The Sun.
London, England, 1852-10-18 00:00:00

WEST INDIA MAIL.

prosperity o E the c3lony, had been held at the town
residence of IP./Ir Hume, tor considering the best course to
be adopted i.t order to secure to the colony the advan-
tages held o at by Mr Ramos's discovery for improving
sugar. Th' raceting was a very interesting one, and it
was ultimat,?ls determined to petition the Legislature to
secure to M. Barnes exclusive right to the discovery for
a certain nun Jber of years.
A heavy g Ile was experienced at St. Thomas on the
23d of Sept( ,ether from N.N.W., in which the French
brig Mathildo v'as driven on shore and wrecked. The
gale was also fe it at Antigua, Nevis, and iit. Kitt's, but
fortunately did trot cause much damage.
Her Majestyos ships Theaum and Alban were at Ja-
maica. The R09=013171 was on a cruise, but was to pro-
ceed to England on her return to Port-Royal. Her
Majesty's ships Portland (Rear-Admiral Moresby),
Virago, and Cockatrice, were at Valparaiso, the Dada-
his at Callao, the Swift at Acapulco, and the Thetis at
Behring's Straits.
The Royal Mail steamer Dee was in the Gulf of
Mexico, the Derwent on the Barbadoes and Trinidad
route, the Eagle at Jamaica, the Great Western and
Thames at St. Thomas, the Trent on the Spanish Main. I

