The Sun.
London, England, 1848-09-16 00:00:00

PIEDIVION T.

The Risergimento of Turin of the 11th contains a
programme of the National Society, just founded, for
the promotion of an Italian Confederation. Its prin
ciples are the absolute independence of Italy from fo-
reigners ; the maintenance of the union of Piedmont
with the Duchies, and with the Lombardo•Venetian
provinces, forming the kingdom of Upper Italy, un-
der the constitutional sceptre of the house of Savoy ;

and lastly, the maintenance of the territorial inte-
g ity and politic/1 prerogatives of the other Italian
States, riz. : the Papal States, the kingdom of Naples,
the kingdom of Sicily, the Grand Duchy of Tuscany,
and the Republic of San Marino. Gioberti is Presi-
dent of the Society. By a decree of the Bth, the Loin-
bardian troops now in Piedmont are maintained in
ective service during three years; the same is said of
the Partnese and Modenese troops; and the Poles
now in Piedmont are to be organized in two companies.

TUSCANY.
A letter from Florence of the 7th says :—" The
events of Leghorn, although they begin to be calmer,
cause a profound disquietude here ; the complete
powerlessness of repression in which the Government
is placed, unless it has recourse to foreign assistance,
has caused it to be feared that a movement would be
attempted at Florence. In the state of discourage-
ment in which the population is placed, a hundred
audacious men could easily make themselves masters
of the city. The French residents yesterday met
at the residence of the Minister of France to devise
means for their own protection, but nothing was de-
cided. The Chambers, on the proposition of Count
Corkini, have voted a law, to authorise the Mi-
nistry to take into its pay a foreign legion of 4,000
men. That will b very useful for the future, but
for the presitnt there must be measures of immediate
efficacy. It is said that the Government has addressed
itself to the mediating powers, as also to the kings
of Naples and of Piedmont, to demand their assist-
ance. At the beginning of the insurrection at Leg-
horn, a demand was made on the Ministers of
France and England that sailors should be landed
to protect the French and English residents, the
Tuscan Government having declared itself unable
to protect property. It appears that the English
Minister at Florence gave orders to Captain Cod-
rington, of the Thetis, to send 200 English
sailors to occupy one of the forts, in conjunction with
the Tuscan soldiers, in order to afford a place of
refuge to foreigners in case of necessity; but, before
the embathation could be effected, the soldiers who
guarded the fort had all deserted, and the fort was
already in the hands of the insurgents."
Advices from Leghorn, of the 7th, state that tran-
quillity is restored here. General Torres has been
disavowed by Chodzko, the commander of the Polish
Legion ; he still tried, however, to renew the agita-
tion in that quarter of the Capuccini, the most
populous of the town, by haranguing the people and
telling them that the new Committee were betraying
Leghorn. But the protest of the Poles against him
being already known, he had to make his escape.

THE ARMY AND NAVY.
(From the United Service Gazette.)
THE FRENCH ON THE COAST OF AFRICA.—We have
heard from good authority that Commodore Sir C.
Hotham, the Commander-in-Chief on the coast of Africa,
is not at all satisfied with some late proceedings of the
French squadron at Nunez and other parts of the
African coast, and has made several representations to
the home Government on the subject.
THE SLAVE TRADE.—We have heard, from very good
authority, that Lord Palmerston is at the present mo-
ment negotiatitg another treaty with the Brazilian
Government for the more effectual suppression of the
slave-trade, His Lordship has proposed that the Bra-
zilian subjects captured in the act of conveying African
negroes, tor the purposes of slavery, shall be delivered
up to the Brazilian authorities, to be tried by their own
national tribunals, and punished accordingly if proved
guilty.
The camp at Everton ;is to be broken up about the
20th instant, when two companies of the 81st, now sta-
tioned at Chester, will rejoin head-quarters, and be re-
lieved, it is expected, by the head-quarters, and three
companies of the 46th. The 81st are next on tarn for
Ireland, in the northwest district. Several large build-
ings have been taken for the reception of the troops,
until proper barracks have been built, for which pur-
pose the Ordnance department are in search of land of
about 25 acres.
CANDIDATES FOR COMMISSIONS.—We are glad to find
that the Secretary-at-War has sanctioned the introduc-
tion into all the military libraries of the work we com-
mended some time since, and called to the attention of
the military authorities, published by Quartermaster
Doherty; it is entitled " Private Soldiers, Non Commis-
sioned Officers, and Candidates for Commissions," and
contains good advice for his own future advantage, and
the good of the service.
TOWER OF LONDON.—The Commanding Officer of the
Fortress ordered a few days since, the light 12-pounder
guns mounted, opposite to the Warder's Hall, to be
lowered into the ditch, which has been well drained,
and made into an excellent drill-ground. The
non.cowmissioned officers of the battalion of Guards,
stationed in the Tower, were drilled during the
week at gun exercise, under a sergeant of the Royal
Artillery ; hut the gun was found to be of too heavy
calibre, and has been replaced in its old position. An-
other gun will shortly be provided fur the use of the
men.

