The Sun. — London, England, 1830-05-26 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. We have lying before us the voluminous papers relating to the settlement of - Greece : we to-day publish merely two or three extracts, which are of great importance to a right understanding of the question, and to a just estimate of the conduct t. f Prince Leopold, in finally declining the high office which he had previously accepted. We shall speak as impartially as we are able on a topic which is likely, we fear, to excite some passion. The cause, or apparent cause, of dispute is this :—Greece is dissatisfied with her boundary to the north-west, and the Prince is afraid of accepting the sovereignty of a nation irritated by a condition, which he would seem to sanction, of diminished territories,—that of territories less than her hopes. This, though tilt authorities at present constituted in Greece may few to avow the truth openly, is, we have no doubt, the fact ; and Prince Leopold, somehow or other, knows it to be the fact. The people, it is as serted, would not readily submit to an arrange ment, by which Acarnania was to be given up to the Twits, however the Allied Sovereigns might so award, and . the Provisional Govern ment externally appear to acquiesce. For our own parts, we wish most sincerely that Greece might have all she demands ; but when, through her pre sent provisional President, she talks of " the rights she has acquired at the cost of her long misfortunes, and of her sacrifices of blood," we ask whether she thinks that those misfortunes and sacrifices, if con tinued for ten years longer, would have ended in obtaining what the Allies, at no small trouble and expense to themselves, and with some bloodshed also, are here prepared to give to her? It is certain that Lord Aberdeen and the British Government had, till last Friday night, a right to conclude that Prince Leopold had definitively accepted the sove reignty—the question of money having been pre viously settled to , his satisfaction—and must, there fore, have been surprised at the sudden rejection of the tendered dignity upon another ground. Ilis Royal Highness may, however, have recently re ceived some intelligence from the Count Capo d'lstria of the pertinacious aversion of the Greeks to give up Acarnania ; and the public despatch of this gentleman, in which (it will be observed) he refers to " the National Congress," strengthens this supposition. It is proper to mention, that if our Government, with the Allied Sovereigns, have agreed to give up Acarnania to the Turks, they have assigned Eubcea or Negropont to the Greeks, uhich the latter could not have hoped for. It ie said that the ancient Greek inhabitants are returning to Acarnania. But the Turks are in quiet possession of Eubcea, from which they are to be removed. Might not some exchange of territory h a v e b een negotiated? But it is too late now to attempt to solder up the difference between the Prince of Saxe Coburg and the Allied Governments. His High ness's obvious indifference to the pr:ze renders him an improper person to receive or obtain it. Besides, be las most probably other objects in view, the nature of which time will develop more fully, but which it is not difficult to divine in the gross. — Times. Finding that our notice of the pamphlet by a Flag Officer," repeatedly alluded to in previous numbers, has drawn the attention of officers and of military statesmen to the extreme importance of the subject, as connected with our national defence and prowess, we now insert the promised quotations of passages from an admirable work by Sir Howard Douglas, on the necessity of establishing a system of instruction in naval gunnery to be gradually extended over the whole of our maritime force. It is abso lutely ludicrous, however lamentable, that when such elaborate and costly pains are bestowed upon other branches of the naval service—the fighting power—the real and vital purpose of every armament at all times—should be left in such a state of mani fest and obstinate imperfection. The best built ship in the world, the best armed, the most fully appointed, and numerously manned, is but a dressed op sacrifice for the enemy, if she be in a rude state of fighting discipline, and her enemy, of even worse material, be more carefully and skilfully instructed bow to use the guns in battle. Without this last and invaluable property, we are in truth but labour ing for the capture of our own vessels, and for the triumph of whatever nation may be at war with us, --gs in the last contest with the United States, when it became a matter of demonstration that our inferior progress in naval gunnery was, added to the inferior force of our ships, a main cause of the de feats which we suffered. As we introduce this sub ject with no feeling or design whatever but that or contributing to an improvement in that noble science on which the strength and glory of England, as a belligerent power, so essentially depend, we are bound to acknowledge an error in one of the allega tions which we copied from the " Flag Officer," and which has been pointed out to us by a corres- ' pendent this day. It appears that the crews of our men of war are officially inspected by the Port Ad mirals every where, previous to their proceeding to sea—whereas the " Flag Officer" had implied the absence of all such preparation. But we need not remark, on the other band, that if the system of dis cipline be crude and imperfect, the mere report of an inspecting Admiral, that the crew of a man-uf-war are as good as an absurd and vicious code of regu lations can render them, does not by any means meet the objections which have been m a d e t o th e system itself. The superiority of French or Rus sian soldiers over Turks, does not consist in the greater proficiency made by the individual soldi e rs of those two nations , in t he particular kind of know ledge to which they have access; but in the greater excellence of the course of instruction prescribed by the civilized, compared with that of the barbarian states. " Sir Howard then proceeds to recommend the forma tion of depots of instruction for the purpose of instructing officers, master-gunners mates, and their crews ; and truly observes, that no measure which provides merely for the drill of the men can effectually improve the service prac tice, for the more dexterity of a few privates can do little, unless directed by