The Sun. — London, England, 1847-04-03 00:00:00

BORNEO.-THE PIRATES. Her Majesty's Ship Iris, off the Coast of Borneo, August 28, 1846. In my last letter I gave ycu the history of the late pro esedings of our squadron against the Illanoon pirates. of their defeat, an d of the destruction of their strongholds in the rivers Tampassook and Pandassin. I will now 'e—resent you with a sketc h of the subse q uent o p erations of the Iris against the Sultan's general, Hadgi Samon, who was still earrying on hostilities, in conjunction with the pirates, against the native tribes who were friendly to the English. It was this officer who had commanded the principal battery which fired upon our squadron, on the attack of Brusi, in June last. On the 7th inst. I parted company with the Com mander-in-Chief, and no sooner was the squadron out of sight than I sent Lieutenant Little away with my boats and five days' provisions, with orders to cruise that time along the coast and join me 100 miles to the southward. The Admiral's orders to me were to carry on the war against the Illanoon rascals, by sea and land, according to my discretion, and to look after the Sultan's first chieftain, Hadgi Samon, who had been the principal adviser of the Sultan in the hostile measures against us, and who, it was now reported, had sought refuge some where amongst the piratical tribes. On the 12th I anchored at Ambong, and Lieutenant Little joined me. He had captured and destroyed one piratical prahn, and bad burnt a large Illanoon village, after sustaining an attack from a large body of pirates, who threw spears from the banks at the boats, but were eventually driven off with the loss of several killed and wounded. No one injured on our side, though the spears stuck into the sides of our boats, these fellows rushing down within ten yards of the pinnace, hurling their darts, and holdi n g u p their large wooden shields, to protect them from musketry. On the 14th we anchored off Kimanis, where Mr. Brooke received information that Hadgi Samon had for tified himself in the Mambacoot river, distant only six miles, and that nine gun-boats which had been sent from Borneo to attack him, had found his position too strong, sad h a d, therefore, decided to remain off Kimanis till thso arrival of the frigate. I gave directions, therefore, to Mr. Little to be ready with all the boats of the Iris at daylight the following morning, assisted by the Phlegethon cutters, and to proceed to attack this noted chief wherever he might be found. Mr. Brooke and I commenced business by sending a meesesger to the Dyak chief, desiring him to give up Hadgi Samon, and enter into friendly communication with us. The return message was an insolent bit of bravado, desiring us to come to take him, and that they were not afraid of our shot, which they would catch in their hands, end throw back at our boats. Neither Mr. Brooke nor myself had intended to take any active part in the expedition, but the un looked for, and, I may add, extraordinary circum stance, of the sudden arrival of thirty war prahns, carry ing twenty guns, and about 400 men, under their chiefs, inhabiting districts for twenty miles round, for the purpose of paying their respects to the English Raja, and to assure him of their anxiety for legitimate commerce, and their wish to be friends of England, en tirely altered the position of affairs. Mr. Brooke, with his accustomed decision, after a lengthened discussion with their chieftains, declared it to be his belief that they were honest men, and that it would be very impo litic on our part to refuse the offer of their aid, and that he should wish to accompany them. Of course, I ac quiesced immediately, and it was arranged that we should go together in the gig, thus putting implicit con fidence in their faith, whilst Lieutenant Little could always keep his force compactly together, ready to act on the first semblance of treachery. At five a.m., on the 18th, the boats were in move ment. At eight I crossed the bar in a beautiful new gig the admiral gave me, the principal Pangeran of our new allies showing the channel. Lieutenant Little's force came next, and about a quarter of a mile in the rear the large fleet of prahns. It was a picturesque scene, boat after boat dashing through the surf with their gaudy flees and long streamers, and then shooting into the unruffled stream beyond, and taking up their assigned positions, which were well under command of my guns and rockets. Our force now commenced pulling up against a strong ebb, and, after three good hours at the oars, the first attempt to oppose our progress appeared in large rafts floating down, and soon afterwards the report of guns in the distance was heard. On pulling swiftly round a point to clear one of the rafts, the gig being then about 50 yards ahead of the main division, we came suddenly upon a long line of thick bamboo stakes fixed across the stream, with an immense boom attached to them, but which, owing to freehes, had swung athwart. Facing these defences, only thirty yards distant, a fort had been erected, which, as soon as our boats came into view, opened fire. Before the enemy could reload I fell back upon the gun boats, and ordered Mr. Little to give way and "At them." He was soon followed by the barge and cutter, and the action became genera:—shot, rockets, and musketry ; but owing to the strength of the tide it was ten minutes before my first lieutenant could get over the short dis tance; and when he finally captured the fort he found it had been armed with small swivel guns only, which the defenders had managed to carry into the jungle. One of our native allies recognised Hadgi Samon and his Bornean sub-officnrs in the battery. Having de molished the fort and destroyed the magazines, ammu nition, etc., we pushed on without losing time ; and ob serving, as we passed a narrow creek, a prahn endeavour ing to escape, we dashed at her and captured her, the crew, who escaped, leaving behind their spears, krises, and suntpe tans, i. e., quivers of poisoned arrows. The country was now extremely beautiful. The interiors of the houses were extremely neat—mats, threshing and knitting machines, culinary implements, and other fur niture, in capital order; and had it not been for the numerous human skulls suspended from the ceiling in regular festoons, with the thigh and arm bones occupy ing the intervening spaces, and other ornaments pecu liar to the wildest class of Dyaks, I should have fancied myself in a civilised land. At three p.m., on coming to a turn of the river, a magnificent mansion presented itself to our view, the ve randah of which give a frontage of 500 feet by 20 in br:adth. It was close to the river, and par tially concealed by cocoa-nut trees. One of these had been cut down, and of it a kind of abattis was made, from behind which, as our boats advanced, a ' masked battery was opened. These guns were quickly silenced, and I was not long in jumping on terra firma, rifle in hant The enemy were driven into the interior, carrying off their killed and wounded. The house was soon in flames; and amongst the internal decorations consumed were 50 human skulls and as many packages of human bones, many of them evidently the latest gifts of the llyak gentlemen to their lady loves; for you must know that no aristocratic youth dare venture to pay his adiresses to the fair one unless he throws at the blush ing maiden's feet a net full of' skulls at the same time that he tilers his hand and heart. At four P.m we bivoua c k e d f cr t h e night, and early in the morning of the 17th a deserter from Hadgi Sarnon swam across the river to our camp, and informed us that his chief had retreated in despair to houses at the head of the river. At early dawn, therefore we were on his track, and in half an hour a ch. , er from the headmost boats signaled that the last ref uge o f the enemywas in sight. A few steckes more and our guns and rockets were in play, and after a vain endeavour of the resolute chief by musketry and snippets to oppose our steady ad vance, he was compelled to abandon hi s f ortres , and retreat into the wilderness. Having burnt all the buildings of those inhabitants who had taken an active part against us, we returned down the river, and was on board the ship by sunset. Our loss was one seaman of the Iris killed, and four wounded; two of the Phlege thon's, and eight of our native alies wounded. The native chiefs rend, avoused at the Phlegethon, where we entertained them till a late hour, each of them swearing to protect the pers:ms and property of all shipwrecked or distressed Europeans who might be driven up n their iron-bound coast; and I really hope we have made a commencement in the good work of rendering these seas secure for the peaceful trader. The wonderful effect of our Congreve rc'ckets gave them an idea of our power, whilst our uniform kindness to all the unpiratical tribes plainly bespoke our anxiety to be friendly with the good. (Signed) G. RODNEY MUNDY. A SOLDIER - FOUND NRAECLY Da morning a soldier was discovered lying trenchrr 1 at the east end of the fortifications sur roun di ng the g arri son at Chatham lines by some of th e workmen going to work, and they gave information of the circumstance to some soldiers on duty at the guard-room. Assistance was promptly rendered, and, with the aid of a ladder, the soldier was got up, and he appeared to be lifeless ; he was, therefore, without loss of time, conveyed to the military hospital, where his person was examined. One knee was found broken, and also a leg, besides being otherwise seriously injured about the body. This soldier was attached to the Invalid Depot, and had been at Brompton the night betbre, drinking with some of his comrades, and on returning to his quarters at the Case. mate-barracks h. must have mistaken the path leading thereto, and accidentally walked into the trench, a depth of thirty to forty feet, and there remained in the greatest suffPring unt il the described. The morning, when he was found as of the 50th pname of the soldier is George Foley, Re g i ment, ,lisioned an o ti ff has recently returned from India to he years. It is but a few we' after a servitude of some soldiers of the 31st 417 ago that one of the dis abledthe trench, and was severely hurt. To strangersght:lti°easnedtrenches are most there is no guard dangerous, particularly at ,z ni into them. to prevent persons walkin MELANCIIOLT SUICIDE OF A DANISII C It gives us great pain to have to record the death Captain Boy Dirckson, the master of thwehiao centlimts:hibi-trtii:i Balticum, now lying in Sutton Pool suicide on Sunday morning last, by disChargin(o, tents of a large pist,)l into his mouth, b y w hi ch he fright fully shattered the whole of his fe a t ures and instantane ously put a termination to his exi s t ence . Th e deceased was a man of the most sober habit., of excellent temper, and a good master, bat since he left Hayti, in December last, he had been the victim of a number of accaleats and misfortunes which at last proved too heavy for him to bear up with, and under the depression caused by these mi.fortunes, the unfortunate deceased was led to commit the rash act which has deprived society of a most worthy member.