The Sun.
London, England, 1850-12-20 00:00:00

AFFRAY WITH BURGLARS.

On Wednesday evening, tete een seven and eight
o'clock, an affray of a very serious character took place
near Farnborough, in Kent, in the attempt by two po-
licemen to apprehend four suspected housebreakers. It
appeared that on the evening in question two policemen
of the R division, in whose dtstrict Farnborough is
situated, being on duty near the town, had grounds fur
suspecting that some expert thieves from London were
lurking about and intended to commit a burglary in the
niiehhourhood. The two, policemen proceeaed in quest
of the offenders, and on at proaching the Crown public-
house in Green-street green, within a short distaece of
the Farnborough station, they observed a horse and cart
with four men in it, whom they suspected to be the
persons they were on the look-out for, standing at the
door. The policemen immediately went forward, and
while one of them seized the horse's head the other
policeman cr.llcd upon the men in the vehicle to alight,
when they all jumped out, and ho seized one of them,
saying that they must accompany him to the station-
house. The policeman, however, who had seized the
man as described, was immediately attacked by his
companions, who were armed with life-preservers,
and when the other policeman went forward to his
assistance with his staff in his hand one of the fellows
drew forth a pistul, and, presenting the muzzle at his
head, with an oath swore he would blow out his brains

if he interfered in the rescue of his associate. A strug-
gle then took place, during which the four men used
their life. preservers, and succeeded in effecting their
escape from the two policemen, who were very much
maltreated on the occasion. The horse and cart, how-
ever, fell into their bands, and on examining the vehicle,
a bag, containing a great number of picklock keys, large
and small, some of them of the most ingenious construc-
tion, aad stdLpted for opening almost every description
of lock, together with 4' jemmies," cettre-bits, dark ltn-
tern, EiLd matches—in feet, every equisite instrument
for housebreakinm was found at the bottom of it, stowed
away underneath the seat. In the Course of the same
night the polic.l of the district succeeded in apprehend-
ing one of the men, who is now in custody. His coin-
paiiuns, it is r xpected, will also be secured, as their
persons are well known. The licrse, which they must
have driven heal London, is one of extraordinary speed.
and capable, it is stated, of going a great distance in au
incredibly shot t space of tiine. The artivirkVstaltell as
the vehicle, is now in the hands of the police.

LECTURES ON CHEMICAL
AGRICULTURE.

It must be well known to all habitués of the Royal
Polytechnic Institution how every branch of the arts,
aeufactures, and science is duly considered and di:-
cussed in the lecture theatre and hall of this in-
structive place of amusement. But we perceive that
even the claims of agriculture and its important con.
nexion with chemistry has not been forgotten by the
ever vigilant directors of this institution. 'We were
truly pleased to see so many agriculturists (evidently
visitors from the Great Cattla Show) seated to hear
Mr. J. H. Pepper's plain lecture on the first or simple
principles of agricultural chemistry.
The lecturer commenced by observing that he was
not there to teach farming, it would or course be too
ridiculous to suppose that any chemist could hive a
farmer practical experience. The object of the
lecture was simply to demonstrate the valuable and
important connexion between the two. The pro-
fessor then proceeded to show, by analogy, that if it
is possible to observe and trace out the growth of the
human frame, that it must be equally within the
power of the chemist, by analysis, to discover the
proper food and growth of plants. Soils contained
their aliment, viz., certain organic and inorganic
elements, carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, earthy
bases, acids, and other elements. Plants must, of
course, represent the soil from which they spring.
Water, organic matter, ash or earthy matter were
then proved by numerous interesting experiments to
be the proximate elements of the vegetable world.
The business of the scientific farmer was not only to
afford decaying organic matter to the soil, but also to
take care that the earthy bases and salts were ap-
plied in due proportion. These and other instructive
points were supported by conclusive arguments, by
good experiments, and a great number of excellent
diagrams of soils, manures, &c., &c.

ATTEMPTED ESCAPE OF MR. SMITH O'BRIEN.—
On Sunday and Monday the Victoria cutter, commanded by
a man rilined Ellis, was observed hovering about the island,
the wind being light until evening, when it fell calm.
Shortly before sundown, Mr. Smith O'Brien who, notwith•
i.tanding his avowed intention of escaping should an oppor-
tunity offer, has considerable liberty allowed him, went
down to a sandy cove, one of the few places where boats
generally land, and pat as he reached the shore a boat
with three men put in, and he rushed up to his middle
to meet it. A constable on duty covered him with his
piece, and called to him to forbear, seconding this by rush-
ing at the boat and knocking a hole in her bottom with his
carbine. lie then pointed out to all four the folly of resis-
tance, and required them to submit quietly, which they did.
The cflicer in charge, meantime, baring missed his pri-
soner, came rushing down the beach, and secured him while
still in the water. Ile was then conducted to his house, and
the three men confined tbr transmission to Hobart Town. A
whale boat with six bands was sent on board the cutter,
stied her, au t brought her iu. She, too, with the parties
reedsttartaellnyt..
onltuhr.ass.not O'Brienbe.n
previously subjected.--
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rbye
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TelegraphrdcgoruaiTiti A
pre-
vailing in the baronies of Upper Ferns end Upper Oiler, ' a
recent curagis having been committed, and ...41T
ec I.
3NI Aw
yi
meeting of ins,ristrares is about being convened, to me-
morialise the lford.Lieutenant for an augmentation of the
county constabulary in those baronies.
MR. BASTARD TUE PERVERT.—The tstablitikanent
at Kitley, and also the mansion at Buckland-on-the• Moor
belonging to E. I:. P. Bastard, Esq., hare been entirely
broken up, with the exception of a couple of persona engagvd
I to look afte; the house.