The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-04 00:00:00

THE PATRICIAN.

This number of the Patrician fully maintains its
character, as the authority upon all matters connected
with archaeology, heraldry, and genealogy—these form
the staple, but not the exclusive contents of this Maga-
zine, for we have in addition an excellent critique on
the various exhibitions of paintings in 1846, and a good
article on the Italian Opera.

THE HEROINES OF SHAKSPERE, Part 11.
Every enthusiastic worshipper of our Titan poet has,
as a matter of ceurse, already possessed himself of Mrs.
Jameson's inimitable work upon " The Female Cha-
racters of Shakspere ;" and, as a matter of course, he
will immediately obtain the scarcely less inimitable en-
gravings under notice. If he be a sensible man he will.
And this seriously. Never has mortal analysed the
idiocyncrasy of the female heart—that metaphysical and
psychological problem--except " our glorious Willy,"
as he is styled by Spenser. That he has done this we
all feel ; and a female has declared the success with
which the task has been accomplished—a sensible fe-
male too, namely Mrs. Jameson. We should possibly be
tempted to dilate upon the galaxy of creations
coming under the title of the " Heroines
of Shakspere "—Miranda, Cordelia, Desdemona,
Olivia, and the like—but that we might raise
the goblin of Malone by our audacity. To the
" Heroines," therefore, simply as representations of
" the human face divine." Imogene is the most success-
fully conceived in the part before us ; the delicious
countenance pencilled by the artist is almost worthy of
the original, and that is no feeble praise. The hand and
arm, however, are actual deformities, and distract the
eye by their glaring unnaturalness. Ophelia, though
delicate withal, is too immobile in expression ; and
Audrey, though pretty, wants individuality. One ex-
ception hrve we to make with the title-page, namely,
the orthography of the poet's name. Charles Knight
has long since settled the ashes of Dryasdust in his
grave as regards the true spelling ; he adopts the one
found in all the signatures still extant in the hand-
writing of the bard, namely—Shakspere.

DESPERATE ACTION 3N THE
HELFORD RIVER.

Again has the tranquillity of this ill-fated river been
broken by the din of war. It appears that Colonel
Southgate, of the llelford Oyster Brigade, being on duty
near the spot, fell in with a detachment of the Royal
Female " Triggers," who were busy making prisoners
of the muscle, cockle, limpit, and other defenceless
tribes. The colonel instantly called to them to sur-
render, which they indignantly refused. He then
attempted to take them vi et armis, when they opened
such a well-directed discharge of mud and shingle
at the gallant officer, as compelled him to jump
into his boat and sheer off. Nothing daunted by his
defeat, although miserably daubed with mud, and
otherwise disfigured, the gallant colonel having collected,
as he thought, a sufficient force, again landed; and having
drawn up his men in order of battle along the beach, he
dispatched an aide-de-camp to repeat his former demand,
on whose visage a reply was, in an instant, most legibly
stamped, by a muddy fist. The colonel, now greatly exas-
perated, and elated with the thoughts of carrying off so
many fair captives to Castle, ordered his men to
advance; which they did in the most perfect order, not-
withstanding the storm of mud and shingle that now
assailed them. For a moment they halted—again they
dashed forward—but the volleys of mud had rendered
unserviceable their organs of vision ; and, in the most
Quixotic manner, they were soon in hand to hand fight
with rocks, boats, and stumps; while the enemy, taking
advantage of the confusion, dashed upon them, sub- '
stituting " claws " for bayonets, and for a long
time the battle raged with great fury. Often were
these amazons laid low, but instantly springing
upon their feet, they fought with redoubled ardour.
For a long time victory seemed doubtful some-
times inclining to the stronger, sometimes to the better
half ; until the commander of the former, recollect-
ing that victory or defeat would be equally disgraceful,
and that " the better part of valour is discretion,"
wisely withdrew his muddy, bloody troops into the
boats, where they lay silent with shame, and blind
with mud, while the fair victors remained in quite
possession of the field—an apt illustration of that fa-
vourite motto—" Though lost to sight, to memory
dear." The following is the official return of killed
and wounded :—Helford Oyster Brigade, Col. South-
gate, severely "scrowed," uniform spoiled, and other-
wise maltreated. Aide-de-camp, Major Toy, slightly
wounded, "flop" in the " chops. ' Captain Wheatley,
badly " scrowed," not dangerously, beauty destroyed.
The fortune of war brought this gallant little officer in
juxta-position with his former sweetheart, whom he
slighted; and ample proof did she give him that she
still wished to make en impression on him. Royal Female
Triggers, no casualties.— West Briton.

