The Sun.
London, England, 1842-11-12 00:00:00

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.
FROM TJSE EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY.
GLOBE.—The Times denounces the tactics of the
party in Opposition as flagrantly dishonest, for re-
presenting repeal of the Corn -laws as " a panacea
for all the evils incident to a densely-peopled country."
This alleged dishonesty it compares with the former
alleged dishonesty of the same party, as having re-
presented Reform as a like panecca in times past.
That the Whigs did put forth Parliamentary Reform
as a necessary measure twelve years back, is un-
deniable. That they do put forth Corn-law
Reform as now necessary, is equally so.
The question of honesty or dishonesty must
depend on whether those measures were and
are necessary or no. To pretend that a party with
whose general principles such or such measures
are conformable, is not to cultivate the popularity
which the state of the times may attach to those mea-
sures, for fear of becoming pewerful enough to compel
their opponents to pass them, or let them pass—is
simply. to pronounce that only one party should
exist m the State ; and that the party which writes
on its banner resistance to
popular measures.
Popular measures may be right or wrong ; but the
rule would be highly convenient for Conserva-
tism, if the mere fact that certain great measures are
susceptible of becoming popular ones, were to debar
an Opposition from espousing, and making them its
watchword. The whole question, as we have said
already, is—whether the measures _are right or
wrong. It must be evident that the Conservative
party, so far as it merits its title, will avoid the
reproach of laying itself out for popularity in its
measures. Its constituents are the great classes of
the country who desire to keep things as they are ;
and its function is, to act as a drag on the wheels
of political movement. We are far from saying that
this function is one which no party should per-
form. We are far from saying that the principle of
movement—of innovation—should constantly main-
tain the ascendant, or can do so in this country, with-
out faster and further changes than the chiefs of either
party would promote, supposing them adverse to
entire social and political revolution with all its
chances. It is needless to say that, so long as aris-
tocracy, whether Whig or Tory, supplies chiefs to
political parties, they must be adverse to such a re-
volution. Thus, then, the chiefs of the section of
public men professing the more popular principles, will,
ever and anon, subject themselves to the reproach
opposite to that above mentioned. They will be re-
proached with shirking, not with seeking, the popu-
larity attached to such or such measures. Here, as
before, the whole question is, Are such or such mea-
sures right or wrong? It is idle to abuse any party,
for that which is a necessity of its nature. It is idle,
for instance, to abuse the Conservatives (except in the
way of business) for being Conservatives—for being
the party of resistance to popular innovations. It is
not less idle to abuse the Whigs for being the party
which leans towards innovations—a leaning necessarily
limited by what is aristocratical in its composition.
STANDARD.—The present state of the civilised
world requires, that if Great Britain is to maintain
her position, she must bestow more attention and
mere favour upon the colonial trade than it has yet
received at her hands. Twenty-seven years of peace
have had the necessary effect of accumulating capital
and augmenting population in all reasonably well-
governed nations. Redundant capital (we mean
redundant as to the existing means of employing it)
and an augmented population suggest new depart-
ments of industry. These can be generally found
only in manufactures ; hence the manufacturing
spirit that we see extending in Europe and in the
United States—slowly, indeed, atpresent, but not less
certainly. For many years to come our own industry
our Corn-laws, to
happened in Eng-
need not fear the effect of this rivalship, unless we
shall be mad enough, by repealing
thriaitnsvf,eermauflsotoedxpoefectatphitantl
wanhdattohsatsimulate population ;
land will happen sooner or later elsewhere, and that
the time will arrive when Great Britain shall be de-
pendent for the employment of her wealth and people
upon her maritime commerce and her colonial markets ;
and the present is the time to prepare for such a state of
things. At present, however, the colonists and other
dependents of the British empire are not rich enough
to purchase ; if they were, the trade of Continental
Europe and of the United States would not be
worth a moment's thought. It is the business of the
Government and Legislature to make the colonists
rich. A very early, if not an immediate, change
may be effected in this respect by wise measures ;
and to say truth, the United States, and most of the
European States, seem inclined to force us to such
measures. But whether the enrichment of the
colonies be early or late, time is not to be counted
in the duration, of an empire as in " the roue_
-glass
duty p
r
of one man's life." It is our t
posterity, as our fathers have provided for us ; and
ide for
we have the higher motive to perpetuate the power
and influence of a nation which Heaven manifestly
seems to have selected as the ark of rational liberty
and of religious truth. Our attention has been di-
rected to the subject of these remarks by two
articles, very different, indeed, in their spirit and
in the degree of talent which they display, but
both bearing upon the colonial trade. The first of
the articles in question appears in a Whig-Radical
Evening Journal, in the form
of an attack upon
the arrangement for the admission of corn from Ca-
nada, viz., upon the payment of a duty of 3s. the
quarter of wheat, and sic de cwt.—(provided that
the Canada Legislature shall
impose a duty of
ss. the quarter upon all wheat
imported from the
United Slates). This our Whi_Radical Contempo-
rary treats as a departure from the principle of the
Corn-laws, and an unjustifiable surrender of revenue
to the colonists. As regards the surrender of revenue
to the colonists we need say little. Even were our
Corn-laws designed for the purposes of revenue—pur-
poses
surrender of emphatically disclaimed by every one of her Ma-.
