iflistellarceous.

The following is the formal announcement of the infant Prince's new dignity which appeared in Tuesday's Gazette-

'• Whitehall. 4th December 1841.

" The Queen has been pleased to order letters-patent to be passed under the Great Seal, for creating his Royal Highness the Prince of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, (Duke of Saxony, Duke of Cornwall and Rothsay, Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, and Great Steward of Scotland,) Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester."

The same Gazette announced that the Lord Chancellor had appointed Mr. Charles Beilby of Hull to be a Master Extraordinary in the High Court of Chancery.

The Standard contradicts a report that Lord Hill is about to retires Other reports of changes contingent upon that retirement are of course- upset.

The cost of the late Brevet to the country is estimated at 40,0001. a year, reducible as the lives fall in.

We have reason to believe that the Right Honourable George Dawson. will be the new Commissioner of Customs, in the place of the late Sir George Henry Freeling.—Morning Post.

It is said the Tories are about to make Mr. George Lane Fox a Peer, by the title of Lord Bingley.—Morning Chronicle.

Meetings have been held at Welshpool, and other places in Wales, to petition the Queen for a new order of Knighthood, to be called the Order of St. David, and for the establishment of a Professorship of the Welsh Language and Literature in each of the Universities of Oxford and. Cambridge.

The Duke of Sussex and the Dutchess of Inverness left Holkham on Monday, to visit the Earl of Scarborough, at Rufford Hall, his seat in Yorkshire. During his stay, the Duke enjoyed several battue shoot- ing-days; the extent of the enjoyment is to be inferred from the re- corded fact that during the battues Lord Coke killed more than fourteen hundred head of game.

We have authority to contradict a paragraph which has appeared in several of the public journals, that his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex is about to resign the Grand Mastership of the ancient order of Freemasons. That his Royal Highness has no such intention, is evi- dent when we state that he was unanimously proposed at a meeting of the Grand Lodge on Wednesday last [1st] to fill the distinguished office for the ensuing year.—Times.

The Duke of Cambridge has had a bad knee : about a month back he knocked it against a fauteuil at the Dutchess of Gloucester's. Mr. Scard, a surgeon of Kew, however, is the lucky suggester of an embro- cation which has brought the royal knee to a state of convalescence.

The Duke and Datchess of Bedford have lately been entertaining a distinguished party at Woburn Abbey with private theatricals.

Sir James Graham arrived in town on Monday, from his residence in Cumberland.

Sir Robert Peel arrived in Whitehall Gardens on Thursday afternoon, from Drayton. He is expected to return early in the ensuing week. Lord Wharncliffe returned to town from his seat, Wortley Hall, in Yorkshire, on Tuesday. Major-General Lord Salton left town on Wednesday night, for Ply- mouth, to embark in the .Belleisle ; which is to convey to China the Sixty-eight Regiment of Foot.

Lady Morgan and Sir Charles have just returned from the Continent. The Wild Irish Girl has been drinking inspiration from the waters of Germany, to support her in finishing her great work, " Woman and her Master."

We are deeply concerned to state, that Mr. Sharman Crawford, M.P., is at present suffering from an attack of typhus fever at Crawfordsburn. We believe, however, that the symptoms of the disease have somewhat abated ; and that there is ground to hope for the honourable gentleman's Speedy recovery.—Northern Whig.

It is said that Sir Francis Chantrey has left by will an income of 3001. a year to the President of the Royal Academy for the time being ; not to commence, however, until the death of Lady Chantrey.

Thorwaldsen is about to quit Rome, to remain for the rest of his days in his native place. The venerable sculptor is troubled with a catarrhal complaint, which keeps him in-doors. He employs himself chiefly in making designs, which are much admired for their compo- sition.

The gifts of charity from time to time mark the general sense of the distress. Colonel Peel and Sir Frederick Pollock have caused two hundred pair of blankets to be distributed among the poor of Hunting. don and Godmanchester, the united boroughs for which they sit in Parliament.

Lord Dudley Stuart has given 201. to the Spitalfields weavers. He was twitted lately with helping the Poles and neglecting his country- men.

On Wednesday, the Lord Mayor acknowledged the receipt of several contributions for the weavers : Mr. W. Body of Mark Lane, 50/. ; from the Reverend J. H. Fisk of Norwich, through the London and West- minster Bank, 2001.; Mr. Richard Wood, 100/. ; Mr. Justice Bosanquet, 501.; Mr. John Hall, of Weston Colvile, Linton, Cambridgeshire, 501.

