The Sun.
London, England, 1847-02-22 00:00:00

FP 13 RIT AR Y 22, 1847.

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The orchestra,
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lNoble
Thursday evening, the company mustering, with members
till an early hour of the morning, an elegant supper having
and visitors, nearly four hundred. Dancing was kept up
Majesty, which was enthusiastically received, alluded to the
especial honour accorded in her graciously becoming the
patroness of the Royal Thames Yacht Club; and Mr. Joseph
Wilkinson, in a very neatly-turned speech, expressed the de-
light which the club felt at the presence of so many of the
fair sex, to whom the flag of every yachtsman oust strike,
and whose smiles were his best guerdon either on the deck
or in the ball room. The admirable arrangements of the
stewards were the topic of general comment, whilst their
courteous attention to their guests, throughouttheentireeven-
ing, was unremitting. Such was the demand for tickets
that the supply was wholly incompetent to meet it, and how-
ever we may sympathise with the disappointed, yet the en-
joyment of the evening was greatly enhanced by the judi .
cious restriction as to numbers, and the great care exercised
in the distribution of the tickets of admission.
SEIZURES OF ILLICIT DISTILLERIES.—OLL Friday
appears to have been a busy day amongst the Excise officers,
as no less than four illicit stills were seized by them in
the course of the day. From the observations of Messrs.
James and Frederick Pargeter, officers of Excise, of pre,
mises 27, St. Peter-street, Bethnal-green, and the delivery
there of certain suspicious articles, they were convinced
that something illegal was going on, and on obtaining a
search-warrant they proceeded to- the house, and having
gained admission, they soon found that those suspicions were
perfectly correct. On proceeding to the front kitchen, they
found a large copper still in full work, running off strong
spirits. They then went to the back kitchen, when another
still immediately met their view, also at work. In this
room two men were_engaged, and to busy were they, that
for some time they were unaware of the presence of the
officers. One of them was holding a bladder with a funnel
in it, while the other was filling it with spirits from a tub.
One gave the name of James Brown, and the other Alfred
Crompton, but protested they were only servants. There was
a large quantity of fermented wash and spirits, and the usual
distillery apparatus, which they seized. The next case was
at 7, Scott-street, Bethnal-green, kept by a man named
Joseph Adlington. The officers got over a gateway, and
effected an entrance into the house, where they found a still
at full work, running off spirits of wine, a quantity of Spirit
50 per cent. over proof, fermented wash (which was de-
stroyed), and all the usual apparatus, which were seized and
conveyed to the Excise warehouses. The third case was
in Stoney-lane, Petticoat-lane. Messrs. Bayford and Lewins,
the officers, from information received, went to a house in the
above street, and after a good deal of trouble effected an
entrance. In a back apartment they found a very large still
in full work, and a man attending to it, with an immense
quantity of fermented wash prepared for carrying on a large
trade, with spirits ready for sending out. The apparatus was
of a complete description, the whole of which was seized.
NARROW ESCAPE FROM ADDITIONAL CALAMITY.—
The mother of the unfortunate boy, George Beale, whose un-
timely end was recorded in our paper of the 4th inst., was
herself on the point of perishing upon
the Downs, betweenu‘i
omun
the receipt
Cherhill and Yatesbury, on the night of the severe
snow
storm of Monday week last. It seems that on communicated
o
of the melancholy intelligence, which was ci
her by the Rev. Dr. Money Kyrie, she had started fromm
London on a sudden impulse, "to see her child's grave."
He was her favourite son. When near Yatesbury she en-
countered the full force of the storm. Blinded by the drift
t nk_
she lost her track, and was overpowered by constantly i
e veral feet
p aces ing in the snow, which in many 1
w re
little better
deep. A man who accompanied her was in
Yatesbury in an
plight. She was brought to the rectory at
t nof proper
almost insensible state ; but, by the administra
th°t-and-forty
remedies, was happily so far restored in 08
We
hours as to be able to return by rail to London.urne hear
lis
that a subscription, proposed to help her on her journey,
the
y'aNrsish
readily responded to by all the principal farmers of p
—Devizes Gazette. On Fridav
BURGLARY AND EXTENSIVE ROBBERY. ..
