The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-04 00:00:00

MORNiri4l-1 DECEMBER 4, 1344.

•

The report basins, been read,
The lion. WILLIAM CowrEn moved that it be re-
. eeived and adopted.
Mr. Alderman FAREBROTHER seconded the motion.
• The Noble CHAIRMAN said that, before he put the
question to the ineeiins, ho wished to call their attention
to the special object for wl-ich they were then assembled.
it w,edd. however, he unnecessary for him to enter into
a set' eel, et of the circumstances which rendered the ex-
istence of such a society as the present necessary in so
g, eat a metropolis as this. The destitution and distress
which prevailed among the class who were employed in
needle work was too obvious to need any lengthened
detail. It was impfssible to take up any one of the daily
journals without seeing a record or the cruel and har-
rowing suffarings which that portion of our fellow-crea-
tures have endured. The report they had heard read
showed, however, the great good that might be effected
by such and similar institutions as this, and demonstrated
that, by their energetic efThrts, it was in their power to
ameliorate much of the stiff:-rings of those who were the
immediate i‘bjscts of this Society ; but the more especial
purpose for which this meeting had been called, was to
stimulate . the charitable portion of the public to
pros ide funds to meet the necessities of the coming win-
ter. This was a period of the year which pressed most
heavily upon those suffering under destitution. They
were upon the close of the old year, and at the beginning
of the new ; and it did so happen that about this time
there was almost invariably such a stagnation, to which
they whom God had blessed with affluence were vary
little alive, but to which those who lived upon their labour
were most alive, and felt most acutely. This Society was
founded for the purpose of carrying out a grand and
unquestionable truth, that the labourer was worthy
of his hire,—(Cheers:) He held in his hand a state-
ment of various suggestions of means by which that
desirable end might be attained, but the Committee had
rejected many of them on account of the difficulties
that would attend their adoption. Some persons had
.proposed taking a large building, and disposing of the
goods fabricated by the needle- women employed by the
Society. But this was considered likely to make the
remedy worse than the evil, because it would interfere
with the interest of the general trader. Again, it had
been proposed by sonic that large houses should be
erected, where the women should assemble and work •
together, but to this there were many grave objections.
In all the charity which they proposed to bestow, in all
the advantages they took upon themselves to give, it
was their object to do all that in them lay, to encourage
that mainstay of the social system-- that institution of
God himself—the domestic*—that system by which the
woman might be kept at home; there to learn and exer-
cise the high and holy calling of a wife and a another.—
(Cheers.) It was likewise the object of this Society to
obtain for all those who might be employed by means of
its funds, a remuneration of at least 9s. a week, with mo-
derate hours of work. Some persons had said the
Society ought not to confine the amount of remuneration
to 9s. It was by no means the wish of the Society to
limit-it to that sum,:much less did he intend to affirm that
9s. was an adequate remuneration for a mother of a
family ; but the object of the Society in putting the
remuneration at that limit was to prevent a greater evil ;
for the Committee felt ';that if they were to contribute
more than that sum, they would, in many instances, be
creating the evil they sought to remove, fur they would
be possibly enabling a party to set up an establishment
in which some Wretched girl, taken from the workhouse,
Blight be made to undergo the very privations which
that party was now herself enduring, and from which
it was the object-of the Society to rescue her altogether.
(Cheers.) Another object of the Institution was, to sup-
ply the poor with medical aid; and in that very little diffi-
culty would be found; for his experience had convinced
him that medical men were ever ready to offer their services
in the cause of elierity ; proving,:as he had always found,
that their profession' was characterised by everything
that was kind, generous, and self-denying.—(Cheers.)
He Wished to advert briefly to 'an objection which had
been 'urged against the Society by persons who had expe-
rienced disappointment, in nut having the objects of their
recommendation assisted. Now it did sometimes happen
that persons were sentto the Institution who were either
aged or unskilful in their business. But, although .such
persons were entitled to every charitable consideration,
still .a committee in administering the contributions of a
charitable fund must be guided, and act upon, certain
specific rules. Now, this Society was specially founded
for the purpose of giving aid to professional needle-
women, who had no other means of subsistence, and who
were the only really- skilful workers in that business.
In some instances work had been given persons who were
inadequate to its performance, and the consequence had
been that those who had sent the work were much dis-
satisfied'.with the mode of its execution. It was by no
means the intention of the Institution to interfere with
the trade in general, or with the shopkeepers in par-
-Ocular. The 'great wholesale dealers in many instances
had given the Society their most effective support, and
the Committee never thought of doing anything, directly
or indirectly, that could do injury to such parties. It;
however, injury should happen to fall upon other parties
—upon those whose object it was to grind the very faces
of the poor,- he did not think there was any one in that
meeting who would feel the slightest compassion for their
loss.—(Cheers.) But he was most anxious to impress
upon the meeting that which he felt very deeply himself,
namely, the great evils that were arising in all directions
from that constant and unceasing effort on the part of
every one, to get every single thing—he meant not the
trifles of life, for theni the did not care, but every neces-
sary that could be done for them by a human being at the
