The Sun.
London, England, 1847-08-10 00:00:00

THE POST-OFFICE ANOMALY.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
Sir,—The facts of my case are as follow :—Three
years ago I came to London with the view of mak-
ing great industry and a good education the means of
procuring a respectable livelihood through the steady
pursuit of an honourable profession, and up _to •
1 November last I was successful ; but from that month
Ito January I was not so. Just then two new op-
-1 portunities offered for a renewal of my labours, one
lin London and the other in the country. The latter
being the more acceptable of the two, I entered into
I a correspondence with the party at whose disposal it
stood. My first letter contained sundry documents
of great value to me; but their bulk must have ex-
cited the cupidity of some in the Post-office depart-
ment, for I have never seen them since, nor have I
been able to discover the least trace of them.
When my letter remained more than a week un.
answered, I wrote to inquire the cause, and explained
the nature of its contents ; and received in reply an
intimation to the effect that my letter had not reached
its destination, and that it would undoubtedly have
been answered if it had. Another letter from me,
containing copies of the documents, had the effect of
bringing me the very pleasing intelligence that my
testimonials, &c. were highly satisfactory, but that
my application had come too late ! I then applied to
the
establishment in town, and there, too, received the
same gratifying answer.
Under these circumstances I waited
Nonbt, and stated my ea
Noble Ai e arquisatthehsee. I w
head of thed
with
reeive
Post-officeupond e pa tr
depart-
ment, ..
megreate
courtesy, listened to with polite attention,e
recom-
mended to memoralise the Lords of the Treuiassured that its prayer should have his Lordship'si
warmest support, upon the grounds that minewas a
case of peculiar and unprecedented hardship.
I acted in accordance with this kind recommenda-
tion, and after considerable delay a packet of formid-
able dimensions reached me from the Treasury
Chambers, containing a formal intimation that that
department had no funds from which I could be
awarded compensation, though a Government official's
dishonesty had been the means of depriving me of
about 2001. per annum.
I applied to other quarters still higher, but with
as little success.

Now, Sir, let me ask you, and through you the
public, is there any safety afforded it by the Post-
office department for the transmission of valuable
property ? I think my case establishes the converse ;
for though intrinsically the contents of my letter were
as waste paper to any one else, to me their value was
great, and their loss irreparable. People naturally turn
to the Post-office as not merely the cheapest, but the
most safe and certain mode of conveyance for articles
of small bulk but of great worth. Yet, if under the
apprehension of their loss through that channel they
send them by any other, packed as a letter, they are
liable to a prosecution upon discovery.
Then, again, if you want to send a small parcel of
some value by railway or coach, the conductors may,
or may not, refuse it ; if they do not, and lose it,
they are liable to make good the loss. Whereas, send
it by post, and you get no compensation whatever if
lost ; and, if stolen, the very satisfactory assurance
that the thief will be prosecuted—if they can catch
him.
But does it always follow that such thief, even if
caught, is prosecuted to conviction ? And, even if it
did, of what moment can such a result be to the
humble and industrious, who may have been deprived
of all they valued most dear to them by a scoundrel
whose uppermost wish may have been to be sent out
of the country, at an expense to the public, one-half
of which would be much better disposed of in bestow-
ing it as a very inadequate compensation to the in-
jured certainly, the ruined perhaps.—l have the
honour to subscribe myself, Sir, your most obedient
servant,

A MILK, BEEF, AND RUM MANU-

FACTORY.

