The Sun.
London, England, 1844-03-29 00:00:00

No. 17,007.

LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING - MAIiCH 29, 1844.

PRICE sd.

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and a THIRD EDITION at SEVEN O'CLOCK, for POST, containing PARLIAMENTARY and all other NEWS in LONDON up to that Hour.

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.ndlords. Are the gentlemen who take cr t for
peculiar humanity prepared to do this? If they be
not, let them cease to offend by their attacks upon
manufactures. If the condition of the operative ma-
nufacturers will justify this attack upon the property
of the mill-owners, a case, not less strong, can be
made out to warrant interference with the broad
acres. The deep misery which prevails in the agri-
cultural county of Dorset, represented by Lord Ash-
ley, and to which we may refer at another time,
ought to touch the sympathies of the Noble Lord,
upon his own principle, and induce him to call for a
confiscation of a portion of the land, for the benefit of
the poor labourers.—Northern Whig.

FACTORY QUESTION.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—There is nothing like resolving all impor-
tant questions into their simplest elements. Let us
consider the Factory Bill on this plan. We have
first to decide whether the Legislature have the right
to interfere between the employers and the employed.
Secondly, if it be expedient to do so. Thirdly, in
what manner. I think the reply to the first inquiry
is, that the Legislature has such right in an extreme
case, but in no other. If the crew and passengers of
a vessel are wrecked on a desert shore, the paramount
necessity of prolonging human life justifies the divi-
sion of the private stores of food belonging to the
passengers among the whole body, after the general
stock is exhausted, not otherwise. Secondly, legis-
lation is expedient if it can remove the evil—not,
if no such power exists. Thirdly, the manner—this
must be by a general action of the law, not a partial
one. If it is necessary to divide any portion of the
stores of the passengers, the abstraction for general
purposes must be pro rata from all ; it is not pot to
take all the property of A., of 8., and of C., and leave
untouched that of E., of F., and of G. Let us apply.
Beginning with the first branch of inquiry : Is
the general condition of factory labourers so bid as
to justify extreme measures and violations of general
principles ? This point should be settled by exten-
sive inquiries, the condition of a part must not be
assumed as that of the whole.

On • the second branch of the inquirY—Can the
Legislature enforce an alteration in the ratio of re-
muneration to the labourer ?

First—Can it it prevent the employer reducing the
wages origemployed ? If not, the result of legis-
lation will be, that A B (the labourer), now obtaining
twelve loaves by twelve hours' labour, and finding
the quantity inadequate to his or her subsistence,
will obtain only ten loaves, but will have two unem-
ployed hours for rest.
Second—ls, or is not, the profit of the master-
manufacturer sufficient to allow of the abstraction of
that portion of it which is produced by the last two
hours of the labourer's exertions?
This, again, should be ascertained by extensive and
searching inquiry; assumptions are mere froth and
wind. If the profit of the manufacturer is wholly
produced by the two hours' labour proposed to be
withdrawn, it is clear that the Legislature cannot
enforce its decrees. No Act of Parliament can force
a man to continue a trade by which he loses.
The third point is, whether the House of Commons
be disposed to act with impartiality, and pass a Ten
Hours' Bill for agricultural labourers, as well as
factory people ? The former are said to be even
worse than the latter.

Finally—lf such a Bill be passed, and the farmer
requires a higher price for his loaf, on account of the
greater expense of cultivation (employing twelve
men for ten hours, instead of ten men for twelve
hours, and paying per head as much in one case as
the other), whether the consumer be prepared for the
enhancement ? POPL ICOLA.

THE SWORD OF ADMIRAL
DTJPETIT THOTTARS.
Public subscriptions, as every one knows, are being
raised in France for a sword to be given to the French
Admiral, who exhibited his Gallic valour by a victory
over Queen Pomare—a feat which Mr. T. P. Cooke, the
only recognised British seaman, would very properly
describe as an act " unworthy the name of a Tar Who
would rather see all his timbers irrevocably shivered
than run down a craft with a helpless female at the
figure-head, when he ought to be piping all hands it, a-
the protection of lonely, defenceless, and, of course, vir-
tuous woman."

Punch, ever anxious to combat against humbug or
every description, and to rush into the thickest of the
fight, has called upon one of his artists to draw the
sword, which has been accordingly drawn ; and it is
hoped that our cut of this sword is more to the purpose
than any cut the sword will ever give in the hands of its
intended owner. The hilt represents Queen Pomare,
whom the French Admiral endeavoured to make a handle
of. On the blade is another representation of her
Tahitian Majesty, kneeling before Thouars, who,
with a littleness that quite justifies- his prsenomeu
of Petit, is waving insultingly over her that most-
obtrusive bit of rag, which was formerly respected
as the tricolour, but which is sadly soiled and de-
graded by some of the hands it has since fallen into.
The scabbard is covered with various emblematical de-
signs, headed by a little monstrosity intended to sigttit,r
Young France, who, if not, both " old enough and ugly-
v.ftv a.w.L -r itself, certainly puaavaava
latter of these two requisites for self-protection. The:
other devices are emblamatical of the object for which
the sword is given ; but the Admiral himself is typified
by the inside, which, as the sword is out of the scabbard,
conveys the idea of absolute emptiness.—Punch.

