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

- LITERATURE: - - PEN AND INK SKETCHES OF POETS, PREACHERS, AM) 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.por traits of those whose names are in every 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 " Pen and Ink Sketches" there is no pretence. The author's style is the reverse of ambitious. He has known a groat 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 leavening 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; Broughitm, 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 Dake;" Crabbe, Legh Richmond, and Professor Keble ; Lady Blessington and Thomas Miller ; Buck ]and, !Ullman, and Dr. Posey : 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 England, 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 lire a thousand years, I should never' now forget that moment. For years I had 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 f an cy 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 aisd 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 in the portraits. The face had nothing of the appearance of death about was neither sunken nor discoloured in the least, but of a (Lead, 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 miet possibly have been a little disfigured by the process of einibalming. The forehead was high andbroad—indeed, tbe whole head was extremel y lar g e --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 do fined, and so marble-like in its repose. I caught the vie w of it but for a moment ; yet it was long enough to have it stamped upon my memory as " A thing of beauty,' Whiei 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, w s t and b eheld cret into the vault where Shakspeare was en- , to e d, Land beheld there the dust of ages, 'lt was some thing wi t et to have seen the dust of Byron.' " Amon,"o4 the persons engaged in the performance of the office of I emoval, I noticed one—a tall, thin plan, who spoke and seemed absorbed in grief. He would scarcely &low any one to touch the corpse—and, with his own ha:sels, he composed the bead in its new resting-place. 'fbe words, My dear Lord were fre quently uttered whilst performing his melan choly duties. It a 'as Fletcher—Byron's faithful valet. This man afterwards told me the particulars of the noble Poet's death, and gave we a lock of his hair. Fletcher did not long survive his beloved master." As a counter-descriptit 11 1 - we may give a brief sketch of Southey. "The personal appearanc, sof Robert Southey was very striking. He was, as I have intimated , t all and sli g htl y built. His forehead, rather rsseeding, and not, phreno logically speaking, indicative o.rgreat acquirements, was anrniounted 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 [tha t is the best word to express what I mean] two of the n;ost brilliant dark eyes I ever beheld. Their beauty did not consist so much in their brilliancy, as in their deep, contemplative sexpressien. His nose was remarkably aquil>ne, so much so, that it approached to the beak formatiots- But it 'loss in the mouth, which, after all, is the most expres sions feature of the human face, that the peculiar charm of S'outhey's looks lay—the upper lip was finely curved, and sdightly projected over the lower—but it is in vain to attempt a description of it. Nearly every painter has faiied to transfer it to canvas—indeed, I have never seen s, good likeness of the Laureate, for it was no easy mattier to catch the ever-flitting lights and shadows which, with every changing emotion, passed over his countena nee." • • • • " Southey's favourite attitude was that 'of lying back -in his chair, his elbows resting on the errns, and the tips of his forefingers placed on the inner portion of his eye brows, over the surface of which they continually tra !Flied, his eyes being closed excepting when he spoke. The conversation, at one time, turned on Byron—a tick lish subject for both Cottle and Southey. The latter said, symewhat egotistically, I thought—but that was Southey 's weak point—' No man cars honour Byron's denius m ore than myself ; but I fancy I prevented him oing as touch harm as he might have done.' " So little is really known of Mrs. He m a ns , th a t the chapter which treats of her will be perused, no doubt, with avidity by every blue-stocking in the land. She mast have been a charming person. R as e I cannot well c onceive a-more exquisitely beautiful t creature than Mrs. Hemans was —none of the or busts I have ever seen of her do her justice, P ; t : r es r i ai s l a , Possible for words t o convey to the reader an y idea of the matchless, yet sevens, beauty of her expression. Her glossy waving hair wt‘s parted on her forehead, and ter minated on the sides, in' rich and luxuriant auburn curls: there wets 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 charac calm repose, not =mingled with melancholy, was the teristic expression of the face; but when she smiled, all traces of sorrov,v were lost, and she seemed to be but a little lower than the angels'—fitting shrine for so pure a mind ! Let me not be deemed a flatterer or an enthu siast, in thus describing her, for I am only one of many, who have been almost as •much captivated by her per sonal beauty, as charmed • by the sweetness and holiness of her productions. If ever poems were the reflex of the beauties, personal anti mental, of their writers, they were indeed so in the case (f 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 with 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 • • • • g. Come--I will show you my poeticminetin which 'shesa weid— and she l e d . th e way to a room over the on were sitting. It was a very small " place, but neat almost to a f au l t . Th ere nngs was no author-litte . Everything was in order. An open letter lay on the table. She pointed to it, and sa id, laughingly : " An application for my autograph, and the postage unpaid. You cannot imagine how I am annoyed with albums anaeuch matters- A person, who ought to have known better, sent me an album, lately, and begged a piece from me; if it' was oily 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 involeee something like labour. My thoughts have been sc u , eri 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 a:.! 0 " gether.' Heman'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 s request, and feeling that I had intruded quite long enough ort her time, I after a short tinse took my departure. " I must not omit to mention, for the especial benefit of soy fair readers, that Mrs. Iletnans' dress was s i mp l e " I ° l3 o. She wore a white gown (I really am not lea rne d "(nigh in such matters to say whether it was of cotton or mnslin), over which was thrown a black lace shawl— on her head was a cap of very open net-work, without flowers or ornament of any kind." We have quoted auffitient to show that there is plea sant r eading in thi s work:—it will g ratify curio,,ity %bunt e4ninent people, and its own literary merit ought t:" 1 1:11 14 ke it l mitve far beyond the season. As we are " no '44 ut aj," we may remark that Mrs. Fry has .en dead for some months,---here she is spoken of as yet living. A portrait of Coleridge, from a sketch in oil, by Wa * shington Allston, the Amrrican, 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 " Christabelle." ATLANTIC COMMUNICATION. MR. M‘G EACHY'S (OF JAMAICA) PLAN FOR A MORE RAPID COMMUNICATION BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND AMERICA, THE WEST INDIES, AND FOR EXTENDING IT VIA PANAMA TO CHINA AND THE EAST. .