The Earl of Manvers has given 100 guineas in aid of the fund for the distressed artisans of Nottingham. The Earl of Scarborough, Lord Middleton, and Sir Inckes G. Clifton, have respectively subscribed 50L to the same fund.

The Honourable Lucy Ann Fortescue, Lord Fortescne's aunt, died at Brighton, on Friday morning, from the effect of severe burns. Miss Fortescue was in her seventy-eighth year. On the 23d November, her maid left her, according to custom, in the midst of dressing ; and in about half-an-hour she was recalled by a noise of stamping on the floor : she found her mistress in the middle of the room, in flames. She wrapped a carpet round, screamed for assistance, and rang the bell. How the lady's dress caught fire she herself could not explain. An in- quest was held on the body on Saturday ; and a verdict of "Accidental Death " was recorded.

The Globe gives the current gossip about the great delinquent of the day, Mr. Beaumont Smith- " The unhappy Beaumont Smith was twice married. His second wife, to whom he had not been many months united when the recent discovery was made, is an elegant and accomplished woman, about the prisoner's own age ; and was before he married her the widow of a clergyman of the Church of England. Mr. Smith was much esteemed and respected by every one who knew him; and so little was he suspected of being implicated in the affair, even after the forgeries had been discovered, that Mr. Maule, the Treasury So- licitor, after a partial investigation of the circumstances of the case, went to him and said, A mine is about to be sprung, Smith ; but, thank God, it will not affect you or me !' The result, however, unhappily proved how little ground there was for Mr. Maule's confidence, as far as Smith was concerned. Until after he had resolved to divulge his guilt, he preserved his self-possession in an extraordinary degree: two days only before he was known to he involved in the transaction, an intimate friend asked him what was the meaning of the rumours in the City to the effect that there was something wrong in the Ex- chequer Bill Office ; when he replied, in an apparently indifferent manner, ' Oh, we never talk of these things.' " We stated a few days ago, that Sir Robert Peel's agents were on the Continent collecting statistical information relative to the prices of food and the rates of wages ; but from some information we have since re- ceived, we are disposed to fear that those gentlemen are not applying to the best sources if they really wish to be accurately informed. Our Vice-Consuls up the Baltic are,no doubt, very respectable men, but they are most of them, if not all, engaged in the corn-trade, and, in many in- stances, connected with the very men who live and thrive by working the. averages. However honourably men may be disposed, they are often themselves unconscious of the extent to which their facts and opinions are biassed by their wishes and interests ; and it would be a wonder in- deed if the Consular body on the Baltic were exempt from the infirmities which attach to human nature.—Morning Chronicle.

Monthly statement of letters delivered in the United Kingdom— Week ending the 21st November 1841 3,846,122

Week ending the 22d November 1840 3,456,115 Week ending the 24th November 1839 1,585,973

Increase since 1840 on the week's letters 390,007 Increase since 1839 on the week's letters 2,260,149

Louis Philippe's sister, Madame Adelaide, has been ill.

There are signs of formidable combinations making against M. Gnizot. " For instance," says the Morning Chronicle, " we learn from Paris that the Duke of Orleans assembled M. Thiers and all his friends at his musical soirée on Wednesday, at which no person was in- vited who could at all disagree with M. Thiers. There was no Minis- ter but M. Villemain—no English person or diplomatist ; but there was Count Mold invited to meet M. Thiers ; and the two candidate- ministers enjoyed a long and undisturbed conversation, while Grisi and her vocal choir were singing. There was Marshal Vallee, too, the enemy of Soult. In fact, it was an assemblage of Opposition ; and re- sembled what Leicester House was in the days of the Second George, or Carlton House at a certain epoch of our Third George's reign. Is it possible that Marshal Soult and M. Guizot are too pacific for the hear-apparent to the French throne?"

The correspondent of the Morning Post describes a preliminary Opposition meeting.