ARRIVAL OF THE ORINOCO.
SOUTHAMPTON, SATURDAY, Ocr. 16.
The Royal Mail steam-ship ;Orinoco, Lieutenant
Philip Hast, R.N., commander, arrived off this port at
6 p.m., bringing the usual British and foreign West
India mails, in charge of Lieutenant Robins, R.N.,
Admiralty agent.
Her latest dates are i
Greytown (Mosquito), Sept. 17th; Chagres, 24th;
Cartbagena, 26th ; Santa Martha, 22d ; Kingston
(Jamaica), 27th; Jacmel (Hayti), 28th; San Juan
(Porto Rico), 30th; Berbice, 24th; Georgetown (Deme-
rara), 25th; Tobago, 25th; Port of Spain (Trinidad),
25th; Bridgetown (Barbadoes), 27th; Grenada, 26th;
Beloiso (Honduras), 18th; Curaeoa, 26th; St. Vincent,
26th; St. Lucia, 28th; Martinique, 28th; Guadeloupe,
28th ; Dominica, 28th ; Antigua. 29th ; Montserrat,
29th; Nevis, 29:h; Si:. Kitt's, 29th , Tortola, 30th;
Nassau (Bahealas), llth; St. Thomas, Oct. 1.
The Orifice() also briigs mails !tom the west coast of
South America, received at Panama by the Pacific
Steam Navigation Company's ship Santiago, the dates
heing:—Valparasio(Cbili), Sept.Sep: 2; Calle°, Sept. 12;
Panama, Sept. 21. The Orinr:co experienced fiLe
weather for a %leek alter leaving St. Thomas, but subse-
quently encountered strong easterly winds, with a heavy
head sea. She has, however, delivered the mails at
Southampton within the time they are due, and her
dates from the Pacific, California, Jamaica, and the
other most important points, are alt received in time to
anticipate the arrival of similar advices via the United
States, expected at Liverpool on Monday.
The Orinoco has 43 passengers, and on freight from
the South Pacific ports specie value 443,942 dols.:—from
California, 336,759 dole ; from Panama, 12,190 dots.;
from Carthegena, 94,318 dols.; from Jamaica, 6,078
dols.te from Honduras, 5,800 dols.; from Greytowe,
3,000 dols.; from St. Thomas, 53,777 dols.; from Deme-
rara, 164 dole.; the total value being 956,028 dols., of
which 433,999 dots, is in silver and 522,029 dole. in gold.
The freight list alone comprises pieties, value 100 dots.;
precious stones and pearls, value 7001.; 851 serous
cochineal, 1 seron indigo, 4 bales sarsaparilla, 2 cases
tortoiseshell, and 50 packages sundries.
All was quiet in Peru, and in business there was con-
siderable acclivity, the season for purchases from the in-
terior having opened well, and the commercial relations
with the Republic of the Ecuador having been resumed
since the annihilation of the expedition headed by Gene-
ral Flores against Guayaquil, who, having been refused
permission to land at Callao, had proceeded to Valpa-
raiso, The excitement in Peru ou the question of the
Lobos Islands had diminished considerably, but the
Government had not withdrawn the garrison from the
island under the orders of General Deena, and two
vessels of war were stationed at Lobos Afuera. Some
ships were loading guano for England on account of the
Government, and one or two American vessels had
been warned off and proceeded to Callao. The Minis-
ter of Finance of Peru, General Mendiburn, had been
nominated Minister Plenipotentiary to London, and
with his suite is among the passengers by the Orinoco.
He is said to be furnished with curious and minute
evidence of the right of the Guano Islands from
the time of the Incas, and, among other objects of
importance, will order the construction of some vessels
of war, and a supply of armament for Peru. The city
of Lima had testified universal regret for the death of
Mr. William Pitt Adams, Her Majesty's Charge
d'Affaires, which took place early in September (4th).
The deceased gentleman was greatly respected, and his
funeral was attended by the Ministers of State, the diplo-
matic body, a battalion of soldiers, and an immense con-
course of people of all classes. The firmness and sagacity
of his conduct bad procured for him the confidence and
respect of the Government of Peru, and the esteem and
friendship of his countrymen.
The Panama Star says—" Great excitement exists in
Callao and Linea respecting the discovery of some gold
mines at a small port north of Callao. The Quickstep
and another steamer had been fitted out with passengers
and supplies for the purpose of examining the mines.
Large quantities of quartz had been found, but little
gold ; and it is said that the mines will not prove worth
working, unless by machinery.
,
" The ship Manlius, from New York, had anchored off
guano,
on
there;
withoutad e
tr . Tte
the Lobos islands, for the purpose of loading with uano
tso
htnea
att
mhheee
rl:oohtuehli
dno
gin' St e l
o
pt
t b
he i
time,a
of Marine (General Dunatua) sent word to the captain
Go-
vernment, and gave him a letter to )the
secretary at
Callao for the purpose of procuring a charter fromyGo-
vernment for guano home, which it is supposed
he had
no difficulty in obtaining.
.Thisshows
position on the part of the Peruvian Government.
received
some French Consul at Guayaquil, having i d
some insults from the Government of Ecuador,re hade
struck his flag, and gone on board the French frigate
with his family. The commander of the frigate, as the
French representative, after the Consul had closed his
office, immediately addressed a letter to the Governor,
informing him that if an immediate and ample apology
were not made for the insult offered to the Consul, he
would deem it his duty to take immediate satisfaction,
without waiting for diplomatic instructions or advice."
The Panama,Star, of September 21, contains the ap-
pended remarks upon the detention of the British mails
on the Isthmus
" %Ve have lately received from England, via New
York, papers of the 25th of August, while the latest
Riordmaec fro Commander-General the
the Peruvian
m
dates brought out by the British mail, arriving here
about the same time, wore only to the 17th of August,
