The Sun. — London, England, 1858-09-13 00:00:00

THE NAVY. Preparations are being made at No. 1 building slip, at Sheerness, to build a new screw steam cor vette of 21 guns of heavy calibre. She is to be called the Stork. During last week some satisfactory trials were ma4e on board the training brig Nautilus, Lieut. W. B. Grant, at Plymouth, both under way and at moorings, of Capt. Kynaston's method of disengag ing boats from their ordinary tackle. This mode was reported on so strongly by Capt. Robinson, of the steam reserve at Devonport, that during their late official visit the Lords of the Admiralty ordered the quarter-boats of the Diadem to be supplied with the invention. The merchant brig Alma, Capt. Ham, from the Mediterranean, which arrived at Plymouth on Saturday . morning, reports Admiral Fremantle's fleet, six in all, standing to the southward, under canvas only, 23 miles off the Scilly Islands, on Fri day evening, at half-past 5 o'clock ; wind, S.S.W. TILE A.R311: The Commander-in-Chief reviewed the 100th Regiment at Shorncliffe on Wednesday last. At the close of the review his Royal Highness ex pressed his satisfaction at the state of discipline in which he had found the regiment, and passed a high eulogium on the loyalty of the Canadian population in raising so fine a body of men at a moment of need. Nearly the whole of the volunteers to the Roya Engineers who have been selected to proceed witl the force of Royal Sappers and Miners ordered to British Columbia have arrived at head-quarters, Brompton Barracks, Chatham, from the various companies of Engineers scattered throughout the country, in order to embark with the expedition , on Wednesday next, on board the clipper ship Thames City, 1,500 tons. The expedition, it is now decided, shall consist of 10 sergeants, 16 corporals, and about 120 Sappers, the officers at present named to accompany them being Colonel R. C- Moody, who commands the whole force, Captain J. M. Grant, Captain H. R. Luard, Lieut. A. R. Lempricre, and Lieut. 11. S. Palmer ; Assistant-Staff-Surgeon J. V. Seddall, proceeds in medicalcharge of the expedition. None but the most robust and skilful men among theßoyal Engineers have been allowed to volunteer for this service, as the work they will be called upon toperform will be not only attended with some degree of hardship, but will also re quire a great amount of skill. With this view they have been chosen from the various trades and han dicrafts of which the corps of Royal Engineers is made up. They include not only carpenters, ma sons, blacksmiths, printers, painters, and miners, but also surveyors, artists, engravers, photographers, architects, draughtsmen, &c., whose services will all be called into requisition. The pay given by the Government is on a very liberal scale, the daily pay of the Engineers in most cases having been fixed at os., in addition to which it is proposed that, as an inducement to faithful service and good conduct, each of the Royal Sappers and Miners who shall have served in British Columbia for six years, and shall have borne a good cha racter during that period, shall be presented by the Government with 60 acres of land, in addition to the amount of pension to which he may be en titled. The married men proceeding with the ex pedition are to be allowed to take their wives and families with them. Each man will be equipped with the Enfield rifle, and it is also intended to fur nish him with Colt's revolver. The stores and clothing of every description required for the expe dition will be despatchedfrom Chatham to-morrow. • On Saturday detachments of troops, selected from the depots of the Ist alai 3d battalions at Chatham, left that garrison and proceeded to Eastbourne for the purpose of undergoing a c )arse of instruction in the Enfield rifle previously to embarking for India. The recent experiments which have been made at Chatham for the purpose of testing the supe riority of the Lancaster rifle musket, as used by the corps of the Royal Engineers, over the Enfield rifle in use by the troops of the Line, having at tracted much attention, some further experiments have just been concluded at Chatham, with the view of ascertaining whether the remarkable accu racy of aim arrived at with the Lancaster rifle was not due more to the skill of the Royal Engineers than to the superiority of that description of musket. In order to put this supposition to a thorough test, eight non-commissioned officers belonging to the Royal Engineers, and a small number selected from the 2d Battalion of Infantry were chosen to fire at the targets, the range, as on former experiments, extending from 350 to 600 yards. In this instance, however, the muskets used by the two branches of the service were exchanged on the ground, the Royal Engineers taking the Enfield rifle, and the non-commissioned officers of the Line receiving the Lancaster rifled muskets from the Royal Engineers. Each man was provided with 20 rounds of ammu nition and ball. On the occasion of the former ex periments the Royal Engineers displayed a surpris ing correctness of aim in firing at the-target, the number of " points" gained by them being nearly double those made by the battalion of non-com-- missioned officers. Idthe experiments which have just been concluded the superiority of the Laneas _ ter rifle was again most