The Sun. — London, England, 1849-11-30 00:00:00

rrt „*.• RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE. An extraordinary general meeting of this company was held at Walsall yesterday fur the pureo-e of con sidering a proposal for the lease of the line, and, if deemed ;xpedient, to authorize an application to Par liament iu the ensuing session fur the necessary powers to grant such lease. The Secretary read the terms of the proposed lease. The CHAIRMAN, as an individual shareholder, not as a director, moved the adoption of the proposition. He believed it a fair offer, and equal to any remune ration which could be derived from railway under takings during tha next twenty years. The resolu tion was to the effect that an application be made to Parliament to sanction the leasing of the line. Mr. E. BULLER said the question was a simple one, and could be as well understood by any share holder as by any director. Railway property was depreciated, and, as the line was not completed, they had no means of estimating the property they pro posed to lease. Mr. JOHNSON thought the meeting would not sup• port the proposition unless the names of all the con tractors were made known. He (Mr. Johnson) pur chased shares at a considerable premium, and he thought the shareholders would not be content with any . lease which did not guarantee to the shareholders the full amount of their expenditure. Now, it appeared to him that the lease was an extremely absurd one; for, if it was a good one it would be retained, but, if it was bad, it would be rejected by the contractors. He was totally opposed to the granting of the lease. Mr. T. B. PAYN (of Birmingham), said he also was an original shareholder, but although opposed to the lease, he thought the directors had done right in sub mitting the proposition to a meeting of the share holders. He objected, however, to the constitution of the present board of directors, thinking as he did, that the line would not be successful under their pre rtnt management. Mr. HoRNBY, on the part of the London and North- Western Company, which held 15,000 shares in the South Staffordshire, declared that the proxies of that company would not be used. He, as an individual shareholder, should, however, support the proposition. Mr. BOOTH, director of the London and North- Western, entirely concurred in the declaration of Mr. nornby. Mr. BEALE (Vice Chairman of the Midland) made a similar declaration on the part of that company, which also held' a large stake in the South Stafford shire. .He said, that although he should vote as an individual shareholder, he begged to state that the Proxies belonging to the Midland would not be used either one way or the other. Mr. SCOTT, who held 3,000 proxies on the part of the Birmingham Canal Company, said, the other public companies having declined to vote, he also Would not use the proxies in his possession on the Part of the canal interest. After arguing against the lease at some length, he said they had not yet been favoured with the traffic of the line fur the last month.- The CHAIRMAN—It is now on the table. It amounts to about 8001. for passengers and 2001. for goods, Goods had been conveyed for only one Month. Mr. SCOTT said that the traffic was evidently in creasing, and when the life was opened to Dudley t here was no doubt it would increase. He argued that a t some short t i me h ence th ey wou ld b e a bl e t Make more advantageous offers from the great •-oril Pan i cs. al lr• M‘Leler, the proposed leaseholder, said he Should be sorry to accept the lease if only fifty share holders objected to it. e T he CHAIRMAN said if the majority of the share lders accepted Mr. M'Lean's term of lease be was tec ▪ o i Ilad to fulfil them?, Ur. R. F. DOUGLAS said the proposition, in his °Pini on) was very ill timed, and thought no man of ctftrnon sense would grant a lease. He believed that i Would be found in a few years one of the best short li nes in the kingdom ; and he would rather give up hl ° i nterest and his shares for half-a-dozen years, toan s be a party t o the granting of a lease upon such rm. .After a few observations from Mr. DTOTT, of Lichfield, Mr. SCOTT and others, The CHAIRMAN said, he would interpose but a few ob servations before a division. He called their , att ention to th e f ac t, th a t un l ess th e l ease was gran t e d bqy should h ave , f or th e purpose o f comp l e ti ng th e e, speedily to make another call. A. contest then ensued as to the mode in which the votes should be taken. The opponents of the lease s eat that the sense of the meeting ought, in the place, to be taken by a show of hands. The CHAIRMAN, on the contrary, resolutely main leaned that such a course would be mere loss of time, inasmuch as, whatever might be the number thus polled in the room, he was compelled, in justice to absent shareholders and according to the terms of the '„.,t of Parliament, to receive the proxies tendered. ihe various shareholders present then proceeded to t ender , their papers. after the time the votes were being taken, and the proceeding had lasted for a considerable Noe, Mr. Scott e nt er ed a p ro t es t against th e vo ti ng . r as scrutineers had been appointed, and, whatever th e b e lie might be, the whole of the proceedings would ille ga l . h.: l bis objection a pp eare d to take meeting by sur prise. as -lIAIRMA N , who contended that the meeting anhot dissolved, so far admitted the validity of the „ n tien that sc ru ti neers w ere immediately appointed d e voting recommenced. di r " was then move d th a t p ow ers be granted to the Ac tors to b orrow on mor t age on bond. A. th Pit entivrou objected to the proposition ; he hoped iii a e t h the proprietors would never contract a debt of Per a nature. He bad much rather that a call of 11. T, h are was m a d e . e granting of powers to the directors to borrow Lein on e , was carried by a show of hands, proxies not d. ha • S HAREHoLueu observed upon this fact, proxies , been demanded in the vote with regard to the, Ce i attr nt rary to the expectation of many gentlemen "tec i in the affairs of this and adjoining com et' ; the result o f th e p o ll with regard to the leasing follows ine to Messrs. .M'Lean and. others was as For the lease Against it 1,509 2.253 Majority against the lease 744 p roß y, WARWICK, AND WORCESTER. a 1 10 4 e 'terday the Master in Chancery (Richards), 1 3 : lted to .4th the wind up this company's ?Haire, proceeded . Babae e final settlement of the list of contributories l iabl e 1° a pro rata payment to discharge outstanding ‘i,btlities, and decided that all those original allottees th 4 ° had paid the deposit and signed the deed, and all l, de ed who had paid the deposit and not signed t the for mer were to stand upon the list. The number of tclormer is about 816 ; and of the latter, 4. After tiVist the thus settled by the Master, no person -a ted thereby is allowed to dispute it without leave e a t he Court of Chancery. A long argument ensued b - th e consideration of the third class of contri 114tOries on the list, namely, of those who s4applied for shares and had them allotted the Ifho had intoneir. paid_ _ e t s h s e, s - deposit nor signed deed, and hich M r : Daniel, Valiance, ° bllrgh, James, and other counsel took part. It 11 1 4 : agreed holder that the decision in the case of Mr. of 25 shares, should rule the others li. l9l ro m il ' a a r h positi r ons. The prospectus, form of appli :lon for shares, and letter of allotment, were put in ..e /idence. It appeared that the form of application tlvhs,Lodressed to the provisional . committee ; but that billetter of allotment was signed by the secretary on „ al f of the committee of management, and that the e4 °l4 ,_it of the shares was to be paid by a certain day, e ta „,° Was not done. The Master decided that the Vs" should be struck off the list, on the ground that, tw 3r the evidence, there was no privity of contract be lizeti the allottee and committee of management. T he alllnlnles of other allottees upon the list, amounting to about 190, will also be struck off as not li a b le unless there are special circumstances attending . fll4lll.3't h of them, in which case they shall have notice of ant h er Proceeding. 3C oa , z . Yes ,eraa, AND NORTH MIDLAND RAILWAY.