The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-09 00:00:00

COMMON PLEAS.-(THIS DAY.)

The London sittings commenced this morning at
Guildhall, before the Lord Chief Justice. The Court
was occupied all the day with a river collision case of no
interest, except to the parties concerned. The cause list
is very heavy, and a great proportion are special jury
cases.

MIDDLE SEX SEbSIONS.
(THIS DAY.)
Henry Manley was indicted for stealing two stoves
and a quantity of iron, the property of Edward Aimes.
The prosecutor, who was a builder in Empson-street,
had a quantity of old building materials in his yard,
among which were several stoves and metal bolts, and
on the morning of the 3d inst. the prisoner was observed
by a policeman on the top of the wall of the prosecutor's
yard, when some person from the inside handed him up
a stove, which the prisoner gave to a person outside the
wall. The constable then came up, and the other two
men ran away, but before the prisoner could get down
he took him into custody. The stoves and a number of
old iron bolts were found on the outside of the wall.
The jury returned a verdict of Guilty, and the pri.
soner was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, with
hard labour.
Mary Ann Mills was indicted for stealing 4s. from the
person of John Wright, with whom she was drinking at
the time in a public-house.
She was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, with
hard labour. The records of some former convictions
were r roved against her.
Eliza Humphries, a strong and forbidding-looking
young woman, aged 18 years, was indicted of stealing a
shawl and other articles, the property of John Cronan.
It appeared that the prisoner had been an inmate in
the Wapping workhouse, and went to see the prosecutor,
with whom she had been formerly acquaii,ted, and stole
the shawl and sonic other trifling articles. Upon i.ec
return io the workhouse she lodged them with anothe,
p
ardswomen, and the prisoner was
Epautpoeronfeor
osre
tthyc; by whom they were eventually given
taken into custody.
When called upon for her defence, the prisoner in 8
broad Munster accent said, " I have nothing to say,
except that you will transport me, for so help me
if I am only sent to prison, when I come out I will be
tried for murder, for I will have that villain's life (point.
ing to the pauper to whom she gave the shawl) when I
come out."
The ASSISTANT-JUDGE—I will take care of you for 11
six months, at all events.
Prisoner—Six months or six years is all the same
thing to me, for I will hunt her to the world's end, or 1
will have my revenge.
The Learned ASSISTANT-JUDGE—Wen, we will see.
The sentence is that you be imprisoned and kept to
hard labour for six months, and at the end of that time
that you find sureties to keep the. Bpeaee.
I'll make
Prisoner--Keep the pace, is it ? y
her keep the pace when I come out.

MARLBRU-STREET.—(THIS DAY
William .)
Ruslibrook was charged with breaking into
the house No. 14, Great Tichfield-street, and carrying
off a writirg desk and two coats.
James Jones, carpenter, 84, Great Titchfield-street,
said he bad been in his bed-room last evening about a
quarter past five o'clock, and left the desk and the other
articles safe in the room when he went down stairs to
tea. He remained below some time, and it might have
been half-past seven o'clock when he returned to his
bed-room and went to bed. But half an hour after he
was roused by his wife, who stated that a young man
had come to the door, inquiring whether he had lost
his desk. Complainant got up, and found that his desk
was gone with all that it contained. In the course of
their search about the room to ascertain what else was
missing, they pulled out two of the drawers, and
discovered that a top coat had been taken from
one of them and a dress coat from another.
He then went to the Russell coffee-house, Great Wind•
mill-street, where he saw his desk, which had been left
there by a young man, who said he would call for it in
the morning. Information was given to the police, and
this morning the prisoner came in and inquired fur the
desk, and was apprehended. The complainant said the
prisoner was a brother-in-law of his.
pawnbrokers,m ElizabethJllo.
sht
nr e e
13t
e corroboratedeJones,
hw
,u,
ra sr t
de,
oo
uaff rse
s. coffee-house-keeper, 26, Great Wind-
stttrtaleinestt,t testimony.
(InlAoinhyae.n
d prisonerNv
hanedhpadledagneodthaereocoatatwwiti
hththhiemm .
offered to pledge, but they refused to take' it.
Police-constable 69 C said, on searching the • oner
prisoner
at the station-house, he found o 1 •
al at stth
the
nighttm time,
for
which
jhlashr. recii asoalld:en';
n um a packet of cards,
seven shillings, and some copper money,
which opened the prosecutor's door, an a latch-key
and a pair of false
whiskers.

