The Sun. — London, England, 1850-09-20 00:00:00

three or four days. The hammer produced would have hlktid such a wund as that which the prosecutor had, This was the case for the prosecution. The prisoner shortly addressed the jury, stating that he was drunk at the time, and did not know what he Was about. Mr. Justice TALFOURD summed up. The jury found the prisoner Guilty, and The L'arned JUDGE sentenced him to twelve months' ' imprisonment and hard labour. rimmus Green, aged 9, described as a labourer, was indicted for feloniously stabbing Susan Brown, with in tent to do her some grievous bodily harm. Mr. P LATT was counse l f or t h e prosecu ti on , a nd called the following witnesses: — Susan Brown stated that on the 29th of August she 1 11. 1 v the p r i soner runn i ng a f ter a li tt l e g i r l w ith a clasp ' , tat is his hand, and upon getting up to witness he Pulled her down by the hair of her head to the ground knd put the knifO to bar throat, and said he woi! t te at "it for her. Witness went up and pulled " il n away from the little girl, heth.n plunged the knife i nto the right arm of Witness knew thopr' wht,'ss as fatherless. His mAher went out with a crockery basket. She believed he was not quite right in his mind. v, The prisoner, who did not appear to be of sound mind, •"re. exclaimed that he would not do so again. Mr. Smith, a surgeon of Kingsland-road, attended the prosecutor and dressed her arm on Use 29th of August. 4 he wound was about half an inch de. p and an inch and as half long. lie believed the prisoner was subject to fits. Policeman No. 442 took the prisoner into custody. The surgeon of Newgate suited that be believed the Vsol , er was a child of weak mind, but he could not say t hat he was in that state that he did not know right re ,re Wrong, Cir. Cope, the Governor of Ncwgatc, stated that since 1 4 :: Prisoner hal been in his custody he had been sub -10 to fits, and had suffered greatly from them. When e fits were not upon him he was a very well-con teeted bo • ). kr • Justice TALF Ultra summed up. xt 'he jury found the prisoner Guilty, and tran sportation, Justice TALFoURD sentenced him to seven years' n! ri sportation, the Learned Judge stating at the sa me re that his object in passing such a sentence was that 1 17 prisoner should be properly taken care of for a con k, er ahle time. The sentence might appear a sev ere e L to the mo th er o f th e prisoner, but it was in truth or l els ben e fit, an d a t th e same time to show that a .29 1 , 0 such a s th a t of which the prisoner had been found natity alien could not coupassed over without severe punish - I~tb e ATTEMPT TO COMMIT A BURGLARY AT A "ROXER . S.— George Bentley. 20 , described in the do eodar , as a waiter and Charles Bentley, 21, a gar , tl ,er, were indicted for a unlawfully attempting to corn- Tit burglary in the dwelling-house of Mr. Benham til -t . lll ieson, th e em inent pawnbroker and collector of rl?sities, in the Strand, near S. Clement's Church. 11 0b , 1 % Cotton was counsel for the prosecution, and Mr. p in euo appeared for the prisoner. p ro l 'ena the statement of the Learned Counsel for the ithosecution and the evidence adduced it appeared that, 1 44 " four o'clock on the morning of Saturday, the 7th the prisoners were discovered to be on the roof of a R oil ; house attached to No. 255, Strand, and were seen p rci g over towards the house of Mr. Tomlinson , t he di titt letor. - A person in the house, No. 255, imme et/ e 2Y Procured a policeman, and the assistance of an time' Person, and, after jramping over sevet al houses in so,,,,vuuring to esceps the constable and the other per toe lt „elini them, the prisoners were taken into cus ler;', when searched at the station-house a life-pre 4180 jr wls found on each of the prisoners, and they had 1 4 ,0 chisel, a screw-driver, tapers, candles, knives, and To t3 c i r matches. Upon examining the - house of Mr. o g , iri s°a it was discovered that one of the back hadwin been attempted to be broken open, one of the Wer o ` 14(1 been wrenched, and marks of violence given the on the shutters. We have already the facts in detail when the case was before the el ti T it rate at Bow•street a fey days ago. At the con tic"' of the evidence, • A t r • , 11 °BIN 8 -)14 addressed the jury for the prisoners. 1 1 1 1 '. uuitice TALF )I.IIID summed up, and sentence found the prisoners Guilty. tl teLce deterred. THIRD COURT. J ox (Before 1171 r. GURNEY.) • diet e ' c i n Moran, 21, and Eliza Williamv; 28, were in -Iteb,rtfor assaulting and robbing a young man, named v. Mr A s ' , • '-ea • — "Bon appeared for the prosecution ; and Mr. h e ftily , for the prisoner. appeared that on Saturday evening last, about Vi et s 4l o'clock, the prosecutor was Proceeding along Iterneria-street, Holborn, when be was accosted theby lick Williams, who invited him to accompany , him este,' While conversing with her the male prisoner 01 tOP behind and inflicted a violent blow on the head toyer'.rosecutor, which knocked him down. On re l'earelrig his' feet he found that his watch had disap• bie r ' and he immediately called out for the h eiA ,P who soon came to hi s assistance. The bet was taken, and the watch found concealed on frkperson eedi • ' rho male prisoner took to flight, 4 d e arn ng up Field lane he was hotly pursued . by . a trrned Baker, who witnessed the transaction, but he , 1 0 a prPed up by some of thole disreputable characters „ e generally f oun d l o it er ing about the locality, and e verr„" '4 e otier consequently escaped. The ycuth, how kid 4 .11111 rd and d e scribed the appearance of the man, th B it coincided with that of a well-known character and tam ' l ghbourhood, they both went in search of him, lad 'h•? 81 1Cee'ded i n a pp re hending him the same even , tt court near Gray's Inn-lane. ' atio th i n Part of M ora n an at empt was mane to prove . Thep the pr i soners were found Gu i lty. bi d e Poli h t o who apprehended Moran said he knew teak 'e the associate of a notorious set of house it et Ire and pickpock e t.. He was summarily convict( d be d ?ri( nwell fo r pi c ki ng p oc k e ts, two years ego, and Altip l atn i !e been charged with being concerned in a bur : eo ,lt was acquitted. Siticrr policeman said the frmale prisoner used e0n ,,948,"0 associate with two common prostitutes, who, in "ell B : Ve ,re COLIViLt'd of watch-stealing at the Clerken k-„Toe. ' 4 etee „`" ne aulissioner GURNEY sentenced them both to ears' t transportation. ter 1 s I t t eu r.GIS'ERATION—THISDA Y. Perf ee . ItrsTlE sat again this morning at Guildhall; Q 4 ltle n' e d the lists fur the wards of Broad-street, s Ynard, Cheap, Cordwainer, Dowgate, and MI:RICAN NEWS. (I 3 Y ELECTRIC. TELEGRAPH.) I LIVE RPOOL, FRIDAY MORNING. 41 4 I United States mail steamship Atlantic, Cap hista Irest ) from N ew Y or k , w i t h a d v i ces t o the 7th The' arrived at nine o'clock this morning. Ite P `' liti cal accounts are important. The House titor•Pr"entatives had passed the New Mexico Ter- A e l : 1 0 1/il l and the Texan Boundary Bill. tI4 3 14-4 from California, thirteen days latter, to f th e I t st au lY, had been received by the arrival o Itiths-earaer Panama at Panama, on the 21st u1t., 0 , 4 011., 2 , 3° °,000 dolls. specie, of which about 500,00 t ro tti ,„", 44 arrived at New York, by the Empire City t ,ir \-411%4.. z Murders and assassinations are rife in r nia. mines were yielding largely. NEW YORK, SEPT. 7. rreentToney market within the past day or two has t :11flaxr,,`1,u1Y tightened, and notwithstanding the girl . Pat g, old there are indications of a more strin . 4 withi n the next ninety days. ' h -le llat;: " 8 been but a mcderree demand for sterling l itr e' P ' The supply of bills upon the markets was ge• tO(lUote on L on d on , 101 t o 10k per cen t. rt a, l n '. Paris, sf. 22i e to 51. 20e ; Bremen, T ri 40i "1 amburgh, 35 , 1 t 0 .36; Amsterdam, 40 } h e . to.t_ ste arner takes out a large amount . of specie. 4)/370*---The receipts at all the shipping ports are ettr,'" 4 bales against 2,707,424 to same date last tae tb total 11, decreas this season of 637,020 bales. foreign export this year is 648,402 bales 114 'in nl 't* - -say 439,568 bales decrease to Great Th e • G BiPttlent fr om sou thern to northern ports ,s G , s . 144 b ales less this season than last, and there is itt/t ease in st k t 26 674 bales. Sales since our D e oc , 4150 0 L i ', (4 / 0 bales, making- a total for the week of ufties. I I foli o _ 4, ~ ---- i,44llPittl—n. ACROSS s THE C HANNEL, - e .We find the ki te ot emeei t he Steck : 7 E . yen in ee- t !lle : _„ _Ye the possibility of the realizat o i f ou se o i f en s c u e ck w e a e r tielill,retio_llhe Academy of Sciences has at present mid 114;4 1 10 teith"_..rt more of a m h os n t a e. s t u r s a p o e r i d is i i n o a n r . y hr c i h d pranel- andEnorl less d t ro ga r e a c h t e e l:, M. Ferdinand Lemaitrel3_ ais :NI bt° e stabli h ng an . - 1 1 ,, ove r „ 4 an aerostatic bridge A t 'Lth ettt zor this purpose ho would construct strong Cl tdi ; to which the platform would be attache . iter-iti,l.otatpe? of 100 yards from the coast, and at dis . tances of cqes hen-4ards across the Channel, be would sink four . 