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

LITERATURE. PEN AND INK SKETCHES OF POETS, PREACHERS, AND POLITICIANS, firo. " A book which you can take up and lay down when you please," formed Dr. Johnson's beau-ideal of a read able volume. It it gossipped about public persons,—if it drew pen-portraits 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 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 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 Millie ; 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 - la w Rhymer ;" W ill i a ms Macaulay, and Bulwer ; Hunt and Cobbett ; Peel and " the Duke;" Crabbe, Legh Richmond, and Professor Keble ; Lady Blessington and Thomas Miller ; Buck land, Milinan, 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 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 poet facilities, I saw, on one occasion, the corpse of the —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 had been in timate with the mind of Byron. His wondrous works had 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 ;:ad been familiar from my boyhood ; and now, far more i;eautiful, 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 in 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 tit' 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. Indee,i, it far more resembled an exquisite piece of aculpto, - 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 Kest., tells us is a joy for ever.' It is in deed a melamchol y oy to me to have gazed upon the silent poet. As Wasi,ington Irving says of the old sex ton, who crept into the vault where Shakspeare was en tombed, and beheld there the dust of ages, 6 It was some thing even to have seen the dust of Byron.' " Amongst the persons engaged 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 kpoet's death, and gave me a lock of his hair. Fletcher Cd 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 , tal l and slightly built. His forehead, rather receding , a nd 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, ben,,ath which glowed [that is the best word rte express what I mean] two of the most brilliant dark 'eyes I ever beheld. Their beauty did not consist so much in their brill2Ancy, as in their deep, contemplative expression. His nose was remarkably aquiline, so much 1101 that it approach ed to the beak formation. But it was in :be mouth, w hich, after all, is the most expres sive feauce of the human face, that the peculiar charm of Southey's looks lay. —the upper lip was finely curved, and slightly p:ojected over the lower—but it is in vain to attempt a dOecription .of it. Nearly every painter has failed to transfer it to Ca evas—indeed, I have never seen a good likeness of the L aureate, for it was no *ally matter to catch the ever•_ffit k ing lights and shadows which, with every changing e .rno;i0o, passed over his countenance." • • • " Southey's favourite attitude was th of lying back in his chair, his elbows resting on the are la, and the his tips 'of his forefingers placed on the inner portie e t Y ;a e : brows, over the surface of which they condi. versed, his eyes being closed excepting whe \c spoke. n The conversation, at one time, turned on Byron:- e tick lish subject for both Cottle and Southey. The N4t , c er said, somewhat egotistically, I thought—but that or, Southey's weak point—' No man cats honour Byron's genius more than myself ; b u t I flp e rnented him • doing as much harm as he might have 'ney done.' So little is really known of Mrs. Hemans, that the chapter which treats of her will be perused, t no doubt, with avidity by every blue - stocking ihe gr. : and. She isnust have been a charm in g person. Ex. -‘• I cannot w ell conceive a more ex q uisi tely beautiful .creature than M rs. Hemans was—none of thebp:eaorurtrt!lin4 'or busts I have ever seen of her do her justice, IpoAsible for words to convey to the reader any ideaisoitf tthe 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 eleXiOn was remarkably clear, and her high forehead :looked as pure and spotless as Parian marble. A calm trepose, not unmingled with melancholy, was the charac toristic expression of the face; hut when she smiled, all tr aces of sorrow were lost, and she seemed to be but a lit tie lower than the angels'—fitting shrine for so pure a min d 1 Let me not be deemed a flatterer or an enthu alas t, in thus describing her, for I am only one of many, whc have been almost as much captivated by her per son' d beauty, as charmed by the sweetness and holiness of b er productions. If ever poems were the reflex of the bea Mies, personal and mental, of their writers, they were indet so in the case of Mrs. Hemans. " Ve talked of L. E. L. Mrs. Hemans said she had recei'v ed several letters from her, containing pressing invite Lions to visit London. A place I never was in, and n ever wish to be,' she observed. My heart beats too lo tidly, even in this quiet place, and there I think it W ould burst. The great Babel was not made for such • • 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 " Christabelle." ATLAN TIC COMM UN ICATION. MR. M‘GFACHY'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. (From