The Sun. — London, England, 1839-08-05 00:00:00

EVEN IN G ED ETION. DIN.NER TO MR. HUMPHERY. OS Titstraday the friends of Alderman Humphery, MP., resident in the ward of Aldgate, of which he is Magis trate, gave hint a very splendid entertainment at the Albion Tavern, in Aldersgate-street, in commemoration of the decision of the Judges on the contest for the gown of Aldgate Ward. Deputy GREEN in the Chair. • The customary loyal toasts having been drunk, The CHAIRMAN rose to propose the health of the Alderman. It was not, he said, his intention to ad dress to those around him a lengthened and laudatory speech upon the merits of their excellent friend. - He rose to congratulate them upon the final settlement of • a question which had been so long litigated, and the uncertainty of which had occasioned considerable em barrassment and confusion in the Ward, and to call their attention to the conduct of a gentleman who mani fested a strong disposition to forward the best interests of the Ward, but whose exertions had hitherto been in a great measure paralysed by the precarious tenure by which he held the office.—(Cheers.) They were aware that strife and *cord had been produced by the con test ; but he hoped and believed that if any little anger or jealousy bad been kindled by the struggle for the privilege of representing the Ward, it was all extin guished, and that the Alderman would receive the sup port from all the inhabitants which it was so necessary be should possess to enable him to perform his duties effectively, and with advantage to his fellow citizens and himself. It was his (the Chairman's) wish that it should not be supposed they assembled in that ;own to celebrate a triumph.—( Cheers.) They met to welcome the mate whom they supported is an honour able contest, who, they were convinced, was desirous of perpetuating the good feelineaand kindness which hap pily prevailed in the Ward, and they were influenced by Ithe most generous motives towards the antagonist party. —s(Cheers.) The best way in which the Alderman could show his sense of the efforts of his friends, in re spect of his claims, would be by carrying out the pro mises he had made oil the day of his election. He had then pledged himself to receive his constituents with courtesy upon all occasions, and to discharge the duties of the office with fidelity. Hitherto the Alderman had been most true to his pledge, and if he continued to act as he had begun, no one would hesitate to guarantee to him as large an amount of affection and popularity as ever 'was enjoyed by any of his predecessors.— (Cheers.) The company were aware that the Alderman had promised to put into the hands of the Ward the privileges to which, by virtue of his election, be was entitled. The consequence was, that they now had four boys in the noble fo 4 undation of Christ's Hospital, through the liberal concession of their honourable and excellent friend.—(Great cheering.) The toast was drunk with three times three. Alderman Husaramor rose, amidst loud acclama tions. He was sure they would believe him, when lie said that he deeply felt their kindness. How could he but deeply feel the marked respect and confidence with which they had treated him.—(Cheers.) It was true, as their Chairman had stated, that he has! been engaged in a long contest. Nearly four years had elapsed since he had been involved in that contest, and he believed that he had cuntrived to act in such a manner in main taining his own privileges and the rights of the constitu ency, as excited no disrespect, as occasioned no offence to any of his opponents.—(Cheers.) It was true that , when he was called upon to offer himself as a eandi -1 date for the vacant chair of Aldgate, by a large number t of the respectable inhabitants of the Ward, he believed his success was certain, and he had no doubt that he Iwould have been right in his conjecures if a respected friend of his (Mr. Jones), had not stepped In at the ninth hour, and diminished the numbers which would have placed him high above Mr. Saioccions on the poll. —(Cheers.) For that gentleman, he entertained the highe,t respect, and he satisfactorily proved that fact soon after the election with which Mr. Jones's unex pected appearance as a candidate interfered. The company ail knew that the election terminated in Mr. Salomon's &veer. When the hour arrived at which he was to be sworn, and to undergo certain forms before the Court of which he was chosen mem ber, he declined a compriance with the general practice. It was not for him (Alclerman Humphery) to interfere. Tie stated at once that he would not oppose Mr. Salo mons on religious grounds. He acted up to that decla ration, but the Court of Aldermen pronounced the elec tion void, and issued a fresii precept to the ward, who thereupon sigued a requisition to him, and, upon his 1 consenting to become a candidate for their suffrages, returned him as their Alderman. He was opposed by Mr. Salomons, upon the principle that that gentleman had been previously elected, and he had to defend his seat, to which he had been unanimously chosen, from his awn resources. The• moment he was sworn in, he retained the Attorney-Gar:era), and his friend Sir Wil liam Follett, the two ablest lawyers at the.bar, to defend the privileges of the Court of Aldermen.—(Cheers.) He, however, was not lawyer enough to meet the inge nuity of the opposing solicitors,, for he had sent only the retaining fee of one guinwa to Sir William Follett, and they immediately afterwards assailed the Learned Coun sel with a special retainer of ten.—(Laughter.) The cOnsequekee was, that he was deprived of the inestima ble serf ices of that gentleman. He took an opportunity to expostulate upon the subject with Sir William Fol lett, who proposed that they should abide by the opi nion of Sergeant Wilda. He however knew perfectly well that one lawyer would never advise another to re turn a fee under any circumstance—(Laughter) —and be was obliged to put up with the loss. He had had other difficulties to contend with. He applied to the City Aldermen, and represented the circumstances nu ; der which he was elected, for he thought it hard that he should defray the expanse of supporting a great prin ciple which vitally concerned that body. They, how ever, refused to take any trouble about the matter. He then proceeded unassisted. The Judges decided against him in the Queen's Bench, Lord Denman asserting that he had no right to the gown, and that the Court ought to have sworn in Mr. Salomons. He felt as the father of a family the responsibi lity of expending arse sum of money without the certainty of ultimate success, and he proposed to one of the legal advisers of Mr. Salomons, that each of the conflicting parties should pay his own expenses. That proposal, however, led to nothing but the exer cise of professional ingenuity, by , which he was nearly beguiled by the time of moving for a writ of error. The attempt however failed, and when those who expected that all was right for them made the next step—they found all was wrong,—(Laughter and cheers.) Eleven Judges without, as was acknow ledged to him, ever having consulted with each other, came down to the Exchequer and delivered opinions, which they had written in their chambers, to the effect that the decision of the Chief Justice of the King's Bench was all in 'the wrong—that the writ of error was right—thut the judgment of the Court of Aldermen was right—and that the election to which he owed the gown was right.—(Cheers.) The company were aware that Mr. Salomons had written to the Lord Mayor, stating that it was not his intention, to carry the con test further. They also knew that that gentleman had written a letter to him, giving him very different sort of information. Mr. Salomons had, however, since written to him, stating that it was not his intention to appeal to the House of Lords, and that the question was therefore terminated.—(Cheers.) He entertained a high respect for Mr. Salomons, he had vigorously con tended for a great principle—he, too, had contended for an important principle, for he had been unani- mously elected by the Ward, and he was de- termined to assert that right for their sake and for the sake of the corporate body, which he held in such high veneration.—(Cheers.) He stated those facts to show how dangerous it was for a great public body to leave to an individual the defence of a valuable pjivilege, which might have been prejudiced or lost by their dis inclination to resist invasion. —(Loud cheers.) The principle had been now established, and would be re corded in the archives of the City of London. He had been unanimously chosen by the Ward and by the Judges of the land, and the case would stand as an authority of great weight in other times. Alderman Humphery then made more particular allusion to the Ward. He felt, he said, the greatest pride in being amongst the inhaioitants. He told them when he first appeared amongst them that all the patronage of the situation he had the honour to fill should be their own. He knew that it ought to be theirs. Through them he ' had re ce i ved the patronage he possessed, ' and as lone as he conti nue d to be their Alderman they should have the dispos a l o f all his present ations.—(Cheers.) The Alderman concluded interrupted by acelaraaat h i i o s ns, by speech whi c h was f requen tly again and again inform ing the comp any of devoted att ac h men t to t h e and Corporation in general, to the constituency of the Ward in partic u l ar . Here Mr. Hudson, the celebrated comi c song wr i ter and singer, sung " We're allgardeners in country and in town," which kept the tablepional troai,r. Alderman HUMP HREY pro se e health of th e Chairman, his Deputy. A Deputy Was, said, th e proper person to represent the Aldermeni in his Ward, his con vivial as well es in his offici a l capa citylit. and he was convinced' that the present cin he able and inclined to carry out a ll their genlerZauns and convivial intentions, which the very name of Alderman seemed to imply.—(A laugh.) He felt positively grate ful to the Chairman, who was one of the first who wished him to stand for the situation.