The Sun.
London, England, 1829-10-23 00:00:00

ARCHERY.

-- that fellow handles
His bow like a crow-keeper, draw me a clothier's yard.
LEA R.

We have learned with great pleasure that the
noble and national pastime of Archery has been re-
vived in the South and Western parts of England,
with a splendour and propriety of costume propor-
tioned to the chivalrous character of the amusement.
To our own countrymen, the descendants of the
Archers of Agincourt, Cressy, and Poictiers, the
use of the bow is well known : indeed so generally
is it prized, that even the ladies warmed, no doubt,
with some portion of the same generous ardour which
once inspired the archers of " the olden time" are
using every endeavour to bring it into-general repute,
more especially in the county of Berks. In this
noble province where so much wealth and beauty
abound, elegant females, in tasteful dresses appro-
priate to the sport, are in the frequent habit of form-
ing themselves into graceful grouper, and contending
for the prize. Here are to be seen the Lincoln Green
of which Scott makes such picturesque use in his
sketch of the Knight of Snowdon ; the hat archly
turned up in a style which Maid Marian would have
been proud to recognize, and adorned with elegant
devices of the bow, the flower and leaf or bugle.
Most ardently do we hope that this delightful
pastime will speedily become general not only in
Berks, but throughout every county in England.—
It is linked in memory with the proudest historic
associations; and so far as romance and sentiment
are acceptable to the ladies, brings full before their
minds the good old days of Robin and Maid Marian,
the secluded haunts of Sherwood Forest, the spirit,
health, animation, and enterprize of the " Lordly
Squires," and " proud dames" of " merrie England."

GLOBE INSURANCE COMPANY.-SALA-
RIES TO DIRECTORS OF PUBLIC COMPANIES.

Yesterday a Meeting of the holders of the Globe
Stock was held at the Company's House, Corn-
bill. The attendance of Proprietors was more than
usually numerous, on account of a letter which has
been circulated in the city, relative to the enormous
salaries paid to Directors of Public Companies, in
the prosperity of which so many large capitalists
and others have an interest.

The Chair was taken by J. L. GOLDSMID, Esq.,
and the routine business of the day having been dis-
posed of,

Mr. HUNTER rose to move a resolution, having
for its object the reduction of the salaries of the Di-
rectors. He entered
.at some length into the sub-
ject, and stated in the course of his remarks that
the Chairman and Directors had received for their
services upwards of 100,000/., independently of their
dividends,being equal to half the profits of the con-
cern since its commencement. He argued that the
Directors of Public Companies were too highly paid,
and contended that some reduction should be made.
He concluded by moving the following Resolution,
viz.—" That the allowance to the Chairman be re-
duced from 500/. to 2001. per annum, together with
the use of the house in Pall-mall; and that the
allowance to each of the twenty-four Directors be
reduced from 150/. to 100/. per annum, by which
means a saving will be effected to the proprietary of
1,500/. per annum."

Sir SAMUEL SHEPHERD (the Lord Chief Baron
of the Exchequer in Scotland) proceeded at great
length to deprecate the motion of Mr. Hunter. He
had been one of the proprietors of this Company
from the first day of its institution in 1803 ; and
when he vested his money in it, he vested it under
the idea that, whether the investment was beneficial
or not, he was to have no trouble whatever in the
management of it. The investment had turned out,
as they all knew, very beneficially. Their capital
had accumulated from 1,000,0001. to 1,500,0001.;
their shares had increased in value from 100/. to
150/. During all the time they had received five
per cent., and during several years seven per cent.
on their money. Was there, then, any reason for
making this reduction in the salaries of Directors
who had performed their duty excellently to the
Company, and who had never been accused, and
were not even yet accused, of the slightest misma-
nagement ? Would it not be said, if they went on
reducing the salaries of their Directors, first from
150/. to 100/. and then again from 100/. to perhaps
75/. or 50/. a-year,—would it not be said, he asked,
" Oh, the Globe Insurance Company cannot be do.
ing well ; there must be something not quite right,
for what do you think ? They are obliged to reduce
their salaries!" Would the circulation of such
speeches do them no harm ? lie agreed with the
Directors in thinking, that the passing of this re-
solution would be the infliction of a stigma upon
them ; and for this reason—ghat it would be
telling them that for years past they had been
consenting to receive a remuneration far be-
yond that which, as honest and conscientious
men, they ought to have demanded. He
was then proceeding to notice points which had
been casually introduced into the debate, when a
very old gentleman, with a very sharp-beaked nose,
and a very brown bob wig, who had been twisting
himself about on his chair for some minutes in great
apparent uneasiness, and muttering to himself
" Words, words, mere chaff and no corn !" could no
longer controul his impatience, but desked the
speaker to sit down, as he had already talked longer
than any body in the room, and had said nothing to
the purpose.
Mr. FRESIIFIELD, the Bank solicitor, Mr. CHAP-
MAN, and others, spoke against the Resolution,
which was ultimately npgatiyed,
A Gentleman then proposed a vote of thanks to
the Chairman and Directors for their conduct during
the last year; but he was reminded that the meet-
ing was dissolved, and could entertain no furth?r
m~tioa. It thus singularly happens that the Direc-
tors of the Globe Insu'rance Company have not ob-
tained the thanks of their constituency for their ser-
vices in the last year.

