The Sun.
London, England, 1853-02-23 00:00:00

BIRMINGHAM, no. 22.

STOGIE EXCHANGE.—The railway share market was
firm to-day, but very little business waslransacted. There
has been scarcely any stock offering for some time past.
Midlands closed at 78*.

THE . TITHE CommasioN.—The report of the Tithe
Commissioners for the year 1852 has just been printed.
It appears from their statement that voluntary proceed-
ino-s have been commenced in 9,634 tithe districts, and
that the commissioners have received 7,070 agreements,
of which 6,778 have been confirmed. 7,027 notices for
making awards .have been issued, of which 7 were sent
out in 1852 ; 5,594 drafts of compulsory awards have
also been received, and 5,399 confirmed ; of these 11
were received and 33 confirmed during 1852. In
12,177 districts, therefore, the tithes have been com-
muted by confirmed agreements or confirmed awards,
and in 312 of these districts the rent-charges were disposed
of by redemption or mergers, 63 of which were confirmed
in 1852. 11,730 appointments have been received,
and 11,686 confirmed, and of these 100 were .received
and 154 confirmed during the year 1852. 956 altered
apportionments had been made up to December 31, 1852,
and 743 confirmed, and on that day 452 exchanges of
glebes were effected, and 30 such exchanges in progress.
At the close of 1852, 13,711 distinct mergers of tithes or
rent charges had been confirmed. The commissioners
also add, that before the work of tithe commutation can
be.fully completed, it will be necessary that some addi-
tional powers, already referred to in former reports,
should be conferred upon them, and they entertain no
doubt but that they shall be able in the present year to
give in detail the subject-matter, which will show the
necessity of some legislation for that purpose.
RUFFIANLY ATTACK AND HIGHWAY ROBBERY.—
About half-past seven o'clock on Thursday evening last,
as Mr. John Root, jun., of Gosbecks farm, Stanway,
was walking home from Colchester, when near the
Drury farm, he met three men on the road, and
they bade each, other " Good night," in passing.
About five minutes afterwards Mr. Root fancied he
heard footsteps rapidly approaching behind him over
the snow, and on looking round him saw the three
men close at his heels, when one of them struck him

, several violent blows with a thick bludgeon. His com-
panions then forced their victim into a ditch, and when
there one of them knocked his hat over his eyes, whilst
another tried to fill his mouth with snow. They
next demanded his watch and money, and on his en-
deavouring to keep his arm over the watch-pocket,
one :of the , villains struck him a violent blow across
his hand, another_ snatched the watch, valued at 91.
or 101., and' the third abstracted his purse, contain-
ing about 7s. They then jumped over the hedge and de-
camped with their booty. Mr. Root started to return
to Colchester, to give information to the police, when
he was met by a fourth man, who he supposed had been
watching at the corner to warn his companions of any
person's approach, and on the fellow's confronting him
and telling him that he should not go to Colchester,
Mr. Root, with the bludgeon which he had succeeded
in wresting from the hands of one of the ruffians, struck
his adversary several violent blows across the head,
which felled him helpless to the ground. The fellow
shouted to his companions for assistance, when they
came up and carried him away. Mr. R. then sought
refuge at the Drury farm, and subsequently gave in-
formation to the police.—Essex Herald.
SUPERSTITION IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURT.—The
following statement will scarcely be credited in these
days of enlightenment and progress :—On Friday last
an innkeeper of this town, who also does a little as a
gardener, was seen to put a pig's heart, stuck all over
with thorns, in the ground, near the roots of a fruit
tree, and his reasons for doing this were, that the tree
should produce larger and better fruit ; it is also be-
lieved that, if two lovers fall out, and the man should
happen to pass by the spot where a pig's heart, so
stuck, is buried, it will have such a wonderful effect on
his own, that lie will immediately see about making
matters straight again. Has the innkeeper fallen out
'with his better half ?—Devonport Paper.
A SHEEP Fox.—A 'Scotch paper says, a fox of cu-
riously variegated colour, and large size, was shot by
Colonel Mackintosh's gamekeeper at Farr, on Tuesday
last. The face, back, and sides are of the usual dun
red, but the whole lower parts, from the throat to the
point of the tail, including the front of the legs, are
almost entirely black. Length, 4 feet 1 inch ; weight,
15 lbs. A foxhunter of long experience declares that it '
is one of the real sheep foxes, and that he has not seen
one of the kind for years.' - I 4

