The Sun.
London, England, 1848-05-18 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SU.N.
SIR,—As I perceive in to-day,s Morning Chronicle an
article relating to the Stamford petition, against the in-
terference of the Marquis of Exeter at electioni, and in
which it dwells strongly upon the conduct of a respect.
able man of upwards of seventy years of age, who voted
for Mr. Rolt by mistake, I think it right, with your per-
mission, to make a few remarks.
The Marquis of Granby, in his speech on Friday
night last, said that—" There was one particular case,
and only one, stated either in the petition or in the
speech of the Hon. and Learned Member, and that case
had been represented as one of great hardship. One of
the persons upon whom the notices to quit were served,
it was said, went to Lord Exeter and had a personal
interview with him, and stated that he had, in the hurry,
polled for Mr. Rolt, by mistake; that Lord Exeter told
him he did not believe it was a mistake, and be was
turned out of his holding. Now, at that time, no notice
had been served on that man. Ile had been long em-
ployed by Lord Exeter, at ss. a-day, as an artificer, and
had received innumerable favours from Lord Exeter, and
yet he voted against him. As long as human nature
was what it was, and human feelings operated, it could
not be wondered at if Lord Exeter did feel the ingrati
tude of such a man—(" Hear, hear," on both sides of the
House)—upon whom he had conferred so many favours;
and he (Lore Granby) did not know that Lord Exeter
would have acted unfairly even if he had deprived such a
man of his vote.—(gear, hear.) But it was mot the
fact; he did not discharge this man who was now a
tenant of Lord Exeter, who had only
r'aisedhisrent 10s.
a-year. It was true that this man went to Lord Exeter,
who said, ' You have a perfect right to vote for whom
you please, hut I believe it was no mistake.'" Now,
I put it to your readers to consider the following facts:—
The party in question, Thomas Littledike, is a nervous
old man, and the people were at the time shouting out
" Rolt," and when questioned bythe poll
clerk, in the hurry of the moment, said
" Rolt." This man has been employed by Lord Exeter
for upwards of fifty years, and always (as his Lordship's
servant) supported the Burghley nominees, both fur
Parliament or for the Town Council, and voted for
church-rates, or anything else, if it were hinted to him
by the steward that he should do so. This man Little-
dike is charged with ingratitude for having received five
shillings a day and a money present when Lord Burgh-
ley came of age. The Marquis of Granby says—
" Lord Exeter felt the ingratitude of this man." What
ingratitude ? The man did not receive five shillings a
day, as stated by the Noble and lion. Member for
Stamford, but eighteen shillings a week until his Most
Honourable employer had to pay the income-tax, when
this poor man (in common with the other carpenters
and labourers in his Lordship's employ) had his wages
reduced sixpence per week. As to the money present,
there is only one conclusion to come to—namely, that
it was intended as pay for past secret services, or as a
bribe for the future. This must really be the case, or it
would not have been ingratitude for one of the Marquis
of Exeter's servants to have voted for Mr. Rolt, (sup-
posing his conscience led him to do so.) Then comes
the statement " that the man was not discharged, but
his rent was raised ten shillings a year." Now every
one who knows anything about the law of landlord and
tenant must know that a landlord cannot raise the rent
of his tenant until he first determines the tenancy by; a
legal notice to quit. Had it not been for seeingttie
a
Morning Chronicle that the poor man was styledi
wretch for his apparent ingratitude, and thinking that
the misstatement of the Marquis of Granby (as I believe
it to be) was calculated to do mischief, I should not have
troubled you with this letter.—Yours truly,
AN ELECTOR OF THE BOROUGH OF
STAMFORD.
Stamford, May 15, 1848.

FATAL COLLIERY EXPLOSION.
(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)
RISCA, NEAR NEWPORT, SOUTH WALES, WEDNESDAY
MORNlNG.—Another awful explosion of fire-damp has
taken place in this valley, at the coal- pits of Messrs.
John Russell and Co., and has been attended with a loss
of three lives, and serious injuries to four others. The
particulars of the explosion are briefly these :—On
Tuesday morning when the miners were proceeding to
their work, a collier named Joseph James (the first to
enter), was observed with his safety-lamp uncovered,
and was cautioned immediately. But it appears that he
disregarded the caution, and proceeded to his work,
where he was not many moments engaged, before he so
elevated his candle that it came in contact with the fatal
fire-damp, and instantaneously an explosion took place,
which brought down the mine about them, and killed
James and a boy on the spot. Four other men
were alarmingly injured, one of theca, it is feared,
fatally; and but slight hopes are entertained of another.
The bodies were not got out till some hours after, when
they presented a ghastly appearance. One horse was
also killed by the explosion. Eight men were about to
descend the same pit in the carriage just at the same
moment. The explosion took place before the carriage
began to descend, and it was suddenly lifted up some
feet by the force of the wind, caused by the concussion
in the air. Had they begun to descend, they would
inevitably have been all killed. A man was also nearly
deprived of life from the after-damp, which, by choking,
had as fatal au effect as the fire itself. An inquest is to
be held on the bodies of the unfortunate deceased this
morning, when, no doubt, very particular inquiries will
be made into the causes of'so murderous an explosion.