We are sorry to perceive that a boarding has
been erected on tile East si4e Of St. James's-street, urbio
is likely to block up the footpath (mos't unnecessarily) pro=
bably for the next six months.

LITERATURE.

FAMILY LIBRARY, No. 7, LoNno,:, 1829.

The " History of Insects," the first volume
of which forms the seventh number of this varied
and instructive Miscellany, puts forth many cu-
rious particulars on the subject of many of these
extraordinary little animals, which serve to show
the very singular character and extent of their
sagacity, or, as we believe we should rather call
it, their instinct. On the nature and habits of
the different orders of spiders, which swarm in
our fields and houses, the author is interestingly
diffuse, and partially overturns the popular no-
tio❑ of their possessing venomous properties. On
this point, Goldsmith, if we remem4er rightly,
in his entertaining romance, the " History of
' Animated Nature," was very decided and pe-
remptory. He asserted, in unqualified terms,
that the spider was a venomous animal, a dogma
which the author of the present volume as un-
hesitatingly contradicts. The following parti-
culars respecting the common gnat, that pest
both of town and country, are curious :
" There are few insects with whose form we are better
acquainted than that of the gnat. It is to be found in all
latitudes and climates ; as prolific in the Polar as in the
Equatorial regions. In 1736 they were so numerous, and
were seen to rise in such clouds from Salisbury Cathedral,
that they looked hire columns of smoke, and frightened the
people, who thought the building was on fire. In 1766,
they appeared at Oxford, in the form of a thick black
cloud. Six columns were observed to ascend the height
of fifty or sixty feet. Their bite was attended with alarm-
ing inflammation.

In Lapland their numbers have been compared to a
flight of snow when the flakes fall thickest, and the minor
evil of being nearly suffocated by smoke is endured to get
rid of these little pests. Captain Stedman says, that he
and his soldiers were: so tormented by gnats in America
that they were obliged to dig holes in the ground with
their bayonets, and thrust their heads into them for pro-
tection and sleep. Humboldt states, that ' betwee❑ the
little harbour of Higuerote and the mouth of the Rio-
Unare, the wretched inhabitants are accustomed to stretch
themselves on the ground, and pass the night buried in the
sand three or four inches deep, exposing only the head,
which they cover with a handkerchief.' "

To the curious in matters of natural history
we recommend this volume : it displays consi-
derable research, and brings together, into one
well-arranged mass, a greater quantity of novel
and instructive information than any work of the
same size that we have met with for some time.

COLONEL EVANS, ON THE PRACTICA
I3ILITY OF AN INVASION OF INDIA.

(From the Morning Advertiser.)
We alluded four days ago to a new work from
the pen of Colonel Evans, on the " Practicabi-
lity of an Invasion of India" by Russia ; but the
crowded state of our columns has hitherto pre-
vented us from paying that attention to it which
the importance of the subject, and the able man.
tier in which it is discussed, in the treatise in
question, so amply merit. We shall now enter
somewhat farther into particulars.
The various topics brought under considera-
tion by Colonel Evans, though not marked by
any very distinct division, or regular classifica-
tion, may be summed up under the following
heads :

