The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-27 00:00:00

THE PARLOUR NOVELIST, No. 2.

This, the second volume of a series of works of fic-
tion, now in the course of publication in Belfast, con-
tains the whole of Eugene Sue's admirable novel, " The
Commander of Malta," excellently translated by Mr.
Doisy, of the Belfast Royal Academical Institution. The
book is beautifully printed on good pai,er, and is got up
in a manner that reflects the highest credit on the book
and printing trade of Belfast.

LETTERS ON THE MORE EVIDENT
CHANGES WHICH THE BODY UNDER-
GOES, AND THE MANAGEMENT OF
HEALTH FROM INFANCY TO ADULT
AGE. By C. Black, M.D., Member of the Royal Col-
lege of Surgeons, England, 4-c.
This is a very small but a very valuable book. Dr.
Black is almost the only medical man who has not
treated the subject of diet sad regimen empirically.
Like a man of true science he lays down general prin.
ciples, which, if duly observed, will be sufficient to
preserve health. He however writes under more favour-
able circumstances than his predecessors. Until within
the last ten years our experience in Dietetics has
been almost entirely of an empirical nature. Certain
descriptions of food were known from observation to
produce dyspepsia; certain other descriptions were
known to be easy of digestion, but beyond the know-
ledge of the fact we knew nothing. The splendid dis-
coveries of Liebig have, however, shown us why certain
descriptions were indigestive, and why certain other
descriptions of food were not, and why food which in
certain states of the system is most wholesome, becomes.
in ceertaid other 'states' of the System
.most
some., . These discoveries of .Liebig have been prac-
tically applied by Dr. Black, and he has produced
the most useful, the most intelligible, and the most
scientific work on the management of health, that has
yet been published. His directions are clear and ex-
plicit, and he gives in every instance a reason for the
taith that is in him. Every nurse and every mother
should study attentively the letters on infancy and child-
hood. In fact the book should find a place in every
family, and in every village-lending library.

SOCIETY FOR THE PROMOTION
AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE GROWTH OF
FLAX IN IRELAND.

The monthly committee meeting of this body was held on
Wednesday, March 25, in their rooms, Commercial-build-
ings, Belfast; present, Andrew Mulholland, Esq., J.P., in
the chair; George Creer, John Charters, Richard Hull, James
Campbell, Robert M'Kibbin, M.D., John Borthwick, John
Boyd, Richard Nevin, John Cramsie, Esqs., and the Rev. F.
Blakely. The Secretary, after reading the treasurer's
monthly statement, reported, that since the last monthly
meeting the following letter had been received

"Treasury, March 6, 1846.
" Sir,—l am desired by Sir Robert Peel to inform you, that
he has read, with attention and great pleasure, the reports of
the Society for Promoting and Improving the Culture of
Flax in Ireland. He trusts that the efforts directed to so lau-
dable and important an object will meet with ample success,
and begs leave to send a donation of 25/., with his best
wishes for the welfare of the society.—l have the honour to
be your obedient humble servant,

" JOHN YOUNG.
" James Mac Adam, jun., Esq., Secretary
to the Flax. Society, &c., &c."
It was resolved that the thanks of the society should be
respectfully given to Sir R. Peel, for his appreciation of the
importance of the society's objects, and for his handsome
donation to its funds.

The assistants, who were being trained by Mr. Patterson,
in the Belgian mode of hand-scutching, had now been ren•
dered competent to give instructions in this system, in the
districts to which they will be allocated, in the south and
west of Ireland. The quantity of clean flax turned out, by
each individual, varied from 9lbs to Whs. ; and samples
were exhibited to the committee, which were much
approved of, from the neatness of the work. As the
sowing season was now fast approaching, the agricul-
turists, and their assistants had received orders to hold
themselves in readiness to leave for their districts ; and
two had already proceeded to the counties Kilkenny and
Cork. Letters were read from individuals in various parts
of Ireland relative to the instructions of the society's men ;
and samples of flax were shown from Galway and Clare,
which, although fire• dried and prepared in the old system,
showed clearly the good natural qualities which would have
been brought out by a more careful system of management.
An interesting letter was submitted from the Right Hon. the
Knight of Kerry, with a sample of flax of very fair quality.
The following extract may prove of interest :
" Although I confine myself, at present, to those specific
points, and cannot venture on the general question, I will not
suppress the exultation I feel at the resuscitation of the flax
manufacture in Ireland, under the patriotic efforts of your
society. I have always looked on the linen as the congenial
manufacture of Ireland; it is impossible to estimate the
importance of its extension throughout our population. Al-
though my time of life obliges me to withdraw from all
personal interference in public concerns, I shall be most
glad if I can influence others, more suited to it, to a co-
operation in the laudable purposes you have in view; and I
do not despair of Kerry furnishing a considerable supply to
your flax market. On this particular property the popula-
tion have extensive employment, yet there is a great defi-
ciency of work throughout Kerry in general ; and, both in
their fields and in their homes, they cannot more benefici-
ally apply their efforts than to the culture and preparation
of flax."

