The Sun.
London, England, 1844-09-10 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 10, 1844.

THE PIMLICO SLATE WORKS.
This extensive establishment has begun to attract
amongst the higlestqlarters the attention which it de-
.nd a' T-PR`' ,s-~f h,ivt.give!lL,To
orders to . ;;; :, :or, for various ar•
ticles of decorative furn` are, and f,,r "sting up, on a
large scale, of staircases, halls, bath-rooms, apartments,
&c. Wednesday last his Royal Highness Prince Wil-
liam of Prussia and suite, accompanied by the Duke of
Wellington, honoured the proprietor of the works with
a visit in Upper Belgrave-place. The Prince was much
pleased with the numerous and various specimens in
the show-rooms, and expressed his surprise at the ap-
parently perfect transmutation of simple slate into
the most costly marbles and precious slabs of stone.
Amongst the articles which excited admiration was
a perfect imitation of lapie lazuli, and an enamelled
slate billiard-table, similar to one which Mr. Magnus
recently made for Strathfieldsaye. His Royal High-
ness and the Duke of Wellington subsequently ex-
amined the machinery for sawing, planning, moulding,
and polishingslate, all of which are exceedingly curious.
They then visited the enamelling houses and the
rest of the works, with all of which they were
highly gratified. The processes used at this esta-
blishment are exceedingly interesting, and the re-
sults are perfect. Slate, a commodity hitherto used for
the most common purposes, and but for few of them, is
here cut, by means of instruments of great power, into
balustrades, tablets, mouldings, mullions, sashes for
windows, door -frames, and many other things. It is
polished, painted, or stained to represent so closely the
most beautiful marbles, that the eye can detect no dif-
ference between the original and the copy. It is then
submitted to the process of enamelling in stoves or
heated closets, or furnaces, where it remains for eight
days or more, as the necessity may require, and is
then polished or finished off, and, having undergone
all this, presents a most splendid and costly appear-
ance. Thus tables or slabs of Sienna marble, of
Negro antiquo, of the verd antique, of lapis lazuli, and
of the rarer specimens of Italian and oriental
marbles, are produced, which are said to be
harder and more durable than real marble,
and capable of resisting very great external
force. Neither are they affected by heat or frost,
and, being perfectly non-absorbent, are of pro-
digious durability. Some of the enamellings of
flowers, animals, landscapes, and so forth, are very fine
as works of art, and will well reward the inspection
of the curious. The Duke of 'Wellington, who has
patronized this invention, some time since forwarded
with his dispatch to Colonel Malcolm several speci-
mens of the enamelled slate to Hong-Kong, and
large orders for baths and other things have in conse-
quence been received by the proprietor from that
country within the laso two months. The slate is
principally from Merionethshire, Carnarvonshire, and
Cornwall.—From the Times journal of Sept. 9.

