The Sun.
London, England, 1849-02-26 00:00:00

S N 7 FEBRUARY 26, 1849.

tract has been entered into with regard to these convey-
ances, for one year, in conjunction with the Ulster
Company, by means of which Belfast will be reached
from Dublin, and vice versa, in less than eight hours'
travelling, and at a cost to the traveller greatly less than
that to which he has heretofore been subjected. Your
directors look upon this as a first, and by no means an
unimportant step towards a community of interest and
an amalgamation of property in the Northern railways."
Sir JouN SfacriEux, engineer of the company, thee
read his report, giving a flattering account of the pro-
gress of the works.

Both reports were adopted; after which a long discus-
sion took place, in which several of the directors and
shareholders participated, with respect to the number of
directors to be removed, and it was ultimately arranged
that the board should henceforward consist of eleven
members only.

Mr. GAIIT-LAN proposed that Nicholas Martin, Esq.,
John G. V. Porter, Esq., and William Murray, Esq.,
should be re-elected members of the directory for the
ensuing half-year; and, after some discussion, the motion
was carried.

Mr. MACRORY then moved that a large number of
shares, on which the calls had not been paid up, should
bo declared to be forfeited, pursuant to the provisions of
the 11th Vic., c. 16, and that the directors be authorised
to dispose of them as they should deem best for the in-
terest of the company.
The list of names having been read,
Mr. DUNLOP opposed the motion on the ground that
persons were included in the list who were well able to
pay their calls, and ought to be compelled to pay them.
—(Hear, hear.) Amongst otheis in the list, he found
the name of Mr. James Clay, a member of the Imperial
Parliament, and a person who ought to be well able to
pay.—(Hear, hear.)
After some discussion on the matter,
Mr. DUNLOP moved, and Mr. GARTLAN seconded, an
amendment, to the effect that the name of Mr. Clay be
excepted from the list of shares to be forfeited.
The amendment and the original motion were then
both put and carried. A vote of-thanks was passed to
thechairman, and the meeting separated. _

REVIVAL OF THE NORTH KENT RAILWAY.—Last
night (Friday) a numerous and highly influential meet-
ing, convened at a few hours' notice, was held at the Old
Town Hall, Dr. Soulby in the chair, at which a depute
Lion from certain London capitalists attended. It was
explained by Mr. Knocker that the said capitalists are
ready to furnish the means of constructing a North Kent
Railway from the South-Eastern portion at Rochester
through Canterbury direct to Dover, provided they re-
ceived an expression of local opinion that it is favour-
able and well received. It was also stated that the
South-Eastern Company either would not or could not
construct this portion of the North Kent line, and that
they would not oppose its construction by others. Mr.
Drayson, the engineer, explained the course the line
would take, and other particulars, after which resolutions
in favour of the project were unanimously passed.—
Dover Chronicle:
CHELTENHAM AND OXFORD.—CHELTENHAM, SATUR •
DAY.—To-day the half-yearly meeting of the proprietors
in this company was appointed to be held, at the offices
of the company in this town. At the hour appointed for
the meeting about half a dozen shareholders had assem-
bled, and these subsequently were augmented to fourteen,
among whom were the Hon. Ralph Dutton, chairman,
and James Agg Gardner (late candidate for the repre-
sentation of Cheltenham), vice-chairman. It seems that
to constitute a quorum at least twenty shareholders are
required to be in attendance, representing 2,500 shares;
and after waiting for an hour, there being no more than
fourteen shareholders present, the meeting was necessa-
rily adjourned sine die, as was the case on the occasion of
the last half yearly meeting. A report had been pre-
pared to lay before the shareholders, from which it ap-
peared that the operations of the directors had been
merely nominal, and they did not propose (at present at
least) to proceed more actively with the undertaking, no
portion of which has as yet been commenced. The com-
pany, however, having availed itself of the two years'
extension of time for the completion of the works, under
the Act, which came into operation last year, the under-
taking would not be damnified by delay.

[PRICE SD.