cultivated and well-exercised intelli geuce on the part of the officers commanding, &c. He urges the strongest reasons for composing these depots ex clusively of naval officers and seamen, and goes on to pro pose, that in the formation of this new corps we should first engage a certain number of seamen expressly for the service of the gunners' crew for periods of five or seven years; renewable at their expiration, attaching a small in crease of pay to each consecutive re-engagement. The ad vantages held out to volunteers should be, that master gunners, gunners'-mates, and a certain number of sea men gunners, will eventually be incorporated ; and that regular advancement in that department will hereafter t a ke place acccrding to merit; so that seamen gunners ma y, if they can read and write, consider themselves in the certain road to gain, according to their merit, situa tions of gunners'-mates, and master•-gunners of ships. Seamen gunners to receive Is. 4d. per diem, and to share prize-money as gunners'-mates do now, or with some other rank, superior to able seamen. " The practicability of forming such an institution resolves into this,—whether, upon these advantages being made known, a sufficient number of volunteers can be procured to commence such an establishment. The ex periment might be easily tried; but the proposal should be accompanied with an explanation that the system pro •ides, eventually, a term of relief, or residence on shore, for men so incorporated. If the experiment answer the confident and authorized expectation that may be enter tained of its buccal% a selection of naval officers, the best practitioners of the late war, should be named, to conduct the depots of instruction; and I have every reason to believe that some very distinguished officers would come forward to commence such a system. In this way a number of trained men would always be retained in the service,—succesaions of commanders, and many officers who cannot be employed afloat in a limited peace establish ment, would, at the trifling expense of full-pay, be im proved in this important branch of their military duties ; master-gunners and gunners'-mates would be trained ; and a permanent stock of seamen gunners brought up, to till hereafter these important offices; and should it be extended ultimately in the manner I propose, it would furnish besides a considerable number of very expert captains of guns. " ' When a sufficient number of men arc procured to forna One depot of fasituction, a proportion of officers, pro perly proficient in a course of gunnery and in a general system of exercise, should be appointed. " One captain, three or four lieutenants, and a certain number of midshipmen, master-gunners, and gunners'- mates, should be nominated to a division ; tnd if the ex periment succeed, other divisions of instruction should thee be established at the principal arsenals, and the whole placed under the superintendence of a Rear-Admiral. " ' All seamen-gunners should be• made perfectly ac quainted with the duties of every wan, in the exercise of all natures, of ordnance, with reduced complements as well as with the full crew ; so as to be perfect masters of every fresh arrangement that may be required to replace casual ties. " A level space proper for a good range should LP fixed upon, and a sufficient number of guns and carronades mounted in b.itteries similar to ships' sides, and conse quently placed at various and corresponding heights above the horizontal plane. " Young officers, master-gunners of ships, and gun ners'-mates training for these important situations, should be instructed in the following matters :—The names of the different pat ts of a gun and carriage ; the dispart in terms of lineal magnitude and in degrees, how taken ; what con stitutes point-blank, and what line-of-metal range; wind age, the errors and loss of force arising from it, showing also the importance of preserving shot from rust; the theory of the most material effects of different charges of powder, applied to practice with :t single shot, also with plurality of balls, showing how these affect accuracy, pene tration, and splinters. Gunners of ships should also be qualified to judge of the condition of gunpowder by inspec tion ; to ascertain its quality by the ordinary tests and trials, as well as by actual proof; and these, as I shall show hereafter, are ♦ery indispensable qualifications. " Master•gunners should also be instructed in the laboratory works required for the naval service—such as making rockets for signals ; filling tubes, new-priming them is particular; making and filling cartridges; precau tions in airing and drying gunpowder; care and inspec tion of locks, choice of flints, correct mode of fixing them, &c. &c. " The officers, master-gunners, and those training for such situations, will then proceed to the practice of gun nery, together with the seamen gunners who may have been previously instructed in the exercise. " 4 The practice should be taught, with every degree of precision, at the range on shore, in order to show the ac tual ranges of ordnance, when not affected by the motion of a ship, and thus discriminate between the errors of gunnery and those which necessarily arise from the floating mo tions. Elementary instruction in practical gunnery can not, indeed, be properly give* afloat; it is absolutely essential that the principles of the practice be shown on shore. " Practice should first be taught with the different natures of naval ordnance, single shotted, at point-blank distances, with the service charge ; then at line-of-metal ranges, and at some intermediate .and greater distances, against large targets or screens, some the height of single, others of two-decked ships, and fitted with poles to re present, in height and position, the masts of an enemy. This, for reasons that will be given in Part IV., when we come to treat of the practice, is very important. Prac tice should then be made at the same distances with two shot, to show the great uncertainty of this practice at long ranges ; and with reduced charges, to show the corresponding ravages that may be occasioned by splinters. " 6 Practice should then be carried on, at every hun dred yards from 100 to 1,000, with all natures of guns and carronades in ordinary use, to show their comparative merits and powers, in regard to accuracy and other effects. Instruction should also be given in mortar