THE ATTACK ON MOGADORE.
(From a Correspondent of the Times.)
GIBRALTAR, AUG. 31.—8 y the packet which left this
on tl.k, 210,, t,'. authoris, d French account of the attack
~it ..1/21,4atiore as tai ,itrdeo. Ihe following is the best
English account, received partly from an intelligent
()nicer on board lone of our vessels of war there, and
partly from Mr. Willshire, our Vice-Consul, who, with
some of his family, was concealed in the town during
the attack.
Mogadore was bombarded by the French squadron
under the command of his Royal Highness the Prince
de Joinville on the 15th of August. Hostilities began
at nine o'clock A.M., by the Moors firing twenty-one
guns before the French had taken up their position, but
the fire was not returned until two P.M.. The batteries
were silenced; the Deputy-Governor and all the Moorish
authorities and Moslem inhabitants, with the exception
of ten or twelve, having previously fled, leaving the gates
open behind them. The Kabyles called in for the de-
fence of the town then commenced breaking open the
shops, bazaars, and also the custom-houses, until near
midnight, when they fled with their booty, fearing the
French would land early in the morning and take pos-
session. It is difficult to ascertain the loss of life on the
part of the Moors. The Jemappes, 100 ; Suifren, 90 ;
Triton, 80, liners; the Belle Poule, 60, frigate ; and the
Pluton, steamer, were the ships engaged on the 15th,
with a few brigs.
On the 16th the Belle Poule and Asmodee threw se-
veral shot into the town and island; 900 French were
landed on the island in the afternoon, and, after a rude
encounter, took possession of it, having some officers
wounded and some men killed and wounded.
The Kabyles returned on the morning of the 16th in
greater force, and, finding the gates shut, threatened to
set fire to everything if they were not instantly opened.
After some delay this was done, and the rush of the
Kabyles through the streets was distinctly heard by
those Christians and Jews who were concealed. The
merchants' houses were immediately attacked, and the
cries and shrieks of men, women, and children pierced
the air in every direction, and were heard by Mr.
Willshire and party during the whole day and night.
Our Vice-Consul, Mr. Willshire, escaped in a miracu-
lous manner. His daughters and their governess had
previously got on board the Heels, and during the bom-
bardment were safe on board the Warspite; but Mr.
Willshire, his wife, Messrs. Allnut and Lucas, clerks in
Mr. Will:hire's establishment, Mr. Robertson (a mer-
chant), and his wife and four children were on shore the
whole time.
Mrs. Willshire had four or five daggers raised to her
throat by these wretches, in hopes of extorting money.
Her presence of mind, and her knowledge of the Mo-
ghrebi dialect, saved her. One of the ruffians seized
upon Mr. Robertson's little girl, a pretty child about
nine years old, and scratched her arm several times with
his dagger, calling out " money " at each stroke. Mr.
Robertson himself, as he tried to escape, received a
sabre cut on the right elbow. After hours of agony and
suspence they managed to escape the attention of the
Kabyles, who were too intent upon booty, and got to the
Waterport about three o clock in the morning of the
17th. Mr. Lucas bad found his way there an hour be-
fore, and, lashing together three planks, which fortu-
nately lay at the gate, he paddled himself off to the
French brig of war Cassard, then about a mile off. A
French boat was immediately sent to their assistance ;
and the Prince, made acquainted with their escape, sent
them in a steamer to the Warspite.
The Moors for two hours fired pretty well, but their
best gunner, a Spanish renegade (Omar el Alge), being
killed, they became dispirited and abandoned the batte-
ries. The French fired better than they previously had
done at Tangiers • they went in under their fore and
mizen topsails, and fired pretty quickly.
An old Moor never desertel the Consul's family the
whole time; and a Jewess, much attached to the family,
abandoned them only to return to those allied to her by
the ties of blood.
Mr. Wiltshire's house was set on fire the moment he
left it ; a large quantity of tea, sugar, English goods,
and produce of the country, gum, skins, almonds, &c.,
was destroyed in the conflagration.
Auc. 23.—The Vesuvius arrived off Mazagan at a
quarter-past 7 o'clock A.M. The batteries were all
manned, and bodies of cavalry were coming into the
town from Azimore. Orders had been issued to fire
upon any vessel that might approach within range, and
it was only by strong remonstrances on the part of Mr.
Redman, our Vice-Consul, that the orders were not
obeyed. The Governor would not give permission to
the Vice-Consul to come off (there being Custom-house
accounts pending), but promised to send him under a
strong escort to the Sultan at Rabat, to be disposed of as
his Majesty might think proper ; his two brothers were
allowed to embark. The Vesuvius has brought from
Mogadore Mr. and Mrs. Willshire, and four daughters,
Miss Archer, Mr. and Mrs. Elton and son, Mr. and Mrs.
Robertson and four children, Mr. Lucas, Mr. Allnut, Mr.
Levi (a converted jew and missionary), and Mr. Grace ;
from Mazagan, the two Messrs. Redman.
The French did not enter the town of Mogadore, but a
force landed after the people had abandoned it, at the
battery near the Waterport gate, whence they took off
12 brass guns, and rendered useless many others, accord-
ing to their statement forwarded hence by last packet.
A matter yet remaining to be shown to us here,
though perhaps cleared up by the French official details
which will have reached England ere this, is, if, as has
been stated in the French account here, 180 dead bodies
were thrown into the sea after the island had been
taken, what became of the number of wounded which
must have been on the ground ? Whether in open field
or an attack against a fortress, the proportion of
wounded may be rated at from five to seven times the
number killed, and yet, neither from the French accounts
from our own ships of war, nor from the Consul's party,
has one word been mentioned here about the disposal of
wounded Moors I
This omission is the more remarkable on the part of
the French, as, according to what may have been seen
by their account of the attack which reached this, some
details of minor importance were given. One version as
to the prisoners here is, that those embarked by the
French were persons found in the fortress, having been
confinedreference thet letters
he
Emperor
fromfoa
n g political
'Tangiers
crimes.published
In to
the Times, the following order was published in the Gib •in
r 7 b
Chronicle
htroenrie by c
le
yesterday:--
" Her Majesty's steam vessel Vesuvius,
at Gibraltar, Aug. 30, 1844.
" General Memorandum, No. 157.—Various offensive
paragraphs having appeared in some English newspapers
with reference to the late proceedings on the coast of
Barbary, the attention of the several captains and com-
manders of her Majesty's ships and vessels under my
command, and more especially of the Warspite, is called
to the mischief which attends on such unlicensed publi-
cations, written for the most part, as they must be,
without accurate knowledge, with false views, and under
wrong impressions.
" They are directed to impress the minds of those
whom they respectively command with a just sense of
the evil consequences and mutual ill will they may give
rise to between the subjects of her Majesty and those of
friendly powers.
And, with reference to the 9th Article, sec. 2, chap.
5, page 96, of the Admiralty Instructions, they will call
for strict obedience to the directions it contains, assuring
those who may transgress herein, that, if discovered,
they will be visited by the high displeasure of the Right
llon. the Lcrds Commissioners of the Admiralty, and be
made responsible in every case for any mischief which
arises from the practice.
" E. W. C. R. OWEN, Vice-Admiral.
" To the respective Captains, Commanders, and
Commanding Officers of her Majesty's ships
and vessels in the Mediterranean."