1 itnhi satt no —w
suche
e r.s think we have said
re-
venuew
to a struggling colony can he too liberal.
With regard to the alleged violation of the prin-
ieensot yu 'gsh present
to
sho
prin-
ciple of the Corn-laws, it is a manifest absurdity.
The principle of the Corn-laws is a principle of pro-
tection from ruinously low prices, produced by the
competition of foreign ;
gra-n ; and if the farmer has
this protection, it must be to him a matter of indiffer-
ence how it is obtained—whether the rival is excluded
by a protecting duty, by the cost of land transit and
freight, or by any other cause. Now, the corn im-
ported from Canada, if it come from the United States,
must pay a duty of Bs. the quarter plus the cost of transit
across the colony to a British port. and the freight
across the Atlantic. And what is still more
important, it must come from a district where, gene-
rally, prices are within a few shillings as high as they
are in England, and where they are sometimes higher.
The arrangement, therefore, really threatens no danger '
from the United States corn via, Canada. To the
colony, however, such an arrangement is all important.
Canada sometimes imports corn from the United
States, but much more frequently exports to the States.
To seal the frontier against her would be to destroy
the most valuable branch of the industry of the rising
province : but Canada also exports to England. With-
out some arrangement such as has been made, how-
ever, the freedom of the States frontier and
the export trade of England would in effect
open that road for United States corn to the
British market, which is pretended to be open
with a duty of Bs. A graduated scale, though
practicable enough at home, could not possibly be
applied to Canada. The only thing that could be
done is what has been done. IVithout this we must
either close the trade between Canada and the States,
or deprive Canada of the advantage of the export trade
to England, either of which privations would ruin the
colony. So much for the Whig,7ladical's complaint.
'2,

FROM THE MORNING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY.
MONEY 111ARKET and CITY NEWS.
POST.—Advertisements are put forth by the Chi-
lian and Spanish Governments. That of the former
refers to the proposed issues of new Six per Cent. and
new Three per Cent. Bonds. That of the latter, with
the signature of Senor Botrajo attached to it, refers
consolidation to t
i'el
however, be observed to Senor Borrajo, that the
(ividen
of
fs
}a,cicvreue pder and accruing upon the late
Coupons. It must,
scrupulous adherence to the very letter of the law,
and of the public notices of the Financial Commis-
sion, which is impressed as so,essential on the part of
the holders of the said coupons, forfeiture itself being
threatened as the penalty of neglect, but ill accords
with the example set by the Spanish Government in
the breach of almost the whole of its engagements.
Payment of another dividend on the New Three per
Cent. Stock is, if not actually announced, vaguely
hinted at as probable ; and it is hoped that disap-
pointment may not follow, as in other instances.
The Treasury bondholders are still left out of view.