—(Cheers.) The CHAIRMAN in returning thanks said, he really thought that the official duties were quite enough fur the Deputy to perform, and that the Aldermen ought to take upon themselves the onerous duties of the con vivial board, which it was well known they were so much better able to perform, than any person they could depute to act for them in that capacity.—( A laugh.) Amongst the other toasts which were given were ", Mr. Watkins and the Common Councilmen of the Ward ; th e W ard School and Mr. Geor:ire Brown, the treasurer, and the other g, ntiemen atter.deti to the education of the children." Mr. SIMPiON, the deputy chairman to Alderman HuillPhery, then after a warm panegyric upon Mr. Salom,"'ns, his opponent in the contest ter the gown , the health of that proposeu gentleman, whom he was in the habit of meeting on the best terms, and whose so. , ciety he enjoyed as much as if they had no difference any kind.—( A laugh.) Mr. Salomon's health was received with loud excla mations—Alderman Humphery then next propose the health of " Mr. Jones," his other opponent fo the gown, and stated that if that gentleman had started in the first instance, he would have been unani oush elected.—(Cheers.) Mr Jones, jun., returned thanks. After the health of the Duke of Wellington, whten was most rapturously received, was drunk, the glass went round very briskly, and conversation became ex tremely animated. . _ Several songs and duets were sung in the finest style by Messrs. Ransford, Furness, and Turner: indeed, the musical treat was said to be one of the best that could be collected. The company continued at their claret till a late hour—and never was there exhibited more kindly feeling. PENNY POSTAGE. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SIR--will you allow me, as an old and extensive receiver, to state a few serious objections to a very plausible proposition advanced by stationers and others, in lieu of stamped covers, Ecc., I mean the plan of closing the Letter-Receiver's Box, and stamping the letter with his paid -stamp, thus paying him the Id. in tead of purchasing a stamp. This plan, at the first glance, appears very simple and easy. But a little inquiry will show that it is almost impossible, and even, if possible, that it will cause serious inconvenience to the public. I shall not attempt to show the advantages of the stamped covers, for this has been already very ably illustrated in the lucid Report of the Postage Committee, and the letter of Mr. Dickenson. All that I desire to do is to enter my protest against the plan of paying the Id. to the receiver. 1. The receiver will never have the time to per form his duties, considering how harassing it will be both to the public and the receiver (especially under the anticipated increase of letters) if instead of the simple operation of dropping the letters into the box, they should have to enter into the receiver's shop, and wait his convenience before they deposit their letters. This will cause a great.deal of confusion, especially as the public always leave the posting of their letters until the last moment, and from five to ten minutes before the time of delivery every person would be rushing in, some with ten, and others with twenty or more letters ; the consequence would be that the receiver would be obliged to detain some parties five minutes or more, and however pressing the emergency, it is ten chances to one that the letters would be obliged to be detained until the next delivery. Under the present system, the receipt of paid letters is the most troublesome part of the receiver's duty ; even now the average of letters dropt"into the boxes of the Cornhill, Strand, and Charing-Cross districts, exceeds 1,000 per diem. 2. Again, are the public prepared to be deprived of the advantages of posting their letters on Sundays, and at those times when the receiver's office is closed ? 3. But the most important consideration still remains. It is this, that you will leave the public and the Post office at the mercy of the honesty of the receiver. Suppose, for instance, a tradesman posts 500 circulars, the postage at Id. will amount to about 21.—what gua rantee, what check have you upon the receiver that he will not destroy the half, and thus pocket 11. ; and a very little experience will enable him to ascertain when he can do so with impunity. I do not wish to reflect for a single moment on the characters of the re ceives, who are a very respectable class of tradesmen ; but it must be remembered that they are compelled to entrust the deliveryof their letters to their assistants; and i as a receiver (and I have heard many receivers express the same feelings) should feel very lath to undertake the duties and be thus exposed to risk from tempations that will be thrown in the way of my assistants. Mr. Hill's plan of registration is a most excellent check upon. the car rier, but none at all upon the receiver. Tue only check will be found in the adhesive stamps on the stamped covers. Exactly the same argument applies to the check upon the country Postmasters. Lastly, the public must remember that under the plan of paying the penny to the receiver it will not only be necessary to maintain the most expensive depart ment in the Post-office, the accountant's department, but that the expense of this department, far from being diminished, will be increased : for proof of this see . Postage Report. There will also be another source of expense, for if the receiver has to take the penny, his attention must be continually directed to the letters, to the neglect of his business. The consequence will he, that their salaries must not only be doubled, but even trebled, to make it worth their while to have an assist ant solely to attend to the letters. I hope these few• facts will induce the public to pause before they dstroy the efficacy- of this most important plan by hastily aNpting the plausible, but at the same time the most objectionable, plan of the stationers ; let them i ead the forcible evidence of the merchants and others upon the advantages of repayment by stamps, and then reflect. A RECEIVER. THE CYCLOPS STEAM-FRIGATE. This magnificent vessel, the largest steam man-of-war in the world, was launched from Pembroke Dockyard a few days ago. Her dimensions are as follows:—Length 225 feet, beam between paddles 38 feet, depth of hold 21 feet. Her tonnage is about 1,300, being 200 tons larger than the Gorgon, launched from the same slip about eighteen months since. Her equipment, as a man-of-war, will be the same in all respects as a frigate, having a com plete gun or main deck, as well as an upper or quarter deck. On the main deck she will carry eighteen long 36-pounders, and on the upper deck four 48-pounders, and two 96-pounders on swivels, carrying a ball of ten inches diameter, and sweeping round the horizon 240 degrees. The Cyclops, like the vessel already referred to, will be commanded by a Post Captain, these two being the only steamers taking frigates' rank. Her crew will consist of 210 men, twenty engineers and stokers, and a lieutenant's party of marines, who will i.ave charge of the guns, all of which move upon slides and fixed pivots, thereby taking a much wider range than the ordinary carriage can give. She will be schooner-rigged, but her foremast will be of the same scantling and height as that of a 36-gun frigate. Her draught of water, with all on board, including six months' provisions, completely armed, and with twenty days' fuel, will be fifteen feet. This quantity of fuel (400 tons) will be carried in the engine room, but there is space in the fore and after holds for 10 days' more coal, making in all sufficient fuel fora thirty days' run. She has an orlop deck below the gun deck, of dimensions so magnificent that there is room to stow with comfort 800 troops and their officers, so that, taking her all in all, the Cyclops may be considered the most powerful vessel in her Majesty's ser- vice. The Cyclops has been built in six months, under the immediate inspection of Mr. William Eyde, master builder of Pembroke-yard, from drawings and plans prepared by his brother, Mr. John Eyde, the able assistant of Sir W. Symonds, surveyor of the navy, upon whose principle, namely, the combining of the sailing and steaming proper ties, this vessel has been constructed. The Gorgon, already mentioned, is also built upon the same plan, and so admi. rably has it succeeded that when on the coast of Spain that vessel not only eclipsed all that competed with her while under steam, but in a trial of 300 miles under canvass in a stiff breeze beat the celebrated Pantaloon, heretofore supposed to be the fastest man-of-war brig afloat. Since the Gorgon was built experience has dictated many improve ments, and these have been introduced into the Cyclops. The Cyclops will be docked in Sheerness dockyard on the 30th instant, and, after remaining there for a few days, will proceed to the-manufactory of Messrs. Seaward at l%lillwall, Poplar, to receive her engines, which will be of 320-horse power, on the principle which, in the case of the Gorgon, has proved so successful, that the Lords of the Admiralty have given orders for five more pairs of engines upon :he same plan for as many frigates. Half-a-dozen such steamers would do three times as much work as the same number of line-of-battle ships. Twelve years ago Lord Cochrane maintained that a few well-appointed steamers would suffice to keep in check op posing fleets in the Mediterranean, and, if we may judge from appearances, a short time only will elapse before the experiment is tried. The Gorgon is commissioned by Captain C. Henderson, K. C. 8., who has already served with distinction on the coast of Spain in the Phcenix and Sa lamander, and is to proceed to the Mediterranean forthwith. DINNE R AT THE ROYAL ACADEMY ON CLOSING THY EXHIBITION.