The Sun.
London, England, 1824-11-16 00:00:00

ANTEDILUVIAN ANTIQUITIES.

An immense assemblage of fossil bones has re-
cently been discovered in Somersebthire, in a cavern of the
Limestone Rock at Banwell, near the west extremity of the
Mendip Ilills, on the property of the Bishop of Bath and Wells.
The circumstances which led to this discovery are as follow :
Some miners engaged in sinking a shaft in search of cala-
mine intersected a steep and narrow fissure, which after de-
scending 80 feet opened into a spacious cavern, 150 feet long
anti about 30 feet wide, and from 20 to 30 feet high. From
the difficulty of descending by this fissure it was lately
judged desirable to make an opening in the side of the
bill a little below, in a line which might lead directly to
the interior of the cave. This gallery had been conducted but
a few feet, when the workmen suddenly penetrated another
cavern of inferior dimensions to that which they were In search
of, and found its floor to be covered, to a depth which has not
yet been ascertained, with, a bed of sand, mud and fragments
of limestone, through which were dispersed an enormous
quantity of bones, horns, and teeth. The thickness of this
mass has been ascertained by
a shaft sunk o o
one place nearly 40 feet. Many large baskets foil ofx t
aond
bones have
to itnhtei tbedeir
already been extracted, belonging chiefly
tribes; of the latter there are several varieties, including the
elk. There are also a few portions of the skeleton of a wolf,
and of a gigantic bear. The bones are mostly in a state of
preservation equal to that of common grave bones, although
it is clear from the fact of some of them belonging to
the great extinct species of bear, that they are of ante-
diluvian origin. In the roof of the cave there is a large
chimney-like opening, which appears to have commtmi-
cated formerly with the surface; but which is choaked
up with fragments of lime-stone, interspersed with mud
and sand, and adhering altogether imperfectly by a stalagmitic
incrustation. Through this aperture it is probable the animals
till intodt tnh, e
yeawveh,iinettoiall naleildltainvywnet
ailneosirs)ifietseellbrlineeyoddvf
falling
innalpeattto.l,
iraisiloircmr
niclinaielt:ntarhwser
eiceserat
idein:iieltottragnatitiitirlltieerst
y
tet \ft; i!tstilicen
tattiocunritlettlswiSliiciterritllstl
in the limestone hills of Derbyshire. There is nothing to induce
a belief that it was a den inhabited by hyaenas, like the cave of
Kirkdale, or by bears, like those in Germany ; its leading cir-
cumstances .are similar to those of the ossiferous cavities in the
Limestone Hock at Oreston near Plymouth.—The cave at Ban-
well has within these few days been examined by Professor
Buckland, and operations have been commenced for the Imr-
pose of thoroughly investigating its history and contents. rhe
Bishop has already sent collections of the bones to the museums
of Oxford and Cambridge, and intends to provide a similar
supply for all the principal public institutions in this country.

On Friday last the following Gentlemen usablelled to the
degree of Barristers-at-law, by the Hono Society of
Lincoln's-Inn :_Gilbert Henderson Esq. ; John Billingsley
Parry, Esq. ; George Jell', Esq. ; Knit Thos. Henry Hall, Esq.
Hammersmith Bridge is commenced its site
is at length fixed. On the Middlesex side it starts near to a
road from the Thames toons Ham m
mersith Church, which is now
chiefly used for wagg conveying coals and goods, from
the barges moored at that point, and close to a creek or sewer
which bounds the gardens belonging to the once memorable
Brandenburgh llouse.
It letter, dated Munich, 20th October, says—
" klis Royal Highness the Crown Prince gave a substantial
and excellent dinner to about 600 poor persons, the day before
yesterday., in the beautiful ball of the Royal Palace, in com-
memoration of the ever memorable battle of Leipzig."
PICTURES.—SeveraI artists of
first_rate talent are now daily engaged at Carlton-House, mak-
ing drawings from the King's private collection, by command,
the whole of' which are to be immediately engraved in very su.
perior style, under the direction of J. Young, k:sq. of the British
Institution.

COURT OF KINGS BENCII-(Tim Dly.)

LLW V. POINTIR.

