The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-11 00:00:00

LON
SA-TURDAY
. "
_
N. •

No. 16,711.

•
AWANCE 'ASSURANCE COMPANY.
The HALF-TEARLY DIVIDEND on the Stock of the
ALLIANCE BRITISH and FOREtGN LIFE and- FIRE AS-
SURANCE COMPANY will be in coarse of payment on MONDAY,
the 13th Instant, and every following day (Saturdays excepted), be-
tween the hours of eleven and three o
A o'clock.
Secretary.
Bartholomew-lane, April 8, 1846.

NATIONAL LOAN FUNI) LIFE ASSUIt-
ANCE SOCIETY.
26, CORNHILL, LONDON.
Capital .6600,000.
Empowered by Act of Parliament.
This Institution Of4lti iruponaut and substantial advan-
tages with respect both Life Assurances and Deferred Annuities.
The assured has, on all occasions, the poWer to borr)w, without ca-
pons° or forfeiture of the Policy, two-thirds of the premium paid,
Isee table); also the option of selecting bandits, and the conversion
of si, tiltar,lStS to meet other convenic.nces er necessity. Assurances
for terres'of years are granted on the lowest possible rates.
DIVISION OF PROFIT:.
The success and inereuing prospirity of the society hcts enable,
he Directors, at the last annual investigation, to declare a third
dorms, varying from 3u to 75 per cont. on the Vretniums paid on
each Policy effected on the Prnitt scale.
EXABIEFLNE.

Premium. „%4 . Bonus Bonus In
4 I added. Cash.
•

kigg 'Tlx,'-e
I.'g'g ao"Ei
ta:g :(4,1
"• 4."

8. d. 1837 £l9l 13 5k87 13 5413 17 1 £395 Il 1
;0 1000:74 3 4 1838 16b 13 0 74 13 10 11 8 6 346 2 3
1839 138 13 6 61 14 3 9 210 296 13 4
1840 49 0 0 41 13 4 6 0 0 247 4 5

The division of prodta hi annual, and the next will be made in De-
:enVier of the present year.

F. FERGUSON C.UMOUX. See.

PUBLICATIONS.

THE EDINBURGH REVIEW, No. CLXVII:
will be published on Friday next.

CONTENTS :-
1 . THE LORD CHANCELLORS of ENGLAND.
2. LADY DALMENY'S "SPANISH LADY'S LOVE.",
3. THE CORN-LAWS of ATHENS sind ROME.
4. HOOD'S POEMS.
S. THE CHEVALIER BUNSEN'S ANTIENT EGYPT.
6. WILKES'S UNITED STATES EXPLORING EXPEDITION.
7. DUVEYRIER'S POLITICAL VIEWS of FRENCH AFFAIRS.
IL ADMINISTRATION of CHARITABLE TRUSTS.
9. LANDOR'S COLLECTED WRITINGS—NEW IMAGINARY
CONVERSATIONS.
10. ON the GOVERNMENT of DEPENDERCIES.
London : Longman and Co. Edinburgh : A. and C. Black.

Now ready, in 3 vols. Bvo., price 425. cloth.
iIR JAMES MACKINTOSH'S MISCELLA-
.NEOUS WORKS. Including his Contributions to the Edin-
burgh Review. Edited by R. J. MACKIKTOSII, Esq.
" This highly interesting and valuable collection belongs to the
brilliant series of Edinburgh Review' re-publications, and is not
less illustrative than either of those of the literary character of the
age which has just passed."—Morning Chronicle.
London : Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans.

M. ML INET'S NEW WORK, TRANSLATED BY COCKS. E
Just published, in one vol. post Eve.' 9s. cloth,
MIGNET'S ANTONIO PEREZ and PHILIP
the SECOND of SPAIN. Translated (with the Author's
approbation) by C. COCKS, ILL., Translator of Michelet's " Priests,
Women, and Families."
" A valuable and acceptable contribution to English literature.
Our importations from France rarely bring us any Mysteries' half
so strange or so authentic as those revealed in M. Mignet's remark-
able historiette."—Tait's Magazine.
London : Longman, Brown, Green, and Longman.

