The Sun.
London, England, 1838-06-23 00:00:00

PRISONS BILL.

Lord JOHN RUSSELL then moved the Order of the Day, for
going into a Committee on the Prisons' Bill.

Colonel DAVIES then rose for the purpose of directing the attention
of the House to the expediency of extending the system of separate con-
finement of prisoners both before and after trial. According to the present
plan to be settled by the Bill, the worst offender committing a small crime
would be sent to the same gaol as the juvenile offender, which would
have all the ill effects of the present system. The Hon. Member referred
to the reports of the prison inspectors, from which he read long extracts.
The Hon. Member read in so low a tone, and amidst so much noise in
the House, that it was impossible to collect the purport of a single ex-
tract.—(Hear, hear.) The Honourable and Gallant Member, after
some further observations, which were almost entirely inaudible,
earnestly recommending the subject to the attention of the Government,
concluded by moving that the Speaker leave the Chair.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL thought that it would be better
to effect gradually the various improvements which might be made
in the system to be introduced after the Bill had passed.—(Hear.)
If an absolute rule as to separate confinement were at once laid
down, it might excite outcry against the Bill—(Hear)—and he would
rather postpone the carrying out of this plan, than run the risk of ob.
strutting the beneficial operation of the whole system, by laying down
too extensive a design at the commencement.—(Hear.)
Mr. GIBSON said it had been found in Glasgow and in the United
States to be beneficial that prisoners should have labour offered to them
in their cells during confinement, and a stimulus of hoping to earn some-
thing from that labour. He thought if Government turned their atten.
tion to some provision for prisoners after liberation, it would go a great
way towards effecting the diminution of crime.—(Hear, hear )
Mr. BRISCOE thought it would become the Government in a ques-
tion of such immense importance, and involving such a large outlay,
if they would consent to the erection of a prison on the separate system
at the public expense, within a reasonable distance of the Metropolis,
so that it might be frequently visited. It would be better to do so
before the whole country was required to enter into a large outlay for
the reconstructing of prisons.
Mr. HUME entertained a strong opinion on the question of seperate
and solitary confinement, and he thought the result, if it could be fairly
brought before the House, would prove the uttor inefficacy of attempting
to reform individuals by imprisonment. If there should be Societies
whose care was directed to the providing of employment for those who
had been confined this would be offering a premium to crime, and there
would not be the same opportunity offered to individuals who had not
incurred the censure of the law, but were equally anxious for employ-
ment. Out of the prisoners tried in London there were more than
one-third who had been in confinement during the preceding
year, and yet Government were entering on a most expensive process,
and calling on the people in every part of the country to enlarge their
prisons. His opinion was, that nothing but transportation could afford
any chance of these individuals obtaining a livelihood by their industry.
He thought the measure was of much more importance to the country
as regarded its expenditure than was generally supposed. He was
aware that a difference of opinion existed relative to transportation,
but it appeared to him that that question should be set at rest before the
country embarked in a large expenditure. His (Mr. Humes's) opinion
was, that transportation was the best Plan for reclaiming criminals, in-
asmuch as it removed them from the place where they had forfeited
their station in society, and would afford them an opportunity,
hi a place where they were not known of reclaiming their
lives, if they were honestly disposed. If they were not ho-
nestly disposed, all the solitary confinement in the world would be
useless, It was well-known that three-fourths of those who came out
of prison, again resorted to thieving and stealing for a livelihood. He
thought the practice that existed in Scotland of banishment for minor of-
fences, and allowing the ma❑ to go where he pleased —(A laugh)—
would be advantageous. On these grounds he objected entirely to the
present proposition.
After a few words from Lord J. RUSSELL,
The House then resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill.
Clauses 1,2, 3, and 4 were agreed to, after a few words from Mr.
S MUTT and Mr. BZTIIELL.

On Clause 5 being put, which authorised the borrowing of money to
build prisons,
Mr. HUME. thought some estimate ought to be made relative to the
subject of building' prisons, because if transportation were to be done
away with the prisons would have to be increased to a very great
extent.

