The Sun. — London, England, 1837-05-18 00:00:00

.r' %, .~ :,. soldiery cc baitchers ;" the Reformers of Westiig n fr at#4,-.who,..'disappe'oved of his rabid violence, were.sc sages Ire-lions' skins ;" M.P.'s were " frequent ers of a hauseiotiqfame ; "-•-" England was not fit to live - Si:* J. C. Hobhouse at that time :declax,md.uiself a Republican. Will his demo cratic Tory -- colleague; Sir Te..srancis, pretend that he did not go as-fliewirarthei-? ,3iret he now turns round upon us ReformassFAN:Pneve r went so far as him, and in the white-gloved csaWagr:eat-girlish exquisitism mumbles his anile deritmeittiSt against " movement" principles and " revoliitiorteWk Clixrnaeacreasati os ; Catalina Cethegum, Quis tule , Aos de seditione querentes ? —Morning44averW67 The defeat" 41q... Aeridan, the Whig-Radical can didate for kiiidgevY'ltear, is the appropriate sequel to the adventurei - ,, , 0f: * the " unfortunate youth," Mr. Leader, in' eo ; ll kPister. The latter had declared that lie never wouiddes eithis constituents of Bridgewater, only a few weeks kmefore he declared himself a candidate for the " most veil minster. The , ,ret voices" of the electors of West ,f.Ormer was sent by the Whig,Radical party to console. the electors of Bridgewater for the desertion of ;'Mr. Leader ; but the electors happening to.have "c will of their own," chose to console them selves fr-' the loss of Mr. Leader by accepting the suit Broadwood, the Conservative, who had been - ,-1 - fen by a small majority at the former election. For the additional proofs of the weakness of the Whig Government, recently afforded by the triumph of Bur dett in Westminster, and the defeat of Sheridan in Bridgewater, the Whigs can only blame themselves. They intrigued with the Radical " rump" to turn Bur dett out of Westminster and get a Whig-Radical into his place. It is true, the ill health of Burdett had for some time past prevented him from attending to his duties in Parliament ; but if that were the real reason for calling on him to resign, why was not Col. Evans, who has utterly deserted his post for two years past, in order to earn-some thousands of Spanish piastres, called upon to resign also ? If Burdett had retired to Brighton to endeavour to recover his health, he was at :e ust more innocently engaged than the man who had got into Parliament upon the ground of being an im placable opponent of corporal punishments, and has since distinguished himself not by beating the Carlists, but by, vigorously flogging the Westminster grena * diers. He was not called upon to resign, and it is clear the whole thing was a plot concocted between the Whig Government and the Whig-Radical rump to strengthen the hands of Ministers by driving Bur dett out of the representation, getting a Whig-Radi eal iii his place, and thrusting another Whig-Radical into the vacancy for Bridgewater. In both points the Milisters have been signally defeated : the plot has exploded only to cover them with shame and confusion. They have not the consolation that the insforttnie was unavoidable, for they have brought it upon themselves by superior cunning and elaborate ,iir;enuity. They have revealed their own weakness in v way that it was impossible for their bitterest ene mies, w:thout such s contrivance on their own part, to I. , veal it. Never was Whig blundering and stupidity I ca la more manifest to the world. By the result of tirni- own " Westminster plot the Ministers have lust ,a hat is equivalent to two votes ; but what is the nu merical loss compared with the moral consequences to Whiggery of the two defeats which the O'Connell e,hourne Cabinet has sustained in Westminster and rewater ? In Westminster Sir Francis Burdett, declaring himself t:ie uncompromising champion of oce• institutioas in Church and State, and denouncing the Popish patrons of the Ministry, beats the Govern ment candidate by a clear majority of 515 ; and in liridgcvvater, Mr. Broadwood, standing upon pre cisely the same principles, though beaten at the former e;, ctioa by 18, now beats the Government candidate 1;v 58. Are there here no proofs of Constituiional re- !ction ?-L-Morning fleraid. Mr. Sharman Crawford has addressed a letter to the peopie of Ireland, on the subject of the new Irish Tithe bill. It contains a vast deal of good homely truth ; amid, though Mr. Sharman Crawford's views are as flia.netrically opposite to our own as the principles of Lord Palmerston in 1817 to the principles of Lord Palmerston in 1837, we find ourselves agreeing with e,err other paragraph which drops from his pen. Mr. Sharman Crawford begins upon that.part of the !locus pens which promises a bonus of 30 per cent. to the lithepaver upon the commutation of his tithe ; and he settles, pertinently and pithily, the question of the amount of gain to be derived by the poor, ragged, }hungry peasant from this encroachment on the Parson's irwoine. " Recollect," says our friendly foe, " this 30 per cent. is offered avowedly as a bonus to the land lords. Now, let me ask yon this plain question, how can it be a bonus to the landlords unless it be levied off the tenants? When the tenant comes to make a anew bargain he will find to his cost the truth of my assertion. He will not only have to pay the tithes, but let him - rest assured that he will also have to pay to the landlord proctor's fees. The unfor tunate tenants of Ireland may perhaps be taught to curse the day when they transferred the tithe to this new taskmaster, to be the proctor for the Established Church." All this is perfectly true —nay, it is ex ceedingly trite. It is obvious that every shilling re mitted in the shape of tithe to the tenant will be ex acted in the shape of rent by the landlord ; and that the landlord's claim will be far more punctually ad vanced, and far more rigidly urged, than ever the Mi nister's has been. The marvel is, that, with this self evident proposition staring us in the face, we should find one knave impudent enough to assert, one knave credulous enough to believe, that Ireland will be bene fitted by a transfer of a certain part of a particular pro perty from the Clergyman, in whom we have witnessed forbearance, and upon whom we may enforce re sidence, to the landlord, who is uniformly more severe, and who has a right to be an absentee. Mr. Sharman Crawford proceeds to cc the ether con siderations connected with this affair," and admi nisters to the honest promoters of the " abstract re solutions" so sound a castigation that even in Con servative hands it is difficult to imagine the lash more heartily or effectually wielded. " How," he asks, " did the present Administration put out their oppo nents ? The appropriation clause. How have they held office ? The appropriation clause. Why is it surrendered ? Because the surrender would now pro mote the longer retainment of dice. Former profes sions are, then, cast to the winds." Again we assent to the truth of Mr. S. Crawford's doctrine. We fore told, at the commencement of the Session, that the House of Commons would not this year see the appro priation clause, nor any part of the appropriation clause, nor anything like the appropriation clause. 