The Sun. — London, England, 1846-04-11 00:00:00

LITER ATURE. PEN AND INK SKETCHES OF POETS, PREACHERS, AND POLITICIANS, Bvo. " A book which you can take up and lay down when you please," formed Dr. Johnson's beau-ideal of a read able volume. If it gossipped about public persons,—if it drew pen-portraits of those whose names are in eery one's mouth,—if it made them pass before us as they lived or live, such a work, it is clear, must possess the elements of popularity. In these " Nil and Ink Sketches" there is no pretence. The author's style is the reverse of ambitious. He has known a great many distinguished persons, he has seen many more, and he tells us what he knows and what he observed just as we would expect a clever, chatty friend to speak to us by a bright Christmas fire, upon topics about which he fancied we might feel interested. The result is a collection of clever portraits of public persons, with a dash of biography, a kavening of criticism, and a good savouring of anecdote. An amusing, instructive, well-written work is this before us. The living and the dead are cared for in this volume. Robert Hall and Robert Montgomery ; Hannah More, Felicia Hemans, and Joanna Baillie ; Southey, Words worth, and Coleridge ; John Foster and Sir James Mac intosh; Abernethy and Faraday; Brougham, Wetherell, and Lyndhurst ; Shelley, Hazlitt, and Charles Lamb ; the two Montgomeries ; O'Connell, Sheil, and Fergus O'Connor; Father Mathew and Count D'Orsay ; Row land Hill, Irving, Baptist Noel, and John Williams ; Mrs. Fry and the " Corn-law Rhymer ;" Disraeli, Macaulay, and Bulwer ; Hunt and Cobbett ; Peel and " the Duke;" Crabbe, Legh Richmond, and Professor Keble ; Lady Blessington and Thomas Miller ; Buck land, Milman, and Dr. Pusey : of these and more have we here graphic and lively sketches. The following is interesting:— " In the month of July, 1824, the body of Lord Byron was brought from Missolonghi to Eng'.and, and on being landed from the Florida,' was removed to the house of Sir Edward Knatchbull, who then resided in Great George-street, Westminster. Having availed myself of peculiar facilities, I saw, on one occasion, the corpse of the poet—the lid of the coffin being for some necessary purpose removed. " It was at night that the work of opening the shell commenced. This was soon effected, and when the last covering was removed, we beheld the face of the illus trious dead, " ' All cold and all serene,' " Were I to live a thousand years, I should never' never forget that moment. For years I bad been in timate with the mind of Byron. His wondrous works bad thrown a charm around my daily paths, and with all the enthusiasm of youth I had almost adored his genius. With his features, through the medium of paintings, I had been familiar from my boyhood ; and now, far more beautiful, even in death, than my most vivid fancy had ever pictured, there they lay in marble repose. " The body was not attired in that most awful of habi liments—a shroud. It was wrapped in a blue cloth cloak, and the throat and head were uncovered. The former was beautifully moulded. The head of the poet was covered with short, crisp, curling locks, slightly streaked with grey hairs, especially over the temples, which were ample and free from hair, as we see is the portraits. The face had nothing of the appearance of death about it—it was neither sunken nor discoloured in the least, but of a dead, marble whiteness—the expression was that of stern quietude. How classically beautiful was the curved upper lip and the chin. I fancied the nose appeared as if it was not in harmony with the other fea tures; but it might possibly have been a little disfigured by the process of embalming. The forehead was high and broad—indeed, the whole head was extremely large —it must have been so, to have contained a brain of such capacity. `• But what struck me most was the exceeding beauty of the profile, as I observed it when the head was lifted, for the purpose of adjusting the furniture. It was per fect in its way, and seemed like a production of Phidias. Indeed, it far more resembled an exquisite piece of sculptor than the face of the dead—so still, so sharply defined, and so marble-like in its repose. I caught the View of it but for a moment ; yet it was long enough to have it stamped upon my memory as " ' A thing of beauty,' which poor Keats tells us is a joy for ever.' It is in deed a melancholy joy to me to have gazed upon the silent poet. As Washington Irving says of the old sex ton, who crept into the vault where Shakspeare was en tombed, and beheld there the dust of ages, ' It was some thing even to have seen the dust of Byron.' " Amongst the persons engatred in the performance of the office of removal, I noticed one—a tall, thin man, who spoke little, and seemed absorbed in grief. He would scarcely allow any one to touch the corpse—and, with his own hands, he composed the head in its new resting-place. The words, My dear Lord !' were fre quently uttered by him, whilst performing his melan choly duties. It was Fletcher—Byron's faithful valet. This man afterwards told me the particulars of the noble poet's death, and gave me a lock of his hair. Fletcher did not long survive his beloved master." As a counter-description we may give a brief sketch of Southey. " The personal appearance of Robert Southey was very striking. He was, as I have intimated, tall and slightly built. His forehead, rather receding, and not, phreno logically speaking, indicative of great acquirements, was surmounted and partially shaded by an abundance of white, silvery hair, combed upwards, and forming a very striking contrast with his jet black, magnificently arched eyebrows, beneath which glowed [that is the best word to express what I mean] two of the most brilliant dark eyes I ever beheld. Their beauty did nut consist so much in their brilliancy, as in their deep, contemplative expression. His nose was remarkably aquiline, so much so, that it approached to the beak formation. But it was in the mouth, which, after all, is the most expres sive feature of the human face, that the peculiar charm of Southey's looks lay—the upper lip was finely curved, and slightly projected over the lower—but it is in vain to attempt a description of it. Nearly every painter has failed to transfer it to canvas—indeed, I have never seen a good likeness of the Laureate, for it was no easy matter to catch the ever flitting lights and shadows which, with every changing emotion, passed over his countenance." • • • • " Southey's favourite attitude was that of lying back in his chair, his elbows resting on the arms, and the tip s of his forefingers pla c ed on th e i nner p or ti on o f hi s eye brows, over the surface of which they continually tra versed, his eyes b e i ng c l ose d exce p t i ng w h en h e spoke. The conversation, at one time, turned on Byron—a tick lish subject for both Cottle and Southey. The latter said, somewhat egotistically, I thought—but that was Southey's weak point N o man can honour Byron's ' genius more than myself • b ut I fancy I prevented him doing as much harm as he might have done.' " So little is really known of Mrs. Hemans, that the chapter which treats of her will be perused, no doubt, with avidity by every blue -stocking in the land. She must have been a charming person . Ex . I cannot well conceive a more exquisitely beautiful p . s nor of is aof it possible for words to co nve y to the reade r any idea the matchless, yet serene beauty of her expression. Her glossy waving hair was parted on her forehead, and ter. urinated on the sides, in rich and luxuriant auburn curls: there was a dove-like look in her eyes, and yet there was a chastened sadness in their expression. Her com plexion was remarkably clear, and her high forehead looked as pure and spotless as Parian marble. A calm repose, not unmingled with melancholy, was the charac teristic expression of the face ; hut when she smiled , all traces of sorrow were lost, s:rd she seemed to be but little lower than the angels'—fitting shrine for so pure a mind 1 Let me not be deemed a flatterer or an enthu siast, in thus describing her, for I am only ono of many, who have been almost as much captivated by her per sonal beauty, as charmed by the swe•tness and holiness of her productions. If ever poems were the reflex of the beauties, personal and mental, of their writers, they were indeed so in the case of Mrs. Hemans. "We talked of L. E. L. Mrs. Hemans said she had received several letters from her, containing pressing invitations to visit London. A place I never was in, and never wish to be,' she observed. My heart beats too loudly, even in this quiet place. and there I think it would burst. The great Babel was not made for such as me.' " • • • • • • " Come—l will show you my poetic mint,' she said— and she led the way to a room over the one in which we were sitting. It was a very small place, but neat almost to a fault. There was no author-litterings. Everything was in order. An open letter lay on the table. She pointed to it, and said, laughingly : " An application tor my autograph, and the postage unpaid. You cannot imagine how I am annoyed with albums and such matters. A person, who ought to have known better, sent me an album, lately, and begged a piece from me, if it was only long enough to fill up a page of sky-blue tinted paper, which he had selected for me to write upon.' " In incidentally referring to her compositions, she said : They often remain chiming in my mind for days, before I commit them to paper. And sometimes I quite forget many, which I compose as I lie awake in bed. Composition is less a labour with me than the act of writing down what has impressed me, excepting in the case of blank Verse, which always involves somethine like labour. My thoughts have been so used to go in the harness of rhyme, that, when they are suffered to run without it, they are often diffused, or I lose sight, in the ardour of composition, of the leading idea alto gether.' " Mrs. Ileman's voice was peculiarly musical, and I would have given anything to have heard her recite some of her own poetry; but I did not dare to hazard such a request, and feeling that I had intruded quite long enough on her time, I after a short time took my departure. " I must not omit to mention, for the especial benefit of my fair readers, that Mrs. He:nans' dress