The Sun.
London, England, 1849-08-27 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR.

BALMORAL, AUG. 23.
Lord John Russell arrived here yesterday evening,
on a visit to the Queen.
Lord John Russell will be the only addition to the
R val dinner party to-day.

His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, attended
by Baron Knesebeck, arrived at Cambridge House,
Piccadilly, at eleven o'clock, on Saturday morning,
from a visit to his Majesty the King of Hanover, at
Hanover. His Royal Highness proceeded to his resi-
dence at Kew in the afternoon.

His Royal Highness the Hereditary Grand Duke of
Mecklenburg Strelitz returned [to the residence of tFe
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, at Kew, on Saturday,
from the Continent.

WevatouTn.---When it is considered that the 25th
of July, 1849, gave us, through his Royal Highness
Prince Albert, the first stone of the Breakwater, the
greatest act of humanity that can be conceived, it is ex-
traordinary that a railway to Weymouth should have
been se long omitted; indeed it is most striking when
the important position of this place is referred to. Take
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from Weymouth affords the most direct route; and why
is not this southern central point accommodated with a
central line of railway, viz., to Birmingham direct? The
vast accommodation the Victoria Harbour of Refuge,
Portland, will afford (situated as it will be in the cen-
tral southern position of our coast) demands its adoption;
therefore all railways (north of Weymouth especially)
must at once see the nature of such an auxiliary to the
lines. What is the North-Western about? Can they not
have mutual understandings with the Great Western and
Midland? Tho Wilts, Somerset, and Weymouth appear
to be laying on its oars when actual and progressive
advancement is loudly called for. The same parallel
of latitude, via Weymouth from Birmingham,
is continued through the Channel Islands
of Guernsey, Jersey, &c., to St. Malo in France, and
onwards through the South of France to Bordeaux (the
Liverpool of France) to the Pyrenees. While the break-
water is making the railway system should be alive to
its own interests in such a plain matter. of-fact case.
Rely on it the breakwater will have its direct communi-
cation by land as well as sea ; both the national and
mercantile interests demand that no more time be lost.
We say, then, let the rail alluded to be ready by all
means with the speed now required in its execution.
Ridgeway Hill is tunnelled through, and the breakwater
under weigh, so long required in the great cause of hu-
manity, and by the naval, military, and mercantile inter-
() its of England and the whole of her connexions. It is
observable that one great (or we may say) grand im-
provement now goes single-handed, and nature points
out the actual want of the direct line of rail to Birming-
ham, so that the immense thoroughfare by sea might at
once be accommodated with the most central communi•
cation inland I look upon the question as one involving
the full effect of the works, combined with the comple-
tion of the harbour, conjoined with the advantages that
must result from the whole system of railroads in their
co-operation one with the other.—JoUN llAnvEr, the
successful promoter of the Victoria Harbour of Refuge,
Portland.

- ------
SAFFORDSHIRE AND WORCESTERSIIIRK BANKING
ComPANIEs.—The Wolverhampton and Staffordshire
Banking Company have declared their usual dividend of
seven percent. for the half-year ending the 30th of June
last, clear of income-tax. The Stourbridge and Kidder-
minster Banking Company have just issued their fifteenth
annual report, preparatory to the approaching annual
general meeting at Stratford-on-Avon. The audited ac-
counts of the company show, after deducting all current
charges, a clear surplus profit of 11,7991. 145., out of
which a dividend of Bs. per share was declared for the
Christmas half-year, and after payment of twelve months'
income-tax there now remains a surplus of 7,1481.105.10 d.
The directors state that, under ordinary circumstances,
the last declared rate of dividend might be safely
maintained, but the probability of a loss by the failure
of Mr. Ellins, of the Droitwich Patent Salt Works, in-
duces them to recommend, on the present occasion, a
dividend of only ss. per share for the past half-year, and
that the residue be carried to the credit of doubtful
debts account. The directors conclude their report by
remarking that the general business of the bank has
greatly increased during the past year, and assure the
proprietors that it possesses all the essential elements of
tuture prosperity. The Birmiingham and Midland
Banking Company have declared a dividend of 11. 17s. 6d.
per share for the half-year ending the 30th of June.
The year's profits, after paying income-tax, and amply
providing for every doubtful debt, amounted to
43,0021. 3s. 7d. ; and the guarantee fund to
13,3111. 16s. 6d. The Birmingham Town and District
Banking Company have made a dividend at the rate of
ten per cent. per annum.— Worcester Chronic.'e.
STATI3 OF TRADE.—BIRMINGHAM, SATURDAY.—

Few complaints are made of the general state of trade
of this town. In some descriptions of manufacture,
articles of German make are brought into competition,
although not to any serious extent; but it is also a fact
that in other branches of our staple trade decided im-
provement has taken place, in consequence of our in-
creased exports to the continent. The iron trade
remains as last reported, and the strike of the thick coal
colliers in South Staffordshire continues without an
apparent probability of a truce. Beth masters and men
adhere to their determination, the former contending
with great confidence that the latter must ultimately give
way. No serious act of violence or disturbance has been
committed.

INTUITIVE KNOWLEDGE.—It has been remarked
in Belgium that whenever the cholera became violent
in a village or town the swallow and other birds as-
sembled and emigrated, but that they returned on the
decline of the disease. Thus it happened at Verviers
when 20 people died of cholera per diem out of a popu-
lation of 2,000, that not a single swallow or singing
bird was to be seen. When cholera went away the birds
returned.—Kolner Zeitung.
A CENTENARIAN. —A man of the exceedingly great
age of 107 years died suddenly yesterday morning in
St. John's Catholic chapel, Salford. Ho rus seen to
stagger and fall, and a man who went directly to help
him up observed that he was deal An inquest was held
on the body yesterday forenoon by Mr. Ratter, county
coroner, when a verdict of "Died by the visitation of
.Gcci" was returned by the jury.—Manchastor Guardian.