The Sun.
London, England, 1827-03-15 00:00:00

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PRICE 713.

IMPROVED STAYSAILS.

(FROM A NAVAL CORRESPONDENT.

The Patent Improved Staysails invented by Rear Admiral Sir
Henry Heathcote have met with entire and unqualified appro-
bation on board two of his Majesty's Frigates, two regular East
Indiamen, three West Indiamen, one Free Trader to India, and
one South Sea Whaler, in the prosecution of their respective
voyages out and home, during the whole of which they were set
whenever the weather was a'zfficiently moderate. The reports of
the Captains of these ships, unequivocally declare the new sails to
possess all the qualities the Patentee's theory ascribes to them.
Amongst the superiorities specifically attributed to them by the
Captains above alluded to, in comparison of four-sided staysails,
it may be well to enumerate the most important, viz. " They
are much more propelling, much less pressing in a lateral direc-
tion, free from injurious obstruction of wind from the square
sails before them, and from eddy wind against those abaft them ;
very serviceable on all points of sailing on which staysails will
draw, but more particularly when close-hauled ; may be carried
with the greatest safety, from being on the gib principle, and
from the more vert►cal direction of the principal stays whereon
they set, which latter circumstance occasions their throwing less
strain on the topmasts, and so materially facilitates the taking
them in, that hardly any force is necessary to haul them down,
and when down, they are secure ; they are easier worked,
handsomer, and show neater. the manner of leading the stays
as before mentioned, also affords additional security to the upper
masts, and contributes to uniformity of appearance." As respects
the comparison of the new sails, with all the different kinds of
triangular sails hitherto occasionally used between the masts, the
new ones are more propelling in the very great proportion that
the more vertical direction of their stays improves their action, and
admits of throwing more canvas into them than into any of the others,
whereof, those whose feet are horizontal, are so small as to be alto-
gether inconsequential, and the others, though containing from two.
thirds to three-fifths of the quantity of canvas in the new sails, are
worse than inconsequential, on account of their much•more lateral im-
pulsion. The Patent Staysails have the same advantage over the
old triangular ones, as over those which are quadrilateral, with
respect to the security of the masts, and facility of stowage. These
facts, which are incontrovertibly proved both in theory and prac-
tice, the Patentee confidently relies on as a substantial basis for the
universal, though gradual, adoption of his system. But the fact
hest calculated to convince the public that although under par-
ticular circumstances the Patent Staysails may for a time be
dispensed with, they are nevertheless essential to the perfection of
naval equipment, is its being ascertained on the most respectable
authority, that " the American Navy, after trying them in the
United States frigate, Brandywine, have, by order of their Com-
missioners, generally adopted them. and that from that circum-
stance, they are established in all the frigates built at New York
and Philadelphia, for the Brazilian, Colombian, and Grecian Go-
vernments." They are not as yet adopted in the British Navy,
but the two Captains of his Majesty's frigates, who have made trial
of them have, in their official reports, recommended them as
" possessing every advantage over the present establishment."

THE WITCH'S SABBATH.-A FRAGMENT.
(FROM THE TIMES.)

