The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-31 00:00:00

No. 16,937.

LONDON,

COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS' SCHOOLS,
FOR ORPHAN AND NECESSITOUS CHILDREN.
Offices, 51, Cheapside.
At the Quarterly General Court of the Governors of this Institution,
held at the London Tavern, on Monday, the 28th day of December,
instant,

THOMAS SIDNEY, Esq., Alderman, in the ohair,
the undermentioned gentlemen were unanimously appointed to
till the several offices of the Institution for ;the ensuing year :
PRESIDSTZT.
JOHN MASTEHJIAN, Esq., M.P.
VICS-PB,E,SIDENTS.

Edward Baker, Esq.
Robert Clarke, jun., Esq.
John Robert Cuffiey, Esq.
Sampson Copestake, Esq.
Joseph Ferguson, Esq.
James Fisher, Esq.
George Hitchcock, Esq.
John Mair, jun., Esq.
William Nicholson, Bag.
William Peek, Esq.
It. M. Phillips, Esq.
Giles Redmapo, Esq.
Thomas Sidney, Esq,, Alderman
George Smith, Esq.
James Walsh, Esq.
Matthew Wicking, Esq.
Edward Wiggins, Esq.
Arthur Wilcoxon, Esq.
TRUSTEES.
Robert Clarke, Esq., Cheapside
James Peek, Esq., Eastcheap
Hanauiah Teape, Esq., Aldgate
TREASURER.
George Moore, Esq., Bow-churchyard
AUDITORS.
Geore Hitchcock, Esq., St. Paars-churchyard
William Lawson, Esq.
William M'Culloch, Esq.
Robinson Ridley, Esq.
George Stockdale, Esq.
Thomas Tapling, E-1.
BOARD OP MANAGEMENT.
Themes Sidney, Esq., Alderman
Julius Aders, Esq„ Crotched Friars
John Baggalary, Esq., Love-lane
David Blyth, Esq., Barbican/
J. L. Boothby, Esq., Upper Thames-street
Thomas Brough, Esq., Liverpool
F. J. Bligh, Esq., Cheapside
J. R. Cutfley, Esq., Monument-yard
J. D. Carter, Esq., Aldgate
J. L. Evans, Esq., Wardrobe-place
J. P. Foster, Esq Woed-street
Richard (troucock, Esq., Bow-churchyard
J. Galloway, Esq., Manchester
R. Gilson, Reg., Fenehurch-street
W. G. B. Gunton, Esq,, New Weston-street
George Harker, Esq., Upper Thames-street
G. Hewitt, Esq ,'Brixton
Jenkin Jones, Esq.. Coles-terrace
J. Ingle, Esq., Wood-street
R. Johnson, Esq., Watling-street
D. Lewis, Esq., Manchester
A. H. Moore, Beg., Calthorpe-street
John Mair, jurr., Esq., Friday-street
J. P. Massey, Esq., Birmingham
R. M. Phillips, Esq., Rood-lane
Giles Redmayne, Esq , Bond-street
W. S. Ramsey, Esq., Queen-street-place
Thomas Roberts, Esq., Paternoster-row
It. Shillingford, Esq., Old Jewry
Evan Smith, Esq., Sheffield
Henry Sturt, Esq., Wood-street
W. Tilt, Esq., Claremont square
James Walsh, Esq., Old 'Change
John B. Walker, Esq., Friday-street
Matthew Wicking, Esq., Dorset-square
Thomas Williamson, Esq., Savage-gardens
HONORARY SECRETARY—George Lawrence, Esq.
The Board of Management will meet at the above offices, on MON-
DAY next, the 4th January, 1847, for the purpose of transacting
business, and with a view to prepare for an early election of children.
WIL:IAIf GORDON, Secretary.

S Ny DECEMBER 31, 1846. PaicE SD.

