The Sun.
London, England, 1841-08-19 00:00:00

THREE THURSDAYS IN ONE

WEEK.
(From an old MS. in French.)
Of all the paradoxes there is none more surprising or
more calculated to distnrb the mind than that which as:
serts the possibility of having three Thursdays in one
week. It is, notwithstanding, possible, and during the
last century it was demonstrated more than once. Cir-
cumnwirigators in their voyages round the, world have
discovered the fact. The ancients never entertained an
idea of the possibility of such a thing. It was a matter
of astonishment to seamen sailing Eastward round the
world, to find on their return to the place from whence
they commenced their voyage that they had gained a day.
It was Thursday with them, and Wednesday at the place
of their arrival. On the contrary, those who sailed WeiA:
ward round the world, counted on their return, one day
less to have passed than those did who had continued all
the while at the place from whence the ship set out, so
that it was Wednesday with the circumnavigators, and
Thursday at the place of their arrival. As the pilots
and others kept journals, and paid strict attention to
every occurrence during the voyage, they were in the
first instance at a loss to account for the difference they
found between the journals of those who sailed East, and
those who had taken a Westerly course. They accused
each other of negligence, and the dispute led to a strong
contest. Several, able mathematicians at last discovered
the cause. They found that the difference in time was
occasioned by the laws of nature, and not the fault of
navigators: The reason will be easily seen. Every 15
degrees upon the equator is equal to one hour of time,
and the vessel sailing East is always approaching sun-
rising. When they have sailed fifteen degrees East from
the meridian of London, it will be noon one hour sooner
than with those of London. When they reach- the
meridian of Cairo, thirty degrees East of Lon-
don, they will have noon two hours sooner than
those at London, and so on in the same pro-
portion. Every meridian they arrive at will bring
the natural day one hour sooner than at London, so that
when they have gone quite round the globe, and return-
ed to London again, they will have gone 360 degrees, and
it will be noon, according to their reckoning, 24 hours
or a whole day sooner than to those who stay at London;
or, Thursday with them when it is but Wednesday
noon in England. On the other hand, if a ship set out
from London and sails westward, when they come to the
meridian of the Canary Islands, 15 degrees west of Lon-
don, their noon will be an hour later than at London.
At 30 degrees west, it will be noon two hours later than
at London, and when they get round to London again
through the 24 meridians, their natural day will be
24 hours later than at London, or Wednesday noon
with them whilst it is Thursday noon at London.
In this affair it is not necessary a ship should go
round the globe upon the equator, it is sufficient if she
passes through the several meridianS as all navigators
must who go round the globe eastward Or westward.
For example : suppose a traveller embarks at Rochelle
to go to the East Indies, when he shall arrive at
the distance of 180 degrees East longitude, half the cir-
cumference of the earth, it will be midnight there and
noon at Rochelle. It follows that, in making the whole
circle of the globe, he will gain twenty-four hours upon
the day at Rochelle. If it is Wednesday at Rochelle
when he returns, it will then be Thursday with him.
The next day is Thursday at Rochelle ; thus there are
two Thursdays in a week. To find a third in this same
week, we must despatch another navigator to sail from
East to West. When he has reached 180 degrees of
longitude he will find himself opposite to that of Ro-
chelle, and it will be Tuesday midnight when they will
have noon of Wednesday at Rochelle. And, as the thing
is very possible, if those who sailed East and those who
sail
should•ent meet at Rochelle, they would find a
difference y-four hours between their reckoning.
ed 'Jestof ta
The Wednesday at Rochelle is Thursday for those who
went to the East, because they gained a day. Secondly,
the Friday of Rochelle is Thursday to those who sailed
West, because .they have lost a day. '1 he Thursday at
according to time, there
• are three Thursdays in one week.
Rochelle is the third. Thus,