— , 1111 adjourned meeting of the above company Roams eal at York, at twelve o'clock, in the De Grey, Ab out Mr. Thompson, of Moat , hall, in the chair. d 4agr-",,seventy gentlemen were present. A long an eaonpiscussion took place on the question of the deer 4 , l °, ll of the report; but, after a poll, the Chairman 1 1tie t ei r , e ' it to be carried, subject to the decision of r. validi t w hich was raised on the subject of the Joue ne zi of certain proxies. The meeting was ad -BPeoialand the sh are h o ld ers reso l ve d t h emse l ves i nto when the Chairman moved that a assrZ e to al ri it -eetin g , should be appointed to confer with the di- Way , ,_ to the purchase of the Hull and Selby Rail the osWoich was agreed to ; the committee to report to hge4reholders at the adjourned meeting of the 21st tid4Jen eetnber. A resolution that any person not re direct in or within seven miles of York might be a Niaj c i er if Properly qualified, was also carried. The m eets oration of audit was put off until the summer 14 v uti n g , on the understanding that the board would Whi el l i ‘ as much as possible the passing of the Bill, of eou,,dhe heads have been submitted by the general hadi t , s l L of directors, and meantime there wili be no th eil u k r e of the accounts. The adjourned meeting was mi t t held, at which Mr. Swann chairman of the corn to th,,e,,nif investigation, moved another adjournment dia fir alon -.ebruary meetin Avery lively and warm took• place mf . the prop . osed . retirement .. , o , " 4 13 irate from the board, Mr. Meek neclaring it ‘e W 0 1 11.3 Out to retire. Mr. Ilu.lntrte stated he W;i1!". retire if Mr. Meek did not retire, and Mr. C. ose"arns c alled th,on the com m itt ee o f i nvest i gat i on to '"cit lob o •8 : as they had done more harm than ~~~ THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 30, 1849 good. It was fi:mly res.)lvcd, at holf-past five o'clock, that tile meting •Ilould adjourn to DecernbET 21, to receive the fourtil Lin , i foal report of commlitce of investigation. NA` A!, VcrIt.LIAGLNCE. ft is confidently stated that a ne!w expedition in search of Sir John Fra,ililin is to be fitted out imme diately, and is to proceed westward, through' the S'raits of nag-cilia). The promotions for service in Sir James Ross's searching expedition will in all probability be deter mined this day. APPOINTMENTS. Engineers—Andrew Douglas, Richard Cattew, John A. Ritchie, Robe: t Moore, John Oliver, R. H. Alvin, assistant to the Terrible steam-frigate. We regret to announce the death of on old and much-esteemed surveying officer, Commander James Wolfe. In his decease both the royel navy and the I country have sustained a great loss. The buoy boat and another dockyard lighter, that went out beyond the Nab), light-vessel at Portsmouth to creep for the anchor and chain lost by the Con stance on Friday night last, returned into harbour yesterday, not having been able to find it. There was a buoy on the anchor, but it is supposed it did not watch. The Britannia, 120, advance ship, at Portsmouth, was taken under the cheers and dismasted, prepara tory to going into the covered dock, which will be vacated to-day by the Princess Charlotte. The Sidon is taking in her meindeek ordnance, 16 68 pounders, BA--feet gune, of CO cwt. She is nearly rigged, having her lower and topsail yards across, and her topgallant masts up. The Fire Queen, steamer, to be fitted for Holy head packet service, will be taken into dock when the Bloodhound comes out. The former was payed over with a composition, the invention of Mr. Wylam (the I patent fuel gentleman), on ene side, awl on the other by Mr. Hay, about four months since. She has been for a long timo since lying in the dirty water of the steam-basin at Portsmouth, and is supposed to be foul. The Argun steamer will be launched the 15th of next month, when the Sovereign, 120, will be laid down on the vacated slip. The Sovereign was origi nally to be on the same lines as the Prince of Wales, but she is to be altered, and will now be built on lines sanctioned by the surveyor of the navy, Sir B. W. Walker. Shia will no doubt be a good ship. The Arrogant and several other vessels designed by Mr. Fincham, the master builder of Portsmouth yard, having turned out so well, and having been so much approved of by competent judges, it would be only fair if the Admir a lty wou ld a ll ow him to try his hand at a large first class-ship. THE COAST OF AFRICA SQUADRON. THURSDAL—The Adventure naval transport, Master-Cornnr_luder Peter Wellington, ar rived at Spithead last night from the Lbove station, haring sailed from Aseensi , m on the 20th ult.—an unprecedentedly quick passage. She left the Centaur steam-frigate, Commodore Fanshawe, C. 8., and the Tortoise store and guard ship, Captein Hutton, at the island. The C.A.itaur arrived at Ascension on the 12th of Octiober from Loando, and took one empty prize on the passage, and nearly captured another with 700 slaves on board. The Pluto steam-vessel, Lieu tenant-Commander Joliffe, arrived at Ascension on the 9th of October, and sailed of the 18.1.1 to relieve the Firefly at the Congo. Commodore Fanshawe having minutely inspected the ships in port, the store houses, and marines in garrison, had proceeded on tLe 18th to inspect the Mountain Farm Hospital, and other improvements. The Mountain Hospital is now in all respects quite complete ; the site, which is 2,000 feet above the level of the sea, appears to have been well selected, and answers the purpose of restoring the convales cent to health from the lower hospital, the average difference of temperature being about 12 degrees. The labour of constructing it must have been very great, and it reflects the highest credit on Governor Hutton and others under his directions. The crews of the ships and garrison were generally healthy, and the island bids fair to yield an abundant annual moun tain produce. The sweet potato is, from the expe rience of Captain Payne, unquestionably the best vegetable to cultivate with profit and success for the benefit of Government. As usual, the Governor's hospitality to officers of all classes is unceasing; at the same time there is no lack of work, and the vari ous duties of all kinds were minutely inspected by him in person from early dawn to the sitting of the tropical sun. Any person who recalls what Ascen sion was a few years back must be struck by the im provement since made in this neat and well ordered establishment under the direction and un- tiring zeal of the present Governor, ably sup ported, as he expresses himself to have been, by the persevering industry of Captain Payne and the fine body of marines under his command. The disposition of the African squadron, under the command•in•chief of Commodore Fgnshawe, C. 8., was as follows when the Adventure sailed : Northern Division, under the command of Com mander Dunlop, of the Alert, 6, consisted of the Spy, Teazer, and Adelaide. The Bight Division, under the command of Com mander Harvey, of the Kingfisher, consisted of the Rattler, Bonetta, Heroine, and Phcanix. Southern Division, under the command of Captain the Hon. C. F. Hastings, of the Cyclops steam-frigate, consisted of the Waterwitch, Ranger, Star, Cygnet, Sealark, and Firefly. The Snap, tender to the Tortoise, Lieutenant Hall commanding, left Ascension with stores on the 2d of October, for the Bights. Commodore Fansliawe was expected to leave Ascension immediately after the arrival of the August mail from England, to settle some " war palaver" in the Gambia. The Adventure has brought as passengers Captain G. B. Payne, Royal Marines, and servant, having served the usual period and been relieved on the 10th of October by Captain Miller, 8.M.; Mr. Smith, midshipman of the Hydra steam-sloop, with two petty officers and eight seamen of that vessel, prize crew of the Fidalgo, a slaver, captured by the Hydra and sent to Ascension for adjudication ; Mr. Carr, master's assistant of the Dart, as prize master to the Albertina slaver ; Mr. Morris, boatswain of the Tor toise, after four years' service ; two petty officers and eight seamen, invalids from the squadron ; one boy, and one woman from the island of Ascension, who gave birth to a male child on board, on the 9:11 inst., which was named, by the mother's request, "Ad venture." The Adventure sailed from Plymouth on the 22d of August with supplies for the African squadron, to be landed at Ascension, and took the eastern medium passage in the South Atlantic; crossed the equator in 8 W., and made the passage out in forty three days, and home in thirty.thrce days. This track was suggested by Mr. William Walker, har bour-master of Plymouth, and found practicable at all seasons of the year. This ship has supplied the South American and African squadrons since the 22d of April this year, crossed both North and South Atlantics four times from 11 deg. N. to 25 d: g. S. in 186 days at sea, and traversed by loci- 26,700 miles. On the 29th of October, in lat. 7 . deg. 12 min. N., long. 22 deg. 11 min. W., she spoke the barque Briton, of Kirkaldy, twenty-five days out, all well, bound to the Riu de la Plata. On the 31st, in lat. 8 deg. 56 min. N., long 23 deg. 7 min. W., spoke the French barque Granby, all well, from St. Malo, bound to Coromandel. On the 4th of November exchanged colours with the English ship Daundon Castle, No. 2,938, in lat. 14 deg. 41 min. N., long. 26 deg. W. The Myrtle steam-tender, Master Commander Maddon, landed her invalids this afternoon, and the Adventure sailed after wards to Plymouth, to refit. Extract of a letter from her Majesty's ship Plum • per, Commander Nolloth, dated Port Royal, Jamaica, October 24: " We have just returned from Truxillo, where we were very likely to have