The Sun.
London, England, 1844-07-01 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE DEtONFORT DTDEPENDENT.

Sir,—Having observed in your paper of the 18th ultimo,
under the head of Hong-Kong, a paragraph to the following
effect :—" February 2d—The Dido has ;ailed with her Purser
under arrest," I beg to say that, from- letters received from
Hong-Kong, up to the 14th of March, I am enabled to prove
that the above injurious statement is untrue, and must, have
originated either in error or malicious motives.''
Plymouth, June 25, 1844. A FRIEND.

THE NAVY CLUB ENTERTAINMENT TO THE FIRST
LORD OF TUE ADMIRALTL—The members of the Navy Club
gave their annual entertainment to the Earl of Haddirigton,
as First Lord of the Admiralty, on Thursday evening, at the
Thatched House Tavern, St. James's-street. The banquet
was of the most sumptuous description, and served, up in a
style of elegance peculiar to that establishment. The Earl of
Iladdington was accompanied by Captain Hantilton, his
Lordship's private secretary ; and the Hon. Henry Lowry
Corry and Rear-Admiral Bowles, Junior Lords Commis-
sioners of the Admiralty. Admiral Sir Thomas Ilyant
Martin, G.C.8., presided on the occasion; and among the
flag and other naval officers present were—Admiral Sir Gco.
Martin, G.C.B. and G.C.M.G. (Vice-Admiral of the United
Kingdom), Admiral Sir R. W. Otway, K.C.8., Admiral Sir
Charles Ogle, Bart., Admiral Sir John West, K.O 8., Admiral
Sir George Parker, K.C.8., Admiral Sir Edward Codrington,
G.C.B. and G.C.M.G., Vice-Admiral Sir Adam Drummond,
K.C.H., Vice-Admiral Sir Graham E. Hammond, K.C.8.,
Vice-Admiral Sir Edward T. D. King, K.C.H. Vice-Admiral
Sir John A. Ommanney, K.C.8., Vice-Admiral Lord James
O'Bryen, G.C.11., Rear-Admiral Sir R. H. Bromley, Bart.,
Rear-Admiral Brown, Rear-Admiral Earl Cadogan, Rear-
Admiral H, H. Christian, Rear-Admiral N. D. Cochrane,
Rear-Admiral Lysaght, Rear-Admiral the Hon. D. IL Mac-
kay, Rear-Admiral Sir Charles Malcolm, Rear-Admiral Lord
Radstock, Rear-Admiral Skipsey, Rear-Admiral Sir George
Seymour, G.C.11. ; Captains—Lord Colchester Sir Augustus
Clifford, Bart., Blake, Sir Thomas Bourchier, Colchester, Sir
Hon.
George Crofton, Sir W. H. Dillon, K.C.H. ; lion. Richard S.
Dundas, Evans, Stephen, G. Fremantle, G. T. Falcon,: Fead,
Sir John Franklin, K.C.11., Hon. Frederick William Grey,
Percy Grace, Sir Andrew P. Green, K.C.H. Harvey, Sir
William Hotham, Sir Thomas Herbert, J. W. John-
son, E. Lloyd, Maunsell, Maitland, Henry Byam Martin, Sir
Charles Napier, K.C.8., Prescott, W. Price, Robertson, Lord
Edward Russell, Sir J. R. Rowley, Bart., Thornton, Sir
Thomas Usther, K.C.H., Hon. W. Waldegrave, arid Captain
Walpole. The gallant chairman was supportedon the right
by the Earl of Haddington, and on the other side. by Vis-
count Melville. The principal toast of the eveningwas the
health of the Earl of Haddington, the announcement of which
was very cordially received by the entire company. - The
Noble Earl responded to the warm greetings of the asseMbled
members of the club in a Fpeech of some duration, in Which
his Lordship observed that it would be the constant endea-
vour of himself and colleagues in the administration of the
multifarious duties of the naval department to render the
service as efficient as possible in all its ramifications as became
a maritime power like this country. It was nearly twelve
o'clock when the several toasts had been given, at which hour
the party broke up.
Our Contemporary, the Morning herald,. fre-
quently complains (and mostly without the slightest grounds)
that news is copied from its columns, without naming the
authority from whence it is derived. If this is really the
case, we can only account for it by supposing the omission
originates in apprehensions that, if the authority was given,
it might lead people to doubt the accuracy °kips statement.
—United Service Gazette.
INDIA MAIL—The next mail for India, via Mar-
seilles, will be dispatched from the General Post-offiee: on
Monday, the Bth instant, the 7th falling on Sunday.
THE MURDER AT WORCESTER.—An inquest was
held at Worcester, on Thursday, on the body of the bop Ben-
jamin Hughes, who was murdered by his uncle, Jabez Hooper,
as aliiecly stated in this journal. The jury returned a verdict
of " Wilful murder against Jabez Hooper." The murderer,
who attempted to commit suicide, is 5ti11:1574 ; Ma, it is
probable, may even yet recover.

