The Sun. — London, England, 1839-03-23 00:00:00

THE NAVY. \ TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Merchstoun Hall, March 21st, 1839. la. EDITOII,—The accompanying letter was intended for the Naval and Military Commission, but having shown it to one or two Officers composing that Corn mission, I was given to understand by them that their ; powers did not extend to an examination into the cotn i,o*itiea of the Board of Admiralty. I therefore request yat! will die it a plaoe in your Journal, and also your powerful support. 1 have the honour to be Your most obedient humble servant, CHAS. NAPIER. Sheerness, March 6, 1839. SIR,—A CoMmission being appointed to inquire into state - of the Army and Navy, I think it the duty F officers to lay before it any suggestions that may ppear useful to assist them in satisfactorily fulfilling. 10 duties intrusted to their charge ; and as I am sa .,.{,A a Commission composed as the- present is, of i.,tingushed officers and civilians (without any regard } party feelings), will not view with dissatisfaction any ::p - ,-stions that are respectfully submitted to them, shall not hesitate to subscribe my name, which is ways preferable to anonymous communications. shall confine myself to my own profession, making ):ITarisons between it and the other when occasion r.y offer, but without any invidious feeling towards, le brothers in arms. Ile first point to which I beg to draw the attention 1, Commission, is the formation of the Board of alto. fur on that hinges the well-being of the whole I presume when the Admiralty was first put imi,•sion, it was in consequence of the power of •ifd High Admiral being considered too great to nEted to an individual, and probably thought too ndent of the Minister of the day. A board n composed of a certain, number of naval offi rid civilians, with a Cabinet Minister at its he cou:se of time engrossed the whole ronage cf the Navy without incurrriug the 3 In t be supposed, when patronage is vested responsible man, even if that man is not a Ca nhter, how difficult it must be to resist the solicitations of the Minister of the day, as well i 3 politic:al and private friends ; but when the Ird c.f the Admiralty is a Cabinet Minister it evident to all impartial men that almost all cr,e.gf, of the Navy must be used for -political p , rtivularly during periods when parties are lee of war, the evil attending this may be of less ll2cimse there are always aspiring spirits .o,•:.f.allar,t deeds bring themselves into notice, antot:gst men brought forward by ; i,ut in peace, when few opportunities men diAioguishing themselves, it must be evi t vcry little enecanement it held cut for ex ana that iuterest, either private or political, a the high road to promotiOn. That men of melee as good officers as men without it, :mot be a doubt, but young men, conscious of :linty- of promotion, are not called upon for the hrtions as those who have only their ov:n merit them in T evil attending the present system is, that the Navy who wish to state their claims, or . , feel them elves aggrieved, have no responsible f)rl to apply to. It is quite true they can see the ;f- Lord of the Admiralty once a year, but that First 'd of the Admiralty is a civilian, a political and is not a judge of officers' claims ; and even if judge, he can neither enter into them or into r feelings ; the pressure upon him is so great, be is Lett to steel Lis heart against them, even if convinced t it merit. Ofricers can alFo wait upon the Junior Lords of the rairaityonce a week, but the only answer they can e, and the answer they always do give, is, that they 11 thention to the First Lord what has passed, but that c potronage is entirely in his hands. An officer may state his claims or his complaints to e Secretary of the Admiralty in writing, but he may assured that is not the way to get them redressed, for ver yet heard of a Board of Admiralty, ora Lord of the ral ty , remonstrating against either the promotions or aprpointments a First Lord thought proper to give ; J it is well within my recollection when Sir Joseph ); ke was taunted by Mr. Croker in the House of Com- for not finding fault with the measures of the Ad• ralty when he was at the Board, replying, ‘• If he 1, his stern would have been turned to it next mng ran officer of the army can address himself officially. either by letter or in person to the Commander in Chief, i or the military Secretary. A naval officer has no person I f , ) whom be can speak officially. The Junior Lords t..-:r themselves under the ; First Lord, and he again 'tors himself under the Board, and if he ask an net of the Board it will be refused. :now at present many gallant officers who have been fly wounded in the service, and who have been constant in their application for employment since the peace, receiving the dry, unfeeling letter from the First Lord odd% Secretary, that "their application is noted for I con,ideration at a proper opportunity ;" and when they I arrive at the bead of the list they are superannuated I because they have not com pl e t e d th e i r sea t i me . i A - - aucie I I; tiien who have sat at the Admiralty must be quite ib!e of the injustice First Lords are obliged to commit d.ly, but I have never seen one of them step for ~d recommend that the Navy should be ruled Army is, by a permanent Commander-in-Chief. it the present moment there never has been a com oli appointed to examine into the state of the two ices, and I trust a strenuous effort will be now t.) rescue the Navy from political thraldom, as as to prevent the Army from falling into the state e:E,:er service now is in. oCortanately for the naval profession, the Commis- Is composed of too many official people. On the part, there are the existing First Lord of the Ad ty acd his naval adviser, a Ihte First Lord and his I adviser, another late Lord of the Admiralty, a s;ional man, likewise a late lay Lord, all of them of considerable ability ; but it can hardly be sup- I that men who have held the office of First. Lord length of time, or who now hold it, ca n v i ew the composition of the Board of Admiralty with perfect impartiality ; they know no doubt the convenience of keiTing it as a p o liti ca l mac hi ne ; an d t h ey very natu rally think that overbalances the inconveniences, and arid although the naval officers on the Commission, who who have been long in office, must be aware of the evils 1! - :sing- from the present system, they will not, perhaps, be very anxious to abolish it, one holding office under it, awl another expecting, possibly, ere long, so to do ; alai although I, for one, would be sorry to see the latter f.7,7T nt officer, to whom I allude, the first councillor of a civil First Lord, I should be most happy to see him Commander-in-Chief, or whatever other name the Go ye•nment thought proper to give him. A naval officer could state his claims to him, because he would under stand them, but this a civilian can, with difficulty, do ; and he must in consequence hear with other men's ears, and see with other men's eyes. Rumours have been in circulation that it is the wish Cie present Ministry to get the Army as much into +.lLir braids as the Navy now is, but, composed as the Corn ;nission is, of so many distinguished military officers, I nave no fear they will lend themselves to a measure which would ruin the Army, and I have some hope that they will have a fellow feeling for their brethren n: me, and stretch out a helping hand to get Navy placed on the same footing with them . Guard both professions as strictly as pos , still politics will have their weight, and all I wish o restrain their influence within due bounds. beg to assure the Commission I am actuated by no ng of self—it can neither do me good nor harm— I have a strong sense of public duty, and a wish for wdfare ()la e country, and naturally in an especial co for the Navy ; both will, however, I consider, be danger if the present system is not corrected. aw.,re, I shall be met by the old story. " that the :i.e4 gone on very well before, therefore let it ." It is quite true, alter establishing our superi or the Ist of June, 1794, we held it through lie war, but 'what was the reason ? Not be the Navy of Britain was well governed, but be oti:cr Navies were ill governed ; foreign had no trade to make seamen, and no opportu exerciF.e their ships, but the moment the Ame ;ar broke out ; we had to fight a Navy better dis t ti a our own . and we were defeated, by su 'orce it is true, but be it remembered, we were •ereiv punished without inflicting any very great n our opponents. What followed ? Th e Ind out we were not invincible, and out of actions, all well fought, there were four SCI Ve3 IT ttles. ii:: ,:other war we shall be in a very dfferent posi what we were at the conclmion of the last ; C , C, iU3Sii!, and America, to say nothingof the smaller Lave made rapid strides in improvement, and w,, may rely uOl it, that actions with either French Ain!!rican ships, wi:i he no child's play. In gun Flo have imp••,vcd, but in every thing else, we gui-if back, and our ships, from being ill manned, • e y tt)f, .IKrilr to the 'trench. Our superior Dqiw!i's are old, tacit's are all young, and Par i ii.fluence has not the same weight, either in ~r America, as it has with us. No ripiti who has any regard for his country can view aur Present position with indifference. No ma:, can tell we may be allowed to remain at peace ; and nKval officer who served during the last war, and has 4 en employed since the peace, can look forward to a struggle with perfect confidence. The navies of other countries have been advancing in their knowledge and discipline; in about the same ,T re P t rim, we h ave bean retrograding ; and I fcel as tile experience our late opponents have ac ht!ve not a very