The Sun.
London, England, 1848-11-24 00:00:00

REDUCTION IN THE COST CF GAS.

Petitions from the wards of 13ishopsg,ate, Portsoken,
Bread-street, Farringdon- ithout, and Cripplugate- with-
out, praying that the Court w ould adopt means for procur-
ing for the petitioner s a reduction in the enormous price of
gas, were presented, and amidst acclamations reterred to
the Commissioners'of Sewers.

The petitioni were, it was stated, signed by thousands,
end the galleries of the Court Here filled during the day
by the gentlemen deputed to present them.
Upon the motion of Mr. TAYLOR, seconded by Mr.
STEVENS, a petition for assistance rom the Royal Free
Hospital in Gray's Inn-road, which they stated had
opened two wards viiih 50 beds, for the reception of
persons vi ho might be afflicted with Asiatic cholera, was
referred to a committee.—Adjourned.

DEATH OF SIR JOHN BARROW,

BART., LL.D, F.R.S.

It is with very great regret that we announce to our
readers the death of the late venerable Second Secretary
to the Admiralty,SirJohn Barrow, Bart., which took place
yesterday at his residence, New-street, Spring-gardens.
The event was almost sudden, and was totally unex-
pected. He had taken his usual walk in the morning,
and had reached the door of his residence, when he was
seized with giddiness in the head, and was obliged to be
helped into the house, where the symptoms appeared so
alarming that medical assistance was immediately pro-
cured, and messengers were dispatched to the Colonial-
office and to the Admiralty to inform Sir John's sons of
his illness. Mr. John Barrow, however, of the Admi-
ralty, arrived in time to see his father alive, for, shortly
after, comforted by the presence of his son and other
members of his family, Sir John, with scarcely a struggle,
breathed his last.
The life of Sir John Barrow has been a most eventful
one, as those who have read the very interesting auto-
biographical memoir written by himself, and published
last year can bear testimony.
Sir John Barrow was born on the 19th June, 1764, in
a small cottage at the village of Dragleybeck, near Ul-
verstone, North Lancashire, and as ho himself says,
" being the only child of Roger and Mary Barrow. The
said cottage had been in my mother's family nearly 200
years, and had descended to her aunt, who lived in it to
the age of 80, and in it my mother died at the advanced
age of 90. The only scholastic education I received was
at the Town Bank Grammar School, under the Rev.
William Tyson Walker, curate of the parish church, and
an excellent classical scholar, educated at Trinity Col-
lege, Dublin. I was entered when in my eighth year,
continued under his instruction until my thirteenth,
whcn I had advanced to the head of the school; baying
read Homer, and Xenophon's " Anabasis,"Livy, Horace,
Virgil, &e. From an old gentleman, who, being a sort
of perambulating preceptor, used to pay his annual visit
of about three months, I received instruction in those
branches of mathematics which are most easily attained
under a master, such as algebra, fluxions, conic sections
—Euclid needed no master; and I very soon had an op-
portunity of acquiring the practical application of many
of the theorems and problems to the common purposes of
life."

