The Sun.
London, England, 1826-03-23 00:00:00

SHARES.

A Private Meeting was held on Tuesday of
the Directors of the Chiliad Mining Association,
at which, we understand, it was resolved to con-
vene a Public Meeting, when it will be proposed
to return the Deposits to the several Subscribers
subject to a deduction of expences. The amount
of the deduction, is estimated not to exceed ten-
shillings per Share.

An lo -Mexican, 221 dis. ; Brazilian, 74- dis. ;
General Mining, 4 dis. ; Pasco, 8 dis. ; United
Mexican (new), 2 dis.; Manchester and Liver-
pool Railway, 5 pin.

STATE OF M ACCLESFIELD.--The diStreSS in this
town and neighbourhood continues very great,
although it has not manifested itself during the
last week in any open act of violence or
insubordination. An unfortunate man, named
Geo. Lowndes, was committed to our Castle from
Macclesfield on Wednesday, on a chargelof burg-
lary, to which it is probable he was impelled by
extreme distress. The detachment of the fulskil-
len Dragoons, lately stationed in the town were
replaced on Saturday by a troop of the Rays.
wo other troops are stationed at Manchester.
The Macclesfield papers say that there is no
prospect of any immediate improvement in
the trade of the town, and that the state-
client in a Manchester paper (usually well
informed on these matter) that " of the fif-
teen thousand persons now out of employment in
Macclesfield, one third would be put. on again in
the Course of a few days," is wholly without
foundation. On the contrary, the calls upon indi-
vidual benevolence and public charity are still as
urgent as ever.----(61/2.estcr Courant.)

SUICIDE OF WILLIAM POLLOCK.—A most ex-
traordinary circumstance took place iii the jail of
this city yesterday morning. Pollock, the man
who was under sentence of death for the murder
of his wife, and who was to have suffered the last
punishment of the law to-morrow, strangled him.
self in his cell with a portion of his own shirt.
At eight o'clock, the upper turnkey visited Pol-
lock, and cleaned his cell. The prisoner then
said he felt more easy, and in better spirits.
When breakfast was taken to him, about half-
past nine, he was found dead, but not quite cold.
lie had torn out the back of his shirt, and a
strip from the side of a blanket, and these he
twisted into the forni of a small rope, and fasten-
ed to the cross-bar of a table, a piece of wood
about 15 inches long, and three-quarters of an
inch thick, which he had laid across the ventila-
tor of his cell, a small circle of 18 inches diame-
ter, formed in the wall which separates the apart-
ment from the passage. The height of this vend-
lator is only oft. 4, or thereabouts, from the floor of
the cell. But between it and the floor is the bed, a
thick oak plank, on which the unhappy man lay,
and likewise the gaud or iron bar to which he
was fastend. Ile had so adjusted his bed-clothes
however so as to entangle his feet, and prevent
them reaching the ground, when he threw him•
self off. He had also drawn a rug between the
guad and the ring of his fetters, to prevent noise.
Indeed, the whole circumstances evinced a degree
of determination and deliberation that is surpris-
ing• Pollock left three letters, and a scrap of
paper containing an inventory of his effects, in the
jail ; these he wished to be given to his son. The
letters were all of nearly the same tenor—in them
he admits the guilt of suicide but states that he
could not endure thought of
the
suffering on the
scaffold for a crime he " could not bring his mind
to believe he was guilty of." To Mr. Young, the
Governor, he writes--." Excuse this rash act ;
when you consider all, you will see there is good
intentions, though not towards myself."
Pollock
has, throughout the whole course of his confine-
ment, conducted himself very quietly, but always
denied the murder, and
appeared rather irritated
when taxed with it. He has been attended by the
Rev. Dr. Lee since his condemnation,—(Editt-
, burgh Observer, March 20.)

A BILL
FOR REGULATING THE • LICENSING OF ALE-

HOUSES IN ENGLAND:

Such is the title of a Bill now in its progress
through the Houses of the Legislature, the
object of which, however, is to consolidate the
existing provisions on this subject, and to alter
the time for granting Licences by Magistrates.
It is necessary also to remark, that although
an old provision is contained in this Act, it
nevertheless has a new operation. In all the
old Acts, a clause is inserted for compelling
publicans and brewers, to sell their beer in mea-
sures sized by the standard measures then in
use; but as now the 5 Geo. IV. c. 74, has intro-
duced a new Act of weights and measures, it
follows that the standard referred to in this Bill
must mean the standard established by that Act;
and therefore, when this Bill is passed into law,
both publicans and brewers mukt sell their beer
according to the legal measure of the day.
According to the sth of Geo. IV. c. 76. this le-
gal measure (a gallon) is somewhat larger than
the old one, although its integral parts, as quarts,
pints, &c. remain the same. By this Act, the
gallon is to contain 101bs. averdupois of rain
water, at the temperature of 62 degrees of
Fahrenheit's thermometer. This alteration has
been noticed in order to put parties interested
on the alert, and prevent any infraction of a pro-
vision which would make them liable to a pe-
nalty of 40s. for every distinct offence. Licenses
are hereafter to be granted at a Petty Sessions,
to be held in the month of March for Middlesex,
and in the month of September for the other

