The Sun. — London, England, 1839-08-23 00:00:00

in/ . El( LNG - EDITION. PROTESTS. 4C. - (THURSDAY, AUGUST 15.) AGAINST 'THE SECOND READING OF THE SLAVE TRADE SUPPRESSION BILL. - DISSENTIENT 1. Because the object of this Bill is to authorize an Officer of the Crown to order the adoption of mea sures. _of hostility against Portugal, and other operations of wai,„riot foutyled upon any public declaration of the Sovereign; or. message to this House in the usual form, announcing the necessity for sudh measures and opera tions, and calling upon the House to give its legislative assistance to enable her Majesty to carry into execution and rirforni the same, if such assistance' should be ne cessary. - 2. Because this House has not before it the informa tion to enable its Members to judge of the expediency and necessity for these measures and operations ; of the force necessary to carry into execution and carry on the same ; of the probable resistance and retaliation of Por tugal and other Powers, and, in that case, of the means of resistance of this country for the protection of her Majesty's dominions abroad, and of the innocent and de fenceless commerce of her subjects in all parts of the world. 3. Because the constitution of this kingdom and un form pracice have been to leave to the Sovereign, act ing by the advice of her servants, the decision of all questions of peace or war ; and to carry into execution such measures, and to order such o p erations, as the So vereign might be advised. 4. Because the enactment by Parliament of measures and operations of war against a power of Europe is un usual and unconstitutional. 5. Because the enactments of the first clause of the Bill enable the Lord H4ll Admiral or any one of her Majesty's Secretaries of State to anthorise any person or persons, that is, in a privateer letter of marque or other wise, to detain, visit, demand, search for, and examine the papers of any vessels engaged, or by such persons supposed to be engaged, in the slave-trade ; and in case such vessels should not have on board, or the master thereof s hould refuse, or neglect to produce on demand, papers s howing that they are justly entitled to claim the j protection of any flag of any state or nation, to detain, ;bee, and capture such vessels, and this while the ex isting treaty of the King of the French for the purpose of more effectually surpressing the criminal traffic cal -1 led the slave-trade, stipulates that a mutual right of ( seeith might be exercised on board the vessels of each of the two nations within certain waters ; but that the right of search shall be exercised only by ships of-war, whose Commanders shall have the rank of captain, or at least that of lieutenant, in the Royal / Navy. That the number of ships invested with this right. shall be fixed each year by special agreement. That the names of the ships and their commanders shall be communicated by each of the Governments to the other, and information given of all changes. That the ships-of-war authorized to exercise the reciprocal right of searah shall be furnished with a special autho rity from each of the two Governments. That the search shall be exercised only within the waters as described, that is to say, the west coast of Africa from the 10th degree of south latitude to the 15th-degree of north latitude, as far as the 30th degree of west longitude from the meridian of Paris ; all round the Island of Madagascar, to the extent of 20 leagues from the island ; to the same distance from the islands of Cuba and Porto Ricso, and from the coast of Brazil. That whenever a a merchant vessel shall have been overtaken, being I liable to suspicion, the commanding officer before he proceeds to the search, shall exhibit to the captain of the merchant vessel the special orders which confer upda him by exception, the right to visit her. The treaty then proceeds to specify the placee to which shall be sent for adjucation French merchant ships detained by her Britannic Majesty's ships, being all of them places in which the jurisdiction was to be French. But the first and all the clauses of the Bill which eatable the Lord High Admiral or any Secretary of State to authorize any person or persons to detain, search, seize, anti capture any vessels, require that the ranee shall be brought for adjudication in the High High court of Admiralty in England, or in any Vice- AdmirMY Court within her Majesty's dominion. 6. Because treaties to a similar purport, if not copies of the treaties with the King of the French, have been concluded for the same purpose with the following Powers and ,Staten :—The King of Sweden and Nor )way, the King of Denmark, the Queen of Spain, the King of Sardinia, the King of the Two Sicilies, the King of the Netherlands, the Hanse Towns, and the Grand Duke of Tuscany. 7. Because the fourth section of the Bill particularly refers to the equipecent of a merchant vessel which has negroes found on board, shall be considered as a prima facie evidence of the employment of such vessel in the trauspose of negroes or others for the purpose of carry ing them to slavery, at requires that such vessels shall be brought to England or elsewhere to be adjudicated , and condemnor in a British Court of Justice, notwith- - ; staadiug that the treaty with the King of the French contains a special stipulation upon this vary subject of equipment, and provides that merchant vessels under French colours detained and found to be so equipped, shall he sent for adjudication fo a particular placeestatecl, there to he adjudged by a French tribunal. The treaties with other Powers contain similar stipulations. el. Because the provisions of the Bill convey powers to , the . Lord High Admiral and to the Secretaries of State, to giro, ructions to her Majesty's cruisers, and to give aatrity re all persons, which must occasion breaches stipulations of her Majesty's engagements with rees.rly all the powers of Europe, if exercised as they may and probably will be. 9. 'Because the exercise of the powers given by the 13611 to the Lord High Admiral and to the Secretaries of State may tend to the detention and search for pa pers ; and the consequences of these actions on board the merchant vessels belonging to the citizens of nations or subjects of Powers with which her Majesty is not en gaged by any treaty for the mutual detention and search of vessels for the purpose of preventing the traffic called the slave trade, may be that such detention and search way be resisted or retaliated, and eventually lead to ' other measures of war. 10. Because it is the Sovereign, with the advice of her Council, who ought to originate such measures likely to be attended by such consequences, if the honour or the interest of the country should require their adop tion,and not the Houses of Parliament, Whose duty it is to adopt proceedings in support of such measures, when rzgularly called upon by the Sovereign by message in trite usual form. 11. Because fllnasures so unusual, and calculated to be attended by such consequences, are not necessary, in order to obtain from Portugal the due execution of the Treaties conclud-ed with the Sovereigns of this country ; at the same time they are more likely than others to lead to permanent, if not interminable, hostilities between the two nations. • 12. Because the Bill authorises the capture and de tention of Portuguese vessels, and natives of Portugal, subjects to the Crown of Portugal, and their adjudica tion before a British tribunal for a breach of Treaty with the Sovereign of Great Britain and Ireland, and a breach of the law of Portugal; thus assuming a right to exer cise a jurisdiNion at sea to punish a foreigner by the sentence of the Courts of this country, for a breach of the mueicipril law of his own country. 13. Because such proceedings as are authorised by this Bill are inconsistent with the ancient and honourab'e policy of this country, to maintain for ourselves peace with all nations, by re,pecting the rights, institutions, and independence of all, and cultivating their good-will by friendly relations, to promote peace between the natiabs of the world in g eneral, b our good offices and exer ti o ns; particularly in favour o y f the weak. WELLINGTON, LYNDHURST, FLTZGERALD, REDESDALE, BEV EIILD.y. , 4ave 4 gp,7, ee--- - Itereer.yee, -"1/41.4. - A N'I"EBRU it, . DEVON, SHAFTESBURY, ORMOND, GLENGALL, NVICICLOW, DE LISLE AND DUDLEY. 4 MoNDAr, ACGL'ST AGAINST THE THIRD READING OF THE SPLAVE TRADE SUPPRESSION BILL. DisscsalENT— i. Eecauseno communication has been made to this 11"26117 message from the Queen which can render necessary, or Whieh can alone justify, this House in agreeing to the proposed enactments of this Bill. 2. Because those enactme4.-its authorize measures and operations of war against the subject of a foreign pokoer, sgal, and their property, for breaches of treaty concluded between her Majesty's Royal predeces 4onctad Portugal ; and for offences committed against Abe laws ot Portugal on the high seas and on the coas t •;,/ Af r i a - a ; and provid es t h at subjects of Portugal an d 6 otheir property are to be brought to England or else *here in her Majesty's domitions, to be adjudicated by her Majesty's High Court of Admiralty, or a Court of Vice -Admiralty. . _ 8. Because the enactments ro de prive those fore i gners thus tpobl)eased i n thi s Bill adjudi ca t e d o f a ll D _Lionel protection. 