Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843 - 1893), Wednesday 14 October 1846, page 4


Anglist Nstoss.

(From the South Australian, Sept. 29.)

The Pauline, from Bremen 17th June, arrived on Sunday, after a remarkably fine passage of 104 days. She brings German papers (with a few of which we have been kindly favoured) up to the 13th June, giving

London news to the 9th June.

In the city article of the Globe of 8th June, it was stated that Ministers would be defeated in the Slave Grown Sugar and the Irish Coercion measures. The writer pro-phases that the Ministry would be out of office before the Corn Bill passed the Lords, and goes the length of saying that the Peel

Administration would not last more than ten days. The expectation of a change of Ministry was general, but it was said that Sir R. Peel, for the sake of the country, would not retire till the Corn Bill had passed the Lords. The Whigs had framed their plan of opposition-they denounced the Coercion Bill, and differential duties on sugar.

The Tariff Bill passed the second reading, in the Lords, after scarcely two hours' debate.

The Duke of Buckingham moved, on the 8th June, that the new sliding scale be permanent. In the Commons, on the 8th June, Sir W. Sommerville moved the rejection of the Irish Coercion Bill on its second reading. In the debate, Lord G. Bentinck said he and his party would join the Whigs, and that

the moment was come to humble the Peel Administration.

A report of the Chancellor's budget is given,

from which we observe the revenue was

flourishing, and that Sir Robert Peel's re-ductions in the tariff had been successful. Reductions in the Customs, to the extent of two-fifths, had been made, which had been amply compensated by Revenue arising from increased consumption; but the most surprising results had been in the Post-office department. The net revenue was rapidly approaching its amount previous to the reduction in postage, and the number of letters was now 400,000,000 against 75,000,000 in 1838. Since 1842, the interest on the national debt has been reduced by £1,500,000 per

annum.

Pope Gregory XVI. died at Rome on 1st June, of fever. Immediately previous to the Pope's illness, Austria had proposed to occupy Ancona, and France had proposed to occupy Civita Vecchia, and it was expected that his death would have important political

consequences.

At Monte Video another revolution had

taken place. At Valparaiso serious riots occurred at the election of a President : 9 persons

were killed and 37 wounded.

The Grand Duke Constantine of Russia had anchored off Spithead in a Russian manof-war, but it was uncertain whether he would visit London.

Ibrahim Pacha landed at Portsmouth on

the 5th June. He was accompanied by two

of his sons.

Lecomte, who attempted to assassinate King Louis Phillipe, was executed at Paris on the 8th June, at half-past six a.m.

(From the Sydney Morning Herald, October 9.)

By the Trafalgar we have papers to the

2nd June.

The Corn Law Bill may now be considered safe. After a debate of three days in the House of Lords, the second reading was carried by a majority of forty-seven. The following is the result of the division :

FOR THE SECOND READING.

Present. 138

Proxies.... v.. 73

AGAINST THE SECOND READING.

Present. 126 Proxies.... 38

Majority. 47

Majority of votes present in favour of

the Bill. 12 Majority of proxies in favour of the Bill.. 35 That the second reading would be carried was always considered certain, from the number of proxies held by the government, but it was feared that in committee, where proxies are not allowed, the bill would be so altered as to render its rejection by the lower house a matter of course. But the majority of members actually in the house being in favour of it, renders it impossible that any manoeuvre of this kind can now be practised, especially as a number of peers known to be favourable to the bill, who were on the Continent, were on their way to London to attend

the committee.

The New Zealand Company have at length determined to dissolve the Company. They say they have expended £300,000 of their capital, and £300,000 of their money received from purchasers of land, and have nothing whatever to show, not having a title to a single acre of land.

The Queen was recovering from her confinement with her usual celerity. No bulle-tins were issued after the sixth day.

War between the United States and Mexico had actually commenced.

Parliament was adjourned for the Whitsuntide

recess from the 29th May to the 5th

June.

Colonel Barney was re-gazetted as Superintendent

of North Australia on the 26th May, and on the same day Dr. Hampton was appointed Controller of Convicts in Van

Diemen's Land.