COURT CIRCULAR.

WINDSOR, MONDAY.—Iier Royal Highness the
Duchess of Kent arrived at the Castle at twenty
minutes before seven o'clock this morning, to take
leave of the Queen and Prince Albert. Immediately
after her l'ajesty's departure, the Royal Duchess left
the Castle for her residence, Frogmore Lodge.
Precisely at seven o'clock the royal party left the
Castle for Woolwich, to embark on the Royal Vic-
toria and Albert yacht en route to Blair Atholl Castle.
The illustrious party occupied three carriages and
four, and left in the following order :
The first carriage, containing the Queen, Prince
Albert, and the Princess Royal ;
The second carriage, containing the Viscountess
Canning, Lady in Waiting ; Lady Caroline Somers
Cocks, Maid of Honour in Waiting; and Mademoi-
selle Charlie, in attendance on the Princess Royal;
The third carriage, containing Major-General
Wemyss, Equerry in Waiting, and Colonel Bouverie,
Equerry in Waiting on Prince Albert.
A party of the Royal Horse Guards, urder the
command of Cornet Sheffield, formed the escort from
the Castle to the Slough station of the Great Western
Railway.
Her Majesty and Prince Albert and the royal
party travelled by a special train to the Paddinjton
terminus.

The unfavourable state of the weather_ prevented
the Royal Family from taking their accustomed
airing this morning.
Viscount Canning arrived at the Castle last even-
ing on a visit to her Majesty. His Lordship left the
Castle this morning.