Mr, lIA WES thought the question of transportation was not at al
connected with the subject of the present Bill.
The clause was then agreed to

On the next clause being read,
Mr. HUME rose to suggest to the Noble Lord that this clause should
be ;truck out altogether, unless the Noble Lord was prepared to say
that boroughs and counties were unable to raise money at a fair
rate of interest. If they were unable to do that be would
then say let Exchequer hills be issued, but he thought this clause ought
altogether to be struck out of the Bill.

Mr. GOULBURN was in favour of the cladse.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that if the clause were struck out the
Hon. Member for Kilkenny would not gain the object he wished.
Mr. HUME said the issue of Exchequer bills had first been resorted
to as a measure of necessity in a time of commercial difficulty, but it had
of late become an ordinary matter of business. The transactions of
the Government ought to be kept separate from those of private in.
div iduals.

Mr. KEMBLE said that it was not fair to introduce the discussion of
a purely financial question into the consideration of a Bill of this kind.
Mr. WA RBURTON said that the Commissioners of the Exchequer
Loan required to have their power to issue Exchequer bills to be in_
creased, whereas the Government also claimed the power of diminishing
the quantity in the market at their pleasure.
Mr. P. THOMSON said that there was no inconsistency, such as the
Hon. Member for Bridport supposed. If the unfunded debt was too
large, there ought to be a rower to diminish it ; and if, on the other
hand, a useful occasion for temporarily increasing it, there ought to be
the power of doing so. The Hon. Member for Kilkenny said Government
ought not to interfere with private speculations. But this was not private
speculation. It was a public undertaking, which the public ought to
assist, and in which private individuals might not be willing to embark
their money.

Captain WOOD thought this clause gave the Government the
power of burdening the general revenue of the country to a great ex-
tent, for enforcing this extensive system on the country.
Mr. HA WES said the Government had not the power of levying
funds for the carrying out of this system till called upon to do so by the
Magistrates. To his Hon. Friends who objected to the Bill that it
would lead to expense, he would only say that when the design of the
Bill was so important as the diminution of crime, and the prevention of
moral contamination in the gaols, pecuniary considerations ought not
to be urged.—(Hear, hear.) The only way to attain these great
objects was boldly to take measures for that end, without the fear of
encountering a very large expenditure—(Hear, hear)—and if, at every
step, they were to be met by objections as to expense, these objects would
never he effected.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. HUME said it appeared, from a return which had been made to
a motion of his, that 700,000/. additional expense had been incurred by
the increased interest on Exchequer bills. \Vhile 300,0001. had been
raised in the county of Middlesex with the greatest ease—certainly
at interest of 4 or 4% per cent.—.(Hear, from Mr. P. Thomson)_
Exchequer bills at this moment bore a higher rate of interest than ever
was borne in proportion to the amount of trolley in the market, and
they were at 675. and 70s. premium in consequence of that high rate of
interest Was it not too much that they should be obliged to pay on
twenty millions of Exchequer bills that large increased interest merely
because from mismanagement there was an excess of two or three
millions ? The Honourable Member for Lambeth said this ought not
to be a matter of pounds, shillings and pence—that where
the expense was intended for the reformation of offenders, the House
ought not to be niggardly. He (Mr. H.) said that the Hon. Members
were wrong in principle. If they or any other persons wanted to
borrow money, let them borrow it as individuals ought, and not at the
public expense. His Hon. Friend said this was a public matter. But
what had he in Middlesex to do with the prisons of Leeds for instance.
If his Hon. Friend the Member for Leeds saw the necessity for
accommodating persons in his district, why should behave an advantage
in this respect. If money could not be raised in any other way he
(Mr. H.) was willing to advance it ; but whilst money was in abund.
ante, it was wrong on principle to raise it in this manlier, and he
should take the senseof the Committee on the subject.

General JOHNSON thought the Government would be better em-
ployed in relieving the public from taxes than in imposing on them an
additional expellee for the building of prisons.

Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, and the House divided,
when the numbers were--
For the clause ................................ ..• 96
Against it
Majority 18
Majority for the clause ...... . .• • 78
Clauses
n up to 9 were agreed to without any amendment.
O
clause
10 being put, which regulated the appointment of Chaplains,
Mr. LANGDALE thought that something should be done to enable
prisoners of the Catholic religion to have a Roman Catholic Llergyman.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that he believed it was the usual course
when prisoners asked for a minister of a certain persuasion to al!ow
them to have one.