The crops were promising. There had been a very wet spring, but the weather having set in exceedingly mild, there was every prospect of a good crop.

The 37th Regiment was under orders for

these colonies.

An additional Assistant Secretary had been appointed to the Colonial Office, Mr. F. Rogers, who had also been appointed a Land and Emigration Agent.

The King and Queen of the French were to visit England about the end of June.

WOOL CIRCULAR.

London, 30th May, 1846.

The first sales of colonial wool of this season's

clip, which began on the 14th instant, closed this evening. The quantities put up to

sale were

4618 bales Australian

2291

to

Port Phillip

3226

"

Van Diemen's Land 4274

Adelaide 905

Swan River "

3599

at

Cape

26ft

New Zealand

899

»>

late

East India 19,838 t

y colonial

1355

Spanish

99

United States

697

Russian, fine

35sec

Ditto Donskey

152ft

German

1359

to

Turkey, Egyptian, Buenos

Ayres, &c. 4028 " Sundries

Several small parcels of colonial and a considerable quantity of foreign were withdrawn, prices not being adequate to the owners' expectations.

From a combination of circumstances, the general trade of the manufacturing districts has for some months past been far from satis-factory-the tightness existing in the money market, from the late inordinate gambling in railways, and the, until yesterday, uncertainty attending the passing of the Corn Bill in its concluding stages, have had a paralysing effect

on the wool market.

The reduction in the prices of German wool has, since October last, been not less than 3d. to 4d. per lb. on wools below 2s. 6d., and from that price up to 4s. 6d. we cannot quote a less decline than 4d. to 9d., and in some instances even 1s. per lb. for the finest classes. These have all had their effect on the colonial market, and the consequence has been that, although for fine and well got up flocks from Sydney, Port Phillip, and Van Diemen's Land (the former being in short supply), there has been a tolerably active demand, at prices from 6d. to 2d. per lb. below those of May last, yet for inferior conditioned wools it has been but sluggish, at from 2d. to 4d. per lb. less.

On Cape, and more particularly on Adelaide wools, the retrogression has been still greater, say from 3d. to 5d. per lb. and many of the best flocks from the latter colony have been sold at the highest named decline, when compared with last year's prices. The large quantity of the clip from thence having arrived in time for this series of sales, added to the prevalence of grass seeds, prickles, and bad condition of the middling and inferior flocks, have also still further depressed prices.

Some superior flocks from Van Diemen's Land, being in capital condition, and showing their usual high breed, have suffered a less decline than might have been expected ; this is another and most convincing argument in favour of attention to the breeding, washing, classing, and freeing them from the skirtings, locks, and inferior portions of the fleece. To maintain the high repute of colonial wool, in the competition which may now be expected yearly to increase in a high rate of progression from the United States and Russia, it is of the utmost importance to the colonial growers to attend to these most essential points. As a confirmation of these remarks, we may observe that fleeces from the United States sold freely, in small quantity, at 1s. 3d. to is. 5d., and slipe wool of superior quality and condition even produced 1s. 9d. per lb. The new clip may be expected in all June and July.

Lambs' wool of all kinds have been in great demand, and have been the only exception to the general decline.

Spanish and Russian merino and brookwashed have been in little request, and were principally withdrawn at low figures.

East India wool sold freely at late prices. Other low wools were mostly withdrawn.

