The Sun.
London, England, 1841-09-02 00:00:00

THE LATE DR. CLELAND.

The following extract from a biographical notice of
the late Dr. Cleland, .we copy from the " Popular Scot-
fish Biography," to which it was furnished by Henry
Wilson Cleland, M,D., of this city, a son of the late
Doctor's. It supplies some particulars relative to this
eminent man, hitherto but partially known :
Cleland, James, LL.D., a distinguished statistical
writer, was born at Glasgow in the month ofJanuary,
1770. His parents. though highly respectable, were in
a humble station of life, his father's trade being that of
a cabinet-maker, to which his son was likewise brought
up. Although he himself had received but a scanty
education,
.Mr. Cleland, sen., who possessed great
shrewdness of character, had the good sense to be
aware of its advantages, and accordingly James was
early initiated in English grammar and the rudiments of
the Latin language, and had made considerable progress
in arithmetic. In the workshop of his father he continued
until 1789, when, in order to render himself perfect in
his business, he went to London, in which city he re-
mained for two years. On his return he entered into
partnership with his father, and from his peculiar tact
and straightforward mode of conducting business, he, in
a short period, rendered the trade in which he was con-
cerned one of the most flourishing in the city. It was
while thus engaged that he first exhibited his inclination
to figures ; the thremost of his printed productions being
" Tablas for Showing the Price of Packing-Boxes of
sundry Dimensions and Thicknesses," an opuscule which
was highly thought of at the time, and which is still in
common use amongst tradesmen. In 1814 the office of
Superintendent of Public Works at Glasgow having be-
come vacant, Dr. Cleland was unanimously elected to it
by the Town Council, and in this situation ite continued
until 1834, when, owing to some alteration in the distri•
bution of offices, consequent on the operation of the Mu-
nicipal Reform Bill, he thought it expedient to resign.
Many of his fellow-citizens, however, considering that
some compensation should be afforded him, called a pub-
lic meeting on the 7th of August of that year, at which
it was unanimously resolved, that a subscription should
immediately be set on foot, in order to present Dr. Cle-
land with some tangible mark of the esteem in which
he was held by them. This was accordingly done, and
in the course of a very few weeks, when the subscription
list was closed, the sum collected amounted to no less

than 4,6001., which it was agreed upon by a committee
should be expended on the erection of a productive
building, to be placed in a suitable part of the city, and
to bear the name of the " Cleland Testimonial." That

this very superb present, however, was not totally unde-
served, will be apparent even from the following isolated
trifling fact:—Previously to Dr. Cleland's election to
the office of Superintendent of Public Works in 1814,

the caravans of performers, who were accustomed to meet
in Glasgow during the fair week in July, had been
allowed to be pitched on ground belonging to the town,
without paying anything for such a privilege. But
when Dr. Cleland entered upon his duties he 'imitated
the example of the Corporation of London with rogard
to Bartholomew Fair, and by charging a small sum for
each standing of ground, he was enabled, during the
period between 1815 and 1834, to pay into the hands of
the City Chamberlain, from this source, no less a sum
than 2,5091. In 1821, Dr. Cleland was employed by
Government to draw up and classify the enumeration
of the inhabitants of Glasgow ; and, from the following
high eulogium contained in the Government enumera-
.

tin volume, it will be observed in what point of view
his services were regarded at head-quarters :—" It
would be unjust," observes the writer, " not to men-

tion, in this place, that Mr. Cleland has transmitted
documents containing very numerous and very useful sta-
tistic 11 details concerning the city and suburbs of G lasgow,
and that the example has produced imitation in some other
of the principal towns in Scotland, though not to the same
extent of minute observation by which Mr. Cleland's
labours are distinguished." In 1831, Dr. Cleland again
drew up the enumeration for Government, and the very
flattering mode in which it was received, both at home
and in several of the countries of the European conti-
nent, attests its value. From 1820 to 1834, the bills of
mortality for Glasgow were drawn up by him, and from
the following panegyric on them by the highest autho-
rity on the subject, we may judge of their accuracy and
value :—" Of the statements derived from bills of mor-
tality, and enumerations of the people," observes Joshua
Mylne, Esq., in the Encyclopaedia Britannica, " only
those for Sweden and Finland, Dr. Heysham's for Car-

lisle, and Dr. Cleland's fin. Glasgow, have been given in
the proper form, and with sufficient correctness to afford
the information, which is the most important object of
them all, viz. that which is necessary for determining the
law of mortality." In 1536, a number of gentlemen hav-
ing united themselves into a Society for Promoting the
Advancement of Statistical Inquiry, 1)r. Cleland was
unanimously elected President, and in the first part of