The SECRETARY gave an account of a visit which he had
paid, while lately in England, to Mr. Warner, of Triming-
ham, Norfolk. The system of feeding cattle in loose boxes,
by that gentleman, with flax-seed, as an auxiliary to tur-
nips, bean and pea-straw, &c., appeared of much value, and
was likely to prove of much benefit, if introduced into the
cattle-feeding districts of Ireland. It not only afforded a
most profitable mode of fattening upon home-grown produce,
and rendered the flax crop much more valuable by the judi-
cious economy of the seed—a product which had hitherto
been very much neglecte.l in Ireland—but the consumption
the
from it. It was arranged that the specimens
growing crop,
e
of linen, damask, and cambric, which gained the first prizes
tohfethgerelatttererporrettiuornneodf toth the soil
wiennttsheabfosTractoefdmbaynure,
madea tthe
exclusively
i yea
of
fi triiosthi
flax, should
lbaes t,parne
presented,
nwtlefidc,h
atwere
i
early opportunity, to her Majesty the Queen; and that the
Marquis of Downshire, as President, and the Earl of Erne
and Lord Lurgan, as Vice-Presidents of the Society, should be
requested to arrange the presentation. The Secretary was in-
structed, on the return of the agriculturists from their la-
bours, after the seed time, to visit the members of the
society, among the English and Scoth flax-spinners, to
solicit their support, on an increased scale, since the opera-
tions of the society were now so extensive, and their success
so promising, that, while they must confer great benefit for
the population of the districts into which they were being
carried, they will be productive of very important results
on the British and Irish linen trade. It was mentioned,
in the course of conversation, that large orders for flax-
scutching machinery were now being executed in Belfast,
for the Pacha of Egypt, for Brittany, Bohemia, and Bel-
gium ; while, such had been the interest excited by the
progress of the Flax Improvement Society of Ireland, that
its papers and printed instructions had been translated into
several foreign languages, and were in circulation in many
foreign countries. With her suitable soil and climate, cheap
labour, and the prestige which attends her linen manufac-
ture, Ireland has no cause to fear competition; and the pre-
sent prospects of the society afforded the happiest augury for
the final attainment of its objects.

THE NEW KNIGHTS OF THE GARTER.--WINDSOR.
FRIDAY.--Sir George Youngc, Garter Knight-at-Arms, and As
sistants, were engaged at St. George's Chapel yesterday, between
the services, in panting the banner, sword, and helmet, and other
insignia of the Most Ancient and Noble Order of the Garter over the
stets of the Marquis of Hertford and the Marquis Camden ; that)
the former on the cantori side, and the latter on the decani side,
the chapel.
FRENCH PLAIS.—Her Majesty and his Royal High-
ness Prince Albert, attended by Lady Portman, the Hon. Miss
Napier, Lord Byron, Colonel Grey, and Lieut.-Colonel Seymour,
honoured the French Plays with their presence on Friday evening. His
Serene Highness the Hereditary Prince of Saxe Meiningen joined the
royal party during the evening, and remained till the close of the
performance. There were also present his Serene Highness Prince
Edward of Saxe Weimar, his Excellency the Hanoverian Minister.
the Marquis and Marchioness of Worcester, the Marquis of Douro,
the Duke de Melfort, the Earl of 31almesbury, Lord and the lion.
Miss Foley, Lady Rosa Greville, Lady Augusta Wentworth, the
Marquis de Palavacino, Lord Suffield, Lord and Lady Vivian, Count
Anthony Esterhazy, Sir Richard and Lady Jodrell, Lady Meux, Sir
Henry Mildmay, Sir George and Miss Talbot, Lady Fitzroy Kelly,
Sir llnitry Webb, Sir J. H. Lowther, lion. Mrs. Leicester Stanhope,
Hon. Mr. Percy, Sir Hugh and Lady Campbell, Mrs. Dennistoun, &c.
Viscount Mahon has been elected President of the
Society of Antiquarians, in the room of the Earl of Aberdeen, who
resigned.

