The Sun.
London, England, 1849-07-13 00:00:00

AUSTRIA.

Kossuth his. recently published a proclamation at
Pesth, which may be considered as the Magyar
programme of the approaching campaign. Kossuth
makes a new and imperious appeal to the sturdy
patriotism of his countrymen. The priests are ordered
to take up the cross and to head their parishioners in
the defence of their religion and liberty. The people
are .to arm themselves, as they best can, " with
scythes, pickaxes, &c." The line of the Theiss and
the fords of that river are to be defended, and
the inhabitants of the towns and villages shall, on the
approach of the enemy, leave their houses and homes,
and, carrying away all provisions, take refuge in the
fastnesses of the mountains and the islands of the
morasses. They are further instructed to set fire to
the places in which the enemy are quartered, and to
molest them by nocturnal attacks. Kossuth finally
states that the Hungarian army numbers 200,000
men;

THEATRE ROYAL? RICHMOND.—This little theatre
commenced a season on Monday evening, under the di-
rectiOn of Mr. John Ryan, a gentleman well-known to
the Rtchmond play-goers as a successful caterer for
their gratification. The entertainments were varied and
numerous, supported by metropolitan artistes of acknow-
ledged talent, and, if the reception of the company and
pieces on Monday be taken as a criterion of future suc-
cess, Mr. Ryan will have reason to congratulate himself
on the result of his speculation. The curtain rose, when
the National Anthem was given in capital style by several
vocalists from the two operas, who were engaged for the
occasion. The farce of Slather and Crasher followed, in
which Mr. N. B. Ryan, as Slasher, kept the audience in
a roar from first to last. The celebrated Shawl Dance
was admirably given by Miss C. Palser, and drew down
a unanimous encore; a similar compliment was paid to
the Misses Desborough and Furtle, who danced the
Minuet and Bolero (as done by thorn before her Majesty
and the Court at the St. James's Theatre lately) with
elegance and effect. The petite drama of Monsieur
Jacques introduced Mr. R Barnett, who played the hero
of the piece with much feeling; the parts of Sequence
and Vivid were excellently sustained by Messrs. G.
Cooke and H. Lee of the Marylebone Theatre. The
song of "I'm going for a Soldier, Jenny," was sung with
great taste by Miss Marian Holmes, who possesses a
soprano voice of much power and' sweetness, which she
manages with the skill of an experienced musician. Some
comic singing by Mr. N. B. Ryan and IL Saville created
much merriment. The hit of the evening, however, was
the Gitans,, by Miss Rosins Ryan, who gave that popu-
lar dance with much grace and spirit, betraying such
great talent in the art as astonished and delighted her
ateslitors, and produced a rapturous encore. The farce of
Mr. and Mrs. White terminated the performances, in
which Mr. G. Cooke and Mr. N. B. Ryan, as Major
Pepper and Peter White, made some large demands upon
the risible faculties of the audience, and which were
heartily responded to. It is four years since the theatre
had a lessee before, and Mr. Ryan's theatrical tact and
industry will, we hope, render his undertaking a source
of enjoyment to his patrons, and profit to himself.
REGISTRATION or VOTERS.—The new law affect-
ing the registration of voters will come into practical
operation on the 20th inst. hitherto taxes and poor-
rates due on the sth of April were to be paid on or
before the 20th of July, but by the Act 11 and 12 Vic.,
cap. 90, it is declared "that after the Ist of January,
1849, no person shall be required, in order to entitle him
to have his name inserted in any list of voters for any
city, town, or borough in England, to have paid any
poor's-rates or assessed taxes except such as shall have
become payable from him previously to the sth of
January in the same year, and that no person shall be
entitled to be on any such list of voters unless the poors
rates and assessed taxes, payable from him previously
to the sth day of January, shall be paid on or before
the 20th day of July next following."
PROGRESS or THE CrtoLeax.—Mr. W. Baker held
six inquests on Tuesday in various parts of his district,
on the bodies of persons who died from Asiatic cholera,
and verdicts to that effect were returned in every case.
It appeared that the deceased, without an exception, had
been living when attacked by the disease in districts
where the drainage was bad.
EMIGRATION.—During the ast six months 87,443
emigrants have sailed from the port of Liverpool. The
number for the corresponding period of 1848 was
82,680.—Liverpool Courier.
THE BISHOP OF EXETER'S BUTLER CHARGED
WIT STEALING A PORTMANTEAU.—At the Devon
County Sessions, last week, George Evans, butler to the
Bishop of Exeter, was indicted on a charge of stealing a
portmanteau containing clothes. The indictment con-
tained eight counts—the first four charging the prisoner
with stealing, and the last four with feloniously receiving.
The property was laid in the several counts as belonging
respectively to the Great Western Railway Company,
the Bristol and Exeter Railway Company, the South
Devon Railway Company, and Master Francis Du Pre
Montague. The prosecution was instituted by the Great
Western Railway Company. It appeared that in May,
1848, Master Montagu lost his portmanteau on a journey
from Bristol to Newton, and nothing was heard of it
until the month of June last, when the police received
information which induced them to search the prisoner's
apartment in the Bishop's residence at Bishopstowe.
They there found a quantity of articles marked " F. D.
Montagu." Having taken possession of these things,
they charged the prisoner with stealing the portmanteau,
and he replied that he had brought a portmanteau
from London by mistake, and he supposed the things
were in it. Ile was then taken into custody, and it ap-
peared at the trial that in May, 1848, the Bishop travelled
by railway from London to Torquay, giving his luggage '
in charge of the prisoner. A probability was therefore
raised that the portmanteau might by accident have been
placed amongst the things belonging to the Bishop. This
being the defence set up by the prisoner, the chairman
of the Session left it to the jury to say whether they be-
lieved his account, or whether they thought he had
stolen the portmanteau. The jury returned a verdict of
Not Guilty. In the course of the trial several witnesses
testified to the good character of the prisoner, and the
Bishop of Exeter said that if he should be acquitted he
would take him into his service again with unimpaired
confidence.

