The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-16 00:00:00

THE PENINSULAR MAIL

SOUTHAMPTON, THURSDAY MORNING.—The Penin-
sular and Oriental Company's steam-ship Queen, Capt.
Russell, arrived this morning at half-past ten o'clock,
from the Peninsular, bringing all the usual mails.
Her dates of departure are as follow:—Gibraltar,
April Gth; Cadiz, 7th; Lisbon, 10th; Corunna, 13th.
Specie, cargo, &c., on board—Six packages of specie,
a full cargo of oranges, dates, potatoes, &c.
Ships cf war lying at Gibraltar—Her Majesty's brig
Fantotne. At Cadiz—Two French war steamers. At
Lisbon—The usual Portuguese fleet. At Corunna—
War steamer Isabella 11.

The Queen steam-ship brings confirmatory intelli-
gence of the disturbed state of Spain, although up to the
moment when she left no actual collision had taken
place, and consequently no blood has been shed. The
worst, however, is anticipated.
A pronuncianziento had been declared at Vigo, on the
10th, by the whole of the officers and soltliers, in favour
of Prince Don Enrique. It was generally responded to.
The Governor of Vigo and Military Commandant
were furnished with passports for Cadiz, and were to
leave by the next packet. No blood had been shed.
Her Britannic Majesty's Consul had been officially in-
formed by the Political Chief of Corunna, by order of
his Excellency the Captain-General of Galicis, that in
consequence of martial law having been pronounced, the
British mail steamers would not be allowed to land the
mails and passengers at Corunna except during the day
time. They would not be allowed either to touch at Vigo.

Martill-law had been declared at Corunna. The ao•
vernor is determined to fire on the town, in the event of
a movement in favour of the young Prince.
Other parts of Galicia were in a very distracted state.
Nearly all the troops had marched from Corunna to Vigo
to suppress the revolt, if possible.
LISBON, APRIL 10.—The Bill conferring the Regency
upon the King Consort, in the event of the Queen's
death during the infancy of the heir apparent, has passed
the Chamber of Peers by a very large majority, there
having been only 10 dissentient voices. The Duke of
Painsella, after arguing against it, voted for it. As the
Revolucao remark, his motives must be respected, but
they cannot be misunderstood. No other business of
any interest is going on in the CorOs at present.
The session, however, has been prolonged to the
30th instant, and will probably be still further extended
in order to give time for the discussion of the budget,
which has yet to commence, as well as of the report of the
Commissioners recently appointed to revise the tariff of
import duties. The Commissioners, it is expected, will
be enabled to lay their report before the Chambers in a
fortnight or three weeks. Meanwhile their proceedings to
a certain extent are no secret ; and it is already pub-
licly known that, except as regards some few articles of
trifling importation and consumption, the duties are to
be raised instead of being lowered, and that on the ground

that Sir Robert Peel'sfree-trade measure will —enable
England to manufacture cheaper, it behoves Portugal to
afford additional protection to her own native industry.
I learn from a sure source that it is proposed to raise the
duty on calicoes from 60 to 90 reis per pound weight, and
on most other cotton goods in the same proportion, and
that, the duty on fine woollens is to be raised consider-
ably ; as for coarse woollens they are completely shut
out as it is. The articles the duties on which it is pro-
posed to reduce are malt liquor, some kinds of hardware,
and a few other odds and ends, the total importation of
which would not amount to 5,0001. a year, were they
even admitted free. It is evidently not to this country
that Sir Robert Peel must look for anything like free-
trade reciprocity. The Portuguese are determined to
take whatever advantage they can get, and give as little
in return for it as they can; or according to one of their
own proverbs, " to eat the bait, and upon the
hook."

There is a gentleman at present in this city commis-
missioned by the house of Laffitte, of Paris, to make
proposals to this Government for lighting the streets
with gas, and conveying water into the houses by means
of pipes. The latter oz these improvements is certainly
a great desideratum, but the former is, I fear, imprac-
ticable with any prospect of success, owing to a variety
of local circumstances, amongst which are to be reckoned
the earthquakes which now and then take place, and
the first of which would probably snap all the gaspipes,
and cause explosions in every direction.
Several highway robberies have recently been com-
mitted on the road between this city and St. Übes, a
town only 24 miles distant. Amongst others an Eng-
lish gentleman, of the name of Trevelyan, was plundered
about six weeks ago. Three of the robbers have since
been captured.—Herald.

NEW MARKET RACES.

(THIS DAY.)

BY THE E A.STERN COUNTIES
ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH

Handicap of 20 sovs. each. A.F.

