The Sun.
London, England, 1844-02-26 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

ADVANCED SHIPS OF THE LINE AT SHEERNESS.--,-TO
the seventeen advanced line-of-battle ships complete at
Devonport and Portsmouth, we are enabled to add the
following reported complete at Sheerness:—Howe, 120;
Waterloo, 120 ; London, 92 ; Asia, 84 ; Achilles, 76 ;
Hawke, 72 ; Hercules, 72 ; Russell, 72. Total at the
three ports, 25. The Cornwall, 50, is also fitted as an
advanced frigate, so that there is now ready a frigate at
each port. The Ganges, 84, at Sheerness, will be corn-
plete on the 30th March.

- The Trafalgar, 120, advanced ship of the line at Cha-
tham, is fast progressing in her fittings, and will be
ready to go out of dock by the end of next month.
The Dee troop transport, Master Commander Thomas
Driver, arrived at Portsmouth on Wednesday, from
Ireland, last from Plymouth. She has been brought
alongside the dockyard jetty to have several defects made
good.

The Prince George transport, Lieut. Ward agent, ar-
rived at Portsmouth from Woolwich yesterday morning,
and came into harbour to embark a draft of the 20th
Regiment for Bermuda, to which island she is bound
with government stores ; she has also on board a party
consisting of 60 men of the Royal Artillery and Royal
Sappers and Miners, going out to join their respective
corps, stationed on that island.

The Scourge, first-class steamer, about to be built at
Portsmouth yard, is ordered to be ready for going into
the water by the Ist of September next.
The Centaur, first class steamer, will be laid down as
soon as the Scourge leaves the dock in which she is to
be built; in the meantime her keel and other timbers of
her frame will be all prepared; she will consequently be
ready very early in the spring. The Centaur is to be
similar to the bcourge, excepting she will be longer ;
she is to be 200 feet between the uprights.
The Daring, 12, built at Portsmouth by Mr. White
(the yacht builder), is to be floated out on the 29th inst.
No man of war at Spithead.
In Harbour—St. Vincent, Victory, Excellent, Fear-
less, Dee, and Echo steamers ; and Prince George,
transport.
In Basin—Victoria and Albert yacht.
PROMOTlONS.—Lieutenants—Richard W. Peng (1836),
Charles F. Schomberg (1838); additional of the Tartarus,
and Cospatrick Bailey Hamilton (1840), to the rank of
Commander.

APPOINTMENTS.—Captain—Hon. John Gordon (1818),
to the America.

Lieutenants—Charles Evelyn Rowley (1843), to the
St. Vincent; George Marriott (1842), to the Formidable.
Paymaster and Purser—Benjamin Wickham (1835),
to the Tortoise, as store-keeper of the Island of Ascen-
sion, vice M'Arthur.

Assistant-Surgeon—John Gordon (1837), of the Sa-
tellite (additional), to the Penelope.
PRIZE MONEY FOR THE ACORN.-2,3711. 14s. 6d. more
prize-money is announced for distribution to Com-
mander Adams and the late crew of the Acorn, 16,
being proceeds arising from the capture of the Portu-
gueso slave-vessel Minerva, on tho 31st of December,
1841. The payments will be made on and after the 6th
of M:rch next, in the following proportions:—Flag of
the station, 148/. 4s. Bd. ; commander, 277/. 18s. 9d. ;
first class, 951. 13s. Bd. ; second, 57/. Bs. 2d. ; third,
28/. 14s. Id.; fourth, 191.25. Bd. ; fifth, 91. I Is. 4d.; sixth,
6/. 7s. 6d. ; seventh, 3/. 3s. 9d.
CuiTHAN CONVICT ESTABLISHMENT.—The whole of
the officers belonging to the convict establishment at
this port have been informed that their services will not
he required hero after the 31st of March next. Those
whose periods of servitude entitle them to receive it
will be recommended for superannuation; and the con-
vict guards, whose servitude is short, will have the op-
portunity afforded them of proceeding in the same capa-
city on board the Thames to Bemuda.

It appears from documents just presented to the
House of Lords, that the amount of fees and sums of money
which became payable to the Clerks of Enrolment, the Six
Clerks, Sworn Clerks, and Comptroller of the Hanaper, under
the old constitution of the Six Clerks' office, in the one year
ending October 29, 1842, was no less than 77,3191. 19s. Id.
Also that the amount of fees and additional fees received in
the offices of the clerks of enrolments, clerks of records and
writs, and taxing masters under the order of 26th October,
for the year ending 29th October, 1843, was 77,0711.75. (ex-
clusive of fees received in the offices of the Masters, &c.)
The amount of salaries, office expenses, and compensations
payable under the statute 5 and 6 Vict. c. 103, was 76,815/.
and upwards, for ono year only !

MANIFOLDING.—A few days ago, a person in Hull,
carrying on an extensive business, hit upon the follow-
ing plan for raising the wind. He held a bank note for 501.,
which he cut in two, and taking one of the portions to an ac-
quaintance, informed him that he had just received it by
post, the other portion being to follow in the course of a day
or two, but as he wanted the money immediately, he could
not wait for its arrival. This friend in need, on receiving the
half-note, advanced the cash, and another friend did the
same on receiving the other half. Here were a hundred
pounds made out of fifty ; but the business was not yet com-
pleted. Taking his hundred pounds to one of the banks, he
procured a note for that amount, and having again recourse
to the process of cutting, actually obtained 200/., on the two
halves, with which he decamped, and has not yet been heard
of.—Doncaster Gazette.

