The Sun.
London, England, 1841-08-26 00:00:00

NEW ZEALAND.

• -
The Constitutionnel has the following on the French
colony at New Zealand : •
" The firmness of the chief of the French colony, and,
it must alsb'be added, the conciliatory spirit of the English
Magistrate, have contributed to maintain the independence
demanded for it by Capt. Lavaud, without the slightest
interruption of harmony between the French and English
colonists. In the colonies of Australia and New Zealand it
is the opinion of all parties, no matter to which nation they
belong, that France ought to retain the privilege of this
independence, at least for the large extent. of land which
forms Banks's Peninsula, now in her possession, and
which contains ports at all times accessible to ships of
war and whalers." Letters from Akaroa, the southern
island of this peninsula, dated the Ist and 26th March
last, bring us the following details. The rapid progress
of the English colony at Nicholson (the northern island)
surpasses all idea. Although founded only on the 22d
January, 1840, it had already 3,000 inhabitants, and 600
to 700 houses. There were in the port, in February!
last, 23 vessels, of which 5 were of three masts. Capi-
talists, commercial agents of the principal houses of
Sydney and London, and persons who in England would
occupy a distinguished rank, the son of Sir John
Sinclair, a son of Lord Petre, 4-c., were actively
engaged in commercial pursuits. One of the
French colonists, who arrived in the. Comte de
Paris, has fixed himself at a league from Akaroa,
and, with his wife, cultivates a hectare . (two acres
and a half) of ground. In five months he has
gained 1,500 f. by the sale of vegetables. The reports
which were current as to the probability of the rupture
of
.the peace of Europe had not in the slightest degree
affected the friendly relations between the French colony
at Akaroa and the English colony at Nicholson. At a
dinner given at Nicholson, to celebrate the arrival of the
first colonists, a young- naturalist, M. de Beligny, civil
administrator and mayor of •the French colony, who had
been earnestly invited to be present, met with a mos: cor-
dial reception, and had the pleasure of hearing a toast of
prosperity- to the French colony, and the preservation of
the friendlyrelations between the two nations, which vv.,t,s.
proposed by Colonel Wakefield, received with .acclama-
tion. The whole colony of Akaroa concurs in•doing
justice to the great wisdom and prudence of M. Lavaud,
whose protection is constant, and to whose firmness, in
the first instance, is owing the maintainance of the na-
tionality of the colony. The presence of the Bishop,
M. de Pampallier, who has visited his fellow-country-
men, has been equally efficacious. His name is in every
mouth, and he is blessed by the natives, whom by evan-
gelical patience he has brought to understand the first
precepts of religion and morality. The question of the
sovereignty of these islands has not yet been decided.
The statu quo has been established by agreement be-
tween Capt. Lavaud and the English Commandant, until
the two Governments shall
.have come to an under-,
standing on the subject. Negotiations are at present
proceeding in London, wh ch have been retarded
by the embarrassments of
.the English Cabinet. With-
out doubt the constitution of the new Ministry and the
arrival of our Ambassador will permit the settlement of
the question. The most just solution, in our opinion,
and that which would be of a nature to conciliate all in-
terests, would be to proclaim the ports and territories of
the two islands free, recognising the right of alt nations
to trade freely, as they have hitherto done. England
could not refuse to accede to such a proposition without
belying the principles of liberality in commercial matters
which she has been incessantly calling upon us to apply
in the negotiations which she has had with us of late
years. It appears that the. French Company, in conse-
quence of the numerous applications which have been
made to it by persons wishing to go out, is preparing a
second expedition."
•

