The Sun.
London, England, 1845-09-05 00:00:00

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LONDON, FRIDAY. SEPTEMBER 5, 1845.

The question whether or not among the statues of
our Sovereigns to be erected within the walls of the
new Parliament Houses at Westminster, that of
OLIVER CROMWELL should have a place, is, we per-
ceive, again mooted by the correspondents of mor
than one of our Contemporaries. They take
up the matter on one side with so much heat,
that, palpable as the merits of the case are, they
seem determined to provoke the controversy which
they would authoritatively decide beforehand. Many
months have elapsed since, in The Sun, we endea-
voured to show why the claim of the stern PROTEC-
TOR to fall into the sculptured ranks of these English
historic worthies, was one of irresistible cogency—
provided, always, that it be intended to determine
the point on a dispassionate appreciation of admitted
facts. The truth is, however, that we know of no
theme on which more prejudice has of late years been
exhibited.

A letter in the columns of a morning paper, which
we have just seen, is a remarkable evidence of the
extent to which this sort of personal prepossession is
sometimes pushed in the face of all authenticated
history and tradition. The writer in question, we
observe, remarks that what OLIVER CROMWELL ever
did to deserve a statue he does not plainly see ;
but that he has seen much to show why
CROMWELL does not deserve one ever since he (the
writer) read penny histories at his mother's knee.
Judging by what follows, his historical reading has
ever since been limited to the same veracious sources of
information. He asks, for example, why statues should
not be erected, if to OLIVER CROMWELL, to PERKIN
WARBECK and JACK CADE? He is of opinion,
on the other hand, that any individual should be en-
titled to this honour who was a King (or a Queen
Regnant, we presume), the son of a King, or the next
heir to the vacant throne. He infers that all the title
that can be made out on behalf of CROMWELL
is that he cut off the head of a King. In attempting
to vindicate the character of CHARLES the FIRST, we
observe that all these anti-Cromwellians are
compelled to drag their royal hero through the dust;
to admit his enormously unconstitutional acts in the
levying of ship .money, the revival of the old forest laws,
the imposition of arbitrary fines, the setting in motion
all the engines of his detestable Star Chamber tyranny,
the despotic extension of the powers of his Coun-
cil, and his proclamations contrary alike to the laws,
to reason, and humanity. They denounce and exe-
crate CROMWELL for the leading share he took in
procuring the capital execution of CHARLES, and
they do their utmost to establish a justification for
that terrible and guilty measure of State necessity.
But it is amusing to find CROMWELL rcproachod,
after this recital of royal delinquencies, with the
fact of his not having had sufficient credulity to trust
the same delinquent in a matter of such vast moment
as the recommendation of a successor in the govern-
ment of that nation in all his paramount duties to
which CHARLES had shown himself so signally and
criminally wanting. If CROMWELL it is asked was dis-
contented with CHARLES individually, and thought him
incapable of governing the kingdom, why did he not
accede to CHARLES'S proposal in the latter part of his
career to abdicate in favour of his eldest son? A

