The Sun. — London, England, 1832-12-07 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. During the last Parliament, we uniformly op 7 -posed ourselves to those who complained of the tardiness of Ministers in introducing measures de manded by the country. The great measure of Reform, from the first moment of its agitation to its becoming the law of the land, could leave Ministers little time to enter on complicated questions ; and it may be said, that fully as much was effected as any reasonable person could expect. Besides, the great object for which Reform was demanded, namely, governing without patronage, rendered it inexpedient to attempt to carry measures of a searching description, till Ministers could have the support of a Parliament chosen by the people. But we have now passed the line of separation between the old and the new. We have now bid adieu to the corrupt boroughmongering Parliament. We must now ask ourselves what it is we seek from those who are to 'constitute the new Parlia ment. The fullest explanations should now be sought from, and given by, the candidates to represent the different constituencies. A great deal of special pleading has been used by Members on this subject. The word pledging has been supposed to mean bind ing the candidate to a course incompatible with the due discharge of the duties of a representative in Parliament, who is bound to decide only after delibe ration. Several candidates have conceived such a horror of the word pledge, that they absolutely refuse to give any explanation whatever of their views. There are candidates, it is true, who acknowledge that they have their opinions yet to seek. But we take it for granted, most candidates have opi nions on most of the great questions which now engross the public, attention. If a candidate then does, not explain his opinions on most of the great questions alluded to, how can the elector know whether he is entitled to his suffrage An elector is entitled to the most ample explanation from a candidate, before he gives him his vote. The elector has a sacred duty to discharge—that of returning to Parliament the man whose opinions, if acted on, will, he conceives, he of the greatest service to the nation. The people cannot he said to be represented, if their opinions are not reflected in the representatives sent by them to Parliament. What does Lord Althorp say in his address to the electors of the southern division of the county of Northampton ?—" I will not in this address enter upon the many topics of great interest which must necessarily call for the attention of the Legislature; but I shall he ready to give such explanations of my 'views as any of you may require when I appear before you on the day of election." The elector should, in fact, know from the statements of the candidate whether he will, in fact, prove the representative on whom* he may depend for giving effect to those views with which he deems the welfare of the cOun try bound up. It was well observed at the meeting of the electors of the eastern division of Surrey on Tuesday night last, by Mr. Fyfe, " Mr. Allen had told them that he would not give a pledge. Why, what was an opinion but a pledge ? They did not seek to cavil about words, if the Honourable Can didate expressed firm and decided opinions; then, if he was honest, he meant to act on those opinions ; and that was equivalent to a pledge." It must be belief in the political wisdom and honesty of the candidate that obtains for him the vote of the elector ; but how can he judge of the political wisdom without knowing the views of him on whom he sits in judgment ? When a candi. date tells a body of electors, I will enter into no explanation with you—l will not be pledged— he offers the greatest insult to them; for he in ef fect tells them, you are a set of miserable devils. with whom I can do whatever I please. No candi date, who will not submit to afford the most ample explanation of his views on all questions of public interest, is entitled to the respect of the electors. The electors of Edinburgh made it a point with their candidates, that they should meet them in the different divisions of that town for the purpose of being strictly questioned; and the Lord Advocate and the lion. Mr. Abercrombie willingly submitted to this catechising. If Mr. Jeffrey and Mr. Aber crombie, men so well known for their talents, deemed it their duty to submit to this process, w( do not see why the run of candidates should consi der it a humiliation. We do not see why the being a Minister should form a ground of exemption from giving on all subjects the most ample explanations. I , is unjust to Ministers (to say nothing of ingratitude) to say that a Minister should be excluded from the representation of any place whatever, whether great or small. It is to be. presumed that the Ministers silo shall receive the support of a Reformed Par liament, will deserve the suffrages of any body of electors. But thee, on the other hand, we can see no reason why Ministers should hesitate to explain themselves in the most ample manner to their constituents. It does not follow that because a Minister thinks so and so on ques tions, that therefore he is about to carry all his opi nions into effecr. The measure of effect given to his opinions will depend upon Parliament. The Ministry must be governed by the opinions of Par liament. A member of an Administration must consider how far the opinion he entertains warrants a continuance in it ; but it can be no disgrace to him, that circumstances which he cannot control prevent the giving effect to the views which he entertains. But if a Minister ought not to be ex cluded from any place merely because he is a Mini ster, the people ought not to be debarred, be cause a candidate is a Minister, from obtain ing the same explanations from him which they would seek from any other candidate. The electors, on the occasion, know only the represen tative, and are not bound to think of the Minister, except in so far as their disapproval of the past conduct of a Minister may appear to them of bail augury for their representative. It seems to us that the jealousy which has begun to peep out of late in some of the Ministerial papers, with regard to the spirit of the future representatives, is by no means indicative of prudence.. Why do we bear so pinch of ingratitude towards the authors of the ii, t7 form Rill ? Why should such ingratitude be