The Sun.
London, England, 1839-05-27 00:00:00

DEVONPORT.

On Tuesday last, a numerous meeting of the inhabi-
tants of Devonport, took place pursuant to requis.tion,
for the purpose of addressing her Majesty on the late
ungracious attempt to remove her Household ; and also
to congratulate her Majesty on the firmness displ,yed
by her on that occasion.
Godalming, Falmouth, Tonbridge, and other places,
too numerous for detailed statement. have approached
the Throne with declarations of attachment to her Ma-
jesty, confidence in her Ministers, and hopes of a real
Reform.

Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to
confer on the Rev. Mr. Lacy the rectory i.f
vacant by the promotion of the Rev. Dr. Dovys to the See
of Peterborough.
PICKING POCKETS AT THE QUEEN'S DRAW-
ING Roost.—Several young men aid boys were brought
to Queen square Office upon charges of picking pockets
in St. James's Park. Some of them being clear cases of
felony, the parties were committed for trial, and others
were remanded until a future day. In none of the cases
had a robbery of any amount taken place.
STICKING PEAS.—The following mode of
sticking peas, especially the taller varieties, is both cheap
and simple, and possesses many advantages. Procure
some strong thick stakes or thin poles, in length according
to the height of the peas, from five to ten feet, and drive
them into the ground on each side of the row, at the
distance of three or four yards; pass a small line along
the poles, taking a turn on each within a few inches of
the ground, and as the peas advance, raise the next
turn a little higher, and so in succession, till they
have attained their full height. Sew the tendrils of the
peas and truss them round these lines, by which they will
be supported in a better manner than by the common me-
thod of sticking. When spread regularly along the lines,
they have a fine circulation of air, and pods can be pulled
at all times without injuring the loailm, and as the birds
have no twigs to alight on, the portion of the crop which
they otherwise would devour and destroy is saved. Al:
excellent way to preserve peas or beans from mice is to
chop up the tops of the last year's shoots of furze, and sow
them in drills ; the author has known it to have been an
effectual remedy in several instances, where these mischie-
vous little animals had been very prevalent.—Vegetask
Cultivator, by John Rogers.
SOUTH SEA ISLANDS.—Amidst those clus-
ters of islands, containing a population known to exceed a
million, and perhaps of several millions, a change of un-
equalled importance, because affecting so large a mass of
mankind, has been begun within the last 40 years, and hi,s
been almost imperceptibly going forward. The first attempt
made for their conversion was in 1797 ; for 17 years the
work appeared to make no progress, and in Europe no
other notion was entertained of these people than that
they were idolaters and cannibals, and their country a rude
and barbarous wilderness, without arts, without commerce,
without civilization, and without the rudiments of Chris-
tianity. Such was the estimate, not inaccurately formed,
of their state twenty years ago. Within this brief space,
under no other agency than the influence of Christian
truth, they have conveyed a cargo of idols to the depot
of the Missionary Society in London ; they have become
factors to furnish our vessels with provisions, and merchants
to deal with us in the agricultural growth of their own
country. Their language is reduced to writing, and they
have gained the knowledge of letters. They have, many
of them, emerged from the tyranny of the will of their
chiefs into the proteevon of a written law, abounding
with liberal and enlightened principles, and 200,000 of them
are reported to have embraced Christianity.

STATE OF THE LEGISLATURE : TAKE HEED.
—lt is peculiarly unfortunate, that, at a conjuncture when
the number and magnitude of the affairs which press
upon the consideration of the Legislature, require
its members to display more comprehensive views
and greater resolution and activity that at any an-
tecedent period of our history, both Houses of
Parliament, and especially the House of Commons,
should debate so much and settle so little. Instead
of displaying the energy and foresight which charac-
terize statesmen, or the dispatch which belongs to
men of business, nothing whatever is done which can,
by possibility, be deferred ; and what is done is done
in haste, and done badly. In this state of the great
council of the nation it can hardly be expected, that
the law, or the administration of justice, should meet
with more close or continuous attention than other
affairs of equal moment. Some relief is given, more
is promised, and with this the executive servants of the
Crown think the country ought to be contented. But the
extent of public patience may be overrated. Those official
persons who thrik that the safest course for them is to remain
as passive and quiescent as they can, who calculate, that, with
some pmendutents and additions, the same system of law
and judicature which has already lasted so lon,, will last
their time or for ever, take a very imperfect survey
of the scene which lies before them. Their position and
that of their predecessors is essentially different. As
the mass of the people become more intelligent, law
and legal proceedings are scanned by greater num-
bers and with greater keenness ; as litigants become
more poor and less submissive, costs of suit are
paid with greater difficulty and reluctance ; while the
movranenis of Courts of Justice, but especial:), of
Courts of Equity, unhappily become more slow at the very
moment those of every other broch of bu,iines arc, bi,com.
mg more expeditious These concurring causes stifficPuitiy
p •int Out the propriety of setting s;ru nod a)sterati-
eijly -shout a rev'SlJ of every branch of :.he jurisairode•.ce
of the country heron. it be too tate. —Miller on thi? Unset.
tled Condition of the Law. _ _