On Wednesday, April 22, will be published, two vols., post Svo.,
HISTORICAL PICTURES of the MIDDLE
AGES, in Black and White, made on the spot, from Records
in the Archives of Switzerland. By a WANDERING ARTIST.
CONTENTS :—The Nuns' War—The War of Two Abbots (Roiche-
nau and St. Gall)—The Passage of the Great St. Bernard—Bertha,
Queen of Transjurane Burgundy.
London : Longman, Brown, Green, and tong-mans.

M. sircrinurrs NEW WORK, TRANSLATED BY COCKS.
New Edition, just published,
r ['HE PEOPLE. By J. MICHELET, Trans.it lated, with the Author's especial approbation, by C. COCKS,
Translator of Michelet's " Priests, Women, and Families." Library
Edition, post Bvo., 9s. ; Cheap Edition, price Is. 6d.
" A very able and faithfully executed translation of M. Michelet's
extraordinary work. From the variety of its snbjeets, and the vast
quantity of interesting details contained in • The People,' it is a
book that must be read attentively; and we believe that it is as
well adapted for a studious perusal in this excellent translation as in
the French original."—Weekly Dispatch.
M. Michelet's two works, in 1 vol., price 3s. 6d. cloth.
London : Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans.

NARROW GAUGE AND BROAD GAUGE,
Price Gd.

EPLY TO " OBSERVATIONS" OF THE
AV GREAT WESTERN: RAILWAY COMPANY bn the RE-
PORTof the GAUGE COMMISSIONERS.

London : Vaeher, Parliament-street ; Edmonds, 154, Strand
Grapel, Liverpool; Abel Heywood, Manchester; Bingham, Bristol;
Williams, Bath ; Wrightson and Webb, Birmingham; Jew, Glouces•
ter; Bird, Cardiff.

NO. 11. OF THE TOPIC.
Now ready, fcp. 4t0., price 3d.,
THE NEW TARIFF, and its effect on Trade
and Society fully analysed and elucidated.
This new periodical, " The Topic," consists of an article each week
of the same kind, and by the same writers, as in the quarterly re-
views.
No. I.—The Indian War.
C. Mitchell, Red Lion-court, Fleet-street.

EMBANKMENT ACROSS THE
SEVERN.
TO THE EDITOIt OF•THE SUN.

Bristol, 3d month (March) 10, 1846.
RespectedFriencl,—Permit me to offer to your readers
the following observations on the subject of an embank.
ment across the Severn :—Some years ago I submitted
for the consideration of our worthy representative, the
Hon. H. Berkeley, the propriety of constructing an
embankment across the Severn at or near Aust Passage,
of sufficient width to allow a railway and carriage way
to be constructed thereon, which I believe would tend
greatly to promote the•convenience and benefit of the
public, and occasion but little or no inconvenience to the
navigation. •

It
.has lately been proposed to construct at the same
situation a suspension bridge, at an estimated cost of
about one million one hundred thousand pounds. Now
as I imagine an embankment, with all the needful re-
quirements for the navigation, draining, &c., might be
effected for a considerable less amount, I cannot but
think that it'would bedecidedly superior re a suspension
bridge springing from the top of Aust cliffs. The ad-
vantages would; I think, be as follows :-
1. A-superior level for a railway and carriage road.
•

2. Superior stability and firmness.
3. The advantage of a separate spacious carriage road.
4. 'rho advantage of preventing: the occasional tidal
floods over the low land on the borders of the Severn.
5. By making a floating harbour from thence to Glou-
cester the dangerous navigation at Aust Passage would
be avoided.
6. By making proper arrangements to obviate the in-
convenience and evil of land floods, thereby increasing
the value of all the low lands adjoining.
7. By. the, probability of converting large tracts of
Swampy and marsh-land, now of littlevalue, into valu-
able pasture or arable land.
At first sight the project may appear to some wild
and even visionary; but I feel persuaded that if the
subject be calmly considered it will not seem so pre-
posterous as some, without thinking, may be led to
imagine. I can easily suppose that some will conceive
that to effect such a work would be attended with almost
insurmountable difficulties, and enormous outlay ; in
answer to which I feel no hesitation in stating that there
is no engineering difficulty; and as to the cost, I feel
equally confident that it would not exceed one million
pounds.