1. The commercial and financial prospects of
England, and her ability to go to war.
2. Proofs of the design of Russia to wrest
from us our Indian territories, when a fitting op-
portunity presents itself.
3. The practicability of a successful accom-
plishment of the design.
Upon the opinions put forth by Col. Evans
under the first head, we shall have some observ-
ations to make in a day or two, and shall, there-
fore, for the present merely remark that the Go-
vernment
of England never yet went to war
without meeting with adequate support from the
people of England, both in men and money, and
that if need be, there is as little question of such
being the case now as at any period since the Re-
volution. The truth is, that generally speaking,
war is always more popular in this country than
peace, and that if a Ministry had no other means
left of ingratiating itself with the public, the
making of war alone, upon any plausible ground,
or for the accomplishment of any plausible ob-
ject, would be sufficient to relieve it from the
stigma of general condemnation.
With regard to the second point mooted by
Colonel Evans, proofs of a long settled design
by Russia upon our Indian territories, are pro-
' duced ad nauseam. So far back as 1790, " the
Empress had firmly resolved," says the Survey
of Eton, in the event of a war, " to attempt to
send an army through Bokhara to Cashmere, to
place the Mogul on the throne of India, and
drive the British out of their possessions : and
there were then in Russia," adds the same work,
" Frenchmen who had been sent into those
parts by M. de Vergennes, and who offered to
conduct the army."
" When the British fleet was about to sail for the
Baltic, to force the Empress to make peace, Prince
Nassau, who was them in favour with her Imperial
Majesty, presented a plan for sending an army
through Bukhara to Cashmere, and thence to Ben.
gal, to drive the English out of India.
" Little difficulty was foreseen in passing through
Bokhara ; it was even hoped, seeing the object was
to re-establish on the throne of India a prince of
their religion, that they would be friendly to the
enterprise; however, were they not, little appre-
hension was entertained of a people so disunited
among themselves, and who tremble at the name
of Russia.

" St. Genie pretended that there were passes
through the mountains, and that he had people who
had been in the country, sent by M. de Vergennes.
He presented with his project a map, and a march
route for the army.

" They counted on being joined in the north of
India by the discontented from all parts."
Again, in 1819 and 1820, as soon as the
affairs of France had been settled, missions, not
for purely scientific purposes, as occasional slips
in the published accounts of those who accom-
panied them, were almost simultaneonsly dis-
patched to Bokhara, to Pekin, to Khiva, to the
Toorkomans, and previously to Khokand. One
of those functionaries observes, that " it is to
Russia that the office belongs of imparting to
the Khanats of central Asia a salutary impul-
sion, and of diffusing throughout those coun-
tries all the benefits of European civilization ;"
and another .adds, in emphatic terms, that for
the benefit of Russian commerce " Khiva ought
to be taken possession of." Again, Colonel
Mouravief, who was employed in a mission to
Khiva, in 1820, has the following, among other
passages, equally pointed and satisfactory as to
the design ;
" If we possessed Khiva," says he, " of which
the conquest would not be difficult, the Nomades of
Central Asia would dread our power, and a com•
mercial route would be established from the Indus
and Oita (or Amou) even into Russia; then would
all the treasures of Asia enrich our country, and we
should see realized the brilliant project of Peter the
Great. Masters of Khiva, many other States would
be brought under our dependence. In a word,
Khiva,is, at this moment, an advanced post, which
opOses itself to the commerce of Russia with Dok-

Kara and N d rn India; under our dependence,
I Khiva would become a safe-guard, which would de-
-1 fend this commerce atminst the attacks of the dis-
persed people in the Steppes of Central Asia. This
oasis, sit sated in the midst of an oce.m of sand,
I would become the point of reunion for all the com-
merce of Asia, and would shake to the centre of
India the enormous commercial superiority of the
dominators of the sea."
These are tolerable proofs, that the idea of
invading India, is not quite so foreign to Rus•
Sian policy as has been generally imagined ; and
that the practicability of carrying it into effect
has been greatly augmented of late years by the
success of the Russians against the Persians,—
the political relations which they have been so
anxious to establish, and so successful in many
instances in settling on a permanent basis—but
especially by their possession of European
Turkey, and the consequent inuring of their
army to a warmer climate cannot be doubted.
Nor, as has been amply shown by Col. Evans,
is there any actual impossibility of accomplish-
ing the invasion.
" The project of the Russians," says Col. Evans,
" appears to be, to move three or four thousand men
over, for the most part, a sterile steppe, deficient in
water, but of inconsiderable breadth. There (at
Kliiva) to be reinforced by further detachments, to
facilitate the bringing up of which arrangements
could then be easily made, and also to be recruited,
both at that place and at Bokhara, from the unfor-
tunate Russians and Persians at present held in
captivity. It is at Balk that, in fact, a consider-
able train of baggage animals would have to be pre-
pared. The distance to Attock is nearly five hun-
dred miles. But excepting the Hindoo Coosh hills,
of ten or fifteen days in the passage, it is generally
a peopled and well-cultivated country. The mer-
chant caravans, which constantly cross the Ilindoo
Coosh, consist chiefly of horses and ponies, being
more adapted than the camel for the defile passes.
But camels abound on both sides of the mountain."
" The time likely to be occupied by the Russians
in these supposed movements might be about as
follows :

