The Sun.
London, England, 1848-04-28 00:00:00

BURGLARY AND ROBBERY.

• .

SHAFTESBURY, Arum 26.—At about the hour of two
o'clock this morning, the dwelling of the Rev. Robert
Wm. Blackmore, known as the Rectory of Donhead St.
Mary's, near Shaftesbury, was found to have been bur-
glariously entered by thieves, and a considerable amount
of property stolen therefrom. On going to the Rectory
the following particulars were obtained:—Miss Black-
more, sister to the Rev. Gentleman, was awoke about
half-past one in the morning by hearing a loud noise as
if some one was breaking open ono of the inner doors of
the house. She lay listening for some time, till she
found that her fears were not unfounded, on which she
hastened to alarm the family, in doing which she
frightened the thieves, who hastily decamped with such
booty as they had already collected. On Mr. Blackmore
and his servants going down they found that the
burglars had broken a pane of glass in the front dining-
room window, through which they pushed back the inner
' shutters, and thereby entered; they then broke open two
other doors until they arrived at the breakfast room,
where the plate and other valuables were kept, including
the communion service belonging to the church at Don.
head St. Mary's ; they forced the locks of a cupboard,
and also the iron chest in which the communion plate
was deposited, packing up and taking the whole away.
The contents of the sideboard the thieves did not get; it
is supposed their being heard prevented further depre-
dations being committed. Miss Blackmore distinctly
saw four men leaving the place hastily, but was not
sufficiently near to discern their features or dress. The
police were, as soon as possible, made acquainted with
the burglary, and instant pursuit commenced, but up to
the present time (12 o'clock, A.m.) no clue has been
obtained as to where the thieves went, what road they
took, or who they are; yet it is hoped they cannot escape
detection, so little time having elapsed between their
being heard and the information having been given to
the p lice. A reward of 501. is offered for the appre-
hension and conviction of the burglars.

THE ART OF FIGHTING A DUEL.—(44 IN A PARLIA-
MENTARY SENSE.")—Be valiant. Don't weigh your
insult. The heavier it is the better. Throw it boldly at
your opponent, and if it floors him, be quick and fling
another. The legal time for the duel is uncertain. It
is according to the sport and comparative skill of the
opponents. Sometimes it is interrupted at the first shot.
It you are very smart, you may load and fire several
tunes. It is best, however, after an exchange or twe,
to get some friend to cry " Order." This is the more
necessary if you are getting the worst of it. The
House will soon take up the cry. The Speaker next in,
terferes. He will appeal to you as a gentleman. You
must not be surprised at this, but talk of your honour.
Leave the Ilouse instantly, first telling your man, with
a pair of duelling eyes, that " he shall hear from
you." You will be pursued, of course, by the Sergeant-
at-Arms. Don't be foolish, but follow him quietly,
and be grateful to him for the opportunity. You
will be conducted to the Speaker. He will remind you,
in the most pathetic manner, of your insult. He will
toll you it is very wrong. He will insist that it does not
goany further. You will say yols never meant that it should.
It you insulted your opponent,
,It was not personally. No :
you have the highest opinion of him—you always had, and
you only intended to insult him in a Parliamentary sense.
You will be cheered for this manly confession. Your
opponent will rise, and say the very same thing. He
will he cheered. You will cross over, and shake hands
with him. You both will be cheered tremendously, and
if you are very tUrgiving you can retire arm-in-arm to
finish the duel at Bellamy's, or you can adjourn it till
the next house dinner day at the club.—N.B. By fol-
lowing these simple rules, you may fight your six duels
every session, and kill your six men easily, and be per
fectly alive to resume the sport the following year.—
Punch .