Mr. lIA WES contended that they ought to deal justly to prisoners
of all persuasions—the Roman Catholic ought to have the same chance
of reformation as the one belonging to the Church.
After a few words from Mr. BRISCOE.

Mr. BAINES said there was a provision made for Dissenting Clergy-
men attending prisons—that was all right enough, but he was very glad
to say, that very few, or no Dissenters ever were put into prison.
The clause was then agreed to.
On clause 11 being read, relative to the superannuation of aged
officers,

Mr. HUME suggested the omission of the clause. Every one could
provide for old age, and they ought not to permit age to come in as a
claimant on the public purse, especially when those who would grant
the money would not have to pay it out of their own pocket.
Mr. HAWES thought there was a great difference between the
superannuation proposed by the clause and the superannuation which
was so liable to abuse in Government offices ; for, in this case, the super-
annuation allowances would be granted by:county magistrates, who were
payers of rates to a large amount, and would have the granting of the
allowances.

Col. WOOD considered that this clause would be attended with hard-
ship to the present jailers and chaplains, who took their situations upon
the understanding that they should have two-thirds of their salaries as
retired allowances. But the clause before the House only gave them
one-fourth.

Mr. HODGES, who was very indistinctly heard, was understood to
say that the clause required further consideration.
Sir E. CODRINGTON spoke of the case (rf a person who had been
superannuated as being 59 years of age, who received the pension se
veral years, and who at his death was not that age.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he had never
heard of such a case.
Sir E. COD RINGTON said it was contained in a return which 13Y
upon the table.
Mr. GOULBURN suggested some alteration in this clause, the ira-
lure of which was not heard in the Gallery.

After a few remarks from Mr. HAWES and Mr. HODGES, he
Lord JOHN RUSSELL admitted there was some defect in the
clause, and would, therefore, postpone it for further consideration. _
Mr. HUME hoped the Government would soon be enabled to talo
the prisons under its own management, which would be the best meal?s
of securing uniformity of discipline. It appeared to bins that it would
be better to leave the law as it at present stood until then.
After a few words from Captain WOOD,

The clause was postponed.
Clause 12 was agreed to.

On clause 13 being read,
Mr. lIUME said he understood that instead of having
the Justice:
of earls district making specific regulations for each prison, that one st.
of rules should be provided for the purpose of securing uniformity
°
discipline.
ed
Mr. GOULBURN thought there should be some limit to the per, l
of solitary confinement. Whatever its effect might be, when too Pr°
tracted it had been known to produce the most serious results.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL had no objection to an amendment of the
,
nature proposed by the Right Hon. Member for the University °'

Cambridge.
Lord DUNGANNON thought the clause was likely to lead to Iris'
statements and errors.
Mr. HAWES defended the clause, as it would tend to benefit the
prlsoner by sending him out of the gaol a much better moral man.
Mr. FOX MAULE said the system of separate confinement in Gilts'
gow had been found to work with great benefit so far as h
regarded the e
prisoners themselves, and had given general satisfaction over the
wo
of Scotland.
Mr.' GIBSON said that in the prison of Clerkenwell, where the silent
system was in force, the recommittals were only 33 per cent., and ce,rf
tainly the number of recommittals was a good criterion of the efficacy
a system of prison discipline. But in other places where the system wa.
not in force, the recommittals were in a less propof tion. He was favoer
a'ile to the silent system, but he did not think that much reliance was t°
be placed upon any reformatory plan of prison discipline.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said he did nct entertain any very sanguiu!
opinion as to the reformation of adult prisoners, but he thought as
muc
as possible should be done to prevent imprisonment from making the
worse, and ready to join in any crime when liberated. Whether 00
looked to example, or any other object of imprisonment, it ought not to
be made a school for crime. He wished every means to be taken fort he
providing of employment and instruction, and to see the object of 5
parate confinement as far as possible forwarded.
Mr. GOULBUIIN concurred in the opinion which 'nad been
pressed, that the separation of prisoners was an essential feature in the
system, but his doubt was whether separate confinement might not be
accomplished without its being made solitary.—(Cries of "
What he wished to have inserted in the Bill was a clause by which
unlimited extension of the period of the solitary confinement would be
pre% ented.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL feared it would be impossible to iiltrn:
duce a definition of the terms separate confinement and solitary confrine.„
most which would not counteract the beneficial results to be derived f. ell'it
it. It wculd give rise to endless disputes and difficulties,and he thought
much better to leave the matter to the discretion of the Inspect°
General of Prisons.
Mr. Sergeant JACKSON agreed with the Noble Lord the secretiaoll,
of State for the Home Department, that this was one of the 'nest O,
portant parts of the Bill. He thought the principle of the clausic.,.e
tirely unobjectionable, for prisons as they were at present
were a joint stock company for vice. He thought the two differ
objects the clause had in view should be embodied in two clauses.
Mr. HAWES thought the object of showing the distinction bet" couon
solitary and separate confinement would be effected by a Pr
estab
el. 1
~1e;