" Aye, write their names on my darkest page," .
Said Bigotry, opening wide her book,—
That book, in whose leaves, now black with age,
None but the worm and (:—pl—y look.
" Write, write them down—as witches, of yore, •
• The name of each imp of darkness knew,
" And nightly call'd their bead-roll o'er,
I'll know the names of my servants, too!"
She spoke—and, behold a Scribe was near, •
Who straightway taking a pen of flame
From behind his ancient, ass-like ear,
Wrote down, as she bid, each minion's name.
And never, oh never—not even then,
In her youthful days of murderous tricks—
Was Bigotry half so
_pleas'd, as when
She counted Two Hundred and Seventy Six !
, I • -
With joy, wilt, each name she kiss'd,
Though, even in joy, a sigh heav'd she,
When out of that list, one name she iniss'd;
Her own dear Ncrilks, of Sudbury.
'Tis well, 'tie well—so far our spell
" Is a match for even my darkest days ;
" Now, draw we a circle round, and tell
" What Sprite of them all, I first shall raise." •
The circle is drawn—she squats within,
• Aml." Arise," she cries, " some Imp of flame, •
Who will do my bidding, through-thick and thin
She spoke but the word, and D—n came; •
His torch was ready—his eyes were wild—
Away to his northern hills he flew,
And 'twas rare to see how the beldam emil'd,
As she track'd his flight by the glare he threw;
As she saw, by her gift of second sight,
The mingling flash of the pike and sword,
And the burning cottage's crimson light,
On the baleful Orange banner pour'd !
But, see—what spell cloth she now prepare?
What strange sigzaggeries round her draw,
As she mutters, backward, many a prayer?—
'Tis to call to her aid some Imp of Law ;
Some dusky Gnome, who shiveis at light ;
Who, bred in the dark, his life hath pass'd
In playing, for hire, with Wrong and Right,
Till he knows not one from t'other, at last;
Who kept by his masters under cork,
Like bottled-up Imps, is but brought out,
To help, in any unholy work,
The wise State-conjurers are about ;
Who, ready at hand for dingy deeds, •
Not only is bottled; convenient Sprite,
But labell'd and prided, and only needs .
A Seal on his cork, to fix him quite.
•, Up!" said the bag, with visage stern,
" My. Master Imp, who art learn'd in all
The wise and good would most unlearn,--
She said—and C---y came, at her call ;
Came, (while the beldam cried all hail !")
In a shape she loves the best of any
A Rat *—who wasn't without a tile,"
As he told of a cock and a "bull,"t full many.
And much he squeak'd of queens and kings,
Of James the First, and James the latter, •
And ,6 bloody Queen Mary," and lots of things,
Which, he own'd, had nothing to do with the matter,
Thus, one by one, .did the Witch call up
The legion of imps, that fill'd that roll ;
And to each she pledg'd her venomous cup,
While each one pledg'd to her his soul.
Till hark !—in the midst of all their rites,
While (counting two hundred and seventy-seven,

The hag included) this band of sprites
Were playing their tricks before high heaven,
There came a loud crash i . . . . .

" And like-a rat without a tall."—MA.crEm.
t The "Bull" part of the story belongs more prcpuly Mr. P-1

Le Comte, in his description of China, gives the
following account of a circumstance which happened to himself :
—" When I was a missionary at Pekin, I once called to baptise
a man seventy years old, who lived upon a little pension which
the Emperor bestowed upon him.. When I came to him, he said,
" I am much obliged to you, for you will deliver me from a great
punishment." I replied " this is nct all, baptism not only deli-
vers a man from hell, but it also leads to happy life." "I do not
understand you," said the sick man ; " and perhaps Lhave not
expressed myself plain enough ; you know that I have for some
time lived upon the Emperor's bounty, and our bonzes, who are
well instructed concerning what happens in the other world, have
assured me, that I shall be obliged out of gratitude to serve
the Emperor after my decease ; and that my soul will Undoubt-
edly animate a post-horse, to bring the posts to Court out
of the provinces. They - exhort me, therefore, when I shall
have assumed my new form, to do my duty well, and take
care not to snort, nor to kick, nor to hurt any one. They further
exhort me to trot well, to eat sparingly, and to be patient, in or-
der to move the compassion of the gods, who often change a good
animal into a human being, and make a great lord of hith. I
own this thought makes me shudder, and I cannot think of it
without trembling ; every night I dream of it, and sometimes
when I am asleep I think I am saddled, and already start at the
first lash of the rider's whip. After this I awake in great trouble
and anxiety, uncertain whether lam a man or a horse. But,
alas, what will become of me, when I am to be a horse in reality !
I have, therefore, taken this resolution. It is said that those of
your religion are not exposed to this misfortune, but that with
you men remain men, and will he such in the world to come. I
beseech you receive me among you. I know it is difficult to live
conformable to your religion, but if it was even more difficult, I
am, however ready to embrace your faith, and at any rate to be a
Christian rather than a creature void of reason."