prestunCti? We are to suppose that Minis ter., in giving the Reform Bill, meant to give also its legitimate consequences. A Reform in the representation means, that the opinions of the people should be felt through their repre sentatives in Parliament. We must suppose that, in giving Reform, Ministers knew that they were riving that which would render it necessary for them to shape their system according to the views of Parliament. We must either, then, believe that the people ought not to be represented, and that Reform is in itself an evil, or we must maintain that Ministers must act in accordance with the views of Parliament. To speak of ingratitude, then, is to speak absurdly. We must suppose that Ministers :an have no wish but what is in accordance with are views of a Reformed Parliament; and it would be strange indeed, if a Reformed Parliament did riot support the. Ministry who give effect to their views, But there is more here than meets the ear. Reform, as has been said, is but the means to an end, and that end is good government, Now good government requires that the interests of the nation should prevail over the interests of any particular caste There are, however , numberless abuses in this country, for which those who profit by them (and their name is Legion) will make war to the knife. Now here begins the diffieulty. What are abuses? What are improvements? Some, no doubt, consented to Reform, under the impression that what ever is, is right, and that a Parliament representing the people, would be of that opinion. Others again gee in all our institutions manifold abuses, and con ceive that the public money has hitherto been squandered in a shameless and profligate manner, and that the most unsparing retrenchment is de• mended. The question to be decided is the extent to which the benefit of the community shall be the governing principle of the Reforms to be effected. There are some, for instance, who even deny that any Reform in Church matters is requisite, and who contend that the property enjoyed by the ch rical order cannot be touched by the State. There are others who admit that a Reform in the Church is necessary, and that the State may dispose of the pi'o'p r ertY' held by 7 the — Cfitireh' cO`nteifcr that" the Church ought nevertheless to be left in the full enjoyment of all that it at present holds, and that the Reform should be confined to a better distribu- Lion. Others again see no difference between the revenues of the Church and any part of the reve nues of the State, and conceive that the State is at full liberty to appropriate as much or as little to the ministers of religion from the fund hitherto enjoyed by them, as they are to appro priate much or little to the army or navy. All these shades of opinion will, of course, find their way into Parliament. The new name of destruc tion has been invented, we presume, for those who think that the edifice of corruption should not be at tacked in earnest, but only coated over. We should be sorry to. think that Ministers entertain the idea that the country will be satisfied with less than the most unsparing retrenchment. We think much better of them than to throw out insinuations cal- ciliated to injure them unnecessarily with the na• tion. They have, indeed, pledged themselves to the introduction of thorough Reforms in many de partments of Church and State. If Ministers wish to be able to effect good, they must wish to be supported by determined Reformers. Why is it that hitherto all Administrations have justified them selves for not proposing such measures as they them selves knew to be demanded for the public good ? Because patronage was essential to the carrying on of a boroughmonger Government. A determined Reform Parliament will not merely protect Minis ters in unsparing retrenchments---7it will compel them to make them. Let us hear no more, then, of charges of ingratitude towards Ministers. Mi nisters are libelled if we suppose them to have been actuated by any other view than that of producing the greatest benefit to the nation ; and if they govern in accordance with that view, the nation will never be deficient in gratitude towards them. The nation would be ungrateful towards Ministers, were it to libel them, by attributing to them any designs in compatible with the purest and most honourable in tentions. The throwing out hints that it would be gratifying to Ministers that Conservatives—that is, partisans of the system of governing by corruption —should find their way in considerable numbers into Parliament. We will not entertain one thought of Ministers derogatory to their devotion to the cause of the nation, till we have seen something to justify it. We will not suppose them so stupid as to count on the unwillingness of the people to make the most of the Reform Bill, as a debt of gratitude to them, as if it would not be gratifying to them to see the people reap all the advantages from Reform which it can possibly be made to produce.—Morn ing Chronicle. Can anybody now, not absolutely insane—can any reasonable humane man, defend or excuse the conduct of the King of Holland ? The calamities and miseries which his obstinate and desperate re sistance to an European award have created, are re corded in the alarm of all the friends of tranquillity in Europe—in the agonizing terrors of the inhabitants of a devoted city, fleeing from their homes—in the roads round Antwerp covered with fugitives—in the surrounding villages which have become the asylum of distress and want—in the hospitals provided for the wounded and the dying—and in the casualties and losses which the most efficient arts of dstruc tion are entailing on the more active parties in the struggle. Yet what does his Majesty of Holland pretend to ask or hope to gain by the infliction of so much suffering, and the shedding of so much blood ? What admitted interest can he promote — what reasonable right can he secure—what excusa ble ambition can he gratify ? Does he aver that the citadel, or that any portion of the territory of Antwerp belongs to him ? No! He had sturen tiered it by an armistice in 1830, and he has agreed to its ancient and just incorporation with Belgium in every subsequent despatch—in every negotiation— in every project of a convention or treaty where its political rights and ownership have been in question. Does he hope to withstand, behind the ramparts of the infamous Duke of Alba, the power of France, enforcing