The Sun.
London, England, 1848-06-21 00:00:00

TRIESTE.

A letter from Trieste, of June 9, says—
" On Tuesday evening, the 6th instant, the Sardinian
fleet weighed and stood in for the town, with a very light
wind, keeping the English men-of war between them and
the batteries, until, at the request of the Trieste people,
the British ships, accompanied by the Asmond►e
(French frigate), weighed and stood over to
a little bay to the right of the town. Shortly after
they anchored out of gunshot. Just after sunset,
a brig belonging to the Sardinians drifted in and was
fired at by the batteries. Two steamers advanced to tow
her out, and they came in for a share of the pepper-
ing also. They likewise, I suppose, in the excitement of
excessive valour, contrived to run foul of each other, and
in the morning both appeared without bowsprits, and
one without figure-head or cutwater. The figure has
been picked up, and now figures as a trophy in the centre
of the Exchange here.
" The promise given by the Sardinian Admiral that
Lloyd's steamers should be permitted to run was broken
on the first attempt. A packet started from Corfu on
Tuesday, and was sent in again, the Admiral refusing to
look at the certificates, and threatening to fire on her if
she was not off with all speed.
" On the evening of the 7th there was some firing
between twelve and four. A Sardinian steamer re-
connoitered near the town; what doing no one knows.
" A report existed yesterday that forty-eight hours'
notice of bombardment had been given by the Admiral,
but I cannot find there is any truth in it."

The Neapolitan fleet has not separated from the
Sardinian.

WEST INDIA MAIL.

The Royal West India mail packet Tay, Captain Sharp,
from the West Indies, &c., arrived at Southampton, and
landed her mails, under the charge of Lieutenant Densten,
R.N., Admiralty agent. The Tay brings 80 passengers,
among whom are Sir Henry Light (late Governor of Deme-
rara) and family. Her dates are—Vera Cruz, 16th May;
Tampico, 9th ; Havannah, 28th ; Jamaica, 23d ; Bermuda,
6th June. The freight on board consists of 742,686 dollars
from Vera Cruz.

After a long drought copious showers had fallen, and were
likely to continue, at Jamaica. Jamaica papers say that no
crops of sugar will be grown this year nor evermore, if
Ministers resolve not at the last moment to modify the pre-
sent scale of duties. Some American slaves have claimed
their freedom by touching at Dominica.
The schooner Vigilant had arrived at Jamaica from
Belize, with dispatches from the superintendent to the
i governor, requesting a reinforcement of troops, that
settlement expecting an attack by the Indians, who, it ap-
pears, had fallen upon Bolacar and burned down all the
houses. The inhabitants were obliged to take refuge in Be-
lize, which is in a state of excitement. Families are arriv-
ing every moment; within the last few days 700 persons had
come into that place for protection. Five thousand pounds
had been voted at a public meeting, to be placed at the dis-
posal of the superintendent and council, for taking the neces-
sary steps in protecting the town.

TO' THE SECRETARY OF THE

BRADFORD REFORM ASSOCIATION.

