The Sun.
London, England, 1849-09-04 00:00:00

BIRMINGHAM MUSICAL FESTIVAL.

BIRMINGHAM, MONDAY.—This great periodical
festival commences tomorrow (Tuesday), and will
continue until Friday. The rehearsals have been
going on regularly for some time past, and there is
every reason to believe that on the present occasion
the high musical reputation of this triennial celebra-
tion will be fully sustained. Although the programme
does not present, as has been the case at some former
festivals, any very important musical novelty, on the
other hand, the present year's performances will be
remarkable for the extraordinary array of vocal and
instrumental talent which the directors have been
enabled to collect together. The principal singers
are Sontag, Alboni, Catherine Hayes, Castellan De
Meric, M. and A. Williams, Jetty de Treffz, Mario,
Lablache, Pischek, Sims Reeves, Calzolari, F. La-
blache, Machin, and T. Williams. The instrumental
solo players are Thalberg, Sainton, and Bottesini. The
principal organists are Dr. Wesley, Mr. Stimpson,
Mr. Simms, and Mr. E. Chipp. The whole musical
arrangements are under the direction of Mr. Costa.
The band comprises the most distinguished artists of
the day, and the chorus is very numerous. Together
they will comprise nearly five hundred performers,
vocal and instrumental.

As we have already said, there is nothing particu-
larly new in the selection to be given. On Tuesday
morning the Elijah will constitute the attraction.
On Wednesday morning the lyrics to Racine's Athalie,
with Mendelssohn's music, will be given. When this
work was first produced in this country, at the Phil-
harmonic Concerts last season, it failed to interest the
audience. Subsequently re-produced at Exeter-hall,
with ,some important additions, it was more success-
ful. It remains to be seen whether the highly mu-
sical audiences =ally attending the Birmingham
Festival will prove more impressionable than those of
the Philharmonic and Sacred Harmonic Spcieties of
the metropolis. The Athalie will be followed by a
selection of sacred music from works of Mendelssolm,
Handel, Pergolesi, Cherubini, Rossini, Haydn, and
Mozirt. Oa Thursday morning the Messiah will
form the staple of the entertainment; and on Friday
morning the sacred performances will terminate with
the _lsrael in Egypt and a miscellaneous selection.
Besides these morning concerts, there is to be a series
of evening concerts, each consisting of a selection of
miscellaneous music by the most popular composers,
chiefly the favourites of the concert room. These
will employ the talents of the chief vocalists above
enumerated. On
Tuesday evening Beethoven's Pas-
toral Symphony will be ple.yed, and on Wednesday
Mendelssohn's Symphony in A Minor. On Thurs-
day evening Beethoven's Symphony in C Minor com-
mences the selection. The whole of the proceedings
will conclude on Friday evening with a grand full-
dress ball.
As usual in the Festival week, strangers are pour-
ing into the town. All the hotels and lodging. houses
are crowded ; and the most exorbitant prices are asked
for accommodation.

NOVEL MODE or POACIIING.—During the end of
the past month and the beginning of the present, a novel
and most destructive mode of poaching has been carried
on in the upper diJtricts of the county of Banff. The
parties engaged generally go in bands of three, and
proceed in the following fashion :----They have with them
a pointer, and a large net some thirty yards square.
Immediately on the dog setting, two of the parties ad-
vance by a circuitous route to about thirty yards di-tint
from the spot where the dog stands, and spread out the
net, bringing it gradually up towards the dog. The
third individual meanwhile pushes the dog forward, and
by this means the covey is raised, but the birds only rise
to be caught in the meshes of the net, where a blow with
a stick terminates their existence. In this way, we un-
derstand, large quantities of game have been netted, and
sent on to the London market. This process is, of
course, very destructive to the game, and we learn that
the proprietors have offered a reward for the apprehen-
sion of the depredators.—Bangshire Journal.
GLASGOW, SEPT. I.—COTTON MARKET.—In the
early part of the week the demand for cotton was
limited, but towards the close it assumed a firmer tone,
partly in consequence of tho favourable news per the
Overland mail. The stock of cotton at present in port
is about 63,009 bales, against 50,000 at same time last
year. Pig Iron—There has not been any change in our
pig iron market during the week, and prices remain
nominally the same-445. 6d. for mixed numbers; 455.
No. 1; and 465. 6d. No. 1 Gartsborrie, The business
dcu hos been egremely limited, •

There have been three deaths from cholera in this
city during the past twenty-four hours.
LARGE FIRE IN MONTREAL—MORE

RIOTING.

