The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-13 00:00:00

ROYAL THAMES YACHT CLUB

MATCH.

On Saturday the first match of the season of this po-
pular Club was sailed from Greenwich to Coal-house
Point, about two miles below Gravesend, and back, for
three very handsome prizes, and the day being extremely
propitious, and the contest, from various circumstances,
one of considerable interest, a very numerous company
of ladies and gentlemen assembled on board the Comet
steamer, at London-bridge, between nine and ten o'clock,
that vessel having been engaged by the Club for the
accommodation of the members and their friends.
Amongst the individuals present we observed Lords
Sussex, Lennox, and Suffield, and a great many influ-
ential yachtmen and admirers of this national sport. On
the arrival of the steam-vessel at Greenwich, W. H. Har-
rison, Esq., the Commodore, T. Meeson, Esq., Captain, and
other officers ofthe Club, waited on Admiral Stopford, the
Governor of Greenwich Hospital, and Vice-Patron of
the Club. The gallant veteran received them with his
accustomed urbanity of manner, and expressed his ad-
miration of the prises to be sailed for, which consisted,
for the first class yachts of a silver tankard, richly
chased with the rose, thistle, and shamrock, surmounted
by a sailor resting on an anchor, of the value of 50 gui-
neas, and a beautifully chased claret jug, value 25
guineas ; and for the second class yachts, a silver
tankard, value 25 guineas. The Captain of the Club,
notwithstanding he had to sail his yacht in the match,
proceeded at an early hour to Greenwich, and in his new
and beautifully constructed gig, superintended the
" laying down" the buoys for the eight competing ves-
sels ; and long before the arrival of the Comet off the
Royal Hospital, the undermentioned yachts took their
respective stations as follow, the first-named being near-
est the south shore : _ _

FIRST CLass.—Enigma, 25 tons, J. Wilkinson, Esq„
owner ; Gnome, 25 tons, Captain Meeson, owner ;
Phantom, 20 tons, A. 0. Wikinson, Esq., owner ; Ga-
zelle, 25 tons, T. Rutherfoord, Esq., owner ; Mystery,
25 tons, Lord Alfred Paget, owner.
SECOND CLAthi.—Curlew, 12 tons, W. H. Rees, Esq
owner ; 10 tons, J. S.. Christian, Esq., owner 2;
Saucy Jack, 11 tons, F. Blake, Esq., owner.
There was a large assemblage of spectators, both on
the river and land, to witness the start, and many noble=
men and gentlemen's yachts were in readiness to accom-
pany the match. Amongst those which excited particular
attention were the Marquis of Anglesea's beautiful
cutter, the Pearl, of 130 tons, with the noble owner, the
Marquis of Douro, Lord Sydney, Lord W. Lennox, and
some ladies on board ; Lord Wharncliffe's Romulus, of
30 tons • Mr. Gunston's Champion, of 25 tons ; Captain
Cocksedge's Albion, of 30 tons ; Mr. Gibson's Sabrina,
of 20 tons ; Mr. Taylor's Wasp, &c.
The start took place at half-past eleven, and all got
pretty fairly away together: the Gnome shortly taking
the lead, but in beating down, the wind being easterly
and extremely Baffling, it was impossible to say which
was most likely to round tke Nag-buoy first. The
Gnome, however, maintained her proud position, the
Mystery having only once weathered her, and she
turned at Coal house Point at thirty-five minutes past
two, and two and a half minutes in advance of Lord
Paget's. yacht. !Vie Phantom was next, the Gazelle
fourth, Enigma Cff:tii, CtirleW-.;sixth, Rival seventh, and
Saucy Jack last. •I#-oin:way up a beautiful contest took
place between tlie:Gnome andfMystery, the latter ulti
mately succeeding4n taking.tWead, but only beating the
Gnome by 38 seconds, the Mystery arriving at Green-
wick at twentyaree minutes past five. The Enigma
was third, Gazelle 4, Phantom 5, Curlew 6, Saucy Jack 7,
and Rival last. The prizes were presented to Lord
Alfred Paget, Captain Meeson, and Mr. Rees, by Com-
modore Harrison, on board the steam-boat; after which
the vessel proceeded to London-bridge, and landed her
company long before the day closed.
COMMISSION OF LUNACY.