Lire PRESERVER.—On Monday an interesting ex-
periment was made in the Thames, near Putney-bridge, with
a belt filled with cork shavings. It was tied under the arms
of a person with his clothes on, who, on rolling overboard,
was instantly floated, with his head and shoulders above
water, down the stream. The belt was then taken off, and
thrown to the person, who, on catching and holding it,
floated as before, and was soon drawn on board. The cork
belt has this great advantage over the zinc drums some-
times carried on board steamers, that if it struck the persons
on being thrown to them, it could not hurt them, whereas
the heavy metal drums might do them serious injury.
It is light, cheap, and portable, and, unlike the air-belt,
not liable to accident. We think in dangerous boat
service (for it has been successfully tried in a heavy sea), in
shipwreck, and teaching young people to swim, it will prove
highly serviceable. The object on Monday was to test its
power in fresh water, with the clothe,,s on, and this it did to
the satisfaction of Phelps and Cobb, the watermen, some
gentlemen of the college, &c. This simple, ingenious, and
useful application of the buoyancy of cork is the idea and
invention of Mr. D. F. Walker, the lecturer on experimental
philosophy.
Previous to the commencement of the present year
Hertfordshire was divided between the dioceses of London
and Lincoln, and the visitations of the clergy, by the bishops
and archdeacon, for the former diocese, have usually been
holden at Ware, and the latter at Hatfield. Upon the an-
nexation of the whole county to the diocese of Rochester, on
the recommendation of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners for
England and Wales, a memorial, numerously signed by the
clergy, and gentry, and inhabitants of the town and neigh-
bourhood, was transmitted by the Rev. Mr. Birch, vicar of
All Saints', to the Lord Bishop of Rochester, and to the arch-
deacon of St. Alban's, requesting that in the proposed eccle-
siastical arrangements conseciuent upon the change, Hertford
might be made the centre of a district, and that the triennial
visitations of his lordship, and the annual visitations of the
archdeacon, might be held there. The suggestions of the
memorialists have been attended to, and venerable Dr.
Grant, Archdeacon of St. Alban's, !will hold his primary vi-
sitation of the clergy and churchwardens of the deanery of
Hertford, in All Saints' Church.—Essex Herald.
On the 16th ult. a man, in the ptt of the Royal
Theatre at Vienna, shot himself in the middle of the per-
formance, covering the persons immediately around him with
his blood. A singular coincidence in this frightful event is,
that at the instant before the report was heard, an actor on
Vie stage, reciting his part, uttered the words, " A shot is
about to be fired ;" and for a moment the audience fancied
that the sound came from behind the scenes. The perform-
ance was stopped till the lifeless body was carried out, and
then resumed,

THE MILITIA.
It will be recollected that in December last two circu-
lars were issued from the Home and War Offices, ad-
dressed to the Lords-Lieutenant of the various counties
in Great Britain and Ireland, directing a completion of
the staff and other arrangements preparatory to a call-
ing out of the various regiments. A very great degree
of excitement subsequently prevailed throughout the
kingdom owing to the dread of the disagreeable process
of ballot, but this was quieted by an answer given by
the Secretary of War to Mr. Duncombe and Mr. Bright,
to the effect that under no circumstances should the
system of ballot be adopted. The Right Hon. Gentle-
man on the occasiun in question added that a new Bill
would shortly be introduced to amend the Act of George
111., cap. 15.
The staffs of the respective regiments have since been
severally filled up; but otherwise the matter was entirely
lost sight of up to a few days since, when the following
circular was made public, being addressed to the colonels
commandant of the various regiments:—