'We were not mistaken. The appropriation clause is abandoned, And since Lord John Russell's resolution, still unre scinded, binds the House of Commons to this propo sition, that, without the distinct affirmation of the ap propriation principle, "no measure upon the subject of tithes in Ireland can lead to a satisfactory and final adjustment," we can conceive no cause or mo tive for the abandonment but that which the letter on which we are commenting imputes—the miserable love of pay and place, which were obtained on disgrace ful terms, and are to be defended, it seems, on terms yet more disgraceful. But, as Mr. Sharman Crawford justly observes, " Some mask must be - found, under the cover of which Irish and English Liberal Members may be called on to sustain this abandonment of prin ciples and professions. What is it ? You are first to_ confirm the title of the Church to all her pos sessions, and then you are to .take from the Clergy a taxation of ten per cent., without any title at all to demand it. You are first to be spoliated- your selves, and then you are to become spoliators in turn. The ghost of Henry VIII. is to be called forth, to become the protestor of the religious liber ties of the Catholics of Ireland. This Act says, the Clergy must be sworn to keep schools, to teach the English language ; but observe, it also says, that the clergy are to take the accustomed stipend or salary. How, then, does is give this new title to taxation ?" How, indeed ! Mr. Sharman Crawford ----- Tay ask till the Corn Exchange shall he peaceable, or Crithe Shannon shall he dry— till there shall be truth ii; Popery, or till there shall be honesty in Derrynane. I, Ord Morpeth will talk for an hour—Mr. Spring ILi te will talk for two ; but no answer will Mr. Shar- mail; Crawford receive. He puts another interrogatory adinits of an easier reply ; and he replies to it himself explicitly and satisfactorily. " And after all," says he to the poor peasants, who are promis ing themselves ten per cent. out of the vicar's in come in the shape of horn-books and primers— " After all, if you had this ten per cent., what would you gain 2 Nothing. You already get this money from the national funds, and you would get as much more as would be required." * * * * * It is indeed so, though few, like Mr. Sharman Crawford, have the candour to confess it. The English Parliament has shown no reluct ance to consider the subject of Irish education, and to provide funds for its promotion. But the silly, or profligate men who agitate about the surplus, and the appropriation, and the Clergy tax, care as little for the education of the Irish as for the conversion of the Hindoos. They look with little interest to the pur pose for which money is wanted ; but they look with intense avidity to the source whence money is to be drawn. Their pretext is to instruct the peasant ; their purpose is to pauperize the pastor. We are glad to find points of agreement with an adversary, now that the advent of spring, and the elections for Westminster and Bridgewater, have put us into the best possible temper. We will not, therefore, discuss with Mr. S. Crawford the matters on which we should quarrel with him. We cannot admit that one of the objects of the scheme introduced in place of the appropriation clause is " to benefit the Church by securing her revenues ;" but we cordially echo his assurance that another is "to benefit the expectants of office by holding in a Government which must serve them."—Morn. Post. THE SEASONS. The change of the Sun's position in the heavens, relatively to the inhabitants of this globe, is the occa sion of his appearing to rise and set in different parts of the horizon at different periods of the year. Hence it is, that his altitude with us is so much greater in summer than in winter; the different lengths of the days and nights, and the vicissitudes of the seasons, depend also upon the motion which effects this change. Sometimes we perceive him very high in the heavens, as if he would attain to our very zenith : at those pe riods his rays fail upon us with much greater force, he continues longer visible, the earth and the air are con siderably heated, vegetables flourish and arrive at their perfect state, every animal seems cheer ful : and this agreeable season, we will call sum mer. Shortly after, he removes farther- south, his time of continuing visible becomes constant ly shorter and shorter, until at last it is reduced to a few hours ; the Sun is then almost sunk in the southern part of the heavens, the earth is covered with frost and snow, the air is disturbed with violent winds and tempests, vegetables perish, and animals are be numbed with cold : we call this dreary season, winter. The intermediate season, when the Sun begins to re turn towards us, and to revive by his genial influence, • the animal and vegetable world, is called spring. The season when he again begins to withdraw his influence, when fruits ripen, and vegetable life begins to decay, is our autumn. In Nflecting on .the phenomena at tending the seasons of the year, we find the goodness of Almighty God, visible in these regular successions to mankind, and exhibit at the same time his wisdom and power. The light of the day is useful for labour and business, the coolness and stillness of night as proper for sleep and rest to the wearied faculties email. The summer's heat is absolutely necessary to ripen the fruits of the earth, and for brinning on the delightful plenty of autumn ; but the winter's cold and frost are useful to prepare the earth for the seed, and to cause its fer tility. Flow ought the truly Christian philosopher to contemplate wit') devotional feelings these proofs of divine beneficence, recurring at their severial periods for our benefit ; and well might the Royal Psalmist ex press a wish, which we may echo, '' Oh, that men would praise the Lord for all his goodness, and for his wonderful work to the children of mcn.”—Torvis and Count iv Magazine. THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY, MAY 18, 1837. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF COMMONS, MAT 17. The SPEAKER took the Chair at the usual hour. The Gentlemen from the East India Board presented re• turns of the compensations for the reduced services of the Officers of the East India Company. NEW WRIT FOR GLASGOW. On the motion of Mr. E. J. STANLEY, a new writ was ordered in the room of Mr. James Oswald, who had ac cepted the Chiltern Hundreds. Sir C. BLUNT presented petitions from Lewes against Rennie's Line for the Brighton Railway. Mr. P. M. STEWART brought up the Report on the Glasgow, Paisley, and Greenock Railway. Mr. WILKS presented a petition from the London Dock Company against the Grand collier Dock Company Bill. The Honourable Member also presented a petition from the London Cemetery Company against certain pro visions in the Portland Cemetery Company Bill. BELFAST HARBOUR. Mr. E. TENNENT brought up the Report of the Committee on the Belfast Harbour Bill. STAFFORD CANAL. On the motion of Sir 0. MOSLEY the Lords' Amend ments to the Stafford Canal Bill were considered and agreed to. SLIGO FISHERIES. On the motion of Mr. E. TENNENT, the Sligo Fishe• ries Bill was read a third time and passed. CHURCH-RATES. Mr. ORD presented two petitions in favour of the M nisterial plan for the abolition of Church-rates. TORY GOVERNMENT. Mr. R. D. BROWN presented two petitions from Mayo and Sligo, praying the House to give its earnest support to his Majesty's Government, and expressing great apprehen sion if Tory misrule should again prevail in Ireland. Sir J. GRAHAM presented a petition from the Board of Guardians of a Union in Westmorland, praying for cer tain alterations in the Poor Law Amendment Act. HUDDERSFIELD ELECTION. The HON. BARONET then presented a petition in the absence of his Hon. Friend the Member for the North Riding of Yorkshire, Mr. W. Duncombe, complaining of certain proceedings which had taken place