The Sun.
London, England, 1844-01-11 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY'

THE Fr.cENCII LEGISLATURE.
CVAAMBER OF PEERS, JAN. 8.
At two o'c,isck Baron Pasquier, the Chancellor, took the
chair. Ste-Ally afterwards the Duke de Broglie read to the
Chamber ',he following draught of the address in reply to the
King's speech :
" Sire,—The words which your Majesty has pronounced
from the Throne have filled our hearts with joy. In receiving
them with respect we thank the King for the prosperity of the
country. Our loyal support will never be wanting to him.
May France display with confidence her fruitful activity, and
follow her peaceable labours. May she acquire additional
power and wealth among all nations; her future destinies
are secured ; the empire of the laws is established; factions
'have been overcome, and the power of the State, disdaining
their vain demonstrations, vfill keep a watchful eye over their
machinations.
" Order in the finances constitutes the strength and security
'of Governments. The Chamber of Peers had more than once
demanded the re-establishment of a balance between the re-
ceipts and expenditure; and it applauds the success of ti.
efforts made to attain that end.
" Peace reigns abroad, and there is every prospect of its
duration. The relations between France and the foreign
Powers are on a benevolent footing ; we congratulate your
Majesty on that result.. A sincere friendship unites you to the
Queen of Great Britain. A happy understanding has been
established between your Government and hers ; in presence
of the events now passinF in Spain and Greece that harmony
was desirable. Our policy with regard to those two countries
has ever been generous and disinterested ; it must not be
altered. We entertain for them a real affection; may they,
after so many convulsions, enjoy tranquillity and order ; may
Royalty find in those friendly nations and its alliance with pub-
Ain liberties a r,ew principle of power and stability.
" The treaties concluded with the King of Sardinia, with
the republi.cs of Venezuela and the Ecuador, and the negotia-
tions your Majesty follows with other Powers, have for
their object to extend our commercial relations, to provide mar-
kets f'.,r the productions of our national industry, by preserving
to foisting interests an equitable protection; it is a task wor-
I:hy of your enlightened solicitude. In order to appreciate
their results, we will wait the communications which your
Government may be pleased to make to us.
" We shall attentively study the laws relative to works of
public utility. The law on secondary instruction shall be the
.object of °tie meditations. The freedom of education is one of
the consequences of the charter; the tutelar intervention of the
State in public instruction is indispensable for society.
" Sire,—Your family is ours. France deems herself happy
to count, like you, an additional child in that youngePrincess
'whose presence adds to the consolations which God has re-
served to you. France views with pride, in the ranks of oar
.brave army of Algeria, one of your sons, giving and receiving
in turn the example of that undaunted courage :and patience
• which surmount the resistance of men and the obstables of
nature ; so many efforts will yield their fruit, and our domi-
nion in Algeria shall soon be general and tranquil. God has
blessed you, Sire, by giving to you children worthy of their
father and of the nation of which they are the noblest sup-
porters. Thus dynasties are consolidated and bonds of affec-
tion are formed between Royal races and nations. Pledged
faith and a mutual attachment render the tie indissoluble ; the
King, on ascending the throne, promised to devote to us his
entire existence, to do everything to promote the glory and
welfare of France ; France promised to be faithful to him. The
King has observed his oath—where is the Frenchman who could
forget or betray his allegiance?"
The Duke de Richelieu then entered into some explanations
respecting his late visit to the Duke de Bordeaux. He was,
he said, a Peer in MO; he took the oath at that time to the
new Government, and had never violated it. If he had gone
to London to pay his respects to an unfortunate Prince, he
merely considered that he was accomplishing a duty of honour,
and rejected with indignation all idea of having been intuenced
by any criminal intention.
M. de Boissy next ascended the tribune, and read a manu-
script speech, in which he reviewed and condemned the do-
mestic and foreign policy of the Cabinet, but without being able
to captivate the attention of the Chamber. He spoke of the
right of search, and asked M. Guizot if he had obtained satis-
faction for the violence offered to French fishermen by English
cruisers, who had fired upon them, and killed one of them,
without giving them any previous notice ? This sally excited
the merriment of the assembly.
M. Guizot replied, that a French fisherman had been ac-
tually killed at Newfoundland by a shot fired by an English
officer ; that this unfortunate occurrence had given rise to a
long negotiation, and that the English Government, on
inquiring into the circumstances which had occasioned that
deplorable event, had found that the officer was to blame, and
had granted a pension to the family of the deceased.
M. de Veyrac presented the vindication of the 2,000 or
3,000 Frenchmen who had visited the Duke de Bordeaux,
amidst the murmurs of the assembly.
M. Guizot stated that the Government had,for several years
kept a watchful eye over the movements of the Duke de Bor-
deaux ; that when the young Prince had repaired to Vienna,
Dresden, and Berlin, where France had ambassadors, re-
monstrances had been made against his presence there,
which were immediately attended to by the Governments
of Austria, Saxony, and Prussia. When the Duke pro-
ceeded to England, M. Guizot was aware that in a
country enjoying liberty and publicity to such an extent
the Government had not the same means of repression
1.3 elsewhere. He, nevertheless, had addressed a note
to the English Government, by whom it was received in a
manner that responded to his expectation. The Queen
of England refused to receive the Duke, and thus gave him a
signal mark of her disapprobation of his visit and sojourn in
her dominions. Encouraged, however, by the toleration they
experienced in that free country, the Legitimatists had in-
dulged in scandalous scenes, which excited the attention of the
French Government. It again applied to the British Cabinet,
who protested its regret at not being armed with sufficient legal
means of repression, but at the same time it manifested its dis-
pleasure in unequivocal terms to the authors of those scenes,
and left nothing undone to convince them of its dissatisfaction
at their criminal proceedings. The speech of M. Guizot was
most favourably received by the assembly.
M. de Boissy, who spoke next, compared the emigration of
M. Guizot to Ghent, in 1815, with the recent visit of the Le-
getimitists to Belgrave-square, and pronounced the former to
be far more criminal, inasmuch as it had taken place in time
of war, and on the eve of a battle that had proved so fatal to
his country. When he had concluded, the President announced
that the general discussion was closed, and read the first para-
graph of the address, which was adopted without opposition.
The second paragraph was likewise voted, after a few words
from tie Minister of Finance, who assured the Chamber that
it was not a mere promise which the King's speech held out,
but a positive assurs.nce, that the receipts and expenditure
would he balanced in the budget of 1845.
Segur Lamoignon having asked M. Guizot if he had
orened s negotiation with England for the revision of the right
of search?
NI. Guizot replied, that when he deemed the moment op-
portune, he had directed the attention of the British Govern-
ment to that subject, and, after much difficulty, had succeedel
in inducing it to consent to a re-examination of the treaties of
1831 and 1833. The negotiati.ins were still pending, but he
had every hope of bringing the matter to a satisfactory con-
clusion.
M Dubouchage asked M. Guizot if it was true that the
English had taken possession of the harbour of Diego Suarez,
on the coast of Madagascar?
M. Guizot replied, that no information on the subject had
reached his department or that of the Marine.
After a few words of M. de Boissy, on the affair of the
Marabout slave-ship, the third paragraph was carried, with an
amendment in favour of Polish nationality.
The Chamber finally voted the address, by a majority of 115
votes against l4.