Sir,—On Monday, June 19, the debate was on the
Sugar Duties. Though continued to a late hour before it
was adjourned, it did not accomplish the throwing of light
on the course by which either good or evil was to be
done by voting in either of the ways before the House.
Strange fallacies and misapprehensions abounded on all
sides. One, on the Government's, was most extraordi-
nary, and was loudly cheered by the party it is customary
to call the political economists. This was, that the quantity
of sugar in the whole consumed in Europe, is a given
quantity, and therefore it is indifferent to a nation 'a or
an individual's conscience, whether slave-grown or free-
labour sugar is consumed; because to consume the one,
is only making room for consuming the other in some
other place. Always suspect these given quantities; we
have heard of them before. Try this argument by ap-
plication to common things. Say then, the quantity of
goods stolen and unstolen, is together a given quantity;
therefore it is indifferent to you and everybody whether
you buy the stolen or the other. If you pretend for con-
science sake to prefer the latter, you are only making room
for the stolen goods being bought by somebody else.
Therefore buy them yourself. This is the argument.
Everybody in the last case sees where the fallacy lies.
Even if it is true that the quantity of goods on the
whole is at two successive times a given quantity, it is
not true that the quantity of stolen goods and of un-
stolen is each a given quantity; and this, and not the
other, is what is necessary for the truth of the Minis-
terial assertion. On the contrary, both stolen and un-
stolen goods have their respective markets and oppor-
tunities. Some people like the one and some the other;
and if you refuse to take the stolen goods, it no more
follows that the holder shall therefore rind an equal
market for them somewhere else, than it follows that a
tradesman should be comforted by your withdrawing
your custom, at the same time assuring him that you
only make room for him to sell to some one else. Such
fallacies pass in Parliament and elsewhere, when they
suit men's purposes.
On Tuesday came on Mr. Hume's motion on the
suffrage. It was preceded by a storm of petitions, in-
dicative of non-assent to the Ministerial assertion that
the people did not care. One of the mover's first inti-
mations was, that he had by mistake omitted the word
" all," and that his object was to give the suffrage to
" all" householders. It is pity but this could have been
found out before; or that it could have been known it
was to be found out then. The replies of the two fol-
lowing speakers (Mr. Drummond and Lord J. Russell)
wore rich studies tor all the petitioners upon the subject;
and as such I recommend them. The stock objection to
Mr. Hume's motion appeared to be, that it did not go to
Universal Suffrage. The Minister further stated, tha t
he greatly preferred annual Parliaments to triennial. It
is to be hoped these two points will be remembered an-
other time. A Communist petition, presented by Lord
Ashley, was ably appealed to ; and it was inferred
that to listen to the proposed reform would be to esta-
blish the Noble Lord's petitioners in the seat of govern-
ment. The Chartists were skilfully played off, and de-
clared to he the majority among the Reformers. It is
very hard that the Ministers' ally in the City meeting,
should be obliged to give bail. The inequalities in the
electoral divisions were defended as pleasing varieties;
of the nature of what a man discovers when one debtor
pays him ten shillings in the pound, and another three-
aed-sixpence. And the commotions on the continent
were pointed to, as reasons why nothing should be done
to take down popular dissatisfaAion here.
The Member for Oldham (Mr. Fox) made a
powerful reply for the working classes. It must be the
fault of the working classes, if with the men of acknow-
ledged ability they have among them, they do not make
a harvest out of this night's debate. The Member for
Buckinghamshire made such a speech as is to be desired
fromrea an opponents amusing enough to ensure being
_anti carrying everywhere the conviction of the
soundness of the other side. His most serious argu-
a s governments,m middle
d
thatA n di
hn us tic e
effortm uws ta Is: et
to
re
irdpi ecytt
jul
ea ttehde, bperce at
euns et
onlylecacnlass"
movement,be conducted
and
ti d workb meanson ssuch
cohf the
tmr ae di 1 it t i ownaa.
jea-
lousies of the working classes ' • •
as may lead to a division
on that ground. The Chartists and the working classes
are clearly to,:be the cat's pave if they will. The debate
was adjourned at half-past one o'clock.
On the whole no damage was done; and the word in
the country should be to go on for the next appearance
of the debate. It was nominally adjourned to Friday;
but there are great odds against its resumption on that
day, so there is no need to stop for want of time.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
T. PERONNET THOMPSON.
Blackheath, London, June 21, 1848.

A deputation appointed at a publio meeting in St.
Pancras, on the subject of Protection from fire, waited
on Sir George Grey at the Home-office yesterday, and
had an interview with the ,Right Hon. Baronet. The
deputation was composed of Lord Dudley Coutts Stuart,
M.P., Sir Benjamin Hall, Bart., M.P., Mr. C. E. Wag-
staff (Churchwarden), the Rev. Henry Hughes, M.A.,
Messrs. Haworth, Long, Roberts, Foggo, and Wivell.
Dispatches were sent off last evening from the Colo-
alai-office for the Governors of the West India Colonies,