The Sun.
London, England, 1851-08-01 00:00:00

LON DON, FRIDAY EVENING, AUGUST 1, 1851.

man of the town of Greenwich. lie frequently came to
the house, and wan edin;tte,i to t!se bar-pet!' nr, eed re-
ceived in the most fricedly manner by the pleintiff.
Witness remembered Mrs. Watson going to the Exhi-
bition on a Saturday in May, accompanied by the de-
fendant and one of his female relations, who was about
forty years of age. The defendant and hire. Watson
eame home together on foot between nine and tea o'clock
at night, without the lady who had gone with them to
the Exhibition. Witness remembered the day when
Mr. Sellers was found in her master's bed-room. The
dinner was over, and her master and mistress and
the defendant had drunk a pint of wine together,
and her master laicl down on the sofa and went to sleep.
When he was asleep Mrs. Watson went out of the bar-
parlour and proceeded up stairs, and almost directly
afterwards Mr. Sellers followed her. In about ten
minutes be-t master awoke, and asked where his wife
and Mr, Sellers wore. She told him she believed that
Mrs. Watson had gone up to her bed-room, but she did
pot know whete Mr. Sellers was, and her master went
ttp stairs directly, and in about five minutes the bed-
room bell was rung, at first quietly, but afterwards
violently, Witness finished serving some customers
w'4o were about the bar, and then went to the foot of the

stairs, when she heard her master say, "I have found
this man loc4cd up in my bed-room with my wife," and
shortly afterwards Mr. and Mrs. Watson and Mr. Sellers
came down stairs, and Mr. Watson seemed very angry.
On the same night, when they were all going to bed, she
heard an altercation on the stairs, and Mr. Watson said
to his wife, "How can you expect it when you have
dishonourerl my bed?" Mrs. Watson remained in the
house about a fortnight after this occurrence, but she
never occupied the same bed-room as her hush:Aid. On
one occasion she went out, and when she returned she

was in a very excited state, and threw herself upon the
door. On the day of the election for Greenwich Mrs.
Watson accompanied Mr. Watson and a Mr. Lucas in r.
()wisp to poll tor Alderman Salomons.
Cross-examined—Witness was informed that when
Mrs. Watson left her husband's house she went to reside

with ono of her relations, When the plaintiff told his

wife that she had dishonoured his beds she replied " You

nasty old beast, I hate you, and always did." They
appeared to be on the landing of the stairs when this con-
versation took place. There was a great deal of angry
language between them. Mrs. Watson slept in her bed-
room after this occurrence happened, and her husband
occupied a room in another part of the house. She be-
lieved that her master was asleep when his wife wont oat
of the bar. Had no reason to suppose that he was
shamming sleep. Two other gentlemen were in the bar
at the time.

Re-examined—Before the defendant was introduced
into the family, Mr. Watson and his wife lived very hap-
pily together.
Mr. Lucas, a printer at Greenwich, said that he had
been in the habit of going to the plaintiff's house, and
it appeared to him that he and his wife lived very hap-
pily together, and the plaintiff appeared to be a very in-
dulgent husband. He had met the defendant at the
house. Witness went to poll for Alderman Salomons
with the plaintiff at the last election. Mrs. Watson
accompanied them in the carriage. Mr. Watson ob-
jected to her doing so, but she said she would go—(A
laugh.) Mr. Watson appeared a good deal broke down
at this time.

By Mr. CHAMBERS—When Mrs. Watson wanted to
get into the carriage, the plaintiff said to her, " You
must not come, my dear."—(A laugh.)
Mr. John Killick said he was Mr. Watson's son-in-
law. Mrs. Watson acted as waitress formerly at the
George, and in consequence of the marriage there was
a coldness between him and his father-in-law, as witness
objected to the union. In the beginning of July the
plaintiff made a communication to him of what had oc-
curred, and he in consequence went down to Greenwich,
and advised Mrs. Watson to leave the house. She re-
fused to do so, and he remonstrated with her for nearly
two hours, and at length she was removed by force.
Witness made a search after her departure, and in a
linen drawer he found the piece of poetry that was pro-
duced, in a blotting-book belonging to Mrs. Watson. The
plaintiff appeared a good deal under the influence of
his wife.

