The Sun.
London, England, 1841-04-08 00:00:00

THE ATIIISTAD.

The decree of the Supreme Court of the United
, States, terminating the case (f the Armistad, is coa-
tained at length in the list file of the N ew York pepers.
The facts of the case, it will be remembered, wen, that
in June, 1839, the schooner Amistad, being the pro-
perty of Spanish subjects, cleared out from the port of
Havannah for Puerto Principe. On board the schooner
were the e iptain, Ramo m Ferrer, Jose Ruiz, Pedro Mon-
tez, and a certain number of negroes claimed by the former
individuals, and stated in certain documents, signed by
the Governor-General of Cuba, to be their property.
On the voyage, and before the arrival of the vessel at
her .Destination, the negroes rose, killed the Captain, and
took possession of her. On the 26th of August the
vessel was discovered by Lieutenant Gedney, of the
United States brig Washington, at anchor at the
distance of half a mile from the shore of Lung Is-
land. A part of the negroes were then on shore, who
were seized by Lieutenant Gedney and brought on
board. The vessel with the negroes and other persons
on board was brought by Lieutenant Gedney into the
district of Connecticut, and there libelled for salvage in
the District Court of the United States. Subse-
quently claims were put in by Ruiz and Montez to the
negroes as their slaves, and certain parts of the cargo ;
and the Attorney of the United States for the district
of Connecticut filed an information, stating that the
Spanish Minister had officially presented a claim for the
restoration of the vessel, cargo, and slaves, according to
the treaty between the United States and Spain,
and praying that if this claim should appear
well founded, such order should be made for the
disposal of the vessel, cargo, and slaves, as would
best agree with the terms of the treaty. On the
7th of January, 1840, the negroes filed an answer
denying that they were slaves, or the property of Ruiz
and Montez, but asserting that they were native Afri-
cans, born free, that they were unlawfully kidnapped
and conveyed by a vessel engaged in the slave trade to
Cuba, where a pretended sale of them was made to
Ruiz and Montez, who were aware of the premises, and
confederated with Ferrer to cause them to be trans-
ported to some place unknown, there to be enslaved
for life ; that on the voyage they rose on the master
and seized the vessel, intending to return there-
with to their native country, or to seek an asylum
in some free State. On the 23d the District Court
made a decree, allowing Lieutenant Gedney salvage
en the vessel and cargo, rejecting the claims of
Ruiz and Montez for the delivery of the negroes,
but admitting them for the cargo, and rejecting the
claim of the attorney of the United States in behalf of
the Spanish Minister, for the restoration of the ne-
groes under treaty, who were to be delivered to time
President of the United States, to be transported to
Africa, From this decree the district attorney ap-
pealed to the Circuit Court, which, by a mere pro
forma decree, affirmed the decree of the District Court,
and from that decree an appeal was brought to the
Supreme Court of the United States, where it was de-
cided in a final decree that there was an error in that
part of the decree of the Circuit Court which orjered
the said negroes to be delivered to the President of the
United States to be transported to Africa ; and, in lie❑
of that part of the decree, the said negroes were de-
clared free, and to be dismissed from custody, and dis-
charged from the suit.—Tinics.

SCOTCH DEGREES.—When the University of
St. Andrew's sold her honours---a proceeding which pro-
voked Dr. Johnson to tell the heals of the college that
they would get rich by degree', and which has now been
long abandoned—a certain minister, who deemed that his
ministrations would be more acceptable and more useful if
he possessed what the Germans call the doctor-hat, put
la in his purse and went to St. Andrew's " to purchase
for himself a good degree." His man-servant accom-
panied him, and was present when his master was formally
admitted to the long desired honour. On his return " tho
doctor" sent for his servant, and addressed him somewhat
as follows :—" Non, Saunders, ye'll aye be sure to ca' me
the doctor, and gin onybody spices at you aboot me, ye'll
be aye sure to say the doctor's in his study, or the doctor's
engaged, or the doctor will see ye in a crack." " That a'
depends (was the reply) upon whether yell ca' me doctor
too. (The reverend doctor stared). Aye,
(continued the other); for when I fend that i its just so
it cost sae
little, I e'en got a diploma myself; sae ye'll just be good
enough to say—doctor, put on some coals, or, doctor,
bring me the whiskej and hot water ; and gin onybody
:piers at ye aboot me, ye'll ke aye sure to say the decor's
in the stable, or the doctor's in the pantry, or the doctor's
digging potatoes, as the case may be."--Church of Eng-
land Review.
OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE.--The grand con-
test which is to take place next Wednesday, from Westminster
to Putney, between the Cambridge and Oxford crews, is at
present the all-engrossing subject with the gentlemen of the
two Universities, lovers of rowing. Both of the crews have
been in active training for some time past. Every
day
both
Searle's upper and lower prembes are crowded by the nobility
and gentry to witness the departure of the d
two crews to take
their daily practice from Westminster to Putney and back.
It will be recollected that last year the Oxonians kept the lead
and arrived at Putney first, the bows of the
Oxford
to Battersea,
_where the Cambridge coxswain managed to get
being upon the oar of the Cambridge strokes-
m Theg eight being
is at present in favour of the Cantabs, but
not at odds.
his boat ahead,
Every eight-oared boat that could be got has
an.ei
been hired to witness this match, which no doubt will prove a
splendid one. Several steam-boats have also been hired to go
up with the match, but it is to be hoped that they will kc ep
well away from the rowers, in order fur them •to row on as
smooth water as possible.