pleasing task before us. I Colhapwood (and he was no bad authority), • f.nip:allud • n lus letters, of line of battle ships not r,•c ro.r,re than tq o or three officers who knew their Tat wa s t h e case in war how much worse must I it be in peace ; the discipline, the zeal, and the 'energy created by a long war is gone by ; and the ger .erality of the young men of the present day, who obt sin pro motion through powerful interest, consider them selves quite perfect, and the old officers are broken hearted and disappointed, and almost without hope of promotion. The well-being of the Navy depends so much on the manner it is ad ministered, that to be acquainted with the merits of the Board of the Admiralty, we have only to ,observe the condition and discipline of our ships. If we see good ships built, and those ships in high order, well com manded, well officered, and well manned, the officers and men diligent, and doing their duty with zeal and alacrity, we may reasonably conclude that the Navy has been conducted by just and experienced men. If on the other hand we see a relaxation of dis cipline, no emulation, no zeal, and few of our hips in high order, we may pronounce, without hesitation, that the Navy has been ruled with injustice and partiality, and that the promotion has been sacrificed to political purposes, and consequently, bestowed on men without either talent or experience, to the almost total exclusion of meritorious and old offices, who are left to pine in penury and neglect ; or if employed, are disgusted at seeing ignorant young men put over their heads, who are totally incapable of keep ing their ships is the order they were wont to see them kept during the war. Perhaps there never was an instance of so complete a change in any profession, at that which the misrule `of the various Boards of Admiralty since th e peace has gatahreed in the Navy. A superficial observer might at tribute this to the length of the peace, and thi ; diminution of promotion ; but when I look at the Na vy lists, and observe that promotion has diminished very little, wisile the number of officers employed bear no compa risbn whatever to the war establishment ; when I have seen until lately the promotion bestowed almost entirely on young men of family and interest, the rapidity of whose rise in many cases has surpassed what it was wont to be even in war ; when I have seem lieutenants made commanders who never kept an officer's watch in their lives ; while at the same time there were lieu tenants serving of upwards of twenty years' standing, and midshipmen who bad passed their examination from ten to fourteen years, can I wonder at the, want of energy which exists generally throughout th,e. service ; and shall I be surprised if misfortunes befal us in the event of war against a well disciplined navy ? I have been nine-and-thirty years in the service, and with the exception of commanders of sl ocps, first lieutenants, senior midshipmen of line of 'aaule ships and frigates, being promoted in consequeace of the capture of a superior or equal force, I have seldom ob served anythiog like common justice done in the dis tribution of promotion: First lieutenants nilght be the best and most zealous officers in the Navy, that seldom was recommendation sufficient for advancement. Captains performing dashing services on ene :riles' coasts, if influential men, could generally bring an officer for ward, but even then it depended more on the interest of the captain than the nature of the e atprprize per formed ; nevertheless in the stirring times. of war there was always hope, and young men without interest looked forward to some lucky chance for promotion. If, under all these circumstances, it is true (and it ad mits not of a doubt) that good officers ivere not every day to be met with, can we be surprised that the Navy should now be glutted with inexperienced young men, many of whom have been brought up in ships at anchor, and have never seen a gale of wind in their lives. Believing as I do th it no permanent good can be done for the service until the Board of Admiralty is abolished, I shall point out what, as it appears to me, would be the best mode of ruling the Navy after that step has baen taken. I am of opinion that the Navy should be governed by a naval officer and a Cabinet minister, with the title of Lord High Admiral, Admiral of Britain, Commander in Chief, or whatever other title it is thought proper to give him. The whole of the patronage, and the whole of the responsibility should be vested in him, he should be assisted by two flag-officers, with the titles of Vice, or Real-Admiral of Great Britain, (doing away the two sinecures of that name), a flag-officer, or a captain, with the title of Captain of the Fleet, (a civi lian,) and two secretaries, one a naval officer and the other a civilian. The vice-admiral should superintend the dockyard department ; the rear-admiral, the victual ling and medical branch and the civilian, the accountant general's department ; all correspondence with either of those departments should go direct to them, and they should give their orders to the surveyor, storekeeper general, physician, and comptroller of victualling, and they again should communicate with the chief upon all difficult points. The Commander-in- Chief's particular attention should be directed to the stationing the ships, the promotio❑ and appointment of officers, in which he should be as sisted by the captain of the fleet and the naval secre taries. The civil secretary should attend to the political part of the business, which should only be known to the Commander-in-Chief and himself, whereas, at present, there are many transactions that ought to be secret, and which the whole Board arc acquainted with, and in addition to them, perhaps, one-half of the clerks in the Admiralty. The inspection at the different ports should be made by the Commander-in-Chief, or by the vice or rear admiral. They should hoist their flags and examine minutely into the various departments, and most parti cularly into the discipline of the ships, which never can be done by a Board in plain clothes, with a secretary tacked to their tail, and running hastily through all the departments in the manner they have hitherto done. I remember perfectly well the impulse that was given to the service when the late King was Lord High Ad miral ; he might perhaps have done too much, and might not have been prudent in his communications with the Government, but no apprehension could be en tertained of any difficulties arising between the Ministry and an Admiral, who could be removed at' pleasure, but who ought most certainly not to be removed with every chancre of Ministry. At present no t on l y t h e Fi rst Lord, but all the Admiralty, are political partizans, and just as they begin to know their duty, they may be replaced by a fresh set, who have their lesson to learn, and invariably entertain different notions from their predecessors. Hence arise the constant changes that take place, ruinous to the discipline and well-being of the service, and expensive to the country. I have no idea that any Ministry would voluntary give up the patronage of the Navy, but if such a recom mendation proceeded from the Commission, it would be extremely difficult to resist it. It may be thought great presumption in so humble an individual as myself, ven:uring to make suggestions to a Commission composed, as the present is, with the Duke of WVellingto❑ at its head, but I do it from a coviction that if thing§ are allowed to continue in their present state, a great catastrophe will befal this country, sooner or later. I shall, in a future letter, lay before the Commission, my view relative to the state of naval officers, and what changes appear to me necessary both in promotion and retirement. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient humble Servant, CHAS. NAPIER. To the Secretary of the Naval and Military Commission. TORY JOBS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Stn,—By inserting in your influential Paper the ac companying paragraph (the correctness of which you can learn on inquiry), you will do much to check a very growing evil, viz., the use of patronage for political pur poses, in a Society formed with very different views, and will be conferring a benefit on the Club generally ; and oblige AN OLD SUBSCRIBER. L011(1011, March 621. CITY OF LONDON CLUB.—TORY JOBS. It may be in the recollection of many of our readers, that when this Club was formed it was denounced in several of the Journals as apolitical thing, but the con coctors of it took great pains to convince the public to the contrary. The few following facts will enable all to form some judgment on the matter : Ever since the Club was formed, the whole of the patronage has been monopolized by one individual, a thorough-going Tory, wh o h as put hi mself at the head' of the concern, and who, in addition to other pickin gs , has so managed matters as t o h ave a good banking ac count s.niling in his face, when he opens his ledger each morning in Nicholas-lane. The Secretaryship (a nice little snuggery) very recently became vacant, and this individual* actively canvassed his brethren of tho Committee for a favourite of his own, who has accordingly within " one short week, and 'ere the nest was cold," been pitchforked into the office, without even the ceremony of a day being named for the election, and without being required to produce testimonials of any sort, it being apparently deemed quite sufficient qualifica tion by the independent Committee that heis the brother of an unsuccessful Tory candidate for the city, and that he was put forward by their "Master-man." But be the merits of this fortunate youth what they might, they were (apart from politics) at least equalled by those of seve ral other candidates who were in the field, and it was surely hardly decent thus to hurry over the affair with out giving them an opportunity of producing their testi monials, and does not look as if the projector was very confident of what the result of a fair and open compe tition would have been. Such doings will neither raise the character of the Club, nor persuade the public that it is quite so disconnected with politics as some parties wish to be believed. *Delighting in the name of " Kcmble." As instances of the rapidity with which commu nications by the ordinary telegraphs may be made when the atmoThere is clear, it is stated that a question may be sent from Paris to Lille, and an gnawer received, in three minutes ; an account may be received from Calais in four minutes five seconds ; from Strasburg in five minutes Eft;-taco seconds ; from Brest in six minutes fifty seconds ; and from Toulon in thirteen minutes five seconds. CHURCH-RATE ABOLITION SOCIETY. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sra,—You have served the cause of religious freedom so frequently and effectually, that I have confidence in troubling you with a few words suggested by the letters you published yesterday—one from Mr. Tredgold, and two from Mr. Besley. The controversy which has arisen between the Patriot and myself originated in the advice I have offered to the Dissenters of England, that they should in future ma nage their own affairs, in their own districts, with such organization as should be found needful, but with an es pecial resolve that the nucleus of that organization should no longer be placed in London, where the influence of a Ministry professing f r i en d s hip i s p r a c tically irresistible— where adventurers can cloud themselves in the vastness of society, and where our best men, who might defeat the operations of both, are overwhelmed with their own personal engagements. The Anti-Corn-law Delegates have recognized and 'adopted in their agitation, precisely this principle, and I have appealed to the history of the Church-rate So ciety as establishing it. Publicly the Society has effected literally nothing. The Government plan was announced almostimmediately after the formation of the Society, and both resulted from the agitation of the preceding year. Its functions have since been limited to a concurrence with the pretexts by which all effoh for a settlement of the question has been delayed, and, an implication of the Dissenters in similar concurrence., And why ? Can the men whose names seemed to guarantee to the public an honest and vigorous agitation of the question have been parties to such proceedings? Oh, no. For a long period, the so-called Committee has consisted of at most five or six, and frequently but two or three ; and these, persons whom the public does not know, and whose names afford no guarantee of honest earnestness. Has Mr. Henry Pewtress—a men well-known, and trusted, as an upright Dissenter, recently at tended the Committee ?, Have Mr. Henry Bate man and others, who formed its real staple ? If they seceded, who have supplied their places ? Re specting one new member, Mr. Tredgold, I have been unfortunate in my inquiries, —my connexions with Dis senters in town are not very narrow, but I have failed in finding a person who ever beard of his existence. Of Mr. Peachey, I would inquire by what accident his name was signed to the auditor's letter as John instead of James. Did Mr. Peachey really sign his name erroneously, or is he so little known by his feilow-mem hers, or in the Patriot office, that they erred in affixing his name ? If the Committee still claim public confidence, let it inform us who were the gentlemen usually assembling during the first year and half of its existence ; who have attended its meetings since that time ; how often those meetings have been held, and why the Patriot, the Dissenters' organ, has never informed them on points so important to their interests ? Until such information is afforded, and the particu lars are stated on which they have expended a sum of 1,3501., I earnestly trust the country Dissenters will not support the same parties, under whatever name they may shield their identity, in a new project for confining to London the whole direction of Dissenting operations, and converting an occasional subscription into a fixed annuity. The scheme has been announced to them by the joint names of Messrs. Conder and Boykett, one the Secretary of the Church-rate Society, the other, editor of the Patriot. The latter gentleman has recently bestowed upon me a leading article, in which he charged upon me opinions and principles of a demoralising character, and in the meanest spirit of insinuation implied what he dared not charge—an identity with the Chartists. I leave the ac cusation, and Mr. Conder's honesty in making it, to the judgment of all who know that gentleman and myself. The persons styling themselves Auditors of the Chureh-rate Society have offered no reply to my last letter, adiressed to them in your Paper. Again, there fore, I call on the Committeee to publish their accounts, and on the Dissenters of the country to put no confi dence in them till they have done so. My object is to induce my fellow Dissenters to exert themselves, and not transfer their duty to men they know not of, or to Societies which may include men they know too well ; and to retain their funds under that control which they may always trust—their own management. The soundness of my judgment may be questioned, but my motires should not be impugned by men who pro pose that to their hands the directio❑ of affairs and the custody of funds shall be virtually intrusted. Bungay, March 20. JOHN CHILDS. BUNGAY, ST. MARY.—On Thursday last, Mr. White, a tradesman of this town appeared before the Rev. C. Bruce and Robert Butcher, Esq., to a summons for re fusing to pay 325. 6d. Poor-rate. Mr. White explained that he is one of the persons who refuse to pay Church-rate, and that the person who collects both the Church and Poor-rates hav ing obtained the former from him in a clandestine and surreptitious manner, he had deducted It from the next Poor-rate, and tendered the balance. Spell, the collector, knew perfectly well that if the Church-rate were demanded of him he would not pay it, consequently the demand was never made, but Spell had gone to a member of his family, and clandestinely obtained it by frightening her with the mention of informations and prosecutions. Mr. White added that he knew he must pay the Poor -rate, but he had chosen to be summoned before the Magistrates, that he might ask their advice how he should recover the . Church-rate which had been proved to be illegal, and also to show publicly in what an improper and offensive manner the Poor-rate and the Church-rate were mixed up in this parish. He never would pay another rate of any sort to a person who bad wisconducted himself as Spell had—he would rather submit to be summoned every quarter. He would be very sorry to offer any obstruction to the collection of the Poor rate, and had always cheerfully paid it, thougli it was well known to contain several fatal irregu larities ; but if the parish put him to such expense and annoyance, by continuing to employ a person so im proper as Spell he would be driven to retaliate, and by appealing against the rate, entail much expense upon the parish. The rate was then paid. BILLS OF EXCHANGE. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sin,—ln your Paper of last evening appears a state ment of facts of which I conceive the following to be a summary :—" A. B. draws a bill of exchange on C. D. ; C. D. accepts it, payable at a London bankers. On the day it becomes due, but prior to its present ment, a forged bill, precisely similar, is presented at the bankers', who being advised of the former bill, pay the forged bill believing it to be the true one. The true bill is afterwards duly presented, but the bankers refuse to pay it, on the ground of their having paid the forged bill, and in so doing only fol lowed their instructions. In consequence of such re fusal A. B. applies to C. D., the acceptor, for the amount, and he, refusing also, is arrested' forthwith.-- Query, Who is to be m a de accountable P Although I cannot style myself one of your " com mercial readers," I have, I think, afforded a solution of the question. As the bankers received the money on account of the bill, A. B. had, in the first instance, the power of treat ing them as his agents for the purpose of that receipt, and therefore in the event of their refusal to pay, whilst they had the money in hand, he might have recovered it from them in an action for money received to his use (De Bernalsv. Full er , 14 East, .591 n.) ; but th ere being no privity of contract between the parties, it is probable that such (assumed) agency was determined by the payment mada under the circumstances detailed, and consequently that the bankers are not now liable to A. B.—(See Williams v. Everett, 14 East, 583.) As, however, the bill was duly presented for pay ment at the bankers, C.D. was liable, as acceptor, to A.B. on their default, even supposing that (under the sta t. 1 and 2 Geo. IV., c. 78.) such presentment were necessary to render him so ; and the fact of the banker having or not having received the amount, or having or not having wrongfully paid it away, will not, it would seem, in any manner limit or effect the responsibility of C. D., who still remains liable to A. B.—(See Dent v. Dunn, 3 Campb. 296.) But though the bankers are nat liable to A. 8., and the latter has his remedy against C. D., yet as th ey re ceived his (C. D.'s) money for a specific purpose, i. e., for payment of the bill accepted by him, and have not so ap apnlidedwiitli b o y ) e r r e n a b s y o n sufferivhe r e e s o l f ,a C n i . al D d . a In must . p a y e. i B D. will be., able to maintain an action against them, the bankers, or such damaie. (See Cheap v.HarfleyS,Y.R . .127. H a ll v. Full er , 58. an d C . 