GOODRICH COURT.—This beautiful residence, with
all its antiquarian treasures, which it was the labour of
a life to collect, passes (we understand) to a near rela•
tive of the late possessor. The collection of arms and
armour was ostensibly that of Mr. Llewellen Meyrick.
the son end only issue of the late Sir Samuel, and
who died in the prime of life in 1835, and it is noticed
as his in one of Scott's novels, but it was almost en
tirely, we believe, the fruit of the research of his father,
the late possessor, Sir Samuel made his will, we heard,
only a month .nr so betore his decease; and, subject
to the payment of a limited amount of legacies and
annuities, the property devolves to the deceased's se-
cond cousin. Colonel Meyrick, who, we believe, married
Lady Laura Vane, sister of the present Duke of Cleve-
land. The domain on which the court is built is of
limited extent, and was formerly a small farm, called
Giddis, but the late Mr. Samuel considerably enlarged
it, only a few months prior to his decease, by the pur-
chase of an adjoining property, the two estates nearly
encircling the ancient castle of Goodrich. The acquire-
ment of the adjoining estate must have been the more
pleasing to Sir Samuel, from its antiquarian associa-
tions, as it comprised the remains of the ancient priory
of Hens-ford, or Laudsford (Church-ford), founded for
Augustinian monks in 1347. These remains now form
part of the farm buildings. The high ground called
Pencraig, on part of which Goodrich Court is built, is
remarkable for scenic beauty, and this, combined with
its contiguity to Goodrich Castle, seems to have induced
the late Sir Samuel to fix his abode in that neighbour.
hood, with which he was not otherwise immediately con-
nected. A large sum was laid out by him on the erec-
tion of the mansion, and he, no doubt, fondly hoped that
the building with its varied contents, would go down to
his posterity. But Providence, ordered it otherwise, fur
Sir Samuel had only inhabited his favourite abode for a
few years, ere a fatal malady began to develop itself in
his son, and which soon carried his chief hope to an early
grave.—Hereford Times.
REWARD FOR Goon CONDucr.--On Monday
morning the whole of the battalion of the Royal Ma-
rines of the Chatham division assembled on the parade
ground of the barracks to witness the presentation of a
silver medal to private Joseph Bell, for good conduct
and long service. '['he battalion being formed into a
square, Colonel Charles Menzies, KAI., second in com-
mand, attended by the adjutant and other officers, en
tered it, when private Bell was called from the rank.,
and the colonel addressed the battalion in the following
words :—" I have so frequently of late had the gratifi-
tion of addressing the men of this division on the presen-
tation of medals, and pointing out to them the line
of conduct that is to be pursued in order to
obtain one of those proud distinctions, that on this occa-
sion I shall confine myself to observing that they are the
rewards from our gracious Sovereign, at the recoin
mendation of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty,
to meritorious and long-tried servants. We have all
sworn fidelity and allegiance to that Sovereign, and we
are bound in honour, as well as duty, to shed the last
drop of our blood in defence of her throne and dignity
against all foreign as well as domestic enemies. It now
only remains for me to present you, private Joseph Bell,
with this high, honourable, and dignified badge, which
any one of us may well be proud to wear." The colonel
then handed the medal to Lieutenant and Adjutant
Rodney, who placed the medal on the man's breast, and
the colonel, with considerable feeling said " Long may
you live to wear it." The square was then formed into
line. This soldier also received the gratuity of 51.; and
on his discharge, besides his pension for 21 years'
service, he will receive 2d. per day. The medal was the
admiratio❑ of all present.
MAILS FOR MADEIRA, &c.—Notice was issued
yesterday at the Genei al Po►t-office, St. Nlartin's•le
Grand, that mails will be made up in the evening of the
Ist pro=. for Madeira, San Nicholas (Cape de Verdes),
Sierra Leone, the Gambia, and the Island of Ascension,
to be conveyed by her Majesty's sloop Waterwitch,
which is appointed to sail from Devonport on the morn-
ing of the 2d of May. Letters for Madeira will be
charged Is. 10d. postage per half ounce, and so on,
and newspapers 2d each. -Letters for Sierra Leone:and
Ascension Is. per half ounce; newspapers free of charge.
As no rate of postage has been fixed by law for letters
or newspapers conveyed to the Cape de Verdes by
packet, letters, &c., for San Nicholas will be forwarded
free of charge. Letters and newspapers intended to be
sent by this vessel must be specially addressed " by her
Majesty's sloop Waterwitch." The Cambria steamer for
the British North American and United States' mails
of this evening, the 28th inst., vid Liverpool, Halifax,
and New York.

The private letters from Paris yesterday mention
that the rise in the shares of the Bank of France from
1,200 francs to 1,330 francs had been occasioned by a
rumour that Baro❑ Rothschild had arranged for a
supply of silver to that establishment to the amount of
2,000,0001. sterling. The Railway Market was weaker,
doubts being entertained as to the appearance of the
anticipated decree for the absorption of the lines by the
Government.
Pieces of one centime are now being coined at the
Mint at Paris, and it is said that half a million are to be
struck,