The Press. — London, England, 1853-08-20 00:00:00

AUGUST 20, 1853. Which them was an easy communication, Witness then detailed the method by which they stole the gold-dust. They found three bags of gold-dust. illanehett gave him one of the bags, and the two others were left iu Cralow's chest. lilauchett said he had 1501. He sold it at 3/. an oz. Simpson said he had got 701., mid witness got 601. lie was to have 140/. when he arrived iu England. The case occupied Mr. Corrie nearly two days in ex amination, when he ordered Simpson to put in bail for his appearance, and remanded Blanchett for exa mination on a future day, when it was stud further and stronger evidence would be brought forward against them. Atribtnts anb Offtncts. ONE DEPLORABLE ACCIDENT has given a melan choly interest to the otherwise successful naval fke at Spithead last week. A solicitor from Chichester named Powell spent the evening in the coffee-room of the George Hotel at Portsmouth, after seeing the review of the squadron, keeping by his side a gun case, with a charged double-barrelled fowlingpiece in it, which, " being accustomed to field sports;' as he said on the inquest, he had brought with him to the review. When the return-train for Chichester was on the point of starting, Mr. Powell ran into the entrance-hall of the hotel in a great hurry, carrying his gun with hini, and, from some casual shock, one or both of the barrels went off and shot White, a waiter at the hotel, who happened to be crossing the passage, dead on the spot. Two or three other per sons near were also slightly injured by the explosion. Powell was taken into custody at the time, but re leased immediately after the jury at the subsequent inquest had returned their verdict, finding the death to have occurred from " misadventure, caused by the accidental discharge of a loaded gun." TfIE FALL. OF SOME SCAFFOLDINO resulted in most deplorable consequences on Monday at the Crystal l'alace, Sydenham. The scaffold consisted of a wood and iron framework forming a series of trusses, which could be pushed forward within a certain range as the work proceeded. On the day named, and while a number of men were at work raising and fixing the lofty ribs of the transept, several trusses suddenly gave way with a tremendous crash, and fell down a complete wreck, carrying with their ruins nearly twenty men, from a height of 140 feet. Twelve were killed on the spot, or died shortly after their removal into the hospital ; and two horses standing with a cart underneath were crushed by the debris. No damage was incurred by the building, except that one or two of the iron pillars were cracked by the shock. The cause of the catastrophe is hitherto undiscovered, all the workmen actually employed upon the wrecked scaffolding having perished. Mi nute investigations have been prosecuted since the occurrence, with the view of detecting its origin, and obviating any chance of a like calamity happening again. The following account has been drawn up of the site and incidents of the fatal event : The centre transept will, when completed, be the chrfiftweivre of the building. It is intended to be no less than 208 feet hr height (10$ feet higher than the transept of the Exhibition in Ilyde-park), and WO feet in breadth. The principle adopted in fixing the ribs is different to that pursued in the building of the old palace, where they were raised bodily. here, owing to the enormous elevation and span, a framework was constructed of timber and iron of peculiar strength and bearing. On a kind of stage which was thrown across the entire breadth of the tnutsept avenue were erected several trusses, the ends of which rested upon timber on the summit of the iron columns of the side gal leries. The trusses were of the fonu generally employed in the construction of roofs of railway stations. They were firmly tied by iron bands, and otherwise strongly secured. On the top of the first tier of trusses another kind of staging was to be formed, and upon this the upper trusses were fixed, which would afford the workmen every facility in throwing over the ribs. Three tiers of upper and lower trusses had been completed at the front of the transept; the fourth, fifth, and sixth lower trusses were fixed; and the seventh, which was the last that part of the works in the transept required, was standing close to the sixth, and in readiness for the men to inure it on to its position, which they could accomplish by " purchasing „ it along on a sheet of timber upon which it rested. It has been stated that they were in the act of shifting this seventh truss when the catastrophe occurred, but that hail been slues tioned, on the ground that it would not be required in its ap pointed place for a day or so. What particular work the unfor tunate men were engaged at at the time of the accident has not satisfactorily transpired, but it would seem that some failure took place which led to the shifting and falling of the seventh truss, and the carrying with it of the sixth and tifth. The latter were most firmly fixed together, es they were to the fourth, which kept its position, notwithstanding tire strain of several tons of falling woodwork. Sir.losepli Paxton and Sir Charles FOX nettle very minute inquiries of the heads of the building department, with a view of eliciting anything that might throw a light upon the pro bable cause, but nothing decisive was arrived at. the galleries wad