The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-27 00:00:00

C U ILT CIRC ULA It,

The Qeeen and Prince Albert, the Ladies end Gentlemen
of the Court, and the domestic household, attended Divine
se vice yesterday in he private chapel, Ifuckingham Palace,
The II n. and Rev. C. Leslie Courtenay officiated.
11- r Mejeetv and her Royal Consort took their accustomed
early w::IN yesterday.
STltUrtitiV WaS the birthday of her Royal Highness the
Princess Alice. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent
arriv(d early at. the Palace on a visit of congratulation.
Their Royal Hignesses the Duchess of Cambridge and the
P. ineess Mary paid a visit in the forenoon.
The Queen gave a Juvenile Fete for the amusement of the
Iloyal Children, in the afternoon at Buckingham Palace, to
tw.t.,l:l.cli, tee f dlowirg Ladies, with the younger members of
le,mie]masEn
nodifier
111,,uf,ESe*
etti.7 t
I)e Princes;biazc
:4irartnespec;ix-e families, were honoured with invitations.—
,Nicholashionessof
rite
Laity Lytteltun, and Lady Portman.
Esterhazy,Abereon4
11, r Majesty th 4.
by her 11,:,d;y i Waitin
u. D
t-
deerwas present, attended
ili:lmess the Duehge'ss the
Kte!onunt eSS Brownlow. Her
AtWitAt3 Bruce and the Baroness de g wa3
attended by Lady
peth.
The lower suite of rooms were prepared for the reception,
the company assembled in the library. Mr. Limes had
the hoilanr t► exhibit a number of necromantic experiments
fur the gratification of the young assembly. Mademoiselle
Ponrdin attended, and performed quadrille music on the
pianoforte.
At hall- pAst, five o'clock the Queen and Prince Albert, the
Q teen Dowager, the Royal Family, the Ladies,
room, which and the
-
youthful yi,itors, passed into the small dining
was appropriated for refreshments.
Soon after six o'clock, the Queen Dowager and the rest of
the company took their departure.
Satu rdey was the birthday of her Royal Highness the
Duchess of Gloucester. His Royal Highness Prince Albert,
visited her Royal Highness at Gloucester House at one
o'clock. Her Majesty the Queen Dowager (attended by the
Countess Brownlow) paid a visit to the Royal Duchess in the
afternoon. Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Kent.
the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George, and the
Princess Mary, also paid visits of congratulation on the
auspicious event to their illustrious relative.
During the day the Members of the Diplomatic Corps, and
the Nobility and Gentry called at Gloucester House, and
left- their names for her Royal Highness.
The Queen mid Prince Albert took an airing in an open
carriage and four en Saturday.
Her Majesty and Prince Albert, attended by Ladi ?orb'
elan, Hon. Mk's Napier, Lord Byron, Hon. Nlonel Grt:.Y,
and Lieut. -Calontl Seemour, honoured the Italian Opera
ith their presence on Saturday evening. Her Royal High-
ness tile Duclies of Kent, attended by Lady Augusta Brace,
her Royal Highness the Ducheir; of Cambridge, attended by
Bareness Alilefeldt and Rerun Knesebeck, his Royal High-
ries- Prince George. and his Serene Highness the riereditary
Prince of Saxe 31ciningen also honoured the performance of
the Opera with their presence.
Her Majesty the Queen Dowager attended Divine service
yesteeley mornitig, in the Chapel Royal, St. James's. The
prayers were read by the Rev. J. Delmore, the lessons by
the Rev. Dr. Knapp, and the communion service by the Rev.
Or. Sleatle The sermon Was preached by the Rev. Dr.
Sleath, teem St. Matthew, chap. 5, verse 3. The anthem was
0 sing unto Gof—Gre..ne. Sir George Smart presided at
the organ. _

The-Queen D,.wagr was at; ended by the Countess Brown-
low and E,rl floe. Among the nobility present were the
Duches of Beaufort, ..nd the Ladies Somerset, the Ladies
St. Germans, Wilton, Somers, and Vivian; Lords Cawdor,
St. Germans, Ilawarden, de Manley, and W. Graham.
The Duke of Wellington and Sir F. Trench attended the
carte service yesterday in the Chapel Royal, St. James's.
The prayers were read by the Rev. Dr. Wesley. The sermon
was preached by the Rev. Dr. Sleath.
Their 11,yal Highnes:e" the Duke and Duchess of Cam-
bridg., and the Princess Mary, attended Divine service yes-
terday morning in Grosvenor Chapel, South Audley-street.
The Commissioners of the Metropolitan Termini had a
meeting on Friday. Iliac were present Viscount Canning,
the Earl of DAlicusie, the Right Hon. J. C. Herries, Sir F.
Smith, and the Lo,d Mayor. The Commissioners had
Anther meeting on Saturday. There were present Viscount
Canning, the Lo d Mayor, and Sir F. Smith.
The Eceleciastical Commissioners for England had a Corn.
mittee tm eting on Saturday. There were present the
Bishops of Winchester, Bangor, Chester, Ely, Hereford,
Lichfield, and Rochester, the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
and the Earl of B,Riborough.

