The Sun.
London, England, 1850-08-01 00:00:00

BILL.

On the motion for the consideration of the Lords'
amendments to the Australian Colonies Government Bill,
Mr. F. SCOTT wished to know whether it was the
intention of the Government to agree with all the
amendments made by the Lords to this Bill, because
if they did, he believed they would agree to a measure
which was never intended to become law, and one that
would be very different from that which had passed the
House of Commous. The Bill as amended was not the
Bill that had been introduced into Parliament, and it
was not a measure that had received the concurrence of
the Australian colonies. He wished to know whether it
was the intention of the Government to persevere in the
passing of this Bill during the present session. Here
they were, at almost the last week of the
session, and yet the measure that had beep
adverted to in her Majesty's Speech at the com-
mencement of the session had not yet become law.
They had decided upon giving the Australian colonies
that which they did not ask for, and to refuse them that
which they did require. It was not fair to the colo-
nists to bring in this Bill at the fag end of the session!,
and ask the House to pass it, when it might have beep
taken into consideration at a much earlier period. The
Federative Assembly was to have no power over the
land, though it was well known that the wishes of the
colonists were in favour of such power being given to it.
In consequence of the Government arrangements with
respect to the sale of land, our surplus population, in-
stead of going to the Australian colonies, were induced
to emigrate t-, North America and to the United Statei,
where they found the terms more advantageous. The
land was so badly regulated in Australasia, that emi-
grants were driven from the neighbourhood of towns
and settlements to far distant portions of the country,
where they were beyond the control of the Government,
and were bound by no moral, civil, or religious obliga-
tions. This accounted for the existence of states of society
in which the male population greatly predominated, and
which was characterised by the most immoral and depraved
habits. Another objection which be entertained to the
Bill was that it gave power to the Governor to alter the
various salaries contained in the schedule, and as he
might of his own accord diminish them in amount, the
consequence would be that if the judge of any colony
should do any act which was adverse to his wishes, he
might be mulcted of a considerable portion of his income.
Now, this would enable the Governor to compel a judge
to give a decision adverse to his honest opinions and
convictions, if it should be required for any particullr
purpose or end. The Honourable Gentleman stated, hi
conclusion, that he could not give his assent to :a
Bill which gave to Australia a form of governme4t
that was not in accordance with the wishes of the co:

lonists, and was not calculated to cement that bond Of
friendship and attachment to the mother country which
ought to exist.
Sir DE LACY EVANS rose, and was
(LEFT SPEAKING.)

VAUXHALL GARDENS.
BALLOON ASCENT OF MR. GREEN ON
HORSEBACK.

Abandoned by science as a hopeless speculation, the
balloon has become the legitimate property of the ca-
terers for the amusement of the public. It now forms
one of the most attractive of the varied entertainments
getup for the delectation of the holiday folk and sight-
seers in our public gardens, while the rage for novelty,
and the depraved taste, as it may be termed, for scenes
of excitement and peril, have set ingenuity at work to
produce a new sensation or create new pleasure. Our
Parisian neighbours have had the questionable honour
of striking out the latest novelty, and setting the
newest fashion in uerostation ; and the interest and cu-
riosity excited by M. Poitevin's recent ascent on horse-
back have induced the proprietor of the royal property
at Vauxhall to get up a similar exhibition for the en-
tertainment if his numerous patrons.
Mr. Green, of whom it may be said that
his home is the air,

And ho only par cemplaisancc touches the ground,"
having volunteered to play thu Thu Quixote in what
many will consider a needless exhibition of foolhardi-
ness, the ascent took place yesterday afternoon under
the most favourable atmospheric auspices, and in the
presence of vast crowds assembled within and without
the grounds. The aeronaut was evidently so perfectly
" master of the situation" that the sympathies of the
philanthropists were enlisted only on behalf of the horse
—an application having actually been made on Tuesday
to place him under the protection of the Society for the
Prevention el Cruelty to Animals. The rsagistrate,
however, refused to grant the injunction, and man and
horse (it the diminutive quadruped which went up la:st
night can by any stretch of imagination be termed such)
made their appearance in the enclosure at the appointed
hour. The process of inflation was completed abOut
half-past six, and the next hour was occupied in making
the necessary arrangements for the ascent. The great
Nassau balloon having been placed hors de combat by
its immersion in the Thames some time since, when,
our readers may remember, it was found necessary
to fire several shots into it to allow the gas to escape,
the Royal Victoria balloon—one of much smaller
dissensions—was called into requisition. It vias
this, we were given to understand, which ran-
derest it necessary to substitute a little pony,
weighing just 2001b5., for the horse. A light wicker
platform was suspended by cords from the hoop of the
balloon, and in this sockets were fitted to receive the
hoofs, which were then firmly strapped down, so as to
render all kicking and plunging out of the question.
The animal, richly caparisoned in crimson and gold, hav-
ing been secured on the platform, was then blindfolded,
and Mr. Green, who appeared perfectly cool and col-
lected, went through the form of mounting his diminu-
tive steed, his feet resting on the sandbags on either side
of the platform, and at ten minutes to eight o'clock the
balloon and its novel freight shot up with great rapidity
amidst the cheers of some and the laughtef of others,
and, after soaring to a considerable altitude, took a
south-easterly direction, and was soon lost in the clouds.
The pony made some desperate plunges just as the bal-
loon rose, and, from the violent oscillations which the
little platform exhibited while it remained in sight, we
would inter that the animal was by no means satisfied
with bis position. In the enclosure were a large num-
ber of scientific and literary gentlemen, and several fo-
reigners and friends of the aeronaut.

