The Sun.
London, England, 1850-02-26 00:00:00

THE EMIGRA—ION OF THE DLS
TRESSED NEEDLEWomEn
Yesterday, the first detachment of the distressed
'women of the metropolis, for whose benefit the
lion. Sidney Herbert, M.P., started a public subscrip-
tion, embarked at Gravesend, in the ship Culloden,
ptain Fergusor, for Port Philip, New South
1 lc& They numbered 38, including matrons and
uh-matrons, and Were conveyed to Gravesend, from
Blackwell, by the Satellite steamer. Mr. and Mrs.
Sidney Herbert, the Honourable A. liinnaird, and
Mrs. Riunaird, Mr. Higgins, Mr. Thackeray,
and a party of ladies and gentlemen interested
in . the welfare of the emigrants accompanied
them to the ship, where they were received on board
by Lieutenant Lean, R.N., the Government emigra-
tion agent, and by that gallant officer were shown
round the verse].
The Culloden is 558 tons, old measurement; 125
feet on the main deck, and 28 feet broad. She is a
stout built thir, and is very roomy between decks,
the height being more than six feet under the beams.
Of course all was cenfusion from the accession of the
needlewomen to the other passengers previously em.,
barked, making altogether 115 souls ; but it must
have been, nevertheless, moat gratifying to those who
have shown so warm an interest in the emigrant; to
have found that every pains had been taken to render
them happy and comfortable on their long voyage to
a flourishing colony, where their labours will, doubt-
less, be better appreciated and remunerated than in
the metropolis. The emigrants are berthed in cabins,
ranging on each tide of the main deck, and although
there is not the same ventilation, perhaps, that is re- -
ceived by the mode of fitting the Government emigre-,
tion ships, and the classification of the emigrants, in
consequence of the greater number of bulkheads, yet
the division of the deck into cabins adds to the privacy
of the passengers. The cabins are so i rranged as to
accommodate from three to eight or ten each, fur
which price?, varying from M. downward for each
adult, have been paid.
The emigrants were all mustered in presence of
Mr. Sidney Herbert and his friends, and many a kind
and cheering word was spoken both by ladies and
gehtlemer, as the objects of their solicitude and their
bounty passed them and proceeded to their strange
and cheerless- looking berths. Nu rbers appeared
sorrowful, And rrietry wept et the position in which
misfortune and misery alone had placed them ; - but
others looked smiling, happy, and contented, and all
were most grateful to their generous benefactors.
With tears ,-,f thankfulness they pressed the proffered
hands of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert at parting ; and as
the steamer left the Culloden, the crew, uniting
with the emigrants, gave their benevolent friends
three hearty cheer=, at the sound of the boatswain's
cal'.
We understand that the provisions and the water
had all been duly inspected, and guaranteed as of the
first quality, whilst the fittings had been carefully
attended to under the personal superintendence of
the gallant and indefatigable emigration agent. Dr.
Sp irke, the inspecting medical officer of the emir ra-
tion commissioners, was present, and in conjunction
with the surgeon in charge, Mr. Thompson, in whom
the committee pl.ce great confidence, examined all
the passengers when they all passed muster with the
exception of one married woman, to whom they ob-
jected on account of the precarious state of her
health, and she was sent ashore, the agent returning
t I e passage money.
The Culloden will leave Gravesend to-day, in tow
of a steamer so far as the Downs. • She will
tfen be cast off, and will proceed direct to Port
Philip, without toirc!ring at any intermediate port,
being amply stored in every respect for the whole
voyage, which, it is expected, will be accomplished
within the three months.
Mr. Sidney Ile:bert and Mr. Kinnaird in the course
of their visit to Gravesend, accompanied Lieut. Lean
on board of the S;r Robert Sale, another emigrant
ship, also bound to Port Philip. Slit: i 3 a remarkably
fine Moulmein teak-built vested of 720 tons old
measurement, length on the main deck, 131 feet, and
breadth, 29 feet. She it chartered by the
Government, and has been fitted out, stor d and
provisioned under the inspection of the Government
officers. Sae has oe beard 69 males, 39 females, and
33 children ; and is to proceed to Plymouth to fill up
her complement to 300. II e. fittings are different
to those of the Culloden. The married people are
berthed emidship-, the unmarried I. males in the after
part, and the unmarried men in the fore part of the
main-deck, each section being cut off by a strong
bulkhead, with " louvering" doors, to facilitate the
free passege of air. Tuere are no cabins as in the
Culloden, and consequently there is better ventilation
and they have much more room for moving about by
the fitting of portable tables and stools, which, 'meg-
ing along the decks, are easily lowered down from the
ceiling of the upper deck when. wanted, and as easily
shut up and secured when not required. The gen-
tlemen who accompanied Mr. Lean highly approved
of this mole of fitting the shieh, and we believe the
next emigrant ship for the needlewomen will be fitted
in a similar manner. The Sir Robert Selo is tern•
!minded by Captain Lor.der.lSbe Ise good noted sailing
ship, is well f ,und, a ell manned and officered, and
has a highl3-reTectable medical gentleman attached
to her. Her last voyage was with the pensioners to
New Zealand, when she made the run from Cerk in
84 days. She will leave th., river to-morrow.

