The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-14 00:00:00

LITERATURE

MURRAY'S HOME AND COLONIAL LI-

BRARY. No. XV. Murray, London, 1844.
In the present Number of this monthly Miscellany
we have a condensation of the most interesting por-
tions of Father Ripa's History of the Chinese Col-
leze, which was published at Naples in the year
1832. This venerable priest went to China about the
commencement of the last century, where he made a
protracted residence, and was much noticed by the
reigning Emperor, who treated him with unusual
kindness and condescension, and allowed him to see
the interior of his palaces and pleasure-grounds, and
obtain an insight into his domestic mode of life—an
honour never before granted to European travellers.
Father Ripa was not slow to avail himself of the
opportunities he enjoyed, and wrote a lengthy account
of his residence in China, of which the present book
is an abridgment, and from which we gather that
manners, and customs, and prejudices in the Celestial
Empire, are little, if at all, altered *from what they
were upwards of a century ago. Civilisation, that
has made itself felt, more or less, in every other part
sof the world, has been at a complete stand-still
among the Chinese, who seem to pride themselves on
their inveterate prejudices, and the unchangeable
character of their customs and institutions. We
quote the Father's curious account of the mode of
treatment to which he was subjected by a Chinese
surgeon, for a severe wound he received in his head
by a fall from his horse :
" Wh?.n I recovered my senses, I found myself in a
house. but everything appeared dark and indistinct, and
I felt as if- I had fallen from my horse two months
before. The Emperor sent me a Tartar surgeon, for he
and his Court were fully, persuaded that for falls Tartar
surgeons were better than Europeans. And, to confess
the truth, although the mode of treatment was of a bar-
barous description, and some of the remedies appeared
aseless, I was cured in a very short time. This sur-
geon made me sit up in my bed, placing near me a large
basin filled with water, in which he put a thick piece of
ice, to reduce it to a freezing point. Then stripping me
to the waist, he made me stretch my neck over the basin,
and, with a cup, he continued for a good while to pour
the water on my neck. The pain caused by this opera-
tion upon those nerves which take their rise from the
pia-mater was so great and insufferable, that it seemed
to me unequalled. The surgeon said that this would
stanch the blood and• restore me to my senses, which
was actually the case ; for in a short time my sight be-
came clear, and my mind resumed its powers. He next
bound my head with a band, drawn tight by two men,
who held the ends, while he struck the intermediate part
vigorously with a piece of wood, which shook my head
violently, and gave me dreadful pain. This, if I remem -
ber rightly, he said was to set the brain, which he sup-
posed bad been displaced. It is true, however, that
after this second operation my head felt more free. A
third operation was now performed, during which he
wade me, still stripped to the waist, walk in the open
air, supported by two persons ; and, while this walking,
he unexpectedly threw a bowl of freezing cold water
over my breast. As this caused me to draw my breath
with great vehemence, and as my chest had been injured
by the fall, it may be easily imagined what were my suf-
ferings under this infliction. The surgeon informed me
that, if any rib had been dislocated, this sudden and
hard breathing would restore it to its natural position.
The next proceeding was less painful and extravagant.
The operator made me sit upon the ground ; thenl
assisted by two men, he held a cloth upon my mouth
and nose till I was nearly suffocated. This,' said the
Chinese Esculapius, by causing -a violent heaving of
the chest, will force back any rib that may have been bent
inwards.' The wound in the head not being deep, he
healed it by stuffing it with burnt cotton. He then
ordered- that I should continue to walk much, supported
by two persons ; that I should not sit long, nor be allowed
to sleep before ten o'clock at night, at which time, and
not betore I should take a little hifan, that is, thin rice
soup. This continued walking caused me to faint several
times ; but this had been foreseen by the surgeon, who
had warned me not to be alarmed. He assured me that
these walks in the open air, while fasting, would prevent
the blood from settling on, the chest, where it might
corrupt. These remedies were barbarous and excru-
ciating ; but I am bound in truth to confess that in seven
days I was so completely restored as to be able to
resume my journey into Tartary."

KNIGHT'S WEEKLY VOLUME. Vol. 20.
C. Knight, London, 1844.
_ _

The Part before us of this cheap weekly Miscel-
liny forms the first volume of a History of British
Commerce, from the earliest times down to the pre-
sent period, when it has attained to such an unex-
ampled height of grandeur, and extends itself over
the whole habitable globe. The work is a reprint
from the " Pictorial History of England," but it has
been carefully corrected throughout by the author,
and numerous useful additions have been made to it.

BALLADS, AND OTHER POEMS.
Clarke, London, 1844.
These poems are the production of an American
writer named Whiltier, and have, it seems, been
favourably received by his countrymen. They ex-
hibit much freedom of versification, and the thought
and imagery are occasionally of a superior order ;
but there is nothing national about them—nothing
that reflects the genuine feelings, tastes, and pre-
judices, of the American character. Like the essays
in Washington Irving's "Sketch-book," Mr. Whil-
tier's poems are all cast in an English mould. The
best are those which are directed against the atrocious
system of slavery carried on with such intrepid
effrontery in the Southern States.

