The Sun.
London, England, 1839-09-05 00:00:00

1.()N DON, THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 5, 1839.

METROPOLITAN LIFE ASSURANCE
SOCIETY
FOR MUTUAL ASSURANCE.
DIRECTORS.
John Allcard, Esq. Thomas H. Hall, Esq.
Richard Low Beck, Esq. Charles Hensley, Esq.
Edmund C. Buxton, Esq. Joseph Hoare, Esq.
John Burgess, Esq. J. Francis Maubert, Es
William Clay, Eqq., DI.P. Joseph Pease, Esq., M.P.
' James Dawson, Esq, John Taylor, Esq.
Thomas Fowler, Esq. J. Scholefield, Esq., M.P,
Francis Fox, Esq, John Travers, Esq.
W. Storrs Fry, Esq. George Vaughan, Esq.
The Directors hereby give notice to members whose Pre-
miums fall due on the sth of October next, that the same must
be paid within thirty days from that date.
The leading principle of the Society is the APPROPRIA-
TION of the WHOLE of the PROFITS (UNDIMINISHED
by AGENCY or COMMISSION), by way of reduction in the
premiums of members of five years' standing.
The Premiums of Members (who are the only proprietary)
are payable Yearly, Half-yearly, or Quarterly, on the sth of
January, sth of April, sth of July, and sth of October, either
of which several days constitutes the commencement of the
year to members. Persons, therefore, desirous of entering the
Society as members on the sth of October next should appear
at the office on or before that day.
RICHARD HEATHFIELD, Superintendent.
Princes-street, Bank, Sept. 2, 1839.

VIREEMASONS' and GENERAL LIFE
AL ASSURANCE, LOAN, ANNUITY, and REVER-
SIONARY INTEREST COMPANY.

PATRONS.
The Right Hon. the Earl. of I The Right lion. the Earl of
Mexborough, P. G.M., West I Leicester, P. G.M. of Norfolk
Riding of Yorkshire The Right Hon. Lord Reay
I
The Right Hon. the Lord Vis- The Right Hon. Lord Saltoun
count Combermere, G.C.B. 1 General Sir J. O'Halloran,
and P. of Cheshire j K.C.B.
Sir Gee. 3lagrath, K.H., P.G.S.W.
DIRECTORS.
SWYNFEN JERVIS, Esq., M.P., Chairman.
William Day, Esq. I William King, Esq.
Frederick Dodsworth, Esq. Geo. Goldsmith Kirby, Esq.
I Ralph Fenwick, Esq. Lawrence Kortright, Esq.
Joseph Holl, Esq. Richard Alex. Price, Esq.
1 James Jephson, Esq. I Charles Roberts, Esq.
Sir Thomas Usher, R. N. , K. C. B. , K. C. H.

TRUSTEES.
Swyfen Jervis, Esq., M.P. I Ralph Fenwick, Esq.
H. U. Thomson, Esq., M.D.

ntagpl ace M. D., Piccadilly : H. B. C. Hillier, Esq.,
MEDICAL ADVISERS.
H. U. Thomson,
H. S. Illingworth, Esq., Arlington-street.
MANAGING DIRECTOR.
o u-
G. G. Kirby, Esq.
Among the many advantages to the assured in this Company
are—the option of taking the profits in cash ; adding to the
policy ; reducing the premium ; of receiving an annuity ; of
effecting assurances upon increasing or decreasing premiums,
and, without participation of profits, at reduced premiums,
and of credit for half of the first five years' premiums ; policies
not forfeited if the premium remain unpaid at the time of be-
coming due; no error, but only fraud, to vitiate a policy;
lives below the ordinary standard of health insured at a mode-
rate increase of rate; facilities: for effecting loans; the busi-
ness of the Company not confined to the masonic body.
LCommission allowed to solicitors and agents.
1 ,A Director in attendance daily.
JOSEPH BERRIDGE, Secretary.
11, Waterloo-place, Pall-mall.

sons from gaining a livelihood by the breach of this law if
I can.

---
Mr. Bunn—ln such cases, my Lord, I would consider it
no discredit whatever to be the informer.

