The Sun.
London, England, 1841-02-11 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1841.

increased?" Tbo answer was, undoubtedly, during the
last five years especially. There were generally in each
parish from fire to forty unemployed, who were engaged
during the day in idle games to pass their time away, in
insulting persons who passed by, or in taking sleep to
make them more ready for their labours at night ; no.one
would apply for work, because they were sure 'Of support

from the. poor-rates.
That statement is put before -the jsublic by

Sir ROBERT PEEL, for the purpose of showing
the baneful operation of the old Poor-law
system—we use it to show the effect of the Corn-

law, to illustrate the copduct of the aristocracy,

and to prove the little utility, to the bulk of the
people, of the unceasing meddling of the Legisla-

ture with what it is plain, from the results of its
conduct, it does not understand. Indeed, that
body presents a very remarkable instance of ac-
tivity increasing in proportion as experience has

proved its labours to be mischievous. ADAM
SMITH and FRANKLIN led the way in showing
that the less the Legislature meddled with mat-
ters of trade the better for society, and no year

has passed since the attention of the House of
Commons could be spared from finding the
means of carrying on the war, without Parlia-

ment having made several laws to regulate trade
Mr. MALTHUS came next and. demonstrated that
the tendency, of population to outgrow the supply

of food lies at the bottom of most social evils,
and the attempts of the Legislature to stimulate
on the one hand the increase of people, or to

check, on the other, the supply of food, had al-
ways led to inconceivable misery. Not a year,

we believe, has since flown over our heads, but
the Legislature, with a fatuity which, on ordinary
principles is quite inexplicable, has meddled
more with the population and with food. :It

would seem that, like a passionate woman, it is

stimulated into greater and greater enormities
by the detection and exposure of its errors.

As to the effect of the Corn-laws, it will be re-
membered that the Corn-law was passed in 18.16,
when the sum appropriated to the unemploycNl
poor in Blything- was 57., and in the year 1824
it was no less than 3,5361., at which time the
Corn-laws had been nine years in existence.

Coincident, therefore, with the passing of tlioac
laws, began the dependence and the degrada-
tion of the agricultural labourers, while those
laws are defended on the ground rthat they pro-

vide high wages and abundance of employment
for agricultural labourers.
In the same nine years, -but especially during
the last five "years, the agricultural labourers

had become totallyilemoralized. They are de-
-B^gibed as idle, poaching, and thieving. That
wa3 the result of the combined operation of the
Co 'n-laws and the ' Poor-laws, the administra-
tion of which was entirely in the hands of the

landowners, the squires, and the parsons. The
corruption, degradation, and demoralization of
the population is clearly, to be traced to them and
their laws, and we are • grateful to Sir R. PEEL
for bringing 'before the public the graphic illus-
tration of the conduct of the landed aristocracy
during the nine years to 1824 after the Corn-laws
were passed.
But we are now in the year 1841. We have
lived 26 years more than in 1824. Sir R. PEEL,
then a mature-man, a forward legislator, a great
officer of State, has since had 26 years' experience.
The Legislature has paid great attention to the
subject. It has passed many new /aws for the
improvement of the people; it has had unlimited
power; it has built churches, and multiplied
prisons; it has made a complete change in the
Poor-law; it has altered, and, 'as it is supposed,
improved the Corn-law ; and now, after these
twenty-six years of continual legislative toil,
what is the result? The criminal returns show a
yearly increase of committals, and a yearly in-
crease of crime ; not confined to the manufactur-
ing, but spreading throughout the agricultural,
districts. It was so alarming in 1834, particu-
larly in the agricultural districts—the Corn-law
existing throughout the periodthat a stringent
Poor-law was passed, by the combined operations
of which the hungry poor and the refractory
poor may be at once coerced and excluded from
relief.

Wages now, instead of being ample to main-
tain the workman, vary from 7s. to 12s. per week,
corn being at 7s. 6d. per bushel. The agricultu-

ral labourers are starving and in rags. The con-
dition of the artizans in the manufacturing dis-
tricts may be learnt from ourPrestonCorrespon-

dent's letter. He says that there are in that
town ten thousand persons who have not
a single blanket to cover them. Every-
where the voice of complaint is loud,
poverty and distress are increasing, and the
cup of discontent is full almost to overflow-
ing. Such are the results of twenty-six years'
incessant meddling with the poor, with their con-
dition, and with their food, by the Legislature,
after the ill effects of the conduct of the aristo-
cracy were known in 1824. •
In those twenty-six years Sir ROBERT PEEL,

and the rest of the errant mischief makers who
meddle with trade and population, having the
most glaring evidence before them of their re-
peated failures, seem not to have learnt one use-
ful truth, for they go on year after year uphold-

ing the same scoundrel Corn-law, and passing
enactment after enactment to obviate, without
ever succeeding, the consequences of their own
errors. Such a succession of mischievous blun-
ders is unexampled, we believe, in the history of
man, since he began to observe and note the
effects of his conduct.

