The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-24 00:00:00

FLANDERS MAIL.

(IiECEIVED 'NHS DAY.)
BRUSSELS, DEC. 21,—We have spoken vaguely of
a difference which has manifested itself between tvio
members of the Cabinet in the Secret Committee 0.(1
Wednesday. We must add that this difference di
not rt-late to the main point under discussion.
The Minister of Justice has made two declaration.
—the first on the sense to be given to the nineteenth
firticle of the treaty ; it was common to the whale
Cabinet. The second, which was his own, personalli
rdated to the consequences in case of a negative
answer from the Court of Berlin. The Minister,
announcing
announcg that for his part he made it a cot,.
Ministerial responsibility, desired to hive the Charn''
a proof of his entire conviction. The difference WI
Only on the question whether the guarantee offe7(
by the Minister should be inserted in the journals
the Chamber. It is asked, what answer will the Cabinet
of Berlin make to the explanation required hi
Brussels ? 'We shall not have this answer before the 15
January, but Messrs. Mercier and Dechamps 111
announced the interpretation given in the Belgt
Chamber to Articles 19, as maintained by Bart'
d'Arnim and by Mr. Helmenlag, the Russian Cory
missioner.

We have received to-day a letter which confirms
what we have before said—the commercial negotir
tions between Belgium and France are resumed'
After the vote of the Chamber on the 21st, approving'
by a majority of 77 to 7, the treaty with the Zolive.
rein, several projects of law, chiefly relative to rota
of credit for different branches of the public service'
were passed, and it was decided that the Chambej
should adjourn to the 13th of January next. A "the;
potation was chosen to present the respects of the
Chamber to the King and Queen on the Ist January
CONSTANTINOPLE, DEC. 4.—M. Von Tibovr ""'
Bujukdere last week, and to the astonishment ofi
everybody, took up his abode on the ground-floor °f
the new Palace of the Legation at Pere, which v't
originally intended fur the servants. The fancy
the public is busy in conjecturing what may be
...tRe
destination of the empty state apartments and se
cious saloons in the upper stories of this truly sPler
did palace.
Sir Stratford Canning has returned from his eft
cursion to the Dardanelles, to his country house
Buj ukdere.
It is said that Alxlullah, Pasha of Trebisond,
alarmed bv the order of the Porte, to justify.hi°.
self, has offered a large pecuniary indenanificatol t°
the ill-used Greek. The Pacha is said to be else
threatened with an address to the chief Turks of Tfee;
bisond to the Porte, representing the tyranny Y"111,.,
makes him hated by all classes, and earnestly desiroin
that he may be removed.
iS
Dr. J. Wolff writes from Teheran, that be..
chiefly indebted to the support of the Persian
bassador for his deliverance from the hands of i;
o ler
rapacious and murderous Bocharists ; it was upnci to
his protection that he succeeded in returning sale
Teheran.
Several Turkish passengers were frozen to death
ei°
the last steam-boat for Trebisond. Our thermoA
ter is at zero (Reaumur), and the roofs were cover`"
with snow.
CONSTANTINOPLE, DEC. 4.—The apprehensions.,°ca,
breach between Sir S. Canning and the Turkish PH%
ni-;try are happily not confirmed. Sir Stratford ai,
with great moderation, and seems to be quite col' to
dent that all his demands will be granted. In his 5
excursion he visited the coast of Troy.:

DUTCH FUND3.--Amarsamerd, Dec. 20.
Money..pions.
A,ttia I sent. Vi Per Cent
•

_.,
NATIONAL MERCANTILE ASSUR- hoped they would exercise their ability to in-
ANCE SOCIETY. duce others to insure their lives there also.—(Hear,
The hear.) To show that the commercial travellers of the
a Directors, members, and friends of the Na- United Kingdom were not so unimportant as many
;Aerial Mercantile Assurance Society, dined together people imagined, he would just lay before them a few
Yesterday evening at the London Tavern, Bishops- statistical facts, and statistics spoke stronger than
gate-street, Robert Wilcoxon, Esq., presiding. anything else. He believed it was estimated that there
The objects of this Society, which is largely and were twenty thousand gentlemen regularly on the
liberally supported by eminent mercantile men, and road. These twenty thousand men might be takend
the great body of mercantile travellers, are too well atondspetnhda
tat a
mleaosutn
ttewdenttoy thousand
sum
orouLds
less l per
r thansy;
known to require description—it is a life assurance 6,000,0001. annually !—(Hear, hear.) Where would
4ce, which is rapidly extending its business and they find twenty thousand men in any other situation
connexion. The respected Chairman was supported of life spending so much money as these twenty
by Mr. Redmayne and Mr. Baker ; the Vice Presi- thousand commercial travellers ? He had shown
..dents were Mr. Stokes and Mr. M'Culloch. Among themh that theyoccupied apositioniinneth h
e State
the gentlemen present were Mr. G. Moore, Mr. shouldwh hwaayse toworth some
show them particular notice,
the Chancell'or andof the
z-ellatt, Mr. Baker, jun., Mr. Baden, Mr. Newbon, Exchequer and the Government of the country was
',I,VIr• 4s/ens, Mr. Bankart, Mr. Morse, Mr. Walsh, much indebted to the commercial travellers of the
41-r• Stockdale, &c., Sec. An excellent dinner was United Kingdom.—(Hear, hear, and laughter.) He
Provided by Messrs. Bathe and Breach, whose ar- was happy to say that he belonged to that body, and
tlegements for the comfort of the guests were unex- had done so for the
llast twentyth yeahrs ; and though he
ce ptionable ; the wines were also of first-rate quality. la:, naonwd
had
drri principal,
risen
aft. 0
my e t h
ee ranksh d e(eHn
(Hear,
rr ei ilseraers) n ai
hear)—in the removal of the cloth, Non Nobis was admi- the same way as his friend Mr. Moore had done. If
?ably sung by the professional gentlemen engaged for they looked at this sum of 6,000,0001.. and assumed,
the occasion. for the sake of argument, that each of these 20,000
The CHAIRMAN gave as the first toast, the " Health gentleman spent 1001. a yezr on •his own personal
f, that wouive 000000/. a ear
of her Majesty the Queen," which was drank with all
morel
, or 8,000,0001.1 d altoggether.'2,
Now,, let himy ask
the honours.
how much of this eight millions a year went to the
Air—." God Save the Queen." Exchequer ?—(llear hear, and laughter.) He was
. The CHAIRMAN gave as the second toast, the afraid to contemplate the amount, inasmuch as many
i health of his Royal Highness Prince Albert." of their temperance friends would be inclined to think
• Air—" Here's a health to the Prince and the Queen." them an intemperate body.—(Great laughter.) But
The " Health of the Queen Dowager," in giving they must bear in mind that a very large proportion
of that amount was raised from their tea and coffee.
e
Whieh•the Chairman passed a high eulogium on the
—(Laughter.) He would not tell them what was
...haritable disposition of her Majesty, was then drank, spent in taxation in the shape of railway travelling ;
T
conjunction with the rest of the Royal Family. hut he would go further into this matter, because the
Abe toast was received with the utmost cordiality. further they went into it the more interest they would
The CHAIRMAN then said he had a toast to propose feel in it. Twenty thousand men was not a very
small number; they could either do a great deal of
which was of the greatest importance to this country
good or a great deal of evil; but he believed
*--it Was that of the " Army and Navy" of England. that the twenty thousand commercial men did more
They must all allow that these two services were of good than any other twenty thousand they could
the most essential importance to the nation in every mention.—(Hear, hear.) What would they say to a
Not of view ; to them, in a great degree, they might little calculation he had made? Twenty thousand
!race the rise of this great empire, and to them might men travelling through the country, and each person
' ascribed the peace and quietness they then en-returning only 501.
per day in the shape of sales,
.af
allowing 300 days in the year instead of 365, that 50l
JcTed —Drank with loud cheers, ' per day would amount to no less a sum than three
The CHAIRMAN said it was now his pleasing duty hundred millions sterling!—(Hear, hear.) Where
t 0; propose a toast in which they were all, more or would they find twenty thousand men in any other
1e..") much interested, and many of them very deeply positioni of life—in thehomrantuurfnactd muchuring,or any other
theu •"---. (Hear; hear.) It was the toast of a body throughmoney ale st
tchescoof i ai d
enmerialu l
traveller
instrumentality of which he had the pleasure of them go ac step or two into details,e t )showed
that
ael
seeie L g himself surrounded by this large and respect- there was something beyond even snaking
we assembly.—(Cheers.) The toast he had to give this return. There was a question that kept them
1 "Prosperity to the National Mercantile and all alive, and brought them all here to-day--the
're Assurance Society."—(Loud cheers.) Upon question of the profits of business. Look at the profit
derived from this return of business. He would
thel);easion of this kind, and more particularly under
_ • , take that profit at ten per cent. per annum, which was
.circumstances in which they had recently been not too high ; upon 300,000,0001. that ten per cent.
ill/lie_eed, it was but natural they should expect from profit would be 30,000,000/., a sum which, they
a something like an account of the rise and would agree with him, was a very large one to be
Progress of the Society.—(Hear, hear.) He believed realised by the commercial travellers of the United
The were all pretty well aware that the Mercantile
Kingdom. lie was glad that the toast had been pro-
.,
posed in such a comprehensive manner—one that
t'llta_avellers' Life Assurance Office was originally
's ei.by comparatively a very few influential corn- levelled all distinctions, placed the principal
ker and the representative on the same floor together,
to Leeds,
gentlemen, from motives most disinterested and placed the gentlemen of Manchester, eeds,
kim Ards-their fellow-travellers. After some time that Glasgow and every town that could be mentioned, on
th°:iety was amalgamated into another Society of the same footing.--(Cheers.) The large profit they
80 u. t equal standing --the National Endowment were the means of making was not always ill-disposed
labouredof. Let not the gentlemen around him ancyt .at they
eletk under the title of the National Mercantile
for persons who did no good with it. He
Assurancehad much
Society. Since that time the Society had only requested them to walk through thisgreat city—
triu., much to encounter ; many troubles and man let them pass through its streets and alleys, and what
itis awaited it ; but the vessel was built, did they see? They saw at every turn almshouses,
lee •
It -it had surmounted every obstacle.—(Hear.) hospitals, schhootls. Who created them ? Not the
the merchant princes of
lb Was, then, a most pleasing part of his duty rh aristocracy,v
dispensedu their princely wealth with London.alordly
017' evening to be able to present to them, not a
and princely hand. Reasoning on the amount of good
fragment
institution—(Hear, hear)—not with a done, he felt proud to belong to such a class. He could
pit or portion of this great undertaking, but go further. Men who had attained high honours had
'the whole and entire National Mercantile Life sprung from it. Sir Matthew Wood, who entertained
pr suranee Society.— (Cheers.) It was usual, on the royalty, arose
kfr.om
aists
arankosl:tioofianthatlretnhtelemlan
looked
tho'll.eOt occasion, to give something like a statement,
awraosunndotthesmpea amtgthe presentp time, they wyould see
,0 a.,i.th. not in detail, of the present prospects and others who had attained similar distinction. If they
klalon of
sew the Society. Immediately after the went to the Senate, they would find there a distin-
h'ereent of the differences between the gentlemen guished man, the leader of a section and a party ;
bt) had retired from the Board and the present whether they agreed with that gentleman's politics
t..reetors, the latter had considered it their duty, in or not was not the matter under consideration—but
'ger to Mr. Cobden was once a commercial traveller—(Loud
rTivor s
also satisfy, not only themselves, but the Pro-
cheers)—and if he were present on this occa.
orth`e ,to have a fail valuation made of the whole
sion, he was sure he would glory in acknow-
to hit iraffairs. This they immediately gave instructions ledging that he had been one.—(Loud cheers..
theirve done, and the task had been accomplished by Seeing the power and influence commercial men pos
aers ctuary, and tested by the actuary of the Uni- sess, he was sure they would agree with him that if
detvali_Life Assurance Office. It was his pleasing properly exercised and well united, they had power
enough to give Governments weight or make Ministers
Aate-,C..i.;e1l them that the account more than antici-
tremble.—(Cheers.) He then referred to the division
out p.,.,7their best expectations.---(Hear, hear.) With-
deli 'l:4lg into anything like detail or figures, he was t thatfi nhad t
htatk
the
pslace. int the o
ui
d sufferDirection, bnuot
lossw as
b happyth
at tied to be able to tell the present company that soecession that
thee gentlemenw ie y
w who had retired, andycone-
a, e cad of the year 1845 they would be able to eluded by thanking them warmly for the manner in
071 are a most liberal bonus to policy-holders and which the toast had been received.
tad
cheers.) Thus the Directors hands,Air STOKES
hsaide ha
should give
had been placed in his
been able to treat liberally all those who had left pleasure.w Nothin couldu gewmeowreithraatitgrienat
than
to
tn, and also to take ample care of those who re- have to propose ga
toast with whichg hisy segntimnentos
bl
th aired.-(Cheers.) He was going to say two or and feelings cordially agreed. He had to give the
b. see words on the subject of life assurance itself, health of a gentleman, with regard to whom he was
~et there were many gentlemen present much more sure the opinions of all of them were in unison withd
']'able than he was of dilating on this topic ; he hisch Chairman.
gave the "Health. of their respected
—(Loud cheering.) They owed him a
11,81(11 therefore, merely state that he did consider
deep debt of gratitude—deeper than they could re-
(lt: institution to be a most excellent one. He was pay in words ; and he therefore hoped that they would
(1,41 (satisfied it had been the means of doing a vast all actively assist him in carrying out the beneficial
aid of good, and many a poor family and desolate objects of this Society. It was to his firm and matnhly
etietaw .had had reason to rejoice in the existence of conduct that they wereindebted for the
.meeting of
duaott
day. Ever since he had entered the D'rection, is on
.ffi
1,4 an institution as this; but for it, misery,
ant, andallthe evils had been open and straightforward ; whatever di -
41,44,
have
lt. he hadmet in their cause, from that path he
cu les
en d • I h
oithe sue , an( e would urge all—for atl had never flagged nor swerved. His character in
t ,rl,ll had some ability—to do their best to support private life was without reproach, as a man of busi-
sol4 -there was not one of them but was able to do ness he was unexceptionable, but as a Director he
"hie ;he wouldallof "do
3,04 e .
,g. , say to
say they had never had such a one.—(Cheers.)
briefly returned thanks for the
Aar ;41) ' and then he was satisfied, if they were all The
nent
able
t 0
to meet another year, that they should be compliment.
ilWeasu then gave the healths of G. Redmayne,
flour:sea Present to them this Society in a far more and E. Baker, Esqs., the old Directors.
(lie aleg condition than it had ever yet attained to.— Mr. REDMATNE returned thanks.
that day
The4,,,r, hear.) He gave, as the toast, "Prosperity to Mr. SToCKDALE gave the newh Directorsr_
_oor
'''ational Mercantile Life Assurance Society." elected, Mr. P. Bolt, Dr. Curs am, and Mr. G M e.
to• Mr. Mooae, on behalf of himself and colleagues,
Ala,
d.st was drank with enthusiasm.
Ala ra spoke to the toast.
etie,ri ar• MoonE proposed the next toast. He said Mr. CurrLny gave the auditors. He stated, to
tratifienee taught them that they could not have any show what individual exertion can do, that Mr.
gratification without some alloy, and at present the Walsh, Mr. Starr, and Mr. Stockdale, had each
wttagleation he felt at being entrusted with the toast brought 30,0001. into the office, and he himself had
It :bated by the inability he felt to do justice to it. the means of introducing 110,000/.
,l(ia "I " The Commercial Travellers of the United been Mr. WALSH having returned thanks,
4crighec4n-"—(Loud cheers.) He knew not why he The CHAIRMAN gave the " Secretaries, and the
eatke ,en selected to give this toast, unless it was be- ' and medical officers."
assoti 4e had been for a great many years of his life legal
The toast was acknowledged by Mr. Evans.
ecia.4led with them.—(Hear, hear.) He had been The CHAIRMAN gave " ;The local agents, and Mr.
tillcr,_ted with them nearly twenty years, and he Chadwick, of Manchester. '—(Cheers.)
cad pear testimony to their character for industry Mr. CHAHwICK replied. He read a letter from
tthe Perseverance being unequalled. Often, through David Waddington, Chairman of the Directors of the
‘4lO-ttre of a winter's midnight, when others were Manchester and Birmingham Railway, expressing his
la 3, 8' their repose, they were travelling on the rail- disap ointment at not being able to attend the dinner.
al4ear in the steam-boat, advancing their employer's Thep Vice-Presidents and the Stewards were then
ho had st or their own. By this body of gentlemen severally proposed and drank.
the , that day been honoured with a place in Mr. STOKES proposed the health of Mr. Newbon.
ea4veioard of Directors of the Society. He Mr. NEWBON replied. He said there were materials
tlits`'h assure them he felt highly flattered by within the commercial body itself to accomplish all
that
„they
thus conferred upon him ; he was sure their most sanguine expectations. The man that con-
%o „,'"ey might have found many gentlemen quered empires, and trod nations beneath his feet, once
no.i, 7t'uld have done more justice to them.--(" No, -
, ) ~,
called a
itist ta-ne had been told in a very forcible manner think he did so in derision ? No; he. knew and felt
oue •t!li body of the Society wished to have, at least, that they were a great commercial nation, and hence
Wet Vreetor who had risen from the ranks ; and it the sentence escaped his lips. He concluded an able
tlitter proudest gratification that he had been asso- by complimenting them on the moderation
1141,,,,,With them for many years.—(Hear, hear.) He speechi had displayed on an occasion when they had
to th 'them
had !,n his humble abilities would permit ; and as he The Chairman then left the chair, and the proceed-
itota:i4ttle influence in the mercantile world, and had ings terminated. They were marked throughout by
Sairpewledge of the market towns of England, it the greatest unanimity and good feeling.
„%flae be his great anxiety to exert his ability and The vocalists engaged for the evening were Miss
Lltirl'ce to their advantage.—(Cheers.) As the Wieland, Misses O'Brien, Mr. F. N. Crouch, Mr. Hill,
%trle Illttn had told them, there had been Mr. Tranklee, and Mr. Lloyd. We must state also
°.t.• a 4.eeders from the office, in consequence that Mr.: Toole officiated as toastmaster with his
NA misunderstanding. lie had some returns accustomed ability.
tie whi Is '
kt • c- he was warranted in expecting that by
%ft, znenth they would be able to make
s e tae .
nped•2 income it had been deprived of. He also
Pet ,TeY should go on on a principle that would
qvial'uL.lrin an increase of business every month. In-
;,11 ax ally he would endeavour to set something like
the , 714.—(Hear, hear.) He concluded by giving
14:tiitelpealth of the Commercial Travellers of theg
ettio4 Kingdom," which was drank with the warmest
41, strations of feeling.
It() MORSE
tild acknowledged the toast. He said he
;.'hects,i_not affect any particular modesty, as on this
The `lll be thought itought to be thrown
41 e,,,e,,,.
importance, aside.
hadore
_l4 was one of very great much
."') perhaps, than his friend Mr. Moore
°lve ,l'aegined. It a ea was a very comprehen-
"wo -e ' if what he saidshould be reported
tt_
.tdd Z ,
411,. ling its way to the heart of every man in the
11) 'ees
„Itti h., --to the heart of every commercial gentle-
Lrie Scotland '
keispeechin which
.and Leland. Every one who read
(kr.6ltatefuil NNto'hicAhl th:lotoast was proposed,. would
41i4ut'Zijjtse) wouhrl. show, i forn thel:"epoous
course
eg
ofit.a
few
.4tased..2othat the body of commercial travellers pos-
vtirvit ror re importance than many persons gave them
t,; av,ra,
.Travellers, in the ordinary acceptation of
h.‘1%.!1 t;
~ere looked upon as men journeying from
oi7ing tio`lawri, merely in pursuit of business, and
Ivo,t .
vviews beyond it. Now they had a nobler
()!,ves ia_n,eY all felt that they owed a duty to their
etre, 'IQ families, and a great proof of this was
spen. '4 them „ . ,
ill it, uay tne reat number of re-
atire4,kehie in
g
gentlemen there assembled, who bad
their •
lives in this office, and he