The prisoner admitted committing the robbery.
Mr. HARDWICK committed him for trial at the Central
Criminal Court. _ _

Before the prisoner was removed from the bar, appli-
cation was made by a gentleman who said he occupied
the chief part of the prosecutor's house, and bad bad
two paintings stolen from his room. Messrs. Harii-
son's assistant told him the prisoner had offerred them
for pledge at their shop on Monday last, but they were
refused. It was known where they were pledged, but
the duplicates were destroyed.
The prisoner admitted having pledged the paintings
with Pierce and Lance, in Compton-street.
Mr. HARDWICK said the only course to recover the
paintings would be to indict the prisoner on that charge
also, and bring up the pawnbrokers, unless they were
willing to give up the property without further trouble.

NEW CARRIAGE FOR THE LONDON AND NORTH-
WESTERN RAILIYAY.-Mr. Booth, the carriage builder
to the London and North-Western Railway Company,
has lately constructed a first-class carriage upon a new
and improved principle. The carriage is adapted for
the accommodation of twenty-four passengers, with
guards and luggage, and measures twenty seven feet in
length, by the usual width. It is divided into four
bodies or compartments in one lengib, containing six
divisions each, and runs upon eight wheels. The frame-
work is constructed in the usual manner, with springs,
&c., but is divided into two parts, which, being separate,
move on their own centres. The superiority of Mr.
Booth's invention over the usual carriage consists in the
increased accommodation afforded to passengers, the
absence of any oscillation, the lightness of the draught
and the great facility and safety in rounding curves
The carriage has lately made several journeys to London.
The cost of construction amounts to about 6001.—Aris's
Birmingham Gazette.

THE- QUEEN V. RicnAnn DUNN.—The special
jury, at the instance of the prosecutrix, Miss Burdett
Coutts, was struck at the Crown Office on Friday. The
sittings in London of the Court of Queen's Bench will
commence on the 15th inst., when an application will be
made to anoint a day from the trial. Sir F. Thesiger
and Mr. Bodkin are retained for the prosecutrix, who is
expected to bo the principal witness on the occasion.
The defendant will be his own client on the indictment
for perjury.
EXTENT OF Cracow.—The territory of Cracow
extends 21 square miles. The population of the city is
43,000, of the territory 146,000. The revenue amounts
to two-and-a-quarter millions of Polish florins.