GALSTON-CESSNOCK IRON
- WORKS.

The whole estate of the late Cessnock Iron Com-
pany, sequestrated by his Grace the Duke of Port-
land, was brought under the auctioneer's hammer on
Monday last. As an evidence of the flourishing state
of trade, much higher rates were got for many of the
lots than anticipated ; in most cases double the
amount of their estimated value was the result.
Messrs. Finnie, of Kilmarnock, and Howie, Hurl-
ford, were among the most extensive purchasers. The
Cessnock Iron Company were among those unfor-
tunate enterprising persons who speculated largely
shortly before the late trade stagnation. In the year
.
1838 they procured a lease of the minerals Cess-
nock estate, from his Grace the Duke of Portland,
and ground whereon to erect works. Abundance of
minerals were considered to be on the estate, but
after working part a deficiency was feared. No
black-band ironstone could be found. Abundance of
clay ironstone of superior quality was found in beds
of from four inches to fourteen inches in thickness,
running through the estate. Little of it, however,
could be wrought open cast, and mining, of course,
was the result, which was carried on at an incredible
expense. The coal-fields were extensive, and of
superior quality for smelting iron, but the limestone
was inferior ; and the limestone used in smelting,
which was excellent in quality, was brought from
the estate of the Marquis of Hastings. It was ap-
parent to all, from the large amount of capital ex-
pended in the erection of the works, and from many
parts, after being built superficially, requiring to be
taken down and built more substantially, that the
speculation was not likely to be conducted to success.
After a great many seemingly unsurmountable ob-
stacles had been overcome, small quantities of de-
ficient iron were produced, which, from its hard
nature, did not suit the Scottish market, and was ac-
cordingly regularly exparted to Liverpool, where a
market was found—but at a low figure, not even
commensurate with the expense incurred in its pro-
duction. Of course, this could not last a length of
time. Two furnaces were kept constantly smelting
iron, producing, on an average, twenty tons of iron
every twenty-four hours, at a loss of twenty shillings
per ton, or twenty pounds sterling, daily. The
Company became iavolved in debt, and bankruptcy
followed. Part of the estate was sequestrated by the
Commissioners of his Grace the Duke of Portland,
and sold as above, and the remainder was sold for
behoof of the other creditors, whose claims amount
to about 18,000l.—Kilmarnock Herald.

CORONER—On looking at the fragments of the engine
and tender, what is your opinion of the way the occur-
rence took place ? 'Witness—Upon my word lam not
in a position to say. Wilkinson is now dead, and no
one alive to say how the the thing occurred, except on
mere opinion, formed from the state of the things
(broken carriages, &c.) as they now are.
Mr. Day, surgeon, said that on Wednesday morning
he was called to see deceased, and found him on the line
where the accident occurred. Ilis left arm was broken.
lle was bleeding from the nostrils and ears, and the back
part of the skull, at the base, was fractured. He died
of the latter injury, and fracture of the back of the
neck, caused by the head having been forced against the
ground..
Mr. Berry, engineer, of Wolverton, said I have been
on the line where the occurrence took place, and made
an inspection of the engine and tender, and endeavoured
to ascertain the cause of the accident. [The witness
then described the injuries to the engine and tender in
the same words as the second witness.] The con-
nexion between the engine and tender was by means of
a screw and two side links, called safety chains. The
screw was broken, but the links were apparently perfect,
which makes me think they had not been attached. I
have no doubt that the explosion of the fire-box by pres-
sure of steam forced the fire-bars and ash box to the
spot at which they were found, after having passed
through the boarding of the viaduct. I think the ex-
plosion took place near that part of the viaduct, and I
think the momentum of the train pushed the engine to
where it was found, so far from the spot at which the
explosion is supposed by us to have taken place. If the
fire door was open at the time of the accident the rush
of steam wauld have driven the fireman (Wilkinson)
backwards to the spot at which he was found. This is
supposition, but the steam must have caught him some
how or other.

By the CORONER—I cannot form any opinion as to
how the explosion took place, unless it was from exces-
sive pressure. The engine does not differ in principle
from others used on railroads. I have examined the
safety-valves, but I cannot form any opinion as to the
precise state they were in at the time of the explosion,
for they have received such a blow that they are quite
put out of shape. No part of the machinery appears to
have given way, and I could not detect any flaw in it.
By a juror.—The train was a mere triflng load for the
engine. No danger arose from that ; indeed, had it been
heavier this accident might not have happened, as there
would have been a greater consumption of steam.
By the CORONER.—The value of the engine, including
the tender, is about 1,400 L
Mr. John Gooch examined—l am an engineer, un-
connected with this Company, residing in Clapham-
road. The engine is so much broken, that it is impos-
sible to form an opinion as to the cause of the explosion.
I think, however, it was the result of extreme pressure
on the boiler. The copper at the upper seam, near the
door, gave way.
Cotritia—ln the absence of the parties (the deceased
and Wilkinson) who had control of the engine, we must
remain in darkness as to the cause of the explosion. No
other persons could give the proper information.
Mr. Gooch having confirmed the other parts of Mr.
Berry's evidence,
Mr. Benjamin Cubitt, superintendent of the locomotive
department of the South-Eastern Railway, attributed
the explosion to over-pressure, and said it was impossible
to state the cause of the over-pressure, whether neglect on
the part of the deceased parties, the driver and fireman,
or circumstances over which they had no control.
By the CORONER—The deceased had been driver under
my authority for two years. He was a steady man, and
suite efficient for the duties he had to perform. He was
what may be termed a zealous driver, anxious to get over
his road within time.
The CORONZR summed up, and the jury having deli-
berated with closed doors, returned the following ver-
dict :—" That the deceased died from bodily injuries re-
ceived by the sudden explosion of the boiler of a certain
locomotive steam-engine, but from what cause that arose,
by reason of the death of the only persons present at
the time, we can derive no evidence."

