The Sun.
London, England, 1840-02-17 00:00:00

EWS

APL'A 1), large number of weavers are emigrating to
v—r747-77-79e, ..
glum from Barnsley, where it is reported they are engaged
r a.certain period at good wages.—Steel field Iris.

ECCLESIASTICAL INTELLI-

GENCE

NEW INSTRUCTIONS TO THE SCOTTISH BIBLE BOARD.
Additional " Instructions for her Majesty's sole and only
Master Printers in Scotland," have been issued by the
Queen in Council, at St. James's, dated 29th December.
The instructions are addressed to the Lord Advocate, So-
licitor-General, and the other Members of the Board by
name.
in The first instruction is to the effect that her Ma-
jesty, compliance with the wishes of the .Board, has
granted to the Secretary, the Rev. Dr. Welsh, a seat at
the Board as a Member. The second instruction de-
clares that all marginal references and notes are to be be-
yond the control of the Board, which is to confine its su-
pervision entirely to the text, allowing all persons to affix
such marginal references and notes as they shall think fit,
on their own responsibility, provided they shall be clearly
distinguishable from the text.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.—We lay before our readers the
following resolutions, recently passed in one of the popu-
lous market towns of Norfolk. They condense into terse
language facts most important to freedom of conscience,
and when it is remembered that a poor man has been suf-
fering the pains of a ruinous imprisonment for Church
dues, amounting to no more than five shillings and six-
pence, during many months, for conscience sake, it is
high time flr every one who desires religious liberty, to
bestir himself for the repeal of statutes so tyrannous in
themselves and so productive of anti-christian feelings.
" At a meeting of the Provisional Committee of the
Harleston Anti-Church-rate Society, held January 23d,
1840—First, It was moved by the Rev. D. Lloyd, and
seconded by Mr. R. Browne, that the exaction of a
Church-rate fcr the support of the fabrics and worship of
the Church as by law established, is unjust, unnecessary,
and opposed to religious freedom. Unjust, because it
compels those who dissent from her communion to pay for
an institution from which they derive no benefit ; unneces-
sary, because the Church possesses property originally
granted for the purpose, and because Churchmen themselves
are more than adequate to pay for their own institutions;
opposed to religious freedom, because liberty and the
rights of conscience are invaded, when any portion of the
citizens are coerced to sustain a system of religion from
which in worship and discipline they conscientiously secede.
Secondly, Moved by Rev. S. Laidler, and seconded by
Mr. James Pratt, that this meeting conceive it to be a duty
devolving upon them as Citizens and as Christians, to em-
ploy all lawful and constitutional means to effect the total
abolition of Church Rates. Thirdly, Moved by Mr. B.
J. Crisp, seconded by Mr. C. Johnson—that with this
view a Society be formed, called The Harleston Anti-
Church Rate Society,' whose object shall be to diffuse
information, to petition the Legislature, and in every le-
gitimate way to seek the peaceful agitation of the question
until it is finally settled. Fourthly, Moved by Mr. G.
Theobold, seconded by Mr. Jonathan Pratt, that liberal
Churchmen as well as DisSenters be invited to join in car-
rying into effect so desirable an object."--Norwichilfercury.

1 .4.

SELECT COMMITTEE ON RAIL-
ROADS.

REPORT.

The Select Committee appointed to inquire into the
State of Communication by Railways, and who were
empowered to report their Obserrations, together
with the Minutes of Evidence taken before them
from time to time, to the House--have considered
the matters to them referred, and have to report—
That at the close of last Session, the Select Com-
mittee on Railways directed the serious attention of the
House to the arrangements by which four Railways,
namely, the Greenwich, the Croydon, the Brighton, and
the Dover, were intended to use in common a portion
of the line belonging to the Greenwich Railway ; and
the Committee, alter a careful investigation, expressed
their decided disapprobation of these arrangements, by
which it appeared to them that the safety of passengers
would be exposed to considerable hazard. The Com-
mittee further stated that the Directors of these Com-
panies had proposed three different schemes by which
the supposed danger might be obviated, but the Com-
mittee did not feel it to be within their province to ex-
press any opinion as to which of these proposals should
be preferred. At the same time they recorded their
deliberate conviction, that the four lines referred to
should not be permitted to convey passen4ers, until
some plan should have been adopted by which the ap-
prehended danger might be removed.
Immediately on their appointment, your Committee
felt it to be their duty to inquire into any arrangement
which might have been made by the Directors of these
four Companies with reference to the opinion expressed
in the Report of last year.
Your Committee accordingly directed the attendance
of the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of each of the
said Railways, !n order to learn if any or what steps
had been taken in order to obviate the objections recor-
ded in that Report. From their examination it appears
that although several conferences have taken place be-
tween the parties, no agreement had been come to by
which the apprehended danger might be removed ;
while in the meantime the inconvenient arrangements
pointed out in the former Report have produced in one
instance the accident which your Committee feared
might occur. _ . _