SUICIDE OF A LADY AT BROMPTON.—Yesterday
Mr. Wakley, held an inquest at the Fulham-
bridge Tavern, on the body of Mrs. Mary Bingley, about
50 years of age, the widow of a solicitor, residing at
No. 2, Queen's-buildings, Brompton, who committed
suicide by cutting her throat on Friday morning. In
the course of the evidence it appeared that the husband
of the deceased lady died in August, 1843. For some
time after his death she had been much disturbed in
mind, and imagined that she was going to be sent to
prison, and that she would come to be hung, and on that
account became in quite a desponding state. Within the
last six months, however, she had been much better, and
appeared to be perfectly sane until the present occur-
rence. Her husband died owing considerable debts, and
the property was in Chancery, but only for the purpose
of the affairs being settled, and not on any disputed
point, as, after settling all claims, there will be a hand-
some property for the family, a hich consists of five
children, the eldest of which (a girl) is 17 years of age.
Verdict—" Temporary Insanity."
Felix Gatayes, pupil of the celebrated Listz, has
recently arrived in London, for the second time, after
having obtained the most brilliant success in Italy and.
Germany. M. Gatayes is a pianiste of extraordinary
talent ; but, beyond that, he is a composer of great
originality, vigour, and expression. Among the unpub-
lished productiot s of the young artiste are an opera and
a ballet, which it is his intention to submit to the judg-
ment of a London audience.—Courier de t Europe.
PREFERMENT.—The Rev. Dr. Jones, 8.D., of
Deptford, domestic chaplain to the late Lord Saye and
Sele, has been appointed chaplain to the Bight Hon. the
present Lord Saye and Sele. The Rev. J. B. Smith,
1).D., Head Master of Horncastle Grammar School, has
been appointed by the Duke of Newcastle one of his
Grit*/ domestic chaplains.

NAVAL

,ENCE,

PORTSMOUTH, DEC. 22.—The Britannia, 120, was
brought from her moorings alongside the jetty on Thurs-
day, to be completed as an advance ship.
The Emerald, tender, sailed yesterday, with super-
numeraries: for the ships fitting out to the westward.
The Lily, 16, Commander C. J. F. Newton, was
docked on Friday, to have her :copper examined and
cleaned, prior to hoisting: the pendant.
The Falmouth arrived on Friday from the eastern
yards, with stores.
The Princess Royal, 90, (after the Albion) has bad
her workmen taken off her, in pursuance of Admiralty
order.

The Albatross, 16, Commander Yorke, and the Ferrett,
6, Commander Oake, left St. Helena prior to the 20th of
September, for a cruise in the Bights of Benin. The
Albatross captured, on the 10th of August, a large
Spanish slaver, named Bolladore, which has been the
terror of the coast.
The Salamander, steam-sloop, Commander A. S.
Hamond, was at Otaheite on the 24th of July.
The Cormorant, steam-sloop, Commander G. T. Gor-
don, was at Valparaiso on the Ist of September.
The Espoir, 10, Commander Hadaway, left Ascension
on the 10th of October, for Congo River, having left
Commander Morrel at that island, as Commandant, vice
Finlaison, invalided.
The Sealark, 10, Commander Gooch, was lying at
Ascension on the 15th of October.
The Dido, 18, Commander the Hon. H. Keppel, is
ordered home from the China station to be paid off.
In Harbour—The Victorious hulk, bearing the flag of
the Commander-in-Chief, Sir Charles Rowley ; the Vic-
tory, the Excellent, Nautilus, Siren, Sparrow ketch, and
Dwarf and Fearless steamers ; and Britannia, 120, along-
side the jetty.
In Duck—The St. Vincent, Prince Regent, Ven-
geance, Victoria and Albert, Athol, and Lily.
In the Basin—The Neptune, Magicienne, and Locust
steam-sloop.
At Spithead—None.
DEC. 23.—The Royal mail steamer Avon came into
this harbour on Saturday, and was docked this day to
repair defects.
The Siren, 16, Commander Smith (b), will be paid off
to-morrow.
The Pique, 36, Captain the Hon. M. Stopford ; the
Eurydice, 26, Captain Elliott ; and Rose, 18, Captain
Sturt, were lying at Barbadoes on the 25th ult.
The Scylla, 16, Commander Sharpe, and Imaum re-
ceiving-ship, 72, Commodore Sharpe, were at Jamaica
on the 23d ult.
The Inconstant, 36, Captain Fremantle, left Port
Royal for Vera Cruz prior to the 23d of November.
The Styx steam-sloop, Captain Vidal, was at Fayal
on the 14th inst.
DEVONPORT.—The Portsmouth tender, Lieutenant
Peter Cracroft, sailed on her return to Portsmouth on
Wednesday.
The Albion, 90, Captain Lockyer, was towed from the
Sound into the harbour on Friday, to refit and repair
defects.
The Acorn, 16, Commander J. G. Bingham, hoisted
the pendant on Wednesday.
The Waterwitch, 8, Commander T. Francis Birch,
was undocked on Wednesday, having had her copper
cleaned, &c.
The Mutine, 12, Commander Crawford, was docked
on Wednesday, and has since had nine inches added to
her false keel ; she was undocked on Friday.
The Firebrand, steam-frigate, Captain Hope, came
into harbour from the Sound on Friday to refit.
The Persian 16, Commander Coryton, hoisted the
pendant on Friday.
In Harbour—The Caledonia, San Josef, Albion,
Superb, Acorn, Persian Daring, Mutine, Flying Fish,
Osprey, Espiegle, Pantaloon, Waterwith, Cruiser, Sa-
vage, Snipe cutter, and Firebrand and Confiarice
steamers.
The following warrant officers have been appointed to
the ships fitting out at this port ;
Gunners—W. Meldrum, to the Superb; John Reeves,
to the Ranger ; Richard Hooper, to the Racehorse ;
Thomas Cressman, to the Persian ; Richard Williams,
to the Actaeon ; Henry Norris, to the Acorn.
Boatswains—William Youlton, to the Ranger ; Alfred
Marshall, to the Racehorse : John Biddeford, to the
Persian ; John Wood, to the Actaeon ; Samuel Hill, to
the Acorn.

Carpenters—William Elms, to the Royal Oak ; Wm.
Polyblank, to the Ranger ; William Goodman, to the
Racehorse ; Thomas Penfound, to the Persian ; John
James Knight, to the Actaeon ; William Tucker, to the
Acorn.

Captain Gray, Lieutenants Bunce, Farmer, and
Nepean, with three sergeants, three corporals, two
drummers, and 138 privates, Royal Marines, entered on
board the Superb, 80, Captain Corry, on Saturday.
PnomonoNs.—Lieutenants—W. Robinson, 1837, late
of the Arrow ; G. Sprigg, 1839, late of the Brisk ; J.
Lunn, 1829, late of the Locust ; J. T. Caldwell, 1834,
late of the Agincourt (First Lieutenant), and acting
Commander of the Wolf, to the rank of Commander ;
Richard Jones (a, 1800), to be retired Commander on
the list of 1830.