WORCESTER, WARWICK, AND
RUGBY RAILWAY COMPANY.—crins DAY.)
A meeting of this company, adjourned from Wednes-
day last, was held to-day at the London Coffeehouse, at
twelve o'clock; H. G. Ward, Esq., M.l'., in the chair. On
taking the chair,
Mr. WARD said that he assumed his old position, as
this was an adjourned meeting; he believed it was not
n, ces-ary to have a vote for that purpose. I❑ doing so
he should merely observe, that having been given to
I understand that all sorts of actions might be brought
against him, do what he might, he had placed hims.ell in
the hands of his legal advisers, and under their advice
he should refrain from everything but his simple duty as
president of the meeting. He would only say that it
was intended to altogether withdraw the 4,240 shares to
which he had alluded.
A SHAREHOLDER inquired where the scrip was now ?
The CHAIRMAN replied that it was in safe keeping,
but he should give no further information. At the last
meeting he had stated that all the papers and documents
of the company were open to a fair inspection of the
shareholders.
Mr. SPACEMAN. after giving the opinion of Sir F.
Kelly and two other counsel, that it was illegal to use
any scrip in voting which was not actually in possession
of the holders, read a correspondence which had taken
place be ween himself and one of the other scrutineers
and the secretary and chairman of the company, the
object of which was to obtain the numbers and holders
of the scrip for the 4,240 shares alluded to. The result
was, that under legal advice the directors refused to give
the information required.
The CHAIRMAN said, that whatever the responsibility
might be rested with him and the other directors, and
not with Mr. Hughes, the secretary.
Mr. SPACEMAN resumed with saying, that if the votes
now in the room wore sufficient to authorise the disso-
lution and bankruptcy of the company, well, but if not,
then he would advise the shareholders to object to suffer
the 4,240 votes to be withdrawn. Whatever they did,
let them do it legally.
Mr. CLARKE, the third scrutineer, stated, as the reason
for refusing to act with the other scrutineers, his belief
that in demanding the numbers and names of the holders
of the scrip they were exceeding their official power.
He had written to Mr. Spackman, intimating this
opinion, and suggesting that a committee of
shareholders should be appointed to investigate the
circumstances, and examine the scrip as it was presented
for voting. He could sire but one way of escaping from
the difficulty and avoiding litigation ; that was, for
every shareholder who had voted on the suspected scrip
to come forward and say whether his scrip was good or
bad. If this were done he believed that all difficulty
would be obviated, and every one would ba saved from
being committed to an illegal action. It appeared now
impossible to get out of this difficulty without such a
course as he pointed out. If they refused, then
he should maintain that every person who voted on
the scrip presented by him should be held responsible
for the 30s. a share which had been originally paid.
A SHAREHOLDER inquired whether there was any
power in the Act of Parliament to enable the directors
to withdraw the shares in question ?
The CHAIRMAN replied that there was no such power,
and that occasioned the difficulty.
An angry discussion ensued, in the course of which •
Mr CLARKE declared that he differed from Mr. Speck-
man and several other shareholders in their belief of the
efficacy of bankruptcy. In his opinion the best plan was
to pursue the directors at law and in equity. He had
calculated the expenses in the Worcester, Warwick, and
Rugby Company at 7s. a share, and if the plan be re•
commended were adopted, he believed that the whole of
the balance could be obtained.

The meeting decided upon proceeding to a scrutiny of
the additional votes present.
The CHAIRMAN said that he should never do anything
behind their backs which he would not do in their pre-
sence ; and he had now therefore to remind them that
at the last meeting he had stated that there was one
debt against the company not entered in the balance-
sheet, against which ho was endeavouring to defend the
shareholders. Since then, seeing the spirit of the meet-
ing against the shareholders, and, acting under the
highest advice, he had paid that debt, and he had now
to intimate that, in the event of a resolution of dissolv-
ing in bankruptcy being come to, in virtue of the power
which, as chairman, he held, he should give cheques be-
fore to-morrow morning for the settlement of every
account now outstanding against the company, so that
if they did go into the Court of Bankruptcy they would
go without a single creditor to oppose them.
Mr. ADAMSON—Then I tell you, sir, that you will
have every sixpence to refund.
While the meeting was in a very excited state the
scrutineers resumed their duty, and on their return re-
ported that there were 8,975 votes recorded. 4,240 of
which were put in by the directors, and the validity of
which the scrutineers could not ascertain, and they
therefore demanded the vouchers which should confirm
their authenticity.
The CHAIRMAN stated that such a report was
not in accordance with the statnte, and that con.
sequently he could dot receive it. He should there-
fore call upon the scrutineers to amend their report, and
would give them a reasonable time for doing so. In the
event therefore of the amended report not being made
within one hour he should declare the meeting dissolved,
and leave the responsibility of the consequences to those
who caused them. _ _ _

111:SPACKMAN said they would not keep the Chair-
man one hour or five minutes, for the scrutineers would
make no other report, and he believed they were quite
within the terms of Lord Dalhousix's Act.
The CIIAIRMAN said that since the last meeting he
had taken the very highest legal advice, but he found
that he had no power to interfere, and that in fact there
were no means whatever of now withdrawing the 4,240
votes put in by the directors. He should, therefore, call
upon the scrutineers to amend their report.
Mr. SPACKMAN having declared that it was not the
intention of the scrutineers to alter the report,
The CHAIRMAN then said that he would give a quarter
of an hoar for the purpose,
when, if he received no
ether than that before him, he should declare the meet-
ing dissolved without coming to any conclusion.
No answer was made to this, ard Mr. Spacliman and
his friends, after a little consultation, left the room.
At the appointed time the Chairman declared the meet•
log dissolved.

