The Sun.
London, England, 1851-12-17 00:00:00

TESTIMONIAL TO MI? GRINNELL.

The contemplated ter,timunial to Mr. Henry Grin.
nell, of New York, is a mark of respect and gratitude
most worthily due to his truly noble exertions ou
behalf of our missing countrymen in the expedition
under Sir John Franklin. It will be remembered that
the American Executive having found itself unable to
redeem the promise made in 1849 to our own Govern-
ment (in reply to the appeal addressed by Lady
Franklin to their President), that two ships should
be sent in search of Sir John Franklin, Mr. Grin-
nell stood forward to carry out this intention by hit
own individual exertions. lie purchased and com-
pletely equipped two vessels for the search, the
officers and men being provided by the American
Government,
these vessels, in order to secure the advantage of
martial law ; es is well known, were
di-patched to Barrow Strait lasti spring, and, afterg
advancing as far west as the rest of the searching
ships, returned to New York for the winter. With
what zeal and effi •the officers
themselves and men em-
ployed acquitted erency
emselves of their duties, will be
seen from the President's go which we publish
th
elsewhere, in which inessa-1, f is h rbl
eir gall, 0n0.1.1 a y
recognised as a fitting subject for "au act or grace
and generosity."
It is scarcely more in war
ledgment of a deed which is, RI
and admiring ackeow•s
the promoters of the
testimonial justly assert, without
tory, than in gratitude for the
lately uttered by a public meeenerous sentiment BO
" May the search for Sir John ingF at New York—
abandoned until his rescue be
effectereillnklin never be
as-
certained !"—that we desire to see th,is tribute to the
or his fate
munificent benevolence of an individual carried out
in a manner worthy of the country and th 4
e. cause.

FIRE AND LOSS OF LIFE
Yesterday, between the hours of twelve and
fatal firo took placer in the vicinity of Whitechapel°42. sja
the extreme end of a narrow passage, called Bull's_
court, on the north side of High-street, near Osborne--
street corner, stood some old dilapidated premises, occu-
pied by a man named Lacy, a carpenter, as workshops,
lle was an old man, nearly 80 years of age, and was it,
the habit of occasionally sleeping in the place. Late oa
Monday night he was seen at a neighbouring public-
house, and on leaving took up his quarters fur the night
in the lower part of his shop. IN ithin an hour after-
wards some
:son‘ in the court were awoke by
Cris
"Help, help,, and almost imme-
diately discovered that the old man's place was
on fire. What was worse, the old man was
in the midst of it, unable to extricate himself,
and his cries, " For God's sake, pull me out, I am
burning; oh, save me!" were lung and protracted;
but, on account of the intense heat and overwhelming
smoke, it was impossible to save the unhappy sufferer.
Several persons who were on the spot, and whom he
called by name "to save him," made desperate effortsto do so. One actually penetrated the burning building
to such an extent as to reach him, but found that he was
lyingin, such a position as to be utterly unable to move
him. 'I he party nearly lost his life in the attempt,. for,
before ho could regain the passage, ho met with severe
burns about the face and body. Lacy, there is no doubt,
perished quickly after, for nothing was heard of him
more. A large number of engines subsequently arrived,
and were brought to play on the fire. which, by that
time was pouring forth out of the windows and roof of
the building. As soon as it was got under, the brigade
entered the ruins to search for the remains of the un-
fortunate man, and in a short time they were found hor-
ribly disfigured. There is every reason to suspect that
the fire was produced through the carelessness of the
sufferer.

