The Sun.
London, England, 1850-09-10 00:00:00

LITERATURE

MR. HUDSON'S EVIDENCE AT YORK.
1. "A Ree'ised and Complete Report of the Recent
Trial for Libel, Richardson v. Wodson, pub-
lisher of The Yorkshireman ;' with Preliminary
Observations, -c. London :C. Mitchell, 1850.
2. " Report of the Evidence of George Hudson, .Esq ,
M.P. , on the Trial of the Cause, Richardson
v. Wodson, York Summer Assizes, 1850.
Edited by a Barrister." London, John Hearne,
Strand, 1850.
[SECOND NOTICE.]
What would England be without Speculation ? If
the man who was possessed of capital,—like the timid
possessor of the talent who hid in a napkin the money
confided to his charge, and buried it in the earth,—
were to hoard his treasure, instead of boldly hazard-
ing it in a mercantile adventure, running the risk in-
deed of loss, but confident in his own experience,
foresight, sound calculation, and good fortune, what
w,,uld become of trade ? The hope of profit is the
life and tout of that commerce which is the strength of
ihis nation, and where the spirit of speculative enter-
prise is regulated by prudence, it is productive of
many important advantages to the corium nwealth—
circula ting capital and multiplying employment. The
merchact, who has experienced the disasters of; and
who yet shudders at, the perils c f the sea, still courage
ously charters a ship with a valuable cargo for a fo
reign part :

" mox refiiit rates
Quassas, indccilis pauperiem pati."
One of that class of men described by Adam Smith
as those " whose trade is not to do anything, but to
observe everything," lives at Liverpool. Judging
by his experience and by his calculations, cotton in
a short time will advance rapidly in price. He has
the most accurate information as to stocks and crops;
the signs of the times (as he reads them) are brighten-
ing; there will be, he thinks, a few months hence,
an extraordinary expansion of trade, and cotton will
then be in demand. It is true that nobody else thinks
so ;—the markets are flat and the prices are low,
and no one speaks or acts in anticipation of a rise.
But he is confident in his own judgment. Now
is the time to speculate ! He buys some thousand

bales of cotton at the market price;—his friends are

anxious about him ;—if prices fall he will suffer fear-
fully ;—but they rise ; he reaps the reward of his saga-
city, and realises a large profit ! Another merchant
anticipates a scarcity of food; he contracts for a
supply of 10,000 quarters of wheat in London at the
current price ; when the wheat arrives in port the price
has advanced 10s. a quarter. lie sells it in the ship
at that advance, and reaps 5,000/. by merely signing
the bills of lading! A third capitalist invests largely
in the Three per Cents. at 914, and gains a golden
harvest by their springing up to 96. None but a
sure-footed man of business, well and carefully
trained, of long experience, abundant caution, and
thorough acquaintance with the details of mercantile
matters, can safely enter upon such operations—