the Jamaica Dispatch, March 11.) A pr , jest 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 WGeathy, Esq.., Croefn 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 , to submit to t h e notice of the British people the details of a scheme, which appears to be as feasible as it is fraught with importance to the commercial interests of the empire. The importance of r a p id 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 awl' 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 has 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. IVGeachy proposes to vary th• 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 prjection, 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 Florida, 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'Geachy 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'Cleachy's project is not confined to the western world. He 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'Creachy 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‘Geacky also contemplates, and has designed a t plan for embracing at some future period, in the general 1 ~,s t , e me which he has laid down, the Bra zilian em p ire , ' an d ‘,!ountries adjacent. by means of a railroad runnin g with the coast, and with the aid of steamers p a rallel runi iing t,zreen a point in the ea stern extremit y of Brazill and th. e doast of Africa, to be again taken up by rail way's. The project, we ;:ave reason to believe, will, together isplaying the lines c,,ntem with some beautiful m.lps plated, be transmitted by the present mail to Sir Robert Peel, having been previously submitted to Lord Elgin, and to the beads of departmwts in the United States, as well as in Canada and the oilier 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 Jan:larY the Atlantic —continuing with ver commenced one of the most terriffic and protracted t. srepests that ever swept aiatle, or rather no of this disastrous and unparallelsld we" in termissionthey for over 45 days. OulaCCO 111:.3 of the conse quencesyet comparatis ely few, but they are such : the , : ii , r . e , as belief that a great number of vessels have : s B l. l. total or partial shipwreck. Our fleet otu"lau'le the ere eittier packets, which have been for a b month bey. l ° ‘ over-due usual time, beating and staggeringla hugeout the oces . o h : d their now enveloped with ice, are looking pro cess of chrystalization, and aron Tee ' lig o g fi em th s ro l u h 10 or 20 degrees of latitude to the south, for the g purpose' of getting thawed out. Icebergs, ov-stornasand fierce hurricanes have beset these vessels on every side, and the sea every now and then swept over their decks, dashed in their bulwarks, carried s t orey their boats, and left the crew helpless and freezing. Masts, rigging, and sails, were carried away daily and n ightly, and the sailors, officers, and passengers, have heel.' ox •hardships for sd posed to indescribable a - • g. But " ' Come—l will show you my poetic mint,' she snid— eea she 'led the way to a room over the one in which we t h ese excellent vessels, with their gallant captains and which connot be contemplated without . shrinkin g. NI 'ere sitUng. It was a very small place, but neat almost crews have, so far as the y h ave yet been heard from, is ) a fault. There eras no author-litterings. Eve r y thin g fully ma intained the reputation which their successful '1 /as in order. An open letter lay on the table. She vointed to it, and said, lhingly contests with winds and waves have heretofore won for " ' An application gr a mf y autograph, and the postage Europe, and unpaid. You cannot imagine how lam annoyed with have been long expected--the RosciUs, Sea, On Saturday, four of these admirable vessels, which albums and such matters. A person, who ought to have eye dim with known better, sent me an album, lately, and begged a anxious heart and brightening many an Hendrik Hudson, arrived in port, gladdening many an 1 piece from_ me, if it was only long enough to fill up a watching Below we publish the accounts of the pas -1 rage of sky-blue tinted paper, which he had selected for 1 is e to write upon.' rages t i n ot * .. In incidentally referring to her compositions, she said w hi ch w a i r l e l which reach the bottom of human sympathy. likebe d p e e e r p us s e e d a l a in 'i e t s h , r t e h st 3 . se remain chiming iis my mind for d ays , ship R scius Captain A. Eldridge, sailed from The 0 . lie fore I commit them to paper. And i b' rget many, which I compose as I sometimes . lquite • Liverpool on the 13th January, experiencing continued lie awake in bed. • gales from N.W. and W.S.W., with rain, snow, and hail (1., m iposition is less a labour with me than the act of interspersed with thunder and lightning. January 26 „ l i t i n g down what has impressed me, excepting in the and 27, experienced a heavy gale from the N.W. and ea se of blank verse, which always lit e labour. My thoughts have beens involves something W.N.W., during which we shipped a heavy sea, stove o used s to go in b u l war k s i n t h e wa i s t, and filled the decks with water. th a harness of rhyme, that when th e rix n without it, the y are o