MONTREAL, AUG. 17.—About midnight Donne-
games extensive hotel took fire, and is nuw a heap of
ruins. The inmates had barely time to escape, and a
number lost all they had. One of the firemen was
accidentally killed. It is supposed the fire originated
through negligence. Loss 35,000 dolls., insured for
14,003 dolls.; of which 2,000 dolls. was in the Etna
Company.
A number of rows took place last night; lamps
were broken, and sham barricades thrown up, though
no great mischief was done.
The jury in the case of Mason, who was murdered
in the recent riots, have adjourned.
MONTREAL, AuG. 18.—The inquest on Mason, who
was shot at the row last week, has adjourned, a
French juryman having absented himself. Lafontaine
was called on to give evidence on his subpoena, but as
he did not answer a warrant was issued for his arrest.
The funeral of Mason took place today, and was
attended by nearly one thousand persons. The coffin
was clothed in red, as were also the mourners. The
principal stores were closed.
Last night several rows occurred, especially with
the horse police, who fired cn the people and then
went on board a steamer and crossed the river, where
they now remain. . _ .

Four houses in Notre Dame street caught fire by
accident last evening and were destroyed. They
were insured for 3301. in the Etna-office.

Courtnay, who was arrested last week on a charge
of arson, in setting fire to the Parliament buildings,
has been bailed by the judges, who say the evidence
against him is very slight.
AUGUST 20.—This morning the inquest on Mason
again assembled. Mr. Lafontaine was on the point
of giving his evidence, when an alarm of fire was
given. Mr. Lafontaine was secured by the troops
and taken to the Government House. The fire is
supposed to be the work of an incendiary. Things
have come to such a state that a toss up of a straw
may produce a revolution,
The Ministry is supposed to have split with the
military, and intend resigning.
An officer, who arrived in town on Friday night,
immediately left for Monklands. It is said he is the
bearer of important dispatches.

ARRIVAL OF THE HERMANN. FROM
NEW YORK, AT SOUTHAMPTON.

SOUTHAMPTON, SEPT. 3.—The Ocean Steam
Navigation Company's steam-ship Hermann, com-
manded by Captain Crabtree, from New York, ar.
rived at Cowes soon after four o'clock P.M., with
mails for Prance, England, and Bremen. She had a
full valuable cargo of general merchandise, with
specie to the amount of 45,000 dollars. After trans-
ferring her mails on board a small steamer awaiting
her arrival, she at once proceeded to Bremen. The
Hermann left New York on the 20th ult., conse-
quen►tly the news from America by her has been
forestalled by the arrival of the steamer at Lmarpool,
which left two days after.

ILLEGAL MEDICAL PEACTITIONEOS.—A case was
on Wednesday last tried at Hungerferd before the County
Court of Berkshire, in which a person named Bishop,
who resides at Ramsbury, in Wi'tshire, was charged by
the Apothecaries' Company with practising as an apo•
thecary without being legally qualified. Mr. W. H.
Rowland, who appeared for the plaintiffs, stated the
nature of the case, and explained that the action was
brought under the 55th of Geo. 111., chap. 191, com-
monly called the Apothecaries' Act, by which it is
provided that it shall not be lawful for any person or
persons (tempt persons then in the practice us tuch) to
practise as an apothecary in any part of England or
Wales, unless he has passed his examination and re-
ceived a certificate of his being duly qualified. He then
adduced evidence to prove that Bishop, who possessed
no certificate, had acted as an apothecary, and furnished
medicines for the use of a man named Henry Bagman,
who subsequently died. Mr. Astley, for tho defence,
endeavoured to show that the evidence had failed in
proving the charge, and raised some technical objec•
dew, which were overruled by the Court. He denied
that there was any proof of his client, who was a very
respectable man, practising at Ramsbury as a physician
and chemist, having compounded the medicine. The
jury,, however, brought in a verdict for the plaintiffs
for 201., the amount claimed. This is said to be the first
case of the kind which has been tried on the merits.
AN EVENTFUL LlFE.—Died on the 21st of July, at
St. Stephen's, New Brunswick, aged 111 years, Mrs.
Elizabeth Dodd. Deceased was born on board a British
ship of the line, in the Bay of Biscay; cradled on the
broad Atlantic. Her father having been killed while
fighting for George 1., she was cast an orphan on the
shores of New York; thence carried to St. Augustine.
After her marriage she settled on the banks of the Ala-
bama. On the outbreak of the war between France,
Spain, and England, she, with other British settlers, were
made prisoners and taken to New Orleans. After two
years she was transferred to the Spaniards and taken to
the castle at Vera Cruz, where she remained until its
capture by the British in 1761. She was then relieved,
and taken to New York. During the first Atnrr:can
war she followed her husband through the principal
campaigns, and was at the 11;rd-fought battles at Mon-
mouth, White Plains, Yorktown, &c. At the close of
the war, in 1784, she went with the Loyalists to the pro-
vince where she died.
IMPORTATION OF NUNS.—A party of nuns passed
through Greenock on Saturday on their way from
om 'Dub-
lin to Glasgow. They were dressed in long cloaks
worewit h tai
rp
opue
nt
hb
el ar C
fka
cheoan nwehtiste acni
odtherreaspe em
bviei int
gs ,
aabnd an
deaageh
o,
Covering most of the brow, cheeks,. and chin. They were
generally middle aged persons, but one or two were
young. They were escorted by a priest. Ia passing
through the railway office, and to the carriage, they
walked in single filo, and, though eight in number,
crowded together in a single couvArtunat of a firSt•elass
carriage.-- Witness,