had a brush with the fort, as we visited that place with hostile intentions. I must tell you that the Honduras Government owe to our merchants upwards of 100,000 dollars, and have for a long time been fighting shy of the debt, and ulti mately have refused to pay it. Complaints having been made to head-quarters at home, the result was that we were sent to demand immediate payment, and if force was necessary to use it. We, accordingly, shortly after arm lying at Truxillo (their most im portant town on th, sea coast) and after we had made known to the Governor the object of our visit, landed our sailors and marines, who marched boldly up to the fort, the Plumper at the same time having her guns ready with shut and shell, and pointed at the fortress to cover her men if any opposition had been made. Great credit is due for the able and judicious manner in which the expedition was conducted, for although the batteries were well mounted and filled with soldiers, and the inhabitants surrounding them at least 4,000, they one and all surrendered to us, thereby preventing a shot being fired. We then pos sessed ourselves of the fort, and placed cur own sen tinels around it, and after our captain had settled the point to the best of his ability, or, in other words, compelled the liquidation of the debt as far as it could be met, the fort was given up again to them, and . having re-embarked our men, we sailed fur Port Royal. I am sorry to add the Plumper is very sickly, being so ill adapted fur a tropical climate on account of her internal arrangements or fittings as regards the engine -room and the lowt-r deck, where it is when steaming generally 120 deg. Fahrenheit. Although we have been on this station only three months, yet half of the ship's company and officers (at least) have in their turn been laid up with the fever, and two men have died, besides invaliding about 12. We have now several at the hospital here, and each day fresh cases break out. God only knows What the result Ilia be if we ere kept here much longer." PLYMOUTH, Nov. 28.—The Constance, 50, Capt. George W. C. Courtenay, under her topsails and top valiant sails, entered the Sound by the Western Channel at 1 o'clock this afternoon. The Constance is from the Pacific, and Rio Janeiro, but last from Portsmouth, and is come here to be paid off. This day (Wednesday) week 'she was off the port, and within two hours easy sail ;of Plymouth Sound. On Friday according to a contemporary, she was in a " pteition of much danger" in thick weather, whin some of the lights on the Wight could be dis cerned. At 9 o'clock she anchored in 10 fathom water, when her chain parted; another anchor was let go, and soon after the light on the Nab and Owers was setlb The distress guns which she fired were not heard at Portsmouth. She arrived there on Saturday, and on Monday landed her rich f: eight of specie, which was delivered in London on Tuesday last. We are aware that it is the usage of the service to go to Portsmouth for orders, and to land specie at that station. Could it have been otherwise arranged, greater economy and dispatch might have been ob served. A whole. week's w9ges and provisions for the officers and crew, and wear and tear of the ship, would have been saved ; the specified risk of loss of ship and cargo avoided, and the valuable freight, acid South Devon and Great Western Railways, delivered in London last week instead of Tuesday. her Majesty's steam vessel Stromboli, Captain Lord A. W. Beauclerk, arrived on Tuesday, from Portsmouth, with seamen for the Indefatigable, and sailed the same day for Queenstown. The Gladiator steam vessel made a trial trip round the Eddystone on Friday. The lower yards and topmasts of the flag-ship Impregnable were struck, on the 23d inst., for the winter season. The steam-vessel Lucifer was placed in dock on Monday, to have her copper examined; the next day, it being found that she required calking, her copper was ordered to be taken off. The brig Hound is in the Sound, nearly ready for sea. The brig Philomel is ordered to be commissioned and is to take the January mail to the coast of Africa Wind S E.; strong breez?. LPPOINTMENTS. Woomrcli, Nov. 29.—Assistant Engineers— Andrew Douglas, Richard Cotten, John A. Ritchie, Robert Moore, John Oliver, and R. IL Alvin, to the Terrible steam-frigate, at Woolwich. Th.: Terrible steam-frigate, Captain James Hope, C. 8., has taken a number of able seamen on board — fine fellows who had kept back from a desire to serve in this vessel. Lieutenant Miller remains in charge of the frigate until the arrival of Captain Hope. The fifty non•commissioned officers and men of the Royal Marine Artillery, under Lieutenant Meade, who came round from Portsmouth to join the Terrible, went on board to-day for service, and she will soon be ready for sea. The Niger steam-sloop is ordered to be navigated to i)evonport. Commander James Wolfe—of the Fisgard flag ship of Commodore Henry Eden (1843)—borne on the books since October, 1847, for surveying service on the coast of Ireland, died yesterday, at Wocd street, Woolwich. ROYAL MILITARY ACADEMY. WooLwicir, Nov. 29.—The private examination of the gentlemen cadets at present studying at the Royal Arsenal, preparatory to their examination before a board of officers, about the 18th of December, when they will be recommended for commissions if they pass satisfactorily, commenced to-day, and will be continued until their final examination before the Bo'srd. An examination of 30 candidates for admission as gentlemen cadets took place during the present month, and the result is given in the folowing list of the sncessful candidates, approved by the Master- General " November 20, 1849. " Memorandum.—The Master General, by letter datA the 19th instant, appointed tho twenty-four under-mentioned candidates (lately examined) to be gentlemen cadets, and the twenty-one who stand first have been directed to join on Tuesday, the 29th of January, between nine and two o'clock. The three last have been informed that the day of their joining cannot be fixed at present. _ _ ",1. Mr. William B. E. E11i5..2. Mr. Morton P. Eden. 3. Mr. Lonsdale A. Hale. 4. Mr. Robert Biddulph. 5. Mr. John Edwin Cornea. 6. Mr. Gustavus N. Kel sell. 7. Mr: William M. Somerville. 8. Mr. William P. Haigh. 9. Mr. George John Young. to. Mr. C. J. Hope Johnstone. 11. Hod. Cameron Wrottesley. 12. Mr. Edward C. Johnson. 13. Mr. William R. Lluellyn. 14. Mr. Peter H. Scratchley. 15. Mr. Gorge R. R. Fit zmaurioe. 16. Mr. Henry W. H. D. Dumeresq. 17. Hon. Hussey C. Vivian. 18. Mr. William Stirling. 19. Hon. Augustus H. A. Anson. 20. Mr. Robert A. Dobbin. 21. Mr. Charles E. Gore Browne. 22. Mr. Francis W. de Winton. 23. Mr. Henry P. Tillard. 24. Mr. John M. Kerr." The whole of the candidates were from private academies ; the students at the Carshalton Academy are not expected to be brought forward before the expiration of another year. PUGILISM THE No.FIGUT OF WELSH AND GILL FOE 1001. A SIDE.—Most people have read or heard of " Ceelebs in search of a wife," " Japhet in search of a Father," and " Punch in search of a Policeman ;" but all and each of these were yesterday cast in the shade by the utter blank, the complete disappointment, the " story without an end" that could be told by those who confidingly en trusted their corporealities to the South-Western Rail way as the means whereby they could be witnesses of the contest for the championship of the light weights between Jemmy Welsh, of Southwark, and Wm. Gill, of Coventry, better known hitherto in the fighting circle he has so strangely deserted as " Paddy Gill." We do not deal in dry chronology, or much space might easily be filled with the doings of the men here spoken of ; suffice it to say that they were matched to meet on Tues day week, and their day was postponed to Monday last, with the u n d ers t an di ng that th e y should settle their difference of opinion in the same arena as the two "big ones," whose performances on Monday last we have already chronicled. How that day was "cut to waste," and how the voyagers were entrained and dis trait-led, till two of the clock had seconded, has been al ready told. Daylight, in these clerk days before Christmas, forbidding the second encounter on Frimley Green, it was mutually agieed to refer to the stake holder the nomination of day and place for the deferred meeting, and accordingly Woking, between the hours of twelve and one, and Thursday, were the time and locality decided on. Whispers, loud as those on the stage, were heard that there would be " no fight ;" and the condition and conduct of Gill were liberally com mented upon. At the hour of twelve the stakes being pitched, and the ropes "all taught," Welsh showed, attended by his seconds and friends. Of the Coventry hero, hoe ever, not even " Peeping Tom" could get a eight. Rumour, with her busy tongue, spoke of his abiding place being hard by ; he had come from Kingston by an early train, had breakfasted, with his trainer, " contagious," as