7 6 0 . Chitt y on Bills, 287,) or even according to a recent case before he has sustained any real d amage at al l . (See Marzetti v. Williams, 1 B. and Adol, 415.-1 am, Sir, your obedient servant, London, March 19,1839. LAW STUDENT. A .CEIDENT BY A STEAMER.—On Monday afternoon two young seamen belonging to the Hanoverian ship Titia, Captain T. Roelofs, were going down the river in a boat, on their way to the vessel in Limehouse Reach, when they met the Greenwich steamer, of Green wich, coming up at full speed, and the foreigners, terrified at the rapid pace of the steam-vessel, could not pull clear of her, arid she ran them down, swamping their boat, and forcing them into the water. A boat from the steamer was immediately lowered, and others put off to the assist ance of the men, who were picked up and landed at the Thames Police Office, where they stripped and dried them selves and their clothes Before a large fire. The poor fel lows were in a state of great exhaustion, and one of them received a severe blow in the face when the collision hap pened. Very little injury was done to the boat, which was towed to the shore bottom upwards. A quadrant, look ing glass, and other property was lost. A GENTLEMAN.—In one of the bail cases that came before the Insolvent Court yesterday, a person was described as a "gentleman," who held a situation of clerk to a navy agent. Mr. Commissioner Law said the descrip tion of " gentleman" would not do. It was oftentimes as sumed by persons who were not entitled to the appellation. All the proceedings would be carried on by the phrase "gentleman." He refused the bail. PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONS. (From the Votes and Proceedings of the Rouse of Commons.) THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 1839.' COMMERCIAL (LONDON AN!) BLACK WALL) RAILWAY BILL. Order for Second reading. read; Motion made, and Question proposed,—" That the Bill be now read a second time :" Amendment proposed, to leave out the word " now," and at the end of the Question to add the words " upon this day six months:"—Question put, " That the word now' stand part of the Question :"—The House divided : MAJORITY-AYES, Guest, J. J. Hastie, A. gieaor, C. J. Hindley, C. Hohhouse, T. B. Hodges, T. L. Holmes, W. Hume, Joseph Irving, John Lockhart, A. M. Lowther, J. H. Lushington, Dr. Lygon, Hon. Gen. Lynch, H. A. Mackenzie, W. P. Mackinnon, W. A. Macnamara, Marshall, W. John Mauve, Hon. ecx Morris, David Muskett, George A. O'Connell, D. O'Connor Don Varker, J. Parker, IJ. E. N. Pechell, Captain Perceval Colon I Attwood, W. Bannerman, A. Barnard, E. G. Barrington, Viscount Bewes, Blake, W. J. lin,therton, J. Buck, 1.. W. Buller, E. Burroughes, N. N. Butter, Hon. P. Chute, W. L. Clay, W. Cole, Hon. A. Colquhoun, J. C. Craig, W G. Denison, W. J. Divett, E Dourc, Marquis of Ellice, E. Farnham, E. B. Fihoer, Sir E Fremantle, Sir T. Gore, 0..1. It. Gore, 0. W. Grant, F. W. Grey, Sir G. Grimsaitch, T. Pcrceval, Captain Planta, J. Polhill, F. Salwey, Colonel Scarlett, Hon. R. Somers, J. P. Stanlftv, E. J. Steuart, It. Stewart, James Strutt, Edward Style, Sir T. C. Tancred, H. W. Teigtimoutli, Lord Thomas, Co Vernon, Granville Waddington, H. S. Wallace, R Warou r ton, i i. W ar d . H. G. White, Andrew 'M alehouse, Hon. E. Wood, Captain Yate , i J. A. Young, John TELLERS. klston, Rowland Duncombe, 'l'. S. Millie, Colonel H. Baker, E. Berkeley, C. Boldero, H. G. Bradshaw, James Bramston, T. W. Broadwood, H. Brodie, W. D. Bruges, W. 11. L. Byng, George Chapman. A. Chetwynd, Major Chichester, J. Y. Clerk, Sir G. Collier, J. Dick, Quintin lrlsraeli, Benjamin Duke, Sir James East, J. Buller Eastnor, Viscount Freshfield, J. W. Gasket!, J. M. NORITY—NOES, Gladstone, W. E. Graham, Sir J. Grote, G. Halford, H. Hay ter, W. G. Heneage, G. W. Hepburn, Sir T. B. Hodgson, K. HOpo, Hon. C. Hope, G. W. Cloward. W. Ingestrie, Lord Inglis, Sir it. H. Knatcnbuli, Sir Knox, Flon. T. Law, Hon. C. E. Lennox, Lord A. Lushington, C. Mackenzie, Thomas Norreys, Lord Paget, lord A. Pag.t, Frederick Pakington, John S. Palmer, G. Pattison, J. Pease, Joseph Pnillpotts, John F. Pusey, Philip Round, C. G. Round, J. Scrope, G. P. Smith, B. Somerset, Lord C. Stanley, Lord Stanstield, W. R. C. Stock, Dr. Stormont, Lord 'Ferment, J. E. Willia:as, W. Wood, Sir Matthew Young, Sir L W. REFO. Aet [2 Will. IV., put, " That leave bi Act :"—The House Aglionby, H. A. Attwood, 'l'. Barnard, E. G. Bodkin, John James Broth erton, J. Butler, Hon. P. S Chahner,, P. drington, Sir E. Currie, Rai kes Dennistoutt, J. Duke, Sir James Duncombe, 'l'. S. Dundas, J. C. Easthope, John F'►eldeu, J. Fenton, John Finch, Francis Grote, G. TELLERS. Crawford, W. Harvey, D. W. ?M OF PARLIAMENT. c. 45J read; Motion made, and Question given to bring in a Bill to amend the said liviled:— [NORITY—AYES, 50. Hall, B. Salwey, Colonel Harvey, D. W. Somers, J. P. Hawes, B. Style, Sir Charles Hector, ." J. Tanereil, 11. W. Hoitind, &ken Turner, Edmund Ilumphery, J. Villiers, Charles P. Hutt, W. Wallace, It. James, Vi illiam Wailiurtssn, H. Leader, .T. r. Ward, 6 ii. Lushingtoo ' Charles White, A. Muskets, 0. A. WiEle, Thomas O'Connell, D. Wiiliams, W. O'Connell, M. J. Wood, Sir Matthew 0 Connor Don 1 Yates, John A Pattison, J. Power, James Protheroe, Edward Rundle, John Abereromb, N 2 y G. R. Ainsworth' Peer Ilaillie, Colonel Baring, F.l'. Barinzton, Lord Barry, U S. Nair, James Bien ne rhasse tt, A. Broadley, H. Bruges, W. H. 14 Campbell, Sir J. Canning, Sir S. Cayley, E. S. Copeland, W. Courtenay, Philip Curry, W. D'lsraeli, Benjamin Douglas, Sir C. East, James Buller Egerton, W. 'l'. Eliot, Hon J. R. Ellis, John Forester, lion. G. Fremantle, Sir T. Fr.ilitield, J. W. Gaskell, J. M. Gladstone, W. t , ordon, :t. Goulburn, H. Grimsditch, Thomas .JORITY-NGES, Guest, J. Hakln - d, IL Hastie, A. Heneagc, (U Hodgson, Richard Hope, Charles Hope, G. W. Hotham, Lord - Howard, P. H. Howick, Lord Jones, John , Jones, Theobald Henry Lascelles, vv. S Law, Hon. C. E. Lefty, lit. Hon. F. Lockhart, A. M. I.owther, J.H. Mackenzie, Thomas Maule, Hon F.x Maunsell, 'l' P Mordaunt, Sir J. Mdrpeth, Viscount Murray, A. Norre)s, Lord Packe, C. W. Palmer, George Parker, K'.. T. Prase, Joseph Lord Dungannon, M.P. has paired off until after the Laster Recess. TELLERS. flume, Joseph John6on, General Perceval, Colonel Perceval, Hon. U. J. Pinney, W. itice, T. S. Ri - bards, Richard Itolre, Sir R. M. Round, C. G. Russelt, Lord John Sandon, Loot ,haw, Frederick Smnh, Vernon Stanley, E. J. Stanley. Lord Stock, Dr. Stuart, Lord James Stuart, Villiers Teigninouth, Lord Torment, J. E. Thompson, Ald. Tollemache, F. J. Troubridge, Sir T. Vere, Sir C B. Vivian, John Ennis Wood, C. Wood, Thomas Young, John TELLERS. Seymour, Lord Parker, John ith Mr. Wyse, M.P, HOUSEHOLD SUFFRAGE. Analysis of the Reformers who, on the 21st of March, 1839, voted against Mr. Hume'.3 motion to bring in a Bill to give Household Suffrage:— Lord John Russell, Secretary of State. Lord Howick, Secretary at War. Baring, T. T. (Portsmouth), Secretary to the Treasury. Campbell, Sir John, Attorney-General. Gordon ' Robert, S ecre t ar y to t h e B oar d o f C ontroul. Maule, Hon. Fox, Under Secretary of State. Morpeth, Lord, Chief Secretary of Ireland. Rice, Right Iron. T. S., Chancellor of the Exchequer. Rolfe, Sir IL M., Solicitor-General. Smith, R. V., Secretary to the India Board. Stanley, E. J., Secretary to the Treasury. Trowbridge, Sir E., Lord of the Admiralty. Wood, Charles, Secretary to the Admiralty. Seymour, Lord, Lord of the Treasury. Parker, Mr. John, Lord of the Treasury. Abercromby, Hon. G., Stirlingshire. Ainsworth, Peter, Bolton. Barry, G. S., County of Cork. Cayley, E. S., York, N. R. Curry, Wm., Armagh. Guest, Sir John, Merthyr Tydvil. Hastie, Archibald, Paisley. Howard, P. H., Carlisle. Murray, Alexander, Kircudbright. Pease, Joseph, Durham, South. Pinney, Wm., Lyme Regis. Stuart, Lord James, Ayr. Stuart, V., Waterford County. Stock, Dr., Cashel. Vivian, J. E., Truro. ABSTRACT.—FOR THE MOTION. 52 Reformers. AGAINST THE MOTION. _ _ _ Lord John Russell anal4 - 1117mbers of the Government ... Reformers Tories Majority against 87 SAVANNAH.