being ntroduced into the clause. oW it
Mr. i
SLANEY did not mean to oppose the Biil, but he would ta-n t to
Increase out for
the punis the considhmenterationbut to find a better of the Governmer entone, w, whosehether object was iti°,,ot
A for
be necessary to shorten the periods of imprisonment now allotteddor
certain offences ; otherwise, if they established either
separate confinement, they would in fact double the punish"'
solitarYent.

We shall give the Conclusion in our
SECOND EDITION•

mayoress
Yesterday the Lord Mayor and Lady clung
gave a very splendid entertainment in honour of the approa.n
the
Coronation of her Majesty. The Egyptian-hall was decorated George
most magnificent style, and the Duke and Duchess and
of Cambridge honoured the hospitable Chief Magistrate and which
with their company upon the occasion. Amongst the comPanY' ,ri•gh-
consisted of about 170 persons, we observed, besides their 110Y3' 1"
of
Dukethe
ncsses, the Duke and Duchess Dowager of Richmond, the
Sutherland, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of London,
tcrt
Bishop of Winchester, the Bishop of Rochester, the Bishop of .El.fatry
Lord Henniker, Lord Dudley Stuart, Gen. Sir Edwd. Kerrison and is a
Ketrison, Lieut.-General Birch Reynardson, Colonel Sir James IleY11:er
Baron Knesebeck, the Turkish Ambassador, Mr. Salame, Colonel 13:rt.,
Bey, Sir R. Inglis, Bart., Sir T. Baring, Bart., Sir F. Nearet .13 sir
Baron Rothschild, Baron N. Rothschild, Sir C. S. Hunter, 13ar."; Ad/
W. Heygate, Bart., Sir James Shaw, Bart., Lady Sarah AlurraY,:rreii,
Green, Baroness Rothschild, Sir George and Lady Carroll, Miss C Peter
is
Mr and Mrs. Pigeon, Sir Andrew Green, Sir John Rennie, Sir
t
Prince
Ladi
Laurie, Sir Chapman Marshall, Dean of Chester, Rev. C. Wcrd'w°P,ss.
Rev. H. Melville, Rev. J. Teason, Hon. J. T. L. Melville, Colonel ,
ley, Captain Yule, Captain Birch Reynardson, Aldermen ScholeY,
ts
Brown, Wilson, Lainson, W. Wood, and White,
Mr. Josiah Wilson, the treasurer, governors, and medical officer' °
Thomas's Hospital, &c. • the
The subscribers to the Jockey Club not ill be
secret were on Tuesday astounded to see two of the members enter t
billiard-room, each mounted on a poncy. It was soon ascertained th
the Common-' Of
they had agreed thus to play a match for one hundred Napoleons. Thtee;d
performance was curious and difficult enough, and occasionally o°,o,
the hilarity of the speculators of this extraordinary contest. The Ina"'
was won by Mr. D. C. v.--Ciatignant.
We understand that it has been generally agreed to+
by the Queen's tradesmen in Edinburgh, to illuminate their premises
the evening of the 28th June, in honour of the Coronation of her 14°s
-
Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria.
A lIC HIMID EA N Sc It EIV.—A correspondent of the
Dumfries Courier states that the late Mr. Gladstone, of Castle Doulai:;
spoke of and recommended the patent propeller 18 years eVscreW l6
supercession, therefore, of paddle.wheels by the Archimicican
not a new invention. • Most
On Friday evening Prince Esterhazy gave a the
magnificent entertainment to almost all the Nobility. AnOncrinse
company we noticed the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and ion,
George, Duke of Sussex, Duchess of Gloucester, Duke of Welling Lora
Duke and Duchess of Richmond, Earl and Countess of Brownlow,
To
Lynedoch, Viscount Melbourne, Lord and Lady Russell, Sir llohert;ii
Lady Peel. Upwards of twelve hundred were present, and tchecoral
fault perceptible was, that the place was too much crowded.
hundrendd.ppehrtscoen,
and persons,
chbeleerde
in
enthusiasticallyCli and os-stre t , Queen Ann e. tr
est en
Portlad
their names were announced. The company stel:seardaifr
tederaehn°tugtuse'°
i:cl°°‘
on Saturday morning. m ;al Ilg (t)of,
We understand that, at a preliminary
some of the principal inhabitants of Edinburgh all politics a;d r
toost
ifiei ssions, held in the Council Chambers on Mondofay, the L°reis fluidic
the chair, it was unanimously resolved that there should be
evening entertainment on the 28th instant, on the occasion ef that pr°'
jesty's coronation ; and it was farther unanimously resolved, t"i-niog
vided the necessary sum can be raised by subscription for '',ltta d With'
splendid display of fireworks, an illumination should be di'Pec-,'„er
and arrangements made with the authorities to that effect.----"- /se
, d "1
T 1 T T
1E EA- OTALLERS.—These merry -11,„,Canal
fulks have engaged a meadow behind the Spring Gardens, erithbers,
Banks here apart from the bustle and racket of the for ibAe
the side of the canal, whose precious waters, more costly 313%;ccoPic,'„
city's bankrupt coffers, then if the same quantity of mild ale .sh the"
