The Sun.
London, England, 1838-06-15 00:00:00

than the united battalions of English Dissenters, Scotch Free-
thinkers, and Irish Papists, of whom Lord John Russell has
the distinguished honour to be the leader in the House of
Commons. There have been two divisions already on the
qualification clause in the Irish Mun cipal Bill, an,l it would
not in the least surprise us if there were two more—nay, we
think it probable that there will be ; and we only hope that
the O'Connell Government may proceed with the same sort
of triumph in this matter that they have already achieved.—
Ma; wing Post.

OPERATION OF THE NEW MAR-

RIAGE ACT.

( From the Donca.ster Gazelle.)
Since the Ist of July, 1837, when the provisions of the 6
and 7 Wm. IV. c. 85, came into operation, there have existed
in England and Wales, three distinct modes of celebrating
marriage. Those who object to the sanction of a religious
ceremony may he married by civil contract at the office of
the superintending registrar for their district ; secondly, those
who desire that the act of marriage should be a religious oh-
servance, but object to the forms under which it is solemnised
in the Church of England, may be married at their own
places of worship, by their own minister, and with such forms
as they consider impressive and suitable to the occasion, such
place of worship being duly licensed ; and lastly, the
Act makes no difference whatever in the case of mem-
bers of the Church of England, who may, consequently,
be married as heretofore. The most perfect liberty
exists for all ; and a wiser concession could scarcely
have been made for the interests of the Church. Some
returns, which have been just printed by order of
the House of Commons, enable us to exhibit the extent to
which the privilege in question has been enjoyed. They can-
not, however, be regarded as a measure of what may take place
in future years. The mass of the English people, so far from
being given to change, are the most conservative of any na-
tion approaching them in civilization, and we have in these
returns a proof of the force of custom and habit, and the opi-
nions which these beget, which are all-powerful throughout
the whole frame of society.
The number of places in England and Wales licensed for
the celebration of marriage, under 6 and 7 William IV. c. 85,
was 1,136 on the 9th of May, 1838. In Lincolnshire, 17
places have been licensed ; in Derbyshire, 15 ; in Notting-
hamshire, 12 ; and in Yorkshire, 99.
The number of places of worship licensed up to December
31st was 945. At these 945 places 1,292 marriages had been
solemnized between the Ist of July and 31st December. The
annual number of marriages in England and Wales may be
estimated at 114,118, so that the proportion of marriages at
places of worship, not connected with the Established Church,
was about 1 in 32.

During the same half-year, ending December 31st., 453
marriage contracts were entered into at the offices of superin-
tending registrars, or about one marriage in every 125 cele-
brated in England and Wales.
In proportion to the density of a district, or the rapid in-
crease of population within it, has been the alacrity to render
the new Marriage Act available. In 219 districts of superin-
tending registrars, not one marriage had taken place under
its provisions ; and these all contain a scattered population.
In England and Wales there is one licensed chapel to 50
square miles ; in Lancashire, one to every 13 square miles ;
Yorkshire, one to about 60 square miles ; in the four coun•
tics of York, Lincoln, Notts, and Derby, one to 72 square
miles. In Nottinghamshire, there are only three places
in the county at which there are places licensed for the
performance of marriage, 9 at Nottingham, 2 at Newark,
and 1 at Mansfield. In Yorkshire, out of 99 licensed
places, 43 are situated in five places; at Leeds 11,
Hull 9, Bradford 9, Halifax 8, and Sheffield 6. In
Derbyshire there arc 11 towns or villages for which there have
been licenses obtained • and in Lincolnshire 14. In Lan-
cashire, 100 licences hall been obtained by the 23d of October,
1837, at which date only 45 licences had been obtained for
places in Yorkshire. One half of the marriages at the li-
censed places of worship have taken place in two counties,
Lancashire and Middlesex ; or to place the matter in another
light, above one-half have been celebrated in 13 districts out
of the 453 making a return, viz., London, 235 ; Liverpool,
104 ; Manchester, 73 ; Preston, 41 ; Leeds, 40 ; Ashton-
under-Lyne, 29 ; Prescott, 28; Birmingham, 24 ; Wigan,
22 ; West Derby, 17 ; Bolton, 17 ; Blackburn, 17 ; Leices-
ter, 15. In nine places in Lancashire there have been 348
marriages celebrated at the licensed places. The operations
have been as follows in this and adjoining counties :
At the At Licensed
Register's Office. Places of Worship. Total.
Notts
York
Lincoln... 4
Derby 11