" MILITIA OF GREAT BRITAIN.
" Circula, No. " War office, May 23.
"Sir—Adverting to my circular letter of the Ist of
December last, respecting the re-formation of the staff
of the regiment of militia under your command, I
have now the honour to draw your attention to the fol-
lowing points to be observed in discharging the sergeants
whom you wish to recommend to the commissioners of
Chelsea Hospital for the grant of pension.
" The sergeants who have served uninterruptedly
twenty years as non-commissioned officers, and shall be
certified on their discharges to be sixty years of age and
willupwards, not be required to appear personally before
the commissioners of Chelsea Hospital, but their dis-
charges must be transmitted in the Manner hereafter
described.
" The commissioners will take the necessary steps for
apprising you of the day on which the sergeants
whose ages do not amount to sixty years of age, but
whose service and disabilities confer a claim to be
recommended to a pension, shall appear before the board
at Chelsea for medical examination and admission to the
pension list.
" The adjutant or acting adjutant, should be desired
to state, upon the discharge of every-sergeant-major or
sergeant, the period from and to which he had served in
the various ranks, in order that the commissioners may
be enabled to decide with facility upon each claim. These
discharges are to be forwarded in sufficient time to ad-
mit of their examination.

The sergeants are to receive an advance of pay to
enable them to proceed to Chelsea, and a sum sufficient
to enable them to defray the expense of their carriage by
railway at the' contract rate for soldiers, &c., as detailed
in the regulations relative to the conveyance of her
Majesty's forces to the station where the board is
held.

" In cases where the head-quarters of a regiment is at
a distance from a railway station, the serjeants will be
granted the usual rate of marching allowance at Is. ld.
per diemfor every ten miles travelled on each day.
"The serjeants of the militia in Scotland will be granted
marching money at the rate of sd. per diem for every
ten miles marched to the port at which they will embark
for their destination.

"If a sergeant should be admitted to pension from
Chelsea Hospital, the district paymaster in London may
advance the difference between the daily rate of pension
and the usual marching allowance of ls. 6d. a-day on his
return to the head-quarters of his regiment, or to his
home in the country,
" The district paymaster may also make such advance
as will be necessary until the date of the assembly of
the board, and on the return of the sergeants to the
head-quarters of their regiments and their homes, the
adjutant or acting paymaster will be instructed to reim-
burse the amount so advanced, and charge the same in
his pay lists.
" The sergeants whose_claims to pensions. shall be re-
jected by the commissioners, will be granted a gratuity
of ninety days' pay on their return to the head-quarters
of their corps, to enable them to return to their homes,
or to find other employment, such gratuity to commence
from the date of the decision of the commissioners, and
the account may be charged in the regimental accounts;
such sergeants shall also be granted a free passage by
railway or steam-vessel, on their return to head-quarters.
" The sergeants who have already been supplied with
clothing from the Ist April, 1845, for the biennial or
quadrennial periods, will be allowed a compensation of
2s. 6d. or Is. 3d. per month, as the case may be, to 30th
June, 1846, but they will be required to leave their
clothing at the head-quarters of the corps, for the use
of their successors; and at the expiration of the period
above alluded to new clothing will be issued, by which
arrangement the uniformity now existing on this point
will be maintained.
"I have also to observe, that so soon as the notifica-
tion by the commissioners of Chelsea Hospital of the
dates on which the sergeants in question shall have
passed the board, or whose claims to pension shall have
been rejected, shall be signified to you, it will be com-
petent to you, if you think fit, to select from the pension-
ers from the regular army the numbers necessary to
complete the staff to the reduced establishment already
notified, and for which purpose the staff-officers of pen-
sioners in your immediate neighbourhood will be in-
structed to put themselves in communication with and
afford you any information and assistance which you
may require.
" The pay of the sergeant who shall be selected to
complete the establishment will commence on the day on
which they shall join the regiment.
" The clothing left by the discharged sergeants must
be made available for their successors ; when no such
clothing exists, application must be made to this office
for the necessary supply.
" At a future period, however, arrangements will be
made for establishing one uniform period at which such
supplies of clothing shall be delivered.
" I have the honour to be, your obedient servant,
SIDNEY HERBERT.
" To the Colonel of the Regiment of Militia."

