3/115rthrottnits.

The returns of the Board of Trade for the month ending the 5th De- cember, issued on Thursday morning, show an increase in the experts of A74,993/. over the corresponding month of 1848 ; a result the more satis-

factory, since the exports of December 1848 were not less than 132,316/. more valuable than those of December 1847. The chief items of increase

have been manufactures of oaten, flax, wool, and silk, hardware goods, metals, and leather. The instances of marked decrease are cotton-yarn, machinery, and soap. The entire increase in exports during the first eleven months of tho year 1849, as compared with the corresponding months of 1848, is now 9,6S1,8971.; the totals respectiyely being 44,407,9121. and 54,089,800/ The import returns show a large increase under the head of grain, provision-meats, cocoa, eggs, (from 4,471,718/. to 5,475,673/0 and tea ; also an increasing consumption of sugar, though the imports somewhat declined. Both the import and the consumption of flour and of coffee declined. Tobacco imports largely increased.

The trade circulars, and the reviews of trade and industry in the lead-

ing journals from the great commercial and manufacturing centres, de- scribe the transactions of the past year as moderately and satisfactorily profitable; and look forward to the promise of the year 1850 as one of increased profit. The textile manufactures in wool, cotton, and flax, are foremost in the healthful reaction. The Aranchester Examiner states, that "the activity of the manufactures in the West Riding is perhaps without parallel in the history of that thriving district." In Leicester and Nottingham, whose stockingers have been "for many years the most abject of the class of artisans"—" where for thirty years before wages had suffered a continuous decline, unvaried by even one temporary ad- vance"—the demand for hands is regular, and extending ; "wages have risen consequently," and "more than one turn-out for higher wages has taken, place. In Lancashire; the Manchester Guardian vouches that the transactions were of great magnitude, and "the average rise of prices by the and of the year was net less than 10 per cent on goods or than 8 per cent on yarns." The large profits on coarse yams and goods in 1844, 1845, and 1846, induced an excessive production, which has made that branch the single exception to the prosperity of the past year. The evil is cotreetiug itself; coarse stooks are exhausted, and many makers have turned_ their' spindles and looms to the making of finer yarns and fabrics. A drawback from the prosperity of 1850 was anticipated from the scarcity of raw cot- ton ; but the discovery of an error of nearly 100,000 bales in the esti- mated stock, one-sixth of the whole,—the yearly stock-taking showing 96,487 more hales than the weekly returns of bargains indicated,—has considerably lightened the weight of this anticipation. In Scotland, says the Dundee Mercantile Gazette, " the linen trade has been as satisfactory, in alinest all its branches, as could be desired " : "every hand-loom weaver willing to work has been busily employed" ; " our linens oan be laid down in Germany as cheap as in Liverpool" ; "'foreign merchants in Hamburg find it for their advantage to buy Dundee linens from the Hamburg dealers instead of those of German manufacturers." In the North of Ireland, the Northern Whig of Belfast says—" All the manu- facturing classes are better off than for many a year" ; " there is full employment to hand-loom weavers " at " wages increased from 10 to 15 per cent,' and to " an immense number of women and girls" in the sewed-muslin business, at " wages advanced 40 or 50 per cent." In the iron trade, upon view of the whole operations both in the raw and. manufactni-ed material, there has been a great business at improved. prices. In the ship-building trade, a depression visible at the beginning of the year is passing away : Messrs. Tow, Curry, and Co., of Liver- pool, say—" During the last two months, more contracts have been made, and more keels laid down, than we were prepared to expect" ; the num- ber of vessels—eight vessels, of 2,800 tons aggregate burden—now build- ing at Liverpool, "is not under the average number." The moderate prices held for some time past by all the articles of food-consumption, has induced an increased censumption throughout the country ; and the in- crease of consumption has in its turn raised to their natural position in the wholesale market some articles which special influences had depressed to "panic prices." This is the ease with ooffee ; in respect to which Messrs. Trueman and Rowse say—" Prices have, with occasional fluctuations, been continually advancing, until they are now 100 per cent above those ruling in November 1848," and they anticipate a "further enhancement in value."

