The Sun.
London, England, 1848-01-05 00:00:00

THE CASE

OF

THE LATE MR.

JOHN KAY.

It has long been, and still is, the pride of English-
men to point with pride and satisfaction to our
colossal manufacturing system, and justly to esteem
it as the result of our national skill and energy. But
while the commerce of our country, relieved from
every restriction, still continues to stimulate freedom
of intercourse between distant nations, and binds them
together in the bonds of peace and unity—while
navies freighted with our manufactures still ride in
triumph upon the waves, and bear the blessings of
civilization to other lands—while the products of
British industry continue to be sought for and valued
in every country—it would be well for a moment to
recollect that in the majority of cases the men who
may justly claim to be the founders of this
great system, have, for the most part, spent
their days amid continual struggles for ex-
istence, and died neglected and unrewarded. A
memorable instance of this is to be found
in the history of John Kay, of Bury. In the year
1738, Mr. John Kay invented the present mode of
casting the shuttle, by what is called the "picking
peg." The value of this invention consisted in the
weaver being enabled to perform twice the quantity
of work, without any additional labour, and to weave
cloth of any width. The invention, as was the case
with others of a similar kind, was opposed by the
workmen, on the ground that it would diminish the
demand for their labour ; and the inventor, after en-
during a series of troubles, was ultimately compelled
to take refuge in France, where he ended his days in
want and penury—the victim of persecution and
natural ingratitude. Some of the descendants of
John Kay are now living in very humble circum-
stances, and efforts have for some time been made to
bring the merits of the invention of their ancestor
under the attention of the Legislature, with a view of
obtaining for them an extension of the national
bounty, similar to that which has been recently
awarded to the children of Mr. Compton, the inventor
of the " mule." The efforts, we regret to say, have
been hitherto unsuccessful. We trust, however, that
a testimonial to the merits of the invention, signed
by upwards of 600 of the great manufacturers of this
country (a copy of which has been transmitted to us),
will not fail to have some weight in inducing the
guardians of the public purse, to dole out a small
pittance towards the descendants of one who, by his
exertions, has mainly contributed in raising this
country to its present proud pre-eminence.

Rear. Admiral Deans Dundas, C. 8., M.P., and
Lady Emily Dundas returned yesterday to the Gallant
Officer's official residence, at the Admiralty, W hitehall,
from a visit to Vice-Admiral Warren, East Court, Cos-
ham, Hants.

Viscount Sydney has arrived in town, from the
Mote, the seat of the Earl of Romney, near Maidstone.
The Viscountess is shortly expected from Beaudesert.
THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY.—His Grace is
perfectly recovered from the slight attack of influenza
under which he suffered about ten days since; but owing
to the advanced age (82) oft-the venerable prelate, and.
the variable state of the weather, his Grace's medical
attendants consider it advisable that he should not ven-
ture out of doors. This precaution, it would seem, occa-

sinned the rumour of his-indisposition.
DEATH OF THE HON. FRANCES GRIMSTON.—This
venerable lady died at an early hour yesterday morning,
at her town residence, in Chesterfield-street, Mayfair,
aged 90, from an attack of the prevailing epidemic.
Her Ladyship was grandaunt to the present Earl of
Verulam, and issue of the second Viscount Verulam.
SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST A LICENSED VICTUAL-
LER.—Yesterday Mr. Bedford held an inquest at the
White Hart, Westminster, on the body of Mrs. Ellen
Cannon, the wife of a licensed victualler, carrying on
business at the Brown Bear, Millbank-street. The Co-
roner stated that the inquiry had its origin from a report
in eirculatioli Untt the deceased had ,been illeused by, her,
husband, and that her deatlytid ip consequence*gi'
accelerated.' The witnesses etainined "stated that the