—By the Eli, Whitney, w•e have received Savannah papers of the date of the 25th of Feb. The Augusta Chronicle informs U 3, that the centre of the island of Guadaloupe has sunk considerably below the level of the sea, and that the consequences of this calamity, the occurrence of which is attributed to the earthquake which has recently devastated Martinique, are, that many rich plantations and costly edifices are engulphed beneath the surf.ce of the yawning and dissevered earth. The con tinuance of the disturbances which the Indians who skirt and infest the frontier have fomented, is indicated by the fact, that agrarian outrages are daily committed by them. In the district of Tallahassee they have successfully hazarded a Rock.te expedition; and in the course of their lawless ca reer, deliberately murdered the greater portion of the family of a highly respectable resident. The glaring inef ficiency of the armament dispatched to check the aggressions of these marauders, appears to have become the theme of general complaint ; and a reinforcement of forces, suffi ciently formidable in numbers and equipment, to defeat the designs and to repel the advances of their merciless invaders, is imperatively demanded by the inhabitants of the province. _ _ THE LATE MURDER AT Fis AtaYti E ng s. t — ha i t n the mostof , the papers of Monday last there ap peared an account (copied from a Sunday paper), grand father of Mr. Francis Hastings Medhurst, against whom a verdict of wilful murder has been returned by the Coroner's inquest 1131 d on the body of Mr. Joseph Alsop, had some years since killed his wife by cutting her head off, and afterwards placing it on the table, and saying to it, " There now, will you hold your tongue ?" We arc however, assured from an authority on which we can rely, that the statement is in many re spects incorrect. There is, it appears, no doubt that Mrs. Medhurst died by the hand of her husband, but not in the manner described; the fact being that an altercation taking place between them, Mr. Medhurst, whose mind had been for some time affected, in a violent passion stabbed his unfortunate lady, and instantly throwing down the weapon fled the house. He was ultimately tried for the murder, at the York assizes, in 1804, and acquitted as stated. on the ground of in saity. At that time the unfortunate gentleman was a stockbrolier of eminence, and possessed of large property in the county of York, where he kept an extensive esta blishment, and a pack of hounds. tic is now, however, an inmate of the lunatic asylum of Messrs. Stilwell, Moor craft House, in the parish of Hillingdon, near Uxbridge (and not at Hayes, as has been stated), is approaching to near fourscore years of age, and from illness and debility is fast hastening to " that bourne from whence no traveller returns," and is, of course, quite unconscious of the se rious charge against his grandson. The parents of Mr. Francis Hastings Medhurst are not, as has.been stated, both dead. His father died about two years since, but his mo ther is still living, and he has several brothers and sisters. One of the brothers is a clergyman of the Established Church. CATERPILLAR IN THE HEART OF AN OAT( TREE.---Some time ago, a caterpillar was brought to our office, which had been taken out of the heart of an oak tree cut up in a ship-builder's yard in Leith. It is in length from two and a half to three inches, and about an inch or an in c h an d a h a lf i n c i rcum f eren ce. The scat or bed in which it was f oun d was i n w id t h me rely sufficient to contain it, an d a b out tw i ce i ts own l engt h. The timber all around was f res h an d soun d , an d no communication was discernable with the external air. The discoloration of the wood attracted the attention of a carpenter as he approached the place with his adze , and the crea. torei was brought ou t dive. On being exp'osed to th e air t . opened i ts mout h , and wr i t h e d a b ou t as if in hu nger or n. Shortly after it died, As now preserved i n spirit s it p resents rings of black, red, an d ye ll ow bl en di ng partially with one another. A scientific friend, to whose inspection we submitted it, pronounces it to be the cater. pillar of a goat moth, the cossus ligniperda of Rennie, and other naturali sts . A s i ts na me indicates, it is d e . structive of ti m b er, and i s of rare cccurre nce in B r it a i n. Fromits appearance one would conclude that it would soon have been changed from the larva to the moth form ; . but how it got i nto its seat in the heart o f t h e tree, or how it could have got nut no' in in ?Inv h 'fi been liberated in the manner we have described, mot be I settled by some Wiser head than ours.—Scottish Pilot. LORD MAYOR'S COALS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sit,—Under this head, on the 15th instant, you in serted a communication from a Coal-merchant, tend ing to injure us in the public estimation. We agree with the writer that " fair play is a jewel," and doubt not you will allow us the same opportunity of replying to his statements that you afforded him in making them. It is not our lot to have the contract for supplying the Tower with 700 tons of Coals annually, but we have received an order from the Governor of the Tower for 28 tons of the same description of Coals we supplied to the Lord Mayor; which were being delivered at the time of which your correspondent speaks, and notwith standing the " unreserved condemnation " of the bar rack master, were delivered, have been paid for, given satisfiletion, and obtained us other orders ; although Mr. Morris states his contract to be for 225. Coals, the same price as ours ; and further states, that in the present case the difference was " so remarkable—we suppose the proof must have been most satisfactory in burning ! We would also observe that the order was sent to us direct from the Tower, and not at the instance of the Lord Mayor, who was not aware of the circumstance till his attention was drawn to it. In fact there is not the slightest ground for so contemptible an insinuation against his Lordship, and we fearlessly assert that he has never used any influence directly or indirectly in our favour. When the inquiry has been made where the Anti-Combination Coals were obtained, we do not see titat his Lordship could refuse the information, and more than that we believe he has never done. We equally approve with your correspondent of what the Lord Mayor has done in facilitating the deli very of coals in the river, and doubt not the advantages that must accrue to the' public will induce every un prejudiced person to thank his Lordship for his exer tions. Apologising for the length of this letter, , We are, Sir, your obedient servants, POPE, BROTHERS, and Co. MR. O'CONNELL'S LETTER.--We have been looking every day for Mr. O'Counell's promise.' Letter to the People of Ireland. Several pests have passed since its publication was promised in the Pilot, but the letter has not yet appeared. DROWNING A MAN TO SAVE HIS LIFE FROM FIRE I--At the late fire at Woolwich a man persisted in standing on a parapet wall to view the conflagration. • 'I he imminent danger to which he was exposed was re peatedly urged upon him by the naval and military officers present, who were endeavouring to subdue the devouring element ; but the fellow was utterly regardless of all ad monition. At last one of the officers directed the men at an engine to turn the hose upon him, and by a powerful jet of water he was soaked in an instant, and turning round to abuse the people his mouth was supplied with liquid, and, though standing in "mid air," he was nearly drowned. He had scarcely arrived on terra firma when the whole wall gave way, and he declared that he would sooner have been roasted to death than so deluged with water, as it struck him with a death chill, and nearly suffocated him by taking his breath away from the hydraulic pressure. It appears from a Parliamentary paper that 4,800,000 loss persons travelled by stage coaches in 1838 than in 1836; and 14,400,000 more persons by railway in the same period. MR. PAKINGTON'S BEER BILL.--The dissi pation, crimes, and improvidence of the lower classes are not attributable to the beer-houses, except in a collateral or incidental manner. The seat of the disease lies deeper; and if the beer-houses were destroyed, that would merely add to the gin-shop or other receptacle for vicious indul gence. The form of the disease might be changed, and the symptoms very possibly modified, but the gangrene would not be eradicated. The only remedy is' the education of the people; it is the elixir that is to prolong the lives and ameliorate the condition of the lower classes. It is by moral and intellectual culture that sensuality and intoxi cation can be effectually and permanently suppressed ; and if our Legislators have the well-being of the humbler and ignorant portion of the community at heart, their efforts should be directed to secure proper instruction to the young, at any rate, in the elements of moral and religious knowledge.— Worcestershire Chronicle. MAUNDAY THITIISDAY.—Thursday next being Maunday Thursday, there will be a confirmation of the younger branches of the Nobility at the Chapel Royal, St. James's, on which occasion her Royal Highness the Prin. cess Augusta of Cambridg e w ill b e con fi rmed by the Bishop of London. IRON HousEs.—The efficiency of iron to the application of steam-vessels has been so successfully in. troduced, that we notice an elegant plan of a sea -coast cottage of that description hung up in the Tontine Coffee room, which seems so admirably adapted that we have no doubt they will soon be in very general use. The plan referred to seems to have six rooms, kitchen, and laundry, and other conveniences, for the small sum of 250/., or, if a double house of fourteen rooms, 5001. This is not half the price of a common house with similar accommo dation, and can be ready to possess in two months. The , iron trade of this neighbourhood thould erch set down one by way of introducing them.— Glasgow Chronicle. DEPARTURE OF THE LORD LIEUTENANT FOR IRELAND.—Wednesday morning her Majesty's armed steamer Meteor, Lieutenant-Commander R. D. Pritchard, left Woolwich dock-yard, having taken on board the bag gage, plate, and part of the suite of his Excellency the newly-appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, who will em bark at Plymouth (he being on a visit to his venerable parent, Earl Fortescue, in Devonshire) after this beautiful and commodious steam-vessel has touched at Portsmouth. The Commander of this vessel is an old Trafalgar officer, and served on board of Nelson's own ship the Victory, and was severely wounded. MELANCHOLY SUICIDE.