The Sun.
London, England, 1842-11-01 00:00:00

STEAM-BOAT COMPANIES.
Notwithstanding the immense numbers who have
been conveyed by steam during the present year, up
and down the river, exceeding that of any former
season from the commencement of steam navigation
on the Thames, some of the Companies have realised
no profits, others have met with severe losses, and two
have been dissolved. This result has been caused by
the competition, the low fares, and the number of
passages made by the various steamers. The Old
Commercial Steam-packet Company, the Shareholders
belonging to which have sustained great losses, was
dissolved some weeks since, and another one esta-
blished on its ruins. A ?few days since, at the
annual meeting of the Shareholders of the Star
Gravesend Steam-packet Company, whose splendid
vessels have been running many years, it was agreed
upon that, in consequence of the severe losses that
had been sustained by the ruinous competition that
had so long been kept up, the Company should be
dissolved, and a Committee was appointed to wind
up the affairs of the - concern, sell the vessels,
and effect other arrangements for the be..
nefit of the unfortunate Shareholders who have not
received any dividend for two years, and are consider-
ably in debt. It was stated that toll had been received
for 263,264 passengers at the Terrace Pier, Gravesend,
conveyed to and from London in the Star steamers;
but that a return to the old fares, 2s. in the after cabin,
and Is. 6d. in the fore cabin only, was likely to be
remunerative to any of the numerous Steam-boat
Companies running vessels between Gravesend and
London. Neither the Diamond nor any other of the
Gravesend CoMpanies are likely to pay any dividend
this year. Last year one of the Greenwich Steam •
boat Companies was dissolved, and the vessels dis-
posed of to Mr. Nicholson at a great sacrifice. The
old Greenwich Steam-packet Company, who have
built two new vessels, have carried an unusual number
of passengers during the fine summer, but are upwards
of 6,0001. in debt, and there will be no dividend this
year. The shares of the old Woolwich Steam-packet
Company, who launched a new boat in the summer,
have been selling at an alarming discount, and they have
lately discharged the crews of four of their boats. The
Greenwich Company have laid up five of their vessels
for the winter season, and dismissed the crews. The
most successful Steam-boat Companies on the Thames
are the Watermen's and the iron steamers above bridge.
Both concerns paid a dividend of ten per cent. List
year out of their actual profits, and the Watermen's
Company also laid by a reserved fund of 5001., and
gave a donation of 50 guineas to their almshouses at
Penge for distressed watermen and ligherinen. This
year the Watermen's Company will again declare a
-dividend of 10 per cent., and lay by a reserved fund,
and intend to run seven boats during the whole of the
winter between the Adclphi pier and Woolwich, and
to launch Waterman No. 8 in the beginning of De-
cember. The Iron Steam-boat Company will also
declare a dividend equal to the amount of last year.
The two concerns last named have not been in exist-
ence many years, and the public, it will be seen, pre-
, fer the nPw and fast boats to the old ones. The Ge-
neral Steam Navigation Company, with their immense
fleet of vessels,' which proceed to all arts of the Con-
tinent, and stand's at the head of the Steam-boat Com-
panies, are going on as prosperously as ever, and
their receipts this year have been enormous, while
casualties have become very rare. The General Steam
Navigation Company intend building additional ves-
sels, to be launched in the spring of next year.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
MARLBOROUGH-STREET.
A well-dressed gentleman, accompanied by a num-
ber of friends, and attended professionally by Mr.
Chambers and Mr. Hobler, was brought before Mr.
Hardwick, charged with being a deserter from the
service of the Hon. East India Company.
Acting under the advice of his counsel, the accused
refused to give his name when requested to do so by
the chief clerk, Mr. Fitzpatrick.
Mr. Clarkson, who attended on behalf of the East
India Company, acquainted Mr. Hardwick that he
should produce evidence to prove that the gentleman
at the bar was Captain Archibald Douglas, of the
49th Native Infantry ; that he had received leave of
absence from Tanjore to go to the Neilgherry hills,
and that availing himself of this circumstance, he had
made his way to England in the Reliance merchant-
man, under the assumed name of Jackson. Having
satisfactorily established the identity of Captain
Douglas, it would be his duty to ask for his com•
mittal as a deserter from the Hon. East India Com-
pany's Service.
Mr. Clarkson called a clerk in the India House,
who proved that a sum of 1,0001. East India Stock
was transferred by Captain Archibald Douglas about
a fortnight ago. the transfer-book was signed Archi-
bald Douglas, and witness believed that the accused
was the party who had transferred the stock.
Police constable Hughes, A division, said he went
according to instructions to No. 250, Piccadilly, on
Saturday afternoon, and asked if Captain Douglas was
there. He was shown to the back of the shop, and
the defendant came forward and answered to the name
of Douglas. Witness told him he had authority to
apprehend him as a deserter from the East India
Company's service. Defendant replied it was not a
matter of desertion, as he was on leave of absence from
his regiment. 'Witness then took him into custody.
Mr. Chambers contended that the identity was not
sufficiently established.
Mr. Clarkson maintained that the identity was be-
yond question, and if the Magistrate would consent to
a remand for a few days, he should be prepared with a
more complete chain of evidence than the short time
since the defendant's capture had allowed to be collected.
Mr. Chamebrs remarked that it would be dangerous
to act upon such incomplete legal evidence as that be-
fore the Bench. If this was allowed, then it was pos-
sible to use the power for political objects.
Mr. HARDWICK remarked that his duty appeared to
be that of a Grand Juror. Ile was not to try the
merits of the charge, but only to ascertain if there was
sufficient legal evidence to justify him in committing
the accused for trial.
Mr. Clarkson said this was precisely his view of
the case.
Some further argument between the respective
counsel took place, and it was ultimately arranged
that the defendant should be remanded till Friday
next, to procure the attendance of the captain of the
Reliance, and other parts of the evidence, sufficiently
to place the defendant's identity beyond legal doubt.
Mr. Fitzpatrick accordingly took down the evidence
of the policeman and the clerk of the East India House,
and further proceedings were postponed till Friday
next.

