The Sun. — London, England, 1841-08-03 00:00:00

EVENING STN• M ESMERISM, BY DE LA_FON - T.A.INE.—(SECOND NOTICE.) In our notice of the Mesmeric exhibition which took place at the ay Queen's R H an ovGr-square, on f Thurs- Imast • Rooms, or' :, it was . mentioned that M. de Lafon tai n e in in the chose' of nis visitors who were disappoi nted b y crowded State of the theatre on that occasion, that he w°4l d upon a future day a fford them an opportunity of witnes4 ing experiments;the s ame as those which he was ffr , a about Perform. Yesterday was accordingly fixed the repetition, and at three o'cloc k nearl y two hun dred tuld fifty l a di es an d g entlemen, mostly persons of rank (t° judge from the crowd of liveries and the number of emolazon e d carriages which stood before the doors), wer e • 4 Ssembled in the second concert room—an apart bit mach larger than the theatre of the previous io n . There .was a better ve ntilation, less heat, and fl 'i : s t e i :laently a more satisfactory opportunity of witness '" i n e expected reetition, than could have been enjoyed tu e ?b'rvrition of the original . experiments.. .Thes . e . , were varied and abridged on this occasion by a hf" e nts, far more interesting to the curious than agree ;_e to the sens i t i ve , • Ojri after three o'clock, M. de Lafontaine presented d u e lln p s elf upon the pl a tf orm , introducing a young lady of 1 ,eate and bashful appearance, who took her scat in the . 114 ents' chair, A perceptible sensation, or , if we ma y 0 s g ar a silent- murmur, pervaded the assembly, which to expressive of a sympathetic shrinking from the ert..441 a nticipated, of witnessing so gentle and engaging a ter ,„ l t're, subjected. to the harrowing and (at least appa h - Y.) cruel ordeal which the principal subject of the 1 ,4 11 d.ty's operation underwent. "e gentleman. Who had before acted as interpreter, kt ,`, l l !, eame forward and was received very kindly by the re- Port e d He repeated nearly as we have already re tie(' the cause of his interference, and his own impar -143; Upon the subject, wbich this company was try of m it, inv.. ti te He-proceeded to sketch the history es merism, gl s l vith less detail than upon the former 6 as ;, at 'un ,• but adding, in answer to a statement that no `el lo fa ymes in science could be found in the list of those h.,sred Animal Magnetism, that Cuvier, Laplace,. anh„ l ,,, Zo t and several others, whose names we could (11 catc h, had expressed opinions in its favour.— Vil l l o le e lt applause.) He was disposed, to agree with those R - leund fault with public exhibitions of the nature of Q ,kwhich they were now to witness.—(Hear, hear.) is ought the experiments should more fitly be pur hem;',u,the Privacy of the philosopher's salon, or in the lir a l• Yet he must ask, what. was to be done ? Itan n th e experiments were made under such circum lisoce,,s, there was raised a cry of " fraud, folly, delu ltft --(Hear, hear.) No other course, therefore, was did p to those who believed that the alleged phenomena list ; 1 411 Y occur, and that the appearances produced were , .4 st . e result of charlatanism,-thun to bring the in to s ,r t iml fully before the public, in such a manner as fi rro - af /cet the facts to unquestionable exposure . or con 'ktY,nanuy—la(clilyeaL, hear.) . With that view he suggested gentleman should, as happened on thc, - ,: (la Y last in the other room, choose to submit the Pobli„ -Pa tion, no objection would be raised to t lt,,,: il at 'en of th e name a nd address.—(Hear , he ar. ) Ilie st i: d he but justice to themselves. the public, and the "Ptil4 - „ n * " (Rear, hear.) If they shou ld he found sus- Peeted ff to the mesmer i c i n fluence, they would be sii wer." o collusion, unless the observers and the p ublic e in o 41 4 th rifled who they were, and were thereby satisfied Th e e Y had no connexion with the exhibitor.—(Hear.) Oeti ; ,;',7 ll ,ag lady in the chair had been already once mag -I?.eliel';il ° Y,_ M. Lafontaine, but with little effect : but he • ha.,4- she was susceptible of the influence ; and here hot t o b t o observe that the reality of the influence was (Neer a,diselieved merely because all persons were not "Lue of it ; nor even the same persons at all times. and . 1 2 1'as very muc h app l au d e d t h rou ghout a very neat ° fluent address.) N at !: Young lady was then subjected to the usual mani kOesclis by M. de Lafontaine-t-that is, pressure of the fix e d' Palms of the hands and thumbs, accompanied by a shegaze of ov erw h e l m i ng intensity. In three minutes l 'rof 44l " into a state of apparent i n sensibility, while the lessor tested by sticking pins into her head and (lid S. (A lady exclaimed, " That isvery cruel.") She degr:eot shrink in the least, or exhibit the slightest that 14 feeling. But M. de Lafontaine sa id , she uand s Was only partially insensible in the thr ast - i„"ead, nose an d chin. Thfs he illustrated by them;"g pins into the parts he named, and leavin g Blight ° ; whilst he t es t e d other parts which by.av?ry The q uiv ering manifested some degree of sensibility. bility ly gave very evident tokens of their sensi terea e l, ; 11- ng the experiment,. by sighs, sobs, and unit- Phial - W s ", °t' " shame." The Professor then applied a_ whi s t, ` 'i t ighly concentrated ammonia (the strength of hou g h''' e an vouch for) to the patient's nose ; and least, t h to our observation she did not wince in the legre e Pr ofessor said she was still sensible in a small did by an :, u s e would make it more palpable. This he ' l "e • v - ,.„ - ",,lmg a lighted lucifer to her nostrils, when 'aush e , feebly shook her head. Some gentleman here y = When M. de L. gently retorted (in French) 50 e though, that when she does feel, she shows it " '"(A.no it ta ..--/ause)—" but we shall see more." He then 1 , - , 11 , 1 1 - mlated further passing his hands downwards in a position, smoOthly, but with great energy, within - ft ,',e‘v inches of her body, from head to foot. He then - a new himself (how we could not guess, further than s4 t he gazed upon her intensely) that la„ ; was . insensible, and he held lighted ti ' - ` t, fe rs, one after another,. until three or four were burnt k sh e luse to her nostrils, and, to our amazement, her 4„,,dici not blister, nor did she wince or move a muscle. tq "" cries of- " enough, enough," induced the Professor , se ,t when he was requested to restore her, and s fl-6- w she felt. On her restoration we underst ood her 1,,,Q13' with great cheerfulness (but in a low tone, - and in T r) that s h e h a d f e lt no thi n g. 1.1 3 t % Youth, who had been the subject of the Iv a s m`tY'S operations .was -now introduced. It Iv, remarked by those around us 'that he looked t i ,b s and anxious. We thought so too ; and the seea.!!inent interruption of the experiments was possibly ivi4olled by previous illness, as much as by the fact to 411.11_tti • d i e n Lafontaine attributed it, and which, if there be the established doctrines of this school; Id be sufficient to account for the interruption. Hay tftislou,,,,ieltirreduced him to insensibility , M . de La.fon "-Jade certain movements of his hands in f ront of the •',' tt ° uth's legs, f rom th e hips down, and they rose fro m %n' e r ' i ld grad ua lly, an d a s if mechanically, until they hort - , 41 P0u a level with the seat, where they remained . in a tt eii rnta,l position, rigidly extended and fixed, without ii ) i r i or oscillation for the rest of the hour during w, ',! O continued ' under experiment. In the meau sad, ha pins were stuck deep and numerous into his ta.• a ttds, cheeks, lips, and thighs, without producing ht. de observed, that no blood issued. _ ne h ue Lafontaine, with some indignation, pointed to • and from which the blood was streaming, and then ‘ v" awing one of the pins from the thigh , said , " If v aat to s ee blood, there it is," and held up a larg e b i q the kind called " corkers," which was red with hit t ° about h a lf an i nc h f ro m the point. This exhi- P 4 ,,lfi e di'Vueed a universal shudder, strangely accom utit„,s universal, although • suppressed, apphiuse, t hat we must suppose by a painful convictio A n Prot tr , no • deception had been practised.. took I t ed, confused; and unintelligible discussion then kue l ) ) ' il ee, of which the object seemed (as we could r e i gned te b e to settle the question whether the youth only 14 4 e . ° r Was really insensible. A number of gentle- Ilie sti ` e wded round the operator and the subject, putting °,148 altogether • in bad French, and in English of ar acter, d th . e ieti-onehOr , and wrangling (in greater zeal than ~f good manners) with one another, and with W hich r i: ess nr, as to the result of their own experiments, eoi t , uy crowding and• confusion, they prevented the this, a t large from appreciating. In the course of t o order a gentleman applied all his force and might flit th e Of the rigid and extended legs of the poor patient, Nd d e Purpose of trying, as it would seem, whether he ea it down. The Professor exclaimed in alar m, 'Pate ( ' le ,° all but the unreflecting experimenter partici l'hsh MY God, you will break his leg !" an d then tt,h;el aside the thoughtless medler. The latter retired t r `, s eat amidst hi sses a nd cries of " Shame." th, his incid ent b roke up the party o f di s p u tants, and ho tt B P a eo in front o f the chair being cleared, it was an the n eed that great difference of opinion existed as to tif4' st ate of the lad's pulse, some gentlemen having ' n edtha,t it was imperceptible, and others that it was eon Which in his state of health, would be the natural th lion. We understood the explanation to be, that ol,„_laesineriscd condition was interrupted by so many rsit e w ill s or temperaments operating on hi m at the t eh lb e time ; and that those who felt his at one time o` li tt him in a different state from thatwhich he had i l a minute before, when his wrists were held by the ti k ,e, i r s• His hands and arms were all the time extended, Itcand motionless, as were his legs, and remained so, 41,„'` he was for a few minutes restored as to the head - ‘ e ' lie then said that he ; had felt nothing . but a I ght kit, headache, and a pain, for the . seat of which he th at to his groin, which was considered an indication l Il s ".e had been hurt by the force applied to is 1 ) r as again rendered " somnambule ; and the inter l'ir ".r ,said that as the youth had been supposed to res- . 