The LORD CLUE? JUSTICE said, this was a
question ho• far persons having job horses for
the day were liable in damages to the owners of
the animals for any accident they might receive.
This, his Lordship said, was a case which might
be of very general occurrence, and as it had not
been clearly determined, it was fit to have the
principle of law submitted to the consideratioa
of all the Judges to whom the proposition hail
been mentioned, and they had agreed it should
be argued before the whole of them ou the 2d
February next.

THE LONDON JOURNALS.

DAILY
Extracts from the Morning Papers, Nov. IG.

[NEW TI M ES.]

We understand:from good -authority that the
withdrawing of the French troops from Spain has
been postponed at the request of the King of
Spain; and the period at which such withdrawal
will take place is at present undetermined ; but
it is understood that no. extensive diminution of
the present numbers of the French troops in that
country will take place, until after the Corona-
tion of King Charles the Xth.

We have carefully examined the files of Co.
iombian Papers to the latest dates yet received,
with a view of ascertaining if possible the exact
positions of the contending armies iu Peru : but
we must confess our inability to extract from
them any clear and distinct view of the state of
ibe campaign. The latest ad vices from Truxillo
appear to be dated the 30th of June, at which
time it was stated that Bolivar marched on the
17th of that month from Cajatambo, on the
`2lsth (it was calculated) he would reach Gun•
nucu, and on the Bth or 10th of July he would be
ut Jauja, where Cante►ac with his troops was
posted. It was supposed that an e►►gagement
must soon follow the arrival of Bolivar at
Janja ; but this expectation may have been dis-
appointed, for it is admitted that Canterac had
it inn his power to refuse battle. Meanwhile a
unlumn of Colombian troops was advancing on
Lima and Callao, while the latter place was
c}osely blockaded on the seaward side by Com-
modore Guise, who had under his command the
Prueba, the Vejus, the Macedonia, and the Con.
gross, with which he had cut off the communica-
tion by sea between tl►e Castles of Callao and
the City of Lima.—(ibid.)

[MORNING eon.]
We received last night, by express, French
papers to the 14th inst. and the Etoile of Sunday.
The Quotidienne asserts that Ferdinand had sent
an extraordinary Courier to Paris with a " Sup-
plication" to Charles X. to prolong the residence
of the French army in Spain till the Ist of July,
it2s. It adds, that the knowledge of this step
had afforded considerable 64 consolation" to the
Spaniards in general, and that they hoped the
worthy successor of their Benefactor, Louis
rvuf. would condescend to complete the great
work of pacification of the Peninsula. The other
Opposition Journals contain similar intelligence,
and the Constitutionnelstates that the troops with-
drawn from Spain were to form an Army of
Observation at Bayonne. The Etoile takes upon
itself, of course at the desire of its Ministerial
Patrons, and therefore officially, to contradict all
the statements which have been made, and to
represent the evacuation of the Peninsula as a
measure which has met with the approbation of
loath Governments. 44 We know qot," it says,l
" whence the Correspondents of the Journal can
have taken such a piece of news. The evacua-
tion of a part of Spain is a measure taken in con-
cert, executed with a good understanding, and
not a measure of recrimination or hostility. The
French troops quit that part of Spain which
they can leave without danger ; Cadiz and
Barcelona, which are the points where a force
may seem the more necessary, remain occupied ;
and 10,000 French at Cadiz answer to the King
of Spain for the tranquillity of that part of his
kingdom which the Spanish troops cannot yet
occupy. Two Swiss regiments at Madrid are
more than sufficient to maintain order till the
'Royal Guard shell be organised. The 1 5 months
during which Spain has been occupied by the
French have not been lost for the establishment
or internal order. All was provided for with
petard to the departure of the troops who with-
dreW. All is concerted between France and
Spain for the stay of those that remain."