---Wednesday morn ing a most painful feeling was excited in the neighbour. hood of Little Chelsea, in consequence of the lamentable suicide of Mr. Thomas Bush, a highly respectable inhabi tant of Thistle-grove, which occurred under the foll Owing distressing circumstances:—lt appears that since the death of Mrs. Bush, in the month of July last, he has been in a very depressed state of mind. On the previous night he retired to bed with his little boy, about seven years of age, as usual, but not having been seen up to ten o'clock yes terday morning, his sister-in-law went to the bed-room door and knocked, when she was answered by the little boy, who told her he could not open the door. Assistance was procured, and the door forced open, when the unfor tunate gentleman was found lying in bed, suffering excru eriating agony from having swallowed poison. Mr. Gode rich, a surgeon, was instantly sent for, who by means of the stomach-pump drew off the contents of the stomach, but without avail, as Mr. Bush gradually sunk and ex pired about twelve o'clock. Martin, the beadle, on being informed of the melancholy occurrence, proceeded to the house, and on searching the bed-room found two phials, one marked " Laudanum, poison," and the other not la belled, in both of which were small quantities of that poi. son. CAUTION TO SERVANTS.—On Wednesday morning an extensive robbery was committed on the pre mises of the Rev. C. Flight, Gloucester-place, Portman ' square. From the statement of one of the servants it ap pears that she was coming down the kitchen stairs, when she observed a man leaving the kitchen with a basket on his arm, and an apron on, and, supposing him to have been one of the tradesmen's servants, she did not take any particular notice. In a few minutes after the footman came down stairs from the breakfast-parlour, when he immedi ately missed a silver tea and coffee-pot, a quantity of tea spoons, four silver salt-cellars and spoons, with sever a l other articles of plate, with whi c h t h e robber effected his escape. The cook had not left the kitchen more than two minutes when the robbery was committed. VORACIOUSNESS OF THE EEL—While one day standing on a low ledge of rock, enjoying the delight ful scenery of the Tay, I witnessed a very striking, and so tar as I know, novel exhibition, touching natural history, being nothing less than a chase upon terra firma of a crab by an eel, and illustrative in a remarkable manner of the eagerness with which the latter animal pursues its prey. My attention was first drawn to the spot by a rustling sound, where I saw the fugitive in the act of emerging from the water. The eel, of large dimensions, soon fol lowed. After promptly effecting a landing on the rock on which I was standing, which both of them did with great dexterity, the crab took to his heels with all manner of despatch, and soon showed his pursuer the advantage of the possession of a supply of limbs. The eel, however, nothing daunted, although labouring under the primeval curse of the serpent, dashed after him with the utmost eagerness ; but it was soon obvious that the locomotive machinery of the latter was dismally at fault. He wormed, twisted, and oscillated himself to and fro to comparatively little purpose, although in this way he kept up the chase foe a considerable distance, until at length, on my ap proach, both of them made a short cut, and got again into the water.—Cheltenham chronicle. MURDER NEAR NEWARK.—On Saturday morning the inhabitants of Newark, and the villages north of that town, were thrown into a state of great excitement by the discovery that an aged woman, named Hancock, who occupied a small shop at Caunton, had been brutally murdered. The discovery was made by one of the vil lagers, who went to the house about seven, and finding the door unlocked, and no one in the shop, proceeded up stairs, where he found the unfortunate woman stretched on the bed. The body presented a shocking appearance, and the wall was sprinkled with blood. Upon a search it was found that the house had also been robbed; and information being conveyed to a neighbouring magistrate, steps were im mediately taken towards bringing the offenders to justice. After a long inquiry, a labourer named Driver, who was working at Muskham Woodhouse, was appre hended, and on his person were found two watches, money, &c. ; but he at once confessed his guilt, and stated that he committed the barbarous act between three and four in the morning. It appeara that he filled her mouth with rags to prevent her cries awaking the neighbours, struck her on the head and then strangled her. The mother of Driver was also apprehended on suspicion of being im plicated in the affair, and both were conveyed to Newark gaol, to await the inquest, which could not take place on Saturday, in consequence of Mr. Falkner, the coroner, being on his duties as under-sheriff at the assizes. The conflicting statements which are made even in Caunton render additional details questionable; from inquiries made on the spot, however, we can give the above as an accurate outline of the case. The deceased bore a high character for her integrity and charitable disposition, and obtained a comfortable livelihood by keeping a general re tail shop. On Monday the Jury met, and up to a quarter part four, p.m., no decision had been come to. During the day a great number of witnesses had been examined ; and in addition to his previous statements the prisoner Driver declares that he was accompanied by another per son, but positively denies that his mother was in any way , connected with it. Driver is about 24, of exceedingly re pulsive aspect, and lie is generally considered deficie n t i n t 'vocal ap: , lr3 tind,tr nra!-!‘?. circumstances, and acts with great indecorum. —Linco In Gazette. A GREEN OLD AGE.—An old woman, named Mrs. Mitchell, died last week, at Dcnbrae, near St. An drew's, aged one hundred and three years. She was a native of the parish of Logic ; she enjoyed all her faculties to the last, except that her hearing was rather impaired; she could read her book, crack her joke, and walk about the doors in well as many at half her years; she enjoyed ex 11•' health within five or hours of h , ••• At her own request she was buried in the parish hi which she was born.—Scottish Pilot. 3.42. Published by MURDO YOUNG , of No. 112, Strand, at The Sun Office. N. 112, Strand, in the county of Middlesex.—Saturday, March 23,1539* HAMBIJRGiI MAIL. BERLIN, MARCH 16.—For some days past preparation:have been making is one of our prisons fie the decent• accommoda- - tion of a prisoner. As some are fitted up it may be inferred that the prisoner is a person of high rank. The few persons to whom this circumstance is known, naturally conclude that the expected prisoner may be Archbishop Dunin. MAGDEBURG, MARCH 11.-It is now nearly a year and a quarter since Mr. Mecheln, chaplin to the Archbishop of Co logne, has been confined in our citadel. His confinement is very rigorous, and Oren the Catholic clergyman here is not ad mitted to see him without a permission in writing from the Chief President, which must be every time applied for. He is allowed to read mass inthe Roman Catholic Church only twice in the week—on Sunday and Thursday mornings at eight o'clock. On these occasions he is always accompanied by a police officer, who has strict orders not to suffer any interco•irse with a third person. He occupies two very healthy chambers, which are well furnished, and, setting aside the de privation of his liberty and this seclusion, care is tak:n that he shall want for nothing, and the authorities h re are directed to give him every accommodation consistent with his confinement. His mode of living is very simple. On his writing once to Mr. V. F. for some money, which he wanted, as he said, to pur chase some books, he was informed by the authorities that this was not necessary, as they had orders to supply all his wants, and he had, therefore, only to ask for what he wi-hed. He has hitherto made a very moderate use of this permission to have some books. lie now spends his time entirely in literary pur suits. Hence it rppears that there is no foundation whatever fur the imp Cation cast on the Prussian Government, that it treats MeeOln like a criminal, without bringing him to trial. HANOVER, MARCH 15.—The Hanover Gazette has the following article : " The Augsburg Allgemeine Zeitung gives a statement from Gottingen, that the first Chamber of our Assembly of the Es tates had, by a majority of I 9 to 13, declared against the Con stitution of 1819, that is against its actual validity. This state- ment was false, as most of those are that come from a certain quarter. We understand the tendency of these mendacious ar ticles ; we shall see whether the public will at length be con vinced that the cause and the intention of those cannot be good who fight with such weapons. STOCKHOLM, MARCIa s.—The merchants of this city who sometime back addressed a petition to the Government relative to the abolition of the Sound duty, have since presented another petition; to the effect that the Government would sup port, by diplomatic intervention, the claim which they think they have on the Danish Government for the repayment of what has been paid too much for for many years past. This petition is printed in Aftonblad of the 28th last month. Severyl Journals observe, that it would be a great support to the questions that have been raised respecting the Sound duty, if such petitions were presented from all the Staple towns on the coast of Sweden.—Hamburgh Papers, March 19, BERLIN, MA RCH 10.—His Majesty has been pleased to confirm the choice of Sir John Herschel', as Foreign Member of the Mathematical class of the Academy of Science, of which he has hitherto been a foreign Correspondent.—Prussian State Gazette, March 18. POLI CE INTELLIGENCE. MAR Y LEB ONE. RUFFIANISM.