The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-08 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MO !)A V MORN NG, DECESIBI4]R, 8 1845.

tion of the country. On the whole, the Mark-lane people
may be said to have received the intelligence with much
more favour than could have been expected; and though no
positive alteration was quoted id prices, the tendency was
decidedly towards a decline.
POST.—The English funds have been subject to no con-
siderable fluctuation to-day. At the close of the markets
the quotations looked a little better; but the fears enter-
tained on the subject of the corn-laws, owing, principally,
to the continued meetings of the Ministry, keep things in
the same sensitive state. The statement hazarded yesterday
in as influential paper, to the effect that the Duke of Wel-
lington and Sir Robert Peel had declared against future pro-
tection to the British farmer and labourer, has been reiterated
with little or no diminution of confidence, but the contradic-
tions given to it in other quarters being equally bold and
positive, the public are left in uncertainty as to the actual
fact. A fixed duty is by some believed more likely than a
total abolition to he the alteration that will be recommended
to Parliament, if, indeed, there be any recommendation at
all upon the matter. That Sir Robert Peel should be cou-
rageous enough to advocate the latter extreme is deemed
improbable on every account, and, as he has heretofore
shown himself so strongly opposed even to the milder course
suggested, capitalists and others having a deep interest in the
result must be content to await the manifestation of the
truth at the proper period. The almost daily re-union of
the Cabinet Ministers is, at all events, an indication that
some great public question engages attention which it is
extremely difficult to dispose of.