MURDER OF LORD GRANTLEY'S

KEEPER.

CORONER'S INQUEST.—On Tuesday an inquest (adjourned
from Monday) was held at the Jolly Farmer, Bramley, near
Guildford, before Mr. C. J. Woods, Coroner for West Surrey,
on view of the body of James Ed.vards, aged 48 years, prin-
cipal keeper to the Right Hon. Lord Grantley.
On Monday the jury proceeded with the Coroner to the club-
room to view the body, which presented a frightful spectacle,
there being upwards of a dozen wounds on each side of the
head, evidently inflicted by some blunt instrument, in all pro-
bability the but t•end of a gun.
After evidence had been adduced of the prisoner having been
missed on Saturday morning, and the finding of the body in a
field called Lyne Ersh, belonging to Lord Grantley,
Charles Holiington was sworn, and stated—l am inspector of
police at Guildford. On Saturday evenigg la.t, between 9
and 10 o'clock, the prisoner James Elsley was brought to the
station-house at Guildford by Joseph Jenkins. On Sunday
afternoon the prisoner expressed a wish to see me. I went to
the station-house, and he appeared very uneasy in his mind,
and said he wished to speak to me. I cautioned him that
whatever he might say I should take down, and that it might
afterwards be used against him. On the following night,
about 7 o'clock, I understood that the prisoner wished to see
me again. I accordingly went to him, and he made the fol-
lowing statement :
" On Friday evening I went home and took supper, but on
entering the door I saw my son eating some victuals. I said
to him, Where are you going Bill?' He said, lam going•
to the raffle ; and, father, will you come down to take part of a
pint of beer James Sherlock is going to give me ?' I ate my
supper and took a pint of half-and-half. My son and me went
home together, and when we got indoors he asked my wife for
some victuals ; she said, What do you mean by that ? You had
your victuals before you went out. She cut him a piece, and
gave it him, and as soon as he had undone his shoes he went to
bed. When he was gone, I said, How hard it is for us to be in
such distress, we have neither butter nor cheese, or sugar •' and
whether she had even tea I am uncertain, for when we had our
supper:we bad but a piece of bread each with a little tea, without
sugar and milk, and I had spent the last 2d. we had , so we were
destitute, and it hurt my feelings ; so I said to my wife, I
will go and get a bird or two, if I possibly can, for I can't
bear to see us in such distress.' I went and shot a braoe of
birds, and I thought if I could get a sale for them it would get
a little tea and sugar. I was coming to the river when I met
the keeper, and he said, D—n you, I have got you now.' He
then put up a stick and said, D—n your eyes, I'll kill you,'
and he was going to strike me, but I pushed and threw him
down, and I said, We will fight, life for life.' I struck him
with the butt-end of a gun several times; the last time he fell
into the river. I then went away, and left him. On going
home say wife said, ' Have you got anything ?' I said, Yes.'
She then replied,' I hope nothing will happen from this.' I
said something had already taken place."
A great number of other witnesses were examined, but their
testimony was merely a corroboration of the previous witnesses.
The Coaonaa. then summed up with great minuteness, and
the jury without the least hesitation returned a verdiet of
Wilful murder" against James ELsley.

