The Sun.
London, England, 1850-12-30 00:00:00

NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY.

The dispute between the directors and the engine
drivers of the North-Western Railway must quickly
be decided one way or the other, The Ist of January
is close at hand. The time bills for the ensuing
month cannot be issued with public advantage until
the directors shall have determined upon the course
they are to pursue. On the one hand, should the men
resolve to return to their duty, the usual departures
can be continued with such slight difference of ar-
rangement as the season of the year may appear to
require. Should the men, however, be so ill-advised
as to persist simply in their opposition to the mea-
sure recently introduced by their employers, the ex-
tent of accommodation offered to the public must for
a while be limited in proportion to the number of
men whose services can be made available or secured
on short notice. We will venture to assert very con-
fidently that the public will stand by the directors in
this matter, and submit cheerfully to a temporary in-
convenience in order to secure certainty of communi-
cation for the future, should they be unable to make
reasonable terms with the men. There is no techni-
cal knowledge necessary for appreciating the merits
of this dispute. We will state it once again in a few
words, for in point of fact all argument is beside the
purpose. The barest statement of the case is quite
sufficient to convict the engine-drivers of
a combination against their directors, which has
not been justified by any actual or prospective
act of oppression, and which will most assuredly
terminate in their own ruin should they, be so mis-
guided as to persist in their present movement. Nor
can the engine-drivers look for any public simpathy or
assistance to lighten the pressure of a calamity which
they will have invoked most wantonly on their own
heads.

The engine-drivers and firemen have hitherto been
engaged upon an agreement terminable on a fort-
night's notice. It is now proposed by the directors
to substitute a three months' notice for the more
limited period which obtained before. It is not in-
tended to enforce this new regulation against indivi-
duals who may be desirous of leaving the service of
the company for any bond fide motive, but simply to
retain it as a safeguard against any such general com-
bination amongst the men as might at any time para-
lyse the action of the line. Furthermore, the ac-
ceptance of these terms is limited to the new hands
—the men actually employed are left just as they
were before. We are at a loss to con-
ceive how the men can look for any sym- 1
pathy in their resistance to an arrangement of this
nature. In the case of a desperate attempt on
the part of the men to coerce their employers into an
acceptance of any demands they might choose to
make, how long a period would be requisite to secure
the services of so many fresh hands as would be ne-
cessary for working the line with safety to the. public ?
That period, whatever it may be—three months or
one month—should be the limit of the notice. The di-
rectors assume that three months are necessary for
this purpose. It requires no very profound acquaint-
ance with the details of railway management to con-
ceive that a very considerable time is requisite for in-
structing fresh drivers—no matter what their general
skill and previous experience may be—in all points
connected with the various sections of a new line. At
any rate, where human life is so largely concerned it
is well to err on the safe side. We will not pretend
to say authoritatively what the term of notice should
he ; hut, at least, a fortnight is not sufficient. The
calling of these engine-drivers is an exceptional one. In
any other trade there may he a combination amongst
workmen, and much loss to both masters and workmen
may be the result ; but there it ends. The pitmen of the
North, or the Manchester cotton spinners, might turn
out to-morrow without any danger to human lite.
With the coal and the calico we have got on hand we
could tide it over until order was restored, but in the
case of a railway strike it is quite another matter.
People must traverse the surface of this country in
some fashion or other for the dispatch of business.
The railways have swept away all other means of
communication ; therefore certainty by them we must
have. An engine-driver, when he accepts service
with a railway company, enters upon an exceptional
service. Let this point to any reasonable extent be
considered in his wages. The public pay all doges

ultimately, and are perfectly willing to pay for cer-
tainty of communication. We cannot be subjected
every six months to the chance of a turn out on the
Eastern Counties or on the North-Western. The
thing evidently won't do. If the directors could not
carry so necessary a precaution as securing a proper
terns for " notice" as a safeguard against a general
strike, the interference of Parliament would be requi
site to settle this point, as it has already settled so
many other points connected with the details of rail-
way management.
_