At this early age he was engaged in taking a survey
of Colonel Braddyll's estates in Yorkshire, and acquired
so much knowledge of the theodolite, and the several
mathematical instruments, then and subsequently, that,
on arriving in London some years after, he drew up and
published a small treatise to explain the practical use of
them, this, says he, " being my first introduction to the
press, for which I obtained 201., and was not a little de-
lighted to send my first fruits to my mother."
Sir John Barrow's parents had some idea of educating
him for the clerical profession; but having a serious ob- •
jection to enter into holy orders Sir John persuaded his
tether to give up his intention. A situation was then
obtained for him at Liverpool as a superintendeht and
clerk at an iron-foundry, in which he remained for two
years, when he quitted it for a voyage to Greenland in a
whaler, win re he had some initiation in practical naviga-
tion aid the duties of a seaman. Indeed en his return
the captain of the ship so far complimented him as to
ssy that another voyage would make him as good a sea-
man a, many of the se in his ship, and he put him dawn
on ill, but ks for landsman's pay, and nothing that he
conk! say when he knew it would induce the captain to
take it off; his own mime being at the ht ad cf the list.
Sir John's next ( inployment was as mathematical
teacher at Dr. James's academy, Greenwich, where
among his pupils were three or four belonging to or
destined for the r avy, one the son of Lord Anson, and
another the son of Lord Leveson Gower. From this
service he was, through the int, rt at of Sir George I
Staunton, mho was secretary to the embassy, appointed
on the effective list of Lord Macartney's suite, as " comp- f
troller of the household," and nominally, in that capa-
city, proceeded with his patron to China; and on his
Lordship's return and appointment to the Governorship
of the Cape of Good Hope, Sir John accepted the offise 1
of private secretary to his Lordship, and embarked with
him fur the seat of his government, in January, 1797,
and after a severe and very perilous, as well as very la-
borious voyage, he returned to England, on the evacua-
tion of the Cape in 1803. Lord Macartney, however,
left the Cape in November, 1798, previously to which
he appoint, d his private secretary " auditor general
of public accounts, civil and military." Ot his ser-
vices at the Cape during Lord Macartney's govern-
ment,
seine idea may be formed from Sir John's own
statement, " Between the Ist of July, 1796, and the
18th of January, 1797, I had traversed every part of
the colony of the Cape of Good Hope, and visited the
several countries of the Kafirs, the Hottentots, and the
Besjesmene performing a journey exceeding three thou-I
rand miles on horseback, on foot, and very rarely in a
covered waggon, and full one-half of the distance as a
pedestrian. During the whole time (with the exception
of a few nights passed at the drosdy house of Graaff
Reynet) I never slept under a roof, but always in my
waggon, and in the cot that I brought with me in the
good ship Trusty from Et gland."
We now come to the appointment of Sir John Barrow
to the Admiralty, his introduction to which we prefer
giving in his own words.—
"On our arrival in London, General Frank Dundas, in
laying before Lord Hobart, Secretary of State for War
and Colonies, the public accounts and the proceedings on
delivering up the Cape of Good Hope to the Dutch autho-
thorities, represented to his Lordship the several extra
duties I had voluntarily discharged, with great inconve-
nience and expense to myself, and his inability to make
me suitable amends, thought the services were public
and important; he hoped, therefore, I should be con-
sidered, for my six or seven years' services, entitled
to some retiring allowance. Lord Hobart could only
express his regret that he found his hands tied on that
.subject, be thought unjustly; but the precedent of re-
fusal had been established by his predecessors, and bad
become the custom (methought, with Hamlet, it
is a custom more honoured in the breach than the ob-
servance). All he could say was that he should be most
happy to make Mr. Barrow an offer of the first vacancy
abroad that might suit him. This might pass for some-
thing civil; but I was more disposed to take my chance
at home. I considered, therefore, that nothing further
was to be expected from that quarter; but General
Dundas gid not relax his exertions in my behalf.
" In point of fact, Lord Macartney had turned me
over to the General,'as being one on whom he might rely
for assistance in any difficulty that should occur, for that
I knew the country and the people better than nay other
of our countrymen ; and I may truly say that the
General did not spare me. He now spoke strongly to
bis uncle Henry Dundas, who, though equally out of
office with his friend Mr. Pitt, was not without influ-
ence. As already mentioned, Mr. Dundas, on reading
my account of Southern Africa, had, in
.my absence,
urged its publioation ; he now expressed to the General
a vi WI to see me—' If on will bring him tomorrow,
Mr. Pitt dines with me.' I went, and nothing could be
more flattering than my reception. He spoke of the
satisfaction which my book had afforded him ; that it
strongly corroborated the opinion he had given in Par-
liament, that the Cape of Good Hope ought never to be
parted with ; but he suggested that I had left rather
short one portion of the subject, which he had always
considered of vast importance to this country ; and that
was its geographical position with reference to India, as
a half-way house between our settlements there and
England ; as a place of refreshment for our shipping
and troops ; its capabilities for supplying all kinds of
produce ; its ports and harbours along a great extent of
sea 'coast favourable to commercial enterprise. "These,'
he said, with its capacities in general, which you know
better than I do, are points to which I allude, and
which will, I think and hope, amply supply materials for
a second volume.' I took the hint, and said, ' I will
look up what information I possess, and endeavour to
meet your views ; ' which I forthwith set about, and
speedily produced a second volume, detailing the politi-
cal, geographical, and commercial advantages of this
southern part of Africa, which had the effect of produc-
ing a second edition of the first volume.
" Nothing could be more delightful than this little
snug party. The names of Pitt and Dundas were fa-
miliar as household words,' and the two had been as in-
separable as their friendship was durable. They were
now at Wimbledon for a season, and, being relieved from
the cares and toils of office, were as playful as two
schoolboys. Lady Jane Dundas and another lady, with
two gentlemen of the family, the General and myself,
made up the party. Mr. Dundas asked me if I knew
that the new Government had offered to Lord Macartney
the office of President of the Council, and that he had
declined it, assigning to his friends as a reason that he
was sure Mr. Addington 's Government could not stand.