Her Majesty the Queen Dowager, attended by the
Dowager Lady Clinton, Earl Howe, and the Earl of
Denbigh, left her residence, Busby House, Bushy
Park, in a carriage and four, for the Euston-square
terminus of the London and Birmingham Railway, at
a quarter before ten o'clock yesterday morning. Her
Majesty arrived at the station at a quarter past eleven
o'clock, and was handed from her carriage by Sir
Horace Seymour. The Hon. Miss Wheatley and the
Hon. Miss Eden followed from Bushy Park soon
afterwards.

At twenty minutes before twelve o'clock, the Queen
Dowager and suite left the terminus by a special
train for Witley Court, Worcestershire. Her Ma-
jesty's suite consisted of the Dowager Lady Clinton,
Lady in Waiting; Hon. Sophia Wheatley and the
Hon. Miss Eden, Maids of Honour in Waiting; Earl
Howe, Lord Chamberlain ; and Lady Georgina Cur-
zon ; the Earl of Denbigh, Master of the Horse,; Sir
Andrew Barnard, Clerk Marshal; Sir Horace Sey-
mour, Equerry in Waiting ; Sir David Davies, Phy-
sician to her Majesty; Captain Edward Curzon, R.N.,
Comptroller of the Household ; and the Rev. George
T. Hudson, Chaplain to her Majesty.
Their Royal Highness the Duke and Duchess of
Cambridge, and the Hereditary- Grand Duke and
Duchess of Mecklenburgh Strelitz, arrived in town
yesterday from Kew. Their Royal Highnesses left
Cambridge House in the afternoon for Kew.
Mr. Ord, Sir John Rennie, and a deputation from
the Direct Northern Railway, transacted business
yesterday atthe 'office of the Board of Trade.
Lord Wharncliffe, Lord Pesident of the Council
left town yesterday for
.Wortley Hall, Yorkshire.
The Earl of Haddington returned to town yester-
day from Woolwich, after attending the embarkation
of the Queen and Prince Albert. His Lordship
transacted business in the afternoon at the Foreign-
office.

[lt is a curious coincidence that at the moment so
much of deserved praise is properly bestowed on the
Pimlico Slate Quarries, that Mr. George Robins should
be directed to announce the sale, by public com-
petition, of the slate quarries in Merionethshire,
in North Wales, in which Mr. Magnus, alluded
to in the Times report, is so largely interested.
It may be called the parent quarry to the
one at Pimlico. It is proposed that a company should
be established to carry out the peremptory instruc-
tions of the board of directors; such a speculation
would appear without risk.
It is strange, and as Shakspeaxe would say, " it is
passing strange" that at the moment so much interest
is excited in respect to the use and great utility of slate,
that another quarry is in the market, and is placed also
under the controul of Mr. Robins, in Carnarvonshire.

Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence left his residence in
St. James's Palace at six o'clock yesterday morning,
for Woolwich, to be in readiness to receive the Queen
and Prince Albert on the Victoria and Albert yacht.
Dispatches from the Governor of Gibraltar were
received yesterday at the Colonial-office.

It is stated of this that it is the most extensive con-
cern throughout the empire, and it is said, with ap-
parently great truth, that it promises a speedy and
certain fortune]

FASHIONABLE INTELLIGENCE.