decided, as in the compara tively unpractised hands of the battalion non-com missioned officers the average number of " points" made was 14.00, while with the far superior firing of the Royal Engineers only an average of 1215 points could be arrived at with the Enfield rifle. The finest practice during the experiments was that of Colour-Sergeant T. Barrow, R.E., who made the large number of 20 points out of 20 rounds, a num ber which has rarely been exceeded with the En field musket. The result of these interesting experi ments may be taken as a fair test of the value of the two descriptions of rifles used. The Royal Engi neers with the Lancaster rifle, and with practice prior to the experiments, averaged 15.88, points ; the battalion with the Enfield, and previous prac tice, averaged only 10.98 points. Again, the Royal Engineers, using the Enfield rifle, with which they had had no previous practice, made only 12.75 points, while the battalion with the Lancaster rifle, with the use of which they were comparatively un acquainted, made 14.00 points. It thus appears that, irrespective of the Lancaster rifle being the best weapon for obtaining accuracy of aim, the Royal Engineers are undoubtedly among the best marksmen in the service. It is reported that the barracks at Farley, Essex, -are to be enlarged, so as to adapt them for a cavalry depot. Last week a further draught of 1 officer and 89 rank and file left the camp at Colchester for India. On the morning of the 9th inst. the troo p shi p Octavia, with 10 officers and 426 non-commissioned officers, rank, and file, under command of Major Catty, 6th Regt., hound for Calcutta, which sailed on the morning of the 4th inst. from Gravesend, was off Vie Isle of Wight, all well, but had experi enced strong adverse winds. THE MILITIA-. On Friday the Northumberland Artillery Militia met at Tynemouth, and after the whole force were mustered they marched to the North Shields Rail way station and proceeded by special train to the old border town of Hexham, where they will un dergo 28 days' drill. At present the garrison.; at Newcastle and Tynemouth arc occupied by the Sherwood Foresters. On Friday the Newcastle and Northumberland Yeomanry Cavalry, after under going eight days' drill, were reviewed on the Town Moor, Newcastle, by Col. Bell, their commander, and by Col. Mellish, of the Sherwood Foresters. The Northumberland Light Infantry Militia, com manded by Col. fligge, are to be called up at Aln wick on the 28th ; the Durham Artillery Militia meet at Bishop Auckland on the 27th, under the command of Col. 11. Stobart. The King's Own Light Infantry (Ist Tower Hamlets Militia) has, since its embodiment in Nov. last, furnished upwards of 250 volunteeis to the line. The regiment is stationed at the Curragh Camp. The 3d Royal Lancashire Militia assembled for 21 days' training at Preston on the 7th inst., under the command of Col. J. Wilson Patten, M.P., and Aide-de-camp to the Queen, and mustered 836 men of all ranks, with 23 officers. This regiment has given upwards of 400 men to the line since the Ist of March, 1857. The Norfolk a Artillel l Militia, has assembled (400 strong) at Great Yarmouth. The West E s se x Milit ia , which has a Chelmsford f or trainin g and exercise, is at s 321 men short of the nominal strength of the muster roll -662. The Royal Nort h Lincoln Militia, quartered a t Portsmouth, are held in readiness to proceed to Ire land on being relieved by the 2d Cheshire Militia from Aldershott. GREAT FIRE IN WHITEcirArEL.--Last night (Sunday) a fire took place in the extensive range of pre mises belonging to the East London Plate and Sheet-glass Company, situate at No. 45 , Leman-street, Goodman's fields, Whitechapel. The premises in which the disaster began were two stories high, and contained a great quantity of property. Owing to the inflammable nature of the contents of the place, the flames :spread with amazing rapidity, so t te lT,t, in a few minutes the whole of the manufacturingyre viesesfbeeame enveloped in flames. The parish engines, fi e. 0. 4 0... the London Brigade, from Jeffrey-square, Well .,,l,,,:4_l_,tarse_,, re W t atling-street, Farringdon-street, and p`Ari7ast work, brit West of England engine were not succeed in getting the mastery over the flames until the warehouses and workshops were nearly destroyed. A s to t he be oltaollgin of the accident not the least information could s w med. The loss is very heavy, as the top of the workanshol which h ave with veneers and jotthi:rhvahtarfogblteivittootilos, clam has partiall y consumed, but Y iimured, a THE HEALTH AND EFFICIENCY OF THE BRITISH TROOPS IN INDIA. The following suggestions have been made by Mr. J. R. Martin to the Chairman the Court of Directors 1. It is stated by Col. Sir A. Tulloch, as the re sult of investigations in the War-office, made by desire of Mr. Sidney Herbert, that among British officers and soldiers of the Queen's and Company's armies serving in the East Indies, there occurred, from 1815 to 1855 inclusive, a total mortality, ex elusive of casualties, of about 100,000 men, " the greater portion of whose lives might have been -saved had better localities been selected for mili tary occupation in that country." 