A circular has also been addressed to the colonels of
each of the Irish Militia Regiments, but as it is almost
in every respect of similar effect to the foregoing, its
publication at full length is unnecessary.

HOP INTELLIGENCE.
(From the Maidstone Jourral.)

MAIDSTONE.—Our hop bine is still very rank, but in
some places the leaves are rather yellow. The fly and
lice blight is to a greater extent than ever was remem-
bered so early in the season. From the circumstance of
its coming so early, and the barometer standing so high
as it does at present, we are led to hope it nay be
favourable to a crop, as a blight this year would not be
of the least use to the:growers, they not having any on
hand, the crops of the last few years not having exceeded
the consumption. There are at present fly in Mid-Kent
to the extent of 40 to 50 on a leaf, and lice beyond num-
ber. The bine in the strong grounds, such as the vine
hills at Farleigh, is in many instances above the tops of
the poles, and the pins are shooting out, as much as we
might expect at the latter end of June. We consider
Mid-Kent at present in a very severe fly and lice blight.
Our reports from the districts around are somewhat
at variance with each other. From Farleigh we learn
that the hops are very healthy and growing most vi-
gorously with a decrease of fly. From Ulcomb, Broom-
field, and the vicinity, a rapid increase of fly, from two or
three ou a leaf on Wednesday to fifty on Friday, and
at the present time our correspondent sttys he never saw
them so thick. The roses and ivy in the same neigh-
bourhood are also completely blighted by the fly.
Otham and Leeds, looking well, but a vast quantity of
fly. Brenchley—bine looking tolerably well, but a great
increase of fly. Cranbrook—the bine growing rapidly,
but the fly never known to be so numerous at this season
of the year. Mereworth—the bine growing fast and
looking very promising, but within the last few days
there a good deal of fly has made its appearance.
Tunbridge—looking very well as far as bine goes ;
in some places they are over the tops of the poles.
There is a great deal of flea and fly in places in
some gardens almost amounting to a blight. The cold
weather and hail storm last week has had very serious
effect on the bine in places in this vicinity. Wrotham,
Plaxtol, and Igtham.—The hop plant in this neighbour-
hood is progressing vigorously, the bine strong and
healthy, fly has made its appearance, in some grounds
very thickly, but not so much so as to create any alarm.
The fly golding has also arrived, and commenced
operations which may possibly have a tendency con-
siderably to counteract the evils to be apprehended from
the fly. Neither the cold east winds nor the insect has
at present retarded the progress of the plant.
The accounts from Sussex represent the plantations
in the neighbourhoods of Hurst Green, Burwash, Sand-
hurst, and the Weald, smothered with fly.
(From the Worcester Journal.)
WORCESTER.—In our last we stated that there was no
appearance of fly in this plantation, but within a few days
the whole district has been attacked in a manner which
has caused a great sensation among the planters as to the
fate of the crop. The oldest growers do not remember such
a sudden visitation as the present, and more particularly
at this early period of the season. These unfavourable ap-
pearances have given life to this market, and caused on Sa-
turday an advance in prices of 4s. to 6s. per cwt., inducing
several planters and speculators to withdraw their hops
from sale, in anticipation of shortly realising higher rates.
Further accounts have this morning been received from the
different districts of this and the adjoining county, all of
which speak of a very great increase of fly since Satur-
day, in many grounds the bine being literally covered
with insects, with lice and nits innumerable. In conse-
quence of these unfavourable reports our market has
again advanced, prices being full ss. per cwt. higher.
From the lowest tune we quote an advance of nearly 2os.
per cwt. upon all descriptions. Duty is called 12,0001.
Prices this day are about-1845, 51. to 71.; choice, 81. Bs.
1844, 51. to 6/. 15s. ; choice, 74 15s. Old hops, 31. ss. to
6/. ; choice, 61. Ms.

