The Sun.
London, England, 1842-05-16 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, MAN 16, 1 542

THE FIRE AT HAMBUItGH.

MEETING OF THE BRITISH RESIDENTS.
The Neptune, Captain Whittingham, arrived at the
Custom-house, rom Hamburgh, at half-past three o'clock
:his morning, having accomplished her passage in forty-
;even hours. We are happy to learn that the city was
.n a state of comparative quietude on Friday last, for
he first time since the fire ; on that day the merchants
)f the city were enabled again to meet within the walls
4' their own Exchange, a pathway having been opened to
t with great labour and difficulty, in consequence of the
mmense mass of ruins that surrounded it. The assem-
')lage of mercantile persons was exceedingly large.
Confidence was not so much shaken as was appre-
'ended, and bills were freely discounted at four per cent.
Sanguine hopes are entertained that the various in-
surance companies will meet at least the greatest part of
the losses sustained.

The bank is continuing its usual operations, and gave
notice on the 13th instant that it will again receive bars
.n silver under the new exchange, and that in cense-
pence of a desire expressed by many, specie of Prussia,
irlolstein, Denmark, Sweden, &c., may be deposited, and
Advances had thereupon.
The New Hamburgh Zeitung of the 13th instant states
that the losses are computed as follows :—" 30,000,000
of dollars for goods burned in the warehouses ;
20,000,000 dollars for furniture and other valuables in
warehouses ; and this is independent of the value of
the houses destroyed, which are proposed to be re-built
a State loan."
A general meeting of the British residents in Ham-
burgh and its vicinity was held on the 12th instant, at
ier Britannic Majesty's Consulate, for the purpose of
preparing a petition to be presented to her Majesty, and
in appeal to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, through Colonel Hodges, her Majesty's Repre-
sentative at Hamburgh, praying that the British nation
would alleviate the general sufferings caused by the late
calamitoas fire in that city. The meeting was very
numerously attended. Colonel Hodges in the chair.
The proceedings of the meeting were opened by Col.
Hodges, in the following words
The public announcement of the object of this meet-
ing renders it unnecessary for me to trespass at great
length upon your time ; but I think it my duty upon the
present melancholy occasion; when we are surrounded by
the most heartrending distress, caused by an awful visi-
ation of Divine Providence, by which a great portion of
this once flourishing city lies smouldering in ruins, to
testify, that throughout this melancholy and much to-be-
deplored event, I have received all the assistance which
the public authorities could give to render both the lives
And properties of British subjects secure. For had I ap-
plied to my own Government in Downing-street, I could
not have met with a greeter desire to support my wishes
han was displayed by the Senate.
" It has been my painful duty, through a long and
irduous military career, to witness distress and the
;terrors of war in many and frightful forms, but I have
never witnessed a more distressing scene than that which
hose presents itself to our view on all sides, where
30,000 individuals, who, but a few days since, were en-
ying the quiet of their homes, are now deprived of a
ihelter for their heads, and only screened from the in-
:lemency of the weather by the remnants of their fur-
aiture alenr.r, the sides of the roads, and in the neigh-
'touring fields.
" But, gentlemen, there is one feature connected with
his melancholy catastrophe, which I wish most earnestly
,o explain to you before entering upon the more specific
object of this meeting. It is the foul and malignant accu-
sation which some evil-disposed persons attempted to fix
ipon our fellow-countrymen, alleging that they were
firing the town. Though I have not had the good for-
tune to have been long known to you, let me neverthe-
.ess assure you, that the character and good name of one
ind all of you is as dear to me as my own, for such a
:Wider would cast odium upon our common country. I
reel it but an act of justice to the Senate and authorities
if this city to state, that they were, and are, most
anxious to discover and punish the authors of it. Un-
eortunately, it caused some Englishmen to be injured,
.vhich I deeply deplore; but let me ask, what effect a
similar outcry would have produced had it been raised
.n our own manufacturing districts in England against
)my class, whether English or foreigners, under similar
circumstances. Would they have escaped popular
.vrath ? I am not egotist enough to think at. How
hen can we imagine that a ruined arid houseless popula-
ion, labouring under the strongest feelings of excite-
ment, should be expected to act with all the moderation
of calmer moments. Ico lives were lost, and as I see
iome of the greatest sufferers present, joining in this
weal, I am glad to find that they, as true Englishmen,
•an make just allowances for the excited feelings under
which they suffered.
" The Senate, finding that they had not competent per-
Sons at their disposal to arrest the progress of the flames,
litrusted that arduous task to three British engineers,
Jolessrs. Lindley, Giles, and Thompson, by whose praise-
worthy exertions much good was effected • arid bad they
oeen supported by the force placed at their disposal I
.irmly believe that we should not at this moment have to
leplore so great a loss. I must not forget the services
if a gentleman now present, who, although a stranger,
:iassing through this town, I allude to Mr. Skinner, has
rendered most efficient service. or must I omit the
-estimony of Mr. Frenkel, extracted from one of the
morning papers; in which he states that he was only
able to render essential service with the Hamburgh en-
;ine by the help of the captains and crews ortwo Eng-
lish vessels—the Robert Raikes, John Rutherford master,
Ind his crew, and the Doncaster, Thomas Xoule master,
and his crew.

