Star. — London, England, 1830-04-01 00:00:00

REFORM. Mir grand Reforms arc going on in a grand style of excision. iltrks enjoying the extravagant salaries of twenty shillings a week, .ire forced to submit to the pruning knife, or the sabre, we forgot which ; and serve their insulted country at the rate of ten. Diggers and delvers, at the rate of a shilling a day, are allowed the honour of contributing to the preservation of their country by the offering, of sixpences, and there is still a hope, that by further judicious re forms of this vigorous, and yet easy kind, our beloved country may yet he saved. But we should wish to know, whether the gallant officers in possession of trivial places from fifteen hundred to five thousand pounds a year and upwards, continue to receive their half. pay. and all those little emolumentary adjuncts, termed allowances, torage money, office money, &c. which makes so pleasant an addi tion to the establishment of a military gentleman emulous of serving his country, on the best possible terms for himself. We believe that those gallant gentlemen have not sacrificed a single shilling, and that they receive their half-pay as regularly in their sump tuously furnished apartments in the Horse Guards and Dow. ning.street, as if they were lounging out their mornings in an attic in Whitehall, and lounging out their evenings at the United Service. —We should also like to know, hew many of the holders of good things in the shape of military inspectorship', commissioners of clothing, &c. have been mulcted of their half-pay, since they began to feel the public purse dropping its liberality on them in the shower of pensions and sinecures ? Now for another branch : Officers' Widows—The question whether officers' widows should continue to enjoy pensions, after marrying again, is under the consideration of Government. It is urged that the practice is, in fact, rewarding one man for the services performed by another, and encouraging im provident connections which lead to misery, while they perpetuate one burthen on the country and create another. All this may be very well ; though in the scantiness of the widow's pension, whose general sum is 301. or 401. a year, there seems to be no powerful temptation for fortune hunters. But may we be suffered to ask, is there any idea of reducing the allowance of the paymasters of those widows' pensions, whose salaries amount to a thousand a year each ; tie whole actual business being of the simplest nature, and done by clerks,and the whole trouble of the paymasters being to sign the receipt for their own quarter's salary, and put the money in their pockets. —We should also like to know, whether, when those poor devils of officers' widows arc forced to give up their petty provision, the widows of the placemen about Whitehall are to be allowed to keep their pensions, and marry whom they please, thus to fasten upon the public purse ? That there are such individuals, and tolerably well known to the public, we believe. And we ask, what is justice, If it be not even-handed ? But the more unfortunate consequence of this regulation will be, not a saving to the country, nor the prevention of those marriages, which have been here with such ludicrous pomp called" rewarding one man for the service of another ;" but an in. crease of prevarication, a temptation to perpetual falsehood imposed on those widows. They will marry, if they like; as what woman was ever capable of thwarting her inclination for any thing, from prudential motives ? Not a sixpence will be saved ; but a vast many protestations of perpetual widowhood will be wrung from the unfor. tomtit.% who have plunged into second matrimony, with a full de termination to let go the public allowance on no condition whatever. We hope that oaths will not be required, for though a promise is equally binding in honour, yet the oath is a more for.nidable mode of meeting the temptation ; and in the multitude of instances, the temptation would carry the day. We hope so foolish an attempt will be abandoned. It must be nugatory on any considerable scale, and even on the smallest, it will be only a temptation to weakness and poverty to commit falsehood.— Whittaker's Monthly Magazine. PROVINCIAL NEWS. We hear that the emigration mania is becoming very prevalent in this county among the small farrners—kentish Garen*. A gentleman of considerable property, within a few miles of Maidstone, is about to leave this country for America. We understand the reason he gives for emigrating is, that, under the present aspe:t of affairs, property is, in his opinion, more safe in the New World than in the Old. It is in agitation to open a subscription in the hundred of Bassetlaw, hi order to pay the legal expenses of some independent man who may be induced to step forward and rescue the hundred from being sacrificed to a family compact ; and to give the inde pende..t portion of the freeholders an opportunity of exercising their newly-acquired right in such a manner as will prove to their country their determination not to stand by and calmly look on while the avenue to free election is closing against them.