The Sun.
London, England, 1847-02-25 00:00:00

RUSSIA.

THE GRECO-RUSSIAN CHURCH. The Emperor of
Russian has recently issued a decree, the object of which
is to prevent proselytism in favour of any other religion
than the Greco-Russian. The first article declares, that
any person abjuring the Greco-Russian religion shall be
placed at the disposal of the ecclesiastical authorities,
shall be disinherited by such of his relations as profess
that religion, shall have all his fortune placed under con-
trol, and shall not be allowed to reside in the district in
which his property is situated. If he returns within the
bosom of the Established Church, these penalties are to
cease; but if he does not return within the time fixed by
the ecclesiastical authorities; he is to be cited before a
criminal tribunal, which cannot inflict a penalty less than
that of perpetual detention in a convent, with unceasing
acts of penitence and contrition. The fourth article pro
vides that whoever shall deliver discourses, or publish
writings calculated to cause persons who below, to the
Greco-Russian Church to abandon their faith, shall lose
the prerogatives of his rank, and be condemned
to from one to two years' imprisonment. If the same
offence be committed twice, the delinquent is to be con-
demned to the loss of civil rights, and to hard labour in
a fortress tor from four to six years ; if a third time, he
is to be exilcal in Siberia, and, in addition to all this, he
is to receive the knout if he belongs to the classes sub-
ject to corporal punishraent. Article 5 declares that
iathers and mothers belonging to the Greco-Russian
Church, who shall cause their children to be baptised in
another form of faith, shall be punished with two years'
. • , , and shall have their children.opken from
them, and educated by maelia&-ii other of-their family of
the Greco-Russian religion ; and in case there be no
relations of that creed. then by persons nominated by
the Government. Any person preventing a member of
another religion from embracing the Greco-Russian, is
to be imprisoned for several months.—Galignard.

TEN PERSONS DROWNED IN AN

OMNIBUS.
BRIDPORT, FRIDAY EVENING.—A most melancholy
occurrence took place in this town on Tuesday last
(a brief account of which appeared in The Sun a few
days • since). On Tuesday evening last Bovrden, s om-
nibus, which plies between Bideford and Torrington, and
designated the " Safety," drew up opposite the quay, and
at six o'clock started for the latter town. The. vehicle
was full of passengers, eleven persons being inside, and
one on the roof. It had not gone many yards before one
of the horses became restive, and after making two or
three plunges the pule and splinter broke asunder from
the carriage, which instantly went down the declivity of
the quay, and with the whole of its passengers was pre-
cipitated over into the river. The night was dark, and
there was upwards of 20 feet of water, the tide being up.
There was a terrific shriek from the passengers, but it
was only momentary. A woman, who was on the roof,
fortunately got ashore, and Mr. Michael Chapple, a
glove-maker, of Torrington, by a desperate effort, burst
open the door of the omnibus and swam ashore, assisted
by a soldier, who bravely jumped in to his rescue. Ile
was the only one of the inside 'passengers who escaped;
the remainder all perished. Grappling irons were im-
mediately procured, and every effort made to save some
iof them, but all in vain; it was nearly two hours before
ithe omniims was brought ashore. When raised on to
the quay the sight was truly horrifying ; the sufferers
were lying in a mass at the furthermost end from the
entrance. It was evident they had struggled earnestly
to escape. The inquest on the bodies took place yester-
day, before Mr. fridlan, the borough coroner. Their
names were given out as follows:—Mrs. Fanny Friend-
soip, aged 40 (left five children) ; Ann Norman (a
widow), aged 65 ; Mrs. Elizabeth Friendship, aged 35,
(left six children); Mary Ann Friendship (daughter of
the last deceased); aged 11 ; Mrs. Attn 'Page, aged 40;
Mr. John Chapple, aged 60 (brother
.of the gentleman
who escaped); John Passmore, aged 30; Miss Elizabeth
Oriffey', aged' 60 ; and two other females, names un-
known. The burden of the, evidence went to prove that
the melancholy affair arose from accident alone, for
although the driver Was.charged with being drunk, and
incapable of taking charge of his horses, the whole was
proved unfoundkl. After a lengthened inquiry, which
lasted several . hours, the jury returned the subjoinen
verdict:—" Acciderital death, and the jury strongly
recommended ate. indictment being laid against the
authorittes' of the town for allo,,ing the quay to
remain in the dangerous state it was."

.CALEDONIAN ASYLUM. - Tuesday his Royal
Righneis the Duke of Ca
ess omfbri,.accotupanied Whet.
Royal HighgriceiteiansegtohdtehtDheeumcptiodrinelee.p Cambridge, the Princess Meoaitrye,
Frederick of Hesse,
oafftteraminbsrpeid at Pentonville, paid a
visit to this institution, j which is adac•lnt, and to which his
Royal Highness his long been a benefactor. The Royal
party, who were escorted by the governor and other officers
treasurers; pied,
one wofertehreecterieved t;heDgr.atGeebeyrgCeaoptwaeino
of the
Lantottilt,6l7.Nen.,
Rees and Dr. John Allan, two
fo
tart/ and the other officers • the physicians; the secre-
the
Royal National
vet
would Anthem.
be
o the institution, the band
playing
that thelt having become known
thepa asylum
leo-Ina:foe
wcoitnoceosusrtsheeosfcpeneoe-.
peo-
ple was assembled in front of
The children of the schools' rto the umber of HO, were
formed on each side of the carriage way.' extending f
the : lodge to the principal entrance, and the juvenilero
band, in their .new and handsome uniforms, having been
placed in a prominent position, attracted much notice.
Before entering the institution, the royal party honoure
d
the band with their particular attention for some time, and
expressed' themselves mach gratified with its efficiency.
The pipers, also, came in for their share of praise, and
at the special request of his Royal Highness, the Reel of
TullochgOrurn," and other Celtic dances, were executedlin good
style by the boys,' in the national costume of their country.
After inspecting the interior of the building with much
interest and attention, and expressing the gratification they
felt with its order, cleanliness, and general arrangements,
the Royal Duke graciously condescended to become a vice-
president, and her Royal Highness vice-patroness, of the in-
stitution; and her Royal Highness Princess Mary of Cam-
bridge, very graciously bespoke a holiday in honour of the
visit, for both schools.
A GREAT IMPOSTOR.—On Thursday last, a smart-
looking young lad, who rejoices in the imposing title of
James Henry Christopher Hunter, was brought before Mr.
Sheriff Douglas at Cupar, on a charge of falsehood, fraud,
and wilful imposition-Ist, By having taken lodgings from a
lady in Kirkaldy, which he occupied fur some days on the false
pretence that be was a commission agent. 2d, With having
imposed on the managers of the Assembly-rooms of Kirkaldy
by engaging and taking possession of these rooms on the
false pretence that he was going to exhibit General
Tom Thumb, the Ethiopian Serenaders of Virginia, and
the Indian chief, Tongo Mongoro. 3d, By imposing on Mr.
Birrell, printer, Kirkaldy, and inducing him to print a large
hand-bill, and five hundred Admission cards. 4th, By pub-
lishing this bill through the town of Kirkaldy, and thereby
inducing the lieges to purchase tickets. • And, lastly, After
the Assembly-rooms were lighted up, and the people had
partly assembled, by running off in a gig for Burntisland,
and failing' to pay- any' of the parties above mentioned. He
was caught at Edinburgh by the very officer who had been
engaged by him to takecharge of the ree,eipts of tue door at
Kirkaldy. He pleaded-guilty, awl was sentenced to sixty
days' imprisonment.—Edinburgh Advertiser.