MANCHESTER, TUESDAY, AUG. 17.—The great Con-
ference of the Ministers of Religion on the subject of
the Corn-law and other monopolies affecting the food of
the people, commenced this day. From the first an-
nouncement of the intention to hold a meeting so novel
in its character, and bearing upon so highly important a
subject, a large share of public attention has been at-
tracted to it ; and as the period of its assembling
proached, the interest with which it was regarded
appeared to increase rather than diminish, it being con-
sidered that the deliberations of so inflUential a body of
men, and their publicly-declared opinion as the result of
such deliberations, were likely to produce a powerful
impl'ession on the country. The number of replies fa-.
vourable to the object of the Conference which were
received by the Committee, surpassed the expectations
of the most sanguine. Up to Saturday evening no
fewer than 650 clergymen had announced their inten-
tion of -being present at the Convention ; and it may
be mentioned, as a proof of the great interest—we might
almost say the enthusiasm—which the people of Man-
chester felt on the subject, that many of the most respect-
able families in the town vied with each other in offering
the Reverend Gentlemen accommodation in their houses;
in addition to which an excellent dinner will be provided
daily at Mr. Hewitt's splendid Adelphi Hotel.
This morning the members of tha Conference assem-
bled in the Town-hall, and the benches were completely
filled. At ten o'clock the Rev. Mr. FLETCHER said it
would be necessary to appoint a Provisional Chairman,
in order that a Provisional Committee might be appoint-
ed, whose duty it would be to fix upon gentlemen to till
the offices of Chairmen, Vice-Chairmen, and Committee-
men for managing the affAirs of the Conference. He,
therefore, moved that the Rev. Dr. Cox should take
the Chair.

The Rev. Mr. BEAMISALL seconded the motion, which
was carried unanimously.
The Provisional Chairman having taken bts scat,
The Rev. Mr. M'lCEnaow moved, "That the !Mowing
gentlemen be appointed the Provisional Committee
:
Revs.: Thomas Spencer, of Hinton • J .11. Beard, of
Manchester ; James Gwyther, of Udine ; James Grif-
fin, of Manchester ; G. Peters, of Rochdale; Robert Hal-
ley, D.D.' of Manchester • ' W. Fraser, of Bolton ;
Hinton, of Dewsbury ; R. W. Hamilton, of Leeds ; W.
Bevan, of Liverpool ; J. W. Massie, of Manchester ; Da-
niel Hearne, of Manchester ; J. L. Poore, of Manches-
ter ; Thomas Lee, of Sutton-in-Ashfield ; John Thorn-
ton, of Stockport ; Fras. Skinner, of Blackburn ; W.
Chaplin, of Bishop's Stortford ; Thomas Scales, of
Leeds ; G. G. Pike, of Derby ; Sibree ; Richard
Fletcher, of Manchester; and W. M`Kerrow, of Man-
chester."
The Rev. Mr. GwYTHER -seconded the motion. which
was carried unanimously, and the Committee retired.
The Rev. Mr. M‘KEnnow then stated, that out of 1,500
replies which the Committee had received, only six were
decidedly opposed to:the object of the meeting: about an
equal number expressed doubts upon the subject ; whilst
the vast remainder were decidedly in favour of the object.
The meeting, however, would be disappointed at not
seeing several eminent persons who had promised to at-
tend, but were prevented at the eleventh hour by various
circumstances, but chiefly indisposition. The Reverend
gentleman then read letters from the Rev. Dr. Chalmers,
the Rev. Mr. Bunting, the Rev. Mr. Hugh, of Glasgow,
the Rev. Mr. Reid, of London, expressing their concur-
rence in the object of the meeting.
The Provisional Committee having returned,
The Rev. Mr. SPENCER, of Bath, read the following
resolutions to which they had come
" That the following Gentlemen be requested to act
as the officers of the. Conference during its sitting, viz. :
".President for each day :—Revs.: Akins ; W.
Chaplin, of Bishop's Stortford ; F. A. Cox, D.D., of
Hackney ; T. Spencer, of Hinton.
" That the following Gentlemen be appointed the Ex-
ecutive Committee :—Revs. Thos. , Scales. of Leeds ;
Brown • R. W. Hamilton, of Leeds ; Jas. Acworth,
of Bradford ; Hinton, of Dewsbury ; J. Carlile, of
Hackney ; F. Beardsall, of Manchester ; Jones ;
James Gwyther, of Manchester; Robert Halley,. D.D.,
of Manchester ; George Payne,. D.D., of Exeter ; J. L.
Poore, of 'Manchester ; J. Barfit, of Salisbury ; So-
merville Bowen ; J. Kelly, of Liverpool ;
Giles ; J. 13irt, of Liverpool ; S. Laidler, of Harleston,
Norfolk ; J. M. Obery, M.A., of Halifax ; W. loaf, of
Wigan ; G. G. Pike, of Derby ; G. Redford, D.D., of
Worcester ; H. J. Roper, of Bristol ; W. Scott, of Aire-
dale-cottage ; T. East, of Birmingham ; J. R. Beard,
D.D., of M inchester ; Harvey, of Glasgow ;
of Paisley ; Brenton, of Paisley ; Border, of
Stroud ; Lewis, of Rochdale ; Thomas Thomas, of
Pontypool ; and Davis, of Carmarthen College."
The Rev. Dr. Cox then resigned the chair to
The Rev. Dr. ATKINS, who addressed the meeting in
an eloquent speech. , lie said that at no period of his
life had he found himself placed in a situation of greater
responsibility than at atlit "F.eflosia,;tionl . bis-
Wthairtithe Witri:a.ll the pomp and cilditlll§.§.inods and