(Froni 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 are enabled, from this distant , but not unimportant,. section of the British Empire , t o submit to the notice of the British people the detail s 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 rapid communication between Britain and her distant dependencies has been already acknowledged in the strides which she has made towards this grand desideratum in 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 an 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 will 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 hat also this advantage, 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 magnificent 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 proposes, 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 in 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 communica tion to Tampa Bay, in the State of i'lorida, and railways between that place and Charleston, New York and Boston, to St. John's, 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 Halifax, from whence they would be embarked for Bantry Bay, in Ireland, which Mr. M`Greachy proposes as the British packet station. Mr. M'Geachy 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. Tampa 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. Or 6 days 5 hrs. Halifax to Bantry Bay, or Valentia 8 days Jamaica to Ireland 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 Mississipi, 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. Ile 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 peculiarly 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'Geaßity 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, ha;•ing been previously submitted to Lord Elgin, and to the lat'e.ds of departments in the United States, as well as in Canada and the other Br:tish provinces in America, by all o f' worn it had been highly approved of. THE LATE .t..\T (From the Net.'" - commenced one of the most terrific ar.d protracted te. About the middle of Jan sry ANTIC GALE. us nests that ever swept the Atlantic —continuing with ver il y ' - L York Tribune.) yq eu in termissiontenecoemspoafr atforhtii comparatively iy e s r afs 4 etw s r 0, d ub a su y at s n . aounts of the conse tdh they yo u pa r ar a c er . a l : l ; t e l i e : t : 1 afroihririons either o re d u a e s 'led weather d ce the belief that a great number of vessels have ' total or partial shipwreck. Our fleet ,of cl"r:;heir packets, which have been for a month b usual time, beating and staggering about tht , ocean , now beyond enveloped with ice, are looking like huge g e ens in pro cess of chrystalization, and anon reeling off t.krough 10 or 20 degrees of latitude to the south, for the purpose of getting thawed out. Icebergs. snow-stowe a, and fierce hurricanes have beset these vessels on every side, and the sea every now and th en swept over their decks, dashed in their bulwarks, carried away their t carried away daily and n ig, fitly, boats, and lett l t s he we c r r e ewhey)less and freezing . M . . a 4, 4, rigging, and sat s, p ss s en fo g r er a s, d h r a e v a e ry be p t e 7 ; 'od, ex posed to indescribable B 'ut lated without shrinking. _ which connot be contemplated and the sailors, Office these haanrddsphai have yet been heard fr. 011. 1 , crews have, so far as they reputation which their success Yu! fully maintained the , s have heretofore won for excellent vessels, with their gallant captains at Id winds and waves eontests with them. On Saturday, four of these admirable vessels, wh: 'eh have been long expected—the Rosciu4, Sea, Europe, a rid Hendrik Hudson, arrived in port, gladdening many an anxious heart and brightening many an eye disc wi th watching. Below we publish the accounts of the pa s rages of those vessels, which will be perused witti great interest. Such descriptions are like deep sea lines, which reach the bottom of human sympathy. The ship Roscius, Captain A. Eldridge, sailed from Liverpool on the 13th January, experiencing continued gales from N.W. and W.S.W. with rain, snow, and hat' I interspersed with thunder and lightning. January 2 6 and 27, experienced a heavy gale from the N.W. anti W.N.W., during which we shipped a heavy si-a, stove bulwarks in the waist, and filled the decks with water. February 11th, in lat. 43 22, lon. 49 20, was running in a gale from S.E., wind hauled suddenly to N.W., and blew a ;:urricane with great violence, accompanied with ...loot and snow, stove in the cabin windows, filling the cabin floor w - , 4 th water, hauled up fore-sail and fore-topsail, and made every exertion to fur ) . them, but could not, owing to the excessive cold weather, and the sails and rigging being full cif iee, and many of the crew having their hatrds frozen. February 12, expe;ienced another violent gale blowing most furiously ; we other extremely cold and the sea running very high, during which we carried away all in the gangway , allthreetopgallant.stsr stove in the starboard l ett i n g in the sea constantly on deck. Everythi ng b e l ow an d a :oft being encumbered s w h 7 p. nlc 2 rendered it i m p oss ibl e f or the men to work the The three t o p ga ll ant - mas t s th u mping to and fro, cutting and sails blowi ng f rom the gaskets to atoms, making upon ehafing th e s p ars an d r i gg ing, and all the the whole, a dismal n heavy sea, hatches,s i ea, st stove bow lettingbowhsocuese.e tore Februarytarpaulins, and 13, shipped From January 20 to lstliarn ]arch, a worked off m quantities of water. , we did not eke 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. The . §bip Sea had heavy gales from W.N.W. to W.S.W. from the 25th of January to the 10th of ‘ F v e . b N r u m a r , a n w d h e v n c ry we coldw'e e o a n t the h er; b m a n u k o s i ; i f c r e e s a h b , b 3i r l e t eze from the ro ship forward. Toward noon the wind hauled- S.W., and in the afternoon went round by N.W. to N.N.E.; moderate breeze and light showers of snow. In the evening the wind freshened, and at 9 o'clock it came on a very severe snow storm, and blew hard from north; ten of the crew laid up from the effects of the cold, one man suffer ing severely; lost foreyard; split the maintopsail; lust 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; ad 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. After 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 ail day. Bore down to her, and showed signals. She had lost all her top-gal lant masts. 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 faegel out, and having four bands atilt 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 oretopmast rigging, as if the crew had been living in th'e 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 h ad painted ports, a full woman figure-head, with a gree u dress ; she appeared to be a vessel of about 500 tons, and I have no doubt of her being a British vessel ; hut 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 lost 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 front 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 grea t deal. At nine o'clock a.m. passed close to the bark Cantero, of Portland, lying to, under bare poles. At th.;s time we had nearly three feet of water in the hold ; Le.tt finding that we bad gained on her since 6 39, kept on our course. After an hour and a half, got the pumps to suck, having now been several hours without being able to gel the pumps to work. On the evening of the 4th, off Currituck, 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 and 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 Casting. 