The Sun.
London, England, 1842-11-18 00:00:00

COLONIAL.

SUGAR.—There continues to 1e scarcely any de-
mand for British Plantation, and prices must be quoted
again rather lower, more particularly for the inferior.
About 800 have been sold this week, inclusive of 112
casks Barbadoes at auction, which found buyers at
61s 6d to 69s 6d for low to very fine quality, being
fully previous prices. Molasses have been only
partially inquired for at the prices of last week.
Mauritius and Bengal-854 bags Mauritius,
and 1,819 bags Bengal, mostly sold, but went off
heavily, the former at 58s to 65s for low to good,
bright yellow, low to fine brown ditto, 52s 6d to 575,
and the latter at 638 to 70s 6d for low to fine 'white,
mid to fine greyish yellow at 59s 6d to 61s. 1,044
bags very low soft Penang offered at public sale,
were all taken in at 465, being above the value.
Privately very few transactions have taken
place. Foreign—There has been rather less
demand for these descriptions, but holders
are extremely firm, and purchasers 'cannot
be made at lower prices ; the business -done privately
is confined to from 400 to 500 boxes Havannah and
Cuba Muscovado, at 16s to 18s, being the previous
value. The public sales have offered 385 boxes white
Havannah, 189 chests white Pernambuco, and 2,974
bags Manilla ; the two former parcels were all taken
in, low to white Havannah at 30s to 355, and the
Pernambuco at 20s 6d to 25s 6d for very low to
fine quality; subsequently, however, three-fourths
of the latter descriptions have been sold at 19s
6d to 23s for low to mid white. The Manilla
all found buyers at 14s to 15s for low soft to mid
brown (chiefly damps), being comparatively cheap.
Refined. Grocery descriptions remain much

leglected, although continually declining prices
are accepted. For Crushed there has been rather
more inquiry, and some rather large transactions have
taken place at 255, which is the previous value, bat at
this price it is difficult to purchase.

COFFEE.-All descriptions continue much depressed,
and the parcels brought to public sale, coilisting of
155 casks 76 barrels British Plantation, 403 bags
Ceylon, and 1,650 bags East India, were all taken in
or withdrawn (excepting .the Ceylon) for want of
buyers ; good ordinary brown and Singapore Java
at 33s to 365, which are again lower prices.
Ceylon sold at 62s 6d to 79s 6d for fine ordinary,
being about former rates. Privately scarcely any
thing has been done. Foreign sorb are
likewise neglected, and, in the absence of any demand,
must be considered nominal. Only 273 bags St.
Domingo have been brought to auction, the sound of
which were taken in at 31s 6d for mixed, good ord,
pale, and coloury quality, being a decline of fully ls.
A few lots Ist and 2d class damaged, sold at 27s 6d
to 295, which are rather lower rates.
CocoA.—The public sales have contained 522
barrels and bags Trinidad, and 500 bags (damaged)
Guayaquil, the former sold at 32s to 36s 6d for mid
grey to good red, which is rathei lower, and the
latter at 25s to 31s, being comparatively cheap.
Rum.—The transactions reported since our last,
consist of 300 puns Jamaica at 2s 10d to 3s 8d for'
28 to 36 per cent overproof, of common to good quality,
fine do, 34 to 38 over, at 4s to 4s 9d, and 100 puns
Demerara at 2s 9d to 3s ld, for 30 to 38 per cent
overproof, being about previous prices.
Ric E.-416 bags brought to auction sold at les
6d to 11s for mid white Bengal, being fully last week's
prices. A limited business has been done privately
at former rates.

SALTPETRE.—Of 1,943 bags only a small portion
found buyers at 28s 6d for 44 to 2f per cent. re-
fraction, which is fully Gd cheaper ; the remainder
were taken in at 28s for 5i- per cent. reffa2tion, and
241 also at 28s, being for the latter above the value;
some parcels have been sold privately at prices fully
establishing the above decline. There has been rather
more done in Nitrate of Soda, at prices a shade
higher, viz., 19s to 19s 6d.

SPICES.-883 bags Pimento, and 500 bags Pepper,
have been brought to auction; the former all found
buyers, but went off very irregularly, at about
former prices—viz., at 2d to 28d for mid to
good quality. The Pepper was all taken in (ex-
cepting two lots) at 2id for good clean Pe-
nang, being the previous value. Cassia Lignea
has been inquired for privately, but for the want of
parcels offering, scarcely any transactions have taken
place.
COTTON.—A fair business has been done in this
article, at the prices of last week.
_ _

TEA.—This article is in restricted demand, on ac-
count of the approaching public sales.
TALLOW.—P. Y. C. is rather firmer, being 48s 3d
to 4iis 6d on the spot.

HAMBURGH. and FLANDERS MAIL.
BERLIN, Nov. 10.—This forenoon the concludin,
sitting, or last meeting of the Committee of the Est"-
tates of the Kingdom was held, after which they were
dismissed in due form, in the presence of the King
and of all the Ministers of State. After this there
was a grand dinner in the White Saloon, to which all
the Ministers, the Marshals of the Estates, and the
Deputies were invited. His Majesty spoke in the
most gracious manner, first, in general, and afterwards
to several individual representatives, expressing his
satisfaction and thanks. The Treasury has paid,
without distinction of classes or of ranks, to every De-
puty three dollars per day from the time of their set-
ting out, and one dollar ten silver groschen for every
post-mile, according to the distances from their places.,
of abode.