ften diffused , o they ar r e l uffered to F e b ruary llt h , i n l a t. 43 22, lon. 49 20, was running in lose sight, its the ardour of composition, of the 1 • a gale from S.E., wind hauled suddenly to N.W., and leading idea alto ge ther.' blew a hurricane with great violence, accompanied with o M rs . Heman's voice was peculiarly musical, nd I sleet and snow, stove in the cabin windows, filling the Wt ,old have given anything to have heard her and cabin floor with water, hauled up fore-sail and aoi ne of her own poetry; but I did not dare to hazarde fore-topsail, and made every exertion to furl au ili a request, and feeling that I had intruded quite tb.em, but could not, owing to the excessive hit ig enough on her time, I after a short time took cold weather, and the sails and rigging being full of my i d e p ce, and many of the crew having their hand s " arture. I must not omit to mention, for the especial benefit froz n. February 12, experienced another violent gale or my fair readers, that Mrs. Hemsns' dress was simple the most furiously ; weather extremely cold and en et ugh. She wore a white gown (I really sin not learned the sea running very high, during which we carried en laugh in such matters to say whether it was ©t cotton away all three topgallant .masts, stove in the starboard or muslin), over which was thrown a black lace shawl— bulwarks i n th e gangway, letting in the sea constantly of i her heal was a cap of very open net - work , without. on deck. Everything below and aloft being encumbered fle wen or ornament of any kind." with ice rendered it impossible for the men to work the ship- The three topgallant-masts thumping to and fro, We have quoted sufficient to show that there is plea- cutting and chafing the spars and rigging, and all the stvi it reading in thi. work :—it will gratify curiosity sails blowing from the gaskets to atoms. making upon ala t •tit eminent people, a-1 its own literary merit ought the he whole, a dismal scene. February 13, shipped a to. is, take it live far be} and ts., season. As we are " no- off av lo y a l h ea, ha st to o h ve es bow house . , tore tarpaulins, and worked tl tin ' a if not critical," 'aye may riniark that Dire. Fry h From all January leant , g in large quantities of water. 20 to let March, we did not make one point of eastern, and had to go south to thaw the ice on tl.e rigging and sails. Saw some ice to the east of the banks. The ship Sea had heavy gales from W.N.W. to W.S.W. from the 25th of January to the 10th of February, when we were on the banks; fresh breeze from W.N.W. and very cold weather; much ice about the ship fo , ward. 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 foreyarrl ; 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 satl4, everything being in such a state wish 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 let. 41 20 N , lon. 50 35 W. ; when I bore away I was in Ist. 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. ot 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, bad 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 [nests. 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 fagged out, and having four hanc's 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 had been living in the foretop, but there was no person there when I pas-ed 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 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 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 course. 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 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, and one of the men were much bruised and completely exhausted when taken on board of the Europe. THE LOSS OF THE EMIGRANT SHIP CATARAt:.tUE. Copies of correspondence respecting the loss of the emigrant sh;p 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, 1855, 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." lie 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. 1. ; but it was not rill 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 hi. 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. T: :e 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 gtephen,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. fdlowing are a few of the most deplorable instances o f toe extensive destruction of entire families from among the number :—Charles Knott, his wife, and seven children nerlahed ; William Cook, his wife, with six sons and daughters ; Patrick Maguire, his wife, and seven sons and daughters ; Anthony Aiurray, 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 e -tees where fathers, and seven children were thus in • scan taneonsly swept from existence. There were alto gethe." 