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 she 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, axed one of the men were much bruised and completely exhs tasted when taken on board of the Europe. THE LOSS OF THE EMIGRANT SHIP CATARAQUE. Copies of correspondence respecting the loss of the . vrnigrant 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 Oftioe', 9 , Park street, Westminster, Feb. 6, 184 6 . Sir,—With reference to the intelligence which. appears in this dayis 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 wiithin 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 f.,re, 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. Tne 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., (Signed) T. FRED. ELLIOT. James Stephen, 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 emigrar.t passengers, one alone was saved, namely Solomon Brown. a labourer, from Sutton, Bedfordshire. His wife and four ‘ -hildren, daughters,, all perished. These returns alphabetical list of the emigrants on board. afwof destructionth e m o o f st en d t e i p r l e or f a a b m le il i i n es sta f n ro ce m s contain i n e t t a f h i • e ) n llo ail ewng n sxi arey among the number ; — Cha rles Knott, his wife, and seven children perished ; William C ook, his wife, with six sons and daughters ; Patrick Magu ire, his wife, and seven sons and daughters ; Anthon y Murra y , te his wife, and nine children ; Bernard M`Caffrey, 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 ; bcsides 33 unmarried females, and 23 unmarried males. Thc following letter regards what is stated might have reve .nted this calamitous loss of life and property : oy LETTER FROM CAPTAIN HAMILTON, R.N., TO COPY JAMES STEPREN, PS44. Adatlrsiti, Feb. 14, 1846. / am „N:npmanded by my Lord;Comuissiorte Sir,— Commissiotfers of the Admira lt . *4) request you will bring the following y 1 11r. Secretary Gladstone. f a cts to the notice o • teen-ins wrecks that had occurred my Lords to have it tho in 1 13 . aTsshesntruamitbs,erdoeftedrtin.. determine roughly surveyed, which has been 4one, anti the chart published, and nothing is wanted to it§ free navigation but judicious lights. In the years 1841 and 1842, * Committee of the Legislature of New South Wales examined our survey ing officers, and other evidence, on the best positions for tbei,e lights. Similar steps were taken in Iran Diemen's La nd ; sites were fixed, and the Lieutenani.-Governor laic I the first stones of one or two of them at the Pastern ene, of the straits. ' 'Since that, nothing has be en done, though each year ha s been marked by mo re or less loss of life ; and the l a st mail from Sydney adds to the catalo g ue an account o: the wreck, on King Island , of the Cataraque, in which four hundred and fourteen emigrants perished. A b. `ngle light on that isla nd, or on Cape Otway, deem proper, t, prevent such ' would ha ye prevented this fright f u l mis:ortune. 2. Undo. - these circumstance s, m y Lords trust her Ma 's Gores "anent will take such measures as they may jest) jusure proper lighthouse s bein g erected to .'feasters in future ; and in the mean time my Lords ,Ivi,:l consider it their duty to prevent transports, with i`roo,os or with convict s, to attem p t navigating the saidS; r aits ti:! lighthouses hav e been built; and they wou ld recommend :Illitt emigrant ships should be also prohibited from navigating , *i.cm for the same period. .1 have , & c .. (Signed) W. A. B. HAMILTON. To Jas. Steplven, Esq. THE SUN, LONDON, SAI",URDA' EVENING. APRIL 11, 1846. IRELAND. EVICTION OF TENANTRY.—SCENE AT GURTMORE. We witnessed on Friday morning one of the . most melancholy spectacles that ever tell to the lot of feeling humanity to behold, namely, the casting out of nine wretched families from their miserable hovels on the bleak road side at Gurtmore. It was a wet and stormy morning, when a detachment of her Majesty's 72d Lighlanders, under Captain Pollard, who were marched ten miles on this unsoldier-like duty, drew up on the public road, within a few hundred yards of the cabin of Mara, the first of these poor tenants on whom was exe cuted the law of ejectment. A strong body of police were posted opposite the house, and more about the ,door to kr ep the passage cle ar f or the landlord, the sub sheriffs, and the bailiff s . It was disgusting to observe with what recklessness the bailiffs dragged out every little article of furniture which belonged to the wretched inmates of each hovel they visited, and ir4 some instances threw out the miserable remnant of rotted potatoes which they had for sub sistence. We have been informed that the sheriff, on more occasions than one, reproved those fellows for misconduct in the discharge of their office, and checked their violent impropriety. But the military and police comported themselves on this occasion with the bearing of men who knew and felt they were performing a hated duty, but the soldiery openly expressed their repug nance to this mode of campaigning. " I have been in the army," said a veteran, "for twenty: seven years; this is the second time I have been called out on this duty, and I hope it will be the last, for I would rather face an enemy than witness what I have seen to•day l" Pat Clancy was the second man who was dispossessed, and who showed our reporter a receipt for half a year's rent up to November. The commanding-officer of the 72d met him at the rear of his house, and expressed deep sympithy for him as well as for his fellow-sufferers. Another officer said to Clancy's ion, " Well, my boy, where will you sleep to- n i g ht?" "I don't know, Sir, said the boy. The brave, humane man, put his hand into his purse. and gave him silver to procure a lodging. —Tipperary Vindicator. COUNTY OF TIPPERARY.—The Nenagh Guardian, an Orange journal, gives the following notice of the conduct of the Roman Catholic clergy at this calamitous period : —" In our own neighbourhood, the gentry of the union of five parishes met at the residence of the parish priest, the Rev. Father Nolan, and liberally and generously in a few minutes collected near 2001. for the occasion. We are happy to state that there is every prospect of timely aid for the suffering poor, by the promptitude with which gentlemen connected with these benevolent meet ings have come forward to meet the emergency. We have had reason often before this to eulogise the conduct of the Rev. Mr. Nolan, formerly of Dunkerrin, but now residing near Nenagh, and P.P. of the union of parishes we have referred to. We trust the noble example set by these gentlemen will be followed up by others in the dif ferent localities, and with much sincerity do we hope that Protestant and Roman Catholic, lay and clerical,- will unite their best efforts in endeavouring to relieve the wants and necessities of their fellow man. There are many non-resident landlords, who draw large re venues from these districts, who should contribute to such a fund as that now in the course of being raised for the destitute and unemployed. They should recollect that from those to whom much is given much is required. They should not be niggardly, nor throw the entire burden of relief, so much required, upon those who daily witness it, and who have so liberally come forward on this visitation of Providence—want and famine in the land." EVICTION OF TENANTRY. The cork Examiner gives an account of the expulsion of a number of tenants from an estate near Konturk, in that county. The Waterford papers state that a considerable number of tenants have been evicted, and forty-six houses taken down on an estate in that county. INDIAN CORN. The Empire, an American vessel of 1,1:34 tons re gister, arrived at Cork on Saturday, in twenty-nine days from New York, with 25,000 bushels of Indian corn and 6,000 or 8,000 barrels of meal, consigned to Messrs. M. acrd J. Cummins, for account of Government. One or two equally large vessels are daily expected there. Large cargoes have arrived at Limerick, Newry, Belfast, and Dublin ; and by the advertisements in the provincial journals it appears that Indian corn is either on sale, or is immediately expected, in all the principal towns in the south and west of Ireland. It is full time to abandon the cry of famine and pestilence. DISTRESS IN Wit-TERFORE.—A meeting of thecitizens of Waterford was held on Monday, the Mayor in the chair, to adopt measures to meet the existing destitution in the borough, A local relief committee was appointed. During the proceedings, the following observations were made by the Rev. Mr. Sheehan :—" There never was such destitution in the city as there is at present. Show me a mason, a carpenter, or any other tradesman, em ployed. The artisans have no employment, and conse quently are in a state of destitution. I took the trouble of examining the reports of the Fanning Institution, and I found that in March, 1843, potatoes of the best quality were sold at 21d. per stone , in 1844, at 4id. ; in 1845, at 3fd. ; and now, this yeas, they are as high as 7d. to Bid. by retail, and it is by retail that the poor buy them. As there is no employment, and prices so very high, there must be extreme destitution." The Castlebar Telegragh contains the following : "FAMINE IN MAYO.