-
SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS,

FROM TIER MORNING PAPERS OF SATURDAY.
HERALD.—We copy the following from last night's
Standard; we have ascertained that every word of the fol-
lowing extract is strictly and guardedly true—the termina-
tion of the first week of "January will expose the falsehood of
the first assertion of the Times, and the meeting of Parlia-
ment, when it shall arrive, the falsehood of the rest of the
article contradicted :
"ATROCIOUS FABRICATION BY THE TIMES.'
"We are now, we rejoice to say, in a condition to give the
most positive and direct contradistien to the statement of a
proposed repeal of the corn-laws, which appeared in yester-
day's Times. The statement, it may be remembered, em-
braced three propositions—
" First, that Parliament is to meet in the first week in
January.
" Second, that Ministers have resolved upon. a repeal of
the corn-laws.
" Third, that the projected repeal is to be announced in
the opening Speech.
" EVERY ONE OF THESE THREE PROPOSITIONS IS FALSE.
" Parliament WILL NOT MEET IN THE FIRST WEER OF
JANUARY, or much, if at all, before the usual time of
meeting.
" THE CABINET HAS COME TO NO DECISION WHATEVER
UPON THE SUBJECT OF THE CORN-LAWS.
" It must be unnecessary to add, in the third place, that
a resolution not formed can hardly have a place provided in
the Queen's Speech.
" Upon what we have written above, we stake the cha-
racter of this journal."
If the assertion of the Standard can derive any additional
weight from our adoption, we cheerfully adopt it, and, like
our evening contemporary, pledge the character of the
journal in which we write, that on this 6th day of Decem-
ber, 1845, it was not, and never had been, intended to sum-
mon Parliament for the first week of January, and that
upon this same 6th of December no resolution whatever
upon the subject of the corn-laws has been adopted by the Ca-
binet. It must be seen in a very few weeks which is the
liar, the Herald or the Times. We probably owe an apology
to our readers, and we certainly owe an apology to Sir Ro-
bert Peel's Government, for having so long delayed the
most distinct and positive contradiction to the fabrication
of the Times. We could not, however, in such a case ven-
ture to act upon less than the most absolute certainty ; and
though we have that absolute certainty now, we had it not
yesterday morning. We are gratified, too, by learning that
the lie did much less mischief than was intended by its
authors, or than we anticipated. The dealers at Mark-lane,
we are assured, saw through the falsehood, by the aid of
light peculiar to the place, and scouted the fabrication. The
Times, NI hich, like the frail person spoken of in " Don Juan,"
" with more than one profession, gains by all," is as well
known at Mark-lane as the Hampshire Independent says it
is in Capel-court, and about as much trusted in the one loca-
lity as in the other—the fact is indisputable, that its " great
fact," i. e., according to the Times vocabulary, great lie, pro-
duced little effect upon the market. We, perhaps, have had
oar share in exposing the utter falseness of the Times, and
its systematic dishonesty, and therefore it is little wonderj if
we are hated by the Times with a hatred equalled only by
that which a particular class entertains towards the minis-
ters of justice—and abused with a virulence corresponding to
this hatred,
TIMES.—It was announced yesterday, by our early friend
Mrs. Gamp, on the authority of her evening ally Mrs. Harris,
that any contradiction of our intimation as to the intended
repeal of the corn-laws could only be obtained by the viola-
tion of his oath on the part of a Cabinet Minister. This
violation seems to be the work of four- and-twenty hours, if we
are to believe Mrs. Harris, for the old woman herself achieved
yesterday evening the following extraordinary announce-
ment :
(Here follows an extract from th© Standard, headed
"Atrocious Fabrication of the Times.")
Does the beldame mean that she, too, has succeeded in
suborning a Member of the Government? If the twins, so
aptly described by Mr. Bright at the Bath meeting, could
not contradict us till they had persuaded a Minister to com-
mit perjury, we must either infer that this immoral object
has been achieved by the evil influence of Gemini, or
that they have been made the dupes of some wag,
who delights in practising on their anile credulity.
It is amusing to observe the pompous solemnity
with which the old scold proposes to lay a wager with the
public as an earnest of her veracity, and finishes by offering
to "stake the character of the journal." This is running no
great risk, at all events; but, for the mere look of the thing,
it would have been as well to have offered that conventional
stake—a China orange, or something that would have been
at least a tangible property. We have very few words to say
in reply to the contradiction that has been given to our
statement, and these words are simply a reiteration of those
that were used in our paper of Thursday. We adhere to our
original announcement, that Parliament will meet early in
January, and that a repeal of the corn-laws will be proposed
in oqe House by Sir R. Peel, in the other by the Duke of
Wellington. The result, of course, can only show who is
right and who is wrong on the present occasion. We are
prepared to stand by our -announcement, and we do not anti-
cipate that it will be falsified byany change in the resolution
that has been come to by the heads of the Government.
They will not be overawed, we suspect, by the threat that
what might have been their own Standard may be seen flut-
