The Sun.
London, England, 1842-11-07 00:00:00

THE' LEVANT MAIL.

We have received
,by this mail intelligence from
Constantinople to the 17th ult., Beyrout to the Bth,
and 'Alexandria to the 2,4 th. Advices from Egypt
mention the departure of Mehemet Ali. for Cairo,
where he will make a len4thened stay. The Pacha
is said to have several grand; plans in contemplation.
The large dock at Alexandria is nearly completed,
and he is about to undertake the construction of locks,
or sluices, on the canal of Malimoudie, by which
means boats may pass directly From Alexandria to
Cairo. The contract for supplying. timber for this
purpose has been given to Ahmet Feriii.late Capitan
Pacha, who will import it from Coni;tantinople.
Mehemet Ali next intends to construct canal
between Fastat, Old Cairo, and' Kolzim, near
Suez, such as formerly existed under the occupa-
tion of the Arabs. This canal will be of
immense advantage in facilitating the transit of goods
from India to Europe, through Egypt. Another
favourite idea of the Pacha is to place in the course of
the next year, steamboats on the White River, for the
purpose of exploring the source of the Nile. On the
Bth of October, Mr. Holman, the blind traveller, had
an audience of the Pacha, by whom he was well re-
ceived. Mehemet Ali laughed heartily when lie was
informed that this gentleman had, been arrested „ill
Russia as a spy. On the 15th. ult. Mehemet Ali re-
ceived the Catholic Bishop Salero, who was presented
by the French Consul. His Grace returned thanks
on the part o": the Pope, for the four alabaster columns
sent to Rome for the church of St. Paul. On the
same day were presented to the Pacha Selim Capu-
dan, who commanded the expedition to the White
River three years since, and M. Arnaut, a French
artist, who accompanied him. All sales of provisions
had been suspended, by order of the Pacha, until an
account of the stock on hand should be taken.

Private intelligence from Constantinople states that
M. Boutenieff, the Russian Ambassador there, had
withdrawn all opposition to the confirmation of the
new Sovereign in Servia ; reserving, however, his
decision until his own Government should have ex-
pressed its opinion. The Divan had appointed Emir
Effendi to proceed to Servia to withdraw the decora-
tion from Prince Michael and to invest Prince Alex
ander with it.

M. Boutenieff had obtained one great advantage
by the dismisFal of Prince Ghilia from the govern-
ment of Wallachia.

The inhabitants of Lebanon were still indulging
themselves with the hope of the return of their old
Governor, the Emir Bechir, a fact much to be doubted.
Her Majesty's frigate Inconstant and Vesuvius
steamer, accompanied by the Veloce, _Austrian cor-
vette, sailed on the 7th from Beyrout for Jaffa.
Great excitement had been created at Damascus
by the arrival there on the sth ult. of one of the
wives of the late Sultan Mahmoud on her journey to
Mecca.

LITERATURE.
WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS. 3 Vols.
Bentley, London, 1842.
The most striking incident in this story, is that
of the murder of one of the chief personages, Sir
Horace Wentworth, which is perpetrated through
the agency of his unprincipled friend, Lawson,
who contrives to make the young Baronet's mo-
ther administer to him a dose of laurel-water,
she of course supposing that it is the medicine
sent by the apothecary. This incident is no
coinage of the author's brain, for the crime was
committed, pretty nearly as is here related,
about the middle of the last century, and the
parties concerned were Sir Theodosius Brough-
ton and Captain Donnellan, the latter of whom
poisoned the former, in the hope, if We remem-
ber rightly, of marrying his widow, and so gain-
ing possession of the estate. The circumstance,
though now nearly forgotten, created a wonder-
ful stir throughout the country at the period of
its occurrence, and is alluded to by.more than
one contemporary writer. Mrs. Thompson, the
authoress of the story before us, has introduced
this tragic episode with great adroitness, and re-
lated the particulars with impressive force and
earnestness, but, at the same time, without ex-
aggeration. But we gladly turn to the more
cheerful points of her narrative. Her sketch of
the fussy, conceited bachelor clergyman, Mr.
Gadsden, who imagines that every woman who
looks at him is desperately in love with him, is
cleverly and naturally drawn; Adeline Meadows,
too, the heroine of the tale, is a delightful por-
trait ; and the description of the manufacturing
town of I\Torthington is so life-like in its minute
touches, that we almost fancy we know the exact
locality. On the whole, " Widows and Widow-
ers" is an amusing narrative, of a second-rate
order of excellence, fluently written, and full
of bustle.