—This gaunt and long-dreaded scourge hai at last broken forth. We have been written to from several parts of this extensive county, by gen tlemen upon whose veracity we place the most implicit reliance, giving the most awful accounts of the suffer ings of the people at this early period of the year. Even at Turlogh, in the immediate neighbourhood of this town, many families are at this moment, we learn, without food—and the wretched sufferers are, in vain, endeavouring to get provisions in time, that their chil dren may not die ! At the market of Castlebar, on Saturday last, provisions which hitherto were considered reasonable, rose to an alarming height—potatoes from 2fd. to sd. per stone, and oatmeal from 13s. to 16s. per cwt. Turf can scarcely be had at any price, su much so that the contractors who have undertaken to supply the public inst i tutrens have appli e d to be let oft from the fulfilment of their contracts. Thus, between scarcity of food and fuel, the poor are reduced to a most distressing state." At one o'clock this day a deputation from the relief committee of Galway waited upon the Lord-Lieutenant at the Castle, to seek " for relief for the perishing hun dreds in this district." PROJECTED RAILWAYS. A circular will be immediately ;;;d from the Joint- Stock Companies Registration-office, addressed to the several provisionally registered railway companies, stating that it is the intention of her Majesty's Govern ment, immediately after Easter, to propose to Parliament a Bill to enable any railway company which at the time of the passing of the Bill shall not have obtained its Act of Parliament to dissolve itself. By the Bill it is in tended to provide for the calling of a meeting of the shareholders, either by the managing body or by a given number of shareholders, at which meeting it is intended that the holders of a majority of the shares in the com pany, or the holders of three.fif►hs of the shares belong ing to those present or represented by proxy at the meeting. shall have the power to determine upon the dis solution of the company. Due provision will be made for a sufficient public notice being given of the time and place of meeting, and of the mode in which absent shareholders are to be re presented by proxy. Upon the dissolution being carried at the meeting the property of the company is to become forthwith vested in certain persons to be appointed for the purpose of winding up the concern, and, after discharging the liabi lities, for distributing the surplus. The actual holders of scrip are to be taken as share holders, entitled by themselves or their proxies to attend the meetings. FORGERY.—A curious case arising out of a charge of forgery has just occurred at Plymouth. A Mr. Jarvis Hewett, a farmer, lately residing at Frittiscombe, in the neighbourhood of Kingsbridge, had given a bill for 1001. purporting to have been drawn by Mr. John Lome, another d u f r d oo e nm d ahtbihs: the creditors, i sfherer7itrot,.s farmer of the same place, and payable at the Joint-Stock Ta W , :d e t nhtehesaa that be eh short omanagedrt ti Hewett tn e had tsoi nc eeffect.hpreviously Bank at Kingsbridge. This bill turned out to be a forgery. washis a escape r r d e e s f t r e a and was on his route to Exeter, but when he reached cfneer, and subsequently the bad bill was paid. Ho then drove away all his cattle, and it may very readily bo imagined that his creditors did not greatly benefit by the transaction. This he did 'with the intention of going to America in a ship that was to sail from this port on Tuesday last. On Sunday, however, Mr. Inspector Cole received information of the case, and, on making m.nute inquiries, he found that Hewett had taken a passage for himself and his two sons in one of the ships that was to sail on Tuesday afternoon. Inspector Cole and a police officer from Kingsbridge, named Stear, therefore, went on board the vessel before she left the harbour, but finding only Hewett's eldest son there, they remained, thinking that Hewett would join the ship. The vessel, however, went a considerable distance beyond the Dltakwater, when the captain called the roll, and Hewett's absence was confirmed. This led the officers to believe he would still make his appearance, and they hung on as long as possible, and went out tour or five miles beyond the Breakwater, till they at last perceived a boat heaving to under the Rame Head. The officers hugged the vessel as long as they could, till they found her making fr o .,when the thought it best to leave he r, as the y wer e now several miles r out at sea, in a small open boat, and they began to be an thing but pleased with their position. Whilst they we . alongside the ship, the younger Hewett must have signallede his father, for they at last saw the boat that wsts from the Rame head turn back again, and the officers used all possible despatch to reach the shore, and so rs then upon the flying party. Hewett, who was in the boat,on gained evi dently became alarmed, and the boat was pulled Penlee Point, and Hewett and his in under youngest moment after seen scrambling up the rocks, which , son were a informant, appeared as steep as a house. By t says our officers bad reached the shore, Hewett bad gow he time the nutes advantage of them. The police, aceointpanior 15 mi boatman, having left another in charge of the two ed by one made all the haste they could up the rocks, b ut w reached the heights not a when they soul was to be seen besides tne h n7 selveS, for Hewett and his son had got clear off. Mr Cole who has the keen eye of a Mohawk, albeit he may be slightly , deficient in the scent, traced the it, trail across , couple of fields, but there he lost it, as they had taken to a a grass field, and left no further sign of their progress. The ship of course sailed without them, and we would not I g ive much for Mr. Hewett's ehauce of escape.— in m = - AS.outh Jou rnal. O F THE HON. LAM' ) ALL DEATH o —This I (IN w idow of Sir George P allas, Bart. and mothe r a •:, ' of the present Baronet, died on S unda y last. The deceased l a d y was youngest daughter a nd only surviving i ssue of Sir John Blackwood, Baronet, aI3 nd aroess Dutlerin, and marr i ed the late Sir George Dallaa in June, n 1788. SEAMEN IN THE P o RT OF LONDON —SO ttiAlVe is the demand for seamen, both in the mercantile marine and the navy, that yesterday the whole number of inm a t es at the D es titute Sailors' Asylum waslo,wlst on no previous night of the week did averagetbey_ . more hi tha n s i x, the ma jloco of whom were jovial& or compietel, destitute. - ' . RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. There is every prospect that the telegraph between New York and Boston- will I e completed as far as New Haven by the time the next stearnsiiip arrives at Thston. _ Snow in the United States appears to have been fall ing in such quantities as materially to impede the traffic of the main lines. TOURS AND NANTES.—The works o❑ this line are urged with such activity, that the section from Tours to Saumur is likely to be finished in a year. The road way and the stations are being constructed at the same time. BORDEAUX AND BAYONNE.—ne conferences which have taken place between the'military engineers and the agents of the ponts-ct chaussees, on the subject of the direction to be taken by this line, were brought to a termination on Monday. The result is, that the line is to quit the railway from Bordeaux to the Mediterranean at Podensac, follow the Valley of the Ciron, and cross the great plain of the Landtes, to arrive at the Mont-de- Marsan. Quitting that city, the line will- follow the course of the Midouze, reach the right bank of the Adour, and arrive at Bayonne near the fortifications. THE SHREWSBURY AND BIRSIINCIIAM.—A petition to Parliament in favour of this line, says our Birming ham ct , rrespenthnt, was laid before the ironmasters' meeting at Birmingham on Thur.day, and signed by all the ironmasters of the district through which the line will pass. PERTH AND INVERNESS.—WINDING UP.