The Sun.
London, England, 1848-01-27 00:00:00

THE CORN TRADE.

At most of the leading provincial markets held
since Monday, the value of wheat has given way to
about the same extent as it did on that occasion at
Mark-lane. The depression at Liverpool has been
somewhat greater than elsewhere, owing to the ap-
pearance there of rather liberal supplies of wheat said
flour from Ireland. On Tuesday the best qualities of
wheat were obtainable in that market 3d., and rough
parcels of Irish 6d.. per 701bs. below the rates cur-
rent on that day se'nnight. Fine fresh brands of
American flour were not quoted lower, but Irish was
offered freely at a decline of ls. per sack- Later in
the week more confidence was shown, and on Friday
quite as much money was realised for wheat, whilst
flour and Indian corn sold better than on the previous
market day. The accounts from other large towns in
the north are dull.
Our letters from Scotland describe the weather as
having become cold and seasonable, and the corn
brought forward at Edinburgh and asgow on Wed-
nesday was, it is stated, in better condition than on
any previous occasion this winter. At the first•
named market wheat brought very nearly former
terms ; but at Glasgow prices were quoted 6d. per boll
lower.

From Ireland the accounts are on the whole dull
the recent arrivals of Indian corn at Cork, &c., and
the expectation of further supplies, had occasioned
this article to be pressed on the markets ; and rather
increased deliveries of grain of native growth having
at the same time appeared, with full advices from this
side, buyers had refused to act, except at lower rates.
Meanwhile, great distress continued to prevail amonk
the poor, owing to the dearness of poNtoes•
Some falling off has taken place in the suPP)7 of
English barley, only 5,941 qrs. having been ileceivel
within the last eight days. Prices of this grain havirg•
been reduced of late to a point deemed tolerably sue,
factors have been firm ; and though the maltsters
as ad
distillers have since Monday conducted their opera-
tions with considerable caution, they have scarcely
been able to buy on as easy terms as those then cll7,-
rent. In foreign barley there has been very little
lseasmhea
rvaetebseeans
sathmep
takenpassing,
in, sstmi I la
If good
nb
teiat
iveys gring ianegh
before.
The stand which the price of barley has lately
poasn:tliotnhe;
afienrerhakviendws
ehhaveearmd aeifntlaeisnsedmtehneeiyr
made has induced holders of malt to display more
previous,
having been taken for the common descriptions, though
the latter have been very dull of sale.
We have to report an increased arrival of home-
grown oats, having, in addition to 3,132 qrs. from our
own coast, received 2,957 qrs. from Scotland, and
9,329 qrs. from Ireland.
English beans have come forward rather sparingly;
and though the inquiry has been of a retail character,
lower rates have not been taken. Egyptians have also
been held firmly at previous prices.
Neither boiling nor feeding peas have excited much
[ attention ; and in the absence of business of im-
portance quotations have remained unaltered.
The accounts from Ireland being discouraging,
Indian corn has been more freely offered, and this
article has gradually given way ls. to 2s. per quarter;
good Galata having lately been sold at 335. to 355. per
quarter. The value of Indian corn meal has also re-
ceded more or less.—Merlt-lane Express.

