The Sun.
London, England, 1838-12-13 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1838.

which, although it has not a shadow of Popery attached
to it, serves to illustrate the but too general spirit of
aersecution which appears to actuate the Clergy of our
Established Church, and deserves to be placed' in the
same niche as the transaction at Carisbrooke.
A poor man, a blacksmith by trade, named Hinge,
who resided in the quiet and retired village of Green-
Ford, died after a lingering illness in the month of May
last ; and his aged widow, taxing her limited means to
the utmost to show all the respect in her power to the
remains of the lamented partner of her days, ordered a
)rick grave for him in the village church-yard. The fee
demanded for the same by the Pector was 6/. 2s. ; and
the surplice fees for the funeral, 1/. 25.. making 71. 45.,
which sum she willingly paid, and gave directions that a
,ead and foot stone should be placed to the grave, for
which an additional fee of 11.35. 6d. was demanded, and
o which the poor widow was also willing to submit ; but
at the same time the Rector made a further demand of
I/. 14s. 6d, as a fee for permission to cover in or arch
over the grave. This latter sum, her patience as well as
ter pockt being exhausted, she objected to pay, con-
.idering, as did also every person she spoke to on the sub-
iect, that charge was included in the sum paid as fees for
permission to make the grave, as above•mentioned. In
•onsequence of this demur, the following elegant and gen-
lemanly letter was sent to the widow by the hands of Mr.
Sayer, the clerk ; and one is really puzzled to determine
whether the logic and orthography it contains, or the
Christian spirit which dictated it, are most to be admired ;
the public must judge for themselves :

MONEY AND CITY NEWS.

(FROM THE MORNING PAPERS OF THIS DAY.)
TIMES.—The price of gold at Hamburgh is 436 per
mark, which, at the English Mint price of 31. 17s. 100.
per ounce for standard gold, gives an exchange of 13.101.,
and the exchange at Hamburgh on London at short being
13.4, it follows that gold is 1.97 per cent. dearer at Ham-
burgh than in London.

The premium on gold at Paris is 8 per mille, which, at
the English Mint price of 3/. 17s. 101 d. per ounce for
standard gold, gives an exchange of 25.35., and the
exchange at Paris on London at short being 25.35, it
follows that gold is the same price at Paris as in London,
The course of exchange at New York on London is 110
per cent., and the par exchange between England and Ame-
rica being 109 23.40 per cent., it follows that the exchange
is 0.43 per cent in favour of England.
The Funds continue with little variation, but business
in them is very slack. The scarcity of money is still felt,
as indeed usually occurs at this season of the year.

CHRONICLE.—The operations to-day at the Stock
Exchange have again been without any particular interest,
and the prices are much the same as yesterday. Consols
continue firm at 931- for the opening ; Three-and-Half per
Cent. Reduced, 100-k to a ; Exchequer Bills, 645. to 665.
prem. ; and Bank Stock, 42023 to 2033.
Portuguese Securities are a little higher ; the Five per
Cents. having left off at 29;1 to 30-1- ; and the Three per
Cents. at 193-.'to. 20. This is the only change in foreign
stocks. Spanish Active is 168 to ; Dutch Five per
Cents., 1003- to i ; ditto Two-and-a-Half per Cents.,
541 to 4 ; Belgian, 1001 to 1011 ; Brazilian, 764 to 771-;
and Colombian, 26 to

" Greenford, Sept. 12, 1838.
" I understand you object to my customary fees, as set-
tled in the schedule of fees, for turning an arch over the
grave (I/. 14s. 6d.), and for the head and font stone
(1/. 3s. 6d.), making together 2/. 18s. If I remit these
:ees a precedent is urged by those well able to pay them,
that they are not always demanded, and all fees are by one
become questionable.

Birminghamßailway%hares continue at 77 to 79 prem.;
ditto New, 231 to 24i prem. ; Southampton, 44 to 45
per share ; ditto New, 19 to 20 prem.; Great Western,
101- to 11 prem ; North Midland, 1 dis. to par ; Leeds
and Manchester, 18 to 20 prem.; Gosport Junction, 2 to
3 prem.; Brighton, 3i to 3',1, dis.; Blackwall, 2i to 2k dis.;
and Greenwich, 16 to 17 per share.
The exportation of the precious metals from the port of
London for the week ending Saturday List, the Bth inst.,
consisted according to the official returns, of 250 ounces of
gold bars, which were sent to South Australia ; 228 ounces
of gold coin forwarded to Hamburg ; and 3,341 ounces of
silver coin, of which 2,001 ounces were shipped to South
Australia, and 1,340 to the West Indies.

