The Sun.
London, England, 1838-02-09 00:00:00

ST. ANN'S SOCIETY SCHOOLS.

The half-yearly election of boys and girls into the Schools
of this excellent institution took place yesterday at the Lon-
don Tavern. The list contained 92 candidates, viz. 33 girls
and 59 boys, of whom four girls and eight boys were to be
elected, but of this number of candidates only about eighteen
may be said to have gone to the poll, some probably abandon-
ing the attempt altogether as hopeless, others reserving. them-
selves for another occasion. The advantages of this Institu-
tion are shown by the very great interest and anxiety exhibited
at the elections by the friends of the children. It is impossi-
ble to describe the exertions made on these occasions chiefly
by gentlemen of very high respectability ; but there is one
thing which we could wish to see altogether done away with,
and that is the system of borrowing proxies ; it is a sort of
time bargain, and we feel quite assured that there was no per-
son who yesterday took any part in the contest but must have
felt with us upon this subject. It cannot fail to create a cer-
tain degree of disgust, and it is enough to deter any person
from engaging a second time in a similar contest for any
object. We hope those in authority will look to this.
The system, however, to which we have thus alluded
does not detract from the excellence of the Society, which is
one of the first in the metropolis, whether we have regard to
its antiquity, its extent, its respectability, or the advantages
to its objects. Indeed we cannot do better to the cause of
real charity, than by recommending the cordial support of
this praiseworthy Institution to our friends, and the public
generally.
The following is a list of the successful candidates at the
election yesterday, with the number of votes polled for each:—

GIRLS.

Sophia Powell
S. M. Lloyd
E. Robinson
M. M. Harris
BOYS.

3,122
2,946
2,689
2,269

R. G. Palmer
Allan Bucn .
John West
Daniel Jones
Robert King
Edward Smith
R. J. Wood
William Brown

2,780
2,691
2,638
2,436
2,319
2,248.
1,998
1.944

THE LATE WRECK.-The Coroners' inquest on
the bodies of those who perished in' the Killarney, is still sit-
ting.— Cork Constitution, of Saturday last.

LONDON :
FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 9, 1838.

In the remarks which appeared in the Times of
yesterday on the motion of Captain BOLDER°, an
impression is attempted to be conveyed that by the
Pension Warrant issued in 1833, and now in force
(with some modificctions introduced in 1836), great
injustice has been done to the old and deserving soldier.
A short statement of the principal alterations made
by that warrant in the pensions of private soldiers of
Infantry, discharged after twenty-one years' service,
will best show the misrepresentations of which the
writer who has made this unworthy attempt to excite
discontent in the Army has been guilty. By the
warrant of 1829 the private soldier of Infantry,
disabled from fulfilling his ordinary duties after twenty-
one years' service, was entitled to a pension of Is.
a day, a halfpenny per day being added for each year's
additional service up to twenty-five years, when it
reached the maximum of one shilling and two-pence,
and this pension was in all cases the same whatever
might be the character, the ability to work, or the
health of the parties.

