The Sun.
London, England, 1834-10-20 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sia,—Although there is every reason to believe that the
late destruction by fire of both Houses of Parliament was
wholly accidental, yet would it not be well to take a hint
from what has occurred at Westminster, and in consequence
to look into the manner in which the edifice of the Bank of
England is guarded against such an accident ? Is the num-
ber of watchmen constantly employed to protect those pre-
mises quite sufficient ?—What is the number of fire-engines
kept within the Bank building ?—And, are the dwelling-
places of the men who, in case of necessity, are to work the
engines, within a short, distance from the Bank, so that they
may be brought to the spot, day or night, in an instant ?
These questions may not be thought ill-timed by other stock-
holders, besides
Birmingham, Oct. 19, 1834. Z.

Lord Brudenel leaves town to-day on a Continen-
tal tour.

Lord George Hill will lead to the hymeneal altar the
acecomplished Miss Knight, of Godmersham Park, to-morrow.

Lord Fitzroy Somerset returns to Walmer Castle for
a few days ere the departure of the Duke of Wellington.
Lady Fitzroy Somerset is still at Dover.

Lord Albert Conyugham left town at Saturday last
on a visit to the Dowager Marchioness at Bifrons, near Can-
terbury.

Lord Yarborough, having closed his sojourn at.
Cowes, arrived at Brocklesby Hall to prepare for the shooting
season.

Lord Forester has had a family circle assembled at
Willie Bark, Yorkshire ' • but the visitants, ;including the Earl
and Countess of Chesterfield, and the Hon. Colonel and Mrs.
Anson, have now left for the Newmarket October Meeting.

Her Royal Highness the Princess Augusta intends
leaving St. James's Palace on the Ist of the next month for
Brighton.

The Lord Bishop of London arrived on Saturday
morning at the George Hotel, Portsmouth, on his route from
the Isle of Wight, and proceeded to his seat at Fulham.

The Duke of Norfolk is now at Fornham, near Bury
St. Edmund's, entertaining a few select friends.

The Marquis of Worcester is going on a visit to
his mother, the Duchess of Beaufort, for a few days.

The Marquis and Marchioness of Lansdowne ar-
rived in Paris on Thursday last; they will return home about

le Bth of November.

The Earl and Countess of Sefton, with the Ladies
Molyneux, are entertaining a select party at their seat in Lan-
cashire. The Hon. Colonel Molyneux, of the 67th Regiment,
at present stationed in Ireland, is amongst the distinguished
guests.
TheEae winterrland seasonC Countess
in a
few days.tessofSefton are expected in
town for
for the
Earl Howe leaves Decne Park, the seat of the Earl
of Cardigan, at Wansford, in Northamptonshire, this day, to
join his Countess at Gopshall Hall, near Atherstone.
The Earl of Brecknock arrived at his beautiful scat,
the Priory, in the county of Brecknock, on Wednesday last,
where Sir Henry and Lady Emily Hardinge and family have
been sojourning some weeks.
The family of Earl Cowper return to George-street,
Hanover-square, on the Ist of November, to make prepara-
tions for their annual visit to Brighton. They will depart
about the middle of next week, and remain at Brighton until
Christmas, when the rites of hospitality will recal them to
Pansanger.
The Dowager Marchioness of Salisbury arrived at
Salisbury House, in the Green Park, yesterday, from a tour.
The last visit was to Ashridge Castle, the seat of the Countess
of Bridgewater.
Sir It. Peel and his lady, and eldest daughter, in-
tend to make a continental tour of three months ; they were
expected to leave Calais on Thursday for Paris, whence, after
a short stay, they will visit Italy and Switzerland. At Flo-
rence they will meet Sir Henry and Lady Floyd, and they
will-make some stay at Rome. The Right Honourable Ba-
ronet shipped two carriages at the custom-house, on board the
Lord Melville, but he has taken few servants with him. His
establishments at Drayton Park, in Staffordshire, and in Privy
Gardens, have not been diminished. It is the first continental
trip Sir Robert has taken since his marriage with his lady,
sister to Sir Henry Floyd.
The Marquis and Marchioness of Salisbury will
visit Rome early in the next month, pay a few visits at Naples,
and are expected home about the 15th of December.
Beaumont Lodge, the delightful chateau of Viscount
and Viscountess Ashbrook, will be the scene of a brilliant fete
this evening to the rank and fashion of Windsor, including all
the Officers of the Household Brigade quartered there.
GRAND MORNING CONCERT AT THE MAN-
SION-Mum—l his concert will be a brilliant affair. It will
be given in the Egyptian-hall, and be patronised by the Royal
Family, as well as by the Lord and Lady Mayoress, the She-
riffs, and many of the most influential persons in the city.
The arrangements are excellent ; there will be no reserved
tickets ; and taking place in the morning will give those who
come from the country an opportunity of returning early. M.
Mori will lead, and M. Moscheles conduct the concert.

Manzoni's celebrated romance, " the Betrothed,"
which has obtained an European celebrity, and of which, in
Italy, so many editions have been printed, is to form the suc-
ceeding volume of " The Standard Novels." The scene of this
extraordinary production is laid near the Lake of Como, the
period that of the Spanish dominion. The customs, habits,
prejudices, superstitions, &c., with the modes of living peculiar
to the 16th century, are exhibited in this splendid work with
great truth of colouring and admirable propriety. The
deFcri ption of the plague is intensely interesting. It is deli-
neated with a delicacy and a magic, which at once terrify and
attract us. There are traits of satire and humour of the most
happy kind also, which strike the imagination and play around
the heart, while they deepen the interest of the work. Italy
may henceforth boast with justice of possessing in Manzoni,
her Cooper and her Walter Scott.

The Royal Engineers constructed a pontoon bridge
on Thursday across the Medway at Halling, over which several
carriages passed.
The Observer of yesterday had by far the best
account of the fire, which occupied six folio columns of that
Journal. A Monday Edition of the Observer, adapted for
country and foreign circulation, is regularly published at four
o'clock every Monday afternoon. The price of the Observer
is seven-pence. Office, No. 170, Strand. Orders carefully
attended to by Messrs. Cowie and Son, No. 30, St. Martin's-
lc- Grand ; and by all Newspaper dealers.
While the greater number of the southern cantons of
Switzerland have been desolated by inundations, a circum-
stance of a very opposite nature has occurred in the canton of
Appenzell. It was remarked for some time that in conse-
quence of the want of rain, the lake at Samtiserthal was gra-
dually diminishing, and from the small streams which entered
it being dried up, it was expected that it would soon be with-
out a drop of water. This has really taken place, and a per-
son may walk through it without getting his feet wet. Several
other lakes are almost in the same state. The storm which
burst over the Alps on the 17th August, and the deluge of
rain which fell, have caused an immense accumulation of frag-
ments of rocks and other debris immediately above the parish
church of Silinen. The inhabitants of that district foresee
new calamities. Like the village of Felsberg, in the Grison
Alps, that of Silinen is threatened with total dstruction, should
rain fall abundantly.— Quotidienne.