The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-25 00:00:00

DECEMBER 25, 1846.

THE NAVY.
(From the Times.)
It is very much to be wished that some competent
authorities would complete the task which Admiral
Bowles lately projected, and give the country a popular
and intelligible view of the state of its naval force. Such
a report would be fully as serviceable to the Adminis-
tration as satisfactory to the people ; for there is no
-ingle subject on which misrepresentations are so easily
made, or alarm so readily taken. No doubt a certain
measure of trouble and inquiry would produce the re-
quired information, but jt is not every person who has
leisure to collect the details, or is competent to form the
estimate. The force of the French and American navies
is perhaps more clearly understood thanjhe strength of
our own, for succinct tabular statemeats are frequently
issued by these Powers ; and we lately trans-
ferred to our own columns a royal ordinance of
Louis Philippe, which conveyed as clear a view of
the French marine as could possibly be desired. So far
are we from anticipating any exposure, or conceiv-
ing that any discreditable considerations dissuade the
publication of such documents, that we firmly
believe the subject would be set at rest at once by a
simple statement of facts. We are convinced that.
to say the least, since 1840, our navy and our coast de-
fences have been improved and strengthened more quietly
perhaps, but more effectually, than during any similar
period previously, and that these reforms have been
radical and not superficial, going to the very source of
any mal-arrangements affecting the efficiency of our
ships or the condition of our seamen. We have doubt-
less much to learn in the construction of war _steamers,
and in that perhaps of sailing ships too; but, though our
experience might possibly be purchased at a cheaper
rate than the present, yet we have no idea of represent-
ing the rivalry of two architectural schools as franght
Kith ruin to our marine. Our ships will be good enough
for our sailors, whether built by Sir William or by the
college which he superseded; and probably the worst
craft ever constructed by either is far better than the
vessels furnished to Nelson or Jervis, even if considered
relatively to the improved materiel of our opponents. We
know of no person more competent to discharge
the task in question than Admiral Bowles himself,
if lie would only satisfy the conditions he so clearly
enounces, and make his pages mare in accord with
his preface. In fact the Gallant Admiral seems to be
entitled to some of the credit of the regulations we
have so lately recorded in our naval intelligence,
and which promise so much towards our security and
our strength. We detailed last week the particulars of
the measure, by which a reserve force of nearly 5,000
men, always available, will be added to the ordinary
guard of our dockyards and arsenals, an addition gaiao.d
at a very small expense and in the best possible fashi
by organising and training in gunnery practice and
simple military evolutions a hardy and robust body of
men, already possessed of an esprit de corps, and who,
by a little judicious management on the part of their
officers, may easily be brought to look upon their new
duties as a source of amusement and pleasure. Some
measure of this sort we presume Admiral Bowles was
contemplating when he suggested, in August last, "a
complete revision of all our existing establishments,with
a view of bringing every person employed in the mili
tary departments into a general arrangement for the
defence of his own locality, which would enable
him to repair to his post without alarm or
confusion." No doubt can exist of the expe-
diency of such an arrangement, and we are
sure that if it is only conducted with proper tact, the
men themselves will be the last to complain of it. We
wish we could now state, that on the most important
'point ef all—that of providing an effective supply of
trained sailors to man our ships in case of an emer-
gency—we were aware of any satisfactory measure at
present in contemplation. There are here two questions
to be considered,—the method of engaging the services
of able seamen, and the method of retaining them ; and
