The Sun.
London, England, 1868-08-29 00:00:00

REMARKS.

High, and comparatively uniform, pressures prevail over these
islands. In the N. the increase during the last twenty-four hours has
been nearly half an inch ; and readings at other stations are generally
higher than they were yesterday, but at Valencia a fall of o'o4in. has
taken place. On our S.W. coasts pressure has slightly diminished
since last evening : on the W. coast of France no change is shewn since
yesterday. Temperature has slightly risen, and is now uniform.
Strong winds from W. to N.W. blew yesterday in the north and west.
Light north-westerly winds prevail on our Channel coast, but at
Valencia a frcsh southerly breeze has set in. At Cape Gris Nez the
wind reported is very strong from the N.W. The weather is generally
cloudy, with fog prevailing at places in the west.

The Irish Times says that Colonel Taylor, M.P.,
is spoken of as the not improbable successor of the Earl of
Kayo as Chief Secretary for Ireland, and adds that such a
selection would be very popular.

John Richards, who was convicted of manslaughter
at the late Cardiff assize, and sentenced to seven years'
penal servitude, has received a free pardon. A memorial
had been sent to the Home Secretary by the attorney for
the defence, askiEg him to set the verdict of the jury aside,
in consequence of the verdict having been arrived at by
something like a lottery, &c.
The Imperial Review believes that there is no founda-
tion for the report that the Dean of Norwich will succeed
to the Bishopric of Peterborough. It then mentions that
the Rev. R. Gregory, of Lambeth, will probably be the
successor of Dr. Jeune, though no definite selection has
been made. The foundation for these reports is generally
no more than a clever guess. It remains to be seen if the
Review has made a happier hit than others.
The question of the appointment of coroners is receiving
attention. The Solicitors' Journal pronounces very strongly
In favour of a reform of the system. Our contemporary
discusses very fully the question of where the patronage
ought to lie, with the Home Office or with the judges. It
concludes in favour of the latter. This, however, has
rather a smack of the profession, seeing that
such an arrangement would virtually exclude doctors
from competition. It is also proposed that the local
appointments be placed in the hands of the lord-lieutenants
of the counties. Coroners to conduct snore important
cases would be appointed by the judges, and be assisted
by assessors of the medical profession.

We are getting into quite a confusion over the Rachel-
Borrodaile trial. Two letters purporting to come from
jurors who tried the case contradicted emphatically the
original statement to the effect that only one man had
pronounced for the accused. But from a letter in the
Times we are almost led to conclude that the
contradiction was a hoax. The letter in question
is signed by seven jurymen, including the foreman.
It is stated most emphatically that at first there were two
jurymen for acquittal, one of whom was called John Blinks.
Blinks, however, laid himself open to argument, and his
brother jurymen brought so much gentle persuasion to
bear upon him that he came over to their way of thinking.
Thus, only one of the jury was left who wished Madame
Rachel to be " let off." Is it exactly right that the jury
should expose all these details of their proceedings ?
A letter appears in the Rock deprecating the use of
choral services. The writer objects to turn "congrega-
tions into mere performers, and churches into concert-
rooms." To sing praises is just and right, but prayers
should not be sung. "If we seek even earthly favours
from our superiors in this earth, surely we never care to
approach them with sprightly tunes by way of tempta-
tion ; why then should we presume to approach the Lord
with presumptuous pomposity, when earnestly seeking his
heavenly guidance ?" We never yet heard that it was
customary to return thanks to our earthly benefactors in
plainsong, or to sing "I am much obliged to you," or " You
are very kind," to an Anglican chant. There is not much,
therefore, in this argument. Picture Mr. Disraeli pro-
Posing the thanks of the House to a victorious general in
an elaborate recitative, and the members answering in a
double chorus, Government and Opposition corresponding
to Cantoris and Decani. The Rock's correspondent
professes to have some difficulty about the precedent
of the Psalms of David, but suggests that many
of them were never sung, but spoken. This is
helping a very lame dog over the stile. Prayer
and praise are almost inseparably mixed up in the Psalms,
and such a distinction as he suggests must have been im-
possible. Music is not intended as a flippant impertinence
or a relaxation from the tediousness of a long sermon. It
is chosen as the noblest vehicle for both prayer and praise,
and as such has been recognised by both Jews and
Christians.

