The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-15 00:00:00

ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY.

Last evening a meeting of this society took place at
the Royal Institution, Albemarle-street ; Sir Roderick
Murchison, President, in the chair.
The meeting was very fully attended, and amongst the
company were the Marquis of Tweeddale, Earl Gifford,
Sir R. Inglis, M.P., Mr. Hume, M.P., Sir T. D.
Ackland, Bart, Sir George Nicholls, the Earl of
Sheffield, General Sir George Pollock, Sir Walter
Trevelyan, Mr. R. Stephenson, M.P., Mr. Lionel
Gisborne, Mr. Arrowsmith, Dr. Pitmann, Captain
Ommaney, &c.
The minutes of the last meeting having been read, and
various new members having been elected, a paper was
read by Captain R. Fitzroy, R.N., on the Great Isthmus
of Central America.

Captain FITZROY reverted, in the outset, to his former
paper on the Central American Isthmus, read to the
Geographical Society in November, 1850, and afterwards
printed in the journal, expressing a hope that the present
observations might be considered supplementary to what
he said on the former occasion, and not in itself sufficient
to expound the important question referred to. After
some general introductory remarks, Captain Fitzroy took
a brief view of seven lines of proposed inter-oceanic com-
munication. He then alluded to the novel and impor-
tant information recently received, especially from Mr.
Gisborne and Dr. Cullen, and he showed that whatever
preference might have been given formally—in 1850—to
the Atrato and Cupica line, for a water communica-
tion, there was no argument that could be adduced in
favour of that line which, did not apply with far greater
effect to the line proposed between the Gulf of San
Miguel and the almost classical locality formerly named
by Paterson (who founded the Scotch colony on the isth-
mus and the Bank of England) the Caledonian Harbour.
Captain Fitzroy then examined the geographical de-
tails of that part of the isthmus, giving a sketch of the
present state of our knowledge of the vicinity and a
brief outline of its history. He next entered into a
consideration of the nature and feasibility of a canal
on such a gigantic scale as was contemplated by Sir
Charles Fox, Messrs. Henderson, Brassey, Cullen,
and Gisborne. He alluded to the labour attainable—
to the possibility of employing convicts, and to the
prudence of establishing military organisation to a certain
extent for the sake of order, and perhaps for defensive
measures. He then proceeded to refer to the two great
impediments to such an undertaking, viz., the claims of
the native aborigines, and the unhealthy climate, and he
showed by what means these obstacles might be greatly
lessened. He next called attention to Mr. Gisborne's
opinions upon the size and nature of such a canal, and
advanced others somewhat at variance with them. In
conclusion, he referred to certain legal doubts which
those who advocated other routes were of opinion onugghitt.s
to be solved, and enlarged upon the general character
and objects of an enterprise so important, that (when a
survey shall have fully proved the wholeg Governucaarsae)nteei
ment would, doubtless, assist in carrying it out, and all
maritime
unite
in
use of all nations.
perfect
neutrality
waonudldfreeedagoerly mfoi
the
Somediscussion then ensued upon the
subject of the
various surveys which had taken place in the localities
explored, and in reference to the engineering difficulties
and expenses necessary to be overcome ; and thanks
shaving a beenndi t
r tendered to Captain Fitzroy, for his inter-
esting paper, the meeting separated.

GERMANY.
A letter from Heidelberg, in the Grand Duchy
of Baden, states that a Mlle. Hitzfeldt was arrested
in that place a few days ago, for having spoken in
unbecoming terms of the attempt to assassinate the
Emperor of Austria. She had recently arrived
from America, to which she fled in 1849, to avoid
prosecution for the active part she took in the revo-
lutionary movements in the Grand Duchy. In her
luggage, papers of a revolutionary character were
found.
A letter from Vienna of the 10th, in the Nation-
ale Gazette of Berlin, mentions a report of intended
modifications in the Austrian Cabinet. It is said
that Count Buol, the Minister for Foreign Affairs,
will be replaced by the Count de Rechberg, and
that the Baron de Bruck will be appointed Minister
of Finances and Commerce.
The Prince de Casteleicala has arrived at Vienna
from Naples, to present to the Emperor of Austria
the felicitations of the King of Naples, on the es-
cape of the Emperor from assassination.
The Vienna Gazette announces that the Emperor
has conferred the order of the Iron Crown on
Count Leiningen.
The ex-Emperor and ex-Empress of Austria have
subscribed 20,000 florins towards the building of a
church, in commemoration of the preservation of
the life of the reigning Emperor.
The Trieste Gazette states that, when the Turkish
Paella at Serajevo learned that the Austrian Consul-
-1 General in that place had been insulted, he offered
him every reparation, and even proposed to exe-
I cute the author of the insult. The Consul-General
. replied that he could not decide anything on the
subject. Thereupon the Pacha caused the man, a
police agent, to be arrested, to be publicly whipped
in presence of all the employes of the consulate,
' and to be sent as a slave to Constantinople. He
afterwards expressed his profound regret at what
S u itchier, EH.
' had taken place. The brother of the man was also n
ear
arrested on suspicion of having instigated the out-
estern Railway,about mined case of suicide occurred
A. W
gutetsi mg
A letter from Vienna of the Bth states that 't ham, on Saturday nine miles south of Dirmnig'-
-a—mAptvueurydtaettieor
night. A ft ear-
n on the London and North
General Haynau had been received in private penter, r 'd' in the neigbourhood,
audience by the Emperor, and that it is expected '
in a laid himself down
his head
with
he will be restored to active service.
er by the side of the railway
across the rails • th .
i It is stated in a letter from 011mutz in Moravia, completely , e down tram pass
bnelY• Glover
1 that in consequence of the recent attempts t 1 ' indifferent severed the head from s
believed to have
0 was in circumstances, and 1
assassinate sentinels, guard-houses shall be Bur. i been labouring under depression of mind. obtained
Thee has
rounded with railings.Mr. --
The Cologne Gazette states that Madar slir 1 CHILDREN IN WORKHOUSES.-- • don Saturday,
d at 11 o'clock and
was Printed
Englandand
Wales.
named the Robespierre of. Hungary, has • as' - a return to Parliament, which
6 600 against
gary) just been respecting umber was -, -
arrested, when attempting to eater A On the 25th March last the nu There were 5,297 capable
the Turkish frontier. . --ungary bY • 49,452 of the preceding year.
children in workhouses in 4
' I LI pervicei,
. L 91 entering uPO •