The Sun.
London, England, 1841-04-22 00:00:00

FOREIGN RAILROADS.

RAILROAD BETWEEN PARIS AND THE BELGIAN
FRONTIER.—We quote the following from the De-
bats :—" The Government, we are informed, has re-
ceived proposals from eminent capitalists, experienced in
railroad undertakings, for commencing immediately the
line to the Belgian frontier. They are said to have
offered to undertake the line as far as Pontoise, en-
gaging not to issue shares till alter the expiration of
twelve months, in order not to interfere with the Mi-
nister of Finance in his negotiations for the intended
loan. For the time being they would not undertake
to carry the line beyond Pontoise, but would come to
a determination early next Session ; and in case they
refuse to continue the road, the Government
would have the right reserved to purchase all their
works at cost price whenever it might please, either
on its own account, or that of another Company.
During the last conferences on this subject there is
said to have been a serious discussion upon the eligibi-
lity of substituting a line to Creil for that to Pontoise.
This would double the distance and make nearly one-
fourth of the whole line between Paris and Lille. The
completion of this project, which is evidently advanta-
geous to the State and the country, is worthy of all the
solicitude of the Ministry and the consideration of the
Chambers. It would be a good close to a session,
which has turned to profit the doctrines of peace and
order, to vote in favour of a vast work of pacification,
tending to cement the union between France and Bel-
gium, and strengthen our position in regard to the rest
of Europe. It is, moreover, evident from the unani-
mous desire of the Cnamber and the country to see
France come to a positive decision on the question of
railroads, that the presentation of a Bill on this subject
should not be delayed till the end of the present session."
RAILROADS IN GERMANY.—" We are assured,"
says the Baden Gazette, " that the King of Wurtem-
berg has given his assent to the formation of a railroad
from Heilbronn to Friedrichshaten by Ulns, and that
the works will be immediately commenced."
RAILROADS IN ITALY.—A Leghorn letter mentions
that the Tuscan Government has authorised the forma-
tion of a railroad from that city to Florence, passing by
Pisa. The works are to be commenced between Leg-
horn and Pis i. We learn from Venice that the long
bridge which is to be constructed across the Lagunes,
from the continent to the city, for the passage of the
Milan railroad, will shortly be commenced. This
gigantic construction, which will cost 4,850,000 lire (or
3,671,400 francs), is to acne as an aqueduct at the
same time, and by this means Venice will be furnished
with a constant supply of fresh water.

ART UNION OF LONDON.-A very numerous
meeting of the members of this society was held on Tuesday,
at Willis's Rooms, St. James's, when his Ro) al Highness
the Duke of Cambi idge took the Chair, and was sup-
ported by the Marquiss of Northampton. Sir M. A. Shoe,
Sir John 5%., inburt,e, Mr. Tooke, Mr. \%ilks, Mr. Ewart,