their transactions there appeared a paper written by
him on his favourito subject—the State of the City.
From the 4ate of his sresignation to his death, which
took place after an illnesss of nearly a year's duration.
on the 14th of October, 1840, Dr. Cleland never ceased
to entertain a lively regard for the inter'? It and pros-
perity .of his native city, and not a month before he
expired, he published a pamphlet " On the Fortner and
Present State of Glasgow." By the University of
Glasgow he was honoured with the degree of Doctor
of Laws. He was a member of the Society of Civil
Engineers of London ; a Fellow of the Statistical So-
cieties of London, Manchester, and Bristol ; a corre-
sponding member of the Society of Antiquaries af Scot-
land ; and, a short period before his decease, he was
elected an honorary member of the Societe Frtunois de
Statisque Universelle.

THE WEATHER.--NOON, SEPTEMBER 1.
ROYAL GALLERY OF SCIENCE, ADELAIDE-STREET.
Barometer
Thermometer... 61 Highest 76 Lowest ..
Wind W.—Freezing Point 32 Deg.

SPITALFIELD'S SCHOOL OF
DESIGN.

The first annual meeting of this institution took place
yesterday at All Saints National School-house, Spicer-
street, Mile•end New-town, Lord Robert Grosvenor,
M.P., in the Chair.

Some extremely beautiful fabrics, the produce of the
Spitalfields looms, were prodigally lavished on the walls.
There were four beautiful specimens of glass fabric,
woven bp the men of Spitalfields, ' and • a blue tissue of
silk and gold, and a crimson and gold pattern, which were
the perfection of art. The walls of the school-room were
also adorned with drawings or designs of the scholars.
Among these was a very striking design for a picture, to
be executed in silk, or silk and glass, by Bailey, of her
Gracious Majesty. and Prince Albert.
Lord Grosvenor, M.l'., having taken the Chair,
Mr. lIANBURY read the Report. After a few prelimi-
nary remarks, it went on to say, that the establishment
of schools of design was of modern invention. Except
the Government School of Design, and that of Manches-
ter, there were no others in England. English manufactu-
rers had been compelled, in consequence, to commit pi-
racy on foreign artists. This evil was felt severely in
the silk manufactories. The artistical character of Lyons,
and other Continental cities, was entirely owing to their
Schools of Design. In Paris alone 19 Professors of De-
sign were appointed, who were attended by 800 pupils.
Many of them did not exceed nine years, and they paid
five francs for the first, and six francs for the second and
third years. Of 80 Schools of Design in France, Lyons
was the most successful. It originated in a decree of
Napoleon Bonaparte written in Poland. The Report
then reverted to the condition of the Spitalfields School.
of Design, which had been in operation only six months,
and yet numbered 60 pupils.
They met on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Sundays,
and paid 3d. per week for instruction. Further the
Report stated that they looked forward with confidence
to the speedy erection of a building for a School of De-
sign in those parts.
Lord ROBERT GROSVENOR then said that the duty de-
volved upon him of awarding the prizes. The selection
had been made with great care and impartiality, and the
decisions of the Committee had been influenced by the
excellence of the productions themselves, and by the in-
dication of other qualifications—namely, diligence and
attention, and well-regulated habits of study. It was
satisfactory to see the great progress which had been
made by. the pupils. It was rather mortifying to think
that in regard to our silk manufactories we had now,
after so long a period of practice, been obliged to resort
to first principles—to study, as it were, the alphabet and
grammar of the art—the only true foundations of science.
By this neglect the manufactures of the Spitalfields district
had been reduced to so great a state of depression, but
happier prospects, he trusted, were about to open. The
Consort of our Gracious Queen had lately condescended
to be present at the annual distribution of prizes at the
central school in Somerset-house ; our belovered Sove-
reign herself had patronized the last year's ball at the
Opera-house, the proceeds of which were to be appro-
priated to relieve the distress of the Spitalfields weavers,
but circumstances had prevented her being present on that
occasion, as she had intended. It was her gracious intention,
however, to reiterate the command this year for a ball for
the same objects.—(Applause.) His Lordship then deli-
vered the following prizes, chiefly fir designs for silk
and satin patterns :—No. 1. To Mr. J. Brown ; Catter-
mole's Book of the Cartoons. No. 2. To Mr. Wm. 11.
Towner ; a Treatise on Practical Perspective. No. 3.
To Mr. C. Cutter ; a Treatise on Isometrical Perspec-
tive. No. 4. To Mr. G. Martin ; a Treatise on the Ori-
gin and present State of the Silk Manufacture. No. 5.
To. Mr. J. Campbell ; a Treatise 'on Insect Transforma-
tions. No. 6. To Mr. C. Branchflower ; a Treatise on
Quadrupeds. No. 7. To • Mr. Wm. Thomas, presented
by the Rev. Henry Taylor ; Babbage's Economy of Ma
nufactures. No. 8. To Mr. Jos. Hiberd, presented by
Robert Hanbury, Esq. ; Conversations on Natural Phi-
losophy. . _