•
THE CATHOLIC 4 ND.
(From the Patikt.). --
We cannot conceal from our readers the feelings of. Sorrow ud
dismay With which we have heard of the defeat of the only Mee,
sure which we can conceive can give tranquillity to Ireland, and
security to the British Empire.—The motion for inquiring ;Ado
the Situation of the Catholics has been lost by a majority of four.
It is true, we did not anticipate the-final settlement of the question
this Session, but we did believe, that the justice and expedieney
of the case, would have induced a majority in favour of inquiring
at kat, which would have given to this country one year of
tigated exasperation—we believed, because we hoped—and lire
hoped because we wished the tranquillity of the country. The
first feeling was that of actual despair for our country. We fat
as if the hand of providence was lifted against these nations, whlah
bewilders the councils of those whom he devotes. We saw the

ultation of the turbulent, and the factious of each party, nnd.ihe
sorrow of every good and peaceable man of both—we heard olthe
Prutestants and Catholics of property with whom we conversed, ea-
press their determination to quit a country in which they could no
longer reside with any prospect of security, and foresaw the questioe
contended for here by political gladiators, who had no stake in
tranquillity, and who live upon confusion and strife. Our ears
were stunned with the exclamations of insolence, stimulating dis-
appointment to madness—while, we felt the only real victory Wag
to the enemies of England, and the Protestants of Ireland, the
persons really defeated. A gleam of hope, however, broke in upon
us, through this gloom. Private letters from well informed
sources, mention that had Sir F. Burdett accompanied his motion
with the readiness of the petitioners to accede to any reasonable
securities, founded on principles of equitable adjustment and Pro.
testant security, a large majority-would have voted for going into
a Committee. We find, too, from the character of the speeches
against going into a Committee—from the observations of the
British Papers most opposed to concession, that the resistance is
one as to time, more than to positive principle. None have gone
co far as to say that at no time can Catholics be made eligible to
the Constitution. All have admitted the impen.ibility of thiesgs
remaining as they are—it is now imperatively necessary for those
who resist emancipation to propose their own alternative. What
will -that be? Will it be adequate to the necessity of the case ?
Will it be considered so by the Legislature? No; no adequate
alternative can he found—one must ultimately be resorted to, aid
that one is—Catholic Emancipation.

(From the Dublin .Evening Post.)

This country has sustained a defeat more signal aid alit? Wig'
than any to which it has been subjected since the calsmitosmipe-
riod of the Union. In the most numerous }tons* of COMnielli

that ever assembled—there being, including the Tellers, 660
Members present, the proposition of Sir FraneariCurdett Was lost
by a majority of four, there being-for the /iononrable Baronet's
motion 272, and against it 276. Now what WAS the Resolution ?
This merely—
" That this House is deeply impressed with the expediency of
taking into consideration the laws imposing disabilities on his
Majesty's Roman Catholic subjects, with a view to their relief."
This proposition was rejected by a British House of Commons;
which, by their vote, have virtually informed the peopleof
Ire-
land that they will not even entertain their Question. other
words the collective wisdom of the nation have decidedlielsarlis-
ment that justice shall not.be done to Ireland.

For this result, even at the threshold of the Question, we own
we were not prepared—the country was not prepared--nay, not
even the Church or the Ascendancy. It is true, people were not
very sanguine as to the success of the measure in the House of
Lords—yet, owing to the rumours of Lord Lansdowne taking of-
fice, we were not without our hopes as to this august Assembly.
Brit that the House of Commons should reject the claims of the
people at once, that they should tell them, almost in terms, that
slaves as they were, slaves they should continue—that they should
perpetuate their thraldom, and .for the sake of that Church Esta-
blishment (for this was the ground that decided the majority),
which the people of this _country 'have such deep alum to
abhor—fer this course, we say again, we were not prepared.
However, on a perusal of the Debate, our surprise has been di-
minished. It appears that in the Cabinet there has been and there
is, a discord of more than ordinary acrimony--a discord of so ma-
lignant and indecent a character, that it has broken out into open
hostilities. The Master of the Rolls was chosen by the Lord
Chancellor to fire the first shot in the House of Commons at Mr.
Canning, and accordingly, after speaking a No-Popery Pamphlet.
he let offsa shower of pateraros, on the subject of securities, against
the Foreign Secretary. The scene which occurred between them
is quite dramatic, and sufficiently disgraceful to Sir John Copley.
It is, valuable, hoivever, far the information it conveys. It shows
that Mr. Canning is surrounded by treachery. and that the most
strenuous efforts are making to die-seat that Minister, and the por-
tion of the Cabinet with whom lie acts. Whether the intrigue
succeed or not, of this we may rest assured, that the present Ca-
binet cannot exist in all its component parts.