making a difference of eight days' time in favour of the
New York route ; and instead of these mails meeting
with immediate dispatch on their arrival here, it is ne-
cessary to detain them about eight or nine days in Pa-
nama, awaiting the sailing of the steamer hence to Val-
paraiso, thus making an actual loss of time of two weeks
in the transportation of the mails from England to Chile,
and consuming more time than would be required by a
good steamship to make the entire voyage from Eng-
land to Valparaiso by way of Cape Horn.
" It appears quite possible for the West India Com-
pany to transport the mails direct from Europe to
to Panama, in lsss time than is required to perform the
same service via the United States, and if this is not, or
cannot, be done, then the British mails should be sent by
New York, when a saving of eight days can be made.
" On the arrival of the British mails here they should
meet with immediate dispatch to their destination,
instead of being detained a week for the steamer. It
is an injustice both to the merchants in Europe and in
South America, as well as in Panama, sad the attention
of the British Government should be immediately called
to the matter, if in no other way, by an appeal from the
British residents residing in Panama, Callao, and
Valparasio."
The intelligence from New Granada is to the effect
that General Obando had been popularly elected Presi-
dent of the Republic for the proximate constitutional
period of four years. to commence on the Ist of March
next. He obtained 1,158 votes against 260 votes given
to General Herrera, and 110 to other candidates. Five
small steamers are now employed in navigating the river
Magdalena.
From Jamaica our dates extend to the 27th ult. in-
clusive. The sailing of the brig John Robinson, with
fifty-eight passengers for Australia, forms an epoch in
the annals of Jamaica. The adventurers belong chiefly
to the middle class. It was said that another vessel was
shortly expected to take away another body of adven-
turers, who were disappointed in obtaining berths in the
John Robinson from the smallness of that vessel.
The planters of St. George—proprietors of the soil—
were about to transmit a memorial to Sir John Peking-
ton, asking for grants of land in Australia, as an indem-
nification for losses which they had sustained through
repeated acts of the British Government, and which had
been aggravated by the prevalence of pestilential dis-
eases in the island. The smallpox was raging virulently
in St. George, and in some other parishes; but it had
entirely, or nearly, disappeared from those parishes
where it made its first appearance. The equinoctial
rains were falling steadily, accompanied by occasional
thunderstorms. The Local Legislature was expected to
be in session during the latter part of this month. The
half-yearly meeting of shareholders in the Jamaica
Bank had been held. The report presented by the di-
rectors exhibited but a trifling falling off in the gross
profits, and a dividend at the rate of 3 per cent. was
declared. The meeting of shareholders of the Planters'
Bank took place on the 16th ult., when the report of the
directors was adopted.
Exchange on London.--Jamaica Bank, 90 days, per
cent.; Colonial Bank, 90 days, per cent. Oat New
York no operations to report.
Yellow fever has broken out in Barbadoes. The latest
accounts state that the fever has appeared in St.
Philip's parish and in the Black Rock district. The
cane crops throughout the island had much improved,
but the provision crops were not so promising. Labour
was more abundant, at easier rates.
The Antigua papers announce the demise of Dr.
Daniel, President of Her Majesty's Council in that
island; the Hon. Dr. Coull, a member of Council; and
the Hon. Mr. Eldridge, a Baron of the Exchequer and
sole proprietor of the Bank of Antigua. All these gen-
tlemen were much esteemed inhabitants of the island.
The mortality in Antigua during the last two months,
in the absence of any epidemic, was said to be almost
unparalleled.
Our accounts from British Guiana are to the 25th
ult. The weather had been very dry, with intense heat,
accompanied with an influenza epidemic and colds,
coughs and fever plentifully prevailing in the colony.
The plantations were beginning to suffer for want of
rain. The political news is unimportant. Resolutions
had been adopted, fixing the rate of bounty on Chinese
immigrants at 80 dols. It was feared there would be
difficulty in procuring ships to convey the immigrants,
on account of the bounty being so small. The registra-
tion list had closed very unsatisfactorily (says the Royal
_Gazette) for the Reform party. Mr. Arrindell, having
been promoted to the Chiei Juaticeship of the colony,
was,,ra. succeeded in the Attorney-Generalship by Mr.
and Mr. J. L. Smith had been appointed Solici-
tor-General.
At St. Lucia, the plantations were suffering fright-
fully for want of moisture, and
sture, and it was feared that the
ensuing crop would
lation. Trade w be an unyielding and losing specu-
was almost deserted
e unprecedented) y dull, and the har-
bourerted by the mercantile marine. A
good deal of sickness
terminating fatally,. aeprevailed, and two cases of fever,
Council, confirming
Governor Darling's
A royal order in
Darling's ordinance to
raise a loan of 3,0001.,
for the formation and repair of
roads, had been received.
The yellow fever is said to have considerably co ns
in Martinique. Sugar was quoted at
stpei abated
Pierrie at 44f.
the 100 kilogrammes, and molasses at 12f, 50c. the hec-
tolitre.
At St. Vincent the heat had been partially relieved
by copious showers. The present crop will exceed the
former by about 500 hogsheads.
In Trinidad a public meeting of planters, merchants,
and others immediately interested in the agricultural

