merely state what we know from personal observation of their habits. On their first appearance they swim very near the surface of the water, and gradually take a deeper position in the water as they approach the spawning ground, where they are found, for the most part, on the bottom. The nets used for their capture are fourteen yards deep, more full at the bottom than the top, in order that the meshes may present a longitudinal form in the water, and are of immense length. They are shot or stretched out into the sea at sunset, and float during the night with the tide, the fish striking against them remain sticking fast by the gills, or neutral fins, until drawn out of the water, when they are shook into the hold of the fishing boat, and many are broken in two by this rough mode of transit from their native element. Buoys, made of dogskin, are used as well to float the net at the required depth as to serve the fishermen with a guide. Five is, generally, the number of a boat's crew, and they will manage a net or nets of some three hundred yards in length. The herrings caught on the Peel coast are so rich, during the month of June and greater part of July, that they cannot be cured so as to keep for any length of time. The price, at this period, averages in Douglas from 3s. 6d. to 5s. per 120. The Manx people will, on no account, touch their nets on a Saturday evening, a superstitious idea prevailing amongst them, that their so doing would be productive of disaster. Liverpool Albion. CHRONOLOGY. FOREIGN. CHINA. Our news from China is from Canton, to the 17th of September. Reports, which probably should be credited, stated that the British expedition captured Amoy on the 27th of August. Particulars given are but few. It is said that the English first took possession of a small island commanding Amoy, whence they threw shells into the town with tremendous effect; that the first and second military mandarins were killed, (both with red buttons,) and that the town was entered and taken sword in hand. It is also said that a garrison of a thousand men was to be left there with three ships of war. The English forces left at Canton were making active preparations for an attack on that city in case it were rendered necessary by the conduct of the Chinese. The withdrawal of so large a portion of the military from the north had aroused the courage of the Chinese garrisons and their generals, who, entirely regardless of the truce, had begun to obstruct the passage of the river, in hopes of rendering the city inaccessible to the naval force. These proceedings, and the warlike disposition evinced by the natives, rendered it necessary for the naval commander on the station to go up to the city at once with his force. BURMAH. The sovereign of this country, excited by his Chinese neighbors, and the absence of a large part of the English forces from India, has begun warlike movements against the Anglo-Indian power. His intentions are not fully known, but the Governor-General has deemed it necessary to take vigorous measures to be prepared against hostile designs. The dates of our latest intelligence from that country are Moulmein the 22d, and Rangoon the 25th September. The King (Tharawaddie) was on the latter day within seventy miles from Rangoon, where it was expected he would arrive in less than a fortnight. Great preparations were being made for his reception. His Majesty has with him almost the whole of his army, amounting, it is said, to nearly fifty thousand fighting men, besides a large number of followers, as also women and children. The number of boats in which they descended the river from Ava, is estimated at from fifteen thousand to eighteen thousand. Immediately after the above intelligence reached Calcutta, orders were issued for the despatch of troops to Moulmein. Transports have been taken up, and a merchant steamer hired for the occasion. Her Majesty's 50th regiment, together with a corps of native infantry, and a detachment of European artillery, amounting altogether to about 1,000 men, have accordingly proceeded to the scene of action. A portion of them were conveyed by her Majesty's ship Calliope, which was refitted for the purpose with all possible celerity; and every other practicable measure was taken for collecting and sending on a powerful naval and military force. It was well understood in India that the Emperor of China has written to Tharawaddie to "combat the white dragon," that he believes the English to be powerless from their wars in China and in Affghanistan, and just now unable to employ any force of consequence against him either by sea or land; that they have suffered reverses in China, and that all their energies were directed to that quarter. His people were eager for war, and confident in the strength of the army. Stockades had been erected, and the defences of Rangoon improved; and on these grounds, and the tone of the people on the spot, it was thought beyond a doubt at Moulmein that a war is inevitable. LIVERPOOL, Nov. 22. THE STEAMSHIP FORTH. This fine ship, one of the fourteen belonging to the Royal West India Mail Packet Company, made a short trial trip from this port on Sunday, and another on Monday, and the result was, on both There occasions, highly satisfactory. LONDON, Nov. 23. LIGHT GOLD COIN. By Appendix No. 12 to the second report to the select committee on banks of issue, we find that the Bank of England, in the four years ending December 31st, 1840, had tendered at the bank in London £36,007,898 in gold; of which it rejected, as light coins, to the amount of £7,435,274. At the branches in the country there were tendered in the four years, £27,153,669 in gold; of which were rejected, as light coins, to the amount of £3,085,383 Light gold coin, from this table, seems to be on the increase; for in the year 1840 the amounts tendered were, London, £9,588,144; branches, £8,039,355. Rejected as light, London, £2,679,080; branches, £1,119,455. It would appear from this, that more than £1 in every £4 tendered at the Bank of England is light. CONSTANTINOPLE, Dec. 