THE GARDENERS 
CHRONICLE. 
401 
1843.] 
very large and attractive, 
Othello, ha. sh.—A very lar; 
Monarch, Amato, Meteor, Simile, Rival, and Princess; they 
are better in form and more distinct in the marking than the 
Temainder, some of which are small, others bad in form, and 
i r 
NEWS OF THE WEEK. 
Lop ES Se 
Tum despatches by the Overland Mail of the Ist May 
bring detailed particulars of Sir C, Napier’s decisive yic- 
_ tory on the 24th March. This hard-fought battle, which 
is scarcely less important in its consequences than those 
which took place during the late events in Affghanistan, 
was fought on the river Fullalie, about four miles from 
Hyderabad. The Beloochees, commanded by the Ameers, 
numbered 20,000 men, while the British force was only 
1000. Notwithstanding this disparity of numbers, the 
enemy were defeated and dispersed after a hand-to-hand 
fight of three hours, in which a large number of their 
guns and standards were captured ; 1,000 men killed ; 4,000 
wounded, and all their leaders, with one exception, made 
Prisoners. The towns of Meerpore and Oomercote were 
immediately taken ; and thus the power of the Ameers, 
who for more than half a century have ruled the fertile 
districts along the Indus, has been utterly overthrown. 
These achievements were not accomplished without @ 
Considerable loss on our part, in killed and wounded 5 
and the despatches are filled with accounts of personal 
gallantry which may be classed among the most 
Temarkable exploits of our army. Scinde, as before 
announced, has been annexed to the British territory, 
and Sir C. Napier is actively engaged in arranging mea- 
sures for the gover of the q A distric 
From China our news comes down to the 12th March. 
Tt states that in consequence of the sudden death of the 
Imperial Ci ye: iderab elay in the 
Settlement of the treaty and commercial tariff was antici- 
Pated. Many of the difficulties which had arisen were 
Supposed to be occasioned by the intrigues of the Hong 
Merchants at Canton, who are jealous of the opening of 
the other ports.—From France we learn that the Com- 
mittee on the Budget for the ensuing year have proposed 
Considerable reductions on the Ministerial estimates ; 
Several grants have been altogether rejected, and others 
are expected to become the subject of party struggles, 
which may seriously embarrass the Cabinet and possibly 
€ndanger its existence.— The news from Spain announces 
4 succession of insurrectionary movements which have 
taken place in different towns of Catalonia; but the 
Prompt measures of the military authorities, by pre- 
Venting their becoming general, have deprived them, in 
@ great measure, of their importance. Attempts have 
been made to excite similar movements in the northern 
Provinces, but hitherto without success; and it is hoped 
hat the decided steps adopted by the Government will 
effectually prevent any general outbreak.—From tie 
nited States we learn that Sir Charles Bagot, notwith- 
Standing the apparent improvement in the last reports, 
€xpired on the J9th ult., after a long illness attended with 
Considerable suffering. The Canada papers advert to the 
‘act that the changes he introduced into the constitution 
of the colony will hereafter be regarded as the most 
portant events in its political history : and even those 
Who were most opposed to the policy of his measures 
Unite in paying a cordial tribute of respect to his memory 
and to the excellence of his personal character. 
P At home, in the absence of the usual excitement of 
‘ Srliament, there is little to record. The proceedings in 
¢ Court of Queen’s Bench in the case of Mr. Feargus 
Saeed have terminated in the admission of the 
ged defect in the indictment, the Judges having 
Unanimously decided that the omission of the venue in 
oC fifth count renders’ it absolutely void. As Mr. 
ate Onnor was only found guilty on that count, the deci- 
n of the Judges amounts of course to an acquittal, and 
an is consequently at large. The Repeal 
of fare continues in full force, and money to the amount 
“aaa hundreds of pounds is still contributed to the 
ee y tent. Fresh dismissals of magistrates have led to 
m of the issi by other gentlemen 
cell 19 of the p di of the Irish Chan- 
Or, and in the meantime the Government are making 
who dis: 
extensive military and naval preparations to suppress any 
outbreak of rebellion. 
Wome News. 
Courr.—Her Majesty, Prince Albert, the Prince of 
Wales, and the Princesses, left town on Saturday for 
Claremont, and returned to Buckingham Palace on Thurs- 
day in excellent health, On Monday her Majesty and the 
Prince drove from Claremont to Windsor. The Queen 
did not visit'the Castle, but remained at Adelaide Lodge 
while his Royal Highness walked to the Castle through 
the Park. His Royal Highness was met on the north 
terrace by the Clerk of the Works, who reported the pro- 
gress made in the various alterations and improvements 
going forward at the Castle since his Royal Highness’s 
last visit. The Prince did not go over the Castle, but 
returned to the Lodge through the new walks, attended by 
r. Ingram, her Majesty’s head gardener. The Harl of 
Warwick has succeeded the Earl of Hardwicke as the 
Lord-in-Waiting on the Queen.—The King of Hanover 
arrived, as we announced in our last, on Friday evening, 
and took up his residence at St. James’s Palace. 
