The Sun.
London, England, 1849-02-22 00:00:00

[LEFT SPEAKING.]

EXCHEQUER.-(THIS DAY.)
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition.)
'4 GRAPES 5. BUNNEY.
The verdict in this case was for the plaintiff on firs
issue, damages 101.; second, for defendant.

ST. LUKE'S HOSPITAL FOR LUNATlCS.—Yesterday
the annual general meeting of this institution was held
in the George and Vulture Tavern, Cornhill, Henry
Francis Shaw Lefevre, Esq., in the chair. The minutes
of the last meeting having been read and confirmed, the
secretary proceeded to read the report, from which it
appears that 325 persons have been under the medical
care of the hospital during the year. Of these IC6 were
completely cured, and 22 relieved. The number of
deaths which took place during the year was nine. From
a minute calculation made by the committee, it appears
that the number of patients annually cured by the insti-
tution for some time past has been 58 s.9ths per cent.,
and that only 6 1-12th per cent. have yearly died. The
receipts for the year were 8,7421. 4s. Bd., and the dis-
bursements amounted to 6,8601.45. 4d., leaving a balance
in the treasurer's hands of 1,8821. Os. 4d. The report
having been unanimously adopted, the following resolu-
tion was laid before the meeting:—" That this commit-
tee accept with deep regret the resignations of Mr. and
Mrs. Stinton, the surgeon and matron; and at the same
time record, in the strongest manner, our high appro-
bation of the strict integrity and exemplary kindness
with which they have discharged their arduous duties;"
which being agreed to, the proceedings terminated by
passing a vote of thanks to the chairman.
MEETING OF AGRICULTURISTS AT REIGATE.-011
Tuesday a meeting took place at the White Hart Hotel.
for the purpose of taking into consideration " the state
of agricultural distress, and to devise some measures
for alleviating the sufferings produced by the extreme
injustice of (partial) free trade and the peculiar burdens
oppressing the agricultural interests." Tenant-farmers
!rem the adjoining counties of Kent and Sussex attended
the meeting, special invitations having been sent to
them for that purpose. J. W. Freshfield, Esq., (one of
the candidates at the last election for the city of Lon-
don), was called to the chair. Mr. Paul Foskett, the
principal speaker, stated that there was not a farmer
among the large body before them who was not living
on his capital. He demanded a national poor-rate, and
the abolition of the malt•-tax and the hop-uuty, which he
proposed to make up by an additional 2 per cent. income
tax on real property, and a probate duty on landed
estates. Various resolutions were passed in unison
with the feelings of the meeting, and there is to be a
more general assemblage at Epsom on the 28th inst.
NEW COUNTY GAOL FOR SURREY.—Last night a
meeting of the rate-payers of St. Mary, Lambeth, was
held at the Horns' Tavern, Kennington, to take into
consideration the proposed building of a new gaol for
the county of Surrey, at a cost of 120,0001. T. Alcock,
Esq., one of the county Members, bad promised to pre-
side. A certificate &cm that gentleman's medical ad-
viser, setting forth that sudden indisposition prevented
his presence, having been read to the meeting, Mr.
Hunt, the senior churchwarden of St. Mary's, was
voted to the chair. Mr. Taylor moved the first reso.
Waal], to the effect " that at such a period when all
classes are labouring under such excessive difficulties,
arising from local and general taxation, the pro-
posed enormous outlay in the erection of a new pri-
son was an uncalled for and useless expenditure
of public money." Mr. Wyld seconded the resolution.
C. Pearson, Esq., M.P., supported the resolution. The
Government had declared the Pentonville experiment a
failure, and he did not see why the county magistracy
should seek to perpetuate it. The resolution was
adopted, as also several others condemnatory of the pro-
posed outlay. It was also resolved that a petition
should be forwarded to T. Alcock, Esq , M,P., for pre-
sentation to the House of Commons, praying for a uni-
form system of prison discipline. A deputation, in-
cluding Mr. C. Pearson, M.P., was appointed to wait on
Sir G. Grey, to call his attention to the proposed erec-
tion. Thanks were voted to the chairman, and the
meting separated.