hitherto we have been as improvident in one respect as
we were arbitrary in the other. We had no sooner col-
lected a ship's complement with some trouble, and
trained them with great pains, than we turned them
adrift on the world again ; and as the small number of
men-of-war's people found in the merchant service—
barely four per ceat of the whole—shows that they did
not mainly resort to this quarter for employment, it
follows, almost as a matter of course, that our trained
and disciplined seamen betook themselves to another
country for the wages they could no longer find in their
own. There was, however, a circular issued from the
Admiralty about three months ago, which cannot be too
generally published, as it obviates this mischief in no
inconsiderable degree- Its tenor was as follows :
" Memorandum.—ln all future cases when any of her
Majesty's ships are about to be paid off, their Lordships
desire it may be distinctly explained to the men that it
they choose to continue in the service they may have a
month or six weeks' leave of absence, during which time
their time and pay will go on, and that they will be at
liberty to join any of her
_Majesty's ships fitting out at
any ports upon their return from such leave.
" Their Lordships further desire that every facility
may be given to the men to deposit their hammocks,
clothes, &c., in the doAcyards during their stay on shore,
in the manner prescribed by their memorandum, dated
April 13, 1842, the object of which their Lordships de•
sire may be fully impressed upon the men, and the regu-
lation strictly attended to.
" By command of their Lordships,
" Sept. 1, 1846. ‘• 11. (1. WARD.
" To all Flag-officers, Commanders-in-Chief,
" Captains, and Commanders of her
" Majesty's ships and vessels."
Perhaps, it is hardly worth While to contend for the
exclusive credit of so obvious a suggestion; but we may
remark, that Admiral Bowles had hinted a month before,
that "Ships returning from foreign service, in good con-
dition (not requiring more than two months' repair)
should not he paid off, but that the crews should have
six weeks' leave of absence, offering all those who had
served above a certain period their discharge or re-entry
for another term." But little difficulty is apprehended,
by persons acquainted with the subject, in retaining the
services of those sailors who have been lately afloat. A
good seaman is rarely desirous of changing his berth.
.The Queen's service is anything -but unpopular to those
who know its character; and though the pay is small,
yet there is a compensation in the allowances and other
matters which does raise it above its nominal value. It
is certainly found, in practice, that the men are content
enough with their plight, and far from wishing to roam.
The disinclination to the pennant is discovered precisely
in those quarters where the tradition of the last war, and the
mischievous libels of crimps, and others interested in
scaring the sailor from his best service, are least cor-
rected by experience and observation. There are no
ports where the Queen's service is so popular as at Ply-
mouth or Portsmouth, while our greatest shipping
towns scarcely supply a volunteer. It is clear, however,
from the readiness with which eligible lads entered for
the navy the other day, when a week's opportunity was
offered them—and which was such as to satisfy the de-
mand in a much shorter space than might have been pre-
sumed—that we have the means at hand for providing
against any calls not very immediate. The difficulty of
the main question is this:—We cannot meet an emer•
gency without a reserve; and we cannot keep a reserve
without an expense which might be misrepresented and
censured. The problem, therefore, in the solution of
which many heads have been occupied, is the reconcile-
ment of these differences; or the division, if possible, of
both the cost and services of the reserve corps between
the State and some other body ;—in other words, it is
sought so far to alienate those services as to make it
worth while for another party to hire them; and so far
to retain them, that they may be secured at a few days'
notice. Some of the plans proposed fur this purpose we
may notice on a future occasion.