TIIE WILLS FORGE nIES.—We learn from a source
on which we place reliance, that Mrs. Dorey, one of the
parties charged with being an active agent in the exten-
sive conspiracy by which large sums were obtained by
means of these forgeries and fraudulent personations,
has made a full confession ; and that the document is
in the hands of the authorities. We presume that the
fact of such confession having been made was the cause
of Mrs. Dorey's solicitor taking• no part in the last exa-
mination of the parties before the Lord Mayor, beyond
requesting that the unfortunate woman should be allowed
to remain in the Compter until the eve of the session.
VIGILS.—(FROM A CORRESFONDENT).—It is given
out that there will be " vigils," to-morrow (this) night, at
the new Protestant church at Wilton-place. Will the Bishop
of London be present ?
TOTAL LOSS OF THE ELBERFELDT.—lnform-
ation was received in town on Friday afternoon, of the total
loss of the Dutch steamer Elberfeldt, at about 3 o'clock in
the afternoon of Thursday, when about 25 miles east of the
North Foreland. This vessel was built at Blackwall about
three years since expressly for the Rotterdam and Manheim
trade. She was proceeding hero for the purpose of being
overhauled, and if necessary undergoing repair. Captain R.
Stranock, of the General Steam Navigation Company's
steamer Giraffe, one of the most experienced commanders in
the Rotterdam trade, was requested to bring her over—and,
although his charge has been so unfortunate, no blame is
attached to him. He had to contend against a heavy gale
and sea. When off the place above-mentioned, she was
struck by a very heavy sea, and she went down almost in-
stantaneously. The crew, consisting of 14 men, had only
time sufficient to throw their boat overboard, and only two
men enabled to get into her before she went down. Provi-
dentially, they were enabled to rescue 9 others ; but 2 stokers
and the cook were unfortunately drowned—most probably
drawn down by the suction. There were no passengers on
board. The survivors, after having been in the boat for
about 3 hours, in the constant expectation of suffering from
a calamity they had but just escaped from, were picked up
by a Dutch galliot bound to Flushing, and landed at Rams-
gate, from whence they started by the Herni steamer, and
arrived in London between 3 and 4 o'clock. The Columbine
Mail Steam Packet, belonging to the General Steam Com-
pany, made the passage from Rotterdam, carrying the Dutch
mail, with her usual success, and arrived at her moorings
yesterday.

SUPPOSED INCENDIARY FlRE.—Joseph Lakin, of
Sheepsbeai„ a youth of respectable appearance, and rather a sen.
Bible lad, about the age of la, was committed for trial at the
Assizes on a charge of setting fire to a wheat straw stack, on the
21st inst.; on the premises of Mr. W. Jacques (lately pur.
chased by Mr. Harriman), at Sheepshead. The evidence is
but circumstantial at present, and the deed is denied
by the lad, who says he was not out that day until
breakfast time, when he ran with his bread and
cheese in his hand to the bell-house, because they
were doing some repairs al the bells, and he went to look on ; he
found two joiners coming away from the bell-house, when he
turned off, and went right by the church.yard and blacksmith's
shop of Mr. Thornhill. When he got there he saw a great blaze
above the houses and ran in the direction of it as bard as he
could, till be came to the yard where he thought it was, and
asked a labouring man at work in the barn If he knew what was
the matter t He smiled, and said no. Prisoner pointed to the
lames, and the man then came out and said the wheat-stack was
on fire.--Leicestershire Mercury.
HABITS OR THE DUTCH BOEBS.--Thtir ()MUM.
tions load them to rise early; and before six the "vrow' or
guile woman of the house has her shining brass kettle of
coffee on the equally resplendent brazier of charcoal which
supports it, and sitting down by it, proceeds to dispense
its contents to all corners. At eight the " vrow," re-
spectfully approaching her husband, who has returned
from his work, notifies that breakfast is on table.
Of this meal she herself seldom partakes, at least not in
company with the other members of the family ; re-
maining at a side table she prepares the tea and coffee,
which a female servant hands to the rest of the party, while
she herself rises and presents a cup to her husband. The
breakfast table is well covered with eggs, ham, biltoague or
cured venison, cold meats, fresh butter, and excellent home-
made brown bread ; one f the children is called upon by the
father to say grace, unless a very aged petson, as a grand-
father or grandmother, be present, in which case they ask
the blessing. Breakfast concluded, all depart to their re-
spective tasks, from which they return at twelve to dinner ;
this meal consists of substantial joints of fresh or corned
mutton, and frequently a couple of fowls, butter, cheese,
and excellent, wholesome, unadulterated wine ; pastry is
often added, but all is put on the table at once. The dinner
service is invariably white ; and, as well as the table-cloth,
is always most scrupulously clean. In large families, where
the father has sons of such an age as to be able to mperin-
tend the business of the farm, he usually indulge% himself
with a siesta, and contrives to be in or about, the house
about three o'clock, at which hour a servant fade round a
tray, containing small cups of tea, with ire;iki
a silver ewer, and two cut-glass jars
meats and the other with water, inwi PP:a filled with sweet
frequently in
small silver forks, with which :l ..ch stand two or more
very
the confection, and replace them i.:(ley help themselves to
the water. The labour
of the day being over, about sfsven. the family assemble in
the hall, and a glass of wine is banded to each ; few speak
except the master of the house, and he is listened to with
respect. A woman'a voice is, seldom heard, save in answer
to a question ; at eight the "• vrow " announces that supper is
ready; this meal much resembles the dinner in its compo-
nent parts; it; is, perhaps, their principal meal ; about nine a
small glass of spirits, which they term a " sopee," is brought
to each of the men, and the party separates for the night.
The Manners of these hospitable and simple people are in-
htinctively and innately polite ; with less action than the
French, they display more warmth than the English, and never
did any class of men make on my mind a more favourable
Impression than the Dutch Boers of the Cape colony.—
Baynes's Ramble in the East, &c.
DARING ROBBERY.—On Wednesday information
was circulated throughout the metropolitan and city police dis-
tricts of the following robbery ;--Between seven and nine on
the previous evening it was discovered that the house of Mr.
Dean, No. 31, Albemarle-street, Piccadilly, had been robbed
of a dispatch box, covered with red leather, which contained
four 51. Bank of England notes, a five guinea piece, a gold
watch, makers' name "Dubois and Wheeler, Gray's inn-
court," ten sovereigns, in a packet, which had been sealed up
since the year 1828, which year, or the previous ono, the gold
was dated, and were all now coin, a silver breastplate, or
gorget, of the 67th Regiment, with the Royal arms ont
with
green green stones, two hair ditto, a gold Geneva watch, t
gold chain and bracelet with a gold heart, a ditto
makers'
name and e
" Treundle," with hair chain and two gold seals, a
enumber of other valuable articles ofjewellery. The robbery
can in no way be accounted AN

