THE KING.—His Majesty continues to enjoy uninterrupted health, and good

spirits ; but he has not ventured outof the castle since his arrival. He daily avails himself of the exercise afforded by the extent of the corridor and other apartments within the walls of the palace. It is expected that his Ma- jesty will hold a council on Monday, at Windsor; when the speech for the opening of Parliament will be submitted for the royal sanction.

The ninth anniversary of his Majesty accession to the throne was celebrated on Thursday in the usual manner.

The Duchess of Gloucester visited the King on Monday. The Lords of the Privy Council met yesterday in the Privy Council Cham- ber, Whitehall, and were engaged in hearing counsel, on the petition against the removal of one of the Justices of the Court of King's Bench in Upper Canada by the local authorities.

At a late hour on Monday night, Count Maluscheviz, one of the principal Ministers of the Emperor of Russia, arrived at Ashburnham House, Dover- street, the residence of Prince Lieven, the Russian Ambassador. On Wed- nesday morning they had a long interview with the Duke of Wellington at the Treasury.

The vacant Blue Ribbons will be bestowed upon the Duke of Richmond and the Earl of Ashburnham.

The Duke of Wellington on Tuesday gave a grand dinner to some of the principal Ambassadors and Ministers, and their ladies.

The Speaker of the House of Commons commences his Parliamentary dinners on Saturday week ; for which day he has issued cards of invitation to all the leading members on the Ministerial side.

Lord Anglesey arrived on the 21st at Beaudesert in Staffordshire, where he will continue to reside until the opening of the session. Lord Dalhousie, the late Governor of the Canadas, is making preparations for his approaching departure for India, to assume the command of the forces. Archdeacon Singleton is to accompany the Duke of Northumberland to Ireland, as his private Secretary. Mr. Cramer succeeds the late Mr. Shield, as Master of his Majesty's band.

Sir Richard Carr Glynn has accepted the sinecure of Bridge Ward, vacant by the death of Sir William Curtis. The'election of an Alderman for the Ward of Bishopsg,ate takes place on Monday.

Mr. Arthur Howe Holdsworth was on Monday returned to Parliament for the borough of Dartmouth, in room of Sir J. H. Cooper, deceased.

It is reported that the Government are about to take the Excise-duty off candles and soap, and lay an additional tax upon foreign tallow.

THE NAVY.—A reduction of the several departments of the Navy is in con- templation, in accordance with the late surveys held by the Lords of the Admiralty. CITY COURT OF LIEUTENANCY.—Among the matters over which this Court holds a jurisdiction, is the City Militia;, and at a meeting held on Wednesday at Guildhall, a proposition was submitted from the Duke of Wellington, to reduce the City staff still more. The Court determined to concur in the pro- position ; and measures are to be immediately taken to carry a further reduction of the staff into effect.

NEWGATE.—A conference is about to be held between Mr. Peel and the Court of Aldermen, on the state of the City prisons. It is expected to be attended with very satisfactory results, so far as regards the course pursued by the Aldermen. Mr. Alderman Wood gets great credit for his services on the Gaol Committee, from the whole Court, except Mr. Alderman Atkins ; who complains that Mr. Wood " was the whole Committee himself—that he took upon himself to be everything—to do everything."

The City Committees have scratched out the names of all persons on their lists who have been guilty of defrauding by false measures, or who have not paid 20s. in the pound. Some of the Aldermen and of the Commoners have come in for a scratch, and cannot serve.

KING'S Cottsox.,-The eastern side of Somerset House is now spoken of as the intended site for the King's College. Mr. Smirke, the architect, is employed in making the designs.

TIIE BISHOP OF LONDON AND THE DISSENTERS.—We are told that the Bishop of London forwarded communication to the curate of Christ Church, stating that he had prohibited the church from being used for the purpose intended ; and that no church over which he had jurisdiction shall be used for purposes where upon committees one single Dissenter shall be found.— Correspondent of the Standard.