A correspondent of the Times at Southampton has communicated the re- sult of returns which have been made of the specie and bullion imported by the Royal Maid steamers during the last year from the gold countries of South and North America, and the Atlantic and Mediterranean ports of Southern Europe and Northern Africa. The West Indian packets have brought 4,648,2701., the produce of the mines of California, Mexico, Central America, and the Pacific States of. South America. Of this amount,, it is estimated that about 400,0001. in gold has come from Cali- fornia, direct or via Lima and Valparaiso, where much Californian dust is melted into ingots for England. The Peninsular and Oriental steam- packets have brought—from Alexandria, 728,857/. "gold and silver coin "; from Constantinople, 933,5101. " gold and silver "; from Spain and Por- tugal, 310,0001. Total of the year, 6,788,6551.

The example of' the British Parliament in freeing commerce and navi- gation from every restriction is about to be followed by the Sardinian Government. The Council of Ministers at Turin has prepared a bill by which all the restrictions at present imposed upon British vessels ar- riviug at the porta of Sardinia are to be removed, and they are to be placed in every respect upon the same footing as national vessels. This bill was about to be submitted.to the Chamber of Representatives for ap- proval..—Daily Papers.

The facts stated in the following letter, addressed by Mr. Cobden to a gentleman in Devonshire, should be bettor known than they appear to be.

Westboume Terrace, Dee. 9. " Dear Sir—I send you the papers von want. By referring to the impo will see, that I have marked certain articles which are admitted free. Now there is nothing upon which there is greater ignorance amongst the agri- cultural classes than this. They are constantly crying out that the manu- facturers are protected with 10 to 20 per cent "duties upon foreign articles; the fact being, that all our great staple manufactures are entirely unpro- tected. For instance' cotton goods and cotton yarns come in duty-free. Printed calicoes may be brought from France or Switzerland and sold in Manchester without paying a farthing duty. So also the coats the farmers wear and theirwaistcoats and trousers, may be bought- from the foreigner, in- stead of from my constituents, the, woollen manufacturers of Yorkshire, without paying one farthing of duty. Se also of their shirts or ducks ; they may buy linen manufactures from the German without paying a farthing to protect the flax-spinner or weaver of Dundee or Belfast. There is still a small duty on foreign silk goods, articles of luxury, which are generally worn by the higher classes ; but the Chancellor of the Exchequer may abolish this duty tomorrow if he likes, and the silk manufacturers will not object. The only articles that pay a small duty are those things portly made up by the hand after they come out of the loom, such as stockings and shawls. " Bear in mind, too, that Sir Robert Feel removed the duties on foreign manufactures before he abolished the corn-law--or rather, before he reduced the duty to ls. for there is still a duty of 21 per cent on foreign corn at pre- sent prices, whilst nnumfactures are 'free. I supported Sir Robert Peel in his measures for abolishing the duties on manufactured goods. At that time I was largely engaged in business as a cotton-printer ; and the effect of removing the duty was, that several French houses established themselves for the sale of prints in London. If the farmers were made to understand that they are not placed in a worse position than the manufacturers, they would, I think, see that they have no fair right to complain. They say that they cannot compete with the foreigner because they are se heavily bur- dened. The manufacturers have their full share of taxation, and they are anxious to redact the Government expenditure. Will the farmershelp them ? Hitherto the Members for counties have almost invariably voted against every motion made by Mr. Hume Sr myself in favour of retrenchment.

" By the way, how sadly the Protectionists have been deceived in their predictions about gold going out of the country. Notwithstanding the vast importation of foreign corn, the Bank of England is encumbered with gold!

" I remain, truly yours, RICKARD COBDEN. " Mr. W. H. Prowse."

The prospectus of the new association "for the Reform of Colonial Go- vernment," alluded to in other parts of this paper, is of the following purport—

"The general object of the Society is to aid? in obtaining for every de- pendency, which is a. true colony of higland, the real and sole management of all local affairs by the colony itself, meluding the disposal of the waste lands, and the right to frame and alter its local constitution at pleasure.

"According to the views of the Society, this municipal orlocal independence, this entire relief of distant colonies frona-the great-evil of being ruled in local matters by a department erthe administration in London, instead of being incompatible with allegiance to the Crown of England, is. really calculated to substitute for growing disaffection, and for the present danger of a dis- memberment of the British Empire, a loyal and devoted attachment on the part of the Colonies towards the Mother-country ; and also to promote the advantage of both Colonies and. Mother-country, by removing the worst im- pediment and affording a new and powerful encouragement to colonization proeeeding from the United Kingdom.