(~

-

THE NEW FACTORIES BILL. .`,ICMT4
The manner in which the new Factories Bill will
affect employers and workmen in the country districts,
and especially in the woollen manufacture, is shown in
the following letter from a highly respectable manufac-
turer to a gentleman in office. We do not know how
it will be possible to work the Bill when the mills shall
be running only eight hours a day, as thl ivere for
three fourths of the year from 1839 to 1842 inclugive.
The children can then only be worked four hours
in the day ! and for the pittance which this would
earn, their parents will hardly be induced to let
them work at all. We think the mill-owners in
the woollen trade will do well to consider the sug-
' gestions in the following letter ; and if thff think
them well-founded, to get up memorials and petitions
against the Bill, and to send deputations to represent
their case to Ministers and Members of Parliament. The
Bill goes into Committee next Friday, so that there is no
time to be lost.
The following is the letter we have referred to:—
Birstal, near Leeds, Feb. 17, 1844,
" Sir,—l have• received copies of the New Factories
Bill from Mr. Aldam and Lord Ashley. The country
mill-owners still entertain the strongest objection to the
half-time clause in the new Bill. A deputation would
certainly be sent from Batley, if we could entertain any
opinion that our representations would receive attention,
but all trading matters receive such slight attention from
the Government or the Parliament, that all feel such a
sense of injury that no one will troublehimself further,
except in cases where the whole country can be stirred up
to take an interest in the subject.
‘, The clause which prevents the employment of women
more than twelve .hours daily, is a good and valnsible
alteration. While I freely acknowledge and approve of
this change, I should be wanting in duty to myself, and
those by whom I have been formerly deputed on this
question, as well as to the labouring classes themselves,
if I did not protest against the half-time clause as appli-
cable to woollen mills. The case of woollen mills is
peculiar, and ought not to be subjected to the same de-
tail of legislation. Allow me, once more, to go over
shortly the points of objection—
" 1. In Mr. Saunders's Report the objection of increased
expense is mentioned, but he does not allow it sufficient
weight in the declining and unprofitable state of the
woollen manufacture, which it is admitted can bear no
additional burden. As he admits, there will be an in-
crease of wages necessary to procure short time piecers
as compared with full time hands, I need not go into
the reasons for it. I may just mention that their oily
garments is one, and that this will be an objection to
their attending schools for other children.
" 2. It will be felt to be a great hardship when children
who have attained to twelve years of age, arc compelled
to work for half-time wages.
"3. As our country mills work for hire, and are irre-
gularly employed, working generally during the winter
months only eight hours, or merely during the day-
light,—to employ children six hours, and that only before
or after noon, will subject them to inconvenience and
loss. If we work only half the day, and that only before
twelve, or after one o'clock, we shall have to begin early,
and light up our mills at a great and needless expense ;
if we begin at noon, we shall have the cost of lighting
up at night. To be compelled to employ two sets of
Children for eight hours' labour will be an intolerable
grievance. During the last four years, our mills have
not been employed more than eight hours daily for the
greater part of each year.
" 4. In times of good trade we found it difficult to ob-
tain children for piecers, because their parents can then
earn a sufficiency, and will not trouble themselves to
send their children early and regularly to mills. This
difficulty will be greatly increased when only half wages
are to be earned.

"5. In our country mills, to which children come from
all quarters, and from considerable distances, to attend
school will often be impossible, and will be a bar to the
employment of children so situated. At piesent, under
the eight hours' system, where any number of children
are employed, schools are kept on the premises. Under
the half-time system, this cannot be done better than it
may now be done; besides, parents will not be at the
expense of making a separate provision of dinners as they
now do. In populous towns the half-time system may
work well, but cannot do so in our country situations.
" 6. Nothing can show the oppressive nature of tha
present short time enactment in a more forcible manner,
than Mr. Saunders's own report, dated 20th October
last, in which it is stated that, with an actual increase
of 15,000 hands, there is a decrease in the employment,
of children under thirteen years of age of about 2,000.
Taking into consideration the condition of the labouring
classes, this statement, properly understood, indicates
their deteriorated state, and the oppressive working of
the short time clauses.

