The Sun. — London, England, 1844-01-06 00:00:00

id, Itercle h 1; 0 1 16° Oc ow ,, Fore Forto Lnd ":44 re 0,„10 13rLi3 rrewi o t red ' t , a il'e S :17 I Cotton Sales s rather t North Ingham► ;; Mid ;astern, and ng from a nother trade is tle hope aded 0 the re' er OS er mina Three Dutch risen to ve SP' Rai101: e a fgl' ing hacl , The Branch) inburg li Share' eal D el .nish fee 187 185 LOCK' #.Bs m ~ r O rd t er 131 1 P , ;ter ,erect• A Y i s o ) :e, vi IRELAND. ST.I TIT TnT k --T7.7: SPECIAL JURY. :aN. A 4, procc3. of striking the special jury 's? ?proceeded with at 12 o'clock to-day in the Crown-office, to which, with a very few exceptions, none were admitted but those immediately interested. There were present, on the part of the Crown, Mr. Brewster, Queen's Counsel ; Mr. Smiley, and Mr. Kemmis, also Mr. Kemmis, the Crown solicitor ; and, on the part of the traversers, Mr. Whiteside, Queen's Counsel; Mr. Close, Sir C. O'Loghlen (of counsel), and Messrs. Mahony, Ford, and Cantwell, attorneys. A protest was in the first instance handed in on behalf of the traversers against the panel generally, upon the ground that the names of a number of persons properly qualified to serve as aPecial jurors, including the names of 16 Roman Catholics, had not been placed upon it. The cards, which were numbered according the list, in all 717, having been counted, were put into a box and shaken up, according to the terms of the 25th section of the 3d and 4th William IV. The business of shaking having been several times repeated, at the iequest of one of the agents for the traverser!, the Cl er k of the Crown, i n conformity with the same section of the Act, proceeded to draw out 48 of the said numbers, and to check them with the numbers and names in the list. that The first n um b er was 59 and the name corresponding to it of 111 r. J. B ehan, of Bridge-street, merchant ; the next that of Mr. G. W. Boileau, of 87, Bride-street, druggist (a Conservative). Ale WHITESIDE objected to his name being put upon the reduced list of 48, on the g round of non-residence, upon which a discussi on arose,--- or Aalnry. BOURNE denying that he had any option in the matter, was his duty to d ec id e t h at quest i on , an d conten di ng t h at i t - WY Merely to d raw the numbers, th ose num b ers eor repondin costing with th e Sh er iff' s li st , over w hi c h h e h a d of course no M r. W HITESIDE, on the other hand, maintained that it was the office r ' s duty to receive proof of the objection now made, and to set aside that name if the proof were sufficient, and ton-residence a disqualifying ground, which it certainly was bof his y the terms of the Act. The Learned Gentleman, in support position, quoted the 25th s e c ti on , w h ere i n it i s s t a t e d, h i s bee isiatitato y triilfeee the time of readi ng an y name eith er p ar ty or shall object that the man whose name shall have bn so referr e d to is in any measure incapacitated from serv ing on the s a id j ury, and shall also then and there prove the sa lne to the sat i s f act i on of the said officer, such name shall be ac ide, and the said officer shall instead thereof draw out of te e S aid box another number, and shall in like manner refer to the c orrespondi ng number in the said list, &c." If a man rwereall put down i n t h e l i st as residingi n Dublin, and that he AirYee'ided in Cork, he (Mr. Whiteside) wished to know if would feel himself authorised, under that section f diked list °f 4g? ° the Act * 4 P B trliament, to insert that man's name on the re p o lVtr. ) l3 "nicE was of opinion that the question did not come ee r ri l i b e e rlY before him at all, and that his duty was circum e4rVs he h a d already stated. iectios'ntsveree contended (for the Crown), that if . the oh- Alis fi r :l°re one which would have been su ffi cient to disqualify rais e d — fs 'Nl from serving as a special juror, the place to have bee n ~;'!'s question, and the only place it could properly have ev ents Ist ' was before the Recorder. He did not, at all secti a gl'ee with Mr. Whitesid e ' s cons t ruc ti on o f t h e 25th Alan°ll of the Act, the words of that section being, that the Must be incapacitated," and not misdescribed. The o fficer Gentleman was, therefore, now calling upon the to revise the Recorder's decision. to Ceoss contended that they had had no earlier_oppor elg of making the present objection. at.r. Bourtee—Yes at the registry. M r. CLOSE said, th at ' there was no registry in the case of ti ?eial juror s ; that the Sheriff constituted the list ; that they (the traversers) had been no r party to it ; and that they could not have objected to it b e f ore, as no question was allowed to be De !aisded before the Sh er iff . He argued that the officer would n o t ticatio n. isehargi ng his duty if he refused to tak e p roo f as t o qua li- After some further discussion nearly to the same effect, Mr. Bou gly placed upon the list. eordin p la c ed refused to set aside the name, which was ac- The next name was that of Mr. B. L. Guiness, brewer, which grand was set aside on the obje ction that he was one of the Mr. jury who fo WHITESI DE rd the bill . dente of incapa e cit emarkin g , th a t h ere t h e o f fi cer took evi- On the n ame n, it in the c ase o f Sir. Boileau. ir onmonger, being drawn, Hamilton, of Chambers-street, Air. WHITESIDE said he could prove that there was no such perso n res i d i ng in Chambers -street. The officer had already decided that a person having a house, although not residing in was sufficient to qualify him to serve as a special juror ; but s l he re he (Sir. Whit es id e ) could show hy evidence that there wa s DO suc h person having a house i n th e street at all. A, Ir• BREWSTER objecte d to any such evidence. ' llr WIIITFSIDE referred agai n to the Act of Parliament to ,""' that th e ' o ffi cer ought no t to put upon the list the name of - person in any de;dec ree incapacitated. of thst BREWSTER—'Yes, incapacitated; but there is no p r o o f asitifie names of Mr. T . Farrell and Sir E. Borough were set teate of the officer, on its being alleged that they were magis bd r a a tt: nr s of the borough. ,the name of James Fallon, described as of 71, Stoney being announced as corresponding with a number i r• 13aEsyseee. called upon the officer to set it aside, Mr. lon being, h e said, disqualified as a town-councillor, ac eotting to the 180th clause of the Corporation Act. VVHITESIDE called upon Mr. Brewster to prove that 01_._r. Fallon was a town-councillor. BREWSTER offered to prove it by an affidavit, to which e _ o nir. W HITESIDE objected, contending that the only proper Pr l o i trof th e fact would be the books of the Corporation. of i 134tw sTER maint a i ne d , t h at the o f fi cer ha d t h e power Sot t'yvevl v igating in this as in other e a ses , upon a ffi davit and had not the officer the ece ex amination, which he conceived the officer ,ira cll.ed newer to do He now tendered this affidavit to consider ulson'him to receive it. Whether he would anticipate. su ffi cient it was not for him (Mr. Brewster) to Ay. BOURNE having expressed his readiness to hear the affi davit read, WHITESIDE objected, because it was only the original affidavit, a n d b ecause it had not been filed, and an attested copy ‘r fete obtained i n the usual way. Fl ourne, ther e f ore, put the affidavit on the fil e a n d suf i e to be read by Mr. Brewster. Mr. W neresine. objecting - , on the ground that an attested C ope should have been first obtained. t h e affida v i t was t h at o f M r . G. Th orpe , a town-counc i llor, Suing forth his frequent attendance at the City Assembly :se, and enumera t i ng the names of several other town heulkra, amonst which was that of Mr. J. Fallon, whom described as residing at Nos. 10 and 11, Stoneybat ter : . d e ie : discrep arsy between the number of Mr. Fallon ' s c e e e ' n the Sheriff's list and that given in the above de re%elsi,'"°n having been noticed by Mr. Whiteside, and ad ,ed t 0 be fatal by Mr. Brewster, the name was inserted j a i i re list, the objection on the part of the Crown, of course, ce sn n e g d. to the ground, as far as the officer's decision was con ks. eallon is reported to be a Repealer. Ca i n following are the rest of the list of 48 : —M essrs . R. iett e , l 4 T, builder ; J. Fry, coach-trimming manufactur er (ob.- (bar, traversers for non-residence) ;W. Hend r i c k, mer 41teis-;„,w- Fitzpatrick, grocer (objected to as being a town lea e • °r) ; Henry Flinn, pianoforte-iraker ;* Henry Thomp tide "I'm-merchant ; Michael Dunne, brazier; Anson Floyd, 1),.4 taerchant ; N. W. Montserrat, wine -merchant ; John bl e ",, ln s an, wine cooper • John Rigby, gun-maker ; Robert take-r"at merchant • John ' Holmes, merchant; George Whit. b ee, Robert Cha ' roley, merchant; William Longfield; Wil liee„,„'rr, turner ; W. J. Cainen, jeweller ; R. S. Stubbs, eabiZ e a Per ' Joseph APCormick, merchant ; William Scott, i ner•ji' in al:er ; John White, seedsman ; W. Al. Wo,idroofe, c ' s n,t; G. Mitchell, tobacconist ; J. Waller, engrayer. ; groe••wi,,,in builder • G. Fowler, merchant ; J. APCloin, Q:i. Green, p ublican; J. Hamilton, wine-merchant ; B rnith 41 , a nt grocer ; J. T. Boileau, wine-merchant ; J. P . 