"A man of law that never sawe
The wayes to buy and sell,
Wenyng to ryse by merchandyse,
I pray God spede him well!'
No one dreams of questioning the right of the specu-
lator in cotton or the funds, or the adventurer in
foreign corn, to their profit ;—it is the reward of their
own intelligence, vigilance, and courage ; they ran the
risk,—they therefore enjoy the prize !
Now these ordinary rules of commercial justice are
all set aside in dealing with Mr. Hudson. One of
the most grievous of the charges on which he was
examined at York was that, whereas he had the
sagacity, in October, 1844, to foresee that in the
course of the next year the price of iron would be-
come very considerably enhanced in price all over
the kingdom—though no one else—no, not the iron-
masters, the ironmongers, nor the engineers them-
selves—could then discern the same probabilities of
any such general advance,—and then at his own sole
risk contracted for a supply of 20,000 tons of iron at
6/. 103., on his own account, the market price of
which on the 4th of March following had risen to
121. (when a railway with which he was connected,
then wanting a supply of iron, advertised for tenders),
he had taken the profit realised on 7,000 tons himself,
instead of making the shareholders in the said rail-
way a present of it ! The author of the pamphlet
styled "A Revised and Complete Report of the
Recent Trial for Libel," calls Mr. Hudson's conduct
in this matter " robbery ;" there is a species of rob-
bery with which he himself seems but imperfectly
acquainted, which may be worthy of his study—
when a traducer "filches" from another "his good
name," and "robs him of his reputation." What
are the facts of this unparalleled charge ?
We shall allow Mr. Sergeant Wilkins, the counsel
for the Yorlishireman, to state the accusation against
Mr. Hudson in his own words :
" Gentlemen, I believe the nal transaction was this:
—Messrs. Thompson and Forma:: had sold to Mr. Hud-
son 7,000 tone of iron, at 61. 10s. per ton. Some time
after this, a railway company, of which Mr. Hudson was
the chairman, and ono of the trustees for that company,
purchased those 7,000 tons of iron nominally from
Messrs. Thompson and Forman (though that was merely
a blind: that was the blind they attempted), but virtu-
ally from Air. Hudson, at 12/. per ton; and Air. Hudson
m ide by that transaction nearly 40,000/. And if Mr.
Hudson did not feel that there was something to be
ashamed of—if he did not feel that the transaction would
not bear the light—if it was an honest and bond fide
transaction, why were the invoices made out in the name
of Messrs. Thompson and Forman, and not in the name
of Mr. Hudson? Why, the company were led to believe
that they were not dealing with Mr. Hudson, but wits
Messrs. Thompson and Furman. The very fact of his
having recourse to this is proof positive to every thick-
ing man that Mr. Hudson telt he was deceiving the com-
pany, and (I,,ing that against which every railway Act
and every joint-stock c..impany's Act specially provides—
making a private purse out of that company, when the
whole 40,000/. that he put into his own pocket ought •
to have gone into the coffers of the company to increase
the dividend of the shareholders."
No doubt it must be a very popular thing to tell
shareholders, in the year 1849, that there was a sum of
39,000/. or 40,000/. which Mr. Hudson ought to 4
divide amongst them ! Reaction, panic, the inevitable ,
result of reckless speculation, against which this very ,
Mr. Hudson so energetically cautioned the world as ,
early as 1844 ; wars, blockades, revolutions in ,
Europe ; the shock occasioned by a change in our ,
commercial system ; three successive famines in part
of the United Kingdom, followed by commercial i
failures, have effected a change in the aspect of rail-
way property. Under such circumstances it would 4
be no difficult thing to persuade railway proprietors
that it would be a good thing to go shares with Mr.
Hudson—in his profits ! A goose, arraigned before a ,
jury of foxes would be about as likely to have a ,
fair trial, as a man who, by rumour,—which loves to
exaggerate and mistify everything,—was reputed to
have amassed a princely fortune, would to be dealt ,
fairly with by hungry scrip-holders It has
been said that " corporations have no conscience"— ,
and probably experience. will show that public com-
panies have neither conscience nor memory of past
cervices, for certain it is that men banded together in
joint-stock fraternity do things of which in their in-
dividual capacity they would be thoroughly ashamed.
Now let us request particular attention to the facts of ,
this case as disclosed by Mr. Hudson in his evidence
in answer to the searching questions of the Learned
Sergeant at the recent trial
" Q. When did you become Chairman of the Yolk,
Newcastle, and Berwick Railway?
"A. At its formation in 1844.
" Q. You continued so until May, 1849?