Majesty immediately visited the Queen, the Queen 
Dowager, aud other branches of the Royal family. On | 
Monday, being his Majesty’s birthday, the event was 
celebrated with the usual honours at Kew, and the 
principal members of the nobility in town paid visits iof 
congratulation to his Majesty. In the evening the Queen 
Dowager gave a state dinner to his Majesty and other 
members of the Royal family, in commemoration of the 
day. On Monday the King honoured Sir R. Peel with a 
visit, and on Tuesday dined with the Duchess of Glouces- 
ter. On Thursday the King honoured Mr. and Mrs. 
Laurence with a visit at Ealing Park, and dined in the 
evening with the Marquis and Marchioness of London- 
derry.—Her Majesty the, Queen Dowager, attended by 
the Prince of Saxe Weimar and her suite, left town on 
Wednesday by the London and Birmingham Railway, to 
pay a visit to Groome Court, the seat of the Coventry 
family in Worcestershire, which, should her Majesty 
approve of the situation, will, in all probability, be taken 
as her winter residence. After inspecting the Hall and 
going over a porticn of the grounds, her Majesty departed 
by Upton to Malvern to dine and pass the night previous 
to her return to town. 
Gazette Announcements. —The Queen has been pleased 
to nominate his Royal Highness Prince Albert to be the 
First and Principal Knight Grand Cross of the Order of 
the Bath, and to appoint his Royal Highness Acting 
Grand Master of the Order, in the room of his late Royal 
Highness the Duke of Sussex. The Queen has been 
pleased to direct letters patent to be passed under the 
Great Seal, granting to his Royal Highness the Duke of 
Cambridge the offices of Chief Ranger and Keeper of 
Hyde Park and St. James’s Park, in the room of his late 
Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex. 
The Army.—The Ministerial papers announce that 
Government last week entered into a contract with 
Messrs. Learmouth, the principal army accoutrement 
makers, for 10,000 sets of accoutrements, to be supplied 
forthwith. This order confirms the general impression that 
the army is about to be considerably increased. 
Parliamentary Movements.—The Nottingham Election 
Committee have reported that Mr. Gisborne was duly 
elected member for that Borough. The Lord Advocate 
of Scotland is to offer himself for the county of Argyle 
in the room of Mr. Campbell, of Monzie, who has retired. 
It is not expected that there will be any opposition. 
Royal Commission of Fine Arts. — Her Majesty’s 
commissioners have given notice: —1. That whereas 
various statues in bronze and in marble, of British 
Sovereigns and illustrious personages, will be required 
for the decoration of the New Palace at Westminster, 
artists are invited to send models to be exhibited, for the 
purpose of assisting the commissioners in the selection of 
sculptors to be employed. 2. The models are to be sent 
in the course of the first week in June, 1844, to a place 
of exhibition hereafter to be appointed. 3. The specimen, 
or specimens not exceeding two in number, to be sent 
y each artist, may be either prepared for the occasion, 
or selected from works already executed by him within 
five years prior to the date of this notice. 4. The works 
may be ideal or portrait statues, or groups, but not rilievi. 
The subjects are left to the choice of the artists. The 
materials are to be such as are commonly used for models 
and casts. The dimensions are to be on the scale of an 
erect human figure, not less than three nor more than six 
feet. 5. The invitation to send works for the proposed 
exhibition is confined to British artists, including 
foreigners who may have resided ten years or upwards in 
the United Kingdom. 6. Artists who propose to exhibit 
are required to signify their intention to the Secretary, on 
or before the 15th of March, 1844, 
Post-Office—A pamphlet has just been published by 
Mr. Rowland Hill on the subject of Post-office reform, in 
which he points out several defects in the existing system, 
and suggests various remedies for the purpose of affording 
additional convenience to the public. On the defects 
which still exist Mr. Hill observes that—‘* Of the 2,100 
registrars’ districts, comprised in England and Wales, 
about 400, containing a million and a half of jnhabitants, 
have no post-offices whatever. The average extent of 
these 400 districts is nearly 20 square miles each, the 
average population about 4,000. The average population 
of the chief place of the district about 1,400, and the 
average distance of such chief place from the nearest post- 
office between four and five miles. In one instance (in 
Lincolnshire) the chief place of the district, containing 
nearly 1,000 inhabitants, is as much as 16 miles from the 
His | 
nearest post-office, and in some parts of Wales the dis- 
tances are even greater than this. But striking as these 
facts are, they by no means indicate the full extent of the 
evil. An inspection of the Post-office maps will show 
that even in England, where the ramifications of the 
Post-office distribution are more minute than in any 
other part of the kingdom, there are districts con- 
siderably larger than the county of Middlesex into which 
the postman never enters.”” Mr. Hill adverts to the late- 
ness of the morning general-post delivery in London as 
point of great importance to mercantile men. In some 
parts of the town it is generally ten or eleven o’clock, and 
in the immediate suburbs eleven or twelve o’clock. Occa- 
sionally it happens that all the letters are detained by the 
late arrival of a single mail; and Mr. Hill says, generally 
‘the time occupied in sorting and delivering a letter fre- 
quently exceeds that required in bringing it from Bristol.” 
lt happens, in many cases, that an early delivery is of the 
greatest importance, and in order to secure it letters are 
sent as parcels by the very trains which convey the mails. 