One of the most extensive milk, beef, and rum
manufactories in the United States is situated on the
North River, at the foot of Fifteenth-street, in this
city. An observer, viewing it from the south, sees
two great chimneys near the Ninth Avenue, where
the main building stands, and thence running
westward to the river, " long, low," and cabin-
like sheds, the whole being little, if any, less
than a quarter of a mile in extent, and re-
sembling somewhat a huge steam-boat, with its
bows directed towards Union Park. Beneath those
chimneys the fires blaze, the engines work, and the
steam chafes night and day, Sundays not excepted ;
and in those sheds stand, or are propped up, 2,000
cows, more or less. Large tanks receive the swill
from the distillery, and it is thence conveyed by main
and branch troughs through the whole range of sheds,
crossing the Tenth Avenue by means of iron pipes
under the street, the tanks and troughs being repeated
from that to the river. The establishment may be called
" productive." It is said to yield near 15,000 quarts of
milk per day to city families, or between 5 and 6 millions
of quarts annually. When the animal ceases to give
a profitable quantity of the precious fluid, it is then
fatted or bloated up, and slaughtered for the table.
The stock thus requires renewal periodically, and this
institution alone furnishes several thousand cows an-
nually to our beef market. Some deduction must be
allowed for those who die from the unnatural confine-
ment, and from the disease which they contract in the
" institution." Before the lots in the vicinity were
fenced in, a dead cow was occasionally deposited there
for the consumption of the pigs, of which an unknown
number are fed from the distillery, and which eat up
their fellow boarders with surprising appetite. This
was the readiest mode to get rid of the carcases. The
quantity of grain converted into liquor in this estab-
lishment probably exceeds 2,000 bushels per day.
It may easily be conceived that an astonishing odour
is emitted from the stalls, built as compactly as pos-
sible, and crowded with cattle which are never once
removed until they are sent to the slaughter-house.
Such is the stench of the whale surrounding neigh-
bourhood that the inhabitants are frequently obliged
to close their doors and windows during the most
excessive heat of summer, when it is naturally most
offensive. The forbearance of citizens who have lived
in the vicinity for years past is remarkable, and
surely evinces, a disposition to suffer rather than
to complain. But the continual growth of the estab-
lishment, and the aggravation of the nuisance has
aroused the serious attention of the people of
this district, without distinction of class, and
they are now, after the failure of personal remon-
strance with the owner to effect its abatement, en-
deavouring to obtain redress of the grievance by
application to the city authorities. The population
of that part of the city is rapidly on the increase, and
within a radius of half a mile not fewer than 29,000
people are subjected to this annoyance.—New Yorh
Tribune.

Two PERSONS FOUND DROWNED. Yesterday
morning, the body of a female, about twenty-two years
of age, was found in the Thames, near Waterloo-bridge
and conveyed to the vaults of St. John's Church Water-
loo-road, for a coroner's inquest. About five A.M., e
the
body of a man, aged twenty-four, was found in the
Thames, off Lambeth Palace. It was taken to the
Lambeth Workhouse, and information sent to the!i
coroner.
bpi persons
neoFtEvehEear.ao—teWr eiereepgrreeatditoogstiaote
tthheatreeofseopecvnetyrtso.off:ameiawlisg;
Within the last fortnight severalh
Mason-
that Lord Dunsandle,
and Mr.
They were both active and
have fallen victims to it; and we
brook, are suffering from
he I board of guardians, and are
j re
Smith, been .] u sot
f informed
ma een.
assiduous members of t
aemleceeritoinngo hi el
relieving
at
cers.
°I
ft town yesterday for Dun-
cers.• Henry Marsh e
Sir
to add,
that the accounts received
sea, statedo
nt o have Saturday
last, p
mandle. We regret_ a
re of very unfavourable nature respect-
efserntthate
this Eo°rdrniDngunas-andle's health.—Dublin Paper.
A DiNNER.T
ABLE ANECDOTE.—A short time be-
fore the late contest at Maldon—so the tale reaches us
—a party of voters in one of the out-districts gathered
round the festive board to cheer the heart and strengthen
the lungs for the struggle. Splendid was the fare mine
host provided; ponderous plum-puddings smoked before
them, and as to the accompanying sweet sauce, why it
was actually voted to be nectar which the landlord had
by some means smuggled from the feast of the divinities
of old. When, therefore, the table was cleared, and the
word went forth that they were free to choose from bar
and cellar, they came to the conclusion, after grave
counsel, that there was nothing like sweet sauce, and
sweet sauce they accordingly had in by the gallon,
quaffing their pipes over it with as much elation as if
they were so many Soyers, and had just made a great
discovery in culinary science.—lpswich Express.
A DEAD MAN'S VOTE.—One remarkable feature
of of the late stirring election for the representationt
letter
o rht ea dd
University is, that a quondam voter, whhoosweeeleret
been returned to the committee, . 13
and tendered his vote ;
" dead" by the Post-office authohrie:!eedsni,
committee scrutineers
ertecwoerrededaliarse hhajaviin'ogtevoWteads
omittedreived
,t, to
nd askhihe
eases in the ensuing Par-
for the return of a member .
liament. We vouch for this
Chronicle. imnawmheestathaaednr stands recorded
MR. GoLnsstin.—This gentleman says he lost his
election by bribery, and that he shall petition; and it is
commonly rumoured that three election barristers are
already retained to oppose the return of Lord Lennox
and Mr. Coope. At any rate, as far as we can ascer-
tain, there is no desire on the part of Mr. Goldsmid's
friends to see him returned. He has greatly displeased
many of them by his conduct at and since the election.—
Norfolk Chronicle.