Lord Waterford's Corranna, aged, Bst 101 b....: 1
Lord Miltown's Colleen Bawn, 4 yrs, Bst 21b 2

Sweepstakes of 100 sovs. each. D.M.
Lord G. Bentinck's Binnacle
Duke of Bedford's Paragone
Colonel Anson's Austrian
Plate of 501.
Sir G. lleathcote's Khorassan
Colonel Anson's Rowland Hill
Sweepstakes of 100 Sovs.
Duke of Bedford's Paragone
Lord Exeter's Galata colt
Lord Stradbroke's Lynceus

THE RECENT HORRIBLE DUEL

IN AMERICA.

(From the New York Commercial Advertiser.)
The horrible affair at Richmond, of which we spoke on
Friday and Saturday, has terminated fatally to one of the
parties. Air. Pleasants died of his wounds on Friday
morning. The Washington correspondent of the Balti-
more Patriot gives the following account of the combat :
The quarrel had gone on in their newspapers to such
an extent that Mr. Pleasants thought himself called
upon to bring the matter to a crisis. He therefore sent
a request to Mr. Ritchie to meet him at a specified place
and hour across the river from Richmond, with side
arms, Mr. Ritchie sent word back that he could not con-
sent to settle the affair in that way. Mr. Pleasants then
sent him word that the matter must be settled, and in
that way.
Ititchie then prepared himself with a revolver of
six barrels, two duelling pistols, and a horseman's short
sword, and repaired to the place designated at the time
named.

Mr. Pleasants arrived, with two (or four, there is a
doubt about this) common pistols and a sword cane. A
friend of Mr. Pleasants' approached Mr. Ritchie, and
said to him that he thought the difficulty might be
settled if the latter would do one thing—acknowledge
tlaat he believed Mr. Pleasants to be a brave man. Mr.
Ritchie replied that once he could have done this, but
now, Mr. Pleasants having called him there, he could
not make such an acknowledgment.
Soon after this Mr. Pleasant, approached Mr. Ritchie,
considerably in advance of the two friends who had ac-
companied him to the spot. As he approached at a
rapid pace Mr. Ritchie fired successively his two duelling
pistols, resting each on his left arm, drawn up in an
angle for that purpose. He then presented his revolver
and fired either four or five of its barrels. After he
had fired first upon Mr. Pleasants the latter drew and
fired thrice without effect, all the time rushing up to
Mr. Ritchie, and when near enough he struck him with
his sword cane, when the scabbard flew off, and Mr.
Ritchie struck up the blade or spear with his short
sword, in doing which he received the point in the cor-
ner of his mouth, cutting upward a slight gash.
Mr. Pleasants then fel, having received five wounds
—one ball raked across the back of his left hand, carry-
ing away all the muscles and tendons leading to the
fingers—another passed through the fleshy part of his
left arm, half way up from the elbow to the shoulder.
Another entered the left breast, and ranged round under
the arm. A fourth entered the left groin, and proved
&aortal. The fifth wound was to the right thigh—either
by a ball or thrust train the abort sword.
'So has ended the earthly career of the gifted, the
high-minded, the generous, whole souled John Hampden
Pieasants I His loss to the community in which he
moved, to the editorial fraternity of which he was ever
a sparkling, brilliant member, and to the thousands of
his ever-delighted and instructed readers, will be most
deeply felt, as his sanguinary exit will be sadly mourned.
For many years he has been one of the most vigorous,
original, and brilliant political writers in the country.
He was a man of strong impulses, and, in the excite-
ment of the moment, sometimes committed editorial
errors, or did his opponents injustice ; but that man
lived not who would more readily or amply atone fur
indiscretions or injuries of this nature.

An extraordinary phenomenon took place on the 13th
ult., at Karoly, in Hungary. Mount Mormentzee, about
1,800 feet high, situated at the entrance of the defile of
Borsoe, suddenly split in two, and stopped up the course of
the river running through the hollow. The whole country
above the place where the earth fell was immediately flooded.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
CLE RK EN WILL.
A mean-looking fellow, who gave his name as George
Mortloelt, was charged before Mr. Combe by Miss Sophia
Edwards, daughter of Mr. Edwards, coffeehouse-keeper,
of Ray-street, Clerkenwell, with disorderly conduct, and
attempting to stab her with a knife.
Miss Edwards deposed that on Monday evening, about
five o'clock, the prisoner entered her father's coffee-
room, and asked for coffee, eggs, bread, and butter, and
a rasher of bacon, which were laid before him. She
asked for payment, as a few days previously a gang of
seven or eight such fellows consumed 4s. worth of food,
and refused to pay for it. She said she must take what
he called for away unless he paid the money, and was
about doing so, when the prisoner seized a knife, started
up, and using violent language, swore he would stab her
to the heart if she dared to remove it ; and he made a
stab at her with the knife, but she retreated and avoided
it. He made a second thrust at her, and she screamed
for assistance. her brother, ten years of age, was in
the shop, and the pris)ner threatened to stab him with
the knife. Her father came to her assistance, when the
prisoner threatened violence towards him also. The
police were called, and he was given into custody. In
answer to questions, witness said she felt assured that
had she not moved aside when the prisoner made the
thrust at her, the knife would have wounded her. It
was a deliberate thrust at her person. Several other
fellows were noticed in the shop at the time laughing.