staging had been constructed under the direction of tine 11108 t skilled mechanics, and who had been 'Mihaly employed hr forming the transept of the Ilyde-park Exhibition. Sir C. lox remarked that the only opinion he at present could give as to the cause of the melancholy event was that the workmen had left out some important part in the trusses they put up. Considering the alarming diameter of the accident, and the great humber of hands employed in the vicinity of the transept when the de struction of the upper works took place, it is a subject of much congratulation that the loss of life wan not greater. Two inquests have been held on the bodies of suf ferers from this catastrophe. One at Sydenham was adjourned after the jury had inspected the site of the accident and heard a variety of evidence. The other was held in the Southwark Town-hall, two of the victims having died in that district in Guy's Hos pital. The jury in this case also proceeded to the Crystal Palace to view for themselves the fatal THE PRESS. cality, but succeeded in arriving at no positive con• elusion as to the cause of accident, and returned a verdict of " Accidental death." The funeral of eight of the sufferers took place on Thursday afternoon in the churchyard of new Sydenham church. The day was observed as a solemn holiday in the district, and there was a total cessation of all work within the palace. The contractors, Messrs. t"o and Ilender son, invariably make a provision for widows of workmen who lose their lives in their service, by a weekly allowance of from 10s. to continued over periods of not less than twelve months, and the tirm invariably take charge of the orphan children, and introduce them to habits of industry in their own service. . A TREMENDOUS FIRE broke out in Dover on Stuiday evening upon some extensive premises belonging to Messrs. Walker and Co., oil merchant-1 and seed crushers. The buildings were situated under the cliff, about half a mile from the railway terminus, and were of great magnitude, containing vast stores of oil, kc., and seine of the largest. presses in England, altogether worth many thousand pounds. Some men of the Rifle Brigade first discovered the calamity by noticing volumes of smoke issuing from the roof, whence, long before the engines could be brought to the spot, the flames poured forth to a height of many yards, and with an intensity which, combined with the extremely inflammable nature of the contents, set all attempts to subdue them at de fiance'. Late at night, when the energies of the local appliances were found utterly insufficient, a tele graphic message was sent to London, and two power ful engines, with a posse of brigade men, were promptly sent down by special train, arriving at Dover shortly after two iu the morning. By that time, however, the whole mill presented nothing but. a sheet of fire, from whence the vats and casks of oil, occasionally bursting, sent their contents in a flood of conflagration over the surrounding buildings. It. was seven o'clock on Monday morning before the flames were conquered, or, rather, burnt themselves out, KS the building in which they originated was utterly destroyed, with its entire contents, except such as were hurriedly snatched away early in the evening. The edifice covered more than three quarters of an acre, and the total value of the pro. perty is estimated at nearly 60,000/., of which the salvage amounts to barely 8,0001., in addition to sonic further sums covered by the insurances. During the conflagration a frightful fall of the overhanging cliff occurred, an immense mass of chalk being cracked and loosened by the heat, and falling to the extent,. as it was estimated, of nearly two thousand tons. The place where it fell was densely thronged with spectators at the time, many of whom had a very narrow escape. In the darkness it could not be dis covered whether any one was overwhelmed, but. it was feared that all could not have escaped, and the inquiries made after missing individuals on the sub sequent days confirmed the apprehension that some had perished. A considerable period must, however, elapse before the enormous mass can be removed, so as to ascertain the correctness of this conjecture. BY Till; UPSFTTINO OF A BOAT Mr. Whitefoord, purser of the African mail-steamer Faith, was lost off Lagos on the Ist of July, together with nine men belonging to her Majesty's ship Waterwitch. THE EXECUTION OF WILLIAM FLACK for the mur. der of Mrs. Steggles, housekeeper to the rector of Bacton, took place at Ipswich on Wednesday. The convict made a full confession of his guilt. (iirtianb. OFFictAi. Norio: has been given from the Castle of her Majesty's intended arrival in Dublin on the 29th inst. Great preparations are already making for her reception. According to the Evening Mail, the Royal visit will be strictly private. 