at the Huddersfield election. The petition was read by the Clerk, and prayed that the House would make such inquiry as should seem to it fitting, for declaring the election of Edward Ellice, jun., Esq., null and void. The petition further prayed that the Attorney-General might be directed to prosecute the parties implicated at the public expense. Mr. BAINES inquired the name of the petitioner. The CLERK—Mr. Oastler. The SPEAKER said that if the petition merely prayed that the election might be declared null and void, it would be clearly an election petition, and then Mr. Oastler would have been bound to enter into the necessary recognizances to prosecute, but the petition prayed further that the At torney-General might be directed to prosecute certain par ties ; and, therefore, the House could not take cognizance of it. Sir J. GRAHAM would not have presented the pe tion, if he had considered it an election petition. He had merely moved, in the absence of his Hon. Relative, that the petition be laid on the table. After a few words from Mr. P. THOMSON, the pe tition was ordered to lie on the table. Mr. JEPHSON presented a petition from Marlow in favour of the Ministerial measure for the introduction of Poor-laws into Ireland. Colonel WESTE NRA presented petitions from King's County in favour of the Ministerial measure for the intro duction of Poor-laws into Ireland, and expressing confidence in his Majesty's Ministers. Mr. C. FERGUSON presented petitions from Kirkcud bright and other places in favour of the Borough Barony Bill. Mr. WILKS presented petitions from the Baptist as sociation of a parish in Buckingham, and other places in the county of Buckingham, for the abolition of Church-rates. Mr. M ARSL AND presented petitions from Stockport and other places to the same effect. Mr. C. LUSHINGTON presented similar petitions from Barbican, and several parishes i❑ Southampton. Mr. F. BARING presented petitions from Portsmouth, in favour of the abolition' of Church-rates. Mr. SANFORD presented similar petitions from Fa rishes in the county of Somerset. Mr. C. RUSSELL presented a petition from Reading, signed by 1,200 persons, praying the Ministerial plan for the abolition of Church Rates might not pass into a law. Mr. HINDLEY presented a petition from Hythe, in favour of Sir A. Agnew's Bill for the Better Observance of the Sabbath ; and a petition from the Operatives of Bolton, in favour of the Ten Hours' Factory Bill. Dr. BOWRING presented a petition from the Town Council of Kilmarnock, praying that that Borough might be excluded from the operation of the Scotch Municipal Reform Act. On the motion of Mr. LEFROY, the evidence of the Longford Election Committee was ordered to be printed. Mr. GROTE presented a petition from the Rate-payers of St. Botolph, Aldgate, in the city of London, in favour of the Ministerial measure for the abolition of Church -rates, and a petition to the same effect from the congregation of Protestant Dissenters of New Broad-street, London. SUGAR DUTIES. The HoN. MEMBER then presented a petition from the Chamber of Commerce of Madras, praying that the port of Madras be put upon the same footing as the port of Cal cutta with regard to the duties charged upon Sugar. Mr. WAKLEY presented a petition from a gentleman of the name of Chaplin, praying for an inquiry into the law regulating Friendly Societies. Also a petition from a Barrister in the Temple, complaining of the anomalies in the Sheriffs' Court and Small Debts Bill. The Hon. Member also presented a petition from Worthing, praying that the Dorchester labourers might be allowed immediately to return to their families. Mr. DUNLOP presented petitions from different parts of Ayrshire, against the Borough Barony Bill. Mr. HUMPHRIES presented a petition from South wark, against the Croydon and Greenwich Railway Bill. Mr. ROEBUCK presented petitions against the intro duction of Poor Laws into Ireland, in favor of the vote by Ballot, Municipal Reform in Ireland, and the extensi•n of the Suffrage. Sir C. BLUNT moved that the petition which had just been presented, relative to Stephenson's line, be printed with the votes, and taken into consideration on Friday. Sir G. CLERK presented a petition from the Inhabi tants of Montrose, against the Montrose Harbour Bill. Also a petition from the Synod of Lothian against the Mi nisterial plan of Church-rates. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL presented a petition from Edinburgh, praying for the abolition of the punish ment of death in all cases except where murder had actu ally been committed. Lord SANDON presented a petition from the mer chants and bankers of Liverpool, praying that the Bill in troduced by the Hon. Member for Wigtonshire (Sir A. Agnew) might be allowed to go into Committee. WILLS BILL. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL, seeing the Hon. and Learned Member for the University of Oxford in his place, would take that opportunity of mentioning the subject of the Wills Bill, and, with his permission, would move that it be read a second time—at the same time, assuring him that he would have ample opportunity at a future stage of the Bill to make any objection to the details, and to move any amendment he might think proper. Sir ROBERT INGLIS felt indebted to the Ho nourable and Learned Gentleman for his courtesy, in not moving the second reading in his absence. He did not wish to oppose the principle of the Bill, but merely direct that there should be an opportunity afforded to discuss the measure, so that the principle of the Bill might be wade known. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that that op portunity would be amply afforded. However he would take that opportunity of observing that when the Bill on a former occasion passed the House of Commons it was most fully discussed. Mr. R. W ASON presented a petition in favour of the Ministerial plan for the abolition of Church-rates. Sir G. SI NC L AIR presented petitions from Perth, and other places in Scotland, in favour of a Bill for the better observance of the Sabbath. Colonel PERCEVAL presented a petition from certain shareholders of the Agricultural Bank of Ireland, residing at Ballina, praying to be heard by Counsel against the Bill introduced by an Hon. Member of that House, relativo to the Agricultural Bank. GLASGOW AND AYR RAILWAY. On the motion for the consideration of the Report on this Bill, Dr. BO WRING said he would oppose the clause which prevented the use of the Railway on Sabbath Days. Mr. DUNLOP—As there was an Act of Parliament preventing canal boats and stage coaches from being worked on the Sabbath, hoped that the House would not object to a clause which merely transferred the same prin ciple to railways. Mr. ROEBUCK said the matter was merely an affair of pounds, shillings, and pence, and that the Sabbath had really nothing to do with the question.—(Hear.) There was money to be made by the canal to the interest of which this railway was opposed, and therefore they were told of the Lord's Day. He hated hypocrisy, and above all reli gious hypocrisy. The Honourable and Learned Gentle man then stated that the Canal Act contained no such clause as mentioned by the Hon. .111ennl;;; — f; Glasgow (Mr. Dunlop), and it was the will and feeling of the people only which prevented travelling on the Sunday in Scot land.—( Hear.) All he wished was, to leave the matter in the hands of the people. It was his intention to oppose the Sabbath Bill of the Hon. Member for Wigtonshire going into Committee, and he would argue his view of that subject on the ground that it was one which Christia nity had nothing to do with. It was a mere affair of hypo cricy in some,and of ignorance in others.