1 4 ° Per; %I%tatudent ; J. C. Papworth, architect ; Capt ain „,00rg e • i'arker, pawnbroker ; W. Ring, hosier b ; . J C re erchant • E Clarke ; B. Eaton, udder ; J. Ilin e ,e;rnel' eh s . o . dawater ' -maker • J. Irwin, D.L. ; J. Falkner, of the sidence 'teem chant , and J. Croker, wholesale merchant. nons ee • of the above were objected to on the ground of in their respective places of business, and out t he e st rr .dtleed list of 48, 11 were Repealers. To-morrow and is, be further reduced to 24 names, the Crown s trikin e trave rsers havin g , by the statute, the privilege of whi t h g th af 12 n ames each, l eav i ng 24 on t h e pane l, f rom Su e ,itury who are to try the parties are to be selected. is . ;''MPT TO SWAMP THE JURY PANEL." Ao 's the headiu under which the Freeman of this morn zlvae;„s-7:s b efore its : readers the narrative of an attempt to selectedr "Y a discreditable ruse, the panel from which is to be a jury to try theState ' traversers. If this statement tulle f°nnded—and unfortunately there is reason to believe t it is not a nd groundless—it can only be said that the effects a uthor s of the ruse have very much mistaken its probable iteputsattioSubjoined is a portion of the article alluded to. The vee ee „ n that th e scheme was in any degree by the conni persons in office is, of course, absurd : le e , ;41) the evenin g of Tuesd a y last a number of busy emissa- We re i n the Tory party, and we believe most firmly that they subordtnstructed by the Irish Government or by some of its pos e I nates, went about the city in the twilight, for the pur e,. of entrapping credulous Liberals, and thus endeavour esss to serve the purposes of the Government, ' by excluding ;:elti from the special panel. The paper, which was carried i:tind for signature, purported to be a requisition to the th t d Mayor, calling upon him to convene a meeting of itie citizens, to enter their protest against the approach ing Stat e t r i a l s as ill egal. The paper on which the sig t4 ta were written had a fabricated similarity to that le g t 'l the Corn Exchange. The written portion, purport a vet O set forth the objects of the suggested meeting, was er ehis i good imit a ti on of the manuscript of some of the a ;",.e! of the Rep ea l A ssociation, and the creatures who leg:tedet round were very free in their use of the names of aespi t :i i i ial parties among the Repealers, as a means of lulling rink, °, and of more successfully accomplishing their infa aoeiatplds. They asked for signatures in the name of the As- Itie l " hose parties avowed that they were engaged and parties or t hat special purpose, and it is known that disreputable tisse r , e bave been otherwise employed too. It has been freely by the party , who manifest inexpressible anxiety for a .itir or . ,, e "°n, that ever ' y Catholic on the balloted lis . t of special be s w ould be objected to, and that thus a conviction would s ilr ,Oeure s e All the gentlemen who were applied to for eigna -4,2,1 Were of known liberal sentiments, and'nostly . of t he Ca liquledepnerseu.asion. And now let us explain how this p iece h of r kee chicanery was hoped to be made available, b l infin . ; n t t e be - Pro se , ,tie objects of those whose fortunes are . ount up Olsen -4 ' l °ns, and whose o ffi cial and political existence depend special conviction of the " conspirators." Every man on the h ave e i ‘ tr y may be objected to, for cause, who i s . known . to Of tk ''pressed any decided opinion upon the policy or legality itit e u s e : tate trials ; but every man who has been entrapped ie di ,Ignlng this paper has of course, pledged himself that the therefore%Mt is impolitic and unjust. The presumed effect, 1410 has ' of this act of shameful chicane is to render those t a L v e signed the iaaper ineligible to serve as special jurors. ob e ,'uen, the depth of this baseness. Catholics dare not be teq u 4 t 7 lo because they are Catholics, but this surreptitio . us ee eet , nni to the Lord Mayor may be made as an engine quite tve for , and yet the brazen front of impartiality rass! nirii low ered • ihy objected to on the same account." M0m........./..., ,, A...../IMMINIMINININ=I frik" LEAGU E FUND. ---MEETING AT BURY.— A , e.t rad 11, 11 th e meeting was, on Thursday evening, held at Bury, k ,l l t h ;las attended by many of the most influential gentlemen %r. ;peaky, including Mr. Walker, M. r. for the borough. ill .r,ight and Colonel Thompson attended as a deputation thdoll League. After able addresses from Mr. Walker, ii CI Thompson, and Mr. Bright, resolutions in favour of t , t l :_ a flue were passed by acclamation. An active subscrip tit 1 :i',.!pier, entered into, and it was announced that upwards A ►120,. had been contributed by Bury, Nl• 4l : 3 4 belf; about six inches from the shop window of qa •C. Akester, chemist, &c., St. James's -street, Hull, I' s b ee hi 4 • in to the depth of a quarter of an inch at least. tliDiBr,hB been occasioned, no doubt, by the rays of the sun ticti ll ig upon one of the large globular show glasses in the 4W kc, , and thence passing through to the shelf in question. I tlit t rt this been timely observed by Mr. A., it might ulti- Y have led to a conflagration. —Hull Advertiser. COURT OF SEWERS A Court of Sewe-s for the City and Liberty of Westminster, ~f thr Conntysf Ai'dctiesex, was 'held yesterita . ), the Sewers'-office, Greek-street, Soho-square. This being the first Court held in the new year, at which the annual nomina tion of Chairman for the year ensuing takes place, there was an unusually full attendance of Commissioners. F. L. DoNar.nsow, Esq., took the Chair at twelve o'clock, and some of the routine business of the Court having been disposed of, at two o'clock announced that the time had now arrived when it became the duty of the Court to elect their Chairman for the year ensuing. In retiring from the office the Court had conferred upon him for the last year, he begged to return his thanks to every member of the Court for the kind ness he had met with, and the disposition that had been shown to aid and assist him in the arduous duties he had to perform. Mr. Donaldson then retired, and Mr. Willoughby was una nimously called to the Chair. At this time among the Commissioners present, we noticed Mr. Tufnell, M. P., and the Hon. Fred. Byng. On .I,r. Willoughby taking the chair, and the question of the election of a Chairman being put, Mr. LESLIE wished to know under what statute or authOrity they elected a Chairman for a year. lie greatly deprecated the election of a perpetual Chairman, believing it to be bad in principle and injurious to the public good. He felt persuaded that it would be much better that the Court should elect its j Chairman every day. The adoption of such a course, he be lieved, would be most salutary—would expedite the business of the Court, end would relieve it of many of the evils by which it was at present surrounded. It was his firm belief, and, until he was convinced to the contrary, he should maintain it, that the evils and mischiefs to which the Court had been ex posed arose mainly through the Chairman being a permanent officer. Many things had been done under the autho- rity of the Chairman which had been totally unknown to the Court and quite inconsistent with the Statute of Sewers. He thought the Court ought to pause and consider well before they appointed a Chairman, whether they should elect him for a twelvemonth or a day. He thought it unwise and inex pedient to appoint an annual Chairman. Sir J. J. HA NSLER moved that T. L. Donaldson, Esq., the late Chairman, should, be appointed to that office for the year ensuing. Mr. W. B. FRANCE seconded the motion. Mr. ToFNELL wished to say nothing in disparagement of their late Chairman, but he must be allowed to say that he could not altogether agree with the principle of the Chairman conducting the proceedings of the Court upon questions pro posed and brought forward by himself—( Hear, hear)—and, in fact, sitting both as judge and jury on his own case.—( Hear, hear.) He thought some alteration in the constitution of the Court in this respect ought to take place, and if something were not done on the subject, he should feel it to be his duty to bring it forward by a specific motion. The CHAIRMAN trusted that the Hon. Commissioner would put his threat in execution, because he felt if he did so, he would discover that it was necessary that the Chairman should take the conduct, in many instances, of the business of the Court and the public. Mr. LESLIE would assert, without the fear of contradiction, that the Court had no autho r ity un d er th e St a t ute o f S ewers, to elect a permanent Chairman.—(Hear, hear.) Their clerk was the responsible person, he was recognised by the courts of law, while the Chairman was not—( Hear, hear)—and any mistake that was made would be visited on the clerk, and not upon the Chairman. Under these circumstances, he should move as an amendment—" That the Court had no authority under the Statute of Sewers to appoint a permanent Chairman, and that no such appointment should be made." Mr. ATECKETT seconded the amendment. The CHAIRMAN had no hesitation in deciding that the amendment could not be put according to the bye-laws. Mr. BYNG agreed with the Chairman, that in point of form the amendment could not be put, but at the same time he felt bound to state that he thought the worthy Commissioner, Mr. Leslie, right in stating that the Chairman ought to be appointed daily. He thought, however, that so important a subject ought to be made the subject of a specific motion. He must confess that he had witnessed on certain occasions a species of whipping-in of Commissioners, which could never take place if their Chairman was elected daily.— ( Hear.) Mr. J. GUNTER supported the amendment. After a few observations from Mr. BEECH, Mr. IIAwEEs said that he felt compelled to hold up his hand against the nomination of a fixed Chairman. In doing so he meant no disrespect to their late Chairman, but he thought the time had arrived when the subject of the election of Chairman ought to he well considered. He considered it unjust to the public and the members of that Court to give such extensive powers to their Chairman.—( Hear, hear. ) Mr. LESLIE wished to know from the Chairman whether he refused to put his amendment ? The ClialastAx felt bound to say he could not put it. Mr. LESLIE said that he would get rid of the objection of the Chairman by stating that his worthy friend to his right, Mr. Tufnell, had agreed to be put in nomination, not for the purpose of being appointed Chairman, hut, merely to raise the question whether the election of Chairman should be annual or daily. Ile also wished to give notice that it was his intention at another Court to move the alteration of the 17th bye-law. Sir J. J. HANsiEtt considered that the Court ought to know whether the gentleman who had been proposed by Mr. Leslie would serve if elected. Mr. BEEcii considered that frankness, candour, and English like honesty required that the candidate for the Chair should state whether, if elected, he would serve or riot. Mr. TUFNELL, M.P., trusted if he was elected that his conduct would show whether he was willing to serve or not. The CITAIRMAN said that there could be no doubt that the course taken by Mr. Leslie was one that was consistent with the practice of the Court. Another candidate for the Chair having been named, the only question was as to the day on which the ballot for the Chairman should take plate. A long discussion took place, which terminated in the fol lowing arrangement—that on Friday, the 12th inst., Mr. Leslie should bring forward his motion for rescinding the 17th bye law with regard to the election of Chairman, and that the ballot for that election should take place on Friday,:the 19th. Mr. LESLIE gave notice of his intention at the next General Court to move to rescind the orders of the Special Court of the 22d of December, 1843, as to the appointments of a new As , ist ant-Surveyor and a fourth Clerk of the Works, because— First, The repeated statements of the late Chairman of the area of the Eastern, Western, Ranelagh, and Counter's Creek Di,tricts being 25 square miles, of which the Clerks of the Works Mr. Bell has to superintend 9 square miles, Mr. Jenkins has to superintend 9 square miles, 111 r. Aslat has to superintend ... 