The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-24 00:00:00

PEDESTRIANISM.

SHORTLAND AND TURNER.—Robert Shortland and
young Turner walked their,seven-mile match on Tuesday.
for iol. aside, near the Angel, Sutton, Surrey. It was
well contested, Turner leading for the first three miles,
when Shortland collared and passed him ; from this
time, although Turner contedded gamely, he could never
overhaul his man, and eventually Shortland was at the
goal full fifty yards before his opponent.

SEcEisION FROM THE ESTABLISHED CHURCH.—
Air. Caswell, one of the junior members of the University
of Oxford, was a few days ago received into the Roman
Catholic Church at Prior Park, near Bath,

PORTSMOUTH, TUESDAL—The Ajax, a 74 reduced to
a 56, and converted into a steam guard, or " block" ship,
was undocked this day at Cowes, where her metamor-
phosis has been worked under the superintendence of
Mr. Fincham, jun. This ship, one of the class denomi-
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was commanded by the late Admiral (then Captain) Sir
Robert Waller Otway, off Toulon, in Sir H. Blackvvood's
partial engagement with the French squadron, and sub-
sequently in covering the siege of San Sebastian in 1813.
When formerly loaded, we are told she weighed 3,028
tons, but it is now expected that her weight, caused by
her conversion to a steam guard-ship, will be increased.
The reduction of stowage room, by the occupation of
much of that space by her machinery, will, of course, be
considerable, although not so much as to preclude her
carrying more than six weeks' provision for 400 men, as
has been stated. The following are her dimensions and
intended armament:—

Length of gun-deck
Extreme breadth

Depth in hold

ARMAMENT.

ft. in.
. 176 0
47 6

21 0

Quarter-deck

1 56-pounder 85 cwt.
2 8-inch 65 cwt. each.
Forecastle
Upper-deck
Lower-deck 26 42-pounders 66 cwt. each.

Total 56

If mounted and manned as above reported, she will
prove a formidable ship, and yet do a little " honest"
work. The Echo tug, with the Assistant-Master-At-
tendant and Foreman of Shipwrights afloat of this
Dockyard, went to Cowes this morning to tow the Ajax
to this harbour, where she will remain until her services
are required.
The Fairy royal yacht, as soon as her Majesty had
landed this morning at the Clarence-yard, was brought
alongside the Dockyard and dismasted, preparatory to
being docked, a leak having been discovered somewhere
in the vicinity of her screw-propeller, as was the case
some time since. The dock not being quite ready, she
will not go in until to-morrow.
The Rattlesnake, 28, fitting for surveying service,
under Captain Owen Stanley, was undocked this morning.
The Lightning steam-vessel, Petley, master, left this
afternoon for the eastward, taking supernumeraries.
The Scourge steam bomb-vessel, Commander Caffin,
was removed from the jetty to-day, to make room for the
Fairy to get her masts out. She came alongside again
immediately afterwards, and is now embarking the
baggage of the two remaining companies of the 74th
Highlanders, for Leith, with whom she will leave to-
morrow.

The Moozuffer, Ron. Company's steam-frigate, Cap-
tain Ethersey, sailed from Spithead this afternoon, for
Bombay.

APPOINTMENTS.

Dr. Thomas Graham, Assistant-Surgeon, to the Ma-
dagascar.
Coast Guard—Lieut. Everard Digby, Chief Officer.
Sir Thomas Bourchier, K.C.8., Captain, to the Poic-
tiers, and Captain-Superintendent of Chatham Dockyard.
Owen Stanley, Captain, to the Rattlesnake.

COMMISSION OF LUNACY ON
MRS. CUMMING.
SEVENTH DAY.