Mr. 13. Bond Cabbell, &c. An able and eloquent report
from the Committee was read, from which it appeared that
this Society (established in 1837, to diffuse a love of the
fine arts) has progressively increased from that time to
the present. The amount of subscriptions, which, in the
last )ear was only 2,4441., was this year increased to
5,610/. After payments of the expenses of management,
a sum of 3.6501. remained to be awarded as prizes, and
about 1,300/. for the production of an engraving, of
which every member will receive an impres.iion.• The
3,b,;0/. were divided by the Committee into 133 prizes
of varh,us amount!, which were accordingly drawn
for in the manner of a lottery, the plan adopted
being well arranged to maintain an interest in the pro-
ceedings. Amongst the fortunate members were Mr.
George Fry, of Greenwich, who drew the 300/. prize;
Mr. 'l'. D. night, of Doctors'-co nimoornds, 200/. ;Mr. W.
R. Stanton, of Hulbeach, 1001. ; L Colbor3o/. ,
the Hon. Cecil Curzon, 30/. ; Mr. \Vilks, 20/. &c. In
the course of the business it was announced that die
Duke of Cambridge had consented to become the presi-
dent of the society. In a brief address, his Royal High-
ness expressed the pleasure he felt in presiding at the
society's annual meeting, and his conviction that the Art
Union would be productive of vary great benefit to British
art and British artists. He was the more interested in the
welfare of the society, from having been himself, about
seven years ago, one of the founders of a similar institution
at Hanover, which was conducted on the same principles
as the Art Union, and was now in a most flourishing con-
dition. In the third year of that society's existence, his
Royal Highness had had the pleasure of drawing the
highest prize. The reception of the Report was mover
in an animated speech by the Marquess of Northampton;
1 and the resolution, which was seconded by Mr. Alderman
Wilson, was carried unanimously. After the re-election
of the Committee and other routine business, the meeting
adjourned.
WEEPING WILLOW.—There seems to be a
difference between the gronth of the weeping willow
in England and in most parts of the Continent. In Eng-
land the summer does not seem regularly hot enough
to develop the full length of its gracefully pendent
twigs, which, though they weep always more or less,
do not generally bang with that perfect loose Less
and perpendicularity that distinguish the tree when in
perfection. In an English autumn, too, the leaves turn
yellow before the natural time of decay; the extremities
of the twigs, not being ripened, wither, and the leavour
es
are blown, or it may be said, whipped off them,
storms, long before they would otherwise drop off. But
by
e% en in Germany the weeping willow attains its perfectly
drooping character, and the leaves remain on till the frost
comes, tong after those of the native deciduous trees are
withered.
During the late terrific gales in the Atlantic, a
seaman in the American packet-ship Philadelphia had the
misfortune to fall from the rigging and break. both his
th,gli bones, one of which wasclose to the hip, and a coin-
pound fracture. To the credit of lice attentive commander,
Captain E. E. Morgan (the sea at the time rolling moun-
tains high, and the vesrel having been Lebow ing in a
hurricane for several days), lie had the huinanity
to do his best to save the unfortunate mariner. He
at once took upon
himself the office of surgeon in
promptly reducing the bones of bolt legs. 'File seaman
did very well; amid, incredible as it may oppear, a cure
was effected. On the :hip's art ival in London, the suf-
ferer was conveyed to an hospital,
and was told be was
going on well. The worthy captain, not being content
with this, took him to Guy's. On the bandages being re-
moved, the consulting surgeons declared that any student
leaving the hospital with the credit of the skilful ti eat-
went exhibited in tbis case might consider himself well
eitablisbed in big profeieloil,

MORNING EDITION. s 15 N
.) --7 _> N 4
HAMLET'S BANKRUPTCY .:.-./.i4'.!;?,;' ',,,'..?,, •1 T.
Tuesday morning a special meeting of the cr ,aitrO)*;.;-''‘',4,l7l'‘c..-4! ..
under this fiat took place before Mr. Comtrii o..ree-;:-, ,(i7f 1 71f;ci.::: 4
Erans, at the Bankruptcy Court, when Messr '' os-- * ry,,..,7
and Loxley, solicitors to the assignees, attended, wit. 4•.;;;. .7::
Mr. Cockburn, the barrister, for the purpose of e ,
mining witnesses as to the execution of a trust-dVecisTAASACIK
and the proceedings connected with the same, given by
the bankrupt in 1834.
Mr. He ?dFREY attended as Counsel for the trustees.
The circumstances were that, in the year 1834, the
bankrupt being in great difficulty, he executed an as-
signment in trust of all his debts, securities, -stock
in trade, and freehold and leasehold estates, to John
Linnott, of 9, Cursitor-street, Chancery•lane, gold-
smith ; William Taylor Abut, of St. James's-street,
Clerkenweli, refiner ; John Gibbons, of King-street,
Cletkenwell, silversmith ; and William Elliott, of
Compton-street, silversmith ; for the benefit of them-
selves and other creditors, whose names were signed to
the deed, and who thereby agreed, in consideration
of such assignment, to receive the amounts of their
respective debts by equal instalments, payable at 12,
16, and 24 months. Amongst'the property so assigned
were the bankrupt's premises in Princes-street, sub-
ject to a mortgage of 3,200/. to George Samuel Ford,
an attorney ; all the interest of the Honourable
Robert King in the " lordships, castles, dismantled
abbeys, advowsons, tithes, lands, &c.," in the county
of Roscommon atter the death of his father, the
Right Hon. Lord Lorton, assigned to Hamlet, by
way of mortgage ; and two bonds of the Right Hon.
George Hamilton Chichester, Earl of Belfast, for securing
the repayment of 23,059/., and 11,2511. 13s. There
was also included in the deed a debt of 6,000/., due
from the estate of the late Duke of York ; another of
12,2461., due from Sir George Bowyer, Bart.; and a
third of 10,000/. due upon the joint and several bonds
of John Lindsey Crawford and Robert Lindsey Craw-.
ford. In addition to these securities so assigned, there

