The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-03 00:00:00

THE FRLNCH NAVY.

The following article appears in the Quotidienne (a
paper that supports the Bourbon dynasty), for the
purpose of showing how France lost all her maritime
power when she cast off the old race of kings. It is
a curious document, and admits certain facts with re-
gard to the victories of the English navy, which Na-
poleon kept with the utmost care from public view :
"We have already shown what the naval forces of
France are in 1844. They are very much fallen off from
what they were fifty years ago. Louis XVI , it is true,
did not go to Windsor; he would have spurned the idea
of uniting two rival nations by the puerile knot of a
garter; but he forced the Britannic Plenipotentiaries to
come to Paris and sign an act of renunciation of the
finest jewel in the crown of George 111., viz., an entire
continent. The French fleet on the Ist of October,
1792,
_reckoned 86 ships of the line, of which 39 be-
longed to Brest, 10 to Lorient, 13 to Rochefort, and 24
to Toulon. Three of these were of 120 guns ; rive of
110 ; ten of 80 ; sixty-seven of 74 ; and one of sixty-
four guns. War broke out. The imperious tyranny of
the Commissioners of the Convention, the timid hesita-
tions of some of the Admirals, the ill-conceived and un-
connected instructions sent from Paris, by men who
knew nothing of navigation, and a concurrence of cir
cumstances, subjected our squadrons to great disasters,
although the courage of our naval heroes never for one
moment failed. Our losses were enormous. It is pain-
ful to recal them, but it is the duty of history, and we
have before us official documents of them which ought
not to be concealed, as being fecund in profitable lessons;
experience thus dearly bought should ever be brought
into use. In

1793—we had thirteen ships of the line, and nine frigates
taken or destroyed at Toulon, and five frigates
taken elsewhere.
1794—Six ships taken or sunk ; eight frigates taken.
1795—Five ships taken or burnt ; six frigates taken.
1795—Seven frigates taken.
1797—Three frigates taken.
1798—Thirteen ships taken or destroyed (eleven at
Aboukir) ; ten frigates taken, and two destroyed.
1799—Six frigates taken.
1800—Two ships and six frigates taken.
1801—Two ships and ten frigates taken.
1803—One ship and six frigates taken.
1805—Fourteen ships taken or destroyed (Trafalgar) ;
four frigates taken.
1808—Six ships and one frigate forced to surrender at
Cadiz ; two frigates taken.
1809—Six ships and seven frigates destroyed, and seven
frigates taken.
1810—Eight frigates taken.
1811—Three frigates taken; two destroyed.
1812—One ship taken; two frigates destroyed.
1813—Two frigates taken.
1814—Seven frigates taken,
1815—One frigate taken.
The losses of France during these twenty-three years
amounted to 91 ships of the line and 177 frigates, com-
prising 11 ships and as many frigates wrecked, or burnt
by accident. Out of GO ships taken, 41 were added to
the British navy; and out of 137 frigates taken, 108
had the same fate. These reverses on the ocean, how-
ever, did not prevent France from being triumphant on
the Continent, and her victories on land compelled dif-
ferent nations to add their squadrons to hers, but her al-
lies were equally unfortunate. Their losses were—
Holland-22 ships of the line, and 40 frigates.
Spain-21 ships and 22 frigates.
Denmark-20 ships and 10 frigates.
And yet all these successes of Great Britain were
purchased by her at a ♦ery easy rate. She had
only seven ships of the lino taken from her, viz. the
Alexander, in 1794 ; the Censeur and Berwick, in 1795;
the Leander, in 1798 ; the Hannibal and Swiftsure
in 1801 ; and the Calcutta in 1805. She had
also to record the capture of 12 of her frigates. One of
these was by a deed the most glorious in our naval an-
aids. On 14th December, 1798, the Ambuscade was

boarded and taken by our sloop the Bayonnaise, of very
inferior force. The preponderance of the naval strength
of Great Britain is further shown by the following state-
ment :