ST. TROMA9.-11EAVY GALE AND WRECKS.
This island was visited with a very severe gale from
N.N.W. on the 23d ult., which caused much devastation.
The barometer commenced to fall on the afternoon of
Wednesday, and indicated the approach of a storm or
hurricane, which, however, did not commence before
about four o'clock on the morning of the 23d, and
gradually increased until nine o'clock, when most of
the barometers—as compared afterwards—had fallen
five lines. The gale came from the N.N.W., and by
Colonel Reid's "Theory of Storms," St. Thomas mus
have stood on the outside of the circle. A gale from that
direction exposes our harbour more than the town, which
latter is considerably sheltered by the high hills
im-
mediately at its back. In the town we have not many
casualties to chronicle, as the injuries sustained con-
sist of some galleries attached to the front of
dwellings having blown away, roofs partially strip-
ped of their tiles and slates, fences and trees blown
down, and two of the pillars which supported the
wooden rails around the Reform Dutch Church were also
thrown down. In the harbour the accidents are of a far
more serious character. The shipping, which by good
fortune were few, have sustained much injury. The
Spanish brigantine, Delores la Perla, foundered imme-
diately in front of the Marine Slip ; the Spanish sloop
San Antonio also foundered- opposite the shipyard of
Captain Daniel ; both of these will require considerable
outlay to be raised. The French brig Mathilde, of
Havre, which had just arrived from Martinique, in bal-
last, parted from her anchors at about ten o'clock in the
morning, and ran ashore at the point under Havensigt-
hill, and opposite Prince Rupert's Rocks, where she soon
afterwards became a total wreck. Fortunately the
whole of her craw were saved through the able manage-
ment of her commander. Captain Wannebroncq, in getting
the boats out, and preventing them being dashed to pieces
on the rocks. In the morning, the Mathilde proudly
rode the waters, full of buoyancy ; in the afternoon she
was a complete wreck—affording us a forcible and truth-
ful illustration of human life. The American brigs
Julia Ridgway and Thomas Trewbridge have both re-
ceived great damage from the French barque Revanche,
which parted her cables, and ran into each of them with
such force as to cause the three to drift to the east end
of the harbour. An unfortunate young porter met with
a watery grave the same day, by ,recklessly jumping
overboard to pick up a Panama hat that had been blown
from off the head of a gentleman and fell into the water.
The poor fellow reached his object, but, alas! nature be-
came exhausted, and he was drowned before reaching
the shore. His body was found yesterday afternoon.
We have not heard of any further loss of life.—St
share o f
heretbe gala ft
three a.m., from the north, hard, and increased until
about
Thomas's Times.
A private letter, received yesterday morning from
tTboortola,says
23rd—rather:— We hav? hlatd
commenced o
severe
about ten o'clock, at which time two or three gusts ap-
peared to have done all the mischief. Several old
houses blown down, out-offices of late custom-house de-
stroyed, stables and temples also blown to atoms, much
iniury to roofs of dwellings. After this there was a
101 l of about half an hour, and we all know that the sud-
den ceasing of the wind was ominous. Accordingly, for
hours we experietced fearful gale from the south-
give much injury. Two vessels, a brig and a
two
west, cau
schooner, have been greatly crippled. From the country
other parts, the intelligence is, distressing. Most of
the labourers' cottages on the plantations have been
and
blown to the ground, and the canes dreadfully injured.
There is a reason for expecting another blow. Baro-
meter and 53 mpiesometer variable and falling."—lbid.
Kitt's, but fortunately with causing much damage.
The gale was also felt at Antigua, Nevis, and St.