be ever ready to afford, though, as I conceive, without
presuming to insist upon its adoption.
"' With reference to the drainage of cultivated lands,
I will only remark that the depth of the drains, and their
distance asunder, must necessarily depend upon a the
rough knowledge of the rubs.)il, and of its retentiveness,
which knowledge can only be acquired, in numerous
cases, by actual proof of the results of comparative ex-
periments on the same soil ; no :deuce or skill, as I
believe, being► equal to determine the relative reten-
tiveness of different soils, unaided by practice or exp( -
riment.
" ' The adoption, too, of the Material to be used for
the drains, must and will depend upon the facilities for
obtaining such materials, and their relative prices in each
locality.'
" In another and important respect, the interpretation
of the Act in regard to the drainage of uncultivated lands,
the directors must again recur with satisfaction to Mr.
Blamire's letter. That gentleman states—' With refer-
ence to the drainage of uncultivated lands (of lands still
in a state of nature), it will often be found that the first
process must be that of getting out of the land, to a cer-
tain depth, all stones or portions of rock, by trenching
such lands more or less perfectly; as well for the purpose
of obtaining the materials for drainage, as of rendering
the lands capable of being ploughed in the ordinary
manner.
" ' The second process would be that of putting in the
drains, and the third, that of fencing the lands when
drained.
" Now, as to the first of these three processes, I can
only say (in the absence of my colleagues) that I am in-
dividually of opinion that such trenching is an expense
necessarily incident to the drainage of land, and there-
fore clearly within the provisions of the Act ; and that
I have no doubt but that the board will so decide.
" As to the third point, the fencing, the board have
not as yet had any discussion upon it, and it is not a
point which would appear to me to press for immediate
decision ; at the same time I may venture, I think, to
state toyou, that I have every reason to hope and to ex-
pect that the Government will not withhold their sanc-
tion to this construction of the Act, such fencing being
consequent upon the drainage of the land.
" With reference to the drainage of moss or bog lands,
I will only state that I conceive, in many cases, the main
drains would be made to answer the purposes of fences,
and that no feneiug, or but little, would be required in
such cases.
" ' And lastly, it would appear to me that by the drain-
age of many of your sheep-walks, a vast improvement,
both in the temperature of the climate and in the
herbage of your pastures, might be effected.'
" The directors agree with Mr. Blamire, that trench-
ing is a necessary accompaniment to the draining of
uncultivated lands, to be rendered arable; and they have
much satisfaction in thinking, that the provisions of the
Act are to cover the expense of such an operation,
which will be of great advantage in districts occupied
by cottagers, as enabling them to increase the extent of
their lots. The directors are not aware whether the
Commissioners may consider themselves entitled to
sanction expenditure on fencing; but it is hoped that the
measure will be so far extended, should a supplementary
Bill be brought forward.*
" The directors, while expressing their approval of
the objects of the Act, of the manner i❑ which it is to
be executed, and of the liberal views entertained by the
Commissioners, would take the opportunity of respect.
fully making a few suggestions for their consideration.
" Mr. Blamire states, that the Commissioners make
a point of directing the attention of applicants for
advances to the propriety (when practicable) of stating
in their applications the sum required for the drainage
of each farm or parcel of land separately, in order that,
so soon as the drainage of such farm or parcel of land
is completed, the whole amount assigned for such works
by the provisional certificate (section 17) may be paid;
otherwise, when the application refers to the drainage of
more farms than one, and the provisional certificate
assigns an aggregate sum for the drainage of these farms
the 17th section prevents an advance on account for
works done, of more than two-thirds parts of the sum
then expended.'
" The directors would suggest, that the Board of
Commissioners should, after entertaining an application
to cover the sum necessary for the whole of the drainage
contemplated on an estate or barony, and issuing a pro-
visional certificate for the gross amount, thereafter
receive, in the shape of a supplement specification, the
details of the expenditure to be made on each farm or
township, in order to facilitate the payment of the full
amount so specified and expended on each separate piece
of work.

GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.
CALL for FOURTII INSTALMENT of 2/. lbs. PER SHARE

on 251. SHARES, making 121. 10s. paid.
The Directors of the Great Western Railway haying resolved, at
a meeting held this day, to Call, under the provisions of the Acts
of Parliament, for an Instalment of 21. 10s. per Share, on 251. Shares,
Notice is hereby given, that the Proprietors are requested to
pay on or before the Bth clay of JANUAaY next, to any of the under-
mentioned Bankers, the said sum of 21. 10s. on each of their respec-
tive 251. Shares ; viz. :
London .. • ... Messrs. Glyn, Hallitax, Mills and Co., at the Great
Western Railway-office, 29, Gresham-street, Clty.
Bristol .• ....Messrs. Miles, Harford, and Co.
Messrs. Baillie, Ames, and Co.
Stukey's Banking Company.
The West of England and South Wales District Bank.
Liverpool ....The Bank of Liverpool.
Cheltenham • . The County of Gloucester Bank.
Reading ....Messrs. J. and C. Symonds and Co.
By order of the Board of Directors.
CHARLES A. SAUNDERS, Secretary.
London Terminus, Paddington, Dec. 5, 1846.