practice; and in shell practice from guns, with common shells, and also with spherical case. " When expert in the school-practice on shore, the gunners should practise afloat from a hulk kept for that purpofe at each depot. They will thus learn the compa rative uncertainty of naval fire, and consequently be pre pared to receive and observe this important maxim—that minute accuracy and intelligent quickness are more essen tial in naval gunnery than in the land service ; for although it may not be possible to attain equal precision, yet every approximation that can be made towards it by expertness or simple expedient, will tend in some degree either to correct or reduce those errors which arise from the float ing motions. " ' As soon as one set of seamen are returned complete in exercise and practice, they should be tranferred to commissioned ships, and there drill the seamen engaged in the ordinary way, according to the general system ; so that in this respect they would be as well trained, at least, as by the contemplated plan ; and all the permanent ad -1 vantages of the proposed system would be so much gained. " ' Fresh seamen should be engaged as gunners, and drawn into the depot of instruction, in proportion as trained men are turned over to the guard-ships. These azain should, by degrees, transfer to the cruisers a certain proportion of the trained gunners that will have been re ceived from the depots; which however should, together with the guard-ships and home cruisers, always retain a suf f icient number of trained men for new commissioned ships, in the event of sudden armament. In this manner vast facilities and advantages would be experienced in fitting ships, and in rendering thent more immediately effi cient. The plan now suggested would provide people not only qualified to assist in fitting the ship, but also to assist in working her; not only qualified to drill to gunnery the fresh hands, but to examine and arrange all the ordnance equipment, and very soon to make that ship, if properly commanded, a good man of war. " 'ln all departments of warlike organization depots are allowed to be the very hearts of the system, by which im provement is cultivated, circulated, and established. In all services this is recognized and observed ; no body can be permanently good, no system uniform, without them. It is to this general measure that the service efficiency of every branch of our army is mainly to be attributed. It is this which supports the uniform systematic excellence of the whole machine, however remote some of its parts may be. It is from a similar system, connected with the naval profession, that the marines are what they are ; and which has so much improved, perfected indeed, the marine artillery. If instead of applying it to naval artillery duties, a corps of naval gunners had been formed, corn- posed of seamen, and officered by a succession of naval officers, there can be no doubt that its proficiency would be equal to, and its utility, as naval artillery, infinitely greater than that of the marine artillery. Detachments of this corps were embarked on board the ships of the squadron that was sent out last summer on a cruise of exercise and practice; and it is no uncommon thing for naval officers fitting out ships to apply for detachments of marine artillery to drill their seamen to the gun exercise. If such detachments had been or could be drawn from a permanent body composed of seamen-gunners trained by naval officers, instead of marines, can there be any com parison between the influence of the two systems on the practice of naval gunnery ? If the squadron in question had been to sail on real service instead of a peaceable cruise, which system would have been most efficient? ...The marine artillery have their peculiar duties ; but to extend them to any interference with naval gunnery would be most injurious. For the same reason that the marines have their divisions, the Royal Artillery their schools of practice, and every regiment its depot, naval gunnery should have its permanent seat of instruction, and store of trained men. The advantages that would result from such an establishment are beyond calculation. These depots would become the resorts of zeal and talsnts—the nur series of improvements ; vast numbers of young naval officers of all ranks would resort thither at their own expense. Suds is precisely the opportunity which the naval service wants in this branch of the profession. Im provement might then be cultivated without pursuing it through other departments, as at present ; naval officers would find a field open to them, which is now occupied by others. Courses of practical instruction might be given to any number of young officers who might choose to attend. Naval gunnery would become, as it most cer tainly should, an organized department of the naval service, under the direct:on and controul of the naval administra tion; and I feel most enthusiastically certain that this simple measure would lay the foundation of a system which would soon be cultivated to perfection, by the professional genius and zeal which it would call into action. " ' As to the extent to which this plan may be carried, present expence and future circumstances must be consulted; but the system might be commenced without incurring charges of consideration sufficient to defeat this great natitsnal object. " ' The merits of this plan do not depend upon the limited extent to which we may be obliged to confine it, at present, on account of the difficulty of making financial provision fur a more general operation. If it be plainly calculated to do some good, it should not be rejected, because, for contingent reasons, which attach not to its merits as a system, it cannot at present yield its full benefits. If it be capable of training people sufficient to furnish maser-gunners, gunners'-mates, and captains of guns, for half the number of guns (i. e., a fighting side) of ten sail of the line and 30 frigates (about 1,000 men), it should not be abandoned because, on account of the expence, it cannot supply double the number. The adoption of a good sound system is the present consideration, not its immediate extension. If we found our measure upon a good professional principle, the superstructure may be raised gradually, in proportion as we may require it. The question for consideration is, whether the plan which is upsested does not provide a good professional