The Sun.
London, England, 1847-11-02 00:00:00

MRS. TROLLOPE'S NEW NOVEL.
Just ready, in 3 vols., post Bvo.,
TOWN AND COUNTRY.
A NOVEL.
Ey MRS. TROLL^PE.
" No scandal about Queen Elizabeth, I hope."
Also, lately published, by the same Author,
1. Father Eustace, 3 vols. 2. The Three Cousins, 3 vols.
Henry Colburn, publisher, 13. Great Marlborough-street.

MORTGAGE.—WANTED, 2,0001. or 3,000/.
for Three or Five Years, at 5 per Cent., on a Freehold Farm
and Lands, of ample value, within Twenty miles of London.
Watson, Broughton and Son, 5, Falcon-square, City.

I'ADrS NEWSPAPER.-GIVEN AWAY !
, A A SPLENDID COLOURED SUPPLEMENT GRATIS, with
the LADY'S NEWSPAPER of SATURDAY, November 6. This
Supplement will comprise exquisite Designs by Mdlle. Riego de la
Branchardine, in Knitting, Crochet. Lacet, &c., &e. The LADY'S
NEWSPAPER will contain, in addition, the usual complete News of
the Week, Literature, Music, the Drama, Fiction, and Extracts in
History and Biography, Family Miscellanies, the Hair (newest mode
of Dressing), London and Paris Fashions, &c., &c., beautifully illus-
trated. Price Sixpence..
294, Strand. Sold by all Booksellers and Newsmen.