ACCIDENT ON THE GREAT WESTERN R. AILWAY.--•
Yesterday morning an accident of a serious nature,
though providentially not attended with any fatal con-
sequence, occurred on the above
train which leaves Exeter at 6 30 A.N. was proceeding
same line of rails.
line.
LithAins at.hveere:slrie;4l
on its way between that place and Bristol.. at the usuki
po un t t ohn the perceived,
e same
when in ;In
rate,
distance,the a n engine
obstruction
tiilmr driver etro
He had but just
instant the train dashed against a ballast truck, and the
passengers were thrown into a state of the greatest ex-
citement. It was at first feared that the engine had beers
thrown off the line; owing, however, to the velocity of
the train, the wreck of the truck, which was almost shi-
vered to atoms, was carried along the rails for some
distance, and thus any sudden jerk to throw the angina
off the line was prevented. As soon as the train could
be stopped, the passengers began to recover from their
alarm, when it was found, that beyond considerable
jarring, and the unpleasant situation in which they hail
been placed by the disaster, no material injury was sus -
taineu by any one. The driver and stoker both retaincil
considerable presence of mind. The steam was shut off
and the breaks applied the instant the obstacle was dis -
covered. The intelligence of the occurrence was imme-
diately conveyed up the line, and at the next statiwi
ever} possible assistance was rendered in order to for-
ward the train with as little delay as possible.
A daring American projector proposes an electric
telegraph from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It is already.
carried from the Atlantic to St. Lows, in the valley of
the Mississippi. The distance from St. Louis to tho
Pacific is 2,000 miles, and the estimate is that the Huts
could be formed for 300,000 dollars.

