The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-27 00:00:00

MR. WAGELORN.

Mr. Lorr presented the following petition from Sir George
Larpent, Bart., Charles Kerr, and Thomas Elliott, for a grant
in aid of the subscription for the testimonal to Lieut. Wag-
horn, R.N. : _ .

Sheweth—That a committee of noblemen and gentle-
men has been formed for the purpose of raising a subscription,
to be called the Waghorn Testimonial.' That the amount
at present received is about 3,0001., as per annexed list of
subscribers (subject to deductions on incidental expenses).
But, in the estimation of the committee, the advantages
which have been derived by the citizens of London from the
enterprise of Lieutenant Waghorn, R.N., In personally prov-
in g at all risks, and at considerable outlay, through a series
of years, the practicability of bringing India nearer to Eng-
land by the space of nearly three months in point of time,
deserves the public's thanks and a further pecuniary reward.
Under this impression your petitioners respectfully appeal to
the Corporation of the City of London, in confident expec-
tation that it will not only accord its meed of praise to
Lieutenant Waghorn for his arduous and successful under-
taking, but mark their sense of his devotedness and zeal by
aiding the cause of the committee, thereby setting a noble
and generous example to the citizens at large.
" And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.
"GEORGE LARPENT,
"CHARLES KERR,
"THOMAS ELLIOTT."

Mr. Lott warmly described the exertions:of Mr.Waghorn,
and the wonderful effects produced by that gentleman's skill,
zeal, and perseverance in the most useful of all labours. He
particularly claimed from the citizens of London, whose
merchants had received such extraordinary benefits from the
enterprising spirit of the eminent subject of his commenda-
tion, a marked attention to the petition.
The motion that the petition be referred to the Coal, Corn,
and Finance Committee was received with loud cheers,
which clearly indicated the disposition of the Court to con-
tribute liberally to the testimonial.
Mr. ANDEaTON seconded the motion, and only wished that
the Court had the power to vote money at once, without the
delay of a reference.
The petition was then referred to the Committee, amidst
loud cheers.
An election for a fruit-meter took place, and Mr. Rolls,
formerly a highly-respected member of the corporation, was
chosen by a great majority.—Adjourned.

THE CITY OF LONDON COR-
PORATION FUNDS.
The following is the report of the auditors appointed
by the livery to examine the City accounts:—
" We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, elected
by the livery of London, in Common Hall assembled,
on the 24th June, 1844, and 24th June, 1845, auditors
of the Chamberlain's accounts, of the Corporation and
Gresham funds, and of the bridgemaster's accounts of
the Bridge-house estates, do report.
That the amount of the receipt and expenditure of
the corporation of the City of London laid before us to
audit was the second account of Sir W. Heygate, Bart.,
and the first of Anthony Brown, Esq., Chamberlain of
the City of London, from the Ist day of January to the
31st day of December, 1844, both inclusive, which
account we have carefully and thoroughly examined in
detail, and find that the balance of cash upon the last
account was 18,6741. 10s. 24d.; that the receipts for the
year 1844 (including a loan of 50,000/. raised by the
corporation to complete the improvements near the Royal
Exchange) are 204,3961. ss. 11d. ; that the expenditure
of the said year, as appears by the several vouchers laid
before us by the Chamberlain amounted to the
n
193,8651. 25. 70., including the sum of 50,0001, applied
uof
as above mentioned ; leaving a balance upon the. account
of
IDnect.hBel,f
rlBt4h4e, r ofp2roos,2ecOust/i.oln t
12s. 9d.
dihe examination re-
ferred to, we find that certain debts, arrears of rents,
dues, and interest
mayinGor and
Government securities, aredue,n
the 31st December, 1844, and
e
and that h
belonging to the commonalty
were
ltyand citizens
atthe
same
period answerable for debts, claims
for interest, &a-
We have, therefore, directed a balance statement ofsuch
assets and liabilities to *annexed! by whichbe
willit
tthe
seen that there was a cash balance in favour of
ing
for all
Cor-
poration of 51,063/. 17s. 3d" aftepro
claims and demands, without including
in the accounts
the value of their extensive of rents above mentioned,
freehold and leasehold pro-
perty. Included in the arrears
as forming part of the assets of the Corporation, we find
of 4231. 6s. Bd., as due in respect of
a rent of
13/.the
6ssum
Sd.
per annum, issuing out of a manor in Bed-
fordshire,
which arrear has been repeatedly noticed by
the creditors, and the attention of the Corporation
dircted thereto, as will appear by reference to their re-
ts sresented in the ars 143, 144, and 145 ;it is
or
ever ye
eless, contained in the account laid before us, and
the Chamberlain informs us, that being put into charge,
he cannot discharge the amount, nor can legal proceed-
ings—should such be necessary—be put in motion, with-
out the orders of the Corporation. We cannot but ex-
press our regret that the matter still remains in so
unsatisfactory a position ; and although we are aware
that the duties of the committee charged with the '
management of the City estates must necessarily be of
an arduous character, yet we think that the reasonable
suggestion of the auditors, contained in their report three
years since, " That steps should be taken to compel pay-
ment, if recoverable, or else to take the amount out of
charge, as an available asset," ought long since to have
been attended to.
The Gresham aceount laid before us for examination
was the first account of Anthony Brown, Esq., being