the enlightened decision of Europe ? No; we can scarcely believe that such a frantic idea could diversify the cold calculations of the Royal Dutch speculator. Does he hope to exhibit to the world plausible though ineffectual proofs of the in justice of the late treaty, and to engage the syin pathies of mankind against France and England, as the implacable and ungenerous enemies of his house and people for compelling its execution ? Even here idiocy alone could entertain such hopes. Eng land, as represented in the Conference, has always been his friend,—France has never been his enemy, —and all the great Powers of Europe, whose Courts are connected with his own by family ties, have agreed to all the conditions which the convention of the two former on the 22d of October last was framed to enforce. None of these hy potheses will, therefore, account for the extraor dinary :fact that this Dutch Monarch, without pretending to a permanent conquest, should resist the surrender of a fortress not his own,—that he should go to war with the two most powerful na tions of Europe to preserve for a few days or a few weeks longer the hopeless usurpation,—or that he should expect direct support from the absolute Powers of the continent in an act of injustice which they have fur two years condemned. As this latter point has sometimes been contested, we may be allowed to support our statement by a re ference to a very few facts. In doing so we only assume that there is some integrity "extant" among mankind,—that Courts and Sovereigns, in their fo reign negotiations and relations, are not always false and perjured,—that Plenipotentiaries are not always (as in the epigram of Wotton) employed to lie for their masters,—and that when, in the course of two years' conference, the five great Govern ments of Europe concur in certain stipulations, which none of them has any direct, immediate, ap parent, or even conceivable interest in adopting for the purpose of deception, they really meant what they agree to and subscribe. With this small claim on the credulity of th. reader, we insist that Russia, Prussia, and Austria were and are as anxious for the settlement of the Belgic question, on the basis of the treaty of November 15, 1831,as France and , England,—that they are equally opposed to the unjust pretensions of Holland,—and that his Dutch Majesty has received from them no countenance in his present ctuel and iniquitous resistance. Their Plenipotentiaries agreed to the treaty of the 18 ar ticles, en which Prince Leopold proceeded to Bel gium. After the invasion of Belgium by the Dutch, in the following month, these same Plenipotentiaries agreed to the treaty of the 24 articles. Special missions were sent to the Hague by the Emperor of Russia, by the Emperor of Austria, and by his Prus sian Majesty to urge on the King of Holland, the refractory party, the necessity of adopting an ar rangement to which the Belgians had agreed. The ratifications of the three Courts were even delayed for months, that the King of Holland might release them from their delicacy by subscribing first to terms %%Web, at any rate, they resolved to ratify. They did, in fact, ratify, three quarters of a year ago, and though, from their near connection with the King of Holland, they refused to become themselves parties to a compulsory execution of the treaty, they have nee& hesitated to maintain its justice, expediency, and necessity. Can we be wrong, therefore, in enforcing, er cin h's Dutch Majesty entertain any hopes of assistance from his dissathiled friends in resisting such a com bined judgment ? On what, then, we ask again, can he rely in maintaining his position in the citadel of Antwerp ? and what can he hope to acquire from all the blood which he may cause to be shed ? He would immediately gain more than the Belgians by the peaceful surrender of the place which belongs to them, while he would retain the friendship• of his allies, and secure the gratitude of all the lovers of peace. The half of the province of Limburg, and more than the half of the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg, of which he does not now possees many acres, would immediately revert to him, in terms of the treaty, as well as the fortress of Venloo. These districts united include a population of about 350,000 souls,„and the former gives him the complete com mand of the navigation of the Meuse. In the province of Antwerp he has only the citadel, with quarter's for a few thousand men, who have not for the last two years been able to take an airing be yond the walls of their prison. In this analysis of the motives of his Dutch Majesty for his present cruel and profligate policy, we have arrived at the real cause of his refusal to surrender Antwerp,—the cause which we have frequently before mentioned, but which every day becomes more manifest,—we mean his hopes of recovering Belgium in the gene ral confusion to which his warlike proceedings may lead. Nobody who has actively watched the du plicity of his conduct,—his military preparations, — his repeated threats of invasion, and his actual in vasion,—his subterfuges in the Conference,—the language of his agents in Belgium, and the di plomatic phraseology of his Plenipotentiaries in London, can doubt for a moment the aspiring views of his Maehiavelian ambition. He called on his allies to interfere to restore his " revolted pro vinces" in November, 1830; he protested against their declaration of independence in December of the same year ; and all the efforts which he has since made, under the mask of negotiating for equi table terms of separation, have been directed to re cover his lost dominion. Such a result can only be obtained by a general war,—by a war that would again bring the Cossacks to the Rhine, and give Brussels an Austrian garrison. But his Dutch Majesty can enjoy the scene of devastation and car nage provided it gratify his ambition and revenge. We challenge the warmest Conservative partisans of his Majesty to disprove this reasoning or to deny , I these motives„—Timee. The practice of passing what we can call by no other name than vindictive sentences, which has sprung up of late years in the criminal Court at the Old Bailey, appears to reflect neither credit upon the law, nor such of the administrators of the law as adopt it. The practice we allude to is this : t‘hen a man is found guilty of an offence marked with more than ordinary atrocity, when he