—.--.
The LORD MAYOR—Certainly not. But you shall not
be at the trouble. Our police shall take care that delin-
quents of the kind shall be made responsible, and I shall
fine to the full extent for every infringement.
Mr. Bunn—We have appointed a Committee for the
purpose of having the law properly enforced, and we knew
that we should have your Lordship's assistance. There is
another matter of importance in which, if we are to judge
from the conduct of the licensed victuallers in the city,
they are completely ignorant. At least two who are in
my neighbourhood act in the teeth of the law. My house
is in the county, and I consider that I am bound to keep
my house closed during church time in the afternoon as
well as in the morning, according to the terms of my
license, now I would wish that your Lordship would say for
the information of the publicans of the city, whether they
are not compellable to observe the same rule—whether
the law which requires me to close at certain times has
not the same binding effect upon them ?
The LORD MAYOR—I am very glad that you have asked
the question, as it gives me a seasonable opportunity of
correcting a misapprehension which seems to have been
very general in tare city, and which I should have sought
in some other way an early opportunity of noticing. The
publicans of the City are precisely under the same restrictions
with respect to their houses as the publicans of the County.
The mistake has evidently arisen from the irregularity of the
afternoon or evening Church hours in the City. But the
law is, that all public-houses shall be closed in the after-
noon as well as in the morning during Church service,
the meaning of which is, that they shall be closed from
three o'clock till five. This applies as much to the City
as to the County, and if any cases of violation are brought
before me, I shall certainly inflict the penalty.
Mr. Bunn—l continue to shut my doors from three to
five, as usual, under the old law, my Lord, and people
who wish to enjoy themselves in a public-house during
those hours, have only to step from the County into the
City, where they can be supplied with any thing they
please. It is quite absurd to suppose that such a privi-
lege ought to exist, for it must be most prejudicial to the
publicans in the outskirts of the City.
The Loan MAYOR asked the officers of the police, who
were present, whether the Committee of Aldermen had
given them any instructions on the subject ?
Inspector Brake, who has the Eastern district of the
City under his superintendence, said, that no orders had
been issued with respect to the afternoon closing of the
houses, and he knew that the impression upon the minds
of the mass of the City licensed victuallers was, that they
were under no obligation to close their doors after one
o'clock on Sunday until the usual hour of closing at night.
Mr. Hobler—They are acting in error, and if informed
against for serving between three and five they will be
liable to the penalty.
The LORD MAYOR—Not a doubt of it. Their customers
must be satisfied, hard and cruel as it may appear to be
upon them, to have from one to three and from five up to
bed-time to drink on Sundays.—( A laugh.)
Inspector Brake said he believed the publicans at the
West-end were acting under a misapprehension with re-
spect to the afternoon closing, for he had heard that se-
veral of the publicans in that quarter of the town did not
close at all after one o'clock on Sunday last.
Several persons in the justice-room said that such was
the fact.

The Loan MAYOR—They are all liable to the penalty.
They seem to think that because the New Police Act made
no mention of the obligation to close their houses in the
afternoon they are at liberty to keep open from one until
night; but the old law by which public-houses have been
regulated is still in force, and is not at all affected in its
operation as to afternoon Church service.
Mr. Bunn expressed his thanks to the Lord Mayor for
the very clear and candid manner in which his Lordship
had stated his view of a matter of so much importance to
the publicans of the metropolis, and said that the Magis-
trates of Worship-street had assured him that they would,
in every case of violation, inflict the penalty. He added
that a great many poor people who, if the houses had been
opened in the usual way would have been dinnerless on
Sunday last, were supplied with that meal, at least the
public houses did not receive the price of their dinners.
He ( Mr. Bunn) did not wish now to press the case of Mr.
Barnard.

