The Sun.
London, England, 1846-11-07 00:00:00

THE PLOUGH.

Much enterpri3e is visible in this publication, and
we doubt not that the agriculturists find it an ex-
cellent accessary to their experience in their old pro-
ceedings, and an incentive to the trial of new sys-
tetns. Never was agriculture thought so much of by
the population of these islands, never was its advan-
tage more generally desired. tine of the most valu-
able organs of this noble body is the periodical now
under notice. From a collection of fragments,
headed " Potatoiana," we take the following :
" PREVENTION OF DISEASE IN POTATOES.—Two agri-
cultural labourers, living near Petworth, and occupying
what is called in Sussex a double cottage, each with a
small garden attached to his dwelling, both planted their
gardens last season with potatoes. The planting took
place by both on the same day, with seed taken promis-
cuously from the same parcel. One man took no pre-
caution to guard against the disease, and the potatoes
entirely failed; the other, previous to planting, placed a
layer of sawdust in the drill, on which the seed was
placed; this has produced him as fine a crop of potatoes
as need be, with scarcely a single defect. Sea land made
use of in the same manner is said to be equally beneficial."
The magazine is embellished with an engraving of
the Ipswich Plough. This work is deserving of
every recommendation, and of every support.

GILB.ERTS MODERN ATLAS OF THE
WORLD. Part V.
A cheaper atlas has never been published—a better
one of the size could scarcely be produced. The
plates of Switzerland and Germany are clearly drawn
and neatly coloured.

FLANDERS and HAMBURGH MAIL.

BRUSSELS Nov. 3.—The average price of wheat in
the week ending Saturday, Oct. 31st, was 25f. 82c. per
Hectolitre, This again is a rise of 6 centimes on wheat,
and of 23 centimes on rye, above the prices of the pre-
ceding week.

During the first two months of this year, 1,194 mer-
chantmen arrived at Antwerp, being precisely the same
number as in the entire year 1845. On the Ist of Nov.
there were in the port in the two basins 199 merchant..
men and 137 ships from the interior, in the canals 80
ships from the interior, along the quays and in the
roads 69 merchantmen and ships from the interior; in
all, 485.

The King and the royal family, coming from Paris,
arrived at Lacken this evening.
Among the causes which threaten to aggravate the
situation of the two Flanders during the coming winter,
we think it our duty to mention the scarcity, and con-
sequent high prices, of flax, though no journal has yet
spoken of it. Even last year fine flax was dear, and it v+ ill
be still dearer this year; but besides this of fine flax, that of
middling and common flax will ilewis• l e scarce and
dear. We learn in the most positive manner, the is
the actual state of things the peat thread manutactorics
-of Flanders, though working rather less this year than
the preceding, have much difficulty in obtaining the sup
plies which they require; they contend among themsels%
for the smallest lots which are offered by the brokerE,
and pay 20 per cent. more than in ordinary times. In
general, there is at this period some flax remaining in
flainault; now, however, all, the stores are exhausted,.
either for home consumption, or for the supply et
orders from abroad. We shall not be surprised
if petitions should soon be brought forword
again to propose a duty on the exportatioa of flax. If,
in fact, we calmly calculate the consequences of this ex-
cessive scarceness nod dearness of a raw material of
such importance, we find that they are immense, and
disastrous to the population and to the future pros.
pects of our commErce. We are not ignorant
of all the difficulties of a regulation to restrict the
exportation of flax ii the extraordinary circumstances in
which we are placed, but we cannot forget that the
various governments which iwe hate had have several
times been obliged to decide this question, and have not
hesitated to do so on a principle of conservation which
is more imperative than all the principles of liberty.
SUICIDE OF A SERGEANT OF

THE COLDSTREAM GUARDS.
Last night, at seven o'clock, an investigation took
place before Mr. H. Bedford, at the Canteen of St.
George's Barracks, Charing-cross, as to the death of
Colour-Sergeant Richard Gardener, aged 38, of the first
battalion of Coldstream Guards, who committed suicide
by shooting himself with his musket.
The body presented a frightful spectacle, the right side
was nearly shot away from the head, and the brains
were strewed about. He appeared to have put the
muzzle of the rifle under his chin, and the ball had
passed upwards through the ceiling. The deceased was
a remarkably fine young man, and highly respected.
John Webster, pay and colour-sergeant of the Ist
battalion of the Coldstream Guards, said he often saw
the deceased, and he always appeared cheerful. At a
quarter past eleven yesterday morning witness saw
him off duty. Ho appeared as usual. At twenty
minutes to one witness was going up to his room, which
was immediately over the deceased's, when his wife
called to him, and said a gun had gone off in the de-
ceased's room, and smoke was coming out of the key-
hole. The door was locked, and the key had been taken
out. The door was broken, and the deceased was found
sitting on the bed with his back against the wall, and his
fusee between his legs. The right side of the head was
shot away.
To the CORONER—The fusee ought never to be loaded,
but ammunition is kept in his room. Ile could not want
his discharge, for he could have discharged himself, as
he had served 18 years.
Sergeant-Major Hurle, of the same company, said that
that morning the deceased was taken before the com-
manding officer for taking a sum of 181. from private
Smales, to pay for his (Smales') discharge, which is con-
trary to the standing orders of the army. He was de-
sired by the commanding officer to produce the money,
when the deceased said it was at a friend's. The officer
told Lim to write a letter to his triend. The deceased
wrote an order for 181. en Mr. Dukins, of the White
Hart, Tottenham-court-road. Mr. Dukins sent an
answer—" I have no money of Sergeant Gardener's, nor
ever had." While the sergeant was gone with the letter
the deceased committed the act.