ON DlGESTlON.—Bouchardat and Sandras have
been led by their experiments to a theory of digestion
differing somewhat from that generally adopted. It
is a generally received opinion that the food is brought
into zhe stomach and there changed into a homoge-
neous gray substance of a sweetish, slightly acid
taste, which still retains some of the properties of the
food, and which has been called chyme. It is sup-
posed that this so-produced chyme passes subsequently
into chyle. Bouchardat and Sandras believe that the
substance which has been called chyme is a mixture
of undissolved remains of the food, the solution of
which is perhaps continued in the windings of the in-
testine, and of excretions from the glands and mucous
membranes of the intestines, which are destined after-
wards to form the excrement ; but they do not be-
lieve that this mixture is expressly prepared for as-
similation.—The Chemical Gazette, No. I.

The General Steam Navigation Company's mail-
packet, Countess of Lonsdale, arrived this morning
off the Tower, with mails and passengers from
Hamburg.

LONG ANNUITIES.

(From the Observer.)

A question of great financial importance, and one,
too, deemed w'ell worthy of the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, has been mooted among some of the leading
monied men in the City. It is, whether there exists
any pfactical or real objection to extending the annui-
ties which will terminate in 1860 over a more length-
ened period of time ? thus permitting those who exist
subsequent, to participate in the expenses of the wars in
which Great Britain established the peace of Europe
on the plains of Waterloo, as the future generation will
enjoy all the advantages of the great object then obtained,
while the payments, as far as they are concerned, will be
reduced. It is not an unimportant object for the states-
man to keep in view, as far as respect the finances of
the country, how large a diminution will be made
a quarter of a century hence in the interest now
payable upon the National Debt, especially if the
rumour be correct that Government have it seriously
in contemplation to reduce the Three-and-a-Half per
Cent. into a Three per Cent. Stock. That this is an
important question the following fact will demonstrate:
The Long Annuities, which expire on the sth Ja-
nuary, 1860, are an annual charge upon the resources
of the country, speaking in round numbers, of
1,290,0001.

The Annuities for terms of years, granted by the
Commissioners for the Reduction of the National
Debt, in exchange for stock or for money transferred,
amount probably now to 1,800,0001.
With other annuities, terminable at specific periods,
not including life annuities, it is estimated that a total
charge upon the revenue at the close of twenty-five
years, will be annihilated, amounting to nearly, if not
above, 5,000,000/. To this may fairly be added, the
" Dead Weight Annuity," payable to the Bank 'ai
England, of 585,7401., until the year 1867. So that
within a period barely exceeding a quarter of a
century, and that time is a scintilla in the.
history of a country, the Treasury will be re-
lieved from the payment, of annuities—to the
enormous extent of between 5,000,0001. and
6,000,0001. a-year. Add to this the certain reduction
of the dividends upon the National Debt, with the
conversion of the threeand-a-Half per Cents. to
Three per Cent. Annuities, completed, and there will
be a diminution of the responsibilities of the Treasury,
in the period stated, of full 7,000,0001. per annurr.
Thp_zreat question then is, can any plan be ievised
to throws-portivii -1.,..t-uf-tlw vt
the country over an extended period, by enlarging"the
time at which the annuities will expire, and for which
a quid pro quo would no doubt be gladly given by the
public, having money to spare. The subject is thought
to be one deserving the attention of the Executive.

