The Sun.
London, England, 1854-09-02 00:00:00

THE SUNDAY CLOSING ACT AND THE

LICENSED VICTUALLERS.

Yesterday a meeting of licensed victuallers was held
at the King's Arms, Old Kent•road, for the purpose of
promoting the movement at present on foot to obtain a
repeal of the act of last session, for the better regulation
of the sale of beer.

The chair was occupied by Mr. Wallace, of the Glou-
cester Tavern, Sloane-street, who lamented the necessity
of the meeting, and strongly condemned the conduct of
the Protection Society and the newspaper of the trade is
reference to the act itself and the agitation to which it
had given rise.

The meeting was subsequently addressed by Messrs.
Tuckers, Byers, Grimes, Hexall, Simes, Wells, and Bar-
row, to the same effect, and in general condemnation of
the act, as well on account of their own private interests
as on public grounds.
Resolutions were agreed to, pledging the meeting to
the furtherance of the movement, and thanking the press
for its support. •
Mr. Harris then announced that there was a prospect
of an amalgamation being effected between the Metropo-
litan and Suburban Protection Society and the Defence
Association, and stated that he expected before Thurs-
day next the members of the latter would exceed 300.
A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the pro-
ceedings.

Loss OF THE SHIP ABERGELDIE.—The ship Aber-
geldie, Brook, which foundered in the Gaspar Straits
on the 17th of June, was bound for Hong Kong. It
appears she left London on the 15th of last March with
a cargo of lead, sheathing copper, and Manchester
goods. On June 17, just as the evening was setting in,
with a slight breeze abeam, she struck on a reef, about
a mile and a half off the north end of Palo Leal, in the
Gaspar Sea, and hung, making water. Soundings
abaft gave three and a half fathoms ; amidships two
fathoms. The whole of the chain cables and some cargo
were hoisted out of the forehold, and taken right aft,
with a hope of lightening the ship foi ward sufficiently to
allow of her slipping off ; .but all efforts to effect this
were unavailing, and on sounding the well six feet of
water was found at the pump. As it was then evident
that nothing could be done to save the ship, the boats
were got out, and the next day the crew abandoned the
ship, and were picked up by the Euphrates, for Bombay.
They were afterwards transferred to the Challenger,
Kellick, 111 days from England, which landed them at
Hong Kong on the 3d of July.
THE NEw BANKRUPTCY ACT.—Yesterday a; portion of
the new Bankruptcy Act came into operation. Every
declaration of insolvency to be filed on or after the Ist
September is to be filed in the office of the Chief Registrar
in London, and in the country districts with the regis-
trars. The registrars are to forward copies to the Chief
Registrar. On and after the Ist Sept. a trader may peti-
tion for an adjudication of bankruptcy against himself, and
unless before adjudication he can make it appear that he
has an available estate to at least 1501., his petition shall
be dismissed and no further petition filed without permis-
sion granted. Hitherto the privilege was only granted to
persons who could pay their creditors at least ss. in the
pound. The time for disputing an adjudication in bank-
ruptcy is from yesterday extended to two calendar months
instead of 21 days. On and after the Ist September,
excepted articles to 201. in furniture, clothes, or imple-
ments, are to be allowed to bankrupts. The same are
to be valued and the expenses paid out of the estate.
An inventory of the remainder furniture is to be made,
and the same is not to he sold without an order of a
commissioner. This is a great boon to bankrupts. In
case a bankrupt should be entitled to an allowance on
his estate paying a certain dividend, his household fur-
niture is to be taken in lieu of money. The other por-
tion of the act relating to vacancies in the court and to
matters connected with the administration of the law,
took effect from the 11th August, when the act received
the Royal assent.