They now enter on the seventh year occurring since
the issue of their securities, and the Spanish Env-
bassy and Financial Commission, act as though they
conceived the poor dupes could exist on the satisfac-
tion derivable from a perusal only of their_pompously-

worded bonds—bonds at one time highly prized in
London and of great value, owing to public notices o
payment having appeared. The pledges contained in
those notices have never been fulfilled, and it now
creates no small disgust to find the Spanish authori-
ties preaching in the journals of the indispensable ne-
cessity of attention the most rigid being paid to ad-
vertisements on a like subject emanating from the
same source. The quotation of the New Three pet
Cent. Spanish Stock is positively prohibited in the
French and Dutch markets. Why, then, it is asked,
should all this severity of rule and discipline be ex-
ercised towards the English bondholders, who art
notoriously the most grievous of all sufferers from the
duplicity of Spain, and with the fact before us that
up to the present time the Five per Cent. stocks are
still quoted at Madrid, with all the coupons attached
to them, from which it is to be inferred that the prin-
ciple of exclusion is partially exercised to their pre-
judice.
TIMES.—As many letters are constantly addressed
to us from the holders of those Bonds of the United
States Bank that commonly, though improperly, have
the name of " Denison's loan," it may be as well to
inform the writers more particularly than has yet been
done, that far from their interests having been neg-
lected by Messrs. Overend and Gurney, we are as-
sured on good authority that firm was unremitting,
in applications to the Bank. As soon as the pay-
ment of the dividends ceased, in the early part of
this year, they addressed a letter to the President
of the " United States Bank," setting forth their
own position as particularly bound to advocate the
interests of the bondholders. To this letter they I
received no answer, and it was not till another had
been sent, that the President of the " United States
Bank" thought fit to reply. They were then in-
formed that the property of the bank hai been as-
signed to trustees for the benefit of domestic credi-
tors, and that the reason why this preference had
been shown to those over the creditors in Europe was,
that the latter were considered to be sufficiently pro-
tected by the bonds deposited as security—that is,
by the doubtful bonds of Pennsylvania and the trash
of Mississippi and Michigan. The only portion of
dividend that has been received immediately on the
guarantees of the States themselves has been from
Pennsylvania this year, and this was appropriated to
satisfy part of the arrears due on the bank bonds in
April. As for the hopes of the bondholders, now
that Pennsylvania has ceased paying her dividends,
they are in a desperate condition indeed.
A mercantile correspondent calls attention to a fact
which is probably pretty generally known in com-
mercial circles, but which many of the humbler classes
who correspond with friends in America, and to whom
it is of much importance, have yet to learn. This is,
that according to the postage regulations of the United
States, a letter enclosed in an envelope is charged as
a double letter.
CHRONICLE.—The want of a moderate fixed
duty on foreign corn forms the chief obstacle to the
completion of a commercial treaty between Spain and
Great Britain. It is well known that if the raw
produce of the Spanish soil were admitted into Eng-
lish ports under a fixed import duty, the Spanish
Cabinet would receive immense support in the ap-
proaching meeting of Cortes, in their wishes to admit
British cottons into the ports of Spain under an ad
valorem duty of about 25 per cent. The proposal of
substituting a duty of 40 per cent. in lieu of the pre-
sent prohibition, would be of no use. It would not
suppress smuggling, and would, therefore, be of little
or no advantage to the Spanish treasury. But with
a duty of 25 per cent. the contraband trade would be
stopped, and the custom duties of Spain would be
increased to an extent that would soon enable the
Madrid Cabinet to restore the credit of their country,
and to do something great and permanent for the
advantage of the English bondholders. A new market
would be opened up at the same time for British
manufactures, by the demand that would arise to
supply a population which cannot be estimated at
much under 12,000,000 of souls, and thus a recipro-
cal and permanent benefit would be conferred on
both nations.

IRELAND.
POST-OFFICE COMMUNICATION.
The people of Cork have for some time been com-
plaining, with good ground, of the slowness of com-
munication between that great trading city and
Dublin. This defect, it appears, is owing to a lower
rate of mileage being paid by Government for Cork
than is allowed for Belfast, Limerick, or Waterford,
all places of ihferior importance to the former. This
strange anomaly, it will be seen, from the following
reply of the Premier to Mr. F. Murphy, one of the
Members for Cork, is not likely to be rectified at
present, the state of the Irish Post-office revenue pre-
cluding the possibility of any new arrangement.
" Whitehall, lov. 5.
" Sir,--I beg your pardon for having allowed so
long an interval to elapse without the acknowleagment
of a letter which you addressed to me some time since
on the subject of the Post-office communication be-
tween Dublin and Cork. _ _

"The cause of the delay was my wish to communi.
cate personally with the Postmaster-General upon it.