system for instructing officers, midshipmen, master-gunners, and gunners' mates, for training a proportion of seamen as captains of guns, as well as for drilling seamen engaged in the ordinary way; whether such a measure would not eminently tend to encourage the professional cultivation of artillery knowledge, forming a good sound system, in which extension of benefit may be made to accompany extension of force. If it promise such advantages, it will be cheaply purchased by any expence that may attend it. Were it an experimental measure that could not be commenced without first committing the country to vast preparatory expence, we might hesitate about making the trial ; but the srstem might be instituted at a rate that would not amount to the expence of adding a 20-gun ship to our establishment. " ' If, by way of commencement, one depot were formed, the following is an estimate of the expence : Average half- Average full- Di ff. of ex pay per day. payper annum. penseper an. s. d. Captain l2 6 ...... ......... 552 If As the average full-pay very nearly balances the half-pay of 6s. a day, it is proposed to pay the Lieu- Four Lieutenants... tenants as Ist Lieutenant of ships. I.viz. 11/. 10s. per mensem, on accotini of the expense of living on shore. 6s. each 138 Thirty Midshipmen, at Si. 9s. per mensem 1,345 Lodging 1 Captain, at 12s. per week 3l 4 Lieutenants, at 10s. per week lO4 150 First Gunners, at Is. 4d. per day 3,650 150 Second Gunners, at Is. 2d. per day 3,193 Provisions for 300 Gunners, rate not known Expense of hulk for reception of I Lieutenant, 30 Midship men, and 300 Gunners Total, exclusive of the two last items, £8,761 " As the marine artillery is established, some of their best non-commissioned officers should at first be attached to each naval depot as drill-masters ; but hereafter these situations should be held by some intelligent seamen-gun ners, to be called acting-master-gunners, to receive 41. 12s. per mensem (the pay of gunners to sloops), and to be pro moted, on proper occasions, to master-gunners of ships.' " Times. The subject of the Four and a Half per Cent. Duties has again been agitated by the Marquis of Lansdowne, who observed that the effect of depart ing from an established rule of 170 years would be to place all the religious establishments of the West Indies on the Four and a Half per Cent. Duties, by taking out of the pockets of the public money not voted by Parliament. We are unable to understand what the Duke of Wellington means when he says, " In 1825, by 6th Geo. IV., the Four and a Half per Cent. Duties were made liable to certain sti pends of the Clergy and others. The fund was, therefore, taken out of the hands of the Crown by the Parliament, and therefore it could never be abused by the Crown." It has been abused by the Crown, because Parliament conceived that it had taken the duties out of the hands of the Crown, by quartering the religious establishment of the West Indies on them; when, lo I and behold, by a leger demain trick, the Crown, after paying for the religi ous establishments, has a larger fund than ever for cor rupt purposes. It is merely for the convenience of the West Indians that the duties are remitted in produce. It is in their power at any time, we sup pose, to remit the Four and a Half per Cent. in money, which would completely put an end to the prerogative law of Sir Charles Wetherell. There can be no objection to the West Indians taking the easiest mode of paying the duty; but there are many objections to a fraudulent collusion between them and the officers of the Crown, by which part of the duties paid on the sugar consumed by the people of.this country are withdrawn from the Cus toms to be employed improperly. We say im properly, because it was assuredly the understand ing of Parliament, when the religious establish ment of the West Indians was charged on the Four and a Half per Cents., that• the fund would thereby be exhausted, whereas it turns out that the fund, for corrupt purposes, by a hocus pocus trick, has been made larger than ever.—Morning Chronicle. Mr. Leonard brought a subject of some interest to Literature before the House last night—the Li censing of Plays by the Lord Chamberlain. What with monopoly on the one hand, and the operations of the Licenser on the other, the theatre has long dragged on a very rickety existence. The only good argument against the motion of Mr. Lennard was, that the Session was too far advanced for bringing in a new Bill. Had it been a Church job, means would have, perhaps, been found for overcoming this difficulty. The observations of Sir Robert Peel were grounded on a false principle, and were, as ap plied to the people of this country, ludicrously in apposite. "He confessed he had not the confidence which the Honourable Mover had in the good taste of the public; and was by no means satisfied that, but for the Censorship, immoral and blasphemous dramas would not be received with applause." Mr. O'Connell very politely asked him how it happened, if the public taste could not be depended on, that novels like Toni Jones would not be tolerated in the present day ? The truth is, that the taste of the public has become so absurdly squeamish, that nothing which does not approach to insipidity will go down. The defect of our age is canting and humbug, and the Secretary of State for the Home Department will not surely proscribe them. We have purified our plays and our morals from all in delicacy, it is true, and if the indelicacy only had departed all would have been well ; but the rich humour of a former age is also gone, Fielding com plains that the public had become, even in his tune, so delicate, that his plays were hissed by the ap prentices and serving-men for being low. So much for Sir R. Peel's skill in reading the signs of the times. It is perhaps true, that plays would be political without a licence. In fact,_ some of the best of our old Plays refer to the feats of the Borough. mongering while yet in its infancy. " The Borough of Mrs. Centlivre," for instance, was one of the most spirited satires ever produced. Politics would, perhaps, in the absence of all other interest, still draw crowds to the theatre. What a heavy cala mity to the nation it would be to witness once more the representation of a production in the spirit of the Beggars' Opera !