After all, what does the grievance amount to, even
upon the supposition that the companies might be dis-
posed to act with a certain degree of injustice towards
their servants ? Should they become dissatisfied with
the conditions .of theii service, surely one, two, or
three months do not, after all, constitute any very in-
terminable limit of endurance for the men. It is
mere idleness to say that any dimination of wages,
such as would seriously affect their interests, would or
could be introduced in so short a space of time. Nor
is it possible that they could be forced to submit to
any very tyrannical regulations in other respects.
The acts of a railway company are too keenly and
too publicly canvassed to admit of any real oppres-
sion on the part of the directors towards the men. We
are far from saying that engine drivers on a railway
line may not from time to time be subjected to very
galling treatment and to great provocation front
some blustering superintendent or Jack-in-office ;
but after all this sort of thing does not constitute a
justification for a general strike. The sour-tem-
pered man will be sour-tempered and the bully a
bully to the end of the chapter ; but still the real bu-
siness of the driver is to conduct his train to and fro
in safety, not to effect an amelioration in his superin-
tendent's manners or character. We suspect that in
nineteen cases out of twenty personal considerations
of this kindare at the bottom of these . strikes; but
this case of the North-Western as just the exception.
At least there are no traces of irritation from this
source, either in the terms of the memorial or the
language of the speakers at the meeting in the Hump-
stead-road on Thursday last. They could not point
out any actual injury they suffered by the proposed
alteration, but it seems they have a keen eye for con-
sequences. They say—" It reporte currently over
the whole length of the London and North-Western
Railway that on a future occasion, when it suits you,
you will do all the injury you can to your memo-
rialists. If this report be true, they consider it not
treating them justly, for they do not deserve it."
As far as commendation can in such a case
be bestowed at all, we can speak favourably of the
tone and temper of the speakers on Thursday. We
can only wish they had arrived at a different conclu-
sion. An idea appears to have taken hold of them,
that the directors will be willing to recede from the
full extent of their proposition if the men on their
side will make certain concessions. Altogether, the
manifestations of the engine-drivers on the southern
division of the line was most uncalled for, as there
appears to have been no intention of altering any
regulations now in force -as far as they were con-
cerned.
The resolutions of the Hampstead-road
meeting have been met by a notice from the chair-
man of the Locomotive Committee, calling upon
every man to declare whether or no he is de,irous of
rezruibing in the service of the company cn the pre-
sent conditions ; for if not, he must accept a fourteen
days' notice and go about his business. Meanwhile
the trains must be temporarily reduced and the new
hands called out. This is meeting the combination
of the engine-drivers in a right spirit. We trust for
their own sakes that the firmness of the managers
may check the threatened insubordination in the bud
and preserve the men from ultimate ruin.—Times.

MARYLEBONE VESTRY.
REPEAL OF THE WINDOW-TAX.

On Saturday, at a fully attended meeting of the vestry
of St. Maryleboue, F. H. Bridgman, Esq., churchwarden,
in the chair, a communication was received from Mr. D.
Harris, hon. secretary to the St. Mary (Islington) Paro-
chial Reform Association, inviting the vestry to send a
deputation to a great public meeting, about to be held in
Islington, on the repeal of the window-tax, at which
several Members of Parliament bad promised to attend.
Mr. NICIIOLLY, in moving that the communication be
referred to the window-tax committee, said he had much
pleasure in seeing the stir which•was being made all over
the metropolis on this important question, and he had no
doubt they would be successful in securing in the en-
suing session the repeal of the window-tax.—(Hear.)
Mr. GLASIER seconded the resolution.

Mr. SODEN said it was a gratifying fact that upon this
question, Whig, Radical, Tory, and even Chartists were
all united in demanding a repeal of this tax.
Sir PETER LAURIE sail he had almost an authority
for stating that one of the first steps which would be
taken by the Ministry in the ensuing session would be
to secure the window-tax being repealed; at the same
time he thought that agitation was unwise, because it
gave an appearance that there was no likelihood of a
repeal.

Mr. D'IFFANGER, SM., said there was no faith what-
ever to be placed in the Government, and hereforo he
advised agitation, beeause if the tax were then repealed
the people would have the satisfaction of knowing that
they had done it themselves.—(Hear, hear.)
The resolution was carried unanimously.
Mr. NICHOLIT th, n brought forward a motion for a
vote of 101. towards expenses of carrying out ihe window-
tax agitation, which, having been seconded, was opposed
by Sir Peter Laurie. Mr. Kirby, and Mr. M'Evily, on the
graund that the vestry could not legally spend the parish
money for such a purpose. The latter gentleman was
astonished to see the economists of the new patty sup-
porting this expenditure.
The &notion was declared nega•ive.l, on which a divi-
sion was demandt d, when there appeared—
For the motion ... ... ... 23
Against it . . 18

Majority for the motion ... —5
The vestry then separated.