Mates—H. Kerr, 1841, of the Carysfort, and A. 0.
Hansard, 1836, of the Geyser, to the rank of Lieutenant.

APPOINTMENTS.—Captain—G. Mansell, 1840, who
commanded the Wasp, 16, at the capture of St. Jean
d'Acre, to the Actaeon.

Commanders—G. J. Hay, 1828, to the Racehorse ;
T. S. Thompson, 1832, to the Comus ; H. Coryton,
1841, to the Persian ; J. E. Bingham, 1841, to the
Acorn; C. J. F. Newton, 183 E, late of the Coast Guard,
to the Lily ; Sir F. W. Nicholson, 1841, to the Fan-
tome ; James Anderson (b, 1841), to the Ranger ; G.
S. Hand, 1841, to the Espoir, vice Morrell, to the Tor-
toise, on the coast of Africa ; W. It. Stephens (acting),
to the Superb ; and G. E. Davies, to the Wolf, on the
China station, vice Hayes, invalided.
Lieutenants—C. Buller.), 1840 ; J. W. Fairholme,
1842, of the Excellent ; and A. G. West, 1844, pro-
moted from the Firebrand to the Superb ; E. B. Rice,
1844, to the Rattler; R. Edwards, to the Osprey ; R.
B. Carter, to the Daring ; W. A. Munton (for rank), to
the Royal William ; T. C. Meheux, to the Tartaras ;
M. Bourchier, to the Actaeon ; H. Probyn, to the Lily ;
H. le Vesconte, to the Superb ; J. W. Walton and J.
Irving, to the Excellent ; R. Robertson, 1840, and H.
1). Blanckley, 1844, to the Rattler; E. P. Fuge, 1844, to
the Fantome; A. R. Henry, 1842, t• the Ranger; T. N.
Moore, 1828, to the Comus ; IL Eden, 1837, to the
Eagle ; W. Tottenham, to the Racehorse ; F. Martin,
to the Persian ; G. Cleveland, to the Actaeon ; L. B:
Mackinnon, to the Superb ; and P. A. Halkett, to the
Acorn.

Masters—W. H. T. Green, 1844, to the Rattler
J. F. Wilkins, to the Lily ; J. F. Forster, to the Actaeon;
J. G. Fops, 1841, to the Racehorse; T. Goss, 1842, to
the Acorn; A. L. Halloran, to the Ranger; and J.
Bowler, to the Persian.
Surgeons—l). Davidson M.D., to the Royal William,
for rank; J. Coulter, to the Superb; H. Liddle, to
the Comus ; P. Fisher, to the Firebrand ; and A. R.
Bradford, to the Actaeon.
Paymasters and Pursers—H. Chimmo, to the Lily; G.
Thorn, to the Superb ; J. R. Tate, to the Rattler ;
J. Forster, to the Racehorse; J. S. Pope, to the Actaeon;
W. Weaver, to the Cruiser, vice Lance; E. Ward, to the
Acorn; and R. Ridley (acting), to the Ranger.
Chaplain—Rev. W. G. Tucker, from the Albion to
the Ce) lon, for service at Malta, vice Ritson, to Pem-
broke Dockyard.
Second Masters—W. P. Braund to the Superb ;
J. W. Lowe, to the Actaeon ; and A. L. Halloran
(acting), to the Ranger.
Master's Assistant—C. B. M'Dermott, to the Lily.
Assistant Surgeon—R, C. Russell, to the Royal Hos-
pital, Stonehouse.
Midshipman—J. W. Bridges, to the Actmon.

Sir John Cuninghame Fairlie, Sir Maxwell Wal-
lace, and Captain King, have been this week on a visit
to Mr. Wallace, the Member for Greenock, on a wood-
cock shooting excursion. The first cay they saw
between forty and fifty woodcocks, the second day not
quite twenty, owing to the thaw which took place on the
evening of the first day. The birds sat ren arkably
close, and were unusually heavy and in fine condition,
bat being in the strongest parts of the covers, eight
couple only were killed. We understand jMr. Wallace
adheres to his rule, since he went into Parliament, of
taking no share in field sports, in which walk he had all
his lifetime before been so distinguished.—Glasgow
Saturday Post.
The mortal remains of Lady Anne Culling Smith
were on Monday last removed from Hampton Court
Palace to Egham Church, there to be deposited in the
family vault. This mournful ceremony was attended
by her afflicted husband, Mr. Culling Smith, as chief
mourner, and also by the Duke of Beaufort, the Duke of
Wellington, the Marquis of Worcester, and Lord Robert
Grosvenor. The Earl of Mornington, Lord Cowley, and
the Hon. and Rev. Dr. Wellesley, were unavoidably
prevented from attending the funeral of their sister. Sir
Culling Eardley Smith was also unavoidably prevented
from attending.
Lady Jemitna Eliot gave a splendid ball on Wed-
nesday last at the residence of the Secretary for Ireland,
the Right Hon. Lord Eliot, in the Phoenix Park,Dublin,
when above six hundred distinguished persons honoured
her Ladyship by their presence. Among the company
were present the Earl of Clancarty, the Countess of
Glengall, the Countess of Donoughmore and Miss Le-
Tinge, Sir Edward and Lady Elizabeth Borough, the
Earl of Pomfret, Lord Tullamore, the Attorney-General
for Ireland, Mrs. and the Misses Smith, Viscountess
Massarene, Sir Philip and Lady Crampton, Lady and
Miss King, Sir John, Lady, and Miss Burgoyne, Sir
George Morris, Lord Cosmo Russell, Mr. A'Court,
Colonel and the Hon. Mrs. White, Sir Compton and
Lady Domvile and the Misses Domvile, the Solicitor-
General for Ireland, Lady Emily Pennefather, Captain
and Lady Emily Seymour, Colonel and Miss Gordon,
Sir Henry Marsh, Colonel and Miss Jones, Lieut.-
Colonel Frith, Colonel Mitchell and the officers of the
6th Regiment, the officers of the Bth Hussars, the officers
of the Royal Artillery, the officers of the 3.2 d, 73d, 67th,
46th, and 66th Regiments, stationed in Dublin, &c.
It is said that the King of the French occupies
himself so little about what the newspapers say in
France, that he hardly ever reads them ; and it is sin-
gular enough that the junior members of the Royal
Family only read the papers which are inimical to the
reigning dynasty and the existing order of things—such
as the National and the &forme, considering it wiser to
learn the sentiments of their enemies than read the adu-
lations of their friends.--Court Journal.
FIRE AT CHELSEA.—Last night, about half-past
six o'clock, the neighbourhood of Elizabeth-terrace,
Chelsea, was considerably excited by the discovery of a
fire making the most frightful progress in a newly built
house. Some carpenters and bricklayers had been em-
ployed therein during the day, and when the rolice
forced an entrance they discovered the timbers on fire.
Messengers soon went for engines, and after their arrival
the alarm soon subsided, but considerable damage was
done to the interior of the building,

THE SUN, LONDON, rITESDAY EVENIhG, DECEWBER 24, 1844.

PORTUGAL.
LISBON, TUESDAY, Dac. 17.
The Cortes were closed on Saturday last by the
Queen in person, the usual ceremonies being observed
upon the occasion. Her Majesty delivered from the
throne the following brief address :
" Illustrious Peers of the realm, and Deputies of
the Portuguese nation—lt is with unfeigned pleasure
that I this day behold myself surrounded by the re-
presentatives of the nation.
"I congratulate you, conjointly with myself, on the
fruitful result of your parliamentary labours.
" The measures resorted to by the legislative body,
for the purpose of establishing upon a solid basis the
public tranquillity, which has been unfortunately in-
terrupted in various parts of the kingdom, have pro-
duced the desired effect, and those which have since
been approved of, present the well-founded hope that
the Throne and constitutional institutions will not be
offended anew.

"The plans which have been adopted by you for
the improvement of the public revenue finances will
most powerfully tend to the attainment of that so
generally desired object, viz., the complete organiza-
tion of this important point.
" Public confidence, so generally manifested, to-
gether with the progressive augmentation of the
general credit, furnish an undeniable testimony to
the importance and utility of those measures.
" The affairs which have been submitted to your
deliberation have been of the most weighty nature,
and it behove me to say that the views taken of the
Game, and resolutions adopted by you, have proved
you to be worthy of the nation's eonfidence as well as
of my most especial benevolence.
" The session is closed."
In politics there is nothing new, or of a nature
worthy communicating.
The weather for the last few days had been most
tempestuous, blowing a hurricane, with heavy flood-
ing rains. On Saturday, at two P.M. a brig, the Li-
beral, from Rio Janeiro, in making for the South
Channel entrance, was seen suddenly to strand, with
a high and heavy sea running over her.
Before sunset several objects from the wreck,
among which were the mail-bags, were picked up in-
side the bar. The captain, four passengers, and four
of the crew were lost. The register frigate Ruguesa
de Braganza, which is anchored of Belem, sent boats
to the assistance of the unfortunate vessel, but in
vain. A tremendous sea and the gale blowing right
in prevented them making the least way. Nothing
could be done. It was their fate to perish. A Spanish
vessel is als.) on shore, and a good deal of anxiety is
beginning to be felt for the Oporto steamer, which
must have been at sea now some days.