WAKEFIELD, CORN-EXCHANGE, APRIL 24.—We had
a fair attendance of buyers this morning. The best qualities of fine
wheats realisa an advance of Is. per quarter upon last week's
prices ; inferior sorts are not in any request, a:1,1 difficult to dispose
of. Oats are in good request at fully last week's quotations. In
beans and other grain no alteration. Arrivals at Wakefield during
the week :

Wheat..
Beans ..
Pear ..
Twos ..

Qrs.
• • 5,336 Barley
.. 1,848 Rapeseed
.. 23 Oats
34 §holling

Qrs.
• 2,255
• 121
• 1,388
!! 144

THE TATTLE QF SOBRAON.
(ExTRAcT FROM A PRIVATE UTTAR.)
Camp, before Lahore, Army of t
Sutlej, Feb. 26.
Being one of the k *rho were fortunate enough to escape
with a sound head at the battle or Sottratee, on the 10th inst.,
I take this opportunity of writing you a few lined. You will
probably see the Commander-in-Chief's dispatch in the
papers before this reaches you. We were in the thick of it
—in Brigadier Stacey's brigade, Sit 11, Dick's division. The
letter, poor fellow, was shot through the stotnech towards
the elese of the action; we were almost crying when We
saw him taken to the rear. His only regret was, he said,
that he could not live to write his own dispatch and do
justice to his divi,ion. Our artillery began to fire - about
sunrise on the morning of the 10th. We had all got into
position before day break. The tlrst hour and a half was
purely an artillery fight, but our artillery did not in any
way appear to silence the enemy's guns, and about nine o'clock
the Commander-in-Chief sent orders for Sir R. Dick's divi-
sion to advance and storm (while the cannonade was going
Stacey's brigade was partly concealed in the dry bed of a
river, so that the enemy's cannon-shot, with one or two ex-
ceptions, passed over us); Stacey's brigade deployed into
line-10th Foot on the right flank, 53d Foot on the left, and
the 43d and 59th Regiments of Native Infantry in the centre,
and off we went towards a place pointed out by an engineer
officer, where we were to storm. The line had not advanced
far when the enemy had got our range, and the men began
to fall in all directions; a little farther, and we began to feel
their grape-shot coming amongst us like hail-stones. When
within about 400 yards from the trenches, we got the order
to double, the artillery in our rear ; and the Commander-in-
Chief and all the staff gave a cheer, the regiment on the
right of our line took it up, and it went down the whole line,
Sepoys and all cheering as loud as they could, the whole line
doubling all the time under a storm of grape and cannon-
shot such as you cannot p ssibly imagine. When their grape
opened upon us I thought it certain death; but, thank God,
I did not get even a scratch. It was a mournful sight to see
our poor fellows blown almost to pieces when we got close
under the guns. Many were sent up into the air without
the shot touching them, and the grape-shot strewed them
by sixes and sevens. I lost nine men, killed and
wounded, in the company which I commanded, and that
is a small proportion compared to the loss among the
Europeans ; they appear generally to draw a greater
fire upon them. The fate of India almost depended upon
us, and I think every one did his duty nobly. I felt
sure that we were fighting in a just cause, and that I think
tends to give one confidence. The slaughter was beyond any-
thing you can imagine. None were spared, for the men,
Europeans particularly, were infuriated. I suppose there
was never heard such a roll of musketry as there was after
we had gained the trenches. The enemy were driven in a
mass headlong into the river. A rush was made for the
bridge, and it gave way under the weight. The river seemed
alive with wounded and drowning men, and in the mean-
while some horse artillery galloped up on the right and
fired into the retiring masses. Their loss is stated at
10,000. We have lost in killed and wounded 2,400, 56
officers. The Akalees are the most daring men I have
ever seen. Many rushed out singly with nothing but a
sword, and attacked large bodies of men. I saw them
trying to make cuts with their swords, with bayonets stick-
ing in them. I think they must have been intoxicated. The
Seikh artillerymen fought very bravely; they were strewed
in heaps at their guns, and, indeed, so did all of them, ex-
cept their cavalry ; they never made a stand. There were
several European tents in the intrenchment, and furniture
of different descriptions. I got a drink of water out of a
soup plate ; it was a great boon, for I could hardly speak
at the time from thirst, and, having got a good portion of
clay into my mouth when doubling, and no breakfast, I felt
rather exhausted. It was all over by about half-past eleven
o'clock, when the Commander-in-Chiefand Governor-General
and staff rode in. The intrenchments then resounded with
cheers, and every one had his eye fixed on the old chief's
frosty head, which was uncovered. General Mouton and the
Spanish engineer, who constructed the Seikh works, were
sent into our camp two days ago. I believe we can do no-
thing to them. The Seikhs used to talk of going to Calcutta,
and then going and taking London ;—what an idea! Yon
need not be afraid of the bearded gentlemen going all the
way to London. We are, I hear, to be presented with a
star and clasp, in honour of the attle of Sobraon, but some-
thing more useful, a donation of twelve months' batta is to
be given to the troops ; a lieutenant's batta amounts to
1,400 rs. I hear we remain here until the final instalment
of the indemnification money is paid, about the middle of
next month. One instalment came in yesterday. Ghoolab
Singh, the newly-created Minister of Dhuleep Singh (a
minor), will agree to anything we choose to impose ; and no
doubt Sir H. Hardinge will make a very stringent treaty,
otherwise we shall have the same work next year. The 31st
Pont and 16th Lancers go to England immediately. You
Neill see Brigadier Stacey's a brigade frequently mentioned in
the Commander-in-Chief's dispatch, and also my regiment.
I feel very proud of the manner in which the Sepoys be-
haved, and devoutly thank God that I am safe out of the
action. - -