Will the calamities' which are now falling on

the people open the eyes and soften/the hearts
of these blind and cruel' men? They must be
doubly mailed in vanity and self-conceit if they
unrefiectingly persist in their present course.
With skill and industry unexampled in the
world, possessing a productive power which has
been estimated as equal to,that of more than a hun-
dred millions of thos.e men who, in the ancient
world, reared the Pyramids, which still attest
their greatness—a power so vast that benevolent
men have been alarmed lest it should want the
means of exertion—blessed with all the elements
of wealth, exposed to no great natural disasters,
the land not covered with avalanches or washed
away by floods, but visited merely by a winter
of some little more than the ordinary severity,
but nothing:out of the course of nature—with the
greatest natural advantages ever owned by a
nation—with abundance of land both here and
in our colonies, surrounded by oceans teeming
with fish, and blessed by Providence, therefore,
with the most wonderful "preparations for phy-
sical enjoyment"—with all these advantages, mul-
titudes of our people are at this moment in a
state of the deepest poverty and distress, and
passing daily into premature graves.
We do not take up a Journal but we find in-
quests, recording verdicts of "death from want,"
"death from starvation," " death from the in-
clemency of the weather," which means want of
food and clothing to protect the sufferers from
that inclemency. But the deaths which the
Coroner inquires into, are only a small portion
of those which are caused by hunger and cold.
The average deaths in the metropolis in the week
t
nh
ce Samed w
iene
okr t
aorfi t
ylB3b9e
na d
18181.40, T
ending the 30th ult., was 1,107; the average for
lie
si• a s fie,ratlgiee
deaths in the 1:
metropo in the week pre-
ceeding, was 1,10(i-
-,
and the average of the
same week in 1839 and 1840 was 926, the increase
being, 203. The average
increased mortality of '
the two weeks of 1811 is therefore 192, or one-
sixth of the whole. That 'may be taken, we ap-
prehend, as a fair indication of the increased
mortality throughout the • empire, the lower
classes of the metropolis being, in general, better
off than the lower classes of the Manufacturing
and agricultural districts. Thus has the want of
food, of clothing, and of comfort, to meet the
additional severity of the weather—which as we
have shown again and again, is the consequence
of the Corn and other bad laws—put to death,
within the last few weeks, one-sixth more of our
people than would otherwise have died.
Taking the population of the metropolis at

one-sixteenth of the whole empire, we. may
conclude that the Corn-laws have put to death
abcmt 3,248 people in the two weeks end-
ing the 30th of January, 1840. Will such
a, consequence, suppOsing .it to be only an
approximation to truth, arouse in the land-
owners, the bishops, the squires, and the parsons—
arouse in the whole body ofthe law-making classes;
whose conduct was proved to have been so trej
mendously mischievous as long ,ago as 1824, and
which has been equally or more Mischievous
every year since,—will this dreadful fact arousein.
them a decent .or sorrowful reflection - on their
own misdeeds? Will they have any compunc=
tious visitings ? = 'Will conscience smite theth ?
We are afraid not, and we must conelude, While
we are unable to ascribe to the , doctrines taught
by the bishops any consolation to the ,poor
at being starved out of existence, that those doe-
trines supply, in faCt, no restraint on the
ties of the law-making aristocracy.
We shall be told, perhaps, that all theSe are
natural evils, and that the Legislature does not
cause, and cannot cure them. Why, -then, does
it try ? If it cannot save the people from starv-
ing, why does it check and, restrain the supply
of food ? If it cannot prevent prernatue death
from cold, why does it impede the people in sup-
plying themselves with fuel and raiment ? As
long as it will meddle with trade and with popu-
lation, as long as it will make laws for what it
does not understand and cannot grasp or control,
it ,makes itself responsible for all the dreadful
consequences of its acts; and as long as the people
(lie the victims of its laws we shall boldly accuse
it of being their Murderer.