ROYAL ARTILLERY SAYINGS

BANKS.

A general order, dated December 16, 1844, has
just been issued for the information of the officers,
non-commissioned officers, and men of the Royal
Artillery, on Home and Foreign stations, relative to
the savings' banks to be established in the corps in the
course of next year.
1. The following regulations and instructions for
establishing regimental savings' banks in the Ord-
nance corps, approved by the Master-General and
Board's order, dated 31st of July, 1844, S 524, are
promulgated to the Royal Regiment of Artillery :-
2. The Master-General and Board have decided

that the regulations are not to come into operation
until the Ist of April, 1845, in order that there may
be sufficient time for transmitting them to the most
distant stations, and for the officers and men becom-
ing duly acquainted with them before they are acted
upon.
3. In order to ensure the regulations being cor-
rectly carried into effect, three copies will be issued
for each troop, company, and adjutant's detachment,
viz., one copy for the guidance of the officer com-
manding the troop or company, and one copy in the
possession of the pay non-commissioned officer, for
the information of the men of the company. A copy
will also be issued for each field officer in command
at home and abroad. With the regulations will be
issued the blank ledgers, with other documents, which
are to be forwarded to their destinations.
4. The institution of savings' banks in the army
being intended for the permanent advantage of sol-
diers, the Master-General and Board desire that all
officers in command of troops and companies will
afford every facility and encouragement to the non-
commissioned officers and men under their orders to
become depositors; but they, at the same time, re-
quest that officers will use such means as they may
deem necessary to prevent the capricious deposit of
small sums for short periods only, which would occa-
sion much trouble without being of any benefit to the
men.

5. With respect to men detached from head-quar-
ters, they will be at liberty to make arrangements for
the transmission of any moneys they may wish to de-
posit in the troop or company's savings banks; in
making of which arrangements the officers or non-
commissioned officers in charge of the detachment,
and also the officers commanding the troops or com-
panies to which the men belong, are, in accordance
with 4 of this order, especially directed to assist them
with the best advice and information they may be
enabled to afford; but it must be distinctly under-
stood that, in the event of accident, any loss incurred
in this way must be borne by the party making the
deposit.
6. In carrying into effect the savings' banks regu-
lations some difficulty may be felt at first, from the
dispersed nature of the Artillery, service; but it is
hoped experience will suggest plans for overcoming
any that may arise; and the Master-General and
Board trust that officers will exercise the strictest
supervision over the accounts of every. individual.
(Signed) H. D. ROSS,
Deputy Adjutant-General.
M,

COURT CIRCULAR.
WINDSOR, MONDAY.—The Queen and Prince Albert
went out for their early morning walk. On the return
of her Majesty and his Royal Highness, the Prince
left the Castle to shoot in the royal preserves, attended
by Mr. Anson and Sir Edward Bowater.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent visited
the Queen and Prince Albert this morning.
Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal went out
for a carriage airing this morning.
Their Royal Highnesses Prince Alfred and the
incess Alice were taken a walk to-day.
The Earl of Aberdeen and Sir Henry Wheatley
arrived at the Castle to-day, on a visit to the Queen.
The Countess of Gainsborough is expected to
arrive this evening at the Castle.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, Lady
Fanny Howard, and the Countess Wratislaw, joined
the royal circle at dinner.
Her Majesty's private band was in attendance at
the Castle after dinner, and performed during the
evening.

The Queen honoured Mr. Thorburn with a sitting
to-day for her portrait.
The Queen and Prince Albert inspected, on Satur-
day, an engraved portrait of the Princess Charlotte of
Belgium, engraved by Robinson, from an original
miniature painted by Sir William Ross, R A., for her
Majesty the Queen of the Belgians, which was sub •
mitted by Mr. David Thomas White. Her Majesty
and his Royal Highness were pleased to express their
approbation.

A deputation of the promoters of the Redcar and
Wear Valley Railway had an interview with the Earl
of Dalhousie yesterday, at the office of the Board of
Trade.

Mr. Hart Davis, Deputy Chairman of the Excise,
had an interview with the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer yesterday, at his official residence in Down-
ing-street.
The Hon. Sidney Herbert transacted business yes-
terday at the Foreign-office.
A deputation to present memorials from Mon-
mouthshire and Breconshire had an interview with
the Earl of Dalhousie yesterday, at the Board of
Trade. The deputation presented memorials from
Monmouth county, from Monmouth town, from
Abergavanny, from Usk, from Brecon, and from
Crickhowell.

The Earl of Aberdeen left town yesterday after
noon for Windsor Castle.

Lord Granville Somerset had an interview with the
Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday.
Dispatches from the Governors of the West India
Colonies were received yesterday at the Colonial-
office.

A deputation from the Rotherham, Bawtry, and
Gainsborough Junction Railway, had an interview
with the Earl of Dalhousie yesterday.

LITERATURE.
THE LAWYERS 1N LOVE. 3 Vols.
Cochrane, London, 1844.
The title of this work suggests the idea offun and
drollery, and there is much of this to be found in it,
though it will certainly not quite answer the reader's
expectations. The tale is in the form of an auto-
biography, and professes to consist of passages from
the life of a Chancery barrister, which were written
many years since, and the manuscript of which was
found in an old musty, worm-eaten closet in the
author's chambers. Some of the characters, especially
that of Aunt Circumspect, are drawn with spirit and
discrimination, and the closing incidents of the story
are full of broad humour, and would form the
materials of an excellent farce. It is impossible to
read the account of the marriage of Aunt Circumspect
with her own brother's clerk, with whom she had
eloped, under the mistaken notion that he was a
nobleman of fortune, without indulging in a hearty
laugh, such as that which we enjoy when reading of
the matrimonial mishaps of the leading personages in
Congreve's Old Bachelor.