—Plymouth Journal. A curious literary question was decided, on Tues d,y, by the Correctional Tribunal of Paris, after hearinc , serf lengthened ar2,urnents. It a p peare d t h at i n 1628, M. Frayssinous, Bishop of Hermopolis, ceded the copy right of some of his works to Messrs. Leclerc and Co. A tran slation of these works into Spanish was ma d e at Madrid, and at later periods this Spanish translation was twice reprinted at Paris. The question then arose whether it was piracc to print in France a translation of a French work. The Tribunal declared that it was, and condemned the defendants, Messrs. Lecointe and ',Ti to Ma. tine, to 2.00 0 f. damages , and to the confis- L ere ti r on of all the remaining copies of the two editions of the translation. THE FOX HUNTING SEASON IN SCOTLAND. The severity of the weather during the winter months has been particularly unpropitious and has caused as numerous interruptions to the chase with the different packs of hounds in the north, as all accounts agree that it has occasioned to the sports in the . south. Not withstanding, however, every disadvantage the wea ther, there have been short intervals which enabled hounds to hunt and men to ride with safety, and on several of those occasions the sport has been most ex cellent. sh a T r h e e o D f u g k o e od of r ß un u s c , c l w e u h c i li ch 's h h a o y ud e n g s w h e a n y g e e h n; d their rasatis f f a u e. ll tion to the sportsmen who usually hunt with that old. established pack. and also to the landlords and farmers, as the Duke, after several years of absence, passed this season on his own noble . domains, and enjoyed many of the good days' sport which the hounds afforded. The presence of the Duke with his own hounds, in place of, as Lord John Scott observed at a public dinner last year, " his Grace hunting with Sir Robert Peel's scratch pack in Whitehall-gardens," is an event which has indeed been hailed with great joy and satisfaction ; and long may we see the noble "master" able to participate in the pleasures of the field, and in good health to ride, as he always has done, and is well entitled to do, in the " first rank." Williamson and the hounds never appeared in better condition and in greater force than they did when they made their first public appearance this year at Craigmillar Castle, and all have admitted that throughout the season thi s we ll k nown an d most favourite huntsman, who has hunted the county upwards of forty years, never exhibited more practical science, and more daring, determined, front rank riding. Many instances may be mentioned of really good sport. The dogs in the county of Roxburgh, from Riddell and from Ormiston Wood, had all runs of a brillint de• scription, which, considering the almost unprecedented extent of country, it is wonderful how foxes that are necessarily so very seldom disturbed should afford such extraordinary runs. Lord Elcho's hounds, comparing the sport that they have had this with former seasons, it has disappointed the numerous sportsmen congregated in and about Cold stream, for excepting a few good things in October, these hounds have had decided bad luck, which those who ought to be best able to judge attribute to various causes. Like the Duke, Lord Elcho has far too great an extent of country to be well and properly hunted by only four days in the week, and though, when he un dertook the management of the hounds, it was agreed they should hunt five days, yet at the same time there is decidedly country enough for not less than six. Other causes of the bad sport of those hounds are attri buted to many of the old foxes having been killed at the beginning of the season, and there have also been many blank days, caused by the foxes not being suffi ciently preserved. Besides, a failure in the sport has in several instances arisen from fuxes being " chopped," an accident which requires great care to aviod, espe cially in the small gorse coverts with which Northum berland abounds. On several occasions, too, foxes have got into earths from sufficient attention not having been paid to have them duly stopped. These circum stance are the more to be regretted, because in all other respects the hounds, the country, and the game are all of very high quality, and as in former seasons they have shown such superior sport, we hope that whatever the cause of thi s y ear ' s f a il ure may h ave b een , in that which is forthcoming they will be all removed, and that the very essential benefits which the inhabitants of Coldstream and adjoining districts have derived from the sportsmen, and families which have domesticated themselves there for the sole purpose of enjoying the chase, will be continued, and not be injured by the mis fortunes of this season. The Linlithgowshire Hounds have had no less to complain of on the score of weather than their neigh bours; for so much snow has not fallen in the districts of that country where they hunt, and the frost has more frequently "given " for a day or two at a time, so that they have been able to catch more hunting days than the hounds that hunted in the higher districts. Uncertain as such a tract of weather may be, still on hunting days it usually is very favourable to sport, the scent being often good ; and in proof of this, the number of excellent runs which Mr. Ramsay's hounds boast of may be attributed. With the disadvantage of some of their country being very rough, and the en closures small, there has scarcely been a day in which the sport has not been satisfactory, for the foxes are wild, and being plenty of them, there has not been a single " blank day." The hounds and horses are con sidered to be more effective, and in all respects the establishment more complete than the oldest sportsman remembers it to have been in that country. Mr. Ram say having relinquished the "affairs of state" for those of the field, has become a regular and accomplished fox hunter, and the eye of the " master" may be easily per ceived, every part of the establishment being well ar ranged, and on a most liberal scale. Amongst the best (f the day's sport with these hounds may be quoted the run from Polmont, from Cockleroi, and from Houston Wood ; and in East Lothian from Coniston and Pres manon, the latter being a hill run, which, in length and pace, has seldom occurred in the annals of fox-hunting. The Fife-hounds, with all the disadvantages of a small "subscription," have got on wonderfully well this season ; their huntsman is universally allowed to be a first-rate man, both in the kennel and in the field, but he is not mounted as he ought to be, which may be ac counted for by his " farming" the whole concern at a low price, and thus too eager to part with a good horse at a profit.—Kelso THE SON, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, APRIL 3, 1847 VRAICKING" IN JERSEY. The season for gathering the sea-weed which abound: on the countless rocks around our coast, commenced on Monday last. This important and pe.mliar harvest pro mises to be very abundant, and the weather being pro pitious, numbers of our farmers, with their wives and families, may be seen daily wending their way to the sea shore, attired in the only costume that fickle fashion has not yet succeeded in altering. To our English readers the name of the weed and the harvest itself will seem somewhat singular, as well as the importance which they may perceive by the few lines above, is attached to the operation. This is even greater than they can conceive who are ignorant of the actual facts. So precious is the " vraick " regarded as manure, that it is placed under the special protection of the Full Court who, on the advise of the twelve con stables (these in turn being guided by their parochial assemblies or vestries), fixes on a certain day for the " abandon" or liberty to commence cutting. Proclama tion to this effect is made by the regular officer, who ad vances for this purpose to the body of the Court to a rail ing which separates it from the vestibule. When the ap pointed day approaches, preparations are made in every farmhouse in the island, the more profitably to devote ex elusive attention to the previous harvest. Cakes of a parti cular sort are made and baked some days before to serve as food during the time the occupation lasts, which is during a few days preceding and following the spring tide. The season partakes in some measure of the nature of a holiday—parties are formed to join the vraiehers and the whole rural population is on the qui vice. The Jersey-woman, la our opinion, is then, and perhaps only then, thoroughly identical as the type of what she was before the rapid introduction of new manners and customs. The homely garb takes the place of modern finery, which is for the moment thrown aside and forgotten. Antedeluvian bonnets, of unaccountable shapes, covered over with cases of coarse woollen stuff made to depend in the shape of a ' large cape, cover the head of the fresh and rosy damsels, (and they are fresh and rosy,) who wend their way to the rocks during the vraickirg. The rest of the habili men t cons i st of a short, coarse, warm, woollen shirt, over which is worn a small garment, technically called a bed-gown (Heaven only knows why— it might with not less appropriateness be called