TIIE NORTH AMERICAN MAILS.
The following notice has been issued by command of
the l'estmarter-General:—" The following are the day
on which the British end United States' mail packets are
appointed to be dispatched from this cceintry during the
months of January, February, end March, 1851:—The
Uoited States' packets to New Yo. le—Frena Southamp-
ton, Wednesday, January Ist; f.-otn Liverpool, Saturday,
llth, Saturday. 25th, Saturday, February sth, Saturday,
22d, Saturday, March Bth; from Southampton, Wed-
nesday, 12th; from Liverpool, Saturday, 22d; from
South-atnpt. n, Wednesday, 26:h. Lettr,rs to be forwarded
from London by th'. Yt'spectiro mails foil )wing:—
Day mail, lanuary 1 nighr. mail, lOta, 24th, Febru-
ary 7th, 21st, M.7.(.:1) 7th; day- mail, 12th; night mail,
21st, 25th. Th.,' Bfitisis packets to New York and
Boston—From Liverpool to New York, Saturday, 4th
January, Saturday, Ist February, S,:turdly, Ist March,
Saturday, 29 h March; from Liverpool to BAton,
Saturday, 18th January, Saturday,', 15th February,
Saturday, 15th March. LLttrrs to be forwarded
from London by the respective mails follow-
ing:—Night mail, 3d January, 3 !at ditto, 28th February,
28th March, 17th January, 14th Fe bruary, 14th March.
All letters addressed to the United States, and not di-
rected to be otherwise sent, will be transmitted by no
first packet, whether British or United States, which is
dispatched after they are posted; but letters specially
directed by British picket, by United States' packet,'
or by any particular vessel named, will be forwarded in
accordance with the desire thus expressed by a writer.
The British mail packet, on the New York line, will
proceed (as before announced), direct from Liverpool to
New York, and from New Yolk to Liverpool, without
calling at Halifax. Letters and newspapers, however, fur
Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward's Is-
land, may still be forwarded in closed mails by these
packets, if specially addressed, via New York,' or
the United States;' but letters and newspapers not so
addressed will be sent in the regular mails to Hali
fax by the packets proceeding from Liverpool, vie;
Halifax to Boston. The United States mail packets
leaving Liverpool and Southampton, as well as the
British packets, will convey closed mails for Canada,
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward's
Island, and letters and newspapers will be forwarded in
such closed mails, if specially addressed 'vie/ New
York,' or vii the United States.' Letters for Canada,
however, must, in addition, hear the words By United
States Packet.' The postage upon letters and news-
papers is precisely the same whether they are conveyed
by British or United States packets. Letters, &c., for
Bermuda and Newfoundland will be forwarded only Gy
the packets proceeding to Boston; the mails fur Bermuda
will be dispatched from Halifax immediately after the
arrival of the packet at that port, and those for New-
foundland will be dispatched on the arrival at Halifax of
the homeward packet from Boston. Postmasters will
bear in mind that all letters to he transmitted by the
packets which start from Southampton must be for-
warded to London and not to Liverpool."

CHEAP RE-ISSUE OF PEPYS DIARY.—The first
first volume of the cheap re-issue of Pepys' celebrated
" Diary and Correspondence" is published this day by Mr.
Co'burn, and may be had of all booksellers. This complete
edition, containing all the passages restored from the original
MS., and all the additional notes, gill I.)a published in five
monthly volumes, post Svo., with portraits, &c., price only
6s. each. The following works are also just published :-
2. The Life and Reign of Charles 1., by I. Disraeli, new
edition, revised by the author, and edited by his sun, B
Disraeli, M.P., 2 vols., 8,0., 28s 3. Calitain Crawford's
Reminiscences of a Naval Officer, with Sketches of Admirals
Sir E. Owen, Sir B. Hallowell Carew, and other distin-
guished Commanders, 2 vols., 21s. 4. The Eighth, and
Cheaper Edition, of Mr. Warburton's " Crescent and the
Cross,, 'in I vol., 10s. 6cl. 6. historic Scenes, by Agnes
Strickland, I vol., 102. 6d. 6. Lives of the Princess sof
England, by Mary Anne Everett Green, 2 vols., 21s. I
THE CONDEMNED CONVICTS AT ORK --Oa
Thursday Mr. Noble, the governor of York Castle, receivedda.
reprieve from the Secretary of !gate for the two culprits Go
dard and Whithkor. wlio were left for execution by fir.
Justice Patteson at the late assizes,
for an abominable offence
at Lockwood, near Huddersfield, and lOW were t 9 Iwo tuf-
food cloth ça
Huddersfield,