[Tile TIMES.]
The evacuation of Spain by the French troops,
or rather the diminution of the French Army of
Occupation, seems to be a subject of considerable
anxiety to the counsellors of both Charles and
Ferdinand. On the project being made known
to the latter, he is said to have remonstrated, and
to have tendered fresh propositions for the con.
the:ince of the invaders. A patriot King, cer-
tainly who desires to protract his reign by
means of foreign bayonets. The French Charge
d'Affaires at Madrid, and the commander of the
'French troops, Count Digeon, are said to have
informed his Spanish Majesty of the intention of
reducing the army ; and to have added, that
those who remained in the fortified places, such
as Cadiz and Barcelona, would not interfere in
the concerns of the Peninsula beyond the pre-
cincts of their garrisons. This, we suppose, is
meant to lead to the inference, that the people of
Spain are as free as if no foreigners were among
their! ; but if such were the fact, why should the
foreigners remain at all

There will be found in another column, a de-
cree of the Government and Legislature of the
United States of Mexico abolishing the slave.
trade. It may certainly appear a work of little
merit in this rising republic to extinguish by law
a traffic which, in fact, has for some time ceased
to exist, and which must seem more dangerous to
its'political institutions Than useful to its COM,.
inertial prosperity. Besides, leaving humanity,
or pistice out of the question, it must, at the first
Meta, appear an absurd and ridiculous incongruity
new commonwealth? boasting of its recent
emancipation from a foreign yoke, and proud of
the freshgiories,of its independence, to see its'
ships freighted With" captives, and its feast of
Liberty served by slaves. But what a strong
additional ground this'
conduct of Mexi.
co, and the liberal '.systeM purS•ued by the
other provinces wfilch Were riirtyrty Eu-
ropean colonies, afford to" tl.iei friends' of' hu-
manity, and of Africa, to call for a ce.cog.
iiition of the independence of the new South Ame.
Kean slates I. We all remember the stand which
the Governments of Spais and Portugal made in
favour of the African slave-trado at a time that

we were fighting their battles against Buonaparte, 1
and at the Congresses of Paris, Vienna, and Aix-
la-Chapelle, after we had secured them the vic-
tory, and conferred upon them the power of con-
tinuing their infamous practices. The pretence
which they offered on all these occasions was, that
their colonies could not exist under a system of free
labour, and that America must remain uncultivated
if the slave-market of America was closed. II ence
their Niggling for .2. few more months of delay,or
few more degrees of latitude for continuing or ex-
tending- the traffic which they had uutimately
stipulated to relinquish. But, no sooner have
these Colonies declared their independence, than
they find that they can exist and prosper with 1.
out an importation of slaves as well as without a
foreign yoke. Colombia has not only abolished
the Slave Trade, hut has taken the means to
abolish slavery. In Buenos Ayres slavery can
scarcely be said to exist, and all the new States
are following the example. It therefore gives
us pleasure to publish this Mexican decree on
various grounds, but on none more than that of
its affording a new argument in favour of recog-
nizing the independence of States which use
their new rights and privileges with so much hu-
manity and wisdom.

[BRITISII PRESS.]
The Papers received yesterday from Buenos
Ayres only tend to plunge into worse confusion
the perplexed and contradictory intelligence re-
lative to the state of things in Peru. In one re-
spect at least it is quite satisfactory. All the ac-
counts agree in representing the cause of iude-
pendeuce as gaining successes almost daily,
though of no considerable importance. The re-
ports in the North American Papers, as to the
jealousy felt by the Republic of Buenos Ayres
towards Bolivar, are proved to be wholly ground-
less. The Government and Legislature of Buenos
Ayres had resolved to draw closer the relations
with the State of Colombia, and to co-operate
with it, in order to bring the war in Peru
to a happy conclusion. If we knew no-
thing before regarding the disinterested ca-
reer of the Colombian Liberator, this resolution
alone would refute all the absurd and ma-
lignant rumours that have been circulated
against this eminent and able man. The news of
yesterday leaves us completely in doubt as to
the conduct and position of Olaneta. In the
private letters, in the Buenos Ayres Papers, he is
represented as being still faithful to his duty to
Spain, though a conjecture is hazarded that he
will not long continue so. Some of the letters
received in town yesterday from Buenos Ayres,
mention a report that Valdez and Olaneta had
fought; but as there appeared no foundation for
this report, beyond its mere currency, it was
generally discredited. Carratala, who it was
stated some time ago, had been made pri-
soner by Olaneta, after an engagement, has,
it is now alleged, been surprised by the
Independents at Potosi, and carried away
captive. Whatever uncertainty there may
be with respect to the particular events that have
occurred in Peru, we may, from all the intelli-
gence in our possession, come safely to this con-
clusion, viz.—that the Spanish Commanders are
reduced to act entirely on the defensive, and that
they maintain their posts with difficulty, exposed
to the continual harassings of the guerilla parties
of their adversaries ; and, consequently, that if
the Spaniards were united amongst themselves,
the Royalist Generals in Upper Peru could not
afford to detach any force to the assistance of
Cuntarac.