liar to such assemblies, but the present meeting was un-
precedented and unparalleled. Ministers of Christ from
all parts of the empire, not in hostile array, sect against
sect, and party against party, within the narrow lines
of sectarian demarcation, but occupied with an object
greater than which could ardly engage the minds of the
most eminent Christians. They had met at the call of
suffering humanity, which reached their ears, net from a
foreign -land, but from the green valleys and popu-
lous streets of their own beloved land. At the outset,
however, they were met by the question, " What have
Christian men, and, above all, Christian Ministers,
to do with temporal politics ?" But when they
became the denizens of another kingdom, were they to
abandon the duties of this ? It was not necessary, when
they became. Christians, that they should cease to be
men. For his own part, he would have considered himself
a traitor both to religion and humanity had he refused to
obey the summons to attend the meeting. -What was
the present Situation of the empire ? Here was a
country great in arts and in arms—the school of science
and literature—the mart of literature—the cradle of
luxury—the emporium of the moral world—occupying
the highest position amongst surrounding nations, and
shedding its light over the most distant lands. Yet this
country, possessing.within itself inexhaustible resources,
whilst it was the richest in the world, was, in one,sensc,
also the poorest. Its population, instinct as it was with
ardour, and unrivalled for its industry, was unemployed
and in want. Looms were silent—manufactories were closed