DEATH OF SIR J. COLMAN RASHLEIGH, BART.—
This gentleman died on the 4th instant, after a short ill-
ness, in the 56th year of his age. He was a Cornish
Baronet of some influence, and was a member of a family
which had been formerly settled in Devonshire. He
married, in 1808, Miss Williams, by whom, who died in
1831, he leaves issue, one son and two daughters. He
married secondly, in 1832, Miss Llould. The Baronetcy
was created in 1831. .

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.
We have received advices from this colony up to
the 12th June. The Kafirs had resumed their depre-
dations on the frontier farmers, and it was impossible
forisolated families within twenty miles of the border
to feel otherwise than insecure. At no former period
had the prospects of the eastern districts been more
gloomy-, as recent experience had proved the incon-
ceivable difficulty of protecting agricultural property
against marauders armed with guns and mounted
on•horses. Guns were becoming more and more the
choice weapons of the natives. The Kafirs in their
!Persons are strong and active ; in their tempers dar-
ing and resolute. With the weapon that enabled the
civilised' nations -to overpower the savage and barba-
rian' arbarian- they are rapidly acquiring skill. In such
cir-
cumstances it is impossible to view the
contest be-
tween civilisation and barbarism now raging on the
frontier without painful apprehensions. The feeling
of security is gone. It is difficult to imagine by what
means it can be restored.
In the neighbourhood of the Kalumna, a small
stream to the east of the Keiskamma, the Kafirs had
mule several-incursions, and captured cattle, which,
however, had been generally retaken. In one of
these forays a Kafir named Zandama was killed, and
many were wounded. These depredations have been
committed in the lower part of the boundary, where
the missionary post called Wesleyville was established.
In the upper part of the boundary the state of affairs
with the Gaika, Slambic, and Kreli's Kafirs is equally
unsatisfactory. The tribes must be punished and
humbled in the true meaning of the word, and then
ruled with firmness and justice. The plan of giving
the Kafirs tickets of registration has signally failed,
as might have been expected. The ticket was used
as a safe-conduct pass when occasion suited, and thus
became the means by which fraud and deception were
successfully practised.
But whilst the Kafir tribes show every disposition
to Continue their predatory assaults, the colonists and
the Fingo levies are harassed and wearied as much
hfthe demands for their services in the field, as by
the' claiMs of their familiei, Of whose neglect by the
COlanial Glbverninent:h-eavy complaint is made. The
(ringU)' native troops have their distinctive pecu-
lioritiea of character, which must be studied if their
services are to be('-again invited or'demanded. One
peculiarity ,is, that they are entirely Insensible to
threats. But to just and considerate treatment they are
as
,yielding as wax. Of what value is a soldier whose
heart is not ,with you in a partisan war ? In a
xArit wnr, among bushes and ravines, in following
er -guarding cattle how could you, either by day or
by- night, force a discontented native to do his duty ?
(3* of the main distinctions between commanders is
irithe'faculty of gaining the confidence and affections
of nien`,.-eilen in armies where discipline supplies so
many personal defects. Among the suddenly-raised
and'semi-barbarous levies on the frontier nothing can
make up for the absence of this conciliatory faculty
in the commander. A mass of discontented men there
is a Mere heap of sand.
The Fingo levy stationed at Graham's Town, at a
Muster for the purpose of ascertaining whether the
men composing it were disposed to continue their
services, to'a man answered' in the negative. The
authorities evidently mistake the true character and
circumstances of these men. It is thought that 6d.
per day and a soldier's ration are sufficient induce-
ments for them to place themselves at the disposal of
the Government. But this is a great delusion. The
Fingoes at this place earn from 2s. to 4s. a day, and
at Port Elizabeth, upon an average, a third more.
Many of this class of the community possess waggons
aind oxen, and can command an amount in money
which persons unacquainted with their thrifty habits
would find it hard to believe. They are not likely
to serve voluntarily when a measure is adopted with
a view to "shorten their allowance, and especially when
itgoes to diminish or entirety discontinue that scanty
suppoit whia has heretofore been given at thelntiblid
expense to their series and families.
• ' the Tine of policy towards the Kafirs," says
the Graham's Town Journal, " is to make arrange-
theists; for the-location of the rebellious chiefs. It is
thought that the mischievous prbpensities of the com-
mon Kafirs can be more effectually checked and con-
trolled through the influence of the chiefs and head
men, than •by -direct interference with the barbaric
mass. Acting, then, upon this principle, it is pro-
posed to assign to certain chiefs certain portions of
territory, to lay down certain regulations for their
guidance, to hold them responsible for the good order
and peaceful conduct of certain kraals, and to punish
every chief or head man on the spot who refuses to
punish any offender amongst his people. Thus the
authors of the Kafir war of 1846-47, it seems, are
only to be punished for any new acts of treachery or
bad faith they may commit."
Tux STATE or THE GAOLS.—The gaols in the
several country districts are detestable dungeons, in
which offenders of every class, without distinction of
sex or degree of immorality, are intermixed—the
convicted criminal with, perhaps, the unjustly ac-
cused, the murderer with the thief, the juvenile
offender with the hardened miscreant, the whole, with
perhaps little exception, passing days and nights in
the corruptible society of each other. Moreover the
prisons are too small, dilapidated, and generally unfit
to keep the prisoners in sate custody. In one of them,
shortly before and immediately after the close of the
late session, an endeavour was made to escape--the
first of which succeeded so well, that eight or nine
offenders frustrated the ends of justice, whilst the
latter was only prevented by speedy and timely in-
interference.—Zuid Afrikaan.
POST-OFTICE.—The " money orders" system has
been recently introduced into the Colonial Post-
office.