by any other name), generally composed of a dark purple gland stuff. As to the male portion of the reapers, they are as perfectly unrecognisable as fur, worsted, and a species of coarse flannel can make them; young men looking old, and aged men wearing "blouses" which make them ap pear like youths, until the face betrays by its timeworn marks the traces of old age. Antiquated carts with rails at the sides, drawn by one or two horses, convey the " vraickers" to their destination, and return with such loads of manure as would strike any English horse with amazement ; dragged from amidst the rockQ, through brooks, shingle, sand and soft mud, enough, one would think, to ruin any animal, and so it would any but a Jersey horse. Sometimes the over piled load may be seer. crowned with a rosy face, buried in the aforementioned woollen extinguisher, the said face appertaining to one of Cresarea's fair daughters, who sits there enthroned on some incomprehensible machine meant to be applied to ' some undiscovered use, and appearing to be a species ~f compromise between a fowl-house and a ra trket bas ket. The fair one, with her feet imbedded in the dripping weed, sits there completely at ease, surrounded by pitchforks and rakes, and, to all appearances, with as much comfort as is enjoyed by her, perhaps, more refined, but not more happy sisters in the town. So great is the anxiety to obtain the vraick that the reapers (we forgot to say that it was cut with a reaping hook) often place themselves in moat dangerous posi tions, and serious accidents with loss of life frequently happen. Notwithstanding this, the farmer returns to his cherished pursuits with an unfliching determina tion, and on his return to the homestead, the blazing fagots on his capacious hearth and smoking boiler, with the happy faces that surround him, soon induce forgetfulness of past toil andanddanger, abundant wh es whilst the give of well- manured lan ds cheering encouragement for the future.—Daily Corres pondent (Jersey). MARRIED LlFE.—Deceive not one another in small things nor in great. One littlo single lie has befo r e now di'tn-bed a whole marr i e d lif e. A small cause has often gsirtettl le"%equenees. F u ld not the arms together and rim much Laziness is the devil's cushion." Do not worth than frQat home. And why ? Because the O t tn ie a 's r own jl an gold. M • , any a marriage begins like the r,,sy in,,rning, an,... then well pleasing- to each oth er falls away like the snow wreath. health is of more thoughts. _ _a. after marriage pair n egl e c a t s Endeavour always to plas e 0 on© another ; but,t()atbet befo re.haes same time, keep God in all your love on to-day. L4rr fuel for the has its to-morrow likewise, anr?.tesnaldi e r that Lavishmarriangoet Itpue,bword wife row too ! " Spare, as one ma ay after to-mor winter." Consider, tny daughters), what i 'nf cl s:l e expresses. The married woman - is the mPstie faith ; in her hand he must be able t a o nd c ' house and family ; bo able to entrust her the key of his heart, as well as the key of his house. His honour and his home are under her keeping ; his well being is in her hand. Think of this ! And you, sons, be faithful husbands, and good fathers of families. Act so that your wives ahall esteem and love you.—Frederica Bremer. Dhpatehes from the Governors of New South Wales, Van Diemen's Land, and South Australia, were received Yesterday at the THE NEW PLANET. The Syndicate appointed to visit the Observatory beg to submit to the Senate the following Statement of Ob servations made by Professor Challis on the New Planet, in continuation of those described in his former report, and also of the results deduced from them by Mr. Adams respecting the elements of the planet's orbit. H. PHILPOTT, Vice-Chancellor. JOHN GRAHAM. GEORGE PEACOCK. B. CHAPMAN. JAMES CARTMELL. W. WHEWELL, CHAS. W. GOODWIN. JOSHUA KING. G. G. STOKES. SECOND REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS IN THE OBSERVATORY RELATING TO THE NEW PLANET (NEPTUNE). In conformity with a wish expressed by the Vice- Chancellor and the Observatory Syndicate, at their ordi nary terminal meeting, held on March 15, I propose in this report to carry on, for the information of members of the Senate, the account of proceedings in the Ob servatory relative to the new planet, a first report of which was made on Dec. 12 of last year. The theoretical grounds on which a search for the planet was instituted, the manner in which the search was conducted, and the degree of success that attended it, were stated in the former report, which brought the history of proceedings down to the date. at which the planet was discovered. I have now to give an account of the subsequent observa tions both of its position in the heavens and of its physical appearance, and to state the results respecting the orbit, which have been deduced from :he observations by calculation. A regular series of observations of the planet was commenced on October 3, 1846, and continued at all available opportunities, partly with the meridian instru ments, and partly with the Northumberland Equatoreal, to December 4, seon after which the planet became too faint to observe on the meridian on account of daylight. The observations were subsequently carried on with the Equatoreal to January 15. The series was much inter rupted by cloudy weather, particularly in the months of December and January. On the whole I have obtained 28 positions of the planet with the meridian instruments, and 25 positions with the Northumberland Equatoreal by means of 92 differential observations of Right Ascen sion, and as many of North Polar Distance. The Equa toreal measures were all referred to the same star, No. 7,648 of the British Association Catalogue, the exact place of which was determined by sixteen observa tions with the Transit, and eight observations with the Mural Circle. I have reason to think that the positions obtained with the Equatoreal are entitled to very nearly the same weight as those obtained on the meridian. All the above observations I have com pletely reduced, and have placed the results at the dis• posal of Mr. Adams for deducing elements of the planet's orbit. On January 12, I had for the first time a distinct im pression that the planet was surrounded by a ring. The appearance noticed was such as would be pre sented by a ring like that of Saturn, situated with its plane very oblique to the direction of vision. I felt convinced that the observed elongation could not be attributed to atmospheric refraction, or to any irregular action on the pencils of light, because when the object was seen most steadily I dis tinctly perceived a symmetrical form. My assistant, Mr. Morgan, being requested to pay particular attention to the appearance of the planet, gave the same direction of the axis of elongation as that in which it appeared to me. I saw the ring again on the evening of Jan. 14. In my note-book I remark, The ring is very apparent with a power of 215, in a field considerably illumined by lamp-light. Its brightness seems a qual to that of the planet itself.' On that evening, Mr. Morgan, at my re quest, made a drawing of the form, which on comparison coincided very closely with the drawing made inde pendently by myself. The ratio of the diameter of the ring to that of the planet, as measured from the draw ings, is about that of 3to 2. The angle made by the axis of the ring with a parallel declination, in the south preceding or north following quarter, I estimated at 60 0 . 13y a measurement taken with a position circle on Jan. 15, under very unfavourable circumstance&, this angle was found to be 65°. lam unable to account entirely for my not having noticed the ring at an earlier period of the observations. It may, however, be said that an appearance like this, which it is difficult to recognise except in a good state of the atmosphere, might for a long time escape detection, if not expressly and re peatedly looked for. To force itself on the attention, it would require to be seen under extremely favourable circumstances. Previous to the observations in Janu ary, the planet had been hid for more than three weeks by clouds. The evenings of Jan. 12 and 14 were par ticularly good, and the planet was at first looked at in strong twilight. Under very similar circumstances I have twice seen, with the Northumberland telescope, the second division of Saturn's ring. I communicated to Mr. Lassell, of Liverpool, who was the first to suspect the existence of a ring, my observa tions upon it, accompanied with a drawing; and I have received from him in return a drawing of the appearance presented in his twenty feet reflector, closely resemblin g mine, both as to the form and the position of the ring. Mr. Lassell writes, " I cannot refuse to consider that your observation puts beyond reasonable doubt the reality of mine." In this conclusion I concur, and ac cordingly in communications to the Royal Astronomical Society, and to Schumacher's Astronamische Nachrich kn, containing my reduced observation:, I have ven tured to express my conviction of the existence of a ring. By micrometer measures taken with the Northumber land telescope, I find the apparent diameter of the body of the planet to be very nearly 3 seconds. The above account includes all the observations on the planet I could obtain before its disappearance in the solar rays. By the kindness of Mr. Adams lam able to add some particulars respecting its orbit, which he has de rived by calculation from the reduced places with which I furnished him. As was stated in tho former report, Mr. Adams calculated first approximations to the ele ments, by employing the places I obtained on August 4 and August 12, in the course of searching for the pla net, with observations since the discovery extending to October 13. For the sake of comparison with the se cond approximation, I now give the first results. Heliocentric Longitude 326.39 Aug. 4, 1846. Longitude of the Descending Node 309.41 Inclination of the Orbit Distance of the Planet from the Sun 30.05 In calculating the following second approximations Mr. Adams used the mean of the two places of August as a single place, and of the others he selected nine which seemed to be the best determined, and which were separated by convenient intervals. All the results are calculated for the epoch of 1846, Aug. 8,0. mean timo at Greenwich. Heliocentric Longitude of the Planet re ferred to the mean Equirr. , x of 1847,0 326.41.12,3 Heliocentric motion in Longitude in 100 days Heliocentric Latitude South Change of Heliocentric Latitude in 100 days 1. 