SUPPLY OF HEEEINGe—For some time past there
have been large shoals of herrings in the Frith of
Forth, particularly off and 2..beve the Queensferry,
forming a rich winter harvest for the fishermen.
Some boats' crews aro capturing from twenty-five
to thirty barrels per day. The herrings are being
sold throughout the town at five for a penny. Our
market has generally been supplied with winter
herrings, but they were in general much smaller
in size than what they are this season. The reason
why they are larger may be accounted for thus :
During former times, the fishermen, under the pre-
tence of fishing for garvies, which are not easily di-
tinguished from young herrings, were in the habit
of drawing out of the sea many hundred tons of
young herring soil, along with the garvies. So
great was the quantities caught at times, that they
were actually disposed of as manure. The Fishery
Board having been made acquainted with these reckless
proceedings last year a complete stop was put to the
system of garvie catching. The beneficial results are
now apparent. The soil have had leave to grow into
tolerable sized herrings, such as are now sold to the
public at so reasonable a rate.—Caledonian Mercury.
Irish questions are again taking up a great part of
the time of the House of Commons, and, we fear, are as
tar from a final settlement as ever. The Habeas Corpus
Act is again suspended and more money is granted. But
this only secures a short parenthesis in the turbulent
history of Irish politics. We cannot practise mingled
coercion and tribute-paying for ever. The savage growl
heard on Monday night in the House of Commons,
against the new grant demanded, was too significant to
be either mistaken or misinterpreted. On the same night,
too, there crept out a curious proof of the mendicant
propensities of some of the Irish landlords, which will
no longer allow us to wonder at that preference which
some of the humbler classes give to a tramp life over one
of honest industry. A number of the Society of Friends,
with that philanthropy for which they are so remark-
able, are anxious to try the experiment of Irish capabi-
lities by buying estates and employing labour upon them.
This is made matter of accusation against them. And
why? They are about to demonstrate to the world what
the Irish soil can produce when properly cultivated, and
what Irish industry can effect when duly stimulated and
paid. And, what will be the consequence of this awful
intrusion into the realms of the sluggard? " Othello's
occupation will be gone." Irish landlords will have " to
go and do likewise," instead of besieging the Treasury
with their hats in their hands, praying for alms from
year's end to year's end. Can we, then, wonder at their
horror and anger.—Albion Liverpool.
THE Cow•aETCHER.—I left Baltimore by the late
night-train for Washington. For two-thirds of the way,
we went on smoothly enough; but when within about
ten miles of Washington, a violent jerk to the whole
train apprised us that that we had run against some-
thing, not, however, sufficiently formidable to bring us
to a sudden halt, or to dislodge us from the line. The
engine-driver gradually slackened speed, and on stopping
the train, we discovered that we had run against a cow,
which had been lying on the line. "Sure on't," said
the driver, as soon as he had satisfied his curiosity. " You
seem familiar with such accidents," I observed; "are
they frequent ? " "Now and then of a night," said he,
"we do run agin somethin of the kind, but they gin'rally
manage to get the worst pn't."—"But do they never throw
you off the rail ?" I icquired. " They seem to take a plea-
sure in doin' it when they find us without the cow-
ketcher," he replied. On walking to the front of the
engine I discovered what the " cow-ketcher" was.
Utterly unprotected as American railways are, either by
fences or police, the presence of this device is a very
necessary precaution in the case of all night-trains. It
is appended to the front of the locomotive, and consists
of a strong iron grating, turned up a little at the project-
ing points, which is made to trail along the line a few
inches from the rails. It is by no means uncommon, on
arriving at a station, to find a sheep or a hug dead or
dying in it. A cow or. a horse is too formidable an ob-
stacle to be run against without being observed. On
this occasion, the unfortunate cow was lifted off the rail,
on which it had been lying, but its body was frightfully
lacerated by the process. " I can stand a hog, but them
'ere cows are the devil to pay," said the stoker, as he pro-
ceeded, with the help of some others, to drag the carcass
off the machine, and deposit it by the side of the line.
" Might they not as well take it into Washington now?"
I observed to one of the bystanders. " I suppose they
would," said he, " but that they want to leave room for the
next;" a remark which enabled me certainly to resume
my place with a very comfortable feeling of security.—
The Western World.

DUBLIN METROPOLITAN POLICE.—A Parliamentay
return issued yesterday shows that the total amount ex-
pended on account of the Dublin Metropolitan Police
Force was, in 1847, 71,7221., against 73,2891. in 1846,
and 73,543/. in 1845. The amount expended on account
of the police magistratcs and magistrates of Dublin was
1,7071., against 1,723/. in 1846, and 1,8781. in 1845.
LEEDS, FEB. 20.—Our market to-day has not pre-
sented any new features; business continues sound, and
the improved tone holds good. Thera has been a good
deal doing in the warehouses these last few days; but
at the Cloth Halls very little, for reasons often alluded
to.—Mancheder Guardian,