—On Wednesday the 71st anniversary dinner, at the closing of this Exibition, Was held in the Great Saloon of the Academy. The company on these occasions is composed entirely of Members of the Academy and Exhibitors. Among the artists present, besides the President, were Sir David Wilkie, C. L. Eastlake, C. R. Cockerel), J. M. W. Turner, Alfred A. Chalon, W. Pickersgill, Edwin Landseer, Thomas Uwins, William Mu!ready, Abraham Cooper, W. Wyan, Thomas Phillips, Richard R. Reinagle, G. Jones, E. H. Bailey, and F. R. Lee, Royal Acad em i c i ans . Th e Associates present were John J. Chalon, Robert Groves, J. A. Hart, Charles Landseer, R. J. Lane, William E. Ross, Charles Turner, and \V. R T iva W ns it , hef o i h ng n to li n v . ood T , h F e . re s tv t e o r n e e, al 4o...prse-. sent Messrs. R. Taylor, J. Dyce, R. Redgrave, F. R. Lang, Henry Loss, W. Linton, &c. Sir F. Cbantry and Sir Augustus W. Calcott were unable to attend from temporary illness. At six o'clock, Sir M. A. Shee took theChai s r t , y a le. and an eleg ant dinner was served up in a very handsome ACCIDENT AT LORD Y.ARBOROLIGH'S MALT soLmum.—On Tuesday last several ladies and gentlemen made up a picnic party to visit this favourite spot. As they were descending from the top of the mausoleum we regrot to state that an unfortunate and, we fear, serious RC eident happ ene d to Mr. Harward, son of the Vicar of \Vorksworth, Derbyshire, who, coming down an almost perpendicular lasider; missed his footing, and fell a height of 20 feet. He alighted en his head. We lament to say that he still 'kilt a precarious state.—Boston Herald. Grtowrii:Cii• COTTON.—In the year 1701, the amount of cotton exported from the United States was 183,316 lb. ; in 1793, it was 1,960,000 ib. ; in 1804, it a, 27,501,075 lb. ; in 1819, it was 87 997,045 lb. ; in 1820, it ,as 127,860,132 lb ; in 1830, it was 298,459,102. b. The amount exported in 1838 was upwards of 629 000,000 lb, leaving for home consumetion 93.000,000 lb. ; the whole crop being estimated at 737.000,000 lb., which, at 14 cents per lb., would be worth more than 10 0,000,000 dollars. This is a greater amount than was ever produced from all the gold and silver mines in the world in one year. THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY, hUGUST 5, 1839. COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL. On Thursday, a Court was held for the purpose of receiving a Report of an important kind relative to the Metropolitan Improvements. Mr. Hall brought up the following Report : TO THE RIGHT HON. THE LORD MAYOR, ALDERMEN, AND COMMONS OF THE CITY OF LONDON, IN COMMON COUNCIL ASSEMBLED. We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, of your Committee for carrying into execution the Acts of Par liament for the re-building of London Bridge, and for improving and making suitable approaches thereto, to whom on the 11th day of July last it was referred, to watch the proceedings in Parliament, on a proposed Bill, to carry into effect certain improvements in the metropolis, under the direction of the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, &c., and to report thereon from time to time, do certify that the said Bill having been presented to the Honourable the House of Commons, on the 17th of July last, by the Chancellor of the Ex chequer, we proceeded to consider the same, and find ing that the object of the said Bill was to raise a sum of 200,0001. upon the credit of the Improvement Fund, to be applied under the direction of the Commis- sioners of her Majesty's Woods and Forests, &c., in certain improvements at the east and western parts of the Metropolis, and that the provisions of the said Bill would deprive your Honourable Court of the surplus of the funds created by several Acts of Parliament, passed for the improvement of the approaches to London bridge, now in the House of Lords, were to be effected, we appointed a deputation ,to confer with the Chan cellor of the Exchequer upon the subject, who informed the deputation that it was his intention, if the said Bill bad been read a second time, to refer the same to the Select Committee of the House of Commons upon Me tropolitan Improvements, to consider the several provi sions thereof. That the said Bill having been read a second time, and referred to the said Select Committee, your Com mittee proceeded to consider the best course to be pur sued, and were of opinion that if the Bill of your Hon ourable Court, now in the House of Lords, was passed, and the provisions respecting the surplus, out of which the improvements contemplated by the said Bill were to be effected, were taken out of the Bill introduced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, your Committee would recommend your Honourable Court to consent to continue the payment of the sum of 11,5001. per annum, and the other payments now made to the Improvement Fund towards raising the sum of 150,0001. for the improvements at the eastern and west ern parts of the metropolis, under the direction of the Commissioners of her Majesty's Woods and Forests, &c., in accordance with the understanding which took place with the said Select Committee of the House of Commons last year, when the sum of 150,0001. was recommended by them to be granted for the improve ments in the neighbourhood of the Royal Exchange. That your Committee appointed a Sub-Committee to attend the Select Committee of the House of Commons, and have the satisfaction of stating that they succeeded in obtaining a release of the surplus from the Bill of the Chancellor of the Exchequer; but the Select Committee of the House of Commons would not consent to reduce the amount of the sum to be raised from 200,000/. to 150,0001. That after maturely considering all the circumstances of the case, and being of opinion that the effect of opposinc , the Bill of the Chancellor of the Exchequer would be to endanger the Bill of your Honourable Court now in the House—your Committee recommend to your Honourable Court to consent to contribute the annual payments now made by the Corporation of London to the Improvement Fund, towards a sum of 200,000/. to be raised on the credit of the said fund, and applied by the Commissioners of her Majesty's Woods and Forests, or for the purposes hereia before mentioned ; all which is respectfully submitted. J. H. HALL, MICHAEL GIBBS, WILLIAM RICHARDSON, WILLIAM DAY, • WILLIAM CHRISTIE, JOHN DRINKOLD, W. GREEN, JOHN HUMPHERY, JAMES FRESBY, HENRY J. ELMES, W. L. POTTER. Mr. HALL regretted the absence of the Chairman of the London Bridge Approaches Committee, who took a great interest in the suhject. Mr. WIRE asked whether the surplus arising from the ground -rents of the proposed improvements from Cateaton-street to the Post-office was secured to the Corporation, and whether the 150,0001. for enlarging the streets in the vicinity of the Royal Exchange would be affected by the Bill in Parliament, under the sanc tion of the Commissioners of Woods and Forests? Mr. HALL replied that the surplus ground rents arising from the Cateaton-street improvements, were clearly secured to the Corporation, and that the Bill alluded to for Metropolitan Improvements, would not in the slightest degree interfere with the 150,0001. set apart for the improvement of the streets in the imme diate neighbourhood of the Royal Exchange.—( Hear.) The Corporation would, he had no doubt, consent to the continuation of the 11,5001. for carrying into effect the objects of the Bill, which had been brought into Parliament under the authority of the Commissioners of Woods and Forests. The Chairman of the London Bridge Approaches Committee, had taken a decided objection to the increase from 150,0001. to 200,0001, as he was anxious that the 50,0001. should be appro priated to the rebuilding of the Royal Exchange, and the necessary improvements in that neighbourhood. After a few words from Alderman Venables, Mr. Lawrence, and Sir Matthew Wood, in favour of the Report, it was agreed to. THE CROPS A.oD THE WEATHER The subjoined notices supply the latest intelligence on the subject :— Essax.—There is a portion of the wheat crop in this county fit for the sickle, but the rain which has fallen almost every day since Monday, has prevented the farmers setting to work; generally they have engaged. At present the wheat has but partially given way to the wet, it fortunately being accompanied by but little wind, but oats and barley, where these crops are heavy, have been knocked down, and will require sun and wind to avert the injery which threatens them. In Suffolk the harvest has commenced. Mr. olledge, of Ingram, and nine others began to cut wheat on Friday last and Barley was cnt at Eldo on Monday.—Chelmsford . Chronicle. WILTSHIRE.—The continued rain during the last week has caused a total cessation of haymaking in this neigh bourhood, and much will be completely spoiled. The meadows are nearly everywhere flooded, and much of the earlier corn laid by the heavy wet.—W ilts Independent. DERBTswlaE.—During the past week there has been, more or less, rain every day. On Tuesday night the fall was great, and on Wednesday morning the waters rose in the Derwent, and the tributary streams, to a very un usual height at this season of the year. We hear that an immense quantity of hay has been spoiled, or waabed away from the b inks of the river ; and a great deal has been cut in this neighbourhood, and now remains out, which will be greatly injured. If the wet weather continues much longer, the consequences, we fear, will be disastrous, but with a change there would be every prospect of an abun dant harvest. Great damage has been sustained by occu piers on the banks of the Dove. A considerable quantity of timber, hay, and straw, has been brought down the Derwent by the flood.—Derby Reporter. TROWBRIDGE.—A very heavy storm of thunder and lightning passed over Trowbridge and its vicinity on Sun day last, and did considerable damage to the gardens, &c. Mr. Francis, of Southwick, had five calves killed by the electric fluid striking a tree under which the poor animals were standing. IsLE or MAN.—Since the commencement of the pre sent month, now near its termination, more rain has fallen than is usually experienced at this period of the year, and for a considerable time past the sky has been overcast and gloomy ; but for the last five or six days a pretty equal distribution of sunshine and showers has had a beneficial and invigorating influence upon both animal and vegetable nature. IRELAND.