It soon appeared that Lord Macartney was right. It
had continued about three years, and in the spring of
1804 Mr. ria resumed the office of First Lord of the
Treasury, and Mr. I)undas (now Viscount Melville) was
appointed First Lord of the Admiralty, his patent bear-
ing dato 15th May, 1804. A short time after this, when
dining with Lord Macartney, he was called away by
Lord Melville in the midst of the dinner, but returned
speedily without taking any notice of the visit he had re-
ceived at that uusual hour; and, as the ladies are said to
be curious when anything unusual occurs to their lords,
so Lady Macartney expressed to Mrs. Barrow her
wonder what could have brought Lord Melville at that
hour—something, no doubt, about the new Ministry
then forming or already formed. Nothing, however,
transpired that evening; but about twelve o'clock that
same night, just as I had gone to bed, came a note from
Lord Macartney, to say You must be at the Admiralty •
to-morrow morning, at ten o'clock, and send your name
up to Mr. Marsden.'
" I went accordingly, anxious, as may be supposed, to
know what was going on. Mr. Marsden took me by the
hand and cordially congratulated me. I asked for what?
He seemed surprised and said, Don't you know that
you are appointed my colleague, the second secretary of
the Admiralty, in the room of Mr. Tucker, whose ser-
vices Lord Melville has deemed it right to dispense with,
on account of his well•known partisanship? But,' he
add, d, ' Lord Melville desired to see you the moment
you came, and he is now in his rt om.' On being ushered
in, 'I am happy,' he said, to have it in my power to
give you the appointment of Second Seerk•tary to the
Admiralty. lam fully aware of the many important
services you rendered to my nephew, after Lord Macart-
ney bad turned over to him the government of the Cape
of Goal Hope, I was very desirous of meeting the
wishes of that nobleman on your account, and I have
already told you that I have been much gratified with
what you have written regarding that important settle-
inent, which I have little doubt will speedily revert
to tn;.' "

On the retirement of Lord Melville from the office of
First Lord to the appointment of Lord Barham, during
whose naval administration the battle of Trafalgar was
fought, Sir Joh❑ Barrow continued in office, but on
the 'loth of February, 1806, a change took place in
the Government, by the Tories having been obliged
to give way to the Whigs, when the Right Hon. Charles
Grey was appointed to relieve Lord Barham as First
Lord of the Admiralty. Sir John says, " I was fully
aware of what was to be my fate, and had it speedily
announced to me by a message from the Right Hon. C.
Grey, through Mr. Marsden, expressive of his sincere
regret at being under the painful necessity of dispensing
with my services, which, he wished to assure me, under
other circumstances he should have been too happy to re-
tain; and he bored that I would not deem him capable
of having dealt harshly, capriciously, or unjustly in_re-
placing an old friend of bis, and of his party, in a situa-
tion of which I had been the cause, though blameless,
of depriving him; a gentleman with whom he was de-
sirous that I should be acquainted, as one who had long
been the faithful, confidential, and attached secretary of
the Earl of St. Vincent; and who besides had given up
the patent place of a commissioner, of the navy to
follow his old master as Second Secretary of the Ad-
miralty, when the Noble Earl, in 1801, became the
First Lord.

