The Sun.
London, England, 1850-03-29 00:00:00

of the east coast we have received accounts of the boisterous
state of the weather ; in many houses noar the sea-shore
windows were blown in, and other trifling damage occurred.
—llullAdvertiser.

AMERICAN Hors.—The American line of packet
ship Yorktown, which has arrived in the docks from ;New
York, has brought the large number of 193 bales of hops, ts
a portion of her cargo, unsigned to order.

The Dean and Chapter of Westminster have ap-
pointed the Rev. Dr. Williamson, late head master of the
Westminster School, to the vicarage of St. Andrew, Per-
shore, Worcestershire, rendered vacant by the cession of ae
Rev. Dr. D'Arcy Haggitt.

SPECIE FROM IRELAND.—The steam-ship Ajax,
from Cork, which has just arrived in the river with a gene-
ral cargo of cattle and Irish provisions, has brought seven-
teen boxes of silver coin, consigned to parties in this country.
BRUSSELS, MARCH 25.—FATAL EXPLOSION IN A
CoAr, MINE.—We have just received intelligence from Mons
of a terrible explosion in one of the coal mines, by which
no less than seventy-five of the workmen, who were in the
mine at the time the explosion took place, were killed;
forty-six bodies have already been dug out.—✓ournal du
Commerce d'Aurers.

DEATH OF LIEUT.-GEN. SIR JOHN MACDONALD,
G.C.8., ADJUTANT-GENERAL.—'phis distinguished veteran
officer, for many years so well known to the public f:s Ad-
jutant-General to the forces, died at eleven o'clock yester-
day forenoon, most unexpectedly, at his residence, 23, Bru-
ton-street. As a proof of the mutability of human affairs,
we may mention that Sir John attended the banquet given
to Lord Gough on Saturday, and appeared in his we nted
health and spirits; indeed, to use his own remark, " he
never felt better in the whole course of his life." On Mon-
day, upon return from the Horse Guards, he complained of
a slight cold; but no symptom of a serious character was
manifested until about five minutes previous to his demise.
Shortly after ten o'clock yesterday morning he said
he felt almost entirely recovered, and subsequently par-
took of a little beef-tea. He suddenly fell into a cold sweat,
and his attendants removed him to bed, and adopted in-
stantaneously every possible remedy, but he died in less
than five minutes. Sir John was appointed Adjutant-
General in 1830, and the duties of that office he ever dis-
charged most effectually and assiduously. By his demise
the colonelcy of the gallant 42d Highlanders becomes vacant.
He entered the service in 1795, as Ensign, 89th Foot. In
1838 he became Lieutenant-General. In 1830 he received
the Colonelcy of the 67th Font, and in 1844 that of the 42d
Highlanders. Sir John served in the Egyptian campaign of
1801, and was also actively engaged during the Peninsular
campaigns. He was Deputy-Adjutant-General at Barrossa,
for which he received a medal and one clasp, and, was
Assistant-Adjutant-General at the Nile. He also held a
medal for Egypt. The deceased was about sixty-nine years
of age. He was a member of an Inverness family. Ad-
vertiser.

The weather has been excessively cold and with
a northerly wind we hare had a frost every night during the
week, with occasional snow-storms. Of course no advance
has been made in farming operations in the Weald, beyond
finishing off the spring season for sowing oats, and getting
ready for barley. Of the latter a little has been sown, but
most of the growers are content to wait, and there is plenty
of time yet. The corresponding week of last year was very
similar as to weather; and March promised then as now, to
Come in like a lamb, and go out like a lion." During the
week the temperature in the shade has scarcely exceeded 40,
while at night it has descended to 30 and 29. On Sunday
there was a smart fall of snow; on Monday and Tuesday a
fall was just perceptible ; and on Tuesday evening from seven
to eight the flakes were thick, and as large as half-crowns."
Yesterday morning again, snow fell in large quantities.
During the whole week, almost without exception, the wind
has blown strongly from the north; and on Monday night
the cold was so intense that between eight and nine o'clock
the streets were covered with a layer of hard ice arising from
the congelation of the water, just before scattered • from the
water-carts.— Brighton Gazette.