—The weather, for the last few days, around Dublin, has given rise to serious fears for the ultimate state of the crops. It has rained at intervals exceedingly heavy, which has beon occasionally succeeded by a strong sun and sultry heat. The accounts from the interior are various, but we hope no great damage has been as yet sus tained. Many fields of wheat show that the red worm has been actively at work, whilst in other places there is no appearance of the worm. There was not much wind, so that, in general, the straw has not been broken, and but comparatively few fields are laid. Should the weather take up, the crops promise, at the present moment, an average yield of all kinds of produce.—Dublis Evening Post. With deep regret—and not without some feelings of apprehension for the fate of the harvest, we announce that since we last addressed our readers upon this subject, the rain has continued to pour in torrents, with scarcely any in termission. The flood in the river Dodder rose to such a height in the course of last night, that it overflowed the wooden bridge at Serpentine avenue upon which the rail road traverses ; and until an advanced hour of the day, it was supposed that the bridge had been carried away. Such, however, we ascertained, is not the case; but the communication between the city and Kingstown was im peded for some time, but was resumed in the afternoon. It appears that similar inclemencies in the weather have taken place in England and on tho Continent; and should it continue, the worst apprehensions may be entertained for the safety of the harvest. The fol lowing communication has reached us from a com petent and ieteliigent person whose remarks are the result of personal observation in a recent tour in the west of Ireland, to which district they exclusively refer : " THE CROPS. —The appearance of the crops in the west of Ireland is very satisfactory. Wheat will yield more than an average return unless injured by the present rainy weather. As yet no injury has been done, but unless there is an immediate change the consequences will be serious. Oats are now looking very healthy ; sown during the dry weather it grew up sickly and short. The late rains, however, improved it, and as the car is good it is expected to be an average crop. Barley having been put into the ground much later than oats, had the benefit of the wet weather, and now presents a most luxuriant appear. ance ; it will be a full crop. Flax is looking rather poorly. Potatoes promise a large return, but the wet, has prevented them from ripening as early as usual,and very small samples only have been yet brought to market. Mowing has only commenced, and during these heavy rains the grass were much better uncut, as it will be impos sible to save it. On the whole, if the weather takes up, a most plentiful harvest may be looked for, but a continuance of the present weather will be highly injurious. The con stant drifting of the rain, and the floods in the rivers, remind one more of the end than the commencement of harvest. "--Dublin Evening Mail of Wednesday. THUNDER STORM IN AYRSHIRE.—On the afternoon of Friday last, a thunder storm raged with great violence, and was the cause of several casualties. At the farm of Fairfield Mains, situated about half a mile from Monkton, a dwelling-house was set on fire by the lightning. As the inmates of the farm were within doors it is, therefore, diffi cult to define the manner in which the house was struck by the electric fluid ; but it is supposed the lightning ran along the roof of the house, which was thatched, and then darted down the chimney, disappear ing through the win dow below. The chimney can, and several large stones, were thrown a number of yards distant from the house. A woman, with a child in her arms, who was in the house at the moment the occurrence took place, felt a warm sensation pass through her back ; but, inde pendent of the fright, was not otherwise injured. An eight-day clock was knocked down on the floor, and a splinter forced from one of the corners by the light ning. A razor lying on the dresser was slightly melted, and a hole also run in the side of a pewter teapot. The house was struck about fifteen minutes to six o'clock, and so rapidly did the flames spread, that in the short space of a quarter of an hour the roof fell in. The premises attached also took fire, and, notwith standing every effort used to save them, they shared a similar fate. No person was injured at the fire ; and all the furniture was saved through the able assistance of the workmen on the railway (which runs within a short dis tance of the house), and a number of individuals whom the flames attracted to the spot from the neighbouring villages of Monkton and Prestwick. Had it not been for the timely aid rendered, the fire might have assumed a worse feature, owing to the whole of the houses, which compose the farm steading, being closely joined together. Nothing remains of the buildings but the avails. It may be proper to add that the inmates found immediate accommodation at Fairfield House and Monkton Mill. A hay-rick was set on fire and totally consumed by the light ning at Tarrelgin, about two miles from Ochil tree. Although the rick was standing in the middle of a row, yet none of the others were in the slightest degree damaged. The loss sustained on the farm of Macwhatiston, about three miles from Ochiltree, was much greater. Two valuable horses, standing in the sta ble, were killed. It is conjectured that the lightning en tered by the door, and passed through the wall, the concus sion shattering an eight-day clock on the opposite side of the partition. A somewhat different phenomenon took place, almost at the same time, on the farm of Brocklehill, parish of St. Evox, a few miles distant from Fairfield Mains. This farm became the scene of a violent hail shower, which lasted a considerable time, and had the ef fect of completely riddling the turnip and potato shaws. About a mile out of the harbour of Saltcoats, the hail also fell in great quantities, about the size of peas. Some idea of the nature of the storm may be gathered from the fact that the fishermen were necessitated to draw their lines, and wrap themselves in the sails of their boats till the tor nado ceased. —Glasgow Chronicle. WALES.—Lameniable accounts have reached us from many parts of Wales as to the violent and long-continued rain during the last three weeks In South Wales sheep and lambs have been destroyed by the rains and torrents ; and in North Wales vast tracts of meadows are untouched by the scythe, or, if mown, the produce is destroyed. Near the sea -coast, at Aberystwyth, Towyn, Aberdovey and Barmouth, the hay is not gathered, yet the grain is ripen ing; and the two harvests will be almost at the same time. We have a very lamentable tale to tell as to the damage done by the late unseasonable weather. A fort. night since we had some few fine days, and the agri culturists generally took advantage of them to secure the hay crops. In the midst of their exertions, however, the heavy rains again returned, and as they have continued since that time almost without intermission, these crops may now be considered almost wholly spoilt. The latter end of last week, and the commencement of this was very unfa vourable, and onTuesday night last we had heavy rain for ten or twelve hours. The farmers at our market on Wednesday represented this one night's rain to have done the greatest damage to the corn, which was said to be entirely laid low in many places. Such was the case in parts of this imme diate district which parties from this office had opportu nities of personally visiting on Wednesday and Thursday. In the lowlands tee), the bay on the ground was abso lutely swimmin g , an d for the benefit of the less expe rienced of our r ea d ers , i t maynot be amiss to suggest that such portions of it as can be Collected mey be made palat able to cattle by the admixture of salt, in the proportion of eight pounds to a ton. It ee..erns to be generally thought that without a sp ee d y return of uninterrupted fine weather, the grain crop of thi s di str i ct ,F;ill be an entire failure.— Siatrorilshire Eraminer. The excessive rains which have fallen in this district, , every day during th e l ast three w eeks, have destroyed vast quantites of hay, an d i njure d , i n some cases severely, the corn fields. At thi s time tierce gorged ; and the surface of this county is lyi ng rotting a, . ro tt e d in the fields; and iii places th e meadows ar parts of the hay grown in lying many inches deep in water. All th e b rooks are or each stream i s covered with fl oat i ng h ay , swe pt from th e many acres on th e b anks. The S evern an d its contribu tory brooks, yesterday en d 03 , Wednesday rose with great rapidity, till they have overflown all the adjoining fields, and in some place s rendererl the roads impassable. From mid-day on Wedn es d ay till l ate l as t night (Thursday), the stream continued t o r i se, 'caring with it large quantities of mown grass. Th e l ower parts of Frankwell, in this town, are flooded ; circuere tance hitherto unknown in summer. A mul.itud e o f p e ople assembled anxiously last night on the Welsh B r id ge, ev atching the rising. of th e • river. Great injury h as b een sustained in Melverley and the other lowlands in thi s cote e ty. But we have the gra tification to state, from th e besst information, that the wat ers will not be swelled in thi s v i ( ity, after this day. Yester day (Thursday) the weath e r began to appear favourable. _Shrewsbury Chro n i c l e. Oswerrev.—This t own a s d vicinity was visited by o ne of the greatest floods ever re membered by the oldest inha. bitants, on Wednesday more ling. Cellars, under ground kitchens, &c. were filled for several hours. Some of the gardens at the back of the le uses in Willow-street were so completely under water, tha t only the tops of the goose berry trees were to be seen. The storm having commenced ~._. r .