7 square miles, 25 square miles, are most inaccurate, the Chairman being in error in the su perficial measurement of the four districts at least 28 millions of square yards. Second, That such appointments by the Special Court afore said, if carried out, would be illegal, contrary to the orders of Court, the statutes, the laws, ordinances, and constitution of sewers. The other routine business of the Court having been dis posed of, the Court adjourned at a late hour to Tuesday, the 9th, at eleven o'clock, when Mr. Leslie brings forward his 27 dreaded resolutions for purging the Court of Sewers of many of its impurities. Mr. Willoughby was in the chair to the rising of the Court, Mr. Donaldson did not make his appearance after his retire ment in the early part of the day. From the feeling exhibited in the Court to-day, if Mr. Leslie persist in his motion of nominating Mr. Tufnell, there is every probability of that gentleman filling the most unen viable post of Chairman of the Court of Sewers for the City and Liberty of Westminster, and part of the county of Mid dlesex. COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, FRIDAY.—Their Royal Highnesses the Princess Royal and the Princess Alice were taken out for their cus tomary exercise this morning. His Royal Highness Prince Albert hunted this morning, the harriers meeting in the Park, at the Manor House at Horton. His Royal Highness was attended by General Sir Edward Bowater, the Hon. Captain Duncombe, Hon. C. A. Murray, and Mr. G. E. Anson. After two good runs, the Royal party returned to the Castle. if er . Roial Highness the Duchess of Kent, and Lady Fanny Howard, will dine with her Majesty at the Castle this evening. His Itoyal Highness the Duke of Cambridge has arrived at Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire, to honour the Duke of Rutland with a visit, from Dean Park, Northamptonshire, the seat of the Earl of Cardigan. Sir R. Peel and Sir J. Graham visited the Earl of Aberdeen yesterday at the Foreign-office. Mr. John Wood, Chairman of the Excise, had an interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday, at his official residence in Downing-street. Lieut.-General Sir Peregrine Maitland, Governor of the Cape of Good Hope, transacted business at the Colonial-office on Thursday. Count de St. Aulaire, the French Ambassador, visited the Earl of Aberdeen yesterday at the Foreign-office. Sir David Davies has returned to his residence in Berkeley street from Witley Court, Worcestershire, the seat of her Ma jesty the Queen Dowager. The Earl of Ripon arrived in town yesterday morning from his residence on Putney-heath. His Lordship visited Sir Ro bert Peel at his residence in Whitehall-gardens. LICENSED VICTUALLERS' ASYLUM (OLD KENT.. Roan).—Yesterday the half-yearly Court of the Governors of this charity, which is established for the benefit of decayed licensed victuallers, was held at the Bridge House Hotel, Mr. George Hodges, President, in the Chair. The mi nutes of the several courts that were held during the year having been read, and confirmed, Mr. Jones read the report of the Board of Management for the past year. The Board of Management commenced with congratulating the supporters of the charity on its prosperous condition. His Royal Highness Prince Albert, acceding to the earnest soli citation of the Board, had graciously consented to become the future Patron of the charity in the room of the late Duke of Sussex. Thus the institution was honoured with the patronage of her Majesty and her Royal Consort. The subscriptions for the year amounted to 2,218/. Ths. 6d., a larger sum than had been subscribed during the previous three years. The receipts for the year were 2,619/. Os. 7d., and the disbursements reached that amount minus 1/. 2s. 9d. The funded property amounted to 6,411/., producing 2121. 9s. lOd. in dividends. There were in the asylum one hundred and three inmates, who, in addition to lodging, fuel, and candle-light, received 6s. and 7s. a week, the former be ing allowed to single and the latter to married persons. The following legacies had been bequeathed to the charity :- 19/. I9s. by Mr. Allison, Streatham-place, Brixton; 1001. by Mr. Harrison, F'addington ; and 20/. by Mr. Jones, of Bishops gate-street Without. Upon the motion of Mr. Shenton, seconded by Mr. Osborne, the Report was adopted. The vacancies amongst the several officers of the Corporation, were then filled up, and thanks voted to the Chairman, after which the Court was dissolved. THE HACII.NEY CARRIAGE PROPRIETORS AND TIIE RA ILwaYs.—Last evening there was a meeting at the York of p i fg of frhs the metropolis, whoseao r e n y , ea o rf interests nit carriage neg e repe ua h s trn a ss e du k wac n nae e ebr y : coo c i fnn a j r avu r e i rry a eea g an e uebi eys a : n t dho carriedene, a pc b rael p sl eir calling nupAirpori upon n t o o s pa ; ol s by somelof the metropolitan Railway Companies, to attend,with a view to adopting pi ompt measures for bringing the subject under the notice of Parliament early in the ensuing session. From the state ments made by Mr. Philpott, Mr. Powell, Mr. Yeoman, and o Cher large proprietors, it appeared that, accord ing to the opinion of Sir William Follett, the practice of the various Railway Companies, of employing vehicles at the various stations. exclusively for their own use, and to the exclu sion of those plying on the public stands, was not only illegal, but rendered the Companies so acting liable to the payment of the post-horse c'uty. Interviews had been had by a deputation from the body with the Commissioners of Stamps and the Board of Excise, and during the last few days with Sir George Clerk, Secretary to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, who, after payii ig considerable attention to the case, and stating that their Lord ships were aware of the monopoly complained of, recommended the deputation to apply to Sir James Gra ham, her Majesty's Secretary of State, which will be done in the course of the ensuing week. The meeting resolved on drawing up a petition for presentation to Parliament in the en suing session, with the view of getting a clause inserted in the Acts of Parliament regulating hackney carriages and Railway Companies, to remedy the grievances complained of. " Are you the box-keepor ?" drawled a puppy to a gentleman who was looking through a box-door of the late Covent-garden Theatre. " No," quietly retorted the gentle- , man ; " are you ?"—New Monthly. THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY El ENING, JANUARY 6 2 1844. THE REVENUE FOR THE YEAR AND QUARTER ENDING JANUARY 5, 1844. No. I.—An Abstract of the Net Produce of the Revenue of Great Britain in the Years and Quarters ended sth of January, 1843, and sth of January, 1844, showing the Increase or Decrease on each head thereof. YEAR YEAR QUARTERS ENDED QUARTERS ENDED Year ended Jan. 5. ,-.............-.... I Quarter ended Jan. & „.-..---....-----------........--- ‘ 1 end e d „,.. ---..... ~ ended --....__„, April 5, July 5, Oct. 10, Jan. 5, Jan. 5, ' April 5, 1 July 5, Oct. 10, Jan. 5, ' Jan. 5, 1842 1842 1842 1843 1813 1813 1843 1843 1811 181 Increase. I Decrease. I Increase. D ecrease . Customs :- -- - - - ----- .-..-.... - - Consolidated Duties ... 3,555,652 3,120,608 4,117,472 3,274,000 - 3,193,586, 3,2304,473 4,276,111 3,674,424 - '- '- - Sugar Duty to Consoli dated Fund - - - 262,546 1,252,733 - - - - - - Ditto to Supplies - 1,296,505 940,089 - 763,105 - 1,253,35? 1,092,511. - - - - - _ - - - --- Total Customs... 4,495, , .53 4422,191 5,913,977 4,214,089 19,075,310 4,219,537 4,557,201 5,529,568 4,763,968 19,073,219 Customs - Excise 1,769,161 2,810,11.0 3,726,035 3,09 -, ,008 11,407,304 1,767,373 3,030,113 3,960,550 3,030,771 11,794,807 Excise. 387,503 8,763 - Stamps 1,599,487 1,698,379 1,631,480 1,561,754 6,491,100 1,593,126 1,659,010 1,650,366 1,523,653 6,496,155 Stamps Taxes 150,753 2 ,059,139 177,437 1, 8 40,163 4,273,592 14.2,698 1,081,831 194,101 1,908,857 4,190,486 Taxes 83,106 17,306 Property Tax 313,844 257,212 571,056 1,885,232 861,709 .2,047,904 454,415 5,249,260 Property Tax 4,678,204 197,203 - Post Office l4 2,C00 154,000 168,000 141,008 005,00 1 1 14 1 ,600 145,000 160,000 143,000 512,06) Post Office ... 13,000 2 ; 000 - Crown Lands 50,500 30,000 12,500 40,000 133,000 35.000 32,560 'O,OOO 30;5 0 117,500 Crown Lands 15,500 10,100 Miscellaneous 393,193 213,757 20,924 21,537 579,411 541,556 1,063,5 9 4 17,744 11,9.7 1,634,741 scellaneous 1,055,330 9,620 -- --- - Total Ordinary Revenue 8,530,147 11,467,666 11,1)94,197 11,143,763 43,135,170 10,322,522 10,333,5.93 13,586,172 11,829,581 49,078,168 Total ... 6,121,037 178,042 760,945 75,027 I mpiest Moneys, &c 16,907 67,150 31,305 50,136 168,528 Imp. Moaeys 342,983 - 56,961 124,048 139,207 230,932 332,050 825,247 Rep. of Adv... 142,56.1 96,813 - Repayments of Advances 164,6719-514 267,5 30 1(255 1 1 8 1 0 1 ,29 0 1 1 3 Cr1 5, 1 2 9 4 7 7 t 5 i8 1 .2 1 ,(18 1 1 1 -.-. - - - - -- Total Income ... 8,720,532 11,837,748 12,285,478 11,4E6,107 44,329,865 10,169,477 13,529,290 13,851,409 12,211,777 50,071,943 Total Income 6,263,603 521,525 777,058 F31,7.7'8 Deduct De- 131, ,,, 5 , c Deduct I; --- --- Amount applied to Con- 7,046,464 6,910,776 9,047,500 0,860,014 29,704,791 9, - ,60,269 6,442,506 10,1.23,636 7,859,893 34,586,304 solidated Fund crease t, Decre - se. Ditto, as Advances Increase or of' the Year 1,659,016 4,6 , 6,350 9,161,291 4,620,053 13,975,710 507,830 6,005,273 3,187,773 4,060,383 14,721,259 5,7 5 4 2 2 1 : 7 2 : I t Increase on 725,670 [ - ithe Quarter -- - --- ---- ,- Total 8,720,5 3, 11,327,749 12,985,478 11,486,107 44,2k29,865 II 10,469,177 1 13,5,39,2E0 113,851,409 112,211,777 50,071,943 the Year. No. ll.