On Monday the Manchester Chamber of Com-
merce held its twentieth annual ineetilg, J. B.
SMITH, Esq., in the chair. A Report was read,
in which the following mention is tir.tde of the
Corn-laws and the Sugar and Coffee unties
This petition (adopted by the Chamber against the
Corn-laws last March) expresses so fully the sentiments
'of the Chamber, that the Directors feel it to. unneces-
sary to dilate, in this Report, upon the imp olicy and in-
justice of those laws; the more especially as constant dis-
cussion has laid bare the evils which they entail upon the
people of this coun try, and has shown to all who calmly
consider the question, that a continuance ;n the present
vicious syStem will speedily involve both .he agricultural
and commercial interest in one common ruin. But the
Board would not have the Chamber to suppose that this
incubus upon the energies of the country will be removed
without further and constant exertions; and they re-
commend that the Chamber should never relax in their
endeavours to put an end to the present unjust system.
Equalization of Sugar and Coffee Duties..—Thts im-
portant subject remains in the same 'neglected state as
when the Chamber held its last annual meeting. No in-
dication bas yet been given that the oft-repeated com-
plaints of merchants, manufacturers, and consumers, have
had the slightest effect upon the Governmer.t and Legis-
laturc. The merchant is still exporting manufactures
from this country to those foreign States whose only means
of paying for them consists in the production of articles
which he cannot bring borne because they are loaded with
prohibitory duties, and has, consequently, to receive its re-
turns through circuitous channels; the manufacturer is
forced to look on, whilst he sees his trade passing progres-
sively into other countries ; consumers pay more than two-
fold the price for sugar and coffee which would be required
from them were the monopoly abolished. The extravagant
prices which these articles have attained, have, however,
produced, of late, great changes in the habits of consum-
ers; every large class have no larger the means of pur-
chasing at all, whilst the middling classes have become
studious to diminish their consuutption ; the revenue is
therefore injured. Thus are the interests of merchants,
manufacturers, and consumers, and even of the revenue
itself, sacrificed to the maintenance of a monopoly which
is incapable of supplying the wants of the country.
The deport was agreed to, but we regret to
pereeive that its enlightened sentiments were not
welcomed by a numerous body. Not twenty
members, it is said, were present. Chambers of
Commerce seem never to have found favour-in
England; and though their utility in collecting and
distributing information may be great, they are
never likely, we believe, as they lead to neither
honour nor emolument, to engage the attention.
or command the respect of many Ilersbris.

We regret to learn, by the Hamburgh papers,
received last night, that Mr. CANNING, the Bri-
tish Charge d'Affaires and Consul-General lat
Hamburgh, died there on the 2d inst., after a
long and severe illness. He had occupied that
important situation for sixteen years, was greatly
respected by the mercantile class, and indeed. by
the people in general ; and his death, accord-
ing to These papers, is universally regretted
at Hamburgh. He: was a man of amia-
ble manners, and much beloved by all
who knew him. We learn also frOm Stockholm

that on the 26th of january the anniversary of
the birth of BERNADOTTE, King of Sweden, was
celebrated by a grand entertainment at Court,
and by general rejoicing for the continued good

health of the old warrior. It is stated in a
Coblentz paper that, notwithstanding the late
order of the KING forbidding the publication of
Papal briefs andbulls without the Royal consent,
Dr. GUNTHER, the administrator of the diocese,
had attempted to give validity to a brief to which

:he KING had refused. his assent. The time, we

trust, is not far distant when both Government
and people will unite in putting down the inso-
lence of the Church in every country.

The Paris Papers of Monday have been re-
ceived. The Moniteur contains the following
official despatch announcing the settlement of the
Douro question :

" MADRID, FEB. 1.
" Tag FRENCIL CHARGE D'AFFAIRES TO THE DILNISTER OF

FORNION AYFAIRS

" The question relative to the Douro is terminated.
The Chamber of Peers has voted the law fur the -regula-
tion of the navigation of this river. The Queen has givan
her assent t• the Bill introduced for that purpose."
The same announcement is made in tile Madrid
Gazette, of the Ist instant, in the following
terms :
" Her Majesty's Government received yesterday the
grateful information of the Portuguese. Senate having ap-
proved on the 26th of January the regulations for the free
navigation of the Douro, pursuant to the Treaty of the 31st
of August, 1835; and of her Faithful Majesty the Queen
of Portugal having sanctioned the measure, in accordance
with both Chambers, which thus 'becomes the law. In

this manner has this most important Treaty, which opens
a prolific source of advantages • to both countries, been
fully completed, and will be immediately carried into
effect. From this day forward it will become a new bond
between the two nations, uniting closer and closer their
relations and common interests ; whilst in so grateful an
event the Spanish Government finds the means of showing
Europe the sincerity with which they acted in this
question, which ending is this satisfactory raanner, nothing
can alter or disturb the amity and alliance existing between
the two kingdoms."
Next to the adoption of the Treaty for the
Navigation of the Douro by the Portuguese Go-
vernment, we hail as a good omen the excellent
spirit in which this concession to a threat has
been received by the Spanish Regency.
The French Government also published on
Monday the following despatch, confirming the
news from Malta, published in The Sun of yes-
terday :