4. Because they authorize the dete d ntion at sea, the boarding, the demand, search for, an the papers, of all vessels met at sea by her examination of, creigers, or any person th her Majesty's service violation of all the treatie (made with each of the Powers of Europe, gting a mutua a l r y ' all right of search by ships-of-war of merchant vessels, for the suppres2iou of the traffic called the slave-trade. 'n ien directl M ajesty's .5. Becaose the amendments in the first clause of the Bill leave the cl)jection to the exercise of the right of search exactly vihi,:e it stood in the Bill before it was ascussad and altered iri Committee. 6.lkoasse vessels sailing under the flag of any cat i on may be detained, boarded, searched, the demand for pa -1 pers made (which must be inspect ed ) , ov before the illegal predatory" character of the vessel de tained can be este blish,ed • • *en of which acts of detention , boarding, de mand, search for and examination of papers, is a viola tion of treaty as betw een ii, l • Majesty and each of nearl y a the Powers of E ur ope, as applied to ` vess els sailin g u nder their nags respectively. 7. Because the exercise of such right of deten tion, boarding, searela for turd examination of papers of veep- sels on the high seas, in time of peace, has been de clared illegal by the highest judicial authority that ever presided over the English Court of Admiralty. S. Because the exercise of such right is liable to be resented and retaliated by all the Powers of the world, including those with which her Majesty is bound by treaties ; each authorizing restricted and regulated mutual search of merchant vessels in certain 'oat ities, in order to suppress the traffic called the slave-trade. WELLINGTON, REDESDALE, HAWARDEN, FITZGERALD, BEVERLEY, ORMOND, GLENGALL, CANTERBURY. PARLIAMENTARY PAPER. REPORT of the SELECT COMMITTEE ap• pointed to inquire into the proceedings in the Action of STOCKDALE v. HANSARD, and who were empowered to report their opinion thereupon from time to time to the House. Your Committee, in their Report of the 15th of June, in which they submitted for the consideration of the House their views as to the different lines of con duct which might be pursued with respect to the damages awarded against the defendants in the action of Stockdale v. Hansard, expressed their hope that they might shortly be enabled to present ,to the House a further Report, in which it was their intention to have entered into the consideration of the important general questions which have been raised by these proceedings. They have now to entreat the indulgence of the House in stating that this ho-.e has been disappointed, and that they have not found it possible to complete the task which they were called upon to undertake. The consideration which they have already given to this important subject has been sufficient to satisfy their own minds that the opinion upon it, expressed by a former Committee, and confirmed by a vote of the House in the year 1837, was strictly in accordance with the law and with the Constitution of this country ; but they have found that much more labour and research than they had anticipated will be required in preparing such an exposition as they would wish to furnish of the grounds upon which this conclusion is to be supported, and in weighing, as they deserve, the reasons assigned for the contrary judgment which has been pronounced by the Court of Queen's Bench. The late period of the Session at which this inquiry was commenced, and the professional avocations of some of their Members, whose legal and constitutional learning rendered their assistance of the greatest value to them, have made it impossible for your Committee satisfactorily to accom plish an undertaking which has proved thus laborious. Under these circumstances it has appeared to them that it will be advisable rather to postpone for a time making their final report, than to present one which they know must necessarily be incomplete and unsatis factory to themselves, upon a question so deeply affect ing the authority of the House, and its means of dis charging the high duties with which it is intrusted. Your Committee are not insensible to the inconve nience of this delay, but upon the whole they think is will be attended with less disadvantage than must result from their attempting to agree to a Report without having been able to give it all the consideration it re quires ; and they are the more disposed to come to this conclusion in consequence of the opportunity which has recently been afforded to the House of manifesting its determination to maintain its privileges by its own authority. They trust that the resolutions which the House adopted, updn the notice given to Messrs. Han sard of another action for the publication of a Report printed by order of the House, will serve as a warning of the consequences to which any similar proceedings will expose the parties by whom they may be attempted. For these reasons, your Committee beg leave respect fully to request that they may be permitted to defer, for the present, the further prosecution of their inquiry, in order that the consideration of this subject may be resumed in the commencement of the ensuing Session. August 20, 1839. COMMUNICATION WITH THE WEST INDIES. We have learned from an authentic source, and corn municate to our readers with much satisfaction, the fact that Government have concluded a contract with a powerful Company, established under the direction of some of the first-rate merchants and capitalists in the City, to convey the mails by steam twice every month from England to the West Indies, and from the West Indies to the United States and Halifax, by very power ful steam•vessels, which are to be built for this special purpose. This extensive and well-combined operation embraces every colony, British and foreign, and the coast of America , from Surinam to New Orleans ; at the same time furnishing all these countries with a con nected line of packets for correspondence and passen gers with each other aud with New York and Halifax, as well as with Europe, by the direct line from this country to and from the West Indies. The course of post with the West Indies from London to London again will be 58 days, with abundance of time at every place (from three days to fifteen days, as may be— Jamaica will have ten days) to reply to letters; and besides their ordinary course of post, as just mentioned, Barbadoes, Grenada, St. Thomas, and Porto Rico, and also a portion of Hayti, will be able to communicate with London in 43 days. We hear also that it is contemplated to connect with this plan a line of sailing packets from Panama to Syd ney, by which the course of post between that place and London might be brought to about five months. The bargain made for the performance of this most important and wide extended service is, we hear, rea sonable on the part of the contractors and liberal on the part of Government. It is also but justice to the latter to state that they entered into this great measure with the utmost readiness, and with the most anxious desire to benefit and to advance the great commercial and colonial interests of this country ; and as the plan and all its combinations become knownrthese, we feel convinced, will be acknowledged by all to be the greatest boon ever conferred by any Government upo❑ the colonial and the commercial interests of this country. On the British colonies in the western world, and all South America, and every place on the Gulf of Mexico, it must confer inestimable and lasting benefits. Placed in the heart as it were of the great continent of America, the moving power of this mighty combination and rapid communication will spread its invigorating influence to places and to vast and rich countries hitherto comparatively unknown and inaecesti ble, and from which every nation in the world, and Great Britain in particular, will derive the greatest ad vantages. It will tend to the peaceable consolidation el the different States of the New 'World, by increasing the industry and the wealth of their people ; and, conse quently, enabling these States to repay the heavy debts which they owe to British subjects. The whole plan will be found to be worthy of this country, and to confer credit and honour upon the Government and the Post office establishment thereof, and alto upon every one ' who has been engaged in planning and arranging this most important measure. HARKAWAY.—A Correspondent of the Pos ob=serves that the only safeguard is not to bet on any race where this horse is entered ; he has been kept out of the handicaps, and " pity 'tis" he could not be kept out of England. IMPROVIDENCE OF THE MANUFACTURING CLAsmEs.