The Sun.
London, England, 1839-12-05 00:00:00

SIR,— Two years have now elapsed since the
destruction of this edifice by fire ; we have beard
of the meetings of the Gresham Committee to in-
quire into the cause of the fire—to apply to Go-
vernment for an Act of Parliament to extend the
building, and impose an unjust tax upon coals to
the amount of 150,0001.—advertisements to archi-
tects to send in plans for inspection, but not one
of the large number sent in is deemed worthy of
adoption.
But in the meanwhile no voice has been raised
in behalf of the suffering tenantry who, so sud-
denly ejected from the places they for so many
years had occupied, and in which their connection
had been formed, were dispersed in all directions, in
many, nay most cases, to their great discomfort, to
the almost total breaking up of their connection,
and the stoppage of their casual custom, and who,
paying most exorbitant rents, and under every in-
convenience, see that time wasted in which a new
building might have been nearly raised. The state
of this class of persons is truly pitiable, and de-
mands the prompt exertions of the Gresham Com-
mittee to procure their speedy restoration. One of
them has sunk into a state of perfect stupor; an-
other, for many years a stanch supporter of Reform,
to his loss in purse and business, has through this
sad visitation been reduced to the Gazette for want
of a little timely aid ; a third died of a broken heart,
in hopeless despair of seeing a new building erected ;
and others are trembling on the brink of ruin.
Surely this distressing state of things ought to
rouse some public spirited member of the Greshaiii
Committee to urge 0-em to action, and not to allow
the erection of an edifice of such paramount public
importance to be thus delayed and trifled with, more
particularly when they reflect on the number there
are whose future existence depends upon it.
A CITIZEN.

TOTE OF THANKS TO THE LATE

LORD MAYOR.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,-I concur most fully with you in the very
able and excellent remarks in your Journal of Fri-
day last, upon the proceedings of the Court of
Common Council with regard to the vote of thanks
to the late Lord Mayor. One gentleman finds fault
because his Lordship inquired as to the cause of
the dilatory proceedings of a Committee of the
Court, " such an inquiry not having beer. made for
twenty-one years" ! ! Another—Mr. Rogeis—sees
no reason why anything more than a common vote
of thanks should be given, " he having done no-
thing more than his duty." I know not who this
Mr. Rogers is, or where he resides, which obliges
me to request a corner in your Journal, for the pur-
pose of suggesting to this Common Councillor the
propriety of inserting advertisements in The news-
papers for contracts to furnish the Corporation with
votes of thanks ready framed and glazed—one for
those who do " nothing more than their duty," and
another fur those who do "not do their duty." Lord
Mayors will then know what they have to look for-
ward to, and as I understand these votes have, for
many years past cost the City a sum of sixty gui-
neas each, it will tend to save the Corporation funds,
and prevent a similar loss of time in discussing a
subject which appears to have consumed so large a
portion .on the last Court day.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
NO COMMON COUNCILMAN.
Dec. 4, 1839.

