The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-11 00:00:00

OVERLAND ROUTE TO
AUSTRALIA.

A most respectable meeting was held, on Saturday, at
the Assam Company's Rooms, 30, Great Winchester-
street, of the committee appointed at an adjourned
general meeting. The following gentlemen of the com-
mittee were present :—Hon. F. Scott, M.P. (chairman) ;
Joseph Hume, Esq., M.P. ; Captain Stokes, R.N. ;
Mark Boyd, Esq. ; James Browning, Esq. ; John W.
Sutherland, Esq. ; Henry Wise, Esq. ; H. T. Prinsep,
Esq.; Lieut. Waghorn, R.N. ; Captain Barber ; Captain
Henderson ; J. Montefiore, Esq. ; Samuel Brook, Esq. ;
Lieut. Cruickshank; Buckle, Esq.; Lambert, Esq.
After reading the minutes of the last committee meet-
ing, the several plans were handed in and separately
read. These were from Mr. Sharp, Mr. Wheeler,
Captain Henderson, Lieutenant Waghorn, and M. r.
Smith Evans ; the latter gentleman only having
drawn the committee's attention to a map, without
beingaccompanied with any:details, it could not be enter-
tained so fully as it might have been if such had accom-
panied it. The utmost unanimity attended the different
readings of the plans, which indeed threw new light upon
the subject. Ultimately, after much general conversa-
tion, it was agreed that a Sub-Committee, to inspect
these several plans and report thereon to the next
meeting of the General Committee, should be appointed.
A memorial was laid upon the table, from the Legis-
lative Council of Port Jackson, praying that her
Majesty would be pleased to extend the blessings of
steam navigation to them, in common with other • great
portions of our empire.
Captain BARBER stated that Government paid
260,000/. to the West Indies, and 160,000/. to the East
Indies ,extending to the whole continent of China. The
Committee were convinced that under the Government
of our common country the blessings of steam would
soon dawn upon Australia.
The Hon. F. Scow, M.P., stated that his aid would
not be wanting. Mr. Hume left the meeting perfectly
disposed in its favour, promising his utmost support to
the speediest communication between Singapore and
Port Jackson, leaving for the present the other places
within this fifth huge continent of the world
to be accommodated in time, and he doubted
not that the Committee present would do
all in their power to obtain it, but he thought that part
was more intimately connected with the colony itself,
and that the colony itself should devise means for its
local communication between Swan River and Pert
Jackson.

It was moved by Captain BARBER, and seconded by
Captain HENDERSON—
" That a Sub-Committee be appointed to examine the re-
spective merits of the several plans brought before the Com-
mittee, and to consist of the following gentlemen, three to
form a quorum ; and that the Sub-Committee meet at twelve
o'clock on Tuesday, the 13th of May, at 80, Great Winchester-
street."

The following were the gentlemen appointed to form
the Sub-Committee :—Hon. F. Scott, Capt. Stokes, R.N.,
Mr. Wise, Captain Henderson, James Cruickshank,
Samuel Browning, Captain Barber, Mark Boyd, J. W.
Sutherland, Robert Brooks, Lieutenant Waghorn, Mr.
Lambert, Mr. Montefiore, Mr. Prinsep.
Upon the whole, the proceedings were highly inte-
resting. Capt. Stokes, R.N., of H.M. ship Beagle, who
surveyed the Torres Straits, read extracts from a
pamphlet published by him two years ago, altogether
bearing upon Port Essington as a depot, and the line of
communication recommended by Lieut. Waghorn.
The meeting then broke up.

STATE OF TRADE.
ENGLISH WOOL MARKET! LEEDS, MAY B.—We have
not any alteration to report in these markets this week.
There has been a moderate amount of sales at stationary
prices.

FOREIGN WOOL TRADE, LEEDS, MAY B.—Sales to
about the same extent as last week have been effected,
and at similar rates.
LEEDS.—There was a little more business done at the
Cloth Halls on Saturday, but on Tuesday the market
was dull. The stocks on hand are much lower than
they were in March, and prices remain firm. In the
warehouses there has been a little more business done
this week than for some time past ; there is also more
doing in the way of preparation by the foreign houses
for the fall trade to America. On the whole, the pros-
pects are much brighter than was expected a few weeks
ago.

HECKMONDWIKE BLANKET MARKET, MAY 7.—We
have had a good attendance of buyers this week, and
more business transacted, being principally for the home
trade; there is not much alteration in prices. Noils and
shorts still continue very scarce and dear.
BRADFORD MARKET, MAY 7.—For combing wools the
demand is much better. Prices are firm. There seems
a disposition in the spinners to buy more freely. In the
Yarn Market business was brisk. stocks are very low,
and the spinners are generally working to order, and
prices have an upward tendency. There was a good
attendance of merchants, and they were not merely
lookers on, for a great number of pieces changed hands,
and a great number of orders were received for the
autumn trade. The three branches of trade in Bradford
market certainly exhibit a more healthy tone.
MANCHESTER, THURSDAY EVENING.—The commer-
cial news from India, &c., has not had any sensible effect
on our market either for cloth or twist. There is great
complaint made about the home trade, which is very
dull. Domestics, that is, heavy cloth, are unusually
depressed. Neither the dyers nor printers get any busier.
There is a slight improvement in the silk trade, but the
weavers on the average have not more than half employ-
ment. Twist is without change, with a moderate busi-
ness...doing.