—At a meeting of the subscribers, just held at Perth, it was re solved—" That the altered state of the money market, and of the general circumstances of the country since this scheme was projected, render it eminently ailviaable that the same should not be further proceeded with in the meantime, but that the deposits, less the expenses, should be immediately returned, and all parties freed from their obligations up to this date, leaving to the scripholders a preference in the scheme should it after wards be resumed." Within the lat few weeks (says the Doncaster Gazette) Messrs. Flower and Co., of Gainsborough, wharfingers, have established a regular steam communication between Gainsborough and London. The railways had nearly destroy ed the legitimate trade of Gainsborough by di verting the traffic into other channels. The directors of the Boston, Newark, and Sheffield have resolved not to wind up the concern at present, but to return IL per share forthwith to the shareholders. The Sheffield and Manchester are abuut to commence their locomotive establishment at Gorton. The clause to be propos( d by Mr. Hudson, after Easter, to be inserted in all railway Acts, provides that registered shareholders, "at a meeting called for the purpose of dissolution, at which meeting three-fifths of the registered proprietors shall be present, either per sonally or by proxy, shall be enabled to dissolve, having given full compensation to all landowners for any losses which they may have sustained from the opeiation of the Act." WINDING-UP.—There are vigorous efforts now being made at Birmingham on the part of the shareholders in several of the lines projected last year, and now in pro-. gress through Parliament, to get the directors to with draw them for the present and wind-up. A great num ber of shareholders in the Direct Leicester have already signed a memorial to the directors to call a meeting of subscribers with a view to close the business of the o tncern. HIGHLAND ROADS and BRIDGES TO THE HONOURABLE THE KNIGHTS, CITIZENS, AND BURGESSES, IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED. The Thirty-Second Report of the Commissioners ap pointed for the purposes of an Act passed in the 59th year of the reign of his late Majesty King George 111., intituled, "An Act to repeal two Acts, made in the 54th and 55th years of his present Majesty, for maintaining and keeping in repair certain Roads and Bridges in Scotland ; to provide more effectually for that . purpose, and for Regulation of Ferries in Scot land." The highlands of Scotland have been almost entirely exempt from snow during the past winter, and few of the casualties ordinarily attendant on the breaking up of the frost have occurred. The wear and tear of the general surface of the roads has somewhat exceeded the average ; but the whole, with the exception of the Loch side road (which the floods have repeatedly covered with rubbish, not yet removed), are stated to be now in good travelling order. In the county of Inverness the Fairy bridge, on the Stein road (which fell in 1844), and a heavy breast wall, near Coran Ferry, on the Fort William road, which was carried away in the past season, have been rebuilt. On the Badenoch road the expenditur. of a further sum of 3601., between Aviemore and the Bridge of Carr, has rendered this portion as safe and convenient as any part of the Highland line. The "Improvement " tolls on the Inverrnorriston road have been applied, to the amount of 3221., in widening the bridges. of Ruskie and Aberiachan, in building parapets, removing prominent points of rocks, and in creasing the width of the road-way, principally between Ruskie Ince and Strone Castle. On the Fort William road much has been done (at a cost of 199/.) by rock cutting and embankment along the shore of Loch Eil, between Corran Ferry and Fort William. In Strath glass (Beauly road) has been effect. d an alteration in volving much labour and expense of rock cutting through the steep and dangerous bill adjuring the well-known scenery of " The Dream." On the South Boleskine road, the produce of the "Improvement" toll, which has hitherto been suffered to accumulate, has been directed to be appropriated at a pass where frequent accidents have oceurred, near Aldonrie. From the surplus tolls on the Fort George road, a further sum of 3001. has now been directed to be handed over to the county trustees, making 9701. paid in reduc tion of the original debt. In Ross-shire the Milnain bridge, on the Contin road, and the breast-wall near 13,,r0i1, on the Kintail road (which fell in 1814), have been rebuilt: the Conan bridge approaches further improved ; and an important altera tion at the Logic bridge, near Tain, has been completed. Upon the application of the county, agreed to at their meeting of the 30th of April last, the Commissioners have consented to add to their charge the High-street of Tain, so far as it is in the line of ale Parliamentary road ; and having received satisfactory certificates of their state of repair from their principal inspector, they have now assumed the care of the streets of the royal burghs of Dingwall and Tain, as well as Fort Rose. In Sutherland and Caithness no outlay for other than ordinary repair has been made. In Argyllshire a portion of the Glenco road has been satisfactorily improved, and will be open to travellers in the coming summer ; but in conformity with the ex pressed desire of the county, the larger portion of the works necessary to render the communication south ward of Balachelish safe and convenient, were postponed. Their gradual execution will however, be kept in view. It has been found necessary to widen the approaches to Craig Ellachie bridge (Morayshire), and the whole of the timber and iron-work of the bridge has also been re pair. d and painted. The total expense of repairs of 1845, to which the assessment is applicable, independently of the works ex ecuted from the produce of the "Improvement " tolls above mentioned, has been 9,6041. 6s. 7d. ; but in this expenditure are included the works of which the Com missioners here annex the particulars and amount of the cost ; considering them as extra works, to be distin guished from ordinary repairs:— INVERNESS-SHIRE. 1. Extra expense on the Lochnagaul and £ a. d. Lochyside roads, caused by carriage of materials for repair of Caledonian Canal ... 2. Repairs to timber bridge at Laggan, East Laggan road ... ... 28 810 3. Rebuilding Fairy Bridge, Stein road 55 12 7 4. Railways on Beauly road ... 76 8 8 5. Repairing damage by floods on Fort William road ... 6. Improvements between Carr Bridge and Aeiernore, Badenoch road 360 6 2 ROSS-SHIRE. 7. Rebuilding Milnain Bridge, Contin 8. Improvement at Logie Bridge, Inver gordon road ... 317 1 2 9. Ditto at Conan Bridge, Dingwall road 89 14 4 10. Rebuilding Breast-walls, Kintail and Glen Shiel roads ... MORAY AND BANFF. 11. Repairing and painting Craig Ellachie Bridge, and improving approaches ... ARGYLLSHIRE. 12. Improvements on Glenco road, and re pair of damage from floods ... 13. Building Breast-walls, Glenco road 51 12 4 111 2 2 248 8 9 31 11 1 Leaving for ordinary expecditure The general expenses. including 1061. in curred in connexi, n with the Caith ness District Roads, have been (511. less than in 1844) ... ••• ... 2,200 0 0 The total amounts recoverable from the counties by as sessment during the last four years have been as follows, viz.:— £ s. d. 1842 ... 4,302 0 0 1843 ... ... ... 4,640 0 0 1844 ... ... ... 4,402 0 0 1845 ... ... ... 4,566 0 0 The whole of the assessments for the year 1844 have been paid to the cashier of the Commissioners. The Appendix to this report contains (No. I.) the Account of the Monies Received and Disbursed by the Commissioners in the year 1845 (except for the Caith ness District Roads) ; (No. II.) the Account of the Sums Payable by the Counties for the same year ; (No. III.) a Statement of the Sums Received and D s bursed by the Commissioners in respect of the Caithness lli trict Roads, in the year ending Dec. 31, 1845. By order of the Commissioners, SAMUEL slum, Secretary to the Commissioners. March 20, 1846. Is CHALK MANURE?