14,;A•uen the amonia was put to his nostrils, an amt arid would now be applied to him, of suc h a strength Forh . ' 3 o exact a manner, that if he had respired during experiments he would never respire after this one. tnit ' s ' e experiment was conclusive as regarded ammonia, h-Pbj:",' er al gentlemen proposed snuff as a surer test, and . •I'li„ le t i t it copiously and carefully out of their own boxes. tla e -3 ,' l laughingly expressed their surprise that it pro .A. no effect whatever. asid , fltlernan who, on being required to give his name, • s t . my name is Jackson, and I am very well known • • t artholomew's Hospital," asked if the Professor re lli e able to magne ti se the young gentleman, and d e r Cre r His arms r i g id, while he (Mr. J.) held them ? M. io -aron taine replied in the affirmative, saying he could As wi thout touching the patient. ar . e tedieu s an d unmean i ng di scuss i on ( w hi c h was nit id on i n such French that i t was necessary t o gent vet it to M. de Lafontaine), was raised by some ere e t. --en who were repeatedly requested by the audi glish. At length Mr. Jackson's expe- U lm l it Proceeded. The patient, having been awakened, li eti: s e Z °ls it i le e nci ak : n took him by the arms iii a manner which hint ,„ some resistance, and the exclamation " You Att l e e. Mr. J ac k son a t length raised the arms per formeularly a b ove the head, and, t h e passes b e i ng per arras i nsensibility was 'renewed. The young man's (n ot `'"atne rigid as one' jointless bone, and descended w nr Withstandi ng t h e utmost res i s t ance of Mr. Jackson, h e u scular and vi gorous man ) n early to the horizontal, Ap t , ' " be Laf on t a i ne interfered, and withheld Mr. Jack teriseing that he would break the arms, as they were te rm to a degree of brittleness. Many persons now ut- Whi ch strong- expressions of disapprobation, of for fir. Jackson was the unmerited object— rizht-"at he did was, so far, perfectly justifiable and the in our mi n d. On the resuscitation . of tlUe st t ee Per, M. tie Lafontaine asked the usual an ex " How du you feel ?" The poor youth, with 4 44 Pres siou of painful anxiety, said he hail headache ex cessive heat. M. de Lafontaine said that the lad was ill, in consequence of an ascertained law in animal magnetism, that the patient suffers by any strong resist ance exercised by a third person to the will of the ope rater who has magnetised him. The patient intimate , that such was his feeling, and he seemed to become so ill that the company with one voice begged he should b taken away. He was subsequently brought back, fo . the purpose of undergoing the galvanic and :electro. magnetic experiments (described in this paper on Friday last), and took his seat in the chair with a smiling and cheerful, but very pallid countenance. The com pany, however, would not allow this operation tc be attempted, but unanimously cried " Enough, enough !" M. de Lafontaine bowed assent, and they pointed to a large stain of blood upon the back of tin lad's trowsers, saying expressively, " I did not do that." —(Great indignation.) The interpreter observed, that it was evidently done by some gentleman-who wished to satisfy himself as to the genuineness of the insensibility, by sticking a pin* severely into a part of the patient's person, which would not be seen by the patient, or any one in 'supposed collusion with him. He hoped the gen tlenian was satisfied.—(Hising, and cries of " Shame !") The young gentleman bowed to the audience, and retiree. amidst loud expressions of sympathy, and even of regard. The most curious part of ail day's proceeding now commenced. It was announced that some gentlemen were desirous of submitting themselves to experiment, and the explanation was repeated, by way of a caution, that all were not susceptible. A lady stood up and said, "I hope you will magnetise Mr. Jackson, and not spare him with the pins."—(Great laughter.) Mr. Jackson. who scarcely merited this spiteful wish, was not inclined to gratify it ; and another gentleman (about twenty-four or twenty-five years of age), placed himself in the chair amidst some applause. He was perhaps as resolute and bold-looking, as well as strong and healthy, as could be selected from such a company. M. de Lafontaine said that he did not expect to produce much effect on such a temperament in a first experiment. However, in one minute precisely, the gentleman's nerves gave way in the distressing struggle, and 'after a convulsive and pain ful resistance sank into a state of insensibility, which at first seeraed as profound and " somnambule' as that of the habituated patients; but after a few seconds, and be fore the amazement of the audience had subsided, he made some convulsive movements, whigh induced the Professor to take off his neckcloth, and open his shirt collar. At the request of some gentleman near the chair M. de Lafontaine proceeded to revive him, and when he seemed to be in a state of sensibility he was asked, did he feel quite awake ? He answered, with a smile,'that " he was not sure ; but he would try if he could walk." He was lifted upon his legs, but found that he was not in the least master of them, and sank again int%-oche chair amidst much laughter, in which he good-humouredly Joined. Some manipulations by the Professor seemed shortly to have the effect of restor ing hilitlperfectly to the possession of his faculties and bodily powers. Being asked what he had felt, he said he had not been quite unconscious any part of the time. lie had felt as if he were about to faint. Upon this a gentleman exclaimed, "Of course you were !" And we concur in the opi nion which the exclamation implied, that any man in the same circumstances would have fainted, and that so far the experiment proved nothing. The gaze of the operator, and the . constant and varied motion of his fingers before the eyes of the firmest and best• nerved man in the world must bring on fainting—at least, it must come to this, if the gaze be mutual and continued, one of the two, the subject or the operator, must give way, one of them must swoon. In this case the volunteer swooned in one minute after a manly and resolute effort to keep up. In reply to the general call, he gave his name as "Baggot, of Queen's College, Cambridge." Another gentleman then volunteered in the same man ner, and, being apparently a more nervous subject than the last, was received with some degree of alacrity by the lecturer, and placed in the chair without preface. Contrary to all expectation, however, this gentleman held out much longer, and with apparently less effort than his predecessor. He was, however, overcome, and so completely that M. do Lafontaine, with out the least hesitation in the world, put him to the test of the pins ! They were stuck in his head, cheeks, and hands, apparently without affecting him, and left as carelessly as if he were fully initiated in the art of mesmeric endurance, and accustomed to serve the uses of a pincushion. M. de Lafontaine, however, was not yet satisfied of his insensibility. He said he can feel a little and I think he can hear, to prove which he fired a per cussion cap close to the gentleman's ear, and applied the ammonia to his nostrils. We observed no sign o f sensation, but the Professor said : " You see he feels a little, and hears." The patient, however, being aroused from his stupor, and questioned on the subject, said he had " not been quite insensible—he had heard the dis charge of a pistol, and had felt pins pricking him but very slightly"— (Laughter and applause.) He gave his name as Mr. Greenwood, of Peterhouse College, Cam bridge. It is scarcely our province to offer any opinion upon the facts which we have witnessed, and if it were, it would be a duty to withhold it for further consideration, believing that not one man who has yet observed the phenomena is in a condition to explain them, or to say whether they result from reality or delusion. Future opportunities may also enable us to enter into a question alluded to by the gentleman who acts as M. de Lafontaine's interpreter, as to the dif ference between natural and magnetic sonnambulism, which it is preferable to waive for the present, admitting, in the meanwhile, that utter insensibility during the state of natural somnambulism has been proved by nume rous and historical facts, and that there seems little rea son to doubt that the so-called magnetic somnambulism exhibits the same phenomenon. * From what we have since heard it would appear that a lancet was secretly thrust into the thigh, and that the loss of a large quantity - of blood, by this cruel and cowardly experi ment was the cause of the youth's illness. The appearance of the trousers would warrant the opinion that such was the case; but if any thing to that effect was stated, the confusion that prevailed prevented our hearing it. In the ill-judged and in decorous crowding—upon which we remark above—such an act might have been committed without observation ; and it is to be hoped that it will induce gentlemen in future to abstain from the indulgence of such disorderly zeal as was manifested on this occasion. BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE. PLYMOUTH, FRIDAY MORNING, JULY 30.—The seve ral sections commenced their meetings yesterday morn ing, and the attendance at most of th em was very good. They all broke up at an early hour, as is usually the case en the first day of meeting. Our Correspondent (see The Sun of Monday) has already watched and noticed the proceedings down to Paper 4, read in the C. section of Geo lo gy and Physical Geology, upon the destructiveness produced by pholas at Plymouth. We resume at Section D.—Zoology and Botany.