The Sun.
London, England, 1848-03-22 00:00:00

WEDNESDAY EVENING, MARCH 22, 1848.

vein struggle to maintain its position, was compelled
finally to close business.
Cor expo' m^-ket has form irlctive, end pi:ccs of
produce r*e generally lower. The ♦ery discoutaging
advices received of the home meTlets, and the high
rates of freight have induced buyers to operate sparingly
and with great caution. Sugars are pressed on the
market by holders, which has increased the declining
tendency. There has been an animated inquiry for
saltpetre, but the want of tonnage had restricted opera-
tions. There is nothing doing in silk, and silk piece
goods still remain neglected. Rice has attracted a good
deal of attention, and a fair amount of business has
been done in it. _ _ _

Jn our import market a good demand has existed for
cotton piece goods, which have been moving off freely,
but generally at much lower rates, holders being more
ready to meet the views of buyers. Mule twist has
continued dull, and for the season the demand has been
moderate. Metals remain without alteration.

The money market has become more tight, and the
wants of the mercantile community more urgent, yet
the coffers of the Bank of Bengal remain full, for v% ant
of approved investments. A considerable decline has
taken place in Government securities. The following
are our present quotations:—New Five per Cents., 1 2
to 1•E discount; Old Sicca Rupees, ditto, 5-S to 6 ditto;
sicca re., 4 per cent., 19-8 ditto; Company's rs., ditto,
17.4 to 17 8 ditto; Bank of Bengal shares are 2,190 r. to
2,200 r. premium, being 350 r. to 400 r. lower than our last
quotations.
Exchange is still at 1-11 to 1 111 for document bills
at six months' sight; Baring's credits, 1-121 to 2. At
the export warehouses 420,000 r. have been advanced on
goods under hypothecation at 1 101. The amount
drawn by the East India Company en the Bengal
Treasury by this mail is 40,5431.45. 3d.
Tonnage has been scarce, and eagerly taken up as it
offers.

Freights have consequently advanced; our present
quotations are—to London, saltpetre and sugar, 61. 10s.
to 61. 155.; rice, 61. 15s. to 7/.; indigo, 81. -
Indigo—The buyers of this article have since our last
evinced a degree of reserve which diminished the com-
petition in the bidding', and caused the prices in most
instances to rule 2r. Ba. to 2r. lower, thereby bringing,
particularly the good and.fine qualities, and the middling
lower consumers, to a par with London October sales
value. The transactions since our last were confined to
public sales, at which 20.171 chests were put up, but
only 1,926 sold at the under-mentioned rates, the
proprietors partly refusing to submit to the reduced
offers. _ _

----
Sugar—The demand has been falling off, and though
the best qualities are from their scarcity firmly main-
tained, buyers are less eager, whilst they decline trans-
actions in all the lower sorts, even when offered at easier

rates.
Saltpetre—A fair business has been doing in this
article, and no inconsiderable part of it for the British
markets, at fully previous rates for the better kinds in
low refractions and good colour, and a decline of 2a„. for

the lower qualities. -
Rice—The inquiry for this pulse remains unabated,
and fully previous prices are freely paid, and with the
large supply not less willingly accepted.
Safflower—The growing crop is represented to be less
forward than usual, but, notwithstanding, promising a
fair average outturn if the weather should be favourable
for another month.
Raw Silk—Nothing worth notice has been done in
this article. The stocks remain small, and there is no
disposition on the part of buyers to operate.
Cotton—Nothing has been doing here in this wool.
Prices in China had fallen 4 to i mace lower, Bengal
cotton being quoted at 7 taels 4 mace to 7 taels 6 mace.
Exports from the Ist to the 31st of January, 1846 :
Bales.
To Singapore ... ~• ••• 1,627
China ... ... 580
Rum—This spirit continues neglected; shipments
going forward being on account of distillers.
Exports from the Ist to the 31st of January, 1848:—
Gallons.
To Great Britain ... • • ••• 57,309
Sidney ... ••• ••• 2,356
Exports from the let of February up to date:—
To Great Britain ... ••• ••• 5,001
Opium—The third sale of the season took place on the
24th ult., and passed off languidly at reduced rates.
Since the receipt of the last advices from
China, where stocks are reported small, a slight ad-
vance has occurred, shippers feeling more confidence in
the drug.