" Those who are not able to pay them should (well
knowing that these are fees) inquire first, and inform them-
ielves whether they are above what they can well pay ; but
After the fee has been incurred, there is no justice in ob-
jecting to pay because they are higher than any one thinks
they ought to be. I understand your argument is, that be-
cause you paid a fee for a brick grave, you concluded that
3ou might turn an arch over it without fee. The same
argument would apply to putting a slab over the grave,
which also is liable to a fee, although the fee has been paid
for abrick grave.

HERALD.—The French journal Le Commerce, in an
able article on the state of French commerce, and the gene-
ral commercial relations of France with the other Euro-
pean States, maintains that the commerce of France has se-
riously diminished, and shows, by a comparison with the
years 1836 and 1837, that the trade with Belgium is merely
stationary, or rather has not improved ; that with England
it has diminished seven per cent., with Switzerland 17 per
cent., with Spain 23 per cent., and with Germany 27 per
cent. The writer argues that the commerce of France
has thus been compromised by her foreign policy, and
blames the Government for not having more sedulously
cultivated her foreign relations, particularly with Eng-
land and Belgium, as the two richest nations, which
by consequence, present much greater resources for
an active interchange of commercial relations, not-
withstanding the fetters of custom-house regulations,
prohibitions, and protective duties. It is maintained
that the revolution of July gave a new impulse
to the commerce of France with England and
Belgium, but that this new impulse, by the anti-liberal
policy of the French Government, and her desire for a
commercial alliance with the North, has been completely
checked in its progress ; whilst the Ministerial Journals
daily treat England as an enemy, and the Government
are contemplating an increase in the duties upon the im-
portation of linen yarns ; on the other hand, though Bel-
gium is looked upon by the French Government as a por-
tion of her territory, still the products of that mock king-
dom are rejected by it. Thus we have it acknowledged
that the truculent conduct of our free-trade theorists, who
preside over the destinies of British commerce, by granting
one-sided concessions to France, whilst it has nearly pros-
trated our foreign trade and home manufactures, in conse-
quence of the crooked policy of the French Government,
has also tended to injure the trade of that country rather
than to benefit it. The discontent of Belgium, in conse-
quence of the neglect by France of her products, it is anti-
cipated will drive her to join the Prussian league—a com-
mercial convention of exclusion by the petty States of Ger-
many, which has nearly as much injured the foreign com-
merce of France as it has that of Great Britain. This
league or convention would never have existed if real
statesmen had presided at the helm of this Government
when it was first projected ; but, as it has once been tole-
rated by our imbeciles, it will require more energy and
national integrity than they possess to obtain even
a modification, or to prevent its re-ratification, most
probably, with considerable extension, in the year 1840.
But the coming year.(lB39) will be a busy and a trying
one for the present Ministry, if they remain in power, and
an arduous one for their successors ; it promises to be a
year that will long hold a conspicuous place in the calends
of Whiggism. It is further stated that this baneful Prus-
sian league is the cause of the reduction of the French
commerce with Germany to the amount of 27 per cent.,
or rather more than one-fourth part of its former amount ;
whilst, on the contrary, Holland, by its means, has pro-
portionably extended its commerce with that great portion
of central Europe. The exports from Rotterdam for Ger-
many, which, in 1835, were only 40,000 tons, in 1837
amounted to 50,000 tons, which shows an increase of one-
fourth in that portion of Dutch foreign commerce. We
must, however, dismiss our notice of this article, which
must be interesting to our commercial readers, by saying
that we agree with the writer, who concludes his remarks
by maintaining that if France (he might have added Eng-
land) had pursued a different policy towards Spain, and
had endeavoured to put an end to the civil war which still
distracts and weakens the resources of that kingdom, she
would have been rewarded by the revival of her trade, and
the improved chance that the creditors of Spain would
then have of being paid.
The commercial letters which have been received here
from Hamburg, and others of the Hanseatic cities, gene-
rally accord in the fact that a great many English mercan-
tile bills are in those markets, and, as the Baltic ports are
on the eve of being closed, it is supposed that a great por-
tion of this paper has been drawn against purchases of fo-
reign corn under contract for shipment to this country in
the spring. Considerable amounts of this paper have been
remitted here lately for conversion, partly for bills on the
Continent, but the greater portion, as they fall due, to be
remitted in bullion, which accounts in a great degree for
the renewed demand for money, and the daily gradual ex-
portation of the precious metals, which, it is anticipated by
some parties, will shortly bring about some new operation
on the part of the Bank of England.

" You were not obliged to have these things, therefore
there can be no appeal to me on the ground of charity to
remit them. Any one might as well claim a silk gown at
the price of a cotton one, because she may not be in
affluent circumstances. My order to Mr. Sayer was, what
is the practice at all churches—to demand the fee of the
workmen before they began. By his not obeying my or-
ders, I am put to the trouble of applying to you, and ar-
guing for my due ; and he is to have his time employed in
getting the money, which at the time should have imme-
diately been paid.