SUICIDE THROUGH LOVE.—A sergeant in the
60th Rifles, named Cullen, committed suicide on Monday
in Beggar's Bush barracks, Dublin, by shooting him-
self through the head with his rifle. The cause of this
act is stated to be that a young lady, residing in one
of our squares near the barracks, fell in love with Cullen,
and he returned her passion. She proposed to elope
with him, but he being under the apprehension of the
punishment usually attached to desertion, applied to
his officers for permission to wed the fair one. These
gentlemen having ascertained the particulars of the attach-
ment which existed between the parties, refused their
consent to his request, which had such an effect upon the
unfortunate man that he fell into a state of deep de-
spondency, during which lie committed the rash act.
Public rumour in the neighbourhood of this awful oc-
currence has it, that the lady is in a state of distraction.
HOUSE-TAX, FRANCE.—" A general census
of doors and windows, in 1822, fixed the value of house
rental, exclusively of buildings used as manufactories,
&c., at 303,832,724 f. ; of which 169,810,754 f. for the
towns, and 134,021,980 f. for the rural communes ; the
number of inhabitants, in 1821, was 30,304,360 ; the
number of houses was 5,886,727; and the average amount
of rental, per head of the population, was 10f. 2c., and
49f. 52c. per house. The result of this census showed
that forty-one departments were surcharged in taxes to
the amount of three millions, which ought to have been
divided amongst other departments. In 1826 a new cen-
sus relieved forty-eight departments to the extent of
3,500,0001 ; the population had then increased to
31,657,429, and the number of houses to 6,396,008.
The rental was estimated at 384,008,125 f, of which
211,806,483 f. for towns, and 172,201,642 c for the country.
NEW IMPULSIVE POWER.—(From a Cor.
respondent.)—Tbe proprietor of the Gazette of the
Baton-Rouge, in Louisiana, has succeeded in propelling
vessels without the agency of fire. A Company which
has obtained a knowledge of the method employed, is
constructing a ship upon the principles discovered, as it
is .said, by Monsieur Langluine, but which proceed rather
on the experimehts of Tillorier and of Faraday, since
the article used is carbonic acid gas, liquefied without a
machine of cd:npression. All the invention consists in
two large gas-pro:lucers, the same as Tillorier's, which
are supplied with bicarNnate of soda and sulphuric acid.
Some drops of carbonic produced and liquefied by
this mixture, fall alternately beters and behind the pis-
tons, and as this gas has a pressure of at least 93 atmos-
pheres, it undergoes a considerable expansion, which gives
impulsion to the machine. Instead of a cumbersome
load of coals, a scorching fire, and ponderous machinery,
a few tons of carbonate of soda and of acid will suffice to
traverse the ocean and 'circumnavigate the globe in less
than three months.---Evening Paper.
HORRIBLE SITUATION.—A young man, em-
ployed at a collier), about ten or eleven miles south of
Edinburgh, happened, on a particular morning some time
ago, to oversleep himself, and on his arrival at the pit
mouth found that, his fellow workmen bad already de-
scended ; and as the gin-rope which conveyed them to
the bottom was again at the top, he put his foot into the
iron swivel attached to it, and directed a countryman
waiting for a cart-load of coals to lower him. He had
segycely commenced his descent, however, when the idea
suddcply occurred to him that there was something
wrong with the tackle, and clutching with his hands to
the wooden platform which half-way covers and over-
hangs the pit, he was instantly disengaged from the
rope, and hung suspended by the hands' over the dark
and horrid abyss which yawned beneath him. It hap-
pened on the dark of a winter morning, and the carter to
whom he had intrusted the task of lowering him, saw
distinctly, by the light of a fire burning within a few feet
of the pit, the fearful situation of the lad, heard his terri-
fied shriek for help, and ran forward to relieve him. On
reaching the margin, however, ,he was suddenly over-
comewith fear, and stood for several seconds paralyzed
and terror-stricken, without the power even to call far
assistance. Providentially, the master of the coal-pit
was about a hundred yards off when he heard the shriek
of agony from the lad, and, flying to his assistance, arrived
in time to hear him say, in a low and faint voice, " Catch
me, my hands are slipping:" when, seizing him by the
wrists,,he drew him with difficulty to the platform, where
he instantly fainted ; the poor frightened carter all the
while looking on in an agony of speechless terror, and
without the power to move. Who can calculate the
mental suffering of the poor lad while he clung to the
platform, feeling his fingers gradually losing their grasp,
till he sunk in a fainting fit after being placed in safety ?
—Edinburgh Courant.
One evening, Sheridan, not knowing where to go
for a dinner, :.at down by Michael Angelo Taylor in the
HOuse of Commons, and said :—" There is a law ques-
tion likely to arise presently, on which, from your legal
knowledge, you will be wanted to reply to Pitt, so I
hope'you Will no think of leaving the house." Michael
sat down with no little pleasure, while Sheridan slipped
out, Walked over to Michael's house, and ordered up din-
ner, saying to the servants, " Your master is not coming
home this evening." He made an excellent dinner, came
back to the.ilouse, and, seeing Michael look expectant,
went to release him, saying, " I am sorry to have kept
you, 'for; after all, I believe this matter will not come
off tonight. " - Michael instantly walked home, and
heard to his no little consternation, when he rang fur
dinner, " Mr. Sheridan had it, Sir, about two hours ago."
—Life of Wilberforce.
SOLDIERS' UNIFORM.—With a change of
Ministry there. will be a new Master-General of the.
Ordnance. The present we have always sincerely re-'
spected as a high-minded soldier. It is, however, to be
hoped that the successor to his Lordship will make some
few alterations in the dress and appointments of the
Royal Artillery. In the first place, the yellow lace should
forthwith be taken off the gunner's coattee ; it is a dirty,
thing, and is without meaning ; a good plain red collar,
with red epaulettes, would make them quite perfect.
The yellow trash of lace requires constant colouring to
look decent ; and surely the loss of this kind of thins"
will be the better for a soldier who has enough to di)
in other ways without being punished by clean-
ing yellow cotton. Take all the lace off the
collars, 80., of the Serjeants, leaving only their
chevrons. The same with the Staff Serjeants. In fact,
(sive the whole regiment a plain red collar and cuff,
befficers and all, they will all look the better, and pro-
the officers the best-look of the whole yinr a shabby
en:broidery is not the ing thing the world.
Ae•a% the musket should be abolished throughout the
carbine substituted. Do away with the
belts and substitute a black waist-belt,
but sooething different to that worn by the Field Bat-
preipgelicrllytc—rotbsse-
teries ; that is decidedly the worst thing. every in-
troouced and the men are ashamed of appearing with it
in public'; not only bad in appearance, but bad for ser-
vice--Arawil and Military Gazette.
The jouynal du Havre after referrililto two
decrees of the 6lovernment of New Granada, augiorising ;
Granada-French Company to form a communication by canal
o railroad between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, across the
Isthmus of Panama, and also to a statement in some American
paper, that the period fixed for the commencement of the works
had elapsed without anything being done, publishes a letter
from M. Salomon, one of the grantees of the privilege, denying
this alter assertion, and stating that the unlertaking is in full
execution. It adds, that the Company had established an easy
conveyance for travellers between the port of Chogres and the
Bay of Chorera, which in a short time will be capable of tran-
:porting machinery, materials, &c. The road in no part
passes over any
uneven ground of importance, and is ex-
petted to be soon fit for the conveyance of boxy merchandise.