•
morning it was discovered that the premises of Mr. Mar-
shall, in the Edgeware-road, had been entered,
and watches
of different descriptions, to the amount of 1001•, stolen from
the shop.
MOUTII, FEB
THE ISLAND OF ASCENSION.--PORTS
19.—Letters from the Island of Ascension, up to the 29th o
December, have been received. They furnish the gratifying
intelligence that all the inhabitants were in
good health;
been taken
that the turtle had re-appeared in abundance, and
the water tanks
and the ponds filled with them ; and that
Charles Hotham, in
were also well supplied. Commodore Sir
here Majesty's ship
the Devastation steamer, accompanied by
on the 26th of De-
Actreon,Captain Mansell, had put to sea ()ails
and visit and
camber, intending to be absent for three moot, s
Africa, and the
inspect the different stations on the coast
l s am left her
men-of-war cruising off them. Sir Charfoer
II
heroth officers and
fte
Majesty's steamer Hydra at Ascension, . r
a long cruise on
crew to obtain refreshments and rest, a
that he was ap-
the coast. Commander Morell had heard
and on the ar-
pointed to the Hydra, vice Young, promoted,take command of the
rival of Captain Hutton, who was to
ill bring that steamer
Tortoise and the Island f Ascension, will
wlst of February. The
to England ; she was to sail on the
with the exception of
African squadron were all at sea, and,ad
been tolerably healthy.
her Majesty's brig Wanderer, h
She has lost about ten officers and men from fever. The
home to be paid off,
Larne, 16, and Espoir, 10, are orderednmmisson and the
having been nearly four Yearsi
on the coast of Africa.
greater part of the time
employedF 36, Commodore Sir
Letters from her Majesty's ship
Ist of January, have
dated the
Henry Blackwood, Bart.,
• about to sail for Inn-
arrived here, announcing her being
station for England
comalec, and expected to leave the
during the month of May. The officers and crew of the Fox
were all well. A document
TENURE OF LAND IN IRELAND .--A
t n
possessing much much interest at the present meorsm. enltwcountoains an
day issued among the Parliamecnet%ry
l s poafp unions throughout
abstract of returns from theer
of
persons holding land, corn-
Ireland relative to the
holdings,
&c., and is reprinted from
parative size
of
tothethe House in the session of 1845. The
papers presented
census of 1841 is ta ken as the basis of the calculation. From
this return it appears—"That in the year 1841, the total
population 0 was 8,17
f the 130 unions oand 4, 29 - the total
area 19,146,502 statute acres. Of this population the num-
ber of personsr holding land was 883,097 (representing
with their
.families a gross number probably little short of
four an
d a half millions). The number of persons holding
not
land, whose holdings do exceed one acre of ground, is
124,407. Those holdings between one and two acres
amounted to 50,233; between 2 and 3, 35,368 ; between 3 and
4, 45,135 ; between 4 and 5, 52,071 ; between 5 and 6,
86,468 ; between 6 and 7, 40,374 ; between 7 and 8, 35,549 ;
between 8 and 9, 40,822; between 9 and 10, 34,792. The
number of persons holding from 10 to 20 acres was 186,155 ;
from 20 to 50,121,681 ; from 50 to 100, 42,772 ; from 100 to
200, 15,458; from 200 to 500, 5,947 ; from 500 to 1,000,
1,127; from 1,000 to 2,000, 284 ; from 2,000 to 5,000, 46 ;
from 3,000 to 4,000, 11; from 4,000 to 5,000, 3 ; and above
5,000, 6. The am sof land held in common or joint-
tenancy were 1,902,547 ac.ss ; the number of holders not
included in the foregoing classes, 30,316. In the notes ap-
pended to the return, there is stated the amount of waste,
bog, and otherwise unprofitable land, appertaining to many
of the unions ; but there is no estimate formed of the whole
extent of such land, although it has been included in the
return of the gross acres of land given above.