Mr. W. Edwards proved that the piece of poetry was
in the handwriting of the defendant.
This was the plaintiff's case.
Mr. CHAMBERS, in his address to the jury for the de-
fendant, said that the attempt to make out the crime of
adultery in this case was one of the most extraordinary
that he ever remembered, and he felt sure that the jury
would pause for a long time before they returned a ver-
dict, the effect of which would be the utter destruction
and ruin, not only of the wife of the plaintiff, but also
of the defendant, himself a married man, and filling a
respectable and honourable position. As to any amount,
of damages—if that was the only question to be de-
cided, he should not say a word upon the subject, for the
plaintiff himself by his own conduct had shown pretty
clearly what extent of damage he considered he had
suffered; but he should contend that upon the slender
evidence that had been adduced, the jury were bound to
say that the charge of adultery had not been established,
and that the defendant was entitled to a verdict. What
was the evidence in reality upon which they wore called
upon to brand this unhappy woman with infamy, and at
the same time destroy the reputation of an honourable,
respectable man? In the first place it was said that the
defendant was in the habit of going up stairs during the
day, but what earthly importance ought to be attached to
that fact, when it was clear that all the other customers
used to do the same, and that it mostly occurred just be-
fore dinner, when in all probability the only object Mr.
Sellers had in doing so, was to wash his hands, or some
other equally innocent and natural purpose? He could
only say that, if the jury should come to the conclusion that
the commission of adultery was to be inferred from the
proceedings, that nobody would be safe, and he should
strongly advise the gentlemen of the jury themselves,
whenever they went to an hotel where there was a
pretty landlady or a chambermaid, not to go into a bed-
room for any purpose, lest it should be supposed that
object was to seduce either the mistress or the maid.—
(A laugh.) It appeared to him that the most natural
and ordinary occurrences of every day-life had been dis-
torted and tortured so as to give a colour to a charge of
adultery. What were the facts of the case? The defendant
had gone to a public ordinary, where anybody who
chose might go and dine with the landlady, flatter
the landlady, and pay the landlady.—(A laugh.) He
contended that the conduct of Mr. Sellers was quite
consistent with his perfect innocence. As to the sus-
picion that anything wrong had occurred of the visit to
the Exhibition, he submitted that there was not the
least foundation for such a supposition. At the same
time he was very glad the House of Commons had come

to the decision with regard to the Crystal Palace before
this suggestion was made, for otherwise that moral as-
sembly might have paused before they sanctioned its
continuance as a winter garden, as it was clear that if
roses were gathered there at all, they would be gathered
just as welt in the winter as the summer.—(Laug,hter.)
The evidence with regard to this part of the
case went for nothing; and the only point in the evidence
for consideration was the scone in the bed-room. Now
he could not help thinking that what took place upon this
occasion had been very much exaggerated, and that the
jury had not been put in possession of the real facts. It
appeared to him to be very improbable, if Mrs. Watson
really intended to take advantage of her husband being
asleep, to go up to his bed-room to commit adultery, that
she should have sent the servant out of the kitchen to the
very part of the house where the crime was to be com-
mitted, and thus give her an opportunity to see what was
going on; and he submitted that there was no evidence
to show that Mr. Sellers was in the bed-room, and that
it was quite probable that the plaintiff having his suspi-
cions unjustly aroused, and meeting the defendant on
the landing of the stairs, had pushed him into the room,
and then locked him in. He considered that the conduct
of the plaintiff himself, after the occurrence, showed that
he was satisfied that his wife was innocent, for if he really
had believed that he was dishonoured, he would surely
not have permitted her to remain in his house for several
days, and he thought his Learned Friend would hardly
induce them to believe that this injured husband would
have gone to the polling place at Greenwich, and exer-
cised his right as a free and independent elector, in
shouting " Salomons for ever," and recording his vote
for that gentleman, accompanied by the woman whom he
believed to have dishonoured him, if he really thought
it was true. He submitted that the plaintiff himself, by
his own conduct, had shown that he did not believe his
wife was guilty, and he could not help thinking that these
proceedings would never have been taken but for the in-
terference of the son-in-law, who had admitted that he
was opposed to the marriage, and that an unfriendly
feeling existed between him and Mr. Watson, on account
of his thinking her an improper match for his father-in-
law. If the jury should entertain the same opinion, he
was sure they would with pleasure say so by their verdict,
particularly when they reflected that the consequence of
such a verdict would be, to restore the wife of the
plaintiff to society, and, in all probability, lead to her re-
conciliation to her husband.
The CHIEF JUSTICE, in summing up, said there were
two questions in this case for the consideration of the
jury—one, whether the fact of the commission of
adultery had been proved; and, another, what amount
of damages ought to be given supposing they should
be satisfied upon the point. In cases of this descrip-
tion, direct testimony, of course, could not be ex-
pected, and the jury could only judge from the circum-
stantial evidence laid before them, whether the fact
of adultery had been proved. As to the other question
it certainly was not a case for inflated damages. An
old man of 72, who married a young girl of 25, and who
allowed her to expose her attractions at a public ordi-
nary frequented by military officers and other gentle-
men, must almost have expected what the consequences
would be, and if the jury should be of opinion that the
charge of adultery had been made out, they would, of
been
said
sen
todefendantproved, wasa d
course, only give such moderate damages as the justice
of the case required at their hands.
°The jury, utter deliberating a short time in the box,
d there
whetherh
as
the oltmch corrupted
rurdgui
although
actualeter
they
hnecyet ohef
mdo
commission
niundoi on amongst them
a
oo
ff
the
doubtadultery
that
ha
plaintiff'sl
wife.