I BRI °PORT ELECTION.
7'O THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
FIR.—To endeavour to prevent the ':patchwork legis-
lation by incompetent 111emThers of the House of Common.,
and pArtiatiarly these who deemed the late Member for
Itri q•ort worthy of the thanks of the House fur calling atten-
tion to the 1,.w relative to controverted elections, I beg to
request a,tenth n to the incon.istencrof the remarks of the
late Illeti.bur for Bridport on Friday evening last, and those
of his counsel, Mr. Austin, on Saturday last, before the Brid-
port Election Committee. Mr. Cochrane asks how it was
possible for him to meet objections when he did not even
know the witnesses that would be brought against him, and
tl.at this opportunity was given to criminals in all tribunals
of the country. On Saturday Mr. Austin states that he was
quite prepared to meet the general case of bribery, but he
would not go into the scrutiny on account of the probability
of an early dissolution, and he therefore could not advise the
•
ex I:ense,

Permit me to say, that neither criminals nor other parties -'f
in any action, in any of the tribunals of the country, know
what witnekses are to be brought against them, and this
ex legislator for Bridport did not know this,'and it really ap...
pears that other Members were equally ignorant, a deep I
disgrace both to themselves and their constituents.
Mr. Austin bad tffe same opportunity of preparing himself,
as well as he could have had if the-case tad been to be tried
in any other tribunal in the country.
Now fur Mr. Cochrane's cant; lie said he mentioned this,
not so much for his own sake, as for their guidance in future
election cases; and afterwards, that hie only intention in ris-
ing, was to submit his case to the-House, /Met to shoW how the
parrie. who'opposed his return to Parliatnent were disposed
to act towards him in the matter. Experience tells the
pvnple of Bridport, that until his memory is jogged he forgets
very important things. It did not occur to Mr. COChrtille to
mention, that he had with regard to the notices of objection,
given his opponents as much information as they had given
him, and that tlit it notices wrrc exrhanged by their agents
at the saute Inoineat.—Yours obxqently,
Bridpoit, April 2G, 1846.

SKY PARLOUR.

' MR. SMITH O'BRIEN'S DEFAULT.
The Committee of Selection have presented a special re-
port
to the House, printed with Saturday's votes, in which
they inform the Mouse, that " having, ou the 27th of March - i
last found it expedient, in the performance of their duty, to
take the usual preliminary measures for the formation of
several Gimmittees on railway Bias, and having given to tha
inembers selected ' due notice of their appointment, and .
transmitted to each a copy of the twelfth of the resolutions. a
one. .
agreed to by the Huse on the 12th of February, with . 7
blank form of the ueciaration therein required, and a request
that he woahi re turn it with his signature attached,' have
t.. report that they have not received front Mr. Smith ...',,
0-itri.n, a Member of 1 InS House, appointed on the above
o. casion to serve on the Committee to which Group No. 11
was then n LrErd, the aforeaul declaration ; nor have they
ree teed from that Honourable Member any ' excuse which
u t
the; ' a
said
dt that,
0,
ltuhtei therefore, r e
it,
becomesi in conformity
ttheir svt"g cantie sixteenth cioef
onmaismseionsof,
,Mard.
e\iNit'lailliatinme
Smith O'Brien as,' ni respect of suche
duty • to report to the Rouseth
Member.'
" But as the circumstances attendant upon the default of
Mr. Smith O'Britla are of a peculiar character, the committee
t.f Selection consider it incumbent upon
themi
toavr:pecolutrspr e
d: cially to the House a detail of the facts which h
[Bete the e nTesponch nce already given in Time Sun follows.] the Committee conclude by stating, " having received from
NI. r. Smith O'Brien no excuse that they could 'deem at-
' lent.' lair any intimation of a wish that an arrangement
should be made by which his attendance should be post-
p•ned t' a later period, but, on the contrary, having had im-
parted to them, in the letter of the 7th inst., above alluded
to, Mr. Smith o:Brien's desire that his former ' communica-
tions should be concidered as announcing his final determina-
tion not to serve on English and Scotch Private Bills Com-
mittees,' and, conat quently, to decline serving upon the
GontinVtee on Group No. 11, which is wholly composed of
Scotch Railway Bills; concave that they have no alterna-
tive but to report to the House the Tian •compliance of Mr.
Smith O'Brien with the orders and rules adopted by the
House, in conformity with the resolutions agreed to on the
12.. h of February-, 1646. '