very minimum of remuneration—at the very smallest
amount that would keep any mortal, being just within
the limits of this side of the grave. Look at some of the
cases where women have been ground down to the lowest
amount of remuneration that could sustain human exist-
ence. He himself knew of an instance of a woman who had
worked twenty hours a day, day after day, without in-
termission—(Hear)—but what was it that worked them
down to this wretched condition ? First, there was the
workhouse.--(Hear, hear.) Work was taken in at those
places to a very great extent, to be performed by parties
who were maintained at the public expense. These per-
sons often made shirts at a Id., and even sometimes at a
id. apiece, and thus the public fund raised to relieve the
poor was brought into competition with these wretched
sempstresses, who were struggling to support themselves
and their children, from the very houses that were held
up as places of terror to them ; and yet those very-houses
were made the_ instruments of their ruin.—(Hear, hear.)
To put an end to this system was the first remedy to be
applied. He did not mean to say that work ought not
to be performed in workhouses ; but, if it were so, either
let it be confined to supplying the wants of the inmates
themselves, or else taken in at the market rate of re-
nauneratior, so that uo undue advantage should be given
—not to the poor people themselves, who do work in
those houses, but to the public, by the diminution of
the rates—that advantage being purchased by the enor-
moto safferings'of those wretched creatures whose cause
you are now met to support.—(Hear, hear.) The same
argument which applied to workhouses would also apply
to prisons, and the same remedy was equally applicable
to both. He, in company with Alderman Farebrother
and their worthy Secretary, had the honour of waiting
upon Sir James Graham upon this subject, and that
Right Hon. Baronet was pleased to express deep sym-
pathy with the suffi rings of the needle women, and pro-
mised he would du his best to abate the mischief arising
from the causes which he (Lord Ashley) had been stat-
ing. Aye, but there was another description of place in
which much mischief was done—he meant the schools of
the metropolis.—(llear, hear.) Work was taken in at
the charity schools and done upon terms most inade-
quately remunerative. It had frequently happened that
when applications were made at the house of this Society
to know upon what terms work would be done, and when
those terms have been stated at the lowest possible
amount that it would give, he would not say an ade-
quate, but a decent remuneration, the parties had gone
away, saying they could take their work to the schools
and there have it done for next to nothing.—(Hear.)
And this was what was called charity l—(Hear, hear.)
Before he sat down he was happy to have it in his
power to announce that her Gracious Majesty had
permitted him to declare that she would con-
tribute to the funds of this Society to the amount
of 50L—(Loud cheering.) He felt assured that
meeting would express its hearty gratitude for the mu-
nificence and charity of their beloved Sovereign.— (Loud
cheers.) Another illustrious lady, the Queen Dowager,
had empowered him to add a stcond donation of 101.—
(Cheers.) And, moreover, she had given them the pri-
vilege of enjoying her name as the patroness of this In-
stitution.— (Cheefp'.3 He had also to announce that
Prince Albert bad empowered him to say that he would
be a contributor to the amount of 25L, and he, accompa-
nied his donation with the expression of sympathy and
kindness for the objects of the Institution. He (Lord
Ashley) hoped that these royal examples would stimu-
late the public, fur it was to the public, through this
meeting, that they made their appeal, appealing, also,
for assistance from the public press, which always showed
itself forward and zealous in advocating the cause of the
destitute and the oppressed. He did hope that these
royal examples would stimulate all parties to come for-
ward and do something effectively for the relief of the
present destitution that prevailed among so large a class
of their fellow-creatures.—(Cheers.) It is hopeless (said
his Lordship), nay, it is useless, to attempt any social or
moral improvement of those classes so long as they re-
main in their present state of destitution and suffering.
(Cheers.) Food and raiment are indispensable prelimi-
naries, and unless these demands of nature be supplied,
it is vain, it is almost cruel, to talk of amelioration.—
(Hear, hear.) Just consider what a multitude of women
are concerned in this appeal. There are many mothers
of families who are wholly unable to make provision for
the proper discharge of any one of the maternal duties.
Neither at home nor at school is there any possibility
for their offspring to undergo any domestic or religious
training. I have often said, and I do venture to say
again, and I will say it even to satiety, that the women
of a country are the chief sources of its virtue and of its
vice, and that unless something be done to raise this class
from their present state of destitution and disgrace,
there will be very little hope for the prosperity of the
British ernpire.—(Cheers.) When the Emperor Napo-
leon asked Madame Campen what he should do for the
benefit of France, that excellent woman replied, " Train
up for us a race of mothers." This is as true as holy
writ, because it is derived from it ; and I do hope that
from this day we shall be doing something effective
towards that great consummation, and that we shall not
be content to say, " Be ye warmed, and be ye fed," but
that if a brother or sister be naked, we shall at once be
ready joyfully to acknowledge the relationship, and
prove that we are the children of one common Father.
The report was then received and adopted.
Mr. Alderman FAREBROTHER observed, that as her
Majesty the Queen Dowager had graciously conde-
scended to become the patron of this Institution, their
ilobia friend in the chair was necessarily superseded.
The first thing, therefore, they had to do was to request
his Lordship to accept the office of vice-patron ; he ac-
cordingly moved that Lord Ashley be vice-patron of the
Society.
REDMAYNZ seconded the resolution, which was
]4r.unanimously adopted by the meeting.

