The Sun.
London, England, 1845-01-23 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—The Tories tell us that they are better men
of business than the Whigs. That Sir Robert Peel
is a clever man, though a treacherous one to his own
party, cannot be denied, and none of his acts prove it
more than his adjustment of the timber duties; but
the Board of Customs is defeating his object of en-
couraging the importation of timber in the bulk in
preference to that of deals or planks. By a ridiculous
:node of measurement, deals or planks above twenty-
one feet long pay less duty per load than shorter
deals, thus sacrificing revenue in a most unnecessary
manner. I believe an enormous amount of revenue is
wasted by the incompetency of the Board in this,
as well as many other matters.
I am, Sir, your most obedient servant,
W. R.

FRANCE AND OTAHEITE.
ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS.

The two following documents have been communi-
cated to the Chambers by the Minister of Marine.
The first relates to the Gambier Islands ; and the
second gives some details respecting the intercourse
established with the chief of Wallis's Islands :
"NOTE ON THE PRESENT STATE OF THE RELATIONS
OF FRANCE WITH THE CHIEFS AND POPULATION OF
THE GAMBIER ISLANDS.

" The French Catholic missionaries, established for
the last ten years in this little archipelago, have been
fully successful amongst the chiefs and inhabitants,
whom they instruct and direct, without hindrance, in
a course of moral culture, and by the most pacifie
means. This state of things, which was perfectly
w ell known at the departure of Captain Bruat for
Oceania, has caused those islands to be designated, in
the instructions given to that officer, as part of those
over which the Protectorate of France could be most
easily established. It is in consequence of these in-
structions, and on the occasion of the frigate Charte
anchoring at one of those islands, that the captain of
the vessel was present on February 16, 1844, at a
formal declaration made by the principal chiefs, of
their intention to place themselves and their territory
under the protection of the French authority. This
act was not followed by any military occupation, nor
by the installation of any administrative agent. The
French missionary, the Rev. Father Liausie, was
recognised by the head of this little society. The
instructions addressed by Admiral de /Slacken to
Governor Brunt, under date of July 16, 1844, formally
recommend him to abstain from all proceedings that
might tend to engage the King's Government farther
than what was already accomplished. Before deciding
on any decisive part with respect to this simple recog-
nition of the French authority in these islands, it
appears indispensable to wait for new reports, and the
conclusion, more or less speedy, of the difficulties
which have arisen in other points. The group of the
Gambier Islands, situated windward of the Society
Archipelago, and possessing a good port, is but thinly
inhabited. The Methodist missionaries have not
attempted to penetrate there, and have left the inha-
bitants wholly to the influence of the French mis-
sionaries."

" INTERCOURSE ESTABLISHED WITH THE CHIEFS OF

THE WALLIS ISLANDS.
" In the month of November, 1824, the Embuscade
corvette, Captain Mallet, had to put in to the Wallis
Islands for some pressing repairs, which kept the
vessel for forty days in the principal port of the islands.
There the King and the principal chiefs, having de-
clared that they made a profession of the Catholic
faith, in which they had been instructed by the Rev.
Father Bataillon, Bishop of Enos, and several other
French missionaries residing amongst them, mani-
fested their intention to place themselves under the
protection of our flag. The effects of the great influence
exercised over the inhabitants by our missionaries, to
whom they are entirely devoted, are manifest in this
circumstance. The Rev. Father Bataillon, established
amongst them for seven years, has reaped the happiest
fruits of his apostolic care ; the public morals have
become considerably ameliorated; polygamy has
ceased, except with two of the chiefs; the population
of the archipelago, composed of 3,000 souls, are re-
markable for their exemplary habits of order and re-
gularity. Captain Mallet, perceiving that the state of
this young society was so satisfactory, concluded with
the King and the chiefs a treaty—a certain harbour
regulation, having for its object to assume a general
regulation as favourable as possible to the strangers
that should visit the islands, and these regulations
were decided on with the concurrence of the English
and American trading captains, in a meeting held for
the purpose. Nothing exclusively applicable to
French vessels was stipulated in the clauses of these
regulations, and no act of authority to be exer-
cised in the name of France was amongst the
number of the conditions agreed on. Neither
was the national flag raised on any point of this
little archipelago, and Captain Mallet confined himself
to allow the chiefs to display'a mixed flag, chosen by
the missionaries, and the colours of which could only
call to mind the fact of the participation of an officer
of the French navy in the manifestations on the part
of the chiefs. The instructions addressed to Captain
Bruat by Admiral Roussin, dated July 20, 1843,
contained, amongst other instructions on this subject,
the following The declarations transmitted by
Captain Mallet imply, on the part of the chiefs, no
alienation of sovereignty. They must not lead us on
to form an establishment in this archipelago, nor even
to engage us to keep up there permanently a vessel of
the State,' &c. In the new instructions sent to Ad-
miral Hamelin on July 16th, 1844, by Admiral de
Mackau, in reference to those just quoted, the Minis-
ter prescribed to restrict still more the protection to
be exercised at these islands, and confined its action
to friendly relations ; to visits which our vessels might
be able to pay them from time to time to support the
moral influence of our missionaries, but without any
active intervention of any kind in the affairs of the
country. Such is the situation of our present rela-
tiens with the chiefs of these islands, and such have
been the results that were proved to exist beyond all
possibility of conflicts or difficulties from without,
when the Bucephale corvette put in and remained
there in November and December, 1843."