"It will be a main object of the Society's endeavours to relieve the Mother-country from the whole expense of the local government of Colonies, except only that of the defence of the colony from ,aggnossion by foreign powers at war with theEmpire. "The means by which the Society will endeavour to accomplish its objects are, "First—An organised association, in the United Kingdom, of these who hold the above opinions, with a view to general communication and dis- cussion, as well as cooperative and concentrated exertion; and more es- pecially, with a view to a ready and constant preparation for proceedings in Parliament, as circumstances may require. "Secondly—An organized cooperation with the Colonies. Peery colony which desires to obtain the cooperation of this Society; in order to acquire self-government in its local affairs, is invited, to select an agent in England, who may be the organ of its wishes in accredited communication with the Society ; and in the mean time, the beet arrangement possible for temporary correspondence with the Colonies will be immediately made. "The Society will be composed of all persons who shall contribute a sub- scription of one pound to the fund which will be required for the expenses of the first year. "The proceedings of the Society will be conducted by a Council elected by

a general meeting of its members; the Council will assemble at least once a week during the session of Parliament. the_ Council following gentlemen have already consented to form the First Council—Honourable Francis Baring, M.Y. Chairman : The Lord Lyttelton ; the Right Honourable T. M. Gibson ; Sir W. Molesworth, Bart., M.P. ; S. H. Walpole, Es,g., M.P. ; J. Hume, Esq., M.P. ; R Cobden, Esq., M.P. ; E. Borman, Esq„ M.P; A. Stafford, Esti., M.P.; J. Napier, Esq., M.P. ; Simeon Es9., M.P.; C. B. Adderley, Esq., M.P. ; H. Ker, Seymer,q., M.P. ; M. J. Higgins, Esq. ; F. A. M'Creachey, Esq. "Detailed regulations for the management of the Society's proceedings, and the steps which should be immediately taken at the opening of the semen, will be arranged by the first Council early in January ; and their resolutie 3 will be acted upon.until they can be submitted to a general meeting of the Society flor approval or alteration."

The Council of the National Reform Association has issued to the mem- bers of the Association a report summing up past progress and indicating future policy. As to measures-

" It is the intention of the Council, preparatory to these extensive opera- tions, to convene, not later than March in the coming year, in London, a national Conference; and the circumstances under which it :sill assemble, while leading in the most practical manner to the comprehensive cooperation of the country, will of themselves constitute an imposing manifestation of opinion. To this Conference Reformers from every part of the United King- dom will be invited. The proceedings, in which all persons members of the Association can take part, will be open, and the debates will embrace the whole range of the questions affected by the present constitution of Palle- ment. At the termination of the discussion a public meeting will be held, at which resolutions, embodying the conclusions and expressive of the opinions at which the collective Conference may have arrived, will be sub- mitted. The plan of action recommended will thus have been made known at once to the nation ; and we will subsequently waste no time in carrying it out to the utmost of the power placed at our disposal. Preparations for the Conference are already proceeding. The particulars will shortly be pub- lished."

As to principles, they make the following pledge of continuance in their endeavours till complete success has been attained.

" We ask an extension of the suffrage to'the limits we have defined, upon considerations equally of political necessity and of moral justice. We have referred to the inequalities and anomalies of the distribution of the existing franchise, and we have pointed out the gross abuses and manifold evils of the principles of and circumstances attending the prevailing system of tax- ation at present and pressing justifications of the distrust which we display of the House of Commons as now elected. These causes of dissatisfaction would suffice in insisting on a change in the character of the Commons House of Parliament. But, taking a wider view of our position and of our prospects, we have used arguments with all our audiences of even higher Import and more extended inferences. We have urged, and will not cease to urge, on the Legislature, a cession age, a the misrule ansmg. in the ex- clusive possession of government by a class, from which the empire, in these Islands and in our Colonies and Dependencies, is suffering, and as the single guarantee against the disorders which proceed from the dis- content of a people defied and disobeyed. We have appealed for Parliamentary Reform, because we believe political power is only not abused in a civilized community when under the direct control of the majority of the people. And we have, not without avail, endeavoured to render it apparent, that, to the agitation for Parliamentary Reform demands for all other reforms should be postponed, inasmuch as no minor .constitu- tional changes can easily be accomplished while power is tossed only from one to another section of an aristocracy, and iwommiell as no changes can be deemed final until they have received the ratification of the representatives of those as yet without votes in the election of their Government.