The Noble CHAIRMAN expressed his readiness to ac- BRITISH COLONY IN -
cept the honour the meeting had conferred upon him. OF FRANCE
The Hon. W. Cowl,Ea, M.P., then rose to move a re-
salution, pledging the meeting to use their utmost MARSEILLES, Nov. 28.—Lord Br
friend Mr. Leader, Member for Westminster, arrive
41titiktfkallekititt
endeavours to promote the interest of the Society, which
had such strong claims upon the public support. No short time back at their delightful residence at Cannes.
class of persons, in his opinion, was more entitled to Lord Brougham is busily engaged in the correction of
commiseration than the needle-women—they were more
the proof sheets of his great work on the French Revo-
lution. This work is very extensive apparently, anti
susceptible to misery than persons belonging to the
w
lowest class, because they were generally persons of will be published on the return of the Noble Lord to
better education reduced to a condition of destitution. London. He will leave his country seat in Provence so
as to be present at the opening of Parliament. Mr.
The competition among them was enormous. This was
taken advantage of, and they were compelled to toil day Leader is engaged with his magniffcent building, the
foundations of which are laid. This edifice, the plan of
a,,d night fur a pittance that would hardly sustain life.
The cruelty of their case was, that they did not receive which is on a scale of grandeur, magnificence, and
the full amount paid by the trader for the labour be- elegance hitherto unheard of in the south of France, will
stowed. A. middle-woman stepped in between the mas-
probably be completed in a year, the work being 'for-
ter trader and the sempstress, and took the greater per-
warded with all possible dispatch.
tion of the mone actually paid for the labour. The General Harrison, the Marquis of Clanricerde, Col-
3'Haddington, Sir Dunstan Lower, Sir Arthur Nelson, the
object of this Society was to remedy this evil, by secur-
Duchess of Bedford, &c., have severally visited the Noble
ing to the person who actually gave the labour a fair
proportion of the wages paid for it. The Society would Peer and his friend, who have succeeded in making
Cannes a fashionable English colony.
not at all interfere with the wholesale or retail trader ;
Mr. Leader is frequently in our environs, with the in-
bat it might perhaps curtail the unjust gains of the in.
termediate parties ; and possibly might supersede the tention, as he himself says, of purchasing largely in the
" middle-women and middle-men" altogether. Those Delta of the fertile plain of Luval, situate near the fort set
lands, of which he has lately become the proprietor.
who gave a halfpenny and a penny for making a shirt,
It would; indeed, be difficult to find a spot more cal-
must be making their fortunes out of the blood and
sieews of their fellow-creatures. By restoring to the culated to arrest the attention of a capitalist. Admirable
climate, rare fertility, rivers, canals, ponds, forests,
mpstresses that to which they were entitled, full and
fair wages, the Society aimed to do justice rather than meadows—everything, in short, fitted to win the admira-
tion of an agriculturist is found united here with the
to bestow alms. They were a friendless, helpless, and
destitute class, and being near to the doors of the most beautiful scenery.
Many English families have formed the project of
wealthy, aid could be afforded them more promptly and
building in the neighbourhood of the colony of Cannes.
effectually than to those in remote regions, on whose
behalf the thoughts and imaginations of the benevolent Lord Brougham does the honours in magnificent style.
were oftentimes sought to be excited.—(Cheers.)
JuLIEN JEFFREYS, Esq., seconded the resolution.
Some politico-economical objections had been made to
this Society. It was said that poverty must always
abound, and that the real remedy was for the persons suffer-
ing to manage . not to multiply their numbers. But it
should be borne in mind that women laboured under
great disadvantages. They could form no union societies;
they could hold no periodical meetings, to confer upon
what affected their interests ; they had no strikes for
wages ; and thus they were powerless as to effecting any
remedy for the evils they suffered under. If the hours
of labour of women were limited to ten a day, it was
his belief that there would not be a sufficient number in
the metropolis to supply the demand in the labour
market. What was required, however, was to create
such an extra demand for the labour of women, as should
lessen the present lengthened hours of work, and in-
crease, by some amount, the present rate of wages. This
he thought might be done by this Society, as it would
afford temporary employment to the extra hands, leaving
the rest to work moderate hours at full wages. It was
astonishing how greatly one or two redundant hands
affect the interests of a large number of workers. An