"I have this day seen Lord Lowther, and have in
quired into the facts of the case. An official report
upon them will very shortly be made by him to the
Treasury, a copy of which will be forwarded to the
Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland.
"With every wish on my part to increase the fa-
cility of Post-office communication in Ireland, and to
consult the convenience of a trading community so
respectable and important as that of the city of Cork,
I cannot, I fear, encourage the expectation, in the
present state of the Post-office net revenue in Ireland,
that the suggestions conveyed in your letter can be
adopted.—l have the honour, &c.,
"F. S. Murphy, Esq. "ROBERT PEEL."
STORM.—This city was visited last night with one
of the most tremendous gales that has blown since
the memorable 6th of January, 1839. It commenced
about eleven o'clock, and increased in violence, hour
by hour, till about four in the morning, at which
time it was at its greatest height. The clatter of
falling slates and bricks, intermingled with the storm,
was absolutely deafening, and it was not until between
eight and nine o'clock that the wind in any degree
abated ; but during the rest of the forenoon it con-
tinued to blow very fresh. The river was greatly
swollen, the waters having risen to an unusual height.
In the afternoon there was a heavy fall of rain. The
London mail was several hours overdue, it not having
reached the Post-office until two o'clock.
LATE AFFAIR or HONOUR.—Ensign Verner, of the
47th Regiment, in a letter to the Mayo paper, denies
that Lord Lucan was dissatisfied with his (Mr. Ver-
ner's) first note, and that his Lordship demanded an-
other. The first letter, it appears, was perfectly sa-
tisfactory to Lord Lucan.
LORD BLAYNEY.—The neighbourhood in which
this nobleman's residence in the county of Monaghan
is situated has, for several days past, presented nume-
rous instances of deepfelt sorrow in consequence of
the precarious state of his Lordship's health. In the
town of Castleblayney the inhabitants have had daily
meetings, attended by persons of every creed, uniting
in devout prayer to the Ruler of all tnings for the
restoration of health to this highly-esteemed, and by
his tenantry beloved, nobleman. At the church and
at the Roman Catholic chapel of that town a similar
course was pursued by the congregations in attend-
ance on Sunday last. The authentic accounts which
reached town this morning of the state of his Lord-
ship's health were of a somewhat more favourable
nature, and the symptoms of his complaint were con-
sidered (in any change that had taken place from the
day previous) less formidable.—Erening .3fail of
Wednesday.

MARRIED WOMEN IN PARIS.—The following sta-
tistic of the ages of the 121,525 women married in
Paris in the course of the last 18 years is given by
one of the French journals as having been verified by
the registers of the Etat Civil. Between 12 and 15
years old there were 814—at 16 years 1,920—at 17
years 3,959—at 18 years 5,816—at 19 years 6,957—
at 20 years 7,610—at 21 years 8,047—at 22 or 23
between 7,000 and B,ooo—at 24 or 25 upwards of
6,000—but at 26, 27, and 28 they scarcely exceed
5,000. This decreasing progression goes on, so that
up to 31 years there were only 3,6sl—thence to 41
years 1,798—at 42 years I,ols—at 48 years 586—at
56 years 226—at 60 years 126, and during the 18
years there were 578 marriages of women aged 61
years and upwards. Another account shows that out
of 1,000,000 mar remarried Paris 521,653, being more
than one-half, we before the commencement
of their 26th year.
ACCIDENT TO LORD JAMES BUTLER.—On Mon-
eay evening last, on his return from Wellbrook, tl e
residence of the Rev. Luke Fowler, where he dined,
Lord James Butler was precipitated with violence
from his gig, which he was driving tandem, the
leader we understand having fallen at Talbot's
Inch,
in the liberties of this city. We are happy to say his
Lordship did not receive much injury ; but his servant
is seriously, though We hope, not dangerously hurt.—
' Kilkenny Journal,

PUBLIC RECORDS.
About three or four years ago, the condition of the
incient records of the kingdom excited a painful in-
cerest in the public mind. It at that time appeared
that not only had the great bulk of the records been
much injured by being kept in damp and ill venti-
.ated vaults and rooms, but that many, valuable on
account of their antiquarian and historical character,
bad surreptitiously got into general circulation, and
were to be found in several booksellers' shops in the
metropolis.