—With the exception, perhaps, of a tew particular branches, I think it will be generally allowed that the earn ings of these employed in manufactures are adequate, with prudence and economy, to provide a sufficiency of wholesome food and clothing, and to procure ail the necessaries of life. But these classes are notoriously improsodent ; even in times of the greatest prosperity they rarely show any dispo sition to practise economy in the management of their house hold, or have the prud• nee to make any provisions for periods of.4kneekur 4her_accidental causes, which may occur to putiritop to their eariiiiies. A large proportion even of those who regularly receive high wages are constantly in a state of the greatest poverty, and often bordering on actual starvation ; their houses are almost destitute of furniture, comfortless, and uncleanly—too often damp, cold, and ill ventilated. Many of them live in dark cellars, in the midst of filth and putrefaction, by which the atmo sphere is rendered foul and unfit for respiration—a due circulation, of air being impossible. Their families are ill fed, scantily clothed, and badly lodged ; three or four persons being frequently crowded together in the same bed, which is often filthy, and deficient of covering. They live much on innutritious and indigestible food, and often use articles of bad quality, or such as are rendered unwholesome by adulteration, or by being kept too long. They are extremely in temperate in their habits ; and, instead of purchasing wholesome food and proper clothing, the greater part of the wages is often expended by anticipation at the public house. The effect of the intoxicating liquids they con sume is, of course, to produce a temporary excitement of the whole system, which is succeeded by a corresponding depression ; they lose all relish for plain nutritious food, and their appetites can be stimulated only by something savoury and piquant. This kind of diet does not afford sufficient nutriment to repair the losses the body is continually sus taining ; great langour and debility are the consequence-- for the removal of which stimulants are again had recourse to, and thus an alternately excited and depressed state of the system is kept up. y this mode of life t oo, t h e di gestive organs become impaired ; and thermed, function th of di gestion is so feebly and imperfectly pe rfoat even much less nutritive matter is e xtracted from the indiges tible and impoverished diet they use, than would be the case, if the stomach and its appe nda g es were in a healthy and vigorous condition. Then, again, though many are oc , copied in sedentary employments, and pass the greater part of tke day in heated, crowded, and ill-ventilated rooms, they take no regular exercise ; they never breathe the fresh and invigoratin g a i r o f t h e coun try, but constant l y , da y after day, inh a l e the same vitiated and loaded atmosphere. The vital fu nc ti on of respiration—that last and most im portant process of assimilation, which has for its o b j ect the s e ;yruification of th e c h y l e, and rendering it At for the nou rish:smolt of the body—is thus very imperfectly performed. Yet an uncontaz,ninated atmosphere for the lungs is as es sential to the maintenznce of health, as a supply of whole some food to the stomach; and it isimpossible the frame can continue vigorous under such a regimen. It is of little avail that nutritious food be digested and converted into chyle, if it is not further prepared for being changed into bleod, by exposure to the action of pure air in the lungs. Remarks by a:Physidan. r. :i:;~ THE SKI IMPAN Y. Some curious instances are given in an article on works of art and artists in England, in the British and Foreign Review, No. 17, of the ravages comm;tted on the works of great masters in England, by picture cleaners, termed by the writer members of the Skinners' Company. " His Grace of Northumberland has in his collec tion the celebrated picture by Titian of the Cornaro family. That work was in very fine condition, but smothered with household dirt ; it was entrusted to an ignorant coxcomb named Roma to clean. This barba rian set to work, and by using all sorts of solvents, suc ceeded in completely skinning the picture. In the plenitude of his conceit, he sent circular notes to the principal nobility and gentry to come to his house and see the picture restored to its " pristine purity," On a table, ranged in rows, were numerous gallipots ; Roma, dressed in the very height of the fashion, was expatiating on his achievement, pointing out the beau ties of the picture, and with a clouded cane directing attention to the gallipots as containing the layers of dirt and repaint which he had removed. West, who had been watching him in his usual patient way, at last broke out with this exclamation :--‘ Wretch, you have ruined one of the noblest of Titian's works, and the gallipots contain all his tones, all his glazing, which no one but Titian can restore.' He then indignantly quitted the room, leaving Roma and his admirers to di gest the bitter truth as they pleased. Time has done something towards concealing the horrible excoriation, but the Cornaro family is only the shadow of the noble picture painted by the hand of the greatest master of the Venetian School. " All picture-cleaners are members of the Skinners Company ; some of them are more distinguished for their destructive skill than others, but none are wholly innocent. A considerable number of the pictures in the Royal collection have been flayed ; we only remember one, and that a Claude, of all those exhibited in the British Institution, which could be considered pure. Who the distinguished member of the Skinners' Company was to whom our Sovereigns are indebted for such wanton bar barity is not known ; probably there have been several equally guilty. Great skill has often been exhibited in the reparation, obliteration of parts, and repainting of pictures. The landscape by Claude, purchased by Mr. Perkins at a sale of Mr. Zacchary's pictures, was ge nerally repaired, and the whole of the middle distance altered aid repainted, by Mr. Ramsay Reinagle, for which he received one hundred pounds. The picture has been subsequently exhibited in the British Institu tion. Though the touch has been tolerably well mi micked and the tones well blended, it is beginning to become opaque, as all reparation does after the lapse of a few years. " A Hobbema, purchased for a large sum by Sir Robert Peel, representing a strait road and avenue of lofty trees with stems from which the lower limbs have been lopped, had much of the background and sky obli terated, and repainted also by Reinagle, so that the picture may be said to be painted by Hobbema and Ram say Reinagle. A manuscript detailing the whole of the transaction is among our curiosities of art ;' it even re counts the details of the purchase : Mr. Reinagle was merely employed by the proprietors at a stipulated price to make the alterations. Such deceptions have a tendency to deter the wealthy from collecting. Mr. Waagen, by his careless criticism on this picture, shows that he is by no means infallible ; after describing the composition, he continues, From these simple, and by no means fine materials, a picture is formed, which, by the purity of the taste for nature, and by the power of art makes a striking impression on the intelli gent spectator. Such an universal brightness, such day light, I had never seen before in any picture. To a strict observance of the perspective, there is added such a de licate and true gradation, from the fullest bright green in the foreground, that it may be considered in this re spect as ane plus ultra, and is on the whole one of the most original works of art with which I am acquainted.' Mr. Waagen probably had no suspicion of the tricks which had been played with the picture, and spoke of the effect produced, which is as complimentary to Reinagle as to Hobbema. In the same exhibition at the British Institution was a little picture entitled Ruysdael, which had been painted about three years before by Reinagle ! " Among the most atrocious destructions of late years was the flaying and dissection of the two celebrated Claudes now in the possession of Mr. Miles, of Bristol, who had them from Mr. Hart Davis, who purchased them of Mr. Beckford, of Fonthill. West and Sir Thomas Lawrence called together at the house of the distinguished flayer to whom they had been entrusted to clean ; the servant inadvertently showed them into the room where those exquisite pictures were—actually excoriated, the ground apparent in several places, the foliage in many parts totally obliterated, and all the surfaces for ever destroyed ! The cleaner entered the room ; the mild courtier-like Law rence was for once enraged, and excltinned, I see, sir, we have been where we were not wanted ; and I am sorry, for this destruction (pointing to the Claudes) will deprive me of my rest.' West, who was a man of great command of temper, stood, as he was wont when angry, working his closed lips ; then looked at the destroyer as he said, Sir, you deserve to hl flayed as you have flayed those pictures.' The con ceited varlet, with a simpering grin, replied, Oh gen tlemen, it is nothing—all very easily put to rights.' Yes,' rejoined West, When you can get Claude to come from his grave and do it, but not before.' The wo mortified artists immediately left the house." PRINCIPLES OF A CURRENCY (Recommended to Mr. RICE for his especial study.) If gold and silver could be dug out of the mines, be separated from the ore, be smelted and refined at one half the actual cost, or if they were as abundant as iron and lead, it is manifest that their exchangeable value would be greatly diminished—that is, they would ex change for a much less quantity of other commodities than they can now be exchanged for. Each one of there metals, however, is subject to its own particular laws, and each one stands in relation to all other commodities, in regard to exchangeable value, precisely as any other commodity stands in reference to all the rest. Between gold and silver, therefore, there is not any fixed proportion, as to value, established by nature, an'y more than there is a fixed proportion established by nature between lead and iron, or between wheat and tobacco. Nature