—Morning Chronicle. It will be seen that the Lord Chancellor brought in a Bill in the House of Lords last night, which was read a first time, to give effect to the recom mendation in the King's Message respecting the delegation of the Royal power of signing instru ments requiring the sign manual. The Bill propos e s that a Commission, under the si gn manual, should be issued, authorising any one of the persons therein named to affix the King's signature, by means of a stamp to be prepared for- tire purpose, to each instru ment requiring that signature. The parties named in the Commission are to be bound by oath that the instrument has not been unfairly or improperly ob tained, and that it is by command of his Majesty they affix the stamp to the instrument. The parties SO named are not to have the authority of affixing the signature until the instrument be signed by three of his Majesty's Ministers. By way of a further security, it is required that one of time Members of the Privy Conned shall witness the signature, and indorse the instrument with a statement of the nature and object, of it. The Lord Chancellor referred to some historical precedents--some resting Ow doubtful authority, an d ot h ers, suc h as t h at re l at i ve to t h e at tainder of the Duke of Norfolk, in the reign of Henry VIII., being a proceeding of that disreputable nature which it would not be desirable in any respect to copy. He stated, however, that two Pro: clamations of the Reign of Edward VI. are to be seen, with a stamp affixed, instead of the Royal signature—the one for levying troops in the nor thern part of the island, to put down the incursions of the Scotch ; the other issued in consequence of sn insurrection in the eastern part of the kingdom. These documents are both stamped, arid counter signed by the Protector Som erset . A s to t h e two Acts, one for the securing the Protestant succession, the other the Malt-Duty A ct , w hi ch are allege d to have been stamped in the latter end of the reign of King William, they are no where to be found; and the authority for the fact is not so good as to ex clude all doubt. The preced en t s on t h e w h o l e did not seem to afford satisfaction to t h e H ouse, an d i t suchwas thought dangerous ig h t,in a matt er so delicate, and o f precedent, t o t a k e more del ib erate and cautious steps. O n the m o ti on o f E ar l G re y, a Committee was appointed to sear c h f or prece d ents and Thursday was fixed for th e secon d rea di ng o f the Bill, whets its subject will be dis cusse d. With r respect to the duration of the Bill, the nuke of Wellington stated that it was intended to limit it to within a month after the opening of the next Ses sion of Parliament.—Morning Herald. We sincerely trust that the advocates for the im provement of our criminal code will be in their ' places in the House of Commons to-night, to sup port Mr. F. Buxton's motion for abolishing the punishment of death in cases of forgery. The smallness of the majority which Ministers were able to command in the Committee on Sir James Mac intosh's motion, ought to animate the friends of civilization with the best-founded hopes of gaining a complete triumph for their principles over the san guinary spirit which disgraces our Statute-book— impedes the course of justice, and tinges the charac ter of the Legislature and country with the stain of barbarism. We publish to-day a list of all the cities and towns in the United Kingdom from which petitions have emanated against Sir R. Peel's dis creditable attempt at legislation on the subject of forgery, which, under the pretence of amending the law, would perpetuate the principle against which all enlightened minds revolt, and which the vast majority of the bankers of the United Kingdom have declared as inefficient as it is cruel. We should correct ourselves when we say all those petitions were presented against Sir Robert Peel's Bill, inasmuch as several of them were presented against the law of forgery before the Bill of the Right Hon. Secretary was brought under the notice of Parliament. But it comes to the same thing, as those petitions are substantially directed against his measure, seeing that it proposes to re-enact the principle of the old law, except in those cases in which the punishment of death will never be carried into effect. In the list will be found some places mentioned a second time. Those are places which petitioned for the amelioration of the law of forgery in the first instance; and from which subsequently to the introduction of Sir Robert Peel's Bill, peti tions were forwarded against it, in the nature of re monstrances. We cannot quit this subject without taking notice of a gross fallacy contained is the speech of the Right Hon. Secretary on Monday night. He wished to show that our law, at pre sent, was adequate to the repression of the crime of forgery, as the forgeries were few in comparison with the vast amount of property liable to be forged upon. For this purpose, he stated that, in four houses in London, the bills and cheques paid, during three days—the 13th, 14th, and 15th of May, amounted, in number, to 45,800; and the amount, in those three days, of drafts and bills paid at the clearing house in the city, of certain of those banking-houses, amounted to no less than 10,950,0001.; he added that he mentioned this upon authority not to be questioned. Sir Robert in using this information as an argument, must stand convicted either of gross ignorance or something like conscious deception. The fact is, as every commercial man knows, that no part of this 10,950,0001., paid in three days through the clear ing house, as he stated, was liable to forgery; end for this reason, that cheques passed through the clearing-house are not cashed at the banker's coun ter; for the same reason his argument of the 500 millions absurdly stated to be paid over the banker's counter falls to the ground. The great transactions arise chiefly from Stock Exchange business, and almost every one of their cheques passes through the clearing house, thereby preventing forgery, by removing the temptation to it. The actual pay ments of the country bankers over the counter, we believe, are greater than those of the London bankers, because of the system of the clearing-house, which is not in the country. Is it possible that Sir R. Peel, so long a Minister of the Crown, can be ignorant of these facts? As to the alleged fewness of forgeries he proceeded upon the false 111, sumption that the few