SLIGO ANL) SHANNON RAILWAY
COMPANY.—(THIS DAY.)
An extraordinary general meeting of the Sligo and
Shannon Railway Company was held this afternoon, at
he offices of the company, Winchester-buildings, Old
Broad-street, for the purpose of assenting to the terms
of amalgamation, by way of purchase, with the Sligo
Ship Canal Company. Mr. Hughes in the chair..
The SECRETARY read the report, which stated that the
shareholders of the Sligo Ship Canal Company had unani-
mously agreed to transfer their undertaking to this com-
pany, under the powers' granted in their Act for that
purpose, and the directors of this company
felt persuaded that it would be most advan-
tageous that they should possess the entire con•
trol of the Sligo Ship Canal. Both undertakings
would be under one management, and the directors
earnestly recommended the shareholders to confirm the
arrangement for the purpose of completing the trans-
action. The shareholders had to authorise the directors
to issue 800 shares in addition to the company's present
number, which, when done, would make the company's
capital 120,0001., in 4,800 shares of 251. each, with power
to borrow the sum of 33,2001. to complete both the
railway and canal. The directors would possess when
the companies were amalgamated, the power of adjusting
tolls, remitting them on vessels conveying goods to or
from the railway, and charging by their Act on vessels
conveying goods to any other destination. The canal
would thus become a most important branch of the
company's scheme, connecting Sligo with the river
Shannon, and making it the port of the whole of
the towns bordering on that river, from Athlone to the
company's station on the shore of Lough Allen.
The company was the onlyonethator the
bteine,sdetshteoifr
Ire-
land,Ac t
schemese projected fo
map would show how advan-
tageorustlhyetn glancelineay
atth
was situated for extension in various
out
auinrted and a
twi
with
hs
theconnecting
lines
reaching
allae theng railroadsto the
capital
t o the northon the of
solur
teh-
of Ireland. The railroad and canal completedsthe sea
the
communication between the
a S
Thewo rk
s d ictoetcad
tore ewereomanpdal
es
tt
seu.dureesdncdbypbirttohahselaionrrhneetocioniugniitrnoaeendoe sebrteahitniaogtathisnoe
a twelvemonth
ewdesthldebdeisruepctpoorrst'eednbdyetahveouarids
otltioafmkeieat there
trdphyreioonupeatron litniehotpeouarunnsnt.Thete.aypkrhi undertaking
ie tors of the lands were being
negotiated with, and s
hwaorfuelsd
nci napnaat)hlineweonmutal
djfoobrrei ttychooenifrficrlmassneedds
and
de subjectt bll oaaot rftdh,
theeiyn
purchasescho conclusion, neo ,
authorised
tepheodrt
hitsheeadtd theirete:(ip uorvfcichcwaosnsevoe;
conveyance
and
attach the company's seal to
thereof.
adTophteed.report having been read, w
Mr. BRIGIIT moved a resolution,
di-
rectors to conclude the agreement for
the canal. empoweringasthe purchase of
unanimously
nim
theously
Mr.
uponV cx sn g cordial)pu put to
the
m secondedeet
meeting,
the
was
sl
upnraenpiomsoituion;
which,
adopted.
A vote of thanks was passed to the chairman, ad the
meeting separated.

