The Sun.
London, England, 1851-05-19 00:00:00

cotta and the Cape of Good Hope, was off the port on
Friday evening, and landed her mails and passengers,
Mr. Foas, Mr. Degough, Mr. Sherman, Mr. R. Calder,
Mr. Multino, Captain Birch, and Sir A. Stockenstroem,
all frOm the Cape.
The Bussorah Merchant, "from Port Philip, Jan. 10,
bound to London, with a general cargo of• wool and
tallow, was off Plymouth on Saturday afternoon.
The Commodore, Captain Broadfoot, from Sydney,
Jan. 20, bound for London, with a general cargo of wool
and tallow, was off the port on Saturday, and landed one
passenger, Mr. Beanes, and a large mail.
APPOINTMENTS.
WOOLWICH, MAY 17.—Commander—Colin Yorke
Campbell (1846), to commandthe Devastation, 6, paddle-
wheel steam-sloop, commissioned at Portsmouth.
Lieutenants—Thomas Tickell (1542) and John W.
Newport (1850), to the Devastation.
Masters—John Hoffaseister (1838),1 to command the
Megtera, 10,iron screw steam-frigate, of 350-horse power,
commissioned at Sheerness to convey troops to the Cape
of Good Hope; John Way (1850), to the Devastation;
and John Grant (1832), to be agent, &c., at Plymouth
Hospital.
Surgeon
—William T. Rogers (1841), to the Devas•
Cation.

Mates__Arthur R. Owen (1849), from the Arethusa to
the Hecate steam vessel; John Jenkins (1849) and Wil-
liam B. Alexander (1851), to the Devastation.
Assistant-Surgeons--W. B. Dalby (1846), to the Me-
gwra ; and William B. Christy (1846), to the Devastation.
Second-Masters—Thomas Potter (1844), frOin the
London, flag-ship at Sheerness, Edward Mackenzie
(1845), from the Fisgard, fiscr.ship
B. Akaster (1847), and Richard at Woolwich, Henry
F. Browne (1848), from
the Victory, flag- ship at Portsmouth, to the Alegaara, at
Sheerness.
Gunner—Thomas Quin, to the Impregnable.
Boatswain—James Degee, to the Impregnable.
Carpenter—RichardUN
to the Impregnable.
LAUNCH OF
ORINOCO WEST INDIA
cii
MAIL STEAMER.
The launch of this fine vessel took plat© on Saturday,
at halt-past two o'clock P.M., at Northfleet Dockyard, .ixt
the presence of a large concourse of highly gratifie d
spectators from various parts of the surrounding country
and from the metropolis. The Royal Mail Steam Packet
Company having determined:on proyieknk new ves-
sels of upwards of '2,006 tons-burden each, to-carry out
their contract and meet their increasing traffic, have en-
gaged with Mr. Pitcher to build two of the five steamers.
The first of these, the Orinoco, was commenced in Sep-
tember last, and launched on Saturday. Another, the
Magdalene, is far advanced, and will be ready for launch-
ing in about a month from the present time. These vessels
are of the following dimensions, viz:—
Feet. Inches.
Length between the perpendiculars 270 0
Ditto over all 301. 0
Breadth, extreme 41 10
Depth in engine-room •• 26 6
••• •
Ditto from undersill of spar deck... 33 10
Burden in tons, 2,245 31-94.
Each vessel will be fitted with engines of 800-horse
power, with double cylinders, by Messrs. Maudslay, Son,
and Field. The ceremony of naming the Orinoco aas
performed by Lady Anne Tufnell. The Right Heel.
Henry Tufeell and many persons of distinction were.
present. After the launch between eighty and ninety
persons sat down to dinner at Calder's Rosherville
Hotel, where everything was served in excellent style.
The draught of water of the Orinoco, when launched,
was 9 feet 9 inches forward and 10 feet 10 inches abaft;
the light displacement, with that draught of water, is
1,050 tons, and if 0,000 tons be added for the freight to
be taken on board in the shape of engines, coals, equip-
ment, passengers, and luggage, it is estimated that she
will go to sea about four months from this period, with
a mean draught of water of about 19 feet 6 inches. The
Orinoco looks well on the water, and is considered by
competent judges a beautiful and well-built ship; and
there being no slip over her when built, the launch had
a fine effect. She was taken in tow shortly alter being
launched, and taken up the river by a steaaer to the
East India Docks at Blackwall, where her engines are
to be put en board.