" MALTA, JAN, 28,
"THE FRENCH CONSUL TO THE MINISTER FOR FOREIGN

AFFAIRS.
" The Turkish fleet, restored by Mehemet AU, had
quitted Alexandria. Solyman Paella had arrived in
Cairo, with a division of 8,000 men. - Ibrahim was ap..
preaching Gaga, whither the Nile steamer had been sent
to meet him."
There was a report current,in Paris on Mon-
day, originating we know not with whom, that
a satisfactory adjustment of the China question
had taken place. We do not believe that in
such reports there is a syllable of truth. From
the whole of the accounts brought by the last
overland mail we hesitate not - to pronounce Ad-
miral ELLIOT'S expedition a complete failure.
And, taking all the circumstances into considera-
tion, we do not see how it could be otherwise.
From a letter from Macao, daed October 13, will 2h
will be found in another column, it appears that
when Admiral ELLioT was at the mouth of the
Peiho he refused personally to negotiate with the
Imperial Envoy as being his • inferior in rank,
and therefore left the negotiations to be entirely
carried on by Captain ELLIOT—the last English-
man in China who ought to have been entrusted
with such functions. 1 f the Admiral was of opi-
nion that it would be imprudent to waive the
! least point of etiquette in treating with the
Chinese, he surely might have insisted on the
appointment of an officor of higher rank to treat
with him. But to leave the Peiho without even
extorting the courtesy of an interview with an offi-
cer of his own rank was in itself to destroy the
moral effect of the expedition.
In the Chamber of Peers on Monday the Mar-
quis BREZE, a Royalist Peer, called the
attention of the Government to the Treaty with
Buenos Ayres, which he denounced as discredit-
able to France. M. GUIZOT replied that the
Treaty was concluded under the instructions of tl e
Maw; Cabinet, and that as he and his colleague

did not view it in so unfavourable a light as the
Noble Marquis, it was the intention of the Go-
vernment to ratify it.
There is very little political news of any mo-
ment in the Paris J ournals of Monday. Ott the
subject of the arrest of the editor of La France
the subjoined official paragraph appears in the
Massager:—
" Several papers have called on the Minister to explain
himself respecting the arrest and imprisonment of the
gerant and chief editor of La Frwice. The answer is
simple, and all men of good faith must be aware of it. The
Magistrates chnrged with the examination of an affair
have not rendered an account of their motives. They act
in virtue of the law, and the law net only authorises, but
compels the arrest of individuals accused of forgery."
The Customs' Bill occupied the Clamber of
Deputies on ',Holiday. The debate, up to post
hour, was of' no interest. The only paragraph
of importance adopted was that fixing the duties
on foreign coals, as follows :—" Imported at any
point between the sands of Olonne and the port
of Dunkirk, if in French vessels, ten sous the
100 kilogrammes (;2001bs.); if in foreign bottoms
one franc, the 100 kilogrammes. At other points
of the coast the existing duties to be maintained.
Duty on coke double that of coals."
The Toulonnuis has the subjoined statement rest ecting
the ensuing campaign in Africa :
" Advices from Algiers of the 26th of February, state
that a decisive campaign is in preparation for the spring.
Several transports, loaded with provisions and supplies,
have been despetched from Toulon for Algiers. It is ex-
peeteel that by the Ist of April there will be a full supply
of provisions at Algiers.
" The general effective state of the army is now 60,000
men, every thing included. It is stated that on arriving
at Algiers General Bugeaud will occupy himself in the
first instance Ri h the ameliorations which the sanatory
state of the army demands.
" It is thought that the time for a colonization in ear-
nest, and on an extensive scale, has arrived. The Arabs
are in dismay and worn out, the occepation of Medea and
of Miliena has driven them away from Algiers and the
MitAja. There is now room enough on the Sahel and on
the plain for 100,000 colonists.
We learn that the expedition which is in preparation
will be directed in the first instance on Tekedempt, where
Abd.el-Kader's principal forces arc united at this moment,"
Ftaa IN FRANCE.—The Journal de Toulouse gioes the
following account of a fire which occurred a few days
since at Castellanes, from a cause extremely rare at
this time of the year, and under circumstances rather
extraordinary. Atter a night pouring down a deluge of
rain, a violent storm of thunder and lightning came on
just as the daylight on the succeeding evening began
to fail, and soon after-w it& a bolting-mill seated on
the river Douine was peregied to be on fire. It burnt
fiercely and rapidly until it was entirely consumed, al-
though not only completely surrounded by water, bat
even flooded to the depth of between two and three feet
above the ground floor. The scene is represented as
having been roost awful, giving the resemblance of a large
drip in flames in the middle of the ocean. By sonic per-
sons the accident is attributed to a barrel of quick lime,
which, being reached by the water, ignited, and at last
burst into flame ; but the mere general opinion is that it
was caused by the lightning, as these was a tremendous
explosion only a few seconds before the flames were per-
ceived. The journal states that the value of the property
destroyed was very groat, but does not mention the loss
of any life.
A correspondent of the Sud, at Alexandria, writes on
the 23d ult., that Commodore Napier was riding about
wherever he went in the carriage of Boghos Bcy ; and
that Walker Pacha and his aides-de camp were taking
their promenades on the Viceroy's horses of ceremony,
with their gilt saddles. Mehemet Ali himself if: deeribed
as not presenting any symptoms of dejection in his coun-
tenance. He continued his friendship as usual to the
French Consal-General, and complained of not seeing
him at the palace so often as before.
The following from Odessa, 18th ult., is given by the
Moniteur Paristen:—
" The plague has made its appearance in Georgia, and,
although not very malignant, has already extended about
20 leagues on this side of Tiflis. General Golowin, the
governer-general, had received orders to establish a sana-
tory cordon on the line of the Caucasus, in order to save
the interior from being attacked. He, however, abstained
from doing this, representing that cort4ons to such a
vast extent at .ad no protection, while their more cer-
tain consequences arc ruin to commeree, discontent
of the people, and impediments to military operations;
he added, that he considered the measure adopted by
him of surrounding every place where there was the least
appearance of the evil, leaving the intercourse between
the other parts of the country free and open, as one more
efficacious. This opinion is said to have prevailed at St.
Petersburgh. Nevertheless, as in such cases too much
precaution cannot be taken, four regiments of Cossacks
have been placed at the disposal of Count Woronzow, to
establish sanatory cordons wherever he may think right, in
case the plague should pass from the Caucasus and make
an irruption into Russia. Should this disease make pro-
gress, it will render still more complicated the affairs of
the Caucasus, which during the last year have been quite
bad enough. In spite of the rigour of the season, the
14th division was to leave Taganrog for Georgia last week,
although it had taken up its quarters for the winter."
The mails from London, Bordeaux, Havre, Nantes, &c.
have not arrived. The Moniteur has the following ar-
ticle :—" The President of the Council, Minister of War,
has received the most satisfactory accounts of the readi-
ness which the young soldiers of Finisterre and the Cotes
du Nord have shown to join their regiments."
BOURSE.—PARIS, MONDAY, Fart. 8.

