The Sun.
London, England, 1848-08-03 00:00:00

HOP- INTELLIGENCE.

MAIDSTONE.—The wind and rain of last week has
made the hops turn up their leaves and look sickly.
Other appearances discourage the expectation of any-
thing like a crop. The succession of large growths the
last few years, with the unseasonable spring and the
considerations that they have not been even fairly
manured this year on account of the crop, however large
or small, not paying the grower, causes the duty to
stand from 190,0001. to 200,0001., but they must have
fine weather to do even this.
TALDING, WEST FARLEIGLI, CIIART.—Bine not abun-
dant, some weak and rather yellowish. Some lice on a
tew grounds.
STAPELUURST.—Coming into burr; generally looking
healthy and promising.
MEREWORTII.—The hops continue growing and com-
ing out in burr very fast. 1 here is not so much bine as
last year, and the crop cannot be large.
EAST PECILIIAM.—BiIIQ not quite so healthy. The
high winds and cold nights have been much against the
progress of the plantation. The duty is much over-
stated, according to the appearance of this district.
ULCOMIL—The wet weather this last fortnight, ac-
companied with cold winds, has considerably affected
the hops, and stopped their growth; they are not look-
ing so well as at the beginning of July; there is much
slack bine that will not reach the tops of the poles.
This year we shall be quite one-fourth short of last
year's duty, if we get kindly weather fur the next three
weeks.
CRANIIROOK.—The bine has done but little this fort-
night— some yellow, otherwise very slack—the stronger
very much whipped by the late high winds and cold
nights, and if such weather continue much longer the
crop will come much short of expectation. In the
sheltered situations the burr is coming forward and looks
tolerable.
GOUDHURST.—The hops have made but little pro-
gress since our last report. The late weather has in-
jured them, and there is an inclination to fire-blast.
ROLVENDEN.—Some of our best grounds are doing
pretty well, but a considerable part of the old grounds
have much fire-blast, and cannot do much. Some lice
have also made their appearance.
CANTERBURY.—With the discovery of a great quan-
tity of bine which will produce little or no fruit, and the
damage done by the late high winds and rains, a mate-
rial declension has taken place in the duty, which is now
laid at only 180,000/., with indications of some 20,000/.
less, should the weather not greatly improve. General
accounts speak of the hops retrograding by reason of the
cold winds.—Mai,lstone Journal.

