The Sun.
London, England, 1849-04-17 00:00:00

C rf r, T THE P,\TuSSI

On Friday evening, at ,ix o'clock, the ratepayers of
St. Faith's under St. Paul's assembled in the vestry of
the church, according to notice issued, to make a church-
rate of 6d. in the pound. The chair was taken by the
Rector, the Rev. R. Shutte.
The room was soon so crowded that many could not
obtain admission. Some of the parishioners moved an
adjournment to the church, which was objected to by
others as an indecent proceeding.

Upon the RECTOR being called on to put the motion,
he said that he certainly did not at all approve of hold-
ing a meeting in the church for secular purposes ; but
he was in the hands of the meeting, and must be go-
verned by the decision of the majority.
The adjournment was then put and carried by a large
majority.
A temporary table was erected with the aid of some
stools in the huddle aisle, and the ratepayers occupied
the pews.
The CHAIRMAN then proceeded to open the business
of the meeting, remarking that, knowing as he did that
there were differences of opinion among his parishioners
present, he trusted they would all remember the place in
which they were assembled, and he should less regret
the adjournment to that place if it had any weight in
causing the business of the meeting to be conducted in
an amicable manner. And, lastly, he begged that no
personalities might be introduced. He would make no
further remarks ut that time, but called on the church-
wardens to proceed to make the rate.
Mr. BRACHER said, that in accordance with the notice
issued under his signature, he rose to propose a 6d. rate;
but he believed some gentlemen were about to move, as
an amendment, that it be a 4d. rate; and he must admit
that would be ample to cover all the legal expenses of
the church. He concluded by moving a rate or 6d. in
the pound, which was seconded.
Mr. WEEDoN rose to move, as an amendment, that it
be a 4d. rate; and examined in detail the church-
wardens' account, showing that 4d. was enough, and more
than enough, to cover all the charges which ought fairly
to be introduced into a church-rate.
It was seconded by Mr. LEAPIDGE SMITH,
Mr. Deputy HICKS opposed the amendment on the
ground that charges objected to by the mover of the
amendment had been on the rate for some years, and he
did not like to interfere with established practices.
Mr. VENABLES asked how the lecturer's salary would
be paid if the 4d, rate were carried.
The CHAIRMAN said this was foreign to the question.
The question was to make a legal rate.
Mr. WEEDON explained that he had been quite
prepared
conducted heidndi
et
business,
from
on
his
igi
ase nnnsdteeoors
athedth l
eeomei
questionshn
esteemed
dud jifnherc of t
hoped
ept
nedd,
without
i it would
we deference
oe
dturcoeelt
deues
thectroe hnrr b
have
rvienoeumgrt
opened
nereks
e intohad
personalities.
Mr. OKEY objected altogether to church-rates.
A desultory conversation ensued. Several Dissenters
asked questions concerning church-rates, and
14Ir. OSMOND made a very tedious and lengthy exami-
nation of the accounts, showing that all the charges
were necessary for the respectability of the parish.
Mr. STEIL asked the Vestry-Clerk what were the legal
charges?
The VESTRY-CLERK said all the charges in the ac-
count were legal if the rate was made.
The CHAIRMAN said, in reply to a question from a
Dissenter, I differ teto ccelo from the statement of the
law as laid down by the vestry-clerk. I speak with all
deference to his professional knowledge, but I have
',coked into Pridhoe and Burns, and have taken eminent

opinion. The form given for a church-rate is " a rate,.
tor,thicrepaies' of the fabric." And here is the re
port of a case tried in banco, before four judges of
the Court of Queen's Bench, in which they are
unanimous that a man cannot be compelled to pay a
rate which is for incidental expenses. With regard
to the organ, Judge Bailey has ruled that to be
a luxury which must be paid for by those
who enjoy it. Anti I do hope, as a minister of
the Church of England, and desirous to support
her in her integrity, that you will not let it go
forth, that when she is assailed with such clamour on all
skits—when this very subject is discussed in the Legis-
lature—that you will now let it go forth that you, who call
yourselves members of her, assisted her assailants by at-
tempting to irepo,e upon your fellow-parishioners an
illegal impost. And I warn you, that if you make this
rate, you will not be able to cillect it. lam assured the
matter will not rest here, and I regret to see the door
opened for dissensions among those over whom I am in
one sense the head. With regard to the lecturer, as per-
sonalities have been introduced, passing the smaller rate
does not alter his position, except that instead of being
illegally paid out of the rate, he will be paid as I am for
the Thursday evening duty, by subscription, and I desire
no other position. Let those who value my ministry sup-
p rt it. " The labourer is worthy of his hire."
Mr. THEOBALD said that be was opposed to church-
rates altogether; but as the mover of the amendment
had stated there were certain duties which the church-
warden was by law compelled to discharge, and it
was right that he should be furnished with funds
tor that purpose, he considered that a very much
smaller rate world suffice for all the legal expenses, and
he should move a smaller rate.
The amendment was lost by 6: ayes, 25; noes, 31.
A 2d. rate was then negatived. Subsequently one
for *d.
On the CHAIRMAN proceeding to put the 6d. rate, his
so doing was protested against by the mover and seconder
of the 4d. amendment. He said his position was painful,
because he telt that the door was now being opened for
disputes—that the rate could not be collected; but his
office was merely ministerial, and he must put the rate;
which was carried by a majority of 6.
The Vestry then elected parish officers, and,
Mr OKEY, in moving thanks to the chair, said he had
stayed, at considerable personal inconvenience, in order to
have the pleasure of making this motion—" That the gen-
tlemanly, candid, and Christian spirit displayed by the
rector, whom he had not before met, had tended greatly
to conciliate the Dissenters." lie moved the thanks of
the meeting to the chairman.
Carried unanimously.