AMERICAN NEWS.

LIVERPOOL, TUESDAY NIGHT.

By the arrival of the New York packet ship
Ivanhoe, Captain Edwards, we have papers from
New York to the sth instant, four days later than
was received by the Sarah Sands. The news from
Mexico is unimportant. It is generally said at
Washington that the treaty entered into by Mr. Trist
with Mexico would not be ratified by the Congress
of the United States.

The steam-ship Britannia had reached Boston after
an extraordinary long passage of 21 days. She en-
countered very heavy weather.
Her advices had an immediate influence on the
markets for cotton, flour, grain, Indian corn, and
provisions, which'; lightly advanced, with the prospects
of a further improvement.

COURT CIRCULAR.

The following bulletin of the Queen's health was
issued ye3terday :
" Buckingham Palace, March 21, 1848, 9 A.m.
" The Queen has had another good night.
"her Majesty and the Infant Princess continuo
well.

" JAMES CLARK.
" CHARLES LOCOCK.
" ROBERT FERGUSON."

Her Royal highness the Duchess of Gloucester
arrived at Buckingham Palace in the middle of the
day, to learn the state of her Majesty.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent visited
the Queen in the afternoon.
Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales,
Prince Alfred, the Princess Royal, and the Princess
Alice, took walking and pony exercise yesterday.
Prince Albert will, by the desire of her Majesty,
hold a levee, at St. James's Palace, on behalf of her
Majesty, this day, at two o'clock.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge
called at Buckingham Palace yesterday, to inquire
after the health of the Queen.
Lord Camoys has succeeded the Earl of Listowel
as the Lord in Waiting to the Queen ; and Lieut.-
Colonel A. N. Hood has succeeded Sir Frederick
Stovin as the Groom in Waiting to her Majesty.
The nobility and gentry who called yesterday at
the Palace, to read the bulletin of her Majesty's health,
were very numerous.

A deputation of the Directors of the India and
Australia Steam Navigation Company, consisting of
Lieutenant Waghorn, Mr. Ford, Mr. Montefiere,
Mr. Robinson, Mr. Scott Russell, and Mr. Yates,
had an interview with Earl Grey yesterday, at the
Colonial-office.
The Marquis of Westminster bad an interview with
Sir George Grey yesterday. Sir Hedworth William-
son had also an interview with the Right Hon.
Baronet, at the Horne. office.
A ,deputation from the Birmingham Canal Com-
pany, consisting of the Hon. Colonel Anson, M.P.,
Mr. Muntz, M.P., Mr. Scott, Mr. Purcy, Mr. Thomas,
and Mr. Ingleby, had an interview with Viscount
Morpeth yesterday, at the office of her Majesty's Com-
missioners of Woods and Forests, in 'Whitehall-place,
on the subject of the Health of Towns Bill.

TO THE SECRETARY OF THE
BRADFORD REFORM ASSOCIATION.

