The Sun.
London, England, 1827-02-15 00:00:00

PRICE' OF IRISH

Bank Stock ..

Cons°li, 3 per cent Bl%
Gov. Stock, *l,, percent. ... Si% %
Ditto, New -
4 per Cent. 46N 4
Gov. Deb. 33i per cent l39*i
Royal Canal Stock -
Grand Canal Stock -
City Deb. 4 per cent. -
Ballast Ottice Deb. 4 per cent. -

;TOCKS, FEB. 12.
St. Patrick Incur. (per abare)
Royal Irish Ditto
National Ditto
Patriotic Ditto
Hibernian Bank

Provincial Ditto lB%
Royal Irish Mine —
Imperial Mine —
Mining Co. of Ireland —
Commercial Buildings —

MA ILS.
Arrived. Due. Arrived. Due.
O America 1 0 Guernsey & Jersey. 1
O Brazil 1 0 Hamburgli
O Buenos Ayres
O Donaghadee 0 0 Jamaica 0
1 Dublin
0 Flanders 0 0 Lisbon 2
1 France
1 Gottenburgh......... 0 1 Waterford 0

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TO-MORROW.
Morning 55 minutes after 4. I Evening ....... 13 minutes after 5,

)1e
Avian

LONDON,
THURSDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 15, 1827.

The Paris Papers of Sunday and Monday, and the
Etoile dated Tuesday morning, have reached us.
They do not contain any intelligence of importance.
Some further skirmishing had taken place between the
Rebels and the troops of the Regency in Portugal,
about the 25th January, in which the latter had the
advantage, but it is admitted that about 2000 of the
refugees have re-entered Tras-os-Montes, and that
other detachments are marching in different directions.
The head-quarters of the Count DE VILLA FLOR are
said to have been removed to Trancoso. Tile Etoile
mentions that some Portuguese officers, who had pre-
sented themselves to the Spanish authorities, had been
disarmed and sent into the interior.

The Quotidienne still clings to hope for the cause
of the Royalists. It mentions also that the two Swiss
regiments which had quitted Madrid are not to return
to France, but are to reinforce the garrisons of Pam-
peluna and San Sebastian.
The Moniteur of Sunday contains the Budget pre-
sented by the Minister of Finance to the Chamber of
Deliuties on the preceding day. The prosperity of
France is described in glowing colours, which, it must
be admitted, is proved by the considerable surplus of
Income over Expenditure. The excess is to be divid-
ed amongst each of the departments ; by this arrange-
ment the annual credit for the War Department is
raised to 200,000,000 francs, and for the Marine to
60,000,000 francs.
Extracts of these Papers will be found in another
column, and we subjoin the price of the Funds, which
rather declined on Monday.

FRENCH FUNDS, FEB. 12.—Five per Cents., 101 f. sc. ;
Three per Cents., 68f. 65c. ; Bank Stock, 1,990 f. ; Neapolitan,
74f. 75c. ; Spanish Loan (1823) 51i. Exchange on London—
One month, 25f. 45c. ; three months, 25f. 30c.

The Marquis of LANSDOWN gave notice last night
in the House of Peers, after he had presented the
Petition of the Roman Catholics of Ireland and the
Petition from the Roman Catholic Bishops, (which
latter was subsequently withdrawn in consequence of
an informality), that he would submit a proposition to
the House relative to the Catholics, on Thursday the
Bth March. The Noble Marquis did not state the
nature of this proposition ; but he avowed his inten-
tion of bringing it forward, whatever might be the
result of the discussion which would previously take
place on the same subject in the House of Commons.
The time of the House of Commons was occupied
with Mr. HIJME's motion for further papers ill the
case of Colonel BRADLEY and Colonel ARTHUR,
which was negatived. This matter has been so fre-
quently before our readers, that we feel we shall please
them best by making no further observations upon it.
Mr. SHADWELL obtained leave to bring in a Bill for
the alteration of the law respecting writs of right for
the recovery of real property, and for amending the law
relating to Dower.
We cannot but think that, however much the law
upon these subjects may require amendment, a Com-
mittee ought to be appointed for the consideration of
the state of the law, before any Bill should be sanctioned
for its alteration. It is by these partial alterations of
the law of the land that the inconsistencies which dis-
grace our Statute Book have been occasioned.