The Readers cannot fail to observe the high tone taken by the
No-Popery part of the Administration. We put Deny Dawson
and Cavan Maxwell out of: the'question. These persons are not
worth a thought in the estimate. But we do confess we have
read the speech of Mr. Peel with alarm and dismay. If, as we
:Ire informed by one of air private letters, coming from a qUarter,
(entitled, in our opinion, to respect), that gentleman is to be
elevated to the Peerage' and to. the Premiership, a new era, or
rather a return to the old Orange times is about to open on Ire-
land. The Right Honourable Gentleman scarcely kept •terma
with his colleague Mr. Canning, and none at all with Mr. Plunkett.
By a reference' to a short conversation which occurred in the
Howe of Lords, on Thursday evening, and with an abstract
of which we have been furnished by our Parliamentary Agent,
it will be seen that the- Chancellor reiterated the assault on the
Irish Attorney-General. On the whole, matters are rapidly ad..
vancing to, a crisis. Lord Colchester, we have good authority
for stating, is already mentioned for the Horne Department.
Whether Mr. Canning, after this, will consent to retain office.
time alone will decide. In fact, it is understood that the late
struggle in the House was a struggle between Mr. Peel and Mr.
Canning, and that had the majority decided to entertain the
question, Mr. Peel would resign.
_ .

The question for u', for the people of Ireland, to consider, id,
the course, which in the present exigency of our affairs, it h pru-
dent for us to pursue. There is fortunately mote than one shit-
native, and without at all wishing or desiring to inflame those
just resentments, which now burn in the bosom of every Catholic,
we shall speak with all possible plainness on the subject.
1. The Chnrch. as established by law, has not only taken a

lead, but has been foremost in its opposition to the Catholic
Claims. There is not a Bishop, Dean, or Parson, with some halt
a dozen exceptions, who did not declare against the country. Now
against the Church, as a temporality, the whole energies of the
country must and ought to be directed. The Church has sworn
eternal enmity against the Catholics, the Catholics must put an
oath in Heaven against the Church.
2. Again, the Ascendancy have been working heaven and earth
to dissociate Catholics and Protestants. The system has gained
to such a mean and scandalous extent, that we are informed e
high dignitary of the Church has made it a point with his friends
to discharge their Catholic servants, and to take Protestants. In
Dublin this plan has been accomplished to it most considerablq
extent. The Catholics must in their own defence retaliate.
3. It will become immediately a question with the Catholics
whether they will again Petition for Emancipation. Mr,
Brougham seems to think they will not. We differ with Mr.
Broughambut at all .events, upon the question which we are
just about to propose, though there may be now, there will not
be in six months, should an Orange Government be established, a
difference of opinion in' Ireland. We would suggest then, that
the Catholics and every Protestant who pleases to join them,
should petition for a Repeal of the Union. Even as a party
stroke—and Heaven knows we never considered it as such—this
would be a master-piece. We should like to see the Church pe-
titioning against the proposition.
4. But above all, and before all,' we implor._ firmness and
union. Mr. Plunkett has well described the intimate and tho-
rough cordiality that prevails among all the Catholics of Ireland.
It was never more indispensable than at present. We have bast
debate enough—the country now demands action.•-constitutionals
legal, legitimate action.

STonm.—After the great snow storm' in 1829, the
Trustees of the Cramond district caused a machine to be made, for
the purpose of clearing the road of snow, which was accordinglt
done; but from that period till Monday last there had been'to op-
portunity of trying its powers. It is composed of two triangular
frames, with side boards about three feet high. Eight horses
are yoked into this machine, tour behind the first triangle, And
four behind the second—thus the whole is pushed on before
the horses. The first triangle measures about six or eight
feet, and serves to clear the road, sufficiently to allow the horses
to work ; the second is only necessary to widen the opening
made by the 'first, and being about twelve feet in breadth, at
one sweep clears the road to a sufficient width for carriages to
pass. We arc glad to say the operation on the Cramond road on
Monday answered conipletely. "The machine was driven into town
from Muttonole, by Sunbury, and returning by Stockbridge road,
proceeded to Cramond Bridge, clearing the road completely the
whole way. In some places the snow must have exceeded mfr.,
in depth..—Cdedonian'tlfercary.