STATE or TRADE.—Adverse winds continue to
keep out many ships, and consequently the stocks of
produce are now suffering some reduction, without,
however, improving prices, There has been a large
business in cotton, about fifty thousand bales having
been sold since our last publication ; speculators have
been freely in the market, and have taken probably
one-third the quantity. The great supply on sale
has prevented any advance, and importers are gene-
rally willing sellers. Even at our present low quota-
tioas many of the next imports will return a profit to
the shippers, and thus there will not be the common
inducement to withhold them from the market. The
Manchester trade is not so brisk ; it rarely is, so late in
the year, when a great proportion of our export business
is stopped ; still manufacturers of all sorts are doing
a good and highly lucrative business. Money conti-
nues cheap, and apparently very plentiful ; thus stocks
and shares of all sorts, which usually feel the first pinch,
are yet as buoyant as ever. Opinion is much divided as
to the ultimate fate of the multitudineus schemes now in
the office of the Board of trade, but we think we express
the ideas of a large portion of the community when we
state that they ought to pass through a very strict or-
deal; very great interests are at stake—the public con-
venience, the public purse, and the national welfare, de-
mand the utmost invest►gation before such a vast outlay
and such evident injury to existing interests are permitted.
As the time approaches fur the meeting of Parliament,
we hear on all sides of energetic endeavours being made
by differently interested parties to obtain reductions of
the existing duties on many of the leading articles of
commerce. Thus we find cotton, tobacco, and tea pushed
very prominently forward, and with a very different
ground-work for the application, as at present cotton is
subject to a duty of about 7i per cent. on the value;
tobacco 900 per cent.; and tea probably 150 per cent. on
the average; whilst the sorts i 0 greatest consumption by
the poor pay fully 200 per cent. on their value. The Ex-
cise regulations, too, seem likely to promise some occu-
pation for the next session ; this is a department of the
revenue which has always been collected with more an-
noyance to individuals than any other branch; it entails
a very great expenditure on the country, and it will be a
me, tter for serious consideration whether the cost cannot
be diniinished, and the revenge protected, whilst menu-
facturers are allowed greater license than they now eu-
joy.—Liverpool Mercury.

DEATH OF THE OLDEST PREACHER IN SCOTLAND.
—The Rev. Thomas Jolly, minister of Dunnet, in the
county of Caithness, died in the manse there, on Monday,
the 2d instant, at the patriarchal age of ninety-one.
Mr. Jolly was undoubtedly the oldest preacher in Scot-
land, having been upwards of sixty-five years in the
pulpit at Dunnet, as assistant to his predecessor, Dr.
frail], and minister of the parish. He was ordained in
August, 1784. He retained his faculties to the last, and
preached regularly till within a few weeks of his death,
with all the vigour and clearness o his early years.
When the disruption in the Church of Scotland took
place, the venerable minister addressed a letter to Dr.
Chalmers on the subject, which was acknowledged to be
one of the ablest of the vast mass of letters and state-
ments which that unfortunate c4lceastan called forth.
Mr. Jolly was a native of the Mearns, and studied at
Aberdeen and Glasgow Colleges, where he was distin-
guished for his acquirements in metaphysics and natural
philosophy. He was also an accomplished classical
scholar, and cultivated to the last his taste for these
elegant studies, as well as for the exact sciences, Ili§
benevolence and charity were truly unbounded, and
Memory will' be long -4.4avresl,in Calihne,s.—.4eerneo
Courier.