INTERFERENCE WITH HOURS
OF LABOUR.
DISSENTIENT— ,
I. Because all reason and alI experience- have pro-,
mounced clearly and absolutely rigani.st ,interfering by
laws with the right which individuals, have to empleY
their capital and their labour according to
.their lOWA
views of their own interest, and se 'Meg as be immoral
lity is eommitted, and no encroachment is made upOn
the- rights of others, all persons are entitled to diepose
of their property and direct their industry tta they think
moat conducive to their owe benefit, or their own comfort.
2. Because of the two, labour ought-to. be the most
scrupulously protected from all interterenCe, inaeietith
ais it constitutes the sole possession and only. power .of
the great bulk of the people ; inasmuch as the labourer
.cannot flee, like the capitalist, from vexatious oppres-
sion, and inasmuch as any interference with his free
- exertion operates directly upon the great mainspring of
the whole social machine, producing consequences which
can neither be foreseen nor counteracted, and affectingi
interests be most serious, extensive, and remote.
- 3. Because the folly of all such interference with'
capital and labour is as glaring as its injustice, there
being no one truth in any branch of science more incon-
teseible than this—that individuals can judge far better'
of their own interests, whether as_ regards their gains, or
their health, or their eomforts, from their nearer percep •
tion and perfect knowledge of all the circumstances
-upon which their interests depend, than the rulers, who
can only see the same things from a distance and in the
general, and it being a truth equally beyond dispute
that individuals will always pursue their own interests
more unremittingly than the State, which has neither
the means of providing for each man's benefit, nor the
militant incentive of personal feelings to keep its care
anti attention ever awake.
4. Because the present means affords a proof how
dangerous it is for the Legisla!ure ever to take any, step
in a wrong direction and depart from sound principles,
tinder the influence of a temporary pre sure, and how in-
evitable the consequence is that the mischief will not stop
short where it began; for no sooner did the law prohibit
the employment of young persons above twelve hours a
tlay, than attempteivere made, and proved very success-
to restrict their employment two hours more; and
no sooner did the law prohibit adult females from being
Suffered to work of their own free will in mines. than
the present measure declared adult females of all ages
ineepable of judging for themselves how long they should
work in factories, absolutely forbidding them from la-
bel-tiring above a certain number of hours, as if it were an
offence in an able-bodied woman of thirty or forty to
stork as long as she pleased, and ordering her, under
severe penalties, only to earn a certain sum by the day,
in return for the laliour of her own hands; to all which
may be added the fact that many persons have supported
the present Bill, and some have propounded a still further,
extension of the scheme, upon the declared ground that,
aftee the Legislature had; once begun the system of in-.
terferenoe, it was too late to question its propriety, and
there was no possibility of stopping short where the for-
mer measure had left the question.
3. Because it is the grossest absurdity for the Sore-
.
eziget to pretend that he knows better than his subjects
how long they can work with safety to their health and
comfort, to prescribe how much they Shall gain by their
labour, or generally to take upon'himself the manage-
ment of other people's concerns an absurdity as great
trs the labourer- 'would commit `who should take upon ,
himself the work of government and dictate t 2 the law-
Over in Idiot manner his measures ought to be framed.
6. Because it is the grossest blindness to imagine that
the hAppiness of children is better promoted by the ne-
cessarily general and careless superintendence of the
State as the common parent of all, than by the special
and near watchfulness of the individual parents over
their progeny, whom Providence has wisely entrusted
IPO their eare, creating feelings and instincts expressly
adapted to the purpose, and of far greater force and far
more amount operation than any Mechanism which
rulers can substitute, although tile inevitable conse-
qeence of providing such substitutes must be to weaken
the parental instincts, upon which, after all that the law
cei." f!..0, the lawgiver must in the end be forced to depend.
7. Because it is the grossest hypocrisy to pretend that
the interests of morality can be promoted by interfering
*ith the labour of the people, inasmuch as idleness is the
root of all evil, inasmuch as grown-up women, if pre-
vented from working when and how they pleaae, are far
more likely to employ their time viciously, and in courses
which no hsw can restrain; and inasmuch as no attempts
are ever made, or even thought of, to promote morality
among the upper classes by any compulsory provisions
whatever.

