The Sun.
London, England, 1859-01-28 00:00:00

THE BELFAST BURNS' PRIZE POEM.

The prize offered by the Northern TVhig for the
Burns' Centenary elicited one hundred and ten
pieces. Professor Craik was the adjudicator, who
gave his decision in favour of the following poem.
The successful author proved to be Mr. Thomas
Henry of Mill-street, Belfast.
ROBERT BURNS.
Amid all changes, evermore unfolded,
By mental throe, by accident of time,
Mankind shall venerate the bards who moulded
Their thoughts of beauty into shape sublime.
Oh, bards ! who shine along life's desert places,
Whose song to hearts athirst like dew returns,
Affection hails ye with profound embraces,
And bows before the memory of Burns,

For nature loved him—in his soul implanted
A manifold delight of rocks and streams
And flowers and dear companions—and he chanted
In many tones his rainbow-coloured dreams.
She bared the human bosom to his vision,
Till its mysterious scrolls were all unfurled,
And rolled his thoughts in melodies elysian
That sound for ever o'er and o'er the world.

He sings of love and beauty ; and the glory
Of his own land grows brighter in his song :
He gives new life to heroes of old story.
He battles for the right, he smites the wrong.
See I Mammon-worshippers grow small before him,
They shrink from his path to Freedom's van,
From whence he sings, with Hope's fair banner o'er him,
Of universal brotherhood for man.

The song is never silent ; earth grows older ;
Men live and die ; states fall or spring to life ;
The columns topple, and the turrets moulder,
Waging with time unprofitable strife.
And though the power of error yet aboundeth,
Truth wins new fields unmarked by flame or gore,
While still, amid all change, that song resoundeth
From heart to heart, on every sea and shore.
Oh, Poet I in the light of that fair morning,
While the Three Isles make merry o'er thy birth,
They must remember when thy wreath adorning,
Woe made thee wear a crown of thorns on earth.
Joy melts to pity o'er that recollection,
And pity cries, " Root out your father's shame ;
Plant the prolific seed of generous action
In the bright sunshine of the Poet's fame."
Then, come away beyond umisen ages,
Lo ! Time's lethean waves still rolling on,
Break o'er the prostrate forms of kings and sages,
Once big with promise as a summer dawn.
Drowned, overshadowed, hushed their ghostly voices,
Their literal names confined to crumbling urns,
While the wide earth, from pole to pole, rejoices
In the great peasant-poet, Robert Burns.

AUTHORS OF THE AGE.—The lectures by Mr.
S. C. Hall, F.S.A., to which a short time since we drove the
attention of the public, will this evening be commenced at
Willis's Rooms. From the interesting nature of the sub-
ject, and the well-known name of the lecturer, a very large
attendance may be anticipated.

Under the prospect that if the belief in peace can
be temporarily restored by anything that may be said on
the approaching opening of the French Chambers scarcely
a couple of months will elapse before Russia, Sardinia,
Austria, and perhaps France herself will put forth appeals
to the capitalists of London and Paris.
USE OF ROCKETS ON THE RIVER MERSEY.—The
danger of using rockets at night as signals for steam tugs
was brought forcibly before the attention of the Mersey
Dock Board yesterday, in a communication from the police
authorities. It was stated that the other night a rocket
which was sent up for this purpose fell upon the deck of a
Dutch barque, and had it not been promptly extinguished
would have set fire to the vessel, and caused most serious
damage. The matter was referred to one of the sub-eom-
mittees for investigation.
SALE OF A ROYAL MAIL STEAM-SHlP.—Yester-
day, at Lloyd's Captains'-room, Royal Exchange, Messrs.
Baylepand Ridley offered to public competition the new
iron Alm steam-ship Tasmanian, 2,440 tons builder's
measurement, built at Port-Glasgow in 1858, and constructed
as a passenger steam-ship for the service of the European
and Australian Royal Mail Steam-packet Company, fitted
with three trunk cylinder engines by Inglis and Co. After
being offered for some time without a bid being obtained,
the vessel was withdrawn from public sale.
SUPPOSED WRECK.—WC give the following with
the observation that too much importance must not be
given to communications of this kind, as practical joking
too often originates the attempt to mislead and pain parties
interested :—A bottle has been picked up near Maryport
containing a paper as follows : Off the Scillies, blowing
a whole gale, the masts gone by the board ; six feet water
in the hold, making fast, in spite of all hands at the pumps.
The master and two of the crew washed overboard. God
help us. American ship Jane, of Boston, Dec. 24, 1858.
If this should happen, by God's assistance, to reach land,
telegraph to Lloyd's immediately. Cargo thrown over-
board. No hopo for the ship.—JAMES Ilmtnis, Mate."
LIFEBOAT SERVICES.—RHYL, Wednesday.—lt
has been blowing a violent gale during the night and morn-
ing from W. to W.N.W. At 12.15 p.m. signals of distress
were hoisted, and Richardson's tubular lifeboat, which be-
longs to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, stationed
at Rhyl, was promptly got out with horses, and launched
in Abergele Bay, through a heavy surf, in a most seaman-
like manner, and proceeded under canvass and oars in an
admirable style in the direction of No. 139 per chart, the
wind W., towards a large American ship, with her ensign
downwards, and a jack flying at her foremast head. Several
very large ships were in the offing, beating about for pilots,
and for water to cross the bar into Liverpool. The lifeboat
was seen through the telescopes at the Semaphore among
the ships, eight or nine miles off; she is now supposed to
have run into the Point of Ayr or Prestatyni as she could
not possibly fetch Rhyl with a strong flood tide and heavy
sea. 8 p.m.—The coxswain has just returned. The boat
had reached Prestatyn safely, and was there moored for the
night. The boat behaved most admirably, and chased the
ship, which got into Liverpool, name not known. The
signals of distress were shown off the Little Orme's Head
in the morning, and were continued till midday, when they
were observed to be such. The promptitude with which
the lifeboat put off elicited the admiration of all present.
The men will be paid their usual reward by the National
Lifeboat Institution for their laudable services.
BILLS FOR RAILWAYS AND PUBLIC IMPROVE-
MENTS. —Yesterday the examiners (Messrs. Smith and
Frere) declared the standing orders of both Houses of Par-
liament to have been complied with in respect to the follow-
ing bills—(Before Mr. Smith)—Thames Watermen and
Lightermen—Great Western and Brentford Railway—
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway—Stokes
Bay Railway and Pier—Newcastle-under-Lyme Burgesses
Lands—Malltreath and Corsddangan Marsh—Wimbledon
and Dorking and Epsom and Leatherhead Railways—North
London, Paddington, Richmond, Hampton Court, and
Kingston Railway—(Before Mr. Frere)—Border
Counties Railway—Somerset Central Railway—.
Maidstone Waterworks—Midland Great Western
Railway of Ireland (Liffey Branch)—Midland
Great Western Railway of Ireland (Cavan to Clones, &c.)
—Mersey Docks, Liverpool, and Liverpool Property Rating
—Hereford and Brecon Railway—Caterham Railway—
Mdiland Great Western Railway of Ireland (Deviation of
Sligo Extension Line),