happens to be known as an old offender, or if during his trial he has adopted a tone of ignorant bravado towards the Court or witnesses,—in either of Ihese cases he is frequently " called up for judgment immediately," and the utmost measure of punishment awarded to him which the law will perinit. It is a sufficient corroboration of the questionable character of this practice to state that it is peculiar to the Civic Au thorities, and is never res ,, rted to (at the old Bailey at least) by the regular Judges of the land, whose experience probably has taught them that where passion reigns the judgment sleeps, and that in a uniformity of their application the true respect for and salutary vigour of all laws must mainly consist. We have ourselves at all times advocated a certainty and uniformity of punishments, and would place as lit tle discretion as possible on that score in the hands of the Judges; and were it, therefore, the universal and immutable practice in all cases, that the sentence should follow immediately on the verdict, both the terror and effect of the law would in all probability be strengthened. But, while the rule is otherwise, the exception we speak of, and, above all, the man ner of its operation, cannot with any propriety be upheld. The duty of the Judge is to be calm, just, and dignified ; and, above all things, resentment should, if possible, be incapalle of entering his mind; or if, in the atrocity of circumstances which come before him, he feels it impossible to overcome disgust, the consciousness of that sensation is the very impulse which should induce him to pause, and mistrust his judgment, rather than give way to hasty momentary impressions, which, in the end, reflection may prove to be either wholly, or at least in some degree, erroneous. Above all, be should re member that nothing is so deceitful as manner ; that the most hardened offender will often show the greatest outward respect to authority, while momen tary audacity is often nothing more than a mere ebul lition of temper.—Morning Herald. LIBERTY OF THE PRESS IN FRANCE.— The National says—" There have been 281 seizures of Journals, and 251 judgments, since the revclution of 1830. The responsible editors have been condemned together to 1,226 months' imprisonment, and fines amounting to 347,5501. The number of Journals prosecuted is 84, of which 41 belong to Paris alone. This statement goes to October Ist, 1832. STATE OF THE COUNTRY.—The papers and letters received since our last, present an aggregate of crime unparalleled in a civil:zed country. The well af ected are deprived of their arms in the open day—the police and military are attacked and defeated —threatening notices are posted throughout the land, cautioning the people against the payment of rent—intimidation has usurped the place of law, and unless extraordinary means be resorted to, and that speedily, the live*. and properties of the gentry will be placed at the disposal of the as,assin and the robber.—Dublin Evening Mail. AWFUL STATE OF THE COUNTY CORK. —We have received letters by this day's post from various correspondents at and in the neighbourhood of Bandon, which represent that district to the extent of over twenty miles, to have exhibited during the past six or eight days ell the appearance of a country roused into insurrection. Scarcely a day has passed over without large military and police parties being seen, acting simultaneously, in different parishes, in aid of the collection or recovery of tithes. The bills, for many miles round, are covered with thousands of the peasantry, who are alone deterred by the presence of the army from resisting the agents of the incumbents. Timoleague is represented as presenting the appearance of a la,sieged town ; Kilmeen likewise. Dunmanway is half filled with troops, arid Loiv and again the town of Bandon is aroused by the beat of the drum to arms. Yesterday eighty of the marine force stationed there, accompanied by MASKRLINE ALcocK, Esq., a Magistrate, and several other gentlemen, proceeded to the parish of Murragh, the rector of which is the Rev. ROBERT ST. LAWRENCE, for the purpose of serving a number of tithe proc,sses. Thousands of the peasantry sprung up as if by magic— stones were thrown—the Magistrates appealed to, hut, fortunately, in vain, to order the marines to fire. One process was s,!rved, the rest abandoned, and the half-worn out soldiers marched back, amidst the shouts of the people. The more respectable inhabitants of these districts are said to be living in a state of great alarm, and this in parts of the county heretofore proverbially tranquil.— Cork Reporter. Lusus NATURIE.—There is in Elgin one o the most extraordinary instances of the aberrations of nature, in the person of a young man, it has ever been our lot either to see or hear of. The individual in question, though we never before adverted to him, is a native of this place. He is 23 years of age. To describe minutely the appearance of his body is a task which we will not undertake. Suffice it to say that he is so formed as to he unable either to sit or walk. He is consequently obliged to be kept always in his bed ; and even there he cannot turn from one side to another. The office must be done by others. When placed on either of his sides, however, or on his back, he lies without any pain. His legs and body, in addition to their being curiously twisted, are slender as a skeleton, while his bones are nearly as soft as flesh. The back bone, instead of being in the same posi tion as in others, is quite perpendicular; while his head is incomparably the largest we have ever seen. The faculty, we understand, attribute the extraordinary size of his head to a gathering of water ; of which one physician, now deceased, used to say there were at least two chop pins. It is somewhat singular that the unfortunate young man has no beard ; but the hair of his head grows with remarkable rapidity. He is possessed of very superior vocal talents, and used to be uncommonly fond of singing ; but of late he has not indulged so much in it. His me mory is extraordinary ; he will repeat whole psalms with the utmost accuracy after hearing them real two or three his pro nunc i at i on is sin him repeat some pieces g t a e r s i . y c T ca h r o ec u t g , h a n l c ‘ a v n h n e o n t h r e e , a , r d i , n last week, we were much struck with the taste he displayed in placing the emphasis on the proper words. All his s e nses are unimpaired. H e h eirs , 8,, 5, &c., as well as other people. What is ver y sur prising is, that, thoug h always confined to his bed , unless when his parents take him out to show him to an y visito r , he is luite cheer f u l ; indeed, he seems to have an uncommon flow of spirits ; a circumstance we ascribe, in a peat measure, to the com mendable tenderness and attention with which his parents treat him. Altogether, we repeat, as we do not wish to be more particular, it is seldom one sees or hears of a fellow being so singularly formed.