The Sun.
London, England, 1850-07-04 00:00:00

BIRMINGHAM.

The melancholy death of Sir Robert Peel has
created a feeling of universal gloom among the inha-
bitants of this town. It is the all-engrossing topic of
conversation, publicly and privately ; parties of every
shade of politics expressing the deepest regret for an
event which is looked upon as a great national cala-
mity. So profound a demonstration of sorrow has
not-been evinced in Birmingham since the lamented
death of Mr. Canning.
TAMWORTH, WEDNESDAY. _ _

It is impossible to convey the effect produced
throughout the town when the melancholy news of
the death of its principal inhabitant became generally
known this morning. The feeling is as if each family
had been deprived of one of its members, who, whilst
their glory in his public capacity, was deeply beloved
for a thousand acts of private kindness and sympathy.
The general sorrow has been evinced with one consent
by the almost total suspension of business, the partial
closing of the shops, and other external demonstra-
tions of mourning and respect. Yesterday was the
usual rent-day for the Drayton tenantry; but the fatal
accident happened so close on the time, that it was
found impossible to postpone the business to a later
day. As may be supposed, however, there was no
dinner on the occasion ; and the gloom that pervaded
the assemblage, as the dangerous condition of their
friend and landlord spread amongst them, would have
rendered the usually attendant festivities entirely out
of place.

SEARCH for SIR JOHN FRANKLIN.
A copy of the following letter was forwarded to
Lloyd's yesterday, from the Lords Commissioners of the
Admiralty:—

"Her Majesty's ship Enterprise, Fortescue Bay,
Straits of Magellan, April 18, 1850.
" Sir,—l had the honour to report to you by the
Nancy Dawson, that her Majesty's ships under my
command reached Possession Bay, in the Straits of Ma-
gellan, on the 10th April, where I found the Gorgon.
The Investigator not having arrived, I deemed it advis-
able to push on by myself, leaving orders with Captain
Paynter to join me in the Straits on the 17th, should the
Investigator not appear.
" We reached this place, being favoured with fine
weather; and having stayed a day at Sandy Point,
for the purpose of procuring fresh beef, on the morn-
ing of the 16th I had the happiness of being joined
by the Gorgon, and the Investigator yesterday
afternoon; so that we are now in a condition to
face the most difficult portion of the navigation, with
ten days' fuel, independent of what can be spared from
the discovery ships in case of need, which I have little
doubt, by choosing our time, will be sufficient to take us
fairly into the Pacific. Yet as the period of our arrival
in Bhering's Straits is drawing on so fast, I feel myself
under the necessity of proceeding from here straight to
the Sandwich Islands at the time, lest by calling at Val-
paraiso would lessen the probability of my reaching the
ice by the Ist of August. Under this conviction our
provisions have been completed from the Gorgon, and with
the ten days' fresh beef we have obtained here, together
with the stores their Lordships have provided for the
health of the crews, I have little doubt but that the ob.
ject they had in view by ordering me to repair to that
port will be obtained, and that the health of the ships'
companies will not be impaired by foregoing a relaxation
while the main object of their Lordships instructions
would be lost.—l have, &c.,
(Signed) "RICHARD COLLINSON, Captain.
" To the Secretary of the Admiralty."

BRITISH BENEFICENT INSTI-

TUTION.

The foundation festival of this charity was held at the
Freemasons' Tavern, yesterday evening, the Earl of
Cardigan presiding. The institution is projected for the
purpose of affording permanent incomes, without dis-
tinction of religion or country, to the widows and un-
married daughters of military and naval officers, clergy-
men, members of the learned professions, professors of
the fine arts, gentlemen engaged in mercantile pursuits,
and others who have moved in a superior station of
society, resident in Great Britain and Ireland, who, by
reverses of fortune, may be exposed to want, and also
for the erection of alms-houses, to which the recipients
of the society's bounties will have the privilege of
becoming candidates as vacancies occur. From a
variety of causes, but principally, perhaps, from the
lamented death of Sir R. Peel, there was rather a
limited attendance of guests on the occasion.
The principal noblemen and gentlemen present,
besides the chairman, were Lord Macdonald
Lord Hubert, Lord Erskine, Colonel Verner, Mr. George
Hudson, M.P., Mr. Felix Agar, Sir R. P. Jodrell, Sir
C. Ibboteon, Mr. Sergeant Murphy, Mr. Hubert de
Burgh, Mr. Blakemore, M.P., and Mr. Raphael, M.P.
The usual loyal and patriotic toasts having been given
and responded to, the Noble Chairman, in proposing
Prosperity to the Institution," briefly pointed out the
peculiar claims which reduced gentlewomen had upon
that public in whose society they had moved in better
days, but from whose sphere they had been driven by
misfortune. This sentiment was echoed and enforced by
Mr. Sergeant Murphy, and the ether speakers who fol-
lowed. In the course of the evening, a list of subscrip-
tions amounting to nearly 1,0001. was announced by the
secretary, Mr. Richardson, who also stated that there
was already a large number of applicants for the benefits
which this institution has been set on foot to provide and
diffuse. The distinguishing character of the institution
is, that the candidates are to be chosen not by the votes
of the subscribers in the usual fashion, but by the presi-
dents, vice-presidents, and council of the charity, audit re-
mains to be seen whether, worked on such a principle,it will
be successful. It appears in the meantime to have made
a fair beginning, and the speeches at lest night's fes-
tival would seem to indicate that a charity of the kind
is required, there being, as was stated, among all the
numerous metropolitan charities, none which had exclu-
sively in view the relief of decayed gentlewomen. The
arrangements connected with the dinner were perfectly
Unexceptionable,istedbyMiss
BaansdsatioMr:
Mr Ran.
Holmes,
sfordand Miss
Mr. W. E.
ssßansfo rd,
Ransford, favoured__ the company with a choice selection
of songs.' M . Toole ably officiated as toast-master.
P-

URBUIT Or -------S- --''''''."'"".l9'lNGULAR DIFFICULTIES.
—A self-taught ART UNDER
Coggeshan, Essertist named Carter has recently died at
He was on ,awfhere he had for many years resided.
part
otft.rm labourer, and by accident lost the
power of every
his body but the head and neck. B
the force of perseverance and an active mind, however, hey
acquired the power of
pencil between his lips anciting and painting, by holding the
, when placed there by the
kind offices of an affectionatr sister.
not only whiled away the grealstterri:part of fourteen years of
In this manner he has
almost utter physical helplessness,h ix has actually produced
works which have met with
to
have been
His
The " most deli-
groups and compositions are said
grand work
fellow had
cately worked and highly finished."
of
ph for the
contemplated the preparation of some
a3n'seial life re-
International Exhibition, but the little
extinguished by accident.wor
maining in him was lately
The best of his art-productions would surely be
place in the Industrial Exhibition even independentlyth a
of
anything like art-merit.—Builder.
The hay-harvest in this neighbourhood is pro-
ceeding most satisfactorily—a large breadth of land was
cleared and the crop secured in capital condition before the
heavy rain which fell on Wednesday last and the following
day retarded the operations of the husbandmen. No damage,
however, to the hay already cut has resulted from the rain,
whilst the standing crops have derived great benefit from the
refreshing showers. In the course of the next week or ten
days, should the weather continue favourable, the hay-
harvest will be concluded, and we hear that the crop gene-
rally is considered an average one. The wheat is looking
very hea!thy, and there is every promise of an abundant
crop. Vegetables are unusually abundant, Potatoes are
plentifu', lad' we Leg: Utg,hilla of the "blight.".-Bath
GarrettC• __