P.R./C1?. SD.

late strong south-west gales, may be considered almost
miraculous. The Dundee Merchant had 150 barrels of
sperm oil on board when cast away. The three boats
were sold at auction, yesterday, for 401.—Sydney Herald
of Aug. 19.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE,
DEPUTATION FROM DIRECTORS OF IRISH
LINES TO GOVERNMENT.
Yesterday an influential deputation from the aggregate
meeting of Irish directors, held with a view of consi-
dering how the progress of their works might be made
available towards relieving_the present alarming and in-
creasing destitution of the poor of Ireland, waited upon
the Right Hon. Charles Wood, Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, at his c fficial residence, Downing-street. The
deputations, who were introduced by Mr. George
Moffatt, M.P., comprised the following gentlemen:—
Mr. Alderman Joseph Boyce, director of the Midland
Great Western and Royal Canal Company; Messrs.
James Perry, director of the Midland Great Western
and Royal Canal Company; Joseph Kincaid, director
of the Dublin and Kingstown Railway; George Tyrrell,
director of the Londonderry and Enniskillen; Henry
Currie, F. H. Hemmings, B. Layard, and William
Frith.

The interview lasted upwards of two hours.
Mr. Alderman BOYCE informed the Chancellor of the
Exchequer that the deputation had the honour of
waiting upon him in order that they might submit
their views respecting the expediency of the Go-
vernment affording aid by direct loan to Irish
railway companieF. Some days ago another de-
putation, of which he also was a member, waited
upon his Excellency the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland
with a similar object. His Excellency promised to for-
ward their statement to the government backed by such
recommendation as he considered the extreme urgency
of the country in which he was placed imperatively re-
quired from him; but while they felt deeply grateful to
his Excellency for the courtesy extended towards them,
and for the interest manifested by him in a subject of
such vital imporLanoe to the people of Ireland, they felt
that it would be a dereliction of duty on their part if
they did not communicate personally with the heads of
the government at the seat of legislation; particularly as
but a very brief period would elapse before the assem-
bling of Parliament, and exertthemselves to the utmost
in demonstrating the necessity that existed for the re-
quired loan at a crisis of so awful and alarming a nature.
Several of the Irish railway directors assembled in
Dublin last Friday week, and it appeared to them that
government aid to Irish railway companies, by way
of loan, would enable them to assist very materially
in relieving the present distress, and afford the same
relief for a considerable period, by providing an imme-
diate and ample field for unemployed and prodne-
tive labour in the acceleration of their works. They
further considered that this employment would not be
confined to any locality, but would be spread over large
districts of the country, from north to south, and to
carry out that object the meeting empowered the depu-
tationista to submit to the Government the following
-suggestions :—That previously to a loan from Govern-
ment to any Irish railway company, 20 per cent, of their
capital shall be bona fide paid up, and expended on the
undertaking ; that the Government shall advance to such
company a sum not exceeding 30 per cent. of their
capital, in instalments of 5 per cent., at such times as an
equal amount shall be paid up by the shareholders. The
Right Hon. Gentleman would perceive that the amount
cf loan thus required was less than that now authorised
by their Acts to be borrowed, but it brought that power
into action sooner.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER asked the
amount of capital of the Irish Railway Companies al-
ready incorporated.
Mr. KINC AID said that in the statement drawn up by
the deputationists for the perusal of her Majesty's Go-
vernment, there was a table showing the number of Irish
railways incorporated in the years 1845 and 1846, to-
gether with the amount of their capitals. In the former
year there were eleven companies incorporated, the
aggregate of whose capitals exceeded by a few hundreds
7,425,0001., and in 1846 the number of incorporated rail-
way companies was increased by twenty-one, their
capitals figuring in the aggregate 8,817,9001. Now if
the plan suggested were carried out, the total amount to
be advanced by Government would be 4,890,0001. ;
namely, in 1847, 1,250,0001. ; in 1847-8, 1,000,0001. on
the incorporated companies of 1845 ; and in 1847-8,
1,320,0001. ; in 1848-9, 1,320,0001. on the incorporated
companies of 1846. During the same period the sum
total to be paid up by shareholders was estimated at
9,910,0001.

The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER observed, that
it he understood the suggestions of the deputation aright,
they required a Government loan of 4,890,000/. to be
expended on the construction of Irish railway com-
panies incorporated in 1845 and 1846, and to be Ld-
vaneed in the following proportions, at stated periods,
1.250,0001. in 1847, 2,320,0001. in 1847.8, and 1,320,000/
in 1848 9.