In their former Report the Committee stated it as
their opinion, that some general superintending autho-
rity, in the nature of a Board, should be eatablished for
the purpose of supervising 'all those arrangements and
regulations of Railway Companies in which the pub-
lic are interested, and the Committee state], as one
ground for this recommendation, that " disputes may
often arise between the Directors of connecting Rail-
ways, by which the public may suffer very materially,
and where some superior authority might interpose with
very great advantage both to the proprietors of the
Railways and to the travellers on the-several lines."
Your Committee msy here observe, that the point
which is now in dispute between these Companies, and
which, without some supervising authority, they seem to
be unable to bring to a satisfactory termination, affords
a striking illustration of the opinion previously offered
by your Committee. Until, however, some such con-
trolling authority as that recommended by your Com-
mittee shall have been established, they would suggest
that any arrangements which may be proposed by these
Companies, since they materially concern the safety of
the public, should be subjected to a rigid Parliamentary
investigation, and that every precaution should be
used and every means taken with the view of adopting
the arrangement best calculated to protect the public
from the apprehended and acknowledged danger.
Your Committee here beg leave to remind the House
of the peculiar circumstances attending this case. The
CI oydois Railway forms a junction with the Greenwich
Railway at a place called Corbett's-lane, about 11-
miles from the London station ; and the Brighton and
Dover lines respectively join the Croydon line, so that
it is eventually intended that the Croydon Railway
should be used for three lines of traffic, and this
above mentioned portion of the Greenwich Railway
should be used in common by the four Railway Com-
panies. By an agreement entered into between the
Greenwich and Croydon Companies, the latter agree to
pay the former the sum of 3d for each passenger,
whether coming from the Croydon, Brighton, or Dover
lines, who shall be conveyed along that portion of the
Greenwich Railway, which it was proposed should
be common to all. It will also be recollected,
that it appears from the evidence given last
Session, that the Greenwich Railway have either
required or are empowered by their Act to require a
width of land sufficient for the construction of two addi-
tional lines of rails between the points of junction at
Corbett's-lane and the London station. The Green-
wich Railway, for the purpose of meeting the recom-
mendation of the Committee, appear to have offered to
give up to the three Companies the space of ground,
and to abandon half of the sum agreed to be paid for
each passenger under the aforesaid agreement, leaving
1 Id. per passenger to be received by them.
This offer having been declined, the Greenwich Com-
pany propose, and have applied to Parliament for leave
to construct two additional lines of rail, provided Par.
liament will authorise them to levy either 4d. or 6d.
(the sum is not definitely settled) upon each passenger
between Corbett's.lane and the London station, in place
of 3d., which they are entitled to receive under their
agreement with the Croydon Company. On the other
hand, the offer made by the Croydon Company, on be-
half of themselves and the other two Companies. ap-
pears to be, that they would execute the whole of the
said work if the Greenwich Company would allow them
the use of the above-mentioned land, awl if that Com-
pany would also restrict their receipt to 1(1. per passen-
ger. This proposal, again, has been rejected by the
Greenwich Company. Such being the Case, the Croy-
don Company have, on their own behalf and on behalf
of the other two Companies, proposed to bring a Bill
into Parliament to enable them to execute the works
on the terms of the above agreement. They state that
they have been unable to give the notices of February
and March last, required by the Standing Orders of time
House, but have given every notice which they possibly
could subsequent to the Report of the Railway Com-
mittee.
Your Committee continuing strongly impressed with
the importance of the recommendation made by the
Committee of last Session, thought it their duty to lose
no time in reporting these facts to the House, together
v.'ith the evidence that they have taken ; and your
Committee cannot help directing the attention of the
House to that evidence, from which it would appear
that they had not over-estimated the importance of the
question as bearing upon the safety of the public.
Feb. 6, 1840.

EXTRA.ORDINAnY DUELS IN

IRELAND.

Perhaps the annals of the world cannot produce a
parallel to the following gazette of Irish bellige-
rency : _

Fitzgibbon, the Attorney-General, afterwards Chan-
cellor and Earl of Clonmel, fought Lord Tyrawly about
his wile, and the Earl of Llandaff about his sister,
and others, with sword and pistol, on miscellaneous sub-
jects.
Egan, Judge of the county of Dublin, fought the
Master of the Rolls, Barrett, and three others, with
the sword. Egan was a humourist, and his duel with
Barret was characteristic. On the combatants taking
their ground, Barret, though the challenger, imme-
diately fired, and missing his antagonist, walked away,
coolly saying, " Egan, now my honour is satisfied."
The Judge, however, who was not satisfied, called
out, " Holloa—stop, Roger, till I take a shot
at your honour." Roger returned, and with the
same composure said, " Very well, fire away." Jack
E4an presented, and seemed by his motions determined
to finish Roger ; at length he cried out, Pooh, pooh, I
won't humour you—l won't be bothered shooting you.
So now you may go the your own way—or shake
hands, whichever you like best." The finale may be
anticipated. The circumstance took place on the cele-
brated ground of Donnybrook fair, and some hundreds
of amateurs were present.
The Right Hon. Isaac Corry, the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, fought the Right Hon. Henry Grattan, a
Privy Councillor, and leader of the opposition. The
Chancellor was hit. He also fought two others.
Metge, Baron of the Exchequer, fought his brother-
in-law, and two others.

Lord Norbury, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas,
fought Fire-eater Fitzgerald, and two others, muzzle to
muzzle, and frightened Napper Tandy, and several
besides. Napper was near being hanged for running
away !

liulgenan, Judge of the Prerogative Court, Fellow
and Tutor of Trinity College, and the well-known an-
tagonist of the Popish claims, fought one barrister, and
came to the ground with another.
Grady, the first Counsel of the Revenue, fought
Maher and Campbell, barristers, and others—very stout
work.

Curran, Master of the Rolls, fought Lord Bucking-
hamshire, chief
an obnoxious public officer.
secretary, because he could not dismiss

Hutchinson, Provost of Dublin College, and a privy
councillor, fought Doyle, a Master in -Chancery, elder
brother of the distinguished Sir John Doyle.
Patterson, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, fought
three country gentlemen, one of them with the sword,
and wounded all of them.—lrLlll Paper.