The Sun.
London, England, 1839-02-07 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1839.

GREAT LEINSTER and MUNSTER
RLWAY.
FIRST EXTENSION from DUBLIN to KILKENNY.
Notice is hereby given that the SECOND HALF-YEARLY
GENERAL MEETING of the Company, in conformity
with the Act of Incorporation, will bo held at tha Company's
Offices, 62, Moorgato-street, on SATURDAY, the 2d day of
March ensuing, at the hour of One o'Clock precisely.
Proxies must be lodgod with the Secretary five days' prior to
the meeting.

HENRY BAINBRIDGE, Chairman.
Office, 2, 11Ioorgate-street, London, Feb. 5. 1839.

LONDON AND BRIGHTON RAIL-
WAY COMPANY.
Incorporated by Act of Parliament, July 15, 1537.
CALL for the FOURTH INSTALMENT of 31. per
SHARE.
Notice is hereby given, that the Directors of !the London
and Brighton Railway Company have This Day made a CALL
of 31. per SHARE in this undertaking, and the same is
directed to be paid en or before the 18th day of February next,
to either of the undermentioned Bankers, via.:—
London—Messrs. Smith, Payne, and Smith, and Messrs.
Hankey.
Liverpool and Manchester—Manchester and Liverpool Dis-
trict Bank, on aecount of Messrs. Smith, Payne, and Smith.
Brighton—Messrs. Wigney and Co., and Messrs. Hall,
West, Horror, and Hall.
Levres—Meows. Mohnen: and Co.
Glasgow—Glasgow Union Bank.
Dublin—Provincial Bank of Ireland.
Proprietors hares are therefore requested to pay the genie
accordingly:

_~ ~,,•

SEAMEN'S HOSPITAL SOCIETY.

Th• eighteenth annual meeting of the subscribers
and friends to the above Society was held yesterday at
the Rooms in King William-street. Sir F. OMMANEY
in the Chair. _

The SECRETARY read a report of the proceedings of
the Society during the past year, from which it ap-
yeared that since the establishment of the Society
45,485 seamen of all nations had received from it medi-
cal and surgical relief ; that the number of patients
admitted on board the Dreadnought during the past
year was 2,579, out patients 1,502. The report of
the medical officers proved the froquent occurrence of
scurvy of the worst description, to which the Commit-
tee begged to draw the attention of ot%nets and masters
of ships, experience showing that the remedy for that
baneful enemy to the seaman did not consist so much
in fresh meat diet as upon a plentiful supply of vege-
tables, lime juice, and fruit, whenever they could bo
procured and carried to sea. The report contained the
following statement of the average ages of "5,000 sea-
men employed in the merchant 'service, siz. :—under
15, 59 ; 15 and under 20, 474 ; 20 add under 30,
2,376 ; 30 and under 40, 1,130 ; 40 and under 50,
672 ; 50 and under GO, 234 ; GO and under 70, 49 ;
70 and upwards, 6. Thus showing that out of 5,000
seamen, only 49 appeared in employment at the age of
60 years.

The report was ordered to be printed, and thanks
having been voted to the Chairman the meeting
separated.

THE ABUSES OF LUNATIC

ASYLUMS.

The public cannot have forgotten the sensation which was created,
a short time ago, by the disclosure which took place at Mat !borough-
street Police-office, where a gentleman named Paternoster applied for
the protection of the law, from the ruffianly volence of two keepers
of a lunatic asylum at Kensington, who had seized upon him early
one morning, anti without any authority, but only Instigated by
some private enemies of the unfortunate gentleman, attempted to
fetter him, and convey him to that place of confinement. Fortunately
for his liberty, and, we add, for the public interests, Mr. Paternoster
being a powerful man was able to rid himself, not without great
efforts, nor until he hid been most cruelly beaten from his cowardly
assailants ; but on making applications at the police office far pro-
tection, two doctors, or pseudo doctors, incited by the personal foes
of Mr Paternoster, and who, perhaps, might have honestly, though
we think stupidly enough,have imagined, from the naturally excited
state of that gentleman, that his reason was not quite sound, came
forward to give their " certificates," of his insanity, contrary to the
evidence of their senses, for Mr. Paternoster evinced by his lan.
guage as touch of sound reason—some people may think more—than
the Magistrates who suffered him again to be seized upon. Happily,
however, he at last succeeded in making his escape. He is still
living in the hourly apprehension of being once-more attacked, and
immured in solitary imprisonment. We are happy in reflecting that
it was to the Police Report, published in The Sun, that he owed
his liberation, and we hope, through the same medium,
the public mind will be awatened to a sense of the horrors which
In all human probability aro now acting in hundreds of similar in.
stances, or for which, at all events, the present state of the law on
the subject of lunatics, affords but too great facilities. Several gen.
tletnen who have interested themselves on the subject met to-day at
No. 49, Haymarket. Among them were Mr. Paternoster and ano-
ther unfortunate victim of private enmity, which, under the disguisz
of n•edical " certificates," was enabled to gratify itself by confining
him for eighteen months in an asylum—both these gentlemen
being—as we can state from our personal observation, during
an interview of an hour or two's duration—just as fully in
possession of their reasoning faculties, as any man living;
and showing, by their conversation, mental abilities of no ordinary
character. That the law which suffers such persons to be confined,
when, and whese, and how, private animosity may dictate, at the
slight cost of a medical insanity " certificate," even though in direct
opposition to common sense and to personal examination—that
such a state of the law is truly horrible, no doubt can be enter-
tained ; and these gentlemen anxious to have it remedied,
are desirous of forming a Committee to take measures for attaining
that " consummation" so ardently to be longed for, and any persons
willing to aid in the laudable and philanthropic work, may receive
every information by applying at the house above.named. Is there no
Member of Parliament, who has public spirit enough to take up
the question.