The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-28 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY FrENING, JANUARY 28, 1857

could have been altogether more thoroughly well-
considered, more judiciously arranged, or more
lucidly expressed than the Report of the Com-
mittee entrusted with the task of organising'this
Mercantile Law Conference.

The reading of this Report by Mr. HASTINGS,
the learned Secretary of the Association—imme-
diately after the introductory remarks with which
the Noble Chairman opened the proceedings of
the meeting—appeared to afford those who were
present the highest satisfaction. It intimated,
among other things, the attendance at the Con-
ferences of authorised delegates from no less than
twenty of the principal towns and cities of the
United Kingdom—localities having an aggregate
population of not less than 5,000,000 altogether
—and including among their number places of
commercial activity no less important than Bel-
fast, Bristol, Birmingham, Dublin, Glasgow,
Hull, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle,
Worcester and Wolverhampton. It announced
as among the objects of the Conferences—Firstly,
the discussing and the bringing under the notice
of the Government, of the Legislature, and of the
Public generally, those imperfections in the Mer-
cantile Laws of the United Kingdom most requir-
ing amendment ! Secondly, the collecting infor-
mation from the various bodies represented at the
Conferences (such, for example, as the Manchester
Commercial Association and as the Leeds Chamber
of Commerce), to the end that the information
thus accumulated might ultimately tend to elucidate
what after all would he the best legislative reme-
dies for these imperfections. Finally, the consi-
dering what practical steps ought to be adopted,
with a view to elicit from Parliament as rapidly
as possible the desired legislative improvements.

The inaugurative discussions of the Conferences,
relating to subjects classified under the head of
the Law of Debtor and Creditor, have been de-
signed to scrutinise in succession, Bankruptcy, the
Judgments Execution Bill, and the United King-
dom Writs Bill—one paper being submitted to the
Conferences on the Judgments Execution Bill,
and two upon the Administration of the Law of
Bankruptcy. Subsequently another paper is to
be read upon the subject of the Tribunals of Com-
merce. And on Thursday morning, the 29th of
January (to-morrow), three others are marked
upon the programme as sketched out by the Com-
mittee--a paper by Professor Levi upon a Com-
mercial Code; one by Mr. SLATER, upon the Seven-
teenth Section of the Statute of Frauds ; and one
of the Manchester Commercial Association, upon
the Registration of Partnerships.

Although a week or two since we took occa-
sion to analyse the scheme marked out by the
Committee for the Commercial Law Con-
ferences, which have been thus organised under
the auspices of the Law Amendment Association
—we have deemed it advisable thus particularly
to recapitulate the probable order of business
now that those conferences may be said to have
actually commenced. Several very useful modi-
fications in the projected arrangements were sug-
gested last evening during the proceedings—but
only one of these suggestions was deemed worthy in
any way of being formally taken into considera-
tion. That judiciously brought under the notice
of the meeting presided over by Lord BROUGHAM,
in reference to the proposed incorporation in the
mercantile law of England of that principle of the
Scotch law relating to summary diligence in pe-
cuniary obligations. Thanks to the earnest
appeal of Mr. GILMOUR, the originator of the
proposition, urging it upon Lord BROUGHAM and
his Law Reforming coadjutors, a Committee was
last night formed for the purpose of
taking it into immediate consideration. Otherwise,
the meeting was simply one of strictly preliminary
formalities. Principally noticeable, therefore, as
such, for the lucid introductory remarks of the
noble and learned President, for the conspicuous
excellence of the Report read by the Secretary,
and for the unanimous adoption of that Report
by the mercantile Delegates and others who were
assembled to take part in this Prologue, as it may
be called, to the Drama of the Conferences.