•
" He was very anxious, Mr. Marsden said, that I
should be made aware of the position in which be stood
with regard to Mr. Tucker, and that I should acquit him
of acting in any shape unhandsomely towards me; and
he further desired Mr. Marsden to tell me that if I
wished to say anything to him he would be glad to see
me at any time.
" Misfortunes are said rarely to come singly. This
heavy blow was but too likely to be soon followed by
another. My best and kindest friend and benefactor,
the Earl of Macartney, was dangerously ill, and the state
of affairs on the Continent and the death of Mr. Pitt
seemed to impress his mind with deep concern, and to
cast an unusal damp upon his spirits; but he continued
to read and write till three days before his death, which
took place on the evening of the 31st of March, 1806,
while reclining his head upon his hand as if dropping
into a slumber, but he sank into the arms of death with-
out a sigh and without a struggle, at his residence in
May-fair. Thus did I lose the last of my three powerful
friends and benefactors, Lord Macartney, Sir George
Staunton, and Lord Melville, the last of whom, though
still living, might be accounted dead to the world."
The recapture of the Cape of Good Hope at this time
brought Mr. Barrow's services in that quarter of the
world more prominently before the Government, and he
was offered any appointment (save one) that he might
select for himself. Upon consideration, however, he de-
termined not to leave England, and the Government,
really desirous of doing something for him, at the sug-
gestion of Earl Grey, and with the expressed under-
standing that it would be favourably entertained by the
Premier, he was ordered to draw up a memorial of
his various services, the result of which was the grant of
a pension of 1,0001. a year, to be abated from the emo-
luments of any place he might afterwards bold under the
Government.

In the short space of eight months the dissolution of
the Grenville Government brought Sir John Barrow
again into the Admiralty, one of the first acts of Lord
Mulgrave on his succeeding Earl Grey as First Lord
having been the re-appointment of Mr. Barrow.
" }row this day, the Bth of April. 1807, to the 28th
of January, 1845, I continued, without intermission, as
Se'c,.ui Secretary of the Admiralty, when I retired, hav-
ing completed altogether, from my first appointment in
that capacity, forty years, under twelve or thirteen se-
veral naval administrations, W lig and Tory, includmg
that of the Lord High Afimirol, V.s Royal Highness the
Duke of Clarunce; having real.on to b,iieve that I have
sati,fitetion to all and every one of these naval ad-
ministrations; and I am happy in the re-ticction that I
have experienced kindness and attention from all."

As an author, Sir John Barrow has b,un as bum, ssful
es he has been industrious; and it may be said of him
that he has not penned a line which has not tended to
some good aed useful purpose. Ills aim has been to
convey infolmation, to uromote and advance the arts
and sciences, and to stimulate research and inquiry; and
he has had the groat and rare privilege to livw to see the
most beneficial effects produced by his honest and faith-
ful endeavours. In enumerating the several works Sir
John has brought before the public, he modestly " dis-
claims all pretensions to the literary character," and
says he gave them " only as a statement of facts; at
the same time they have hem more productive of
profit than he could have expected." They may thus be
summed up:—

No. Art.
Articles in the Quarterly Review, on almost every
subject (excepting political), mostly asked for by
Mr. Gifford
In the Encyclopadia Britannica, requested by Pro-
fessor Napier, lu or 12, say ... 12
By the same, particularly desired by my friend Pro-
te:sor Napier, a " Review of the Li!e of Admiral
Lord St. Vincent," in the Edinburgh Review ... 1
Vols.
The " Life of Lord Macartney," in 2 vols. quarto 2
" Travels in South Africa," 2 vols. quarto ... ... 2
" Travels in China," 1 vol. quarto ... 1
" Voyage to Cochin China," 1 vol. quarto ... 1
The " Lire of Lord Anson," 1 vol. (~ctavo ... 1
The " Life of Lord Howe," 1 vol. octavo ... 1