FirEsinaE, ST. MONANCE.---TIER WELTHRR AND
Fisimsse—The weather has been particularly fine the whole
et the week, and our fishermen have been diligent.. The
herring fishing has been prosecuted with indefatigable and
unfired earnestness. Many of our crews have slept little
during the week. The fishing being at the May Island,
seven miles from our place, in moderate weather it requires
a considerable portion of the fishermen's time in making their
passage to and from the fishing-ground ;that, combined with
other labours which they have to perform during the day,
prevents them from getting regular rest. The turbot fishing,
which has been backward for sonic time, looks better, and
several of our crews have this week caught fourteen or fif-
teen at one haul. The cod- fish have almost entirely disap-
peared again ; several boats having abort lines caught only
a very few. The wind has been prevailing from the north-
west, with keen frost, which has pinched our fishermen very
much. The herring-fishing has not been very general. Se-
veral of our boats have been singularly
fortunate, but the ma-
jority have barely made wages.—Edinburgh Weekly Reporter.
We understand that the Queen has decided that
the Garter, vacant by the decease of the late Duke of Nor-
thumberland, ;hall be conferred
upon his Grace the Duke of
Bedford.

)

LIVERPOOL GUARDIAN SOCIETY
MR. ROWLAND HILL IN LIVERPOOL.

On Friday evening last, the Guardian Society of this
town, established in 1523, for the protection of trade,
celebrated its twenty-fourth anniversary by a public
dinner, at Eastwood's Royal Hotel, where exactly one
hundred and forty gentlemen were entertained with all
the substantials and elegancies which that first-rate
house is so well-known to afford. More than usual in-
terest was excited on the present occasion by the fact
that Rowland Hill, Esq., the distinguished originator of
the Penny Postage system, had accepted the society's
invitation to dine with them.
The chair was occupied by Mr. Denton, the President
of the Society for the past year. On his right sat George
Hall Lawrence. Esq., Mayor of Liverpool, Mr. Coun-
cillor Tinne, and Mr. Councillor Parker ; on his left were
Rowland Hill, Esq., Mr. John Smith, of the Liverpool
Mercury ; and Mr. Evens, the Society's solicitor. At
the same table we observed Mr. Manchester, President
of the Preston Guardian Society; Mr. Walthew, Presi-
dent of the Houseowners' Guardian Society; Mr. Fran-
cis Venn, Sergeant at Mace of this borough; Mr. Wrenn,
Treasurer of the Society; Mr. Coward, Mr. Condliffe.
and Mr. White. Immediately in front were Mr. Reay,
the Secretary of the Society; Mr. Cottam. Secretary of
the Manchester Guardian Society ; Mr. Hemming, Se-
cretary of the Birmingham Guardian Society; and Mr.
Carr, Secretary of the Preston Guardian Society. The
vice-chair was occupied by Mr. Richard Crossley, in the
absence of Mr. J. R. Jeffery, the President elect. As
soon as the cloth was withdrawn, the Secretary read
letters of apology for unavoidable absence from Lord
Sandon, M.P., Sir Howard Douglas, M.P., 'William
Brown, Esq., M.P., Mr. Alderman Watkins, President
of the Manchester Guardian Society, and other gentle-
men who had been invited.

The CHAIRMAN proposed the health of the Queen and
the other usual loyal and patriotic toasts.
