The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-13 00:00:00

THE COMMITTEE DINNER.

It is customary for the committee to dine together
on the first day of the show, and the dinner is also
open to members of the Society. The dinner took
place this evening in the Trades' Hall, and was at-
tended by upwards of 200 noblemen and gentlemen.
The Earl of Eglintoun occupied the chair ; and, in
the absence of Mr. Campbell, of Islay, the Lord Pro-
vost of Glasgow filled the office of croupier.
The ball in the Assembly-rooms was attended by a
very brilliant assemblage. Among the distinguished
party present were the Earl and Countess of Eglintoun,
Lord and Lady Belhaven, Lord and Lady Blantyre,
Lady Isabella Gordon, Lord Ranelagh, Earl Cathcart,
Mr. Lockart,'M.P., &c.

At a general meeting extraordinary of the United
Service Club, held yesterday, Sir George Seymour in
the chair, Sir Robert Sale, G.C.8., was proposed and
unanimously elected an honorary member of the Club.
This is the only instance of a British officer being
elected out of the regular course ; and the exception to
the rule is well worthy of the distinguished Club.—
Naval and Military Gazette.
A PROLIFIC DUCK.—Mrs. Braithwaite, of the Old
Phcenix Inn, Morpeth, has in her possession a duck
which has laid this season the extraordinary number of
180 eggs ; during the first 70 days she had produced as
many eggs—then missed one day, and for 30 following
laid every day—she then missed another, and for the
last 80 days has continued to lay an egg every day ;
57 young ducks may be seen running about, the offspring
of this extraordinary bird, and twice that number more
may probably be reared in the course of the summer.—
Berwzck Advertiser.

A WHALE.—STRANGE OCCURRENCE.-011 the
night of Friday last, while a fishing-boat belonging to
Thurso was riding at her nets in Murkle Bay, a large
whale came up to the side of the boat, and lifted his
head over
the gunwale! One of the crew, who was at
the time sitting lighting his pipe, was considerably in-
jured.
.Fortunately, another boat was speedily rowed to
their assistance, otherwise the men would, in all proba-
bility, have perished. The mast and four oars were
broken, and the boat had to be towed ashore. The
bottom of the boat being painted white, is supposed to
have attracted the attention of the monster. The man
who was injured has recovered. There were immense
shoals of whales in the Bay that night.—John O' Groat
Journal.

THE PITMEN'S STRIKE.—Upon this subject nothing
of interest has occurred since our last. The union still
continues, but the arrival of new hands and those who
are leaving the union are fast filling up the places of
those declining to work. The following is the working
state of the colliery districts up to August 3
Hewers at Men left Chaldrons
Work. Union. per Day.
Tire 2,307 ... 524 ... 3,383

ear .................. 2,079 ... 695 ... 2,612
Tees ................... .. 1,142 ... 520 ... 1,635

Total ................. 5,528 ... 2,009 ... 6,630
Return, July 27 ...... 5,050 ... 1,467 ... 6,966

Increase this week 488 542 ... 667
A large meeting of
pitmen took place in the neighbour-
hood of Pittington, on Friday last, when they again de-
clared their determination to continue the strike. A
number of men who had previously gone to work at Pit-
tington and Belmont collieries were induced, either by
persuasion or intimidation to attend this meeting, and
to give up the substance in their possession in exchange
for the shadow which the speakers promised them. The
Belmont men and their wives had been feasted at sup-
per the night before, by the colliery owners, on the
occasion of their having resumed work! Nothing will
teach such men wisdom. During the present week sixty
families have been ejected from their habitations at Cox-
hoe, and twenty-one at Shincliffe Bank Top. Several
others are to be turned out of their dwellings at different
collieries to-day and to-morrow, and ere many days
elapse the whole of the unemployed pitmen, their wives
and families, will be wandering outcasts. How pleasant
must be the reflections of their " Attorney •General"
and of the paid delegate; when they see the misery they
have entailed upon their infatuated victims!—Durham
Advertiser. .

THE KNIFE.—At the Stafford assizes Mr. Sergeant
Atcherley, in his charge, to the grand jury, made use of the
following remarks On looking at the calendar, however,
I must take leave to draw your attention to one particular
species of crime, of which I find four or five instances in the
calendar before me—l allude to the crime of the use of sharp
and cutting instruments for the purpose of assault. In other
counties, to which my duty has carried me, I have found that
this crime of cutting and maiming, cowardly and un-English
result."
as it is, has certainly very much increased. I have observed
to you that there are no less than four or five cases of that
sort of crime imputed in the calendar ; and I request your at-
tention to those cases, because it ies, gwehneerrealalycoknnvortniotnhatta,kiens
and the Court, condign
:mlituhtire.ty—tee of the Medical At the last week's
respectpoanlraddrciesnßetaAvortecytorAhe
meeting
eseaeAg rttTii
punishmentsnof
gaw totho
Eon
tfThintoEel
ufißi
scst.
.t
moci
bermAen
Pro-
tection Assembly, at Exeter-hall, the proceedings were
•of a somewhat novel character. Shortly after eight
o'clock, the time appointed for the meeting, Dr. Blarney,
of University College, entered the room, and approach-
3ir.Rugg ' a surgeon, and one of the members of
assembly,the took him by the noise, which he violently
pulled, , and struck him across the shoulders with a
stick. Indignant at the insult thus offered to him,
y , who received it, fortu-
nehis face being but slightly
but
edv .
ll a d him,
Mr. Rugg, who also had a stick in his hand, aimed
withoutt his hat, his skull must
ara
have been cleft in two. The other members of the as-
sembly interfered, and succeeded in putting an end to
he els a
yf y r blowhe
ont
been D
his.
Bh
the riotous proceedings. Dr. Blarney's reason for making
this attack on Mr. Ruggappears from the following
statement :—Some time since, Dr. Blarney published
what he termed "an epic poem," containing a chal-
lenge addressed to the students at King's Col-
lege to meet those of University College at cricket.
This poem was publicly recited several times under
the portico of the College in Gower-street ; the au-
thor, on each occasion, being carried round the neigh-
bourhood on the shoulders of the students, amidst the
most vociferous cheering. It was stated to Dr, Blarney
that Mr. Rugg bad expressed his desire to become a
i
subscriber to the work, and t was consequently de-
livered to him, and the sum of sixpence • demanded.
Payment was refused, on the ground of no order hav-
ing been given, Mr. Rugg at the same time expressing
his conviction that the book was not worth a penny.
This reflection on his poetic powers roused the indigna-
tion of the Doctor, who took summary vengeance in the
W -"ner y 9 described,-06server,