The Sun.
London, England, 1847-12-31 00:00:00

E SUN, LON ON, FRIDAY EVENING, DECEMBkR 811 1847.

I recommend that the existing laws on the subject
of pre-emption rights be amended and modified so as
to operate prospectively, and to embrace all who may
settle upon the public lands and make improvements
upon them before they are surveyed, as well as after.
wards, in all cases in which such settlements may be
made after the Indian title shall have been extin-
guished.
If the:right of pre-emption be thus extended, it will
embrace a large and meritorious class of our citizens.
It will increase the number of small freeholders upon
our borders, who will be enabled thereby to educate
their children and otherwise improve their condition,
while they will be found at all times, as they have
ever proved themselves to be, in the hour of danger to
their country, among our hardiest and best volunteer
soldiers, ever ready to render their services in cases of
emergency, and among the last to leave the field an
long as an enemy remains to be encountereeL Such
a policy will also impress these patriotic pioneer emi-
grants with deeper feelings of gratitude for the paren-
tal care of their Government when they find their
dearest interests secered to them by the permanent
laws of the land, and that they are no longer in
danger of losi.ng their homes and hard-earned im-
provemeurr, by Iwing brought into competition with a
more pee ,filthy class of purchasers at the land sales.

them convertible at the least possible expense into
war-steamers of the first c'a,,s."

A prescribed number of naval officers, as well as
a post-office agent, are to be on board of them ; and
authority is reserved to the navy department at all
times to " exercise control over said steam-ships," and
" to have the right to take them for the exclusive use
and service of the United States" " upon making
proper compensation to the contractors therefor."

Whilst these steam-ships will be employed in
transporting the mails of the United States coastwise,
and to foreign countries, upon an annual compensa-
tion to be paid to the owners, they will be always
ready, upon an emergency requiring it, to be con-
verted into war-steamers ! and the right reserved to
them for public use will add greatly to the efficiency
and strength of this description of our naval force.
To the steamers thus authorised under contracts
made by the Secretary of the Navy, should be added
five other steamers authorised under contracts made
in pursuance of the law by the Postmaster-Gcneral,
making an addition, in the whole, of eighteen war-
steamers, subject to be taken for public use. A 3
further contracts for the transportation of the mail
to foreign countries may be authorised by Congress,
this number may he enlarged indefinitely.
The enlightened policy by which a rapid commu-
nication with the various distant parts of the globe is
established, by means of American -built sea steamers,
would find an ample reward in the increase
of our commerce, and in making oar country
and its resources more favourably known abroad ;
but the national advantage is still greater,
of having our naval officers made familiar with
steam navigation, and of having the privilege of
taking the ships already equipped for immediate ser-
vice at a moment's notice, and will be cheaply pur-
chased by the compensation to be paid for the trans-
portation of' the mail in them, over and above the
postages received.

- -
A just national pride, no less than our commercial
interests, would seem to favour the policy of aug-
menting the number of this description of vessels.
They can be built in our country cheaper and in
greater numbers than in any other country in the
world.

THE POST-OFFICE-NEGOTIATIONS
WITH GREAT BRITAIN.

I refer you to the accompanying report of the
Postmaster-General for a detailed and satisfactory
account of the condition and operations of that de-
partment during the past year. It is gratifying to
find that, within so short a period after the reduction
in the rates of postage, and notwithstanding the great
increase of mail service, the revenue received for the
year will be sufficient to defray all the expenses, and
that no further aid will be required from the Treasury
for that purpose. . .

The first of the American mail steamers authorised
by the Act of the 3d of March, 1845, was completed
and entered upon the service on the Ist of June last,
an l is now on her third voyage to Bremen and other
intermediate ports. The other vessels authorised
under the provisions of that Act are in course of con-
struction, and will be put upon the line as soon as
completed. Contracts have also been made for the
transportation of the mail in a steamer from Charles-
ton to Havannah.