" A meeting of about twenty members of the Left Centre took place on Fri- day, at the house of M. Thiers. The occasion of this convocation of Deputies was this. M. Thiers had sent two persons to Count Mole as commissioners on the part of this restless and intriguing little statesman. These gentlemen and deputies formally assured Count Mole that M. Thiers was deeply enamoured of Conservative pnnciples, and that he had been calumniated and misrepresented ; that he neither wished for nor would he accept office for at least one or two sessions; but that en attendant be would give his most strenuous support to any combination calculated to oust M. Guizot from the Cabinet, regarding him as the worst enemy to the interests of France. It was upon this mission that Count Mole and M. Thiers were seen in earnest conversation at the soiree musicale of the Duke of Orleans last Wednesday. Thiers being asked by a friend what Count Mole had said, replied that he was more inveterate (acharne) against Gnizot than even himself (M. Thiers.) On the other hand, it is stated in well-informed quarters, that Count Mole has signified to M. Guizot that he would offer no opposition nor engage in any coarse of action against the 29th of October Ministry. To continue, however, the report of the Centre Gauche reunion, M. Thiers made a kind of oration affecting to disdain the idea of his return to power, but professing his readiness to join in any measures to turn out M. Guizot. He recommended that the Opposition should be directed against the latter personally, and not against any other member of the Souk- Guiaot Cabinet. He cared not whether Mold came into power, or Soult with Dufaure and Pussy. All their exertions must be combined against M. Guizot. The Deputies of the Left Centre who were present (I need scarcely add that Dupin, Dufaure, Pussy, Sauzet, &c., were not present) agreed to adopt M. Thiers's views; and war to the knife to Guizot was covenanted to be the watch- word. Here I give you the secret of the declaration in today's Constitutional, that the Left Centre is to be revived. You will remember that M. Thiers in his last Ministry relied or rested on the Left, or Odillon-Barrot section. He now appears to incline to the right, or '221,' and to unite it with the Old Left Centre, broken up by the intrigues for office after the celebrated coalition had upset the Mole Ministry of the 15th of April. This intrigue is, then, quite clear. Thiers fears only Guizot ; for the former is aware that the latter is the real safeguard against a war policy abroad and a revolutionary agitation at home. Thiers would rather that any person should have the conduct of the elections than M. Guizot; and he would, above all, prefer Mole, because the latter has twice failed to secure the return of a compact Conservative majority:" It is said that the Court is anxious to make a creation of Dukes and Peers, and that Marshal Gerard and Marshal Sebastiani are to be of the Cabinet. Count Mold has refused.

General Rumigny, who has just been appointed provisionally to re- place General Bugeaud as Governor-General in Algeria, was to leave Paris on Friday for his post. The presence of General Bugeaud is con- sidered necessary in the Chamber of Deputies, of which he is a member, to defend his budget. Marshal Soult, it is said, is quite satisfied with General Bugeand's campaigns, considering him as the only General who has yet understood the nature of an Arab campaign. General Rumigny has been Aide-de-camp of Louis Philippe, and has lately returned from Silesia to report on the state of the Prussian army.

The diligence between Lyons and Turin was stopped on the evening of the 1st instant by five armed men, disguised, who robbed it of23,700 francs. They made all the passengers get out. This took place at not more than half an hour's distance from Lyons.

The Constitutionnel says that the negotiations lately reopened between France and Belgium for the purpose of effecting a commercial union are again at an end. M. Gaizot, without consulting the President of the Council or the Ministers of Finance and Commerce, had instituted a committee in the Foreign Office, under the presidency of M. Rossi, which was to have devised means of accelerating the conclusion of the treaty, so that it might be voted in the course of next session. The appointment of this committee, when known to his colleagues, became the subject of warm debates in the CounciL Its opponents objected that such a treaty was calculated to estrange from the Ministry the majority in the Chambers ; and M. Guizot, yielding to that powerful consideration, determined indefinitely to adjourn the subject.

A number of forged notes for 1,000 francs have been detected lately in Belgium : they are stamped at the back " James Bulston and Com- pany, Money-changers and Dealers in Bullion, 85 and 86 Cheapside, London "; and it is supposed that they are forged in England.

The British Government, according to the Augsburg Gazette, has op- posed the accession of Hanover to the German Customs Union, and has lodged a protest against it with the competent authorities. The same journal says that England would witness with regret the junction of Holstein and Schleswick to the German Customs Union, about which there has been lately much talk.

The Augsburg Gazette of the 2d instant states that the Greek Go- vernment had delivered a note to the Turkish Ambassador, couched in the most conciliatory terms ; which leaves no doubt that the differences between the two Governments will be terminated amicably.

It was reported in Alexandria on the 23d November, that the Pasha had been authorized by the Sultan to continue, during seven years, his system of monopoly in Egypt, in order to afford him time to reorganize the administration of the country, and place it in harmony with thehatti- scheriff of Gulhane.

A celebrated German female traveller the Baroness Dinglage elf Hanover, died of fever, in Cairo, on the 15th November. She was about fifty years of age : she travelled alone, and was preparing to set out on a visit to the ruins of Thebes.