1. The following information, received by way of Trebizond, was current at Constantinople, and was probably founded in fact, though we feel justified in considering it exaggerated. "A letter from Constantinople of Dec. 1, states on the authority of information received by way of Trebizond, that a Russian army, which had been landed on the coast of Circassia for the purpose of destroying the grain, had been left unprotected by the destruction of the fleet in a storm, and being attacked by the Circassians, had been entirely cut to pieces, so that not more than two thousand escaped; the rest of the thirty thousand having been killed or taken prisoners." MADRID, Dec. 26. The Cortes met, and its session was opened in form. The young Queen was present, and the Regent, who read a long address to the Cortes. In the usual forms of such an address, it announces the continued good feeling existing with foreign governments. A treaty has been negotiated with the Republic of Ecuador, and a diplomatic agent appointed, who is now on his way thither. A special treaty of commerce has also been negotiated with the same state, which will be submitted to the ratification of the Cortes. Treaties had also been concluded with Chili and Uraguay, but were not yet ratified. Government has taken measures to improve the roads and facilitate mining operations. With this latter view, and to improve the condition of the farmers, it has created agricultural banks, and intends to persevere in that measure. The army and militia are spoken of as on useful footing; new codifications are to be presented for the approbation of the Cortes; justice is duly administered; the law abolishing entails proves highly useful; the decree of the government and the manifesto published in answer to the impolitic allocution of the Pope, have entirely stopped the aggressions with which the nation and government were threatened. The Government uses all its zeal in introducing morality and regularity in the management of finance, and the remarks of the message in regard to public credit close with the following words, which seem almost ironical: "The national and foreign creditors will thus learn how we religiously keep faith, -a virtue for which Spain has ever been renowned." The address closes with an account of the measures taken for the support of the navy, with an allusion to the satisfactory state of the transatlantic Provinces, and with notices of proposed bills respecting the liberty of the press, and the duties of ministers, and several local matters of legislation. PARIS, Dec. 30. The King opened the Chambers by a speech from the throne. The address, of course, informed the Chambers of little which they and the public did not know before; the public burdens had been reduced; a proposal was made to extend public assistance to certain lines of railroads ; and some complaints were made of the constant opposition made by conspirators to the measures of the government. An ordinance, published by Marshal Soult, Minister at War, effects a reduction in the army to the amount of one company in each battalion, amounting to 89,000 men, and 15,000 horses. By this operation a saving of 30,000,000 francs per annum is effected. The Court of Peers, after the trial of Quenisset for treason in firing at the Royal Dukes, pronounced M. Dupoty, editor of the Journal de Peuple, also guilty of participation in the plot, and sentenced him to five years' imprisonment. He was not charged with conspiring with the authors of that attempt, but with contributing, by his writings and publications, to an excitement which led to it. Nearly all the Parisian press, particularly the opposition part of it, protested in the strongest terms against the sentence, as an infringement of the constitutional charter; the conductors of all the papers, excepting the Moniteur, the Journal des Debats, and a few others, meeting and agreeing to an address, drawn up to express their indignation at the condemnation of Dupoty. A committee of the Literary Society, comprising many of the principal literary characters of the day, published a similar manifesto. These circumstances attracted much more attention than the trial out of which they arose. In that, Quenisset, Colombier, and Brazier were condemned to death, three other accomplices to transportation for life, and five to imprisonment, varying from five to fifteen years. LONDON, Dec. 30. Lord Ashburton, well known in political life, having been as Sir Alexander Baring a distinguished member of the House of Commons for many years, and for a long time a member of the celebrated firm of Baring and Brothers, was appointed a special ambassador to America, to settle the questions at issue between England and the United States. Lord Ashburton is, of course, attached to the conservative party, now in power. He formerly acted with the Whigs. BRITISH ROYAL NAVY. PORTSMOUTH, Dec. 21. There are at the present time in commission 23 line-of-battle ships, 34 frigates, 73 steamers, 107 brigs, corvettes, and sloops, 10 guard and receiving ships, 3 royal yachts, and one gun in the city of Mexico on the 1st of June Population. 1,389,520 nery ship, making a total of 259 vessels. | a decree for the election of delegates to The ships of the line are 4 of 120 guns, the new Congress, which is to convene 3 of 110 guns, 2 of 104 guns, 1 each of 92, 78, and 76 guns, 7 of 84 guns, and 2 of 74 guns. Of the frigates, 8 are of 72 guns, and others from 36 to 50 guns. Of this number, 29 sailing vessels, of which 12 are of the line, and 2 are 72 gun frigates, and 13 steamers, are in the Mediterranean, besides 1 80-gun ship on her way home; 29 sailing vessels are in China and the East Indies, exclusive of a fleet of ships and steamers belonging to the East India Company; 23 sailing vessels and 9 steamers are in North America and the West Indies; 28 sailing vessels and 1 steamer are on the African and Brazil coasts; 5 in South America, and 1 on her way home; 3 sailing vessels of 20 and 6 guns, and 3 steamers on the Canada lakes; 2 sailing vessels and 2 