DESERTION FROM THE GOTH REGIMENT.—By the
notices in the Colonial Gazette it appears that deser-
tion from the regiment, which is stationed at the
Cape, is not very uncommon. In the Gazette of the
10th June there were no less than five adTertise-
ments for deserters.

MR. COBDEN'S SPEECH AT
BERLIN.

We have been favoured with Mr. Cobden's speech
at the late dinner given in his honour at Berlin :
" Allow me, gentlemen, he said, to express to you
my warmest thanks for the honour you have conferred
upon me. It is with heartfelt satisfaction that I find
myself surrounded by so many learned men of this
enlightened capital who participate in my views in
favour of free trade. Gentlemen, during my long
sojourn on the continent I laid down the rule, and I
have always acted up to it, of never meddling in
the internal policy of the different countries I have
visited, and it would he an ungracious act if I
were to deviate from that rule in the present instance.
Your land is too rich in patriots, too rich in talants
and learning, to need the aid of a foreigner to instruct
you on a question so intimately connected with
German interests ; nor can I forget that it was
Prussia's statesmen who, thirty years ago, gave the
example of a liberal commercial policy. Unhap-
pily at that period England did not come forward to
meet those enlightened views. Since then all Europe
has gone backwards in commercial legislation, nor
did Germany resist the universal impulse. Public
opinion may be compared to the waves of the ocean,
subject to ebb and tide—for now again a reaction in
favour of the principles of free trade is visible both in
Europe and America; and it were strange if it were
not so, living as we do in an age of universal peace,
when the progress of the arts and scienees strives
mightily to frame fraternal bands between all the na-
tions upon earth. What are railways, steam-boats,
and electric telegraphs but so many startling proofs
against a restricted commercial policy ? Under the
influence of those speedy means of intercommunica-
tion nations are in a certain sense reduced to pro-
vinces, and an entire continent is contracted into one
nation. Under such circumstances nothing can im-
pede the circulation of wholesome ideas, and no barrier
is high enough to obstruct the progress of good ex-
ample: Gentlemen, during our long and hardly-con-
tested struggle for free trade in England, we
endeavoured to oifer to the world the spec-
tacle of the triumph
of a great principle
attained by
no other weapons than those of
confining persuasion, and strictly
ourselves within
the boundaries prescribed by order and the laws. We
trust oar example will be followed by other nations
in a similar manner. I have full confidence that the
de
principles of free trade will strike
root in every
soil, inwardly convinced that theyharmonisewith the
laws of nature, and that they tend
peace, the happiness, and the welfare oPfromote the
rn
Let it not be thought disrespectful if, in conealnui:iinond.
I quote the words of your great German reformer.
If our doctrine isfrom God, it will live—if not, it is
doomed to perish."