To soldiers discharged at their own request, and I
not from disability the warrant of 1829 awarded a
pension of 10d. a day after twenty-one years' service.
When the warrant of 1833 was introduced, it
was considered that this system was most injurious
to the public, inasmuch as it offered no induce-
ment to the soldier to continue his service after
twenty years, however well able he might be to do so,
and gave to a man in the full enjoyment of his health
and strength, a pension nearly and in many cases quite
equal to his full pay. That this was no slight evil is
shown by the fact, that the average age of the 2,000
men pensioned between 1823 and 1828, both years in-
clusive, was only thirty-six years and three months.
With a view to remedy this evil, it was provided that
the soldier discharged at his own request, and not
from disability, should not be entitled to a pension,
until he had completed twenty-five years' service, instead
of twenty-one; and that his pension should be sixpence
instead of ten-pence. In cases where the soldier was
discharged after twenty-one years' service, as unfit for
his ordinary duties, but still able to earn his livelihood,
he was entitled to a pension of sixpence, increasing
to the maximum of one shilling, by the addition of
a halfpenny per day for each additional year of service.
If unable to earn his livelihood, au addition to be made
by' the Commissioners of Chelsea, with the consent of
the Secretary-at-War, of a sum not exceeding three-
pence a day. The maximum not to exceed ls. per day.
Another evil, of perhaps still greater magnitude,
was, that the good and the bad soldiers discharged
after twenty-one years' service were placed on equal
terms with regard to pensions, and it was a constant
complaint of the Commissioners that they were often COM-
yelled to give pensions to men of the worst characters,
who had narrowly escaped being discharged icom the
army with disgrace. This was partly remedied by the
warrant of 1833, which gave a discretionary power to
the Commissioners and the Secretary at War of ad-
ding to the pension ; and a still greater inducement to
good conduct was held out by the warrant of August,
1836, which provided, that soldiers who have been in
the receipt of additional pay for good conduct, for a
period of five years previous to their discharge, shall
be entitled to an addition to their pension of a sum
varying from Id. to 3d. per day. Thus " the broken-
down, worn-out human being, without enough of
hand or heart left in him to earn a day's meal by
work," instead of 6d. a day, as stated by the Times,
would, after twenty-five years service, receive 11d.,
or, if he had been a good or deserving soldier, I.s. 2d.
per day—a sum, be it observed, equal to the highest
pension he could receive under the warrant of 1829.

Having thus pointed out the gross mis-statements
of the Times, with regard to the alterations of the
pensions made in 1833 and 1836, we will only add
that these warrants were issued with the full and unre-
served concurrence of the Commander-in-Chief.

In the House of Lords last night the Canada Bill was
read a third time, and passed without a division. On
the motion for the third reading being made, an ani-
mated debate followed, in the course of which the
principle and details of the Bill, and the whole policy
of the Government with respect to the Canadas, were
animadverted upon with great severity by Lords EL-
LENBOROUGII, MANSFIELD, and BROUGHANf.
Lord ELLENEOROUGII contended that the Bill before
the House was rendered unnecessary by the suppres-
sion of the revolt in Lower Canada—in proof of
which he quoted Lord GosFortp's dispatch of the
23d of December, in which his Lordship distinctly
stated that the measures taken for suppressing the
insurrection " had been crowned with entire suc-
cess." The Noble Lord went on to. repudiate
any delay in the settlement of the question,
and maintained that it was the duty of Govern-
ment—seeing that the Constitution of 1791 was un-
suitable to the wants and wishes of the Canadians—
to adopt without delay such a Constitution as in the
wisdom of Parliament would satisfy the colonists, and
maintain the connection with this country. Lord
GLENELG defended the course followed by the Go-
vernment, in a speech which assumed every thing, with-
out proving any thing. His Lordship querulously
observed at the outset, that Lord ELLENBOROUGH
did not take a "Tory view of the question—as if that
were a matter to be lamented—adding, with a sim-
plicity not quite becoming a Statesman of his Lord-
ship's mature years, that the Bill " was not called for
by the revolt exclusively, but by the consideration of
the former conduct of the House ofAssembly in refusing
the supplies." The Noble Colonial Secretary took no
notice of the quotations from Lord GosPo up's
dispatch. He possibly imagined that the House
would not be disposed to place much reliance upon the
opinions of a Chief-Governor, after the proof which
the Bill afforded of that Governor's blunders and in-
capacity ; and, in our opinion, his Lordship's silence
upon this point was not more profound than pru-
dent. Lord AsrtsußfoN strongly recommended a
conciliatory policy, and insisted, that if the Colonists
were unanimous in demanding a separation, such a
demand ought instantly to he complied with. Eng-
land had benefitted by the independence of the United
States, and in the event of a separation from the
mother country, lie would gladly witness the incorpo-
ration of Canada with that mighty republic. In the
mean time, his Lordship would educate the Canadians
—would familiarize them with the exercise of those
high functions, which he believed would devolve
upon them before the expiration of twenty years—and