The Sharpshooter, screw gun-vessel, Lieutenant Com-
mander Bailey, left Gibraltar for Naples on the 7th.
The St. Vincent, with Sir C. Napier, accompanied by
the Sidon, Reynard, and Plumper, will return to Spit-
head immediately, from Gibraltar, perhaps as soon as
the Vanguard; the Rifleman may be expected earlier.
The Harlequin goes to Lisbon and remains there until
relieved, when she will come to Devonport and be paid
off. he Reynard goes to the East Indies after she has
refitted.

The Admiralty have given permission to the Admiral
Superintendents to order urgent repairs to steam vessels,
on the representation of the chief engineer, without re-
ference to their Lordships for their sanction.

COURT CIRCULAR.
The Queen held an investiture of the most Honourable
Order of the Bath on Saturday afternoon, at Bucking=
ham Palace.

At half-past two o'clock the Knights Grand Crosses of
the Order assembled, and having been robed in their
mantles of crimson satin, and wearing their collars,
passed through the picture Gallery into the Green Draw-
ing-room, where they were called over by Bath King of
Arms, when the following Knights Grand Crosses an-
swered to their names, viz..--
His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, Field
Marshal the Duke of Wellington, Viscount Strangford,
Field Marshal the Marquis of Anglesey, Admiral Sir
Edward Codrington, General the Earl of Strafford, Vis-
count Palmerston, General Sir George Anson, Lieut.-
General Sir James Law Lushington, Sir Richard Jen-
kins, Lieut.- General Sir Andrew Francis Barnard, Lieut.-
General Sir Howard Douglas, Bart., Major-General Sir
George Pollock, Lieut.-General Sir Charles James Na-
pier, Lieut.-General Viscount Hardinge, the Earl of
Ellenborough, Lieut.-General Lord Fitzroy James Henry
Somerset, and Lieut.-General Sir John Macdonald.
The officers of the Order attended with their mantles,
chains and badges. There were present the Dean of the
Order, the Very Re►. tho Dean of Westminster; the
Registrar and Secretary, Captain Seymour (Royal
Navy); Bath King of Arms, Algernon Greville, Esq.;
Genealogist, Walton Aston Blount. Esq.; and Gentle-
man Usher, Albert William Woods, Esq., (Lancaster
Herald).
The Queen wore the mantle and cellar of the Bath,
and was conducted to the Throne Room (where the in
vestiture took place) by the Royal Chamberlain and the
Lord Steward. Her Majesty was accompanied by Field
Marshal his Royal Highness-the Prince 'Albert, Grand
Master of the Order, who also wore the mantle and
collar of the Bath.

The Queen being seated in a chair of state, Prince
Albert being by her side and the Ladies in waiting, the
Great Officers of State, and the Noblemen and Gentle-
men in waiting occupying their usual stations near the
Sovereign, the Knights Grand Crosses were introduced
to the Royal presence, attended by the Officers of the
Order.

The Knights ranged themselves on either side of the
Queen, his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge being
on the right of her Majesty, and his Grace the Duke of
Wellington, the Senior Knight Grand Cross of the Bath,
on the left.

Her Majesty's Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at
Arms lined the room.

By the Queen's command, Lieut.-General Sir James
Lillyman Caldwell, of the East India Company's ser-
vice, was received at the entrance to the Throne-room
by Lord Fitzroy Somerset and Sir John Macdonald, the
two Junior Knights Grand Crosses present, and was
conducted between them to the presence of the Sove-
reign, preceded by Bath King of Arms (bearing the
riband, badge, and star of a Knight Grand Cross, upon
a crimson velvet cushion), and by the Gentleman Usher
of the Order.

His Royal Highness the Prince Albert (Grand Master
of the order), having received from Bath King of Arms
the riband and badge, presented them to the Queen, and
Sir James Caldwell kneeling, her Majesty was most
graciously pleased to put the same over the Lieut.• G-
eneral's right shoulder. Sir James, rising, had the ho-
nour of kissing the Queen's hand, and having received
the star of the order, withdrew.