114411 'r p e Vaden, to which would be affixed a double iron pathtel.... eati tar. co.nstruction. firm i mbl apparatus of ll e i :; . .s,. elliptical form, and ) se . cti:ed, would sup tt.„.,rbi,2l„, far the extremity of these chains, which would 1 "'N '' ,T .astened to the abutments on the shore by other tilltetl_cs:wbtiEt_eili section of 100 yards . would cost about 300,000 . ( t ist ve kres? would make 8t millions . for_ the whole dis liti,a'Jeea ,: 1 hese chains, supported in the air at stated %;ii,"R!, ot ; "°l!.d become the point of support of this fairy leil e 'ie ra4 W hleh the inventor proposes to establish an alms gth b — wa.Y. This project has been developed at great A Y the inventor.''' 4 °Z tlew qition of the Standing Orders of the 14 eOf c, s 'Van 'tnlllens has just been issued. It contains the tTh e °f the late Mr. Ley. i tl a t ,, P , ° , 3 es v ‘ l f l n tl e 'of the, Property bequeathed for scientific Liey . ,-- the ,town of Southampton, by the late Mr. ‘I• am ounts to upwards of 90,' U. t f ., DA LE .11 1 '443 : ttio r •"c ISHER T.—Private letters, received yest -I,,,!Lthe u t hng from Davis Straits, of date 26th July, state eleT„ c s c ;1-/rh,f this port had then four fish, 32 or 5 e 2 x2 Al ° rider ' itie, hnar,l?tle, one.fish, 8 onotns; Advice an /joreSpeete%4l-lexander was the Cod Bank on the 26th, it ~.1 1 4 , utobe in Elennesuik Bay in a few days. The 1,, ..a e a north in the bay, and one of the letters states that '. •t tlae ' .- .ected she virmild be a full ship. —Dundee Ad -113% e Inc ° Cob l e of the Wes'ern College, belonging to tttlii%P.'g'til3tiali,,t. AN - by last year's report just 41e 1 , d ' •° be 6 01. si Th - e ) ` e e a x " p ' enditure was 009/., but the 3' luk. 1, mewl xlculy 117,4' t b i u p by a legacy. THE SUN, GRAND EXPLOSION AT SEAFORD CLIFF. The blasting a portion of Seaford Cliff—an opera tion which has for some time past excited much in terest and attention in the scientific and engineering world—took place yesterday, in the presence of an immense concourse of spectators. Seaford, it may be stated, is a small town, or rather village, lying on the coast between Brighton and Hastings, and about throe miles to the east of Newhaven. It is one of the Cinque Ports, and had the honour of, being repre sented in Parliament by Pitt and Canning. Its popu lation scarcely amounts to 1,000. The extensive operations which have been recently carried on, and were yesterday completed, at Seaford Head, have been rendered necessary by the changes which the sea is slowly, but perpetually, working in the aspect of the coast, and by the operation of which harbours and estuaries, in some places, are being filled up, and portions of the shore continually swept away in other localities. It is said that in the reign of Charles 11. a 64-gun ship could float in the harbour of Rye, vhere now no vessel above 200 tons can enter. Hastings, which formerly had a commodious har bour, now has none, and vessels lying off the coast are in hourly danger of being driven on the beach and wrecked. In like manner, Seafurd, which, three centuries ago, was possessed of a convenient port, is now separated from the sea by nearly half a mile of low marshy shingle, and the result was, some dozen years since, the rise of Newhaven as a port. The coast from Newhaven Head to Seaford Head, a semi circular sweep of about three miles, is, for the greater part of the distance, below high water mark, and is only defended from the sea by the bank of shingle which is being gradually, by the action of the waves, swept out of the bay ; and if this barrier is once carried away a vast tract of low-lying country will be inundated and rendered useless. It has bren as certained that the tendency of the shingle is to travel, by the action of the tides, from west to east, and the object of the blasting of the cliff yesterday was to throw down a mass of chalk so as to form a groyne or breakwater, la hich would prevent the shingle being carried out of the bay. How far the object of arrest ing the further encroachments of the sea, and prevent ing the beach travelling to the eastward, will be at tained by the formation of this chalk groyne remains to be seen ; but it is confidently anticipated that the effect will be to protect the extensive tidal mills erected at the mouth of Newhaven River by Messrs. Catt, and also the forts and martello towers on the coast. Having thus briefly stated the object for which hese extensive operations were undertaken, we now proceed to give some account of the works them selves. Seaford Cliff is the termination of a chain of hills running from the interior. It commences to the east of the town of Seaford, rising somewhat abruptly to the height of about 200 feet, and pre senting a perpendicular wall of rock for about a quarter of a mile, running in a straight line, and al most overhanging the sea, which at high water washes its base. The rock is of considerable hard ness, and is composed of layers of consolidated chalk, in which black flint is embedded, dipping to the west at an acute angle. The centre of the cliff is about 250 feet high, and this was the point selected for the engineering operations. In the face of the cliff, about .50 feet above high water mark, the main gallery was commenced, by means of a long wooden ladder and stage. Much difficulty was experienced at starting in making an opening in the solid rock, but as soon as a footing had been obtained the work went on rapidly. The gallery, which was 6 feet high by 5 feet wide, was carried into the rock for a distance of about 70 feet, with a rise of one in three. Returns were then made, right and left, in the form of a T, extending about thirty feet on either side. At the ends of these returns two chambers were constructed of seven feet cube, and lined with wood, and in each of these chambers 12,000 lbs. of gunpowder were deposited, the aper tures being " tamped," as the engineering term is, with bags of sand. The returns, and about fifty feet of the main gallery, were filled up with chalk, so as to form an effectual resistance to the explosive force of the gunpowder in that direction. The distance of the centre of the charge to the face of the cliff was about seventy feet, and the height from the base about the same. On the top of the cliff it was originally intended to sink a semicircular trench defining the portion of the cliff to be detached ; but the hardness and solidity of the rock conapelled an alteration in the plan. Five shafts were then sunk, following the semicircular line of the trench, but of these only three were completed when the blasting took place. They were sunk to the depth of forty-one feet, and at the bottom of each was placed a charge of 6001 b. of powder, and the shaft then filled up with chalk. From each of the chambers wires were carried over the face of the cliff to a wooden shed, erected about 170 or 180 feet in the rear of the cliff. These wires were covered with tape, and varnished, to prevent them being injured by the action of the atmosphere or friction. Wires were also carried in the same way from the three shafts on the summit of the rock to the same shed, and in this shed the galvanic bat teries, by means of which the charges were to be fired, were placed. There were two of Grove's large batteries, and one of Smee's, and they were in charge of one of the engineer officers, whose duty it was to see to their security, and complete the arrangement of the wires at the proper moment—the arrangement being that the two large chambers were to be fired simultaneously, and the three shafts immediately afterwards. The whole of the works were under the superintendence of Sir John Burgoyne, and the engineer officers detached upon the service where Captain Frome, and Lieuts. Ward, Crossman, and Greatore x, with fifty-five of the sappers and miners, who have been constantly employed on the cliff for the last seven weeks. We are gratified to be enabled to add, that, although there were several narrow escapes and trifling casualties, no serious accident oc curred during the progress of the works. During the whole of the forenoon of yesterday special trains were running from London, Hastings, Brighton, Lewes, and every point within fifty miles of the scene of operations ; and the fineness of the day, and the vast scale on which the blasting was to take place, brought together several thousand spectators. The point of conveyance for all the visitors was the thriving little town of Newhaven, and here the diffi culties of transport began to manifest themselves. Everything that could run upon wheels was pressed into the service, and made as gay as paint and gaudy coloured calico could effect. Many thousands, how ever, preferred walking three miles across the rough shingly beach rather than submit to the extravagant fares demanded for a jolt in a van or market-cart. From the summit of the cliff, to which the visitors were allowed to proceed during the early part of the day, the view was extremely fine. The sea was un ruffled by a breeze, and presented a " boundless beau• tiful plane," studded with yachts, steamers, boys, fish