:SPIRIT
:SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.
FROM THE MORNING PAPERS OF THIS
• TlMES.—Twelve months have elapsed since we
introduced to our readers the last remarks of a most
able and intelligent correspondent on the prospects of
our Indian empire. The actual experience of a busy
and eventful year may now be applied to decide be-
• tween our deductions and his own, and we are
.per-
fectly assures that " Civis " will be the first to rejoice
over the practical refutation which his conclusions
will thus receive. The development of our policy in
• the Punjaub has been more uniformly and extensively
• successful than even we then ventured to anticipate.
We have no prospect of any difficulties arising from
• our increased proximity to Affghanistan. Our ad-
vanced posts have rather conciliated the respect than
excited the jealousy of the Courtof Caubul, and as far
as the biastof that capricious and unstable Durbar can be
credibly ascertained, there appears even an indefinite
desire to bring their relations with us to such a
pass as may secure them some of the advan-
tages which they are witnessing on the other
side of the Indus. We have unquestionably got a
better frontier than we ever had before. We have
not been led along by any fatality of impulse from the
Sutlej to the Oxus. On the contrary, the consum-
mation of our work was even more timely than was
predicted, and the victorious army had been quietly
put upon a peace establisinent before its commanders
could have read the apprehensions entertained at
home of endless and accumulative wars. The reader
will be as well pleased as ourselves to see the com-
munications of " Civis" diverted from gloomy mis-
zivings of the future to lively comments on the past,
and though we may regret that it should be so
seldoin our good fortune to be enabled to concur
in his remarks, yet we are not sorry to meet him
again on ground where our differences will be less
serious and our controversy may be more amus-
ing. As regards the character and source of the
Seikh power, we take issue with him at once.
By no kind of means can we admit either that the
French have made better Sepoy officers than the Eng,
'sh, or that if they had, the strength of the Seikh
state was owing in any considerable degree to the
impress of their excellence. On the latter point it
will be sufficient to observe, that the superiority of
the Seikhs was undeniably shown before either
-Frenchman or Englishman set foot in Hindostan.
Hindoos, it is true, they may be called, though
Mahometans were not excluded by the conditiens of
brotherhood under which their military and religious
commonwealth was founded. But they had that
beyond other Hindoos which Cromweli's Ironsides or
Balfour's Conventiclers had beyond other Englishmen
er Scotchmen. Persecution elicited and strengthened
that martial spirit which the hardy air of the Upper
Punjanb had contributed to form. Animated by
convictions far deeper and more energetic than those
of the dominant or tolerated creeds, they added the
gloomy fanaticism of sectarians to the warlike temper
of mountaineers. Tyranny and persecution consoli-
dated their force, and drove them to mutual defence
and despairing courage as their only hopes. They
became what men will always become who fight
daily for their lives and their faith. They made head
against the Great Mogul and his Viceroys of
Lahore. They sturdily resisted and finally sur-
vived even the rapid conquests of Ahmed Shah.
• Before the great Runjeet Singh had been even heard
, of, this oppressed sect had established a firm
dominion in the seat of their original abode ; and
before the first Governor-General left Calcutta, it
was apprehended that the degraded Emperor might
be persuaded to convey his phautom inheritance to
the Seikh federation, and thus warrant a formidable
power in pretending to our territories of Bengal. It
was not till the battle of Waterloo had disengaged
the services of a military population that Runjeet
Singh introduced European discipline into his army,
axid though we do not deny the value of the sug-
gestions thus received, and especially the true mei'•
lery penchant of the Napoleon school, we cannot
allow General Mouton or his predecessors all the
credit of a character which the traditions and dis-
cipline of generations had combined to form.
Still less can we pass without answer the supe-
riority claimed by " Civis " for French over English
In disciplining Sepoys. We should deduce the very
contrary conclusion from the remarkable facts which
supply the means of judgment. The French got
the start of us in every chance, and invariably lost
it. Two discoveries combined to bring about the
conquest of. India; the helplessness of the native
armies against European discipline, and the capacity
of native troops for receiving this discipline at
European hands. The French have the credit of
both. Dupleix first broke the spell of invincibility
which hung over the armies of the " Moors," by
defeating an immense host with a single battalion,
and -the same, commander led half a dozen companies
of well-trained Sepoys against Lawrence-before ever
a swarthy face had been seen in an English line.
Yet, unless we had improved upon their own sugges
tions, and shown ourselves superior on this very
ground, how could we po,eibly have taken their own
weapons from their hands, beaten them at every step,
and finally remained in undisputed possession of the
gigantic prize ? We admit that very palpable evi-
dence was occasionally left in native troops of their
having been subjected to French discipline, and
sur correspondent might have quoted the loss
-.which the disciplined battalions of Sindiah cost us at
Las warree, though it is believed that not an officer
was present with them. But though this proves the
goodness of French discipline, it does not prove the
inferiority of English, which has never been subjected
'to a similar trial. Nor was the result either confined
tl3 the efforts of the French or uniformly so successful
in their particular case. Troops trained by Germans
or Italians, or any other Europeans, gave us similar
tysouble, and as an example of French failure, we need
only recal to the recollection of " Civis " the circum-
stances attending the battalions of the very officer to
whom he has alluded. What became of this force of
16,000 men at M. Raymond's death ? After open
mutiny against the orders of the native Government,
they laid down their arms to six battalions of
our Sepoys, having first offered violence to their
own French officers, who were only saved by our
intervention. But can " Civis " really mean to
ask, "Where is the English name or monument
remembered like those of Raymond or Bussy ? "
We are very sure he will be able to recollect the
tomb of a greater man than either, to which a sor-
rowing Hindoo will retire from an unsuccessful suit,
and rnut!ly appeal to the memory of the dead for
j thatjustice which he conceives is denied him by the
living. Did not our correspondent read the other
day how a veteran of Madras who might have seen
Tippoo's cavalry on St. Thomas's Mount, was fol-
lowed to his grave by the whole native population ?
Does he not know that " Sahib Warren Hosteris" is
the hero of the ballad minstrelsy of Bengal ? Did
be never hear stories of Coote ? "It is but a short
time since an old white-bearded sepoy came to present
a memorial to an English officer who holds one of
the highest employments in India. A print of
Coote being in the room, the veteran recognised at
once that face and figure which had not been seen for
more than half a century, and, forgetting his salaam
to the living, halted, drew himself up, lifted his hand,
and with solemn reverence paid his military obeisance
to the dead."