THE HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY.—This Company,
which is to have the government of Vancouver's Island,
was formed by Prince Rupert, who, with other great
men, applied, in 1669, to Charles the Second, and
obtained an unlimited charter for ever, of all the
land around and beyond the bay, which was
to bo called Rupert's Land, together with an ex-
clusive trade, in order to make settlements as in other
American colonies, and to extend the British trade.
Also to find out a passage to the Western Ocean or
Northern Pacific. The charter bears date the 2d of
May, 1670, and Charles Bayly, Esq., was sent out
governor for that year, with instructions to fix a factory,
which accordingly was established at Rupert's River, in
51 deg. 29 m. north. Near 180 years have now expired
since the Hudson's Bay Company claimed possession of
their lands.
LOUIS %PHILIPPE, THE DUCHESS OF ORLEANS,
AND THE ~COUNT DE PARIS.—A correspondent who
witnessed the meeting of Louis Philippe and his Con-
sort Amelie, with the Duchess of Orleans and her
young sons, at Lewes, on the evening of Thursday
se'nnight, describes it as a very touching scene. There
was a considerable number of people assembled at
the station, and, on the Queen of the Belgians
and the Duchess of Orleans alighting from their car-
riage, it was with no little difficulty tha; way was made
for the royal ladies to the room which had been given
up to Louis Philippe, and who, advancing eagerly
from it, exclaimed to those about him, "
?" (Where, where ?), as though searching for
the new corners. There now advanced—the Duchess
first, with the Count de Paris in her hand,
who, directly he saw the aged Queen, ran up to her,
and,' placing his hand affectionately on her arm, ex
claimed, looking up at her, "Ma bonne libman! ma
bonne Mamanl" Louis Philippe took the Duchess in
his arms with every sign of joy and affection; it was
the first time he had seen her and the young Count
since the fatal day when they were separated at the
Tuileries—the King to escape to England, the Duchess
and her son to remain and try the chance of a
Regency. The Duchess has a firm, almost martial
carriage; her step is that of a heroine; but the deep
mark round her eyes show that her woman's spirit
has deeply mourned her own calamities and those
of her husband's house. The King, who never looked
better, led her to the carriage; the aged Queen
(who, however, is as tall and erect as ever) followed
with the young Count de Paris-3 fine boy, whose
height and bearing make him look much older than
he really is—ten years. The Queen of the Belgians
followed with the young Duke de Chartres, a beau-
tiful boy, the second son of the Duchess d'Orleans,
and after her the other members of the Orleans
family in England; and thus they entered the
large carriage which had been prepared for them to
proceed to St. Leonard's. As the old King entered
the carriage with his young grandson, the people round
about raised a " Hip, hip, hurrah," which seemed to
sound not unpleasing in the ears of Louis Philippe, for
he turned round upon the step and bowedd,aupde'said
di
something, but what our correspondent
not hear.
And, then, the " fortunes" of the Orleans family were
whirled away.—Brighton Herald.
WIGAN.—FATAL ACCIDENT AT KIRK LESS COL-
LIERY.—On Saturday week, as the men employed at
the Kirkless Colliery were leaving work for the week,
an accident of a serious nature took place. A man
named Roger Fletcher, a roadsrnan at the bottom,
and another man named Hugh Hughes, had finished
work, :Ind got into the basket or tub to ascend the
shaft, when Hughes gave tho usual signal to
the engineer to start. Hughes was standing up at
the time, and had old of the chains, but Fletcher
was sitting down on the other side of the basket,
as was his usual custom in ascending the pit. Im-
mediately on the starting of the engine, Fletcher fell
backwards out of the basket on the bottom of the
shaft, and injured his back very much, so that he was
obliged to be conveyed in a cart to his residence in
Fleece-yard, Wigan, where he lingered until Saturday
morning last, whn he expired, leaving a wife and mother
to mourn his loss. On Monday last, an inquest was
held on Fletcher's body, at the Fleece Inn, and the jury
returned a verdict of Accidental Death.—Manciseshr
Guardian.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS, July 12.