_
LORD LUOAN ON RAILWAYS.--Previously to the Earl
of Lucan's departure for the eeat of war in the. East,
his Lordship addressed a lengthened letter to the
President of the Board of Trade on the subject of the
extension of railway communication to the county of
Mayo. Discussing the advantages of such communi-
cation, the noble and gallant Earl observes :—" In a
military point of view I cannot but look upon this
proposed railway as of much importance to the United
Kingdom, connecting, as it will, the military station
at Athlone by direct and uninterrupted railway as
weil with the west and north of Ireland as with the
several military stations at Tullamore, Naas, Newbridge,
Limerick, Cork, Waterford, the Cove of Cork, and the
other towns and ports on the Great Southern and
Western Railway and its branches. On a matter of
such importance I hope that the best evidence will be
produced from the highest military authorities.
cannot think that a railway from the Midland
Great Western Railway of Ireland at Streamstown to
the Great Southern and Western Railway at Tullamore
would constitute the proper junction between Athenry
and Tullamore, as it would very much lengthen such
junction, and involve the necessity of change of carriages
or running powers over a small portion of another line
of railway, which would he most inconvenient in
the transmission of troops and stores, and dangerous-to
the public. Should a foreign army land at Killala,
or that neighbourhood, as happened before, it would
be in possession of the entire of those districts before
an army could be sent to check them, but if this
railway was made, detachments of military could
he sent from the depot at Athlone as well as from Cork,
Newbridge, Dublin, &c., to this district, before their
landing could be completed. I am further decidedly of
opinion, as well for military as for agricultural purposes,
that Athlone should be the town at which the two
railways should be united, situated as it is in the centre
of Ireland, the head quarters of the district,
one of the principal military posts, and the key of the
River Shannon, between Deinster and Connaught ; and
I am confirmed in this opinion by a reference to the
journals of the House of Lords, where I find that
the committee of that house strongly recommended
that a junction should be' formed of the two lines at
Athlone at the earliest possible future period. In con-
clusion, I must add that, without having the lightest pri-
vate interest in this matter other than as a considerable
landed proprietor and one occupying himself and
farming a very large proportion of his estates, that I can
scarcely overrate the very great advantage I anticipate
from this railway. In my opinion, ne line could be sug-
gested offering a greater advantage. The terms of gua-
rantee are most fair and liberal, and I really believe that
shotild the present opportunity be lost, the county of
Mayo can scarcely hope to secure railway communica-
tion at any early period on equally favourable terms.
VIOLENT ATTACK ON A YOUNG LADY, NEAR MATLOCK
BATH.—On Tuesday morning last, as a young lady, the
daughter of John Sellors, Esq., of Herbert Lodge, Bon-
sai!, was proceeding from her father's house to Matlock
Bath, in descending the hill through Matlock-wood, she
observed a man coming from an adjacent path, who fol-
lowed her. Perceiving that he continued to walk close
behind her, she stopped to allow him to pass. This he
did, and lingering a little to avoid his further approach,
she lost sight of him. On Miss Seller's return from
Matlock Bath, to her surprise and alarm she saw the man
lying on the wall in the same spot, apparently asleep. She
hurried past, and walked very quickly across the fields
homeward. To her horror, just as she reached a gate
leading to the rope-walk, a shortdistance from her father's
house, the fellow, who bad taken a short cut by another
road, sprang over the wall, and seized her violently round
the neck. Miss Sellors struggled with him and screamed
out, " Papa, papa." Mr. Sellers, who was reading in the
breakfast parlour, fortunately heard the outcry, and run-
ning out found his daughter in a state of extreme terror
at the garden gate. The fellow ran off directly the
young lady began to scream, but a description of him
having been given, Mr. Sellors set off in pursuit. On
reaching Ball Eye he caught sight of him, and being
within hearing he endeavoured to throw him off his
ghuoawredvehry, askingn
uh
ei him the
nwinayg,toanCdraiiiirfo.rsde.
lloTrshebefeinllgr 1;1
feeble health. and no help being at hand, he escaped.
It is presumed that he 'intended to rob the young lady
of her gold watch, the chain being visible from beneathy
her cloak, which, in the scuffle, was nearly torn off her
back. It has since been ascertained that the man's
name is Joe Potter, and that, along with another man,
he was transported for ten years for burglary, but libe-
rated at the end of five years. The police are on the
alert for his apprehension.—Derby Advertiaer.
APOTHECARIES' HALL—Names of gentlemen who
passed their examination in the science and practice of
medicine, and received certificates to practise, on Thurs-
day, August 31 :—Henry Tumor Woodd, Bromley,
Rent ; Christopher Gaggs, Howden, Yorkshire ; Geo.er
Stratten Symmons, Witham ; Charles Browne, Camber-
well ;
well ; James Ray, Lincoln ; James Fitzjames
___W,.. t
Charles Vernon Hutchins, Twerton, Bath ; William
Jarret Lewis, Carmarthen.