BANKRUPTCY and INSOLVENCY.
On Thursday the Bill introduced into the House of Com-
mons to amend the laws relating to bankruptcy and insol-
vency was printed. It bears the names of Mr. Hawes, Mr.
Masterman, and Mr. Wynn Ellis. This Bill is in many
respects similar to the one printed at the close of last session,
brought forward by two of the same sponsors (Mr. Hawes
and Mr. Masterman). It is admitted that the law on debtor
and creditor is a very difficult subject. Additions have been
made year after year, but ii is denied that such additions
have been improvements, but, on the contrary, clogs to a
correct understanding of the law. There are some good
provisions in this measure, as there are in the several Acts
now in force. Some practical hand could doubtless bring the
discordant elements into form, and would, notwithstanding th e
difficulties that present themselves, produce something like a
good measure, having regard to the interest of both creditors
and debtors. The object of this Bill, as declared by the
preamble, is to amend the laws relating to bankruptcy and
insolvency, with a view to afford to creditors greater protec-
tion against fraud and wilful extravagance. This is a one-
sided view of the matter, and shows that only one class has
been considered in framing the provisions. Both parties
should be regarded by the Legislature. Creditors have
rights, but debtors, in their embarrassments, should be con-
sidered. There should be a provision to compel traders to
keep books of account to which creditors could refer, and,
on a refusal, summon the party to a court of competent ju-
risdiction. Those who require credit would not refuse an
inspection by their creditors, and there should be a serious
punishment for keeping false accounts. In the Bill now
before the House of Commons (appointed to be read a second
time on Wednesday next) there are 36 clauses and four sche-
dules of forms. The very first provision commences the
difficulty, " That all laws, statutes, and usages, so far as
they may be at variance or inconsistent with the provisions
of this Act, shall be, and the same are hereby repealed, but
in all other respects shall continue in force." There are
various Acts now in operation on the law of bankruptcy and
insolvency, and what one Commissioner might consider in-
consistent another might hold to be in accordance with the
same. From the 4th to the 14th section it is proposed to
amend the law respecting the summoning of traders to the
Court of Bankruptcy. By the 15th, the Court of Bank-
ruptcy is to appoint solicitors to prosecute fiats when ob •
tained by bankrupts. Several provisions follow as to protec-
tion and non-protection to bankrupts and insolvents. Then
it is proposed that assignees and creditors who have proved
their debts are to be deemed to be judgment creditors in
cases of bankruptcy and insolvency; and certificates are to
be granted, which certificates are to have the same effects as
judgments obtained. Pay, half-pay, and pensions of bank-
rupts are to be applicable for the benefit of creditors; and all
bills of sale are to be registered, and the registry open to
public inspection. The concluding provisions have reference
to the cases of traders dying without legal personal repre-
sentatives. Such is the substance of the measure to be dis-
cussed. The Government could select some competent per-
sons and refer the Acts and Bills on the same subject, with
instructions to draw an impartial measure.