Dec. 14,] 



THE NEWSPAPER. 



[1844. 



been granted Kir ^e Company for the occasion. Pre- 

 riot* to the winner, an address, signed by upwards of 

 70 of the principal merchants cf the city of London, 

 was presented to Sir H. Pottinger in the ante-room, by 

 Sir G. Larpent, Mr. Abel Smith, and most of the gen- 

 tlemen who had subscribed their names. At the dinner, 

 31 r. Abel Smith, M.P., presided, supported by several 

 members of the present and late ministries, by the leading 

 city authorities, and by a large number of noblemen 

 and gentlemen. " The health of Sir Henry Pottinger " 

 wu, of course, the toast of the evening, and was received 

 with enthusiastic cheering. Ii reply, — 



Sir H. Pottxnckr said that, " Having lived long; in India, 

 they would perhaps allow him to apply to his present position 

 the Indian saying, that 'there is no rose without a thorn.' 

 The rose in his case was the testimony of their approbation 

 and kindness; the them was hi* inability to express the full- 

 ness of gratitude he entertained towards them. He must ask 

 them to remember how he had lived the greater part of his 

 life. For forty years he had been absent from his native 

 country, and though he had often attended public assemblies, 

 everything he had seen was so totally different to what he then 

 beheld, that he was almost bewildered at what he saw; 

 therefore they must make due allowauce it he did not ex- 

 press himself as the occasion required. There were one or 

 two points that he desired to notice in reference to the 

 proceedings in China. In the first place, he wished to 

 mention with gratitude and approbation the extraordinary 

 ability and science, and combination of good qualities, in the 

 naval and military departments, which had far exceeded h 

 most sanguine expectations, though he was prepared to expect 

 that British valour and ^kill would do all that could be accom- 

 plished. At Nankin the troops had surmounted the most 

 extraordinary difficulties, and had done what was considered 

 by the Chineso to be utterly impossible. With respect to the 

 opening of the trade with China, he believed the treaty included 

 everything that was favourable to England and to other nations. 

 After the time that had elapsed since the ratification, he was 

 still of opinion that, in all the main features of the treaty, no 

 amendment could be made. Everything had been so arranged 



as to tM mutually beneficial to the Chinese and English. An 



erroneous impression had gone abroad a« to the value of 

 Hong-Kong, compared with other islands that we might have 

 claimed. Among these the island of Chusan was named, but 

 taking into consideration the population, and other circum- 

 stances, he was still of opinion that Hong Kong was the more 

 suitable for the purposes of a British settlement. He begged to 

 repeat his grateful thanks for the honour they had conferred 

 on him, and he trusted they would make allowances for the 

 imperfect manner in which he had expressed his feelings. He 

 felt they were met there to do honour to him, that he was 

 ' the observed of all observers,' and he could only say he trusted 

 they would believe him sincere when he thanked them from the 

 bottom of his heart." SirW. Parker re turned thanks for thejnavy, 

 and Gen. Miadd for the military employed in China. Lord Aber- 

 deen returned thanks for Her Majesty's Ministers, and con- 

 gratulated himself on the circumstance that that great meeting 

 possessed nothing of a political character. There were assem- 

 bled men of all parties, united with the object to do honour to 

 one who had well deserved of their common country. He 

 might venture on this occasion also to rejoice that he met there 

 some of those with whom, though differing on many points, he 

 cordially concurred on this. He congratulated his Noble 

 Friend (Lord Palmerston) who preceded him in office, for 

 having been the means of obtaining for this country the emi- 

 nent services ot Sir Henry Pottinger. Although his Lordship 

 had not been so fortunate as to receive those communications 

 Ot success which had come to him (Lord Aberdeen), he must 

 have watched the whole course of Sir Henry's conduct with 

 lively interest. He had been for three years in correspondence 

 with Sir 1!. Pottinger, and he believed that In that time no man 

 ever arrived from China without bringing fresh reason to be 

 deeply sensible of his merit and ot his just claims to the gratitude 

 of his com. try. It might be readily imagined that, in a country 

 like China, so different In ail respects from this, and even from 

 any of which we have knowledge, that, with every desire of the 

 Government to assume authority and to give assistance, yet 

 much, very much, must depend on the management of the 

 person on the spot appointed to administer their instructions. 