That was a remarkable, if not, strictly speaking,
a singular meeting, held in Parringdon-hall last
evening. Any one passing along Snow-hill before
the proceedings
commenced would have observed
p sof
men, mostly like ordinary work-
ing men,
nearnestly together, and breaking
gro groupstalkingyoung
off conversation now and then to look eagerly
right and left and in the direction of the hall, as
if in search of some one who did not come, and
would have been led to infer they were some of
the many unemployed waiting for the presence of
their leaders to take counsel together. If at all
curious, he might further have observed these
groups gradually break up, and one after another
leisurely make their way to the entrance of the
hall, still looking as if for men they waited.
Among them he might notice a few young
"swells," attracted, apparently, like himself. If
h
a stranger, he might have wondered at the
absence of the police. How greatly would he
Lave been surprised could he have followed them
into the hall on discovering they belonged to that
terrible body, the misdeeds of some of whose
members have " frighted the isle from its pro-
priety," and if at all timid, how speedily, we will
not say wisely, would he have divested himself of
whatever faith be had in the doctrines of Lavater.
" These ticket-of-leave men 1"
It was a remarkable meeting, not so mush for
the humane action of its conveners as for the
public aggregation of its constituent parts. Not
an individual convict present but ran additional
risk of being marked and deterred in his course,
whatever that might be. We wish the favourable
augury to be derived from this fact had not been
somewhat clouded by the comparative paucity of
the attendance, and the absence of convicts of
mature age. One hundred of ticket-of leave men-
is but
a small proportion from which to pass
Judgment on so large a class. Probably many
were deterred from being present by fear. If so,
the greater credit is due to those who came despite
all risk and occasion of offence. Turning
to the proceedings we may notice the decorum
with which, on the whole, they were conducted.
It was a meeting with a serious purpose, and was
conducted in a business-like manner. This was
owing in part, doubtless, to the judicious address
of the noble chairman, who wisely recommended
the speakers to confine their remarks to their
personal experience in seeking for an honest living,
and to an exposition of their views and feelings
with respect to the ticket-of leave system. The
story of the first speaker bears upon it the im-

press of truth. There can be little doubt the well-
intentioned ticket-of-leave man has to encounter
immense difficulties in obtaining, and still greater
in retaining, honest employment, and is conse-

quently often driven thereby back again into

- -
crime. As little that not a few misdeeds attri-

buted to ticket-of-leave men were perpetrated by

others. That an institution like a Sailors' Home
would be of great service to these men on their

release, and until they obtained employment is
certain, just as it is there is no such place for
their reception. On these things, however, it is

Lot our present business to comment. We have

something else to notice.

The reader will observe a great but not suspi-

cious similarity in the stories of individual
experience told by the respective speakers.
More remarkable, though in legitimate sequence,
are the conclusions most of them seem to have
arrived at—that the ticket-of-leave " is no good,"
that the obstacles in the way of ticket-of-leave
men in this country are all but insuperable,
and that only in some one or other of

our colonies, save in a few cases, can
the ticket-of-leave be of real service. If this be
the fact, how are we to account for the statistics
advanced by noblemen and gentlemen of position,
showing that not more than 10 per cent, of the
convicts liberated on tickets of leave are known to
have relapsed into crime ? There must be highly
commendable virtue in one quarter, or blameable
laxity of calculation in the other. To return.
All present, with a few exceptions it may be,
testified against the ticket-of-leave system, as at
present in force, because of the prejudice every-
where existing against the liberated co►,vict, and
expressed their conviction that the system would
work well in the colonies. What is their testi-
mony worth ? Is it conclusive either way ?
Some may ask, how should they know how the
system would work in the colonies I It may be
answered, the dangerous classes have their tradi-
tions, and aro not insensible to what is reported
among us. Others will be disposed to ques-
tion their judgment as being interested parties.
What is the reader's opinion after a careful and
unbiassed perusal of the proceedings of the meet-
ing ? Did these men speak honestly, and, all
things considered, have they reason with them in
arriving at their conclusions ? The great ques-
tion at issue in relation to secondary punishments
needs all the light possible to be thrown on it,
and will not be settled satisfactorily by the dog-
matism of party, but by the sober and con-
scientious convictions of the intelligent community
at large.