" I am your obedient servant,
" To Mrs. Hinge. " J. TOMKYNS."
Mr. Sayer, the Clerk was sent several times to the
widow, by the rector, to demand the money ; but although
threatened with ecclesiastical proceedings, she, consider-
inn- the charge an imposition, steadfastly refused to pay.
Mr. Sayer, however, called on her on the 4th instant,
and told her he then thought that if she paid the 11.33.6 d.
fee for the head and foot stone, it was probable no
further demand would be made for covering- the
grave ; and she, under that idea paid him that
sum, and got his receipt for the same. But mark
the result ; three days after, viz., on the 7th instant, she
received by post a letter from Messrs. Crickett and Son,
proctors of Doctors'-commons, threatening her, on behalf
of the Rev. Mr. Tomkyns, with all the thunder of the
Ecclesiastical Court, unless the remaining fee was paid
within one week from the date thereof. This fact speaks
volumes for the benevolent character of the worthy Rector
of the rich living of Greenford.
It may not be amiss to state the fact, that while poor
Hinge lay on his death-bed he was anxious to have the
sacrament administered to him, and sent on the Tuesday
to the rectory, humbly to request the Reverend gentleman
woulii attend for the purpose ; but not seeing or hearing
anything of him up to Saturday, and the poor man still
sinking, another message was sent, when an answer was
returned that the Rector had been from home, and that he
just then was going out to dinner; but f the man was alive
the next day, he would go and administer it, which he
accordingly did. These, facts, Mr. Editor, need no com-
ment.
S.
December 12, 1838.

MR. PLUMER WARD'S NEW WORK.—We are
requested to state that the new work entitled, " Pictures of
the World, at Home and Abroad," by the author of " Tre-
maine," " De Vere," " Human Life," exc., in 3 vols.
post Svo., was published this day, by Mr. Colburn, of Great
Marlborough-street, and may now be had at all the libra-
ries. Mr. Colburn has also just published the following
new works of fiction :-1. " The Only Daughter," a do-
mestic story, edited by the author of " The Subaltern,"
3 vols.-2. " Gurney Married," a sequel to " Gilbert Gur-
ney," by Theodore Hook, Esq., 3 vols.-3. " Jack Adams,
the Mutineer, by Capt. Frederick Chamier, R.N., 3 vols,
—l." Ella ; or, the Emperor's Son," by the Hon. Mrs.
Lambert, 3 vols.—and 5. "Duty and Inclination," edited
by Miss Landon, 3 vols.
The Hull Packet says, that " at a meetin9; of the
Birmingham Political Union, held in the Town-hall of that
town, on the 28th ultimo, a resolution for ionnediate blood-
shed, prepared by Feargus O'Connor, was triumphantly
carried." Our Contemporary is misinformed. Feargus
O'Connor's original resolution (which, though it asserted
the right of the people to arm, and was violent and foolish,
did not recommend " immediate bloodshed") was withdrawn.
Feargus himself succumbed to the leaders of the Union,
and actually submitted to propose himself a resolution con-
demnatory of that he at first proposed. This very harmless
resolution is the one that was triumphantly carried. The
fact is exactly the reverse of that stated by the Packet.—
Hull Observer.

SUDDEN DISCHARGE OF CLOUDS, AND THE
Loss or FOURZEEN LIVES.—At Blaenavon, on Wednes-
day, the 28th ult.,-after two days' incessant rain, following
a heavy snow of the same duration, about mid-day the sky
was suddenly darkened by an accumulation of dense clouds,
upon Blaenavon and along the Coity, in the direction of
the Varteg, when an immediate discharge occurred, which
inundated the works, and almost filled the valley, causing
an instantaneous rise in the river (already greatly swollen)
of many feet additional, and bursting over an embankment
which protected the mouth of an old level, leading to the
deep coal and mine works of the Blaenavon Company.
Messengers were dispatched to the different workings,
and the miners and colliers, to the extent of many hun-
dreds, immediately came out. Every effort to divert and
check the torrent was most energetically made, which,
from the numerous workmen in the employment of the
Company, and the almost immediate cessation of the rain,
was accomplished in a few hours ; but, melancholy to re-
late, not before some of the very distant headings (and one
which bas for years been worked, dipping with the mea-
sures) were filled with water. In this, there is no doubt,
fourteen lives are lost. The damage to the works is
trifling. The pumping, which alone can enable these un-
fortunate workmen to be reached, has been urged with
every possible speed, and every means of drawing water
adopted, yet it will be several days or a week before their
bodies can be obtained. The number missing consists of
eleven men, seven of whom are unmarried, two girls, and
one boy ! It is to be feared that a part of these have
lost their lives from not feeling sufficiently alarmed to
leave with the same rapidity as their fellow miners. One,
an old man, returned to fetch his lanthorn, and was not
seen afterwards I Another, and the most distant, vie are
told by a man who worked the next stall, replied that
he would not leave his son behind, and both are missing!
We hear of the flood being so sudden at the Varteg, on
the other side of the hill, that three young people were
drowned in a house near the river ; and, from the violence
Of the storm, we expect other serious disasters have oc-
curred. Residents of forty years' duration speak of the
water pouring down the face of the mountain in quantity
and rapidity surpassing anything known on the hills ; they
describe it, from its foam and volume, like rolling packs of
wool.—Montitouthshire Beacon.