Captain Peter Richard, C. 8., late Flag-Captain to
Vice-Admiral Sir W. Parker, in the Hibernia, 164,
and appointed Superintendent at hanbreke Dockyard, ,
vice Rear-Admiral Gordon Falcon, has arrived in town
from Naples, and will proceed forthwith to Pembroke.
(Dept.,. the IP- ITact;rpc, Ulfininted to the
command of the Cyclops steam-frigate, arrived in town
yesterday, and has proceeded to Portsmouth to take up
his appointment. The Cyclops proceeds on the Ist of
next month to the coast of Africa, taking the mails to
Madeira, Cape de Verds, Sierra Leone, and Ascension.
Captain Hastings relievL s Captain Rodney Eden, fn the
Amphitrite, 26, which ship proceeds to the Pacific, and
relieves the Calypso, 20, Captain Worth, ordered home
to be paid off.
The Commission appointing Admiral the Hon. Sir 1
Thomas Bladen Capel, 1i.C.8., Commander-in-Chief, to
succeed Sir C. Ogle, at Portsmouth, has been duly
signed by the Earl of Auckland, &c., during the visit of
the Board of Admiralty to Portsmouth this week.
GENERAL OFFICERS' INCREASED PAY.—MajOT.GeDC.
ral N. Thorn has succeeded to the increased pay of five-
and-twenty shillings per diem from the 21st ultimo.
In recording these additions to a general officer's
income, it is our custom to revert to the services of the
recipient. On this occasion we follow the practice with
singular pleasure, for there is a long roll of gallant ser-
vice to the credit of Major-General Thorn. He en-
tered the Army in October, 1802. Accompanying the
3d Buffs to the Peninsula, he served with them from
August, 1808, until January, 1809, and again in June,
1809, when ho commanded the Light Company at the
battle of Telavers. From January to March, 1810,
Major-Gen(i-.I Thorn was employed as an Officer of
Observation in Spanish Estremadura, after which he
assisted as Deputy Assistant Quartermaster-General
with the Second Division of the Army, and
.continued
in that office until the close of the war in 1814. He was
present in that interval at the battles of Busaco and
Albuhera, the first siege of Badajoz, the actions of Ar-
royo de Mk lino, and Alrnaraz, the battles of Vittoria, the
Pyrenees, Nivelk', the Nive, Garris, Orthes, the action
of Aire, end the battle of Toulouse. Scarcely had the
Peninsular war terminated when Major-General (then
Major) Thorn proceeded to Canada as an Assistant
Quartermaster-General, and was present at the battle of
Plattsburg. He has been once wounded (at the Nive)
and has had three horses killed.
Major-General W. 11. Sewell, C. 8., has succeeded to
the increased pay of twenty-five shillings per diem.
The Major-General is a Peninsular officer, and has been
in the army two-and-forty years. His last employment
was in India, where he commanded a division of the
Madras Army, having previously held the office of
Deputy-Quartermaster-General.
ADMIRALTY ECONONT.—WhiIst the Admiralty are
reducing our dockyard men, and cutting down the royal
dockyards in all directions—whilst fancy frigates
remain untouched in the royal docks for mouths,
when other ships wanting repairs aro rotting at their
moorings, their Lordships, with that wise economy
which characterises their administration of naval
affairs, prefer to employ contractors on the Thames to
build, alter, and improve her Majesty's ships in their
private establishments. In our national dockyards we
cannot afford to pay our artisans more than 4s. per day;
but to the contractor on the Thames, 7s. a day to the
shipwrights, and 15 per cent. besides to the master for
profit, both on wages and material, is scarcely thought
an adequate remuneration. The Blenheim, screw guard
ship, was altered and converted upon this scale, and cost
between 40,000/. and 50,0001. ; and the cost of La
Hogue, similarly converted, and just released from
Green's yard, gill be pretty much to the same tune.
She has been in Green's dock for two years, and
during this time the Admiralty has been charged
three guineas a day for its use, and some ten shil-
ling a day for the use of a storehouse to keep the
Government materials in which Mr. Green is using in
the work. On all the materials drawn from the
dockyard the contractor is allowed to charge 15 per
cent. on what it is booked to him at. He has his own
price for his own materials ; he has seven shillings a day
for his workmen, and 15 per cent. on the seven shillings
a day for profit. And this heavy extra expense is in-
curred in time of peace, when we have so many exten-
sive establishments, and are actually reducing the num-
ber of men in the dockyards for lack of employment for
them !

