The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-22 00:00:00

DERBY.

9to 1 agst West Australian (taken to 1001.
and afterwards offered.
13 to 1 agst Cinuas (t .:,ken to 1001.)
16 to 1 agst Ho-ieywood (take 17 to 1).
18 to 1 agst Umbriel (taken to 5C1.)
18 to 1 agst Ninnyhammer (taken and aft off).
25 to 1 agst Ethelbert.
2000 to 60 agst Vandereecken (taken and aft off).
1000 to 30 agst Qum i Colt (taken).
Mr. H Stebbing, the celebrated trainer, died on Sun.
day last.
Tavisock is declared not to start for the Somerset.
shire S,aLes.

SPORTING NOTES.—No. CCCXCIV.
ANALYSIS OF THE GREAT NORTHAMPTON-
SHIRE HANDICAP.
In continuation of my analysis of this handicap,
Osborne's lot next claims my attention. To commit an
Hibernicism, however, it only consists of one, who, I be-
lieve, will run ; but the antiquated Alp, though lightly
weighted, can scarcely be deemed to have a chance.
Rogers has the Harrier, at 6st 121 b, and the King of
Troy, at Est 21b—the latter, in my opinion, being the
best.

Tremble will probably represent Godding's stable,
although the five-years-old May-day is, I think, the best
of the twain.
Hambletonian, from Bradley's, at Est 51b, ought to
have a little chance over this course'; but I fancy all
the light-weighted four and five-years-od are completely
disposed of by Lumley's Maria, who, at 6st 41b, I have
no doubt will be one of the first four.

Madeline gave symptoms last year of being able to
carry alight weight successfully among moderate animals,
bat I believe she is not quite forward enough in her
work to do anything this time.
Happy Joe and Lady Blarche, both four years old, at
the same weight (sst 121 b), are very indifferent animals,
and let loose occasionally.
Charley comes from Newmarket, but whether for this
Stake or the Whittlebury I am not able to say ; his
chance, however, cannot be first-rate for this Stake,
when there is only a pound between him and Defiance—
the latter being by half-a-stone the best horse.
The Duke of Bedford has a couple of nominations who
have been doing good work lately ; but Gossip having
done more than his stable companion, Dabchick, will
probably represent the stable ; and as Defiance is sup-
posed to possess a fair chance, in the same strain of
argument, Gossip, at 51bs. less, cannot quite be on the
hopeless list.

Charles Marson has Polly at work, a mare with no
pretension, at the weight, to compete successfully with
either Gossip or Defiance.
The Bell Tinker is not forward enough in preparation
to have the shadow of a chance of winning.
Jacqueline, from Tom Taylor's stable, will carry Lord
Chesterfield's colours, and, at 4st. 121 b., will no dohbt
run very well.
The intentions of the Llanforda party I have not been
able to ascertain ; but should their horse run, and be
meant, at sst. 21b., including 51b. for winning the Liver-
pool Spring Cup, I should even then entertain doubts
of her being able to win.
Lampedo, I believe, does not run.
Molasses, I should say, will be the representative of
Young Stephenson's stables, and will, as usual, be " no-
where at the finish.

Tobolski, with 4st slb up, the winning weight of last
year—is totally incapable of repeating the performance.
Chaffwax, with the feather of 4st 31b, requires no con-
sideration.

Gholab Singh has paid forfeit for this, and all his
other engagements, and is not likely to appear again in
public.

To sum up, I think the race will lie with Confessor,
Maria, Defiance, Gossip, and Hobby Horse ; and as I
entertain a slight doubt of the power of Defiance to
carry the weight allotted to successfully, I must look for-
the winnet Ia HOBBY HORSE or CONFESSOR, if he should
represent the stable. The other three, I expect, will be
in very close attendance.

Alifinal opinion on this stake will appear next Tues
day.