every day increases that loss. He had a right, too, to
be permitted to vindicate his character on the earliest
opportunity. He has been accused of negligence and
carelessness where the safety of his fellow-creatures
was at stake, of being actuated solely by the desire
of gain, and of setting aside and disregarding every
consideration that might in any manner interfere
with the amount of his profits. These are
weighty charges if well founded, and great
as the benefits unquestionably have been
which the public have derived from Mr. SMITH'S
speculation and enterprise, these advantages would
not be sufficient to free him from those grave imputa-
tions. We shall, however, see from the evidence that
has already been adduced how far they have been
warranted by the facts, and whether Mr. SMITH has
really been so much in fault, or his conduct been so
worthy of censure as has been asserted.
It appears that in the month of September, 1845,
Mr. SMITH, in conjunction with three other gentle-
men, formed a company, for the purpose of conveying
passengers on the river at a much cheaper rate, and
with greater expedition, than at that time or pre-
viously had existed. It should be borne in mind,
that at that period the lowest fare from Charing-cross
to the City was, by omnibus, 6d., and by steam-boat,
4d., that, in consequence of the crowded state of the
thoroughfares—to say nothing of the constant break-
ing up of the pavement, which frequently compelled
carriages to travel by circuitous routes—it was im-
possible to calculate on arriving at London-bridge
in less than half an hour. By the then existing river
conveyances it required from fifteen to twenty minutes
for the same purpose, two or three stoppages taking
place, which consumed much time. Mr. SMITH be-
lieved that by procuring vessels of a peculiar con-
struction the journey might be performed in from
five to six minutes, and that by the application of a
new patent, by which a considerable saving of fuel
would be effected, a charge of one penny to each
passenger would be sufficient to remunerate the pro-
prietors for their outlay. He accordingly had boats
made with both ends alike, which could be propelled
lin either direction with equal speed and safety; in
fact, each extremity would act either as stem or
stern. By this peculiarity the necessity of turning
in the river was wholly obviated, and a considerable
loss of time consequently avoided. These vessels
were fitted up with engines of a new construction,
being, as stated by Mr. SMITH in hi 3 evidence,
an application of WOLFE'S principle to oscillating
engines. They were found eminently to
answer the object intended ; the distance between
the company's pier at the Adelphi and London-
bridge was performed, without any stoppage on the
way, in five minutes when the tide was favourable,
and in seven or eight when against them. The
boats were crowded every journey, and many thou-
sands were every day borne on " the silent highway,"
and breathing the pure air of the river, in place of
enduring the heat, the bustle, and the delay that
would otherwise have been sustained. It is needless
to expatiate on the vast importance of such an accom-
modation. It was found that the punctuality of the
boats might be relied on, and consequently such num-
bers made use of them that the original low estimate
of one penny per passenger was proved to be far more
than was required to defray every expenditure, and
to leave a fair profit on the capital embarked in the
project. Had Mr. SMITH been an avaricious man,
greedy of gain, and anxious to obtain it by any
means, per fas ant nefas, he would at least have
retained the penny fares, or perhaps raised them when
he Lad established a character for his boats; but,
on the contrary, he made a still further re-
duction—he gave the public the benefit of
his enlarged profits, and when the experience of a
reasonable time convinced him that a halfpenny fare
would prove remunerative the price was reduced
thereto, and that without any great competition to
contend against, or any perceptible falling off in the
numbers who travelled by his boats.
Formerly it was the habit both by omnibuses
and on the river to charge at a higher rate
on Sundays, thus making the hard-working man,
who had been closely confined during the week,
pay exorbitantly for the privilege of breathing
a purer atmosphere on the Sabbath-day. Mr.
SMITH was the first who reversed this principle,
who conceived that prices ought to be lowered in
place of being raised, in consequence of the increased
traffic, and he therefore conveyed passengers on
Sundays at half price for some time before the
general redaction of his fares. Since that time other
companies have reduced their rate; and persons may
now be carried from London. bridge to Chelsea for
2d., and from Charing-cross to London-bridge by
omnibus for 3d. It appears to us that Mr. Smell
may fairly claim credit as the originator of the re-
forms that have given so great a saving to the public,
and that every person in the habit ofpassing regularly
from one end of the City to the other, is indebted to
his sagacity and enterprise for an annual saving of
several pounds. Mr. SMITH was not only cheap
himself, but the cause of cheapness in others.
But let us see whether this great cheapness was
owing to any undue parsimony either in the price
paid for the boats or in the wages of the men, or
whether there was really that negligence that could
justly be censured. The contract for the boat has
been before the public. The agreement to supply it
was entered into with a respectable engineer; the
price to be paid, 2,5501., was not in any manner be-
low the usual rate for similar boats, and Mr. JOYCE
undertook " to make, construct, finish the whole in
all respects ready to go to work upon her station, of
the very best quality, best of materials and workman-
ship, for the sum agreed on." Here, at least was no
undue economy, but every exertion was made to pro-
cure the best articles of the kind for the public. The
men engaged were, according to the evidence,:" su-
perior men, paid from 15 to 20 per cent. higher than
any on the, river." The stoker's wages were 1/. 9s.
per week, and CLARKE's, the engineer, 31. This
did not show a desire to adopt any petty or paltry
saving to endanger the public by intrusting them to
incompetent persons.
It now remains to be seen whether or not there
was a culpable negligence on the part of the pro-
prietors, and whether they acted as prudent
men, whose lives and properties were at stake. Mr.
SMITH travelled daily backyards and forwards by the
boats, and exercised his personal superintendence of
the mode in which they were managed. In his own
sworn statement, he says—" I have been constantly
on board, hoping by my presence to keep parties
steadily at their duty." This was certainly very far
from either being negligent or careless. If there was
danger to any, Mr. SMITH himself participated
therein to. the fullest extent. A minute-book
was kept for the entry , of complaints, and
reports from the captains or any of the crew which
was open to, and inspected by, all the proprietors."
Any passenger would have been attended to who had
stated anything objectionable, but none.of those who
came before the Coroner thought it necessary to
inform Mr. SMITH, or any of the parties connected
with the company; of what they had observed, until
after the accident had taken place. But it may be
said that the complaint against CLARKE was not pro-
perly investigated, and here comes the only part of
the transaction in which Mr. SMITH'S conduct was in
the least degree doubtful, or other than highly praise-
worthy, and of this we think a great deal too much
has been made.

