more responsible offices under our Government. It is, however, necessary, with reference to the subject of education, to exercise great prudence and caution, in order to avoid even the appearance of any interference with their religious feelings and prejudices, and to maintain on such points the strictest neutrality.

Finally, Sir Henry, I would earnestly recommend the whole body of the people of British India and its dependencies to your paternal care and protection. It has always been the earnest desire of the Court of Directors that the government of the East-India Company should be eminently just, moderate, and conciliatory. The supremacy of our power must be maintained, when necessary, by the irresistible force of our arms; but the empire of India cannot be upheld by the sword alone. The attachment of the people, their confidence in our sense of justice and in our desire to maintain the obligations of good faith, must ever be essential elements of our strength. I beseech you' therefore, to keep these sacred principles habitually and permanently in view. The Court has selected you for the high office of Governor-General with reference not less to the confidence which they entertain in your character for justice, moderation, and benevolence, than to your firm and undoubted possession of a sound practical judgment and indomitable spirit. You are already in possession of the highest renown as a soldier, and we feel assured that you will now rest your happiness and your fame on the furtherance of measures tending to promote the welfare and best interests of the Government and of the people committed to your care. And it is our earnest prayer that, after an extended career of useful and valuable service, you may return to your native country, bearing with you, as the best and most gratifying reward of your labours, the thanks and blessings of the people of India."

Whitehall, Jan. 16.—The Queen has been pleased to direct letters patent to be passed under the Great Seal, granting the dignity of a Baron of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland unto the Right Honourable Sir Charles Theophilus Metcalfe, Bart., G. C. B., and Captain-General and Governor-in-Chief of her Majesty's Provinces of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, and of the island of Prince Edward, and Governor-General of all her Majesty's provinces on the continent of North America, and of the island of Prince Edward, and to his heirs male, by the title of Baron Metcalfe, of Fern Hill, in the county of Berks.

Her Majesty has appointed (Jan. 1) Thomas Thompson, Esq., to be superintendent of police for the island of Ceylon.

Her Majesty has appointed (Jan. 10) Major Matthew Richmond to be superintendent of the Southern Division of the Colony of New Zealand.

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Mr. Pritchard, late Consul at Tahiti, has been appointed Consul at the Navigators' Islands, one of the most populous and important groups of the Polynesian archipelago. The Patriot says: We know he leaves England determined to pursue the same straightforward line of conduct which has already rendered him so obnoxious to the French tools of the Propaganda," and that he "goes out with the full confidence of Lord Aberdeen." He took his departure on the 17th January.

Such of our readers as are interested in the grants of batta for the operations in China, will be glad to learn the subjoined particulars respecting its intended issue, which, after much reprehensible delay, is at length likely to be speedily, and, we trust, satisfactorily, brought to a close the Lords of the Treasury

having requested the Court of Directors of the East-India Company to complete the payments with as little delay as possible. Those claimants, therefore, who have already quitted, or who are about to leave, India or China, will have to apply for the amounts to which they are respectively entitled to the magnates of Leadenhall-street. The shares now being paid are upon the following scale:To the officers and men engaged in the operations against Canton, and to those not so engaged, but who served from the commencement of hostilities until the end of June, 1841, twelve months' allowance. To the officers and men employed, in 1840, at Ningpo, and on the Canton river, only six months' allow. The shares to be hereafter distributed are to be apportioned thus:-To the officers and men employed in all the operations which took place between the 21st of August, 1841, and the 29th of August, 1842, twelve months' allowTo those employed on the Yang-Tze-Kiang river only, and to those left in the occupation of Hong Kong and other stations, six months' allowance. -United Service Gazette.

ance.

ance.

It is contemplated by Government to send out another expedition to the Arctic regions, with the view of discovering the north-west passage between the Atlantic and Pacific. The command of the expedition has been offered to Sir James Ross; should that officer decline it, it will fall upon Sir John Franklin.-Hampshire Telegraph.

We have been shewn some candied peaches from Sydney, which are said to be the first which have reached England from our Australian colonies. They are quite equal in flavour to the French dried plums, and a much finer fruit.Manchester Guardian.

We extract from the letter of a correspondent of the South Carolina Spartan the following account of the Siamese Twins, and their families:-" You may be aware that, some few years since, the Siamese Twins, Chang and Eng, retired from the public gaze, and settled down in this county (Wilkes) as farmers. You will also recollect, that during last year it was published in some of the newspapers that they had married two sisters. This notice was treated as a hoax by some of the journals, and I incline to think that public opinion settled that the twins were still living in single blessedness. To my surprise I find that the supposed hoax is a literal fact, and that those distinguished characters are married men. Mrs. Chang and Mrs. Eng are well known to several of my personal acquaintances, and are said to be very amiable and industrious. Each of the ladies presented her particular lord with an heir, in the person of a fine, fat, bouncing daughter. It is said that Chang and Eng, with their wives and children, contemplate making a tour through this country in a year or two. The twins enjoy excellent health-are very lively, talkative, and apparently happy; and will doubtless prove more interesting and attractive in their second tour than they did in their first over the civilized world. Having families to provide for, as prudent husbands and fathers, they may think their bachelor fortunes insufficient for all the little Changs and Engs of which they now have the promise."-American paper.

