The Sun.
London, England, 1839-03-29 00:00:00

CIRCASSIA.

ST. PLTERSBURGII, MARCH Ig.—According to our
last accounts from Tiflis, the war with the Circassians
is far from being at an end. The emissaries sent by
General Golowine into Abasia, to ascertain the inten-
tions of the chiefs of the tribes, have been told by them
that the sky should give way and the catth fall to pieces
b:•fore the Circassians consented to become the friends
of the Muscovites. The Abasian Princes have deputed
Plenipotentiary Ministers to Constantinople, to propose
to the Sultan to redog,nise his authority, and offer to pay
him a yearly tribute, to furnish a contingent of cavalry,
and maintain a Turkish Governor in Abasia at their
own expense, on condition of his defending them against
the Russians.

On the other hand, these Princes would not allow
Mr. Bell to leave Lhe country, as they consider him the
representative of England. They lately declared to
him that if Great Britain would assist them in an effi-
cacious manner, and supply them with arms, warlike
s!or.2s, and officers, they would not only oppose any
attempt of Russia against British India, but would
excite a revolt in Georgia and in the country of the
Cossackg.

This intelligence so exasperated the Empe.or Ni-
cholas, that he ordered General Golowine to wage ex-
terminating war against the Circassians, amd lay waste
the entire country. The Emperor recommends that
officer to avoid all conflict with the mountaineers, to
blockade the coast much closer, and promisei large re-
compenses to every Circassian who would betray his
country and join the Russian ranks.
The order of the Emperor for this destructive war
has been officially published in St. Petershurgli.—COM-
MOTE%

NUMISMATIC SOClETY.—Yesterday evening,
the ordinary meeting was held at the apartments of the
Royal Astronomical Society, in Somerset House., Doctor
Lee, F. R. S., President, in the Chair. Amongst the pre-
ants announced and exhibited, was a medal struck to com-
memorate the Centenary of the Royal Old Well, at Chel-
tenham, of which a memoir was read by the Rev. Mr.
Turner ; a Dinar of the Emperor Otto 1., who hved be-
tween 936 and 973 A. D., front Mr. Feaster ; as also some
coins, of which was a rare gold ducat, from the Mint at
Zurich. The last had the effigy of Charlemagne, bearded
and bare-headed, sitting over a globe, and or, the other
side figures of St. Felix and St. Regula, standing with their
heads in their hands. This, which was the symbol of the
martyrdom which they suffered, and thus represented by
ancient artists, has given rise to a popular superstitious no.
tion that saints who were decapitated, after taking up their
heads, walked with them in their hands for some distance.
Several new members were elected, amongst whom were
Lord Carrington, Lord Albert Conyngham, M.P., Mr
C. R. Smith, M.P., Mc. Prinsrp, of .
sod
Viscount Santarem, a distingttUcd Portuguese rtun'tism
tilt, was proposed as an honorary member,

EVENING EDITION.

THE CORN-LAWS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Sin,—Having prepared, at the request of several
influential and highly respectable townsmen, an address
to the Queen, relative to the conduct of certain Mem-
bers of the Administration on the subject of the Corn-
laws, and having observed with pleasure the independent
spirit, zeal, and ability which you have shown in de-
nouncing those obnoxious and unjust laws, I am induced
to transmit you a copy of the address, believing that
you would gladly avail yourself of the opportunity of
giving it publicity in your columns, and of recommend-
ing a similar course of proceeding in other places, as an
eligible mode of carrying -on the agitation of this most
important and vital question.
The petition is in course of signature.
I aiti, Sir, your obedient servant,
WILLIAM BIRKIN.
Derby, March 21, 1839.

"To the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty. The
Honourable and Dutiful Address and Petition of the

