The Sun.
London, England, 1847-10-22 00:00:00

said) ; it. by statute, then they could not but admit,
with Plowden, that the same authority which had
power to give, had also power to annul and take
away.

Mr. AIIALL rose to second the resolution, amid loud
cheers and applause. He believed from what he had
seen of the elections, that two more petitions of the
ordinary length would be sufficient to carry the
question of religious liberty for which the Noncon-
formists were struggling; but they should be pre.
pared fur practical prosaic hard work, or other hands
would do their business. The feeling of the people
was with them, gathering in strength every day.
The peasantry hated the State Church.—(Cheers.)
It stood constantly in their way, and it had kept
them where they were and as they were for many a
long year. The State Church had encouraged
all brutal tastes and habits. It gave them "Books of
Sports."—(Cheers and a hiss.) It fostered in them
those customs which, descending to our own day,
were regarded as the marks of want of civilisation ;
and then that very State Church which had brutalised
the people, came to the State and Wied for millions
to educate and civilise them. (Loud cheers.)
But the people understood the merits of the question ;
they knew the Church had oppressed them, that in
every step to improvement they had been checked by
the clergyman, and when the moment came that it
would be safe for them—(Cheers)—to show their
feelings, the public would be electrified by finding
that those districts which were most under the clergy
would evince the most decided feeling against the
State Church.--(Cheers.) The Establishment, as
such, was doomed—(Great applause)—nothing could
save it.—(Cheers.) That was a large money ques-
tion, too, and when the people were told that the
Church funds came, one way or the other, to
10,000,0001. or 11,000,0001. a year, they would prick
up their ears and look to the question more closely.
He had no doubt that this consideration would not be
without its weight on the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer.—(Cheers.) But in a religious point of view
it was equally strong. The very cream of religious
society was becoming hostile to a State Church. Let
them be prepared with political powers, and he be-
lieved Providence would send something like a
potato blight upon the Church, which would de-
stroy the bond of its connexion with the State for
ever.—(Cheers.)
A person here addressed the meeting in support of
an amendment which had nothing to do with any of
the resolutions, and the Chairman, therefore, refused
to allow him to proceed.
A vote of thanks having been given to the Chair-
man, and some slight symptoms of a row at the end
of the room having subsided, the meeting separated.
There was a collection at the doors.

MEETING TO PROTECT THE
RIGHTS OF TRADESMEN.
A public meeting of the tradesmen and inhabitants
of Westminster was held at the Crown and Anchor
Tavern yesterday evening, for the purpose of consi-
dering an alleged interference with the rights of shop-
keepers and traders in the recent decision of the judge
of the Westminster County Court in the case of Lord
Bury v. Clarke, by which they were made liable to be
insulted in their own shops without redress. The
meeting was very numerously attended.
Charles Lushington, Esq., M.P., was called to the
chair amid loud cheers. _ .

