The Sun.
London, England, 1838-05-25 00:00:00

BELGIUM.

(From the Handlesblad.)
AMSTERDAM, Mar 22.—We have received the following highly im.
portant communication from Brussels, dated May 21 :—" As soda as
Leopold had received the communication from the English Governinent,
which I mentioned in my last, a Cabinet Council was held, the result of
which 'vas a diplomatic note from our Cabinet to Louis Philippe
telling him that the public opinion in Belgium was so strongly
pronounced against the execution of the 24 articles, that if
Leopold were compelled to sign them with Holland, ,as the
English Cabinet seemed to require, it would be impossible for
him to reign any longer, and that he would in that case be
obliged to resign the throne. You may depend on the authority of what
I tell you. The answer from Paris- is not known, and though it is not
probable that France will be deterred by this measure from following
the same course as its spies in a matter on which it can shew whether
it, seriously desires the peace^ of Europe, there is no doubt that
the active French will endeavOur with great dexterity to profit by the
circumstance, and to strengthen their infinence hs well in Belgium as at
other Courts. They will so frighten the Belgians with the consequences
of a possible abdication of Leopold, that this alone will be sufficient to
Make them give up the possession of Luxembourg and Limberg, and the
hope of not paying the arrears of the debt; and in fhe conference will
allege that it has brought the Belgians to principles of equity aeil mode
ration. Some affirm that it is by the private advice of France that
Leopold has made no use of his influence, either to prevent the address
of the Chambers, or at least to take care that all the members over whom
the Government had influence should not declare against it, which would
certainly not have happened, if it had been thought flt to prevent it. It
is therefore possible that Leopold's threat is but a kind of by-play, to
give France an opportunity of acting in this affair tlie part which it
judges most favourable to its interests, and to the extending of its in-
fluence in the affairs of Europe."

LLOYD'S SHIPPING.-(THIS DAY.)

DEAL, MAY 24.—Wind N.E., moderate.—Arrived and proceeded
for the river, the Cygnet, Rolls, from Hobart Town; Caroline, Wheeler,
from the South Seas ; Forager, Deane, from Grenada—reports the
St. George, Livingston, had arrived at Grenada on the 11 th April ;
John, Hendrick, from Longarde ; Black River,,packet, from Jamaica ;
North Briton, Fiyall, from Sydney ; and Charles Broak, Bell. fiorn St.
Vincent—Rosater, Abbott, from Weneriffe, remains. Came down from
the riser 'and proceeded, the outward.bound, as per last, the City of
London, Martin, for the Cape of Good Hope; Emerald. Acercrombie,
for Berbice ; Fox, Fox, Newfoundland ; John M`Lattan, M'ponall,
for Sydney ; and Sophia, Massy, for St. Sebastiun.
PORTSMOUTIF, MAY 24.—Wind N. to N.E., fine.—Arrived the Le
Poule, from Cherbourg.
Pt.vmourit,. May 23. Wind N.--Arrived the Jane: Rawlings
from Hamburg.

FA tmount, -----
MAY 23.—Wind,N,W., fresh breezes and fine.—Arrived
the Christine, Callbey, from Pernambuco ; Eilen,Taylor, from Paraiba;
Malvina, Burton, from Cape Haytien ; and Lady of the Lake, from
Gallypoly. Sailed the Dew Drop, Wade, from Miramichi.
LIvERPOOI., MAY 24.—Wind N.E. to S.E,, moderate.—Arrived the
Constellation, Sampson, from New Orleans; °Harold, Crowell, from
ditto;
Glasgow,
Swanston, from ditto, with loss of deck load; George,
Cabot.
G from
o; Mersey, Mather, from St. John's, New Brunswick;
Princess Victoria, Gilbert, from Trieste;. Margaret, Ilighfield, from
Sisters, Hall, from Naples; Yarmouth, from Leghorn; Terra
los
Siesta;
MAY 24.—Arrived os' port, the Arab, Sparks, from the
Nova, Westborg, from Gottenburg; and Siddons, Britten, New York.
Mauritius; and Gloucester, Brooks, from ditto.
DOVER, MAY 24.—Arrived off port, the Dordrecht, from Batavia;
and Sapphire, Hall, from Alicant.
MARGATE,
COWES, MAY 24.—Arrived the.Spenc.?r, Spencer,"fi-orn Pernambuco ;
and Juan, from Havannah."
OFF THE WIGIIT.—The Rosina, from Havannah ; Eliza, from Gre-
nada; and Clorinde, from the West Indies.
SALCOMBE, MAY 24.—Arrived off port, the Sovereign, from St. He.
Lena; and Rapid, from Jamaica.
TORBAY, MAY 24.—Arrived off, the Isabella, Dempster, from Tene.
rifle ; and Richard Reynolds, from Cadiz. . •
DA IiTMOUTII, MAY 24.—Arrived the Salome, Varwell, from Sicily.
ScUtv.—Arrived the Princess Victoria, Ellis, from Galopily. Off
ditto—The Emilie and Helen, from St. Domingo ; and Dina, Maria,
from Surinam.
BRISTOL, MAY 24.—Arrived the Alert, Gibson, from the Cape of
Good Hope; Emily Colhay, from Demerrra ; and Monmouth, Acorns,
from Odessa.
m v 24.—Arrived the Catlierinejlifiers; from HASTINGS, —A - Surinam.'
CLyil, MAY 23.—Arrived the St. George, Crawford,. from the
Mauritius ; and Eagle, Scott, froinCharacuse,
- HULL, MAY 24.—Arrived The Red Rover, Hayes, from Hamburgh ;
and Antelope, Heinerauss, from Memel.
RIGA—The Michael, Simpson, from Dundee to Riga, was struck by
a piece of ice previous to the 14th ,natant and sunk; crew saved