On Saturday the Commission of Lunacy against William
Parker, F.sq., was resumed before Mr. Commissioner Winslow.
The inquiry had been adjourned for the attendance of Mr.
Freshfield and Mr. Scotto, two professional gentlemen, whom
the lunatic insisted upon attending. Upon inquiry it was
found that Mr. Scotto had been dead sone years, and Mr.
Fresbfield refused to act, being wholly unacquainted with
Mr. Parker. Mr. Yany, barrister, appeared in support of the
Commission, and Mr. Rogers attended on behalf of Mr.
Parker's sister. It appeared from the evidence that Mr.
Parker was a partner in Messrs. Bagshaw's house, of
London and Calcutta. In 1840 Mr. Parker proceeded in a
steamer to Calcutta. The vessel anchored about eight days
at Madras, during which time Mr. Parker went ashore with
the other passengers, but instead of taking the precaution
necessary for Europeans of travelling in a palanquin, walked
from the beach a short distance into the country for the
purpose of visiting the inhabitants and comparing their
customs and habits with those in the West Indies. On re-
turning on board the vessel Mr. Parker's manner was con-
siderably changed, when the passengers came to the con-
clusion that he had received a coup de soleil, or stroke of the
sun, a very common occurrence to Europeans who walk only
a short distance exposed to the sun. On arriving at Calcutta,
about four days after leaving Madras, it was discovered that
he was insane, and it became necessary to have him watched.
He was shortly afterwards removed to England, and placed
in Bethlem, and afterwards at Dr. Oxley's Asylum,
Hoxton. Dr. Oxley and Dr. Arnott deposed to the state
of the prisoner's mind. He was very wild and incoherent,
but not unmanageable or at all violent. Amongst his delu-
sions he supposed parties to be alive who had been dead
many years, which was the case with his mother, whom he
said lived with the Duke of Wellington, and that they in-
tended to visit him shortly. During the examination of
the witnesses Mr. Parker continually interrupted them,
denying their statements, and generally finished with a
thrice repeated exclamation. The jury returned a verdict
that Mr. Parker was of unsound mind, and had been so since
Feb. 18, 1841.

NAVAL INTELLIGERCE WOOLWICH, MAY 10.—
The Svdenham, steam-yessel, Lieut.-Commander Mapleton,
will be ready for sea to-morrow, and is under orders to sail
on Sunday, /lay 12, from Woolwich for Cronstadt, to bring
home Lord Stuart de Rothesay, from the Court of St. Peters-
burgh. The lion. Frederick Curzon, promoted from the
Royal Victoria and Albert steam vessel, has been appointed
additional lieutenant to the Sydonham ; and she will takeout
Mrs. Kuper and family to Elsineur, and Mr. George Gordon,
Secretary of Legation, to Stockholm.
PHRENOTYPIC LECTURES.—ROYAL ADELAIDE
GALLERY.—On Friday, at the Royal Adelaide Gallery,
Major Beniowsky, the successful author of the system
of " Brain Printing," which!is now so popular in London,
delivered a lecture illustrative of his principles. The
demonstrations were never more happy, as one of his
pupils, Mr. James, with but a short course of instruc-
tion, learnt by heart, and repeated a page of the catalogue
of the institution, containing a chronological and his-
torical series of sixteen different objects of interest con-
nected with science, arts, and antiquities, agriculture,
and commerce. This was done amongst the busy hum
of the visitors in less than three minutes, whilst Mr.
Bailey, another pupil, reduced six degrees of logarithms
and added thorn up in less than a minute.
Tim PITMEN AND TILE COALOWNERS.—The un-
happy disputes between the pitmen and their employers ap-
pear, we regret to say, no nearer to a termination than when
we last called attention to the subject. If we may judge
from the tone assumed by the delegates at their meeting on
Tuesday, the pitmen are determined to hold out for some
weeks to come, it may be months, unless concessions to a cer-
tain extent shall be made on the part of the owners.—New-
castle Advertiser.
RINGWOOD.—A fine covey of eleven partridges
were discovered a few days since on Potterne Farm, by
the keeper at Verwood, Dorset. The birds were strong,
and must have been hatched full. a fortnight, as they
could fly a short distance; so early a brood is considered
la rare occurrence.—Hampshire Independent.

THE LABOURING CLASSES.
A numerous and most respectable meeting was
held in Willis's Rooms on Saturday, to take into
consideration the propriety of forming a society for
the improvement of the condition of the labouring
classes. Lord Ashley was called to the chair. Among
the noblemen and gentlemen on the platform we ob-
served Lord Chelsea, the Bishop of Salisbury, the
Hon. W. Cowper, M.P., Mr. Slaney, M.P., Mr.
Colquhoun, M.P., Mr. Monckton Milnes, M.P., Mr.
Fielden, M.P., Mr. Bond Cabbell, Mr. Thomas Car-
lyle, the Hon. and Rev. H. Osborne, the Rev. H.
M-Neile, the Rev. Mr. Burgess, the Rev. Mr. Buller,