REAT WESTERN RAILWAY.
idr CALL for SECOND INSTALMENT of 21. 10s. PER SHARE
on 171. SHARES, making V. 10a. PAID.
The Directors of the Great Western Railway, having resolved at a
meeting held this day, to call under the provisions of the Acts of
Parliament, for an instalment of 2/. 10s. per share on 171. shares,
Notice is hereby given, that the Proprietors are requested to pay on
or before the Bth day of JANUARY next, to any of the under-men-
tioned Bankers, the said sum of 21. 10e. on each of their respective
171. shares, viz.—
Lon& n Messrs. Glyn, liallifax, Mills and Co., at the Great
Western Railway Office, 29, Gresham-street, City.
Bristol Messrs. Miles, Ilarford and Co.
Messrs. Baillie, Ames and Co.
Stuckey's Banking Company.
The West of England and South Wales District Bank.
Liverpool .• The Bank of Liverpool.
Cheltenham The County of Gloucester Rank.
Reading ....Messrs. J. and C. Simonds and Co.
By order of the Board of Directors,
CHARLES A. SAUNDERS, Secretary.
London Terminus, Paddington, 3d December, la4a.

" Bat it would be an additional boon to landowners,
and give them increased facility in availing themselves
of the benefit of the Act, if the advances ' en account,'
referred to in sections 17 and 28, were extended from
two-thirds to the whole of the sum covered by the pro-
visional certificate ; and the directors would strongly
urge these points for the consideration of the Commis.
stoners.

In the event of another Act, it would be desirable that
power should be given to all proprietors to claim the
expense of the tail or outfall, as a proper part of the
expense of drainage, and more especially that proprietors
of upper lands should have a right of outfall, through
adjoining and lower properties. The Irish Drainage Act
contains such a provision, and the introduction of a
similar one for Scotland, under proper precautions for the
protection of the proprietor whose land is to be used,
would remove obstacles which now present themselves to
the drainage of many parts of the country.
" The directors would, in conclusion, express their
decided opinion, that the Drainage Act confers a great
boon on the landed interest generally, and more espe-
cially on proprietors holding their estates under settle-
ments of entail, who, at present, can borrow money for
such improvents only at a greater sacrifice; while by the
present measure they can, with the aid of their tenants
(who, in most cases, will readily agree to pay a large
share of the interest), raise money at the ordinary
market rate. It is also to be observed that the interpre-
tation which the Commissioners will, it is expected, put
on its provisions, as well as the manner in which they
are ready to give effect to them, materially enhance the
advantages it affords.
" The advantages are not confined to any one section
of the agricultural class, but extend to the whole body;
to the landlord and to the tenant, by holding out, in the
absence of other monis, a ready mode of improving their
lands; to the labourer, by providing for him work and
wages; and to the country, by increasing the productive-
ness of our native soil.

THE HERRING DUTIES.

(From the John O'Groat Journal)
Tile following will xhiLit at one view the present
duties on Scotch herrings, and upon other fish, presently
levied by the various continental nations. h b
seen at once that it would be a matt.: r of the highest
importance to obtain an alteration in any of tiles.;
du ties :
Rate of Duty on British Herrings and Dried Fish in
Foreign Countries.
PRUSSIAN DUTY.
Per barrel of pickled herrings, one thule or thaler,
equal to about 3s. sterling. Transit duty on herrings
carried through Prussia into Russia, Poland, Austria,
&c., one-half thaler per barrel, or about Is. 6d. sterling.
RUSSIAN DUTY.
Per barrel of pickled herrings, one rouble and thirty
copeks, equal to about 4s. 23. sterling. On salted fish,
per pound, or thirty-six pounds, English, three roubles,
and sixty copeks. While the Russian duty on Norwe
gian herrings is thirty. five copeks per barrel, or about
Is. 2d. sterling.

BELGIAN DUTY.
Per barrel of pickled herrings, francs, or about
I/. 6s. 101 sterling. Per barrel of smoked herring,,
twelve francs, seventy-two cents., or about 10s. 7d.
sterling.
NOTE—The above duty on British herrings,. &c., has
been considerably raised of late, while the duty on
Dutch•cured herring has been greatly reduced. The
reason assigned is, that England "not having a treaty of
commerce with Belgium, this country cannot insist that
Belgium should not receive the produce of other coun-
tries at a lower rate of duty than that of England."

FRENCH DUTY.
Salt-water fish, dried, salted, or smoked, viz., herrings.
cod, or ling, &c., per a hundred kilograms, or two hun-
dred and twenty pounds English weight, forty francs, or
11. 15s. 2d. sterling. Thus, a barrel of herrings, arc od-
ing to weight, would pay of duty from 1/. 17s. to 2/
sterling.