At the end of 1794 she had 117 ships of the line, of
which 85 were in commission.
In 1802 she had 126 ships of the line, of which 104 were
in commission.
In 1809, 127 ships, of which 113 were in commission ;
and in 1813, 124 ships, of which 102 were in commis-
sion.
The totals of her effective navy were, at the end of 1793,
411 ♦essels of war, measuring together 402,000 tons ;
135 of these were in commission.
In 1798 she had 696, measuring 581,000 tons, and of
these vessels 451 were in commission. In 1809 she
had 1,061, measuring 858,000 tons, and 709 of these
vessels were in commission ; and in 1813 she had
1,009 vessels of war, measuring together 870,000 tons ;
613 of these vessels were in commission.
Thus in twenty years England, to insure to herself the
absolute dominion of the seas, more than doubled the
numbers of her naval force."

COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS'
PROTECTION SOCIETY.

TO THE EDITOR OF .THE SUN.

SlR,—Your insertion of the letters signed " A Bag-
man,7 " A Modern Commercial Traveller," " A Com-
mercial Traveller, but no Teetotaller," and the " Secre-
tary of the Commercial Travellers', Protection Society,"
(who, by-the-bye, seems ashamed to sign his name) in
The Sun of Saturday last, demands the warmest thanks
of every firm sending out commercial travellers, as it at
once shows the great saving that may be effected in the
present liberal allowance for " travelling expenses,"
which is a very serious item in these days of severe com-
petition, and consequently diminished profits.
The only extra charge those harpies, the landlords,
could make would be 6d. for dinner, and as the pint of
" wine" and the glass of " ardent spirits" would cost
3s. Gd., there would be a clear saving of 21s. per week,
which, with a house sending out four or five travellers,
would effect a saving of some 200 or 300 pounds per an-
num—as I cannot for a moment imagine such nice
pimple as your Correspondents would appropriate a sum
of money allowed them for the travelling expenses of
the house to any other purpose.
I therefore beg to express my thanks to you and your
Correspondents for this valuable information, although
I am fearful before we can realise any great benefit we
must procure a set of travellers who require a chairman,
treasurer, and secretary to protect them, and who con-
scientiously believe that taking a pint of wine at dinner
and a glass of grog at night constitutes a drunkard.
I remain, Sir, your most obedient servant,
A TRAVELLING 1' ARTNER.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Sia,—The cant and humbug of the present day ap-
pears making its entrance into the Commercial Room.
There is no necessity, that I can see, for chairman, se-
cretary, &c., to the "Commercial Travellers' Protection
Society." Let all who are of their way of thinking
associate together, and not annoy the great portion of
their fellow-travellers. As to the vicious system,
blighting the prospects indulged in by a fond parent,
those who 'Cannot take care of themselves had better
have their " anxious parent" with them. The fact is,
it is to save money that this humbug is commenced.
Houses who send out gentlemen to represent them, sup-
port them as gentlemen, and whose conduct deserves
their confidence, are to be annoyed by " modern com-
mercial men," who are generally sent out by third-rate
houses, at a few shillings per day. The landlord is to
furnish them, in some measure, at the expense of the
liberal portion of the commercial body—and, I am proud
to say, the greater number may be classed so—for your
" teetotallers' are, from observation, " tremendous heavy
feeders. I do, likewise, most distinctly deny the fact of
" A Young Commercial," " that every one is compelled
to drink his pint of wine ;" every day's experience
proves the contrary. The Society spoken of appears to
wish to ride is " first-class carriages," at " second class
fares." Ido hope the rational and social comforts of the
Commercial Room may long continue. Let this now
Society enjoy its comforts and advantages, but not by
interfering with the present usages of the road.— I re-
main, Sir, yours respectfully,
ONE WHO CAN USE, AND NOT ABUSE,
THE COMFORTS OF LIFE.
Salisbury, Dec. 1, 1844.
[We have received several other letters on the same
subject, and among them one from a Correspondent, who
signs himself " Vinclex," complaining of the great space
in the paper already devoted to the controversy, while,
forgetting the point with which he sets out, he fills more
than two large pages with a disquisition on teetotalism.
He, therefore, cannot blame us for omitting his letter ;
but, indeed, enough• has already appeared to satisfy
both parties.—En. Sun.]