THE LATE FATAL EXPLOSION THE LATE FATAL ACCIDENT AT
ON THE SOUTH-EASTERN RAILWAY. NOTTINGHAM.
INQUEST ON THE ENGINEER. NOTTINGHAM, DEC. 13.—The adjourned inquest upon
On Friday Mr. Carter, the Coroner for Surrey, and a Mr. James Bolestridge was resumedyesterday afternoon.
respectable jury, assembled in the first-class waiting- • Mathew Kirtley, the superintendent of engines on the
room of the Bricklayers' Arms terminus of the South- , Midland Counties Railway, was examined, but his Cii-
Eastern Railway, in the Kent-road, to inquire into the deuce differed in no material particular from that which
circumstances connected with the death of Robert Buck- he had given before the previous inquisition.
ley, an engine-driver, aged 24, who was killed on the Mr. James Wildey, an auctioneer, of Nottingham, and
line on Wednesday morning last.
Joseph Pettifer, the - bock-keeper ,of the- Nottingham
The Conoamit having briefly adverted to the nature of station, were also called, but their evidetje was unim-
the duties the jury were called. upon to perform, they rtant
proceeded to view the remains of the deceased, which Po The CORONER, in summing•-up,
.recapit ted the were deposited in a shell in the waiting-room of the
whole of the circumstances, laid down the law of man-. third-class passengers on the opposite side of the station. slaughter, and dwelt particularly upon the fact, that be-
The back part of his skull was completely driven iwells hisii; et tween two and three o'clock on the day when Mr. Light-
the racket, right temple ; his' left arm was jerked out of •
foot went out with the train from Nottingham, no down
and his chest and legs were much lacerated. Upon the jury concluding this painful part of their dot train was due, and it was not within the reach of proba-
y, bility that a train could come on the down line while he
they proceeded in a special train provided for that pur- j was going up to Beeston. A great portion of the charge
pose to the spot where the fatal occurrence took place. was similar to that given on a former inquest.
The damage done to the viaduct, &c., was attentively The jury remained in deliberation five hours, and at a
examined by the Coroner and jury; but, as it has been
already described, it is unnecessary again to detail it.
quarter past eleven o'clock returned their verdict :
Upon the return of the Coroner and jury to the inquest " T
1 • that James Bolestrigde died in consequence of in-
: juries received in a collision with two trains on the Mid-
room, i
land Counties Railway, on the 21st of November last ;
Thomas Wickens was examined—l am a private watch-
duty about a ;1. and that Robert Lightfoot and Jonathan Raven are
man in Manor- lane, Bermondsey, and was on guilty of manslaughter, by causing the death of the said
quarter past twelve o'clock on the morning of Wednes- ; arees Bolestridge."
day last, about 60 or 70 yards from the railway, when 1 Several resolutions had been agreed upon, but
my attention was attracted by a loud report and a blaze the jury declined making them public till the next
of fire issuing from the train. The train was coming ill day at 2 P.M.
the direction from the station ; and on seeing the flames, A warrant was immediately issued by the coroner,
which illuminated the whole neighbourhood, I looked i and placed in the hands of Sergeant Meldrum, of the
towards the viaduct, and saw fire flying in all directions Nottingham police, for the apprehension of Jonathan
over the side of it. The line in that part is formed of Raven, residing now, we believe, at Leicester.
wooden braces. I got over a fence, and ran towards the The following is a copy of the resolutions agreed upon
train, but I could see nothing. The first person I saw by th jury :
was the guard, who called out to me to look about and a I.e That the management upon the Midland Railway
see if any body was lying near me, as one of the men is exceedingly defective ; and the jury cannot too
was missing. I examined the spot, but could not find strongly express their disapprobation of the manner in
any person. I did not go upon the line. The explosion which the engineers, stokers, and guards are selected, it
was very sudden. I heard nothing before to call my at- not being considered a requisite qualification that they
tention to the train. I think the viaduct off which the should be able to read and write, and that a present-
train ran is about fifteen or eighteen feet in height. I ment of these facts be made to the Board of Trade, with
was below when the explosion' took place. and saw a per- the signature of the foreman and jury attached.
son picked up dead, but I should not know him again. "2. That a memorial from the jury be presented to
Edward Austin sworn—l am a guard in the employ- the Directors of the Midland Counties Railway Company,
ment of the South-Eastern Railway Company. I knew on behalf of the widow of the late James Bolestridge.
the person here lying dead very well. His name is a 3. That a petition, signed by the foreman and jury,
Robert Buckley, and he was an engine-driver. On be presented to Parliament, immediately on its assem-
Tuesday night it was my duty to go with the goods- bling, praying for an alteration in the law, which pre-
train from this station to Dover, at twelve o'clock. The vents the relations of persons killed by culpable negli-
train consisted of eleven waggons, one second-class car- gence from obtaining compensation ; the jury also re-
riage with the foreign mail, and a break waggon. There commend that a petition to the same effect be forwarded
was also an engine called the Forester attached. The by the inhabitants of Nottinghans."
deceased had charge of the engine, and there was also a
- -
stoker, named Aaron Wilkinson, upon it. I had several --
minutes' conversation with the deceased before the train
started, about some orders from Captain Charlewood to
start the train with a green instead of a white light. At
the time I was conversing with the deceased the steam
was blowing off strongly, and we were a few minutes
beyond our usual time in starting. Besides the train,
there was a pilot engine on the line, for the purpose of
assisting us up the inclined plane, towards New-cross.
I got into the break-waggon, and the pilot engine had
scarcely left us a minute when I felt a sudden shock,
and in two or three minutes afterwards I heard an ex-
plosion. I was thrown against the end of the break-
waggon; and on getting out I saw a quantity of steam, and
CO, ke and other things, strewed about. There were three
carriers and a brealsman in the waggon with me, and
we went forward and saw the'tender off the rail, and
torn to pieces, and also the engine. I called out to
Buckley and Wilkinson, but I obtained no answer ; and,
as I could see nothing of them, I sent up to the Brick-
layers' Arms station. Subsequently Wilkinson was found
on the up line, lying near the fence, with his face covered
with his clothes. I found on removing his jacket he had
a wound upon his head, and I put a horsecloth round
him, and sent the pilot engine to this station for medical
assistance. Wilkinson appeared to have been forced
against the fence, and his jacket forced over his face.
He was bleeding when I found him. We had not started
above four minutes when the explosion took place. The
pilot engine was attached to the rear of the train, and
after the shock it overtook the train, but scarcely touched
it. After sending for a surgeon to this station I searched
for the deceased, and found him lying upon his face on
the ground, under a waggon that was rpset, and resting
upon his hips. I felt his pulse, and found he was dead.
I could not pass nay hand between the deceased and the
waggon, so that it pressed heavily upon him. I obtained
a " jack" and raised the waggon, and got the deceased
from under it. His bead was fractured, and also his left
arm, and I have no doubt those injuries were the cause
of his 'death. lie was brought with Wilkinson to the
station here. I did not feel any check until I heard the
sudden explosion, so that I have no reason to believe
that the engine-tender or the carriages had previ-
ously got off the rails. Three of the waggons were
shattered to pieces, and blocked up the line. They were
those next to the tender. At first I thought the acci-
dent had been occasioned by an explosion of steam ; but
I found on a more close examination that the fire-bars
of the engine had been driven through an aperture in
the viaduct. There were other holes in the viaduct,
caused, apparently, by the cylinder or springs of the-
engine. In advance of the three broken waggons there
was a truck lying on its side, under which Buckley was
discovered. From the first aperture the engine was
found distant 25 or 30 feet. I took notice of the engine
and examined it. Its chimney was gone, the smoke-box
injured and out, and one of the wheels off. The body
was found nearer to the first aperture than the engine.
I thought the engine, after the explOsion, must have gone
over directly, propelled forwards by the velocity of the
train. Before the explosion took place there was not
the slightest observation by any of us with regard to the
state of the steam.