A reciprocal and satisfactory postal arrangement
has been made by the Postmaster-General with the
authorities of Bremen, and no difficulty is appre-
hended in making similar arrangements with all
other Po werswith which we may have communica-
tions by mail steamers, except with Great Britain.
On the arrival of the first of the American
steamers, bound to Bremen, at Southampton, in
the month of June last, the British Post-office di-
rected the collection of discriminating postages on
all letters and other mailable matter which she took
out to Great Britain, or which went into the
British Post-office on their way to France and
other parts of Europe. The effect of the order of
the British Post-office is to subject all letters and
other matter transported by American steamers to
double postage, one postage having been previously
paid on them to the United States, while letters
transported in British steamers are subject to pay but
a single postage. This measure was adopted with the
avowed object of protecting the British line of mail
steamers now running between Boston and Liver-
pool, and, if permitted to continue, must speedily
put an end to the transportation of all letters and
other matters by American steamers, and give to
British steamers a monopoly of the business. A just
and fair reciprocity is all that we desire, and on this
we must insist. By our laws, no such discrimina-
tion is made against British steamers bringing letters
into our ports, but all letters arriving in the United
States are subject to the same rate of postage,
whether brought in British or American vessels. I
refer you to the report of the Postmaster-General for
a full statement of the facts of the case, and of the
steps taken by him to correct this inequality. He
has exerted all the power conferred upon him by the
existing laws.
The Minister of the United States at London has
brought the subject to the attention of the British
Government, and is now engaged in negotiations for
the purpose .of adjusting reciprocal postal arrange-
ments, which shall be equally just to both countries.
Should he fail in concluding such arrangements, and
should Great Britain insist on enforcing the unequal
and unjust measure she has adopted, it will become
necessary to confer additional powers on the Post-
master-General in order to enable him to meet the
emergency, and to put our own steamers on an equal
footing with British steamers engaged in transporting
the mail between the two countries ; and I recom-
mend that such powers be conferred.

311 c. ; 300 to 400 brls. Ohio extra sold at 7 dolls.
124 c.; Southern was in some better demand; small
sales of Alexandria were making at 6 dolls. 50c.,
while St. Petersburgh was held at 6 dolls. 75c.
Wheat—Sales of 1,500 bushels of Genesee were made
at 140 c ; Ohio and other good Western continued in
fair demand at yesterday's prices. Corn—Sales
fOoted up about 10,000 to 12,000 bushels, including
mixed, at 73c. to 74c , with some lots of yellow at
75c. to 76c. ; 3,000 bushels white mixed, damaged,
sold at 32c., original measure. Meal—Sales of
500 hhds. Brandy wine, to be delivered at the mills,
were sold on private terms ; New Jersey continued
steady at 3 dolls. 50c. Rye—Sales of 2,500 were re-
po:ted, at 85c. in the slip, and at 87c. delivered.
Rye Flour—Small sales were reported at 4 dolls.
61ic. Barley—Sales of 2,000 bushels were made at
76e. Oats—Sales of 8,000 bushels were made at
47c. to 48c.

Receipts down the Hudson River, Dec. 5 and G.
Flour
Rye
380 bushels.

Cotton—The market remained quiet and inactive;
both parties were waiting for the arrival of the
steamer. The inside quotations were obtained with
difficulty.