------- ___ _
Sir,—On Monday, the 20th, Mr. Hume proposed
;he reduction of the men to be voted for the service of

the navy, from 43,000 to 36,000.
On this subject I believe my reasoning to have
been different from that of many about me, though
conducting to the same result. I have no such abso-
lute confidence in the continuance of peace, as would
warrant any departure from what general considera-
tions of policy would otherwise point to as the
maximum of wisdom. The state of Europe is un-
settled to an extent that has not occurred within the
period of what may be called a generation of man-
kind ; and a state of Europe that is unsettled, cannot
be depended on for peace. On the side of America
war is as likely, and almost as inevitable, as that one
move on a chess-board shall lead to another. The
slave States have been allowed without impediment
to conquer Mexico, under a distinct agreement, known
to everybody but thosc, who conduct our game, that
the free States are to preserve the balance by enabling,
in the words of the American general in Mexico,
"Uncle Sam to throw his hat over Canada;" and
this, unless the habits of governments are greatly
changed, will not be done without a war. If war
was to be hindered, it was to be done when the war
was in a nutshell, and when a cruiser and an inch of
State paper might have prevented the annexation of
Texas. Neither is my confidence any greater in the
immediate effects of Free Trade. It may act ten
years hence ; but no great dependence is to be placed
upon its action now. The actual course of things in
Europe, it is to be feared, is net towards the influence
of knowledge, but of ignorance. The counsels cf
Ledru Rollin to the French electors are not particu
larly likely to result in a free-trade demonstration.
The probability on the contrary is, that there is
no absurdity on the subject of commerce and in-
dustry in general, which is not destined to be worked
out for the improvement of the world's experience.
But, supposing all this admitted, is it a reason for
voting with Mr. Hume or is it not ? In my view, it is
a reason for doing it. I can imagine nothing more
impolitic, under the admitted possibility of future
war, than the display of a resolute determination
never to let the community have a shilling in reserve.
Compare the case with that of an individual, whom
nothing can induce to make the smallest reservation
from expending all his income. Nothing can be more
certain, than that he is making the worst possible
preparation for the shocks which flesh is heir to, and
which are sure to occur, first or last, to say
individual however fortunate. If there is danger
of some great call for expenditure, have a few
pounds beforehand, if you can, to meet it. Do
not make what you can raise by screwing,
the perpetual measure of what you shall expend.
And above all things, do not point to the results of
present expenditure, as a reason for continuing it.
Do not, for instance, say, " you have at this moment
six carriages and five-and-twenty horses, and what a
pity it would be to insist on reducing such a beauti•
ful establishment !" Yet this is what is done by the
111inistry, when they point to the magnificent num-
ber of " 460 vessel,," as what the present scale of ex-
penditure has produced.
I have moreover strong doubts of the policy of
telling M. Arago (for whom I beg to express the
highest consideration), that England does not con-
sider herself safe without a navy equal to any two
European navies which could be brought against her.
At all events, if I were M. Arago I should know
how to make my market of such a declaration.
These considerations, or some of them, I hope will
excuse me to my constituents for being found in Mr.
Hume's minority of 38 against 347.
On Tuesday, after some private and routine busi-
ness, the House broke up at seven o'clock.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
T. PERRONET THOMPSON.
Blackheath, London, 22d March, 1843.