SECOND. EDITION

SUN OFFICE, Seven o' Clock.

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.

FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF THIS DAY.
GLOBE.—The reports of the morning are anything
but favourable to Sir R. Peel's prospects of success, in his
efforts to preserve the heterogeneous elements which con-
stitute what is called his party in a state of apparent cohe-
sion : as to positive union, the thing is too unnatural to be
regarded as possible. The Duke of Buckingham, "the
Farmers' Friend," it is now pretty well understood, is
to be cast aside as impracticable. His Grace has re-
fused his assent to . any change in theCorn-laWs ; and
protests against the deception practised upon the agri-
cultural interest, now a change in those laws is intimated
to be essential to preserve the commercial interests from
embarrassment, and to satisfy the country—even by those
who were among the foremost to condemn the existing;
Government for proposing a similar change ih the sys-
tem. • The " last of the Plantagenets," and his double,
Sir Richard Vivian, may again seek their rural retreats.
and sigh over their abandoned Corn-laws, and
the irreclaimable perfidy of Sir Robert Peel: We hear
that tha wrath of the Duke is .terrible,, and his threaten-
ing denunciations fierce. The Duke -of Beaufort
is also reported refractory, and talks of ven-
geance. Promises of the first vacant garters have been
made to each ; but these objects of desire have not
charms sufficient to calm the indignation of the dis •
appointed and deceived chiefs. The secret is out. The
influence of the impracticables was useful to aid the
moderatesin scaling the walls of office ; but their intro-
duction to office would embarrass and eventually destroy
the party. They are to be thrown overboard. A few empty
honours are to be. promised, in the hope of stopping their
clamorous complaints ; if they succeed, well ; if not, any
consequences must be hazarded, rather than-the certainty
of the whole concern being blown up by the. Ultra policy
they insist shall' be adopted as the condition of their
support. '
STANDARD.—We understand, that-there is little -or
no doubt that the division on the amendment in the House
of Commens will take place to-night..., 'The debate'woidd
have terminated last night, bat that it wa4Aliscovered that
a number of the general supporters of the Melbourne
Administration had not qualified, and the Gewernment
naturally desired to make as strong a muster as'possible
on their last appearance in an official capacity, We have
not learned whether the omission of this indispensable
Parliamentary form was accidental or intentional, but there
is a very prevalent rumour that there are serious defections
from the Ministerial phalanx, more particularly as regards
their usual Irish adherents. Among the Members
who up to last night had not qualified, the names of
Mr. O'Connell and, of the Irish Attorney-General
were mentioned ; the total number was estimated at
about twenty. There is no doubt, however, that this
omission will be remedied before the division takes
place, which in all probability will be to-night. It
behoves every Conservative to be at his post. It is un-
derstood to be the wish of her Majesty that the
Addresses from the two Houses of Parliament, in
answer to the Speech from the Throne, should
be presented on the same day. An intimation to
that effect has, we have heard, been conveyed to
the Conservative majority in the House of Lords,
and there is no doubt that their Lordships will make such
an arragement as to time as will enable the other branch
of the Legislature to lay their answer to the Royal com-
munication at the foot of the throne on the same day
that their Lordships may select for that purpose.
COURIER.—The task of vindicating the conduct
of the Whig Cabinet throughout its devious career
was certainly a formidable one, and therefore, per-
haps, it is not much to be wondered at that expe-
rienced hands, as well as novice politicians, shauld have
preferred a discussion on free-trade crotchets, to a
defence of the Whig Cabinet. .But. although the novelty
of Mr. Cobden's position may be some apology for his
laborious but resultless wanderings, for the extra-
vagance of his pointless declamation, and the abundant
display of his pu-poseless facts—the scrapings of offi-
cial tables—neither the Noble Lord the President of the
Council, nor the Right Honourable the President of
the Board of Trade can avail themselves of such an
apologetic plea for refusing to grapple with the question
raised in -the amendment, or to accept the challenge
it so distinctly and unequivocally offered. From
such small fry as the Wards, the Cobdens, the
Crawfords, and the Bow rings, men of one idea,
and that neither profound nor brilliant, a rambling
incoherent discussion on the Corn-laws, and free-
trade projects in general, was to have been expected.
A miserable collection of isolated facts, gathered from
unsold pamphlets or unpublished speeches, and carefully
curtailed of their fair proportions, constitute the stock in
trade of these pretenders to political science. With facts
and figures, shaped after the true Procrustean fashion,
and tortured into a thread of forced agreement with
their preconceived notions and pet projects, they came
prepared to prove anything and everything ; to trace
the connexion of cause and effect between the Corn-laws
and every imaginable calamity ; to demonstrate the pre-
valence .of universal distress, and at least satisfy them-
selves that the country is on the brink of confusion and
ruin.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