THE COMFORT OF ~ KNOWING

THE WORST."

At the Huntingdon Assizes, Gifford White, aged 18,
nas sentenced to transportation for life for sending a
letter to a farmer, threatening to burn his farm, and
the farms of others. Lord Abinger passedsentence, and!
said, " the sending of letters threatening to burn the•
property of the parties to whom they were addressed:
was worse than the putting the threat itself into exec'a-
tion, for when a man lost his property by fire he at least
knew the worst ; but he to whom such threats were
made was made to live in a state of continuali
terror and alarm." Hence, instructed by Lord
Abinger, let future Gifford Whites spare their
pens and ink, and at once make use of lucifer
matches. For, as it is a lighter offence to destroy pro-
petty than merely to threaten its destruction, the Gifford
White, who actually burns the farm may get off with
transportation for fourteen years ; whilst if, withgreater
villainy, he merely makes a threat, he is very properly
condemned a slave for life.

In our last number, we reported the result of a trial of
the Rev. Mr. Day, who plunged a knife in the thighs. u€
seven sheep that trespassed in his close. Lord Abjurt
feelingly put it to the jury, whether the Rev. Gentleratir
did not torture the animals out of pure ignorance of the
law; being a clergyman, he of course had no time to
study the statutes ? He was acquitted. We do
not plead for an acquittal of Gifford White, for
of course his education and position in society
must have made him intimately acquainted with:
the statutes, which he knew he was infringing:.
However, according to the judge, he has one comfort. Is
his misery—at least he" knows the worst ;" and that we
think may possibly consist in the fact of his having been
tried by Lord Abinger.—Punch.

FATAL ACCIDENT AT THE NEW
BAILEY BRIDGE.
(From the Second Edition of the Manchester Guardians
of Wednesday.)
About 11 o'clock this morning, considerable alp
was created by a rumour that the scaffolding in commo-
tion with the building of the bridge, now in prbgress
of erection, over the river Irwell, at New Bailey-street,
had given way, precipitating a number of workmen
into the water. On making inquiries, we found
the report to be too well founded, and the follow-
ing appear to be the particulars of the accident:—.
Across the river extend two large beams, running;
parallel to each other, covered with rails, for the purpow
of bearing a travelling crane, This crane consists of two
wheels placed on the rails of the beams running
across the river, and a strong plank passing
from one wheel to the other, on which is placed the
apparatus, for raising stones and other articles ; and i
appears that, "at the time of the accident, h number •
men were engaged in raising one of the centres for
the arch of the bridge, by means of the crane. From
some unknown cause, the beam nearest the temporary
fell into the river, break--
and, Y.ith a tremendous.
ebrresidhg,e othveer
tthraevreilvlienrggearvaenweay
ing down a quantity of Wooden framework ina
its way ; and seven men who were upon it
at the time, were precipitated into the venter..
An alarm was immediately given in the stone-yawl
adjoining the bridge ; and a. number of the workmen,
as soon as the momentary consternation had subsided, ran
to lend their aid in extricating the unfortunate men,.
several of whom were observed struggling in the water..
Three of the men got out, with no other injury than the
fright occasioned by the fall, and the wetting which they
received; but we are sorry to state that the four others
were not so fortunate. Three of them were brought out of
the river much bruised, and immediately, conveyed to the
Manchester Infirmary. The body of the other man was.
soon afterwards found, shockingly disfigured, and per-.
fectly lifeless. It was taken to an ar'ijoining inn, where
it was identified as that of a man /lamed Samuel Kirk,.
the son of a shoemaker (we have heard) residing in,
Manchester, and who had been, employed at the bride
for some time.

What renders the accident inure particularly distress-
ing is the fact that two of the men who were so severely
bruised are brothers (one elder and the other younger)
of the unfortunate person who is killed. ,
We understand that no previous symptoms of giving-
way had been observed in any of the beams. The
weight of the centre they were raising is stated to be
ten tons; and it was supposed that it might have caught
on some projecting piece of the framework, and the ad-
ditional force required for raisizrg it have caused the
accident. Perhaps it is quite as -probable that the beaus
was insufficient to bear the welght.
On making inquiries at the infirmary, we learn that
the two brothers (Kirk) are dging well; together with
another man, named Kelly, who had also been taken to
the infirmary; but tho irviriea he received are compara-
tively trifling.

We are gratified to be able to state tbsit the sta.
scription for tly widow and chih'iren of the li:te Chief 01t3ee
of Police is going on well. The =mint up to last night wa
about 13001., independently of a sum 'of 500/., which th
commissioners voted at a special megt:ing last night. Th
barristers present at the late assiw,
to the fund.—Brighton Gazette. , contributed nearly 401.