Average Amount.
t'ease's Old Bank, bull, the Hull Old Bank and
Beverley Bank, Hull-Pease and Co 45,613
Penzance Bank, Penzance-Batten and Co 10,898
Peterborough Bank and Oundle Bank, Peter-
borough-Messrs. Yorke
Peterborough Bank, Peterborough-Simpson,
White, and Simpson 9,928
Pew.:ab.rwokaelstherirse Bank, Haverfordwest-J. and
7,751
Penzance Union Bank, Falmouth Bank, and
Truro Bank, Penzance-Rickets, Enthoven.
and co
Reading Bank, Reading-slmonas and Co 18,698
Reading Bank, Reading-Stephens,Blandy, and
Co 20,689
Richmond Bank,:Richmond-Stapleton and Co 3.453
Ringwood and Poole Bank, and Town and
County of Poole Bank, Ringwood-Ledgard
and Sons
Rochdale Bank, Rochdale-Clement, Royds,
and Co 4,116
Rochester, Chatham, and Strood Bank, Roches-
ter-A-Day and Nicholson 7,456
Royston Bank, Royston-Fordham and Sons 11,253
Rugby Bank, Rugby-Butlin and Son 13,539
Rye Bank, Rye-Curteis, Pomfret, and Co 14,902
Reigate and Darking Bank, and Reigate, Croy-
don, and Darking Bank, Reigate-Nash and
Co
Ross 6ld Bank, Herefordshire, Ross-Pritchard
and Allaw ay
Saffron Walden and North Essex Bank, Saffron
Walden-Messrs. Gibson
Salop Bank, Shrewsbury-Burton, Lloyd, and
Co 9,909
Scarborough Old Bank, 3carborough-Woodall
and Co. 24,326
Shrewsbury and Markei,Drayton Bank, Shrews-
bury-Adams, Adams, and Co
Shrewsbury Old Bank, and Shrewsbury and
Ludlow Bank, Shrewsbury-Rocke, Eytons,
and Co
Sittingbourne and Milton Bank, Sittingbourne
-Valiance and Son 2,763
Southampton Town and County Bank, South-
ampton-Maddison and Son ... 9,661
Southwell Bank, Southwell-Wylde and Co.
St. Alban's Bank, St. Alban's-J. S. Story 1,443
Salisbury Bank, Salisbury-Messrs. Brodie
Shaftesbury Bank, Shaftesbury- Brodie and
King
Southampton and Hampshire Bank, Southamp-
ton-Atherly and Fall
Stone Bank, Stone-W. Moore 5,819
, Stourbridge Bang, Stourbridge -Rufford,
Wragg, and Co 13,703
Stafford Old Bank, Stafford-Stevenson and Co 13,613
Stamford and Rutland Bank, Stamford-Eaton,
Cayley, and Co.
Stourbridge Old Bank, Stourbridge-Bate and
Robins
Shrewsbury and Welshpool Bank, Shrewsbury
-Beck, Downward, and Co. 15,594
St. Alban's and Hefts Bank, St. Alban's-Gib-
son and Stuart 1,716
Taunton Bank, Taunton-Messrs. Badcock 19,847
Tavistock Bank, Tavistock-Gill, Rundle, and
Co 8,594
Thornbnry Bank, Thornbury-Rol ph, Yates, and
Parslow
Tiverton and Devonshire Bank, Tiverton-Duns-
ford and Barne 7,631
Thrapston and Kettering Bank, Northampton-
shire, Thrapston-Yorke and Eland 10,175
Tring Bank and Chesham Bank, Tring-But-
cher and Son
Towcester Old Bank, Towcester-J. and S
Percival
Union Bank, Cornwall, Helston-Vivian and
Co. 8,378
Uxbridge Old Bank, Uxbridge-Hull, smith,
and Co.
Wallingford Bank, Wallingford-Wells and Co 4,470
Warwick and Warwickshire Bank, Warwick-