The CHIEF JUSTICE said they must be satisfied that
adultery had actually been committed before they could
find a verdict for the plaintiff. They could not expect
to have any direct evidence, but they must look at all
the circumstances as men of the world and of common
sense, and say whether or not the act of adultery bad
been proved.
The jury then retired, and were in, deliberation about
halt an hour. Upontheir return into court, they gave
a verdict for the plaintiff—Damages, 501.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—Durham, July 30.
CIVIL COURT.— (BAore. Mr. Justice WILLIAMS and
a Special Jury.)
POTTS V.

This was an action brought by the plaintiff to recover
damages from the defendant for., criminal conversation
of the defendant with the plaintiff wife. The defendant
pleaded not guilty.

Mr. Sergeant WILKiNS (Mr. Manisty with him) ad-1
drrez:ed eee jury fee the plaiiniff. He said the plaintiff
came to ask for damages for the greatest injury which'
one man could do to another, and he asked that they
should be proportionate to the injury which the plaintiff
had sustained from the profligate conduct of the de-
fendant. If the evidence ho was instructed to lay aefore
them was true, the defendant had avldled himself of his
acquaintance with the plaintiff to dishonour his house.
The inquiry would claim their serious consideration.
The best interests of society required it. The plaintiff
was a surgeon at Bishopwearmoutb, and was the surgeon
to an infirmary, and also to the union, the one at Hilton
and the other at Grindou, three to four miles from his
residence, which caused him to be frequently away from
home, and to bo long detained from home. The de-
fendant was also a medical man at the same town, and
lived about 200 yards from the plaintiff. In February,
1844, plaintiff was married to the daughter of a retired
tradesman, being himself then thirty years of age,
and the lady nineteen. For two years they
lived in the greatest happiness, with nothing
to disturb their mutual confidence. About that
time the lady began to manifest a propensity
for drink, but it did not follow from that the plaintiff's
acquaintance and neighbour was to avail himself of that
failing, in order to ruiu her, and bring dishonour on his
friend. If she had Educe swerved from the path of virtue,
it was after the defendant had made her a ruin and a
wreck; and if the defendant should set up that defence,
it would but, h© thought, enhance the damages to which
the defendant was entitled. Notwithstanding the frailty
of his wife, the plaintiff's conduct to his wife was uni-
formly kind, till the day he was obliged to expel her
from his house. At the end of the second year of their
marriage, the defendant began to pay attention to the
lady, and she used to send him notes when her husband
went out to attend to his duties at tho asylum and the
union, and the defendant was then in the habit of coming
and remaining with her, when she used to instruct the
servant to deny her if any one called, If, upon a due
observance of the marriage contract the happiness of a
man's life depended, he trusted they would by their ver-
dict show that it could not be violated with impunity.
On the subject of the amount of damage he would say
nothing, he would leave that entirely in their hands.
Mr. John Grab am, clerk to Mr. Potts, brother of the
plaintiff, and e. solicitor at Sunderland, produced the cer-
tificate of the marriage in 1844.
Cross-examined—Mr. Potts, the solicitor, was not
the attorney in this case. He had heard from the
plaintiff that he had got judgment in an action for
criminal conversation against one Smith, also a
surgeon, or surgeon's assistant at Sunderland. He had
not heard him say his wife had had any improper in-
timacy with any other person. She left his house in the
early part of this year.
Re-examined—lt was some tittle after the matter of
the present inquiry took place that that with Smith
took place.
Martha Curry (now married), said she lived with the
plaintiff as servant in 18'16, nine months. He and his
wife then lived happily together.
Cross-examined.—After she had been there three
months Mrs. Potts, she observed, was addicted to
RrJ-examined—But the plaintiff still behaved kindly to
her.