It is worthy of remark that the injuries which the
records sustained from the wretched places in which
iley were deposited attracted notice as far back as
the middle of the sixteenth century. Between 1565
and 1571 the Judges of the Common Pleas and the
Barons of the Exchequer presented a petition to the
Lord 'Treasurer and the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
stating that the records of the Common Pleas, depo-
sited in the " Treasury House," had of " long time"
received great detriment from the " lowness and
dankishness of the Treasury House," the same being
also oftenti-nes surrounded and overflown by the
Thames at spring-tide, and in like manner " by means
of rain descending through the, gutters, roofs, and
doors."
What measures were adopted, in consequence of
this petition, it does not appear; and if any repairs
were made, still no effectual means were taken for
preventing a recurrence of the mischief. The more
recent exposure of the evil has, as already intimated,
been attended with a happier result. A portion of
the buildings at present in the course of erection for
the accommodation of the two Houses of Parliament
will, when completed, be used as a general depository
for the reception and safe custody of the public re-
cords, pursuant to the authority contained in the Act
of the 2d of Victoria. In a Report, dated the 6th of
July, 1840, Mr. Barry, the architect, states that he
considers that the space which may be appropriated
in the new building for the reception of recurds, with-
out occasioning inconvenience to the establishment, or
any alteration of the design of the exterior of the
building, includes the whole of the Victoria Tower,'
a portion of the south front adjoining the Royal ves-
tibule, portiens above and below this vestibule,
and over the Royal staircase, together with the whole
of the basement story between the wings of the river
front. Mr. Barry then, after entering into further
details, proceeds to state that, " the whole of the ac-
commodation for records, as well as the offices, work-
rooms, and rooms for resident officers of the Record
establishment, would be perfectly fire-proof, entirely
independent of the offices and other accommodation of
the Houses of Parliament, capable of being thoroughly
lighted, and warmed, mid ventilated, and ccnvenient
both as to external and internal access. The first-class
records may be (as Mr. Barry considers) conveniently
arranged in the several stories of the tower, where
they will be effectually separated from the rest of the
Record establishment, and thereby admit of being
placed completely under the control of the superior
officer of the Record establishment; and as no other
materials will be employed in the construction of the
tower than brick, stone, iron, and slate, there would
not be the slightest risk of the destruction of the
records by fire. The second-class records would, for
the same reason, be equally safe, and as completely
under the control of the superior officer as those of
the first-class."
In the meantime the records have been removed
from the damp holes, in which they were rotting, to
other places, fitted for their temporary reception,
where, under the inspection of competent persons,
they are being repaired and classified, so as to admit
of easy reference. The second Report of the Deputy-
keeper of Public Records supplies some interesting
particulars upon this subject.
As the Tower already contained the papers of the
Court of Admiralty for various periods, from 1542 to
1828, this repository was considered the most proper
place of deposit for the papers of the late Navy Board,
and a large portion of them has, accordingly, been
removed to a safe and convenient space in the White
Tower, ,formerly used as Flamstead's observatory.
The documents thus removed, consist of two classes,
namely, books and correspondence and miscellaneous
papers.
The first include 207 volumes called Letter Books.
The second class consist of :
Several thousand volumes of original letters, dis-
patches, surveys, warrants, and petitions, from the
year 1642 to the year 1794. These papers, especially
the earlier portions of them, are of great historical
value, containing the most important and authentic
materials for the history of the Royal Navy.
Nine large chests of letters from the Treasury,
Secretaries of State, Board of Ordnance, Admiralty,
Navy Board, War-office, Commander-in-Chief's of-
fice, Horse Guards, and Victualling-office, from 1794
to 1818.
Five large chests filled with miscellaneous letters,
from 1794 to 1818.
An arrangement is in progress for removing into
the Tower a further portion of the naval documents
remaining in Deptford dockyard.
An inventory has been made by the senior assistant
keeper of the records deposited in the Wakefield
tower, which consist of the various rolls, such as the
Parliament rolls, the rolls of pleas in Parliament, the
Coronation rolls. These documents extend from the
30th of Henry to the 16th of Edward IV., and
amount to about 2,855 rolls, containing about 64,182
membranes, schedules, and pieces. The inventory
contains the dates and titles of the records, and full
particulars of their state and condition, pointing out
what repairs are needful ; thus constituting not only
an inventory by which searches and inspections will
be facilitated, but also a survey of the records.