" We have confidence in our resources, and are convinced that success is not distant. An agitation rightly understood and constitutionally conducted, in this country, chiefly consists, first, in an education, and next, in a polling of votes ; and fill that we can contemplate, in the agitation now in progress, is, by marshalling all opinions, to enable the Minister of the day to assure himself that in bringing in a measure for the reform of Parliament he will not be without the approval and the gratitude of his countrymen."

The Enterprise and Investigator, Arctic discovery ships, are both now complete, as far as their repairs and fittings are concerned, and have been taken into the river to receive their stores, which are daily arriving from Deptford. The,cresys are busy in shipping their stores as they arrive in the hoys from the Victualling-yard at Deptford. Application has been made to the Admiralty for permission to enlarge the magazines of both vessels in order to enable them to carry a larger supply of powder, for blasting the ice. Lieutenant Gale was on board the vessels on Tiurs- day, and is said to have volunteered to accompany the expedition with his balloon apparatus. It is expected that the vessels will sail about the 10th instant.

The Globe has correctly pointed out an error in the general impression that a pension had fallen to the gift of the Crown through the death of Mr. Tytler the historian. By the last arrangement of the Civil List, the Queen has the power of granting in each year new pensions to the extent of 1,200/. ; this yearly limit is absolute, and has no relation to the falling in of gifts made in former years.

The Queen has granted the dignity of a Knight of the United King- dom of Great Britain and Ireland to William Jeffcott, Esq., Recorder of Prince of Wales Island, Singapore, and Malacca.

The author of " Revelations of Russia " has published in the Daily Armee a contradiction of the assertions extracted by us last week from the Vienna correspondence of the Times relative to the Hungarian refugees. The writer has just come home from iViddin, and states from his personal knowledge facts which he deems inconsistent with the story of the love affair between Kossuth and the Countess Dembinaki The Counteee ie the young wife of the Count Dembinski, "a Gallician nobleman, and re- lative of the General of that name." She is about eighteen, her husband five-and-twenty ; she followed her husband to the camp, and has accom- panied hill night and day throughout the war, and still adheres with fond affection to his fortunes. The Count was attached to the person of Kos- suth when Governor President, and remains so. Kossuth is old enough to be the father of the young Count and Countess. The story of the di- vision of the emigrant refugees into three parties is treated as fudge. Ge- neral Guyon held command till he departed for Constantinople ; then Mourad Pasha (Bem) succeeded him ; and "when the latter left Widdin, in an armed steamer, before the emigration commenced its march, the command devolved naturally on PerczeL" In addition to the opinion given by the Dublin Astronomer Royal, Pro- fessor Hamilton, quoted by us last week, that there would be nothing pre- ternatural in the tides using at the end of that week, the concurrent opinion of Professor Airy, the Greenwich Astronomer Royal, was published by a Plymouth paper. Professor Airy's letter contained a general ex- planation which is interesting even after the facts— "There is no foundation whatever for such a rumour. The tide is high when the moon is full, it is high when the moon is in perigee, and it is high when the moon is in the Equator. (I omit all mention of the sun's distance, because the effect of its variation Is practically quite insignificant.) The largest tides usually occur on the day next following the states of the moon which I have mentioned. Two of these circumstances occur on the 29th, (namely, the moon will be full and in perigee) ; but the moon, instead of being in the Equator, will be at her greatest North declination; and this cir- cumstance will reduce the tide considerably. The three increasing circum- stances which I have mentioned have repeatedly been combined in late years, all tending to increase the tide ; and yet no mischief has been done."

Notwithstanding this weight of scientific testimony, a belief seems to have prevailed at all the ports and coast-towns that the rise of the ocean /would be great beyond precedent ; and Government officials in several instances set the example of panic and superfluous care by removing

1 from the lower parts of the customhouses and public buildings un- er their direction. In no place were the predictions verified. In parti- tiler instances, as at Yarmouth, and some few ports on the East coast of kotland, the prevalenoe of storms or high winds caused overflows and estruction of property ; but the same causes operating on the 'Western ant, seem to have prevented the tides from rising so high as even the

astronomical calculations forecast them. This- Was the case also in the Thames ; the tide at London Bridge was below' the calculated height. The exceptional but well understood pheenomeno% of a "double tide" was observed in the Thames and at several places on the South coast. Two hours before the calculated ebb-time, an ebbing current commenced, and ran till the water had sunk a foot and a half; the stream then re- flowed, and it reached its full height at the calculated time.

