The Sun.
London, England, 1856-02-11 00:00:00

THE WESTMINSTER CLOCK TO raR.

The following letter has been sent to a contempo-
rary :--Sir,--A little bird, who has temporary lodgin,s
in one of my loopholes, tells me that my learned neigh
hour, Westminster-hall, has been indulging in jokes at
my expense, jokes which, he says, moreover, are of that
ponderous nature so well suited to the eget of my
venerable friend. It is clear my neighbour's eyes are
failing, otherwise he (or she ?) would have noticed that
none of the stones, or heavy castings-, of which I am
composed, have been raised externally, and it is to be
feared that her reasoning and inductive faculties are
not so good as they were (in spite of her legal training),
or it would have occurred to her that my clock and
bells would be raised in the same way as the heavy
stones and ponderous ironwork of which I am composed.
It is, I fear, impossible for my respected neighbour to
pay me a visit, otherwise I should be happy to show her
(provided her modesty would not be shocked) a large
hoisting shaft in my interior, with a steam engine at the
top, and should then take the opportunity of complain-
ing that she should accuse me of requiring an erection to
cost 3,0001. to get in my furniture, when I myself have
not cost a quarter of that sum in scaffolding for my
own completion: I am sorry to say that my neigh-
bours generally appear, in default of better occupation,
to indulge in souse of that amiable twaddle so peculiarly
fitted for women of a certain, or, like my venerable friend,
an uncertain age. Pray, sir, protect me from such
scandal, and I will promise you a speedy peal in token
of my gratitude.—Your much-maligned and obedient
servant, THE CLOCK TOWER.

THE DANGER OF SUING AMBASSADORS.

On Saturday at the Bloomsbury County Court, before
Mr. D. D. Heath, judge, Henry Hammond, a discharged
servant, formerly in the establishment of his Excellency
the Ambassador from the Emperor of the Brazils sued
the secretary of the embassy for 21. 10s., for wages al-
leged to he due.
The plaintiff having stated his case, a messenger from
the embassy informed his Honour that he had been dis-
charged for gross misconduct. The messenger then
claimed the privilege allowed to ambassadors and their
attach 6., to which plaintiff demurred.
The learned Judge asked Mtn if he was aware of the
position in which he had placed himself by suing the
representative of a foreign power in this country?
Plaintiff was not aware of having done wrong, upon
which

His lionour read to him the act of Parliament, 6 and
7 Anne, wherein it is enacted that if any party shall
sue an ambassador or any attache to any embassy, duly
accredited to the court of the Sovereign of these realms,
the Lord Chancellor has the power to order such plain-
tiff to be severely whipped.
Plaintiff appeared horror-struck at this unexpected
piece of legal information, and, amidst much merriment
in court, turned himself round in the witness-box like a
tortured eel, looking as though he felt the first scratch
of the Chancellor's " cat" on his back. He then mut-
tered something in the shape of an apology, when his
Honour told him to go about his business, and kindly,
ordered the hearing fees, amounting to 6s. 9d., to be.re-
turned to him.
Plaintiff, amid great laughter, skipped out of court to
i eceivo the money from the clerk's office, and expressed
12nnself highly pleased at the termination of the case, and
that the statute of Queen Anne was not put in force.

TOTAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCINTY.—The annual meeting
of this learned body was held on Friday last, at their
rooms in Somerset House ; Professor Johnson, of Ox-
ford, in the chair, supported by Admiral Manners, Pro-
fe.Ftsor Be Morgan, Mr. Whitbread, M.P., and Professor
ary, the Astronomer Royal. Various papers were read
( in the advancement of this science, and a memoir eulo-
ristic of a deceased fellow—the late Mr. Sheepshanks.
the society's gold medal was awarded this year by the
council, and yesterday presented to Robert Grant, Esq.,
for his work, entitled "History of Physical Astronomy."
After the election of office bearers the meeting tenni-
ri ated, and the members afterwards dined together atthe
luta Rotel.