BARON ALDERSON.—We regret to record the death of
this distinguished judge, which took place yesterday
afternoon, at his residence, Park-crescent, at a quarter
to five o'clock. Sir Edward Alderson, born at Great
Yarmouth in the year 1787, was the eldest son of Robt.
Alderson, Esq. Recorder of Norwich, by the daughter
of Samuel Hurry, E-q.
MANSION-HOUSE.—Yesterday the Lord Mayor and
the Lady Mayoress entertained at dinner the members
of the Court dt Aldermen and their ladies, and a num-
ber of private friends.
DOVER, JAN. 27.—The Black Eagle arrived here on
Sunday to convey Sir George Couper to Paris, to meet
her Serene Highness the Princess Hohenlohe and her
daughter. It was found, however, advisable to send
the mail steampacket the Queen, being of easier draft
of water. She accordingly went this morning, and re-
turned at half-past five o'clock, after a quick but rough
passage. Her Serene Highness will sleep at Birming-
ham's Lord Warden Hotel, and proceed to London by
train at eight o'clock, for the residence of her Royal
Highness the Duchess of Kent.
CREDITON, Jan. 27.—A burgle/ attempted to break
into the Stamp-office, at Exeter, no Saturday night. He
made many holes with a ceutreloit, which at last broke,
and a part of it was left in one of the holes. This led to
his detection, as the broken piece in the hole corre-
sponded with the instrument in his possession.
The prospectus has been issued of a guaranteed Tus-
can railway of 75 miles, from Florence to the Roman
States, to be called the Ferdinand Railway. The capital
is to be 800,0001., of which 200,000/. is offered in Lon
don in 201. shares, and the concession is for 99 years,
with a guarantee equal to 5 per cent. from the govern-
rnect, with whom any surplus profits beyond 8 per cent.
are to be divided. The line will connect the Lombardo-
Venetian network with those proposed to be constructed
to Ancona, Civita Vecchia, Rome, and Naples.
LECTURES ON BANKING. —Last evening Mr. Leone
Levi delivered, at Crosby-hall, the third of a course of
lectures on the History and Principles of Banking and
Commerce. Mr. J. W. Gilbart, F. R.S , took the chair.
The lecturer discoursed in a very lucid and interesting
manner of the suspension of cash payments by the Bail
of England in 1797, the character of the commercial
crisis, 1809-10, report of the bullion committee, resump.
tion of cash payments in 1819, commercial crisis in
1825-6, formation of joint-stock banks, extent of specula-
tion and failure of banks, crisis of 1836-7, the Bank
Charter Act, 1844, railway speculation, the famine crisis
of 1846.7, and the suspension of the Bank Charter Act.
The lecture elicited very warm applause from a nuine
roue and most attentive audience. At- the conclusion
of the lecture Mr. Gilbart made some valuable and
practical remarks. These lectures are in connection
with the evening classes for young men, which are in
union with the Society of Arts.
THE BANK CHARTER, —The following reply hay been
returned to the memorial recently forwarded to the
Treasury by the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce on
the subject of the Bank Charter Act :—" Treasury
Chamber, iJanuary 22, 1857.—S;r,—The Lords Com-
mi,sioners.of her Majesty's Treasury having had before
them the memorial of the Chamber of Commerce and
Manufactures in Edinburgh, dated the 18th inst., re-
commending the introduction of a bill into Parliament,
authorising the transfer to the Issue Department of the
Bank of England of additional securities to the value
of 4,000,0001., and the creation of notes to that amount,
have commanded me to acquaint you in reply that as it is
probable that the attention of Parliament may be cal d
tto the law as it relates to the privileges of the Bank of
England, and the act of 1844, my lords feel that t y
i
will best consult the public convenience and interests by
postponing any expression of opinion upon this subject.
I am to add, however, that the views expressed in the
memorial of the Chamber of Commerce shall receive due
consideration.—l am, sir, your obedient servant, JAMES
WILSON. The Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce,
,Inc., Edinburgh."
ISLINGTON TOLL GATES.—There are four distinct tariffs
of tolls in this parish, so that the parishioners are mulc-
ted at every turn. The nuisance has aroused the atten-
tion of the vestry, and notice has been given of a motion
to get rid of the Islington gate, which will fix on the pa-
rish an extra rating, without, however, benefiting the
whole of its population: The four tariffs will still remain,
the gates will still remain, and the toll tax will still re-
main. Surely the people of Highgate, Hornsey, Hollo-
way, and Bali's-pond, have as great grievances close to
their doors as those at Islington. The estimates given in
on Lord R. Grosvenor's committee show that a county
rate of less than ld, will clear all the toll gates in the
metropolitan area; yet, if the inhabitants of Islington
are so short-sighted, they will let themselves in for a
parish rate of 3d. or 4d, in the pound for a removal of a
solitary gate.
TIE TRADE OF LIVERTOOL.—LIVERPOOL, Monday.
—The " Customs Bill of Entry," published this morning,
gives a return of the number and tonnage of the ships
that have entered inwards from, and cleared outwards
for, foreign ports in the week ending the 24th Jan nary,
1857, as well as the corresponding week of 1856. It
appears that during the last week 67 ships in the aggre-
gate tonnage of 37,103 tons, entered inwards, against
86 ships, 45,103 tons in 1356, being a decrease of 19 in
the number of ships, and a decrease of 7,645 tons in the
tonnage ; the number of clearances outwards during the
week, 59 ships, of a tonnage of 31,986 tons, against 76
ships and 42,190 tons in 1856, being a decrease of 17ships
and 10,204 tons. The total number of ships reported
inwards from foreign ports during the present year, up
to 24th Jan., was 265, with a tonnage of 149,225 tons,
against 169, and 90,951 tons in the year 1856, showing
an increase of 96 ships, and 58,274 tons.
THE AMERICAN EAGLE. —We find the following in
the New York papers :—During the late presidential
canvass, and at the moment a gallant senator from the
South was proclaiming the certain election of , Mr.
Buchanan, a feather dropped at his feet from the wing
of an eagle that was flying over. The gentleman pre-
served the quill, and today had it forwarded to Mr.
Buchanan, to write his inaugural address with. It was
not plucked by man from the wing, but was the free gift
of our national bird.—The Washington Correspondent
Alexandria Sentinel.—The above statement is correct.
Senator Brown, of Mississippi, is the gentleman referred
to. The quill is now in the possession of Mr. Buchanan,
at Wheatland, where we saw it on Friday, and in ac
cordance with the request of the "gallant senator," it
will be used by the President elect in writing his inau-
gural address.—Lane. Intel.
In consequence of the desire expressed by some of the
holders of Venezuelan bonds, that a definite arrangement
should forthwith be wade with the conomi-sioLers cent