Mr. Alderman BOYCE said that was what the meeting
of directors bad instructed them to suggest, and to urge
upon the Government the propriety of conceding it at as
early a period as possible.
Mr. PERRY explained that if the required Government
loan were granted, there would be arising from that
grant and the deposits of shareholders suffitimt capi-
tal to warrant an expenditure of 4,260,000/. in 1847,
4,640,0001. in 1847.8, 4,140,0001. in 1848 9, and
1,760,0001. in 1849. The advantages to the Government
Crom adopting the plan suggested were fully detailed in
the statement prepared by the director's deputation, and
lie would take the liberty of directing the Chancellor of
the Exchequer's particular attention, to them. Instead
of advancing an immerse amount of monex, unassisted,
for carrying Out works for the most part ofifquestionable
,utility, and in many instances worse thate.useless, from
the pauperising effect already so apparent upon the in-
dustrial habits of the labourer by the present system of
baronial relief, and with the prospectof repayment at best
but doubtful, by advancing five millions dating the next
:three years to Irish railway companies, an additional
'sum of ten millions would be paid by the shareholders,
'thereby causing fifteen millions to be expended on Irish
railways, the advintages of which can scarcely be over-
Fated, as, whatever improvements are in, Contemplation
for Irela id, t 'ese must prove to be most important
auxiliaries. It appears from the present weekly expen-
iliture by the Government for the relief of distress, and
;which has been rapidly on the increase, that by August
:rext the amount will probably be above 6,000,0001., thus
exceeding the bans required fir railway companies for
the next three years. The security would be ample for
the repayment of the loans, which would only amount to
three-eights of the money ectually expended on the
works, whilst the direct profits to Government, by bor-
rowing at 3 per cent., and lending at 4 per cent., would
be as follows :-5.000,0001. to be returned by annual
instalments in 20 years, commencing soon after the ad-
yance, would bear a gross amount of interest equal to an
average of ten years ; 41. per cent. per annum un
,000,000/. would yield 200,000/., from which deduct 31.
per cent; per annum on the same sum, 150,0001., leav-
ing a clear profit of 50,000/, to the Government, which,
upon an average of ten years, would amount to
00,000/. To this might be added the direct buy not
unimportant advantage in the greatly increased con-
4umption of tea, coti,e, su,..ar, and other articles pay-
,
Vg duties, as well as of low-priced manufactured corn-
lnodities.

An animated discussion then took place between the
phancellor of the Exchequer and the deputationists, re-
specting the progress of public works in Ireland, and
details connected with the prospocts of railway compa-
nies. Upwards of an hour having been uccupied in an
exceedingly interesting conversation,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, who received
tivith marked attention the statements submitted to him,
Said it was not to beexpeetcd he could undertake to give

the deputation any definite promise. The subject they
had brought under his notice was one of a highly im-
portant nature, and they might rest asiared that in all
Its details it would receive the most attentive considera-
tion of Government, who were anxious that labour should
he directed into productive channels, and not expended
on useless or unproductive works.
i The deputation then retired, impressed with the desire
inanifested by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to further
their views.

LONDON AND SOUTH-WESTERN EXTENSION.
Yesterday another Court of Compensation was held at
the Horns Tavern, Kennington, before Mr. R. Wallinger,
assessor, and a special jury.
Mr. Montagu Chambers, Q.C., and Mr. Lush, ap-
peared for the claimant, and the Attorney-General, Mr.
M. D. Hill, and Mr. Merewether for the company.
The claimant, Mr. Miskin, is a practising surgeon and
dispensing chemist, carrying on his profession and oc-
cupying a house and back premises, being No. 59, in the
Westminster-bridge. road, under a lease, of which twenty-
six years remain unexpired. at a rent of 551., in addition
to some stabling at the back, also occupyed by him
under lease. On notice being givene by the railway
company that these premises were required for the pur •
poses of the railway, Mr. Miskin sent in a claim for the
loss of his interest in the unexpired term of years in the
lease and for the fixtures on the premises amounting to
9041. 103. 5d., and a further claim of the enormous sum
of 1,5431. 12s. Bd. for the good .will of his profession, by
sudden removal, and the removal of his furniture and
stock. The railway conipany it appeared conceived the
claim to be far above wh.at tbe claimant was fairly en-
titled to, and refused to piy.
The ATTORNEY GENERAL said, addressing the jury,
he was happy that he had succeeded in rendering it
unnecessary to occupy their time; he had on the part of
the company (who wore disposed in all cases to-act with
fairness and libtltdity)rnda6 it'pfdp•Osition to his Learned
Friend, Mr. Chambere, which had been accepted. The
claimant had made out a claim amounting to 2,4481. 3s.
Id., but, acting under the advice of his counsel, had con-
sented ;that a verdict should be taken for 1,2001., the
amount offered by the company.
The jury then returned a verdict of 1,2001., being
1,2481. 3s. Id. less than claimed; the verdict including
damages or compensation for value of property, good-
will, and removal.
The court was crowded by the inhabitants of adjacent
premises:

