The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-02 00:00:00

LICENSING DAY.

ST. HARTIN'S. -
A meeting of magistrates was held this day in the vestry-
rooms, St. Martin's, for the purpose of granting renewal of
spirit licenses.
The magistrates present were Lord Mountiord (chairman),
Sir John Annesley, and Mr. Graham.
No objection was taken to any of the applications for re-
newals, with the exception of the house known as the
"Coach and Horses," in St. Martin's-lane, kept by Mr.
Caunt.
Sir J. ANxEstllr said that in consequence of serious com-
plaints which had reached the board re,pecting the mode of
rnnthlcting Lhe business -f • , • , (1"w
to plstvine thu cousideriitioi, cue iietuSe until
the adjourned day.
The board then adjourned until the 27th inst.

MELANCHOLY OCCURRENCE
NEAR PRESTON.
PRESTON, PER. 25.—0 n Saturday morning a report '
circulated in t reston that a woman of respectability, ole°
Leadbetter, residing at Walton-le-Dale, about one mile i!tl,,
a half from this town, bad committed suicide by droirol
herself in the river Ribble, after having administered poison
to her five children. In the course of the day circumstain
happened which, it is to be feared, confirm the rumour. 1"
appears that Mrs. Lndbetter, whose husband is a she;
broker in Manchester, has for the last twelve months bei
residing at Walton-lc-Dale with her children at the bouse,;
Mr. Livesey, her father, a highly-respectable gentleman, 014
some time ago retired from the cotton trade. About eit
o'clock on Friday evening last she left the house of her fst er
unknown to the family, after having assisted an attendant
in putting the children to bed; previous to which 611.8
ministered a dose of what she called medicine to eac"' 0
the presence of the servant. About ten o'clock in the
ing all the children began to complain of illness, and e7j.
cb
appeared to be affected in a similar manner. The eitc_ll.,A.,
stance alarmed the inmates of the house, and Alm Lead'
better better not baying returned, information was given to 'ill
neighbtmrs, with a view of making inquiry for her. It shoo
be stated that for some days previous Mrs. Leadbetter
been exceedingly low spirited, and the fact of her lesvi t¢the house on Friday evening, and not returning, token
connexion with the children s sudden illness, induced t6~
family to suspect that something was wrong. The for
evening was spent in the village in a fruitless scarc he
Mrs. Leadbetter, and towards morning a fisherman en
river Ribble went in a boat in search of her. itrid.erer e
soma
time he discovered the body in that part of the river
in t called
he
the Walton Salmon Fishery, lying about a yard deep Mr.
water. It was immediately forwarded to the house of
Livesey, there to await a coroner's inquest. In the Mean
time the children had continued to get worse during the
evening, and a surgeon was sent for, who applied the usual
remedies, when four of them began to improve. One, boil'
ever, named Fanny, gradually got worse, and eventually
died about four o'clock on Saturday afternoon. We an
glad to say that the other children are considered out of
danger.
til
An inquest was held on the bodies, but was adjourned,t,
Monday evening for further evidence, and in the mellow—
postmortem examination of the body was to be wade"

SERIOUS FlRE.—Yesterday afternoon, between the
hours of two and three, the utmost excitement and
was created in the immediate vicinity of Battle-bridge
consequence of the sudden outbreak of a fire in the Lonelef.
Fever Hospital, situate in St. Pancras-road, cret;
The flames first showed themselves by shooting through
roof of the nurse-ward, at the northern end of the building'
From the strong hold the fire had then obtained, it hecIRIG
quite clear that the inmates would be unable to subdue it,
and the first thing sought to be accomplished was the re-
moval of the patients from the burning building. As so:
as the intelligence was communicated to them, some idea
may be formed of the state of consternation they ive_nr°
thrown into. Owing, however, to the precautions taken
by the heads of the Institution, not one of the patien!:
alarm
was hurt in being removed, and from the fact of the'
having been well wrapped up, it is to be hoped that thei
will not ultimately receive any injury. As soon as the in-
formation was received at the fire-stations, Mr. Braidwo.
the superintendent, and Mr. Golf, the foreman of the B :dis-
trict, started to the scene with six ,or seven brigade engine`''
and were followed by others of the parish, and Mr. Cenri.°r:
ton with the West of England one. By the pen ofoe
however, that the first engine arrived, the flames tre',
mounting most fearfully, and it was the general opin'°„
that the entire range of pfemises was doomed to destru,',
tion. The firemen,_ however, set to work most vigorously' carrying the hose to the top of the building, they (11.1-
tabled full power over the fire, and were enabled to Pre-
vent the conflagration from travelling further ; but ther,
were unable to get the flames entirely extinguished, unto
the roof of the nurses' ward, between 20 and 30 feet squared'
was burned olf, the ceilings below damaged by water, 11° •
the beds and other furniture severely injured by bast/4
removal.