Mr. George Russell Clerk, Iwo Governor of Bombay,
was introduced between Bath King of Arms and the
Gentleman Usher of the Order, the former bearing the
Ensigns of a Knight Commander of the Bath, Mr.
Clerk kneeling near the sovereign, had the honour of
Knighthood conferred upon him by the Queen, and
Prince Albert having presented the Ensigns of the
Order to her Majesty, the Queen was graciously pleased
to invest Sir George Clerk as a Civil Knight Com-
mander of the Bath. Sir George, after kissing hands,
retired from the royal presence.
Mr. Henry Light, late Governor of British Guiana,
was introduced with the like ceremony, received the
honour of knighthood from his Sovereign, and her
' Majesty having received from his Royal Highness the
Prince the Ensigns of a Civil Knight Commander of
the Bath, was graciously pleased to invest Sir Henry
therewith.

Major-General Archibald Galloway, of the East
India Company's service, was presented to the Queen,
had the honour of knighthood conferred upon him, and
was afterwards invested by her Majesty with the In-
signia of a Knight Commander of the Bath.
Colonel Duncan M'Gregor was introduced to the
royal presence, and kneeling, received the honour of
knighthood from the Queen, and afterwards the ensigns
of a Knight Commander of the Bath.

Colonel Charles Rowan was introduced between Bath
and the Gentleman Usher of the Order, and was
knighted by her Majesty. Sir Charles was alio in-
vested by the Queen with the Ensigns of a Knight
Commander of the Bath. Sir Charles, rising, had the
honour of kissing the Sovereign's hand, and then
retired.

The Knights Grand Crosses and the Officers of the
Order retired frog the presence of her Majesty with the
usual reverence.

The Court was attended by the Duchess of Norfolk
and the Countess of Charlemont, Ladies in Waiting; the
Lord Steward, the Lord Chamberlain, the Master of the
Horse, the Groom of the Stole to the Prince, the Cap-
tain of the lion. Corps of Gentlemen at Arms; the
Marquis of Londonderry, Gold Stick in 11 siting; Lord
Camoys, Lord in Waiting; the Treasurer of the House-
hold, the Vice-Chamberlain, the Comptroller of the
Household; Lord George Lennox, Lord in Waiting to
the Prince; Sir Matthew Wyatt, Lieutenant of the Hcn.
Corps of Gentlemen at Arms; Col. Berkeley Drummond
(Scots Fusilier Guards), Field Officer in Brigade Wait-
ing; Mr. R. Ormsby. Gore, Groom i❑ Waiting; Colonel
Wilde, Groom in Waiting to Prince Albert; Mr. David
J. Hurmar, Standard Bearer of the lion. Corps of Gen-
tlemen at Arms; Colonel the lion. Charles Grey,
Equerry in Waiting; Colonel Seymour, Equerry in
Waiting to the Prince; Captain Curling. Adjutant of the
lion. Corps of Gentlemen at Arms; Captain Kincaid,
Exon in Waiting. and Sir Benjamin Smith, C.S.
A party of the Yeoman Guard was on duty in the
Grand Hall and staircase, under the command of Captain
Kincaid.

Prince Albert, attended by Colonel Seymour, in-
spected, on Saturday, the manufactory of tasselated
pavement at Messrs. Minton and Co.'s, in Albion. place,
Blackfriars. his Royal Highness was conducted over
the establishment by the members of the firm, and was
pleased to express his gratification with the manufacture
of encaustic tiles and porcelain.

The Prince of Wales, Prince Alfred, the Princess
Royal, and the Princess Alice, took a carriage drive on
Saturday.
Yesterday the Roy al Children took their usual
exercise.

Her Majesty and Prince Albert honoured the per-
formance at Drury-lane Theatre with their presence on
Saturday evening. The royal suite consisted of the
llon. Miss Cavendish, Hon. Miss Macdonald, Lord
Camoys, Colonel the Hon. Charles Grey, and Colonel
Seymour.
The Queen and Prince Albert, the Ladies and Gen-
tlemen of the Court, and the domestic household, at-
tended Divine service yesterday, at the private chapel in
Buckingham Palace. The Hon. and Rer. C. Leslie
Courtenay officiated.
Cabouly Effendi, First Secretary to the Turkish Em-
bassy, Sadik Bey, Second Secretary, and Riza Bey,
Attache to the Embassy, had the honour of being pre-
sented to the Queen by the Turkish Ambassador at her
Majesty's last Levee.