The Sovereign, Crompton, from Stockton, was assisted into Orford
Haven, very leaky, having struck on ThOrDeSB Rocks, bound to London.
The Harriet, Benish, from Ahtwerp to Liverpool, was on shore at
Creygill, 23d inst

ygi 11,

" Office of Committee of Privy Council for Trade,
" Whitehall, May 24; 1838.

am directed by the Lords ofthe Committeeof Privy Council
for trade to acquaint you, for the information of the merchants trading
with Spain, that the Spanish Government have abolished the Ballast
Duty levied at Santander by the Ecclesiastical Chapter upon vessels
entering that port.

(Signed)
To the Chairman • of Lloyds,

" DENIS LE MARCHANT.

LAUNCH OF " THE BRITISH QUEEN.—This
,enormous steam_ship, which has been building for, some time for the
British and American Steam Navigation Company, and which is in-
tended for the passage from this country to New York, was yesteiday
launched from the dockyard of the builders, Messrs. Curling, Young,
and Co., of Limehouse. The company were permitted to view the
,launch and inspect the ship by cards, .which admitted them within the
yard, where every accomodation of scalltaldiog, awnings, &c, was
erected. , There was a very numerous assembly of visitors, con.
sisting of fashionables from the west end of the town and persons
connected with the shipping and commercial interests of the city. The
avenues to the dockyard were crowded with equipages and
vehicles of all sorts, and thronged with pedestrians and horse-
men. Upon the river craft of all kinds were in rAnisition,
from steam-boats
tug-boats, and barges, down to skiffs and whcr_
without
ries. The
--ritiah Queen, which was Very appropriately lauched
on her Majesty's birth-day, is one of the most elegant
beinginvidious or fond of delighting in comparison, it cannot
l models ever built:
be denied that she is superior in her build to either the Great Western
or the Sirius. In dimensions she is far superior; she is built as to her
beams of English oak, the lower planks are Dantzic fir, and the upper
cedar. She is painted entirely black, except the ornamental work
arouncj the windows at the stern, and the inouldings supporting the
figure hre‘a, which are gilt. The figure at the extremity of the bows
represents her Majesty; it is well carved, and the face is a good likeness
of the .Royal original. This steam-ship appears less flattened on the
sides'than the Great Western. At two o'clock, alt previous arrange-
ments having been made, the signal to strike away the last shore was
given by the tiring of a pistol; the usual ceremony of breaking a bottle of
wine on the bows of the vessel immediately followed, and this superb ship
slid gradually and majestically, increasing her rapidity as she moved out of
the dock into the river, amidst the most enthusiastic and deafening cheer,
of the assembled thousands. It was not until she was fairly in the
river, and had turned about in such a manner as to present her broad-
side to the spectators on shore, that her enormous size, and almost
giant-like dimensions became striking.' She actually seemed a floating
Colossus,
and every other vessel appeared diminutive in her presenca.
Her paddles are lint yet on, nor is she fitted up as to her details. She
has three toasts, all which were stepped and perfect ; her foretopmast
was ornamented with the America flag; from her naaintopmast and her
mizentop the standard of England floated gallantly in the breeze, and
a vast variety of flags of all sorts and colours streamed gaily front the
various ropes of the rigging. She presented a most beautiful appear..
ance. We noticed in the gallery, among others, the Earl of Munster,
Lord Burghers)", Lord Minto, Lord Melgund, Lord G. Lennox,
Sir rl • Seymour, Sir C. Adam, Sir W: Parker, Sir „I. R. Reid, Sir
F. B. Head, the late Governor of Canada; the American and Dutch
Ambass: dots, several Members of Parliament, Admiral Yung, Admiral
Sir C. Ogle, Colonel Damer, the Hon7Mrs.-Datner, and several ladies of
distinction.