—Dr. Richardson, President, in the chair. Mr. J. E. Gray, F.R.S., read a report on the geographical distribution of the animals of New Holland. There are, it appears, 94 species of mammalia. There are only two species and two genera of the ferm or carnivorous beasts, as the dog and seal. There is only one known beast in Norfolk Island, which is supposed to have been introduced from Sydney, espe cially as it is not known in Van Diemen's Land. Mr. Couch made a report on the zoology of Cornwall: Amongst other interesting facts, he stated, that what might be called severely cold winters did not occur more frequently than in cycles of six or eight years. The • appearance of the bat might be witnessed in every week of an ordi nary year ; but if the thermometer fell below 40 degrees Fahrenheit it was a signal for their retreat, although a milder temperature restored them to activity, when it was not uncommon to see them the whole day. Another proof of the mildness of the climate was, that the long tailed field mouse breeds at the beginning of January, forming its nest in the ricks of hay, and that fishes then deposit their spawn. He stated Cornwall as containing 244 species of birds, and 173 fishes, and made an addition to the number of testaceous and molluscous animals and zoophytes. Professor Henslow made an interesting re port on certain diseases in wheat. He particularly al luded to one which was confused under the name of red gum, produced by an anima,l and was called the wheat midge, and was the larva of a gnat, that deposits its ova in the unripe cars of corn in the months of May and June. These larvae, which are developed with the ri pening corn, do much damage to the crops, and he had found from a hundred thousand to a million in a bushel. As a remedy, he proposed sifting the chaff of corn and burning the dust with the midges that had passed through. Section F.—Statistics.—Colonel Sykes in the Chair. Mr.•Woollcombe read a paper on the statistics of Ply mouth, Stonehouse, and Devonport. It first made re ference to the history of these places, which are not of very high antiquity, as they are not noticed in the Domesday Book. In the time of Edward I. Plymouth, however, was a town of some importance, having 325 vessels on its waters, and in 1346 it sent its quota of 26 ships and 603 men to blockade Calais. been considered o:asfuo t rr h y a w t t ho lt thesht e , return np lla se le 2, buti otsf population peace this i l l a w t d o h m :n:1 1 : 0 1 st p h r a o v i e -ed be t l h n e 20,900, in 1831 it had increased to 3 ' 1,000 ; and accord ing to the present census it was 36,000. The houses were also better built, the appearances of domestic comfort wer e more striking, and the literary and charitable insti tutions had advanced. Though a great portion of the manufactures had left thelWest of England, the returns of the custom-hense for the last:official year were 135,930/.155. Stonehouse, which was originally a fishing village, and in 1801 contained 3,667 inhabitants, now numbered nearly 10,000 ; and Devonport, which scarcely existed at the beginning of the present century, now contained up wards of 34,000 souls. Section G.—Mechanical Science.—Mr. J. Taylor, F.R.S., President. Mr. J. S. Russell read a report of the Committee appointed by the British Association to in quire into the mean value of railway constants. These experiments , w hich were principally made on the Liver • pool and Manchester Railway, were very numerous and varied, and amongs t the most important results were the following :—That a very large proportion of the resist ance encountered by train s in motion is as the square of the velocity. With respect to the high resistance of the air, contrary to the opinion given in the report, Mr. Rendel afterwards stated tha t this was very,considerable, as on the Southampton Railroad it had been known to delay the arrival of the trains for half an hour. One i import ant result which the Report arri ved at was, that t would, if correct, be found advantageous to the introduction of railways into hilly countries. According to the Report it appeared that 'a level, to obtain which many difficul ties had to be encountered, was no advantage over a gra. dient of 16, 20, or even 25 feet per mile. The subject, it was resolved, should be reserved for future inquiry and discussion. In the afternoon the Marquis of Northampton pre sided at the ordinary at Devonport, and the Earl of Morley at that in Plymouth. The former has accom modation for 165 at the tables, and the latter for 397. Each ordinary was well attended, and the usual toasts were given. THE SUN, L EVENING MEETING. The, first general meeting of members was held in th •vening at the Town-hall, at Devonport, which had- bee. nlarged foi• the occasion by the erection of a temporar:. iestibule at the front of the building. The numbers pre ient exceeded 1,200, including all the rank and fashioi ,f the vicinity. Amongst those on the platform were th. Marquis of Northampton, Earl Morley, Lord Ebringtoi: Sf.P., Lord Adair, Lord F. Egerton, Sir Thomas llyk. ,eland, Bart., M.l'., Sir Charles Lemon, Bart., Di . i3owring,.NE.P., Mr. Gill, M.P., &c. The Rev. Professor WIutwELL, the President for th, year, having taken the chair, proceeded to address th. meeting. He stated, that he hut last year been electee to this honourable office in his absence, that he had bee] 4. labourer with the Association ever since its first meet ing, and felt a high interest in its success. He would first take a slight sketch of the general aspect of th• Association, which so generously lent its aid to scienct in all its appliances. In Lord Bacon's " Vision ()- Atlantis " he had framed institutions of every order for the welfare and benefit of man—colleges, establish ments, and associations for promoting the intellectual corn ' forts, the welfare, and the happiness of man. He shouh' he glad to see realised all the colleges and benevolen intentions of this Utopia, but instead of a temple o' Solomon being supported by the State, they must have a British Association supported by themselves. The Bri tish Association had now existed for ten years, and al though it did not possess colleges like those alluded U. by Lord Bacon, it had performed experiments which no nation, however rich or learnedi could ever unaided hop( to reach. It had not employed professors or inter preters of nature, but it had found, both here and abroad, :leave cultivators enlisted in its service, of which no institution could hope to get so many. Mathematicians, astronomers, chymists, and naturalists had all come for ward to aid in its cause. Since the establishment of the Association it had judiciously laid out upwards of 7,000/. in the prosecution of scientific objects; through its re commendations the aid of the Government had been en listed to several subjects of scientific interest. With re gard to the Ordnance surveys, their recommendation that they should be pdblished on a scale of six inches to the mile, instead of two inches, had been adopted ; but their greatest achievement of all was the survey of the terres tial globe, undertaken by means of fixed observatories in all parts of the world. lie could bear his testi mony to the liberality with which the Government had acted upon all occasions to the Association. When he pointed to these results, he could not but say that those who established it acted upon a knowledge of the exigen cies of the country. Sovereigns, and nations, and wealthy individuals had deemed astronomy worthy of their patronage, and provided costly instruments for the purpose, but none had considered the wind, the tides, the atmosphere, electricity,- magnetism, and even vege table and animal life ; but for these they would not call upon the Government, as they had already been under taken by this voluntary Association. Mr. Whewell fur ther advised that the storm of opinions, on which the best and wisest differed, were to be avoided, and a solemn piety used in their elevated pursuits, in the stead of con troversal metaphysics and religion. SATURDAY MORNING , July 31. The sectorial business commenced yesterday morning at eleven o'clock. Papers in several sections were read, but that of chief interest was perhaps the following :—ln Section G.—Captain Taylor, of her Majesty's ship San Josef, read a communication on floating breakwa ters. The subject of protection to the harbours of this country was one of very great importance, particularly as the Commissioners appointed by Government had pointed out the desirableness of having three harbours of refuge on the western coast. This would involve an expense of at least 6,000,000/., which at once nega tived the proposition. There were no less than 250 harbours round the coasts, all of which re quired protection. In the course of last year, 500 ships were wrecked on our coasts, whilst 1,200 lives were annually destroyed, and the annual loss was about 3,000,0001. sterling. On the score of humanity, there fore, this subject deserved consideration, and Captain Taylor was prepared to prove that a floating breakwater, made of wood, might be constructed for at least a fiftieth part of the expense of a solid breakwater. Nor was a floating breakwater liable to many of their objections of the former, and it had been found in many parts of Ply. mouth Sound the:mud had accumulated to the depth of five feet. A breakwater on this principle was about to be laid down at Brighton, so as to make it a harbour. In the evening a soiree was given at the Town-hall in Devonport, which was very well attended ; and Mr. Chatfield, of the Dock-yard, gave a lecture, with illustra tions on ship-building, demonstrative of the launch of the Hindostan 80 gun ship, which will take place on Monday. To-day none of the sections meet, as the whole of the members have joined the excursions to some of the inte resting localities in.the neighbourhood. SATURDAY NIGIIT. ACCOUNT OF THE EXCURSIONS UP THE TAMAR, &c. _ The excursion up the Tamar was made in men-of war's boats ; in those of the San Josef, Caledonia, and Impregnable. The party was small in comparison to that which visited the mines beyond Tavistock, the latter consisting of nearly two hundred ; the former between sixty and seventy. Six boats contained us all, and com fortably. We embarked at eleven o'clock at the New Passage, where the steam ferry bridge plies. Up the Ramona we went in capital style, viewing with pleasure the wooden walls of old England all around us. Next we commenced the beautiful river scenery of the Tamar, looked up the St. Germans, and glimpsed the Tavy, leaving Graves end and Thankes (the property of Lord de Lisle), and Anthony (belonging to Mrs. Carew), on the left. A little higher up is schedule A—or Saltash, looking dila pidated, which we attributed to its privation of ancient privileges, but were told it was now in a most flourishing condition in comparison with its state when it returned _ . the Hon. Member for Saltash. The women here are well skilled in aquatic exercises, that is, they. are clever and practised oars-women. A prize is annually given during the regatta, which takes place next week, to be pulled for by the female