FIRE orr TOPPING'S WHARF.— This morning, k
about half-past twelve o'clock, a very alarming fire
broke out in a schooner lying off Topping's wharf.
The land engines and firemen were soon in attendance
of the A and .8 sections of the London establishment,
as well as a party of the Thames police, and with the
united exertions of those on board, though with the ut-
most difficulty, the fire was soon extinguished; not, how-
ever until great damage waa done to the cargo onboard.

THE LATE RAILWAY ACCID EN T
NEAR. NOTTINGHAM.

ADJOURNED INQUEST ON MR. YARNALLS.
NorriNuliAm, De.c. 2.—This inquiry was resumed
this morning, at hal,-past ten o'clock, infthe grand jury-
room of the County Hall, in which place it will be con-
tinued to the close, as affording greater convenie Ice and
facility to all persons concerned, than the Eque,t-rocra
at Lenton.
Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. Youle, and Mr. Ellice, Directors,
were present ; we also noticed Mr. Clarke, geaeral super-
intendent ; and Mr. Rirtley, superintendent of the loco-
motive department.
Messrs. Wadsworth an -1 Patchitt, solicitors, attended
on behalf of tSe Railway Company ; and Mr. Cursham,
solicitor, appeared to watch the proceedings on behalf of
Mr. Lightfoot.
John Longden, the guard of the up train, and who was
so much injured by the collision, was the first witness
examined. _

Henry Youle, Esq., a Director at Nottingham end,
was next examined ; George Mitchell, an assistant guard
and ticket collector, and Joseph England, a passenl.:er,
also gave evidence ; but as most of those persons were
examined on the other inquest, consequently there :;s
nothing in their statements that could be new or inte-
resting.
At three o'clock the jury agreed to adjourn for an hour.
Shortly after four the jury again took their seats, and
the evidence of John Chadbourn, of Pinx ton, a passenger
at the time of the collision, was being taken, but not
concluded when this report left.
Mr. Clarke, Mr. Kirtley, and some three or four other
witnesses, being yet to be examined, it is not at all likely
that the inquiry can terminate to-night.
In consequence of the verdict which the town jury
returned on Friday night, the Coroner issued his warrant
for Mr. Lightfoot's apprehension, on Saturday morning,
at nine o'clock, but Mr. Lightfoot had, ti the mean time,
gone out of the way ; it is understood to be his intention
to surrender on the 13th instant, on which day the winter
assizes for the town of Nottingham comme:,ce ; he will
then take his trial fur the grave offence with which he
is charged.
There is a very general feeling of commiseration fur
Mr. Lightfoot. The mayor and some other influential
inhabitants are to have a private meeting to• morrow
morning, at eleven o'clock, fur the purpose of getting up
a public demonstration in his behalf ; after which an
address, of which the following is a copy, will be for-
warded to the Directors, and signed by most of the
nobility, gentry, clergy, and other inhabitants of the
town and county of Nottingham :

TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE MIDLAND RAIL-

WAY COMPANY.

" Gentlemen,—We, the undersigned inhabitants of the
town and county of Nottingham, fully convinced of the
truth of what almost every day's experience illustrates,
that no human finTsight or sagacity can in all instances
avert disaster—must regard Mr. Robert Lightfoot, in
your employ, as altogether morally guiltless on a recent
occasion,•whatevix may have been the unhappy conse-
quences of those measure which he so zealously, and
with imminent hazard to his own life, adopted for good.
We, therefore, at this crisis, feel it a duty no less
grateful than imperative, to respectfully express to you
our unabated confidence in Mr. Lightfoot, and to add
our earnest hope that that their may be no forfeiture of
the high position which, we have reason to believe, as a
servant, he has ever occupied in your esteem.
" We have the honour to be, Gentlemen.

" Your very obedient servants."