 He believed, from the experience he had had, that there never 

 was a man on whom the Government and country could more 

 safely place confidence than on Sir Henry Pottinger. When 

 difficulties arose, as they often did, unforeseen and unexpected, 

 by his ability, firmness, perseverance, and energy, he was able 

 to meet and overcome them. His Lordship concluded, amidst 

 loud cheering, by again expressing the gratification he felt in 

 bearing testimony in that meeting to the transcendent ability 

 of Sir Henry Pottinger.— The Chairman then proposed "The 

 Health of Lord Palmerston , as the Minister who had planned the 

 expedition to China."— Lord Palmerston said nothing could be 

 more interesting than to see the chief men of a great metropolis 

 like this assembled to render j ust honour to the merits of a fellow- 

 citizen who had conferred essential benefits on his country. Ex- 

 pressions of public gratitude were not only among the best re- 

 wards a man received when returning from foreign service, but 

 they were among the most powerful incitements to the perform- 

 ance of duty. It was a source of satisfaction to him, as well as 

 to his Noble Friend, that there was nettling of a political cha- 

 racter i:i this meeting. His Noble Friend had congratulated 

 him and his former colleagues on having chosen so able a ser- 

 vant of the public. Sir H. Pottinger had been appointed in con- 

 sequence of the distinguished services he had previously per- 

 formed, and though it had been his (Lord Palmr r>ton's) duty to 

 propose the individual, he had not had the pleasure and advan- 

 tage of a personal acquaintance with him. He had been 

 selected in consequence of the high character he then bore, and 

 events had shown that he had not only sustained his former 

 reputation, but had, if possible, increased it. Lord Palmerston, 

 in conclusion, complimented the naval and military forces in 

 China, and praised the hearty co operation of the native with 

 the British troops; and expressed his satisfaction at the 

 honourable, liberal, and generous terms of the treaty concluded 

 with the Chinese. The other toasts that were proposed were 

 the East India Company, the health of the Chairman, the 

 Governor of the Bank of England, and the East India and China 

 Association. 



The Offertory at St. George's, Hanover-square. The 



Times of Thursday contained an announcement that on 

 Sunday last the Bishop of London preached a sermon at 

 St. George's, on behalf of the Visiting Association of 

 that parish, and advocated the claims of the charitv with 

 his usual earnestness and eloquence, when, to the sur- 

 prise of the congregation, it was found, on leaving the 

 church, that no collection was made. It stated that 

 the Bishop's intimation that the collection should be 

 made from pew to pew while the Offertory service was 

 read from the communion-table, was in opposition to the 

 practice which had invariably been followed in that 

 church ; and, as the churchwardens did not feel justi- 

 fied in departing from the custom sanctioned by the con- 

 gregation, the consequence was, that no collection was 

 made, and the charity did not receive the slightest pecu- 

 niary advantage from his Lordship's advocacy. It ap- 



pears however, from a contradiction published in the 

 same journal yesterday, that the bishop merely reminded 

 the congregation of the importance of assisting the dis- 

 trict Visiting Society, and that it was not intended to 



make any collection on that occasion. 



Anti-Corn- Law -League. — On Wednesday the Lesgue 



held an extraordinary meeting in Covent Garden Theatre, 



on account of the number of farmers who are now in 



town to attend the Cattle-show. Mr. Wilson took the 



chair, and the meeting was aidressed on the usual 



topics by the Hon. C. P. Viliiers, Mr. Cobden, and Mr. 



Bright. 



The Westminster Play.— The first of the usual Christ- 

 mas plays, which had been postponed from Monday on 

 account of the death of the Princess Sophia, was per- 

 formed on Wednesday night by the Queen's scholars of 

 Westminster School. The comedy selected this year is 

 the Eunuchus of Terence, which was received with 

 great applause by a very numerous audience. The play 

 was repeated on Thursday with the same success. 



Metropolitan Association for Improving the Dwellings 

 of the Industrious Classes. — A public meeting was held 

 on Wednesday at Exeter-hall, for the purpose of passing 

 certain resolutions connected with the sanitary condition 

 of the dwellings of the industrious poor. The meeting 

 was, considering the inclement state of the weather, nu- 

 merously attended. The Marquis of Normanby presided 

 and opened the proceedings in a speech of preat length, 

 pointing out the necessity of some earnest efforts to im- 

 prove the social condition of the poorer classes. Sir R. 