The Loan MArott stated that he held in his hand a letter, the con-
tents of which had induced him ft+ call a Special Court. It had been
sent to the Remembraneer, by Sir MattheW Wood, from Gloucester, and
was as follows :

• " Whitehall, May 17, IS3S.
"'Dear Sir Matthew—Having received the resolutions adopted by the
Police Committee from Mr. Hawes, recommending a junction of the
City and Tham^s police under the Metropolitan Commissioners, I shall
think it right to put provisions in a Bill which I shall introduce for the
purpose, to carry into effect this recommendation. It will be a matter
of great regret to me if, in taking this course, I shall-fail to receive
your co-operation.—Believe me to be your's, faithfully, '
"To Sir Matthew Wood; Bart." " J. RUSSELL.
- _

Sir C. S HUNTER said that the measure of the Minister appeared to
him to be as decided as possible. It was quite evident that it was the
intention of Government to have the metropolitan system introduced.
Alenmsn WIIITE-I,t is a very proper*measure to introduce.
Sir PETIUI LAURIE said that nothing could be more intelligible than
the letter. It was notice of a determination to commit an infraction'
upon the privileges of the citizens.—(Hear; hear.)
Sir WILLIAM HEYGATE said that Lurd Ahn ftusstll had adopted a
Civil way of saying he expected that Sir Matthew NVo,:d intended to
oppose his Bill.
Sif C. S. HUNTER stated that it was clear that Lord John Russell
would pet severe in his plan, and he thought the best course that the
citizens could adopt would be to be resigned to the change which would
d..cidedly take place.—(" 140, no," and a laugh.)
Alderman ScuotEr was surprised and grieved to hear such a speenh
from the senior member of the Court.

Sir WILLIAM llEvuare. hoped that instead of yielding with humility,
andkissing the rod, the attempt to commit an infraction upon their rights
and privileges would be strongly resisted.—(Hear, hear.)
Alderinan VENABLES regretted that Sir t. S. Hunter had made such
observations. He cared not for the magisterial power which the Alder-
men Tf by giving it. he thought the public likely to be bone_
fitted, he would feel no hesitation about the course which he should put.
sue; but no public benefit could possibly arise from the loss of their
privileges.
Alderman WHITE rejoiced that the father of the Court agreed with
him in the opinion entertained of the necessity which existed for the
interposition of the Government.

Sir C. S. HUNTER—No; no; you and I do not agree.
'Alderman COPELAND said that Lord John Russell had promised to
support the Bill if certain alterations were made in it. They were at
once adopted, and now his Lordship had the firmness to retract. It was,
in fact, impossible to produce a more extraordinary instance of want of
firmness.—(Hear.)

Alderman THOMAS Woon and • Alderman FA REBROTHER supported
the motion, and recommended an energetic resistance, and the motion
was carried—the only hand held up against it being that of Alderman
White.

After someprivate business the Court adjourned.