SLIGO SHIP CANAL COMPANY

(THIS DAY.)
This day, at twelve o'clock, an extraordinary general
meeting of the proprietors in the Sligo Ship
Canal Company was held at the company's offices,
Winchester House, for the purpose of considering
the expediency of transferring the Sligo Ship
Canal undertaking, under the powers contained
in the company's Act of incorporation, to the
Sligo and Shannon Railway Company. The proceed-
ings were purely of a formal character, the sale of the
undertaking to the Sligo and Shannon Railway Com-
pany being unanimously determined upon.

DREADFUL DEATII Dl' SUFFOCATION IN A SEWER.
—Yesterday Mr. Baker held an inquest at the Devon-
shire Arms, Devonshire-street, Globe Town, Mile-end-
road, on the body of Samuel fodder, aged forty, fore-
man in the service of Mr. John Thomas, builder. The
deceased on Monday afternoon was employed in exca-
vating a sewer in Devonshire-street, from the main line.
The ground was of a sandy nature, and in consequence
of its having occasionally given way he was cautioned
by his employers to put up tressels, which he refused to
do, observing that there was no danger. Deceased was
at a depth of about nine feet when the ground gave way
and buried him, in which position he remained for a
quarter of an hour, his son, who saw the fall of earth,
with several others, assisting in his exhumation. On
being extricated he was taken to the Devonshire Arms,
and was attended by Mr. Leake, who found life extinct.
Verdict, " Accidental death."

THE WEST INDIA AND MEXICAN

MAILS.

The Royal Mail Packet Company's steamer Tay,
E. T. Sturdee commander, arrived at Southampton
yesterday evening at nine o'clock, bringing mails of
the following dates :—From Tampico, Oct. 24th ;
Vera Cruz, Nov. Ist ; Havannah, 11th; Nassau, 13th;
and Bermuda, 21st. Also, from Honduras, Oct.
20th ; Demerara, Nov. 4th ; Tobago, sth ; Trinidad,
sth; La Guayra, 7th; Grenada, 10th; St. Vincent,
/oth ; St. Lucia, 10th ; Alartinique, 11th ; Domi-
nique, 11th ; Guadaloupe, 11th ; Antigua, 12th ;
Montserrat, 12th; :Nevis, 12th; St. Kitt's, 12th;
Tortola, 13th; St. Thomas, 14th; St. Jago de Cuba,
sth ; Jamaica, Bth ; Jacmel, 10th; and Puerto Rico,
12th. She brings on freight 600,000 dollars for mer-
chant's account, gold dust and gold, value about
33,0001.; 7561 b. of silver, 7 packages of platina, 53
bales of tobacco, 57 cases of cigars, 15 cases of pine-
apples, and a variety of other produce.
The Tay has had to contend with a succession of
gales since leaving Bermuda, chiefly from the N. and
E. This, with a detention of 24 hours at the said
port, by order of Admiral Austen, accounts for the
lateness of her arrival.

This ship was out during the whole of the hurri-
cane, which visited the llnvannah with such devas-
tating effects on the 10th and 1 Ith of October, having
sailed from that place for Vera Cruz at 5 P.M. on the
10th. It was blowing very strong from N.N.E. at the
time of her departure, the wind continued increasing,
and from 11 P.M. on the 10th to 4 p.m. on the 1 1 th,
it blew with the most intense fury. At the latter
hour the wind shifted suddenly to W. by N., and in
a few minutes after to S. IVY., then round to E., and
settled at W.N.\V., blowing the hardest at N. •
During nearly the whole of Sunday, the 11 th of
October, the weather was tremendous, the drift flying
over the ship in a complete sheet, and the sea assum-
ing a most extraordinary appearance, the waves rising
in pyramidical forms and breaking at the summits,
resembling breakers on a high shore.
The ship during the whole of this fearful time
behaved admirably, and but for her well-known qua-
lities as a sea boat, together with the excellence of
her machinery, she must have experienced far greater
damage than the comparatively slight injuries she has
sustained, namely, the loss of one of her quarter-boats,
and the sponsons being carried away.
From the position she was in during the night of
the hurricane, had she been a sailing ship instead of
a steamer her total
_destruction must have been in-
evitable.