THE SMALL DEBTS Am—Yesterday the 01"
lowing notice was issued throughout the metropolis and It 6
environs;--" Notice is hereby given, that in consequence Of
the notification in the supplement to the London Gazette Df
the bth of February instant, that the New County
Act will come into operation on the 15th of March next, °-
further sitting of the Courts of Requests in London will b!,
held after that date, and no summonses or executions
be issued alter Tuesday, March 2 (this day), but the office"
of the Courts will continue open as usual, for the receiving
and payment of money until Wednesday, the 10th of Mare?
Public notice will be given of the commencement of tu,e,
operation of the New County Court under the Act of 9t'
and 10th Vic., cap. 95."
INFLUX or SHIPPING.—The change of wind at the
commencement of the past week, and the thaw which 01'
lowed the lengthened and continued frost of the past winter!
had conjointly the effect of causing a vast influx of vessel'
from all parts, including, in addition to a great number fcnin,l,
the Dutch and German ports of Europe, very many from t";
East Indies, China, and other distant parts of the work,:
This influx of shipping into the docks has caused a vast des!
of bustle to exist, atlbrding employment to many of the poor
labouring men attached to and solely dependent on tuer
establishments for casual engagement, and which was tnuc'-'..
needed on their part in the present time of severe and incl.%
went weather and dearness of all sorts of provisions.
some of the dock establishments, so great is the sudden
pressure of business, that the discharge of the vessels are
permitted, application having been specially made for 06
purpose, before and after the usual and legal hours of the
attendance of the officers of the Revenue, in order to word
dispatch to trade, and enable the importers to bring theme!'
chaudise into the market with the least possible delay. The sale of the lands in Texas so long announced
by Sir. Robins takes place on Thursday next at the auction_
mart. These lands appear to possess greater attraction for
the emigrant th,.n any that have before been submitted to
auction, being contiguous to populous and thriving town g:
with water communication assisted by steam-boats, so th"
the seeds of vast and unbounded prosperity may be cone.l.,
dered to be sown in this almost new country to the colon'?
whilst its being under the protection and dominion of 01:
Uni ed States ensures good government and its almost
Certain c mcomitant—wealth.

BIRTHS.
On the 19th ult., at Camberwell, the lady of John WeoNett.
of a son.
On the 20th ult., at Hans-place, Chelsea, the lady of T. C. Briggs'
Esq., of a son.
On the 20th ult., at Perry-hill, Sydenhitm, Mrs. Nilllam r.
of a son.
On the 20th ult., In Cork-street, Burlington-gardens, the lady of
J. A. Hallett, Esq., of a daughter.
On the 27th ult., in Ledford-row, Mrs. W. Esdalle winter, of 1
daughter.
On the 27th ult., at Stepney, Mrs. S. S. Billingay, of a daug

MA KRIED.
On the 25th ult., at Ilfracombe, Devon, Captain W. F. GoodvrYn'
13th Regiment Madras Native Infantry, to Elizabeth, widow of the
late W. B. I,"y-e, Esq.

DIED.
On the 26th ult., at Canterbury, Lieutenant-Colonel Sir GOrg°
• Gipps, of the Royal Engineers, aged 57.
On the 21st ult., George Elliott Bartlett, of New Inn,
Avenue-road, liegent's-park, aged 41.
On the 24th tilt., at the Alto's, near Ashl.y-de-la-Zottch. pore
relict of the Rev. John Roby, Rector of Congerston, aged 77.
d 66,
On the 24th ult., at Witheridge, Devon, 11. tannins, Esq., age- A
Oa the 26tb ult., at Alsop-terrace, New-road, Mrs. Glover, age"
On the 26th ult., at Stamford-place, Stoke Newington, Thomas
Law, Esq., aged 86. cld
On the 26th ult., at Dosthill, 'Warwickshire, Edward Ring
Dickenson, Esq , Lieutenant-Colonel of the Warwickshire Militia'
On the 26th ult., Mr. Edward Phene, of London-wall, aged 56.
On the 26th ult., Susanna, the wife of G. Bowes, of Hoinerton-
of
On the 214th ult., Elizabeth, the wife of Mr. henry Osborn, 5""
the Terrace, Gray's Inn-lane, aged 60.
On the 28th ult., William Watts, Esq., of Ilanslope-park, Bucking'
harnshire, aged 66.