WRECK OF THE BRIG WILLIAM,
OFF GRAVESEND-LOSS OF LIFE. , •

We are sorry to state that the operations which were commenced on
Monday last, for the purpose of blowing up the wreck of the collier brig
William, which sank oft. Gra;:.!end some twelve months ago, have been
eel by the loss of a valuable
retarded by an unfortunate accident, att..- r. Purdo, Master-at-
life. Colonel Pasley had given instructions to . of the Adyni.
tendant of Chatham Dock.yark, who was, by permission -•„fain
ratty, to superintend the naval part of the operation, and to
yule, of the .Engineers, who was to superintend the diving and mining
part, and he had a personal communication with them on Sunday even.
ing, when they proposed a modification of those instructions, by doing
the diving part in two tides instead of One, which the Colonel
approved. Leaving to those officers the executive part of the duty,
which was to be commenced at daylight on Monday morning, to take
advantage of low water, he repaired to Gravesend at ten, about an hbur
before high-water, on the same day, to give directions for firing one of
the large powder cylinders, if ready. On his arrival he found that the
diving lighter had been moored in a secure manne?-by Mr. Purdo exactly
where he desired it, which, to those who know the force of the tides
in that most rapid part of the Thame4, and with a vessel of such bluff
form as the diving-bell lighter, will appear no easy task. But an
unforeseen difficulty presented itself, arising, probably,' from the
wreck being in a more shattered state than last autumn, when Mr.
Kemp first attempted to weigh it by, his ingenious apparatus, 'and
when • afterwards Mr. Purdo himself attempted to weigh it by
means of dock.yard lighters, both of which attempts failed. A little
before the time of law water on Monday, Captain Yule sefit down Con.
poral Mitchell; of the Royal Sappers and Miners, who, after having
examined the bottom and ti:e side of the vessel, came up and reported
that he expected eo difficulty. After this he went down a second
time to fix an eye-bolt to the ship's side, after which he made the con-
certed signal, and a rope was sent down to ham to pass throw. h the eye-
bolt. A t this time, when he had been down three-quarters of an liner,
Captain Yule made a signal to him to come up, as the flood-tide had
begun to set very strong against the side of the vessel on which he was
employed. • This signal not being answered, Captain Yule ordered him
to be pulled up by what is called the life line, fixed round his
body, which, after raising it five feet, proVed to be entangled,
on which they hauled up the ladder , by which he had de-
scended, but they found that a rope attached to the bottom of it, by
which he ought to have held fast, was loose. In the meantime they
continued pumping air into his diving helmet hopes of keep
ing him alive, wlien Colonel Pasley arrived. A little before the turn of
the tide, when it became practic.,ble to work the diving-bell, Colonel
Paisley and Captain Yule went down In it, to ascertain whether it wai
safe and in peeper working order, as they ascertained that it had not
been used for several years, although reported to be in good order by
Mr. Bacon, the master millwright of Chatham dOck-yard, whose report,
finding to be perfectly correct, they sent down Sergeant Young, accom-
panied by another Sergeant and a private, to search for the body,
who remained about an hour, until the ebb tide came so strolig
that Colonel Paisley ordered the diving .bell to be hauled up,
in consequence of the opinion given by the master of the diving-
bell lighter, who had been employed many years with it at Sheer-
ness, there was a risk of losing their lives also. This took place
after high water, between eleven and twelve o'clock in the forenoon,
when Colonel Paisley returned to Chathaln, leaving orders with Captain
Yule to send down the diving.bell again at low water, which he did,
and Sergeant Young, ivith the other men who accompanied him before,
succeeded in recovering the body between five and six in the afternomi,
but found life extinct, though there was a party of men continually
putnping air into the diving-helmet, with which the Corposet was pro-
vided, and which was of a very .good construction. Sergeant-Young
ascertained that his life-line and signal-rope had got entangled by a spar,
nearly upright, attached to the side of the wreck, and that he was
.sus
pended four or five feet from the bottom.

,
There is at present in tne conservatory at Rose
Park, in full flower, one of the most splendid Hybrid Rhododendrons in
this country. There are nearly 100 flowers on the plant in full blow, of a
rich bright purple colour, and uncommonly large. The Nepal Rhododen.
dron Arboreum is also in flower at the same place.—Edinburgh Courant.
ANCIENT RATES OF POSTAGE.--When the car-
riage of letteis first became a national concern, in the reign of Charles
the Second, the rates of postage were fixed as follows :

Miles.

