The Sun.
London, England, 1842-05-28 00:00:00

1: WESTMINSTER HARMONIC

• SOCIETY.
This Society, established for the promotion of a practical
; ttaintance with, and taste for, the_ productions of the best
„,sers, Rave a concert of Sacred Music in the theatre of
westrninster Literary and Scientific Institution, Great
.211ith•street on Monday last. Mozart's highly. esteemed
Twelfth
rt, Service" formed the first part, the solo parts being
judiciously sustained by Miss Ward, Miss Thorn •
11. Mr. Turner, and Mr. Stretton, and the grandeur
,the harmonies done ample justice to by a chorus of
• ,Z 7 vocalists, and a most 'efficient band, In the second
;,'S the air from the Creation, In Native Worth"
the "trig with great sweetness and expression by Mr. Turner;
uiniPrayer, 0, Lord have mercy, expression
of Pergolisi, executed
and Pl° }p feeling by Mr. Stretton who was in excellent voice;
Ve sacred priests," sung by 'Miss Cubitt with her wonted
and good taste.
he concert repeatedly elicited the warm applause of the
thence and we could but regret that the numbers of persons
to evinced their appreciation of the treasures of Handel,
"Ydn and Mozart, afforded such scanty encouragement to the
'rectors to persevere in their laudable endeavours to revive a
taste for the highest order of music.

UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE.
OXFORD, MA} 26.—A Congregation was this day holden for
granting degrees, &c., when the following were conferred:—
Masters of Arts—Rev. W. Linwood, of Christ Church;
Rev. R. Champernowne,* Christ Church; Rev. H. Smith,*
Queen's College ; Rev. J. Aleyrick, Queen's College; Rev.
E. M. Goulbourn, Merton College ; Rev. E. Hobhouse
Nletton College ; T. E. Price, Merton College; H. S. R.
14attliews, Lincoln College ; E. D. B. Estcourt, Balliol Col-
lege ; J. T. B. Landon, Worcester College ; G. Arden,
IVadhim College.
Bachelors of Arts—R. Garth, of Christ Church; J. Mar-
shall, Christ Church; F. W. Ryle, Christ Church ; A. Cow-
I.urn, Exeter College; Rev. T. G. Smyth,* Trinity College ;
C. Dickerson, Worcester College ; J. Prosser, St. Ed-
ta
in
nndHall 's Ball ; A. Kinlock, St. Mary's Hall ; H. Parry, New
ilachelorx of Arts on the 18th inst.—J. E. Paxton, of Bra-
ztnnose Colter • S. M. Barkworth, Worcester College.
ss,ING'S COLLEGE, LONDON.
- ,
.Cone Henry Pownall, of Spring Grove, has presented to the
* a costly and beautiful statue in marble of King
g
.1 George 111., sculptured by Turnerelli, for his late Majesty
lv
ndUseurn • It is intended by the donor to be placed in the
s f"on of .' which is about to be fitted up for the extensive collec-
Sf • Vrnied :14 sLrUmenta in natural and experimental philosophy,
'H., Kew under the immediate direction of King George
arid
,e
t, The eel-My presented to the College by her Majesty.
'101%4 Rev. John Fletcher, M. A., late of the Grammar
Council StOnehouse, Plymouth, has been appointed, by the
rrovid master of the King's College School, at Nassau, New
Air Z'"e, Bahamas.
Missio*,; arnUel Slater has been elected a scholar, on the Worsley
"arY Endowment.
* Grand compounders.

to NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
Pee; "SMOUTII, MAY 25.-11 e brig Weazle, 10, is daily ex-
of Aprilrom the Mediterranean, having left Malta on the 20th
tie .to touch at Gibraltar and Lisbon. She will be paid
at Plymouth.
left "g' troop_ships Apollo, 46, Sapphire, 26, and Belleisle, 52,
• of Fe de Janeiro, for the East Indies and China, on the 10th
111+4411°Y; on which day the Isis, 50, Captain Sir J. Mar-
,ll,l arrived from Plymouth.
hut, e. corvette Daphne, 18, is to be re-commissioned at Chat-
' orbO 4cotediati.ly, and to have a crew of 200 men, exclusive
yb.
• 11,The Growler steam-ship, Commander Buckle, left Funchal
A7ng for the Cape of Good Hope and thina, on the 12th
April
destination, also touched' at Madera a fortnight since.
434.,ettra are here from the Southampton, 52, dated Simon's
Aicu.Pe of Good Hope, March 3, which state that Vice-
. •dfat iral Sir Edward King would leave for England imme-
s:lY oh the arrival out of the new Admiral, and that the
ilitr„Nyncl4 previously make a short cruise for the benefit of
fat„f Pew, among whom fever had made its appearance, but. no
16-,,,Ca'es. The ships at the Cape were Thalia, 42, Grecian,
• .1,1 Harlequin, IS, Serpent, 16, Acorn, 16, and Curlew, 10.
the'e,fluto steamer was hourly expected from Ascension, and
I.pazard corvette from Rio de Janeiro.
to he Crocodile troop-ship, Mr. Elson, master, is under orders
NV•b3„t,""Y the regiment now at Parkhurst Barracks, Isle of
CL'itl,to St. Helena, whence she will proceed to the Cape of
Hope.
to, Lie transport Abercrombie Robinson is hourly expected to
the -e, at Spithead, from Cork. She takes out detachments of
27th Regiment for the Cape of Good Hope, and also a por-
' 1,;,0f the St. Helena Regiment.
to The steam-vessel Alban, Air. King, master, is under orders
the roceed to Lisbon with despatches for the senior Officer in
Viagus.
41,},1ee• Admiral Sir Charles Adam, K.C.8., was at Jamaica,
okilwell. in the Illustrious, 72, flag-ship, on the 6th .April,
Torte shortly to proceed to Halifax.
,-ist„'"e Winchester, 52, Captain Eden, has bent sails, prepa-
. IIZY.,to going out of harbour to Spithead. The tlear-Admiral,
11.1)„-"ti;4- Percy-, will proceed in her to the Cape of Good Hope
the 10th June, to succeed Sir Edward King.
.
.11,112 e Alalabar, 72, Captain Sir George Sartorius, was to leave
foi'"outh for Rio de Janeiro on the 22d inst., with despatches
-1 4/ear-Admiral Thomas, and a large draft of men and boys
• _lO c 4
the crews of the squadron.
jat Niithead—Crocodille troop-ship.
hisis Harbour—St. Vincent, Victory, Excellent, Royal George
"mt, Winchester, Albatross, Satellite, Echo, and Flag tenders

ELECTION COMMITTEE.
LYME REGIS.
Ititt'. vote of Cannicott having .been struck off, the
C3lllg Member remains in a minority of one. The
ev;,(Trnittee on meeting yesterday proceeded with the
"ee on the objection to the vote of an elector named
The objection was founded on the same alle-
tttt„
„ ut bribery and treating as the other votes that
exa.v„,- eel!- struck off within the last three days. The
ti—"natton of Mr. Hillman and other witnesses con-
' hued up to the adjournment.
14 0 NI
—"EY MARKET and CITY NEWS.
• [NIE
Onper s.—The East India Company have raised the rate of
h ill uPic, Calcutta to 2s. Id. ; a rate which is considered so
4a"1[1,-, rnonetaic circles, that it is thought it will occasion
of bar.,ilver. upon this country, which will be parti-
ibli: incunvenit tit, as that sort of bullion is by no mean! in
fro
u°tley is rather easy. to-day, owing, it is said, to the return
Carm 01ftint.1,11.rgh ef many of tle soy ns which, at the first
t
With ti hre, v,-ere taken there by the merchants connected
heeess.'af llace. As they found their connexions in a less
lt°4s condition than they had anticipated, much of the
~utiey has been sent back.
- - -
1)

likt.)B4 t 01: cr. Ra, MAY 26.—Arrived her Majesty's steamerer
tain Mudge, from Calais, with his Serene Hig h-
.llhe Prince Leiningen, the P.rincess, their family, and suite.
411(laerrreyrelacnedi
veedd under a salute from the Western Heights,
.
by Colonel Rice Jenes, who has lately stn.-
cded to the command of this garrison. A guard of honour
attended the Prince and his suite.
OPENING OF THE SoUTII EASTERN
farRAILWAY.—
__llrsday morning the South-Eastern Railway: was opened " as Tunbridge, and the firSt train which left that place at
_tquarter_before eight in the morning reached town a few mi-
nutes before ten. The dew ntrains were dispatched at half-
!gist nine. There were, however, but few passengers. There
:1 re t 0
be four trains each day (except Sundays), and carriages
tiard's, I.ocureil
Tunbridge Welt Tunbridgels, Bce. to convey parties to Hastings, St.
1:11e English Ambassador at Brussels gave on
by grand dinner on the occasion of the birth-day of
4"aileitY, tbe auto of England.