was simple enough. She wore a white gown (I really am not learned enough in such matters to say whether it was of cotton or muslin), over which was thrown a black lace shawl— on her head was a cap of very onen net-work, without flowers or ornament of any kind." We have quoted sufficient to show that there is plea sant reading in this work:—it will gratify curiosity about e m i nent people, and its own literary merit ought to make it li ve f ar b eyon d the season. As we are " no . if not critical," we may remark that Mrs. Fry has been dead for some months;—here she is spoken of as yet living. A Portrait of Coleridge, from a sketch in oil, by Washington Allston, the American, embellishes this work. It has never before been engraved, and is, be yond all doubt, the best likeness we have yet seen of the author of " Genevieve" and 1 ° Christabelle." ATLANTIC COMMUNICATION. MR. NPGEACHY'S (OF JAMAICA) PLAN FOR A MORE RAPID COMMUNICATION BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND A MERICA, THE WEST INDIES, AND FOR EXTENDING IT VIA PANAMA TO CHINA AND THE EAST. ,(From the Jamaica Dispatch, March 11.) A project of a most comprehensive nature, gigantic as well in its details as in the vast benefits to commerce and civilization which it embraces, has been conceived and planned by Edward M‘Geachy, Esq.., Crown Sur veyor in this island ; and it is with no little pride that we tire enabled, from this distant, but not unimportant, section of the British Empi re, to submit to the notice of the British people the det ails of a s ch e me, which appears to be as feasible as it is fraught with importance to the commercial interests of the empire. The importance of ra p id communication between Britain and her distant dependencies has been already acknowledged in the strides which she has made towards this grand desideratum iu the overland route to India, and her steam navigation to America, and the Western Archipelago ; but still the wonders of steam are but as yet in their infancy. The present arrangements, which are carried out by the Royal Mail Steam Company, and the Halifax steamers, have brought the West Indies and. the United States within a reasonable distance, and as easy commu nication has been established between Great Britain and Mexico, and the various settlements along the northern coast of the South American continent. The object of M`Geachy's plan is to unite, on a more comprehensive system, the western world with Europe by means of railways and steam navigation in a manner that Rill greatly abridge the time now occupied in tra velling between the old and new world, whilst it will open a communication between Egypt and distant countries at present only approachable by circuitous routes and the ordinary system of navigation. Mr. M`Geachy's plan has also this ar:vantage, that the means of putting it into effective operation already exist in a very considerable degree, and the capital necessary to be raised for the purpose of completing its details will therefore be pro portionably far less than at first sight its stupendous objects would seem to demand. In Mr. M`Geachy's plan the island of Jamaica and its railroads, and Captain Liot's project for crossing the Isthmus of Panama stand prominently forward, and the maenificent vessels of the Steam Navigation Company will be eminently useful in carrying out the project, should it, as we have little doubt it will, be eventually adopted. Mr. M‘Geachy proposes to vary the present route between Jamaica and Great Britain by a diver sion through the United States and Halifax, so never theless as to reduce the period of communication to a maximum speed of 14 days. He propo-es, if we rightly comprehend his plans. to make Montego Bay the sta tion for the steamers which are to be the medium of communication between the island and Great Britain. The mails, and passengers of course, would be trans mitted by the railway now in course of projection, from Kingston to Montego Bay, and a steamer, would bear them thence to Batabano i❑ the island of Cuba, from which a communication by railway is already esta blished to Havannah. Another line of steamers stationed at the latter port, would take up the line of cominunica tion to Tampa Bay, in the State of Aortda, and railways between that place and Charleston, New York and Boston, to St. John'•, New Brunswick, would be met by steamers at the latter place, which, plying be tween that port and the western coast of Nova Scotia, would convey the mails and passengers to the terminus of a railway concluding at lialifax, from whence they would be embarked for Bantry Bay, in Ireland, which Mr. M`Geachy proposes as the British packet station. Mr. M`Creaehy estimates the time expended in this route at 14 days 5 hours between Kingston (Jamaica) and Ireland; thus: — From Kingston to the west end of Jamaica, say Montego Bay, by the projected railway 5 hrs. To Batabano by steamer Batabano to Havannah, by railway 2 do. Havannah to Tampa Bay 44 do. Tamps Bay to New York, by railway 3O do. Jamaica to New York New York to Halifax 125 do. 24 do. Jamaica to Halifax 149 do. THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY MORNING. APRIL 11, 1846. Or 6 days 5 hrs. :alifax to Bantry Bay, or Valentia 8 days Jamaica to Ireland . Hdaysshrs._ The selection of Tampa Bay, as the place of arrival of the steamers, appears to be particularly advantageous for a company projected to carry out Mr. M'Geachy's plan. The very great importance of the cities of New Orleans and Mobile, as seats of commerce profitable as well to the United States as to European nations, is too well known to require observation from us. At present the means of communication between these cities and the principal commercial towns on the eastern coast of America are extremely defective ; indeed, a sea voyage between New York and New Orleans is at pre sent an undertaking equal to a passage across the At lantic. Tampa Bay would be comparatively but a few hours steaming from the mouth of the Misstss►pi, and the projected railroad would take the New Orleans mer chant to New York in thirty hours. But Mr. M'Geachy's project is not confined to the western world. lie proposes to establish another station at Kingston, from whence the present communication with Vera Cruz and Mexico, Honduras and the ports on the Spanish Main, shall be continued, with the addition of a direct line to Chagres, whence, by means of the pro jected railway or other passage across the Isthmus, upon the plan of Captain Liot, an immediate line of commu nication will be established with the city and port of Panama in the Pacific. And here begins another branch of Mr. M'Geachy's project, which seems to render it pi culiarly deserving of the attention of the British nation. A direct and rapid communication being established with a large and safe harbour in the Pacific. on the high way to China, what remains but to establish a connexion by steam between that most important part of the great continent of Asia, through Jamaica and Panama ? Mr. M'Geachy estimates the passage of large steamers between Panama and Canton at six weeks, which, taking the passage from England by the proposed route through Jamaica to Panama as eighteen days, will open a direct communication to China in little more than two months. If the voyage between Panama and Canton be deemed too long for a steamer, in consequence of her inability to carry coals for so long a voyage, there appears no reason why coal depots might not be established in the Sandwich Islands, which would be almost directly in the route. Mr. M'Geachy also contemplates, and has designed a plan for embracing at some future period, in the general scheme which he has laid down, the Brazilian empire and countries adjacent. by means of a railroad running parallel with the coast, and with the aid of steamers running between a point in the eastern extremity of Brazil and the coast of Africa, to be again taken up by rail ways. The project, we have reason to believe, will, together with some beautiful maps displaying the lines contem plated, be transmitted by the present mail to Sir Robert Peel, having been previously submitted to Lord Elgin, and to the heads of departments in the United States, as well as in Canada and the other British provinces in America, by all of whom it had been highly approved of. THE LATE ATLANTIC GALE. (From the New York Tribune.) About the middle of January commenced one of the most terriflic aed protracted tempests that ever swept the Atla ntic—continuin g with very little, or rather no in termission for over 45 days. Our accounts of the conse gyeutenceoemspoafrtahtiivstc,lii y sastrous and unparalleled wea th er are as few, but they are such as to induce the belief that a great number of vessels have suffered either total or partial shipwreck. Our fleet of over-due packets, which have been for a month beyond their usual time, beating and staggering about the ocean, now enveloped with ice, are looking like huge gems in pro cess of ehrystalization, and ninon reeling off through 10 or 20 degrees of latitude to the south, for the purpose of getting thawed out. Icebergs, snow-storms, and fierce hurricanes have beset these vessels on every s ide, and the sea every now and then swept over their (leeks, dashed in their bulwarks, carried away their boats, and lett the we e r r e ew ca h rr e ied helpless and nd d f a r i e l e y z nightly, and and sails, and and the sailors, of ficers, and passengers, have b een ex posed to indescribable hardships for a dreary p er i o d , which connot be contemplated withoutt been heard But excellent) vessels, withthesefrom, have heretofore wo which their successful contests contests with winds and waves fully maintained the reputation them. have been long expected — the Rosc i u s, Sea, On Saturday, four of these admirable vessels, have Hendrik Hudson, arrived in port, gladdening many an anxious heart and brightening many an e y e dim with watching. Blow we publish the amounts of the pas rages of these vessels, which will be perused with great interest. Such descriptions are like deep sea lines, which reach the bottom of human sympathy. Tao ship ktoscius, Captain A. Eldridge, sailed from Liverpool on the 13th January, experiencing continued tales from N.W. and W.S.W. with rain, snow, and hail interspersed with thunder and lightning. January 26 