CALEDONIAN ASYLUM —A, general meeting was
held yesterday, at the house of the Scottish Corporation,
Crane-court, for the election of directors, and the trans-
action of other business. An objection was made be-
fore the commencement of the proceedings by Mr.
Dobie, who maintained that the meeting was illegal, as
only eight days' public notice had been given instead of
ten, which was required by the Act. A long discussion
took place upon this important question, which resulted
in an agreement that the meeting should simply elect
the directors, and that a special meeting should be sub-
sequently called to confirm that proceeding, and dis-
pose of the remainder of the business. The committee
then proposed a list of gentlemen to fill the vacancies
caused by resignation and the retirements by rotation
—namely, the Mac Gregor, Messrs. J. Mackenzie, P.
Robertson, E. Antrobus, J. Auldjo, W. Burn, M. Boyd,
D. E. Forbes, A. Gillespie, and Dr. A. Henderson.
In consequence of Mr. Gillespie declining to fill the
office, the Dame of Mr. Harrison was substituted for
that gentleman, and the list recommended by the direc-
tor adopted, after an amendment had been proposed
and lost by a large majority. The proceedings then
terminated.
ATTEMPTED SUIC!DE BY A FEMA.Lll.—Yesterday
forenoon, about half-past ten o'clock, a fine looking
young woman, fashionably attired, entered a coffee-house
in Judd-street,;Brunswick-square, and took a seat in a
private part of the coffee-room. She requested the
waiter to fetch her a cup of tea and some toast. Her
conduct attracted some attention, and at length she was
observed to emrty the contents of a phial into the tea,
which she swallowed. Shortly afterwards she felt pain,
and became insensible, when a surgeon was called, and
it was found that she was labouring under symptoms of
poison. The stomach-pump was used, and a quantity
of laudanum was extracted. On being restored to
her senses, she declined giving any account of her-
self, when a policeman was procured, and she was
taken to the station-house, and charged with having
attempted to destroy her life. On being searched a
letter was found in her pocket addressed to her father, a
highly respectable tradesman in Goswell-street, named
Ironmans, bidding him and her friends adieu, and ex-
pressing her determination to destroy herself, as her life
was a burden to her, and alluding to her disappoint-
ment in a love affair. Her friends were immediately
communicated with, when it was discovered that some
time ago the unfortunate creature formed an intimacy
with a gentleman of property, who had seduced her
under a promise of marriage, and then abandoned
her, which so affected her mind, that she had
since made five attempts upon her life, and was
twice charged before Mr. Henry, the magistrate at Bow-
street Police-court. Very recently her seducer had
married a lady, which added to her affliction, and there
was little doubt that her intellect was deranged. She
was again taken before a magistrate in a very weakly
condition, when she was allowed a seat. The seducer's
card was handed in, but his name and address was not
made public. The prisoner looked pale and ghastly.
Her relations and friends wore present, and she did not
recognise any of them, and she seemed to be uncon-
scious of anything that was passing around her, but
occasionally the tears rushed from her eyes. It being
evident that she was still in a dangerous state, and unable
to understand any evidence which might be given against
her, she was ordered to be taken to the hosp, and
that proper means should be taken to provide for her in
a lunatic asylum.
NEW OCEAN STEAMER_ On Monday morning,
a little before nine o'clock, the steam-ship America, the
first completed of the four new steam-ships for the
British and North American Royal Mail Steam-ship
Company, arrived at this port. She had a most magni-
ficent appearance as she rapidly steamed up the Mersey,
going at a speed, as nearly as could be judged from the
Prince's Pier, of fully sixteen miles an hour. In her
run from the Clyde she has proved herself to be the
swiftest ocean-going steamer afloat. The dimensions of
this splendid vessel are—Length of keel and fore-rake,
250 feet; breadth of beam, 38 feet; tonnage, 1,840;
horse-power, 650. The total sum expended in her con-
struction amounts to more than 80,0001. The America
is under the command of Captain Judkins, and the
crew consists of about 100 individuals.—Liverpool
Alai"

