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

BURNING OF A COTTON MILL.

SUPPOSED INCENDIARISM.
MANCHESTER, TUESDAY EVENING, DEC.
Sa-
turday evening last, some time after the hands had left off
work, an alarm of fire was given in Ashton-under-Lyne,
near Manchester, which proved to be at the mill of Messrs.
Wm. Higginbottom and Sons. It is supposed to have been
ignited by means of an air-gun, from which was discharged
some inflammable materials. The mill was sixty yards
long, and divided in the middle by a strong partition wall,
otherwise the whole must have inevitably been destroyed.
The half of the building, with every particle of machinery,
was destroyed. It is lamentable to have to state, that the
hands employed in the mill refused to give any assistance
to stop the flames ; on the contrary, the great bulk of
them, whenever a floor fell in, gave a savage shout or yell,
as a token of their joy. The Rev. J. R. Stephens did say,
it is said, an hour or two before the fire took place, that
Mr. Jowett and Mr. Higginbottom had some occasion to
be afraid of torches. This, coupled with the itiflanzmatory
speech delivered at Leigh a short time ago, in which he
expressly pointed out by name four or five of what were
deemed the most obnoxious master-spinners, leaves no
doubt in the mind of any person here, that this cala-
mity has been brought about by an incendiary. The
property was ensured. On the same evening a man was
found in the reservoir belonging to the extensive mills of
Messrs. Abel, Buckley, and Co., Ashton. This man had
scaled the wall, but on descending from the top the
coping of the walls gave way from his weight, and he was
in consequence precipitated into the water, where he was
found by the watchmen. The public at Ashton feel no
doubt that he was intending to fire the mills, (they
have four of them), it being almost impossible for him
to have approached near to them by any other way ac-
cept at the risk of being discovered by the watchman. The
proprietors of all the mills in that district have now two
watchmen for each mill—one inside, the other outside.
The workmen are evidently getting desperate. Whether
this is entirely attributable to Mr. Stephens, Mr. Oastler,
and Mr. O'Connor, or the high price of provisions—or to
both combined—it is hard to say ; but of the fact, and of
the necessity of promptly attending to these signs of the
times, there can only be one opinion.

A report having gone forth that the accepted tra-
gedy on the subject of the death of Rizzio had been with-
drawn from Covent-garden Theatre, in consequence of a
disagreement between Mr. Macready and the author, we
can state confidently that such is not the fact. The
best understanding exists between the manager and the au-
thor, and never was for a moment interrupted even to the
extent of a difference of opinion. The tragedy has only
been withdrawn to allow time for alterations which, in the
judgment of both parties, are calculated to improve it as an
acting play.—Morning Herald.
QUEENS' PICTURES.—Queen Elizabeth, who was
exceedingly vain of her person, was not a little incensed by
some of the sad daubs which the limners of that day put
forth as royal likenesses ; to prevent which, she required
Lord Burleigh, then Secretary Cecil, to put forth an ordi-
nAnce prohibiting " all manner of persons to draw, 11P.11.t,
engrave, or portray her Majesty's personage tar visage for a
time, until, by some more perfect pattern and example the
same may be by others followed ;" adding, for that her
Majesty perceiveth that a great number of her loving sub-
hleets are much grieved and take great offence with the
errors and deformities already committed by sundry persons
iu lids behalf, she straitly charges all her officers and minis-
ters to see to the due observation thereof, and as soon at
naay be to reform the errors already committed."

