The Sun.
London, England, 1840-08-22 00:00:00

HOURS OF CLOSING BEER

SHOPS.

Some difficulty, we find, has been experienced, in
consequence of the new Beer Act not having been yet
generally circulated. It came into operation on the
7th inst. By the 14th clause, the power to regulate
the hours of closing is specially taken from the Magis-
trates ; and therefore the beer-shops in any parish with
a population exceeding 2,500, or within one mile of
any polling place used at the last election for any town
having the like population, and returning a Member to
Parliament, may be kept open till eleven o'clock, and
in all other parishes till ten. It will be seen by the fol-
lowing clause, that the new aat does not in any way
affect the present holders of beer-shops as to the re-
quired amount of rating, certificates, &c.:--
`` That nothing in this Act contained shall prevent
any person from obtaining, at the expiration of his ex-
isting licence, a renewed licence in respect of any
house in which he shall at the time of the passing of
this Act be duly licensed to retail beer or cider under
the said recited Acts or either of them, notwithstand-
ing such house may not be of the rent or annual value
by this Act prescribed, nor to oblige such person to
produce any other certificate (where a certificate is re-
quired) for obtaining his licence than the certificate
required by, the said recited Acts ; but it shall be law-
ful kr,theofficers, of excise ,duly authorised to grant
licences to renew. and. continue to grant licences to such
person (,b9ing,iri other respects properly qualified) on
the prodnetiOn of such certificate as last aforesaid, so
long
,as such person shall, continue. to be the resident
holder and occupier of the same house, any thing in
this Act to the contrary notwithstanding.'

REVISING BARRISTERS.—The following gen-
tlemen have been appointed to revise the list of voters for
1840, on the western circuit :—North Hants, Messrs.
Oxenham and Farrant ; South Hants, Messrs. Elliott
and Merivale; Isle of Wight, Mr. Stock; Dorset, Messrs.
Slade and 3evan ; Borough, Messrs. Tyrrell and Short ;
North Doyen, Messrs. Freenwood and Merewether ;
South Devon, Messrs. Douglas and Aldridge ; boroughs,
Messrs. Saunders and Dayman; East Cornwall, Messrs.
Kinglakc and Stephens ; West Cornwall, Messrs. Smirke,
and Moore ; East Somerset, Messrs. Rowe and Hodges ;
West Somerset, Messrs. Rawlinson and Houldsworth ;
Rath and Bristol, Messrs. Bere and Fitzherbert ; Wilts,
North, and Dnizes, and Cricklade, Messrs. Missing and
Poulden ; Wilts, South, Messrs. Lucena and Carey ;
Malmsbury, Caine, Chippenham, and Marlborough, Mr.
Hayward.
COURT MA RTIAL.—A court-martial was held
on Thursday in the infantry Barracks, at Windsor, when
a private, named Clarke, in the 2d battalion of the Rifle
Brigade, was found guilty of disposing of several of his
regimental necessaries, and sentenced to be confined for 40
days. with hard labour, in Monmouth gaol.

The celebrated John Hunter is said to have
male but one pun in his life, and that was when lecturing
in Windmill-street School of Medicine. In demonstrating
the jaw-bone, he observed that the bone was known to
abound in proportion to the want of brains. Some students
at the time were talking instead of attending to the lecture,
upon which Hunter exclaimed, " Gentlemen, let us have
more intellect and less jaw."—Physic and Physicians.

SUICIDE.—This morning, at three o'clock,
Thomas Durant, Esq., a young gentleman, the son of a
highly respectable Protestant clergymen in Ireland, com-
mitted suicide at the Grand Hotel, Covent•garden. It
appears that one of the waiters, hearing groans proceed
from the water-closet, went there to ascertain the reason,
when he saw the unfortunate gentleman lying on the floor
almost lifeless. A phial which had contained prussic acid
was found by his side, the contents of which he had swal-
lowed. Medical assistance was promptly procured, but
he expired in a few minutes.
Lord Folkestone, eldest son of the Earl of
Radnor, is said to be on the eve of forming a matrimonia
alliance with the Lady Mary Grimston, daughter of the
Earl of Verulam, and sister to the Countesses of Claren-
don and Craven.
THE LATE GALE.—The gale which visited us
on Sunday evening, and continued for about thirty-six
hours, has been magnified by the London papers into a
storm. The rain was very heavy, and the wind boisterous,
but it was, after all, no more than a smart gale, accompa-
nied by rain, and occasional hail. The Floating Bath,
which is particularly exposed, rode it out in capital style,
not budging an inch from her moorings. The mercury in
the barometer fell during the gale nearly an inch.—Liver-
pool Mercury.
DEATH OF DR. M'GILL OF GLASGOW.—
Wo regret to announce the death of the Rev. Dr. M'Gill,
Professor of Divinity in our University. He expired on
Tuesday morning, at his residence in the College. From
his eminent piety, benevolence, and integrity, Dr. M'Gill
long enjoyed the cordial respect and affection of all who
knew him, whatever might be their party connexions. It
is a source of satisfaction to us, that lately, when his
name was connected with certain Parliamentary and news-
paper discussions, which must have been painful to his
feelings, if they came under his observation, we were led
to bear testimony to his personal excellencies. Dr. M'Gill
is now removed from earthly strife and annoyance ; but his
memory will be cherished by a large number of persons
who have stood to him in the relation of pupils and private
friends. Dr. M'Gill was seventy-five years of age. He
was ordained at Eastwood on the Bth September, 1791,
inducted to the Tron Church on the 12th October, 1797,
and appointed Professor of Divinity in 1814.—Glasgow
Chronicle.
Mr. Colquhoun, author of " The Moor and the
Loch," bagged on the first day, on the small moor of
Leny, twenty-four brace, being the greatest number, by
eight brace, ever known to have been killed on that moor
by any other shot. Last 12th, the birds being more nu-
merous, ho bagged twenty-six brace. Mr. Colquhouns
according to his custom, shot with a couple of dogs,
changing them for fresh ones in the middle of the day ;
if really good, he strongly recommends neither more nor
less than that number ever to be shot over at the same time:,
PRINCE ALBERT BECOME a " CHAPMAN.
—The ancient brotherhood in Edinburgh, called till?,
" Fraternity of Chapmen of the Three Lothians,,,
lately elected Prince Albert a " brother " and " honorary
member. His Royal Highness was made acquainted with
the " distinguished " honour, and it is said that, on perus-
ing the communication, which was badly written, he said
to a high personage, " What do you think ? a chop
society in England has enrolled me as a brother and an
honorary member—good."