SPORTING NOTES:
No. LV.
A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE EPSOM EVENTS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Sin,—To-morrow's races commence somewhere about one
o'clock, I believe, with the Craven Stakes, which Aaron
Smith or Uriel will win; Gholab Singh or Epira obtaining
the third place. The Horton Stakes look well for Sweet-
heart. The Manor Plate for Eva, Estafette, Windhound, or
Sisyphus, the first and third for choice. The Woodcote will
probably fall to the lot of ELCOT or BUCKTHORN; Flirt
close up. The lleathcote Plate, a spin for Glendale or
Kakistos, with Farthingale and Rose Pompon in attendance.
On Wednesday, I book the Epsom Town Plate a certainty
for Croupier or Theorem ; Roller third. For the Derby, I
remain of the same opinion as expressed last Monday; if THE
PRIME MINISTER fails me, I shall rely on HER-
, NANDEZ and TUE MARLBOROUGH BUCK to pull my
judgment through triumphantly. The list of the starters has
undergone no change since I gave it on Friday, with the solitary
exception of the addition of The Black Douglass. Lamar-
tine and Heartbreaker will run uncommonly well. For the
Exhibition Plate, Sisyphus, at Est 41b, ought to be about the
mark; Cranberry, however, will run well. On Thursday,
the Two Years Old Stakes will be won by Adine ; and the
Grand Stand Plate, I fancy, by NARCISSUS ; the Empress
colt and Old Dan Tucker being well up. On Friday, for the
Oaks, since the declension ofPayment, I can discover nothing
to beat HESSE HOMBURG and APHRODITE, although
'tis said that Sister to Wanota and Emily will " astonish the
natives." To-morrow evening will appear the latest move-
ments on "The Downs," together with my final remarks on
he Derby.

I am, Sir, yours, &c.,
May 19, 1551. THE SPIRIT OF THE TURF.

