(Hear, hear.) India paid to Great Britain, in the shape of home charges, what must be considered the annual tribute of 3,000,000l. sterling (hear), and daily poured into the lap of the mother-country a continuous stream of wealth in the shape of private fortunes. (Cheers.) We might look round the metropolis in every direction; nay, we might carry our view through every part of England, extend it to Scotland, and even to Ireland, and everywhere we should behold comfortable, and, in some cases, luxurious habitations, the owners of which were indebted for the means of maintaining them to the success with which they had prosecuted their various pursuits in India, and to the return which that country had made to their activity. He thought, therefore, that feelings of gratitude, justice, and liberality should alike induce Ministers to deal generously with the interests of that country. He had to propose the following petition for the approval of the Court :

"To the Hon. the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in Parliament assembled.

"The humble petition of the East India Company sheweth :That your petitioners learn with extreme regret and apprehension that a proposal for changing the mode of levying the duty upon sugar the produce of British possessions has been brought before your hon. House, which, if permitted to acquire the authority of law, cannot fail to operate most injuriously upon the interest of the people of India.

All sugar the produce of British possessions, and not refined, is now subject to one amount of duty. It is proposed to effect a considerable reduction in that amount, and for this change your petitioners would feel deeply grateful were the people of India to be admitted to the full measure of the benefit. But of this they will be deprived, should the sanction of Parliament be extended to so much of the proposed scale of discriminating duties as subjects white clayed sugar, and sugar which by any process has been rendered equal to white clayed, to a charge of 2s. 4d. per cwt. beyond the amount proposed to be levied on the brown sugar being muscovado or claved, and all other sugars not being equal to white clayed.

"The greater part of the sugar of India will fall under the deuomination of equal to white clayed,' and will consequently be subject to the higher rate of duty, while by far the largest portion of the produce of other British possessions will be liable only to the lower rate of duty. A distinction will thus virtually be made to the prejudice of India; its produce will, to a certain extent, be treated as foreign, and will be precluded from entering the markets of the United Kingdom in fair competition with that of other dependencies of the British Crown.

"Your petitioners respectfully submit to the consideration of your honourable House that the proposed differential duty is not justified by any corresponding difference in the quality of the commodity to which it is to apply. Mere colour is no test of the quality of sugar, as is well known to all engaged in its production and sale. Strength and grain are the chief qualities which confer superiority, and in these respects the sugar of India does not excel.

"Your petitioners humbly submit that her Majesty's subjects in British India should, in ordinary justice, be placed in a situation of perfect equality in respect of privileges of trade with their fellowsubjects elsewhere; that the peculiar circumstances of their situation even entitle them to peculiar indulgence, inasmuch as large remittances from India to this country are annually made to meet home charges of various kinds. These remittances must be provided for, and if cultivation in India be discouraged, and the trade of that country be embarrassed, by the imposition of burdens not affecting those with whom its agriculturists and merchants have to compete, the people of India will have reason to complain.

"The distance from Great Britain, and various local circumstances place India in a position of some disadvantage as compared with other British settlements. Your petitioners do not advert to this as a reason for granting to India any extraordinary indulgence, but they do rely upon it as an argument against subjecting it to any extraordinary discouragement.

"In addition to the other claims to consideration, the people of India are large and increasing consumers of British manufactures. But their capacity for thus consuming will be diminished in proportion to the disadvantages to which they may be subjected in providing the means of payment. Sugar is one of the staple commodities, and its cultivation might, by due encouragement, be greatly extended; but if the principle of a discriminating duty disadvantageous to India be adopted, your petitioners apprehend that cultiva. tion relatively with that in the West Indies will be seriously diminished. Such a result would not be less injurious to the British manufacturer than to the Indian cultivator.

"Your petitioners beg further to represent, that on general principles the proposed discriminating duty is impolitic, as its tendency is to check the production of the better class of sugars, and to encourage the production of those of crarse and inferior appearance; and, lastly, that the practical difficulties of such an arrangement will be altogether insurmountable-that uncertainty, dissatisfaction, disputes, and in many cases gross injustice, will inev tably result from the attempt to discriminate where no fixed and trustworthy rules of judgment can be laid down. Your petitioners desire to remind your hon. House that such an attempt has previously been made, and abandoned, as your petitioners believe, from experience of its futility;

and that in regard not to sugar only but to other articles it has been found expedient to impose one rate of duty upon all descriptions, in order to avoid the inconveniences and vexations which are inseparable from the contrary course.

"Your petitioners therefore pray that your hon. House will be pleased to withhold your authority from the grant of such discrimi nating duty in the case of sugar, and to subject all sugar the produce of British possessions into which the importation of foreign sugar is forbidden (not being refined) to a uniform duty of 14s. per cwt.; and thus extend to the people of India the benefit to be derived from the large and liberal reduction proposed to be made from the amount of the existing duty.

"And your petitioners will ever pray."

The CHAIRMAN then moved, that the petition be adopted, the Company's seal be affixed to it, and that Mr. Astell be requested to present it to the House of Commons.

The DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN (Sir Henry Willock) seconded the

motion.

Mr. FIELDER said a few words in support of it.

Mr. WEEDING also approved of it. He thought it of extreme importance that the poorer classes should have an opportunity of purchasing a good article at a low price.