STATE OF TRADE.
MANCHESTER, JUNE 2.—Owing to the Whitsun ho-
lidays, there is very little business doing this week ;. but
prices, both of goods and yarn, are very firm ; and
there is a decidedly improved feeling in the market,
with a confident anticipation of a decided increase of
business as soon as the holidays are over.
RoCIIDALE, JUNE i.—We have had rather more busi-
ness doing to-day, and prices a shade better than on
the preceding Monday. The wool market has been
steady, and prices firm.
HUDDERSFIELD, JUNE 2.—There is only one opinion
as regards our market to-day, namely, that there is a
complete dearth of business. The last American packet
brought orders for vesting, which our merchants ;,r•
giving out, without which manufacturers would be almost
at a stand still.
LEEDS, JUNE 2.—Owing to this day being half-
holiday, the attendance at our market has been thin,
and the business transacted of very little moment.
Manclus:er Guardian.

The number of witnesses summoned to give evidence
in the trial of Lecomte is said to be forty.

ECCLESIASTIC AL COMMISSION
(IRELAND).
The following are extracts from the annual report of
the Ecclesiastical Commissioners for Ireland to the Lord
Lieutenant, for the year ending August 1, 1845 (just
issued by order of Parliament)
We, the Ecclesiastical Commissioners for Ireland,
whose hands and corporate seal are hereunto annexed,
beg leave to report to your Excellency, pursuant to the
provisions of the Act, 3 and 4 William IV., c. 37, the
proceedings of the Commissioners, for the year end-
ing Ist August instant. In respect to the augmen-
tation of small livings, the ..Commissioners have, as op.
pertunities were afforded, availed themselves of the
power vested in them by the Act 3 and 4 Viet., c. 101,
s. 6, by setting apart for augmentation purposes, out of
the moneys accruing from tithes and glebes disappro-
priated by orders of the Lord Lieutenant and Privy
Council, a sum of 2001. per annum, in the year 1841,
and a sum of 6121. 14s. 11d., in the year 1843, less by
the charges incident for poor-rates and other necessary
expenses. At the time of the disappropriations, a con
siderable portion of the tithes, so vested in them wag
under lease, and the Commissioners, finding the lease
had but a few years to run, refused to renew, and the
term haring since expired, an increased annual amount
of 2701.;35. sd. has been thereby insured to the fund, part
of which has been also so set apart.

We have the gratification to state to your Excellency
that, within this year, the Commissioners have been en-
abled to apply the moneys thus set apart to the augmen-
tation of forty-one benefices, and, in deing so, they were
most desirous of effecting the object which seemed to be
contemplated by the Legislature, of augmenting smell
livings to 1001. a year, late Irish currency, in the same
manner as they are now empowered to apply the moneys
bequeated by the late Primate Boulter. To benefices
of this class their attention has for the present been
solely confined.
Tee augmentation salaries paid to the clergy from and
out of Primate Boulter's Fund have, within the year'
amounted to the sum of 4,396/. 15s. ; anal, under the
powers invested in the Commissioners by the provisions
of the Church Temporalities Acts, the sum of
6,4091. 158. 4d. Irts been paid, in the way cf stipends, to
the city of Dublin, and to other curates, and also to
diocesan school-masters.
By the returns of promotions and otherwise, it ap-
pears that six dignities, consisting of the deaneries of
the cathedral churches of Limerick, Klilala and Emly,
the precentorship of the cathedral churches of Water-
ford and Emly, and the archdeaconry of Clonfert ;
fourteen prebends, ono canonry, and eighty- two bene-
fices have become vacant within the year, of which
eighteen only appear to be liable to tax.
We have to report that the proceedings taken by the
Commissioners of Charitable Donations and Bequests,
in relation to the tithes of Cahir, as referred to in a
former repot t, have been terminated by an order of the
Lord. Chancellor„ on an application made by those
Commissioners, whereby it Was ordered that .the
Ecclesiastical Commissioners and their successors
•should be appointed trustees of the Charitable Be-
quests under Bishop Gore's will, they undertaking
to administer the bequest agreeably to the inten-
tions expressed in the will of the testator, and
to expend the funds in rebuilding and repairing
old ruined churches in the dioceses of Waterford and
Lismore, and to open a separate account on foot thereof ;
and liberty having been given to the Ecclesiastical
Commissioners, as such trustees, to commence proceed-
ings to enforce payment of the arrears of the charitable
fund, such proceedings have been commenced, and we
have every reason to expect that the amount due will be
speedily recovered. In obedience to the above order, a
separate account has been opened in relation to this be-
quest, and all sums received by the Commissioners on
account thereof have been transferred thereto, and which
has had the effect of diminishing their general fund by
a sum of 1,4241. 16s. ld.„ being the amount heretofore
received on foot of Bishop Gore's request.
The Commissioners had hoped that all demands aris-
ing under the head of vestry cess, which bad accrued
due on and before the passing of the Church Tempo-
ralities Acts, had been fully satisfied, bnt claims have
been preferred and admitted on this account within the
past year to the amount of 541. 175..6d.