tering in the ranks of their enemies.
CHRONICLE.—So it turns out to be a hoax, after all!
The quasi-official announcement with which, on Thursday
morning, the Times startled and delighted the metropolis
and the country—converted civic Toryism en masse from
the error of its monopolist ways—and overcame the coy re •
luctance of the Lord Mayor himself to a free-trade demon-
stration in Guildhall, has got at last its official contradiction,
and is labelled, by the real Ministerial organ, naturally in-
dignant at so daring a breach of privilege, " atrocious fabri-
cation." " Parliament will not meet," we were told last
night, "in the first week in January ;" and " the Cabinet
has come to no decision whatever upon the subject of the
corn-laws ;" after which, as our precise evening contempo-
rary shrewdly observes, " it must be unnecessary to add,
in the third place, that a resolution not formed can
hardly have a place provided in the Queen's speech."
The official journalist writes in a hurry, and could scarcely
be expected to say everything in a breath. But we shall
hope to be informed, at the Standard's earliest convenience,
which it is of the Cabinet Ministers that has committed per-
jury, by revealing Cabinet seerets; also, on what principle
of Conservative morality a rigidly virtuous Conservative
journalist can " rejoice," on Friday, to be "in a condition,"
the bare possibility of which he contemplated on Thursday
with a sort of pious and constitutional horror, as implying a
Privy Councillor's bleach of oath; also, bow and why it
was that the "atrocious fabrication" was suffered to have
some thirty hours, undisturbed run of the metropolis and
the empire. We are, we need not-add, no less curious to hear
what the "leading journal" has to say in vindication or pallia-
tion of one of the most extraordinary and serious escapades
on record in the history of modern British journalism. In
itself, the affair does not affect us very deeply. We
did not go into ecstacies at the rumour, and we are
not excessively depressed by the contradiction.
We were certainly disposed to believe, notwithstanding
strong antecedent impressions at variance with the Times
information, that our Contemporary could not have hazarded
so confident a statement on a subject of such capital import-
ance
without having good authority to go upon ; and in
proportion to our inclination to credit the fact, was the mea-
sure of our satisfaction at the prospect which it opened be-
fore the country of an early and compleatively quiet de-
liverance from an enormous evil. We should have greatly
rejoiced—we should rejoice even now—if the vast industrial,
commercial, and social interests involved in the settlenient of
this question could be spared the grievous injury of pro-
tracted delay. Where every week—every day even—is
precious, we would gladly forget all considerations of party,
for the sake of seeing the question of the nation's ways and
means of life in the hands of men possessmg the power of
effecting the necessary change quickly and quietly. Other-
wise it matters little. It will all come to the same
thing in the end, and in any case the end is near. The
decision, or no-decision of the Cabinet on the subject
of the corn-law can in no way influence the ultimate fate of
the question, The thhsg will be done; will be done soon ;
will be done before anything else ie done; and if Sir Robert
Peel will not do it, why then, as Mr. Cobden said the other
day, and might now repeat with redoubled emphasis—" We
are not so badly off in England but that we may find some-
body able to do the will of the country whenever it is unmis-
takeably expressed." The longer Sir Robert Peel delays his
decision on the subject of the corn-law, the less does it signify
how he, in particular, may decide on a question which the
elements both of the natural and of the social world are de-
ciding as fast as possible without him. The national mind
approves free trade as a principle, the national will demands
it as an imperious necessity, the national presentiment counts
on it as a near reality, and the nation never yet lacked fit exe-
cutive agents of its intelligent and deliberate volitions. Com-
paratively unimportant as this rumour and its contradiction
are in themselves, at a time when events are irresistibly sweep-
ing along the national mind and policy in the right direction,
the affair is fruitful of instruction, both for the Minister and
the people. The Premier's habit of " not reading the news-
paper," or not heeding their contents, has in this instance
worked well. It was truly a happy accident, or a wise
policy, that allowed the " atrocious" fabrication" of Thursday
morning to keep unmolested possession of the world's ear
daring a day and a half. If Sir Robert Peel's well-known
solicitude on the subject of " posthumous fame" extend, as
we must prersume it does, to those favourite measures of
policy which bear his name, and are most deeply marked
with the characteristic qualities of his mind; and if he feel
a natural curiosity to anticipate the verdict which posthu-
mous fame wit eventually pronounce, he has now been grati-
fied, on the easiest terms. As a noble and learned lord, a
few years ago, through some mistake or "ingenious device,"
the authorship of which still remains a mystery, was ad-
mitted to the rare privilege of enjoying a brief foretaste of
the terrestrial immortality which awaits public virtue and
integrity, so our Premier, under the favour of the Times's
blunder, has been allowed to leern, by anticipation, the po-t-
-humoue judgment of mankind on his moribund sliding-scale,

