The Sun.
London, England, 1849-09-06 00:00:00

KIDDERMINSTER ELECTION.

KIDDERMINSTER, WEDNESDAY.—The polling to-day
has been close. The returns at half-past three o'clock,
when the constituency was pretty nearly polled out,
were—
Gisborne ~. ... ... ... 199

Majority 12
Mr. Best's seat may be considered as secured.
(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)
BIRMINGHAM, WEDNESDAY NIGHT.—At the close of
the poll Mr. Best, the Conservative candidate, was re-
turned by a majority of 17.
This is about the average of the majority obtained by
the late Mr. Godson.
The borough was perfectly quiet.

THE MAIZE CROP IN THE PARK.—About two
months back we mentioned that an experiment had been
made in St. James's-park, by permission of the Com-
missioners of Woods and Forests, in order to ascertain
whether the maize plant might be successfully culti-
vated in this country. We are now enabled to announce
the result. It is right to premise that the experiment
was made under disadvantages which must be manifest
to every practical agriculturist. The spot in which the
seed was put down abutted on a nursery of young trees
and flowering shrubs which, as is well known, absorbs a
large proportion of the nutritive sap of the soil, whilst
the foliage deprives the neighbouring plants of the be
nefit of heat, light, and air, all of which contribute to
healthy vegetation. Notwithstanding these drawbacks
the little maize crop has fully realised all that was anti-
cipated. It was sown the latter end of May, and now
iz the beginning of September it is ripe for cutting. The
appearance of the plant is peculiarly graceful, far more
so, indeed, than that of any ordinary corn field. The
stems, which run up perfectly straight, are generally
from four to five feet high, and are much thicker than the
large wheat straw. They throw out, from the root up-
wards a succession of flag-like leaves, the stem termi-
nating in a little tuft, from which spring the ears of
corn, somewhat irregularly clustered; and, in this in-
stance, apparently not heavily laden. However, from
the concurrent opinion of several practical agriculturists.
many of whom have taken a lively interest in the expe-
riment, it seems not unlikely that the maize plant will
be very generally sown henceforward. Its main recom-
mendations are—cheapness of seed, rapid growth, sim-
plicity of cultivation, and comparatively large produc-
tion. One important fact, however, must not be lost
sight of by those who may feel disposed to speculate in
maize sowing. It requires a sunny aspect and a warm
soil. Amongst those who are about to experimentalize
upon a large scale next year, are his Royal Highness
Prince Albert, who proposes sowing a piece of land at
Flemish Farm; his Grace the Dake of Richmond, at
Goodwood; and the Duke of Norfolk, at Arundel.
YEARS.—Neither rouge, artificial ringlets, nor all
the resources of the toilet, can retard the relentless pro-
gress of that terrible foe to beauty, Time. But every
one must have noticed how lightly his hand rests upon
some, how heavily upon others. Whenever you see in
an old person, a smooth unwrinkled forehead, a clear
eye, and a pleasing cheerful expression, be sure her life
has been passed in that comparative tranquillity of mind,
which depends less upon outward vicissitudes than in-
ternal peace of mind. A good conscience is the greatest
preservative of beauty. Whenever you see pinched-up
features, full of lines, and thin curling lips, you may
judge of petty passions, envy, and ambition, which have
worn out their owner. High and noble thoughts leaveof
behind them noble and beautiful traces; meanness
thought and selfishness of feeling league with time to
unite age and ugliness together. Fresh air, pure simplerd
food, and exercise, mental and bodily, with an elevated
ambition, will confer on the greatest ag
beauty, in which youth is deficient..appearance and Theree aardcgmnilevaafineeld
men and women, at sixty, younger in nger ,
feeling than others at forty.—
Eliza cook s Journal.
BELGIAN PRODUCE.—Some
rather extensive
as a im-
portationspor-
timefrom eafbrliovaed.pleAntsveasrseeltaakricga
rivedplfcreomat the
Ghent
teshenast
e3rl
cbAarsskoe, t
the andp übcoe Noe(s
Bo
ef
ue
mp.l a ra 6s,
btiroone go
fhht