does not say that one ounce of gold shall always be worth so many ounces of silver, any more than she says that a certain number of pounds of iron shall always be worth so many pounds of lead, or that a bushel of wheat shall always be worth a fixed quantity of tobacco. The truth of this proposition must be self evident to every intelligent mind, and we shall not therefore enlarge upon it. Taking it, therefore, for granted that the reader ad mits these premises, the next position to be laid down is, that it is not in the power of human legislation to es tablish any fixed unalterable proportions between the value of any two commodities in existence. It is not in the power of human laws to establish that one ounce of gold shall permanently be worth a certain number of ounces of silver, any more than they can fix the propor tions at which iron and lead, or wheat and tobacco, shall be permanently exchangeable for one another. Laws may, indeed, undertake to prescribe what they shall be, but such laws are founded in absurdity, and had their origin in days of ignorance, when the lights of political science had scarcely begun to shine. It is true, however, that the relative value of gold and silver in the market of the trading world is not so liable to fluctuation within short periods as that of most or all other commodities. It sometimes remains for years without alteration ; but this is no evidence that there are not alterations, and the mere fact of a change within the last twenty years of 6 per cent. affords an unanswerable argument against the expediency of adjurtment. For how do we know, that in the next twenty years the proportions may not _fall back to the old ratio, or advance 6 per cent. still further ? It is also true, that the regulations of Government have an influence upon the relative market value of the two metals. They may drive either metal out of circulation, by rating it too low, in reference to the Mint, price of the other, and thus diminish the demand for it in their respective countries, which effect cannot take place without disturbing the market pro portions in all other countries. But this is rather a reason why Governments should not interfere than that they should interfere, inasmuch as greater fluc tuations might take place than would take place from the operation of natural causes alone. Thus with the silver mania, as ours has been with the gold mania, and establish their mint proportions at such a ratio as would drive gold out of circulation, and substitute silver in its place, is it not evident that such a measure would enhance the value of silver in Europe as exchangeable for gold, and thus materially influence their relative value ? The precise effect of the various mint regu lations of the different countries in the world upon the relative value of gold and silver in the general market could not be easily ascertained, nor is it essential to our inquiry that it should be.—Philadelphia Examiner. THE HARVEST.—The reports from the coun try, received to-day, state that there has been heavy and continuous rain, and that the crops have in consequence suffered. The weather in London to-day is delightful. THE MOORS.—The 12th was a most auspicious day for shooting, in so far as the weather was concerned, and, with few exceptions, we learn that grouse were abun dant. Several gentlemen, both in Carrick and in Kyle, bagged upwards of twenty brace, which is above the ave rage sport afforded by the Ayrshire moors. The 13th was a dry day, but the remainder of the week was too wet for shooting.—Ayr Observer. THE TOURNAMENT.—We understand about SOU applications for tickets to the stands at the approach ing tournament have already been made to Mr. Blair, clerk to Lord Eglinton's factor, and every succeeding post is bringing increasing demands. A thousand tickets, we believe, will be issued by the Noble Earl ; but if the solicitations continue in the same proportion for a day or two longer, it will require more than five thousand to meet the exigency. Although Mr. Blair is kept exceedingly busy, yet, from his activity and zeal, we have little doubt that he will be able to answer all requests that are made to ha for admifsion.--Ayr Observer. THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 1839. CITY FREEDOMS. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) A short time since the inhabitants of the city of Lon don were apprised by a corporation advertisement that it was the intention of that body to compel all traders, wholesale as well as retail, to spend about 14/. in ren dering themselves free of the City, in order, as it was said, to place larger funds at the disposal of the Corpo ration jobbers, " wherewith to proceed more rapidly with improvements which had hitherto gone on only at a snail's pace." This threat has been followed up by serv ag notices on some wholesale dealers who have rendered themselves obnoxious to the Corporation by exposing some of their m al-practices. Before the City jobbers attempted to wring more money from the inhabitants they ought to have shown that their enormous revenue of upwards of half a million was honestly and judiciously expended, and before they took courage to raise more money by freedoms they ought to have put themselves in a condition to show that some of the money so de rived was not spent in the following profligate manner : The Lord Mayor (for purposes of gluttony and ranee shows) six freedoms Chamberlain, in part of 5,0001. a-year, his in come, six freedoms - 150 0 0 First Sergeant of the Chamber, part of 3191., one freedom 25 0 0 Third Sergeant, part of 2771., one freedom Common Hunt's young man 1 part of 350., one freedom and part of another Water Bailiff's second young man, part of 3591 one freedom and part of another Swordbearer's young man, part of 3491., one _ freedom.. 25 0 0 Cbaplain of Giltspur-street Cornpter, in addi tion to 2001., one freedom 25 0 0 The Lady Mayoress has for Pin-money t one or two /reedons. This is what becomes of some of the citizens' money, squeezed from them for freedoms, with which should be remembered the Irish estate belonging to the citizens of London. It is admitted to yield about 10,0001. per annum (but it ought to yield 15,0001.) ; of this scarcely a single pound comes into the City purse, the whole of the proceeds being sifted and jobbed by the Corporators. Yet so spending the money derived from freedoms, they have the audacity to demand more, for the pur pose of improving the City ! The total cost of a free dom is about 141. ; of this sum not more than five pounds goes to the corporation jobbers, the rest is stop ped by their officers in the shape of fees. A man may carry on a wholesale or retail trade in the borough of Southwark or in the city of Westminster without pay ing 141. for the privilege of living in a district where local taxation is two and three-fold heavier than any where else, which is the case in the city of London. Mob government is the most tyrannical and expensive of all government ; and there is no place where so much money is wrung from the public as by the self appointed, irresponsible, sham reformers of the city of London. STATE OF CRIME IN THE COUNTY OF EDINBURGH. (FROM MR. HILL'S REPORT.) Of the county generally and the city, Mr. Hill re ports as follows " STATE OF CRIME, licc.--About the same, appa rently, as at the time of the last report. The prisons of Edinburgh have been unusually full during part of the year ; but it is believed that this is a matter of accident, rather than an evidence of an increase of crime. Several gentlemen concerned in the administration of justice (including the Superintendent of the Edinburgh police) are of opinion that, while there have been more offenders than usual in prison of late, there have been fewer at large ; and it will be seen, by referring to the evidence given in the Report on the Edinburgh Bride well, that the same opinion is entertained by some of the prisoners. " Captain Stuart, the superintendent of police, states that there are about 35 convicted and reputed thieves at present at large in Edinburgh , of whom about 26 are males, and aout 15 females. Of the males, he says, about seven are above 20 years old ; and that of these three have returned from transportation, having received a pardon before the expiration of their sen tence. The other male thieves are from 10 to 20 years old. Of the females six or seven are stated to be above 20 years old, and the others between 14 and 20. Captain Stuart further states, that there are about 800 prostitutes within the bounds of the police ; and he adds that the greater part of the thieves are the children of profligate parents, who first sent them out to beg. " The sheriff-substitute, the procurator-fiscal for the city and county, and the superintendent of police (all of whom were present at the meeting at which I made my inquiries), believe that there were only three heinous offences committed it: the county during the year 1838 ; namely, one murder and two highway robberies. So far as they know, there was no rape, no case of housebreak ing With violence to the inmates, and no case of fire raising. " The following is a statement of the average number of cases in the Edinburgh Police Court during the last fifteen years ; and when it is considered that the pop- lation has considerably increased during that time, that the boundaries of the police have been extended, and that there has, at least, been no falling off in the effi ciency of the police, the result appears satisfactory. 