FISHERMEN
Itut As
WN AND
p?,raistiAedß MARINERS'
Buin
ell'
THE SI! IP WItSCIEED
BENEN ()LENT SOCIETY.—The annual general meeting cf the Ship-
wrecaed lishetitiois' Society took place on Saturday, at the London
Tavern, Bishonale-street, the president, Admiral Sir George
Cockburn, 31.1'., keying op lied the proceedings in a brief
.peech, the Secretary read the report. From its contents it appeared
that the tire number of persons relieved by the society up Us the
present date were 12,910, of which number there were—widows, 79513 ;
•
•a•pbans, 2,150; aged parents, 398 ; shipwrecked persons, 9.0
During
fi‘hermen, heads of families left destitute from storms. 568.
the past year the expenses of management have been
ably lessened. relief had been extended by 8
yobjreeceuts of the So.
upwards,
1)b yi d e
anr
and the permanent resources of the
tsotrothnegl
ham the South-Wtern, and
:nethers
y
soeiety had
appearedbeen increased
that the
tamountthe
year
amounted l, 00t
c. 0 /5. —, ( C
ih eers. . ) Theb
be
totalpro
ccuair
mleanddisbursementsAr
tey,rit
fewfor
Western, the London and B rimingad handsomely
granted
several other railway companies h. to the
of Gloucester, '7,7l:;:ti'tsaYfb:acoin,fairl reteile''rpttioTair:i7eii
Lit: craoeonkeoririrttlta,th:Lize°Reio:rn::::Napirsur.No:h:Nrtioth;:ed, deputy.a sfradopt,to fbthe-
sosomencetyroenudnunion
words au and Mr.
Higlmess the P---
mili,ad, wile stated that the whole stock
beenmotertiain,gsabcrtuekde
up,
, he 0
coirnithpdleatedyshoerf
It
a'':,
Royal4ll:CEls 6:Nitl:eltpg isca .1 having:
abouteinse's th
Setß l '1:e3.1N10:7114C Duchess eli"S
wererhure Ii w celebratedere rung Y aestteinrdteary;alaSt
was als i 13red at twelve 0 tNlhrindfOrrienrcli Alice,lls born
theinparlaklB424
the Bachelor's-acre, uneer t..e superintendence throughout the day. A royal salute
'clock from the corporation ordinance in
- [MON
tov 1-gunner.
Abb-xes, held in the a, ring of the yearPerin 18ten44,deanneeag
P i of Mr. Bond, the
or A CONVICT--At the Worcester City
aged woman, named
Sarah RICO, 'was colivlcted of uttering counter:eft coin, and was sen-
tenced to seven years' trans;iortation. She was accordingly sent to
111,' hulks, but CO ac: oust of her age (upwaids of 60), and her bad
itate of Lealth, the audit:4l.les them roused to receive her, and she
Was rein ned to the Woreestir city g.iol. where she has remained
Ever since. Her cenduet has Lee', good daring her incarceration,
and as she c • ntinues in a weak state of health the magistrates of this
City petitioned the Secretary of State for a remission of sentence, and
yesterday a free inrclou fur the prinKoher WU 'recciye4.—frwoor.
' it 4 agfiAk

IRISH GREAT WESTERN RAIL-

WAY.

A special general meeting of the shareholders in the
Irish Great Western Railway (Dublin to Galway) was
held on Saturday, at the offices of the Company, in
Whitehall-place, for the purpose of receiving an expla-
nation from the directors of the present position and
future prospects of the affairs of the undertaking ; Mr.
ritastephen French, M.P., Chairman of the Board of
Directors, in the chair. The number of shares repre-
sented at the meeting amounted to 16,000.
The CHAIRMAN, after reading the circular and ad-
vertisement convening the meeting, stated that he had
received letters from a number of influential share-
holders, who took a deep interest in the undertaking,
but who were prevented, by unavoidable circumstances,
from attending that meeting. One of the letters was
from Mr. Stewart, the Member for Limerick ; another
was Sir John Gaiday, and another from Admiral
French, who were large holders in the undertaking, and
who were anxious for him (the Chairman) to act for
them in the same way that he would do for himself.
Mr. RODGERS begged pardon for interrupting the
Chairman, but he wished to state that he had received
a number of similar letters from shareholders residing
in the county of Galway, who held from 600 to 700
shares in the Company.
The CHAIRMAN stated that the meeting had been
called to enable the directors to explain to the
shareholders the position and present prospects of the
Company; but, as they would have to hold another
meeting, in accordance with the resolutions of the House
of Commons, they did not wish the shareholders to
come to any resolutions now. On the contrary, they
wished the shareholders to go home and consider
the statements which would be now laid before
them, and decide at a future day whether
the undertaking should be proceeded with or not.
He did not know whether it was necessary for him to
any notice of the var:ous annonymous attacks which
take
made upon them. The directors had treated
them with perfect contempt, and had no idea of wasting
the funds of the Company in answering them.—(Rear,
hear.) The shareholders must form their opinions from
facts, and not from annonymous statements,'
and he was sure if they did so they would
arrive at the conclusion, that the line would
piove a most valuable undertaking, both for
the shareholders and the country.—(Cheers.) He
would now, with the permission of the meeting, read
the report which the directors had prepared.
"The Committee having thought it advisable, at the pre-
sent crisis, to make the shareholders fully acquainted with
the circumstances of the undertaking, beg leave respectfully
to submit the following report :
" The Bill authorising the construction of a railway from
the trunk of the Great Southern and Western, or Cashel
Railway, at Portarlington, to Galway, has been sanctioned
by the Select Committee of the House of Lords, after a pro-
tracted and acrimonious contest maintained against it by the
Grand Canal, and Dublin and Mullingar Railway Companies,
in every stage of its progress. The competing line to Galway,
Proposed by the last-named Company, has been rejected by
the same tribunal, and the Bill for establishing railway com-
munication between Dublin and Galway (od Portarlington)
entire, as brought forward by your committee, now awaits a
third reading in the House of Lords, and it is to be expected
will be the law of the land in a very few weeks.