—Yesterday a fashionably-dressed young man, na. - ned 'Thomas Phillips, who described himself as a medical student, residing in Gower -street, Bedford square, was charged before Mr. HOSKINS with an unprovoked as. sault on Mr. Mayer, of 21, Crescent -street, Euston-square. It appeared from the complainant's statement that, hav ing spent the previous evening at a friend's house, he was returning along the New-road, accompanied by his daughter and next door neighbour, when, without the slightest pro vocation, the defendant came behind him, and with. a stick cf formidable thickness struck him with all his force on the head, and felled him to the ground. The defendant then ran away, followed by complainant's daughter, who gave him in charge to Police -constable 212 S, and he was taken to the station-house. The complainant, in conclusion, said that had it not been fur a very stout hat which he wore, and which was knocked off and lost, the blow would in all probability have proved fatal. The complainant'i daughter and the other witness com pletely confirmed the above statement. The prisoner, in extenuation of his conduct, said he was provoked to strike the complainant in consequence of his having ran violently against him. This having been denied, Mr. HOSKINS told the defendant he had been guilty of one of the most wanton and savage assaults he had ever heard of, and which called for heavy punishment. He (the Magistrate) should therefore fine him 31., which, he hoped, would prove a useful lesson. The defendant paid the money and was released. " A MEMBER OF THE TEMFEKANCE SOCIETY IN 1113 CUPS. —A demure-looking, middle-aged personage, who gave the name of John Williams, and described himself as a Somersetshire farmer, and a member of the Temperance Society, was charged with being found drunk, and rolling in the mire, in the, , Edgeware.road, on the previous night. A tract, containing the rules and regulations of the Society, arid a severe philippic against drunkenness, which was found in the defendant's poeect, was handed to Mr. Hoskins for his perusal, ;who, having read it, asked the defendant what he had to say in excuse for his contra dictory conduct. The defendant, in the broad Somerset dialect, said he had come up to London on business, when being over come by the fogs of the metropolis, and the rawness of the air, he in an evil hour imbibed a glass of grog too much— a very rare circumstance, he said, which never occurred to trim in the country, where the air was sufficiently stimulat ing without the aid of spirits. Mr. nosh - Iris—You are fined 55., and I hope in future you will adhere more strictly to the rules of your society- Defendaut—Dang it, what an intoxicating place Lunnun is. Last time I was up I got regularly fuddled, and had to pay 51. I don't mind parting with the money, but if it should get into the papers that farmer Williams, a member of the Temperance Society, was found drunk in Lunnun, why, zounds, I shall be quizzed to death by my neighbours. He then paid the money and left the office. QUEEN- , SQUA.R.II'. Mr. Henry Calihrop, a young man, an assistant to Mr. Painter, a surgeon, in the Broadway, Westminster, was charged upon a peace warrant with using threatening lan guage towards Mr. Murray, of No. 11, Park-street, St. James's Park. The complainant stated that on Wednesday morning he was in bed (being at the time confined with the toothache), when his servant told him that there was a gentleman waiting below who particularly wished to see turn. He desired her to tell him to walk up, when soon after the defendant presented himself, and, with out giving his name (he being at the time an entire stranger to complainant), said he had come to demand an apology from complainant for the insult he had offered to his (defendant's) brother ; such conduct had never been allowed towards one of their family with impunity, nor should it in this instance. Complainant said he knew of no conduct of his that called for an apology, and requested defendant to leave the room. Defendant refused, and in some threatening language, the precise words of which complainant did not recollect, he told him to beware of the consequences. He then asked him if he had anything more to say, when the defendant emphatically said " No, not at present." He again asked defendant to leave the room, but the answer was " I will not until I have received an apology." Complainant then told him that if he did not leave instantly ho would take measures to compel him, when defendant put his hand under his cloak, and, appear ing to be trying to find something, said, " If you put your hand upon me, it wit. be the last person you touch," and preparing to leave the room observed, " You may consult the ath , ertising columns of the Times and Post far your character, for I will post you there as a coward and a scoundrel." Defendant then left. Mr. GREGGRIE—Have you since ascertained why the defendant came to you at all? Complainant—On the pre vious day I sent to Mr. Painter for some one to come and ettract one of my teeth. A young man, whom I have since ascertained to be the defendant's brother, came, but he bungled so dreadfully over the operation, and gave me so much pain, that I would not let him extract the tooth, and sent him away. Defe,pdant—l am one of Mr. Painter's assistants. On Tuesday afternoon Mr. Murray sent for some one to go and extract a tooth. My brother went, and when he re turned told me he had been grossly insulted by the com plainant, who made use of the foulest epithets towards him. Mr. GREGORIE told the defendant he must find two sure ties of 251. each, and himself bo bound in the sum of .50/. to keep the peace for the next six months. Defendant immediately entered into the necessary sure ties, and was discharged. PICKING POCKETS DURING THE CITY PROCESSION TO THE PALACE.—John TVhite and Frederick M'Cusey were charged with practising the art of conveyancing among the crowd collected in front of Buckingham Palace yesterday. The former prisoner had, from his manner and speech, evi dently received an " Old Bailey Education," the latter was, from the continued cry he kept up, and the guileless man ner in which he amused the Magistrate, evidently a Tyro in the intricate art. John Clapham and George Baker, two of the City Po lice, deposed that they had seen the elder prisoner follow the procession from the East side of Temple Bar, and se veral tirnes exercise his calling, but without effect. He found the younger prisoner was holding a gentleman's pocket up, while the elder put his hand in. Upon search ing the elder prisoner a handsome silk-handkerchief was found upon him, which he said he bought in Field-lane. Mr. GREGO RI E committed Whit e f or six weeks and dis charged the other prisoner. Accounts have been received from Edinburgh, stating that the Leith steamer on her passage from London to Edinburgh was, during a heavy gale and high sea, run foul of on Sunday night about ten o'clock, off the Newark near Winterton Ness, by a collier called the Richard and John. The Leith received considerable damage, but notwithstanding was able to proceed on her voyage, which she did after lying to for two hours, during which time every exertion which the bad state of the weather and heavy sea would permit was used by the Captain of the Leith, with his crew and her boats, to regain the collier in order to render assistance. One of the collier's men, who had taken to one of her boats, was picked up, and from his account it appears that if the vessel could not be saved the rest of the crew would have the means of escap ing, as they had another boat and ample time to do so. No tidings of them, however, had been received at Edin burgh when the last accounts came away. The passengers who were on board the Leith speak in the strongest terms of the praiseworthy exertions of the Captain of the steamer, who with his crew were upon the look• out, and had lights burning used to avoid accidents at sea. TIIE LATE CASE OF STABBING AT HAYES. —Mcdhurst Was yesterday brought before the Magistrates at Uxbridge, and, after a long examination, committed for trial at the Central Criminal Court for manslaughter. He also stands committed on the Coroner's warrant for wilful murder. COAL MONOPOLY. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. StE,—,Amongst your excellent remarks on the c oal monopoly' have not noticed two abuses cone ceted with it, ualti which I consider of the greatest tame. 1. To delude' the public, and to make the ,rice of coals at the Coal ~74xe:lange appear higher than it i s by Is. per ton, or 5 pc,' mot. The practice is to, give the wholesale dealer 21 tong. and only charge for 20 tons. 2. To keep three or foul kinds of coals„ 2s. or 3s. per ton above all the rest (the L't, - trquis of Lon& n d err y' s is one of the decoy coals), and to Persuade .thy consumers that no other coals are suitabl e household u se . The consequence that everybody ord. - vs and p a y s f or the very best coals, antt receives a rai%ture, of alot t ut o n e -f ou rth best, and three-fourtbs , secondary coals,• I am, Sir, your most obedient et 'rvant, A I TrizEN. THE MAR KETS.-_-(YESTEI MAY.) (From the London New Price Current of Ma - eh 22.) SUGAR.—For British Plantation Sugar the rit 'es, when compared with those of this d a y week, s h ow an a dvance of Is 6d, and in some instanc.s 2s per cw t ; th e • greater rise is still on brown and low yell o w qua liti es . Very low brown Berbice have fetched 60s, good brown chrYs talized Demarara 63s 6d ; low middling Jamaica t.'"is to 655, middling and good middling 66s to 67s ' • and a fine i oard of Demerara likewise of the large g ra i n y ki n d 71s. This : iter neon the rates previously established were fully supported. REFINED.—A further advance of Is has been obtains d by the refiners; lumps in large parcels equal to the standard hstve been sold at 79s a 80s, rather under 78s a 78s Gd : large and small brown lrmps have commanded 76s a 775, and in sow a in stances 78 ; double crushed is 44s ; some made from Man ilia is offering at 38s ; further sales have been made in 10 , 1 b. (-lam burgh loaves at 4bs ; for pieces advanced rates have been paid. MAURITIUS.