Tsa
BOSCAWMII, 70 Guxs.—This fine vessel, after
being a considerable period on the stocks at Woolwich Dock.
yard, has been ordered tobme
be completed, and is now nearly
nu
ready for launching. A caulkers are employed
upon her, to complete that part of hero
works,Teas it is expected
be she will launched in March next.
handsome three-decker, and, although not of such larlewedlimiesna-
skins as the Trafalgar, is well worthy of being seen,
the largest ship of war in an advanced state at r shiche is
or
Deptford Dockyards at the present time. The principal deck
is supported by 18. turned pillars of the best African teak,
which add greatly to the appearance of her stability The
Royal Albert of 120 guns will be the principal object of attrac-
tion at the Woolwich Dockyard after the launch of the Bos-
cawen. The greater part of the timbers of that magnificent
first-rate ship being now nearly converted into their proper
shape, will enable the workmen to proceed with her construc-
tion with the utmost dispatch, and she now begins to assume a
fine form and very beautiful outline ; her side timbers are
erected. The " joinings" and the strength. and stability of
the workmanship of this vessel, in the opinion of competent
judges, have never been excelled, if equalled, in the British
navy ; and her excellent proportions appear to be the admira-
tion of all, and reflect great credit on 11.1 r. Oliver Lang, the
master shipwright who designed her, and under whose imme-
diate superintendence she is in progress of construction.
How TO WRITE CLEARLY AND FORCIBLY...—A
man fully possessed of his subject, and confident of his
cause, may almost always write with vigour and effect,
if he can get over the temptation of writing finely, and
really confine himself to the clear and strong exposition
of the matter he has to bring forward. Half of the
affectation and offensive pretension we meet with in
authors arises from a want of matter, and the other half
from a paltry ambition of being eloquent and ingenious
oaf, of place.—Lord Jeffrey.

RECEPTION OF THE FRENCH
CONSUL AT CANTON.
The Paris Messager, a Government paper, gives
the following official account of the interview between
the Count de Ratti-Menton, the French Consul-
General in China, and the Imperial Commissioner of
the Emperor :
"M. de Ratti-Menton; who was accompanied, by
M. Fornier-Duplan, the Captain of the Alcmene,
having arrived at Wampoa, addressed a letter, on the
31st August, to the Viceroy, requesting an interview.
On the 6th of September the Consul, with his Chan-
cellor, M. Fornier-Duplan, and eight officers of the
corvette, arrived at the country house of the Viceroy,
where he was received by the Mandarin Tang- Quang-
Tong, Judge of Canton ; Hum-Seu, the delegate of
the Imperial Commissioner ; the Kwang-Tcheou-
Fou, Prefect of Canton ; and the Sub-Prefect of
Casabranca. At noon the gongs announced the ap-
proach of the two grand dignitaries. After having
taken their seats in the great hall they sent a mandarin,
with blue crystal buttons, to inform the Consul that
they would receive him with pleasure. There were
assembled in the hall his Highness the Imperial Com-
missioner, wearing the yellow sash, in token of his
relationship to the Imperial family, his Excellency
the Viceroy, the Kwang-Tcheou-Fou, and several
mandarins of blue and white buttons. As the Consul
and the persons with him entered the hall, his Im-
perial Highness and the Viceroy rose, and went to
meet them. The Count de Ratti-Menton delivered
in an enclosure of silk, a letter from M. Guizot,
Minister of Foreign Affairs, to the Viceroy. After'
having removed it from its envelope, the Viceroy pre-
sented the letter to his Highness, and read the transla-
tion which had been made of it. Nuemrous questions
were then addressed by the two dignitaries to the
Consul, and to the captain of the Alcmene, respect-
ing the King of the French, the Royal family, and
M. Guizot, and the relations existing between France
and the other powers. The French Consul then
presented to his Highness the Imperial Commis-
sioner a letter requesting for France the same ad-
vantages as had been granted to England. The
Imperial Commissioner replied, verbally, that as
the Chinese Government had acted so generously to-
wards England, notwithstanding their ancient and
recent differences, the Imperial Government did not
think it could be less amicable as regarded France.
Matters being thus settled, the authorities uncovered
their heads, and invited the French to do the same
(in China, it is required by etiquette that the heads
should be covered whilst business is being discussed).
There were then served at different small tables a
variety of sweetmeats, and some of which the Im-
perial Commissioner presented to the French from
time to time. Before the meeting broke up, M.
Fornier-Duplan repeated to the Imperial Commissioner
a request that had already been made to the Viceroy,
for the liberation of a Chinese Christian, who was
arrested two or three years ago, and branded in the
face with a red-hot iron, for having been in the
service of a missionary who had been taken in the
interior of China. The Imperial Commissioner pro-
mised to write to the Minister of Justice at Pekin,
and to recommend this request to him strongly. The
reception, which was alike brilliant and cordial,
lasted more than an hour.
The same journal publishes as follows the corre-
spondence connected with the above :
" Ky-Ing, High Imperial Commissioner, &c.,
Ky-
Kong, Viceroy of the Province of the two Kwangs,
&c., to his Excellency M. Guizot, Great Minister
of France, charged with the department of Foreign