4,44 Longitude of the Descending Node 3lO. 3.44,0 inclination of the Orbit 1.46.49,1 Distance of the Planet from the Sun Half the Latus Rectum of the Orbit The first position on which the above results depend, that of Aug. 4, was obtained 16 days before the planet was in opposition, and the last position, that of Jan. 15, 32 days before it was in conjunction. The great variation of the planet's elongation from the sun in this interval, is favourable to the correctness of the above determinations, which, although they cannot pre tend to extreme accuracy on account of the short period over which the observations extend, are yet entitled to considerable weight. Mr. Adams has, in fact, calculated the probable errors of the above re sults by supposing each observation of Right Ascen sion or of North Polar Distance to be liable to an error of three seconds, and he finds that there is little probabi lity of their receiving any great amount of correetion by taking account of future observations. It may be re marked that the first and second approximations do not at dtarchil: the od ohhbafeyaptp,aprnloy, on account observationeli at places g o t e rio q l u bu a tygo i o i ur t i i stn t ttl i he, quantities. de:), ilxneidtaagieeenesnt deserving those i en t i vi may mvloaerocn rec b esto e ,on inferred tfithhdi eesnee: se coed accuratee than it would have been if it depended solely on obser vations made since the discovery of the planet. The calculations gave 59 min. 8 sec. for the planet's 11.1iocentric motion from August 4 to January 15. This is so small an arc that it is not possible to deduce with any degree of certainty those elements, the deter mination of which depend); on change of the heliocentric distance. Mr. Adams has, however, discussed the ob servations with this object in view, and has obtained certain limiting results, which, as possessing considerable interest, I here subjoin. ' The eccentricity of the orbit cannot exceed 0.18. The most probable value is 0.06, which differs but little from the eccentricities of the orbits of Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus. The most probable longitude of perihelion is 49 dog. 58 min., and the probable true anomaly 276 deg. 43 rain., according to which the planet is near the extremity of the latus rectum, and is descending towards perihelion. These results are extremely uncertain. The mean distance is 30, 35, with a probable error of 0,25 ; and the corresponding sidereal period is 167 years, with a probable error of about two years. It is remarkable that the periodic time is very nearly double that of Uranus ; so that these two bodies will offer an instance of mutual perturbations of large amount, differ ing in character from those of the other planets, but analogous to the mutual perturbations of the first and second and second and third satellites of Jupiter. According to Bode's law of the planetary distances, the mean distance of the new planet should be nearly 35. The actual mean distance differs so much from this, that we are compelled to conclude that this sin gular law, which holds with reference to the other planets, fails in this instance. Since the apparent diameter of the new planet is to that of Uranus nearly in the ratio of 2 to 4, according to the foregoing determination of the distance its bulk is to that of Uranus in the ratio of 8 to 5. The above is the sum of the results derivable from the first series of observatiohs. For further and more exact information we mud wait till the planet emerges from the solar rays. Before concluding this report, I am desirous of saying a few words respecting the name of the planet. I recently had the satisfaction of re ceivingtion read by him at the general annua l meetin g of the S e m tr y u v of 3 the Sciences copy of communica f the Impe i r o ia m l of St. r Petersburg on Dec. 29, in which he states the re asons that induced hi mse lf a nd the other Poulkova astronom ers to adhere to the name of Neptune, which name was 6 ;" Proposed by the French Board of Longitude , : re ort . lyafter the di scover y o f the planet, these reasons thus briefly expressed note in a addressed to me per sonally:_' The Poul kova astronomers have resolued to maintain the name name of L of Nept une , i n th e o pi n i o n that the and against e rwould be against the accepted analogy, denied th at 11 historical truth, as it cannot be oretical discove'rer Adamso has b een th e fi rs t the m) happy as to that body, though not effect • A direct result of his indications." M. Struve's communication has been published in this country by the Astronomer Royal, who has expressed his assent to the reasons therein contained, and his determination to adopt the name of Neptune. Professor Gause and Professor Encke have also, as I understand, adopted this name. I have only to add that it is my intention (and I am permitted to say, the intention of Mr. Adams also) to follow the example set by these eminent astronomers. (Signed) J. CHALLIS. Cambridge Observatory, March 22,1847. ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. II 0211 E ClRCUlT, —Kingston, April 1. CIVIL SlDE.—(Before Lord Chief Justice DENNAN and a Common Jury.) COON V. SMITH. This was an action arising out of a defunct rail way scheme called the Brighton, Lewes, Tunbridge• wells, Gravesend, and Eastern Counties Junction Rail way Company. Mr. M. Chambers, with Mr. Petersdorff, was for the plaintiff; Mr. Sergeant Channel! and Mr. Wordsworth for the defendant. The plaintiff is a lithographer, and he sought to re cover from the defendant, who was the solicitor to the proposed railway, a sum of 3001. odd, the balance of his account for maps, surveys, &c. The original projector of the scheme appeared to be a Mr. Spencer, an engineer, but he retired from the undertaking, having previously introduced the plaintiff to Mr. Smith, who was the re gistered solicitor of the company, and under his direc tions the plaintiff performed the work, receiving some money occasionally on account from the defendant, but leaving the amount now sought to be recovered due to him. This was one of those cases where the plaint ff re lied upon the liability of the solicitor on the ground that there really was no " company" or responsible commit tee in existence; and it was urged that the defendant had projected the scheme upon his own responsibility, and finding on account of the panic that the public would not come forward and join it, he deemed it prudent to as sume the character of an agent and shift his responsibi lity upon a " company" which never appeared to have had any existence. The evidence for the plaintiff went to show that the work S had been performed by the direction of the de fendant, and that he had given his own cheques for the amount that was paid on account. It likewise appeared that the only evidence of the existence of a company was when upon one occasion the plaintiff was pressing for money, the plaintiff referred him to the committee who were sitting in a house in Adam-street, Adelphi, and he there saw several gentlemen who were entire strangers to him; but upon his applying to them for money, they told him that they had not got any at that time, but they would see whether he could have any in a few days, and referred him to Mr. Smith for a final answer. Sergeant CHANNELL, in addressing the jury for the defendant, said ihat the present case involved a question of very great importance to solicitors; and if they were to be made answerable for the liabilities of a company with which they were only professionally connected, th consequence s would be very serious indeed to gentlemen in that p , ,sition. In the present instance, Mr. Smith had merely acted as the solicitor to the company, and although he had certainly paid money out of his oven funds to the plaintiff on account, he only did so as the agent of the company, and on their behalf, till they ob tained funds by the allotment of shares; and upon three occasions when he so advanced money, he expressly told the plaintiff that he only did so out of his own private funds, and required him to give I 0 U's for the amount to be paid when he received funds from the company; and the plaintiff gave receipts acknowledging the com pany as his employers. Evidence was adduced on behalf of the defendant to show these facts ; but it appeared that the plaintiff was not required to sign the receipt as from the company until after it was pretty tolerably apparent that the scheme would be a failure, and it became important for the defendant to endeavour to shield himself from re sponsibility on account of his connexion with it. Mr. CIIA3IBERS, in his reply upon the defendant's case, said he admitted that the point at issue involved an important question for solicitors who were connected with railway schemes, but he could not help thinking that the jury would consider it was equally as im portant that tradesmen should not be induced to per form services, and expend their time and property upoa bubble schemes, and, when they exploded, be told by the person who had employed them, when they applied to him for payment, that le was not responsible, and they were referred to a company and a committee neither of which had existence. The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE, in summing up, said that a solicitor to a railway or any other company would not be liable for work performed for it if he merely acted as the agent of such company, and did not take upon himself any special responsibility ; but there ought to be evidence of the existence of a company, and of re sponsible persons to whom he acted as agent. In the absence of such evidence in this case, with the exception of that which related to the visit of the committee in Adam-street, Adelphi, which appeared very slight, for none of the parties present appeared to be known, the question for the jury was, whether the defendant was not personally responsible to the plaintiff for the work that had been pertbrmed by his direction. The jury, after a short deliberation, returned a verdict for the plaintiff for the amount claimed. The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE said it was unfortunate for Mr. Smith, but he hoped there were some other responsible parsons connected with the scheme to whom he could himself look for payment. OXFORD ClRGUlT.