OPENING OF A PORTION OF TUE GREAT NOBTIIERN
RAILWAY.—The opening for traffic of the portion of
this line from Doncaster to Retford, in conjunction
with the East Lincolnshire Railways, takes place to-
day. This opens a line to Leeds and York on the one
hand, and to London on the other. The Great
Northern commences about five miles beyond Don-
caster, where it forms a junction with the Askern
branch of the Wakefield, Pontefract, and Goole, and
thus forms a ready access to the West Riding of
Yorkshire, and also to Lancashire and the manufac-
turing districts generally. The portion/ of the line
which is this day to be opened from Doncaster, in
continuation of those five miles already opened, is a
part of the main trunk of the Great Northern, and is
about eighteen miles in length. It will, for the first
time, open a direct communication by railway between
Doncaster and the metropolis. Leaving the station
at Doncaster (which is only a temporary erection),
the line passes by the union workhouse and the
proposed junction of the South Yorkshire line,
and then crosses a large district of land called Potte-
rick Carr. Here is a wide and expansive view of the sur-
rounding country, including St. Catherine's -hall, Wad -
worth, and several villages and gentlemen's seats,
embracing Tickhill Castle and Church, some exten-
sive woods, and a fine district of country. The line
then crosses the river Tome, and then reaches the
village of Rossington, where a station is built. Here
is a gradient of one in a hundred and ninety-eight, as
the line proceeds to a place called Piper-wood, where
may be seen the grounds and mansion of Shooter's-
hill. At King's-wood, about a mile from Bawtry, is
a massy bridge, the rail proceeding under what was
formerly called the Great North-road, once so famous
for the number of mails and other coaches plying
from London to the north. The line next approaches
Bawtry, a small market town, just skirting upon the
county of Nottingham. And here the passenger has
a pleasing view of some varied and beautiful scenery,
embracing parts of the three counties of York, Not-
tingham, and Lincoln. There are two or three viaducts
over the river Idle ; and the line passes Serooby village,
Ranakill (where there is a station), Serlby Hall, the
residence of Lord Galway, the domains of R. P.
Milnes, Esq., and of the lion. Bridgman Simpson,
until it reaches the station at Retford. There is for
the present the terminus of the Great Northern, but
a junction is formed at Retford with the Manchester,
Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway; and passengers
are conveyed to Gainsborough, Lincoln, Boston,
Peterborough, and so on, by the Eastern Counties or
the London and North-Western to London, thus
forming a most convenient and ready means of con-
, veyanee from the northern parts of the country to the
metropolis. There are six trains each way to and
from Doncaster and Retford ; and it is very probable
that in a day or two some alterations will be made,
so as to cause a greater facility between London and
Doncaster—the annual races at the latter place coin.
mencing next week.
YORK, NEWCASTLE, AND BERWICK.—The direc-
tors of this company have just made some important
reductions in their fares, to the effect that the first-
class fares between York and Newcastle, by all trains
except express, shall be reduced one-fifth part ; and by
the express one-tenth part of the previous charges.
Return tickets are to be issued by certain trains at one
fare and a ball, as well as by market trains.
LANCASTER AND PRESTON.-This company having
ceased to work their line, under the terms of their
lease to the Lancaster and Carlise, all their locomotive
engines, tenders, carriages, mid materials are about to
be sold by auction.