" The Government of llamburgh are not unmindful of
those services, as I shall presently have occasion to show,
)37 reading to this meeting a communication which I
nave only an hour since received from the Syndick, and
.which will explain the feelings of the Senate and autho-
rities much better than I can do.
(Copy) "` HAMBURGIi, MAY 12.
" ' Sir,—Though unable to appreciate by any official
report the whole extent of the obligations under which
L considerable part of the city of .1-famburgh has been
laid during the late awful event by ;he spirited exertions
of our countrymen, the Senate thinks it a sacred duty to •
commemorate at this early period -their names. By their
.xertions, which ought to have commanded popular gra-
;itude, Messrs. Lindley, Giles, and Thompson have in-
curred the persecution of a deluded mob. They have
oeen particularly pointed out to the Senate as the men
who assisted in planning with technical skill, and who,
without adequate means of execution, volunteered with
heroic intrepidity in carrying out a system of explosions,
though not equally effective i.n all, yet in some important
instances gloriously successful.
"' I authorised by the. Senate to anticipate a public
testimonial to which they Are so justly entitled by these
lines addressed to their country's representative. The
`eelings of sympathy which unite the inhabitants of this
city and her Britannic Majesty's subjects will, I trust, •
receive additional stres'gth from a catastrophe to which
the exertions of Englishmen have so much contributed
in assigning a limit, and which, not only from an intimate
connexion of interests, but from the nobler motives of.
humanity, will, I ha re no doubt, be considered by the
commercial metropolis of the world as a domestic cala-
mity.—l have the.b °nom. to remain, with sincere. regard,
Sir, your, most obedient humble servant,
(Signed) " ' K. SIEVEKING.
" 4 Colonel Hodges, her Britannic Majesty's
Cb.arge d'Atlaires, &c.'
" This letter speaks for itself, and shows the kindly
feelings by which the authorities regard our countrymen.
" And now let me caution individuals against sending
hoMe reports which can only tend to produce feelings
which no Englishman should cherish, and whicla shall
contradict officially should such occur.
" The connexions between England and Hamburgh
have been of very long standing, and it has been con-
sidered a term of reproach in some quarters to call Ham-
burgh an. English town, yet I have never heard of a
Hamburgher being ashamed •of th© appellation. And
when I see around me numbers of Englishmen whose
houses arc still filled with the sufferers, I cannot but
feel proud to call them countrymen, and to hope that
such praiseworthy conduct will draw still closer the
bonds of amity and friendship which, as I have just said,
have so- long existed between them.
"I now arrive at the object of the present meeting,
viz.—to join our efforts in a petition to her Most Excel-
kilt Majesty the Queen, that her Majesty will be gra-
ciously pleased to sanction and approve an appeal to the
British nation, praying for assistance towards alleviating
the sufferings by which we are surrounded.
f" Succour in money, clothing, and provisions has
already arrived from their Majesties the Kings of
Prussia, Denmark, and Hanover, as also from his Iloyal
Highness the Grand Duke of Mecklenburgh-Schwerin
and the Free Hanseatic cities of Bremen and Lubeck. I

feel assured that England will not be backward in sup-
porting this work of charity, but lend her aid to
succour this distressed city in her hour of misery.
think I can answer for the willingness of her