profitable bargain certainly the nation would have
made that should voluntarily have covenanted
upon any terms to be governed by that
heartless and most dissolute and faithless
profligate, under whose sceptre, in the fulness
of time, it was destined to endure the infamy
of passing and of passively remaining. It was this
CHARLES who abandoned to the dominion of courtiers,
to whom was wanting not one vice, not one crime,
that can disgrace human nature, and of mistresses,
the polution of whose memory has never been
equalled since the worst days of the Roman
Empire and the more modern Courts of
the Bourbon Kings—became the pensioned slave,
the abject tool, the obsequious ally of France.
For the scandalous retainer he annually received from
Louis XIV. this royal traitor sold the interests
and sacrificed the honour of his country; deserted
the championship of the liberties of Europe; be-
trayed Holland, and left Spain a prey to
the successful intrigues of French ambition. It
was this CHARLES whose royal han,ls never
hesitated to peculate in every branch of the
public revenue, cr the moneys voted for the public
service, as often as he could appropriate them to the
immoderate demands of his sensuality and extrava-
gance. It was that CROMWELL who curbed the power
and vanquished the fleets of France; who made the
name of England respected, feared, and honoured from
Archangel and Moscow to Lisbon and Rome; it was he
whose naval captains planted the standard of England
in the noblest colonies of tl.e West Indies, and
whose mere intimation of intended interference was
sufficient to protect the persecuted interests of
Protestantism in Germany and the Low Countries.
Of this man it is, however, whose courage, inflexible
intrepidity, and perseverance and military genius
in carrying out the orders of the Parliament
raised the character of the English armies
he commanded to a pitch of renown for
enthusiastic devotion, strict discipline, and almost
uninterrupted success, not attained by those of any
other State of Europe. Under his vigorous Pro-
tectorate the resources of his country were developed
to an extent they had never before attained, in spite
even of the undoubted oppressions and military
tyranny which sullied his government. To these
latter drawbacks from its reputation may
safely be opposed the important additional
merits of the improved tone of moral feel-
ing and the ennobling influences of public
confidence, which, combined with the exhibition of
intellectual power, developed by the stirring charac-
ter of the times, impart to that age of Roundheads
and the Commonwealth an historic value as well as
lustre that makes their contrast with the courtly
pomps attaching to the reigns of the first CHARLES
and his two sons the most impressive recorded
in our annals. To talk of I'ERKIN WARR ECK or
JACK CADE in the same breath with OLIVER CROM-
WELL, is to put the desperation of a Spanish pirate
on the same level with the majestic heroism of
NELSON, or to compare the partisan achieve -
ments of a Guerilla chief with the glorious
career of WELLINGTON. The political neces •
sity and the moral guilt of CHARLES'S execution ;
what was due to the virtues, the genius, the
accomplishments, the tastes, the generosity (for
we concede them all) of the man ; what was merited
by the bigotry, the obstinacy, the pride, the violence,
the unconstitutional tendencies (and no man can deny
them) ; how much was CROMWELL'S power of re-
L sistance ; how much the Parliament's power of
compulsion; what were the relative proportions
in which it was necessary to curb the
powers of the Court, and to restrain the
increasing influence of the people; how far
in the case of the latter the guilt of rebellion
was really extenuated in the case of the former,
the criminality of its deportment aggravated ;
these are all historical problems hitherto but
partially solved. Judging only by overt acts,
we must conclude, whatever virtues we may allow
to CHARLES 1., that he was a dangerous tyrant ; and
that CROMWELL, whatever guilt was associated with
his attainment of the supreme power, used it, when
once acquired, boldly, manfully, and victoriously,
towards the consolidation of his country's greatness
sues etnintl a -7 se Menne, writilevelf -ants -wnerever
their effigies are collected together.

The Registrar-General has addressed a circular
to the different Coroners throughout England for
the purpose of obtaining more specific and correct
information respecting the causes of death that
come under the observation of Coroners' juries.
This is a subject of very great importance,
not only as regards the prevention of accidents,
but the loss of life from ignorance, negligence, or
crime, as will be seen from the subjoined list of fatal
accidents within the space of only one year. Exclu-
sive of suicides, executions, some doubtful cases
omitted, and 971 imperfectly returned, 3,805 per-
sons were killed by mechanical injuries of
various kinds, caused by falls, machinery,
railways, waggons, carriages, horses, and other agen-
cies—fracturing their bones or crushing their bodies;
1,950 lives were lost by water (drowning); 3,057 by
fire (148 by explosions, 2,577,by burns, 332 by scalds) ;
188 persons were accidentally poisoned ; 65 were mur-
dered in ways not stated in the " informations ;"
and there were 83 cases of manslaughter. Now
it amounts to certainty, that in many of these
numerous fatal cases, life might have been saved had
the parties been aware of certain facts which are
pointed out by the Registrar-General as indis-
pensable in making a complete return. In cases of
death caused by lightning, for instance, it is neces-
sary to state where the person was struck, what at-
tracted the electric fluid first, whether he was
under a tree or in a house, and in what part of the
house, the nature of any visible injury on the body,
and all circumstances which can explain the course
the lightning took. Were facts such as these made
generally known, possibly there would be a diminu-
tion of deaths from lightning by at least one-half.
With regard to fires, too, similar information
would be found extremely useful, such as a statement
of the cause of the fire when known, in what part of
the house it commenced, and the article of dress
which caught fire when persons are killed by the
burning of their clothes. But it is needless to mul-
tiply examples, for the. necessity of correct details is
manifest as soon as attention is called to the subject.
We subjoin from the circular a few specimens of re-
turns which would leave little to be desired:—