undersigned Inhabitants of Derby.
" MOST GRACIOUS SOVEREIGN—WC, your Majesty s
loyal and devoted subjects, most humbly approach your
Majesty with sentiments of unfeigned and dutiful respect
for y our Royal person and authority, and with the
warmest assurances of faithful attachment to those prin-
ciples which established your illustrious family on the
throne of these realms.
" We feel convinced that your Majesty is duly im-
pressed with the truth of this great and essential prin-
ciple, thAf it is the duty, and ought to be the primary
object of every Government, to promote the general.
welfare and happiness of the community : not to support
the peculi r or exclusive interests of a ericileged few, to
the prejudice of the many ; but to secure the greatest
possible good to the greatest number.
" We beg to assure your Majesty that we have
been hitherto firm and zealous supporters of
your Majesty's Government ; entertaining, as we
have done, the confident and pleasing expectation
that, under their wise
_and judicious councils, a liberal
and enlightened policy would lead to the correction of
errors, the reformation of abuses, the alleviation of the
public burthens, and a general amelioration of the con-
dition of the people ; that the ingenuity and industry of
an active and intelligent population might be duly re-
warded ; and that the auspicious reign of your Ma-
jesty might be duly crowned with the greatest glory of
a constitutional sovereign—the ardent love and attach-
ment of a free, prosperous, and happy nation.
" We humbly submit to your Majesty's most gracious
consideration, that the products of the earth, intended
for the sustenance of man, ought to be easily accessible
to all, from whatever sources they may spring ; and that
any laws that impose restrictions upon the supply of
food which they might obtain by the exertions of their
labour, are unjust, tyrannical, and oppressive. That the
exchange of produce between nations whose fertile lands
yield abundance of corn, and those whose skill and in-
dustry produce aeticles of manufacture, should be free
as the air that we breathe, to supply their reciprocal
wants. And that the cower of making arbitrary laws
which tax the labours of" industrious millions by en-
hancing the price of food, for the benefit of a few
thousands of wealthy individuaio, is a direct interference
with the bountiful dispensations of an all-wise Provi-
dence, and ought nowhere to exist.
• " We are desirous of impressing upeen your Majesty
our firm conviction of the baneful tender' y of the ex-
is;ing Corn-laws. Enacted solely for the purpose of
enabling the landowners to exact high rents, tiey press.
heavily upon all other classes of the community. foreign
nations Compete with us successfully in various brandies
of manufacture ; tile demand for labour is diminished ;-
scarcity of employment causes a reduction of wages ;
the working population, the main source of wealth, have
to contend with the twofold evils of small earnings and
dear food, and are fast sinking into paupetism and
ruin. Thus the vital energies of the country are gra-
dually verging to decay.
We now find, with pain and regret, that several of
your Majesty's Ministers, regardless alike of the suffer-
ings of the poor, and of the alarming consequences of
these unjust and odious laws, are 'decidedly hostile to
their abolition ; and we consider such men as being un-
fit to be intrusted with the destinies of a great nation.
We, therefore, most humbly, but earnestly, entreat your
Majesty to withhold your confidence from all statesmen
who will not heartily join in effecting their total and
unconditional repeal : a measure which, we feel as-
sured, would greatly tend to insure the peace, happi-
ness, and prosperity of the country.

The combined armies of Austria, Prussia, and
the Germanic Confederation amount, according to the
calculations of the Frankfort paper, to 1,400,000 men--
700,000 furnished by Austria, 400,000 by Prussia, and
300,000 by the other States of the Confederation.
LONGEVITY.—At the recent trial of the case of
the Earl of Beverley v. Tuke, at the York assizes, the
total ages of twenty-seven witnesses, who proceeded by the
packet, was computed by a passenger at 2,111—making an
Average of 78 for each passenger. They varied from 96
to 70.

We have been favoured with the following par-
ticulars of some experiment, on fi.-iog gunpowder under
water by the voltaic battery, tried on Saturday last at
Chatham A rough fir vessel, 5 feet long, 3} feet
wide, and 2i- feet deep, was previously sunk opposite the
Gun Wherf, to represent the wreck of a ship, having a
ring and lines attached to it, which are supposed to be
placed by a diver after the vessel has been sunk. 2. A
charge of 40Ib. of powder was let down from a boat and
hauled into close contact with the supposed wreck, by
means of the lines and ring above. mentioned. The coil
i
containing the conducting wires, one-fifth of an inch n
diameter, by which this charge was fired, was veered
out to its whole length of five hundred feet, from
the same boat. 3. On the signal being given
from the boat by a bugle to denote that all was
ready, the signal to fire was made also by the bugle. The
explosion succeeded admirably. A column of water was
thrown up by it, and the fragments of the vesssel came up
to the surface. 4 Three charges, each of 51bs. of powder,
were sunk at the distance of 30 or 40 feet from each other,
opposite to the Gun Wharf, having a pair of connecting
wires 150 feet long attach -d to each. The ends of these
wires were soldered together by threes, and brought to the
two poles of the voltaic battery, which had previously been
removed from the boat after the first operation, and
placed on the wharf, by which the charges were
fired simultaneously, after two bugle sounds, as be'
fore. Tao of the three charges were exploded simulta-
neously, and the third was prevented from doing so by a
fracture in one of the conducting wires. The battery used
was of Professor Daniel's improved construction. The
wires in the last experiment were common copper bell-
wires, about a 16th of an inch in diameter, which were
only used from not having any more of the former &scrip.
tion. The experiments succeeded perfectly, and to the
great delight of thousands of spectators. As we stated in
our last, they were preparatory to blowing to pieces the
Royal George, which was wrecked at Spithead, in 1782, and
which has a number of very valuable brass guns, of large
calibre, on board of her, all of which will be recovered
after the demolition of the wreck.—Maidstone Journal.

