The Sun.
London, England, 1844-01-12 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sin,—lt ought to be generally known that it has long
been a regulation of the Post-offiee to tax letters with
the postage that is to be paid on the delivery by marking
the amount in flack ink, and w hen the postage is pre-
paid the amount of money so paid is marked in red ink;
so there is a (Iffereuee in the postage marks " betbs ern a
letter already paid and one to be received for, the red
ink mark being prima jheie evidence on the face of the
team- that the postage was prepaid.
Should any letter-carrier in future demand postage on
the delivery of a letter having a red ink postage mark, I
would advise that the demand should be complied with,
and the fraudulent letter-carrier then handed over to the
charge of a constable, and by him taken before a magis-
trate, taking care to obtain the evidence of the local
postmaster as to the regulations relative to the ink
marks on paid and unpaid letters ; request a remand of
the party charg, d until communication can be had with
the authorities of the General Post-office, who will pro-
ceed with the prosecution without putting the party de-
frauded to uny expense, and any trouble the party may
be at by givinff evidence on a trial will be paid for.
I would advise that the Postmaster-General should
order that at all post-offices and receiving-houses
placards should be exhibited, gibing the publie the in-
formation as to the difference between the red and the
block postage marks.
I will prepay the postage of this letter in money, and
see the red ink mark put upon it ; I will also simply put
your name and address, without the usual word "Paid ;"
you will then be able to discover whether I am correct
!isyou will publish this communica-
le correctness of my information by
below it.—l am, Sir, yours, &c.,
R. W. D.
atoiroilinol:rotreatanco;
dot
oeis:too.it:i.priria:tr_h:no.a
11.

MODEL PRISONS FOR THE
COUNTRY.

- - -
Sir J. G. Graham appears to havea vast liking " to be talked
about," as the following will show is proposing to the
country magistracy the erection of a " model prison in every
county His project ha- been discussed in Gloucestershire and
Leieestershire, and treated as it deserved to be. It has been
well observed that this project is too flattering for any Govern-
ment, never, at the best, the most disinterested cla-s in the
country, to be discountenanced; and the present Administra-
tion, in the person and department of Sir J. Graham, stems
prepared to carry it out is its worst and most hateful form.
Hut so long as men kr •his country prefer light to darkness,
open inquiry and public scrutiny into their actions and treat-
ment of their fellow-creatures to the reverse cf these, in fact,
to the revival of the Imptisitiou adapted to modern times, so long
we shall never fear the general establishment of model prisons
throughout the country. Astonishment is manifested at the
temerity of Sir J. G. Graham, of which no parallel in the ccn-
duct of any Minister in this country can be recollected, in pre-
suming to require, or even recommend, the justices of a
county to supersede all the prisons in it, and erect one or seve-
ral at cost of 157,0001., upon a system, too, which is yet upon
trial, and has not yet received the sanction of Parliament, and,
it is to be hoped, never will receive it. The Chairman of the
Gloucester Quarter Sessions, held ten days ago, in reference
to this subject, said, " That the Government could not en•
force the plan upon them, and the only way they could compel
the county to build a model prison was by Act of Parliament;
which, if the county Members (lid their duty, the Government
could never obtain." '1 he present Home Secretary's prison
" dietary " has a►ready stamped his fame as respects gaol disci-
pline. Hear what Sir Peter Laurie, in a letter to the Leices-
tershire magist►ates, says :—" The Model Prison at Pentonville
being a Government prison, I am unable to give you an opi-
nion on anything but the system :•s a mode of imprisonment,
and not on the manner in which it is cat vied out at that place.
I can, however, state, as President of Bethlem Hospital,
that although the Model Prison 'his been opened so short a
time, and although every prisoner is carefully examined, arid,
indeed, selected with reference to his health, two pri-
seeers have become insane, and • have been trans-
ferred from the Model Prison to Bethlem. The Mo-
del Prison system of discipline was acted upon at the Milbank
Penitentiary, and during the year'before last nine prisoners
were sent from that place to Bethlem. We have received a
great many prisoners roan the Penitentiary, and we always have
found that, ley associating with others, they recovered rapidly."
Notwithstanding the full knowledge which the Government
possess of these startling facts, they, through the Homo Secre-
tary of State, recommend model prisons in every county ;
but, it is to be hoped, the magistrecy in every part well oppose,
by every means in their power, so alarming an innovation and
a constitution of " secret doings " for the present public pro-
ceediegs—a description of despotism which makes one shudder !