and 27, experienced a heavy gale from the N.W. and W.N.W., during which we shipped a heavy sea, stove bulwarks in the waist, and filled the decks with water. February 11th, in let. 43 22, lon. 49 20, was running in a gale from S.E., wind hauled suddenly to N.W., and blew a hurricane with great violence, accompanied with sleet and snow, stove in the cabin windows, filling the cabin floor with water, hauled up fore-sail and fore-topsail, and made every exertion to furl them, but could not, owing to the excessive cold weather, and the sails and rigging being full of ice, and many of the crew having their hands frozen. February 12, experienced another violent gale bl(4wing most furiously ; weather extremely cold and , he s ea runn i ng very high, during which we carried away all three topgallant .masts, stove in the starboard bulwarks in the tang way, letting in the sea constantly on deck. Everything below and aloft being encumbered With ice, rendered it impossible for the men to work the ship. The three topgallant-masts thumping to and fro, cutting and chafing the spars and rigging, and all the a` blowing f rom the gaskets to atoms, making upon the whole, a dismal scene. February 13, shipped a heavy sea, stove bow house, tore tarpaulins, and worked ~If main hatches,lettin g n large quantities of water. From January 20 to let March, we did not make one ' point of eastern, and had to go south to thaw the ice on the rigging and sails. Saw some ice to the east of the banks. tFoeribN'T.Vhoe.aSr.;sV:hw.i ship Seafhreonm 2 d heavy sthof January from y totho W lo .N th .W of . the 25th on the banks; fresh breeze from forward. Toward anTdovwerayrdcoolodosso•etaht,,henri;nmuch ice hauled about s v., th a e od sh i i i p i gh t went s h r o o w u o n r d s by of N.W.to Innow. N tNh.eE. evening; m moderate sever e snow storm, and blew hard from north; ten of the freshened,w bthr i ee n e ci azretearnndotlni and at 9 o'clock i t came on a very crew laid up from the effects of the cold, one man suffer ing s e verely; lost foreyard; split the maintopsail; lost the mainsail and foretopsail; the ship so much iced, and so many hands laid up, could not do anything with the sails, everything being in such a state with the ice; had to bear away on the morning of the 11th. and run to the southward to thaw off. During the whole of the day and night of the 11th, it blew a violent gale from the north, snowing hard all the time. On the morning of the 12th hove to, in lat. 41 20 N., lon. 50 35 W. ; when I bore away I was in lat. 45 30, lon. 52 45 W. Aft r repairing damages, stood up to northward again, having drifted back to lon. 49 25 W., in lat 41 20 N. February 16 and 17.—Lat. of 42 north, lon. 51 40, experienced a very heavy gale from N. by W. and N.N.W., with a heavy sea running, which caused the ship to labour exceedingly heavy, and make a great deal of water. On the 10th, had strong wind from N.W. Latitude at noon, 40 55 N., lon. 53 45 W., in company with the Roscius all day. Bore down to her, and showed signals. She had lost all her top-gal lant runts. On the 19th it blew a heavy gale from N.W, and N.N.W., with violent squalls, and a heavy sea running. Finding the crew were getting pretty well faggei out, and having four hands still laid up, stood across the Gulf. Split the foretopsail and mizen topsail. February 27, off Bermuda, had strong gales from N.W., with a heavy long sea running from the N.N.W., ship labouring heavy, and making so much as kept both pumps going, making nearly 3,000 strokes per hour. March 2, heavy gales from S.E. to S.W. with a tremendous heavy sea from N.E. In lat. 35 10 N., lon. 71 30 W., passed close to a vessel in the morning, waterlogged and abandonned ; the foremast, the fore topmast, and bowsprit were still standing ; the main and mizan masts were gone about six feet above the deck, the jib-boom broke short off by the cap ; some part of the foretopsail had been put round outside the foretopmast rigging, as if the crew bad been living in the foretop, but there was no person there when I passed her ; the anchors were on the forcastle, the bowsprit and lower masts were bright varnished, yards black ; she had painted ports, a full woman figure-head, with a green dress ; she appeared to be a vessel of about 500 tons, and I have no doubt of her being a British vessel ; but whether a bark or a ship, I cannot say. During the afternoon and all the night of the 2nd, until half-past 3 o'clock a.m. of the 3d, we lay becalmed, with the most tremendous sea running from N.E. that I ever saw, breaking at times the same as on a reef. I expected to have lest all our masts at one time, the ship laboured so very bad. When the wind came out, it came all of a sudden, like the report of a cannon, and blew hard from N.N.E. Barometer stood at 29 10 until the gale reached the ship, when it immediately began to rise. It blew hard N.N.E. all day on the 3d, with a very heavy sea, breaking a great deal. At nine o'clock a.m. passed close to the bark Cantero, of Portland, lying to, under bare poles. At this time we had nearly three feet of water in the hold ; but finding that we had gained on her since 6 39, kept on our cou , se.. After an hour and a half, got the pumps to suck, having now been several hours without being able to get the pumps to work. On the evening of the 4th, off ,Curritnck, spoke a Baltimore pilot-boat. We then made 3,840 strokes per hour, both pumps constantly going. On the 6th, at daylight, took a pilot boat off Egg Harbour. The packet ship Europe experienced, during the whole passage, constant gales mid heavy seas—lost sails and spars. Was off Barnegat on Sunday last, and was compelled to stand off on account of the north-east gale. March 4th, lat. 37, long. 72 46, fell in with the wreck of schooner Pembroke of Castine. She appeared to have been dismasted but a few hours previous, as the spars were still attached to her, and a large part of the deck floating within 100 yards of the hull, which appeared to have been ripped up by the falling of the masts. There was nothing above water but the bowsprit and a little of the larboard side and the stern. Shortly after fell in with the wreck of the brig Orione, Captain Bowne, laden with molasses, of and for Philadelphia, from Car denas, which place sloe left on the 24th ult., and took from her the captain, mate, and six men. During the north-east gale on the night of the 2d instant, she lost both masts, and the deck was swept clean of every thing thereon. Captain Bowne, the mate, and one of the men were much bruised and completely exhausted when taken on board of the Europe. THE LOSS OF THE EMIGRANT SHIP CATARAttUE. Copies of correspondence respecting the loss of the emigrant ship Cataraque (in Bass Straits in August last having three hundred and sixty•nine emigrants on board) have been published, by order of the House of Commons. The following is an extract from these documents : Colonial Land and Emigration Office, 9, Park street, Westminster, Feb. 6, 1846. Sir,—With reference to the intelligence which appears in this day's public papers of the melancholy loss of the Cataraque emigrant ship, we think it probable that Mr. Secretary Gladstone may desire to receive an early report from us of such circumstances as fall within our knowledge concerning this vessel. • She was submitted by the Messrs. Smith and Sons, of Liverpool, for approval, on the 11th of March, 1845, for the purpose of conveying to Port Philip the residue of the emigrants they were entitled to send out under the bounty contract of 1843. On the 12th of March, Lieu tenant Henry, R.N., the Government emigration agent at Liverpool, was instructed "to make a strict and thorough examination of the vessel while in dock." He replied, by stating, on the Bth of April, that the ship "had had a thorough overhaul, and been found perfectly sound." On the same day, the owner transmitted the inclosed certificate of Lloyd's committee, showing that the vessel had been surveyed by their surveyor a few days before, and been placed on the first description of the first class for five years, from 1840, including, there fore, the current year. Under these circumstances, the employment of this ship in the conveyance of emigrants on bounty was agreed to. By the nature of the catastrophe, it will be perceived to have been one in which the seaworthiness of the ship is not brought in question. Being cast upon a reef of rocks, in the midst of what is described as a " fearful gale," with the waves running " mountains high," no vessel constructed by human skill could hold together. She struck at about half-past four A.M. ; but it was not till four P.m. that she is said to have parted, nor does the destruction appear to have been complete till the next day. During the whole time the published ac counts represent the gale as continuing to rage. Immediately on hearing a rumour of the vessel's having been wrecked, we requested Lieut. Hodder to in quire into the character borne by the master and chief mate; and we beg to enclose an extract containing his reply on this point, from whence it will be seen that no doubt whatever appears to exist of their competency and fitness in all respects for their trust. The calamity is by far the greatest which has occured to any emigrant ship within our recollection ; and, in deed, it is the only occasion of any loss of life whatever from any similar cause in a ship carrying passengers at the public expense, since the creation of an office for superintending this service in 1837. The number of vessels which have been sent out under the direct Government inspection since that date has been 208, conveying 41,842 passengers. Deeply as the present event is to be deplored, we can only hope that it may ap pear from the foregoing statement, that it has not arisen from an omission of any of the precautions which could be taken in dispatching the vessel OR her voyage. We have, &c., T. FRED. ELLIOT. (Signed) James iite — phen - , Esq. C. ALEXANDER WOOD. It may be remembered that out of 441 passengers and crew, only nine persons were saved. Of the crew, con sisting of 41 men, the first mate, Mr. Guthry, six sea men and one apprentice survived ; but of the emigrant passengers. one alone was saved, namely Solomon Brown, a labourer, from Sutton, Bedfordshire. His wife and four children, daughters, all perished. These returns contain an alphabetical list of the emigrants on board. The following are a few of the most deplorable instances of the extensive destruction of entire families from among the number :—Charles Knott, his wife, and seven children perished ; William Cook, his wife, with six sons and daughters ; Patrick Maguire, his wife, and seven sons and daughters ; Anthony Murray, his wife, and nine children ; Bernard DiPeaffrey, his wife and sister, and six children ; Emos Pierce, his wife, and seven children ; and numerous other cases where fathers, and seven children were thus in. stantaneonsly swept from existence. There were alto gether 62 families on board, numbering 313 persons ; besides 33 unmarried feragles, and 23 unmarried males. The following letter regal ds what is stated might have prevented this calamitous loss of life and property : Copy OF ♦ LETTER FROM CAPTAIN HAMILTON, R.N. TO JAMES STEPHEN, ESQ. A dml r Feb. 14,1846. S dby my Lords Commissioners of tl i t r e ,— Admiralty am irai commanded will bring the follo w i ng etoyt o requests e facts to the notice of Mr. Secretar y Gladstone. 