The Sun.
London, England, 1837-08-30 00:00:00

TORY ARITHMETIC AND LOtAC.

(PROM A CORRESPONDENT.)
The Times having first asserted that the Irish majority
consisted of the " nominees of O'Connell," and having been
upset by the "facts" of the Chronicle, proving that the
new Members were anything but Mr. O'Connell's " nomi-
nees," now " jumps Jim Crow," and finds out, that although
Mr. O'Connell's friends are less numerous than before in
the body of Irish Members, yet that as part of that body
are attached to him, these Members constitute the Minis-
terial majority of the whole House !!!
Upon this ingenious plan, any two-score or so of Mem-
bers may be proved to be the " majority." We have only
to set them apart from the rest, and having arranged the
remainder of the House into two equal masses, exclaim—
" Thus it is clear, that the Members we have selected are
those who constitute the Ministerial majority."
Let us borrow a leaf out of our adversaries' book, and
maintain, that as we have enough of other Members to
balance the Conservatives. Our majority ofthirty-four con-
sists of the sixteen Metropolitan Members (representing
near two millions of people), with the representatives of
Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham,
Coventry, Sheffield, Nottingham, and Cork, containing
nearly a million and a half more ! !
In logic as in legislation, " what is good for the goose
is good for the gander."

BALLOON ASCENT FOR THE
BENEFIT OF MRS. COCKING.

DESCENT OF TWO PARACHUTES.—Yesterday evening
Mrs. Graham made an ascent from the gardens of the Mer-
maid Tavern, Hackney, in her Royal Victoria balloon, for
the benefit of the widow of the late Mr. Cocking. Attached
to the balloon were two parachutes, which were exact
models of those used by M. Garnerin and Mr. Cocking, the
descent of which was intended to show the comparative
safety of their particular structure. The parachutes were
made of cotton, the frame-work of cane.
In an apartment of the tavern were exhibited the model
of Mr. Cocking's parachute, manufactured by himself ;
likewise several models of balloons, and other things con-
nected with Wrostation, also the work of that unfortunate
gentleman. In one corner of the room were placed the
remains of the parachute with which Mr. Cocking made
his rash experiment.
In consequence of the unfavourable state of the weather
the gardens yi ere not well attended, there not being more
than eight hundred people present, and that number, we
should think, scarcely sufficient to pay the expenses in-
curred ; therefore, as far as benefit is concerned, it must
be considered a total ;allure.
About a quarter past six the inflation of the balloon being
completed, a bar of wood was placed across the car, along
the upper surface of which ran a cord, passing through
holes at each extremity. To the ends of the cords were
attached the respective parachutes ; so that by cutting the
cord in the centre, they would descend at the same mo-
ment. All the arrangements being completed, Mrs.
Graham entered the car, accompanied by a Mr. John
Adams, and the balloon ascended in very beautiful style.
Having attained an altitude of six or seven hundred feet,
Mrs. Graham cut the cord which supported the parachutes,
and they descended at the same moment. It was some
seconds before the model of M. Garnerin's parachute
opened, and when it did, the oscillation complained of on
the occasion of the actual descent of that gentleman took
place ; that of Mr. Cocking was somewhat slower in its
descent, and very steady. The parachutes fell in the
grounds of a gentleman very near the place of ascent, and
were shortly after brought back to the gardens.