A POTATO RIOT AT APPLEDORE.
We are furnished by a correspondent with some par-
ticulars of a singular outbreak which occurred at Apple-
dore about two or three weeks since, we believe on Sa-
turday, the 17th ult. The origin of the fracas, it appears,
was a farmer's wife having boasted, when on her way
from Appledore to Bideford, that she had made a sove-
reign of a few potatoes, in Appledore, the week before,
and that on the following week she intended to make
more. The potato-dealer in question, it seems, made the
money by selling her potatoes at 14d. per peck; and this
successful inroad upon the pockets of the Appledorians
led to her determination of making even a larger profit
on the following week. This circumstance becoming
known, the ladies of West Appledore made up their
minds to resist the imposition that was to be practised
up'Jn them, and having assembled in a very
formidable body, they went to the different farmers'
wives who frequented the market, informing them that
they had agreed among themselves to give ninepence,
and no more, and they vowed vengeance against all who
should be induced to exceed that price. Some of the
dealers were quickly intimidated into compliance, but
others for a time stood firm. What aggravated the case
on the part of the dealers was a well-ascertained fact,
that they had purchased them in Barnstaple market at
7d., and even 6d. per peck, and endeavoured to make the
Appledore people pay them 14d. One of the farmers'
wives, we are told, made application to a magistrate in
the neighbourhood, who advised her to prevent a dis-
turbance by selling at the Barnstaple price. A farmer
sat on his hamper, in a corner, and swore stoutly that he
would not sell for less than is. per peck, and went to
Bideford for the assistance of the police, who
told him that if he offered his potatoes at a fair price
there would be no riot, and declined to interfere.
The women, nothing daunted by the resistance
offered to them, took possession of the potatoes,
served them out to the public at their own
price (9d. per peck) and threw the money into
the baskets. One of the inhabitants, with a view of en •

ARRIVALS.

The Hon. Charles Augustus Murray, at Fenton's
Hotel, St. James's-street, from a visit to the Earl of
Dunmore, at Dunmore Castle, near Falkirk, N.B. ;
Montagu E. N. Parker, Esq., at Fenton's Hotel, St.
James's-street, from a tour ; Mr. Spencer De Horsey,
from the Isle of Wight ; the Hon. Mrs. Adolphus Cape],
at the York Hotel, Albemarle-street, from a visit to Lord
and Lady Maynard, at Eastow Lodge, Essex ; Pooley,
Esq., at ditto, from a tour ; Captain Francis Seymour,
in Piccadilly.

forcing order, read part of the Riot Act ; but this was
a sort of dead letter to the fair sex of Appledore, and
they gained their point. They " served out" the farmer
who went to Bideford for the police, by giving him a
black eye ; an " old chap," who stuck himself up in a
corner in defiance of the fair belligerents, and the pleas-
ing information communicated to him by one of the
party, that unless he " came to" they would lash him to
the stern of a boat and tow him from Appledore to In-
stow. With the fear of such a cooler before his eyes,
the old gentleman at length gave way, sold out his pota-
toes, and put the money in his sack. In the afternoon,
to celebrate the victory they had obtained, the Apple-
dore women had a " grand tea," and some gentlemen
who admired the courage and patriotism they had
evinced, supplied them with spirits for the remainder of
the day. [All the theory in the world is not equal to
experiments of this kind.] —North Devon Advertiser.