in ever:• ether respect, so treat them as to establish an
imperishable claim to their lasting gratitude. Lord
MANSFIELD would not oppose the Bill, but expressed
his regret that it was not preceded by a Message from
the Crown, pledging Parliament to restore to the Ca-
nadians those liberties of which it for a time deprived
them. Lord LANSDOWNE defended the conduct of
the Government against all the charges preferred
against it. His Lordship asserted that there was no
culpable procrastination in the developement of its
Colonial policy ; repudiated the idea of Canadian inde-
pendence, which he pledged himself to resist as long
as he lived ; and gravely assured the House
that the majority of the Canadians would
regard the Bill upon their Lordships' table as a boon,
rather than as a Bill of Pains and Penalties. Lord
BROUGHAM followed; but only from a perusal of his
speech can any idea be formed of the masterly manner
lin which he dissected the Government Bill. An-
ticipating
the Ministerial reply that lie had
not proposed any amendments upon the Bill
in Committee, the Noble and Learned Lord
sarcastically remarked that be would have nothing
at all to do with such an abortion—the " Origin of
an Iliad of Woes." Lord MELBOURNE briefly sup-
ported the Bill, without adverting at any length to the
opposition which had been made to it, or offer-
ing any opinion upon the course which the Government
might deem it expedient to pursue in the event of
such changes taking place in the Canadas as were
anticipated by Lords ELLENBOROUGH and
BROUGHAM. The only novel feature in the debate
was the unanimity of all parties, in desiring that the
Canadian insurgents might be treated with the utmost
clemency, and restored as soon as possible to the en-
joyment of constitutional liberty.

The attention of the House of Commons was called
last night by Mr. WALLACE to the subject of esta-
blishing a day mail to Edinburgh, because one has been
established to Dublin. The CHANCELLOR of the
ExcllF-QuEn. very properly objected to trying such
an experiment, which would create a great charge
on the country, till the change now going forward
in the whole system of conveyance, in consequence
of the introduction of rail-roads, was brought into
full effect. Though we have every wish that the in-
habitants of the Northern Metropolis should be grati-
fied, and the establishment of such a day mail would
probably promote our interest, we think the decision
If the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER perfectly
proper. When the connection between London and
Manchester by the railroad shall be completed, as the
coaches will probably start from both ends of the line
more than twice each day, we see no reason why letters
should not be dispatched on every departure. Even
if there were no railway to connect Manchester with
Glasgow and Edinburgh, when the railroad was in
complete operation to the former, letters might be
dispatched from thence to the latter more than
once in the day. We contend, then, that
a day and a night mail ought not to content the in-
habitants of our great and distant cities, whether
they be the seats of manufacturers, of commerce, or of
learning. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
and her MAJESTY'S Ministers take the same view we
have no doubt as the Commissioners of Post-office
Inquiry, " that the establishment of the post is
essential to the promotion of commerce, the purpose
of revenue being a secondary consideration ;" and they
will consequently think that the trifling labour and
expense of making and dispatching several mails
per day, when the rail-roads shall be brought
into complete operation, ought to be disregarded.
They mean, therefore, we presume, to run before the
public petitions, and provide the utmost amount of ac-
' commodation for the transmission of letters, which the
new system of conveyance will afford. Till that can
be settled, it will be well to make as few changes as
possible, unless they be changes which will form part
of the rail-road system, which an extra day mail to
to Edinburgh, would not. The day mail already es-
tablished to Dublin, may answer the purposes of the
Government of Ireland, and of the inhabitants of that
city, but as long as the mail does not take a single letter
for any single town through which it passes, its advan-
tages to the public are scarcely equal to its cost. Let
us add, also, that when the new system of conveyance
is completed, we hope that the whole business of the
country will not suffer a serious interruption from the
continuance of the present practice of dispatching no
letters from London on the Sabbath. Why should
not the religious habits and feelings of the inhabitants
of other cities be consulted as well as those of the
Londoners ? But if they were to be consulted, and
letters were neither to be received nor despatched
from any town on a Sunday, the interruption
of business would be intolerable. So many
persons, such as sailors, soldiers, founders, printers,
coAllichmen, &c., &c. are now compelled to continue
their labours on the Sabbath, that it could do no
harrn'to add to the number, by employing on that day
a few Post-office Clerks. It would be expected that
for extra labour they should receive extra pay ; and as
the public convenience would be much served by em-
ploying them on a Sunday, that also would tend to
their private advantage.