It might be asked, how will you accommodate the na-
vigation, because the making locks in the embankment
will be attended with great annual expenditure to keep
in repair, and will be dangerous and inconvenient in
boisterous weather? In. reply I may observe, that at
less than one mile up the river Wye there is a nick of
land (as though provided for the purpose) about 200 to
300 yards wide, which joins the Beachley Head in the
main land. At this point I propose to construct an
auxiliary basin and canal, to communicate with the
navigable part of the Severn or floating harbour, with
proper sea and harbour gates, so that vessels may pass
up the Wye and effect an easy entrance into the basin
in perfect safety, however boisterous the weather may
be in the main channel of the Severn. Of course the
water in the harbour must be kept to a proper level, so
as to enable the shipping to enter the Berkeley and
Gloucester Canal at all times—the passage to which
canal will be less dangerous than it is at present.
Along the embankment, at proper places and of pro-
per dimensions, weirs must be made, to allow the sur-
plus, water flowing into the float to pass away, with
proper tidal hatches over the same, to pre-
vent the • tide entering the float. To remove
land floods I propose to cut large drains close to the
banks of the float, into which the land flood may enter,
with proper sea hatches to allow the water to make
its exit into the Severn when the tide permits, and
to provide powerful steam or water engines to be used
when required for pumping the surplus land water into
the float or Severn. Thus I think it is clear and indis-
putable that an embankment would be infinitely superior
to a suspension bridge (exposed as the foundations of
such bridge would be to the tremendous effects of strong
tides and heavy seas, and the upper works to the un-
broken fury of tempestuous gales and storms), securing
all the advantages I have enumerated, at the same time
producing a much larger remuneration for the outlay by
an income derived (independent of railway and carriage
road tolls) from reclaimed waste Lind, and general im-
provement of landed property contiguous thereto; and
therefore, should it even exceed the estimated cost of
the proposed bridge, it appears obvious that the great
convenience and advantage obtained would far more
than counterbalance the difference.
Yours respectfully,
THOMAS MOTLEY.
P.S. Should the plan of compressed air for locomo-
tive engines (now exhibiting at Pall-mall East) be found
to answer in practice, then power may be obtained at the
weirs more than ample to work the projected direct
Bristol and Liverpool and South Wales railways at
almost no cost I exclusive of extra power for mills and
other works, xvhich might be constructed on the em-
bankment.

DREADFUL CONFLAGRATION IN

PORT-GLASGOW.
A few minutes before two o'clock on Tuesday,
the ropework and sailcloth weaving premises at Port-
Glasgow, belonging to the Gourock Ropework Com-
pany, were discovered to be on fire, and the alarm
was immediately given, the steeple bell was rung, the
fire engines were sent for, and a messenger dis-
patched for the Greenock engines, but every effort at
stopping the progress of the devouring element
was fruitless in the extreme in twenty minutes
the whole range of wooden buildings on the sonth side
of the Greenock Railway, on which an additional story
for weaving was lately erected, was enveloped in one
line of blaze and smoke, from the bridge at the railway
station to the flax spinning-mill, which has been saved,
a distance of some hundreds of yards, presenting a scene
of most imposing grandeur, yet a dreadful and ap-
palling spectacle. By three o'clock the whole buildings
were levelled with the railway wall, leaving nothing but
the burning embers, and an immense quantity of hemp,
on which the fire•engines were playing, to save
as much of it as possible. Part of the gable of a
brick building fell with a crash upon the railway, and,
although the ruins were partially cleared away, ob-
structed the down-train from Glasgow at three, and the
up-train from Greenock at half-past three, till the
passengers of each dismounted and walked past the
scene of devastation. The railway servants, however,
were most assiduous in attention to the passengers,
and not the slightest accident occurred. The blaze and
smoke were seen in awful splendour at Greenock, which
with the intelligence attracted a number from that place.
The people of tort-Glasgow were thrown into the ut-
most consternation, and all the heights commanding a
view of the catastrophe were crowded. Fortunately
the wind being light and from the north, the flames
and sparks were driven back toward the hill, else the
consequences to the town might have been frightful;
as it was, only one dwelling-house has suffered. Had
the event occurred during the night, the appearance,
consternation, and consequences !must have been
awfully heightened. As it is, the loss must be
very great. The company of proprietors are chiefly
belonging to Greenock, and have been .enterpris-
ing manufacturers of sailcloth and ropes for a num-
ber of years, giving employment to a great number
of workmen and other persons, who will now be for a
time thrown out of employment. We understand that
the property of the company is insured—we should hope
to cover all loss. When our informant left the spot, the
only efforts boing made were to say e as much of the raw
material on the spot as possible, every other consumable
article being burned up.—Glasgow Chronicle.