(Here follow the signatures.)
We regret to say that Mr. Roberts, the gentleman
who underwent amputation of the right leg on the day
succeeding the accident, was delirious throughout yester-
day, and his dissolution was looked for hourly. 7o•day
he has again slightly relied, but very little hope, indeed,
exists that any ultimate change for the better can take
place. His medical attendants are unremitting in their
attention to him, and this morning he has been placed on
a water bed, as the least pressure upon any part of his
frame induces intense suffering. Mr. Bosvlstridge, the
landlord of the Three Horse Shoes, was also considered
dangerously ill yesterday, but a slight improvement in
his state has been observed since then. A young
lady named Gretton, is still seriously ill, but all the other
patients are going on favourably.

ATROCIOUS ATTEMPT AT
ASSASSINATION.
(From the Kelso Chronicle.)
This neighbourhood, long remarkable for the quiet
and peaceable character of its inhabitants, became, on
Friday, the 22d inst., the scene of dastardly and atro-
cious bloodshed, under circumstances of a very painful
nature. The victim of this cowardly and cold-blooded
attempt at assassination is James Cockburn, a farm-
servaet at Quixw•ood, in the pat i. h of Abbey St. Rathani,
ho was on that night to have been married to Jean
Steel, or Rankin, widow of the late John Rankin, and
residing at Lintlaw, in the adjoining parish of Buncle.
The bride and bridegroom were to have met at Dunse in
the evening, in order to have had their nuptials cele-
brated by the Rev. C. Miller, of the Second Secession
Church. The bridegroom, with an acquaintance, of the
name of James Youl, was proceeding to the place of
mt eting in Dunse, from his residence at Quixwood, and
when at a place calls d Preston Clough, about half a mile
to the north of Preston, at about half-past five o'clock in
the afternoon, was fired at with a gun or pistol from the
plantation adjoining the east side of the road, or from
behind a whin-bush on the road-side next the planta-
tion. The shot took effect in the back, and the piece
being heavily charged, he instantly fell. Youl also
received sonic of the shots in his arm ; and being stunned
by the murderoUs attack, and seeing Cockburn f.ll, he
fled to Pretton for assistance and protection to himself
and Cockburn—having procured whieh, and returning
immediately to the spot, Cockburn was found as he fell,
but there was no trace of the murderer. Ile was now
conveyed to the nearest house at Preston, and medical
assistance and the proper authorities stilt fur from
Dunse. On an examination of his wounds, 1-:e was
found to have received ai,out 160 slug and round shot in
the back, which was dreadfully lacerated. On recovering
sensation, lie was heard to say " that it was a poor re-
venge ;" and when asked if he suspected any one to have
done the deed, he said that he thought it would be John
Johnston, who presently resides with Joan Rankin, as
hind to her, the bride to whom he was to have been
married. Johnston was at that time in the room, and
was then apprehended, but was then thought to be in-
nocent, as some came forward and said they knew hint
to have been elsewhere when the shot was fired. Since
then he has been placed under examination, and re-
manded for some days until further evidence be pro-
duced. The bride and bridesmaid had arrived previously
in Dunse, and were waiting the arrival of the bridegroom
and his friends, when intelligence of the deed reached
them. The friends of the bride, on hearing it, saw the
propriety of being cautious at such a time in communi-
cating it abruptly to her; they, therefore, sent for the
Rev. Mr. Riddell, who, in a calm and suitable manner,
made her aware of what had befallen her intended hus-
band. The p' or woman, on learning it, was sorely dis-
tressed. It is not our business to surmise who may be
the guilty party at the present time. Johnston is in the
hands of the authorities, and if there be evidence at all
against him, he must stand at the bar of his country to
answer for the deed. IVe understand that up to this
time James Cockburn is in a very dangerous condition,
and not expected to survive. Some of the shots have
been extracted, but there are still above 100 lodged in
his body. A further examination of Johnston took
place on Wednesday, when he was committed for trial.
From what can be learned, he had borrowed a gun from
some person in Chirnside about three weeks ago, which
he denies. The person from whom he got the gun is to
be examined. A lar,;e concourse of people turned out
to see him pass from the Town-hall to the prison. When
he made his appearance, he looked unconcerned, and
urned round and gave a stare.