CHRONICLE.—At a time when the welfare of
Italy is menaced from within and without by such a
variety of hostile influences, it is pleasing to observe
the sagacity and resolution with which Pius IX.
proceeds in his noble task of re-organizing the Roman
State. The establishment of the national guard was
the first significant step in this direction. That
imeasure not only added immensely to the confidence
reposed in the Pope by his subjects, but abolished for
ever one of the main sources both of the iinpolicy
and the unpopularity of his predecessors. Nothing
had contributed so much to sustain and shield them
in their career of misgovernment as the constant
presence of a foreign mercenary force, and no other
reform could be relied on es permanent until the ex-
tinction of that force was provided for. The settle-
ment of this knotty question gave rise to a general
belief that measures of a grander and more com-
prehensive character were in preparation. Nor
did the hopes thus kindled long. remain unful-
;Wed. The formal reconstruction of the con-
Commenced by the publication, on
ft onstitution was
the decrees ' n
the lat and 15th October last, of for the
Assemblage of a .
jouanuitlyof State, and for the regula-
tionof the metropolis ; and the
of the
may be regarded as corn.
outline of them
establishment of a Council of Ministers,
nuenwic municipality
leted by the .
of the 29th of Decem-
_ I) tu proprio
Jil decreed in the mo
publishin detail in another part of our
t er, which we ;
1 feature of this most important
paper. The princ.pa.
which has marked the
measureeasure is the same with that
Pius
IX. The mono
(ether reforms initiqted by
so long enjoyed of all
poly which the clergy had
the high offices .of administration is put an
end to. Their influence and authority, which must
of course always be at Rome more considerable
than in any other country, is confined within rea-
sonable
limits. The Secretary of State, who
'with that office the functions of Minister of Foreign
ASairs and of the President of the Council, must be
a carkinal. All the other Ministries, viz. :—those of
the luterior—of ?'abbe Instruction—of Justice—of
Ylnance-7-of Industry and Agriculture—of Public
I.Viorks—of War—and of Police—may be laymen.
So at least we interpret the terms of the motu proprio,
which, possibly from an unwillingness to give too
rude a shock to clerical prejulices, leaves this point
to be inferred from the absence of any provision to
the contrary. except in the case of the Secretary of
State, or Prime Minister, who, as discharging the
functions of principal adviser to the Pope, on the in-
-,\twat% Gr • is spiritual as well as his temporal so-
' 'a,
4r,;,eiVel not possibly be a layman. The
.77;:---efit*ri
,st:sit‘ad,er . will. remark that no separate
, ,_ leaf ....a., 4. Alai a n has heen constituted. The
' .u.unts..kyko. -- $ll,lO
!:=.?''' -aleirWrZatip:flakiveuld appertain to such an office are
- ' 4al • " 71 he perhaps rather too numerous
' ' ;lii 1 ect.AmPut•A lv • „,„_, , ......„:
, ,
_,....... -.
IC

responsibilities of the Secretary of State. Possibly
at a future period it may be deemed conducive both
to the secular interests of the Roman States and to
the efficient exercise of the spiritual jurisdiction of the
Pope, that the ecclesiastical functions which the
Prime Minister will discharge under the present
arrangement, should be separated from the secular
duties, and consigned to a different minister. The
spiritual interests of the Popedom, and the superin-
tendence which it exercises over a large portion of the
Christian world, are certainly sufficient in themselves
to occupy the whole time and thoughts of the ablest
and most indefatigable of ministers. And it is easy
to conceive that the abilities most requisite for the se-
cular government of the State may not always be found
united with those peculiar qualifications which will be
indispensable in the head of the spiritual adminis-
tration. We think it likely, therefore, that in the
course of time the offices of secular and of spiritual
Prime Minister will be separated and made inde-
pendent of each other. In our opinion, the more the
principle of responsibility is introduced into the work-
ing of the new constitution, the more clearly the ne-
cessity of this step will be perceived. The secular
Prime Minister will require for the satisfactory dis-
charge of his duties the full confidence of the Council
of State, or deliberative assembly. He will likewise
have strong motives to select his colleagues from
among those most acceptable to the representatives of
the people. Jf the spiritual Prime Minister have
anything of the like responsibility, it will be to the
college of Cardinals. Without pronouncing on
the policy of declaring that no layman, of
whatever ability, shall ever rise to the office
of Prime Minister in the Roman dominions, com-
prising as it does a very large proportion of the
secular authority of the Government, we may remark
that the Cardinal most acceptable to the Consults,
ar,d most gifted with abilities for secular administra
tion, may not always be able to act in harmony with
the college of Cardinals. Even though the exclusion
of laymen from the functions of Prime Minister were
continued, the separation of the two offices might be
found expedient. At the same time we acknowledge
there are arguments of considerable force upon the
otht r side. The spiritual administration of the
Popedom will so materially influence the state of its
foreign relations that it is not easy to discover an
arrangement by which the interests of one department
of the Pope's authority shall never clash with, or be
sacrificed to, the necessities of the other. The settle-
ment of these discrepancies will require much time and
thought, much patience, good temper, and mutual
forbearance, satisfactorily and harmoniously to adjust.
Meantime, the completion, so far, of the fabric of
the Roman constitution is a great work; and will do
immortal honour to the great and enligthened Sove-
reign who has bestowed so precious a boon upon his
people, and set such a noble example to the other
sovereigns of Italy, which we wish most heartily that
all of them, without exception, had the good sense
and the resolution to profit by. At Rome the nre-
judices to be overcome and the obstacles to be sur-
mounted were tenfold more perplexing and formidable
than in any of the mere secular states. Pius IX.
has a host of enemies to contend with, of an obstinacy
and malignancy to which his royal colleagues in the
regeneration of Italy are not exposed at all. He has
a powerful body of his own clergy opposed to him ;
and the multitude at Rome, whose sole livelihood
was derived from the corruptions of the Government
and the judicature, are of course much exasperated
by the sweeping reforms that have taken place. The
depth and extent of these corruptions it is difficult for
any one who has not resided at Rome to comprehend
or give credit to.