1. The number o f disastrous wrecks that had occurred in Bass Straits, determined my Lords to have it tho roughly surveyed, which has been done, and the chart published, and nothing is wanted to its free navigation but judicious lights. In the years 1641 and 1842, a Committee of the Legislature of New South Wales examined our survey ing officers, and other evidence, on the best positions for these lights. Similar steps were taken in Van Diemen's Land ; sites were fixed, and the Lieutenant-Governor laid the first stones of one or two of them at the eastern end of the straits. Since that, nothing has been done, though each year has been marked by more or less loss of life ;. and the last mail from Sydney adds to the catalogue an account of the wreck, on King Island, of the Cataraque, in which four hundred and fourteen emigrants perished. A single light on that island, or on Cape Otway, would have prevented this frightful mis ortune. 2. Under these circumstances, my Lords trust her Ma jesty's Government will take such measures as they may deem proper, to insure proper lighthouses being erected to prevent such disaster: in future ; and in the mean time my Lords will consider it their duty to prevent transports, with troops or with convicts, to attempt navigating the said straits till lighthouses have been built ; and they would recommend that emigrant ships should be also prohibited from navigating them for the same period.. I have, &e., (Signed) W. A. B. HAMILTON. To Jas, Stephen, Esq. EXTRAORDINARY HIGH FLOOD AT DONCASTER. (Abridged from the Doncaster Gazette.) That very sago and highly-venerated personage, " the oldest inhabitant," possesses, amid the rich stores of his memory, no recollection of a greater flood than that with which the banks of the Don have been visited during the present week ; not even that of '24, when a vessel was forced by the current out of the river, and placed across the very unnatural turnpike road, beyond the Mill Bridge. This will be found to be the case when the better drainage, and the more elevated position of the roads, are taken into the estimate. A consider able quantity of rain fell during Friday last. On the following afternoon, there was a very heavy fall of sleet, with a piercing wind blowing from the east. Indeed, from that time to Wednesday morn ing, the rain scarcely ceased; and at intervals the wind veered tied blew a regular north-wester, not with steadiness, but with sudden gusts and extremely cold. Many indications were presented, from the chillness of the atmosphere—the heavy masses of clouds, and the want of even one struggling sun-gleam—that serious consequences might possibly ensue, with regard to the prevalence of floods ; especially if, as seems to have been the case, the weather on the moors of Derbyshire and the intervening locality should partake of the same portenteous character. The river began to rise during the night of Saturday and the following day, so as to present Cie certainty that the navigation would be stopped. The stream rose higher and higher, and at length overflowed both its banks, and presenting, in some localities, the appearance of' immense weirs, speedily laid the adjoining lands under a sheet of water—higher and higher still, until reaching where the water had never before reached, it was evident that the highest flood ever known was about to be experienced, with all its unavoidable, and, in many instances, lamentable consequences. Thousands of acres were covered to a very considerable depth. Indeed, the sight presented from the top of the tower of the parish church, was that of an immense inland sea ; awakening the apprehension that the cultivators of the soil, along the line of country in question, would have to endure the troubles of a heavy, but unavoidable visitation. The waters still continued to increase on Monday, when the rain poured down in torrents, and reached their highest point between twelve and one o'clock on Tuesday. The flood worked its course through all opposing obstacles. It tore itself through hedges, and gates, and palings ; threw back the increasing streams from old drains and water-courses ; swilled itself over opposing eminences of the ground, chafed and fretful ; roared through bridges and culverts ; stopped water-wheels, mill-wheels, and steam engines—factory, corn•mill, and foundry, and all their multifarious operations ; rushed clean through r n o o u o g k h s into the cellars of dwelling• houses, and crept up stairsll other to s ; stolethe into a l n the and corners of coal-holes and all descriptions of out-buildings, stables, cow-houses, hen-roosts, and so on ; filled saw-pits to the brim, and set timber-trees, planks, and battens afloat ; found its way into village lanes and by-roads:and stopped up all communication in that direction ; spread over meadow, pasture, and corn-field ; drowned hares, rabbits, and partridges ; plunged through sewer-grates and gushed up from others ; worked its way through earth- bank, and stone wall ; and, while it found some repose in quiet gardens and near stone fences, the main flood hurried onward, as if impatient to find a resting. place, or lose itself in the tidal waters, and finally in the sea itself. We are sorry to state, that, during the prevalence of the flood the occurrence of a fatal casualty took place. The sufferer is a man of the name of John Ellis, a skinner, who resided in the yard near Mr. Geo. Armi tage's steam corn-mill, near the Mill-bridge, and occupied some premises, a portion of the old maltkiln, which abuts upon, and has steps connected with, the river, for the purpose of his trade. He was last seen shortly before seven o'clock on Monday evening, pro ceeding towards a door connected with the premises just this mentioned. door, or I to t i a s ee p o r tn es p u l m is e h d ; that, in attempting to open purpose connected with the building, his foot gave way, that he slipped into the river, and was hurried away and drowned in the over whelming impetuosity of the current. He has left a widow and large family ; but the latter are nearly all grown up. Ile was an industrious, a careful, and an honest man ; and his unhappy fate is much commiserated. The body has not been found, and, probably, never will. We have already stated that the flood reached its highest point soon after noon on Tuesday. At half-past five o'clock on the following morning, it had only fallen two inches, although indications soon afterwards pre sented themselves that it would gradually subside. It is to be feared, hewever, that many injuries have been inflicted in some localities, and that we shall have to record their occurrence, particularly in the districts which embrace the lower lands down the river, in the neighbourhood of Barmby Dun, Stainforth, Fishlake, Fenwick, Moss, and in other places. EAST RETFORD. Since last July the seasons generally have been more than usually dry, so that in many places water had be come exceedingly scarce, the springs have seldom been known so low, and in many instances it became difficult for the agriculturist to get his seed into the ground either on clay or sandy soils. At length this state of things has been put a stop to, and we have, in this dis trict, at least, suddenly verged into the opposite ex treme. The barometer which had gradually been sink ing gave indication of the approaching change, and on Thursday last about noon, the rain began to descend, and continued without intermission the whole of the day and night. Next morning it literally passed down, and throughout the day until about five o'clock on Saturday morning, when it ceased. At two p.m., however, it com menced to rain and snow, and kept at it in right good earnest until midnight. During Sunday we had much rain at intervals, and on Monday it rained again the greater part of the day, keeping the game up all Monday night and the greater part of Tuesday. The conse quence of this was, as might have been expected, an im mense overflow of th e Ri ver Idle, and its tributary streams, which, in its course, has inundated many thousands of acres, and been serious destruction of property, and it is to be feared in some instances fatal to human and animal life. On Sunday and Mon day morning many of the lower lands were seen gradually covering, and during the night of Monday the cars of Retford on the west side of the river were quite deluged. In this state they remained for several hours, but it was evident from the continued accumulation of water, that the east, or town side, must share the same fate ; and much anxiety was evinced to ascertain whether the em bankment, made at the recent enclosure for the pre vention of floods, would be a sufficient barrier. At the noon of Tuesday the water bad risen nearly to the sum mit of the bank, and shortly afterwards it found its way over the lower parts, and at two P.M. it came over gene rally, so that before five, many of the gardens were from three to four feet deep, and a great number of dwelling houses rendered totally uninhabitable by the ground floors being from one- to two and three feet under water. Great anxiety was manifested by many of the tradespeople on Tuesday evening that the water would find its way into the market-place, and if so, it must of necessity get into