--The eIIAIRMAN, after expressing his gratification
at being called on to preside at such a meeting, pro.-
ceeded to Observe that the subject for which they were
Westmins-
ter
aasemorblLedonwdoans one which
d
but
concerned
holding a shop in the United Kingdom. The late
d not
concern
every tradesman
decision in the Westminster County Court shook the
conviction of every person who suppcsed that a
man's house was his castle, and that he was free
to expel from it every impertinent, unreasonable
visitor, every insulting character, every obnoxious
intruder.—(Hear.) The possession of that right
had never before been disputed from the time of
Magna Charta, and one who was called upon to
prove what was believed to be such a truism, would
suppose that he would be next required to affirm the
existence of the Monument, or to verify the death of
Queen Anne.—(Hear.) And yet that right was now
abrogated and destroyed, and a shopkeeper, merely
because he was such, was to be treated as a slave, and
to he condemned to continual mortification and humi-
liation.—(Hear.) There was no limit to the annoy-
ance to which he might be exposed. Any impertinent
lounger, under the plea of wanting to cheapen an
article, might insult the owner of a shop and depre-
ciate his goods in the presence of his customers.
Even the very beggars off the streets might claim
that right, or what was more likely to happen, an
impertinent idler might enter a shop, and, notwith-
standing the remonstrance of the owner, insult the
female members of his family.—(Hear, hear.) The
public derived great advantages from the law, and
they were bound to respect it ; but they were not
obliged tamely to sit down under abject grievances
merely because they were pronounced legal by a
subordinate functionary.—(Hear, hear.) In the
present case, though the judge had declined allow-
ing a new trial, yet they had a right of applying to
the Lcrd Chancellor, and from him, at least, they
might be sure of receiving a judgment proceeding
from the profoundest wisdom ; and they had after-
wards if the law were declared to be against them,
the farther right of appealing to the justice of the
country through Parliament, which was their great
and unfailing resource.—(Cheers.)
Mr. JAMES WYLD, M.P., moved the first resolu-
tion, which was as follows :—" That in the opinion of
this meeting the law laid down by the judge of the
Westminster County Court, in the case of Lord Bury
v. Clarke, is contrary to reason and justice, because
subversive of the rights of ownership, which a trades-
man, as an Englishman, is entitled to exercise in his
house." He said he was not there to discuss the
merits of the case between Lord Bury and Mr.
Clarke, but to uphold the custom of the land, which
he thought had been most erroneously overturned.
A gentleman was civilly told to leave the shop, and
on refusing he was very properly expelled. He then
brought an action in the county court, when the
highest penalty that the judge could inflict was im-
posed on the shopkeeper, and this severity was height-
ened by the judge refusing afterwards to grant an
appeal. Considering that in the grossest case of
assault a police magistrate could only impose a fine
of 51., it was rather too much that a shopkeeper, who
used no unnecessary violence, should, for pushing a
person out of his shop, have to pay a penalty of 201.
If that were the law, he thought the sooner it was
altered the better.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. THOMAS PROUT, in seconding the resolution,
said he did not believe the law was such as had been
laid down`by the judge of the County Court ; and he
was satisfied that when the case came before a higher
tribunal, the former decision must be set aside.
Mr. Tuomas HEALEY moved the second resolution,
to the effect that if the law, as laid down in the case
of " Lord Bury v. Clarke " be the law of the land, it
ought to be altered, and made conformable with rea-
son, justice, and the rights of Englishmen ; and that,
if it were not the law, the Government ought to take
measures for redressing and preventing the repetition
of the injustice which had been done in that case.
He proceeded to comment at considerable length on
the Judgment delivered in the County Court, and
remarked that in the case of " Wood v. Ledbetter "
the Court of Exchequer held that the stewards owning
a stand at a race-course were justified in keeping
out a person who had paid a guinea for the right to
enter it.

Mr. BERNARDI seconded the resolution, which was
agreed to.
On the motion of Mr. WILKEs, seconded by Mr.
CUMMING, a memorial from the meeting to the Lord
Chancellor was agreed to, and:the Chairman, Mr. Wyld,
M.P:, and Mr. William Geesin, were appointed, as a
deputation, to present it.
Mr. GEESIN moved the next resolution, to the effect
that inasmuch as a great public principle was involved
in the case, a subscription to be entered into to re-
imburse Mr. Clarke for the expenses to which he had
been subjected. He said, that though not a shop-
keeper himself, he thought it right to attend the meet-
ing, as he considered it to be the duty of gentlemen
in private life to come forward to protect the rights
and interests of those in trade. He thought that
great praise was due to Mr. Clarke for the public
spirit he displayed in going to great expense for the
purpose of giving publicity to an important public
principle.
Mr. W. F. AUSTEN seconded the motion.
Mr. SAVAGE impressed on the meeting the necessity
ofcarrying out the question to the utmost ; he reminded
them that a man who allowed another to fall would find
himself also trampled upon.
Several gentlemen handed in subscriptions, after
which a vote of thanks was passed to the Chairman,
and the meeting separated.