Inventories are in progress of the privy seals, pri-
vate deeds, papal bulls, and other records, also in the
Wakefield tower, and portions of the inquisitions post
riortem and other escheats have been re-arranged.
The last mentioned documents, namely, the inquisi-
tions, are of great value, and frequently consulted.
They are arranged between the blank leaves of books
prepared for the purpose, and may be consulted with
case.
In the office of the Rolls Chapel are contained the
portions of the Chancery records, most frequently
consulted for practical purposes, of which the majority
in bulk are in the English language, and these are
constantly increasing. There are deposited the charter
and patent rolls, containing all grants of lands, offices,
dignities, and corporate and other privileges, from the
reign of Richard the Third ; the close rolls from the
same reign, upon which are enrolled bargains, sales,
and other conveyances of lands between private indi-
viduals ; specification rolls, upon which, as their name
imports, the specifications of inventors are enrolled;
memorials of life annuities, enrolments of statutes,
and other classes of records all transmitted to the
Rolls from the Chancery Enrolment-office, the Six
Clerks'-office, the Petty Bag-office, and the Parlia-
ment-office.
The largest mass of records deposited in the Carl-
ton House Ride consist of plea, issue, and judgment
rolls, and rolls of pleas of land, beginning with
Henry VIII. They contain not merely the pleadings
between the parties, but also the final judgment of the
Court. These rolls, sometimes called the " Common
Rolls," besides the value appertaining to all the re-
-1 cords of the principal Courts of Law, are peculiarly
important from the evidence which they include re-
lating to real property. These documents were origi-
nally placed in the ancient treasury of the Common
Pleas, annexed to Westminster Hall, from whence,
when the building containing the Treasury was pulled
down, they were removed in 1831 to the King's
Mews, and upon the demolition of that building, also,
they were removed to Carlton Ride. Upon examina-
tion it was found that 304 of these rolls were in
various stages of decay. Some of them are in a state
of rapid decomposition, which can only be stopped
by cutting off the decaying portions others
are attacked by a species of dry rot, which
causes the membranes to crumble into fragments
when they are touched, so that it is hardly possible to
consult a roll in this state without losing a portion of
the record. These injuries, which partly date from
a remote period, appear to have been occasioned, to a
considerable extent, by the action of water. It appears
from memoranda preserved in the office, that in 1735
the Thames rose so high as to flood the dark corner
of the Treasury in which the rolls of the reign of
Elizabeth were deposited. Another flood took place
in 1795, which also did much damage, and it seems
probable, from the appearance of the rolls, not only
that other inundations took place, but that damp was
admitted into the Treasury from above. In those
rolls which are falling into fragments the repair is an
operation of great delicacy, requiring each membrane
to be inserted between tracing paper, an operation
which will occupy an experienced workman for two
or three hours in covering a single membrane. Others
require mending and stitching, and, with the exception
of the rolls later than the reign of James 11. (which
are in covers sufficiently strong and sound), need
leathern covers for the purpose of
preserving them
from dust and injury.
Connected with the issue and plea rolls of the Court
are the documents called the "Domgett Rolls," or
Doggett of issue and judgment rolls. These rolls

contain brief notices of t e nature of the action, and-
the names of the parties, to which is added the number
of the roll, and, in the absence of more perfect calen-
dars, they are the keys to ;the records, and the best
means of reference to their contents. These rolls,
which extend from the reign of Henry VIII., have
been ticketed ar 1 arranged in boxes, and are acces-
sible without difficulty.
The assistant-keeper of the Exchequer records in
the Augmentation-office, the Rev. Joseph Hunter, has
made an inventory of the records, upon which he has
operated, and which belong to a class most frequently
consulted, namely, the subsidy rolls, and the rolls of
tillages, cavercages, scutages, and aids, from the reign
of Henry IV. to the close of the reign of-Philip and
Mary. These records of taxation are an essential ad-
junct to the proceedings of Parliament ; and besides
their application to the history of political events, and
of the progress of the Constitution, they are made
up of statistical facts of the highest importance.
