The Sun.
London, England, 1837-11-18 00:00:00

CELESTIAL. PHENOMENA.

On Sunday evening last the lovers of astronomy, and thosde
connected with physiological pursuits, were highlY
and gratified by the reappearance of that portion 0
cad
celestial phenomena which are comprised under the head
falling stars, and which during the last few years havethe
caused such animated discussions with regard torce
possibility or not of their periodical return. 19-,
deligfht:
evidence concerning these appearances has been We'?
of i
that Sciences;
transmitted to the Freneli Academy
the last communication bears the inteliigenee,
L. Rcbertc
n
an entirely new quarter, the Mauritius, M.
rs
observed the same meteoric shower of falling sta 00,
the night between the 12th and 13th of November, 1837
being at the same period and in all respects similar
that seen on the same night in all parts of Europe, to
which is described as a further confirmation of the receoey:
broached idea of the periodical fall, or shower of stars, 0
or about the 12th or 13th of November. Pursuant _to
this information astronomers have anxiously awaited hreturn of these days, or rather nights, and on Sunda!,
evening their labours were rewarded, and the previous snc
up;
position in a great measure corroborated, by the appeara
of the beautiful phenomena which we are now about to de-
scribe. About 6 o'clock on the evening of SUnd3Y, 3
luminous red arch was observed to extend over the
western portion of the heavens, and after Passing
through various gradations, in point of colour and siie;
disappeared. It soon after re-appeared, and
speelMe
immediately recognized as a magnificent
of the aurora borealis, which has lately been of
than ordinarily frequent in the southern regions:
presenee'
The colour,
,that of a bright crimson,
a striking but not unpleasing contrast to the softer
light of the moon, which was at that time shining in its
fullest refulgence. Nothing could be more gorgeous than tbe
scene which the heavens then presented ; a clear blue sky;
without a cloud, save those which bore the appearance or
being spun from the finest gossamer, met the view of Oa
spectator on the east ; and in the opposite quarter of the firci
moment streaks of the brightest crimson threw uncertain an
flickeringrays over the landscape, impressing the beholder at
the same moment with feelings of the utmost awe and admi.
ration. About eight o'clock, the attention of those who were
observing the aurora was diverted to the singular and en
usual phenomenon of a bright meteor, apparently proceed;
ing from the north, which, after making a rapid &n,
see
in the manner of a rocket, suddenly burst, and, seatten
ne
its luminous particles into the most beautiful forms, Ya•
nished into the atmosphere, from which it seemed to arise.
This was succeeded by others all similar to the first in both
the shape and manner of its ultimate disappearance—ea
clr-
cumstanFe which gave origin to very amusine and ridicw
lous conjectures as to their probable cause.' The whole
display terminated at ten o'clock, when dark clouds, which'
continued up to a late hour, overspread the earth, prevent-
ing any further observation. Astronomers are much ati
variance as to the manner in which these meteorologicai
phenomena are produced ; and although the princiele
spontaneous combustion is now established beyond the
power of contradiction, the recurrence of these celestial
prodigies is well worthy the attention of those who wake
such inquiries their study.

On Wednesday night, on occasion of her MejestY
visit to Drury-lane Theatre, the light-fingered gentcri
reaped a plentiful harvest. From half-past five cel,o
until the closing of the theatre persons who had bee
robbed were incessantly calling at the station.house in 13°6:
street, to give information of their losses. One gondola.;
who was standing in Little Russell-street, was almost in
state of distraction on discovering that he had been 'vibe,
of his pocket-book, which he stated not only contained is
considerable sum of money in Bank notes, but some I'l A
of exchange, and securities of an important nature. t
woman named James, living in Vere-street, Clare-market
was hustled by some fellows, who succeeded in extractil
from her pocket a small bag, containing a sovereign 8n
eight shillings, and a silver thimble. Several other article!
were in her pocket, but the experienced thieves select°
those mentioned from the rest. The police were very active'
and succeeded in capturing several pickpockets.
A few days ago eight persons at Basenth, who had
been poisoned with arsenic, were all saved by the emPl°Yi
meat of the oxide-hydrate of iron, though the quantity
arsenic which they had taken with their food was very Ow'
siderable.