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

Admiral Sir W. Hall Gage, G.C.H., Captain the Hon.
R. S. Dundas, C.B. one of the Lords of the Admiralty,
Colonel Greene, Chief Director of Admiralty Works,
and Mr. Walker, civil engineer, visited Dover on Mon-
day, and inspected the harbour and defences of the port.
They returned to town in the evening, and yesterday
morning proceeded to Portsmouth to embark in the
Admiralty steam-yacht Black Eagle, Master Commander
Petley, for the Channel Islands, to inspect the harbour,
works, and defences there.
Commander John Hiatt (1848), on the retired list of
1816, died on the 11th inst. at Truro, aged 68.
ROYAL NAVAL SCHOOL, NEW ROSS.—Sir James
Graham, the First Lord of the Admiralty, under whose
patronage this school was projected in 1831, has hand-
somely expressed through Admiral Bowles, the presi-
dent, his intention of continuing to give annually, for
competition, among such of the students of this insti-
tution as are the sons of naval and marine officers, the
marine cadetship which was granted by his predecessors
in office. _

THE MEDITERRANEAN FORCE.—Admiral Dundas's
force in the Mediterranean will amount to a fleet again
on the arrival of the Rodney, 92, Captain Graham, C.B.
We learn from Malta, Feb. 12, that the Arethusa, 50,
Captain Symonds, left that day for Naples : the Retri-
bution, 28, steam-frigate, Captain the Hon. H. R.
Drummond, and Niger, 14, screw-sloop, Commander
Heath, left for Nice on the 9th inst. ; the Sampson, 6,
steam-frigate, Captain Jones, left Malta that day ; and
the Modeste, 14, Commander Lord Crompton, with the
Spitfire, steam-vessel, Commander Sprat, left on the
12th for Messina.

PORTSMOUTH, FEB. 22.

The Agamemnon, 91, screw two-decker, Captain Sir
Thomas Maitland, C. 8., got up her steam at Spithead
this morning, and came into harbour. She sent seven
more cases of fever to Haslar Hospital yesterday. It is
reported that her crew is to be hulked and the vessel
fumigated.
The Blenheim, 60, screw two-decker, Captain Hen-
derson, C. 8., proceeded out of harbour this morning for
trial, and saluted the flag of Rear-Admiral Fanshawe,
C. 8., the acting Commander-in-Chief. She went down
as far as Cowes. Lieutenant Louis R. Reynolds is ap-
pointed to this ship, vice Cunningham, superseded from
ill health.

The Leopard, 16, paddle frigate, Captain George Gif-
fard, has removed from alongside the Camperdown hulk
this morning to make room for the Agamemnon.
The Odin, 16, paddle frigate, Captain Francis Scott,
was officially inspected to-day at Spithead by Captain
Henderson, C. 8., of the steam reserve. Her ship's
company were mustered on their stations, fire quarters,
quarters, and all examined as to their knowledge of their
duties, and whether they were supplied with every-
thing necessary for their various stations. The exami-
nation was minute, especially in the engine-room and
bilges, and every particular found correct and satisfac
tory. Captain Henderson expressed his pleasure to
go, ptain Scott with his inspection, and the highly effi-
cient state of the ship. She has a few cases of influenza
on board, but is well manned and ready for sailing
orders.