5 irot Highest Lowest Last
Price . Price. Pricy Price
French 5 per Cents ll2 ... 11l S ... 111 6o ... il, 75
4 per Cents 99 .... 90 ... 99 ••: WO
3 per Cents 76 3$ . 76 25 ... -da 75 ... '5 90
Rank of trance
L Ritte Bank 1,0001. Sh 1055 ...MI6 ...1055 ...1t55
5000 f. Shares 5145 ...Ll' ...5145 ...51'5
,elgian Bank
5 per Cents 99% ... 119 % ... 94 ... 98
Dutch 2% per Centc
io.u.isla ACLIVC 25 ... '25 ... '244i ... 24T.
Passive 6% ... 6% ~. 63ia ... fith.
,leatiolitan lOl 30 ... 101 40 ... 101 30 ... 'Ol 05
R kil'an . lOO3B ... 1003;r ... Ito% ... 100%
RAILWAY SHARES.
St. Germain
Ve7sailles,R. B 445 ... 445 ... 432 50 ... 435
L 8230 ... 330 ... 325 ... 325
Orleans . 484 75 ... 4.53 75 ... 452 50 ... 482 50
Strasburg to Bale 2-0 ... 650 ... 245 ... 246 25
'touen
HAMBURG BORSENHALLE, Fun. 4.
Bills. Money
Austrian 5 per Cents.
Bank Shares
Anglo-Russian Loan 106% 0)(41
Russian 5 per Cent. !st series, C,rtificate
Inscription, Ist Se:ics lO3
Russian 5 per Cent. Hope and Co. 3d and 4th
Series ... 96%
Ditto in Certificates
Dutch Actual Debt, 2% per Cent 48%
Ditto 5 per Cent —
Polish Bonds
New ticket
157 156
Anglo-Danish Loan, 3 per Cent 13% 73%
N mwegian Loan, 1834, 4 per Cent. lOl
Spanish,.New 5 per Cents. 1674 ~
rACHANGEs ON LONDON.
HAMBURG, Fen. 4.-13 s.—Two months, 13 3
STOCKHOLM, JAN. 29.—Seventy-five clays, 11. 38.
LEIPSIC, Fee. I.—Two mo,ths, 6. 16. X.
VIENNA, JAN 99.—Three months, 9. 40,
BREMEN, J N. '29 —Two months, (115.
BERLIN, FEB. 2.—Three months, 6.1714.
AUSTRIAN FUNDS.—VIEPINA, JAN, 31.
Five per C,,its.Metalliques • 10634
Four per Cents.
Three pa Cents.
Bank Shares
...illigenzrine Zeitung. Feb. 4.

