The Sun.
London, England, 1851-02-13 00:00:00

1851.

On the contrary, though these marriages are not sanc-
tioned by the law of the land, and though consequently
they must be ace•>nipanitd by many disadvantage', thy
are continually celebrated. The law may say one thing,
but when expediency, and feeling, and religion, and
Scripture say the opposite, the law never is, and never
will be, and never ought to be, treated with much re-
spect. We all know, too, that those who contract these
unions do not lose caste in the opinion of society. To
refer agai❑ to my own case. I have already stated that
I am struggling to accumulate the means of being mar-
ried where my marriage will be legal. But if I find no
hope of succeeding, and my hope is now but dim, I shall
certainly no longer hesitate to aaticipate the alteration
of the law, by uniting myself in this country to her who
possesses my purest as well as my warmest affections.
Elope in the future shall give happiness to the present.
When any amendment of the law is made, it must have
a retrospective effect. The justice conceded to others
cannot be denied to those who have been compelled by
the Legislature to violate the law.
There are many arguments in favour of Mr. Wortley 'e
Bill, and many replies to objections urged against it,
upon which I have not attempted to touch. 1 have
simply endeavoured to show from my Own case the
hardship ut the existing law, as well as its absurdity in
a practical point of view, and its utter inefficiency to
accomplish the object which it contemplates. I now
conclude, as I commenced, by assuring you of the warm
and heartfelt gratitude entertained by myself, and all
those situated like myself, for your untiring exertions in
our behalf.—l am, Sir, your obedient servant,
FIAT JUSTITIA.

Feb. 13, 1851.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR,—Does it not appear to yourself, and must it not
to the public, an absurdity to confine the thousands of
persons, not to say millions, visiting our intended Exhi-
bition to the unsubstantial, though refreshing, beverages
of soda and lemonade waters. Are we not aware that,
to speak only of the number of Americans that will
reach our shores, they are in the constant habit of
mixing their light drinks with a little stimulus, whether
of wine, brandy, rum, &c., and from the cheapness of
which articles in their own country they are daily, and
that frequently, in the habit of using; and how much
more will they require it from the fatigue attending an
Exhibition of so gigantic a nature, depuis Messieurs les
Francaises also are known to like the cognac or a little
of that aqua vita too much to admire the total abstinence
of all supporting drinks on such an an occasion?
Are they not to find in or about the building anything
in the way of malt, or that famous article fur which the
London houses of Barclay, Reid, Whitbread, Guinness,
and others are so celebrated, and that no country but
England ca❑ excel in? Surely a word from your able
pen may suggest something more palatable to many
folks than the combustible drinks of Messrs. Schweppe
and Co.—l am, Sir, &c.,
Fob. 11, 1851.

11. C. B.

MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE.—The nuptials of the
Honourable Major Colborne, eldest son of Lord Seaton, and
the Honourable Charlotte De Burgh, second daughter of Lord
Downes, were yesterday celebrated by special licence at St.
Peter's Church, Eaton-square. The fair bride was attended
to the altar by a brilliant group of bridesmaids, in costumes
of exquisite taste. Several relatives and friends, who in-
tended joining the circle, were prevented doing so by the
noble families of Somerset, Scott, and Vansittart being re-
cently thrown into mourning. Among those present were
the Lady Margaret Bourke, the youthful Lady Maria Scott
(niece to the bride), the Honourable Cordelia and Jane
Colborne, Miss De Salis, and Miss Fleming. The ceremony
was performed by the Rev. Mr. Harris, brother-in-law to
Lady Seaton. At its conclusion, the happy pair proceeded
to Deer-park, the residence of Lord Seaton, in Devonshire.
The company, among whom we noticed Lord and Lady
Seaton, the Earl and Countess of Mayo, Lord and Lady
Naas, Viscount and Viscountess Ponsonbv, the Countess of
Clonmel, Honourable Henry Law, Lord de Tabley, Viscount
Massareen, the Countess of Arundel, &c., afterwards partook
of a splendid dc:jeunr at Farrance's Hotel. The health of
the bride and bridegroom was proposed by the Earl of Mayo,
and drunk with enthusiasm.