The Public Ledger, in giving its usual annual review of the tea-market, states, that the regularity of the supplies through the season just closed, and the general confidence existing in the pacific working of the new treaty, have relieved the trade from those anxieties which formerly, under a different aspect of affairs, caused so much fluctuation. In taking the value of congou, as a description of tea well representing the currency of the year, there has not been a greater margin of change than 24d. per pound, the highest quotation appearing as 1s.

Id. per pound, and the lowest quotation 94d. per pound, while the closing quotation for the year is 11d. per pound. The concluding remarks of the reviewer give a fair view of the present state of the market:-"The past year has afforded the first trial under the new treaty, and it has been found to work generally well. As anticipated, the chief trade continues to be carried on at Canton. The new ports have furnished two or three cargoes only of tea obtained in barter, and though, probably, shipments will gradually increase, there seems at present no indication of their quickly becoming rivals to the old port. The quantity of tea in China has been found ample, but there has not been any disposition to force it upon us, which seemed likely, when the contiguity of new ports to the tea districts were first contemplated; and hence this fact has increased confidence by relieving the trade from the fear which existed at the close of last year, viz. that an overwhelming supply would be the result of opening fresh places of shipment. The qualities received this year have been good of the several denominations; the cash prices at Canton have been rather lower than last year, but the public quotations have been so mixed up with those of barter, that we cannot give them accurately. The consumption of this country is going on satisfactorily, steadily increasing with the population, and the improved habits of the people; the importers find safe and prudent buyers in the wholesale and retail dealers, and these receive a remunerative profit from the demand for consumption, and the year closes with but one important uncertainty hanging over the market, namely, whether the government will now grant the boon of reducing the duty on tea. The stock on hand in the United Kingdom we now estimate at 39,500 lbs. ; at this period last year it was 37,500 lbs. The present price of common congou is 11d.; the price last year was 1s. to ls. 1d."

The leading members of the tea trade held a meeting at the Jerusalem Coffeehouse, on the 16th January, when it was determined to address a memorial to the government, in favour of a reduction of duty on that article.

On the 10th January, a dinner was given to Sir Henry Portinger, by the members of the Oriental Club, at their house in Hanover-square: the Earl of Auckland in the chair.

On the 28th January, Mr. R. Forbes, jun., ship and insurance broker or agent, of Broad-street, was brought before the Lord Mayor, and held to bail to appear to answer any charge for having published libels concerning the firm of Rickards, Little, & Co., East India merchants, and particularly Mr. L. M. Rate, one of the partners.

Mr. Bourne's Postal Convention with the Pasha of Egypt has been sent to England to be ratified. The conditions are not so satisfactory as expected. It is believed that it is based on the same principles as the one made with the French Government for the India mails proceeding through France, and that Mehemet Ali will receive an amount of postage on the mails passing through Egypt, to and from India, at the rate of 6s. per lb. on letters, and Is. per lb. on newspapers. The term is for five years. The mails will be conveyed through the country by the Viceroy at his own expense, and will be accompanied by English messengers.

Mr. Galloway, the engineer, author of the pamphlet shewing the importance of a railroad from Suez to Cairo, is said to be on his way to Egypt, to commence that important undertaking; but the Times, of January 29th, states:-"Our accounts from Alexandria of the 6th inst. mention that the plan of establishing a railroad between Cairo and Suez had been nearly abandoned." This plan appears to be that of M. Mangel.

The Egyptian Transit Company is still in a state of discomfiture, the real directors not being yet known. In the meantime the Government continues to take measures to make a monopoly of the transit through Egypt. The British and several European consuls at Cairo have received instructions from the Egyptian Government to prohibit travellers from crossing the Desert between Cairo and Suez by their own conveyances, as the means of proceeding between those two places are to be strictly confined to the Egyptian Transit Company.

A correspondent in the Times says--“ Why do not others do as I do-stick six blue stamps on every India letter, instead of offering a premium on its destruction by paying a shilling with it? I have been sending letters to India and Malta, ever since stamps came into use, with the six blue heads on them, and have never found any letter miscarry. As a matter of taste, the six heads may be objected to; but there is no real inconvenience in their use on the half-ounce India letters."

A contract has been entered into by Government for the conveyance of the mails between Suez and Calcutta and China.

The division on the Tahiti question in the French Chamber of Deputies, on the 27th January, left the ministers in a majority of only 8; the numbers being, for the paragraph of the address relating to Tahiti, 213, and against it 205. The majority in favour of the whole address was 183.