Her Majesty's steam-ship Vesuvius arrived at Port
Royal on the 7th ult., from Halifax, where she had
been to recruit the health of her crew. Her Majesty's
schooner Pickle had returned from Cuba, after
having been driven on shore in the late hurricane,
with loss of mainmast ; when refitted she is to pro-
ceed to Hayti, with Mr. Bathurst, her Majesty's
Consul. Her Majesty's ship Hermes, and her Ma-
jesty's ship Vindictive, with the flag of Vice-Admiral
Austin, was at Bermuda. The Persian was also here
repairing damage.
From Trinidad we learn, that the weather during
the month of November has continued favourable
sunny days.
for the planters. An abundance of rain has fallen,
withA
little fa favourable a,vsb,
el ea t
he:
would intermissions
nnw of
be finedsierable for
en-
tering upon the usual business of the season. Some
estates have already commenced crop, and as soon as
the weather is more settled, we may expect to see it
very general throughout the island. Everything at
present connected with the crop wears an appearance
of promise.
The Agricultural Society, we are happy to observe,
are proceeding satisfactorily. The council of the
society have resolved on publishing a journal, to be
devoted to the discussion of all matters having refe-
rence to the improvement of the practice and science
of agriculture in this colony.
We regret that we cannot report favourably of
the state of trade. Every department of business
here is unusually dull. The planters are also de-
pressed in consequence of the recent measure of Go-
vernment.
The Legislative Council was specially called to-
gether on the 17th ult. to receive the message of his
Excellency, communicating the disallowance of in-
tercolonial immigration and the Coolie regulations.
The Jamaica newspapers make no mention of the
weather or crops, but, as has lately been the case,
contain long articles on the new sugar duties.
The intelligence received by the last packet from
Halifax reporting the seizure of 2,000,000 dollars by
Santa Anna is confirmed. The alleged ground for
the seizure is, that he was
.afraid the money might
fall into the hands of the enemy.
HER MAJESTY'S Srnrs.—The Endymion, Captain
Lambert, and Alarm, Capt. Franklin, were lying at
the Sacrificios. The Electra, Capt. Maitland, sailed
for Tampico, from Sacrificios, on the 29th October;
and the Daring, Capt. Matson, for the same place on
the morning of the Ist November. The Vindictive,
Capt. Seymour, with Admiral Sir F. Austin's flag,
was at Bermuda. The Persian bad been hove down
to have her bottom examined, and was refitting when
the Tay left. The whole of the British-men-of-war
were in a healthy state.
The French squadron consisted of—Mercure, 18 ;
Perouse, 18 ; and Pej lade, 18.
The Spanish ship were—The Isabella 11., 22 ; and
Juannitta, schooner.
The Company's steamer Dee, Captain Allen, ar-
rived at Barbadoes on the 6th of November, and sailed
for Grenada on the Bth, arrived there on the 9th, and
sailed for Trinidad the same night. The Eagle was
at Barbadoes on the 7th of November, and the Teviot
on the 9th, leaving there on the same day for Jacmel,
Jamaica, &c. The Forth was lying at anchor at
Jamaica on the 9th. The Reindeer arrived
at St. Thomas,'s on the 13th from Grenada, &C.
The Trent brought the Jamaica and Northern Island
mails to Bermuda, to meet the Tay from England, on
the 20th, at noon, and was left there when the Tay
sailed. The Clyde arrived at Havannah on the 7th
of November, and sailed on the 9th for Vera Cruz and
Tampico.
The intelligence brought by the Tay from Mexico
is of no great importance. She had very little com-
hmeurniecnatteiorningon
anyshore.of Norensrttrsic. tionThNeVas
the p
squadron was still lying off Anton Lizardo, and no
movement had been made in any shape whatever
since the last edvices. At Vera Cruz the Mexicans
were still exerting themselves, and adopting every
means in their power to defend their favourite Castle
blockading
squadron no
of St. Juan de Ulloa.
The American brig of war, Porpoise, arrived at
Tampico on the 21st of October, and was lying there
when the Tay left.
The American squadron at
the anchorage of Anton
Lizardo were—Cumberland, 52 ; Potomac, 52 ; John
Adams, 20 ; Mississippi, steamer, besides several small
schooners and steamers. The Saint Mary's, 20,
Falmouth, 20, and Somers, brig, were likewise cruis-
ing off the port.
It was reported that the scurvy had made its ap-
pearance in the American fleet, and that the crews
were suffering severely. In short, one ship had been
sent to the United States with invalids.
A movement, on the part of the Mexicans, had
been made at Tampico. The whole of the forces
were preparing to leave when the Tay left, in order
to rally round Santa Anna, who was at San Luis,
concentrating his army. Every person capable of
bearing arms had voluntarily
it was supposed that the force under Santa Anna
amounted to upwards of 20,000 men. Their desti-
nation was Monterey, to meet General
Taylor. No
further intelligence had been received from the seat
of war in the interior. It was intended on the part
of the Mexicans to evacuate Tampico. The can-
non was being transported to Monterey, but the
ammunition, copper, shot, &c., was thrown into the
river, to prevent its falling into the hands of the
Americans.