here for that I..urpose by the Venezuelan Government,
the Committee of Spanish-American Bondholders have
held several meetings with the persons most largely in-
terested in that stock ; and a thorough understanding
has been arrived at as to the terms of an equitable set-
.

tiement. All parties being
agreed the Committee of
Spanish American nondlio dews invited Senator Urba-
nets, one of the commissioners, to meet them this after-
noon, requesting, at the same time, the attendance of
several of the bondholders ; and, after a long discussion,
a final agreement was adopted, which seems likely to
be satisfactory sfactory to all parties, supposing the conditions to
be scrupulously observed. This agreement will have to be
ratified by the Venezuelan Congress, and also to be ac•
cepted by the body of bondholders specially convened for
the purpose. The following ara its principal points as embo-
died in the document signed to-day:—The arrears of divi-
dend to be capitalised, and bear 3 par cent. interest till
1862-4 per cent. afterwards. The active stock to receive
3 per cent. till 1867 ; and 4 per cent. afterwards. The
deferred to have 1 per cent, till 1862, 14 for the next
five years, and 2 per cent, after 1867 ; 25 per cent. of the
CllE4OOlB' revenues of the Republic to be paid to special
agents, and remitted to Messrs. Frederick Iluth and
CO. for payment of dividends. If not sufficient, the
amount to be male up by the Government ; if in excess
of the required amount to be returned to the Govern-
ment until 1867 ; after that date to be applied in totality
to a sinking fund. All these arrangements to take place
as soon as possible, and new bonds to be issued in con-
fortuity with them in exchange for the present bonds.
It is slated that the meeting of bondholders to which
this agreement will be submitted for approval is to be held on an early day lb the ensuine week.

