The Sun.
London, England, 1845-09-20 00:00:00

TRANSPORTATION.

In the last report of the inspectors of Millbank Prison,
the following information is afforded on the subject of
transportation :—After a careful personal examination
of the prisoners and of the documents transmitted with
them, the inspectors recommend such disposal with re-
ference to the age, crime, sentence, and previous convic-
tions of each prisoner, as in accordance with the general
principles of the system of convict discipline which has
been established by Lord Stanley in the penal colonies,
under which the convicts have to pass through certain
stages of detention and discipline before they become
free. The following is an outline of the mode of dis-
posal of male transports under the instructions of the
Secretary of State :—Adult male prisoners sentenced to
transportation for life ; the more aggravated cases of
convicts sentenced for any term not less than fifteen
years ; all prisoners sentenced for transportation for
any term for burglary, arson, rape, forgery, or for
robberies attended with personal violence ; and pri-
soners sentenced to transprtation for any offence
or term who have been previously transported—are
sent to Norfolk Island for terms 'of not less
than two or more than four years. After the pre-
scribed period of detention in Norfolk Island they have
to pass through certain terms in Van Diemen's Land,
first in the probationary gang, afterwards as probation
pass-holders, and finally as holders of tickets of leave
before they obtain their freedom. Other adult male
prisoners, with the exception of those selected for Pen-
tonville Prison, are sent to Van Diemen's Land for a
term of detention in the probationary gam of not less
than one year, nor, in except in cases of misconduct; of
more than two years ; these prisoners afterwirds pass
through the stages of probationary pass and ticket of
leave-holders before they obtain their freedom. It ap-
pears that other prisoners are sent to Gibraltar and Ber-
muda and Pentonville Prison, before they are sent to
the Australian colonies, or Van Diemen's Land; others,
who are unfit for active lab-mr, to the invalid hulk at
Woolwich. Juvenile male prisoners under sentence of
transportation, who are deemed fit subjects, are sent to
Parkhurst Prison, and the remainder are sent to Point
Puer in Van Diemen's Land, whore there is an esta-
blishment for convict boys.

METEOROLOGICAL PREDI

TIONS, WITH OBSERVATIONS ON THE WEA-
THER TO THE MONTH OF DECEMBER IN-
CLUSIVE.
(From the Cheltenham Journal of Sept. 1.)
The statement of the weather, as published in the
Cheltenham papers in May last, and subsequently in the
Morning Herald and Sun newspapers, was to the follow-
ing effect :—" June, to the 10th of the month, will be
generally cold for the season"— the result exactly corre-
sponded. " From the 10th to the 21st the heat will in-
crease considerably." It will be well remembered that
from the 11th or 12th to the 21st of June, the heat
became excessive. Prediction, from the 21st to the end
of the mouth, " considerably colder ;" the result corre-
sponding.
July prediction.—" From the 2d to the 10th the heat
will again increase, though not so powerfully as ex-
perienced during the period from the 10th to the 21st of
June." The result of the weather from July 3d to the
10th was a return of the heat to a considerable extent ;
from the 10th of the month the weather became un-
settled, cold at intervals, and much wet. The cold and
wet on the approach of August, to the Bth day, con-
tinued as stated in the prediction. August, "cold to
the 7th."
Prediction from the 7th of August.—The weather
would be very hot, and fine harvest weather would suc-
ceed to the month of September.
Result.—The Bth of August proved a fine day, but
was followed on the 9th and 10th by two wet ones.
Since the 11th inclusive, the weather continued gradually
improving until Monday (18th) 10 P.M., when it rained
much until Tuesday evening. With the excertion of
this one wet day the weather has been progressing to
fine, and to the day I write, 22d August, is splendid
The error to be acknowledged in this prediction is, that
it has been cold generally from the 17th to the 21st, in
place of being hot, as predicted, arising from an in-
clement aspect with the Sun and Herschel'. which I had
omitted to calculate. The science of Meteorology is
one of great magnitude, wherein many aspects are to be
mentally weighed and considered.
The improvements commencing from the 11th of
August, within three days of my prediction, will generally
continue until Sept. 3, and probably longer, which
interval will balance with the published statement in
May last, viz., that from the Bth August and September
would be fine for the harvest.

We will now treat upon the month of September.
From the present date, 22d of August, to the 3d of Sep-
tember, the atmosphere is under the favourable influence
of a trine of the Sun and Jupiter, and_ will, as observed
in May, produce " fine harvest weather."
About the Bth, the Sun being in parallel to Venus,
will tend to occasional showers ; on the 15th the Sun is
in declination to an inclement planet, therefore it will be
cool fur the season as the 15th approaches. From the
1oth to the IBth,l
the period is dubious, and I am not over confident, suc-
ceeded as it is on the 21st by inclement action, which
will render it cold from the 21st to the end of the month.
October. from and after the 9th, will be as warm and
as fine as any October on record, to the end of the
mouth, tiiid although late may nevertheless prove in-
valuable to the harvest—there are no inclement aspects
operating.
November we have several inclement aspects, such as
the Sun in square to Saturn on the sth, and parallel of
that body on the 13th, and a continuous semi-square of
the planet Venus all the month, which, collectively con-
sidered, will cause cold and moisture to prevail during
the month, but not intensely so. Near the end rather
frosty.
December, 1845. Near the 7th or 10th, the weather
will be mild for the season to the 21st, and though occa-
siOnally showers will occur, from the continuous semi-
square of the Sun and Venus, still the weather may be I
considered favourable and mild for December. About
the 21st it will be fine but a frosty air, as the Sun forms
tyl.o inclement aspects, and to the end of the month it
will incline to frost severely extending to January, 1846,