ROYAL SURREY ZOOLOGICAL GARDEML—A vast
number of workmen have been incessantly employed
ever since the close of last season in effecting the most
extensive improvements and alterations in all parts of
the grounds. Nor has the Zoological department been
forgotten. The collection has lately been materially in-
creased. In fact, the visitors to these delightful gardens
will hardly be able to recognise them in their improved
and extended state.

ENTBRTAINMENT AT THE MANSION-HOUSE.—The
Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress gave a very ele-
gant entertainment to his brother Aldermen and their
ladies, and to some of the municipal officers and their
ladies, on Tuesday. There were amongst those present,
Aldermen Lucas, Sir Peter Laurie, Farebrother, Kelly,
Wilson, Marshall, Sir John Pirie, Humphery, Sir G.
Carrol, Farncemb, Hooper, Wood, Johnson, Challis,
Hughes Hughes, Moon, Hunter, Sidney (Sheriffs), the
Chamberlain, Win. Masterman, M.P., the City Solicitor,
Mr. Secondary James, Mr. Secondary Potter, the Town
Clerk, the Comptroller, &c., &c. It was a full-dress
party, and all the Aldermen came in their scarlet gowns.
The company assembled in the state drawing rooms, and
went from thence through the saloon to the long par-
lour, in which the dinner was laid out in remarkably
fine style. All the massive gold and silver plate of the
Mansion-house decorated the sideboard, and the great
silver epergne, which was presented by the Board of
Guardians of the City of London Union to the Lord
Mayor, as Chairman of the Board, stood on the middle
of the top cross table. The wines, which were most
abundantly supplied and freely partaken of, were of the
finest description. Tea and coffee were served in the
saloon. The company separated at eleven.
NEW WoRK ON TURKEY.—We are requested to
state that Mr. Colburn, of Great Marlborough-street, has
this day published " Three Years in Constantinople ;
or, Domestic Manners of the Turks," by Charles White,
Esq., 3 vols., with numerous illustrations, price 31s. 6d.
bound, which can now be had of all booksellers. Mr.
Colburn has also just published the following new
works :—Travels in Turkey, Egypt, the Holy Land,
Syria, Nubia, &c., in 1843.44, by Ida, Countess Hahn-
Ilithn, 3 vols., 31s. 6d. bound.-3. Adventures of an
Officer in the Service of Runjeet Singh, by Major Law-
rence, Bengal Artillery, 2 vols., with portraits, 21s.
baund.-4. The Crescent and the Cross ; or, Romance
and Realities of Eastern Travels, by Eliot Warburton,
Esq., 2 vols., with illustrations, 255. bound.-5. Colonel
Maxwell's Adventures, 2 vols., with portraits, 21s. bound.
HER MAJESTY'S STEAM-VESSEL THUNDERBOLT,
ICHABOE, Nov. 20, 1844.—The island of Ichaboe is dis-
appearing fast ; there are at this present moment about
380 vessels here, and arriving five or six of a day, one-
half of which will not get loaded. I should think it will
ruin a great many vessels of 1,000 and 1,500 tons, lying
here—several vessels have been wrecked on the coast
that we have heard of, and been to their assistance, and
we suppose a great many that we have had no intelli-
gence of, except from pieces of wreck and boats having
been seen on the coast by vessels arriving here. We leave
this for the Cape about the Ist or 2d of December. I
hope we may then have a trip to the Mozambique, to
make a little more prizesmoney.—Devonpert Telegraph.
Mr. Dyke, the son of Sir P. H. Dyke, has been
appointed to the lucrative situation of Queen's Proctor,
vacant by the demise of Mr. Iltid Nicholl. The annual
average of the present fees of office, on a moderate com-
putation, is 2,oool.—formerly. they were much larger.
During the war, when the condemnation of prizes, and
other proceedings connected with international law, to
which the Crown was a party, occupied the Admiralty
Court, the fees of the Crown Proctor have been known to
amount to between 30,0001. and 40,0001.
NARROW ESCAPE FROM SUFFOCATION IN A
SEWER.—On Tuesday three excavators, in the service
of the Commissioners of Sewers for the county of Surrey,
proceeded down one of the iron gratings facing the Old
King's Head public-house, Blackfriars-road, for the pur-
pose of cleaning out the sewer, and when they had gone
about 150 yards, the foul air became so powerful that
they were about to return, but found that it was utterly
impossible, They accordingly called loudly for help,
when a young man named Maris, a blacksmith, residing
at No. 17, Surrey-row, Blackfriars-road, hearing their
cries for help, very promptly procured 4 crow-bar, and
dug up the flooring at the ei4d of his back yard and re.
leased the poll* fellows, two of whom were quite insen-
sible, but recovered after a short time.