Sarah Wood Smith (also now married) said she went
into the plaintiff 's service in August, 1847. The plain-
tiff and his wife lived happily—behaved kindly.
Jane Whitfield (also now married) said she wont into
the plaintiff's service when the last witness left. She
also said that plaintiff behaved kindly to his wife.
Her master had to be away from home three or four
times a week, three or four miles off, at the asylum
and the union. The defendant lived only about
three hundred yards from them, and he was
in the habit of coming to their house—mostly in her
master's absence. Witness used to take notes to him
from Mrs. Potts, with instructions to deliver them to
him personally, and he then used to come directly, get-
ting there and being let in by Mrs. Potts at the house
door, by the time witness could get to the kitchen door.
He would sometimes send medicine to Mrs. Potts when
nothing was amiss with her. After witness had been
there about three months she heard one day a " slot" at
the dining-room door, when the defendant and Mrs.
Potts wero there, and the plaintiff was away. Next
time the defendant came he went into the dining-room,
and again hearing a suspicious noise, witness took up
some coals, as an excuse for going in. She tried the door
and it was fast.
Re-examined—The defendant's visits were short when
the plaintiff was at home. They were more frequent
when ho was away.
Mary Ann Bell said she was the daughter of an auc-
tioneer. In January, 1848, she went into the service of
the plaintiff, and remained there till the May following.
Defendant was a very frequent visitor there; generally
two or three times a week, when her master was from
home. His visits were abort when her master was
at home; long when ho was not. The errand-
boy used at those times to take notes from Mrs.
Potts to him, and then he came immediately. Three
weeks before Good Friday, when the plaintiff was out,
he came at one o'clock, and remained till nine. Soon
after plaintiff was gone the boy took him a note,
and he came immediately. He was alone all the time
with Mrs. Potts. At five o'clock witness heard a noise
in the room in which they were, and she went gently up,
taking the tea-tray with her, and opened the door with-
out. noise, and saw the defendant and Mrs. Potts on the
sofa: [The witness hero stated circumstances which
admitted no doubt of the guilt of the parties, but which
are unfit for publication.) Witness went out of the
room directly. On Good Friday the plaintiff went to a
funeral. In the afternoon the defendant came and asked
for Mrs. Potts, and she told witness to let him in. She
was then lying on the sofa. In about half an hour her
father came, and witness let him in. He went into the
room where they were and came out again immediately,
and called out aloud to witness, " Why did she let that
rascal into the house?" He was in a great rage,
and while ho was storming, the defendant came out of
the room and left the house, and witness never saw him
there afterwards, Up to that time the plaintiff and his
wife appeared to live on very good terms.
Cross-examined—There was a bolt and lock to the
room dour. Witness did not tell her master. She did
not like to tell him. She told no one. She went up
when she saw them, because she thought she would go
and see what they wero doing. When he called again
a few days after, witness let him in as usual.
Re-examined—She took up the tea-tray because she
had her suspicions. After the defendant was gone, Mrs.
Potts cause into the hitcher and quarrelled with her. The
reason she did not tell what she had soon, was because
Mrs. Potts frightened her. She said if she told she
would prosecute her.
That completed the case for the plaintiff:
Mr. KNOWLES (Mr. Thompson with him) for the de-
fendant, said a most remarkable case it was; ho might
ask any man in court if he had ever heard of such a
case? The plaintiff came to ask damages for one of the
greatest injuries that one man could commit against an-
other. In such a case it was usual to call relations and
friends to prove the terms ou which the parties lived
together; none such had been called in this, but only
servants. Damages for the loss of such a woman ?
Why, six months after marriage, and long before the
defendant know her, she commenced a career of drink-
ing, which always sunk a woman to the lowest depths
of infamy. Did the plaintiff complain of her infi-
delity ? Why, for that her husband had already
obtained a judgement against another party in another
action. Weil might his Learned Friend lay aside his elo-
quence in such a case, as ho could not possibly claim more
than nominal damages. He could tell tho jury why none
of the proper witnesses were called to prove the plaintiff's
loss; it was because his Learned Friend had prudently
left out every one who could give any information of the
real state of the parties. He could understand why
friends and relatives refused to come into the box. They
could have told whenever the plaintiff had not mentioned
other names as well as Smith's, and whenever, instead
of losing domestic bliss, ho had not got rid of domestic
misery. What damages could they give for the loss he
had sustained? But he trusted it would not come to that.
Ile trusted they would not give a verdict that would
ruin the defendant, a professional man, for life, on the
single testimony of the witness 8011, whose evidence was
utterly incredible.
Mr. Justice WILLIAMS summed up. He said servants
were most likely to know the terms on which a master
and mistress lived. He saw no reason to impute perjury
to Bell.
The jury found a
,verdict for the plaintiff—Damages
one shilling.