boatmen of Saltash. Pentilie Castle and grounds present a fine object. We first 'landed at Cotehele, Coteil, or Cothell, a property belonging to the Edgecumbe family, and walked some little distance up to the ancient castle of the Coteils, where Charles 1., Queen Elizabeth, Queen Anne, George and others of Royal blood have sojourned. It is accounted to be of about the time of Henry VII. now real antiquarians would revel here. We had but one amongst our party ; and he knew not how to leave each relic. Chairs, tables, cabinets, oak, ebony, and yew, with the most complex arrangement of secret drawers, doors, locks, keys, dogs (of which, in Queen Elizabeth's room, there was a beautiful pair in brass), carvings, candlesticks, snuffers, glasses, metallic mirrors, &c., attracted and rivetted his attengon on all sides. It did one's heart good to see such thorough enjoyment; but not much less was that of most of the party; there were one or two that walked through the rooms with almost a vacant stare, yet, thinking it necessary to make some remark when anything was pointed out, uttered, " Ah, its very funny, that is funny!" Every room is hung with tapes try, from ceiling to floor; the colours and subjects of which are well preserved. But all were really beautiful and curious; to examine all the beauties and curiosities of Coteil, however, would occupy some weeks at least. From the castle we walked through the woods on the side of a steep slope, with one of a corresponding angle opposite, forming a deep dell, thickly wooded, the bou(4lis interlacing in the most picturesque manner, and meeting every gothic variety of ,arch, down to a small chapel, built on a rock overhanging the river. Re-embarking, we went on , to Calstock, passing the magnificent overhanging woods of Coteil, which contain enormous chestnut and other ornamental and useful trees. We landed at Calstock, and much enjoyed from that ele vated spot the view of the Morwell rocks and the beauti ful surrounding scenery, the winding river. &c., return , ing to the village to dinner. Everything cold in the form of meat, poultry, pastry, &c., had been provided, and laid out for our attack : our appetites had not been destroyed by our excursion, and we set to work in right good earnest. The weather on our return was squally ; we sailed back, and with the exception of once sticking on a mud bank in the middle of the river, covered at high water, where we might have been obliged to repair until the next flood, we reached, and were landed at Admiral's Hard, at Stonehouse, without accident, about seven o'clock in the evening. The party to the mines returned about the same time, Everything that could be was shown to them. Mr. De la Beche explained the geological, and Mr. Taylor the mechanical peculiarities on their route, and at the mines, for raising, crushing, &c., the ores. Several went down into the mine, by which their appearance was not im proved. We have heard nothing of the.excursion to the Eddy stone and Breakwater, but the weather not being real ly, we should think the, party must have been any thing but a party of pleasure. COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, MONDAY.—The Queen and Prince Albert enjoyed their usual walking exercise this morning for some time in the Slopes in the new grounds of the Little Park. Lady Portman took her departure this morning for Bryanstone House, Dorset. Lord Alfred Paget has succeeded Colonel Buckley as Equerry in Waiting upon her Majesty. _ Colonel Bouverie and Colonel Buckley left the Castle this morning. The unfavourable weather in tile after noon prevented the Royal party from taking the accus tomed drive, and the carriages were in consequence countermanded. The bands of the Royal Regiment of Horse Guards, and of the 72d Highlanders, perform on alternate evenings at the Castle during dinner, and her Majesty's private band is in attendance at the Castle every evening. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge returned to town at two o'clock yesterday afternoon; from a visit to the Duchess of Gloucester, at her residence in Bag shot Park. The Duchess of Cambridge took an airing yesterday in a carriage. Viscount Melbourne arrived in town yesterday after noon from Panshanger, Herts, the seat of Earl Cowper. Mr. Newton Wigney, Mr. Bowes, and Mr. G. Dun combe, had interviews with the Marquis of Normanby yesterday at the Home-office. The Hen. Edward Petro had an interview with Viscount Melbourne yesterday, at his official residence in Downing-street. Despatches for Sir Charles Metcalfe, Governor of Ja maica, and the Governors of the other West Indian Co lonies, were'sent off last evening from the Colonial-office. Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence' left town yesterday on a visit to her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester, at Bagshot Park. , TUESDA THE PRESENT 1)1)TY OF THE CHURCH. MINISTERIAL uoAFERENCE ,,, , , '0 THE MODERATOR AND OTHER CLERGYMEN OF THE ESTABLISHED CHURCH OF SCOTLAND. DEAR SIRS AND FELLOW-COUNTRYMEN —WC solicit -our deliberate attention, since we appeal to you on mat ers which alike interest Christians and citizens of every arne. We had hoped to obtain your audience through nother medium, but the arrangements to which we rusted have been unsuccessful. We desire not to ex lude you from a common sympathy, and 2.11 equal op )ortunity of benevolence arid. co-operation with ourselves and fellow-subjects, while we honestly believe we have )een permitted to engage in a generous and honourable Interprise. We employ the allusion, not as a reproach, when we !all to remembrance the claim which has been often irged for your ecclesiastical establishment as the poor •an's church. Undoubtedly man y devoted members vithin your pale, and thousands who have never sought tny other fold than your communion, and who trust to iou as their only religious instructors, are numbered as - ,he children of toil, whose weary portion is to labour lard in ill-requited industry, and to feed scantily on high-priced and heavily-taxed bread. The faithful imongst you who, as parochial clergymen, mingle with their people, and watch the sorrows and privations te the lowly and indigent;can testify, that myriads of he community are not - only scarcely fed and miserably upplied with the means of subsistence, but have their hinds alienated from religion and filled with hostile cirmises about the selfish and uncharitable heartlessness ,f all clergy as Christian teachers. The sneers and scoffs ' 'leaped on religion, and the bitter scorn meted out on he Saviour's name for this presumed indifference of all !piritual functionaries to the plundered and suffering, will not only be present to your memory, but be painful to your mind in consideration of the reproach which thus unmeritedly falls on your tord. You have not always been listless to such considera tions, or callous to the impoverished condition of your community ; especially when exigencies have arisen from inclement seasons and unpropitious harvests ; your days of prayer, when rain has been withheld, and your thanks ;ivings, when a bountiful harvest has been reaped, have ietokened your devout concerns in such matters. When only a section of the country has been visited by the withering blast, the sterile drought, or the ungenial cold, (we refer to it as a matter of history,) you have hesitated not, and feared no imputations for secularity or for courting the applause of worldly men ; you seemed not to dread the suspicion of hollow-heartedness or hypocri tical sympathy for the poor. Thus, when the Oreadians and inhabitants of Shetland had been visited with the calamity of a fruitless harvest and the coinci— dence of occasional failure, in their fishery, a deputation of your body, composed of .1)r. 3l'Leod and others of your most eminent men, was delegated to the metro polis and the large provincial towns. and employed for weeks to plead for charity, and summon the resources of philanthropy, to aid the famishing and miserable suf ferers in the hour of their need and despair. Perhaps it was prudent, then, not .to discuss the prin ciple of that law which restricted them from providing against such a calamity by the interchange of the pro duce of their sea coasts for the grain of continental coun tries ; whose consumption of fish would have equalled their largest demand for cheap and seasonable supplies of wheat. Nevertheless it is true, that when afterward the liberality of benevolence had enabled them to draw from the watery deep the bounties of a propitious Provi dence, which neighbouring countries were anxious to purchase, the law prevented the exchange on equal terms, and again exposed the Orcadians to the hazard and perils of a yearly recurring famine. Was it wise and generous thus to interpose your reli gious character and influence in an emergency, which straitened a few thousands, and which was aggravated by unjust and impious laws ? Or will you plead that your sympathy was excited, and your energies devoted to their relief only because it was presumed their wants originated immediately in a visitation of God ? Would it, then, be less wise and just to exert yourselves where the sufferers are millions, and the ostensible and only cause of evil is the unequal and injudicious legislation of men ? Is not your obligation to exert yourselves doubly enforced by the consideratipi that the system (if an evil one,) may be altered and remedied by the en grossing of a parchment roll in obedience to the united and constitutional prayers of a loyal and virtuous people ? Some of you may question the wisdom or expediency of revoking the Corn-laws, and may doubt whether this would cure the evil. We have indeed been told that we cannot reckon on your co-operation in the contemplated movement, because from the present fiend system, and the interest which by the glebes, &c., you have in the high price of agricultural produce, your secular emolu ments are augmented in proportion as restrictive laws on the sapply of food have their operation. If, how, ever, such a connection does subsist, and if, hence, natural apprehensions should arise, yet surely an equitable settlement might be obtained in any legislative change. But if any hazard of dimi nution should appear to threaten your temporal in terests in competition with the interests of millions of a starving people, will you suffer such contingency to de tain you from our conference ? Can you incur