The Sun.
London, England, 1852-12-16 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR, —I have read your excellent article in reference
to the neglect exhibited in the non-completion of the
monument to Nelson in Trafalgar-square, and, contrast-
ing it with the profuse expenditure on the late funeral
pageant, permit me to say, that I think the neglect
evinced in the matter of the monument is almost credit-
able to the character of the country, if considered with
the disgraceful fact that Nelson's only child whom he
left (he had nothing else to bequeath her) to the pro-
tection of his country, is a poor struggling clergyman's
wife, driven lately to make a public appeal for pecuniary
assistance. Nelson has pointed out this lady, and iden-
tified her as his child :—" I leave my daughter to my
country," or some such words, were his testamentary
declaration ; and under such circumstances, must not
every man and woman in England, who thinks on the
subject, reprobate the heartlessness and ingratitude of all
Governments who have permitted " Horatia " to linger
in poverty ? Why does not some independent member
propose an annuity of liberal amount for the lady, and
demand that the Government should take her children
under their protection, and provide for them in the public
service ? The case is peculiar, and requires no apology.
I have the honour to be, &c.,
Your obedient servant,
CIVILIS.

Dec. 10.

THE COURT.—Thursday next, the 23d instant, is the
..ay at present fixed for the removal of her Majesty and
Royal family from Osborne to Windsor Castle ; and Prince
Leiningen, brother to the Queen by half blood, is expected
to prolong his visit to her Majesty until that day. During
the sejour of the Royal family in the Isle of Wight, the
illustrious juvenile branches have again enjoyed regularly
out-of-door exercise, which, owing to the late inundations,
had been circumscribed at Windsor.
BUCKINOEIAM PALACE.—The new state apartments,
including the new grand state banquetting-room, are pro-
gressing ; but we understand that with all dispatch they
will not be ready for the usual series of Royal entertain-
ments to be given by the Sovereign next season. His
Royal Highness Prince Albert, it is understood, will, as on
previous occasions during embellishments at the Palace,
direct the decorations of the new state rooms.
ALARMING FIRE IN NEWGATE-STREET.—Yesterday
morning, at a few minutes before 7 o'clock, a fire of a very
alarming nature, and nearly attended with fatal conse-
quences to not fewer than five human beings, happened in
the premises belonging to Mr. M`Donnell, known as the
" Number Seven" wine and spirit-vaults, situate in New-
gate-street, City, immediately facing the school of Christ's
Hospital.
EAST INDIA MAIL PACKETS.—The Ripon, which takes
out the next East India mail, will, on her return, have
to undergo some alteration to increase her speed, as she
will scarcely be safe enough for the new India mail con-
tract, now about to commence. The speed between South-
ampton and Alexandria is to be very great, but will be
easily performed by the Indus, Bengal, and Himalaya
steamers, which are destined to work the Alexandrian line
next year. The Euxine and Sultan steamers will lead off
under the new contract between Marseilles and Malta, until
the Vectis and Valetta, two beautiful steamers now build-
ing expressly for that line, are ready. The Himalaya, the
largest ship in the world, is now rapidly progressing to-
wards completion. She was originally intended for a pad-
dle-box steamer, but it was found that to attain her maxi-
mum speed as such her consumption of coals would be 140
tons daily. She was therefore converted into a screw
steamer, by which means she will be equally fast and only
consume 70 tons of coals daily. The Peninsular Company
are lengthening all their steamers. It is now an established
principle in ship-building that length gives speed, and that
a long steamer will be faster than a shorter one with the
same engine power and tonnage, from the circumstance,
no doubt, that the former, owing to her superior length,
has not to breast every wave the same as the shorter vessel.
LONDON TEMPERANCE LEAGUE.—A meeting of this
society was held last night, at Exeter-hall, for considering
the subjects of the closing of public-houses- on Sundays,
and the exclusion of strong drinks from the Crystal
Palace ; George Cruikshank, Esq., in the chair. On the
platform we observed J. S. Buckingham, Esq., Rev. Jabez
Burns. D.D., &c. The meeting was addressed by Dr.
Burns, Rev. H. Solly, Mr. Buckingham, and other gentle-
men, and resolutions passed for petitioning both Houses
of Parliament to close public-houses on the Sabbath
throughout the kingdom, and to memorialise the Queen,
such memorial to be signed by females, &c. The chairman
communicated to tho meeting the fact that, in reply to a
letter addressed by him to the Crystal Palace Company,
Mr. Grove, the secretary, had written an official letter,
stating that the company never had entertained the idea
of allowing the sale of wines or spirituous liquors, "under
any circumstances whatever," in the Palace or on the grounds
thereof. This communication was received with loud
cheers.

REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF WOODS AND
FORESTS.—Yesterday the 29th report of the Commissioners
of her Majesty's Woods and Forests and Land Revenues,
was printed in a parliamentary blue book, by order of the
House of Commons. This is the first report since the
separation of the woods and forests from public works and
buildings by a late act. The bank balances on the 9th
Oct., 1851, were 34,0311., at which period the liabilities for
the metropolitan improvements were 895,1601. From the
Ist April to the 9th October, 1851, the amount of sales of
produce in the royal forests, with the arrears, was 43,3111.
The arrears on the 9th October, 1851, were 6,8781. and
8,6571., which latter sum is due by the Admiralty, for the
sale of timber supplied for the use of the Royal Navy. The
gross income from the Ist April to the 9th October, 1851,
was 149,9971., comprising 117,1001. as land revenue, 28,310/.
from royal forests, &c., and 4,585/. from royal parks, &c.
The gross expenditure in the same period was 77,2881., of
which 42,683/. was in land revenue, 19,2301. for royal
forest 3, &c., and 15,3741. for royal parks gardens, &c.,
leaving a surplus income of 72,7091.
BIRMINGHAM CATTLE SHOW.—BIRMINGHAM, WED-
NESDAY.—The amount received for the sale of poultry for
breeding, at the 'close of the first day, exceeded 1,1001.
Yesterday the attendance was unprecedentedly numerous,
being considerably greater than the corresponding week of
last year. The dinner last night, owing to the present dis-
cussion in Parliament, Was not BO influentially attended as
on former occasions.