—fitrefurd, April 1. CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Sergeant UASELEE Susan George was indicted for the wilful murder of William George, her infant child, at Kimbolton, on the 26th of November, by drowning him. Mr. Greaves and Mr. Cooke appeared for the prose cution ; Mr. fluddlestone and Mr. Barrett for the defence. It appeared in evidence, that the prisoner was a pauper in the Leominster union workhouse ; that on the sth of November last she was delivered of a male child, and on the 26th of November left the workhouse, in company with another pauper, Susan Millie, taking the child with her. Muffin parted with the prisoner at about three o'clock, at which time the child was alive and well. The prisoner remained until nearly four o'clock at the Duke's Head public-house ; the child had some food provided for it, and ate nearly a teacup full. On leaving .the public-house the prisoner was seen by the schoolmaster of the workhouse going in the direction of the Cheaton brook, about a quarter of a mile distant from the place at which the child's body was afterwards found. The prisoner in the evening was at the Bull's Head public house, and had no child with her. here she re mained until the following morning, and left at eight o'clock, saying she was going to Kingsland. On the 27th of November, the prisoner having been met by one Mary Barrer, who inquired after the child, said that it died in the workhouse, but on the next day told the same woman, with whom she stopped till the Wednesday, that she had taken it alive out of the workhouse, but that it was afterwards take❑ ill and (lied in her arms, and that as she sat crying a gentleman who was passing by took away the body, saying he would bury it. On the 6th of December it was found in Cheaton brook, partly covered with mud. The arms and legs were contracted, and the hands clenched, as of a drowned person. On examina tion, the lungs were found to be collapsed, the brain di-tended with blood, and the stomach containing undi gested food. Mr. Watling, the surgeon, who deposed to the state of the body, was subjected to a long cross examination, with a view to prove that all the appear ances observed in the body were consistent with the probability of the child having died from convulsions. The collapsed state of the lungs and distension of the brain were the circumstances principally relied upon in proof of the convulsions, by which the child was said by the prisoner to have died. The principal contrary facts were the presence of undigested food in the sto mach, and the contracted rendition of the limbs. The witness admitted that if he had not known where the body was found, he should have attributed the death to con vulsion- ; but, under the circumstances, thought it had died by drowning. The child was dry-nursed, and it appeared that children brought up in that manner are more liable to convulsions than children that are suckled. The limbs would have been partially straightened had it been undressed after death. The contraction and rigidity of the limbs would cease almost immediately after death, unless the body were thrown into cold water. There appeared some contrariety between the evidence of the surgeon and opinions expressed in well-known works on medi , ,al jurisprudence, as to the symptoms which indicate death by drowning. Mr. lICDDLESTONE addressed the jury for the pri soner, insisting on the high probability, as appearing upon the case for the prosecution, that the child died through convulsions. The jury retired for a few moments, and on their re turn Acquitted the prisoner. The business in this court was over before three o'clock. Mr. Sergeant Allen assisted to-day and yester day in disposing of it. The business had not closed on the Crawn or civil side. ALLEGED DEATH OF A WOMAN FROM ILL-USAGE BY HER HUSBAND. —Mr. Joseph Payne, Deputy Coro nerfthageeCd 43,ity',of held No. aniisn.quuen -court. Thursday night, at the City Ar ms , Il o lb orn -b r id ge, on the body of Ann Collins, The Coroner said he had summoned the jury to inquire into the cause of death of a woman who, he was informed by an anony mous letter, had (lied from a blow she had received from her husband. This letter stated that the deceased had been used most brutally by her husband, and that if the case were not cleared up by acoroner's inquest, he would be torn to pieces by the neighbours. From the evidence of a woman named Sinnell, lodging in the same house, it appeared that in the night of Saturday week, hearing the deceased and her husband quarrelling, she went to their room, and saw him give her a violent blow on the left eye, the mark of which was seen next thy. The deceased had been endeavouring to prevent her husband from beating her son for being out late. Mr. Digby, surgeon, of Fleet-street, said he had attended the de c( ased fur some titn'2 past for disease of the lungs. He saw her four days after she had received the blow, when she was suffering from erysipelas, the effect of it. She, however, recovered from that, and died from her old complaint on Saturday last. The son, the cause of the quarrel, said that the deceased received the blow by aeei.lent, as his father aimed it at him (the son). The jury returned a verdict of " Natural death ;" and the Coroner, calling in the husband, informed him there was no ground for the charge made against him. DISTILLATION FROM GRAIN. — The opponents of " strong drinks," members of the teetotal and temper ance societies of Leeds, have presented a requisition to the Mayor of Leeds to call a public meeting of the in hsbitants to consider the propriety of petitioning both Houses of Parliament to enact a law to prevent the destruction of grain in breweries and distilleries, and thereby cheapen the food of the people by preserving to their use, " the kindly fruits of the earth." his worship has complied, and convened a meeting for Easter Monday evening. NATAL INTELLIGENCE. f PORTSMOUTH, FRIDAY.—The late hour at which the Lords of the Admiralty returned to Spithead last evening precluded us from giving any report of their cruise, which, being interesting, and as regards the real merits of the Sidon steam-frigate important, we now subjoin. The Sidon left Spithead at half-past nine o'clock, pro ceeding towards Cowes ; the Undine, with Admiral Sir C. Ogle on board, keeping at some distance astern. When off Yarmouth the Undine was estimated to be about a quarter of a mile astern, and then the signal was made to her from the Sidon to " close," and in 17 minutes the Undine was abreast of the frigate, and displayed on a chalked board that she was going at the rate of 12 knots, the Sidon, at the same time, going 11. After this trial their Lordships ordered signal to be made to the Undine to "go 10," and during a run of some considerable time and distance the Sido❑ passed her, obviously at the rate of the additional knot which her (Sidon's) log at that time indicated-11 knots being the Sidon's rate of speed at the time. During an experiment, in passing Freshwater, when the Undine was proceeding at her greatest speed, she telegraphed to the frigate she was going 13.5 knots. The weather being fine at half-past eleven, the Sidon rounded the Needles, and made for St. Katherine's, the Undine in company, under steam alone, with a fresh head-wind. During the progress towards that point, the Lords of the Admiralty went below and inspected the engine-rooms and machinery, and descended into the stoke-holes, and particularly noted the position of the coal-tanks, which Sir Charles Napier pointed out to them, explaining that when the coals in them were expended they could be filled with water, and thereby prevent a variable immersion of the ship, the arertures from which the coals were being taken being hermeti cally closed when they become simple water-tanks. These tanks are calculated to cintai❑ about 320 tons of water. Their Lordships' attention was also drawn while in the 'stoke-holes to Houldsworth's water btrik heads. Sir Charles Napier alsa drew the attention of the board to the escapes with which his vessel is fitted, being rooms leading from the stake-holes, into which the stokers can rush in the event of a shot unexpectedly tapping the boilers, and letting out the water and steam. These escape rooms being closed by iron plate doors would afford the safety calculated upon in the event of such an awful emergency as that thought of arising ; they lead up to the mess-deck, and are quite shut elf from the possibility of being choked by steam or water. Atter this inspection by their Lordships below they went on deck, and Captain George Smith's paddle-box boats were ordered to be got out ; in a moment, or little more, the port boat was raised and ready to be passed over the ship's side for use, the davits by which it was suspended being on the plan of Mr. Barr, Inspector of Shipwrights of Woolwich Dockyard. As the wind promised to be favourable for setting sails on rounding St. Katharine's Paint, which the vessel was now fast approaching, their Lordships were entertained by seeing the foremost tunnel and steam-pipe lowered, telescopewise, through the decks, a manceavre exclusively confined to the Sidon, which highly gratified Admiral Sir John West, Commander-in• Chief, and Rear-Admiral Superintendent Sir John Louis, at Plymouth, on Tues day, so as to admit of setting the foresail, if desirable. In an exceedingly short space of time the tunnel was shrunk within its shell altogether out of sight, and was raised again to its original position. During this expe riment the steam was blown off and the dampers closed, so that no inconvenience was felt on deck in consequence of the fires being under the boilers. It was while these experiments were going on in the Sidon that the Undine had nearly met with a fearful accident, having got under the bows