—lncome and Charge of the Consolidated Fund, in the Quarters ended the sth January, 1843, and the sth January, 1844. ' Quarters ended Jan. 5. I Quarters ended Jan. 5. f" -x INCOME. 1813 1814 CHARGE. • 1 1843 11814_ Customs.—Consolidated Duties 3,274,000 3,674,421. Permanent Debt 8,266,383 8,241,01)0 Sugar applicable to the Terminable Annuities 657,020 016,801 Consolidated Fund Interest on Exchequer Bills issued to meet the charge on the Consolidated Fund 19,590 4,807 ---- --- Sinking Fund 227,135 Total Customs 3,274,000 3,674,424 The Civil List 7673 97597 Excise Stamps 1,561,754 1,523,653 For Advances, and to pay otl'Exchequer Bills issued for Advances Taxes -- Trope, ty Tax Post Office Crown Lands 40,000 50,000 -- Miscellaneous 21,537 11,917 10,665,709 11,133,205 Imprest and other Monies 107,f97 50,1' 6 ---- ---___, Repayment of Advances 235,247 332,060 -- _ The Amount of Exchequer Bills issued to meet the charge on the Consolidated Fund for the Quarter ended July 5, 1843, 10,565,709 11,138,305 and paid off out of the growing produce of that Fund for the Quarter ended January 5,1844 The Amount issued in the Quarter ended January 5, 1844, in part of the sums granted by Parliament out of the Consoli dated Fund for Supply services 2,967,839 To Cash brought to this Account to IThe Surplus of the Consolidated Fund, Quarter ended January 5, 1844 ... 1,231,517 1,736,322 be applied to pay off Deficiency Bills 100,000 ----- -- ---- The probable amount of Exchequer Bills required to meet the charge on the Consolidated Fund, Quarter ended 10,665,7(.9 11,138,305 January 5, 1844 5,464,859 HYDROCYANIC ACID—A REMEDY FOR BLINDNESS. (From Chambers' Edinburgh Journal. castor oil the oil of almonds. By this treatment, in two months he diminished the size of both eyes, and so much decreased the opacity of the right eye, th the pupil made its appearance, and the child began to see, and to be able to walk alone. After an interval in attendance, caused by the Doctor's absence from town, during which nothing was done for her, she returned in 1842, when the vapour of the hy drocyanic acid was regularly applied to both eyes. This mode of treatment still further reduced the size of the left eye, bringing it within the com pass of the eyelids, and finally diminished the right eye to a proper size, besides greatly strengthening its power of vision. She had attended a school for the blind, where she learned to read raised letters by touch ; but now that she is able to see, she reads equally well by the eye as the fingers. I tried her both ways, and think the eye had the best of it; she read passages in a volume which I took from my pocket with facility and propriety. While the right eye had thus far advanced, leaving comparatively little to be done to it, the left eye was gradually losing its whitish opacity; the blue pupil was shining out; and, supposing the cure to go no farther, the orb was be coming less offensive in its general appearance—a matter of some consequence to a face otherwise far from unpleasing. When I last saw this child, her health was greatly better than it had been in her days of total and hopeless blindness. The removal of sloughs or opacities of the cornea was shown in various other cases ; a person who had been blind in the right eye for twenty years, said he now could see with it. Many entered and left the room by their own unaided sight, who told me they could not formerly walk without a guide. At one time there used to be nearly as many " leaders" in attendance as blind people ; now, few of these are required. As soon as one gets a glimmering of sight, he begins to act as a guide to others, and thus " the blind leading the blind" is no longer a mere figure in rhetoric. tions ; but having left town before any decided melioration was effected, I am unable to say what was the result. Here my personal observations may be considered as having drawn to a close, leaving the conviction on my mind, that the account given of Dr. Turnbull's operations on the eye was substantially correct, and that by means of the vapour of prussic acid, and other stimulants applied in the manner I have described, sight will in many cases be restored, when, as I have reason to believe, all the ordinary forms of counter.. irritation and stimulus fail. I can at least say that, in every instance I judged for myself, and entirely with a reference to the elucidation of truth. I took the histories of the patients from their own mouths, and have no reason to suppose they had any intention to deceive, or were themselves deceived by imaginary feelings. I could not, indeed, for a moment enter tain the idea that they were anything but what they plainly appeared ; persons, for the most part, in humble circumstances, eager to be relieved from a great bodily affliction, and thankful for the relief they had already experienced. Having thus received what I believed to be the most credible testimony respecting the efficacy, and, I may add, the simplicity and safety of Dr. Turnbull's applications to the eye, I felt satisfied that, in copying the account from the Literary Gazette, these pages had not been stained by giving currency to anything like imposture ; at the same time, from the extraor dinary unwillingness of the medical world to believe a single word respecting the powers of prussic acid to meliorate blindness, I deemed it necessary to be cautious in making any fresh statement on the subject. On my arrival in Edinburgh, there fore, after a journey on the Continent in the interval, I submitted my experiences to a medical friend, Alexander Miller, Esq., Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, with a reques t t h at h e would gratify me by giving Dr. Turnbull's form of applica tion a fair trial. Having kindly consented to my wish, this gentleman first tried the vapour of prussic in a bottle prepared by Dr. Turnbull for the purpose, upon one of his patients, a boy, who was affected with opacity of the cornea in one of his eyes. Greatly to his delight, and mine also, and much more so to the parents of the child, the boy, after being blind, was restored to sight after a few applications. The following is Mr. Miller's account of the case :- 32, Buccleuch-place, Edinburgh, Nov. 28, 1843. My dear Sir,—Having, at your desire, undertaken to ascertain the effect of the application of the vapour of hydrocyanic acid in certain affections of the eye, I beg to furnish you with the results I have observed during the short time I have been engaged with this important investigation. The first case in which I employed the vapour is the only one that I will de tail at any length, as it is much further advanced towards recovery than any of the others ; in fact, the cure may be said to be all but completed. It was a case of opacity of the cornea. A boy, J. C., wt. 7, of a strumous habit, and of a strumous family, in the summer of 1842 suffered from an attack of small-pox, before recovering from which he was seized with measles. During these attacks both eyes were affected with inflammation, which con- In the - summer of last year, while residing for a month in London, no subject of interest which the metropolis presents engaged so large a share of my at tention as one which now, after considerable delibera tion, I propose explaining to the reader of these pages on the score of public duty. I allude to a series of personal examinations which I made respecting the validity of certain alleged cures and meliorations of blindness, performed by Dr. Turnbull, of Russell square, chiefly by means of hydrocyanic acid. It is proper to say why an unprofessional person should have considered it at all necessary to devote time to the investigation of a subject of this nature. The first time I heard anything of Dr. Turnbull's operations on the eye, was through an article in the Literary Gazette of June 12, 1842, from which, on the credit of that print, and simply for the sake of conveying what appeared a piece of curious scientific information to the public, an extract was made into the present journal (No. 546). There, in all proba bility, the matter might have rested, but for what seemed an unreasonable att ac k f rom a Contemporary, calling in question the truth of the statements in the Journal, and pr o t es ti ng aga i nst t h e i n j ury they were likely to accomplish. Having sinned in ignorance, if they had sinned at all, the editors of Chambers's Edin burgh .Tournal resolved to embrace the first convenient opportunity of investigating, personally, what was evidently a two-sided subject, and of forming their own opinion. No doubt this was a hazardous reso lution, for, unacquainted with the state of ocular sur gery, they might possibly be misled by appearances, and give credence to what was in reality a fallacy. Nevertheless, with a determination to exercise caution in a matter so intricate, to sift the evidence presented, and to judge only from facts, they hoped to satisfy themselves whether the allegations against them rested on a basis of truth or prejudi ce . Thi s o pp or t un it y happily occurred, as has been said, in the summer of the past year, when one of the editors, the present writer, was for a few weeks in the metropolis. To descend to the first person—One of the earliest of my movements after arriving in town was to wait upon Dr. Turnbull and explain the object of my visit. This was no sooner announced, than that gen tleman professed his willingness to give me every in formation respecting his practice in cases of blindness, to explain all that seemed puzzling or difficult, and to submit his patients freely to every sort of examination which I chose to institute. " What time," said I, " do your gratis patients attend ?" " Thrice a-week, at nine in the morning." " Then I shall be in at tendance at that time during my stay in London." I did so, and every alternate morning found me on my way up Tottenham Court-road, towards Russell square, where the subjects of my inquiry were con gregated. That opacities in the external coating of the eye should be removable by a pungent and active vapour, is much less surprising than that such applications should at all affect cases of cataract, which resembles a pearly matter within the eye, and therefore removed considerably from the proximate action of the vapour from the acid. Several cases of this form of blindness were brought under my notice, as having been par tially meliorated by the process ; but, on the whole, I think the Doctor was less successful in this depart ment than in others. The