to ba said pro and con., and we have every confance
that it will he well and luaLurely weighed by the Com-
Times.

NAVI.i.L INTELLIGENCE.

THE NAVY LIST FOR. AUGUST.
Tho Navy List for August contains the revision and
re-adjustment of the lists of naval officers under the new
scheme of naval retirement. The active list of flag-offi-
cers of course comes first, and consist of-
-Ist. Admirals of the fleet, 2; admirals, 21; vice-admi-
rals, 27; rear-admirals, 51. Total, 101.
2d. Then comes the list of flag officers, or reserved
half-pay in receipt of good service pensions—namely,
7 admirals, 1 vice-admiral, and 2 rear-admirals ;
total, 10.

3d. Flag-officers on reserved half-pay; admirals, 2 ;
vice-admirals, 18; rear-admirals, 21; total, 41.
The retired rear-admirals under the order in council
of 1846 are the same-41 ; and the additional retired
rear-admirals on the pay of retired captains is increased
according to the terms of the retirement order in council
of 1846, to 69.

The retired captains of 1846 are now 36; but those
on the 183. list have been increased to 64, thus
making up these lists now to 200, including
the retired rear-admirals. The officers who have re-
cently been added to this list, in accordance with the new
order in council, are—Sainuel Price, 1831 ; Andrew
Atkins Vincent, K.H., 1832 ; Samuel Radford, K.H.,
1832; Joseph Harrison, 1832; Patrick Duff Henry Hay,
1833; Henry Shovell Marshain, 1833; Charles Crowdy,
1834; Thomas Mansell, 1834 ; William Townsend Dance,
1834; John James Onslow, 1834; William Hamley,
1834; Abraham Mills Hawkins, 1835; John Drake,
1835; Edward ,Aug. Frankland, 1835; James Bur-
ney, 1835; James Morgan, 1836; Richard Barton, 1837;
Willia,ra Slaughter, K.H., 1837; Thomas Gill, 1837;
William Allan Herringham, 1837; Robert Gordon, 1837.
Their retirements date from July 1, 1851.
The "active captains' " list is now reduced to 465.
The promotion of 50 of the senior commanders to be
added to the retired captains' list of 1840 have been
given to the following officers. With the exception of
the first five, who ware commanders of 1813, they were
all commanders of 1814:—Thomas Sykes, Charles Ray-
ley, Mat Thew Connolly, James Oliver' Robert Lowthian,
Samuel Trevor Dickens, Bouchier Molesworth, John
Jordan Arrow, Francis Edward Seymour, Richard
Streatfeild, Pringle Home Douglas, Richard Henry
Hollis Pigot, Christopher West, George Hilton, Curry
William Hillier, Sir Alexander Dixie, Bart., John Fisher,
Henry Elton, John Watson, Abel Wantner Thomas,
William Forbes Leith, George Bowen, John Hilton,
Alexander Francis Elphinstone, George Penrud-
docke, Francis Duval, John Henry Rhodes, Charles
Cowper Bennett, William George Carlisle Kent, Ed-
mund Turberville, James Edward Huggins, James Stir-
ling (b), Francis Lo Haute' Rose Henry Fuller, James
Townsend, William Henry Nares, Samuel Hoskins, Ed-
ward Boys, John Davy, Anthony Blagrave Valpy,
Charles Hutchinson, Charles Greene, Edward Johnson,
John Francis Lascelles, John Lindsey, Sir Edwyn
Francis Scudamore Stanhope, Bart., Richard Stevens
Harness, Charles Pengelley, William Laugharne,
Mitchell Roberts.