W ARRANGEMENT OF THE RE AT WESTERN
MAlL.—Atter Wednesday next, in compliance with the
orders of the Postmaster-General, the night mail from
Exeter to Paddington will start a t 9 p.m., instead of 9.35

_'"9.--

-z-_-e---c__,,.

. .
p.m., as heretofore ; it will leave Bristol tit. 11.50 p.m. ;
Gloucester, 11.40 p.m.; Oxford, 1.45 13... ca, .; and the
other stations in like proportion.
OPENING OF THE IPSWICH AND BURY ST. ED.
MINDS.—This line was opened yesterday for passenger
trains. The distance from London to Bury, by- road, is
71 miles ; by rail, via Ipswich, 95 miles. The inha-
bitants of Bury were in hopes that they would .not be
charged by the circuitous route of the line, but by the
road distance. The following scale of fares issued by
the Eastern Union Company shows, however, that such is
not the fact. From London toßury, first class, 18s., second
class, 124.; third class, 7s. With a view of comparing the
circuitous with the direct fares, we may mention that the
Eastern Counties Company charge for a distance of 71
miles, on the Cambridge line, at the rate of—first class„
14s. ; second class, 10s. ; third class, ss. 11d. The sin-
gularity of the fares on the Bury line is, that the same
amount is charged for going 84 miles from the metro-
polis as the whole distance, 95.

INDIAN LINES.
(From the Overland Delhi Gazette.)

RAILWAY TRAFFIC. —We have been favoured with
detailed table, giving the actual traffic on the grand
trunk road, near Cawnpore. The results are, briefly, a.
daily average for the month of September, of 67-2
hackeries, laden and unladen ; 13.8 camels, ditto ;
14 2 bullock and ponies, ditto ; 9.4 coolies and banghies,
ditto. 1.3 carriages ; 15.9 native bailees ; 1.2 palkees ;
1.1 doolees ; 0.4 elephants ; 94 0 horses ; 1.022.2 foot
passengers.

There is, perhaps, no country in the world, with any
pretence to civilisation, in which there is such an im-
mense mass of unproductive labour, as in India, and,
stranger still to say, in that species of labour, the car
rying trade, if we may so term it, which, above all others,
entails a constantly recurring expense. Out of 4,032
hackeries which passed over the Ca ..npore Trunk-road,
from the Ist to the 30th of September, inclusive, 3,228
were laden, and 804, or one-fifth of the whole number
unladen. We could scarcely have selected a more strik-
ing instance in proof of our hypothesis. The fact itself
is sufficiently trative of the carrying trade, and of
the expense of carriage generally—for the unproductive
labour must somehow be paid for ; and what process so
simple, we do not say so expedient, as that which
compels the owners of goods to pay at the rate of lf
tons of goods for every ton thus carried ; and yet such
is the system iii practice generally in India, and such,
perhaps, it must necessarily be with such lumbering and
crazy conveyances as we see daily passing before us.
The same remark applies, and, perhaps, with still greater
accuracy, to the transit of smaller parcels as effected by
coolies and banghies. The proportion of unproductive
labour must be, in this instance, still lamentably greater,
and serves to show how backward this country is in its
several, and even in its peculiar, modes of transit.
With these preliminary remarks we may proceed to
examine the valuable registry of traffic already noticed,
IA the same time premising that such information as we
may glean from the statistical details of one month must
necessarily be very imperfect, and more especially when
that one month happens to be, as iu the present instance
the most unfavourable month for traffic in the year.
Our acquaintance, moreover, with that particular dis-
trict is not sufficiently intimate to enable us to draw
any definite conclusion from the traffic on any one par-
ticular line of read, as that from east to west, as to what
it may bP also from north to south. Taking the usual
loads as undermentioned—for a four •bullock hackery,
20 maunds ; an elephant, 20 ; camel, 6 ; bulleck, 2i ;
pony, ; coolie, i—and, making due allowance
for such conveyances as passed unladen, we find,
with that safe proviso, errors excepted, that the
average daily amount of goods exceeded in weight 43
tons. On the principle that money makes money, and
that railways create traffic, this amount would be consi-
derably increased, arid there would be, supposing the
charge not very exorbitant, at least 60 tons of goods
available for dispatch daily, and as the average weight
of a Manchester and Liverpool train is, if we recollect
rightly, about 47 tons, there would be a sufficient supply,
under any circumstances, for a daily train up and down
in one isolated district.