'there is to to be no levee or drawing room, and the Exhibition, probably, will be the only place of public resort. where the people of Dublin will be ittlerded the opportunity of meeting the Sovereign face to face. THE CORK ELECTION commenced on Wedneaday, when Colonel Chatterton and Mr. Francis Bernard Beamish were respectively proposed as candidates. A show of hands being called ler, the High Silent(' declared it to be in favour of Mr. Beamish. The poll was to be taken yesterday (Friday) morning. THE WRIT FOR A NEw F.l.Ecrios in the borough of Dunganan has been received, and the nomination will take place next week. Mr. J. F. Maguire, the late representative, is the only candidate who has yet addressed the electors. THE WEATHER has again become sunny and sea sonable, to the great joy of the fanners and of the whole community. Harvest operations are proceed• ing with great vigour all through the country, and the reports of all the crops, including potatoes, are most satisfactory. THE GOVERNMENT have issued the necessary orders to the constabulary force to collect the annual re turns of agricultural produce, stock, dm. The police will enter upon this important duty next week. 371 THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF A ROYAL VIMT has materially improved the prospects of the Dublin Industrial Ex hibition, and the sale of season tickets has recom mewed with much activity. An official return has been published of the number of visitors from the opening in the month of May down to the Ilth inst. —in all 79 days. The total visitors at half-a crown each were 173,146 ; at Is. each, 400,415; total, 573,561. The net pmeeetts are said already to ex ceed 00,000/.: and, according to present appearances. Mr. Dargan will conic elf no loser by his liberal and spirited speculation. Tn►: French Princes of the House of Orleans—the Comte de Paris, Prince Robert of Orleans,.and Count Paul of Anjon—are at present in Dublin, and have visited the Ureat Exhibition and most of the institu tions in the city. Obituarg. CotoNvt. so widely renowned tie a gallant officer and enthusiastic sportsman, died on the 7th instant, at his residence in Dorset-place, at the age of 67, after a painful and protracted illness. Few men ever enjoyed a higher reputation in the sporting world than the deceased veteran, who, after serving in the Peninsular war with the utmost distinction, on his return to this country produced his well-known work, entitled "Instructions to Young Sportsmen in all that relates to Guns anti Shooting." This book had prodigious success, a tenth edition being nearly ready for the press at the time of his &tease. To the colonel also the public is much indebtixi for many valuable inventions anti improvements in guns, several samples of which he sent to the Great Exhi bition of 1851, and which ho entertained the most sanguine hopes would have been adopted by Govern ment. At the time of his death he was Lieutenant- Colonel of the North Hants Militia. IiENERAI. SIR FREDERICK ADAM died suddenly on Tuesday morning last, under melancholy circum stances. The deceased officer had been ell a visit to his brother, Admiral Sir Charles Adam, K.C.8., Governor of Greenwich liospital, and entered one of the carriages on the Greenwich Railway for the pur pose of returning to London, when he suddenly ceased to exist. Sir Frederick Adam served in Hol land, anti was present in the actions of the 27th of August, 10th of September, and 2nd of October, 1799 ; he was also present in the actions of the Rh, 1311, and 21st of March, 1801, in Egypt. Sir Frederick was severely wounded near Alicante on the 12th of April, 1813 ; at the Pass of Ordall ho received two wounds, one of which broke his left, artn, and the other shattered his left hand, and he was also severely wounded at Waterloo. lie entered the service as Ensign on the 4th of Novendwr, 1795 ; was promoted to be Lieutenant on the 2nd of February, 1796; Captain, August 80, 1769; Major, July 9, 1803; Lieutenant-Colonel, August 28, 1804 ; Colonel, February 20, 1812; Major-General, June -1, 1814 ; Lieutenant-General, July 21, 1830; fuel General. November 9, 184f1. his ceminissien as Colonel of the 21st North British Fusi.iers bears date May 81, 1843, and his decease places the Coloneley of that regiment at the disposal of the Commander-in . _ Chief. We regret to hew that. Mr. Geottog HERRIcK Rre -1 A BY, mate I S:V! ) of the hilyphenitlit, steam .sloop, on the coast. of Africa, was ►frowned at Sierra Leone, in an attempt to swim otr to his ship. He was a young officer of groat promise, and much beloved by his shipmates. REv. F. W. ItomAtTsos, incumbent of Trinity Chapel, Brighton, died on Sunday night, to the great regret of his numerous congregation. He was only 37 at the time of his death. 111 n. IbtAtisuy Coomn, F.R.S., the eminent sur geon, expired very suddenly on Thursday afternoon at the Athemumn Club. The deceased was the fourth son of the Rev. Samuel Cooper, the elder brother of the illustrious Sir Astley Cooper, and the grandson of /r. Cooper, 14 many years v►car of Great Var. mouth, in which town he was horn in 1792. In the year 1512 Mr. Cooper entered the army as assistant surgeon in the Royal Artillery, and repaired to the Peninsula. lle was present at the battles of Vit toria, the PyrCnees, Nivelle, lirthes, the siege of St. Sebastian, awl the battle of Toulouse. Mr. Cooper was admitted a member of the Royal College of Sur geons on the tith of December, 1523. In 1543 he was elected honorary fellow of the college, and in P 4454 became a member of the council. The deceased had made some valuable contributions to the ad vancement of surgical knowledge, especially in the Guy's Hospital Reports. LADY SALE, wife of the celebrated Sir Robert Sale, died at Cape-town on the fith of ;July ; she leld only arrived a few days previously from India, in the 1414 Kett, intending to recruit her health at the Carie. LiturENAsT-Comomi. BURNS, of the 2nd 'Royals, died on the 30th of June, at Grahanea-town, from 1