Accidentally run over by a cart, while trying to stop a run-
away horse—fracture of his skull, ribs, &c.—lived 10 hours.
Accidental fAll from a ladder, by which his skull was frac-
tured—lived 2 days.
Murdered by in a duel, with a pistol ball; lungs per-
forated ; lived 3 days.
Erysipelas from a wound in the leg, caused by the falling of
a bar of iron, which struck him on the heel while at work—
wound 9 days—the erysipelas 6 days before death.
Stroke of lightning in the Finchley-road—lived fourteen
hours—symptoms like the stupor of apoplexy—no morbid ap-
pearance found in any cavity of the body ; but two slight burns
were discoverable on the inner side of the fore-arm.—Llt should
have been stated whether any object was near to attract
lightning. ]
Poisoning with arsenic, and exposure to that substance during
work in a candle manufactory.—[The effects of the poison
should have been stated.]
Exhaustion, following a burn of the arm, 19 days since—the
shirt sleeve caught fire over a candle.
Erysipelas of the arm, following accidental application of
sulphuric acid to the fingers. (3 days. )
Temporary insanity-2i oz. of laudanum, and strangulation
with hankerchief.

We have accounts from Madrid to the 28th ult.
The majority of the merchants and shopkeepers had
complied with the formularies required by the new
system of taxation. The shops were, therefore,
opened on that day as usual, and the capital was per•
fectly tranquil. Great excitement, however, prevailed at
Saragossa, many of the warehouses remained closed,
and there had been an attempt to create a mob, which
was suppressed by the authorities. The QUEEN was
expected at Madrid about the 15th inst.
On the Madrid Bourse the Three per Cents. closed
at 32 for Cash, and the Fives at 22i for the Account.

The Paris Constitutionnel has another article on the
report of the Naval Commission which furnishes a
few additional details, and, like most of the writings
in that journal, when the navy of England is men-
tioned shows a most ungovernable passion for an-
other trial of strength between the two countries.
TRIERS has but lately been engaged in describing the
preparations made by NAPOLEON for a descent on
England: in the fourth volume of his work he has
pywoeiistnshet
lestdh oute b
haveo
boats
se
furnishedpt brcnt a
icna b
Franceiulistey,
anofd
with the
now
od Istcitohhnea
amt
le, even
for landing troops, he seems to believe that thsemteceaoami