Affairs.
" The 13th day of the 7th intercalary moon of the
23d year of the reign of Taou-Kwang, we received
in audience the Count de Ratti-Menton, sent to
Canton by your Excellency in the quality of Consul
of the first class, and he transmitted to us direct the
letter in which the illustrious Minister manifests to
us such honourable sentiments of affection. Our
hearts are filled with joy on the occasion, and we
thank him for it. We have long known that the
empire of France is one of the first states in Europe.
Three centuries ago it earned on commerce with our
empire. Between these two empires peace and
friendship have constantly reigned. Never have there
been dissensions, discord, or any subject of litiga-
tion. The merchants of France have always observed
in their affairs a spirit of order exempt from all con-
fusion ; their conduct has always been regulated by
the laws and justice. I, the Imperial Commissioner,
have lately received from my august Emperor the
authority to allow foreigners to trade in the five ports
of Canton, Font-Chow, Amoy, Ning-Po, and Chank-
Hai, and consequently, and in accord with my col-
leagues, I have fixed and determined the regulations
relative to commerce, as also the tariff. The mode-
ration of the duties which have been established proves
incontestably that we have been in this respect as
open and generous as possible towards the foreigners
who v;sit these distant countries. To the French
merchants we grant the same privileges as the
English and other nations have obtained from the
approbation of our Emperor. M. de Ratti-Menton,
who has just arrived at Canton in quality of Consul of
the first class, furnished with official letters from
the illustrious Minister, and who, besides, has already
filled several posts in other countries of Europe,
where he distinguished himself by, his prudence, his
affability, and his conciliatory spirit, will easily suc-
ceed in directing the French merchants, whom he
will scrupulously cause to observe all the arrange-
ments relative to trade, and will thus enlarge our re-
lations of commerce and friendship. Such is the reply
we have the honour to address to the illustrious Mi-
nister of France, entreating him, in order to prevent
all confusion, to employ the same terms as those
which we have used to express his titles and powers.
—Canton, the 17th day of the 7th intercalary moon
of the 23d year of the reign of Taou-Kwang."
Copy of a letter from M. de Ratti- Menton tohis High-
ness the High Imperial Commissioner, dated Can-
ton, September 5, 1843.
" Highness,—As soon as the Government of
his Majesty the Emperor of the French was
informed of the happy re-establishment of peace,
his first thought was to appoint a consul. He
imagined that this measure might contribute to
give more extension to the relations already so ancient
which exist between China and France, and every-
thing strengthens the hope that this desire will be
realised. Nevertheless, in the present state of things,
and notwithstanding the harmony which has prevailed
between the two empires for more than two centuries,
his Majesty the Emperor of the French, my august
master, desires only for his subjects a participation in
the privileges enjoyed by other nations in the Celestial
Empire. I have consequently the honour to request
your Highness to have the goodness to give me a
document, sealed with the great seal, similar in all
respects to that which the English and the Americans
have obtained, as regards their future relations with
these countries ; this document will be sent by me to
the Government of his Majesty the Emperor of the
French, who will see in it a just reciprocity of the
sympathy which France has always felt for China."
Letter of the High Commissioner and of the Viceroy
of the two Kwangs to Count de Ratti-Menton.
" Ky-Ing, High Imperial Commissioner, Member
of the Imperial Family, Viceroy of the Provinces of
the two Kwangs, &c., &c.—Ky-Kong, President of
the War Department, Viceroy of the two Provinces
of Koang-Tong and Kouang See, &c., &c., send
collectively this official answer. The 13th day of the
7th intercalary moon of the 23d year of Taom-
Kwang (September 6, 1843). We, the said Com-
missioner and his colleague, had the pleasure of an
interview with the Honourable Consul of the first
class, who presented us directly with a letter, which
we have opened, read, and perfectly underetood.
France is an illustrious and powerful State of the
Western Ocean, which, for more than three cen-
turies, has entertained peaceable and friendly re-
lations with China, without the slightest dis-
agreement or effusion of blood. Having come
to Canton by the express orders of the
Emperor, my master, to there determine on
a tariff and commercial regulations applicable to
the merchants of all nations, and these regulations
having been drawn up and agreed upon, and the
tariff established and completed in a manner to abolish
all illegal duty, and all exaction, I, the High Impe-
rial Commissioner, have respectfully submitted these
two documents to the approbation of his Majesty,
whose answer, received through the medium of the
Minister of Finances, contains his gracious authorisa-
tion to carry the said tariff and regulations into exe-
cution. Henceforth the merchants of all nations
will superabundantly enjoy the kindness of the Em-
peror of China, who has condescended to manifest his
kindness for foreigners, and to open to them an inex-
haustible source of profit. France, therefore, who
has so long maintained friendly relations of amity
with the Chinese, and whose merchants have hitherto
conducted themselves peaceably, conformable to strict
equity exempt from all disorder—France has a
particular right to be regarded with equal kind-
ness. No other country shall certainly be more
partially favoured. We, the said High Imperial Com-
missioner, and his colleague, have, in consequenceilat
the demand of the honourable Consul of the first clod/
caused copies to be made of the new tariff, and the
new regulations relative to commercial matters, and
have formally affixed to them the seals of our office.
We send them subjoined officially to the honourable
Consul of the first class, inviting him to have them
translated into the language of the Western Ocean,
and to publish them in his country, in order that
French merchants may know them and conform to
them. Inconsequence of the opening, for the interest of
commercial transactions, of the five ports of Canton
Font-chow, Amoy, Ning-po, and Chank Hai, the
im-
perial duties specified in the tariff, as well as the ton-
nage dues, will be alone demanded, another dutiesbeini
henceforth abolished ; the other provisions of the regu-
lations are the result of the good feelings of our great
Emperor towards foreign traders. His Majesty, de-
siring to relieve them from all impediments whatever,
and to open to them a large source of profit, his knad-

