The Sun.
London, England, 1851-09-20 00:00:00

A RACING CHARACTER.

Amongst the many odd vehicles which before the era
of railways used to bo seen at Doncaster during the race
week, none attracted more attention than the unique set-
out of Mr. James Hurst, of Rawchffe, whose singular
eccentricities made him " the observed of all observers."
Ho was a very regular attendant at the Doncaster Races,
and was for many years one of the chief notabilities of
the meeting. He avowed great hostility to all Govern-
ment measures as far as regarded the levying of imposts,
and by every ingenious method which he could devise
avoided the payment of direct and indirect taxes. He
had a kind of drag constructed with four light wheels of
equal size, of very rude workmanship. The body of the
vehicle was composed of hazel sticks platted and secured
by a cord; it had a head about the height of phaeton,
which was covered with common check bed furniture.
He had a curtain of similar materials, which shaded his
face from the sun. His man servant used to sit on the
bottom of the carriage, which was drawn by one horse.
He wore a lambskin coat and hat, and a pair of plaid
trousers. His shoes were of a very curions workman-
ship, the soles being made of cork, an inch thick, and
shod with iron. At one time, in order to avoid paying
the taxes upon horses, he drove two mules, and was
accasionally accompanied by a wolf, secured under the
carriage by a chain. At other times he was attended
by a fox. He also possessed a learned pig, which he
had taught to find game, and stand whilst ho shot. In
these spurting excursions he was accompanied by a boy,
on a mastiff dog, carrying a game bag. For several
seasons ho hunted with the Badsworth hounds, riding a
ball, which ,he had taught to carry him. For many
years he had a coffin in his house, which was fitted up
and used as a cupboard, and in which he was interred
at his death, according to his desire.—Doncaster
Chronicle.

ST. JAMES'S POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTI3N, ST.
NARTIN'S•LANE.—Yesterday evening Mr. Thomas Ince, the
treasurer of this society, r,ad a paper on " The Characteris-
tics of the German Language." In the discussion which
ensued some very interesting facts were elicited as to the
connexion of one language with another, and their relations
to each other; and which proved that the literary attain-
ments of the members were of no common order. This so-
ciety has been in existence only a short time—we wish it
had been longer, for it is based on the mutual improvement
prir.ciple ; and having for its president a gentleman of vast
research on most of the philosophical topics which come
under the head of general literature, we are convinced that
their Friday evening meetings, should they fail to be very
amusing, will, at all events, be highly instructive.
Txe FILUIT CRors.—The crops of wall fruit have
generally failed this season, it is supposed from the early
blossom being exposed to blight. Mr. Ewing, of Bodorgari,
has for some time had under contemplation the introduction
of glass walls, by which this inconvenience may herealec
be saved. Glass being so cheap, and our climate so uncer-
tain, there can be little doubt that the project will be exten-
sively encouraged.—North 'Yaks Chronicle.

20, lebl.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

The fleet of Admir;l Sir William Parker, Bart,.
G.C.8., consisting of the Queen, 116, flag-ship ;
Albion, 90, Captain Johnstone • Ganges, 84, Captain
H. Smith, C. 13.; Superb, 80, daptain Purcell ; Inde-
fatigable, 50, Captain Smart, K.H. ; Terrible, 21,
steam-frigate, Captain Hope, C. 8.; Firebrand, 6,
steam-frigate, Captain Codd ; Spiteful, 6, steam-
sloop, Commander Parker ; and Scourge, 6, steam-
sloop, Commander Lord P. Kerr, were at Pula,
Minorca, on the 10th, and were abDut to sail for
Barcelona, where the fleet will remain for a short
time.

Rear-Admiral Austin, C. 8., the Commander-in-
Chief of the East Indies in the flag-ship Hastings,
74, Captain Hastings, left Trincomalee, August 7,
for Penang, where a court-martial is to be assembled
for the trial of Commander Cracroft and his officers
for the loss of the screw-sloop Rey hard on the Praxes
Shoal. There will be congregated the Fox, 42,
Commodore Lambert; who will b president; Captriiu
Austin, Captain Barker, or the Amnon, 26 ; Com-
mander Shadwell, of the Sphynx, steam-sloop; ;1,4
Commander Luard, of the Serpent, 12. The Fox
arrived at Madras on the 12th August from Pondi-
cherry ; the Serpent arrived at Madras on the Bth
August from Trincomalee. The Sphinx arrived at
Penang on the Ist August, and proceeded to Hung-
Kong for Commander Cracroft and the officers and
crew of the late Reynard.

Captain E. M. Lyon's appointment to study steam
at Woolwich has been cancellcd.

Mr. Ganzelier's appointment as master to the Gre
cian, 12, at Devonport, has been cancelled.

Chaplain—The -Rev. T. J. Main has taken up his
commission re-appointing him to the Excellent.
Mates—Edward Field and E. 11. Howard have
been appointed to the Excellent.
Naval Cadets—Francis M. Ommanney, to the Im-
pregnable flag-ship, at Devonport; Frederick Am-
herst, to the Bellerophon, 78, Portsmouth.
THE RELIEF OF THE WIND-BOUND.—Avon (steam-
tender), and Nautilus (apprentices' tender), of De-
vonport, with Rolla (Portsmouth apprentices' tender),
have sailed for the chops of the Channel, with water
and provisions, to relieve the merchantmen detained
by the prevalence of the easterly winds.
PORTSMOUTH, FRIDAY.—There was a slant of wind
this morning from the north-west, and betweon six
and eight o'clock 70 or 80 vessels passed through
Spithead for the eastward, that hays been lying wind-
bound in Stokes Bay and Southampton waters for the
last week or fortnight. It was only a temporary
change of wind, for at ten o'clock it again tacked
round to the north-east.

Tyne steam-ship, Master-Commander Willington,
is receiving a supply of water at Portsmouth, to
carry her round to Deptford, where she will land her
old stores.

Vulcan, screw troop-ship, Master Commander
Penn, has had her new channels completed, and is set-
ting up her lower rigging at Portsmouth. She is re-
ceiving: the third coating of Mr. Buchan's com-
position, and will be hastened for service. She will
probably come out of dock on Tuesday next, and
shortly afterwards proceed to Cork, where she will
embark the 43d Regiment, and about 100 men of the
Ist battalion of the 12th for the Cape. She will be
ready by the 2d of October.
Hercules, store-ship, is being refitted in her rigging
by the riggers of Portsmouth yard, and is alongside
the Pitch-house jetty, having her decks and top sides
caulked.

The Dauntless, 33, screw-frigate, Captain Halsted,
is complete in her refit, and will haul off from the
jetty to-morrow to receive her crew, and on Monday
will proceed to Spithead to try her machinery.
The Devon naval lighter proceeded to Plymouth
to-day with dockyard stores.
The Defence convict-ship remains at St. Helen's
windbound.

The Fox, 42, Commodore Lambert, sailed from
Trincomalee, for Pondicherry and Madras, on the
9th ultimo.

WOOLWICH, SEPT. 19.—The Myrtle came up the
river yesterday from Sheerness, with a crew to navi-
gate the Cuckoo steam-vessel to that port, where she
will remain ready for commission.
The Violet, Dover mail steam-packet, Lieutenant-
Commander Jones, has returned to Dover to reassume
her duties on that station, after undergoing repairs,
which occupied about three weeks, to make good in-
juries sustained at the entrance of Dover harbour.