'one CARRIAGE Ronneities.'--Last night infor-
mation of the following extensive robberies from gentle-
men's carriages whilst en route was received-it the head
office of the Metropolitan Police, Great Scotland-yard:—
Stolen on the evening of Friday tut, from the hind part
of the carriage of J. Savage, Es of No. 2, Clarges-
street, between the New-cross Railway Station and
Clarges-street, a dressing case, lined with crimson velvet,
containing the following very valuable articles of jewel-
lery :—A Maltese cross with a large diamond in the centre,
surmounted with smaller ones; two diamond half hoop
rings, with seven stones in each; an emerald ditto, with
five stones; a ruby ring, with large stone; a sapphire
ditto, set with small brilliants; an amethyst ring, sur-
rounded with brilliants; a yellow chain and ring, a
turquoise ditto, with hair at the back and small diamond;
daiatmuroqoudoiseearrriinnggs,of
afivpeaisrtonoefs,dajampaoinr
diamond goldearrings, fi
ela g rs
e et
transparent, and strung with pearls; a pair of pearl
earrings, a pair of diamond ditto, set solid; two sets
of pearl gold earrings, one pair with diamond tops; a
Trinchinopoli chain screw snap, with ruby in centre ;
two plain bracelets, a gold ditto, with heart ; a pair of
pink topaz earrings, a gold heart and cross, a small
mourning ring, with white hair, set with brilliants ; a
silver butterfly brooch, and a Bombay work-box, ivory
inlaid, with silver and ebony, and with purple and velvet,
containing a gold thimble and scissors. From the car-
riage of H. D. Prinsep, Esq., of 37, Hyde Park-gardens,
supposed between the Bricklayers' Arms Railway sta-
tion and Hyde Park-gardens, a new portmanteau, with
" IL T. Prinsep" engraved on a brass plate, containing
several silk dresses, numerous habit shirts, and collars of
Valencia lace, a handsome worked pocket handkerchief,
a Court white plume of feathers, a headdress, velvet,
with gold and silver fringe band, a ith falls of gold and
silver tissue at the sides, which descend to the shoulders;
a Benares turban, all of gold and silver tissue •, several
velvet vests, embroidered with gold lace, 'other vests,
silk, plaid, and jean ; as also a tortoiseshell head comb,
with a tortoiseshell top.
A MONUMENT TO PICTON.—We do not think we
shall either deservedly render curselves obnoxious to a
charge of egotism, or exhibit the Welshman as evincing
a love of praise less unequivocally than praise-worthi-
ness, if, in our desire to dissociate ourselves from what
we deem discreditable, we take the opportunity which
now presents itself of mentioning a fact, in reference to
Picton's monument, personal to ourselves. We neither
covet nor claim any praise, but we should be ashamed of
ourselves had we shrunk from the performance of an
obvious public duty, deterred by any servile apprehen-
sion of offending parties whose conduct had proved
sufficiently that they required a plain-spoken monitor to
remind them of neglect. The fact, then, which we
desire to state, because we would not ride through
Coventry with Carmarthen, or any other Corporation
that had committed itself to a meanness, and continued
in the slough and depths of that meanness, is simply
his :—The individval who has conducted this paper at
Carmarthen, for some years, has, in his editorial capa-
city, through the columns of the IVehhrnan, over and
over again, publicly and earnestly called upon Carmar-
then, and the countrymen of the lion-hearted Picton, to
come forward and vindicate its claim to common decency
at least. We have repeatedly urged upon their attention
the harm they were doing to their own reputation, and
the injury they were inflicting on the character of their
Cambriam countrymen, by the pettifogging parsimony
described in the foregoing article. We have more than
once represented, in the pages of this paper, the stigma
attaching to the town of Carmarthen and its environs,
by what every stranger considers a mean and sordid
neglect, significant of a littleness and an ignoble nature
in those who do not see it in that light. Whoever else,
therefore, is to blame, we at least are blameless. Some-
thing, however, it seems, is now at length going to be
done. May we remind our readers that, for the mea-
sure now in progress, they are mainly indebted to the
public press ? But for the Times, through its able re-
presentative, Picton's monument would have remained a
disgrace to Wales. And we will here repeat, withont
reference to this comparatively unimportant matter, what
we have on several former occasions said—'namely, that
South Wales owes a deep debt of gratitude to the Times,
for a full and proper discharge of the duties devolving on
the public press.— Welshman.
THE QUEEN AND THE BISIIOT or EXETER.—We
hear it stated, upon authority which we believe to be
good, that a communication has taken place between
Sir Robert Peel and the Bishop of Exeter, respecting
his recent charge to the clergy of his diocese, and that
an intimation has -been conveyed to the Right Rev. Pre-
late, that if he persist in the Rubrical innovations—or
restorations ?—there prescribed, the Queen, as the head
of the (Aiwa roust interfere.— Weekly Chronicle.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.
TATTERSALL'S--YnsTEnDny.
The Derby betting touched upon nearly all the
standard favourites, and, in a few instances, with some
effect on the prices ; thus 1,000 to 35 was laid agst
Anti-Repealer, and 800 to 20 agst Young Eclipse—a
fall of several points on the previous quotations. The
Rebecca colt and the one out of Calypso's dam were
backed at 1,000 to 30 each, the former with a de-
cided call; 1,000 to 25 each was taken about Pan-
tasa, Fitzallen, and Weatherbit, and 500 to 10 about
Cabin Boy, their backers willing to go on ; 50 to 1
was laid to about 2001. agst Ironmaster, " all in," the
only terms upon which any business was or could
have been transacted. Against the principal favourites
the only bets were 600 to 50 agst Alarm, 500 to 25
agst the Cobweb colt, 1,100 to 50 anol 500 to 25 two
or three times agst Pam, the takers, particularly the
Pam division, "fond." Of the general prices, and of
several engagements on the Chester Cup, we subjoin
the usual averages:—
CHESTER CIIP—(NAME on NOT.)
1000 to 20 agst Ratan—taken
1000 to 20 agst Corranna—taken
1000 to 20 agst Extempore—taken
1000 to 20 agst Celeste—taken
2000 to 40 agst A-la• mode—taken
2000 to 40 agst Wiseacre—taken
2000 to 40 agst Semiseria—taken
500 to 10 agst Mid Lothian—taken
300 to 5 agst Peggy—taken
Offers to take 35 to 1 about Winesour.
DERBY.
11 to I agst Mr. Greville's Alarm
16 to 1 apt Lord Stradbroke's Idas—take 17 to 1
18 to 1 agst Colonel Anson's Kedger—t. 20 to 1
18 to 1 agst Col. Peel's Cobweb oolt—take 20 to 1
20 to I agst Lord Chesterfield's Pam—taken
1000 to 35 apt Mr. Jaques's Anti-Repealer—taken
30 to 1 agst Mr. A. Johnstone's Rebecca colt
30 to 1 agst Mr. St. Paul's c out of Calypso's dam—t.
33 to 1 agst Mr. Gully's Old England—taken
33 to 1 agst Duke of Richmond's Laird o'Cockpen
—taken and afterwards offered.
35 to 1 agst Mr. S. Stanley's Minikin colt—t. 40 to 1
40 to 1 agst Mr. Coleman's Young Eclipse—taken
40 to 1 agst Mr. Mostyn's Pantasa—taken
40 to 1 agst Mr. Gully's Weatherbit—.taken
40 to 1 agst Mr. Hesseltine's Fitzallen—taken
50 to 1 agst Mr. Lintott's Cabin-boy—taken
50 to 1 agst Mr. A. W. Hill's Ironmaster—t. (all in)
50 to 1 agst Col. Cradock's Jinglepot
250 to 200 on Idas apt the Cobweb colt—taken
1000 to 10 and 2000 to 15 laid apt Ides winning this
and the 2000 Guineas, and Lancashire Witch the Oaks.
OAKS.
10 to 1 each, in one bet, laid agst the Lancashire
Witch and Refraction.
12 to 1 agst Duke of Richmond's Refraction—taken
15 to 1 apt Lord G. Bentinck's Rose of Cashmere—t.
1000 to 30 apt Lord G. Bentinck's Miss Eke—taken
400 to 100 agst Kent's lot.

RATES OF POSTAGE FOR THE
ARMY AND NAVY.
The following notice appeared to-day at the General
Post-office, St. Martin's-le-Grand :
"BT COMMAND OF THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL.
"Notice to the Public, and Instructions to all Post
masters, Sub-Postmasters, and Letter Receivers.
" General Post-office, Dec., 1844.
" The following regulations and alterations in the
rates of postage having been authorised by warrant
of the Lords' Commissioners of her Majesty's Trea-
sury, dated the 28th ult., will commence and take
effect on and from the Ist of January next. Letters
addressed to commissioned officers of the Army, Navy,
or Ordnance, while employed on actual service in any
of her Majesty's colonies, or on. any foreign station,
who shall have removed to the United Kingdom in
the execution of their public duty, shall not be liable
to any additional postage on their re-direction from
such colony or foreign station to this country.
"British newspapers, duly stamped, addressed to
commissioned or non-commissioned officers of the
Army or Navy, or to any soldiers, sailors, or marines,
while actually employed on her Majesty's service in
any foreign country, or on any foreign station, may
be forwarded by packet free of postage, provided they
are made up and dispatched under the existing regu-
lations as regards the transmission of newspapers to
foreign countries.
" The privilege at present enjoyed by soldiers and
sailors in her Majesty's service, and by soldiers in the
service of the East India Company, of receiving and
sending letters, not exceeding half-an-ounce, at a re-
duced rate of postage, is extended to seamen in the
service of the East India Company while actually
employed in such service."

THE POACHING AFFRAY AT CROOatE.--WoR•
CESTER, SUNDAY NIGHT.—The unfortunate gamekeeper,
who was brought to the Worcester Infirmary on Friday
night with a fractured skull and other injuries inflicted
on him by a gang of some twenty poachers early on that
morning, in the game preserves of Earl Coventry, in the
parish of Croome, still lies at the hospital in a very pre -
carious condition. His name is Thomas Smite. The
two other men who were seriously injured by the
poachers are brothers, named Compton, residing at the
village of Bempsey, between Worcester and Croeme.
They are in a fair way of recovery. We have just
heard that one of the poachers, named Turvey, has been
captured by the police. A reward of 501. has been offered
by the Earl of Coventry's steward for the apprehension
and conviction of the parties concerned in this outrage,
and in the printed notices issued to this effect it is
intimated that an application will be made to the Secre-
tary of State for a free pardon for any accomplice who
may be the means of bringing his confederates to
j ustice.

VISIT OF THE BLUE-COAT BOYS TO THE ADE-
LAIDE GALLERY.—Yesterday the boys of Christ's Hos-
pital, nine hundred in number, visited the Adelaide
Gallery, in the Lowther Arcade, and appeared highly
delighted with the amusements and various curious spe-
cimens of mechanism exhibited there.

HEALTH OF GENERAL 'OTT.—We are happy in
being able to state that the General is now somewhat
better, though still far from out of danger. For several
days he was lying insensible, but a favourable change
has taken place, He is now able to sit up for a few
hours daily.-IYelihman.

THE CHARITABLE BEQUESTS
BILL.

SLAVERY and the FREE CHURCH.