6cfamilies on board, numbering 313 persons ; besides 33 unmarried females, and 23 unmarried males. %calamitous loss of life and property The folio loiter regards what is stated might have A tiI L I ;TTER FROM CAPTAIN HAMILTON, R.N., TO eTAMES STEPHEN, ESQ. Cpore:y,enoterd Admiralty, Feb. 14, 1 my Lords Commissioners commanded b y y ou will br!n,rt the following Sir,—l aln tic r e of Mr. Secretary of the Admi,"alty to request t;ladstone. w hich has been done, and the chart of disastrous wrecks that had occurred devrmined fac l t . s Ttohothueumn(i; my Lords to have it tho irnoußghasl; S t surveyed,raits , published, and nothing is wanted to its free navigation but judicious lights. In the years 1841 and 18 42 , a Co mmittee of the Wales examine d our surve y - Legislature of New South 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. been done , th ou g h each y ear Si nc e that, nothing has 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, or Ole Cataraque, in which four hundred and fo urteen emigran:s perishe e Otway, d. A single light on t hat island, or on Cap would have prevented this frightful misrortune. 2. Under these circumstances, my Lords trust her Ma jesty's Government will take such measures as they mar deem proper, to insure proper lighthouses being erectcd to prevent such disaster- in future ; and in the mean time my Lords will consider it their duty to prevent navigating l i t g ; at a i nd tthheeysawidoulsdtrraeitcsointimll elnigdhtthhuotuesemsighraa transports, with troops or with convicts, to attempt vuet ships should he also prohibited from navigating them for the same period. I have, &c., (Signed) W. A. B. HAMILTON. To Jas. Stephen, Esq. THE SUN, LONDON, SAT'URDAT EVENING, APRIL 11,_ 1846. IRELAND. EVICTION OF TENANTRY.-SCENE AT ! GURTMORE. We witnessed on Friday ;;;;Jiig 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 Gurtrnore. 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 cf 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 keep the passage clear for the landlord, the sub sheriffs, and the bailiffs. 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 isi 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 pol ic e 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 I Pat Clancy was the second man who was dispossessed, and who showed our reporter a rece ipt 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 w e ll as f or his fellow-sufferers. Another officer slid to Clancy's son, " Well, my boy ; where will you sleep to-ni 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 dit. 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 liberaily come forward on this visitation of Providence—want and famine in the land." EVICTION OF TENANTRY. The Cork Examiner givei 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 1,154 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. and 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 WATERFORD.—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 Kira, 1843, potatoes of the best quality were sold at 211. per stone , in 1844, at 4id. ; in 1845, at 34d. ; and now, this year, 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 has 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 cho wretched sufbrers 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 2id. to sd. per stone, and oatmeal from 13s. to 16s. per cwt. Turf can scarcely be had at any price, so much so ri th u a b t li t c he in c s o ti ttr t i ut a i c al ttr s f h s a w , 'h e o hate appred un t d o er b tan be let to on su i p .r p o l m y t t h h e e 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 issued from the Joint- Stock Companies Registration-office, addressed to the several provisionally registered rail way 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 shareho:ders, 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-fifths 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, fur 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 100/. purporting to have been drawn by Mr. John Lome, another farmer of the same place, and payable at the Joint-Stock Bank at Kingsbridge. This bill turned out to be a forgery. We bear that Hewett had previously defrauded his creditors, and that a short time since he was arrested on a bill for 70/., and was on his route to Exeter, but when ha reached Totnes he managed to effect his escape from the sheriff'] .fficer,and subsequently the bad bill was paid. He then drove away all his cattle, and it may very readily be 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 hal taken a passage for himself and his two eons 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 llewett's eldest son there, they remained, thinking that llewett would join the til l they at last perceived a boat heaving to ship. The vessel, however, went a considerable distance beyond the Breakwater, when the captain called the roll, and Hewett's absence was confirmed. I'his led the officers e llead. The dicers hugged the vessel as in a sma ll open boat, and they bpeuglalnedtoinbeuanendv'l-r_ to believe he would still make his appearance, and they hung on as long as possible, and went out four or five miles beyond till they found her making pleased pith their pos.tion. unWghesiltstsotnheswreerae off, when they undert 1 long, ea sthtithe ethey Breakwater, acomuld, thought it best to leave her, as they were now several miles t o h u i t n a g t s b e u a t , alongside the ship, the younger Hewett must have signalled his father, for they at last saw the boat that was from the Rame Head turn back again, and the officers then got 10 or tire the used all possible despatch to reach