" A. I did.
Q. Did you, on the 11th of January, 1845, enter
into any contract with Messrs. Thompson and Forman
for iron?
"A. I did enter into contract with those gentlemen
fur iron, in October, 1844.
"Q. That contract was completed in January, 1845?
"A. It was—there was a dispute between me and
Thompson aLd Forman, as to the quantity for which I
had contracted. This was finally settled in January.
"Q. I believe you purchased about 20,000 tons?
"A. I did. I contracted for that quantity. I made
the offer in Mr. Thompson's own house, but the offer was
not then accepted; it was accepted and the contract con-
cluded a short time after.
" Q. The dispute as to the quantity included in that
contract was settled by the quantity being reduced
10,000 tons?
`• A. It was.
" Q. At the price of 61. 10e. a ton?
"A. Yes; I offered that price fur 20,000 tons to Mr.
Thompson in his own house. It was accepted after-
wards. Some months after the completion 01 that con-
tract an agent—
. Mr. Sergeant Wilkins—Q. Answer my question, sir.
" Mr. Martin— Woeid it not be better tar you to per-
mit Mr. iludson to disclose the whole truth ut this trans-
action?
Mr. Hudson—A. The observation relates to the
contract for iron. I made the offer for it in Mr. Thom-
pson's own house, in the beginning of October. Three
weeks after that he accepted it, and some time—
" Mr. Justice Wightman—Q. Confine yourself to
answering the question. What you have asked, Brother
Wilkins, is the price?
" Mr. Sergeant Wilkins—A. Exactly so, my Lord.
Mr. Hudson—A. I was anxious, my Lord, to ex
plain this, because, among other imputatiens, it has been
said 1 took advantage of Mr. Thompson in his own
house. • 1 made the aler to him in his own house—
Mr. Justice Wightnaan—Confine yourself to answer-
ing the question as to the price.
"A. ff.,:red him 6/. 10f. a ton, and three weeks af-
terwsr6 he acteptud that offer.
"Q. Was there no. on the 30th of January, 1845, a
rneoting of the I'tuv
Newca,t.e, and Berwick ?
6tolittl Committeea the York,

" Tnere was.
`• Q. Yuu, Mr. Richardson, and another person, were
prLst-nt?
" A. I was c‘ taii,ly present.
" Q Were there mule persons present than those I
bay, want d?
" A. I cuunut say.
" Q. 'S as Mr. Richardson present?
" A. I heti ye he wad.
" Q. Was it not at that meeting resolrei to advertise
for 20,000 tons of iron?

" A. It was.
"Q. Was your signature attached to the advertise-
ment which was inserted in the Railway Times?
" A. It was.
" Q. Was there rot soother meeting held on the sth
• of March, at which tenders were received?
" A. There was.
" Q. Did not Messrs. Thompson, Furman, and Co.
send in a tender to supply 14,000 tons, at 141. a ton?
"A. No. Their tender was at 12/. 10s. Messrs.
Guests tendered at 121. Messrs. Hill and Co.'s tender
was at 13/. There were some other tenders at 11/. 17s.
6d.; but the tenders at the latter price were for small
quantities. All at the lower price were accepted.
"Q. Was Thompson's tender accepted?
" A. It was finally accepted, after he had agreed to re-
duce his price from 121. 10s. to 12/.
"Q. Was any of the 10,000 tons, for which you had
bargained, supplied to the company at 121. per ton?
"A. This I cannot exactly say. I was to get from
Thompson and Forman 10,000 tons of iron at the price
of 6/. 10s. When they sold to the railway company it
was agreed between them and me that on 7,000 tons of
the quantity they sold the company I was to receive the
ditfer‘nce between 6/. 10s. and 12/. At the very same
time I bought from Mesrs. Barley a large quantily sit
iron fur another milway at 12/. a too, and just before I
left London I bad been tiler( d by Mr. Crawshay
50,000/. profit for my bargain with Thompson, Formal',
and Co.
" Q. But, in point of fact, you benefited by that sale
38,000/.?
" A. I did, I think—about that extent.
" Mr. Mar tin—l must object to this general benefit.
Did 3ou make one halfpenny by the sale to the railway
more than to any one else ? Give the figures.
•"Mr. Sergeant Wilkins—Well, to please my friend,
calculate it on paper.
" A. On paper it appears my profit was 38,5007."
In reply to Mr. Martin, Q.C., Mr. Hudson gave the
following further explanations—every word of which,
be it remarked, is omitted in the miscalled " revised
and complete report," got up at the Yorkshireman
office :
"Q. Now as to the iron contract. I understood you
to say that you agreed with Thompson, Forman and Co.
to supply you with 20,000 tons at 61. 10s. a ton ?
" A. Yes.
" Q. About which there was a dispute when the price
of iron rose, and you agreed to take 10,000 tons?
" A. Yes.
" Q. Now let me ask you on whose account was that
contract made?
" A. Entirely on my own private account ; the railway
company was not in existence when 1 entered into it. When
I entered into it I proposed to several friends to join me ,
in it.