TO TIP,: EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR,—Your urbanity generally when a refutation
to any unfounded charge is made in your valuable
paper will not be 'A ithheld from me on this occasion. A
lengthy and most unmanly anonymous charge is made
in your publication of Friday last, under the head of
the " Southwark Police-court," in wh.ch my character
and honesty is impeached. The society was com•
menced by a few gentlemen of known respectability ;
a preliminary prospectus was sent to all the resident
clergy and gentry, begging their co-operation. The
originators opened a soup kitchen at their own indi-
vidual loss, two days weekly (Tuesday and Thurs-
day) ; the society was but in its infancy, and had not
the means to do it (droner. On those days soup and
bread was distributed liberally; the kitchen was (as
it is now) open for the public inspection. The posi-
tion of the place, it is true, is in the very vortex of
destitution—the Mint (could a better situation be
sought fur) ; the interior, if my very reverend inquirer
had but taken the trouble to visit, was clean and com -
fortable, and our books open far his inspection.
I remain, yours obediently,
T. GIBBINS.
No. 33, Red Crosi•street, Borough,
Feb. 25, 1850.

DEATH OF FORT-MAJOR CANSII.—The death of
this veteran officer took place on Tuesday forecoon last,
in the Castle. He had been slightly indisposed for
several months previous, but his malady did not assume
a seriaul appearance till within three weeks before his
death. Alsjor Cansh has aeted f.,r a considerable fine
as for t--najor in Edinburgh Castle. During the progress
of the Peninsulas campaigns, the de e.tised officer distin-
gui,hed him elf on several ocLa;ions by his brilliant ex-
ploit, and in particular when he signalised himself as
an intrepid soldier by lasing the firs man who planted
his foot on the summit of the ramparts ( f Badajez The
medal awareel last year to Major Cansh, aiong with
those of the other Peninsular heroes, in terms of the
clasp, representing the numler of actions in which he
general order of July, 1847, bore no fewer than twelve
had been engaged. His remains, Re understand, are to
be interred to day at two o'clock, with military honours
in the Dean Cemetery, the funeral procession passing
from the Castle down Bank- enet, and the Mound, and
along Prince's-street.—Edinburgh Courant.
CHATHAM.—A ball was given on Thursday evening
at the Sun Hotel, Chatham, by the sergeants of the
Chatham division of Royal Marines to the sergeants of the
provisional battalion; Royal Sappers and Mirers, and Royal
Artillery at Ch a .ham, the Cavalry depot at Maidstoce, a
number of the tradespeople of the town and their families,
at which upwards of 300 persons assemble t, and which
has honoured by the presence of Lieutenant-Colonels
Ellis, C. 8., Wh) lock, Giles; Majors Wolrige, Lang-
ford; Cart sins Fyiante e, Griffin, Campbell; Dr. Drum-
mond, D.T.11.; Lieut !news and Adjutants 'Rodney
and Pellowesi and a number of the other officersof
tho division. A very efficient and numerous quadrille
band, c mduc!esl by Air. Rogers, jun., wasformedirm,
from tho splendid band of the division, whosepeif
pieces
ance of the music selected, as
Mr. Rogers,
several
the band.
composed for the occasdiond
by
The s.upper, refreshments,
master,
of Mr Winch, and the
1 t d to sustain the reputation .
CU 3 C gaermPleantsew.e.r.e of a character well cal-
of record as affording grati-
fyingevidence of the intelligence, re,pectability, and
of the division, the estima-
tion ta'te of the sergeants
good
h h they are held by their officers, and the
d
tiOn in which
affairan altogether general"'as
mucharrains worthy.
co.ood feeling existing among the non-commis-
sioned
united service and
the inhabitants of Chatham.
dial
officers of every branch of the
STATE OF THE POOR IN IMANCIIESTEE.--The di-
minished amount c f relief to the poor of Manchester a'c's
another to the many proefi apparent Of the greatly im-
proved state of trade in this hive of industry. Last
week there were only 960 casual cases relieved at a cost of
121/.; Manchester cases, 2,087, at a cost of 2081.; Irish
cases, 1,730 —total eases, 4,777, including 10,631 persons,
at the total cost of 5991. As compared with the corres-
ponding week of lest year, there appeared a decrease
( f 466 English cases, and in the cost of 701.; and of
294 Irish cases, with a decrease in the cost of 57/.
The great mass of the operative classes are in full and
constant strolls, and their condition is much more satis-
factory than has be ea known for many years past. Fears
are entertained that a depression of the cotton manufac-
ture is at hand, f orn the large quantity of yarns and cot-
ton goods produced. Sean si firms have agreed to work
short time; whilst atßochdale the spinners of coarse num-
bers are almost all working but three days a week. A
favourable season of ;he year, however, is approaching, so
that no serious apprehension need be entertainedas to
the future condition of the working classes. The slack-
bat and affects but compa-
in by many largely
rnaetiisreeifyt rfaedwe; is
anlThhoeprteo partial, s
are
eiulged
engaged in the staple manufeture that the limited de-
pr's-ion will be of short duration.
THE DEAN OF WESTMINSTER.--It 19 stated that
the health of the Very Reverend the Dean is so much
deranged as to preclude all hope of his being able, for
a,least a ' very long time, to attend to any duty.