LATEST N E WS.

TURKEY
CONSTANTINOPLE, Jan. 16.—The mixed Confe-
rence between the resident Ministers and the Com-
missioners, which was to conclude the Conferences
on the firman regulating the convocation of the
Divans ad hoc in the Principalities, was held on
Tuesday last. The place of meeting was the Grand
Vizier's yali, on the Bosphorus ; and the practical
result of it, as was to be expected, nothing, except
one or two unimportant alterations in the wording
of the document.
The conference was purely one of form, which
confined i'self to the reading of the firman, first
in extense, and then by single articles.
The following is a translation of it :
FIRNIA.N FOR THE CONVOCATION OF THE
DIVAN AD 1100 IN WALLACHIA
"To ALEXANDER GEIKA, KAIIIAKAM OF WALLACHIA.
" Whereas our Government has at all times endea-
voured to maintain the special privileged which have
been granted by our glorious ancestors to each of the
provinces of Wallachia and Moldavia forming integral
parts of our Empire, and to try to augment and sprsa
the welfare of their population, we wished, ten, as 3
proof of our high sentiments of justice toward all the
inhabitants of our States in general, chile taming
the ancient privileges of the inhabitants of the two pre-
vinces, to revise and ameliorate the internal organic ,aes
of the aforesaid provinces, in order to cemplete and
assure the welfare of all c'asses of their inhabitants.
"The wishes of the Powers being in accordance with
our sentiments, we have agreed with them. that the laws
and statutes now in vigorir in the aforesaid provinces
shall be revised, and that, in order to establish a perfect
understanding on this revision, a Special Commission,
composed of the delegates of the Powers who Guarantee
the Treaty of the 30th of March, shall meet in Bucharest
with a Commissary of the Subiene P .rte to inquire into
the present state of the Principalities, and te prop se
the bases of their future organisation C neequently
Mehmed Esaad Saafet, Mustechar of the Grand Vizier,
one of the dignitaries of our Government, has been
named as delegate of the Sublime Porte.
"Having likewise promised to assemble in each of the
two provinces a Divan ad hoc so composed as to represen t
the interests of all classes of society, and which will have
to express the wishes of the populations with regar i to
the definitive organisation of the Principalities, our Im-
perial will is to constitute these Divans on the f I: .o..oveing
bases :
" Art. I. Besides the Metropolitans and the Bishops
of the province, who will be members of the Divan in
their own right, the superiors or administrators of the
Convents, whose property is dedicated to some foreign
convent, and the superiors of the convents whose pro-
perty is not dedicated, will each choose separately two
deputies, who must be laymen and natives, that is, four
in all. And the priests who fulfil the functions of their
ministry in the seat of each bishopric whatever their rank
be, will assemble at the call of the bishop of the diocese,
and will choose among themselves one deputy for each
diocese for the Divan.
"Art. 11. All Boyards and sons of Boyards, of what-
ever class they be, provided they are 30 years of age,
natives or legally naturalised, and in possession of all
their civil rights, will assemble in the chief place of the
district where they are domiciled, and possess a property
of 100 falshes at least, or its equivalent in pogones of
cultivated land. They will chose there by a majority of
votes two deputies to the Divan from those among them
who are in possession of at least 300 falshes, or its equi-
valent in pogones of cultivated land, free from mortgage.
The great Boyards alone who can comply with this last
condition will be eligible for the districts where they are
not domiciled.
"Art. 111. All proprietors, under whatever denomi-
nation they may come, being of 30 years of age, natives
of the ceuntry, or actually and legally naturalised, enjoy-
ing all their civil rights, and possessing a maximum of 99
falshes or their equivalent in pogones of cultivated land,
or a minimum of 10 falshes or their equivalent in pogones
of laud of the same nature, will assemble in the chief
place of the arrondissement where they are domiciled,
and will choose from among themselves by a m ijority of
