The Sun.
London, England, 1858-10-09 00:00:00

COMETS.

A correspondent writing to Galignani from St.
Omer, says :—" In a late number of the Messenger
there are some remarks, signed J. F.,' on the sub-
ject of comets, and as he requests the opinion of
others on his theory, I take the liberty of offering
a few words on the subject. The writer justly ob-
serves that universal space is studded with innu-
merable globes like our own, all made and directed
by Divine Power and Wisdom,' remarking that in
a series of ages it is necessary that ' they should
undergo a certain process of purification by fire,'
and I apprehend his hypothesis to be, that the pre-
senkcomet is one of those unlucky globes, but I
hop 7 there will not be much difficulty in rescuing
the splendid stranger from such a dreadful state of
suffering. Ist. I conceive there is one fatal objec-
tion to his theory, namely, that comets, the nuclei
of which being opaque bodies, are not of fire, but
derive all their splendour from the sun, and have
only reflected light. But if this were not so, it may
be remarked that they revolve, not in regular orbits
but in elongated ellipses round the sun, and accord-
ing to regular laws, similar to those of the planets.
For this discovery we are indebted to the immortal
Newton. It is evident, therefore; that comets re-
turn to us again, and are not consumed by fire, but
in fact, like the planets, move round the sun,.
and are as free from destruction as those others
are. Their utility or object science has not
hitherto discovered, but they are under the
direction and the control of an Omniscient
Being, who creates nothing in vain. If, however,
J. F.' be in error as to the destruction of comets
by fire, it is presumed that suns have perished.
'The star in the constellation Cassiopeia' says a
great authority, ' never moved from its place during
its change from extreme brilliancy, which surpassed
even that of Jupiter, to apparent extinction, the
colour of the light altering as it passed through the
various hues of an expiring conflagration.' Another
eminent man of science, Dr. Hales, says : We may
safely conclude that the amazing process of reno-
vating and annihilating worlds has been going on
and will continue to all eternity.' The star in Cas-
siopeia was noticed in 1572, by Tycho Brahe, the
Danish astronomer, and was visible for nearly two
years, decreasing in splendour until it became
utterly destroyed, as related by Sir J. Herschel,
and its place in the heavens remains still unoccu-
pied. Still, if the speculations of concerning
comets be erroneous, it must be said that men of the
very highest science have gone much further, as for
instance the celebrated Whiston, who affirmed that
comets were the habitation and place of punishment
of the wicked, who when at a remote distance from
the sun endured all the agonies of cold, and when
near that luminary all the excruciating torments of
fire !' "

An Admiralty order has been issued restricting
the entry of seamen for service in the Royal Navy
to men standing 5 feet 7 inches in height.
At Aix two French priests have recently caused
a sensation by celebrating Divine service, attired in Chinese
costume. One of these, the Abbe Ferny, after a residence
of several years in the province of Kong Tcheou, in China,
has returned to France on business connected with the
mission.

LARGE ARRIVALS AT HULL FROM THE BLACK
SEA.--In the course of the past week, eleven vessels have
arrived in Hull from the Black Sea, chiefly from Taganrog.
Their united cargoes amount to 20,088 quarters of linseed,
2,780 quarters of barley, 2,440 quarters of rapeseed, and
1,120 quarters of Indian corn.
THE DEFALCATIONS AT WEEDON.—The Royal
Commissiohers did not sit this morning. They will meet
at Weedon on Wednesday week, in London on Thursday
week, and at Woolwich on the Monday following.
On Monday the Emperor Napoleon will quit the
camp of Chalons, accompanied by Marshal Canrobert as far
as Rheims, where his Majesty will pass the night. The
Emperor will arrive at Rheims in the afternoon, and after
being present at a Te Deem in the cathedral, will alight at
the archbishop's palace, where he will pass the night. In
the evening there will be a ball at the Hotel de Ville, and
the next morning the Emperor will leave,for Paris.
ELECTION OF EAST INDIA DlRECTORS.—Yester-
day notice was issued at the India House that Messrs. Rus-
sell Ellice W. Butterworth Bayley. and Henry Thoby
Prinsep, having disqualified, an election would take place
on-the 21st inst., to fill up the vacancies thus created at the
Board of Directors.

