Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1845-12-11

n
ed little credit, states that Nicholas intends
to abdicate in favor of his successor, and
that when he left St. Petersburg for Italy
this had been resolved upon.
The new tariff of the Zollverein has been
published, but has excited little attention in
England As regards the United States, the
increased duties will not affect the impor-
tations The transit duties on cotton have
been reduced by the Hanoverian States.
The Duke and the Corn LaaOS.-ltis now
currently reported that the Duke of We'll
lington is opposed to changes in the corn
laws, or to the adoption of any measures
which may be supposed injurious to the
agricultural interests. The Duke, it is ru-
mored, washes his hands of all such pro-
iects, but says to his colleagues, elf you
are determined to interfere at all, call Par
lament together, and lay your plans before
thsm.n -.Morning Chronicle.
JHortazity among the Queens Troops in
China.-In l943, Her Maesty's 18th regi-
ment had 400 men stationed at Annoy, where
they lost IS men and two officers. At Hong
Kong nearly one-third of the British garri-
son died in 1S43 The British commander,
General D'AuflIar has declared that to re-
tain Hong-Kong it will require the loss of a
whole regiment every three years, and that
to have 700 effective men, tits necessary to
maintain 400. The graveyard at Hong
Kong was soon filled, and another was re-
quired from the SurveyorGeneral, who found
it difficult to point out proper spot.
From the Mark Lane Express.
The Corn Trade.-The all-engrossing
topic continues to be the disease in the po-
tato crop. The fine weather experienced
during the past three or four weeks has been
favorable for digging up this root, and the
greater proportion has now been raised the
time has therefore arrived at which some
thing like an estimate of the extent of the
failure may be formed. We have been at
considerable pains TO collect information on
this important subject; and from the gene
raj tenor of our advices, we fear that the
damage is quite as great as it has been re-
presented. The most serious cause for ap-
prehension is, however, the fact that large
proportion of the crop which, at the time OF
raising, appeared sound, has been found not
to keep. That such is unfortunately the
case has been recently proved by the condi-
ton in which many of the cargoes from the
north have reached the London market. 1t
lis to be presumed that at the time of ship
ment care was taken to select only such po-
taloes as were to appearance sound; Tor 1t
can scarcely be supposed that parties max
ing consgnments would be so regardless of
their own interest as to ship quality un-
suited for a sea voyage. We consequently
take it for granted that every attention was
bestowed in selecting the cargoes before the
potatoes were put on ship board; if right III
this, the condition in which they have arriv-
ed certainly affords abundant ground to fear
that a small proportion only of that part of
the crop secured in a seemingly healthy
state will be preserved through the winter,
unless extraordinary care be taken for their
preservation. We have it from good autho-
rity that large number of cargoes of pota-
toes have within the short space of fort
night arrived in the Thames in such state
as to be not only wholly unfit for food, but
so completely rotten as not to be worth the
freight.
The facts above stated are indisputable,
and our only reason for not previously al
Iuding to the same was an unwillingness to
increase the excitement 50 prevalent about
fortnight ago. Matters having since assum-
led quieter tone, we think the proper time
has arrived for taking into consideration the
probable effect Of the state of things above
described.
The most obvious conclusion. in our O.
pinion, is, that shippers in the Channel IS
lands, Yorkshire, Sc, will after the expert
ence they have gained from their first ship
ments, prefer selling their produce at home
at lower price, rather than run the risk OF
a total loss; and we must, therefore, expect
an early and very material falling off in the
arrivals ofthis useful article Of food. Should
we be correct in this supposition, the price
of potatoes-already high-must shortly
rise still higher; and we should certainly
not be surprised to see the article more valu-
able, weight for weight, than some OF the
lower descriptions of grain, or even bread
itself: Taking into consideration the "a
mount of nutrimeut contained in the same
quantity of wheaton bread and potatoes, ii
may be even questioned which is the cheap
err at present; and, under all circumstances
a very large consumption of flour must in
evitably take place during the ensuing win
ter.
The extreme languor which has character,
lied the trade in wheat for some weeks pas
has nevertheless continued, and as yet there
are but slight symptoms of renewed activi,
a., IT. ,nbot ,ya Iast week stated as the