DUTY AT NAPLES AND SICILY.
Herrings, per centari, three ducats ; cod fish, per eel:-
tari, three ducats, twenty grans ; pilchards, per centari,
one ducat, twen.tigransz One,ducat is 3i. sfd. sterling,
and a centari weighstbout two cwt. English. A barrel
of red herrings weighs from one and Three-fourth cw t. to
two cwt. ; thus the duty would be from 9s. hi. to 10s. 10d.
sterling per barrel for red herrings. No white herrings
are sent to this market, the duty being considered pro-
hibitory. Besides the above direct duties, there are
various indirect taxes on all herrings entering the Elie,
Rhine, Lubec, Bremen, &c., which, on a low priced artiel.!,
such as pickled herrings, are found very oppressive.

SPANISH DITTY.
Unknown, but considered prohibitory for herrings, ex
cept in Spanish Vessels direct from tne fishing ground.

' THE WEATHER AND THE PARKS
MORE ACCIDENTS ON THE ICE.
Yesterday afternoon, after a slight thaw in the morn-
ing, the weather resumed its previous severity, reducing
the thermometer to 28 degrees, at which figure it re
mained until nine o'clock last evening, when it rose
to 32.
HYDE PARE.—The number of skaters and sliders on
the Serpentine yesterday was very great. although the
ice was in the morning stated to be dangerous by the
officers of the Royal Humane Society. A young man
named Kirby, residing in Gower-street, Bedford-square.
and a lad named Williams, residing in Shoemaker's-
row, Doctor's•commons, were both at once immersed in
the water by the breaking of the ice: they were, how
ever, speedily rescued by one of the Humane Society's
icemen, aided by one of the parkkeepers. Two other
young gentlemen were afterwards immersed through the
breaking of the ice in different parts of the Serpentine
but were saved in the like manner. A boy named
Walking, residing in Wellington-street, Blackfriars-
road, fell on the ice very heavily, and inflicted a severe
fracture upon his head.
Sr. JAMES'S PARK.—The ornamental water in St.
James's Park was yesterday:visited by upwards of 3,000
individuals. Several immersions and other accidents
took place, but fortunately none of any serious nature,
owing to the prompt and efficient assistance which was
available at all parts.
REGENT'S PARK.—Yesterday, a young man, named
Griffiths, while skating on the ice in this park, was sod-
denly immersed in the water, in consequence of the
breaking of the ice, and notwithstanding the immediate
assistance of several icemen being available, h; could
not be recovered until the elapse of nearly three minute:
when he was brought forth, apparently dead ; but by
the appliance of the usual restoratives he ultimately re-
covered and proceeded homeward in a very weak :tate.
The number of visitors and pleasure seekers at Regent',
Pa►k exceeded 4,000.
KENSINGTON GARDENS.—Both the long water and
tke round pond in Kensington-gardens were yesterday
much frequented, and beyond an occasional breaking of
the ice no accidents occurred.

THE FLUTE.--The invention of tl.e flute is as-
signed to the goddess Minerva, of whom it is related
that having excited the derision of Juno and Venus whilst
playing upon her favourite instrument, she examined the
reflection of her face in a fountain, and perceiving the con-
tortions it underwent whilst blowing her flute, she threw
it into the water, and from that time confined herself
to the lyre. Prior to the invention of the lyre, the
flute was the most favourite instrument of the ancients :
so greatly was its music admired by all classes of
the Greeks that they who played upon it skilfully
were assured of their fortune. Plutarch tells us that
the Pythoness at Delphi, pronounced her oracles it
verse, and her voice was generally accompanied b)
the sound of the flute. Aristotle, indeed, tells uF
that at its first introduction among the Greeks, the flat,
was little thought of and less esteemed, but after the
defeat of the Persians, so great was the change of public
opinion in favour of this instrument, that, to be unable
to play upon it, was a serious reproach to one who pro-
fessed to have received a geed education.
DEADLY ENCOUNTER BETWEEN Two SALMON.—
Instances of the ferocity of the varied species of biped,
and quadrupeds have been often recorded in the public
j ,urnals, and Mr. Jesse and Mr. St. John have latch
furnished interesting incidents regarding the traits an(
habits of these animals ; but we have this week to nar
rate a more remarkable occurrence, in the character of
the salmon, than we have yet had the opportunity to re
cord. The facts are these :—While several cattermcn
(of the preventive service) were on their rounds the other
day, and bearing along the Findhorn, betty, en Glenfer-
ness and Dulcie Bridge, they observed an unusual e m
motion among the spawning-beds on the ford. On ap
proaching the spot two large male salmon were seen
engaged in mortal combat for possession of a female.
Never did chivalric knights contest for the band o
" ladye fair" more fiercely than these buirdly " lords of
the flood." The tranquil bosom of the stream was
lashed into foam by the struggles of the finny antago-
nists ; in the meantime the object of the fray, beating
silently about " spectatress of the fight." From the
appearance of the stream—dyed with blood, and
gradually assuming its former smooth surface—it wit
evident that the contest was over. One of the salmon,
at last, floundered on the surface—dead, and the victor,
it may be conjectured, exhaustedly bore off his prize.
The men, who had the curiosity to watch the fight, as
proof of their story, conveyed the dead salmon to the
nearest dwelling, that of Mr. George Mackintosh, March
St
Screens.
nearens.
the
Thevictorious
entrance of
salmonthe
hadsecluded
torn off
val valley
e called
the the
flesh, or rather fish, along the back from head to tail to
the very bone. In the movement of salmon spawning,
the male ones have been often seen chasing one another,
but such a fray as this has not been witnessed by the
oldest fisher or poacher on the Findhorn.—Elgin auriar.
At the Norwich Consistorial Court, on Monday,
the case of Backham v. Black again came on. The Rev.
defendant is rector of Walsoken, Norfolk, and the pi-6-
ceeclings were instituted by the Bishop of Norwich for
the purpose of appropriating a portion of the income
(1,5861. per annum) to the support of a resident cl(rg) -
man, to perform the spiritual duties of the parish, the
incumbent being non-resident. Three different suits
have been commenced, and Mr. Black is in contempt.
A fourth suit stands fixed for the Ist of January. The
first proceeded, on this occasion, only as far as the
allegation.

