The Sun.
London, England, 1851-09-06 00:00:00

he should not have to appear before that Court to
make any further demand after that day.—(Hear.)
Other business having been dieposed of, the meet-
ing separated.

DEATH OF THE AUTHOR OF " PERAULT.”
In this day's obituary we have to record the death of
Mr. Robert Kennoway Ross, writer, a gentleman well
known in the literary world from his numerous con-
tributions to the magazines and other periodicals of
the day. Mr. RDSZ is best known as the author of
a cleverly written and very popular Indian tale, ea-
titled " Perault, or Slaves and thrir Masters," which
originally appeared in Tait's Magazine; but his
numerous productions in various departments of litera-
ture were all of a superior order, and displayed a genius
of more than ordinary brilliancy. Ia his profession
as a writer and procurator before the Glasgow, Airdrie,
and Hamilton Courts, Mr. Ross at one time occupied a
most respectabie position; but his love of literary pur-
suits so frequently interfered with his professional duties
as a lawyer, that for many years his legal acquirements
were less in requisition, and a consequent falling off in
his pecuniary means was the ruinous results of his labours.
Mr. Ross, it may be surmised, from his protracted illness,
and the circumstances already adverted to, has finished
his career, like many brighter geniuses, in poverty and
neglect, leaving a widow and helpless little family to la-
ment the loss of a kind and affectionate husband, father,
and friend. These remarks are offered in the hope
that they may meet the eye of some of his old friends,
who, we doubt not, would gladly contribute to raise a
stone to his memory; but his works will be his best
monument, and his memory will live in the hearts of
those who knew him best, in his earlier and happier
days. Instead of a stone, however, to his memory, we
think it would be a more fitting tribute, that a subscrip-
tion should be raised for supplying with bread the widow
and helpless children of his undeviating attachment.
Should this serve the purpose intended by the writer of
this notice, his object is gained.—GlasgowChronicle.

DEATH CAUSED BY A LUNATIC.
An inquest: was held at the Kent County Lunatic
Asylum on Wednesday last, before F. F. Daily, Esq.,
coroner, on the body of John Hubble, 76, a patient at
the above asylum, whose death was caused under the
following circumstances:—William Faucett, a keeper at
the asylum, deposed the deceased was under my
charge in No. 11 ward, on the middle floor. He was
quiet and harmless. At a few minutes before six o'clock
on the morning of Saturday, the 9th of August, just
after I came on duty, as I was in the act of changing
my clothes in my own room, I heard an unusual noise
and a call for the keepers. I ran immediately and un-
locked the door of No. 13, the room in which deceased
and nine others were, and when I opened the door I Jaw
Henry Hills, a patient, beating the deceased, who was
lying in bed, in a murderous way with the tin chamber
utensil on the head. I saw only one blow struck, as I
immediately interfered, and, upon my going towards
them, Hills threatened me with the utensil ; but upon
my remonstrating with him, he threw it down, and
came into the middle of the room very quietly, and did
not speak or offer to strike any of the others. Thu
deceased was lying in the bed apparently suffering from
the blow he had received. The blow that I saw struck
was a very violent one, so much so that the handle flew
off by the concussion; the tin pot I now produce was in
Hill's hand, and covered with fresh blood. There were
two other pots, which were also wet with blood, and
the handles broken off. I ran for assistance, when three
keepers arrived, and Hills was locked up, Hills and
deceased had been sleeping in the same room for the
last two or three months, and I had seen them daily
during the time and I saw no quarrel between them. Dr.
Huxley, medical superintendent at the asylum, deposed
on the day of the occurrence I asked the deceased who
had struck him, and he said it was Hills. He stated
that he had given Hills no provocation, and that he com-
menced the blows whilst he (deceased) was asleep, and
he should think he must have struck him forty times.
When I saw Hills, immediately atter quitting the de-
ceased, ha seemed very much depressed. I asked him
how he came to do it, and he answered, "It was the
work of God." I consider it to have been an act of
pure insanity, and judging from his condition, I did not
consider him to be in a responsible state of mind at the
time. _ _

Verdict—" Died from inflammation of the membranes
of the brain, caused by blows inflicted on the head by
Henry Hills, a lunatic."—Maidstone Gazette.

HOP INTELLIGEN CE.

