The Sun.
London, England, 1841-12-20 00:00:00

in Holland, a plant of rye was cut with 42 stalks, 6 feet
high each, having a ripened ear, containing 100 grains
upon the average, so that the produce of the seed from
which they sprung was 4,200 fold.
‘l\re learn from Berlin that as the Prince of Prussia
wag, on the ith inst., returning from an inspection of
the barracks of the Cuirassiers of the Guard, attended
by Colonej. de Stockhausen, the horses ran away with his
carriage, drove it against the town-wall, broke the pole,
and threw the coachman from his box. At the moment
the horses were checked by the shock, the Frince and the
Colonel jumped from the carriage, and received no in-
jury, but the coachman, being entangled in the reins,
could not be released in time before the frightened ani-
mals got away again, dragging him with them. He was
much hurt, but is not in danger of his life.
BOURSE-PARIS,SATURDA Y, DEC. 18.

first Highest Lowest last
Price Price. Prici. Price.
French 5 per Centr.......... • 116 40 ... 116 40 ... 1:6 40 ... 116 40
4 per Cents lOO 911 ... 1 0 90 ... 100 90 ... 10u 80
3 per Cents. ex div 7B 25 .... 78 30 ... :8 20 ... 78 20
4snk of erance
Laffitte tank I.ooof. Shares 1141 .._llO4O ...11'40 ...1140
5,06111. Stares !AO ...Wit) —.5065 ...50,10
'.I ran Rank
Belgian 5 per Cents.
5 per C.:Mt., 1840 1027 ... 182% ... 102% ... 102%
.n.nish Active B4-. ... :141,, ... 944 ...
Portuguese 5 per Cents.
wcapulltan, ex div.
ri,.sian.....
RAILWAY SHARES
St. Germain 772 50 ... 772 50 ... 773 50 ... 779 50
V er sat Ilts. L.H 197 So
.. 197 50 ... 197 50 .. isn 50
B. B
........... ..,, 3lB 75 ... 120 ... 3.8 75 ... 320
itousn .... ................
Orlearib .. 4BO ... 48(1 ... 480.. 4so
Str..sourgtoßale.shares red 225 . 225 ... 223 .75 ... 2z3 75

CRAIG VERSUS FENN.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SU2V:
Sin,—l thank you for inserting my letter in
your print of this evening, and in answer to the
editorial note which you have appended to it,
have much pleasure in reciprocating courtesy by
affording the information you require.
The letters of Mr. Davis (the surgeon referred
to by the proposal, and examined for the plaintiffs
on the trial) were dated March, 1836, and de-
scribed Mr. Talbot's habits as having been form-
erly intemperate; and that his face bore the
marks of irregular habit, but added that he had-
retbrmed, and was at that period perfectly mode-
rate, and temperate, and of sound constitution.
In August, 1837, the policy was granted; and an
extra premium charged in respect of deteriora-
tion by the before-mentioned intemperance (as
no man can repeatedly indulge in excess with
perfect impunity), the substance of Mr. Davis's_
letters being WARRANTED by the plaintiffs. The
very considerable interval of supposed good con-
duct, induced the office to effect the insurance; it
being their uniform practice to wholly reject all
cases of continuous intemperance, as leading to
results not to be predicted by medical acumen,
nor estimated by any observations, however ex-
tensive. The Directors having subsequently
learned that Mr. Talbot had not reformed, tend-
ered back the premium within three months, and
forthwith filed a bill in Equity to raise the ques-
tion on merits during Mr. Talbot's
on the present record they put the single issue
on their ability to prove txtemperance, by plead-
ing that fact with what is called verification—
thereby taking the onus probandi on themselves,
and, consequently, relieving the plaintiffs from
any proof whatever. The latter, however, de-
clined the offer in open Court, merely for the
sake of beginning and ending with speeches from
their own counsel. The verdict you know was
for the defendant.—Your obedient servant.

GEORGE FARREN
70, Cornhill, Dec. 18, 1841.
[The above explanation is quite satisfactory
ED. Sun.]

MONEY and COMMERCIAL NEWS.
CITY, TWELVE O'CLOCK.
LIVERPOOL COTTON MARKET, DEC. 18.—We have
had a very quiet Cotton Market to-day, the sales
amounting to 3,000 bales, of which 410 have been taken
for exportation. Nothing doing by speculators.
LIVERPOOL SHARE MARKET, DEC. 18.—The trans-
actions at the Stock Exchange this day comprise—East-
ern Counties, 8,-1-; Ditto, Debentures, 10,; Great West-
ern Fifths, 94; London and Brighton, 39; North Mid-
land Thirds, 17 ; York and North Midland New; 31.
All the vessels that have been wind-bound at Liver-
pool got under weigh on Saturday and yesterday.
MANCHESTER STOCK EXCHANGE, DEC. 18.—Rail-
way Stock is in good demand, and prices generally are
well maintained. Edinburgh and Glasgow, 434; Lon-
don and South Western, 574 ; Manchester and Leeds,
64 to 66; North Midland, 72;1- to 73f; Midland Counties,
844 to 85.
There are but few arrivals do-day.
Cape of Good Hope papers to the 14th October have
been received.