Nlajesty's Government to render all the assistance
in their power in this work of benevolence ; and
f most sincerely hope and trust that our efforts
may prove successful, and that our country will,
with the aid of Divine Providence, be instrumental
in restoring this now ruined city • to her former great-
ness, and that commerce, the foundation of England's
prosperity, may be again established, and prove a lasting
link of connexion between us.
" It was proposed by Mr. Parish, seconded by Mr.
Ramsden, and carried unanimously—That the follow-
ing address be presented to her Most Excellent Majesty
the Queen :
" TO HER MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE QUEEN.
" The humble Petition of the British Inhabitants
residing in Hamburgh and its Vicinity.

" May it please your Majesty,:—
" We, your Majesty's most faithful and loyal subjects
most humbly and respectfully approach your throne,
through the medium of your Majesty's Charge d'Affaires
in this city, and most respectfully submit the awful
visitation and calamity which it has pleasedian all-wise
Providence to inflict upon us in common with the large
population of this so lately flourishing and wealthy city,
for your Majesty's humane consideration.
" We refrain from intruding painful and heartrend-
ing details, which must be grievous to your Majesty's
benevolent mind, knowing as we do that the facts have
been already furnished to your Majesty's Government by
your Majesty's Representative in this city.
" We have this day forwarded an address to our
fellow-countrymen,.beseeching them to evince upon this
melancholy occasion their charitable sympathy with
misfortune—the purest and most prominent feature in
the English character, and to aid and alleviate the
misery of 30,000 of the inhabitants of this city, among
whom are some of our own poor countrymen, reduced by
this dreadful calamity to want and starvation.
" In making this humble appeal to your Majesty, we
most respectfully implore your Majesty to sanction and
encourage the object now sought for, and your Majesty's
petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.
" Signed on behalf of the meeting,
G. LLOYD HODGES, Chairman.'

[Here follows the names of the Committee.]
" It was proposed by Mr. Oven., seconded by, Mrs

Swaine, and carried unanimously :—That the following •
appeal . be made to the united Kingdoms of Great Bri- '
tain and Ireland from the British residents in Hamburgh
and its vicinity.
" Fellow-countrymeni—With feelings of dismay we
announce to you the awful visitation with which it has
pleased Divine Providence to afflict this once flourishing
and great commercial city, a quarter of which is now
reduced to ashes by a destructive fire. Fifteen hundred
houses, comprising the finest part of- the city, are now
lying in ruins'. The Almighty has not even spared his
own edifices, four of his temples, two of them the oldest
and most beautiful churches .in Hareburgh, are totally
consumed.. _ _

vv" 'Thirty thousand of our fellow-inhabitants are house-
less. Old age, women, and children, sheltering them-
selves under the remnant of their furniture, by the road-
sides, and in the neighbouring fields.
" Yet charity is not dormant, for not only ourselves
but the wealthy native, inhabitants with the authorities
of the city, are straining every nerve and making every
effort to succour and comfort the destitute. Assistance
in money, clothing, and provisions, has arrived from
their Majesties the King of Prussia, Denmark, and
Hanover. The Representative Chambers of Hanover
have voted a grant. His Royal Highness the Grand
Duke of Mecklenburgh-Schwerin, and the Hanse Towns
of Lubeck and Bremen have sent money and provisions ;
but, alas, how small in comparison to the wants is even
this supply.
"It is therefore with confidence that we make this
appeal to you, our fellow-countrymen, feeling assured
that you will generously and promptly come forward to
ameliorate the distress of a city, which has been so long
and so closely allied to Great Britain by ties of mutual
interest ; and which in the hour of prosperity was so de-
servedly famed for charity and hospitality.
We pray that the same all-wise Providence who has
seen fit to inflict this visitation upon us will bring relief
to the distress He has inflicted, by opening your hearts
to the appeal we now make, and finally that He may
ever shield and defend every part of our own beloved
country from a like fearful calamity.
" Signed on behalf of the Meeting,
" G. LLOYD HODGES, Chairman.' "
Colonel Hodges having been requested to forward the
address to her Majesty the Queen, and a copy
.of the
appeal to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs,
it was also resolved that a copy of the appeal to the
nation be forwarded to the leading journals in London ;
that it be signed by the Chairman and Committee, that
Colcnel Hodges' speech be printed and distributed, and
that a Committee should be formed for the disposal of
any money which might be sent from England.
Colonel Hodges, Messrs. Steer, Boyes, Swaine, Beckitt,
Rev. Dwar, J. Ilheeder, Ross, Charles Parish, Jun.,
and J. C. Ramsden were elected to act as the managing
Committee.

