The Sun.
London, England, 1840-08-18 00:00:00

SHEEP STEALING.

The Magistrates of the Kingston division have been
employed during the last fortnight in investigating the
circumstances of an extensive and mysterious robbery
of sheep, from the farm of Mr. Slimock, at Cobham,
Surrey. It appears that on the night of the 9th of
July the prosecutor placed 51 sheep in one of his mea-
dows, and upon going to count them on the morning of
the 11th, he discovered that 19 of the primest sheep
had been stolen. Information was given to Partridge,
the Cobham constable, and to Inspector Dowsett, of
the V division of police, and the sheep were traced as
far as the Cheam turnpike-gate, and here all trace of
them was lost. Further inquiries were then made, and
it was ascertained that on the morning of the 10th a
man having the appearance of a shepherd drove the
sheep to Smithfield-market, and placed them in the
hands of a salesman named Roke, with a note purport-
ing to come from Mr. Maurice Gordon, a farmer at
Burwood, requesting him to sell the sheep, and to hand
over the amount to his shepherd. Mr. Roke accord-
ingly sold the sheep for 21s. each, and after deducting
the usual commission he raid the balance to the man who
brought the sheep, and who was described as the shep
herd. Mr. Slimock having ascertained these facts, pro-
ceeded to the residence of the party who had purchased
the sheep, and identified them as the same that had
been stolen from his flock. The salesman could not
give any very accurate description of the person who
had brought the sheep to him for sale, but, in conse-
quence of information given by him, Partridge, the i
Cobham constable, apprehended two men named Hone
and Baker, and after undergoing a preliminary examina-
tion, they were remanded until last Saturday, when a
full inquiry toak place, and the above facts appeared in
evidence ; but neither Mr. Roke nor any of the drovers
who had been employed could dentify either of the
prisoners as being the parties who had taken the sheep
to Smithfield on the morning after they were stolen.
After a full inquiry the Magistrates discharged Hone,
and directed that Baker should enter into recognizances
to appear at the next examination. Although the
place where the robbery was committed is beyond the
extended metropolitan police district, the officers of
that body have been actively engaged, in conjunction
with the local constables, in endeavouring to trace out
the parties who have committed this daring and artful
robbery, which has thrown the farmers all round the
neighbourhood into great alarm for the safety of their
property.

The harvest accounts from Scotland and Ireland,
received this morning, present a very satisfactory agree-
ment. Oats and barley in Scotland—at least in some
parts from which we have heard—have been saved in good
condition, both as to quality and amount. The bad weather
of the early part and middle of last week had caused some
fears in parts of Ireland, but the gloom brought on by the
cold and rain bad disappeared before an additional few days
of sunshine at the close of the week.

UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGIATE REFORIII,-.•

An open rupture between the University and the Peel i
Tories, on academical questions, is at hand. The Times,
which represents the latter section, sounds the tocsin against
collegiate abuses, and assails with no very gentle lan-
guage certain societies who have been foremost in the
bigoted defence of abases. Our University readers will
recognise strong allusions to Magdalen, Brasenose, and
St. John's Colleges, and we rather think to the founda-
tion of All Souls, of which, if we mistake not, the reli-
gious Member for Somersetshire (Mr. Acland) was re-
recently a poor scholar, although the amount of his Par-
liamentary qualification incapacitated him, strictly speak-
ing, from holding a collegiate position. We regard the
observations of the " 7'hunderer" as one of the signs of
the times. We need scarcely add that to our observation
retreat and advance, except with the intervention of Par-
liament, are alike impracticable.—Oxford Chronicle.
IMPORTANT WORK ON CIRCASSIA.—WC are
requested to state that Mr. Longworth's " Account of his
Twelve Months' Residence among the Circassians," in 2
vols. post Bvo., with illustrations, price 21s. bound, is
published this day by Mr. Colburn, of Great Mailborough-
street, and may now be had of all Booksellers. Mr.
Colburn has also just ready for publication, " A Narrative
of the War in Affghanistan, in 1838-9," by Captain Henry
Havelock, 13th Light Infantry, Aide-de-Camp to Major.
General Sir Willoughby Cotton, Commander of the Ben-
gal Forces assembled for service in Affghanistan, 2 vols.
post Bvo.
CYLCIIGRAWN RHYDDID.—Under the above
title, anglice " The Liberal Magazine," the lovers of cheap
bread are, we understand, about to publish a monthly
miscellany, principally devoted to the annihilation of the
Corn-laws, but to be diversified with the usual variety that
characterises the periodical productions of the present age.
Whether the Corn-laws arc or are not injurious to the
general interest and the welfare of particular classes, is
certainly a subject on which people ought to be informed ;
and we trust that the forthcoming work will enlighten the
inhabitants of North Wales with respect to the history,
the action, and the tendency, of this particular monopoly.
—ANTI-CORN LAW LECTURE.-Mr. Walter Griffith de-
livered an admirable lecture on the evening of Monday
last, in exposition of the evils inseparable from the Corn-
laws. The lecturer was throughout sustained by the sym-
pathy of a crowded audience, and his discourse left a deep
impression on the minds of many who had never before re-
flected upon the subject. Mr. Griffith's style is decidedly
popular.— Carnarven Herald. [Both these pieces of in-
formation are good signs of a good cause.l
WILTON HOUSE.—A brilliant fete was given
by the Hon. Sydney Herbert, on Thursday evening, in
honour of the approaching marriage of his sister, Lady
G. Herbert, to Lord Shelburne. The gardens were splen-
didly illuminated by variegated lamps, and the spacious
orangery and casino, with Holbien's park, were also lighted
up. A display of fireworks by artists from town, was
given on the opposite bank of the river. The respectable
inhabitants were admitted into the park, and a ball and
supper concluded the entertainments.
It is understood that Madame Vestris will open
Ler campaign at Covent-garden Theatre early in the en-
suing month, when very shortly after operations arc com-
menced a new five act play, by Sheridan Knowles, will be
produced, of which report speaks highly. It was read to
the company in the green-rcom, before the separation of
the corps dramatique, last season, and the parts assigned
to each appeared to give general satisfaction.