The Town-council of Faversham (a Cinque
Port) has directed that '° a letter be written to the Mayor
of Dover, expressive of their disapprobation of his con-
duct in writing to his Grace the Duke of Wellington,
inviting him to a banquet in the name of the Cinque Ports
and their members, they not having been consu'ted, and
also soliciting the Earl of Winchilsca to take the chair,
the Earl not being a freeman of the Ports, 'tor in any way
connected with them, and that it is their opinion that a
Mayor of one of the Purts is the most proper person to
preside.
Yesterday morning, at a quarter to two o'clock, an
alarming fire, which at one time threatened destruction to
the adjoining dwelling house, broke out at the residence
of Mrs. Battersby, No. 35, Norfolk-street, Strand. The
flames were first seen issuing from one of the top story
windows, the frame of which was then entirely burned to a
cinder. An alarm .was immediately given by the police,
and the inmates aroused. Fortunately no one was sleep-
ing in the room where the fire broke out. A scene, how-
ever, of the greatest confusion ensued ; the inhabitants
therein, as well as those of the houses on each side, mak-
ing a precipitate retreat in their night dresses to an hotel
nearly_ opposite. Several engines shortly arriving, the fire
was prevented from spreading, and in about twenty minutes
was entirely subdued, being only confined to the floor on
which it broke out, which was entirely gutted.
ENGLISH. LAWS AND LEGISLATION.—Ruff-
head's edition of the Statutes, brought down to 1833,
new extends to thirty-two immense quarto volumes,
while the progress of original, aniendirg, re-amending,
explanatory, and consolidating acts e loch they con-
tain, from the time of King John to Queen Viet iria,
present a labyrinth cf legislation wive!) has near];
become intolerable. No man can confidently say
what the Statute law is on alino,t, any ene subjects
In proof of the extrememe ignorance or carelessness
with wilier) Acts are prepared and ir,ssed, it is only n,ecs-
sary to turn to the schedule ennexed to the latest Post-
office Act, which is 1 Vtct., c. 32. It contains no fewer
than six erroneous or superfluous notices on matters of a
statutory nature. It repeals the 1 Wit. and Ma., sesa. 6.
c. 3. No such Session is upon record. It repeals 25 Gco.
111 , c. 57 ; which was previteisly el,ealed by 3 Geo IV. , c
126. s. 1. It repeals 43 Geo, 111., c 31; which was repealed
ha 46 Geo. 111., c. 142. s 1 It, repeals 43 G-'o. 111. c
~,
Liu; wh ch was repelled by 10 Geo. IV., c. 26, S. 1.
repeals 49 Geo. l 11,, c. 45, which was repealed by' II
Geo IV. and 1 Wil, IV. c. 20, s. 1 And it repeals 7
and 8 Geo. IV , c. 58; which was reeled by 9 Geo.
IV., c 60, s. 1 Examples of similar and more material
nii,eeltes might t,e accumulated to any extent, and under
every h=ad of regulation and enactment,, from the same
inexhaurtible storehouse.—Miller on the Unsettled Condi-
" lion of the Law.

SUDDEN DEATII.---ThUrSday afternoon a man,
fell d ,wo dead at the end of Chancery-lane. His name
John Wllti4ms, for man, years employed at the S'atne
Office. 8-merset the tim-- mentioned he wa!,
oroe...‘ei.tilg. up Chaocery-lane toisards and ,ts he
got ne>.r a booksejer's to the I,V;!ite Her,
p&ilie-house, he st:ll,%rerefi and fell. H was instantly,
iceked uo and taken into the house, an') assktanee
was sent for, but in vain.

FACT SOMEWHAT ANGULAR.—TWO gentle-
men, boils grand/ethers. were yesterday walking in the
low street, North Shields—" Do you observe that broken
paws?" said one of them to th.:, other. " Yes; what of
that?" "I saw a b,y break that identical pane seven
years before you were born." " linnr;ssiblel how can you
suppose it is the same ')" " Why I feel somewhat impli-
cated in the mischief of my companion, and have had a
cooseious eye upon that very pane for sixty two years."._
Tyne Pilot. _

ROBBERY IN AN OMNIBUS.—On Tuesday,
about one o'clock, as one of the Conveyance Company's
omnibuses from Islington to the Elephant and Castle was
opposite the Post-office, a fellow, dressed in the first style
of fashion, was detected in attempting to pi* the pocket
of a lady ; and on an alarm being given, one lady missed a
purse containing gold and silver. The fellow was given
into custocy, and taken to the Compter.
ESTATES OF LUNATICS.—The Lord Chan-
cellor has stated that all applications for expending money
on estates of lunatics must in future be made and approved
of by the Court of Chancery before the expense is incurred,
or it will not be allowed afterwards.
FOUR FAMILIES TURNED ADRIFT.—We are
informed by a correspondent that on Saturday last, Mr.
Garvey, agent of the Durrow estate, with the sub-sheriff,
the chief constable, and other constabulary officers, head•
lug a numerous force of police, repaired to the estate of
Durrow, and dispossessed four families, two of the men
(Jordan) brothers, the Widow Gill, and a person of the
name of Day. The police had nothing to do, the poor
creatures having with great grief and lamentation peace-
ably resigned possession. The miserable b-ings were re-
quired to pull down their own houses. After the thatch
ar.d timber were torn off they were further required that
the wars liculd be le,ered, , r.. celled with
. i
the earth !--Dublin