The Thomas Arbuthnot, chartered troop-ship, received
on board early this morning the head-quarters of the
48th Regiment at the Shears Jetty. She came out of
harbour at 11.15 in. tow of the Echo steam-tug, and
under her own topsails, jib, and spanker. On passing
the saluting battery (where the garrison troops were en-
gaged at the great gun exercise) the 48th gave them
three cheers, which was instantly returned with right
good will. She lay to at Spithead till 4.30, at which
time she put to sea for Corfu.
The Rattlesnake, 8, Commander Trollope, has com-
pleted taking in her stores, and is down to the 17 foot
mark. She looks very deeply laden.

SHEERNESS, FEB. 21.
The Rhadamanthus, steam-transport, Master Com-
mander John Belam, after discharging stores for this
port, left here at 10.30 a.m. this day for Woolwich.
The Barracouta, steam-sloop, Commander George
Parker, on her, return from Portsmouth, when off the
South Foreland on Thursday last, fell in with the sloop
Sarah Ann, of London, laden with stone for the works
going on at the Houses of Parliament. The Sarah Ann
had an ensign hoisted in her rigging, union down, and
the pump constantly at work. She was taken in tow by
the Barracouta and assistant© sent on board. She was
towed up to the Nore and from there cast off, and pro-
ceeded for London in a,disabled state.
The Espiegle sloop, Commander George Hancock.—
The master of this sloop, Mr. Thomas Huss, whose
health has been much impaired by the climate on the
coast of Africa, where he has been recently serving, has
this day been sent to Melville Hospital at Chatham, he
being rendered quite incapable of performing his duty
from severe illness.

COMMANDER KENNEDY OF THE COAST GUARD, AND
THE " WREcKERs."—The name of this officer is getting
familiar to the ears of the inhabitants of this neighbour-
pdataenhde
dthheisc ocausttt,e for
rinh i
to the distressed mariner,
search
everearchr
under
oaefl l
t ha
en d u n
fe vo
circum-
stance. It will be recollected that thisiadtinweasss
t o renderofficer
who
di d
ho
retrYu na te crewand passengers of the ill-fated Amazon, and by his di-
rection the men of the coast-guard station protected, as
well as their small force was able, the property that
floated ashore from the
wreck of the Ocean Queen, in
Bigbury Bay. It is a disgrace to the name of English
men that there should be -
so little respect for the rights
of property on occ • amens of misfortune
creatures andparticularly to their fellow-
, in
Not-
withstanding all the efforts cases of shipwreck.
used, the thefts on the
wreck of the Ocean Queen are known to have
been considerable, and
from , in accordance with in-
structions Commander Kennedy, y, a strict watch
had been set for any circumstancese likely to lead
to the recovery of
property. One day
last week it was reported that
some
belonging to some of the passengers, papers, apparently
were in possession
of a "shark "on the coast. Commander Kennedy im-
mediately sent one of his men to demand them—the pos-
sessor very reluctantly gave
handed tly gave them up. When they
were
over to Commander Kennedy • '
had h e discovered from
the smell they been in a Russian leather
immediately sent the man back to demand case.He
from
‘
which the papers were taken. The 'old the book
smuggler " even
How to the did
was taken aback at this demand. H
they know he had a case, he which
denied having
pos-
session of, but the applicant IT
was not to be put off easily,
a and after threats of the law extracted
book from the party, who in delivering Russian leather
it, swore if they
P
had the case, they shouldn't haveth the money that was in
it. On this being reported to Commander Kennedy, he
communicated the facts to the Admiralty, upon which
such instructions were received as extracted
31. 7s 6 d
from the illegal possessor.—Plymouth. Mail.
THE ARCTIC SEARCHING EXPEDITION OF 1853. The
screw sloop Phoenix, selected for the service of commu-
nicating this year with the squadron now in the Arctic
regions under the command of Sir E. Belcher, is being
fitted with the utmost dispatch at Woolwich, and we
trust that, although the work is to be carried on expe-
ditiously, it will be done at the same time more efficiently
than the fitting of the Rattlesnake was performed. The
Phoenix is not to go alone on her interesting and ha-
zardous expedition. She will be accompanied by at
least two other vessels. The sailing-vessel Lady
Franklin, it is said, will attend the Phoenix, and we
have heard that one or two of the lieutenants in Captain
Austin's gallant advance and rapid retreat have been
offered the command. Why not, however, give the
charge of this vessel to her old captain, Mr. Penny.
This gentleman has been rather scurvily treated—we
may almost say that he was sacrificed for the purpose of
white-washing the Royal portion of the expedition of
1850 ; but Sir E. Belcher's reports have since vindicated 1
Penny's statements, we must say that handsome re-
paration is due to that zealous and distinguished
Arctic voyager, who, we doubt not, would be y
satisfied with another opportunity of seeking untram-
melled the tracks of Sir John Franklin and his
companions. _ Commander Inglefield, who has been
appointed to the Phoenix, is a liberal, high-spirited,
energetic officer, and we doubt not that Captain Penny
and be would get on very well together in any joint en-
terprise. Commander Inglefield will of course earn his
promotion in his new service, but we regret to see his
friends so clamorous for his advancement beforehand.
It is indiscreet to press for Commander Inglefield's pro-
motion when there are so many Arctic officers who have
it
much greater claims than he has. For instance,
would be a piece of great injustice to Commander
M'Clure, in command of the Investigator for the last
three years in the Arctic regions, to promote Com-
mander Inglefield before him ; nor would it be just to
Commander Pullen, who as a commander conducted the
boat expedition, and Suffered the most appalling priv
tions in his search on the north-east shores of North
America, and who is now in command of the N orth
Star in Sir E. BelCheris expedition. It would scarcely
be fair to Commander M'Clintock, who is now with
Sir E. Belcher's squadron, and in command of the In-
trepid screw-tender— his third commission in Arctic
service ; and if command of a ship in private Arctic
service is held to be a claim to advancement in the
Royal Navy, the promotion of Commander Inglefield
would be marked neglect of the claims of Commander
Forsyth, who commanded Lady Franklin's little ship
Prince Albert in her unparalleled Arctic trip, when he
brought home the first news .of the discovery of traces
of Franklin's party.