-- -
the produce and Expenditure' of the, City moiety of tho
estate, held under the will of Sir' Thomas Grec,11._4321).
Knight, from the 10th of October, 1844 to the 10th. of
October, 1845, which teliie4;z2su-144,—and find,
we-
That the balance overdrawn at the com-
mencement of the account was
That the receipts of the said account
from the 10th of October, 1844 to the
lath of October, 1845, were
That the expenditure for the same period
was
Leaving a balance of cash due to the ac-
count on the lath of October, 1845
We find that th'e City's moiety of the estate was in-
debted on the 10th' of October, 1845, the sum of
85,0001., borrowed to wards rebuilding the Royal Ex-
change, after its recent destruction by fire in the year
indebted to. the Corporation
1838, and that it was als,
20,0001., remaining of the su'm advanced towards rebuild-
ing the said Exchange after t.he fire.
The account of the Bridge-InNtse estates laid before us
to audit, was the account of Joseph Watson r. David
Gibbs, the bridge master, or wardeo, from the Ist• ra
January to the 31st of December, 184 4, which w'* Wme
also carefully examined, and find that
The balance of Cash in hand, on the 31st
December, 1843, was
That the rents of the said estates, and
other receipts of the year 1844, was 3,309 19 6}
That the disbursements of the said year

(including the sum of 25,479/. 10s: Id.
paid to the Chamberlain of London,
under the Acts 4th George IV., cap_
50, and 4th William IV., cap. 116,
respect of rebuilding London-bridgep
and repairing Blackfritr's- bridge),
amounted to
Leaving a balance in band, on the 31st
9.4,5 2 4!
day of December, 1844, of
In addition to the said balance of cash in iland, we
found that there were rents due and unpaid on t be 3 let
of December, 1844, amounting to 13,8401. 18s. Bd.
Of the amount of stock belonging to this trust we
arm
not in a position to make any report, no entries of st.vbs
stock appearing upon the account laid before us. Upo
application to the officer who prepares the accounts for
the lkidge Estates for information upon the subject, he
appended to the foot of the account, the following
note :-
6, The assisi'wt-clerk of the Bridge-house Estates
not having receivod any official account of stock standing
in the Courts of (7.bancery or Exchequer, or of other
securities, does not feel himself authorised in making
any account of such stOsek &c., in the Bridge-master's
account for the year 1844.."
Without expressing any ,ospailon uy&u ilic
que,tion
of the alleged deficiency of ot:icial information. upon
which some difference of opinion exists amongst the
officers who are employed in managing the busintns of
the Bridge-house Estate* we merely suggest the ?-Pro-
priety of the subject being brought before the prop sr
Committee of the Corporation, with the view of obviat-
ing any such difficulty at the audit of the acounts upon
future occasions.
Before concluding this, our report, we, the auditors,
should not be doing justice to our feelings if we did not
record the approval of the system of accounts adopted
by the Corporation enabling us to perform, with as
little labour as possible, a duty which, considering the
voluminous nature of the City's rental, and the very
numerous items of the corporate expenditure, ust
otherwise have been exceedingly laborious.
We further beg to express our decided approkiation.
of the clear and accurate mankler in which th,l ac-
counts are prepared for our examination, and the at,ten-
tion of the several gentlemen whose duty it is to ass: at
us in the execution of our duties.
(Signed) CHARLES J. ROWSELL,
LUCAS HOUGHTON, Auditors.
R. CAPEL LAMBE,
jilwEieN2R2
,Y 1
BF4.6.RICHARDSON,
Guildhall,