inclusive.
If this study, which from its magnitude requires con-
Siderable diligence, together with the closest application,
may conduce to the assistance of agriculture or other
scientific advantages, why a purpose of some utility will
be answered by the time devoted to it. Certain lam
that all the minute and important changes in the state
of our atmosphere are greatly connected with the elec-
tric action of the planetary bodies conjointly with each
other, and their magnetic attraction, when forming cer-
tain angles, with the Sun and the globe we inhabit. That
the attention, gratuitous as it has been, has not been un-
succesful, I may instance several important epochs.
Firstly, the rains continuously almost of 1841 and 1842,
in autumn of the former year ; the drought* published
in April, 1844, to last until August, %period of four
months, " with but slight intermissions ; and the incle-
ment winter of 1844 and 5, published in June, 1844, to
he "such a winter" that had not been experienced since
1814, and as the term winter lasts from December till
March inclusive, the sting then felt will not be readily

forgotten.
But in all the predictions submitted, I have repeatedly
stated that the balance of testimony must decide. I do
not pretend to the accuracy of a single day. Patty ob-
jections were made upon the drought the very first
shower, still it was nevertheless a drought, and keenly
the farmer felt it, the great average of the period pre-
dicted being dry. So it was with the predicted severe winter
because there was a remission of cold in January, 1845,
for nearly three weeks ; December previously, and
February and March subsequently, but too severely
proved the average amount of time implied in the term
" winter" was but too well fulfilled. Again, in the
prediction published last May, we have June
the periods of weather accurately defined. Also
in July, and in August, the cold to the 7th,
so unusual, and the progression to fine wea-
ther from the 11th inclusive to the present
time, so promising, all correct (excepting the intense
heat) for a period of three months. The public have
now a further period before them, as a test of the
principle on which my Meteorological observations
are founded. Subsequently the winter predic-
tions will appear, and the balance of testimony will
decide on the correctness of the system, or my
knowledge of that system. Not the intervening con-
verse effect of a day, for even to the 3d of September
the most promising aspect we have, may admit of such
a remission, when the bias to a stormy period prevails
so long, and its operation not completely neutralised to
the time I write. G. T. F. SMITH.
* We have no account in any of our English publications of any
competing announement of the drought above mentioned, there-
fore it is fair to assume that, with the above exception, such was
unnoticed by any authority in Europe. And scientifically consi-
dered, as a demonstration of cause and effect, Is deserving attention,
for whilst the drought WOOS operating the attributed cause was the
conjunction of Heracheli and Jupiter in north declination, aspected
by Saturn, lasting until August, that on their separation it would
cease, and on their return in winter, 1844-5, would produce such a
winter of severity, not equ died since the one of 1814. This state-
ment appeared in June, three months previous to M. Arago's coin-
ciding prediction of the winter being announced in England.

The Court of Assizes of the Seine was ocrcourpoi,_..
yesterday with the trial of Jacques RibiZre, age.dso2n3e,r w a
.r, , lon
ben- and incendiarism. It appeared that theeep
eat the op]
fits, holding the post of concierg
ed from the chamber of
One night a cry was heard to
prosceopening the door it was
the prisoner, and on some persorne.
January, 1843, in the service of an old
fire' Another room was also
found that the room was on
state, and the prisoner appeared
discovered to be in the same
I smoke as to be nearly suffocated.
so much overcome withl stoldiers the flames were got under in
By the exertions of t
Len discovered that in the second room
d I had been forced open, and large
laregsec sums of money, for the posses-
sionofarrested;prisoner,him,
of which he accounted for differently and contradictorily.
He afterwards disappeared, and nothing was heard of him
until lately, when he was arrested at Marseilles. He was
brought up yesterday to take his trial for having robbed M.
Saurefus, and then set fire to the place to conceal his crime.
pal
asecce,reatanrya
there eidr le csrpietinntg
When asked to explain, the possession of the large sums of
money which he spent in his native place, he replied that he
had found the treasure 'of Courvoister. The latter, it may
be remembered, had committed a number of robberies in the
Faubourg St. Germain, and had succeeded in concealing from
detection the property which he had accumulated. Vhr
confronted with Courvoisier the latter denied positively that
the prisoner's story could possibly be true. The prisoner per-
sisted in his assertion' and declared that having been detected
by Courvoisier he had given him back a I,ooof. note.
Courvoisier allowed that the prisoner had handed him such a
note, but it was fox the purpose of getting it changed for him.
The prisoner was found guilty, and sentenced to hard labour
for life.— Galignani of Tuesday,