excess of one in fifty would introduce a state of compe-
tition prejudicial to the whole body. The present Insti-
tution would remedy that evil, and therefore he cordially
gave it his support.
The resolution was then put and carried.
Mr. REDMAYNE moved the appointment of a Committee
to administer the funds of the Society. lie considered it
the duty of all who were in circumstances to do so, to
stand by those who could not protect themselves, which
was the case with the unhappy objects of this Institution.
All parties were now studying to curtail the hours of
business and labour, for not only were the warehouse-
men closing their establishments at one o'clock on Sa-
turday, but the carriers would not receive goods after
three o'clock on that day. Women, however, could not
combine to procure relaxations of that nature. He
should like to see it:good strike:amongst the needlewomen,
for he thought it would be productive of great benefit.
It was said by some, that it was vain to undertake
such objects as the present, because the evil was too
deeply seated to be removed by any efforts that
these societies could make ; but it was a suffi-
cient answer to say that, if they could not remove
the whole mass of misery that existed, they would very
much diminish its amount. As Christian men and
women it was their duty to do something, and he was
sure the ladies of England, when they sat by their fire-
sides and reflected upon the privations and sufferings of
the numbers of femals who were compelled to ply the
midnight needle, would feel a wish that they could put an
end to all employment of so cruel a description,
1)r. PENPOLD seconded the resolution, and it was car-
ried unanimously.
Letters were read from the Earls of Mountcashel and
Hardwicke, the Bishop of Llandaff, and others, express-
ing regret for their unavoidable absence, and declaring
their sympathy in the objects of the Society. A list of
subscriptions was also read.
Alderman FA.nEnnoTnEn said that as the business of
the day was about to conclude, he was quite satisfied
that the meeting would be unwilling to separate without
offering to the noble Chairman their best thanks for his
generous services, and for the courteous manner in which
he had conducted himself in the chair. As President of
the Society, he begged to say a few words upon the pur-
poses for which it was intended. He would not occupy
the time or harrow the feelings of the meeting by nar-
rating the many cases of distress which had come before
him as a magistrate ; but perhaps it was in consequence
of some of those eases that the present Institution was
founded. He never professed to thank, and he never
should thank, an enlightened British public for contri-
buting their money for purposes of benevolence ; he
rather congratulated them upon possessing the privilege
of bestowing a portion of their superfluities upon needy
and deserving objects. We were all dependent upon
each other, from the highest to the lowest. The rich
could not live without the middleman, nor the middleman
without the poor person. It was our duty to give com-
fort to the afflicted, to wipe away the tear from the eye
of the widowed mother, and to enable her to protect her
children and to nurture them in kindness and affection,
and with the benefit of her sound instruction and admo-
nition. lie moved the cordial thanks of the meeting to
Lord Ashley for his able and judicious services, and for
the courteous manner in which he had conducted himself
in the chair.
The Rev. JOSEPH BROWNE seconded the motion,
and exhorted all present to remember, after they left
that room, the resolution to which they had voluntarily
come, to do all in their power to promote the purposes
of the Society.
Lord ASHLEY said Alderman Farebrother had laid
down in such excellent and unanswerable terms the prin-
ciple that none are entitled to thanks for the perform-
ance of their duty, that he felt embarrassed how to re.
ceive the thanks of the meeting for the slight trouble he
had taken in this cause. lie did feel that very little
thanks were due for the performance of a duty imposed
upon us by the responsibility of our situation. If, in-
deed, we thought that we came into the world by chance,
it would be all well and good ; but if we were placed
here for an especial purpose, and if our existence was a
gift which was to be accounted for, there certainly were
little thanks due for the discharge of duties so impera-
tive. At the same time, he was not indifferent—far
from it—to the thanks of his fellow-citizens. He con-
sidered it not only as an honour which ought to be
highly prized, but as a resolution on the part of those
who offered it to co-operate with him in his efforts for
the general amelioration of the condition of mankind,
and in that sense lie thanked the meeting heartily, and
he should, with God's blessing, so long as he had the
power, do all he could to remove some of the evils of bis
fellow-creatures.
The meeting then broke up.