MAIDSTONE.—Our duties as hop reporters are now
rapidly drawing to a close. Picking will commence
in many parts within a week ; indeed in some places
we hear a beginning has already been made, and, in
anticipation of employment, hundreds of Irish and
other wandering labourers are flocking into this
neighbourhood. The late winds have bruised the
hops considerably; many of the grounds resemble
what may be supposed to be the appearance of
a field of battle after a severe combat, in
which every tenth man has been laid low.
Besides the injury resulting from this rough
usage, the cold has checked the development
of the hops, and must be against the duty. On this
latter point the opinions we hear are very contra-
dictory. Some are strongly of opinion that it is
overset at 100,000/., while others, taking into conside-
ration the late winds, insist on the probability of its
reaching 115,0001. This knotty point can scarcely
now be settled till picking commences, and the
" yield" is ascertained.
BARMING.—Our hops were going on well, but the
wind has taken off all their beauty. The cold nights
and the wind, I calculate, has lessened the duty quite
10,0001.
EAST FARLEIGH.—The late winds and cold nights
have been very:injurious to the plantations. Thousands
of poles have been thrown down, and all hands have
been engaged in endeavouring to put matters to
rights. The cold has evidently checked their growth;
and we should imagine that a considerable per-
centage has been taken off the duty.
WEST FARLEIGH AND YALDING.—The high winds
have sadly battered the plantations. From the early
state of the hops just coming out the injury has been
more severe. The quality has also suffered. The
cold nights have prevented the backward hops from
coning out, and shut up the forward ones. The
growth of 1641 will therefore be much less than was
estimated, nor will the quality be so fine.
LOOSE.—We look, as I expected, the worse for the
winds of the past week, which, followed by cold
nights, will no doubt stop all further growth of the
backward hops, but most of our grounds are got well
into full sized clean hops, and must be a good sample.
All further cultivation is now at an end ; all we have
to do is to keep the poles up and wait ten or twelve
days and commence the last out door operation—.
" picking." You will hear no more from me till I
can inform you how they come down.
LINTON.—Our hops have improved very much up
to the time we had the wind; it has seriously injured
many pieces and battered them about so that those
that are not out will never get out.

A YLESFORD.—The hops in this parish improved
during the warm weather, and may probably average
to the acre—still, should a continuance of cold nights
prevail they will not grow out, and we think the
flea will do much mischief to the crop.
WATERINGBUJIY AND NETTLESTEAD.—The effects
of the gale a week ago now begin to be seen in the
bruised state of the hops—the late cold and wind has
also checked their growth.
111EREWORTIL—Our hops are looking well. In
some grounds they talk of a ton per acre. Some
grounds are short of bine. The parish through is
estimated to grow 8 or 10 hundred per acre.
WROTIIAM (Town District).—The recent warm
weather forced out a few hops on the black bines
where none was expected, and the better ones im-
proved ; but it is not unlikely that here, as well as in
many other districts, the improvement may be over-
rated, and the cold and wind of the last few days have
quite balanced the account, and left them about " as
they were.,,
MAEDEN.—The hops in some grounds continue to
improve, but the cold weather is very unfavourable for
them.

STAPLEUURST.—The high winds during the past
week have battered the hops in exposed situations, and
the cold has retarded the progress they were making.
CRANBROOK.—The wind which has been " blow-
ing great guns" for two or three days during the
past week has battered the plantations considerably,
and has had the effect of defacing the beauty of
their appearance, but we do not think any diminution
of duty has been effected thereby. Besides being
windy we have had a colder atmosphere, and the
flowers have not made that progress which they are
wont to do in more genial weather; they are, how-
ever, obtaining condition daily, and are already
possessed of that delightful aromatic fragrance for
which they are so highly celebrated. Picking will
commence :on or about Monday next, Sept.
8, in tho forward grounds, and although we
think it is quite probable that, though generally
looking well to the eye, they will perhaps
be overset, as is very often the case in good
grounds in a blighting season, still we shall grow a
very fair crop for the year; and as we have stated all
along, we believe the duty will exceed 100,000/.
ROLVENDEN.—OLIT hops are about the same as last
week. The winds have injured them quite etual to
the late improvement.
TICEIRIRST.—The late winds have blow❑ our hops
about considerably, particularly in exposed situations.
The crop must be a short one, and from present ap-
pearances we shall get about 5 cwt. per acre.

GUNNING EXTILAORDINAItY.—The coast-guard men
of the stations on the Lyme Regis District had some excel-
lent practice, before Sir James Brook and a numerous party,
on Thursday last, on the big gun, at the battery westward of
the harbour. The target having been laid in the water at a
guess, the first two shots were thrown away to ascertain the
distance, which being found to be 700 yards, the firing com-
menced. Ten shots were then fired in succession, and,
though the " captain" of the gun was changed at each shot,
the whole ten hit the target, and each one so effectively as
to render it necessary to replace the target three times dur-
ing the tiring of the ten shots. The party also witnessed
theblanZrformance of the lower-deck exercise, quick firing with
; and cartridges, shifting breathings and trucks, and hand-
spike
drill expressed themselves highly delighted at
the skill displayed__poeie Herald.