cure, if it be possible, is evidently tedious ; but as cataract is removable by couching, a want of success with the external applica tions is perhaps the less to be regretted. Some cases of amaurosis interested me not a little. Amaurosis, it is proper to explain, is that form of blindness in which the eyes appear sound to an ob server, but are really incapable of vision. The defect arises from paralysis of the optic nerve, or the branches of the fifth pair of nerves; or sometimes from disease of the brain itself. The restoration of sight in such cases, particularly if of a confirmed nature, has hitherto been considered hopeless by the profession. Dr. Turnbull entertains a very different opinion. He believes the complaint to be removable by stimulating the nerves and the circulation in the neighbourhood of the eye. This he does in two ways; first, by apply ing the vapour of hydrocyanic acid to the ball of the eye, in the manner already described ; and second, by the application of essential oils, diluted in alcohol, to the forehead; warmth, increased circulation, ab sorption, and action, are the consequence. By treat ment of this kind, ffound several patients so far re covered from their amaurosis, as to be able to read by sight any book put before them. Sophia Brown, a milli ner , t o ld me s h e had been quite blind with amaurosis, and had been dismissed as past remedy by all the medical men to whom she applied. But by her attendance on Dr. Turnbull for seven months, her sight is gradually coming back ; she can now see objects, though not distinctly, and can walk without a guide. I left her with sight im proving and general health greatly better. Sophia Townsend, who had been blind with amaurosis in the left eye, for which nothing could be done of the least value by the medical men in whose hands she had been, could now, after three months' applications, see so well with that eye, as to be able to read with it. To satisfy myself s till further as to the possibility of assuaging amaurosis by the external stimulants, I sent for a person named John Plunket, formerly an at torney's clerk, who for several years had been so blind with amaurosis, as to be led about by his children. This man told me that his left eye had been destroyed by operations, and therefore Dr. Turn bull addressed himself only to the right. By re peated applications of essential oils to the forehead his sight in this undestroyed eye gradually recovered. Thfs s r ti e l cloiinprn recovery took by place four years ago, and his sight was a book which I produced, weekly and i a s p pli desirous catio cations sa. of employ read mpl ment as a clerk. This was a very satisfactory case of recovery from amaurosis, but perhaps not more so than another, that of Eleanor M'Cartney, a poor Irish woman in St. Giles' Workhouse, Holborn. Guided by Mrs. Bailey, the respectable matron of this Insti tution, I was conducted to the couch of this bed-rid pauper, whose neat and cleanly appearance, as she sat up in bed, bespoke a declension from better days. Eleanor told her case in few words. About the year - The cases chiefly brought under my notice were those of from thirty to forty poor people, in dif ferent states of blindness, and whose condition I could progressively observe. Some of the cases were among those which had already been made known in the Literary Gazette; others were more recent. In either instance, the parties showed no 'reluctance to tell me the story of their maladies, and submitted with pa tience to my repeated examinations and cross questionings. One by one they were brought from an adjoining room into the surgery, and operated upon in my presence. I shall here describe, as clearly as possible, the principle on ,which the Doctor pro fesses to act. Some years ago, according to his own account, having remarked that the eyes of persons who had destroyed themselves by hydrocyanic or prussic acid remained clear and dilated, he considered that the acid exerted a specific action upon the eye, which might be made available as a medical agent for re lieving many of the diseases to which that organ is subject. After a few cautious experiments, he be came assured of the truth of his conjectures, and began to apply the vapour of this powerful acid to the eyes of persons afflicted with blindness, and with surprising effect. As far as I have compre hended his explanations, the vapour acts both as a stimulant and sedative. By exciting the small blood-vessels to a great degree, the languid circulation is roused into activity ; and nature, no longer shackled by the morbid affection, hastens to restore the organ to its normal condition, and sight is the conse quence. Subsequent experiments showed to Dr. Turnbull that the practice might be advantageously varied, to suit different cases, were he to employ other agents, as the vapour of chloracyanic acid, sulphu retted chyazic acid, and chloruret of iodine. Each of these, therefore, he now uses in a small phial with a glass stopper, and with a mouth shaped to cover the hollow of the eye. In the bottle containingthe hydro cyanic acid, in order to prevent any dangerous conse quences from accidentally spilling the liquid, he puts some pieces of asbestos to act as a sponge; the use of it is hence quite safe, care only being taken not to allow the patient to smell it. The same thing is done I with respect to the chloracyanic acid. Having received these preliminary explanilrions, it became important for me to understand upon what kinds of blindness the vapour of these acids might be most advantageously directed. The cases submitted to my inspection were various in their nature—opa city of the cornea, rheumatic opthalmia, staphyloma, or projecting sloughed eye, amaurosis, cataract, and some others. On some of these the operations with the hydrocyanic acid and other vapours were, from what I could observe, more efficacious than others. The first case of more than ordinary interest which I shall mention was that of Diana Prim rose. A number of years ago, as this woman told me, her eyes became afflicted with opthalmia; they - were swollen, inflamed, and so blind, that she could only distinguish light, and she required to be led by a guide ; to aggravate her complaint, the eyelashes would grow no other way but inwards. The pains in her head were very severe. She attended several, hospitals and institutions in the hope of finding relief, but without the least benefit. On one occasion, a surgeon cut away a portion of the upper lid of the left eye, and many of her eyelashes were from time to time pulled out. From less to more, the poor creature became a spectacle of horror to all who saw her; :and her existence was a burden which she would willingly have resigned. At length she visited Dr. Turnbull, who, by applying his usual medical agents, supp ressed the virulence of the complaint ; the hitherto refractory eyelashes began to grow as nature designed them,, outwards ; and now there seemed little the matter with her, except a redness of the eyelids, and a dimness in tie organs of vision. She said she could now see pretty well ; she could read large print, walk about with out a guide, the pains in her head were gone, and she was able to support herself by her industry ; in proof of this, she brought forward a basket of colour ed worsted articles, by the knitting of which she erns a livelihood. She expressed a lively grati tude for her restoration to sight, and the last time I saw her she was advancing towards a perfect recovery. Of the cases of staphyloma, or projecting eye, with opacity of the cornea, none interested me more than that of a little girl, by name Georgina Larkins. This awe' A-tempered child became blind when she was six day s old, in consequence of an attack of inflammation. Re .errin g to the professional history of her case, already b eft )re the public, it is sufficient for me here to mention, that ; all the ordinary means for restoring sight proved, irn h er case, unavailing; and that in April, 1840, she v ras brought to Dr. Turnbull, a ghastly object—the 1 , aft e ye projecting to twice the - natural dimensions, And o f a general blue colour, with a white body re sembling a mother-of-pearl button in the centre; - while the right eye was white, without any appear ance of iris or pupil. The case was as hopeless as c ould well be imagined, yet to it the Doctor set with b i s applications, beginning by putting a drop of castor o it into each eye, and occasionally substituting for the tinned more or less severe for nearly twelve months, notwithstanding the constant employment of reme dies, the right eye suffering more than the left : when the inflammation at last yielded, it was found that no disorganisation of the left eye had taken place, but that the right one had suffered to a very consi derable extent ; the cornea was found opaque to nearly four-fifths of its whole extent, the greatest opacity occupying the centre, and gradually diminish ing towards the circumference; the only part not affected was the margin, where it joins the sclerotic. The effect of this opacity of the cornea was to impede vision completely, so that the boy could not, with the affected eye, distinguish one object from another; all that he could do was to discern light from dark ness. Such was the state of matters for months previous to the Ist October last, when the hydrocy anic acid vapour was first applied. This I ascertained from personal observation before using the vapour. The hydrocyanic acid was applied according to the method recommended by Dr. Turnbull of London, and by means of the apparatus procured by you from him. The immediate effect was increased secretion of tears, redness of the conjunctiva and cornea; these in stantly becoming covered with numerous small vessels, the eyelids also participating in the redness, their colour contrasting strangely with the surrounding paleness of the face. The boy declared he felt no pain, only an agreeable sensation of heat was produced. The application of the vapour has been re peated every second, third, or fourth day, as it was found convenient, so that in all it has been applied about twenty different times. The change upon the cornea has been not only remarkable, but most satisfactory; the opacity perceptibly diminishing after every application, until there now only remains the slightest haziness, which I am confident will also dis appear after a few more applications. There has likewise been a corresponding improvement in the vision. Prom being unable to distinguish the largest objects, he now can discern the smallest. Besides the above, I have employed the hydrocyanic acid vapour in upwards of twelve other cases of various affections of the eye, but in none for such a long period. They have all come under my care during the last two or three weeks, and have the disadvantage of being of much longer standing than the one detailed, and must necessarily require longer time before the beneficial effects are produced, many of these being cases of from fifteen to twenty years' standing. Still, from the im provement observed in several of these, where the affection is opacity of the cornea, I feel confident in assuring you that I look upon the vapour of the hy drocyanic acid as a most valuable remedy in all such affections. With regard to its effects in other diseases, such as. amaurosis, cataract, &c., I cannot, as yet, speak from my own observation and experience. As I have some cases of these affections under treatment, I shall foe happy to communicate the results to you as soon as I have given the remedy a fair trial. One important fact which I have been able to establish is, that there is not the slightest danger attending the application of the hydrocyanic acid—providing due caution is observed in doing so—even in cases of the most de.licate and feeble constitution; for a more un healthy subject could not be found than the boy whose case I have described.