Sergeant E. Belcher, who had been on guard with tho
deceased, also said he had seen no difference in his
manner. He mentioned about the 181. to him, and thi
deceased smiled, and said it was all right. He was 4
very high-spirited man, and was far above his station.
The money had been given by civilians for Stnales's dis
charge, and he believed they had written to the Com-
mander-in-Chief to know why he had not obtained it,
The money in his box was only sufficient to pay his
company.
The CORONER summed up the evidence, and the jury
returned the following verdict—" That the deceased shot
himself while in a state of temporary insanity, produced
by pecuniary embarrassment."

THE BREVET.—
The brevet so long expected by the
wilt, service
theOwilhi
eh 9th
e
of Novemberl •
following, we are informed, is an outline, will appear in
lit is
instant,i wvv
and utiehre stood
arrangement,come
' the Gazette of Tuesday, the 10th :—The Marquis of
Anglesey, General of 1819, to be Field-Marshal ; Sir
General of 1813 and senior General of
to a similar rank ; General T. Grosvenor,
tGGhoeeno eragrraeml )' Nugent,
of 1819, to a similar rank; Lieutenant-Generals
of 1830 and some of earlier rank, to be Generals.
Amongst those entitled to promotion in this rank are—
Sir P. Maitland, Governor and Commander-in-Chief at
the Cape, Sir Colin Halket, K.C.8., the Right Hon. Sir
Frederick Adam, (te. Major-Generals of 1837 are to
receive the rank of Lieutenant-General. Such promo-
tions, according to usage, Kill vacate various stall
I:ointments including the Governorship of Jersey, the
command of the south-western district, the command of
the Mauritius, &c. The Marquis of fweeddale, Guyer-
nor of Madras; Sir Charles Napier, Governor of Sinde ;
Sir Edward Bowater, Sir Frederick Trench, and Lord Saltoun will form part of the batch promoted. Senior
Colonels, and those of 1837, will become Major-Gene-
rals. In this case the list will be a full one. Captains
of 1836 will be promoted to the rank of Majors. It is
report.ed that there are upwards of 26 applications at
present before the Commander-in-Chief for the office of
inspector of the recruiting district at Bristol, vacant by
the demise of Lord Joha Somerset.

Lord and Lady John Russell had an evening party
yesterday, at their residence in Chesham-place,

SHALL SHERIDAN KNOWLES
HAVE A PENSION ?
With peculiar satisfaction we transfer the following
remonstrance from a publication entitled the Renfrew-
shire Magazine to our columns. Long ago, and re-
peatedly, we ourselves have insisted upon the cruelty,
the injustice, and the impolicy of neglecting those who
have distinguished themselves either by their literary
or artistic creations. We have frequently taken oc-
casion to press the claims of Mr. Knowles upon the
attention of the Government, and, while those claims
still continue unacknowledged, we are satisfied that
an earnest co-operation on the part of the press would
ultimately elicit the recompense of so much genius
applied to the adornment of our national.
literature, clothing virtue. in a. n alluring
garb, inculcating patriotic sentiments with an unusual
eloquence, and breathing. throughout a spirit of bene-
volence and magnanimity. At the same moment we
cannot perceive the utility of cavilling at the munifi-
cence displayed towards some authors merely in con-
sequence of the niggardliness evinced towards others.
We cannot coincide with those who would become
churlish at the butt of malmsey presented periodi-
cally to Ben Jonson, because Shakspere was without
so generous a guerdon--at the poetical coronation of
Petrarch, because Boccacio remained uncrowned—at
the departure of Prior upon the Parisian embassy,
because Wycherley was compelled to pen his wittiest
comedy upon his death-bed—upon the two hundred
pounds per annum conferred upon Alfred Tennyson,
because the services of Sheridan Knowles still remain
unrecognised by her Majesty's Ministers. In the in-
stance of Mr. Knowles there is not merely a neces-
3ty to reward for inestimable labours, but a great
tigcessity likewise to repair an act of injustice long
committed.—En. Sun.]
" While the melancholy circumstances attending the
death of the highly-gifted, yet world-wearied Haydon,
are still fresh in our memories, it may not be amiss to
direct attention to the case of Mr. James Sheridan
Knowles, whose name is not to be found in the list of
civil pensions. . . . . . . . .
There may be some who will ask what Knowles has
done to entitle him to a pension ; their number will be
few : yet, lest the eyes of any such may chance to light
on these remarks, we shall mention the names of some of
those noble productions which, of themselves, would have
been sufficient to hand down the name and memory of
their ' deep-toned, far-thoughted' author to a grateful
and admiring posterity. How Tell's soul-stiring Ode
to Liberty' comes home—to use a homely phrase—to the
hearts of us Scots. We have not altogether forgotton
how Wallace faught and conquered in the cause of Scot-
tish freedom ; nor how well Robert Bruce imitated his
great precursor. Well do we remember the first perusal
of this breathing, burning' strain,
Ye crags, and peaks ! I'm with you once again !'
While the English language exists, will the play of
William Tell; the possessor of a fame which, instead of
fading, will grow in strength every hour of its existence!