THE CENTRAL GAOL OF POISSY

BROKEN INTO AND ROBBED

Poissy, near Paris, has lately been the scene of
three carious adventures. In the month of No-
reinber last a young man, wearing the costume of a
priest, took up his residence in a chateau near the
town. He made a display of the most fervent piety,
anti so godly was he that he actually turned the side-
board of the dining-room into an altar, and every
day celebrated mass before it, clothed in the most
splendid robes of the Catholic church. He made
frequent visits to Paris, and on each occasion returned
with valuable articles used in the celebration of wor-
ship. It turned out that he bought those things on
credit, and that he then sold them for whatever they
would fetch. The duped tradesmen, on finding that
they were swindled, got a warrant against him. On
going to the chateau to execute it, the officers of jus-
tice were told by the concierge that the abbe had
gone to Paris, and taken all his keys with him. But
the officers forced their way in, and broke open all the
doors that were fastened. At length they arrived at
a room which was supplied with a formidable
lock, bat after some difficulty they contrived to
ef=fect an entrance. They then found a table covered
with the remains of an excellent breakfast, and
several bottles of excellent wine. The pretended
abbe, who is only about twenty-five years of age,
was crouched in the corner of the room. He gave
himself up to the officers, and in reply to the questions
put to him pretended that he should be able to con-
found his accusers. The next adventure is still more
remarkable—the gaol broken into and robbed! The
money chest of the prison generally contains a
considerable sum, together with the jewels, watches,
and other objects of value taken from the prisoners,
A few nights ago, a man, taking advantage of the
weather being dark and rainy, placed a ladder
against the outer wall, and ascended to the top of
-he wall. He then let his ladder down on the other
side, and quietly descended. The audacity of this
exploit will be conceived, when it is stated that the
wall is watched by sentinels placed only a few yards
from each other. Once within the yard, the fellow
made his way to the offices, which he opened by means
of skeleton keys. He then broke open the money
chest, took out 800 f., re-ascended the wall by means
of his ladder, attached a rope to the ladder, and let
himself down on the other side, getting clear off with
his booty. The third adventure consisted in an
escape from the prison. A prisoner Duval was,
about a week ago, occupied, with some nineteen other
prisoners, in washing linen. The place in which the
washing is carried on is surrounded by high walls.
It is entered from a court-yard, and the entry is
secured by a solid folding-door, which is fastened by
an immense lock, and further protected by an enor-
mous iron bar. Whilst the turnkey to whom the
superintendence of the prisoners was committed was
engaged in making an entry in a book, Duval slipped
to the door, pushed up the iron bar, and by a sudden
jerk forced the lock. He then ran towards the outer
wall, and on reaching it, leaped with extraordinary
agility the top of a railing two yards high, which
was fastened to it. From the railing he, in the
twinkling of an eye, got to the top of the wall, from
which he dropped into a by street, and before he
could be pursued was clear off. A sentinel was
placed within half a dozen yards of that part of the
wall over which he escaped.