•LOCKING-IN" ON RAILWAYS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,-It falls to my lot to travel frequently on the
Great Western Railway, and I request permission,
through the medium of your able and honest Journal
to make a complaint against the Directors of that
Company.
It is the custom on that railway to lock the pas-
sengers in on both sides—a custom which in spite of
the dreadful example at Paris, I have every reason to
believe they mean to continue without any relaxation.
In the course of a long life I have no recollection
of any accident so shocking as that on the Paris Rail-
way—a massacre so sudden, so full of torment—
death at the moment of pleasure—death aggravated
by all the amazement, fear, and pain which can be
condensed into the last momer is of existence.
Who can say that the same scene may not be acted
over again on the Great Western Railroad ? That, in
the midst of their tunnel of three miles' length, the
same scene of slaughter and combustion may not
scatter dismay and alarm over the whole country ?
It seems to me perfectly monstrous that a board of
ten or twelve monopolists can read such a description,
and say to the public, You must run your chance
of being burnt or mutilated. We have arranged our
plan upon the locking-in system, and we shall not in-
cur the risk and expense of changing it."
The plea is, that rash or drunken people will at-
tempt to get out of the carriages which are not locked,
and that this measure really originates from attention
to the safety of the public ; so that the lives of two
hundred persons who are not drunk and are not rash,
are to be endangered for the half-yearly preservation
of some idiot, upon whose body the coroner is to sit,
and over whom the sudden death man is to deliver his
sermon against the Directors.
The very fact of locking the doors will be a fre-
quent source of accidents. Mankind, whatever the
Directors may think of that process, are impatient of
combustion. The Paris accident will never be for-
gotten. The passengers will attempt to escape
through the windows, and ten times more of mischief
will be done than if they had been left to escape by
the doors in the usual manner.

It is not only the locking of the doors which is to
be deprecated ; but the effects which it has upon the
imagination. Women, old people, and the sick are all
forced to travel by the railroad ; and for '2OO miles
they live under the recollection, not only of impending
danger, but under the knowledge that escape is im-
possible—a journey comes to be contemplated with
horror. Men cannot persuade the females of their
family to travel by the railroad; it is inseparably
connected with abominable tyranny, and perilous im-
prisonment.
Why does the necessity of locking both doors exist
only on the Great Western ? Why is one of the
doors left open on all other railways ?
The public have a right to every advantage under
permitted. monopoly which they would enjoy under
free competition ; and they are unjust to themselves
if they do not insist upon this right. If there were
two parallel railways, the one locking you in, and the
other not, is there the smallest doubt which would
carry away all the business ? Can there be any he-
sitation in which timid women, drunken men, sages,
philosophers, bishops, and all combustible beings,
would place themselves ?
I very much doubt the legality of locking doors,
and refusing to open them. I arrive at a station
where others are admitted; but lam not suffered to
get out, though perhaps at the point of death. In
all other positions of life there is egress where there
is ingress. Man is universally the master of his own
body, except he chooses to go from Paddington to
Bridgewater ; there only the habeas corpus is refused.

Nothing, in fact, can be more utterly silly or mis-
taken than this over-officious care of the public ; as if
every man who was not a railway director was a
child or a fool. But why stop here ? Why are not
strait-waistcoats used ? Why is not the accidental
traveller strapped down? Why do contusion and
fracture still remain physically possible?
Is not this extreme care of the public new ? When
first mail coaches began to travel twelve miles an
hour, the outsides (if I remember rightly), were
never tied to the roof. In packets landsmen are not
locked into the cabin to prevent them from tumbling
overboard. This affectionate nonsense prevails only
on the Great Western.. It is there only that men,
women, and children (seeking the only mode of
transit which remains) are, by these tender-hearted
monopolists, immediately committed to their locomo-
tive prisons. Nothing can, in fact, be so absurd as all
this officious zeal. It is the duty of the Directors to
take all reasonable precautions to warn the public of
danger--to make it clear that there is no negligence
on the part of the Railroad Directors; and then, this
done, if a fool-hardy person choose to expose himself
to danger, so be it. Fools there will be on roads of
iron and on roads of gravel, and they must suffer for
their folly ; but why are Socrates, Solon, and Solomon
to be locked up ?
But is all this, which appears so philanthropical,
mere philanthropy ? Does not the locking of the
doors save servants and policemen ? Does not eco-
nomy mingle with these benevolent feelings ? Is it
to save a few fellow-creatures, or a few pounds, that
the children 'of the West are to be hermetically sealed
in the locomotives ? Ido not say it is so ; but I say
it deserves a very serious examination whether it is so
or not. Great and heavy is the sin of the Directors
of this huge monopoly, if they repeat upon their own
iron the tragedy of Paris, in order to increase their
dividends a few shillings per cent.
The country has (perhaps inevitably) given way to
this great monopoly. Nothing can make it tolerable
for a moment but the most severe and watchful
jealousy of the manner in which its powers are exer-
cised. We shall have tyrannical rules, vexatious
rules, ill temper, pure folly, and meddling and imper-
tinent paternity. It is the absolute duty of Lord
Ripon and Mr. Gladstone (if the Directors prove
themselves to be so inadequate to the new situation in
which they are placed) to restrain and direct them by
law ; and if these two gentlemen are afraid of the re-
sponsibility of such laws, they are deficient in the
moral courage which their office requires ; and the
most important interests of the public are neglected.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
May 21, 1842. SIDNEY SMITH.