ROY AL MILITARY ACADEMY.
WoomytcH, DEC. 16. A board of officers, con-
sisting of Lieutenant-General Sir John F. Burgoyne,
K.C.8., Royal Engineers, and Inspector-General of
Fortifications, President; Lieutenant-General Sir
Hew Dalrymple Ross, K.C.8., Deputy Adjutant-
General, Royal Artillery ; Major-General Griffith
G. Lewis, C. 13., Royal Engineers, and Lieutenant-
Governor of the Royal Military Academy ; and
Brigade• Major Walpole, Royal Engineers, assembled
in the Hall at the Royal Arsenal to-day, for the
purpose of examining the gentleman cadets who had
finished their course of study in the practical class
preparatory to their passing for commissions in the
Royal Artillery or 11.3 a 1 Engineers.
Amongst the officers present to witness the exami-
nation were Lieutenant-General Sir Charles William
Pasley, Royal Engineers ; Major-General
F. Campbell, superintendent of of the Roy al Military
Repository; Colonel Gordon, inspector of the Royal
Carriage department ; Glom,' W. B. Dundas, C. 8.,
inspector of Artillery ; Lieutenant-Colonel Ilardinge,
K. 11., director of the Laboratory ; Lieutenant-
Colonel Portlock, Royal Engineers, inspector at the
Royal Military Academy ; Major Savage, Royal
Artillery, assistant inspector , Captain F. Dudley
Wilmot, of the Cadet Company; Captain Williams
and Captain Bainbridge, Royal Engineers ; Captain
Talbot, Captain Boxer, and Captain Anderson, Royal
The gentlemen cadets of the practical class were
examined in surveying and fortification by Lieute-
nant-Colonel Stotherd, Royal Engineers, and in prac-
tical artillery by Captain John Travers ; and at the
conclusion the following passed for commissions in
the Royal Artillery or Royal Engineers, on the selec-
tion for the respective corps being made by the Mar-
quis of Anglesea, Master-General of the Ordnance :
Al:red George Goodall, John Mervin Cutcliffe Drake,
Edward Kens ward, Charles William Townsend,
Thomas Bland Strange, Francis Lyon, Markham Le
Fer Taylor, Raynsford Cytherus Longley, Edward
Keate, Thomas Wright Biakiston, Arthur Lister
Kaye, Jones Julius Smith, Eardley Maitland, Mau-
rice Edward Covey Stocker, William Arnold Bur-
rowes, John Larduer Clarke, Algernon Purling Joy,
henry Thornhill, Arthur Thornton Gratwick Peanut,
Thomas Priaulx Carey, William Francis Walker.
Lieutenant-General Sir John F. Burgoyne, after
congratulating the gentlemen cadets who had passed,
presented the following prizes to the respeetiva reci-
pients, who came forward to Le Board table to re-
ceive them :

Raynsford Cytherus Longley—a regulation sward,
for exemplary conduct while at the institution ;
H.
Thornhill being next in merit.
Alfred George Goodhall—A telescope, for profi-
ciency in practical artillery. Mr. Taylor next in
merit.
Mr. James—A pocket sextant, for proficiency in
surveying. Mr. Goodall next in merit.
Algernon Purling Joy—Latnartine's " Histoire,"
for proficiency in French. Mr. Pears next in merit.
Charles William Townsend—A selection of books
for proficiency in German. Mr. Drake next in
merit.
Maurice Edward Covey Stocker—A selection of
books, for chemistry. Mr. Alderson next in merit.
Mr. Taylor—A case of mathematical instruments,
for first-class mathematics. Mr. Law next in merit.
Mr. Wrottesley—A prismatic compws, for second-
class mathematics. Mr. Stirling next in merit.
Mr. Cuthbert—A selection of books, for thrd and
fourth class mathematics.
Mr. Edwards—A selection of books, for first•clase
fortification. 11Ir. Moore next in merit.
Mr. Stirling—A. selection of second clue
fortification. Mr. Dumarisq nextc3 in) for
Mr. Light—A selection of books,nfoerxtfirinsimaenrdits•-
cond class French. Mr. Sewhle
Mr. M'Donnell—A selection of books books, for !bird
and fourth class French. Mr. Heneker next in merit.
Mr. O'Grady--A selection of books, for first and
second class German. Mr. Warren next in merit.
Mr. Pringle—A selection of books, for third and
fourth German. Mr. M‘Donnell neat in merit.
Mr. MiDonnell—A selection of historical and geo-
graphical works, for History and Geography. Mr.
sicott next in merit.
Mr. O'Grady—A selection of books, for military
plan drawing and sketching. Mr. Somerville next in
merit.
fir, W. Eden—A selection of books, for fifth room
landscape drawing. Mr. O'Grady next in merit.
Mr. Hall—A selection of books, for sixth room
landscape drawing. Mr. Bayley next in merit.
Mr. Stirling obtained the first prize, lir. Rensau
the second, and Mr. Macquay for the third and fourth
classes of descriptive geometry.

DIAROLICAL MURDER.,--011 Saturday last some
person or persons cut the rope of a pit called 'Will Vaughan's
Pit, at Red Lake, li.etley, add when the overlooktrs were
going down, with a boy, just after they were let down a little
way, the rope (which had been cut) broke, and they were
precipitated to the bottom. One of them, named Thomas
Hard, was killed almost instantaneously. The other Inn John Pritchard, was taken out of the pit alive, but dir
almost directly after. The poor boy, named Thomas 11%,1f1L
was taken home alive, but lingered in pain till nignn hay.
death put an end to his sufferings. The unfortunate men neigh.
left wives and families, and were well respected L"
left a mourn-
bourhood ; and the sorrowful ,circumatance ?_s-211sti,,r, inquest
ful impression in the whole locality. On Bl2_TPleittsbed, mossy.-
was held before Mr. h. D. Newill,at th,:ilvs :..
cuourned till this
green, to inquire into the case, which
yards from the end,
day. The rope was cut about eleven
fifty-three yards, the unfor-
tunate the depth of theprecipitated to a depth of forty-two yards
tunate men were diabolical act have not yet beta
pit bong
The perpetrators. of this .
traced.—Shropshire Comervattve.