The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-05-08

TIE FRENCH MEprERRAsEAN FLEET. This
fleet left Messna for Naples on the 9Th ult, IN con-
sequence of orders from Toulon brought by
French man of war steamer The reason Of this is
dispute between the French and Neapolitan gov
ernments respecting tract OF land named Pruto
di Corvo claimed by the French as portion OF the
Roman territories, but denied by the Neapolitan
The French squadron consists of three line of bat.
tie ships and three steamers. The American frgae
Cumberland Captain Latimer, left at the same time
for Naples, where are also lying the Independence
frigatc, with the pendant Of Captain &. W. Nor
gan, and the st. Lawrence frigate, Captain Pauld-
ing.
PoRTyGAL.-Fro Cadiz we learn that there were
five Spanish war-steamers in that port coaling;
they would shortly sail for Havana. Spanish
rigate was also in the ofing embarking troops for
the same place. The expedition would shortly sail,
after the embarcation of Lieutenant General Count
Miraaol, who proceeds on special mission to the
Captain General of Cuba, accompanied by these
six vessels intended for the better protection of the
Spanish possessions in the west.
British Mercantile Marine.
The present number of British seamen is about
100000, of whom 100000 belong to the mercantile
marine, and 5000 to the navy-the remainder be-
ing in foreign service. The total number of ves-
sells belonging to the merchant service of the Brit
ish empire was, in S4S, less than SO 672, having
an aggregate tonnage of 1852 l60 and carrying
collectively $780, O6s men. The average rate Of in
crease in the merchant vessels for the last ten
years has been 600 per annum, while the annual
increase of burden amounts, within a fraction, To
900 tons. By this means employment Is found
for 5000 fresh hands every year The British enT
pirc possesses third more vessels than France
while the aggregate tonnage Of the British ships is
upwards of four times as great as the French, and
one third more than the collective burden OF the
American vessels. Some idea Of the extent Of the
foreign trade carried by this country may be
formed from the number of British and foreign
vessels that annually enter the several ports OF the
haaa fi.nx n
ed to nearly $4,000 vessels, Q3,OOO OF which were
foreign,) having gross burden of six and half
million tons, and giving employment to nearly
$50 900 men.
The total value of the exports and imports eff
fected by such means amounts to upwards Of sew
enty- five millions sterling per annum. According
to the estimate of Mr.. G.. F. Young, the ships en-
gagged in the mercantile marine are worth 80, ,oOO,'
0O0i. The sum annually expended III building, re-
pairing, and Quitting new and old ships, amounts
TO 10 500 000i and the cost of the wages and pro-
visions for the seamen engaged In navigating the
merchant vessels, to 800, ,000l. while the amount
annually received for freight by the ship is
said to come to q, 500 ,000i The foreign trade IN
connexion with the port of London Is very nearly
one fourth Of the entire maritime commerce OF the
United Kingdom The number of vessels that en-
tered the port of London in ls47 was upwards of
5000, and the gross tonnage nearly 2,0OU,0O0 the
rate of increase being about half million tons and
800 vessels in five years, or 100 900 tons and 300
vessels per annum. The principal foreign trades
among the merchant vessels sailing from the port
of London are the East India and China, the Aus
tralian, the West India, the Honduras, the Baltic
and Russian, the North American, the South Ameri-
can, the United States, the Brazilian, the Hudson 8
Bay, the African the Cape of Good Hope, the South
Sea and Greenland, the Mediterranean, and the
Portuguese and Spanish -Napal and Mi GAG
London ON Easter Monday.
Easter Monday was real holiday to the thou
sands of toilers in London. The day was beautiful;
and the crowds who filled the Parks, and sailed
as far as Greenwich and Hampton Court, were
enormous. Greenwich Fair of course carried the
palm; it is stated that nearly 1000 personswe
there, who had iourneyed variously by steamer
high road, and rail. On the railway indeed, IT Ii
pleasantly told by observer, the army of por-
ters swept from their posts by the crowd like
cha1 before the wind; all demands for tickets, ano
all attempts at any thing like assortment of pas
sengers in grades, were secuted as official pedantry
or joked off as pure facetousness. "Third-classes
rejoiced ia successful assault on the sumptuous
carriages intended for their moneyed betters; and
rst-class dandies, in delicatc fig, were fain TO be
thankful for the few square inches Of standing
room meted 10 them in the crushing boxes "oppro-
briated' 10 the poor. In Greenwich Fair there
was a sad decline in fat ladies, degcneracy in
prodigious infants, and shortcoming in intellec-
tual brutcs; with a vast increase Of incentives to
utltarian outlay,-as the warranted correct like
by the ploio cosmoraaie process, for one pen
| n.y." and the like.
| Epping Hunt revived; red deer was un-
earted at Buckhurst Hill, and three or four hun
drcd Cockney huntsmen started IN the chase
Although there were such inducements 10 for
sake the metropolis for its rural suburbs the treats
for the mind's-eye, ~ be found only within the
walls, attracted greater number Of seekers than
ever. Nearly thirty thousand persons entered the
British Nuseum-some six thousand more than In
any former year.
With the waning Of the day the healthful and
dffusive circulation reversed; the lungs re-
| linqushed their streams Of revNited humanity
and the heart Of the metropolis--its theatrcs-was
/ nd thcnt heaI in ifa inr ~
full and drowsy, London again fell into its profound
nightly sleep.
] The Lord Mayors Easter banquet was attended
by greater number Of guests than usual; several
foreign ministers, Lord Dudley Stuart, and Sir
! William Moeswor.b, being among the number.
The conyyal tone Of the speeches 80 far moved the
syInpathes of the French Ambassador, that he de.
clared himself quite eat home" in that mansion,
whose Inequalities he has 80 frequently shared.
tSpeetatOr.