The Sun.
London, England, 1854-11-20 00:00:00

A• SOLDIER'S DEATH AND BURIAL.

The following manly
and feeling letter has been ad-
dressed by Major Freese, of the Royal Artillery, to the
friends of the late Capt. Childers, a young man twenty-
six years of age, who fell before Sebastopol :
A "Camp near Sebastopol, Oct. 25, 1854.
death of your son, Captain Childers,
" My dear Sir, —t has fallen to my duty to be obliged
to communicate to you the melancholy tidings of the
of the Royal AF-
tiliery, and second captain inn company, who fell in
his country's cause in the trenches before Sebastopol, on
or about four o'clock in the afternoon of the 23d of Oc-
tober. Ile was standing by me, and left me to see the
effect of the enemy's works ; he put his head above the
top of the earthen parapet., and a large round shot
struck him en the head, and his death was instantaneous
could not Lave possibly suffered at all. Being my-
self a parent, I can feel for you and with you, and to
me his death is irreparable ; he had only joined mo a
short time, but in that time I had been able to appre-
ciate his good qualities, both in a private as well as in
a public capacity and had he been spared he would have
a large family
been, ere long, an ornament to the profession. y
Wil-
lingly would I give way to my feelings, and weep for
him as a brother, bet stern necessity forbids it. I have
lines in haste, have to go into the trenches again, and
myself, and, whilst I am writing these
God only knows who may be the next. The Lord gave
and the Lord may take away, and we must all be pre-
pared for our great change whenever we may be called
on. Ilis remains I brought with me to the camp, and
yesterday they were interred in a secluded valley
close to the camp, where they will not be disturbed
when we quit the country. They were followed to the
grave by numerous officers and men. I had a quiet coffin
made to put him in, which I did with my own hands,
assisted by his servant, and fastened him down myself,
taking, alas ! a sorrowful long farewell of one whom I
much loved and respected. I hare also made arrange-
ments for his grave being banked up, to preserve it. I
cut off some of his hair, which I new enclose. his
effects, rings, &c., will be forwarded to England by the
first opportunity. I have allowed nothing to be disposed
of, as his family, I dare say, will like to keep all his
things as tokens of the meinery of one who, I am sure,
must have been a good son. Trusting that I may meet
him in a better world, believe me, my dear sir, very
truly,

"J. FREESE, "To Captain Childers, SMat. Helier, Jersjeor Artillery.y."

THE WINE DUTY.-11 appears from an official docu-
ment issued on Friday, that in tho year ended the sth
of January, 1852, the wine duty amounted tot ,776,2471.,
and in the next year 1,795,012/. In the year ended
the sth of January last they were 1,924,972/.
THE DUTY ON CORN.—From an official paper just
issued, it is shown that in the year ended the sth of
January last the duty on corn amounted to 529,2471.,
and in the preceding year to 404,385/.
PARLIAMENTARY PRINTING.—By a return just issued,
it appears that the expense of printing for the Houses of
Parl
oi 729ein4t1 in
iltihteh year
the
ro c endedaiugytehaer sthi viroall Januaryoi last
WM s