The Sun. — 1858-06-16 (London, England)

MISCELLANEOUS.  Since the date of our last summary, the colony has suffered a serious, and, for the present, at lea-t, almost irreparable loss, by the death of two of the ablest philo,ophioal chemists in Australia—Count John Dembinski and Dr. John Maun,l. The former, who was son of the distinguished commanderin-chief of the Hungarian patriotic at my, in the campaign of-1850, had made himself a colonial reputation by his scientific attainments ; his suggestions-on the subject of the dissolirt'ou-orauriferous quartz by- common chemical agencies, and which originally appeared in the columns of this journal, having particularly attracted the at ention of the Australian public. Count Dembinski died on the 24th of March under circumstances which called for the interposition of the coroner. At the inquest it transpired that the pecuniary position of the unfortunate gentleman was lamentably beneath that to which the name he bore, and his character and talents, enti,led him. The fact seems to have 'iffooted his mind, the more so as his high s:nse of honour not only forbade his placing himself in the position of a debtor, but even restrained him from making his frieos acquainted with the embarrassments which were breaking hie heart. Ho died rather suddenly, at the residence of a Catholic clergyman, the Rev. J. Bleasdale, where he had been lodging for a short time ; and although it appeared from the evidence at the inquest that he h-d made some remarks to a perm3n from which it might be inferred that he intended to commit suicide, and that poisonous alkaloids, such as morphine and aerophine, had been in his pass,-scion shortly before his death, the disclosures of the autopsy did not justify such suspici,m as might previously have 1), en excited of his having committed self-destruction. Dr. B:ownless, who had attended him a few days prior to. his death for gastric fever, was of opinion that the cause was attributable to extreme mental anxiety acting upon a body previously weakened by disease ; and the jury, after patiently investigating the circumstances, decided that there was not sufficient evidence to show the cause of death. The deceased was thirty years of age, and was much esteemed by all who had made his acquaintance.  The decease of Dr. Maned inflicts a loss upon this community such as will be most severely felt. The deceased gentleman occupied a prominent position in the front rank of the medical profession in the colony, while his more public services as chemical analyst to the government have made his name honourably familiar through the length and breadth of the land. After a brief illness of a week, originally produced by a slight febrile attack, but rendered serious by the supervention of dysentry, he expired at his resi.!ence in Latrobe-street on the 7th instant. Hi remains were followed to the glare by a numerous body of his private friends, whos3 grief found au echo in the bosom of every Victorian colonist.  The complete destitution of the Corporation of Melbourne, in respect of funds to pay for the undertaking of necessary works, coupled with the recent refusal of the legislature to improve the condition of the corporate purse, has suggested a movement which at present bids fair to culminate in the "crumpling up" of the city. Several of the wards, finding that the suspicion of being in bad company has seriously affected their own condition, are contemplating separation from the city proper, and setting up for themselves, by establishing independent municipalitie, a course which is open to them under the provisions of the Municipalities Act. Whether the separatists will be able to carry their puiut remains to be seen ; the movement, however, is being vigorously pushed on, and finds many supporters, local and otherwise. A hint thrown out by Mr. Duffy, the other night, that the government contemplated placing the city corporation in a position to enable it to perform the duties entrusted it, may, however, have some effect in breaking the force of the agitation. The city was shamefully used by the late government, but the men in office being assured of the patronage of the public so long as their actions continue to jus tify its being extended to them, have no cause to wish the dissolution of the corporation, that they may increase their adherents by finding places f r them, by the establishment of a city commission on the ruins of the City Council. Robberies, with violence, or in colonial pbras " sticking up," are still rife in some of the country euntrydisti ids, but Melbourne has, of late, b moderately exempt from the perpetration ofe the more serious crimes. Mr. Lionel Levi, who had come under the ban of the police, in consequence of a presumed fictitious credit from the London bankingfirm of Smith, Payne, and Smiths, having b been thrice discharged from custody through failure of evidence, has at leugth been committed for trial, ' on the information of the Solicitor-Geieral, for forgery. Mr. Samuel Calvert, a well-known wood-engraver, has also fallen under the frown of t'iie law, in consequence of his being suspected to have embezzled a number of sheets of postage stamps, Which