A private correspondent at Mexico writes to the
following effect :
" There has been a general alarm in the interior,
particularly in the city of Mexico, during the last month,
arising out of the arming of the lower classes of the
people as a civic guard. Foreigners especially had reason
to be apprehensive lest an attack on property might lead
to personal violence ; but on the departure of the cou-
rier all was quiet, and confidence in a great measure
restored. _ _ _

" General Santa Anna had collected a considerable
force at San Luis Potosi, and the prevailing opinion was
that General Taylor had not the means of advancing
from Monterey, where they had experienced a heavy
loss, although they obtained possession of the town by
capitulation. A little more firmness and energy on the
part of the general officer commanding must have obliged
the Americans to retire.
64 Vera Cruz was still blockaded, but the Americans
bad been foiled in all their attempts along the coast, and
this had had the effect of greatly encouraging the
Mexicans to
and Nearly
the whole of the male
vicinity
were arming,
i
undergong
daily drilling, and would, in all probability,
inhabitantsorfestihsteanee. city
use the most desperate means to repel any attempts that
would be made. As to negotiation, no one thought of
it, nor is it likely that it would be, even if the Ameri-
cans 'penetrated into the heart of the country. Any
government attempting it would be overthrown in a
month.
" Commodore Stockton, on the western coast, had
divided the Californias into three different states, as a
part of the American Union."
Prom another source we learn that—
" General Santa Anna, with 20,000 men, mostly well
armed, was at St. Luis Potosi, on his way to Monterey,
to endeavour to retake that town from the American
General Taylor.
" The chiefs of the federal party who had recalled
General Santa Anna from exile had been removed from
power by him after he reached St. Luis.
"Forced contributions had been made from all classes
and nations residing within the Mexican Government to
carry on the war, and as the people in general as well as
the army had become most enthusiastic in the war, it
was thought that if General Santa Anna would pass
rapidly on, he would do something that would redound
to the national character by the recapture of Monterey.
" Two American steam-ships, the Mississippi and

another, intending to make an attack on Alvarado,
grounded in the centre of the river before they arrived
opposite the town. During the time they were aground
the Mexican volunteers so annoyed them by their fire
that, when got afloat again, they were glad to make a
hasty retreat.
"Almonte, the present Minister of War, wculd, it was
believed, be elected President, should he conform to the
wishes of Santa Anna. Santa Anna would, in all proba-
bility, be Almonte's successor.
" General Canaleso returned from Paris to Mexico,
by the Royal Mail steamer Clyde, and it was believed
that Santa Anna would appoint him his second in
command.

"It is not likely that the war will be of long conti-
nuance, as the vast expense of the American army is
much beyond what can be long borne by the United
States Government, and the Mexicans, or at least the
more respectable portion, desire peace, if it can be ob-
tained on honourable terms."