" If is not practicable to retain the eight hours' clause
for woollen mills in the present temper of Government
and the House of Parliament, I would submit that it
would be for the benefit of all parties to allow chil-
dren to enter on full work in woollen mills at twelve
years of age. It would materially lessen the tax on
woollen millowners, benefit the parents, and pro-
mote a more cordial attention to the education of
children, and lessen the inducements to infringe upon the
correct observance of the Act. If this cannot be obtained,a
clause ought to be inserted to enable children to be em-
ployed eight hours, when the mills work only eight
hours; at any rate during six hours of daylight in win-
ter, when the mills only work that time. If the clause
is enacted in its present extreme character, it will only
produce a dogged sullen acquiescence, and there will be
no cordial eflert made, because it will be felt to be one-
rous, and an undue interference with labour.
" The clause permitting the employment of children on
alternate Saturdays the whole day is omitted. I fear
there will be some difficulty about clocks; our country
church clocks are so irregularly kept, that they will be a
very imperfect guide.
" I am at a loss what to say about compensation for ac-
cidents; it seems to me unjust to require damages from
millowners not required from any other department of
employment. Accidents generally happen from careless.
ness and inattention, which millowners cannot prevent.
I think there ought to be a clause restricting the power of
prosecution to cases of wilful neglect after notice given.
We find that the workpeoplo in the neighbourhood
of Batley are quite as strongly opposed to the regula-
tions of the new Factories Bill as their employers; and
we know that those of Pudsey, Parsley, &c., have the
same objections. They feel that the half-time provi-
sion will make the labour of their children of little or
no value to them. The families of the poor have, ever
since the commencement of the manufacturing system,
derived most important benefit from the labour of
the children; which, when so regulated as not to in-
jure their health, is a positive benefit to the children
themselves, in giving them habits of industry, as well as
in providing for their better nourishment and clothing.
The workpeople arc, therefore, quite alarmed at the
prospect of the time being so arranged that the children
can never work more than six hours a day (for the half
hour is merely put in to cover accidental overstepping of
the rule by a few minutes)—that generally in she
woollen district, where the day's work is eleven hourzt
they will only be able to work five hours and a half
a-day,--and that in bad times, when the mills run only
eight hours, they will only be able to work four hours
a-day. We last year published a letter from a workman
in a large mill a few miles from Leeds, expressing, on.
behalf of himself and his fellow-workmen, the strongest
objections to the proposed plan. We have just received
a communication from a meeting of the working men of
Batley, written in evident and lively alarm. They see
clearly how the Bill will affect both their employers and
themselves. The following are two or three sentences
of their letter :

"You are right when you say it (the Bill) will dimi•
nish the income of labour: it will to a great amount. It
will be impossible for it to work in this district, without
a great disadvantage both to the la),ouriug class and the
millowners, more than anything that ever came into
operation before. In winter tr.me, the children will be
drawn out of bed at five o'ck)ck in the morning to work
(in order to complete six hours' labour before 12 o'clock),
and they then will have too play in the afternoon,—de-
stroying the capital of the employer in lighting up in the
morning, to play the day-light away."

They call the Bill " one of the most outrageous
sehpmes that ever was invented by man."
It behoves the workmen generally, as well as the em-
ployers in the woolen districts, if they concur in the
views taken above to move instantly. Petitions will be
sent from Batley and the neighbouring townships, signed
by all classes. But, if any good is to be done, Deputa-
tions both of masters and of intelligent workmen should
be sent up to London, to wait on Ministers and lifebibers
of Parliament; and as the Bill goes into Committee on
Friday next, the deputations should go immediately—
otherwise they will not be able to see the Members be-
fore the Bill has passed.—L Mercury.

EFFECTS OF Ranwitirg.--Within the last month
the two principal peatmasteue of Rochester have appealed
against the amount at which their premises were rated to the
poor, stating, as the ground! of their claim, that, in conse-
quence of the decrease of traffic on the road to Dover, the
value of their property is materially depreciated. On the
last application of thin nature, the guardians said that .pro-
perty of all kind in that city was materially lowered in value,
and the board of guardians for the parish of St. Nicholas,
Rochester, have consequently determined to reduce the valua-
tion of the whole parish. It is understood that the propoied
reduction will amount to one-fifth of the whole.
A musical drama by Rodwell, to be entitled. Thi
Maidens of Munich, has been accepted at Dinry.lan•
Theatre._

Dr. Kernan, for 26s yesxs Roman Catholic Bishop
of Clothes, died on Tuesday last at Carriskosasross.
DEaL.—Government has sent gratuities to the
three boats' crews who so intrepidly ventured their am lives
a few weeks back, to save the crew of a brig wrecked on the
Goodwin Sand. A subscription was also entered into ranong •
the inhabitants, when between 30/. and 40/. was collected
and distributed among them.
SALMON FISHING.—The fishing for salmon in the
Tyne opened on the 10th inst. Several have been takers since
that time, bat the price continues high. The fishing season com-
menced in the Tweed on Thursday 'last. In consequence of the
melting of the snow up the country, the river was too much
swollen to admit of work being resumed at all the stations. At
those, however, at which it 4111 commence, the success was very
encouraging; all of them ha.ving obtained fish, some of them sis
and seven each.—Netecastie Advertiser.
Tho Mint sustained st loss by its
OF MARY " the pmt year of
coin from the Bank of England during
Consolidated Fund For the
purchase of silver and copper
9,483/. The sums i.ssned out of the
bullion for coinage amounted
during the past year to 350,0001.
period amounted to
276,606/., and the copper c
The silver coin delivered
purchase of old worn silver
T AMENDED Pooll—
nE
into the Miut.ofiice durinogin
thtoeloB,a9mB4l.
PAlusu
LAW BILL.—Yesterday a meeting of the Directors and Guardians
of the Poor of the parish of 3farylebone took place in the board-
room of the workhouse, New.road, Mr. W. Lowe in the chair.
Mr. Rathheae, after adverting to various parts of the Bill, moved
the appointment of a Committee to co.operate with the vestry, pa-
d opip)oustittihoonrdtsootvhoeaseincclaotLesoliiikiceiz
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OCCUPATION OF TAHITI.