of' the frigate, and was as near as anything ever witnessed on the water of being run over and sunk ; by the good management of both vessels, however, so lamentable a catastrophe was averted. Having fairly rounded S'. Katharine's, and the wind being favourable, all plain sail was set on the frigate, which after some time was hauled close to the wind on the starboard tack, and tacked ; after remaining about five minutes on the port tack the Sidon bore up, took in sail, and continued towards Spithead under steam, and made the easternmost part of the anchorage at five o'clock P.M. ; having gone round the Isle of Wight, in cluding five stoppages, in seven hours and a half ; the patent log showing a distance run of 71.6 knots. Their Lordships being desirous of arriving in town last evening, left the Sidon (after expressing their un qualified approbation of her sea-going efficiency, both to Sir C. Napier and:Captain Henderson)lon her anchoring, and re-embarked in the Undine, under a salute of 19 guns from the frigate, and made all haste for this har bour, at the mouth of which, however, the Undine was stopped to take in dispatches which had come down from the First Lord, and this necessarily delayed them, so that they were nearly losing the 5.30 train. Their Lord ships, however (except Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Adam and Rear-Admiral Dundaa, who remained to dine with Vice-Admiral Warren, at Southsea), got into their barge when abreast of the convict hulks, and were steered for the Common-hard at Gosport, which, how ever, they could not make on account of their barge being so heavily freighted and drawing so much water ; the result was that their Lordships stuck in the mud, about a couple of feet deep, at a distance of 50 yards from the usual landing-place, at low-water time, and were unable to extricate their boat from its embedded positien. Never was mishap so unlucky and ill-timed— never the rulers of the waves in so " peculiarly perplex ing a predicament." Unfortunately their Lordships had their flag struck in the Undine some time before making the harbour, in order to leave her progress unimpeded, so that the vulgar herd who stood razing at the gentle men in the boat knew not exactly who they were thus cast upon their shore, or quicker assistance might have been afforded ; nor was the gallant hero of Acre with them, or they might have had a second edition of storming on the back of a sailor. As engim s, unlike coaches, are not to be stopped by putting up the finger, their Lordships' ludicrous position was greatly height ened by their manifest anxiety to get out of their scrape, which at length they managed to do after undergoing the jeers and jokes, many of them not very refined, of the crowd of watermen, fly-drivers, and other lookers-on for some time, and " pressed" into their service the first fly they came to, into which they all got, the messenger riding outside, and were dragged off at a Gosport pace to the station, where the belated Lords arrived just in time to get into the train before the engine was set in motion. We are informed that a subscription was set on foot among the watermen and others immediately after the fly drove off to raise funds for erecting a land mark to denote the spot where the Admiralty barge struck, as a warning to future Lords in a hurry. The Sidon came into harbour this morning to complete coals to 700 tons. She will proceed next week to rein force the squadron under Sir W. Parker, off Lisbon. In consequence of the hurried departure of the Admi ralty yesterday their Lordships forgot to leave orders about the disposal of the Cygnet, Commander Somerville, whose arrival from the coast of Africa we noticed on Thursday. It is expected she will he sent to the east ward to be paid off. In Harbour—The Victory, Excellent, Talbot, Odin, Avenger, Fairy, Undine, and Myrtle, and the Rochester lighter. In Dock—The St. Vincent, Prince Regent, Ajar, Leander, Champion, and Serpent. In the Basin—Victoria and Albert, Retribution, and Kestrel. Oa the Slips—Royal Frederick, 110; Princess Royal, 90; and Arrogant, 46. At Spithead—The Cygnet.—Times. EXPERIMENTAL TRIP OF SIR C. NAPIER'S STEAM-FRIGATE SIDON. (From the Devonport Independent.) This splendid war steamer, commanded by Captain W. H. Henderson, C. 8., having on board her gallant constructor, Rear-Admiral Sir Charles Napier. K.C.8., anchored inside the Breakwater in the Sound, on Tues day morning last, and was visited during the day by the Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Sir John West, K.C.8., Rear-Admiral Sir John Louis, Bart., Captain Sir Henry Leeke, K.H., of her Majesiy's ship Queen, and several other naval and civil officers, who appeared much pleased with her internal arrangements, machinery, accommo dation, and equipments. She left Spithead at half-past twelve on Sunday morning. came to anchor at a place known as " Jack in the Basket," off Lymington, Hants, at half-past four, where she remained all night. Weighed anchor on Monday morning at four o'clock, and proceeded on her experimental cruise. Put into Dartmouth harbour at ten minutes past six on Monday evening. On Tuesday morning, at half-past three, Captain Henderson sent orders to Mr. Ward, chief engineer, to get ready to proceed, and in half an hour the steam was up, and the Sidon under weigh, notwith standing no intimation whatever had been previously given of her being about to start so early ; she reached this port, and was safely anchored in the Sound, at 15 minutes before nine o'clock on Tuesday morning. Her average speed from Spithead to this port was 101- knots, draft of water 17 feet 3 inches abaft, and 17 feet 1 inch forward, having 590 tons of coal on board in coal boxes and tanks on Sir Charles Napier's plan. We be lieve she is the only war-steamer that can stow her full complement of coal, provisions, water, ammunition, guns, and stores for three months, for a complement of 320. Her average consumption of coals is 35 tons per day ; her engines, from the manufactory of Messrs. Seaward and Co., are of 560-horse power. Since the alterations have been made in her starting gear, she answers admi rably, and may be fairly considered the most efficient war-steamer in her Majesty's service. We understand that with the exception of the Terrible no other steamer carries her main deck guns. Her accommodation for officers and men is complete in every respect, and taken altogether, as a fine specimen of naval architecture, she must prove not only satisfactory to her gallant con structor, but to the country g, nerally. We were much pleased with the beautiful order of the engines and machinery, reflecting the greatest credit on Mr. Ward, the chief engineer ; and hero we have to express our satisfaction at finding that he has received his commis skin, ranks with the master, and consequently is a ward room officer, with pay increased from 131. Bs. to 20!. per month. Mr. Ward is the only chief engineer that has received his commission, and deserves this mark of pre cedence from the Admiralty from having zealously served throughout the China war in the Vixen. As the first public journal that gave its humble advocacy to granting the naval engineers such a stacding in the service as their onerous and responsible duties merited, we cannot but feel delight at finding the Admiralty alive to the subject, and we doubt not commissions will very soon be given to the most taler.ted chief engineers in our war steamers at home and abroad. Soon after six on Tuesday evening the Sidon got under weigh, and passed round the east end of the Breakwater in good style, on her return to Portsmouth. Looking at the high profes sional reputation of Captain Henderson, the experience and talent of the chief engineer, and the presence and judgment of her distinguished constructor, we are bound to say that their Lordships of the Admiralty have shown a determination to give the Sidon at all event., a fair opportunity of testing her qualities, and in our opinion of silencing her detractors. RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. GOVERNMENT AID TO IRISH RAILWAYS. On Wednesday a deputation from the Dundalk and Enuiskillen Railway Company waited upon Lord John Russell, at his private residence, Chesham-place, for the purpose of asking the head of her Majesty's Govern ment to sanction a loan, in order that the works on this line might be completed with all possible expedition. The deputationist3 were the Earl of Roden, Lord Cre morne, Viscount Jocelyn, John Young, Esq., M.P.; George Alexander Hamilton, Esq., M.P.; William R Collett, Esq., M.P.; Richard Montesquieu Bellew, Esq., M.P.; Evelyn Shirley, Esq., M.P.; and Richard D. Kane, Esq., the Company's solicitor. The deputation was most courteously received by the Noble Premier, who listened with marked attention to the various statements put forward by the noblemen and gentlemen in support of the proposition which they submitted. The Earl of RODEN briefly explained the object of the deputationists' interview. They waited upon the Noble Lord for the purpose of soliciting his countenance and sanction for a loan of 100,0001. out of the Exchequer fund, to enable the directors of the Dundalk and Ennis killen Railway Company to complete the construction of the works on the section of the line between Castle blayney and Dundalk. Their expenditure had already amounted to close on 63,0001, and they had a balance to their credit of near 35,0002, but that sum was quite in sufficient to carry on the works, and in the present de plorab'y depressed circumstances of Ireland, the great majority of the shareholders were utterly unable to pay up additional calls, though most solicitous for the co n pletion of the undertaking and convinced of its thoroughly bond fide character. It the Government consented to advance the required 100,0001., for which the payment of interest at the rate of 4 or even of 5 per cent. would be cheerfully guaranteed, the directors undertook to give immediate employment to no less than 6,900 men at remunerative wages, in the comparatively distressed dis trict through which the railway was to be constructed. They had about 1.500 men engaged on the works at pre sent, but if the Government came to the aid of the COM