The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-11 00:00:00

for cash, and 31 at 60days, and the Five per Cents.
at 21. 4$

The Journal des Debats states that the Committee,
appointed to examine the proposed line of railway
from Paris to Belgium and the English Channel,
had resolved, by a small majority, 0.31 it was their
opinion the line should be completed by the State,
and that it should also conduct the working and
traffic, as well as the formation of the railroad. This
announcement has caused some sensation in Paris, as
it was feared other Committees would follow the
eitample, and either compel the Government to call
out the two remaining instalments of the loan, or
put a stop to the construction of railroads for many
years. The Government journal, therefore, expresses
great alarm as to the consequences of this resolution,
and says, " If it be persevered in to its full ex-
tent, and formally carried to the Chambers, it is
of a gravity which we shall not attempt to con-
ceal. In the present state of affairs, it amounts,
in fact, to a proposition for the adjournment of
all the railroads, without exception ; and at
the end of a few years France would find herself
behind all the rest of Europe. It is not at all pro-
bable, however, that the Chamber will accede to the
recommendation of the Committee. The discussion
on the Education Bill was proceeding in the Chamber
of Peers, when, on the introduction of a clause
evidently directed against the Jesuits, the Count DE
MONTALEMBERT and the Duke D'HARCOURT de-
fended that body, and opposed the clause. M. PASSY
and M. DupiN supported it, and the debate was ad-
journed.

--- -
The state of affairs in Italy and Sicily appears

to be very unsettled. The • .Augsburgh Ga2ette of
the sth publishes a letter from Palermo, announcing
that serious disturbances had taken place in Catania,
and that the country was also • suffering from the
effects of destructive fever, which had carried off
many of the inhabitants. The following letter from
Leghorn is also very unfavourable :
" LEGHORN, MAY 4.—The news which we have just re-
ceived from the legations is very.serious. On the evening of
the 2d, several' persons were arrested at Bologna, among
whOm are M. Calleti (doctor of laws, and one of the most dis-
tinguished lawyers of Italy), and his first clerk, MM.
Orsina, father and son, who are furnishers of military stores
to the Government, a student of medicine, and two or three
others. These arrests make the greatest impression, as it
was expected that after the numerous condemnations by the
military commission, the Government would. have relaxed
in its rigour. With regard to the condemned prisoners, it is
'expected that they will be shot within the soldiers' barracks,
and not publicly. At Ancona, M. Giannini and two others
had been committed to prison, and at Rimini, M. Lerpiri and
several others have been arrested, and are to be tried before
the military commission. The Maria Christina, which has
just arris:ed from Naples, says that at Rome also, severalper-
sons were arrested, and in Calabria a great number have
been shot."

The French Funds continued firm. On Thursday
the Three per Cents. closed at 84f. 40c., and the
Fives at 122 f. 60c.

The following telegraphic dispatch was received by
the. French Government on Thursday :
"MADRID, MAY 4.
" The state of siege was this day ordered to be raised. By
two decrees of the same date M. Mazaredo was appointed
Captain-General of Madrid, and General Shelley, Captain-
General of Seville."
THE BOURSE—TRURSDA.Y, MAY 9.
First Highest Lowest Last
Price. Price. Price. Price.
French Five per Cents 122 35 .. 122 35 .. 122 30 122 35
Four per Cents.
Titres per Cents B4 40 .. 84 40 . • 84 25 . • 84 25
Bank of France..." ..... 3105 —2105 . 3105 ..3105
Laftitte Bank, I,ooof. Sharesl 170 —ll7O ..1170 .. 1170
lislgian Bank 687 50 .. 687 50 .. 687 50 .. 687 50
Belgian Fives, 1831.
1840 ........ 1051 .. 1051
.. 1051 .. 1051
1842 ........ 1081 .. 108 t .. 1081 1081
Spanish Active
Threes ............ 35f 351 • • 351 351
Passive 6 61 .. 6 61
Old Deferred ......7 • • 7 • • 7 • • 7
Portuguese Five per Cents .• 461 .. 461 •• • 461 •
• . 461
Neapolitan • 102 20 .. 102 30 .. 102 20 .. 102 30
Roman, ex div. ••• • • ....... 104 .. 104 .• 104 104