THE ROYAI7EXCUANGE.—The arrangements have
now all been completed, as we are given to understand,
for giving possession of the various parts of this great
work. All the shops and offices are let, and the agree-
ments have been signed by the tenants, many of- whom
are in possession, and are fitting them up with consider-
able taste and effect.' In Lloyd's subscribers'-room there
will be mahogany seats and tables fur the subscribers,
between 800 and 900 in number ; and in the commer-
cial or club-room, similar seats -and tables are to be
placed for the accommodation of 300 or 400 persons.
Round the room, and in appropriate stands, will be laid
the journals and newspapers from all parts of the a orld.
In the merchants' area the tessellated pavement has been
entirely removed, and the surface is now covered with
an exceedingly hard and smooth coating of the asphalte
of Seysel of a uniform and pleasing colour. The
Gresham Committee at first proposed to open this are a
fur the use of the merchants yesterday, or on Monday
next ; but at a meeting of that body on Saturday, they
considered that it would be more advisable to bring all
the compartments of the building into use at one time,
and that probably it would on the whole be more con-
venient to give a somewhat longer notice, and to allow
the public to pass through for some days previously, so
that business persons might not be interfered with by the
intenseness of a natural public curiosity. The merchants'
area will, therefore, it is confidently reported, be given
up to the merchants on the Ist of January, and com-
plete access will be given to all public portions of the
building a week or ten days previously.
TUB GORGON STEAM-SLOOP.—Extract of a letter
from an officer on board her Majesty's steamer Gorgon,
dated Monte Video, Sept. 22, 1844:—" We are still
the beach, although not quite is fixture here, as we have
moved the ship 21 inches, and are as confident and per-
severing as ever, though I cannot say when we shall get
off, yet I feel sure that before long we shall succeed. We
have built immense oblong boxes (in nautical phrase
termed camels), and have secured them under water to
the ship's sides ; they weigh her up about 220 tons, end
we have got more anchors and purchases to haul off by,
and have done everything to insure success, &c., save
the time and labour of taking the engine out. I dare say
you can fancy a ship stuck into a sandy beach, and the
sand dug away from all round her and deep water, so
that large boats could go round her : such is our posi-
tion. There are no regular tides here ; the natives know
as littlo of ebb and flood as negroes do of ice or snow.
The rise and fall of the river is regulated entirely by the
winds and rain, and Iv:e expect some gales at the equinox,
and with them high tides. It the equinoctial gales pass
away, we shall not have others, or expect high tides
until our summer (which is your winter) has passed
away. Our labour has been incessant and well directed,
as the enormous mounds of sand we have raised up tes-
tify ; more than 7,000 tons will mark the spot for many
a year where the Gorgon was on shore, and afford ample
proof to the wondering natives of the energy andper.e-
vet ance of iiiitish • Hearts of Oak.' I am not- aware

that a similar attempt to recover so large a vessel from
off a dead lee shore, so deeply embedded in sand, has
ever been attempted. The French got a frigate on shore
in this river a few years ago, and after five months'
labour they were about to give her up, when the water
rose unexpectedly and floated her off ; but I fancy her
' position was very different from _ours. -Hampshire
Telegraph.

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.

FROM THE DAILY PAPERS OF YESTERDAY.