—commercial men-looked at each other in consternation
and despair l.What was the condition of the poor artisans
and peasants? Their lank arms hung idle by their sides
—their grim visages were pallid with privation and care
—and their worn forms exhibited but the skeletons of
men. What is the cause of such a state of things ? It
was to be found in the laws which prohibit the exchange
of labour for food. Our population see abundance in
the countries around them, but they are debarred from
enjoying it. Like the poor disciples of a poorer Master,
they shake their tattered garments, and sing " Gold and
silver have we none, but we will purchase your c6rn by
our industry." It was to put an end to such an unwise
and unnatural system as this that they were assembled—
to put an end to it, not by violence or clamour, but by
means equally scriptural and constitutional. The moral
atmosphere was charged with thunder clouds. If the
tempest burst upon the country, it would carry desola-
tion in its tract. It was the part of the wise to furnish a
conductor by means of which the danger might be averted.
The eyes of the country were turned upon Manchester.
It was necessary, therefore, that 'those assembled should
stand clear of all imputation, and it was most desirable
that they should avoid committing themselves to any dis-
tinctive line of party politics, which might compromise
them in public opinion. Let them adhere firmly to prin-
ciple, but avoid giving offence to any one—uniting to the
courage of the lion the gentleness of the lamb.—[This
speech was much applauded in the course of its delivery.]
Dr. PIE Sintrit followed with an energetic appeal to
the sympathies of his audience. He contended that the
Corn-laws were a part of that vicious system of legisla-
tion which had its origin in the night of ignorance and
barbarism. Some persons objected to take part in the
proceedings of the Conference because they said it was
interfering in a matterof fiscal regulation. Such ought
not to be received. He protested against the doctrine
that ministers of religion ought not to interfere with poli-
tics. The alternative now presented to the country was
this, the removal of iniquity, or the ruin of the nation.
The Reverend Gentleman concluded a powerful address
amidst considerable approbation.
The Rev. Mr. Masser and the Rev. IV. Fletcher also
shortly addressed the meeting, after which the Confer-
ence, it being one o'clock, was adjourned till half-past
four o'clock.
At that hour business was resumed, the Rev. Mr. At-
kins in the chair.
The CHAIRMAN then took the sense of the meeting as
to whether Mr. Cobden, M.P., should be introduced to
address the Conference on the part of the Anti-Corn-law
League, and an unanimous vote having been carried in
the affirmative, Mr. Cobden presented himself amidst
general applause, and proceeded to address the meet-
ing with Ins accustomed ability, detailing a variety of
important facts bearing upon the question under con-
sideration.
The Conference assembles again to-morrow.

MERITED RETORT.-Madame D. had a 'nag-
nificant cat. M. de C. amused himself one day by
killing it, for want of something else to shoot. Madame
D. outted to be set in her own house, and in the houses
of her friends, all sorts of mouse-traps ; and when three
or four hundred mice were caught, she had them put
into a box, which was forwarded to Madame de C. at
her country-house. The lady eagerly opened the box
herself, expecting to find in it some new modes ; the
mice jumped out and presently filled the house ; while
at the bottom of the box was found a note directed to
Madame de C.:—" Madame, your husband has killed
my cat—l send you my mice."—Alphonse Karr.
SUPPOSED MURDER AT STRANTON, NEAR
HARTLEPOOL.--On Tuesday last, the body of a female
was found floating in the Hartlepool Dock, supposed to
have been murdered. It appears that her husband, with
whom she had quarrelled on the previous evening, is an
excavator, residing at Stranton. As soon as a report was
spread that the woman had been discovered under the
above circumstances, the man stated that it would, no
doubt, be his wife. This expression excited a suspicion
that she had come to her death by unfair means, and
the man was immediately taken into custody. The par-
ticulars of the • affair have pot yet transpired,—/Vvthe,-n
Times. , ,