--I am yours truly, ALEX. MILLER. 1829 she became quite blind in the right eye, and deaf in the right ear, from an attack of paralysis, in which state she remained till 1835, when Dr. Turn bull, by his applications, restored her sight and hear ing in a week, and she had retained both ever since. Mrs. Bailey corroborated all the poor woman said. At my request she read a few passages with the formerly blind eye from a devotional work lying by her bed side. This quite satisfied me. In one of my latest visits to Dr. Turnbull's, I saw for the first time a case of conical eye, a form of dis ease which I understand has hitherto b e en con sidered as incurable as amaurosis. I n thi s di sor d er the eye projects to an obtuse p o i n t , w i t h a b r i ll i ant speck in front, as if a small piece of crys t a l were l a id upon the cornea. By the action of the va p our , th e speck in this case was disappea r i ng, an d t h e s i ght coming back. Sometimes I was permitted to see patient s mov i ng i n the higher spheres of life ; but their cases were usua ll y °fa more simple and less painful nature than the others. One of the most interesting of this class was that of a gentleman who complained of having ever present in one of his eyes a small speck, which marred the field of vision. He mentioned, however, that there was no actual i speck in the organ, that it was a mere spectrum, which, greatly to rg hi a s n s , urprise, had been im pressed on the retina after he had on one occasion been a telescop e , i n w hi c h a speck happened looking intently to be oti through oneof the lense s . Th e men tion of this remarkable apparition recalled to Dr. Turnbull's memory sonic analogous cases which he recounted. " I remember, said he, "on the occa sion of the annular eclipse of the sun a few years ago, that several people with weak and over-susceptible eyes, even although sheltered by smoked glass, re ceived impressions which remained for a l eng th of time. One gentleman called on me to say, that he could not, night or day, get the eclipse out of his eye. Wherever he looked, there the bright ring of the sun, with the (darkened moon in the centre, was present. I could not, unfortunately, relieve him from his apparationary tormentor, for I had not then dis covered the mode of treatment I now pursue." This curious case of abiding spectrum was paralleled by another which was mentioned, that of a gentleman who, from having one day looked fixedly at a print of the Lord's prayer the size of a sixpence, received the impression of it on the retina, where, to his annoy ance, it remained ever present to his sense of vision. After a little conversation on the cause of such sin• gularities, the gentleman who was affected with the small speck was subjected to the ordinary applica, After receiving such assurances, any hesitation to publish the result of my inquiries seemed to me un justifiable and pusillanimous. I now, therefore, submit the foregoing statements, with a confidence in their accuracy ; and shall feel gratified if they in any way prove the means of inducing medical men to examine, apart from all private or personal considerations, into the merits of the discoveries and applications in ques tion. W. C. DEATH OF GENERAL COMTE D'ORSAY.—We re gret to announce the death of General Comte d'Orsay, which took place at his chateau in Franche Comte, on the 26th of Decembe':. His son Comte Alfred, now Comte d'Orsay, was called from England three weeks ago to the death of his father, which kis presence and filial attention cheered to the last. General Comte d'Orsay was one of the most distinguished offi cers in. Napoleon's army, and on the Restoration, was employed by the. King, Louis XVIII., in whose service he was sent as Governor to Vittoria, where he so conciliated the affection and esteem of the inhabitants, that on his departure they presented him with a costly sword, inscribed " Au General Comte d'Or say, Vittoria reconnoisant." The father of the General was one of the most liberal patrons of art that Franco ever had, and his noble collection of pictures and statues were open to the artists of every country. He married, first, the Princesse de Croy, belonging to one of the most ancient families in France, mother to the General : and, secondly, the Princesse de Hohen loer, of the noble house of that name in Germany, by whom he had a second son, the Comte Maximilian d'Orsay, at present one of the Chamberlains to the Emperor of Austria. Sit Peregrine Maitland, Governor of the Cape of Good: Hope, is expected to embark on Monday, to enter upon his o. aeial duties. EXTRAORDINARY UPROAR. LECTURE ON MESMERISM. On Thursday evening a lecture was given at the Greenwich Literary and Scientific Institution by Mr. Vernon on Mesme rism, which has latterly excit e d great attention, particularly in that district. At eight o'clock the lecture hall, which will con tain upwards of 1,000 persons, was crowded to excess. Amongst the company were a great number of ladies, several of the county magistrates, gentry, and professional and scientific men. On the platform, which was devoted to the lecturer, pati en t s , and medical gentlemen, who attended to take part in the pro ceedir.gs, were Dr. Oak, of Blackheath ; Dr. Purvis, of Green wich ; and Messrs. Oak, Mitchell, Sherwin, Atkins, Apple ton, Smith, and Addison and Hope, surgeons of the Dread nought Hospital ship; besides a number of medical students from the London hospitals in the gallery. Mr. BENNETT, silversmith, of Stockwell-street, Greenwich, was called to the Chair. Mr. VERNON then came forward and introduced three mes meric patients—namely, the boy Cook, a very intelligent look inc.-6 youth ; a youn g man , apparent l y about 20 years of age, and the very reverse in appearance to Cook ; and a young woman, about the same age. She was very pale, and having looked timidly round sat down and appeared to pay great attention to the lecturer's address. Mr. Smith, jun., who it will be remembered mesmerised the boy Cook, was also present. Mr. VERNON said that, from the great number of persons present, he felt assured a strong interest was felt on the subject of mesmerism. The cause which had mere directly brought him down was the case of the boy Cook, whom he had been requested to visit, and he now came forward more particularly to meet the gentlemen of the medical profession, who had so boldly asserted that it was a delusion from beginning to end. He had no doubt he should show effects which would convince * any unbiassed mind that mesmerism was not a delusion, but deserved to be ranked amongst the sciences. He then went on with a formal lecture on the subject, and was occasionally saluted with laughter from the medical gentlemen, and on two or three occasions audible hisses greeted his ears. The Lecturer then cleared the front of the platform, so that no persons might touch the patient or be near enough to nega tive the mesmeric influence. The female was then seated in a chair facing the auditory. Mr. VERNON requested any two or three gentlemen to stand by during the operations. Ile hoped to have seen Mr. Hope, who had so positively denied the existence of mesmeric in fluence over the boy Cook, come and defend his assertions if he could. There was a general call for Mr. Hope, who, accompanied by Mr. Addison, another surgeon on board the Dreadnought, stepped on to the platform. The LECTURER, in answer to questions, said he had mes merised the patient four times before, but never publicly. He had done so six weeks ago at a private soiree at Dr. Partridge's in Upper Monta g ue -street. Dr. OAK said that only a few minutes before the girl said she had only been mesmerised twice ; her memory, therefore, was, at all events, very defective.—(Hear.) Mr. MITCHELL—weII, if there is any truth in the argument, I ask the lecturer to mesmerise me. As a professional man I shall be a better patient.—(Laughter.) I must confess I am sceptical, but if I am wrong I am willing to become a convert —the test, however, must be my being subjected to the mes meric influence, and here I am to submit to it.—(He seated himself in a chair amidst tumultuous applause, which appeared at first to astound the operator. Mr. VERNON appealed to the Chairman whether it could be expected of him to do any other than appeared in the bills. He had attended, not of his own accord, but by special invitation ; neither was he doing it for pecuniary gain. He had no hand in drawing up the bill, but had prepared himself to act up to the promise held out in it. He thought he would be doing sufficient in demonstrating what he could do, without attempting that which might be successful, or from many causes an utter failure. It was a subject which ought to be acted upon with solemnity and calm ness, and not in the manner which the gentleman who had strutted out and thrown himself into antics something amount ing to mountebank-ism.