The Sun.
London, England, 1844-04-19 00:00:00

Ell

,
-
---2.

M. REINE AND THE CHAMBER
OF DEPUTIES.

The Paris Globe has the following witty article on the
imprisonment of Admiral Dupetit Thouars' messenger:—
" The Constitutionuel calls upon the Minister of the
Marine to lay M. Reine on the table of the Chamber ef
Deputies. M. Billault must absolutely put M. Reine
under his arm, and carry him in like a bundle of papury,
for the Opposition cries aloud for him, even with sound
of trumpets. But, has sot the barbarous M. Guizot
put M. Reine into a cage, and does he not feed him with
sugar and biscuit, like a blue bird of the tropics ? Al-
ready the portresses of Paris whine over the fate of
Reine, and the young girls of the Rue Royale, with
their eyes fixed on the hotel of the Minister of the Ma-
rine, sing in doleful tune the song of the Pi isonnier—
Lorsque dans cette tour obscure,
M. Reine est dans la doulour,
Mon cceur, guide par la nature,
Sait compatir A son maiheur.
Quand j'entends sa plainte touchante,
Je deviens triste chaque jour.
Maman, ne sois pas m‘contente,
La Pitie n'est pas de l'amour.'—(Bis.)
M. Reine has found the means of throwing the
French nation into despair. He will not talk. Throe ..h
out his passage he has had the infamy of not conlitbn4
to all ;the sailors on board that which he was eh:lige:l
to confide only to the French Government. On
arrival at Bordeaux, he did not even say a word t
the waiter of the Ilotel de Rouen, to which he wen:;
had the impertinence of keeping the same rest re
towards the postillions who drove him to Pare!, and, t.ll
alighting at the Hotel de la Cour des Poste:, instead of
going, as he ought to have done, to M. Billault, or M.
Ledrii Rollin, be had the weakness to go to the Minister
of Marine, and since that moment has not written t4' a
single journal. M. Dupetit Thouars says. in his retort
that M. Reine is a distinguished officer. In fact, ato
but a man of mind and understanding could thus ha,,
possessed the rare resolution of remaining silent. If
Reine persists in ant speaking, Admiral Billault
have him hung at the 3ard•arm of the dismasted vessel
of the Left-Centre. In the eyes of M. Billault, nitre
cannot be a greater crime than rot talking ; this, no
doubt, it is that makes him so loquacious, particularly
when lie has got nothing to talk about."

HOURS OF LABOUR DURING LAST CENTURY.—
Most of the speakers in favour of a. Ten Hours' Bill seem
to take for granted, that, previous to the invention of the
steam engine, and the consequent extension of the fac-
tory system, the hours of labour were much shorter than
they are at present ; and a great deal of sentimenta!isin
has been wasted in the columns of the Morning Post, and
other journals, about the tendency of mechanical improve-
ments to increase, instead of abridging, the toil of mane •
lecturing operatives. Unfortunately for Lord Ashley
and his followers, this notion, like nearly all the oth. r
statements on which they build their theories, is not
founded on fact. At present the hours of labour iit
almost every branch of industry are much shorter than
they were a century ago; and this improvement is
chiefly owing, we believe, to the increased demand for
labour arising from the extension of manufactures. In
the London Tradesman, published in 1757, a table is
given of the hours of working in the various trades of
London and Westminster, from which we learn, flint,
out of 220 trades, there were 32 in which the persors
employed worked 15 hours a day; 140 in which
they worked 14 hours; 19 in which they worked In
hours; and only 29, out of the whole number, in which
the daily hours of labour were restricted to 12. We
have no means of comparing this calculation with any
general table of the working hours of the trades of Lon-
don at the present day; but we believe it will be found,
that, in most instwances where 14 or 15 hours a day was
the rule previous to the extension of manufactures, 12
or 13 hours is the custom now. With all this improve-
ment, however, we feel persuaded that the hours of labour.
may be made still shorter than they are at present, without
reducing the wages of the operative; but then it must
not be by legislative interference, or the remedy will be,
worse than the disease. In the case of the London arti-
sans, the hours of labour have been reduced without the
aid of any Lord Ashley or Richard Oastler, but simply by
the increased demand for labour, which has taken place
during the last hundred years, and the consequent im-
provement in the condition of the workpeople. Should
we retain our manufacturing superiority, it is reasonabtfi
to suppose that the same cause will continue to operAte
in the same direction ; but, as the Ten Hours' Bill advo-
cates are opposed to the extension, and consequently to
the prosperity, of the manufacturing system, %Ts cannot
help viewing them as the most dangerous opponents of a
salutary reduction of the hours of labour.—Afanehester.
Guardian.