LADIES FORMERLY IN PARLIAMENT.—GUrdOII .in
his Antiquities of Parliament says, «The ladies of
birth and quality sat in council with the Saxon
WTita's." " The Abbess Hilda (says Bede) presided in
an ecclesiastical synod." In Wighfred's great coun-
cil at Beconceld, A.D. 694, the abbesses sat and
deliberated, and five of them signed the decrees
of that council along with the king, bishops, and
nobles." " King, Edgar's charter to the Abbey of
Crowland, A.D. 961, was with the consent of
the nobles and abbesses, who subscribed the
charter." "ID Henry the Third's and Edward the
First's time four abbesses were summoned to Parlia-
ment, viz.—of Shaftesbury, Berking, St. Mary of
Winchester, and of Wilton." "In the 35th of
Edward 111. were summoned by writ to Parliament to
appear there by their proxies, viz.—Mary Countess
of Norfolk, Alienor Countess of Ormond, Anna Des-
paiser, Phillippa Countess of March, Johanna Fitz-
Water, Agneta Countess of Pembroke, Mary de St.
Paul Ccuntess of Pembroke,. Margaret de Roos,
Matilda Countess of Oxford, Catherine Countess of
Athol. These ladies were called ad colloquium et
tractatum by their proxies, a privilege peculiar to the
Peerage to appear and act by proxy.'
During a violent storm on Thursday at Aire, Pas
de Calais, the lightning entered the manufactory of
fecula, of that place, but passed through without
doing any material damage, and went along the
streets and the border of the Lys, to the barracks,
which are occupied by Cuirassiers. Here it made its
way in, and ran from room to room, breaking every-
thing before it. In the Salle de Police it found two
men in confinement, both of whom were affected, but
not seriously. A stable was its next attraction. Here
it knocked down five horses, but did not touch a sol-
dier that was with them. At length it escaped by the
main gates, and disappeared in the Rue du Doyen.
Powerful and extensive as was the current of the fluid,.
it is surprising that the damage it did was so small.
Woomvicu, Nov. 4.—This morning a court-mar-
tial was held on board the William and Mary, Royal
yacht, on a sailor of the Dee steamer, for threatening
to take the life of one of the lieutenants of that vessel.
The prisoner was found guilty, and sentenced to
transportation for life.

1141DDINGTON.—SIGNS OF THE TIMES.—The fine
41b., loaf is now selling here at 6d., and the household
'loaf at sil. ; beef 5d., mutton 4d., and lamb 3d. per
lb. :,- American pork 3d. and 3id. per lb. ; eggs ls.
per dozen ; fresh butter lid. per lb., salt ditto 9d. to
11d. per ditto • oatmeal 9d. to 10d. per stone; pota-
toes 10s..yer boll of 4 cwt.; apples ls. per gallon.
THE ELEPHANT AND THE TURNPIKE GATE.—Yes-
terdav senniglit, as Mr. Van Amburgh's elephant
was going to Wellington, ready for the next day's
.perthiinance, on coming to the turnpike gate,
which was shut, the gate-man refused to
open the gate unless the conductor paid extra toll,
which he refusing to do, went through the side wicket,
saying to the elephant, " Jack, I must go without
you." But it was not to be so ; for Jack would be
as good as his master ; so, without any ceremony,
Jack applied his proboscis to the gate, and just eased
itself of the hindrance by. prostrating the gate in the
road, to the no small amazement of the gate-keeper.
We understand there was some injury done to the
gate the expense of which the keeper cheerfully
paid.—Salopicni Journal.
A USEFUL HINT. The Paving Board of the
parish of St. James's, Westminster, have just com-
pleted a total re-painting of all the directions at the
corners of the streets; a plan strongly recommended
for the adoption of the other parochial authorities of
the Metropolis.
OPENING OF QUEEN'S COLLEGE, GLASGOW.—The
formal opening of Queen's College, for the education
of ladies, took place on Friday, at two o'clock, in the
Assembly-rooms, Sir J. Campbell, Lord Provost in
the chair. The large hail of the Assembly-rooms was'
filled to overflowing by a highly respectable company,
almost entirely composed of ladies, the gentlemen pre-
sent chiefly accommodated on the platform.. Among
the latter were—the Rev. Dr. Hill, Professor of Theo
logy in the University ; Rev. Dr. Fleming, College ;
Rev. Dr. King, Grayfriars ; Rev.. Dr. Heugh, Rev.
Mr. Rose, Rev. Mr. Hunter, Rev. Dr. Symington ;
Professors Penney, Wilson, Easton, &c., of the Ander-
sonian University ; Dr. Weir, Bailie Leadbetter,
Convenor Ure, Mr. A. Rankine, Mr. J. M'Lellan,
Mr, J. Simpson, from Edinburgh, Dr. Gibson, Mr.
W. Church, Mr. J. Loudoun, Messrs. Greig and
Nelson, Western Academy; Mr. D'Orsay, and nume-
rous other gentlemen interested in the cause of ediv,'
cation. Dr. Penney addressed the meeting on the ad-
vantages and pleasures of knowledge, and the import-
ance of the present Institution.—Scolsman.