CLARKE was a man who had received the highest
character. Mr. JOYCE thought him the best man in
his establishment, and had employed him for six or
eight months as superintendent over a number of
men. Mr. SMITH said—" I never saw any irregu-
larity in tying the valves, and never heard of it until
the quarrel between CLARKE and the stoker. I never
conceived that such a thing could have been done. It
was reported to me that the stoker had accused
CLARKE of tying the valves on one particular occa-
io elAd a
hex u,
sion. This was when the stoker was discharged. I
Iwielv'oerdee,nluielad
btleiat
uhieltydoidf ssuusucha
e h a
sthP°inlige t
; ie s
thing. The man who informed me had
had not the good
opinion of any one in the -
co•npany. I had great
confidence in CLARKE, and took his contradiction of tying the valves as a sufficient contradiction to the
stoker's assertion. I was satisfied with CLAata.E's
evidence, because he was the responsible
person
and being responsible, he had enemies among the
other men." Now this, which was fully corrobo-
rated by Mr. POLETTI, the superintendent, appears
an extremely reasonable view, and such as any
person would
be likely to take who heard a highly
improbable accusation preferred against a confidential

man by a person on whom he placed no reliance.
We, therefore, think that Mr. SMITH is exonerated
on this charge also ; and that, if the valves were ac-
tually tied, it was wholly without his knowledge, and
that he omitted no reasonable precaution.
We have thus gone through the principal points of
the evidence that was brought forward in this lament
able case. It certainly appears as if Mr. SMITH had
been hardly dealt with in the reproaches that were so
lavishly heaped upon him. We had not intended to
have alluded to the matter until after the trial of
HAISAIAN, but as that has been adjourned, we think
it only a matter of justice to notice those points to
which sufficient attention has not hitherto been paid.

We yesterday expressed our solicitude that on the
meeting of Parliament, on the 18th of the present
November, inquiries should be addressed to Viscount
MORPETH as to the intentions of her MAJESTY'S Go-
vernment respecting the introduction of some compre-
hensive measure of sanitary improvement. With all
the earnestness of our heart we would impress upon
the Legislators the necessity of some instantaneous
agitation within the walls of St. Stephen's upon this
most urgent and most important question. It is not
only policy which demands an immediate innovation
in this particular. Humanity, decency, religion,
reason, generosity, economy, and prudence, all cry
aloud for the more active employment of the Sanitary
Commissioners. Upon the course adopted by the House
of Commons depends, in a very great measure, the
extent of mortality throughout the country during the
ensuing twelve months. Life and death are in the
hands of the popular representatives. And, but that
other extraordinary matters require the vigilance
and activity of the advisers of the SOVEREIGN, they
would become answerable for the demise of many
hundreds of the population, supposing precautions
were postponed through any wanton indolence on the
part of the Cabinet. Most cordially and most ex-
plicitly we exonerate the present Administration
from a wilful indifference to the health and salvation
of the multitude. The embarrassments in the money
market, arising from the erroneous system of currency
established by the late Prime Minister, would be of
themselves a sufficient apology for the delays which have
already prevented the adoption of a comprehensive
scheme of sanitary amelioration. The complication
of foreign affairs, arising from the retrograde princi-
ples of Lours PHILIPPE, and the execrable absolutism
of Austria, is another reason for the procrastination
of the Government in regard to the internal welfare
of the United Kingdom. Ireland, the education
question, the project of a wholesale revision of the
criminal code, the imperative wants of our colonists in
different quarters of the two hemispheres, all require
the especial and speedy interposition of the
Legislature. There are a multiciplicity of excuses
for this postponement—excuses enough to silence
the surliest curmudgeons among the Opposition and
to save the Cabinet of Lord JOHN RUSSELL from being
aspersed as a Do-nothing Cabinet. So conscious are
we of the variety of the labours already chalked out
for the Executive, and so convinced are we of the
patriotic industry of the Premier and his colleagues,
that our chief solicitude as a journalist would be to
abstain from any superfluous demand upon their per-
severance. It were madness indeed to expect that
the difficulties of Government could be conquered
like a game of backgammon.
Ready as we are, however, to exonerate her M
JEST Y'S advisers from any unnecessary procre sti nation,
we must distinctly assert, that if any reform should
be allowed the precedence among those social and
political reforms which are expected from a Liberal
Administration, it is that reform which, by diffusing
sanitary improvements throughout these islands, will
diminish the mortality, increase the salubrity, and
enlarge the happiness of the United Kingdoms. If it
be maintained that the innovation is one of a nature
so vast and complicated as to require more prudence
and preparation than would be compatible with its
immediate introduction to Parliament, we would
observe, that there are a thousand temporary expe-
dients which might be adopted pending the prepara-
tion of the measure itself, and which expedients would
at once effect a visible advantage to the community.
We would by no means enforce our importunities
to the Legislature by merely general assertions of
this character. We would speak to the point, not
arming ourselves with any of the quibbles of circum-
locution. We would enumerate some of those pre-
cautionary expedients which we conceive it to he
the bounden duty of the Government to take, prior to
the revival of the Bill of the Chief Commissioner of
Woods and Forests. That this duty does actually
exist, and that its non-performance entails a terrible
responsibility upon our rulers, would be shown by
the Registrar-General's report on the health and
mortality in 117 districts of England during the last
quarter, if it were shown by nothing else. These re-
turns are published by ourselves in another column,
and they disclose such an increase in the general
mortality of Great Britain as to present an
alarming aspect when coupled with the
progressive advances westward of the Asiatic
Cholera. According to the statement of the Registrar..
General, the deaths during the summer season of
1847 have exceeded the average proportion by 7,007.
This is proved by the comparison of the actual
number of deaths which have taken place during that
quarter, namely, 49,479, with the average number
deduced from the average of 1838-46. In London
especially—a district comprising Lewisham and
Hampstead—the contrast is remarkable ; for, while in
the September quarter of 1845, 10,987 deaths were
registered, in that of 1846 there were 12,601, and in
that of 1847, there are 13,187. To illustrate this in
crease he continues :