&c., &c.
The Noble CHAIRMAN briefly stated the purposes
for which the meeting was assembled. It was to
take into consideration the propriety of forming a so-
ciety for the improvement of the labouring classes.
The condition of the labouring classes in many parts
of the country was truly distressing. The society
which they were that day met to establish contem-
plated three great objects; first, the improvement of
the dwellings of the poor; second, the extension of
the field garden, or cottoge system; and, thirdly, the
introduction of the friendly loan sacieties, which in

many parts of Ireland ha‘Te been found to produce
the most beneficial results. They were come to a
period in the history of their country when they must
attempt to do something for the amelioration of the
condition of the labouring classes.—(Cheers.) He
was ready to admit, that what they were about to
attempt was only an experiment; but, being based on
Christian principles, they had no reason to be ashamed
of it, or to doubt the result.

The Rev. H. ITNEILE, of Liverpool, then rose to
move the filst resolution, which recognised the de-
sirableness of establishing a society for the improve-
ment of the condition of the labouring classes. If the
poor have their wants it ought always to be remem-
bered that they have their feelings also.—(Hear,
hear.) Attempts were made to poison the minds of
the poor, and to inspire their breasts with feelings of
hostility towards the upper ranks of life. Naturally
they had no unfriendly disposition towards the rich.
If they would regard the poor with friendly feelings,
and treat them kindly, they would entertain and mani-
fest a grateful sense of the kindness shown them. If
landlords would only cultivate an acquaintance with
the poor on their estates, they would do them the
greateft service. The poor had understandings, rea-
son, and conscience, as well as the rich, and they were
the heirs of immortality. Contrasted with these attri-
butes and this high destiny, what availed splendid
furniture—luxurious living—horses and hounds—
the contests of Senates—the dignity of Cabinets—and
the cold-blooded abstract theories of philosophers?—
(Applause.) The poor man was spoken of in Scrip-
ture as the brother of Jesus, the child of God, and
the heir of glory.
Mr. COLQUHOUN, M.P., seconded the resolution.
He differed from the Noble Chairman on one point.
They were not about to make an experiment. The
principles on which they were about to proceed had
already been tested, and had been found adapted to
accomplish the objects they had in view. If the
poor man, as had been remarked, was treated with
kindness by the rich it would be like throwing a
golden bridge of affection over the gulf which has
too long separated them, and the result would be a
glorious future.—(Cheers.)
The resolution was then put and carried unani-
mously.
Here Captain Ackerly rose in the body of the
meeting and attempted to create a disturbance, but
was speedily put down.
Mr. SLANEY, M.P., then rose to propose the second
resolution, which referred to the best means of carry-
ing the views of the society into effect. There was
distress in many parts of the country.—(Cries of " In
all," from Captain Ackerley.) Not in all ; for there
were parts of the country in which, even among the
poorer classes, there could not be said to be anything
approaching to want. Still there existed the deepest
distress in many parts of the country, especially in
great and populous towns. Much of the distress had
its origin in over-population. Within the last thirty
years the population of England had doubled, and the
consequence was that many places were over-crowded
with human beings. lie thought the proposed
society was calculated to do great good.
The Rev. Mr. BULLER, of Birmingham, seconded
the resolution. He knew cases in Birmingham in
which whole families had not more than one penny
for each person per day wherewith to procure the ne-
cessaries of life.—(Hear, hear.) Such a state of
things must be. highly dangerous, and unless some-
thing were done to lessen the miseries of the lower
orders there would be some outbreak before a long
period had elapsed. It was to the dreadful destitution
which existed in the rural districts—for there also
deep distress existed—that the incendiary fires which
had of late been of such fearfully frequent occurrence
were to be ascribed. He had lately been in Suffolk,
and found that whole families of the poor were living
on pigs' meat—that is, a coarse kind of bread
made of the bran usually given to the pigs to
eed on. In the district of Birmingham in which he