" The act recognises the right of a tenant to become
a party to an application, and the tenantry of the
country, especially those holding current leases con-
taining no clauses for drainage, cannot be too strongly
impressed with the importance of availing them-
selves of the benefit of this measure, by co-operating,
when necessary, with their landlord. In many
cases the concurrence of a tenant may not be required,
but in others, from the peculiar circumstances in which
the estate may be pieced, it may be unavoidable. The
advantage of such co-operation cannot be better illustra-
ted than by the following case, the circumstances of
which are known to one of the directors, and, with a
statement of them, they will close this report:—Within
these few days a farm was let under condition that the
proprietor should expend a certain sum in cutting drains
the tenant filling them. After the bargain was con-
cluded, the tenant proposed that the proprietor should
avail himself of the provisions of the Drainage Act, and
apply for double the sum to be so expended, on which he
offered to pay intt rest at the rate of four per cent. To
this proposal the proprietor at once agreed, and the
effect of it is, that the proprietor gets double the sum he
proposed expending upon the permanent improvement
of his estate, for payment merely of an annuity of 2i per
cent, for twenty-two years, at the end of which the
whole sum expended is extinguished.'

* To the Highland districts in which the potato crop has
failed, this is a matter of the highest importance. If these
districts are no longer to depend on potatoes for the chief
food of the inhabitants, the cultivation of grain must be
largelyincreased, and much new land brought under tillage;
for nearly three acres of oats or bear are required to produce
as much human food as one acre of potatoes. These districts
are all grazing countries, and in such countries crops of any
kind cannot be raised without secure fences.

DARING ASSAULTS.—ATTEMPTED ROBBERIES.—
Between three and four o'clock on Sunday afternoon,
two genteelly- dressed young men, when proceeding
along the Paisley-road a little way beyond the Sheddens-
toll, were set upon by four ruffians, knocked down, and
very severely kicked. Their cries brought assistance
from Plantation-house, and the highwaymen had to de-
camp without obtaining any booty beyond two silk hand-
kerchiefs, although several attempts were made to carry
off the watch of one of the young men. One day this
week, a gentleman who lives on the Govan-road, re-
ceiving payment of a sum of 251. in a shop in the Gal-
lowgate—a transaction which had evidenly been ob-
served by two of our go!d watch robbers, who after-
wards accompanied him to Patrick in one of the omni-
buses, in which they no doubt learned he was going out
at the foot of the Craw -road. One of the thieves—both
of whom were well attired—got out before they arrived
at the place above•mentioned, while the other aliAlited
along with the gentleman, No sooner, however, had
the omnibus gone upon its way, than the gentleman was
set upon by the two scoundrels, who knocked him down,
and, but for his coat having been securely fasten( d
would have eased him of his money as well as hie gold
watch and somewhat showy appendanges. Luckily the
cries of the gentleman brought assistance, and the high
waymen decamped. When such things are done within
a few yards of the extended municipality, on the public
highway, in daylight, what may be expected during the
shades of night?---Glasgow Citizen.
ROYAL YACHT SQUADRON INTELLIGENCE.—ELEC
TION OF COMMOI tr.—Some of the members o
the squadron have called a special meeting of
the members for the 20th of January next, at the
Thatched House Tavern, to elect a new commodore, but
the members generally object to its taking place it a
time when it is inconvenient for the greater number to
be present, and think that all have an equal r►ght to
vote, and that the annual general meeting is the only
proper time for the election to take place. At present a
great many members are in Ireland, and the great ma
jority at a distance from London; so that out of 160
members, not more than twenty will attend the special
meeting.