" Mr. Fraser was informed by several persons,
whose reports coincided, and whose statements he
considered worthy to be received, that the distance
from the Bay of Balkan to Khiva is twelve days'
journey for a caravan; in another place he gives it
at ten days. M. Mouravief states the distance from
thence to the neighbourhood of Bokhara, for heavily
laden boats, at seven days' voyage. From this point
to within two days' march of Balk may be another
voyage of four or five days. Here then are twenty-
five, or suppose we admit it to be thirty-five days'
journey for merchants, which we will allow a Rus-
sian force a whole campaign to accomplish ; in order
that there may be full time for establishing them-
selves in Khiva, Bokhara, Samarcand, &c.
" Let us then suppose, that early in the following
year there are ten or fifteen thousand Russihns, with
twenty or thirty thousand of newly organised troops
assembled between Balk and the ancient Anderab at
the foot of the mountains ; smaller columns being
directed towards the passes leading to Peshawar
and Cashmere.

" From Anderab, through the defiles of the Ilin•
doo Koosh to Caubul is one hundred miles. From
Caubul to Attock is about two hundred and thirty
miles. It is strange if they cannot accomplish this
within the second campaign, aided, as there is too
much reason to apprehend they may be, by many of
the discontented and unprincipled Afghaun chief-
tains ;—some of whom are even perhaps, at this
very time, urging their invitations to this invasion."
On the most obvious mode of opposing such
an invasion, Colonel Evans says :
" Caubul, as before obset ved, has been invariably
regarded as the key of India; whether the invader
advance from the west or the north, from Candahar
or from Balk. The Hindoo Kush mountains,
which interpose between the fertile plains of Balk
and the rich valley of Caubul, are the most impor-
tant feature in all this tract. They form a ramifica-
tion of the Himalehs, extending from thence in a
continuous line to the westward. On the line be-
tween Balk and Caubul there are several passes
running chiefly along the beds or sides of the moun-
tain rivers. These, in winter, are subject to ava-
lanches, and are at no season good roads, although
constantly in use, both by armies and caravans, from
the most ancient to the present times. There is
also a pass from Koondooz to Attock, by the way of
Peshawer, and from Koondooz to Cashmere. E-
mour, we find, from his own statement, entered
India in three colums. There were 30,000 cavalry
previously stationed in Afghannistan. These were
directed upon Moultan. The centre, consisting of
32,000, also of cavalry, passed by the way of Balk,
Caubul, and Peshawer, to Attock. The left wing,
of 30,000 of the same arm, from Samarcand, in the
direction of Cashmere.

" It would evidently be desirable that we should
have a complete knowledge of the Ilindoo hooch, and
of the passes through it ; as a question would most
probably arise as to whether it should not be occu-
pied by a detached corps in support of the native
bands, in the event of menaced invasion, and of the
Afghauns or chief part of them being in alliance
with us. It, no doubt, offers strong po&tionQ, as
an advanced line—if held by a force which knew
how to defend them. There is a river (the Pau-
meh) which falls into the Caubul river, westward
of Peshawer, along which runs for some distance