GLOBE.—The Government organ seems to be
bent upon signalising itself upon the sugar question,
in the only direction left open to it by its very
limited ability to deal with the subject. This morn-
ing we are told that the cargo of Venezuelan sugar,
recently entered at Liverpool, amounts only to " a
few bags," and that they " doubt whether the whole
of Columbia could send us a cargo ;" and, further
on, the Herald's estimate of the quantity ad-
mitted, growing " fine by degrees, and beautifully
less," is reduced to " a few spoonsful." What
miserable trifling! Is this a specimen of Con-
servative ethics ? Is the adherence to or the infrac-
tion of a principle to be measured by the hundred-
weight ? It is, however, admitted, that whatever the
quantity, whether " a few bags" or " a few spoonsful,"
it is of a very doubtful character. We learn that
" the bags were unaccompanied with certificates of
origin," and that "there is not the least evidence of
the character of the sugar." And all that is ven-
tured to be asserted is, that the " inference "
that it is slave-grown " does not necessarily follow."
We are told, that " whether slavery exists in
Venezuela appears to be doubtful ;" and all the aid
that is offered us in solving the doubt is the informa•
tion that Mr. M'Culloch, in his " Geographical Dic-
tionary," is " silent upon it !" But we would remind
the Herald of one point which in the mazes of its
random assertions and counter assertions it seems to
have forgotten, but which those most interested in
this discussion have not forgotten, and are not likely
to forget. The Government, by its professions and
dechwations made on the introduction of the Act
in question (7 and 8 Vic., c. 28), stands pledged to
the exclusion of slave-grown sugar from home
consumption. Tne material question is—has it
redeemed—nay, has it left itself power to redeem
that pledge ? Foreign sugar (no matter how much
for the present) has, within three weeks of the Act
coming into operation, entered the market for home
consumption. It comes from a slave-owning
State—a near neighbour of slave-trading States,
" unaccompanied with certificates of origin,"
and without " the least evidence" of its character
in reference to slave labour. An imputation is
cast upon the honour—the good faith—of the
Ministry. The facts upon which the imputation
is based are admitted. The evidence, what-
ever else may be said of it, is at least all against
the Government; and, if left as it is, is, in our opinion,
quite strong enough. The imputation of " the ruin
of the West India Islandb"—and a resolution "to
complete that ruin by maintaining slavery in Cuba
and Brazil"—to those who object to the late measure,
involves such a confusion of ideas that it is impos-
sible to answer it. As to its most obvious mean-
ing we can only remark, that we take no more
advanced ground in favour of a free competition
between slave labour and free labour than that
occupied by that large section of the Anti-Slavery
Party whose views have been so ably expounded by
Mr. Beldam ; and that we advocate the gradual
bringing about of such competition only because we
believe that in a fair and full development of the capa-
bilities of free labour we shall find the only effectual
cure for the evils of slavery throughout the world.
We are told that the population of Venezuela is only
900,000—therefore it is not likely to send us much
sugar. A return made to the House of Commons
during the last few years states the coloured popu-
lation of Jamaica as 322,421. Mr. Martin states
the entire population to be only 361,490; and the
return already referred to states that of the whole of
our West India colonies to be only 798,769. This
for the information of the Herald. Will it now abide
by its estimate on the basis of population? There is
plenty more of the same sort of argument in the ar-
ticle we refer to, or, to use the words of the Herald,
its " monstrous inconsistencies do not stop here." We
cannot, however, at present devote further time to its
" inconsistencies," and so we will conclude with em-
ploying the Herald's own words in declaring our de-
cided opinion that " the whole history of Peel and
Gladstone-ism—record of continuous meannesses
though it be—may be ransacked in vain for anything
more despicable than this see-saw advocacy ; it is the
sae plus ultra of thimble-riggery."