—. Ellin Courier. ROYAL SOCIETY. From a variety of papers read at the evening meetings of the Royal Society in • Somerset house, we have selected the following interest ing memoranda for the perusal of our scientific readers, of whom there are many to be found amongst the middling and working classes : On a simple electro-chymical method of ascer taining the presence of different metals, applied to detect minute quantities of metallic poisons, by Edmund Davy, Esq., the brother of Sir Humphrey. The voltaic arrangement employed by the author consisted' merely of small slips of different metals, generally zinc and platina, placed in contact and forming a galvanic circuit, with the interposed fluid suspected to contain the poisonous metal, in which case the metal held in solution is deposited in the form of crystals on the negative surface. The zinc was usually em ployed in the form of foil ; the platina was, in some cases, a small crucible or a spatula, but more frequently platina foil was used. It is ge nerally necessary to mix a few drops of acid with the metallic compounds that are subjected to this test, and that are placed in contact with the platina. On applying the zinc foil the plating will soon become coated with the reduced metal. By this means the author was enabled to detect the presence of arsenic by the exhibition of its characteristic properties, when only the 500dth part of a grain of that metal was deposited on the platina ; and in some instances could appre ciate the 2,500dth part of a grain by the appli cation of appropriate tests. The author next ascertained that the electro-chymical method is competent to the detection of very minute quantities of the different metals when their com pounds are mixed with various vegetable or animal substances. On the caves and fissures in the western dis trict of the Mendip-hills, Somersetshire, by the Rev. D. Williams. The first cavern described is situated at Uphill, at the western extremity of the Mendip-hills. Its present entrance is about midway in a mural face of transition lime stone, about a hundred feet high. The fissure leading into it is nearly vertical, and was dis covered by some quarry-men casually intersect ing it. Some bones and teeth being found there, Mr. Williams was induced to pursue the exploration of the fissure, in the course of which he discovered bones of the rhinoceros, hyaena, bear, ox, horse, hog, fox, polecat, rat and mouse, and also of birds. The bones of the animals of the larger species were so gnawed and splintered, and evidently of such ancient frac ture, that no doubt could exist of the cave having been a hyxna's den, similar to Kirkdale and Kent's Hole. After working six days, he came to a cavern ten or twelve feet high, extend ing about forty feet from north to south, and varying from eight to twenty feet from east to west, the floor of which was covered with bones *of sheep; and in digging into the mud and -sand, of which it consisted, the bones of sheep, birds, cuttlefish, and foxes, were discovered. Some fine stalactites depended from the roof, and partial spots of stalagmite appeared on the floor. In a fissure that branched from the mouth of the main entrance there were found among the sand a piece of black Roman pot tery, and two coins, one of Didius Julianus, and the other of Julia Marnmwa. Mr. Williams considers that there exist evidences of the operation of water at three distinct periods of time ; the first indicated by the bones of the hyxna, and the other gnawed bones being firmly embedded in the diluvial detritus ; the second, when sand was deposited by the sea in the second fissure, that washed in through the ver- tical chimney, and that inundated — the whole valley up to Glastonbury ; the third, irruption of the sea occurring within these 1,500 years, and choking up the adit from the level by which the sheep and foxes had entered. The chambers the author reached in the Hutton caverns, are probably the western extremity of a very exten sive range of caverns occurring in a region bearing marks of great disturbance, abounding in chasms and fissures, and containing a great number of bones. No trace of the bones of the ox were discovered here, although in a cave about a mile distant they abound ; while, on the other hand, no vestige of the horse is met with ! Among the remarkable specimens found in the Hutton caverns, were the milk-teeth and other remains of a calf elephant, about two years old, and those of a young tiger just shedding its milk-teeth; and also the molares of a young horse that were casting their coronary surfaces; the remains of two hyrenas, of the extinct species, and two or three balls of nlbuin greecum (the white solid excrement of dogs). The caves lying about a mile to the east of these are the property of the present Bishop of Bath and Wells, and contain remains of the bear, wolf; fox, deer, and ox. Of the bear there at least two species, one of which ap pears to be the ursus spekeus of Blumenbach, and must have been an animal of immense size and strength. These remains were in general not associated according to the animals they th thus, belonged the h t e o a , d but o fa h ear indiscriminately la yby the femuro f an o fi x e , n a e n the jaw ed it is inferred o r r f a e d wolf that by th e t shee bones,antler of a de after ac cumulating for ages , were carried in by a tumul tuous rush of waters, and mingled together be fore their final deposition. In two caves, simi lar in appearance, and about six miles distant, no antediluvian remains of animals have been found. Several human skeletons and flint knives were discovered by Mr. Williams, from which it has been inferred that it had formerly been used as a burying-ground. On a proposed plan for supplying filtered water to the Metropolis and its suburbs ; by L. W. Wright, Civil Engineer. The author, after g iving extracts from the report of