"Clerk's °iliac, Town-Hall, Brighton,
tb December, 1850.
" Madam,—The coninsiesioners of the town of
Brighton have instructed me to address your Lsdy-
shit) on the following suitject :--_Feeling that the town
of Brighton has been and is honoured be the resort
of the nobility and gentry of the kingdon;-, they think
themselves bound to contribute as tar as they can to
their comfort and enjoyment while here. The Pavilion
having always been au object of great attraction to the
town, constructed under the auspices of a Prince and
Sovereign of the highest taste and the most polished
and refined manners, and the centre afterwards of the
most distinguished society in Europe, the commis-
sioners thought it their first duty to prevent the de-
molition of this building, and to preserve it as far as
possible for the continued use and enjoyment of the
nobility and gentry who may continue to favour this
place with their countenance and presence. With
this view they negotiated the purchase of the Pavilion;
and they have since been employsd in restoring the
interior as nearly as possible to its primitive state
when finished by George IV.
" They have now brought this work to a close
and they feel happy, and even proud, to announce that
it is ready to be applied to those public purposes for
which it was purchased. They think, after the pre-
vious statement, that the opening of this public suite
of rooms should be celebrated by a ball of the nobility
and gentry who frequent Brighton, or who kindly
take an interest in its prosperity. They have appointed
a committee of three members of their body—long re-
sident in the town—to make arrangements for the
purpose; and this committee has directed me to apply
to your Ladyship, in the hope that you will permit
your nrme to stand as one of the Lady Patronesses
on the occasion ; and I beg leave to subjoisp a list of
other ladies applied to as well as yourself. the com-
mittee will be happy to lend their aid in any way
which may be most agreestblo to the Issdiss Paso-
nesses. As rile rooms are now in a b'att. (TrAdiziess,
the favour of an early answer is requsstsd.
" I have the honour to be, Aladdin,
Your Ladyship's most obedient servant,
" IahWIS SLIGHT,
" Clerk to the C emnissioners."
The following is the list of lsdiee applied to :—The
Ducl-ess of N- rfaik, the Duchess of Richmond, the
Marchioness of Abereorn, the Marchioness of Ely, the
Marchioness of Adissbury, the Marchioness of Bresd-
albane, the Countess of Arundel, the Lady Jane Peel,
the Countess of March, the Lady Seymeur, the
Countess of Kinnoul, the Ca unless of Chichester, the
Viscountess Gage, Lady Augusta Fitzclarence, Lady
Alfred Hervey, Lady Willoughby d'Eresby, Lady
Sheffield, Lady Cerrin,geon, Lady de Table y, Lady
Headh,y, the Dswager Lady Henley, the Hun. Mrs.
Fitzroy, Lady Pechell, the Hon. Mrs. Hanbury
Tracey, Lady Kerr:son, Lady Otway, Lady West-
phal, Miss Burdett Coutts, Mrs. Colons; Wyndham,
Mrs Morier, Airs. limp, and Mrs. Craven.
'rl;e coentuit'ee of mi.nagement appointed by Its
tomteissi,ao rs consi,t of Wiltiern King, E• q , M.D.
C,:ut,b, J•anes Curdy, Esq. (vicar's warden), Red
Mr. D. M. Felkard.
Such a phalanx of distinguished names as appear
above cannot fail to realise the fullest expectations of
the inhabitants ; end it is not too much to expect,
with such ae tit!ittetiv- place et eriteminment for .-,ur
via tars, that, the brilliant and elegant scenes which
were wont to shed a lustre over this town will be re-
enactud, and that Brighton will ooniinue its sway
over all ether fashionable pieces. We may assert, with-
out fear of contradiction, that there is not such another
suite of routes in the kingdom, and perhaps riot in
the world, for elegance, the s eness or design, and
beauty of execution ; and when the grand opening
night shall come, numbers will in all probability enter
these rooms for the first time. That they will excite
she admiration of all who behold them we have not
the slightest doubt.

