The Sun.
London, England, 1848-10-14 00:00:00

STATE OF TRADE.

FOREIGN WOOL TRADE, LEEDS, OC E. 13.—Only
a very limited business has been done in foreign
wools during the past week, prices being without
apparent variation.

ENGLISH WOOL MARKET, LEEDS, OCT. 13.
Sales have been quiet this week, and have been
limited to the immediate wants of the manufacturers.
We do not quote any change in prices.
LErDs.—There has. been about an average quantity
of heavy winter goods sold at the Cloth Hall since
this day week, but almost every other description of
goods have been duller than for some time. Prices
rule steady. There has also been a fair quantity of
goods sold in the warehouses, the late period of the
season considered, but the principal demand is by the
drapers from the country. The shipping trade has
rather fallen off this week when compared with what
it has been doing lately.
BRADFORD MARKET, THURSDAT.—There is no
change for the better in the wool market, and prices
for all descriptious continue unaltered. The quota-
tions from the country show that farmers are not
more disposed to make sales except at remunerating
rates to themselves, which would not meet those cur-
rent in this market. Yarn—There is a shade more
doing in the yarn market, and for some sorts a small
advance in price has been obtained. Piece—There is
no alteration in the piece market, either in price or
demand, the manufacturers are still working to order
and stocks are low.

MANCHESTER, FRaIDAY MORNING —During the
whole of the last week cur cloth market has been in a
languid sickly state, with a number of needy sellers
pressirg goods on the market, which has caused a par-
tial, though not a general decline on most kinds of
goods. If there is any exception, it is in low shirt-
ings adapted for the India and China markets. Do-
mestics for home use are not so brisk as might have
been expected, considering the low figure at which
they might be purchased. There are very extensive
orders for the United States, and, from last advices,
likely to continue for some time to come. The silk
trade continues very buoyant, and our printers mode-
rately busy. The fustian branch continues steady,
but prices low. Yarns without much change ; if
any, the buyer has the advantage.
LEICESTER.—We have no alteration to report, a
steady trade is doing in all branches. Workmen are
all well employed, and as a corollary, Chartist agita-
tion is defunct.

THE N AVY.
(From the Unitcd Service Gazette of this day.)
The gallant, distinguished, and highlprtspected Vice-
Admiral of the United Kingdom, Admiral Sir Thomas
Byam Martin, G.C.8., has paid si visit to Portsmouth
during the past week, on account of the arrival of his
younger son, the Captain of the Grampus, from the Pa-
cific. Sir Byam has now the great satisfaction of seeing
two of his famil) now commanding two of the finest
ships of their class in the navy, and who are now at
Portsmouth, namely, Captain William Fanshaw Martin
(18:24), of the Prince Rogent, 90, and Captain Henry
Byam Martin, C.B. (1827), of th. 3 Grampus, 50. Sir
Byam has been etaying at Rear-Admiral Superintendent
Prescott's.

STHE LIEUTENANTS' LlST.—Another lieutenant's out-
pension of Greenwich Hospital has become vacant by
the death of retired Commander Wharton. By previous
deaths Lieutenants Curtis, Reid, and Robert Barker,
and E. G. Palmer (1809), have succeeded to the seven
shillings a day halt-pay list, and now, by the decease of
Retired Comminders Wharton and Bissett, Lieutenants
Charles Grantham and Henry Mason become entitled to
seven shillings per diem half pay; and since the " Navy
List" has been published the following have become en-
titled to be placed on the half-pay list of six shillings
per diem:—Lieutenants David Gain Davies, John Ellis
Knight, John George Francillon, James Reynolds, and
Francis Harris (1815).
A NAVAL VETERAN.—Among the octogenarian offi-
cers of the Navy is Captain John Simpson (seniority
1809), who is iu his eighty-third year, and in the full
possession of his mental and physical faculties. This
officer went to sea at a very early age, but was after-
wards placed in the Upper School of Greenwich, which
he left, having undergone the regular educational course,
in 1781, being bound out as an apprentice to Captain
Robert Man, afterwards Admiral Men. After long and
active service, in the course of which he served as Cap-
tain to three fig officers, Lord Gardner, Sir Richard
Bickerton, and Sir Graham Moore, he was appointed a
Captain of Greenwich Hospital, iu which he is the Se-
nior Captain, having belonged to the Royal Navy for a
period of seventy years.
TUE COAST OF AFRICA.—The Cyclops, it is under-
stood, has taken out to the coast of Africa an offer on
the part of the Admiralty to Commodore Sir C. Hotharn,
to return to England if he should so prefer. It is re-
ported that the lion. Captain D•enm>an will ultimately
succeed to the command of the Coast Squadron. It is
quite time that this important appointment should be
entrusted to an officer who, having served success-
fully as a subordinate on the coast of Africa, has acquired
the necessary experience for efficiently superintending
and directing the operations of a squadron there. It
was altogeth,r a ini.,take to appoint au officer like Sir C.
Helium to such a service. Captains Butterfield, Adams,
Denman, &c., would do double the work, and with more
satisfaction to every one.
Tut: PACIFIC STATION.--A private letter from Callao,
says, the Commander-in-Chief; Rear-Admiral Hereby,
left Callao in the Sampson steam-frigate, Captain Hen-
derson, for Valparaiso, Aug. 7th. The Admiral's flag-
ship Asir, 84, Captain Stopford, was at Payta, and was
expected to join him at Valparaiso by the end of Sep-
, tember.
It is reported that the able and efficient Master of the

