The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-22 00:00:00

BOW-STREET-( TIIIS DAY.)

THE NEWSVENDERS AND THE POLlCE.—Charles Robin-
son, a newsman, was placed at the bar before Mr. Jar-
dine, charged with obstructing police-constable 129 F
while in the execution of his duty.
The constable stated that between four and five
o'clock yesterday afternoon he was on duty in Catherine-
street, opposite Mr. Moseley's newspaper office, for the
purpose of keeping the pavement clear from the news-
boys, who assembled there in great numbers, when the
defendant came out of Mr. Moseley's shop, and obstructed
him in his duty. Witness remonstrated with him on
the impropriety of such proceedings, and was walking
away, when defendant came behind him, and trod on
his heels, and when witness told him to leave off the
annoyance, he (defendant) jeered him, and then ran into
Mr. Moseley's shop. Complainant then proceeded on
his beat, and in about a minute defendant came again
behind him, and putting his head over his (witness')
shoulder, called out in his ear as loud as he could, " The
London news, the London news," and, as a great crowd
had assembled, and defendant persisted in his annoyance,
witness took him to the station. After he was bailed
out he came back to Catherine-street again, and pur-
sued the same system of annoyance.
Police-constable, 158 F, corroborated the above evi-
dence.

Mr. Geo. Atkins, of the firm of Thurston and Co.,
14, Catherine-street, said their house of business is
situated between two news-shops, and every afternoon a
large crowd of boys assembled opposite to their house,
so as to render it an intolerable nuisance, and their lan-
guage was exceedingly coarse and obscene. He was an
eye-witness to the conduct of the defendant, as described
by the constable. The defendant was exciting the boys
to resist the police, and his proceedings were decidedly
calculated to lead to a breach of the peace.
Mr. Jardine said he was an eye-witness to the nui-
sance, be himself having frequently to cross over to the
other side of the way to avoid the crowd of news-boys.
In reply to the charge, the accused said he was not in
Catherine-street five minutes. He had been to Mr.
Moseley's to buy some Evening Mails, and when he left
there, he having some papers on hand to dispose of in
the " market," certainly did call out, "London News—
who wants a London News ?" Ho then went into Mr.
Moseley's shop again, and when he came out the con-
stable took him into custody on the charge of obstruct-
ing him in his duty. As to treading on the heels of the
constable, that he denied ; he was in too great a hurry
to do that, for the Racing Times had just come out, and
every one was anxious to get their supply as soon as
they could, in order to deliver them to their customers.
Mr. Jardine said, neither defendant nor any one else
had a right to take up a portion of any public thorough-
fare for the purpose of a market. If they must deal in
newspapers, they ought to have a place solely for that
purpose, and not cause a nuisance and an obstruction to
the public. He considered the charge against defendant
had been proved, and therefore fined him 20s.
The fine was paid immediately.

NEW PRUSSIAN LOAN.—The advices from Berlin
mention that the new 4 per cent. Prussian loan of
750,0001. had been issued at par with an allowance of
14 per cent. commission to large subscribers. Nearly a
third of the amount was reserved by the Government.
SPANISH BONDS.—We hear numerous inquiries as to
the amount of certificates issued by the several com-
mittees of Spanish bondholders in London, Amsterdam,
and Madrid, as vouchers for the half of the overdue
coupons left unfunded at the last conversion. The total
amount issued in London was 3,529,3701. ; and in
Amsterdam, 3,164,1671. ; in all, 6,693,5371. The
amount issued by the committee in Madrid is not
known, as no home Spanish securities are recognised or
negotiable in this market. The entire amount issued by
all the committees, however, is believed to be about
7,800,0001. Supposing these vouchers to be admitted
as cash in the subscription for any new Spanish loan at
the rate of 104 per cent., they would thus represent in
the aggregate a sum of about 820,000/. sterling in cash.
THE PASSPORT SYSTEM.—The Journal de Geneve cir-
culates the following story :—Mazzini is said, on leaving
London, to have gone direct to Paris, where he stopped
at the Hotel Meurice, as an English gentleman, with
light hair and rather weak eyes, and provided, of course,
with a correct English passport. From thence he went
to Strasburg by railway • the police, however, had got
on the scent, and followed, but could not meet with any
such gentleman there. The only individual they found
was a respectable English gentleman, with brown hair,
very lively eyes, and quite a different passport. While
the French police were therefore directing their atten-
tion to Lyons with a view to the apprehension of the
light-haired man, the brown-haired Mazzini was playing
off the same counterfeit again on the German police, and
passed through Germany to Milan, where he is reported
to have stayed a few days.
ADULTERATION OF AUSTRALIAN GOLD.—The adul-
teration of the Australian gold which has lately been
practised is likely to check the export of coin from this
country for its purchase. A large amount consigned to
one house, by the Francis Henty, has been found to be
about 4s. per ounce below standard value, instead of
about 3s. above it, as heretofore.