ness and great consideration on this occasion may be
said to have gone beyond ordinary bounds. To the
arrangements relative to smuggling;; to the fraudu-
lent injury of the revenue; to the fixing of the rate
of exchange ; to the confiscation of merchandises &c.,
&c., concerning the laws of the country, the agents of
the other countries have given their consent, and the
Honourable Consul of the first class should likewise
oblige the merchants, his countrymen, to obey them
implicitly, thereby avoiding every subject of dis-
pute or discussion. When merchant-vessels shall arrive
in one of the ports, they can only place themselves and
trade in a certain limited space, which they must not
go beyond, nor can they go to any other points of
China besides the ports above-named. The different
regulations are now in course of fixation, and when
the good pleasure of the Emperor shall be known it
will be officially announced. The Hon. Consul
being come on a mission to Canton, and having
brought with him a letter from the Grand Minister
of his country, we, the High Imperial Commissioner
and his colleague, will treat him with the greatest
courtesy and with all the required politeness, and
will place him on a footing of perfect equality with
the English Consuls.—lmportant official communica
tion made to M. de Ratti-Menton, Consul of France
of the first Class, 23d year of Taon-Kwang, 7th in-
tercalary moon, 17th day (Sept. 10, 1843)."

A CHESHIRE JURY.
At the Chester assizes, on Friday, held before Mr.
Justice Wightman, William Venables was indicted for
killing and slaying his father, John Venables, by kick-
ing him in the belly and loins, on the 27th of September
last. The father of the prisoner kept a beer-shop at
Sandback, and the races took place on the 27th of Sept.
The prisoner was at his father's house on that day, and,
whilst in a state of intoxication, quarrelled with a man
named Sutton. He was removed from the room, but re-
turned, and persisted in fighting Sutton. His father
endeavoured to quiet him; and upon seeing, the prisoner
said, " You old rogue, are you coming ? " He struck at
his father, who fell on the floor, and the prisoner
gave the old man a savage kick in the belly. The
prisoner's brother immediately seized him, and prevented
his doing anything more to his father. The old man
was raised from the floor. He appeared to be in a very
bad state ; was put to bed, and died on the following
day. Upon a post mortem examination, it was proved
that his bowels had been ruptured. The defence was
that the rupture was caused by an accidental fall.
jury retired to consider their verdict. After an
absence of half an hour, they came into Court, and
returned a verdict of guilty, with a strong recom-
mendation to mercy. Judge—Upon what ground,
gentlemen, do you recommend him to mercy ?
Foreman —We recommend him to mercy on
the ground that it was done by accident. Judge—lf
you recommend him to mercy on the ground that it
might have been by accident, your verdict ought to
have been " not guilty." It is only in case you think it
was done wilfully that you can find him guilty. Fore-
man—We do not consider that it was wilfully done.
Judge—Then you had better retire, and re-consider your
verdict. You must consider whether it was done by
accident or wilfully. If it was a pure accident, then the
prisoner is not guilty. If you entertain any doubt
about it, you are bound to give the prisoner the benefit
of it. If you think it was done wilfully, he must be
convicted. If you think it was not intentionally done—
if you think he had not the intention to harm, you must
acquit him.—Foreman—We do not think it was inten-
tionally done. Judge—You must go and consider your
verdict. The jury seemed disinclined to leave the
court ; but his Lordship directed them to go back to the
room, and reconsider their verdict. They then left the
Court, and, after an absence of half an hour, returned. It
then appeared that they had changed their foreman, who,
in answer to the usual question from the Clerk to the
Crown, gave a verdict of Not Guilty !

ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY.—The first meet-
ing for the present year was held on Monday evening,
R. J. Murchison, Esq., F.R.S., President, in the Chair,
when the Marquis of Northampton was elected, and R.
Warburton, Esq., M.P., was admitted a member.
A paper was read from Mr. Johnson, on the
newly-acquired British settlement of Hong-Kong,
and the town of Victoria. The physical aspects
of the island are not very remarkable, and
the appearance of the country is sterile, except in
the summer months from May to July. The only indi-
genous animals are a species of deer, the armadillo, and
a few snakes, and there is nothing remarkable in the
cultivation, though many European seeds have been
successfully introduced by the agent of the Horticultural
Society. Victoria is the only town in the island, though
there are many villages and hamlets distributed through it.
INCOME-TAX APPEALS IN THE CITY OF LONDON.—
The Commissioners acting under the new Income-tax Act for
the City of London are rapidly getting through the appeals,
which it is expected will all be disposed of by the end of the
month. To prevent any unnecessary trouble to parties attend-
ing, the board has appointed Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thurs-
days, and Fridays only u appeal days, and Mondays and Satur-
days they do not sit. On Tuesday morning, at eleven o'clock.
the Commissioners met at their office, 36, Basinghall-street, to
hear appeals under schedule D, on profits arising from proles-
sionabtrades, &c., from the inhabitants of the ward of Farring-
don Within, which being a very extensive one, will be con-
tinued to-morrow morning at the same hour. To-morrow
from the parish of St. Andrew, Holborn, and on Fri-
day, the 12th, from the assessed of the parish of St. ThAnstan's
in the West, Fleet-street, &c. The number of appellants, on
an average, has not exceeded 15 to 20 a day.
MANSLAUGHTER AT A CARD TABLE.—GLOUCES-
TER, JAN. B.—ln one of the houses in this locality (a
beer-shop, called the Plasterers' Arms), a young man,
named Richard Cole, was, on Saturday evening, playing
at cards with some boon companions. Another man,
named George Fricker, joined the party about seven
o'clock but did not play. He was intoxicated, and
very quarrelsome ; and as the game proceeded he
looked over the cards of one of the players, and
made a signal to his partner, for the purpose
of showing what cards were out. This aggra-
vated Cole, who said he would play no more, and
threw up his hand. Fricker then challenged Cole to
fight, and Cole rose from his seat and struck him a blow
in the mouth. A proposition was made to adjourn to
the yard, but Fricker would not agree to this, and taking
advantage of an opportunity, hit Cole a violent blow
under the jaw with his fist, which knocked him down.
Pricker then fell on him, seized the hair of his head, and
continued to beat him for some time, until he lay mo-
tionless on the floor, and upon being lifted up, it was
found that he was quite dead. Fricker then laid
hold of the landlord, threw him backwards, and
beat him about the head. Mr. Hickes, a medical man,
promptly attended, and pronounced Cole to be quite
dead. In fact his neck was broken. An inquest was
held on the body this day, before Mr. Bailey, the Co-
roner, and after a lengthened investigation, the Jury re-
turned a verdict of " Manslaughter" against Richard
Fricker, who was fully committed for trial. Fricker is a
young man of turbulent disposition, and evinced no re-
gret for his crime. The deceased is the son of respectable
parents, and a generally well-conducted man. He was
distantly related to the eccentric Jemmy Wood, of Glou-
cester, whose will has been the subject of so much litiga-
tion. Had the will been set aside his family would have
shared in the distribution among the next of kin. The
melancholy occurrence has caused considerable excite-
ment in the town.

THE LATE BISHOP or CLOGHER.—In a recent
number, we quoted from the Scotsman an account of the
death, and some circumstances connected with the ro
cent history, of the once celebrated and infamous Bishop
of Clogher, who finished his career in Edinburgh, under
an assumed name, some weeks ago. On Saturday, we
were a good deal surprised to find the subject revived in
a Glasgow Contemporary, under circumstances of a
most extraordinary nature—the late Hon. and Rev. John
Stapleton, so well known in this city, being declared no
other than the Bishop of Clcgher, who had lived among
us for fifteen years under a feigned name. The Hon.
and Rev. John Stapleton was a resident in Glasgow
before the disgrace of the Bishop of Clogher was con-
summated, and was all along well known as a member
of the noble house of Le Despencer, being
uncle to the present Baroness, who inherits the family
honours in her own right. Mr. Stapleton died in Eglin-
ton-street, Laurieston, about the beginning of 1843,
when his remains were transmitted to England to be in-
terred in the family burying place. These facts, of
themselves, are sufficient to disprove the statement re-
ferred to, seeing that the Bishop of Clogher, under the
name of Wilson, died only a fews weeks ago ; and we
may add, that the appearance of the two men was ex-
ceedingly dissimilar. Having thought it right thus to
do justice to the memory of Mr. Stapleton, we may
state :that there is no doubt whatever that the Bishop
of Clogher, under the name of Thomas Wilson, did,
several years ago, reside in Glasgoe, though
the circumstance appears to have been known to very
few indeed. He lived with an Irish family, near to the
west end of Tradeston, and, so far as we have been able
to learn, they were perfectly aware of his real identity,
and, indeed, seem to have been intrusted with the care of
his person by his relatives. His habits were, as de-
scribed by the Scotsman, exceedingly recluse ; he was
seldom seen on the street, received no visitors, and every
movement went to show that he was thoroughly im-
pressed with the propriety, if not the duty, of forgetting•
his past dignities, and living a life of humble obscurity.
The reason of his removal to Edinburgh, about four years
ago, we have not ascertained.—Glasgow Argus.
Loss or LIFE. Yesterday the keel Castor, of
Newcastle, while entering this harbour, struck against
another vessel, and instantly sunk. One of Dennett's
rockets was immediately fired, and one of the crew got
hold of the line, with which he was hauled on to the
pier end, and was saved. We regret, however, to add,
that another man, who was washed off the wreck by the
violence of the sea, unfortunately perished. The wreck
of the vessel drove up the harbour. The sea was very
.Navy, and the wind strong at S.S.E. Two other vessels
:!-e're.,*•ithich stood out to sea. The life-boat put off,
but as the latter did not attempt to enter, she returned
up the harbour.—Tyne Mercury of Tuesday.
An inquest was held on Tuesday afternoon on the
body of a female child, about six days old, found on the
top of a shed in Pear-tree-alley, High-street, Shadwell.
It was wrapped in two pieces of dark-coloured stuff. The
infant did not appear to have received any professional
aid at the birth. A verdict of "Found dead" was re-
corded.