THE LATE MR. TUPPER.
INQUEST AT SOUTH-HILL-PARK.
A coroner's inquest was held at South-hill-park, the
seat of the late Earl of Limerick, on Tuesday last, on
the body of the late Mr. Martin Tupper, of New Bur-
lington•street, who had cone from London to attend
upon the late Earl, and was found dead in his bed at the
above residence on Sunday morning last, a few hours
after the demise of the Noble Lord.

Richard Long, under-butler inVthe late Lord's esta-
blishment, deposed to his' haying gone to the apartment
of the deceased at twelve o'clock on Saturday night
with some grapes and a glass of water, as he was
accustomed to do when deceased visited his Lordship.
That deceased was then walking about the room
apparently in his usual good health, and desired to be
called at eight o'clock the following morning. That
witness went at the appointed hour to the door, and,
after knocking several times without receiving an answer,
Count De la Feld, his late Lordship's son-in-law, being
roused by the noise, came from the adjoining apartment,
and, entering the room of deceased, desired witness to
open some of the window shutters ; and the Count,
looking into the bed, discovered the deceased (although
at first sight apparently sleeping) to be in reality dead.
The Rev. Count John De la Feld, son-in-law of the
late Earl, stated that the deceased had been for many
years the medical attendant of the family. That he
had come from town a week ago to attend the deceased
Lord, and had then complained of a pain in his chest.
That deceased returned again from London on Saturday,
' and upon witness asking him if the pain which he had
complained of had left him, and if it arose from cold,
deceased replied, " That it was not cold, but that he
suffered from a heart complaint, although he was then
pretty well." The Count deposed that the late Lord
expired at seven o'clock on Saturday evening. De-
ceased was then present. lie took some refreshment
afterwards with part of the family, and retired to his room
about twelve o'clock, apparently in perfect health. About
eight o'clock on the following morning witness was roused
by hearing an unusual knocking in thegallery adjoining his
bedroom, and, leaving his apartment, he found the for-
mer witness knocking at the door of deceased's room ;
and stating that he could obtain no answer, the Count
directed the former witness to open the shutters, and,
looking into the bed, discovered him, as he thought, to
be fast sleep, but not hearing him breathe, and being
struck with an unusual appearance is the features, he
found him on, a nearer inspection, to be dead.
Mr. Croft, of Bracknell, stated that he was sent for, at
about a quarter-past eight on Sunday morning, to come
with all speed to South-hill-park. On arriving there,
and being conducted to the apartment of the deceased,
he found him to be quite dead, and that life had pro-
bably been extinct three or four hours. A slight dis-
colouration in the region of the heart left no doubt of
the rupture of a small vessel having taken place, which
had suddenly terminated the existence of the deceased.
The jury immediately returned a verdict that the de-
ceased had died from natural causes.

DISTRESSED CONDITION OF THE
AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS IN MID-
DLESEX..