—Newark Mercury. The weavers who are emigrating to the United States have received accounts from their friends that the kind of cloth which in this country is paid at 21. an ell, is paid in New York at 0.1. It would require a pretty heavy tariff to cover such a diffe rence —Clasyoto C hsonicie. Wednesday night a party of men broke into the house of Pat. Williams, of Knocknaslina, parish of' Rath, dragged him outside and gave him a great beating with a cat-o'-nine-tails. On the same nights party visited the house of Denis Ganley, of Cabaska, broke the doors, and dragged himself and wife out of bed, and gave them both a good beating.—Limerick Paper. Thursday last, while the corn-market was crowded with respectable farmers, a fellow dishonoured the name of civilized man by offering his wife for sale. We understand a sweep offered 6d. by way of joke ; but the purchase was not absolutely made, as the woman, who had been inveigled into the market and &halter thrown round her neck before she was aware, fled from the scene of degra. dation, and her husband had some difficulty in escaping the chas tisement of the pump. The police, however, were speedily on the look-out to prevent a recurrence of the auction, or its consequences. —Cheltenham Journal. Monday night last, about 20 armed men attacked the house of Patt. Sweeny, of Manselstown, near Thurles. They fired several shots into the house, but fortunately without injuring any of the inmates . They then shot two pigs, and informed Sweeny he would get the same fate, unless he gave up some land he took from Mr. Going, of Ballyphillip, about two years ago. The same party then visited the house of a man of the name of Hunt, and committed a similar outrage on it. On the Friday night pre. ceding, an armed party robbed two houses about a mile distant from the scene of the above outrages, when they succeeded in obtain. ing booty to a considerable amount.—Clonmel Advertiser. ACCIDENTAL FIRE.—The beautiful romantic cottage of the Surgeon-general at Louth Bray, county of Wicklow, was on Thursday night totally destroyed, in consequence of a chimney hay ing buret, and the fire communicating to the thatch, which blazed with a rapidity that may be easily imagined, and soon laid waste the whole fabric. Upon the alarm being given, the peasantry from the surrounding mountains flew to the spot, and used every passible exertion to save the property ; a great portion of which consisted of books, plate, paintings, furniture, and many of the classical deco. rations, was, on Friday morning, lodged at the barrack of Glancree. We understand the premises were not insured.—Morning Register. EXECUTION IN KlLKENNY.—Elizabeth Kealy, for the murder of her aunt, Elizabeth Dooly, underwent the extreme sentence of the law at the front of our county gaol on Thursday last. She uttered, on being removed from the dock, bitter execra tions upon her prosecutors. But this violence soon subsided into a placid and truly Christian consideration of her fate. From the time of her confinement in the convict cell to that appointed for her exe cution she eat little or no food. On Wednesday she was visited by her husband and some of her elder children. The interview was more than could be encountered by the guardians of the prison. They recoiled from the bitter scene, and the only incident of which they could inform us was, that both husband and chit. dren knelt down and joined her in fervent prayer. She took oc casion to state subsequently that they had no participation whatever in her guilt. When the hour of her execution was announced by the tolling of the gaol knell, she was led to the press-room, the front doors of which opened upon some thousands of spectators, about one o'clock. The Rev. Mr. Gorman, and she (leaning on his arm) advanced towards the drop, and remained there while they recited that sublime prayer the 50th psalm. When this was concluded, the executioner proceeded with the adjustments of death. Her arms were bound—her footing gave way, and she passed into eternity._ Kilkenny Journal. A Correspondent, who resides near Ecclefechan, states as certain that a ewe, the property of Mr. Maxwell, Corriemains, dropped a few days ago no fewer than five lambs, which are all strong, healthy,. lint' likely to do well. The said prolific ewe, though only three years old, has already given birth to nine lambs. Such an animal irr perfectly invaluable; if allowed to live long enough, she will go far to stock a farm with her own progeny, and we may say of her, in the words of an excellent old song, " The ewie wi' the crooked horn, A' that kent ber could hae sworn 411 , 4 41:42 Sic a ewie ne'er was shorn, Hereabouts or far awa." When she dies she should be buried me sunny spot, where her great great grandsons and great gr ghters may crop iu the merry months of spring the sod that greens the grave of their s.. illustrious ancestor.—Dumfries Courier. .c. JUDICIOUS CHANGE OF ONE LETTER.