the im putation, or expose yourselves to the suspicion that sel fishness or avarice prevents your judgment, and dictates a national injustice—a universal calamity ;or that you have no confidence in your principles, and no faith in the master whom you profess to serve, for a provision such as your wants require if you obey him, and do justly, and love mercy ? What a fearful responsibility would be thus incurred ! What would be the effect but to countenance the vilest and most slanderous accusations of our enemies against our sacred religion, and to lay it open to the ridicule of the infidel and the profane ? But you do not all entertain the apprehensions to which we refer. There is one whom many of you delight to honour, and whose writings possess among you an autho ritative reputation.. His sentiment on the subject and 14-is . expre, ions we sflidly echo; -d t at you may nil be induced to give the Lthject a patient and thoughtful con sideration. than that know of a of fr n free ao : ie F v o o r mo th n e t ol s o a r k fn ' Or- urgently f e its m tly corn trade. There is not a more fertile topic of clamour desirable irabene tfiht w e and burning discontent all over the land; and, were it but effectually put at rest, we are aware of nothing which might serve more to sweeten the breath of British society." Such is the emphasis and decision of Dr. Chalmers's judgment on " a free corn trade," pronounced when the question of frec trade had not assumed its present formi magnitede. and before the discussion had arrested the public mind to the agitation and apprehension which now gains accumulrtive intensity by every day'sproceed ings, and the fearful eommotions of the commercial world. II these words were true when first written they come with a thousand times more force now. With us free trade is no topic of idle clamour ; though we find that with multitudes it " is fertile of burning discontent," since it is denied by a dominant party in our legislature; and the refusal of it threatens the very foundations of society, and with appalling terror excites the apprehen sion-s of sober and enlightened rcasoners. Will you refuse to join us in seeking a prayerful and just settlement of this absorbing question ? Can you re fuse your aid " to sweeten the breath of British society' which such a movement is likely to serve ? We embrace you in the terms in which we have invited ten thousand ministerial coadjutators, without any affectation of the spirit of catholicity. We say to you, as ministers of re ligion, come in the bonds of kindness and reciprocal fellowship, and let selfish interests and partisan prejudi ces be laid on the altar of our common country, while we inquire and take counsel how we may best and most effectually promote the prosper 4 of Britain, the peace of the community, and the paramount authority of our holy religion. We repeat to you what we have said in part to the Methodist Conference, and entreat you, as we have besought them, to consider what is present duty and what our God requires of you. "If Nehemiah re• bukcd the nobles because they oppressed the people and brought them into bondage by keeping up corn ; and if, by the prophet Isaiah, the God of heaven and earth ha's taught us that the fast which he has chosen is to undo the heavy burdens, to fet the oppressed go free, and to deal bread to the hungry, then surely Ministers of reli gion are only legitimately fulfilling the duties of their province when they take counsel how food may be ob tained for the necessities of their fellow men. Receive as from us and the Committee whom we re present, the circular appeal which has been issued bear ing the name of our respected friend and colleague in this good work, Mr. George Thompson ; and believe us, fel low-countrymen, yours faithfully, J. W. MASSIE, Chapel-street Chapel, Salford. WILLIAM M'KEIZROW, Lloyd-street Chapel. Manchester, August 2, 1841. THE LATE DR. KING. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sin,—ln your report of the inquest held on the body of Dr. Richard King, it is stated, " that the Jury desired to have the evidence of Dr. Randall, or Mr. Hunter, and both gentlemen were sent for, but it was as certained that they, with: the other examiners of Apo thecaries' Hall, were dining at Blackwall." 'Were this statement correct it would imply an utter want o f feel ing and respect towards an estimable individual who was endeared as a friend and a Christian to all who knew him. The fact is that the annual dinner of the Court of Examiners was fixed for that very day ; but so soon as the melancholy event became known, a special message was sent to postpone it, and the Court assembled in the evening of the same day for the e x press purpose of con sidering how they might testify their respect to the memory, of their deceased colleague. We may add that the body was examined on the fol lowing day b e y Mr. Hilton, one of the Lecturers on Ana luintr, the presence o f th e Chair man and Mr. Randall, and the to la m n y o a f t th G e u c y o s ur ht , o li.siiialnte rt. I result confirmed the opinion previous l y given , (H 1. at the death was occasioned by disease of the heart. Your obedient servants, JOHN HUNTER, Mincing-lane, ALFRED D.Z. RANDALL, Finsbury•square. August 22, 1841. CUSTOM-HOUSE ANNOYANCES AT SOUTHAMPTON. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sin-I beg to call your attention to the slovenly man ner in which matters are conducted by the officials at the Custom-house at Southampton. On arriving at thi s place from Havre early in the morning, I could n e ith er get my baggage passed, nor even attend e d to. Of course it was detained until the worthy officials thought proper to make the necessary examination ; and through their unwarrantable delay I was detained upwards of s eve n kdwidard condescend predicament to ; and wh en a t attend to their hours. A great number of ladies and gent l emen were placedlength in the itie th a e ut s h a o m r eaw s duties the confusion was most disgraceful, and mere like a scramble for admission to the gallery of a theatre than the steady deportment to be expected from the servants of an establishment devoted to the protection of her Ma jesty's revenue, IL B. 3, 1841. HE MAJESTY'S VISIT TO UXBRIDGE. FATAL AFFRAY-A MAN KILLED. On Saturday last the town of Uxbridge was ra scene of great animation and rejoicing, in .consequence of its having. become known .that her. Majesty and Prince Albert would pass through the'tOwn on their return from Earl Cowper's seat to Windsor Castle. The line of road was decorated with flags, banners, and triumphal arches. Both sides of the road were crowded for a considerable distance with gay and festive crowds to witness the passage of the royal cortege which, shortly after two o'clock, entered the High-street, Uxbridge, and passed aging amid the acclamations of the assemblage. Throughout her Majesty's progress through the town and neighbourhood no accident occurred, but, we regret to state that about two hours after her Majesty passed through Uxbridge, on her return from Panshanger to Windsor, a fatal affray took place at the Bell Inn, in the town of Uxbridge,. between John Hobbs, a sergeant on the staff of the West Middlesex Militia, and a cooper, named Thomas Tollerson, in consequence of the latter making some reflections on the Queen, the result of which was his death at an early hour on Sunday morning. Information of the occurrence was on Sunday for warded to Mr. Wakley, the coroner, who issued his war rant for holding an inquest. In the course of the morn ing Hobbs was taken into custody. 'Yesterday. he was brought up for examination before Messrs. T. Dagnall and C. Newdigate, the sitting Ma gistrates, at the King's Arms Inn, Uxbridge. George Groves, hostler at the Bull Inn, deposed that on the afternoon of Saturday last he was in the kitchen of the above inn. John Hobbs (the prisoner), Thomas Tillerson (the. deceased), James Ruddock, and others, were also there. The prisoner and the deceased were laughing and joking with each other. The deceased then said something to the prisoner about her „Majesty, which witness could not recollect, and the prisoner said something in answer, which witness has also forgotten, when the deceased said, "if you tell me that again, I'll give you a-- smack of the chops." The prisoner made answer, " So she did" (meaning her Majesty), when the deceased got up out of his chair and went round the table to the prisoner, who was at that time sitting down, and struck the prisoner on the face open-handed. The prisoner then rose from his chair, and struck the deceased with his clenched fist on the mouth, and knocked him down upon the stone floor. The deceased lay on the floor in a senseless state for about two minutes, wheuMr. Keene, the landlord, came and picked him up. The de ceased was then placed on a chair, when blood ran from his nose and left ear, after which the deceased's face was washed with brandy. -Ty Mr. Dagnali—The prisoner, after he had struck /the deceased first, resented himself in his chair, but when the deceased had been picked up, the prisoner said lie was sorry for what he had done. The deceased, when he came to himself, said, " Hoar came I by the blow on the lip ?" when witness told him that the prisoner had hit him, on which deceased said, " Oh, never mind it, it will soon be well." Deceased then began to swear, and was soon afterwards carried home in a chair, still bleeding at, his mouth and ear. Deceased was not sober. He was able to stand when he got home. Witness helped deceased to undress and to put him to bed, and be fore witness left deceased asked him to shut up his shop. By Mr. Newdigate—Whilst the prisoner was present in the kitchen, he assisted to recover the deceased. The prisoner was quite sober, and said if the deceased was seriously injured, he would pay the doctor's bill. Mr. William Rayner, surgeon, of Uxbridge, deposed that on Saturday afternoon, about five o'clock, he was sent for to attend the deceased, whom he found in the kitchen at the Bell Inn, sitting in a chair. Several per sons were round him, bathing his face with brandy. De ceased's face was considerably swollen, and blood was issuing from his left ear. Deceased complained of his mouth being injured. By Mr. Degnall—Witness had a bad opinion of the case the first moment he saw the deceased. The next morning (Sunday), witness heard of the deceased's death. The injury which the deceased bad received was clearly the cause of his death. James Ruddock, Copper, of Uxbridge, deposed that he was present at the time of the occurrence. The de ceased was a little in liquor, but the prisoner was quite sober. The deceased was talking about his work, and also about the Queen, and said the Queen did not pay the same respect to Uxbridge as Uxbridge had paid to her, but witness could not remember what the words were. They all appeared in good humour until witness heard the deceased say "if you tell me that again, I'll give a slap of the head," or something like it. The pri soner did repeat the words when the deceased got up and struck the prisoner on the face, and immediately the pri soner struck the deceased as hard as he could and knocked him down on the stone floor of the kitchen. Deceased bled a great deal. Deceased was on the floor a minute or so, and when picked up blood flowed from his mouth; nose, and left ear. Mr. Rayner, the surgeon. was then sent for, and deceased was taken home. Do ceased asked for his hat before he was remoTed. George Warwick, shoemaker, of Uxbridge, gave simi lar testimony. The evidence having been concluded, The Bench said the case, in their opinion, was one of manslaughter, and it was, therefore, their duty to com mit him for trial at the next Sessions of the Central Criminal Court. During the hearing 'of the case before the Magistrates, Mr. Wakley arrived, and at twelve o'clock empannelled a jury at the Bell Inn, for the purpose of holding his inquest. 