The Sun.
London, England, 1858-09-29 00:00:00

the only instance in which men have engaged in a
hopeless cause at a time when the commonest dic-
tates of prudence should have 'convince' theM of
the.folly of such a proceeding.

Elsewhere in our impression of th., evening we
give a resume of this last year's record of our own
Coast Shipwrecks. It will be seen from these me-
lancholy statistics how frightful still is the havoc
resulting in this way to the general community in
the annual destruction of life and property—not
far out at sea, but along the shores of our own
" Snug Little Island." It will be perceived,
moreover, that, notwithstanding all the pre-
cautionary measures adopted for some time past,
'systematically and increasingly—there were actually
in 1857 as many as 400 ships lost, and with them
800 lives and property destroyed to the amount of
£1,500,000! In spite of life-boats, harbours of
refuge, rocket and mortar apparatus, in spite of
cheap charts and accurate compasses, and
improved systems of navigation ! Notwithstanding
all these increased and increasing advantages tfiere
is the terrible sum total before us—for 1857-400
ships lost, 800 lives, and property to the value of
£1,500,000 ! Obviously—though " much has been
done"—" yet 'more remains to do." We must have

more lifeborts—more rocket and mortar appa-
ratus, and, above all, more harbours of re-
fuge. For the first we may look to
public charity and private enterprize. For the
last we must look mainly to the patriotism, energy,
and determination of her MAJESTY'S Government.

The chief of these deplorable disasters occur
along the east and the north-east coast of Eng-
land—from the Firth of Forth to the South Fore-
and. Shipwrecks occur, of course, with lamentable
frequency, further south—off Beachy Head and:
Dungeness: and in a miserable abundance, too, in
various parts of the Irish Sea and British Channel.
But the principal amount of havoc is off Yarmouth
and off Newcastle. To look at the Wreck Chart of
the British Isles for a minute is to have food
for melancholy reflection for a year. A glance
shows us what serious cause there is for the People
and the Administration bestirring themselves.
That- glance tells us plainly enough, also, in what
particular direction the remedy ought first to be
applied. In Heaven's name let us be itp and doing
as a people : for apathy upon this matter is not less
arrant folly than monstrous inhumanity.
During thirty-four years there has been in
existence the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
It is one of the noblest of our great charitable
establishments. It has already extended far and
wide—it is still extending farther and wider—its
beneficent operations. It behoves every one
who can do so, to co-operate in the further-
ance of this enterprise. Among the latest
donations contributed to its funds there is
one which we conceive to be eminently well
deserving of notice : it is a donation of £3oo—as
" a grateful offering from a Lady, whose life was
saved from drowning "—apparently somewhere off
the Irish coast. A noble learted lady truly—one
indeed, whose heart is manifestly capable of feeling
the emotion of gratitude. Gladly would we see
humanity like this exciting emulation among those
who have reason for the same gratitude, and (with
the cause) the capacity for its manifestation.
But, beyond the encouragement of the Lifeboat
Institution, we look anxiously for the more

and comprehensive construction of Harbours of
Refuge along our coasts by her• MAJESTY'S Govern-
ment. Of the imperative necessity for this we have
already written in these columns earnestly- and
repeatedly. And to this most important subject
we shall revert upon every possible opportunity.

COURT C'IRCULAR.

BALMORAL, SEPT. 26.

The Queen, the Prince Consort, the Prince of
Wales, and the Duchess of Kr „accompanied by the ladies
and gentlemen in waiting, attended divine service in the
parish church of Crathie.
The Rev. Dr. Robertson officiated.

His Excellency the Duke de Malakoff will leave
London, for Paris, on Friday or Saturday next.
_ _

Maria Marchioness of Ailesbury has returned to
Claridge's Hotel, from visiting the Duke and Duchess of
Marlborough, at Blenheim Palace, Woodstock.
The Baron and Baroness Dalloz have left the
Brunswick Hotel, for Paris. The Baron and Baroniss 'Von
Linden have arrived at the same establishment.

The Right Hon. H. T. L. Corry, M.P., returned
to the Admiralty, yesterday, from Scotland. •
Mr. Garmier and the Countess Zelli Garmier
have arrived at the Queen's Hotel, Upper Norwood, from
Paris.

Mr. and Mrs. F. Wagner and Miss Rhodes have
left Edwards's Hotel, for New York.
Mrs. M'Cord and •Mr. and Miss \Mord have
arrived at the Clarendon, from South Carolina.