Saturday was:the birth-day of his Royal Highness the
Duke of Cambridge. Some of the Foreign Ministers
and many of the Nobility called and left their names for
his Royal highness during the day at Cambridge House.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester received
their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cam-
bridge and the Princess Mary at dinner at Gloucester
House. Their Royal Highnesses were attended by
Baron linesebeek and Major Stephens. In the even-
ing the tradesmen of the Royal Duke illuminated then.
houses.

The Duke of Cambridge attended Divine service yes-
terday morning, in St. George's Chapel. His Royal
highness attended divine service in Grosvenor Chapel,
in the afternoon. '•
A Cabinet Council was held on Saturday afternoon, at
the Foreign Office. It was attended by Lord John Rua-
,ell, the Marquis of Lansdowne, Sir George Grey, Vis-
count Palmerston, Earl Grey, the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, Sir Francis Baring, Sir John Ilobhouse, the
Right Hon. H. Labouchere, the Marquis of Clauricarde,
and the Earl of Carlisle.
Mr. Trelawny indi Mr. Rundle had an interview with
Sir George Grey on Saturday, at the home Office.
Mr. John Wood bad an interview with the Chancellor
of the exchequer on Saturday.
Dispatches for the Governors of Hong-Kong and
Ceylon were sent off from the Coloniahoffice on Saturday
evening.
Mr. G. 11. Cavendish and Mr. Evans had an interview
on Saturday with Sir George
Grey,
the Right Lion. Baronet.
also an interview withr. Slangy bad
The Duke of Wellington attended the. early service in
the Chapel Royal, St. James,
were read by the Rev. Dr. Wesley,yesterday.
s, The prayers
and the sermon was
preached by the Rev. Mr. Cur eton. At the daily service
the sermon was preached
by the Bishop of Hereford.

PERNAMBUCO.—The fine ship-
p Chanticleer, which
sailed from Pernambuco on the 23d ult., arrived in
Liverpool on Saturday last, after a passage of 32 days.
She brings several days later intelligence from that port,
but it does not contain anything important. Commercial
affairs were in much the same state 1;1141 reputed.

~'
~✓

O THE SECRETARY OF THE
METROPOLITAN REFORM ASSOCIATION.
Sir,—On Wednesday the 21st, the principal debate
, was on the second reading of the Bribery at Electiorba
A till. It may be surmised that the lowest of the coin
of the realm would express the value of the expectation
attached by the community to processes of this kind. So
long as the great securities for malpractice of every
sort are carefully preserved, by the refusal to extend
constituencies and give to bribers the insecurity of the
ballot, all professions of a contrary desire will be coma_
dered as the movements of a patient desirous of keeping
in his own hand the power of action upon his own un-
sound tooth.
And not only is the expectation small, but there is a
fear in the contrary direction, that things will be so con-
trived, that the balance of danger shall be altered in
favour of the mal practisers. As things are now, any
man may be forced to defend his seat by any other man,
to the extent or nearly so, of the expense to which the
assailant may choose to go for the chance of Ida giving in.
Hence the, contest at the hustings is virtually transferred
to a contest of purses after the election. I speak from.
knowledge, having myself been laid down and robbed
at the door of the House of Commons on this very prin.
ciple. If great care is not taken, the alterations will be
such as to increase the chances of the bold and dis-
honest rich party, against the poorer and purer. Ono
man may steal a horse, where another may not look
over a hedge; and the whole effort of the who/epower
of corruption will be turned into the channel of trying
to catch some honest man upon the hip, and so destroy
him. The whole thing is rottenness, so long as they
insist on fattening the horse by every way but " trying
corn."
On Thursday a Bill was ordered to be brought in
without a division, to amend and alter the Act of Wil-
liam IV. relating to marriage within certain degrees of
affinity. As usual, the defenders of abuses blustered
about wounding the feelings of the majority of tht
country, and shocking the national morality; the evi-
dence that such feelings are on their side, consisting in
their being obliged to let the thing pass without a
division.