On Friday a meeting of the landholders and principal
inhabitants of the parish of Ruislip, Middlesex, convened
by Ralph Dean, Esq., the Lord of the Manor, was held
in the vestry-room of the church, for the purpose of adopt-
ing means for bettering tho condition of the labouring
poor of the parish.
The meeting was held in consequence of another meet-
ing convened by the churchwardens and overseers, and
held on Wednesday, the 4th instant, having terminated
without any satisfactory result having been come to.
Ralph Dean, Esq., having been called to the chair, the
meeting was addressed by several of the gentlemen pre-
sent, and the following resolutions were unanimously
agreed to :

-"
That certain lands in the parish of Ruislip, the pro-
perty of Ralph Dean, Esq., amounting to about forty
acres, be hired for the purpose of spade cultivation.
" That a person be appointed to live in the house
situate on such lands, which person must be a good ac-
countant, and capable and accustomed to measuring land
generally.
" That the lands so hind be held in trust by the said
Mr. Dean, the Rev. C. Packs, vicar, and Messrs.
Soames, Pearce, Houghton, &c., for such poor persons
in the parish of Ruislip, desirous of having the same,
as tenants in common, subject, nevertheless, to the fol-
lowing conditions :

" That the person appointed to superintend (as pro-
posed in the second resolution) be authorised to issue
tickets upon the treasurers, Messrs. Hall, Smith, and
Co., bankers, Uxbridge, for all works the tenants shall
perform, at the rate of twopence per pole for the digging,
and for the other works in proportion.
That the owners and occupiers of land in the parish
of Ruislip be and are hereby requested to come forward
and make up a fund, to be advanced for the cultivation
and cropping of such land, such fund to amount to the
sum of 2001.

" That every person who advances 2L and upwards
shall be constituted a member, and shall be entitled to
vote upon any question that the trustees may bring for-
ward, as to the present or future management of the
land. That every .person advancing 51. shall have two
votes, 101 four rotes, 15L six votes, 201. eight votes ; and
that the churchwardens, overseers, and guardians of the
parish be appointed visitors during the term they hold
such offices.

" That the farmers and others in Ruislip shall give all
the assistance in their power, by occasionally drawing
manure, &c., t 3 the said land.

" That a sale of the whole of the produce of the said
land shall take place annually, by auction, the last week,
at the latest, of the month of October, in"cach year, after
which a division of the proceeds of the crop, and a state-
ment of the receipts and expenses, shall be laid before
the trustees.

" That after paying the rent and taxes on such land,
and the money advanced for carrying on the work, the
balance of the sale of the crops shall be paid over by the
trustees to such poor persoas who shall have so laboured,
in equal moieties, according to their respective shares.
" That any person having a share in the division of
such profits, being convicted of felony, shall be excluded
from the benefits of such division."

Messrs. Dean, Houghton, Hill, Pearce, Pearce and
Stone, Soames, &c., immediately put down their names
for sums amounting to upwards of 1001. ; and the above,
and several other gentlemen, at the suggestion of Captain
Tite, entered into a liberal subscription for the imme-
diate relief of the poor of the parish, during the present
inclement season.—The meeting then adjourned.

GLOUCESTER MUSICAL FESTIVAL.—It appeared
from the statement of accounts submitted on Fri-
day to a general meeting of the subscribers to the
guarantee fuud, that the income from the sale of tickets
to the Festival and to the balls, and from all other
sources, amounted to 2,9141. 18s. 2d.; the expenses were
2,1671. 25., leaving a deficiency of 747/. 16s. 2d. The
sum realised from the guarantee fund amounted to
1,3231. Is. 5d., which would leave, after defraying the
deficiency, a balance of 5751. ss. 4d., to be repaid to the
subscribers. It was agreed to pay back Bs. 6d. in the
pound, and to allow 51 extra to bliss Hawes, the two
Misses Williams, and Miss Barrett.
LANDLORDS AND TENANTS.—NOW that the allot-
ment system is extending to the labouring class, let us
call public attention to another plan for " allotment,"
greatly needed. It is unreasonable that farmers (us
vast many have) should occupy such very extensive
farms; and these of coarse are men of property, other-
wise they could not undertake theso " monster" firms.
These farms ought to be subdivided, and, by that means,
thousands of other families might reap a comfortable
maintenance. Thiskis a subject, at the present time,
worthy of general consideration.
Tur Bomor or ExFATEiefil PASTORAL ',JITTER.—
The county is up ! Every post shows that the feeling of
the laity is aroused against the last move of the Bishop
of Exeter, and the resistance is so determined in its g.ha-
meter, that we are certain success must attend it. The
people will not be carried basak tu 140nie. or Romanism,
at the beck and nod of the Right Rev. Prelate, who has,
untoftußately, too generally had it his owa way, We
ere glad to see this, as we have witnessed something of
the heart-burninga that his rule has occasioned in the
county of Cornwell.—PdroutA Journal,