~ about midnight, no precaution had been taken by the in habitants. Mr. Rogers, a very industrious man, had seven young pigs drowned in a stable, and several horses had narrow escapes. A h ouse ere cting in the vicinity was washed down, and several bridges shared the same fate. The road between Oswestry, Felton, and Maesbury was impassible for passengers for many hours. HEREFORD. —Th e continued rains during the last week have sadly injured the hay crops, and entailed great delay in the harvest ; a large quantity will be totally spoiled. We hope when the ricks are made the efficacy of salt will be remembered, and that it will be liberally used. The wheat crops have been laid by the heavy rains in many situations, and it is feared a considerable portion must be materially injured if we are not favoured with dry wheather. The Flop bines grow luxuriantly, but like the rest of vegetation, now require fine warm weather. We regret to state that on Tuesday the river Lugg overflowed its banks, and the cut grass was floating in all directions. The loss will be immense. —Hereford Journal. The wheat appears to have suffered from the late heavy rains, by which the crops have been laid quite flat. This, if the weather continues unfavourable, will deteriorate both quality and quantity of corn in the ear. It is - probable that the harvest will be later than it has been for several years. —Doncaster Gazette. SOME THOUGHTS TOUCHING THE PRESENT DISCONTENTS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SlR,—What are the causes of the present discontents? Are the working population dealt with according to strict justice and impartiality ? Are they equally privileged with the higher and middle classes ? Are they, as regards the fluctuations of trade and commerce in a better condition than their superiors—or do they feel the effects of these fluc tuations less? In answer to these important questions, we are struck with the wide differences in the condition of the labour ing classes with the others. The workingman, in general, has no voice in the representation—Parliamentary, Corporate, or Parochial. His poverty precludes him from obtaining the requisite qualifications. Poverty, as well as the want of education, also prevents him from enjoying the privileges of the middle class. Hard labour wastes his frame, and his mind is depre sse d by th e a pp aren t h ope l essness of his con dition; and he is frequently driven to the ale-house, or any kind of excitement, to drown the sense of the misery of his lot. Constant employment is by no means certain, and wages are generally so low as not to allow him, after providing for his scanty share of the necessaries of life, to save anything. And when a panic in trade occurs, so that he can be no longer employed, or if employed, obtain the merest pittance for his labour—how must he contrive to exist? He must perish for want, but for the parish allow ance, or the casual aid of the charitable. If his comforts while fully employed, and in receipt of what masters deem fair wages, are small, what must be his condition in the convulsions of trade, when manufacturers cannot employ or pay him ? It is infinitely worse in degree than that of a middle-class man, whose condition, under such circum stances, the working man would look upon as really com fortable, comparrd with the best condition he could ever ex pect to realise ; for while the former has only to sacrifice luxuries, the latter must sacrifice the necessaries of life. It is not surprising, therefore, that when the working man looks around, and sees and considers the case, comfort, and luxury, in which the higher and middle classes live, the privileges and enjoyments they possess, their wealth and property, and the power and control they exercise in the affairs of the community, it is ,net surprising, contrasting his own lowly and miserable condition with that of the classes above him, while he is too apt to think that they look down upon him as a mere instrument of labour, that he begins to repine, and wonder why the working-classes, the producing bees of the commonwealth, wi‘hout whom the other classes could not live as they do, should thus, without the appa rent hope of bettering themselves, be compelled to toil out a miserable existence. But at the same time that the working man feels this melancholy conviction, he is not wholly ignorant of the imperfection that attaches to all human institutions, and of the liability of the best consti tuted societies to abuse. He is in some degree aware of the complicated nature of society, and how difficult a task it must be thoroughly to eradicate its evils and abuses, which, like noxious weeds, impede the growth of the best principles. He is aware that there must be grades in society; that trade is an artificial thing, and depends much upon the demand for manu.actures at home and abroad ; that competition reduces profit—that such circumstances produce great fluctuations, which fluctuations necessarily affect wages ; and that, if there be only a given quantity of employment, wages will be high or low, according to the number of hands employed—if few, wages will be high, if many, low. That an overplus popu lation will thus reduce wages, and that if such population increase according to the present rate, the result will be to render subsistence more difficult and precarious. What remedy, then, is there for this latter evil. Two methods appear to me to be necessary. Restrain persons from marrying until a certain age, and provide the amplest means for emigration, so as to get rid of what may be con sidered the surplus population—or adopt one of these alternatives. If such remedies, or one of them, be found to secure the welfare and happiness of the people at large, then let them, or one of them, be carried into effect, if nothing better can be devised. I need hardly say, after having proceeded thus far, that I am for having the people fully and fairly represented, in order that their peculiar wants and real grievances may be properly attended to, and if possible provided for, and redressed, consistently with the happiness and welfare of the nation at large—yet I have felt doubts as to how this might be best obtained. lam for no violence—l am no physical force man—l respect the English Constitution, and would endeavour to obtain further rights and privileges for the working man by con. stitutional means, by moral force alone. Let us show to the Government, and those of the higher and middle classes ( who, being for the most part educated, are, or ought to be, pretty fair judges of the bearing of things in the country— the nice dependencies of one interest upon another, &c., and therefore of our peculiar condition)—that by our de meanour, at this peculiar crisis, our peaceable disposition, our desire for the happiness and prosperity of the country at large, our thirst for sound knowledge and information upon which to inform our reason and judgment, that we may be safely and beneficially in trusted with the franchise. But I confess, viewing the mass of my fellow-workmen throughout the kingdom, more especially in agricultural districts, I can hardly bring myself to the conviction that they are as yet sufficiently enlightened for the safe exercise of the electoral franchise, but they will improve and so become fit; and in order to expedite this, I think that the Government ought immedi ately to endeavour to provide for the national education of the people, the working-classes more particularly. We are assured in Scripture that God is no respecter of persons, and that He looks with an equal eye upon all. The Scriptures also teach us to look upon all men as brethren, and to love our neighbour as ourselves; yet we feel the want of this connecting link, this holy sympathy iu society, as between the higher, and middle, and working classes, if not also amongst the latter ; but we hope that a better day is approach ing, when the great principle of love to God and man will be better understood, and pervade the whole human family, when men will really (not merely in out ward profession) be Christians, when civilization will be commensurate with the practice of Christianity, in our pro gress to which great consummation we feel that a great moral revolution is progressing, and that as the love of gain and selfishness abate, so will our condition in society become ameliorated, and approximate more to the true standard of Christianity ; and when the welfare and happi ness of all ranks and classes will be sincerely consulted, and instead of the present party feelings, jealousies and heartburnings, and enmities of one class towards another, and towards themselves, the best and highest feelings of the human heart will be called into exercise and have their sway, and harmony, peace, and good will, will preva amongst all, . ONE OF THE WORKING CLASSES AGRICULTURAL REPORT FOR JULY. The thunder storms of Sunday the 7th confirmed the tendency to decided wet, for which these of June the 18th had paved the way ; and from the former of those visita tions we may date the introduction of the periodical rains ol the summer. July is usually a dripping season ; it is sel dom otherwise, unless the summer be peculiarly arid ; but those rains admit of modifications, which render them per fectly consistent with finest summer weather. We lament that we cannot congratulate our agricultural brethren on that ground in the present retrospective report, for a more decidedly gloomy and showery season is me within our recollection, since the years 1828 and 1829 The land is soak ed,—poached with waters, yet still the rain pours down with unrelaxed pertinacity, and we have now another proof of the general correctness of the equinoctial criterion. All the storms of the present summer have been attended with bail, a concomitant of a peculiar electric or magneto electric condition, which almost invariably predicts and accompanies copious periodical rains. The temperature, however, has been genial, though not high, and hence vegetation is in the greatest activity; a season more pro pitious to the turnip and green fodder crops, is scarcely, perhaps, in the memory of man ; but haymaking is cruelly protracted, and much valuable bay is reduced to a lament.. able state of' decay. The mercury of the barometer h:s wavered about the point called " changeable," that is, from 29.50 cents to 29.70 cents; and it still fluctuates midway between these two points, while the wind wavers between south and west, either boisterous in force, or calm to sul triness. Such a meteorological condition is