ing and pleasure boats, gaily decorated with flags and streamers. Looking seaward on the extreme left, up the Channel, Beachy Head forms the prominent and commanding termination of the view, at the distance of about eight miles. The cliff then recedes, forming the vast sweep of Pevensey Bay, where, 800 years ago, William the Conqueror leaped on shore and grasped the beach, turning his fall into an omen of future victory. Nearer still, and almost under the spectator's feet, is Cuckmere Haven, and turning in land the eye ranges over a beautifully diversified and well-cultivated country, embracing Alfriston, Win dermere Hill, Walburton Church, &c. On the right lies the little town of Seaford, almost at the base of the cliff; the martello tower and fort, at present occupied by the party of Sappers and Miners, in front; and beyond these the coast-guard station and the long level sweep of coast which ter minates at Newhaven and the Castle-hill, celebrated for its ancient Roman remains, and its geological treasures. Behind these lies Bishopstone and the Ouse Valley, with Rodmill l ills in the distance, the whole presenting a succession of charming pictures, which looked to unusual advantage in the brilliant sunshine, and studded with groups of visitors, all wending their way to the scene of opera tions at Seaford. The top of the cliff for a circuit of about half a mile was marked out by a line 'of staffs with, red flags, and these were continued on to the beach at about the distance of a quarter of a mile on either side of the cliff. Up to twelve o'clock crowds were moving about on the summit, many of them smoking cigars with the most perfect nonchalance, although under their feet lay more than twelve tons Of gunpowder, which a single spark would ignite, but with as much real safety as if the tremendously explosive materials were 100 miles off. To avoid the least risk of danger to the public, the following notice was extensively posted up in the neighbourhood of Seaford : "The public is infarmed that the explosion of the mines in the cliff at Seaford will take place this day, Sept. 19, at three o'clock, PM. London Railway time. " Persons are requested not to pass the line of sen tinels marked out by the banderols with a small red fisg, as within that line there is danger, as the ground will be suleject to the action of the mines. " At two o'clock a union jack will be hoisted at the shed on the cliff, and another on the top of the tower, preparatory to the explosion; and at half-past two they will be hauled down to warn people of danger. " At three o'clock the flags will be again hoisted, when immediately afterwards the mines will be fired. G. G. LEWIS, Colonel Commanding, Royal Engineers, South•west and Sussex District." At half-past two o'clock the flags on the marten() tower and in front of the shed were hauled down, and the vast crowds who had been scattered over the cliffs and along the beach advanced as closely as the line of sentinels would permit, the great bulk being congre gated on the beach, as it was then nearly low water, and a good view could be obtained of the face of the cliff. Large numbers were also assembled on the LON DON, rising ground behind, and the boats and steamers formed a semicircle at a considerable distance off, giving the cliff a very wide berth. We cannot un dertake, from the extent and diversified character of the ground, to say how many thousands were assembled, but as far as the eye could reach along the beach on either side of the cliff, and on every height and point of 'vantage which com manded a view of the operations, vast numbers were congregated. As the hour approached the scene be came intensely exciting. So many conjectures were hazarded as to the nature and extent of the explosion that was about to take place, that many of those in the front ranks involuntarily drew back, and even those at a remote distance were speculating upon the probability of a shower of rocks falling in the midst of them. At three o'clock the flags were again hoisted, and every breath was hushed—an unnatural stillness fell upon the vast multitude, broken only by the long heavy roll of the sea, as it swept over the shingle. Five minutes of anxious and almost painful expectation passed, and then the murmur went round that the wires had failed from some defect or breach of continuity, and this surmise became strength ened in the course of the next fire minutes. When all were preparing themselves for a disappointment of their high raised expectations, about twelve minutes after three a low rumbling sound was heard, like the muttering of distant thunder, or the appalling rumble of an approaching earthquake. Simultaneously with this the earth trembled beneath the feet of those who were nearest the cliff, although fully a quarter of a mile off. The whole face of the cliff moved outward, as if impelled by some invisible agency. The upper part at the same time toppling over, the immense mass fell with a roaring, crashing, deafening sound upon the beach below, crumbling into fragments and rolling far out into the sea, which it drove before it in a high wave, the shock of which was felt by the boats stationed far out in the offing. From the surface of the mass a thick white cloud of finely-pulverised particles flew out before it, like the smoke that follows the dis charge of a piece of ordnance, and the whole atmos phere was at the same instant filled with a cloud of white dust, which, mixed with the stench of the gun powder, almost choked the spectators. The moment the mass of rock reached the beach a loud and hearty cheer burst from the spectators, which was taken up and repeated along the cliffs. It is impossible to esti mate with anything like accuracy the quantity of rock that has been dislodged, but it presents a vast mound, at least 100 in height, and twice as broad, running out to a point about 300 feet from the base of the cliff. During the afternoon several additions masses were detached from the cliff, but this did not prevent many hundreds of persons from climbing to the top of the mound and examining the nature and extent of the breach that had been effected. An in- spection of the summit of the cliff, after the explosion had taken place, furnished most satisfactory evidence of the accuracy with. which the calculati o n of the en- gineering officers had been made. The space defined by the trench had been completely swept away by the force of the explosion, and deep fissures extended a considerable way back, one of them not many yards from the but in which the batteries were placed. All the wires were carried over and buried in the soil, and some considerable masses of rock will probably fall in the course of the next few days. The result is highly creditable to the engineering skill of the officers employed upon this service, although it re mains yet to be seen whether the action of the waves will not in the course of a few years csrry off the greater portion of the chalk thrown down, unless some additional means are resorted to to protect it from the sea. The inhabitants of the town of Seaford were re commended to throw open their doors and windows to prevent any injury from the explosion. They took the advice literally, and every house in Seaford was an open one during - the day, the number of visitors, and the obstruction they offered to each other in their eagerness, rendering the supplying of their wants still more difficult. The difficulty of procuring a supply of the creature comforts was trifling compared with the difficulty of getting away. Althom,h the . . whole beach in front of - the town was covered with vehicles, not a tithe of those desirous of getting away could be accommodated, and at Newhaven ....... . . fresh difficulties arose. As fast as the trains drew up they were filled to overflowing; but, as in all such cases, everybody got into the wrong train, and to do the few officials justice, they were still more bewildered by their overflow of good luck than the impatient visitors. It was a complete em- barras des - richesses, and kin most cases being honestly ignorant of the destinations of the various trains, they left the travellers to find it out at the end of their journey. These, however, were only the usual desagremens cf an influx of business, which it was impossible at so short a notice to provide fcr effectively. All, or the greater part, were in good humour with the gigantic operations they had witnessed, the fine weather, and the delightful scenery ; and we trust, even some little delay took place, that all found their way ultimately to their respective destinations. ANOTHER ACCOUNT. About two o'clock the top of the cliff was cleared for a considerable space round the ground to be ex ploded, and also the beach at and near the front of that portion of the cliff. This litter (the beach) was the place selected by most of the spectators for wit nessing the explosion ; and it being low water an ex cellent view was there to be obtained. A consider able number of people declined to come anything like so near the scene of operations as the line marked out by the authorities; many stood a mile off, and not a few