C. AND J. D. JACOMB, Brokers. TALLOW, HIDES, &c.

The tallow market has been steady throughout the month, but at no period can it be said that the general demand was brisk. The increased production in the home supply has checked the demand for foreign tallow, otherwise holders of the present stock, which does not exceed 9300 casks, would no doubt have been enabled to raise the present value. Russian tallow is firm at 42s. 6d. to 42s. 9s. per cwt. New South Wales has not sold briskly this month, though a fair amount of business has been done. The warm weather, together with the home supply, has checked the demand for mutton tallow, and prices have declined 6d. per cwt. Beef tallow, of good body, has realised extreme prices, but weak and greasy sorts have been in limited request, and barely support late rates. The sales of the month comprise 1029 casks, at the following prices. Mutton tallow pale : rather tender, 43s. 9d. ; tender, 44s. 3d. to 41s. 6d. Middling colours a good body, 44s. 3d. to 42s. 3d. ; rather tender, 44s. 3d. to 41s. 9d. ; tender, 40s. 3d. to 41s. Rather dark : good body, 45s. to 41s. 6d. ; rather tender, 40s. 6d. to 41s. 3d. ; tender, 39s. Dark : good body, 45s. to 41s. 6d. ; rather tender, 39s. 3d. to 4s. 6d. Beef tallow : bright but greasy, 44s. 6d. Fair colours : good body, 43s. 9d ; fair body, 45s. to 41s. 9d. ; rather greasy, 40s. 3d. to 4s. ; very greasy, 39s. to 40s. Middling colours rather greasy, 40s. 3d. to 40s. 9d. ; greasy, 39s. 9d. to 40s. 3d. Rather dark hard 44s. 3d. to 41s. 6d. ; fair body, 40s. 6d. to 41s. ; greasy, 38s. to 39s 3d. Dark : good body, 40s. 6d. : rather greasy, 39s. 6d. Very dark, 38s. 9d. to 39s. 6d. ; very dark and very greasy, 36s. to 37s. Inferior, 33s. to 34s. 6d. Import, 539 casks. Present stock, 348 casks.

NEW SOUTH WALES BILES-In the early part of the month, a parcel of extra good cured and quality realised 4d. per lb., which is an advance of a d. to a 3d. per lb. ; fair qualities have advanced M. to 6d. per lb. ; but in the

middling and inferior descriptions no improvement

can yet be noticed. The sales are 6607 hides best heavy : prime, 55 lb., 4d. ; ditto, good, 49 to 56 lb., 3d. to 3d. ; ditto, common, 49 to 62 lb.. 3d. to 3d. Best light: good, 42- to 46 lb., 3d. to 3d. ; ditto, common, 52 to Hi lb., 2d. to 3d. 2nd class : damaged, 2d. to 3d. per the Import, 5796 hides. Present stock, 3121 hides.

SHEEP SKINS. The only sale to notice is about 4000 New South Wales skins, which brought fair to good prices, viz. Mostly shorn, dirty and greasy, 75 lb., 44s. ; shorn, ditto ditto, 55 to 60 lb., 24s. 6d. to 36s. ; ditto, 36 to 42 lb., 22s. to 29s. Lambs : shorn,

dirty, and greasy, 21s. to 23s. per dozen. Kidd and lambskins continue dull, and no sales are reported during the month.

BONES.-The sales of common are trifling, and the value 2s. 6d. to 5s. lower than last month. Shanks are wanted, and in good demand. The only sales to notice are 22 tons Rio Grande cattle : shanks, ¡£7 ; common, £4 15s. 8 tons of New South Wales : common, £4 15s. per ton. From Good and Rigg's

Circular, May 30.

(From the Sydney Atlas, October 10.)

EPSOM RACES.

Epsom Races commenced on Tuesday, May 26. The Craven Stakes, of 10 sovs. each, were won by Mr. E. Peel's Spithead, ridden by Kitchener. The Woodcote Stakes, of 10 sovs., with 100 added, were gained by Mr. E. R. Clarke's Miles's Boy, ridden by E. Edwards; and the Manor Stakes, of 5 sovs. each, with 40 added, were won by Sir George Heathcote's Campanile, ridden by Chapple. Mr. Shelley's Tit-bits won the Horton Stakes, of 3 sovs. each, with 30 added ; Sharpe was the rider.

Wednesday was the " Derby day. The Derby Stakes, of 50 sovs. each, 193 subscribers, were won by Mr. Gully's Pyrrhus the First, ridden by S. Day. Mr. W. Scott's Sir Tatton Sykes, ridden by W. Scott, was second; and General Shubrick's Brocardo third. Twenty-four others started, but were not placed. The race was run in 2 minutes 55 seconds. The succeeding races of this day attracted little notice ; but the following were the winners. The Carew Stakes, of 5 sovs. each, with 30 added, Mr. Mostyn's c. by Helman Platoff; the Polesdon Stakes, of 5 sovs. each, with 30 added, Mr. Drewett s Prudence; the Burgh Stakes, of 5sovs. each, with 30 added, Mr. Cooper's Caen.