THE FRENCH CHAMBER OF
DEPUTIES.
If we were not actual witnesses, through our daillYe
reports, of the debate which is now going on t
Chamber of Deputies, such a proceeding. would ar
pear altogether incredible and inipracticable in a gre,Yee
legislative assembly. The avidity of the speeches, t"
deficiency of truth or interest in the well-worn
the
themes, the rambling character of the debate, eTici
inconclusive arguments of the speakers sufficien'.-
disclose the extraordinary fact that all this talkingp;
in reality, about nothing at all. It so hapPen', o 3
the misfortune of aspirants for Parliamentary fatne
either side of the Chamber, that there is no one
of general policy to be more fully elucidated by
nisterial statements, or combated by anti-111inister.iao
arguments. The only two events which have
rise to questions of any political interest since tiled
prorogation in August last are long since terminetbe
and disposed of; a great deal will unquestionabll
said about them, but nothing more can be either dceeiLlie,,
or undone. The Government will, of course, be ,„t
mired by one party and applauded by the
the questions on which these demonstrations v"
be made torest I defunct.l‘ler6
are lanai y the
and Otaheite are for the present consigned to
and
tender keeping of the Annual Register for 1844 ; ns
we trust it will not be in the power of angry factv.)st
other; 11
to revive any portion of the irritation produced lust
autumn by the occurrences themselves. As the Petle-
of Europe survived the reality of that shock, w,,e
P
sume that it will not be affected by the echo a
of
port : and we hold it to be beyond the reach ,0
eloquence or ingenuity to impart a fresh intereit,
the past details of these subjects. To snake
stract character of this discussion still inorejihe
minent, it appears that the only question vyllic pro
is the
ee.
Chamber professes seriously to entertain
and the Colt of what is termed the English he
But, as was very ably put by the Duke de Bros
in his temperate and masterly speech °lit 0
address in the other Chamber, it happens that
there is not at the present .moment any for
question of European policy which calls 'freiga
the aro,
military or diplomatic interference Of
of
Powers—as, in fact, the whole machinery 0' 1: far
national relations is at a stand-still, except, as far
no
as private interests are concerned, there is, in 112. of
such thing as an alliance, in the proper somelne3l'
the word. The experience we have had on on,
former occasions of the fidelity of France to the con,
Or
v ntions in which she has taken a part ma},"
not encourage us, whenever an occasion sba1:110 of
to seek for her co-operation in preference to
other nations, or other nations may think fitTilet
ciate themselves with England and France. P, 110 call
preposterous, at a moment when no human be'el,list
predict when such an occasion will occur, or 0' :fit-
nature it will be, to pledge ourselves to the reefed
nance of an abstract principle, which will be a'toflict
in an instant when it is opposed by a positive
tie" efea
of interests. We are perfectly willing, Laric"rise,'
anxious, to remain on the best terms frt;
and we appreciate at its just value the fortunaloir
tion of our own country, which enables it to diog
taro the relations of an equally good understrotes;
with both the great sections of Continental %note
f
but we esteem ourselves no, less el' Air
that no impending danger or public e°,,re.
tion compels us to take part at the kr,
sent moment with the one against the the
As far, then, as the English alliance is cancer° Of
t
conflict in the Chamber of Deputies is a fl'enr,.B
of shadows ; for the politics of thew orld the 6 eai;
governed by general propositions, but h,/r
gencies of each case and the rules of public dutit'niglif,
this debate, which will probably last weakf°l%,t* fbe
and occupy the Chamber till the fifth 1- t°
session has slipped away, is but the emptY Pr!„%tio
one act of importance. Is the present Adlninil,
to remain at the head of affairs? or is it to int-olofs
for a long Ministerial interregnum, filled up 1")
athnd counter-plots of every kind, and terinineti feh°
accession to office of a heterogenous ca he
will strive to ape the policy of the men theicle tbd
defeated ? The vote on the Address will dec:gilt
matter for the present ; and, although the result
still very uncertain, the adherents of the G°ce"nneat''
are far more confident of success than its 011,-, COo'
and th 3 balance seems to incline in favour ot.
tinuance in office.— Times.