which are prosecuted are all that are really committed. Now, a leading objection to the present law of forgery is, that it prevents by far the greater portion of that species of crime from being prosecuted, so that here the Right Hon. Secretary was guilty of the sophism of begging the question. He said there were nine forgeries committed in the year 1827. It is more probable there were 90—there might have been 900 for what he could tell, as we have no means of ascertaining the prodigious number of for geries which are hushed up on account of the ex treme severity of the punishment, against which both the natural instincts and conscientious scruples of all reflecting and humane men are implacably arrayed. In alluding to the petitions on this subject, in the list which we publish to-day, we ought not to omit stating that their number—namely, 200, is equal to one-fourth of all the petitions on public questions which have been presented to Parliament during the same period—the whole number being not more than 800, notwithstanding the excitement raised respecting the East India question, and some other subjects of public and national interest. This affords the most convincing testimony of the preva lence and power of public opinion on this question, and the general and deep interest which the country takes in the amelioration of the sanguinary spirit of the law of forgery.—Morning Herald. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. MANSION.HOUSE. A Smithfield drover was brought before the LORD MAYOR, charged with having, under suspi cious circumstances, possessed himself of a hand some spaniel, the property of a native German. The history of the dog was rather curious. The German, who is an amateur blower of a bassoon, has had the dog since its puppyage, and it was an object of great admiration amongst his friends. As lie walked along Smithfield, however, one day, he missed his dog, and all attempts to re cover him were ineffectual, until he advertised end offered a reward for him. Back came the dog to him in the custody of a Smithfield drover, the mo ment the cash was offered. The reward was cheer fully paid, but scarcely had the drover disappeared, when the dog, although apparently overjoyed to see its master, found means to get away, and did not return until the offer of a second reward was made, and then the dog again appeared before its master, and wagged its tail. After the second defection of the animal, every means were resorted to to check its wandering propensities; but the fondness for low company prevailed, and a third time the news papers complained of the loss of the dog. An officer having received intelligence of the expensive habits of " Prince," and of the description of per sons in whose company the dog had been seen, took a turn in Smithfield, ar►d there found it with the prisoner amongst the sheep, although not having a drop of a shepherd's dog's blood in his body. The LORD MAYOR thought it necessary to observe as this was the case of a dog wandering about with out the controul of a master, that he had received many letters from parties who apprehended danger from permitting dogs to go loose about the streets at this time of the year (a very culpable practice, in his Lordship's opinion). These letters recommended that the officers sheulJ receive orders to destroy any dogs that might be found straying about the streets without masters, as the only protection to the pub lic against the horrible danger attendant upon attacks from rabid animals. Here there was a groan of horror amongst the crowd behind the bar, a circumstance from which it was immediately inferred that there was no small number of dog-stealers in the Justice-room. The complainant said the dog was not at all a straying dog, and how it could have taken a fancy to Smithfield he could not at all conjecture. The defendant said the dog had followed him, without being at all invited, and in fact would not keep out of his company and that ofthe sheep. The LORD MAYOR asked how that was possible. The dog was of a breed that could te of no possible use to a sheep-driver or a bullock-driver. The Defendant—Bless your Lordship, he's as good a'ter a bullock or a pig as any dog as ever lived.— (Laughter.)—Besides, my Lord, the hanimal fol lowed me, and he goes into a public-house where I was, and he stays by me, and so the landlord says, " Jim," says he, "is that ere dog your'n ?"—" No," says I, "'he a'nt none of mine, but he goes a'ter me." " Well," says the landlord, " Jim, if you don't have him he'll lose himself;" and so says I, •' I'd take him, then ; but mind, its you that gives him to me."—(Laughter.) The LORD MAYOR then told the complainant, that although the case was one of suspicion, there was no proof that the dog had been stolen. He (the complainant) had better take it home at once, and keep it from the neighbourhood of Smithfield, as it had shewn such an extraordinary taste. The complainant.—My Lord, if I keep the dog he will make a beggar of me. I cannot afford to pay 7s. every day for advertisements and a reward for the dog, and I know that those fellows will have him whenever they please. He is a most va luable dog, and will in an instant jump from any of the bridges at my bidding; but if I keep him, he will put me in the workhouse.—(A laugh.) The LORD MAYOR—Then I advise you to make a present of him at once to some friend who can take care of him, for it is evident that the drovers in Smithfield have superseded you in his affections. —(Laughter.) The complainant then looked about the Justice room for a customer, and after having offered the dog to his Lordship, who politely refused the boon, probably in consideration of the vulgar preference already shewn by it, he requested that Mr. Hobler would accept of the present. Mr. Hobler, how ever, had as little wish as the Lord Mayor to enter into competition with the " gentlemen of the mar ket," and the complainant once more entered upon the duties of a master. BOW .STREET. Information was received in the course of the morning that a duel was about to be fought be tween Ensign Douglas Cooper Mills, of the 90th regiment, and Lieutenant Burt, of the Royal Navy. The parties had contemplated a similar breach of the peace a few days ago, when the former gentle man (whose surname we were at the time unable to ascertain) was held to bail by Sir R. Birnie, until the sessions, which having now arrived, the recog nizances