THE SPIRIT OF THE TURF,

HOTEL AND TAVERN-KEEPERS' PROVIDENT INSTITU-
TION.—The fifteenth annual meeting of subscribers to the
above institution was held yesterday at the Craven Hotel,
Strand, the object being to receive the annual report of
the committee, the auditors report, and to elect offeers
for the ensuing year. Mr. S. Lovegrove presided. From
the report which was read at the meeting the income
from all sources for the past year appeared to be 446/. 3s.
2d., and the disbursements to 20 members and 12 widows
of members, 2291. 25.; and after deducting the current
expenses of the year there remained a balance of 1101.
10s. sd. The number of recipients had annually in-
creased from in 147 to 32 in 1852, and amongst the
whole numberB relievBed during that period the
of 1,2641. 9s. had been distributed. The rep large sum
ort further
mentioned two remarkable instances of
the usefulness of
the institution. In one instance, where a subscriber had
paid in 81. Bs., he had, on subsequently coming to dis-
tress, received up to the present time 1021. ls ; and
another, who had,paid in 9/, 98., had received from. the
funds 951. The report concluded with a grateful enu-
meration of the benefactors of the institution, and the
announcement that Mr. Bass, M.P., had consented
to preside at the next anniversary festival.—The Chair-
man, in opening the proceedings, briefly called at-
tention to the above facts contained in the report, and
moved its adoption. One or two questions were asked
respecting the mode of distribution, and were satisfac-
torily answered, after which the report was unanimously
adopted. Thanks were voted to Mr. Alderman Salo-
mons for his kindness in becoming a vice patron of the
association; to Mr. Masterman, M.P., for his donation
of Si. 55.,_ being the ninth sum of that amount he had
given to the institution ; and also to the honorary con-
tributors, whom the chairman informed the meeting were
principally ladies. Officers for the ensuing year were
then elected, and the proceedings terminated with the
usual vote of thanks to the chairman.
COMMISSION OF LUNACY ON A COMEDlAN.—Yester-
day, Mr. Commissioner Winslow held a court at. the
Bridge House Hotel, London-bridge, to inquire
linto
the state of mind of Benjamin Crowther, formeorfythae
comedian, engaged at Astley's, and more recently
ral of the witnesses that Mr. Crowth.earTwhastrmearried to
Surrey Theatre. It resulted from the evidence of seve-
ral
Vincent, lessee of the Victoinri
full el:altiLonArer
14 of February, 1852, when he
with fever, followed by
the ceremony he proceeded to Brighton with Mrs.te
Crowther, and was attacked
lunatic asylum in C b
asylum
his
what now appears to be a settled mental derangement.
He was at first sent to a erwell,
and subsequently toannortyli,e.rw,haiethwasinstituted by his
brother, he was residing Bethnal-green ; but at
the time of this inquiry,
father, as before his
marriage. Beremoval to anhl 8
behaviour
fbrerl is in with
had been marked by great excitement alternately with_
fear being the predominant emotion. In the
depression, i the alle d gelunatic was introduced.
course oft he inclu_ry
challeng
Having
es b t
the rushed anu room, threatening to write
blasphemous and foul language, he was
with some
verdict difficulty led out of the room. The jury re-
turned a , " That Benjamin Crowther is now of
unsound mind, incapable of managing himself and Ns
affairs, and has been so since the 18th Feb., 1852."
THE LAW OF DIVORCE.—The first report of the Com-
missioners appointed by her Majesty to inquire into the
law of divorce, and more particularly into the mode of
obtaining divorces cl vinculo matrimonii, has just been
laid before Parliament. After an elaborate summary of
the history of the law from the earliest times, and a
statement of the inconveniences occasioned by its present
state, The Commissioners proceed to make various sug-
gestions as to the alterations and improvements which
they think may be made in the law with prudence and
safety. The principal of these suggestions are, that the
'distinction between divorce 4 meusd et th0..0 and divorce
vinculo matrimonii shall still be maintained, but that
the latter shall be allowed for adultery only, and that a
verdict at law and an ecclesiastical sentence shall not be
considered as preliminary conditions which must be
complied with before it can be obtained. They recom-
mend that the existing mode of obtaining a divorce a
vinculo shall no longer be continued, but that a new
tribunal shall be constituted to try all questions of
divorce, and also all matrimonial questions now deter-
mined in the ecclesiastical courts, and that this tribunal
shall consist of a Vice-Chancellor, a common law Judge,
and a Judge of the Ecclesiastical
Courts. Lastly, they
recommend that there shall be only one appeal from the
decree of the court, and that the appeal shall be carried
to the House of Lords.

SUICIDE OF A LIVERPOOL GENTLEMAN.- —A very pain-
ful affair has occurred at West Derby, near Liverpool.
Mr. Richard Benson Blundell Hollingshead Blundell, a

county magistrate, has been for some days missing from
his home, Deysbrook, West Derby, and, though diligent
search and inquiry were made for him, no clue was ob-
tained until Sunday morning, when his body was found
in a pond Rot far from his own residence. It was at

first 'supposed that he had been murdered, but a further

examination of the remains tended to show that the in-
juries upon the person were self-inflicted, and not such
as to lead to the supposition that a murder had been
perpetrated. The deceased gentleman, though very
wealthy, was labouring under the singular impression
that he should come to poverty, and this so weighed
upon his mind as to lead to the commission of the me-
lancholy act described.