The motion having been carried,

Mr. ASTELL said he should have great pleasure in presenting the petition. After the statements they had heard read, it was unnecessary for him to trouble them with any remarks on the subject. He could assure them that the directors, whether in or out of Parliament, were at all times fully alive to the interests of the proprietors. The hon. member for Beverley had most zealously exerted himself; he had given notice of a motion on the subject, and which would in a few hours be brought forward.

Mr. TWINING congratulated the Court on having placed a petition of such importance in the hands of a gentleman who had so frequently and so ably advocated their interests in his place in Parliament. He highly approved of the petition, and confidently trusted that the prayer of it would be granted. The Court then adjourned.

THE SUGAR QUESTION. OPINIONS OF THE PRESS.

66

(From the Times.)

Neither ministers nor Parliament seem in any particular haste to enter on the question of a discriminating duty between clayed and Muscovado sugars. Next Friday is now fixed for the evil day. Meanwhile the tone of apology adopted by the original advocates of the scheme seems rather designed to grace surrender than maintain success. Sir Robert pleads his unavoidably limited amount of information. The position of Government,' he said on Friday, was one of difficulty, because they were not at liberty to make very extensive inquiries; and it was necessary to limit their consultation, before they announced their plan, to a very small number of persons.' There are subjects on which it is possible to concoct a scheme in the recesses of official insulation; pure intellect, generous instincts, and masterly views are competent to the work; and the minister can astonish the world with a full-blown development, but it clearly is not so with sugar. On this subject Sir Robert Peel is glad to confess that his plan was little more than a suggestion, to be adopted in the event of its being thought practicable,

Its practicability is of course the question, for of its fairness and other desirableness there can be no doubt. On this point there is some diversity of opinion. On the one hand, the Custom-house officers say, or at least tell their superiors," that nothing is more easy than to make the distinction. They all expressed a strong opinion on this point, though shades of distinction might occasionally cause some difficulty." Mr. Gladstone, too, for one, thinks it would be very possible to make and apply exact standards of quality. On the other hand, we believe the great bulk of the mercantile world, with very little exception, has declared against the possibility of accurate and uniform discrimination. Well-informed persons, we are told, though strongly disposed to the ministerial plan, "would almost allow their fears to prevail; and, rather than allow the risk of occasional perplexity, surrender the great and obvious advantages of a graduated scale." The question, then, seems to lie between the suffrages of Custom-house officers and of merchants. The former are professed casuists, whose instinct it is to multiply cases of conscience. There can be little doubt either of their power or their wish to make distinctions. The lawyer thrives on complicated legislation. But even though every Custom-house officer in the kingdom felt no difficulty in describing and valuing every sample of sugar that now passed under his eye, it is questionable how far their powers could be applied to Sir Robert's purpose, viz., one uniform standard of value. Many eyes, many tastes, do not constitute one

eye. one taste; and the smallest diversity between the judgments of different officers would involve the most serious wrong.

Again, it must be considered that so long as there is no comparison of qualities with a scale, there is no inducement to bring sugar in just under a certain species or valuation. The present state of manufacture and importation leaves the material to its own natural varieties. With a discriminating duty you are sure to have plenty of cases for discrimination. "Shades of distinction might occasionally cause some difficulty," say the Customhouse officers, with a slight prescience of coming perplexities. Why, if the system were contined half-a-dozen years, it is impossible to calculate how large a proportion of the whole would only fall short of the regulation sample by the merest possible difference. The variations would of course all collect to one point in the scale, it being the evident interest of the merchant to reduce the more valuable quality to a degree admissible at the lower rate of duty. Such a process is already universally resorted to for a not very dissimilar purpose. Every grocer knows how to make composite sugars of divers colours and strengths, as the eye or the taste may require.

If discrimination is possible, not merely at present, but also under the more artificial circumstances which would thereby be created, of course it is just and expedient. But when one con. siders the general impraticability of ad valorem duties, the continual evasion and dishonesty they produce, the peculiar difficulties in the present case, the number of conditions to be taken into account, colour, strength, and granulation, whereof colour, the most available test, is also the most imperfect, there seems but little prospect of working the scheme which Sir Robert has thrown out for the consideration of Parliament ;-a scheme, it must be added, which has all the difficulty of an ad valorem duty, but it is far too rude in classification to possess its justice. It is, too, admitted on all sides, that discrimination is impracticable and inexpedient as applied to the produce of India. Surely it cannot be less so in the case of other countries and other circumstances of production.

(From the Morning Chronicle.)

After the debate of Friday night, we sincerely hope the Government will abandon the proposed classification of duties on East and West India sugars, for practically to that does their proposition amount, as far as concerns colonial sugars; and abandoning it in this case, adopt the more simple and intelligible principle of a uniform duty with foreign sugars also.

We are quite ready to admit that, as a general principle of imposing duties, that is the most strictly correct which applies to the various qualities of any given article in the exact relation to its intrinsic value. We have, therefore, no hesitation in saying that, where practicable, a principle of ad valorem duties has a more equal pressure than that of specific duties of a fixed and uniform amount. But the proposed scale sins against the ad valorem principle as much as does a uniform rate in theory, and more inconveniently so in practice. To secure the advantages of the ad valorem principle, it is needful that there shall be the same number of rates of duty that there are of qualities of the article, that in fact the duty shall bear precisely the same relation to the intrinsic value of each quality. This can only be accomplished accurately by some system which defines the precise value, and on which a given rate per cent. is thus charged.