THE PENDULUM EXPERIMENT AND THE MAG-
sump MERIDIAN.—A scientific correspondent of the Dundee
Advertiser has addressed the following letter on this subject
to the editor of that journal :—`°l suspended a pendulum
with extreme delicacy, and felt convinced that it would show
the earth's motion of rotation if such a method was capable
of doing so. It has not shown this, but it has conducted to
results no less surprising and interesting. Last week I per-
formed many experiments, but all the results only showed that
the vibration of the pendulum-Tad-a to a parallelism with
the back of a sofa. Various conjectures arose as to the cause
of this, and the troublesome sofa was ultimately removed.
The pendulum, however, moved in the same direction as
before, and a conjecture arose that it might be the magnetic
meridian. On trial it was found to be so ; and however
much the experiment was varied the result was the
same. While engaged with these experiments on last
Saturday evening, a scientific gentleman called on me
and stated that a pendulum which he had tried did not
show the motion of the earth, but seemed to have a
tendency to move north and south. 1 showed him my needle,
and we found a constant return of the pendulum to the mag-
netic meridian. The ball of the pendulum is lead and the
wire is copper, and the only iron about it is the pivot, but
the result is the same with a pivot of brass. It does not
seem to affect a magnetic needle, and I am not
a mass of yet
iron that it is affected by a magnet or by
are
and vicinity ; but further experiments on this poin,.t.lpr,
sary. It seems capable of being used on board imamnednseif
not affected by the iron in the vessel, it will
advantage over the common compass..
is capable of showing the earth's rotatioi
ce
meridian I
have
delusion, but that tends to the msgne i gtarhed asagromss
found to be a fact."
who once held a
roperty to the extent of
commission in the army, and had p tTlltaret
1,500,000/.
LION PROPERTY.—That portion
There is a cab-driver in London
SALE or THE
of the property attachedi to the Pavilion, and facing Castle-
square,
g stoantdh
the table,
pbruintce
on s
was ii
together with the gateway build-
sc'haharentrence, was brought to the hammer on
in„ saetrtyNhaveuhtsi south cntral, was brought to the hammer on
Thurajay by 5i ssrs Ridley and Son. The sale took place
nobles, were
Irtoymonf, wth-heercehak'nnge
was
wont to do honouri
too striking not
a d
- 3 this same room resounded with the
Thursday auctioneer's
to be noticed by many, and as the property had been most
substantially built, it produced more than ordinary competi-
tion among our principal builders. • A great number attended
the saleout of curiosity.— Sussex Express.
h'iln'abuirmhedeabr,YabnTyquhcetetnnogve.
CAPTAIN SOMERSET.—This gentleman, who has
obtained for himself a most unfortunate degree of notoriety,
is nephew to Lord Fitzroy Somerset, the military secretary to
the Commander-in-Chief, and is cousin to the Duke of Beau-
fort. His father, Lord Charles Somerset. now deceased, was
for many years governor at the Cape of Good Hope. Ili!
wife was daughter to the celebrated John Mytton, Esee of
sporting celebrity. Captain Somerset was for a considerable
period adjutant of the 2d battalion of the Coldstream
Guards ; the rank in:question, we need scarcely state, is one of
-
great responsibility in a regiment, and invplves tbe 0..
...s _
ranee of strict attention to the rules and disciPlitsn.y! of 6e
service. ,
• ' ' lit noticed
TUE HOSIERY TRADE.—The improver' ,
a ee• There are
in our last continues, but in moderate • eitT
of pica is very
still many hands unemployed. The satenys
s respecting even
limited, as there appears much uncertainty
account of the fall
the reduced price being maintained,_
Liverpool. - Nottingham
in price of the raw material :in
Mercury.
--Number of inhabited
POPULATION OF NORWI— luirding 101. , 339 ; , , , Number
houses, 14,990 ; uninhabited. 87,493.
total population,
of males, 31,213 ; of females,
18i glowed the number of inhabi-
-68,706. The census of
be..., _ ~
294 so that in the ten years that
tants in that year to
haa4se
been an increase of 6,412 persons.
have elapsed there
has taken place in the hamlets. The
Half of this increase
city in the year 1841 was only 930
population of the, 1 , being only one-seventh of the rate of in-
more than in pastlBo ten years. The number of females more
crease during the
ese t 's •
,s at the. pr n time 14 •6,280, being one-tenth of
than males•
.at
the entire population.
Insset PLOtiGNLIN.--The Salem' Gazette is
LI
.rugresponsible for the annexed, told by a friend under whose
observation —it occurred a few days,ago' and which is uncoin-
-" recent
ino„dy " fresh • —A emigrant had applied for em-
3lop:ilea to a farmer, and being asked if he was acquainted
with all kinds of farm labour, replied without hesitathtion
next
in
the affirmative. He svaeficcerdingly engaged, and e
morning sent to hold the eilongh, with the son of his em-
ployer to drive. After the horse was tackled in, the boy
gave him a start; but; hearing an exclansistion behind,
ploughing up the
turned and beheld the son of the green isle
ground with his heels, which were,firmly set; while
and crying
etwhile he was
e
strait ing every muscle to maintain his
position, if you makt
out "Stop, stop : how can I hould the plough
the horse drag it away from me?"
vvag.—ln the- course of
TIIE LAW or MAN AND , 1 for the
counsel prisoner, a
trial at Taunton, Mr. .Slade,
t right to beat his wife for as-
sertedmis-
that a man bad a p
i Justerce Buller had laid it down,
conduct, provided,
as IN.li.sis thicker than his thumb. The
that he dal not use a
repudiatedstill:
the notion altO,kether. The
Lord Chief Baron
he believed to be a matter of pure
story about Justice Buller,had
d ever been such a notion, it had
invention. If theses
man only lifted his finger upon his
passed away ; for if n
her death, he thereby incurred the
wife, E 0 as to occss.irit
h vasif he had occasioned the death of
the same resposle.' s
the merest strancsa.
On Tuesday afternoon One of
A Ito"' lever captured in the Tay was taken at
sturgeons
the finest sfu This splendid fish, which is in the
lististation.
Cairnie i
els*r. Plenderleath, lligh-street, for the purpose
possession
ffed, measured in length 7 feet 2 inchee, in girth
of being stu
• hes and weighs s.
1401 b It is as remarkable for ita
3t inc P .
trY as Its size.—Perth Courier.
symine