—(Hear.) That House had nothing to do with the religion of the people ; but if they were to legislate for the Sabbath why not do so fully ? He should like to know from the Hon. Baronet how many mails travelled on the Sunday.—(Hear, hear, from Sir A. Agnew). He did not wish to charge the Hon. Baronet with inconsistency, but maintained that the Hon. Gentlemen opposite were no better observers of the Sab bath than any other persons. Sir R. INGLIS observed that the clause only left the law of Scotland as it found it. After a few words from Mr. JERVIS, Sir G. CLERK said the promoters of the Bill had no objection to the clause, and he congratulated Hon. Gen tlemen on his side of the House on their not having adopted the religion of the Hon. and Learned Member for Bath. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL opposed the clause. It was unnecessary, inasmuch as the present law of Scot land was sufficient to prevent any desecration of the Sab bath, and not only prohibited the carrying of goods on that day, but travelling also. It was injurious, inasmuch as it extended to the whole Sabbath, and might even have the effect of preventing persons who lived at a distance from their place of worship from going there, as such persons might choose to go, by the rail-road. Major C. BRUCE defended the clause, and said it was called for, because this new mode of travelling would out rage the feelings of the people of Scotland in the greatest possible degree. Mr. C. BULLER said that although he could not charge Hon. Gentlemen opposite with much hypocrisy, yet he thought there was a pretty considerable deal of humbug among them.—( A laugh.) He had known very many Tories in his time, and they had frequently invited him to dinner on the Sabbath, as well as on other days.—(Cries of" Name," and laughter.) He begged to state that if the Bill of the Hon. Baronet opposite should ever get into Committee he should move the insertion of a clause to shut up the Carlton Club on the Sabbath—(Continued laughter)—as he had been very much shocked of late by observing as he passed by on his way to Church, several eminent Conser vatives reading not their Bibles or Prayer-books, but the John Bull or the Age.—(Laughter.) He objected to this attempt at forcing Sabbath legislation upon the country by a side-wind.—(Hear.) Mr. BORTH WICK should vote against the clause, as he did not consider it calculated to promote the object which the Hon. Baronet had in view. In doing so, how ever, he begged to disclaim all participation in the language of the opposite side of the House. Sir A. AGNEW supported the clause. After a few words from Mr. Roebuck, Mr. P. Thom son, The Chisholm, and Col. P. Thompson, The House divided, when the numbers were— For Dr. Bowring's amendment 47 Against it Majority for the clause —4 CONTROVERTED ELECTIONS BILL. Mr. C. BULLER moved the Order of the Day for go ing into Committee on the C on t rover t e d El ec ti ons Bill. After a short discussion respecting the postponement of the Committee, the House went into Committee. Mr. C. BULLER, in moving the postponement of the first clause, proceeded to enter into a statement of the ge neral principles and objects of the measure. He believed the dissatisfaction at the decisions of Election Committees was not confined to one side of the House, but was gene rid. So uncertain were they that they had now grown to be considered as mere trials of party skill, the only ques tion being whether in the Committee the majority was favourable to the sitting Member or to the petitioners ? He thought it very disgraceful. that such a state of feel ing should exist in the House, and that nothing could be more calculated to lower the House in the estimation of the country. He believed it was the general opinion of that House that partisanship in Election Committees was not so very objectionable. The judges in those tribu nals, however, having nothing to guide their judgment, were likely to decide in favour of the party they espoused, and this he thought wtis an evil which ought, if possible, to be guarded against. Now the first change which the Committee recommended was, that at least one member of each Election Committee should be a person well conversant with law. What in the first place was pro posed was, that there should be on each Committee a person who was not a Member of that House, but who, having a competent knowledge of law, could preside as Judge in explaining the law, and acting in all other re spects as Chairman, without, however, possessing the power of voting. The number of assessors proposed to be ap pointed were three, and it was intended that they should be nominated by the Speaker, and that the House should be entitled to exercise a veto on his nomination. Of course, if the selection of the Speaker were not confirmed by'the House, the appointment could not take place. This was the first great change proposed in the Report ; but, not content with this, the Committee went still farther, and the next feature in the way of alteration which he would notice was the reduction which was recommended to be made in the number of the Committee, from eleven to five. They proposed to abolish the present system of striking, and to adopt instead the plan of peremptory challenge, which was found to work so well with respect to the forma tion of Juries in the Courts of Law. The whole list should contain fifteen names, and these might be challenged as they were called out by the Speaker until they came to the last five, who, being unchallenged, would form the Committee. It was also intended to avoid the necessity which at present consisted of collecting Members, by either party, for the formation of election Committees. With this view they proposed that'in the first week of each new session of Parliament a list should be made out, on which the names of those Members only who were liable to serve for this purpose should be placed, and that a limited number, say sixty, should be obliged to attend on the days fixed for appointing Election Committees. This number would be quite enough, and the alteration which such a pannel would effect would be the principal change which was in tended to be made in the old law. With regard to the other provisions, he thought it right to say, that another object which they had in view was to give all possible pub licity to the proceedings of the Committee, by allowing the presence of strangers until the chairman had concluded his charge or summing up, and having the names of the Mem bers voting for each resolution read in public. There was also a provision for ascertaining the validity of a vote be fore it was known for whom it was to be given. Now, for this, purpose the three assessors would form a proper tri bunal, as they would of course be the highest authorities in points of law of this description. They were all aware of the imperfect state of the law with regard to costs in election matters. That law was at present much too se vere. Unless a petition or the opposition to it were re ported to be frivolous and vexatious, no costs were allowed to either party ; but it was now proposed that the asses sor should be armed with the power to decide all questions relating to costs, and to determine whether either party was or was not entitled to costs from the other. Lord G. SOMERSET, although he had been a mem ber of the Committee on this subject, could not