votes five electors of the second degree. These delegates
will go to the chief place of the districtfend name in the
same manner, froca among theinselveeeeone deputy for
the Divan.
"Article IV. The rural communities, composed of
peasants a ciacege, to whichever class their proprietors
may belong, will send each to the chief place of tee dis-
trict two delegates of the first degree, named according
to the forms in usage for the elections of the village
authorities. These delegates will choose two among
themselves to exercise the functions of electors of the
sec end degree, and these electors of the second degree,
assembled in the chief place of the district, will name
among themselves a deputy for the Divan, who will re-
ceive a suitable compensation fur their journey and their
stay in the capital.
"Art. V. The town which is the seat of the Govern-
ment will name four deputies for the Divan, the two
tows of the second order each two deputies, and the
other towns, which are chief places of districts, each one
deputy. The elections will take place on the followine
bases :
"On the condition of being 30 years of age, being
natives or actually and legally naturalised, not being
subject to any foreign protection, acrd enjoying ail their
civil rights, candidates for these deputies are:—
`' 1. All inhabitants possessing houses of a value of
at least 20,000 piastres for the capital, and of at least
8,000 piastres for the other towns, with the exception
of those who would be already entitled to vote under
the dispositions of Art. 11. and 111. of the present
firnaan.
"2. Persons exercising a liberal profession, such as
the professors in the schools of the Mate, the members
of academies, or literary and scientific societies recog-
nised by the Government—such as medical men, law-
yers having a regular diploma, and civil engineers, all
exercising their professions for the preceding three years
in the town in which they reside.
" 3. Merchants, having a patent of the third class,
and inscribed on the last lists prepared for the election
of the municipalities.
"4. The provosts of the different corporations, to
whom will be joined three delegates chosen by the cor-
poration, according to the forms in usage for the nomi-
nation of the provosts.
" All the electors above named will assemble at the
seat of the municipality, and will choose there among
themselves by majority of votes, without being allowed
to give a double vote, the number of deputies which each
town, according to its order, has to send to the Divan.
"Although the arrival of the Commissioners of the
Powers must be waited for before the election of the de-
puties can take place, the electoral lists will be made out
immediately after the publication of the present firman.
The administrators of the districts will, therefore,
be ordered to take the necessary measures to have these
lists published and stuck up, wherever need be, at least
30 days before the epoch fixed for the elections, so that
theaP
time may be given for appealsbeingmade.
composed T he
ofs e
peals will be examined by a committee
Isprovnik, the members of the Tribunal, arid of the
municipality of the chief place of the district. All in-
tervention of the authorities in the elections, except to
maintain order, will be considered as an abuse,, and is,
finally, contrary to the intentions of the Sublime Porte ;
consequently the Ministers, the Directors of Depart-
ments, and the Isprevniks cannot come forward as
electors and be elected unless they resign their functions.
"In order to avoid all confusion, the elections which
have to be made in the chief places of the district will
take place successively in the order laid down for the
classes who have to send representatives to the Divan.
The same will he the case for the elections in the chid
place of the district.
" The deputies of the different classes United in a
general assembly will constitute the Divan ad hoc,
called to express the wishes of the principality with
regard to the statutes and regulations now in vigour.
"In order the better to obtain this otject the depu-
ties of each category will form so many different com-
mittees, who will more particularly study tbe different
questions in their relation to the interests arid wants of
their own class.