still further. The beach, in fact, was more or less peopled all along the bay. It is almost impos sible to tell the number of spectators scattered in such various directions ; it has been estimated that there were 10,000 persons looking upon the operation which was this day performed, and it is very likely that there were. As the appointed hour drew near, every eye was fixed upon the place where the explosion was to be, marked out as it was by a flag upon its highest point. Just before three o'clock, apparently upon a signal or instruction from the top of the cliff, the men who " kept the ground " upon the beach, moved their boundary flags some fifty yards further away from the spot which was " the observed of all observers," and required the spectators to remove to a distance which must have been above 300 yards, if not a quarter of a mile, from the cliff to be blasted. This proceed ing seemed to create some timidity here and there, probably from its being taken to indicate that the best judges did not feel quite confident as to the di rection or effect of the explosion. With the mass, however, curiosity overcame every other feeling, and there was not a little reluctance to retire further back. Some ladies were among the last to be induced to keep at a greater distance, and give the gunpowder a wider berth. The next few minutes were passed in impatient expectation. It was not until twelve minutes past three o'clock that suddenly the whole cliff, along a width er frontage of some 120 feet, bent towards the sea, cracked in every direction, crumbled into pieces, and fell upon the beach in ront of it, forming a bank, down whicle large portions of the falling mass glided slowly into the sea for several yards like a stream of lava flowing into the water. The whole multitude upon the beach seemed for a few moments paralyzed and awe-struck by the strange move ment, and the slightly trembling ground ; every cne sought to know with a glance that the mass bad not force enough to come near him, and that the cliff under which he stood was safe. There was no very loud report; the rumbling noise was probably not heard a mile off, and was, perhaps, caused by the splitting of the cliff and fall of fragments. There seemed to be [no smoke, but there was a tremendous shower of dust. Those who were in boats a little way out state that they felt a slight shock. It was much stronger on the top of the cliff. Persons standing there felt stag gered by the shaking of the ground, and one of the batteries was thrown down by it. In Seaford, too, three-quarters of a mile off, glasses upon the table were shaken, and one chimney fell. At Newhaven, a distance of three miles, the shock was sensibly felt. In a few minutes after the cliff had fallen the crowd upon the beach rushed forward to it. A second fall of chalk, when they got about half way, checked them for in instant, and but for an instant. They rushed up the mound which the ex ploded chalk had formed. Although it is a mass of large rough stones for the most part, difficult in many places to climb except by using one's hands as well as feet, yet ladies eagerly clam bered up it, and one gentleman managed to get his horse up. It will, probably, like the cliff still stand ing, be rather unsafe for a time, as there is reason to believe that further falls will follow, considerable masses which have not yet fallen being evidently loosened. The mass which came down to-day is larger than was expected; it forms an irregular heap, apparently about 300 feet broad, of a height varying from 40 to 100 feet, and extending 200 or 250 feet or more seaward, which is considerably beyond low water mark. It is thought that it comprises nearly 300,000 tons. The operation is considered to have been decidedly successful. The work was under the direction of Sir J. Bur goyne, Inspector-General of Fortifications, but the immediate direction was taken by Captain Frome ; Lieutenant Ward, R E., bad charge of the voltaic batteries. Colonel Lewis, Lieutenant Greatorex, and Lieutenant Crossinan assisted in the operations. Sir J. Rennie and a number of civil engineers were on the ground. Sir C. Pasley was present, and, as we understood, the Duke of 13eau 1 ort and Lord F. Fitz clarence ; so also was Mr. Wright, C.E. who con ducted the operations at the blasting of Rounddown Cliff, near Dovei; and Colonel Sandharn, Sir 11. Shiffner, and other gentlemen of eminence. The cliff thrown down, and the place whence it came, were objects of much interest for some little time after the explosion ; but the ground soon began FRIDAY EVENING, to clear, and the principal inn became a scene of no little excitement. When the throng had obtained there what they could, the general movement was to the railway station ; and, by means of extra trains sent out as fast as they could be got ready, a host of people were dispatched to their homes well satisfied apparently with their day. ANOTHER ACCOUNT—A T SEA. In addition to the foregoing we give the following account of the explosion as it appeared at sea : That enterprising cfficer Captain Bullock, so Well and deservedly appreciated for his eminent services in surveying various parts of the coast, left Newhaven Harbour, in her Majesty's steam-vessel the Widgeon, about mid-day, h tying Sir John Rennie and others cn board, and hove to in the bay of Seaford for the E irl of Shef field, and other distinguished parties expected to come to have a'sight of the grand explosion from the sea. At about two o'clock several arrived, and the Wid geon steamed on to about a quarter of a mile from the devoted part of the cliff, where she anchored in an excellent position. The ground so ju liciously taken up by Captain Bullock served as a guide for the various yachts and other craft to take up their position also, and that part of the bay was speedily filled with a multifarious variety of flotilla, crowded with gay and expec tant visitors, who half trembled, yet dared to enjoy the grandeur of the risk 1 The sea was smooth, with a running swell which rather unsettled the fairer portion of the company, who did not exactly comprehend the beauty of the scene in its full splendour with the same certainty of being quite safe, as if they were on terra firma. As the hour of terror drew near, anxiety and curio sity seemed to struggle for relief among the crowd of water-gazing people. Here and there a sensible commotion occurred, as the doubt of whether they would or would not yield to the idea of sea-sickness prevailed ; but, altogether, a fine delicate sense a decency seemed to weather the storm, and curiosity triumphed. Meantime the decks of the Widgeon were boarded on all sides from boats crowded with distinguished people:— The Duke of Beaufort, General Sir James Mac donald (the bravest at the battle of Waterloo), Sir Frederick Fitzclarence, commanding at Portsmouth; Captain Fanshawe, Captain Mends, Count Nessel rode, T. Lamie Murray, Esq , Mrs. and Miss Murray, 11. A. Cowper, Consul at Pernambuco; Mrs. Cowper, Miss Bland, P. A. Mahoney, jun., EN., Sir H. Shiffner, &c., &c., who a 1 waited the coming event with breathless expectancy. About three o'clock suspense was at its utmost when we could clearly see men running from the voltaic battery to the edge of the cliff, as if adjust ing the wires, and running back again. Then " all was right!" But no! Another man ran back again, and doubt was the order of the hour. Presently he returned, and then a long and uneasy pause ensued : people began to rub their eyes, doubtful if they really saw the cliff, so in tense was their determination to have " a regular good view of it !" Hush !---it is going ! " No, it won't go at all" when presently, as people began to get tired of . their own wonderment, —out bulged the centre of the cliff with a quiet majesty, pressed by an invisible agency, like the bellowing sail of a man-of-war filled by the breezes of heaven, and down went the cliff to its base, with the top following in quiet succession, and filling up the vacuum left behind with as much order as if a company on parade wheeled round and took the place of the one who had just passed off. Then came the crumbling—the dust—and the rush into the sea! It was but a moment—the eye gazed on in doubt if all was over or not —when a surging wave rushed on into the sea, bearing a white foam on its curling head, on ward and onward, as "the bore" rushes up to Calcutta with "still-impending threat"—and all was still, save and except the returning wave from the deep heaving back the foam and chalk which had been carried seaward at the first impulse. Then the excitement ceased, and people wondered if all was over. Comment in every variety of opinion poured forth—but one feeling pervaded the mass, that great as it was, it might have been " better !"