On Thursday there was a small attendance of visitors. The winners were these : Epsom Four-year-old Stakes, Mr. Ford's Pushes; the Durdans Stakes, of 10 sovs. each, Mr. T. Dawson's Grimston; the Grand Stand Plate, of 200 sovs., Mr. Merry's br. c. by Don John the Cobham Stakes, of 5 sovs. each, Mr. Booth's Tit-bits; the Walton Stakes, of 3 sovs. each, Mr. Parr's Slipshod.

On Friday there was a good attendance for the Oaks. There were 140 subscribers, and twenty-four horses ran. The winner was Mr. Gully's Mendicant. Mr. Watt's Laundrymaid was second, and Lord Glasgow's f. by Retriever third.

(From our own files.)

THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO.

The Cambria brought the important intelligence that the United States had declared war against Mexico. The President's formal proclamation was dated the 13th of May. On the 11th he transmitted a message to Congress, which was immediately acted upon. Both branches, by overwhelming majorities, declared in favour of recognising a war against Mexico, and in providing means for its energetic prosecution. The regular army was increased to about 15,000 men a special War Bill authorised an additional force of 50,000 men, to be placed at the disposal of the President and 10,000,000 dollars were appropriated for the payment of the troops. The naval force was increased in an equal ratio. The utmost excitement prevailed throughout the Union, and in the southern states large companies of volunteers were being formed to march to the relief of the army on the Rio del Norte. Great fears were entertained throughout the commercial classes that the Mexican government would issue letters of marque. The American journals are far from being unanimous in support of the aggressive war sanctioned by Congress. The circumstances which are the immediate causes of the declaration of war are thus detailed

in the New Orleans Picayune of the 2nd May :-" Deplorable News from the Army Colonel Charles Deane arrived in this city at an early hour yesterday morning

from Brazos, Santiago, which place he left i on the 28th ultimo, in the steam schooner Augusta. Sixty miles west of the S.W. Pass

he was transferred to the steamer Galveston. |

He is the bearer of important despatches from General Taylor, and of a requisition upon the Governor of Louisiana for four regiments. The previous news received, that the Mexicans had crossed the Rio Grande, is fully confirmed, and a detachment of American troops has been cut off. But for the details we refer to the following account of operations kindly furnished us by Colonel Deane. On Thursday evening, 23rd instant, General Taylor received information that a body of the Mexican army had crossed to the east side of the Rio Grande, at a point some twenty miles above his encampment. Early on the following morning he despatched Captains Thornton and Harden, of the 2nd Regiment Dragoons, with a detachment of 70 men, to examine the country above, and Captain Kerr, of the same regiment, with a company to examine the country below the" encampment. The latter returned to camp without having made any discovery of Mexicans. The former, however, fell in with what he considered to be a scouting party of the enemy, but which proved to be the ad-vance guard of a very strong body of the enemy, who were posted in the chaparral, immediately in the rear of General Taylor's camp. Captain Thornton, contrary to the advice of his Mexican guide, charged upon the guard, who retreated towards the main body, followed by Captain Thornton, when in an instant he found himself and command

surrounded by the enemy, who fired upon him, killing as is supposed, Capt. Thornton, Lieutenants Kane and Mason, and some 26 of the men, and taking Captain Hardie and the remainder of the command prisoners. The Mexican commander sent into General Taylor's camp a cart, with a soldier badly wounded, with a message that he had no travelling hospital with him, and could not, therefore, render the soldier the assistance which his situation required. It is supposed that the detachment of the enemy on the east side of the Rio Grande consists of at least 2,500 men, under the command of Colonels Caruso and Carrabaja, both old and experienced officers, and that their object is to cut off all communication between General Taylor and Point Isabel, the depot of provisions. In the execution of this object they have fully succeeded, and have thereby placed the American army in a most dangerous position, as it will be utterly impossible for General Taylor, with the limited number of men now under his command, say 2,300, to force his way through the dense chapparal in which the enemy are already strongly posted. On the 22nd, General Taylor received from General Ampudia, by means of a flag of truce, a communication in very offensive terms, complaining of his having blockaded the Rio Grande to which he replied, that General Ampudia had himself been the cause of the blockade, in having expressly declared that, unless General Taylor commenced his retreat behind the Neuces within twenty-four after his displaying his flag upon the left bank of the Rio Grande, he would consider war as being declared, and would act accordingly. General Taylor furthermore stated that he would receive no further communications from the Mexican commander, unless couched in language more respectful towards the government and people of the United States. General Taylor's position in the rear of Matamoras is sufficiently strong to withstand successfully an attack of the whole Mexican force, and