How we feel constrained to weep with ' mad Vir-
ginius,' and o'er ' the story of his wrongs' to breathe
forth, unconsciously, a sigh. The noble-souled and
generous Hunchback,' whose inner-man, with its
celestial proportions, cast in heaven's own mould, ex-
hibits such a goodly contrast to the deformity of its
earthly ally, is a searching study of human nature in
one of its most eccentric phases ; and is laid open to
the world in language the most chaste, yet attractive ;
with a voice the most melodious, yet full of power and
pathos ; commanding attention with a mild authority,
while it soothes and elevates the soul. But here we
must pause, our space being of necessity very limited ;
still, we do so with the less regret, considering that
many, very many, of our readers are, without doubt,
admirers of the Shakspere of the nineteenth century.
As we have already said, the plays above alluded to
are a few of those magnificent productions which stamp
their author as the possessor of genius of the most
exalted order ; and should the present attempt to reply
to the supposed question, What has Knowles done to
entitle him to a pension ?' fall short of conviction, let
the proposers of it read, mark, and learn,' for them-
selves. They will be amply repaid for their pains.. . .
In conclusion, may we venture to express the hope that
Mr. Knowles may yet, and that at no distant period,
have bestowed on him a pension adequate to his merits
—we ask, ho expects no more. If those whose province
it is to confer such marks of a nation's gratitude upon
individuals whose time, talents, strength of soul and
body, are, or have been, devoted to the enriching of our
stores of literature, neglect or refuse to listen to his
claims—ignorance of them they cannot plead—then the
country, independent of the Government, must be ap-
pealed to; and, together with these of other localities,
Mr. Knowles has, from similar association, a peculiar
claim on the opulent merchants of Glasgow. Surely if
a testimonial of such enormous value could be so easily
obtained for George Hudson, by an appeal to the mer-
chants, traders, &c., of Great Britain, they will not re-
fuse to give forth, out of taeir abounding substance,
wherewith to fund a suitable annuity for one of the
brightest and most valuable intellects of Britain! What
a miserable delusion was that which prompted John
Bull and his canny brither, Sawney,' to scatter their
gold in such profusion at the feet of one whose sole
claims to their gratitude lay in the wonderful agility. he
had displayed in climbing the mountains of Plutus, and
In enriching himself, bag after bag, with such a vast
amount of the world-worshipped ore; and his having
aided and abetted the airy creation of so many of
the bubbles of the day!' Shame will affix itself, dur-
ing their existence, to the men of the present day, should
they refuse to listen to an appeal made for such a pur-
pose as we have above alluded to, on the behalf of Mr.
Knowles ; and, when their brief sojourn here shall have
' ended, aught but kindly remembrances will be attached
to their memories. That the necessity of such an ap-
peal may soon be speedily obviated by the bestowal of
a Government pension on him whose cause we plead, is,
we repeat, our unqualified and fervent prayer! It has
been too long delayed already, and, come when it may,
still it is late. Better late than never,' is an old say-
ing, so let it be bestowed now! It cannot come an hour
too soon, were it only for the purpose of redeeming the
honour of the nation. Delay a little longer, and perhaps
he, whose useful life an adequate pension, bestowed now,
might serve to eke out, may have gone to that bourne
from whence no traveller e'er returns.' Then, indeed,
all honour shall be paid to his genius, lamentations and
praises sufficient to canonize his bones, be poured forth ;
and over his cold remains, as they are laid in the nar-
row house,' mayhap many a voice shall exclaim, We
ne'er shall look upon his like again.' And when the
costly and storied pile shall have been raised to his me-
mory, bearing witness alike of the splendour of his
talents, and the unselfish purposes to which they were
devoted, it will also, to our shame, tell of the compara-
tive poverty, and apparent neglect, in which his ungrate-
ful countrymen suffered him to languish and die!"