PARISH OF ST. DAVID, EXETER.
At a numerous and highly respectable meeting of the
parishioners of the parish of St. David, assembled in
Vestry on Thursday, the 12th day of December, 1844,
duly convened for the
_purpose of considering the Bishop
of Exeter's Pastoral Letter, and to take steps relative
thereto as such meeting should determine—B. T. Rad-
ford, Esq., in the chair—the following resolutions were
adopted
That this meeting, in the first place, fully recognises
the duty of ready and hearty obedience by the clergy and
laity to the legal requirements and Godly admonitions'
of their Bishop, earnestly wishes to maintain that reve-
rence so justly due to his high and holy office, and dis-
claims all desire to interfere in matters appertaining
solely to episcopal jurisdiction.
" That, influenced by these feelings, this meeting
deeply regrets that a Pastoral Letter, addresied to the
clergy alone, should contain imputations so undeserved
by, and injunctions so obnoxious to, the laity at large,
as to demand and justify their respectful, but strongest
remonstrance and opposition.
" That this meeting with confidence appeals to the
public and private charities of this city and county, and
to the experience of the ministers of this parish and of
the clergy of the diocese generally, whetle r the uni-
vete al objection that exists to the revival of the offertory
can justly be stigmatised as proceeding from preju-
dice, selfishness and worldly-mindedness ?' and this
meeting emphatically protests against the application of
any such epithets as wholly uncalled for and unjust.
" That this meeting desires to express its highest
esteem and respect for the valued ministers of this pa-
rish, and its entire satisfaction with their accustomed
mode of performing Divine service, and its strongest ob-
jections to any change not sanctioned by the united
voice of the heads of the Established Chureli ; and this
meeting respectfully submits to the Bishop and to their
ministers, that all such innovations will be highly offen-
sive and objectionable to this parish and, it is conceived,
to the whole body of the laity, for the fullewing (among
other) reasons :

" 1. Because the offertory (although necessary and
proper when used before the poor-laws were enacted,
and at a time when the suppression of monasteries left
the poor little other resource), has long been discon-
tinued on sufficient grounds ; and thus usage, which in
ecclesiastical matters is but another name for law, adds
the fullest sanction to the reasons for dispensing with it.
" 2. Because there are abundant and daily increasing
means of exercising private charity and benevolence, and,
it is therefore inexpedient to close every sermon with au
address to one only of the Christian duties of the con-
gregation, which is calculated unduly to exalt that duty
and to weaken the eppeals of the minister to the hearts
and consciences of the congregation on the more Da...
mentous subjects connected with man's salvation ; the
faithful preaching of which must result in that faith which
will be known by its fruits, and cannot fail tt) abound in
every act of benevolence.

" 3. Because the revival of this practice will afford ex-
cuses and reasons for vvithholdingrfaid in the numerous
daily appeals to the benevolence of the laity, and direct
their resources into channels they may neither contem-
plate nor approve, as in the recent case of the curate of
Hurst, in Berkshire.
" 4. Because the offertory and other innovations pro-
posed will produce and 'auction the very changes ' the
Bishop desires to prevent, and destroy the unity he seeks
to maintain, by creating diversities of practice in tho
country generally, as well as discord and disagreement
between ministers and their flocks, and between parish-
ioners themselves, who may respectively differ as to the
propriety of such novelties.
" 5. Because any change in the long-established forms
and practices of Divine worship should have the sanction
of the Queen as head of the Established Church, and the
united concurrence of the highest ecclesiastical autho-
rity, and be simultaneously adopted by the whole Pro-
testant Church of these realms, and not confined to one
diocese.

" G. Because the strong objections of the laity to the
revival of obsolete and useless forms deserves respect, Itsl
evincing the progress of pure spiritual religion, and of
attachment to our Protestant Church; which feeling must
be therefore endangered or weakened by disregarding
the voice of the people, who naturally view with suspi-
cion and dislike every apparent approach to the Popish
views of a party now disturbing the peace of the Church,
and which party commenced its career by reviving un-
meaning and superstitious usages.
" That for the foregoing and other reasons, so ably
advocated by the Chancellor of this diocese and by 1)r.
Bull (to whom are due the warmest thanks of every
friend of the Church), this meeting protests against the
present adoption of any of the changes referred to in the
Bishop's Pastoral Letter, and respectfully, but most
earnestly implores his Lordship not to risk the allegiance
and affections of the truest friends and firmest supporters
of his Church for things in themselves (as his Lordship
admits) indifferent, but, as associated with error, of vast
importance to all who value the truth. And this meet-
ing further entreat his Lordship, while thus respecting
the wishes of the people, to co-operate with the heads of
the Church in the general establishment of such uni-
formity as shall effectually prevent the introduction of
Tractarian errors, allay prevailing fears, and insure the
affection, obedience, and respect of the people to our
national Protestant Church.
_ _

" And this meeting, considering that the present occa-
sion should be improved to the restoring and perpetua-
ting of unity and peace to our Church throughout the
land, strongly recommends that parish, city, and county
meetings be forthwith held, in order respectfully, but
firmly to express the apprehensions and wishes of the
friends of the ,Chureh on this momentous subject, and
to petition our most gracious Queen to adopt such
measures as her wisdom shall devise for the accomplish-
ment of this most happy end.
" That these resolutions be forwarded by the church-
wardens to the Bishop and to the ministers of this
parish, accompanied by suitable notes ; and that the
same be printed, advertised is the public papers, and
extensively circulated.
" That these resolutions be signed by the chairman en
behalf of this meeting.
" That the thanks of this meeting be given to the
churchwardens fur their promptitude in calling this meet-
ing, and to the chairman for his conduct in the chair.
( " Signed on behalf of the meeting.)
" BENJAMIN TUCKER RADFORD, Warden."