(FROM THE MORNING PAPERS OF THIS DAT.)
TIMES.—It will be in the recollection of commercial
men that in the latter part of last year some British mer-
chant ships were captured in the Gulf of Mexico by Texan
cruisers acting against the Mexicans, and that the vessels,
after a detention of some time, were ultimately released.
In one of these cases, it seems, that of the Eliza Russell,
this detention produced most injurious consequences, for
the loss of time incurred having brought on the stormy
season, the vessel was nearly wrecked, and was so much
damaged that she could not perform the voyage to Laguna,
for which she was engaged for a cargo of logwood. The
injury sustained in the gale was estimated at 1,0001., and
the charterers had besides brought an action against the
owners for non-fulfilment of contract, and stated the damage
at 5001. A claim for compensation has been made against
the Texan Government, who have admitted the claim and
promise satisfaction, but declare themselves unable from
want of funds to make payment. The parties have since
laid the case before Government with a request for inter-
ference, so as to compel the Texans to indemnify them for
the lossses sustained, and it has been referred to the Judge-
Advocate for an opinion.
In this situation the matter now stands, and as the deci-
sion of the Government, if adverse, will be absolute ruin to
the individuals connected with the affair, a request has been
made to bring the subject before the public, so that the
law authoriti, s of the Crow❑ may be enabled to understand
the feeling and opinions of commercial men upon the sub-
ject, and the consequences involved in it, before they give
in their report.

The chief difficulty of the question is understood to lie
in the action at law now pending against the owners, with
which it is hardly to be expected that the Government can
interfere ; but it is imagined that their claim may fairly
be allowed to include any damages in which they may
be cast as the result of that action, the sole cause of the
imputed breach of contract having been the detention by
the Texans. The plea of inability to pay ought not to be
allowed, supposing it to be correctly stated that they
have admitted the validity of the claim, and it does
not appear to be asking too much from the Ministers
of a commercial country like this that they should send
out a remonstrance, properly backed by a ship of war, in
support of such a claim. This is all the owners require,
and it is no more than would be done by the Americans or
by the French, who have not only of late taken the Repub-
licans for their model in such matters, but have gone into
the opposite extreme, and instituted blockades where they
might easily, by more simple means, have exacted retribu-
tion. The principle, however, is this—that commerce has
a most lecitimate right to the protection of all Govern-
ments, and that it would be disgraceful, therefore, above all
others, to that of England to be found wanting in this
respect.

The particulars stated in this and other Journals, under
date of the 28th of October, from Bahia, of a revolution
having broken out there, are not confirmed by advices to
any of the merchants who correspond with that part of
Brazil ; and there is reason to believe them wholly without
foundation.

HERALD.—It is understood in our monetary circles
that one of the motives which have induced the Bank di-
rection to include East India Bonds and Exchequer Bills,
in their late notice to make advances of loans, among the
descriptions of securities which would be received by them,
arises out of a desire to reciprocate with the East India
Company, who at present require large sums of money to
carry on their warlike movements in the north-eastern por-
tion of our Indian empire. The other is said to arise from
a desire to maintain a sort of counterpoise of a more effec-
tual character over the Money Market of the country ; and
the last, but not least, a desire to extend the business of the
Corporation.

It is, however, reported that the favourable statement in
respect of conducting business on the principle of the
Scotch banks, which was demonstrated by the report of the
London Joint-stock Bank, will be the cause of bringing other
institutions of the like character into play early in the year,
thus widening the present field of competition with theßank
of England.
Money has been most decidedly in more demand for com-
mercial purposes during the past few days, and this influence
has again slightly extended itself to the Stock Exchange.

1 here has been considerable business done in the conti-
nental t-xchanges this afternoon, and the quotations are de-
cidedly lower, money being rather more plentiful than bills.
On Amsterdam the exchange is quoted at 12 2 ; on Rot-
terdam at 12 31- ; on Hamburgh at 12 St a 9, and on
Pasis at 25f. 60c. to 25f. 65c. This reduction in the quo-
tations arises out of the late large importations of foreign
corn, which have, for the present, turned the balance of
trade against this country.
The British Funds have been rather heavy to-day, and
there has been no desire for speculation. The Government
Commissioners again bought about 6,0001. Three per Cent.
Reduced, at 93. Consols have been done at 93f, but left off
at 93i a 94 for the opening. The Three-and-a-Half per
Cent. Reduced Annuities are 104 a money, and the
New Three-and-a-Half per Cents. 1014 for the
opening. Bank Stock is 202 f, and India 2624 money.
The premium upon Exchequer Bills has ranged from 63 a
66 ; on India Bonds it is 63.