MACBETH'S WITCIIES.—The place where Macbeth
met with the three weird sisters, is in the county of
Moray, about seven miles westward of Elgin, and five
miles on this side of Forres. It is nearly a mile in
length, and in some parts more than half a mile in
breadth. It is a singularly bare, desolate place, with a
range of high hills on the south side, and a large open
space of country, now generally cultivated—with the
Moray Frith and the Caithness hills in the distance. Nor
is this all. Not only is the moor itself, atwhich the meeting
in question took place, still a " blasted heath," but,
from its peculiar soil, it must ever remain so. The
progress of cultivation can never reach it. It may
farther be mentioned, that so desolate and barren is
the place, that people have a great dislike to travel
through it in dark nights. The road to Forres, and
thence to Inverness, lies now, as in Macbeth's time,
through this large tract of moor, still covered over
with the " heath" so common in the mountainous
parts of Scotland.—Joseph Jenkins, a new Work, by
the Author of " Random Recollections."
The works for the construction of the German
federal fortress of Ulm commenced on the 18th ult..
the anniversary of the battle of Leipsic, and have
since been continued with the greatest diligence,
under the superintendence of the Director of Fortifi-
cations, Von Prittwitz.

SIIIPPING INTELLIGENCE.—The smack 'Alacrity,
which started last week on a voyage of discovery
round the world, ran aground opposite the Isle of
Dogs. Crew saved. The barge Bungle was seen in
a state of horrible distress athwart the piles at West-
minster Bridge, with loss of one oar, and the other
broken. A hat was picked up a little below, supposed
to be the captain's. The wherry Warspite broke
from her moorings opposite Battersea. Crew in a
state of insensibility at the Red House, and removed
by D 9, of the Battersea (Coast) Guard to the
Station. The Playful Polly thrown with her keel
uppermost on the beach. Crew, who had chartered
her for two hours from Searle's, bolted.—Purech.
A CONFESSIONAL AWKWARDLY SITUATED.—In
TUA
the cathedral of Girgenti, in Sicily, the slightest whis-
per is borne with perfect distinctness from the great
western door to the cornice behind the high altar, a
distance of 260 feet. By a most unlucky coincidence,
the precise focus of divergence at the former station
was chosen for the place of the confessional. Secrets
never intended for the public ear thus became known,
to the dismay of the confessors and the scandal of the
people, by the resort of the curious to the opposite
point (which seems to have been discovered accident-
ally), until at length one listener, having had his cu-
riosity somewhat over gratified by hearing his wife's
avowal of her own infidelity, this sell-tale peculiarity
became generally known, and the confessional was re-
moved.—fferschers Treatise on Sound.