Mrs. Malaprop says, to "the coxruun." Where was he then ? And to this question Paddy's echo answered, "By my sowl, I don't know." At a few minutes to one—" the stage yet waiting"—a Surrey justice of the peace slowly walked into sight, and, after declaring that he was sent for to do a duty which he was determined to perform, was told that there was not only no intention to commit a "breach of the peace of our' Lady the Queen," but an impoibility of doing so. His Worship, who though firm, pcssessrd the suaviter in mode, patiently waited (we don't know how he could do otherwise) till the time " the wee short hour avont the twae"had expired, when the representative of the stakeholder announced that Welsh being the only man present, and there being no proof of magisterial interference having prevented his showing at the appointed place, W e l s h was en ti t l e d t o th e s t a k es with the proviso of au unanswerable impediment being proven on the part of the Coventry champion. At a later period, Broome, who had backed Gill, came forward, and publicly stated that ho had searched in vain for that individual, and that he himself must frankly admit, though at great pecuniary sacrifice, that the battle money was the right of the man there present. With the head-stakes of course go such bets as have bean re m-wed since Monday's postponement. We could en large on the mischief thus done to fair-play, and the re putation of pugilism; but forbear, till time, which clears most obscurities and solves even the riddles of the ring, shall make plain who were the wrong-doers in this shuffling transaction. BUILDERS' BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION.—Tfid above institution, established in 1827, fur the granting pen sions to the decayed members of the budding trade and their widows, held its first annual election yesterday, at the London Tavern, when, from a list of eleven can didate , four males and one female were elected, the former to receive 241. per year each, and the latter 201. per annum. GUIDALCAN4.I. SILVER MINING COMPANY. The ordinary hali-yearly meeting of this company was held yesterday at their offices in Broad street-buildings, but no reporter was admitted to the meeting. Man'f, knowledge is but as the rivulet, his ignorance as the sea.—Eliza Cook's Journal. FIRES IN THE CITY-ROAD AND GOSWELL• STREET.— Last night, between eight and nine o'clock, two alarm ing tires broke out. The first was at the Albion, No. 23, Macclesfield-street, City-road, the property of Mr. Hats will, by which the upper part of the house was burned out, and the lower rooms much damaged. The other fire happened on the premises of Mr. Graves, a stay maker, carrying on business at 81, Goswell street. The flames were confined to a workshop in which the fire commenced, but great damage was done to the lower portions of the premises by water, and the contents were seriously injured by hasty removal. Mr. Graves was insured in the Sun Fire-otlice. FIRE AND PROBABLE Loss OF LlFE.—Yesterday morning, about half-past eleven o'clock, a fire broke out in the private residence of. Mts. Mary P ew t ner , a l a dy of independent property, situate at No. 40, White Lion street, rentonville. The flames originated in the back parlour, at which time Mrs. Pewtner was lying in the room asleep. The criee of the poor lady brought ass i s t. ance, and by dint of great exertion the fire was sub dued, but not until nearly the whole of the bedding and wearing apparel in the room were destroyed, and Mrs. Pewtner so frightfully burned that little hopes are entertained of her recovery. Sir Thomas Fremantle, Chairman of the Customs, bad an interview, on Wednesday, with the Chancellor of the Exchequer. JULMEN'S PROMENADE CONCERTS, DRURY-LANE THEATRE. The too short season of these delighiful concerts is, we are sorry to say, drawing rapidly to a close. The performances last night were for the benefit of Herr Keanig, who performed a trumpet obligato in a most perfect manner, and also the duet from Norma with his brother Herr Adolphe Kcenig, on the cornet a piston. This duet was most exquisitely given by these brothers in talent as in blood. A new polka by Herr Kcenig, entitled La Chatelaine, was performed for the first time, and elicited rapturous applause The house was, as usual, exceedingly well attended. HAYMARKEI"FHEATRE. Mr. Morris Barnett's admirable comedy of The Serious Family continues to draw crowded houses on the off nights at the little theatre in the Hay market ; and it would be a matter of surprise were it otherwise, for not only is the comedy excellent in itself, hitting, and hitting most effectively, one of the most disgusting of the follies of the day, but it is acted after a manner as nearly approaching to per ftotion as possible, containing in the same cast Webster, Wailack, Buckstono, Mrs. AV. Clifford, MiLs Reynolds, and Mrs. Fitzwilliam. It went off ad mirably last night, eliciting shouts of laughter and applause. At the conclusion all the principal artistes were called before the curtain. The comedy was fol lowed by the farce of the Laughing Hycena, in which Webster was admirable. The pertormance concluded with the Guardian Angel. COURT CIRCULAR. OSB ORNE, TnunaDer. The Queen and Prince took their usual early walk this morning in the grounds of Osborne. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, and the younger members of the Royal Family, walked and rode in the Park. Captain the Hon. Dudley and Mrs. Pelham are ex pected to dine at Osborne this day. Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Princess Mary, attended by Baron Knesebeck, returned to their residence at Kew, on Wednesday, from Brighton. Mr. J. H. de Castro, Mr. Robert Smith, and Mr. J. Atherton, a deputation from the Manchester Com mercial Association, had . an interview with the Chan cellor of the Exchequer yesterday, at his official resi dence in Downing-street. Sir James Duke, Bart., had an interview with Sir George Grey yesterday, at the Home-office. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners fur England had a general meeting yesterday, at their office in White hall-place. Mr. R. Birley (Manchester) and Mr. Morley had an interview yesterday with Sir George Grey. Dispatches from the Governor of Canada, and from the Governors of the other North American colonies, were received yesterday at the Colonial-office. Dis patches were also received yesterday at the Colonial office, from the Governor of West Australia. Mr. Hodges, M P., had an interview yesterday with the Chancellor of the Exchequer. HEALTH of the QUEEN DOWAGER. (From the Court Circular.) " The Priory, Nov. 29. "The Queen Dowager slept for several hours during the night. " Her MajeAy's symptoms remain without any improvement. " DAYID DAVIES, M.D." FRANCE and the SAIVDTVICII ISLANDS. The arrival of the Empire City from Chagres had brought to New York the extraordinary and startling news of the capture of the Sandwich Islands by the French. This event, if officially confirmed, is likely to lead to very embarrassing relations between France and more nations than one. The California corre spondent of the New York Tribune says— " An arrival from the Sandwich Islands has brought the startling intelligence of the islands having been taken by the French. It is the same old quarrel broken out again. The story, as I have heard it, is this : —The Island Government placed a heavy duty on various arti cles, such as wines and liquors, which constitute the principal exportations from France to the Pacific. The commander of the French fleet at Honolulu demanded that it should be revoked, and on refusal opened his guns on the fort, which finally yielded. Ho then occupied it, and took possession of the island. An express came here in sixteen hours from San Francisco, 130 miles, with the news. What the course of our authorities will be everybody conjectures, but nobody knows." The intelligence has created considerable sensation in the United States, and the common inquiry is— " What will the French do next?" The subjoined extract from the Paces News, of Sept. 29, some what modifies the above : " In our paper of Saturday last wo an nounced that a rumour was in circulation that a difficulty had ari.en at the Sandwich Islands, between the French Consul-General and the Hawaiian Government. Since that time the French frigate the Poursu viante, under the command of Admiral Trcm melin, has arrived at this port from the Sandwich Islands, which place she left early in the present month, bringing, as wu learn, Mr. Dillon, the French consul, and his family as passengers. It is said that Mr. Dillon has finally closed his mission at the island, and th , ,t ho proceeds to France through the United States, taking passage in the steamer about leaving for Panama. " The Poursuvianto brings dispatches, we believe for Commodore Jones, and for the State Department at Washington. The contents of these are, of course, not yet made public ; tut we learn from the re ports in circulation about town, and which, so