At the same time it is great pity that the mover could
not abstain from burthening his proposal with matter
that shall make one-half tend to sink the other. The
mind of the country has been openly and strongly
expressed on the propriety of allowing marriage
with the wife's sister; it has not been so
expressed on the subject of marriage with the
wife's niece. Why then burthen one case with the
other? And besides, the two things stand on entirely
different grounds, of which it is possible one may be
good and the other bad. The reasons for prohibiting
marriage within certain degrees, may be limited to two;
the prevention of intercourse under the plea of future
marriage, between individuals of the same generation
who in tender years are necessarily thrown much into
association, and the prevention of the abuse under the
same plea, of children by their natural guardians of an
elder generation. So strong is the consciousness of this
reason in the first-mentioned case, that in countries
where polygamy is the law, marriages are allowed
between the children of different mothers and the same
father, but nut between those of the same mother. The
reason being, that by the custom of polygamic society,
the families of the different mothers lire in separate
houses as far from ono another as can be contrived,
and consequently there is not the domestic association
between them which exists among the children of the
same mother, but on the contrary, in all probability,
less than on an average exists among cogsins in other
countries. In which the object is not to canvass the
merits either of polygamy or of its consequences, but to
state a strong instance in which the regulations of human
societies have pointed to the reason of the restriction
where applied.

The case of the wife's niece comes under the other
head. And here it can hardly be denied, that in the
great average of cases the nieces of the wife in tender
years are brought into contact with the matrimonial
uncle, in a way which an unprincipled individual might
easily turn to evil, and which would oftener take place
than it does, if it were not for the strong bar set up by
the belief in the inadmissibility of such connexions under
any form. The child that hangs about a man like his
own at seven, might easily be corrupted by him at four-
teen ; and there is no use in saying he would be a very
bad man, for the fact is that such things happen, and
would happen oftener if it were not for the wholesome
guard. The plea that the wife's niece is not so near to
her as the sister, shows only an ignorance of the ground.
on which restrictions of any kind are based. The law
is not to be founded on a superstitious horror of affinity,
but on a reasonable estimation of mischiefs to be pre-
♦ented. It is not the wife but the wife's husband that
is to be guarded against. The question is not how near
they may be to the wife, but how near they may be to
the husband, and what opportunities of corruption may
thence be given to him if ill-diposed.
It is clear, therefore, that the inclusion of the wife's
niece should be got rid of without delay. It is not only
unsupported in itself, but it confuses, and as far as it
can, neutralises the arguments in the other case. The
strong argument against the prohibition of the wife's
sister, is that she comes under neither of the reasons pro-
ducible for restraint. She is not the companion of the
husband in the tender years of both, and she is not under
the tutorship of a ma❑ of a prior generation, for they
are not of different generations but the same. There
may be accidental cases where something like the con-
trary may exist; and so there might be in the case of
another woman, as for instance a foundling educated in
the house. But the law must rule for generalities and
not for accidents.

On the same day another instance was given of the
perverseness with which some evil spirit seems to contrive
the ernbarrassingof the practicable with the impracticable
or the dangerous. The house without a division resolved
itself into Committee and ordered a Bill to be brought
in, for the relief of persons in holy orders declaring their
dissent from the E.tablished Church. Why burthen
this, with what has been attempted before and failed,
and therefore may very possibly fail again, the demand
that the person laying aside his orders shall be admis-
sible into the House of Commons? This is not the way
things are done in this world. A man determining to
swim to a distant point, does not say, " And I have half
a mind to try, whether I cannot carry a kedge-anchor
along with me."