MPORTANT TO RAILWAY TRAYELLERS.—An ac-
tion was brought on Friday against the North British Rail-
way Company, before the Sheriff's Small Debt Court in
Edinburgh, for damages, in consequence of the railway
train, advertised to start from Portobello to Edinburgh
at five minutes past eight o'clock p.m., passing the sta-
tion at Portobello on the evening of the 6th inst., with-
out stopping to take up the passengers who had paid
for their tickets, and were waiting in order to proceed by
said train to Edinburgh, in consequence of which the
pursuer in said action, along with other two gentlemen,
had to walk on foot to Edinburgh. The agent who ap-
peared for the railway company denied the fact of the
train not having stopped, and maintained that the pur
suer ought to have remained at the station at Portobello
until the next train arrived. The fact of the train
not having stopped was, however, clearly established by
the evidence of four witnesses. Mr. Campbell, advocate,
who at present is acting as an interim sheriff substitute,
found the company liable to the pursuer in two guineas
of damages (the pursuer having stated that he did' not
wish vindictive damages), and one guinea and a penny of
expenses; and remarked that the pursuer, or any other
passenger, was not bound to remain until other trains
arrived, but was entitled to proceed to his destination by
the best conveyance he could otherwise obtain, and that
at the expense of the railway company, on account of
breach of contract. The Sheriff commended the pursuer
for having brought said action against the company, as
the interests of the public were deeply involved in the
matter.—Caledonian Mercury.
THE PIG SECRET.—SO pigs are cannibals ; they
eat one another ! Half a pound of bacon and fat is Mr,
Huxtable's daily allowance for a fattening pig. We have
long known the use of greaves, but we confess we can-
notaum
eat pork so fatted. It is very extensively used in
pshire, and has increased every year in price; and
at
____ethis moment greaves cannot be had for 201. a ton.
W used to feed our yard dog upon them, and the leanest
animal would look fat and sleek in a fortnight. Is the
use of
greaves known as a manure for turnips ? It has
e
been used at Beauli
a from guano, bone dufor years; and the Swedes raised
from this manure surpasss, in size and bulk those raised
man and
cp
its, or
insoteuhnuc theeredh th turnip and superphosphate. A Dorset
e best in the south of England.—
culture around Lymington
Agricultural Gazette.
CURLING MATCIT.—On the 22d inst., a friendly
watch was played between the Dalkeith Curling Club,
and the Whitehill Club. The match
e
Whitehill Pond with four rinks each sidea.meT`hl iceor. the
keen on the whole, particularly towards the end of w
ftheas
game, but it was slightly biassed. The play was ( xcel-
hnt on both sides, and during the whole time fortune
seemed much inclined to waver, end for end being almost
alternately lost and won in all the rinks. It was decided
that the match should terminate at three o'clock, and
the hopes and fears of both parties were excited till the
very close, when on investigating the score, the Dalkeith
Clut proved to be victorious by two shots; the numbers
bfin; 75 to 73. This re,ult proves these two clubs to
be at present well match( d, the score in their match
Drllieith Pond last season, being 1 in favour of the
Whitehill Club, viz., 57 to 56. The game throughout
the day was contested in a most amicable, though spirited
manner.—Edinburgh Advertiser.
~ThP price of nig iron become more firm has in the
'"?'..ana, market. with some indications of an advance,
owing to the number of furnaces that have been thrown
out of blast.