—S difficult is ignorance to be sati.fied ! The best informed, however; agreed that " the thing" was done wonderfully well, and reflected great credit on the skill and efficiency of the engineering officers who had charge of the affair—in which we most cordially concur. The work being now done, there is great doubt if the matter thrown out will prevent the shingle from passing eastward. Our own opinion is that it will not, unless piles be driven and other accessories be resorted to to make a com pact bulwa►k—and even then we have our doubts, for a storm from the south-west, with a spring tide, will demolish the whole mound in one tide— certainly in two—leaving the flint separated from the chalk, which will be all washed away _ ORIGIN OF THE NAMES OF THE STATES OF AMERICA. 1. Maine was so called as early as 1638, from Maine in France, of which Henrietta Maria, Queen of England, was at that time proprietor. 2. New Hampshire was the name given to the ter ritory conveyed by t h e Plymouth Company to C apt. John Mason, by p a t ent, Nov. 7, 1639, with reference to the patentee, w h o was governor of P ortsmout h , i n Hampshire, England. 3 . Vermont was so called by the inhabitants in their declaration of independence, Jan. 16, 1777, from the French verd, green, and mord, mountain. 4. Massachusetts derived its name from a tribe of Indians in the neighbourhood of Boston. The tribe is supposed to have derived its name from the Blue Hills of Milton. "I have learned," says Roger Williams, " that the Massachusetts were so called from the Blue Hills." 5. Rhode Island was so called in 1644, in reference to the Island of Rhodes, in the Mediterranean. 6. Connecticut was so called from the Indian name of its principal river. 7. New York (originally called New Netherlands) was so called in ref erence to the D u k e o f Y or k an d Albany, to whom thi s territory was granted. 8. New Jersey ( or i g i nally ca ll e d N ew S weden) was so named in 1644, in compliment to Sir George Carteret, one of its original proprietors, who had de fended the island of Jersey against the Long Parlia ment during the civil war of England. 9. Pennsylvania was so called in 1681, after William Penn, the founder of Philadelphia. 10. Delaware was so called in 1703 from Delaware Bay, on which it lies, and which received its name from Lord De la Warr, who died in this bay. 11. Maryland was so called in honour of Henrietta Maria, ,Queen of Charles 1., in his patent to Lord Baltimore, June 30, 1632. 12. Virginia was so called in 1584, after Eliza beth,ja was 80 called in 177 2, i n honour of the virgin Queen of England. 13 and 14. Carolina (North and South) was so called in 1564, by the French, in honour. o f Ch ar l es IX. of France. 15. Georg George 11. 16. Alabama was so called in 1817, from its prir.- cipal river. 17. Mississippi was so called in 1790, from its western boundary : Mississippi is said to denote the whole river ; that is, the river formed by the union of many. l i 7 s 9 sd to signify a 6 said from its prin -18. Louisiana was so called in honour of Loui s XVI. of France. eip l a 9 l . ri T ve e r n . nessee w The curved spoon. 20. Kentucky was so called in 178 2, from its prin. cipal river. w a o s rd s ocall Tennessee called in 21. Illinois was so called in 1809, from its princi pal river. The word is said to signify the river of men. 22. Indiana was so called in 1802, from the Ame rican Indians. 23. Ohio was so called in 1802, from its southern boundary. 24. Missouri was PO called in 1821, from its prin cipal river. 25. Michigan was so called in 1805, from the lake on its borders. 26. Arkansas was so called in 1819, from its prin cipal river. 27. Florida was so called by Juan Ponce de Leon, in 1562, because it was discovered on Ester Sunday, in Spanish, Pascua Florida. 28. Texas was so called by the Spaniards in 1690, who that year drove out a colony of French who had established themselves at Matagorda, and made their first permanent settlement. 29. Wisconsin was so named in 1826, from the river of the same name, when a territorial government was formed. 30. lowa was so called in 1838, after a tribe of Indians of the same name, and a separate territorial government formed. • • The foundation stone of a new church was laid at WeYnanth ou IYVlne§daY. JUNIUS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sre,—The question, Who wrote Junius ? reminds one of the old solecism , Qui fit Macenas? who mad e Maecenas ? Ut nemo ? what, no one ? Quam sibi sortem! what a lucky fellow ! So much has been said, and well said, about Sir P. Francis, that it has the air of a plagiarism to pursue the subject ; but some of those statements read more like plead ings than arguments : the "grandson.," one would think, bad memorialized Mr. Wade :—" You are a literary artizan : set the controversy at rest, and ob tain for my grandmama the honour of having been the faithful consort of the advanced years of the author of the ' Letters of Junius,' and your memo rialist, as in duty bound, will ever pray." Happily, none of Sir Philip's representatives have a particle of vanity, or this contingent, metonyonic amaranth, would sorely tantalise them. Altieru e I'altro de' suoi prnpij frogj Piu the dell' op 6 oh© i vas •t: 'I u. Much has also been said and forgotten of Burke as the real author. The main question was, Who could have written the letters ? A consensus of eminent persons in those times &Tided— none but Burke. That Francis edited the let ters is as clear as that Burke wrote them; and it i 3 barely possible the editor may not have known who the mysterious contributor was ! save by that rag marok, or "twilight of the go&," which sufficed to show thinking men it could only be Burke. Probably, if in the hurry of printing any interpolation or charge had been necessary, Francis was the last to du it without discovery, from the idiosyncrasies of his mind. The arguments from similarity of style are fallacious : whoever wrote the Let ters nullum fore scribendi genus non attigit, nul lum quod teligit non ornavit. Burke had already imitated Boling broke (awful name), so as to deceive every one : the Sublime and Beautiful appeared ano nymously. We have still among us an illustrious Irishman who affects the style coupe. Burke's versa tility enabled him to write Philo-Junius, Veteran, Miles, and what not? Lord G. Germaine, Fran cis, Calcraft, Rosenhagen—hoc genus omne, could not write more unlike Burke than himself when he pleased. Burke was facile princeps—Francis, ultimus Romanorum: one was the author, the other, to use his own phrase, " managed the conveyancing departs ment :" for Francis to have written one of the let ters was morally as impossible as it was physically so for Burke to undertake the conveyancing. The Junius firm extended to several persons who collected materials, threw them into the "Lion's mouth" of a tremendous inquisition, and frequently wrote on their own account. Were they formally iniated ? No, they guessed the author, as Wilkes, Horne Tooke, and even Lord Grenville, who once said in a large company, " I know who Junius was, and will never reveal it." Home Tooke crossed his knife and fork, and said solemnly, " I do." All this would be absurd if Francis had been the author, and his own solemn silence still more absurd, for what, in the name of nonsense, would be the consequence if, in after times, Junius were ascer tained to be Francis ? But, if Burke wrote the letters he was a conspicuous mark, and " could not survive the discovery three days." To save his life, "to spare the meek usurper's holy head," was the object of his many friends. In Burke's com pany they mentioned gravely " the im penetrable mystery of Junius," and it was understood that no one must deny being the author. In fact, Burke was the only person who ever denied it. Johnson said, that if Burke had been asked he would have been completely justified in denying, but that he had heard him deny it without being asked. He might have had the very same question put to him ten minutes before ! and this delicate casuistry shows Johnson to have been very sensible of his danger. No one can now read the Letters and wish, all things considered, to have written them : it was humiliation as well as danger. Burke had no choice but disgrace or perpe tual exile like that of Byron, and Mathias, author of the Pursuits of Literature. In Francis the duty of shielding Burke coincided with self. congratulation at having shared the peril and been almost as essential to the plot as himself: therefore he actively mystified every one. The an cient hieroglyph for the world is scarabaus, or blind beetle, and some men, it has been observed, find more pleasure in deceiving that world than even in making money. Francis did both. Burke extolled Francis beyond measure, which is natural in persons who have risked their lives together. Burke's society elevated the genius and character of Francis in com mon with all other politicians. For a long time they were "inseparables ;" at the very least, Francis was a tried, able, and faithful friend. A conviction that Francis could not be the sole author must have led Mr. Taylor to what Mr. Wade calls his first fix on Dr. Francis, translator of Horace. I had the same conviction, and drew the same infer ence, till after reading a collection of Dr. Francis's anonymous pamphlets, and finding them much infe rior to those of his son. The real Junius was as if a "long 32," or gun a la Paixhans, had cut sheer through both sides of a ship, oak and iron, deep into the granite, and the shot were attributed to a Init.