the cellars, warehouses, and shops. From three to ten o'clock the waters rose nearly a foot, and continued to rise until one o'clock this morning (Wednesday), when they were at the height. At the period of our writing (10 a.m.) the flood has declined about two inches, with a probability that a few hours will set us to right again. It was not, however, the river Idle altogether , that flooded Retford; to the east of the town, scores of acres were under water, which poured down from the Grove hills, and which in its course to the river lai 1 part of Moorgate under water, and doing great damage to the forward gardens, most of which were fully set for a crop. The scene from the top of the tower at Retford church was most singular; indeed Retford itself seemed an island, being nearly surrounded with water. The damages done in Bassetlaw must be immense—large tracts of fine corn land will be entirely ruined, it is to be feared, for the present season altogether. With re spect to the loss of life, we have heard of several pigs and some horses and cattle being drowned, but nut to any serious extent. A man was found drowned yester. day morning at Gainsborough-bridge; and we regret to hear that a boat used for passing the Trent to an ozier holt, not far from Gainsborough, was capsized about the same time, and the whole of those on board, amounting to thirty persons, instantly suet a watery grave. BEVERLEY. We have been visited in this part of the country by one of the heaviest floods ever remembered. The rain began to descend last Friday, and continued almost without intermission for upwards of eighty hours. The consequence is, that thousands of acres of land are now under water, a great number of lambs have been drowned, and the spring corn, but recently sown, must nearly all perish. The weather (Wednesday) is still gloomy, and gives indications of more rain. The high tides are just, commencing, and the r iver and drains, already full to overflowing, will, it is feared, burst through their em bankments, and the cons e q uences which must then ensue none can calculate. occurrin g at this particular season of the year, the visitation is most calamitous and will b e very widely felt.—Hull Adverttser. between Sarrebronck and Sarrelonia. A CALAMITY.---FORTY-FI VE PERSONS passengers, of all ages and both sexes, DISTRESSING with horses harnessed to them, returning DROWNED.—A very lamentable occurrence took place last persons were saved, the rest f : wy unk after having struck violently against only five is attributed to the care rryman and the breaking of the chain, when faf w ernor e drme ferry-boat market,wba at oo atw Warden,itwhas carriagesfi perish ingtehses nibneasnts the Sarre. a st n an d rer o ef e n . the rapidity of the current hurried away the boat, and the shrieks of the females alarming the horses, they moved to one side of the boat, which overbalanced and sunk. ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL.--Workmen have been for some time engaged in putting up additional doors at the south entrance to St. Paul's Cathedral. The old doors are very heavy, and have seldom been opened except on special occasions. The new doors are light and partly glazed, the same as those on the opposite side, so that the public can now be admitted at either entrance. On Aionday, at Gloucester, the M arqu i s of Worcester, as foreman of the grand jury, banded in a true bill against the Rev. Disney Robinson, for a libel on Jane Barker, a lady whose name has lately been before the nubile in connexioa with the name of Ea rl Fitzhardin g e. The trial w ill, i n all probability, be traversed until the next assizes.— Cheltenham Chronicle. notice 1- T H E WEST INDIA MAIL. — A h as ueen given that the Tweed steamer's passage to Madeira having been p ro tracted, from heavy. weather, for ne ar l y fi ve days beyond the estimated time, it is e x p ected, in consequence, th a t th e shipfrom the West Indies, w h ose departure dependent upon the a rr i va l of the Tweed, until two o r th ree days later than from No anxiety need, th ere f ore, be felt in the event of a delay th us full y accoun ted for. A I.4:er from St. Pet ersbu rgh states that Prof essor wll corresponding nßtohetermur esuuadcaahl ids Southamptona te . Jacob, of the Imperial Academy, has just communicated to that bobby the invention of an electrophonic telegraph, com posed of ten keys, ten different accords, and ten conducting mires, by which the letters of the alp h abet and words can be expressed by means of sounds. The Academy has pro nounced a fav ourable Olio of the invention. THE MASTER PAPER-STAINERS AND THE NEW TARIFF. Thursday, at a late hour, a numerously-attended meet ing of operative paper-hangers was held at Jacob's Well Tavern, Barbican. The men assembled "for the pur pose of receiving a deputation of paper-stainers, and taking into consideration the oppressive measures about to be adopted by their employers towards the working men," in consequence of the alleged interference of the provisions of the tariff with the trade. The chair was taken by Mr. Sparks, an operative. After introducing the object for which the meeting was assembled, The CHAIRMAN said, that in consequence of the pro position of Sir R. Peel that the protective duty on the importation of foreign paper should be reduced to 2d., the working classes took alarm, because it became ru moured that the masters intended to lower the wages of their workmen. The operatives had waited upon Mr. Duncombe, and then they applied to the Board of Trade. The result was, that the masters fancied they were going to be ruined by the proposal of Sir R. Peel, and they proposed a reduction of prices. The consequence was, that 223 men, working at nineteen shops, had turned out, as the proposed rate of prices was reduced full one half, and in some instances two-thirds, on the previous amount of pay allowed.—(Hear.} This would not allow sufficient for the support of themselves and families. Mr. BALLARD then moved the first resolution, which was to the following effect:—" That this meeting consi ders the conduct of the master paperstainers unjust and oppressive, in offering a reduction of wages to their workmen, on account of the importation of foreign paper hanging, before the same has become the law of the land." He was well aware that the interests both of masters and men were identical, and he was surprised that the masters should attempt to force upon the men such an unjust and oppressive reduction. It was his be lief that it was not because the masters were afraid of ' the introduction of French papers, and this fact was cor roborated by a master, who was of the first standing in the trade. He told him (the speaker), that this was not their object—that there was no necessity for the course pursued by the masters, but that the majority of the employers desired to reduce the wages, under the pre tence of the proposed reduction in the tariff. He had been in the trade for forty years, and never during the whole course of his life had he known such an infringement of the rights of labour as the reduction now submitted to them.—(Cheers.) There was no reason in the propo sition. In considera'ion of the reduction of the price paid per score for the manufacture, the masters had said they could take an unlimited stock. This was a fallacy on their part, which they employed in order to delude the men.—(Hear, hear.) He hoped the working men would open their eyes, and unstop their cars. He believed there was a possibility of their ob tainine- 6 as much as 6(1. on gold papers, if they were only united—(Cheers)—and he believed that the present at tempt, on the part of the masters, to lower the wages of the paper-stainers, was only a subterfuge and a snare, calculated to increase the profits arising from capital, at the expense of the rights and comforts of the working classes.—(Cheers.) He cordially moved the resolution. Mr. THOMPSON, in seconding the motion, said in ex planation of the unjust proposition of the masters, that the following was the proposed and present scale of wages . Present—Nine score at 1/. 10s. Proposed—Nine score at 13s. 6d. if under 50 pieces. If over 50, the price of painting nine score would be 11 s. 3d. He considered that at these prices it was not !,ossible for a man to live ; and from the poisonous ingredients used in the business, so destructive as they were to human life, he considered it was not right that the man should thus be ground down to prices of such a character that the Union fare was far better than it would be possible' for them to obtain. The resolution was passed unanimously, amidst thunders of applause. Mr. TAPWORTII proposed the second resolution— " That this meeting views the reduction of wages pro posed by the masters as of so overwhelming a character, being in some cases two-thirds, and in others one half of their present prices, that it is utterly impossible to earn a subsistence. He considered the reduction pro posed of the most unparalleled character ;'the decline in price, in fact, was from 3s. 6d. per piece to Is. 6d. per piece of goods. The idea of fear, on the part of the masters, of the importation of French papers for hang ing, was a perfect trade absurdity. He maintained that the English could compete with the foreigner at any time. Then, if this was the fact, why should they fear the productions of the home market ? Ile felt con fident they were in a right cause ; they had not struck, they were not the aggressors, they had left their employment because the proposed prices would not enable them to earn subsistence for themselves and their families. He contended that they were entitled to insist upon a fair remuneration for their labour.—(Hear.) The motion was seconded in a few words by Mr. M'Doual, and unanimously carried. Mr. PARROT then moved the last resolution—" That this meeting most earnestly submits, that every paper stainer resists to the utmost of his ability the present attempt to reduce the scale of prices, and that all pre sent pledge themselves to unite to maintain the present rate of wages, so that they may continue to hold a re spectable place in the scale of society." This was seconded by Mr. DARRANT in a neat speech, and unanimously carried. Thanks being voted to the Chairman, and three cheers being given for Mr. Duncombe, M.P., and three cheers for the " Press," the numerous assembly separated. IRONMASTERS' QUARTER-DAY. BIRMINGHAM, THURSDAY.