The Sun.
London, England, 1850-12-26 00:00:00

EXECUTIONS AT CANTON.

Another morning's excursion was to the execution
ground, two miles from the factories, and not far from
the river; there is some difficulty in finding it out,
servants not liking to escort you to such places, and
actually refusing to do so. At last we came upon the
°Pet, which is the wide part of a populous street, with
11 Wall on one side, and a row of potteries on the other.
A narrow shed, about fifteen feet long and four wide,
eavered with bamboos and open in front, with a plank
to
a foot high from the ground, Contains, exposed
‘° Public view, the heads of the criminals, in all
Stages of decomposition, up to the most recent date.
should think that there could not have been less
than forty, as they formed two layers, filling the en-
're space of ground enclosed in the shed. The offen-
liSe smell prevented me from making more minute
Observations, but I noticed all the tails were cut off,
which is done before beheading. Half a dozen large
Wooden crosses, for strangling, which is the punish-
bleat for certain offences, were standing against the
beyond the shed. Hearing from my servant that
4° American missionary lived near this spot, 1 called
him to know a little more about it, as so many
`"flours of executions of from twenty to thirty
People taking place daily, did not appear to me to be
'ell-founded. The Rev. T: Ball. has lived for many
,_.ears here, keeps a missionary school, and has taken
much interest in the capital punishments. Having a
etlnverted native living with him, he has been able to
aßftther the most correct information on the subject,
T 44 I am indebted to him for the following remarks.
e population of the province of Kwang-tung
ins twenty-nine twenty-nine millions of inhabitants, and all the
aine's sentenced to death must be executed at
Canton, the capital. The number averages from
ebree to five hundred a year. The largest number,
oZ6ht hundred, took place last year, probably owing
f the increase of piracy, and to the greater severity
tthe present Viceroy, Seu. This year, up to the
resent time, Ist Oct., 1849, the number was two
unfired and eighty. The greatest number executed
one day was forty-nine—the smallest, one. The
j"„°st usual number is from ten to twenty-five. The
Ituagest interval between the days of execution, a
elth : two or three times a week is not unusual.
swearlY all the men are beheaded with a large
Atth erd their hands being tied, they kneel down,
their faces towards Pekin, the Emperor's
Vidence, and the head is struck off at one blow.
tvv4aen are strangled—of these, not more than one or
ev° a year suffer. One woman, for parricide, was
va `111) into forty-eight pieces—the number of pieces
pries frem twelve to twenty-four, thirty-six, &c.
ire beaten
Man was flogged to death with bamboos—many
beaten before execution. Most of these criminals
are
condemned by the local authorities, but a portion
ttf,°.rder of the Emperor, doubtful cases being referred
14 tuklal for decision. The executions often take place
ciar!'e afternoon, but the time is uncertain. A man-
he2,° of high judicial rank is always present, sitting
th"lnd a screen. Soldiers guard the approaches, and
the Crowd of rabble is very great. The heads are
it'wn under the shed, where they remain as a warn-
s tc the people, until they become bleached in the
tistO; the bodies can be carried off for interment by
ome.friends.* People are found to inhabit the houses
I:l)°site this very receptacle of two or three score of
th") the distance not being ten yards apart, and
thee!e sanguinary scenes enacted constantly under
sir eyes.—BerncaBtle's Voyage to China.
ttit Persons condemned to death may procure a substi-
% who can be found on payment of a sum of money.

