The Sun.
London, England, 1842-03-25 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR

Despatches from the Governor of the Mauritius were
received yesterday at the Colonial-office.
On Monday and Tuesday, the Royal Minor alms
were distributed to upwards of 800 persons above the
age of 60 years, who received five shillings each.
The Royal Gate Charity, of thirteen shillings each, was
also distributed to 168 persons, many of whom are very
aged, and have declined from a prosperous condition in
life, to distress and affliction.

These distributions were made under the orders of the
Archbishop of York as Lord High Almoner to her
Majesty, by Mr. Hanby, his Grace's Secretary.

KOOM KALI,
ONE OF THE CASTLES ON THE ASIATIC
SIDE OF THE HELLESPONT.
We had some difficulty in prevailing on the old chief
to let us see the interior of the castle; he, however, at
last acceded to our importunities, and deputed the com-
mandant of artillery, our drunken friend of the preceding
evening, to conduct us thither. The garrison consists of
about a hundred men, having little to boast of in point of
military appearance—being mere boys, small in size, of
a slouching gait, and apparently extremely ill at ease in
the Frankish dress and accoutrements: the former con-
sists of the fez, drawn in a most unsoldierlike fashion
over the ears, a dark blue shell jacket with red facings,
white linen trowsers, and half boots ; their arms and
appointments are in a wretched state, and the sentry at
the portcullis was carelessly lounging up and down with
a rusty firelock, which could not even boast of either flint
or bayonet.

The fort of Koom Kali is an oblong, walled in to
about two hundred and ninety yards in length, by
one hundred and ninety yards in breadth. It con-
tains a dense mass of closely-wedged wooden buildings,
separated by streets, whose breadth does not exceed four or
five feet, a couple of mosques, and the barracks imme-
diately in rear of the principal battery facing the Darda-
nelles, and raised about four feet above the level of the
water. This is mounted with eighteen large brass guns,
about twenty:feet in length, and carrying enormous stone-
shot. They were embeddtd in the masonry of the
building, but preparations were even then making to
put them into a more efficient state, a vessel having ar-
rived from Constantinople with a cargo of timber car-
riages, on which they were being mounted. Besides
the principal battery, a flank face with four guns com-
mands the entrance of the Straits, and wall-pieces are
placed on the projecting turrets towards the land side.
"By the time we had inspected the interior of the fort,
as the day was advancing, we took a friendly leave of
its worthy commandant, and, with the promise of paying
him shortly another visit, mounted our steeds and took
our departure, highly pleased with the first specimen we
had of Turkish manners.—Northern Excursions.

CORONER'S INQUEST.
Last evening an inquest was held at the sign of the Crown
public-house, in St. Dunstares-hill, Lower Thames-street, be-
fore Wm. Payne, Esq., on the body of Mr. Henry Lephard,
aged 26 years, late of No. 7, Cross-lane, Saint Mary-at-Hill,
Billingsgate, manufacturer of and dealer in tobacco.
Edward Funnell, constable No. 594, stated that about eight
o'clock on Monday morning last witness was fetched from the
station-house by a man, who said a gentleman had cut his
throat at No. 7, in Cross-lane. On proceeding there and forcing
open the door of a room on the third floor, which was locked
on the inside, the deceased was found lying on the floor
with his throat cut. A great quantity of blood had flowed
from the wound, and in a table drawer in the room was a razor
in a very bloody state. The deceased wcs sensible, and
looked at witness as he entered the room. Witness remained
with him during the day, and in answering a written question
put to him, he wrote that he was induced t• destroy himself
from a sense of his being inadequate to the discharge of the or-
dinary duties of life, arising from nervous deafness and an
affects, n of the head, combined with his anxiety about business;
and in answer to an inquiry whether he had contemplated the
act, he stated that it had occurred to him, but that he hid
always been able to overcome it until the present instance.
Mr. George Mayberry, of No. 7, Little Tower-street, Sur-
geon, stated that he was called to attend the deceased, and
found him with a cut in his throat, five inches in length, and
three in depth. Witness continued to attend him to his death,
which took place on Wednesday morning.
From other evidence it appeared that the deceased had
entered into business within the last three weeks in partnership
with a gentleman named Porter. He was unmarried, and was
most highly respected by his relations and friends for his in-
tegrity and amiableness of temper. He was, however, not of
strong mind, and incapable of taking upon himself the manage..
went of an extensive business. He was generally very
lc w
and desponding. His prospects in life were ♦ery good.
Verdict--Insanity.