The average cost for conveyance of goods by land
carriage in ndia may be estimated at 30 rupees per ton
(271 maunds) every 100 mile s. By a railway at the or-
dinary rate of 2138 pence per ton per mile, at the ave-
rage velocity, it would be 13 rupees per ton per 100
miles. Here, then, there would be an actual saving, in
the mere cost of conveyance, of nearly 200 per cent.,
and this saving, in addition to the other unnumbered ad-
vantages which increased speed affords, would act more
powerfully to bring into action the productive resources
of India than any legislative enactment or any system
of bolstering privileges whatever. •In the registry
of traffic on which these remarks aro founded
are not included, we have reason to infer,
any returns of Government stores, which ara
constantly passing through the country. These latter,
we understand, except in time of war, or when there is
any unusual emergency, are forwarded by river transit,
when such is available, and must therefore have been
overlooked when the statement of traffic was being pre-
pared. But as the railway companies may reckon with
every confidence on the employment which Government
c•in furnish, we have only to add the amount of those
stores to the general traffic of the country, and we shall
form by no means a disheartening estimate of the
amount of goods available for transit.

It wouidbe difficult, or perhaps next to impossible, to

form even any approximate guess of the number of tra-
vellers who could afford to pay the fare, however low it
may be, for railway travelling. The table under con-
sideration furnishes us with a sufficiently distinct >vials",
of the number of travellers on that particular road. The
total is somewhat startling ; more than 1,200 are daily
passing on that road, and yet bow few of these could
afford to pay even at the rate of a pice per mile. The
number passing daily in carriages and native convey-
ances, palkees and doolies, at the lowest average, exceeds
48, and of these perhaps 20 could afford to pay for a seat
in a train. The number passing on horses and ponies is
placed at 94, and of these perhaps a fifth part would give
up the horse for the rail. We have at this rate, without
including any from the foot-passenger class, about 35
travellers daily likely to avail themselves of the accom-
modation thus offered. If the charge for third-class
passengers be sufficiently low, something slightly in
excess of that charged for goods, we might multiply this
number by ten, and give the result as the average daily
amount of railway passengers. We have to add to this
the charge for conveyance of the mails and Government
servants,:and shall even then:form a very inadequate idea
of the extent of travelling which railwa; s would create.
We have only to multiply these results by ten—per-
haps by a hundred—in order to gain a more correct
estimate of the amount of traffic in a single section of
the country. The railway system, like the human
frame, is wonderful and complex in all its parts ; and
if the system be healthy, all its movements are regu-
lated with unerring precision. As it is impossible to
guess from the infant in arms whether he may turn out
eventually a giant or a pigmy in stature and strength,
so is it impossible to guess, especially under circum-
staaces so novel and in such an immense breadth of
country, whether a railway can ever here possibly
present those gigantic combinations which elsewhere
it has confessedly displayed. A raily may be easily
projected, and, as tar as the difficulties of engineer-
ing are concerned, as easily made ; but it can only
thrive by unremitting vigilance on the part of its
conductors, and by the line having been so judiciously
selected as to embrace the requirements of the country,
and to unite its main arteries. A railway, so we are
told, now connects the Falls of Niagra with the re-
motest parts of Albany, and what was formerly a
fatiguing tour of many weeks, may now be passed over
With ease at the rate of sixteen miles an holm. Cities
containing a population of 20,000 souls now occupy
sites on which, about twenty-five 3 ears ago, long cabins
Were constructed. The extremes of civilization may be
',here said to meet, for groups of Indians, lately the an-
(/):).irite,tirtraobrlesaolewraietrtshoef
villbjurisiaisitalatieodns
haourousensd,titsiremsibmleplteo
trinkets, and gaze at the ponderous machine as it rushes
o,rward to its destination. And why may not the same
eesults be anticipated in a country like India, in which
eiver)thing is in an infinitely higher state of advance-
[bent, and which has enjoyed, m such an eminent de-
„iree, so long an interval of rest and security? The
.eport of the railway directors proves, if any proofs are
tequired, the feasibility of railways. The registry of .
traffic, on which we have commented, proves likewise
that there is a sufficiency of goods for transit; and thus
has the first pebble been thrown, which, in due time,
by the zeal of l assers by, will be converted into 'a
mountain.