ASSIZE INTELLIGIA'NCE.
HOME CMCVIT.—Ltwec, March 21.
On Monday Lord Denresti eri:ved at Lewes, to
open the assizes. His Lordship was met on his
arrival by the High Sheriff of the county, Sir S. B.
P. Micklethwaite, Bart., and Chaplain, the Rev. J.
G. Wrench, of Salehurst. After the commission had
been opened at the County hall, his Lordship, accom-
panied by the High Sheriff, proceeded to the St.
Michael's Church, where divine service was performed
by the chaplain. The sermon was preached from
Psalm lxxxix, 14, " Justice and mercy are the ha-
bitation of thy throne ; mercy and truth shall go
before thy face."
On the following morning at ten o'clock Lord
Denman entered the Court, where the Duke of Rich-
mond, the Elul of Chichester, and Mr. Sergeant
D'Oyley had already taken their seats on the bench.
The magistrates having answered to their names, and
been sworn on die jury, were invited to dine with
the Judges in the evening.
After the reading of the preclamation, the Lord
Chief Justice delivered his charge to the Grand Jury.
After a few preliminary observations, his Loan.,
SHII: went on to say—Gentlemen, it has not been my
habit, in :this or any other place, to dwell in the
slightest degree on the political features of the times;
hut there are in the present state of things some ap-
pearances of so very remarkable a nature, that I do
not think a Judge presiding in a criminal court can
be quite justified in passing them over in silence.
I allude to the great probability which we see around
us of riots and tumults breaking out in all parts of
society in consequence, in some degree, of the con-
tagion from a neighbour of the most dangerous kind,
and perhaps in a still further degree from an appre-
hension of the example which has been set and which
is too likely to be followed, not so as to lead to those
desperate consequences which have obtained in
another country, for against that I believe the public
mind of England gives a sufficient security, but so
as to lead individuals to incur personal danger, and
expose the lives and property of others to danger of
the same kind, and destroy that security for which
the law is established. It is highly important that
these things should be met in the outset with a firm
and determined, but calm anti composed spirit, and I
am happy to say that there has been a seasonable
publication of some doctrines laid down by my late
lamented friend, the eminent Judge of the Common
Pleas, lately deceased, I mean Sir Nicholas Tindal,
pointing out the duty of all classes, in the breaking
out of riots. lie lays it down clearly, as the law
authorised him to do, that the duty of all men is to
take part with the civil powers when the public
peace is invaded—that not only are no men justified
in resisting the constable, but they are not justified
in withdrawing that aid which the protection of the
public peace requires. And all who are present on
occasions of that description neglecting to give neces-
sary aid, are guilty themselves of a crime, and may
be indicted and punished for the neglect of so impor-
tant a duty which is cast on all. We may well appeal,
I think, to all classes of society, even to the very low-
est, as to the necessity of such proceedings, and the
danger of the consequences which have arisen from
them in other places where persons have been told—
where labourers and artisans have been told of the
protections given to the rights of labour. Let them
look at men of their own class invited to a foreign
clime to earn a livelihood by their industry suddenly
turned adrift and converted into paupers at the dic-
tation of a selfish mob. Let it be remembered that
the first financial act of the Government which
undertook to protect them was to forfeit their little
savings in the banks in which they were deposited ;
and let them see what expectations they can have
from the effect of such conduct as has been exhibited
by the overturning of all government and all law,
and they will feel it is their interest, as well as their
duty, to erect a bulwark which shill prevent such
examples from being followed in this country. But,
gentlemen, this is not merely a general observation
or a political observation. It appears to me to apply
directly to the state of things before us, that
is, to the extent of crime, the probable increase of it,
which lam afraid we witness every day—for after a
recent sessions we have had still a longer calendar,
and a great probability that all the dangerous ele-
ments of society will be called into action for the pur-
poses of mischief, if we do not proceed in real earnest
to prevent the spread of crime. The materials of all
the mischiefs which happen on such occasions are to
be found in the gaols. The first act of insubordi-
nation is to open the doors of gaols and set the pri-
soners free ; and those who had been inmates of those
places, so necessary for the protection of society, are
surely the readiest instruments to be employed for
plunder and bloodshed. It is then our duty to con-
sider the best means of diminishing that number,
not only for the protection of the honest part of
society, but to rescue those men themselves
from the danger which they incurred of being swept
