The number of petitions presented to the House of Commons
during the last session on matters relating to Railways, was as follows, exclu- sive of petitions connected with the bills of the several companies then before the House. For free conipanies in conveyance of goods, twenty- three petitions, 3,155 signatures; against tax on passengers, twenty- four petitions, 690 signatures ; suggesting measures of safety, one pe- tition, 1 signature ; for alteration of standing orders, three petitions, 325 signatures ; regulating charges for conveyance of goods, one petition, 47 signatures ; in favour of proposed alteration of tax on pas- sengers, two petitions, 2 signatures ; Railways (Ireland) Bill, in favour 4 twelve petitions, 3,086 signatures.—liailicuy Times.
The Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar, the Duke of Saxe-Meningen, and the Duke of Saxe-Gotha, have entered into a treaty for mutually faci- litating the construction of railroads in their territories.
Within the last few days all labelled letters passing through the Post- office have been stamped in black ink instead of red ; a change which has been brought about in consequence of a communication lately re ceived by the Government from a scientific chemist, (who declines giving his name,) in which he explains the method of preparing a com- position which will entirely annihilate the red stamp, reducing the label to its original appearance ; but it only possesses this power over the red ink, the colouring matter of the black ink being of such a nature as to resist the action of this compound. In future the black will be substi- tuted for the red.