It was stated that the defendant, in addition to his
commission, held the important civil appointment of
Resident ahanjore.

HORRID DEATII.—An inquest was held on Tues-
day last by Griffith Jones, Esq., Coroner for the
County of Merioneth, on the body of John Roberts,
lime-burner to Edward Owen, Esq., of Gartliyngha-
red, when it appeared that John Jones had, on the
morning of Monday, the 24th inst., been in company
with the deceased, drawing lime from the kiln at
Garthisaf, and that on his return from breakfast he
found John Roberts in the centre of the kiln, plunged
up to his knees in the burning lime. He was in an
upright position, with his hands raised above his head
The body appeared a complete burning mass ; and on
a chain being passed round the trunk, it was dragged
out, charred to a cinder. A large iron bar, used for
poking the lime from the kiln, was resting near de-
ceased; but there was no evidence to show how he
had fallen into the kiln. Verdict—" Accidental
death." The deceased was sixty years of age, but had
not long taken to the lime business.—Carnarvon
Herald.

PROTESTANT ASSOCIATION.—The annual exhibition
of this body took place yesterday at the Amphithea-
tre, as a prelude, we suppose, to the Municipal elec-
tion on Tuesday next. There was, as usual, a nu-
merous attendance of the Irish clergy and their allies
—as usual, the rectors, and the great body of the Eng-
lish clergy were absent—and, also, as usual, the greater
portion of the audience consisted of females. The
Chairman, Dr. Tattersall, made the wonderful disco-
very that the recent change of Ministry was the im-
mediate work of Almighty God. We must, in charity,
suppose that the Rev. Gentleman is wholly ignorant
of the extent to which bribery and corruption were
carried at the las general election. The assertion was
blasphemous, and really, we do not see that much less
can be said of the notion of Dr. Tattersall, that Peel
is Prime Minister by the especial grace of God, and
not by virtue of his own double dealing. The next
speaker was the Rev. H. M‘Neile. A mighty change
has come over the spirit of his dream., We all re-
member how lustily he shouted " No Popery" at for-
mer meetings of the kind—how bitterly he denounced
the Whig Ministers for continuing the grant to May-
nooth College—for their scheme of national education,
and how vigorously he called for the repeal of the
Emancipation Act. Nov mark the change : he is
silent about repeal ; he no longer comes forward to
the front of the stage and shouts " No Popery ;" and
he seems to think that, though the Whigs were such
terrible heathens for doing certain things, their Tory
successors may do exactly the same without exposing
themselves to the slightest risk of similar denuncia-
tions.—Liverpool Mercury.
On Wednesday, the new station on the Greenwich
railway, communicating with the Thames Tunnel at
the Spa-road, was completed, and will be opened for
traffic on Sunday next. By a clause in the Company's
Act, it is provided that the trains shall stop twice a
day for the conveyance of passengers to and from this
place, but the traffic, it is conceived, will render it n.;
Cessary that the trains should stop more frequently.
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT BLACKBURN.-011 Saturday
night a fire broke out in the extensive mill of Mr.
Joseph Eccles, Darwin-street, Blackburn. Not-
withstanding every exertion was used to check the
flames, the whole building was burned to the ground.
The books, Scc., were with difficulty saved. The
damage is estimated at from 30,0001. to 40,0001.