—( Hear, hear, and laughter—and "No shuffling.") The person who cried "no shuffling" had put himself hors de combat—he kept aloof and proved he could not approach the subject as a matter of science. With regard to the gentleman (Mr. Mitchell) he would undertake to say that on any future occasion he would mesmerise him—if he could.— (Hear, and laughter.) Mr. SHERWIN said that by the invitation of the Learned Professor they had left the pleasures of private life to meet him on the occasion, and all they asked was a fair opportunity to in vestigate the matter. Mr. VERNON—Don't call me a learned professor.—( A voice, " Hold your tongue, don't quarrel; who can go to sleep in such a noise ?")—(Laughter. ) Mr. VERNON—I say it was not my summons for you to attend. I had no interest in the matter, and have only come to prove facts within my own knowledge.—( Hisses, and much confusion, ) The CHAIRMAN called loudly to order, and begged to know whether it was desired that the lecture should proceed? Dr. Puitvis said it was a matter which ought to be met fairly, calmly, and dispassionately; and, as Mr. Version had come to oblige, it was not treating him fairly. They could not tell what those phenomena were, and it was not fair to chal lenge him to do what he had not professed. Order having been restored, Drs. Purvis and Oak were called 'on by the audience to act as judges, and give their impartial opinion as to the result of the experiment. The Lecturer then made the usual passes, and in less than one minute the patient was d ec l are d b y t h e operator to be in a state of mesmeric coma. Mr. Addison and Mr. Sherwin then applied a bottle of strong ammonia to her nostrils and mouth, for several minutes, and the patient showed but very slight oppression. Mr. Sherwin afterwards unclosed her eyelids and introduced his fingers into her mouth, without any visible effect, but caused loud cries of " shame " from many persons. On being loudly called on to state his opinion as to whether the patient was in a mesmeric trance, he, after some ambiguous answers, said there was more the appearance of a person assuming sleep than otherwise. She evidently had a will and responded to the touch. Mr. VERNON said she was not sleeping the sleep of death, nor was it pretended that she bad no will or imagination; the real question was, was it a mesmeric or natural sleep. The test of the strong ammonia which Mr. Sherwin had adminis tered at half the strength and applied for half the time, would have awoke him out of the soundest natural sleep. Dr. OAK said he had been thirty-five years in the profession, and he hoped he might venture an opinion on the case. He wished to be convinced whether there was any truth in the matter, but, looking at the patient, it was evident she was hysterical, and not in health ; at present she was labouring under hysteria ; besides that, he bad just previously heard her speak. - Mr. VERNON—Yes, to be sure you did, to inc. Dr. OAK (vehemently),—When I hear the operator speak to the patient, who answers rationally, how the devil can you think otherwise than that she is awake ?—(Loud cries of " re turn our money," and great confusion. ) Mr. VERNON—Dr. Oak said that from 35 years' experience he was qualified to decide whether it was a case of mesmerism or not. Dr. OAK--I did not say mesmerism. I don't believe in it, and 1 won't have words put into my mouth. Mr. VERNON—It it one of the facts connected with the phenomena.—( Great uproar, and cries of " you are practising an absurdity—the imposture is sufficiently apparent," &c.) The CHAIRMAN—ShaII the meeting be dissolved ?—(Up roar. ) The lecturer, of course, does not expect to make every man here of the same opinion, but he is entitled to a hearing. Those who are dissatisfied !might have their money returned if they thought proper to leave.—( Hear. ) Mr. VERNON said he expected to have met with a profes sional reception, instead of the uproarious conduct which was more like that in the gallery of a theatre, than of those met for the acquirement of scientific knowledge. Whatever the ge neral tenor of their minds might be at that time they were not capable of appreciating any scientific expla na ti on . U n l ess , therefore, some pledge was given of more ord er ly con d uct h e would not demean himself by continuing the lecture to them.—( Great uproar, during which the lecturer led the patient off; he then returned). Such uproar was truly disgraceful. He must be excused, if, after such treatment, he was some what excited. Ile had not run away, but had been perform ing an act of common courtesy to a female who had voluntarily some forward for their information.—( Hear, hear.) She was not kindly treated by the medical gentleman, and the mes meric influence had been partially destroyed.—(Cries of " It's all a humbug," &c.) Mr. WADE (of Deptford) said there were two facts which ought to be stated, which were, that Mr. Vernon had come forward purely for the sake of truth ; and the next, that the money received for admission was to go to the institution, and not a farthing went to him—( Applause). urder having been in some degree restored, the lecturer said it was quite impossible for him to say what the mesmeric phenomena might now be, as he himself had been excited and flurried by the riot and uproar, and so no doubt had been the young man whom he was now about to operate on. He then made the passes, and after a few contortions of the face he dropped for a moment apparently in a state of coma, but startled up and rubbed his eyes. The operator placed his hand on him, and let bins gently down. He frequently started up, exclaiming " I am so hot—be quiet—let me go—you are bothering me about being mesmerised again." He then ap parently fell into a state of profound coma, and a lengthened conversation took place between Mr. Appleton and the lec turer as to the tests to be applied. The lecturer said he had never operated on the lad before, but was told that whilst in that state he was susceptible of feeling, smell, and partial sight. He could, however, be laid in a state of catalepsy, or one arm could be catalepsed, and there would be a difference in the pulsation, which he thought would be a sufficient test. Mr. ArrLETON said it would not in his opinion, for he could by the extension of the muscles of one arm reduce the pulsation in the other. Dr. Purvis and Mr. Taylor examined the pulse of each arm, and the difference when the left arm was in a state of catalepsy was four beats in a minute, and when reversed only two beats. The left arm appeared as immovable as a statue, but the most magical change took place by the operator pass ing his hand slightly down,—it fell instantaneously. At this juncture, a Mr. Ilarris, a cabinet-maker, in South street, Greenwich, in a ruffianly way, struck the patient a tremendous blow on the hand with a stick; the blow sounded above the buzz and noise of the meeting. In an instant there was a simultaneous burst of indignation even by those who had been most prominent in their opposition to the lec turer. There were loud cries of " Turn him out," " police," " shame, shame," &c., and he was pretty roughly handled. Several accidental collisions led to the exchange of blows, and for a few minutes the confusion was indescribable. At length Barris was taken into custody by the police. Mr. VERNON again appeared. He said he must absolve every one in the place of any participation in the dastardly con duct of the party who had struck the inoffensive lad whilst in such a state; but he could not think of continuing the lecture that evening when there was so much excitement, but hereafter he would meet the gentlemen of the profession and their friends as many times as they liked, and explain his knowledge, and would undertake to mesmerise any of their family. Mr. Hope should even be Else agent, and should be able to mesmerise a person by his, Mr. Vernon's, power and communication; the patient should also disclose the taste of whatever he gave to Mr. hope, or Mr. Hope gave to him. Ile felt certain of the truth, but could not define it, or reduce it to a principle—it was like the laws of gravitation, motion, and heat, only known to exist. Physiology and pathology had been intensely studied for upwards of :1,000 years, and yet there were doubts. Mes. merism, therefore, ought not to be condemned as chimes ical without a fair inquiry.—( Applause). The lecturer then withdrew with his patients. Strange to say, the lad never flinched under the blow, nor did his hand show the least mark. Mr. Hore, who was the first to contradict the existence of mesmeric influence, declined passing any opinion, It was publicly stated, on the authority of some medical men, that the students had come down purposely to create a dis turbance, and stop the lecture. MORTALITY IN THE METROPOLIS.--The number of deaths during the week ending Dec. 30, was 1,007, exceed ing those of the preceding week by 39, and the average at this season by 60. The increase is chiefly caused by deaths from scarlatina, }looping cough, croup, bronchitis, and asthma. Those fr om pneumon i a (inflammation of the lungs, which some weeks since were nearly 200, have fallen to 99, only 9 above the average. Deaths from small-pox are on the increase; of the 15 persons who died last week 11 had not been vaccinated. The table contains the death of a man who died at the age of 100 years and 9 months. \C ) LITERAITRE. CHRONICLES Of ME BASTILE. We believe that this Mork is derived from French sources, but it is hot the lessfihe that will be read with considerable interest in Eng. , laud, where th e B ast il e was; it._;existed, considered the accursed engine of tyranny and despotism, and where, on its destruction, a general feeling of joy was excited, (even the gentle Cowper was moved) at the thought that "its towers had fallen at last." It is here in tended to shadow forth something of the secret history of this terrible dungeon, the grave of so many captives, who in its cells were dead to the world, though keenly alive to all the worst miseries of life. In such a " Chronicle" there must necessarily be a large mixture of fiction with fact ; but the wildest imagination can hardly surpass in strangeness same of the events with which the Bastile is connected. The tales arc represented as being given from a manu script kept by a mysterious old man, known as " The Old man of the Bastile ;" and the series commences with a story called " The lier tandiere." Robert Cruikshank has illustrated the part with two good engravings on