" Said Bey and Sami Bey have been occupied during
the past week in paying and receiving visits. They were
yesterday presented to the Sultan, who received them
with marked urbanity. The son of Mehemet Ali is of
the middle size, but enormously stout for so young a
man. On Saturday last the Kapi Kehaya (Charge d'Af-
faires) of the Paella of Egypt gave the illustrious visit-
(Ts a grand dinner, and we hear that on Thursday next
the Minister of Finance will give another, to which all
the great Pashas of the capital are invited to meet
his guests. Not a word is yet said regarding
the main object of the visit of Said Bey. Both
the Egyptian steamers, the Nile and the Reschid,
continue to lie in our port. On Saturday M. Christides,
the Greek Minister, had his audience of leave of the
Sultan. He Was accompanied to the palace by M. Ar-
ghiropulo, whom he presented to his Highness as the
gentleman who is to remain as Charge d'Affaires of the
Hellenie Govermient. The same day the weekly Coun-
cil was assembled at the Porte, and on Sunday all the
members went in a body, on the occasion of their new
organisation, to pay their respects to the Sultan, who in
an animated sp?ech expressed his hope that they would
succeed in devising measures for the amelioration of the
state of the empire. He urged them to unite, hand
and heart, and not to be discouraged by any difficulties
that might arise. The health- of the Sultan is much
improved, and he applies himself strenuously to business.
The steamer Polyphemtis. arrived -here on the 22d,
with Sir John M`Neill, Sir William Symonds, Colonel
Barnett, and an engineer sent by the Government to su-
perintend the reconstruction of the British palace, which
was burnt down in the great fire of 1831, and has re-
mained in statu quo ever since. The Polyphemus pro-
ceeds on Thursday next to convey Sir John M‘Neill and
suite to Trebisonde, whence his Excellency will hasten
via Erzeroom to the Court of Persia. On her return
from the Black S.ca. she sill receive on • board Colonel
Barnett, her Majesty's Consul-General for Egypt, and
take him down to Alexandria. Mr. Wood, the Consul
for Damascus, is still here, but is shortly to set out for
Syria in a ship of war. We hear that her Majesty's Go-
vernment has determined on sending out as jeunes de langue
two young gentlemen who are to be instructed in the Tur-
kish language, with a view of serving, hereafter as interpre-
ters.. Nothing could be more judicious. France,Austria,and
Russia,have dragomans of their own nation, and we see no
reason Why Englishmen should not be able to learn the
language as well-as others. ' Indeed we have proofs not
only that they can, but that they pronounce Turkish
much better than, most other foreigners. By the com-
mercial steamer arrived this morning from Odessa we
learn that several 'stoppages had taken place there ;
among others, the house of Eslinger for 400,000 roubles;
and Isais for 200,000, roubles.. We. have not heard if
they affect the Levant, but may state that in general
failures' in Europe do not, for this reason, that the Levant
is always indebted to Europe, and has very seldom any
capital there to lose."
Extract of a letter from Constantinople, 27th ult., in
the Malta Times :

" The Turkish steamer Paiki-chevket, which a short
time since arrived here from Candia, whence she was
sent by the Capudan Pacha with a report of the condi-
tion of the island and insurgents, and asking instructions
how to proceed, left here on the 15th for La Canee.
It is generally believed that the Capudan Pacha is or-
dered to come to a compromise with the insurgents,
and by granting them certain privileges* and immunities
to endeavour to put an end to hostilities there, The
new Ministry has issued a firman, which was read in all
the principal mosques, requiring the Turkish women to
wear their veils so as to conceal their features, and ano-
ther ordering all Franks to leave the Turkish quarters
where they may have obtained residence. Mr. Wood,
her Majesty's Consul for Damascus recently appointed,
has not yet sent out for that place. In consequence of
the sanctity which is attached to Damascus, by Mussul-
mans in general, the Porte refuses to grant him any
Beret or Exequatur, and, as he declines receiving a
yizieral letter (or letter of recommendation to the Go-
vernor), he will therefore depart without any official
document making him known in his new capacity. His
diplomatic talents, knowledge of the Arabic language,
and Arabian customs, will, however, go far. towards
making him respected. Mr. Wood is the only
Dragoman of our Embassy who has received an English
education, and, though he well merits the Consulate of
Damascus, and will fill it with credit to himself and ho-
nour to his country, still he can be ill-spared from the
Embassy. He carries with him the best wishes of his
countrymen in Pera and Galata."

rem tne Wliailt of the 30th.)
CANEA, JULY 19.—A correspondent from this place,
and on the above date, thus addresses us. We extract
the following from his letter with considerable pleasure:—
" Since my last the whole of the island has submitted,
with the'exception of the strong and mountainous district
of Sfakia. Mustapha Pacha, after having disarmed • all
those who have submitted, is now on his march to the
principal passage into Sfakia.
From the best accounts it appears that the Christian
Greeks now assembled in Sfakia cannot amount to more
than 3,000 men ; their position is certainly very strong,
but when we consider that the troops of Mustapha Pacha
now amount to 14,000 men, what chance have the Greeks
of succeeding ?
t‘ He will, it is said, attack them on the 21st, in four
different parts, and Tahir Pacha will sail from Suda to-,
morrow for the south part of the island, in consequence
of a report which is generally credited, of the long-
wished-for succours having at length arrived for the
Greeks, in the shape of five large armed brigs.
"'Tahir Pacha has received positive orders from the
Sublime Porte not to allow the consuls or commanders to
mediate in any shape Whatever, unless to make the insur-
gents lay down their arms as aeon as possible. •
" The Didon, French frigate, from Athens, sailed for
Toulon to-day.
" We have in the port of Soda the Benbow, Tyne,
and Vesuvini steamer, with the Minerve and Andro-
mide French frigates. A great deal of correspondence
has taken place between the insurgents and the comman-
ders, but without leading to any satisfactory result."
NOTE ADDRESSED TO THE CONSULS OF THE THREE
GREAT POWERS. -

