The Sun.
London, England, 1844-01-13 00:00:00

DUTCH and BELGIAN PAPERS.

THE HAGUE, JAN. 9.—Yesterday evening, about 6 o'clock,
by the carelessness of a servant, a window curtain in the hotel
of his Excellency the Minister of Marine, in the Vorhout,
caught fire. The flames spread with such rapidity that they
could not b. extinguished, and the Minister could not think of
saving anything but his family. 'Flic several engines were im-
mediately on the spot; the conflagration increased in such a
manner that it was feared for some time that the building
Diligentia would also be destroyed. Happily the progress of
the flames in that direction was stopped, and then the firemen
were able to act entirely in order to save at least a part of the
hotel of the Marine deparment. At one o'clock this
terrible fire was subdued, but not till it had consumed the
half of that fine building, containing all the navy offices,
including the whole of the portion occcupied by the Minister.
As soon as the fire was seen from the Palace, the King, with
his aides-de-camp, repaired to the spot, and was soon joined by
his three sous and Prince Frederick. The presence of his
Majesty and the Princes greatly contributed to encourage the
zeal of the firemen. The Princes displayed great courage, and
exposed themselves in such a manner as to excite the appre-
hension of his Majesty, who did not return to his Palace till all
fears of the further sprei,ding of the fire had ceased.—Journal
du Commerce d' Anvers, Jan. 11.

BRUSSELS, J. 9.—The average price of wheat during
the week ending on the 6th of January, was 17f. 71c., and
that of rye, 11 f. 25c. per hectolitre. The import duty,
therefore, remains the same as last week, 37f. 50c. on wheat,
and 21f. 50c. on rye, per 1,000 kilogrammes. The export
duty on both is 25 centit nes.

ISt. Rochussen, the Ambassador at the Netherlands, is gone
for a few days to the H.-ague.

The wind, which hai blown for above a month from the
S.S.W., having turned to the 1%1E., a great many vessels,
which had been lying in the port of Antwerp for some weeks,
have been able to put to sea.
VIENNA, JAN. 2.—His Majesty the Emperor has decided
that the railway from Vienna to Trieste shall be connected
with that between Milan and Vienna. The new railway will
pass by Goritz, and have a branch to Palraanuova.

POSTAGE, PAID AND UNPAID
MARKS.

" Cottplaints are continually being made that letters and
parcels beyond the two,. niny rate are charged to the receiver,
after having been preyaid in money at the time of being
posted. This arises in •consequence of postmasters and receiv-
ing-houses not being provided with stamps beyond " Paid
sh„jr,g no difference between a letter thus
two-pence," and who aril therefore compelled to mark in red
inh the postage,
already paid and one to be received for."—Paragraph in
" The Sun" of Jan. 10p 1844.

ought to be generally known that it has long
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SIR,-It
been a regulation of the Post-office to tax letters with
the postage that is to, be paid on the delivery by markingthe amount in black :in k, and when the postage is pre-
paid the amount of naoney so paid is marked in red ink ;
so there is a differeno:o in the postage marks " between a
letter already paid a ncl one to be received for, the red
ink mark being prima: _facie evidence on the face of the
letter that the postage' was Prepaid.
Should any letter-,:carrier in future demand postage on
the delivery of a lettor having a red ink postage mark, I
would advise that the demand should be complied with,
and the fraudulent letter-carrier then handed over to the
charge of a constable, and by him taken before a magis-
trate, taking care to obtain the evidence of the local
postmaster as to the regulations relative to the ink
marks on paid and map aid letters ; request a remand of
the party charged un;:i: l communication can be had with
the authorities of the :.t.leneral Post-office, who will pro-
ceed with the prosecut:tion without putting the party de-
frauded to any expenuie, and any trouble the party may
be at by giving evideoc !e on a trial will be paid for.
I would advise that the Postmaster-General should
order that at all p lot-offices and receiving-houses
the public the in-
formation
between the red and the
placardsblack
po stsahagsoeut
marks.
d tbh e edx_ii
.hr
ei br
ei tneede, giving
I will prepay the Po: stage of this letter in money, and
see the red ink mark ;not upon it ; I will also simply put
your name and addl.( s; ;, without the usual word " Paid ;"
you will then be able' to discover whether I am correct
or not ; if so perhaps, you will publish this communica-
tion, and certify to tl in correctness of my information by
a note of your own bel ow it.—l am, Sir, yours, &c.,
Ilfracombe, Jan. IL.. IL 11r. D.

ST. LUKE'S, MIDDLESEX, and `ST.
LEONARD 'S, SHOREDITCH.
TO THE ED ITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR,—Your columns being at all times open for the
redress of both public.. and private grievances, it is re-
spectfully trusted that you will aid us with your power-
ful advocacy under 21 e following circumstances. For
years past the above its io parishes have been litigating
regarding the right of way along the well-known tho
roughfare called Sh epherd and Shepherdess-walk,
leading from the lilagle Tavern to Wenlock-farm.
Under the impres sii m that the parish of Saint
Luke's would waiv a their claims for the sake of
public convenience, .All 3 Rouse, the spirited proprietor
of the Eagle Tavern, it t conjunction with Mr. Alderman
Challis, have expendc,a upwards of 20,0001. in improving
the neighbourhood ; ,t, alas, Eagle-terrace and Albert-
terrace are both built .on the margin of the boundaries
of St. Leonard's, Shor et litch, and the Board of Guardians
of St. Luke's talk of rut min; the workhouse wall within
a few feet of these splemli d erections, not only destroying the
value of the property, I m t inflicting a serious inconvenience
on the public, who hall enjoyed this right of way from
time immemorial. The recent decision of the Court of
Queen's Bench has cot rmed the right of St. Luke's so
to do if they think pro p -r, but it is to be sincerely hoped
they will reconsider tl to matter before they inflict so
serious an injury upom the public, to say nothing of
the private interests of. Mr. Alderman Challis and Mr.
Thomas Rouse, than w. horn more kind-hearted and be-
nevolent men do not exist. Sheperdess-walk leads
direct into the very bee rt of Islington and Holloway, and
it is calculated that up% ra rds of three thousand individuals
connected with various ,Uuties in the City pass night and
morning. Surely in is age of metropolitan improve-
ment the parish of St. I ,uke's will see the propriety of
joining heart and hand for the mutual benefit of both
parishes. Should, hoN ve ver, such a plan not be adopted,
an appeal to the Legisl. iii Ire will not be without effect.—
I am, Sir, your obedient.. servant,
Shepherdess-walk, July 11, 1844.