ITIGiI LEVEL BRIDGE OVER TRH TYNE.—The de-
flection perceptible from the weight of a train of 200
tons on the newly-opened structure does not exceed
three-tenths of an inch, the weight being a much
greater one than the bridge will ever be required to
bear.

GREAT NORTH OF SCOTLAND.--We understand
that the directors of this company -have just con-
cluded a contract for laying down a single line of
railway from Aberdeen to Inverness, for 784,0001.—
Montrose Review.

RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS.
BRISTOL, SEPT. 3.
STOCK EXCHANGE.—The market was very depressed to-
day, the only transactions being in Great Western, Quarters,
which were done at 9 dis. and Midland Stock, at 601/L.
LIVERPOOL, SEPT. 3.
STOCK EXCTIANGE.—There was very little business trans-
acted in our share market to-day, and pric:s were low"
The sales are—Lancashire and Yorkshire, Fifths, 514
Ditto, Fifths ( R. U. ), 5 % dis. —Great Northern, 12,:tts,
London and North. Western, 120—t)itto, New
p.—Manchester, Sheffield. and Lincolnshire'Ptre n and
—Midland, sS—Ditto, Halves, 161/4 s°uGs dis.—h-EaslerYork,
(quarters,
105.8,
rover (No. 4), 614 - North Staffordshire,
Newcastle, and Berwick Extension (G. N. L. Purchase), 6
per cent. till 1850, 4/i
MANCHESTER.,se.
tran transactions s 3. to-day were as
STOCK EXCHANGE. --
follow : I nchester and Leeds, Fifths, 5,1 z dis.—Shrewsbury
and Birmingham.
Preference, 10 1-16—Manchester and Bir-
Quarters, o
. arters, p. North Staffordshire,
mingliam (C),
6LA West Riding Union, 5% n. dis.—Manchester and
Sheffield (No. I), 11'4 dis.—Ditto, Preference, 10 11-16.
Dover, No. 4 (Scrip), 6 7-16—Manchester and Lincoln Union,
3% c. dis.—Ambergate, 6 dis.
BIRMINGHAM, SEPT. 8.
STOCK EXCHARGE.—The transactions to-day were as
follow :—Shrewsbury and Birmingham (B), 51/4 dis.—North
Staffordshire, 6% dis.—Shropshire Union, 3 dis.
YORK, Sari. 1.
STOCK EXCHANGE.—The transactions to-day were as
follow :—North Staffordshire, 11A—Shrewsbury- and Bir-
mingham (A), 04—York, Newcastle, and Berwick (G. N.
E. Purchase), 31/2:York and North Midland, 22%.

—GLASGOW, AUG. 3'.
STOCK EXCIIANGE.—The transactions to-day were as
follow:—Aberdeen, Preference, 63/4—Glasgow, Dumfries, and
Carlisle, 41. lls.—Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ayr, 50/.

Aix LA-CuArELLE, AUG. 21.—Her Royal High-
ness the Duchess of Orleans, the Comte de Paris, and
the Duko de Charing, arrived hgre yesterday from
England,

FOUILTIL DAY, AUG. 31.—Lieutenant Graham, the
prosecutor, and Mr. Elliott, the witness, complained
of the length of the cross. examination. Commander
Pitman requested, with consent of the prosecutors,
that as part of the evidence was in print, the publica-
tion might be continued ; but the Court determined
to adhere to their former decision.