—The Birmingham meet ing of the iron and coal-masters of South Staffordshire and Shropshire, held in the Town-hall to-day, passed off much more satisfactorily than was expected. For some weeks past, as might be seen from published reports, the iron trade was understood to be generally depressed; and there appears to be no doubt that, owing to causes which I will shortly explain, such has been the fact. _ It In be recollected that between two and three years ago the ironmasters of South Staffordshire considered themselves in point of trade and future prospects so dis tressed that they appointed a deputation to Sir Robert Peel, requesting that the Right Hon. Baronet would be pleased, in order to afford them relief, to issue any quan tity of " paper money." Sir Robert's answer was to the point. He told them that the grand evil of the system which had recently been pursued by the iron trade was " over production." Such threatens to be the conse quence of the late extraordinary impetus given to the trade. Present appearances confirm it. It would appear that ever since the opening of the pre sent session of Parliament, and immediately subsequent to the late ironmasters' quarterly meeting, a depression of the trade was first felt. The mania for railways (pro jected) was then at its height; sal the natural con sequence was,_ ironmasters being as much, or more, in fected than the rest of the world, that works were put on, wages raised, the price of materials augmented, and throughout the entire district there was, to every appear ance, a brilliant prospective prosperity. For a time the prospect has been dimmed. The first blow given to the over-speculation in iron was the with drawal from Parliament of many of those v‘ ild railway speculations which had no other effect than to fill the pockets of attorneys, raise the price of the staple manu factures of Staffordshire, and ruin the shareholders. The present session of Parliament has had the effect of weed ing these projects, and, at the same time, of threatening the reduction of the price of iron. To-day there was an evident intention on the part of the ironmasters to keep up the prices of the last quarter; and, indeed, so far as the determination of the large houses could succeed in establishing them, they were successful. Staffordshire bars fetched 101, while Shrop shire pigs were certainly not lower, and, as far as I could learn, as firm as they were in January, There appeared to be a scarcity of them in the market. Staf fordshire pigs fetched from 5/. to 51. 10s. It must be admitted that the inclination to a decline of prices, which no ironmaster was prepared to gain say, was by many of them accounted fur on different grounds to those already stated. The first was the pressure in the money market; and the second was the immense number of works at present in full employ. The number was never exceeded in the memory of man; while at the same time it is said the lime and coal works are intu;equate to their supply. The Government measure introduced into the two Houses by Sir Robert Peel and Lord Dalhousie, has also had a most vital effect upon the trade. The great houses think that ultimately it will prove beneficial, but the small masters, calculating as they have been induced to do, upon immediate consumption, look upon it as injurious. As I have said before in many previous communica . . tions upon this subject, the decisions of quarterly meet ings are in all seasons to be looked upon as purely arbitrary. They may last for the day, lyn 11 n all pro bability before the week is over some nee 4 man may require cash, and the settled prices of lb arsday are completely thrown overboard. It is indeed a fact, that during the last quarter many houses of comparative respectability have sold iron at 10s. per ton under the price fixed at the meeting in January. It should be mentioned, however, that one house in Birmingham to-day has purchased the whole of the iron it will require for the next quarter at the prices fixed to• day ; and that another still more eminent house—one of the largest manufacturing establishments in the kingdom—has during the last few weeks been an exten sive buyer. The greatest cloud which has overhung this day's market is the defalcation of a large iron house in London. THE REPEAL RENT.—WiII it be credited that from the Ist of January, 1840 to the 23d of February, 1846—that is, within a period of two years and six months—there have been acknowledged subscriptions paid to the Repeal ex chequer, amounting to the enormous sum of one hundred and twenty-seven thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine pounds eleven shillings and sixpence. INDIA IlousE.—Thursday a Court of Directors was held at the East India-house, when the new directors elected on Wednesday last—viz., Mr. John Cotton, Mr. John Loch, Mr. Charles Mills, Mr. William Henry Chicheley Plowden, Mr. henry Shank, and Mr. Henry St. George Tucker, took the oath and their seats. Mr. James Weir Hogg, M.P., was chosen Chairman, and Mr. Henry St. George Tucker Deputy- Chairman, for the year ensuing. Thursday the Quarter Sessions of the Peace for the borough of Southwark was held at the Town-ball, High street, before the Lord Mayor, the Recorder, the High Bailiff, and Aldermen Lucas, Sir C. Marshall, and Gibbs. The Grand Jury having been sworn the Recorder said there were no bills in his office to go before them. These sessions, he said, were obliged to be helel as a matter of contingency. but there was rarely anything for them to do, as the business formerly done at those sessions was now transferred to the Central Criminal Court.—Tbe Court then adjourned, A clandestine gaming-house in the Rue des Moulins, at the Batignollea, was entered by the police on Sunday night, whilst a considerable number of persons were at play. The two persona keeping the table were apprehended. The fur niture was seized, and all the visitors were compelled to give their names and addresses.—.Galignest4. RECEIPTS for USING the FLOUR of INDIAN CORN or MAIZE. To make griddle cakes—Best way to make them is to use milk altogether instead of water—two eggs, yellow and white, to the allowed for a pint of corn meal—the milk to be a little warme d, an d t h e w h o l e to b e we ll b ea t up with a spoon or ladle. There must be milk enough used to make the whole so liquid as that it will pour out the saucepan on the griddle, one spoonful of wheat flour, and lard (pure butter still better) the size of a walnut. Tl.e griddle—Much nicety is to be observed in the pre paration of the griddle, which, as must be well known, is a flat round iron concern standing on three legs, and of any size ; it must be made not very hot, because then it would burn the cakes, and it must be well greased whils warm, that it may be perfectly smooth, so that the cakes may be easily turned, that they may be done brow n ( not burnt) on both sides, to promote their turning easily is the object of adding the wheaten flour. Be it remem bered that the dough, or rather the batter, above di rected, must be well beat up and prepared directly i before being cooked, though it might set an hour, th i s is men tioned to prevent it being supposed that t, like some other bread, would bear to be mixed overnight. The cakes are usually poured on until they spread on the griddle to the size of thebottom of a breakfast plate. You think this receipt rather prolix, but it is my way in all such cases to be very exact. Better be too particular than to omit any essential item.—J.S.S. Egg Pone: — Three eggs to a quart of meal (no wheat flour) to be made also with milk—water would make it heavy—a spoonful of butter, all well beat together and made up of a co n sistence thicker than the cak es —t oo thi c k to pour out butjust thick enough to be taken up with a spoon—maybe baked like the cakes, immediately after being mixed—must be baked in a tin pan, which must be placed in a Dutch oven, not too hot at first, but the fire under it to be in creased. The object is to have it begin to bake at the bottom, when it will rise in the process of baking, be come brown at the top, and when put on the table and cut, resembl e w h at we call pound cake. If your friend will exactly f o ll ow t h ose directions, and then eat his cakes, or his egg pone , hot , with iood fresh butter, he will find that Indi an corn bread is fit for other pe rsons as well as pigs to eat, the a ssert i on o f a corn-law Mem ber of Parliament to the c on t rary notw i t h standing . Divers other preparations of corn an d corn - meal might . be given. For instance, " hominy and cheese cakes " which a certain George Washington had cooked f or his own eating till the day of his death. P.S. Salt of course, added as usual, in both cases.—J. S. S.—lndian Meal Breakfast Cakes : Pour boiling water into a quart of corn-meal, stir it until it is wet ; then add two well beaten eggs, and milk enough to make it a thick bat ter ; measure a small tea- spoonful of dry salteratus, into the dissolve it into some warm water, and put it the butter, with a small quantity of salt; butter square tin pans, fill them two-thirds full, and bake in a quick oven ; when done, cut it in squares and serve hot.—ln dian Muffins : Pour boiling water into a quart of corn meal, stir it well ; let it be a thick batter ; when it is cooled a little, add to it a table-spoonful of yeast, two eggs well beaten, and a tea spoonful of salt ; set it in a warm place to rise for two hours ; then butter square tin pans, two-thirds fill them, and bake in a quick oven ; when done serve hot, or cut in squares, or bake as wheat muffins.—Corn Bread : One quart of milk, one pound of Indian meal, two eggs, small lumps of butter, a little salteratus ; bake in a flat pan.—Artificial oysters : One pint grated green corn, one egg, one table spoonful of wheaten flour, one spoonful butter ; fry them brown. —Baked Indian P u ddi ng : O ne quar t o f m ilk b o il e d, stir in seven spoons of m ea l w hil e it i s b o ili ng h o t, mixit quite thin ; when it is moderately warm add molasses, a little ginger and salt, four eggs, a lump of butter the size of an egg.—Corn Pudding: Take four ears of green corn, boil them until half done, cut off the corn as fine as convenient, mix it with two spoonsful of wheat flour, one pint sweet milk, salt and pepper to season ; bake it well.