—This question, one of great im portance to the agricultural body, was brought to an issue before the Court of Quarter Sessions at Dorchester, on Wed nesday last, wh en was h ear d an appeal against the ' decision of two magistrates, who had convicted a toll-keeper in the penalty of 455., for charging toll on a waggon. load of that article. Mr. Ffooks, in support of the conviction, showed by two old agricultural works, published in 1718 and 1727, that chalk was used as a manure in those days, and that it was mentioned in that quality so long ago as the time of Julius Caesar. As a manure it would he exempted from toll by the 5 and 6 William IV., cap. 18. For the appellant, Mr. Stock quoted Johnson's definition of manure, and contended that although chalk might be classed as a component of manure. it was not manure by itself; and had not been so contem plated by the Legislature. The Court at once and urani mously confirmed the conviction, deciding that chalk is manure, and, on the application of counsel, granted the re apondeut's coats. 193 18 5 105 5 4 47 9 6 £1,716 19 4 . 7,887 7 3 COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, FRIDAY.—The Queen and Prince Albert -took an early airing in a pony phaeton this morning. .Their Royal Ilighncsses the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, and the Princess Alice, were taken a carriage airing in the forenoon. Divine service was performed to-day (Good Friday) in the private chapel of the Castle. The Hon. and Rev, C. Leslie Courtenay officiated. Her Majesty and Prince Albert attended the afternoon service.. Their Royal Highnesses -the Prince of Wales and the Princess Royal were taken out in the pleasure grounds of the Castle this afternoon. The Duke of Cambridge visited her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester, on Thursday, at Gloucester House. The Dean of Westminster preached the sermon yesterday in the Chapel Royal, St. James's. The prayers were read by the Rev. Dr. Vivian, the lessons by the Rev. Dr. Dakins, and the Communion service by the Sub-Dean. Lord and Lardy Ernest Bruce, Lords St. Germans, Hawarden, and Vivian were among the nobility present. MINISTERIAL MOVEMENTS. The Duke of Wellington intends to remain at Strath fieldsaye, Hants, until next Saturday, and during tie ensuing week will receive a select circle of f►isnds for the holidays. The Earl and Countess of NVilton and family, and Viscount and Viscountess Mthon, are in vited to join the party. The Marquis of Douro pur po,es to return from Paris the week after next. Sir Robert Peel does not return to town from Drayton Manor before Thursday next, according to present ar rangements. The party at the Right Hon. Baronet's seat will this E.tster be confined to the family. Viscount and Viscountess Villiers are expected at the Manor from Upton-house, Warwickshire. We hear that Mr. Robert Peel, eldest son of the Right Hon. Baronet, will shortly leave on his return to Spain, having received a higher appointment in the British embassy. The Earl of Ellenborough returns to his official resi denceitt the Admiralty on Monday next, from Southam House, Gloucestershire. The puke of Buceleuch, the Lord President of the Council, is expected to return to town on Saturday next, from Boughton house, near Kettering, when the Duchess and family return to Montagu house. The Duke and Duchess purpose giving a series of splendid entertain ments at their town mansion next month. The Right lion. Sidney Herbert has gone on a visit to the Dowager Countess of Pembroke, at Wilton-house, near Salisbury, where a family party is assembled. The Earl and Countess of Ripon have left Carlton house-terrace for their villa: at Putney for the holidays. The Earl of Aberdeen leaves Argyll• house to-day fur the Priory,. Staiimore, on a visit to the Marquis and Marchioness of A bereorn, and early next week will pro ceed to St. Leonard's, near Windsor, to visit Lord and Lady Haddo, who have removed there from the Ranger's lodge at Blackheath. The Noble Earl will resume his diplomatic dinners at Argyll-house early in the ensuing month. The Lord Chancellor and Lady Lyndhurst and the Hon. Misses Copley are passing the Easter recess at Turville-park, near Henley-on-Thames. The Noble and Learned Lord returns on Wednesday morning to town, to receive the judges and law officers at •his customary breakfast at the commencement of Easter term. COWES, ISLE OF WIGHT. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) APRIL W.-Her Majesty's brig Contest is to be launched from Mr. Joseph White's yard, East Cowes, to-morrow (Saturday). In the opinion of those whose experience ought to enable them to form a correct judg ment, a more beautiful and powerful vessel of her ton nage was never built. Her dimensions are as follows : Feet. Inches. Length for tonnage llO gi Keel for tonnage B6 6 Extreme breadth 3l 7 Breadth for tonnage Breadth moulded Depth of hold Burden, 459 76.94 tons. She is completely finished below, and her fittings and accommodations for the men are far superior to any other vessel of her class. The following members have been at the Royal Yacht Squadron House this week :—The Earl of Yar- borough, Mr. Bentinck, Marquis of Blandford, Mr. Peareth, Lord Clarence Paget, Sir William Montagu, and Mr. De Horsey. Contracts have been entered into by the Cowes Im provement Commissioners to widen the parade in front of the Royal Yacht Squadron House, and construct a causeway from it. It is intended to widen the pavement by the parade-wall to ten feet, and otherwise improve that part of the town. The annual meeting of the members of the Royal Yacht Squadron is fixed for the Bth of bitty, at the Thatched House Tavern. There have been numerous applications for houses during the past week, particularly in East Cowes Park, but there is only one of those beautiful villas furnished. Sir Edward Paget has taken Egypt House, and Sir Richard Rycroft Oak-hill Hons., West Cowes. Died, on the 9th inst., Mr. J. K. Ward, the highly respected proprietor of the Grapes wine -vaults, in his 74th year, from an attack of gout in the stomach. The continued rains have given the wheats a very sickly appearance, and changed them from a healthy green to a dirty yellow. There is a large breadth of oats unwwn, and the land has been so wet that dunging and ploughing was out of the question, and very little ground has been got ready for barley sowing. CAPTAIN MANGY, TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sin,—ln your paper of the 19th instant, there is an article headed "Experiments ut Woolwich," and I con. eider I have some right to command and claim a small space in your excellent journal, to satisfy the public. I am the parent of the modes of saving life from ship wreck ; in other words, I led the van by introducing my mortars into practical uses. You are also aware that I have spent my time, my mental and physical abilities, and the means I p issessed, since the year 1807 to the present moment, in pursuing my theory and practice, and that my exertions have been acknowledged by my gracious Sovereigns, a liberal Parliament, with many of the reigning monarchs of Europe, which are testimonies of high value to my zeal ; and continue to urge me, even in my 81st year, to emerge from my retirement to defend an opposition directed against the established simplicity and practical successes of my apparatus all round the kingdom. I take your article just adverted to for the authority, and therefore a duty I owe to myself to confute. It says, " Captain Jerningham, commanding the Coast guard at Yarmouth, has had many opportunities of wit nessing the complication and inefficiency of the plan adopted at present." Sir, this is an assertion as extra ordinary as it is astounding ; and I shall reply to it by stating, not only from my own knowledge, but from general society in Yarmouth, he never has seen, nor had an opportunity of seeing, a life saved by my apparatus, or life lost by shipwreck on the coast, since he had the command. I must, therefore, consider his assertion, as to the complication and inefficiency of my plan, to be most unfair and unfounded. Holding, as 1 do, the sim plicity of all my arrangements to be perfect, and from the uninterrupted success that has attended them, ought not to have been violated or infringed upon, without some more simple, less expensive, and certain expedient was required from the failure of my plan, and then only confirmed by practical experienced men competent to decide. My very advanced period of life, and declining state of health, prevents my commenting upon other parts of this extraordinay article, especially in reference to the laying of the rope ; but I cannot conclude without con sidering the article named, evidently to detract from the labours so long devoted to the welfare of my fellow men and my country's good, to obtain a spurious reputa tion therefrom.