ALARMING FL/MS.—Last night a fire, nearly at-
tended with fatal consequences to a mother and infant,
broke out at No. 4, Victoria-place, Union-street,
Borough, in the occupation of Mr. Alfred Wilson. It
appeared that Mrs. Wilson, whohad been confined only a
few days, was sleeping with her infant in the first floor
back, when a spark flew from the grate, and alighting on
the bed set it in flames. The screams of the poor woman
brought the other inmates and several neighbours to the
room, who, after much trouble, succeeded in rescuing
the infant and its parent from destruction. The brigade
engines quickly attended, .
and the fire was confined to
that part of the premises in it commenced. Un-
fortunately the occupier was uninsured. A second fire
broke out at 12; Dover place, New Kent-road, the pro-
perty of Mr. J. Hepburn. It originated in a similar
manner to the above. The brigade and West of England
engines promptly attended, and the fire was soon ex-
tinguished, the damage done not being very considerable.
Fortunately Mr Hepburn was insured in the Sun-office.
At the fire that broke out yesterday morning, in
Edward-street, Portland-place, the escape belonging to
the Royal Society for the Protection of Life from Fire,
stationed in Great Portland-street, was the means of
saving the lives of seven or eight persons. The flames
had obtained such a firm hold of the premises before the
discovery was made, that had it not been for the timely
assistance afforded, all these persons must have been burnt
to death.

CEIRISTMAS-DAY AT THE WouttlionsEs.—From an
elaborate report we have received of the number of pau-
pers in each of the metropolitan workhouses, and the
fare with which they are to be regaled to-day, we learn
that roast beef, potatoes, and plu:n pudding, with porter,
tobacco, and snuff, for the males, and tea, sugar, &c., to
the females, are to be dispensed with more or less
liberality. We also learn, which is them, laueholy fact,
that a very considerable increase has taken place since
last Christmas in the number of in-door and out-door
paupers in the metropolitan unions.

Pauperism is making frightful progress in Belgium.
The number of poor persons inscribed on the registers of
the charitable institutions is from 7 to 800,000, out of 4
millions of inhabitants, or nearly the fifth part of the
• population. The proportion is still more considerable in
lri:Julcr, %here pauperism Lipp; ars to be passing into a
_hogs is
chronic htute. Irclaud. i'l.ls stalc! of

organic—the dar;►ess ot articlus of feud, and the deca-
dence of the linen manufacture; occasioned by the revo-
lution which has taken place in the method of fabrication.

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