concur in the recommendations made in their report. Of what advan tage would the assessor be ? He might lay down and ex plain the law, but if the Committee were not bound to abide by his judgment, it was obvious that he would be placed in a very awkward position, as he would be little better than a mock judge. It was clear that none but men of high standing at the bar would enable them to keep up such a knowledge of law as would render them suitable to the satisfactory discharge of the duties of their offices. He thought, also, that the mode of nomination proposed was objectionable. He must say that a diminu tion of the numbers would be of all other things the most objectionable, because it was quite possible that the opinion of an assessor would have greater influence over a larger than a smaller number. Mr. POULTER did not think that the present Bill would afford the requisite remedy. The result of the pre sent mode of striking Election Committees was that eleven men, though otherwise, perhaps, highly accomplished, were sent to decide on questions of a difficult nature—questions on which the Judges of the land might find it difficult to decide. The defect of the present administration of the law of elections arose not from want of principle on the part of the Members of that House appointed to try these questions, but from want of that special knowledge requisite to assist in the remedy of the evil. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL thought the House much indebted to the Hon. Member for Liskeard for , the attempt which he had made to improve this species of tri bunal. He admitted that it was a tribunal which stood in need of improvement, for it neither possessed the confidence of the House nor of the country. The practice of whipping for ballots had a bad effect upon the mind of the country. He doubted, however, whether the Bill before the House was calculated to improve the present state of things. With respect to the appointment of the assessors, he thought his Hon. Friend had either Bono too far or had not gone far enoug.h With a salary of two thousand per annum, proposed under this Bill, they would hardly be able to get men of sufficient ability to undertake the duties of an office which would shut them out from their profession. He believed that any lawyer with good practice to whom such an appoint ment might be offered would respectfully decline it. Now, it was questionable whether the assessor would possess the respect of the Committee. He would be in the capacity of a Judge-Advocate. He would have no vote, and the country gentlemen who were Members of the House might not feel disposed to yield much to the opinions of one whom they would look upon as a paid lawyer. With respect to reducing the numbers of the Committee, he thought it objectionable, and calculated to lessen the confidence of the House in their decisions. There was another plan, how: ever, which he did not propose, but merely threw out, an d that was, lessenin g th e num b er o f R ev i s i ng Barristers, an d, instead of the 147 Judges they had at present, appointing six or eight Judges, who, if it was necessary, might form I Court of Appealrand who would conduct this business much more expeditiously, usefully, and satisfactorily than it was done at present. He believed that an election petition, which it now took six weeks to decide, might, before a re gular judicial tribunal, be determined in less than so mall days. He would not give any further opinion upon the plan of the Hon. Member for Liskeard. He believed it the tr.coit convenient course that the Committee should be con tent with the progress they had made for the present—( ls ' laugh)—and he should move that the Chairman should re port progress.—(A laugh)* Mr. .WYNN did not think that, under any circuM i stances, business could b e di s p a t c h e d w ith th e economy time just now stated. He had gone into a Committee-room recently, and heard one set of witnesses prove that lan was only of the valu e o f 17 5 ., w hil st ot h er w i tnesse s declare d it to be worth 1/. 17 s . N ow , un l ess t h e C omm ittee wer e to determine on h ear i ng on l y one s id e , t h ey mus t take tim e to determine betw een con fli c ti ng ev id ence . Notwithstand ing all that had b een sa id, h e did not t hi n k t h a t the dee i i sions of Electio n C omm itt ees were i n fl uence d b y motive" party. He agreed in th e o bj ec ti ons offered to the appoint ment of the assessors. H e b e li eve d it wou ld b e dif6eul t to get men of th e requ i s it e a bili ty to separate themselves from their bu s i ness . It appeare d to hi m t h a t t he PI d proposed in the B i ll b e f ore t h em , as we ll as t h a t s uggeste d by the Attorney:-General, afforded no prospect of c uring the evils complained of. There were many of the &t e ll objectionable, but i n p rogress t h roug h t h e C omm i t t ee wow' be the most fitting occasion to state those objections. An Hor.r. MEMBER here rose, and moved that the House be counted ; and there being but thirty-six Mem' hers present, the House adjourned at Eight o'Clock. POLICE REGULATIONS OF Ti FRENCH GOVERNMENT REGARDING FO REIGNERS. In consequence of the continual complaints that are nan d° by the numerous English travellers who visit the Continen t ' from not being acqua i nte d w i t h t h e po li ce regu l a ti o ns of that country towards foreigners, the following regulation have been printed, by order of his Excellency the Minister of the Interior, at Paris, in all languages : " Article 1. No foreigners are permitted to travel or re' side in France without a special authorization from the Di' rector of the Police. "2. Every foreigner, on arriving in a sea-port or frontie r town, is to present himself before the local authorities to_ produce his passport and deposit it in their hands. "3. If the passport be regular, and there be no reason to suspect the intentions of the bearer, the local authorities are to give him pr her in exchange a French passport, bar" ing the words passe provisoire inscribed immediately unde r the arms of France, for any place in the kingdom the f c°. reigner may specify, and for which a fee of two francs is required. ;‘ 4. The original passport is immediately transmitted to the police at Paris, and, after being signed, is either Tr turned to the foreigner, or forwarded for that purpose to the municipal authorities of the place to which he may have proceeded with the provisional passport. " 5. Foreigners having a provisional passport must P o ' teed to their destination by the route specified in the pass' port, which they are not to change, and are to present themselves before the local authorities within twenty-font hours after their arrival, who will return them the original in exchange for the provisional passport. If, however, the original passport should not be arrived, they must wait, un der the superint en d ence o f t h e mun i c i pa l authorities, tint' the Director of the Police shall have made known his iro tentions. " 6. The signature of the Director of the Police Who' rizes foreigners to travel and reside in the interic,r o f thP country during the space of one year, provided they observe• the regulations of the general and local pslice. 