The funeral of Doctor Olinthus Gregory, late
Professor of Mathematics at the Royal Military Academy
on Woolwich Common, took place on Monday morning,
when, notwithstanding the severity of the weather, and the'
wish of the family that it should be strictly private, a large
assembly of the clergy in the town and neighbourhood,
and many artillery and engineer officers of high rank at-
tended to pay the last tribute of respect to a gentleman
whose memory will long be held dear in that vicinity. The
gentlemen invited to attend as mourners were Sir John
Webb, Colonel Jones, Major Cuppage, and Sir Chapman
Marshall. On the previous day the Rev. Mr. Molincux
preached a funeral sermon in the new church at Woolwich
to a crowded congregation. Dr. Gregory's house was
open to literary and scientific men from any part of the
world, and notwithstanding the laborious duties of his
office, he was always ready to give detailed an-
swers to all applications made to him. These ap.
plications were very numerous from persons who had
made, or thought they had made, mathematical dis-
coveries, and be cheerfully and candidly replied to
them, as he once told the writer of this simple tribute to
his character, in order to prevent those who were mistaken
from pursuing what might lead them to ruin. Doctor
Gregory was subjected at one period to a heavy daily ex-
pense of postage, and he was always subjected to expense
in receiving his many learned visitors with hospitality, and
thus was prevented from making much provision for his
family. For the thirty-five years he was at the Ordnance
Academy, he was always at his post, and there is scarcely
an artillery or engineer offieer at Woolwich who has not
been a pupil of his.
GOA.—Three vessels, with 500 Portuguese sol-
diers, have just arrived at Goa from Europe. They have bad
along and tedious passage, having put off considerable time
at Mozambique: A fracas, which at one time assumed
rather a serious aspect, lately occurred betwixt the Go-
vernor and the Commander of the French armed corvette
Dordogne. At formerly intimated. the Governor of Goa
issued an order, that no French or English vessels should
be permitted to remain at Goa so long as there might be a
likeihood of war betwixt England and France. The
order to this effect had been issued in somewhat more
peremptory and imperious terms than the French com-
mander cared for, concluding with a threat of forcible ex-
pulsion, unless it was immediately obeyed. The reply to
thin was, that if the Governor of Goa meant to compel
French ship-of-war to leave his shores when she was not
so disposed, be had better build more forts within reach of
her. This, of course, occasioned an angry rejoinder,
which was answered by a speech on the part of the French-
man,,more nautical than diplomatic, to the effect that the
Governor of Goa might go to the d—l. Matters could
hardly go further than this without coming to blows, so the
Dordogne sailed out of the harbour in the sulks. The
whole matter was reported at Bombay, and a sheaf of
papers, notices, replies, duplies, and triplies, is to be for-
warded by the overland of to-day. The Dordogne has
now departed for the Isle of Bourbon, and the French re-
sident at Bombay has gone down to Goa to appease the
irate Portuguese and prevent a national quarrel. Oar
friends in Europe, we venture to say, did not dream of a
French war being threatened by an outburst of tuitional
dignity on this side the Red Scar—Bombay Times, Dec. 19.
kiThe prosecution against Mr. Al oxon for publish-
ing Shelley's works, including " Queen Mab," stands for
trial on Thursday or Friday next. Mr. Sergeant Tal-
fourd, Sir W. Follett, and Mr. Hayward are retained for
the defence. Mr. Thomas, who defended Hetherington,
will conduct the prosecution, which, it is understood, has
102 n set on foot to found a charge of partiality against the
Government in selecting that individual for punishment,

MONEY and COMMERCIAL NEWS.

CITY, WEDNESDAY EVENING.
There has been again a very heavy market for the
public _securities to-day, more so in fact than might have
been reasonably expected, seeing the absence of any
further foreign intelligence of interest. The fact, how-
ever, seems to be that prices are affected by the retro-
grade movement at Paris, and by the industrious efforts
of many parties to keep down the market, under the
plea of a possible collision with the United States, on
account of Mr. 11.1‘Leocl's arrest and confinement. We
may mention, however, that money is rather tighter,
owing in some measure to the great impediments thrown
in the way of trade by the suspension of river and canal
navigation, not a single ship, for example, having been
entered at the . Custom-house yesterday.

Consols gradually declined to-day from 88i to 87i,
and closed at 88 for present transfer, while for account
they alternated between 881 and 88. Exchequer
Bills brought ss. to 7s. premium, and India Bonds 12s.
to 163. discount. Bank Stock was at 16:31, and India
Stock at 246 i. The Reduced Tbrec•and•a-Half per
Cents. rea'ised 97i to 4.
In the Foreign Market there were a few sales this
afternoon. Spanish Active Bonds were quoted at 23
to 23i ; Portuguese New Five per Cents. receded to
:Ili to 311 ; Colombian Bonds of 1824 to 22i to ;
Mexican of 1825 to 271 ; French Five per Cents. to
Illf. 25c. ; and Dutch Twc-and-a-Half per Cents. to
49
Toe Railway Shares gave way. Great Western
were at 221 to 23} ; the New at 9-1 ; and the South
Western at 18i to 194 premium. Brighton were about
74, and South Eastern 164 discount. British North
/.-iiterican Bank shares realised 5 dis.

