The Sun.
London, England, 1829-04-13 00:00:00

NATIONAL SUBSCRIPTION

FOR MR, HENRY BELL, OF HELENSBURGH,
(NEAR, GLASGOW.)
THE PRACTICAL INTRODUCER OF STEAM NAVL

GATION INTO EUROPE.

Many of our readers have, we doubt not, seen in the
Glasgow newspapers, that a subscription was opened in
that city in Dec. last, to reward the ingenious and meri-
torious individual whose name stands at the head of this
article. The gentleman who conducts this subscription
for Mr. Bell, (and who has his private letter, with many
others, authorising him to use Mr. B.'s name, &c.) is
arrired in London, for the purpose of appealing to our
fellow-citizens to promote this patriotic and laudable ob-
ject; and we confidently trust and sincerely hope, that he
will meet with that buccess here which the undertaking
merits.

We have seen the subscription-book, and glanced over
the list of subscribers' names in Glasgow. These are of
the highest respectability, embracing the present Lord Pro-
vost, many of the gentlemen who formerly occupied that
high office, the leading Bankers, Merchant, Shippers,
Manufacturers, Engineers, &c., of that great city, with
the Very Rev. the Principal of Glasgow College, and
twelve of the Professors, with many respectable Clergy-
men of the Established Church and Dissenters ; also his
Grace the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon, the Right
Hon. the Earl of Elgin, Sir Charles Halket, Sir Michael
Shaw Stewart, Bart., M.P., Archibald Campbell, Esq.,
(of Blythswood), M.P., Rol ert Downie, Esq AI. P., &c.
We need not here urge the importance and value of
steam navigation—its incalculable benefit to our nation
must be obvious to every one, and the advantageous revo-
lution which its introduction has produced, and is pro-
ducing, in our maritime commerce is well known.
In the subscription-book to which we have alluded,
there is an engraving of the Comet, the first practical
steam-boat built by Mr. Bell, in 181 1 , and which plied
the river Clyde front Glasgow to Greenock, Inverness,
&c. This engraving is by the ingenious Mr. Swan, of
Glasgow, and represents the Comet in the act of passing
Dumbarton Castle, on the way down the Clyde, from Glas-
gow to Helensburgh. In the distance is seen Benlomond,
soaring aloft above his neighbouring mountains, and throw-
ing his shadow over lovely Lochlomond, and her twenty-
four enchanting Isles, and pointing to the other interesting
and sublime scenery of Scotland, rendered so attractive by
the magic pen of the author of the " Lady of the Lake,"
and the " Waverley " Novels. An excellent Portrait of
Mr. Bell, from the fine painting of James Tannock, Esq.
of Newman-street, London, is also bound in the subscrip-
tion-book, together with a well written, printed memorial,
setting forth the claims of the person for whom this sub-
scription is raising, and appealing to the British nation in
his behalf.

Our readers may form some idea of the extent of steam-
navigation, when we inform them, that on the river
Clyde, sailing to and from the city of Glasgow and neigh-
bouring towns, there are now upwards of 56 steam-vessels,
which are registered at 4,571 tons, and supposing each to
cost 8,0001. the aggregate sum will be nearly half a mil-
lion of money embarked in building theM. During last
year upwards of four hundred thousand persons passed by
steam-vessels from our own river Thames.

Since steam navigation has thus so rapidly spread, and
is every way so conducive to the wealth and grandeur of
our nation, how—it may be asked—" how comes it to
pass, that Mr. Bell did not make his fortune by this mag-
nificent system ?" The reply is obvious, Mr. Bell em-
barked his all in the Comet, and seeing its success, per-
sons of great wealth and enterprise, encouraged by the
bold and successful daring of Bell, built large vessels,
united in joint stock companies, and thus the adventurous
individual, who'alone had the courage to commence the
system in the high seas, was left adrift ; his health, and
strength, and pecuniary means exhausted ; but that which
disabled him has been of invaluable good to the country
at large.