The Dutch papers state that the Netherlands Commercial Company have received letters from Batavia, informing them that, in consequence of the failure, of the crops (especially of coffee) they should freight 9,000 tons of loss to fetch the produce of 1844.

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On dits. It is said that Lady Emily Hardinge, who is at Nice, has relinquished the intention of joining her husband, the Governor-General of India, owing to the state of her health, which would not bear the journey, and would receive benefit from a residence in Italy.It is currectly reported at the clubs that her Majesty has been pleased to appoint Sir Henry Pottinger, GovernorGeneral of Canada, in the place of Sir Charles Metcalfe, whose state of health renders his early removal necessary.-The Atlas states that "A rumour has been freely circulated, and obtains increasing credit, that Sir R. Peel intends to submit to Parliament a scheme for taking the power of governing the British territories in the East out of the hands of the Hon. East-India Company, and placing them immediately under the Crown."-The John Bull, a weekly paper, having imputed to Mr. H. T. Prinsep, late of the Bengal civil service, the authorship of the pamphlet, "India and Lord Ellenborough," Mr. Prinsep has denied all connection with the production, and, indirectly, disavows any concurrence in its contents.

Detachments from the 51st, 58th, 96th, and 99th regiments (281 men) embarked for Van Diemen's Land, in the freight ship Ann, on the 10th January; they are under the command of Lieut. col. R. H. Wynyard, of the 58th, with the following officers of the same regiment :-Capt. J. H. Laye, Ensign G. H. Wynyard, and Assist. surg. T. M. Philson; Assist. surg. W. McAndrew, of the 96th, also embarks with them. A detachment from the 11th and 17th regiments (50 men) have likewise embarked for Van Diemen's Land, in the Henry and Elizabeth, convict ship, under Lieut. E. H. Cormick, and Ensign W. F. Austen.

OBITUARY.

Major-General Sir William Nott, G.C.B.-This distinguished officer expired at his residence, Carmarthen, on the 1st January. His constitution had suffered much from the climate (or climates), and the extremes of heat and cold, to which he had been exposed in the East; but a disease,—an enlargement of · the heart, rendered his ultimate recovery hopeless, although the event was hastened by the severity of the weather, and the effects of his long journey into Wales, increased by the excitement caused by his enthusiastic reception in the Principality. For some days previous, the approach of death was apparent. His last hours were tranquil and resigned, soothed by the unremitted attentions and solicitude of an affectionate family. During the last two days, he lay almost in a state of insensibility. The news of his decease, though ex

pected, cast a shade of sadness over the town.

Sir William Nott was born at Carmarthen in January, 1782. He was the second son of the late Mr. Nott, of Pontgarney, near Carmarthen, for many years proprietor of the Ivybush Hotel in that town, and an extensive mail contractor. During his boyhood, his military ardour was excited by the landing of the French at Fishguard, and he joined the Carmarthen Militia in 1798, as a volunteer. Capt. Davis, of Myrtle Hill, near Carmarthen, adjutant to the Carmarthen staff, has now in his possession a book, in which are entered the payments made to this distinguished soldier, then serving in the ranks.

His inclination for the profession of arms being thus accidentally discovered, he obtained a cadetship in 1799, and received his ensign's commission in the Bengal army on the 28th August, 1800. He became lieutenant on the 21st February, 1801; captain on the 16th December, 1814; major on the 23rd May, 1823, and on the 2nd October, 1824, lieutenant-colonel in the 43rd regiment of Bengal Native Infantry.

His health being seriously impaired, in 1826, he came to his native country on leave, and took up his abode at his native town, in the neighbourhood of which he purchased a seat, called Job's Well, which he intended to make his permanent residence, resigning the service. In 1829, however, the failure of an agency house at Calcutta, in which he had deposited, like many others, a portion of his accumulations, broke up his vision of retirement and a country life, obliging him to sell his estate, and return to India. This incident, however inauspicious when it occurred,-for it was a severe task, requiring no little resolution, at the age of 50, to face the climate of India, with few hopes of promotion or distinction,-was the means of enabling him to render the highest services to his country, and to acquire fame and rank for himself.

He became colonel on the 1st December, 1829; but at this point he remained for nearly ten years, without any opportunity of distinguishing himself, otherwise than by an active performance of his duties as a commander of a corps, till the expedition into Affghanistan in 1839, when he was appointed to command one of the brigades of the Army of the Indus, and was soon after promoted to the rank of major-general. He had the honour of leading the first body of disciplined troops across the Indus, on the 14th February, 1839, the bands of the three native regiments composing the brigade playing as the detachments crossed that dreaded stream.

At the very commencement of the campaign, in April, 1839, the majorgeneral suffered one of those mortifications which have sometimes resulted from the ill-defined, or unfairly discriminated, relative rank of the Queen's and Asiat.Journ.N.S.VOL.IV.No.22. 3 L