The adjourned inquiry in this case was again pro-
ceeded with on Tuesday, at the Horns Tavern, Ken-
nington.
Mrs. Cumming was present, and evidently as firm and
composed as previously.
The proceedings commenced with the cross-examina-
tion of Mr. Solomon, by Mr. Edwin James, and which
went to show that the several sums paid to Mrs. Cum-
ming was in the presence of Mrs. Mitchell, who it was
alleged exercised an undue influence over Mrs. Cumming,
but this witness (Mr. Solomon) put in several vouchers,
and gave the most satisfactory explanation on every
point to which his cross-examination went.
Mr. Stephen Hutchinson—l am a civil engineer. I
have known Mrs. Cumming since 1830. I have not
visited her, but I saw her in my house. For the period
I have known her (sixteen years) I never observed any-
thing in her conduct to induce me to believe that she
was not perfectly sane. The last time I saw her was
in May last.
Mrs. Anne Evans said, I was engaged by Mrs. Cum-
ming to go into her service, in September, 1844, in
South-row, New-road. Mrs. Inman was the nurse to
Captain Cumming. I heard the captain abuse her, and
call h6r the most vile names, even when she wished him
good night. The captain used to go out secretly and
take a cab. Mrs. Cumming used to order him to be
' driven round Regent's Park. She used to be greatly
affected, and shed tears at the conduct of the captain.
I heard her say that he sold off her goods three times,
and he would sell them off again. He used to object to
having his room cleaned. An opportunity of doing so
was taken when the captain was out taking the air.—
(This witness described at great length Mrs. Cumming's
attention to the captain, as to his food, supply of linen,
&c., detailing several acts of impropriety towards her-
self and other servants, in consequence of which she was
obliged to leave the house.) Captain Cumming on one
occasion pawned his spectacles and snuff-box for drink,
and Mrs. Cumming redeemed them. She was of a very
irritable temper. The house was very orderly kept.
At the conclusion of this witness's testimony, the
jury, as usual, it being two o'clock, retired for refresh-
ment. The interim was well occupied by the counsel on
both sides, who entered into a consultation, in which
they continued for upwards of an hour, when they re-
turned into Court. It was then announced that an
arrangement had taken place.
The COMMISSIONER said, however he respected the
opinion of the Learned Counsel, yet, he felt it his
duty, to protect the jury from any unpleasant posi-
tion; he would go and see the lady, as they were bound
to give a verdict on their oaths. After that interview he
would be best enabled to suggest the course which
should be adopted.
Mr. James said that the jury should know the terms of
the arrangement.
The Learned CospirssxoNEß then, in company with
Mr. James and Mr. Petersdorff, went to have an inter-
view with Mrs. Cumming, and in about ten minutes
again returned into Court.
The COMMISSIONER, addressing the jury, said that in
ordinary cases they might be discharged, as was the
practice in the common law courts by the withdrawal of
a juror (all parties consenting), but in the present in-
stance an arrangement having taken place, the commis-
sion having been issued by the Lord High Chancellor,
a difficulty arose as to what report he could make to his
Lordship; without first consulting him he could not dis-
charge the jury. In the arrangement great liberality
was shown by all parties, and he therefore proposed an
adjournment until he had taken the opinion of the Lord
Chancellor, when the jury would be re-assembled to
hear the result.
This was agreed to on both sides.
Mr. Petersdorff said that before the jury separated, he
was happy to inform them that the person of the lady
was free.
On this announcement, Mrs. Cumming was imme-
diately surrounded by and received the congratulations
of her friends on the happy event.
Dr. Millingen, however, said that he had a claim to
retain the lady under the certificate until she was legally
discharged.
The Learned COMMISSIONER said he would take the
responsibility on himself, and would undertake that she,
should appear when the Court met again.
Mrs. Cumming then left the room in the company of
her friends. She seemed deeply affected, and the un-
derlings of York House greatly disappointed. She en-
tered a carriage with Mr. and Mrs. Hutchins, and drove
off from the Horns Tavern once more restored to liberty,
to the evident gratification of the jury and many by-
standers.

When the jury re-assembled the Lord Chancellor's
opinion, as well as the terms of the arrangement, will be
communicated to them.
Thus this singular and extraordinary inquiry has ter-
minated virtually, though not formally.

SHOWER or BANK NOTES.—We have frequently
seen extraordinary showers, such as showers of but-
terflies, frogs, fishes, and such " small beer," chronicled
in the newspapers ; but really the most wonderful of all
is that which took place in Paris on Monday last, be-
tween five and six in the evening, at which time the
passengers in the Place Vendome were astonished by a
shower of I,ooof. and 500 E bank notes, which fell on the
bonnets of the ladies and under the feet of the horses.
It turned out that a capricious puff of wind had sud-
denly whisked this windfall from off the desk and
through the window of a hotel in the place. The notes
were all safely picked up, the most part by the public,
and at once returned to the owner. The notes picked
up in the street amounted to 123,000 f. Two notes, one
of 500 f. the other of I,OOOE, completing the 125,000 f.
(9,0001.) in the bundle, had been borne by the wind to
the roofs of neighbouring houses, but were recovered by
two honest chimney sweepers who happened to be in the
place.

SUDDEN ILLNESS OF TIIE VISCOUNTESS HAR-
DINGE.—This lady, it will be recollected, only a few
months ago returned to England from Nice, where she
had been sojourning for the benefit of her health, since
the departure of Viscount Hardinge for India. Her
Ladyship has been paying, since her return, many visits
amongst her numerous friends, and last week went to
see her niece at Bromham h all, the seat of the Hon.
Colonel and Mrs. Rico Trevor, near Bedford, where she
was taken ill ; the attack at first was considered to
be influenza, which, however, becoming more alarming,
her son, Sir Walter James, and his lady, were sent for
from South Park, Kent, who on their arrival at Bromham
Park found Lady Hardinge so seriously indisposed, that
Dr. M'Cann, ofParliament-street, her Ladyship'smedical
attendant, was sent for, who, with Dr. Witt, of Bedford,
is in constant attendance. The report received on Tues-
day morning at the town residence of Sir Walter James,
was, that her Ladyship had passed a tranquil night but
continued languid.
The Vienna journals announce the death of the
Dowager Princess of Liechtenstein, mother of the reign-
ing Princeste of Schwaneaberg awl:Lobkowitz,