The active commanders' list is reduced to 573, no less
than 206 having been placed on the new " reserved half-
pay list."

The retired commanders' list of 1814 are as before,
with the exception of the two or three promotions to
death vacancies; but to the retired commanders' list of
1830 have been added Lieutenants of 1810, Commanders
J. Wardle, J. G. Nap; W. Phipps, N. Atkin, J. C.
Gosselin, John Edridge, H. Brett, W. L. Brake, R.
Hetherington, T. C. Festing, F. DrAffdn, E. Luscombe,
and H. F. Sewell.

The active list of lieutenants is reduced to 1,237; for
no less than 886 have been placed on reserved half-pay.
The promotion by selection for the active lists of
their ranks to be captains and commanders, on "reserved
half-pay," are the following:—By the terms of the
order in council, fifty commanders are to be promoted to
the rank of captain, and of this number twenty are to be
selected in the present year. Of this number eighteen
have been selected as follows, their promotions bearing
date, July 28, 1851:
CAPTAINS ON RESERVED HALF-PAY.—Commanders—
Nicholas Alexander, James Gabriel Gordon, James
Robertson Walker, George Bignell, Samuel Wriford,
Edward Hollingsworth Delafosse, Richard Howell
Fleming, William Grint, Thomas Lowton Robins, Ri-
chard Douglas, Thomas Ferber, John Pearse, Francis
Ormond, John Cornwall, Spencer Smyth, Thomas Pitt
Robinson, Joseph Cammilleri, John Reeve.
Of the fifty lieutenants to be selected, nineteen
out of the twenty for this year have been promoted—
namely, to be

CODIIIIANDERS ON RESERVED HALF-PAY—LieUteDaRtS
—George Williamson, Richard Bastard, John Picthorn,
Thomas Jackson (a), Thomas Clack, Thomas Archer,
Joseph William Crabb, Henry Garrett, James Sedg-
wick Lean, Charles Haydon, [Edward Brown Addis,
Henry Parry, Redmond Moriarty, Charles Friend,
Hoary G. Etough, Henry Lancaster, James Carter (b),
Thos. Woods, William Lory.
We hear that Major John B. Castieau (nearly at the
top of the list of captains), Royal Marine Artillery, has,
or is about to, retire on half-pay.
Clerk—John Sweatman (1845), of the Fisgard, has
been appointed to the Britannia, 120, at Portsmouth.
Masters' Assistant—W. C. Bicknell, to the Styx
steam-sloop, Devonport.
Clerks' Assistant—D. G. Guy, to the Centaur steam-
frigate, Portsmouth.
DOCKYARD.—We aro glad to find that Mr. John Lee,
of Woolwich Dockyard, of long servitude, and one of
the most deserving officers in the service, whose claim
conld not have been again passed over, has been pro-
moted to be first-class clerk, vice Morgan, appointed store
receiver at Woolwich.