The most useful mode of doing this, is to permit the merchant to place his own value on the article, subject only to the check of its being taken by the customs at such value, with the addition of ten per cent. thereon, which in practice leads to the entry of every such article at ten per cent. below its value, but which, being a universal practice, tends to no inequality or inconvenience among merchants. This, however, is a system which obviously leads to greatly increased labour, though not more so than any other which requires a careful examination and classification of qualities.

During the existence of the East India Company, a very simple and accurate method was adopted, by which an ad valorem duty was charged upon tea. The company, having a uniform practice of selling all tea at quarterly public sales, the price of every chest was determined by open competition, and on that price a duty of 100 per cent. was charged when cleared from the custom-house. No test of value could be better, and no other mode of imposing a duty, when the value was once known, could be so good. But when the trade in the east was thrown open, it became obvious that no such test of quality could in future be obtained. To have imposed the necessity of public sales would have been an inconvenient and unjustifiable interference with private trade; and even if such a plan had been adopted, a wide door was opened for fraud, against which the public character of the East India Company was a sufficient guarantee. The strict principle of an ad

valorem duty was therefore abandoned: but, in applying specific rates of duty, an attempt was made to approximate to the ad valorem principle by a classification of quality. It is needless to refer to the entire failure of this scheme; to the interminable disputes as to where one quality chargeable with a duty of one shilling and sixpence per lb. left off, and where the other quality chargeable with two shillings and nine pence per lb. began, or to the insufferable inequality of the competition experienced by merchants and dealers, in proportion as one was more lucky than another at the Custom-house. The inconvenience and disadvantages overbalanced all other considerations, and the Government, at the wish of the trade, at length adopted one uniform rate, of which, except as to its amount, there has not been one complaint. Nevertheless, it is not contended that no evil or inequality arises from the adoption of this uniform rate-no one denies that two shillings and one penny per lb., chargeable on the commonest qualities, is not really a greater tax than the same rate is on the finest. But the impracticability and inconvenience of the system overbalanced all other considerations. And in practice the effect has been to banish altogether the most inferior quality, and to increase the supply and materially diminish the price of the better qualities.

If this classification was found difficult and impracticable in the case of tea, it will be infinitely more difficult in the case of sugar. In tea the differences of quality are not only much greater in value, but are also much more distinct in kind; and yet it was found impracticable to maintain different rates of duty. With sugar, the different qualities run so imperceptibly into each other, and are, moreover, so comparatively limited in their whole range, that there is neither the same necessity for distinction, nor the same opportunity of making it. Take, for example, the whole range of Java sugars. The lowest price is 17s. per cwt., the highest 24s. 6d. per cwt., and these are connected by links of quality varying only from threepence to sixpence per cwt. Now we admit, if you could apply a strictly ad valorem duty to each and all it would be better. But where is the test of value? Mr. Goulburn states three tests. Colour is one; granulation is another; strength, or the proportion of saccharine matter, is a third. No one of these is to be taken by itself, but in combination with the other two. Muscovado In practice this is so. and clayed, or even "white clayed," are terms which do not convey any necessary tests of value: some sugars of the former denomination are really more valuable than some coming under the latter. Colour is one cause of value in the market, and is essential in sugars required for what is termed "grocery" purposes-that is, those which are to be sold in retail in the soft or moist state. But even here colour is often superseded by a bold and brighter chrystal, or by a stronger quality, with even inferior colour. And when you consider the large and important purposes of refining, the proportion of saccharine matter is the chief object, though colour is not altogether overlooked, as the process of refining is more simple with pure than very impure sugars. How, then, in the midst of this puzzle, is any general test or standard of value to be fixed? A sugar may have the necessary colour, but be deficient in saccharine properties; another may have a handsome, bold granulation, but be deficient in colour; a third may have a great saccharine qualifica tion, but be defective of both colour and granulation. The truth is, there is much of fancy, much of taste, and much of intrinsic usefulness, which all tend to make up market value, which nothing can properly determine but the competition of buyers themselves.

But suppose some test or standard were fixed; suppose it could be determined what proportion of superior colour should compensate the absence of granulation or saccharine strength; or what superior possession of the latter should compensate the absence of the former; and suppose all these impossibilities, or, at least, impracticabilities overruled, and the standard safely lodged at each custom-house in the kingdom, what then will be its practical application? Half a dozen ships arrive, with two or three thousand bags of sugar each, from India; from Java, with as many boxes of the produce of that island; and from Demerara, with large quantities of the produce of that colony. The test is to be applied. How? To each bag or package? The colour and strength of the clayed sugars of India and Java'must be determined; the colour and strength, or granulation of the vacuum-pan sugar of Demerara must be examined. All this is possible with small samples of sugar in the laboratory of the chemist; the application of a clear vision, an accurate and tutored taste, and with the aid of his sacchrometer, he might determine the relative qualities. But to imagine such a test applied to whole cargoes of sugar, is really too fanciful to be deemed a reality. What endless disputes and varieties of opinions! Every bag or every pile might form the subject of an appeal.