COMMON COUNCIL.—Yesterday Mr. Laurie was elected
a Common Pleader in the room of Mr. Bullock, appointed
a Judge in the Sheriff's Court, the number for Mr. Lau-
rie being 102, and for his opponent, Mr. Locke, 75. Mr.
R. Taylor withdrew his motion respecting the supposed
income tax, without giving any reason for this strange
proceeding, and simply announced that he would repeat
his motion on a future day. Possibly before that day
arrives his motion may be of no use. The city of Lon-
don seems to be stamped by Tory politics, and we wish
them joy of their propensities. Nine out of ten of the
shopkeepers are opposed to the Corporation.
ALARMING OCCURRENCE AT ST. GEORGE'S BAR-
RACKS, AND DESPERATE ATTEMPT OF ONE OP THE PRI-
VATE SOLDIERS TO COMMIT SHlClDE.—Yesterday forenoon
great consternation and alarm was created in St. George's Bar-
racks, Charing-cross, by the following occurrence —One of
the privates, named Wiiiiam Humphries, belonging to the 3d
battalion of Grenadier Guards, now staying there, suddenly
showed symptoms of mental derangement, and seizing the op-
portunity of being left alone for a short time in the room he
u
self
fs
fqroumarttehreed
winio(doontee
uornmothtehefoflag
fourth story),
dust he
without threw
hurt_
t
rai ings of the area. The distance he fell is about 47 feet. He
was taken up in a dreadfully shattered state, and conveyed to
Charing-cross Hospital, but not the slightest hopeis entertained
of his surviving. He is about 35 years of age, and has been
several years in the regiment. A report was in circulation in
the neighbourhood that Humphries had possessed himself of
several of his comrade's muskets, which having loaded, he
shut himself in his room, and refused to admit any one, or
to leave it himself, and just previous to his throwing himself out
of the window, he fired several shots through the panels
of the roorn-deor, to the imminent danger of several
persons, who were standing on the landing-place. However,
on the reporter making inquiry at the Barracks on the subject,
he was informed by the Sergeant-major of the Regiment, that
there was no truth whatever in the rdmour, and that it had no
doubt arisen from the fact of Humphries having been about a
year or two ago similarly affected in his head, and that he then
attempted to set fire to his room by setting fire to some cart-
ridges he had by some means got into his possession.