the shore, and soon gained shore,steep a , 1 e w a e l t i t ou b s u e d . upon the flying party. Hewett, who was in the boat, • dently became alarmed, and the boat was Penlee Point, and Hewett and his yo moment after seen scrambling up the rocks, which,By th says our lonififocremrsan had t, reached appeared t b e e s mi nutes advantage of them. The police, accompanied bsy boatman, having left another in charge of the two boats, one made all the haste they could up the rocks, but when ti reached the heights not a soul was to be seen besides them selves, for Hewett and his son had g ot cl ear off. Mr. Cole, who has the keen eye of a Mohawk, albeit he may be slightly deficient in the scent, traced the runaways' trail across - a couple of fields, but there he lost it, as they had taken to a grass field, and left no further sign of their progress. The ship of course sailed without ttem A , an. we would not give much for Mr. Hewett's chance of escape._ p, „ . PIMA JOU DEATH OF THE HON. LADY 11ALLAC.—This lady,a widow of Sir George Dallas, Bart., and mother of the present Baronet, died on Sunday last. The deceased la dy was youngest daughter and only surviving issue of Sir John Blackwood, Baronet, and Baroness Duflerin, and married the late Sir George Dallas i n June, 1788. SEAMEN IN THE PORT OF LONDON.—S 0 mtiye is the demand for seamen, both in the mercantile marine and the navy, that yesterday the whole number of inmates at the Destitute Sailors Asylum was 10, whilst on no previous night of the week did they average more than six, the ma jorq of whom were invalids or completely destitute. •_• „ _ RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. There is ev,ry prospect that the telegraph between New York and Boston \vitt be completed as fur as New Haven by the time the next steamship arrives at Boston. Snow in the United Stater, appears to have been fall ing in such quantities as material!) , to impede the traffic of the main lines. TOURS AND NANTES.—The works on 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 BAYONNFL---The conferences which have taken place between the military engineers and the agents of the pont3 a 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 B irdeaux to the Mediterranean at Podensac, follow the Valley of the Ciron, and cross . the great plain of the Landes, 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 BIRMINGHAM.—A petition to Parliament in favour of this line, :-.a)s our Birming ham correspondent, was laid before the ironmasters' meeting at Birmingham on Thursday, and signed by all the ironmasters of the district through which the line will pass. PERTH AND INVERNESS.—WINDING UP.-At meeting of the subscribers, just Le!d 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 advisable 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 la.t 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 deatroj ed the legitimate trade of Gainsborough by di vertiug 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 about to commence their locomotive establishment at Gorton. The clause to be proposed 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 operation 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 sharehclders 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 e .ncern. HIGHLAND ROAL) and BRIDGES. TO THE HONOURABLE THE KNIGHTS, CITIZENS, AND BURGESSES, IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED. The Thirty-Second Report of the Commi-sioners 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 fur 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 l i the Badenoeh road the expenditure 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 Invermorriston 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 1991.) 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 hill adjoining 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 occurred, near Aldonrie. From the surplus tolls on the Fort George road, a further sum of 300/. 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 on the Kintail road (which fell in 1844), have been rebuilt: the Conan bridge approaches further improved ; and an important altera tion at the Logie 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 the 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 conlormity 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 .£ s. d. Lochyside roads, caused by carriage of materials for repair of Caledonian Canal ... ... 51 12 4 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 ... 111 2 2 6. Improvements between Carr Bridge and Aviemore, Badenoch road ... 360 6 2 ROSS-SHIRE. 7. Rebuilding Milnain Bridge, Contin road ... . . 248 8 9 8. improvement at Logie Bridge, Inver gordon road ... 317 1 2 9. Ditto et Conan Bridge, Dingwall road 89 14 4 10. Rebuilding Breast-walls, Kintail and Glen Shiel roads ... MORAY AND BANFF. If. Repairing and painting Craig Ellachie Bridge, and improving approaches ... ARGYLLSHIRE. .2. Improvements on Glenco road, and re pair of damage from floods ... 3. Building Breast-walls, Glenco road .. 31 11 1 193 18 5 105 5 4 47 9 6 £1,716 19 4 Leaving for ordinary expenditure ... 