In another part of our Paper will be found extracts
from the last Edinburgh Review, on the subject of
allowing Counsel to Prisoners in cases of Felony ; it
certainly is a very able article, calculated, we should
think, to produce conviction in any mind not bigotted
to the present system. But the English Bar should par-
ticularly approve of it, for it points out (as we did
some time ago), the propriety of increasing the num-
ber of Judges, at present inadequate to bestow even a
decent portion of time on each trial. Much as we
approve of economy, we cannot think money well
saved when it is effected at the risk of injustice
—the probable consequence of hasty trials. The
neighbouring country of Scotland, has sixteen Judges
—England, with six times the population, and twenty
times the amount of crime—has only twelve. Be-
sides this, the employment of Counsel in cases of
felony would be a noble field for the display of aspir-
ing forensic talent. So much for the lawyers—hut we
invite all persons to read the extracts in our first page.

We received this morning the Allgenzeine Zeitung
of the Bth inst. Its contents, if true, are rather im-
portant, as showing that the Greek cause is improv-
ing, while the establishment of the Government at'
Egina promises to give increased stimulus to the ope-
rations of the army and navy. The Government resolved
on the 29th Nov. to sell by public auction all the revenues
of the nation for 1827, but we apprehend they will find
some difficulty in obtaining purchasers of such pre-
carious property, subject, as it must be, to all the vi-
cissitudes of victory and defeat. Another decree had
been published prohibiting piracy, but even this,
though very creditable to the national feeling, the
Government will find it impossible to enforce strictly,
from the present state of anarchy to which their
measures are reduced ; still the will betokens the
honourable principles upon which they are determined
to act, and the pirates will thus be deprived of all pre-

;nsion to the countenance of the Government in their

nefarious proceedings.

The Allgenzeine Zeitzmg of the 6th contains an
article dated from the French Frontiers, January 21,
showing, from internal and external evidence, that the
many articles in the French Papers (all said to be
taken from the Memorial Bordelais) relative to
Paraguay and Dr. FR A NCI A , are foreigners.

There are some men who seem utterly unacquainted
with the very meaning of the word shame. A creature
of this description, bearing the gentle designation of
HOGG, yesterday had the assurance to apply to the
Consistorial Court for a divorce, though he must have
been aware, that circumstances of the most shameful
nature would come out on the trial, sufficient to over-
whelm the very lowest of mankind with eternal con-
fusion. The particulars are given in another part of
our paper, and we are sure that our readers will sympa-
thise in the satisfaction we experienced on finding that
the wretched creature was foiled in his attempt.

To an attentive observtr of the course of public
events, nothing is more amusing than the change of
sentiment which takes place in the House of Com-
mons on the same subject, within a few years ; and it
is impossible not to form very instructive conclusions
from the consideration of the unstable nature of the
opinion of that enlightened assembly. Numerous in-
stances might be adduced wherein a measure has
been carried by a sort of irresistible impulse, and with-
in a few sessions repealed by a vote scarcely less unani-
mous than that by which it had been originally passed.
But a remarkable instance of this vacillation worthy
of being particularly noticed. was exhibited only two
nights ago, when Mr. HUME commented on the
amount of the sum voted this year to make up the de-
ficiency of the Fund from which the pensions of Naval
Officers' Widows are paid. It was only a few sessions
ago that the House of Commons manifested so strong
an opinion that the Widows of Naval Officers should
be allowed the established pension of their rank, with-
out limitation or restriction, that the Government were
obliged to accede to it, contrary to their declared
opinion of the propriety or necessity of the measure ;
and now, when it becomes necessary in consequence
of the increased expence thereby entailed on the coun-
try, to come to Parliament for the means of defraying
it, the very men who had forced the Government to a
course which they disapproved, turn round upon them
and object to the system thus established, as improvi-
dent and unwise.
To enable our readers the better to understand the
subject to which we immediately allude, it may not be
amiss to give a brief history of the Fund from which
the pensions of Naval Officers' Widows are paid.
From the earliest period of our Naval annals it had
been customary for the Crown to grant such pensions
as his MAJESTY might deem fit to the Widows r.nd
Children of Naval Officers slain in fight with the
enemy, or who had perished at sea. But it was not
till the early part of the reign of King GEORGE 11.
that any pension was granted to the Widows of Officers
who died a natural death. The destitute situation of