counties.
We cannot but express our satisfaction that the
statutory provisions relating to this subject should
be at last submitted to the consolidating spirit of
the age; for however qnestionable may be the
propriety of this measure, when applied to the
Criminal Law, and some other branches of our
Statutes, it is beyond all doubt that, in the pre-
sent instance, they must be attended with pecu-
liar benefit. When it is said that every Act that
ever was passed on this point, is now more or less
in force, and that the first of these Acts was the
sth and Gth Ed. 6. c. '25. the confusion in
which they are involved may easily be imagined.
There are ten or a dozen of these Acts now in
force ; some having a concurrent force with pre-
vious Acts; some in direct opposition ; and some
again varying, but in a little degree, with one
another; and intermixed with these provisions are
various new regulations. Thus it is evident that
great time,and no small share of patient investiga-
tion and comparlson,would be necessary to arrive at
any correct conclusion as to what was, and what
was not law. The publican therefore may hail this
Bill with satisfaction ; he may, when it shall be-
come the law of the land, purchase of the King's
Printer, for the small charge of fifteen-pence,
the " Whole Duty of a Publican ;"'and, more-
over, when he has got it, he will stand some
chance of being able to understand it.
We were in hopes some new regulation would
have been submitted to Parliament for rendering
the property of a publican In his house, and li-
cense a little more secure, or at least not so
entirely dependent on the arbitrary dictum
of any one or more Magistrate, or Magis-
trates, as it now is. In this, however, we
are disappointed, and sorry are we to say it,
because, without intending the smallest dis-
respect to this body of useful Gentlemen, We
conceive the exercise of so great a power ought
not to be entrusted even to the most upright
man in the universe. We think Gentlemen of
the House of Commons would not wish to hold
their lands during good behaviour at all ; and
still less, if that good behaviour was to be
judged of by voluntary judges, without impeach-
ment, without indictment, without trial, and even
without notice, that any such subject would
be taken into consideration at a future day.
'There is (at least it appears so to us) no difference
between the Publican and the Member in this
respect the house of the Publican, and the
li-
cence appendant to it, being as much the pro-
perty as the lands of the Member. And al-
though, the Magistrates, by depriving him of
his license, cannot take away his house also, yet
of what value is the house unless the licence
be retained ? Clearly worse than useless ; it is
a positive unproductive burden. We hope to see
the day when this anomaly will be remedied .

Mr. T ENNYSON, after the taster recess, intends
to apply to 'the House of Commons for leave to
bring in a
Bill to prohibit the use of spring-guns
and men-traps.
Mr. C. Goz.nnuaN, who was wounded in a
duel with a gentlemjtn of the name of Free-
mantle, at Ashby Morton, four miles from Marl-
borough Downs, died on Sunday. The wound
was in the fleshy part of the thigh, and the de-
ceased underwent amputation too late.

FISHIONABLE INTELLIGENCE.

THE KING.

'WINDSOR, BIARCIt 22 ~.The KING continues in the most
happy state of improvement. Scarce a symptom of illness re-
mains ; and as soon as the weather shall permit, his Majesty
will resume his favourite rides in the Parks.

ARRIVALS IN TOWN.
The Duke and Duchess of Northumberland and family, from
Alnwick Castle ; the Earl of Roslyn and family, from Scot.
land ; Lord Frederick Beauclerk, from the Sandwich Islands;
Algernon Capel,'Esq. from Norfolk ; Robert Vansittart, Esq.
from Berks ; Thomas Page, Esq. from Cobham Mr. and
Mrs. Burton, from Kent; Mr, .Mrs. and the AWNS Ham-
mond, front Herts.

DEPARTURES FROM TOWN.
Emily Marchioness of Lnntlonderry, on a tour ; Earl,
Countess, and the Ladies Bathurst, for Brighton ; the Earl
and Countess of Jersey, for Middleton Park, Oxfordshire;
the Earl and Countess of Bristol; Lord and the Ladies Her.
vey, for Putney Heath ; Wilbraham Egerton, Esq. M.P. and
Mrs. Egerton, for Brighton ; Sir John Nicholl, m.p. for
Wales; Sir William and L.uty Jane Houston, for Avisford,
Suffolk; Gilbert Heatheote, Esq. M.P. for Lincolnshire.

ANNIVERSARY OF THE VICTORY IN EGYPT.
Tuesday was celebrated, at the United Service Club, the
Anniversary of the Battle of the 21st of March, 1801, when the
brave AIIERCROMBY, in the moment of victory, resigned
his valuable life in the service of his King and Country. Tito
Meeting was composed of the Gallant Officers of the Navy
and Army who had contributed, by their exertions, to the
brilliant success of that memorable day ; and we are happy to
find that an epoch so dear and honourable to the British nation
will be continued to be celebrated in its commemoration.—
Amongst the distinguished Officers present we observed.—Lord
Howden, the President ; the Earls of . Cork and Cavan ; Lord
Lyndoch, Sir John Doyle, Burt., Admiral Sir Charles Ogle,
Admiral Scott, Sir Wm. Houston, the Hon. Major-Generals
Ramsay and Greville, &c. &c.

His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester entertained the
Dowager Marchioneas of Salisbury and a distinguished party
at dinner yesterday, at Gloucester House, Park.lane.
The Honourable J. Abereromby entertained the Marquis and
Marchioness of Lanadown and a large party at dinner 'rester.
day, at his house in New.street, Sprnng•gardens.
The Earl of Kingston had a grand dinner party yesterday,
at his house, Whitehall•place..
The Marquis de Palmella, the Portuguese Ambassador,
transacted business yesterday with Mr. Secretary Canning, at
the Foreign Office.