RAILWAY SHARES.
Versailles, R.R.••
L. 11.• • • • • • ...... 258 75 .. 258 75 .. 255 50 .. 257 50
Rouen ..............
Rouen to Havre. • • • • • • • • • • • 732 50 .. 732 50 • • 732 50 .. 732 50
Orleans .• • • •. • ..
Strasburg to Itale •••• • • • • 272 50 .. 271 25 .. 270 .. 270
Avignon to Marseilles• • • • • • 767 50 .. 767 50 • • 766 25 .. 766 25
RAILWAY SHARES, FOR THE ACCOUNT.

St. Germain .• ••• • • ... •• • 82•) 825 .. 815 .. 815
Ver-ailles, L. 8.. ....... 257 50 .• 258 75 .. 257 50 .. 258 75
Rouen •• •• •• •• •• ........ •• 973 75 .. 975 .. 975 • 975
Rouen to Ilavre.• ••.• • ... • 732 50 .. 732 50 .. 732 50 .. 732 50
Orleans 978 75 .. 978 75 .. 977 50 .. 977 50
Strasburg to Bale.. • ..... 272 50 .. 272 50 .. 270 .• 272 50
Avignon to Marseilles.— .. 767 50 .. 767 50 . 767 50 .. 767 50

Her Majesty held a Court this afternoon at Buck-
ingham Palace, for the reception of the Spanish Am-
bassador.

The Judicial Committee of the.. Privy Council sat
this afternoon, at the Council-office, and resumed the
hearing of an appeal from the Prerogative Court of
Canterbury, " Meddowcroft v. Huguenin.

THIS DAY'S NEWS.

QUEEN'S BENCH.-(THIS DAY).
(Sittings at Nisi Prius.)
The Court was occupied during the morning in trying an
actian for an alleged illegal distress, but the case, " Hollings •
worth cr. Pursett," presented no feature of interest except to
the parties concerned.

COMMON PLEAS.-(THIS DAY.)
Sittings at N:si Prius, before .Lord Chief Justice TINDAL.

ELIOT V. ELLIS AND lIICKS.

This case was resumed this morning, when a few witnesses,
in addition to those who gave evidence yesterday, were called
for the plaintiff. After the plaintiff's case had been closed,
Mr. Sergeant SuEE addressed the jury for the defence. He
called upon the jury to defend the parish officers in this
case, who had done no more than their duty, and what they
were bound to do, in protecting society from a person
in the state of mind to which the plaintiff was reduced. He
would be able to prove to them that the plaintiff was not in
a sane state of mind—that he lived in the most extraordi-
nary manner, and was in the habit of acting in such a man-
ner as no person of sound mindwould act. He would show
that when he was brought into the workhouse, he
attacked one of the inmates named Harris, most vio-
lently, and that when he was dismissr by the
Magistrate he was found near the canal by
.two
policemen, under such circumstances as led them to be-
lieve that lie intended to commit suicide. He denied that
the plaintiff had suffered any pecuniary loss. He would
prove that he had not a sixpence in the world, and that he
even owed money ; that he was living in a most wretched
manner, and in fact, that it was an advantage to him to be
taken to the workhouse. The plaintiff was as mad as M‘Naugh-
ten, or any other madman, who committed acts of violence
on society, and the parish officers would not do their duty
towards society and towards the prisoner himself, if they did
not take the steps they had taken.
The Learned Gentleman then proceeded to call witnesses
to establish those facts. We understand there are between
twenty and thirty witnesses in attendance on the part of the
defence, so that it is probable the case will not terminate
to-day.