DISTRESS IN THR METROPOLIS.—MEETING OF THE
CLERGY.—The alarming progress which distress is
making in the metropolis, and the apprehensions enter
tained that it is likely to become more general and ap-
palling, have attracted the attention of the clergy of all
denominations; and a committee of their number has
been formed for the purpose of making arrangements
for holding a general conference of ministers, in order
to deliberate on the measures which ought to be adopted
for relieving the existing distress. The conference is to
take place at Exeter-hall, and will be attended by a
very large number of reverend gentlemen of various
sects. Among those who are taking an active interest
in getting up the contemplated meeting, are the Hon.
and Rev. Baptist Noel, Rev. W. Champneys, the
Rev. Mr. Osborne, the Rev. Dr. Liefchild, and the Rev.
Dr. F. A. Cox. It is calculated that the attendance of
m.tropalitan miniatt rs will not be less than 100.
THE WEATHER GLASSES BEWITCHED. —On the
mor,ling of the 23d inst. the inhabitants of Cotes were
thrown into great consternation by the sudden fall of
the quicksilver in their barometers (and thee is hardly
a hott,e there without one); many of them had sunk to
28.06, and all to very nearly that point. The day was
ovtreist, and a light breeze from the northward; all
expected a tremend,,us gale, but there was only a light
breeze. On the 24th the day was fine, with very Ft le
wind, and the barometer got up to 28 70; on the 25th
to 29.80, with frost ; on the 26th to 30.32, the fine
weather continuing. No one can account fbr the great
deprussi,n

'Tun NELSON RELlcs.—Captain Perrott, of Plum-
stead, near Woolwich, has presented to the United Ser-
vice Institution an interesting relic of the immortal
Nelson, fur which he has received a vote of thanks from
the committee of counci'. It is a I or:ion of the de; kof
the Victory, which is now replaced by a railing and brass
plate, engraved with the words, " Here Nelson fell."
The piece of wood is Rudy carved into a mural crown,
and is a part of the timber cut by order of George IV.
when Prince Regent. It is now placed in a gLss case
for the inspection of the public, with other mementos of
the illustrious dead.

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niasnt
Royal Artillery in the Plumstead marshes is totally in-
adequate to the wants of the service. Owing to the great
inercas7 of steam navigation on the river, the difficulty
of ensuring a clear range free from danger has been
vastly increased, and during the last two years scarcely
a day has passed in which the practice has not been ma-
terially interfered with, and in many cases suspended for
the day. The late Lord Bloomfield, commandant of the
garrison, stated, in his evidence before a Committee of
the House of Commons on the South-Eastern Railway,
that, " within the last spring (1845) we have had 28
consecutive days without firirg a single shot," oaring to
the interruptions that took place by ships and steamers
passing by or anchoring in front of tits. practice
range. In conseqaence of there interruptions, the B: and
of Ordnance d• termined on selecting a mere eligible
spot for a practice range, where the operations wou!el be
less liable to interruptions from pa•• ring traffic, end
where a larger space ini,ht be secured to test the heavier
pieces of ordnance which the present improved system of
gunnery has brought into such general use. The greatest
distance allowed in the pre-Fat practice range is 1,500
yards, which is the whole length of the marshes from
the entrance gate to the " Butt," and as the heavy 96-
pounders will throw a shot three miles, these guns 'nave
very seldom been fired, and then only with a reduced
charge of powder. It became neceasary therefore to
secure a range of at least three miles in length, in order
to test these heavy pieces of ordnance. The Board of
Ordnance at first attempted to secure a range of this
length in the Plurnstead Marshes, to extend from
the present practice range to Erith, and notices
were served from the office of Mr. Colquhoun,
the local law agent of the Board of Ordnance,
upon the freeholders of the land in question,
requiring them to send in their claims for cow-
pensatiun. This proposition was af:erwards abandoned,
on account of the great expense which the undertaking
would involve, the land in the marshes being amongst
the richest pasture land in the kingdom, and from its
proximity to Woolwich and the metropolis always com-
manding a high price. The lowest average price would,
it was computed, be about 1001 per acre. The attention
of the Board of Ordnance was then directed to Shoebury
Ness, the extreme point of' land on the south eastern
coast of B-sex, and early in the summer of the present
year, Lieutenant-Colonel J. A. Chalmer, Assistant
Director-General of Artillery, Brigade-Major Sandham,
RE., and Sir Thomas Hastings, lint., R.N., went down
to Southend in the Lightning, and inspected the ground
around Shoebury Ness. Their report was highly
recom•
mendatory of the spot as eligible for a practice range on a
more extended scale than at Lresent held by the Go-
vernment. The Master-General and Board of Ordnance
have now determined on securing a range of at least four
miles in extent at this spit, and have ordered a survey
to be made of the ground in order to select the most eligi-
ble site for the erection of batteries, &c. Barracks are
to bo erected in a healthy spot for a company of Royal
Artillery, which will be stationed there for the purpose
of working the guns, and a range of stabling
will be
erected for the required number of horses. All these
preliminary arrangements wilt be commenced without
delay. The expense will be but small compared with that
of a range at Plamstead, and will be included in the
Ordnance estimates for 1847. A more eligible site.for a
practice range could not have been selected. The ground.
around Shoebury Ness consists of an open down or com-
mon, overgrown with rank grass, and affording as
asylum for thousands of wild rabbits, The channel
around it is quite out of the track of vessels, only a few
barges is passing by the spot occasionally, whilst at low
water the tides ebbs off the sands to the distance of two
or three miles, leaving that space also available fur
practice. _

