The Sun.
London, England, 1850-03-14 00:00:00

BIRTHS IN THE WEEK.

Males ..• ••• ••• ... 733
Females ..• ••• ••• ••• ..• 743

Total ... 1,476
*ln this number are included 14 by Scarlatina, 29
by Typhus Fever, and 9 by Diarrhoea.

BEETHOVEN Rooms.—Signor F. Ronconi's second
concert toe,k place last night, when a choice selection of
music was per formed. Miss Durlacher was encore] in
Balfe's sweat ballad " Zillah," Miss Leslie sung an Its-
lian aria with much taste, Miss St. Merck, Miss Darla-
cher, and Mr. Toulmin, were encored in " Lusato ardir,"
and Signor Ronconi was much applauded on singing his
charming cauzone " L'Occhio ceruleo." Mr. Jewson's
pianoforte compositions and performance were much ad-
mired.

THE PENINSULAR AND ORIENTAL STEAMERS.-
The directors of the Peninsular and Oriental Stram Na-
vigation Company have decided on sailing their ships on
temperance principles, and with that view are making
the necessary arrangements with regard to the-allow-
ances of spirits and wine t' to shipped as requisites for
medical purposes. It is understood that this new ar-
rangement on the part of the company commenced with
the steamer Jupiter, on th• 27th ult., but that it is in-
tended to apply only so far as the crews of the several
vesiols are concerned, and not to interfere in any way
with reference to the passengers. The crews will be

allowed in money more than the cost of the spirits
hitherto supplied to them.
IRISH LINEN.—The following extract, written
about the year 1775, cannot fail to be highly interesting
at this time :—" It is of great importance to Ireland,
that flax, the basis of this manufacture, is of home
growth, and cf the most excellent quality. From the
very moment of the seed being put into the ground, to
the time of its being exhibited in the market, in the

form of a piece ef white linen, everything is the native
growth of the soil,—everything the productive labour of
the inhabitant." The exports of linen from Belfast in
1775 were 147,278 pieces; one firm is now turning out
more than that number of pieces annually; and we pay
to the forcigeer for flax, flax-seed,
and oil-cake upwards
of six millions sterling per annum. From the constabu-
lary returns of the breadth of flax sown in Ireland, in
1848, the total is given of 53863 acres • the entire
quantity of flax require i for British manufacture would
occupy from 350,000 to 400,000 acres.
ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AT HASTINGS.—An attempt
at suicide was made et Hastings on Tuesday morning, by
a gentleman named Hodges, about 28 years of age, who
was staying in Bedford place on a visit. It appears that
Mr. Hodges got out of bed at about ten minutes to seven,
and laid held of his razor, with which he inflicted
severe wound in his nark, extending from under the left
ear to the middle of the throat, being from six to eight
inches in length and of considerable depth. On infEct-
ing the wound he fell to the floor, and the noise of his
fail having excited alarm, he was speedily discovered,
and Mr. Savory was called in to render surgical assist-
ance. The unhappy gentleman suffered much from the
loss of blood, but is now going on favourably.—Hastings
News.
ST. MARTIN'S lIALL.--Handel's Oratorio, 'Judas
Maccebeus, was given hero last night, under the con-
ductorship of Mr. Hullab. The principal vocalists were
Miss Birch, Mrs. Noble, Miss Gill, Miss Kent, Mr.
Sims Reeves, and Mr. W hitworth. The Hall was well
filled, and the performance was on the whole satisfactory.
BIRKENHEAD COMMISSIONERS.—The usual monthly
meeting was held on Tuesday. Notice of motion was
given that steps would be taken to compel the railway
company to complete certain bridges in different streets.
A letter from the Admiralty, addressed " To the Wor-
shi the Mayor of Birkenhead"—
(Laughter)—re-
specting the use of the Town-hall for investigations
shortly to take place, was referred. From the proceed,
ings of the ferry committee it appeared that the receipts
for February, 1849, were 1,1501. Os. 10d.; for the same
month of 1850, 1,204/. 16s. 5d.; from the 23d of April
to the 28th of February, 1849, 13,646/. Os. 10d.; in
1850, 16,3241. 4s. 3d. The total expenditure for the
latter period was 16,7501. 6s. I td. It was stated that
the opposition to the Birkenhead Improvement Bill had
been withdrawn. The Admiralty is only anticipating a
little. Birkenhead must have a charter of incorporation.

—Chester Courant.
THE FISHMONGERS' AND POULTERERS' BENEVO.
LENT INSTITUTION.—This valuable institution held its
fourteenth anniversary festival last evening, at the
London Coffee-house. Mr. Ebenezer Howard, the chair-
man, in proposing success to the institution, feelingly al-
luded to the circumstance of its being encumbered with
a debt of 700/. The best course for them to take was
in the first place to emancipate the institution from that
debt. The chairman then alluded to the claims that the
unfortunate members of their trade, and their widows
and childrer, had upon them. It became them not as
Christians to scrutinize with rigid eyes whether the
widows or children for whom they sought to provide had
become reduced to adversity by the imprudence or the
misfortunes of the parents. The Rev. Mr. Sherman, in
adverting to the debt of 700/, mentioned a circumstance
that had occurred in his own life. lie had been invited
to go into Yorkshire to plead the cause of an institution
that was in debt 2,700/. He was particularly impressed
with the desirability of apraling for a sum sufficient to
pay the interest upon that sum. When advocating its
claims, however, it had struck him to ask for the prin-
cipal. He should never forget the looks of the people.
They all seemed to say, " We wish you may get it," as
smiles darted across their countenance!. It had so hap-
pened, however, that at the close of his address a stran-
ger said he was so tickled with the notion of paying off
the principal that he handed a cheque for 100/., and the
promise of a second 100/. The result bad been a con-
tribution of 1300/., and he bad had the pleasure, on going
down a second time that day twelve months, to sing the
requiem of the entire debt. The reverend gentleman
then exhorted the members of the trade to pursue a
similar course to the Yorkshiremen,, by liquidating the
debt of 7001, which encumbered their excellent institu-
tion. References having been made by several other
speakers to the institution having been the nu ails of
providing fur 214 unfortunate person!, and the asylum of
the society, at Wood-green, being in a highly efficient
state, if there were but funds sufficient to fill it with in-
mates. The result of the festival was announced to be the
contribution of a handsome sum.
EXHIBITION OF THE INDUSTRY OF ALL NATIONS.
—We understand the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor of
London has sent invitations to the mayors or chief
municipal officers of the following towns to dine with
his Royal Highness the Prince Albert on Thursday
next. The occasion of the chief magistrate of the capi-
i
tae of the United Kingdom entertaining the Prince and