The overland mail conveys papers from Bombay to the 1st November.

The point of interest was the threatening movements of Thara- waddie, King of Burmais ; who had approached Maulmain with large bodies of troops, estimated in some accounts at 200,000. A detachment of British troops, with some gun-boats, was sent up the river Salween, to be posted at different villages on its banks ; and the stockades on the Burmese side were found to be very numerous. One of Tharawaddies officers, the Governor of Bileng, had lately been observed to become very insolent ; and it is said that he had returned an official communi- cation unopened. Lord Auckland had despatched three regiments, the Fiftieth, the Sixty-second, and the Fourteenth Native Madras infantry, with a body of Artillery, the Queen's ship Calliope, the steamer Ganges, and two gun-boats ; the steamer Forbes was sent to intercept the iron steamers Ariadne and Medusa on their way from Bombay to China ; and orders were transmitted to Bombay to send round the steamer Enterprise. The Bombay correspondent of the Morning Chronicle enumerates the forces which will be brought to bear against Tharawaddie- "There are at present in Mauhnain about 2,500 men and 20 pieces of artillery: so that, with the reinforcements above-mentioned, our land force will be a strong one ; and as for our naval armament, a glance at the subjoined list of the vessels which will soon be floating together on the Burman waters, must satisfy any one of the fearfully slender chances of success Tharawaddie would have even with his 120,000 soldiers and 15,000 boats, were he to provoke us to the fight.

"Her Majesty's ship Calliope, her Majesty's brig Childers. Steamers—Enterprise, Ganges, Proserpine (iron), Medusa (iron), and Anadne (iron.) " Government schooners—Orissa and Eagle, fitted up as gun-boats. "Transports—Steamer India, Thetis, Elizabeth Ainslie, Maria, Robarts, Larkins, Stalkart.

" Speculations as to the cause of Tharawaddie's movement," says the writer just quoted, " have of course not been wanting. One writer is of opinion that he has no belligerent intentions, but purposes taking up his residence at Ran- goon for a considerable time, and has therefore brought his army, an undisci- plined set of rabble, along with him, to prevent their doing mischief in his absence; while another, in affirming that the aspect of affairs is decidedly war- like, seems to connect the present demonstration with the visit of a French vessel, the Coromandel, to Rangoon during the period of M. Thiers's Ministry. That Tharawaddie's designs are hostile, appearances amply prove ; and as to his motive, if it be necessary to seek for any extraordinary one, we shall pro- bably find it in the general impression which seems to have existed in Burmab that our expedition to China had proved unsuccessfuL In several countries in the vicinity of the Celestial Empire, the Emperor is viewed as a kind of demi- god, and his power deemed invincible ; and Tharawaddie, it it well known, has ever considered the ' Son of Heaven' in this glorious light." As the Thetis was proceeding on her way down the Hooghly with one hundred and seventy men on board, the cholera broke out among them ; and it had also made its appearance in the Calliope.

Shah Sooja had lately been dangerously ill. It is said that be would pass the winter at Cabul; where Colonel Stoddart was daily expected, on his release by the King of Bokhara.

The Court of Persia, it is believed, had rejected the offers of Kam- ran Shah, and would not interfere in any way with the affairs of Herat. Major Outram, the Political Agent, arrived at Quettah on the 2d September ; and four days afterwards, Nusseer Khan made his appear- ance, accompanied by Colonel Stacey. The young Prince seemed much pleased with his reception by Major Outram ; who welcomed him in the most friendly manner, and directed a Durbar to be held on the following day ; when his proclamation as Nawaub of Khelat took place. After a short stay, the party left Quettah for Khelat ; and on the 6th, Nusseer was formally invested there with his new dignity. The treaty he him- self read ; and after having signified his approval of the terms, attached his signature to it.

The Murree tribe of the Bolan Pass have of late repeated their old acts of outrage and depredation. A party under General Brooks, while going down the Pass, was attacked by them, as was another under Lieutenant Wallace ; and a poor woman, named Smith, the wife of a conductor, has been barbarously murdered. Several dawks, too, had been plundered. Major Outram had issued orders for the collection of a very strong force, but for what particular object does not very clearly appear. Some said that it was for the punishment of the Murrees ; others, that he was about to attempt the recovery of some guns which were abandoned at Nufoosk, and which have been preserved as trophies by the chiefs of the tribe ; while there were rumours afloat that an ex- tensive series of operations in the hills would shortly be commenced. It was believed that Major Outram will himself pitch his camp in the Pass.