THE MERCANTILE MARINE ACT.--The Lords of
the Committee of Privy Council for Trade have caused the
Commissioners of Customs to be furnished with an approved
scale of medicines for merchant ships, issued by their Lord-
ships under the 64th section of the Mercantile Marine Act,
and have at the same time caused them to be informed that
no regular medical inspectors have as yet been appointed by
their Lordships under that Act, and that it is not intended to
appoint any immediately, and that there is therefore no
present reason for dispensing with such services in respect of
medicines as officers of the Customs have hitherto been ac-
customed to render for the purpose of preventing an evasion
of the law. In pursuance of this communication from the
Lords of Privy Council for Trade, the Commissioners of
the Customs have caused notice thereof to be transmitted to
the collectors and comptrollers, and other principal officers of
the department at the several ports of the kingdom for their
information and future government.
MR. ANSTEY AND HIS CONSTITUENTS.—It would
appear that the constituents of Mr. Anstey are anything but
satisfied with his distinction between the Court and Church
of Rome. On Sunday last a meeting of the body was held,
when it was unanimously resolved to call upon him to re-
sign. The resolution was embodied in an address to the
Honourable Gentleman, in which they state that—" We
need not remind you of your advocacy of coercion even
against those of our countrymen whose principles you had
publicly adopted, nor of your total indifference to the
cause of legislative independence for Ireland on the occa-
sions on which that question has been introduced in the
house of Commons. But the act by which you have for-
feited our confidence for ever, is your advocacy of penal
measures against the Catholic hierarchy of England, and
your support of a Minister, who, having already awakened
a fell spirit of religious bigotry in this country, now seeks
by legislative enactments to violate the rights of man,
and suppress liberty of conscience. Under these circum-
stances we feel it our bounden duty to desire that you will
at once resign the representation of this borough ; we need
not remind you of the distinct promise you made here
that you would do so whenever your constituents would
require it."

GAS FROM WATER.—It would appear that we are
on the eve of a luminous revolution, And, in common with
the rest of the empire, the lieges of Belfast, who have as
little disinclination as most men to cheap prices, have a
prospect of getting their town well lighted (which, by the
way, will be a novelty), at a very low rate indeed. All
our readers have heard of the reported invention of a plan
for making gas from water. The gas so produced is said
to give more heat, and far more brilliant light, than coal
gas; and its cost, we are given to understand, will be very
much less. A patent has been taken out in these counties
by a Mr. Shepard, who states that his gas not only an-
swers for lighting purposes, and even for heating and gene-
rating steam, but will also, from its expansive,nature, be as
powerful an agent in propelling machinery as steam itself.
We learn from the Times, that " one or two of the principal
railway companies have lately entered into an arrange-
ment with Mr. Shepard, who has patented an invention for
the decomposition of water, and negotiations are pending
with some steamboat and gas companies for the applica-
tion of this patent to propel steamboats, locomotives, and
other engines, by which the cost of working machinery, and
generating gas, is likely to be greatly reduced." At the
coming exhibition we hope to have an opportunity, of testing
.A the merits of this wonderful invention.—orthern

TESTIMONIAL TO A RAILWAY OFFICER.—The pro-
posed testimonial to Mr. Louth, the respected agent of the
Bishopstoke Station, near Southampton, is progressing most
favourably. Some of the most influential gentlemen in the
county are on the committee.

