The Sun.
London, England, 1856-09-27 00:00:00

S 1 r E 13 F. 27 Q 856
3

THE ESPIEGLE AND SCORPION ON THE
DARIEN EXPEDITION.

201. to the income of each of these servants would give
such g!neral satisfaction. —Fifeshire Journal.

BATHGATE AND WATBRIDGE.
It is proposed to construct a line of railway from Bath-
gate, via Airdrie, to Coathridqe, by Mr. Johnstone, the
engineer, at a clst of 130,0001., including;workingstock.
Iloestimatesthat the mineral traffic on the line will yield
a revenue of 17,6941., and, deducting 7,0771., or 40 per
cent. fur working expenses, the free revenue would
amount to 8 per cent. It is bLl'eved that 50 ptr cent.
would be much nearer the txpenses than 40 per cent.
The gradients are represented to be favourable, the
steepest being 1 in 70, de'scending towards Coatbridge,
the destination of the greater portion of the traffic. At
a melting recently held at Airdrie of parties locally in-
terested, it was resolved t a raise the capital in shares of
251. each, and proceed with the undertaking.

NEW .RAILWAY BET wEEN coLesEsr JR
AND GRAVESEND.

A dinner was given to Sir S. M. Peto, on Wednesday
evening, at the Town-hall, Great Yarmouth.
The hon. " baronet, in responding to the toast of his
health, which was drunk with three times three, referred
to the successful termination of the struggle to obtain an
act for the construction of a line from Yarmouth to Had-
discoe, which had changed the character of the whole
East Suffolk scheme, and given it a command over Vie
district which it would not have otherwise posceosed.
He also announced that he shou'd not let the undertak-
ing stop there. In connection with some other gentlemen
he was a lessee of the London, Tilbury, and Southend
line ; and those gentlemen, with many parties connected
with the County of Essex, had projected a perfectly direct
line from Gravesend to Colchester. The distance by this
line would be only 30 miles, and might be traversed is
an hour. The line would connect the eastern counties
with Dover and the neighbouring towns without going
to London at all, and the fares would be.much lower
upon it. The lessees of the London, Tilbury, and South-
end found that when they accommodated the public by
cheap trains it paid them a great deal better than when
they charged larger fares ; and by the proposed line the
Colchester people would only pay ss. to go to London
instead of 12s. 6d., which they paid at present. It would
also take people from Yarmouth to London and back for
255.; and he appealed to those who had assisted him in
the late struggle for the completion of the East Suffolk
system to help in the struggle which was yet to come.
He should not be satisfied till he had what was equiva-
lent to an independent line from Yarmouth to London,
if the Eastern Counties obstructed the East Suffolk traf•
fic between Woodbridge and Colchester ; and he had no
doubt that a committee of both Houses of Parliament
could be convinced that another line was necessary for
the convenience of the public under such circumstances.
This scheme is of very great importance to the East-
ern Counties Company, as, if carried out, it will divert
all the Lowestoft, Yarmouth, and portions of the Nor-
folk, Suffolk, and Essex traffic from the present lines.
The project is therefore watched with lively interest in
the district.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS.

EXTENSIVE ALTERATIONS AT THE
GENERAL POST-OFFICE.

Never, perhaps, since the establishment of this valu-
able department of the public service has so much acti-
vity prevailed in rendering it mechanically, officially,
and generally convenient to the public. Although but
a short period has elapsed since we last noticed the im-
provements which bad been, and were about to be intro•
duced into the whole of the working system, still since
that time we find others developing themselves of the
greatest importance to the service, the public, and the
revenue. To these we shall, in this notice, call the at-
tention of the public at large.
First in the order of improvement in the establishment
in St. Martin's le-Grand has been. the introduction
of a new system of assorting the correspondence, the
effect of which has been very much to simplify and faci-
litate the duty. Next comes the out-door inspection of
the men, by which all delays arising from any neglect or
irregularities in the delivery of the letters "inwards"
will be host effectually and promptly checked. Then
the establishment of district offices, through the means
of which the business of the outer branches will be local.
ise-1, and the facilities given to the public in consequence
he of incalculable value, while the revenue will, of
course, be materially benefited. But, in addition to
these most advantageous advances in " the right direc-
tion," we have now to record others, of not less impor•
tance. The old tramway, underneath the "central
ball," has been taken up, and a spacious subterranean
passage, constructed for communication from the north
with the south sides of the chief office. It is in depth 7
feet, and of proportionate width, so that messengers en
foot will be constantly einployed in conveying the foreign
and colonial correspondence separated from the inland
department. In order to effect this change, several work-
men have been put on t•o bring out to the pillars on the
south side of the' hall the front windows of the now
called " London District Office." This department will
not any longer bear that name, both it and the " Inland
Office" being amalgamated throughout the whole me•
dus operandi of the service. At the present time, the
north side is devoted to two purposes, the posting of
letters and newspapers ; in future— that is to say, after
the alterations are completed—the whole of that side of
the ball will be appropriated to posting only. On the other
side it is intended to construct an open office, similar to
that of a banking establishment, with folding doors, which
wilt be fitted up in the most convenient manner for the
public who have to pay for letters tothoso partsto which
postage is required to be paid in advance. "Window"
letters will also be received within this office, and thus the
pubic will be materially served, as the alteration in the
newspaper duty has caused a complete changein the work-
ing of that department, and afforded, necessarily, mach
more room for stamped and other correspondence. The
book post has much increased, and is so increasing daily,
that the hulk now sent in this form requires a much larger
degree of accommodation than any other part of the ser-
vice did hitherto, while, at the same time, the reduction, in
the rates of foreign avd colonial letters and papers has
extraordinarily swelled their numbers. The gigantic
weighing•machine at the north end of the building is
rapidly approaching completion, and a large body of
men are now employed, both day and night, to effect
other and still greater alterations, notice of which we
shall furnish from time to time. .