TILE WEATHER.-NOTTING HAM, WEDNESDAY.—An
intense frost has set in this evening. We had a heavy fall
of snow this afternoon, and, indeed, at intervals, during the
week, there have been slight falls of snow. It is feared that
the early bloom will suffer, as the frosts have been intensely
severe since Saturday last. In the neighbouring county
(Derbyshire) the falls of snow have been greater.
THE IRON TRADE OF SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE.-
BIRMINGHAM, THIIRSDAY.—At the usual meeting of the
iron• masters of South Staffordshire and East Worcestershire,
preliminary to the general quarterly meeting of that body,
held at the Union Hotel in this town to day, the trade of
the district was described as fiat and inactive ; but, not-
withstanding the depression, an adherence to the prices of
the present quarter was recommended and adopted.

MAN BURNT TO DEATEL—Last Slturdav night
a man named John Hampson, a reedmaker, about fifty years
of age, met with a dreadful death whilst in a state of intoxi-
cation. He was met in Hopwood-street on Saturday evening
by an acquaintance named Robert Dickson, and they went
together into Pole-street, where they had each a glass of
spirits. On their return, Hampzon suddenly fell down quite
drunk. Dickson got him up and took him into his own
house, not liking to send him home in that state. Not
having a spare bed in the house, he laid the man down on
the floor, and placed some clothes under his head, and there
ha was left for the night. About two o'clock in the morning
Dickson's wife went down to lock the front door, which had
been forgotten, and Hampson was then asleep. A loog
time had not elapsed before one of Dickson's sons heard a
noise of some pots breaking, and on going down to see
what it was, he found Hampson holding on by the upper
shelf of a cupboard, with his clothes on fire. He immedi-
ately threw some water on him and extinguished the fire,
which was only smouldering, and not in a flame. The man
was afterwards take❑ to the House of Recovery but, not-
withstanding that everything was done for him, he die]. on
Tuesday, and the following day an inquest was held by Mr.
Palmer, when the jury returned a verdict of " Accidental
Death." When the man beCame sensible, he said the ac-
cident had been " caused by his brat taking fire."—P eston
Pilot.

THE GREAT EXHIBITION IN 1851.—An influential
preliminary meeting of gentlemen connected with the TowPr
Hamlets was held yesterday at the Board-room of the Tax
Commission, Spital-square, Mr. Robert Hanbury in the
chair, at which Sir William Clay, Bart, M.P., Sir Henry
Pelly, Messrs. Davi,s,•Martineau, J. P. Gibson, Offer, Hum-
phreys, Baker ..(cligrOner), Hill, Soper, Casey, Redman, Red-
path, Spieti, Foot, Wallis, Brooks, and many others were
present, when a committee was formed to get up a requisition
for a public meeting for the promotion of the objects of the
Royal Commission for the Great Exhibition of 1851. Let-
ters of apology were read from various gentlemen unable to
attenzl, and amorpt others fr,:m Mr. George Thompson,
M.P., whose absence from town alone pri.vented his attend-
ance.

THE YUCATAN INDIANS.—The settlement of the
differences between the Yucatan Indians and those of
Spanish descent appears to be in a fair way of adjustment.
On the 15th of November last Colonel Fancourt, the super-
intendent of Honduras, visited Ascension harbour, on the
coast of Yucatan, accompanied by James Welsh, Esq., his
private secretary, and R. Temple, Esq., the Chief Ju,tice of
Honduras, when a thousand Indians came to meet his Ex-
cellency. led by their chief, Benancio Pec, and other magnates
of the tribes. Colonel Fancourt had an interview with them,
which lasted three or four hours ; and, having made himself
acquainted with the nature of their pretensions, undertook
to urge their claims on the notice of the supreme government
of Mexico. The Indians expressed themselves very anxious
to have their territory annexed to ours; but his Excellency
informed them most decidedly that no countenance could be
given to any such project by the British Government. They
expressed great confidence in Colonel Fancourt, and seemed
disposed to be guided by Ins advice.—Herald.
FIRE AT DALE EITII.—On Sunday forenoon the
old Established Church at Dalkeith was found to have taken
fire, in consequence, it is supposed, of the chimney pipes of
the stove having become over-heated. The fire was extin-
guished, owing to the exertions of parties assembled to gaze
on the conflagration, before the engines (sent for to Dalkeith
Palace) had arrived. The Rev. Mr. M'Leod was present,
and actively exerted himself for the suppression of the
flames. The damage done is not very considerable.—Glas-
gow Paper.
ADMIRALTY INQUIRY. PROPOSED NAVIGATION
IMPROVEMENT or THE EIVER LER —Yesterday an inquiry,
by direction of the Lords of the Admiralty, who exercise
authority over all tidal waters and navigable rivers, was
opened at the King's Arms Hotel, in Palace-yard, under the
Preliminary Inquiry and Local Act of 12 Vict., in connexion
with a plan proposed by the commissioners of the river Lee,
for power to introduce a Bill into Parliament to improve the
navigation of that river, and to dispose of its surplus waters
in the counties of Ilertford, Essex, and Middlesex. Mr. W.
Cubitt, C E., the inspector appointed by the Admiralty,
having taken evidence on the subject, will shortly make his
report.