-pounder, then and there in battery, or else the four-pounder went off at the same time, and was not beard. Sir P. Francis was the beat pamphleteer of his time—a master of writing, who would also have made an excellent writing-master; which exemplifies ir , the's remark that a good handwriting is as im portant as a good style, or may lead to one. All this makes it more probable, to use a phrase of the Examiner, that " he often held the pen for others." In 1816, when he had just published a letter missive to Lord Holland, Sir Philip was precisely "The fine old English Gentleman" frontispiece to the melody so called. You felt he was a clear-headed, stout-hearted, open-handed Englishman, sensitive, ir ritable, very feeling and humane, passionately just, that is, generous ; nay he had, what is rare, the talent of justice the penser juste, the d ro it ure o f mind. He considered music a species of athletic, calisthenic exercise, and when singing, modulated unconsciously at three or four extraneous keys. A boy of fourteen years old being present, he shouted to him repeatedly, " Young man, don't betray your country 1" The young man dared not laugh, and never forgot his advice. So voracious was his love of fame, that when difficulties were made about the Order of the Bath his violence was extreme ; he threatened to Junius the Ministry, or, strictly speaking, to burke them if they refused him a riband. The short human span, the rapid succession of births, deaths, and marriages, divide history into small personal squares, as an engraver reduces a pic ture, and if any object is not in its proper compart ment the design is incorrect. Here the dates are as conclusive as the reasons. The correspondence began, some time before the signature of Junius was adopted, in 1767. In 1766 Lord Rockingham went out ; Burke was his private secretary, more or less unemployed, well informed, disappointed, and 37 years old, the precise age of Napoleon at Austerlitz. Francis was ten years younger. Now, could a fiery young man of twenty- seven, much given to pleasure, have organiz.d a conspiracy which throws Catiline's into the shade ? Remembering always that the whole case turns on one point, Who was capable P Who was the canorus ales, the hyperborean literary swan with pride and ample pinion? And not at all, What could Sir Philip have meant when he presented the lady with a vellum copy of the Iden tified ? At the same time he had no qualities —not even that of patience, to justify the phrase " little provender," applied to him by Mr. Wade and as sistants, in speaking of his remunerative price. O'Connell felt perfectly certain without a shadew of doubt that Junius was an Irishman, which nar rows the question co ns id era bl y , and excludes Francis, who was born in England, and whose father though an Irishman was a denizen of England. Still more was he certain that Burke wrote the letters. No one could sift evidence or appreciate the weight of testimony better than O'Connell, nor judge more wisely of eloquence, whether spoken or written, nor trace the career of an Irishman obtaining the highest distinction in England and Europe. One of his reasons was, that Junius somewhere speaks of Dublin Castle as " the Castle," and that whoever did so must be an Irishman. I have the honour to be, Sir, &c., H. C. The citizens of Worcester have declined, on the plea of expense, to appoint a medical officer under the Public Health Act. Yesterday the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs, Messrs. Lawrence and Nicoll, gave a most sumptuous entertainment to the Judges and others, at the Sessions-house, Old Bailey. Covers were laid for fifty. Amongst the distinguished guests we noticed—The French Ambassador, the American Minister, Mr. Justice Williams, Mr. Justice Tali', urd, Alder men Kelly, Gibbs, Hooper, Hunter, Moon, Challis, and Finnis. The Common Sergeant, Ur. Commissioner Gurney, Q.C., Sir J. J. Hansler, Mr. Under-Sheriff Millard, Mr. Under-Sheriff Wire, Colonel Rota, U.S., Mr. Phili p, M r. Ross, of the United States tar, Professor Davis, U.S., Messrs. W. Lawrence, Pawson, James Lawrence, Alfred Dale, Campbell, 11. J. Nicoll, G. Smith, Dr. Davison, chaplain to Mr. Sheriff Lawrence, the Ordinary, &c. The expense to the corporation of Edinburgh Ca. ringing bells upon the occasion of her Majesty's late visit was just U. 17s. 6d. The ringers tugged at the ropes for exactly two hours, and each man received half-a-crown. The resident magistrates of Portsburgli expended 31. 6s. in renewing their batons on the same occasion. • When the works now in progress are completed Edinburgh will be supplied with 1,376 gallons ( f water per minute. In 1842 the supply from all sources was only 560 gallons per minute, so that it has been, or will be nearly trebled. The compliments of the world are seldom more sincere than those of the undertaker, who wishes the dying person may be better.—Eliza cook's Journal. There are now on the stocks in Now York eighteen ocean steamers of the aggregate tonnage of 24,600 tons. Most of them are intended for California, in addition to which sailing chips are building for the India trade. The Head Mastership of the proprietary school of Bishops Stortford has • been conferred on the Rev. George Y9Bter Simpson, 111. A, SEP,TEMBER 20, 1850. LITERATURE. ANDERSON'S GUIDE to the HIGHLANDS'. Under this modest title the Messrs. George and Peter Anderson, of Inv e r ness , h ave compiled a work of very ext rao rdinary merit and completeness. Al though professing to accomplish little, the book is a guide to the Islands and Lowlands as well as to the Highlands, in fact to eve ry portion of Scotland without exception, so that its utility must extend itself to every stranger visiting the various and picturesque counties of Caledonia. Many will doubtless remember the volume as it appeared origi nally, being reminded of it nevertheless more by the name of its authors than by its intrinsic resemblance. We say this in consequence c.f the remarkable improvements perceptible throughout, im provements which render the present edition imrnea • curably superior to its predecessor. Besides append ing a condensed sketch of the Lowlands, and thereby completing the labour so admirably commenced, the writers have materially enhanced the value of the Guide to all strangers travelling to the Highlands by commencing the routes not at Inverness, as formerly, but at a central point 'between Inverness and the South. Besides this new districts have been person ally visited by the Messrs. Anderson, who have thereby enabled themselves to infuse an additional truthfulness and rraisemblance into their descriptions. As to the bulk of the volume, it appears to have un -1 dergone a thorough and searching revision. The letter-press is adorned throughout with a variety of illustrative wood-cuts. A clearly engraved and authentic map of the country renders the whole more comprehensive than it could otherwise have been if devoid of that most useful embellishment. Of the routes depicted there are no less than four : the first being from Glasgow to Obsn, Fort William, and In verness ; the second from Perth to Inverness, across the Grampians by the highland road, through Athole, Badenoch, Strathspey, and Strathdearn ; the third from Aberdeen to Inverness by sea, and through the counties of Aberdeen, Banff, Elgin, and Nairn ; the fourth from Inverness to Tain, Gol spie, Wick, Thurso, and John O'Groat's. One sec tion is devoted entirely to the town of Inverness ; another sketches the Western Islands and Cantyre ; another the Orkney Islands and Zetland ; the Lowlands being described in a compact but comprehensive ap pendix. No.:guide-book could by possibility afford greater facilities for reference, the volume being furnished not only with a copious index, but also with an inestimabl e t a bl e o f distances. Added to all this a chapter consisting of general observations on the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, and an account of all the principal approaches to the High lands, of the Highland roads, of the inns, coaches, and steam navigation, and it must be sufficiently ap parent that the book is replete with information. Besides all the advantages which we have already particularised as characterising the "Guide Book" of the Messrs. Anderson, it should be borne in mind that theirs is no dry and tedious narrative, but one illuminated throughout with the most charming prose and poetical quotations, adding to the useful ness of a cicerone the interest of an educated and in telligent companion. BLACK'S 1110 N HIGHWAY. Like all the other similar publications of the Messrs. Adam and Charles Black, of Edinburgh, the present brochure is one of a value proportioned to its authenticity. It furnishes an exact account of the railway lines conducting from London to Edinburgh and Glasgow, passing through Birmingham, Staf ford, Preston, Lancaster, Carlisle, and Gretna, ac companied with charts, exhibiting the continuous lines and their branches, as well as a large extent of the adjacent country. Some of the hints to railway travellers, prefixed to this descriptive guide-book, we regard