The Sun.
London, England, 1839-08-19 00:00:00

PRESENT STATE OF GREECE.

King Otho, of Greece, and his young Queen, have
been lately making a tour of four or five weeks dura-
tion through the northern part of their dominions. As
the account reaches us through the Augsburg Gazette,
we must take the evidence it contains of the political
feelings and general content of the inhabitants for no
more than it is worth, but the poverty of the country,
and the simplicity of the preparations made for the re-
ception of the party, render the account more amusing
than that of most Royal progresses.
'The whole population of the villages, including in-
fants in arms, and frequently people of more than a
hundred years old—poured out to gaze on the showy
dresses of the Royal personages, and of course to tes-
tify the most unbounded affection. Troops of young
girls with complete helmets of various coins—their
necks and long braided tresses decorated with coral,
surrounded the Queen, dancinc, and singing before her,
whilst the men loyally squabbled fur the honour of ap-
proaching the King and leading his horse. At Turko-
chori, the clergy advanced in procession and presented
the Testament, which the Sovereigns saluted accordinc,
to custom ; and this, being considered as indisputable
evidence of their attachment to the cause of religion,
called forth the loudest acclammations.

The schools, visited during the progress, appear to
have been in the most deplorable state imaginable ;
so much so, that it was sometimes thotwht necessary
for the Sovereign to express some dissatisfaction : it is
not, however, stated that any measures for their im-
provenient are in contemplation. During a great part
of the journey, the country was too poor to afford even
the merest necessaries, and above a hundred horses were
employed in carrying jeds, furniture, and provisions.
The Plain of Thessaly hasbeeome almost an uninhabited
wilderness ; and, on the whole—ia spite of the wish of
the writer to present things under the most favourable
aspect, and notwithstanding his sentimental delight in
the troops of village maidens with garlands of flowers,
and their venerable grey-headed sires, brimful of loyalty,
who bestowed their tediousness upon King Otho—the
general result from the few facts we can gather, is, that
the state of the country is wretched in the extreme. It
is, therefore, droll enough to find the whole account
summed up with a " thus we may see that there does
not exist a more flourishing, prosperous, and improving
peasantry than that of Greece."—Athenwuni.

LATE PARACHUTE DESCENT.

MR. HAMPTON'S STATEMENT.

Early on Monday morning last I was on the grounds
super intending the arrangement of my apparatus for my
aerial exhi;;fion, and everything went on to my entire
satisfaction—the heather seemed also more settled, thus
giving me the greatest confidence that all my plans and
efforts would terminate favourably.
At the time appointed the parachute was brought
into the arena where the balloon had been inflated,
leaving me nothing further to do prior to my departure
than to fasten the cord connecting it with the buoyant
machine, and some other minor matters, and here I
must mention that in removinc, the parachute from the
place in which it was deposited to the balloon I found
two of the irons immediately over my head, and com-
bining the car or basket with the tube of my parachute,
had completely given way, but with the assistance of
my friends and some cords I remedied this startling
difficulty in such a manner as to ensure its adhesion
to the tube, and felt not the slightest apprehension of
its failure.
Having now arranged my ballast, cleared every line
and halyard, ascertained the full ascending power of the
stupendous and impatient aerial machine, I stepped into
the car with every feeling of the most perfect confidence
in my success, which every one at that moment in their
excited state around me for my safety can testify.
The signal to let go was given by me, and responded
to by the deafening cheers and acclamations of those in
the gardens, as well as from the immense mass of human
beings which had thronged together in every direction
as far as the eye could reach, and never did the machine
leave terri:.firma more proudly and majestically than on
the present occar.2on.
Having surveyed the locality over which I was
agreeably floating, I found that I should speedily be
directly above Kensington Garden ;.7; and deeming this
to be a favourable spot for my descent, especially as I
had announced it to be my intention to make; it within
sight of the grounds, I accordingly arranged for
the separation from the balloon, and with a resolute
heart, a firm and steady hand, instantly severed the
only cord which connected me with the rapidly soaring
machine above me. At first I endured the usual dread-
ful sensations of being nearly suffocated, which lasted
some few seconds ; but, having recovered, I cast my
eye in the direction of the exact spot upon which I
was likely to descend, and instantly discharged the bal-
last, at the same time waving my cap to the assembled
multitude. Finding I was making towards a large
tree, I crouched down in the basket and prepared for
the concussion. Unfortunately, I caught one of the
branches of the tree ; consequently the proper action
of the air on the parachute was lost, and the bough
breaking with the weight, I came with much force to
the ground, whereas, had I escaped the tree, or fallen
even in a cluster of trees, my descent would have been
unattended with the slightest ill effect.
The shock for a few moments deprived me of speech,
but I was perfectly sensible, and by the kind assistance
of several persons who had surrounded me (and to
whom I feel most thankful), I was enabled to
return within a very short period of time to the
grounds I had previously quitted, where I addressed
the numerous company anxiously awaiting my arrival in
explanation of the feelings I entertained in having ac-
complished to their entire satisfaction the feat I had
promised, though that feat was not perfected to my
own satisfaction. inasmuch as my hitherto twice suc-
cessful plan of bringing down the balloon to the earth,
not only near the place of my own descent, but reaching
it before me, failed ; and this proved a serious event to
myself in the loss of the machine.
A very slight line has hitherto been affixed to the
top of one of the gores inside, and terminating through
a small incision near the neck of the balloon, is made
fast to the bottom of the tube of the parachute. Thus,
when I cut the connecting cord which held my whole
weight, it rested only on the above-named line ; the
sndden jerk instantaneously causes an incision through
the entire gore of the balloon ; the gas rushes out in
one immense volume, and the weight of the balloon
being in the head, it completely turns over, and reaches
the earth in a few minutes. In this instance the pack-
thread or line through;the silk snapped asunder, instead
of acting as before described.
Such is the confidence I have in my apparatus that I
should not hesitate making another descent in a proper
locality, where clear and open spaces preclude the pos-
sibility of my coming in contact with any intermediate
object than the earth, and which must be admitted is
not the case in my making the descent near the metro-
polis.
In regard to my descent on Monday last, had not I
found that I was likely to drift over the densely popu-
lated neighbourhood of Kensington and its immediate
vicinity, I should not have descended so soon, it being
my wish to have attained a greater altitude, as the
grandeur of the sight would have been more en-
hanced, as likewise appertaining much more to the
safety of the aeronaut, my opinion being that an alti-
tude of at least one mile ought to be gained before cutting
away, as at this height the parachute itself acts much
better, and pore ample time is afforded to the aeronaut
to regain composure, and regulate the mode for a safe
and steady descent. With this knowledge, and being
determined to give every one the opportunity of dis-
tinctly viewing my separation of the cord, I accom-
plished that descent in sight of all, which, if I had
journeyed further, and gone much higher, would, as far
as scientific purposes are concerned, have been consider-
ably more effective. I am happy, however, to find I
have given general satisfaction, and that, at this mo-
ment, beyond the results of a shock or collision in my
descent, I am not suffering any bodily injury ; the
prompt and skilful treatment of my kin.:l friend Dr.
Frankum, of Montagu-square, having perfectly re-
moved every temporary ailment attendant upon my
somewhat violently reaching the earth.
JOHN HAMPTON
6, Hanover-place, Regent's Park, Aug. 15, 1839.