depressing to the nervous energy of the human frame, and equally so to ti_se exertions of the husbandman. We are not, therefore, to be surprised at the readiness with which the mind suc cumbs under gloomy anticipations. This remark brings us at once to the present condition of the corn crops. The effects produced by the wet weather and low temperature of the four last days of June, have been clearly discerned of late. About three weeks since some ears of wheat were found to be entirely destitute of grains, and among many of those which were well filled, a few solitary husks, scattered dispersedly among the ears, assumed that reddish tint which indicates the red gum. Whenever a floret, so tinted, is opened, it is seen that the grain has been starved, and its place partially sup plied by the orange fungus, which bears the above fami liar name. Under the microscope it appears like gluti nous connected masses of powdered amber. The wheat was in full bloom at the period of low temperature, in June, and received a decided check at that im portant stage ; but this was not all : the stamina, or at: least their pollen, was washed off by the rain, and thus r failed to impregnate th e ovu l es . I n suc h a condition the I grains would, to a greater or less degree, become abortive ; and the vital principle of the envelopes being paralyzed, they would become the proper nidus and nutriment of the fungus. It has been seen that some seeds occasionally recover, and in that case the parasite perishes, for the advance of the seed and the progress of the fungus seem to be incompatible. We are instructed by the mis c hi e f thus inflicted of the great importance of fine sunshine and high temperature at the time of flowering ; that stage, therefore, cannot be carried through too rapidly—it forms one A f the critical periods of the wheat plant, for if im_ preguation be perfectly effected, the advance of the grain is too decisive to permit any of its parasitical enemies to flourish at its expense. Notwithstanding this partial deterioration wheat is very fine, and much earlier than at this time last year; it turns rapidly, notwithstanding the absence of sun, and the fre quent recurrence of copious showers. We saw a field in shock, near West Drayton, on the 26th ; and a friend, just arrived from the Isle of Wight, informs us that he observed some in sheaf in Surrey. Barley is looking ad mirably fine, lea will " fall over" if much more rain, with wind, occur: we perceive a change in its colour. Oats progress fairly—they are good, and some of the earliest are being cut. No complaints have reached us from quarters which arc worthy of confidence ,• and of Scotland we are enabled to report very favourably from direct authority, of a kind which, to us, is undoubted. " Nothing," we were told a few days since, by a Scotch gentleman, who had passel through many hundred miles of the two kingdoms on tat agricultural t0ur...." nothing could be more marked than the contrast between the two seasons, 1838 aad 1839 ; the former was all gloom, and to be compared only with 1816, and as ruinous to the crops. The present year offers every promise of abundance. And as to potatoes, of which so much has been unadvisedly written of failure, the fields were in a flourishing, healthy condition." We may repeat that the green crops —turnips, clovrr, tares, and what lucern we have seen, are extremely good ; and nothing is wanting to complet e " t h e j oy of the ha tut " the briet shining o f t h e sun after the anv.e,, s t, May that blessing, with its ass ure d resu l t o f abun dance, be accorded PARLIAMENTARY REFORM. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sin—When you have a spare corner in The Sun, which eclipses all its contemporary luminaries in fearless denun ciations against the infernal Corn-law monopoly, and every other instance of legitimate tyranny, my lucubrations on Ballot, Suffrage, Elections, Registration, &c., may not prove unacceptable to yourself and numerous subscribing readers, ab!e and liberal enough to encourage such an im partial journal by payments in advance, either quarterly, semiannually, or annually at once, particularly, should I be capable of making my remarks from time to time both pithy and brief, to deprecate unseasonable resistance to un seasonable controul. If indigent individuals infringe any law, however iniquitous it may be, and imposed without the real or virtual consent of the great majority of the working people, who are as millions to the other classes of society, our Church and State legislators lose not one day to punish the popular delinquents with death, banishment, captivity, fine, &c., even when forced to pass a new uncon stitutional Act to meet the supposed or actual emergency. In cases of treason—nay its simple misprision is deemed a capital . crime the victim to kingeraft, with priestcraft combined, is, or has been, cruelly mutilated, tortured, and butchered in the glorious land of Free Britons ; of course, with the due benefit of clergy, who teach the wretched culprit who has not even t-n mi nutes to live, to pray fervently through the Lord's Prayer for his daily bread 1 Proclamations offering immense re wards for the miserable sinner's discovery, conviction, and consequent execution, to encourage informers and witnesses of every species to bring the traitor's head to the block, or his neck to the hangman's halter, are issued, appeals that seldom fail to succeed among the devout followers of the merciful Jesus; few of whom would scruple to denounce, discover, or betray, like Judas, any tyrannicide, for a munificent bribe, with a kiss. Let us contrast the horrible fate of the above State criminals, or to descend lower in the scale of homicide, to the Ministerial assassin of Perceval, with the impunity of treachery, fraud, corruption, perjury, liberticide, the lingering murder of the staff of life, starva tion committed against the nation by Peers, Prelates, and lordly land proprietors, aided by their stultified fifty-pound tenantry, opulent commoners, a crawling shopecracy, and the whole tribe of venal slaves to luxurious courts. While the foregoing evils exist, while soldiers and sailors are pressed or brutally flagellated, and honest labourers are famished by inadequate hire in every department of indus try, our absurd vaunt of " Britannia rules the waves" is a despicable farce, and the actual condition of the country seems the menacing prelude to an awful tragedy, unless averted by more humanity and wisdom than Whig and Tory Cabinets have yet exerted to conciliate the Democracy, long since driven to despair by their innu merable privations, grinding taxation, and onerous duties to perform, in which they have nearly as little interest as mere beasts of burden, with education enough to teach such unrepresented serfs by whom, when, where, how, and why they arc degraded infinitely beneath the rank of free men; who, without the shelter of the Ballot never will dare vote as they wish, from motives of self-preservation alone, until the whole chicanery of electioneering ma nceuvres be extirpated by the severity of ignominious pe t; naltics and expoure of every p ers on concerned in such dast ,rdlv pursuits, which ought, in justice to the nation, to be b: ended as infamous as perjury, burglary, robbery, forgery, theft, sedition, and similar offences, not at present expiated on a scafold, nor so heinous as the eel) assiee . malversati ons to w hi c h I a ll ude, an d for t h e tr i a l w h ereo f a common jury of honest men would be much more ap propriate than all the nobles and honourables of the British empire, though. headed by Sir Robert Pe•.l or the great Lord John's self There being one plausible objection to secret nomination, the best remedy for it is with the Chartist:, to discard public and private canvass at once, under pain of elective and representative forfeiture or suspension, according to the culprit's less atrocious or more venial deserts. Candidates might, nevertheless, be per mitted, in due time, to publish a short plain address thus :—" To the Honest Electors of A. B.—Fellow Countrymen l My public and private moral character, in every point of view, I flatter myself is already sufficiently known to, or may be easily ascertained by all of you pre vious to the day of election, when, without any farther so licitation, personal or otherwise, permit me to request the favour of your voluntary suffrages to represent you in Parliament, where I promise faithfully to maintain the rights, liberties, and welfare of my constituents, and to promote them to the best of my ability on every occasion, while consistent with the general prosperity of the entire British empire at home and abroad. I engage, moreover. • to furnish you with a true statement of my Sessional Votes and the reasons for giving them. Should these not be deemed valid by one-third of the electors, I shall restore the trust immediately into their hands, that a more popular, talented, or conscientious representative may instantly re place, yours respectfully, C. D."- Such a process would require little expense from the Treasury, which ought not only to defray the whole, but t o appoi n t those functionaries who are well paid to di sc h arge a ll th e nece ssary duties, gratuitously, for the limited period of one long day, in various sections of a town or county, where every vote sealed might be regularly scrutinised by five or seven up right persons, bound by solemn affirmation to do strict jus tice, without unreasonable prejudice or predilection for the parties concerned. In the event of either candidates or constituents being found guilty, by a jury of good men and true, of fraudulent practices connected with the pend ing election, they shall be subjected to such pains and pe nalties as the nature of their misdeeds may deserve, on the plea of treason against the supremacy of the nation, infi. nitely more indispensable than the sovereignty of a king, to preserve the rational freedom, happiness, and prosperity of the people. When goaded by the oppression of grind ing monopolies, in all the ranks of Church, State, law, and learning, no wonder if their unheeded, eternal grievances, render them savagely desperate at last, as in the recent acts of popular rage at Birmingham, which every honest Chartist must deplore, lest their outrageous proceedings bring the Tory coup de grace of despotism on the head of liberty for years to come, during which, in spite of their vain glorious song Britons must succumb, as cheated, helpless slaves. Be prudent, Whigs I and ponder on this line— " To err is human, to forgive divine," and preserve your father land from the bloodhounds of war, hallooed on by Clerical,Civil, Legal, and Militaryßutchers, as the vanguard of Toryism, Orangeism, Despotism, Selfism, Fanaticism, and every other ism hostile to mankind, includ ing Corn-lawism, the very worst of the list. I may here after be induced to trouble you with my desultory thoughts on those political objects mentioned in the outset of this epistle, which is already too prolix for insertion in a jour. nal so well filled as The Sun, generally appears in the estimation of, Sir, your very obedient servant, A CONSTANT SUBSCRIBER, And like yourself, a Lover of Fair Play to Friend or Foe. THE DUTCH NAVY. AMSTERDAM, JULY 30.