The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-17 00:00:00

FLANDERS MAIL.

BRUSSELS, DEC. 18.—The Moniteur Beige publishes
to-day a law of the 9th, by which, independently of the
♦otes of credit allowed by the law of the 30th December,'
1843, 18th February, 29th May, and
.30th June, 1844,
additional credit is given to- the War Department of
4,130,000 f., which makes the expense of that depart-
ment for the year amount to 28,130,000 f. The advan-
tage of the new line of steamers between Ostend and
Dover has become inestimable since the cold has closed
the Schelde.

The Antwerpen did not leave yesterday. The Soho
will not leave to-day. The Princess Mary cannot be
stopped by any obstacle.
A letter from Antwerp, of the 12th, says :—" The
Scheldt is fuller of floating ice than it has yet been ; the
cold cottinues, and the sky is perfectly clear."
Meteorological Observations at the Royal Observa-
tory at Brussels.—The cold, which decreased yesterday,
has become more intense to day :

_
Centrigrade Therm.
Dec. 11. at Noon 6.3
Two o'clock
_ _

Four o'clock
Eight o'clock
Midnight .. 10.2
Eight o'clock
Noon

BRUSBRLS, Dnc. 13.—At the commencement of the
sitting of the Chamber to-day, the ninister of the Inte-
rior laid on the table all the documents relative to the
treaty between Belgium and the Zollverein. On the
motion of the Minister of the Interior the debate on his
budget will commence immediately after the close of the
presont discussion.
The Chamber then proceeded in the debate on the
treaty with the Zollverein. The general debate was not
closed to-day.
The Ministers of the- Interior and of Public Works
entered into a long discussion on the commercial policy
of the Government, and on the effects of the convention
with Prussia, but the debate will .be resumed to-morrow,
D'Elboungne having announced that he intended to
enter into a thorough examination'of the treaty.
The Senate in its sitting yesterday commenced the de-
bate on the budget of ways and means. To-day it dis-
cussed the project of law on the budget of the public
debt. The project of law, giving an additional credit for
the budget of the year 1844, was agreed to, as was like-
wise the budget of the ways and means.
The cold has abated. To-day, the 13th, it was—
Centrigrade Therm.
At midnight, 7 deg. 40
Four o'clock 6 deg. 1
Eight o'clock 8 deg. 7
Noon 4 deg. 7
Two o'clock
/SILVIA/I FUNDS..—BaueseLs, Dm. 13.
Aetna Debt, 2% per Cent, ..«.».».«.«.».»........
Rothschild's Loan, Fire per
Loan of Thirty Millions, Four per IPS%
Three per Cent. ....«....
Thirty-seven Million, ditto 77%
(18411)............ 103%
•••••••••••••••100111 103%
Loan of City, 1813. Four per 103
1832 •• .. 102
Society of Commerce, Four and a Half per Cent.
Bank of Belgium, Five per Cent............ ...... 54 ig

—Dryads Paper., Dee. 14.
AUSTRIAN FUNDll...Vismis, Die. O.
Mire per Cents. Motalliques,.....••••••••••••••••••11.1 110
Tour per COntrn• ••••••••••••••••••••••••11..••••••••••••••••••• 140
Three per Cents. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 000000 7514
Rank Shares •••••• 1040
Loan, 1434 00000000 ••••••••••• •••••••••••• 154
Ditto, 1430 ..«....«••..«.........••.. NM
Ibtorhazy's Loan
AUgensekis Zeitung, Doe. 10.

ANOTHER FACT.—BIRMINGHAM, DEC. 14 —Mr.
Joseph Sturge, it appears, has withdrawn his name as
a member of the recently organised Committee for the
promotion of public baths and pleasure-grounds in this
town, because, as he alleges, the Committee have con
sented to receive nearly eighty pounds from Mr. Alfred
Ormonde, which sum being a part of the profits arising
from two evenings' entertainment at the Town-hall, by
a number of French artists, who exhibit the character-
istic dances of all nations, which entertainments, and all
such, are deprecated by Mr. Sturge I What next ?
From a Correspondent.

SOUTH SHIELDS, DEC. 14.—BRANDLING JUNCTION.
—Another serious collision between the quick passenger
train and some coal waggons took place on this railway
between•the Felling and Pelaw stations, near Gateshead,
on Friday night, about nine o'clock, but fortunately,
more from luck than good management, it was not
attended with loss of life ; the only person who suffered
severely was the engiae-man, who was much injured in
the face. The accident arose in consequence of a coal
train having given way by the breakage of a wheel,
which threw the train off the line. From the frequent
complaints and accidents on the line, and, particularly,
the late occurrence, where so many broken limbs and
heads took place, it ought to stimulate the Directors to
use every means to avoid such disasters. On the meet-
ing of Parliament no doubt some measures will be taken
by the Legislature as to railways generally; and as rail-
way traffic has now assumed a momentous• question, it
is only right that the numerous projected schemes and
speculations should be narrowly watched, and stringent
restrictions made to protect both public and private
rights.—From a Correspondent.
The Earl of Harrowby has allotted, at a moderate
rent a large piece of land, to fifty poor ho.i. eholders in
the parish of Bidford.

‘ire perceive that Mrs. Keeley has engaged Signor
Sivori to give two of his popular concertos at the Ly-
ceum. His exquisite performance will no doubt prove
attractive, and tend to fill up the theatrical k cuum of the
week preceding "merry Christians."
ALLEGED CONFESSION OF • A MURDEIL—Some
years ago, a man named Thomas Willey, was tried in
Exeter, for the murder of a person named Cropp; a
tailor, who was found drowned below Trew's Weir. He
was however acquitted froth scone defect in the evidence.
On Friday last he died, in a state of great misery, in the
Exeter workhouse, and it has been reported that, pre-
vious to his death, he confessed to the chaplain of the
workhouse that he was really the murderer, and that two
other men were implicated with him in the foul transac-
tion. This is not exactly correct. That he saw the
chaplain, very shortly indeed before his death, is quite
true, and it is also true that he appeared most anxious to
make some communication to him, but his condition was
such that he was not able to articulate more than a word
or two. It was the chaplain's impression from his
manner, and from all that he saw at the time, that he
was really about to make a confession of the crime of
which the Rev. Gentleman was aware' he had been ac-
cused, and he addressed him accordingly—but as there
was certainly no confession in express words, and as the
man became insensible almost immediately afterwards
and remained so until the time of his death, it is right
that so much, at least, should be stated.—Devonport
Independent.

ST. STEPHEN'S, WALBROOK.-Itt the action of
trover brought by the Lord Mayor (perpetual church.
warden Gibbs) against Mr. Flight and others, to recover
possession of the minute-book of the select vestry, seized
and taken by the latter, the important question of the
authority of the select vestry, which has agitated the
parish so long, will be raised on the trial, which is ap-
pointed for this day. at Guildhall, before the Lord
Chief Justice of the Common Pleas and a special jury.
Sir Thomas Wilde and Mr. Sergeant Channell will ap-
pear for the plaintiff; and Mr. Sergeant Talfourd and
blr. Adolphus, for the defendants. Notice has been
given, by the defendants' attorneys to the plaintiff's to
produce the accounts of the Lord Mayor (as church-
warden) relating to the parish.