We understand that experiments similar to those that
took place in the Royal Arsenal some time since will
ake place at Shoebury Ness. Four guns (32 pounders)
%%ill be tried at a range of 4,000 yards, namely, the
common service gun, the gun invented by Mr. Monk,
that invented by Lieutenant-Colonel Dundas, R.A., and
the intermediate gun between these two last, known as
the Admiralty gun. The experiments determine the
Colonelrelat ri
tlyte
32-pounderstrength a n d g
ucapabilitiesi
eoutt'
etnhaen gt uns.
Dun-
las's principle, have been ordered to be cast for arming
the steam-guard ships.
The committees of officers belonging to the Roj al
Artillery Institution and the Royal Artillery Library ,
'Awe met several times for the purpose of selecting a
site for the erection of a new institute on a more extet-
Ave scale than the present. Lieutenant General Sir
Moms Downnam, C.B. and 1i.C.11., commandant of
the garrison, officiated as president, and Captain Barker
as secretary. A deputation from the institution, consist-
ing of Captains Grant and Barker and Dr. Little, has
men appointed to confer with a deputation from the
library committee, to fix on the most eligible spot.

THE ROYAL GENERAL ANNUITY SOCIETY.—TiIiS
charity held its annual meeting on Tuesday, at the Lon-
lon Tavern, John P. Hayward, Esq., in the chair. The
,hairman in a lrief sp?ech dwelt upon the objects of the
charity. He congratulated them upon the prosperous
and increasing state of the funds since Stephen J. Aldrich,
Esq., had accepted the secretaryship, and state d that
airo-g the stewards of their forthcoming festival they
umbered no less than fifty peers and fifty members of
Parliament. Yr. A'drich then read the report, which
howid that there were at present six male and fifteen
"emale recipients, the majority of whose ages varied
from eighty to eighty-four, and even eighty-six, in the
receipt of 455. and 30s. per month. Upon the motion
if James Johnstone, jun., Esq., seconded by Jawcs
Cooper, Esq., the report was unanimously adopted
with acclamation. The directors and ether officers
having been re elected, J. H. Thompson, Esq., moved
a vote of thanks to the chairman.
The late Sir Charles Wolseley, Bart., of Wolseley
Staffordshire, by his will, dated the 17th of March
'ast, has left in trust for his only surviving son, now Sir
Charles Wolseley, Bart., who inherits the family estates,
ill the plate, pictures, prints, and furniture in the man-
sion house of Wolseley Hall, to be held as heir looms,
,with the entailed estates. Also leaves in trust for him
all his Brazilian stock in the funds of the empire of
3razils, to enjoy the annual proceeds for his life, then in
crust for his grandson, William Henry Wolseley, now in
his second year, the son of the present Sir Charles, or
'o other sons; but should none attain a vested interest,
then to his nephew, Wiliam Fettle Wolseley, and his
sue, in default to testator's two daughters, and their
issue. Leaves all moneys invested, or other securities,
nts due and in arrear, together with the proceeds that
may arise from the sale of his effects, cattle, horses, arid
.arriagcs to be held in trust, one moiety for his grand-
'OßS, Ernest and Francis, the youngest sons of his
laughter, the Marchioness do Lousada, the other moiety
to his daughter Caroline, the wife of Marmaduko Salvin,
Esq., of Buron Hall, Durham, and to her children. All
',he residue, not made heir-looms, he leaves to his son
iir Charles, absolutely. The funded and personal
-states in England was estimated for duty at 8,0001.
The deceased baronet was in his 78th year.
CHEAP BIBLE CIRCULATION.—At a meeting re-
ently held in Manchester, 1)r. Adam Thomson, of
',3iddstreatn, gave the following interesting particulars
e,Tarding the cheap circulation of the Bible. lie showed
:hat by the strict and judicious supervision of the Go-
vernment Board in Scotland without whose licanse no
Bible can be printed there, the utmost correctness was
insured. As to price the reduction was almost inere-
lible. He exhibited one copy of the Bible, which be-
`ore the abolition of the monopoly, cost four shillings,
stid was now produced by the Free Bible Press Com-
pany at cightpence-halfpenny ; another embossed and
;lit, which from five shillings has been reduci d to ten-
ence,:hi this &e ;itr niden in
se
state-
ments, made on the authority of a report presented by tho
and
•=cottiali Board to her Majesty and both Houses of thePar-
adrudettioonin extendedvrice hadcirculation,led,his steta to
.