RAILWAY. SHARE MARKETS.
LIVERPOOL, DEC. 5.

STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales are—Dublin and Drog-
heda, 5 p.—Eastern Counties, 19—Grand Junction, 235
Ditto, New Quarter Shares, 32 p.—Great North of Eng-
land, 151. Shares, 11 p.—London and Birmingham, Fifth
Shares, 21 p.—Manchester and Leeds, Fifth Shares, 104 p.
—Midland, 139—Newcastle and Darlington, New Shares,
31 p.—Sheffield and Manchester, 119—Ditto, Quarter Shares,
No. 1, 74 p.—Ditto, Quarter Shares, No. 2, 5 p.—Ditto,
Quarter Shares, No. 3 (scrip), 3% p.—South-Easton and
Dover, Consolidated Thirds, 2% p.—Ditto, Half Shares, 17s.
6d. p.—Bolton, Wigan, and Liverpool, 13% p.—Caledonian,
3% p.—Leeds and Thirak, p.—Newcastle and Berwick,
64 p.—Shrewsbury, Oswestry, and Chester, 24 p.—Goole
and Doncaster, 3s. p.—Can- bridge and Lincoln, 21/2 p.—
Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire Junction, 41/2 p.—
Derby and Crewe, 2% p.—Grand Union, 2s. 6d. p.—London
and Manchester ( Rem.) 14 dis.—Manchester, Midland, and
Great Grimsby, I7s. 6d. p.—Manchester and Southampton,
15s. p.—Matlock and Alidbind Junction, 21/2 p.—North
Western, 38s. p.—Shrewsbury and Herefordshire, Is. 6d. dis.
—Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton, and South Staffordshire, 14
p.—West Riding Union, 5% p.—Dutch Rhenish, 2% p.—
Paris and Strasbourg canneron), par.
MAINCHESTER, Duc. 5.
STOCK Excumccu.—The sales are—Boston, Newark, and
Sheffield, 2%—Cambridge and Lincoln, 34—Chester and
Holyhead, 15-7-Clitheroe Junction, 3%—East Lancashire,
No. 2, 10—East Lincolnshire, 24—Fleetwood, Preston, and
West Riding Junction, 228.—Huddersfield and Manchester
Railway ant Canal, 61 Huddersfield and Sheffield Junc-
tion, 1:5-1..eds and Think, 91/2 ex. n.—Liverpool, Orms-
kirk and Preston, 4c%—Manchester, Buxton, and Matlock,
945. 6d. c.— Manchester and Birmingham, 70—Ditto, Quar-
ters, 11—Manchester and Leeds, Fifths, 11 ►,:,—Manchester.
Sheffield, and Midland, 5% —North Eastern, 2' North
Staffordshire, 51. 2s. —Nottingham and Mansfield, 2%—Not-
tingham and Grantham, 21/2—Sheffield and Lincolnshire
Junction, 3%—Trent Valley, 18—West Lancashire Coast
Line, 21s.