ELECTION OF LORD MAYOR.—This morning
(being Michaelmas-day) the ancient ceremony of electing
the Lord Mayor took place. The Aldermen having
"scratchvd " in the usual way, the majority was found to
be in favour of Alderman Wire, who was thereupon de-
clared duly elected.

INFANTICIDE.—Yesterday afternoon Mr. Wakley
the coroner for the western division of Middlesex, held •an
inquest in the boardroom of Clerkenwcll workhouse, on the
body of a newly-born female infimt, which had been found
in the enclosure of Lloyd's-square, in the same parish,
on Sunday morning last. Mr. Benjamin Foster, the
landlord of the St. John's Gate, stated that about half-past
eight on the morning in question he found the body as de-
scribed, wrapped in a piece of old cotton or linen, and tied
with black tape. He handed it over to the custody of the
police, by whom it was taken to Mr. Taylor, the divisional
surgeon. Mr, TaylOr aid the coroner that he had minutely
examined the body, but found no external violence. The
umbilicus had never been tied, and death was the result of
sheer neglect. The child was unusually large, measuring
32 inches in lent7th, and weighing as much 91b., the ordi-
nary weight of similar aged children being only about 61b.
He did not entertain the slightest doubt but that it had been
born alive, as everything confirmed that belief. The coro-
ner said a finer child he never saw in the whole course of
his experience. Those cases were very lamentable and were
on the inere: se. The present was the seventh in his dis-
trict within the last three weeks. Two of them were at
Islington, one with its throat cut. The child which Was`
the subject of the inquiry was murdered as much as if its
throat had been cut. If the parents of the child wilfully
destroyed it to get rid of it in the mode described, the jury
could not return any other verdict than that of wilful mur-
der. Any other verdict would encourage that kind of crime,
and as no person was culpably before the jury, their
opinion might deter other parties. The jury returned a
verdict of wilful murder against some person or persons
unknown.

TILE SONS OF BURNS.—The worthy sons of our
national bard are at present, we understand, at the fashion-
able Stirlingshire Spa, Bridge, of Allan. A correspondent
states that they are both among the most enthusiastic
bowlers to be seen daily exercising their skill on the public
green, at the Westerton Arms Hotel.—Ayr Express.
SINGULAR ACCIDENT TO A HORSE.—An accident
of a most singular character happened about I o'clock on
the 22d instant to the horse of a trooper of the 11th Hus-
sars stationed at the stables of the Royal Pavilion, Church-
street. From some cause or other which will be the
subject of inquiry the animal was in the room of the
backyard, known as the grooms' kitchen in the time of
George IV., and there, having slipped, fell on a flagstone
about three inches thick and a yard square, which fornol
part of the covering of an old ary well, and which, Wffh
the sudden weight upon it, became displaced and fell into
the opening, followed by the poor animal, which in its
descent was abruptly stopped by a stage that was fixed
across the well, about 28 feet from the top, and became
jammed in on its haunches. The noise caused by the oc-
currence soon brought some of the men to the spot, and
attempts were made as quickly as possible to let a lighted
candle down to learn the condition of the poor animal, but
the flame was soon extinguished. Meanwhile the poor
creature continued•to kick with his forelegs; and it was not
till a lantern was lowered that its exact position could be
discoVered, when a windlass and tackle having been pro-
cured from the yard of Messrs. Chessman and Son, builders,
a man named Benham, a well-digger, descended to fix slings
round it ; but the peculiar circumstances of the case so un-
nerved him that it was not until the horse was dead—about
half-an-hour —that he could commence his task. From the
room not being veryhigh pitched there was much difficulty
in working the itaratus brought into requisition, and
three hours elapsed before the carcass was drawn out. We
may mention that several of the soldiers volunteered to de-
scend the well with a view to assist, but the officer on duty
prudently prevented them—Brighton Observer.
PUBLIC DRINKING FOUNTAINS AT SUNDERLAND.
—The corporation of Sunderland are at present erecting
public
drinking fountains in their borough, in the princi-
pal thoroughfares, at the railway stations,a
somewhat
in
Nr,teh madeh
ae public
simi-
lar n of
park. Those which ate fixed against the
tow
neat,
and enamelledstirotlnmseat Livperonoothl
tihnesiddee,sinignis exceedingly shape,
present
and is surmounted by the borough arms. the
numberic,ht
.0 li
fountains.
in course of erection, but are atl
shortly be increased: The cot of each fountain is about V.