—An advance cn previous rates of Is 6d to 2s has been obtained, the greater rise on brown and low yel l iow de scriptions; at public sale 6,900 bags sold briskly, fine) ellow at 67s to 67s 6d, good middling to good 65s to 66s 6d, middling 63s 6d to 645, fine'brown (s2s to 635, good 61 s to 6la 6d, good strong grey 65s 6d to 665. This afternoon fi. Ie yellow sold at 67s a 68s, mid to good 64s 6d a 66s Gd, lov.r mid 645, fine brown 62s a 63s per cwt. EAST Itsnia...---For Siam advanced rates I save been ob tained, the private purchases have been 1,200 , gs at 28s 6d a 31s 6d for good middling to fine white. Mani UP. is held for stiff prices; Bengal: prices advanced Is a ls 6d ; rood to fine white at 68s 6:1 a 69s 6d, middling to good middlii ig 66s 6d a 67s 6d; low brown 52s 6d a 54s 6d; good to fin a dry 59s a Gls; damp 51s 6d a 53s 6d, mid sound yellow 64.1 per cwt. This afternoon, Bengal good to fine white brought 6. 3s to 68s G i l, middli ng to good middling 66s to 67s 6d per cwt. FolLElGN.—'f,here are buyers of white and yellow Es'avannah to a fair extent at, late quotations, 30s has been paid for 40 boxes of the latter of fine quality at full prices. • MoLassrs.—West ,India have sold at the advanced rates of this day week; common qualities have brought 31s, and fine 335. 6d a 34s per cwt. COFFEE.—British Plantaiion at an advan ce on p rev i ous ra t es of 3s. ; middling Jamaica by private contract has brought 116 s to 118 s per cwt, and there are no,': further sellers under 1205 ; Berbice and Demerara have been st.. l d at 113 s to 116 s for mid dling quality ; unclean sorts have sold freely at prices 2s above those of ihis day week ; 90s paid for orsdina -, •y unclean Deme rara. Prices continue to advance for all descriptions of Ea. t India. Ceylon, 102 s to •103 s has been paid for small parcels of good ordinary. Mocha, 92s to 95s for commc n green ragg' This afternoon 600 bags fair ordinary Brazil sole' at 43s 6d, and a large parcel of St. Domingo at previous rates. COCOA.—No advance can be quoted in the pries's of British Plantation. For Foreign there has not been much demand; for a small parcel of fine Brazil 39s has been paid. RUM, BRANDY, AND HOLLANDS.—For Rum, buyer 3 have been compelled to pay an advance on the rates of this da:/ week of ld per gallon. The transactions in Leewards levee been 500 puns, proof to 4 per cent. over at 3s 2d to 3s Zid, sto 8 over 3s 4d to 3s sd, 9 to 12 over 3s 6d to 3s 7d, 32 to .37 over 4s 9d to ss. Of Jamaica 200 puns have been sold, .2 sto 26 per cent. over at 4s 10d, 30 to 32 over 5s to 5s 2d, 13,3 to 38 over 5s 3d to 5s 6d. Brandy at fullylate rates. Gt +veva at previous prices. _ TA LLow.—Since our last prices have given way Ist 6d to is 9d per cwt. On the spot 48s to 48s 3d for Petei •Sburgh yellow candle of first quality. For delivery in the las t three months 45s 3d. Town Tallow has sold slowly. This afternoon 334 casks were offered at auction, ner irly all of which was sold ; Tuscany imported from Havre at 47s to 47s 9d, wrecked P. Y. Candle at 46s 6d to 46s 9d f >r first quality, and one lot at 47s ; Siberia Soap Ist and 2d s art 44s to 44s 6d, other kinds of 24 quality 46s 9d to 475. On tbe spot more doing at 48s 6d, and 45s 6d for the last three mouths. SPICES.—For Pimento 4d to 4 1 / s d has been paid by Titivate contract for a few parcels; fine is held for 4d, and th o rs is nothing to be purchased in the market under 4d, excepti/ t r of very inferior quality. Pepper : 850 bags common and fair Eastern brought 4d to 4 1 / B d, and there are no sellers of Com mon Sumatra under 4d per lb. East India Ginger : 490 poi ;lots Bengal sold at 22s per cwt. In Cinnamon prices remain This afternoon 853 bags Malabar and 228 bags Sun tetra Pepper were offered at public sale, which sold briskly,, the former at 4 4 -d a 4id for light to good heavy, the latter went d higLer, and brought 4d a 4id for common stalky. • PRICE OF BREAD. The highest price of Bread in the Metropolis is bop, for the. 41b. Loat, Good Bread may be had at Sjgd. PRICE OF SEEDS.-March 22. Per Cwt. Per Sjuarter. New English Rcd Clover 703.1125. St. F0i1...." 4os. 4 As 4Ss. Old D.tto Ditto ' -s. a -s. Rye Grass 285.: rs. 40. New Foreign Ditto -.as. 90s. 995. Mice} , Gt ass .-s. 144. 455. Old Ditto Ditto s. 40s. flOs. Linseed, cor feeding 463. 525. 565. New White Clover 6os. 802. 90s. Ditto, for sowing .-S. ?As. MS Old Ditto Ditto ...... ...-s. 455. 60$. Ditto, for crushing -s. .435. 50s. Neor Trefoil 2os 255. 303. Canary .-s. 90s. Sgs. Old Ditto -s. 163 225. Hemp --- 1.. 355. 425. Trefolium 103. its. 13s. Per Bushel. English Carraway -s. 435. 465. White Mustard...l Is. 04. 155. nd• Foreign Ditto -s. 403.445. Brown Ditto ......15s. od. si 2 s. f ' 4 . Coriander -s. 131. 2ls Tares .... 4s.e d. bs. ( k) Rapeseed, English One (per L as t) 361. 391. Yoreili n 341. 36 1. PR IC:FS OF POTATOES AT SPITALFZELI )S. York Reds (from vessel) 4l. I@s. to 51 Os. p2r ton. Scotch Reds ditto V. ss. to 41. 15s. cL 'tto Kidneys 41. 10s. to 51. Os_ ditto Shaws 2 . 15s. to 33. ss. ditto PRICES OF HOPS.-March 12. Farnham Pockets (per cwt.) 6l Os. 71. 15s. to 91. 53. East 1{,,,t Pockets Ditto Bags Mid Kent Pockets 3l. 15s. 51. ss. to Sr. Sc• Ditto Bags 3l. 10s: 4/.los. to 7:. 74, Sussex "S/. 3s. 31. 15s. to 4'. lOs. Yearlings 2l. 10s. 3/. 3s. to 41. 41. Old Did; .... 01. Mc U. lOs. to 24 is. 'ET.-March 22. COAL MARK s. d. Carr's Adair Hartley . 21 6 Leaze's Main is 0 West Tanfield l9 0 Wylam 22 6 Walls End Gosforth 2l 6 Walls End Hotspur Walls End Kiliingworth 2O 5 Walls End Riddell's Walls Endßraddyll'sHetton 23 6 Walls End Haswell 23 C Walls fnd Hetton Walls End Lamhton ::3 9i Ships arrived since COUNTRY CORN MARKETS DURI Walls End Russell's Hettort. 0 9 Walls End Stewart's 24 0 Walls End Whitwell 2l 6 Walls End Hart1ep001........ 24 0 Dixon's Butterknowl ...... 18 Walls End Barrington Walls End Brown's De Tees 0 anery- 19 9 WAls End Cyagwood Walls End Tees Walls End Victoria Ts Walls End West Hett Walls End West Tees Bampton.... last mark 90 0 92 9 es ° 1 0 In 2O 0 ..... lei 6 lay, 12. :NG THE WEEK. Wheat. Barley. 1 Oats , Beans. Per Quarter. And0ver.,.,,,,,,,, Birmingham Bridport--w. Cirencester Guildford....,,F' ringdon I Henley Hereford Highwerth Ifaik:enhead -s.lozimouth j Reading—. Salisbury Southampton Stroud Tewkesbury—. Uxbridge Want:lge Wzrminster— Windsor 8. tO S. 64 80 74 82 83 80 73 80 61 81 65 80 63 88) 72 73 63 83 64 70 63 75 64 74 64 75 61 74 6i 75 6 :) 74 81 - 70 74 63 72 67 70 ili - 8. to E. 30 34 29 31 30 40 30 36 32 26 30 08 35 06 32 26 32 32 42 1 33 32 34 25 35 30 34 33 40 :28 36 S. to s. 2 30 16 22 26 30 20 25 26 30 20 30 23 f.. , 6 22 28 28 34 20 26 22 29 29 27 20 28 28 32 20 24 22 32 17 28 20 25 22 26 21 2.4.) 30 02 a f to 5. - 33 82 :io 34 44 31, 40 33 42 41 40 28 32 24 34 27 34 - 40 33 42 36 40 Pease. 1. 10 S. ...... ...... - 4C - - 34 38 - 42 33 48 48 48 orcester—l 63 70 132 36 DEVIZES CORN MARKET.—March 21. Per Sam. s d. a. d. Per Quarter. s. d. a. 61. First Wheat IS 4 to 40 0 Barley , 34 I t• 41 8 Second 15 0 36 0 Oats.— ....... .... 21 is 27 0 Third 5n Sacks of Wheat sold] 35 , 8 f f Flour (per cper b g l a g li ) .)... 5 1 6 1 11 _i i s : at the average of LEEDS CORN MARKET.—Ilarch ID Wheat, Norfolk and Suffhlk, (i 00). . ~0 o Barley, Norfolk and S u llblk • IC Yorkshire and Lincoln s hire Beans 63 lb. Oats, Potatoe ss. to 275. • --7 , lealing, For.-1. to-41 Eng. 14,i. to 16. i. p er s t one . Shelling 3A . . to 38s. per load. Rapeseed, English, 201. to 22/ ... Foreign,- a), to 221. per las. L. VERPOO L CORN MA RKF7E—Mai•ch 19. ,VREAT, English, White, per 701 b I Is . 6d. to 123.0 d. Red Scotch, Welch, and Manx --- Irish, White lit 0 10 3 lied - Foreign OATS, English, Welsh, and Scotch, per 45th 464 4 2 ------- Irish - Foreign 14AALEY, EllffliSh, Malting, per Imp. quarter' 43 0 , 47 0 Scotch and Irish, per 6011 is ---- I. ceding 5 3 5 6 BEANS, English, per Iniperial quarter ' 50 0 54 0 - Irish, &e. ---- Yorelga PEASE, Englisn, per Imperial quarter 52 0 58 0 - Foreign Floun, English, per 250%. 66 0 71 0 - Irish OATMEAL, English and Irish, per .241 , 11); ...32 6 34 0 INDIAN CORN, pe r 4401 b. - Rye, per lir:per:al quarter MALT. per Imp:alai quarter -58 9 71 0 PATENT LEVER WATCHES With silver double-bottom cases £6 6 0 With silver hunting cases This celebrated construction (the most accurate on which a watch can be made) is offered, with the latest improve ments i. e. the detached escapement, jewelled in four holes, capped, hand to mark the seconds, hard enamel dial, and main taining power to continue going while winding up, at the above price, by T. COX SAVORY, Watchmaker, Silver and Goldsmith, 47, Cornhill, London, (Seven doors from Graceehurch-street). N.8.--Second-hand Watches purchased in exchange. BIRTHS. On the 21st inst., at Compton, Surrey, the lady of George Best, Esq., of a daughter. At Freniffle Cottage, near Launceston, the lady of G. W Webber, Esq., of a son. On the 18th inst., at Hornsey, Mrs. Charles Hitchcock, of a son. MARRIED. On the 21st inst. at St. James's, Westminster, the Rev• Henry Nicholson, of Horton Lodge, near Windsor, son of Dr• Nicholson, of Twickenham, Middlesex, to Marianne, younger daughter of the late T. M. Keats, Esq., of Tooting, Surrey. On the 21st inst.; at. Weymouth -street, Portland-pla ce, DIED. Charles Jordo n , E sq., staff-surgeon to her Majesty ' s f orce s. On the 19th inst., Edward Henry, youngest child of John Braithwaite, Esq., Manor House, Westbourne-green- f On the 14th inst., at Old Palace-yard, Mary Ann, relict o f the late Thomas Jervis, Esq., one of her Majesty's Couns el- On the 20 t h i nst., at Peckham, Lucy, wife of Fr ederic Selmes, Esq., an d t hi r d d aug h ter of John Hollingworth, Esq., of Turkey Mill, Maidstone, aged 20. On the 17th inst., at Stockbridge-terrace, Pimlico, Mr s. Applehee, aged 69. ad 0, 23, 1839 FNEN7NG EDITION-.