puny, and relieve it from the pressure of the money market, the number would be quadrupled, and facilitit s would be thus afforded for opening the line as far as Castleblayney, in the course of the summer or early next autumn. It an additional loan were granted next year, the directors, with the assistance which they expected the shareholders would be in a position to rend .r them, con'emp!ated that the line to Clones would be ready for traffic in the en•uing autumn. Lord J. RUSSELL asked if the company reproserted by the deputation had half the amount of their capital subscribed, in accordance with the provision contained in the Act of Incorporation, which distinctly required such a contribution on the part of the shareholders before they were entitled to borrow from the Exchequer Loan Commissioners? The Earl of RODEN stated that the position of the comraly was simply this. The present Act only con • tait.ed powers to construct a line to Clones, and in order to lighten the calls on the shareholders the directors were promoting a Bill in Parliament to reduce the shares of the company from 501. to 301.; by which mean=, even ticc ,riling to the standing provision, they would be entitled to borrow money with 151. instead of 251. paid. Tre calls made up to the present time amounted to 10/. Money was so scarce, trade was so fearfully depressed, and there was just then such a pressure on the money market, that he feared there would exist great difficulty if not an impossibility, in getting in from the share holders the additional 5/., so that, without the Govern ment came to their relief; they could not hope to pro gress with the works, or to give that extensive emp!oy ment to the labouring classes which was so much to be desired in the present season of affliction. The Noble Lord then handed Lord John Russell an elaborate state ment, detailing the precise position of the company, the advantages which the directors considered would accrue from a loan of 100,0001., and an abstract of their assets and expenditure, and he concluded by reading from numerously-signed petitions from the inhabitants of Dundalk, Castleblayney, Monaghan, and Fermanagh, praying the Government to encourage the construction of the Dundalk and Enniskillen line by granting the re quired loan, and thereby stimulate the profitable employ ment of the people. Viscount Jocelyn, Mr. Hamilton, and Mr. W. R. Collett severally pointed out the immense importance of employing the people on reproductive works, and with the view of removing the barrier which stood in the way of railway companies obtaining loans from the Ex chequer Commissioner, until half the amount of the capital was subscribed, they urged upn the Noble Premier the expediency and sound policy of introducing, immediately after Easter, a short Bill to enable Govern ment, under the preteut circumstances of the country, and in consequence of the unwillingness of private capi talists to invest in railway securities, to make loans to railway companies without a moiety of their capitals being subscribed. Lord J. RUSSELL smiled rather approvingly, as if the suggestion had not been then presented to his mind for the first time, and assured the deputation that their proposition for surmounting a legislative difficulty was one which would receive the consideration to which it was entitled. The Noble Lord proceeded to ask several questions respecting the Irish northern lines, and having received a vast fund of information on the subject, he in quired of the solicitor how the calls on the Dundalk and Enniskillen shares, generally speaking, had been paid. Mr. KANE said that up to a recent period the share holders, with very few exceptions, had promptly paid their calls; but within the last few weeks he had con versed with many of them, and they told him that owing to the state of trade, and the prevailing scarcity of money, they were utterly unable to contribute, at present, addi tional instalments towards the capital of the company. In point of fact, they declar. d, that no matter what pres sure the directors applied, they could nut provide their proportions of the required capital. Lard J. RUSSELL observed that the principal obj-c -tion urged out of doors against Government advancing loans to railway companies was that the great bulk of the money so advanced would not be expended in labour, but in the purchase of land and other matters, by re) means calculated to afford relief at the present season of distress. Now, in the event of the Dundalk and Enniskillen Company receiving Government pecuniary assistance, he wished to know how it was intended to be laid out? The Earl of RODEN said that the directors were quite prepared to give a guarantee that every farthing ad vanced by Government would be expended on earth- works and masonry, and that 6,900 men would be imme diately employed. Lord J. RUSSELL informed the deputation that he would carefully consider the statement they had pre sented to him, and communicate the nature of their ap plication to the Exchequer Loan Commissioners, whose early attention, no doubt, would be directed to the sub ject. He could not undertake to give a definite answer t) the deputation's reques t, b ut he assure d t h em t h a t they might rely upon the subject being entertained by him with as much favour as the finances of the country and otter important considerations warranted. The deputation thanked his Lordship and retired. COLCHESTER, STOUR VALLEY, SUDBURY, AND HALSTEAD RAILWAY. A special meeting of this company was heli on Wed nesday, at Colchester, Mr. T. L. Ewen in the chair. Bills for the following projects were agreed to—viz., I o make an extension to Melford, Lavenham, and Clare— capital, 200,0001.; an extension from Lavenham to Bury St. Edmunds—capital, 165,0001.; to purchase the Stour navigation. and to lease the above undertaking to the Eastern Union Company at five per cent. on the cost of construction, and half the surplus profits above that amount. The total capital, including the above projects, upon which the rent agreed on is to be paid, amounts to 725,000/. If a double line of rails should be required be) and Sudbury, or any other extension of the above undertaking, the Eastern Union Company is to find the requisite capital. IRISH SOUTH-EASTERN RAILWAY. The half-yearly meeting of this company was held on Wednesday, at Dublin, Mr. J. E. Redmond in the chair. The report stated that the directors expect that the line from Carlow to Kilkenny will be opened for traffic bef •re the end of this year, and that no more than 2/. p r share will be required from the shareholders ; that most of the landowners met them in a fair and liberal spirit, but that the reverse was experienced from the lessees and occupiers. The balance in hand at the close or 1846 wa* stated to be 22,892/., and since that time 18,2171 had been received on account of the call. Interest of 4 per cent. is to be allowed on all calls not in arrear. The engineers' report stated that the earthwork and fencing on 44 miles of the line had been completed. The report was adopted. WEAR VALLEY RAILWAY. % At a special meeting, held on Wednesday, at Darling. ton, a Bill was agreed to for the purchase of the Bishop Auckland and Weardale, the Weardale Extension, and the Wear and Derwent Railways, and also of the Shiloon Tunnel. OPENING OF THE HYTHE BRANCH OF THE COLCHESTER, STOUR VALLEY, AND SUD BURY RAILWAY (From the Chelmsford Chronicle.) This day (Thursday) the branch from the Eastern Union Railway to the Hythe, a distance of nearly two miles, was opened for traffic. Between nine and ten o'clock a powerful engine arrived at the Ilythe from the Colchester station, to take back ten carriages, laden with 200 quarters of malt, belonging to Mr. J. Garrad, at New Quay, destined for Messrs. Hanbury and Co.'s brewery in London ; besides a consider a bl e quan tity of grain, and a b out 30 tons of coke. Several open car• riages were attached to the engine, which, on the return to the Colchester station, were filled with a number of the directors, tho engineer, P. Bruff, Esq., and friends, who, from the steadiness with which the train travelled, greatly enjoyed the short trip, and declared the line to be in an excellent state. A great many persons had congregated at the Hythe, to witness the arrival of the engine and departure of the train, who as it started greeted it with many cheers. On arriving at the Colchester station, the passengers alighted. and partook of refreshments by way of a dejeuner. W. W. llawkins, Esq., vice-chairman of the Stour Valley Company, proposed, in a bumper, " Success to the Hythe Branc), just opened;" and in conjunction with the toast, proposed The health of Mr. Bruff, their engineer," to whose energies and skill they were indebted for the Hythe branch, which they had opened that day, and which promised to be a great benefit to the town and port of Colchester.—(Cheering.) Mr. H. here left the room. Mr. Baur, returnod thanks, and rogr, , tted that Mr. Hawkins had left the room, as he was confident that but few present were aware of that gentleman's exertions . in the promotion of the Colchester a n d S tour V a ll ey Rail way, not from any interested motires on his own part, but from a conviction of the benefits the town at large would derive from it. And his (Mr. Bruff's) anxious wish was that the railway would realise all the benefits that its projectors anticipated. Indeed he had no fear of it. He would therefore propose that they should drink " The Health of Mr. Hawkins," in a bumper, and with due honours. Mr. JOHN MANN, jun., one of the directors, could speak to the truth of Mr. Bruff's statement, relative to the exertions of Mr. W. W. Hawkins, in the cause of the railway ; and he was sure that no man was mere desirous for the welfare of the town at large than Mr. Hawkins was ; and they owed a debt of gratitude to that gentleman they could never repay.—(Hear, hear.) But he, (Mr. Mann) was confident, that if the railway just opened awl the other parts not yet completed should prove a benefit to the town, Mr. Hawkins would feel amply rewarded for all his valuable exertions in the matter.