The LORD MAYOR—The case of Mr. Barnard will
stand over until he comes to town. Neither he nor any
other publican shall injure the trade and violate the law
with impunity.
Mr. J. Beresford, one of the Assistant Water-Bailiff's,
whose duty it is to protect the fishermen of the river Lea,
appeared to answer the complaint of a fisherman named
Armitage, who stated that Mr. Beresford seized his net
which was hanging to dry at Bromley-bridge, on the river
Lea, and detained it, although it was a lawful net, and a
new one, and had not been used at all in fishing.
The Assistant Water-Bailiff said that a more impudent
charge never had been made, nor one more destitute
of foundation, as he would prove. He then gave
the following account of the seizure of the net :
—Himself and son, as they went quietly along the
river Lea, in their boat, heard, at half-past ten o'clock, a
splashing in the water, which they at once suspected was
occasioned by the plunging of oars to drive the fish into a
net. They soon found that a large net, with unlawful
meshes, was regularly staked down, and lay right across
the river, so that the fish driven down the stream could not
escape from it. Witness and his son saw a boat with men
in it ; one of them, witness believed to be the complainant
Armitage, and when they attempted to take the net the
men in the boat threatened the most desperate violence
with their boat-hooks, and made several attempts to strike
them. One of the men thus occupied then got into the
water, pulled up the net, which contained a large quan-
tity of roach and dace, and then getting into the boat,
rowed off with his companions. Witness and his son
subsequently went up the river Lea to Bromley-bridge,
and found there the identical net which corresponded with
the lines which the fishermen had left behind them. It
was hanging up to dry, and they seized it.
The Assistant Water-Bailin son confirmed his father's
statement, and added that he (witness) took hold of the
net while it was in the water, and that Armitage, who was
the person who leaped into the water to pick up the net,
threatened to knock his brains out, and cut his thumb with
a knife to the very bone. Witness secured the lines, from
which Armitage and his comrades cut away the net in
their hurry, and it exactly corresponded with the net which
they seized at Bromley-bridge, and which was without lines
at the time they made the seizure.
Armitage declared that he was not in the boat, described
by the Assistant Water-Bailiff, and that he knew nothing
of the circumstance which had been mentioned, nor of the
net which had been cut away. He also stated that he had
two persons to prove that he was at Woolwich between
nine and ten o'clock on the night in question.
Two men, of very doubtful appearance, stepped forward
rather reluctantly, and said that they had been assisting in
loading a sand barge at Woolwich at half-past nine on the
night specified, when Armitage got on board to get a light.
The Assistant Water-Bailiff's son said he could bring
forward evidence to prove that the two sand boys had sworn
falsely.
The Loan MAYOR—If you do, I\ shall have them pro-
secuted for perjury. The two witnesses looked exceed-
ingly dissatisfied.
The Loan MAYOR (to Armitage)—But why have you
this net in use ? You know it is an unlawful net.

Armitage—lt is for salt-water fishing! keep it my Lor d.
The LORD MAYOR—Then why go up the Lea to I ook
for salt-water fishing ?
Armitage—Oh, I go up the Lea to sell the fish I catch
in the salt water.

The Assistant Water-Bailiff—He goes up the Lea, my
Lord, to catch all the fish he can, and you may judge of
the mischief he and others like him do, when I assure
your Lordship that the fish go up in surprising shoals to
breed, and they are frightened down the stream by the
river poachers.
The LORD MAYOR—I know that the Lea is a sort of
preserve for the breed of fish, and I desire that the most
close attention be paid to that place by the
Water-Bailiffs. I shall appoint more if more should
be required, fer I ant determined to prevent a
continuance of the practice hitherto followed of
destroying the young fish which would in due time sup-
ply so many poor families of fishermen the means of living
comfortably. I condemn this net, and I shall hear wit-
nesses as to the assault, and other charges on a future oc-
casion.

Mr. Beresford said the poachers were very angry now
at his vigilance, and had threatened they would have his
life.

The LORD MAYOR would protect him, and immediately
ordered summonses to he issued against the parties using
the threats.

THE OLIPHANT PEERAGE.—OiI Friday, the
23d inst., in the County Court, Perth, James Blair Oli-
phant, of Gask, was served heir to this ancient dignity
before the Sheriff.—Glasgow Constritutonal. _