PAUPER SHlP.—This nuisance is discontinued
r as will be seen by the following letter addressed to the
Churchwardens aid Overseers of St. Margaret and St.
John, Westminster :—" Duke-street, Westminster, March
• 25.—Gentlemen,—As chairman of a committee of Justices,
appointed by the Court of Session of the Peace, to inquire
into the treatment generally of the Scotch and Irish paupers
on board the reception ship, and to make such temporary
arrangement as might appear necessary, I have to inform you
that the Committee have arranged with Mr. Baker, the con-
tractor, that the use of the receiving ship shall be entirely
discontinued on the 29th instant, and that after that day
the Irish paupers shall be forwarded to Mr. Baker, at his
office, No. 6, Lower East Smithfield ; and the Scotch
paupers to Mr. Adorns, the Agent of the London,
Leith, Edinburgh, and Glasgow Shipping Company,
at their office near St. Katherine's Dock, on the days
on which the vessels provided for their conveyance
shall sail ; Mr. Baker being paid twenty-five shillings for
the conveyance and maintenance of each Irish pauper ;
and Mr. Adams the same sums as heretofore. It will
therefore be necessary, when orders shall have been
signed for the removal of any Scotch paupers, that the
constable shall proceed, as soon after as may be, to Mr•
Adams at the Company's office, with the orders, pay him
the fare, and get a ticket stating the day on which the
vessel is to sail, by which the paupers are to go, and
convey them on board accordingly ; and when order;
shall have been signed for the removal of any Irish
paupers immediate notice must be sent, post paid, to Mr;
Baker, containing the names and ages of the paupers ; and
Mr. Baker will send in return notice of the day and hour
when the constables are to bring them to his office for the
purpose of being shipped ; and the constables, if Mr.
Baker should require it, are to put the paupers into the
boats which are to convey them to the ship. I am, Gen-
tlemen, your obedient servant, C. A. TULK. "
STOPPAGES ON THE RI vER.---WednesdaY
about noon a great many ships, steamers, and small craft
were coming up the River through that part of the Pool_
where three large vessels are moored nearly in the middle of
the stream, to protect the Thames Tunnel, and prevent any
disturbance of the works, or the grounding of vessels over
that.part where the men are excavating. Tie wind .7
blowing fresh from the west, and owing to the obi:rue"„11:
here
put caused by the Tunnel's brigs, several steamers and ships ;Yer
put by, and others ran foul of each other. One brig lost be).
bowsprit owing to another vessel, which also sustained dt
mage, going right athwart of her. Another ship, bark
rigged, run foul of a sloop, drove in her bulwarks, an t
caused some other mischief. The Earl of Liverpool was Po
by for about thic(t. quarters of an hour, and was obliged Le
bring up stern foremost. The Batavier (Dutch steam-
ship) was also detained for a considerable time, and laid
right athwart the tide off Wapping dock. For nearly an
hour there was a good deal of confusion among the sk P
ping, and muchsletay, owing to the navigation being Ira"
peded by the, vessels moored by the Tunnel Compol;
The three brigs and the pager-ship off WaPPing ne
Stair.,, are a great nuisance, and cause frequent accidneing
and stoppages. Sometimes at low water ships ground
mid-channel over the Tunnel, and have to remain nut.
the tide rises and floats them off. Loud and frequent corn'
plaints are made by masters and pilots of the obstruction
s•
before eleven
se loefv
ye
we
Johnston:ehvee
COMMUNICATION WITH ENGLAND.--A
sdthf
These Papers were conveyed from Liverpool by !II
en s o'clockel.d ay t h thisr
ugfohretnhoeciAnie
to the
chess of Kent, one of the splendid vessels belongingificr t.i.
, .
•,_T y of Gu, At twenty n.ioute:, post.
this aiternooti, the same Jouiniiis arrived through the
ry
office delivery.—Dublin Eecning Mail of Wednesday.