The Sun.
London, England, 1833-11-09 00:00:00

134,500 14 0

years, 7,576/. 13s. bd.
Corporation for

_
£4,814 1 0
'olice-18 extra

1,100 0 0

lie inhabitants
oration £5,914 1 0

ENGLISH TRAVELEJNG IN THE YEARS

1745 AND 1833.

(Taken from Letters dun Francois, written in that year.)
In the progress of improvement there is probably
nothing in which its advancement is more observ-
able than in the convenience, rapidity, and safety of
travelling in Britain in the present day compared
with those of a former period not very distant.
There lies before us a book entitled Letters d'un
Francois, being a collection of actual letters written
by a Frenchman then in England to sundry most re-
spectable correspondents on the continent in the
year 1745. From one of them upon this subject
we translate a paragraph or two which demonstrate
the improvement to which we have alluded :—" The
English highways," says that writer, "are almost
everywhere impassable; the consequence of which
is, that postchaises are unknown there, and that
in many places we cannot travel, even in a coach,
without danger. There are, it is true, sundry Acts
of Parliament for the repairing of the roads, but
those are of no other use than to enrich these who
undertake to do so, and to make passengers pay for
reparations that are not made. England (he con-
tinues) is perhaps the country where most is said
about the public good, but where, in truth, every
one is most taken up about his own interest.
If you ask an Englishman the cause of an
those abuses, he answers that they are quite
unavoidable in a country of liberty. It seems that
it is liberty which prevents the highways from being
made good and passable—which prevents also the
e;,;,- Lut.dun .'aout being paved—and which) is the
obstacle to their establishing a good police there.
Notwithstanding so important an expression con-
stantly in the mouths of the people, nothing is ever
remedied." In a note to that letter a quotation is
given from a speech of the then Lord Tyrcontiel, in
the House of Commons, which, after a forcible de-
clamation against the situation particularly of the
streets of London at that time, he concludes thus:—
" Ils sont fonde q'nous eroire une people non seule-
ment sans politesse, mais sans gouvernment—une
troupe de barhares, une colonie de Hottentots."—
In English thus :—" These things make us be con-
sidered abroad as a people not only without polite-
ness, but withou► government—a horde of barbarians,
a colony of Hottentots." So much with re-
gard to the actual situation of the roads. The fol-
lowing paragraph will show, somewhat amusingly,
how unsafe travelling must have been in those days
from the prevalence of highway robbery :—" About
fifteen years ago," says this letter-writer, " it was
the custom of the high waym-tn, for the purpose, as
they said, of securing their own rights, to affix on the
doors of rich people in London express injunctions
to all of those who should travel, of whatever quality
or condition they might be, not to go out of town
without having at least six guineas and a watch
about them, and that at the peril of their lives." It
will appear, however, that they were not always so
rigorous, for the writer mentions an instance of
greater leniency towards a traveller, as reported
to him by a friend who had occasion to know
it:—" It was that in his county a robber hav-
ing stopped a gentleman whom he knew to be
rich, but upon whom he found no more than
five guineas, on taking them from him, he told him
distinctly that if ever that should happen again he
would give him a sound beating with a stick."
This is a very different state of matters from that
of the present day, where such things as extensive
highway robberies, properly so called, are almost
never heard of, and where both postchaises arid
coaches can reach London in considerably less
time than two full days and nights. There is just
one sentence more deserving notice in this letter,
but which has more particular reference to the city
of London than to the country. The writer there
says—" In these unhappy times, when the highways
are next to impas-able, the robbers assemble in
parties to raise their contributions, even in London
itself, and the watch rarely trouble themselves about
them."— Tenzpora muiantur.

The following is a translation of the form of
the passports issued by a friar who has been appointed by
the Carlists Intendant of the police at Vittoria. Indeed,
all the offices, civil and military, seem to have been con-
ferred by them on friars or priests t First year of
Christianity. We, Fray Pedro Ximentz Praca, grant
free and safe passport to -, by profession a Roman
Apostolical Catholic, that he may proceed to the revolu-
tionary town of Madrid on private business. And we
have made him give security for his religious conduct, &c."

CHILD BURNT TO DEATH.—An Inquest
was held at the Lord Nelson, Trafalgar street, Walworth,
on Wednesday, the 6th, before J. CARTAR. El. Coroner
for Surrey, to inquire into the death of Sarah Howard,
a little girl aged 11 years, who was burnt to death in the
following manner:—Lydia Stveash, aged seven years,
deposed that she was playing with the d,ceased during the
temporary absence of its mother, when she desired her
younger brother to fetch her a piece of coal, and when in
the act of breaking it her pinafore caught fire. She had
the presence of mind to endeavour to get it off but being
tied in a knot she could not succeed. She (the deceased)
then directly ran into the street, which increased the fire.
Mrs. Garrard deposed that she met the child running in a
blaze, when she endeavoured to put the fire out, which
she accomplished, with the assistance of some neighhours,
who threw some water over her. Mr. Howett, a sur-
geon, gave his evidence to the effect that the child died
from fright more than anything else, as the burns were
only superficial—Verdict, " Accidental Death."

Arrangements for having a steamer always
ready for towing vessels in and out of Dartmouth Harbour
have been completed, the necessary,sum being subscribed.
Dartmouth Harbour, being the only refuge fir shipping in
gales of wind from Portland to Plym .uth will be resorted
to, since no fear of unnecessary detention can for the fu-
ture take place. The steamer will also be applied in keep-
ing the channel of the-river clear up to Tomes, and towing
the vessels up and down. Tke Duke of Sornersec has been
very instrumental in effecting this desirable object.

esties did not Lave the Palace yesterday, the
with Out ceasing throughout the day. The
chess of Gloucester arrived at the Pavilion,
•k in the evening, from Bigshot.
dinner party included the Princess Augusta,
loucester, Major Maxwell, Col. Wynyard,
ly Falkland, Countess Brownlow, Sir Wil-
)n, Lady A. and Miss Cotton, Sir I-1-1
.'avlor, Sir George Teesdale, Sir J. R. Eustace, Miss
Wilson, &c.

Lieut.-General Sir Colin Campbell, Major and Lady
Augusta Baring, and Lieut.-Culonel Storey, visited their
Majesties yesterday.
The Princess Augusta received this morning visits of
congratulation, on her birthday, from their Majesties, the
Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and several of the suite
and household.