CORNISH LINES.
(From the West Britin and Cornwall Advertiser.)
We have now carefuly Fxarniced the plans of the
various projected rail,. ays lodged in the office of the
Clerk of the Pe ce for th:s county, with the view of
forming an opinion fur ourselves as to the comparative
merits of the various lines, and selecting the one which,
as journalists labouring for the advantage of the public,
we can fairly and honestly say is the most deserving of
general support. In arriving at our opinion, we
have kept out of sight all the preceding disputes
between 'rival companies : with these we have
nothing Whatever to do, our only object being to
endeavonr to !Ind out which of the present com-
peting lines it would be most to the advantage of the
county to possess. We now, therefore, feel bound to
say, that we consider the Cornwall and Devon Centres
to he that line which is best adapted to meet the wants
of the public, and, consequently, most deserving of pub-
lic support We have arrived at this conclusion because
it is shorter in distance—because its gradients a e
much superior—and because its curves are less nume•
reus and of greater radius than those of the Cornwall
line. The engineering difficulties are net t f any extra-
ordinary character ; and the direction the line tolo s is
one that affords accommodation to the greater portion of
the county. We think it, besides, superior to its great
competitor, the Cornwall line, in having a direct trunk
communication with Exeter.
Of the Cornwall Railway, the trunk, or main line, is
from Falmouth to Torpoint Ferry, running into the
water apparently at that place, for the plans suggest no
mode of crossing the Elarnotize. From New Passage, en
the opposite side of the Hemoaze, it proceeds to Eidad.
There is also an alternative line in the plans, going
through St. Germans to Saltash, crossing the Tamar
there by a bridge, and so on to Eldad. This latter line,
however, is extremely difficti:t, from the immense via-
ducts necessary to cross the St. Germans and Lynher
rivers—in the space of four miles there being no
fewer than four viaducts on arches of sixty feet
span, varying from thirty to sixty feet in height,
to say nothing of the bridge across the Tamar. This,
let it be observed, is a mein line. The means for arriv-
ing at the great desideratum of the county—a direct and
central communication with the metropolis—are, first,
by a branch from Double Bois to Launceston, where it
falls into the proposed North Devon line, by which it is
taken along the margin of Dartmoor until it arrives at
a point in the parish of Exbourne, where a branch line
is thrown out to Crediton, joining the lire thence to
Exeter—the North Devon line going on by way of
Bideford and Barnstaple to Hillfarance, in Somerset-
shire, where it joins the Bristol and Exeter line.
We beg particularly to direct our readers' attention
to this mode of forming the communication with Exeter
—first, by a branch from the Cornwall line to Launces-
ton, and then by another branch from the North Devon
line to Crediton. The important fact connected with
these branches is, that after the Bill has been obtained
for the main line, including these branches, the parties
may, if they think fit, abandon the branches altogether.
The public have, therefore, no security that the central
and direct communication with the metropolis will be
made. This seems to us so very important, that if in
other particulars the Cornwall line had been equal, or
even superior, to the Cornwall and Devon Central, we
should have been inclined to give our support to the
latter line on this ground alone.
In order that we may put the public in possession of the
route pursued by these two lines, we may state that
they both start from nearly the same point at Falmouth
—the Green Bank Quay—and pursue nearly the same
direction towards Truro, another portion of the trunk
of the central line from Penzance joining the Falmouth
portion about Penwethers. Near Bosvigo, in Kenwyn,
the two lines diverge—the Cornwall line going through
Castle Hill, Truro, into St. Clement, Pr ,bus, Ladock,
St. Stephens, St. Moven, St. Austell, St. Blazey, Par,
Ty wardrepth, Laulivery, Lostwithiel—runing through
the loxer part of the town, and crossing the river just
above the bridge—on through St. Winnow and Lanhy-
drock to Glynn Bridge, whence a branch leads into &A-
min, intended to communicate with the Bodinin and
Wadebridge Railway, now in the possession of the Cen-
tral Company, and to go thence to Padstow. From Glynn
Bridge it follows on the line of the present turnpike-
road, through the valley to Doubleboys, or Dubwalls, as
it is more commonly called, where the branch to Laun-
ceston is thrown off ; then getting down into the valley
of the Loce, it forms a tinsel* with the Liskeard
and Caradon Railway ; under. Si.bOrsw ater. Passing
about half a mile south of Liskeard, it then goes
through Menheniot and St. Germans ; and a little after
it has entered the latter parish is the point where the
line branches cff to Saltash. But, pursuing the main
trunk to Torpoint, it rues iilong the north side of Pol.
bathick creak, crosses Polscove creek, and into the Lyn-
her river, running along the bank thereof, crossing
Sheviock creek, and coming up to the back of Antony
village, after which it crosses part of St. John's Lake
and goes thence into Torpoint. The principal deviation
from the direction of the former Cornwall line, it will
be seen, is from Falmouth to Truro, and a little beyond;
but the loudly and deservedly condemned route by Par
and the valley of the Fowey is still preserved.
The Cornwall and Devon Central line has two starting
points—the Green Bank at Falmouth, and the New
Quay, Penzance. These two routes unite, as we have
already stated, at Penewethers, in the parish of Kea,
from' thence running through part of ilendra, near
Truro, and passing under Kenwyn Vicarage, on through
the parishes of Kenwyn, St. Allen, St. Erme, New-
lyn, St. Enoder, through Summercourt—keeping a
little to the north of the turnpike-road—St. Columb
Major, Roche. Crossing to the south of the road, a
branch to St. Austell is • thrown resat near the spot
where the old and new turnpike-roads divide.
The main line then goes through a part of Withiel,
Lanivet, Lanhydrock, to near Carminow• cross,
where it will be intersected by the proposed ex-
tension of the Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway, which
will be continued to Padstow in one direction, and to
Plymouth in the other, having a station in the town of
Bodmin. It then passes on through Cardinharn, Blis-
land, and St. Breward, 'to Poundsconee, by Hawkes
Torr, and Bray Down, to St. Cleather, Luneast, Trewen,
Egloskerry, St. Stephens, and St. Thomas, into New-
port ; then crossing the Tamar into Werrington, it
takes a pretty direct line to Hatherleigh, Bow, Crediton,
Newtown St. Cyres, and Cowley, forming a junction
with the Yeovil and Dorchester Railway at their termi-
nus in Exeter.
This description may serve to give as accurate an
idea of the direction taken by these two lines of railway
as can be done without the help of a map. By it, it will
be seen, that the Cornwall and Devon Central Railway
forms, what we have always contended for—the most
speedy, direct, and central communication with the me-
tropolis ; and that it does so, taking Care to provide
proper accommodation for every important place lying
near the direction of the line. These conditions are not
fulfilled by any other of the competing lines • and,
therefore, we consider the Cornwall and Devon 6entral
line to be that which is best entitled to general support.
The following is a list of the projected lines, the plans
and sections of which have been lodged at the office of
the Clerk of the Peace for this county
Truro and St. Agnes Railway.
West Cornwall.
Plymouth and North Cornwall.
Launceston and South Devon.
North Devon.
Cornwall and Devon Central.
Direct Western.
Cornwall.
Great Western and Falmouth Junction.
Falmouth, Holston, and Penzance.
Delabole and Rock.
The first two of these plans were deposited on Saturday,
and the remaining nine on Sunday, the hearer of one of
them having arrived at St. Austell only five minutes be.
fore twelve on Sunday night, after performing the dis•
tance from London in less than thirteen hours.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

