The Sun.
London, England, 1844-10-04 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE:

PORTSMOUTH, OCT. I.—The Mayor of this borough,
Mr. E. Casher, having written to Sir Robert Peel upon
the subject of the visit of the King of the French to this
port, en route to Windsor, and to know if his Majesty
would receive an address from the Corporation and in-
habitants of the borough upon his arrival, his Worship
received a reply yesterday under Sir Robert's own hand,
stating, that he had referred the letter of his Worship
to the Comte de Jarnac, who had communicated with his
Majesty Louis Philippe upon the subject of the con-
tents, and, on the receipt of the Comte's reply, he (Sir
Robert) would communicate with his Worship the
Mayor immediately, and state the result. A similar
reply to a like application from the Mayor has also been
received from Sir James Graham. Should the answer
prove favourable, a meeting of the Town Council will
be instantly convened to resolve upon the best measures
to be adopted in furtherance of the object contemplated.
The Waterwitch, 10, Commander T. F. Birch, was
towed out of the harbour by the Echo steam-tug this
morning to Spithead, where she is now anchored.
The Pantaloon, 10, Commander (acting) Edmund
Wilson, seized the opportunity a favourable breeze af-
forded soon after the Waterwitch had anchored of
leaving her moorings in the harbour under canvass,
which she accomplished in the most gallant style, for the
breeze meanwhile freshened, and she passed out to Spit-
head at a spanking rate, creating a most favourable im-
pression of her sailing qualities. She now forms the
seventh of the experimental squadron at Spithead.
The Osprey, 12, Commander Patten, and the Fire-
brand steam-frigate, Captain Corry, remain in the har-
bour. The former is expected to leave for Spithead.to-
morrow, and the latter in a few days—still short
handed (1), as also are three brigs from Chatham—the
Mutine, Cruiser, and Espiegle.

THE SCOTTISH HOSPITAL.—On Wednesday, at one
o'clock, a court of the governors and subscribers to the
Scottish Hospital was held at the hall of the Scottish
Hospital, Crane-court, Fleet-street, to receive the report
of the Committee on the bye-laws, &c.—Mr. Nisbett, in
the chair. A proposition, moved at the previous court
to insure the picture of King William IV. (by Wilkie),
for 3004 another of Mary Queen of Scots for 2001., and
the whole of them for 6001., was agreed to. Professor
Donaldson moved that at a future court they should in-
sure the pictures for seven years, which will effect a
great saving to the hospital. A letter was read which
had been forwarded from the secretary of the Caledonian
Asylum, thanking the hospital for the donation of two-
thirds of the proceeds of the Caledonian ball. The amount
of 5401. Is. 6d. had been distributed in relief to 277 ap-
plicants in July, 289 in August, and 289 in September ;
and it was stated that about 2,000 Scottish poor residing
in the metropolitan districts in the course of the year
received the bounty of the Scottish Hospital. To the
credit side of the accounts there was the sum of
9501. Bs. 7d., and to the debit side 6751. 14s. 7d., being
2741. 14s. in favour of the hospital. The report on the
bye-laws was confirmed and adopted, when a suggestion
was made in reference to the removal of the hospital to a
site in the new line of street from Oxford-street to Hol-
born, it being stated that an eligible plot of ground for
their institution would be shortly offered. It was agreed
to refer the subject to the Committee. The court was
then dissolved.

SINGULAR INSTANCE OF CREDULITY.—On Tues-
day week, Mr. Irwin, the special high constable for the
hundred of Bucklow, appeared before the magistrates at
the Daresbury Petty Sessions, for power to pursue and
apprehend a gang of gypsies, who had obtained upwards
of 60/..from a farmer of the name of Firth, residing at
Whitley, under the following circumstances:—lt ap-
peared that Mr. Firth had had a fork and several other
articles stolen from his premises, all in a very short
time; and being quite unable to discover the thief in
the ordinary course of things, he sagely resolved to
counsel some gypsies who were encamped in the neigh-
bourhood, as " they would be sure to know;" accord-
ingly he went, and succeeded in enlisting their services
in his behalf; finally, they agreed to " rule his planets"
for him, and by so doing would be able to impart such
information to him as would at ence afford a clue to the
guilty parties, and would furthermore cause them on the
third day after the commencement of the spell to stand
at his door with the missing articles, and a bag of money
in the bargain. One preliminary, however, would be
necessary, namely, be must deposit with them all the
money he had in the house, which they must wrap up in
his presence, in three folds of paper, and then retain for
the space of three days, after which- time it would be re-
turned to him: he accordingly gave them all the money
he had, about 601. in gold, and with a light heart went
his way for three days, nothing doubting he would re-
ceive a manifold return, besides his money and goods
again. On the morning of the third day he rose up
early, expecting to find the depredators standing at his
door, as predicted ; but they did not make their ap-
pearance : after some time spent in suspense, he went
to his friends the gypsies ; but what was his astonish-
ment to find them flown, without leaving a trace of their
footsteps, or sending his money back according to pro-
mise ?

DEATH OF LIEUTENANT•GENERAL COUNT BRAHE.—
Intelligence has been received of the demise of this much
respected Nobleman, a descendant of one of the most
noble Swedish families, who expired at Stockholm, on
the 16th ultimo, aged fifty-four years. Count Brahe
was for above thirty years the confidential friend and
councillor of the late King of Sweden, who, in 1810, when
Prince Royal, made him his Aid-de-camp, and since that
period a most devoted friendship existed between them.
The Count fulfilled many high offices in the Government
and army, and at his demise was Grand Marshal of the
kingdom. During the six weeks the late King was ill,
Count Brahe did not quit his Majesty's bedside, and his
grief was most poignant. Since the funeral of the King
he never went out, excepting to visit the grave of his
departed friend, whom, he said, it was his wish to follow.
On the 20th -of July, at the opening of the Diet, Count
Brahe officiated for the last time in his functions of Grand
Marshal. His generosity was unbounded—born with an
ample fortune, he hardly leaves any. His death occa-
sions a deep regret among all classes of society in Sweden,
who always found in this departed
•Nobleman a warm
supporter of their interests.
GALASHIELS AND EDINBURGH RAILWAY.—A nu-
merous and influential meeting of the inhabitants was
held on Friday night in the Assembly-room of the
Bridge Inn, to hear the report of the Committee, and to
learn the nature of the proceedings in which they
had been engaged, which the Committee an •
nounced were of a highly satisfactory nature. Wil-
liam Hastie, Esq., banker, was unanimously called
to the chair, who read a report of all the proceed-
ings of the Committee connected with the projected
undertaking ; and from it, it appears that an agreement
has been entered into between the original projectors
and the Chairman and Directors of the North British
Railway Company, the latter having agreed to pay all
the expenses already incurred, to obtain a Bill from Par-
lament, to take all the necessary steps, with the least
possible delay, to complete the undertaking. Great
credit is due to the Sub-Committee for bringing the
arrangements to such a successful termination.—Kelso
Chronicle.

CROYDON FAia.—Wednesday the above fair, the
most favourite of all the suburban fairs (excepting
Greenwich), commenced, and from an early hour the
trains conveyed great numbers of persons from London
to it. The fair itself was of the usual character, there
being amusements to suit all tastes. The police arrange-
ments were under the direction of Superintendent
M‘Lean and Inspector - Collier, of the P division, who
rigidly prevented gambling of every description taking
place. The fair ►ill be continued this day (Thursday)
sad to-morrow.