Such a comprehensive resolution as is here ascribed to the Bishop of London, must be eminently mischievous to the interests of the poor; and therefore we are bound to conclude that there must be an error in the state- ment. Surely Dr. Blomfield could not intend, for example, that on an oc- casion of a sermon for the relief of the Spitalfields weavers, a previous scrutiny into the religious, tenets of the committee appointed to administer the bounty of the public ought to be instituted. This would be a great re- straint upon public benevolence, and a positive injury to the interests of the poor. Nor would the mischief rest here, for every unnecessary disqualifica- tion upon a loyal and Christian dissenter recoils injuriously upon the church, and disturbs the public peace. The bare repetition of the term dissenter, as it is commonly understood, is scarcely without harm; and therefore we Is very sincerely that the use of it were abolished among Churchmen, or at least limited in its application to those who depart from the essential doctrines of Christianity.—Standard. The Record mentions, that it was against a sermon in aid of the Book Society, which was to have been preached in Christ Church, that the Epis- copal inhibition was directed. The same paper asserts that the order is in- competent, and that his Lordship has no power to enforce it.

CONSULS.—An important change is about to be effected in the Consular de- partment. Itwill he remembered that before the reforms which took place under Mr. Canning's Administration, our Consular agents were generally merchants, native or foreign, residing at the ports where they represented British in- terests, and paid by fees upon British trade. Nr. Canning abolished this system, which was liable to strongb objections, deciding that our Consuls henceforward should be unconnected with the trade of the places where they resided, and be paid a specific salary. This arrangement is, it is said, now to be abandoned ; and though the present holders of office are not to be dis- missed, merchants are to be preferred for Consuls as vacancies occur. These officers will therefore be considered merely as commercial agents, and be placed tinder the direction of the Board of Trade. Whether increased fees are to be substituted for deductions of salary, does not appear yet to be de- cided.—Times.

We could never perceive the advantages or justice of the new plan by which the Consuls were to be paid by salaries, instead of fees levied on the com-

merce of the ports where they were stationed. If the trade between England and New York, for instance, require the establishment of a Consul at the latter place, the charge should be paid by the persons who derive the benefit from it, and not by the persons (among others) who trade between London and Salisbury. In the case of the largest foreign ports, the question, indeed, is not of much importance, because their commerce may concern a very large portion of the people of this country ; but in the case of smaller ports the evil of the system of salaries becomes obvious. The whole shipments front England to a foreign port may amount to not more than 50,0001. a year, the net profits on which may be taken at three or four thousand pounds. If at such a port a Consular establishment is kept up by salaries paid out of the general taxes of Great Britain, the trade which appears profitable may be in reality a losing one. In such a case, it is as unreasonable that the expense of Consuls, as that the expense of freight, should he paid by the country at large. The benefit must result either to the merchants who enjoy this parti- cular trade, or to the consumers of the articles which they import—and not to those who are called on to defray the expenditure. What merchants have a right to demand is, that good care should be taken that the fees levied by the Consuls should not be more than sufficient to insure the performance of the consular business.—Globe.

THE CANADA COMPANY AND Mo. GALT.—At the annual meeting of this association held on Thursday, in the City of London Tavern, Mr. Samuel Bosanquet, the chairman, stated that it had been found necessary to dismiss Mr. Galt (the ingenious Scotch writer), who had heretofore acted as manager at Canada. No fault was found regarding Mr. Galt's honour, honesty, or moral feeling. A proprietor observed that Mr. Galt always would have his own way in everything: in fact, he was perfectly uncontrollable. (. //roeg/a) AUSTRALIAN RICULTURAL ASSOCIATION.—It appeared from the Report of the Secretary, read at the annual meeting on Tuesday, that this Society is proceeding successfully in its objects. By the latest accounts before the Directors, the Association had in their settlement in Australia. 9,660 breeding ewes, 2.630 lambs, weathers, &c., 195 horses, including 100 brood mares, and 2,000 cattle. The Report also announced the arrival at Port Stephens of three ships, chartered for the conveyance of Merino sheep, horses, &c. for the settlement. Of 92S sheep, only 35 have died. The last grant made to the Association by Government comprised 1,048,960 acres of land, of which 35,840 were unproductive sea-coast land, but necessary to mark the Com- pany's boundary ; 320 acres surrounding the North Head of Port Stephens had also been reserved by Government for the purpose of a military station. A shipment of wool had also been made, and turned out well. The report spoke in high terms of the orderly conduct of the settlers and convicts. The total outlay of the Company amounted to nearly 180,000/. SILK Waavans—A meeting of the operative silk-weavers was held on Saturday night, at Bethnal Green Road, to consider what was to he done in their present distressed state. It was the general opinion that nothing could be done to relieve them, but the re-enactment of the prohibitory laws in all their former force! The Times newspaper, as the indefatigable advocate of

free trade in silk, as in other things, was denounced as the enemy of the operatives; and to mark their antipathy (poor sufferers!) an operative pro-

posed that " the Times newspaper be burned in the room, as our common enemy." The motion was carried by acclamation ; and the unfeeling paper be held in his hand was consigned to the flames, amid great cheering. The

meeting adjourned till Tuesday, without coming to any resolution. On that day, it was proposed to present a memorial to the Duke of Wellington, with the view of prevailing upon him to interest himself in their behalf, and save them from utter ruin. This motion was carried, and a committee named to prepare the petition against Monday ; when it is likely to be presented by about twelve thousand of the suffering weavers.