The following appears in the Journal des Dacia :
" Roads of Papaiti, Nov.t 9, 1843,
" On board of the Uranie.

" On the 4th of this month we arrived in the bay
of Papaiti, the same day as the frigate Danae, and
three days before the frigate Reine Blanche. On the
next tir the following order appeared :
66 s e Vice-Admiral in command of the station of
the Pacific Ocean informs the commanding officers
and crews of vessels in the roads of Papaiti, that the
-Queen Pomare refusing obstinately to recognise the
treaty concluded on the 9th of September, 1842, and
ratified by his Majesty Louis Philippe, he is com-
pelled to declare that the Queen Pomare has ceased
to reign over the Society Islands and their inhabi-
tants, and to take possession of the islands in the
name of the King of France. In consequence the
frigate Uranie will debark to-morrow morning, at
six, the company of Marine Artillery, and the men
dependent on that service,'_ &c.
" I will now explain to you the circumstances
hich have so much changed the position of the
respective parties to the last treaty.
" It appeared that nothing more was wanted to
the treaty of the 9th of November, signed by Queen
Pomare, and by the Commander-in-Chief of the
French Forces, to make it valuable and executable in
all its clauses, but the signature of the King of the
French. Mr. Pritchard, missionary, and merchant,
and Consul of the British Government, did not inter-
fere with the negotiations, and he even disavowed
the acts of his representative. It seems, how-
ever, that the Queen of Tahiti had exceeded
the powers which the methodist merchant had
left her in his absence. In fact Mr. Pritchard
was in London when the treaty was concluded. But
even his long acquaintance with the country, and
his observations,' as a journal of New Holland seri-
ously said, of French manceuvres among the South
Sea Islands,' inspired him with fears for the inde-
pendence of Tahiti, and he communicated them to
Lord Aberdeen and to his colleagues. The English
Cabinet did not, however, pay much attention to the
representation of Mr. Pritchard, and it limited itself
to sending,' as a mark of kindness to the Otaheitean
Government, a carriage for Pomare, and a coat of red
cloth for her husband. . . . .

" Mr. Pritchard leaves England with his fears and
his presents. He arrived at Sydney, and there
learned what had passed : under the inspiration of the
chiefs which surrounded her, and of her oldest and
-wisest counsellors, the Queen of Otaheite had placed
herself under the protection of the French Govern-
ment. On hearing this disastrous intelligence, Mr.
Tritchard did not lose a moment in hastening to re-
gain the power which, had escaped him. lie ob-
qained from the Governor of New Holland,. Sir ,Geo.
'Gibbs, a large sum of money, intended for the pur-
-chase of additional presents, and he succeeded in
obtaining a promise from Commodore Nicholas, corn-
:mander of the Vindictive, of recalling the French to
-national good faith with irresistible arguments.
" Strong in menaces and in seduction, Mr. Pritchard
'embarked on board the Vindictive, and arrived at
Tahiti, where it did not take much time, nor many
efforts, to persuade the Queen, like a bold child, to re-
turn to her duty. The sight of a carriage, and of
some rags, not to speak of a formidable battery of
-cannon, were enough to turn her head.
"(Thus not many, days had elapsed after the arrival
'f the Consul and the English commodore, when the
flag of the protectorate was taken from the house,
commodious and elegant as it is, called the palace of
the Queen' and Pornare hastened to replace it with
one whichbea been given to her by the captain of
-the Vindictive. Commodore Nicholas did still
-more ; he landed his guns, and placed them in
battery, so as to command the entrance of the roads.
France had then at Tahiti but one corvette of 21
guns; hut the captain of the Boussola, and sub-
isequently the captain of the Bmbuscade, addressed
Sto him such energetic remonstrances, that the English
%commander thought fit to abandon his hostile demon-
ttration3 against a friendly flag, and he withdrew his
guns. Commodore Nicholas, nevertheless, remained
two months in the roads, not losing any occasion of
'treating with derision the French protectorate, and of
2mnoying the provincial government left by Admiral
:Dupetit Thomas. A little later and the captain
'of the Vindictive, one of those old sailors who
:nourish almost to madness the recollection of national
'quarrels, might have paid for the hatred, absurd, and
extravagant feeling which he avowed against France ;
but no large ship of war with the French flag ap-
peared to oppose his insulting extravagance, until
Admiral Thomas, commander-in-chief on the English
station in the South Sea, ordered the Vindictive
away, and.replaced her by the Dublin, which frigate
has remained a peaceful spectator of what was going
on, and never neglecting the courtesy due to our
officers.