_
husband bad been in the habit of ill-using her, but the
surgeon proved that she had not died from ill treatment
but natural causes. Verdict, " Died from a disease of
_ _

the liver brought on by excessive drinking."
DEATH OF MR. ELMES, THE ARCHITECT.—A letter
was received yesterday at Liverpool, from Mrs. Elmes,
announcing the death of her husband, on the 26th of
November last, at Jamaica. Mr. Elmes erected the
Collegiate Institution in Liverpool, and was the archi-
tect of St. George's.hall and the new Law Courts in
that town. These buildings bear testimony to his taste.
MORE HIGHWAY ROBBERIES NEAR LIVERPOOL.--

On Monday evening two gentlemen were robbed by
seven highwaymen on the West Derby road, very near
the scene of the former robbery. All the money they
had was taken from them. On the same evening a gen-
tleman was robbed of 71. by three footpath on the old
Swan road, on his way home from town.
CARDIFF AND NEWPORT. Last night's Gazette
appoints Newport and Cardiff to be ports. The limits of
the said port of Newport are declared to commence at
Itedwick Pill, in the county of Monmouth, being the
western extremity of the port of Chepstow, and continue
along the coast of the said county to the river Rumney,
which divides the counties of Glamorgan and Mon-
mouth. The limits of the said port of Cardiff are de-
clared to commence at the river Rumney aforesaid, and
continue along the coast of the county of Glamorgan, to
a place called Nash Point, in the said county. The
limits of the port of Newport are to extend to the middle
of the river Severn. The limits seaward of the port of
Cardiff to extend to a distance, from low water mark, of
three miles into the sea, including all islands, bays, har-
bours, rivers, and creeks within the said limits. All
former limits of the said ports are annulled.
CHATHAM, JAN. 4.—A detachment from the pro-
visional battalion at this garrison, consisting of two ser-
geants and 28 rank and file of the 11th Foot, and 22
rank and file of the 96th, under command of Lieutenant
J. W. D'Oyley, with Ensign 11. Clayton Hague, of the
11 th Regiment, march on the sth instant en route for
Woolwich, there to embark as a convict guard on board
the Bangalore convict-ship, fitted for the conveyance of
free convicts to Van Diemen's Land. The following
detachments from the Isle of Wight have arrived at the
invalid depot, St. Mary's Barracks, to be discharged on
pensions for length of servitude :—Three sergeants, two
corporals, and 106 privates of the sth Fusiliers (of this
corps there are about a dozen men with bad eyes); three
privates of the 20th; two sergeants and four privates of
the 36th; two privates of the 45th; 13 privates of the 56th;
three privates of the 97th; and two privates of the 2d
Battalion of the Rifle Brigade, with 60 women and 91
children, in charge of Lieutenant the Hon. W. Draper
Mortimer Best, of the Rifle Brigade.
CALLS TO THE BAR.—From a recent investigation
it appears that during the year 1847 there were no less
than 191 persons called to the bar by the societies of the
Middle Temple, Inner Temple, Lincoln's Inn, and Gray's
Inn. Of that number 84 w're called by the society of
t
the Middle Temple, 53 by the society of the Inner
Temple, 40 by the society of Lincoln's Inn, and 14 by
the society of Gray's Inn. In the year 1846 there were
174 persons called to the bar, by the same societies. Of
that number, 75 were called by the society of the Middle
Temple, 48 by the society of the Inner Temple, 43 by
the society of Lincoln's Inn, and 5 by the society of
Gray's Inn. From the above statement it appears that
the number of persons called to the bar during the past
year exceeded by 17 the number called in 1846.
LIVERPOOL, TUESDAY.--The packet-ship, West
Point, Captain Allen, arrived in the Mersey to-day.
She left New York on the 15th ult., and has brought
10,0001 in specie on freight.
LIBERAL DONATIONS FROM SOUTH AUSTRALIA.—
The secretaries of the British Association for the Relief
of Distress in Ireland and Scotland have received from
Adelaide, South Australia, au order from his Excel-
lency Governor Robe, on the Lords of her Mojesty's
Treaury, for 1,000!., mh.st.ribc(l by the colonists for
the relief of the distressed by famine in Ireland and
Great Britain. A donation in wheat of similar value is
shortly to follow.