Oii Friday the Oaths Bill in Committee. The anti-
Ministerialists desire to insert somewhere a declaration
against injuring the Church Establishment; but where
and how, they do not succeed in making clea-. Sad is
the inference against any establishment, which cannot
stand without these declarations that it shall not be
meddled with. "F ar ye the constable?" is what it
suggests to all. But if the anti-Ministerialists have
really anything to propose, they should let it out. When
men are to arrive at specification, there is generally some-
thing to be given up on one side, often on both. If the
intention was to say, that on consenting to admit words
in the oath to be taken by the new participators in the
constitution, there would be a diminution of hostility to
the main question, this would be a thing for sensible
men to listen to. But if the plan is to ask for the in-
sertion of new words into all oaths, why did not they
for shortness ask to undo the Reform Bill, restore the
Catholic Disabilities and the Test Act, and do anything
else that was most beyond the bounds of reasonable ex-
pectation? .

I am, Sir, your ojedient servant,
AN OLD REFORMER.

London, Feb. 26, 1849.

TO Till,: _EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Sia,—The proprietors of railway stock owe you a debt
of gratitude for your powerful advocacy on their
behalf. When they contemplate their present position,
compared to what it was a few months past, they have
cause to be thankful to you. But still, the danger is
not over; the Stock Exchange speculators are endea-
vouring still to play a reckless game by the most un-
founded assertions with respect to the future prospects of
the different companies. I may just glance one of their
reports to depress the value of railway shares.
They wish to make it appear that the Great Western
Railway will not maintain their dividend of six per cent.
Now, Sir, I venture to state, without fear of contradic-
tion, that six per cent. is a minimum dividend, and that
the Great Western Company will declare a dividend be-
fore the next twelve months, if not before, of seven per
cent., if not eight, in addition to laying by a large sur-
plus capital. Their traffic during the last month is
nearly double what it has been, and they are oaring
now, by wise and judicious economy, thirty thourand
a year.

be duped by
Icaution the shareholders not to suffer themselves to
designing men. Before three months have
expired their shares will stand fifty per cent. beyond the
present ruinous price; and I have every confidence in
Mr. Russell's statement, when he asserted that his con-
fidence remains unshaken, as to the stability and rapid
full nests yen ins.
,
improvement in their affairs. We have passed siks
worst, and the last six months was an unparalleled state
of depression for the railway
FAIyR PLAT,
Yours interests—but
ur sr e p e
Ludlow, Feb. 24.

ALARMINGFIRE AT ST. JOIIN'S CIIAPED, Bin-
FORD RUB. yesterday afternoon, during the time Divine service was being periornaed at St. John's Chapel,
l3hfeatdthrihe d ;
e rove, e
the congregation
t ‘ by
was thrown into a state
a cry being raised
on fire. The flames, which were
caused by an over-heated furnace, were speedily extin-
guished, and no damage to life was sustained.
that greatest
fi. e was possible excitemens,
THE NEW HOUSES OF
has petitioned for the opportunity of placing certain
facts connected with his plans before the committee. Fie
refers particularly to the new House of Commons, to the
quality of the air with which it will be hereafter supplied
if excluded from the use of the channel made in can.
flexion with the Victoria Tower, and adverts particu-
larly to the fog, dew, and smoke which collects in great
density at a low level on the banks of the river in certain
states of the atmosphere; as well as to the general stop-
page to the circulation of fresh air in the vicinity at ordi-
nary altitudes, in consequence of the obstructions pre-
sentd by the immense pile of new buildings.
THE AMERICAN MAILS.—The British and North
American It,iyal Mail steam-ship America, Captain
llarrison, sailed from the Mersey, on Saturday, at half-
past eleven. tihe takes out a large number of passengers,
a considerable quantity of freight, and a very heavy
mail. This was the first occasion on which the new
postage law Caine into operation. Newspapers were
charged id. each, and letters according to the termsosses
specified in the Act of Convention,
paymentigtasties.
being optional or not on letters to the United
of Liverpool
in a chest of tea imported intoP
the o
weight of earth
CUINESE FRAUD.—It was recently
rdti.covered that
horn China was concealed several pounds
was fully believed
China,
and rubbish. This earth and rubbishhsat
to have been concealed in the chest before it left
of the chest, and the
because it was placed in
and the paper in which the raDl9Ol3
tea was packed closely rothunecic.the.
,paweislEageoencouentawinining
Chinese intulatioture•