A correspondence between Dr. Chalmers and seve-
ral other parties, relative to the question of slavery in
the United States (as connected with the Scottish
Free Church), has been recently introduced into se-
veral of the Edinburgh newspapers. The interchange
of letters was founded originally on one sent by Dr.
Chalmers to Dr. Thomas Smyth, of Charleston, Caro-
lina, in which the latter Rev. Doctor was thanked
most warmly for the contributions made by himself
and his friends to the cause of the Free Church in
Scotland. But Dr. Chalmers went further in hi*
epistle. He used to Dr. T. Srnyth certain language.,
and gave vent to particular sentiments, which, as we
do not mean to print the correspondence separately,
we may here quote :
" I do not need to assure you how little I sympa•
thise with those who, because slavery happens to pre-
vail in the Southern States of America, would un -
christianise that whole region, and who even carry
their extravagance so far as to affirm that, so long as
it subsists, no fellowship or interchange of good offices
should take place with its churches or its ministers.
As a friend to the universal virtue and liberty of man-
kind, I rejoice in the prospect of those days w hen
slavery shall be banished from the face of the earth ;
but most assuredly the wholesale style of excommuni-
cation contended for by some is not the way to husten
forward this blissful consummation."
Here is a different view of things, indeed, from
that taken by Dr. Andrew Thomson, a lea-der-of the
Scottish Church, who may be named nt any time
with Dr. Chalmers without a shadow of disparage-
ment to the latter. Many will remember the indig-
nant manner in which the former deceased champion
of religion and liberty denounced the half-and-half
views which Dr. Chalmers now advocates. Can we
be unmindful of the noble spirit which Pr. A. Thom-
son evinced in 1830, when, by the irresistible force of
his eloquence, and the hacking power of a good cause,
he turned nearly the entire people of Scotland,
if not, indeed, the majority of the British nation,
from their hasty assent to proposed partial mead
sures of slave-emancipation—rousing them to the
demand for a full and immediate abolition of that
most unnatural species of bondage where man holds
property in man ? We turn with pleasure to the
very words on that occasion of the illustrious and
revered speaker. " If the planter had property in the
slave," said Dr. Thomson, " he must be able to plead
that it is a right of property given to him by God.
If man has property in man, the white must have
property in the black, and why may not the -black
also have a right of property in the white ? Ills
(Dr. T.'s) argument was, that slavery was essentially
opposed to the first principles of our nature, and at
variance with the spirit of our holy religion. It
would not do for the slave-holders to tell him that
they did not make men slaves. Had they not taken
them as slaves they might have been free, for it was
just as bad to keep a man in slavery as it was to make
him a slave."

Deeply, seriously do we mourn over the triumph
which the Government have gained over the Church
of God. For a time they have succeeded in. binding
three Prelates of that Church to the chariot wheels of
the State. This is a cause of mournful regret to
every Catholic in the kingdom.
We certainly were of opinion that the three digni-
fied Prelates whose names are now before the world
as the sanctioners of this insidious measure, the fruit
of Protestant and anti-Catholic legislation, would not
have accepted the power of administering that mea-
sure, until it had been weeded of all its most dan-
gerous clauses. It has been said that Dr. Murray, in
reply to a deputation that waited on him from the
Regular Order of the Clergy, admitted that there
were certain modifications required, and which
he himself judged necessary to the right work-
ing of the Act. Our surprise is, that Dr. Murray,
who must be supposed, even without this declara-
tion, to be intimately conversant with the open and
palpable as well as the hidden dangers to the Catholic
Church, should accept office under an Act which no
man, save perhaps an O'Malley, has had the hardi
hood to approve (fin its present shape. We are poor
judges of what becomes the dignity of a bishop, but
our opinion is, that, laying all other considerations
aside, it would be more politic for one of the most re-
vered dignitaries of the Church of the unbroken
erarchy to have positively and decidedly refused
office from the Government until the Bequests Act—
so intimately affecting the independence of his Church
—had been freed from clauses to which he, as well
as the great body of the clergy and laity, conscien-
tiously objected. Now, Dr. Murray, Dr. Crolly, and
Dr. Denvir have taken office under the Act as it is,
with all its imperfections on its head, relying on the
honesty of Sir Robert Peel, and confiding in the good
faith of an anti-Irish and anti-Catholic Govern-
ment ! Did these exalted Prelates refuse office until
the Act had been purged of its insults and its snares,
the Government would strike in a moment, for "a
Datholic Bishop at any price" is the policy of a Ca-
binet whose greatest " difficulty" is Catholic Ireland.
To our mind, this acceptance of office, for the admi-
nistration of a confessedly dangerous and imperfect
law, is more precipitate than becomes the grave deli-
beration of members of the most august body in the
community.
We have repeatedly shown that the regular orders
of the clergy, to whom the Catholic Church in Ireland
is so everlastingly indebted, are struck off, at one
blow, from even the sanction and acknowledgment
of this nefarious law—that they are placed beyond
the pale of its provisions—that the insult sand base in-
dignities of the so-called Catholic Relief Act are sanc-
tioned and perpetrated by one accursed clause, which,
as it were, outlaws the purest, the best, the most
learned men in the Church of God. Against this
injustice, this foul wrong, this undeserved stigma,
the secular clergy and the majority of the hierarchy
have spoken out in the voice of indignation. Why
not ? Is not the insult to one order an insult to
another ? Is not a danger to one a danger to another ?
When the one branch of the great tree is lopped off
by the spoiler, is there safety for the other ? If the
Church of God yield one step to the force or the
fraud of her hereditary oppressors, is not her power
of further resistance weakened, her prestige broken ?
It is this fear, no less than the gratittide which the
whole Church feels towards an order illustrious for
its services as eminent for its virtues, that now binds
our Church to one bond of fraternity and union, and
raises a mighty voice of indignant remonstrance
throughout the land.

We might, were we so inclined, point out the in-
dignity offered to the Catholic prelates whose vene-
rated names we, as Catholics, regret to see paraded
in the columns of a Government Gazette—the in-
sulting difference between " The Most Rev. John
George, Lord Archbishop of Armagh, and Primate
of all Ireland"—and " The Most Rev. Archbishop,
William Crolly." But it is not about such trifles
that we seek to arrest the attention of our readers ;
it is of the principle of the act we complain—it is for
the iniquitous provisions we have fear—it is for what
we regard as the fatal entrapping of three of our
Prelates in the meshes of a Protestant and hostile
Government, that we mourn.
Oh, the history of our struggles and triumphs is
glorious in its lesson of firmness and fortitude
When the altars of God were defiled, even in the
name of that Great Being; when the bishop was
hunted down by the bloodhound of an accursed law;
Shen the priest fled to the cave and the mountain,
to offer up the holy sacrifice, of the mass in dark-
ness, or under the arching canopy of Heaven ; when
transportation and death were words familiar to the
ear of the minister of religion--even then there was
less fear for the independence of that Church, whose
first struggles were in the bloody arena, and whose
foundations were bathed in the life-tide of its martyrs,
than there is now, when, amidst the approval and re-
verence of the world, it is threatened by the vile
contamination of a Protestant State. May that
threatened danger be soon averted by the determined
union of the clergy and the laity.—Cork Examiner.

But without dwelling on the events of that memo-
rable struggle, we shall allow an American to. talk to
Dr. Chalmers on this point—an American eminent
as an anti slavery advocate among his brethren of
the United States—Mr. Tappan, of New York.
Writing to Mr. Joseph Sturge on the letter of Dr.
Chalmers, Mr. Tappan says—
" I cannot convey to you an adequate idea of the
immense mischief such a letter will do in this coun-
try. The tendency is to pull down what we have
been attempting for ten years to build up. It•is taking
sides with religious professors who hold slaves, whose
consciences have been reached by anti-slavery dis-
cussions. It is administering an opiate to northern
pro-slavery ministers, who have been placed in an
awkward position by anti-slavery arguments and en-
treaties. Such a letter as this, proceeding from the
pen of one whose writings are exerting a great in-
fluence in this country, will do more injury
.than all
the good that can be done by his publications in past
years.

TIIa FROST AT HA RI BURGH.—We learn from private
sources that on the 17th inst., the London mails of the
6th, 10th, and 13th insts., had not reached Hamburgh,
in consequence of which, in addition to the entire ob-
struction of the navigation on the river Elbe by the ice,
' business in general was exceedingly dull. On the
16th the intensity of the frost was much disni-
nished, and on the following day—viz., the 17th, the ther-
mometer of Raumur exhibited one degree of
warmth. Rain had fallen on that day from
morning to evening, but there were indications of a very
early renewal of frost. The execution of Tschech,
at Spandau, for his attempted assassination of the King
of Prussia, was known at Ilamburgh, and had created
no sensation whatever. The Turkish Government had
nominated a consul at llambnrgh, in the person of a
Portuguese gentleman, who already represents the Go-
vernment of his own country in the capacity of consul-
genet al, and he had Rot felt himself at liberty to accept
the appointment without referring first for permission of
the authorities at Lisbon. This is the first appointment
of the kind which the Turkish Government have made
in the north of Europe, and it is an indication of a desire
to extend the commercial relations of the empire, which
cannot fail to be interesting to the mercantile public.
SERIOUS FIRE AT THE MANSION OF THE EARL OF
lIARRINGTON, WHITEHALL-GARDENS. Considerable
consternation was caused yesterday morning (Monday),
in the household of the Right Hon. the Earl of Harring-
ton, in Whitehall-gardens, next door to the town resi-
dence of Sir Robert Peel, by the discovery of a fire,
which, it appears quite evident, had been smouldering
for a considerable time. and had broken out in the dress-
ing-room of his Lordship on the second-floor, imme-
diately ever the ball-room. About a quarter after six
o'clock the attention of one of the inmates was arrested
by a crackling noise, attended by a strong smell of fire.
Upon proceeding up stairs and making strict examina-
tion in the several lower rooms, it was at length dis-
covered that the fire had originated underneath
the hearth of the dressing-room, passed along by
the joists of the flooring, which at that time were
all on fire, whence it proceeded to an elaborately
finished recess, most richly ornamented with
cornices of gold, of a very beautiful design, and fur-
nished with a very handsome reclining couch, magnifi-
cently adorned. These at the time of the discovery
were burning rapidly, threatening the destruction of
the whole mansion. An immediate attempt to extin-
guish the flames was made by the servants, but, finding
they were unable to do so, a messenger was dispatched
to the Chandos-street station of the fire brigade, thence
to Mr. Fogo, the foreman of the western station, and to
the West of England establishment, engines from which
speedily arrived. A plug in the gardens was drawn, but
the supply of water was very scanty, and buckets filled
from the cisterns supplied around the edifice were used
with much effect in staying the progress of the
flames. By a continuous line of buckets, the supply
of water was well maintained, which was judiciously
distributed by the firemen ; but the fire was burning
in so large a body under the flooring, that it was
found necessary by Mr. Fogo to cut away the floor,
quite into the ball-room, a considerable portion of the
ceiling of which is destroyed. This ball room is a beau-
tiful specimen of modern architectural finish. It is
elegantly fitted up, and has a deep medallion pattern
cornice around the summit of the side walls. In the
end next to the dressing-room, where the fire broke out,
a hole is cut about two feet square, which it required
considerable labour and upwards of an hour to accom-
plish. This aperture passing through the ceiling of the
ball-room, which, by the smoke, the fire, and the water
is damaged, the whole will have to be painted and re-
gilt. In the dressing-room much damage is &me. The
recess is nearly burned out, the couch is destroyed, a
great number of classical figures, beautifully overlaid
with gold, are broken, and a variety of articles of vertu
aro spoiled, as is much of the furniture and elaborate
appointments, both by fire, water, and removal, so much
so, that it will cost his Lordship a considerable sum to
renovate the mansion and supply the loss occasioned by
the disaster.