ROBBERY AT BLENHEIM PALACE.—A robbery of
property to a considerable amount took place on Sunday last
at Blenheim Palace, the seat of the Duke of Marlborough.
The articles appear to have been stolen from the dressing-
room occupied by the duchess, who missed them from a
table late on Sunday night, where they were deposited along
with a large quantity of jewellery and plate to the value of
£2,000 or £3,000. The missing property comprises a mas-
sive gold chain, snake pattern ; a small French gold watch,
made by Brequet ; an enamelled gold chain, with a jewelled
clasp attached ; a gold breast pin, turquoise head : a gold
breast pin, with a turquoise head pendant ; and a leather
pocketbook purse, containing a small sum of money. In-
, formation of the robbery was forwarded to Mr. C. M.
Owen, chief constable of the Oxfordshire police, who im-
mediately instituted a searching investigation, but up to
the present time the whole affair is involved in mystery.
TIIE BIRTH OF ROBERT BURNS.—The North of
England Committee foriPromoting a National Celebration
of the Birth of Robert Burns, on the centenary anniversary
of that event, Jan. 25, 1859, are adopting active measures
for insuring the success of the movement, initiated at New-
castle-on-Tyne in August last, with the view of rendering
a world-wide homage to the memory of the great master of
Scottish minstrelsy. They are about to issue an address
for general circulation, and their efforts will not be confined
to the limits of the United Kingdom, but will extend to the
British possessions all over the world, and to the United
States—in short, to every place where the English lnaguage
i% spoken.
SOUTHAMPTON, Friday.—The Royal Mail steam-
ship Thames, Captain Gillies, which has been employed on
intercolonial service in the West Indies for the last two
years, arrived here this morning, having come home for re-
pairs. She left St. Thomas's on the 19th ult., four days
after the Parana, and reports that the mail steamer •La
Plata, with the mails of the 2d of September from this port,
arrived there on the evening of the 16th. The Thames
spoke the American ship Russell, ofjßoston, with emigrants,
steering west, in lat 46 13 north, long 18 50 west ; and the
British ship Continent, steering west, in lat. 46 20 north,
long. 18 35 west. The South-Western Company's steamship
Wonder, Captain Clements, which sustained great damage
by the collision with the Havre steamer, a few months
since, being now again ready for sea, went out for a trial
trip to-day. A more comfortable ship of her class we have
never seen, and her performances give promise of the pre-
vious high character she has held for speed being outstripped
in the future. The Wonder has been entirely refitted
throughout, and many improvements in the saloon and
bed-cabin arrangements have been introduced. She resumes
the station between this port and Havre next week, leaving
here on Monday, we believe, on her first outward voyage.
GOLD IN GUIANA.—A correspondent of the New
Fork Tribune, who dates his letter from Ciudad Bolivar,
August the 20th, says:—" Since my last I have visited the
gold mines of Guiana, the veritable El Dorado, so fruit-
lessly sought for by Sir Walter Raleigh. The mines were
discovered about two years since by an Indian while hunt-
ing in the woods for stray donkeys. He pulled up a bush
and found a large piece of pure gold at the_ roots.. He
carried it to a German merchant at Tapequeen (six miles
distant) for sale, and the trader endeavoured to obtain
the secret of its discovery from the Indian. He refused to
give the required information, and he was made drunk, and
then cruelly beaten until the secret was finally wrung from
him. The discovery of these mines corresponds with the
deicription givni. by Sir Walter Raleigh of the manner in
which. the , India& obtained their gold—viz., ' And being
asked how they got the same gold, they told us they went
to a certain down or plain, and pulled or digged up the
grass by the root, which done they took off the earth,
putting it in great buckets, which they carried to wash at the
river. That these mines were known to the early Spaniards
is proved by the recent discovery of certain letters found
in a trunk in the abandoned cathedral at Guasipate, 15 miles
distant from Caratel. The mines are undoubtedly exceed-
ingly rich, and large quantities of gold, have already been.
discovered. In consequence, however, of the labour re-
quired to obtain it, and the deadly nature of the climate,
they will not repay individual enterprise. Companies well
organised, and with the revisit() machinery to work the
gold quartz, and drain the pools at the base of the various
cascades, will undoubtedly realise vast fortunes. During
my stay of four weeks at the mines there were only about
60 miners engaged in working, and over 2,500 dols. in gold
was found. One place weighed four pounds and a-half.
The quartz is exceedingly rich, and a charter has been given
to accompany, composed mostly of citizens from New York,
conferring upon them the exclusive privilege for six years
of working the quartz in Caratel and Tapaqueen."
It is stated that out of the fund of 20,0001. which

the London Missionary Society proposes to raise for send-
ing out 20 additional missionaries to ludia, £13,000 has
has already been collected.
MURDER AND SUICIDE.—PRESTON, Thursday.
Wednesday afternoon one of the most shocking of
tragedies took place at the village of Forton, near Gar-
stang, about 12 miles from this town and eight miles from
the town of Lancaster. A young man named Robert
Bond, the son of a retired gentleman living at.
Forton, shot dead Mary Hannah Wainman, a young
lady whom he had been courting for some time, and
afterwards blew out his brains in the drawing-room of
his father's house. From the particulars our corres-
pondent was able to collect the following appear to
have been the facts :—Superintendent Green, of the
county constabulary, stationed at Garstang, reports that
about half-past 2 o'clock he received information of the
tragedy, and he hasted to the spot, in company of Police-
constables Webb and Porter. On arriving there the sight
which met the eye washorrible in the extreme. The young
lady was lying dead, having been scot in the right side of the
head. She is supposed lo have died instaneously after re-
ceiving the 'fatal sly,t. It seems that the murderer Bond
had been paying his addresses to victim, :aid soma little
diffeernce having, arisen between them his mind was lashed
into such a state of frenu that he perpetrated this diabolical
murder in broad daylight. He then deliberately walked
home, and, entering the drawing-room in his father's house,
loaded his gun, and placed the muzzle in his mouth. The
next moment he pulled back the trigger and blew off the
top part of his head. Bond was 2,5 yeas of age and his
victim only 19 years old. The facts of this painful case
will bo inquired into without delay by Mr. L. Holden,
coroner for the northern division of the county.

vv
97-1' •
i‘lis3 CARLOTTA LECLERCQ.— ue • Theatres
Royal, Edinburgh and Glasgow have for the last month
been visited by this talented lady, who has attracted great
houses by her clever and graceful
.representations. The
performance of " Faust and Marguerite" at Glasgow created
much enthusiasm, and we are happy to find we were inerror
when a
wep t
who haws deservedly obtained so
position
nd
on the
al b e ad
stagey had
any
intention of retiring
high
from the profession,—Era.