Out of the 27 marriages at licensed places in Nottingham-
shire, 13 were at Nottingham, and 14 at Newark. In
Yorkshire, out of 104 marriages, 9 were at Bradford, at
Halifax 14, at Hull 4, Pontefract 1, Pocklington 2, Shef-
field 9. At 135 chapels in Lancashire, about 380 marriages
took place ; at 99 in Yorkshire, 104 ; at 17 in Lincolnshire,
8 ; at 15 in Derbyshire, 10 ; at 12 in Nottinghamshire, 27.
The total number of marriages celebrated within the half-
year, may be estimated for Derbyshire at 911, Notts 942,
Lincolnshire 1,308, Yorkshire 5,587 ; so that a very small
number of individuals have availed themselves of the Act. This
and the three adjoining counties contain between 1-6th and
1-7th of the total population of England and Wales ; but the
marriages in these counties which were contracted at registrars'
offices was only 1-10th of the total number which took place
under similar circumstances throughout England ; and the
proportion at the registered places was between 1-Bth and
1-9th. There are many grounds which might be pointed out
as accounting for this disproportion ; but we will allude at pre]
sent only to one, which, on reflection, will be found to contain
elements of great influence in such a matter ; and this is, the
difference in the relative population per square mile of the
above four counties, which is only 208 persons, while for Eng-
land and Wales the proportion is 240. The population of
Yorkshire and Lancashire does not greatly differ, but in den-
sity that of Lancashire is as 3i to 1.

DESTRUCTIVE FlRE.—Between six and seven
o'clock Wednesday evening, a most alarming and destructive fire broke
out in the extensive sugar-house situate in Denmark-street, Ratcliff.
highway, and which from the inflammable nature of the stock, at one
time threatened destruction to the whole street. The fire appears to
have broken out on the fourth floor, which was occasioned, as it is
supposed, from the overheating of a stove. A messenger was instantly
dispatched to the various fire stations, and in a short time two engines
from the station in Wellclose-square, under the direction of Guard,
were speedily on the spot, and were rapidly followed by the Wat-
ling-street, the Farringdon-street, the West of England, the
County, and other engines ; altogether, there were fourteen en-
gines on the spot, the whole of which were at work at one time. A
most excellent sum.ly of water was procured, and owing to the exer-
tions of the firemen, the destructive element was confined to the pre-
mises. The flames at one period assumed such a power, as to leave
great doubts in the minds of the firemen whether the vast building
could be saved. Fortunately they succeeded in throwing vast columns
of water on the fourth and fifth floors, and thus kept the fire to the
spot in which it had originated. Had the fire not been discovered so
soon, there is no doubt but the whole place would have been levelled to
the ground, as the building was completely full of stock. The insur.
ante effected on the premises amounts to several thousands, and con-
sequently the loss is fully covered. A strong body of the H and K
divisions of the police were speedily on the spot, and rendered their
utmost aid to the firemen, in stopping the progress of the fire.
On Monday afternoon, during a violent thunder
storm, the house on a farm in Wrangle Common, in the occupation of
Mr. Swain, was struck by the lightning, which entered the roof near
the chimney, broke a large hole through the ceiling, just above
a part!.
tion wall, down the hollow part of which it passed till it reached the
floor of the chamber, where it broke out again under the skirting board,
and finally passed out of the window, which was open. Providentially
the occupiers of the house were at some distance, as the house was much
shattered, and quickly filled with smoke and flame. Some people who
were fishing in a stream close by gave an alarm, and immediately pro.
erected to extinguish the flames, which they shortly succeeded in doing.
One of the men, who climbed up into the roof, was so overpowered
by the smoke that he fell through the hole in the ceiling whirls the
lightning had made, and at first appeared to be dead, but afterwards
recovered. A duck whirls was sitting on a nest close to the house,
and some rabbits in a place adjoining, were killed on the spot.—
Boston Herald.