" The deaths in the summer quarters of the three
years from small-pox were 76, 51, and 320; measles,
688, 78, and 521 ; scarlatina, 194, 208, and 316;
diarrhoea, 449, 1,549, and 1,196 ; cholera, 26,197, and
98 ; dysentery, 43, 75, and 143 ; remittent fever, 8,
12, 23; typhus, 273, 403, and 395 ; erysipelas, 56,
92, and 126 ; the zymotic class of diseases generally,
2,409, 3,234, and 4,061%
Nor does the Registrar-General content himself
with the arguments of these unanswerable and im-
pressive statistics. He concludes his representations
by remarking that such has been the indolence of
the authorities in England as to the sanitary condition
of the empire, that measures of improvement were
adopted at Calcutta before the question had in any
practical manner been agitated in the United
Kingdom.

To-morrow we shall commence the enumeration a
the temporary expedients which we regard as abso-
utely requisite, and take into consideration the prac-
icability of an immediate and effectual improvement,

We give in another column a notice of a pamphlet
recently compiled by Mr. MONTGOMERY MARTIN at
the request of the India and Australia Mail Steam-
packet Company. It describes the route by which
the company intend to open a regular steam commu-
nication with Australia, and it reflects the highest
credit on the enterprise of the company, who, as it
would seem, are about " to put a girdle round the
world." But while we pay due honour to the en-
terprise of the company, let us not forget the man to
whose genius and energy we are entirely indebted for
opening this communication. It is to Lieutenant
IVAunouN that we are indebted for the opening up
of this steam communication with India and
Australia. But for his genius and energy, the route
would never have been opened, the company would
never have existed. All honour, therefore, to
Lieutenant IVAGnoas—and not honour alone. The
labourer is worthy of his hire ; and we trust that
Lieutenant WaonoßN will find that the nation will
show its gratitude in a more solid manner than by
awarding to him mere empty praise.

Lord MINTo arrived in Florence on the 22d tilt.
Letters from Genoa of the 25th tilt. announce the
arrival of the French fleet, composed of the ships of
the line Friedland, Souverain, and Jena, and the
steam-frigates Titan, Cacique, and Panama, in the
Gulf of Spezzia on the 22d ult. The two latter
steam-frigates arrived at Genoa on the 23d ult.
It is said that the King of NAPLES intends to in-
trcduce a perfect and complete separation of the
island of Sicily from his continental dominions, and
to place the Prince Royal at the head of affairs there
under the title of Viceroy.

e copy the following from the St. Petersburgh
Gazette of the 22d ult.:—
" At Moscow, as we mentioned yesterday, the first
c :se of cholera having occurred on the 14th of
October, fifteen other cases, most of them of a fatal
nature, have occurred up to our last accounts. Those