STATE OF TRADE.—The state of the money
market, the unsettled weather, and the excitement of the
pending election, have combined to diminish the business
on our Exchange this week. The demand both for goods
and yarn yesterday was very limited; but prices were
steady.—lllanchester Gtardian.
AN UNFAIR ATTACK.—Among Mr. Whit-
field's frequent hearers at the Tabernacle was Shute; the
comedian, then in the height of his reputation as the re-
presentative of Ramble. On one occasion he was seated
in the pew exactly opposite the pulpit, and while Mr.
Whitfield, in his energetic address, was inviting sinners to
the Saviour, he fixed his eyes on Shuter, saying,—" And
thou poor Ramble, who host long rambled from him, come
thou also. 0, end thy ramblings by coming to Jesus."
Shuter was exceedingly struck. and afterwards coming to
Mr. Whitfield, said, " I thought I should have fainted—
how could you serve me so ?"—Countess of Huntingdon's
Life and Times, Vol. 11.
REWARDS TO THE POLICE.—At the last
Old Bailey Sessions a fellow named Long was sentenced to
fifteen years' transportation for cutting and maiming police
constable Jennings, 59 M division, who went to the rescue
of a female whom Long was attempting to strangle. The
wounds of Jennings, although extensive, proved fortunately
to be only flesh wounds. On Tuesday he had orders to
attend Scotland-yaral, when he was informed by the Com-
missioners that the whole of the case relative to his con-
duct with the convict Long had been laid before Lord
John Russell, and that his Lordship bad ordered him to
have 101. for his exertions in defending the female from
Long's murderous attacks, as well for the wounds which
he had received on the occasion.

PRICE sd.

THE FALLING STARS AND AU-

RORA BOREALIS.

Between the hours of ten on Tuesday night and three
on Wednesday morning, in the heavens were observed
one of the most magnificent specimens of that extraor-
dinary phenomena the falling stars and northern lights
ever witnessed for many years past. The first indication
of this singular phenomenon was about ten minutes be-
fore ten, when a light crimson, apparently vapour, rose
from the northern portion of the hemisphere, and
gradually extended to the centre of the heavens,
and by ten o'clock, or a quarter past, the whole,
from east to west, was one vast sheet of light. It
had a most alarming appearance, and was exactly
like that occasioned by a terrific fire. The light va-
ried considerably, at one time it seemed to fall, and
directly after rose with intense brightness. There
were to be seen mingled with it volumes of smoke
which rolled over and over, and every beholder seemed
convinced that it was " a tremendous conflagration."
The consternation in the metropolis was very great,
thousands of persons were running in the direction of
the supposed awful catastrophe. The engines belong-
ing to the fire brigade stations in Baker-street, Farring-
don-street, Watling-street, Waterloo-road, and likewise
those belonging to the West of England station, in fact
every fire-engine in London, were horsed, and galloped
after the supposed " scene of destruction," with more
than ordinary energy, followed by carriage!, horsemen,
and vast mobs. Some of the engines proceeded as
far as Highgate and Holloway before the error was
discovered. These appearances lasted for upwards
of two hours, and towards morning the spectacle
became one of more grandeur. At two o'clock this
morning the phenomenon presented a most gorgeous
scene, and one very difficult to describe. The whole of
London was illuminated as light as noon day, and the
atmosphere was remarkably clear. The southern hemis-
phere at the time mentioned although unclouded, was
very dark, but the stars, which were innumerable,
shone beautifully. The opposite side of the heavens
presented a singular, but magnificent contrast, it was
clear to the extreme, and the light was very vivid,
there was a continual succession of meteors, which varied
in splendour. They apparently formed in the centre of
the heavens, and spread till they seemed to burst ; the
effect was electrical, myriads of small stars shot out
over the horizon, and darted with that swiftness towards
the earth that the eye scarcely could follow the
track ; they seemed to burst also, and threw a dark
crimson vapour over the entire hemisphere. The colours
were the most magnificent that ever were seen. At half
past two o'clock the spectacle changed to darkness,
which on dispersing, displayed a luminous rainbow in
the zenith of the heavens, and round the ridge of dark-
ness that overhung the southern portion of the country.
Soon afterwards columns of silvery light radiated from
it, they increased wonderfully, intermingled amongst
crimson vapour, which formed at the same time, and
when at the full height, the spectacle was beyond all
imagination. Stars were darting about in all directions,
and continued until four o'clock, when all died away.
During the time that they lasted a great many persons
assembled on the bridges across the river Thames,
where they had a commanding view of the heavens, and
watched the progress of the phenomenon attentively.
[The god of Love's exaggerated description of an
aurora, which was visible in the metropolis on Tuesday
evening, but which, when we saw it, was very far from
corresponding to the florid description of our Contem-
porary.]