The Foreign Market continues inactive and heavy.
Portuguese New Five per Cents. are 29i a 30. Spanish
Bonds, with the May Coupons, are 16i, and the Passive
3i. Brazilian Bonds receded to 76 this morning, but now
are quoted at 76} 77. Colombian Bonds are 26k, and
Mexican 23i, Danish Bonds are 7:31 76. Dutch Twr,_
and-a-Half per Cents. are 54i a -; the Old Five per Cents.
are 1001 1, and the New Loan 99k. United Stat",:s Bank
Shares are 25k.
The Share Market continues heavy. Great Western
Railway are 11 12 premium. Brighton are 3i dis. Bir-
mingham are 78 prem., and Croydon New Scrip 14 prem.
Anti-Dry-rot Registered Shares are 0 dis. ; ditto Scrip
are at 31 41. British North American Bank Shares are
1 I prem ; National Bank of Ireland f dis, ; and the Pro-
vincial Bank of Ireland New Shares 7} prem.

POST.—There was but little passing in this part of the
town to-day to attract attention. The Continental mails
arrived as usual ; but there was nothing new from the west-
ward, or any other quarter.
C H R

ONICLE.—There is a great deal of dissatisfac-
tion expressed in the City with the reply which has re-
cently been received from the Board of Trade to the circu-
lar of the coffee merchants. Amongst the numerous mono-
polies and injurious restrictions upon British commerce
which double the value of almost all the grand articles of
consumption, none has so escaped the notice of the public
as the unjust rates of duty which has so long been allowed
to remain in favour of the West India planters, to the in-
jury of the East Indies, and of the coffee trade at large.
The duties upon coffee are 6d. per lb. on all coffee im-
ported from the West Indies, and Is. 3d, per lb. upon all
coffee imported from the other parts of the world. This
establishes a protection duty of full 30 per cent. in favour
of the West Indian interest against our vast possessions in
the East Indies, and of more than 100 per cent. against all
other countries ; and the consequence of this irregularity
is that scarcely any coffee can be profitably imported even
from the East Indies, and the supplies are kept so far below
the wants of the population that coffee is estimated to be
more than fifty per cent. above the price which would pre-
vail were the duties equalised between all parts of the do-
minions of the English Crown. In their late circular the
coffee merchants have, however, contented themselves with
an exceedingly moderate rate of relief, requiring only that
the duty on East Indian coffee should be reduced to 7d. per,
lb., and that on West Indian coffee to aid. per lb., thus vi;:
tually increasing very considerably the difference in favour
of the West India planters, but reducing the rate (fli East
India coffee to a sum at which it is believed a trade could
be sustained. The request for so slight a relief from so
pressing and unjustifiable a monopoly of one of the most
important branches of English coraraerce, and accompanied,
too, by a well reasoned exposition of the situation of the
trade, has met with no other reply than the following note
from the Board of Trade :
" Office of Committee of Privy Council for Trade,
Whitehall, No,;. 21, 1838.
Gentlemen,—The representation made by you and
various other persons ou ',lie subject of the coffee trade, has had the considerat2ion of the Lords of the Committee
of Privy Council for Trade ; and their Lordships have
commanded ni,.; to state to you, for the information of all
parties, tb:cit they cannot at present recommend a measure,
the put pose of which would be to reduce the duty on Bri-
I ti:•11 plantation coffee to aid. the pound, and the duty on
foreign coffee, when imported from a British port, to 7d.
I the pound.

" I am, gentlemen, your obedient servant,
"J. D. HUME."
To Messrs. Jacob, Warner, Sons. and Co."
This in the coffee trade is
considered as a refusal to en-
tertain the subject of any alteration whatever, and to be
intended as showing the determination of the Board of
Trade to persevere in the old system of protecting the
\Vest India interest, however injurious and unjust these