MARINE DISASTERS.—The English sloop Jessy, with
ram, sugar, molasses, and empty hogsheads, was driven
from her anchorage at Nevis, on the 23d inst., and lost
her boats, sails, anchors, and mast; captain left behind.
The English sloop Saucy Teaser, with molasses, sugar,
and lead, carried away her mast between Saba and St.
Barts.

schoonerKKitts,
withi
Eclipse, Hassell, master, which
provisions, returned from
sea on Friday last, with her mainmast carried away, and
otherwise injured.
leftT thheis English
portfor t.

Ann, of 262 tons, Captain
left the island of St. Vincent on the
22d instant, bound for Greenock, laden with sugar and
mGoeTloahrsgeseeEsp,naegin:idsphstsehrpMary and
encountered the gale on the 24th, when
she sprang a leak. She put into this port yesterday,
for the purpose of discharging
her cargo and undergo-
ing the necessary repairs.
TORTOLA.—A correspondent writes :—" There is a
large brig, the Horatio, at anchor off the bluff of Beef
Island in a dismasted state, unf,hle to proceed—foremast
most seriously damaged ; and she waits for an easterly
wind to repair to your port for repairs. There is also
a schooner lying
unknown."
at Peter's Island with sails all blown off
—unable to Proceed—name

JAMAICA.—COMMERCIAL.
(From .De Cordova's Mercantile Intelligencer of Sept. 24.)
The con
REVIEW OF MA.
sumption of flour, meaIR,KETS and rice has receded
to a considerable extent under the plentiful supplies of
native breadstuffe which are now coming to market. On
the other hand, the almost entire disappearance of small-
pox from the city has created a revival of the demand
for dry and pickled fish, and a fair amount of business
might have been done in these articles had receipts been
proportionate to the existing inquiry. The produce
market has been very quiet, and very little has been
done for export.
Butter.—,Theremarket. is little Halifax or American at
Brandy.—Advaneed prices in England have not yet
been productive of any effect on this market. Thestock
is yet considerable,
and demand unimportant.
Flour.—The stock is considerably reduced.
Freight.--We have not heard of any operations.
Hamm—American are worth 7id., and Irish sd. to
71d. per lb. New English hams are wanted.
,
Rice.—Consumption appears to have fallen off, and
prices are receding. Holders are anxious to clear their
hands at reduced rates ; but no sales of any moment
have occurred.
Rum.-18d, per gallon short price, for 21 proof, is
very generally demanded and given. The operations
since our last have not been very important.
Salt.—Liverpool stoved is rather scarce, and in de-
mand at 4s. 9d. per sack ; coarse is plentiful.
Sugar.-21s. have been paid for a lot of fair quality.
Other operations have occurred
to fine. The sales include a parcel of dark for the
a 203. to 24e. for good
Northside at 18s. •
Tobacco.—No operations have transpired.,
EXCHANGES:

On London._Jamaicaßank-90 days per cent.
Colonial Bank-90 days per cent.
On New York.—No operations to report.

MANSLAUGHTER AT OLD BREN,FORD.

--..---
On Saturday an inqu— est vras held by Mr. Langham, 1
at St. George's Hospital, on the body of William Stan- I
nett, aged seventeen, who was stabbed with a knife at
Old Brentford on Tuesday last, from the effects of
which he died. Joseph Rawbone, of High-street, Brent-
ford, bootmaker, said the deceased was an apprentice
to his brother, whom witness also worked for. He
was present when, the occurrence happened, at half-
past ten on Tuesday morning. He was at work
Lewis, who also
in the lower shop with a young taan and the
sitting joking, and after a
playful manner they caught
deceased. The young man was John
lived at Brentford. Stannett began
short time he got up and went towards Lewis, who was
gu,nitlesisnthoe
hold of each other's arms, and kept BD until Lewis
Stannett, that
On a seat, and in a
stick him with
his knife. He then took up the knife, with which he
was going towards his seat
had been working, oo ropl isaei passion.
o,
his
su
t holdaHs e
soonhe. thenaw s witnessotuolldd
he caught hold of his hand, and held it till he promised
that he would lay the knife down. They then loosed
each other, and as Stannett
he gave the young men Lewis a slight tap on the face.
It was a slight open-handed slap on the face. Lewis
then immediately stabbed Stannett with his knife at the
abnodttowmapsarwtoorfnthteoa stomach.point Twheheknnife
:iteess got hold was very sharp,
of his hand, Lewis was in a rage, but before he
loosed him he appeared to have got quite cool. The
deceased then cried out "he has done it for me
now." He asked witness to go to Mr Baker's, the
chemist, but he was from home. He then went for
Messrs. Rolfe and Richards, surgeons, and by their di-
rections the deceased was brought to this hospital.
Lewis said nothing after the blow was struck. Stannett
the whole time was playful, but Lewis was much irri-
tated. The deceased, while they bad held of each other,
tried to hit Lewis in the face. Mr. Francis Cutler,
house surgeon, proved that the wound inflicted upon the
deceased by Lewis was the cause of his death. The
coroner having summed uy, the jury, after half an hour's
consultation, returned a verdict of manslaughter against
John Lewis. The coroner then issued his warrant for
his committal to prison on that charge.