TRIBUTE 10 BRITISII TALENT.—We hear a great
deal of the diabolical manner in which the unfortunate
negroes are packed together in the slave-ships. A gen-
tleman who gave his evidence on this subject before the
House of Commons, declared that it was impossible for
human ingenuity to cram more people into an equal
space. Here, however, he was mistaken. It is with
thhoen er sets
tpur if d e
the w e iwunrflodr mhe i
this,n t public
we
heal tl
as England
every e
ox
tchel s
other
science. The Brazilian merchants have sent over five
agents of great experience in the slave trade to study the
superior mode of loading practised on board our river
steamers.—Puppet Show.
OPENING OF ItAlLwAys.—On Tuesday the Chester
and Holyhead Railway was, with the excption of three
miles and a half adjoining the Menai Straits, opened
throughout for goods and passenger traffic. This open-
ing will materially accelerate the communication between
London and Dublin ; the mails from either capital will
now arrive in both cities at five A.M. The Leeds, Dews-
bury, and Manchester Railway lessening the distance
Letween the former and the latter town ten miles, was
on Tuesday opened for public traffic.
ST. HELEN'S AND RUNCORN RAILWAY AND CANAL.
—LIVERPOOL, TUESDAY.—The halt-yearly meeting of
the shareholders in this railway was held this afternoon,
in the Clarendom Rooms. In the absence of the chair-
man of the company (Mr. Gilbert Greenall, M.P.), Mr.
Thomas Ross, one of the directors, presided. The meet-
ing was numerously attended. The secretary read the
report, from which we take the following extracts
"It will be no matter of surprise to the shareholders that
the extensive depression of trade during the pa,t twelve
months has much affected the revenue of this in common
with nearly every other company in the kingdom; the
falling off in the income of the last twelve months being
upwards of 2,7001., while the diminution in the expendi-
ture is only 9001.; thus showing a diminished surplus of
1,8001. The whole of this falling off is in the coal trade,
the difference in the two periods being 60,000 tone,
whilst there has been a slight increase on the income
from passengers and merchandize. The directors do
not doubt that on the revival of the general trade of
the country, the deficiency will be quickly re-
moved. From the accounts it appeared that
on revenue account, the canal income for the
half-year was 6,372/. 95., and the expenses 2,658/.55. 3d.,
leaving a surplus of 3,614/. 3s. 9d. The in-
come from the railway was 6,4191. 1 ls. 83., and the
expenses 3,8521. 135., leaving a surplus of 2,566/. 18s. 83.,
and a total surplus of 6,1814 2s. 53. Deducting the
interest on the canal and railway bonds, and the guaran-
teed dividend on the preference shares, left a net profit
of 5551. 4s. 2d., and adding this to the balance from the
last account left a clear balance in favour of the com-
pany of 5,830/. 1 ls. 3d. The capital account showed
the entire receipts of the company, including payments
on shares, mortgages, debts owing to the company, ba-
lance of purchase money due to the canal company, and
surplus on traffic account, to he 415,154/. 13s. 63.; and
the disbursements showed that there had been expended
on the railway 209,173/. 12s. Bd.; on the canal, 175,000/. ;
and on the new branches 30,9811. Os. 10d." The report
was received and adopted. A resolution of the directors
for the forfeiture of upwards of 2,000 shares, held by
Mr. Jonathan Higginson, a bankrupt, was confirmed;
and after the usual vote of thanks to the chairman, the
meeting separated.
REFORM MEETING IN WESTMINSTER.—On Tuesday
night a public meeting was held at the Temperance Hall,
Broadway, Westminster, for the purpose, as the bills
announcing the meeting expressed, "Of taking into
consideration the present representative system ;" Charles
Lushington, Esq., M.P., in the chair. The spacious
building was densely crowded shortly after the doors
were thrown open. The chairman, in opening the
proceedings, said that he fully concurred in the points of
the People's Charter, with a qualification for universal
aufTrage—(Hear, hear.) He then went through the
points of the Charter seriatim. He would rather work
fur honour than for wages—(Cheers)—hut if they liked
to pay him he would have no objectionto accept it.—
(Much laughter, &c.) He had promised at his election to
attend all meetings that might be held for a legitimate
purpose, and he was now present in accordance with that
pledge.—(Cheers.) Mr. iy dd moved the first resolution,
viz., " That this meeting is of opinion that the monopoly
of the elective franchise by any class is unjust
in principle, unsafe in its operation, and injurious in its
results ; that in a country professedly of free institu-
tions every man of sane mind, unconvicted of crime, and
of not less than twenty-one years of age, should pos-
sess the right of voting for a representative in Parlia-
ment ; and this meeting is fully convinced that perma-
nent prosperity can only be obtained and secured through
the emancipation of all classes from political thraldom ."
—(Cheers.) Mr. Basset seconded the resolution, which
was unanimously adopted. Mr. Stanwood then moved
the next resolution—" That this meeting pledges itself
to continuo its exertions, by all legal and constitutional
means, until such time as every man shall be admitted
within the pale of the constitution—his vote protected
by the ballot—the property qualification abolished—the
electoral districts rendered equal—the old constitutional
method of paying Members for their services, and an-
nual parliaments should be restored." The resolution
having been seconded was carried nem. eon. Other gen-
tlemen having addressed the meeting, a vote of thanks
to the chairman closed the proceedings.
MEETING OP LABOURERS REFUSING TO PAY POOR-
RATES.—At Great Bardfield Petty Session on the 24th
ultimo, before J. Walford, Esq., Chairman, and the
Rev. Messrs. Lampet and Barnard, three men named
Ramsey, Jealous, and Coal, were summoned for non-
payment of poor-rates. It appears that summonses
having been issued against many of the poor in the pa-
rish of Great Bardfield, who, our correspondent states,
hare never before been called upon to pay the rates,
on Saturday night last a meeting was held, and about
200 labourers assembled. Several spoke and declared
they were not able to pay the rates, a man with a wife
and five children, only getting Bs. per week, and
hearty young men who went to plough only 6s. per
week. On Monday last, a body of the labourers, as
numerous as that at the meeting, attended the bench,
defy magistrates
any
person
to they
execute and the court was the whole of the time in great con-
fusion. The parties summoned laid their cases before
the bench, who told them it was impossible for the
magistrates to excuse them. They (the bench) had but
one duty to perform, and it was a painful one, as they
must order them to pay. This caused great excitement,
which continued some time, the parties declaring they
woutlhde
would not pay, and distress warrants being in conse-
quence granted. The whole body intimated to the
t
s lo
ke Lords,
from entitled
certain
awl la
rarcan tas.—soles,seax H
t
ndweroaulldd.
Suotts PROHIBITIONBILL.—A Bill, brought from
te
Af
furnaces
tiAa
ecet s touu
chimneys,"hat th
e nuisance
provides,of
;that from and after the tat day of January, 1849, opaque
smoke shall not be permitted to issue from any chimney
of a furnace for any longer period of time than is bond
fide necessary for the kindling of the fire of such fur-
nace." Clause 3 enacts " that from and after the said
Ist day of January, 1849, if opaque smoke shall issue
from any such chimney for any longer time than is
hereinbelore limited in that behalf, the occupier of the
furnace connected with such chimney shall be guilty of
an offence against this Act, and shall for every such
offence forfeit and pay any sum not exceeding 5/."
THE GRESUAM LIFE ASSURANCE OFFICE. —A
dinner to celebrate the establishment of this new office took
place at the Brunswick, Blackwell, on Tuesday evening.
About 100 partook of the banquet, which was presided
over by Alfred Smee, Esq , M.D., surgeon to the Bank
of England. The object of the office is the assurance of
lives declined by other offices as not being first-rate, at a
small increase on the ordinary premium.