But even were all this practicable, you do not then obtain the supposed advantage of an ad valorem duty. Your sugars, varying in price from 17s. to 24s. 6d. at present, have, at some arbitrary point, different rates of duty at which all above and all below are chargeable, and this difference has no relation to the relative intrinsic value of the various kinds. A sugar at 21s. 6d. is to be charged a duty of 23s. 4d., and a sugar only sixpence dearer, or 22s., is to be charged a duty of 28s. the cwt.; that is, in truth, that a sugar of intrinsic quality only 2 per cent. better, is to be charged a duty of 20 per cent. higher; and this variation will exist less or more with every quality. The truth is, you have not the advantage of the ad valorem principle of duty, while you have all the inconvenience of attempting to test the quality.

Now, when it is considered that such a classification would not only be very bad in theory, but exceedingly troublesome and inconvenient in practice-when it is considered how much is already sacrificed, on the part of merchants and dealers, of time and attention by our Custom-house regulations and observances, we trust that Sir R. PEEL will determine to abandon so intricate and complicated a plan, and on presenting his resolution to the house to night on the sugar duties, will do so, divested of this novel classification, and propose the lowest simple and uniform rates contained in his proposition. The great waste of time and money, and the enormous interruption to commerce which fiscal regulations necessarily impose on the merchants to protect the revenue, are not the least objectionable and injurious accompaniments to the principle of indirect taxation, and it is really a matter of the most grave consideration how such interferences should be increased. On the contrary, simplicity should be adopted and intricacies avoided in every possible way.

THE REV. DR. WOLFF.

The following letter has just been received by Captain Grover:

My dear Grover,-How shall I thank you for your great, great kindness? But I must confess that when I heard you were gone to St. Petersburgh I trembled, for I was afraid you would have gone to Bokhara with letters from the Emperor. God be praised that the Emperor did not grant you the letters, and that you did not proceed.

66 As long as that horrid fellow Abd-ool Samet Khan is at Bokhara, nothing will be of any use. Every Englishman's fate is sealed-he must die. The following persons have been murdered at Bokhara :

"1. Lieutenant Wyburd, of the Indian Navy. "2. Lieutenant col. Stoddart.

"3. Captain Conolly.

4. One whom they call Freshaw.

"5. A German,

"6. II Cavaliere Naselli.

"7. Five Englishmen, outside Ichaar-Joo.

"8. A Turcoman, who came to Bokhara to attempt the escape of Colonel Stoddart.

"9. Ephraim, a Jew, from Meshed, who was sent to Bokhara to make inquiries about Captain Conolly.

"10. A Turkish officer.

"God be praised that you did not go to Bokhara.

"I made the whole journey from Bokhara to Meshed on horseback with a rupture got at Bokhara, and without a bandage; also from Meshed to Teheran, other 600 miles; and from Teheran to Tabris, 380 miles. At Tabris I was taken ill with a bilious fever, which detained me fifteen days. The Russian consul at Tabris made me a present of a tuckrawan (litter), which conveyed me to Awajick, 160 miles; but from this place to Erzeroom, the mountains covered with snow, and the horrid precipices, prevented the passage of a tuckrawan, and I was obliged to travel 300 miles under continual agonies, and at night eaten up by lice and fleas. At Hassan Kaleh, great was my joy at finding a tuckrawan, belonging to the Pasha of Erzeroom, which was sent on through the kindness of our good, benevolent, excellent, kindhearted, and dear Colonel Williams, whose equal is scarcely to be found in this world. At nine miles from Erzeroom Colonel Williams came himself to meet me. I was in such a distressed state, that I was taken at once to a Turkish bath, and was supplied with fresh clothing, and I was obliged to use mercury five days before I could get rid of the troublesome parasites, and I was then so debilitated that I could not stand upon my legs. Thanks be to God for His loving kind. ness in sending me such friends as Colonel Williams and Mr. and Mrs. Redhouse, who have taken such tender care of me that I am now able to record to my friends in England the kindness of those excellent friends. Mr. Brant, the consul, also

"JOSEPH WOLFF."

[Note by Captain Grover.] "Mr. Burchardt (best known as Sheikh Ibrahim) traversed the desert from the Horâm to Cairo. On arriving at the English consul's, where he was hospitably received, he requested to be allowed immediately to change his clothes. Having made a bundle of the clothes he had worn, he said to the servant,' My good fellow, quick! take away that bundle; or, if you do not make haste (alluding to the vermin) it will walk away!'"

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY, BASINGHall-street, FEB. 28. (Before Mr. Commissioner HOLROYD.)

ALBANY HOGGINS'S BANKRUPTCY.

The bankrupt in this case was described as of Lime-streetsquare, late a partner in the firm of Masson and Hoggins, merchants, agents, and insurance-brokers. He to-day applied for a certificate, and was opposed by the assignees.