------- -
THE FIIII:NCH NAVY.
The following article appears in the Quolidieans (a
paper that supports the Bourbon dynasty), for the
purpose of showing how France lost all her maritime
power when she cast off the old race of kings. It is
a curious document, and admits certain facts with re-
gard to the victories of the English navy, which Na-
poleon kept with the utmost care from public view :
"Ws have already shown what the naval forces of
France are in 1844. They are very much fallen off from
what they were fifty years ago. Louis XVI , it is true,
did not go to Windsor; he would have spurned the idea
of uniting two rival nations by the puerile knot of a
garter; but he forced the Britannic Plenipotentiaries to
come to Paris and sign an act of renunciation of the
'finest jewel in the crown of George 111., viz., an entire
continent. The French fleet on the Ist of October,
1792, reckoned 86 ships of the line, of which 39 be-
longed to Brest, 10 to Lorient, 13 to Rochefort, and 24
to Toulon. Three of these were of 120 guns ; five of
110 ; ten of 80 ; sixty-seven of 74 ; and one of sixty-
four guns. War broke out. The imperious tyranny of
the Commissioners of the Convention, the timid heslta-
tions of some of the Admirals, Cie ill-conceived and un-
connected instructions sent from Paris, by men who
knew nothing of navigation, and a concurrence of cir
cumstances, subjected cur squadrons to great disasters,
although the courage of our naval heroes never for ore.;
moment failed. Our losses were enormous. It is pain-
ful to recal them, but it is the duty of history, and we,
have before us official documents of them which ought
not to be concealed, as being fecund in profitable lessons;
experience thus dearly bought should ever be brought
into use. In . .