THE WEATHER—YEARS WHICH
WERE EXTREMELY HOT AND DRY.
In 763, the summer was so hot that the springs
dried up.
In $7O, the heat was so intense, that near Worms the
reapers dropped dead in the fields.
In 903, and again in 924, it was so hot thtt the corn
and fruit were burnt up.
The year 1000 was so hot and ;dry that is Germany
the pools of water disappeared, and ilhe fish, bei.ris lett
to stink in the mud, bred a pestilence.
In 1122 the heat was so excessive, that both men amoi
cattle were struck dead.
In 1130 the earth yawned with drought. Springs'
and rivers disappeared, and even the Rhine was dried up
in Alsace.
In 1159 not a drop of rain fell in Italy after May.
The year 1171 was extremely hot in Germany.
In 1232, the heat was so great, especially in Germany
that it is said that eggs were roasted in the sands.
In 1260 many of the Hungarian soldiers died of ex-
cessive heat at the famous battle fought near Bela.
The consecutive years 1276 and 1277 were so hot and
dry as to occasion a great scarcity of fodder.
The years 1293 and 1294 were extremely hot; and so
were likewise 1303 and 1304, both the Rhine anti the
Danube having dried up.
In 1333 the corn-fields and vineyards were burnt up.
The year 1393 and 1394 were excessively hot and dry.
In 1447 the summer was extremely hot.
In the successive years 1473 and 1474, the whole earth
seemed on fire. In Hungary one might wade across the

Danube.
The four consecutive years, 1538, 1539, 1540, and
1541, were excessively hot, and the rivers dried up.
In 1556 the drought was so great that the springs
failed. In England wheat rose from Be. to 535. per
quarter.
The years 1615 and 1616 were very dry over Europe.
In 1646 it was extremely hot.
In 1652 the warmth was very great, the summer being
the dryest ever known in Scotland; yet a total eclipse of
the sun had happened that year, on Monday, the 24th off
March, which hence received the appellation of " Mirk
Monday."
The summer of 1670 was remarkably hot. It is re-
lated that one of the minions of tyranny, who in that
calamitous period harassed the poor Presbyterians in
Scotland with captious questions, having asked a shep-
herd iii Fife whether the killing of the notorious Sharp,
Archbishop of St. Andrews (which had happened in
May), was murder, he replied, that he could not tell,. but
there had been fine weather ever since.
The first year of the eighteenth century was exces-
sively warm, and the two following years were of the
same description.
It is a singular coincidence, that in 1718, the
weatherwr
was extremely hot and dry all over Europe.
felt so oppressive that all the theatres were shut in
Paris. Scarcely any rain fell for the space of nine
months, and the springs and rivers dried up. The fol-
lowing year was equally hot. The thermomOter, at
Paris, rose to 98 degrees by Fahrenheit's scale. The
grass and corn were quite parched. In some places' the
fruit-trees blossomed two or three times.
Both the years 1723 and 1724 were dry and hot.
The year 1745 was remarkably warm and dry, but
the following year was still hotter, insomuch that the
grass withered, and the leaves dropped from the trees.
Neither rain nor dew fell for many months; and, on the
Continent, prayers were offered tip in the churches to
implore the bounty of refreshing showers.
In 1754 it was likewise extremely warm.
The years 1760 and 1761 were both of them remark.
ably hut; and so was the year 1763.
1774 was excessively hot and dry.
' Both the years 1778 and 1779 were warm and v:erygrie
The year 1788 was also very hot and dry; and 01 t -
same character was 1811, famous for its excellent via t
tage, and distinguished by the appearance of a brillig,ta
, comet. _