The PRESIDENT of the Board of Trade has given
notice of a motion, the object of which is to afford
more effectual protection to the property of authors.
We believe it is part of a plan for establishing an in-
ternational law, approved of by the principal States of
Europe, and the United States of Ameriea, for the
purpose of securing to authors, in each of the States,
their rights against the hosts of pirates that now sub-
sist on the plunder of industry and genius. About
the justice of such a measure, and its practibility as
regards Continental Governments, there cannot be
much doubt; but there may be great doubt about its
operation in America. The number of works of merit
produced in that country are so few—the inhabitants
have such an interest in pirating works published on
this side of the Atlantic, and their obedience to any
general law passed in Congress is so partial—that for
many years, probably, it would be little better than a
dead letter. Our object, however, in noticing the
subject is to call the attention of the Government to
one intimately connected with it. Mr. MACKINNON
has a Bill before the House of Commons for the
more effectual protection of patents ; but any measure
of this nature will be as inoperative as the pre-
sent Copyright Law, unless it is equally extended ;
and we can see no reason why the different Govern-
ments may not agree to the one as well as the other.
They are alike necessary for the protection of property
and the encouragement of genius, and if properly
framed would be alike beneficial to the authors and
the public. In proportion as the field is extended,
the profits on each invention or work published ought
to be diminished ; and, without any loss to the patentee
or author, the public might in many instances be saved
at least a hundred per cent. As it is, a robbery is com-
mitted, and the robbers chiefly profit by it. No sooner
is a useful invention made here, than it is transferred
to other countries ; speculators are ever ready to take
advantage of it, and in a few years enrich themselves
at the expense of the purchasers, by works to which
they have no more right than the Corsair has to vessels
on the ocean. Ther© might be some difficulty in esti-
mating the profit which the author or inventor was en-
titled to on each work if such an international law
was adopted, but this might be overcome. The cost
of the materials and manufacture could be calculated to

a trifle, and the profits, as in the case of canals or rail-
roads, limited to a certain per centage. Never was
there a more favourable period for such a plan than
the present, when universal peace prevails.

We refer our readers to a paragraph in another part
of our paper headed " Church-rates." It is very
short, a mere morcean, but a singularly precious one.
A Dissenting Minister has a claim of one shilling
made upon him for Church-rate. Thinking with the
Times, in days not long gone by, that this
impost was nothing but a " most nefarious
exaction when levied on our Dissenting brethren,"
and feeling a conscientious objection to its payment,
the Reverend Gentleman' did what every honest man
would do in similar circumstances—he opposed a
passive resistance to the proceedings of the ecclesias-
tical authorities. " A shilling," said these worthies,
" is more than a Church so poorly endowed as the
Church of England can afford to lose. Besides, this
refractory spirit on the part of Dissenters, alias
Infidels, must be put down, or the Church will be in
danger. Moreover, this malignant Baptist is one of
their teachers—a trumpeter of sedition, blasphemy,
and, what is worse than all, of schism; and therefore
we shall make an example of him."
Such being the determination of the Gloucester-
shire sages, they proceeded to put it in execution with-
out delay. On Wednesday last a distraint was levied
upon the goods of the reverend recusant, and pro-
perty to the amount probably of five pounds was seized
for the dissenting shilling ! It is worthy of
notice, too, that the man who has been thus
treated for following the dictates of his con-
science, in refusing to support a religious system of
which he does not approve, has, though burthened
with a large family, contributed, out of a stipend
of 601. per annum, no less a sum than 2001. to
the support of his own religious system with-
in the last twelve years. What a lesson
does the conduct of this poor Dissenting Minister
teach the members, lay and clerical, of the wealthiest
Church on the face of the earth ! What a noble
example, also, does it bold out to all who regard
Church-rates as a religious nuisance, to suffer
the despoiling of their goods, rather than sanction, by
their practice, what they disapprove of in their hearts.
Let this truly Christian example be generally fol-
lowed, and Church-rates will soon be matter of history.