the widows of many gallant Officers then attracted the
attention of the KING, the QUEEN, and of the service
at large, and a Charity, under Royal patronage, was
then incorporated for the relief of the poor Widows
of Sea Officers, to constitute a Fund from which the
pensions were to be granted ; an abatement of three-
pence in the pound for this charity was sanctioned to
be made from the pay and half-pay of all Officers ;
but it being soon found that the Revenue resulting
from this source would be inadequate to grant even
very moderate pensions, Parliament was pleased to
sanction that one fictitious (or widow's man as it was
called) should be borne in each one hundred
men on the books of his MAJESTY'S ships in
sea pay, the amount of whose wages and
victuals was to be paid over to the funds of the
Charity. Even this Parliamentary aid was occasion-
ally insufficient to enable the charity to pay the pen-
sions which it had been proposed to grant, the highest
of which was at that time 451. ; but at length the
House of Commons, on the motion of Admiral MAC-

BRIDE, resolved that the 211111 requisite to make up
the pensions to the nominal amount, should be made
good by Parliament, when the funds of the charity fell
short. At that time the regulations excluded any
widow from the benefit of the charity, who had a pri-
vate income of an amount equal to the pension of her
Class ; but in 1805 the rates of pensions were increased,
and the limitation extended to double the amount of
pension. In 1813 the rates of pension were again in-
creased, and fixed at their present amount, with the
same limitation. But in 1819, in consequence of the
opinion of the House of Commons decidedly expressed,
all excluding limitations were done away with, and
every deserving widow of a Naval Officer was declared
entitled to the pension, whatever might be the amount
of her private income, even if she were re-married.
This additional expense, together with the reduced
income of the fund, of course renders it necessary to
apply to Parliament annually to make up the defici-
ency, according to the original vote of the House of
Commons.

It will be observed by this statement, that this cha-
rity, which originally was a private institution, has be-
come one entirely of a public nature. Whether, if the
system were now to be established, it would be consi-
dered incumbent on the nation to provide for the wi-
dow of every Officer who held a commission or war-
rant in the Navy, 'night be a question ;but sanctioned
as the custom is by time, and justified as it is, by the
righteous feeling of providing for the widows of those
who have served their country, it is a branch of the
public expenditure which can never be cut off; and
benefitsof the charity althoughto
thep x
o sevetrefnu Is
oi of the
argumentsi might have been used
against
all widows indiscriminately, yet at the same time many
measurel' ; and, at all
ylipboev‘ra'elrfu
forwardargum it: perhaps,,support oef qtuhaaltl might be brought
events, the boon having been once granted can never
be withdrawn. The amount, too, in a national point
of view, is unimportant, and the cases in which the
pension may not be absolutely necessary, can only be
those in which the husbands of the widows had served
their country longest and most faithfully. On the

whole; therefore, we cannot object to the present sys-
tem ; but we do most heartily protest against blaming
the Government for a measure not attributable to
them, and against now forcing them into an alteration
of a system, which being once established, cannot be
done away without evident injustice and cruelty.

Gibraltar Chronicles of the 25th January have been re-
ceived. They notice the arrival of several vessels from the Me-
diterranean which had suffered from the tempestuous state of the
weather, after long voyages. The accouat of the death of his
late Royal Highness the Duke of York had arrived at the garri-
son, and caused considerable gloom among the troops, by whom
he was universally beloved.