OVERIik,NT) MAIL

AFFGTIANISTAN,-
INDIA AND CHINA.
Letters and papers have been received by tile
Overland Mail from Bombay, the Ist of October,
and convey a great variety of important and in-
teresting intelligence.
The operations of the British army in Affgha-
nistan are very satisfactory. The decision of the
Government to send the troops towards Caubul,
and take possession of that place, has given gene-
ral satisfaction, and inspired our brave array 111
that quarter with fresh courage. Candabar was
finally abandoned by us on the 10th of August.
General Nott, with a force of about 7,000 men,
including two Queen's regiments and a battering
train, is now on his way to Ghuznee and Caul)"
at which latter place he was expected to have
arrived about the 15th of September. We l'avc
heard indirectly of the first 150 miles of his mar"
being accomplished. General England, Iv"
quitted Candahar simultaneously for a move in
the opposite direction, reached Quettait in safety
on the 26th, having marched his detachrneot
of 4,000 men 140 miles without obstruction.
The Quettah force is looked for in Scittdc orb'
in October, in the course of which month
the
oth,e
entire withdrawal of our troops front beYend
Passes will have been completed. General -L. °l-
lock has for the last three weeks of August
beella
moving his troops gradually upwards towaru'
Gundamuek, at the mouth of the ?ass, 26 wiles
On his. towards Caubul, preparaterY t°
a. making „rapid dash on the capital, on lleto'if •
of General Notes advance. On the 23d and ,21t-.1
of August a detaatinent of abouf2,ooo of the
enemy, having taking up a position inconv
near to us, were atiadked. by General rci.`' •.
and dispersed, after five hotirs' fighting%
villages and strongholds' being' destroYen,
"
t i
their vineyards and their fruit trees cut "';._ •
tie has-lurt the posts-itr- his rear sfreng}fe6, a
risoned. He was expected* tb„ be ready Jo`,
march on the sth or.• 6th September, our lat''t

lews extends to the ad. • r
The progress of General Nott into the WI/
Lis,
of Affghaniz;tan appears to have
fortunate. His corps is desert,
in beasts of burden, &c., every
itcomplishment of the arduous undei.,416,14,.. this
.wotildbe, useless to disguise the fact, 03" „at
march from Candahar to Caubul is one uf
importance, for when • successful it will dellb)-ut
strate to the world that all the clamour a:°,
Afghan patriotism and their. wonderful pross