1824...8,022 1825...8,055 1829...7,178 1834...7,621 1830...6,930 1835...6,226 1826-.7,645 1831...7,283 1836...6,832 1827...6,660 1832...7,220 1837...6,933 1828...7;39 1 1833...8,382 1838...6,351 Average of 5 years Average of 5 years Average of 5 years eading1828,7,55 4, ending 1833,7,398. ending 1838,6,792." Mr. 11111 states elsewhere that the property abstracted by a professional thief is supposed to average 12s. or 15s. per day, which is divided between himself and the receiver. It would follow that the thirty-five thieves plying their vocation here must, at 12s. a-day, levy a tax of 6,0001. per annum on the city. Instead of confining his inquiries to the officers, Mr. Hill examined a number of the prisoners, whose evi dence occasionally throws light on the causes of crime, and the effects of imprisonment and jail discipline. We give a few short extracts EDINBURGH BRIDEWELL. A prisoner, bred to the law, and who had been corn mitted for assaulting his wife, says-- " Has often inq uired of prisoners what was the cause of their first offe nce, and has generally been told that it was la r the two mast either ior s drink, m common or meo m women, ofn and gamin g , or idl e com pany, or those potent of these causes, causes combined. By however, in declarant's opinion, is drink. The very young offenders appear to be generally de coyed by men an d w omen , who supply them with mo ney and various luxuries , including ale, whisky, and tobacco. These c hildren th ink it manly to be able to (for which they soon drink acquire q i great re a taste),qtian t quantity y and of tosmoke spirits,&c. a pipe. Has roc o o ne (remembers re peatedly heard boys from 10 to 12 years old say they o e a n t r - o hadb7el. rob bery being large ts s ht u na m tte s dt o bey f in m oownneoe wondered nd i se n traed tnhceei;, how thepossession the p money soon ; and their belief was, that they had been robbed by the women with whom they lodged while they were drunk. Has almost invariably heard them confess that they had no real pleasure in spending the money, and express regret they had ever gone astray. " Most of the prisoners admit that they were not driven to the commission of any of their offences by want, and that, notwithstandint , their loss of character, they might still get an honest livelihood, if they had resole , tion enough to avoid drink. Declarant never knew a single instance of want being assigned as the cause of a first offence, and very seldom of any subsequent offence. Is accustomed to obtaining, and feels sure that the in formation which he has received from the prisoners may be relied on as true. They had no motive to conceal the truih from him. Has had several opportunities of comparing one account with another. " The craving for drink generally dies away in the Bridewell in the course of eight or ten days. Has often heard prisoners express their wonder that they did not ' feel any desire for whisky, and regret at having spent so ' much of their money upon it. Declarant attributes this change to the simple and wholesome kind of food in use in the Bridewell, to the restricted allowance of it, and partly to the bodily system not being in an excited state. The desire for snuff and tobacco continues much longer than that for whisky. There is also a strong de sire for more food. The subject of eating, and the dif ferent modes of cooking food, form a principal topic of conversation among the prisoners. They delight in talk ing about eating. " Has had a great deal of conversation with thieVes of all ages who have come to the Bridewell, and the following is the result of the information he has re ceived :—Stealing is generally done systematically, and as a matter of regular business. Most of the thieves know each other, and know the circumstances of the various robberies that are committed. They associate much together. The chief body of the thieves in Edinburgh live in the wynds and closes out of High street. With vigour and talent on the part of the police, and with proper prisons to receive the offenders, the whole system might be knocked on the head. " Has conversed with several prisoners who have been confined in the Glasgowßridewell. They describe the discipline as very strict and formidable. They dwell particularly on the complete separation of the pri soners, and the punishment (loss of porridge) which is inflicted for slight offences—such as spilling the milk upon the ground. They also complain much of being obliged to keep their cell window open, and of being obliged to get up so early in the morning—often in the dark. They describe the food as good what's of it,' but complain of the long fast between the dinner of one day, and the breakfast of the next. ",They say that they heard nothin g of what is doin g in tne house, nor any other noise than the turnkey's keys, and that the only relief was the mail-guard's horn, by which they knew what o'clock it was. They say that it is vain to try to move any of the officers, though they did not complain of unkindness ; that very few would ever return to the Glasgow Bridewell if they could avoid it ; and that if ever a man was likely to do well, it would be from fear of being sent there again. One prisoner said that he would rather be in the Edin burgh Bridewell eighteen months than be in the Glas gow Bridewell six months ; and another that he would rather be transported for fourteen years than be in the Glasgow Bridewell one year." CALTON GAOL.—Within the last six months, work to some extent has been introduced for some of the male criminals ; but in other respi cts the gaol rerndns s much the same state as at my last visit. At that time I made various recommendations for its improve ment, but few of them have been carried into operation. How much these and other reforms are required in this prison, the evidence annexed will show. By that evidence it will appear that young and old, tried and untried—thieves, deserters, and persons convicted of petty assaults only—have baen placed together, and have passed most of their time secure from observation ; that gambling, swearing, obscene language, smuggling forbidden articles, drinking and smoking, cheating and stealing have been of common occurrence ; that there have occasionally been serious acts of insubordination, and that robberies have been planned, to be executed after the offenders had left prison ; that there has been much drunkenness among the debtors, and that there have been occasional gross irregularities among some of the officers of the prison." Mr. Dick, late clerk and assistant in the gaol,says : " Acted as clerk and assistant officer in the Calton Gaol about five years. Left about 16 months ago With rare exceptions the prisoners were quite idle. They chiefly occupied their time in gambling, obscene language, singing bawdy song.s, recounting their adven tures, smoking, quarrelling, and fighting. Smoking was regularly permitted until about the time of the appoint ment of the Inspector of Prisons; indeed a halfpenny per day was allowed to each prisoner out of the gaol funds to purchase tobacco with. When an officer suddenly en tered a day-room, he almost invariably found these things going on. From the construction of the prison, how ever, it was difficult for the officers to enter the day-rooms without being perceived. Scouts were generally sta tioned by the prisoners to give notice of an approach. Every prisoner was examined at entrance, chiefly to see whether he was clean, whether he had the itch, or whether he had any weapons about him. At this time any money beyond a small sum was taken from him, lest he should be robbed of it by his companions. He was allowed to have this money again, as he required it, to purchase extra food, &c. Extra articles of food, such as bread, coffee, tea, sugar, and ale, were sold by a person appointed by the Governor, who was called the sutler or grocer. The ale and porter were supplied by contract, the grocer getting a profit of a halfpenny per bottle. Very little profit arose from this contract. Whisky was introduced in various ways ; it was smug gled in food, and it was brought in bladders concealed about the person." " Expense of the prison during the year ending 31s1 December, 1838, 2,7491. 