ROBBERY AT AT MANOREETER.—On Saturday eveiring
last a robbery was committed on Mr. 011ivant, a silver-
smith, St. Mary's-gate, Exchange-street,
Manchester.
The thief entered the premises and sn atchedllivant a bundle of
bank-notes from the desk aetreat the string by which
t which Mr. O
seated. In the hurry of his r
the bundle was tied broke, and the notes fell on tho
ground ; he, however, contrived to pick up a considera-
ble portion of them, amounting to about 200/., and
effected his escape. Pursuit was made without delay,
but the thief got off, and has not nt been discovered.
THE LORD RECTORSHIP OF MARISOLTAL COLLEGE,
ABERDEEN.—A letter has been received from the Earl
of Carlisle, stating his readiness to attend personally at
the installation, if elected to the office of Lord Rector.
The students had a meeting on 'Wednesday evening,
man
when, from the expression of feeling ifested, there is
every probability that the noble lord will be elected by a
large majority. trial
LEITH AND LONDON TRADE.—'e trip of the
Prompt screw steamer, belonging to the London and
Edinburgh Shipping Company of Leith, took place on
Wednesday. She made a speed of 1.11 miles an hour
and being against a fresh breeze from
the N.E., and an
ebb tide, with the propeller abont six inches out of the
water, it was considered very
Factory to,
all con-
cerned. The Prompt is
,417 tons measurement, and her
engines are'of 95-horse power.—Glargoto Herald.

FROM THE LONDON GAZETTE of YESTERDAY.