Lob •. Printed :tine by AlLttllo YO(.1.10.44;1 14,10. 112,
trand, Prh,ter, at The ,sun 01V.c No. 112, Str.nd, In the Precinct
of the SEtyoy, In the County of Middlesex, Tuesday', March
2, 1847.

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS'
FROM TIIE MORNING PAPERS or THI3 DAT.
TIMES.—We have hitherto abstained from any notice
fJ
an academical contest which should ssuredly never WI
been commenced, and of which the circaumstances can affr
no unmixed gratification to either of the contending PSrt'ert
Now, however, the game has been played. This mor.ning.t!„
is understood that a formal deputation from the University
of Cambridge will wait upon his Royal Highness the Pru_3_,„
Consort, to announce that he has been duly elected Chancey
for of that ancient body and receive his gracious accepts!:
of the high office it places at his disposal. It is only
nate that the result has been of such a kind as to admit the
possibility of forgetting the experiment in the issue. L"..
country has seldom acted with fairness towards personet:
of illustrious or exalted position. We withhold front I.
e.
characters any appropriate or legitimate field of xertif d
We are satisfied with .offering them nominal dignities :":a
sinecure honours, and are apt to regard any i
activity
their parts as an unconstitutional novelty. %rd by
them from the ordinary functions of society ,b.ss
the strictest regulations of etiquette, and are
surprised that etiquette grows stricter under such conelltut:
and that society receives so little advantage from natural en.
dowments so calculated to improve it. We compel the e°"..
sequences, and then complain of them. It would be cos
reasonable to expect that the chief-colonelcy a the
Guards should confer high military science, as that a leglrs,
mate influence should be exerted on the tastes and pnreuips
of the nation by persons whose opportunities we studicale.f/,
confine to the deposit of foundation stones, or the preside
of public dinners. Prince Albert is generally believed 0 1:
possessed of accomplishments which might be most befri,
chilly applied—to be a scholar of no ordinary accomPlo,..
ments, and a Prince of no ordinary acquirements, and t 0
sincerely attached to the interests of art, science, and Wit,
tore. These qualifications we are compelled to receive fre"'t
the testimony of the very few to whose use and enjoY%
we confine their exertion, but the tact and judgment iglu
temper and enhance the value of such endowments are foe:
'lately known to all. Yet we circumscribe the sphere of ablw-
ties so unusually combined with influence and rank as carry,
fully as if we dreaded their effect, or could dispense with tut
aid. We resign to the Herne-park what was meant for tit;
nation, and concentrate on the preserves of Swinley
powers of a mind which might, for aught we allow carol!:
to know, train the tastes of a generation, and raise the e 01„
racter of a class. And then, with edifying and characteristic
equity, we seriously criticise the habits we have laboured w,
form, and are suprised that a Prince whose occupation %
have limited to shooting pheasants should display a ha
anxiety that he may have Some pheasants to shoot. We Z.
willing to hope that his Royal Highness may exert in by
new office an influence which has not of late years been ex'
ercised from such a quarter, but which has very long bees
needed and may now be advantageously supplied. The stn'dies which have been peculiarly his Royal Highness's care
those, for instance, of modern languages and history-413:e
precisely those in which the discipline of the University is
most perfect. Even the fine arts, which leave hitherto been
considered as subjects beyond or below the severe dune/
of academical life, have lately been called to their Prot:
rank and nobly installed at Oxford, and the inaPj-
hcent Museum just growing into perfection at Cant
bridge may be the basis of institutions as honounibe"
and as advantageous to the nation at large. In the varlo!„
functions of the University which his Royal Highness he:,
been called upon to protect and adorn, he will finda field
ample as it is well adapted to his abilities and his tastes, an.,
he may be assured that the less he delegates his legititn!"„
influence to incompetent representatives, the more gratitY
will it be to that body whose chosen leader lie now is.
is the head of "the Masters anti Scholars" of the Univers",
of Cambridge, and no assuming class should interpose be:
tween him and that body, who are his sole electors and 0.
stiturnts. If we pass over without comment the less 1:
genuous and creditable circumstances which have attend a A
this struggle, it is because we would willingly imitate ,
course of conduct which we may anticipate from the C!lsee
cellos himself, and forget that it has ever occurred. 1e
is a singular opportunity for impartiality and oblivion. to
persons to whom his Royal Highness is least indebted are
be found amongst his most clamorous protruders, and
need not fear that the new Chancellor will discover anything
but an additional reason for being pleased with his coustlt:as
ency in the independence of thought and action which h
characterised so large a portion of it.