B. Because it is the grossest inconsistency to single
out one branch of industry for the, subject of expeti-
stiens--how much tyranny over the capitalist and the la-
bearer may be safely exercised; and to affect an
especial care for the health, and comfort; and morals of
one class alone among all the numerous bodies of worle-
mea, for whom the dents of the community find em-
ployment, it being quite notorious that the sufferings are
eqaally lamentable, which many other classes have una-
voidably to endure from toil and want, the caprice of
employers, and the vicissitudes of the seasons ; the hard-
alops of their lot in life, and the effects Of errors in le-
*station; the order of nature, and the faults of rulers.
9. Because as instances of this glaring inconsistency
• may lie oited, the facts stated in the Reports of the Poor-
- 'bar Commissioners to the Commons House of Parlia-
putt toeching the condition in different districts of hus-
bandry. Labourers beginning to work at a very tender
Jxposed to extreme hardships in their daily toil, and
„running no small risk of having their morals impaired
as well as their education neglected. Women and chil-
dren de the work of which they are capable, and they
begin their employment as early as five or six, and even,
in some instances, foie years of age. They have in some
places to walk seven miles and more to their work, re-
turn borne unpaid when the weather is unfavourable, and
when paid, receive extremely small sums. They go to
work flk seven in the morning, and continue till dark; in
aiwnmer till nine o'clock. Unless they can finish a cer-
tain task of work they get no wages at all. There is no
classification of ages or of characters, and the mot pro-
' iligate persons associate with those of ;tender years
and comparatively innocent habits. Sortie of the re-
por:a disclose a frightful amount of immorality as the
result of this admixture ; and the returns of illegitimate
pauper children for the whole kingdom show that there
u a far greater proportion of them in agricultural than
in manufacturing districts, in the proportion of to
one upon an average. Now all these sufferings, though
exceedingly to be lamented, have never been deemed fit
subjects of legislative interference, nor have the severe
suffeeings, both in health and morals, of many manufac-
turing districts, ever been so regarded, all interference
being confined to the single branch of cotton-spinning,
for this reason, among others, that were the compulsory
enactments of the law extended over all the branches of
industry, thii country would oease to be the habitation
either of wealthy capitalists or thriving labourers, but
would be left to the advocates of the new system of
meddling, and the inmates of the workhouse under their
protection.
10. Because the most glaring evils in the condition of
the poor, both parents and children, are daily under the
oyes of the Legislature, and are so far from being
checked, that they are encouraged by its members for
their own convenience, because these evils_cotild only be
erackleated by imposing restraints upon the natural
liberty of the people, and interfering with the voluntary
eoutracts made for their employment. 'rho practice of
women suckling the children of others devotes hundreds
of thousands of children to diseases arising' from insuffi-
• dent nutriment, procuring the death of-many, and tend-
ing little to improve the national character. This prac
lice has been blamed by all moralist., lamented by all
persons of a sentimental cast, and objected to by politi-
cal reasoners, but no attempt has ever been mule to re-
strain it ; lawgivers justly deem it to lie beyond their
proper province ; and, refusing to interfere with the la-
bour of females capable of judging for themselves, al-
though the interests, and even the lives of helpless in-
fants, might seem to claim protection.
11. Because, however deplorable may 'be the devotion.
of young children to labour instead of instruction, and
howeyer desirable may be the liberation of females from
all but domesticwork--one of the surest proofs of advanced
civilisation, this can only be the slow
,and spontaneous
growth of that progressive improvement in the condition,
9eid, with the condition, in the habits of the people; and it,
is manifest that when the lawgiver interposes with re-
stsent upon capital and labour, he is certain to retard
ituft progress, to worsen the condition of the people, to
prevent their habits from mending, and thus to produce
or exacerbate the very evils which he affects most to
dread.
12. Because the grossest delusions have been, and, in
many instances, too successfully, practiced upon the
working classes, persuading them that measures like the
present are for their benefit, and that the levrs are more
tiled? friends than their employers, an absurd notion
has thus been propagated, that by Act el Parliament,
roes may receive wages without doine, work e and they
have been taught to suppose that the question is not
whether they shall be permitted to work as much as
they please, and earn as much as they can (which is the
real matter in dispute), but whether they shall for the
some wages work a longer or a shorter time ; and an
equal wild fancy has been made to prevail, that the gain
of the master is made at the workmen's expense, whereas
every rethrcting person must perceive that, in exact pro-
porii.t.n to the increase of capital employed in any trade
is the amount of remuneration which can be afforded to
the labour whereby that trade is driven.
13. Because the wants of society, present a
fair and an ample field in which the provi-
dent humanity of the Legislature, as well as of emi-
nent individuals, may be exerted for the improvement
of the people's condition upon rational principles, and
without violating any right of the subject, or any rule of
sound policy ; by amending the crimieal_ law and the
, ponce system, so as to protect the young from the con-
tamination of old offenders; by rendering the punishment
'of all offences speedy and certain, instead of leaving it to
mere hazard ; by unfettering industry from the shsckles
under which the relics of a barbarious age still leave it to
pine ; and above all, by bestowing upon the poor the in-
estimable blessings of a sound education, providing the
means of infant and adult training. and leaving the pace..
FM to avail themselves voluntarily of the edvantages thus
wisely brought within their reach.
(Signed)