HANOVER, NOV. 11.—We hear that his Royal
Highness the Crown Prince will set out to-morrow to
pay a visit to his bride. He will stop a fortnight at
Altenburg, and before his return pay a visit to Berlin.
His Royal Highness enjoys excellent health. On the
other hand, neither the journey to Rothenkirchen nor
his return to Hanover appeared to have had any favour-
able effect on the King's health. It is said that within
these few days some circumstances have happened
which have cast a gloom over the generally cheerful
temper of the King. One of these circumstances is
the death of Dr. Kohlrausch's widow, who was for
many years the attached friend and companion of the
late queen. She was' buried yesterday, an,d by the

King's order all the household and servants of the
Queen attended the funeral. The • death of this lady
is said to have very greatly affected the King.
DiuscirAN, Nov. 7.—%V have had constant frost
for several days.

This morning Reaumuy's thermometer was 61
degrees below freezing point, in consequence of which
there is so much ice in the Vistula that it was neces-
sary to begin late yesterday evening the taking up of
the bridge of boats; the passage over the river is now
effected by boats, which are able to force their way
through the ice, which at present is but thin. The
Vistula is rising everyl day. This is the first time
for many years that-the bridge has been removed so
early.
The King, the Ministers, and other persons of dis-
tinction, who went to Tournay, arrived at Brussels
yesterday evening.
We are assured that M. Van Volxem' the Minister
of Justice, has made a report to the King on the
escape of General Vandersmissen, and •that he pro-
poses to his Majesty to exercise a new act of clemency
towards the other three, prisoners Vandermeere, Van
Laethern, and Verpraet.
BRUSSELS, Nov. 16.—The average price of wheat
last week was 21f. 7c., and that of rye 14f. 10c. per
hectolitre. Wheat therefore is still exempt from im-
port duty. On rye the duty is 21f. 30c. per thou-
sand killogrames. The export duty on both wheat
and rye remains fixed at 25 centimes per 1,000 killo-
grames. _ _

The journals contain to-day long details of the
opening of the sections of the iron railway between
Courtray, Mouscron, and Tournay, and the manner
in which his Majesty was received.

THE OFFICE AND AUTHORITY
OF THE LORD WARDEN of the CINQUE PORTS.
" They that bear
The cloth of State above her, are four Barons
Of the Cinque Ports."—SasxspEAßE.
It appears, from the above passage, that the pro-
cessions of oyalty in former times were wont to re-
ceive no small accession to their " pomp and circum-
stance" by the presence and service of the Cinque
Port Lords and their supporters. But, on looking
over the scrolls of their history, we find mention of
none who has bestowed greater dignity on the office
itself, or stood by his liege in a more commanding as-
pect than the Illustrious Duke, who now, advanced
in years and full of honours, waits for a last time the
duties of his office upon her Majesty, before he re-
signs them, it is rumoured, to the princely Consort of
our Queen.
The ancient trading towns of the Cinque Ports,
over which his Grace has for some time past exercised
the powers of Lord Warden, lie on the coast of Kent
and Sussex, and were selected from their proximity
to France, ,and early superiority in navigation, to
assist in protecting the realm against invasion. Royal
charters were on these grounds granted them, invest-
ing them with certain privileges.
The ports so privileged, as we at present account them,
are Dover, Sandwich, Romney, Hastings, Hythe, and
the two ancient towns of Winchelsea and Rye; al-
thouglivt4 two latter places appear to.4ave,been only
originally members. The services which they were
appointed to perform were either honorary, viz., assist-
ing at the Coronation and sending Members to Par-
liament, or auxiliary to the defence of the realm, as
furnishing a certain supply of, vessels and seamen, on
being summoned to that service by the King's writ.
The supply of shipping which in former times these
Ports divisionally afforded was, according to Thorn,
as follows :—Hastings provided 21 vessels, and in each
vessel 21 men. To. this port belonged Seaford, Pe-
vensey, Hedney, Winchelsea, Rye, Hamine, Wakes-
bourn Creneth, and Forthclipe. Romney provided
five ships, and in each 24 men. To this belonged
Bromhal, Lyde, Oswarstone, Dangemares, and Ro-
menhal. Hythe furnished five ships, and in each 21
seamen. To this belonged Westmeath. Dover, the
same number as Hastings. To this belonged Fol-
kestone, Feversham, and Marge. Lastly, Sandwich
furnished the same with Hythe. To this belonged
Fordiwic, Reculver, Serre, and Deal.
Until the time of Henry the Seventh, the Crown
appears to have had no permanent navy: the Cinque
Ports constantly furnished nearly all the shipping re-
quired for the purposes of the State, and their assist-
ance to the King's ships continued long after that
time. When ships .were wanted, the King issued his
summons to the Ports to provide their quota. In the
tip e of Edward 1., they were bound to provide fifty-
in number, fully equipped, at their own cost.
. eriod of gratuitous service was 15 days. In
and the Third's time, the summons seems to have
apportioned the ships among the Ports and their mem-
bers. Some of the members had to provide one ship,
and in some cases two of the members had to provide
one between them.