7. No provisional passport can be given to a foreigner • 9rriving without a passport, or with a passport of which tbo validity is doubtful. In such cases the local authoritiq are directed to state the circumstances to the Director ° • Police to ask his orders. The foreigner, in the mean tine' remains under their superintendence (surveillance). "S. If a foreigner, after his arrival in France, wishc 4 : merely to go to any town or place situated in tbt sa me or in a conti g u ous d epartment, and the period of kris stay is go t to exceed one month, the local authorities will deliver 130 ' a limited provisional passport, merely acquainting the Di' rectcr of Police with his arrival, without transmittia o the original passport to Paris, which remains in their band* aid is restored to the owner on his return. " 9. Persons charged with public missions, and courier s extraordinary, are not compelled to deposit their pa s sports' at the frontier, but are permitted to continue their journiel after they have produced their passports, except i n ease. where it is suspected that they are not the persons the/ represent themselves to be. The local authorities giL B notice of their passage through the country to the Direew of Police. " 10. The passports given by the members of the foreie, corps diplo nsa ti que res ide nt at Paris to the subjects, o f their respective sovereigns, either to travel abroad or to roter f/ to their own countries, must be countersigned by the V . rector of Police and by the Minister for Foreign Affairs." N.B. Persons wishing to visit France, or any other Ps" of the Continent, must leave their names the day before ar the office of the respective Foreign Ambassadors in Tye don, applyi ng f or a passport, which is granted gratis. .1° above police regulations are enforced all over the Contine e towards foreigners. CAPTA IN BONNEVILLE'S ADVENTIrRES.--14r" _„ Washingt on I rv i ng ' s new work, with this title, is founded v." the remarkable events which arose in an expedition to the r e : mote and forl orn reg i ons of the Rocky Mountains of Noe', America. Captain Bonneville is still living. Having, in ti l t : course of his military services, been stationed at various pos in the f ar west , w h ere he was brought into frequent intercollrse/ with Indian traders, mountain trappers, and other pi o neers the wilderness, his imagination was so excited by their tales °' strange scenes and more strange adventures, and by their pi a turesque accounts of vast and magnificent regions as yet Inlet plored, that to reach the Rocky Mountains, and to pm:tetra"' untrodden tracts, became the leading objects of his ambition The various and almost wonderful incidents which befel bid on his way, form the theme for what might in fact be called'` historical r omance ," b y t h e celebrated author of " The Siete Book of Geoffrey Crayon." MR. DISRAELI'S " VENETIA.”-- That the highest class o f imaginative gethus can invent nothing k yond the truth, is beautifully illustrated by Mr. D'lsraeli 0 his story of Venetia (just published), —a story which, lila its connexion with the fate of a noble family, will be re s with the greate s t av idi ty b y a ll descriptions of persons, arailo o , to penetrate th a t ve il o f mystery which has shrouded the mestic fortunes of a genius belonging to the whole worl d. T. COX SAVORY, Goldsmith, &c., 47, T W London, inf orms th e P u bli c, that he offers DESSERT Fil„)01 KNIVES and FORKS, w i t h p l a i n ivory handles, silver fer";ith plated on steel blades, at Three Guineas p er dozen p a ir, or solid silver bl a d es , a t Ei g h t G uineas and aHalf per doyen N. B. Carved ivory handles at 13s. 6d. extra per d oxen BIRTHS. On the 16th inst., in Upper Harley-street, the lady 0, '- Budge, Esq., of a daughter. On the 13th i ns t., i n Brompton-square, Mn. Riclard Piovrool4 of a son. On the 13th i ns t. ; a t th e Vi carage, Milton Ernest, Bodfo. rdslt the lady of the Rev. C. C. Beaty Pownall, of a son. On the 10th o f J anuary, at Moderah, Colombo, the lady 0- f Ogle Carr, Esq., King's Advocate, of Ceylon, of a son. On the 12th inst , at Croom's-hill, Blackheath, Mrs. 1.11 011111 Sandy s, of a son. On the llth i ns t., i n C raven -street, Stranll, the lady f'C • 14" Nicholls, Esq., of a son, still-b orn . cel On the 13th inst., at Grove-cottage, Dulwich, Mrs. Ve Robinson, of a son an d h e i r. On the 14th inst., at Halstead, Essex, the lady of jasucl Sperling, Esq., of a daughter. 6.0 MARRIED. Esq'' On the 13th i ns t., a t S t. John's, Hackney, John CA talon, Ed of the Cape of Good Hope, to Elizabeth, widow of the lat e Durham, Esq., of the same place. r J. On the 15th i ns t., M r. F rederick Charles Fitc'h, son °_, ' o -1 Fitch, of Uni on - s t reet, Borough, solicitor, to Lou;_sa, second drug ter of Mr. T. On the lfith in Rodriguez, of Nortonfolgate. ( vises' st., at Holy Trinity Churcl , , UpPer ft" Henry Pemb er t on , E sq., of the Treasury, to Sal- , ah, w idow ° late S. C. Wilt s hi re , E sq. Esq . ' rz On the 11th i ns t., at Bathwick Chuh, Frederic Se rl,, ri'sorlT of Woodhead, near Barnsley, Yorkshir e , son of the lt.at• C. Esq., of O rgra y e H a ll , to Caroline Anne, eldest daughter o f Sorensen, Esq., of Bathwick-hill, Bath. 1310001- On the 13th i ns t., at S t. Giles'g, Camberwell, Uoratio vg eot field, Lsq., surgeon, o f P op l ar, M i ddlesex, to Eliza, the YTlssd' daughter of th e l a t e W . C ooke, Esq., surgeon, late of Gres dow, Essex. a lED r D On the 17th i ns t. , i n the Regent's . Park, Charlotte SOPhivirl'Altet of S. G. L oc kh art, E sq., and daughter of the late Sir Scott, Bart. Pa bel On the 16th i ns t., i n Brook-street, Grosvenor-a q uart, 94 . v Alexander, youngest (laughter of John Alexander 1-lankeY' aged one year ainit .nd ten months. wife of Gil°. On the 14th ,at Goudhu rs t, Anne Augusta( ill ' Miller, Esq. At Paris, aged '23, Mr. W m . H enry S pencer, l a t e Staff As tant Surgeon to the British Legion at St. Sebastian. oi l Vi r° % On the 13th i nst., at Bath, aged 8`), Lieutenant-Gene r c_ vic e ' Neville Ca meron, o f the lion. East India Cot.npany's - se E• C. On the 14th i nst., at S t. Alban's, Mary, 'relict of IVIr. v.r Dear, for mer l y o f R e db urn. ao lefr On the 18th of January, at Calcutta, Mountford J. , i _ Esq., P r i nc i pa l o f t h e Native Medical College, aged 33. The obai t ".; On the 15th inst., at Tooting, Surrey, Mr. Philip late of St o k e N ew i ngton. 111 h 14' ill' On the 11th i ns t., i n T orr i ng t on-square, Mrs. S a ra her 81st year. - of 1.4 ; London: Printed and P u bli s h e d b y AIURDO 0- - • 112, Strand, at The Sun Office, No. 11', Strand, in "' of Middleam—Thursday, May 18, 1837. MIDDLESEX SESSIONS. Yesterday Matthew Daly, aged 16, a half-starved youth, foarful of placing luanself under the " guardianship" of the Poor-lax Co►nmissioners, was convicted of stealing a loaf from a journeyman -baker's basket left in the street. It ap peared that hunger had prompted the venial offence, the Court adjudged the poor fellow to pay a fine of Is., and then to be discharged. A humane gentleman paid the fine, and the hungry boy was again let loose. Charlotte Shari., aged 18, a fine-looking girl, was in dicted for plundering her mistress, Jane Cooper, an infirm widow lady, residing at Kensington, of 27 sovereigns, a gold watch, and a large quantity of female wearing-apparel, bed linen, &c.