The Sun.
London, England, 1844-09-30 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sfit—As a naval officer, allow me to offer you my best
and sincere thanks for the manly and disinterested course
you have taken, defending and advocating, in the true
and genuine spirit of an Englishman, the profession to
which I belong. When those whose duty it is to do so,
silently sleep, or in their waking dreams contribute to add
insult to our humiliation, pray continue that course,
fearlessly vindicating our rights, and exposing their
growing neglect ; place them before the public ♦iew, as
beacons, to warn them it is not too late to correct their
course, and avoid those quicksands of contempt that are
now under their lee. You will by so doing engraft a
warm feeling of gratitude on us blue jackets that neither
time or circumstances will cool, and your sympathy will
south the w ounds so unjustly inflicted. Could I but for a few
-moments invoke the pen of a Junius to indite the indig-
nation I feel ; but this is a vain wish, God help me—
what can I say or write ? I feel bursting with a swell-
ing of contempt for the poltroons who could advise a
gallant and old sailor—a Britain—to issue such an order
to his squadron, humbling the flag which forty years
ago, on those very same waters, and echoed from their
very hills and caves, the thunders of Nelson, to which
Europe responded with pride, and without envy, and
Britannia, though in sorrow, hailed the glad tidings of
victory over tyranny, when mourning the loss of her
bravest son.

With your assistance, we will not tacitly submit to in-
sults, no matter from what quarter they may blow. The
articles of war may be a gag for the time, as wadding is
to powder—the explosio❑ will be louder and the effect
more serious, when its takes place. Should any of the
old L'lmtnortalites be now knocking their old hulks
about, how will their old timbers yawn and strain on
reading that Gibraltar production ! Even the apes on the
rock would wag their tails (if they had any) in derision,
and exclaim, " Edward ! Ned Owen ! sure you: are not
the man who commanded off Boulogne in days long
since I" By inserting this outpouring of an old officer,
you will oblige one, and prove to the service how deeply
some old hulks, whose hatches are anything but ginger-
bread, feel the slights cast upon them. I would not send
this anonymously, was it not through fear of one James
Graham, the celebrated Post-office extractor, so, with my
compliments to him, should he cast his eye on this, I
remain, Mr. Editor, your much obliged,
• , LUFF AND WEATHER.
September 28, 1844.

ROBBERIES OF OFFICERS IN CHATHAM BARRACKS.
—On Friday, Thomas Woodford, a private of the 62d
Foot, and servant to Captain William Matthias, of that
regiment, was brought before the bench of county magis-
trates sitting at Rochester, charged with robbing his
master and other officers. The prisoner had been ser-
vant to Ensign R. A. Cox, of the 62d, son of Colonel Sir
W. Cox, who embarked, in the latter part of May last,
fur India. He afterwards went into the service of Captain
Matthias, in whose quarters lie had, during the day, the
use' of aVitchen and a store-roam adjoining, in conjunc-
tion With Sergeant Barnes, of the 51st, and his wife, the
latter of whOm acted as f9mitle serVini t 0114,, Matthias.
Shortly after Mr. fox 'ernbarked;:a report was made to
Captain Matthias, through another officer, that he had
lost his watch, and inquiries were made of the prisoner,
but he denied all knowledge of it. The watch was tOr-
gotten until Sergeant Barnes's wife saw watch in the
draWer of a looking glass belonging to the prisoner, and
mentioned the circumstance to Captain Matthias.
This aroused suspicion, which the following sin-
gular circumstance tended to strengthen :—One day,
as Sergeant Barnes and his wife were in Captain
Matthias's kithen, they heard a noise in the adjoining
room, and on going in found a paper parcel containing an
officer's shell jacket, which had fallen from the chimney
and broken a lamp-glass in the grate. On the 20th of
September, Captain Matthias, accompanied by Sergeant-
Major Redman, of the 62d. questioned prisoner as to
Mr. Cox's watch, but he denied having it ; however, on
Captain Matthias telling him he should search his box,
prisoner went to his box in the kitchen, and gave the
watch, with chain and key attached, to Captain Matthias.
The box and a carpet bag belonging to the prisoner
were then emptied, and in them found a forage cap of
the officer of the 62d, three shirts with Mr. Cox's name
upon them, three shirts belonging to Captain Matthias's
sea-stock, a church service with Lady Cox's name on the
clasp, and the shell jacket, with other articles. The shell
jacket was owned by Ensign White, of the 40th, who
had lent it to Captain Ebrington, of the 78th High-
landers. The latter officer embarked for India whilst
Mr. White was on guard, and the jacket on being in-
' quired for could not be found. Three distinct charges of
' felony were taken against the prisoner, one for Captain
Matthias's shirts, another for the jacket, and a third for
Mr. Cox's watch and shirts, on all of which he was com-
mitted to take his trial at the ensuing quarter sessions at
Maidstone.
The National Debt Commissioners, in conformity with
a resolution of the House of Commons, are requiring
further returns from trustees of savings' banks, in order,
as believed, to reduce the yearly and the gross amounts
to be invested by depositors.
MRS. NISBETT.—The patrons of the drama will
learn with regret that this accomplished actress has
quitted the profession she has for so many years adorned,
and entered into the bonds of wedlock with a gentleman
of title and large fortune, holding a high appointment in
the Customs. Mrs. Nisbett (then Miss Mordaunt) made
her appearance at the Theatre Royal Drury•lane in the
season of 1899, in the character of Widow Cheerly in the
Soldier's Daughter, since which period, with the excep-
tion of two years after her marriage with the late Cap-
tain Nisbett, she has continued to be a member of the
Theatres Royal Drury-lane and the Haymarket, the
latter being the last establishment in London where her
professional exertions were exhibited.
EARLY RISING.--PORCE OF ROYAL EXAMPLE.—
Much ridicule had been cast upon our good city, in con-
sequence of our authorities having been "caught nap-
ping"
on the occasion of the Queen's visit here two
years ago. A movement, however, has begun, which
will go far to rescue our city from this unhappy re-
proach. In pursuance of the example of her Majesty,
whose piper, we aro told, is employed to sound the
pibroch every morning at seven o'clock under the win -
dows of Blair Castle, as a signal for her Majesty to
awaken from her slumbers, a few of the inhabitants of
Newington have engaged a piper to perform a similar
service to that neighbourhood. The piper commenced
his duty yesterday, and is to continue to serenade the
inhabitants till further notice every morning between
seven and eight o'clock. Arrangements, we hear, are
also in progress to effect the same object in George-
square, and we hope that other parts of the town will
speedily follow this salutary example.—Scataman.