We regret to learn that Mr. CANNING'S recovery
is not so rapid as was at first expected.

THE FUNDS-(THIS DAY).

CITY, Twelve o' Clock.

Consols opened this morning at 82k, and the Bears imme-
diately made an attempt to bang the market, and reduce the price
to 821, in this they did not however succeed, for the strength of
the market was soon shewn by their advancing to 821 at which
rate they remained steady for some time, and are now 82i ; money
continues abundant in the city ; India Bonds and Exchequer Bills
have suffered a trifling depression of about one shilling per Cent.,
the former being 54 6, and the latter 35 6 pm. - Little business
has been doing in the Foreign Funds • Mexican Bonds, .681 ;
Colombian, 1824, 381 ; Danish, 64 2 ; Portuguese are 771
8/ ; and Spanish, 121 the latter seem to have no elasticity,
and the credit of the King of Spain appears to be in less repute
than any other security whatever ; some enquiries have been mak-.
ing of what is likely to be given for the debentures to be issued by
the Spanish Monarch for the payment of British claims, as settled
by Mr. Cock ; an idea has been expressed that every 100/. de-
benture ought to bring 40 or 50 per Cent. when issued, but we
have considerable doubts if they could he disposed of at more than
one half this amount, and if even at that rate, whether the sufferers
would not have made an excellent bargain. Shares remain in
the same helpless state they have so long been at; Brazil Mines
have, however, improved to 1 3 pm. ; Real del Monte are quoted
rather lower, being 80 90 pm. ; whilst, on the contrary, Anglo
Mexican are quoted at 35 30 dis.
Three per Cent. Console, 8211 ; Ditto for account, 82i ;
India Bonds, 54 6 pm. ; Exchequer Bills, 35 6 pm.
FOREIGN FUNDS.—Brazilian, 64 5 ; Buenos Ayres, 53 4 ;
Chilian, 36 8 ; Colombian, 1824, 381 4 ; Danish, 61,1 2 ;
Mexican, 5 per Cent., 561 ; Ditto 6 per Cent., 681 ; Portu-
guese, '771 81 ; Peruvian, 33 5 ; Greek, 154 161; Russian,
894 901 ; Spanish, 121 .1.
MINES.—AngIo Mexican, 35 30 die. ; United Mexican, 101
dis. ; Real del Monte, 80 90 pm. ; Tlalpuxahua, 40 50
pm. ; Bolivar, 1 2 pm. ; Brazilian, 1 3 pm. ; Colombian, 14.
16 per Share ; Potosi, 24 6 per Share; Pasco Peruvian, 54
per Share.

Two o' Clock.

Consols have been steady up to this hour at 824 -R, but within
these few minutes they rose to 824, buyers ; Reduced, 831;
India Bonds, and Exchequer Bills a shade lower ; Mexican,
6S ; Colombian, 38 4.

THREE O' CLOCK
Consols, 82i, alternately buyers and sellers.
FOUR o'CLOCK--CLOSING PRICE.
Consols 821 Danish Bonds 611
4
Do. for Ac. 821 Greek Do. 1825 161
4
Brazilian Bonds 65 Mexican Do. 1825, 681
Buenos Ayres Do. Peruvian Do. 342
Chilian Do. Russian Do. 90+
Columbian, 1824, 38+ Spanish Do. 1312

LAW INTELLIGENCE.-(THIS DAY.)

HOUSE OF LORDS.-APPEALS.

The LORD CHANCELLOR, the Earl of WINCHELSEA, and Lord
GRAY, were in attendance this morning, when further arguments
were heard in " Lord Selsey and others v. Rhoades."

COURT OF KING'S BENCH, -WESTMINSTER.
(SITTINGS IN BANCO, AFTER TERM.)
This Court sat to-day hearing demurrers, but hardly any thing 01
public interest transpired.