the whole space—these abstemious people will be able to rePlen'orent';
teakettles with the pure and primitive beverage of our first toe"
All joy to them and their peaceful efforts!—may they Pusht,e
i, re 'll,-,
about, with ever increasing delight, and " the longer they 513 —.ndica'"
drink, the merrier may they be!" No boisterous mirth 0133'3,1,3e"
the exuberance of their enjoyment, but no next morning's beet- their
shall bring heavy reflection like a dark cloud over their illeira°ll
Jo: s.-- Western Times. have
SIGNS OF BEING IN THE WBONG.---Weeno
e,,,
p
recourse to invectives only when we fail of roof,. BetW
; wrons
putants there is a hundred to wager against one, that he wh° said
will be angry. " Thou takest thy thunders insteads of replll'
lenippus to Jupiter ; " thou art then in the wrong."—sidero",,ii4
A London Correspondent of the Dub/in -Ell" wore
Pest says the applications for peerages have been upwards of o°--iiiselY
than 40 of which have come from Ireland. Amongst the creation, isjr.
to take place are mentioned Lords Kenmore, Carew, Isisnrre,:laci ercate4
Villiers Stuart. The Marquis of Lansdowne will, it is said, ~
Duke of Kerry.
eßila
We learn by a letter of the 11th inst. from I'
that the Emperor of Austria is confined at Schcenbrunn by a" 'tt:ope
the measles. The eruption has come out favourably, and every the
entertained that his Majesty will recover in the ordinary course -
tmitart
disease, so as not to render any postponement of the Coronation 3_cbdalse
necessary. The young Archduke Francis Joseph, son of the
•
Francis, was attacked at the same time with the same complaiote those
Glenisla was visited last Monday with one
cOi
01
iche et,
cicsi
thunder storms, t e
he occurrnce of which, considering its
be a ttraThc
rather rare in our temperate climate. The cloud appeared to e
towards the Grampians, and passed over U 3 towards the nortTterrifl-
peals were frequent and awfully loud—the lightning vivid a
ing, almost instantaneously followed by the thunder roaring ot" 0,4
. in theside. The rain fell in torrents, suddenly swelling all the rivuli woodes
vicinity ; these overflowing all their banks swept away severeas
netained
bridges ; besides which, some newly sown fields of turnips hav
considerable damage.—Scotch Paper.
On Saturday morning, between five and si.%
acurol°ssctktl'e
as a labouring man, named Michael Hurley, w n born Wale
fields at Stoke Newington he discovered the body efcaag:f e °of(
child, wrapped in an old apron, and deposited on the
a ditch. No professional assistance had been renderede at the ti c
the birth. force °f
The Courier de Bourdeaux says that the fire on
the explosion from the ignition of the brandy during the alarrningion off
Wednesday was so great that the gates of the porte.cochere were „to the
their hinges, while planks and stones were thrown over the Ona):,e being
vor. eroiric.i
de Atw,o.matsoh ne g
killed.the hospital,w
According
wounded,
cihsoduretddi
of
fog
thesent loy
tshe
etv,,el,anos
twwaeecrr
accounts
ata
in ass
nst tPha3ret°learercrt,
enirn‘cgltct 'condition
casccre•
N
tary-General were going on well. scelle
On Sunday forenoon, about eleven O'CIOCIC) a pea 6
of riot and confusion took place in Hungerford Market. It a.r., Oft;
that two brothers, named Nash, coal-porters, and who reside t'in ,no
alley, were somewhat inebriated, and insulted thosepersons goingdip,
from the steam-boats. Policeman F 141, and h be 3 Joao
quested them to desist, when William Nash replied that he wooloto stile
knock the policeman's " brain pan in," and, suiting the actitTinei to
word, struck the officer a violent blow on the head, which fent' el.y a'
Ile
the ground. The beadle, and a brother officer, F 143,
tempted to take William Nash into custody, when his brother, a
Nash, knocked five officers down in succession, and the mob atterlo-00
rescue, but fortunately assistance arriving in quick time the Prilocyca
were ultimately conveyed to the station-house in Bow-street, anedsaareo
up in one of the cells for examination. We are sorry to say th t.nito
are severely injured, and some of the mob attempted to throw then'
the Themes.
DEATHS BY LIGHTNING.—Deaths from i,the
tri
ning have been lamentably numerous all over the country. The ee:,
papers contain distressing details of calamitous events occasioned "
electric fluid. total
POLICE OF THE METROPOLIS.---Th-
number of men at the close of 1837 was 3,421, consisting of 17 stl 1
tendents, 70 inspectors, 342 serjeants, and 2,992 constable.'4l6 re.
number of married men was 2,440, and 981 were single men ; ion
signed or were dismissed in 1837. The number of deaths which
_ion pi:
in the force during the same year was 40.—Journal elf thc I,ol°
tistical Society.