-1I is said (bat Mr. Canning met one of the late Lord Sheffield's innumerable panipblets in the library of some country friend. The tract is said tO have begun with a sentence like the following There can be nu doubt that, under a due system of protection, the growth of British Wools might be greatly increased, and that our domestic Wools might eventually be enabled to stand the competition of the Wools of the continent." The day being gloomy and society not brilliant, the witty statesman changed every W into an F, and in this new shape he left the essay for the amusement and, instruction of the neighbourheod.—Edin6nryli Review. LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF CHANCERY, M.tucu 31. IN RE CLEMENT. The SomaTon-oEl;7mm. mentioned this matter to the court, and wished some step to be taken upon it. A sum of 54,0001. was involved in it, and it was desirable that the lunatic's accounts should be settled. The LORD CHANCELLOR thought the matter should be, if pos. sible, arranged without the necessity of a comntission. For this purpose he had refused to make any order on the petition. The So. litor.General might, if he chose, present a teetition. ti Mr. Hoaz objected to this mode of p roceeding. A desultory conversation then arose between Sir C. Wetherell and the other counsellor engaged in the petition, and in the result it was agreed that a week should be allowed to Mr. Home's clients to prepare the necessary affidavits. IN RE SIR G. P. TURNER. Mr. PHtt.tamoite obtained an order upon a petition for the committal of Mr. Corbett, for non.ptlyment of money in his hands. The LORD CHANCELLOR asked if any counsel appeared to op. pose the petition, and the reply was in the negative. IN RE HRH:WELL. This petition occupied the whole of the day. It was the petition of the committees of the lunatic, and prayed the removal of Dr. Routh from the guardianship of the lunatic. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL and Mr. SPENCE were counsel in support of the petition, and with the view of saving time the former proposed that a reference should be made to the Diaster to ascertain who would be proper to be appointed in the place of Dr. Routh. This proposition, however, was not acceded to, and the case was proceeded with. The facts as detailed by the affidavits in support of the peti tion were theser—that Dr. Routh was appointed guardian of the lu natic in 1824, and a sum of 4001. was allowed for the lunatic's main tenance. A house had been provided in Fullford in Yorkshire, and the ground upon which it was now sought that Dr. Routh might be removed was, the Improper treatment of the lunatic. It was proved that the lanatic had not been properly fed or clothed, that he was put into a damp room, and was reduced to a state of ill heal;h from long suffering and privation. The evidence chiefly consisted of the affidavits of Mr. Stonehouse, one of the committee, Mr. Dobson, formerly a keeper of the lunatic, two medical gentle. men, and a number of discharged servants. It was in these affi davits alleged that the lunatic was fed upon brown bread, that he was fed upon the coarsest food, and even of that there was an in sufficient supply. It was further alleged that the room which the lunatic inhabited had only one window, two chairs, drugget, and furniture to correspond ; that instead of walking cheerfully as he was once accustomed to do, he now suffered himself to be dragged along. The evidence was extremely full upon these points, and was completely confirmed by a number of discharged servants. Mr. HORNE and Mr. Waal' were heard for Dr. Routh, and. detailed a variety of affidavits contradictory of those produced on the other side. In these it was alleged that the food and the rai ment of the lunatic were good and abundant; that the room which he occupied was airy and comfortable; and that he was treated by Dr. Routh with the utmost kindness and consideration. Dr. Routh himself made an affidavit, the particulars of which were confirmed by a multitude of others in its support. These completely excul pated Dr. Routh from the charge. brought forward against hhn. After hearing Mr. SPENCE in reply, The LORD CHANCELLOR dismissed the petition as against Dr. Routh, with costs, and directed an inquiry before the Master, to ascertain who was fit and proper to be appointed a new guardian, and that Dr. Routh be permitted to nominate himself. COURT OF RgQLIESTS.-111waca 30. JACOB METCALFE, OF GREAT MARY•LA-BONNE.IITRECT, V. THE GRAND JUNCTION WATERWORKS COMPANY. The plaintiff summoned the defendants for Is. 6d. the excess of water rate in 15s for half a-year, charged on one of the plaintiff's houses, in Star-street, Paddington, the tenant having left the pre. mises without paying their rates. The plaintiff sought to recover under the act of Parliament 7th Geo. IV. c. 140. and specially sect. 28, which was put in, and read by the clerk in Court, and Is as follows r—viz. " Provided also, and be It further enacted, that the said Grand JunctionWaterworksCompany shall, and they are hereby required, from time to time, and atall times hereafter, to supply the several lessees or tenants of the estate belonging to the See of the Bishop of London, at Paddington afore said,with water, at the rate of 