The Sun.
London, England, 1839-03-23 00:00:00

LORD MAYOR'S COALS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Sit,—Under this head, on the 15th instant, you in-
serted a communication from a Coal-merchant, tend-
ing to injure us in the public estimation. We agree
with the writer that " fair play is a jewel," and doubt
not you will allow us the same opportunity of replying
to his statements that you afforded him in making them.
It is not our lot to have the contract for supplying the
Tower with 700 tons of Coals annually, but we have
received an order from the Governor of the Tower for
28 tons of the same description of Coals we supplied
to the Lord Mayor; which were being delivered at the
time of which your correspondent speaks, and notwith-
standing the " unreserved condemnation " of the bar-
rack master, were delivered, have been paid for, given
satisfiletion, and obtained us other orders ; although
Mr. Morris states his contract to be for 225. Coals, the
same price as ours ; and further states, that in the
present
case the difference was " so remarkable—we
suppose the proof must have been most satisfactory in
burning !

We would also observe that the order was sent to
us direct from the Tower, and not at the instance of the
Lord Mayor, who was not aware of the circumstance
till his attention was drawn to it. In fact there is not
the slightest ground for so contemptible an insinuation
against his Lordship, and we fearlessly assert that he
has never used any influence directly or indirectly in our
favour. When the inquiry has been made where the
Anti-Combination Coals were obtained, we do not see
titat his Lordship could refuse the information, and more
than that we believe he has never done.
We equally approve with your correspondent of
what the Lord Mayor has done in facilitating the deli-
very of coals in the river, and doubt not the advantages
that must accrue to the' public will induce every un-
prejudiced person to thank his Lordship for his exer-
tions. Apologising for the length of this letter, ,
We are, Sir, your obedient servants,
POPE, BROTHERS, and Co.

MR. O'CONNELL'S LETTER.--We have been
looking every day for Mr. O'Counell's promise.' Letter to
the People of Ireland. Several pests have passed since its
publication was promised in the Pilot, but the letter has not
yet appeared.
DROWNING A MAN TO SAVE HIS LIFE
FROM FIRE I--At the late fire at Woolwich a man persisted
in standing on a parapet wall to view the conflagration.
•
'I he imminent danger to which he was exposed was re-
peatedly urged upon him by the naval and military officers
present, who were endeavouring to subdue the devouring
element ; but the fellow was utterly regardless of all ad-
monition. At last one of the officers directed the men at
an engine to turn the hose upon him, and by a powerful
jet of water he was soaked in an instant, and turning round
to abuse the people his mouth was supplied with liquid,
and, though standing in "mid air," he was nearly drowned.
He had scarcely arrived on terra firma when the whole
wall gave way, and he declared that he would sooner have
been roasted to death than so deluged with water, as it
struck him with a death chill, and nearly suffocated him by
taking his breath away from the hydraulic pressure.
It appears from a Parliamentary paper that
4,800,000 loss persons travelled by stage coaches in 1838
than in 1836; and 14,400,000 more persons by railway in
the same period.
MR. PAKINGTON'S BEER BILL.--The dissi-
pation, crimes, and improvidence of the lower classes are
not attributable to the beer-houses, except in a collateral
or incidental manner. The seat of the disease lies deeper;
and if the beer-houses were destroyed, that would merely
add to the gin-shop or other receptacle for vicious indul-
gence. The form of the disease might be changed, and the
symptoms very possibly modified, but the gangrene would
not be eradicated. The only remedy is' the education of
the people; it is the elixir that is to prolong the lives
and ameliorate the condition of the lower classes. It is
by moral and intellectual culture that sensuality and intoxi-
cation can be effectually and permanently suppressed ; and
if our Legislators have the well-being of the humbler and
ignorant portion of the community at heart, their efforts
should be directed to secure proper instruction to the
young, at any rate, in the elements of moral and religious
knowledge.— Worcestershire Chronicle.
MAUNDAY THITIISDAY.—Thursday next being
Maunday Thursday, there will be a confirmation of the
younger branches of the Nobility at the Chapel Royal, St.
James's, on which occasion her Royal Highness the Prin.
cess Augusta of Cambridge will be confirmed by the
Bishop of London.
IRON HousEs.—The efficiency of iron to the
application of steam-vessels has been so successfully in.
troduced, that we notice an elegant plan of a sea-coast
cottage of that description hung up in the Tontine Coffee-
room, which seems so admirably adapted that we have no
doubt they will soon be in very general use. The plan
referred to seems to have six rooms, kitchen, and laundry,
and other conveniences, for the small sum of 250/., or,
if a double house of fourteen rooms, 5001. This is not
half the price of a common house with similar accommo-
dation, and can be ready to possess in two months. The
, iron trade of this neighbourhood thould erch set down one
by way of introducing them.—Glasgow Chronicle.
DEPARTURE OF THE LORD LIEUTENANT
FOR IRELAND.—Wednesday morning her Majesty's armed
steamer Meteor, Lieutenant-Commander R. D. Pritchard,
left Woolwich dock-yard, having taken on board the bag-
gage, plate, and part of the suite of his Excellency the
newly-appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, who will em-
bark at Plymouth (he being on a visit to his venerable
parent, Earl Fortescue, in Devonshire) after this beautiful
and commodious steam-vessel has touched at Portsmouth.
The Commander of this vessel is an old Trafalgar officer,
and served on board of Nelson's own ship the Victory, and
was severely wounded.
MELANCHOLY SUICIDE.---Wednesday morn-
ing a most painful feeling was excited in the neighbour.
hood of Little Chelsea, in consequence of the lamentable
suicide of Mr. Thomas Bush, a highly respectable inhabi-
tant of Thistle-grove, which occurred under the foll Owing
distressing circumstances:—lt appears that since the death
of Mrs. Bush, in the month of July last, he has been in a
very depressed state of mind. On the previous night he
retired to bed with his little boy, about seven years of age,
as usual, but not having been seen up to ten o'clock yes-
terday morning, his sister-in-law went to the bed-room
door and knocked, when she was answered by the little
boy, who told her he could not open the door. Assistance
was procured, and the door forced open, when the unfor-
tunate gentleman was found lying in bed, suffering excru-
eriating agony from having swallowed poison. Mr. Gode-
rich, a surgeon, was instantly sent for, who by means of
the stomach-pump drew off the contents of the stomach,
but without avail, as Mr. Bush gradually sunk and ex-
pired about twelve o'clock. Martin, the beadle, on being
informed of the melancholy occurrence, proceeded to the
house, and on searching the bed-room found two phials,
one marked " Laudanum, poison," and the other not la-
belled,
in both of which were small quantities of that poi.
son.