quest of England is only a matter of time and oppor-
tunity. "If a war break out between the great maritime
powers," says his journal, " which, Gon forbid, it is
evident that each of them would seek the mode of action
offering the best chances of success. France has
for a long time performed her part at sea ; she has
fought glorious battles ; she has shown what she can
do. She would, if necessary, re-enter the lists and
recommence the duel. Nevertheless, if a more cer-
tain means of reducing the enemy presented itself,
why should she not have recourse to it ? Steam
transports affords that means, and it only requires to
determine its use in a more methodical manner.
Steam has rendered a war of invasion practicable.
That war is not without its difficulties and casualties.
It may be termed daring, and even rash, but it must
also be admitted to be possible. The field is open—
we must study it, and steam transports are the prin
cipal elements of that study. Nothing in this
should resemble a defiance—it is a study, and
nothing else." Possibly it is only a study,
but unfortunately it is a study which M. THEIRS and
his party seem to be constantly dreaming of, and
which they confidently believe will one day be put in
practice. With these remarks we give the outline of
the plans recommended by the Prince DE JOINVILLE,
which we are happy to say evince a different spirit,
and are directed chiefly to discover the most efficient
propelling power for steam-vessels. In the first in
stance, the report lays down the principle that a
formal distinction must be made between war-steamers
and transport-steamers. It advises " that there
shall not be placed on the stocks at the same
time a large number of vessels of the same kind,
but that the increase shall be made according
to the results of the experiments with one or
two of each sort. As regards steamers for
combat, the Commission recommends that
their powers shall be gradually increased,
so as to arrive at the limit of what is possible and
useful. After the question of the materiel of steam-
fleets, the Commission was naturally led to inquire
into that of the personnel. In this respect the pam-
phlet of the Prince DE JOINVILLE has borne fruits.
The next point was the new propelling power, the
screw. Hitherto there has been only one experiment
of this kind under the eyes of our naval officers, viz.,
that of the Napoleon, bult at Havre for the
postal service between Marseilles and Corsica.
The Napoleon is acknowledged to have been
pretty efficient at sea, and its speed, without
being extraordinary, is satisfactory ; but, unfor-
tunately, serious inconveniences have been
created. The machine broke repeatedly, and, al-
though the navigation took place in a sea which
was propitious for the experiment, frequent accidents
proved the existence of a vice in the ensemble of the
system. This, however, is not astonishing. The
steam principle has existed twenty years, but the
screw is of recent date. It has been ameliorated in
England, and it will be further ameliorated until it
shall have effectually replaced the paddle-system.
This is a problem still to be solved, and to which the
Commission has directed the attention of the Govern-
ment. The Pomone frigate isto be furnished with a
screw, and thus the experiment can be tried on a
larger scale than with the Napoleon. The Commis-
sion, in accordance with the Ministry of Marine, has
had the good sense not to enter upon questions which
do not admit of an immediate solution. It has con-
tented itself with laying down principles from which
advantages are to be gained."
The Journal des Debats, which boasts of a cor-
respondent at Macao, gives the substance of another
of his extravagant stories relative to the designs of
the English with respect to China. According to
his account, Hong-Kong is declared to be a failure,
and some other settlement must be obtained by foul
means or fair. The following are the remarks of
that journal :
"By the last East India mail we have received some inte-
resting details with respect to the state of the English esta-
blishments in China. It appears that the island of Hong-
Kong, of which the sovereignty has been given to Great
Britain, has not answered the expectations previously formed
of it. It is a possession which seems condemned to perpe-
tual insalubrity. It. is a sterile island, which does not pro-
duce as much in a yea, as will feed the inhabi-
tants for eight days. It is good as the head quarters for
the opium merchants, but it is now certain that it will
never be a commercial place. It appears therefore that
the English are already endeavouring to secure to them-
tm a usan in their nand ' position which' is healthy;
and fertile, to which the great increase of the fo-
eign commerce at Shang-hai gives a great degree of
impartance, in a maritime, military, and commercial point of
view, but they only hold Chusan as a guarantee, and the term
of their occupation of it is limited to the 31st of December,
1845. It would, therefore, be necessary for them to obtain
from the Chinese Government either a new concession of the
sovereignty of the island, or to find an opportunity of exacting
it. Some imprudent attacks on the part of the Chinese popu-
lation, like that which took place at Macao en the person of
Mr. Davis, the English Commissioener, or that at Canton on
Messrs. Montgomery Martin and Staunton, and for which the
English have, perhaps designedly, deferred demanding repara-
tion, may probably, .in case of need, furnish the opportunity
which they are seeking. In the meantime they are expending
a great deal of money at Oman, and are laying the foundations
of a durable establishment."

The Journal of Frankfort states that the departure
of the Empress of Russia for Sicily has been decided
upon. She will reside at Palermo, where she has
hired for herself and suite the palace of the family of
aPrince. Highness the Grand Duchess
OLGAo w i
her mother. It was not known
at
osp
far the EMPEROR would ac.
c
The Three per Cents. closed at 84f. 25c. ; the Five per
t company
Petersburgi
hl iaccompanyerer Imperial
how
Cents. at 121 f. 85c. ; the Orleans Railroad Shares, 1,3131.
75c. ; Rouen, 1,115 f. ; Havre, 9151. ; Avignon, 1,078 f. 75c.
Vierzon, 3171. 50c.; Br4s7or.edeaux, 7201. ; Boulogne, 635 f.; ;
Teo
; Basle, 285 f. ; Spanish Three
p
The following are the quotations for the new lines :
rr -Cy es
Cents., tasn. , d3BMr tdei rt
et
r ajsv s 7.
,