steamers, at Lisbon and Gibraltar; 3 sailing vessels at Austin and Swan Rivers; 2 in the discovery service; 3 steamers and a schooner in Africa, on the Niger expedition; 15 sailing vessels at Portsmouth, and 1 on her passage; 13 and 3 steamers at Plymouth; 5 at Sheerness; 4 and a steamer at Chatham; 2 on the coast of Ireland; and the rest at Woolwich, Liverpool, and other ports. Vera Cruz, Chihuahua, 679,111 661,902 580,948 Guanajuato, 513,606 Oajaca, 508,278 497,906 S. Luis Potosi, 321,840 Zacatecas, 273,575 254,380 Durango, 162,618 147,600 147,000 'The labors of this Congress are to be confined to the single business of framing a constitution. TABASCO AND YUCATAN. The following intelligence from Tabasco shows the rapid progress made by the Santa Anna and Mexican authorities in the attempt to conciliate the revolted provinces of the south, (see Mon. Chron. Vol. H. p. 556.) The schooner Dos Amigos arrived at Tabaseo on the 30th ult. from Vera Cruz, bringing as passenger Col. Alonzo Fernandez, who left Mexico on the 17th of November, charged by President Santa Anna with a special mission to the State of Tabasco, to assure Gen. Sentamanat that Federalism was completely reinstat ed throughout Mexico, inviting him to return to the Mexican family, and appointing him Governor and Commander in Chief of Tabasco. Don Fernandez was also the bearer of several valuable presents from Santa Anna to Sentamanat, among which were a gold watch and a splendid military uniform A sort of election was thereupon held, when eight thousand were declared to be in favor of joining Mexico, and having Gen Sentamanat for Governor. Cocoa was declared to be admissible into Vera Cruz free of duty, and commerce was to be facilitated and encouraged. So Tabasco is again one of the States of Mexico. TEXIAN EXPEDITION TO SANTA FE. The fate of this expedition was sealed as long ago as the 11th of September. The very circuitous means of communication, however, and the difficulty of making any, have delayed any account of it which could be relied upon till recently, since the publication of our last number. At this distance it is impossible to analyze with entire correctness, the motives which led to the expedition, but they were doubtless two-fold. The ostensible one was to open a channel for, and to establish, a trade between the province of Santa Fe, in New Mexico, west of Texas, and the distant ports of Texas. For this a road was to be opened through an as yet untravelled country, for a distance of over seven hundred miles. United with this object, we may say without hesitation, was that of inducing by persuasion or conquest, the Mexican province of Santa Fé to join itself to Texas. The expedition was armed and equipped in a manner to carry out both these purposes. There were doubtless many persons who joined themselves to it, from a mere desire of adventure, and among these were Mr. Kendall, the editor of the New Orleans Picayune, and a young man, a son of Governor Coombs of Kentucky. The plan was known abroad long before the expedition finally started from Galveston, and during the time that it was working its way onwards through unexplored and desert or barbarous regions, the Mexican Government had abundant time to give all proper warning to its authorities at Santa Fé, and strengthen its forces there. The result in consequence was its entire defeat by the Mexicans. The adventurers had, for some unknown purpose, detached a few of their number many miles in advance of their main body. These were looked upon, and not without some shadow of reason, as spies. They were finally treated as such with the most merciless cruelty, and two of their number shot. The main expedition surrendered without a blow struck, and the Americans who were with it, avowedly without any connexion with its hostile purposes, had their passports destroy ed, and were treated in the same manner as their companions. We hardly dare to attempt to give a more detailed account of the failure of the expedition. Some treachery on the part of some of its members, and the most atrocious falsehood on the part of the Mexican officers, seem to have induced its members, some of whom, at least, must have played a very cowardly part, to give up their arms, according to the requisitions of a preliminary treaty, which was at once disregarded by the Mexicans, and the whole detachment, numbering more than two hundred men, were made prisoners, robbed of their arms, and sent to the city of Mexico. As soon as the United States Government received an account of these transactions, it despatched instructions to Mr. Ellis, U. S. Charge at Mexico, requesting him to use his influence for those American citizens who had joined it without warlike intentions, and at the same time it despatched a special private agent to Mexico with a similar view. These negotiations and proceedings are too recent to have produced, thus far, any effect. CANADA. KINGSTON, Jan. 10. Sir Ch. Bagot, the new Governor-General, arrived, and was received with appropriate honors. On the 12th he issued his proclamation, announcing officially his appointment and arrival. On the 19th the took the oaths of office. Sir Charles came from England in the Illustrious, seventy-four, landed at New York, and proceeded to Canada by way of Boston and Albany, the North River being frozen up. DOMESTIC. WASHINGTON, Dec. 20. A daring robbery was committed in the new Patent Office of some of the most valuable of the different articles of jewelry which have at different times been presented by foreign powers to the agents and officers of our government abroad. These were a snuff-box, presented to Mr. Consul Harris by the Emperor Alexander, a string of pearls presented to the President by the Imaum of Muscat, and the scabbard of a sword presented in South America to Commodore Biddle, ornamented with valuable diamonds. These jewels were subsequently recovered at Baltimore, on board a vessel for Richmond, where they had been placed by the thief, who himself escaped. They were all together, and had received but slight injury. |