The able and courteous conduct of Colonel Hodges
elicited the highest encomiums.
The King of Prussia, it is said, has contributed 25,000
dollars towards the relief of the sufferers of this city.
His Majesty has taken the utmost interest in their relief.
The King of Hanover has contributed 100,000 dollars

for a similar benevolent purpose.
The Prussian papers state that public prayers are offered,
and collections ordered to be made in all the churches in
Prussia for the relief of the sufferers of Hamburgh.

IMPORTANT MEETING AT MAN-
CHESTER of the ANTI-CORN-LAW LEAGUE.
WEDNESDAY EVENING, 10 O'CLOCK.
The meeting of the League, to consider and adopt a
plan for their future proceedings, has just terminated.
It was one of the largest meetings that we have had for
a long time. Among the gentlemen present were Robt.
Hyde Greg, Esq., late M.P. for Manchester, W. Rawson,
Esq., John Brooks, Esq., C. J. S. Walker, Esq., John
Bright, Esq., of Rochdale, Lawrence Heyworth, Esq.,
&c. R. H. GREG, Esq., was called to the chair ; and in
opening the proceedings, read the following important
letter from Richard Cobden, Esq., M.P. for Stockport:—
"London, May 10, 1842.
" My dear Sir.—Pray draw the attention of the mem-
bers of the League, at the special general meeting to-
morrow, to the discussion in the House of Commons
upon Mr. Roebuck's motion for a Select Committee to
inquire into the compromises that have taken place be-
fore the Election Committees. The few places named
in his motion are but samples of a wholesale traffic in
seats which has been going on beneath the roof of the
House of Commons, where boroughs have been transferred
from party to 'party without the slightest regard to the
principles of the constituencies, or the interests of the
people. In the debate that took place, the leading Mem-
bers on both sides of the House of Commons bore testi-
mony to the great bribery and corruption of the last
general election. The charges brought against the
present Parliament by Lord Palmerston and others, will
afford us and our friends this consolation at least—that
our efforts have not been frustrated by the will of the
electoral body (which would be a curious, if not an irre-
parable injury), but by the profligate practices of the
monopolists themselves. Thank God, we are now in a
fair way to drag to light the foul and atrocious
deeds by which this bread-taxing Parliament has been
brought together. If all that I hear be true of the
bribery, corruption, and intimidation, of the brutal vio-
lence, even to homicide, which are said to have distin-
guished the late general election beyond all that pre-
ceded it, then I have no hesitation in declaring that the
present House of Commons has ne moral 'or Christian
title to the obedience of the people. A Parliament, if so
returned, is not the choice of a nation, but the repre-
sentative and offspring of its suborned vices. Let the
1 League be prepared to act upon the assurance that the
present House of Commons will not exist two years—it
is not in the course of nature that anything generated in
corruption should be long-lived.—lielieve me, yours
faithfully, RICHARD COBDEN.
"Geo. Wilson, Esq., Chairman olCouncil, A.C.L.L."
The reading of this etter was followed by loud cheers.
The following Report was then read by Geo. Wilson,
Esq.:—
" The circumstances which have induced the Council to
convene this special Meeting of the Members of the
League, and which they trust you will consider fully jus-
tificatory of such course, may be aery briefly stated.
Subsequently to the adjournment of your Delegates
assembled in the metropolis, millions of bread eater; have
again petitioned the Legislature for justice, and have been
cruelly answered by the re •enactment of an iniquitous
bread tax. .
Each succeeding day of the intervening period has but
aggravated the disastrous effects produced by monopoly
upon the commercial and trading interests of our country,
and the privation and misery inflicted upon the great
body of the people, as it were in fulfilment of all your
previous predictions.
Convinced that there can be no great end permanent
improvement in the condition of our industrial popula-
tion, so long as the necessaries of life shall continue to be
taxed, and considering the re-imposition of a bread tax
by the legislative landowners as a reckless refusal of the
just claims of outraged humanity, your Executive Coun-
cil hive felt it to be their duty to advise with you, as
their constituents, on the course of action which, under