THE BUTCHERS' CHARITABLE INSTITUTION.—The
annual general meeting of the members of this Institution was
held yesterday evening at the Freemasons 'Tavern, Great
Queen-street. Mr. Giblett (the president) was in the chair.
The Chairman said this was the 15th annual general meeting
at which he had the pleasure of attending. He was thankful to
have it in his power to congratulate the subscribers on the state
of the funds of the charity, and also on the fact that the Institu-
ti n was prospering on every hand. They were, he believed
he might say, held in higher estimation than ever by the public;
and he was sure they were doing more good than they had
ntemplated they would have it in their power to effect. It
was a source of high satisfaction to know that they were not
spending their time and money in vain, but that they were
tong much good to a most deserving class of their decayed
feilow-tradesmen.— ( Cheers.) The minutes of the previous
meeting having hr en confirmed, the annual report of the com-
mittee was laid before the meeting. It stated the amount of
donations and subscriptions for the past year to be 1,3431.
In the month of February last 30C1. were invested, which in-
creased the sum standing in the names of the Trustees in the
Three per Cent. Consols to the amount of 8,3651. I Is. sd. ;
and since the formation of the charity no fewer than 104 dis-
tressed members of the trade, male and female, have been ad-
mitted to tl.e enjoyment and participation of the fends. 'I he
number of pensioners is fifty-three, there being twenty-eight
men and twenty-five women. The report wa., upon the motion
of Mr. Comfort, seconded by Mr. Jeffries, carried unanimously.
A vote of thanks was given to the chairman, and the meeting
separated.

-11ASTINGS.—Several of our fishing boats have
lately brought home a considerable quantity of fine
inackarel. Yesterday Z. White made upwards of 32/.,
and to-day he brought home about 3,000 fish, %%tacit
sold at 31s.- per 100. Two brothers Phumfrey, with
two bpats, cleared 1001. in tvio day :—=Brighton Gazelle.

SEWERS OF WESTMINSTER AND
PART OF MIDDLESEX.
The following is the entire Plan proposed by Mr. Leslie, at
the meeting of the Board on Tuesda3 last :
Resolved, Ist,—That it is desirable to place the whole de.
partments of the bossiness. under the Westminster Commis-
sion, into a combined state of the utasest efficiency and economy.
It solved, 2d,—`That the present office be united with the
Drawing t lerks' office, by addinz the present Committee-mom
to the effice, and opening a communication therewith ; and
that an office-dour be opeurd for the public into Suho-squa:e.
Resolved, 3d,—That it is of the utmost importance to continue
the present system of daily returns, mutually exchanged by the
officers of the Court ot Sewers aid the contractors, o ith the ad-
ditions of a return for each district, and of a column in the eon-.
tractor.' di return, in wheh must be specified the charge to
the ronimission of each item, and the total. These daily returns
to be immediately examined, signed by the officers (clerks of
the works and surveyor or assistant surveyor), and forthwith
entered in the books and accounts of the Commission.
Resolved, 4th,— that the Surveyors and the desks of the
' works he relieved from any further writing connected with the
preceding daily returns, such es the weekly abstracts, first
abstract, second abstract, and examination of quarterly accounts.
Rewdve sth,--1 hat the contractors' daily returns, as
amended. be t:ie only accounts between the Court and the
contractors.
Resolved, 6th,—That the contractors' daily returns, verified
by the surveyor end clerks of the works, shall be so entered
daily in boas ter each district as to show what works are
done, the particular Locality and the cost, thereby rendering
unnecessary the present system of weekly and quarterly abstracts
end accounts.
Resolved, ith,—That the sus veyors and clerks of the works
being thus relieved from a great amount of labour, the advan-
tage to the public will be greet, as they will be enabled to
devote much more time to the personal and vigilant superin-
tentsenem of the works in progress, than they can possibly do
under the present system—and their hours of labour notw ith •
standing be materially diminished.
Resolved, Ath,—'That the present system as to Petitions for
sewers and drains (rz. :-
Ist. '1 he petition, in the printed form, is filled up and
retained by the Court.
2d Two lists of the petitions, one for the Chairman,
one for the Court, are made.
3d. Atter presentation to the Court each petition so
etpien, in considerable detail, into the rough Minute

4th. Re-written into the Fair Minute Book.
sth. Entered into the Surveyor's Monthly Report.
tith. Re-entered monthly until the work be done, or the
leave of the Court expire).
Contains useless repetitions, creating labour and liability to
error which it is desirable to prevent, and that, in future, the
petitions, granted at each Court, be consecutively numbered
and entered on tie Court Minute-books in the following
manner :

Name.