MYSTERIOUS SUICIDE.—On Friday last, as the
steam-boat, Waterman No. 7, left Woolwich on her
voyage to London, among her passengers was a gentle-
man respectably attired, and accompanied by a, lady.
They were observed by the other passengers to be en-
gaged in an earnest conversation, and the lady appeared
very much excited. W hen the vessel was between
Charlton and Woolwich Point, the gentleman gave his
walking-stiek to the lady, walked deliberately to the
stern of the boat, and jumped overboard. The steamer
was going at full speed by the flood tide, and made
,con-
siderable way before an alarm was given. Mr. .
Phillips, the master, immediately ordered the engines to
be reversed, and made every effort to save the unfortu-
nate man ; but though he was observed to struggle for
some time in the water, he ultimately sunk before assist-
ance reached him. The lady appeared distracted—and
as there appeared to be a determination on her part to
jump overboard likewise, Mr. Griffiths, a timber-mer-
chant of Woolwich, watched her closely, and on the
arrival of the boat at Blackwall, gave her into the care
of a police-constable, who promised to conduct her home.
She refused to give either her name or address, or fur-
nish any particulars with regard to the unfortunate de-
ceased, mere stating that he was a gentleman residing at
Hoxton New Town. From further information, on in-
quiry being made at Woolwich, it appears that they were
observed walking in a lane in the vicinity of that town,
apparently excited, and the lady in tears. The body has
not been recovered, although the river in that part has
been several times dragged.
DEATH OF SIR THOMAS TANCRED, BART.—The
accounts received from Spa, Belgium, at the close of last
week, confirm the account of the death of the above
Baronet, who expired at that watering-place on the 29th
ult., in his 75th year. The deceased was son of the fifth
Baronet and Miss Smith, daughter of Mr. Thomas Ash-
ton Smith, and married in 1805 Miss Crewe, second
daughter of the Rev. Offiey Crewe, of Muxton, Staf-
fordshire, who has been dead some years. He succeeded
to the Baronetcy on the death of his father in 1782. He
is succeeded by Mr. Thomas Tancred, born in 1800, and
married in 1839 to Miss Selby, youngest daughter of
, Mr. Prideaux Selby, of Turrell House, Northumberland.

ARUNDEL YACHT CLUB.
The sailing match amongst the fast yachts belonging
to this highly-respectable club, for a very handsome
silver cup and cover, came off yesterday between Wool-
wichoclh T.
lowing had been entered:—
done muchHaines,
for E
itssqadvancement,
commodorebei being
t thehei
Idcalcazunnab°rd, dr w.,GhfiroTe ehhnae
tons,fwsi Messrs. A ckbourne and T. Charles,
red with white dice ; Bermudian Maid, 7 tons, Mr. H.
Bailes, red over white ; Halcyon, 7 tons, Mr. H. Banes,
blue and white stripes ; Dauntless, 7 tons, Mr. T. Ed-
wards, blue with red cross.
The commodore's cutter moved to the starting place
off the upper end of the town of Greenwich at a little
after twelve, and having seen all in readiness, Mr. Haines
gave the signal at twenty-five minutes past twelve. The
Dauntless took the lead in very good style, and held it
until the second round, when the slight wind died off,
and the little fleet became becalmed. The Hazard then
took the lead, and won the race at twenty minutes after
seven, the Halcyon being second, and the Dauntless third.
The weather was ill adapted for a race of this de-
scription.

,a
interest. l e t
Lord Stanley has already issued his farewell address
to the electors of North Lancashire, and several indi-
viduals have been named as likely to claim the honour
which he has relinquished. It was at first confidently
a
had determined
t o comet
As Mr. Parker
hasasserted
Catholics of the
northern districts of this
county, it was generally be-
lieved that the Tories
influence
had, with their usual adroitness,
resolved upon bringing that nfluence into operation. It
ered
considerablefe that
r forward R.
rd I Townley
influence
le leo rj Parker,
amongstrer, Eshqe.'
appears, however, that Mr. Parker has given place to
Mr. T. Clifton, son of T. Clifton, E 5...,
of Lytham Hall,
a connexion, we understand, of the Lowther family, and
one who is likely to be anything but a favourite with the
Catholics, as he abjured their faith some years ago, and
is now uttached to the evangelical Church party. We
have not heard of any movement on the part of the
Liberals, for, to use the words of a writer in the Man-
chester Guardian—" It is a matter of general observa-
tion, that his Lordship
.s vacation of his seat at this mo-
ment is, at all events, judiciously timed for his party, as
the election will take place under the register of last
year. Had his acceptance of the Chiltern Hundreds
been a few weeks later, his successor might scarcely have
realised his Lordships anticipatipns,,, Since the above
was written, we have. seen Mr. Clifton's address, an il!-
written compositor of the most commonplace order,
both as regards ideas and expression. It contrasts
wofully against the well-balanced and vigorous periods
of Lord Stanley, with which it is vauntingly placed in
juxtaposition. Mr. Clifton makes the usual promises to
attend to all interests and to do good to everybody. Of
course he will "cons!der it a paramount duty to main-
tain our institutions in Church and State ;" a phrase that
is kept stereotyped in every Tory printing-office could
scarcely escape a writer of Mr. Clifton's calibre. In a
string of equally trite clap-traps, which we forbear to
copy, he promises to support the Tory Government. We
have not learned on what day the election is to 'take
place ; but, as Mr. Clifton declares so short a period will
elapse that he will not have time to make a regular can-
vass, we presume matters are to be pushed forward as
rapidly as possible.—Liverpool Albion.
Lord Beaumont was married yesterday morning to
the Hon. Miss Browne, daughter of Lord Kilmaine.