—l am, Sir, your obedient servant, (Signed) GEORGE W. MANBY, Capt., F.R.S. Pedestal House, Southtown, Great Yarmouth, March 27. ROYAL A RTILLE RY.— W OOLWICH, Amax., 9.—The non-commissioned officers and men appointed to form the 10th battalion of Royal Artillery assembled at two o'c lock P.M. to-day on the guard mounting parade in heavy march ing order, in the presence of Major-General Sir H. D. Ross, K.C.8., Deputy-Adjutant General 'of Artillery ; Colonel Turner, C. 13.; Lieutenant. Colonel Bastard, Lieutenant-Co lonel Gordon, Lieutenant-Colon.l Blachley, and Lieutenant- Colonel Strangways, the latter having the command of the battalion. Brigade-Major Cuppage, and the captains ap pointed to each of the eight companies —Captain Grant, Ist company ; Captain Mitchell, 2d company ; Captain Beres ford, 3d company ; Second-Captain Dickson,ilun t s be t: G ab esoerigici F e ea of Captain C raw f or d , 4 t h company I. sth compathny ; Captain Nedham, 6th coinpany ; C a pt a i n raser, 7 company ; and Captain Warde, Bth company— were present to inspect the kits of the men, which was done on the barrack field, and they were then marched to the quarters assigned to them, and will commence messing toge ther for the first time to-day. At 10 minutes before 9 o'clock A.M., one sergeant, two corporals, and 70 privates of the Royal Marines, left Roff's-wharf, for Blackwell, under the command of Lieutenant M'Eill op, for a passage to Graves end, en route to Chatham, to make room in the barracks at Woolwich for the men of the 10th battalion. DEATH OF LADY ELIZABETH PERCEVAL.—We have to notice the demise of the above venerable lady, sister of the late Right Hon. Spencer Perceval, the unfortunate Chan -1 cellor of the Exchequer, who expired on Saturday last., at Odell Castle. Her Ladyship, who was daughter of the second Earl of Egmont, was born Dec. 12, 1763. By her Ladyship's decease, the families of Lord Redeadale, the Earl and Countess of Egmont, &c., are placed in mourning. .../ALE OF COINS OF WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR, &C.— On Thursday the valuable collection of gold and silver coins of every English Sovereign or other form of Government, from William the Conqueror to George IV., inclusive, col lected by the late Mr. John Paget. of Cranmore Hall, Somer set, were disposed of by auction by Messrs. S. Sotheby and Co., at their auction-rooms, Wellington-street, Strand, same of which were purchased on account of the British Museum. There were 148 lots, of whkh the fellow. ing were some of the prices :—A penny of William the Con queror, canopy type, IL 155.; a ditto, full faced, sceptre .et each side, 17s. (1066); a penny, William Rufus, star on each side (1087), 11. Is. ; a penny, Henry I (1100), 10s. ; a ditto, Stephen (1135), 12s ; a groat, silver, Richard 11. (1377), struck at London, 17s. •, a halfpenny and farthing ditto, 7s. ; a noble, Henry IV. (1399), gold, Is. 165.; a quarter noble, cross corslet, gold, Henry V. (1413), 175,; an angel, cross ..l eorslet, gold, Henry VI. (1422). IL Is.; an angeLltieh di' (1183), very scarce, gold, 11. 16s. ; a penny, Ric har d .iser ., struck at York, fieur de ]is with S. on brea4t. 1/. 19 and half, Phillip and Mary, silver, 2/.25.; the o .'f v for r .a ( 7 64 en g shilling piece, with armour under the horse, crown,Oliver 4/ • the Inchiquin crown, silver, 11, 1i3:7-; Cromwell (1658), IL 188.; a shilling, ditto (1658), 18s., tec. THE BUILD/NOS AcT.—We are able to state, almost Mr. with certainty, that a half-crown, A m b ros e Poynter, of Dartmouth. ditto (103 a.) ' street, Westminster, the A j o htt Mem', of Christ's Hospital, present lion. Secretary of the !n a tl • tuts of Architects, ants witr. will be the iiew official SOU*" "al WESTMORELAND AND CUMBER LAND WRESTLING SOCIETY. The ancient " buck-hold wrostle," by the natives of Cumberland and Westmoreland, took place according to annual custom yesterday (Friday), in the very extensive "festive hall" erected on the grounds of Mr. Hinton's llighbury Barn Tavern, Islington. The attendance was far beyond expectation, there being upwards of s*ooo persons present. For the "light-weight" prizes there were 36 competitors, and 58 men entered their names to contend fur the prizes given to be wrestled for by " men of all weights," being the largest number ever entered since the forming of the society. As usual, there welt) two belts presented to the winners of the first prizes. The sports commenced at two o'clock, and came off as follows: LEAPING. There were five competitors, the first prize being won by J. Dixon, who leaped IBf feet; William Duckworth winning the second, and J. Pearson the third prize. The leaping was not as good as in general, the ground being very soft. WRESTLING BY MEN NOT EXCEEDING 11 ST. FIRST TINE OvEn.—W. Jenkins threw J. Williams; James Irving buttocked Anthony Dawson; Wm. Hen derson threw Robert Co/hard with the swinging hip; Robert Lowden stopped a buttock, and threw T. Earl; S. Millwood received a back from R. Brown; J. Thomp son thre v A. Cowen ; Francis Capstick struck with the right leg and threw Isaac Fawcett; J. Scott swung J. Wilson; J. Whitehead (who came from Carlisle on pur pose to attend this match) threw cleverly J. Richardson; Sate. Pearson back-heeled Joshua Hardy; R. Graham buttocked W. Sanderson; R. Hudson hipped E. Britton; J. Hawksdale back-heeled W. Duckwith ; R. Bowman received from Banks; W. Harrison back-heeled E. Cap stick; T. Walker, after a " down fall," back-heeled James Coulthard; J. Boustead hipped R. Martindale; J. Martindale, after a " dog fall," threw Hudson very cleverly. SiccoNo TIME OVER.-Wm. Harrison, after a long bout, back-heeled F. Capstick; Simon Millwood threw Henderson, the latter attempting the "swing;" G. Thompson half-buttocked J. Irving; J. Whitehead swung R. Lowden; Sam. Pearson back-heeled Thomas Walker; R. Bowman received from Richard Hudson; John Hawksdale cleverly threw R. Graham; William Jenkinson back-heeled J. Scott; Joseph Martindale in side back-heeled Joseph Bowstead. THIRD TIME OVER.—Samuel Pear-on cleverly threw H. B rowning; George Thompson outside buttocked W. Jenkinson; J. Whitehead buttocked W. Harrison; J. Hawksdale threw S. Millwood; James Martindale re mained odd man. FOURTH TIME OVER. —Joseph Thompson threw I. Mortindale ; Samuel Pearson heeled J. Hawksdale, amidst cheers ; J. Whitehead, odd man. FIFTH TIME OVER.--Jem Whitehead struck and but tocked J. Thompson, after a good tussle. SIXTH TIME OVER.—This was for the final struggle. with the light weights, which brought together Johni Whitehead and Samuel Pearson, and after a good tussle Whitehead threw his opponent two falls in succession, and obtained the first prise amidst thunders of applause. MEN OF ALL WEIGHTS. , , FIRST TIME OVER.— In ing their falls ; Y play, many men g iv ing. In this bout the tw re en w t as -n n i o n t e m st u a c n h . SECOND DIME OVER.—George stan cards being made for the double play. F. Capstick ; nla Brunskill threw John J. Williams sharply threw Art Martindale ; J. Haigh received from h a ur lai Lowen zeph. - h o.7g s r,.r: Isaac Norman Taylor a t 3 h l r o e r w ea . rs a, the th b r y ew th l e t. in ß s o id u e ste h a i d p with the Atkinson man who won the first prize of the light we' ,, Dixon buttocked Anthony Dawson ; J. ghts last year, hipped G. Theobald ; James Wills, ;en., threw J. 