The Sun.
London, England, 1828-12-18 00:00:00

BURNING OF WIDOWS IN INDIA.

Mr. POYNDER asked the Chairman whether any
communication on suttees had been received by the
Directors since the subject had been discussed by
the Court of Projn•ietors, or any information which
would allow them to hope for a speedy end to that
system of authorised, but unnecessary murder.
The CHAIRMAN was willing to communicate any
information he possessed. Information had certainly
been received from India subsequently to the laSt
discussion of the subject, in a despatch from the
Bengal Government. The despatch contained re-
ports on suttee. It should be read to the Court.
Here the despatch was read.. The sum of it was,
that difficulties lay in the it'll), of an adjustment of
the question, in consequence of the difference of
opinions expressed by different officers in India as to
the facility of abolishing the custom. Another diffi-
culty arose from the different dispositions of the
natives.

The CHAIRMAN added, that it was satisfactory to
know-that the number of widows burned in 1826
was less than that of tiny preceding year•. •
Mr. POYNDRR asked the gross number of women
sacrificed in the year 1825 ?
After some delay, the CHAIRMAN declared that
in 1824 the number of suttees was 578 ; in 1825 it
was 639; and in'lB26 it was only 580.

Mr: POYNDER gave notice of his intention to call
the attention of the Court and the public again to
that iniquitous and unnecessary system.
Mr. HDIVIR said, the Court ought to consult with
the. King's" Government immediately, and unite with
them in abolishing this horrid practice.
Mr. Dtxox was sure that every Director and Pro-
prietor of the Company was eager to abolish the
practice as soon as it could be done with safety.
Mr. I luau: called the attention of the Court to a
regulation issued by
.the General Post-office in
Bengal, requiring that .every letter should bear
written on the outside the name of the sender, as
well as of the person to whoM the letter, was directed.
This was a system of espionage
,scarcely known'in
the mot despotic countries of Europe. Nothing
could sanction such a practice.
A DirtEcTon.said the, regulation was intended
for the secuu•ity of the letters and the satisfaction of
the writers—rnot for espionage or any political, pm.-
pose on the part of the Government. Private ctn.-,
respondence was as sacred in India as in England.
A PROPRIETOR acknowledged the existence of the
Post-ollice regulation as stated by Mr. Hume ; but
added, that correspondents lay under' no obligation
to comply
.with it. . '
. After some further unimportant discussion on the
'subject, the Couit adjourned.

The Aldermen of London have been remark-
able foi-their love of indolence and good cheer time out of
mind ; for as early as 1475, when Edward IV. invaded
France, he took 'witlr hiM some Of the most .corpulent of
the Corporation—" les Nurgeois de LijOres le.plus charge
de ventre"--that the fatigues of war might the sooner in-
duce them to cry out fOr pettce.

" POACHING EXTRAORDINARY.-011 on-M
day heit about two o'clock in the morning, as four of the
DuLe of Devonshire's men were watching the plantations
near Nunburnholme, on account-of the weather being tern-
pe'stuotts, they took shelter in a barn, near one of the
copses. They had not long been there before four men
entered with a dog, and a general affray took place between
the keepers and those intruders. After fighting some
time, a mistake occurred which proved very fortunate for
the keepers, as they were by fur the weaker party. Owing
to the darkness of the nitht, the poachers could not dis-
criminate, and consequently.got to fighting among them-
selves, and they broke two of their guns to pieces by beat-
ing each other. Another grin flashed in the pan, but" did
not go eff.:. -Whether the trigger had been drawn, or it
was 'the effect of 'accident is not known. One of the
poachers being knocked down. with the butt end of a gun
he was beaten very severely, anti the other three then made
a rapid. retreat. The keepers had received but little in.
jury. As the morning .dawned upon them they found
themselves in possession of one of the poachers, a large dog,
tiva guns broken piece's, and a bag containing twelve
pheasants.— Yosh •G'ourimt.

SINGULAR CAPTURE OF A THIEF.-A
few dsys'ago, a sturdy sort of •Erin went into the shop of
a respectable grocer in the Canonel•ate, on pretence of
making some petty purchase, and while the attention of
the grocer was otherwise occupied, dexterously contrived
to stow away into the pockets of what seemed an apology
fel* a coat, a quantity of butter, with which he was in the
act of making otr, When the grOcer .observing a deficit in
his butter, sprung over the counter, and arrested Pat just
aokhe had reached the street, collared him, and brought
him back into the shop. Stoutly denying the theft, and
working himself into a violent rage, the Patiander, who
was a perfect Hercules in appearance, was proceeding to
take summary vengeance upOn the vender for the insult
offiTeil to him, when the grocer, though an able bodied
man and not deficient in " pluck," seeing he .had 'no
chance with such customer, suddenly closed with him,
seized him by the middle, and tripping- up his heels, threw
hiM head foienmst into a large empty herringbarrel. •In
this inverted -pasture, Pat kicked at:Craned about the
cask, quite unable to extricate himself, -to the no small
amusement of the inmatesiof the shopand acrowd who
had been attracted to the door. In this predicament be
•
remained till two guardians of the peace arrived arid took
hienr , fort on b custody.ing This was not quite so easily 'done, how-
ever, again set upon his
pins he showed fight,
and " dowsed" both the charlies in detail ; but he was
eventually secured and taken to the office, where the butter
was found its his pockets; and the Magistrate sentenced
him to 30 days' cunfinement in gridiwelt."::—Caledonian
Mercury, -