were no longer binding. A warrant for the apprehension of both the parties was imme diately issued, and placed in the hands of Ellis,who returned, after a fruitless search, declaring his belief that the gentlemen had gone to France to decide their difference. Kendrick, the police constable of F whose insolence to Mr. Halls, while sitting upon the bench on Saturday evening, we have already noticed, hats been dismissed the service by order of the Police Commissioners, a statement of the facts hav ing been laid before them by Mr. Halls, in reply to which he received a letter from the superintendent, Mr. Thomas, apprising him of the determination of the Commissioners. Yesterday evening the Rev. Henry Kebble came before Mr. MINSHULL to complain of his having been robbed in the morning of a bank note for 501. and three sovereigns, in the passage leading from Westminster-hall to the Court of King's Bench. The Rev. Gentleman stated, that he went to the Court with his two sons, and in the passage in question he perceived three young men, extremely well-dressed and of respectable appearance, close to him, and at the same time he felt a more than usual pressure against his person. He succeeded, how ever, in forcing his way - through the crowd into the Court, and there discovered that his pocket-book, containing the property mentioned, had been stolen from the pocket of his trousers. ' On returning to the passage, be found that the three young men, whom he had previously observed, had left the place. The Rev. Mr. Kebble was then requested to give his information to the clerk, with a description of the Bank-note which he had lost. LAMBETH-STREET. A very singular case was heard on Monday before Mr. HARDWICK. A middle-aged woman, named Sarah Harrison, was charged with exciting a young girl, named Jane Pennycot, to rob her uncle, Mr. Edward Dowling, a grocer, residing in King-street, Tower-hill, of dif ferent sums of money, amounting in the whole to thirty-five guineas, and afterwards receiving the same, knowing it to be stolen. Mr. Dowling said, that his niece had for some time:resided in his house, and was in the habit of serving in the shop. The prisoner Harrison was a washerwoman, and used to come occasionally to his house to wash. A short time since he received an anonymous letter, in which he was informed that his niece had been robbing him, and had given the money to Harrison. He accordingly was on the watch to detect her, and a few days ago he employed a person to buy articles at his shop, amounting to lls., and paid for them with three half-crowns and other money, which was marked. Directly after wards lie went to the till and found one of the half crowns was gone. His niece went out, and he fol lowed her to the prisoner's house, and when she re turned he taxed her with having taken the half crown, and she immediately confessed :having taken it, and to giving it to the prisoner Harrison; she also confessed to other robberies. vv Jane Pennycot, the niece, was then sworn, and she stated, that about ten months since the prisoner first asked her to rob her uncle, say;ng, that there was a young man who wanted the money for the purpose of furnishing a room, and when this object was accomplished, he intended to marry her. The young man alluded to, named Edward Tuck, she had only seen once or twice, and be had never made any proposals of marriage to her. On one occasion she gave the prisoner two guineas. Mr. HARDWICK said, it was a most singular case : but as it was very clear against the prisoner, he should commit her for trial. UNION.HALL. A considerable portion of the Magistrate's time was occupied in hearing assaults arising out of fights between dogs, which ultimately led to breaches of the peace between the owners of them. In one of these cases it appeared that the dogs of two rival bakers met in the street, and by some means they got rid of the traces by which they were bound to the bread carts, and instantly commenced fighting. —The animals being of the large Newfoundland species, attacked each other with great ferocity, and during the contest one of the bakers ran up on see ing his dog get the worst of it, and with a stick struck the victor. The blow was scarcely given when the other baker, ihighly exasperated that his dog should have been struck, attacked the assailant, and this immediately led to a contest between the two bakers, who, together with their dogs, were all fighting at the same time. In the midst of the fracas the police came up and took the two bakers into custody, and the dogs were with difficulty secured. The me was decided by the defendants being held to bail to keep the peace towards each other. As soon as these dog cases were disposed of, an elderly female, in widow's weeds, approached the Magistrates' table, with tears trickling fast down her cheeks. She stood for some time, and appeared so absorbed in grief as to be unable to give utter ance to her feeliNgs. The Magistrate perceiving she was in great trouble and anxiety of mind, desired her not to agitate her self, and a chair was placed for her to sit down upon, until she became more composed. In the interim a trivial case of assault was disposed of, upon which Mr. CIUMBERS, observing that she had re covered in some measure from her agitation, inquired the nature of her application. The question was scarcely asked, when the appli cant drew forth from under her silk cloak the head less body of a fighting cock, and holding it up in her hands by the legs, while the blood fell in drops Limn the lacerated neck—" There," said she, utter ing a convulsive sob, " there your Worships, you see my cock without a head." The display of the dead cock, and the emotion exhibited by the poor widow for the loss of her darling bantam, caused great laughter, instead of the sympathy it was evident she expected from all who had heard her complaint. " Well, madam," inquired Mr. CHAMBERS," how came your cock k that condition, with its head cut off ?" Applicant (still weeping)—" Your Worship, the poor thing's head was struck off by Mr. Glasscock. , my next-door neighbour, with a sabre, while b ts ceck and my co c k were fi g h t i ng toget h er , and. l want to know if I cannot o b ta i n re d ress f or so dia bolical as act, for I can call it nothing else." Mr. CHAMBERS inquired how the cocks came to engage with one another—whether they had been matched to fight by the applicant ? The applicant