" Your committee are aware that, under the existing cir-
cumstances of the money market, very great caution will be
required
their future steps, and, after the most mature con-
sideration, they have determined not to make any call upon
the shareholders, except one, upon registration (not to exceed
one pound per share) until the line shall have been opened
to as great an extent as the means at the disposal of the com-
mittee will permit. Local circumstances offer facilities for
the carrying out of this plan. Sixteen miles from the junc-
tion with the Cashel trunk at Portarlington, the line reaches
Tullamore, the assize town of the King's County, contain-
ing nearly 7,000 inhabitants, and situated upon the Grand
Canal at 0. point which is the pivot of the greatest part of the
passenger traffic now carried on by that establishment.
Seven miles beyond Tullamore is Clara, another important
station, and six miles further, Moate, which is within nine
miles of Athlone. The railway can be conveniently pushed
on, gradually, to these four stations, and made to pay for its
progress as it shall be advanced.
Your committee beg leave to lay upon the table a com-
munication from the engineer, by which it will be seen that
the cost of the construction of that portion of the line between
Portarlington and Tullamore is estimated at 148,000 L, and o f
that between Tullamore and Athlone at 215,0001.
" The means available to the committee for the attain-
ment of so much progress in the works will be understood
upon an examination of the following account :
ABSTRACT of the ACCOUNTS of the IRISH GREAT
WESTERN RAILWAY (DUBLIN TO GALWAY).
Deposits of 2L 10 s. per share, on 21,600 shares... £54,000 0 0
Additional deposit of 1/. 10s. per share on
21,050 shares
31,575 0 0
Deposit of 4/. per share, on 5,339 new shares 21,356 0 0
Interest credited by various bankers on old
account ........

64 5 8

EXPENDITURE LAST S £106,995 5 8
ESSION. £ S. Engineering Department • .... ........ 6579 Id.
3 0 Legal and Parliamentary Expenses 16,6 33 , 0 7
Office, Advertising, Brokerage, Commission, .? 5 2,031 811
Incidental Expenses, &c.
... ...... ... .. ......

284
£25, 26 " The balance remaining after the heavy expenses of last
session thus amounted to 81,711/. 3s. 2d., and of this sumBl,ooo/. has been deposited in the Irishourt of Chancery
and invested in December last in the Three-and-a-Quarter
per Cent. Stock, at an average price of 95/. 12s. per cent.
The actual expense of the Parliamentary proceedings during
the present session it is as yet impossible to state ;
but even estimating it at something near the outlay of last
year, (say 21,0001.), there will remain a balance to the
credit of the Company of 60,0601. To' this may
be added 00,0001., the subscription of the Great
Southern and Western Company, which that body
are willing to advance, as may be required, and there will then be the sum of 159,006./. available for the imme-
diate commencement of the works, without calling upon the shareholders for a single farthing. This sum, it will be seen,
by the e-4gineer's report, will be sufficient for the construc-
tion 4:i sixteen miles of railway.
"To one important feature in our circumstances your com-
mittee are desirous of directing the particular attention of
the shareholders, viz. : the firm and cordial support affarde::
to this undertaking by the Great Southern and Western
Company, and the close connexion existing between the two
etablishments, by means: of which unusual facility will be
given to the opening and working of the line. The Main
trunk of the Great Southern and Western is now com-
pleted as far Portarlington, and will be opened for traffic in
the present summer.- The station at Portarlington, the staff
of servants, and the carrying stock, will be available at once
for the service of the Galway line, so that traffic can be
commenced upon it the moment any portion of it is com-
pleted, without the intervention of the delay commonly at-
tendant upon the manufacture of locomotives and carriages,
and the training of servant, and officers. Owing to these
advantages, it is continently expected that the Hee will be in
profitable operation, as far as Tullamore, within eight months
from the date of the passing of the Act.
" The rate of further progress with the works will of course,
in some degree; depend upon the state of the money market ;
but your committee confidently hope that, by ;pursuing a
course of caution similar to that with which they intend to
commence, they will be able, without pressing unduly upon
the shareholders, to complete the line to Galway long within
the time prescribed by Parliament. By adopting the plan
now proposed, each step of progress will be made to pay for
itself; but, feeling as they do the great importance to the
interests of the Company of completing the communication
between Dublin and Galway as speedily as possible, your
committee will let no opportunity escape of expediting the
accomplishment of that object.
" Of the necessity for, and advantages of, a line of railway
from Dublin to Gal Way, the experience of your committee
during the past year, and the local inquiries they have been
able to make, have much strengthened their conviction.
The 'report of the Committee of the House of Commons
last . session,- and the evidence brought forward on
the part of this Company, have so strongly directed the at-
tention both of the Government and the public to the value of
Galway, as a commercial port, and as a packet station with
Noith America, that it would be superfious to dwell at length
upon a proposition which appears to be self-evident. The

