The Sun.
London, England, 1839-08-05 00:00:00

the habit of meeting on the best terms, and whose so.,
ciety he enjoyed as much as if they had no difference
any kind.—( A laugh.)
Mr. Salomon's health was received with loud excla-
mations—Alderman Humphery then next propose the
health of " Mr. Jones," his other opponent fo the
gown, and stated that if that gentleman had started in
the first instance, he would have been unani oush
elected.—(Cheers.)
Mr Jones, jun., returned thanks.

After the health of the Duke of Wellington, whten
was most rapturously received, was drunk, the glass
went round very briskly, and conversation became ex
tremely animated. . _

Several songs and duets were sung in the finest style
by Messrs. Ransford, Furness, and Turner: indeed,
the musical treat was said to be one of the best that
could be collected. The company continued at their
claret till a late hour—and never was there exhibited
more kindly feeling.

PENNY POSTAGE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR--will you allow me, as an old and extensive
receiver, to state a few serious objections to a very
plausible proposition advanced by stationers and others,
in lieu of stamped covers, Ecc., I mean the plan of
closing the Letter-Receiver's Box, and stamping the
letter with his paid-stamp, thus paying him the Id. in-
tead of purchasing a stamp. This plan, at the first glance,

appears very simple and easy. But a little inquiry will
show that it is almost impossible, and even, if possible,
that it will cause serious inconvenience to the public.
I shall not attempt to show the advantages of the
stamped covers, for this has been already very ably
illustrated in the lucid Report of the Postage Committee,
and the letter of Mr. Dickenson. All that I desire to
do is to enter my protest against the plan of paying the
Id. to the receiver.

1. The receiver will never have the time to per-
form his duties, considering how harassing it will be
both to the public and the receiver (especially under the
anticipated increase of letters) if instead of the simple
operation of dropping the letters into the box, they
should have to enter into the receiver's shop, and wait
his convenience before they deposit their letters. This
will cause a great.deal of confusion, especially as the
public always leave the posting of their letters until the
last moment, and from five to ten minutes before the
time of delivery every person would be rushing in, some
with ten, and others with twenty or more letters ; the
consequence would be that the receiver would be
obliged to detain some parties five minutes or
more, and however pressing the emergency, it is
ten chances to one that the letters would be
obliged to be detained until the next delivery. Under the
present system, the receipt of paid letters is the most
troublesome part of the receiver's duty ; even now the
average of letters dropt"into the boxes of the Cornhill,
Strand, and Charing-Cross districts, exceeds 1,000 per
diem.

2. Again, are the public prepared to be deprived of
the advantages of posting their letters on Sundays, and
at those times when the receiver's office is closed ?

3. But the most important consideration still remains.
It is this, that you will leave the public and the Post-
office at the mercy of the honesty of the receiver.
Suppose, for instance, a tradesman posts 500 circulars,
the postage at Id. will amount to about 21.—what gua-
rantee, what check have you upon the receiver that he
will not destroy the half, and thus pocket 11. ; and a
very little experience will enable him to ascertain
when he can do so with impunity. I do not wish to
reflect for a single moment on the characters of the re-
ceives, who are a very respectable class of tradesmen ;
but it must be remembered that they are compelled to
entrust the deliveryof their letters to their assistants; and
i as a receiver (and I have heard many receivers express
the same feelings) should feel very lath to undertake the
duties and be thus exposed to risk from tempations that
will be thrown in the way of my assistants. Mr. Hill's plan
of registration is a most excellent check upon. the car-
rier, but none at all upon the receiver. Tue only check
will be found in the adhesive stamps on the stamped
covers. Exactly the same argument applies to the
check upon the country Postmasters.
Lastly, the public must remember that under the
plan of paying the penny to the receiver it will not only
be necessary to maintain the most expensive depart-
ment in the Post-office, the accountant's department,
but that the expense of this department, far from being
diminished, will be increased : for proof of this see
. Postage Report. There will also be another source of
expense, for if the receiver has to take the penny, his
attention must be continually directed to the letters, to
the neglect of his business. The consequence will he,
that their salaries must not only be doubled, but even
trebled, to make it worth their while to have an assist-
ant solely to attend to the letters.

I hope these few• facts will induce the public to pause
before they dstroy the efficacy- of this most important
plan by hastily aNpting the plausible, but at the same
time the most objectionable, plan of the stationers ; let
them i ead the forcible evidence of the merchants and
others upon the advantages of repayment by stamps, and
then reflect.

A RECEIVER.

THE CYCLOPS STEAM-FRIGATE.

