The Sun.
London, England, 1834-10-24 00:00:00

THE LIFE RAFT.

On Tuesday, according to—the public announcement of
placards posted up in places adjacent to the river, Mr. Can-
ning, the inventor of the life raft, exhibited himself and his
apparatus for saving the lives of shipwrecked mariners on
the Thames. The placards announced that the experiment
would take place at eleven o'clock, and that at that hour
the raft, with the inventor upon it, would be dragged or
towed by the Pilot steamer against one of the abutments
of London-bridge. The state of the tide, however, did not
admit of the experiment taking place at so early an hour,
and it was not till nearly one o'clock that it was made.
The raft is of the most simple contrivance, but is on that
account the more useful, and the more capable of being
speedily constructed. It consists of three booms or spars,
or yards lashed together with ropes in the centre, and then
bent out into the shape of two triangles, connected at the
apices. At the extremity of the spars which form the lower
triangle are fixed three casks or barrels, which render the
whole sufficiently buoyant, and which arc defended from
external injury by being covered in part by old bedding,
&c. ; the whole floats high above the water, and in the
upper inverted triangle Mr. Canning sat securely during
the experiment, and appeared to be perfectly at his ease ;
the extremities of the triangles are secured to each other by
ropes. The Pilot steam-boat towed the apparatus through
all the bridges, from London-bridge to Battersea, and
brought it with considerable force in contact with the
various piers of each ; at Blaekfriars, in particular, the
shock was in great force, the machine, however, weathered
every obstacle, and fully performed what•it was asserted it
would do. Its principal merit is the facility with which it
can be put together, and formed of almost any materials to
be found in a ship, and its great defence against destruc-
tion is its extreme lightness, and its rather yielaing to,• by
its elasticity, than resisting by its strength the force of a
sudden shock. How it would succeed in a gale of wind
upon a rocky shore, it is difficult, from the experiment of
yesterday, to form a positive conclusion. It is said, how-
ever, to have been tried in a severe gale on the coast of
Jersey, about five years ago, and to have answered most
successfully the wishes of the inventor. London-bridge
was crowded with anxious spectators, and the river, from
the quantity of craft of all sorts below bridge, increased
by its animated appearance the interest of the scene.

AUSTRIA.

METTERNICH'S SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT.

The Augsburg Gazette contains the following reflec-
tions, occasioned by the 25th anniversary of Prince Met-
ternich's elevation to the high office of Prime Minister of
Austria :

" The Prince assumed the direction of the foreign rela-
tions of the vast Austrian empire a few days after the bat-
tle of Wagram, when the political opinions of Europe were
in a state of total disorganization. On the 7th of Octo-
ber, thie6. months later, the Prince was officially appointed
'to the Sadie -department, for which he had shown himself
singularly,qUalified. At this time the power of Napoleon
was at its height, and he wished to form an allianee with
the nation which he had made so many attempts -to
weaken. Napoleon was crowned with power and glory ;
his power extended from the Vistula to Cadiz, from the
,German Ocean to tint, extremity of Calabria. That for-
idable seemed then daily to become more consoli-
4itted, and promised ages of domination to hint and his
iiiierity. Europe beheld with astonishment his rapid con-
quests, and the magic extension of his power. A few pro-
found observers, and, amongst the number, was Prince
Metternich, discovered the secret of the weakness of the
French.-

" Gradually, circumstances, unforeseen by the mass of
mankind, bi-ought about the overthrow of that gigantic
empire. The legions which had penetrated to the Nile,
and'had marched in triumph from the Tagus to Russia, at
last succumbed under the load of victories. Then Sove-
-Vigns Wad nations united in the most sacred bonds of
brotherhood against the unprecedented favourite of fortune.
Tha battle of Leipsic relieved Germany from the yoke
which" had, pressed so heavily upon her. Her injured sons
avenged the thousand wrongs she had received at the
hands of the licentious French soldiery, and the capital of
their late oppressors lay exposed to a deservedly terrible
retribution.
" The Bourbons wore restored to the throne of their
ancestors, apd, in an assembly of Sovereigns and statesmen
the most memorable in the history of the world, the affairs
of Europe were brought back to their natural state. The
nations were a second time thrown into alarm, and a second
time they restored peace to the world. The man who had
been the cause of so much bloodshed, so much misery, was
consigned to a barren rock of the Atlantic, there to end his
days, the prisoner of the nation which he most detested.
The Powers of Europe were then left in peace to turn thoir
attention towards their people.
" Spain became a prey to civil war in changing a long-
established system of government for one which she did not
understand, and she found herself obliged to return to the
former state of things. The attempt at innovation of to-
day will have the same end, for the moral state of things in
Spain will not allow of such ameliorations.
" Portugal founded an empire in the New World, and
she herself is now the victim of revolutionary measures.
France, after a repose of 15 years, was hurried into the
course which formerly proved so disastrous to herself and.
Europe. The day of the popular triumph was the day of her
ruin ; the illustrious have vanished, and she is now fast re-
trograding. Italy attempted to follow the example of
France, but happily for herself, she did not succeed in bring-
ing about her own destruction.
" Turkey, distracted by foreign and domestic feuds, has lost
many of her fairest provinces. Her hitherto natural enemy
has now become her friend, and will remain such. The in-
terests of Russia arc now closely allied to those of the
Porte. The Emperor Alexander died covered with glory,
deplored by his people, and esteemed and regretted by Eu-
rope. Constantine abdicated the throne in favour of his
younger brother Nicholas. who trod the hydra of revolution
under his feet, and has lately succeeded in restoring peace
to Poland.