the road to K.fiondC;oz. This would also, perhaps,
be occupied. But these are no more than details
and conjectures. The fact of the operation not be-
ing locally impracticable, is, I think, demonstrated.
" One word will only be added. It was an esta-
blished and well-known maxim of the Romans to
carry their wars, whenever they could do so, into
the territory of their enemies. Thus it was that, in
order to put a. signal termination to the invasion of
Italy, they resolved on assailing the source of Han-
nibal's power in Africa. The source of the Czar's
encroachments in Asia—is in Europe."
We snake no apology for the length of this
extract, the importance of which would justify
even a more lengthy quotation. There is evi-
dently, from the proofs adduced by Col. Evans,
a design on the part of Russia to seize the first
favourable opportunity of threatening us, if not
of meditating a serious invasion, on the side of
India—there is also a practicability of accosts-
plishino. this object ; and the evident conclusion
from the whole, is, that it behoves us to adopt
every possible precaution both against the further
aggrandizement of Russia, either in Europe or
Asia, and also to secure our Indian frontier, by
conciliating the various tribes and governments,
between it and the Russiar, boundary. On all
these points we cordially recommend the work of
Colonel Evans as pregnant with much valuable
information, and replete with sound views on the
various topics to which it refers.

In the neighbourhood of Leominster apples
are selling at 1 s. 3d. the bag (measuring ten heaped peeks.)

. . ,
An abundant fruit year, like the present, is
calculated to make a difference of from 10 to 20,000
hogsheads of sugar i❑ the home consumption of thatarticle.
There is now in Mr. litiTToN's shop, in
Carlisle, a gourd which was grown in the neighbourhood
of Carl;,sle, and is of most extraordinary dimension. It
weighs not less than 531bs, and is four feet two inches in
circumference.—.Edinburph A dvertiztr.
Woodcocks have already made their appear-
ance in this country. O. t;aturday a fine b;rd of this
species was killed at Elderfield, Worcestershire, and on
the same day another was shot near Abergavenny.—ad-
tenhanz Chronicle.

We understand that the practice of repairing
British ships in foreign ports has become very common,
and that a scientific gentleman has recently left Sunsler-
land for Hamburg, for the purpose of superintending the
that city.... Tyne Mercury.
a patent ship-way for repairing ships at
construction of

FASHIONABLE INTELLIGENCE.

ARRIVALS.

The Lady Olivia SpArrow, at the Hyde-park Hotel, Hyde-
park-place, from Margate; Mr. sal Mrs. Pollock, and Miss
Moray, at ditto, from / ; Mrs. Denis, at ditto, from
Southampton; Sirs. Smith Owcit, at (iitto, from Sevenoaks ; It.
W. Be.moiont, Esq. at ditto, from the Continent ; Osgood Gee,
Esq. and Mrs. Gee, at Marshal Thom:ssmi's Hotel, Cavendish_
square, from Essex ; Charles Winn, Esq. Mrs. Winn, and fa-
mily, at ditto, from Nostell Priory, Yorkshire; Nathaniel
Strickland, Esq. at ditto; Thomas G. Corbet, Esq. at ditto ; P.
Fairlie, Esq. at ditto ; Captain Robert Lindsay, at ditto ; Earl
and Countess of Harrowby, at Sandon Hall, Staffirdsbire, horn
a tour; Lord Stowell, in Gratton-str et, from Berkshire; Earl
Fitzwilliam, at Milton, Northamptonshire, from Wentworth
House, Yorkshire; Viscount and 'Viscountess Doneraile and fa-
' Indy, at the London hotel, Albemarle-street, frutn Chelten-
ham ; Mr. and Mrs. D'Arcos and family, at Thomas's Hotel,
Berkeley-square, from Paris ; Mr. and Mrs. James Stuart and
family, at ditto, from Engletield-green; Sir Jellison Gordon,
Bart. at the Burlington Hotel, from Haverhohm Priory ; Mr.
and Mrs. Ball, at ditto, from the Continent; Mr. ant Mrs.
Hanson, at Fenton's Hotel, St. James's-street, from Worcester ;
Colonel H. Sumner, at ditto, from Surrey ; Mr. and Mrs. Cal-
vert, at ditto, from a tour ; Captain Colville, at ditto, from
Windsor; Thomas Smith, Esq. at ditto, from Wales; F. H.
Fawkes, Esq. at ditto, from a tour ; S. S. Prime, Esq. at ditto,
from ditto; Countess Onslow, at the St. George's Hotel, Albe-
marle-street, from her seat, Clandon, Surrey ; Miss Rollinson,
at Symmons's Hotel (late Jordan's), St. James's-street, from
Bath ; Mr. and Mrs. Fitzgerald, in Harley-street, from Ireland.