793—we had thirteen ships of the line, and nine frigates
taken or destroyed at Toulon, and five frigat,:s
taken elsewhere.
794—Six ships taken or sunk ; eight frigates taken.
.795—Five ships taken or burnt ; six frigates taken.

[96—Seven frigates taken.
797—Three frigates taken.
798—Thirteen ships taken or destroyed (eleven at
Aboukir) ; ten frigates taken, and two destroyed.
799—Six frigates taken.
800—Two ships and six frigates taken.
801—Two ships and ten frigates taken.
803—One ship and six frigates taken.
805—Fourteen ships taken or destroyed (Trafalgar) ;
four frigates taken.
808—Six ships and one frigate forced to surrender at
Cadiz ; two frigates taken.
.Six ships and seven frigates destroyed, and seven
frigates taken.
.810—Eight frigates taken.
1811—Three frigates taken; two destroyed.
1812—One ship taken; two frigates destroyed.
1813—Two frigates taken.
1814—Seven frigates taken,
1815—One frigate taken.
The losses of France during these twenty-three years
amounted to 91 ships of the line and 177 frigates, com-
prising 11 ships and as many frigates wrecked, or burnt
by accident. Out of 60 ships taken, 41 were added to
the British navy; and out of 137 frigates taken, 108
had the same fate. These reverses on the oceanhow-
ever, did not prevent France from being triumphant on
the Continent, and her victories on land compelled dif-
ferent nations to add their squadrons to hers, but her al-
lies were equally unfortunate. Their losses were—
Ilolland-22 ships of the line, and 40 frigates.
Spain-21 ships and 22 frigates.
Denmark-20 ships and 10 frigates.
And yet all these successes of Great Britain were
purchased by her at a very easy rate. She had
only seven ships of the line taken from her, viz. the
Alexander, in 1794 ; the Censeur and Berwick, in 1795;
the Leander, in 1798 ; the Hannibal and Swiftsure
in 1801 ; and the Calcutta in 1805. She had
also to record the capture of 12 of her frigates. One of
these was by a deed the most glorious in our naval an-
nals. On 14th December, 1798, the Ambuscade was
boarded and taken by our sloop the Bayonnaise, of very
inferior force. The preponderance of the naval strength
of Great Britain is further shown by the following state-
ment :
At the end of 1794 she had 117 ships of the line, of
which 85 were in commission.
In 1802 she had 126 ships of the line, of which 104 were
in commission.
In 1809, 127 ships, of which 113 were in commission ;
and in 1813, 124 ships, of which 102 were in commis-
sion.
The totals of her effi ctive navy were, at tho-end of 1793,
411 vessels of war, measuring together 402,000 tons ;
135 of these were in commission.
In 1798 she had 696, measuring 581,000 tons, and of
these vessels 451 were in commission. In 1809 she
had 1,061, measuring 858,000 tons, and 709 of these
vessels were in commission ; and in 1813 she had
1,009 vessels of war, measuring together 870,000 tons ;
613 of these vessels were in commission.
Thus in twenty years England, to insure to herself the
absolute dominion of the seas, more than doubled the
numbers of her naval force."