students also received testimonials from
the committee for general good conduct and profi-
ciency :—Messrs. Wm. E. Cadman, J. Tuffnell, J.
Whiter, J. Burridge, W. Justin, J. Connell, It. Hay-
ward, J. Cain. W. Edward Davis, W. Foster.

The following resolution, moved by Mr. Cockerel],
and seconded by Mr. Wilkinson, was then agreed to :
"That this meeting, regarding with much pleasure the
exertions of the Committee of the Spitalfields School of
Design, and considering the obvious importance of such
an institution, as a means to improve the art of silk
manufacture, do earnestly recommend the cause to public
sympathy and support."
In the course of a few observations he made while
proposing the resolution,
Mr. Cociinimit, stated that his friend, Mr. Baily, the
sculptor, had 'offered present his bust of the late Mr.
Stothard to: the institution. Mr. Stothard commenced
life as a designer for silk patterns in Spitalfields, but
afterwards acquired such great celebrity, that he was
placed at the head of the English School of Design. In
no place, therefOre,Could the bust. of that remarkable man
be -inure appropriately placed than in the Spitalfields
School
.of Design.
• Mr.' EAST, a working weaver, in a quiet and pleasant
manner, seconded the resolution.
The Rev. HENRY TAYLOR, seconded by Mr. DYCE,
offered the thanks of the meeting to the Right Hon. Lord
Robert Grosvenor, for his kindness in presiding.
IIis.LORDSIIIP baiting returned thanks, the meeting
separated.