- -----.
WINDSOR, THURSDAY.—The Queen and Prince Albert
took their accustomed early walk this morning in the
Slopes and the Home Park.
Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and the
Princess Royal were taken out in the forenoon in the
Little Park, and again in a carriage in the afternoon,
for an airing.
Her Majesty rode out in a pony carriage and four, at-
tended by the Hon. Mrs. Anson, Lady Caroline Cocks,
and the Hon. Sarah Mary Cavendish. His Royal
Highness Prince Albert accompanied her Majesty on
horseback, attended by Sir Edward Bowater, Colonel
Buckley, and Mr. George Ed ward Anson.
The Royal dinner party, this evening, at the Castle,
will include only the Ladies and Gentlemen of the
Royal Suite.
MAUNDY THURSDAY.—Yesterday the customary dis-
tribution of her Majesty's Royal Maundy took place at
Whitehall Chapel. There were present 23 'aged men,
and 23 aged women, being the number of the years of
age of her Majesty. The poor persons received ge
Royal charity with much apparent thankfulness. Thy
are above 70 years of age, some are upwards of 80.
At two o'clock the recipients assembled at Whitehall
Chapel, and at three o'clock the usual procession walk d
to the Chapel, consisting of the Yeomen of the Guard n
their State costume, one of the corps carrying a
gold dish which has been used on these occasiols
1
since the reign of Queen Mary, and on this dish were
deposited the alms to be distributed.
There were six children in attendance, who had be n
selmed for good conduct from the National School f
Westminster, and the parish of St. George, Hanove -
square. These children received as a reward a donee r
of 65., and the linen sashes which they wore.
The Very Rev. the Dean of Carlisle officiated as Sub-
Almoner, attended by Joseph Hanby, Esq., Secretary
and Yeoman of the Almonry, and Officers of the Lord
Chamberlain's department. There were in attendance
the Rev. Dr. Sleath, the Rev. Dr. Vivian, Rev. Messrs.
Packman and Haden. ,
The distributions were made between each of the An-
thems—" Blessed is he that considereth the poor and
needy," "Oh Lord, grant the Queen long life," and
Who is this that cometh from Edom," which were sung
with striking effect by the Gentlemen and the Boys of
the Chapel Royal. Mr J. B. Sale presided at the organ.
The alms distributed consisted of 11. 15s. to each
woman as an equivalent for clothing, and each man re-
ceived sufficient woollen and linen cloth, shoes, and
stockings, to make him an entire suit. Both men and
women received IL 10s. each, as an equivalent for provi-
ions formerly issued in kind. And a further sum of 11.
and 23 ulver pennies, the latter being the number of the
years of age of her Majesty.
The Bishop of London held a confirmation of the ju-
venile Nobility and Gentry in the Chapel Royal St.
James's. The Countess Delawarr and the Ladies West,
Lady Eliot, Lord Radstock, and Lord Prudhoe, were
among the Nobility present.
Her Majesty the Queen Dowager sent yesterday to
make inquiay after the state of the Countess of Munster
and the Family, and Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence went
to attend her Majesty at Marlborough House. Her
Royal Highness the Duchess Gloucester also sent to in-
quire after her Ladyship and Lord Adolphus. Among
the Nobility and Gentry who called yesterday to pay
visits of condolence were the Duke of Brunswick, his
Excellency M. Dedel, the Marquis of Headfort, Marquis
of Clanricarde ; Earls—Jerrnyn, Wiltshire, and Jersey ;
Countesses of Uxbridge and Charleville ; Lords—J. 0.
Fitzroy, Saye and Sele, A. Lennox, Ingestre, Strafford,
and G. Paget ; Ladies—E. and C. Paget, C. Somerset,
A Lennox and Ingestre, Baron Bentinck ; Sirs Robert
Fitz Wygram, E. Hyde East, J. Cockburn, J. Kempt,
Gore Ouseley, R. King, and Charles Clarke ; Colonel
M'Alpine ; Mr. and Mrs. Horace Twiss • Mr. C. Gre-
vine, Hon. Twisleton Fiennis, Colonel Bagot, Captain
Sparshot, Colonel Spencer Stanhope, Mr. Maxse, Mr.
Langford Brooke, Captain Percy, R.N., Major S. Clerke,
Mr. Hawkins, Major-General Keane, Colonel Yorke,
Mr. Sackville Lane Fox, and Colonel J. Wyldman.
His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge paid
a visit to Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence yesterday.
Her Royal Higness the Duchess of Kent took a
carriage airing yesterday.
Mr. Antrobus, M.P., and a deputation, had an inter-
view with the Earl of Ripon yesterday, at the office of
the Board of Trade.
The Earl of Elgin had an interview with Lord Stanley
yesterday at the Colonial-office.
Sir Robert Peel left town yesterday afternoon to join
Lady Peel and family at Kemptown, Brighton.
Mr. Crofts, accompanied by Mr. Dickinson and Mr.
Acland, had an interview with Mr. Gladstone yesterday
at the Board of Trade.