CHRISTMAS REVELS AT WINDSOR CASTLE.—We
are enabled to state that the Christmas revels of the olden
time will be again held at Windsor this year, and with a
novelty which recalls the time of " the great Eliza." Queen
Victoria will open her dramatic campaign with a new
poetical-prose comedy of English life, from the pen of Doug-
las Jerrold. This is a good beginning of the dramatic new
year—with an agreeable smack of old days and of a literary
Court about it. The play will be brought out at the Prin-
cess's Theatre on the night following that on which it is to be
produced before the Queen and Court at Windsor Castle.
AM enaurn.
BETTING LISTS.—It is reported that a Bill will be
introduced into Parliament, to reader it illegal to receive de-
posits at betting-houses.

THE SUN, LONDON, 2110NDAY EVENING, OCTOBER Is, 1852.

HOUSES OF CONVOCATION.

(From the Times.)
A report hes reached us, which is not, we believe,
Without foundetien, that L trd Derby and his colleague
have reseived to advise Her Majesty to permit the
Houses of Convocation to sit for the despatch of busi-
ness, and that the Royal licence will consequently be
issued, empowering those ecclesiastical assemblies to
enter upon the consideration of such matters as may be
thereby submitted to them. So little are we ourselves
—so little is the country at large—prepared for such an
announcement that our first impulse is to question the
information of this rash and abrupt measure which has
reached us ; for if there be truth in the intentions as-
cribed to the Government on this subject, we can hardly
conceive any act or determination of the State more
perilous to the Church of England, or more
inimical to the order and tranquility of society.
It is notorious that the exertions made of late years
,to revive the force and efficiency of Convocation
Seams) proceeded from the extreme High Church
party, and not from the Church cf England at large.
The clerical elections which have bean conduct el with
a sort of mock solemnity in some dioceses of England
e ere regarded es a farce, or at best an empty form, ET
the majority cf the clergy, since no iutimatiou whatever
Lad been gives that it was intended to depart from the
established custom and to ailow the Houses to proceed
to business. After a lapse cf 145 3 ears it would amount
to a trick or the grossest kind to place the affairs c f the
Church, without previous notice, in the hands of a
body of men not even chosen with any view to the
practical conduct of them. The whole constitution of
these ecclesiastical assemblies is so antiquated and
dsfeetive that the attempt to set in motion an engine
which was discarded nearly a century and a
half ago as mischievous and unmanageable, is
certainly one of the wildest freaks that ever
passed through the brain of a statesman.
The division of the two provinces of Canterbury and
York, the absence of proctors from the Church of Ire-
land, the exclusion of lay members of the Church, and
the lack of definite objects or positive jurisdiction, would
suffice, if there were no other objections, to render the
scheme inconvenient, imperfect, and absurd. But when
wo call to mind the animosities which unhappily divide
a considerable portion of the English clergy, the exor-
bitant pretensions of one party, imbued with all the
priestly arrogance of Laud and Atterbury, the tendency
of another fraction to drop the standard of Church
doctrine and Church discipliase along the declivity of
dissent, and the incessant activity of the common enemy,
the Church of Rome—it does seem that no time could
be worse chosen to re-open the public arena to ecclesias-
tical combativeness, to distract the Church by placing
weapons in the hands of its conflicting leaders, and to
recognize pretensions on the part of the Establishment
which will give rise to the furious hostility of all her'
adversaries.
It is impossible to take a more serious view than we
are disposed to do of the duties which the Constitution,
both in Church and State, imposes on the political Min-
ister who distributes a vast amount of ecclesiastical pa-
tronage and exercises the authority of the Crown in
ecclesiastical affairs. No doubt the mode in which Lord
John Russell most imperfectly discharged that sacred
trust, in compliance with his own peculiar views and
party connexions, has been one of the causes, not only
of the hostility of the Church which h. e personally in-
curred, but of the general distrust which has unhappily
sprung up between the clergy and the civil power. But
the first duty of the civil power is to preserve the Church
from those internal fends and dissensions which are so apt
to embitter with tenfold virulence the scenes of
ecclesiastical controversy. The duty of the Minister
is to defend and uphold the prerogati▪
ve of the Crown
in Church matters, not to abandon it to that faction
by which the Queen's supremacy has been openly
assailed ; but the very same party which professes
the highest veneration for the prerogati▪
ve of the Crown
in all other affairs has ever been ready to curtail its just
and necessary rights, and to weaken the powers of the
law itself, whenever they have come into collision with
the pretensions of sacerdotal ascendancy. Can Lord