THE LION, A TALE OF THE COTERIES.—
We took up this fiction expecting, at best, a clever fash-
ionable novel of the present season, and this it is, and a
brilliant one ; but had it not been something more it would
not be considered worthy. of a formal; introduction to our
readers. The calamities of literary " Lionise forms the
prominent feature of this very clever novel. The moral of
the tale lies in the morbid vanity and selfishness of what
are supposed the finer natures among our species. Os-
tensibly it hinges upon the ridiculous folly of the female
patronesses of literary talent, and upon the silly pursuits
and sickly conceit of literary aspirants ; and never were
warnings, lessons, and severe rebukes more required than
at the present moment. 66 How do you like my book ?" is
the question put by the author to the public, after his frie,nd
had damped his hopes, and we venture to reply in name
of a large portion of that public—" Vastly do we like
your book, combining as it does French brilliancy with
German patios, and that sound masculine stamen which is
so eminently characteristic of our own favoured island."
In conclusion, we must remark, that if " The Lion" be the
production of a new writer, which, however, is not likely,
the best among the old stagers will need.to look to their
laurels.— Tait's Magazine.
THE NAVAL RESOURCES OF
rENGLAND.om c haa am
It is not generally known that a steamer of very large
ton-
nage is to be launched in a day or two f
Dockyard. It will have been begun and finished within
the incredibly short space of eight weeks. We are in-
formed that this extreme expedition is an experiment under
direction of the Government, in order to ascertain the
shortest possible time in which such a vessel can be com-
pleted. The number of hands have been unlimited ; in
fact, the men are working on her at the present moment
as thick as bees in a hive, and they are allowed to make as
many working hours per day as they can. The sum ap-
portioned for the labour, we understand, is four thousand
pounds; and should it not cost th t,.the '
overplus is to be
greatestdivided
paamongssi
passible
ete
theiinterest
alreesnt.
int Tbehneeeigxperiment has excited
wt t.
habourb o o Greenwich
Gazette.

I
On the 14th inst. at EM
lstrAßßee, HenryED.
Alexander, Erq., s°" of
the Lord Bishop of Meath to the Hon. Louisa Juliana Knox,
daughter of Viscount Northland.
Onithe 15th inst., at St. Giles's, Camberwell, Sidney James'
fourth son of Silvanus Philip, Esq., of Hampton, Midalesex, to
Fanny, youngest daughter of Benjamin J. Nunes, Esq., of the
Grove, Camberwell.
On the 15th inst., at Walcot Church, Bath, William Morse
Crowdy, Esq., of Chisledon, Wilts, to Sai ah, relict of the late
P. W. Vaughan, Esq., of Clifton.
On the 17th inst., at St. George's, Bloomsbury, Henry
Nichols, Esq., of the Middle Temple, to Mary Francklynt
eldest daughter of Thomas B. Williams, Esq., formerlY. °I
Gower-street, and now of Rio Bueno, in the Island of Jaresio•

DIED.
On the 25th of June last, at Kingston, Jamaica, Mr. Charles
Hutchings, the youngest son of Henry Hutchings, Esq., for-
merly a merchant in that island.
On the 14th inst., at Winchester-row, Edgeware-road, John
Harmar, Esq., many years a purser in the Royal Navy, aged 84.
On the 14th inst., Fanny, third child of the Rev. J. Cum-
ming, Hunter-street, Brunswick-square, aged 2 years and 2
months.
On the 15th inst., George Dudley, the eldest son of Mr.
George Boughey, of Pentonville, aged 17.
On the 16th inst.; at Lewisham, Thomas Morton Lloyd, only
son of the late Plumstead Lloyd, Esq., aged 24.

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London : Printed and Published by MU RD Gi
YOUN, 01-
No. 112, Strand, at The Sun Office, No. 112, Strand n.
the county of Middlesex.—Monday, August 19, 1839.