They afford accurate data for calculating the amount
of the population, as well as the value of the land
and capital of England, and, taken in connection with
Domesday Book, the great rolls of the Exchequer,
and some certain classes of the miscellaneous records,
would enable any competent inquirer to carry out the
history of the national wealth (as far as the befere-
mentioned elements are concerned) from the era of
the Conquest, with a degree of completeness and ac-
curacy which could not be attained with respect to
any other community in Christendom.
The skill and industry exhibited by Mr. Black, the
assistant•keeper of the Pell records, &c., in the office
of the Comptroller of the Exchequer, are particularly
noticed in the report. It appears that when Mr. Black
first commenced his employment, he found the books,
rolls, bundles, and loose parchments and papers (which
had een brought from the vaults in Somerset-house),
lying in heaps upon the floors of the rooms, and piled
in some places almost up to the ceiling. The
first operation performed was the arrangement
and description of Papal bulls, correspondence, ex,
tracts from dispatches, and other documents of State,
which had been selected by the chief clerk of the
Comptrollef, and the contents of which were desired
to be known by the Commissioners on State Papers.
Brief chronological catalogues -were made of these
papers, which have .been enlarged by later discoveries,
and they now display a very valuable series of original
Papal briefs and imperial and Venetian ducal letters,
from 1513 to 1527, all in vellum; and original cor-
respondence with Cardinal Wolsey, and other State
papers, from 1513 to 1529, amounting altogether to
161 documents. The nature of these documents will
appear. from the description given of them in the
catalogue. We take the first five in the order of
their dates :

" From Pope Leo X. to King Henry VIII. ex-
plaining the Pope's motives for restoring two cardi-
nals, 27 June, 1513.
" From the same to the same, recommending the
Pope's relative, Raphael de Medicis, a Florentine
merchant, to the King's favour as a discreet and trusty
person, 10 September, 1513.
"From the same to the same, in favour of the Pope's
Nuncio, Balthasar, on his way to Scotland, '2O Sep-
tember, 1513.
" From the same to the same, about negotiations
with the Emperor, 19 December, 1513.
" From the same to the same, in answer to his re-
quests for an indulgence to the Church of Durham,
and for a favour to Thomas (Wolsey) Lord Almoner,
7 February, 1514."
The masses of books, papers, and parchments were
found by the assistant-keeper in the utmost confusion
and dirt, in the same state as when they were taken
out of the boxes and sacks brought from the vault.
The books have required much of the attention of the
assistant-keeper. They consist of two classes; the
first of which, the Pell books, are of great value, and
help to fill up or complete some of the series of Pell
books which were heretofore brought from Westmin-
ter Hall to Whitehall-yard. These include the de-
clarations of accounts made by the under-treasurers,
together with the books of the household and wardrobe.
A second class of books are those of the auditor of

the receipt of the Exchequer, and amongst them are
many others, such as patent-books, crown-lease books,
and others relating to the territorial possessions of the
Crown, :as° forming part of the auditor's records, or
of those of the Clerk of the Pells. Mr. Black has
prepared catalogues of the Pell books, and auditor's
books, which are executed with great care, and will
be the means of bringing into notice a very important
class of documents hithertoconcealed from public view.

OPENING OF MONTROSE
MUSEUM.
(Abridged from the Montrose Review.)
On Thursday evening, the 27th ult., the members
of the Montrose Natural History and Antiquarian So-
ciety, and other gentlemen, met in the new Museum,
to celebrate the birth-day of their munificent patron
and noble President, Lord Panmure, and also the open-
ing of the new building to the public. The party sat
down at six to a rich dessert, Provost Sim in the
chair, supported by Sir James Duke ; Patrick Arklev,
Esq., of Dunninald ; -William Smart, Esq., of Cairn-
bank ; John Duke, Esq., surgeon, P.N.; and other
influential gentlemen of the town ; John Barclay, Esq.,
Treasurer, and William Beattie, Esq., Secretary,
croupiers. We have not witnessed such a party in
Montrose since the dinner given to our ever-to-be,
lamented townsman, Sir A. Burnes. After the usual
loyal toasts,
Provost 'Sim proposed the toast of the evening.