f,
•.R CAPTURE.—During last Hallowfair, Mr.
le .I,°ll. an extensive cattle salesman, was skilfully robbed
teia,u4 Grassmarket, by two women, f a pocket-book con-
-10,4g about 7001. The women were captured on the fol.
Wig morning, as they were entering the train for Glasgow,
betl part of the money; and a man na:ned Main, known to
the en' intimate acquaintance, was apprehended in Glasgow
*hi:4ole day, with a bank receipt in his possession for 2401.,
cqr he had deposited in the Union Bank there. The dis-
iii erYwas made at the same time that a sum nearly equal
dectrb'onnt had been lodged in the Union Bank on the samel,4 ,Y,an accomplice of Main, by the name of Kyle. This,
No, 'lle other sum, was suspected to be part of the stolen
be,,-;% and the police made active exertions for the appFe-
the'l°4 of Kyle; he was successful, however, in eluding
lkielt efforts till last week. when he was taken into custody at
tlacastle by criminal officer Milligan, of the police este-
setan'alent here. The clever officer had skilfully followed up
14 slight trace he had acquired, and on Saturday appre-
foe ed Kyle in a house at Newcastle, where he had resided
PoBse:oe time in security. The sum of 25/. was found in his
ee°l2, and he is now in gaol here. Edinburgh Courant.
blocea
ARMY.—The following changes will take
en.lll the stations of regiments and depots of her Majesty's
414' L'ircea early in January, 1851 : The 30th or Cambridge-
to G, Regiment of Foot will move from Walmer, near Deal,
for 4-Ssoirt, and remain in. barracks there until they embark
toter us The depot will remain at Walmer. The. 30th
been/fled from foreign service in January,lB44, and will have
oath- 1111 Y seven years on home stations. The 47th, or Lan-
t ire
, Regiment of Foot, is under orders to move to Cork,
13 embark at that port for Corfu. The depot will move from
te ,e,varit, where the regiment is also at present stationed,
fro,"aterford, and remain there. The 47th also returned
sev'e foreign service in January, 1844, and will have had
/4Years' home service. The Ist battalion of the 91st, or
11eshire Regiment of Foot, is under orders to move from
41104 4, Liverpool, for service at that station. The Ist bat-
%tit° of the Rifle Brigade is under orders to move from
9,13t,e.„r011ry to Dover, to occupy the barracks vacated by the
4eek„'egiment. The depot of the 16th, or Bedfordshire
to Fent of Foot, is under orders to move from Canterbury
lentle, where it will be stationed.
litteaktaENVOßTHY CONDUCT.—About three weeks
'Nil,' s, Mr. Edward Jennings, of Stretchworth, near New-
ts ewas leaving the Black Horse, he gave the hostler,
dti~i°suPposed, the customary sixpence, and was about
ee,„,g off, when the man called after him, and asked if he
'T What he had given him ? "Sixpence," was the reply.
rotor' sir," said the other, " it is half a sovereign ;" and he
the iled it. The fortnight following, Mr. James Barrett,
ate landlord of the same house, entered the market-room,
I)l4,:oeuired for a gentleman who rode a dun pony the
4 Itr4Y before. "My reason for asking," said he, "is this—
% ~„11;4ger put up here last week, who rode such a pony, and
oix3ittg away gave my hostler a half-sovereign instead of a
rorin,,°e; on discovering the mistake he immediately in-
Ilerao-' Me of it, and gave me the money. I thought some
itet44 here might know who the gentleman was."
"140NITISH TRICKS.—A wretched-looking ob-
ero4 'lamed George Wood, a Mormonite preacher, was
qay,Rllt before the. Rev. E. F. White,. at Stanway, on Satur-
ot,424'arged with stealing certain sheets, blankets, and