I g'C Place.
r• 4 ;
ti L
.
Feet

Amouti
I a
Deposit

Contributions to the No. of
vario s• That. icts the Pe-
against t e Num. t!tion
b r and Name of
tug Petitioner.
I .1. Jone • lod 110xford.st.,
W. D £l4 10 G 2 W. Smith 2 Greek at. 11:2 2 0

Resolved. 9th.—'l hat ell Reports of the surveyors be pie_
sensed to the. Court written in a book, to be called the
Count Book of Surveyors' Reports, dated and consecutively
numbered, the order of the Court thereon to be added. In the
Court Minute -book, a reference to each Report and the Court's
order be sufficient.
Resolved, io.h,—That the present arrangements for making
a sewers' rat., viz.
Ist. By the Vestry-clerks making returns of the persons
and rentals.
2d. By the Surveyor marking the different districts on
these retarns.
3d. By the parochial returns being then copied on skins
of parchment,
4th. By attending all the Vestry-clerks' offices with
these skins of parchment, and comparing them with
the Poor-rate book.
sth. By a Jury being summoned, who adopt No. 3, and
not the original document.
6th. By the skins of parchment being then copied on
- sheets of paper 6;cured out and bound.
7th. By the rate being then made up in volumes.
Bth. By an index of No. I being then prepared.
9th. By an iociex of No. 3 being then prepared.
10th. By en index of No. 7 being then prepared.
Entails an enormous amourit ref labour, xhieli may be most
sately and materially diminished.
Resolved, I I th,—That it would be of great public advantage
and it is desirable, that maps be prepared and engraved of each
district, showing the mode by which every tenement is drained ;
and that such district maps be on sorb a scale as ultimately, and
with all convenient speed, to show every street and tenement
in the district, and its private drainage into the public sewers.
And that every addition, alteration, or diversion of the sewage
be ended thereto.

Reimlvt d, 12th,—That as occasion may require for the purpose
of a rate, the porti,n of each parish in the district be separated
from the snap, and with an order in writing be sent to the
various vestry clerks, requesting them to supply the names,
residences, and rentals of all persons rated to the poor within
the limits of suck map.
I' Resolved, 13th.—That the vestry clerks' returns to the
preceding order of Court, under the authority of the 52,1
George 111., cap. 48, sec. 7, being a true copy of the rate-book
lief the perilous assessed to the poor-rate, with the designation
and t ental of the property they occupy, together with the map
of the drainage o f the district, are the best trocumentary evi •
deuce the Court of Sewers can supply to the jury touching
two important question s left for their derision and presentment,
viz.: —'f he property that receives benefit or avoids damage by
the sewage of the district, and the persons who are legally and
judicially recognised as the occupiers of that property.
Resolved, 14th —That the expense of collecting the sewers'
rate is very west, and that the system of such collection
is most nefective ;—that the exclusive occupation of the
collectors should be as clerks to the Commission, and their
whole time devoted to the business thereof,—that the
remuneration should be by fixed salaries, and not by
a per centage, hich most unequally pays the collectors,
varying as it does ender the existing system from 104 d.
per house to yet in the aggregate entails, taking the
average of the last bi years, zr.n annual charge upon the rate-
payers of three pounds sixteen shillings cud eightpence per hun-
ched pounds collected, or a gross annual sum of one thousand
pounris :—and that the present system of allow ing the col-
lec,ors to take away from the office the rate-books, and per-
mitting them to have blank notice papers and blank receipts
to be tilled up by themselves, is a ctry improper mode of col-
lecting public taxation.
Resolved, 15th,—'That the rate-books do always remain
in the office, and be so prepared that every party charged in
such race may, immediately on payment, be thereon discharged.
Resolved, 16th,—That the collecting clerks take with
them, on proceeding to collect, books of receipts prepared
in the office, and al,o a form of daily return, showing
the name of the person, the locality, and the amount
received, to be filled up on the spot; that at the close of
the day's collection the amount tendered by each eerk
be chequed against the stumps of the absent receipts,
rush atumps to be stamped with a stamp prepared for the
purpose, showing' the day each sum was accounted for, and
that trom these daily returns the party charged on the rate-
book tie discharged.
Resolved, I 7.11, —That public intimation be made that the
rate-books are alwa)s at the office, that any party desiring to
pay the rate there may do so, during office hours, and see the
same entered and discharged in the rate-book. And that a
similar roma raper to the Collecting-clerks' return be kept,
to be called " The Office Return" of persons who pay their
rates at the office.

Resolved, 18th,—That immediately after the Collecting-
clerks' daily returns, and the office return are examined, the
amount be made up in the following form, and paid to the
Treasurer, and that %is account be EO prt pared and kept as to
show of each day's receipts and payments the various districts,
and the total, in one line, thus .