The chief grounds of objection were, that the bankrupt, while owing 1,1247. on his separate eetate, and 12,1177. on his partnership, had sold his furniture, and settled the remainder of his property upon his family. The property was leasehold property, which came to him on the death of his father, and that he settled in January, 1843. In December of the same years it was alleged he gave his son a 1,000l. note, part of certain proceeds received of an Irish Chancery suit, which ought to have gone in the payment of his debts. His expenditure had been extravagent; for, taking it from the period the bankrupt stated it to be, five years and a half, though in fact it was only four years, it was nevertheless a great sum, viz., 6,7847. 12s. 1d., considering the circumstances and the difficulties in which he was placed. This was his second bankruptcy, he having previously failed in 1831, after which he was clerk to Masson till they went into partnership in 1840. The only means for paying the debts were debts supposed to be good to the amount of 2,000l., gcols in New South Wales for about 6907., and claims on the government of New South Wales for 2,000l. It was contended that the bankrupt had made away with his property; that his conduct in reference to gaining time for the decisiou of the Irish Chancery suit was only to delay the creditors, when he knew he was insolvent, in order to get the proceeds into his own hands, and to do as he pleased with them, instead of giving his creditors the benefit they ought to have had from the decision. On these grounds it was therefore prayed that the certificate should be postponed.

Sir John Pirie was examined touching his knowledge of the bankrupt, and he said he always thought he was only Masson's clerk; and Mr. Turner, the assignee, deposed to representations made respecting the result of the Irish laws it, when it was said the bill he held would be paid.

For the bankrupt it was contended that he had given a full account of his estate. The firm having been in the habit of sending out emigrants for the government, they had made large losses, but there was still a considerable claim on that account. With respect to his expenditure, it was said he had a very large family, and considering his position in life, he felt justified in living rather freely. When he was clerk to Masson he received assistance from his father, and it was through that source that the partnership obtained a loan of 5,000. The furniture had been sold to supply the daily necessities of the family when reduced, and the manner in which the proceeds were used were fully set forth in the balancesheet. Among the items of expenditure was one for a sum of money which he had brought into the business. On the death of the father all assistance ceasing, the bankrupt being then solvent, and in a condition to do so, arranged to settle the remainder of the leaseholds on his wife and daughter, retaining for himself a very remote interest. With regard to the 1,000l. alledged to be given to the son, such a sum was covenanted to be paid on his marriage, the Chancery suit and the claims on the New South Wales Government being then both in existence, but it was not proved that it had been paid; while of the 3,000l. received from the suit, 1,5007. had already gone for the benefit of the joint estate.

The accounts the bankrupt had put in showed there had been no dissipation of property, and it was therefore submitted that the certificate ought to be granted at once.

Mr. Commissioner Holroyd said he should take time to consider his judgment.

THE COLONIES OF GREAT BRITAIN.

On the 6th of June, 1844, an address was made to the Crown by the House of Commons, on the motion of Mr. Hume, M.P. for Montrose for various returns relative to the colonies, and the 'population and trade thereof. The result of this address has been the presentation to Parliament of an interesting paper, which was ordered to be printed a few days ago, and came into our possession on Saturday. We annex the following particulars, gleaned from the statistical information afforded by the returns before us.

1. Of our colonies in North America, including Upper and Lower Canada, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Cape Breton, Prince Edward's Island, and Newfoundland, it appears that the gross total amount of the population amounted in 1842, or at the last census, to 1,621,152 souls; that the official value of their imports into the United Kingdom amounted in 1842 to 1,391,2557. ; that the total exports thereto from the United Kingdom amounted (according to the official value) to 4,445,5257. ; of which 3,874,160. consisted of English and Irish produce and manufactures. The declared value of the British and Irish produce and manufactures so exported amounted to 2,280,4817. The number and tonnage of their vessels entered inwards in the United Kingdom were respectively 1,552 and 540,448 tons, and of those cleared outwards, 1,329 and 445,570 tons.

Of the West-Indian colonies the population amounted to 901,082; the official value of their imports to 6,015,7657., and that of the exports thither from this country to 5,376,5211., of which 5,017,6641. consisted of British and Irish produce and manufactures. The declared value of the latter was 2,591,4247. The number of vessels entered inwards amounted to 714 (191,688 tons), and the number of those cleared outwards to 896 (261,344 tons).

Of all our separate colonies (taken together), including Gibraltar, Malta, and Gozo, the Cape, Sierra Leone, Gambia, the Gold Coast, Ceylon, Mauritius, New South Wales, Van Diemen's Land, Western Australia, Southern Australia, New Zealand, the Falkland Islands, St. Helena, and Hong-Kong, the population amounted to 2,152,101 souls; the official value of the imports into this country to 3,087,9997.; the official value of the exports thither from the United Kingdom to 7,496,6247.; of which, 6,8590801. consisted of British and Irish produce and manufactures. The declared value of the British and Irish produce and manufactures amounted to 3,198,8127. The number of ships entered inwards therefrom was 522 (128,593 tons), and the number cleared outwards hence 852 (204,119 tons).

The general details show that of our vast and extensive colonial possessions in all parts of the globe (of course without including India), the population amounts to 4,674,335 souls (one-fourth of the population of Great Britain); the value of their imports into the United Kingdom to 10,495.0197., and of their exports from the United Kingdom to 17,318,670.; the declared value of the exports thereto of the produce and manufactures of Great Britain and Ireland to 8,070,7171.; the number of their ships entered inwards to 2,788, tonnage 860,729, and the number cleared outwards, to 3,077, tonnage 911,033.