On Tuesday an inquest was held before Mr. Higgs,
on the body of Ann Bourne, aged 30, a married woman, but co-
habiting with a man named Webb, at Harvey's-buildings,
near Bedford-street, Strand. She poisoned herself in bed,
having taken a quantity of laudanum which she seemed to have
rendered palatable by orange juice. Around her neck was a
silk kerchief, which she had drawn tight by a slip-knot. She
was a dissolute woman anti addicted to liquor. The jury re-
turned a verdict of " Temporary Insanity." it appeared that
the deceased had been told that her paramour (an engineer)
had taken up with another trornan.

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.

FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY.
G LOBE.—The evidence taken against the two
individuals who stand charged with extensive for-
gery and uttering of forged wills, and fraudulent
transfer of Bank- Stock, will afford proof of the
imperfect security afforded to the public by the
Registration Act, and also by the practice of the
Bank of England officials. With respect to the
latter, the proof required as to the identity of
persons who present themselves at the Bank as
legal representatives of deceased parties, seems
to be very slender, and the facilities thus
afforded to fraud are consequently considerable.
We abstain from those references to the evidence
adduced against Barber and Fletcher,lby which the
inefficiency of the precautions at present em-
ployed by the Bank of England functionaries is
exemplified, lest we should seem to prejudge the
accused. When the trial ,which awaits them
has been had, an opportunity will be afforded
tbr directing attention to the necessity of a
revision, with a view to improvement in the
transfer•office of the Bank of England. The
evidence of Mr. Jordan, the registrar of births
and deaths for the district of Pimlico, is strikingly
illustrative of defects in the registration law, and
fully confirms the incidental remarks of Mr:
Chadwick, in his Report upon the Practice of In-
terment in Towns, recently published. To that
part of the Report, Mr. Clarkson, in the course
of his address to the Lord Mayor on introducing a
new case with which he charged the prisoners,
said, " I cannot help calling your Lordship's at-
tention to the present operation of the law in re-
spect to this subject. I hold in my hand a
book to which, no doubt, your Lordship has al-
ready paid partial attention ; I mean the Report
of Mr. Chadwick upon the practice of burying in
towns, in which there is a passage relating to the
registration of deaths, and pointing out the faci-
lity the present system affords for committing
frauds." The Learned Counsel then proceeded to
quote the passage; to which, we think, the atten-
tion of the Legislature should be drawn early in the
next session, with a view to the amendment of
the law :—" It is admitted that some additional
arrangements are yet wanting for the complete
attainment of the proper civic and technical pur-
poses of registration—as depositaries of pre-
appointed evidence of the fact of death to deter-
mine questions of private rights ; as depositaries
of evidence for purposes of medical science and
public health, to show the extent and prevalence
of common causes of disease incident to different
occupations and different localities; and of 'the
data for tables of insurance, as well as for the re-
covery of sums assured, when the proof of age
is not admitted in the policy. Any one who is
unknown to the local registrar may gd' and
register, as a fact, his own death, of which- a
certified copy of the registry will, according to',
the 38th clause of the Act, be evidence m a
Court of Law. Cases of the registration of false
statements have already been detected; some
have been made with a view to successions and to
the obtainment of property. False registrations
have been made amongst the labouring classes
as to the place of death, to gain interments in
distant parishes at cheaper rates. Fictitious
deaths have been registered to defraud burial
societies, and the registrar's certificate of such
deaths have got in use by vagrants as means of
obtaining alms. In Manchester, a woman
having obtained and used one certificate
of a fictitious death, soon after obtained
another similar certificate ; and, in order
to deter parties from visiting the house,
she got the cause of death registered as
malignant fever." (Section 188, p. 160.) With
the closing remarks of Mr. Clarkson we fully
concur. The Learned Gentleman's extensive
knowledge and practice of criminal law—the
most extensive of the entire bar--give a
value to his opinion, which could not be con-
ceded, to the same extent, to any other au-
thority:—" I have not the honour of knowing
Mr. Chadwick," continued the Learned Gentle-
man ; " but it is undoubtedly a subject of great
importance ; and it is to be hoped that those
who have the power and the ability, will take
measures to see whether it is not within the
power of human ingenuity more decisively and
effectually to guard against such fraudulent
transactions."