FATAL RAILWAY .ACCIDENT.—CHESTER, APRIL 7.—,
An inquest was held yesterday at Backford, near this city,,
on the body of. Thomas Jones, who was unhappily.killed on
the previous Saturday night, while rambling on the Chester
and Birkenhead Railway. It appeared from the evidence
jaab?ldusi dnto ueo
hlavrce:ehtdoect
loallor
rviikanhi
saaagati theens.
second-classth e 'deceased
employ
ti
fkelticket
o
a.
at the
al rate st
tuiedirrekpn
eltanachete Caf
odhr,e satthse
iras,
tc t lie alightedim laaitirot
mthheaenrHnoeort,
joineroannsdtoafmt station,
e,
leftanna dmbdeeihdoi
fnndoitij returnjust
sr
td ina
as
the train was moving off. He asked permission to walk on
the line as far as Sutton, as the next train would call there
and not at Hooton, butl was refused ; he therefore went
across the fields, and continued his journey to Chester by
however, no more was then seen ut)
Whenn. Ofth teh email-t deceased,rmail-train,
n
the mail-train, which he joined at S
the evening, arrived within a quarter of a mile which leaves Birkenhead at 15 minu. tes before
iol in.nuhgs e;
tsoe
ennstation,the
an d firemantha that
atholadt tedengi blownne-drrash
inoeaifntttletreeoi;iclnh.lad
elt h
alarm whistle was immediately sounded, the engine was re-
versed, and the train stopped at the Millington station. The
night was very dark, and a heavy storm of sleet was falling
at the time. Information was given of the circumstance,
and the watcher and station-keeper immediately proceeded
to the spot, where they found the corpse of the unfortunate
and on its arrival there Mr. Calligan, the super-
moat dreadfully mutilated. The train came on
accom-
panied on an engine to the scene of the sad disaster. The
mitnotaCennhjdeoesnnteter, cent for a medical gentleman, whom he s,
fnairamngilnedthreemnaeinigshobfotuhrehopooodrtofeallwowaitwtehree tchoeronncoern,svienyveadtitgoaa.
tion. As there was snow upon the ground the footsteps of
the deceased were tracked to the Blue Gate• bridge, which
is within a short distance of the place where the accident
occurred, so that he could not have been long on the line.
He appears to have been walking between the up-rails, and
with his face towards Birkenhead ; he would, therefore,
meet the train in full career, and his death must have been
instantaneous. A verdict of Accidental Death was returned.

POST-OFFICE CHARGES AT MADEIRA.—The following
is an extract of a letter received at Lloyd's, from their agent
at Madeira, dated March 21 :—" The Health Office fees are
now levied at the rate of 10s. per mast. Say, three masts, 11.
10s. ; two masts, 11. If without a bill of health, an addi-
tional fee of 10 dollars, if coming from a clean port, and 15
dollars from an unhealthy port.'
PETITIONS FOR INCREASED SALARIES IN THE DIS-
TRICT POST-OFFICE.—The sub-sorters, stampers, and letter-
carriers of the London District Post, are preparing petitions
to the Postmaster-General for increased salaries, on the
ground of the great quantity of extra duty they have to per-
form. From the precedent established by the recent rise in
the scale of the General Post sub-sorters, it is probable that
his Lordship at the head of the establishment will cause a
general arrangement of the salaries throughout the executive
department.
FALL IN THE PRICE OF BREAD.—Thursday the four-''
pound loaf was reduced to GO. in the neighbourhood of
Drury-lane, and the New Cut, Lambeth, and other districts
in the metropolis,

N INTELLIGENCE..