'Y...,inson, receiving Erving • J. Whitehead buttocked J. R loud cheers ; R. Ewin received from E. s tew° , miah Akistee hipp e d R. S cott ; Corporal Wills received. Jere from F. Capstick ; T. Miller also received from E. Britton ; C. Dobson buttocked R. Robinson ; J. Scott hipped T. Walker,. John Carruthers remained od. - zi man. J. Akister ; THIRD T M IE OVER.—J. Carr u th ers cleve.4 hipped R. Ewin buttocked J. Williams; Corporal Wills hipped J. Dixon; C. Dobson. Cleverly buttocked Thomas Miller; Zephaniah Norman quickly hipped J. Wills, sen.; James Haigh tripped J. Scott; G. Bruns. kill, after a severe struggle, cleverly threw Isaac Taylor; Jer. Pearson struck J. Whitehead outside, and cleverly threw him, receiving loud applause. FOURTH TIME OVER.—Corporal Wills laid down John Carruthers ; J. Haigh cleanly hipped R. Ewin; J. Pear-, son threw G. Brunskill. 'lbis was considered a ver, 7 scientific wrestl e , an d one of the best of the day, Pe', throwing his oppon ent b y the inside ..click," C. D o h. son quickly buttocked Z. Norman. FIFTH TIME OVER,—C. Dobson and_ J. Pearson came together, good play being d.ispitvreil on both sid es , b ut Dobson threw Isis alltagot',"st a beautiful f a ll b y t h e swinging- hip; Corporal Willi buttocked J. Hay cleverly. SIXTH TIME 0,411 AND FINAL. FALL.— C. Dobson and Corporal Wills met to contend the final struggle for heavy weights, both men dodging much for the hold, when Dobson, after a severe struggle, threw his oppo nent the first fall, and Corporal Wills having met with an accident, was not able to contest :he following falls, and the prize and belt was awarded to Dobson. The following are the men who received the respec. tile prizes:— LIGHT WEIGHTS. First Prize—Jonathan Whitehead, Cumberland, 81, >an d a handsome belt. Second Prize—Samuel Pearson, Cumberland, 41. Third Prize—John Thompson, Cumberland, 21. Fourth Prize—John Hawksdale, Carlisle, 21. ALL WEIGUTS. First Prize—C. Dobson, Cumberland, 81. 'and a hand some belt. Second Prize—Corporal Wills, Carlib►, e , 4/. Thin Prize—J. Haig, Carlisle, 21. Fourth Prize—J. Pearson, 21. SPOR TING IN TELLIGENCE. owinNEWARKET CRAVEN METING. The following ho rses bare arrived at Etiewmarket in the course of the week : Lord Stradbroke's Idas, Lyrueus, and Pole Cat--Lord Chesterfield's Lady Wildair, Arkright, and Free Lane—Lord Glamis's Satyr-4;olonel Anson's Toga—Lord Mv:idstone's Torn Tullock—Colonel Anson's Austrian, Turpin, and Row_ lead Hill—Mr. Jacques's Spur—Mr. Bowes's Ukra'ne, Volga, and Mewerina. The stables are healthy, and all the horses bare, except the Lucetta colt, doing good work. The weather is fine, and the course in good ord( Vol-au-vent is declared not to start. BETTING AT MANCHESTER. -FRIDAY. NEWMARKET HANDICAP.-11 to 1 agst Corrann a()— I 2 to 1 agst Arthur (t.)-14 to 1 agst Thrapston-16 to I agst. Queen of Tyne. THE SOMEESETSHIRE STAKES.-6 to I agst Intrepid --6 by 1 agst Lord Saitoun-10 to 1 agst Giantess-10 to 1 agat Salopian--20 to 1 agat Miss Burns. CHESTER Cur.-12 to 1 agst Weatherbit-14 to 1 agst Sweatmeat--20 to 1 agst Best Bower-25 to 1 agst Crum Con-25 to 1 agst Vitula-20 to 1 agst Pitzallen-83 to 1 agst Pedometer (t.)-50 to 1 agst Hope. DERBY.-4 to 1 agst Sting-16 to 1 apt Brocardo (t.)- 20 to 1 agat Tom Tulloch-20 to I agst The Traverser-2s, to 1 agst Humdrum. ERRATUM.—In the list of horses arrived at Newmarket for Colonel Anson's " Toga," read " Ingo," HUNTING APPOINTMENTS. Her Majesty's stag lids, Mon., Stoke Common-10*. B. V. 11., Tues., Stoke Wood; Fri., Whateomb Wood—. 11i (a deer). Cambridgeshire hds., Toes., George Inn (Burfcden). Mr. Horredon's lids., Mon., Golbardown; Thurs., Five Lanes-1(4. PONY RACE AT BEWDLEY.--A little spOrtirog affair took place in the neighbourhood of Bewdley, on Monday afternoon last, which created much interest. Iteeswing, a pony, the property of Mr. James Hooper, landlord of the: Peacock Inn, Bewdley, was b ac k e d for fifteen sovereigns tea run against a pony named Mystery, brought forward by Kr- Bluck, residing near Cleobury. The race came off in &field! at the back of Spring Grove plantations, in the presence of a large concourse of spectators. Mr. Hooper rode bits *win pony, carrying nine stone, and Mystery . was ridden by a boy carrying eight stone; the latter pony bemgallowed ono stone. The distance, two mile heats. After a long interval of sus pense the necessary preparations were at length concluded, and the start took place. Mystery took the lead at starting,, her opponent., far behind. at the and maintained it throughout the whole of the first heat, ing its speed. The first heat havingth r us eti t t e7ulo " surprise w ra g w a ae llan fe t l Y t'a l t ea H v Oo n po g r holding in his pov s e n v bein . stery was repressing p h u r e i : 18 1: a after a sport time had elapsed it was announced tb , -'''', at this throughout, stakes; had been withdrawn; and all parti es t d h is e ap fa p v oi c i l t r e i ci te ,t, rather t e , xp t ec he te b d et e tl n 4 usi°ll ' • y favour. Au ordinary was provided at the A 5 3to 1 in her gate, which was well attended,.....T en 7 - 11 c . -bor Inn, Welch- GREAT TRoTTINQ Motu. OTA 'a til t "' illesse4ger. lox's grey mere and Mr. tldridges b :Lrsday Mr. Tay their + 1 live miles trOttabe match at Ne• I'i - own horse performed was Wolk kru il ie - or Cross, and the match grey, w ho went over the five miles in twenty ulin'tes. * The stakes were 101. . WHAT SHOULD PARLIAMENT Do!—A difficulty exists—from the great number of projects now before Par liament—as to what course should be pursued as regards them. That difficulty is very easily conquered. Let Par liament pass Bills for all the really good lines, and add an enactment to each that no call should be made on the share holders for two years, at least. Money will be scarce fbr some time to come. Railways must be made. Pass the Bills, suspend the carrying them into operation before money is again plentifid, and all will be well.—Railway Express. DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT BRENTFORD.—Yesterday morning, between twelve and' one o'clock, information was received at the London fire engine stations of the outbreak of an extensive fire in the town of Brentford. The engines were kept working for a considerable time, when the firemen eventually succeeded in extinguishing the flames. The damage is very considerable, and is thus reported by Mr. Superintendent Braldwood to the insurance offices :—Measre. Emmerson, sail-makers, tarpauling dressing shed destroyed, counting house burned down, the cont en t s o f sail-loft seriously burned, and the roof consumed ; insured in the Globe and Phoenix fire offices. Messrs. Keene and Blake, whardelfn and lightermen, the stock in g r anary extensively , _!_r,; by fire and water, and about one third of t he _ , ce Duntru oil': stock and building insured in the Globe Fi off. The total number MORTALITY OF THE METROPOLIS. — d 'n the week ending of deaths registered In the m etropoli,: rom an y t ienee, the total April 4, is 1,080, includin Lb s from du vi olence, is 988, showing a de number of deaths, except deathsfrom disease, as compared crease in the number of . _ Diseas of the lungs. and with the preceding week, of 25 are h b een the most fatal • ation, appear to organs of resp iration, than 316 persons bttving died • o f the week, no less diseases from them. ARS —EASTER TE CHANCER Y ARRE ARS.—EASTER • 1 1 .11.---It appears the eq uity cause registers, that the nm:nber, including en tries, up closing the Register -0 P 1 er tries, up to theo ace, during the Present holidays, of appeals before the Loat Chancellor, and original causes, before the Vice - Chancellors, for hearing or disposal on pleas demurrers, exceptins, or f urther directions, is 285 exclusive of those betT,e the Master of the Rolls); of this total 46 are appeals before the Lord Chancellor, 135 are causes before the Vice-Chancellor of England, 71 before Vioe-Chancellor Brace, and 33 before Vice-Chancellor Wlrain. 111UNGER AND ITS CONSEQUENCES- - A WARNING,.— The poor of Ballylongford waited on the Rev. Mr. Maca;thy to inform him that if they had not relief in a week , they would be compelled to slaughter his cattle for their . Deena . tios I They visited the few resident gentry of t)'.iat district, and gave a similar warning.—Limerich au otigle.