TURNAL BALLOON ASCENT.
The following account of Mr. Green's ..trial voyage
from Vauxhall Gardens, on Monday last, is from one
of the female passengers :
" Dear Sir—Agreeably to your desire, and not with-
out considerable reluctance, I sit down to endeavour
to give an account of our delightful voyage, but deeply
regretting that my power of pen will produce but a
feeble portrait (I am speaking as a
portrait-painter) of
all that was calculated to command our admiration of
nature through the medium of art, and of one so well
adapted to effect such an object as that stupendous
machine, the Nassau Balloon. In pursuing my narra-
tive, you will excuse me, if, as the gentlemen of the
press, I assume their privilege of writing in the phi-
rality of persons by using the monosyllable we. The
evening was delighfully calm, the heavens beautifully
serene, and of that lovely blue which the Italian masters
have so delighted in transferring from their own sunny
skies, speckled over with numerous light and fleecy clouds,
and scarcely a breath of wind stirred. By veterans in
aerial voyages it was considered that a more favourable
evening for a trip could not have been selected. From
some misunderstanding, however, the inflation was but
partially performed. It certainly robbed the balloon
of a great portion of its majestic appearance ; but,
whether from parsimony, or for other reasons, it matters
not, it did not rob Mr. Green of his skill, so that he
could not bear up and rise above the difficulties thrown
in his way. At ten minutes past seven Mr. Green com-
pleted the act of separation from our friends, and we
embarked, impressed with loftier views, and every
prospect of a pleasing voyage, taking a north-easterly
direction, which current, with but little variation, bore
us throughout. It is utterly impossible for persons on
their first adventure, to give expression to their feelings.
There is something very awful in the very novelty of,
the situation that, to a great degree, paralyses the
language of description ; and yet the awe may be con-
sidered imaginary; tbr the balloon that Benjamin Frank-
lin recognised, as a boy, appears to have reached its
manhood. On leaving the Gardens, we were somewhat
flattered by the cheers of those we left behind us, and
they changed notes in proportion as we towered over
the lanes and thoroughfares adjoining. The motion of
the machine was so imperceptible that it seemed not to
'us as if we were leaving the gardens, but as if the
gardens left us. The first blush of observation pre-
sented to us something like a school-boy map—every-
thing dintinieherc,,,io_ dimensions, and curiously
compact. The motion of heads and dirtiritildik .up of -
feces, partly indicating animation, but more espeeSelly
reminding us of bas-relief sculpture. We soca tei-
=pliantly o'ertopped the orientalists of the metropoe
lis, and then the scene changed shades, and assumed a
different shape. The River Thames became like an ani-
mated reptile, of ponderous growth, serpentining along,
and seeming to encircle in its coils the mighty London,
the mistress of the world. Crossing the river between
the Tower and Blackwell, and surveying the scene we
were passing from, the lights sprung up in rapid suc-
cession like glow-worms in the twilight. The ob-
jects became more coafpact, and the bridges bore the
semblance of beautiful and sparkling fillets, encircling
here and there an immense boa-constrictor, and fet •
tered, as it were, or controlled, by white and riband-
looking roads, the inlets and outlets of the great city.
Shortly after this we attained our highest altitude—six
thousand two hundred feet, or nearly two miles and a
quarter. We had expected, from what we had often
heard, that some difficulty of respiration woold have been
experienced, but, so far from this, we fancied that it was
more free than usual, added to a buoyancy of feeling per-
fectly delicious, and instead of the cold usually resulting
from a great elevation and a ratified atmosphere, the
heat was unusually oppressive. 'We next passed over the
forest of Epping. We now commenced rapidly to des-
cend, till within 2,300 feet of the earth, as indicated by
the barometer. For the first time we became sensible of
the motion of the balloon, our gradual approach to ob-
jects enabling us by comparison to form a judgment of
the swiftness of our course. The sliest sublime object
that accompanied us throughout our trip, when night had
set in, was the moon and its effects on the scene beneath.
The reflection of the moonbeams upon the river—now
bursting upon the vision, now coquettishly dis-
appearing—leaving this in darkness, and suddenly
presenting the same appearance in a thousand different
quarters—rescuing solitary scraps or sheets 'of water
from obscurity, rather as if it were artificially pro-
duced, than the mere result of accident. As an artist,
I was delighted with the light and shade of the
scene ; and one of the most prominent objects attracting
our attention, from its uniqueness of character, was the
moon's reflection on the bell, and the mighty shadow of
the latter upon the earth. Although at the great eleva-
tion at which we then were, we were much surprised to
find with what exceeding and clear distinctness we could
hear the voices and distinguish the words of those who,
attracted by the novelty of the object, were assembled
beneath, the conversation, mundane and celestial, if not
very edifying, was at least highly amusing. Mr. Green
now became anxious to descend—but finding from in-
formation afforded by the good folks below that the
giound was not well adapted for his purpose, we rose
considerably, but still in the saase direction, until we
found a fitter spot, at least as well as the obscurity
enabled Mr. Green to judge, being without the guide-
line. Our car company had been so exceedingly plea-
sant that it was not without regret we heard of his in-
tention to descend. Captain Curry, who is a veteran
aeronaut, this being his thirty-third ascent, delighted
the company with the favourite ballad of The jolly
young waterman' with many ;other little flashes of
amusement, which he called sky-larking. We had ' nec-
tar and ambresia' in abundance. Now to the descent.
Mr. Green's anxiety suspended all these pleasing pass
times, and having arrived at a place that he thought
would be suitable, he encountered a difficulty from the
sudden spring up of a ground breeze. The grappling
iron was thrown, but, from the nature of the surface a
hold could not be retained, until after two or three at-
tempts, when, with the assistance of the country people,
the iron was properly planted, and we owed especial
thanks to sundry little urchins, who bounded over hedge
and ditch to our assistance. We were sorrysto find the
balloon considerably injured, from having been for a
short time entangled in the embraces of a solitary ash
tree Our descent leas, however, effected scatheless,
barring sundry bumps and thumps, which fortunately
formed but a slight alloy to the pleasures of our trip.
The gentlemen of the party then assisted us to alight,
precisely at twenty minutes to nine, having been in the
air exactly an hour and ten minutes. We were now on
terra firma at Knavestock, near Brentwood, in Essex,
twenty-three miles from Vauxhall. We stere kindly
invited to the house of Mr. J. Crouchman. by his good
lady, who was attracted to the ground, and to her •
kindness, and the efficient services of her husband, we
were much indebted. Finding We were in a part of the
country abOundine; in cross-roads, and the cattle being
engaged in the harvest, it was three hours before a
conveyance for the balloon could be obtained. A very
unpleasant incident occurred after landing, some one
having abstracted the ornamental drapery of the car ;
but, through the vigilance of the police, a tins young fel-
low was presented to us manadeel as the thief. Mr.
Green had previously handsomely rewarded him, and
to share with his fellows. It was our own opinion that
the poor fellow did not wish so much to take it fix its
value, as to obtain a relic. Then comes the price of
pleasure. There were Mrs. Green and myself, Dr.
Locock, Captain Curry, Mr. Daily, a gentleman whose
name we did not learn, and Mr. Greta,driven to
.
our wits' end. We called a council of exreediency
found ourselves six miles from any post-hrmse. The
gentlemen were capable of walking six sris''es ; this
was, ho never, rather too great a distance for vase
and, by direction, we sought shelter at a house is mile
and a half distant, where, we regret to say—theoug.l a
female oracle, we suppose the landlady— admission was
refused the party, benighted as we were ; showing
.rots
only a want of common courtesy, but a complete lick oC
humanity, and more especially to those of her own sex..
Baffled in this reasonable appeal, we retraced our steps,
to the hospitable cottage of Mr. Alexander Doddington,
a few minutes' walk, whose whole family vied with each
other in ministering to our wishes. One of his sons was
immediately despatched on horseback to furnish us with
such stores as he was himslf deficient in. Our eventful
career was finished in comfort, before a blazing lice,
lighted for our especial benefit, and every other accom-
modation was at our service. It is pleasing to contrast
the warns-hearted kindness of this worthy fun fly with -
the unfeeling. brutality of the other. A post-chaise was
obtained shortly afterwards, and we reached town in the..
morning, between nine and ten o'clock, slelighted
our excursion, nothing the worse for an adventure or
two, and looking forward with much pleasure io our next
trip to the Isle of Sky.'
" I have the honour to remain, yours, Bsce ,sse
"Bloomsbury." "JOANN-A FORNs"'