—Green Corn Cake: Mix one pint grated corn with three table spoonsful milk, one tea-cup wheat flour, half a cup of melted butter, one egg, one spoonful salt, half a spoonful pepper ; drop this mixture into hot butter by the spoonful, let them fry eight or ten minutes.—Boiled Indian Pudding: One tea-cup of molasses, a piece of suet the size of two eggs chopped fine, eight spoonsful of meal, scald the meal with boiling water or milk, mix it quite thin, when it is nearly cold add four eggs well beaten. It requires three hours' boiling in a strong cloth. —In dian Gruel: To one quart of boiling water, stir in two table spoonsful of Indian meal, mixed with a little cold water, boil fifteen or twenty minutes—a little salt. Johnny Cake is prepared from the corn meal scald ed, and the dough rolled or pressed out to half an inch in thickness, is cooked one side at a time in front of the fire after being put on a board, sheet of tin, a plate, or any ma terial of suitable shape. Ash cake is prepared from the corn dough made as above, and is cooked as follows: Make a bed by scraping away the ashes on all sides, roll the dough, after being made into form, between t wo cabbage leaves, place it in the bed and cover it with the previously removed ashes and embers : a little practice will determine the length of time requi site for cooking. The process resembles that of roasting potatoes. Common pones are prepared from the corn dough made into oblong pieces about three inches thick, and baked in a covered bake-kettle with fire above and below. Corn dodgers are made of the corn dough, in balls about the size of an egg, and are boiled in the pot as an adjunct to " bacon and greens." Shovey is made from the dough cut in slices, and fried with a piece of fat bacon. Stappeys are pre- , pared from the corn meal scalded, and after being made into a thin batter with eggs and milk, are baked on a griddle. Corn Cup Cake :—Take two cups of corn meal, and one of wheat flour, or in that proportion ; make them into a thin batter with milk and eggs, and cook them on a griddle. Washington's breakfast bread, if prepared with the corn dough make up with eggs, milk, and a little sugar, to be baked in a tin pan as an ordinary pan loaf. Hoe cake is prepared by corn meal with boiling water; is made into a cake, and cooked in front of' the fire, on a board or plate. It was originally put on a hoe, whence its name. This resembles the Johnny cake. Indian Mush :—This is made in different ways ; but the easiest mode is that which resembles the making of starch or arrow root. Thus— put fire pints of water over the fire into a pot or skillet, then take one pound of Indian meal, well sifted from the bran, and mix with a little cold water, so as to make a thick batter; add salt. As soon as the water boils add the batter; stir it well, and keep it stirred and boiling for at least twenty minutes. It should be about the consistence of hasty-pudding, porridge, or stir-about, and may, indeed, be made in the same way. Take it up, and eat it with milk, butter, or treacle. In this form it can easily be made and distributed to the poor from soup houses. Benevolent individuals, too, might prepare the mush in their own kitchens, and give it to the hungry and destitute. This is the most manageable and convenient of all the preparations of maize ; it is used daily in u large number of American families, and considered a most wholesome diet. What is not used at one meal is cut into slices and fried or heated on the gridiron at the next meal, and eaten with butter or treacle. It is proper to state that many of these receipts are differently pre pared in different parts of the country ; but in selecting the above I believe I have chosen the most popular forms in use. A proper seasoning with salt is necessary in all cases. The meal should be carefully sifted from the bran ; and the bran after being scalded is excellent food for pigs and poultry. Of the different receipts given above, the most easily prepared are the mush, the Johnny and hoe-cakes, and the ash-cake. The latter can be cooked with great facility in the turf fires com mon in Ireland. In all cases the article must be well and thoroughly cooked, or it will not be nutritious or digestible.—Bartlett on Maize. SOLAR SPOTS. The group of seven large and five smaller spots, which were observed approaching the sun's western limb on the Ist instant, appeared yesterday to have in• creased to about eighteen spots, five of them being still large, and one of them nearly doubled in diameter This group, occuping a large and nearly square area on the upper or northern tropic of the sun's disc, took 18 seconds to pass the vertical hair of the telescope, while the whole solar disc took 138 seconds to pass it. Now, the sun's diameter being equal to 882,188 British miles, the diameter on one side of the said group will be ascer tained by the proportion, 138 sec. : 18 sec. : : 882,188 miles : 115,068 miles, or more than fourteen and a hall diameters of the earth. Whence the whole area of the said group upon the sun's disc appears to be equal to 13,240,644 524 square miles, or 211} square diameters of the earth. The interjacent portions of the sun's disc, or luminous solar clouds, appear to be sensibly de pressed, and consequently much dissipated, or rarifled. Two very large spots, with an interjacent small on e , appear following this group, at the distance of about one-fourth of the sun's northern tropic, if we may ap• ply the names of small terrestrial circles to corrospond ing small solar circles. These large solar spots are ob viously produced by the local dissipation of the luminous solar clouds, which constitute the sun's disc, and con stantly send light outwards to illuminate remote bodies in the heavens, but intercept most of the light projected inwards towards the great dark central body of the sun. Therefore, when local dissipations of the solar clouds occur, arising from the previous discharge of their ac cumulated moisture, in the shape of torrents of rain poured down from them upon the dark central body of the sun, the local dissipation of the solar clouds then commences on the outside, and often proceeds down wards quite through the disc or stratum of the solar clouds, and thereby affords to the inhabitants of the earth a peep into the comparatively dark sky under the disc, which surrounds the dark solid central body of the sun, and which, from their appearance, we call solar spet3, but which the inhabitants of the sun, if any, would appropriately call clear sky, because such clear sky must afford to them an opportunity of examining the remote planetary bodies, which, like the earth, shine in the heavens chiefly by means of the sun's light re flected from them. 4th April.—Three of the spots in the group, on the sun's western limb, arenow, by the increased dissipation of the adjacent solar clouds, extended far beyond their previous extent, and in the remaining rortions of luminous cloud, within the extent of the group, so much dissipated as to resemble fleeting portions of cloud in the terrestrial sky. The great extent of this dissipation may be conceived, when it is considered that the ordi nary thickness of the stratum of luminous clouds form ing the sun's disc is equal to a whole diameter of the earth. now 6th passed A pri mum)"•-4:o:handkerchief and the—Thes un above-mentionedsun's western limb, a p r og have o following them are approaching' 1846. square, Glasgow, 6th March, it.-13i.SAt.dAanin,drAe.w;is, Read, who has has just been appre- Tit E B E nKgsvisxx e Mr n ANOTHER CLERICAL ibweeaenitsdi acquittedwaistcoat, aftor and tbiaeoe fri°stbhiro° C n ' ivf rn TO ROME.—The Rev. Mr. Wells, curate of st. Martin's•in-the-Fields, Liverpool, who has been wavering' for some time, has this week colt ' formed to the Church of Rome.—Liverpool Minuty. CORONER'S INQUEST. SUSPECTED DEATH BY VIOLENCE. (From the Plymouth Journal.) On Wednesday, J. Edmonds, Esq., the coroner of this borough, and a respectable jury, assembled at the Guild hall, for the purpose of instituting an inquiry into the cause of the death of Rebecca Wyatt, the wife of a beer house keeper in Lower-lane. The death of the deceased took place about three months ago, when she was in terred in the burial ground in Westwell-street ; and it was in consequence of a representation made by the mother and friends of the deceased to the coroner, that that gentleman, with a promptness in the execution of his duty which has always characterised his proceedings, and for which he on this occasion justly received the approbation and thanks of the jury, immediately caused the necessary steps to be taken for the investigatiOn. The body of the deceased was exhumed, and the jury having chosen Mr. Thomas Holman as their foreman, proceeded to view it. The first witness examined was named Elizabeth Rowe. Sho deposed that she had known the deceased about three or four years. She remembered Sunday be fore Christmas day, she then lived in. Wyatt's house. About nine o'clock in the morning she heard angry words between the deceased and her husband, which lasted for some time, when she saw him strike her with his fist. She had not then attempted to strike him. She then saw the deceased heave the ash kettle at him, and lie hove it again at her. This difference continued for some time, and Wyatt was getting the better of the de ceased, when she ran to the wash-house and took up a piece of wood which was used for stirring the clothes- in the furnace when boiling. Witness did not see any more then ; but in about a minute the deceased came out of the wash-house, where she and her husband were. The piece of wood was then in Wyatt's hand, and the de ceased was bleeding from the mouth, and three of her teeth w ere knocked out, and her eye was also very much bruised. Witness then went to Wyatt, who was gone into the bar, and said to him, " Mr. Wyatt, I think you have broken your wife's jaw." He said, "If I have I will send for Dr. Giles. He did not deny having struck her, but said she had attempted to strike him ' first. She did not see deceased again until the follow ing Monday, when she found her in bed in a most awful condition, her left eye was still swollen, and she could scarcely open her mouth. Witness saw her down stairs on Tuesday morning, the 