ANECDOTE OF MADAME CELESTE.--AD anecdote
has just been related to us, which displays the kindilness
of heart that forms so prominent a feature in the
character of Madame Celeste, and is at the same time
creditable to the character of a humble member of society.
At the termination of the lady's Birmingham engage-
ment, on Friday last, it appears that she had received
i
part of her balance with the manager in silver, and in
the huriy of departure had left one packet in her dress-
ing-room. The private watchman, whose duty it is to
actress
that
bya the
mono}
over the nocturnal safety of the theatre, found
the forgotten packet, and handed it over to Mr. Yates,
to Madame Celeste, at Manchester. The next post,
however, brought the order back again, with anntima
intima-
tion ihoen trrreoams uthe
r w h o
kind-heartedsent the
et money t
post-office
ne order
should
reward the honesty of the finder.

SALISBURY ONION PAlL—There were about 1,000
bushels of onions for sale, being less by one-third than
other years, so many having been previously disposed
of by the growers to parties from Bristol, &c. The best
small pickling made 13s. to 15s. per sack of 20 gallons;
best large, 10s. ditto ; inferior, Bs. to Bs. 61 The prices
this year about one-third cheaper than last year.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

SIR CHARLES NAPIER'S SQUADRON.

PORTSMOUTH, OCT. 21.—The arrival of the Sidon
steam-frigate, Captain Henderson, C. 8., enables us
to continue our interesting details of the movements
of Sir Charles Napier's squadron. Our last were by
the Recruit, and dated Lisbon, the Bth instant :
" Oct. 9.—At nine A.M. signal was made by Sir
Henry Leeke, Captain of the Queen, who was directed
by the Commander-in-Chief (Sir C. Napier) to super-
intend and command the whole, for all the boats,
manned and armed, to be ready to land marines and
small arm men. At ten A.M. the boats having been
placed in line along the sandy beach, the word was
given, Prepare to land,' when each boat dashed to the
shore, and to those who were looking on it appeared
incredible that in so short a space of time (5 minutes),
and by the energy and direction of one man, assisted
by the officers under him, the whole force, amounting
to 1,200 men, with five field-pieces, should have been
landed and formed ready to advance. We speak of
the whole, but in doing so we may be allowed to give
especial credit to the Queen's men, who, vieing with
the Avenger's Marine Artillery, were both positively
upon the beach with their field-pieces limbered up
and loaded, and then formed, before the others were
out of the boats. Next came the Caledonia's, close
upon the heels of the two former. The manoeuvring
of the marines and seamen went off well, and Sir
Henry Leeke was heard to compliment Lieutenant
IClarke of the Stromboli for the admirable order of
his men, and their excellent discipline, as well as for
the zeal he displayed throughout the day. At three
o'clock P.M. the whole party embarked, and although
there was much surf upon the beach not one accident
of any sort occurred.
" Sunday, 10—No movements.
"Monday, 11—The marines and small arm men
were again landed under the directions of Captain
Sir Henry Leeke, the Commander-in-Chief, Sir C.
Napier, commanding the whole. The same mode of
landing as on Saturday was adopted, but the forming
was not quite so quick, on account of there being
more surf upon the beach. The battalion was, how-
ever, immediately formed, and the men were put
through their manceuvres by the Admiral in person.
Sir Charles Napier then sent to Sir Henry Leeke
to say he was with the seamen and marines of the
Queen, and supernumerary marines of the Caledonia,
to defend a small rising ground, while he, Sir
Charles, with his whole force, attacked it. In one
moment Sir Henry was at work with his men, and in
a few more a most perfect battery was thrown up,
with breastworks, embrasures outside ditch, and seven
guns brought to bear. The marines and seamen
under Sir Charles Napier then advanced to the attack,
and a variety of interesting manceuvres, none of them
concerted, took place. At 3 P.M., the whole party
embarked and reached their ships in safety, although
a heavy surf was beating on the beach. The Terrible
arrived to-day from the coast of Africa with the
Portuguese exiles. This afternoon the squadron
weighed anchor, and took up more eligible berths in
closer proximity to the town.
" Oct. 12—No movements of consequence.
" Oct. 13—The Vengeance returned to-day, and
reported the result of the trials between the Amphi-
trite and Trincomalee, which is important, and which
I give you separately. (See below.)
" Oct. 14—The Canopus returned to-day from
superintending the trial sailings of the Amphitrite and
Trincomalee', whom she had sent on to their respective
stations.