MRS.

GRAHAM'S BALLOON
ASCENT. _

Mrs. Graham, the intrepid female aeronaut, made her
54th ascent from the Flora Gardens, Bayswater,, on
Monday evening last, with the new splendid balloon, the
" Royal Victoria and Albert." 'The balloon was inflated
by the attendants of the Imperial Gas Company, and on
this occasion carried up five persons—Mrs. Graham,
three of her daughters, and her eldest son. The balloon
took nearly a southerly direction, remaining in sight until
it commenced its descent in the distance. The following
is Mrs. Graham's brief account of the same :
The wind blowing rather; fresh at the moment' of
starting, a gust passing over the balloon caused a partial
descent in the grounds, which was speedily remedied by
discharging a small quantity of ballast, when we directly
rose most majestically. Passing over liensington-gardens,
we obtained a clear bird's-eye view of Cremorne, which
was thee illuminated, and we could distinctly hear the
sounds of music ascending therefrom. The Royal
Gardens, Vauxhall, my son directly looked for and
pointed out, on the other side of the bridge, to
his sisters. The entire view to my son and
one daughter, whose first ascent this wa., was
almost electric, and the exclamations of surprise
and astonishment equal to any I have ever heard ema-
nate from persons possessed of nerve that have accom-
panied me; not wishing to travel far, and obseriing
some fine parks in the distance, I made ready to descend
on one of them, and ultimately effected this desideratum
at half-past eight o'clock in the centre of Richmond-park,
where, after giving the necessary directions to my son,
and those persons assembled on the spot, myself and
three daughters gratefully accepted the invitation of A.
N. Roberts, Esq., of Besborough-park, Roehampton,
and accompanied by his son, Frederick Robarts, Esq., of
Hill-srect, Berkeley-square (then ou a visit), we pro-
ceeded to the splendid mansion at Roehampton; where,
after partaking of refreshment, afforded in the true " Old
English Style," and favoured with the kindest attentions
by Mr. Robarts, his son and daughter (who was pleased
to accept one of my daughters flags), we were conducted
to a brougham belonging to the family, and in it con-
veyed to town, attended with the most flattering enco-
miums and heartfelt wishes of our generous host and the
members of his family then present.
In conclusion, I cannot omit noticing the extraordinary
admiration of my daughter Alice, who accompanied me
on Friday night last from Vauxhall-gardens, at the
astonishing view of London, at midnight, being the first
and only attempt made by females to conduct the manage-
meet of a balloon at night, and so much pleased am I
with the nerve exhibited by those of my daughters who
have hither to accompanied me (four in number), that if
on trial I find the others of equal spirit (which I doubt
not), I feel disposed (God willing) to ascend with my
seven daughters at the Great National Exhibition of
1851.

MAGAZINE DAY.
IBLACKWOOD.
Without being particularly diversified in subject

the contributions to the August number of Black
wood are sufficiently various to present attractions to
the habitual readers of the first of all the monthly
periodicals. Pursuing its old course as a staunch
Protectionist organ, Maga battles again right gal-
lantly against its sworn foes, "Free Trade and our
Cotton Manufactures." Even when our sympathies
are entirely in the opposite direction we cannot fail
to admire the ability, adroitness, and undaunted re-
solution with which the principal advocate of the
cause of the agriculturists argues for the restoration
of the abandoned system, and comes forward yet
once more to break a lance with the apostles of
the new political economy. A cursory paragraph
in a literary notice of a magazine, such
as our present notice of Blackwood, is scarcely the
fitting opportunity for an argument as comprehensive
and important as that entered upon in the opening
paper to this number fur August. At this moment
we can do no more than refer the article in question
as one worthy of an attentive perusal, and yet as one
to our mind capable of a detailed refutation. "Court-
ship in the time of James the First," is a curiosity, in
many respects remarkable. It is well that the author
of the compilation sets forth at its very commence-
ment the assurance that his narrative is strictly au-
thentic, as otherwise the generality of readers might
very reasonably have fallen into the nation that
it was altogether fictitious. " Ledru Rollin on Eng-
land" is a deliciously sarcastic analysis of " La
Decadence d'Angleterre," a work as frivolous in its
philosophy as it is ungenerous in its whole character.
" A Family Feud," a translation from the German of
Godfrey Kinkel, affords a brilliant evidence of the
talent of that distinguished professor, whose abilities
have acquired him reputation without, as well as
within, the Bonn University. All lovers of art will
turn with pleasure to the chapter dedicated to
" Burnet's Landscape Painting in Oil," and all per-
sons interested in any way in the career of the late
Robert Plumer Ward, will derive gratification
from the
.review of his memoirs here entitled
"Political and Literary Biography." To Lord
Brougham and Colonel Sibthorp, the lines headed
" The Temple of Folly," will sound agreeably,
and to scarcely any one else in the United Kingdom.
Two other criticisms, in addition to those already
particularised, remain unmentioned; one attractive to
all admirers of the adventurous, on " African Sport-
ing," the other on the "Baronial and Ecclesiastical
Antiquities of Scotland," presenting to all antiqua-
ries and architects a theme of scarcely resistible
fascination. Such are the contents of the August
number of Blackwood, a number interesting, if it
cannot be strictly termed seasonable.