This magnificent vessel, the largest steam man-of-war
in the world, was launched from Pembroke Dockyard a
few days ago. Her dimensions are as follows:—Length
225 feet, beam between paddles 38 feet, depth of hold 21
feet. Her tonnage is about 1,300, being 200 tons larger
than the Gorgon, launched from the same slip about
eighteen months since. Her equipment, as a man-of-war,
will be the same in all respects as a frigate, having a com-
plete gun or main deck, as well as an upper or quarter
deck. On the main deck she will carry eighteen long
36-pounders, and on the upper deck four 48-pounders, and
two 96-pounders on swivels, carrying a ball of ten inches
diameter, and sweeping round the horizon 240 degrees.
The Cyclops, like the vessel already referred to, will be
commanded by a Post Captain, these two being the only
steamers taking frigates' rank. Her crew will consist of
210 men, twenty engineers and stokers, and a lieutenant's
party of marines, who will i.ave charge of the guns, all of
which move upon slides and fixed pivots, thereby taking a
much wider range than the ordinary carriage can give.
She will be schooner-rigged, but her foremast will be of
the same scantling and height as that of a 36-gun frigate.
Her draught of water, with all on board, including six
months' provisions, completely armed, and with twenty
days' fuel, will be fifteen feet. This quantity of fuel (400
tons) will be carried in the engine room, but there is space
in the fore and after holds for 10 days' more coal, making
in all sufficient fuel fora thirty days' run. She has an orlop
deck below the gun deck, of dimensions so magnificent that
there is room to stow with comfort 800 troops and their
officers, so that, taking her all in all, the Cyclops may be
considered the most powerful vessel in her Majesty's ser-

vice.

The Cyclops has been built in six months, under the
immediate inspection of Mr. William Eyde, master builder
of Pembroke-yard, from drawings and plans prepared by
his brother, Mr. John Eyde, the able assistant of Sir W.
Symonds, surveyor of the navy, upon whose principle,
namely, the combining of the sailing and steaming proper-
ties, this vessel has been constructed. The Gorgon, already
mentioned, is also built upon the same plan, and so admi.
rably has it succeeded that when on the coast of Spain that
vessel not only eclipsed all that competed with her while
under steam, but in a trial of 300 miles under canvass
in a stiff breeze beat the celebrated Pantaloon, heretofore
supposed to be the fastest man-of-war brig afloat. Since
the Gorgon was built experience has dictated many improve-
ments, and these have been introduced into the Cyclops.
The Cyclops will be docked in Sheerness dockyard on
the 30th instant, and, after remaining there for a few days,
will proceed to the-manufactory of Messrs. Seaward at
l%lillwall, Poplar, to receive her engines, which will be of
320-horse power, on the principle which, in the case of the
Gorgon, has proved so successful, that the Lords of the
Admiralty have given orders for five more pairs of engines
upon :he same plan for as many frigates.
Half-a-dozen such steamers would do three times as
much work as the same number of line-of-battle ships.
Twelve years ago Lord Cochrane maintained that a few
well-appointed steamers would suffice to keep in check op-
posing fleets in the Mediterranean, and, if we may judge
from appearances, a short time only will elapse before the
experiment is tried. The Gorgon is commissioned by
Captain C. Henderson, K. C. 8., who has already served
with distinction on the coast of Spain in the Phcenix and Sa-
lamander, and is to proceed to the Mediterranean forthwith.

DINNER AT THE ROYAL ACADEMY ON
CLOSING THY EXHIBITION.—On Wednesday the 71st
anniversary dinner, at the closing of this Exibition, Was
held in the Great Saloon of the Academy. The company
on these occasions is composed entirely of Members of the
Academy and Exhibitors. Among the artists present,
besides the President, were Sir David Wilkie, C. L.
Eastlake, C. R. Cockerel), J. M. W. Turner, Alfred A.
Chalon, W. Pickersgill, Edwin Landseer, Thomas Uwins,
William Mu!ready, Abraham Cooper, W. Wyan, Thomas
Phillips, Richard R. Reinagle, G. Jones, E. H. Bailey,
and F. R. Lee, Royal Academicians. The Associates
present were John J. Chalon, Robert Groves, J. A. Hart,
Charles Landseer, R. J. Lane, William E. Ross, Charles
Turner, and \V.R TivaWnsit,hefoihngntolinv.oodT,hFe.restvteornee,al4o...prse-.
sent Messrs. R.
Taylor, J. Dyce, R. Redgrave, F. R. Lang, Henry Loss,
W. Linton, &c. Sir F. Cbantry and Sir Augustus W.
Calcott were unable to attend from temporary illness. At
six o'clock, Sir M. A. Shee took theChaisrt,yale.
and an elegant
dinner was served up in a very handsome
ACCIDENT AT LORD Y.ARBOROLIGH'S MALT-
soLmum.—On Tuesday last several ladies and gentlemen
made up a picnic party to visit this favourite spot. As
they were descending from the top of the mausoleum we
regrot to state that an unfortunate and, we fear, serious RC-
eident happened to Mr. Harward, son of the Vicar of
\Vorksworth, Derbyshire, who, coming down an almost
perpendicular lasider; missed his footing, and fell a height
of 20 feet. He alighted en his head. We lament to say
that he still 'kilt a precarious state.—Boston Herald.
Grtowrii:Cii• COTTON.—In the year 1701,
the amount of cotton exported from the United States was
183,316 lb. ; in 1793, it was 1,960,000 ib. ; in 1804, it
a, 27,501,075 lb. ; in 1819, it was 87 997,045 lb. ; in
1820, it ,as 127,860,132 lb ; in 1830, it was 298,459,102. b.
The amount exported in 1838 was upwards of 629 000,000 lb,
leaving for home consumetion 93.000,000 lb. ; the whole
crop being estimated at 737.000,000 lb., which, at 14 cents
per lb., would be worth more than 100,000,000 dollars.
This is a greater amount than was ever produced from all
the gold and silver mines in the world in one year.