-
THE EXPERIMENTAL SQUADRON FOR 1845.
PORTSMOUTH; APRIL 9.-By a return, moved for in
the House of Commons by Commodore Sir C. Napier,
of the weights, draught of water, &c., of the *expert-
Mental squadron, on the second and hird cruise, similar
to the return' of the first cruise ; the greatest inclina-
tion of each ship when carrying sail, and the greatest
number of degrees each ship rolled, and the number of
spars sprung and carried away during the. cruises ;
their, defects on returning into port, and the expense of
making the defects goods," we are put in possession of
some very, important facts relating to the above par-
ticulars.
With regard to the expense of making good the de-
fects of each ship, the return gives the following as the
amount :-
The St. Vincent, 120, incurred for defects made good
at Devonport, on the 20th of September, 1845,
125/. 12s. 2d. For defects made good at the same port,
on the 10th of October following, 4s. Other defects, of
a numerous and expensive character, are also reported
in the return as defects at Portsmouth, 13th of No-
vember,•lB4s, but which are not yet taken in hand,
consequently no amount is furnished. Total amount
reported, 125/ 16s. 2d.
The Trafalgar, 120, new ship, her first commission,
cost, for defects, at Devonport, on the 20th of Septem-
ber, 1845, 104/. 7s. 4d.; for defects made good at the
same port on the 10th of October following, 143/. 18s.
10d. Total, 248/. 6s. 2d. •
The Queen, 110, for defects, at Devonport, on the 20th
of September, 1845, 80/. 14s. 9d.; ditto, on the 31st of
October following, 67/. 15s, Bd. Total, 1481. 105. sd.
The Albion, 90, for defects repaired at Devonport on
the 20th of September, 1845, 251/. 19s. 5d.; ditto, 11th
of October following, 20/. As.; ditto, 3d of December
following, 513/. 2s. Bd. Total, 785/. 13s. Id.
The Rodney, 92, for defects repatrea at Devonport,
20th December, 1845,2361. 19s. 11d.; ditto, 10th of Oc-
tober following, 281. ss. Bd. Long list of defects re-
ported on the 3d of December, but which were not made
good at Devonport, consequently no amount is affixed.
Defects on the 10th of December, 1845, made good at
Portsmouth, 9471. 18s. 2d. Total, 1,213/. 3s. 9d.
The Vanguard, 80, defects at Devonport, 20th Sep-
tember, 1845, 411/. 19s. 101.; ditto, at Portsmouth, 13th
of October following, 2,006/. Iss. 7d.; ditto, at Devon-
port, 3d of December following, 483/. 7s. 3d. Total,
2,9021. 2s. Bd.
The Superb, 80, defects at Devonport, 20th of Sept.,
1845, 541. I9s. 7d. ; ditto, at Portsmouth, on the Ist
of October following, 1,253/. 19s. 7d. ; ditto, at Devon-
port, on• the 10th of the same mouth, 70/. 14s. I Id.
Long list of defects reported at Devonport on the 3d of
December, , not made good there. Defects at Ports-
mouth, on the 10th of the same month, 1,101/. 9s. 3d.
Total, 2,481/. 3s. 4d. _ _ _