—(Hear, ear.) The toast was drunk with three times three, and several additional cheers. Mr. BRUFF then gave " Prosperity to the Eastern Union and Eastern Counties Railway Companies." Mr. WATSON, station-master, gave " The health of the Directors of the Stour Valley Railway Company, and wished them every success."—(Drunk with great enthusia,m.) Mr. J. GARRAD returned thanks as one of the direc tors, stating that it would afford him great pleasure to communicate to his brother directors that their health had been drunk in so enthusiastic a manner, and that the line from the Hythe had been so successfully carried out, and which reflected so much credit upon their engineer, Mr. Bruff and the contractors under him; and he was aura it must be equally gratifying to those gen tlemen to find that their exertions had. been crowned with suc.o-ss.—(Cheers.) lie felt, ttiereforo, that ho should he committing an act of injustice to Mr. Jackson, one of the contractors present, if he d:d not propose his health, as his exertions had done him the greatest credit. Mr. BRUFF observed that it must be highly satisfactory to them all to find the work oimpleted in so short a time, sli.hough the contractors had so long and severe a winter to contend with. Mr. JACKSON returned thanks, and felt extremely gratified that his exertions had given satisfaction, and sincerely hoped that the line would prove a benefit to the Hythe and town at large. Mr. BRUFF proposed " The health of Mr. Watson, the station• master, alio the newly appointed superintendent of the Stour Valley line to the Ilythe." Mr. W ATSON brit:fly returned thanks, assuring the meeting that no ex.-I-twit on his part should be spared, in conjunction with his other duties, to render tho Col chestcr and Stour Valley Railway efficient. The company then separated. EXTRAORDINARY OCCURRENCE.—OR Saturday last an t 3c.r 'ordinary case happened at Cockburnspath. A poor Irish fami'y, seven in number, lodged in the v 3-• lage on the night of Friday, and left next morning about seven o'clock, when it appears they put one of their number, a boy about eleven years of age, into a drain, about a quarter of a mile from the village, placed a large stone, nearly one hundred weight, over the drain, and went away. Nut long after, the person who repairs the roads observed the stone over the drain replaced, and to his astonishment he found the boy under it, quite in sensible. He immediately got him conveyed to the lodging-house, where he was recognised. Means were employed to restore life, but they proved in vain. The other members of the family have been apprehended, and the case is undergoing a strict investigation by the authorities.—Scotsman. THE EGG TRADE.—A dealer in this town (Wick), a potentate in the egg trade, sent by steamer to Leith, list week, three thousand d. zen eggs, equal in money value, at the price in Edinburgh, to about 1001. Lass week the same individual sent nearly an equal quantity, besides the shipments, less or more, of nearly a dozen other persons engaged in the trade in town and country. Thi; shows the advantages of steam communication.-- John o' Groat Journal. COMMENCEMENT Or THE JEWISH PASSOVER.-- Yesterday the Jewish Feast of the Passover, held in comme moration of the delivery of the Jews from the Egyptian bondage. commenced. It will continue four weeks, during which time the Jews will only eat unleavened b rea d ; they also abstain from all fermented liquors. One day last week, the railway train running from Courtrai to Ghent narrowly escaped a serious acci dent. Some wretches had laid several blocks of wood across the rails ; but the engine-driver saw them in time to stop the train, and have these obstacles removed. - - GLASGOW STOCK EXCHANGE, APRIL I.—The sales this day were—Caledonian, 261. 16s.—Ditto, New, 475. Caledonian and Dumbartonshire, 42s.—Dundee and North -. ern Junction, 47s.—Dunblane, Donne, and Callender, 295. 6d. —East Lothian Central, 595. 6d.—Edinburgh and Glasgolgo Halves, 19'4—Edinhurgh, Leith, and Granton, Quarters, 15s. 6d.—Edinburgh and Perth (New Co.), 565. 6d.—Ditto, Halves, 19s. fid —Glasgow General Terminus, 13/.—Glasgow. Kilmarnock; and Ayr, 37k i —Ditto, Halves, No. 2, 7%--• Glasgow, Dumfries, and Carlisle, W. 16s.—Glasgow, Kilmar nock, and Ardrossan, 5/. 13s.—Glasgow Harbour Mineral, 37s.—Kilmarnock and Ayr Direct, 38s. 6d.—Manchester and Southampton, 28s.—North British, Thirds, 70s.—Scottish grand Junction, 255.;-Stirling and DunfernalLe, 81s. York and North Midland, Pr ference, 111. NEWCASTLE-UPON- DYN E STOCK EXCHANGE, AFRO , I.—The sales this day were—Newcastle • and Carlisle, 11 4-- Newcastle and Berwick, New, 8 p.—Ditto, North Shields Purchase, 7% p.—North British, 331/ p.—Ditto, Quarter* 1 3 4 p. —North Staffordshire, 2/. 18s. 9ti. 81R.7113. At Sudbury Priory, Llarrow,..)n-ate-Hill, on the 2d ins Mrs. Webster, of a daughter,. On the 2.oth of February, at Madras, the lady of Major q' A. Underwood, Superintending Engineer, Presidency sion, of a son. On the 19th ult., at Stockholm, the wife of George J. R. Gordon, Esq., younger, of Ellon, Secretary to her Majesty's Legation at the Court of Sweden, of a son. On the 30th ult., at Queen's-terraCe,lWoolwich-coinfO ih the Hon. Mrs. Montague, StentOrd, of a dgughter. On the 30th ult., Mrs. Atfred Mortimer, of Canterbury . villas, Kilburn-road, of a daughter. On the 30th ult., at Hanwell, the wife of the Rev. John . May, of a son. On the 30th ult., at Birkenhead, the, lady of S. R. Casper'.' son, E , q., M D., of a son. On the 31st ult., at St. Mary's Parsonage, Vincent .square Westminster, the lady of the Rev. ♦. Borradaile, c,f a $OO and heir. On the 3lst ult., at Walthamstow, Esser,' Mrs. Eden"d Lloyd, of a daughter. MARRIED. On the 27th ult., at the American Embassy, at Paris, bjr• George S. Appleton, of Philadelphia, to Caroline, eldes t daughter of G. Orgood, Esq , of Liverpool. DIED. In Calcutta, on the 15th 73Fiebruary, a few days subs& quent to his arrival in that presidency from England, P,e r ., ship Earl of Hardwi c ke, Cha r l es H enry W e l s h, age d 18, colt surviving son of Thomas Wel s h, E sq. , l a t e Att orney -G e ner of the colony of Van Diemeii's Land. On the 30th ult , at Richmond, the lady Harriet Ashburn' ham, aged 88. On the 221 ult., at Ansford House, Somersetshire, France! Emma Valentina Evans Gordon, widow of the late Colonel George Evans. Ou the 28th ult., in Christopher-street, Finsbury. squar e ► Mr. George Gibson, aged 64. 00 the 28th ult., at Duraley, Charlotte, relict of the late Adamson, aged 78. MONTHLY 21I1L17'ARY OBITUARY. Lieutenant-General—Marriott, East India Company's Selo vice, 'Worcester. Major Generals—Cockburn, Royal Artillery, Woolwich; Yates, East India Company's Service, Newcastle. Colonels—Lindsay, 0.13., late of the 78th Foot, Ceylon; Cairness, K.H., Port Stewart; Gore Langton, Oxford litia. Lieutenant-Colonels--Nunn, 80th Foot, Meerut; Sir Ge„., Gipps, Royal Engineers, Canterbury ; James Mitchell, G.. 1 6" late of the 92d Foot; Wm. Webber, half-pay Royal lorzP Arillery, Cornwall; Walcott, late of the Royal Horse M tillery, Hampshire. Majors—Weston, 14th Dragoons, Bombay ; Sheppard, half' pay Royal Marines, Stonehouse. Captains— Torrens, Royal Artillery, Portsmouth ; R. G. TO Macdonald, half-pay 52d Foot, Brixton; Drury, half-pay Royal Marines; Mayer, half-pay 60th Foot; Shanly, hal& pay Unattached; Ludewig, half-pay 4th Line German Le gion; Baker, 23d Foot, Southampton. Lieutenants—Lord J. de Burgh Browne, 10th Hussars; Waller, 15th Hussars, Calcutta; Coates, 46th Foot, Here' ford ; Bass, half-pay 2.1 Provisional Battalion ; Sampsco' halt-pay 27th Foot ; Watson. half-pay 48th Foot, Ediv burgh; D. Cameron, half -pay 89th Foot; Osborne, half-Pal 100th Foot; Wood, half-pay Independents; Jekyll, half-pfr 6th Foot; M'Oougall, halt-pay Bth Foot; J. Browne, lon: pay Bth Foot; Pritchard, late 3d Veteran Battalion; 1312`.. chers, half-pay 2d Hussar German Legion. Second Lieutenants, Cornets, or Ensigns—Fetherstone, 3d Dragoon Guards, Edinburgh; Fell, 69th Foot, Bury; Dint son, Royal Brigade, Milan ; Dawson, h a lf- pay 91st Foot, maica ; Edgar, half-pay 2d West India Regiment ; Job' Mackay, late 3d Veteran Battalion, Jersey. Paymasters—Sarjeant, half-pay 34th Foot, London; Gibi* half-pay 51st Foot. Quartermasters—Crozier, 94th Foot; Buchanan, late Ed Veteran Battalion. Medical Department—Martin, surgeon, 55th Foot, Lime' rick; Irwin, surgeon, 97th Foot, Malta; Thornton, half-PO: surgeon, 99th Foot, Hillingdon; Hutchinson, half-pay, O r , Leon, Ist Foot; P. Robertson, staff-assistant surgeon, 1, 3 f badoes; half .pay Ist Hussar German Legion ; }dg ., hill, half-pay deputy-purveyor. Q UAR TERL Y NAVAL OBITUARY. FLAG OFFICERS Admirals—D'Arcy Preston, Sir Willoughby T. Lak ° K.C.B. Vice-Admirals—Nicholas Tomlinson, William Young. Rear-Admirals—Francis Beauman, Edward Elliott. Captains—Nicholas Lockyer, Daniel Pring, Frederick Wood, Juste P. Roepel, John D. Boswall, Francis Fead. Commanders—Michael Stackpoole, Edward T. Crone? , Coryndon Spettigue, George K. Ogilvy, Win. E. Curlew,* James A. Gordon, Graham E. W. Harnond, Wm. Lamber t' Robert Balfou r , William White, Duncan Me nz i es , Samwell, Michael Wraford, Charles Jones, Henry COP Thomas Cull. Lieutenants—John D. De Vitii, Edward B. Davison, Ed ward R. 0. F arqu h arson , R o b ert M'Ki rdy, James GA" ; Francis W oo ll ams , Frederick N. De Roverea, Alczaud e Webb, And rew Hoseason, Thomas Heales Christopher It • Watson, Ed war d r.f. M a tth ews , Lawrence 4. Halsted, Ge 47 ' K. E. Wright, William H. Walters. Masters—John Airey, Richard Jenn, J hn Cater. ROYAL MARINES. Captain—John Drury. First Lieutenant—Henry P. Lewin. Mate—William G. Crowder. Second Maser—William Squire. Chaplain—Hoblyn Peter. MEDICAL OFFICZII3. Surgeons—John Gray (b), John G. Williams, Geo. Jab . ll .i stone, James Arnot, James Nu t, Richard B. hinds, Da Russell. Assistant Surgeons—Graham Acton, M.D., Walter Parso n* Nicholas B. Alexander. Paymasters and Pursers—Nicholas P. Rothery, William Ballinghall, M a tthew Anderson, Philip C. Le Geyt, WIlln: Gregory, John Orchard, John Blake, Christopher N. Frame' ton, Charles 11. likens, John I'. P. Cole. London: Printed nn hl Published by Id(JUDO YOUNti, of lit Strand, Printer, at The bun °Mee, No. 11 f, Strand, In the Prf„, of the Savoy, In the County of Middlesex, Saturday, Apr il ar ,"' ti ll 6