" Nevertheless, it became urgent to settle on a de-
finitive basis our relations with the Society Islands,
and to put an end to the obstacles which were raised
against us by the irresolution of the Queen, and the
malevolence of her counsellors. The Urania frigate
arrived at the Marquesas Islands, bringingout the Go-
vernor of the French possessions in Oceania, and King's
Commissioner to the Queen of Otaheite. he found in
the roadstead of Taio-Hae the Reine Blanche, bearing
the Admiral's flag, and the Danae. M. Dupetit Thouars
and M. Brunt agreed to present themselves before
Papaiti, with the three frigates. To make under
these circumstances a great display of force was
doing an act of generosity. The issue of a contest
with the inhabitants would not have been doubtful,
but it would have been a bad commencement on our
work of civilisation to have shed their blood. It was
much more important to fill them with an idea of our
power, as they had been persuaded that France had
but one large man-of-war, and that it was always the
same vessel which called there at different times,
painted in a different manner to prevent recognition.
" The departure of the Reine Blanche from Taio-
IThe had preceded ours. We anchored three days
after in the Bay of Papaiti, and we learned that the
endeavours of the Admiral during those three days to
persuade the Queen to frankly admit the treaty she had
signed and ratified, and to re-hoist the flag of the
protectorate, had been fruitless. It was necessary to
put an end to this bad faith, which had been
brought about by bad advice. On Sunday, the sth
November, the order of the Admiral appeared which
proclaimed the dethronement of the Queen and the
sovereignty of the
_King of the French, and which
announced that, on the following morning at six
o'clock, the three frigates would land their men, and
the tricoloured flag would be immediately hoisted
on the Queen's palace, and preparations were made
to salute the national colours at daybreak.
"In the night the orders were changed. The Ad-
miral wished to act as long as possible with indul-
gence. He thought that the order of the day pub-
lished in the day, would have been sufficient to have
set aside the suggestions of Mr. Pritchard and his
colleagues, and to point out to the poor Queen the
precipice on which she stood. A delay was
granted. Noon was the time fixed at which
the tri-coloured flag should be hoisted by
order of the Queen, and France would then
content herself with the execution of the
other clauses of the treaty. If this was not
done the dethronement of Queen Pomare was
to be declared, and • her flag replaced by
our own. We waited for noon, and the intervening
hours were those of emotion and lively anxiety. An
Indian Princess, the issue of a family which was
illustrious and powerful in her country, was either
to renounce the inheritance of her ancestors or return
to good faith and equity—France was either to possess
nominal supremacy in these fine islands, or possess them
entirely. Serious interests were thus attached to the
hoisting. of a flag. The quarter-decks of all the
vessels in the roadstead, including that of the Eng-
lish frigate, were crowded with officers; all their
telescopes were directed towards the Queen's palace,
and men were posted on the tops on the look out.
The hour past ; the flag of Pomare was still waving ;
Pomare—the blind, the obstinate Pomare—refused
to yield to our demands. Two hundred artillery
and marines were landed, with 300 or 400 sailors'
and surrounded the Queen's house, in which every-
thing was silent—the flag of Pomare was removed
M. d'Aubigny, the Governor of Tahiti, exclaimed :
Officers, soldiers, and sailors, and you inhabitants of
these islands, to whom we bring justice and peace, in
the name of the King, our august master, I take pos-
session of this country. We shall be content to die
for the defence of the glorious tri-coloured flag.
Hoist the flag r This order was executed amidst the
rolling of the drums and cries of ive le Roi.'
Queen Pomare has ceased to reign, and we tread
French land !

"The flag of the English Consulate was immediately.
lowered. A rather large number of natives were as-
sembled in front of the residence of M. Pritchard, and
the latter was seen addressing them with vehemence.
However, his exhortations do not seem to have been
attended with much success. In the evening the town
had resumed its wonted tranquillity ; the men
smoked their cigars with as much insouciance, and the
women exhibited their white teeth with a playful
naivete as if they had not just witnessed a revolution.
" The Governor-General was installed on the Bth,
and had a Council Acknowledged, consisting of Cap-
tain d'Aubigny, Lieutenant Clog, and M. Makren-
bout, ex-Consul of France.
" A proclamation, addressed to the iahabitants, has
informed them that a fall guarantee is granted to their
persons, property, and the free exercise of their reli-
gious worship.
" Papaiti is declared a free port. No anchorage,
customs, or other duties, vi ill be in future paid,. ex-
cepting pilot duties.
" The French flag floats over a fine country,
which, in certain respects, still reminds one_of Bou-
gainville's poetical description. I shall tell yoU later
whether La Nouvelle-Cythere has any chance of
proving in time a useful and produetive colony.
" EUGINE GOSSE."