Their Lordships met at Five o'clock.
On the motion of Lord CAMPBELL, the Quarter
Sessions Proceedings Bill was read a second time.
On the motion of the Earl of CARLISLE, the Drain-
age of Lands Bill was read a third time and passed.
CRIMINAL LAW CONSOLIDATION.
Lord BROUGHAM introduced a Bill to consolidate
the criminal law relating to homicide and offences against
the person, which was read a first time.
PORT PATRICK AND DONAGHADEE.

The Marquis of LONDONDERRY said that after
the large sum of money which had been expended at
the national expense on the harbours of Port Patrick
and Donaghadee, amounting to upwards of 400,0001.,
and the grant last year of 10,0001., by her
Majesty's present Government, to enlarge and
dredge the basins for the reception of large steam-
vessels, it is highly inexpedient to remove the packets
from the station and give up the desirable communication
between the south-west of Scotland and the north of
Ireland.

The Marquis of CLANRICARDE said that the al-
teration had taken place for the public convenience.
Lord DE ROOS contended that the harbour of
Donaghadee ought to be kept up as a harbour of refuge.
After a few words from the Earl of GALLOWAY,
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE explained, and
their Lordships divided, when there appeared—
Contems ••• ... 18
Not contents ... •.. 31
Majority against the motion —l3
SITES FOR SCHOOLS.

Their Lordships then went into Committee on this Bill.
Lord REDESDALE proposed a clause to enable
landowners to grant pieces of land, not exceeding five
acres each, for the purposes of normal schools.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE was understood to
say he should not oppose the clause.
After a few words from Lord CAMPBELL the clause
was agreed to.
The Earl of POWIS then proposed a clause to facili-
tate the exchange of sites for schools.

Lord REDESDALE objected to the clause, because
it was contrary to the provisions of former Acts on this
subject.
The clause was negatived without a division, and the
Bill was reported to the House.
Lord MONTEAGLE presented a petition from an
individual in favour of the Railway Accouats Audit.
BilL Also a petition from the guardians of an union 10.
Ireland, signed by Lord Stuart de Decies, as chairman,
praying for the appointment of a resident assessor in each
union to assist the guardians.
Their Lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, July 12.
MERCHANT SEAMEN AND PILOTS.

Mr.I.ABOUCHERE(in continuation from our After-
noon Edition of yesterday) said—There were one or two
statements in support of that assertion, independent of
those reports, to whichhe could not help calling the atten-
tion of the House, because they came from authorities
of the highest character, who had no bias of
any sort to give a colour to their statements.
Mr. Morley Wigram stated, when he was examined be-
fore the House of Lords, that he was engaged in the
China and India trade, in which the character of our
vessels were very high, and in which the captains
commanding them were of a better class, better 'edu •
cated, and more trustworthy. He stated, however, that
that character did not apply to the merchant
navy generally, and that he was afraid that the
reports of the consuls were too correct. Mr. Richmond,
another gentleman, observed that if he were to say that
our English captains had improved within the last
twenty-five years, he should state that which was
not a fact; that the captains of our merchant ships were
a less educated class of men than they were sixty
years ago. Mr. George Frederick Young also said,
although he thought that indiscriminate censure
had 'been thrown on the commanders of those

ships, he believed, taking into account the whole of
our trading ships, that the captains of many fo-
reign ships were of a better class than the
captains of many of our ships. The Right Honourable
Gentleman then quoted a passage from the work of Mr.
31'1'0'1-land, to show that a preference was given twenty
years ago to our ships in the Medit,rranean
and Italian seas, and that the amount re-
quired by underwriters for an insurance upon
them was less, but that now no such preference was
given, and no difference was made with resp,:ct to the
insurance. He (Mr. Labouchere) was anxious to call the

attention of the House to a memorial which came
from the Bombay Chamber of Commerce in 1832,
which appeared to him to be of very great im-
portance. They stated with regard to the
India and China trade, which, generally speaking,
had a much higher class of captains than the Mediter-
ranean and American trade, that serious conse-
quences had ensued from want of discipline
on board merchant vessels owing to a want
of morality in the captains, and to the little
respect in which they were held by their men.
He also called the attention of the Government