- "Why will your ministers of the gospel launch such
missiles against the sacred cause of abolition P Why
do they so dishearten us when we are toiling day
and night, at such sacrifices, to change public senti-
ment, win over the consciences of our countrymen,
and bring about the overthrow of the cruel system of
slavery? I have not words to express the grief and
astonishment I feel at such strange conduct. In
addition to the general character of the letter, let me
point your attention to some expressions in it that are
in themselves very reprehensible, and unworthy of
the character of Dr. Chalmers as a man and a theolo-
gian. Because slavery happens to prevail in the
Southern States of America.' Happens I Is this
proper language for a Doctor of Divinity to me in
speaking of a moral offence? or does Dr. Chalmers
think slaveholding consistent with morality and reli-
gion ? From the expression quoted, it would seem
that he does, and that he scarcely thinks it even an
offence against humanity and common justice.
Slavery prevails in our Southern States, be it known
to Dr. Chalmers, because 250,000 slaveholders will
that it shall prevail. They hold their fellow-men in
bondage, keep them in ignorance, stop their ears at
the cry of oppression, and at the remonstrance of the
friends of the slave, because, having the power, they
will not relinquish it. Happens, indeed I' "
S ►me of the distinguished adherents of the Free
Church have already attempted to remedy the error
committed, but, if we may judge from the letter of
the Rev. Henry Grey, they can but clear themselves,
not their brethren and colleagues. All that Dr.
Chalmers has done, on being appealed to for an ex-
planation of his sentiments, has been to defer it on
the plea of his sessional occupations as a teacher of Di-
vinity. He proposes, however, to make the matter
" a study" as soon afterwards as possible. Ile and
his brethren of the Free Church would indeed require
to do so, as dangerous inferences and impressions
have followed the publication of this correspondences
—Scotsman.

" SURPLICE AND GOWN "—A rector in the diocee,e
of Exeter has settled this question in rather a comical
way. A few days ago he preached, without either tar-
plice or gown, in his great coat.
The Very Rev. the Dean of Jersey arrived in-tbat
island on Wednesday, and was on the following. ay
inaugurated into his new office before the Ecclesiastical
Court.

DREADFUL ACCIDENT.--Yesterday afternoon, be-
tween two and three o'clock, a man, having the appear-
ance of a bricklayer, after ,ascending a ladder in front
of the house, No. 26, Chapel street, Pentonville, for the
purpose of doing some repairs upon the roof, and walk-
ing a ,ew yards upon the parapet, either suddenly fell,
or precipitated himself to the ground. The house is a
three storey one. The unfortunate man fell upon his
face, and, though not literally killed upon the spot, no
hope can be entertained of his recovery. He was taken
up covered with blood, reveral of his limbs being frac-
tured, and was conveyed by the police, on a stretcher, to
the North London Hospital, Gray's Inn-lane. The
name of the man coup pot be ascertained by our infor-
mant, but he lived in Howard's-green, City-road. A
woman who keeps a fruit stall opposite the house from
which he fell, and who says she had her eyes fixed upon
him at the moment, expresses her firm belief that he
threw himself off, but this must be considered doubtful.
Why is the Polka like bitter beer ? Because there
are so many hops in it.
It has been determined on to erect barracks in
Portsea for 1,000 men of the line, and orders have been
received here to that effect. The barracks are to be
erected on the Ordnance Ground, between the Lion sad
Unicorn Gates.—Hampshire Independent,

TIE REBELLION OF 1745.—1 t is in contemplation
to celebrate the centenary of the Rebellion of Forty-five,
next August, in the West Highlands.—Carlisle Journal.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer acknowledges the
receipt of one sovereign enclosed to him in a note signed
" China Crape," which money will be placed to the
public credit.

It is said that Messrs. Rogers and Co. find the
acceptors of the bills of exchange which were stolen from
them come forward very handsomely, most of theta
having paid their acceptances upon the guarantee of the
house to keep them harmless.
The Marquis of Downshire has been sworn into
office as High Steward of Reading, iu the room of the late
Viscount Sidmouth. •
CHARGE AGAINST A POLICE INSPECTOR.—At the
Somerset Winter Assizes, just over, a charge of rape
preferred against four men, named Lacey, Poole,
England, and Wicks, by Ann Holbrook, fell to the
ground in consequence, it was understood; of an alleged
mock trial of the case having taken place at a public-
house in Taunton. In this farce, Frost, an inspector of
the Bath police, was stated to have acted the part- of
" Judge ;' and Mr. Baron Alderson remarked strongly
on the supposed proceeding, attributing the acquittal of
the prisoners to the effect produced by it on the minds
of the jury. These circumstances having reached •the
knowledge of the Bath magistrates, Monday was fixed on
for their investigation. The affair was sifted to the bottom,
and turned out to have been mere " moonshine." A
mock trial of some sort did certainly take place ; it was„
however, found to be entirely disconnected with the bu-
siness of the assize, and arose from the circumstance of
one Butt, a witness in the Lansdown-riot case having
gone into the bed-room of Ann Holbrook, Matilda
Flower, and some others, and there washed himself. In
the evening, some of the " ladies" jocularly proposed to
try him under the provisions of " the Strong Beer Act,"
for having taken the liberty of entering their chamber.
This they did, and inflicted on him a fine of a quart of
beer, which he, however, not recognising the jurisdiction
of the " Court," nor the " Act " wader which it seas
constituted, refused to disburse. Frost was present
during a part of these proceedings, but took no part in
them beyond advising Butt to pay the money. This
little incident having reached the ears of the counsel .for
the defence, they made an ingenious use of it ; for, by
puzzling the young women with questions, they NO
bothered them that an impression was left on the mind
of the judge and jury, that a mock trial of the ease had
actually been got up, in which Frost acted the principal
part,
and Holbrook and Co. that of witnesses. The ma-
gistrates having consulted Frost, was fully exonerated
from the charge made against him. He was also in-
formed that a copy of the depositions would be for-
worded to Mr. Baron Alderson.—Sonierstt Cowity
Gazette.

NOVEL PLAN OF EVADING THE NEW BANKING
LAW.-It appears that in some of the iron districts a
novel plan has been adopted to evade the New Law of
Banking. At certain periods the proprietors of Iron-
works rt quire advances to pay wages, or for some pur-
pose of the kind, and they adlress thcmFelves In the first
instance to the neighbouring bankers. In some cases the
bankers have already issued all the paper that the new
law allows, and at the same time are anxious to afford
the desired accommodation. To do this they give a credit
to some party—probably a tradesman—in the vicinity,
and inform their applicants that, although they (the
bankers) cannot assist them, this party can accommodate
them with small cheques. Of course there is nothing in
the law that can hinder a person keeping a drawing ac-
count with a barker from drawing cheques fur any small
amount he pleases, and as the signature is perfectly well
know❑ in the district, such cheques perform all the func-
tions of a local issue. In some districts the bankers have
been known to supply the drawing party with cheques
ready printed for the purpose required. Hampshire
Advertiser.

CHELTENHAM.—Our winter season may now be
considered ai having assumed its determinate character,
and it is most gratifying for us to be able to report that
it has every appearance of being the best, certainly the
fullest, that Cheltenham has ever known,••-ChekenhaM
looker-on,