23d, but she again took to her bed on Saturday, where she remained until her death, which took place on the Ist of January. On the putting thepit saidof him s Sunday a f ter C hr i stmas-day, the husband of the de ceased t stomp had been n Th e andhe struc kthat stistick k b the ouhte s y n t he o w a blowsporl o d d ier whilst Mr. Harris, the c onsta bl e, i s the same she had seen in William Wyatt's h an d, an d previously in the heads of was uc produced aboutby the deceased. Other witnesses corroborated the above evidence, and also gave an account of a quarrel which had taken place on the Saturday after Christmas-day, about eight o'clock in the evening, between some soldiers and the deceased, one of whom struck her on the stomach, which caused her to fall in a fainting state on the stairs. An old woman named Maria Bowden, living in the workhouse, who was frequently in the habit of visiting the deceased, deposed to some conversation which she had had with the deceased on New Year's eve, in whioh the latter, u ho was then in bed, and apparently near her death, said to her that Wyatt had often told her he would give her a blow that would send her to her grave; and now he had done it. The deceased never coin ' p:ained of having been struck by a soldier. Charles Giles, surgeon, examined, said, I have been the family surgeon to the deceased seven years ; J was called to attend her on Sunday, the 28th of December, about one o'clock. I found her in bed. She had then a black eye and a great swelling about the mouth. I found her very ill, complaining of pain in her head and stomach. She complained of blows received from her husband, and of having been struck by a soldier. She died the Ist of January. I gave the usual certificate of her death, which was to the effect that she died of effu sion on the chest and head. Effusion would arise from many causes, one of which is violence. Ido not think the blows of the stick on the mouth would have pro duced effusion after a lapse of so long a time. The foreman here asked the witness whether he did not think it his duty, as a professional man, in a case of so serious a nature as this, to make known the circum stances of the case in order that an inquiry might be in stituted as to the cause of death ? Mr. Giles—l left it with the family of the deceased, whose duty I considered it was, if they were not satisfied, to cause an inquiry to be made. A juror—Did You suggest anything of the kind? Mr. Giles—No. The Foreman—l do confess, Mr. Coroner and gentle men,-that I think it an exhibition of great remissness on the part of the medical man, knowing the circumstances under which the deceased came by her death, not to make it known to other parties. The CORONER—I think it is deserving of censure. Mr. Giles repeated that he considered, it inquiry we , necessary, the relatives of the deceased party were the persons who ought to move in the matter. A juror—l believe that the medical man, who must be supposed to know more of the human frame than any body else, is the best judge of the necessity of inquiry into the cause of death ; and he is guilty of great im propriety if he neglects what I conceive to be his duty. Another juror—l think, Mr. Coroner, this conversa tion hardly belongs to the present stage of this inquiry —hardly in place at this moment. I should like to ask one question of the witness, and that is, whether in his opinion there were any symptoms which he observed about the deceased which would lead him to suppose that the deceased died from purely natural causes. Mr. Giles—There were some symptoms certainly. A juror—Did it never enter into your mind that it would be desirable that the matter should be investi gated ? Mr. Giles—l cannot say it did. Some further questions were then asked of the witness, which result( d in the addition of the following to his evidence :—lt never occurred to me that any inquiry was necessary to be instituted as to the cause of the death of the deceased ; if it had I certainly should have done so. The Court was then cleared, and some of the jury having expressed their dissatisfaction at the evidence of Mr. Giles, the coroner sent for Mr. Freeman, who was ordered to make a post mortem examination of the body, and the inquest was adjourned to receive his evidence. THE HULL SAILORS' STRIKE.—RIOTOUS PROCEED mos.—Wednesday afternoon a disturbance took place, in the immediate vicinity of the Humber Dock, which originated through the exising disputes, respecting wages, between the seamen and the shipowners. It appears that the seamen, who have been some weeks out of employment, owing to their having struck for an advance of wages, which to a great ex tent, has been resisted by the masters, have regularly assem bled in large numbers in the neighbourhood of the docks, a proceeding which created some alarm in the minds of the authorities, and, accordingly, a strong body of the police force have been stationed on duty to prevent any breach of the peace. As the sailors connected with the " strike" party did not manifest any apparent disposition to create a disturbance, the number of policemen on duty in the locality in question was reduced. This proceeding seems to have been taken advantage of, and yesterday afternoon the Bee, of Glasgow, was leaving the dock when a simulta • neous attack was made upon the crew, in consequence, as we are informed, of their having entered into an engagement with the owner or owhers at a less salary than the turnouts had demanded. Stones and other missiles were hurled with fearful rapidity, and the police accordingly interfered, when a regular affray occurred. An eye-witness informs us that there were several hundreds either taking part in or wit nesses to the disturbance, and the police having captured one man, whom they deemed as the most prominent character in the riot, they proceeded with their charge to the sta tion-house in Blanket-row, amidst the most execrable shouts and hootings. Inspector Allison took a very active part in endeavouring to suppress the disorder that prevailed, when a large stone was thrown, it is supposed with the in tent of inflicting injury upon him, but which caught a by stander, named James Wood, residing in Paradise -place, on the head; and knocked him down. The poor fellov!as severely stunned by the blow , and it was some timeb efo re he rallied from its effects. The police on duty havi ng re ceived a considerable acquisition to their numbers, ther ev y e 'e fa re i enabled to quell .the riotous pro ceedin g s, and secure of the principal actors iu the affray-, who were taken to the station-house, and will undergo examination before the Ma gistrates this day. Such conduct as tkat to which we have here alluded is highly culpable, and is calculated to injure, rather than benefit, the object of the parties connected with the strike.—Hull Advertiser. next A a lady young ridi n gm man n nibus a a l n o d ng dr t ess he , of Monday gentlemanly i nan appearance oli Bsulevard to the Rue de la Chaussee d'Antin, was seated who, after some rather warm compliments, pressed so close to her, and at last took such liberties, that she was obliged to reprove him rather severely. He pretended to take the rebuke in all humility, modestly acknowledged his error, and then, desiring the conductor to stop the omnibus, alighted and walked away. Some minutes afterwards, the lady having occasion to refer to her pocket-book, found that it was gone, and with it a bank-note for 500 francs and a rail road share. She immediately proclaimed her loss, and got out of the omnibus to pursue her late-fellow passenger, the real object of whose familiarity was now but too evident. It is needless to say that he was no longer at her call.—Galig nlni's Messenger. A laughable incident occurred at Romsey Abbey Church, on Sunday morning last. An out-asked couple, a " navie" and one of the factory ladies, presented themselves to be united in the indissoluble bond of matrimony. The i ceremony performed, the officials naturally looked for their fees—the clergyman received hie, but the clerk and sexton heard with rueful countenance that none were forthcoming for them, the husband stating that the parson was quite enough to marry him, " without them other two fellows." As neither threats nor entreaties could prevain on him to alter his determination, it was resolved to try the effect of a little confinement, so the happy couple and their a ttendants were locked into the vestry; but here, however, coFsoleP e . r under trials was not wanting, for being armed withvestn,ol pipes and a match, they comfortably enjoyed thens7log se l r f more than hour, till the arrival of people for T o ot h. vice compelled them to be dismissed, the . f e u:n o e_ wme tt or be to bacco rather offending the oltlictory nem_ r ' .Wriohton Gazette. more sensitive part of the con, gregationt. . A a recent meeting Ilosrxrar. FOR C" NS"Pri 'N t .of the Hospital for Con ot the Committee of Mans e n fj";hieneubest, held at the Hospital, sumption nli•I lliwases o 1 d Bishop of Durham, offered to Chelsea, the Ri ght Rev. the ,or . ine similar subscriptions could be contribute 50t, Providng procured, for the e special 1 purpose fi of aid tal re cently aid ing the fund for erected at B t tarnishing of the new io. pi . , Ilk Lortiship's benevolent intentio n romp on. has been followed, by Philip Hose, Req., Hobert Vyner, Esq., James Alexander, • Mrs. Flieabeth Vaughan, Esq., -• • • Sir Robert Fitz Wygram, Sir John Kirkland, and R. Beazon de Beauvoir, Esq. TUE FLOOD.—Several hund re d acres o f land in the neighbourhood of Gainaborough, and on the Trent side, have become inundated this week through the almost unpre cedented heavy rains. Great fears are entertained that the wheat crops will suffer considerably. Several parts of Mor ton Carr, an area of about 4,000 acres, present the appear ance of a vast sea. The large and splend id engine recently erected there, although ru nning night and day , cannot keep the water off , owing principally to one or two proprietors and occupiers of land not keeping their drains well cleaned out, so as to let the water have free access to the engine. It is hoped the Commissioners will sea the necessity of some strin gent measures being adopted to compel certain self-willed characters residing on the Carr to get their dikes in proper tider...finil Advertieer.