far is we know, are not disputed, that the transactions which took place at the island before the French frigate left were, in general, as follows :—The demands of the French Consul—the most important of which related to the importation of French brandies into the islands, at reduced rates of duty, and to the sale of ardent spirits by French whalers visiting the ports of the islands for refreshments—were refused by the Hawaiian Government, on the ground that its existing regulations on these subjects were in conformity to the text and spirit of the treaty con cluded between the French Governnsent and that of the islands. There were, however, several other matters in issue, and the Hawaiian Go vernment, we understand, was desirous to submit the whole case for decision to the Cabinet of Paris. This mode of adjusting the matter Mr. Dillon and the Ad miral did not see fit to accept. It is also understood that the Hawaiian authorities were willing to avail them selves of the offered mediation of the British Consul- General in this premises—and that this also was de• (dined by the, French Consul and Admiral, who insisted upon a definite compliance with their demands by the Hawaiian Government, within a brief specified time. " Such compliance being refused on the part of the islands, the French Admiral, against the protest, as we understand, of; the American Consul (the diplomatic intercourse between the Islands' Government and Mr. Ten Eyck, the American Commissioner, not having been resumed, we believe, since its suspension some months ago), proceeded to forcible measures. The Ha waiian fort was seized, disarmed, its ammunition destroyed, and the Hawaiian flag lowered for about three days, when the French occupa lion of the fort ceas,d, and the Hawaiian flag was again raised. One of the public vessels of the Hawaiian Govern ment was also seized by the Frlench, and sent off, under French control, to Tahiti or Valparaiso. The French authorities then left the islands. "It appears to us difficult to understand upon what grounds this course of action on the part of the French au thorities can be justified, and equally difficult to see what good or useful result of any kind has been accomplished b 3• it. If the Hawaiian authorities were in the right in the controversy, under the treaty stipulations, then the course of the French was plainly an unjustifiable aggres sion upon tho weak and defencelems. If, on the other hand, the Hawaiian Government Willi in the wrong, why, even supposing the British Consul's mediation unsuit able, could not the case have been submitted to the French Cabinet for decision, as the Hawaiian Govern ment is understood to have desired and proposed?" JENNY' Lisa►.—Letters from New York state that ➢ir. Bennett has offered Jenny Lind 1,000 dollars per night for 200 nights, and made a further offer to place a carnage at her disposal, arid to pay every description of expenses attending the concerts or operas. He has also proposed to place 10,0001. in the hands of hrr bankers in London to secure the fulfilment of his proposal. GRAY'S INN.—The election of a preacher to the Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, is fixed for Wednes day, the 16th of January next; already nearly thirty candidates are in the field, amongst whom may be men tioned, Dr. klessey, head-muster of Merchant Tailors' School; Dr. Kynaston, high master of St. Paul's School; the lion. and Rev. S. Best, 1)r. Wilson, Rev. W. Gleig, Rev. Mr. Jackson, president of Battersea College; Rev. W. 13rogden, rector of Deddington ; Rev. Mr. Cowie, principal, Putney College, together with many other very eminent divines. Experience has taught us little, if it has not in structed us to pity the errors of others, and to amend our own.—Eliza Cook's Journal. SYMPATHY WITH THE FAMILIES OF THE DECEASED CHARTISTS, WILLIAMS AND bIIABPE.—On Wednesday evening a public meeting was held at the City School rooms, Cowper-street, City-road, for the purpose of making a provision for the widows and families of Wil liams and Sharpe, who a short time since died at the Westminster House of Correction while undergoing their sentence of imprisonment for sedition. Luke James Hansard, Esq., in the chair. It was stated that a number of subscriptions had been already received. Amongst the contributors were the Chairman, 5/ ; Baron Rothschild, 51. 55.; Sir Joshua Walmaley, 21. 2A. ; Messrs. Harmer and Bell, 31. 35.; Lord Dudley Stuart, 2/. 25.; Mr. Williams, late M.P., and Mr. Prout. Reso lutions in accordance with the proposed object having been adopted, the meeting, after subscribieg liberally, separated. AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE.—An Englishman told me that he was travelling with his younger brother, who was deaf, through Massachusetts; after staying all night at an inn, in the morning the " help" who had cleaned their boots, went to the younger brother and asked him for something: he directed him to ha elder brother, who carried the purse: the " boot-clean" went to him and stood before him. " What do you want?" was asked, " Pm the gentleman who cleaned your boots, and th e deofman there told me to go to you."—Sir J. Alexander's "Acadie." CHEMISTRY OF THE KITCHEN. ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE DIET. (From Eliza C'ook's Journal) Not the least important of a human being's daily functions is that of eating. Physical man eats to live, and lives to eat. The summary definition of the use of eating is, to supp l y th e waste t h at i s constantly going on in everybody. Before, however, any correct notion can be formed as to the nature of the food best calculated to nourish the system, one must first know of what elements the body is composed, and of what the waste materials consist that have to be replaced. The chief constituent parts of our frame are certain animal substances termed fibrine, albumen, gelatine, mucus, and osmazome ; and the principal elementary matters which escape from the system are carbon, azote, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and lime. To replace this waste man must have a regular supply of food, the elements of which, it will be found, mainly consist of those just named; and the digestibility of such food will generally be in a ratio to its containing those elementary matters in a simple uncombined form. Oa this account, animal substances are more easy of digestion than vegetable products, and vege tab:e products than inorganic bodies. Condiments contain few or none of the elementary matters above named, but they act as stimulants to the organs of digestion, and are thus of essential service. The materials for the support of the system are derived from the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms. From the first are derive azote, and a portion of the other elements; from the second, carbon and hydrogen ; and from the third, lime, salt, and water. Articles of diet may be divided into three great classes :-1. Thane which contain azote, carbon, hy drogen, el. r The following t , ,oc a la n lro d bwo oxygen. zso 2 tta . en. T hose which c o ntain c ar b on , hydrogen, and oxygen. 3.i,Those which contain substances are contained in th e fi rs t division :—Fibrins, albumen, gelatine, mucus, osma zome, and gluten. Th e second class contains starch, gum or mucilage, sugar, oil, and fat. The third con tains water, various earths, sea-salt, &c. The three principal elementary substances are —the saccharine, the oleaginous, and albuminous, which are represented by sugar, butter, and the white of eggs, Fibrine is very nutritious ; the great mass of the solid matter of the muscles of animals is composed of it. Albumen is contained in the white of eggs, carti lage, oysters, mussels, &c. It is highly nutritious, and easy of digestion. Gelatine forms the principal ingredient of bones, tendons, membranes, &c. It is also nutritious and easy of digestion. 