Ina day or two subscription papers (with the printed
memorial) will be left at the principal Banks, the Royal
Exchange, &c. of which due notice will be given in the
leading papers of the City. In addition to the private let-
ter of Mr. Bell's, there is one of a general introductory
nature, signed by several highly respectable gentlemen,
whose names we herewith publish, with the document to
which they are affixed, and we believe the publication
will have that effect which the patriotic gentlemen de-
signed.

" Glasgow, March 5, 1829.
" We, the undersigned, feeling solicitous for the success
of the national subscription, in behalf of Mr. Henry Bell,
the practical introducer of steam navigation into Britain,
do hereby respectfully recommend Mr. Edward Morris,
(who is appointed to carry into- effect Mr. Bell's printed
memorial) to the Noblemen and Gentlemen to whom he
may apply for subscriptions; and also to the leading Ma-
gistrates, and other influential persons, of the different
towns, where it may be thought advisable to make an ap-
peal to promote the object of this patriotic measure.
The Hon. ALEX. GARDEN, Lord Provost of Glasgow.
JAMES EWING, Esq. Dunoon Castle.

JAMES CLELAND, Esq.
WILLIAM M'GAVIN, Esq.

ARCHD. CAMPBELL, Esq. of Blythswood, M.P.
ROBERT DOWNIE, Esq. MT. for Glasgow.
Sir MICHAEL SHAW STEWART, Bart. M.P."

THE SLAVE SHIP.

" Somnia vana."—MARTIAL.

I saw from the beach by the falling light
A lumbering slave ship heave in sight,
the her quaint old stern she bore the date
Of sixteen hundred and eighty-eight,
And loudly rose the voice of woe
From the slaves chained down in her hold below.
On she came in the strangest fashion,
Floundering on like a whale in a passion ;
Her sails were full tho' tht wind was high,
And the yielding masts cracked fearfully,
And the raven clouds and the driving rain,
Spoke of a coming hurricane.
On she came, but 'twas plain to see
tier plight was bad, as bad can be,
For her planks were worn with age, and her crew
Were old and doating and far too few
To trim the bellying sails, or right
Such a clumsy vessel on such a night.
On to the light-house she drifted fast,
When a voice from the Beacon, cried " Avast,
Reef all your sails, ye lubber crew,
The rocks and the breakers are just in view,
Who ever yet heard of a flowing sail,
When full on shore blows the driving gale ?"
What, reef our sails, our vessel's pride ?"
The slavers, one and all replied,
" Our glorious sails unreefed from the date
Of sixteen hundred and eighty-eight ?
No, never !" and here they struck up a roar
Which the helmsman, a sage of dull four-score,
Backed with a desperate ' one cheer more.'—
" Then free your slaves," said the voice again,
" And set them to work with might and main,
Their cause and your's is the same, I trots',
Both equally risk destruction now."
" What, free our slaves ?" the crew returned,
And each fool's cheek with anger burned ;
" What, free our slaves and shame the (late
Of sixteen hundred and eighty-eight,
That glorious date, most prized of any,
Which to serve the few enslaved the many ?
No, never—never, Heaven's vengeful rod
Will we thus ternat, so help us God !"
They ceased, the timbers parted fast,
And down on deck came the crashing mast;
But, horror of horrors ! the maddened slaves,
In the mingled tumult of winds and waves,
Regained their freedom, and drifted ashore
On the buoyant mast, their safety oar,
While the crew and the vessel, birds of a feather,
Sank with a facile descent t together.
ARBUTHNOT, VIE YOUNGER.
Irltra-Tory loquitur.
t " Facilis descensus Arerni."

NECDOTE OF NAPOLEON.—At the famous
interview at Erfurt, when dining with the Emperor of
RusstA and an elite of Kings, BUONAPAATE h"(an a
sentence with " When I was an ensign in the regent of
LA PER ."_;tl. de I3Aussrr, who stood facing the Royal
Diners within a few feet, tells us that these words pro-
duced a lirely emotion among the Crowned Heads—a
shudder, we suppose, ran from one end of the line to the
other, to think of the lump of illegitimacy they were
cringing to.— Westminster Review.

QUITE CLEARED OUT !---A gentlemau re-
turned home from the Gloucester Assizes, a few days ago,
having lost his cause, his shirt, great coat, and spent all
his money.--Warwick Advertiser.