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.
GLOBE.—We cannot but think that matter of some
wonderment, and of some amusement—new occasion for
looking upon our dearly beloved countrymen as toto
penitus divisos orbe Britannos—will be supplied to conti-
nental Europe by the last fortnight of pleadings pro and
con before the Grand Inquest of the nation. The whole
has, indeed, been somewhat in the character of Coroner's
Inquest on a defunct trial. The trial is no more ; the
convicts all alive and kicking. The grand convict, the
" Anarch old" of Conservative enmity, is there in
his place, reading the Minister, who had him con-
victed of conspiring against the public peace, sage
lessons on the dangers to that peace from Lord Devon's
commission, "unsettling the minds of the occupiers"—
offering Sir R. Peel his " cordial assistance" for such
and such objects—assuring him " he is not battling with
him"—adopting the tone of Minister Plenipotentiary
for the Irish people—and holding out the folds of his
robe ambassadorial with the option of peace or war. All
this is in somewhat amusing contrast with the nominal
position of the parties ; as well as with the great Agi-
tator's pathos about dungeons and scaffolds the other
night—upon other boards ; and, as we said, we fancy
continental Europe will hardly know what to make of it.
Do we object to the free and easy issue of legal con-
victions, thus singularly illustrated ? No more than
we object to the bloodless issue of threatening arma-
ments. Everything, we trust, tends to mitigation
of civil discords ; and we are nowise ashamed of
the peculiarity which these proceedings will exhibit
in the eyes of Europe. We rejoice that in Eng-
land no party is ever to that degree dominant
that it can stifle the fullest possible utterance
of the views over which it holds, for the time,
the ascendant. We believe this character of fair play
for both sides to be quite unique practically in the
world. Not in France, with all its nonsensical boastings
of social equality—not assuredly elsewhere in Europe—
not, we believe, in America, can opposite opinions on
questions so nearly touching the heart of empire as this
Irish one come forth with so little restraint—with so
little dangerous irritation—with such unlimited length
and latitude of discussion—as in much abused old England.
And not, most certainly, could any such freedom belong
to an Irish Parliament—left alone. In this point of
view, at least, the union produces fruits which could not
survive its repeal ; and we are glad to be able to sub-
scribe to the closing sentences of the leading speakers
on both sides, and express our conviction that the spirit
of the times, which has proved so favourable to full and
unfettered discussion, will prove not barren of healing
measures.

GLOBE.—Sir Robert Peel, with the serio-comic con-
siderateness of the man who was going to be hanged, and
sought to mitigate the pressure of those who were crowding
before him to the scene of action—" Don't hurry, gen-
tlemen, there'll be no fun till I come "—observed
last night, with reference to the "consummation de-
voutly to be wished " of the debate, that " He
was unfortunately in the position of being one of the
speakers who was expected to address the House on the sub-
ject, and he could assure the House that he should do so as
briefly as possible. He was willing to accede to any arrange-
ment that might be suggested. Was the debate to end that
night?—(Loud cries from the Opposition of ' To-morrow, to-
morrow,' during which the Right Hon. Baronet resumed
his seat. )" Indeed, we can assure Sir Robert Peel that
he is " unfortunately in the position" of being expected to
speak on the Irish question, and what is more, expected to
say something on it. The position of his Irish law-officers was
a fortunate one compared to his. They had only subministrant
functions to give account of ; and it must be acknowledged
that Mr. Smith acquitted himself as creditably of that
defence as could possibly be expected—abandoning, of
course, as indefensible, his extra-professional escapade,
and throwing himself on the ready indulgence of an
assembly, favourable tam Marti, quam
‘ Mercurio. It must be
acknowledged, indeed, that the ' counsel" on both sides have
done themselves great credit by their appearance. We have al-
ready, however, disclaimed the intention of going over the
ground of these trials again. It is, therefore, with reference
to the more comprehensive and general portion of Mr.
Sheil's speech of last night that we propose to shape
the brief observations we shall offer at present on its
subject-matter. The most important part of that subject-mat-
ter, which afforded material for the highly effective and power-
ful peroration of Mr. Sheil's speech, was the Irish Church
question. We think that this affords one of the strongest
examples of a question, all the interests involved in which have
suffered most seriously, by its having been put forward so long
as a mere watchword of political party. Will any one affirm that
British statesmen, if they had only acted with the same indiffe-
rence to religious distinctions as on every other point of the
British empire—if they had only acted with the same indiffe-
rence—we should say, with the same " impartial kindness " (to
borrow a phrase of Burke) which they have shown to the tenets
of Frenchmen or of Hindoos—which they have even stretched
the unnecessary length of tolerating human sacrifices
and doing the civil to Juggernaut—if they had only shown the
same old Roman spirit of letting all parts of the empire live
with their own life, and fellow the faith hereditary and habitual
to them—and had but, in addition to this (as regards Ireland),
endeavoured to reconcile an old and respectable form of our
common Christianity to the established order of the State
—we need not now have had an Irish Church question ? It
is the having made that question political, contrary to all other
British policy, that has done the mischief. When the cause
of a Church requires to be made political in a free country, it
is lost. A Church should be so rooted as to deter poli-
ticians from bringing it in question, one way or other.
When a party adopt the cause of a Church—when they
blazon their zeal for a Church—as the ground for this or
that political course, which has- no direct connexion with
it—the existence of that Church is, from that moment, most
seriously compromised: It is as good as confessed that it
cannot exist independent of this or that party policy—that
its fate hangs upon this or that combination of secular
interests. The blame of the actual peril of the Irish
Protestant Church, even in its just rights, originally be-
longs to those who made the Church their watchword,
when its rights were not brought in question. They have
been cramming Church down our throats for nearly the last
half century, and now they are surprised that those whom they
cannot make drunk with the dose—are sick of it. We have had
no answer but " Church" to every political proposition regard-
ing Ireland. They made a merit of supporting the Church, to
secure for themselves support from the Church party. In this
compact the Church is inevitably the ultimate loser. Those
who do not scruple to profane its cause will not scruple to
desert it.