6sniszo — me is found principally in fibrous organs. The flesh of same and old animals contain a large proportion. Gluten exists in the vegetable kingdom, in all fari naceous seeds, wheat, flour, fruits, roots, leaves of cabbages, &c. Starch, which belongs to the second division, is principally found in the vegetable kingdom, in fari naceous grains, rice, barley, and maize. Gum is a vegetable product, furnished by many trees, particularly the various species of mimosa; and mucilage is derived from the esculent vegetables. Sugar is extracted from the sugar-cane, maple tree, beet-root, &c., and is highly nutritious. Salt, which belongs to the third division, is an in dispensable article of food ; and though earthy mat ter forms no part of European eating, there are some uncivilized tribes with whom it forms a principal article of diet. The point is still much discussed, whether man is naturally designed to live on animal or vegetable diet, or on a mixture of both. There is a large, and we believe an increasing portion of society, who have altogether eschewed animal food, and confine them selves to vegetable products. There are certainly p n r u o m l e l f g o e n instancestheir omsr d o be ,nycwoarlbhoe who for of p Colonel Thompson, onrai slgoo mmf r e peo r sm s oy o ile n a,a s nrt ish w mep h apa o i sr te foodhv s h a e na have m of e t m h e b s e e r v' f ' o e r m ß ay rad n lived entirely on vegetables, greatly to the improve ment of his health, as lie himself has assured us; Mr. Brotherton, the Member for Salford is also a strict vegetarian. Still, it is possible that these are only the exceptions to the general rule, and that the principle deduced from the consideration of their cases, may not be applicable to mankind generally. Very much depends on the nature of the climate in which a person lives, as well as on the kind and ex tent of his physical labour. In tropical climates, men are led by their natural tastes to prefer a vegetable diet ; in cold climates, again, they prefer animal food, and they seem to require it. The nearer the Arctic circles, the more animal food do men consume. This seems to us an exceedingly wise provision of nature, enabling man to inhabit all climates, and to adapt him self to the condition of all countries. The structure of man's digestive organs also, we think, points out very clearly that his nature is essentially omnivorous, and that he has been created so as to be capable of subsisting on aliment of every description. Those who are compelled by their avocations to work hard in the open air, and to take a large amount of physical exercise, require a large amount of animal food to sustain them. Those who spend much time on horseback, generally eat largely. The natives of the Pampas, who ahrioat live upon the saddle and ride great distances, are in the habit of eating what is called jerked beef, which consists of the muscular parts of cows or oxen, which, after being cut into thin slips, are dried in the sun. This is said to form a highly - nutritious kind of diet. Sailors, who are compelled to work hard and are often up all night, require a large allowance of food. The less sleep men take, the more food do they require. Mr. Mott gives the following as a fair estimate of the proportion of food requisite to support human life in a sound and healthy state :-18t. For a person of moderate health and constitution, but using little exercise or exertion, the daily allowance of food should be from 12 oz. to 18 oz., in nutritive matter equal to a daily average of 10 oz. 2d. For persons of good health, accustomed to moderate labour, as sailors or soldiers on ordinary peace duty, or agricultural labourers, or mechanics at their usual work, the daily allowance should be from 18 oz. to 24 oz. ; in nutritive matter equal to a daily average of 16 oz. 3d. For persons subject to hard labour, or other violent exertion, in good bodily health, from 24 oz. to 30 oz. of food, equal to about 22 oz. of nutri- - - tive matter. Generally speaking, persons in comfortable circum stances in this country, eat too much. The wealthy classes cause themselves a huge) amount of pai❑ and disease by overfeeding. The perusal of a Lord Mayor's bill of fare reminds one of gout and the doctors. A celebrated physician, inquiring of a person who was remarkable for the health which he enjoyed at an advanced period of his life, what regimen he followed, was answered, " I make but one meal a day." "Keep your secret," said the doctor ; "if you publish it to the world you will utterly ruin the practice of medicine." It has been facetiously observed by some one, that there exists an alliance between the cooks and the physicians. Indeed, another physiciar, when visiting his patients, rarely failed to pay his respects to the cooks. "My friends," he would say to them, "accept my best thanks for all the kind services which you render to us physicians ; were it not for you and your pleasing poisons, the faculty would soon find themselves inhabitants of the workhouse." There is reason to believe that many of our best dishes are overcooked, and thus rendered unwhole some. Believe us, reader, that cooking requires sense and discretion like other operations. In poor men's houses, for want of early training, there is also a great deal of unnecessary waste. The preparation of food, neatly, unwholesomely, and economically, is really a matter of such importance in every household, whether rich or poor, that it ought to form part of the education of every young woman. The happiness and health of a household are far more affected by the way in which the mistress thereof dresses the family dinner, than by the manner iu which she dresses herself; yet, most young woman are perfectly competent to do the one, who, up to the day on which they assume the management of a household for themselves, have not given the slightest considera tion to the other. How many are the couples, whom God has joined, but whom family dinners have put asunder ! Let our female readers look to this! Food, well and properly cooked, is half digested. On the other hand, many severe cases of indigestion have ensued from eating meat improperly prepared. How much are our domestic comforts thus at the mercy of those who preside at the kitchen fire. All over-done meats are indigestible. Boiled meat is easy of digestion, but not so nutritious as others. If too long boiled, however, it becomes very indigestible. Over-roasted beef or mutton is much less digestible than when moderately or rather under done. Veal and chicken are more wholesome and nutritious when roasted; this may be said of all meats. With reference to poultry, it may be observed that the flesh of chickens or young fowls is more easy of digestion, but not so nutritious as that of old. Fish is easy of digestion, but not so nutritious as the flesh of animals. Its nutritive property, and digestibility, are in proportion to the oleaginous mutter it contains. Owing to the absence of all stimulating properties in fish, it forms a good article of diet for invalids and persons of weak stomach. The least heating, and more nutritive of the fish species, are turbot, cod, whiting, haddock, and sole. If, after being cooked, the fish have an opaque and flaky appearance, it may be pronounced to be good. Salmon is the most nutritive of our fish, but it is heating aad oily, and does not agree with persons of weak digestion. We are surprised that fish, which forms so whole some, and might be so cheap, an article of diet, is so little used. There is, we believe, a prtjudice against it among the people generally. The will only eat fish when they cannot get seaweed. Yet their coasts are swarming with fish, which they will not take the trouble to catch, As the English railway system has become developed, fish has become more an article of diet in the inland towns, though the working classes still decline to make use of it to any large extent, except in a salted state. The trade is, however, rapidly increasing, and we tr us t b e f ore l ong to see it as general an article of food as bread or butcher's meat. Gentle exercise before meals is salutary, but too much exercise will not only destroy all inclination for food, but weaken the powers of digestion. Cheer fulness at meals should be encouraged. " Better is a dinner of herbs where peace is, than a stalled ox with contention." All depressing or engrossing thoughts should be banished from the mind ; there is so direct a nervous communication between the brain and the stomach, that if the former be effected by any mental excitement, the latter is sure to suffer. KENTISH TOWN LITERARY INSTITUTION. On Wednesday evening we had the pleasure of being present at the first concert of the Choral Class, held in connexion w ith thi s i nst i tut i on, on which occasion Ilaydn's famous oratorio, The Creation, was performed by a band and chorus consisting of up wards of fifty individuals. The principal vocalists were Mrs. Temple, who sang some of the solo parts with admirable taste and feeling ; Mr. Wilkins, and Mr. Harper; and the band was composed chiefly of young men, most of whom were amateurs connected with the institution. Mr. E. Noyca acted as conductor of the orchestra, and evinced considerable skill and judgment in its management. The whole piece was gone through in a manner highly creditable to a company of performers principally young ama teurs, and was listened to by a respectable and nume rous audience, members or friends of the institution, or living in its vicinity. We avail ourselves of this opportunity of noticing this promising institution, which was established at the beginning of the present year in a populous suburb of this metropolis, with the laudable object of facilitating the intellectual and moral improvement of the working community, through the medium of classes, lectures, and a library and reading-room. The lectures, embracing matters of science, literature, and the fine arts, are delivered at intervals. Already twenty- five have been given on various interesting topics since the institution was begun. These included, among others, an " En. tertainment," by