14s. 3d. .E s. d. Xs. d Of this there was paid by the burgh By the police By the county 475 3 10 For deserters For convicts in transit 2,749 14 3 Gross average cost of each criminal prisoner during the year (exclusive of alterations in the building) about ll 0 0 Average daily cost of the food of each crimi minal prisoner, including cost of cooking, about . THE BRIGHTON STAKES. (From the Brighton Gazette.) The following correspondence has been published : " Harcourt House, Aug. 8,1839 " My Lord and Gentlemen, —Having been informed by my trainer, Jchn Day, jun., that the decision of Captain Rous on the Brighton Stakes yesterday—that Ratsbane, in running for the same, went on the wrong side of a post—is alike inconsistent with the fact, and at variance with the main body and the respectable part of the evidence brought before him, resting upon the testimony of strolling gipsies, and contrary to the evi dence of the leading jockeys who rode in the race, I find myself under the painful necessity of appealing against a decision so come to, and of respectfully re questing that you will order the Brighton Stakes to be withheld, until I shall have an opportunity of submit ting the matter to some other tribunal. " I have the honour to be , my Lord and Gentlemen, " Your most obedient humble servant, " G. BENTINCK. To the Earl of Chesterfield, the Hon. Capt. Rous, R.N., Col. G. Wyndham, Stewards of Brighton Races." " Brighton, Aug. 9, 1839. " My Lord—We have received your letter written on the faith of an ex perle statement from J. Day, jun. " After a minute investigation, we are perfec►ly satis fied with our decision, and we have ordered the stakes to be paid to Mr. Shelley. " We have the honour to be, my Lord, " Your obedient humble servant, " G. WYNDHAM. "To Lord G. Bentinck," " 11. S. ROUS." " Harcourt House, Aug. 10, 1839. " Gentlemen—l have the honour to acknowledge your letter of yesterday's date. Should it appear that J. Day, junior's, statement to me is an ex parte state ment not founded on fact, I shall be perfectly satisfied with your decision on the Brighton Stakes, and shUll be glad to apologise for having for a single moment ques tioned the fairness and justice of it ; but if, on the con trary, as represented to me by John Day, junior, the four jockeys, who rode the four leading horses at that period of the race, when and where it is alleged that my horse Ratsbane went on the wrong side of the post, are all prepared to deny upon their oaths the fact to be so, whilst the contrary allegations rest upon the assertion of the cider of Tawney Owl, who, from the circum stance of his horse having bolted out of the course in the early part of the race, combined with the thick fog which, prevailed, was not near enough to be in sight even of the leading horses, supported merely by the evidence of two gipsies, procured by Mr. Shelley and his trainer, I shall be under the painful necessity of appealing against a de cision so came at, to the superior justice of a Court of Law. " I have the honour to be, Gentlemen, " Your obedient humble servant, 'To the Hon. Capt. Rous, "G. BENTINCK." Col. Wyndham." INTERVIEW WITH DR. CIIAN NING. The following account of a visit recently paid to the c debrated Dr. Channing, is quoted from " No. IV." of a series of " Letters from America," addressed to the Editor of the Scots Times, by an intelligent traveller, we believe Captain Fullarton, of Overton, in Ayrshire. " New York, June 13, 1839. " Dear Sir,—You mnst allow me once more to carry you back to Boston, where you recollect I re mained fully a week, and where I had the pleasure of being introduced to the distinguished Dr. Channing, a favour I owe .to Mr. Edmund Quincy, son of the President of Hayward University, with whom I became acquainted during my stay here. We paid a forenoon visit to the Doctor at his own house in Mount Vernon street, in the beautiful neighbourhood of the State-house an.l Park. He had been affected with a cold and con ned to the house, but received us with cordiality and kindness. I could not but deem myself lucky in having lately been in the West Indies, as I found Dr. Charming greatly interested, indeed, in the affairs of the recently emancipated colonies there, and the few meagre particulars which I had in Tn y power to communicate, seemed not unacceptable to so exact and careful an inquirer. As in many in tances of men of great intellectual endowments Dr. Channing possesses no physical superiority in the ordinary sense over the general condition of the race. He is rather below the usual stature, and of a corres ponding slender habit of body. His complexion is sallow, with a profusion of light sandy-coloured hair, slightly silvered by Time, though by no means yielding quickly to the advancing foe. The upper part of the head is finely expanded, though but of the ordinary propor tion in size ; the eyes bright and concentrated ; and the general expression of countenance indicative of decided habitual cautiousneqs, bordering on distrust, such as long habits of study and abstraction never fail to produce. The under part of the face is the least classical and regular, the chin being short and slightly receding. In manner, Dr. Channing partakes not a little of the characteristic coldness of his countrymen ; nevertheless there is a perfect simplicity and unaffected plainness in his demeanour, which quickly dispels, and more than compensates any disadvantage which may be felt to arise from this cause. No trace of the priestly theologian remains about him. In every feature and lineament of mind, the philosopher and man of letters is indelibly impressed. There is no mistaking the field in which his life and labours have been spent. His mind is inseparably identified with his works—they are one and indivisible ! Dr. Channing has never dreamed of adding to his reputation by anything merely personal or extraneous to these. To an ordinary mind, conversation with him is quite a task and a trial, yet the fascination of his greatness forces you to desire to continue the " pleasing chastisement." The disco very and advancement •of truth is clearly the great mo tive of his existence, and every page of his writings shows his appreciation of moral beauty to be of the purest and most exalted order. " He had just been reading a treatise, written ex pressly for the education of the present Emperor of Russia and his brother, which he said pleased him much by the manner in which the author ventured to inculcate sound principles of liberty into the minds of his Royal pupils. There were several cases of elegantly bound books in the parlour where we were sitting, and from the few observations made on the subject, you could perceive the extensive and varied nature of the Doctor's reading. I think he has been in England ; but seemed unacquainted with Scotland and the Scotch. He said he had formed his notions of it from the descriptions in Ossian, and of course con ceived it enveloped in eternal mists ! Under this impression, too, he fancied it must be a very un ' healthy country, and said he was astonished to find that the Highlanders were long lived ! With the result of emancipation in the West Indies he expressed himself greatly satisfied. It was an experiment, how ever, which he wholly disapproved of at the time, and owned it had quite belied his fears. The peaceful and orderly manner in which the poor negroes had conducted themselves under very trying circumstances, he re marked, were calculated to raise the highest ex pectations of their future progress and amelioration. I alluded to the edition of his works at present publishing in Glasgow by the Messrs. Hedderwick, and he expressed himself highly pleased with it. I re marked, perhaps somewhat abruptly, Doctor, you are aware they are reprinting your works in Glasgow.' He replied very quickly, Yes, Sir, and a very fine edition it is. lam greatly satisfied with the Parts I have got of it indeed.' He asked me whether I knew the pub lishers; and I was happy to be able to answer in the affirmative, and to bear my humble testimony to the high character of these gentlemen, both in their private and professional capacities." About one o'clock on Wednesday afternoon a fire broke out dri the premises of Dr. Hume, Curzon street, Mayfair. Two engines belonging to the County Fire Office in R,gent-street, in an incredibly short time reached the spot, promptly followed by those of the brigade, &c., and there being a plentiful supply of water, the fire, which was occasioned by an ignition of soot in a foul flue, was in about an hour completely extinguished. Dr. Hume, who is at present in Scotland, is said to be fully insured. DISCOVERY OF A HUMAN SKULL IN AN OVEN.—Wednesday morning, about eleven o'clock, as some labourers were employed in pulling down a house in Oxford-street, near Holles-street, one of them, named Turner, on removing an oven, discovered at the extremity thereof a human skull, with a number of bones lying by its side. The house was many years ago in the occupation of a baker, but for a long period the oven has not been used. Information of the above was immediately forwarded by the constable on duty at the spot to the station-house in Marylebone-lane. RUDE LIGHT.—The comparative expense of this light, as given in evidence before the Committee by Dr. Farraday, who, according to the evidence, has made extensive experiments on the subject,' on account of the Trinity House (page 35), stands thus, for equal light 7 , " Bode light, 101(1., sperm candles, 28i." On Wednes day evening, when the Bude light was tried to determine ihe quantity required for the house, Mr. Gurney directed the lamps to be.burnt at only two-thirds their power. The light was then generally thought enough for the business of the house, and should such quantity prove sufficient for general use, the expense of it per night would be only About a fourth of the present cost of the 268 candles. M. Zanino Volta, the able engineer of Como, who, in conjunction with M. Bruschetti, of Milan, obtained in 1837, from the Austrian Government, a privilege of fifty years for the construction of a railroad between Milan ind Como, is now negociating with the Swiss Cantons of the Grisons and St. Gall an enterprise which would vie in magnitude with the Thames Tunnel, viz., the piercing through the Grisons' Alps. Impressed with the com mercial importance of the passage of the Splugen, and at the same time with the various obstacles which it presents, he thinks it possible to pierce through that mountain, and establish in the passage thus effected a railroad, the northern portion of which would end either at Wallend stadt or even at Schmerikon, on the lake of Zurich ; and the southern would be connected with the Como and Milan Railroad. M. Volta does not dissemble the expense and difficulties of such an undertaking, but insists on the im mense advantages that would accrue from a horizontal road accessible at all times, and not nearly so long and fa tiguing as the present one. As galleries above half a league long have already been bored, he deems that there is no reason why longer ones still should not be pierced. An examination has proved that the granite rocks to be gone through can be easily blown up, and that by a new process the operation may be rendered easier still. M. Volta, reckoning that thirty years will be required to exe cute the works, demands an exclusive privilege of a hun dred years, with liberty to establish companies in order to procure funds or to transfer his privilege to other parties. In return he engages to execute 8,000 metres in the comae of five years, and the whole line, crossing the territory of the Grisons and Saint Gall, in thirty yeera. Moreover, M. Volta engages to pay 10,000 francs into the cantonal coffers of the poor for 0444 Jenr, of unjustified delay in the construction of the first kilooetre, or proportionately in the completion of the whole road over the Swiss territory, or else to resign entirely his privilege. POLISH JEWS.