to another most important point, vii., that though
the captains were generally possessed of sufficient
scientific attainments the mates were not, and the con-
sequence was, that if any accident happened to the cap-
tain, the vessel was placed under the command of an in-
competent man, and the result had been that most
serious accidents had happened. lie (Mr. Labouchere)
had also stated that he believed that there was

a great want of improvement .in the . discipline

of the crews of the merchant ships of this country
—(Hear, hear)—and that he believed this, in many
particulars, necessarily connected itself with what he
before stated as to the want,of properly qualified captains.
He believed that where the want of discipline existed
among the crew of a merchant vessel the cause was generally
traced to the person of the master of the vessel. Ot
this hi? was certain, that proper discipline could not be
enforced unless they had some security that the captain
would not improperly or harshly discharge his duties, for
not only had he the care of a great amount of property,
but the lives and comforts of many of his fellew-creatures
were entrusted to his charge. He held, therefore,
that these two subjects were closely connected with
each other. He would not weary the House by quoting
the reports of the consuls, but he would appeal to every
Member in the House who was acquainted with the subject
whether there was not a lamentable want of discipline
in our merchant vessels. Our whale fishery, which was
once of so much importance, we had almost entirely lost
from a want of discipline on the part of the crews em-
ployed in the vessels engaged in that service. He believed
that it had been transferred to America in consequence of
the superiority of the American crews over ours. He
now came to the third and main point, to which he
was anxious to call the attention of the House—he
meant the general condition of the sailor, which they
must now look upon with regret. In the last year there
had been no less than 14,000 desertions from the British
merchant navy. That he thought was a sufficient rea-
son to induce him to call the attention of the House to
the condition of these men. The relation between a
merchant-seamen and his employer was one of a very
peculiar nature; it was always so recognised and dealt
with in every mercantile country. The sailor and his
employer never entered into agreement with each other
in the same manner in which the employer and the
employed were accustomed to do in other trades.
On this point he could quote the opinion of a gentleman
who was a high authority in such matters, though not
an Englishman, still one whose opinion was worth lis-
tening to—that of the American Chancellor Kent. This
gentleman described the condition of the sailor in terms
which he was convinced were not overdrawn, and he
was sure the House would agree with him that it would
be very bad policy to leave this class of men entirely to
themselves to take their own chalice in forming their
tontracts with their employers; and that it would be no
more than right that the State should interfere for the
protection of the sailor. He should state that in pro-
posing any improvement of this system he should not be
introducing anything entirely new, but merely proceed-
ing upon grounds which had been laid down before and
sanctioned by the Legislature. Experience had proved
that in the contracts between the seaman and
his employer much depended upon the character and
of the agent employed by the sailor, upon his qualifica-
tion and trustworthiness. Without the trustworthiness
of this person could be secured, they left the sailor ex-
posed to the greatest frauds. In America this object
was mainly obtained by insisting that all contracts of
this sort should be conducted through the instrumentality
of a notary public, but in this country there was no
class who managed these contracts equal to these notaries
public, in respectability and qualification. This was a
point greatly to be deplored. During the late Adminis-
tration a measure had been brought in to endeavour to
improve this system by providing that no persons but
those duly licensed should :be employed; and
though, no doubt, this system had been produc-
tive of very general benefit, yet he could not
think that it was sufficient to work that amount of
good which was necessary ; it fell very far short of
what was required. It was found still very difficult to in-
duce. persons of proper respectability to undertake these
duties. In many instances licences had been obliged to
be given to lodging-house keepers; and though they had
excluded slop-sellers, still it was found impossible to
draw the line in a proper place. It was quite certain
that if they wished to accomplish any important altera•
Lion in this system, to make the sailor satisfied with his
contract, they must attempt to conduct this business
through the instrumentality of persons of very different
character than hitherto. There was also another point,
to which he had directed his attention, and that was the
sanitary condition of the seamen on board. No man
could read the reports that had been laid before the
House on this point, and had heard the manner in
which sailors were stowed together, engendering the
seeds of future disease, and, perhaps, of death,
without feeling the necessity of some interference—
that it was desirable to introduce some alterations. He
had now stated the general points relating to the mer-
cantile marine where it was desirable to extend relief;
and he would now proceed to state the details of the
measure which he intended to lay before the House. He
knew it was a subject which required great consideration,
and he was conscious that any measure which he
might introduce would be capable of great alteration.
A t prt chsaetn
was
a there
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sea-
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there was no doubt but that the mercantile interest' had
greatly suffered from this. lle, therefore, proposed tod
give the Board of Trade an increased authority,
with it increased responsibility. In order to do this he
should propose to add to the Board of Trade a department
going by the name of the Board of Mercantile Marine,
not to constitute a separate board, but merely to institute
a separate department of the Board of Trade under this
name. On this board he intended there should be two
members who should have served as captains in the mer-
chant service, for he thought that the mercantile marine
hsd a right to expect thst in a board like this it should