" In the week ending last Saturday, the deaths registered in the Metropo- litan districts were 1,053. The weekly average of this season, corrected for increase of population, is 1,162. The mortality of last week is, therefore, less than the estimated amount by 109 deaths, and is nearly the same as that of the previous week. Of the 1,063 persons whose death& are included in this return, 841 had medical attendance; and written statements of the diseases which proved fatal, distinguishing, in many cases, the primary and. secondary forms, are entered on the register-books 18 had no medical at- tendance. In 15 cases the causes of death were not certified, and in these it does not appear whether or not the patients had professional aid. At the end of the. quarter an influx of cases returned by Coroners swells the number of deaths registered in the week, but many, of these occurred at earlier dates. Inquests were held on 176 deaths in the present return; con- siderably more than the due proportion. They fall mostly under fractures, wounds, drowning, hanging and suffocation, burns, scalds, and poison—mak- ing altogether 6o, whilst the weekly average is 30; and under apoplexy, from which there were 44 deaths, whilst the average is 26; besides 45 m which the cause of death could not be ascertained, or was defectively re- turned, the average of such being only 12. Seven children are returned as having died of suffocation in bed : five deaths are ascribed to intemperance ; of which one was the case of a girl of fourteen years, who died after thirty-eight hours' illness, of congestion of the brain and others omens, from drinking gin.: a child died of want ; a man of forty years, in the sub- district of St.. Andrew's East, of exposure to cold and destitution' ; and a pork-butcher of twenty-seven years, on the third day after admission into the Workhouse of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, from the effects of starvation and neglect.' A woman who had no medical attendance died in Somers Town of `inflammation of the lungs' ; she is stated to have ar- rived at the advanced age of a hundred years. In the last week 42 chil- dren. died of measles, (which is about the average) ; 24 of scarlatina; and 24 of hooping-cough, (both diseases now under the average). Smallpox, which was fatal in 7 cases, and typhus in 31, are also less prevalent than usual. There is a decrease of deaths on the previous week both from bronchitis and pneumonia ; 8 persons died of influenza. Only 9 deaths occurred from diar- rhoea ; none from cholera. Tables accompany-. this return which show the deaths from cholera in each of the 135 sub-districts of London in emelt. week since October 1848.

" The mean daily reading of the barometer at Greenwich Observatory ran- ged from 30-440 inches to 30-304 inches on Sunday and Monday ; on Tues- day it was 80.378 inches. The mean of the week was 29.877 inches. The mean temperature of the week was 33.1 degrees ; less by 9 degrees than that of the previous week, and less than the average of the same week in seven years by five degrees. The daily mean was throughout less than the average, except on Wednesday. On Friday, when the mean temperature was only 25 degrees, it was less than the average of the same day by 13 degrees."

Number of Autumn Deaths. Average.

Symode Diseases Dropsy, Cancer, and other diseases of uncertain or variable seat.. 58 ....

707

40 Tubercular Diseases 188 178 Diseases of the Brain, Spinal Marrow, Nerves, and Senses 135 125 Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels 40

so

Diseases of the Lungs, and of the other Organs of Respiration 185 214 Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs of Digestion

48

Ob

Diseases of the Kidneys, &e 13 11 Childbirth, diseases of the Uterus, &c 17 10 Rheumatism, diseases of the Bones, Joints, Se 2

a

Diseases of the Skin, Cellular Tissue, he 2 1 Malformations 4 4 Premature Birth

'a, Atrophy 21

Age 51

Sadden

45

II

Violence, Privation, Cold, and Latempemneo "

77

54

Total (including unspecified causes) 1058 1182

A letter in the Moniteur du Soir reports that Lord Brougham has been making some interesting experiments on light, at Cannes. " At eleven o'clock at night on the 14th December, four members of the Royal Society of London gave to our population a ravishing spectacle. At the top of the tow- ers of the noble Lord the apparatus of the electrical light was placed, and at the same instant a luminous point shone from the Be Sainte Marguerite, and its brilliant rays displayed to all eyes the beauty of that enchanting site. The same rays were afterwards directed on the magnificentscenery of the Cap-Roux, and on the picturesque roadstead of Agai. The coup d'eeil at such an hour was so beautiful that applause suddenly broke forth from all, parts. The next day Lord Brougham, in the midst of a numerous and chms sen circle, gave a detailed and very interesting account of his experiments on light."

