The Sun.
London, England, 1850-06-27 00:00:00

GRAND SWIMMING mArcus.

Last evening the first swimming matches of the Hol-
born Swimming Club came off at the National Baths,
High Holborn. There could not have been less than
1,000 persons present to witness the race, one and all ot
whom were delighted with the admirable arrangemints
made by the spirited proprietor ot the baths, Mi. James
Hedgman, for `their accommodation. The place was
brilliantly lighted with gas fur the occasion. At start-
ing the greatest excitement prevailed amongst the bet-
ters, sto 1 being rffered against the favourite, Mr.
Thomas Young, coming in first, or even second. The
number of competitors for the medals, which were of
massive silver, was seven. Tee distance in trial heats
was four lengths ti the bath, and the grand heat six
lengths. Atter a most severely contested struggle, as
far as regarded the trial heats, Mr. Thomas Young
and Mr. David Young, brothers, were announced
by Mr: H. Kenwortby, amid loud plaudits, the
successful candidates for the prizes. By a strange fact
it was quite a matter of chance which of the two brothers
came in first, so equally were they matched. The six
lengths of the bath were swam in the incredible short
time of two minutes
.and ten seconds. The race being
ended, a sweepstakes was entered into—the first of
course reaching the goal Wing George Pewters, the
champion of England; Messrs. Robertson and Young
following close in his wake. Alter a short interval
Messrs. Henson and lien worthy entered the water, and
greatly delighted the company present by their extra-
ordinary feats. Much having been said about a late
diver, at Bath, having pulled on a pair ot boots while
underm at h the water, Mr. George Pewters dived, clothes
and all, into the bath, and before be went out he had
succeeded in bringing him-elf to that state in which
Dame Nature had introduced him to the world. We
were, at the termination at the evening's entertainment,
which seemed to have delighted all present, requested to
state that Mr. George Pewters is open to swim any man
from five to twenty, miles for any amount.

LATEST NEWS OF Ma. LA TARD:—Letters have
been received from our enterprising countryman so late as the
10th of April, and dated from Arbau, on the River Khabour.
Our readers will remember that the last accounts from this
quarter in the Literary Gazette mentioned Mr. Layard's
purpose of penetrating into the Desert, which he has now
done, and explored for three weeks, meeting with numerous
traces of ancient population, though not so productive of an-
tiquities as was hoped for. His present site, however, is
richer in archtcological remains, and is important, as these
are undoubtedly Assyrian, and thus establish the fact of the
extent of that empire. Two winged bulls and other frag-
ments have been discovered among the ruins. The country
around is described as beautiful. The meadows rich in herb-
age, and the banks of- the KlitAbour literally gemmed with
'flowers. fur. Layard was desirous to examine this river to its
mouth ; but the Arabs in that direction were hostile to those
whom he ranked among his friends, and amid whose dr< me-
daries, flocks, and tents he was located. The sheikh and his
ladies and ail the tribe were kind and h spitsble; and we
trust arrangements may be made with the inimical parties
wherever they interpose between Mr. Layard and his inter-
esting discoveries, In his letter, that gentleman says that be
' thinks Major Rawlinson wrong i some of his topography;
and that the chronological deductions cannot as yet be con-
sidered settled.--Literary Gazette. •

SINGULAR lirmr.„—We are informed that the late
Miss Margaret Creak, of St. Andrews, in this city, whose
death was recorded in our paper of June 8, has left a very
singular will, and not so much property as is generally sup-
posed—not more than 20,000/. in value. She has left ls.
each to such of her relations :as choose to prove themselves
so; a legacy of 20/. to one neighbour, and 10/. to another,
and a few trifling legacies of 21. euch. She has left 504 each
to every houseless person in the country above sixty.eight
years of age; and all her real estate to tbund an hospital for
aged persons, the hospital to be built and the inmates to be
habited as directed. She then gives all her personal pro-
perty to a neighbour, who is appointed executor. It is evi-
dent the terms of the will cannot be carried out—the pro-
perty being insufficient.—Norfolk Chronicle.

COD FliillNG.—Great quantities of cod continue
to be brought ashore at Wick. In Shetland and Orkney
the take is also abundant. Last week, in Shetland, the
smacks did well. At Itsawick the average was about 500—
the highest the sloop Nymph, Captain Watts. At Walls, the
average was 300;' highest .loop, 1,000. At Scalloway,
average, 250; highest, COO. We have heard nothing from
North blavine. At Papa, the take for the week was more
than the average of former years. In Orkney, the fisher-
men are paid at the rate of 4s. Bd. per cwt.—lnverness
Courier.