--A few words with regard to the Jews in Poland. From the moment of crossing the border of Lithuania, I had remarked in every town and village swarms of people differing entirely from the other inhabitants in physical appearance and costume, and ia whose sharply.drawn features, long boards and flowing dresses, with the cold black eyeS end oriental costutra s of the women, I at erice recoc'nised the disposed and wander ing children of lirael. Oa the S:.-e,"nid destruction of rusalem, when the Roman general drove a pleuglauvei the site of the Ternyle of Solomon, the politieli existence of the Jewish notion was annihilated; their land' was portioned among strangers, and the descendants of Abraham were forbidden to pollute with. their presence the holy city of their fathers, Ira the Roman territories their petition for the"m7.uction oti taxation re ceived the stern answer of the Romeo, " Ye demand exemption from tribute for your soil; I will lay it on the air you breathe;" and, in the words of. the histarian, " Dispersed and vagabond, exiled from their native se al and air, they wander over the face of the earth. without a king, either human or divine, and even as strariger4 theft are not permitted to salute with a t their i r t sn re g i f lt ac h n : d i: c o a tr t hi l ey : land " History fnrnishes no precise receriia of' the end gration or of the first settlement of ihe Israelites in th e different countries of Europehaibibt:lbtlefowrorlcdentaurie: they wouldhare b beene, over rn ewholedispersed, , strang e , unsocial and isolated people, a nued miracle. At this day they are found all the civilized countries of Europe and America, i the wildest regions of Asia and Africa, and within the walls of China; but, after Palestine, Poland • la regarded as their land of promise : and there they pros; ex traordinary spectacle than in any country where their race is known. * Centuries have rolled on, r . evolutions . have convulsed the globe, new and strange opinions have di ateuhgreabsaeurnde made h d;c e th h h u ien; m s; a a n mt he r a_ n e s e, th but .d dark superstition s P op oli r s s il tit .l io e n of11;o widd : el:t a o te Jew remains wee e same his e , internal dispositions ,i' fa r n d mor ' ai P c r i l i t c io L n a : a i ; e s. -- Incidents of Travel e w c h u e 3 7 4de h i r i o n tri t t h h e e sivz4osrla era and a t n h d e Teirkish Empires. A covey of patridges are frequently to,bo seen basking in the sun or. a large coal heap in . "-fid belong ing to Mr. jeseph Parndeli, at Dell Qn.aYi near this city. The birds are strong. and closely resemble black game when on the wing.—Brighton .Gazette. MR. EDGAR TAYLOR. We mentioned, in our obituary on Tuesday, the death of this gentleman ; but the decease of such a man, at the early age of forty-six, ought not to remain unnoticed even by the diurnal press, for his loss will be not only lamented by a numerous body of personal and profes sional friends, but it will be sensibly felt by the politico religious party of which he was as well the zealous friend as a rarer and more valuable character—the dis creet and temperate counsellor—viz. that of the Uni tarian Presbyterians. Mr. Taylor was a native of the county of Norfolk. He repaired early to the metro polis, and in the year 1817 associated himself in the practice of the law with a son of the celebrated Roscoe, of Liverpool, and till the time of his death was, at least in name, at the head of the firm that arose out of that union ; though a painful and incurable disease, which lasted twelve years, forced him to withdraw from the more ordinary branches of the professional practice. But he never ceased to take an active part in all the great public measures which affected the civil and reli gious rights of the body to which he belonged. As one of the Presbyterian deputies he was among the earliest promoters of the repeal of the Corporation and Test Acts ; he took an active part in procuring the late Mar riage and Registration Acts ; and was named in the last Act as one of the unsalaried Commissioners for carrying it into effect. Few men in his branch of the profession of the law were more frequently consulted in the course of the numerous reforms of the law which have been from time to time effected, or too often only proposed. The mildness of his manners was well combined with inflexi ble consistency, and rendered him the fit organ of mea sures of c ondiliation and amicable compromise. Notwithstanding the occupation arising out of an extensive professional practiet, and an active participa tion in public measures, he found leisure for literary pursuits. He was a frequent contributor to the pe riodical press, and our readers had not unfrequently the benefit of his labours. He generally published anony mously, but in 1833 he gave to the world a " Book of Rights," with his name, a valuable digest of Constitu tional Acts from Magna Charta downwards, with able and original comments. He was attached to antiqua rian and historical studies, as well as to the lighter li terature which combines history with poetry. He was the author of an admired translation of the famous French metrical chronicle, by Wace, entitled the " Roman de Rou." He composed a history of the German Minnesang,rers, with translated specimens, and was able, notwithstanding the sufferings of his latter years, to recreate his imagination by preparing a version of some of the admirable Mcerehen legends of the distinguished brothers Grimm, the banished Hanoverian professors. The second edi tion, under the title of " Gammer Grethill," was the last of his writings that left the press. But these lighter occupations never interfered with the discharge of sterner duties, nor with the more earnest studies founded on religious opinions. He sus stained his severe bodily trials with fortitude and pa tience, and died full of the assurance of a Christian's hope, though he rejected many of the dogmata which consti tute the faith of the more numerous Christian sects. He has left a name unassailed by reproach or impute tion, and left the world without an acquaintance who does not lament his departure.—Morning Paper. • - A GOOD BREEDER.--There is on the QM, Hall farm, at Bilsby, near Alford, a celebrated ware, descended from O!d Golden Farmer, which has at her heels her eighteenth foal. Thirteen of these foals were cnits, and were sold in some instances for 100/. each. She belongs to Capt. Taylor who resides on the above farm. Canabridge Chronicle. EVENING EDITION• DU AMSTEIMAM, Ace. 20.—According to the last letters S from India, the arrival of M. P. Merkus, Member o f the I Council of India, was daily expected at Batavia. TILE HAGUE, Ace. 19.—We are assured that the mili tiamen of the levy of 1837 are to repair, on the 25th of this month, to their several depots, there to settle their accounts, and to deliver up their arms. The levy of 1838 will, it is said, likewise obtain, about the 15th of Septem ber, the grant of unlimited furlough, after which no more furloughs will be granted this year. The troops will then be reduced to the puce establishment, as it was before August 1830. The grenadiers in garrison in this town are so reduced in strength, by the numerous furloughs, that at present they amount to little more than 500 men. As this makes the duty very heavy, it is said that a part of the eighth di vision of the army now at Groningen, will come to make part of the garrison. Prince Frederick of the Netherlands, and his consort, arrived on the 9th of this month, at Esdmansdorffe, in Silesia, an estate belonging to the King of Prussia, who is now there. On the 10th of this month, formal possession was taken of the neig,tibouring estate of Schildau, which has been purchased for his Royal Highness Prin ce Fre- derick, SARAYAFP, JULY 10. —ln the night of the 18th of June the inhabitants of the village of Federowk were awakened by a subterraneous noise, and a sort of earthquake, which gave a violent shock to all their dwellings. Ignorant of the cause of this terrible shock they hastenedinto the streets, and saw to their terror the whole valley, in which most of the houses are situate, had become loosened from the foot of the mountain, that it had sunk considerably and was advancing towards the Wolga. The terror of these poor peop'e was extreme when they saw the whole mass moving, and that some of their houses were tossed up while some sunk down. In a short time there were formed on this sunken surface, elevations and depressions and broad and very regular cracks which gave it the appearance of a terrace, where there had been marshes or small lakes, hills had arisen and the elevated spot had become hollow, filled with water as well as the cracks. The undulating motion of the ground continued for 72 hours; after which it gradually ceased. More than seventy houses are dam,ged ; some are totally destroyed ; almost all the cellars arc filled up. The fields and kitchen gar dens which were nearest to the mountain, and considerably higher up than the village, have suffered most of all. Happily no persons have perished. During the confusion the peasants all lived in the open air ; they are now begin ning to repair their houses. The sinking of the valley is IN miles long and 250 fathoms broad ; it is not yet known how far the valley has been shoved forward. DUTCH EUNDS.