To meet these defects, Mr. Hill proposes the following 
remedies :—‘‘ By uniting the letter-carriers of both the 
general and district posts in one corps, the force employed 
in the delivery under consideration might be doubled ; 
and as there are very few district-post letters at this early 
hour (not a twelfth of the combined numbers), this first 
general delivery, by far the most important of the day, 
would be accomplished in about half the present time. 
Asimilar union of the two corps of sorters, with some 
other improvements, would effect a similar saving of time 
in the preparation of the letters for delivery ; and there is 
no doubt that under the combined operations of these im- 
provements, with little or no additional expenditure, and 
without increasing the labour of the men, the delivery 
might be completed, even in the remote parts of London, 
by nine o’clock. The striking advantages of this union 
are abundantly manifest when it is known that in addition 
to the fact of the district-post letters being the least nume- 
rous when the general-post letters are most so, the time of 
greatest pressure in the district department is precisely 
that at which the general-post department is closed for the 
day. Nor does this union involve any serious innovation ; 
since the present division is peculiar to London, not ex- 
tending even to the suburbs, and is for certain purposes 
already set aside every day. With hourly deliveries the 
present general detention of the letters, in case of a single 
mail arriving late, would be obviously unnecessary.” In 
regard to the London district-post, formerly the twopenny- 
post, it is well known that the interchange of letters by 
this post is now so slow that special messengers are fre- 
quently employed by the public. ‘‘ The time,’’ says Mr. 
Hill, ‘ordinarily required to send and receive a reply 
between one part of London and another, is between seven 
and eight hours, and between London and the suburbs ten 
or eleven hours, even when night does not intervene.” 
When night intervenes the time between sending a letter 
and receiving an answer is greater, amounting, in some 
cases, to2] hours. Mr. Hill’s remedies are these :—‘‘ In 
London make the collection and delivery of letters once 
an hour, instead of once in two hours ; and establish dis- 
trict offices, so as to avoid the necessity of making all 
letters, as at present, pass through St. Martin’s-le-Grand. 
In the principal suburbs make some increase in the fre- 
quency of delivery of letters, and much more in their 
receipt and transmission to London, where comparative 
frequency of delivery is already provided for. As regards 
the compact parts of those suburbs which can be reached 
by the night mails, say by a quarter before nine o’clock, 
effect a delivery the same night, instead of the following 
morning, as at present. This would be much more con- 
venient to the public than the additional delivery recently 
established, and would cost nothing (except perhaps a 
trifling increase of salary to the letter-carriers), whereas 
the recent additional delivery costs 4,000/. per annum.” 
Mr. Hill calculates that these arrangements would reduce, 
by one-half, the time necessary for an interchange of 
letters ; and the improvement if combined with others, 
might be effected with little or no additional expense, and 
without adding to the labour of the men. The postage 
in the London district on packets exceeding an ounce is 
now higher than before the general reduction, and checks 
the transmission of larger packets which formerly went 
through the Twopenny post. The higher rate of postage 
in this case was no part of Mr. Hill’s original plan. He 
recommended that the rate for all district posts should 
be fixed at 1d. for two ounces, and 2d. for four ounces ; 
and he now repeats the same proposal, with the additional 
reasons in its favour farnished by experience of the exist- 
ing system. 
: foreign. 
France.—The Paris papers are mostly taken up with 
extracts from the London journals relative to the progress 
of the agitation in Ireland, and with the report of the 
committee of the Chamber of Deputies on the budget of 
1843. This voluminous document, which contains 335 
quarto pages, gives anything but a favourable picture of 
the state of the finances. By the Government plan the 
ordinary expenses were estimated at 1 milliard, 281,013,710 
francs. The committee proposes to reduce this sum to 1 
milliard, 262,064,633f. Economy indeed appears to be 
the order of the day in the resolutions of the Chamber. 
On Monday and Tuesday it refused some augmentation 
in the expenses of the French establishment at Pondi- 
cherry, which no longer pays its expenses. The Minister 
asked for 8,0002. for the charitable part of the yétes of 
uly, which, in of the melancholy fate of the 
late Duc d’Orleans, are to be solemnised this year merely 
by alms and funeral services. Grants to the Italian opera 
and to other theatres have been rejected by the commijs+ 
