The Press. — London, England, 1854-09-30 00:00:00

SEPTEMBER 30,- 1854 THE CHOLERA. The cholera, says the Registrar-General in his weekly report, is slowly retreating from London ; but it destroyed last week 1,284 lives, and 19 persons died from the allied disease, diarrhwa. The deaths from all causes in the three weeks ending September 23 have been 3,419, 2,836, and 2,504, including the 2,050, 1,549, and 1,284 deaths from cholera. The deaths by cholera in the ten weeks of this eruption have been 8,953 ; the erup tion of 1840 broke out earlier, and by the same date, nearly, had destroyed 12,664 of the inhabitants of London. The Board of Health fights under the same dis advantages in London as a War Minister would if he could only oppose the invasion of an active enemy by the force which every parish and public company would vote and consent to bring into the field ; yet we may hope, now that the local machinery is, under due supervision, set in motion, and judicious pre. cautions are issued, to see the mortality decline at an accelerated rate. Last week the births of 833 boys and 705 girls, in all 1,628 children, were registered in London. In the nine corresponding weeks of the years 1845-53 the average number was 1,331. A valuable circular has been issued by the Irish Poor-law Commissioners to the various boards of guardians throughout Ireland on the subject of the cholera, the object being to enforce sanitary precau tions, and to make provision for the due medical relief of all in any district in which the epidemic may appear. It is satisfactory to find that the disease has so diminished in Finglas, the only district in the neighbourhood of Dublin in which it has yet mani fested itself in a fatal form, that sanguine hopes are entertained of its total disappearance in a few days more. Of the decrease of cholera in Belfast the Benner of Ulster reports as follows :—" On lA'ednes day there were eleven cases ; on Thursday, eleven cases ; and yesterday, thirteen cases. The amount of the decrease may be estimated by the fact that seven then cases per diem has been the average number during the past three or four weeks. We trust that the epidemic will soon disappear altogether from the town." The Montreal Herald publishes a statement of the ravages of the cholera in that city during the present season, and also a comparison of the deaths during the years 1832, 1834, 1849, and 1854. The number of deaths in 1832, for a period of twenty-two weeks, was 1,895 ; in 1834, seven weeks, 913 ; in 1849, seven weeks, 490; and for eight weeks in 1854 the deaths were 1,186. Letters from Messina give the most painful ac count of the condition of that city. It appears the cholera has carried off more than 12,000 persons, out of a population of 50,000. The alarm created by so many deaths has caused every one to leave the city, excepting the poorest class, who had no means of flight. The authorities applied to Naples, not only for medi cal aid, but also for food, as all shops were closed. The bodies were burnt a little way out of the town, there being no means of burying them ' • and, in fact, even under such circumstances, few could be found to assist at this painful office. Many have been left toldie in their houses without any assistance, the ties of relationship being no longer observed lty those whom fright overcomes, even to the neglect of duty and feeling. All the Consul have left Mesitina, except Mr. Behn, of the United States. Mr. Barker, the British Consul, is dead. The French Consul and his family fled to Paris. The latest accounts show the epidemic as declining. In Naples the epidemic has nearly disappeared, having carried off not less than 11,000 persons. THE MUSEUM AT MARLBOROUGH-HOUSE will reopen on Monday next. During the recess the specimens have been rearranged, and considerable additions have been made. An alteration has been made in the days of admission. In future the museum will be opened on Saturdays, which will be free days in stead of Tuesdays. This change has been made chiefly with the view of enabling the schools in the metropolis to send their students to visit the Museum on the afternoons of Saturdays. THE GILTSPOR STREET PRISON will now speedily be demolished. On Wednesday and Thursday the third and concluding sale of its " material" was effected, the articles comprising the whole of the massive stone frontage In Giltspnr-street, and con taining upwards of two million stock bricks, five thou sand feet of sheet copper on the roofs, ten tons of lead in gntters, tanks, and pipes, dc. The whole of the timber in the roofs and floors, sashes, marble chimneypieces, and interior fittings-up of the go vernor's house, iron steam-boilers, baths, pumps, gas fittings, 6,:c. The building is now to be taken down to the level of the street, and removed forthwith. CAPTAIN TOWNSHEND, R.N., M.P. for Tamworth, who recently succeeded to the Townshend estates on the death of his cousin, Lord Charles Townshend, has been appointed - naval aide-de-ramp to her Majesty, vice Commander Eden, who has obtained his Hag. THE PRESS. grata ititiV Volta. A WELL-DRESSED YOUNG MAN, calling himself Benjamin Kort, and described as a master painter, was charged at Southwark Police Court with creating an obstruction in the