—Aslsmanam, Auousr 20 Money. Bills. Actual Debt, ‘.2% per Cent Ditto, ditto 5 per cent. t Syndic, 4% per cent...... ............ 96% 96% Ditto, ditto, 3) per cent 60% 81%, Commercial Company, per cent 172% 17z% Ditto (1832 and 1833) 5 per cent. Ditto 1837, 5 per cent. Loan 1837, 5 i‘er cent. Exchange on London, One month IS 05 Two months ril , AuciUsT APN r N apers, D A s ugust u 2 s o 90. actual Debt, 2% per Cent. Rothschild's Loan, 5 per Cent. ...... DA% Loan of Thirty Millions, 4 per Cent. 91% 3 per Cent. 71% Loan of City, 1832, 4 per Cent Society of Commerce, 4 % per Cent ll6 Bank of Belgium, 5 per Cent ............. 74% National Society . —Brussels Papers, August2o. AUSTRIAN FUN DS.—V DENNA, AUG 12. five per Cents. Metalliques Fear per Cents. Three per Cents. Bank Shares —Allgemeine Zcatung, August 17 HAMBURG BORSEN HALLE, Ace 17. Bills. Money. Austrian 5 per Cents. Bank shares An 10-Russian Loan 10738 107% Russian 5 per Cent. Ist series, Certificate Inscription, Ist Series Russian 5 per Cent. Hop, and Co. 3d and 4th Se,i‘s Ditto in Certificates Dutch ,actual Uebt, 2 y4 pe Cent S3N 531,1 Ditto 5 per Cent — Polish Bond, New ticket Anglo. i)anish Loan, 3 per Cent 7l 71y4 Norwegian Loan, 1834, 4 per Cent.... lOl l4 CAUT lON TO PERSONS DRINK ING SODA WATER. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SlR—The public are not aware that there is not one bottle in a hundred which is gold for soda water that con- I tains one grain of that valuable alkali, but is merely spring water impregnated with fixed air. The reason of the soda not being put into the water is not on account of the value of the soda itself, but of the expense of properly manuface turing it. For instance, if fifteen grains of the carbonat of soda be put into each bottle, it will require ten times the labour and power of machinery, and consequently that additional cost, to make pure soda water, to that which is required to make this cheap, useless, and spurious article. There are thousands of persons who drink soda water daily, by the express directions of the faculty, for the purpose of correcting the acidity and other bilious affections of the stomach and bowels, the alkali of the soda being intended to neutralise the excess of acidity. To such in- dividuals it must be evident that if there is no soda in the water they purchase by that name, they cannat derive any benefit from it. I have, therefore, felt it my duty to put the public on their guard from being thus deceived, and at the same time show they may ascertain for themselves as to whether there is soda or not in the water they purchase by that name. The test is very simple and attended with no trouble, viz., Pour a bottle of water into a tumbler ; stir it about with a teaspoon for three or four minutes, when nearly all the fixed air will be libe rated; then take as much tartaric acid, in powder, as will half fill a teaspoon, and drop it into the water ; if there is soda in the water the tartaric acid will immediately ac• upon the soda, and, in neutralizing the alkali produce a very powerful effervescence ; if, on the contrary, it does not effervesce, you may be assured there is no soda in the water. Every bottle of `'ebb's double soda-water is warranted to contain fifteen grains of the pure carbonate of soda. I am, Sir, yours most respectfully, Colebrooke Cottage, Islington. JOHN WEBB. GIN AND LAUDANUM.—On Wednesday after.. noon an inquiry was proceeded with, before Mr. Higgs, at the Queen's Head, Duke's court, Bow-street, on the body of William Wilson, aged 50. It appeared that the de ceased was formerly dresser to the late Mr. Mathews, and since that gentleman's death had been employed in the same capacity by Mr. Yates. He was in the habit of taking laudanum for a rheumatic complaint. He went out on Monday night, and at four o'clock the following morning he was brought home in a state of intoxication, and lay iP the passage near the street door. About a quarter before seven a lodger, going out, found him lying in the manner described. He was then alive. In a quarter of an hour after another lodger went out, but never took any notice of the deceased. About eight the last lodger went out, taking no notice of deceased, supposing he was drunk, he being addicted to drink. On the last lodger's return at twelve, o'clock the deceased vas then discovered to be dead. Al l the witnesses said that the deceased drank a great quantity of laudanum, and was very fond of drink. On the Moe day night previous to his death he went into the Garrick's Head, Bow- street, and had some cold gin and water, and then drank off the contents of a phial containing an ounce of laudanum. The jury, after remarking on the Conduct of the witnesses in letting the deceased lie in the passag e , so many hours, returned a verdict that the deceased s. Dieu of suffocation, brought on by excessive drinking." SHEFFIELD PLATED WINE COOLErtS , A. B. SAVORY and SONS, Manufacturing Silversmiths , 14, Cornhill, London (opposite the Bank of England), have for choice in their warerooms a Selection of PLAIN and ()RNA .. MENTAL ICE PAILS, to which they wish to direct attention. The price of the Plain Tub-pail (now much is use), 81. 10s. the pair ; the Classic Vase (very neat), 10/. t." 9. the pair; the Victoria Pattern, 15/. the pair ; the Dre,alea Cooler 191. the pair, &c., all of whic.. are s t rong l y mounte d w i t h Silver, end have Silver Shields for Engraving the Crest or Coat of Arms A pamphlet is published, with drawings of the above and other articles of plate generally, which may be had on applica tion, free of cost. WARRANTED GOLD WATCHES. The following Watches are London made, of very superiorqua• lity, and warranted to perform correctly. SIZE FOR LADIES. Fine Vertical Watches, jenelled, in engine-turned gold cases and gold dials, warranted Fine Vgrteal,. Watche§,-, jewelled', With double- balild:_engine-turned gold cases and gold akils, warranted Patent detached Lever Watches, jewelled in four holes, with double gold cases and gold dials, warranted SIZE FOR GENTLEMEN. Patent detached Lever Watches, jewelled in four holes, 'seconds, :Ind double-backed gold cases, warranted Patent detached Lever Watches, capped, jewelled ire six. holes, seconds, double-backed gold cases and enamel dials, warranted .................. 17 17 Patent detached Lever ‘Vatches, capped, jewelled in six . holes, seconds, double-backed-gold cases and gold diais; warranted Either of tbe Gentlemen's Watches may be had irt good hun t " ing cases for 31. 3s. each extra. • T. COX SAVORY'S, Silversmith,• Wat c h ma k er, and Goldsmith, 47, Cr.onbill, London • , (Seven doors from Gracechurch-stieet). On the 19th inst. 11 I R. 7'llB. ,at Ham-hall, the 1 :4ly of D. Watts Russell? Esq., of a daughter. On the 20th at Kingwes'‘on, Somerset, the lady of F. H. D;ekinsi.;n, t sq., of a son. Onuter `2I St hist., at Deptford, Mrs. J o h n W es t, o f a clang.' • ' MARRIED. On the 20th inst., at Olney, Bucks, the Rev. Edward Lang" 'dale. Sraith, A.M. perpetual Curate of Barto n - w ith-Chetwode , Bucks, 'only son of the late Rev. Edward Smith, of Folking' ham, Lincoln, to Elizabeth, third surviving diughter of the lat e Rev. Henry Gauatlett, Vicar of Olney. On the 21st inst., at St. James's, Do ver , the Rev. T. G. Baiely, Rector of - Al Saints, Poplar, and Fellow of Brasetif,se College, Oxford, to Julia, youngest daughter of John Shir:,den , Esq., of -Dover. On "the 21st inst., at St. George's, Hanover-gpaam °roll Luca, Esq., ofaSuffolk - street ,. Pall-mall, son of Rev. Gib sonlticas,• of Filby-house, Norfolk, to Ms- xv Rachel, will, daughter of the late William Orton Salmo n , ,10_ 3 ' ci of the Be o g sl Civil Service, and President of the Board, of Central Provinces of British India. R eve nue for the D On the inst., after a eriort illness, T. H. Player; Ems'' of LetConiere-lpdge, Aldenham, Herts. If ife On the 20th inst., at Havering Grange, Essex, Isabella , of Major Anderson. On the 9th inst., at Portland-terra ce , R egent ' s P ar k, T he *: dore Henry, youngest son of Lieutenant H enry Broadhead , R On the 1 9th Bourchier William Wrey, brother to t he ,. late Sir Bourchier Wrey, Bart., and R ec t or of the par i s hes 0 ' Tawstoel: and Coombeinteignshead, Devon. London: Print!. - .1 and Published by MURDO YOUNG ° i No: 112, Strand, at The Sun Office, No. /12, Strand. 10 the county of Middlesex.—Friday, August 23, 1b39.