•c"
Z; ( 7 • .
lilt
protections may be proved to be to the interes ortke.f,akt ''t
Indies and of general British trade, and thiti, iir"tkVexF--" •:- •
—penditure of twenty millions of money w . 7109,4
been given to the same favoured individuak ijifekst*tia-4.,
Lion for their slaves. Were there no othirliiittAett47.lif.:.-- - '
favour of equal duties than that the East.ll--" .4'-' :Mk: :
much as the West Indies dominions of ' ' - kik:7-' •
_,.
Crown, this would alone be sufficient fotZtßigivbrftttke
entire injustice of the protective system, by whiai'lli*
West India planters have so long been allowed to mo-
nopolize the greatest market in the world ; but it, more-
over, is to be remarked, that the West India islands
are comparatively small, and cannot supply the conti-
nually increasing demands of a population which is mul-
tiplying at so rapid a rate in this country, and, there-
fore, that new markets should be allowed to be resorted
to for commodities which, in modern times, are amongst
the necessaries of life. Besides the increased quan-
tity of coffee which is required for an increasing popu-
lation, there is observed to be a rapidly augmenting
demand for the commodity, in consequence of the still
improving temperate habits of the people, the encourage-
ment of which ought to be a motive of very consider-
able weight. Under these circumstances the coffee mer-
chants ought to be enabled to find support from the public
at large ; and so far from resting satisfied with such a reply
to their exposition as that which we have given above, it is
to be hoped that the petitions to Parliament in the ensuing
Session will be so numerous in favour of a large reduction
of the duties on coffee, as to cause an extensive alteration
in the policy of favouritism towards the West India planters,
at the expense of the millions of the people who thus pay
a double price for one of the most grateful indulgences of
modern life. At a time when the expenses of living are
rising so rapidly as to cause serious inconvenience in almost
every family in the kingdom, there can be no better oppor-
tunity for the coffee merchants to enlist the sympathy of
the people in their cause, and thus to abolish the grossly un-
justifiable restrictions which weigh upon their trade.

COURT OF ALDERMEN.

Yesterday a Court was held for the despatch of business.
Alderman COPELAND said he had observed by the pro-
ceedings of the Court of Common Council that that Court
had voted the sum of 5001. to be distributed to the poor
widows of freemen of the City at Christmas, and he should
move that the Court of Aldermen grant to the poor widows
of freemen 100 guineas in that inclement season, and that
tickets be granted to each Member to carry the distribution
into effect.—Motion agreed to unanimously.
A petition was presented from Mr. Bell, clerk of the
City Police, complaining that by the new City Police Bill,
hich would come into operation in a few days, he should
be incapacitated from holding his situation any longer, as
he was above the age of 40, and praying the interposition
of the Court by which he had been appointed.
Sir PETER LAURIE said that it would be most unjust
and impolitic to deprive an officer of his situation in which
he had served the Corporation between seven and eight
years in a satisfactory manner, because he had reached an
age beyond that which the Police Bill recognised. He
moved that the petition should be referred to the Police
Committee.

Alderman LUCAS and other Members agreed in the pro-
priety of continuing Mr. Bell, who is the son of the late Sir
Thomas Bell, Sheriff of the City of London, in the situa-
tion, and'the motion was unanimously agreed to.
Upon the motion of Sir PETER LAURIE the freedom of
the City was unanimously voted to Mr. Benjamin Welton,
a gentleman connected for seventeen years with the office
of the Town Clerk, and much distinguished for his services
to the Corporation.

The doors of the Court were then closed for private
business.

NATIONAL EDUCATION.

Last night a most numerous and respectable public meet-
ing of the inhabitants of Bethnal-green and Haggerstone,
took place at the Middlesex Chapel, Hackney-road, on
behalf of the Hackney-road British and Foreign School,
and for the purpose of promoting education throughout the
above-mentioned districts. At seven o'clock, the Right
Hon. S. Lushington, LL.D., M.P., took the Chair, and
addressed the meeting.
The report was then read by the Secretary. It stated
ih t within the last eight years 2,553 scholars had received
instruction-at the school. There were at present 330 boys,
whose names were on the books, and the average atten-
dance every clay was 240.
E. BUXTON, Esq., then addressed the Chair, and moved
that the report be received.
The resolution was then put and carried unanimously.
HENRY DUNN, Esq., proposed the next resolution, to
the effect that the meeting considered the state of the
school as highly satisfactory.
Mr. TAYLOR seconded the resolution, which was then
put and carried unanimously.
In the course of the evening several clergymen and
others addressed the assembly ; after which a vote of
thanks to the Right Hon. Gentleman in the chair having
been carried by acclamation, the meeting dispersed.