PA IIC I Eastern 1 I
Westernl
Counters I Rane- Bays-I Sun- TOTAL
Creek I lagh water dries I

Resolved, 9th,—That the bOok of daily receipts and pay»
merits, the petty cash and general disbursements, be kept on
the same plan.
Resolved 20th,—That at the back of the last folio of each
rate an account be commenced, and continued to the conclu-
sion, of the receipts therefrom, and the expenditure thereof.
Revolved, 21st,—That the Clerk do appropriate monthly the
petty cash and general disbursements to each district, either in
the proportion of the rentals, number of assessments, or other
mode whiah the Court may think more equitable.
Resolved, 22d,—That the present office hours (from nice to
four o'clock) are too limited for an establishment so purely one
of business as the Office of Sewers, and that fiom nine o'clock
to six o'clock be substituted.

Resolved, 23d,—That under the Chief Clerk there be ap
iointed six Clerks, elle of whom to be particularly qualified to
enter the daily returns, three or four of whom to have a know-
ledge of collecting, and all to be convex-taut wirh accounts.
Resolved, 24th,—Twat all the Clerks do find security for the
faithful discharge of the vat ious duties they may be called ui on
to perform as Clerks to the Commiss'on.
Resolved, 25th,--That the same system of daily return of
exchange of voucher be ordered as to the accounts between the
Court of Sewers and the various Paving Boards, anti that the
sums owing by the Court of Sewers to the parishes be not
suffered to go in arr,tar.

Resolved, .26th,---'1 hat, as the sewers' rate is a tax upon the
owners and occupiers of I roperty for the improvement of that
pros arty, and to promote the general health and safety of the
inhabitants of the district upon which it is assessed, it is the
law, as well as the interest of the parties so charged, forthwith
to pay such tax, and that it they neglect so to do, under the
Statutes of t,eicers they subject themselves to a tine and an
Exchequer process. And that the greatest publicity be given
tc this Resolution.

Resolved 27th,—That any of the present Bye-laws which are
at variance with these Resolutions be repealed.

ALARMING FIREs.—At a few minutes after five
o'clock last evening, a fire broke out in the residence of Sir
Wm Curtis, Bart., in Portland-place, Regent's-park. It was
discovered by some persons pasting biy the mansion, who per-
ceived a great. light in the upper part, apparently issuing from
the front room on the fourth floor. The inm:ttes were imme-
diately apprised of the fact, and on entering the apartment, the
window curtains were found in a blaze, and flames issuing forth
fr m the wainscote unt',erneatn. Water being plentifully sup-
plied to the engines that arrived, the fire was extinguished. It
proved to have originated through a large portion of soot ig-
niting, which had lodged on a ledge in the hall Chinese stove
flue. The damage i'one is rather considerable, which wilt fall
on the Phoenix fire-office. In about an hour after the above
fire was got ur der, another fire broke out in the lower part of
the mansion belonging to the Marquis of Anglesea, in Burling-
ton-street, Burlington-gardens. Several engines were soon in
attendance, but the firemen were refuted admittanc,., conse-
quently the extent of damage done could not be ascertaied.
ACCIDENT AT THE WINDSOR THEATEE.—Mr.
Otway, " the celebrated trogr dian," who has been pet forming
at the Windsor Theatre during the past week, met with a se-
rious accident, arising front the extreme clumsiness of one of
the other performers, in the last scene of Hamlet, which he
had selected fur his benefit on Wednesday evening. In the
struggle for the '' poisoned chalice," between Hamlet and Ho-
ratio, Mr. Otway, who was performing Hamlet, was carelessly
I struck by the wooden stage, property upon the forehead, before
he had obtained possession of it, and with such force as to
inflict a deep cut in the immediate region of the temporal ar-
tery. The blood gushed forth in a stream, running down his
late and vest, and it was not until past one o'clock yesterday
morning that the hemorrhage was staunched by Dlr. Andrews,
surgeon, of Windsor, who was fortunately soon at hand after
the accident. The house, which was most respectably filled,
was in a state of considerable anxiety to ascertain the result.
Air. Otway, who was called for after the play, appeared before
the curtain with a ita.niage on the wound, and walked across
the stage with considerable difficulty.
IMPROVIIMENTS.—There is a new square
being laid out arid planted in the Belgrave-road, to be called
s wiek-square, which will be the most extensive on the
Grosvenor estate. Where the Lock Hospital formerly stood
tin-re are several splendid mansions. The White Horse and
several adjthning houses are to lie taken ticwn to make a more
commorhout entrance to the Ellie' ies' entrance into Bucking-
ham palace.