While Lord Sealam was shooting in the preserves at Wynyard Park, a single small shot glanced from a tree and struck him in the left eye : it is feared that the sight is destroyed.

Professor Sedgwick, of Cambridge, was riding home on Monday, from ex- ercise taken on the Huntingdon road; his horse stepped on a round stone, fell, and rolled on him. The Professor's arm was broken between the elbow and the shoulder ; but, luckily, the fracture was simple, and the patient seems to be doing well. The Liverpool Albion announces the death of Mr. John Duncan, the Af- rican traveller, on board her Majesty's ship Kingfisher, in the Bight of Be- nin, on the 3d November. The Albion gives an interesting biographical. note. "Mr. Duncan was the son of a small farmer in Wigtonshire, North Britain. At an early age he inlisted in the First Regiment of Life Guards, in which he served with credit for eighteen years, and discharged himself, with a high character for good conduct, about the year 1840. In the voy- age to the Niger in 1242, Mr. Duncan was appointed armourer ; and during the progress of that ill-fated expedition he held a conspicuous place in Sit the treaties made by the Commissioners with the native chiefs. Be returned to England, one of the remnant of the expedition, with a frightful wound in his leg and a shattered body, from which he long suffered. With a re- turn of health, however, came a renewed desire to explore Africa; and, tin- der the auspices of the Council of the Geographical Society, he started in the summer of 1844, not without substantial proofs from many of the mem- bers of the interest they took in his perilous adventure. The particulate of his journey along the coast until his arrival in Dahomey wore detailed in letters to his friends, and published in the Geographical &May's Journal of that period. From Dahomey he again returned to the coast, having tra- versed a portion of country hitherto untrodden by European, but broken down in health, and in extreme suffering from the old wound in his legt. Fearful that mortification had commenced, he a t one time made preparations for cutting off his own limb ; a fact which displays the wonderfully great resolution of the man. All these journeys were undertaken on a very slenderly-furnished purse, which, on his arrival at Whydah, was not only totally exhausted, but he was compelled to place himself in pawn, as he ex- pressed it, for advances which would take years of labour on the coast to li- quidate. From that disagreeable position his friends of the Geographical Society soon relieved him by an ample subscription ; with which he pro- posed to make a journey from Cape Coast to Timbuctu ; but the state of his health compelled him to return to England. He was lately appointed Vice- Consul to Dahomey ; for which place he was on his way when he died. Mr. Duncan leaves a wife ; who is, we believe, but poorly provided for."

A correspondent of the Nautical Standard recounts a gallant act by Com- mander Cumming,:of the Rattler, on the West coast of Africa. "Shortly after leaving Ascension, and when in lat. 2 deg. 5 min. S., long. 7 deg. E., at six o'clock p. m., as the hands were aloft reefing topsails, a second-class boy fell overboard. The Commander, who was on deck at the time, quickly observed the accident ; without a moment's deliberation he bounded over the stern, seized the boy as he passed under, and, with the aid of a few Kroomen, who speedily followed so laudable an example, supported the boy until a boat was manned and sent to his assistance. This act is the more commendable in consequence of the hazard_ incurred by the gallant Commander ; for the Rattler at the time alluded to was going at the rate of four knots through the water, and the ocean in that locality abounds with sharks, which are remarkable for their voracity. I understand that this is not the first in- stance in which Commander Cumming has displayed his philanthropy."

During the prevalence of cholera at Plymouth, when it was difficult to obtain nurses willing to run the supposed risk of attending on the sick and dying, Edward Solomon Anstey, a labourer in the dockyard, volunteered his services. He behaved admirably, and refused any pecuniary reward. But the Mayor, Mr. John Best, has presented him with a handsome Bible and Prayer-book, bearing an inscription on the fly-leaf recording the recipient's "assiduous, kind, and disinterested attention" to the cholera patients : the Board of Health has also forwarded a vote of thanks to him.

Three of the men who sat as judges on Charles the First—Whalley, Goffe, • and Dixwell—escaped to America, and closed their days in Newhaven. To one of them, Colonel Dixwell, a handsome monument is now in course of erection at Boston, by his descendants., a wealthy family of that city ; and the regicide's remains have been disinterred at Newhaven for deposit at Boston. The skeleton was very nearly entire.