steel. THE LONDON JOURNAL OF ARTS, SCIENCES, AND MANUFACTURES. A valuable porti on o f t hi s wor k is the reper tory of inventions that have been patented within the year. The work has long been an established one, and deserves its success. PAY.IVE'S UNIVERSUiII; OR, PICTORIAL WORLD. This is the commencement of an illustrated work of a superior kind ; it will contain fine engravings of " views in all countries, portraits of great men, and specimens of works of art of all ages and of every character." The plates given in the first Part are three in number—" Whalers attacked by Bears, on the Ice," by A. H. Payne, after Biard ; a Vi ew o f T ern i , b y the same en graver; and the " Ave Maria," which, in its large form, is so popular at present, if we may judge from the frequency with which it appears in the stock of the best printsellers. This, and the first-named plate, are, we think, the beat. THE CHEMIST. In this cheap and well-arranged scientific work, there are two papers, by Professor Liobig, one—" Investigations concerning the Bile ;" the other, "On the Distribution or Appropriation of Land." THE ART UNION. This periodical commences the new year with a Number of great merit, both in its literary and pictorial departments. The proprietors announce several improvements in their plan, which will be developed immediately, and of which some are visible in this Number. The first article, " On the Mercantile Value of the Fine Arts," is of the kind exactly ca l cu l ate d to pro d uce a good effect among a mercantile community like this, and we are glad to perceive that the subject is to be followed up. The Number derives a general and permanent value from a very spirited litho- Lraph of one of Wilki e ' s sketches in the Holy and, " Hebrew women reading the Scriptures at Jerusalem," a beautiful subject admirably treated. It also contains a portrait of Overbeck, the historical painter of Germa n y, an d two f i ne specimens of the finished outline illustrations to the new edition of the song of the Nibelungen. The Number is a credit to our periodical litera ture. THE PEOPLE'S PHRENOLOGICAL JOURNAL. Mesmerism, as connected with Phrenology, is attracting much attention at present, and those who have engaged in the controversy on either side will find some interesting information in the present number of this Journal. THE CURRENCY. TO THE EDl7'Ol? OF THE SUN. Six,--The appearance of an article in The Sun, signed " Beirniard," has led to the following questions. Can your Correspondent answer them satisfactorily, the question of " de preciation or no depreciation" may, perhaps, be considered as decided.—Your obedient servant, GERMANICUS. A, a banker, issues notes of the value of twenty shillings each, promising to repay them, on demand, in gold, at the rate of 123 grains, standard fine, per note. Presently war or political circumstances, or a demand for gold, causes geld to advance to 6/. per ounce. A, the banker, during the advance of the precious metal finds his stock of gold continually dimi nishing, until at length necessity compels him to petition the State to restrain him from haying his notes in gold according to the original contract. The State grants the prayer of the petition. Now if B, the holder of a note of twenty shillifigs, cannot exchange it at any of the London bullion offices, for more than 80 grains, standard fine, or 12.11 i, does not the difference, namely, 43 grains, cause a loss to the holder of the note, and is not the banker' s not e th ere b y d eprec i ated? Manchester, Jan. 5, 1844. The whole county is groaning with gold. It requires a perfect spendthrift power of squandering to get rid of a sovereign. Peel, ever changing in his principles,:has, by way of counterpoise, taken all power of change out of the sove reign. On all sides we bear the most bitter complaints of tradesmen, whose interests materially suffer by this lingering embarrassment. One would have thought that a strong Go vernment could at least have settled tills question at once. Bu.t twelve months have passed over since the annoyance first began. —Western Times. ROYAL ARTILLERY. — Major-General J. Webber Smith, C.B, has been appointed Director-General of Artil lery, vice Major-General Sir Thomas Dowman, C. 8., who has succeeded to Colonel Commandant of the 3d battalion. Major-General J. W. Smith is expected to assume his duties at Woolwich on Tuesday next. AFFAIR or lloNouu.—The following mysterious communication has been received:—" An affair of Lamour took place at an early hour on Thursday morning, within WO miles of town, between a Mr. D-- and a Mr. P--, in con sequence of Mr. P—. having made some remarks in a billiard room reflecting upon the character of a young lady to whena Mr. D— is much attached, when Mr. D—'s ball passed through Mr. P—'s hat, within three-quarters of an inch of his head. lam authorised to state, the same parties had Lad a previous quarrel about the same matter last spring." LOVE AND MURDER.—On Wednesday night a young man named Sumner, who was paying his addresses to a girl named Shelton, both of Arnold, was talking with his lady love in the town street, when her father came to them, and told his daughter to go home. She refused, when he went and fetched a bill-hook or hand-bill, and inflicted such a severe wound upon Sumner as to fracture his skull. The brutal fel low has absconded, and his vicAini now lies in a most dangerous state. —Nottingham Journal. CURIOUS WAGERS.—On the 15th inst., a bet came off at Downham, the Isle of Ely, between a farmer of that village and a Penman, livi ng i n th e Thi r d D rove in Fodder Fen. The bet, which was for a sovereign, was, that the fenman should find his way home from a certain house in the Second Drove blindfold, a distance of about three furlongs, across several fen drains, one of which was ten feet wide, ditthes, &c. ; the widest drain he accomplished with a jumping pole— this wager wa 'cell won. The second bet, for another sove reign, was, that he was to start from the same place, blind. folded again, without a pole, to his home again. About half way on his journey he was at fault, being out of the line of the ditches some ten or twelve yards ; but he again faced the wind, arid retrieved .his place, and won his second wager. The second time he performed his journey on his hands and • knees all the way, using the sides of the ditches as his guide, some of which were eight feet deep and full of water. He was accompanied by above a hundred spectators, anxious to see the performance of so novel a feat. CAUTION TO HOTEL AND TAVERN-KEEPERS.— On Tuesday evening, the 2d instant, a person of most gentle manly address and appearance, entered the York hotel, corner of the York-road, Lambeth, inquiring if he could be aceoan-• anodated with a bed. After partaking of refreshment in the coffee-room he retired to bed, and in the mining when abut to leave, the waiter requested payment, when he stated he had agreed with the proprietor to occupy his bed for several nights, and was only going out to breakfast with a friend. When the chambermaid entered the room it was discovered lie had, with instruments, attempted to force open a chest of drawers, but the locks being very superior, had resisted hi s e ff or t s , b ut h o h a d much injured the wood. 'I'IIE LATE LORD LYNEDOCIL—The mortal re mains of the late venerable and gallant Lord Lynedoch were disembarked on Friday morning last at Dundee. Mr. Robert Graham, who inherits the deceased N o bl eman ' s property, an d Mr. A. Murray, also related to the late Lord, having, in the: performance of a duty of respect, accompanied the body to Scotland from London. In going through Perth in the after noon, as the mournful coW9e approached, the city minute guns were fired, and the bells of St. John's tolled. Many of the inhabitants closed their houses, in testimony of their regard for the memory of the gallant deceased. The body remained in state until Monday evening. On Tuesday, shortly before, twelve, the customary religious ceremonies were performed by the Rev. Messrs. Buchanan and Liston ; and all the necessary preparations for the interment being completed, the funeral procession formed. On the funeral cortege leaving the grounds of the cottage, a large body of the principal tenantry, who had assembled at the home farm, joined in the procession, and at tended it to Metliven, where it was the will of the late Lord to be buried. A vast concourse of persons from all parts of the county had gathered at the romantic village, and as the funeral passed to the cemetery, a general feeling of regret for the de parted pervaded the entire congregation. Although so many persons had met, not the slightest confusion arose, and the be haviour of all classes was characterised by becoming decorum. This exemplary county of Devon bath been much scandalised by a young clergyman, who, having paid his ad dresses to a young lady, broke off the snatch, in order, it is said, to take to another of a larger fortune. The ease is said to be one of scandalous cruelty, as he obtained the young lady's affections before lie began to inquire about her fortune, and coupled with his religious professions, it has raised a great outcry against one who, in the garb of sanctity, goetla to anti fro as a pedlar trading for gain on his own personal attractions. Western Times. The Duke of Manchester and Sir W. Rohiwon have adopted the allotment system, the one at his estates in Huntingdonshire, and the other at Stretton Hall, to the society of which district he has given 100/. for the benefit of the agri cultural pour. On Tuesday an association was formed at Dunmow, in Essex, for the protection of agricnitarc from fire, when a letter was read from Sir James Graham offering 1001. reward for the detection of persons supposed to have been concerned in the late incendiary fires. The Council of the Royal Agricultural Society of England have just appointed Dr. Playfair consulting chemist to the Society. Dr. Playfair is about to establish a laboratory at the Royal Institution, Manchester, for the study and practice of agricultural chemistry. To prove that the monopolists do not monopolise all the agricultural talent, the Aylesbury News mentions the fact that on Wednesday last, at the annual meeting of th e Tring, Agricultural Association, the prize of a silver cup t• the occupier of the best cultivated farm, was aviarded to a Mr. Paw, a staunch free trader. ocP i 9711 till' 4, P. I 0 . 1 -0 t 3