THE PUBLIC OFFICES.—In these mays of rigia
economy any diminution, however slight, occurring in the
expenditure of the various public offices aml establishments
will, no doubt, be viewed with considerable satisfaction. 460 Parliamentary paper, containing an abstract of the aecountA'
of every increase and diminution which has taken place
within the year 1843, the number of persons employed,
and the salaries, allowances, and expenses in all public
offices or departments, pursuant to the Act 4 and U William
IV., cap. 24, has just been printed by order of the House
of Commons. On examining this document we find that
whilst the gross total increase, which has occurred
during the past year .in the salaries and emoluments of
the said public offices and establishments, amounts to the
sum of 62,837/. Is. Id., the gross total diminution which has
simultaneously taken place, amounts altogether to the sum
of 24,686/. 18s. 9d., leaving a balance of net increase in the
expenses entailed upon the public of 58,1501. 2s. 4d. The
gross total increase in the number of persons employed
amounts to 181, and the gross total decrease to 69, leaving a
balance of net increase amounting to 112. The principal in-
crease in the number of persons employed has occurred in the
Post-office department, in which 114 additional hands have
it appears been laid on. The largest increase, in a pecuniary
point of view, is to be witnessed in the departments of the,
Custom-house, the Excise-office, the Post-office,
-the Stamp,
office, and the Registrar-General's office.
THE BENEVOLENT SOCIETY OF BLUES.—The
anri-
versary fete for the increase of the funds by which rdief
is
afforded to indigent and decayed persons educated at Christ':
Hospitali was celebrated yesterday with more than usual hos-
pitality and good feeling, in the great room of the 1-datort
Tavern, in Bishopsgate-street. The company sat down to au
excellent dinner, at half-past six o'clock, to the number of
150 gentlemen. The gallery was filled with ladies; and the
musical arrangements were enlivened by the assistance of
Messrs. A. Novello, Fitzwilliam, and Young. The chair was
excellently filled by Mr. Few, who was supported at the
cross-table by the Earl of Arundel, Sir George Carroll, Mr.
Alderman Farebrother, the Governor and Deputy-Governor
of the Bank of England, Mr. Pigeon, Mr. Rice, head-master
of the school • Mr. M'Cnlloch, Mr. Waghorn, and other gen-
tlemen of rank in the commercial world. The usual tossts—
viz., " The health of her. Majesty the Queen and Prince Al-
bert," " The Queen Dowager, and the other members of the
Royal Family," having been drunk with the most loyal feel
ings, and several other toasts having been also given and re.
ceived with cheers, the toast, " Success to the Institution,"
was given and received with loud applause. The list of Sul,
scriptions was then read, which amounted in the aggregate
to nearly 900/., the principal subscribers being—the Chair-
man' 21/. ; Mr. Thakeray, 21/.
B.
the Lord Mayor, 10/. 10s. ;
Mr. Curteis, 12/. 125.; Mr. S. B. Brooke, 10/. 10s. ; Mr. Pi-
geon, 10/. 10s.; Mrs. Pigeon,lo/. 10s.; Mr. Pigeon,•
jun., 10/.
108.; Mr. Bellasis, 10/. 10s., &c. The festivities of the even-
ing were kept up in the best spirit, and it was not until late
that the company separated.
DANGEROUS Fitouc.—On Wednesday evening
last, shortly before nine o'clock, a most serious accident oc-
curred to a gentleman named Walmesley, residing at Plum-
stead. It appears that Mr. Walmesley was, accompanied by
a friend, returning from London to Plumstead in his gig, and
whilst proceeding along the road at a steady pace, the horse,„
which is a most spirited animal, took fright at some young
fellows dressed up in a style which would do credit to any
madmen, and dashed off at a fearful rate across Blackheath,
precipitating Mr. Walmesley and his friend out of the gig
with frightful violence. Mr. Walmesley's friend escaped
with a few slight bruises, but he was not so fortunate himself,
for upon being taken home and medical assistance called for,
it was discovered that he had broken his right arm in two
places, and dislocated his collar bone, besides receiving!