---On the first of July the fol. lowing men of-war were building for the Navy of the Netherlands:— At Amsterdam, the Tromp and Piet Hien, each of 74 guns; the Doggersbank, of 60 guns ; the Lek and the Holland, each of 44 guns; the Medusa, of 26 guns; the Swallow, of 18 guns ; and the Pyl, of 14 guns. At Rotterdam, the Waal, of 60 guns; the Yssel, of 44 guns; the Pallas, of 22 guns; the Haai, of 18 guns; the Hecla, of 7 guns. At Flushing, the Ruyter, of 74 guns ; the Helder, of 22 guns ; the Courier, of 18 guns; and the Lynx, of 18 guns. From the official Navy List it appears that on the Ist of July the corps of naval officers was composed as follows : —1 Admiral and Col. General, hi, Royal Highness Prince Frederick of the Netherlands; 4 Vice-Admirals; 7 Rear_ Admirals; 23 Captains; 40 Captain-Lieutenants, one of whom is his Royal Highness Prince William Frederick Henry ; 28 Lieutenants of the first class, 173 Lieutenants of the second class ; 53 Volunteers of the first class. Officers of health :-6 Surgeon-Majors of the first class, 8 of the second, and 12 of the third class; 14 Surgeons of the second class, and 29 of the third; Pursers of the first class 6, of the second 18, of the third 18 ; Assistants, 34 ; Clerks, 38 ; Subaltern Officers, Pilots, Boatswains, Car penters, Smiths, Sail-makers, &c., 63. The Meekeer and Snelheed brigs are ordered to the West Indies to relieve the Valk and Windhona, which are to return home. FALMOUTH PACKET STATION Having given insertion to several communications touching the relative merits of Southampton and De vonport as packet stations, we feel bound, on the prin ciple of fair play, to publish the following documents in favour of Falmouth, which we have just received from a deputation now in town from the port. Our own opinion is that in the selection of a packet station, the GENERAL PUBLIC ADVANTAGE should be consulted in preference to any private or party interests.—En. Sow. A public meeting of the inhabitants of Falmouth and its vicinity, convened - by J. Ellis, Esq., the Mayor, was held in the Town-hall, on Wednesday, the 17th of July, 1839, "for the purpose of considering the propriety of presenting a Memorial to the Lords of her Majesty's Treasury, on the subject of steam-packet communication, the Mayor in the chair. His Worship having stated the object of the meet ing, the following Memorial was unanimously agreed on. To the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury : The Memorial of the Mayor, Aldermen, and Burgesses of the borough of Falmouth, and the inhabitants of Falmouth and its vicinity, in public meeting assembled. Shewoth—That your memorialists have heard that it is in contemplation to contract for the conveyance of her Majesty's mails to the West Indies by steam vessels, and that Southampton or some other port may be selected for their embarkation and return, which measure, if carried into effect, they are convinced will not only be detrimental to the public service, but will seriously injure the interests of this town and the county at large. That Falmouth Harbour, for its great safety, facility of access at all times, and under all circumstances, and from its extreme south-western position, possesses advantages over every other port in the Channel, as an outlet to the southward and westward; and all vessels from and to any port to the eastward, must necessarily on their outward and homeward voyage pass near the entrance of Falmouth Harbour, the English side of the Channel being consider ably less dangerous than the French side, and invariably preferred by all navigators, who consider it of the utmost importance to make either the Scilly or the Lizard, from the latter of which Falmouth is distant about two hours' sail. That in case of two steamers of equal power starting simultaneously from Falmouth and Southampton, espe cially with a strong contrary wind, the former would arrive off Cape Finisterre as soon as the latter would reach the Lizard, with the important advantage of having on board a proportionate quantity of unexpended fuel. That whilst the mails are at sea, their arrival must al ways be uncertain, depending materially on the state of the weather; but, once landed, they proceed with cer tainty and dispatch, and as the Great Western Railway now in progress will shortly be continued as far as Exeter, the advantages of Falmouth as a port for the receipt and transmission of mails will be still more apparent. The steam-vessels outward bound, when compelled to return, invariably select Falmouth as their port of refuge ; and it may be added, that, if from adverse winds and boisterous weather, a packet returns to Falmouth, the letters received during her absence are added to her mails and forwarded to their destination. That there can be no increased expedition attained by a change of station to Southampton, or any other port in the channel ; but, on the contrary, a general delay, and a con.. siderable retardation to by far the largest portion of them, inasmuch as the northern mails, comprising the entire of the Scotch and Irish letters, and those of the great manufac turing districts, are concentrated at Bristol, as demon strated in the annexed schedule, to which your memo rialists crave your Lordships' attention. - That in the immediate vicinity of Falmouth steam engine foundries are established, where all necessary repairs and defects to machinery can be speedily and effectually ac complished, and where the Government vessels have been hitherto repaired as occasion required. That your memorialists, therefore, confidently submit, that any change of the packet station would be the cause of great inconvenience and delay, and materially and injuriously affect the general and commercial interests of this king dom, independently of causing the necessity of having se parate post-office establishments. Your memorialists have also to submit that a very con siderable amount of capital from time to time has been laid out in the improvement of roads throughout the country, and in various establishments at Falmouth. under a conviction that the packets were permanently stationed there, and this interest which has already been consi derably affected by the change recently made from Government to contract vessels, would suffer further and more extensive injury by an entire removal from this sta tion of the steamers conveying the Spanish, Portuguese, Mediterranean, and East and West Indian mails. In conclusion, your memorialists beg respectfully to represent to your Lordships, that, without desiring to offer opposition to any measure that would really secure a permanent benefit to the public service, they earnestly and respectfully entreat that no alteration may be made without giving yoar memorialists an opportunity o f producing evidence in support of the facts herein stated, for they are fully convinced, that the more the merits of this question are investigated, the more clearly it will appear, that Falmouth is, of all others in the British Chan. nel, the most advantageous port for the departure and return of the foreign mails, whether in sailing or steam vessels. SCHEDULE. Exeter to Falmouth 96 11 The mails from Scotland , Ireland, Liverpool 111Anches ter, and other great manufacturing t 7 o s wn a s til: n s, o the r7i north hours England are concentrated at Bristol. Bristol to Exeter is about 183- From Bristol to Southampton about 75 miles, or Steam-vessel from Southampton to a point off Falmouth average say 22 71 hours Difference in favour of Falmouth o n completion of railroad from Bristol to Exe ter, a saving of EVENING ED TION. THE LONDuN MAILS From London to Southampton partly by rail way as at present 5 From Southampton to a point off Falmouth, on the average, say 27 hours From London to Fa!mouth, per mail 27 When the railroad from London to Bristol is complete a saving of 5 hours Ditto from Bristol to Exeter ... In favour of London by way of Fal- mouth 8 hours Thus the mails from Ireland, Scotland, — and the great northern rnanufacturihg districts will gain eleven hours by their being embarked at Falmouth at present, and wben the railroad is completed from Bristol to Exeter a gain of sixteen hours; while the mails from London new arrive at Falmouth as soon as they can reach a point off Falmouth by way of Southampton by steam, and when the Bristol and Exeter Railway is complete there will be a saving of eight hours in bringing the mails from London. In addition to this it must be remembered that the time to Falmouth is fixed, being by land, while that from South ampton is uncertain, being dependent greatly on wind and weather. ADDITIONAL REMARKS TO THOSE CONTAINED IN THE FAL. MOUTH MEMORIAL. The great merits of Falmouth Harbour are not properly appreciated, especially by persons residing in distant parts of the kingdom, and therefore the following remarks are appended to the Memorial. First.