In process of time the Cinque Ports grew so power-
ful, and, observes Chitty (Commercial Law, vol. ii.),
by possession of a warlike fleet, so audacious, that they
made piratical excursions in defiance of all public
faith. On some occasions they made war, and formed
confederacies as separate independent States. It ap-
pears, however, that these irregularities were soon
suppressed, when the Government was strong, and
sufficiently confident to exert its powers. So long as
the mode of raising a navy by contributions from dif-
ferent towns continued, the Cinque Ports afforded an
ample supply; but since that time their privileges
have been preserved, but their separate or peculiar
services dispensed with.
The towns of the Cinque Ports, owing to various
causes, have, however, long since lost their ancient
importance. This may, in part, be attributed to the
physical changes that have taken place in the course
of ages upon the coast-line. Rye and Romney, once
standing on the shore, are now at some distance from
it. Sandwich is only accessible for small vessels. The
ancient site of Folkestone, one of the members of
Dover, has been almost wholly washed away. The'
chief cause, however, of the extinction of these Ports
must be attributed I4Rthe complete organization of a
permanent navy in our island ; while again, compara-
tively with modern improvements, their inferiority as
ports, and their distance from all the great seats of
English manufacture, will sufficiently account for
their present commercial insignificance.

Alf the circumstances that tended to diminish the
maritime influence and importance of these Ports, how-
ever, did not prevent them from sustaining, until the
recent measures of general reform, considerable poli-
tical authority. Each of the five original Ports re-
turned two Barons to Parliament as early as Ed-
ward I. Before the Revolution of 1688 the Lord
Warden assumed the power and right of nominating
one, and sometimes both, of the Members for each of
the port-towns having Parliamentary representation.
The Reform Act of 1832 has worked a considerable
change in the political relations of the Cinque Ports,
diminishing the number of representatives from six-
teen to eight.
The title pf Warden of the Cinque Ports was first
bestowed on the Constable of Dover Castle by William
the Conqueror. That King, considering Dover as
the key to England, gave the charge of the adjacent
coast, with the shipping belonging to it, to the officer
above-mentioned, whose trust was one of the most
important in the kingdom. But, remarks Camden, if
the Conqueror was the first appointer of a Warden,
King John first granted them privileges, and that
upon condition that they should provide eighty ships
at their own charge for forty days, so often as the
King should have occasion in the wars. John, be it
remarked, at the time of this grant, was then strait-
ened for a navy to recover Normandy.
The Warden of the Cinque Ports, now commonly
styled the Lord Warden, because oftentimes the
wardens have been of the nobility, and sometimes
Princes of the blood royal, is an office which none '
less than a knight can occupy. This great officer, or
" Limenarcha,' as Camden terms him, was created in
imitation of the same officer which the Romans esta-
blished for defence of our coasts. By them he was
termed LITTOIIIS SAXONICI COMES, and had under him
the charge of nine sea-ports. There is no doubt, ob-
serves this learned antiquary, in reference to this
title, that these Cinque Ports or towns were under
some special' government even in the time of the
Saxons, necessity so requiring. These Wardens also,
beingset for the defence of the coast and ports, and being
also the commanders of their ships which they furnished
for sea, had bestowed on them the name of Adyirals.
Their office was large. Not only confined to the
jurisdiction of the sea in their district, they had in
their keeping and preserving the inland ports—were
mediators in maritime differences—guards against the
encroachments of foreigners, and correctors of errors
and irregularities in all marine transactions within
their rules. That the Warden of the Ports might
have a seat suitable to his quality, the Castle of Dover,
of which he was appointed Constable, was committed
to his charge and custody.
We have before observed that many memorable
persons, and among them several with blood royal in
their veins, have filled the office of which his Grace
the Duke of 'Wellington has been the last representa-
tive. In Mr. Jealce s invaluable book (Charters of
the Cinque Ports, fol. 1,727), which, in absence of
other documents, is frequently consulted by the Lords
of the Admiralty as authority, we find an accurate and
extensive list of every officer who has enjoyed the
dignity of Lord Warden from the Conquest and sub-
sequently From these we select the highest and most
'notable names :

Edward 1., Ann. 34. Lord Henry Cobham, whose
son founded Cobham College.
Edward 111., Ann. 19. Bartholomew de Burghesh,
one of the first Companions of the Garter.
Edw. 111. Ann. 50. Edmund Earl of Cambridge
one of the sons'of King Edward, and who, surviving
his father, had the office re-granted by other letters
patents.
Richard 11. Ann. 7. Sir Simon Burley, who was
condemned for treason, and executed on Tower-hill.
Ann. 21. Edward Plantagenet, Duke of
York and Aumerle.

Hen. IV. Ann. 12. Henry Prince of IVales, who
resigned it on becoming King, to the Earl of Arun