porsr, articles, the property of George Staite, of Gretton, and,
Pert of all, with enticing away complainant's
.wife.
,ktateePnplainant, a little old man, scarcely four feet high,
bet that some time back his wife left him, taking with
Dredatiolls articles, his property, of which the blankets, &c.,
11%,4:ced were part ; he succeeded in tracing
.the faithless
to Painswick, where he found her living with the
Ter, the articles in question being in their possession.
i;,;"oe obtained a policeman, into whose charge he gave.
talS"er, who was accordingly removed to this place in
a r
seed,ogether with the frail fair one, Staite's articles, and
belonging to the prisoner. The complainant, wht,t,
(a, ,sed to care more about the recovery of his dear Sarah
teo7.° called his wife) and his "goods and chattels" than
diiie,";"2'eside declined to prosecute. The case was, therefore,
thr „'"„ed, and the prisoner, who had been grumbling sorely
l''or°a-,:`"Lowt, at once " took up his bed and walked ;" in other
qftn"' he raised his bed upon his head, and at once trudged
140 "Wards his home (Upton-on-Severn) sixteen miles distant,
oart'gh all the rain and dirt. It was most amusing (says
of ti;:rreapondent) to hear the account given by the driver
aat car which brought them from Painswick of the coriver-
atiets-which took place on the road between the complainant
Serahll wife and the prisoner. Staite did nothing but "dear
his wife, and coax her to come back and live with
tew' while she, on the other hand, continued to threaten
o ta,E?ha would serve him if he dared to have her seducer sent
11.1°4. Cheltenham .Tournal.
400,4 T At. ACCIDENT AT RAMSGATE...-012 the after-
(,)! Saturday, two men, known as Bob Kidd and Jerry
toe PtY, left the harbour for the purpose of hauling their
ke.„,,°es• When they started the weather looked very dull
the ho tidy, and it is presumed that a sudden squall upset
Wbacat, as it was seen at sea bottom upwards. No tidings
that QYer have been heard of the men, andahe presumption is,
ate le,.!eY are both drowned. Two widows and nine children
" destitute.—Maidstone Journal.
.ttiz,raglOUS CONTRIVANCE.—Among the articles
1851, ,bY the police in connexion with the late robbery of
oin a commercial traveller in a notorious house in
Wle't James's-street, was the door of the apartment in
serve the theft was effected. Its peculiar construction may
tic") explain in some measure the frequency and success
Dalei'' species of theft for some time back. In an upper
sea; a circular hole has been formed, with a movable cover,
teeth to enable the parties in the passage to watch the pro-
enein2is of
bee teee in the anartent while of the lower
h•a-niA"las hn''so constructted ;as to enable aone party to insert
et~i from the outside, and unlock the door, or, by its
Of the removal, to enter by the orifice, and rifle the clothes
this °se inside. The suceess of these robberies, effected in
thatanner, has lately been remarkable; but it is hoped
ter. 'he detection of tundus operandi may operate in fu-
' as a check.— Scots
ACCIDENTrek,A, TO SIR WILLIAM NEWEIGGING.—We
Iste-wAt'ito state that a serious accident occurred to Sir Wm.
441, gging on Saturday forenoon. The venerable gentle-
' who' was at the time proceeding towards Castle-street,
couids;!thlenly seized with
_faintness and before assistance
or eta 11 procured he fell to the ground, causing a dislocation
qv be
thi-hip-bone. Sir William was immediately
tortllcladio'his resideuie in Heriot-row ; and we were in-
ilte4trtkeilitrttiry- last night (Monday), that he was pro-
g CATCurably.-...Ecilmbutvh glckertifer.