were ten shares in the Kensington Canal Company, and
all Mr. Hamlet's valuable books and paintings.
Mr. COCKBURN, on the part of the assignees, de-
manded from the trustees an account of their collec-
tions and payments under the trust-deed. They were
bound by that deed to keep proper accounts, and ought
to be in a situation to show them. It was but fair to
presume the.t, as the whole of the debts then due were
to be paid within the two years, that the trusts had been
duly executed, and that the trustees could not now c'a'm
any interlerenze with the bankrupt's estates.
No account was produced ; and
Mr. HUMFREY said that some of the assigned pro-
perty had hcen mortgaged by the trustees, who had in-
curred certain liabilities, which were not yet satisfied.
An examination of the trustees as to the perform-
ance of the. trusts was about to take place, when
Mr. IlumraEr,. on their part, undertook to furnish
the assignees with a copy of all bills and other ac-
counts and transactions in which they had been en-
gaged, within a fortnight, which was accepted by Mr.
Cockburn for the assignees, and put an end to toe in-
vestigwion.

THE CANTERBURY OUTRAGE.
(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)
CANTERBURY, WEDNESDAY MORNlNG.—General
Sleigh has come here before he was expected, to inspect
the soldiers about to leave for foreign szrvice. He has
had an interview with the Mayor, procured a copy of
the depositions, and afterwards examined Mr. Cle-
ments, the superintendent, and other members of the
police force.
The General has been pleased to express himself per-
fectly satisfied that the Mayor and Magistrates have
acted very fairly, and even with indulgence, towards the
parties, it being said that General Sleigh has sifted out
of the police circumstances of aggravation that were
not gone into at the examination at the Guildhall.
When the officers were liberated they adjourned to
the Prince of Orange and treated the men to drink.
sang songs, and, as it is alleged, jumped " Jim Crow,"
damaged and broke the tables, chairs, and glasses ; and
eventually some of the privates got fighting together.
A bill of between 61. and 71. was incurred, and the
next day a civilian called and discharged it.
General Sleigh has offered the fullest investigation
that the Mayor may desire respecting the assault com-
mitted on him on Saturday, and the insult which was
then offered hint at the Barracks ; and he has also ex-
pressed his readiness, if it be requested, to bring for-
ward singly every man that was out upon leave on the
night of the disturbance, with the view of the guilty
parties being identified.
The Mayor has assured the General that he has
not the least desire to act with unnecessary severity in
the matter ; and now that the excitement which the af-
fair created is subsiding, the civil authorities are co-
operating with General Sleigh in the praiseworthy en-
deavour of estiihlishing a friendly feeling between the
military and the civilians and police.
[ls the Mayor of Canterbury a Quaker ? The po-
licemen were assaulted, the Station-house was forced,
and the Mayor himself disgracefully pushed out of the
the Barrack-yard at the point of the bayonet, and yet
it appears :rotn the communication of our Corre-
spondent that all these insults and outrages arc to be
hushed up.]