Derby imagine that this is a time to copy the high Tory
policy of Rochester and Harley, or to allow those scan-
dalous scenes to ba repeated in the chapter-house of St.
Paul's which convulsed the Church and inflamed the
country from the last year of the reign of William HI.
to the accession of George I.?
.During the whole of
that period the Lower House was in open revolt against
the authority of the Crown and of the Episcopate. A
handful of passionate bigots continued to challenge the
rights of Parliament itself, to insult the bishops because
they wore prelates of moderation and liberality, to con-
tend for unheard-of privileges, and to exercise their idle
violence in the inquisition and condemnation of heterodox
publications. They had in fact no appropriate functions;
for Convocation has no power to make new canons, or to
touch in any one respect the Act of Uniformity, or the le-
gislation of the Church by law established. In 1664 they
surrendered the last of their rights, which was the
voting of supplies for the clergy, and from that time the
clergy have been taxed like the rest of the community.
They met and they existed, therefore, for no imaginable
purpose but the disgraceful exhibition of their cwn dis-
sensions and of the professional incapacity of clerical
bodies to deal with the affairs of this world and even
with the interests of their Church in a spirit of discre-
tion, wisdom, and decorum, The flame burnt itself out,
and the institution has virtually ceased to exist since
1717, because it had destroyed its own claims to respect
and influence. Is it because there aro signs in the
Church of a revival of those days of discord and intem-
perance that Lord Derby is prepared to let in a gust of
air on the smouldering embers of such a conflagration ?
With the accustomed levity and recklessness of his
cheracter, we suspect that if Lord Derby be indeed pre-
pared to take this step, he is actuated by much slighter
and less serious motives. The scope of his patriotism
obviously lies not an inch beyond the duration of his
power, and he sees no danger to the Church and the
Constitution in a measure which will gratify the more
intemperate of his own adherents. The clergy have
done him good service in the elections. Oxford has
made him her Chancellor without a contest. Ho is
aware that this question of Convocation has found its
most zealous champions even among the ablest members
of the Conservative party not now connected with the
Government ; and it is not impossible that the conces-
sion he is said to be ready to make may draw over to
him their support. As a party move such a step might
be comprehensible, though even in this point of view
we hold it to be neither defensible nor wise, since it
is a concession to that extreme High-Church party
to which the great mass of Protestant and Conservative
feelings and principles in this nation are stoutly opposed;
and if we know aught of the spirit in which the Lower
House of Convocation would probably meet, its first
proceedings and pretensions would kindle this latent an-
tagonism into fierce resentment. But is it to be endured
that the peace and stability of the Church herself should
be put in jeopardy fo.
i r such objects as these, to strengthen
the hold of a tottering Government by rallying an ex-
treme and intolerant party to its banner, or to satisfy the
ambition of that party by a measure which our history,
our experience, and the calmer judgment of the majority
of Churchmen would condemn? If this report be con-
firmed, and this scheme realized, it will go far to prove
that the prolonged existence of Lord Derby's Adminis-
tration is fraught with positive danger to the institutions
of the country, since it will raise a storm which neither
that Noble Earl or his colleagues will allay; and the rash-
est schemes of Radical innovation aro not more crude
and ill-timed than such false Conservatism as this would
prove. We deprecate it, and we should deplore it as
mischievous to the Church of England herself, for its
effect on the interests of religion, on the Protestant faith,
and of the Establishment, is the first object to which our
attention is directed. But we deprecate it no less for the
sake of the country at large, from the conviction that
these discussions cannot be revived without severing what
we wish to unite, and weakening what we wish to
consolidate. It may still be not too late earnestly to
reconsider, and possibly to disavow, the intention im-
puted to the Government. It may yet be possible
for the country to anticipate in distinct language the
effect which such a measure would create through the
length and breadth of the land. We are still unwilling
to believe that Lord Derby is capable of that degree of
temerity and infatuation which would superadd to all the
secular duties and difficulties of his high position the
hiving of a swarm of theological hornets, when, to use
the expressive language of Mr Hallam, " to scatter a
little dust over the angry insects" is evidently the duty
and the interest of the First Minister of the Crown. But
we trust that at least all further doubt on this subject
will at once be removed, and the moderate party in the
Church will then consider what course they have to
pursue.