Before we conclude this brief notice, we wish to call
the attention of the public to one most important sign of
progress in the administration of this gigantic establish-
ment. Time was when the major part of the "rules
and regulations" of the Post-office were only open to
those actually and officially engaged in the service, or
excluded chilly from the public eye until they found
their way, annually, into the then privileged "Post-
office Directory." Now the system is changes. Chained
to the exhibition-board containing the addresses upon
letters, the owners of which "cannot be found," is a
" Postal Directory," furnishing every particular as to
the departments which may be of public utility, and
which is hung there for the inspectio❑ of all who think
fit to examine its contents.—Morning Adve tiscr.

MARKET NEWS.—(Tais Day.)

COVENT GARDEN.

To-day's market was fairly supplied with vegetables ; but
the supply of fruit was limited. The demand generally
ruled steady, and scarcely any change took place in prices.

FRUIT.

Pine apples, per lb. 4s Od to Gs
Colonial do., ea. is Od to 3s Od
Grapes, per lb. 2s Ocl to 5s Od
Foreign do Os Od to Os 0.1
Melons, each 2s Od to 5s Od
Peaches, p. doz 3s to 1080 d
Nectarines, do. 3s Od to lOs Od
Apples, p. h. sv. 2s Od to 5s Od
Pears, per doz. 3s Od to Os 01
Oranges, per 100 30s Od to Os
Lemons, p. doz. is Od to 2s Od
Apricots,p. doz. 2s Od to 6s Od
Cherries, per lb. 09 to Os Odi
VEGET.

Filberts, per lb Sd to ig
Cobnuts, p. 100 lbs. 65sto 75s
Almonds, p. lb. Os Od to Os Od
Walnuts, per 100 Od to Os Od
Figs, per doz Os to Os Od
Strawberries, per
pottle Od to Od

Gooseberries, per
half sieve ... Os Od to Os Od.
Currants, p. do. Os Od to Os Od
Plums, per do. 4s Od to 7s Od.
Green gages,do. 4s Od to 7s Od
Raspberries, p. potl. Od to Od
'ABLES.
Shallots, per lb 6d to oa,
Horseraddish, p. bun. 2s to 4e
Parsley, per do. 2d to 3d
Celery, per do Os 9d to is 6d
Endive, per doz. 3s Od to 4s Od
Beet, per doz. is Od to 2s Od
Parsnips, per do. is Od to Os
Small salad, p. pun. 2d to 3d
Mushrooms, p. potl. ls Od to Os
Artichokes, each 4d to 843.
C b bage lettuces,
per score Is Od to Is fd
Radishes, per doz.
hands ls to 2s Od

Greens, per doz.
bunches qd to 2s Od
Cabbages, per doz. 9d to Is 6,1
Savoy do., p. do. is Od to 28 Od
Cauliflowers, p. do. 2s Od to 6s
Brocoli, per do. is 6d to 2s Od
Old potatoes, per ton Os to 0,
New do., per d0....50s to lo3e
Peas, per gam ...9d to is 00
French beans, p do.2s 01 to 3.
Turnips, new, per
bunch 4d to
Carrots, per do sd to Bci'
Cucumbers, each Id to is 0,1

Garlic, per lb .....6d to Os 8d
Spinach, p. sieve Is Od to Is 6d
Sorrel, per do Od to 0,
Brus. sprouts, p. do 2s to 3
Otd onions, p. bushel Os to 0:
New do., per bunch 2d to 6,
Leeks, per d 0......... 2d to 4('

Tomatoes, p. hf. sv. 5s to 7s6d
Walnuts per 100...0s 8d to la
Chillies, per 1001 s Od to is 6d
Capsicums, per 100 2s 0,1 to 7a
Rhubarb, p. bundle Oct to Od
Asprragug, per 100 Os 01 to Os
Sea kail, per pun. Os Od to Os

NEWGATE AND LEA.DENFIALL,

Turkey Poults, 04 Od to Os 01; Geese, 516 d to 9s each
Ducks, 2s 6d to 3s Od ; wild do., Os Od to Os to Od ; rab-
bits, 9d to 1s Gd each ; Pigeons, 6d to 8d each ; large
Surrey Fowls, Os Od to Os ; middling, 2s Od to 38 Od ;
Chickens, Is 6(1 to 2s Od ; Capons, 3a 6d to 4s fd ; Hares,
23 6d to 4s Od ; Grouse, 2s Gd to 2s 9d each ; Pheasants,
Os 0.1 to Os Od ; Partridges, is 3d to is 9d ; Guinea
Fowls, is 9d to 3s Od ; Roasting pigs, Os Od to Os Od each.
Ostend fresh butter, 12s Od to 13s Od ; English do., 12s to
15s Od per dozen lbs. ; English eggs, 83 to 93 Od ; French
do., 6s to 7s Od per 120; Leverets, Os Od to Os each.