The Sun.
London, England, 1850-08-07 00:00:00

BIRTHS IN THE WEEK.

Males ... ••• ... ... 772
Females ... See ... 000 712

Total ...

-.1,484

*ln this number are included 20 by Scarlatina, 32
by Typhus Fever, 136 by Diarrhoea, and 11 by Cholera.

THE ENGLISH MAIL PACKETS
AND THE SPANISH COAST GUARDS.

The English mail packets are continually getting
into squabbles with the Peninsular authorities. Per-
haps there is a little too much hauteur observed on
board these packets to foreign authorities, and perhaps
a consciousness of inferiority on the part. of the latter
induces them to trespass on the indifference and con-
tempt with which their pretensions are treated by
the former. On the 25th ult., when the Iberia mail
packet had left Cadiz on her homeward voyage, and
was steering for Cape St. Vincent, several apparently
small fishing vessels were steering for the land, when
from one of them a blank musket cartridge
was fired, which went a head of the Iberia. The
vessel from which it was fired immediately wore
round and fired a ball cartridge over the steamer.
She had no pendant flying, but just as she fired
the ball cartridge she ran up a Spanish ensign. She
was on the starboard of-the Iberia, which had, of
urs e, as a mail packet, a pendant flying. The
steamer took not the slightest notice of the firing, but
co
stood on her course. When the vessel was abaft the
starboard quarter of the Iberia, however, she fired a
6-pounder at the latter, which liaised jest over the head
of the helmsman, and did some damage to the rigging.
Capt. Burney, commander of the Iberia, now thought
it was time to resent this insult, and immediately
wore round and fully intended to run the vessels
down. As the Iberia approached Capt. Burney
hoisted his colours and demanded the reason for the
firing. About thirty men were now remarked armed
with cutlasses and loading muskets on board the
vessel, and who seeing the Iberia approach lowered
their bulwarks, and appeared as if preparing to board,
The noise of several on board the vessel speaking to-
atethei, and of the steam blowing off on board the
steamer prevented the reply from being heard
or understood. The Iberia had not a shot on
board, and Captain Burney kept steaming round the
coast guard vessel—for such the warlike craft
turned out to be—and narrowing the circle every
circuit he made. Now came the fun. Tne coast
guard crew, seeing the steamer getting closer and
closer, and knowing that the Iberia, by
running her
bow into their vessel, could drive her to the bottom
in a moment, began to be alarmed, and appeared as
much frightened as if a boa constrictor were gradu-
ally attracting and approaching them. Capt. Burney,
when quite close to the coast-guard 'crew, threatened
to run them down if they fired another shot. After
pausing for a reply the Iberia steamed ahead.
Capt. Burney is described as a religious and kind-
hearted man, and he stated that he oily refrained from
running the vessel down to avoid hurrying the poor
men on board of her into eternity. Our Consul at
Cadiz has been written to, and the matter has been
reported to the Admiralty. It will end, no doubt, as
all these things do, in the commander of the coast
guard being reprimanded or dismissed by the Spanish
authorities.

A GIRL IMPALED —On Saturday week last, Mr.
William Parker, living in Red Bank, Manchester, was
alarmed by hearing screams in front of his house. Fie im-
mediately ran out and found a girl about eleven years old,
hanging head downwards on some iron railings in front of
one of the adjoining houses; the girl's body was on the in-
side of the railings. With the assistance of another man
the poor creature was lifted down, and taten to the Royal
Infirmary; she bled freely. On being examined, it was
fow.id_ that she had sustained a laceration in the upper part
of the right thigh. The wound was nct considered a severe
one, but irritative fever was produced, and this caused death
is the course of Monday. On Tuesday an inquest was held
on the body; when Mr. Parker stated that the railings upon
which he found the deceased han4ing were in all respects
such as were ordinarily }laced before houses. A small kite
had caught against the front of the house, and the deceased
appeared to have slipped while endeavouring to free it. A
verdict of " Accidental death" was returned.