____ __ ...............
" The.. Divan having only the mission to e. press
wishes, which will be first examined by the commission,
composed of the delegates of the Poi to and those of the
guaranteeing Powers, and then discussed betwee,, the
Sublime Porte and its allies, the propositions of the diffe-
rent committees will be embodied in separate reports,
will be presented to the General Assembly, and, as well
as the result of the deliberations of this atsembly, placed
before the commission. _

"The President of the Divan will he the Metropoli
tan, assisted by a Vice-President, elected from among
the Boyards of the first class by a majority of votes in
the general assembly..

"The secretaries; in number equal to that of the
classes which are represented, will be likewise named by
a majority of votes.

" Each committee will choose its own prtgident by
a majority Of votes.

" in it; desire to accelerate the moment when the
province shall be in possession of a definitive organi-
sation, the Sublime Porte expects from the Divan
that it will have terminated its labours in the space
of six menthe, and that, penetrated by the sentiment
of its duty of fidelity, it will not fail to restrict its
discussions within suitable limits, and thus spare us the
displeasure of having to devise means to protect against
all attaint our august rights of sovereignty." ,
A similar firman has been sent to the Kiamakan
of Moldavia.
project.
The firman, as it stands now, is a decided im-
provement in many respects on the former.
First of all, the rambling introducticroinblienatnhde Turkish
e
project has been put into a more legible
form. The merit of the initiative in
f as in the
the organic laws of the provinces
yetis the revision of
the binding
doconent, to the S
pharbtrionugthhet
into sufficient relief.
force of the treaty ofTntlhthaenna3Ontsht
essentialo
Is that which defines the
introduction, f
M ar n
stating that it goes
activity of the
a)mmto the actual state of the Prin-
there " to inquire iwi
-ies, the bases of their future
however, is
by
ciPalities, and to
prodhon "'h Alt the Treaty of Paris is
enough in this respect,
yet it was very well
explicit .
tion of the Commission as far as
organisation."
to define the post
this can be done by words,
that the Turkish Government has
granted the
concession of the railway from Seleucia
tthe
to
It is confirmed
Euphrates to the English c.,mpany repro- 1
sented by General Chesney. The Government '
guarantees the company an. interest of 6 per
cent. on the capital
employed in the construction 0 f
the line, the expense
of which is estimated at '

1,400,0001. The port to be established at the head
of the railway will be at the charge of the Porte.
The line will start from a point close to Seleucia,
and proceed by Antioch and Aleppo to the fort of
Ja'ber, on the Euphrates. The concession is for 99
years. If the net profits exceed 7 per cent., the
surplus will be equally divided between the Porte
and the company.

FRANCE. •
PARIS, TUESDAY.
The Revue de Paris has been suspended for one
month, on account of an article which appeared in
it against the King of Prus.tia.
The Pays states that the Russian authorities in
Bessarabia have been ordered to quit Bulgrad on
the Ist of February.
M. Billault, the Minister of the Interior, has
addressed the following circular to the presidents
..f the various clubs authorised in Paris by the
Government :

" Sir,— Numerous complaints have reached me against
!he exce,*,ive play in some of the clubs authorised at
Paris. These complaints render it iny duty to remind
the committees of all the c'ubs that games of chance
srrioly forbidden—that there are penalties inscribed
1.. the law in supp,.rt of :his interdiction, and that even in
:lames the Cr,verronent would see excessive stakes
stron4 displeasure, sod, if n-ces,ary, would use its
with, riiy to prevent them. I pray you, sir, to please to
cAmunidcats this letter to the members of the club over
which you preside. I doub not they will receive with
fAveur a regulation inspired' as much by the interest of
famiiies as by that of pul.lic morality."
Cardinal Franc .is Nicolas Madeleine Morlot, juit
appoin fed A rch bishop of Paris, was born at Langres,
in the department of the Haute Marne, the 28th
December, 1795 After having been parish priest
of the Cathedral of Dijon, and subsequently victr-
general of that diocese, he was consecrated Bishop
of Orleans on the 18th August, 1839. Appointed
Archbishop of Tours by Royal ordinance the 28th
June, 1842, he was created a Cardinal in the Con-
sistory held the 7th March, 1853, and he received
the Cardinal', hat from the Pope the 27th June
following. There are still three sees vacant in
France--Aix, Tours, and Limoges.
The Tribunal of Commerce of Paris have given
judgment in the case of the Directors of the Com-
pany of the Docks Napoleon against Fox, Header'
son, and Co., declaring the convention made be-
tween the parties on the 14th February and 24th
July, 1854, void, and condemning Fox and Hen-
derson to pay all the expenses.
BOURSE, Jan. 27.—The following were the last
quotations :
Cash. ft. c. End of Ilrontlf.
44 per Cents
3 per Cents 67 60 67 65
New Loan —

Bank Shares 4,175 Roman (ad) B9
Credit Mobilier 1,385 Austrian
Belgian Fives 99 Spanish Threes
Piedmontese (5) 9l Home Debt