'rhe evidence generally was to the same effect as that given before the Magistrates. The CORONER then addressed the Jury at consider able length, during which he remarked on Hobbs having been prevented by the Magistrates from attending the Co roner's Court, and committed by them for manslaughter before the Jury on the inquest could return a verdict. At the conclusion of the Coroner's address, the Court was cleared of strangers, when The Jury returned a verdict that the deeelsed " died .• • from a mortal fracture of his skull, accidentally caused by the head of the deceased, Thomas. Tollerson, having come into violent contact with the stone flooring of a cer tain kitchen." After the delivery of the verdict an application was made to the Bench to admit Hobbs to bail, to which they acceeded, and he was liberated on his own recognizances for 100/. and two sureties of 50/. each, to appear to take his trial. Captain W. Brew and Sergeant Major Williamson both of the West Middlesex Militia Staff, were his sureties TO THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCEL: LENT MAJESTY. The PETITION of MERCHANTS, MANUFACTURERS, TRADERS, and Others, agreed to at a public Meeting, held at the King's Arms Tavern, Philip-lane, Wood street, in the City of London, July 31, 1841. Most Humbly Sheweth,—That your petitioners feel grateful to your Majesty for having dissolved the late Parliament—a Parliament which had not only long lost the confidence of the country, but which, during it:, sitting, endeavoured, under the plea of " privilege," to subvert the liberties of the people, and, also, to inter fere with the just prerogative of your Majesty—that treated the petitions of the people with indifference, and, sometimes, with scorn, and wasted its time in party squabbles for unworthy objects, thereby sinking the character of this kingdom amongst the nations of the world ; but, as the present electors of Members of the House of Commons (or a great majority of them), are actuated by selfish and interested motives, your peti tioners are fearful that those persons who are returnee as Members of the new Parliament will disappoint your Majesty's hopes, and frustrate your Majesty's good in tentions. _ _ That your petitioners are of opinion, that, so long as the right of voting for Members of Parliament is unjustly withheld from those who produce all the wealth, so long will the nation continue as it is—with splendid idlers on the one hand, anti starving, industrious labourers on the other, and that, too, in the midst of an abundance both of the necessaries and luxuries of life ; and your peti- tioners see no remedy for this state of things, but by the aid and assistance of your Majesty ; they, therefore, pray that your Majesty, on opening the new Parliament, will be graciously pleased to direct the attention of its Members to the wants and wishes of the people : By taking into their serious consideration the peti tions sent to the late Parliament, and remove all real grievances. By revising the taxes, so that industry shall pay no more than its fair share. By removing all unjust restrictions on trade and commerce. By making the contractors of foreign loans, and ne gotiators of foreign bonds, and, what are called " foreign securities," responsible for the dividends and interest on the said loans, bonds, and securi ties, and thereby protect the ignorant from being swindled out of their property, and the nation out of its wealth. By fixing a stamp-duty on all,probates, including property of all sorts, whether real or personal, hereditary or free. By depriving all bankers and Others from interfering with the prerogative of the Crown, in making what is called money, and by fixing the amount to be issued by the executive in lieu thereof. And that they will adopt measures for the imme • diate relief of the distressed, by repealing the Poor law Amendment Act. That your petitioners beg most respectfully to assure your Majesty, that it is with great reluctance that they thus trespass on your Majesty ; but, being actuated by a love of country, as well as by a desire for your Majesty's happiness and long life ; and knowing how difficult it i s for your Majesty to obtain honest Ministers, they thought it their bounden duty thus to address you ; be lieving, that should your Majesty condescend to comply with their prayer, your Majesty's reign will not only be great and glorious, but the people contented and happy. And your Majesty's petitioners will ever pray. Signed on behalf of the meeting, JOHN FOTZE . NIAN, Chairman. MuNDEN'sM oTHER.—I went one night into the Green-room of Drury-lane Theatre. When young girls are called upon to perform in London playhouses, it is customary for their mothers to come to look after them, to adjust their dress, rub their cheeks with a rouged hare's foot, and prevent Viscounts from falling in love with them. It so happened that five young girls were wanted for the drama ; the consequence was, that five black-bonneted motherallockaded the Green-room. " Did you ever see anything like it ?" ejaculated Mun den (then between 70 and 80), in an under tone. " I'll bring wiy owe mother to-morrow night ; I've as much right as they have !" The Baron de Beranger relates that, having se cured a pick-packet in the very act of i rregu l ar abstrac tion, he took the liberty of inquiring whether there was anything in his face that had procured him she honour of his being singled out for such an attempt. " Why, Sir," said the fellow, " your face is w e ll enoug h , but you had on thin shoes and white stockings in dirty weather , and SO I made sure you were a fiat." SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS. FROM THE MORNING PAPERS OF THIS DAY, CHRONICLE.—It will be very amusing should we find . ourselves under the necessity of supporting Sir R. Peel. And we. certainly shall support him when he pro ceeds " to apply those r2novations and repairs Which tile lapse of time or altered circumstances may have rendered desirable in our ancient institutions." These are the very things we want, and for the sake of which we have supported the present Ministers. True, we would ra ther have the repairs from honest hands ;' but better from ,dishonest, than not at all. 'We are not of the opi nion of those professed free traders, who Toted in'a mo nopolist majority because they doubted, or affected to doubt, the integrity of the Whigs in their commercial rcfortns. W e are w illi ng t o t a k e a ll th e goo d - we can get. When the " alarm or apprehension" begins—and it will be pretty soon excited—we shall do. our best to help on the renovation, and render it " more easy" even to the contemptible equivocator by whom the useful change may be wrought. It will not be the first time that we have had such work to do ; :nor, should the trimmer whom Tory Immutables and Impracti cables have toiled to shoulder into office continue there, will it be the last. Timeo Danaos shall not make us refuse any done by which the public can profit. We wonder what the first boon will be ; a commercial re form, an ecclesiastical, or a political ? The Tories them selves are, notwithstanding their angy rebukes of our curiosity, wondering just as much as we do. But, after what has passed, they are in the predicament of the heretical bishop with the creeds, " I dare not inquire, I dare ,not inquire." Each section of the Tories thinks it has hoaxed the other, while their common leader, their sole bond of union, is hoaxing them both. A pretty ex hibition. of public virtue ! How long can this combina tion of rottenness last ? How far is the farce to go, of securing the ancient foundations of religiouby the pro fligacy of " tainted" characters forcing themselves into office ? Of how many more candidate chancellors, judges, secretaries, ambassadors, or chamberlains. are we to receive public assurance, from journals tainted or un tainted, that they are not the profligates whose exclusion is so very expedient ? Amongst the renovations which Sir Robert Peel promises to effect, when renovation shall no longer alarm clrruption, we cannot anticipate the restoration of " the ancient prerogative of England, of teaching the nations how to live." POST.