GAME FOR THE MILL
gsl‘i
(From Punch.) -
We have received the following letter fro!
who preserves his game for the benefit of hiss itatot
creatures. We think we ought to charge it as tr'of
vertisement ; but as we give it free insertion', ele
that the Stamp-office will also view it with 6-
cgti
tenderness : a
" Mr. Punch,—l address you, as throng" on°,tot
most readily get at the world at large. I beg ,irtiee,,A"/
the middling and working classes a prime ssr-esolv'ett
game, at the following low charges ; having,: vilb,„B.ol
although a peer of the realm—to conine" FP'
poulterer, whoever he may be, in the moderated.
my articles : £.,, 6
" A prime hare ; 0
" A pheasant rer
2 .50
" Partridges (the brace)
" These charges will, I trust, be received -clistOof
whelming evidence of my desire to meet theioteet
of the poor, and to bring game down to the
„,at
pacity of pocket. lam honestly enabled t° .eOOl6
above articles at the prices affixed—as the Pi rificiPost'
me scarcely anything for keep—they bein;ll te°
fed upon the wheat, oats, and barley, °I
nt)
farmers.—l remain your obedient servant, .1
" NORMAI4P.IOS.
"P.S.—The highest price given for hare-" 500,-
onbd
THE CHARGE AGAINST DR. RENFOLP•w;ort;°ir
day morning Dr. Punfold took occasion to hid fr
sermon to the recent charge brought agait?s,..aetorP
Marylebone vestry, which he had so satt:"--t
fitted. He took his text from the 24th clist-ealle,Be:
Acts of the Apostles, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19,t10
verses—" And herein du I exercise ulYsellA-tf Phriflit
ways a conscience void of offence towards ue, to 'tile
wards man. Now, after many y ars, C0112„00 cerall
alms to my nation, and offerings.e Whereurie, PeA
Jews from Asia found me purified in the ten3,,,P brie
with multitude nor with tumult, who ought '35 011
here before thee, and object, if they had 11;:foli:1 0,1
me. Or else let these here say, if they "„—ncil: ,trol
evil doing in me while I stood before thee "y- fel ibee:j
Rev. Gentleman, with great feeling, mad,_eh-ee 0," r
allusions to the painful position in which be e
placed, and his address appeared to produce -8/
,T 6
upon his hearers.
„rIIPA 011
FATAL ACCIDENT AT ASTLEY'S ace' 00
On Monday evening last a fatal accident oec-tope;rd
stage of this theatre to one of the sure,,r,,- tofecticiri
named William Blake, aged 38. The fi'-are,
Johnny Gilpin was in the course of perfornbei ere
one of its scenes representing a Jew's old e'°ooe, `` 014
number of supernumeraries, deceased being cin!)
be seen making purchases within. As eec71348
trick was played upon him by the Clown c,it
the Pantaloon (Bradbury) holding a rope, -hoer -forl%
the door, and which tripped up each pu,re„-iatit o`, ,1
exit. The deceased did not make his ealernientiti fort";
easy fall, and in consequence tumbled The Is" lu":„i'
and fell flat with great force on the stage. -I,:the,olit"
the metallic part of a truss that he wore ini.os
part of the abdomen, causing internal in.ilq,liepeel,l
deceased died yesterday morning at his rest. viid° '
sant-place, High-street, Lambeth, leaving
"feote
Il e per.
seven young children unprovided for.
o'l.l Q
SUPPOSED SUICIDE FROM DESTIT-rO5-'
day Mr. Baker held an inquest at the IleukaoetiPti ,
East Smithfield, on the body of a man frboit
twenty years ofd a
James Hill, a water:, la It:e
about nine o'clock the same morning he /IV`*- itYi
Alderman-stairs, East Smithfield, when be '
of the deceased rise to the surface. Ile te•er of t
ashore. Deceased was dressed in a Paid oliii;ek,
trousers and waistcoat, and a blue stripe that
laced boots. The summoning officer said Its
earanco of the deceased showed that he:',olbe,rf,lo
of great destitution, as his clothes were tA"iret t
his shoes worn out. The jury found a vel."—
drowned."
SIR JAMES GRAHAM'S MEDICAL Bt the
ing of the medical profession of Brentford tbe
bourhood was held on Tuesday evening, PoOieer,o;l
Hotel, Brentford, to consider the provisions 000/otiop,
Graham's Medical Bill. The meeting we'd res.°,,geleo:l
attended. Dr. Day was in the chair,
jnoregitil'ece,i, .1
were agreed to condemning the Bill, an e rApot, procei ,1
currence in the proposal of the Society
for the establishmeut of a college for to 06:11fid'
tioners. Some gentlemen objected WlCageinotteittf,
any other subject than the obnoxious 131,,,
they conceived all their efforts ought te be itc,„-11
but they ultimately acceded to the pruP°sl ry, Oer
oereta of s!,,',
Bonny was appointed honorary local .otion be,
communication with the Central Assoei.'
Practitioners. Thanks having been v°te
man, the meeting separated after a veil
cussion.