HOPS AND MALT.—The total number of acres in
Great Britain under the cultivation of hops in 1849 was
42,798, and the hop duty for the same year amounted to
145,693/. 4s. 93. The quantity of hops exported to foreign
countries in the four years from 1846 to 1849 inclusive was
274,8111b5. The quantity of foreign hops exported from
the United Kingdom in 1849 was 382 cwt., and the quan-
tity imported 5,271 cwt. The total weight of hops charged
with duty in 1849 was 16,050,9151b5. The total quantity
of malt made in the official year ending nth October
1849, was 4,749,879 quarters. Of this 3,340,651 quarters
were consumed by brewers and victuallers, and 378,494 by
retail brewers. The total number of brewers in England
in 1849 was 2,257, and of victuallers 59,335, Of the latter,
34,800 were licensed to sell beer to be drunk on the premises,
and 3,270 had not that privilege. The number of victuallers
who brewed their own beer was 25,985. The number of
brewers in Scotland was 154, and victuallers 15,081, and the
number a bushels of malt consumed by them was 871,586.
In Ireland the numbers of brewers was 96, and victuallers
14,080. The total number of brewers in the United King-
dom was 2407, and victuallers 88,496. The total number
of barrels of beer and ale (for exportation) on which a draw-
back was paid before the 10th of October, 1848, and the 10th
of October, 1849, was 135,144.
SournemrToN, MARcu 28.—The Peninsular and
Oriental Company's steamship Ripon, Captain Moresby,
with a heavy portion of the India and China mails, in charge
of Lieutenant Tancock, R.N., Admiralty agent, arrived this
morning, at half past eight o'clock. ller dates of sailing
were—Alezandria, March 10 ; Malta, 15th ; Gibraltar, 21st.
The freight of the Ripon consisted of 12 packages of specie
of the value of 3,0001., 63 bales of silk, 61 cases of oranges,
750 barrels of gum, 4 hogsheads of wine, 51 cases of shawls,
and about 200 packages of general merchandise. Li- t of
passengers-Ist class, 70; 2d class, supernumeraries, 23;
children, 23; in all, 116. Amongst whom were Lord Gif-
ford, eldest son of the Marquis of Tweeddale, late governor of
Madras, who has been travelling through the north-western
provinces and Cashmere, and was present, acting as aide-de-
camp to the Commander-in-Chiet; during the recent cam-
paign in the Punjaub ; Major-General Smith, returning to
his native country, after fifty-three years of honourable ser-
vice in India, without quitting it; the brave and gallant
Captain Williams, who, after losing his left hand in personal
combat, and having received the enormous number of twenty-
three wounds, was left for dead on the field of Chillianwa-
lah, but who, we are happy to say, is fast regaining his health
and strength; Majors Winth and Plowden, from Calcutta •
Mr. Bird, Lieutenant Arnold, and Sir. Knox, from Madras ;
Captain Grierson, of her Majesty's 15th, front Ceylon ; Capt.
seymer, 84th, from Aden, &c.

Bitomt.ToN.—Yesterilay evening a meeting of the
Board of Blanagement of the Hospital for Consumption was
held for the transaction of business. The Hon. Octavius
Duncombe, M.P., in the chair. It appears that at this
period there are upwards of 140 patients, male and female,
waiting for admission to the wards. Hence the committee
have determined to proceed immediately with the eastern
wing, which, when accomplished, will accommodate 121
patients additional to the eighty-one now within the walls.
For the final completion of the building the sum of 8,0001.
is required, of which not yet 2,0001. is available. The
beautiful chapel, the gift of the Bev. Sir Henry Fowlis,
Bart., is already in a state of completion, and will speedily be
consecrated. Some warm hopes having been expressed that
the public benevolence would meet the exigencies of the re-
quirements, thanks were voted to the Hou, Chairman, and
the mrelng adjourned.