said, that her cock got over the wall into Mr. Glass cock's yard, and there the two cocks began at one another, when in the midst of the fight Mr. Glass cock ran out with a drawn sword in his hand, and with one blow severed the head off her cock. A voice here from amongst the crowd listening to the case, called out, " Well, old lady, you can have cock broth now as soon as you please." The applicant, hearing the words, said, " Me eat the poor cock; no, not for a thousand pounds. MY poor mother, who died at 96 years of age, reared, the poor bird, and out of respect for her memory, for I knew she was fond of it, I was anxious to keep it as long as I lived, had it not been for my cruel neighbour, Mr. Glasscock, who deserved to have his head cut off for serving out the poor bird in thi s manner." The applicant here gazed at the dead cock, and smoothing down the feathers on its bacic said, " Well, it had as pretty plumage as any cock in the kingdom, and could fi g ht we ll too; b u t 1 di all in my power to prevent any thing of the kind. Mr. CHAMBERS—WeII, Madam, I have listened very patiently to all you have had to say relative t° the dead cock, and now must inform you, that I can afford you no redress. The applicant here diopped a low curtsey; and while engaged in tying up the body of her cock in a pocket-handkerchief, she shook her head ever it, and exclaimed aloud, en leaving the office, " I shal l never never more see its like again." MONTHLY REPORT OF CORN, BY THE COMMISSIONERS OF HIS MAJESTY'S CUSTOMS. An Account showing the Quantities of Corn, Grain, Meal, and Flour, imported into the United Kingdom in the Month ended Ist May, 1830, the Quantities upon which Duties have been paid for Home Consumption during the same Month, and the Quantities remaining in Warehouse at the close thereof. (Published in conformity to the 6th sec. of the Act 9th Geo. 1V• c. 60.) Species of Corn, Grain, Meal, and Flour. Wheat Barley Quantities Imported in the United Kingdon a in the Month ended May 1, 1830. The Produce of; and lm. Imported from ported from, Foreign British Posses. Total. Countries. sinus out of Europe. —........../. Qrs. Bus. Qrs. Bus. Qrs. 80. 46,629 5 0 5 46,c30 2 1,767 4 1,767 4 . 15 3 15 3 1,540 1 1,549 1 382 2 382 2 -- —... 409 1 409 1 102 7 102 7 51,846 7 0 5 50,847 4 Cwts. qrs. lb. Cwts. qrs. lb. Cwts. qrs. IN 33,655 0 21 33,655 0 91 1 2 14 1 2 14 --------• 33,656 3 7 1 I 33,656 3 Oats Rye Pease Beans Maize or Indian Corn Buck Wheat Beer or Bigg Total of Corn and Grain Wheat Meal, or Flour Barley Flour Oatmeal Rye Meal Indian Meal Total of Meal and Flour Quantities charged with Duty for Home Con sumption in the United Kingdom in the Month ended May 1, 1830. • --t Species of Corn, , The Produce Grain, Meal, and of, and Im. Flour. Imported from ported from, Foreign British Posses- Total Countries. Mons out of Europe. —...------.• Qrs Bus. Qrs. Bus. Qrs. BO' Wheat 7,397 7 35 3 6 7,754 6 Barley 0 3 0 22 7 Oats 22 7 .... Rye — --- Pease 360 3 128 1 488 4 Beans 0 3 0 3 Maize or Indian Corn — —. Buck Wheat 27 5 27 5 Beer or Bigg — 1—....- - Total of Corn and Grain 7,809 4 484 7 8,294 3 . Cwts. qrs. lb. Cwts. qrs. lb. Cwts. qrs. lb. 30 1 5 17 2 0 47 3• 5 Wheat our Meal, or Barley Flour — Oatmeal — Rye Meal — Indian Meal 1 2 14 1 2 14 ---..--...." Total of Meal and Flour 31 319 17 2 0I 49 1 19_ --- Quantities remaining in Warehouse in the United Kingdom on May 1, 1830. . A t -I Species of Corn, The Produce Grain, Meal, and of, and Im. Flour. Imported from ported from, Foreign British Posses- Total. Countries. sions out of Europe. Qrs. Bus. Qrs. Bus. Qrs, Bus. Wheat . 4 , 276,343 1 2,098 3 278,441 4 , Barley 68,375 2 68,375 2 Oats 426,329 6 426,329 6 Rye 27,418 7 27,418 7 Pease 9,284 1 9,284 1 Beans 2,872 4 2,872 4 Maize or Indian Corn 1,593 2 1,593 2 Buck Wheat 1,223 6 1,223 6 Beer or Bigg — ..------• Total of Corn and Grain Cwts. qrs. lb. Cwts. qrs. lb. Cwts. qrs. lb. Wheat Meal, or Flour 136,309 3 14 457 1 7 136,767 0 2 1 Barley Flour — • Oatmeal — _ Rye Meal 3 1 22 3 I 9 1 Indian Meal 1 3 0 1 3 0 ---... Total of Meal and . Flour 135,315 0 8 457 1 7 136,772 1 15 136,772 1 15 By order of the Commissioners, T. WHIThIORE, Sec. Custom-House, London, May 22, 1880. COTTON WOOL. LIST OF IMPORTS. AND EXPORTS. IMPORTED. Same pc- This riod last year. year. Rags, &c. Bags, &c. 331,9°' 332,63`1 16,412 S 11,844 1830 Liverpool London 9,607 Glasgow 25,298 Total exported in If Same period 1929 BIRTHS. On the 22d inst. the lady of Capt. Burnaby, of Bag grave Hall, Leicestershire, of a son and heir. On the 24th inst. in Euston-place, Euston-square, the lady of C. D. Scott, Esq., of a daughter. MARRIED. On the 24th inst. at St. George's, Hanover-square, Captain Felix Vaughan Smith, of the Queen's Bays, to Charlotte Eliza, only daughter of Sir H. Dillon Massy, Bart., of Dornass, county of Clare. On the 13th inst. at Cadoxton, U. G. Jones, Esq., barrister-at-law, second son of C. R. Jones, of Heathfield Lodge, Egq., county of Glamorgan, to Maria Alicia, se cond daughter of Sir George Wm. Leeds, Bart. of Glyn Ciydock, in the same county. On the 20th inst. in the Tower of London, Mr. Jobs Homer, of Clapton, to Mils E. Masterman, of Fort-strerto Spital•square. DIED. On the 20th inst. Captain Robt. B. T. Sutton, R.N., brother of the late Sir Charles Sutton, K.C.B. On the 254 inst. Frederick Malkin, M.A , Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. On the 234 inst. at his scat, Blyborough-hall, Lin colnshire, Peter John Luard, Esq., in the 76th year of his age. On the 25th inst. Mrs. C. Lee, of Tollington-park, Hornsey-road. On the 22d inst. Charles Waimealey, Esq., jun. in his 25th year, eldest son of C. Wahnesley, Esq. of Westwood. house, Lancaster. He was riding in an open earring° when it w.is unfortunate :y upset, and he survived the ac cident but eight days. PAINTED AND PUELISIIED By MURDO YOUNG, Ax THE SUN OFFICI, 112, &MANN LONDON* axronTED. Previoui ly this year. •••••••.•••••••• Bags, &c. Bags, &c. 263 3,347 200 6,908 45 10,863. ~ 37,812. Ea and b and tl big b( a go LIPS Titus receiv Toro And To IN Deptf June moult Sal tender Th Office s 1 ` Th 41............. faith nothi the g santl; —__ This east of p consi reaps draw With Pall- St nil and Wats I nstii and 1 nisi 1 taill the ] S' AEI GAI tions logu i Life. Co Dire P. a corn] mica in 2 cal I QU] On i aistil elegy 4111 E Belle] the I' priel that Or F Pub Iv ill be Loss con Bale : L'' -- - exer pre!' marl