Kelynge, Greenway, and Co. 23,298
Wellington Somerset Bank, Wellington—Fox,
Brothers
West Riding Bank, Wakefield, and Pontefract
Bank, Wakefield—Leatham, Tew, and Co.
Whitby Old Bank, Whitby—Simpson, Chap-
man, and Co 14,533
Winchester, Alresford, and Alton Bank, Win-
chester—Bulpett and Co.
Winchester and Hampshire Bank, Winchester
—Wickham and Co 3,680
Weymouth Old Bank and Dorchester Bank,
Weymouth—Elliott and Pearse
Wirkesworth and Ashbourne Derbyshire Bank,
Wirkesworth—Arkwright and Co.
Wisbech arid Lincolnshire Bank, Wisbech—
Gurney and Co. . . ' 54,590
Wiveliscombe Bank, Wiveliscombe—P. and W
Hancock
Wolverhampton Bank, Wolverhampton—Good-
riche and Holyoake.
Worcester Bank, Worcester—Farley, Lavender,
and Co. 8,700
Worcester Old Bank and Tewkesbury Old Bank,
Worcester—Berwick, Lechmere, and Co 65,213
Worcestershire Bank, Kidderminster—Farley
and Turner
Walsall Old Bank, Walsall—Charles Foster and
Sons
Warminster and Wiltshire Bank, Warminster—
Everett and Co.
Wrexham Bank, Wrexham—J. and S. Kenrick 1,422
Wolverhampton Bank, Wolverhampton—
Messrs. Fryer
Yarmouth and Suffolk Bank, and Haleswortla
and Suffolk Bank, Yarmouth—Gurney,
Birkbeck, and Co.
Yarmouth, Norfolk, and Suffolk Bank, Great
Yarmouth—Sir E. K. Lacon, Bart., and Co 11,975
Yeovil Old Bank, Yeovil—E. and J. Batten
York Bank. York—Swann. Clough. and Co 37,041

JOINT-STOCK BANKS.
Bank of Westmoreland, Kendal
Barnsley Banking Company, Barnsley
Bradford Banking Company, Bradford 35,517
Bilston District Banking Company, Wolver-
hampton
Bank of Whitehaven, Whitehaven
Bradford Commercial Banking Company, Brad-
ford .... „.. 12,523
Burton, Uttoxeter, and Staffordshire Union
Banking Company, Burton-upon-Trent
Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Banking
Company, Chesterfield
Cumberland Union Banking Company, Work-
ington . ..
Cheltenham and Gloucestershire Banking Com-
pany, Cheltenham
Coventry and Warwickshire Banking Company,
Coventry
Coventry Union Banking Company, Coventry 9,553
County of Gloucester Banking Company, Chel-
tenham
Carlisle and Cumberland Banking Company
Carlisle
Carlisle City and District Bank, Carlisle 14,969
Dudley and West Bromwich Banking Company,
Dudley
Derby and Derbyshire Banking Company, Derby 16,705
Darlington District Joint-Stock Banking Com-
pany, Darlington 12,978
East of England Bank, Norwich
Gloucestershire Banking Company, Gloucester 114,775
Halifax Joint-Stock Bank, Halifax 11,691
Huddersfield Banking Company, Huddersfield 30,969
Hull Banking Company, Hull 23,973
Halifax and Huddersfield Union Banking Com-
pany, Halifax 22,329
Helston Banking Company, Helston 1,020
Herefordshire Banking Company, Hereford 14,545
Knaresborough and Claro Banking Company,
Knaresborough 25,651
Kingsbridge Joint-Stock Bank, Kingsbridge 2,920
Lancaster Banking Company, Lancaster ......
Leeds Banking Company, Leeds 18,889
Leicestershire Banking Company, Leicester
Lincoln and Lindsey Banking Company, Lincoln 49,659
Leamington Priors and Warwickshire Banking
Company, Leamington Priors
Ludlow and Tenbury Bank, Ludlow 8,125
Moore and Robinson's Nottinghamshire Bank-

ing Company, Nottingham 19,752
Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Banking
Company, Nottingham
Newcastle, Shields, and Sunderland Union Joint-
Stock Banking Company, Newcastle 35,992
National Provincial Bank of England, Birming-
ham, Head-office, 112, Bishopsgate-street,

London
North Wilt:, Banking Company, Melksham 38,130
Northamptonshire Union Bank, Northampton 69,560
Northamptonshire Banking Company, North-

ampton
North and South Wales Bank, Liverpool 28,573
Pares's Leicestershire Banking Company, Lei-