We direct attention to Mr. SHARMAN CRAW-
FORD'S third letter on the Poor Law for Ireland Bill,
which will be found in another column. As the Bill
stands for committal this day in the House of Com-
mons, the suggestions of the ex-Member for Dundalk
are offered at the proper moment.

The whole of the Paris Journals of Wednesday
have been received. The most important intelligence
they contain, is the report of another debate on the
Deputies' costume, when a motion for resuming the
costume of the Deputies consequent to the Restora-
tion in 1814, was carried by a majority of six ! With
this triumph of frippery, several of the Journals are
in extacies.

FBENCH FUNDS —Pmts, Fre. 7.
Five per tents.. laW. 70c. 75c. ssc. 95c.
Four and a Helper Cents. 105 f. 60c.
Four per tents., 102 f. 20c.
I h ree per Cents., 79f. 75c. 811 c. Sse.
Bank Actions, 9.,t;50f. 2,660 f.
rtente de Naples, 99f. 98f. 95c. 93f.
Roman Five per Cents., 101%.
Spanish Actives; 20 19%.
Belgian Loan, 103%.
Belgian Bank, 1,5152 f. 50e.
Portuguese Loan, Three per Cents. 17N.
Hayttan Loan, 385 f.

EXCHANOR •N LONDON.
One month, paper, 2.5 f. 45c. ; money, 25'. 42%c
Three months, paper, 25t: 3'rl/2c.; money, 251. 30,.

LAST PRICES.
Five per Cents. 110 f. se.
Three per Cents., 79f. 95c.
Bank Actions, 2,6601.
Romans, 101%.
Belgian Lean, 1(13%.
Belgian Bank, 1,512 f. 50e.
Portuguese Three per Cents., 17.
Spanish Actives, 19%.
Raytian Loan. 355 f.

Brussels and German Papers have been received,
but they are wholly occupied with the quarrel be-
tween the Courts of Berlin and Rome.

BELGIAN I, UNDS—BaussELs, FEB. 7.
Actual Debt, 2 per Cent.
Rothschild's Loan, 5 per Cent.
Loan of Thirty Millions 93%
Loan of City, 183'2, 4 per Cent 97%
Society of Commerce, 4y. per Cent MY,
Bank of Belgium, 6 per Cent 1451
National Society . II9U
—Brussels Papers, Feb. 7.
AUSTRIAN FUNDS.—VIENNA, JAN. 81.
Five per Cents. Metalliques
Four per Cents.
Three per Cents.
Bank Shares l4O
—All,gemeinclZeitung, Feb. 4..