STANDARD.—The circumstances of the times
impose upon us a new and a perplexing, and even
painful task. We have the greatest possible objec-
tion to making newspapers the vehicle of theological
or quasi theological controversy ; but topics more or
less nearly connected with this most awful class of
subjects are daily pressed upon us by respected and
manifestly able and honest correspondents, with an
earnestness and unequivocal sincerity wholly beyond
our power to resist. Thus we are constantly forced to
act in opposition to our own deliberate judgment, and,
what adds to the vexation, compelled by the variety
of communications sent to us to be for ever weighing
in what degree we shall act against our judgment—
an exercise that they who have proved it often, must
know to be nearly the most distressing in which the
mind can be engaged. In all this there is, no doubt,
one great consolation. The interest so universally
taken in theological questions proves that the minds
of the people are seriously set upon religious sub-
jects. Forty years ago innovations either in doc-
trine or in order would have been much less re-
garded, but though we gratefully acknowledge this
consolation, we cannot forget that while the public
divide it equally among them, a very undue share
of the heavy price falls upon our class, who, amid
perpetual doubts of the propriety of our conduct (if
we are conscientious), must keep alive the controversy.
Our own clear conviction as to the main questions
in dispute can be no secret to any of our readers.
We stand, as to doctrine, upon the Articles of the
Chnrch of England honestly interpreted, and as
they are commonly understood by Protestants ; and
as to order, upon the usage of the Church, as it
has been known for nearly two centuries, and emi-
nently blessed with success within the time of
nearly all men living. It is not, however, in
dealing with the men who openly impugn those
doctrines, or violently invade this order—with
the Newmans, Puseys, Wards, or the other Ro-
manists —or yet with the friblsle church milliners,
like Mr. Oakeley, that we have any difficulty.
We know these sectarians, and we may say it
without unduly boasting, that we alone knew
them from the first—as poor imposters, who
had filched a character for talent by retailing,
tawdry paradoxes, such as any unscrupulous
blockhead might prepare ; a character for learn-
ing by quoting—and not always correctly
—books which the good sense, let us add the real
piety, of true scholars, had caused to be left unread
or kept in the background. These men had their day ;
but it was not our fault that they had it, for we
always advised to treat them with disregard and con-
tempt; and surely this was the proper treatment for
them. The very morning on which we write fur-
nishes, we think, a clear proof that it was : one of
their number, a Mr. Ward, of Balliol College, Ox-
ford, has lately published a Popish tract, under the title
" The Ideal of a Christian Church" (whoever wishes to
see this Popish tract fully exposed, would do well to
read " Oxford, No. 90, A Practical Suggestion by
the Rev. W. Simcox Bricknell.") Mr. Ward's tract
claimed the attention of those who had any know-
ledge of the man and his party, and its undis-
guised Popery fully justified their anticipations.
The learned and pious Dean of Christchurch—a man
honoured throughout Europe, and wherever else
learning and piety command respect—formally com-
plained of this work to the University authorities,
and these authorities acted promptly and resolutely
upon the Dean's complaint. After the Dean had
complained, and the authorities had taken their reso-
lution, a number of remonstrances from bishops came
in, requiring that the matter should be seriously
taken up. Accordingly Mr. Ward was summoned
to appear at twelve o'clock on Saturday before the
Vice-Chancellor, Proctors, and Pre-Vice-Chancellors
assembled in the Delegates' Room, with a notary
public in attendance. Mr. Ward attended, and was
then and there required to acklowledge or to
disavow the book published by him, with his
name in the title-page, and to say whether
he adhered to, or disclaimed, the doctrines pro-
pounde I in that work. What was Mr. Ward's
conduct ? What would be the conduct of an honest
ingenuous man in such a case ? Would he not say
at once the book is mine—l published it—l adhere
to all its doctrines ? or, I retract them, or some of
them, as the case might be ? But this was
not the conduct of Mr. Ward; he asked
for two days' time to answer so plain
a question, as whether he would acknowledge
his own book. Any police magistrate would
know how to characterise such a request; he
might grant the remand, but he would scarcely grant
it without a comment not very complimentary to
the party soliciting it. In dealing with such persons
as Mr. Ward there is little difficulty. Our embarrass-
menti come from another quarter, and they will be
found sufficiently illustrated in a correspondence be-
tween Mr. Gabriel Kennard and the Archbishop of
Canterbury, which will be found in another part of
our paper. We have great doubts as to the
fitness of printing this correspondence ; but Mr.
Kennard's ability, his gentlemanly style, and his
manifest sincerity, combined with a kind of promise
given by us to the remoastrants of East Farleigh, to
do all is our power to obtain justice in their case,
have determined us. Still we are by no means pre-
pared to give an unqualified vote ; though we confess
that, fora reason which we shall offer at the end of this
article, our bias is to say that Mr. Kennard is right, and
the rector of East Farie. b altogether wrong. Upon
one point, the Archbishop Am distinctly decided.
.ofaeinate.frpolat.ions in
If the rector has been
eh the iaterpo-
the Liturgy, he is elearly gwurong
to support
by
tlqr.
lations are the same distinctly.
Kennard, they go a great way
other parts of his complaint. Upon the 71Nreett ti
sermons, it is perfectly true that they cannot be de-
fended fairly against charges founded solely upon I