it may best befit the League to
prosecution of their legal and
existingprighteousttrsu ei
a circumstances,ptlihrepose.further
Not perceiving in the present aspect of affairs any rea-
son for doubting the final issue of their labours, and re-
garding the blind infatuation of a monopolist Legislature
as the best guarantee of an eventual, and the most. sig..
nificant assurance of an early triumph, your Council
take leave respectfully to observe that, as the League is
banded together for the working out of a great and vi-
tal principle, there can be no halting on its onward course
without grievous dishonour and irretrievable disgrace.
Seeing no present necessity for occupying your valu-
able time with any detailed recurrence to past efforts, or
with evidence of the signal effect of those efforts upon
the great political parties in the State, or upon the
general intelligence and right feeling of the people, the
Executive advisedly abstain from such gratification; but
impressed with a deep sense of their duty, at this unpre-
cedentedo the Executive Council invite your earnest
n
scheme for the future operations of
consideration
idsieiaeperiodtriio suffering,
gof a
of national embarrassment and indivi-
dual
the League, which, after bestowing upon it their most
serious and anxious attention, they beg to submit for
your approval and confirmation.
Your Council believe that to hold out further encou-
ragement of popular hope from petitioning the monopo-
lists, who, in the arbitrament of their own cause, have
scorned the oft-preferred prayers of famishing millions,
were cruelly to trifle with the outraged feelings of the
people, by fosteriNg a miserable delusion, and sanctioning
the performance of a legislative farce, pending the enact-
ment of a national tragedy .
With what reluctance your Executive have arrived
at this conclusion may be deduced from their unremiting
exertions, for nearly.four years, to direct the just dis-
content of the starving masses into the constitutional
channel of Parliamentary appeal.
Happily there is other outlet to national complaint,
and other and better hope of national redress. The
prayers of the oppressed and despised millions should
now be addressed to the Sovereign on the throne, as the
last pivot for the leverage of hope to a much-plundered,
greatly-suffering, and long-enduring community.
That these appeals to our beloved Queen may be most
worthy her beneficent attention, and most conduci-ve to
the success of our labours, because best calculated to set
all opposition at defiance, it would seem imperatively
necessary that the League should greatly extend its
efforts to enlighten all classes upon the momentous sub-
ject on which hinge not merely the usurpations of a
landocracy, and the happiness or misery of a nation, but
the honour of our Sovereign and the stability of her
throne. The voice of truth must be made to penetrate
the darkest recesses of error and ignorance ; the demand
for justice must be shown to be reasonable throughout
the thousand serfdoms of the monopolist oppressor ; the
requirements of religion must be proclaimed among the
huts and hovels of the miserable peasantry, and the
stately domes of collegiate and episcopal bread-taxers ;
in short, the empire must be traversed by your agents,
through all its sinuosities and to all its extremities, that
the public mind may be excited to a full comprehension
of this all-important question, and led to a due appreci-
ation of that free trade in food and fair play for industry,
by which alone the lives of perishing millions may be
preserved, and national insolvency, beggary, and anarchy
be averted.
To this end, your Executive have caused that portion
of the. United Kingdom comprising England and Wales,
to be mapped into twelve districts, (and they are extend-
ing such plan to Scotland and Ireland), that the accre-
dited lecturers of the League may be located in these
several divisions of the empire, charged with the special
duties of—the instruction of the people ; the organiza-
tion of every borough, town,
village, parish, and hamlet
in the counties assigned to them ; and the enrolment of
every lover of justice as a Member of the League.
The Council is not unaware of the very heavy expense
with which this national effort will charge the funds
within its control ; but, thanks to the Christian zeal of
its best allies, the fair philanthropists of the empire, it
has thousands at its command
for the vindication of the

