The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-31 00:00:00

DEATH OF SOLOMON HEINE.

llAmnuaesr, DEC. 24.—Our water communications
being closed by frost, business is at present very dull,
and the inhabitants of this city are engaged in pre-
paration for the Christmas festivities. The only
subject of any general interest which at present en-
gages the attention of the citizens of Hamburgh is
the loss of one of their most distinguished fellow-
townsmen, namely, Mr. Solomon Heine, the wealthy
banker. This event, which occurred yesterday after-
noon, had already been anticipated for some time.
Mr. Heine, who was in the 78th year of his agef had
long been drooping, and it was apparent to his friends
for some time past that he could not hold out many
weeks. His death will be severely felt in Hamburgh,
not merely by the mercantile classes in general, who
must all have felt benefited in a greater or less
degree by the operations into which he entered, and
which he had the capital, credit, and, energy neces-
sary to attract to Hamburgh, but also by the nume-
rous private individuals who were the objects of his
enlarged bounty. It is reported that Mr. S. Heine
leaves property behind him to the extent of one million
sterling; and it is an undoubted fact that he could
have bequeathed to his surviving family a much larger
fortune if the sole object of his life had been thb ac-
quisition of wealth. This was unquestionably one
legitimate object of Mr. Heine's ambition, but it was
by no means the only one. He gave away apparently
with as much pleasure as he accumulated wealth ; nor
were the objects of his bounty confined to those dis-
tant members of his own family who stood in need of
assistance, and to the great public institutions or
charities of his adopted city, for his benevolence ex-
tended itself to almost every individual with whom he
came in contact requiring aid, and of whose moral
character and merit Mr. Heine entertained a favour-
able opinion.
The loss of such a man to a commercial State like
that of Hamburgh is irreparable. It is well known
that Mr. Heine was of the Jewish persuasion, and he
remained true to his faith to the hour of his death ;
but he was by no means bigoted, as his numerous and
splendid contributions towards the erection or
repair of Christian edifices must testify. He was a
man of very humble origin, and upon his earliest
vist to Hamburgh from the place of his birth (an ob-
scure village in the kingdom of Hanover), he had to
struggle with difficulties which extended even to his
means of obtaining the first necessaries of life. In
later years Mr. Heine dwelt with apparent satisfaction
upon the events of that period, and recounted them
himself when surrounded with every luxury which a
man could desire. His education had been entirely
neglected, even to the mere rudiments ; but he had the
natural gifts of a clear head and a strong mind, and
he was possessed of judgment and energy which en-
abled him to overcome all the disadvantages attending
his early years. Having struggled on for many years
during the war, first in a subordinate capacity, and
subsequently as banker, he was in a position at its
close to participate in all those large loans which were
negotiated by the different continental Governments,
and the vastness of his fortune may be dated from
that period. Having occupied an important position
before the mercantile public for nearly half a century,
it may be presumed that this short notice of Mr.
Solomon Heine will not be unacceptable.

The works of the Lewes and Hastings Railway are
advancing very rapidly ; and greater progress has been
made in them than, we believe, is generally thought.
Although only commenced a few weeks ago, above a
mile is completed, and temporary rails laid down,
between Brighton and Falmer, and a much greater
distance is nearly finished. On going over the works,
we were surprised to find deep cuttings and high
embankments made where but now the only indica-
tion of a railway was a flag-staff. At Feltner, where
the largest tunnel—half a mile—occurs, the main shaft
is nearly bricked ; the bore is being made in both
directions from the shaft, and will be met by the opera-
tions from each extremity—so that four movements
are proceeding in the process of disembowelling the
earth and letting daylight into it. On the Brighton side,
about one hundred yards of tunnelling have been per-
formed ; and the whole work is expected to be finished
by this time next year. As yet everything has pro-
ceeded smoothly and rapidly, under the direction of the
contractor, Withes, and of the engineer of the line,
G. Meredith, Rig. The soil (chalk) is admirably adapted
for works of this kind, and not a single accident his
occurred.—Brighten Herald.

OPENING OF THE EDINBURGH, GLASGOW, AND
AIRDRIE RAILWAY.—This spirited undertaking, which
makes a direct communication between the town of
Airdrie and the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway at
Kirkintilloch, was opened by the Directors, on an experi-
mental trip, on Wednesday- last. The train left Airdrie
at half-past twelve o'cle.ck, and arrived at the terminus
in Queen-street, Glasgow, exactly at a quarter past one,
thus performing the trip in three-quarters of an hour.
It is expected that this railway will be a great advantage
to the inhabitants of Airdrie. The Directors of the
Railway very handsomely invited the magistrates and
council of Airdrio to accompany them on their experi-
mental trip, and to lunch with them at the Glasgow
terminus. The railway was opened to the public on
Thursday last.—Glasgow Saturday Post.
AN UNFORTUNATE.—WINDSOR, DEC. 30.—A per-
son, who stated himself to be the Rev. Dennis M'Gilly-
cuddy, and representing that he was " an impoverished
ecclesiastic," and liable to epilepsy, was given into the
custody of the police, and taken before Mr. T. Clarke,
the Mayor, charged with soliciting alms, and thus com-
mitting an act of vagrancy. It appeared that he had
obtained 3s. from the Hon. and Rev. C. L. Courtenay,
her Majesty's domestic chaplain, whom he had met in
the market-place on Friday, and that he had written for
relief to Prince Albert, through the medium of Mr. G.
E. Anson, Private Secretary to his Royal Highness.
Amongst a variety of documents which were found upon
him was a certificate purporting to be signed by " J. J.
Brown, M.A., Chaplain of St. Giles's Workhouse," dated
January 17, 1844, in which it was set forth that the
Rev. Gentleman had " relieved him both in and out of
the workhouse;" and also another certificate, purporting
to be signed by " Charles 11. Carroll, M.A., Curate of
Moorgate." A letter, soliciting relief, was also found
amongst his papers, addressed to the Rev. Dr. Hawtrey,
of Eton College, in which he described himself as " a
poor destitute Protestant clergyman." The Mayor,
after cautioning him not to be seen in the town again
offending against the Vagrant Act, ordered the police to
escort him beyond the boundaries of the borough. The
whole of his papers were detained.
ANOTHER POLAR. EXPEDITION.—It ii contemplated
by Government to send out another expedition to the
Arctic regions, with the view of discovering the north-
west passage between the Atlantic and Pacific ; and the
Council of the Royal Society, having been solicited to
give their opinion as to the desirableness of such an ex-
pedition, have stated that, independent of the great
object to be attained, the benefits that would accrue to
the sciences of geography and terrestrial magnetism
render such an expedition peculiarly desirable. The
command of the expedition, we understand, has been of-
fered to Sir James Ross ; should that officer decline, it
will fall upon Sir John Franklin.—Hampshire Telegraph.
SCARCITY OF CoAL.—Serious apprehensions are
beginning to be entertained by the poor, in consequence
of the short supply of this necessary article, and the
high price at which it is obtainable. Coals are now
selling at is. 10d. a cwt. We understand that so much
wood was never before burned at Whitstable as during
the last few weeks, and it is said that the merchants of
Rarnsgate have not a ton each in store. This serious
deficiency is attributable to the adverse winds, many of
the colliers, which have been for months on their voyage,
being unable to get up from the north. Potatoes and
other articles have also risen in price, much to the
unhappiness of the poor, whose means prevent their
obtaining an abundant supply when they are at 4 low
prim—Canterbury Journal.