—lt possesses advantages, it is thought, greater than any other port in the kingdom as an anchorage for steam vessels, being safe and commodious—without all strength of tide—and having a depth of water equal to all purposes for the largest vessels. Supplies of Welsh coals may be obtained at Falmouth at the low .st possible rate, and of the best quality—th e distance from Wales being short, and the freight propor ttonately light. The Government coal frigate lies In e part of the harbour where there is sufficient depth of wate r to enable even a line of battl e s hi p to go alongside of he r at any time of tide, and where the largest steam ship eve r built can always receive her coals without any delay or the smallest risk. Tw o o th er coa l h u lk s are always emp l eY e in the inner harbour in supplying steam vessels of vari° lls sizes with coals with the smallest possible inconvenience. The anchorage of the out er p ort, or what is usu ally termed Carrick Roads, where the present naval packets lie preparatory to their proceeding on their voyage, for its extent—for its depth of water (there being from 7to 2v , fathoms)—and for its se cur it y f rom a ll storms, is unequall ed on the coast of England, and in which the longest steam' vessel may find room to wind, anchor, or weigh, without being inconvenienced by narrow passages, projectin g points; or dangerous sho a l s , an d w i thout requiring the protect ion of a breakwater, o r th e gu i dance of light vessels and awl' -marks. tiplied land It is a fact well known to the commercial world, tha t in the heavy gales of wind which have so frequently uc: curred, and when losses i n li ves and property to the mos t serious amount have been sustained in other ports, scarcely a single accident has happened at Falmouth; and it may be ob3erved, that in the year 1824, when th e port of Plymouth present e d suc h me l anc h oly instances e its exposure to the severe gales from the southward, an such extensive l osses were exper i ence d along the coas t ' Falmouth was a l mos t wholly exempt f rom its direfu l effects. Second.—That as a port of refuge it is always acces sible by night and day—at all times of tide—and i n the most boisterous weather, with the wind in any quarter. There is no impediment existing to the arrival of steal' vessels of any size, and it should be remembered that th e winds which prevail on the British and Irish coasts during the winter, are from S. S. W. to W. N. W , and are often accompanied by thick rain, dark weather, and high seas , which are the greatest hindrances in navigating on the e° . coasts. Under thes e we ll-k nown perils a seaman wo ele run with confi rence for the Lizard, satisfied that be O . ; not a lee shore t o conten d with, os he may approach ael • part of that coast within two and a half miles, or nea r enough in the worst weather to ascertain his position fro m whence he can stee r f or F a l mout h H ar b our, or take s helter in the Wester n B ay i n smooth water. The Liver pool Peninsular ste amer was l ately delayed in her return voyag e forty-eight h ours , f rom some d efect in her machinery and , deficiency o f f ue l, an d s h e must of necessity h ave song' , " refuge in a west ern port to procure the necessary assis t. ance for the continuance of her voyage if she had bee ° bound to any port to the eastward. Thirdly. As a port of departure for steam vessels it also presents great advantages, being at the very entranCe of the Channel, from whence a passage can be made when vessels in the east ern ports would hesitate about weighing their anchor. The maximum rate of the speed of a steam vessel is about n i ne m il es per h our, and this i s a b o ut the malls will rate o f a ma il coach ; therefore t h e Mels will be carried to Falmouth, the extreme South-west ern ern port, in all weat h ers, at a fixed ra te of speed, and be ready for embarkation there at a c ertain hour—advantages which cannot be equalled by st w art . it ing from any oth er p ort . I f the object in dispensing ° sailing vessels and emp l oy i ng steam b e d i spatc h , t hen to give up Falmouth for the precarious chances attendan t upon navigating the whole length of the Channel would be most undesirable; for the difficulties would be tenfold in the winter, when the days are short and the nights long' and even in the summer there is a great variety of instances of delay of which the following are the most recent. The Devonshire, a first-class steam vessel, encountered a gale of wind on her passage from London to Dublin, and ought to have arrived at Falmouth on Friday, the 19th instant, at noon, but did not reach that place till five, a.m., on the Monday following, having 'been delayed on her passage down Channel 65 hours. The United Kingdom, a fine steamer, bound to Naples and Alexandria, left Portsmouth on Thursday morning, the 18th instant, and did not reach Falmouth until 10 p.m., the Sunday following, being three days and a half on her passage, and 57 hours longer from Portsmouth than the mail coach takes to convey the mails from London to Falmouth. Where, then, it may be fairly asked, is there another port on all the coasts of England which affords such Wl' lities for the arrival and departure of steam as Well as sailing vessels with mails and dispatches on board, to be compared with Falmouth? Indeed the expression of a talented nautical gentleman may be well quoted, that "the contemplated change abounds in absurdities." Falmouth, July 1839. DISCOVERIES OF MUMMIES AT DuRANG°' Niaxico.—A million of mummies, it is said, have lately been discovered in the environs of Durango, in Mexico' are in a sitting posture, but have the same wrappings' bands, and ornaments as the Egyptians ; among them was found a poignard of flint, with a sculptured handle, e t , 118 ... r. lets, necklac es , & c., of alternately coloured beads, irab' ments of bones polished like ivory, fine worked, elastic tissues, (probably our modern India rubber cloth), moc casins worked lik e t h ose of our Indians, bones of vil 3e ".." &c. It is unknown what kind of embalming was used fo r the mummies above mentioned, or whether they were pro.. served by nitrous depositions in the caves where they w el l found. A f act of importance is stated, that necklace s° a marine shell are found at Zacatecas, on the Pac ific ' where the Columbus of their forefathers probably, there fore, landed f r om Hi n d ostan, or from the Malay or Chi n ese` coast, or from thei r i s l an d s i n t h e I ndian Ocean.--Silh. man's Journal. HAYDN'S DY ING P RAYER.— o f The army - Napoleon had been g ra d ua ll y approaching Vienna, an d °a the night of the 10th o f M ay, 1808, the French art illery' up its position at S c h osn b run, within two hundred s : yards of the composer' s little garden, in which four she lls. fell and exploded in th e course of the night. Its batterie s were directed again s t t h e c i ty, and Haydn, picturing t° himself the horrors of a sac k ed town, the massacre of ll ° fellow-citizens, a n d th e i mper i al eagle succumbing to t he bird of Gaul, raised hi s f ee bl e hands to heaven, and thee tottered with feeble steps to his piano, where he sang wit h a voice tremulous with emotion rather than from bodily weakness, the n a ti ona l a i r composed by himself of " Goa Italie den Kaiser," God save the King. This, which be was accustomed to call his prayer, ho sang with surpassing expression three times; but th e doom of his country was sealed, patrpatriotic e a c n o d m a p s fe e r w b days h e a d ft h e i r s l t a li s e t. La m kin u g sic o a f i W Vie o n ri n d a . dui FIRE BALLOON. Some foolhardy persons having constructed a fire balloon of enormous size, on the principle of the " great Montgolfier" machine, which was battered to pieces at the Surrey Zoological Gardens last summer, made an attempt to ascend with it from the Hippo drome race-course on Thursday night; but, just as two men had got into the car, a rent was discovered in the balloon, and subsequently it took fire. It was fortunate for the aspirants to aeronautic honours that they had not lef t terra firma; as it was, they very narrowly escaped being' burned to death. One would think the chances were suf.- ciently strong against the aerial voyager in the coraras balloon, without superadding:the risk of being roasted alive. THE CLASSIC PATTEVER SPOONS and FORKS combine Novelty RN with gr SI L ea t Nest' a nCdO Watchmaker, t h A m V a k O e R r) Y 4 , ness and Simplicity, and are little more expensive than the old plain patterns which have been ma d e f or the last thirty pas* This pattern can be obtained on l y o f I'. Silversmith, Jeweller, ) London.Cornh _ ( Sere° doors from Gracechurch-street, SHEFFIELD PLATED WINE COOLERS' A. B. SAVORY and SONS, Manufacturing Silvairsoit" 14, Cornhill, Lond on ( opposite the Bank of England), bale for choice in their w arerooms a Selection of PLAIN and ORN MENTAL ICEPAILS, to which they wish to direct attastit The price of ain Tub -pail (now much in use), 8 i• 1 the pair ; the Classic Vase (very neat), 101. Bs. the pair the Victoria Cl Jsl. the pair; the Dresden Cooler, HU' t he „I pair, &c., all of whit., are strongly mounted with Silver, and have Silver Shields for Engraving the Crest or C oa t of Ann:, A pamphl et is published, with drawin g s o f th e above .. end other arti c l es of plate generally, which may be had en Wu' .: tion, free of cost. II 711 5. On the 31st Wt., at Creeting Rectory, Suffolk, the lady ° f the Rey. Charles Rawlins, of a daughter. On the 31st ult., at Camberwell, Airs. William James Leas , of a daughter. On the 2d inst., in Finsbury-square, the lady of W. J' Little, AI.D., of a son. On the Ist inst., at Walsall, the lady of the Rev. Vi r - Barker, of a son. At North,un, North Devon, the Rev. Beridge J e bb, son °' Joshua Jebb, of Walton-lodge, Derbyshire, Esq to Charlotte, eldest daughter of the late Richard Dann, E.Sq On the 3d inst., at St. John's, flotton, G Comfort, of Coleman-street, youngest son of Air. Con l i ert of Holloway of Sarah, eldest daughter of the late J:leob Easley,Esq. , ° Ealing. DIET), On the 3d inst., at Lamb e th, Th omas Pinkett, Esq., late of the Middle Temple, aged 84, On the •3(1 inst., at illerrylands, near Chertsey, Surrey, 311. " James Lilw,;ll, aged 48. it and Published b y 11 RllO 1 7 0 f No 112., :•-traatl, at The Sun Odic*, No. 112, Stand, '— the eouuty of A liddlesex.—Alonflay, August 5. .V..•X4 171 16 hours 1 1