NOTTINGHAM.—The principal manufacture of the
hosiery trade, namely, wrought cotton hose, keeps de-
clining. The cut-up branch is rather better than the
wrougt departments. The cotton glove trade still keeps
in a tolerable state. The silk glove trade has so far de-
clined that the hosiers give out their materials with a
very sparing hand. The drawer, pantaloon, and shirt
branch has a shade further improved. The silk hose
trade is, if anything, further declining, silk stockings
being. almost out of fashion. The fancy lace trade is in
general considered worse. The cotton warp lace trade
is still very much depressed, and few of the hands have
more than half employment. The silk blonde branch is
considerably better, that is, what remnant is left of this
once extensive manufacture.—Nottingham Review.
LEICESTER.—AIthough there is not much more doing
in the warehouses, there is a more healthy tone given to
business; and the prevailing opinion is, that the point
of depression is past. Manufacturers have produced
with caution, and hence stocks are comparatively light.
A fair expert trade has been done in fancy hosiery and
gloves, though but a limited one for stockings. Yarns
are in fair demand, and spinners hint at a rise in prices.
There is more doing in wools, and prices rule if anything
a shade higher.—Leicester Journal of yesterday.
THE IRON TRADE IN STAFFORDSHIRE.—BIRMING-
HAM, WEDNESDAY EVENING.—The circulars for the
month of May have been issued to the trade from the
principal houses, including those of Messrs. Williams,
Thornecroft, Barrows, Badger, and others, and they an-
nounce that no reduction of the prices of last quarter-
day has taken place, nor is any contemplated.

A GHOST.
(From the Bristol Times.)
We have this week a ghost story to relate. Yes, a
ghost story—a real ghost story, and a ghost story with-
out, as yet, any clue to its elucidation.
Where do you think has this ghost made his appear-
ance ? Not, of course, in a modern house—no ghost of
good taste would think of coming to any tenement that
was not time-honoured—that had not a charter at least
of two hundred years ; and what edifice more fit for his
supernatural reception than the ancient residence of the
Calendars—the Vicarage-house of All Saints, Bristol,
adjoining and almost forming a part of that church.
After the dissolution of the Calendars, this house
was converted into a vicarage-house, and it is still
called by that name, though the incumbents have for
many years ceased to reside there. The present occu-
pants are Mr. and Mrs. Jones, the sexton and sex-
toness of the church, and one or two lodgers, and it
is to the former and their servant maid that the
strange visitor has made his appearance, causing such
terror by his nightly calls, that all three have deter-
mined on quitting the premises, if indeed they have not
already carried their resolution into effect. What
makes the whole affair the more unaccountable and ex-
traordinary is, the official quality of the persons affected
by the fright. Had it been a common-place family, un-
conversant with grave matters, a very simple incident,
coupled with the ancient and monastic character of the
building, might be sufficient to create alarm and terror ;
but here are people—sexton and sextoness—whose vo-
cation lies in solemn churches and amongst the silent
tombs, who, in the way of business, must every day have
something to do with 'radtulls and grey mouldering
and who might be almostoustaid to be on such bones,
fa-
miliar terms with at least theemrems of the
?ds withoeu t
ofa
invisible world, so as to be able twoaslake
ghost without any great perturbation—terrified
their house by a nightly visitor, scared to such
as to determine to take down their tester and extent
bedsteads, " being certain," to use Mrs. Jones's own
ur-
words to their landlord, " that:they shall die if they sleep
another night in the house."
Mr. and Mrs. Jones's description of the disturbance,
as given to the landlord, on whom they called in great
consternation, is as distinct as any ghost story could be.
The nocturnal visitor is heard walking about the house.
when the inhabitants are in bed; and Mr. Jones, who is
a man of by no means nervous constitution, declares he
has several times seen a light flickering on one of the
walls. Mrs. Jones is equally certain that she has heard
a man with ereaking shoes walking in the bedroom
above her own, when no man was on the premises (or
at least ought to be), and " was nearly killed with the
fright." To the servant maid, however, was vouch-
safed the unenvied honour of seeing this restless
night visitor ; she declares she has repeatedly had
her bedroom door unbolted at night, between the
hours of twelve and two o'clock—the period when
such beings usually make their promenades—by
something in human semblance ; she cannot par-
ticularise his dress, but describes it as something antique,
and of a fashion " lang syne gane," and to some extent
corresponding to that of the ancient Calendars, the
former inhabitants of the house. She further says, he
is "a whiskered gentleman" (we give her own words),
which whiskered gentleman has gone the length of shak-
in., her bed, and she invariably puts her head under the
clothes when she sees him approach.
Mrs. Jones declares she believes in the appearance of
and she had made up her
mthiendw,htihskeermeidghgtenbtieefornnrae
s;he called on her landlord, to
leap out of the windowtof
windows),(and it
is,
ansostoaontraisflehetheanttewreildl
make people leap out
the room. The effect of the " flickering light" on Mr.
Jones was quite terrific, causing excessive trembling,
and "the complete doubling up of his whole body into a
round ball like.'

- ATAL EFFECTS OF INTOXICATION.—Three deaths
have occurred in Liverpool during the last few days, each of
which C'cilliii°llll4b9 AU =MOTO UN ardent spirita.