PORTSMOUTH, THURSDAY.—The Trafalgar, 120, Capt.
H. T. Groville (acting), weighed from Spithead yester-
day, at noon, accompanied by the Oberon steam-vessel.
Ou reaching the Knab-light she was signalised to dis-
charge Lieutenant Cavendish B. Bore to the Victory,
who, it appears, had subjected himself to a court of in-
qniry for being absent without leave, the ship being
under sailing orders, in consequence of which the
Trafalgar anchored in St. Helen's-roads, where she still
remains.

The Black Eagle Admiralty yacht, Master•ComrnLn-
der Petley, came into harbour yesterday from Woolwich,
to attend on the Lords of the Admiralty, and take them
to the Channel Islands.

The Dauntless steam-frigate, Captain Halsted, was
taken in the Angle dock last evening, but was undocked ,
this morning, it not being long enough to receive her; I
she will go into the south dock on Friday to undergo
considerable alterations.
The whole of the steamers in the new basin will be taken
out to-morrow, for the purpose of draining the water out
to overhaul the dam of the new dock.
The Monarch Indianian sailed from Spithead to-day
for Calcutta.
A terrific thunderstorm passed over this port yesterday
afternoon doing considerable damage afloat. The storm
took a south-west direction. The forked lightning was
fearfully vivid, followed by heavy peals of thunder, the
rain falling in torrents. A thunderbolt fell near the
Platform Battery. The Port Admiral's yacht Fanny was
struck by the lightning about a mile from the Spit
buoy, which shattered her topmast to pieces, and so
shook her lowermast as to render it completely useless.
The electric fluid ran down the lowermast and forced its
way through the deck to the cabins, laying four of the
crew prostrate, and striking several of the others sense-
less, but without injuring either of them. It then ran
along the bell-wire, dismounitng the bells, and passing
through the vessel's side, knocking a bolt out in its pas-
sage. Notwithstanding the damage she had received,
the captain (Mr. Scarlet) proceeded to St. Helen's, where
she had been ordered, to take Lieutenant Here from the
Trafalgar to the Victory. She was towed into harbour
by the Oberon in the evening.
Admiral Capel went on board this morning to inspect
the yacht, and utter hearing the particulars of the fear-
ful disilster congratulated Mr. Scarlet and his crew on
their providential escape.

THE LOCK CONTROVERSY.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SIR,--As the lock controversy engages much attention,
perhaps you will be so good as to allow us to state,
through your columns, how the matter, as regards the
Bramah lock, stands at this date.
On the second of last month (June) Mr. Hobbs was
allowed to take wax impressions of our Bramah lock,
and between that date and the 21st inst. made, as far as
ho could, instruments therefrom.
On the 22d inst. Mr. George Rennie, Professor Cowper,
and Dr. Black met and arranged the plan of operations.
At Mr. Hobbs' request thirty days were given him as
the period for the trial of his skill, the lock being
screwed to a door, and the keyhole, when Mr. Hobbs
was not at work, being covered by an iron band under
his own seal; all access to the lock is therefore taken
from us, agreeably to our own suggestion.
On Thursday last (the 24th) Mr. Hobbs began his
operations on the lock, repeated them on Saturday,
again on Monday and yesterday.
Ho commenced work yesterday at five minutes past
nine in the morning, and did not leave the room till
after "five o'clock; ho was therefore engaged eight hours
in one day.
This morning he began again at eight minutes past
nine and is now at work.
After this severe test from the hands of this most
celebrated operator, we cannot fear for the high public
reputation which the Bramah lock has enjoyed for so
many years. The period for the trial being so long, we
feel it due to our numerous friends and the publio to lay
the above facts before them, and from which it must be
evident to all that for every purpose of security the
Bramah lock still maintains its pre-eminence over all
its competitors.—We are, Sir, &0.,
BRAMAH A;11D CO.
124, Piccadilly, London; July 31, 1851. ,
P.S. Mr. Hobbs has this day been at work on the
lock from eight minutes past nine in the morning till
ten minutes to six, and the lock remains unopened.

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these indulgences would ever be felt if they were to take
two or three of Old Parr's Life Pills at night. This fine
stomachic medicine would, without the slightest disturbance
or pain, clear off all acidities, which would otherwise remain
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and all other unpleasant symptoms. On account of their
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they are acknowledged to be all that is required, preventing
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MAGAZINE DAY.
BLACKWOOD.