honour of God by the furtherance of the happiness of
man.
And, now that such object of the League is freed from
all suspicion of factious or other sinister purposes--now
that, by years of faithfilltiess to its principle, the League
has approved itself the honest and estrriest champion of a
good and a holy cause, the Executive Council Cannot,
for a single moment, entertain the remotest doubt of that
national support, which shall enable them, unceasingly
and effectively, to war against the oppressor of the poor,
until the right of all, freely to participate in the bounties
of our common Creator, shall have been fully recognised
and firmly secured."
Mr. JOHN BRIGHT, of Rochdale, then, in a length-
ened and eloquent speech, moved :—" That:the Report
from the Council be received, approved, and:adopted by
this meeting."
Mr. Alderman WALKER seconded the motion, and it
was carried unanimously.
Mr. GREG then stated, 'that he was obliged to_ eave the
chair in consequence of some pressing engagements.
Before retiring, he congratulated the League on the
progress they had made in enlightening the public mind
on the evils of the Corn-law monopoly, and their pro-
spects of their ultimately removing that iniquitous impost.
Mr. Wm. Rawson was then called to the chair, and
Mr. LAWRENCE HEYWORTH, of Liverpool, moved :
"That it be urged upon the Council to lose no time in
the completion of the division of the United Kingdom
into registration districts ; the location of the lecturers
of the League in such districts, and the enrolment of all
the friends of justice as members of the national body of
repealers."
Mr. THOMAS BAZLEY, jun., seconded the motion, and
it passed nem. dis.
Mr. Alderman BROOKS next-addressed the meeting on
the necessity of obtaining the assistance of ministers of
religion in the agitation for a repeal of the food mono-
poly, and concluded by moving the following resolution
" That the active and zealous co-operation of those mi-
nisters of religion who stand pledged to assist in obtain-
ing food for the famishing, as of all practical Christians,
loving justice and hating oppression, be most earnestly
besought in aid of such organization of the empire, as
shall hereafter facilitate the approach of the people to
the throne, and the full attainment of our righteous pur-
pose by legal and constitutional means."
The Rev. W. SIJUTTLEWORTH seconded the motion,
and it passed unanimously.
The meeting was subsequently addressed by Mr.
William Evans, Mr. Henry Rawson, Mr. George Thomp-
son, and Mr. Richard Allen, of Dublin.
Mr. Alderman BROOKS was then called to the chair,
and thanks having been given to Mr. Rawson for pre-
siding, the meeting separated.

UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE.
OXFORD, MAY 14.—This being the last day of term, a
congregation was holden, at which the following de-
grees were conferred:—
Doctor in Medicine—W. Twining, of Balliol College.
Bachelor in Civil Law—S. E. Denison, of University
College.
Masters of Arts—Rev. J. Mansfield, of Trinity Col-
lege ; Rev. H. Batten, Exeter College (grand coin.
pounder); Rev. R. G. Boodle, Oriel College ; H. A.
Bathurst, Merton College; F. Tate, University College;
S. Burstall, University College ; Rev. E. Hill, St. Ed-
mund Hall; H. W. Acland, All Souls College ; Rev. T.
W. Robson, University College.
Bachelors of Arts—E. E. Tickell, of Balliol College ;
L. C. Bathurst, Trinity College; J. Stephens, Trinity
College ; G. E. Jemmett, Trinity College; S. W. New-
bald, Wadham College; R. A. H. Stroud, Wadham Col-
lege; R. Henderson, Wadham College; H. Ellison, Uni-
versity College; M. J. Routh, Pembroke College; P.Le
Maistre, Pembroke College; J. W. Gram, Exeter Col-
lege; H. F. Inman, Lincoln College; T. R. Green, Lin-
coln College; T. A. Falkner, St. John's College (grand
compounder) ; M. L. Lopes, Oriel College; W. Nevin,
Oriel College; S. Minton, Worcester College; R. T.
Mills, Magdalene College; W. E. Rusher, Magdalen
Hall; It. Rolleston, University College.

• r• ,
L ,
, . .
•- 4 e
t.'
g .
E r Nor •