THE DESTITUTE POLES.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Paris, June 12, 1838.
. .

SlR,—Your reiterated appeals and liberal subscriptions in favour of
the unfortunate Poles who are now perishing in the streets and public
parks of London have had that effect on my mind, which practice and
preaching are best calculated to produce on those who generously deem
all mankind their fellow creatures, whatever their creed, colour, coun-
try, or calling may be, in spite even of the unfeeling adage that " cha-
rity begins at borne," where it too often terminates, without the neces-
sity which prudence dictates to me, on whom many such claims exist,
some whereof are not quite extinguished in the opinions naturally of the
individuals who make them.

Be this as it may, while the grass grows the noble steed may perish
of hunger, and the stable door be opened when too late to preserve the
life of the pcor animal from destruction by fire, or, a still more remorse-
less fate, by famine. Let every benevolent Briton and warmhearted
Ilibernian for a moment reflect on their own situations, were he or she
exposed in a foreign land to the miseries of poverty, sickness, and tyran-
nical sway combined, without the smallest hopes of relief, merely be-
cause a portion of the natives of that country were not themselves alto-
gether free from many evils which flesh is heir to—even amidst rela-
tives, friends, and fellow citizens. Under such circumstances, would
not one and all of us, whether English, Welch, Scottish, or Irish, curse
the barbarous selfishness of the nation among whom our wretched lot
had been cast, in the conviction that many persons were able, if willing,
to spare a trifle to hapless strangers perishing from sheer starvation,
without using the hypocritical subterfuge which a homely proverb
already quoted affords, generally at
.no expense but a few worthless
words.

There are thousands in the united kingdom who can better spare
tanpence or one shilling than I can the ten pounds herewith sent you,
because I have numerous demands on my bounty that never can be sa-
tisfied, though, thanks to Providence, none upon just claims, which en-
ables me in extreme emergencies to be liberal, having no creditors who
can upbraid me for what might otherwise prove an ostentatious fraud
or folly.