Two features especially mark the current number
of Blackwood—the commemoration of the death of
"Delta," and the continuation of Sir Bulwer Lytton's
"Novel" under the name of Pisistratus. Politicians
will, of course, turn with a greedy inquisitiveness to
the opening article for August, being a disquisition
on " The Census and Free Trade," and, what is
more, a disquisition from the hand of no less trenchant
a publicist —or we are mistaken than Archibald
Alison, the historian. Attractive, however, though
this remarkable chapter in illustration, and we might
say, also, in depreciation of the newly-organized
science:of political economy, is, its interest to ourself,
is marvellously subordinated by the two other and
already-mentioned contributions. The tribute of ad-
miring
and affectionate respect to the memory of
David Macbeth Moir does honour to the pages
of Blackwood. Eminently deserved though every
word of praise is, the graceful manner in which
each syllable of the eulogium is expressed, does
infinite credit to the writer both in regard to his
sensibility and his rhetoric, and sheds a lustre, at the
same time, mournful but still agreeable, over the ho-
noured pages of the periodical. Upon the additional
chapters of "
My Novel" is scarcely possible to re-
mark otherwise than incidentally, seeing that the
plot of the story is even now but dimly and gradually
developing itself, insomuch that conjecture would
inevitably mar the interest of the fiction ; and to dwell
upon the narrative without uttering some such inei_
nuated anticipations would be impossible, in „use_
quence of the interest aroused in the mind of the reader
by the master mind of the novelist. In consequence
of his application to the eccentric but generous-hearted
homoeopathist, Dr. Morgan, Leonard Fairfield acci▪ -
dentally discovers his illegitimacy—discovers that he
is the child of shame, the child of Nora, a child unto
whom the law has denied a father. The description of
his emotions on hearing a truth so terrible to hi▪ s
proud nature, is beautiful indeed, and beyond all in
that touching moment when, in a sudden paroxysm of
tears, he apostrophises the memory of his mother.
John Burley, already known to the reader as the fan-
tastic fisher of the one-eyed perch, developes, in the
course of the chapters here published, into a remark-
able and substantial character. As an example of an
author of the last generation, Burley is pencilled in a
manner as admirable in its truthfulness, as Fallen was
delineated by the same facile hand as the representa-
tive of a writer of an age more remotely antece-
dent. His gorgeous day-dream of what an author
ought to be—" A being between gods and men, who
ought to be lodged in a palace, and entertained at the
public charge upon ortolaus and tokay," one who
" should be kept lapped in down, and curtained
with silken awnings from the cares of life, having
nothing to do but to write books upon tables of
cedar, and fish for perch from a gilded gal-
ley," is lamentably contrasted with his own er-
ratic course and chequered existence, his slumbers
in a garret, and his midnight orgies iu the midst of
tobacco smoke and the lowest ranks of topers and
boon companions. From him Leonard learns the
snares and pitfalls which beset the writer for fame,
as much almost as from conning the grand and ter-
rible tragedy revealed by the biographer of Chatter-
ton. The passages referring to the life of this mighty
genius—in regard to precocity the mightiest genius
the world ever saw—are finely and at moments most
touchingly written. They well deserve reference at
the hands of any future memorialist of the " wondrous
boy," as elucidative of the great moral which is to be
derived from his history. " Voltaire in the Crystal
Palace," besides being an enthralling eccentricity,
attracts the attention of the reader by its very title,
rendering him by suggestion doubly curious to see the
promised but as yet unpublished romance of the same
edifice, by Mr. Warren. After this article comes
another, containing some very attractive " Pictures
from St. Petersburgh," pictures the more
attractive from the circumstance of their
novelty. " Paris in 1851" is certain to secure to it-
self innumerable readers, by reason of its very desig-
nation; so that it can dispense with any commenda-
tion : not so the " London Diary of a German Au-
thoress," which justice compels us to pronounce more
amusing than the majority could have anticipated.
" The Raid of Arnaboll," a tale of the bygone year,
lends an additional charm to the magazine, which is
completed by a brief allusion to the election at Scar-
borough.