" Oct. 15—The Admiral hoisted his flag in the
Sidon, and put to sea in company with the Odin and
Dragon ; the Odin having six of the St. Vincent's
upper deck 32-pounders on her maindeck, in addition
to her own usual armament, to have a trial. The
Odin carried this extra armament well. The Dragon
and Sidon were to try the effect of the extra quantity
of coal the latter had on board, the Sidon having 650
tons in her bunkers, and the Dragon only about 320,
her usual quantity. The coals did not seem to impede
the Sidon's working, but the Dragon had a slight ad-
vantage under steam; the Sidon's inclination under
sail was only four degrees.

'THE AMPHITRITE AND TRINCOMALEE.

" The trial between these razeed frigates was a
special one, in order to ascertain as far as possible
whether White's bow possesses any of those material
advantages over the old bow which has been alleged it
does. The Amphitrite has had White's bow given
her; the Trincomalee remains as she was built. The
following is the result :

" On ihe afternoon of the Bth the detached squa-
dron, consisting of the Canopus, 84, Captain Moresby;
the Vengeance, 84, Captain Lushington ; the Trinco-
malee, 25, Captain Warren ; and the Amphitrite, 25,
Captain Eden, were dispatched from the Tagus on a
trial cruise under the orders of Commodore Moresby ;
they had a fine leading wind through the South
Channel in the following order—the Amphitrite, the
Canopus, the Vengeance, and the Trincomalee. On
the morning of the 9th the Terrible hove in sight,
and communicated with the Canopus. She was 30
days from St. Paul de Loando, with all the Portu-
guese exiles on board except two, one of whom had
died; the other remained behind at his own request.
Bomfim and Villa Real were among them. After
communicating she stood in for Lisbon.
___

" On the 10th the ships tried rate of sailing on a
wind, commencing at eight, A.M.; wind S.W., under
royals, flying jib, and whole topsails, on the starboard
tack. At 8.30, A.M., the Trincomalee from the Am-
phitrite, S. 10 W. 750 yards ; both ships close hauled
on the starboard tack, and ordered to chase, S.W., the
direction of the wind; considerable swell from N.W.
At nine the Trincomalee from the Amphitrite, S. 20
E., was 1,200 yards. At 9.30 the Trincomalee from
Amphitrite, S. 10 E. 2,000 yards. At this time both
tacked, and at 10.30, A.M., their position from
each other was—the Trincomalee from the Amphi-
trite, S. 1,300 yards. At eleven, A.M., the Trin-
comalee from the Amphitrite . 75 W. 1,500
yards ; at noon Trincomalee from Amphitrite N. 35
W. 1,800 yards ; consequently the Trincomalee had
forereached 1,800 yards on the Amphitrite, but the
latter had weathered nearly half that distance on her
opponent. At noon a dense fog put an end to the
trial, and the ships were recalled by fog-signals.
" SECOND TRIAL.

" OCT. 11.—Wind west, moderate breeze—heavy
swell from N.W. Amphitrite and Trincomalee tried
rate of sailing, with the wind quarterly, steering S.E.,
with all possible sail set. At l 0 A.M. Amphitrite
from Trincomalee S. 45 E. 4,000 yards. At 11 A.M.
the Amphitrite, from Trincomalee, S. 38 E. 3,400
yards. At noon, the Amphitrite, from Trincomalee,
S. 36 E., 5,400 yards. At 1 P.m. the Amphitrite,
from Trincomalee, S. 39 E. 5,000 yards.
"At 2 r.M.,Am. from Trio., S. 28 E. 4,300 yards.
3 S. 35 E. 7,000 yards.
4 S. 36 E. 5,600 yards.
" Thus ended the second trial, the Amphitrite
beating the Trincomalee by about half-a-mile in a
run of six hours, and log distance of 40 miles. The
breeze during the trial :freshened and lulled occa-
sionally, which may partly account for the discrepan-
cies in the distance.

" THIRD TRIAL.
" Wind west, moderate breeze, N.W. swell—ships
under whole topsails, topgallant sails, royals, jibs,
spanker, and courses, close haulded and ordered to
chase to the westward.