laboured there were 10,000 persons, and yet among
all that number there were not seven families who
were able to keep a servant. He concurred in all
that had been said regarding the good results which
were sure to follow from the cultivation by the rich
of an acquaintance with the poor. He was sure that
tb tota
to preach
breakfast.
rrskeei
allfataa cc
sohhtf thet kindness
fromi
eHsne dermnjwe
Gospeluos s
warmly
t to
oofy
the
eernps
clergy,uropoorona rvsye
wd. would
ofol uhtthhloawdend
agdosnhbo
not
e.they)cfgt moresontootg:houteehosri good
society, and would at all times give it his cordial
support.
The resolution was then put and carried.
The Rev. R. BURGESS, of Chelsea, in moving the
next resolution, approving of the plans the society
meant to adopt, addressed the meeting at some length.
Two years had elapsed since the House of Commons
had published its repoot respecting the sanatory con-
dition of the poor, and yet nothing had been done. It
was consequently a matter of fair inference that Par-
liament did not contemplate doing anything. Hence
the necessity of voluntary effort to improve the phy-
sical and social condition of the poor. Without being
aided in their labours by some such Society as this,
they (the clergy) would preach to the lower classes
in vain. He (the Rev. Mr. Burgess) entirely dif-
fered from an Hon. gentleman (Mr. Slaney), who
preceded him, when he ascribed the miseries of the
poor to over-population. Why, in England there
country,
t rtwoy, wa
hc
flees
ionf
SI
wa d
tz e trol a
nedv,e ry h
one
oufm
thean so ul
most i
pn r the
e.
perous countries in Europe, there was only one acre to
every inhabitant. There were in the West.end the ex-
trremes of splendour and misery. lie knew an instance
recently in a noble mansion in which as much money was
expended on one single banquet as would comfortably
maintain 300 poor people for a month. The great
evil of this country was the want of a more equal dis-
tribution of its wealth. It appeared from the returns
of the Income-tax that that impost was paid on
200,000,0001. annually, and it might be assumed that,
adding the incomes varying from 501. to 1501. per
annum, there was at least another 100,000,0001. on
which that tax would have had to be paid if it had
been imposed on incomes above 50/. ; so that here
was an annual income of 300,000,0001., and yet,
notwithstanding the magnitude of the sum, the deep-
est distress extensively prevailed, owing to the
unequal distribution of our wealth. The Rev. Gen-
tleman then proceeded to specify various instances of
extreme want and sickness consequent on that
destitution, and concluded by expressing his cordial
approbation of the society.
The Hon. and Rev. H. OSBORNE seconded the re-
solution in a very able, eloquent, and feeling speech,
when the resolution was put and carried.
Mr. Monckton Milnes, the lion. W. Cowper, and
Mr. Leonard Horner having shortly addressed the
meeting, the following noblemen and gentlemen were
appointed vice-presidents of the society :—The Duke
of Manchester, the Earl of Shrewsbury, the Earl of
Eldon, Lord Morpeth, Lord Ashley, Lord Sandon,
Lord Grimston, Lord Howard, Lord Henry Chol-
mondeley, Lord Sondes, Lord Kenyon, Lord Cal-
thorpe, Lord Rayleigh, Lord Leigh, Lord Barring-
ton, Lord Teignmouth, the Hon. William Ash-
ley, the Hon. William F. Cowper, Sir Thomas
Baring, Bart.; Sir Thomas Blomfield, Bart.; Sir
Brook W. Bridges, Bart. ; Sir Arthur de Capel
Brooke, Bart. ; Sir Digby Macworth, Bart. ; Sir
William T. Pole, Bart.; Sir W. Edward Parry, John
Hardy, Esq., M.P. ; and R. Brinsley Sheridan, Esq.
The following list of subscriptions towards the
funds of the society were announced :—The Earl, of
Eldon, 2001. ; the Earl of Shrewsbury, 251.; Lord
Ashley, 501.; Lord Viscount Barrington, 251.; Lord
Calthorpe, 50/. ; Lord Teignmouth, 10/. 10s.; Sir
Thomas Baring, Bart., 100/. ; John Dean Paul, Esq.,
100/. ; Alexander Gordon, Esq., 1001.; R. B. Sheri-
dan, Esq., 1001.; William Gregson, Esq., 501.; Charles
Dixon, Esq., 50/. ; Enoch Durant, Esq., 50/. ; John
Labouchere, Esq., 501.; Samuel Graves, Esq., 50/. ;
the Hon. W. Cowper, M.P., 25/.; David Lyon, Esq.,
251.; Henry Blanchard, Esq., 20/. ; Sir Brook W.
Bridges, Bart., 251.; John Bridges, Esq., 10/. ; the
Right Hon. Lord Howard, 10/. ; and Messrs. Grisell
and Peto, 100/.
Lord Ashley having been elected president of the
society, and a vote of thanks given him, the meeting
separated.

FATAL ACCIDENT AT HINDLEY.—On Thursday
last! some men were engaged in felling a large oak tree
by the road side, near Mr. Walker's factory, Hindley,
three miles from Wigan. They had so far progressed in
their work as to deem it necessary to attach a chain to
the tree, in the opposite direction from the road, to
prevent its falling into it. About two o'clock in the
afternoon, however, the chain broke, and the tree, which
is of an unusually large size, suddenly fell into the road,
burying beneath its branches several persons who were
present. One boy was killed upon the spot ; another
was very seriously injured, and an old man named John
011erton, had his head dreadfully cut and bruised, and
was otherwise seriously hurt