Q. You said that Mr. Crawshay made you an offer
in regard to that contract ?
" A. He offered to give me 50,000/. for my bargain.
" Q. Was that before the tender by Thompson and
Forman to the railway was accepted?
" A. It wa,.
" Q. Was that iron supplied to the company at the
fair market price of the day?
" A. Most certainly. Thompson and Forman's tender
was at 121. 10s. I took part in beating them down to
191 That was rather a low price. The transaction was
perfectly straightforward. The railway purchasing from
Thompson could make no difference to me.
" Q. Then the price of iron had risen from the pre-
vious October, when you entered into the contract?
"A. It had nearly doubled. The purchase was a
profitable one to me. I mentioned that I was offered
50,0001. for my bargain by persons unconnected with the
railway. I might have realized that sum."
Here is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but
the truth, respecting this—one of the greatest of Mr.
Hudson's imaginary frauds." We ask an impartial
public what they think of it ? Does it justify the vili-
fication poured uponhim? In the latter end of 1844
the project of making a line of railway from New-
castle to Edinburgh was very much discussed, both in
the north of England and in Scotland ; the object to
be secured was a complete line of communication be-
tween the Scottish capital and themetropolis, viol York.
Two rival lines were proposed,—each was supported
by numerous partizans and powerful in-
terests. Mr. Hudson proposed the Newcastle
and Berwick line, and he had to encounter
the most determined opposition. Every body will re•
collect his conflicts with Lord Howick, and his appeals
to the landowners of Northumberland. In October,
1844, the date of the transaction before us, the New-
castle and Berwick Railway was a mere project in
posse. It was nothing more than a candidate for
popular support, which had to make its way in public
favour, before it could venture to go to Parliament.
On the 22nd October Mr. Hudson wrote a letter to
the landowners of Northumberland on the merits of
the competing schemes. On the 21st December,
1844, there was a public meeting in the Town-hall of
Morpeth, when the claims of the two lines were pub-
licly discussed. On the 11th January, 1845, we find
Mr. Hudson negotiating with the Corporation of
Newcastle, and promising the accomplishment
of that stupendous high level bridge over the Tyne,
which will remain as a monument of his extraordi- 1