The paper of the 13th states that at a meeting of the
Legislative Council, his Excellency the Governor made
several statements respecting the revenue, which induce
us to hope that the finances •of this colony will shortly
be submitted to revision.
The prospects or the wine farmers continued very
gloomy.
The Hamburgh mail due on Friday, and the one due
this morning have arrived. Exchange comes lower,
the quotation being 13 5. Gold, 248, same as before,

THE FUNDS.
Both the English and Foreign Securities opened with-
out any variation from the closing prices of Saturday.
Consols are 894 for the Account ; 'Three per Cents. Re-
duced, 89f a ; Exchequer Bills, 10 12 prem.
Spanish Active Stock, 23i 3; Passive, 54 4; Deferred,
111 12 ; Portuguese Five per Cents., 324 33; Ditto Three
per Cents., 194 20; Brazilian Bonds, 63 65 ; and Mexi-
can, 264.
PRICES OF SHARES THIS DAY AT ONE.
RAILWAYS. Paid. Per Share.
Eastern Counties
Great Western
Ditto Fifths
Gosport Junction
London and Brighton 5O 38a to 37ii
London and Birmingham .
Ditto New
London and Greenwich
Ditto Scrip...... ............ 64
London and South Western 3Bi 5B to
North Midland
Ditto New
Ditto Thirds
JOINT STOCK BANKS.
Australasia 4O ...... 534...... to
HALF-PAST ONE.
There has been but little business doing in the Stock
Exchange up to the present time, and the quotations in
the English Market are the same as at the opening.
In the Foreign Market the only alteration to notice is
a slight decline in Spanish. Active Stock is now 234 i;
Passive, si; Portuguese Five per Cents., 324 ; Belgian
Bonds, 101; Chilian Six per Cent. Bonds, 72.
The Share Market is rather flat. Great Western, 841;
Ditto Fifths, 94 4 • London and Brighton 374 ; Lon-
don and Birmingham,; New, 27 ; London and South
Western, 58; North Midland, New, 36.

COMMERCIAL AND AGRICULTU

RAL MEETING.-(THIS A
A general meeting of the Eastern Coast of Central
America Commercial and Agricultural Company took
place this day at one o'clock, at the Jamaica Coffee-
house, St. Nicholas-alley, Coruhill, but we are unable to
give any account of the proceedings, as one of our re-
porters was refused admission to the meeting by the
Secretary, on the ground (as the Secretary stated) of the
meeting being called on the private affairs of the Com-
mittee of Directors.

When Parliament assembles on the 3d of
February, it will meet no improved accounts of the state
of the country. This week has added another to the
list of great meetings to declare the advance of embar-
rassment, if not of ruin, among all classes in the menu-
facturing.districts. The whole West Riding of York-
shire has just made such a declaration. However tedious
these reports may be in the detail, from their sameness
and the triteness of the subject, as well as from their
gloomy character, they merit the profoundest attention
as emanating from such wide and important tracts of
country. District after district, each comprehending
great counties, has avowed itself unable to cope with the
burden that oppresses it. If the reader were to take a
blank map of the United Kingdom, and to colour:those
parts which have thus spoken in one tint—say in the
appropriate hue of black—he would find a large portion
of the country clothed in the shade of trouble ; and that
the most important and wealthy portion. It com.
prises the iron district of Western Scotland, with Paisley
and other trading places ; the iron district of Wales ;
Liverpool and Manchester, and the districts belonging
to them in Lancashire and North Cheshire ; the West
Riding of Yorkshire ; Derby, Leicester, Nottingham,
and their surrounding districts. The accounts from this
wide region are all alike ; they represent such a state of
things as, when it is permanent, is called the --decay of
nations—their retrograde condition. Now these repre-
sentations cannot be neglected in the ensuing Session. If
they are denied, proof must be brought against the ac-
cumulated evidence in support of them. If they are ad-
mitted, it becomes those who make the admission to say,
whether they pronounce the evil to be hopeless, And dare
openly to resign the empire to its decline and fall, or
whether it is to be remedied. In the last case, if they
will not accept the remedies offered, they must produce
other remedies of their own. No one will venture to
think of prolonging paseive neglect—Spectator.
The Municipal Council of Troyes has voted
from the funds of the town 500,000 f. towards whichever
Gf the two lines of railroad, Paris and Strasbourg,, or Paris
and Lyons, shall traverse its district. The Council
General of the Department (the Aube) had previously
voted 1,000,000 f. for the same purpose. The Minister
of Finance has sent a reply to some representations made
to him by the Chamber of Commerce of Strasbourg, on
the subject of the railroad between Paris and that town,
in s hick], he says, that he ardently wishes to see the line
commenced without loss of time, and that the town of
Strasbourg may rely on his eagerly seconding its views.
The General Steam Navigation Company's
vessel the Giraffe, A. Stranack, from Rotterdam, arrived
off the Custom-house yesterday, with the Dutch mail.
Also the John Bull, from Hamburgh, with the Ham-
burgh mail. The Neptune, Whittingham, from Ham-
burgh, arrived this morning, after a favourable passage
of 55 hours, with the Hamburgh mail.
BAD LAWS SHOULD BE RESISTED FOR THE
east, OF THE LAW.—They vitiate all law and make it
the object of abhorrence. To secure obedience to the law
it must first be made just. What reasonable being could i
hare the heart to inflict a punishment on a man for not
obey ing an unjust law ?