the celebrated actress, Miss Clara Seyton ; one on " Germany and the Germans," by Mr. B. Dawson ; four on " Heraldry," by Mr. Part• ridge; one on " Electricity," by Mr. Sansome; two on " Pneumatics," by Mr. Geary ; one on "Fossi' Shells," by Mr. Sowerby ; one on the " Life of John Howard and Prison Discipline," by Mr. Elvyn ; one on " Greece, and its Influence on the Civilization of the World," by the Rev. Mr. Red path ; one on the " Batany of the Bible," by the Rev. James Hamilton, of the Scotch Church, Regent. square; and one by the Rev. Dr. Jenkyn, of Coward College, on " Mind, and its Powers." There are six evening classes in operation, namely, for writing (for adults) ; discussion ; vocal music (elementary) ; choral music (vocal and instrumental) ; French (elementary and conversational, conducted by M. Arokties) ; and drawing. A manuscript magazine, composed of contributions from the members, and of from fifty to eighty pages in length, is produced monthly, and circulated among the supporters of the institution. The number of members now amounts to nearly 350; and the library, which is a circulating one, contains nearly];_9ooivoluunes, amongst which are several valuable standard works. The reading-room is also supplied with the principal morning and even - ing newspapers, thus lending an additional attraction to the institution. Books and discussions on contro versial points in religion and politics are expressly prohibited by a rule of the society. The institution, as we have said, was set on foot principally and avowedly with the view of diffusing knowledge among the working classes in the district, and affording them the means and facilities of an innocent and rational recreation. But we were sorry to learn that as yet but a very small proportion of that class—not more thanhalf-a-dozen—are found availing themselves of the privileges of the institution, though the cost of doing so is so inconsiderable as to be within the means of most of them. We fear that this is not owing so much to any want of disposition or means towards joining the society, as to a deficiency in that elemen tary instruction necessary to enable them to appreciate and use its advantages. The society seems to have anticipated that circumstance, for we observe they have wisely established a class for adult instruction in writing and other elementary learning, which such of the working men in the vicinity as feel themselves deficient in these respects would at least do well to join, though they might not iu the first instance be in a condition to avail themselves of the higher bene fits of the institution. MR. DOVER'S PLAN FOR PRESERVING THE THAMES FROM POLLUTION, AND FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BRITISH GUANO. On Tuesday evening a meeting was held at the Western Literary and Scientific Institution, in Leicester-square, for the purpose of listening to a lecture delivered by Mr. Richard Dover, of New street, Spring gardens, explanatory of his plan for preserving the Thames from pollution, by intercepting and deputrifying the sewage, and for converting the residuum thus obtained from the sewage into British guano. The chair was taken at eight o'clock by J. 13amfylde Daniell, Esq., M.D., Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians. Among the scientific gentle men present we observed, G. WeEs, Esq., of the Admiralty, S. Richards, Esq., M.D., A. C. Ross, Esq., M.D., Edward Murphy, Esq., M.D., Thomas Cahelle, Esq., M.D., G. Grindle, Esq., the celebrated chemist, and Hopgood, EFT, of the City Commis sion of Sewers. After a short address from the Chairman, Mr. DOVER proceeded to deliver his lecture. In his preliminary observations he called attention to the fact that 120,000 persons died annually in this country of consumption, and that, of the 125 who died daily in London, only 9 died of old age. He was prepared to prove that the great majority of lives were sacri ficed in consequence of the filthy and pestilential accu mulations which found their way to the Thames— accumulations, be it remembered, which, according to the plan he proposed, would be converted into guano to fertilize the farms of the agriculturist, after the water from which it had been taken was purified. That process would not only be without expense, but it would yield a revenue sufficient to keep up a system of proper sewage in the metropolis, and afford its inhabitants an abundant supply of water, without any additional taxation whatever. Having glanced at the statistics of cholera, Mr. Dover proceeded to exhibit his experiments. He poured a quantity of sew age taken from the Northumberland-street sewer into a receiver, into which he had previously poured a small quantity of his disinfecting agent; after a short time a precipitate was thrown down, and the super natant fluid was allowed to flow off by a glass tube communicating with the vessel, the discharge being controlled by means of a cock ground into it. The tube is bent into the form of the letter C, with scipare corners, and terminatea in a small filtering apparatus, containing animal charcoal, closed at the bottom, where the tube is connected with it, and open at the top, over which a pieces of canvass is firmly stretched. The fluid descending from tha receiver above perco lates through the canvas, and filtration takes place by ascent. The matter precipitated in the receiver by the action of the disinfecting agent, is collected upon a cloth, and after undergoing process of ex siccation, or drying, yields a dark-coloured granulated substance, to which the name of "British guano " has very properly been given. The above experiment, which was satisfactory in the extreme in producing the results above mentioned, exhibits on a small scale the operations of actual prac tice, which is this :—The contents of a sewer, at any convenient point, are diverted by a dam, revolving bulk-head, or partition, capable of falling down when a greater hydrostatic pressure is exerted against it than that which would be produced by a high tide, so th.t there can be no danger of an overflow. They then fall into a well or cistern, whence they are pumped into a series of tanks by means of a steam engine, the fluid filling them successively, Here the disinfecting agent does its work, the residuum is collected at the works, and the floating fluid escapes into the river, deprived of all those impurities which at present render it a source of disease. If the sewer be a large one, several of these works may be so constructed as to carry off from the first works the fluid which it cannot act upon, and send it to the second. From the second the excess would flow to the third, and so on, until it would finally enter the river. The works required to take up and disinfect this sewage were neither complex or large, and could be established at the exit of each sewer into the Thames; or in any other part of London or its environs more convenient. The sewage should be pumped up by steam power into tanks, or vats, of from one to three thousand gallons each, and disinfected progressively while filling; so that by the time the tank was full its contents would be ready for filtering a LEgyptien. The residuum should then be removed from the premises for conversion into an inodorous guano. Thus all the offensive and putrid, or putrifying matter, now running into and polluting the Thames with so many fearful and fatal resu l ts, could be made available for agricultural purposes, with vast sanitary benefit and national profit. With regard to the best method of carrying out the plan, Mr. Dover observed, that model works (belonging to the Government of course) at the exit of a sewer, on a small manufacturing scale, would be the most satisfactory, because they would demonstrate not only the pecuniary profits this system of working the sewer:, could produce to Government and the country, but afford instruction also to all parties making tenders for them. Such " model works," judiciously constructed, might require the advance of one, but could not need two thousand pounds, which they would more than repay in a very few months, with all incidental expenses. By the Sanitary ad Sewers Commissioners placing before the public a proper system or prospectus for the manufac!ure of guano from the 15,000 tons of sewage daily discharged into the Thames, " they could restore its natural salubrity of character." Within three months " model works" could be put in advantageous de monstrative operation; and this system of treat ing the " sewage of London" will produce the greatest and most valuable benefits, at the smallest cost, and without charge to Government, or tax, rate, or assessment to the public ! It will also be found the most expeditiously efficacious system f o r annihi lating the cholera y e t pu bli shed. The chemical agent to deputrify could belong to the Government, and the Sanitary and Sewer Commissioners had thereby the power of requiring every sewer in these kingdoms to be cleansed for national, sanitary, as well as