—Verdict—Guilty. Sentence, transportation for seven years. A serious! acas took place outside the Court, between several persons who had preferred indictments against gaming -houses, and the clerks of a solicitor and others on the adverse side. A riotous assemblage of nearly 200 persons was the result, and it was .with difficulty the police prevented the most serious consequences. The Grand Jury have returned bills against three of the alleged as sailants. As some men were employed last week in digging in the garden of Mr. Chew, of Armston, near Oundle, they discovered, within three feet of the surface of the ground, six human skeletons of gigantic stature. One of them was in nearly an erect posture, in a most beautiful state of pre servation, and evidently the remains of a young person. The jawbones of all are of an immense size, and the teeth in ad n.irable order, and quite sound and white. Some portion of a Roman pavement was also discovered near the same spot. Lincoln Mercury. On Saturday morning, as some labourers were em ployed upon the works of the Southampton Railway, at Sur biton-common, near Kingston, they discovered the entire ske leton of a man about a foot below the surface. There were no traces of a coffin visible. The skeleton, which was of very large size, was subsequently examined by Messrs. Mitchell and Taylor, medical gentlemen of Kingston, who appeared to differ in opinion as to the time the skeleton had lain in the earth, one of them stating that he did not think it had been there more than six years, while the other considered that it must have been there a much longer period. The circum stance has excited considerable sensation at Kingston, and the skeleton is very generally believed to be that of a man who about fourteen years since came to Kingston market to sell a number of beasts, and received a considerable sum of money, and who was never heard of afterwards, and it was the general opinion in the neighbourhood that he had been murdered. This man was, it appears, last seen very near the spot where the skeleton was found, arid this strengthens the suspicion al luded to. The skeleton has since been placed in a shell to await the decision of the Coroner as to the necessity of holding an inquest upon it. On Tuesday morning, as Thomas Wilson, of Gras mere, was watching the motions of a water-hen on an island in the lake of that name, he observed a bell shaped bubble rise upon the surface of the water, a few feet from the spot where he was standing, and immediately burst, when out of it issued a swallow. His surprise was of course excited, but his atten tion was fixed, and he observed a second bubble appear te nanted as before, and a third. Others might succeed, but he had not leisure to wait. At this time swallows were flying in great numbers about the lake ; and it is worthy of note that none had appeared previous to that morning. We give this fact, well authenticated by the parties from whom we received it, in the hope that it may prove an acceptable addition to the data on which naturalists frame their hypotheses. What be comes of the swallow tribe during the winter months has long been a controverted question, the theory of migration to warmer climates being the most prevalent. It has commonly been imagined by later physiologists, in opposition to the notion of the country people, that they are organically unfitted to re main in a state of submersion, though by the gradual abstrac tion of the animal heat the functions of life might for a while be suspended. A few eminent naturalists (Dr. Edwards in his profound work on physical agents among the number), have shown experimentally that the vulgar notion is not alto gether without foundation. The fact we now record may perhaps throw light upon the matter.—Kendal Mercury. M. Ancillon has died comparatively poor. His dis interestedness was so great that he took no remuneration for his writings from the happy publishers, though they would gladly have given him whatever he might demand. It is a proud feeling that a plebeian could act thus. A bout 3O years ago a collier at Craigenfeoch, near Paisley, missed his footing at the mouth of a pit, and was precipitated through a scaffolding many fathoms down to the bottom. An active search was made for him several days, but it proved unsuccessful. Shortly after that period the pit was shut up, and has continued shut ever since, until a few months ago, when operations were again resumed. On Thurs day last, the men employed discovered the body of their long lost companion, and brought it to the surface, that it might receive the rites of Christian burial.—Scotsman. Many of our readers may be surprised to hear that for some years John Hazlitt, the eloquent critic and essayist, resided in Stockport. l‘lr. Hazlitt died on Tuesday, in his 70th year, after an illness of inconsiderable duration, but of unmitigated severity. His connection with Stockport com menced in 1532, and from that time till within a month of his death he earned his livelihood by taking - portraits. He ex celled in his profession, and might have realized an ample fortune, had not an irritable temperament operated to his dis advantage. The deceased possessed great conversational ability, and was distinguished for the extent of his informa tion and the versatility of his powers.—North Cheshire Reformer. DESTITUTION in the HIGHLANDS. To the Honourable the Commons of Great Britain and Ireland in Parliament assembled, The humble Petition of the undersigned Farmer-Fishermen of Shetland, Sheweth,—That owing to the very unfavourable climate of the Shetland Islands, consequent on their geographical position, and to the imperfect state of their agriculture, they do not produce, in the most favourable seasons, grain nearly sufficient to feed their population. That other places supply these islanders with great part of the corn they consume every year, which is paid for by fish, exported to the Continent, Ireland, and Scotland. That the produce of last harvest is unequal to the sup port of your petitioners, to say nothing of the other inhabi tants, for half the year, and the previous harvest was little better. That the existing Corn Laws bear peculiarly hard on your petitioners, because, though farmers, they must pur chase corn, for which they pay a higher price than any other British subjects ; yet they sell part of the proceeds of their industry, as fishermen, to parties who could supply their want of corn on more moderate terms. That the deficient crops of the two last seasons have ex hausted the means of many of your petitioners, and if not relieved they have the certain prospect before them of being reduced to starvation. Your petitioners, therefore, humbly pray for relief by re peal or suspension of the Corn-law, a law which is so highly detrimental to their best interests at all times, but during periods of scarcity, like the present, so cruelly unjust, as it applies to Shetland, or by such other means as in your wisdom you may deem mort applicable to their peculiar situation. And your petitioners shall ever pray. To the Honourable the Commons of Great Britain and Ireland in Parliament assembled. The humble Petition of the undersigned Artificers, Boat men, Fishermen, and Labourers, residing in the towns of Lerwick and Scallaway (Shetland), Sheweth,—That the failure of the last two harvests, while it has caused great distress to the cultivators of the soil in this country, is severely tilt by your petitioners, who, in favourable seasons, derive part of their subsistence from the produce of the small farms along its sea coast ; but are now compelled to purchase imported grain, at.a higher rate than is paid in any part of she kingdom, and many of them have been reduced to the brink of starvation. That while the Divine wisdom has withheld the blessings of a genial climate and a productive soil, the law has, in practice, debarred the inhabitants of these neglected islands from exchanging their commodities for foreign grain ---the cruel injustice and impolicy of which