DEATH OF SlRmeingANs of railwaypßE
ANDREW
pan
NcEoWn:BAßT.diffe-
rent Itiis.
n
came country, onh a
s behalf
long
e n the
s o
with much pain that we announce the death of this wall-
known gentleman. Over-exertion in attending the re-
centrweh itc half-yearly
s roh
f Andrew'st c
lcoasuesley withc
con-
nected, -
nected, resulted, we understand, in fever, which termi-
nated fatally on the evening of Thursday last. The
deceased Baronet was born in 1793.—Scotsman.
ELECTRIC AND HYDRAULIC TELEGRAPHS.— On
Thursday evening last, April 12, we had the pleasure of
attending a lecture, delivered.
eaof by Mr. W. H. French,
theEleetricTelegraph
lately engaged in the sliveredCj ee.:lvelogcnrtphhs. The lecture was de.
the
comparative merits of
electric'mpa
to a
nayn,dLhornyed'sip(r)aeneu,tlaiB: t
ble, but scanty audience, in the
Collegiate Institution. The lecturer went into a minute
and critical examination of the inefficiency and the liabi-
lities of the electric telegraph to disarrangements, show-
ing in a very clear and satisfactory manner that they arose
from fluctuation of galvanic electricity and the interfe-
rence of terrestrial and atmospheric electricity. Mr.
French's statements. respecting the uncertainty of the
electric telekjaph's signals, from oscillation and the strik-
ing and variations of the needles, were very plain and
convincing, and drew from the audience warm plaudits,
inasmuch as all present felt the full force of his
arguments, and by the illustrations and experiments
brought forward, proved that he was stating nothing
more than reason and the laws of natural philosophy
warranted. The complicated character of the electric
telegraph's alphabet.
was next descanted on, and proved
by the exhibition of one invented by the lecturer. Mr.
French then exhibited and explained at some length the
n
of two of his inventions—current
deflectors, as oshbejtehic eatrts
m service termed t
telegraph
in an d
Company
ad very
die
meaifltsust
ecr
d e
o
pointed
consequence of matters
arising out of these inventions. He next explained his
mode of transmitting signals by means of water. Alto-
e hr andsitm e,
from their
Alto-
geher his lecture was a very able and interesting one,
and strengthened our previous convictions, founded on
a very extensive experience of the operations of the
company, that the electric telegraph, as at present
worked, is constantly liable to errors, omissions, and
delays, entirely inexcusable, and the repetition of which
tend to bring the practical part of an invention, no less
useful than important, into a daily increasing disrepute.
Why is this? Simply because the public
have no
guarantee that their messages will be transmitted in-
stantaneously, or with accuracy. Indeed, from Mr.
French's lecture, it would appear that a certainty of
accuracy is what cannot be attained so long as the
letters of the alphabet are signalled as they now are.—
European Times.
Advices from Valparaiso have been received, ant
New York, up to the 6th of February. The fever for
emigration to San Francisco still continued, although
not to such an extent as about a month previously.
There were 15 vessels loading for that port, one of
which,theChateaubriand, had upwards of 150 passen-
gers already engaged,ma n
of-warands
cwr
L?luyl.ds t probablyeam e
r Massachusettstake 3OO .
The American
had just come in with troops bound for California.
Business in Valparaiso was very dull, and money was
scarce at 14- per cent. per month.
THE NEW CITY PRISON AT HOLLOWAY.-011 Sa-
turday the contract for the building of the new city
prison at Helloway was regularly signed by the con-
tracting parties, and to- day operations are to commence
on the ground. The first stone will be laid at Mid-
summer, and it is believed that the whole structure
will, under the able direction of Mr. Bunning, the
city architect, be completed in the summer of 1852.
It is singular enough that when Alderman Sidney
first brought forward the question as to the propriety of
erecting the new prison on the city's own ground at
Holloway, he found it difficult to procure a seconder, and
for a considerable time there was a most resolute opposi-
tion to the proposal. At length, however, the project
was supported by large majorities in both courts of the
corporation. The new prison is to be built in such a
manner as to be adapted to any improved system of dis-

eipline.
STINGINESS ABOUT FIRES.—I cannot understand
wha: it is that snakes everybody grudge to have as many
fires us are requisite fur health, in this country. In
the case of people like ourselves, who have scarcely
enough to live on, of course every additional fire be-
comes a consideration. But how many rich people we
know who would hesitate about having a fire in every
bedroom! They will have three courses and dessert every
day—an expense highly injurious to health; and they will
starve with cold in their bedrooms; which, according to
my notion, is quite as injurious to health. How many
families you see who are never free from coughs, colds,
and influenz t, all the winter, merely because they all go
to bed and get up every day (at the coldest times of the
tlnr_ tool in nn litmoinhere at or below the freezina