THE SURPLICE MOVEMENT.
(From the Western Times.)
Sunday last was a heavy day for old Exeter. The
weather was bright, the air keen, clear, and bracing—
but all good churchmen felt a sadness creep over their
souls, as with unwilling steps they wended their way to
church, to see the beginning of the end of that
Protestant form of worship under which they were born
—for it was the pleasure of Bishop Phillpotts that the
parsons of this Episcopal city should adopt the surplice,
as the badge of his authority to dictate, and the sign that
what he willed should be done—to that would he force a
slavish clergy to submit. In several of the parishes the
surplice was adopted by the clergy at once. In others
its adoption was deferred.
NEWTON ABBOT.—It appears that a most determined
opposition is about to be offered in this neighbourhood
against the proposed innovation of the Bishop in the
church service. The town has been placarded with hand-
bills, calling upon the churchwarden of the neighbour-
ing parishes to convene meetings to consider the present
state of the Church. The churchwardens of Stokein-
teignheaci and of Abbotskerswell have called parish
meetings, respectively, on Monday and Tuesday next,
with that view ; and at the former place it is expected,
from the unanimity of the parishioners, that the resolu-
tions will be condemnatory not only of the proposed altera-
tions, but also of the conduct of the Bishop's son, their
present minister, who, by his caprices, has driven a large
portion of his parishioners to other congregations.
The following bill has been extensively posted. Many
other able papers have also appeared :—" Tux BEGIN..
NINO AND THE END.,--The beginning is the Pastoral
Letter ! the end is" thus described by the celebrated.
Puseyite, the Rev. Dr. W. G. Ward, in his book,
the ideal of a Christian Church,' page 473. 'For
my own part, I think it would not be right to con-
ceal, indeed I am anxious openly to express, my own
most firm and undoubting conviction, that were we, as a
Church, to pursue such a line of condnet as has been
here sketched: in proportion as we did so, we should be
taught from above to discern and appreciate the plain
marks of Divine Wisdom and authority in the Roman
Church—to repent in sorrow and bitterness of heart our
great sin in deserting her communion, and to sue hum-
bly:at her feet for pardon and restoration.' Protestants,
beware ! and do not begin I"

DREADFUL FIRE AT STETTIN.
We have been favoured with the following extract
from a private letter :
" STETTIN, DEC. 4.—A1l business is at a stand here.
At half-past three yesterday afternoon u fire broke out
in Schmidt's distillery, which quickly communicated
with the next house, and then to their warehouses, when
were laying 5,000 qrs. of rape seed ; this made such an
awful blaze, that it threatened to be a second Hamburgh.
and may yet become so. The fire has burned through
the 8011-werk to the Oder- street. The wind being from
south-east, every body in the Oder-street moved their
furniture, expecting for certain that the whole street
must burn. At present the strong walls have prevented
the fire spreading further that way, and if the walls
stand on the other side all may stop there ; but, should
they fall, the whole marketplace must go. Besides
which, there are 1,000 hhds. of spirits lying in Schmidt's
vaults, which they say are fire-proof, but, if they do
burn the whole town must go. The worst thing is that
the river is frozen over, and the engines are so frozen
that they cannot work without pouring in hot water, and
all the men are so drunk that they cannot work, and
several men are killed. I saw, myself, three men covered
by a wall that fell upon them. The mail leaves—the fire
continues as before."

FALL or SNow.—The snow is very deep for many
miles round Exeter. The mail from London did not ar.
rive for more than two hours after the proper time I
there are heavy drifts on the roads near Cullompton,
Chudleigh, and Dawlish. It is the heaviest fall of 8110,1 r
that has fallen in South Devon for several years.
TIIE KNIGHTS OF THE GARTER.—In conseTienee
of the investiture, on Thursday, of his Royal Ilighneas
the reigning Duke of Saxe Coburg and Goth, the Mar-
quis of Abercorn, and the Earls de Grf.,y, Talbot, and
Powis (the four latter noblemen pthe Yacancies
occasioned by the deaths of the late Dukes of Grafton
and Dorset, the MarquiFi Wellesley, and the Earl of
Lonsdale), an entirely new arrangement of the banners,
swords, helr,wis, and other insignia, of the Knights of
the Grder, in St. George's Chapel, has been rendered
necessary. In order to effect this object, which will
necessarily occupy some days, Sir Charles Young.
Garter 104 g
of Arms, will arrive at Windsor in the
ctourse of the week after next, for the purpose of super-
intending the required alterations in the choir of the
Chapel of St. George, when the banners, &c., of as
newly-created knights will be placed over their respective