—Enormous mischief has been done of late years by the encouragement which a loose system of edu cation has given to speculation. Upon the chance—often an extremely bad chance—of a profitable demand, the speculator sets to work. Hesoon finds his capital insuf ficient-. He has accumulated a stock, but there is no one to buy. Perhaps there would be if he could wait. He soon finds a bank, ready like him Self to run almost any risk for the sake of business. They give him credit. Ile gets money to go on. He continues to produce,. because he has an expensive establishment all prepared for pro duction, and thinks he can afford to stand still. Perhaps a demand does arise, and he gets rid of his stock, pays his bills, gets a profit, increases his household expenses, and builds another wing to his factory. Perhaps a de mand does not arise, and as he has traded far beyond his capital, down he goes. He cannot sell his stock, and, therefore, he cannot pay his bills. The bank grants him time, but at last insists upon payment. Still he cannot pay, and he is obliged to stop amid great crash and ruin, though if he could but sell his produce at the price he calculated upon when he produced it all would still be well. The whole misfortune is that he has clOne too much, having been thereto tempted by the too-easy acquisition of other people's money, that is to say, by the too great accommodation of an over trading bank. This is the system in all directions, and all sorts of markets get stuffed with worthless quantities. Even in literature the system is as bad as anywhere else, if not worse. Books are brought out in preposterous thousands and millions, as if purchasers, like printed sheets, were thrown off by the steam-press, and had no limit which prudence and common sense might calculate. But all this straining and striving nonsense comes to an end, and grieving creditors are left to ruminate upon the monstrous folly of creating a supply without any pre vious inducement from the demand. It is in such times as these that frantic men would peril the demand which they may calculate upon, for the chances of a demand which they may not calculate upon. It is in such times as these that persons calling themselves Statesmen, want to become purchasers from foreigners at the imminent risk, not to say certainty, of ruining those who must purchase from Ahem. Our home and our colonial markets are sure, our foreign markets are not, and cannot be, sure. What worse political madmen can there be than they who would direct us to the foreign market for that which the home and colonial market can supply ? The great—the ruinous—defect of our commercial sys tem of late years has been its want of certainty, Manu facturing and mercantile counting houses have assumed more or less the character of lottery shops, or offices where the transactions of enormous gambling are re corded in waste book, journal, and ledger, by the system of double entry. To aggravate this uncertainty we are recommended (and by the Government too 1) to resort to foreign markets for the commodities we require—mar kets which may or may not demand, or choose to admit, our produce in exchange—markets in which We - shall be purchasers of the labour of foreigners while thousands of our own labourers are sighing for something to do, and pining in the poverty which awaits even upon voluntary idleness. ADVERTISER.—The plot thickens. Matters are rapidly approaching a crisis. The darkness in which Sir Robert Peel has hitherto shrouded his principles and purposes as the proximate Premier of England, is on the eve of being dissipated. Before three weeks have elapsed we shall be able to come to some conclusion as to what we are to expect from the advent of a Tory Go vernment under the auspices of the Right lion. Baronet. Let us not he misunderstood. We are not simple enough to suppose that Sir Robert is to publish to the world be fore that time a programme of the measures which he means to propound to .Parliament. That he will post pone till the latest possible moment which the circa, stances of the country will allow. The test to which c allude as the one by which we shall, ere the expiration of three weeks, be enabled to try the character of Sir Robert, relates to the course which he shall pursue on the question of the Speakership. It is matter of nctoriety to all, that there exists at present a most serious quarrel between the Right [lon. Baronet and the majority of his supporters as to who ought to be the Speaker of the new Parliament. The Tories, as a body, had made up their minds the moment the late elections ensured a majority in their favour, that Mr. Shaw Lefevre should, as a matter of course, be unceremoniously ejected from the chair pf the Commons. The only difference of opinion among them was, as to which of their own party had the preferable claims to be appointed his successor. Imagine then, what Must have been their surprise and mortification, when they made the unexpected discovery that their chieftain was resolved not to suffer the disturbance of Mr. Shaw Lefevre in his official seat. At first they re monstrated in gentle terms ; then they besought the Right Honourable Gentleman not to embitter, by so heavy a blow and great a discouragement to their party, the cup of bliss which the result of the late elections had prepared for them, and which they were in the act of putting to their lips. Sir Robert disregarded their emonstrances, and lent a deaf ear to their interests.. This was not to be borne. If it was an earnest of the manner in which he meant to treat them, they came to the conclusion that the Liberals might just as well have tenanted the Ministerial benches, and they remained her Majesty's Opposition till the end of the chapter. Ren dered desperate by the cold indifference which the Tam worth Baronet displayed to their wishes, they have now resolved to try the effect of an attempt to bully him into their views. Hence the " Thunders" of the Jove of Printing-house-square which rolled throughout the me tropolis yesterday, and whose reverberations will doubt less be heard to the remotest extremities of the empire for days to come. The poor expectant Premier is threatened, abused, and assailed in every possible form, and in every conceivable variety of language, because he will not sacrifice his own opinions and feelings on the question of the Speakership, and submit to the degrada t►on of becoming the slave of his party. TIMES.—We were lately employed in considering the manner in which Conservative principles ought to be applied to the maintenance and consolidation of our fundamental institutions in the legislative department. After stating the main principle of Conservatism, with reference to this subject matter, to be the preservation of the ancient constitutional balance of power, and show ing that by this rule the Conservatives stand pledged to ►indicate the integrity and freedom of action of all the classes and constituents which compose the legislative tuthority, each within its separate limits, viithout either suffering any one class to encroach upon the rest, or permitting the whole together to isolate themselves from the body of the people, we prOceeded to exhibit some practical results of these considerations, with regard to questions agitated at the present day con lerning the Parliamentary franchise.' Tried by such a zest, the scheme of vote by ballot appeared to be a ,levice for reducing the United Kingdom to -the con dition of one immense rotten borough, and converting 1 constituency of limited numbers into the most close and irresponsible of corporation& Jut the same test, while it rejected this spurious remedy, clearly established the duty of adopting some means for purifying the elec ;oral system, and protecting the possessors of the fran- Aise as well against intimidation and violence, as from the intrusion of non-electors and voters disqualified by corruption. Upon the measures necessary for securing liberty of election, defining ambiguities in the law re lating to the franchise, and reforming the process of registration, especially in Ireland, we then took oc casion to offer some observations ; but in the last article which we devoted to the subject, our space was exhausted before we found ourselves able to :.1,1,,u -protich the qiiestion of bribery. There is 714) clue. f s t t,l ar) upon which such unanimity orprofession, and sucl► unit . ' win inconsistency of practice, prevails were to men of all: parties, as this of bribery. All politician talk about purity of election ; and if a judge by the letter of our law, suppose upon the were the most scrupulousl incorruptible peoplec is the subtlety face of the earth—so uncompromisi n g h direct negociation stranger that we with which it pursues not merelyh sit:oubldi is innocent modifica into its remotest and apparently. most very different from of votes for money, but the auxiliary t system of treating, modifica tions. Yet our actual practice we suspect whose elec• this fair show of virtue, that ten Members in any 1 5 __so there are seldom Ph.►damanthus were the judge, and if a Minos or b That this should be so, argues tion, if all the circumstances attending it were disclosed, could be legally sustained.sness It would be most untrue eople i . n the law, as well as much i ' lot many members in the present t l i a n x d i o ty ub o t n ed t l h y e s legato part c o a t p t t h i o c u p to say that there are who owe their election to the free House as in many others, an overstrained whatever. In this e cre ts , eif ; and the affectation of an ex choice of nf their constituents, apart from all corruption theory has defeat i up ress bribery, by pronouncing many ex cessive zeal ts legallyPthinosonly tended e n corruptded to give an are impulse t f felt to to thebee‘siol dto check. A law which neglects to w • Inh°irillYitt'oihrb•"ises weaned EVENING SUN. • discriminate between cases essentially different in their moral complexion deprives itself of.the support of public opinion ; and a law which i s not supported by public opinion can never be carried into -effeet. HERALD.