Borough-road by preaching therein on Sunday afternoon. Mrs. Jones, the land lady of a public-house in the road, was the chief com plainant in the case, and alleged that the defendant's preaching was violent and obnoxious, and had col lected a mob round him, among whom she expected a riot : Mr. d BaezErr—Did you say the prisoner was preaching? V,,tness—Yes, sir; but very improper. Ills language was blasphemous, and more likely to cause a disturbance than gain converts. He dawned the Irish and the Catholics, which I con sidered very improper conduct. I saw a number of Irishmen near hint, and, apprehending from their gestures a distnrbettee. I sent for the police. The defendant and another man had dis gracefully conducted themselves for some Sundays past, and It had become an intolerable nuisance. The prisoner, in reply, broke out in an excited strain, declaring that he had a mission from Gud, and defied any one to prevent his preaching. Mr. d BEd:Err—You are labouring under a great mistake, and you cannot be allowed to create an obstruction in the streets. Will you promise not to utfeud again? Prisoner—l will not make such a promise, as lam only obey ing the commands of God. Mr. d Bscaerr—[ have no doubt that your intentions may be good, but your conduct is likely to cause a great deal of ill feeling among the parties who may surround you, You must keep within the limits of the law or you will be punished. You are now discharged. The prisoner then left the court. A FATAL AND DISGRACEFUL AFFAIR has occurred on board her Majesty's ship Dauntless, now lying in Portsmouth harbour. Two girls of the town, named Lodge and White, living in Gosport, were walking in Portsmouth streets late on the evening of Sunday week, when they met two officers of the Dauntless, who entered into conversation, treated them with liquor, and finally invited them on board the ves sel. The girls consented, and while on board drank more wine and brandy, and spent some hours ap parently in rather riotous enjojment. At one in the morning White came away in a bolt, leaving her companion Lodge still on board. This unfortunate girl remained for some time, it is stated, in the cabin of Lieutenant Knight, one of the officers who had originally invited her to the Dauntless, and afterwards came into the gun-room, where she lapsed into a state of complete intoxication. Witnesses examined at tb subsequent inquest state, that they heard the screams of a female issuing from the ship at inter vals, for some hours, during that night. Other wit nesses, belonging to the crew of the Dauntless, assert that there was no screaming, but that Lodge re mained in a state of drunken insensibility until nearly four in the morning, when she was put into a boat and sent on shore. The boatmen who took charge of her declare that her dress at the time was dis ordered and torn, her hair dishevelled, and that she had no stays on. They took her, still almost insensible, to the police-station, and gave her up to the in spector. During Monday the unhappy woman re mained very ill, complaining of great pain, and de claring that sbe had received her death blow. In the evening she was removed to her parents' home, where she died on Tuesday morning. An inquest was held on Friday and Saturday in last week, at which Lieutenant Knight, and other °dicers of the Dauntless, voluntarily placed themselves under ex amination. Medical evidence Was also given aft to the cause of death, which was found to have resulted from rupture of the bladder, but the body piesented marks of other recent and severe, though not fatal, injuries. The following verdict was teturned according to the evidence given by the medical men, we feel bound to give as our verdict that the death of Matilda Jane Lodge arose from the rupture of the bladder; but we feel also bound by the evidence to find that such death was mainly accelerated by the 111-treatment deceased received on the night of Sunday last and the following morning, on board the hulk to to her Majesty's ship Dountkes in Portsmouth harbour, and to which we respectfully call the attention of the authorities. Further inquiries in relation to this ease are still pending. A court martial is preparing on the con duct of several officers of the ship in which the affair occurred; while the civil authorities at Portsmouth are about to institute criminal proceedings against some of the parties implicated. Lieutenant Knight has been placed under close arrest on board his ship, pending the instructions of the Lords of the Admi ralty as •o further proceedings. Ax ELDERLY FEMALE named Margaret Spenning has been caught while attempting to smuggle four quarts cf gin, concealed in a bladder, into the Queen's Prison. At her examination before the police magistrate, Charles Collwell, chief turnkey of the above prison, said he bad known the defendant some years as being a constant at tendant at the prison chapel every Sunday. Latterly a great quantity of spirits had found its way within the walls, and every precaution was used to detect the parties who brought it. On Sunday afternoon the prisoner rime as usual with her prayer book in hand, and was shuffling through the lobby towards the chapel, when witness suspected that she had something contra band about