MALTA, Nov. 28.—Mr. Leckie, a mate of (the Hibernie,
and a nephew cf the late Sir P. Malcolm, has received the
death vacancy in the gift of the Admiral, fallen in by the late
Lieutenant Hill, of the Inconstant. On presenting Lieut.
Leckie with his cotnmission, the Admiral, in a neat speech,
delivered on the quarter-deck, declared that he gave it him
as a reward for his invariable good conduct, and the posses-
sion of those qualities which would do honour to the ser-
vice in which. he was enrolled, and for which he had con-
stantly evinced so much zeal, and in his future appointments
and promotions he should look to the character of the person
on whom rank was conferred, without any reference what-
ever to the circumstance of his serving on board the flag-

ship.
Her Majesty's steamer Acheron was submitted to a very
severe inspection on Tuesday, by Captain Richards, Flag
Captain to Sir W. Parker. Her commander, Lieutenant
Aplin, received a high compliment, on its conclusicn, for the
manner in which the duties of his vessel were carried on, and
the high state of discipline which reigned on board.
His Excellency the Governor this week commenced his
half-yearly inspections with the reserved battalion of the
42d Regiment and the Connaught Rangers (88th), the
former commanded by Major Dunamure, the latter by Co-
lonel Phibbs.

The commanders of both regiments received high com-
pliments on the military appearance of their men, and the
manner in which the evolutions were performed. The firing
of the 42d was particularly excellent, and the sword exercise,
on the new principle, elicited the highest proofs of satiifac •
tion from the General. _ _

Barracks and books were next inspected, and bis Excel- I
lencv afterwards dined with the officers of the regiments ;
on NVednesdav with the 42d, and on the following day with
those of the 813th.
The India mail arrived here by the Iberia at 10 1.. m. last
night, and will be forwarded early this morning by the
Acheron to Marseilles ; that part via Gibraltar will leave to-
night by the Achilles,
The French steamer Egyptus, from Marseilles for Beyrout,
arrived during the night.
Her Majesty's steamer Polyphemus has hauled out into
the stream in order to be inspected to-day. Captain Richards
and Lieutenant Wyse are appointed to that duty.
Portzsmorrrzr, FRIDAY.—The Lizard steam sloop, Lieu-
tenant Commander Tylden, was hauled alongside the jetty
yesterday, to repair damages sustained in her passage from
the river to this port, having carried away part of her bul-
warks, and sustained other injuries. The little craft behaved
most gallantly at sea, but from being overmasted was obliged
frequently to go at half-speed. She made, it is said, 11,
knots an hour with ease, and 10 knots against a head wind
and sea. She cannot " stand up ;" her masts and yards are
therefore tieing taken out, and she will be newly fitted with
sticks similar to those of the Victoria and Albert.
The Tartarus steam-surveying sloop, Captain Wolfe, left
last evening for Woolwich.
The Sindbad navy lighter, and Netley tender, sailed yester-
day; the former for Devonport with stores, and the latter
for the same port with supernumeries.
The Fanny tender, Master Commander Allen, returned
from Cowes this morning, with Admiral Sir Charles Ogle on
board.
The Persian, 16, Commander Croyton, was at Vera Cruz
on the Ist ult., all well.
The Eurydice, 26, Captain Elliot, was at Havannah on the
10th ult.
The Hermes steam-sloop, Commander Carr, left Havannah
for Jamaica, on the Bth ult.
The Vindictive, 50, Captain Seymour. flag of Vice-Admi-
ral Sir F. Austen, Commander-in-Chief on the West India
station, the Rose, 18, Commander Pelley, and the Vesuvius
steam-sloop, Commander O'Callaghan, were at Bermuda on
the 20th ult,
The Pickle schooner, Lieutenant-Commander Bainbridge,
was at Port Royal on the Ist ult.
In Harbour—St. Vincent, Victory, Excellent, Victoria
and Albert, Black Eagle, Fairy, Dasher, Comet, Sparrow,
Lizard, and Echo.
In Dock—Prince Regent, Amphitrite, Leander, Childers,
Wanderer, Rattler, and Rifleman.
In the Basin Nelson, Trincomalee, Harlequin, and
Scourge.
At Spithead—No man of war.

INCENDIARY FIRES IN NOTTING-

HAMSIIIRE.