as so peculiarly excellent that we gladly accord the following the benefit ofour circulation : " Pack up your luggage in such order that you can readily carry with you the small matters you may want on your journey, or immediately on your arrival ; let the rest be put in such trunks, cases, boxes, or other packages as will either effectually protect it, or show at first sight that it must be handled carefully; remember ing that, at railway stations a great deal of business must be done in a little time, and therefore lug gage, which seems able to bear it, sometimes gets rough usage. " Let your name and destination appear legibly on your luggage ; and if you wish 0 be safe against all chances of loss, put your name and address inside also of each package. Picture to yourself your trunk lying on the road, left in the corner of an office, or sent out to a wrong direction, and imagine what you would then wish should be on or in it, that it might be correctly and speedily sent to you. What you would then wish you had done, do before you start. Let the label be of a strong material, and firmly attached to the package. "Pe at the station some minutes before the time; if you do not resolve to be so, expect to see the train on its way without you. " Get your ticket (by pay:.ng your fare). and be careful to understand exactly how far that ticket frees 3 ou. On some railways you keep that ticket to the end of your journey, on ethers you are called on for it at starting. In either cue be ready with it, rymembering that, it you c.ntnot produce it, you may be called upon to pay your fare again. See vi here your lurgage is placed on the carriage, and prefer that it sboul:t be on that in which you are to be seated, if practicable ; see also that the company's ticket or lu4gagt• number be affixed to etch package, or you may ID, called on to pay ,the carriage for it. " Expect to pay for the cat ria;e of all your luggage above fifty-six pounds' weight. "T. ko the best care) on can to prevent the necessity of yc,ur leaving the carriage be fore you n ach the re freshment station at the end of your journey. " Take your scats as soon as you have made all needful arrangements; you may have with you a carpet bag, hat-box, or other luggage, if it be not so bulky as to annoy your fellow -passengers." In all essential respects the work is little short of being beyond the reach of improvement. Mu- JRRAI'S HAND-BOOKS for SCOTLAND. Outlines of Scottish History. Part 1. Messrs. Alexander Murray and Co., of Edinburgh, have commenced the publication of a series of hand books of Scotland, and, as introductory to them, we have this the first part of Outlines of Scottish History. It is a condensed but spirited narrative of the history of Scotland from the time of the Romans down to the death of David Bruce. Asa favourable specimen of the author's style we give the following account of the slaughter of the Red Comyn In their rapid progress northward, the party of Bruce encountered a horseman, whom they recognised as a retainer of the ' Red' Comyn, the rival of their master. The emissary of Comyn was stopped, searched, and slain. Papers were found upon his person which confirmed the worst suspicions of Bruce, who pressed forward to his castle at Loehmabon, met his brother Ed ward, and told him rf the perils which threatened their family. It was in the month of' February, 1305, when Bruce thus hastily returned home; the assizes appointed by Edward to be held at Dumfries were approaching, and Bruce and Comyn, being both vassals of the crown, met there, when waiting upon the justiciaries of England. " Bruce sought a meeting with his rival, Comyn, sur named the Red,' from his complexion. Tke conference took place at Dumfries, in the convent church of the Minorite Friars, the sacred character of the place being the supposed warrant of personal safety. Young Bruce and young Comyn met in this church alone, their atten dants remaining without. What passed can only be conjectured; but before these fierce rivals bad reached the high altar, their dispute became warm, and when Comyn was tax e d b y B ruce w i th treachery, he gave him the lie,' and instantly received in his bosom Bruce's dagger. Bruce, hastening from the sanctuary, ordered his attendants to horse; but Lindsay of Crawford, and Kirkpatrick of Closeburn, observing the disorder of their chief, and the blood re-king upon his weapon, eagerly inquired the cause. I doubt,' said Bruce, I have slain the Red Comyn.' Do you trust that to doubt,' exclaimed Kirkpatrick, I mak siccar (sure);' and rushing into the church, Comyn was dispatched, and his uncle, Sir Robert Comyn, who had hastened to his rescue, was also slain. I mak siccar,' has, since this bloody deed, been the motto upon the arms of the knights of Kirkpatrick of Closeburn." The River and the Firth of Clyde ; with the Lochs, Towns, and Sea- Bathin g R esorts, the leand of Arran and Ailsa Craig, the Falls of Clyde and Clydesdale. This admirable little hand book gives a condensed account of the history and topography of Glasgow and its vicinity, and of Clydesdal e and the shores and islands of the Firth, and is illustrated by two neatly engraved maps. The description of Ailsa Craig will be found most interesting by the naturalist, while the antiquarian will turn with delight to the account of the far-fanned Bothwell Brig. The Deeside Highlands, with the Royal Castle and Deer F ores t o f Balmoral. Every tourist about to travel in the Deeside High lands, every loyal subject anxious to learn the topo• graphy of her Majesty's " Ilighland home," should peruse this little work. It is the best account of Balmoral and its neighbourhood that has yet been published. Lochloinond, Bcnloniond, Glcqfalloch, Stralhfillan, .King's House, Glencoe. This most useful li;tle work is dcomplete guide to Lochlotnond and the Highlands of Argyleshire, and is illustrated by a well-engraved map. The melan choly history of the Glencoe atrocity is admirably narrated. - - - COUNTY COURTS AND THE BAIL—The Chester Courant announces that the County Courts in that neigh bourhood will be regularly attended by the bar in full cos tume, as our contemporary expresses it, " candidates for bu sincs." It is added, that the bar will not " claim exclusive audience; and the cost of the barrister's fee will only be allowed as taxation when the barrister is instructed by an attorney. 'As both branches of the profession will be entitled to fees, we have no doubt they will work comfortably to gether." The Priory Park, Chichester, concerning which the peopla of Chichester have so long felt a desire, will shortly become the property of the worthy citizens for a term of years. The Duke of Richmond has consented to let it on lease, and a committee has been appointed to act on behalf of the city, with power tv raise fittlAcription4. PROSPECTS OF THE COTTON TRADE. (From the Manchester Examiner.) The quietness which has characterised our market during the last four weeks, the light stack of cotton, its comparatively high price, and the uncertain and conflicting accounts which are received of the Ame rican crop of this year, combine to produce no small amount of forecast and anxiety. The comparative amount of stock in the hands of the trade at the present time and at the correspond ing period of last year cannot be told with any degre e o f accuracy . O n this point there has been considerable diversity of opinion, but any difference which may be in favour on either side cannot materially affect our observations. The stocks it the various ports of Great Britain, on the 31st of August, were 226,800 bales less than at the same period of 1849 ; and supposing th e amount of imports and the rate of con sumption to the 31st of December to be the same as last year, there would not be more than 300 000 bales in stock at Christmas, or before the arrival of the first of this year's crop ; but, as late shipments from America have been heavier this year than they were last, and as the high prices prevailing here will have the . natural effect of d raw i ng larger supplies from Indea and other preducing countries than have been sent in former years, it is probable the stock in this country on the 31st of December will not be less than 400,000 bales. Yet this amount of stock would be far from satisfactory, and it is to be feared would be insufficient to prevent an advance in price, if not counteracted by the hope of an average crop for this year, and of a larger amount than that ventured to be given in present estimates. The accounts of the growing crop, although rather more favourable than at an earlier period of the season, are by no means encouraging. There can scarcely be a doubt that more land is this year under cultivation than has been the case in any former year, but the reports of the condition of the plant and its progress towards maturity are not equally favourable. The recent fine weather, however, and the con tinually improving intelligence received by each steamer, encourage the hope of a fair yield, and that the picking season will not be later than in previous years. The latest estimates of the crop have advanced to 2,250,000, and it