Died, at Collyweston, on Tuesday last, at the advanced age of ninety-two, Mrs. Elizabeth Freeman, relict of Mr. Francis Freeman, butcher and publi- can. In the time of the celebrated Dick Turpin, she had the office of taking a quart of ale to him at the door of the Bell and Swan Inn, St. Martin's, Stamford ; he heartily drank off the ale, and, putting the silver tankard in his pocket, galloped off on his favourite mare Black Bess, to the wonder and vexation of the landlord, Mr. Turtle. On her marriage with Mr. Freeman, she became landlady of the White Swan Inn, at Collyweston ; where she resided for upwards of fifty-flee years.—Lincolnshire Chronick.

After hearing long arguments, and "taking time to deliberate," the Judge of the Blackburn County Court has decided that domestic cats are valuable property, and are not to be killed with impunity. A cat belonging to Mr. Marsden, a farmer, was shot by a gamekeeper, though he had been expressly warned not to destroy it. Counsel for the keeper quoted ancient cases from the Year-books to the effect that cats are feral naturre, and worse than value- less. The Judge gave 2s. 64. damages.

One of the children of a shoemaker of East Dean, in Gloucestershire, was burned in the neck by another ,• the usual remedies were applied, and the sufferer went on well for four days. But then the parents, persuaded by some old women, allowed the application of "a magical salvo." Jane Yemen applied the salve, muttering this charm-

" Three angels come out of the whost ;

One cries ' Fire' ; another, ' Frost' ; To Father, Son, and HolyGliost."

But though the salve is alleged to have proved successful in many cases, in this it killed the patient. A Coroner's Jury, while it condemned the conduct of all concerned, did not think the acts of the female quacks amounted le- gally to "criminal and felonious culpability, rashness, and negligence."

Mary Anne Dines, the little daughter of a farmer at Hatfield Peverel, has been accidentally shot by a boy her cousin. Mr. Dines had incautiously placed a loaded gun in the room where a number of children were left. The boy snapped off some percussion-caps on the nipple, and while he was thus amusing himself the piece exploded. When the Coroner's Jury went to the house to view the body of the girl, they found a loaded gun in the very corner where the other had been placed ! In spite of his affliction, they could not avoid censuring the father for such carelessness.

Thomas Toon, a watchmaker of Worcester, has been found dead in the clock-closet of the Guildhall in that city. In his duty he had gone up the clock ; and after he had been missed for many hours, he was discovered ex- tended on the floor, with a wound on the back, such as he might have re- ceived from a falling body. On the floor near to him were seen the shivered fragments of one of the clock-weights, which had been a large mass of stone.

Skelton, a young labourer, has committed suicide on the York and Scar- borough Railway, near Matton. He went to a level crossing ; conversed with the gate-keeper about an approaching train ; and as it rushed up, deliberately placed himself before it. He had suffered from an internal disease which he thought incurable.

The erection of barriers for the preservation of the mob at the execution of the Meanings cost the county no less than 18W.

The " Old Royal Museum," of Matlock, a mineralogical collection of forty years' standing, has just been dispersed by sale ; the establishment having of late proved unremunerative.

The following is a comparative list of the productions of the French press in 1848 and 1849— lo 1849. In 1848.

Works in all languages, dead and living 7,378 7,234 Engravings and lithographic prints 672 1,053 Musical compositions 226 257 8,276 8,546

being a balance in favour of 1848 of 270. In the above account are not in- cluded the daily and other journals.—Morning Chronicle. The demise of the Railway Chronicle, a paper regarded as having been conducted with a good deal of ability, may be mentioned as a circumstance identified in some measure with the present deplorable depression of railway affairs.—Times, City Letter.

In clearing out the ballast of the Enterprise and Investigator, on their re- turn from the Arctic regions, several pieces of limestone were found, com- posed mostly of innumerable shells and minute fishes and skeletons of sea animals in a petrified state. Other portions of the limestone contain perfect specimens of petrified moss and a few petrifaction of the ground willow, the largest plant of the Arctic regions, similar in appearance to the branches of the stunted heath of the North of Scotland, only of a beautiful willow green colour, with a willow-shaped leaf. Several of the officers of the gar- rison have selected the best specimens of these fragments of rocks from the Arctic regions, with the intention of preserving them.—Times Correspondenct.