The Sun.
London, England, 1852-01-26 00:00:00

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COMMISSION OF LUNA C Y.
CASE 91 JIRB. CATHEIZINE C1.73131.1::G.
a Satur,lay Mr. Francis Bail,w, tho commissiono.,
fl, special jury, %:3ux,n,d the ing.nry into the state of
mind of Mrs. Catherine Cumming, at the Arms, St.
Wood.
-The ColtmrssroNEß, on taking his seat, proceeded to
lo ,e up, and Niait,-.A that he lid not think it necessary to
',mine the evidence minutely, or to go through it at any
lc having etEerved that the g,-ntllmen composing
had nlengthy note of it, a 4 it proceeded.
LlA7ing explained the- law boc.riag on the cas::., he ltfr,
the question with the jury.
The jury retir€d for some time, and returned into court
with tha following verdict:—" That Mrs. Catherine
Cumming is of unsound mind, and had been incapable
of taking etre of her property since May, 1846."
The case has lasted over a fortnight. The petition
was presenttd by Mr.,lnce and Ur. floopez, oho sons-in-
law of the now lunatic.

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INTERNATIONAL POSTAGE.
A deputation from the association to obtain postal
couneunieatien between all nations by means of the
lowest practicable uniform charge for ship transit of
letters and printed papers, which was formed during
the late Great Exhibition, of the following gentle-
men—nerd Ashburton, Sir J. P. Boileau, 13art., Sir
John Burgoyne. K.C.B , W. Brown, Esq.. M.P., Elihif
Burritt, E,q , Chevalier de Burg (Austria), Henry Cole,
Eia 0.8., Professor Dauheny, Charles Went-
worth Dilke. Esq., Baron Charles Dopin (France),
Right Lion. T. Mileer Gibson, M.P., Professor aancock
(Dublin), J. C. G. Kennedy, Esq. (America), J. S. Le-
fevre, Esq., C. 8., Chevalier Lencisa (Sardinia), Dr.
Liediey, G. Moffatt, Esq , M.P., Sir Roderick Mur-
chison, Sir S. Northcote, Bart., Dr. Lyon Playfair. 0.13 e
W. C. Redfield, Esq. (America), Colonel Sir William
Reid, K C.E. R.E., Herr Von Viebahn (Zollverein),
C. P. Villiers, Nf.P., and Don. M. Ysasi (Spain)—
fool in interview on Friday, at the Foreign-office, with
E.:el Granville.
Ti deputation consisted of Sir John Boileau, Bart.,
Sir Joha Burgoyne, George Moffatt, Esq Cole, Esq.,
C. 8., Wen worth Dilke, Esq., and T. Henry
Milner
Gibson, Esq., m.P.
Sir John Boileau introduced the deputation to Earl
Granville.
Mr. HENRY COLE said that, as no change could be
made in the postal arrangements of foreign countries, it
was the opinion of the deputation that the best method
of initiating the important change which they had in
view was, that the Government should express its desire
to act in friendly concert with foreign Governments in
endeavouring to form a system of international penny
postage. Whether this should be done by a postage
congress, after the model of the sanitary congress, was
matter for after consideration; but there was little doubt
that the step, however taken, would be well received,
especially after the example set by England, in having a
uniform rate of inland postage, had been more or less
followed by all foreign countries. With regard to the
colonies, the Government could act without interference,
and it would be fur the heads of that department to con-
sider whether it were wise to retain the trifling revenue
now produced by ship letters in exchange for the wide
benefits which a reduction of omen postage would confer
on emigrants, and therefore ultimately on the mother
country. The late occurrence of the Great Exhibition,
and the intimate connexion of the Noble Earl with that
event, made this a happy opportunity for his initiating
the movement.
Mr. MOFFATT spoke of the very beneficial results to
trade and commerce certain to follow this step, if any
analogy can be drawn from the results of the penny
postage. It is impossible to overrate the effect which
that change has had on all branches of our commerce—
they have been quite revolutionized by it. The feeling
of the City merchants is very strong in favour of this
plan, though it is thought by some that the most practi-
cable way of bringing it about would be to set the ex-
ample with one or two foreign States, as the United
States or France.

Sir JOHN BURG)INE thought that the loss by the
penny postage (lid not effect the correctness of the prin-
ciple of reduction, but arose rather from other causes
which will not act in the case of a packet servtce ;
and that the good result would therefore be more imme
diately apparent. On the point of the advantage to the
colonies, and of the feasibility of the reduction, he was
glad to know that his opinion was entirely the same with
that of Colonel Sir W. Reid, who, when Governor of the
Bermudas, and of the Leeward Islands, had paid great at-
tention to the question. Sir J. Burgoyne deprecated any
partial reform, which could reduce the revenue
while it did not give the public the full benefit of
the change. A penny ocean postage was the right step.
He advocated a commencement with the colonies, even
if no international measure followed. It could not fail
to bind them more closely to the mother country.
Mr. WENTHWORTH DUKE said that this question bad
come before the British Association for the advance-
ment of bcienee at their last meeting, especially with
respect to the transmission of scientific periodicals. The
difficulty of obtaining those published by foreign so-
cieties was at present very great. Sir R. Murchison
had takeregreat interest in the matter, and if not un-
avoidably prevented would have been present to-day.
Mr. MILNER Guisort wished to express the strong
and growing feeling in favour of this scheme of ocean
penny postage of the merchants and men of business of
Manchester. With regard to the United States and our
colonies there appeared to he little difficulty, and there
was great probability that the decrease which must be
ex;,ected at first in the revenue would be soon made up,
even financially, putting out of view the commercial and
philanthropic benefits which the change would produce.
Earl GRANVILLE said in reply that it was the real in-
terest of this country to promote peace and intercourse
between all nations, and that nothing can so certainly
conduce to that end as our giving all facilities to the
communication of knowledge and of ideas. With this
view, cheap universal postage was most desirable. These
were matters of detail which meet be considered by the
Chancellor of the Exchequer and the other members of
the Government; at presrnt they need not be gone into.
On the principle he did not het,itate to say that he was
most anxious to give every support in his power to the
views of the deputation, which he should communicate
to his colleagues in the Government.
The deputation then retired.