statement of traffic, prepared with great care by Mr. Hum-
phrey Brown, is now laid upon the table. With regard to
Mr. Brown's calculations, the committee of the House of
Commons, last session, remarked that they were made upon
the principle of taking everything at the lowest possible
figure. They have been since cautiously and laboriously
revised, and now exhibit a prospect of advantages such as
can scarcely be equalled by any projec'ed railway.
a t.I conclusion, your committee have great satisfaction in
ta mg that the/ have received the most cordial support
firoutins.etwaLomendomnb.and Birmingham Railway Company, two
treetbeomor
tuinet moat
apßios_e
wof that board having been named as
advice and assistance cannot fail
Company:' 'Led. advantage to the interests of the
The CHAIRMAN then intimated
would be taken down
wished to ask any questions, th
in writing and answered seriatue that if shareholders
my.
Mr. CLARKE said he was an exceedingly holder,
he in the
indeed, he might say he was the largest
holder
room ; and with the permission of the meeting
take the liberty of putting a question or two. ivnoutillda
first place, he had to complain of want of cour-
tesy on the part of the officers of the Com-
pany, for he had written repeatedly for
some of the new shares, but up to the present moment
he had received no answer whatever. Now, he wanted
to know what had become of the new shares. Ile, for
one, thought, in the present state of Ireland, the line
could never prove remunerative, and he hoped the share-
holders would consider tha matter calmly and dispas-
sionately before coming to any decision upon it.—(Hear.)
Mr. STANFORD wished to ask a question, as to
whether the Dublin and Cashel Railway Company would
be dispofied to lease the line, and guarantee to the share-
holderttiTer cent.?

A SHAitittoLDER wished to know whether the oppo-
sition to the.line had been abandoned?
Mr;MaxsELL, one of the directors, proceeded to
answer the questions put to the directors with reference
to the disposil of the shares. fie stated that a deposit of
24 10s. per share had been paid on 21,600 old shares,
which amounted to 54,000/. ; the additional deposit of
1/. 10s. per share, on 21,050. 550 of the original shares
had not been accounted for—no deposits had been paid
upon them. With reference to the 5,332 new shares,
2,500 had been taken by the Dublin and Cashel Com-
pany. The remainder had been allotted to various parties
resident in the various counties through which the line
passed. Not a single share had been taken by the di-
rectors or their friends.--.(Cheers.) As to the question
relating to the line
to Galway, one
being actually a line from Dublin
beeuouf the most direct lines of railway
that could possibly
Another opposition came from
between the two poin ts.
Pimm, who was a proprietor in a gentleman named
Grand Canal, and
co-partner with Mr. Samuda atmospheric patent,
and who was opposing the line inet
thrown out, so as to enable him to bringee eaffogrwetatrindgaint
atmospheric line next year. This gentle
the
author of the anonymous pamphlet against the ;nes anduh
it was to be hoped his opposition would have asem,
effect as his writing. An honourable proprietor hade
asked whether the line could be constructed for the
estimate ?—and he could state, upon the authority of
the engineer, that it could be made within the estimate.
He believed he had now gone through all the questions;
but if the meeting required any other information he
should be most happy to give it.
Mr. *CA.lttr, one of the directors of the Duhlindand.
Cashel line, mid b. was OtrOugly otiochp4 to this under.

taking,, from a conviction that it would tend to develop
the great resources of Ireland, and prove highly remu-
nerative to the shareholders. With regard to the pro-
position of Mr. Standish, he could not, of
course, speak, as representing the Dublin and
Cashel Company ; but, for himself, he was
decidedly of opinion that this line ought to be leased by
that company at a minimum per tentage, with a fair and
equitable division of the profits. He would take an
early opportunity of submitting the proposal to the
board of directors, and he hoped some satisfactory ar-
rangement would be come to before they met again.
Thanks were voted to the Chairman ,vad the meeting
separated.