THE HARVEST AND THE CROPS.
About two-thirds of the whole white crop in all the
earlier districts in Scotland is now safe, and in fine con-
dition, in the stackyard. While the heavy gales of wind
which prevailed during the latter part of the past week,
shook a considerable portion of the standing. corn,
it facilitated the preparation of what in the
stook for the stackyard, and greatly improved
the condition of the earlier gathered crop. Sunday
was magnificently bright, and probably the finest bar
vest day of the season. On Monday morning the tem-
perature was so low, that at sunrise the ground, in many
situations, was covered with white rime. Tuesday and
yesterday were eso cold and excellent for harvest ope-
rations, which have been everywhere carried foi ward
with the utmost energy and success. As the prospect
of the grain crop being safely secured draws nearer'
the potato crop attracts an increased amount of interest
and anxiety. The writer of this paragraph has exa-
mined many fields in the Lothians, Fife, Linlithgow, Stir-
ling, and Kinross-shires, and as the result both of
per-
sonal o
observation inquiry,
ion and diligent and anxious
extent is found in almost every district in those counties. In
no case which came under his observation,
is the loss greater than was anticipated when however,
the crop
was planted, and which from the state of the seed
was reasonable to have been expected Making a full
allowance even: for an aggravation of the symptoms
of disease, 4 total loss of from twenty-five to thirty

per cent. before the let of January may be calcu-
lated on. But even if this large loss should be ex-
ceeded, i: must bo remembered that the loss from roe,
before the recent malady became known, generally
varied from ten to fifteen per cent.; and looking to the
great breadth of land which has this year been planted
—great that is, with regard to the risk, and the state of
the two preceding crops—there will still be an ample
supply, even with the large anticipated loss, in relation
to its proper use, as a mere table vegetable, and not as a
substitute for bread.—Caledonian Mercury of Thursday.
We have now had a sufficient continuance of fins wea-
ther to remove all grounds of anxiety as to the securing
of the grain crops. In this part of Lancashire, and in all
the southern and central parts of the kingdom the fields
are clear and the stack-yards full ; and though the har-
vest is not so abundant as it is in some seasons, or so good
in quality either, it is good enough both in quantity and
quality to remove the tears of scarcity and high priers
which were so generally felt a month since, when the
rain threatened the crops with utter destruction. As far
as the north of England is concerned, the grain crops
as a whole, are not short of an average crop—the spring
corn being more, and the wheat a little less than that;
and though the spring corn is less abundant in the south,
yet there are no general or serious complaints. In this
county the farmers are now securing au excellent second
crop of clover in good condition, and they have every
prospect of a good crop of turnips. The pastures are
also in excellent condition. As fsr as our own means of
judging go, we should say that the potato crop becomes
worse every day, and threatens nearly as complete a
failure as in 1846.—Liverpool Times.
THE IIARVEST IN THE NORTH Or SCOTLANI).—It
is not a little satisfactory to be able, at this cri-
tical season, to report that another week of good
weather has enabled the farmers, at least in the
lower parts of the county, to proceed vigorously with
the harvest. The wind, it is true, has generally blown
with rather too much strength, but we trust that
tittle damage has been done by it. Already a great many
fields of barley and oats have been cleared, wheat is
partially reaped, and many of the farmers were
well through with their cutting. Provost Sutherland,
on his farm of Culcabock, has finished cutting, and we
dare say that his neighbours and many others are not
far behind him. We fear, however, that the western
division of the county has not been favoured with weather
equally propitious. While Inverness rejoiced in sunshine,
the ominous clouds that lowered almost all the week over
the valley of Loch Ness told him inlanguage sufficient plain
that in the hill country wind and rain were sadly torturing
the farmer's hopes. In the county of Nairn there has been
little rest during the week for all about farms. The
weather has been favourable, and large breadths have
fallen before sickle and scythe. In Morayshire, too, the
good work has been busily carried on, and although
some time must yet elapse before the harvest is
concluded, some of the farmers farthest advanced
—such as Mr. Lawson, Kintrae—have their cutting
over. In the Black Isle a considerable part of the crop
is still unripe; but we learn from a gentleman who
travelled through Ross shire last week, and who, to
aid his own observations, made numerous inquiries,
that the crop may be considered as half cut, and the
grain is of good quality. Numerous examinations
were made in potato fields that seemed diseased;
but in hardly one case were the tubers found affected,
although the shaws were blackened, apparently by
frost. Our informant states it to be his belief, that
the disease does not exist to any extent in that
county, although about Tain there are a few
cases. The same opinion respecting this crop is cur-
rent in Nairnshire; and the general belief now is, that
the influence of early frost occasioned unnecessary
alarm. It may reasonably be expected, however, that
the quality of the potato crop will not be equal to what.
it has been, from the checks it met in the latter part of
the ripening process.—lnverness Courier.