The royal party are to be escorted from Dundee to Blair
Castle by a body guard of the Sixtieth Royal Rifle corps.
At a meeting of the Joint Committees of the Town
Council and Harbour Trustees, held at one o'clock to -
(Lay, it was agre.;d inameliately to proceed with the pre-
parations for her -Majesty's landing and reception.

GUANO TRADE.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Six,—There lately appeared in the Liverpool Albion
and Glasgow Courier, an article on the guano trade,
in which the sovereignty of his llighnes3 the Imaum
of Muscat over Latham Island, is attempted to be im-
pugned. As the article above referred to might lead
parties to enter on the rash and fruitless speculation
of attempting to remove without authority the guano
from the said island, I take the liberty to request you
will give publicity to the follo wing facts of the case,
for the information of your numerous commercial
readers :

The writer of the article in question asks, who is
the Imaum of Muscat ? and where does he live ? &c.
I would remark, in reply, that the Imaum of Muscat
represents the dynasty of that name, which has ex-
isted for the last two centuries, and whose authority
for many generations past has extended over the pro-
vince of Oman, in Arabia, as well as on the coast of
East Africa, from Cape Delgado, in about ten degrees
south latitude to two degrees north of the Equator,
with the islands and banks adjacent thereto, including
Zanzibar, Pemba, Moufea, Latham Islands, &c. The
independence of the Imaum of Muscat, and the in-
tegrity of his dominions, is recognised by the Go-
vernments in Europe, America, and India. With the
British East India Company his Highness contracted
a treaty offensive and defensive in 1798; with the
British Imperial Government a treaty of commerce in
1839 ; with the Government of the United States of
America :he concluded a convention of amity and
commerce in 1832. He has also treaties of some an-

.....
tiquity with the Government of France, the dates of
which lam unable to specify. Hence the identity of
the Imaums of Muscat as independent sovereigns can-
not be disputed by the subjects of any of the contract-
ing parties.
The writer of the said article labours under a mis-
take, when he insinuates " that Latham Island is only
under the protection of a Sheik, who governs the
island of Zanzibar." The fact is, the palace wherein
his Highness the Imaum has resided at Zanzibar
(which is his principal naval station) for the last
three years, is within forty miles of the island
of "Fungel Rhuviel," which is the ancient Arabic
name of this guano island, that was discovered to the
English many years back by the Latham, East India-
man, and introduced on our charts as Latham Island;
consequently, from its proximity and connexion with
the Imaum's dominions, it is as much (by inter-
national law) his property, as any oyster-bank, island,
or shoals, in the vicinity of British or other posses-
sions, and his Highness is as competent to transfer
the deposit on the said island to other parties, as he is
competent to make a present to the Crown of Eng-
land of one of the nineteen sail of pendants belonging
to his Government. _ _

It consequently becomes ti consideration for the
owners of the Alan Ker, or any vessels employed on
a similar adventure, how far her proceedings will be
legitimate, and how far they may subject their vessels
to confiscation abroad, and themselves to the conse-
quences of litigation at home.—l am, Sir, your obe-
dient servant, VERITAS.
London, Sept. 9th, 1844.