The Sun.
London, England, 1869-09-25 00:00:00

HERALDS' COLLEGE,

A correspondent, who signs himself "John Brown Smith
(
Brown, Mudlands, Bcoshire," makes known in the
columns of a contemporary his personal experience of
the practical working of that venerable institution, the
Heralds' College. He epitomises his case thus :—" lam
equally descended from the Browns of Mudlands and
Browns of Sludgcombe, the senior and the junior branches.
All Bceshiro, the land of the Browns, recognises me
as the Brown. No other Brown disputes it, and the
Heralds' College don't deny it, but they say, " You
must take the arms of the junior branch, because we
made a blunder forty years ago, and it is not our habit
to rectify blunders—we never even admit them ; but
if you'll pay more money and look pleasant, and,
besides that, collect for yourself all the information
which it is our business to possess ourselves, we'll see
about it.'" One of Mr. Brown's ancestors had paid
£l5O in college fees for the privilege of assuming
the name of Smith, and Mr. Brown had also
paid £l5O to change his name back to Brown. He ha:
now discovered that if he had merely advertised
in a newspaper, he could have effected all he wanted fox
fewer shillings than ho paid pounds, and there would not
be now on record at the Heralds' College a fallacious and
deteriorated exemplification of the arms of a really ancient
family. Mr. Brown has taken no further notice of the Her-
alds' College, but has continued to bear the legitimate arms
of his family, as his forefathers did, and he writes in order
to warn anybody who may be situated like himself
against throwing his money away on this respectable
anachronism, this venerable imposture, which, while it
will supply any haberdasher with arms—anybody's arms he
may take a fancy to—if he will only pay the fees, is only
willing to correct its own stupidity if its victim will con-
sent to further and indefinite bleeding.

The lion. Ir. Codogan addressed a few of his
constituents from the balcony of the Mechanics' Institute,
New Swindon, on Thursday. The hon. gentleman said he
had been seriously ill, and bad only returned from the
Continent, -whither he had gone fur the benefit of his
health, three days before. Mr. Cadogan made no political
remarks.

The Social Science Association intends at its Bristol

meeting, -which is to take place next week, to bring forward
the question of the relations between England and her
colonies. The colonial element will be well represented.
In addition to the three signers of the letter calling a confer-
ence of colonial representatives in London in February next,
a large number of colonists, and especially of Australian;
have expressed their intention to be present.

Mits. STOWE AND THE " TRUE STORY OF LORD
Brumes Lin:."—We understand that Messrs. Macmillan
have received froin the American publisher of Mrs. Stewe's
article on Lord Byron, a telegram to the effect that for the
present Mrs. Stowe reserves her reply to the criticisms
ihereen. On this account the reply will not appear in the
November number of Macntalan's Magazine, as we
ulinviuxuud butue time ay.

CO3IMERCE or NEW YORK.---Tho total value of
the exports from New York to fcrcign ports for the scvcn
months ending the 31st of July this year was 126,230,916
dollars, as compared with 154,124,750 dollars in the
corresponding period of 18GS. The value of the imports at
New York in the first seven months of this year was
196,332,412 dollars, as compared with 151,623,520 dollars
in the corresponding period of 1368. The imports have
thus experienced a great expansion, while the exports have
decreased.

THE LORD JUSTICESIIIP OF APPEAL.—The
Law Times, in referring to the rumour that the vacant
Lord Justiccship has been offered to Lord Westbury, states
that there is strong porbability in favour of the truth of
the rumour, but that the appointment is not ono which
would be looked upon with any particular favour. There
is no doubt, however, it remarks, that Lord Westbury is a
powerful judge, and would be of great service in the Chan-
cery Appeal Court.

THE WICKLOW PEERAGE.—We understand that
a circular, signed " Ellen Howard," has been issued to the
tenants on the Wicklow estate, requesting them not to pay
any rent to Mr. Charles Reward, who, the circular states,
falsely calls himself tho Earl of Wicklow, and has ob-
tained momentary possession of the estate. The docu-
ment, which is certainly a curious ene, closes with a
request that the tenants will retain the rent in their
hands " until a proper authority has been appointed to
receive it."

NEW DESCRIPTION,,Or • AMERICAN COTTON.—
Charlestown advice's mention the introduction of a new
quality of cotton. It is stated that some time back a small
quantity of cotton seed was procured from California, part
of which was planted in Mississippi and part near Selina,
Alabama, and that the results have been very favourable.
Among other alleged advantages are its great productive
powers, as it yields two and a half to three bales per acre,
and the period of its coming to maturity—which is two or
three weeks—is earlier than that of ordinary cotton. The
fibre is of about medium strength and quality.

A metropolitan demonstration is announced to
be held in Hyde Park, on Sunday, the 24th of October,
in support of the movement for the unconditional
release of the Fenian political prisoners. It is stated
that a leading Irish member of Parliament will preside
on the occasion, and that several ether Irish members
and gentlemen of influence will be present. The demon-
stration is promoted by the London Amnesty Com-
mittee, the International Democratic Association, the
Holborn and Clerkenwell Reform League, and the United
Labourers' Society, a body numbering several- thousand
men, and chiefly composed of Irishmen. A committee has
been appointed to attend to the arrangements, and no effort
is to be spared to make the demonstration an imposing
one, both in regard to influence and numbers. Several
deputations from Ireland are also to be present.
AN ECCENTRIC PRILOSOPIIER.—There died a few
days since, at Upper Clapton, an eccentric personage,
well known in the parish as " Mad Howard." It was
his custom, a few years ago, to :stand at Stamford-hill
tollgate from eleven to twelve o'clock every Thursday,
and pay the toll on every vehicle that passed, after which
he would throw out of the window sometimes as much as
£lOO in' gold and silver, to be scrambled for by the
populace. When remonstrated with on the absurdity
of his conduct he would reply that, " having no one to
leave his money to, the Crown would be his heir, and he
might as well benefit as many of the Queen's subjects as
possible in his lifetime." We understand that he has died
intestate, though often solicited to leave his money to some
of the local charities. The personalty is believed to be
about £50,000, all of which, in default of an heir-at law,
will go to the Crown.

WOMEN VOTERS. It would seem that Mr. John
Stuart Mill has triumphed in at last one European
capital. Austria used to have a name for despotism,
and the rigid adherence to ancient usages. It is
now in many respects quite radical in its tendencies
If we may crcdit the local and special corre-
spondent of the Indlpendance Beige, the municipal
body of the town of Vienna has decided that
7,000 women inhabiting the town, paying its taxes,
and otherwise complying with all legal conditions, shall
be admitted to the right of an elective vote. Tho most
curious part of tho affair is tho comparatively speaking
utter unconcern of the male population of Vienna. In this
respect, however, Austria is as England. In the last session
of Parliament a precisely similar extension of the municipal
franchise to women was made without exciting oven tho
faintest opposition. Many in this country liar_ not been
swan that the questimot. wc.)14415 FiAllyyks
iideiecl 14 Auskia;