Letter not exceeding 1 sheet, to or from any place

•
plaw not exceeding AO 2d.
Ditto do.
Ditto do.
Ditto I do.
Ditto • do. to Berwick —3 d.
Ditto do. from London to Dublin
By the 9th Anne, s. 11;a penny was added to several of the rates previ.
ously established ; a letter from London to Edinburgh was charged six-
'pence. But still by this statute letters were to be delivered within ten
miles of London; Westminster, and Ssluthwark, for one penny.—London
and Westminster Review.
Last week the first " take" of mackerel this season
at Whitehaven was made. Three dozen were caught, which were sold
at ninepence each. On the same day the first herring was caught—a
hint to the fishermatpct Poulton-le-Sands, who should.surely commence
operations before August.—Lancaster Guardian.
PREPARATION OF TEA IN CIIINA.—III pre-
paring green teas, scarcely any warmth is applied, but the leaves arc
repeatedly turned with the hand, in order that all may be equally ex-
posed. For the black kinds, the heat used is much greater, and the
whole process of drying is conducted in a more rapist manner. Beside
this care bestowed upon the leaves in order to determine the colour,,ta-
rious expedients are adopting for giving them the characters by which
they are generally distinguished. The industry of the Chinese is as
apparent in the preparation of the tea, as in every thing else which they
undertake. For some of the finer kinds, every leaf is rolled up singly by
the hand, when partially ('.ried. Others, again, are picked and sorted
with equal minuteness, or broken up and sifted wi!li the greatest care,
while a few of the last expensive are scented with sweet.smelling flov..ers.
—The Fanqui in China.

KENDAL, THURSDAY.--The north wind has again
assumed the ascendancy; and the last three nights' frost has destroyed
nearly the whole of the tops of the early vegetated potatoes. What are
termed second carlies will now, therefore, he first ready fur use. There
is, every prospect. of an. abundant crop of fruit.—Lancaster Guardian •
Notwithstanding that the Court of Common Pieas
have derided against the right of the inhabitants of Battersea to the piece
of land called l,atelimore Enclosure, the poorer class of limsekect.ets are
unwilling to relinquish their claims. On Saturday, the 'village was in a
state of great excitement in consequence of a large party of men, women,
and children, preceded by a band of music, marching in procession to
the each:mire, and there placing their cattle in stalls. The litspector, of
the V Division of police came on the ground with a party of men untit r
hi command, but no riot took place; the people were amusing them-
selves with country-dances, and returning in the same order as they cause.
to their horn% The parish officers, who were present, stated their in-
tention orindicting the principals in this trespass.
Prince Doria Pamphili arrived at Paris on the 18t,i
instant from Rome, on his route to this capital, to be present at he:
Majesty's Coronation. •

A small parts• of the New Police Force has jt:t
arrived from London at Clay Cross, it having been found necessary to
apply for extra powers to suppress the riotous conduct of the Railroad
workmen and navigators employed in that neighbourhood.-Derby lie.
porter.

..
On Saturday evening a man, natrult Charles Tibhy,
who had been taken to St. George's Hospital on the 20th of April.
having a very severe wound on his right atm, expired in that institti.
tion from the effects of the injury he had received. The circurn.
stances under which the wound was inflicted are as fol:ow :—lt appeara
that the deceased and a man, named Gray, were journeymen bakers in
the employ of the same master, in Park street, Grosvenor.square. On
the day its question they were in the bakehouse together, when a slis.
putearese between them, and Grey snatched a knife from the table, and
thrust it through the arm of the other man. He was immediately taken
to the hospital, where it was found that the injuries he had received
were of such a deserippon as to render the amputation of the wound ,I
limb necessary. After this operation had been perforined the wouri,'ed
.man gradually sunk, and on 'Wednesday night he.was in such a condi.
tion that it was deemed advisable that a magistrate should take his d '-
' position, and 'accordmgly Sir Frederick !ioe, upon being applied to 1))
the officer who had the case in hand, immediately attended at the 1, i-
pital, and took the man's deposition. He continued to Languish from
this period until five o'clock on Saturday afternoon, when he expired.
Gray is in custody.

Mr. FAZ AKERLY, In answer to a question from an Hon. Member
on the Conservative side of the House, said it was most likely that the,
Poor.law Committee would make theirßeport this Session.
'CASE OF LIEUTENANT GILL.
Captain BOLDER() presented a petition from Lieutenant Gill of the
Royal Navy, and gave notice that he would, on this day week, bring Cm
attention of the Rouse to the subject-matter of the petition.
POOR LA W.—SCOTCH CHURCH.
Mr. C. LUSHINGTON presented a petition from Dunmow, against :
the Poor.law Amendment Act, which was referred to the Poor-law Com-
mittee; and also petitions, whence we did not hear, against further en.
dowment to the Church of Scotland.
FACTORIES.
Sir G. STRICKLAND presented five petitions from different places
in Yorkshire against the Factories Re2,ulatton 11111, and in favour of an
1I hours' labour syitem for children. •
The Non. BARONET also presented petitions for the abolition of Negro
apprenticeship. -