He stated the great obligations under which Lord
Panmure had laid the Society, and the deep interest
he had ever taken in raising the Institution to its
present flourishing condition. It was well known
that his Lordship's motto was, " Live and let live ;"
and it was unquestionable that his Lordship's con-
duct was in perfect consistency with his motto. His
Lordship's tenants would one and all bear testimony
to his liberality as a landlord. It was not, however,
as a landlord that his Lordship was to be regarded
that evening; he was also a distinguished benefactor
to objects of public ornament and utility ; and per-
haps it was not too much to say, that never was there
a nobleman more ready to give encouragement to the
arts and sciences. The toast was received with enthu-
siasm, and three cheers more were called for and re-
sponded to in the good old Scotch way.
Provost Sim next proposed " Success to the Natural
History and Antiquarian Society." He had also to
congratulate the Society on the prospects they now had
of rendering their museum what it always was intended
to be—not a mere fashionable lounge or place of resort
for the gratification of idle curiosity—but a school
s cordially e
where ample opportunities were afforded for the p ro-
slet is
cutionneeodfletlsise
t‘o'aloyus thbartantehhies t s oof a nta
Nt‘uas ral scn ce.
pledged.
The memory of Sir Alexander Burnes was given
by Mr. ARKLE`:, and drank in
solemn silence. Mr
ADAM Bu - in RNES, a few appropriate words, returna
thanks.
The CHAIRMAN then rose, and, in his best style
proposed " The health of Lady Panmure, who had
always taken a warm interest in the success of the
Institution, and who was a large contributor to the
exhibition." After the thunders of applause which
succeeded this toast had ceased, another round was
cordially given in honour of her Ladyship.
The next toast was " Sir James Duke, a native of
Montrose, who has done honour to his birthplace.
-
Sir James replied in a speech replete with good feel
ing, acknowledging the warm and affectionate manner
in which his health had been drank. In compliment-
ing the. Magistrates and Council on the numerous im-
provements that had taken place
t in. t
warm and during
he town during
the last few years, he expressed he livel
interest he felt and should ever feel. in everything
which promised to promote thewsrsperity of his na-
tive place, and the great Kappi it would afford him
at all times to forward any object that could be con-
ducive to the interests of Montrose. After some al-
lusion to the Angus. Club, Sir James took occasion to
mention the high opinion he entertained of the system
of education in Scotland, and more particularly his
own great obligations to the educational institutions
in Montrose, to which he was chiefly indebted for the
rank which he now held. Sir James concluded a long
and eloquent speech, which was listened to with
marked attention, by requesting that he might
be en-
rolled as a member of the Natural Ilistory and Anti-
quarian Society, and his name placed on the list as a
subscriber to the building fund for 10/.
Mr. JAMES CALVERT proposed " The health of
Provost Burnes, one of the oldest
i,members, and first
Vice-President of the Societ
Mr. ADAM BURNES acknowledged3r.
the toast.
The SECRETARY then
proposed
" The heath of Mrs.
Sim and the ladies of i
with all the honours ; andont Montrose" e,"r
ow which was
to
dedicate
a bumper to the " Lady Members,' which proposal
was received with loud cheering, and the toast was
drank with unbounded applause.
The TREASURER proposed " The health of Alex-
ander Renny Tailyour, Esq., of Bprrowfield—a gen-
tleman who was a warm friend of the Institution, but
Iwho had that night been prevented by the state of
i
the weather from being present (which in a letter to
the Secretary, he deeply regretted). The toast was
received, as Mr. Tailyour's health will always be re-
ceived in Montrose, with marked applause.
Many other toasts were given during the evening,
which we regret our limits prevent us from enumerat-
ing. The party did not break up till a late hour.

ATTEMPTED DROWNING. About half-past five
on Wednesday evening, " Boat" was called
°:01:k the sides of the Serpentine river. Mr. Hembrey,
the park-keeper, assisted by his nephew, immediately
took a boat and proceeded to the spot, and succeeded
in rescuing a young woman, twenty years of age. She
had sunk for the last time, and when taken out of the
water was apparently lifeless ; but the usual restora-
tives being applied at the receiving-house, she gradu-
ally recovered, and was shortly removed to her home,
at Maulebone-lane. her name is Anna Clements.