The Sun.
London, England, 1833-04-12 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY EV HNING, A PRI L 12, 1833.

BANK CHARTER REPORTS.

The time now draping near for some detertnina-

tion en the part of Government respecting the Barth
Charter, rumours on the su'ject are beginning to
circulate freely in the city, anti as a strong disposi-
tion has been shown in the case of die East India
Company to adopt liberal principles, people here ma-
disposed to expect a similar course in dealing with
the other great corporate body and monopoly—tle
Bank of England. It is for this reason, probably,
that the current reports lean so much to that view
of the question ; but, be that as it may, we shall
state what they are, without further guarantee for
their authenticity than that they are spread, and
have obtained credit in the fir-t circles or the mo-
neyed interest.
'l'ne first point stated is that the monopoly of the
Bank of England, as a banking establishment is in-
tended wholly to cease with the expiration of the
present charter; it being understood by this, than
other banks, with no Imitation in the number of
partners, may be formed throughout the country,
and in London itself, without any legislative inter-
ference, except against the issue of paper money, to
whatever extent private enterpise may determine.
The great privilege meant to be conceded to the
Bank of England under the new arrangement is
that it shall possess the sole privilege of issuing
paper for the circulation of England and Wales;
such issues, however, being managed under very
strict regulations, and the immediate control of
Government, so as to guard the public effectually
against any ahuse of this important privilege. Fur-
ther, and, perhaps, still more essential protection
will he given by complete publicity to all the ac-
counts and proceedings of the Bank, and this
will he done at short intervals, probably once a
fortn;ght, or not less frequently than once a month.
This publicity will include the issue of notes, dis-
tinguishing the Bank post-bills, the amount of
bullion, the discounts, deposits, and in fact, all the
important transactions of the establishment. It is
the sums total alone, however, that will be required,
and hence this important document, which may be-
come the guide and the rallying point to all commer-
cial operations of the country, will not occupy an
entry of more than a few lines in the London Gazette.
All country bank paper, of whatever description,
throughout England and Wales, is intended, if the
current information may be relied on, to be put out
of circulation within a limited time, and declared
illegal. But country banks will not on that ac-
count cease to exist. Their paper circulation will
consist solely of that issued by the Bank of Eng-
land ; but as a compensation for the ditninurion of
the profit arising from the circulation of their own
notes, an arrangement is to be made under which
the proprietors of such banks will be supplied with
Batik of England notes, on proper security, at a
very low rate of interest, some say 2f, and others
2 per cent, only. The difference between that rate
and 5 per cent. which the country banker can ge-
nerally obtain in his own neighbourhood, will con-
stitute his chief profit, and probably a sufficient one
for men of wealth and real capital. This, it may be
remarked by the way, is a part of the plan detailed
by Mr. Horsley Palmer, in his celebrated circular of
1827, which gave rise at the time to so much re-
mark, both in and out of Parliament.

From this source a large additional picofit will no
doubt be derived by the Bank of t✓ngland, and it is
intended further that it shall retain the management
of the public debt, the payment of the dividends,
and hold the balances of public money as at present.
n(1,,;•: ,
gains will without doubt accrue to the Bank from
the competition it will be enabled to sustain with
banking establishments of every other description,
arising out of its long-established character, arid in-
fluerice with the public; and this circum•tance has
probably been considered by Ministers in the terms
on which the privileges above detailed are, it is said,
to be granted ; which are, that the Bank shall pay
to Government the annual sum of '250,0001., in ad-
dition to the loan of the capital and other payments
at present made by the corporation.
We give these as the current and well-accredited
rumours on the subject, without, however, vouching
for their authenticity. We believe that they will
prove to have a considerable portion of truth in
them. The reports further state, that the Bank
directors have declined accepting another charter on
such terms ; but this is considered more to relate to
that particular condition by which they are called on
to pay 250,0001. annually, than to any of the others
mentioned. How far the measure would prove an
acceptable one to some of tile private bankers, both
in town and country, may be a matter of some
doubt ; but we have met hitherto with no reason
for supposing that it will not be approved of by the
commercial interest, and indeed the moneyed interest
generally.— Times.