AMSTERDAM AND ROTTERDAM PRODUCE MARKETS.—
The weekly reviews from the Amsterdam and Rotter-
dam produce markets mention that business had slightly
increased, and that general quotations were well sup-
ported. The operations in coffee since the termination
of the Dutch East India sales had been more active, and
prices showed a tendency to advance. Raw and refined
sugars continued to ,command attention, but the con-
tracts in the latter were limited in consequence of the
prices maintained. The late unfavourable advices from
Batavia had caused considerable purchases of spices at
improved quotations. The accounts from Antwerp and
Hamburgh represent a similar state of trade.
NEW BANK Op CONSTANTINOPLE.—It appears that an
effort is to be forthwith made to establish a new Bank of
Constantinople, and to bring about a re-adjustment of
the circulation that shall correct the ruinous rates of ex-
change at which all the foreign payments of the country
are now made. As this can only be effected, however,
by an importation of the precious metals, either through
a loan to the State or the opening of credits in London
or Paris, the measures to be proposed will be regarded
with curiosity. The recent repudiation puts the idea
of a loan out of the question, and the fact of the solemn
contracts of the late bank having been disavowed by the
Government which created it, and which professed to
make the maintenance of its honour a primary considera-
tion,
seems equally fatal to all prospect of credit being
given to any future institution 'of the kind.

AUSTRALIAN PARCEL MAIL.—A Stockton-upon-Tees
correspondent begs to call attention to a scheme which,
he thinks, if carried into effect, would prove profitable
to the shareholders. It is, to establish a company for
the conveyance of parcels to Australia or to any other
foreign ports, but especially to the former. The com-
pany could take as much room as they require on board
of a sailing vessel or steamer, and dispatch the goods
every month—freight, &c.' paid here—and have agents
in the country and also in Australia, &c., to consign the
goods to. The parcels could either be stowed loose •in
the vessel, or in boxes or bales, &c.
A NEW LINE OF COMMUNICATION TO OPORTO. —ltfp
rteisysarse.
Vianna, Jones, and Chappel, with that spirit of
enterprise for which Liverpool has recently become fa-
mous, have established a line of steam-packet communi-
cation to Oporto. The first vessel despatched to the
new station was the screw-steamer Rattler, Benson com-
mander, which took her departure hence on Saturday
evening, with a fair cargo on freight.—Liverpool Albion.
ROBERT HoUDIN.—Mons. Robert Houdin, the most
celebrated of modern prestidigitateur, had the honour of
giving a "Seance Magique et Fantaatique," by express
command, at Buckingham Palace, on Friday afternoon,
on the occasion of the birthday of her Royal Highness
the Princess Louisa, in the presence of her Majesty, his
Royal Highness Prince Albert, her Royal Highness the
Duchess of Kent, his Royal Highness the Prince of
Wales, Prince Alfred, Prince Arthur, the Princess
Royal, the Princess Alice, the Princess Helena, and the
Princess Louisa ; their Royal Highnesses the Duke and
Duchess of Nemours and three children, their Royal High-
nesses the Prince and Princess Augusta of Saxe Coburg
with four children, the Duchess of Sutherland and four
children, Madame Van de Weyer and two children, the
Countess of Shaftesbury and four daughters, the Coun-
tess of Desart and two children, Lady Alfred Paget and
one daughter, and four children of the family of Mr.
Farquharson of Invercauld, were also present. Mr.
n
Coleman accompanied the performance on the pianoforte.
M. Houdin, who came for the occasion express from
Lille, where he was giving a series of performances, had'
the honour of receiving the expression of her Majesty's
approbation. This popular artiste is announced to give
his extraordinary entertainment at the St. James's
Theatre every evening during Easter week.