BRISTOL SUGAR, MARKET, SEPT. B.—The sales
of tho week aro unimportant, and 'prices are fully 6d.
lower; the market closes without life. Refined goods
are dull and lower. Rum is very flat.—Bristol Mercury.
INTERESTING SALE OF WORKS OF ART.—Yes-
terday Mr. Hedger, of New Bond-street, submitted for
public competition an extremely interesting set of casts
and designs in plaster and terracotta, sketches in basso
relievo, and original studies in groups and figures, the
property of the late talented artist, Musgrove Sewthwaite
Watson. Esq. The sale, which had been prepared under
the direction of Mr. Eastlake, was attended by a large
number of dilletanti, and gentlemen were also in attend-
ance on the part of the Marquis of Lansdowne, Lord
Brougham, and other distinguished patrons of art. Lot
1, four original sketches in plaster, " Mother and
Child," " Innocence pi okcted by Religion," " Sacra-
mental chalice," and " Cameron Monument," sold for
Si. 7s. 6d. An original competition sketch for the Nel-
son Monument produced 21. 7s. 6d. The original plaster
model.;of Sir David Wilkie sold for 31. 12e. 6d. ; and the
original model of the Earl of Lonsdale, for 61. 6s. Three
original sketches from Lord Byron's Cain fetched the
rather high sum of 191. 19s. Two original sketches,
" Iris and llebe," executed for the Marquis of Lans-
downe, produced 21. 10s. Original sketches of Sir
Nowell Buxton, the Mother of Lord Brougham, and
Flamm!), fetched respective 21, 121., and 51. ss. A mag-
nificent plastur cast of Literature, a monument to the
memory of Allan Cunningham, and an original monu-
mental design of Victory, sold for 15/. 155.; and an ex-
tremely ch gant pair of gilt terracotta statuettes of
Chaucer and Spenser (much contested for), 71. On the
whole the sale was of an extremely interestingchsiracter;
and it was observed that the majority of the articles sold
remarkably well. _ _

OCEAN MONARCH.—On Thursday last an inquest
facia .6 0.."..1 CliG )1C (Wiltra Tr Lti,ta
had been brought to Carnarvon by the Orion steamer
on the previous evening. They fuel been, as appeared
in evidence before the coroner, E. G.Powell,Esq., picked
up about ten miles to the east of the Great Orme's Heed.
They appeared to be those of persons of the age of 60,
er thereabouts. These bodies are supposed to be those
of Samuel Fielding and William Scamborough. Upon
the person of one, supposed to be Fielding, were found
thirty-nine sovereigns and a half and some silver coins;
also a silver watch, maker's name Bradford, Liverpool,
No. 2,612, having inside the ticket, " Knight, watch-
maker, 28, Oldham-street, Manchester." He had also
about him three passengers' contract tickets, showing
that he, together with William Scamborough and severs
others, were passengers on board the ill-fated vessel the
Ocean Monarch. On the other body were found 11/.,
with the initials " B. S." on the inner case of a silver
watch, which appears to have been made by Clowes, of
London, and is numbered 8,091. Evidence was given to
prove the finding of the bodies, and the jury in each
case returned a verdict " That the bodies were those of
persons who had perished on board the Ocean Monarch;
names supposed to he as above described." The coroner
has taken charge of the money and goods; and the re-
latives will be furnished by him with every requisite
information.