FLANDERS AND DUTCH MAIL.
grantingTChamberiEi I
lea
nfG
theuE
indemnityAPßlLs tatea:
States-General
e—ar c
call t
uo the-ndt a y sittingti
inunda-
tions, was to, byelnraithreeposerctonond
o f thee militaryprojectof theo
i laweodfnao Second
majorityom.As
we had the pleasure of an-
th e project sitting, thea re
e of
law a
for Section
a
auwg hatomfuep2n6dt
amending
the
bookexPe ofrt
enting tho imporet
first
td
dthuoti
penale s,sa Rd code.on a projec2autlsg.
TE DAM APRIL
nevonennicning,ginyeosrtdeerrdat3o-,
ghlivseMtaolatyntha.eudliiienngeeartroivtehdeyemstielirtadaryy
civil authorities, and public bodies, of which notice had
irteedn given. The attendance was extremely numerous this
morning. His Majesty will return to the Hague this evening,
but we are happy to learn that he intends to return on Mon-
day next with her Majesty the Queen, and their Royal
Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Orange, and Princes
Alexander and Henry, and to remain here for a week.
BRUSSELS APRIL 20.—The Chamber of Representatives
resumed its labours to-day. The galleries were crowded at
an early hour, and the Chamber was nearly complete, very
few members being absent. After the reading of the process
verbal of the last sitting, M. de Theux, Minister of the
Interior, rose to speak, and amidst the most profound silence
read the programme of the new Cabinet, from which we ex-
tract the following on the subject of Education Law, which
broke up the late Cabinet "The Government likewise expresses a wish that the law
respecting a public education may be voted during the
present session. For this purpose it desires that the Central
Section, appointed to examine the projects presented in 1844,
shall be completed, and present its report. The Cabinet
will make every effort that this project may be decided in a
spirit of patriotic conciliation."
The reading of this programme baying been listened to
with profound attention, the President asked if ally person
desired to speak, and no one desiring to do so, the President
declared that the Chambers would proceed to the order of
the day.
The Minister of Finance then rose, and presented severe
budgets for the next year, and a project of law allowing a
vote of credit of five millions for the war department.
M. Dole; without stopping for the present to appreciate
the new Cabinet, required that explanations should be given
by those members of the Chamber who took part in the
projects for reconstructing, the Cabinet. MM. Rogier, de
Theux, d'Hoffschmidt, and Melon were induced to speak in
consequence of these observations.
BERLL`f, APRIL 17.—1 t is stated on good authority that
the Synod of the kingdom, in which laymen will also be ad
mitted as members, will meet on the Ist of May. As far as
is yet know the whole number of members will be seventy or
eighty, and will consist of the chief President, the President
of the Consistorils, the General Superintendents, the
Bishops of the Evangelical Church, the four royal Chap-
lains at Berlin, a number of the faculties of divinity,
and law, and of some laymen, to be chosen by the Provincial
Synods, the Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs to be the Pre-
sident; but the choice of the Vice-President is to be left to
the Assembly itself.
POSEN, APRIL 15.—The accounts which we receive
from the neighbouring kingdom of Poland are not
of a very agreeable nature, though persons sus-
pected of political offences are proceeded against
with inflexible rigour. Thus it is confirmed from
all quarters that the beautiful Madame Von K., who is said
to have been the channel of correspondence with the Paris
Propagande, has received a great number of lashes with the
knout. It is likewise said that the Pseudo Roman Jesuit,
the monk Gruszynski, who was arrested by the pea-
sants on the frontiers of Prussia and Poland, and
delivered to the Polish authorities, has been punished
with the knout. In consequence of the investi-
gations that have been made many persons have been ar-
rested, and all strangers and travellers are most strictly
watched, and if guilty of the slightest imprudence exposed to
ill-treatment.