local pecuniary benefit. And from this several gains would result, as he would show by tables, with which he intended to trouble the meeting. Mr. Dover then proceeded to read a number of tables, showing that within the range of the late Westminster Sewers Commission alone the revenue and income-tax to the Government would be at once upwards of 50,0001. a year. The tables proved also, he said, that there would he a net profit of 200,000/. a year to the parties or companies working these twelve sewers, besides the additional revenue and profit from sales of disinfected water ; all of which advantages were now wasted with such fatal consequences. Mr. Dover exhibited several specimens of British guano, manufactured according to his plan, and read letters from several eminent agriculturists and horti culturists who had tried his British guano, and spoke in the highest possible terms of its fertilizing proper ties. But it is not the guano alone which is a source of profit, the "super -natant water" of the disinfected sewage is available and of value for sundry purposes, viz., bleaching, washing, and purifying floors and rooms in houses or hospitals; also linen and clothes used in cases of typhus and other fevers, or where cholera is or may have been raging, as well as for washing slaughter-houses and injecting daily into every drain, in every house, street, city, or populous place, having sewerage, in Great Britain and Ireland, where the cholera is, as many hundreds of gallons of this disinfected super-natant water as would fix and precipitate every noxious gas now escaping therefrom so offensively, and too often fatally. And if sold for one shilling only per ton, it would yield many addi tional thousands of pounds sterling per annum profit to the companies, as well as income-tax to the Govern ment. The experiment was most successful, the guano was deposited, and the super -natant fluid filtered in a very short space, and the water hus filtered off was to all appearance perfectly pure—it was as clear as the purest spring Water, was perfectly inodorous, and perfectly tasteless, and bore a greater resemblance to distilled water than to any other fluid, and we under stand that, like distilled water, it will keep for any length of time without undergoing decomposition or becoming offensive. This plan of Mr. Dover's ap pears to us the most feasible that has yet been pro posed for preserving the Thames from pollution, as while it retaios th e use o f t h e present sewers, it does not require any very great outlay to bring it at once into practice. A' the conclusion of the lecture, Mr. Hop good, of the City Commission of Sewers, put severAl questions to Mr. Dover, the whole of which were answered satisfactorily, and pledged himself to do his utmost for procuring from the City Commis• sioners of Sewers an opportunity for Mr. Dover to carry out his plan. A vote of thanks was then proposed to Mr. Dover f.mr his interesting lecture, and another to the Chair man for his conduct in the chair, after which the meeting separated. THE WELSH CHURCH. TO THE. EDITOR OF THE SUN. LErTEIt 111. SlR,—The following facts may tend to illustrate the pernicious system of ecclesiastical government which has for many generations been practised by the successive English bishops of our four Welsh sees In the diocese of St. David's there are 419 bene fices, and 297 of them without habitable glebe-houses. In the diocese of Llandaff there are 247 benefices, and 126 of them without habitable glebe-houses. In the diocese of St. Asaph there are 149 benefices, and 42 of them without habitable glebe•houaes. In the diocese of Bangor there are 128 benefices, and 62 of them without habitable glebe-houses. Mr. Lingen, one of the Commissioners of Welsh Education, in the Appendix to Part 1., pp. 406-7, states of the county of Pembroke and hundred of Themess—" In the whole of the country between Fishguard, on the north, and the Preielly mountain, on the south, . . . the state of the churches exemplifies the neglect in which the population of these parishes is left. Churchwardens are never appointed. The churches of Llandulo and Maen chlochog are in ruins," &o. Of Llanychlwydog he says, at p. 407—" There were no Church people 1 . /1 the parish." Of lissguard he adds, at p. 444—" There had been no churchwardens in the parish for the last ten years, nor, it was believed, for a much longer period." To the Second Report Mr. Symonds appends the following particulars, ascertained by his assistants, concerning certain Brecknockshire parishes. Of .Llanafan iechan it is said, at p. 131—" Divine ser vice is very seldom performed here, unless there are banns to publish, or a wedding or a funeral to take _ Of Llanfihangel Abergweissin it records, at p. 135 —" There is no service performed in the church during five out of six Sundays, for want of a con grc gation." Of Llanfiliangel Bryn Pabuan, also at p. 135—.. "Divine service is not often performed here, ex cept a wedding or a funeral takes place. The vicar rides by on the Sunday afternoon, but seldom has occasion to alight and do duty, from the paucity of the congregation." The ianie Commissioner's notes on C2ndiganshire testify, at p. 163, concerning Llanfair-tref-Helygen, that—" The parish church was in ruins many years ago. The oldest inhabitants in the neighbourhood did not remember it standing." An additional circumstance, which I am about to mention, rests upon excellent, although private au thority. Not long ago, the incumbent of one of these desolate parishes having requested a clerical friend to publish banns for bins in the church, that friend, a pious and active Welsh parson, drove to the place in a gig, accompanied by his wife, on the Sunday specified. _Finding the churchyard -gate fastened up, and no person being within call, the clergyman secured his horse to a railing and walked to a neigh bouring cottage. A woman, whom lie met with, looking earnestly at the strangers, instantly inquired in Welsh, whether they wanted to be married; and after the clergyman had explained matters, and waited for the breaking up of a Dissenting congregation, a few of them kindly consented to accompany him to the church, for the purpose of legalizing by their presence his announcement of the banns ! - The gross neglect of parochial ministers, of rural deans, and of other officials is manifested in these things. It is likwise notorious that the four arch deaccnries of the diocese of St. David's have long been held as sinecures, and still continue virtually such, in spite of legislative enactments to the con trary. faus is the Welsh Church neglected, misgoverned, and corrupted by her English prelates ! A remarkable case, in which the lapse of the whole population of a large parish into schism can be directly traced to a single act of episcopal power, thall be noticed in my next letter. I am Sir, &c., GORBONIAN. NATIONAL BENEVOLENT SOClETY.—Yesterday the annual general meeting of the members of this institution was held at Freemasons' Hall, Sir James Duke, Bart., M.P., in the chair. After some prefatory remarks from the chairman, the report was read by Mr. Lateille, the secretary. I stated that the institution was founded in 1812 by the late Peter nerve, Esq., for granting pen sions to aged tutors, go , ernesses, artists, and other wortl - ,y bu, distressed members of the middle classes of of whatever country or persuasion. At Christ i/I,ls, 1848, the number of persons receiving pensions of 204 or 301. a year was 232, of whom 14 were males a nd 218 females, their average age being upwards of 72 years. The total sum disbursed in pensions since the formation of the society was 119,6851. I Is. 7d. The entire receipts from September 30, 1848, to September 30, 1849, including a balance from the previous year, were 8,7751. 1 Is., and the total disbursements 7;5351. 4s. Id., namely, pensions, 5,0211. 55.; investments, 1,6861. 18s. 9d. ; and expenses, 8271. Os. 4d. The report was adopted, and 21 aged persons were elected pen sioners. A vote of thanks to Sir James Duke for his court, sy in presiding, and the officers of the society, closed the proceedings. THE EIRE AND LOSS OF LIFE IN WILD-STREST. —Yesterday an inquiry was made by the brigade autho rities with a view of ascertaining how the calamitous fire occurred which destroyed the greater portion of Mr. Sullivan's premises in Great Wild•street, Lincoln's Inn•fields, and %sluch was attended with fatal conse quences to one of the inmates. The result of the in vntigutiou went to show that the disaster originated in one o! the rooms on the first floor, but not in that occu pied by the poor man who unfortunately perished in the AFFRAY WITH POACHERS.—On Tuesday a con flict t , ,ok. place between three gemekeeper3 in the service of Mr. Lechc., of Carden-park, and Mr. Aldersey, of Aldersey. hall and a band of poachers, supposed to be six in number, in the course of which one of the Later lost his life. An inquest has been surnamed to sit on the body, and the inquiry is adjourned. s