NORTH DERBY.—The Derbyshire Chronicle,
gives the following general-summary of the state of the
registered votes :—Clear gain to Liberals in 1837 and
1838 over and above all Tory gain in the same period,
54 ; clear gain to Liberals in 1839, over and above all
Tory gain in the same year, 389 ; total gain to Liberal;
since last election, 443. Electors who have not voted,
and whose politics are unknown to the revising
agents, 161 (no account is taken of these 161 electors,
either as loss or gain to the Liberal interest ; but as
most of them are in the High Peak, where the registra-
tion has been greatly in favour of the Liberals, it is but
fair to infer that the larger portion of them are of Li-
beral politics.) Majority for Cavendish at the last
election 833, ditto for Evans, 493.
COVENT GARDEN THEATRE.—." Love" and
the Beggars' Opera continue nightly to win to this
theatre audiences full almost to crowding. It is but
justice to the former to add, that this occurs, for the most
part, before the second price. The opera has lost no-
thing of its attractions by Miss Rainforth's appearance in
the character of Polly. This is not only the most suc-
cessful performance of that young lady, but deserves to
be considered one of the best personations of that fa-
vourite character produced on our stage since the loss of
Miss Stephens.
ADMIRALTY SURVEY OF THE AYRSHIRE
COAST.—Some of our readers may not be aware that
a survey of this coast, under the superintendence of
Captain Robinson, R.N., who last year completed a
similar survey of the Solway, has been going on during
the summer, aided by a Government steamer, stationed
here for the purpose. The labours of the party are
now brought to a close for the season, and, notwithstand-
ing the unfavourable weather experienced throughout
the greater part of the time, considerable progress has
been made, the coast-line having been completed from
the Mull of Galloway to the northward of Ayr, with
plans, on an enlarged scale, of the various harbours,
including Loch Ryan. The soundings have been ac-
complished from the Bay of Luce to the mouth of the
Clyde, with the whole of the " Basin of the Clyde."
We, therefore (on the completion of the coast-line),
may look for the publication of an accurate chart of this
frequented coast, for which we have long sought in
vain. The velocity and direction of the tides, depth,
and nature of the bottom, have been paid particular
attention to ; the result of which, we understand, will
enable Captain Robinson to form some law to assist the
navigator in knowing his position on entering the Firth,
when no lights are visible. The facility rendered by
the Board of Admiralty, in providing a steam-boat for
Captain Robinson's operations, has tended greatly to-
wards the fulfilment of this desirable object.—Caledo-
nian Mercury.
SOMETHING NEW.—At a meeting held this
week in Paisley, of a number of individuals belonging
to tho Total Abstinence Society, it was resolved to
form a Friendly Society for persons who abstain from
all intoxicating liquors, Total Abstinence to be the sine
qua non of membership, and a breach of said pledges to
involve the loss of privileges. Similar societies have
been established in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Greenock,
and are succeeding very well.
FIRE IN 03croaD-sTßEET.—Tuesday evening,
about eight o'clock, a fire broke out in the extensive
upholstery and cabinet manufactory of Jackson and
Graham, in Peny's-place, Oxford-street. Most fortu-
nately it was discovered almost immediately, but not
before part of the valuable stock was much injured and
a portion of it destroyed. By great exertions on the
part of a number of workmen who were just about
leaving the premises, the fire was speedily got under.
Messrs. Jackson and Graham are insured in the Sun,
Phcenix, and Globe offices. The fire was confined to
the premises in the rear.
THUNDER.—M. Arago, from some researches
he has made, believes that it never thunders in the
open sea, or in islands beyond 75 deg. of latitude north,
and he thinks the same holds good on continents. An
attempt has been made to question this by M. Baer,
before the Petersburg Academy of Sciences ; but he
does not seem to have succeeded, as the single instance
brought forwerd, in a six years and a quarter's resi-
dence at Spitzberg, is not well substantiated.—Railway
Magazine.
FIRE If N THE CUSTOM-HOUSE, DUSLIN%—
Monday last a fire broke out in the Custom-house, but
was fortunaiely discovered and extinguished in time
sufScient to prevent the destruction of property to, per-
haps, a still greater amount than even that upon the
occasion of the burning of the Custom-house stores
some years back. From the trivial nature of the
damage the matter did not obtain publicity at the time,
but circumstances connected with the case having trans-
pired, led to the supposition that the fire was the act of
an incendiary. In consequence, an inquiry was held in
the Custom-house on Saturday, and a number of work-
men attached to the establishment were brought for-
ward and exanined. The matter elicited on the gves•
tigation led to the arrest of two individuals on the same
evening. Their names are, James Ryan, formerly
storekeeper in the Custom-house, and discharged from
the situation in July last ; the other, John Reilly, a
workman about the establishment. The prisoners un-
derwent an examination, after which they were re-
manded for further examination.—Freeenan's Journal.
ROBBERIES IN TIIE LAW COURTS.—One of
the attorneys attending the Sheriff's Court on Tuesday in
Red Lion-square was robbed of his hat, and a "shock-
ing had one" was left in its place. This system of
plunder is carried to a considerable extent in the Courts
during Term time.