----
15f.; Northern Line (Laffifte), 80f.; ditto ffiertotne)): 42f. premium • ditto
dLiyt.ition s(
G(aLn an
22f. 50c. ; ditto (Lapin-
; l'aris and Strasburg (Ganne-
(sCons ni Paris°i
en r)e' ) , al5l
;
(Ro-
camel), 421. 50c. ; ditty (Pepin
Lehalleur), 33f.; ditto
Hinguerlot), 201. ; ditto (Bechet)
9f.; Tours and Nantes
, (Mackenzie), 20f. ; ditto
Drouiilard), 101. ; ditto(O Neill), 15f. ; ditto (Lefevre), llf. ;
r(oDne)c,an2,
oke;beduift)t,o 32(f. :?o,'.
Lyons and Avignon (lalabot), 50f. ; ditto (Lecointe),
221. 50e. ; ditto (Compagnie Meridionale), 151. ; Bordeaux
and Cette
.(Mackenzie),, .61.
; ditto (Espeleta) 181. ;
50f. 50c. ;
Creil and St. Quentin (I‘.,saens), 10f. ; ditto (Carette), 101. ;
(Kysaens),and Mulhouse (O'Neill),
(Sellieres), 451. ; Caen
ditto3l‘fl.a;tibdei(u Ctgooel b((eAKr
it),
.)es,ga
rey6nl.)s ? ;,
32fCf. .
;h; a bpi Teoopnyp e
(Delamarre) Bf. 50c.
BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE
LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, SEPT. 4.
Anglo-Belgian ........... 6 Orleans and Vierzon 2ll/
Boulogne and Amiens.. - Orleans and Bordeaux 14%
Bordeaux &Mediterran - Over Yssel -
Bordeaux and Toulouse 24. Paris& Lyons (Lafitte) 3:4'
Do. and Cette......... 2% Ditto (Ganneron's). 2%
Central of Spain ....... - Ditto (Calon's).... _ 214,,
Dendre Valley ...... ••• 2% Paris and Orleans -
Dutch Rhenish ... ...... 91,i Paris and Rouen 425/8
Dieppe & Paris Junet. - Paris and Strasburg (Ganneron's) .. .. 3
Dijon and Mulhouse ... -
East Indian ......... 114 Do. (Compte de L'Est) 3%
Grt Northern of France Paris and St. Quentin. -
(Laffitte's) - -
Ditto (Itosamel's)
Do. Peppin le llalleur 4% Sambre and Meuse .... 9
Great Paris and Lyons. 2% Strasbourg and Basle . -
Jamaica Junction - Tours and Nantes
Do. North Midland - (M'Kenzie's)
Louvain and Jemeppe.. 51/8 Do. (Lefebvre's)
Lyons and Avignon.... 3 Verona and Ancona
Lnxembourgh.. 23A IWest Flanders
Namur and Liege -

3
2
....
4%

SOUTHWARK ELECTION.
(THIS DAY.)
The following notice has been issued by the High
Bailiff, and was this morning posted at the Town-hall :---
"In pursuance of a precept received from the Sheriff
of the county of Surrey, for electing a Burgess to serve
in Parliament for this borough,
" I do hereby give notice, that I shall proceed to such
election accordingly on Wednesday, the 10th day of
September, at the hour of ten i 1 the forenoon, at the
Town-hall, in St. Margaret's-I it , within the said bo-
rough, when and where all persons concerned are desired
to attend.
" WILLIAM PRITCHARD, High Bailiff, and
Returning Officer for the Borough of Southwark.
" Town-ball, Southwark, Sept. 5, 1815."

- - - - - -
TERRIFIC GIG ACCIDENT AND MIRACULOUS
EscArE.—This morning between twelve and one o'clock, a
"
gig, in which were three individuals, evidently under the
powerful influence of the rosy g od," was observed to be pro-
ceeding rapidly along Chancery-lane, and presently the driver
was perceived to have lost all command over the horse ; the
animal having taken fright, the consequence was that on gain-
ing the end of the lane, instead of turning either to the right
or left in Fleet-street, the horse came with such force against
the door of Mr. Groome, the well• known confectioner, adjoin-
ing the middle entrance to the Temple, as to shiver the door to
atoms. The occupiers of the
gig were thrown therefrom with
considerable violence, and it was at first imagined that one, if
not more, was killed, but to the a‘tonishment of every one, it
was soon alcertained that they had each miraculously escaped
with a momentary deprivation of consciousness, one of them
evincing the happiness he felt in his fortunate escape by flight,
which he did with the speed of an antelope, leaving his com-
panions to arrange the affair as best they. could. The horse
and gig were much damaged, and the parties, on leaving their
cards of address with the police, were suffered to depart.
GOODWOOD RACES.—The new weighing stand, we
hear, will be erected at the extremity of the enclosure, close
to the judge's chair, and will no doubt afford ample and sepa-
rate rooms for the accommodation for gentlemen and profes-
sional riders. The roof, we would respectfully submit to the
Duke of Richmond, might be so contrived as to give the trainers,
&e., a view of the racing. The course will be further
widened by throwing back the rails about half the width of the
present weighing stand,--Brightois Paper.