ary enterprise when his detractors will have slum-
bered in forgetfulness On the 27th January the
inhabitants of Alnwick held a public meeting,
threatening to oppose every line that did not embrace
their town, and about the same date the Duke of
Northumberland and Sir George Grey, without whose
concurrence it would have been impossible to have
formed the Newcastle and Berwick line, gave in their
adhesion to Mr. Hudson's plan ! On the 12,11 Oc-
tober, 1844, we find it publicly soktd what is the oc
casion of the delay in issuing the scrip in the proposed
company, and on the 14th December we find the
scrip quoted in the share list for the first time. The
promoters of the line went to Parliament, and the
following statement will show the progress.of the Bill
empowering the company to construct the railway :
The petition was presented February 11, 1845. The
Bill was read a first time March 4. It was read a second
time March 10. It was read a third time June 11,
and received the Royal assent to the Bill July 31.
How then can any one, with any regard to truth,
venture to say that Mr. Hudson's contract with Messrs.
Thompson, in Oct., 1844, could have been for and on ac-
count of the York, Newcastle, and Berwick Railway ?
It was, as yet, a mere project, which might or might
not find favour,—it was not certain of the support
of either the towns or of the landowners, much less was
its passage through Parliament, where it subsequently
encountered a powerful and protracted opposition
up to the 11th June, certain ;—and it is nonsen-
sical to suppose that a provisional company, without
any power or authority to take such a step, would, at
such a period, have authorised a contract for iron. It
is not pretended either that the shareholders or com-
pany ever gave Mr. Hudson authority to make
that contract, or ever subsequently ratified it I
On the 30th of January, 1845, the committee
of this inchoate company resolve to advertise for ten-
ders for 20,000 tons of iron, the tenders to be deli-
vered on the 4th of March,—quite early enough,
seeing that the Bill was only fixed to be read a first
time on that day; and it is sufficiently plain that the
object in advertising for tenders at such an early date
was to create a public impression that the promoters
of the Newcastle and Berwick line felt sure that they
would be able to win the Parliamentary battle, the
fortune of which was then exceedingly doubtful. It
was altogether Mr. Hudson's own venture;—his con-
tract with Messrs. Thompson in the previous October
was entirely on his own account,—on his own
undivided responsibility. Let us ask those
who would come forward now and lay a claim to Mr.
Hudson's profit on that adventure, if there had been
a Loss, instead of a profit, would they have held them-
selves responsible for it P Justice must be " even-
handed ;" let them ask their own consciences, and then
let them tell the world honestly and frankly, would
they have been willing to have participated in the loss, if
loss there had been, as they now claim to share the pro-
fit ? Reverse the picture : If Mr. Hudson had
bought iron at 101. a ton in October, 1844, and
the price had fallen to 61. 10s. in March, 1845, when
the company received tenders for iron, if
instead of an advance in price there had been a
fall,—will any one in his senses believe that these ra-
pacious harpies would have offered to take the iron
off Mr. Hudson's hands at a loss? Oh, no; they
would have said, " Mr. Hudson, you have thought
proper to speculate in iron—your speculation has
not answered ;—we cannot help that. In October,
1844, this company was not on its legs; its scrip was
not in the market till December ; the provisional
body had no power to give you authority to purchase
the iron; and as a matter of fact they gave you no
such authority you cannot produce it,
you cannot say that they did. We wanted
no iron, till April, 1845, at the earliest, and then we
were willing to buy it, like any other company, at the
current market price!" Or, again, let us ask if Mr.
Hudson had rued of his bargain and had refused to
complete the purchase—could Messrs. Thompson
have sued the shareholders or the Provisional Com-
mittee on the contract ? Certainly not—Mr. Hud-
son was legally and morally responsible,:and he only,
—it was his own adventure, his own speculation, at
his own risk and peril ; and the shareholders of the
York, Newcastle, and Berwick Railway had no more
right to participate in the pfofits than they had in
the profits of any independent speculator on the
London Stock-Exchange.
On what conceivable grounds could they claiM a
share in that profit? They wanted a supply of iron
in April, 1845—they were not in a position to require
it earlier,—on what ground had they a right to ex-
pect it below the market price,—the.current rate that
all others were then giving for it ? If the profit cid
not go into Mr. Hudson's pocket it would have gone
of necessity into the pockets of the ironmasters ; it
never would have gone into the Newcastle and Br-
wick coffers ; for they authorised a purchase of iron
in March, 1845—not in October, 1844.
Now we have gone through all the particulars
of this case, and we do not hesitate for a moment in
saying, that never was a transaction more coin-
plet, ly misrepresented than this matter has been
by the York print, and by those who take
their cue from tilt-, prompter behind the scenes
there, where the farce of Love, Law, and Physic
is so often represented,—and never in all the annals
of slander did such an accumulation of in3puta-

tions on the character of a roan rest upon
such an umubstantial basis ! All Mr. Hudson's
public services, all his hospitality, his generosity, his
charities,—the many signal benefits he conferred on
the city of York, the wonderful works he brought to
a successful termination,—are all forgotten, while this
monstrous charge of " robbery" and " fraud"—
" Rides on the posting winds, and doth belie
All corners of the world !"
But falsehood may be compared to bad money—it may
pass current for a season, but in the end it will be
cried down. Whatever judgment men may form as
to the general merits of Mr. Hudson's railway ma-
nagement, they will see that when the test of a fair
examination—not before a packed committee, judges
in their own cause, and greedy for a division of
spoil,—but before an impartial public,—is applied to
this " idle coinage" of a distempered " brain," it will
be discovered that it is a poor counterfeit put in
circulation to cheat the unwary. The truth, we say,
against all the world!