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS-TUESDAY.

These Sessions commenced this morning, before Mr. Ser-
geant ADAMS and a full Bench of Magistrates.
On the names of the Grand Jury being called over, a
member of the Society of Friends inquired whether it was
probable the Grand Jury would be called upon to decide
upon any case which was of a capital nature ?
The CHAIRMAN replied in the negative.
The Juryman then said, that had there been any cases
of that description brought under his notice, he could not
conscientiously have becn a party to the finding of such a
bill.

ALTERATION IN THE GRAND JURY SYSTEM.--The
Grand Jury having been sworn,
The CHAraY,AN addressed them to the following effect :
—The sub!ject of the Grand Jury system is at the present
moment, attracting attention, not only on the part of the
publ:ic, but also of her Majesty's Ministers. A Grand Jury
a secret tribunal, indeed it is the only tribunal in the
kingdom where the parties composing it are sworn to keep
secret all that passes before them. Although witnesses are
bound over to appear before you and give evidence, you
have no power to compel their attendance, or to make any
inquiries which any variance in their testimony may render
necessary, in order to enable you to arrive at the real fac
of a case. The evils of the system have long been felt, i '
fact they were every day becoming more and more appa -
rent. However strange It 'may appears the fact is noto-
rious, that a Grand Jury is the first hope of a London thief,
for where the person accused happens to be rich, the
money he possesses often enables him to tamper with the
principal witness against him between the period of his com-
mitment for trial and the time when the attendance of the
witness before the Grand Jury is required, and accordingly
when the witness goes before the Grand Jury he states
just as much or just as little a' will prevent the Grand
Jury from finding a bill against the accused. A Grand Jury
has not the power to compel a witness to say more than he
chooses, but when a bill is returned ignored by them
into this Court, it frequently happens that the Chair-
man, who has had an opportunity of looking into the de-
positions and knows all the facts of the case, censures
the Grand Jury for not having returned a true bill where
the charge was so glaring, and the evidence in support
of it distinct and clear. In order to remedy this evil
and to put Grand Juries in a better position than they hitherto stood in, and to enable them the more effectu-
ally to perform the duties that devolve upon them, the
Learned Judges who presided at the Central Criminal Court
at the last November Sessious gave directions that in future
a gentleman should he in attendance in the Grand Jury-room,
in the capacity of n. clerk to the Grand Jury, to watch the evi-
dence given b, witnesses under examination before them.
A sufficient. time has not elapsed to enable this Court, to.
judge how tk,e plan will work ; this Court will, however,
watch. its •operation in the Central Criminal Court before
adoptrorg• it in this. This, however, is not the only evil at-
tendir,g the present Grand Jury system. There are many
t.1.-orogs which are made the subject of inquiry by Grand
j Juries which ought never to be submitted to their conside-
ration. When I state to you that in the county of Mid-
dlesex alone there are no less than thirty-six Grand Juries
summoned every year, and that the number of gentlemen
called upon to serve is no less than 1,700, I need not say
that nothing but matters of extreme importance ought to
call so many gentlemen from their homes. In this respect,
therefore, I hope some alteration in the present system will
shortly be made.
After some further observations by the Learned Chair-
man, the Grand Jury withdrew.
The trials of the prisoners then proceeded, but all of
them were destitute of public interest.

A person applied to the Hatton Garden Magistrates
yesterday for a warrant against some parties connected with
one of the scandalous unstamped periodicals with which
London at present teems, who, applicant said, had threa-
tened to charge him with very serious crimes unless he sent
them a check for 501. He forgot, however, to inform tha
Magistrates that he himself is said to be part proprietorof
an equally infamous publication of the same name, ich
like its rival, is a disgrace to the metropolis. This system.
of wholesale calumny has reached such a pitch as to call
for the most vigorous measures to suppress it, and if any of
the many most respectable individuals who are so atro-
ciously libelled week by week for the purpose of extorting
money, would undertake to follow up the matter with deci—
sion, they would be conferring a very great benefit on public
morals and private comfort. The base insinuations of these
scoundrels have disturbed the peace of many a hitherto
appy family.

HIGII WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TO-MOrtROW.
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