She knew them to be the persons who refused to pay for
what they had a few days before.
M'Ray, 112 G, said the prisoner was charged with
felony a few says ago at this Court. He was connected
with a set of fellows who were in the habit of going into
coffee-houses, and eating and drinking at the landlord's
expense, and refusing to pay. Several of them had
lately been sent to prison.
Master Edwards corroborated his sister's evidence, as
did also Mr. Edwards, the father.

The prisoner, in his defence, said he laid down a
shilling, which Miss Edwards took up. He denied the
.charge of attempting to stab her.
Miss Edwards positively denied that he had laid down
a shilling.
M'Ray said no money was found on the prisoner on
being searched.
Mr. COMBE fined the prisoner 403., or one month's
imprisonment in the House of Correction.—He could not
pay the money, and was conveyed to prison.
ASSAULT ON SHERIFFS' OFFICERS.--TWO sheriffs'
officers, named Johnson and Copeland, were charged with
attempting to force in the door of Mr. Luke, a surgeon,
residing at 1, St. John's-street, and with creating a mob
there, John Haden, another sheriff's' officer, living at 4,
Saville-lane, City, was charged with threatening to
murder Mr. Luke ; and there was a cross charge in
which Mr. Luke was charged with threatening to murder
the sheriffs' officers, also with throwing vitriol on them.
The Court was crowded, arid the transaction caused
the greatest excitement in the neighbourhood.
Mr. Hare, who appeared for the Sheriff of Middle-
sex, stated that an execution was put into Mr. Luke's
house on Thursday last, at the suit of a Mr. Lindus for
311. 3s. Id.

Mr. Luke deposed that Haden, the &h.:Tiff,' officer,
who held the warrant, went out of his own free will on
Friday. Witness had received a bill of sale, which he
considered as a sufficient indemnity to warrant him in
refusing admission to any other officer. Haden bad at-
tempted to get in subsequently, but v‘ as not allowed ad-
mission; and on the following evening, at five o'clock,
Johnson and Copeland came to his house, and com-
menced beating at the door, which witness refusing
to open, they threatened they would smash his brains
out. An immense mob collected, and he gave them into
custody„

Mr. Hare said the bill of sale was not a bona-fide one.
fhe fact was, Mr. Luke had ]rapt Mr. Lindus out of the
debt for six years, so that the statute of limitations had
nearly come in. An action was taken, and it was only
on Wednesday last (the Sth) the verdict was had. The
officers, in attempting to gain admission, had been
treated in the most ferocious manner—beaten with
pokers, and vitriol thrown upon them. Haden had been
cajoled to leave the house by Mr. Luke.
Mr. COMM said ho must bind the men ever in good
sureties to keep the peace.
Mr. Hare said, he feared that would paralyse the
course of the sheriff. How was he to enter? _

vv
Mr. CODIBE said, if the entrance was legal the recog-
nisanccs would not be effected.
Mr. Luke—Then they can break open my door?
Mr. COMBE—I do not sit here to answer such ques-
tions.
Mr. Luke—Because I wish to inform them that any
man who does so I will put a bullet in him.
Mr. COMBE—You will put a bullet in him? Mr.
Luke—Yes, my house is my castle.
Mr. COMBE —Then, sir, I must teach you that such
conduct will not be tolerated. You must find bail. If
the sheriff: officer does anything wrong, the sheriff; the
highest officer in the county, is amenable for it.
Mr. Luke—l'll try it, at any rate.
Mr. COMBE—You are under a delusion.
Mr. Luke was then obliged to find two sureties in
50/. each to keep the peace.
The case against Haden was then heard, and much
conflicting evidence tendered. The matter ended in
Haden being bound in his own recognisanccs.
Mr. Hare said he would indict Mr. Luke for vitriol-
throwing.
. _

Haden's case against Mr. Luke was then hear 3.

The complainant swore that he had been cajoled to
leave the house by Mr. Luke, and when he threatened
to force an entrance, Mr. Luke swore he would shoot
him, and aimed a blow at him. One or Mr. Luke's
party struck him so violently across the leg, when at
tempting to cross the yard wall, that there was still a
deep and extensive wound there; one of the party cried
out, " Shoot him!" and he was obliged to retreat.
The recognisances Mr. Luke had already entered into
—two sureties in 501. each, and himself in 1001.—were
deemed sufficient.