Mr. Joni,' SMITH rose, and expressed the pleasure it
afforded him to hare been requested by the committee
to propose the health of one of the greatest benefactors
of the country, and of the world—(Cheers)---the author
of the Penny Post System—(Cheers)--one who, though
far from being an old man, was an old friend of his, viz.,
Mr. Rowland Hill.—(Loud cheering.) When Mr. Hill's
first pamphlet, advocating that noble measure, appeared,
the copy which Mr. Hill had been good enough to send
to him followed him to Dublin, where he read it aloud
to a social and fashionable party, whose attention was
rivetted to it as much as if it had been one of the
most popular novels; the men of business felt keenly
the evils of the old system, the cost of correspondence,
and the trouble which one friend imposed upon another
of carrying letters to parties in towns they might
be visiting; those who had near and dear relations at a
distance were constantly annoyed by the long delays
or serious cost attending written communications with
them; and even the young ladies were not un-
conscious of the advantages which the proposed
system would confer in certain affetires du cceur.—
(Loud laughter and cheers.) It was a high gratification
to the Liverpool Guardian Society to have the oppor-
tunity of testifying their gratitude to the author of that
system. The health of Mr. Hill was given amidst loud
applause.
Mr. ROWLAND HILL on rising to address the com-
pany was received with rapturous welcome.—(Enthu-
siastic plaudits continuing for some time.) He bugged
to thank his friend Mr. Smith for the manner in which
he had proposed, and the company at large for the
manner in which they had received the toast just given.
He had done himself the pleasure of accepting the in-
vitation with which the society had honoured him for
several reasons—first, that he might in person acknow-
ledge the friendly interest the society had taken in
what so much concerned himself ; secondly, that he
might explain the nature of the duties attaching to his
present position in connexion with the Post-office ; and
above all, that he might investigate on the spot those
alleged defects in the postal arrangements of this lo-
cality, which had been so ably stated, from time to time,
in the Liverpool Mercury. It was a matter of personal
convenience to himself that his duties in the
Post-office should be clearly understood, as the
erroneous ideas which prevailed respecting them had
involved him in a correspondence which occupied time
which ought to be devoted to other subjects. His duties
were to advise the Postmaster-General, on all points
to which his Lordship might be pleased to direct his
attention, and to carry out gradually the remainder of
his own system of Post-office improvement, of which
the penny rate was only one feature. Without a ge-
neral understanding to this effect, he need scarcely say
that he should not have felt justified in accepting office.
(Cheers.) Of the management of the present details he
had no control whatever. But though a slight considera-
tion would show that it was impossible that he could ex-
ercise any direct power in the Post-office, he had the
good fortune to serve under a nobleman who, with ex-
cellent business habits, united a thorough appreciation of ,
the duties and responsibilities of his important office, and
who was sincerely desirous of making the institution,
over which he presides, as useful to the public as pos-
sible. He wished to convey to his hearers some idea of
the magnitude of the institution. Were he merely to
state that so many millions of letters passed through the
post-office in a year, no one could form any accurate con-
ception of the reality. The best mode probably to con-
vey any idea of the whole, would be for him to describe
some part. For instance, last night, when he left Lon-
don, he was at Euston-square when the mail was brought
in to go by the train, this being only one of many
which are dispatched by railways. It was considered an
exceedingly light mail ; but small as it was, it literally
filled six large omnibuses ; and the heavy mails for-
warded on a Saturday night, filled nine carriages of a
amilar description. Again, the number of dead letters
since the adoption of prepayment had become a very
small fraction—less than the two-hundredth part—of the
whole ; nevertheless, the average amount of money found
, in such letters, in coin, bank notes, and bills of exchange,
was 400,0001. per annum.—(Hear, hear.) Many thou-
sands of pounds were actually found in letters with no
address whatever.—(Laughter.) The company would see,
therefore, that in so vast a machine the difficulties in the
way of any extensive change were very great. Another
difficulty was, that the machine was constantly in mo-
tion ; it never stood still night or day, and the greatest
care forethought, and calculation were therefore neces-
sary in making alterations. In improving it would not
do to make a mistake ; that might stop it altogether ;
they could rarely try an experiment ; all must be inves •
tigated and settled with unerring certainty beforehand.