At 9 30 A.m. Trin. from Amph. N. 30 W. 1.200 yards.
10 N. 20 W. 1,600 yards.
11 N. 34 W. 2,250 yards.
Noon. S. 70 W. 2,100 yards.
At 1 r nr.— S. 70 W. 2.100 yards.
Tacked together and stood to the southward and
westward. _ _

Trin from Amph. S. 78 W. 2.500 yards.
1 45 tacked together and stood to the north-
ward.
At 2 P M., Trin. from Amph. S. 50 W. 3,300 yards.
3 S. SW. 3,700 yards.
4 S. 15 W. 4,270 yards.
Recalled by signal.—The Trincomalee, during the
trial of six hours and a half, had weathered on the
Amphitrite 3,300 yards, the latter having fore reached
on the former during the same time, 3,500 yards. In
the first trial the Trincomalee fore•reached on her
adversary, but the latter had weathered on her oppo-
nent. In the second trial Amphitrite headed the
Trincomalee ; in the third trial Trincomalee wea-
thered and Amphitrite fore. reached. Neither of
these ships appear to have more than the common
weatherly qualities. On the first day's trial, after the
general recal had been made, the Trincomalee was
observed to miss stays twice.
" Oct. 13, 9 a../4.—Signal is just made, An op-
portunity for letters by Vengeance.' She is going
into Lisbon, and now the frigates will receive their
orders to proceed to their respective stations." (The
Canopus dispatched them—the Amphitrite to the
coast of Africa, and the Trincomalee to the West
India station—before leaving the cruising ground).

The squadron left in the Tagus by the Sidon con-
sisted of the St. Vincent, 120, flag ship of Rear-
Admiral Sir Charles Napier, K.C.8., Commander-in-
Chief; the Caledonia, 120, Captain Dixon ; the
Queen, 110, Captain Sir 11. Leeke ; the Canopus, 84,
Captain Moresby ; the Vengeance, 84, Captain Lush-
ington ; and the steam frigates Terrible, Captain
Ramsay; Odin, Captain Pelham ; Dragon, Captain
Hall ; Avenger, Captain Dacres ; Stromboli, Com-
mander Fisher, (Captain) ; and Jackal, Lieutenant
Western.
The Sidon saw nothing of the Howe, with the
Queen Dowager on board ; her tender the Scourge,
or the Vixen, with the Duke and Duchess of Pal-
mella and Mr, Percy Doyle on board. The
following officers came home in the Sidon—
Captain G. T. Gordon, R.N., who went out as an
amateur to witness the evolutions of the squadron ;
Commander Graham Ogle, of the St. Vincent, to
join the Victory, flag ship of his gallant uncle ;
Lieutenant Hawkey, R.N., of the Vengeance ; Lieu-
tenant Hopkins, R.N., of the Odin;
.Lieutenant
Nooth, R.M., from the Trafalgar ; Dr. Wilson, from
the Caledonia, to join the Royal Dockyard at Pembroke
I Mr. Murray, Mate of the St. Vincent, to join the

Victory; and Mr. Mansell, Mate from the St. Vin-
, cent, to join the Asia.
The Sidon also l,rought invalids from the squad-
ron, and dispatches from the British Minister for
Lord Palmerston, and from Sir Charles Napier to
the Lords of the Admiralty, which were forwarded
to London by express train (12.30) on the South
'Western Railway. The mails brought by her were
sent up by the next train. She discharged her pow-
der, shot, and shell at Spithead, and came into har-
bour this evening to fit for the reception of Earl
Dalhousie, whom she is intended to convey to Alex-
andria en route to India. The Sidon saluted Sir
Charles Ogle in smart style. She has proved her-
self, in every respect, a very good and serviceable
man-of-war steamer, to which good end the skill of
her captain and officers has contributed not a little.
We should hardly have noticed the paragraph in a
morning contemporary relative to the new steam basin
works, were it not calculated to cause needless alarm
to those interested. The fact is simply, that, from the
recent rains a very slight quantity
.of the excavation
on the south side of the east inlet slipped, and carried
away a few of the retaining piles and shores, a mis-
chief of so trifling a nature, and so easily remedied,
as scarcely to have been noticed by those employed
on the works.