was of no value. • , 4th
Intelligence from General. Pollock to tue
of September states that his troops had be tit
eminently successful in their gradual ninve.illeef
to Gundamuck, and in routing some bodies it
the enemy. The arrival in the camp of Fu,410
Jung, the son and heir of Shah Soojah, of
had effected his escape from the person ir-
Akbar Khan, was considered, in the e.e.
cumstances, as an event of great Inagnittidea
He came from Caubul attended by fcnirteel.
persons, although only one was "at first re
lowed to enter the camp, but orders Ilde
subsequently issued to admit the remain,
11ete,
On his reaching General Pollock's tent ase .0a *,
of welcome was instantly fired. His reeePtia;
proved the intentions of the General t° bei3ol
vourable to his rights as. Sovereign of o°,l to
The orders for a rapid move frOm Gundaran7 it
Caubul on the 6th or 7th of September ..
was said, been issued, but- some doubts were eto
tertained of that march being effected Prie,,rtt
the certainty of the approach of General -1-""
from Gliaznee. Akbar •
Among the rumours Was one that --
.
Khan had been seized by-the Kozzilbasite' Of
. „ts
constitute a large portion of the inhabita";',
Caubul, and who, in ord'e'r to save the city
destruction, were in the.,intereat of the -",13',11e
alliance, and for that reason also protected " is
British prisoners. One item of painful news
that the gallant Sir Robert Sale was seriously in-
disposed, in consequence of an inflammation (31'
the
portskidneys.
scattered
Thereabroa d were.n
manyconflicting re
respectingr
which subsequently proved erroneous•
would not surprise me," said. one writer, "if da
much greater number than is generally suppose
of the officers and soldiers said to have been mas
the prisone7t,
sacred in January last should make their aPKI.:.
ance on the arrival of the' ritish troops at Caulint' .
A report was circulated in Bombay on the led,
of October, to the effect that Ghuznee had °pole'
its gates without any gieat resistance on the nYe;
pearance of Nott's army. Sir Charles NnPf.lo
left Bombay in the beginning of Septenlbe: the
Scinde, in order to take the command ot
troops from General .'England. Her MaierstYo, •
'2Btlt Regiment had suffered severely ilp.c)be
cholera during its. passage to Kurraclice• rlas
corps under the orders of General England vile;
after the districts around Quetta had behl,at,
placed under the jurisdiction of the young
of Khelat, come through the Bolan Pass on
the 26th of September in order to take 'JP is
station near the. Indus. The presence nt• tt.
corps had become necessary in consequence lace •
quarrel and a conflict which had taken P"-nf
between the Ameers of Hyderabad and soMevas„ •
their neighbours, he consequence of wl)icli the •
calculated to be, that both parties, or at lost •.b
EP
weaker one, was- likely to appeal to the Brttile
authorities fbr koteetion. The tyranny °f,hcir
Ameers is proV'eibial, and the removal of
government would be a blessing to all the in.,e,
tants of the banks 'of the Indus. It was
fore considered probabie that the British for
vernment will, for its own sake, as well eg in-
thet advanceMent of civilization, be specdilYose
,duced to control the oppressive acts of h
mischievous despots. the
pee ed
It seems 'to be ex t in India that at
British army, on the junction of the two onlistinf
Caubul, will,.tsubsequently to the liberati°ilded
the prisoners, ,be called upon to take dec:era-
steps for introducing a proper system of g° the
ment and the admihistration of justice o°Lern
Sikh country. General Pollock, on his re°tber
towards India, may therefore have au„tic
object to attain worthy of the most cnerikli.
steps, viz., the taking possession of are
country. The mass of that population, "',1,11,-
fully aware of the blessings produced "./er to
British administration, are described as eagsach
obtain the management of civilized rulers'ther
as the British people have given to the -
parts of .11indostan. loth of
Lord Ellenborough arrived on the --
September at Siinla, the proximity a inlvdica-
place to Lahore, as well as many other f thetions,
tions, led many to consider the occupation ee ° nod
Punjaub as probable. The Governor-Git
and the Commander-in-Chief, being in itAbitli-
mediate vicinity of the Sikh capital, ring
out out difficulty learn how the British forceg''- 0n- •
their passage through the Punjaub, ought to d'ucs
duct themselves, so as to support the int°
tion there of a good and just government. 113,
In the interior of India tranquillity genet's
prevails. Aloe
The rains were most plentiful thrown
India in the month of September. The n'l;tie
talked-of apprehensions entertained of a Jam
in the districts near Delhi have vanished. The
army to assemble.
of reserve has been ordered
on the Sutlej in the month of November' pr et
paratory, as it is said, to some demonstravel
against the Sikhs. her
There have been some serious losses in
wamPeu
boats
Majesty's 50th and 62d Regiments while Pr°-;
ceeding up the Ganges. A boat was s
•fl near Cawnpore, and eighteen. men of tue -
were drowned. A wing of the 62d going
itoraat
near Bhagulpore, was overtaken by moor-
night, which forced the boats from thcullatints
ings, and thirty-eight mcn,including Lien"'
Scobel and Gson, weon itre losst.voyage
from Leud°ll
The bark Raicardo,
to Calcutta, struck on a sand-bank in th
minute
Hooghly, and heeled over, and in one
teMber'
The Delhi Gazette of the 21st of SeP the
went down. Ten persons were drowned.
the latest paper received at the closing L' 1,,
mail from the north-west of'
Akbar Khan had resolved to abandon I), u
and to take the prisoners to ilindoo Ko°`"
India, stal..ea.s_tb;i:,.,,_

:he