Ravages continued to be committed in Cntchee, and it has been deemed necessary to send out a body of horse for the protection of the villages. It was rumoured that Shere Singh had, after all, refused to cede the provinces of Peshawur and Cashmere. Much excitement seemed to have prevailed at Lahore among the common people and soldiery when the decision became known, all appearing delighted at the prospect of hostilities. The general opinion was, that if the English were unpre- pared, Shere Singh would become the aggressor ; and it was said that he had been induced to form this determination from the decision of certain Brahmins, who had predicted, that " if he crossed the Sutledge and attacked the English, he would certainly be victorious, and soon drive them out of Hindostan ; but that if they crossed the water to attack him, he would as certainly lose the whole of his kingdom, if not his life." The Bengal Hurkaru, however, gives a very opposite account, and represents Mr. Clarke as having made good progress in negotiations with the Seikhs. Shere Singh was about gradually to remove the principal officers employed by his father Runjeet. Earl Auckland had, it is said, refused permission to a Russian Prince and agent, who was anxious to travel in the Punjaub. General Nott had been sent into the little-known Teree country, to chastise the Chiefs of Turneeu and Duramut, who rebelled against Shah Soojah. The last accounts state that the force was engaged in getting the heavy guns over the ghat which forms the entrance to the territory of the Duramut chief; which was found to be a work of much difficulty. There is a rumour that both of the two leaders have followed the ex- ample of Auchter Khan, by taking their departure for Herat ; but no- thing is positively known on the subject. The Arabs in the Southern Mahrattah country had given some trouble; and two companies had been sent against the savage Bheels near Mhorw, who had also been troublesome.

Among the remarkable matters in which the natives are concerned, may be mentioned the fact that a young Hindoo widow is about to be married at Calcutta to one of her own caste. The marriage of widows is a new step in Indian civilization. A young Parsee, who some months ago was baptized under the care of one of the missionaries, notwith- standing the utmost efforts of his wife, his parents, and his relatives, had returned to his former faith, because the friends of his young and beautiful wife, who had become a widow on his embracing Christianity, threatened to have her married to another.

The St. Petersburg correspondent of the Times, writing on the 16th, says that since the commencement of the differences between Great Britain and China, the commercial relations between Russia and the Celestial Empire, through Kiakhta, have increased considerably. The manner in which this trade is carried on has given increased confidence to the Chinese. It is added, that the religious mission sent from Russia last winter had met with the most favourable reception at Pekin.

The Portsmouth correspondent of the Times furnishes the subjoined account of the Niger expedition-

" The Horatio transport, Lieutenant Chapman, arrived here on Friday from St. Helena and the coast of Africa, and has brought home some of the officers who have been invalided belonging to the Niger expedition, and who had come down the river in the Soudan steamer. The accounts they bring home are up to the 1st Ortober, and are most deplorable. The mortality and sickness among the officers and men composing the expedition was great in the extreme. Twenty-six .had already died, and almost all were ill and unable to do duty. On board the Wilberforce, out of the European portion of the crew of about fifty men, not more than four or five were able to attend to their duty, the others were all laid up, and they were nearly as ill off on board the Albert. At the time the Soudan left it, the expedition had reached the confluence of the Niger and Tchadda, about two hundred and seventy miles up the river ; but it was feared that, from the lamentable condition in which it was placed by the sickness and the increasing mortality among the officers and men, it would be compelled to return to Ascension. Among the victims to the climate previous to the Soudan's leaving her consorts, were Assistant-Surgeon Nightingale, of the Albert ; and during her passage on her return from Attah to the mouth of the river, she lost her own surgeon, Mr. W. B. Marshall, and one of her men. When she arrived at the entrance of the river she fell in with her Majesty's ship Dolphin, and put her sick on board that vessel to be conveyed to Ascen- sion; eight of whom, however, died previous to the Dolphin's reaching that place. Mr. Walter, the clerk of the Soudan, was so ill that he could not be removed on board the Dolphin, and it was not expected he would survive many hours ; all prospect of his recovery was perfectly hopeless. Captain Bird Allen, of the Soudan, did not come down the river with her, but joined the Albert, being anxious to accompany the expedition to the extent of its re- searches. The Soudan came down under the command of Lieutenant Fish- bourne. All her officers and men were sick.