her. lie accordingly stopped her, and asked her Politely what she had concealed under her clothes, when she indignantly replied, "How can you be so indecent to ask such a question? I aril only flesh and blood under toy clothes." Wa nes*, however, did not bAieve her, hut handed her over to the female searcher, when a bladder containing four quarts of gin 03 was found hanging between her legs, suspended to a band round her waist. lie gate het into custody. The prisoner, who professed her sorrow for the offence, was fined 101., or in default one month's imrisonment. THE SHOPMAN OF MR. T. CARREOAN, wholesale tea and spice dealer, in Little Newport-street, a man named Edward Gould, has been examined at Marl borough-street, on a charge of robbing his employer to a large amount. Mr. Carregan, it seems, missed money, suspected his shopman, and took the usual means of discovery by marking some coins which he subsequently foand absent from the till, and pre sent in Gould's pocket. On being apprehended the prisoner requested his master to see him in his cell, and at the interview he fell on his knees, and begged for mercy, stating that the money taken by him at various times was at the bottom of his box in a bedroom at prosecutor's house. On searching the box, two 501. notes, a 201. note, and a 51. . note were found under a piece of paper pasted on the bottom, also 201. in gold, and some silver. The prosecutor had missed goods to the amount of 300/. The pri ' Boner, who reserved his defence, was committed for WA. gAttibtnts not Clouts. THE LOSS OF ANOTHER VESSEL, the transport-ship Lady Nugent, with the sacrifice pf more than 400 lives, appears now a matter of melancholy certainty. The Lady Nugent belonged to Sir George Hodkinson, and WBB chartered early last spring by the local Go vernment at Madras, as a troop-ship for the convey ance of reinforcements to the British forces at Rangoon, the seat of the Burmese war. She sailed from M &dram on the 10th of last May, having previously received the troops, which comprised :150 rank and file of the 25th Regiment of Madras Light Infantry, twenty women and children, with the staff officers, among whom may be mentioned Lieutenant-Colonel Johnstone, Lieutenant and Adjutant Daly, Lieutenant and Quartermaster King, Lieutenant Bamford, As sistant-Surgeon Simpson, and seven native command ing staff-officers, the ship's crew, Captain Bannerman, the first, second, and third officers, and thirty-three seamen. Within a fortnight after her departure a frightful hurricane swept over the Bay of Bengal, which lasted three or four days, causing a great many melancholy casualnem. Several small vessels were seen to founder during its ravages ; and the Pluto steamer, belonging to the Hon. East India Company's service, with 500 troops on board, also bound to Ran goon, was by a miracle saved from meeting a similar fate. There can now be no doubt that the unfor tunate ship, Lady Nugent, encountered that fearful storm ' and subsequently foundered, carrying with her every living soul on board, who all perished. For months hopes have been entertained that she survived the gale, and had been blown among the Andamans or other islands in the bay, and had be come disabled. Vessels and steamers had made the passage to and from Rangoon and Madras since then without meeting the least tidings of the missing ship. The Governer•General, on hearing of her disappear ance, despatched the Sesoatris and Nemesis stearp frigates to the Andamans and adjoining islands in search of the wreck, but both vessels have returned after a fruitless survey, each captain forwarding a report to the Governor, stating that he had been unable to discover an veetage of the missing ship. The Lady Nugent was insured at Lloyd's, and claims have been sent in for the insurances. A RemAnx,ver.e Itoefteriv was effected in London last week. In the midst of one of the most publics thoroughfares the fiat iron railings before a hosier's shop were lifted up—a burglar dropped into the area —two doors were forced open, and admission thusob. tinned to the shop itself, whence 6001. worth of cambric and other articles were stolen. The scene of this robbery was the shop of Mr. Harborrow, 15, Cockspur-street, opposite the Haymarket—a spot almost under the shadow of Scotland-yard, the police head quarters. SIR JOSEPH PAXTON was robbed of the fintri of ISO/. in crossing from Holyhead to Dublin. The thief has escaped. A FIRE broke out on Sunday morning last in an old cotton waste and rag mill in Anconts, Manchester, belonging to Mr. Edward Butterworth, and burnt with great fury. Is took two hours to reduce the flames, when the mill was completely gutted, but all the adjoining buildings were saved. The loss is estimated at 5,0(X)1., which is fortunately covered by insurances. The cause of the fire is not known. A LARGE QUANTITY OF HUMAN REMAINS have been discovered by workmen employed in excavating the site of two houses on the south side of Long-lane, Smithfield. From old records there is no doubt that this formed part of the burial-ground of the ancient monastery, as a great number of human remains base been found on pulling down other houses in the vicinity, as well as five dr six stotte•coBl4ol. MOWN but dust was found in the coding. £ L_