POPULATION, TAXATION, &c.
In :845 the population of Great Britain was
19,572,574 ; in 1815, it was 13,322,568. In 1845 the
tNeraetieotnathleDreeebnt,
27
amounted to
;768in,78198,21451/t.,heanddehthte
was
816,311,9404, and the interest 31,576,074/. The exports
in 1845 amounted to 150,645,0181. ; and in 1815 they
were 57,420,437/. The imports in 1846 were
83,330,6091., and in 1815 they were 31,822,0531.
In 1845, 1,133,561 qrs. of wheat and flour were
imported from all parts but Ireland ; and in 1615
there were imported 194,931 qrs. In 1845, 308,493
theqrs .
quantity
retainedity was
1f
lo6r
,3h802m
cie
reconsumption.lasn4Ta2h6eaa
nsa.dvseldrB;.
eatigansen
wldpsarlisinscie4l4Blel
fluctuation quarter in IpBe4rscwe
cent.
sh6est.wleoedh. ,
duty
between
utyonth
e 1815 ave and
rage 21prile8ewiat ws2aose.7•
205.; and
In 8
d.
in
n 1181415
inith!
portation was prohibited. The number of acres in-
closed (as far as returned) from Isoo to 1842 was
1,933,049. The proportion per cent. of
.the population
living on foreign corn in 1841 was 5.73; in 1821 it was
3'39. In 1841 the number of days' consumption
22. im-
!Ansi was 34.35; in 1821 it was 20- In 1845,. the
quantitylwaasnd2 s?nl
d 9 1 Bof
o Wales7w.
1815 in the prim p& p
terdam
160'3 , 666 240 quarters, and in 1822 it
The price'of wheat varied from 1808 to
1 rts of Europe after the following
heawast sold
6, in country markets in En-
land
92'67,
.Sweden 1_704.1, Rot-
-Doinrdt 50.00, Louvain 89,42, Konigsberg
i:c 47'10, Mecklenberg 27'06, Oldenburg
7ra27lss,sl"SrtBEl.4cae'Plnoettitersburg 70.00, Riga 73'01, Archangel
74'91, France 131.36, Bordeaux 136'62, Holstein 57'05,
Christiania 2i6elir43ileo,e.teoßo,lr9ea.m2n3edn,
RLio6seabso.a2nn2
LBsubsecs,kA7lBi:tan7 ,s9t3all.t6eassm.
9bsuln7gsiBß7:l4;bo4th3se,
declared value of British and Irish exports was
27,253,918/., in 1828 they amounted to 17,824,309/.

The Laboratory, near the newly-constructing steam
basin at Portsmouth, is to be taken into the dockyard, and
officers from the Ordnance are expected daily to select a site
for a new Laboratory. All practical men think the most
eligible situation will be adjoining the powder magazine, at
Priddy's Hard. The highly respected fire master and director
of the Laboratory, Captain Burslem, is about to retire, after
forty years' faithful and efficient service.—United Service
Gcraette. _ ._

SLISPICIOII3 DEATH BY A FALL FROM A WINDOW.—
On Wednesday evening, an elderly woman named Mary Ann White,
was observed by a neighbour, who was standing at his door on the
opposite side of the street, suddenly te fall from the window head
foremost into the street, and, falling from such a height, her heed
struck with fearibl violence against the kerb-stone, and her skull was
terribly fractured. She was conveyed to the London Hospital, but
she died a few hours after being admitted. On prosecuting inquiries
yesterday it abpears, that the deceased was a widow, aged fifty-sit
years, and obtained her living by charing, and for many years bore
the character of an honest and industrious woman. Some weeks
since her sister's husband, named Radsteck, induced her to go and
live in his house with his family. Since deceased had been there she
drank more than she was wont to do, and on Wednesday they had
all been drinking together. About noon Radsteck sent his wife to
market for dinner. She returned somewhat sooner than was ez-
pected, and found her husband and her sister in a way which left tie
matter of doubt of their criminality. A quarrel ensued, and some
blows were struck between the sisters. In the afternoon Mrs. Nat.
stock went out, leaving the husband, deceased, and another womaA
in the house, when deceased was seen, as above described, te 6.11
from the window in a most suspicious manner. The body awaits a
coroner's inquest.