~1
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V EN NG EDITION

PARIS FORTIFICATION BILL.

SIM PLE CALCULATIONS.

( From the Chariv

In order to terminate the nterniin,le question of the
fortifications one of the most eminent statistical writers has
just made the following calculations :
By cutting out from the Alonittur the speeches that
were delivered on that occasion, and by placing. them oLe
alter the other, it will .be seen that they would occupy a
spacO of 70.,000 metre;, that is to say, 'twit:se -the cireum-
ference of the enceinte continue:
M. Thiera' speeches alone would make the fronts of
twenty-two bastions, and those of M. t'i'Aigout might make
eight detached forts. The nasal ornament of the Noble
Peer might occupy a half moon.
Another calculation, which is no: less ingenious
If, instead of employing printed paper, tt;e type which
had served for the printing of the speeches hqd been made
use of, the following result would havc been of tained
tl,e b3urgeois. long printer, nonpareil, sinall•pica,
&c., use ! on tl.e funifications, it is pnasibie to obtain--
A wall flint: -two metres high by five metres broad, in a
circumference of thirty-six metres, Oat it is to sty the cu.
tire enceinte with its exterior projeett:res.
It is even calcula'ed--

That if each word uttered on that qucstiin had beert
turned into stone, there would have been sufaint Maws
by that econotnicll means to erect the rampart as it is laid
down in the Bill voted by the Cltn-iber.
Instead of oh word, if each letter is taken, a mass is
obtained, el kit, by culi.)l7; it c irre tly, is ecinvalent to the
gre,t wall cf China, that chef-d'aurre cf Aria'ic genius.
The glasses of water th at wt re drank on that occasion
are equivalent, on an inclined plane, to twelve-horse power,
seven fop-2s more ti.-an the jet of the Artesian well of Gre.
noble.

The bits of sugar that were used in preparing those
glasses of water (eau sucrec) would be sutiicieut to sweeten
all the bvins of the Tuileries, and to procure for the fish
that are therein a delicious beverage.
Oee huriered cambric and three hundred fiik pocket.
handko chiefs, without reckoning the chalets and Madras
cheeks, were soiled in wipir g he fercheads of the speakers_
Sixty coats, patdots, or parliamentary great coats, expe—
rienced solt,t,onA of continuity in cOnsequence of the frau.
tic attitude; which the taibtzret exh.bited.

Medical statistics give besides, as the teiult of an exag-
gerated account, six pleurisies, twelve sore throat=, and
forty,. two pulmonary comp:ants. We only cite h, re the
cases of lassitude and culds but as a memento. Eighteen
catarrhs grew worse visibly, and are now in an alarming
state. In short, in the crowds that were present at the
first sittings, forty-five silk handkerchirrs end twenty-tiro
snuff-boxes, not counting the riffiards, disappeared.
The total age of the orators who spoke f-ar the fortifica-
tions amounts to eight thousand two hundred and thirty-
four years; that of those who spoke agaiost, to nine thou-
sand seven hundred and twenty years, Total, seventeen
thou,,and nine hundred and fifty-fouks years. Three times
the age of the globe.
By calculating each brca..b at a decagra-nme of pressure
there !,as been sufficient breathirg to
,make the windatilts
of Montmartre go round for sixty-two years and a half.
Such o:e the calculations cf our eminent statistician_
We confidently bend them over to ail the moaner: and.
mangiameles of France al-K1 of Cie Calahres. They are in-
tricate ealeolation.l, it ever thzre were wry.- Just ask the
Institute 1