severe fracture of the:skull on the right side, and seine dread-
ful lacerations about various parts of his body ; 'altogetteezr:
the injuries he has received render it very doubtful whether
he can survive. The horse was stopped about half a
from the spot, uninjured, but the gig was literally dashed to
atoms. From what we could learn respecting the true cause
of the accident, it appears that for some time past
as they pass
three or
four young gentlemen had been in the
through Greenwich and Woolwich everyha dressingnight,ofand
themselves up in the most ludicrous style imaginable,
throwing themselves about in all manner of attitudes, much
.in. they meet. Doubtless
to the annoyance of all persons whom
they have no intention of doing injury, but we trust this
my act as a warning to them in future.
WASHING.—An example of this
111PERIAL FEET
pious ceremony,which humble duties are performed by the
great and powerful towards their most lowly fellow-crea-
tures recently occurred in the Austrian capital. It was
remarkable for the illustrious rank of the feet-washers, lind
the extreme longevity of some of the persons on whua the
ablution
Vienna, re;
was performed. A letter in the Allgenieint Zeiteng,
dated
April 5, states, that on the p,eding day
(Maunday Thursday, or, as the Germans call iZ Gra', Do,
nelstag), their Majesties the Emperor and Eaupress washed
the feet of twelve aged men and twelve aged women, who
atter the ceremony were regaled with a dinner, and each re-
ceived a present of new clothing. Of the men the oldesc
was 110 years of age, and the youngest 83
• of the women,
the oldest was 106, and the youngest 84. • The ceremony was,
as usual, attended by a vast concourse of spectators.
FIRE AND RUMOURED LOSS OF LlFE.—This
morning a fire broke out in the extensive feather and bed-
ding manufactory belonging to Messrs. Blakeley and Thomas,
feather merchants and importers, Bishopsgate-street Without.
The manufactory is a large brick building, 100 feet square. is.
situate a few yards from the front of Bi;hopsgate-street
the east, and Sun-street on the north. It contained sevem
floors, in which were housed, for the purpose of maw „fac-
ture, several hundred tons of feathers, and a Wig
quantity of beds and bed-rooni furniture. Tile lire
broke out a few minutes after two o'clok .in the
lower part of the premises, in which a quantity of ste.ini
machinery was fixed, valued at. I;everal hundad pounds-
From floor to floor it extended, and as it rea,zherconseca-
tively the different departments, the great light caused by
the conflagTation illtunintil the whole neighbourhood. The
spires, as far north as Shoreditch, were perfectly visible, and
the alarm was very,great throughout the entire neighbour-
hood. By three o'clock the fury of the flames was but par-
tially checked, and at this moment the appearance of the
whole vicinity was truly grand The flames were ocly pnr-
tially subdued by half-past three o'clock, and at that time it
was stated that some one who slept upon the premises. was .
missing, and great fears are entertained that the poor fellow
is burned to death. _

foroiwb be carried
el :ta, diat
out,
tta
We understand that the Earl of Stair has it,
ation to
eettsihitScelui vesselsoa
nttri almatditi tarStthrhhbeoeeofi:liCi intended tended harbour 'with 'with a
the neighbouring Ustrict.
connect of
l
t sere
the district of Auchenmalg, formi part.
Abnc miles dis-
chargingo,oetsfase.
(grnrf rol opt,
between
from
eGtl
of
c the general plan.—Ayr Observer.
PENNSYLVANIAN LAW.—It is ft curius fact, and. n'
generally known, that by the laws ofPennsylvriyilan. man may
be sold into servitude who refuses to maint;iiii his wife and
children ; and it is stated that recently p, man was sold in
Venango county, by order of the Court, . for an indefinite
period, who had refused to maintain his wife and family, they
receiving the wages of his labour for their r,upport. Trucy "do-
mestic slavery" must be preferable to suai bondage as this
A cast-iron pulpit has been erected in the Jewish
Synagogue, Seel-street, LiverpcJol. " This is said to be the •
first regular pulpit erected a Jgwiih place of worship WI
this kingdom.