 Inglis moved, and Mr. Hawes seconded, the first resolu- 

 tion, "That the neglect of the precautions which are 

 necessary to secure the health of towns, such as sewerage, 

 drainage, a due supply of water to the interior of dwell- 

 ing-houses, and an effectual system of cleansing, is the 

 cause of sickness, suffering, and a high rate of mortality 

 to all classes, and that it more especially increases the 

 destitution, and leads to the physical and moral deterio- 

 ration and the degradation of the people." The Right 

 Hon. R. L. Shiel, after expressing his gratification at 

 seeing Sir R. Inglis present, and co-operating with 

 them in a cause which united men of all parties, 

 moved the second resolution, " That although pri- 

 vate voluntary exertion may do much to lessen 

 some of the evils arising from the want of sanitary 

 precautions, yet there are others and by far the most im- 

 portant, which can be remedied only by legislative inter- 

 ference." This resolution was seconded by the Rev. W. 

 W. Champneys. Sir W. Clay moved and Mr. Grainger 

 seconded the third resolution, "That every improve- 

 ment in the sanitary condition of a locality, is uniformly 

 attended with a diminution of parochial expense, and that 

 the adoption of effectual and general remedial measures 

 will be less costly than the continuance of the destitution, 

 sickness, premature death, widowhood, and orphanage 

 occasioned by this neglect/' The Hon. W. Cooper moved 

 and Mr. Slaney seconded a resolution for the formation 

 of a permanent Association to carry out the objects of the 

 meeting ; and Dr. Southwood Smith read a petition 

 founded on the resolutions, which it was proposed to 

 present to Parliament. Lord Shelburne supported the 

 petition, which was put and carried, together with a re- 

 solution that the Marquis of Normanby be requested to 

 present the same to the House of Lords, and Lord Ash- 

 ley to the House of Commons. A subscription was then 

 opened, and a committee appointed to carry the resolu- 

 tions into effect. 



Mortality of the Metropolis. — The following is the 

 number of deaths registered in the week ending Dec. 7 ; 

 West Districts, 138; Northern, 164; Central, 187; 

 Eastern, 216; Southern, 283; Total, 988. Weekly 

 average for the last five years, 946. 



Badminton. — On Saturday last, while the Marquis 

 of Worcester was out hunting, and galloping across a 

 field near Petty France, in the vicinity of Badminton, 

 an accident occurred which threatened the most serious 

 if not fatal, consequences. The fore feet of his horse 

 hitched in a cart-rut, and the animal fell forward, and 

 turned a complete somerset with the Marquis under 

 him. Notwithstanding the violence of the fall, his Lord- 

 ship escaped with but slight injury. 



Bedford. — The local papers state that since the recent 

 sale at the Auction Mart, the Marquis of Bute has dis- 

 posed of his Luton Hoo estate to a gentleman of the 

 name of Wall. The consideration money is stated to 

 have been 130,000/. 



Brecon. — On Friday a'poor man, who gains a living 

 by selling butter and other provisions in Cardigan and 

 Carmarthenshire, was murdered by a man who had taken 

 a passage in one of his carts from this place to Lampeter. 

 The son of the murdered man was with his father, but 

 the murderer advised him to get into the front cart, and 

 let him cover him with straw. The lad soon fell asleep, 

 and the stranger then shot the father in the head with a 

 pistol, and robbed him of all his money, amounting to 

 about 70/. A man named Thomas of Llansowel has been 

 apprehended, and having been identified by the lad, has 

 been committed for trial on the charge of wilful murder. 



Bristol. — The Great Britain left Cumberland basin on 

 Wednesday, and will remain at King-road for a short 

 time, whence she will make a few experimental trips ; 

 after which she will proceed to the Thames. The passage 

 through the locks was attended with great difficulty, and 

 was not accomplished until some of the masonry had 

 been removed. 



Cambridge. — On Friday evening this town and Uni- 

 versity were alarmed by a cry of fire from the Pitt Press, 

 the University printing-office. Prompt means, however. 



having been resorted to, the fire was got under before 

 much damage had been done. The accident was caused 

 by some boards having been placed on the top of the 

 chimney to prevent it smoking, and the collected soot 

 became ignited. 



Carmarthen. — During the last week the health of Sir 

 William Nott has not been so satisfactory as during the 

 preceding week. The sudden change in the weather 

 seems to have tried the General, and his medical attend- 

 ants appear not to be sanguine as to his perfect recovery. 

 The Bishop of St. David's has visited Sir William* 

 frequently at his residence at Carmarthen. 