On Monday last the ceremony of opening the liccf,
entrance to the inner harbour at Ramsgate teal: place wit'
considerable eclat. His Grace the Duke of Wellington, as
Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, came over from Wall
expressly for the occasion, at 11 o'clock, and was reeei,
by Sir William Curtis, the Deputy Chairman ; Captain 1"1"
by, the Deputy Master of the Trinity House ; Sir J. Woo'.
more, Captains Chapman, M.P., Browne, Turnbull, Ste'
venson, Messrs. Manning, Moore, Sir J. Rennie, Ste. The/
then proceeded to the entrance, and the ceremony we;
completed by the entry of the Trinity yacht and seversa
other vessels, decked out in colours, and yards manned, al,
amongst the deafening shouts of the numerous and big
respectable spectators. The Duke afterwards dined with
the Trustees at the Pier-house, and attended a ball at the
Albion, given by the town in honour of the occasion, and:
deputation of the principal inhabitants presented a cog--;
tulatory address to the Trustees, for having undertaken a5l,
completed this valuable work of granite, and fit for reeeivls:
vessels of the largest class, in the short space of eightee4
months. The Duke was in excellent health and sP".„ci
and expressed himself highly gratified by the scene, a°
was most enthusiastically received and cheered by all classes'
wherever he went.
It is with deep regret that we have to announc:
the death of James Stewart, Esq., of Clydebank,
Monday last, was unanimously elected to the office of r rcv
vost of this town. He expired at ten A.M. on Saturday'
after an illness of little more than a week. Mr. Stoves'
was in the prime and vigour of his life, a considerable P°ll
tion of which he spent in Newfoundland,—an island "ri''
which he was intimately connected by business, and in 1.12:
trade of which he is understood to have laid the basis °
very handsome fortune.—Greenock Advertiser.
The Aurora Borealis was most distinctly visible„,„in
the neighbourhood of Aylesbury on Sunday last. Th
•e -a,
pearance was that of bloody streaks in the northern horita
and they caused considerable alarm to the peasantry.
Within the last twenty years the progress of t,L,
cotton manufacture in this country has been so rapid tnoi
the annual consumption of cotton has increased ft° t
250,000 to 1,000,000 of bags. At the present tronlen
the seats of the cotton manufactures are in the greatest A:1
tivity, and the manufacturers and other capitalists concer°
in this important branch of the national industry, are PO,
gressively advancing in prosperity.
Scr-
On Saturday morning, soon after midnight, 88 VII
tram, the gamekeeper on Sir Wyndham Anstruther's estea
of Westraw, Pittenain, was going his rounds, accomPai%bc
by another gamekeeper, they espied in the clear m°°"111" t
three men armed as poachers, to whom they ga:istneds.toaobed:
chase. Great exasperation of feeling had long
tween Bertram and some poachers in the neighbourb
be,
and he followed on till he neared the retreating men' they
he cried out, " Stand, or I'll fire upon you." But 11.5, &e,
did not stop, at the distance of twenty yards he tba
and some of the shot lodged in the backs of two or, feii,
men. One of them staggered forward a few paces an':
rag
when he instantly began to vomit blood. The othe
o_o
forward a little and also Ml. The gamekeepers at :_a
proceeded to render assistance to the one who fell first' sag
had him conveyed to Bertram's house. Medical lila but
procured from Lanark, with the least possible delaYo,
tiler
the surgeons express but little hopes of his life. Thee
also
was borne away to a neighbouring farmhouse, where b
lies in a dangerous state. In the course of the ".r" rathe
Bertram was seized by the officers of the law, and indered
afternoon the Sheriff, having visited the dying me", ()ref 00
his commitinerit to gaol, to await. the consequence ,ag
rash act. Dickson, the man most severely wouncled, lei.
born and brought up in Calton of Glasgow. Hoa
Ile is a '
by trade.—Glasgow Chronicle

P 0 WE RFUL MUSICAL BOXES, in Ituti
r;sees, 12 inches long, by 5 inches wide, each playing Fou offered for
Imechanism finished in a very superior manner, are t
Five Airs,
Guineas each. Also a few of the same description, ‘lVorking
price Seven Guineas each, at T. COX SAVORYS, ndou.
Silversmith, Goldsmith, and Watchmaker, 47, Cornhill, Ln
in N. B. The small musical boxes, 3i inchs long, conttu: :tl2,dsa.
cases, price 19s. each, or in composition shell ea..
each.

Elves,
On the 13th inst., BIRTHS.
ofOolsiotohe 15th inst.,
otfhae Is2ooth. just., at Burton-on-Trent, the lady of M.
T. Vas',
Esq., of a
on at Brigg, Lincolnshire, the lady of Ducllef
at Lower Tulse-hill, Brixton, Mrs. Bra•cia,
Esq.,

MARRIED.
On the 16th inst., at Brighton, Auchmuty Tuck
er, 1
't. .ut-
Pengal Light Cavalry, to Sarah, eldest daughter L ""
General G. Cookson, Royal ArtilleryL____-------
D/E.b.
dauOgnhttehreor
ltvhini.nsAt.l,nienryDEevscionshire-place, Louisa Matild,o, t1.0:0180.,
on the 17th inst., at Billite;•square, aged 23, Frederit and 0f
DsetlevnagthersonLaocflythe Rev. E. Tanqueray, Rector of Tingr
or It':LinaPusgf°t Langton, , Es, tha
~ wt. .0,
On the 14th inst. at South-bank, Regenes-Pari" aged
-
of
0 11140'071' of
On fl,igri wrarto 13,q.,
the 7th of May, at Connanore, lorPn'
the 57th Foot, aged 22, the eldest son of F. T. A 0, in
Dolellan, Carmarthen. yirs 11045°
On the 16th inst. at Bowls, Ch swell. Ems' - __---.
Cockburn, relict of the late Sir James
her 89:11 year. ' _----i fio•
Ct----------f-.7-1-_---!_--_---..-- —‘.-.--''''''-.='..---'''''..'___—_--•--01j.,, -itlat °,,h ago,
London: Printed and Publit;hed by MURDO ° 4 ii) the c
112, Strand, at The Sun Office, No. 112, Str" '
of Middlesex.—Saturday, November, 18: 1837.
Blie:ritelb.ordeks,bire.

1