Tne rooms will be completed and ready for the
grand ball about the second week in January. We
stated last week that they were receiving their finish-
ing touch, and now they arc all but completed.
On entering the banqueting-room the stranger
will be struck with the lofty dome rising to the height
of 45 feet. The dome itself is all but covered with
the broad and branching foliage of a ltsauriaut plain-
tain, which exhibits its fruit in all the progressive
stages to maturity. From the centre is suspended a
magnificent chandelier, which is so placed as to shed
the lustre of 50 lights fully upon the plaintain and the
beautiful and gorgeous painting. In this room, under
the dome, there are four horizontal windows of stained
glass very beautifully painted. The walls are covered
with a paper of the same design as the original paint-
ing—that ir, silver panels, with the royal eagle and
flower-work, surrounded by a crimson border, and
standing on a blue and silver ground: the skirting-
boards being again of crimson. The effect of the
silver panels, relieved by the blue ground-work and
the crimson borders, is chaste and beautiful. "The
way in which the original patterns were restored
(says our Saturday's contemporary) to the walls of
the Pavilion is rather curious. George IV. was so
much pleased with the design that he had blocks made
for paper-hangings, but took care to secure the copy-
right to himself, for the exclusive use of the Pavilion.
These blocks were never made use ot; and were put
away and supposed to be lost or destroyed, until, on
the Pavilion coming into the hands of the commis-
sioners, Mr. Vick set to work to find the missing
blocks, and, after much trouble, fortunately suc-
ceeded ; and as the copyright limits the block to the
Pavilion, of course no objection could be made for
copies being taken for that purpose ; and this has been
done, and the walls now appear in their original state.
Part of the blue groundwork is painted."
If, as our cont. mporary says, they were the
original patterns, tt ey must have been altered in
George IV.'s time, for the walls contained illustra-
tions of domestic groups of figures, nearly as large as
life, of the manners and elegant costumes of the higher
order of the Chinese people. " These pictures," says
a little work published by Mr. Wilknutt, of
Brighton, " possessed great variety, and teemed with
domestic episodes which are familiar to us. They
attached us to them by an appeal to our feelings, for
they seemed like the reflected imagery cf our own
minds. The ground of these masterly paintings was
in imitation cf inlaid pearl, richly wrought in all the
varied forms of Chinese mythology."
Leaving the banquetting-room 3 ou enter the green
or ante-drawing-room, which will have a very pretty
appearare.e, especially when lighted up.
The saloon is in the centre of the grand suite of
rooms, and is of circular shape, with coned recesses to
the north and south, and a large dome clouded in a
light and cheerful manner, painted with a gorgeous
dragon with silver and gold flowered wings, en-
wret.thed by crimson and green serpents. Over the
cb!mney piece is an immense mirror.
From the saloon you pass into the yellow drawing-
room, which is restored to nearly its pristine magni-
ficence. The ceiling is supported by two white and
gold oriental columns wreathed with serpents, capped
by a canopy minus the bells as they appeared in the
time when monarchs dwelt there.

But the music-room, of all others, will excite the
wonder of the visitor. Here the pencil of the artist
has been at work to some purpose ; and we doubt not
that the splendour of this apartment will be the
theme of admiration for ages yet to come.
We have extended this article to a greater length
than we at fist intended; but the change in the at-
tractions of this favoured town, by the purchase of
this once royal palace, and the admirable resolve of
the commissioners to restore these rooms to all but
their original state, call on us to lay before our
fashionable inhabitants, and especially our visitors on
whom .we so much depend for patronage and support,
as much information respecting this change as the
space at our command will permit.

SHOCKING DEATH FROM SUFFOCATION.-011
Saturday an inquiry was taken by Mr. Bedford, the coroner,
at the Feathers, Dean-street, Westminster, as to the death of
Charles Henry Clewlay, aged 19, who was suffocated under
the following shocking circumstances :—The deceased was
the son of Mr. Clewlay, the coal merchant and lighterman of
the Adelphi Wharf, and on Monday went up with a barge to
Mortlake. In the cabin of this vessel, which was only- si'
feet by four, he was in the habit of lighting a fire in a sauce-
pan 3 filled with holes. As he did not return cn Tuesday his
family became much alarmed. A Waterman, named Hooper,
who was passing over Vauxhall-bridge, saw the barge. and a
man's hand hanging out of the cabin, which led him to
make a further search, and be then found the unfortunate
deceased lying on his back, and quite dead. The jury re-
turned a verdict that the deceased died ..f suffocation, but
they had no direct evidence to show how it was caused.
FIRE AT ST. J-ur,'s WOOD.—On Slturdiy of er -
noon, shortly before live o'clock, a fire broke out in the pri-
vate residence of S. IL 11 dgkiusor;, E,cl , 5, ilamilton-!er-
It was occasioned by a brick having
race, St. John's Wood.
been left out of a flue of the next house Nyhich allowed the
second flour
flhooard oofhtMainr.edlibVtogrkie 'irwifass.
Owing the hthed
fire to rush intofirm hold l;
discovered, but few inmates elapsed before the flames shot
•
through tie rocf, and by the time the brigade and parish
engines could p be in attendance the flames were
rushing out of every witalow on the second ilonr. The fire-
men, however, having an abundance of water, by great per-
severance succerded in extinguishing the flames, b. t of till
the upper part of the residence was burned out, and the
lower part, with its valuable furniture, was damaged by fire
and water. The property is insured in the Royal Farmers'-
office.

CLoSING OF THE BRITISH Altrsistat —The British
Yiu,,..tn will clus to-day, and kot re-,pen till the bth of
January, when the Nintveh Gallery will be open for the in-
spection of the public•