A NEW ISLAND.—For a long series of fears
an island has been gradually forming
present ex-
ness and Oyster-ness, in the Humber, and it.
r under 3OO
tent, if we are correctly informed, is not muchts_,i GI it froaa
between Wittn-
acres. ' Mr. Read, of Burton Stather, boasis,
d the Govern-
the Woods and Forests, or iu other .
t and the adjacent
ment,and on Thursday week entered
veral steamers were plying between
ineighbourin, -
into"-br pweisi si
eels: i ohne.
nSeow-
coast the whole day, and many of tic
t.,.; gea-
Yht.d.
settlement is to be henceforth distinguts , The sur-
try visited " Read's, Island," thename
face is covered with a fine crop of grass, and about 4.
hundred head of cattle are already, feeding where nothing-.
There is, as yet, but one
fishes ever fed before.
house, the occupier of which is the person appointed to
look after the rest of the inhabitants.--Haßockinottm.
SILLY lioAx AT THE LONDON HOSPITAL.
—itrilectih
e
taken to the London Hospital, owing to havim.-; re-
cawed soma dreadful injuries in an atfray which had
' shortly before taken place between him and s:ane fellow-
INPI ay Tters of Friday last appeared a parat-,,Taph,
hea ious Affair, in which. it was stated that
r
on the previous Wednesday night an Italian had been
"
„„antryrnem. The statement has since turned out to
be false from beginning -to end. It originated in a
very silly hoax played by one of that giddy class of voting
men called "medical students." -A book is kept at the hos-
pital, in which it is the duty of aparson appo'citcd for
that purpose to enter all cases of accident::, &c., brou;ht .
into the hospital. On Wednesday night this person
happened to be absent from the institution . and on the
following morning he found a inemorandinn lying on his
desk stating that an Italian, named Giovanni RoE%ilio,
lead been adinitteil to the hospital with his skull fractured,
both legs broken, and that he had received a stab with a
dirk in his hip, in an affray which had occurred inFetter-
lane. This " mysterious affair" was sent to the papers,
and thus the hoax was discovered.

The half-yearly meeting of the Proprietors of
the Incorporated General Steam Navigation Company
was' held on Tuesday at the office of the Company in Loin-
bard-street. The Chair was taken by Wolverly Attwood,
Esq., at two o'clock. The reort and half-yearly ac-
counts were read, and appeared' to afford ge:teral satis-
faction. The dividend was declared, and -arft'r voting
the cordial thanks of the Proprietors to the Chairman
and Directors, UN meeting selmited.