Governor Mac Donnell accompanied the expedition
as a subordinate officer, receiving the pay and allow-
ances of a captain, and taking the nominal command
of the Gambia militia. In this capacity he was pre-
sent at the attack on Koondung. He was posted with
the militia at some distance from the town, and out
of the range of native musketry, under shelter of a
cluster of very large trees. While here he was ob-
served to divest himself of his epaulettes, and was
heard to tell the men under his command to take care
of themselves and keep out of danger!
A wag here observed that the epaulettes must have
been of a very peculiar description, when the broad
shoulders and gigantic frame of Captain Mac Donnell
were not sufficiently powerful to support their weight.
He observed that all the other officers were exposed
to the fire of the enemy without being sheltered by
trees, and he concluded, that although they were of
smaller stature, they must really be much stronger
men than Captain and Governor Mac Donnell, from
the simple fact that they were all able to carry their
epaulettes on their shoulders; but, on the other hand,
he was soon convinced of their hardness of heart by
their not ordering their men either to " keep out of
danger," or "to take care of themselves." Ah ! the
unfeeling fellows.
I must not omit to tell you that Lieut. Degrigny,
a militia officer of known bravery, seeing his com-
manding officer doff the epaulettes, and feeling it
would be no distinction or honour to be mistaken for
Captain and Governor Mac Donnell, very wisely
followed the example set him by his superior, and put
his epaulettes aside also! By these means it would
have been difficult to distinguish the Captain and
Governor from one of the privates of the Royal
Gambia Militia.
During the retreat from Koondung, for as such it
must be designated, as our forces did not take that
place, the natives followed the expedition for several
miles, firing upon it from time to time without doing
any injury from the too great distance at which they
were. It was during the retreat that Captain
Mac Donnell was observed to dismount and walk
with the militiamen. This apparently strange pro- ,
ceeding excited considerable attention at the time,
and afforded room for our facetious friend to remark,
that, although at Koondung the epaulettes were too
heavy for the Gallant Captain, the Gallant Captain
found himself when returning homewards too heavy
for the horse, and, therefore, suddenly became a
pedestrian. "A. fellow feeling makes us wondrous
kind."

In corroboration of the statements regarding the
epaulettes and the horse, I beg to refer you to all
the officers and men of the 2d and 3d West India
Regiments, to the militia officers and their men, to
the old pensioners, and all other persons present at
Koondung on the occasion of the recent attack on
that place.
If all British officers who go into action found
their epaulettes " too heavy," and their horses " too
weak," what would become of our gallant soldiers and
brave defenders throughout the world ? Fortu-
nately, there are very few Captains Mac Donnell
among them.—l am, Sir, &c.,

Bathurst, Gambia, June 10, 1849,

JUSTICE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,—You should make the river a leading article,
by having a Title in Capitals—" Contamination of the
Thames"—beneath which all communications may be
put.
Yesterday evening, in the neighbourhood of London-
bridge, the stench was worse than I ever perceived it
(and I have had some experience); under cover of
flushing sewers, doubtless, the refuse of gas and other
matter are let into the river—and that any supply of
water should be drawn from such a contaminated
source is at this time monstrous. _ _ _

Yesterday two men were taken off a boat with
a severe attack of cholera.—Your constant reader,
Sept. 6, 1849. C.

,
ACCIDENT AT MESsits. Cußle es
TT
'sStAnalte rnslurr Hospital
Lrl. An
inquest was held last night, at the
before Mr. Langham, the Deputy C. oronor, on the body
late
of Thomas Mead, aged 52, an engineer, in the em-
ploy of Messrs. Cubitt, who was killed under the follow-
ing frightful circumstances :—On Monday morning the
deceased was engaged at the saw-mills, Thames-bank,
and, whilst putting a strap round the driving-shaft of a
steam-engine which was in motion, he accidently slipped
on one side, and in a moment his arm, which caught in
the machinery, was completely torn from the socket.
Besides this, the unfortunate man fell backwards, and
sustained a compound fracture of the left leg. He was
taken to the hospital almost immediately, and an ampu-
tation of the shoulder joint was performed ; but,
although he remained perfectly sensible, he never rallied,
and died the same day. Verdict, " Accidental Death."
ROBBERY OF LETTERS AT MERTHYR TYDFIL
POST OFFICE.—The magistrates of this borough have
recently been engaged in investigating a wholesale sys-
tem of robbery which appears to have been going on for
some time past at the post-office, connected with the dis-
trict. An indiscriminate plunder of money and other
letters seems to have .been practised, and some idea may
be formed of the extent the atrocious system was carried
when it is stated that nearly 1,000 letters, a great num-
ber of which had been opened and their contents—
money and other valuable property—abstracted, were
found in the possession of the party supposed to be im-
plicated in the robberies. The non-delivery of a letter
which contained some 51. Brecon bank-notes led to an
inquiry being instituted by the authorities at the Ge-
neral Post-office, London. Mr. Ramsey, one of the
inspectors, was sent down, and the result of the inge"l..
gation was that a lad named Thomas Thomas, who was
employed to carry the letter-bag from
MIS fully
post-office at Do,lais, a neighbouring town,tbisto to the
committed for trial on several char:
n the
jessa- ofm robbery.
oRB
A CENTENARIAN AND Saov.s.touri%,
Southwalk, in the
union workhouse of St. 1
heart of one of the most unhealthy districts in the me-
tropolis, where vast numbers are daily carried off by the
cholera, there is now living an oldwidow,named Foster,
who attained her 107th year on the Ist of January last,
having been born in the parish of Godalming on New
Year's-day, 1742. The ancient dame was thrice mar-
ried, and gave birth to eleven children. Her husbands
and children have all been called to their last account,
and she is the sole survivor of the family. Notwith-
standing her great age, her hearing is but slightly im-
paired, and she regularly attends divine worship at St.
Mary:B Church, in the Waterloo-road, every Sunday
morning. For the information of the curious, and iu
confirmation of this stattment, we may add that an
attested copy of Mrs. Fostet's certificate of birth is in
the possession of Mr. Valentine Roberts, one of the
beadles of Lambeth.
UNE VE':UVIENNE.—An Irishman, after expatiating
very warmly upon the temper and beauty of Lola
Mantes, was oskcd if; she didn't smoke ? "Yes, sir, she
does," he exclaimed, " and so does every volcano—per-
baps you'll show me the kvely craw that does'nt
smoke ?"—Punch.