101. per cent. at the least below the average rate which shall be demanded and taken by the said com pany, or by any other company or companies, for supplying with an equal quantity of water the inhabitants of houses of the like magnitude and description of any other of the districts or streets within the cities of London and Westminster." In support, the plaintiff tendered in evidence the whole of the receipts given for water supplied to the several tenants and occupiers (about 50) of houses in Molyneux.street, in the parish of St. Mary-la-bonne, of the " like magnitude and description," all of which are at thirty shillings a year, and which entitled the plaintiff to the redress sought. Instead of confining themselves to the sec tion or clause, the defendants opened the business of last week,which had nothing to do with the question, in order to distract the atten tion of the commissioners ; however, after some argument, the com missioners thought the plaintiff had paid the money in his own wrong, and should have suffered the defendants to have become plaintiff in the first instance, adding, that the.question was of too much importance to be decided by that court. It is due to the commissioners to state, that they showed the greatest politeness, and refused to take any costs of the plaintiff: Every landlord whose house is supplied with water by the above company, and every tenant of houses on the estate of the Bishop of London at. Paddington, is materially concerned in the above im. portant disputed question. LENT ASSIZES. 11031 E CIRCUIT.—KINGSTON, MARCH 31. CROWN SlDE.—Before Mr. Justice BAYLEY. BIGAMY. Was. Bellamy, a journeyman cabinet-maker, aged twenty-five years, pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with intermar. Tying with Maria Robinson, at Layton, in the county of Essex, his wife Ann being then alive. The prosecutrix, when called on by the court, stated that she was twenty-one years triage, and had married the prisoner after two or three months' courtship, during which time he represented himself to be a single man, and possessed of some property. Witness had 4001. for her fortune. The prisoner received 401. the day after his marriage with her. He lived with her for ten days and then ab. conded. During the time they lived together the prisoner behaved pretty kindly to her. The prisoner said that he had always maintained a good charac ter as an honest and industrious man • he had pleaded guilty in con sequence of feeling the awful aimed:on in which he stood, and now threw himself on the mercy of the Court. His Lordship, after commenting on the enormity of the prisoner's offence, sentenced him to be transported fur the term of seven years NORTHERN CIRCUIT.--YORK, MARCH 30. DARING BURGLARY. Charles Ric !prick and Thomas 161mison were charged with break. ing into the house of George Lee, of Clayton West, and stealing therefrom about 30s. in silver. Mr. MILNER (with whom was Mr. Stanhope) stated the case for the prosecution. The prosecutor is a farmer at Wheatley-hill, Clayton West, near Barnsley. About one o'clock on the morning of the 4th of No. vember his house was entered by seven men through a back window. They had the upper parts of their faces blackened. Five of them forced their way into prosecutor's bed.room, and threatened to shoot him if he did not deliver his money. They rifled the pockets of his amaliclothes, and also his wife's pocket, and then left the room. The servant girl hearing a noise in the kitchen went down stairs, and there saw three men, one of whom had a candle in his hand, another a plough-coulter, and the third a gun. The man with the candle said, " Shoot her if she does not go away." She ran up stairs and got out of the window. She procured the assistance of seine neighbours, but on her return the men were all gone. The only evidence that affected the prisoners was that of the ser vant. It appeared, however, she had formerly sworn to a man named Exley, and afterwards said she was mistaken. On the part of Redgwick an alibi was proved. The Learned Judge summed up, and adverted to the circum stance of the witness having before been mistaken, and observed, that if there were any doubt es to the identity of the prisoners they ought to have the benefit of it. The Jury then acquitted the prisoners. A circumstance which makes apparent the low rate of wages paid for cotton weaving is, that girls can make more money at the needle than lads can do at the loom ; and it is an absolute fact that boys arc now set to sew.— Glasgow Chronicle. MELANCHOLY OCCURRENCE IN HYDE PA RR. — A gentleman, named Cullum, yesterday waited upon the magis trates at Marlborough-street Police Office, respecting the case of John Marshall, coachman to the Earl of Chichester. The appli cant attended to know whether it was necessary to produce any further evidence, in addition to that beard by the coroner's jury. Nit% Dyer replied in the negative ; the coroner was an independent functionary, and could commit a prisoner. In answer to a remark from Mr. Cullum, the magistrate observed that he coincided in opinion with him that there was sufficient evidence, and he was certain that the noble earl, in whose employ the prisoner was, would afford the friends of the deceased every assistance in his power. The driver was then brought up, and fully committed to Newgatc fur trial. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. MANSION-HOUSE. Mr. Savage, the Common Councilman, having two day! ago made a complaint to Sir C. S.HUNTZa,who sat for the Lord Mayor, against the driven of the mail-arts, for impetuous driving, at tended yesterday, for the purpose of ascertaining whether Sir Francis Freeing had communicated with his Lordship on the occasion. Mr. Cope, the City Marshal, said, that he had waited upon Sir Francis Feeding with the letter of Sir C. S. Hunter, and was as sured by that gentleman, that he should, with the greatest alacrity, co-operate with the Magistrates in preventing such a dangerous nuisance as had been described. Sir Francis told him to mention to the Lord Mayor, or whatever other Magistrate might preside, that he should lay Sir C. S. Hunter's letter before the Postmoster-Ge. nem], and that he had already sent to the superintendant of the cart drivers a copy of the paragraph which appeared on the subject of the complaint. The LORD MAYOR said that he was satisfied that prompt means would be adopted to prevent the evil in future. Mr. Scales, the Common Councilman, said that the drivers ac tually considered that they were privileged to drive over the bodies of the public. He was happy that the matter was at last properly taken up. Mr. Savage expressed himself satisfied, and the matter ter minated. A coal meter and inspector, named hiunton, who has been long distinguished for his indefatigable attention to his duties and who has in fact been the terror of t he corrupt coal-merchant and the negligent officer, was charged before the Lord Mayor by the two principal coal meters, Mr. Reeve and Mr. Bumstead, with having acted towards them with the most intolerable insolence. Mr. Bumstead stated, that it was with great reluctance that he and Mr. Reeve complained against an officer who had made him-1 self obnoxious to all the corrupt or suspected persons engaged in the coal trade by the sad and fi rmness of his conduct ; but the fact was, that if they neglected to complain, they never could expect to be able to act in their office. The defendant had for some time presumed upon the services he had rendered to the public, and was really soaring above all restraints and regulations. He had thought proper at length to beard two principals in their office—charged them with having refused to give him adequate protection, and treated them, when they expostulated with him, most scornfully and impertinently. The LORD MAYOR said that he had power to discharge or to sus pend for corrupt or improper practices. There had been nothing corrupt in the Meter's conduct; he should, therefore, suspend him. The Meter retired without replying. Chrxrausts.—The Authorities of Broad-street Ward have been for some time at war with the Proprietors of the umnibuses, which now run in such numbers to and from town, and they gave notice, that after the 20th of March, those vehicles should not be allowed to stand in Bartholomew-lane. Mr. Shillibeer resolved not to obey the mandate, and, when one of his omnibuses drove into Bartholo mew-lane, the conductor was seized and conveyed before the Loan MAYOR. His Lordship said he was aware of the great nuisance caused by the crowding of the vehicles In the neighbourhood of the Bank, but the person brought before him was not the one who should have been selected—of course he was discharged. Mr. Shillibeer said he had not violated the act of parliament, and was resolved that the Foreman who issued the orders should not do so with impunity. BOW-STREET. Miss Zoucu AGAIX.—Tbii young lady, who obtained much notoriety on several occasions, particularly in her liberation from the Fleet prison, and her subsequent refusal to marry a gentleman of large fortune, when the had met him at the altar of St. George's Church, Hanover-square, solicited the aid of Mr. HALLS under the following circumstances : She had, within the last few days, published a work under the following title, " The :Memoirs of Alias %ouch, the calumniated niece of the Earl of Lonsdale ' n and she employed a person to sell ' the publication, whose agent had embezzled the proceeds. Mr. HALLS said, she might have the assistance of an officer to bring the party to justice ; but she could recover by an action from the party she had engaged. She curtsied, and withdrew. Two men name Six* and Hawkins, servants to G. Grant, Esq. of Kennington, were fined 40s. each, for whipping and beating a police officer named Stace, at Covent-Garden Theatre, as he was attempting to remove the carriage. Yesterday Robert Ashdown, the proprietor of the Star Coffee. house, opposite the Office in Bow•street, appeared to answer to an information laid at the express order of Sir RICHARD BIRWIE, for keeping his house open at four o'clock in the morning, fur the re ception of idle and disorderly persons, under the pretence of selling