(THIS EVENING.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

The SPEAKER took the Chair at a Quarter before
Four o'Clock.
Several Members took the oaths and their seats.
Among them we observed Mr. O'Connell, Mr. D. Cal-
laghan, Sir D. Roche, Mr. Cornelius O'Brien, Mr. W. S.
O'Brien, Mr. Hodgson, Mr. Brocklehurst, Mr. Pigott,
Mr. Dillon Browne, Mr. Mark Blake, and Mr. H. Villiers.

The SPEAKER said he had received from the Clerk
of the Hanaper in Ireland the names of certain persons
who had notified, under their hands and seals, their as-
sent to act as Commissioners for the purpose of taking
evidence in that country, under the Act relating to con-
troverted elections.

Mr. T. DUNCOMBE presented 13 petitions from
Northampton, complaining of the constitution of the pre-
sent House of Commons, and praying her Majesty to dis-
solve the Parliament and command another to be elected
by Universal Suffrage. Also a petition from Smed-
way, complaining of distress, and praying the House
to address her Majesty, begging of her to call men of
Radical principles to her Councils. The Hon. Member
also presented a petition from two working men at Nor-
wich, complaining of certain proceedings at the last elec-
tion for that city, and praying the House to institute an
inquiry into the mal-practices of which the petitioners
complained, and to give them such redress as it should
think proper.
Mr. W. MILES presented a number of petitions from
the County of Somerset against a low fixed duty upon
corn. Also a petition from the parish of Abbotsleigh,
and one from a parish in the City of Bristol, praying for
Church Extension. _ _ _

Colonel CONOLLY presented a petition from the
Sheriff, Grand Ju.ry, and Magistrates of the County of
Donegal, praying for a revival of the October Quarter
Sessions in that county. The Honourable and Gal-
lant Member then gave notice that it was his intention,
in the course of the next session of Parliament, to bring
forward a motion on the subject.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

Sir GEORGE GREY moved to nominate a Committee
on private business :—Sir George Grey, Mr. Labouchere,
Sir Robert Peel, Lord Stanley, Mr. Loch, Lord Gran-
ville Somerset, Mr. Aglionby, Mr. Greene, Sir John
Yarde Buller, Sir James Graham, Mr. Ellice, Mr. Est-
court, Sir Edward Knatchbull, Sir Thomas Fremantle,
Mr. Ewart, Mr. Pendarves, Mr. Wilson Patten, Mr.
William Miles, Sir. William lleatheote, Sir George
Clerk, and Sir Robert Ferguson. Agreed to.
POST OFFICE.

Mr. WALLACE moved for certain returns relative to
the Post-office; and also gave notice of a motion relative
to the appointment of a successor to the present Post •
master-General,
Mr. AINSWORTH moved for certain returns of the
number of stamps used fir newspapers.