809 -'

COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS'
PROTECTION SOCIETY:

TO THE EDITOR OF. THE SUN.

Sin,—Your insertion of the letters signed " A BQg..
man," " A Modern Commercial Traveller," " A Com-
mercial Traveller, but no Teetotaller," and the " Secre-
tary of the Commercial Travellers' Protection Society,"
(who, by-the-bye, seems ashamed to sign his name) in
The Sun of Saturday last, demands the warmest thanks
of every firm sending out commercial travellers, as it at
once shows the great saving that may be effected in the
present literal allowance for " travelling expenses,"
which is a very serious item in these days of severe com-
petition, and consequently diminished profits.
The only extra charge those harpies, the landlords,
oould make would be 6d. for dinner, and as the pint of
" wine" and the glass of " ardent spirits" would cost
3s. 6d., there would be a clear saving of 21s. per week,
which, with a house sending out four or five: travellers,
would effcct a saving of some 200 or 300 pounds per an-
num—as I cannot fur a moment imagine such nice
p:!ople as your Correspondents would appropriate a sum
of money allowed them for the travelling expenses of
the house to any other purpose.
I therefore beg to express my thanks to you and your
Correspondents for this valuable information, although
I am fearful before we can realise any great benefit we
must procure a set of travellers who require a chairman,
treasurer, and secretary to protect them, and who con-
scientiously believe that taking' a pint of wine at dinner
and a glass of grog at night constitutes a drunkard.
I remain, Sir, your most obedient servant,
A TRAVELLING 1 ARTNER.

SIR JOHN SEALE, M.P.
Our obituary records the death of Sir John Seale,
Bart., the representative of Dartmouth. Sir John first
entered Parliament, being then Colonel Scale, in 1832,
and from the commencement till the close of his career,
was a consistent liberal politician. lie took an active
part in promoting corporation reform, and laboured as-
siduously in favour of free trade. For several sessions,
beginning in 1838, he brought forward a measure to per-
mit the grinding of foreign corn in bond, and he had at
length the pleasure of seeing his plan carried into exe-
cution. We have no recollection of his taking a pro-
minent part on any other question, but he attended well
to his Parliamentary duties, and was rarely absent when
a liberal question was to be supported, or an invasion of
the public liberties defeated.
Sir John was descended from a good family, which has
been long settled in Devonshire, where it has consider-
able property and influence, and some church patronage.
lie was Colonel of the South Devon Militia, and was
created a baronet under Lord Melbourne's administra
tion in 1838, an honour which his standing in his native
county and his public services well deserved. In 1804,
he married the daughter of Sir Paul Joddrel, and has
left behind him a numerous family. At the time of his
decease he was in his sixtieth year, and is succeeded in
his title and estates by his eldest son, born in 1806.