cester
Saddleworth Banking Company, Saddleworth... 1,699
Sheffield Banking. Company, Sheffield 33,387
Stamford, Spalding, and Boston Banking Com-
pany, Stamford. 44,506
Stuckey's Banking Company, Bristol Somerset-
shire Bank, and Somersetshire Bank, Lang-
port
Shropshire Banking Company, Shiffnall
Stourbridge and Kidderminster Banking Com
pany, Stourbridge
Sheffield and Hallurnshire Banking Company,
Sheffield
Sheffield and Rotherham Joint-Stock Banking
Company, She(held
Swaledale and Wensleydale Banking Company,
Richmond ...
Storey and Thomas's Banking Cozrpany,
Shaftesbury
Sheffield and Retferd Bank, Sheffield ...
Wolverhampton and Staffordshire Banking Com-
pany, Wolverhampton 31,810
Wakefield and Barnsley Union Bank, Wakefield 9,979
Whitehaven Joint Stock Banking Company,
Whitehaven
Warwick and Lewoir.gton Banking Company,
Leamington
West of Englane awl South Wales District
Bank. Bnstol
Wilts and Dorset Banking Company, Salisbury 40,205
West Riding Union Banking Company, Hud-
dersfield
Whitchurch and Ellesmere Banking Company,
Whitchurch
Worcester City and County Banking Company,
Worcester
York Union Banking Company, York 59,733
York City and County Banking Company, York 7;73:=
Yorkshire Banking Company, Leeds
P. DEANS, Registrar of Bank Returns.
Stamp end Taw, December 27, 1847.

?S►

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
MANSION-HOUSE.
TVilliam Frayland, a boy of very small size, aget-
between 10 and 11 years, was brought before the
Lord Mayor, upon two charges of robbery; by Davis
(551) of the City detective force. '7,1!
The prisoner, accompanied by another boy, was
seen by the officer following a lady in King William-
street. He got close to her, but dropped back, and
upon being asked by his companion whether he had
got it, said "No, she s got nothing in it." The two boys
then followed another lady, and the prisoner put his
hand in her pocket, quickly withdrew his hand, and
suddenly left her. The officer speedily intimated to
the lagly that if she had lost anything she must corn..
inunicate with a constable, to whom he pointed, and
then continued to follow the two young thieves, who
pursued their object with singular tact and persever-
ance. The prisoner soon slipped his hand into the ,
pocket of a third lady, and quickly withdrawing it,
found it necessary to run, for he not only got a purse
containing 1/. 1 ls. 6d., but he alarmed the owner,
who ran after him. He was stopped by Davis, and
he threw the purse against a railing, .where it was
picked up by another officer. A silk handkerchief
was found in his pocket, marked with the letters " E.
D." which he had stolen from the second female he
had been seen following. The duty of covering him
was skillfully performed by the Ober boy, who con-
trived to escape under the belly of i cart-horse.
The Loan NATOR—Prisoner, hay&
you anything
to say about this ? Prisoner--A chap told me to

do it:
The LORD MAYOR—How long have you bees: ht
this desperate trade ? Prisoner—lt's the first timip
Davis—l know the boy's face well ; but I neve{
expected to see him engaged in this sort of work. I
have now ascertained that he and fourteen other boys,
all of whom go about in gangs after ladies, live in a
house in Cato-street, Brick-lane, where there are
seven or eight houses, the owners of which encourage
and foster children in this dreadful pursuit. I
understand he has been employed in passing bad
money. These gangs of boys contrive to pick the
pockets of great numbers of persons; and very few
suspect them, on account of their size and age.
The LORD MAYOR—Do you go to school ?
ner—Yes ; to a Sunday-school.
The LORD MAYOR—I must send you for trial to
the Central Criminal Court.
Prisoner—l have not been there yet.—Committed.
George Ryder, who has been twice sent to Ireland
by the Lord Mayor, was brought up charged with
having broken a pane of glass in the shop of lAr-
Challis, of No. 16, Cornhill, value 151.
The defendant had been seen by a policeman deli--
berately fling a stone as he walked along at the will,
dow, and the fellow, said, upon being asked why he
did such mischief, that he had only come out of
Bridewell the day before, and he thought he might
as well go back to the same place.
The LORD MAYOR—I shall remand you, for tha
purpose of taking your case into serious consideration.