royal yacht Victoria and Albert, Mr. John M‘Donald,
v.lll be appointed Assistant-Master Attendant at Ports-
mouth Dockyard, vice Bellamy, promoted to Woolwich,
Mr. Flynn, who is acting at the present time, returning
to his old ship the Illustrious ; and that Mr. John Penn,
now Master of the Illustrious, and late of the Coiling-
weed, will succeed Mr. M'i)onald as Master of the
royal yacht.
The Admiralty have signified their approval of the
erection of a new Battery at Sheerness, to flank the
Queenborough embankment. The Ordnance Depart-
ment is to supply the funds for its construction.
TSIE IRISH POLITICAL CONVICTS.—The Dragon, 6,
steam-frigate, Captain W. li. Hall, has proceeded from
Waterford to Cork, and there awaits orders to receive on
board the Irish political convicts fur transportation to
any place " beyond the seas."
The Admiralty have ordered their solicitor to take
legal proceedings against the Waterman's Steam Packet
Company, for the purpose of ejecting them from a lodg-
ment which they have for some time allocated to them-
selves at a place called the Grove, Woolwich. -
FOREIGNERS VISITING OUR Docarenns.--The Ad-
miralty invariably give permission to every foreigner,
who visits England, to take the run of all our dock-
yards ; but, during the past week, not only have they
ordered Lieutenants Lymnigsted and Sasse, of the
Swedish Royal Navy, to be shown over the various
establishments, but they are to be allowed to take notes
on the spot of anything they may inspect. This is
rather too good-natured even fur kind and silly John
Bull.

THE FINANCIAL REFORM ASSO-

CIATION.
(From the Liverpoo/Marcury of yesterday.)
The Financial Retorm Association present to the
public the result of their examination of the salaries
and expenses of the House of Commons and the Go-
vernment offices.

At present it is scarcely possible to discover the
actual expense of any branch of the Government, for
almost every one is paid in three different Rays,
namely, out of the consolidated fund, by annual
parliamentary grants, and by fees.
The association cannot discover any advantage

in separating the expenses of Government into the
different accounts of Civil List, Consolidated Fund,
and the Annual Estimates ; though they perceive
that the consequent complexity of the finance
accounts frequently prevents the detection of ex-
travagance. It would be a great improvement (and
by no means a difficult task) so to draw up the esti-
mates as to show at a glance the separate expenses of
the Royal, Civil, Judicial, Colonial, and Military and
Naval branches of the Government.
Concerning the public offices, the following evi-
dence was given before the Committee on Miscel-
laneous Expenditure, by Sir C. Trevelyaa, whose
official position would give him ample opportunities
of forming a trustworthy opinion :—" I think there
is a great deal of work in the public departments
which is superfluous, arising out of the perpetuation
of old forms. There are a number of offices which
are completely effete as practical offices for the trans-
action of business, and exist merely for the preser-
vation of antiquated forms." The preservation of
patronage is perhaps a more probable reason why these
useless offices are not abolished. There is scarcely
any public trust more misused than the power of
appointing to (Aces. The common practice of
snaking such appointments on account of the rank
and connexions of the parties, without regard to their
competency, is deeply injurious to the State. It
betrays a lamentable absence of moral principle, 'hen
a public officer, to whom is entrusted the responsible
duty of appointing others, is influenced in the
exercise of that high trust by personal and selfish
considerations.

The Committee above referred to recommend, in

their report, a general revision of all salaries, in
order that they may be made suitable to the altered
circumstances cf expense and condition of the
country since they were originally fixed. They say,
that in the course of such an examination, it would
be found advisable, also, to establish a more uniform
rate of payment for similar services in different de-
partments. It is to be hoped that this excellent re-
commendation will be at once acted upon, as the need
for such a revision is very apparent.
It is a painful fact that the expenditure of the
House of Commons is, at present, on a most extrava-
gant scale. There is some hope, however, of a
change, since the Committee on Miscellaneous Ex-
penditure have suggested many important reductions
in these expenses ; though, even these suggestions do
not go so far as, in the opinion of this Association, is
practicable and expedient.
The following is a list of the officers of the House
of Commons, and their present annual salaries :
Speaker £5OOO
Chaplain ... ..• 400
Secretary to the Speaker ... 500
Counsel to the Spcukcr ... 1500
ills Clerk ... . . ... 150
Examiner of Standing Orders 1750
Taxing Officer ... 1000
Librarian 1000
Assistant Librarian 250
Messenger ... 140
Four Vote office Clerks, 8001, 300/., 180/., 1204 1400
Four Clerks at the Table, 3,5001., 2,500/., 1,000/.,
100/. 7200
Seven Public Bill Clerks, 1,900/., 8004 8001,
500/., 4001, 300/., 200/. ... 4900
Seven Journal Clerks, 1,349/., 1,0301., 1,0001.,
928/., 5911., 339/., 2041. ... 5.4414
Also for extra woik 1,0901.