PRICE OF Cc:tn.—The price of gold is higher on the Continent than in London : at Paris 1 per cent., at Amsterdam Ife to and at Hamburgh per cent. EAST INDIA MoNoroay.—The Liverpool meeting was held on Tuesday ; when, after some discussion by the leading merchants, resolutions were passed against the renewal of the East India Company's charter.

VICE-CHANCELLOR'S COURT. A LAWYER AT FAULT.--"Mr. Horne was heard on Monday, in the case Rex v. Turner ; which involves no point of interest to any but the parties. Mr. Sugeten having spoken some time in reply, the Vice Chancellor said I should be glad to know who is on the other side ? Mr. Sugden, I perceive, is with you Mr. Horne.". Mr. Horne- '. Why, your honour is perfectly right, to a certain extent ; Mr. Sugden's ar- gument is completely with me, but I believe lie is retained for the other side." The laughter created by this remark, which was uncontradicted by the learned gentleman whom it affected, having in some degree subsided, Sir. Sugden declared at once, that what he had said upon the question was said in all sincerity ; and he would not for any client he ever possessed conic into that court and argue against what he firmly belieied to be the settled rule of law. Mr. Jacob, who was with Mr. Sugden, contended that the law was ex- actly the reverse of that which had been laid down with so much force by his learned leader and his opponents. The debate on the question here topped; and the case remains for judgment.

COURT OF KING'S BENCH. EX-PARTE SYINESTER.---This was a case arising out of the game laws. Sylvester was the servant of a gentlemen named Leigh, who, being qualified, had gone out in pursuit of game, and taken Sylvester with him; and the latter having a gun, by his master's orders, fired at and

killed some partridges. Sylvester 'had been convicted of shooting without a licence ; and it was wished to bring the decision of the Magistrate into the Court, in order to have it quashed. The Court decided that the conviction was gond in law.

THE KING v. Hahrus.--The defendant Halbin, as mentioned in a former SPECTATOR, was convicted at the Gloucester assizes of having published a false and malicious libel on Mr. Samuel Griffiths, proprietor of the Cheltenham Chronicle. The libel was published in the shape of a pamphlet, arid accused the prosecutor of various crimes, particularly of having robbed Mr. Webb, the philanthropist, of a 1004 note. The defendant was brought up for judgment last terns; and, in mitigation of punistment, put in several affidavits reiterating the libel. The counsel for the defendant again urged that these affidavits should be received, as they would show the truth of the libel, and therefore answer their object—the mitigation of punishment. The Court, however, re- fused to allow them to be read, and condemned the conduct of the defendant in thus seeking to inflict a further injury upon the prosecutor. The sentence pronounced by Mr. Justice Bayley was one year's imprisonment, and to find

Securities.

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS. ABSENCE OF COUNSEL.--A case was called on Monday afternoon, in which Mr. Sergeant Cross and Mr. Sergeant Ludlow were engaged ; and it was intimated to the Court, that both of these gentle- men had gone home. Lord Chief Justice Best remarked, that " it was im- possible to do public justice if gentlemen of the bar, in that privileged Court, did not attend. The Court might as well be shut up ; and he gave notice, that in future, when gentlemen were absent, the Court would proceed with the

business, as well as it could, without their asdstance." Mr. Sergeant Wilde made some remarks in excuse, and the Lord Chief Justice intimated that he would act to-morrow on the determinatitin he had expressed.

CABALLERO V. BROOK.—This was an action for the recovery of the sum of 52/., which the plaintiff's wife, without the knowledge or concurrence of her husband, had paid as a deposit in the purchase of a house sold to her by public auction fur 2461. There was no defence. The Lord Chief Justice told the Jury that a wife had no power to dispose of her husband's property without his consent. A verdict was found for the plaintiff to the amount claimed.