THE MELBOURNE.—PLYMOUTH, OCt. IG.—After
the accident to this ship on Wednesday, the artizans from
the arsenal were quickly put on board, and, working night
and day, were enabled to complete her repairs by Friday.
She started about 2 o'clock in the afternoon for her destina-
tion, St. Vincent, Cape of Good Hope, St. George's Sound,
Adelaide, Port Phillip, and Sydney, taking mails also for
Sierra Leone, Natal, Van Diemen's Land, and New Zealand.
Besides the specie shipped in the Thames, she shipped here
a considerable quantity, making in all above, 200,0001., and
jewellery and watches, &c., valued at 10,000/. She has 35
first class, 53 second, and 57 third class passengers, among
whom are the lion. Louis Hope, who takes with him a choice
assortment of British plants for culture in Sydney; Captain
Graham, an active member of a mercantile firm in Auckland,
new Zealand; Mr. James Sibbald, of the firm of James Sib-
bald and Co., of Leith, who is preceded by two valuable car-
goes of British goods in the Yarra and Signet ships, of 500
tons, gone on to Port Philip ; R. Wallace, son of General
Sir A. Wallace, of Stonraer ; and Messrs. Young, J. B. Kirk,
and others, Wesleyan missionaries. There is a considerable
preponderance of Scotchmen among the passengers, and one
Hungarian refugee, Colonel Szabo. The Melbourne is a well
officered ship; her commander, Captain Cox, has had great
experience in the East India trade, and her first and third
filters have had command of ships. The mails are in charge
of Commander Phillimore, P.. N.
INCENDIARY FIRE.—One of the largest conflagra-
tions that hes occurred in the eastern part of the county
of Kent for the last 15 years, broke out on Sunday night
at Overland-court farm, in the parish of Ash, about four
miles, from Sandwich, in the occupation of Mr. Petley.
It appears that about seven o'clock a cracking noise was
heard by Miss Pettey, and upon her opening the door
to ascertain the causo, she was startled by seeing one of
the barns, and also one of the stacks, on fire. The fire
raged with unabated fury from half-past seven until five
o'clock this morning, entirely consuming two stacks
of wheat, two stacks of oats, two stacks of clo-
ver, and one each of beans, peas, and hay, with two
large barns, nearly filled with corn, two lodges, the
whole of the stabling and the farming implements.
The loss sustained cannot be estimated at less than
1,5001., and Mr. Petley is insured for only 8001, for the
stock and implements, in the Norwich Fire Office. The
origin of the fire is shrouded in mystery; but there is
very little doubt it was the act of a vile incendiary, as
the fir©, when first observed, appeared to bo in two
opposite points.