THE MURDER IN THE WATERLOO-ROAD.--The
sale of the furniture in the house at Wellington-terrace, where Eliza
Grimwood was murdered, took place on Wednesday. There was a great
crowd round the door all the morning, although the sale was only an.
flounced for one o'clock. Amongst those who obtained admission were
several women, and there were a great many outside amongst the disap_
pointed candidates for entrance. Several policemen were stationed at
thu street-door, but they had a difficult task to preserve order. The per.
sons who went in were well-dressed individuals, but curiosity was evi-
dently a stronger motive with them than a desire to purchase. The
furniture consisted of chairs, sofas, tent bedsteads, mahogany chest of
drawers, fee., and which were sold by Mr. Lloyd, auctioneer, of
Hatfield-street, Blackfriars road, as stated in the catalogue, " by or-
der of the administrators of the late Miss Grimwood."" The pro.
perty was knocked down for about 641, being a few pounds more
than the valueion. After the sale, as the outlet into the Waterloo-
road was impassable owing to the dense mob, Mr. Lloyd advised that
the persons in the house should be let out at the back. Owing to the
exertions of the police, no mischief was done. Mr. T. Grimwood ad-
ministered to the property before the sale, whereby the auctioneer felt
himself authorised to proceed. The previous evening Mr. Wooler, on
the part of Hubbard, threatened the administrators and Mr. Lloyd with
(ainecaction,
wer e shouldnot tihne
thesa sale,
e take
place.bu t t
h e y
havelie bwatcheen d
ands
SOL Her life was also insured for 3001. in the Norwich Union Life As-
surance Ccmpany, and she had money in the Savings' Bank. The Se-
cretary of State for the Home Department has offered a reward of 100/.
to any person who will give such information as will lead to the convic-
tion of the murderer.
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.—(From a Church-
man )---On a review of the proceedings of last General Assembly, it
may truly be said that the now ruling party of the Church have appa-
rently laid aside all regard to the laws and constitution of the Church.
They have set themselves in hostile array against the decisions of the
Supreme Court, and virtually cast oil' all connection with the State.
While, on the other hand, in their enthusiasm for Church-Extension,
they have flung to the winds the laws, decisions, and practice of the
Church in cases of discipline; especially the Assembly Acts of 1645
and 1647, and the decisions of 1733 and 1747, with respect to the ne-
cessity of every clergyman receiving testimonials of character from the
minister of the parish from whence applicants come for admission to the
Sacrament of the Supper, or for the baptism of children. Indeed, the
new Churches are the spoiled children of the high party of this Assembly,
and to nurse, gratify, and indulge them, seems to be their chief care,
though at the expense of the rights and privileges of the old established
parochial Churches. We wish them much joy in the venerable and re-
spectable position in which they have placed themselves in the eyes of
an astonished public, and we are sure that the Voluntaries owe to them
so deep a debt of gratitude, that henceforth they may slacken their op.
position, and let the Church of Scotland destroy herself. —Scotsman.
DEATH BY LIGHTNING.—During one of the
thunderstorms by which we were visited last week, four labourers were
working on the road leading from Sutton Coldtield to Middleton, when
suddenly they were all struck to the earth by the electric fluid. Three
were only stunned, but the fourth, a man named Ingleby was found
lying dead upon the ground, with almost all his clothes stripped from
his body and torn in shatters. His watch wee also found Many yards
from his body.-- Wokernamplon Chronicle.

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 183-1.