—Now loss of moral • reputation is, per haps, the most disastrous consequence of Lord Palmer:. ston's commercial policy. The total amount and value of our exports may have increased ' , luring the fast ten years ; that increase is the result of a truth on which Mr. Samuel JOnes Loyd stumbled in preparing his set--, speech for the City election ; 'the political necessities and social position of the country compel our manufacturers: annually to augment the amount'. of their productions,' . and that augmentation is forced into all the markets of • the world, sold there at a loss or without profit, and then issue complaints from Lancasitiri - ... and Lanarkshire, loud and deep, that our commercial system produces that distress which is the conseqtience of overstocked markets, and the supply being greater than the de=.'' mand. The want of our manufacturers is new markets ; they can undersell all other nationi, , ,te United States perhaps excepted, in the very coarsest cottons, or domes tics, and cheapness eveywhere begets them a monopoly. Now the greatest obstacle to the creation of new markets is that loss of moral reputation which has been the result of Lord Palmerston's policy. Laboriously, systemati cally, and in despite of the public reprobation of every man in the kingdom, who from knowledge was compe tent to express an opinion. Lord Palmerston has de, graded the character of England-4n the estimati on o f every nation, be it civilised or -'biltimrous, of every people, be their colour white or black, tawny or red, of every climate, be it temperate, - torrid, or freezing. This is not merely assertion—these are not merely words ; if they be, we again calk 'on the Globe to dis prove or contradict them. The: opinion thus ex pressed is the impartial result of 'close observation, of extensive opportunities of ascertaining facts, of severe, investigation, and of an earnest desire to arrive'at truth. The degradation which Lord Palrersten has brought ott the British character is very much the consequence of the submission he has made to gross and illegal attacks on our commercial rights. He is the first British Goroigt Minister who has systematically submitted to all acts of hostility exhibited by other States to our commerce ; he has accustomed the nation to infringements and interrup-. tions of our trade with distant countries ; he has begot the bad habit of permitting these violations of our com merce; he has destroyed the prestige which the power of international law formerly possessed in the minds of oui merchants for the protection of ther ventures. • MONEY MARKET and CITY NEWS: FROM THE MORNING PAPERS OF THIS DAT. TDIES.--It was stated on 'Change by cojia , e.f the members of a city mercantile hotige of good stimding, that accounts have been received from Canton wiar telligence beyond that contained in the Calcutta papers, which is said to be to the effect, that the Emperor had ordered Keshen to be strangled, and that the order bad been carried into execution ; also that the chief officer of a ship of the merchant Rustumjee's had been decapitated. The mode in which this intelligence might have been ob tained in Calcutta is explained asfollows :—Other letters from that place mention the arrival in port of a vessel from Singapore at the time when the post was starting, and it is supposcl that the intelligence described above was received by this channel. As it appears that no other house in the city has this news, and under all these circumstances of doubt it must necessarily be received with a great deal of caution. It mayhave been this that produced the speculative dealings that took place in teas to-day, and which excited the dealers to operate so largely as to cause a rise of betivcon 2d. and 3d. per lb. upon the day's transactions. POST.—The communication addressed by Senor Surra - y Hull to Mr. Hocking, respecting the capitalisation of Coupons, has done nothing for the Spanish market. The repeated tricks and hoaxes that him been played off in the financial market at Madrid have so totally destroyed the public credit of Spain that the bondholders here will depend on no promises emanating frOm it. They will be lieve in no substantial relief being afforded them until the money shall be actually in their pockets ; nor can their incredulity be wondered at or censured, when it is remembered that the decrees of 1836, to say nothing of those anterior to them, but which were not so specially framed for the purposes of betrayal,iemain to this moment unfulfilled. The coupons of November, 1836, were capi talised and surrounded with the most solemn guarantees, but there was no money paid, and nothing more had been said upon the subject until a few days ago, when - out came a project for the recapita4isation of the same thing at a greatly reduced rate of interest, contrary to all justice, law, and honour, nd-without any previous negotiation with the holders. or Surra y Hull finds cause to approve of the steady '` lo) y" of the foreign 1 .9\4 bondholders, and as a reward for their meritorious for bearance, he promises to give. them three per cent. in stock where five per cent. is due in money, on the divi dends in arrear, which, in the event of performance, will be the real and only active portion of the foreign debt of Spain; the bonds already afloat, consisting, if accurately described, of Inactive, Passive, and. Deferred, for these are the just and proper designations to be given to the three principal kinds. His promise is, however, oMy a Spanish promise, and of little value. - .. It is to be observed that, while Senor Surrn y Hull enters freely enough into a correspondence with an indi vidual bondholder concerning his prolects and intentions, he observes a profound silence towards the Committee, the memorial of which neither he nor Senor Gamboa has had the courtesy to notice, and in this conduct they have both been guilty of no little disrespect to Lprd Pal merston, through whom it was forwarded. The Chamber of Commerce at Bombay has issued a . circular addressed to the Presidpis and Members of the East India Association and the ebwibers of Commerce of Great Britain, pointing out the evilS of the temporising uOlicy pursued by the English Commissioner. It appears I • the Chamber that Captain Elliot should by all means iht‘.• taken advantage of the feeling of awe with r hich i the inese were inspired by the capture or ChusaN td l. •, 'sence of a British force in the -ieinity or ''elan. I'v ;,..; of allowing the dispute to ~szanci, Over l'4 , ifllll'ee , -- urangernent at Canton, an alternative pi-or, . :r,, by the Emperor in a moment of consternation only as a means of getting rid of so formidable an enemy, and which ought to have been instantly seen t through as a hollow pretext and nothing more. 'The- document contains -a just exposition of all the Com issioher's gross blunders, but it is the less necessary t i• -should enter more into details now, as he will be shortly relieved by Sir Henry Pottinger from the responsibilities of his office. SUN.—There was a better market for the English Stocks all day, and a good business was transacted. One reason of this was the discontinuance of sales by a wealthy corpo ration. Consols for immediate transfer have realised 891 to 894, closing- at 891 buyers, and for the Account 891 to i. Exchequer Bills have been 14 to 16 premiult. India and Bank Stock were not dealt in. The new . Three-and-a Half per Cents. Are 984- to 1, and the Three per Cent. Annuities 891 to 90 1 1, being an improve ment on each. South Sea Stock was at 991. The Foreign Stocks were heavy of sale again. Portu guese New Bonds were dull at 29-4 to 301, and the Three per Cents 18k. This was lower for the Five per Cents., the news from Lisbon under date of the 26th ultimo, being indeed as indifferent as ever, since in the opi nion of parties living in the country, the greatest difficulty will be experienced raising the tuxes among the people in the provinces, although withottt them the Government never can go on. Mexicaix Stock was only marked 25 : 1 so-44, and- Dutch Two-- and-a-Half per Cents. receded -to 52 and 51i. The Share Market was not animated, but prices ruled higher than on Saturday. Brighton were / -to 61, Thackwall 91, Croydon 11, Biistol and Exeter' 2Z, Chetenham and 'Great Western 411, Midland Coun-: - - ties 15, and North Midland 854 discount. Lon don and Birmingham Thirds 'wers 211, the Quarters 171- ; the York and NOrth Midland 25 ; the New 111 ; the Great Western 20, Fifths' r ; and the South Western 144 premium. Lontlou - Joint Stock Bank Shares were 21 ; Provincial of Ireland 151 to 141, and Union of Australia 5i premium.• • - . HAMBURGII. MAIL. --.,, CASSELL, JULY 23.—An exPreas frcim Vienna brought„ last week official notice to our court of the marriage. of the Lessonitz, on the Bth of Jul, at a seat belonging to the Countess near Brunn, in Moravia. The ceremony The performed by the Protestant clergyman of Brruenu n rrent at preceding reports of the martial:vs-. wiicli 'orteifienintling the Elector of nesse to the Countess of Roirlienlog t l e . Francfort appear to have arisen from . l m e arriage, which ceremony of betrothing with the aqua was delayed till the time o f m ourning for t he Electrees was expired. JULY 23' STOCKHOLM —The celebrate d g eolo g ist, Baron Leopold , Von Duch, im • wiigitin travelling throug - it . no . i __ Sweden. —Hamburg Papers, I.i zio . Et:l ,mA L r Cent. Actual Debt. 2 is 14'5 per Cont TOON Rothschild' al. ' Lo m ' 'llicns 4 per Ccnt. is h I) N lls—Za ti.m al. r , .113. v 31. Lii% 3 per Cent. Loan of Thirty 1 , .-------- .--- Thirty .seven ---- , 1':312 4 per Cent. r...! Loan of . . . P:l% 74 ssno:2: i ikeo t no y ai e r f seoc C i g o ii m euti m ;. : r s c l e , e , 4 , f je p n e t r L en t II Pb Exchange on Condom (short), —Brussels Papers, Julpsl. AUSTRIAN FUNOS.--VIENNA, JULY '24 er Cents. b letalliques fivep Four per Cents. 76 Three Nr Cents. 13vnk :tharcs July •27 —All g erncine ZrnunK. HAMBURG BOItiENHALLE, Jinx 311. • ---,',...,_ , Bills. Mos le y A u strian 5 per Cents. ---,....... 107% 1073, Bank Shares 1:.05 _ A nglo.lttissian Loan .. 10-14 Ins Russian 5 per Cent. Ist series, Curtilicate Inscription, IstSeto.s. Russian 5 per Cent. Hope and Co. 3d and 4th Series 997 7 ',4 97) 9 Ditto in Certificates New 4 per Cent. (IWO) B4; 55% Dutch Actual Debt, 23, pe, Cent :(% Ditto S per Cent : — PoliNli Ilonds ---• 145 New ticket Anglo.ltattish Loan, 3 per Cent 7539 75 I.4..swegian Loan, MD, 4 per C. u5„....... , P •,.), 11r2 1 4 Sp.aush, New 5 per Cents. l6 EICHANGEY. ON LONDON. II AtABURO, JULY 30.-43 5 3 .—Twe months. 19 4 Canis - runts, Jul.'s' 17.—Three months, 4 34. RIGA, JULY 22. —Three Months , 3A. • si-,,,K.,,LN, JULY a—Sevonty:five d4ys, 11. 45. lin csfen, JUNE Y3—Two months, A I 1•. Prrsa4nnitcn, JuLy :.3.—Two months, 35.4 pence . R ?RUSSIAN FUNDS.-11mArr, Ju Ll• 27. Bids Money. St. Sem ld. Sch.. 4 , per cent. I ' l 4 JOIN Prussian Enghsh L o an, ISIO, 4 per Tent 102 101 % 11;xchange on London, three trionttts 6 18% —Prussian State Gazelle. July ‘.',3 M. N., a manufacturer, in, the Rue Montagne Sainte Genevieve, was entering his house two nights ago, when he dropped down suddenly dead at . the door, at the feet of his wife, who eamo to let him in. Mme. N., who is thus left a widow, With several claildm, wit so affected by the appalling event, that absoluteirstraint was fur some time necessary to prevent her from com mitting suicide. She has sina4ecome more calm, but it is feared her reason is irremeratly lost, -t N~ il, be TY ie ip '