COSEL, APRIL 14.—Nearly 150 Polish insurgents were sent
to-day from this place to Cracow.
HANOVER, APRIL 18.—The public journals have related
what has been done with respect to the German Roman Ca-
tholics in this kingdom—namely, that the congregation of
German Roman Catholics at Hildesheim, the only one
at present in the kingdom, is permitted to have divine service
in private: but, in the public notice of this court, which is
highly important to the persons interested, nothing is said
of the condition on which the continuance of this permission
is made to depend. The German Catholics have given up
the Confession of the Council of Leipzic, and have adopted
that of Schmeidemiht. This condition was laid down by the
Government, and accepted by this congregation. .
DRESDEN, APRIL 11•—Yesterday afternoon, by a rescript
of the City Council and of the elders of the Protestant
Church, the consent of the Ministry for Eccle-
siastical Affairs was notified to the elders of the
f.3-erman Catholic congregation that they should have
the use of a church. Accordingly the church of the Orphan
Asylum has been granted to them, with the condition
that the Protestestant service shall not be affected by it,
and that neither the pulpit nor the altar shall be used
by the temporal elders to address the assembly.
BRUSSELS, APRIL 21.—The average price of wheat in the
week ending on Saturday, the 18th of April, was 23f. 39c.,
and that of rye 17f. 11c.
In the sitting of the Chamber of Representatives to-day,
discussion was continued on the explaw‘tions relative to the
tormation of the Ministry of the 31st of March.
The Brussels Herald, in its last number. proposes to the
English inhabiting Belgium to hold a meeting, for th 6 pur-
pose of sending a deputation to Paris, to present a respectful
address to the King of the French, manifesting their joy at
'he escape of that august Sovereign, from the dreadful attack
of which he was so near becoming a victim. The King of
i he French, on former occasions, previously received a similar
address from the English residents at Paris. The bonds
of affinity which unite him to the King and Queen
of the Belgiatv, the sincere friendship which subsisted be-
tweea King Louis Philippe and Queen Victoria, and the
peaceful relation between the two great nations over the
destinies of which they preside, should induce the English
inhabitants of Belgium publicly to manifest the sentiments
of respect and esteem which they entertain for the enlight-
ened Sovereign who governs France.
lIAMBUItC.I.I BOF.SENUALLE, Aram IS.
kustrlan 5 per Cents •. ........ • • 113 '
Bills. Money.
I Bank Shares •...... .• .••• • • • • 1610
Anglo-Russian Loan
• • 1070
• 107 106%
Russian 5 per Cent., llarab. Certificate. 1011,4 101
Ditto Ist seriesbascription- •••• •• • • 1021,(
Ditto, Hope and Co., 3d and 4th series.. 96
Ditto, in Certificate
New 4 per Cent., Slope and Co. ••• • .• 89
Ditto Stieglitz •88
Spanish New 5 per Cent 163(
Ditto 3 per Cent •••••••••• • • • • • • • • 28%
Anglo-Portuguese Loan, 232 per Cent..
Dutch Actual Debt, 2% per Cent
Ditto 3 per Cent. .
Polish New 4 per Cent. Loan, 1814.... 81
Anglo-Danish Loan, 3 per Cent •••• • • 87 863
National Bank
BELGIAN FUNDS.—Baussam, Arum 21.
Actual Debt, 2% per Cent • ...... . ...
Rothschild's Loan, Five per Cent
Loan of Thirty Millions, Four per Cent -. • •
Ditto Three per Cent •. • .
Ditto Thirty-seven Millions, ditto
Ditto,dltto, 1840 ....... . ..... . . 101
Ditto. ditto, 1842 • 10214
Ditto, 1844.. • .
Ditto, 1838........................744
Ditto of the City, 1832 .• • . ..... •••• • . 10014
Ditto, 1843 • • .• • • • • - • • • • •- • . tOO%
Bank of Belgium • • ••• •••• • • • ••••• • • • • 890
—Brussels Pipers. April 21.
DUTCII F UNDS. ANSrzceAN, APRIL 21.
Money. Bills.
Actual Debt, 23% per Cent.. •• •••• .• • 60 601,4
Ititto, 3 per Cent .
Ditto, 4 per Cent..... • ....... 94 94%
Amort Syndic, 43% per Cent..
Ditto, 332 per Cent•••••••••• ••• • •
Commercial Company, 4% per Cent 167% 168%
East India Loan, 4 per Cent •••••• • • • • 93% 94
Exchange on London, at sight •• • •• • • 12 32
Two months . 12 25
On Hamburgh, at sight •• • • 35 75
Two months... •• ••••• • • • • • 35 75
-Ditch Papars. April 22.
PRUSSIAN FUNDS.—Bmtmx, Aram 18.
Bills. Money.
St. Schuld Sch., 3% per Cent •••••• • • • • • 97 9634
Pruss. English Bonds, 1830, 4 per Cent ......
Foreign Exchanges
Exchange on London, £1 Sterling, 3 Months. 6 25% . 6 2534
Hamburgh, 300 Marks, 2 Months. 149%
Paris, 300 fr., 2 Months ..... 80 1-12
Twotnonths. .. • • .• • • • • .•
-Universal Prussian Gazette, April 19.
AUSTRIAN FUNDS.—VIENNA, APRIL 15.
5 per Cent. Metalliques • • •
43 per Cent, ditto.
tCetheftltts..3ia
i9tto... 7
1003
Loan, 1834 .. • ............
Ditto, 153%
1•
Bank S,hares .
... •••• • • ••
• • •
• • ••••• • • • " • 22
Esterhazy's Loan.. ..... : ..
: •••• • • • • 1562
The Northern, or Ferdinand ..
(ITllicigenrat—tzM• •iia•n• . k•
•.ILW A.• 11151i797:14; Leghorn
Pesch U 17
Sienna .•
Orosetto ...... ......... •" 923‘.
Oldenburg
...... • • 93!ii
Apemilnen .• .• .• • ....: • • • •••••• • • • • • 961.4 Meath Bridge ......
••••• • • • • •
• .......... .......

DUTCHit): 26.—lnlSi tltisiLttSi • ofrn ethssenSgeecoliyiads
T HAGUE,APRIL
Chamber of the States-General, a royal
read, accompanying a project for making some altera-
-1.1031S in the existing law of the 12th March, 1818, on the
grt at fisheries.
The central section afterwards brought up its report
on the proposal of Messrs. Nedemeyer and Rosenthal,
for revising the fundamental law, that is to say, of
Articles 130, 131, 132, and 152. The debate was fixed
for Monday next. We learn from Vienna, that in con-
sequence of misrepresentations to the Austrian Govern-
Inftet, the augmentation of the tonnage duty on foreign
ships, imposed on the Ist of March, in all the Austrian
seaports, is not to be extended for the present to the
ships of the Netherlands, which will, therefore, be
tefitted in the Austrian ports on the same footing as
Austrian ships.
THE HAGUE, APRIL 24 —By his Majesty's order, the
Minister of Finance has made a report, dated the 20th
ApTil, 1846, on the amount of the national debt on the
Ist January, 1844, and the Ist January, 1846.
This report, and the accompanying documents, are
published, by his Majesty's leave, in an extraordinary
supplement to the Staats
.Courrant, of this day (25th
Apra) This supplement fills four pages. The general
result is as follows:—
On the Ist of January, 1844:
In principal. Interest.
The fixed debt ...f.1,201,017,575.18 f. 38,758,894.88
f. 27,077,418.09 f. 740,791.00
The floating debt..