GROTTO-PASSAGE RAGGED INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL.-
The annual meeting of this institution was held yesterday,
at the Marylebone Institution, Edwards-street, Portman-
square; Lord Ashley in the chair. The chairman com-
menced the proceedings by statinir that, hewever int .ient
their efforts might appear to be, yet still they had realised
in many cases greater results than could have been antici-
pated. When they looked upon the lawless class which they
had to deal with, and the depravity which they had to
contend against, they had every cause to be grateful for the
benefits which many had derived from the institution of the
ragged schools. The report being then read, stated that
36 boys had been boarded, lodged, and clothed in the Refuge
Institution; ISO children of each sex, and 40 adults, bad
been under daily tuition; 70 boys had received Matt-Iv:Lion
iu various trades, and 25 o! each sex had been provided with
a daily dinner. A Sunday-school, with an average attend-
ance of 43, had been in constant operation; anti a library
and reading-room had been opened. Eight boys and three
men had been sent to the colonies. The teport was adopted,
and a vote ,t thanks to the chairman concluded the business
of the meeting.

LOUSTER FISHING.—The lobster fishing has been
prosecuted with great activity and most successfully on the
shores of ibis county during V e last two or three months.
At Dunnet and Scarfskerry stations, where there are from
sixteen to eighteen boats employed, the takes have hitherto
averaged about 1,001) a week. Mr. Roberts, of London, fishes
the whole coast from Cape Wrath to Hums, as also the
Orkney Isles; and it is estimated, at a moderate calculation,
that he expends in this one branch of industry alone, in this
part of the country, about 3,00, 1. during the lobster fishing
season, which extends from the Ist of April to the lit of
July. The fishing on the south coast, from Huma to
Latheron, is carried on by our enterprising townsman, Mr.
Gunn, merchant, Bridge-street, and a partner. They
employ two boats, but they have not dtiven so profitable a
spec as Mr. Roberts has on the north coast.—John 0' Groat
Journal.

SNOW IN JUNE.—On Saturday morning. between
the hours of nine and ten o'clock, there was a slight fall of
sleet and snow at Lincoln, sufficient to he upon the flag
pavement. The mornings and evenings have been very
cold.--Boston Herald.

SCOTTISH hOsPITAL—A quarterly court of the
governors
eof
int Crane-court, hisrcaorep.ocroautr,iotn was held yesterday afternoon, at
Fleet street, for the reception of
the accounts and tor other business ; Dr. Webster in the
chair. Toe statement of ace unts from St. Andrew's-day to
Midsummer was read and approved, from which it appeared
that the total receipts during that time amounted to
1,9121. 12s. 2d., of which 601/. 16s. was received in dona-
tions, and 3841. 165. in annual subscriptions. The rest was
composed of a balance from the last returu and the interest
&c. The expenditure during the same
enperdioedP°asint rents,unte to 1,684/. Is. 9d., of which upwards of
1,3801. was devoted to charitable purposes. A letter from
Pe. lessor Donaldson, on the subject of the New Record-
offices, was read to the meeting, which stated that he had
been in communication with the office of Woods and
Forests on the subject, and it appeared that a plan had been
determined upon much less extensive than that originally
contemplated, and which would only occupy ground be-
tween Chancery and Fetter-lane, without extending further
eastward, so that the premises of the Scottish Corporation
would not be required. A vote of thanks to the chairman
concluded the proceedings.
THE BANQUET TO THE EX-LORD MAYOR or
LoNoos.—W e understand that the dinner to be given to Sir
Joints Duke, M.P., in return for his hospitable entertain-
ment to the chief magistrates of English and Scottish towns
timing his mayoralty, and which was agreed, at a recent
meeting of Mayors and Provosts at Derby, to take place in
Edinburgh, is fixed fur Thursday, the 11th of July, at six
o'clock. The banquet will take place in the Hopetoun
Rooms, and preparations are, we believe, to be made for a
company of from 150 to 200.—Edinburph Advertiser.
TUE ABODE OF Love—WARM RECEPTION OF
VISITORS. - Five young gentlemen of Bridgewater, anxious
for a peep into the mysteries of the Agapemone, proceeded
to that interesting establishment one day last week, and
finding "no admittance except on business," commenced an
attack on the outer gate wits their walking-sticks, when, to
their dismay, instead of the responsive expression of " Who
is dat knocking at the door?" found themselves surrounded
by Sire of the brethren armed with hockey sticks and hunt-
ing-whips. One of the gentlemen, famed for length of limb,
made a 'Lipid departure ; the others received a sound thrash-
ing, and were told, with peculiar Princite politeness, that the
same fate would await them on a similar annoyance.
ATMOsPHERIC HAINIARING,—A whirlwind visited
a hay-field on the farm of Lord Braybrooke, near Saffron
Walden, on Tuesday, and rather astonished the troop of hay-
makers by hurrying off part of the material upon which
they were labouring, carrying in it fantastic shapes over the
. tops of the tall trees, and depositing some of it half a mile
off,---Lssex Herald,