is possible that with a conti nuance of propitious weather and a late frost—as happened for the last four years—they may shortly rise to 2,300,000, or even 2,400,000. This is cer tainly a much more favourable view than has yet been generally entertained, but it can scarcely be deemed extravagant, if there be taken into consideration the steady improvement in the tenor of late advices. It will be asked what effects would a crop of this amount have on the state of our market ? With a stock of 400,000 bales on December 31, as we have supposed, it is doubtful if a crop of the above mentioned extent would be more than sufficient to supply the demand for next year ; and to confirm this remark we have only to refer to the stock left on De cember 31, 1849, after the receipt of the largest supply ever received into this country. In the home market the cheapness of food has led to an enlarged consumption of manufactured goods among the working classes, and the satisfactory ac counts which reach us of the results of this year's harvest will have the same tendency. Indeed, we are already told of the great activity which has for some time pervaded this branch of our trade. From the continent of Europe and the United States of America, the favourable accounts of the operations of harvest lead to the expectation that, for the supply of these markets, there will be increased demands for our manufactures, and there is little reason to fear that in India, South America, and other foreign mar kets, there is any large accumulation of stock to meet their necessary and continuous consumption. It may not be out of place to remark here that, though the amounts of yarns and goods exported during the first six months of this year were nearly the same as in the first six months of last, there was a falling off in the exports to the ports on the Medi teranean of about 6,000,0001 b. of yarn, and of about 45,000,000 yards of goods ; or ten per cent. of the whole exports of yarn, and seven per cent. of that of goods. Thisfalling off was doubtless owing to the heavy stocks held there, and which had accumulated during the early part of last year, and for some time before. Now that these markets are getting cleared, should there Le an increase of trade to that quarter, it will be in a heavy class of goods, and therefore lead to the manufacture of coarse fabrics, and the use of a con sequently larger quantity of the raw material. It would be premature, and perhaps out of place, to offer any opinion respecting the future state of our market. No one can be ignorant of the tendency of high prices, such es those now prevailing, to weaken the confidence of the merchant, to limit his operations, to lessen the means of the consumer, and therefore to restrict the trade of the district ; but, on the other hens, the favourable results of the home and foreign harvest, the prospect of peace prevailing abroad, and, above all, the happy results of free trade, evidently now beginning to be fully felt, favour an in crease of consumption and of export much beyond that of any former year. While, therefore, uneer s taint .) , with respect to the supply of cotton for next year Inv lead to bujers withholdin g the execution of their orders, to a pause in the operation of our market, and a consequent decline, yet it is pr , ,bable that— orders accumulating, end the home as well as foreign demand steady, if not increasing —th e tone of the market will improve, prices in general advance, and in a short time the reaction be quite proportionate to the immediate depression. It may be h...z irding no very extreme opinion to remark, that it is quite possible the e ffects of free trade, under average circumstances, will lead to an extension of our trade hey and precedent ; but it may be questioned if the supply of cotton from America will be in the same ratio. If not, it will at once be seen that the profits arising from a large trade and a steady demand will be mainly absorbed by the cotton growers. If, then, one circumstance connected with the trade of this district more than another demands the serious consideration of those interested in its suc cess, it is the devising and supporting of all reasonable schemes to promote the cultivation of cotton in other countries, to procure a steady and increasing supply for our own use, and to that extent to lessen our de pendence on the fluctuating crops of the United States of America. CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY ELECTION. CAMBRIDGE, SEPT. 19.—The only point worthy of note here to-day is the adhesion of the following gentlemen to Mr. Wigram's committee, via, the Rev. the Master of Caius College (Dr. Chapman); Dr. Paget and Dr. Dro*ier (Senior Fellows), of Caius College ; Mr. l3urdakin (Fellow and Tutor), of C are lldll ; and Mr. Swainson (Fellow and Tutor), of Christ College. Mr. Wigram's friends retort upon their opponents the charge of disturbing the peace of the University, and they avow that from the first they have merely desired to secure the services of the hest men that can be found to represent the Univer sity, and that they have simply that object in view now. The harvest, not merely in this. locality, but throughout the Lowlands of Scotland, may be considered finished, and is generally admitted to be fully an average. Wheat, of which only,a small quantity h as yet b een thrash&, is turning out remarkably well ; and barley is a full crop. The reports as to oats are more contradictory. Potatoes continue sound, and are considered safe for the Beason. The yield, however, will not be great ; and turnips will not be above half a crop. The continued dry weather has given to - turnip-fields an appearance of maturity quite unusual at this period of the season. 'Since the above was in type, we have received the following very unfavourable account of the po tato crop from a farmer a few miles west of Edinburgh : " I am sorry to say that the potato disease has appeared on my farm very virulently, many of the 'shows not having one sound potato at them. On the farm of a neighbour the disease has likewise appeared. This is the more wonderful, as till very lately rot one vestige of its presence could be no ticed in this quarter."—Scoisman. AN ECCENTRIC CLI kRACTER.—The owner of con siderable prope r ty, as well as a resident in the parish of West Ham, has a peculiar monomania for empty houses, and he has a great number which have not been occupied for years, the rents of which, if let, would amount to several hundred pounds per annum, and yet, strange to say, the owner's habits are of the most penurious kind. A person applying to him for one of his houses must have the follow ing qualifications, and comply with the following rules : Have a wife and a large family, never smoke, or keep birds, or place flower-pots on the window-sills; and should any person by misrepresentation obtain possession of any h ouse legal proceedings are immediately taken to eject . the occu pant. It is said that his lawyers' and builders' bills are two items in his expenses which he pays most liberaPy. lie has the carpet for each of his sitting-rooms in his own dwelling, but they are invariably kept folded up, as he says to preserve them.—Esser Herald. ANOTHER. SHAICSPERE PORTRAIT. -- A painting was submitted to us last week w hi c h , if not e a genuine portrait of our immortal Shakspere, an assertion we would not venture to make, is, a t a ll events, an interesting picture. It is well painted ; has a fine expression of countenance, with a beard and moustache, as in the Chardos and the Jansen portraits, and rings in the ears. The canvass, unquestionably old, has not bee n li ne d . On the top of the picture appear in raised letters, rudely formed with the mallet-knife and a com position of some tort, Galiebno .Shakspere, painted over with the field of the picture. Below the name, on the left hand side of the bead, is 47 ; and on the right-hand side, A.D. 1611. The picture belongs to Dr. Parkes, of Great Marlborough -street, in whose possession it has been for sonic years unreg ar d e d, unt il a f ew d ays ago.— Builder. Some Belgian savants were engaged the day before yesterday in making meteorological observations on the heighti f Belleville. flawing raised to a certain height some kites furnished with pointed nee lies, they drew frcm tl clouds, although the weather was perfectly serene at the time, flashes of electricity similar to those of lightning in a storm. Suddenly one of the gentlemen, says the Patric, was struck by a flash, and thrown to the ground in a state of in sensibility. lie had, it appeared, neglected to hold by the glass handle, which served as a non-conductor, and the fluid, descending by the cord, struck him. lie was soon after re stored to animation, but his light arm remains paralysed, and there is a doubt whether he will ever recover the perfect use of it. The Bishop of London has licensed the Rev. G. F. De Gex, ALA., to the curacy of St. Paul's, Knightsbridge. The Bishop of Norwich has instituted the Rev. B. J. Armstrong, M.A., to the vicarage of East Derebam. A new church was consecrated at Roraford yest.er., day by the Bishop of Rochester, /