On Wednesday the celebrated Sir WILLIAM
COURTENAV, who by his abilities and eccentricities has
reached the acme of popularity among the industrious
and other classes residing in this city (Canterbury), was
removed from Westgate-gaol, by habeas corpus, to the
King's Bench, his friends having obtained an order from
the Court. Sir WILLIAM lett here for town under the
charge of Mr. WELLARD, the gaoler. An immense mul-
titude congregated to witness his departure; lie addressed
them from the roof of the coach, amid loud and cordial
greetings, and expressed his intention of returning again
on Thursday or Ft iday next.—Kentish Gazette.
PARISH OF ST. LUKE.-The meeting of
the vestry to appoint the parish officers for the year took
place on Tuesday, as usual ; the senior churchwarden,
Mr. BAILEY, in the chair. On more than one occasion
during the meeting discussions arose about the organ in
the church of St. Barnabas, a new church in this parish,
for which a grant was voted ; but the discussion did not
prevent the renewal of the salary to the organist by the
vestry. Mr. Iticirstotin accused the vestry committee or
putting up their list of persons proper for parish officers
some for the sake of the fine, who were quite sure not
to serve ; the justification of which was that an old inha-
bitant of the parish, who had never served in any parish
office, ought to pay in some way far the services of others.
The various officers, with the exception of the organist o'
St. Luke's (put off till a future meeting) were appointed.
The vestry clerk, who, according to Mr. RICHMOND'S
showing, had saved the parish about 5001. a year by not
charging for his extra labours, was reappointed.
RARE BlRD.—Last week a bird of great
rarity in this part of the kingdom was shot by a gentle-
hian of Boston—the Water Ouzel, or Water Creek, or
Water Crow. It is a solitary inhabitant of the mountain•
ous parts of Wales and Scotland, and its habits, as de-
scribed by LIMN. us and BEWICK, are extraordinary, as-
similating a little to what we hear the olden inhabitants
of this part of Lincolnshire ascribe to the dancing parties
of the roughs and reeves which were the tenants of our
morasses in the East and West Fen, previous to their en-
closure. BEWICK says, " This species is removed from
the place it has hitherto holden, in all systems, among
the land birds; its manners and habits are peculiar
to itself. It is chiefly found in high and moun-
tainous parts of the country, and always by the sides
of brooks and rocky rivers, particularly where they
fall in cascades, or run with g•eat rapidity among
stones and fragments of broken rocks ; there it may be
seen perched on the top of a stone in the midst of the tor-
rent, in a continual dipping motion, or short courtesy
often repeated, whilst it is wstching for its food, which
consists of small fishes and insects. The feathers of this
bird, like those of the duck tribe, are impervious to water,
ww itt•hroeul iit s n
ty
sustaining
the
e least continue ao n
injury.
it timet
the
tn
otsht ast fluid
i ngu
tar trait in its character (and it is well authenticated) is
that of its possessing, the power of walking in quest of its
prey on the pebbly bottom of a river, in the same way and
I with the same easo as if it were on dry land." What is
still further remarkable, this bird is not webfooted, but
has the legs and toes short and strong, like those of a
crow.—Boston Herald.

INLAND NAVIGATION.

The value of canal property will be considerably
enhanced by the results of a series of experiments nn
the Paddington Canal, which were completed cm
Tuesday last. These experiments were instituted
for the purpose of determining whether the additions'
power required to move a boat at a higher rate of
speed would be, as had been assumed, found to ln
equal to the squire of the velocity to be attained ;
and whether the increased velocity of boats, of t:
proper construction, would produce a correspond.
ing or a reduced agitation of the water. By the
first proposition it had been understood that it
it require a force of one hundred horses powei
to propel a boat at the rate of ten miles an
hour, it would require the application of
power equal to that of 223 horses to increase he,
peed to only 15 miles per hour. The incorrect
ness of this theory has been most satisfactorily
demonstrated by the present experiments, whiei,
have established the fact, that the necessary addition
of power is materially less than the hitherto pre-
sumed ratio; which is no doubt occasioned by the
rising of the boat upon the water at the higher velo-
eitieS. Nor were the observations as to the agita-
thin of the water less satisfactory in determining the
fallacy of the commonly received opinion, that in-
creased speed must produce much increased surge
and washing of the calml hanks; for there was not
found to be a variation of more than one inch between
the speeds of three miles, and of 13 miles per hour
From these important results it is evident that a much
more speedy transit of light goods and passengers by
canals, may be eff-cted with perfect safety to the
banks—at a reduced cost of conveyance—and with
a very considerable addition to the profits of canal
proprietors. These interesting experiments were
made with a wrought-iron boat, 70 feet long by 51
feet wide, such as are used in the Monkland anti
Paisley Canals, under the immediate direction of
Mr. Macneill ; and, as we understand, chiefly at the
expense of Mr. Telfourd, to whom, as an engineer,
the country is so much indebted, and of Colonel
Page, a gentleman who is an extensive holder of
canal property. As practical illustrations, they
were conducted on a larger scale, at much higher ve-
locities than any which had been hitherto made, and
were completed with the utmost minuteness of
observation. There were present at the preliminary
experiments on Saturday which some of our
contemporaries mistook for the comparative series—
Mr. Babbage, General Wilson, who is in the ser-
vice of Russia, Mr. Telfourd, Captain Basil Hall,
Mr. Gordon, and several other scientific men, among
,vhom were many members of the institution of
Civil Engineers.