coffee and other liquids. inspector Ousely and a police constable deposed, that on the morning of Sunday, the 22d March, they went into the defendant's house, on a call being made of " robbery, and a young man was given in charge for robbing a gentleman, a Lieutenant in the Navy, of his handkerchief. At that time the room was filled with men and women ; some were drinking brandy and water, and others coffee. The house was decidedly the worst in the neighbourhood, and was filled all night long with characters of the very worst description. Sir R. BtaNzz said he knew the house had long been a most intolerable nuisance, for he was often disturbed from his bed by the riots and disorders which took place there. The defendant, in answer, attempted to show that he had dis posed of his interest in the property, but failed in proof. He then pleaded that he was very poor, and the Magistrates inflicted the mitigated penalty of W. The defendant said he was unable to pay the penalty, and he was ordered to be committed for one month to the House of Correction, there to be kept to hard labour. He after. wards gave notice that he should appeal against the conviction. • MARLBOROUGH STREET. John Williams, alias John Williamson, alias James Gordon, a young man of respectable appearance, was yesterday placed at the bar before Mr. Deka, by Chival, chief officer to the Mendicity ' Society, charged with endeavouring to obtain money under false pretences from Lady Vernon. It appeared that on Friday last the prisoner went to Lord Ver. non's mansion in Hertford -street, May-fair, and presented a petition, stating that the bearer, Mr. James Gordon, a dealer in jewellery, had been knocked down on his road to Northampton, and after receiving a severe beating, had been robbed of jewellery to the amount of 1171. and other articles, including cash, amount ing together to 240/.The petition, which purported to be signed by John Thompson and George Pritchard, Elva. Justices of the Peace, proceeded to state that those gentlemen could vouch for the truth of his statement, and had empowered him to levy contributions upon a feeling public for the space of three calendar months. The prisoner brought a book with this petition, contain. ing the names of Lord Althorp, Lady Throckmorton, Earl Spencer, Earl Howe, Dr. Robinson, Sir George Robinson, and others, all of which are forgeries. Mr. Stanwix, a wine -merchant, was deputed to inquire into the case, and the fraud being discovered, the pd. soner had been apprehended. Chival attended from the biendicity Society, and identified the prisoner as being the man who in July last was committed from this office, for obtaining money fraudulently from the Earl of Harewood. . _ _ _ Mr. DYER observed that the public were much indebted to the ilendicity Society for their active exertions in checking these frauds, which were of the worst description, as they tended to dis courage that kindness of feeling, which, he was happy to say, distinguished our nobility. He therefore committed the prisoner for three months. WORSHIP-STREET. EXTIAORDINARY THEFT.---A poor shoemaker named Ed. ward Wynne came to London with his wife and family and a sister named Smith, in the hope of bettering their fortune ; but they had scarcely set foot in the metropolis before they were stripped of all their little property under the following artful circumstances It appeared the poor people came from Stafford, and at Coventry they were joined by a female , who was also coming toLondon,and kept their company on the road. On their arrival in London their new com. panion (a swarthy-complexioned woman, far advanced in pregnancy) said she would take them to the Town-hall, where gentlemen gave tra relics money. She accordingly brought them to this office, and seeing some paupers before the office, she advised Wynne, his wife, and children, to go into an adjoining public-house until she could obtain them a pass for admittance ; at the same time she also advised Smith, wlio had the property, to wait at a distance. In a little time after she went to Smith, and said that Wynne was paid more than he ex pected, and for her to go for her share, and she would take care of the property. Smith complied, and in a few minutes after the party found they were duped of their all. The Magistrate ordered them temporary assistance from the poor. box, and the woman who played them the trick has since been takers and committed for triaL CENTRE OF GRAVITY OF TIIEIIAN BODY.- When a man walks, the legs are alternately lifted from the ground, and the centre of gravity is either unsupported or thrown from the one side to the other. The body is also thrown a little forward, in order that the tendency of the centre of gravity to fall in the direc tion of the toes may assist the muscular action in propelling the body. This forward inclination of the body increases with the speed of the motion. But for the flexibility of the knee-joint, the labour of walking would be much greater than it is; for the centre of gra- 1 vity would be more elevated by each step. The line of motion of the centre of gravity in walking deviates but little from a regular horizontal line, so that the elevation of the centre of gravity is sub. ject to very slight variation. But if there were no knee joint, as when a man has wooden legs, the centre of gravity would move so that at each step the weight of the body would be lifted through a considerable h ei ght, and therefore the labour of walking would be much increased.