SUCCESSFUL PRACTICE OF A STALE TRICE.—On
Tuesday, the 3d instant, a young man named Thomas
Jackson, who had been in a farmer's service, arrived in
Hull from Roxby, in the parts of Lindsey, Lincolnshire,
in search of employment. He took 101. from home, and
had W. 10s. on his arrival at Hull, where he was soon
accosted by a person who said he had lost his pony out
of his stable,- and asked him if he was from Lincoln-
shire, and would take some bills into that county. Jack-
son, being willing to do anything for an honest living,
at once consented. His new employer then took him to
a public-house, and was accompanied by another man,
who had been with him all the time. These two began
to play at cards, and invited Jackson to join them; but
he being no hand at such work declined, until a third
party in the room, a perfect gentleman in appearance
(as Jackson states), offered to take his part. The cards
were all sorted, the black ones being taken out, and one
of the parties sitting on them. The red ones were then
examined and shuffled, and one of the party offered to
make a bet that he could find a black ono among them.
Very soon one of them offered to bet Jackson 101. that
the very first card that turned up would be black. Jack-
said he had not 101., but he had 91. 10s., and he dared
bet that Euin that the top card was a red one.
The card was instantly turned up black, and his money
was swept. One of the party then took him to the door
to advise him what to do, and while so engaged, the
other two with the money made themselves scarce.--
Lincoln Mercury.
LONDON DISPENSARY, SPITALFIELDs.—The quar-
terly general meeting of the governors of this institution
was held at the dispensary, Church-street, Spitalfields.
last night, Mr. Brushfield in the chair. The minutes of
the last three monthly meetings having been read and
confirmed, the chairman said that the prospects of this
excellent charity were at present somewhat beclouded.
The lease of their premises having recently expired, was
about to be renewed, but the lessees were bound to effect
very extensive repairs; and to enable them to accomplish
this, they had been compelled to trench seriously upon
the permanent resources of the institution, by selling off
haboortuetveero,ol,Lawd'cifotht ohf theeneinreocreisgsiintaatlesdtocaks. Thyetetcoomcomnittrtaceet,
their operations for the relief of the afflicted, among
the dense masses of poor located in Spitalfields; but
he feared that they would soon be obliged to make an
appeal to the public for increased support, in order to
spare themselves being reduced to the painful necessity
of turning away numerous needy applicants unsuccoured
from their doors. The district which formed the sphere
of their operations was one more requiring the aid of
such a dispensary than perhaps any other part of the
metropolis, and he therefore hoped the humane and be-
nevolent would come forward and readily contribute the
funds requisite to render the labours of the committee
vigorous and a fficient. We understand that no fewer
than twenty-five old subscribers havo lately fallen off,
from deaths and owing to the depressed state of the
times. The average annual number of patients entered
on the there are at present
486 under
ntalny with the repairs pre-
bdoeurk cure.s is aboutcont,uororoe, d
viously mentioned, it is contemplated to enlarge the pr
provide
etifltee tmr
t hu
usual a treorut conveniencesroutine
at
atisperse,seanndt
exist.pori After
proceedingsl:E
SOLITARY
terminated.
SYSTEM IN GAOLS.—The following
is the copy of a letter received by Sir Peter Laurie, on
a subject e hich is to bbrought forward at the com-
mencement of next session of Parliament before the House
of Lords:—

" Portman. square, Sept. 11, 1848.
" My dear Sir,—Your remark at the meeting of Mid-
dlesex magistrates on Friday last (as reported in The
Sun of this evening), that solitary confinement was the
iiti!•so of lunacy,' recalls to my recollection that a similar
Opinion was held by the late Sir James Macintosh, when
Recorder at Bombay, as well as by his successor, the
late Sir Alexander At.strnther, with both of whom I was
associated as an Alderman of Bombay, and it was a
punishment which neither of these judges would ever
award or sanction, from their expressed conviction of
its tendency to produce insanity.—Yours very truly,
" JOHN STEWART.

"Sir Peter Laurie.
"In case the solitary system should become the sub-
ject of inquiry, it occurred to me that opinions of thew
judge might be useful."