The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-08 00:00:00

CALEDONIAN ASYLUM.

On Monday a special general meeting of the 'members of
this Society was held at the rooms of the Scottish Hospital,
Crane-court, Fleet-street, for the purpose of considering the
report from the Committee of Bye-laws, and on other business.
The meeting was adjourned from the 23d ult., on which
occasion it will be recollected that a protracted discussion
took place relative to some novel propositions of the Court
of Direction, :for placing the religious superintendence and
examination of the children under the control of the Presby-
tery of London, instead of under the ex of supervision of
the Scottish! Presbytery in connexion with the Established
Church, as it had been for the greater part of the last cen-
tury. The Marquis of Breadalbane presided, there being
also present P. M. Stewart, Esq., M.P. ; Sir John Kirkland,
the Rev. Dr. Cumming, the Chisholm, Mr. Matheson, M.P.,
B. B. Cabbell, Esq., isc. Unfortunately for the welfare of
the Society the attendance of those favourable to the Esta-
blished Church was lamentably .small, while the mem-
bers of the Free Church assembled in great force, with the
view of supporting a resolution for upsetting the rules
whereby it was held that the children, agreeably to the char-
ter of incorporation, should be educated in accordance with
the principles of the Established Church of Scotland, exer-
cised by clergymen connected therewith.
The Noble Chairman having opened the business,
The Rev. Dr. CUMMIN• rose, and was received with ap-
plause. He believed, he said, that he was the party who
defeated the proposition of the last meeting, authorising the
transfer of ecclesiastical rower from the Scottish Presbytery
in London to the newly-formed London Presbytery. In
taking this step, he hoped it might be understood that he
entertained no personal animosity against the gentlemen
connected with the Free Church of Scotland, and that he
indulged no party feeling against that institution itself.—
(Cheers.) lie certainly admitted that it was a difficult
matter to denude oneself of everything appertaining to party
feeling, but on the present occasion he felt little difficulty
in doing so, inasmuch as they were now engaged in consulting
the interests of a great national charity. He found, from
consulting the records of the Society, that it had been its
practice for a quarter of a century to provide for the ex-
amination of the children annually, by the Scotch Pres-
bytery of London, in connexion with the Established
Church of Scotland. On the faith of that clause in the Act,
he (the Rev. Doctor) contributed his mite towards the sup-
port of the institution, and others with whom he was ac-
quainted contributed their mites also. The Rev. Gentleman,
after some further remarks, proposed an amendment to the
effect that the examination of the children should take place
agreeably to the general usage—viz., according to the forms
of the Established Church of Scotland, and by clergymen
belonging thereto.
The amendment having been seconded, a discussion
ensued.

On a division there appeared for Dr. Cumming's amend-
ment, 17; against it, 27. Majority in favour of Free Church
principles, 10.
This being the first victory of the Free Church party, the
announcement of the numbers was received by them with
loud applause.
The Rev. Dr. Cumming :announced his intention of ap-
pealing against the decision at a future meeting.

On Sabbath last a little boy, on the south side of the
water, of about four years of age, met his death by putting his
mouth to a kettle full of boiling water, and swallowing a considerable
quantity ere he was observed. The poor little fellow survived only a
few hours.—Glasgow Constitutional.
We regret to state that the Master-General of the
Ordnance has experienced a third attack, and that he is once more
laid on a bed of sickness with, we fear, very slight hopes of his re-
covery. Her Majesty, her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, and
several other members of the Royal Family, send almost daily to
make inquiries as to the health of the gallant general.

TOBACCO MONOPOLY TO ROTIISCHILD.—Tho Cour-
rier Francais says : —" We learn that. M. de Rothschild has arranged
an affair which will insure him the monopoly of tobacco not only in
France, but throughout the continent of Europe. He has ror some
time had agents in America to buy by anticipation the growth of all
the plantations for a great many years to come. Thirty millions of
francs have been appropriated to this vast speculation. The news
has spread alarm amen the capitalists who have entered into con-
tracts. with the royal tobacco manufactorY,
possible for them to supply their tobacco at the stipulated prices."
INCENDIARY FIRE IN EAST KENr.—A bout four
o'clock o'clock on the morning of the 3d inst. a ban], In
,the occupation
- • • AS discovered to be
a 3 it will Soon he„tin
Mr. Ralph, at Barnshill, Ash, near Sandwich,
t tally destroYed. together with
on fire. The wind was blowing strong st the time, and befac assis-
tance could be procered it was o
lodge, containing c ilt ie. A straw
several implements of agri-t---urstack,
the contents of the barn, end a fodder stack, were entirely conSunled.
The property was uninsured.
The late severe, though brief, frost has dono Consi-
derable misobtef In the more exposed and elevated portions Of our
destroy to the season.—lier-
dist ri
oc
ft ..Telaierl3f):giving great pro-
mise
pletely nipped, cud are tints entirely
uaitn d trees
abundantand
WiC4 WONIr.