
drawn, to resign their seats.

Mr. Sergeant KINGSLAKE said that the petitioners
were in a position to prove the existence of bribery and
treating, and this would be made manifest by the evi-
dence he should bring before the committee.
Mr. MEREWETHER said—That although undoubtedly
indiscretion had been committed, he should be able to
vindicate the sitting members.
Mr. Sergeant KINGSLAKE then proceeded to open the
case. The petition alleged that a systematic course of
bribery had been carried on. The learned counsel then
proceeded to explain this system. It had been cus-
tomary to distribute what were called colourmen's tickets.
These tickets simply meant that the holder was entitled
to receive a certain sum of money. At the last election
Mr. Romilly and Sir W. Somerville refused to coun-
tenance this system, and upon this many of the
electors transferred their votes to the present
sitting members. At the last election, any elec-
tor, willing to vote for Messrs. Johnston and Gibbs,
would send intimation to the committee, upon which he
would receive a document, to take to Mr. Smith, a
coachmaker, and he would, on the document, write the
names of two persons, and these tickets were made
available for sums varying from ten shillings to a pound.
A coloured ticket also entitled the holder to a shilling's
worth of refreshment at a Conservative house. There
were three persons—Taylor, Vincent, and Wilson—who
also distributed messengers' tickets to those who would
vote for the sitting members. Those messengers were, in
reality useless, but it was a good pretext for paying for
votes.

The case was proceeding when the report left.

TAVISTO CK.
The select committee appointed to inquire into the
allegation alleged in this petition, met to-day at half-past
twelve o'clock; Lord Robert Grosvernor in the chair.
The petitioners were represented by Mr. Alexander,
Q.C., and Mr. Lopez ; and Mr. Jenkins, Mr. Lauder,
and Mr. Thomas appeared on behalf of the sitting
members.

Mr. ALEXANDER, Q.C. in opening the case, said that
this petition was not founded, as most election petitions
were, on any charge of treating or bribery. The only
fact that the petitioners alleged against the sitting mem-
ber was want of qualification, and that such want ex-
isted, he was in a position, he believed, to satisfy the
committee.

The case was proceeding when our reporter left.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.-(THIS DAY.)

DARING ROBBERY.—.Tehn Perry, an ill-looking young
fellow, was placed at the bar before Mr. Bingham,
charged with stealing a tray containing three gold and
four silver watches, value 301., the property of Mr. Roger
Roberts, watchmaker, 116, Great Tichfield-street.
Smith, 340 A, an active and intelligent officer, deposed
that about nine o'clock last night he was proceeding
down Great Portland-street, and when midway between
Market-street and Portland-street he heard the cry of
" Stop thief." He ran into Market-street, and then saw
the prisoner running as fast as he could with a great
mob behind him, calling' out, " Stop him—stop thief."
Witness having drawn his staff, ran towards the pri-
soner and knocked him down, and took from his posses-
sion the tray containing the three gold and four silver
watches now produced. The prosecutor at that moment
came up and identified the watches as his property.
Mr. Roberts said about nine o'clock last night he was in
his shop, when he was much alarmed by hearing a square
of glass in his shop window smashed in, and on looking
round he saw some person's hand seize hold of a tray of
watches, which quickly disappeared. He directly ran
out into the street and saw the prisoner with the tray.of
watches in his hand running down the street. Witness
pursued him, and came up with him just as he had been
" floored" by last witness. The watches were his pro-
perty, and worth 30/.

Mr. Bingham thought much credit was due to the
constable for the manner in which he had acted in the
matter. He (Mr. Bingham) then committed the prisoner
for trial.