In the " Family Library," the " Life of Peter the
Great," and the "Mutiny of the Bounty" ... 2
" Chronological History of Arctic Voyages," I vol.

octavo
1
" Voyages of Discovery and Research within the
Arctic Regions," 1 vol. octavo. ... 1
Sir John during the forty years he was Secretary to
the Admiralty was the constant and successful advocate
of those voyages of discovery which have enlarged the
bounds of science and have done so much honour to the
British name and nation. Appreciating those services,
the officers who had been employed on the various Arctic
expeditions presented to him, in March, 1845, in a man-
ner most gratifying, a magnificent candelabrum, with a
suitable inscription on the pedestal. In concluding this
hasty notice of the life and services of this distinguished
public servant, we may state that Sir John Barrow was
created a baronet in 1835. He married in 1798 the
daughter of Peter John TreUter, Esq., of the Cape of
Good Hope, member of the Court of Justice, who sur-
vies him. He has left three sons—George Barrow, of
the Colonial-office, who succeeds to the b ,ronetcy, mar-
ried to the daughter of William Pennel, Esq., and niece
of the Right Hon. John Wilson Croker; John, one of
the senior clerks at the Admiralty, and head of the Re-
cord-office; and Peter Barrow. He has also left two
daughters, the eldest of whom has within the last few
days lost her husband, Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Barry.
—Herald.

ERRATUM.—In our second article of yesterday, the
consolidated stock of the Midland Railway actually paid
up was, by an error of the press, stated to be 1,191,5411.,
instead of 8,191,5411.
DISTRESSED STATE or THE CARPET TRADE.—
Kidderminster and Stroud, which used to be the towns
wholly occupied in this great branch of industry, are
just approaching to ruin. It is not in this case the et-
tect of the times, although the times, of course, have
much to do with the general depression in the trade of
the country. The great cause is easily solved—it is the
improvement in machinery. Kidderminster, to this day,
weaves her Brussels and other carpets by hand, and, in-
deed, in many manufactories the old draw-boy loom is
used, and it was thought that machinery could never be
brought profitably to bear in weaving what is called a
terry cloth, that is a cloth having a raised face as in
Brussels or pile carpets, which raised face is caused by
the introduction of a wire while weaving underneath the
worsted, arranged so as to form the figure. The first
step to facilitate the weaving was the dying of the
worsted warps, Wytock's patent, which, to a
certain
extent, did so, although still the weaving was done by hand;
his process also used a less quantity of worsted; these
circumstances lowered the price of carpets. At length a
mode has been discovered to do all by machinery. It
is the invention of Mr. Sievier, who is well known in the
scientific world. By this process carpets are woven for
less than one penny per yard, while those of the ordinary
kind Cost one shilling per yard. This at once makes a
saving of nearly 25 per cent- upon the article. There
are also many other modes of saving under tho same
patent; viz., the printing and warping by power.
Although such inventions cause much misery to indivi-
duals who are either the artizans or manufacturers on
the old plan, still we must, at all times, hail with j..y
any improvement of our own countrymen that may add
to our comforts, by making even articles of luxury
cheaper. It is by our superiority and machinery that
our country has risen to the pre-emieence it has.
PRESENTATION TO THE 50TH REGIMENT.—We
learn that Viscount flardinge will, with due ceremony,
present the superb gift of Prince Waldemar of Prussia
to the 50th Regiment, now at Dover, on Wednesday
next. lt is to be regretted that the magnificent cup was
not presented last month, for at that time most of the
surviving officers of this regiment who were engaged on
the Sutlej were with the regiment. Now they are ab-
sent on leave.