If a steam engine became defective, it could be stopped,
and the requisite repairs made ; but not so with the
post-office. He wished the society to bear these facts in
mind, and to continue to him some portion of that great
confidence which they had hitherto reposed in him,
assuring them that so far as he was concerned no time
should be lost in carrying out the remaining portions
of his plan.—(Cheers.) With reference to the pecu-
liar defects in this neighbourhood, he had not the
requisite local knowledge to say that all could
be remedied, but he thought he had heard enough to
justify him in saying that there was much room for im-
provement, whilst there were reasons for adhering to
some existing arrangements which, no doubt, appeared
injudicious. It might seem to many absurd that letters
should be carried past a town for which they were in-
tended, and then brought back ; but it was not really
absurd. It arose fromthe impossibility of every
town making up a bag for every other town. There
were about one thousand post towns, and if every one
of these made up one thousand bags, there would be a
million of bags ; in fact, more bags than letters. It had
often struck him that some pains should be taken to
make the main features of the Post-office system intelli-
gible to the people. There was no department of Go-
vernment which came so much into contact with the
people, and it was advisable that they should know what
arrangements were capable of improvement and what
were not. His desire had ever been, in all the difficul-
ties and opposition with which ho had to struggle, to
do justice to the institution, and he was happy to
be able to hay that even before he went to the Post-
office, instructions had been sent to the surveyors to
make certain returns with reference to the distribution
in this neighbourhood; though, owing to the many other
duties they had to perform, these returns had not yet
been made.—(Hear, hear.) Perhaps it might be inter-
esting to the company to revert to a few facts connected
with the change produced by the plan of penny postage.
—(Cheers.) Immediately before the introduction of the
reduced rate of postage, the number of chargeable let-
ters— not including franks —delivered amounted to
seventy-five millions annually. Last year it had
amounted to two hundred and ninety-nine millions and
a half, or to four-fold the original number. It would re-
quire something more than that to brin4 the Post-office
revenue up to the former gross amount; but less than
fivefold would effect that object. At the present moment
the number of letters delivered in the London district,
comprising a circle of 12 miles round the Post-office, St.
Martin's-le-Grand, was as great as that which, under the
bid system, was delivered in the whole United King-
dom. The increase was rapidly going on, and amounted
to twenty-eight millions last year compared with the
previous year. It was the opinion of many gentlemen,
that the introduction of the penny rate increased the
difficulty of effecting improvements. It was said they
could not afford to give cheap postage, and greater faci-
lities also ; but, in fact, improvements had followed one
another more rapidly since the penny postage came into
operation than before. When the plan was first pro-
posed, the large towns had only a single mail connecting
theta with London : now they have two mails per day.
Again—ln England and Wales there were formerly only
two thousand post-offices of every kind ; now there were
four thousand. There was a growing conviction in the
minds of all connected with the Post-office, that to make
the establishment profitable, they must make it as use-
ful as possible, and to that great object his best efforts
should be devoted. Mr. Hill concluded amidst great
cheering.
After some other toasts, the company separated a
little before twelve o'clock.

DEATH OP ADMIRAL SIR WILLOUGIIBY LAKE,
LC.B.—This distinguished officer expired at Blackheath on
the 18th inst., aged seventy-four, and after a connexion with
the British navy of nearly sixty years duration. He was the
second son of Sir James Hunter Lake, Bart. At an early
age be entered th anointed d
.after a probationa Novemberservice as
midshipman was appiLieutenant, 22, 1790,
his other commissions being thus dated :—Commander,
November 22, 1794 ; Post-Captain, January 4, 1796 ; Rear-
Admiral, August 12, 1819; Vice-Admiral, July 22, 1830 ;
and Admiral, November 23, 1841. Sir Willoughby was
Captain of the Magnificent, in Sir Home Popham'a squadron,
on the north coast of Spain, in
.1312 ; and, during the Penin-
sular War, commanded. a division of seamen and marines,
landed to co-operate with the guerillas. In some skirmishes
which ensued he was twice wounded. In 1812 he was
honourably mentioned for his services in the London Gazette.
In 1824, during Lord Melville's Administration at the
Admiralty, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief on the
North American station, and in that capacity remained until
1834. Sir Willoughby married, in 1795, the daughter of
Vice-Admiral John M'Bride. He was in the enjoent of a
per
lion of 3001! per =um, in addition to belt-pay.ym