ERECTION OF A NEW TATTERSALL'S IN SOUTHWARK.—
A very spacious and commodious building is now being
erected on a large plot of ground opposite the Elephant
and Castle, in the parish of St. George's, Southwark, on
the site formerly occupied by the old Fishmongers' Alms
Houses. It is to be called "Tattersall's Repository for
the Sale of Horses and transacting the Racing business
now carried on at Tattersall's at the West-end." The
contractors are Messrs. Piper ; and the building and
offices, when completed, will have a very handsome ap-
pearance on the Surrey side of the water. On the north
and east sides, which front the St. George's-road and
the Newington-road, handsome shops will shortly be
erected, and among them a large and commodious hotel.
The ground rents will yield a very large sum annually to
the Fishmongers' Company, under whose architect the
buildings will be erected.
ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH CQMPANY.—The half-yearly
meeting of this company was held yesterday, in Loth-
bury, Mr. J. L. Ricardo, M.P., in the chair. The Se-
cretary Mr. J. S. Fourdrinier, read the balance-sheet.
The capital account to the 31st of December showed
that the shares amounted to 330,0001., the debenture fund
to 64,0001., liabilities to 44,9851., and reserve fund
73,4031., total 512,388 ; and that 470,993/. had been ex-
pended, leaving a balance of 32,395/. The revenue
account gave the receipts for messages, &c., at 40,0871.,
leaving a balance over the expenditure of 13,855/. The
balance, after the payment of the dividend of 64 per
cent., would leave a sum of 3,1301. to be carried to the
reserved fund. The balance-sheet having been passed,
the chairman moved that a dividend of 64 per cent ,
free of income-tax, be now declared. The resolution
was unanimously agreed to. It was also agreed that
the directors do make such arrangements as they see fit
for carrying out a continental telegraphic communica-
tion. Thanks were then voted to the chairman and the
directors ,and the meeting separated.

SERIOUS ACCIDENT AT AN IRON FOUNDRY.—This
morning, an accident which is likely to terminate with
fatal consequences, occurred in the iron factory of Mr.
Cutler, Great Queen-Street, Lincoln's Inn-fields, under
the following circumstances :—lt appears that some men
were engaged in bolting an immense iron boiler, two of
whom were in the interior, and a man named Samuel
Wills, who resides in Besbury-place, Vauxhall-road, was
employed on the outside in driving the bolts (large rivets)
one of which, having been found too large for the ori-
fice, in consequence of not " going home," although
driven with a hammer of immense weight, he directed it
to be knocked out again, in order to have its size re-
duced. After two or three blows from the sledges of the
men inside, it flew out with most terrific violence, strik-
ing Wills in the ribs, directly beneath the region of
the heart. Such was the impetus with which the bolt
flew, that the unfortunate man was knocked down and
rendered insensible. Surgical assistance was instantly
procured, but the injuries sustained being so extensive,
it was recommended to have him removed to King's
College Hospital, which, having been done, it was as-
certained that he had sustained several fractures of the
ribs, besides having been injured internally, and but
faint hopes are entertained of his recovery.
BOARD OP TRADE RETURNS.—The accounts relating
to the trade and navigation of the United Kingdom,
for the year ending the sth January, 1853, afford satis-
factory evidence of the prosperity of trade and commerce.
Upon an analysis of these returns, when compared with
those for six preceedmg years it appears that the value
of the exports of British and Irish produce and manufac-
tures, during 1852, shows an increase over 1851 of
2,897,9471. ; an increase over 1850 of 5,673,516/. ; an
increase over 1849 of 12,518,6651. ; an increase over
of
1848 of 22,483,2231. ; an increase over 1847
20,423,750/. ; and an increase over 1846 of 20,202,48 81 .
THE SOMERSETSHIRE MILITIA.—The 2d Regimentof
Somersetshire Militia is about to be increased by theim-
mediate enrolment of 370 men, the compliment ferlBs3i
making it 1,000 strong. It has determinedbsefonrtraihg
till the
that
the regiment shall not be called out
spring is further advanced, when it will assemble in full
force for 28 days. We understand that a large number
from of recruits are offering themselves, and, the returns
from the overseers of parishes of men desirous of joining
the force, not the slightest difficulty is anticipated in
forming the full strength of the regiment with picked
men.