Commodore Plumridge returned again to St. Helen's
last night in the Cambrian ; why it would be difficult
to say, as neither the wind nor weather have been
such as to force him back. However, there he is,
and as a signal has just been made to him to " wait"
it is likely he will remain, at least till to-morrow.
The Malabar, 72, has been brought down alongside
the jetty to-day, we believe to have her masts re-
moved preparatory to being docked.
The Comet steam vessel, Commander C. R. John-
son, is ordered to proceed to Port Patrick with a mud
engine in tow, and will sail as soon as the weather
moderates.

Among the on dits of the day here is one of a
rather preposterous nature, that the Fanny, Admiral's
yacht, is to be converted into a brig! As such an
idea could scarcely enter the head of any sane person,
it obtains very little credit; but it is said that mea-
surements have been taken, and calculations made,
with a view of ascertaining the expense. This will
be enormous, and as the vessel is not fit for the pur-
pose, she would be good for nuthiag if it were carried
into execution.

The Meander, 44, is to be commissioned at Chatham
by Captain the Hon. H. Keppel.
The Columbia steam surveying vessel, on the North
American station, Lieutenant-Commander P. Short-
land, is ordered home. She is expected at llalifax on
the 19th inst.

About 150 military invalids have been landed to-
day from the Maria Somes transport. She will sail
for Plymouth, to land the 81st, as soon as the wind
moderates.

Wind N.W. by W., strong breezes, and clear
weather, 5 P.M.

THE LATE SURVEYOR OF THE
NAVY, AND HIS SHIPS.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

Sir,—After all the clamour and misrepresentation
in the House of Commons, and in some of the mis-
guided public prints, relative to the Albion, I trust
that you will give the copy of a letter which I en-
close a place in your columns, as an act of justice to
me, and to disseminate the truth. I will make no
other comment on it than to inform you that Captain
Lockyer (her late captain) declared on his death-bed
that the Albion was the finest ship in the world.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
W. SYMONDS.
Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, Oct. 18.
A COPY Or CAPTAIN WILLES' REPORT TO VICE-ADMIRAL
SIR WILLIAM PARKE; DATED VAMIIIARD.
Her Majesty's ship Vanguard, Thalerum Bay,
Sept. 5, 1847.
Sir,—l have the honour to report to you the re-
sults of the several trials of sailing which have offered
at this season of the year between her Majesty's
ships Vanguard, Rodney, and Albion, and have the
satisfaction of reporting to you that I am of opinion
the Albion has improved in sailing since she took
ballast in at Malta ; although she is not equal to
Vanguard, yet she would be a good ship to dispatch
with her on particular service, while the Rodney
would cause a great detention ; even in a run of
1,000 miles we should lose by her accompanying us
one-third the time.

I have very narrowly watched the Albion during
the last three summers, and frequently talked it over
with the late Captain Lockyer ; I have witnessed her
handiness in working in and out of the many narrow
harbour and passages since she has been under my
orders, and in every sort of weather. Ido not hesi-
tate in saying that she is a most wonderful produc-
tion ; for her great dimensions, she is superior to any
ship I have ever seen at sea, except the Queen, and
quite equal to carry all 68-pou►:der guns on the
lower deck, if 32-pounders were substituted for those
above them, and which might, with the ballast she
now has, tend to make her more weatherly and check
her great rolling motion in heavy weather, which I
have often seen ; at the same time it would, in a
great measure, render her less sensitive to any loss of
provisions or stores below.
I cannot be but aware of the outcry about the
Albion's lower deck ports being so much nearer the
water than the Rodney's, but then it must be ob-
served that the Albion can carry her lower deck ports
open longer than the Rodney, and fight them better
on account of her heeling over less under a press of
sail ; she consequently might, if necessary, go into
action using her guns, while the Rodney must shorten
sail before she could do so.