11.1 r. Brierly, a venerable-looking old gentleman, a
member of the bar, whose conduct at the Old Bailey has
been the subject of much comment, has engaged the
attention of the court at the Middlesex Sessions. Ho ap-
pears to be continually watching for an opportunity to
address Mr. Serjeant Cox or Mr. Payne. Aidressing
Mr. Serjeant Cox yesterday morning, Mr. Brierly said
the time would come when the sons of noblemen would
be able to practise at the bar at these sessions, but they
would not be able to do that until he (Mr. Brierly) had suc-
ceeded in purging the court of the wicked attorneys who
had infested its precincts. He had not yet succeeded in
sweeping them away, but he hoped in a short time to ac-
complish that great work. Mr. Cox hoped that Mr. Brierly
would succeed in improving the law.

Two WHALES CAUGHT AT REDCAR.—During
Wednesday afternoon the beach of the pleasant watering-
place of Redcar was the scene of great excitement, as a
shoal of four bottle-nosed whales were seen disporting
themselves within a few hundred yards from the shore.
Speedily boats were manned and attempts made to shoot
the monsters, as it was nearly low water, and they had
got into the shallows. After a gallant fight two were
captured and brought on shore by the fishermen. The
larger of the two measured 27ft. in length, and the
smaller 13ft. Gin. The former was so heavy that it was
found impossible to bring it ashore whole, and it was
therefore cut in three pieces, and thus landed in parts.
THE PROPORTIONS OF THE BODY.—M. Bonomi
has been measuring the Venus de Medici. He finds that,
allowance being made for her position, her height is about
5 feet 2 inches (the actual height of the statue is 4 feet
11 inches), while the foot is exactly 9 inches long—rather
more than 1-7th of the whole height. This does not
quite agree with Vitruvius, who gives 1-6th of the
height as the proper length of the foot ; but it agrees with
the measurements of all the best statues. The greatest
width of the foot is 3 3-Bth inches, i.c., 1-18th of the height.
Here, then, says M. Bonomi, we have a rule for shoe-
makers and for shoe-wearers. Any lady who compresses her
foot below these dimensions is not only giving herself pain.
but is putting herself " out of proportion."
ARRIVAL OF A SEA BEAR.—Mr. Frank Buck-
land states in Land and Water :—"lt is with great pleasure
I have to announce the return to the Zoological Gardens of
M. Le Compte, the well-known guide, philosopher, and
friend' to the late sea bear. M. Le Compte was sent
out some months ago by the Zoological Society
to the Falkland Islands, for the purpose of col-
lecting sea bears and penguins. He succeeded in
capturing no less than eight sea bears, of will,. h
he shipped four in safety for England. lie laid up a
quantity of sea fish as provision for his animals ; but one
of the passengers being taken ill with a chest disease, it was
imagined that there was yellow fever on board, and the
doctor ordered Le Compte to throw all his fish over. The
consequence was his sea bears gradually died ; one oily
survived, and this poor beast had nothing to cat for nearly
three weeks. Le Compte, however, managed to bring it saft
to the Gardens, where it now occupies the cage of its late rela-
tive. It is about the size of an ordinary seal, very thin, as may
he imagined, butstill in good health. Le Compte collected as
many as sixty penguins, but brought none back alive, on
account of the difficulty of procuring food during the sea
transit. He informs me that there are vast numbers of
penguins at the Falkland Islands ; last year that no less
than 405,600 were slain, skinned, and boiled down to make
oil. They yielded 50,700 gallons of oil, worth is. 7id, per
gallon, making a total of .£4,119 7s. 6d. Le Compte has
also brought with him an Antarctic wolf, a pair of Upland
geese, and one Kelp goose (nPm " the Gardens), And two
falcons,"_