The Sun.
London, England, 1841-12-17 00:00:00

No. 3, \Vim:better Buildings, Dee. 9, 1541.
TEST INDIA STEAM PACKETS
The DIRECTORS of the ROYAL MAIL STEAM
PACKET COMPANY hereby give Notice, That, in order
to be prepared for the Distribution of the Mails of the Ist Ja-
nuary, the fallowing Steamers will leave Southampton for their
respective Stations as follow :

The FORTH, on Thursday, the 16th instant, at One r.st.,
for' Havana, calling at Nassau, procegd to New Orleans, Tam-
pico, and Vera Cruz, and thence return to Havana.
The SOLWAY, on Saturday, the 115th instant, at One r. m. ,
fur Barbadoes, proceed to St. Lucia, Martinique, Dominica,
Guadaloupe, Antigua, Montserrat, Nevis, St. Kitts, Tortola,
St. Thomas, St. Juan's, Porto Rico, Grand Key, Turk's
Island, Hayti. St. Jago de Cuba, 13..,1ize, and thence to Havana.
The TWEED, on Saturday, the 18th instant, at One P.M.,
for Barbadoes, proceed to St. Vincent's, Grenada, Trinidad,
La Guayra, Porto Cabello, Curacoa, Santa Martha, Cartha-
gena, and thence to Jamaica.
The CLYDE, on Saturday, the 18th instant, at One P.m.,
calling at Madeira, and proceed direct to Surinam and Deme-
rara, calling off Berbice, thence to Barbadoes, call at Tobago,
and from Barbadoes to Grenada.
Two other Steamers will be dispatched on or before the 25th
of the month, and timely notice will be given of their route.
From and after the Ist January Steamers will be regularly
dispatched with the Mails, at intervals of fifteen days.
Applications for Berths to be made at the Offices of the Com-
pany, No. 3, Winchester Buildings, Old Broad street.

LLO Y LYS SHIPPING
VESSELS SPOKEN Wint.—The Charles Eyes, Liver-
pool to Ceylon, 11th Oct., lat. 22 S., lon. 27 W. ; George
Washington, Liverpool to New York, with foremast
sprung, 10th inst., lon. 14, by the Magnet, arrived at
Liverpool Lady Flora, London to Madras, 28th Oct.,
lat. 4 N., lon. 21 W. ; Woolsington, London to Ceylon,
30th Oct., lat. 7, lon. 32 ; Godiacus, Hamburgh to St.
Thomas, 19th ult., lat. 23, lon. 37, by the Aimwell, ar-
rived at Liverpool. Albana, Malaga to New York, 23d
pool
tOorevg
sairinia
(brig), lat.
28th, t
43,7: lon.
50, 59; Madison, Liver-
arrived in the Clyde, ion. by the Acadian,

GRAND REFORM FESTIVAL.
[FROM A CORRESPONDENT.]
STOKE-UPON-TRENT, WEDNESDAY.--Tbis afternoon
a public dinner was given at Burslem, at the Bedford
Arms Inn, in honour of Mr. Ricardo, the Liberal
Member for the borough. Richard Heathcote, Esq.,
formerly Member, and proposer of Mr. Ricardo, was in
the Chair, supported by J. A. Wyse, C. J. Mason,
John Ridgway, William Harding (Coroner), Esc's., and
a great number of respectable householders.
About 200 were accommodated in the chief apart-
ment, and 700 in others who joined the former after the
cloth was removed. The apartment in which this ma-
nifestation of Liberal -principles was made, was hung
with drapery, and large festoons of ivy and laurel, with
a profusion of rosettes of the colours used by the Libe-
rals. The tables were well supplied with venison, game,
&c., from the parks at Trentham, the preserves of Ape-
dale, Whitmore, Clayton, and Fenton, the farms at
Longton. Hanley, Shelton, and the Grange. The ad-
joiningkindly rots etso b
, lately occupied ofcocrutphe iedg theebnytlem ento
Bank,ass emweb7e
in, prior to entering the apartment for the banquet.
The desert had been collected from the numerous con-
servatories of the Liberals in the district ; the wines
were of the most choice excellence. Burslem never
witnessed before such an assemblage of real talent and
high respectability.

-Many. speeches suitable to the occasion were made,
and the Company did not, break up till a late hour.

NOBLE CONDUCT OF A PORTLAND MAN.
—On the morning of the loss of the brig Amyntas
on Portland Beach, a party of Portland men were
anxiously awaiting the unfortunate vessel coming on
shore, and all equally desirous of assisting in saving
the lives of the crew. Shortly, after she struck these
brave fellows were to be seen in the midst of the
foaming surf (trusting only to a rope fastened round
the waist, which was held by their companions) throw-
ing ropes on board for the •crew to secure themselves ;
the ship was at this moment struck by a tremendous
sea, so violently that the foremast (on which six of
the crew had sought safety) was carried away,
and broken in three places, and the whole were pre-
cipitated into the midst of the surf. One loud shriek
was heard from those who witnessed this awful sight.
All were on the look-out to offer assistance and to save
life ; and, in an instant, J. llansford, a Portlander,
rushed into the surf and was buried amongst the
white foam. After the receding of the waves he was seen
struggling with a man in each hand, and, although he
was unable to keep upon his legs, he firmly kept his
hold of them, and was by his brave companions
hauled up the beach, bringing with him the two poor
fellows, who with Hansford were With difficulty re-
stored. Such scenes redound to the credit of
these brave islanders. The whole of the cargo
of this vessel, consisting. of timber, belonging to
Mr. Cornish, builder, of Exeter, has been, under the
able direction and superintendence of' Mr. G. Arden,
agent to Lloyd's, safely got out. The bodies of the
master, Hallett, who has left a widow, and two chil-
dren, and John Harris, cook, were picked up on
Wednesday last, off Fleet. On Monday the leg of
a youth was found on the beach, having been by the
violence of the sea torn from the body ; it is sup-
posed to be that of Robert llarris, the other sufferer.
ORIGIN OF COPYRIGHT, AND THE FIRST
LITERARY PIRACY.—The first appearance of any thing
in the shape of a legal security granted to authors for
their productions. is referred, by Mr. D'lsraeli, to the
reign of Queen Elizabeth. No book was allowed to be
published without the permission of the licensers of the
press, who were instructed, for the better protection of
not, however, appear to have had the
bl ieteeiita.ry
Ipirtoispdereetys, to give only one licence for the same
effect,dweisthirebdy
booksellerssineethese persons were easily tampered
of those days, to furnish half-a-
dozen authorities to different persons for the same work.
the
In Queen Anne's reign, the office of licenser of the press
was done away with, and literature received a more de-
finite and decided protection ; a limited term was granted
to every author to reap the fruit of his labour ; after
which a man's right in his own work ceased altogether.
This has been the case ever since.