The Canopus, 84, defects at Devonport, 20th Sep-
tember, 1845, 1271. Is. 6d. ; ditto, at same port, 10th
October following. 30/. 7s. lld. ; ditto, at the same
port, 3d December following, 936/. 10s. 4d. Total,
1,0931. 19s. 9d.
The Daring, 12, for defects at Devonport, on the 20th
of September, 1845, 18s. 6d. ; ditto, at the same port
on the 3d of December following, long list not made
good at that port ; ditto, on the 10th of December, at
Portsmouth, 402/. 16s. 11d. Total, 4031. 15s. sd.
The Rattler, screw steam-sloop, for defects made
food at Portsmouth, on the 24th of September, 1845,
227/. ss. ; ditto, at Devonport, 10th of October follow-
ing, 44/. 2s. 2d. ; ditto,, at Portsmouth, 3d of November
following, 1,600/. 15s. Total, 1,672/. 2s. 2d.
Each list of defects is signed by the captain and car-
penter of each ship, and the cost of repairing them
signed by the Master-Attendant, Master-Shipwright,
and Storekeeper of the respective deck-yards at which
they were made good ; comment, therefore, is unne-
cessary.
The St. Vincent,-120, Captain Rowley, the flag-ship
of Rear-Admiral Hyde Parker, Commander-in. Chief of
the squadron, was built on the line-s- famished by the
late Sir W. Rule ; the Trafalgar, 120, Captain W. F.
Martin, was built by Mr. 0. Laing, Master-Shipwright
of Woolwich Dockyard, at that yard, in 1841 ; the
Queen, 110, Captain Sir B. Walker, was built on the
plan furnished by Sir W. Symonds, Surveyor of the
Navy, at Portsmouth Dockyard, in 1839 ; the Rodney,
92, Captain E. Collier, was built on the plans furnished
by the late Sir R. Seppings, Surveyor of the Navy, at
Pembroke Dockyard, in 1833; the Albion, 90, Captain
N. Lockyer, was built on the plans of Sir W. Symonds,
at Devonport Dockyard, in 1842; the Vanguard, 80,
Captain G. W. Willes, and the Superb, 80, Captain A.
L. Corry, wero also built by Sir W. Symonds (thefor-
mer at Pembroke Dockyard in 1836, and the lagr at
the same yard in 1842) ; the Canopus, 84, Captatit'F._
Moresby, is of French construction, and was captured,
at the battle of the Nile ; the Rattler, screw propelled.
sloop, was built by the Surveyor of the Navy, at Sheer-
ness, in 1843 ; and the Daring, 12. Commander Schoen-
berg, was built by Mr. White, of Cowes, in 1844.
The Rochester and Falmouth dockyard lighters ar-
rived yesterday with stores from the Eastern yards.
The Nautilus, 10, Lieut.-Commander J. J. M`Donell,
arrived from her cruizing ground off the Sussex coast
this morning to obtain supplies.
The Blenheim transport, Lieut. E. Ware, agent, sailed
this morning for Deptford.
The Ferret, 8, Commander George Sprigg, arrived
this morning from Sheerness, and sailed this evening for
Plymouth.
The Emerald tender sailed to-day for Plymouth with
supernumeraries.

The St. Vincent, 120, Captain R. Grant, Knight, the
flagship of Admiral Sir C. Ogle, Bart., was removed to-
day from the basin, and brought alongside the jetty to
make room for the Oriental mail-steamer, which came
from Southampton yesterday, to be docked, and was
taken in on her removaL
The Childers, 12, Commander J. C. Pittman, was re-
moved from the basin this morning, and taken alongside
her hulk the Topaz.
The Experimental steam-squadron at Spithead exer-
cised their crews in gunnery (target practice) this af-
ternoon.

We regret to announce the death of Captain Charles
Burrough Strong, R.N. (1819), a hick took place yester-
day, under very melancholy and distressing circum-
stances, the gallant deceased having ruptured a blood-
vessel. Captain Strong was Midshipman of the Irresis-
tible, in Bridport's action, and of the Colossus, off Cape
St. Vincent. Served in her boats at two bombardments
of Cadiz, and in several actions with Cadiz flotilla in
1797. Acting Lieutenant of the Genereux, at the sur-
render of Malta, and of Genoa, and capture of the
French frigate Diane, in 1800. Was Lieutenant of the
Pearl at the defence of Porto Ferrajo, and capture of the
French frigate Carrilre in 1801, and in command of her
boats at the capture of a convoy in the Piombino Chan-
nel, and on other occasions. Was Lieutenant of the
Immortalit6 and Clyde, during the frequent actions with
the French flotillas and batteries, and wounded. In 1807
he commanded the boats cutting out a vessel under the
pier-head at Fecamp ; was senior Lieutenant of the
Clyde at Flushing; constantly in action with the gun-
boats; was commander of the Bustard cooperating with
the Spanish patriots in 1811-12, when he was wounded;
and covered the landing and retreat of General Donkin
at Denia. His commissions bear date—Lieutenant, Feb.
25, 1801; Commander, March 14, 1811; Captain, Aug.
12, 1819. Captain Strong received pecuniary reward
for his brilliant services from the Patriotic Fund, and
has been residing at Southsea for some years. A better
officer, or one more deeply respected, the country never
boasted.