the Commis sioners appointed by the late King to inquire into the supply of water to the Metropolis, in support of the practicability of affording a supply of filtered water from the Thames, adequate to the demand, and within reasonable limits in point of expense, proposes his plan of forming a filter under the bed of the river for each Company. He states that the deposit of mud, on each side of the Thames, does not reach below the low water-mark, and that the bed of the river throughout is generally a clean and strong though porous gravel. The mud, therefore, will puddle in, and close the pores of the bed of gravel on which it lies above low water mark, so that the filtration into the neigh bouring wells„ the waters of which are remark ably pure, must take place below low water mark. He therefore proposes to construct a filtering chamber below the bed of the river, from which chamber a main pipe or tunnel must be made for conducting the filtered water into a well on the river side, whence it is to be drawn up by steam power, and distributed to the houses to he supplied by the mains and branches at pre sent existing. On the variable intensity of terrestrial magnet ism, and the influence of the aurora-borealis upon it, by Mr. Fox. The author is led to conclude that the aurora-borealis is an electrical phenomenon, and that it usually moves during the night, nearly from north to south, and in an opposite direction during the day ; that it is of the nature of positive electricity ; and that its elevation above the earth is much greater than a thousand, and perhaps thousands of miles. An account of operations carried on for ascer taining the difference of level between the river Thames at London Bridge and the sea, and also for determining the height above the level of the sea of intermediate points passed over between Sheerness and London Bridge ; by J. A. Lloyd, Esq. The author of this paper received di rections from the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty in February, 1830, to survey the river Thames, for the objects above specified. From a series of observations made at Sheerness iv the years 1827, 1828, and 1829, it was found that the mean high-water spring tides was 26,355 feet; low water spring tides 8.74 ; mean, 17.649. The mean high-water neap tides, 22.656 ; low water, 11.336 ; mean, 16-993. The mean of the whole period being 17-27. From the re sults of twenty-six years' observations on the tides at the London Docks, it appears that the height of mean high watermark there, above that at Sheerness, is 2.24 feet ; and the height of spring tide high-water mark 2.03 ; and of neap tides 2-35. The Trinity mark on the western side of where the old London Bridge stood is 2.16 below the north standard mark at Sheerness, and 1.9 foot above the mean spring tide high-water mark at Sheerness. In the course of his observations the author found rea son to believe that the tremulous appearance of the air, which has been termed mirage, is caused not so much by evaporation as by the direct effect of the solar rays ; for he remarked, that when there was a succession of clouds passing over the sun, the tremor was very great at those times when the sun shone ; but the mo ment the sun was obscured over the whole space between the instrument and the object viewed, the air was perfectly tranquil. COURT OF KING'S BENCH, DEC. 6. WARWICK AND ANOTHER, EXECUTORS OF WARWICK, V. HAYNES AND ANOTHER, EXECUTORS OF FARRINGDON. Mr. THESSIGER stated that this was an action brought ►to recover a sum of 239/. on a covenant of indemnity. Sir James Esdaile devised several premises in and about Bunhill•row to his eldest son, Peter, for life; remainder to his first and other sons in tail ; remainder to his second son, James, for life ; remainder to his first and other sons in tail, with remainders over ; and power was given to the tenant for life in possession to make leases for twenty-one years, at the beat rent that could be got without fines. Peter Esdaile, when he came into possession, made a lease to Charles Warwick of several 0. these premises for twenty-one year., at a rent of 1691. a year. The lease commenced in 1809, and Warwick con tinued in possession under it till 1815, when he assigned two houses in Blue Anchor-alley, part of the demised pre mises, to Farringdon, at the apportioned rent of 50/. In the lease to Warwick there were the usual covenants to pay the rent and to keep the premises in repair, and leave them in repair ; and the deed of assignment bound Farringdon to perform the covenants as to these two houses, and to indemnify Warwick against the consequences of neglect. Peter Esdaile died without issue, and James, the second son came into possession as tenant for life and died, and his first son James came into possession as tenant in tail, and he, in 1819, conveyed his reversion in the two houses in Blue Anchor-alley, to a Mr. Simmons, an auc tioneer. Theoccupants paid rent to Simmons from 1819 to Michaetmas, 1829, but the rent from the latter period to Lady Day, 1830, when the lease expired, was not paid, and Simmons applied to Warwick for payment of 251, the half-year's rent, and for a sum of 1691. for dilapida dons, and, on refusal to pay, commenced an action against Warwick on the covenants in the original lease. War wick gave notice of this to Farringdon, and called upon him on his indemnity to pay the sums demanded, or de fend the action. This Farringdon refused to do, and Warwick suffered judgment to go by default, and then brought an action against I•'arringdon on the covenant to indemnify. Before the action was tried, Warwick died, and then his executors brought their action, and then Farringdon died, and then the action was brought against his executors, the present defendants. Various documents were produced, and verbal testimony given in support of tl.e case state° for the plaintiffs. Mr. RICHARDS, for the defendant, observed, that in the declaration, the reversion was laid as being in Simmons, and he admitted that this had nut been made out. He contended that the plaintiffs were not entitled to recover the 44/. and 20/. costs. The LOAD CHIEF JUSTICE suggested that the best way would be to take a verdict for the whole sum, subject to be reduced by the amount of the costs, according to what might he the opinion of the C.ntrt. Verdict for the plaintiff!, for 2391. subject to he re• duced as aforesaid. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, DEC. 6. SHARP V. MAY. This was an action to recover compensation in the way of damages, brought icy the plaintiff, who was a passenger in defendant's coach, running from London to Chertsey, when the axletree broke, the passengers were thrown upon the road, and plaintiff had his thigh broken, and received other injuries of a serious nature. The Jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff-3001. BANKRUPTCY COURT, DEC. 6. REMINGTON, STEPHENSON AND CO:13 BANKRUPTCY. Y , sterday having been appointed for an audit and divi dend in the joint estate of Remington and Co., late bankers and for an audit and further dividend in the separate estate of Rowland Stephenson (one of the bankrupts), several creditors interested in the relative estates attended before Mr. Commissioner WILLIAMS, who sit in one of the private rooms of the Bankruptcy Court, Basing. hall-street. _ A point of proceedings occupied the Court during some hours, but the fact is shortly as follows :—The old claim of 28,0001. against the separate estate of Rowland Ste phencon, was put in by the executors of the late Mr. Peto, the architect, and was disputed as an illegal demand by the assi.inees of the estate. Mr. Commissioner WILLIAMS, after bearing the argu ments of Counsel on both sides, decided that he would only admit 12,0001. to he entered as a valid claim ; and that the remaining 16,000/. were, by his judgment, ex punged. Mr. ABBOTT, the official assignee in the affairs of the bankrupts, answered, that the total proofs under the joint estate up to the present time were 496,1177. I ls. on which adividend of 104. 4d. had already been paid ; and he was further enabled to declare an additional dividend this day of sixpence, with a probability of a future dividend of two shillings. The amount of proofs against the separate estate up to the present time, he further added, was 180,515/. 16% 3d., on which a dividend of 2s. 6d. had been previously pid; and he was enabled to make a fur ther declaration of Is. this day, with a probability of a future dividend of 2s. ; and further, should his hopes that 21,0007. will be collected in, be realised, they, together with 3,0001. belonging to the joint estate in hand, and 11,0001. dividends, in Rowland Stephenson's separate estate, of which the assignees expect to get possession, will enable them, he expected, to declare a more enlarged dividend. The declared and probable future dividend on the joint estate, appears to be 12s. 6d., and on the separate estate ss. 6d., which, as above stated, should circumstances fa vour the assignees' expectations, promises to be increased. A young woman of Blaye named CLEMEN TINE PRAT, and a baker of the same town named PRIONE, had formed an intimacy and attachment for each other. The lover, however, not only res"lved to defer their union till she coal bring him a dower equal to his own property, but in order to attain this objvct induced the infatuated gill to attempt to get rid of her father, her mother, her sisters, and her uncle, by means of poison, in order to be come the sole inheritor of the family property. This base and horrible plan failed in the execution, detection fol lowed, the guilty pair were placed in the hands of Justice, and on the 27th tilt. they were both arraigned before the Court of Assizes for the department of the Marne. The trial lasted till 1 o'clock in the morning of the 29th, when both the culprits wore found guilty, and sentenced to hard l a b o ur for life.— Galignani's Messenger, The FLOATING GARDENS of CASHMERE. (From the Asiatic Journal.) The city of Cashmere is situated in the midst of nu , tnerous lakes, connected with each other, and with the river Vedusta, by canals, separated by narrow lines and insulated plots of grounds ; in some, localities so far raised above the water-line as to be out of danger of submersion on any rise of the water; but the greater portion lying so low as to be subjected to be drowned, in considerable inundations, which are not uncommon, and, indeed, he' come annually more frequent, through the neglect of the, Government, in not- checking th e accumulating growth s' weeds and mud, which diminish the depth of the lake/9 and consequently increase their surface. These circum stances have suggested an expedient by which certain vege• tables are cultivated in safety, and so that they derive 11 " much moisture as may be beneficial to them without being exposed to the risk of being destroyed. This is effected through the medium of a floating support, of which the buoyancy and flexibility prevent the plants sinking int o the mass, or being partially covered with it. Variout aquatic plants spring from the bottom of the lakes, e ° confervce, sedges, reeds, &c. ; and as the bo its which traverse these waters take generally the shortest lines they can pursue to the place of their dean' nation, the lakes are in some parts cut, as it were, int o avenues, separated by beds of sedges and reeds. in thee, places, then, the farm er es t a bli s h es hi s cucumber sa melon floats, by cutting off the roots of the aquatic plan t ' just mention e d, a b ou t t wo f eet un d er t h e water, so thr -.hey completely lose all connection with the bottom of the lake, but re t a i n th e i r f ormer s i tuat i on i n respect to e ee" other. When thus detached from the soil, they . ~er e pressed int o somew h a t c l oser contact, an d f orme d into be' of about two yards breadth, and of an indefinite length' The heads of the sedges, reeds, and other plants of the flo at are next cut off, and laid upon its surface, and cove with a thin coat of mud, which, at first, interrupted in to descent, grad ua lly s i n k s i nto t h e mass o f matte d roots. 