Subscriptions may be sent to the following bankers:—
Messrs. Coutts and Co.
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***All further Post-office orders to be made payable toMurdo
Young, Esq., at the Money Order Office, Strand.

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Second Subscription of Working Jewellers' Work-
men
Few Chartists, per Samuel Boonham ... 0 3 0
Per K. L. J., Limerick, second remittance ... 018
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Penny Subscriptions by the Frequenters of the
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Subscriptions in behalf of the Hungarians, col-
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C. M. and T. ...
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Mr. George Crawshay
" For Freedom's Cause." A Subscription raised by
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Hungarians and Poles ;-
1 Mr. Atkinson, Huddersfield
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Mr. B. Conway, London... ...
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Mr. Evans, Glasgow
Mr. Robertson, Royal Hotel, Aberdeen
Mr. Macdonald, Isle of Skye ...
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Second Remittance from Edinburgh, per Lord
Dudley Stuart ... ••• .. 2:5 1 10
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Balance of subscription from Cardiff, per Mr.

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William Davies •••
A Few Friends assembled at the Crown Tavern,
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'MELANCHOLY DEATH.—On Tuesday an inquiry
was held before Mr. Lanham, at the Plough, Carey-
street, Lincoln's Inn-fields, on view of Mr. George Tytler,
aged 62, an artist of some repute, and the author of the
Pictorial Alphabet, as used by the Royal Family. It ap-
peared from the evidence of Mr. D. G. Laing, of Villiers-
street, Strand, and others, that the deceased had tra-
velled a goad deal, and was well known to the literati in
London and abroad. He had held the appointment of
draughtsman to the late Duke of Gloucester. From his
childhood he had exhibited much eccentricity of manner,
and he always abhorred the idea of any person entering
stratagem that his
rhoisomapwaratsmeevnetrs,calenadnsietd.wass
oomnelytimbye since he met with
shiniscehe had been in-
,dicha small back
abiadek4sr.oopmer,
appearance. Fur
t
da
opl
ee
he ut n
ai anrdy
was misfortunesvery
slovenlyoecr: ieps.n.ri
eh
ahtemlaos.tH3t2we:ocwylaseemaresint
nl e:ts
very l ha an
indigent circumstances, and
week.
about twelve months ago an appeal was made
to the profession and persons whom he had
known in his prosperity, by which means an
annuity of 201. per annum was rain d for his
sup-
port d
mr. Laingfur
h e
irne minstalments
i swee l i c hneheivraesceilvaest from
alive on Thursday last, and he then appeared in his
usual health. On Monday evening last a most dreadful
stench was experienced in the house by the l who
found it to proceed from the deceased's room. The
door was subsequently broken open, and the efiluvium
that escaped from the room was so great that the police-
constables and Mr. Lovet, the surgeon, were compelled
to return down stairs, and were afterwards attacked with
violent sickness. Mr. Levet obtained a quantity of
chloride of lime and returned again to the room. After
using the lime very freely he was enabled to enter the
room, and found the deceased lying by the side of the
bed, as if be had fallen from it by accident. The body
was most shockingly decomposed, and the deceased ap.-
peared to have been dead some days. The room, which
had never been cleansed since he had lived there, pre-
sented a most disgusting and filthy sight. It resembled
a dung-heap more than the habitation of a human being.
Mr. Walker, surgeoo, attributed death to apoplexy, and
the jury returned a verdict to that effect.
SANDWICH ISLANDS.—In the Polynesian, of May
26, it is stated that a new volcanic eruption upon the
summit of Mauna Loa was witnessed on the 15th of
may: A. bright pillar shot up several hundred feet,
glowing with light from the fires beneath. Old Killanea
was also in vehement action, its rapid and terrific explo-
sions being heard at s< distance of test or fef;ten miles.