Taking the declared value of our produce and manufactures exported to the colonies, it will be found on inquiry that the Canadas take 1,589,1697.; Jamaica. 1,161,1467.; Gibraltar, 937,7197.; Malta, 289,3047.; the Cape, 369,0761.; New South Wales, 598,6457.; and Van Diemen's Land, 268,7301. The trade with Hong-Kong is this year undistinguished from the general trade with the Chinese empire.

Almost all our colonies are governed by a governor, council, and assembly, by Acts of Parliament, and by orders in council. Honduras alone is governed by a superintendent and magistrates. For the information of young historical students, it may be interesting to state the manner in which some of these colonies came into our possession. The Canadas capitulated in 1759 and 1760, and were ceded by the French Government at the peace of Paris in 1763. The other American colonies were originally fisheries and settlements, established soon after their discovery in 1479. Antigua and Barbadoes, Montserrat, St. Nevis, St. Kitt's, Tortola, Anguilla, the Bahamas, and Bermuda, are settlements made during the 17th century; Dominica and Grenada were ceded by France in 1763; Jamaica capitulated to the naval forces of Cromwell in 1655; St. Lucia capitulated in 1803; St. Vincent and Tobago were ceded by France in 1763; Trinidad capitulated in 1797, British Guana in 1803; Honduras was obtained by the terms of a treaty made in 1670; Gibraltar capitulated to Sir G. Rooke in August, 1704, Malta in 1800, the Cape in 1806, Ceylon in 1795, Mauritius in 1810; St. Helena was ceded by Holland in 1673; Hong-Kong, by the Chinese treaty, in 1842; and the colonies of New South Wales, Australia, and New Zealand, were settlements

formed between the years 1787 and 1839; New South Wales was made a settlement in 1787, Van Diemen's Land in 1803, Western Australia in 1829, and South Australia in 1834.-Times, Feb. 26.

MISCELLANEOUS.

ADEN.-The following letter, dated from this place, Jan. 22, 1845, recently appeared in The Times: -" A short time ago I was sent to look out for some armed boats belonging to the Arabs supposed to be in this neighbourhood with the intention of attacking us. We were out four days and found none, but still we are in a state of warlike fever here, as certain information has been given that an army of Arabs, under the Scheriff of Mocha, has been collected, about fifty miles from this place, to the number of 25,000; that he is robbing the surrounding country, and intends to attack us, with the determination of driving the "Caffres," as they call us, out of the country. We are consequently all on the alert, preparing a warm reception for him both by land and water. The attack is expected in a few days, and I should not be surprised if he carries the camp, as the defences (which, were it not for the too economical policy of our Government, might be made impregnable) are now paltry and weak. Our force, too is very small, only 400 Europeans of the 17th, and 1,000 sepoys, all of whom, I have no doubt, will fight to the last; but if they are overpowered, fearful will be the result, as they give no quarter. The forces are to be assisted by the gun-boats, which are to flank the main approach of the camp, which is close to the water-side. A vessel lies at the entrance of the harbour to protect the coal depôts, all the ladies in the camp are to go on board as soon as the signal is given. This is not the first time an alarm of the kind has occurred and turned out groundless, but never did the natives of the country assemble in such numbers before. If, therefore, they do not tumble to pieces through quarrels among themselves, we have reason here to look out with no little anxiety.

THE RUSSIANS IN THE CAUCASUS.-We have at last received authentic intelligence from the Caucasus, which reaches into the present year. The early appearance of unusually severe cold, and the great masses of snow which cover all the hills, have impeded military operations on both sides. The Russians remain in their posts keeping their hands warm, and Shamyl does not advance with his troops from his position in the Circassian territory. In the month of March, when the Cuban and the Tereck will become passable, the fighting will be renewed. All the reports of the great losses of the Russians during the year 1844, by the capture of the fortresses of Chunsak and Tamir-Hantshura, by the Circassians, so industriously spread through Persia and Turkey, prove to be quite unfounded. Notwithstanding the immense force with which this campaign was commenced on the part of the Russians, very few battles occurred, and only two of them can be properly called sanguinary. The advantage, however, remained with the Russians, as they lost only 500 men. At the same time the Russians themselves admit that the campaign has been a failure; for, in spite of their great reinforcements, they found it not an easy matter to bring the enemy to a battle. Shamyl, who withdrew with his Murides to his loftysituated and strongly-fortified position, Buternog, might have been, by a rapid advance of the Russians, cut off from his retreat and probably completely destroyed; but the Russian Commander-in-chief was eighteen hours too late in issuing his orders. Shamyl quickly perceived the threatening danger, and communicated with his rocky nest by a narrow path which the Russians had left unoccupied. This occurrence decided the recal of Gen. Neidhardt from the Caucasus, as he has manifested no distinguished talents for military operations or administration.