THE CONVICT ESTABLISHMENT AT WOOLWICH.—
Considerable anxiety has been telt during the past week
at Woolwich, in consequence of the absence of Mr. R.
Loader, the overseer of the Justitia convict hulk, lying
off the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich. It appears that
the overseer left the ship on Wednesday, and that on the
previous day he had received two cheques to the amount
of nearly 8001. from the Home-office for the payment of
the quarterly accounts and the salaries of the officers.
At first some anxiety was felt es to his personal safety,
but, on inquiries being made by parties connected with
the Home-office, every doubt on that head was removed,
and the cause of his leaving but too clearly ascertained.
It appeared that the day before he left he borrowed 601.
from a tradesman in Woolwich, who supplied the Jus-
titia with stores, under the pretext of paying the men,
stating that Captain Voules, the superintendent, had not
brought down the cheque. His defalcations, as far as
the Home-office is concerned, amount to about 1,0001.,
and several tradesmen of Woolwich have been consi-
derable sufferers. A reward of 501. will be offered for
his apprehension by the Home-office, but at present the
police have been unable to obtain any clue that can lead
to his apprehension. He had held the office of overseer
about t elve months.
SOUTH LONDON FLORICULTURAL SOClETY.—Yes-
terday this society gave their first grand flower show for
the present season at the Surrey Zoological Gardens.
The collection was extremely beautiful. Upwards of
SCO specimens of roses, heartsease, tulips, azaleas, and
miscellaneous flowers were dispersed about the grounds
in graceful variety; several superior specimens of Eng-
list'• grown vegetables were exhibited,
TAKING IT EASY.—" I meant to have told you of
that hole," said a man to his friend who stumbled into a
pit of water. "No matter now," says the other, blow-
ing the mud and water from his mouth, " I have found
it."

Tug PRINCE or WALES.—In a rare chronicle in
folio, printed in black letter, by William Rastell, in
1533, is a sort of prayer at the end of the volume for the
health and preservation of " The Binges Highness° and
his Royal Impe Pi ince Edwarde."
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE.—Professor Syme, the re-
cently elected successor to the late Mr. Liston, has just
resigned the appointment of Professor of Surgery in this
University. The Council at their session on Saturday
last appointed Dr. Heimann, Professor of German Lan-
guage and Literature.
THE GOVERNMENT OF INDlA.—Yesterday was
printed, by order of the House of Commons, a copy of a
letter from the Government of India transmitting a
copy of the Act 6, of 1848, equalising duties on goods,
&c. The Act is a very short one, and took effect on
the 25th of March. By its provisions all goods im-
ported on foreign bottoms by sea into any port of the
Presidencies of Fort William, in Bengal, Fort George,
or Bombay, were to be charged as
British bottoms. goods imported on

SOUTHAMPTON, WEDNESDAY, MAY 17. The
Royal Mail Steam Packet Company's ship Medway,
Captain Symonds, sailed this afternoon
on with the usual
British and foreign West Indian mails, in charge of
Lieutenant South, R.N., Admiralty agent. Her route
is viii Madeira and. Barbadoes. The Medway has
brought 1,6001. in specie, jewellery and watches, value
1,0001., and a large cargo of general merchandise. She
takes out 70 passengers, amongst whom are Sir Rey-
nold Alleyne, lady, and family, for Barbadoes, Hon. F.
Bruce, for Chagres, &c. The homeward West India
steamer Avon, Captain Hast, with the West Indian and
Mexican mails, is expected on Saturday. The Penin-
sular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company's steamer
Madrid, Captain John Weeks, sailed to-day for Vigo,
Oporto, Lisbon, and Gibraltar, with the usual mails;
she has 18 passengers and a full cargo. The Hindostan,
Captain Lewis, will sail on Saturday the 20th, for
Gibraltar, Malta, and Alexandria. taking the East
India and China mails. The Ripon, Captain Moresby,
with the homeward India and China mails, is due on the
27th inst. The Ocean Steam Navigation Company's
shin Washington will arrive here from Bremen, en route
to New York, on the 19th. Steam ships in dock—iiin.
dostan, Sultan, Jupiter, Pacha, Montrose, Achilles, Erin,
Forth, and Thames.
The Duke of Wellington gave a grand banquet
last evening at Apsley House, on which occasion the
Noble and Gallant Duke was honoured by the company
of her Majesty the Queen Dowager, their Royal High-
nesses the Prince of Prussia and the Duchess of C -
bridge. The Queen Dowager, attended by Viscountess
Barrington, arrived soon after seven o'clock, and was
received by the Duke at the portico. The Prince of
Prussia came attended by Captain Bogen. Her Royal
Highness the Duchess of Cambridge, accompanied by
their Serene Highnesses the Prince Frederick William -
of Hesse and Prince George of Mecklenburg Strelitz
attended by Lady Augusta Cadogan and Mr. E. st,
John Mildmay. A distinguished circle assembled to
meet the illustrious guests, who were received by the
Marquis of Douro and Lord Charles Wellesley. The
guests, in addition to the above august personages, com.
prised the Earl and Countess of Jersey and Lady Cle.
mentina Villiers, the Earl and Countess of Wilton, the
Earl and Countess Howe, the Earl of Cawdor, Lord St.
Vincent, the lion. Mrs. )yce Sombre, Sir Henry Bishop,
the Marquis and Marchioness of
and the Duke's family,
Douro, and Lord and Lady Charles Wellesley. The
Noble Duke and his illustrious company subsequently
repaired to the ancient concert, of which his Grace was
the director of the evening.
The Journal du Limbourg says that the Communal
Council of Maestricht has drawn up an address, protest.
ing against the separation of Limbourg from Holland.
The elections for the German Parliament are to take
place at Limbourg on Friday. Two representatives are
to be chosen, but not much interest has been excited
• here on the sullject.
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