CAUTION TO SERVANTS.—On Wednesday
morning an extensive robbery was committed on the pre-
mises of the Rev. C. Flight, Gloucester-place, Portman-
' square. From the statement of one of the servants it ap-
pears that she was coming down the kitchen stairs, when
she observed a man leaving the kitchen with a basket on
his arm, and an apron on, and, supposing him to have
been one of the tradesmen's servants, she did not take any
particular notice. In a few minutes after the footman came
down stairs from the breakfast-parlour, when he immedi-
ately missed a silver tea and coffee-pot, a quantity of tea-
spoons, four silver salt-cellars and spoons, with several
other articles of plate, with which the robber effected his
escape. The cook had not left the kitchen more than two
minutes when the robbery was committed.
VORACIOUSNESS OF THE EEL—While one
day standing on a low ledge of rock, enjoying the delight-
ful scenery of the Tay, I witnessed a very striking, and so
tar as I know, novel exhibition, touching natural history,
being nothing less than a chase upon terra firma of a crab
by an eel, and illustrative in a remarkable manner of the
eagerness with which the latter animal pursues its prey.
My attention was first drawn to the spot by a rustling
sound, where I saw the fugitive in the act of emerging
from the water. The eel, of large dimensions, soon fol-
lowed. After promptly effecting a landing on the rock on
which I was standing, which both of them did with great
dexterity, the crab took to his heels with all manner of
despatch, and soon showed his pursuer the advantage of
the possession of a supply of limbs. The eel, however,
nothing daunted, although labouring under the primeval
curse of the serpent, dashed after him with the utmost
eagerness ; but it was soon obvious that the locomotive
machinery of the latter was dismally at fault. He wormed,
twisted, and oscillated himself to and fro to comparatively
little purpose, although in this way he kept up the chase
foe a considerable distance, until at length, on my ap-
proach, both of them made a short cut, and got again into
the water.—Cheltenham chronicle.
MURDER NEAR NEWARK.—On Saturday
morning the inhabitants of Newark, and the villages north
of that town, were thrown into a state of great excitement
by the discovery that an aged woman, named Hancock,
who occupied a small shop at Caunton, had been brutally
murdered. The discovery was made by one of the vil-
lagers, who went to the house about seven, and finding the
door unlocked, and no one in the shop, proceeded up stairs,
where he found the unfortunate woman stretched on the
bed. The body presented a shocking appearance, and the
wall was sprinkled with blood. Upon a search it was found
that the house had also been robbed; and information being
conveyed to a neighbouring magistrate, steps were im-
mediately taken towards bringing the offenders to
justice. After a long inquiry, a labourer named Driver,
who was working at Muskham Woodhouse, was appre-
hended, and on his person were found two watches, money,
&c. ; but he at once confessed his guilt, and stated that he
committed the barbarous act between three and four in the
morning. It appeara that he filled her mouth with rags to
prevent her cries awaking the neighbours, struck her
on the head and then strangled her. The mother of
Driver was also apprehended on suspicion of being im-
plicated in the affair, and both were conveyed to Newark
gaol, to await the inquest, which could not take place on
Saturday, in consequence of Mr. Falkner, the coroner,
being on his duties as under-sheriff at the assizes. The
conflicting statements which are made even in Caunton
render additional details questionable; from inquiries
made on the spot, however, we can give the above as an
accurate outline of the case. The deceased bore a high
character for her integrity and charitable disposition, and
obtained a comfortable livelihood by keeping a general re-
tail shop. On Monday the Jury met, and up to a quarter
part four, p.m., no decision had been come to. During
the day a great number of witnesses had been examined ;
and in addition to his previous statements the prisoner
Driver declares that he was accompanied by another per-
son, but positively denies that his mother was in any way,
connected with it. Driver is about 24, of exceedingly re-
pulsive aspect, and lie is generally considered deficient in
t 'vocal ap:,lr3 tind,tr nra!-!‘?.

circumstances, and acts with great indecorum. —Linco In
Gazette.

A GREEN OLD AGE.—An old woman, named
Mrs. Mitchell, died last week, at Dcnbrae, near St. An-
drew's, aged one hundred and three years. She was a
native of the parish of Logic ; she enjoyed all her faculties
to the last, except that her hearing was rather impaired;
she could read her book, crack her joke, and walk about
the doors in well as many at half her years; she enjoyed
ex 11•' health within five or hours of h,•••
At her own request she was buried in the parish hi which
she was born.—Scottish Pilot.

3.42. Published by MURDO YOUNG , of
No. 112, Strand, at The Sun Office. N. 112, Strand, in
the county of Middlesex.—Saturday, March 23,1539*