(From The Sun of Last Night.)
LIVERPOOL COTTON *MARKET, TUERDAY.—The sales to
day are confined to 1,000 bags, with a heavy market.
Prices on the few sz.lei made are about 141- per lb. lower.
Livaaroor. SHARE LIST. Far. .—Eastern Ccuntica
; Debentwes 4i; Grand Junction 2124; Ditto New
284 ; London and Birmingham Quarter Shares 29 ; Mid-
land Counties New Shares 15.
MANCHESTER. STOCK. EXCHANGr, Fan. 9. —The quotations
are—London and South Western, b7l; Manchester and Bir-
mingham, 24; to 24 13-16ths ; Ditto, Extension, 2a 21,
Lancaster and Preston, 291 301 ; Ditto, New, 191 19% ; Great
Western Fifths, 9i; Manchester and Leeds Halves, 31 ; Man-
chester and Liverpool District Bank, 11h.

We are again this morning without any arrivals of im-
portance, consequently the Fund. continuo, as fur several
days past, in a stagnant state; the affair of Mr. M'Leod
ali,o has an effect upon the British Market ; a greet un-
easiness prevails in general, fearing that the Americans
will lay hands of violence on Mr. M'Lcod, in case of
which a war with the United States would be inevitable.
o).i:so's opened this morning very heavy ; left off 88i- 1,
at present 881- 1 for the Account; Money 88i 71-; Ex-
chequer Bills 5 7 prem. ; Bank Stock 163 164; India
Stock 245 247.
In the Foreign Market Spanish Active left off 23a
at present the same; Deferred 12-1- ;I.; Passive 5i 6 ;
Portuguese same as they closed, 34 32 ; Three per
Con's. 194 20 ; Brazilian 72k ; Colombian 224 23 ;
Mexican 274 I; Dutch Two-and-a. Half per Cents. 494
.50 ; Five per Cents. 984 994.
SHARKS.—Great Western 23 24 prem.; Ditto New
94 WI prem. ; London and Brighton 74 dis. ; Black-
wall 44 34 dis. ; Birmingham 84 86 prem. ; Southamp-
ton 57 58 per share ; Croydon 114 124 per share.

PRICES OF SHARES THIS DAY AT ONE.
RAILWAYS. • Paid. Per Skare.
Great Western
Ditto Fifths
Condon and Greenwich........... 20_

.London and South Western 3Bl .. to 57

South Eastern and Dover

JOINT STOCK BANKS.
Union of Australia..

Ditto New
We may expect the arrival of the Acadia Boston
steamer on Tuesday next, which will probably bring some
information respecting Mr. M‘Leod, as well as the re-
sumption of the specie payments of the United States
Bank, Philadelphia.
Tile long continuance of the wind from the East creates
great stagnation both to commercial affairs and news.
The packets now considerably overdue arc two from
Jamaica, one Mexican, one Lisbon, sx from New York,
besides a great number of fast sailing craft with ship letters.
Consols at present continue heavy at 884-. have been
88A- for the account, money 88. This heaviness may be
attributed to the critical state of affairs with the United
States. Exchequer Bills 5 7 prcm ; Bank stock. nothing
done ; India Stuck, 2461 ; ditto Bonds, 12 16 discount.
In the Foreiga Market little doing. Spanish Active
23U; Portuguese New Bonds 314; Three-per-Cents.,
; Russian, 144 ; Dutch Two-and-a.Flalf per Cents.,
49g 1; Five per Cents., 99.
Shares are lower, with a heavy market. Great Western,
87i 88i; ditto Fifths, 8i ; London and South Western,
57 ; South Eastern and Dover, 1

CLOSING PRICES.
BRITISH FUNDS.

Bank Stock
3 per Cent. Red Sii • Ditto Bonds
3 per Cent Cons ...... .. 88 Ditto Old Annuities
4 per Cent Red........ 97i Ditto New Annuities...
New 31 per Cent .. ... 96} Ex. Bills, 1,0001.-21,d 7pm
New 5 per Cent ... ...... Ditto 5001 Bpm
Long Annuities to expire Ditto Small 6pm
Jan. 1860
Oct 1859 lndia Stock for Acct ...
Jan. 1860 ...
FOREGGN FUNDS.
A ustrian, 5 per cent... Portuguese, 5 per cent.
Belgian, 5 per cent 9B Ditto, New Ditto.... 3il
Brazilian Bowls ...-

BucnosAyres,6 percent 221 Russian, 5 per cent. .. 114
Chilian, 6 per cent
Colombian, 6 per cent ... Spanish, 5 per cent
Ditto, 1824 221 Ditto, Deferred ...
Danish, 3 per cent: French,s per eent...lllf. 25e,
Greek.lB2s, spercent., Exchange ..
Mexican, 5 per cent.... 27i French, 3 per cent —f. —e
Di to, 6 per cent, 1825 Dutch, 24 per cent . 49;
Peruvian,lB2s,6 per ct. 16& Ditto, 5 per cent...
SHARES.
Birmingham and Gloucester Railway (100 p) 80
Eastern Counties Railway (23 paid)...
Great Western Railway (65 paid) BBi
Ditto New Shares (50 paid)
Ditto Fifths ( 4 paid) Bi
London ani4 Brighton (50 paid)
London and Greenwich Railway (20 paid) 81
Ditto New Shares (20paid)
London and South Western 5B
South Eastern and Dover (28 paid)......., 12