OST.—The Commissioners again purchased a small
amount of Reduced Three per Cent. Annuities this morn-
ing on behalf of the Savings' Banks, for which the former
price of 93 was given ; there was otherwise an almost total
absence of business in both markets. The warlike pre-
parations said to be making at Brussels are probably con-
sidered by our speculators nothing more than idle pretence
on the part of the Belgian Government, as the details given
upon the subject in the French and Flanders Papers
have had no effect whatever on prices ; indeed, a duller
day than this at the Stock Exchange has seldom been ex-
perienced.

ADELPHI THEATRE.—On Monday night Mr.
Rice, the American comedian, re-appeared at this theatre
in all the glories of Jim Crow. He was three times en-
cored in the never-ending song, with its saltatory refrain,
each encore being as much of a repetition as the celebrated
Irish echo at Killarney—" How do you do, Paddy Blake?"
—Echo : " Arrah, very well, I thank you." Jim Crow
should not be surprised at such compliments of his audience,
when he seems always to leave the sequel of his story to be
told on encore. Some allusions to the present state of
things in Canada, and to Lord Durham, made in this satur-
nalias effusion, were particularly relished in the house.
On Tuesday afternoon an inquest was held at the
Court-room, Bartholomew-close, on the body of Lionel
Grieves, lately employed as foreman of the men who are at
work among the ruins of the Royal Exchange. It appears
that on Saturday last deceased and two other men were
busy in taking down a portion of the wall near the southern
Deceased was standing upon one of the
grand entry.
small arches near that entry, and the whole three of them
were
occupied in lowering a stone of about three hundred
weight. Deceased held a rope which was tied round the
stone, and the other men, who stood three yards beneath
the deceased, had hold of the stone with their hands. De-
ceased was standing upon a loose stone of the arch, and, this
he fell to the distance of twelve feet.
stone giving way,
Unfortunately he did not let go the rope which was tied
round the stone they were lowering, and it fell upon his hip
and side as he lay on the
ground. A witness said he had
spoken to deceased since the accident, and he attributed no
blame to any body. Mr. John Steven, house. surgeon, said
deceased died of an extensive fracture of the ribs on both
sides, and of rupture of the adjoining arteries. He survived
his admission into the hospital but four hours. Verdict—
" Accidental Death."
An inquest was held on Tuesday at Horsleydovrn,
and adjourned, on the body of a female, name unknown,
found in the River in that neighbourhood. The deceased
appeared to be about 25 years of age, about five feet four
inches in height, pock-marked, and was dressed in a half-
mourning gown, black shawl, and brown silk bonnet, white
stockings, and boots laced at the side, and a black stuff
apron, the whole of which are in good condition. There is
every reason to believe the deceased is most respectably
connected.

The agitation which has been so successful in the
case of the linendrapers' "assistants"—servants is too vul-
gar a term for such fine gentlemen—seems likely to be
only the " precursor" of a much more extended system of
speechifying and resolutions-passing. Already have the
chemists and druggists, tho boot-makers, and the shoe-
menders in part emancipated their" assistants," and a cor-
respondent informs us dint the young gentlemen hairdressers
and hatters are about to prefer a request to their employers
that they be allowed to devote some tvvo or three hours of
an evening to the furnishing of the interior of their own
heads, instead of ass:sting- to decorate the exterior of their
customers' crania.—Morning Post.

We understand that the parties in this town who
lost their money on Harkaway, for the Moston mile, have
honourably met all their engagements. It is said that a
celebrated Yorkshire jockey and trainer is minus upwards
of 8001., in consequence of the owner of Harkaway not ob-
taining a nomination for his horse.—Liverpool Chronicle.

On Tuesday morning, between eight and nine o'clock,
a dreadful accident occurred to James Heatherly, a wag..
goner in the employ of Messrs. Blackburn and Miller,
warehousemen, at Paddington. The unfortunate man, who
had been imprudently riding on the shafts of the tvaggon,
fell off, and the wheels went over his legs, which were
frightfully fractured. He was removed to the hospital,