Mr. Elliott was cross-examined by Lieutenant
Graham, the Court, and the prisoner, with regard to
the marines Haigh and .White, the boy Cleverton,
the midshipmen's steward, Matthews, and the fake
entries in the leg. Matthews, the midshipmen's
steward, jumped overboard in the river Nimpoo.
The officers of the watch signed the log, knowing it
to be incorrect, within the knowledge of Commander
Pitman. The officers of the watch occasionally did
not sign the log. The fact of Whites jumping over-
board is so inserted in the log.
John James Smith, master's assistant, was serving
in the Childers when she ran on the Prata Shoals ;
the day previously he had, by reckoning, ascertained
the ships position to be within 50 miles of the shoals ;
had kept the log during the illness of Mr. Elliot, and
entered the ship's position the day before in pencil
(fearing at the time. that it was incorrect), but
altered it the next day when the ship struck. He
believed the entry as it now stands to be correct. It
was La Plata Island, 38 miles south, .50 west. The
first entry was incorrect, but he (witness) attributed
the vessel's getting on the Prata Shoals to the weather
and the ship not being under control. The subse-
quent entry was made after the ship struck. There
was another erasure in the log about the " force of the
wind on the 9th of October," which he had made at
the order of the commander, who, in his cabin, said
he should be sorry for any one to read the log and see
that the ship was in such a state, with the wind
blowing at only such a force. Ile then altered the
force of the wind from 7 to 10. Another erasure
occurred under the words " bearing" and " distance,"
28 being altered to 38. lie did it himself, the cap-
tain having found an error in the work by a mistake
in taking the distance out of the traverse-table. On
the'Oth of October Lieutenant Graham gave him a
copy on half a sheet of paper, and not on the slate.
The force of the wind, as altered, is correct. They
had no observation for two days.
Commander Pitman examined witness relative to
his dismissal from the Childers, which took place on
the 10th of February, 1849, at the order of Sir F.
Collier, the Commander-in-Chief. Witness spoke to
the oppressive treatment he had reeeivcd from Com-
mander Pitman, who placed him under arrest for
striking a second-class boy. The letter of the Com-
mander-in-Chief stated that he was to be discharged,
but Commander Pitman entered in the log and on his
pay-ticket that he was discharged from the service in
disgrace. Commander Pitman, in this instance,
exceeded his instructions, added to which he at one
time recommended his messmates to turn him out of
the mess, which they, however, did not do. ,

TICE WEATDEE AND lIARVEST.—Last week the
weather has been very variable—ono day cold and
threatening froet, and another bright sunshine and oc-
casional heavy showers of rain, which heat down the
crops where these were heavy. Although several fields
of barley and oats have been cut down, harvest ope ra-
tions will sot be general till next week. The a heat
crop will be about a fortnight later than the others, but
it promises to be very abundant. There are, however,
complaints of smut and honeycomb being more than
usually prevalent among the wheat, caused by the con-
tinued wet weather and the want of sunshine. The bar-
ley, bith in bulk and quality, will be very fine; oats are
if anything rather short in the straw, end thin on the
ground. The. turnip crop never looked better at this
period, and has no doubt been much benefited by the
showery weather. The potato crop will also be heavy,
though about a month later in coming to rnaturi7.
The disease of former years, which we statetdscheamd
again appeared here some few weeks ago, doehseno
weather
to be making much progress. In regardtteos
the
it has
in England, the Mark Lane Express states
and the grain
teen highly favourable for the harvest,_
The 3ie•ldvv it is now crop is now out of danger.
Yorkshire is rather late.
be-
lieved, be a good average:
been dull; barley is in demand, Reports of tire. potato diseaseranTedi3(e.osiCt'a Tgl,nedwhneaatat tmraadinetlaiains
their value.
PLINE.—On Lir& ey evening the
PRISON DISCI
discussion cu this subject was resumed at the
adjourned
ms Exeter, when the Rev. W. C. Os-
borne was heard at great length In opposition to the
eiews contended for at the previous meeting by Mr. C.
rearson, M.P. The chair was, as before, occupied by
air. J. Lillifant. Mr. Osborne argued that the system
recommended by Mr. Pearson would be expensive, in-
stead of being economical—that it would not meet the
epees of persons committed for short periods, or of pri-
soners before trial—that it made no provision for females
—that no adequate provision was made for the preserva-
tion of silence, or to prevent the mixture of the prisoners
—that the system of labour proposed was impracticable
—and that, in short, the whole scheme was a phantom
and a delusion. The Rev. Gentleman then defended the
separate system, which he contended had proved more
successful than any other in accomplishing the grand
objects of efficiency and economy. The discussion was
ultimately adjourned till the following evening, when
several gentlemen delivered their opinions en the sub-
ject, and expressed a desire for further explanation from
Mr. Pearson with regard to particular parts of Lis
scheme. Mr. Pearson addressed the meeting at consi-
derable length, giving in further detail the nature of his
plan, and answering the oijeetions taken to it by Mr.
Osborne. At the conclusion a vote of thanks were given
to Mr. Pearson, and alson d
the to
arvc air.e Osborne, o
f the fo rc theirhairmraen-
spective addresses ; a
having likewise been similarly acknowledged, the meet-
ing separtved.
The Bishop of Oxford met with an accident a, few
days since, while visiting Baron Alderson at his seat near
Lowestoft. His Lordt hip was riding in company with
some friends, when his horse fell and rolled over tte
Right Rev. Prelate. Fortunately- his Lordship sustained
no serious injury, and was able to dine out the someday.
L —Morning paper.