Gentlemen—The-undersigned, on the part of the
Christian people of Candia, have the honour to request
you, in the name of your august Sovereigns, and in the
name of humanity and Christianity, to grant them an
terview, with proper security, in any place you may
judge convenient.
The object of the interview asked for is, that by your
interposition an arrangement may be made to settle the
present melancholy state of the island, and we can assure
you that the people will irrevocably conform to any just
decision that you, the representatives of the three Great
Powers, and the commanders of the ships or war united,
may make.
In consequence, we hope that you will be pleased not
to refuse this interview,. which we ask in the name of
humanity, and in favour of general peace, conformably
to the principles of your august Sovereigns, and we are
the more sanguine in this hope, that we accompany this
request, as already said, with the assurance that the
people will receive with eagerness any just decision that
you, gentlemen, may make.
Waiting iu this expectation, we have the honour to
be very respectfully
(Signed)

A. CHARETIS,
C. RUSSOS,
N. BISTACHI.

!,tfakia, 30th June, 1841 (old style).
The Malta Times publishes a letter from a correspon-
dent in Candia, dated 16th ult., which states, that the
accounts of the cruelties committed by the Turkish
troops in the insurgent villages have not been exagge-
rated; and, in support of this assertion quotes some do-
cuments drawn up by the Candiotes which, if true, would
show that the brutality of the soldiery towards the young
women and boys, had surpassed all credulity. These do-
cuments, which are too long, and in many respects unfit
for publication, are dated as far back as the 22d June,
since which period contradictions of these cruelties have
reached us from the most respectable and almost official
sources on the Turkish side. We are, therefore, still in-
clined to hope that some over-statement or misrepresen-
tation has existed with regard to this affair. The follow-
ing is an extract from the letter above alluded to :
" The news of these unhappy occurrences reached
here on the 27th ult. and chilled every one with horror.
His Excellency Tahir Pacha sailed immediately for
Candia, where he spent two or three 'days, and on his
return denied every one of the circumstances ; but as
letters continually come from respectable mercantile
houses in that city, and from the Consular Agent as well
as from some other European residents there, all of
which confirmed these lamentable events, Capt. Houston
Stewart, the Senior Officer commanding the British
forces in the Archipelago, ordered her Majesty's frigate
Tyne, Capt. Towshend,
taking on board the English
Consul, to go down and investigate the affair, and report
the truth. A French man-of-war also went for the same
purpose, and all returned agreeing in the confirmation
of the same statements, and bringing back documents
signed by the suffering villages to the same effect. They
also saw some of the women who had suffered the most
brutal outrages and treatment from the Turkish soldiers.
On the report of these officers being made public, his
Excellency went a second time to Candia to inquire into
the affair, and returned confirming his original assertion,
that not the least disorder had occurred. But of what
use is it to conceal these facts ? They are confirmed by
the united testimony of the English and French officers,
the Consular Agents resident at Candia, and most re-
spectable Greek merchants, independently of every other
class of the people."

SMYRNA.
(From the Smyrna Journal.)
A dreadful calamity has just visited the town of
Smyrna, and plunged twenty thousand of its inhabitants
in desolation and misery. A terrible fire, such as in the
memory of man was never known in this country, has
destroyed, in the space of eighteen hours, nearly half the
town, and wholly ruined twenty thousand persons. The
fire broke out on Wednesday at midnight, in a coffee-