---
BHIGIITON AND ITS PAVILION.
Brighton has long been noted for its attractions—
for its glorious sea, its fine beach, its elegant and
beautifully-constructed pier, its grand sea-wall and
its hat dsome streets, showy shops and general ap-
pearance of comfort, richness, and prosperity. Re
cently, however, a material and powerful addition
has been made to these attractions, and which is not
so generally known as should be the case. We allude
to the circumstance of the Royal Pavilion being
thrown open to the public. The Pavilion grounds
are extensive and beautiful, and they naturally con-
stitute very favourite and delightful walks for inha-
bitants of, and visitors to, what the Brighton folk
fondly style " The queen of watering places:" In
recording the fact, it may not be inappropriate here
to glance hurriedly at the history of the Pavilion,
which has so long invested Brighton with no little
renown.
The erection of this building into a regal edifice
was commenced in 1794, by adding a circular build-
ing with a lofty dome, raised on pillars, to the house
first hired, and afterwards purchased of Mr. Kemp, to
the north, together with another building precisely
corresponding with the former to the south, the dome
dividing, or being the centre of both. This remained
until 1812, when additional wings to the north and
south ware added ; and, in 1814, Grove-house became
the property, by purchase, of the Prince Regent, and
was incorporated with the Palace. Its present form
was given to it by Mr. Nash, who converted the plain
brick English building into an elaborately ornamented
Asiatic palace.
To increase the extent and rural beauties of the
royal domain, a new grant was made in 1815, to his
Majesty George IV., of the ground northward from
the Palace to the southern angle of Church-street;
and the whole of the shops and houses on the north
side of Castle-square, together with the Castle Tavern,
soon after became the royal property also by purchase.
What was formerly the ball-room of the tavern, form-
ing a rectangle of 80 feet by 40 feet, with recesses,
was converted into a private chapel to the royal
palace, with which it communicates. It was conse-
crated on the Ist of January, 1822, by the Right
Rev. Bishop of Chichester.
The garden front, facing the old Steyne, consists,
in effect, of three pavilions, connected by two ranges
of building. The centre has the large bulbous-
shaped dome, so much resembling those in the
Kremlin at Moscow, and flanked by minarets, con-
sisting of open cupolas on tall pillars.
The external pavilions have large pagoda spires, ta-
pering to a point from a broad base, and very com-
manding in their appearance; these have also flanking
minarets, and there are two smaller domes on each of
the connecting wings. The height of the centre dome
is 130 feet ; in front is a semi-circular colonnade, and
a long fiat one to each of the further pavilions. The
general aspect of this front is rather Indian or Per-
sian than Chinese. When examined in detail it will
be found very beautiful. The opposite or western
front of the pavilion is nearly similar, but has a centre
projecting rather more in advance, with a neat square
portico, supported by pillars.
One of the chief entrances to the gardens is the
southern entrance (erected in 1831), and opening
into Castle-square and East-street. It is a very neat
erection. Minorets separate it into three divisions;
the centre has the archway, which is of handsome
and suitable appearance, but the side divisions are
rather too much broken by small windows, which
gives the whole the appearance of a house. The
northern gate-house or lodge (the other entrance),
finished in 1832, is a noble and faultless building, ex-
hibiting every characteristic of boldness and stateli-
ness. The crowning dome, in the style of the
central one of the pavilion, the substantial centre
minarets, and the light fluted ones at the wings, with
the rich fretwork of the arch and turrets, are all ex-
cellent of their kind, and leave nothing to be desired.
The splendid decorations of the palace, considered
in the aggregate, afforded the most pleasing testimony
that John Bull, with suitable encouragement, has it
within the scope of his own power to excel all the
boasted frippery ornaments of the continent. The
east and north fronts of the palace open upon an en-
closed lawn and shrubbery. The former, in extent, is
upwards of 300 feet, and the west front opens into
spacious pleasure grounds, and a grove of elms con-
nected therewith, by taking in the road which origi-
nally led into the town from the north, and which
was a willing grant to his Majesty by the inhabi-
tants. The elm grove formerly belonged to the noble
family of Leslie. Oa being sold by them, it was, for
a succession of years, used as a public promenade
and tea resort, and was
at last purchased by the
Prince of Wales. In this part of the gardens there
has been for many years a very considerable
rookery.
The palace, with its stables, outbuildings, and
gardens, occupies a square space of more than nine
acres. The pavilion and gardens were opened for a
week at the end of last year for the inspection of the
inhabitants, in order to give them an opportunity of
judging as to the propriety of the then proposed pur-
chase, previous to its being decided by vote of the
vestry. It was carried to a poll, and decided by a
large majority in favour of the purchase, and the Com-
missioners took the proper measures, through Mr.
Slight, to promote the passing of the Bill through
the House of Commons. The Bill finally passed both
Houses of Parliament, and received the royal assent.
The sum of 60,0001. was raised by loan from the
Bank of England, at the rate of four per cent.,
on security of the local rates, and the sum
of 53,0001., the purchase money, was paid by
Mr. Slight, on the part of the Commissioners of
Brighton, to the Bank of England, for the Commis-
sioners of Woods and Forests, who thereupon gave
up possession to the town. The gardens and grounds
were opened to the public on Friday, June 28, 1850,
the anniversary of her Majesty's coronation. There
was no public announcement of it, and it was rather
a remarkable circumstance that the first person who
entered the southern gate on its being thrown open by
Mr. Slight and the surveyor, was Mr. Knight, the
secretary of the Bank of England, to whom Mr.
Slight applied in the first 'instance for the loan of the
purchase-money, and who chanced to be passing by
when the property was opened for the first time
to the public. In the afternoon Colonel She-
well was kind enough to permit the band
of the Bth Royal Irish Hussars to play in the
grounds, -which they did from five till seven o'clock,
taking their station within one of the beautiful clumps
of trees which are scattered over the grounds, and a
very numerous and respectable company assembled to
listen to the music.
Seats have been liberally placed about the grounds,
and crowds of persons stroll about to gratify their
curiosity with the beauties of the place. Few can
have any previous idea of the extent or the nature of
the splendid property which has been acquired by the
town. The gardens are in tolerable order; but the
Pavilion is in a terribly dusty and dilapidated condi-
tion. Various rumours are about as to its ultimate
use ; but all appears uncertain and doubtful at the
present time.