7,887 7 3 The general expenses. including 106/. in curred in connexi(•n with the Caith ness District Roads, have been (51/. 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 asses , ments fOr the year 1844 have been paid to the cashier of the Commiss:oners. The Appendix to this report containSTl;To. 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 Dis bursed by the Commissioners in respect of the Caithness District Roads, in the year ending Dec. 31, 1845. By order of the Commissioners, SAMUEL SMITH, March 20, 1846. Secretan to the Commissioners. 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, when was heard 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 spondent's costs. COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, FRIDAY.—The Queen and Prince Albert took an early airing in a pony phaeton this morning. Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, rvid the Princess Alice, were taken a carriage airing in the forenoon. Divine service was performed to-day (Good Friday) in the prirate chapel of the Castle. The lion. and Rev, C. Leslie Courtenay officiated. Her Majebty and Prince Albert attended the afternoon service. . Thou. 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 Lady Ernest Bruce, Lords St. Germans, Hawarden, and Vivian were among the nobility present. MINISTERIAL MO VEMEN TS. The Duke of Wellington intends to remain at Strat.h fieldsaye, Hants, until next Saturday, and during the ensuing week will receive a select circle of fii , nds for the holidays. The Earl and Countess of Wilton and family, and Viscount and Viscountess Mahan, arein vited to join the party. The Marquis of Douro pur poses 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'.: seat will this Elster 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 lion. Baronet, will shortly leave on his retur n t o S pa i n , h av i ng rece i ve d a hi g h er appointment in the British embassy. The Earl of Ellenborough returns to his official resi dence at the Admiralty on Monday next, from Southam House, Gloucestershire. The Duke of Buccleuch, 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 for the Priory, Stanmore, on a visit to the Marquis And Marchioness of Abercorn, 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. (FROSt OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) APRIL 10.—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 no 8} 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 Blaudford, 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 hi 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 May, 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 llous 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 i❑ 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 unsown, and the hind 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 MAN BY, TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sin,—ln your paper of the 19th instant, there is an article headed " Experiments at IVoolvvich," and I con sider I have some right to command and claim a small space in your excellent journal, to satisfy the public. I am the psrent 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 vissessed, 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 lite 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 o' 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. MANI3Y, Capt., F.R.S. Pedestal House, Southtown, Great Yarmouth, March 27. ROYAL ARTILLERY.— WooLivicn, APRIL 9. The non-commissioned officers and men appointed to form the 10th battalion of Royal Artillery assembled at two o'clock r.si. to-day on the guard mounting parade in heavy march ing order, in the presence of Major-General Sir 11. D. Ross, K.C.8., Deputy-Adjutant-General of Artillery ; Colonel Turner, C.B. ; Lieutenant-Colonel Bastard, Lieutenant-Co lonel orden, Lieutenant-Colony 1 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, in the absence of Captain Crawford, 4th company ; Captain St. George, sth company; Captain Yedham, 6th company ; Captain Fraser, 7th 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'liillop, 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 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 Redesdale, the Earl and Countess of Egmont, &c., are placed in mourning, SALE OF COINS OF WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR, &C. — On Thursday the valuable collection of gold and silver coins of every EngFa't 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, some of which were purchased on account of the British Museum. There were 143 lots, of which the follow ing were some of the prices :—A penny of William the Con queror, canopy type, IL 15s. ; a ditto, full faced, sceptre as each side, 17s. (1066); a penny, William Rufus, star on each side (1087), IL ls. ; a penny, Henry I (1100), 10s. ; a ditto, Stephen (1135), 12s ; a groat, silver, Richard 11. (1377), struck at London ' 178.; a halfpenny and farthing ditto, 7s- ; a noble, Henry IV. (1399), gold, ls. 16s. ; a quarter noble, cross corslet, gold, Henry V. (1413), 17s. ; an angel, d c III corslet, gold, Henry VI. ( 1422), 1L Is.; an angelic Richard 111., (1483), very scarce, gold, 11. 