BROUGHAM.

[AIioVERTISEMENT. ]— D ISE SED
ExTRAORDIFIARY BY ITOLLoWAY'S
Aikins, widow of the late Captain Aikins, residing, at
Consaught- terrace, Edgewaro-road.. This lady had
beeu in India, where her liver and stomach became dis-
°axed. Ito much so that she could scarcely keep the
slightest, food on her stomach. She was very. weak and
ri6bilitated, and suffered continually from sick headache,
nervousness, and lowness of spirits. In six weeks,
,CoVilVer wonderful it ulti,y appear, she was restored to a
state of health by this unrivalled medicine, which is
iertain remedy in all liver, bilious, and stomach coin-
pleints.—Sold (also Hollowa;'s Ointment) at Professor
Holloway's Establishment, 244, Strand (where advice
may be had gratis), and by almost all respectable Van-
&'s tbrineattiteiviliswworm,

TIM SALADIN.

MASSACRE OF THE COMMANDER AND
OFFICERS, AND MURDER OF THE. CHIEF
MUTINEER.

i3)OfiSOR, ESQ., SE-METAiRY TO LLOYDS t-
" Halifax, Nova Scotia, June 10, 1844.
- Sir,—During the absence of the writer, a reply was
sent to yours of the 20th of February, and advantage
takeu of the 'opportunity to state his proceedi ge in eon.
, VeAtience of the loss off this coast of the *alatlit4
VOparaiso. We now vocinuo the harraiive.
writer. returned fi-Ottl the wreck in her htekleity's
sohoonV, hit Rosamond,
_on the avcinink of the 3d,
With 14 bars of silver ai'd 7,755 dollars in- silver. Tise
remainder of wt at was saved, consisting of 705 pigs of
o4p4r, sand the ship's"materials, were put t)ti beard two
small vessels, and have since arrived. Another vessel
has' been sent to the *reek, with the . view to, save the
retnainder of the copper. it is feared the guano will be
'R • total loss. In Censequence of the suspieion of
piracy and tnurder 'which attached to the ere*,
the Court of Admiralty tiok the custody of the
property out of 011 r hands.' The Men were
arrested . oa stripicion, and placed ih solitary confinement.
After the lapse of two or three days, the writer reeeived
letter, of whieh We enclose a copy: lit itnmediately
repaired to the gaol, where he heard the most appalling
disclosures it has ever been our lot to listen to. When
it was known that two had confessed their crimes a dis-
position Was evinced by the others to relieve their cmi-
seirlAtts of the weir which oppressed them, and from
r them WeeceiVed all corroboration of their statement.
We send tt V6rbatim copy of Jones's confeSsion, which
minutely the terrible atrocities Which were
enacted on boa.rd the Saladin. The captain (Fielding),
who appears tO have been the instigator of the mutiny,
had bseu master of the ship Vitale, of Liverpool, which
ship had been seised by the Chilian Government while
engaged in some nefarious voyage. A statement of the
transaction has been forwarded by us to the owners of
the ship' and consignees, whose names could be ascer-
tained, A great number of the, letters awl papers ,were
wantonly burnt or otherwise destroyed.---"We.remain, Scc.
(Signed). LLOYD'S AGENT."

[con- OF NOTE REFERRED TO IN THE ABOVE LETTER.]
Her Majesty's Gaol, Halifax. June-8, 1844.
Dear Sir,—William Carr and John Galloway want to
make a confession to you -concerning the- So.huhu, and
what happened to the Officers and part of the crew ;
therefore we would be glad to know how soon you could
get an opportunity to hear it, for we know not the
moment we are launched into eternity, and. we can never,
expect to find happiness in another world.—We are,
Sir, yourfiumble servants,
(Signed) WILLIAM CARR
JOHN GALLOWAY.