STANDARD.-An able article in the last
Number of the Quarterly Review, upon the sys-
tem of education pursued at the Universities,
has directed attention very generally, and we
believe very usefully, to that subject. The sub-
ject is indeed a very extensive one, branch-
off into all the various departments of edu-
cation, religious, moral, literary, and economi-
cal. The last is, however, that upon which
the Reviewer bestows most consideration, scarcely

touching upon direct religious moral, or literary
instruction, except as connected with the question
of economy. For this course there is so much
justification, that the direct education in re-
morals, and literature, given by the
Universities—we mean by direct, the education
provided by the University rules, and imparted
by the public tutors of colleges--is so excellent,
and so faithfUlly and zealously given, as to admit
scope of
of no change or addition that would not dete-
tion. This
riorate rather than improve; whereas the
indirect alloy to this excellent system is all due
to the influence of money, and comes therefore
the economical
properly()nsrai n p
economical consideration
cide
is, however. we think, unduly narrowed by the
Quarterly Reviewer, in confining it, as he con-
fines it, to the mere question of the loss of money
by the parents of the young men who are led
into debt and into habits of expense. The
loss to the families of . these young men
is no doubt frequently serious and productive
of much injury, but upon the whole the loss of
money to their families is a far less injury than
that caused to the young men themselves, by
training them to habits of concealment, debt, and
expense. or than the injury to the public, by
making debt and expense fashionable. Youth
is the period in which the habits of the man are
formed ; and let a young man once get over the
fear and shame of debt, which are, we believe,.
instinctive, and nothing but a vigorous effort of
reason will in after life fit hint for the self-denial
which he must often exercise to avoid em-
harassment, even when possessed of consider-
able wealth, still more, if his means are
moderate ; and self-denial, it must be remem-
bered, is again made more difficult by the
preceding habit of indulgence, which the
facility of debt and expense encourage. Strictly,
therefore, as a part of education—as an ele-
ment of moral training debt and expense
ought, if possible, to be excluded from the Uni-
versities. We would not enforce a Spartan
discipline, unsuited to the actual state of so-
ciety, but, surely, between that and the
extreme license in this matter, hinted at
by the Quarterly Review, as prevailing in
the Universities, there is a wide field. In society
generally it is not inquired whether a gentle-
man or even a nobleman lives within or be-
yond his means (until he happens to get into
debt), provided that he lives like a gen-
tleman, that is, without resorting to sordid
practices or mean shifts; and why may not
the equalising principle, which good sense
has established as a rule in society, prevail in
the Universities where it is so much more ne-
cessary? The reason is, because, in the early
period of life good sense, the effect of experience,
has little control. All young men are vain,
whatever direction their vanity may take ; and
the rarest knowledge with youth is the know-
ledge of the value of Money. But vain men
will seek distinction, and as expense is one of
the most obvious and simple, though also the
rudest and most fallacious means of obtaining
distinction, young men, if they have money or
can borrow it, will employ money as the means of
raising themselves above those with whom they
are by any circumstances associated. This, too,
has the mischievous effect of forcing debts on
others, who, with less vanity and more slender
means, are still not sufficiently philosophical to
be contented in the lower station—hence the
disease of debt and expense becomes, as it were,
infectious, and one or two rich or unscrupulous
young men make a whole College extravagant.
Either this happens, or a marked barrier must
separate the rich from the comparatively poor—
which would destroy the fusion of classes in the
University, justly treated by the Quarterly Re-
viewer as one of the greatest benefits they confer
upon the country. How are the evils of expense
and debt in the Universities to be remedied ? is a
question no doubt much more easily asked than
answered. You cannot prevent foolish parents
giving, or greedy usurers lending, or dishonest
'tradesmen granting credit ; still, though an
evil cannot be altogether excluded it may
be mitigated, and in such a case as the present,
mitigation is almost as good as a complete cure.
Now, it will, we think, be admitted that if by
any arrangement moderation could be made the
rule, expense and debt the rare exception (if
such is not the case already), as much would be
obtained as the public can reasonably desire.
Now, as to expense, there are already many
checks, as the long code of college rules with re-
ference to hours, company, the indulgence in
expensive amusement, which, rigidly enforced—
and if not rigidly enforced such rules are worse
than useless—would go a great way; and
when these failed we do not see why expense
might not be properly treated as a substantive
offence, incurring the penalty of removal from
the University. If a man will not conform to the
habits of a society, after repeated admonitions,