f. 1,928,894,993,27 f. 39,499,685.88
On the
f. 5
he Ist of January, .1846:
In i9ne9i
,p0a41.1.16 1 nterest.
The fixed debt ...f.1,22p r:0
5 212,861.00 f. 35,662,509.83
The floating debt..
f. 125,438.00

f.1,231,122,702.16} 1.35,787,947:83
MS it appears that the prizeiptg of the debt is ia-

creased only by a sum of f. 3,027,708.801, and the annual
interest is reduced by the sum of f. 3,711,718,05. It is
to be observed, however, that the amount of the floating
debt, both in principal and interest, will be rather in-
creased in the sequel, when certain sums, now in the
treasury, are disposed of for the purposes athe coinage
and for draining the lake Haarlem. "Your Majesty will
not fail to observe that in consequence of these opera-
tions a part of our floating debt is converted into fixed
debt, so that the floating debt cannot now be estimated
at more than eix millions."
THE HAGUE, APRIL 24.—1 n the Second Chamber of
the States General to-day (the 24th), the project of law
for the augmentation of the duties on importations and
exportations, was put to the vote and agreed to by a
majority cf 43 to 11; it was accordingly sent to the First
Chamber.

The Jaya papers received by the overland mail brings
an order to his Excellency the Governor-General, dated
the 11th of February, for the improvement of the circu-
lating medium.

STRALSUND, APRIL 16.—The high prices of corn have
been falling for some time, and continue to fall daily.
There is every appearance of a fine harvest this year.
People must not be misled by the unfavourable reports
spread by speculators.

MERRY CONCEITS in the FRENCH

CHAMBERS.
There is nothing in Punch more comical than a debate in
the French Chambers on naval estimates; and while I am
making extracts from it, I tremble to think that I must pass
for a mock Punch—a travestie of that great work of plea-
santry—so droll are the mock-heroic fables that I offer._

Monsieur Mercier, the spectator of the battle of Trafalgar,
thus entertained his audience on the 16th of April :
" I have seen the French sailors contend honourably with
the English ; the crews of Admiral Villeneuve's fleet were
composed of men fresh from the English prisons and the
English hulks. They were animated by the love of country.
I beheld our captain nail sixty flags to his mast, and de-
clare that when these pavilions were shot away he would
surrender His ship did not surrender. She sunk !—le vais-
sean coulou I—she of the sixty streamers lies in the depths
of Cadiz Bay. Vice sensation in the Chambers; still more
roif in old ocean's dark unfathomed caves, where such a trophy
was never seen before. No doubt the water nymphs that in
the bottom dwelt ' Held up their pearly wrists and took her
in,' and the flags are now all turned to coral."
This fable, worthy of Ariosto, has no foundation ; for no
French line-of-battle ship was sunk in that action on that
day, pavoise or not ; but some 18 were taken, carrying 1,400
cannon, and about 1,400 man.
Glorious as this tale is, Monsieur Mercier has in reserve
greater glory—a revelation Indeed. " Qu'il me Boit permis
ici de reveler un fait qui n'est pas assez connu." This un-
known, unrecorded fact is, that when Nelson, in the Victory,
of 100 gens, ran on board of the Redoubtable, he narrowly
escaped being made prisoner by the French 74, Capitaine
Lucas. "Le drapeau tricolor eut flotte sur ce vaisseau
amiral, si le vaisseau A trois pouts, la Bretagne, n'etait pas
venu a son secours." Two ships of 100 guns to take the
French (truly) Formidable of 74. Now the Britannia of 100
guns was never near Lord Nelson in that engagement, nor
likely to have been, as her commander, Lord Northetsk, was
third in command of the fleet, and busy elsewhere.. So says
James, the most impartial of naval writers, by the admission
of M. Dupin.
When Admiral Latouche Treville, escaping out of Toulon,
wrote home that Nelson had fled before him, Nelson de-
clared that if he took him he would make him eat the libel.
Monsieur Mercier should not be invited to eat his bounces,
for they cause a great " sensation" in France, and a very
agreeable Arabian Night's diversion in England, furnishing,
too, a good measure of the French power of swallowing with-
out choking. "The salt-sea shark's gulf and ravening maw"
is less capacious, less national. Bait your hook with sixty
tri-colour flags, and your Chamber will swallow them all,
with the Victory to boot; perhaps, morally,. the Britannia
herself. Moral—Great nations have great swallows and diges-
tions, a l'autruche." P.