The Sun.
London, England, 1848-12-12 00:00:00

TUESDAY

AMENDMENT OF THE LAW.

The society for the amendment of the law held an ad-
journed meeting yesterday evening, for the purpose of
considering whether the report which had been read at a
former meeting on the state of the law with respect to
lunacy should be adopted; Mr. M. D. Hill in the chair.
Mr. STUART, in moving the adoption of the report,
the substance of which was given in our notice of the
former meeting, said that the only object of the com-
mittee which had prepared it was to obtain an amend-
ment of the law, and not to procure a triumph over any
class of individuals. Therefore it was quite open to the
meeting to reject the report if they thought proper.
The Rev. C. LANE, in seconding the adoption of the
report, cordially approved of the suggestion respecting
visitations by the clergy. At the same time he did not
approve of the mode of remuneration pointed out. He
thought that on such points the bishop of the dio-
cese should be consulted.

Mr. BROWNE moved, as an amendment, that the fur-
ther consideration of the report be postponed, until a
large class of persons (the keepers of lunatic asylums
and the medical men connected with them), who con-
sidered themselves stigmatised by certain passages in it,
had an opportunity of defending themselves. He could
say, on the part of proprietors of asylums in the neigh-
bourhood of London, that they were anxious for the
closest inspection, and they repudiated the charge of
making the health of their patients a secondary consi-
deration to their own interest. He (Mr. Browne) had
a great many objections to urge against the report, but
he had not received it in time to be prepared for its dis-
cussion on the present occasion.

Mr. CLIVE seconded the amendment, but was still of
opinion that greater powers of inspection than the law
allowed at present should be given to the lunacy com-
mission.

Mr. Sergeant MANNING said that the object of the re-
port was not to stigmatise the conduct of individuals,
but to promote the amendment of the law. As no one
could deny that the law required amendment, there
could be no objection to its adoption.
Messrs. TRIPP and (Commissioner) FANE severally
supported the amendment.

Mr. MILLAR was anxious also for adjournment, but
on different grounds from those urged by the mover of
the amendment. He was anxious that, before the society
came to a decision, they should hare some statistics as to
the ratio of cure in private and public asylums. He was
strongly of opinion that private asylums should be alto-
gether abolished.

Mr. M'NEALE doubted the possibility of abolishing
private asylums. It appeared that there were 5,000 of
the middle and upper classes confined in such recep-
tacles, and was it to be hoped that their friends and
relations would consent to their wholesale transfer to
public establishments? Generally speaking, he con-
curred in the recommendation of the report, but, for the
reasons which had been given by Mr. Browne, he was
disposed to support the adjournment.

Sir. STureui acceded to the postponement, and the
Further consideration of the report was adjourned until
the next meeting of the society.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR,—Permit me to call your attention to a most in-
tolerable nuisance. In consequence of the contractor of
St. James's parish refusing to cart away the filth and
dung collected by Mr. Cochrane and his orderlies, with-
out being paid for it, he has got permission by some
means to deposit all the filth collected in the neighbour-
hood of Newport-market, actually in the centre of Soho-
square, to the great annoyance of the olfactory organs,
as well as sight, of the respectable inhabitants of the
square.
Hoping by publicity in your valuable paper such an
offensive nuisance will be inquired into, I remain,
AN OLD 811113 SCRIBER.
27, Soho-square, Dec. 11, 1848.