After providing fof the several other charges, formerly
defrayed by vestry assessment, the Commissioners have,
within the year, appropriated to church works the sum
of 24,0001., of which 18,4691. 16s. have been allocated to
repairs, and 5,5301. 4s. to rebuildings, aided by private
subscriptions to the amount of 2,3591. Os. 7d.
The repairs undertaken by the Commissioners have
been, in conformity with their practice for some years
past, such only as appeared absolutely necessary, and
extend over three-fourths of the churches in Ireland ;
many of these, during preceding years, having been but
partially repaired, and others, from the originally imper-
fect structure of the buildings, requiring a continued
expenditure of small annual sums.
Since the last report to your Exceflency, the following
churches, rebuilt by the Commissioners, have been
opened for divine servics:—Maralin, in the diocese of
Dromore, for the accommodation of 560 persons; Bally-
sheehan and Kilbehenny, both in the diocese of Einly,
the former for 130 persons, and the latter for 120; Ring-
roue and Knockavilly, in the diocese of Cork, the former
for 150 and the latter for 190 ; Crocomohide, is the
diocese of Limerick, for 120; and Creagh (Ballinasloe),
in the diocese of Clonfert, for 780; and the churches of
Moyrus, in the diocese of Tuaru ; Bdlycotton, in the
diocese of Cloyne; Shanco, in the diocese of Clogher;
and Killowen, in the diocese of Cork; erected :=.ltogether
by means of private subscriptions, have been taken
ender the charge of the Board.
The annual iu.stalments payable to tE,_, Commissioners
for the repairs of the cathedral .churches of Armagh,
Waterford, Eiphin, and Cashel, amounting to 178/. Os. 3d.,
have been duly received, according to the proportions
to be contributed by the respective deans and chapter:,
under the terms of the certificates approved by the Lord
Lieutenant and the Council.

An agreement for a demise of the sen-house and
nesne -of Dromore, had been ent,,red into by the com-
missioners, with Mr. Henry Thomas Baylie, under wi-dch
he had been put into possession of the premises, as men-
tioned in the last report ; but we regret to state that
Mr. Baylie having failed to fulfil his agrecraent, the com-
missioners have been compelled to reutue the possession,
and to take legal proceedings to enforce payment of the
rent and compensation for injury done to the property
whilst in his possession.
With reference to the act of the 6th and 7th Vic., c. 67,
affording relief to the Bishop of Kilmore in respect of
the building charge on that see, the Commissioners have
paid to his Lordship, in the way of interest on that
charge, the sum of 6021. Os. Sd.,and to the representa-
tive of the late incumbent of oymet, in the diocese of
Meath, the balance of the charge on the glebe-house of
that parish, which payment, together with the expenses
attendant on the commission of dilapidations, amounted
to 491. 11s. 4d. _ _ _