general impressions ; but then it is equally true that
a very bad sermon, or essay of any kind, taken as a
whole, may not afford any particular passages against
which exception can be easily taken. Propositions
in themselves innocent, or apparently innocent,
may, without the exercise of any extraordinary
ingenuity, be made to converge, as premises, to
a very mischievous conclusion, and if the so-
phister who employs such arts leaves the conclu-
sion to be inferred, it is not always possible to
bring him to book. We cannot help thinking,
however, that the clergyman pertinaciously misun-
derstood or misrepresented, in matter of doctrine,
must be himself principally to blame. And this is the
reason for thinking the rector of East Farleigh wrong,
at which we have hinted above, and it is a reason
which we would very earnestly but respectfully
press upon the attention of the clergy. The busi-
ness of a clergyman is to teach, and to teaching to any
useful purpose explicitness and a certain degree of
precision is indispensable. To impart these ne-
cessary qualities to his discourse, a speaker must
have a full knowledge and a clear and precise can-
ception of the subject upon which he discourses his
own mind ; without them, he can only communicate
very much confused and very doubtful instruc-
tion to his hearers. But this alone is not enough ;
a man must speak or write with simplicity and in
earnest if he would be perfectly intelligible. He
must not deal in those riddles to which the low ambi-
tion of tutors and examiners sometimes makes such
people to descend—still less must he endeavour to
disguise or hold in reserve his own honest convic-
tions. A man who observes these rules will be
rarely misunderstood ; and it is not easy to see what
excuse an appointed minister of the Gospel of
our Lord can have for neglecting rules which,
after all, enforce no more than the exercise of
ordinary diligence and common honesty. If, how-
ever, the dullness of a congregation, or its per-
verseness, wrought upon by the insidious arts of
enemies, cause a clergyman to be misunderstood, the
misapprehension cannot last more than seven days
after it shall have come to his knowledge. It is the
duty of a teacher, and it will be no less his wish, if he
is honest and sincere, to be rightly understood, for if
not rightly understood he cannot say that he teaches.
When he is supposed to teach unsound doctrine, the
obligation upon him to set himself right is still more
urgent, because he mily mislead others by the influ-
ence of his name, and thus teach error, which is a
great deal worse than teaching nothing. The duty
of a clergyman is quite plain ; it is to explain himself
in the most distinct and emphatical manner, so
as to render doubt of his faith impossible. In such
a case to yield to personal pride, were a sin of
frightful magnitude. We see how the Apostles
acted when they were misunderstood and misrepre-
sented (Romans, 3, viii.) ; and we suppose no man is
entitled to more confidence than the Apostles, who
always freely explained themselves, when explanation
was required. If this were generally reflected upon,
we are quite sure that it would put an end to most of
the doubts and heartburnings by which so many con-
gregations are distracted. Meanwhile, we must ad-
here to the presumption that the clergyman who will
not condescend to set himself right must be in the
wrong.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
PORTSMOUTH, DEC. I.—The St. Vincent, 120, Capt.
Rowley, took down her topgallant-masts, and struck
her topmasts yesterday afternoon, and made all snug for
the winter.
The experimental brig squadron was in the Bay of
Biscay, i❑ latitude 45, on the 18th ult. Every precau-
tion has been taken by Captain Corry to prevent com-
munication with England upon the merits of the brigs
under his command. No authentic information upon
the conduct of the vessels will be arrived at until their
return to port.
The Heroine, 6, Lieut.-Commander Foote, was at the
Gallinas on the Bth of October, waiting the arrival of
the Hydra steasu-sloop to relieve her.
DEVONPORT, FRIDAY.—The Swift, Captain Douglas,
arrived yesterday, and came into harbour this day, to
repair defects.
The Caledonia; 120, Captain Milne, flag of Admiral
Sir David Milne, Commander-in-Chief, was towed to
her former moorings in this harbour this day by the
Confiance and Tartarus steam-vessels, and resumed her
duty as a guard-ship.
The Thedalus, 20, Captain M`Quhae, is hourly ex-
pected from Woolwich to receive advance. Upwards of
4 cwt. of silver coin is to be sent out in her to Auck-
land, New Zealand.