During the past few weeks, incendiary fires have been
blazing in different villages in this county, which have
naturally created great excitement amongst the inhabi-
tants, particularly the farmers, who, as a class, have
been selected as victims. It is not for us to assign a
cause for these diabolical and grievous outrages, at a
juncture when the nation is threatened with famine and
distress; but time, perhaps, will urfoldiwhat judgment
cannot penetrate.
INCENDIARY FIRE NEAR OXTON.—ON Saturday last
an incendiary fire took place at Ramsdale Farm, a dis-
tance of fire miles and a half from this town. This farm
belongs to Mr. Joseph Whittaker, and is one of the
largest in the county, and is situate near to the village
of Oxton; but, happily, whatever mischief may be done
upon it by incendiary acts, the occupier can sustain
very little injury, as he has insured all sticks to the
amount of 2,0004 The spot where this fire took place
is about half a mile distant from the farm-house, and in
a field at a considerable distance from any road. During
the harvest Mr. Whittaker has been in the habit of
having stacks put in the fields where the corn has been
reaped, and in the present year he has placed upon a hill
called the " Twelve Acres," three barley stacks, two of
which have recently been thrashed, and the straw made
into one stack. On Saturday night, about nine o'clock,
Mr. Marriott, of Halam, while returning from Notting-
ham market, on horseback, on approaching within sight
of the " Twelve Acres" hill perceived a tremendous
glare of light, and on hastening towards it he found the
straw stack all in flames. The horizon being extensively
illuminated, several people were at the same moment on
their way to discover the cause, and very soon on the
spot. Mr. Marriott gallopped to Mr. Whittaker's, and
then to Nottingham for the engines, but the fire had
got so much a-bead, that it soon appeared useless to at-
tempt to put it out, and especially as there was no
water at hand. The Nottingham town engine was in a
few minutes on the spot, and gallopped at an expedition
which soon knocked up one of the horses, which was
left by the road-side; no doubt the several high and long
hills on the road contributed' much to occasion this dis-
aster. An alarm was quickly spread, the county police,
on horseback, and crowds of people, hastened to the
spot, expecting to find that Mr. Whittaker's farm-yard,
containing thirty stacks, was in a general state of con-
flagration. Fortunately this was not the case, and during
the early part of the fire the wind changed, and blew the
flames from instead of upon the barley stack, situate
within a few yards of the burning straw. The fire being
confined to the straw stack, it was allowed to burn with-
out further interruption, and at two o'clock in the morn-
ing the entire stack was consumed. This makes the
seventh fire within as many weeks that we have recorded
in this part of the country, and at the time (Monday)
we are writing this paragraph, reports have reached the
town that two other fires have taken place—one at
Arnold, and the other at Sawley.
We may here remark, that the circumstances con-
nected with the fires in Wool-alley and Robin Hood-
yard, on the premises occupied by Mr. Bates, frame-
smith, and Mr. Baldock, grocer, in the month of October
last, are still involved in mystery, and it is singular, that
at the period these fires took place, a tall person in the
attire of a female was seen in the immediate vicinity.
not one hundred yards from the two buildings, and from
the auspicious appearance that it was a man in woman's
clothing ; this individual was actually traced by Mr.
Brierley, governor of the county gaol, who, no doubt,
thought it possible to be one of the escaped convicts. A
person of a similar description was said to have been at
Beeston on the night of the fire at Mr. Walker's stack-
yard, and though on an attempt being made to trace out
who this person was, Mrs. Harwood, a very respectable wo-
man, was found to have been in the street waiting for some
members of her family coming home, yet we have heard
other statements to induce an opinion that she was not
the individual who excited attention, and answered the
description we first heard on the night of the fire.
INCENDIARY FIRE AT ARNOLD.—An act of incen-
diarism was committed at this village, which is four
miles from this town, on Sunday night last, which owning
to its being timely discovered, and the speedy arrival of
the Arnold engine, did very little damage. About six
o'clock in the evening, a servant in the employ of Mr.
Sncath, who has only lived six months at Arnold, hap-
pened to go out of his master's house to the stack-yard,
when he found oae of the hay:tacks in flames. He
gave an alarm, and the fire was fortunately txtinguished
after burning between two and three tons of hay. The
stack was situate more than a hundred yards from any
house. The alarm created by this and Mr. Whittaker's
fire, not two miles distant, occasioned all the farmers in
the neighbourhood to set their labourers and servants
on watch during the whole of the night, and a report of
a fire at Saw ley has awakened an excitement which will
take some time to allay.—Nottingham Review.