[MORNING HertAl.n.]
Mr. de Chateaubriand, the late French Mi-
nister of Foreign Affairs, appears to have under-
taken what Wilkes executed upon one Admi.
nistration, and thre►►tened to execute upon ano-
ther---who took the hint and submitted to the
alternative. Ile seems resolved to write down
the present Ministry of France. In his first
letter, published in one of the journals, he but
opens the campaign—giving a notice of the va-
rious topics which he means to treat—and which
indeed comprise every object of foreign and do-
mestic policy. There is something in the contest
more curious and interesting than ordinary, from
the position of the parties, and the tactics they
employ. Both apply themselves personally to
the King,—The one party—that which is
struggling to get into office, eulogizes the King
without measure, gives him the credit of every
thing praise-worthy or popular,and throws all that
is odious upon the shoulders of his Ministers.
The opposition party, on the other hand, which
is actually in possession of office, affects to put
the King on his guard against insidious flatte-
ries, by which it is endeavoured to practice on
his weakness, and alienate him from his faithful
servants—and thus the personal vanity of the
Sovereign is worked upon and appealed to in
contrary directions. One remark of the noble
pamphleteer is worth notice. Ile contends, that
public opinion, conveyed through a free Press,
should have more weight with the Sovereign in
the choice of his Ministers, than majorities in the
two Chambers—because, he says, ambitious or
mercenary Chambers might become mere iustru-
ruents at the Minister's disposal.

[THE PUULIC LEDGIZR.3
We have received Buenos Ayres Papers to the
sth' of September, which, though they do Hot
mention any striking occurrence, upon which we
could congratulate the friends of south American
independence, yet present it, upon the whole,
under a very favourable aspect. One circum-
stance in particular is mentioned, upon which the
best hopes may be reasonably grounded; and the
resolution adopted by the Government of Buenos
A yres of appointing a Mission to Colombia and
Peru, for the avowed purpose of co-ope-
rating in 'the deliverance of the last-mentioned
State, cannot fail to be attended with the
happiest consequences. In the Sitting of the
lst of September, the Chamber of Repre-
sentatives authorised the Government to employ a
or 16,,000 piastres for thlg Mission,- and we
are glad to see so decided an indication of-ability
and willingness to take an active part in support
of the common cause. It skews a great improve-
ment in the domestic affairs of the country ; for,

as long as there is imminent danger at home, and
a general fear of change, there is a correspond-
ing apathy with respect to foreign interests. W hen
a nation looks abroad, and begins to entertain
comprehensive schemes of policy, it is a certain
sign of internal tranquillity ; and we, therefore,
hail this Mission as a proof, in the first place, of
a great improvement in the affairs of the parti-
cular State with which it has originated ; and a
powerful pledge, in the next, of the triumph of
the common cause. It is on occasions like this
that we can best discern the effects of the good
offices of our own Cabinet on the interests of that
portion of the world; and here the wisdom of their
policy cannot but be recognized. They may
justly claim the honour of having accelerated the
period of deliverance, without compromising, in
the slightest degree, the pacific relations of their
own country. By appointing ConsuN and Com-
missioners to the New Stites, they could give no
just cause of umbrage to any Power ; whilst the
measure could not fail to render the Govern-
ments to whom they were appointed more re-
spectable in their own eyes, and more solicitou,
to gain the good opinion of the rest of the world.