our readers
a
Amphitheatre,
t aNtV e
DI rr.e
Bpleasedatty, t
oof be
Ae
ttlebyl e,sd t
Ro
oi inform rrn
has succeeded in obtaining premises, and land, in the neigh-
bourhood of Hyde-park, which he intends converting into a
Hippodrome, on precisely the same scale as the one in Paris,
during the exhibition of 1851 ; in which he will introduce
the Tourney of the olden times, on a scale of magnificence
and extended splendour hitherto unequalled. We have no
doubt that if it is produced with Mr. Batty's usual liberality,
and determination to please the public, it will prove .a
golden harvest to him, as there is not at present a sufficient
fund of amusement for the vast concourse that may be ex-
pected in London during the great exposition.

THREATENING TO— BURN THE AMPHITHEATRE...
Yesterday, 'Mllitin Gregg, who has been twice remanded,
was committed for trial on a charge of sending a threatening
letter to Mrs. Stebbing, the proprietress of the Amphitheatre,
in which he demanded the sum of bL, stating that, unless it
was sent to him, he and four accomplices would burn down
the theatre. The only fresh evidence produced was Miss
Hannah Copley, who stated that she received the letter
abovementioned, which was directed to Mr. Stebbing.—
Ltrerpol Mail.

THE LIU/STING SEASON Il'l WARWICICSHIRE.---
Pre; arations for an extended hunting establishment in War-
wickshire have just been completed, of which Leamington
is to be the central point of attraction to sporting men during
and effective in its opera-
the forthcoming season. Mr. Barnard, the gallant master
of the " Old Warwickshire," has liberally consented to
in Warwick_
shire, continuous sport,
hunt that pack six days in each week, north and south of
Leamington, and especially has he undertaken to secure the
visitors at that place meets, within a convenient distance,
lour days (ut of the six. To render this arrangement more
sal isfactory to the towos'-people,
thin, commodious and corn lete kennels have been provided
in the immediate neighbourhood of the town, Which, taken
in connexion with those already in existence at Kincton
stet
,ouptrotion
itshees lt.(,)tv ethe
omf
otslti e
brilliantn ob l e sacnitein
in drawing the well-preserveLi coverts of that celebrated
country.
LOWESTOFT —Preparations are now being made for
the herring-fishery voyage. Not more than twenty of the
large boats will go to sea. One of the boats went to the
north a week since, and came up with six lasts of herrin 8
which realized 1201. at Yarmouth. If correct it ia 4 favoug-
able beginning.