The Sun.
London, England, 1847-09-13 00:00:00

THE LATE FAILURES.

Much excitement was occasioned on Saturday
morning by the announcement of the failure of
Gower, Nephews, and Co. The liabilities on bills
alone are alleged to amount to 600,0001., and it is
considered probable that the total commitments of the
firm will be found to reach 800,0001. For two years
past the position of the house has been from tinie to
time a subject of inquiry, and this in so many quarters
as to lead irresistibly to the conclusion that nothing
but the circumstance of one of the partners being a
bank director could have kept it in a degree of credit
up to this period sufficient to render possible the wide
and *rushing consequences which must now be sus-
tained. The standing of Mr. A. L. Gower in the
bank direction was such as to bring him very nearly
in rotation for the office of deputy-governor, and he
was one of those passed over, or by whom the office
was declined, on the recent occasion of the vacancy
caused by the failure of Mr. Robinson. In addition
to the post of bank director, we believe he also held
that of governor of the Mines Royal Copper Company.
The immediate causes of the present suspension are
said to have consisted in the failure of Gemmell and
Co., of Glasgow, and of some of the other houses
which have recently been reported ; but it is appre-
hended that the real difficulties of the firm will be
found of much more distant date, and that its liqui-
dation will expose a long existing state of unsound-
ness. Railway speculations—the source whence the
public are destined to find the solution to a deplorable
succession of misfortunes yet to come—have operated,
it is expected, in this instance to no small extent;
and although in some transactions, such as those con-
nected with the Dutch Rhenish and Canadian Com-
panies, which do not occupy a very favourable place
in the recollection of the community, the partners in
the firm are understood to have made large profits by
the peculiar mode which was adopted of introducing
the shares upon the market, there is every reason to
believe that on the whole the losses sustained by them
have been extensive.

Consequent upon the failure of Gower, Nephews,
we have that of Alison, Cumberlege, and Co., a
smaller firm, in the South American trade, with
which they were connected. About a month back
Mr. Alison sailed for Valparaiso, and as Mr. Cumber-
lege is already resident there, he junior partner, a
Mr. Gower, is the only representative of the house
now in London. The liabilities in this case have not
been stated.—Times.

VAUXHALL GARDENS.
TESTIMONIAL TO MR. WARDELL.

On Saturday evening the artists of this establish-
ment presented a handsome and valuable tea service
of plate to Mr. Robert Wardell, under whose judicious
and spirited management this place of amusement has
been made a source of varied and agreeable recreation
to the public, as well as of profit to the proprietors.
The secret of this success was manifested in the
friendly feeling exhibited on this occasion between
the employer and the employed, arising from a just
appreciation of the rights of both parties, whose gains
are equitably divided between the fair profits of
capital and the just reward of talent and industry.
The mutual interest which the parties have, under
such circumstances, to co-operate towards one end is
the best guarantee for success. The gentlemen who
presented this memorial to Mr. Wardell stated it was
offered " as a mark of the high estimation in which
he is held by the various persons who have been con-
nected with the gardens, for his urbanity and gentle-
manly conduct to all connected with the establish-
ment, and as a mark of the admiration in which he is
held for his unremitting exertions in connexion
with the present season, under difficulties of no ordi-
nary kind."
Mr. WARDELL, in acknowledging the compliment
that had been paid, acknowledged the services which
had been rendered to him by the professional talent of
the establishment in every department, and the per-
fect unanimity with which they exerted themselves in
seconding his arrangements for the public amusement.
He concluded his observations by proposing the health
of Mr. Darby, who, he said, was the only person en-
gaged at the gardens whoever indulged "in a flare
up," and on that account was entitled to that mark
of respect. He also stated that the gardens would be
placed at his disposal, for his benefit, on Thursday
next, and expressed a hope that it might prove some
compensation to him for the severe loss he had recently
sustained.

This sentiment of kindly feeling was received with
general approbation, and the evening was spent in
convivial harmony, the various artists contributing
their several powers in promotion of good fellowship
and recreation. The Arabs presented Mr. Wardell
with a gold chronometer, as a mark of respect, and in
appreciation of the honourable treatment they had re-
ceived at his bands.

MURDEROUS OUTRAGE.-011 Saturday morning
last, about half-past six o'clock, as the gamekeeper of
Mr. Frogley and his assistant were engaged in their
duty at West Horsley, Surrey, they came up with two
men who were poaching on the grounds, and who im-
mediately drew forth long knives similar to those used
by butchers, and stabbed the one in the breast and the
other in the loins. A description of the two fellows has
been printed and placarded, and a reward of 501. offered
by Mr. Frogley and another 501. by Mr. H. Currie,
51. P., to any person who shall give such information as
may lead to their conviction. One of them is about five
feet four inches in height, about thirty years old, pale,
with very little whiskers. The other is about five feet
five inches or six inches high, dark, with little whiskers,
about thirty years of age ; they were dressed like
countrymen. There is every reason to suppose the
miscreants would have murdered the keepers had they
not been afraid of alarming some farm labourers at
work at a short distance. No exertions will be spared
to bring these attempted murderers to justice.
SALE or THE COPYRIGHT OF THE POSTHUMOUS
WORKS OF DR. CHALMERS.—The religious public will
be equally surprised and gratified to learn that the late
Dr. Chalmers has left a large quantity of unpublished
manuscripts, among which is a Commentary on the
Scriptures, as far as the book of Jeremiah. The com-
mentary, we understand, differs in its plan from the
commentaries of Poole, Henry, Scott, and Clarke, and
is written in a manner which is sure to render it popular
among all classes of evangelical Christians. Among the
manuscripts fully written out, and in a fit state for publi-
cation, are also the series of lectures which be, as Pro-
fessor of Divinity in the University of Edinburgh, ad-
dressed to the students whose theological education was
committed to his care. These lectures are understood to
be singularly original and brilliant. There have likewise
been found, among the correspondence which Dr. Chal-
mers carried on with nearly all the distinguished men of
the present century, a number of letters of a deeply in-__
teresting nature, sufficient to make, with a memoir of
himself, four large octavo volumes. The whole of the
Rev. Gentleman's manuscripts have been bought by Mr.
newTh Member
oma s Constable,
for
Edinburgh,
brot he
a;r in
the friend of Sir Walter Scott, and publisher of all his
works. Mr. Constable has given the enormous sum of
10,0001. for Dr. Chalmers's manuscripts—a sum, we be
Ids w
son
of 21
Arr. r .Constable, Cowan,t
he
lieve, much greater than was ever before given for the
posthumous works of an author. The largest amount
ever given, under similar circumstances, was 4,5001.,
ptoontdheenscoenLofoAbisie.r.t,er.
Wilberforce
f
WAKEFIELD CORN MARKET, FRIDAY.—We have
had a fair arrival of wheat and oats ; of other grain
wohrihchis r
"Life. Murraya nti C
gaver s
the supplies are trifling. New wheat comes to hand
Correspondence."—Observer.
r
slowly, and to-day the little that is here is taken freely
at full prices ; old is in good demand at an improvement
of 2s. per quarter. Oats are id. per stone higher, and
shelling in fair request at an advance of Is. to Is. Gd.
per load. New barley is much wanted. In beans and
other articles no material alteration.