11: bed floats, but i s k e pt i n i ts p l ace b y a sta k e o f w ill% driven through it, at each end, which admits of its rie t and falling, in a ccommo d a ti on to t h e r i se and fall of '",; water. By means of a long pole, thrust amongst the rel . '', at the bottom of the lake from the aide of a boat, s r turned round several times in the same direction, a qou r , tity of confirm and of other plants are torn from off em bottom and carried in the boat to the platform, where th e weeds are twisted into conical mounds about two feet ? diameter at their base, and of the same height, ters o ; !rating at the top in a hollow, which is fill e d with fre l . o soft mud, drawn from the bottom of the l a ke, to whi y sometimes wood.ashes are added, th oug h mor e freque° t ;/ omitted. The firmer has in preparation a number, cucumber and melon plants, which have been 1 1 %. under mats ; and of these, when they have four leaves, places three plants in the basin of ev e ry c one or morj; of which a double r o w ru ns a l ong th e e d ge o f eve ry 17- 0 at about two f ee t di s t ance f rom eac h o th er . N o furt l : o l care is necessary, except that of collecting the fruit ; r the expense of preparing the platforms and cones is 02 fined to the value of the labour, which altogether is fe te fling, as the work is very soon done. Perhaps a re economical method of raising cucumbers cannot be mt vised ; and though the narrow beds are ordinarily 10: in contact by their sides, yet, from their flexible natu re ' they are so easily separable that a sm a ll boat sussi eir readily pushed betwixt the lines without injuring thg structure; and for the most part they will bear a me" be weight, though generally the fruit is picked o ff from `, boat. I traversed a tract of about fifty acre s of floating gardens, in cucumber& and melons, and say/ 1 1 0 above half a dozen unhealthy plants ; no r h ave I seen' the cucumber and melon grounds, in the . v i c i n ity of l e populous cities in Europe or in Asia, so large an exPa a be of plant in a state equally healthy, though, it must of observed, running into somewhat too great l u xurianee, c d growth.—Moorcroft MSS., Journal of Geograph s Society. • THE MARKETS. SOUTHALL MARKET.—Dec. 5. tF This day's market was moderately well supplied with o— •teS but of each kind of small stock the show was rather hP'_ ,, but, The market was tolerably well attended by country buye. , 11 1A5 thinly by those from London, and the trade with each ra"o meat was dull, at the following prices per stone of 81b. to the ofials:— fki , Beef.- Ss' fkl. to ' lo Nltitton 3 R 48 I Pork 4 0 ii e ste The foregoing quotations are prime Veal 4d. per stone," than on this day se'nnight ; prices otherwise stationary. 359 ; Sheep, 2,986 ; Calves, 25 ; Pigs, 70. A considerable the ber of the Beasts, but not many of the small stock, let ; market unsold. LEWES MARKET.—Dec. 4. 38.4 d. to si. Od. Veal 4s. Od to 46 :t Mutton 4 0 410 I Pork 4 0 ' f ill' Supply of Beef good, of other kinds meat limited ; trade prime meat rather brisk, with that of, inferior quality dull__.;/ MFORD M s. d. to s. d 2 8 310 Veal 3 6 4 6 Pork om 14s. to 30s. ; Quarter and Calves moderate .ited ; trade with prime R KET. .Dee. 5. Beef.— ............ ... Nlutton . a. d. 3 8 3 8 )imyldegPaot h i o g ir s ia : t 2: ef . t p ol l. 78expif Suckling Calves frt Supply of Beast: Porkers rather lin otherwise very dui 1NG1118 11 : C,:UNTRY CO Oats. Per Quarter. Blandford Cambridge Chard s. to S. 25 r, 19 22 .• 17 19 2 ,1 15 2 1 1 . 17 22 19 20 Huntingdon...,.,,.,. Long 5utt0n.,,..,.,. Louth ....-----........ Lynn.... Newark 12. 28 3.4 16 22 n 436 17 23 17 22 20 2Z 27 22 28 20 26 V I 13 15 Nottingham .......... Peterborough —... Plymouth ~—....... Pontefract,...-- Sleafonl ...--... vax- N MAKKEIS DU W heat. Barley. S. to t 52 63 54 Y_4 58 63 56 64 50 55 54 56 52 63 46 63 46 60 50 64 65 .70 50 59 44 47 8. 8. 36 40 28 32 22 40 27 32 20 38 36 42 36 44 28 36 30 34 38 5§ 28 38 20 24 011 An LEEDS CORN MA RKET.—Dec. 4. to g *.. Wheat, Norfolk and Suffolk, 601 b. York. and Lincoln. 601 b. 33. Barley, Norfolk and Suffblk Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Grinding Beans Oats, Potatoe —Mealing, For. 12d. to 13d Shelling En 1 i.,5=t,0 ,___ ._. ,..... ,.*...,.itert.i ng.114d- 1013 , 1 11 0 , Rapeseed, English, 21/ to 22. Foreign, —I. to --** ..- LIVERPOOL CORN EXCHANGE.--Dee• 4. 9s. ° WiIEAT, English, White, per 701 b. Red Scotch, Welch, and Manx 8 6 1 Irish, White 7 6 /5, Red -- Foreign s 6 a s ' ' 1 OATS, English, Welsh, and Scotch, per 451 b 2 4 I , I r ish F ore ign 2 0 o r 3 (/ BARLEY, English, Malting, per Imp. quarter 34 0 4 % ---. Scotch and Irish, per 601bs. ----- Feeding , 3.11 ... U BEANS, English, per Imperial quarter 36 0 `F 0 -- Irish, &c Foreign PEASE, English, per Imperial quarter 3B 0 4 0 5 8 () Foreign FLOUR., English, per 2801 b. 46 0 ''' g„, --- Irish OATMEAL, English and Irish, per 2401bs 22 0 ..... . ''' 0 INDIAN CORN, per 4401 b. RYE, per Imperial quarter NIALT, per Imperial quarter Dec 1 te IMPORT OF GRAIN for the Week ending • ri , Wheal Oats. Barley Flour. Ors. Qrs. Qrs. IForeign, Brlsilrish, &c. 6c o ' I P? 1 18,589 7,753 i 1,386 100 7,637 itrA ,i , , 1 MEETING OF CREDITORS, BASINGBALL- O-MORROW. C. Snuggs, cabinet-maker, T Mint-street, Borough...••••'. BELGIUAI AND HOLLAND.—Under Er':7t r' e circumstances, the most attractive part Of the . is resque Annual," lately published, will dounaliej reckoned that portion which relates to 1 - 14 4 , 13 , d n i glum. Views are given, after the vivid pen",.; • t" - FIELD, of nearly all the most interesting Pl', c ,, - ; s 1 :1 0/ countries, on which the attention of the vinr. l3 ' poss e vetted—such as Antwerp and the S c heldt , to tso Bruges, and Rotterdam ; while, in the literary del:tioar LEITCH RITCHIE describes, from personal O' er ' ? attitude of the new kingdom, " Between the acting of the dreadful th ing ' And the first motion." t 'tti 0 1 , i ra Ligt );'4l Re v BIRTH.to On the 4th inst. at Southampton, the lady - ~t• borough Woodcock, of a daughter. O re MARRIED. chieeS A ds " I On the 6th inst. at St. George the Martyr, w rar ioli , John Cassaigne, of Salisbury-street, Strand, to Ca of Robert Allan, Esq., of Great Ormond-street. art° I ,o l l' On the 4th inst. George Joy, F.sq of 8eifa5_.,. , 0 111 . 4 Castle, in the county of Antrim, to *Louisa 1141 2 ., s ae dot only daughter of the late Neil Macdougall, r' 4 o l" 1 0 " daughter of the late Patrick Macdougall, Esq'' „ e r-cq, 0 1' Dunolly Castle, Argyleshire. On the sth inst. at St. Ceorge's Church, s 3 “ e f % er r Titus Berry, Esq., to Sarah Isabella, eldest daug",,te ' Robert Hurst, Esq., of Stamford, and niece of the the Archdeacon Whitworth, of Salisbury DIED. 00 4' 10 On the ad inst. Lsdy Stracay, wife of Sir E dWa of Rackheath Hall, in the county of Norfolk. 11,'" On the 6th inst. at Brompton, atter a seveiiolll l, '_ t t Agnes Jerdan, sister of W. Jerdan, Esq. Grove _ c on On the 4th inst at Lewisham, in the' 87th Ynti e Abraham Constable, Esq., Deputy-Lieutenant e` Kent. All' PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY MURDO YO.l SUN OFFICE, 112, STREET), LONEOPI , 01 P r , to