THE LATE ELOPEMENT WITH " TEE HON. MISS
LuMLEY."—At the Nottingham board of guardians, on
Tuesday, the first name on the relief list was that of Cathe-
rine Oldershaw, entered as follows :—" Catherine Oldershaw,
aged 25, abode, Carpenter's Arras; able-bodied; in distress,
her husband, Robert Oldershaw, having deserted her." Her
name was called several times by the relieving officer, but
the distressed wife did not appear.
POST- OFFICE INTELLIGENCE.—Notices have been
issued from the General Post-office, that henceforth all news-
papers to be sent to the British colonies or possessions, or to
foreign parts, must be put into the post within seven days
after the day on which they were published. Her Majesty's
ship Sampson, which was appointed to sail from Devonport
on the Bth inst., with mails for Sierra Leone, Ascension, and
St. Helena, is detained until the morning of the 18th inst.
Mails for those places will be made up on the evening of the
17th inst. Newspapers free. By a Treasury warrant, on and
after the Ist March next, books for the following colonies
may be transmitted by post, at the undermentioned rates :
Gitiraltar, Malta, the lonian Islands, and the British posses.
sions in the West Indies, Newfoundland, Halifax, &c.,
not exceeding 11b., 6d. ; not exceeding 21b., Is.; 41b., 2s. ;
and so on in proportion. They must be sent open at the
sides, the same as newspapers.
THE DETECTIVE POLICE.—It was only a few days
since that we had occasion to compliment the officers of this
force for the remarkable ingenuity they invariably display in
tracing oat offenders of every grade in crime. A very striking
instance of their efficiency occurred yesterday in the captare
of a man charged with the commission of a desperate mur-
der at Warrington, in Lancashire, a short time since. The
prisoner is an Irishman, named Patrick Lyons, and after his
commission of the crime with which he stands charged in-
formation was forwarded to the Dublin police-officers, by
some of whom the fellow was well-known, to the effect
that he had enlisted into the service of the East India Com-
pany. One of the Dublin officers, named Thomas Kavanagh,
was immediately set upon his track, and soon traced him to
London, where he ascertained that he had arrived by the
mail train at four o'clock yesterday morning. Kavanagh at
once communicated with Mr. Mayne, the Chief Commis-
sioner, who immediately directed Inspector Field, of the de-
tective force, to render all the assistance in his power to the
Dublin officer. Mr. Field, with Sergeant Thornton, of the
detectives, having made some inquiries, very soon traced the
prisoner to a public-house in Charles-street, Westminster,
where the officers succeeded in apprehending the fellow
yes-
terday afternoon, just as he was sitting down to enjoy a 00d
dinner. The prisoner was at once conveyed o a
ngton in police-
station, and will to-day be sent down to
cus-
tody of Kavanagh, the Dublin officer. The fellow would
preparatory to his
have been sent to Worley-barracks to-dal
embarkation for the East Indies,.hed.
not the officers suc-
ceeded in effecting his apprTcehlel
oz
i/nirs.—lt appears that the
SEAMEN'S REGISTER iv
with the provisions of the New
tAocr which It
isnhvipophiinesg
aofpcerne;t:
It may be well, however, to
seamen
Mercantilest still
l Marinerefuse
satandte,tothtahteunrdeegristthere4l27fetction of the Merchant Seamen's
Committee of the Seamen's
Association
of 201. • and''orth have, it is said, taken possession of a number of
itihietsheetiNckets to prevent the men signing articles, it is proper
Act, the withaehotldhienoa
that they should be made aware of the consequences of such
p ro
_Shipping Gazette
e e
RAILWAYs ACTS.—From a return to Parliament,
yesterday printed, it appears that 34 Railway Acts were
ed i ng.
passed in the session of 1850, of which two were for autho-
rizing leases, &c. ; 14 for the extension of time and sundry
amendments of Acts; six for deviations, extension, and other
works, for which no new capital was required ; three for
branches for which new capital was required ; three for the
dissolution of company or reduction of capital; and six
additional capital for works previously authorized. The de-
crease of mileage occasioned by the above Acts was 11 miles
and 57 chains. The increase of capital, 1,273,300/., and the
increase of loans, 1,980,7321., making 3,254,032/.

LAiluAN.—An account is published, among the
Parliamentary papers, of the East India Company's charges
for steamers and troops employed at Labuan and on the
coast of Borneo from 13:39 to 1249 inclusive. The expenses
of the Bombay troops and steamers amounted to 1,51,030
rupees, and of those belonging to the Madras Government to
43,626 rupees, making a total of 1,94,656 rupees.