iament, were more rematicable still. In Scot'. n 3 alone,
'rem January 1845 to January 1846, sixteen editions of
the Bible were printed, consisting of 312,000 copies.
But what, it was asked, must be the number of Bibles
orinted in England now, when besides all that aro sold
duringbeing
p therob
probably
by booksellers to individuals, to families,- to schools, and
o congregations, there were disposed of by the Bri-
i'yiesahr,anthde lie'noorremigonusßniuhmlebSer oociety atone, f
a million more than in any year prior to the abolition
ft the Bible monopoly, and the institution of the Free
Bible Press Company of Scotland. It had been calcu-
lated that the savings to the Bible society, during the
last year alone by the reduction on price of their im-
mense issue, must have be: n upwards of 14,0001.
THE LABOUR OF PRISONERS.—The Journal des
D6fhats observes, that the measures lately adopted by
the Pope to remedy the inconvenience occasioned to the
honest operative by the competition raised by prison
labour had not escaped the notice of the Council General
of the Se.nc, the same complaint having been raised in
Paris. During the last session of the Council-General,
the following resolution was adopted. on the motion of
M. Robinet, one of the members :—" Considering that
in consequence of hiring out the labour of prisoners,
several honourable trades exercised by operatives, with
large families, and by their wives, have ceased to furnish
them with sufficient means of subsistence, and expose
tlern to distress ; considering, moreover, that in come •
quence of the improvement introduced into prison dis-
cipline the condition of many honourable individuals,
free from crime, has become, as regards material com-
forts, more unfortunate than that of certain criminals,
and that it behoves quity, morality, and public order,
tl.at such comparisons should not exist, the Council-
General expresses a wish teat the Government should
deliberate on a system of prison labour which shall not
produce a competition ruinous to free labour."

PRICES OF. SKEEP STOCK.—The prices of every
description of sheep stock, which were high during the
spring and summer, rose unprecedentedly in the latter
end of August and in September. Limbs were never
sold so high before, if the few years when the Cheviot
bread first began to displace the black faced brei d be
cx septed ; and then only the ewe side were sold at a
ransom, being in request wherever the situations were
accounted at' all favourable for breeding purposes. Draft
ewes have not sold so wolf since 1818 and 1819, when,
perbapsi they we re a shade higher. The state of the
wool-market, however, has frequently h; en better ; &Lei
it is worth noticing that so late as 1834, the aggt eget()
price of the three leading sales of the storetnaster
amounted to a much higher figure than they do this.
In 1834, the average price of Cheviot wcdder lambs, in
August, was its. Gd ; of wool, 375. ; and of ewes in
September, 21s. 6d. ; aggregate, 705. This year the
averages taken in the same way and at the same time,
were—lambs, 13s. ; wool, 235. ; ewes, 21s 6d. ; aggre-
gate, 575. 6d. It must be admitted in this comparison
that much higher prices than those above stated were
obtained for both latabe and ewes, during the latter
markets of this year, by the dealers, a matter much to
be rejoiced in by the Eglit thinking ; he who has the
water to wade need consideration seldem accorded to
him ; and the dealer havieg. come through, on the right
side this year, will enter the market in the ensuing in
batter spirits,--Dumfries Courier.