UJJ.
Thirteen Committee Clerks, 1,1001., 9001., 8004,
7501.; four at 5001., 400/., 2501.; and three at
2001. ... ••• ••• 6,800
Three Engrossing Clerks, 800/., 5501., 300/. ... 1650
Six Private Bill Clerks, 800/., 4501., 350/., 2501.,
250/., 150/. ... . . ... 2250
lhe chief duties of the head clerks of these
offices are to make minutes of the decisions of tho
House and the Committees. At the Vote-office a
register is kept of all pacers printed by order of
the House. The journal clerks compile a journal
of the proceeding. The engrossing clerks make
copies of Bills on parchment.
Sergeant-at- A rms ... 1500
Deputy ditto ... ... 1000
Assistant ditto ... ... 525
Their duties are to maintain order (with the
aid of the police) in the lobbies and passages,
and at the command of the House to order the
messengers to take persons into custody.
Three Door-keepers, 874 L, 4001., 2001. ... 1474
Four Messengers, at 3001. each ... 1200
Four extra ditto, three at 105/. and one at 120/... 435
The messengers' duties are to wait in the
lobbies and galleries, and take persons into
custody when commanded to do so by the Ser-
geant-at-Arms.
Deputy Housekeeper 5001.
And in lieu of apartments ... 1004

The duties of this office are thus described by
hitself:—" I have the charge of all the stores,
the ordering of the stationery, ad the coals and
candles, and the housekeeping in general, except
the eating and drinking; I have nothing to do
with that.,' The present deputy-housekeeper is
also secretary to the privy purse, at a salary of
3001. a year.
Superintendent of Waiting-room ... 200
Assistant and Porter to ditto ... ••• ••• 132
Attendant on Ventilation ••• ••• .•• 105
Watchmen, &c. ••• ••• ••• ••• 1002
Temporary Messengers and Porters 900
Retired allowances and compensations 5399
Considering that the foregoing officers are only
employed during the Parliamentary session, or about
six months in the year, and that none of the work
requires more than ordinary intelligence, and much
of it mere copying, it is evident that most of the sala-
ries are grossly exorbitant.

BRISTOL SI:G:11 MARKET, OCT. 13.—The market
has been extremely flat the whole of the week, and the
transactions scarcely reach one hundred hogsheads
West India, at rather easier rates. In foreign no sales
are reported.—Bristol Mercury.
WAKEFIELD CORN MARKET, FRIDAY.—The sup-
plies this week are again large of Wheat, and good of
other grain. There it not much animation in the de-
mand for Wheat to-day, and new declines ls. per quar-
ter. Old fetches last week's prices. Oats and Shelling
are the turn cheaper. Burley sells slowly at late rates.
Beans are in retail demand without alteration in valise.
REPRESENTATION OF THE WEST RIDING. We
hear of no movement to bring forward a Liberal candi-
date for the West Riding: but a pretty general rumour
prevails that Mr. James Brown, of Harshills, Leeds,
and of Rossington, will b 3 the candidate. Mr. Brown
is a Whig and a Free Trader; he is decided friend of
the Church and the Government aid to Education, but
declares himself opposed to the endowment of any other
Church. He was the unsuccessful candidate for Hull at
the last Election.—Leeds Mercury.

Mr. Green and his companions descended safely
on Monday morning, about 60 o'clock, near Vichy, in
the department of the Allier, about 90 leagues from
Paris. After having disappeared on Sundry afternoon
in the direction of Corbei), the balloon continued its
course over the plains of ihe Sologne and the forests of
the Nivernais. During fhe night Mr. Green kept at but
a little distance from the earth, and more than once shots
were fired at the helicon by the peasants, who probably
knew nothing of aerostatic navigation. At last, when
daylight had well set in, Mr. Green descended ad stated
above, and was most hospitably received.
NOVEL GIRDERS.—Very ccnsiderable additions and
alterations, at a large cost, are being made at Middlesex
Hospital. In the course of the works acme girders have
been put up, the arrangement of a working man, J.
Alderson, which deserve illustration. The mum point
in the arrangement is the introduction of a continuous
thin wrought-iron tension-band. The truss is formed of
oak, secured at the foot to the tension-band, and has at
each side a flitch of deal twelve inches by four inches,
the whole very ingeniously strapped and bolted together.
The span of the girder is twenty-seven feet six inches,
and the height of it in the centre twenty-two inches.
Wo are told that they were tested by means of the
hydraulic press. When the pressure was raised to nine
tons two cwt., the deflection was l inches. The pecs.
sure being taken oil; they sprang back to their position.
The same principle has been applied to brick arches
where there is no abutment, and they are in:ended to
carry landings, Two pieces of stone are introduced to
form abutments, and these are bound together by a thin
wrought-iron band.—Builder.