of"-
_ llOl
110 A
BIRTHS.
Oa the 17th inst., at the Vicarage, l'att°ll' the
the ll'ijoili;:
Rev. llyde W. Beados, of a son. ;thetc'e' 1,
On the 18th inst., at Downham, near Cl.- r, top - .
the Rev. S. Houghton Sherard, of a dailetegoa• '1 of ,
On the 20th inst., at Roehampton, o'3 mai
Melville, of a son. 4. sal, th° v#
On the 21st inst ,at the Grove, 131ackue- jorll ~
Twining, jun., Esq.,. of a dau rhter. of 0 ,
On the 21st inst., is Sussex-square, the 15d1
o'4 '
Esq., of a son. , 01-14 r
On the 21st inst., in Bernard-street, /09-8 ef ,
J. Torre, of a son. rol"°l34' ''
On the 20th inst., Mrs George Francis 0
liament-street, of a son. . oof l'eolf

MABBIED• forth
On the 21st inst., George Thomas,

Hertzlet, Esq., __......., ,---.3ldilie e,'
daughter of Robert Stokes, Esq., of the - ° 1
of 'C'ollege--street, to L'oeirue plac
DIED. li 1
On the 12th •
Esq., late Captain of the Surrey Militia.
ariktlol. ,eit ,
inst., at Brentford•
On the 16t1 inat ,at Bognor, Susse%, ge r opo'
Jackson, C.,8., aged. 73. • fling, °. jlilti
On the 18th inst., Mr. William l''Pr florid
pla.co, Brighton, aged 65. r• ' ''4l;'
On the 20th inst at Vauxhall-terrace, _,----01Jr il
___ ______ ----it-it/0 ote ,„,,a)t,
butts, 1.11i$11.1,16$0;
London : Printed and Pablished by ms. oto ,'"
No. 112, Strand, Printer, at Vies_ ; ill
Strand, i.A the Precinct of the S ,`,),,,,.
klidillsasal Thursday, JanuArY 23' 14"‘'