Mr. William Hone, the author of " The Every
Day Book," and other publications, is now, et the age
Of sixty years, disabled, by bodily infirmity and the effects
of two paralytic seizures, from providing the means of
supporting himself and his dependent family. For the
last five years the post of sub-editor of the Patriot news-
paper was his, sole. dependence ; and this he would have
continued to retain, had be not been thus incapacitated
for discharging the laborious duties of the office. Some
of his friends who admire his talents and esteem his
Christian character, have formed themselves into a Com-
mittee, for the purpose of raising contributions for secur-
ing to him an income sufficient to save him from penury in
his declining years. Among others are—Mr. Alderman
Pixie, Freeman's-court, Cornhill, the treasurer ; Thomas
Piper, sen., Esq. ; Thomas Chalis, Esq., and Apaley
Pellatt, Esq., who are trustees.

ACCIDENT TO PRINCE ALBERT.—The pa
ragraph in a Morning Paper, stating that the ice in Buck
ingbam Gardens, at the time Prince Albert was skating on
Tuesday, gave way, and his Royal Highness fell into the
water, is correct, except as to the time and the depth of
the Prince's immersion. It was in the afternoon that the
accident occurred, and instead of his Royal Highness being
immersed to the chin in water, he only sunk half his depth.
That part of the ice which gave way had been broken the
previous evening for the supply of the aquatic fowls. We
are exceedingly happy, however, to state that his Royal
Highness does not feel any bad effects from the accident,
and is in perfect health.
SEVERITY OF TIIE WEATHER.—.A. gentleman
named Harvey, having left Brighton list Friday morning,
at 11 o'clock, for this place, reached Uckfield, about two
o'clock, dined and started again at three; a hen, on getting
to Crowbar-common, six miles from Uckfield, he got into
a deep snow-drift, exactly in the centre of the common ;
finding it quite impossible to get one way or the other, he
shouted for assistance, but not an individual could be sees for
more than an hour-and-half. All tbis time the drift was in-
creasing fast, until at last he espied a poor old man carrying
faggots ; to him he called, who, on coming up, and unable
to render him personal assistance, hastened away, and in
the course of another hour returned with three men and
ta o cart-horses. By this time scarcely any part of the
carriage or horses could be seen. The man began digging
away the snow, which took them nearly two hours, then,
tackling to the cart-horses, succeeded in moving all out,
but not before the horses and Mr. Harvey were nearly
frozen to death. They managed at last, about half-pas
eleven, to get with great difficulty to the Castle Hote.
Tunbridge Wells. Mr. Harvey still remains ill, and is
not even yet out of danger.
MELANCHOLY SHIPWRECK AND LOSS OF
LIFE —On Sunday morning a schooner was discovered in
distress near the Scroby sand, on which she struck and
soon after went to pieces. The beachmen who were watch-
ing on the shore and witnessed the melancholy spectacle,
perceiving some of the crew lashed to a part of the wreck,
immediately launched the life-boat, and with extraordinary
exertions for more than two hours, succeeded in nearing
the wreck. They passed two poor follows or. a portion of
the wreck, whom they were sure were dead, and the
quantity of pieces floating around them rendered
their's a situation of much peril. They made for
the third man, whom they found to be alive, and, picking
him up, brought him ashore. He proved to be the
captain of the schooner, and was immediately taken to the
Marine Tavern, where, after some time, he so far recovered
as to be able to state, in broken English, that his master
was G. W, Hickman, and that he was master of the schoo-.
ner, the Active, bound from Stockholm to Lisbon, with
deals and tar; that they had got on a strange coast, and
had been four days without provisions. The crew con-
sisted of eight men. So great was the admiration of the
dauntless bravery of the beachmen, that a subscription was
entered into on the spot, and a handsome sum raised to re.
ward them for their services.—Cambridge Advertiser.
DEATH OF LADY CAMPBELL.—We have to
announce the death of the above Lady, the wife of Sir
Alexander Cockburn Campbell, Bart., of Gartsford. The
deceased lady, who died on Saturday, was eldest daughter
of the late Major-General Sir John Malcolm.
A numerous party of :Etonians left Windsor
on Tuesday morning, in several omnibuses, for Virginia
Water, for the purpose of skating on the lake. The fine
sheet of water is in excellent order, and many hundreds
of persons, from Windsor and the surrounding neighbour-
Wog, were present during the day.