has no parallel, in the present day, amongst the enlightened nations of Europe. That the men of Shetland have contributed cheerfully to the glory and independence of the empire, not, indeed, by a large amount of taxes, but by sheilding their blood in its battles. That Shetland differs from every other part of the em pire in this—that the proprietors of the soil would profit by, and will not object to, cheap corn. May it, therefore, please your Honourable House to take into consideratio❑ the state of the Shetland Islands ; to repeal the existing Corn Laws as respects them ; and afford them such farther relief as their case may appear to require. And your petitioners shall ever pray, &c. To the Honourable the Commons of Great Britain and Ireland, in Parliament assembled, The humble petition of Arthur Anderson, of the City of London, merchant, Sheweth,—That your petitioner is a native of the Shet land Islands, has considerable local knowledge of them, and for sonic time past has devoted much of his attention to their present condition, and the best means of improving That these islands are, and have long been, in a state of great backwardness, as compared with other parts of the kingdom, in most of the comforts and conveniences of social life, and that the labouring classes of their inhabitants are in a state of great poverty and dependence. That this state of things does not, in your petitioner's belief, so much result from the want of natural resources in the islands for providing the means of comfortable subsis tence to the inhabitants, as from a neglect properly to im prove those resources. That the coasts of these islands swarm with fish of a valuable des'rription. That the inhabitants are universally addicted to maritime pursuits, and are of a sober and or derly disposition. That the islands contain numerous well sheltered natural havens ; and although the soil and cli mate are not very genial, yet, under an improved system of husbandry, the land. might be made much mere productive than it now is. That twenty thousand, or nearly two-thirds of the whole population of the islands, were this present season found to be either partly or altogether without the means of subsistence ; and although this destitution proceeded in a great measure from a partial failure of the crops and fisheries, there is great reason to believe that from the ge nerally impoverishe condition of the labouring classes, such cases of want will be of too frequent recurrence, unless something be done to effect a permanent amelioration of their condition. That your petitioner is of opinion that the chief causes which keep the people in poverty, and retard the progress of improvement in the Shetland Islands, are the following : 1. The existing Corn Laws, which prohibit the inhabit ants from procuring their bread from the cheapest markets — a prohibition which bears peculiarly hard upon them, be cause the islands, on an average of years, produce scarcely more than half the corn necessary for the subsistence of their population ; and, therefore, the remainder required for that purpose has to be imported from other places, is paid for by the produce of their fishing, and costs them, including the expence of transport, more than what is paid for corn in any other part of Britain : yet, if it were not for this pro hibitory law, they could obtain from the very places abroad, to which a considerable portion of the produce of their fishing is exported, corn in exchange for it, at little more than half the price which they are forced to pay for British grown corn. 2. The want of a certain, easy, and expeditious commu nication with the main land of Britain. The islands are situated about 150 miles N.N.E. from Peterhead, in Abets deenshire, the nearest practicable point of communication with them from the main land of Scotland. A very small sailing packet at present conveys the mail from thence to the islands, and the times of her departure and arrival are necessarily uncertain, depending as they do on the state of the wind and weather. This uncertain and difficult com munication prevents, in your petitioner's opinion, the intro duction of capital and enterprise into the islands, and can only be properly remedied by the establishment of a con veyance for the mail by steam navigation. 3. The want of adequate internal communication in the islands, there being no roads, nor any established inland port, although the principal island of the group is sixty English miles in length, the next in size twenty, and ano ther twelve miles in length. 4. An injurious and oppressive system of local manage ment which, by giving a monopoly of the labour of the ishing tenantry to the proprietors of the soil and their as signs, tends to keep the former in a state of poverty and debasemopt, deprives them of all due stimulus to industry and improvement, and, by destroying fair competition, im pedes the due developement of the resources of the islands in their trades and fisheries. The best remedy for this, in your petitioner's opinion, would be to facilitate the intro duction into the islands of capital and enterprise ; because, by such means, more employment would be provided for the people, and they would consequently become gradually more independent of the proprietors of the soil and their assigns. Your petitioner begs leave to represent to your honoura ble house that the improvement of the Shetland Islands is an object of considerable national importance, because they contain a useful maritime population, and furnished, during a period of great public emergency and alarm, upwards of three thousand hardy and expert seamen, to man the fleets, and fight the battles of this country. Further, your petitioner begs leave to represent, that a reference to the history of those islands will show that dur ing a period of nearly four hundred years, that they have been connected with Britain, their inhabitants have been subjected to a series of acts of violence, fraud, and oppres sion, such as have not been experienced by any other dis trict of the kingdom, a circumstance which, in your peti tioner's opinion, ought to strengthen their claim to the tardy measure of justice now sought for. Finally, your petitioner begs leave to state, that he has no property in these islands, nor any direct personal interest in their improvement. Your petitioner earnestly prays your Honourable House to make inquiry into the present state of the Shetland Is lands, and to adopt such measures for their improvement and the permanent amelioration of the condition of their inhabitants, as in your wisdom shall seem expedient. A. ANDERSON. A young pig, about six weeks old, confined in a stable, near the Royal Hospital, was actually killed and de voured by a swarm of rats on Wednesday week, and so com pletely had these voracious vermin effected their work, that nothing was left but the skin. —Plymouth Journal. The inhabitants of Aberavon, Glarnorganshire, being desirous to divert the channel of the river Avon, from a cir cuitous to a direct course to the sea, adopted the following plan under the inspection of Mr. Palmer, engineer. The soil of the proposed channel being principally sand, they threw a strong embankment across the river in the hot weather, when the stream was nearly dry, and dug a deep trench through the sand to the sea. In the late floods, they found that the force of the current carried off into the sea at least half a million tons of sand, and left in five weeks a straight navigable channel on the track of their trench.— Worcester Guardian.