—De. /Ardour's Cabinet Cyclopedia, Vol. V. being a Trealite on fifeclianios, by Co pia' H. Suter and Dr. Lardner. CORONER'S INQUEST. THE CALAMITOUS FIRE AT OLD BROMPTON.-.. Yesterday afternoon an Inquest was held at the Swan Tavern, Oic, Brompton, before TUOMAS STIRLING, Esq. Coroner, and am. spectable Jury, to inquir e to u chin g th e death of Charles Reading, aged seven years, Thomas Reading, aged five years, and Reading, aged three years, the three unfortunate children who pe. rished in the above fire. The Jury having been sworn viewed the bodies, which laid in house near the scene of the catastrophe. The utmost sympathy w 4 evinced for the ill-fated innocents, who were extremely interesting children. The following was the evidence adduced touching the lamentable occurrence :—William Barnes : I live at No. 7, Prospect-row, Old Brompton, and am a gardener. On Monday night last, about nine o'clock, I was at home in bed, when I heard an alarm of fire. —I instantly got up, and on entering the street discovered that the fire was at the house of Mr. Reading, a paper-stainer, a few doors off; I was informed by a number of persons who were assembled that all the inmates were out of the house • I then par. ' ticularly inquired if th e children were safe ; I was told that they were ; at this time the fire was burning in one of the rooms on the first floor; I waisted in removing some of the furniture from the lower part of the house which the fire had not yet reached ; at this time it was ascertained that Mr. Reading's three children ware still in the house, the error arising from the unfortunate mother having been severely burnt and rendered insensible; every effort %las now exerted to snatch the helpless beings from destruction. A ladder was placed against one of the first floor front windows, and several persons ascended and endeavoured to enter the room, but from the quantity of flame and smoke were unable ; at length 1 effected an entrance, and, groping about the room, discovered one of the chit. dren, which I took in my arms a nd h as tily d escen d e d t h e l a dd er, but became senseless before I reached the ground; on recovering found myself supported by some persons and the child taken from me; I cannot say whether the child was dead when I took it from the room ; I think it was one of the little boys ; I am not aware of the cause of the fire ' • several engines arrived on the spot soon after the fire broke out, but little or no water could be obtained. John Brymer, of Prompton, sworn—l heard the alann of fire, and hastened to the spot; there was a cry among the people to save the children; I entered the house through the back first floor win. dow, accompanied by a sweep; after throwing out a quantity of the furniture, we discovered one of the children, who was lying at the corner of the room ; I took it up, and reached the ground with it; the poor child, who appeared Helms, was a boy ; it was taken to the house of a neighbour, and a doctor attended to it ; the third and last child was taken out about twenty minutes afterwards, appa. rently quite dead ; the house soon after hecame an entire mass of flame, and communicated to the two adjoining, which were also destroyed. Mrs. Illary Willoughby, a lodger in the house, deposed—On Monday night last I had put my two children to bed in one of the rooms on the ground, and was engaged at needle work in our sitting room on the f est floor front, when I was alarmed by screams from Airs. Reading; I opened the door, and was shocked at discovering a vast quantity of flaniesoind smoke issuing from the room where Mrs. Reading seas, a passage being between ; I was incapable of proceeding, and throwing up the window, called for assistance, and Mr. Lloyd, a neighbour, brought a sack, upon which 1 jumped. and received no injury; subsequent to this the shutters of the room in which my two children slept were burst open, and they were fortunately and providentially preserved; I did not ste Mrs. Read. ing after I heard her scream : she must have ran out of the house. By the jury—At the time the fire broke out the only persons in the house were myself and two children, Mrs. Reading, and the three unfortunate Innocents who have perished, and who had been put to bed previously in a room on the first floor ; Mrs. Reading is an excellent character, and remarkably fond of her family ; the room in which the Inc broke out Mr. Reading does his business in, and I observed a quantity cf glazed paper about it on the Monday evening. He uses a quantity of turpentine in his business. Mr. Chinnock, surgeon, of alichaers.place, Brompton—l was attending a patient ntar this house on Monday evening when I heard the alarm of fire, and on running to the