" The steamers make very slow progress in ascending the river; • none of them are remarkable for their speed. The current of the stream is about three miles and a half, and the average speed of the steamers is six miles, conse- quently their progress is not more than two miles and a half per hour. The Albert was to proceed up the Niger, and the Wilberforce up the Tchadda, while the Amelia schooner was to remain at Mount Stirling, where the farm is to be established, and where the tent lately used at the Eglintoun tournament has already been pitched. The natives were very friendly : at Eboc, a town containing 8,000 or 9,000 inhabitants, several of the officers went on shore, the natives crowding to see them. At the Queen's palace they were received by her sable Majesty ; who was squatted at the dour surrounded by her ladies, the principal of which were decorated with heavy ivory anklets weighing from eight to ten pounds each. They seemed much pleased with the visit, and laughed immoderately; and in return for some little trinkets given by the officers, her Majesty presented them with a fowl and some Gooza nuts, the bestowal of which is considered highly complimentary there. The King of Eboe went on board the Wilberforce, accompanied by his son and the interpre- ter, and others of his suite. A bottle of port wine was placed before him ; which he did not pass round to any of his attendants, but drank it all himself, and then gave a broad hint, which, however, was not taken, for some grog. The King of Attah was more dignified; and upon the Commissioners waiting upon him, he told them he was perfectly aware that they were the subjects of a Sovereign to whom they paid every respect, and he should expect the same re- spect paid to him. He should not go on board, because be considered he was entitled to as much attention as their own Sovereign. He said they might have the command of the water, but he had the command of the land. He looked with perfect indifference on the elegant and valuable presents of velvet robes trimmed with gold, but seemed much taken with the spectacles worn by the chaplain, and gladly accepted several pairs that were given him. He, as well as the King of Eboe, entered most willingly into all the arrangements of the Commissioners, and they both expressed their desire that their subjects should be instructed. He sold them the land at Mount Stirling, where they intend to establish the settlement ; which be said was just within the extent of his dominions. The officers belonging to the expedition who came home in the Horatio, are Lieutenant Harston, Mr. Belani, master, and Assistant-Sur- geon John Stirling, of the Soudan."

The Great Western brings intelligence from New York to the 23d November ; but it adds little to that received by the Halifax boat.

Mr. Clay was reported to have resigned his seat, and was about to proceed to Havannah for the winter; his health requiring it. Money was scarce at New York, and the banks were limiting their discounts. Exchange on London was si to a premium ; on Paris 5.25; with a good business doing.

It was said that Mr. Murdoch, Secretary to Lord Sydenham in the Canadian Government, was to be reappointed under Sir Charles.

According to a letter from New York, another dreadful fire broke out in New Brunswick on the night of the 15th. It swept away all the buildings on Market Street Wharf, and down to Whitney's Wharf, and those from Prince William Street to the water, the new Market-house, with a number besides. Large quantities of goods were placed in the market-house for safety, but were afterwards destroyed. Forty vessels are stated to have been burnt ; among them five ships. Seventy-five buildings were destroyed ; and as the fire was still burning when the mail left, and the wind was blowing a gale from West to South-west, it is feared the destruction of property would be much greater. The in- telligence from New Brunswick by way of Halifax comes down to the 13th.

A statement in the Jamaica Despatch, that five Englishmen have been seized in Central America, is confirmed by accounts from New York. The authorities of the Central American States have taken umbrage at the alliance offensive and defensive between the King of the Mosquito territory and the Superintendent of Honduras ; and espe- cially at the aid given by the latter in the forcible recovery of the ports of Nicaragua, Salt Creek, and Boca del Toro for the Indian King. As a reprisal, the Spaniards seized five British merchants who had gone up the Segovia, or Bluefields river, on a trading expedition.

The following official letter was written in answer to an application respecting the distribution of the money obtained through Captain Elliott's arrangement with Canton-

•• Foreign Office. 2d December 1841.

"Gentlemen—With reference to your letter of the 1st November, request- ing information as to the intentions of her Majesty's Government with respect to the distribution of the money obtained from the Chinese authorities at Canton under the arrangements entered into by Captain Elliot with dux* authorities on the 27th May last, I am directed by the Earl of Aberdeen to ac- quaint you, that the Lords Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury have

stated that they are precluded from entertaining the question submitted in

your letter. The money to which you refer, having been obtained from the hinese authorities at Canton in order to relieve that city from hostile pres- sure, is a droit of the Crown; and as such, after paying what her Majesty may graciously be pleased to grant to the forces employed at Canton, it must be carried to the account of the Consolidated Fund.

" I am, gentlemen, your most obedient humble servant, CANNING. " Sir G. De H. Larpent, Bart., J. H. Palmer, Esq., J. A. Smith, Esq., G. Lyall, Esq."