commands the town, which, with the batteries already mounted, could be raised to the ground in an hour's time. General Taylor has in camp full rations for fifteen days, which he thinks can be made to last thirty days, by which time he is in hopes to receive large reinforcements from Texas and Louisiana; upon each of which states he has made a requisition for the immediate equip-ment and transmission to Point Isabel of four full regiments of militia. It is thought by the superior officers of General Taylor's army that 20,000 men will be required within a very short period, as it is well known that the Mexican army is daily receiving reinforcements from the interior. It was supposed by the American officers that General Arista reached Matamoras on the evening of the 22nd ult., with a brigade ; but up to the period of the writer's leaving camp, no communication had been received by General Taylor from General Arista. Subsequently to his leaving the camp on the 26th ultimo, Colonel Deane learned that General Arista addressed a polite note to General Taylor, informing him that he, Arista, had assumed the command of the Mexican forces."Colonial Gazette, May 30.

PARLIAMENTARY Sir R. Peel, on Friday, May 29, in moving that the house, at its rising, do adjourn to Friday next, stated that on that day he should propose to proceed with supply. On the Monday following he should move the second reading of the Protection of Life in Ireland Bill and on Friday, the 12th June, he should bring forward the question of the Sugar Duties. In answer to questions from various hon. members, the Right Hon. Baronet said that he would fix an early day for proceeding with the Poor Removal Bill. It was ultimately, at the suggestion of Sir James Graham, arranged that the Poor Removal Bill should be taken on Friday, and the motion was agreed to. In answer to Mr. Hume, Sir R. Peel stated that the American President had given notice to the British government of the termination of the Oregon convention of 1827, and he had given the notice in the terms agreed on by both houses of the American legislature, in the hope that it might lead to an amicable settlement of the question. Sun, May 30.

PORTUGAL letter from Lisbon, dated May 8th, says that the Labour Ministry is at an end in Portugal. The Ministers on the 17th tendered their resignation to the Queen, which was accepted. Her Majesty has charged Count Villa Real, whose son is chief of the revolutionary junta of Tras-os-Montez, with the formation of a new Cabinet. It was, however, the general opinion that the efforts of Count Villa Real would prove unsuccessful, in which case the Duke of Palmella would

probably be called on by the Queen to form a Ministry. Jose Cabral had returned to Lisbon from Oporto, where several conflicts had taken place between the troops and the people, which ended in the greater part of the army fraternizing with the revolutionists. Sun, May 30.

SERIOUS CONFLAGRATION IN CANADA.The Quebec Gazette of the 11th of May gives an account of a direful calamity that had fallen on a new settlement: "A serious misfortune has befallen the new settlements of Grand Bay, in the Saguenay. The settlers on the river Chez Mars. were clearing their lands and burning; the drought was great; and on Tuesday, the 4th instant, the wind coming on to blow furiously, the flames were carried along the settlement, destroying houses, barns, cattle, the seed grain, implements of husbandry, &c; and, reaching the village at the river, destroyed the whole there, the church, and the two mills at the mouth of the stream and continuing a mile further round the bay, to the Grand Bay Village, destroyed all these except the church, Presbyters, and William Price and Co.'s stores and houses, and a few houses south of them; leaving about 3,000 souls, men, women, and children, without houses, or the means of sowing their lands The Governor General sent down a message to the house on the 11th, informing it that he had taken measures to distribute rations

among the sufferers; and recommending it to take into consideration the propriety of granting pecuniary relief Colonial Gazette, May 30.