spot, I saw the unfortunate Mrs. Reading run out of the house in a blaze; several of the neighbours extinguished her apparel, but not before she was severely burnt ; I accompanied her to her sister's, and, having in some degree alleviated her sufferings, immediately returned to the scene of the catastrophe, when the witness Barnes brought out of the house one of the children, which was the little girl ; 1 caused its removal to a house close b y, and adopted every means to bring animation, but ineffectually; the other two children were brought out successively in an apparently lifeless state ; I had recourse to the same mode of treatment with them for a considerable time, but with the same success, the vital spark being quite extinct. The deaths were unquestionably produced by suffocation. By the request of the jury the turncock was examined, from whose evidence it appeared that he did not receive intelligence of the tire until 20 minutes before eleven o'clock, and it was s considerable time after that the water was set on, when the three houses were consumed and all the mischief done. The unfortunate Mrs. Reading, who is far advanced in pregnancy, continues in a pitiable and fluctuating state. Shc is severely and extensively burnt. She continually raves about her lost offspring, and has not been considered prudent to question her ns to the cause of the sad calamity. The jury observed that there could not be a doubt but that the fire originated from some of the inflammable paper in the room where Mrs. Reading was becoming ignited, and spreading so rapidly as to cause the injury to the poor woman's person, and the subse quent sad results. After some consultation the jury returned a verdict, " That the deceased children were suffocated by the house accidentally catching fire ; and the jury were of opinion that a great proportion of the property, it not the lives of the children might have bail saved had it not keen for the great deficiency of the water after the arrival of the en§inea." 13IRTHS. In Gower-striet, Bedford-square, the lady of D. S. Bockett, Esq. of a daughter. At Highgate.rise, Kentlsh-town, the lady of Captain Bryan Broughton, of a daughter. At Mount Elford, the lady of Capt. Curtis, It. N. of a son. At Lympstone, the lady of Capt. Moseley, of a son. At Braddon's Hill, Torquay, the lady of Major Gammen, of a daughter. AlAkscIED. Wednesday, March 31, at St. Pancras Church, by the Rev. Richard Taylor, Vicar of East Grinstead, Sunsex, %Valiant Rnope Ilbert, Esq. of Horswell House, Devon, to Augusta Jane, second daughter otJas. Somerville Fowncs, Esq. of Blecklenburgh-square. James Gillespie Graham, Esq. of Orehill, to Elizabeth Marjory, eldest daughter of the late Major John Campbell, of the 76th rcgi. ment of foot. Friday, at Hcavitree, J. Fox, Esq. of Ceme-Abbott, Dorset. shire, surgeon, to Bliss Josephine Dutton, second daughter of Mr. T. Dutton, of " Heavitree. Tuesday se'nnight, at Dartmouth, Capt. Graham Cliff, of the Mary and Anne, to Miss Bartlett, daughter of Mr. Bartlett, super visor of excise. At Bath, Robert Marsh Horaford, Esq. his Majesty's Solicitor General for the Island of Antigua, to Elizabeth Math, eldest daughter of John Maddison, Esq. of Alvington, Lincolnshire. Tuesday, at Barnes, Surrey, Crofton Croker, Esq. to Blarianne, only daughter of Francis Nicholson, Esq. of Charlottcastreet, Port land-place. DIED. At Deighton-cottage, near York, Robert Fletcher, Esq. late of the East India Mouse. At Oxwellinains, near Dunbar, Wan. Rennie Esq. At Honiton, in the 20th year of his age, Edward Dillon, eldest SOD of E. Lott, t eq. banker, M. P. for lloniton. Saturday, Mrs. William How, of the Grecian coffee-house, Strand, aged 53; and on the followirg day, Mr. William How, husband to the above, having only survived his wife a few hours, aged 61. At Stinton Grange South Side, near Warkworth, J. Fenwiek, Esq. aged 84. At llorwiek, near Burton.bi.Kendal, Ann Short, aged 102. At Birmingham Robert Smith, Esq. of the firm of Smith, Walker. and Co. of Birmingham, where he lately served the office of High Bailiff: At Doncaster-castle, Mary Fownes Luttrell, relict of the late John Fownes Luttrell, Esq. .11. P. In Lichfield, aged 74, Mary, relict of the Rev. George Parker, rector of Oddingley, Worcestershire, whose murder and the mur der of his murderer were under investigation at the late Worcester assizes. At Carlisle Mr+. Bateman, relict of the late Samuel Bateman, of Newbigginsluill, Cumberland. At Haltwhistle, aged 26, Catherine Barbara Scaife, daughter of Wm. Scaife, Esq. At Itavenstoue.hall, Leicestershire, Leonard Fosbrookc, Esq. in the 57th year of his age. In Powts-place, Great Onnond.street, in the 25th year of her age, Letitia, wife of John Donne, Esq. Tuesday, at Herne.hill, in the 73d year of his age, C. Terry, Eaq. late of Bedford-row. Monday, at his house in Montague-place, Russell-square, Wm. Henry Crowder, Esq. in his 79th year. G H- W ATRR at LONDON-BRIDGE TO MORROW. Morning 48 minutes atter 9 Afternoon 24 minutes after 10 Lannon: Printed and Published by Joon Masa, at tbe 9us- O►ncs No.l, Pickett-place,Teinple Bar.