SOCIETY OF ARTS.—Last night the Committee
of Finance, to whom the propositions of Mr. Northhouse for
reforming, re-modelling, and popularising this most valuable
institution, met in their Hall, in the Adelphi, and after a very
long and animated discussion, the Committee agreed to report
in favour of Mr. Northhouse's plan in all its principles, and it
is now likely that every literary and scientific institution in the
kingdom will, through their Presidents and Secretaries, be
connected with the parent institution, and permission will be
issued to report the proceedings of the Society as they occur,
without waiting for the annual volume. This is one of the
most useful steps that has ever been taken for the encourage-
ment of scientific Institutions.
OPERA BUFFA—LYCEUM THEATRE. Last
night this theatre was unusally crowded in every part, in conse-
quence of the expected presence of her Majesty. The enter-
tainment, probably, also centributed somewhat to this result, as
it consisted of two of the 'prettiest and most agreeable operas,
L'Elisir d'Arnore and Belly, which have figured in the bills
during the season. About half an hour after the commence-
ment of the performance her Majesty arrived, and, with her
Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent and the suite, quietly
took possession of the royal box as usual. The greater por-
tion of the audience " felt the bright presence," but by no in-
trusive recognition infringed upon the privacy which her
Majesty manifestly wished to enjoy. Some less delicate
spirits, however, especially in the gallery, a poor minority,
would not follow this example, but, at the close of the first
piece, stopped the further performance with cries of " God
save the Queen ;" and, in a word, compelled the orchestra
and the company to give the anthem, and, of course, also com-
pelled her Majesty to make her appearance from behind the
curtain which had hitherto preserved her privacy. Nothing
more boorishly ignorant and inexcusable than this conduct can
be conceived. Her Majesty, however, was all good humour,
and smilingly returned the greeting with which the whole
house recognised her. Miss Wyndham distinguished herself
in singing " God save the Queen." The operas were per-
formed with great spirit. Every one enjoys L'Elisir d'Amore
—its plot is so livelily and dramatically put together, and its
music so abounds in graceful melody and genuine buffo.
Something of the same sort may be said of Belly. Both were
relished highly by the general audience and, seemingly, by the
royal party.
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.-This morning an alarming
fire broke out, about half-past three, at Messrs. Edgington's
tarpaulins and sail-manufactory in the Old Kent-road, a little
beyond the Deaf and Dumb Asylum. From the inflammable
nature of the materials used in the business, the whole in a
short time presented one burning mass. There were severul
stables adjoining, which fell' a prey to the flames ; but the
horses, we believe, were all saved. In a short time after the
fire broke out several engines arrived, but could not render
any assistance from the want of water. We are happy to say
that no lives were lost, or any personal injury sustained.
LOSS OF THE WOLF WHALER.—The Pgsche
hove in sight of the port on Friday last, and sent ashore
three boats' crews, consisting of Captain Evans, and the
whole of the seamen of the whaling ship Wolf, which had
been entirely lost on the Bth of last month off Lord Howe's
Island, with a valuable cargo, consisting of 1,700 barrels of
sperm oil. Captain Evans and his men were on the island for
five week, until kindly relieved by Captain Norris, of the
Pysche, and brought to Sydney.—Sydney Herald.
THE NEW POOR LAWS.—To-MOrroW a special
Session will be holden at the Guildhall, London, before the
Recorder and Aldermen, all of whom are summoned to attend
by order of her Majesty's Government. The object of the
meeting will
be to regulate the assessments made on the seve-
ral Is Irds and parishes, in reference to the introduction of the
New Poor Law Act into the City.
COAL TRADE.—The Bill for Regulating the Coal
1 Trade of the Port of Loudon was read a second time last
night in the House of Commons, and committed to Mr. La-
bouchere, Lord G. Somerset, Mr. Hume, Sir E. Knatchbull,
Mr. Wakley, Mr. Pease, Sir James Duke, Sir M. Wood,
Mr. Wood (Middlesex), Mr. Leader, Mr. Bell, Mr. Lambton,
Mr. Humphery, Captain Alsage:-, and Mr. Finch.
RATING OF SMALL TENEMENTS.—Lord John
Russell has given notice that he will move the appointment of
a Select Committee on the Rating of Small Tenements this
evening, to consist of the following Members :—Mr. M.
Philips, Mr. Brotherton, Lord Viscount Sandon, Mr. Gordon,
Mr. Bethel, Mr. Briscoe, Mr. Seholefield, Mr. Pryme, - Mr.
Slaney, Sir John Mordaunt, Mr. Burroughes, Lord Viscount
Barrington, Mr. Lascelles, Sir E. Knatchbull, and Sir Harry
Verney.