16s. ; a penny, _ ~..a groat struck at York, fleur delis with S. on breast, iv • r Oliver V. ; the Inchiquin crown, silver, 1/.13 , salniidlliiniagl4pireche,iliPwaitnhdal‘riniaOryu'rsiulvnedrer2tlh. 2eBl.l..;orst;h4ael°csiro.xlvf:errd,tlw6B4ng 1'8s" tc c r . e are able to state, almost a Cr s o h m ill w in e g ll , ( d l i 6 t s to B) ( , l ll s . B lB ), s. • a half-crown , ditto (1658), 11. Bs. ; THE BUILDINGS ACT.— bros. Poynter, of with certainty, certainty, that Mr. resent Johnn t I vie: o h u s . w S e o c r f e c t a h r r y i 3 o e f s the hospital,l ns ti - ' Will be Oa aow official ref s tu tr t e e e‘ of W Ar es ch tm ite in c s ti t:r a , n t d he ja P r. _vie auilier. WESTMORELAND AND CUMBER •• LAND WRESTLING SOCIETY. The ancient " buck-hold wrestle," by the natives of Cumberland and Westmoreland, took place accirding to annual custom yesterday (Friday), in the very extensive "festive hall" erected on the grounds of Mr. Hinton's Dighbury Barn Tavern, Islington. The attendance was far beyond expectation, there being upwards of 5.000 persons, preseat. For the " light-weight" prizes there were 36 competitors, and 58 men entered their names to contend for 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 v; ere two belts presented to the winners of the first prizes. The sports commenced at two o'clock, and came oft as. follows: LEAPING. There were five competitors, the first prize being won by J. Dixon, who leaped 18i 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 11sT. FIRST TIME OVER.—NV. Jenkins threw .1. Wallin - Ili; James Irving buttoeked Anthony Dawson; Wm Hen derson threw Robert Colhard with the swinging hip; Robert Lowden stopped a buttock, and threw 'F. Earl; S. Millwood received a back fr on R. Brown; J. Thomp son thre v A. Cowen; Franeis Capstick struck wi,h the right leg and threw Isaac Fawcett; J. Scott swum J. Wilson; J. Whitehead (who came from Carlisle on pur pose to attend this match) threw cleverly J. Richardson; Sam. Pearson back-heeled Joshua Hardy; H. Graham buttocked W. Sanderson; R. Hudson hipped E. Britton; J. Hawksdale back-heeled W. Duckwith; IL Bowman received from Banks; W. Harrison hack-heeled E. Cap stick; T. Walker, after a "down fall," back-heeled James Coulthard; J. Bouitead hipped R. Martindale; J. Martindale, after a " dog fall,' threw Hudson very cleverly. SECOND 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 Bowatead. THIRD TIME OVER.—Samuel Pearson cleverly threw R. Browning; 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 J. Whitehead dd Martindale ; S a m ue l P earson heeled J. Hawksdale, amidst cheers ; J. Whitehead, man. struck and FIFTH TIME OVER. _.T em o but tocked J. Thompson, after a good tussle. SIXTH TIME OVER.—This was for the final struggle with the light weights, which brought together John 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 this bout there was not much play, many men giving their falls ; twenty-nine stan dards being made for the double play. SECOND rimE OVER.—George Brunskill threw John Martindale ; J. Haigh received a fall from F. Capstick ; J. Williams sharply threw Arthur Cowen ; Zeph acian Norman threw by the inside hip Thomas Atkinson ; Isaac Taylor threw R. Boustead with the swing ; J. Dixon buttocked Anthony Dawson ; J. Pearson, the man who won the first prize of the light weights last year, hipped G. Theobald ; James Wills, sen., threw . J. Irving ; J. Whitehead buttocked J. Robinson, receiving loud cheers ; R. Ewin received from E. Stenton Jere miah Akister hipped R. Scott ; Corporal Wills received. from F. Capstick ; T. Miller also received from E. Britton ; C. Dobson buttocked R. Robinson ; 'J. Scott hipped T. Walker ; John Carruthers remained odd man. THIRD TIME OVER.—J. Carruthers cleverly hipped J. Akister; R. Ewin buttocked J. Williams; Corporal Wills hipped J. Dixon; C. Dobson cleverly huttocked Thomas Miller; Zephaniah Norman quickly hipped J. .Wills, sen.; James H a i g h t r ipp e d J. S cott; G . Bruns kill, after a severe struggle, cleverly threw Isaac Taylor; Jer. Pearson struck J. Whit e h ea d outs id e, an d c l ever l y 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. This was considered a very scientific wrestle, and one of the best of the day, Pcarson throwing his opponent by the inside " click." C. Dob son quickly buttocked Z. Norman. FIFTH TIME OVER.—C. Dobson and J. Pearson came together, good play being displayed on both sides, but Dobson threw his antagonist a beautiful fall by the swinging hip; Corporal Willi buttocked J. Hay cleverly. SIXTH TIME OVER 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 the following falls, and the prize and belt was awarded to Dobson. The following are the men who received the respec th e prizes:— LIGHT WEIGHTS. First Prize—Jonathan Whitehead, Cumberland, Si. and a handsome belt. Second Prize—Samuel Pearson, Cumberland, 4/. Third Prize—John Thompson, Cumberland, 21, Fourth Prize—. John Hawk dale, Carlisle, 21. ALL WEIGHTS. First Prize—C. Dobson, Cumberland, 81. and a hand some belt. Second Prize—Corporal Wills, Carlisle, 41. Thir I Prize—J. llaig, Carlisle, 21. Fourth Prize—J. Pearson, 2/. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. NEIVARKET CRAVEN MEETING. The following horses have arrived at Newmarket in the course of the week : Lord Stradbroke's Idas, Lynreus, and Pole Cat—Lord Chesterfield's Lady Wildair, Arkright, an d F ree L ane — Lord Glatnis's Satyr—Colonel Anson's Toga—Lord Maidstone's Torn Tullock—Colonel Anson's Austrian, Turpin, and Row land Hill—Mr. Jacques's Spur—Mr. Bowes's Ukrane, Volga, and Mowerina. The stables are healthy, and all the horses here, except the Lucetta colt, doing good work. The: weather is fine, and the course in good order. Vol-au-vent is declared not to start. BET TI NG AT MANC HE ST ER.—F RIDAY. NINVIKARKET HANDICAP.-11 to 1 agst Corranna j.)-12 to 1 agst Arthur (t.)-14 to 1 agst Th ra p s t on -16 to 1 agst Queen of Tyne. TILE SOMERSETSIIIRE STAKES.—G to 1 agst intrepid-6 to 1 agst Lord Saltoun-10 to 1 aget Giantess--10 to 1 agst Salopian-20 to 1 agst Miss B urns . . CHESTER CUT.-12 to 1 agst Weatherbit-14 to 1 agst Sweatmeat-20 to 1 agst Best Bower-25 to 1 agst Crim Con-25 to 1 agst Vitula-20 to 1 aget Fitzallen-33 to 1 agst Pedometer (t.)-50 to 1 agst Hope. DERBT.--4 to 1 agst Sting-15 to 1 agst Brocardo 1 (1.)- 20 to 1 agst Tom Tulloch-20 to 1 agst The Traverser--2$ to 1 agst Humdrum. ERRATUM.—In the list of horses arrived at Noewmarket, for Colonel Anson's " Toga," read " lago," HUNTING APPOINTmENTs . her Majesty's stag lids, Mon., Stoke Co',nrnon_lo%od— . Wo B. V. IL, Tues., Stoke Wood ; Fri., T e Vh atcomb 111 (a deer). Cambridgeshire lids., Tues., George. Inn (Buckden). Mr. Horredon's hds., Mon., Gr Aardown ; Thurs., Five Lanes-10i. PONY RACE AT RENVULEYO—..A. little sporting affair took place in the neighboulbood of Bewdley, on Monday afternoon last, which created much interest. Beeswing, a pony, the property of Mr. James Hooper, landlord of the Peacock Inn, Bewdley, was backed for fifteen sovereigns to run against a pony named Mystery, brought forward by Mr. Muck, residing near Cleobury. The race came off in a field at the back of Spring Grove plantations, in the presence of a large concourse of spectators. Mr. Hooper rode hie own pony, carrying nine stone, and Mystery was viiiden by a boy carrying eight stone; the latter pony beingillowed one 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, and maintained it throughout the whole of the first heat, which she won gallantly, les.:ing her opponent far behi n d. Much Burp is*" was felt Hooper holding in his pony, and repressing its speed, The first heat having thus terminated, after a short time had elapsed it was announced that the stakes bad been withdrawn ; and all parties retired, rather disappointed at this unexpected conclusion. Mystery was eatmteAn.dii.—__7o'7 own. s Thursday' .lisr e s s t e r g .• r. c the favourite throu g h ou t, t h e b etting being 3 to 1 in her GREAT which icAT favour. An ordinary was prov i ded at the Anchor InnW e h gat was swll TROTTING rc ed Tay lor's grey mare and Mr. Eldridge's brown horse performed their five miles trotting match at New Cross, and the match was won by the grey, who went over the five miles in twenty minutes. The stakes were 101. WHAT SHOULD PARLIAMENT Do!—A difficulty exists—from the great number of projects now before Par-• llament—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 for some time to come. Railways must be made. Pass the Bills, suspend the carrying them into operation before money is again plentiful, 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 Braidwood to the insurance offices :—Measrs. Emmerson, sail-makers, tarpauling dressing shed destroyecl, counting house burned down, the contents of sail-loft serious ly burned, and the roof consumed: insured in the Globe and Phoenix fire offices. Messrs. Keene and Blake, whdarfinamagged and lightermen, the stock in granary extensively burned by fire and water, and about one • t hird o off: stock and building insured in the G lobe MORTALITY OF THE METROPOLIS. — The total number metropolis during t he from violence, the total week ending of deaths registered in the April 4, is 1,080, including dea t hs is 988, showing a number of deaths, except from vio lence, s from disease, as compared de crease in the number of d n elab s. 2 Diseases of the lungs and with the preceding week, r f to have been the most fatal organs of respiration, appear diseases of the week, uo ess than 316 persons having di e d from them. CHANCERY ARREARS.••••-•EASTER TERM.—It appears b the eq uity cause registers, that the numb er , i nc l u di ng en y tries, up to th e closing the Register-office, during the present holidays, of appeals before the Lord Ch ance ll or, an d or i g i na l cau ses, before the V ice-Chancellors, for hearing or disposal on pleas, demurrers, exceptio ns , or f urt h er d i rections, is 235 (exclusive of those before 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 Vice-Chancellor Bruce, and 33 before Vice-Chancelloc , Wigram • H uNGER AND ITS CONSEQUENCESA WARNING,. The poor of Ballylongfonl waited on the Rev. Mr. Maoarthy to inform him that if they bad not relief in a week, they would be compelled to slaughter his cattle for their necessi ties They visited the few resident gentry of that cVatrict, and gave a similar warning.—Limerick Ch, unick,