At the Court at Buckingham Palace, the 21st day of
February, 1853—present, the Queen's Most Excellent Ma-
jesty in Council—her Majesty having been pleased to ap-
point the Right Honourable George William Frederick,
Earl of Clarendon, K.G., to be one of her Majesty's Prin-
cipal Secretaries of State, his Lordship was this day, by
her Majesty's command, sworn one of her Majesty's Prin-
cipal Secretaries of State accordingly.
At the Court at Buckingham Palace, the 21st day of
February, 1853—present, the Queen's Most Excellent
Majesty in Council—her Majesty having been pleased, by
letters patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, to
constitute the Right Hon. Stapleton, Viscount Comber-
mere, G.C.8., Constable of her Majesty's Tower of Lon-
don, and also Lord-Lieutenant of the Tower Hamlets, his
Lordship this day in Council took the oaths appointed to
be taken, instead of the oaths of allegiance and supremacy
as Constable of the said Tower, and as Lord-Lieutenant of
the said Tower Hamlets, and likewise the oath of Con-
stable of the Tower of London.
FOREIGN OFFICE, FEB. 11.
The Queen has been graciously pleased to appoint John
Green, Esq., now her Majesty's Consul at the Pirams, to
be her Majesty's Consul at Alexandria.
FOREIGN OFFICE, FEB. 18.
The Queen has been pleased to approve of Don Placido
de Jose y Hevia as Consul at Malta, and of Don Joaquin
Gonzalez as Vice-Consul at Gibraltar, for her Majesty the
Queen of Spain.
The Queen has also been pleased to approve of Mr. Na-
thaniel Solomon as Consul at St. Helena for the Free
Hanseatic city of Hamburgh.
DOWNING-STREET, FEB. 21.
The Queen has been graciously pleased to give orders for
the appointment of Lord Cowley, K.C.8., her Majesty's
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to his
Majesty the Emperor of the French, to be an Ordinary
Member of the Civil Division of tho First Class, or
Knights Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of
the Bath.

Commissions by the Lord-Lieutenant of Herefordshire.
John Murray Aynsley, Esq. ; Thomas William Booker.
Esq. ' • William Bridgman, Esq.; Bonham Caldwell, Esq.;
Elias Chadwick, Esq.; James Cheese, Esq.; William Tre-
velyan Kevill Davies; Thomas Dunne, jun., Esq.; Edward
Griffiths, Esq.; Captain Charles Heywood, Esq.; Edmund
Higginson, Fsq.; James King King Esq.; William Money
Kyrle, Esq.; Captain Augustus William Henry Meyrick,
Esq.; Robert Baskerville Rickards Mynors, Esq.; Reynolds
Peyton, Esq.; Captain Kingsmill Manley Power ' • Henry
Lee Warner, jun., Esq.—to be Deputy Lieutenants.
Commission by the Lord-Lieutenant of Huntingdonshire.
Huntingdonshire Militia —Henry Jordan Thornhill,
Gent., to be Second Lieutenant, Feb. M.

Commissions by the Lord-Lieutenant of Flintshire.
Royal Flintshire Militia—Lieutenant Charles Jame!.
Trevor Roper to be Captain ; Richard Pelham Warren,
Esq., to be Captain.
Commissions by the Lord-Lieutenant of Norfolk.
2d or Eater Regiment of Norfolk Militia—Alexander
Robert Chamberlain, Gent., to be Lieutenant, vice Smith,
resigned ; Spencer Thomas Smyth, Gent., M.D., to be As-
sistant-Surgeon and Ensign, vice Green, retired, Feb. 8.

Commission by the Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire.
let Regiment of the Duke of Lancaster's Own Militia-
Ivan Swan Andrea Herford, Gent., to be Ensign, Feb. 16.
Commissions by the Lord-Lieutenant of Hertfordshire.
Hertfordshire Militia—The Honourable Reginald Alger-
non Capel, to be Ensign ; Arthur Macnamara, Esq., to be
Ensign, Feb. 17.