LIVERPOOL COTTON MARKET, APRIL 10.
—The transactions in cotton to-day amount to 2,000
bales, of which 300 are in Brazils, in Pernams, &c., from
94d• to 9 d. ; Bahia,, Bid. to 81d. ; and Maranhams'
9d. to 98 1. ; the remainder are in American descriptions,
from 61d. to tsid.
A case of extraordinary vicissitude, suffering
and peril is presented in the disasters and disippointments
which have befallen the passengers who embarked last
autumn at New York in the brig Amelia, for New
Orleans. It will he recollected that soon after they sailed
the cholera broke out among the passengers, and it was
deemed advisable to put into Charleston. In endeavouring
to effect that object the Amelia was driven ashore at Folly
Island, where the passengers landed, and were subjected
to a rigorous quarantine in consequence of the disease
among them, all intercourse with or approach to Charleston
being strictly forbidden. After remaining some time on
Folly island, the authorities of Charleston nroviry
original destination, and they accordingly emliarke t2hiTilE
20th of November last, in the schooner Cicero. Alisfor-
tune still followed them, and on the morning of the fourth
day, the captain being mistaken in his reckoning, the Cicero
was totally wrecked off Walker's Key, and the passengers,
37 in number, lost every thing. By means of the boat, and
the scattered spars, all succeeded in reaching the key, ex-
cept two of the men, printers by profession, named WILLIAM
LAWRENCE and WILLIAat MURPHY, natives of Ireland,
both of whom met a watery grave. After remaining 15 dabs
on the key, living on shellfish aid weeds, they were spared
the sufferings rif starvation by the appearance of
the schooner Friends' Delight, a wrecker, who took them
on board and conveyed them to Nassau, New Providence,
where some little charity was extended to them. At this
place they made an engagement with Captain KELLY, of
the schooner William, who kindly offered his services to
convey theta to New Orleans. They left Nassau on the
11th of January, but having contrary wind, and the
quantity of provisions furnished to them being very small,
they were compelled to hug the land, with the intention
of putting into the first port. They made the Pensacola
light on the night of the 29th of January, but the wind
blowing a perfect hurricane from the west, they were
compelled to stand off, in which movement the schooner
succeeded, after having her sails torn to pieces. Finally,
on the 4th of February the William was enabled to enter
the harbour of Pensacola. The editor of the Gazette of
that place states that this last enterprise upon the sea has
been attended with little less of suffering-to those unfor-
tunate people than their previous attempts, having been
nearly all the time on an allowance barely capahle of sus.
staininceingthi,lefier.
or'ifghinuas,
i aftert.iiib a
arkp,etiroir of about
lild
at New
Nefive
,minontthhes
course of which they have been twice wrecked, besides
undergoing other perils of the sea, and the suffering of
impending starvation, they have not yet reached their ulti-
mate port of destination.—Bultirpore American.
SHOCKING SUICIDE AND SINGULAR IN-
VESTIGATIONs—Oa Wednesday evening an inquest was
held at the Cumberland's Head Tavern, City-road, on the
body of Mr. JOHN SMITH, aged 58, an artist of conside.
rable wealth, who resided at 1, Smith's-buildings, City-
road. Mr. WOOLLER attended on behalf of Mr. STONE,
son-in-law of the deceased. From the evidence of Mr. W.
SMITH, brother of the deceased, it appeared that on Wed-
nesday, the 3d instant, his brother appeared unwell, and
talked " rather queer." By desire of a Mr. STIRLING, a
friend who lodger in the house, he slept with the deceased,
and Mr. STIRLING remained in the room till 5 o'clock in
the morning. Shortly after, the deceased got up, and said
he was certain there were thieves in the garden, and he
wen. down stairs to see if the doors were secured. On his
return he threw up the window, saying he wanted air,
and in a few minutes the witness saw him sitting on the
outside sill of the window, from which he immediately
rolled into the yard, a distance of nearly 18 feet. The
witness called up Mr. STIRLING, and they found the de-
ceased groaning and bleeding from the left ear ; he died
on Sunday evening. The witness's opinion was, that
the deceased was not aware of what he was doing at
the time, but was eitbor in a dream, or labouring
under some delusion. Mr. STONE, the son-in-law,
had separated from his wife, an only daughter, who
lived at her father's hous-.—Mr. STIRLING, wine,nser-
chant, or. coming forward, described himself as son •in
law. of the deceased, and then as adopted son-in-law.
and then admitted he was no relation. Mr. STIR
LING said the deceased had rec ived some threatening
letters from Mr. STONE, who, on Wednesday morning,
sent a message, that it the deceased did not come and see
him, he would not stop some legal proceedings which were
going on. This seemed to have a great effect on the de-
ceased. Mr. STIRLING said he had lived or ten months
in the house with the deceased. Mr. WOOLLER asked
urn if he did not live with Mr. STONE'S Wife, the de-
r eased's daughter ; but the Coroner told him be need not
~newer the question. Mr. BROOKS, surgeon, said the de,
ceased had complained to him of having received threaten-
ing letters, and on Wednesday morning he found him
labouring under strong excitement. All he could get
from him was " delusion and reality," " reality and delu-
sion." On opening the head of the deceased, he found a
fracture which had caused his death. The brain was also
diseased, and from its state he would infer that the deceased
was easily excited. The Coroner said the Jury should be
particular in ascertaining the state of mind of the deceased
in cases where large property was concerned, as in the
event of their returning a verdict of felo de se, the pro-
perty would he forfeited.--The Jury found a verdict of
.6 Temporary Insanity."—Mr. WOOLLER said Mr. STONE
wrote to deceased relative to some property, which Mrs.
STONE had taken from him. Mr. STONE bad commenced
proceedings for a divorce.