ARRIVAL OP PROPERTY BELONGING TO THE DUC
D'AUMALE.—LateIy a number of packages belonging to
the ex-Royal Family of France arrived at Folkestone
from Paris, and were forwarded to the Queen's ware-
house in London, under the official seal of the Customs.
The Duc d'Aumale was present last week at the exam-
ination of the cases, which contained, besides a variety of
miscellaneous articles, some valuable old china, richly.
embroidered African saddles atd horse trappings, to-
gether with swords, daggers, guns, pistols, &c., all of a
very costly description. Several of the arms were of
the most elaborate workmanship, and highly ornamented
with diamonds and other precious stones. The Duke
explained that many of these had been made presents to
him by the friendly chiefs of Algeria during his resi-
dence there as Governor of the province.
JUVENILE DBLINQUENCY.—Sunday being one of
the usual half-yearly gatherings of the youths and lads
placed out from the Philanthropic Society's School of
Reform during the last three or four years, about a hun-
dred of the society's former pupils met at the institution,
St. George's-fields. The Rev. John Hambleton preached
in the society's chapel on the occasion, the oongregation
answering to his appeal by a collection of about 451.
Mr. Hambleton took Deut. xxxii., 10-12, as his text,
and deduced from the picture of divine philanthropy
there exhibited some powerful arguments for more active
efforts for the rescue of the unhappy class of juvenile
offenders whom the society's agency embraces, and of
whom nearly 10,000 are annualy brought before the
metropolitan magistrates. 138 lads are now in the so-
ciety's school, of whom about twenty are about to pro-
ceed to the colonies as emigrants.

BISHOPSGATE WARD WITHOUT. SUPPLY OF
WATER TO THE METROPOLIS.—Yesterday a numerous
meeting of the inhabitants of the ward of Bishopsgate
Without, was held at the ward school-rooms for the pur-
pose of appointing fit and proper persons for election on
next St. Thomas's day, to represent the ward in the
Common Council; Mr. C. Heath, churchwarden, in the
chair. The usual preliminaries having been gone through,
Mr. Deputy Peacock, Mr. C. Gilpin, Mr. R. Carr, Mr,
Pilcher, Mr. Hopgood, and Mr. Johnson were proposed.
Mr. T. H. Heeps observed that he begged to call the atten-
tion of the members of the Common Council to the sub-
ject of the water-rate, which he considered required, as
much as the question of the gas monopoly did, the serious
attention of the Corporation. He did not wish that the
Corporation should lay aside their inquiries into
the abuses arising to the City in monopoitly of
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of as much importance to the citizens of London that the
subject of the supply of water shoukt come under the
investigation of the Corporation, as he believed that they
were charged what the New River Company thought
proper.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. Piercy observed, that he
was glad the subject bad been brought forward for the
consideration of the meeting, and he hoped it would be
fully taken up at the various ward meetings on next St.
Thomas's day. He saw that committees had been
formed at the west end to get a better and cheaper supply
of water, and it had been ascertained that an abundance
of water could be obtained at 10s. per annum, Mr. De-
puty Peacock remarked, that the question of the supply
of water had engaged the attention of the commissioners,
and they had been promised by the company a supply of
water twice a day. Mr. P. Proctor, &c., addressed the
meeting, when the names mere agreed to, after which,
thanks were voted to the chairman, and the meeting se-
parated.
The Marquis and Marchioness of Ailesbury are
shortly expected in town from Tottenham Park, Wilts,
and have made arrangements to pass the winter at
Brighton, all thoughts of visiting Paris having been
abandoned.

ADMIRALTY INVESTIGATION AT Emai.—Mr. Bald,
C.E., arrived at Elie to make an investigation, on the
part of the Admiralty, into the condition of the harbour.
A great many witnesses were examined, among whom
were a number of old residenters, whose evidence
clearly proved the importance of Elie as a port of refuge
and safe accommodation for vessels of every description
in former times. The cause of its decay in latter times
is attributable to the harbour having been allowed to
remain so long in a ruinous state, together with the
want of a proper road betwixt the island and the town,
by the want of which great inroads on the beach have
been, and are still made, by the sea. Deputations from
the fishermen of Cellardyke, Pittenweem, and St.
Monanee, were present. The inhabitants are now under
the hope that this subject is at length taken up in right
earnest, and that ere long this fine but long-neglected
natural harbour will be improved so as to afford more
protection to life and property, and thereby prove a last-
ing benefit to the public at large.—Fife herald.
THE AsSIZE OF BREAD.—Last evening a meeting
of bakers took place at the London Coffee-house, Snow-
hill, in furtherance of the movement now in progress
amongst the members of that trade to procure a legisla-
tive enactment to regulate the sale of bread, and to
prevent its adulteration. Reports of communications
received from the trade in the metropolis and environs,
approving of the projects of the association, were read,
and after some business of a general nature, the meeting
adjourned till Monday.