SMITHFIELD CLUB CATTLE SHOW.—The exhib
tion this year, it is believed, will exceed, both in the
quantity as well as quality of the stock, that of any pre-
ceding one, and in order to afford facilities for such in-
crease, not only have the proprietors of the bazaar had
removed an extensive stabling which formerly occupied
the north-western corner of the grand marquee, but the
entire of the spacious carriage department (only a small
slip thereof being appropriated formerly) has been placed
at the disposal of the Club. His Royal Highness Prince
Albert, the Duke of Richmond, and Earl Spencer. have
made entries as competitors in various descriptions of
stock.
HEALTH OF GENERAL NOTT.—During the past
week the General has continued to gain strength, and
he is now much better than he has been since his arrival
in England. So satisfactory, indeed, is the state of the
Gallant General's health that he may be said to be fast
approaching convalesence. Lady Nott took carriage
airings yesterday and to day, and it is gratifying to learn
that her ladyship's health is improved.— Welshman.
IMPERIAL PRESENTS.—We understand that at the
close of the past week (Friday last) a great number of
cases were landed at the Custom-house, having been
brought from Cronstadt. They all contain presents
from the Emperor of Russia, said to be of extraordinary
value. There are no less than twenty packages for her
'Majesty and his Royal highness Prince Albert, four or
five .of the cases, with their contents, weighing each
above a ton. Sir N. Peel, the Duke of Devonshire, and
the Duke of Buceleuch, have had also several large cases;
the whole amounting to about thirty. We cannot Mate
the precise nature of the lincerial gifts, but we hear that
lase Queen has had forwarded some superb
vs of great value, and some of the cases are statedmalachite to
be valued at 10,0001.
HOOTON HALL.—Sir W. Massey Stanley, Bert. s
birthday, last week, was celebrated after the good old
style of English hospitality, at his seat in Cheshire.
The respected Baronet entertained nearly 1,000 of his
tenantry in a spacious marquee erected purposely for the
occasion. The school children were not forgotten, a
handsome provision being laid out at the hall. On
Wednesday Sir William gave a ball and supper, which
concluded the three days' festivities.

TO THE EDITOR. OF THE SUN.
Sm,—The cant and humbug of the present day ap-
pears making its entrance into the Commercial Room.
There is no necessity' that I can see, for chairman, se-
cretary, Ike. to the "Commercial Travellers' Protection
Society." Let all who are of their way of thinking
associate together, and not annoy the great portion of
their fellow-travellers. As to the vicious system,
blighting the prospects indulged in by a fond parent,
those who cannot take care of themselves had better
have their " anxious parent" with them. The fact is,
it is to save money that this humbug is commenced.
Houses who send out gentlemen to represent them, sup-
port them as gentlemen, and -whose. conduct deserves
their confidence, are to be annoyed by f.‘. modern com-
mercial men," who are generally sent out by third-rate
houses, at a few shillings per day. The landlord is to
furnish them, in some measure, at the expense of the
liberal portion of the commercial body—and, lam proud
to say, the greater number may be classed so—for your
" teetotallers' are, from observation, " tremendous heavy
feeders. I do, likewise, most distinctly deny the fact of
" A Young Commercial," " that every one is compelled
to drink his pint of wine ;" every day's experience
proves the contrary. The Society spoken of appears to
wish to ride is " first-class carriages," at " second class
fares." Ido hope the rational and social comforts of the
Commercial Room na:ty long continue. Let this now
Society enjoy. its comforts and advantages, but nut by
interfering with the present usages of the road.-1 re-
main, Sir, yours respectfully.
ONE WHO CAN IJSE, AND NOT ABUSE,
THE CONIFOR T 6 OF LIFE.
Salisbury, Dec. 1, 1844.
[We have received several other letters on the same
subject, and among there, one from a Correspondent, who
signs himself " Yu-oex, complaining of the.grtat space
in the paper already devoted to the controversy, while,
forgetting the point with which he sets out, he fills more
than two large pages ‘Nith a disquisition on teetotalism.
lie, therefore, cannot blame us ler omitting hiS letter ;
but, indeed, enough has alteady appeared to satisfy
both parties.—En. Sun.]

---, • - .
FIRE OFF TOPPING'S WIIAuF.--Yesterday morning,
about' half-past twelve o'clock, a very alarming' fire
broke out in a schooner lying olf Topping's wharf.
The land engines and firemen were soon in attendance
1 of thl A and 3 sections of the London establishment,
as well as a party of the Thames police, and with the
united exertions of those on board, though with the ut-
most difficulty, the fire was soon extinguished; not, how-
i ever until great damage was done to the cargo on board.