The only strong wind we have had for eight hours
together was coming from Patras, a fortnight since,
when I made the signal to try rate of sailing ; it was
a fair treble-reefed topsail breeze ; we shook out one
reef more, set top-gallant sail and courses, small jib,
and reefed spanker. Albion appeared to go easy,
Vanguard tolerably so, Rodney dipped and plunged
deep and heavily, and in six hours was half hull down
astern; Albion dropped into our wake, and, as the
report will show, her inclination four and a half de-
grees, Vanguard and Rodney seven and a half de-
grees. The great inclination of the Vanguard was
owing to her being light, and want of a proper pro-
portion of ballast; but the Rodney had weight
enough in Captain Collyer's opinion,' who is sadly
sore at his ship (notwithstanding all his efforts) being
so very slow, both in sailing and working; and
although the Albion, in my opinion, has not per-
formed so well since the first cruize I was out with
her, under the command of Rear-Admiral Hyde
Parker, C. 8., and before being docked at Devonport,
yet she may be termed a fair sailer.
The Rodney's alteration has made her much worse
in every respect.
I hope, Sir, you will excuse my entering so much
into detail, but being fully aware that the anxiety of
the Admiralty is very great about the Albion, I take
leave to say, as I do, satisfied that she is in every re
spect the finest ship in thenavy. I
have watched her attentively
in all kinds of
weather for two years and a half, except in a gala at
nc
to the numerous changes of her
during ndw n
o that period, and particularly the death
of Captain and
Lockyer, do I presume to give so strong
aoanfffi eorchr
opinion
s
of her.
Captain Fremantle, I am glad to say, coincides with
me on this subject, and had I my flag to-morrow,
and the choice of ships, I should select the Albion.
I have, &c., G. W. WILLES, Captain-
Rear-Admiral Sir Lucius Curtis, Bart., C. 8.,
Senior officer, Malta.
(Signed) W. PARKER, Vice-Admiral.

AFFRAY

WITH POACHERS.

A GAMEKEEPER Silo I'

For a considerable time past large bands of armed
. poachers, from amongst the colliers tl!e Vicinity of
however,
Whitehill, and Rosebery, in search of game, de-
fiance
in
Dalkeith, have paraded the wouus
porfopeDraitelr
asined,
theau
authorities
tei
evsa
or ifFtuhs
edistrict.
owners ot
Otitileilei n d
ity
five gamekeepers and underkeepers, including Mr.
Hume, chief gamekeeper to the Earl of Dalhousie,
and assistant, the chief gamekeeper to Mr., Ramsay,
of Whitehill, and a gutnekeeter belonging to Mr.
Dundas of Arniston, encountered a party of poachers,
consisting of eight colliers belonging
•Gowkshill, in
the woodin the vicinity of Dalhousie Castle. While the
gamekeeperswere in the act of al-Prehen ding
the colliers,
two of the latter, who were possesr.3ed of guns fired,
upon the gamekeepers, who wQrf, unarmed. One of
the shots took effect. Mr.
was dangerously
wounded in the fleshy part, of the thigh. A despe-
rate conflict now ensued, in the midst of which the
fowling-piece belonging to one of the colliers went
off, and wounded himself in the ankle. The re-
mainder of the colliei-5 having been all armed with
large bludgeons, placed the gameke pers at a serious
disadvantage. Mr. White got his bead severely
cut, and another of the keepers got his ankle dislo-
cated. One of the poachers, named Beveridge, was
secured on the spot, and the others, at that time, es-
caped ; and four brothers, of the name of Vickers,
were apprehended yesterday at their residence in
Gowkshill. Mr. Hume, up to yesterday,
was pro-
nounced by the surgeon not out of danger. The';
strictest investigation is being made by. the authors
ties into the whole affair.—North British Mail of
Wednesday.

THE ANNIVERSARY OF TRAFALGAR.—Yesterday,
October the 21st, being the anniversary of the ever-
memorable victory of Trafalgar, the commemoration was
celebrated at several of the naval houses in the metro-
polis and its vicinity, and the members of the. Royal
Naval Club of 1765 dined togo3,hpearrsathtahvee Peilaza
j:s.aedhlsointecle,
ffi
Covent garden. About 40 officers sat down. Admiral
Daly presiding. Although 42.
the battle, there are still a csot'aatsiedsetrhabatletbneum:ter of
hr,
I,i,.,econd child
qt seen middle
rrra-
bfaoirT:hre inhßecro:snetcos
innallCliavltezirostniolityipme
.z,
8701
0101
ais.
ages while that city cont, ,
n 9u tants.