STANDARD.—A kind of promise was last night given on
the part of the Opposition that the long debate shall terminate
to-night, and as we shall be, of course, expected to say some-
thing of it at its conclusion, we readily avail ourselves of the
excuse of our crowded columns for saying little about it to-day.
The debate has been a long, a dreadfully long one—unparalleled
in its duration ,even already, but it is to be remembered, that
its frightful prolixity is in no respect attributable to those who
alone will derive advantage from it—her Majesty's Ministers.
Indeed, if the servants of the Crown could separate their per-
sonal and official interests from the interests of the country,
they ought to rejoice in the tedious debate that has so nobly
justified every one of their acts, and so firmly fixed their
power. We shall not be surprised to hear the fault-finders
say that the easy permission of this nine days' nuisance is but
another instance of Sir Robert Peel's craft, and that as he was
merely laying a trap in allowing scope to the " monster meet-
ing's " of the Repealers, he has been in like manner preparing
a pitfall, by conniving at their " monster speeches," still
with the same view of exposing to all men the vanity,
the worthlessness, and the guilt of his adversaries in
the end. Mr. Sheil's speech was by a great deal
the longest speech last night. Mr. Sheil is a clever
man in a party which has but three clever men (Mr. C. Bul-
ler, Mr. Macaulay, and himself), and we never grudge him
praise when praise is due ; but last night's speech was un-
doubtedly a failure—a failure, we mean, for Mr. Sheil, for it
would be a prodigy from the lips of Lord J. Russell, Mr. Jos.
Hume, Lord Howick, or Sir C. Napier, or any other Opposi-
tion Member but one of the three that we have named. The
speech was a failure, lively as it was ; like all Mr. Sheil's
speeches, it was beyond them all, thin, extravagant, and incon-
clusive, and soiled by personalities such as we hoped Mr. Sheil
had left behind him when he withdrew from " the Catholic As-
sociation." There was one allusion—we will hope that Mr. Sheil
is ashamed of it—that compelled us to recollect, however invo-
luntarily, a once notorious speech of 1826; but we pass this in
the expectation that such offences against decency and good
feeling will not be repeated. It would be a jest to investigate
the success of Mr: Sheil's speech, as a reply to the unequalled
argument of the Attorney-General for Ireland ; such an
attempt would be as absurd as that of the mathematician, who
tried to bring the " Rape of the Lock" to trial by " Newton's
Principia." Widely different as the speeches are in the degree
of merit, still more strongly are they contrasted in kind, and in
the matter about which they are conversant.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
COURT OF EXCHEQUER, Feb. 24.
(Sittings at Nisi Prius, at Guildhall, before Lord ABrNQER
And Special Juries.)

PICRFORD AND ANOTHER V. THE GRAND JUNCTION RAILWAY.
Mr. Martin and Mr. Cardwell conducted the case for the
plaintiffs, and the Solicitor-General, with whom was Mr.
Crompton, appeared for the defendants.
This was an action to recover compensation in damages
from the defendants under the following circumstances :
The plaintiffs are the celebrated carriers, and like many other
private establishments of a similar character have suffered, of
course, very materially since the various railways have come
into their full force of working. They furthermore complained
that upon some of the lines advantages are offered to some
of their competitors which are denied to them. In
the present instance, it seemed that they had sent
a quantity of goods to the station at Liverpool for
the purpose of their being forwarded to Birmingham ; that a
portion of such goods consisted of pork and other perish-
able articles ; and that they were not forwarded and de-
livered in due time. It further appeared that, in the present
instance, the goods had been sent to the railway station
after four o'clock in the afternoon, and were not forwarded by
the goods-train that left at eight o'clock the same evening.
On behalf of the defendants it was contended, that inasmuch
as there were certain rules and regulations by which it had
been found necessary to guide the arrangements and pro-
ceedings of the railway, and that one of them was to the
effect b
o'clocket .10l ar et
fo‘
t'uraral
o'clockgm ouosdts
obnienttdheenelcislvae
edmr
eaetdnoadafttbe
osntforwardedtnioonr daetrb
L to ivere
-
pool
sure their being duly forwarded,"ernt hie)
had not acted m accordance with such
thatruienthheecpolnalinptainff;
could not be held liable.
The jury; entertaining an opinion favourable, returned a
verdict for the defendants.

WILLIAMS, ADMINISTRATOR, v. mAy
Mr. Crowder, Mr. Sergeant Byles, and Mr. Butt, appeared
for the plaintiff, and Mr. Humfrey, with whom was Mr. E.
James, conducted the case for the defendant. This was. an
action to recover the value of certain pictures, of which the
defindant had possession, belonging to the piaintiff as the ad-
ministrator to the estate, and effects of the Rev. C. Digby,
deceased. It appeitt4that the deceased gentleman had,
during his lifetime, a great collector of pictures, and
that, having also been ellgaged in some mining transactions,
he had become embatrassed so much as to induce him to
quit the country for a 's)liort period. Being in bad health,
however,he had died at Wiesbaden, whither he hadproceeded
for the benefit of baths. Whilst absent from England he
wrote to Mr. Francis O'Neal, with whom he was engaged
in the milling matters, authorising him to pawn or sell
such of his` pictures as he might find it to be necessary
in order ctrenable him to pay certain bills which were ap-
proaching their maturity. With this view the pictures were
sent to the defendant, a celebrated money-lender in Cateaton-
street, with whom a negotiation was commenced for the ob-
tainment of an advance amounting to 4,000/. After various
interviews the negotiation went oft; and upon a subsequent
application the defendant refused to deliver up the pictures
unless he was paid the sum of 7001., which he alleged he had
advanced to O'Neal on the authority and for the benefit of
the deceased. This authority was disputed on the part of the
plaintiff, and that was the question now brought under the
consideration of the jury. On behalf of the defendant, it was
proved that the deceased had written more then one letter to
O'Neal, telling him to pawn or sell thepktures, for the pyir..
pose of raising money; and furthermore, by the production
of the chequee of the defendant, that the_7ool. had been ad.