Croydon. — On Saturday a meeting of the acriculturists; 

 of Surrey was held in this town, for the purpose of taking 

 the malt-tax into consideration, and of adopting mea- 

 sures to obtain its repeal. Several gentlemen addressed 

 the meeting, and resolutions were passed to the effect 

 — 1. "That the malt-tax in its operation was unjust in 

 principle and oppressive, as pressing most heavily on the 

 labouring classes, who were in consequence prevented 

 from obtaining that beverage which was most requisite 

 for their wants ; " and 2. " That the malt-tax having 

 been submitted to for a very long period after the ter- 

 mination of the war, when it was understood it would' 

 cease, the meeting were of opinion, seeing that taxes upon 

 property to the amount of 16 millions had been abolished, 

 and that a moiety of the duty on foreign wines had been 

 taken off, that the time was come when this tax upon 

 the comforts and necessities of the people should at once 

 cease." A committee was also appointed to carry out* 

 the objects of the meeting. 



Deal — Mr. Bush, the civil engineer, who about two 

 years ago sunk a caisson on the Goodwin Sands, with 

 the view of constructing a lighthouse, to be called" The 

 Light for all Nations," has at length established in his 

 caisson upwards of 20 feet of the iron shaft, or column, 

 on the summit of which the lighthouse will be placed. It 

 is now above high-water mark, and it is expected to be 

 finished and ready to be illuminated by the 1st January. 

 This shaft penetrates through the various iron chambers 

 of the caisson, and is firmly sustained in its perpendi- 

 cular position by two iron blocks of great strength. It 

 is also further secured by iron stays, or braces,, 

 bolted to the outer part of the caisson, and attached to- 

 the top as well as centre of the column. The new light 

 will have an elevation of 33 feet above high-water 

 mark, and the lighthouse will be approached by a light 

 iron spiral stair, which winds round the exterior of the 

 column, and is an octagon of about 10 feet in diameter, 

 surmounted by a plate-glass lantern. The colour of the 

 light is to be a pale blue, which will distinguish it from 

 any other in the locality of the Goodwin. It appears 

 that the caisson, which is 30 feet in diameter, has re- 

 mained undisturbed in the position in which it was sunk, 

 when the untoward accident occurred of the American 

 bark being driven against it, shortly after Mr. Bush had 

 partially fixed it, which completely frustrated his original 

 plan of making the superstructure of solid masonry. The 

 caisson is, however, to be filled up with blocks of stone 

 and concrete ; and the Naval Authorities of Deal have 

 reported to the Admiralty that they expect main land 

 will be formed, the caisson forming a nucleus for accom- 

 plishing this desirable object. 



Exeter.— The charges introduced by the Bishop m 

 the performance of the Church Service appear to have 

 produced great excitement in all parts of this diocese. 

 On Sunday last the first infringement on the popular 

 feeling took place in St. Sidwell's church, where the 

 ceremony of christening was performed m the midst or 

 the Service. In every one of the parish churches the 

 sermon was preached in a surplice instead of a gown, and 

 several of the congregation were so offended at this inno- 

 vation, that they quitted the church the moment they 

 saw the Minister so attired, enter the pulpit. It is said 

 that the churching of women will be in future performed 

 in the midst of the Sunday morning's service, and a very 

 strong feeling exists among the laity as to the impro- 

 priety of such a custom. One of the canon residentiary 

 Dr. Bull, has published «« A Letter on the Rubrics and the 

 Canons," in opnesition to the views taken of them by the 

 bishop J and the lay members of the church are not Daca- 

 ward in expressing their opinions. On the 6th inst. _tne 

 parish of St. Leonard, in this city, had a public meeting, 

 in which it expressed its deep sense of the great inex 

 pediency of introducing into the Exeter churches any oi 

 those innovations which had been introduced elsewhere, 

 and of the serious injury which they were calculated to 

 inflict upon the Church "in her highest and best in- 

 terests, by alienating the veneration of the laity, ana j 

 driving from her communion many of her most attacn 

 and conscientious members." On the preceding day tw 

 parish of St. Lawrence also met for the purpose of enter 

 ing its protest against the doctrines contained i n 

 Bishop's pastoral letter. The resolutions which i passed 

 disapprove of the use of the surplice as " a P' e « ^ 

 many dangerous innovations," and condemn the revival 

 of the Offertory, declaring that they will not ■ contribuW 

 to any forced collection, and trusting that the church 

 wardens will « firmly decline to join in, and as i 

 as they can, prevent its "-establishment. *Wf 

 conclude by stating-- That a arge majority o 

 the parishioners having, through all the years, ci 

 cumstances, and inducements of Dissent steadily ad 

 hered to the Established Church, no language can 

 convey their unfeigned sorrow and deep regret o 

 perceiving the Bishop of this diocese seeking to re 

 introduce into the services of that Church ^ s /^ 

 ceremonies obnoxious to the laity, which, if earn d o 

 and increased on, can only lead to pnestcra ; and sup 

 stition in their worst forms, as well as be the means 