COURT CIRCULAR.
WINDSOR, DEC. 25.
The Queen and his Royal highness Prince Albert
walk•:d this morning in the Slopes and Windsor Park.
The Royal Family took walking and pony exercitie
in the grounds around the Castle.

Her Majesty and his Royal Highness Prince Al-
bert, her Royal Highness the Princess Royal, the
ladies and gentlemen of the Court, and the domestic
household, attended Divine service in the private
chapel. The Hon. and Rev. G. Wellesley officiated.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent also at-
tended the service.

The Royal dinner circle this evening will include
her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, Lady
Fanny Howard, Baroness de Speth, Mejor-General
and Lady Isabella Wemyss, Lieut.-Colonel Hon. C.
B. and Mrs. Phipps and Miss Bithurst, Hon. Mrs.
Charles Grey, Mrs. Bouverie, Mr. Birch, and Mr.
Glover.

The band of the Royal Horse Guards attend during
dinner. The Queen's private band will afterwards
attend.

Her Majesty's private band attended in the Castle
after dinner on Tuesday evening, and performed the
following selection :
Overture, "La Reine d'un Jour"
Trio, "Guillaume Tell"
Triumphal March.. • ,
Selection, Billet, " Masaniello"

PRIVATE THEATRICALS AT
WOBURN ABBEY.
The Duke and Duchess of Bedford, as customary
at this festive season of the year, are dispensing their
princely hospitality at the ancient family seat, Wo-
burn Abbey, Bedfordshire, to a distinguished circle
of relatives and friends.
Among the guests of the Noble Duke and Duchess
staying at the Abbey are Lord and Lady John Russell
and the. Hon. Miss Lister, Viscount Anson, Viscount
Maldon, Viscount Valletort, Sir John and Lady
Georgiana Romilly, Lady Frances Hope, Lady
Frances Russell, Lady Elizabeth Bulteel and Miss
Bulteel, the Right Hon. T. B. Macaulay, Mr. Corne-
wall Lewis, M.P., and Lady Theresa Lewis, Lady
Foulis, Mr. and Lady Caroline Sanford, General
Hare, Captain Brooke, the Hon. G. Byng, Mr.
Augustus Stafford, M.P., Mr. R. W. Grey, M.P.,
Mr. Arthur Russell, Mr. H. Grenfell, Mr. Bulteel, &c.
In addition to the above personages of rank most of
the neighbouring nobility and gentry have enjoyed
the pleasure of congregating at the ducal seat to par-
ticipate in the gaieties.
On Monday last " Woburn Abbey Theatre " (ac-
cording to the programme) was opened for the first,
we believe, of a series of amateur dramatic entertain-
ments, for which the Abbey bas long engrossed a
high reputation. The performances, to use the
before-quoted authority, were under the patronage
of Lady Frances Hope and the Right Hon. T. B.
Macaulay.
After the noble host and hostess had given a grand
banquet to a numerous circle, a large number of
visitors arrived from the surrounding neighbourhood,
gathered to witness the theatrical display. Lord and
Lady Charles Russell, Viscount and Viscountess En-
field, and a host of fashionables, were of the audience.
The piece selected was the well-known favourite farce
of Turning the Tables, and the following was the
cast of characters, named in the order of their
appearance :
Old Knibbs
Miss Knibbs
Edgar
Jack Humphries
Thornton .. Viscount Valletort.
Patty The Hon. Miss Lister.
Bumps
Mrs. Humphries
Mr. A. Stafford, M P., long known to the public
from the ability of his performances on that popular
political stage, the House of Commona, has an equal,
if not greater, reputation, in the large circle of bis
friends fur his talents on the private stage, and the
Hon. Gentleman has for several years past had an
engagement at "Woburn Abbey Theatre." Among
the dramatis persona were several debutante, who
were perfect in their part, and acquitted themselves
most respectably, and elicited general applause from
the friendly audience. Lord Maldon and Mr. R. W.
Grey, M.P., rendered considerable service on the
occasion, the former as " prompter," and the latter as
" stage-manager."
At the conclusion of the farce the company partook
of refreshments in an adjoining saloon, the gaieties
being prolonged to rather an advanced hour.
We understand that the Noble Duke and Duchess
purpose to welcome a succession of guests until about
the middle of the ensuing month. Lord and Lady
John Russell and the Hon. Miss Lister will remain
on a visit at the Abbey until the close of the ensuing
week.

CUMMINGS' SOUTH AFRICAN EXHIBI-
TION, HYDE PARK-CORNER.

This museum of sporting trophies has been so often
mentioned in terms of commendation in these pages,
and is so well known to the London pleasure-seeker,
that it is almost unnecessary to advert to it again.
For the guidance of the many parties visiting town
at this festive period, who may be anxious to see all
the wonders of the modern Babylon e'er their return
home, it will, perhaps, not be considered inexcusa-
ble to devote a brief space to the Exhibition at Hyde-
park-corner, more especially as Mr. Cummings' work
on South Africa must have had an extensive circu-
lation in the provinces, and induced some people to
imagine that he has been guilty of exaggeration,
or indulged in overdrawn sketches of the animated
nature of the extreme east. A visit, however,
to his museum will go far to remove
that unfavourable impression, for certainly there is not
in London, if indeed in any other part of the world,
so vast an accumulation of the remains of animals
which have fallen by the hand of one man. On the
walls and tables of the room are displayed in immense
profusion tusks of elephants, sea-borses, &c.; skins of
lions, tigers, jackal], and leopards; tails of hippopotami
and the rhinoceros; besides an endless variety of
stuffed specimens of monkeys and such like creatures,
which are found in the wilds of Africa. The collet-

tion, too, is not only extensive, but equally interesting
to the geologist as the curiosity hunter, since it ern-
braces every species of animal abounding in those un-
explored regions; and those who are seeking pleasure
blended with instruction will not omit Mr. Cummings
from their Christmas list.

FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE RIVER.-013 Christmas
eve,:Mr. Bedford held an inquest at the Charing-cross Hos-
pital on the body of Henry Scarlett, aged 54 years, who lost
his life under the following singular circumstances. It ap-
peared from the evidence or Inspector Woollet of the Thames
Police force, that on Saturday morning last deceased had the
charge of a sailing barge, which was drifting down the
river with the tide. Deceased was on the after-part of the
barge, and his son had the management of the oars. Nu-
merous accidents are constantly occurring at Westminster-
bridge, in consequence of so many of the arches being
blocked up. The tide sets to the centre of the bridge, and
watermen have considerable difficulty in passing through
the two channels of the bridge on the north and
south shore, and often the force of the current carries their
vessels against the arches that are blocked up, and they are
upset. On this occasion deceased was steering for the north
channel, and as ho reached the bridge the barge appeared
to incline towards the centre arch ; upon which he became
much excited, and left the rudder in haste, for the purpose of
assisting his eon at the oars. His foot caught the iron bar
to which the sails are fastened, and he was thrown violently
upon the gunwale of the barge. He never moved; a little
blood issued from his nostrils, and he was carried to the hos-
pital, but was found to be quite dead. There was only a
small cut upon the nose, and no other marks of violence
which could indicate the cause of death. Mr. Tingham, the
house-surgeon, had not made a post mortent examination of
the body, but he was of opinion that the deceased had re-
ceived a dislocation of the neck, which caused instantaneous
death. Verdict,—Accidental death.

DISTRESSING SUICIDE IN THE SERPENTINE. —On
Tuesday evening the body of a young man, named George
Barton, was found in the Serpentine River, opposite the
Exhibition building in Hyde-park, by some of the Humane
Society's dragsmen, who received information of the suicide
of the deceased under the following very distressing circum-
stances appears that on Saturday last one of the park-
keepers, while walking along the Serpentine; saw a hat and
stick lying together near the edge of the river. He at once
gave information to the superintendent of the Humane
Society, who instantly gave directions for the river to be
searched. The men dragged the river, but were unable to
discover any body. The deceased's father in the course of
Tuesday called at the receiving-house, and said he had re-
ceived a letter from his son. It stated that he had thrown
himself from the bridge facing the Exhibition into the Ser-
pentine, and that if they wanted to find his body they must
search for it near the bridge. The letter also stated that he
bad been unable to get any work as a groom, and that dis-
tress led him to do the deed. The father identified the hat
and stick as his son's property. The deceased was only 18
years of age, and during the last few weeks he had been
very low-spirited, in consequence of his being out of work.
THE POPISH PRIESTHOOD.—We stated, ten or
twelve days ago, that in consequence of some of those
clerical Puseyites, who intend leaving the Church of Eng-
land, being prevented from joining the Church of Rome, be-
cause that Church does not permit her priests to marry—,
they were about to form a new church, under the name of
the Primitive Church of England, in which marriage would
constitute no disqualification for the priestly office, and in
which they might use as much of the Romish ritual as they
thought tit. We can now state, on the best authority, that
in order to supersede the necessity of forming any such
church, and with the view of inducing Tractarian clergymen
to go over at once to Rome, "it is in contemplation to do
away with the law of the Church which requires the priest-
hood to remain single." The words we quote are none other
than those of Dr. Wiseman himself, addressed a few days ago
to (me of the most popular of our Protestant divines. After
the new regulation has been adopted by the Church of Rome
it will be competent for tile Popish priesthood to marry or
remain single, just as they please. There can be no doubt
that the result will be the accession of large numbers of the
Tractarian clergy, who have been deterred from joining the
Romish Church, solely because, being married, they could
not become priests of the Church of Rome, while they could
not reconcile themselves to the loss of ecclesiastical position
consequent on becoming mere laymen.—Advertiser.
„.. •
HIS GRACE THE IJURE OF- NEWCASTLE, K.G.—
We are happy to state that-we: have been informed the
Noble Duke's health still eoptinues to-improve. Grace
got down stairs on WednesdaY leaf, and,eat in his study,
.Derby Mercury.