With the view of effecting a considerable saving in the
expenses attendant on the collection of the revenues of
the board, the Commissioners have deemed it advisable
to dispense with the services of local agents, except with
respect to some small properties which, from their pecu-
liar nature, could not be otherwise attended to; and
having established an agency office within their depart-
ment, a scale of salaries was submitted to, and approved
by, your Excellency, for such additional clerks as ap-
peared necessary for the due discharge of the business.
In relation to the perpetuity purchases, 44 applica-
tions have been received within the year, of which four
were from sub-tenants, and the remainder from
immediate tenants. The sales of perpetuities
have amounted to 11,1461. 17s. 6d., arising princi-
pally from applications received in preceding years, of
which sum 10,8211. 18s. 2d. has been lodged in the
Bank of Ireland to the credit of the Perpetuity Purchase
Fund, and the residue, 3241. 19s. 4d., has been secured
by mortgage. And in discharge of the mortgages pre-
rveireisvlyedgraTntheed,mtnhny
eesusmaroifsisng,Boflrlo.mos.th3ids.
shnasurnaelsoofbereen_
venue have been from time to time invested in the Go-
statutevernm e ni
in
thissecu rr intsi
(Signed) pese,ntp.ursuant to the provisions of the
JOHN G.
LIN. ARMAGH..
RD. DUB
EDWARD MEATH.
HENRYE.
pJIp\OTCHARLESJOHN C.
Cr. r ItNet AnR
J. T. OSSORY AND FERNS.
Board-room, 24, -s reet, Aug. 8.

SPONTANEUS COMTIIISTION.—From Quebec we have
melancholy accounts of the devastation occasioned by the
fire which, owiug to the dryness of the season, has been for
some time raging in the forest behind and below Quebec.
Two houses at Lake St. Charles, and more than twenty in
the township of Stoneham, have been destroyed. But*the
greatest destruction has taken place at Graueßaie, and the
neighbourhood of Chicoutimi. Neatly the whole of the
former village is in ashes, the church of St. Alexis, the
priest's house, the house and store of the Hudson's Bay
Company, and a few small houses, being alone saved. Three
mills belonging to Messrs. Price, together with a large
quantity of timber and sawn lumber, and the wharfs, were
consumed. The provisions in store and the sown grown are
also destroyed. Aided by a high wind, the flames spread
with such fearful rapidity that nothing could be saved.
Three
whole thousand
amountpeopleo f
provisions
is s withoute a
N,e d shelter,being
net clothing, t I(l,innl gy, ot
twenty
food,enty
t,h
barrels of flour, and about the same quantity of pork.
AN EXCISEMAN ON FIRE.—The manufacture of
phosphorous having been recently introduced into Stafford-
shire,an amusing, though rather alarming, occurrence took
place at at a manufactory where some experiments were being
conducted. It being usual to work out the process in rather
a private manner, a rumour reached the ears of the excise-
man of the district to the effect that some illicit work was
going on at Willenhall. He paid a vist to the establish-
ment, and was assured that there was no manufacture in
progress in any respect liable to the Excise. riot content
with this answer, the guager insisted on inspecting the pre-
mises; and, in order to satisfy himself that there really was
no deception practised, he put in the side-pocket of his coat
a few of the phosporous sticks, clear as amber, and without
any smell. As phosphorous becomes voluntarily combusti-
ble at the temperature of the body, the exciseman had not
proceeded far when he found smoke issuing from his pocket,
and almost immediately after a volume of flame. As this
happened while he was marching down the street of Willen-
hall, he was soon surrounded by a lot of people, and literally
his coat had to be torn to pieces before the phosphorous could
be put out. The guager was thus taught a very instructive
lesson in chemical science by a practical experiment, which
in all probability he will not repeat..
TO MAKE WATER COLD FOR SUMMLII.—The
follow-
ing is a simple mode of rendering water almost as cold as
ice :—Let the jar, pitcher, or vessel used for water be stir-
rounded with one or more folds of coarse cotton, to be con-
stantly wet. The evaporation of the water will carry: off the
heat from the inside, and reduce it to a freezing point. In
India, and other trophical regions, Where ice cannot be pro-
cured, this is common.
sTHEideraCbAleTTfaLrEmeDrliSnEtAnSeE;i—einWitrye
orfef regret tuorghleahrasn,retchenatti.a
con v
lost thirty-seven cows and sixteen calves, by the ravages et
u a prevalentlossesl amongstwe
haN e
telaitetlnei.urrTa
hiniswisheienhe hoasf
thbeeegnrfeoartessor dry
ied.
heard of caused by the disease.—Caledonian Mercury.