[MORNING CHRONICLE.]
The result of the inquest on William Brown-
sell, who so miserably perished by a spring-gun,
was the following verdict—" Accidentally came
to his death by a spring-gun set in a cart road,
leading through a plantation of Mr. Mason's,
called the Furnace, adjoining the boundary of
Spark." Accident is a very convenient, compre-
hensive word on such an occasion, and, pies pro
Colo, it is made answerable for a multitude of
mischief. But let us see whether accident or de-
sign had the greater share in this catastrophe.
A country gentleman, as he is by law entitled
to do, makes it death to tread on a certain
spot on his estate ; and to give effect to his
pleasure in this particular he sets a gun with the
design that it may shoot any one that trespasses
on the forbidden ground. This gun, by an in-
genius piece of machinery, which merits the
praise of being named infernal, is made to execute
his will in a more complete manner than a
human agent. It would be extremely difficult,
for instance, to meet with a servant who would
undertafe the business of shooting trespassers ;
and supposing one of the necessary mettle
to be found, and posted in ambuscade, harden-
ed as he might be, he would be likely to
recoil from aiming, in cold blood, silently
and secretly, without any of those exciting
circutustancet which warm men for mischief at
the life of auy human being that might cross a
are
neply oatth Natures,. even the most callous,
be affected by these scruples. The
spring-gun, however, possesses the advantage of
being an instrument of certain operation ; and
the preserver of game has nothing to do but
to give it its direction, and it obeys his will to
the letter, maiming or destroying such per-
sons as fall into the snare. Let us now look at
the case of Brownsell, and see what share
accident had in his lamentable fate. Busi-
ness brought the poor man to the fatal spot, and
accident placed his foot on the wire in a cart
road, but accident had no share in preparing the
instrument of death; accident had not charged
the gun, and when charged, the direction of it
was not left to accident—no ; the gun was set
with the design of lodging a charge of slugs it;
the body of any one treading ott a certain spot • ,
and the event only corresponded with the general
purpose. The person who set the gun, or ordered
it to be set, had no malice, it is true, against any
particular man ; but he meditated the destruc-
tion of any one who should walk in a certain
path, and Brownsell fell according to the general
design of him who laid the snare. Had he
avoided the wire, or been missed by the shot,
there would have been more of accident in his
escape than there was in his fate, But let us
suppose for a moment that Brownsell had been
a poacher, trespassing, how would the verdict
then have been framed ? Would it have been
still worded, " accidentally killed," when the
design to kill would so manifestly appear !
To talk ie such a case of a man accidentally
coming to his death, because he gives the last
impulse to the machinery that has been prepared
for his destruction, is a contemptible quibble.—
We might as well describe a man, poisoned
in his food, as having accidentally come by
his death, because he had carried the poisoned
food to his lips with his own hands. We
are not, however, in tiny measure, surprised to
find that a Jury cannot bring in an intelligible
verdict on such an occasion as that under con-
sideration, it being utterly impossible to recon-
cile our notions of justice or humanity with
the facts and law of the case ; the facts are
therefore a little distorted or disguised in vague
terms, in order to meet the law, without too
rudely shocking the feelings or understanding of
the public. We should have liked to see a little
more courage in the law—we should have de-
sired to see it name the thing it permits, to see it
in short put on record a verdict embodying its
doctrines to this effect—" Brought to his death
by means of a spring gun set in a cart road, tec."
This would be plain and distinct, and would allow
of no quibbling about words.

A late number of the Berlin Gazette says—
" That the King of Prussia has been pleased to
give the Medal of Honour, of the first class, to
Captain Harmsen, a native of Bremen, who navi-
gated the Prussian ship Mentor safely to and
from China ; and a similar Medal to Mr. Oswald,
of Berlin, the supercargo, for the able conduct
he displayed in his mercantile capacity."
Amongst the papers of the lately deceased old
Marquess de MonNAT, at his chateau at Mont-
chevreuil, have been found a considerable series
of letters to Madame de MA INTENON, written by
Louts XIV. It is understood they ‘vill be pub-
lished.--(French Paper.)
Last year a potato, of the red Scotch kind, was
dug up in a field at Belford, Northumberland,
GcottGE JOHNSON, which, ou occupied by:Mr.
account of its weight, was preserved until the
Spring, when It was planted in the same held,
and has this Autumn produced %70 large and
well-grown potatoes.