SINGAPORE.-The total commerce of the year ending the 1st of May, 1844, as exhibited by the return, amounted to 54,926,042 rupees, and the Singapore Free Press says, it is supposed that the dealings are to a much greater extent than appears on the face of the tables annually published, from the unwillingness or neglect of the merchants to furnish the information required. The establishment of a custom house at Singapore is suggested as a remedy, but then comes the question, whether even the infliction of nominal duties might not in a certain degree endanger the prosperity of a trade which hitherto appears to have thrived so well without any such exactions. The trade with Great Britain appears to be one-sixth of the whole, as exhibited by the returns published. In the past official year 92 vessels arrived from and departed for the mother country. The trade with continental Europe is increasing, particularly in cotton and woollen goods. The trade with India is large, being with Calcutta alone not less than 10,399,363 rupees, notwithstanding a falling off, as compared with the preceding year, of 1,175,452 rupees, occasioned by a de

creased supply of opium. The trade with China has increased, notwithstanding the opening of the northern ports, which is considered to be a remarkable fact, and as proving more completely than ever how much the enterprising spirit of that people has been checked by their own laws. The direct supply of goods taken to the northern ports has not prevented an increased trade with Singapore, and it is stated that Chinese merchants have chartered square-rigged vessels to carry to those ports the cargoes hitherto shipped on bo rd their junks. Even Chinese emigrants arrive at Singapore in British vessels, and every year is expected to increase the indirect as well as the direct with trade that country.

REDUCTION OF DUTIES ON SUGAR.-There is a movement on the part of the sugar refiners of London, with respect to the alteration of duties, that is similar in principle to that of the glass houses with respect to the Excise. They have petitioned the Legislature that they may be allowed a remission equal to the reduction of duty on their stocks in hand, stating that they have been obliged to keep a large quantity of duty-paid sugar for a considerab e period constantly in their houses, and that they will be subject to a heavy loss in the event of a fall in sugars, unless the relief they pray for be granted.

THE MAILS. Southampton, March 2. - The royal WestIndian mail packet, Medwa, left the river this day at 12 o'clock, taking out the West-Indian and South American mails; also twenty-one passengers and eighty bottles of quicksilver. The Duke of Cornwell steamer, chartered by the Oriental Company, left the docks yesterday for Constantinople, taking out twenty. seven passengers to Malta, whence they will proceed by another steamer to Alexandria, en route to India. The government steamer, the Styx, Mr. Hornby commander, will leave here tomorrow for Alexandria, with the East-India and China mails. The Great Liverpool, Capt. Macleod, came into the docks yesterday from India, and landed her passengers, ninety-eight in number. She found lying at Alexandria several men-of-war belonging to his Highness the Pacha of Egypt.

A CHINESE ADVERTISEMENT. - At the shop Tae-shing (prosperous in the extreme) very good ink; fine! fine! Ancient shop; great-grandfather, grandfather, father, and self make this ink; fine and hard; very hard; picked with care, selected with attention. I sell very good ink; prime cost is very. This ink is heavy, so is gold. The eye of the dragon glitters and dazzles, so does this ink. No one makes like it. Others who make ink, make it for the sake of accumulating base coin, and cheat, while I make it only for a name. Plenty of A-kwan-tsaes (gentlemen) know my ink. My family never cheated; they have always borne a good name. I make ink for the Son of Heaven' and all the mandarins in the empire. As the roar of the tiger extends to every place, so does the fame of the dragon's jewel (meaning his ink). Come all A-kwan-tsaes, come to my shop, and see the sign Tae-shing at the side of the door. It is in Seaou-shwuy Street (Small-water Street) outside the South Gate."- Points and Pickings of Information about China.

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE PAPERS to the 9th of January have come to hand. The late ordinance for an extension of the stamp duties had occasioned meetings of the colonists to express their opinion, which appears to be decidedly against any such measure. Affairs on the frontier were tranquil, and the Caffres showed no dispostion to infringe the territory of the farmers. There are no adv.ces from Natal.

A few days ago, ILLUSTRATION OF DISCRIMINATING DUTIES. and since Sir Robert's financial exposition, a small sample of Bengal sugar, carefully manufactured by the Muscovado process, was shown to a sugar broker of thirty years' experience, in the presence of members of the House of Commons of Sir Robert's politics, and he pronounced it to be "clayed!"— Morning Chronicle.

QUICKSILVER IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA.-We have been favoured by a gentleman of this town with the following extract of a letter, dated South Australia, Sept. 15, 1844, which he received a few days ago from his brother, a resident in that colony. "The other day, quite by accident, I discovered some fine mercury in the soil of the country I have to pass through on my way out. It is, I believe, the first authentic discovery of the existence of mercury in the colony. I have yet to find whether it exists in such quantities as to be profitable to work for a mine. The person to whom I shewed the sample (fine mercury) seemed quite astonished. The very next morning, a friend heard it at the newspaper office, when he advised them to The disrepress my name; but it is through the colony now. covery, which was made in the neighbourhood of Adelaide, is alluded to in the South Australian News."-Liverpool Albion. EARTHQUAKE AT ALEXANDRIA.-A smart shock of earthquake was felt at Alexandria early in the morning of the 21st ult. -a very unusual thing in Egypt.

HER MAJESTY'S FORCES IN THE EAST.
DRAGOONS.

3rd Regt. Lieut. Casement granted leave of absence to England, for 2 years.

9th do. (Lancers). Lieuts. Studdert and Antrobus granted leave to England for 2 years on M.C.

14th do. Capt. Tonge, leave prolonged for 1 year, to remain in England; Lieut. Ramsay appointed aid-de camp on the staff of the Hon. the Gov. of Bombay.