away in their attempts at insubordination, and the
misery and distress and ruin of following those (Es-
' honest trades as a regular occupation of life. That
is what we have most to guard against, to prevent a
temptation from so operating on the mind as to con-
vert them from honest men into men having no other
resources than the plunder of their neighbours. Gen-
tlemen, it is with the utmost admiration I think that
we must see the efforts which are made to reclaim
those who have been guilty of offences ; but, surely,
the great object of all law, and of almost all institu•
tions which have reference to the great masses of
society, is, not to amend and reform only those who
have committed crime, but to prevent the commission
of the crimes themselves. Happy would it be if those
who have been once in prison shall return from it,
firmly resolved not to return to their evil ways. Far
happier would it have been if they had never
entered into those evil courses which have
brought this advantage on them; and it would
be much indeed to be lamented if it were supposed
that any advantage derived from an imprisonment
were to become a temptation to others to commit a
criminal offence for the sake of reaching in that cir-
cuitous way to the same advantages. Gentlemen, I
have almost to beg your pardon for making these oh-
serrations. It appeared to me that they are not
quite out of place, and that these general reflections,
which must arise in all our minds in noticing the
general state of the world, impresses on us in the
most forcible manner the absolute necessity of dimi-
nishing the extent of crime and the number of cri-
minals, for their own security and happiness, and our
ow n security and the protection of our property and
our lives.
There are 70 prisoners for trial.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—York, March 20.
CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Baron RoLFa.)
MURDER AT 1413RDS.—Michael Stokes, aged 20, a
soldier in the 57th regiment, was indicted for the
wilful murder of Mary Ann Garrad, at Leeds, on the
20th January last.
Mr. ELLIS (Mr. Boothby with him) stated the
case, and called witnesses, who proved the following
facts :
William Garrad, the husband of the deceased, said
he was a soldier in the same regiment. They were
stationed at the Leeds Barracks, and on the evening
of the 20th of January, witness, his wife, the pri-
soner, and two other soldiers, were in the same room.
The prisoner was doing something to his musket in
the back part of the room, and the others were near
the fire. The deceased asked witness what o'clock it
was, and he took out his watch to tell her, and as he
was putting it back, he heard the report of a musket,
Witness turned round, and saw the musket drop from
the prisoner's hand to the floor. Witness's wife, who
was standing near him, staggered and fell, saying,
" Lord have mercy on me—what have you done ?"
Witness went up to prisoner and said " What have
you done ? I will load my musket and shoot you."
Prisoner replied load it. He took his wife up, laid
her on the bed, examined her person, and found a
wound near the navel. She died at half-past eight
o'clock. It was seven when the musket was fired.
Cross-examined by Mr. DEA/MET—Had known
the prisoner three months and twenty days. Pri-
soner lived in the same room. There were nine
persons in that room. Witness and his wife had
been in the same room the whole evening. Neither
witness nor his wife, to his knowledge, had had any
quarrel with the prisoner. lie seldom spoke to any
of the soldiers. He was a nasty tempered man and
disagreeable. There was a bayonet wrenched from
him once. At the moment of his being taken the
prisoner was in the act of taking off his jacket. Wit-
ness heard him once telling the other soldiers he had
asked to be taken ,into the infirmary, and was re-
fused.
Re-examined—The affair about tie bayonet was
in October last.
Avin. Keenan, another soldier, corroborated the
last witness, and added that the prisoner had been in
the regiment about two years.
Jeremiah Dooley belonged to the same regiment,
and was in the room when the shot was fired. A
little while before the prisoner had asked witness for
a beeswax rug to clean his firelock with, and he saw
him afterwards cleaning it, the lower end resting on
the table. Witness then saw him straining at the
lock, heard it click, and then raise it to his breast
and fire. He had no doubt that it was intentionally
done.
Mustard, a sergeant of the Dragoon
Guards, said he was in the guard-room when the
prisoner was brought in, and a sentry was placed
over himuard .sk
About eleven o'clock Jones, a sergeant of
the g, as him if he was sorry for what he had
done and he replied " No."
William Mustard was then recalled—He said Jones
asked the prisoner if it was his intention to shoot the
woman ? He said, yes, two months ago, but he took
a second thought. lie asked him if he had any
quarrel with Garrad. He answered, no, he liked
the man well enough, but she had said some words
to him which no one should ever know but the priest.
Jones asked him again when he intended shooting
the woman, and ha replied, he had it in his mind