Anonymous donations depend on various motives that we need not
too minutely scan; when openly avowed their objects become evident
enough, whether laudable or not; and as few subscribers to what are
considered loyal objects are ashamed of seeing their names, I need not
blush to publish mine, in the hope, however humble, of setting the ex
ample, so far as It will go, to others not less humane, but who, from
modesty, inadvertency, or perhaps the latent fear of' giving offence to the
Royal and Aristocratical rulers of the earth, or to the holy alliance of
the North against progressive knowledge, rational liberty, and universal
happiness. Having nothing to dread or expect from those almighty
personages in the twilight of a protracted existence, I embrace the op-
portunity of entering the lists of the comparative small number whom
your animated exertions in The Sun have yet roused to open their
purses, and expand their hearts in so glorious a cause as that of the
brave Poles, who have been driven by the tempests of absolute power to
seek a temporary asylum in the free kingdom of Great Britain and Ire-
land, where I fervently pray they may still find it, from your magnani-
mous efforts on their behalf.

I am, Sir, your very obedient servant,
J. BORTHWICK GILCHRIST.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,—A very sensible article which I have read in your Journal o
this evening respecting an Oxford Railway, induces me to remind you
of a coincidence, which shows that the resident members of what are
called our seminaries of sound learning, are, indeed, behind the rest o
society in practical wisdom. The heads of the College at Eton, as wel•
as those of the University of Oxford, oppose the Railway system, whilst
our merchants are hailing it as highly advantageous to commercial pur-
suits, and •ur most enlightened men rejoice in it as a valuable accessory to
mental collision and improvement. The result of the conflict ought to
be a revision of the constitution of those bodies, and of the principles
upon which they are conducted. I could give many examples
of the evils which have ensued from their inconsistent ad-
herence to old and ridiculous customs and prepossessions, and
that absurd laxity of discipline which encourages wanton and mis.
chievous habits; but it is sufficient to advert to the recent instance of
immediate injury which happened to the son of Lord Sondes, from a pre-
posterous frolic, the practice of which had well nigh proved fatal to
him, but which, like others, has been sanctified by time, and which,
therefore, according to the pristine notions of the principals, it would
be gross and wicked innovation to prohibit. The elders of these esta-
blishments scent, indeed to be so enamoured of their classic fable of Pro.
crustes and his bed, as to be desirous of limiting the expanding energies
of the country by their own confined and antiquated views. But, I sub-
mit to you, that they ought rather to assist and direct the progress of
science and art, and to adapt their own regulations to the improved con-
dition and the altered sentiments and habits of society.

I am, Sir, your most obedient servant,
A NON-RESIDENT CANTAI3.

London, June 21, 1838.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PORTSMOUTH, JUNE 22.—1 n Harbour—The Britannia, 120, flag-ship ;
Victory, 104, ordinary guard ship; Excellent, gunnery ship; Royal
George, yacht; Apollo, troop ship; Pantaloon, 10; Arrow, ketch;
Crack, cutter ; and tenders Fanny, Emerald, and Gossamer.
In the Basin—The Herald, 28.
In Dock—The Seaflower, cutter, and Pincher.
At Spithead—The Athol], troop ship.
ARRIVALS, SAILINGS, fee., DURING THE WEEK.
On Saturday, the 16th, sailed the Termagant, gun brig, for Ply.
mouth, and the coast of Africa—On Tuesday, the 19th, arrived the
Gipsy, tender, from Sheerness—On Thursday, sailed the Gipscy, for the
eastward, with volunteer seamen for the ships fitting there; and on
Friday, arrived the Athol], troop ship, from Quebec, with invalids
from the Ist Royals, the 15th, the 43d, and 65th.
Wednesday, the 20th, being the anniversary of her Majesty's acces-
sion to the Throne, the usual Royal salutes were fired by the Britannia
and Excellent; the day was, however, very stormy, and the tattered
condition of the royal standards and other flags that were displayed at
the top-gallant mast-heads, after having been only hoisted a short time,
added tp the sombre appearance of the whole scene. The Athol], from
the boisterous state of the weather, having parted a cable at Spithead,
has just run into harbour.

THE MARKETS.-(THIS DAY).