15th do. (Hussars). Lieut. Lee and Cornet Bernard granted leave to England for 2 years, on M.C.

INFANTRY.

2nd Foot. Lieut. col. (Maj. gen.) J. G. Baumgardt, c. B. granted leave to Egypt for 2 years on M.C.

3rd do. (Buffs). Assist. surg. Bostock permitted to precede his regt. to England by the Overland route.

4th do. Assist. surg. Lightbody, granted leave to England for 2 years on M.C.; Lieut. W. C. Sheppard promoted to the rank of capt. by brevet.

13th do. (P. A. L. I.) Lieut. Parker ap. to act as adj. vice Speedy, permitted to precede the regt. to England.

17th do. Lieut. J. L. Witton, from the 31st foot, prom. to capt. vice Lockart, deceased, pending her Majesty's pleasure.

21st do. (Fusiliers). 2d Lieut. H. F. Evans prom. to 1st lieut. vice Bolton, ap. adj. to H. M. 31st foot, pending her Majesty's pleasure.

25th do. Ens. Sir R. Barclay, Bart. granted leave to England for 2 years on M.C.

28th do. Lieut. J. Dane app. to act as adj.

31st do. Capt. Eagar and Lieut. Sparrow granted leave to England for 2 years, on M.C.; 1st Lieut. S. A. Bolton, from 21st fusileers, app. adj. pending her Majesty's pleasure.

39th do. Lieut. Harvey granted leave to England for 2 years, on

M.C.

40th do. Capt. Norman and Lieut. Meason granted leave to England for 2 years, on M.C.; Lieut. col. (Maj. gen.) R. B. Fearon, C.B. app. a brig. of the 2nd class.

62nd do. Lieut. T. K. Scott app. inter. to the 80th regt.

63rd do. Ens. White app. to act as q. m. vice Joice, who has ob tained leave on M.C.

78th do. (Highlanders). Lieut. Gordon granted leave of absence for 8 mo. to remain in England; Major Forbes granted leave of absence for 12 mo. to remain in England; Lieut. G. D. Prettejohn dismissed the service by sentence of a gen. co. mar.

80th do. Maj. R. B. Wood (h. p. unattached) app. to this corps, pending H.M. pleasure; Lieuts. S. Fraser, E. H. Flinney, and O. Gorman, prom. to the rank of capt. by brev.; Maj. Raitt granted leave to England for the purpose of exchange to h. p.

84th do. Ens. W. C. E. Snow prom. to lieut. v. Clements, dec., pending H.M. pleasure.

86th do. Capt. J. Edwards granted leave to England for 2 years,

on M.C.

98th do. Lieut. E. Haythorne prom. to capt. and Ens. R. Young to lieut. in succ. to Edwards, dec. pending H.M. pleasure.

SHIPPING. ARRIVALS.

FFB. 24. Robert Small, Williams, Bengal; Colombo, Thomson, Bengal; Jack, Tavenor, Belle Creole; Purchase and Emma Eugenia, Kettlewell, Mauritius; Medusa, Purdie, China.-25. Queen of England, Fethers, Bengal; London, Michael, Bengal; Harrison Chilton, Markham, Bengal; Wild Irish Girl, Graham, and Emma, Hartley, Bombay; Achilles, Trivett, Ceylon; Governor, Williamson, Cape; Plancius, Rotgans, China; Duke of Portland, Hamlin, Madras.-26. Marquis of Bute, Bannatyne, China; Tanjore, Stewart, Bengal; Rockliffe, Garrick, Ceylon; Marchioness of Douro, Wood-27. Ellen, north, China; Henry Curwen, Vickers, Mauritius. Rodger, Tapley McKie, Mercury, Lawson, Persia; Morris, John Dugdale, Milward; John Bibby, Cawkett, China; Jane Blain, Reid, Penang; Etna, Thompson, Bengal; Robin Gray, Pattulo, Mauritius.-28. Maid, Sproule, China; Nelson, Potter, Bombay. MARCH 1. Washington, Westlake, Mauritius.-3. Circassian, Hore, China; United Kingdom, Tuelon, Bombay; Peru, Bateson, Madras.-6. Thetis, Cass, Bengal; Orixa, Christin, China.-7. Eleanor, Haslep, Mauritius; Daniel Grant, Owen, Bengal.

DEPARTURES.

From the Downs. FEB. 24. Tyne, Robertson, New Zealand; Favourite, South Seas; Hindostan, West, Bombay.-27. Orator, Tayt, Madras; Grecian, Watt, Bombay; Narwhal, Baker, South Seas; Symmetry, Mackwood, Mauritius and Ceylon.-28. Macedon, Reaknap, Hong-Kong. MARCH 2. Kyle, Alexander, Calcutta; Mary Stewart, Renneck, Cape.-3. Elizabeth, Morris, and Caroline, Hughes, Calcutta; Bangalore, French, Madras and Bengal.-5. Peruvian, Pitkethly, Sydney; Sons of Commerce, Williams, Hobart Town; Caribbean, Fleming, Mauritius.

From LIVERPOOL.-FEB. 22. Athena, Ögg, Calcutta.-25.'Dryad, Heinsen, Singapore; Mars, Brooks, Batavia and Singapore.-27. Rossendale, Goulding, Port Philip; William and James, Brown, Sin