In this short space of time England has had her Castle-
reagh, Canning, Liverpool, and Grey. Each successive
administration has been hesitating between the aristor:racy
and democracy ; but the door of the revolution has at last
been opened.

In 1810 Austria found herself in a most critical position.
Since the taking of Paris, until the present hour, she has
followed the same political system. Her power and influ-
ence have changed, it .is true ; but neither reproach nor
praise has been able to induce her to abandon her principles.
" The country is happy in the enjoyment of the greatest
plenty—the necessaries of life are cheap—and the people
love their Emperor. The arts and sciences flourish, and
commerce is in a flourishing state all over the empire ; the
credit of the ,Government is good, and order and tranquil-
lity reign everywhere.
" Austria has always shown herself the implacable enemy
of reckless innovations. The desice on her standard is
Undoubted Right,' and every one will rally round it in
case of need." _

" This undeviating policy of 23 years is a rare political
phenomenon. History will mention it in terms of the
highest praise, and the nam. of Metternich will ever lw
associated with the Persevering diameter of his system."

SECOND EDITION.

SUN OFFICE, i'vraz

THE LONDON GAZETTE

THIS EVENING.

WHITEHALL, OCT. 23, 1834.

This day being appointed for the further prorogation of Parlia-
ment by Commission, and his Majesty having been graciously
pleased, under the circumstances of the calamitous destruction of
both Houses of Parliament by fire, to signify his Royal com-
mands to the Marquis of Cholinor:deley, Deputy Great. Cham-
berlain of England, touching the places of meeting for that
purpose, the Lords Commissioners (consisting of the Lord High
Chancellor, the Lord Privy Seal, and the Lord Auckland) as-
sembled at two o'clock, in the room heretofore appropriated
as the Library of the House of Lords ; the Commons being
assembled in a Committee-room contiguous thereto. Sir Au-
gustus Clifford, Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, was
directed by the Lord Chancellor to desire the immediate at-
tendance of the Commons in the usual course ; and the Commons
being come thither, the Commission was read by the Clerk, and
the Lord Chancellor signified to both Houses his Majesty's Royal
will and pleasure, that the Parliament should be further prorogued
to Tuesday the 25th of November next, to be then and there
holden, and the Parliament was prorogued accordingly.

WAR OFFICE, Om 24. _
16th Regiment of Light Dragoons--Capt. T. W. Browne, from
the half-pay Unattached, to be Captain, vice R. Douglas, who ex-
changes, receiving the difference between full-pay of Cavalry and
full-pay of Infantry, Oct. 24.
6th Regiment of Foot—Capt. W. Kortriblit, from the half-pay
of the Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, to be Captain, vice
Thomas Shuldham O'Halloran, who exchanges. Oct. 24.
29th Foot.—Lieut. A. Hemphill to be Adjutant, vice Morgan,
who resigns the Adjutantcy only. May 1.
41st loot.—Ensign J. Campbell, from the 45th Regiment of
Foot to be Lieutenant, without purchase, vice Chambers, cashiered
by the sentence of a General Court Martial. Oct. 24.

43d Foot.—Ensign C. E. Nugent to be Lieutenant, by purchase,
rice HaVerfield, who exchanges; H. Skipwith, Gent., to be En-
sign, by pn.chase, vice Nugent. Oct. 32.
44th Foot.—Lieut. J. E. Codd to be Adjutaht, vice Gray, who
who resigns the Adjutantcy only. March 28.
45th Foot—J. W. Graves, Gent., to be Ensign, without pur-
chase, vice Campbell, promoted in the 41st Regiment of Foot.
Oct. 24.

69th Foot—Staff-Assistant-Surgeon R. Turner to be Assistant-
Surgeon, vice Fisher, whose appointment has not taken place,
Oct. 9.4.

Commissions by the Lord Lieutenant of the County of Leicester.
Leicestershire Regiment of Yeomanry Cavalry.
Cornet. T. F. Turner to be Lieutenant, vice Coodaere, resigned,
Dec. 28.
F. Jackson, Esq., to be Captain by Brevet and Adjutant, vice Bo-
water, deceased, Aug. '2.
G. Palmer, Gent. to be Cornet, vice Sir E. llartopp, promoted.
W. P. M. Crosley, Gent. to be ditto, vice Turner, promoted.
T. Macaulay, Gent. to be Assistant-Surgeon, vice Oliver, resigned.
Oet. 5.

DECLARATIONS OF INSOLVENCY.
THOMAS CARTER, cloth-factor,' Cateaton-street.
ROBERT FLAXMAN, carpenter, Fetter-lane.
THOMAS ROBERT LEWIS, seine-merchant., Tonhridgc-
place

BANKRUPTCIES SUPERSEDED.
WILLIAM "CATTARAL and WILLIAM lIINDE, drvial-
ers Liverpool.
CHRISTOPHER FRANKLAND, Jun., maltstar, • Sumortii,
Lincolnshire.