2. Dr. Burke, late Inspector-General of Hospi tals in Bengal, has stated that in the station of Secunderabad alone, during 30 years of its occu pancy by British soldiers, the cost to the State on account of loss of life amounted to £150,000, esti mating each soldier as worth £lOO. But, estimat ing the loss of life mentioned by Sir A. Tulloch at the same valuation of £lOO each man, we arrive at a loss in money of £10,000,000 sterling. 3. Then there has been enormous waste of the public funds on account of barracks and hospitals placed in stations so unhealthy that they were sub sequentty abandoned, The buildings for the Euro pean troops at Berhampore, Bengal, abandoned since 1835 on account of its unhealthiness, arc stated by the finance authorities of Calcutta to have cost since 1757 nearly £17,000,000 sterling.* Tennant declares that, up to this time, the sums expended by the East India Company for the accommodation of their European troops, " if laid out at the com pound interest of the country, would, at a determi nate period, not very remote, have equalled the national debt." 4. Looking to these enormous sums, often abso lutely worse than wasted, of what account in the comparison has been the cost of the medical esta blishment of India ? how truly saving of the public revenues must be a well-ordered and well directed and a well-contented medical corps. In truth, the importance of an efficient medi cal establishment is so great_that we cannot put a money value on it. 5. As regards the preservation of European health in India, and indeed in all tropical climates, the due selection of locality is the first considera tion ; and next in importance stands the structural arrangements in barracks and hospitals. 6. As to barracks, provided the site be of suffi cient elevation, well cleared, drained, and levelled, with a good water supply, the material need not, I think, be of a costly character—well-constructed huts for the accommodation of 10 or 12 men forming a good protection against the inclemencies of wea ther. Such simple and cheap structures will, I believe, prove more conducive to the health of the European soldier in the mountain ranges of India than the most costly barrack, and the same may be said of hospital-huts for the reception of the same number of men—viz., 10 or 12. In stations on the arid hot plains of India the same structures would answer well ; but if large brick-built barracks and hospitals be preferred, they should be very spacious, double-roofed, and raised on arches. 7. The considerations involved in the subject of the last paragraph are of the utmost importance, whether viewed in a sanitary or financial light ; and the subject has hitherto been altogether neglected in locating troops in most of our foreign possessions ; although our experience in all our European campaigns have demonstrated that the soldiers who were hutted fared well, while such as were massed in barracks and general hospitals perished at enormous rates. 8. This experience has been universally accord ant, whether the climate was hot or cold, whether our men were serving in Holland or in the Crimea. 9. The Irish sufferers from typhus during the famine who were massed in workhouses and hospi tals perished in enormous numbers, whereas those who were thrown alpncs the roads and under the hedges recovered in goodly proportions ; of so much more avail is pure air towards tnc restoration of health than a fine building. The thorough ventir lation through the openings and crevices of huts supplies the sick with what they don't obtain in our ill-constructed barracks and hospitals—namely, pure air. 10. They were not palaces that were constructed by order of Sir C. Metcalfe on the mountains of Jamaica, but a substantial form of hut, which, on a pure and elevated soil, was all that was required. Buildings such as those just referred to, constructed of the most ordinary materials, have been found to assure health, while Indian experiences prove that costliness of material and splendour of structure, apart from a good locality, will not prevent disease. 11. From the importance of determining the true physical characters, and the exact medical topo graphy of all the mountain ranges throughout India—especially of those situated in provinces in which it is desirable that British troops may reside —has now become imperative. European soldiers cannot maintain health or vigour in the plain.;, and the selection of suitable mountain stations has be come more than ever a State necessity. 15. The experiences of the Himalaya positions, of those of the Ncilgherry mountains, and of those of Ceylon, as sanitary stations, prove that by resi dence on their respective elevations the European is removed greatly above the range of the malarious fevers of India. But while this great and valuable fact is admitted, it is undoubtedly true that lie is, in too many instances, carried into the range of another class of diseases—namely that of bowel complaints. Thi.; circumstance has been found in various of our mountain positions to constitute a serious drawback from the otherwise great benefits derived from a residence in them. 13. Another disadvantage of the hill stations hitherto occupied by us in the East Indies was no ticed by me when serving in Bengal—namely, that while the hill climates arc permanently serviceable against the malarious fevers of the country, their influences in conducing to the cure of these and other diseases is limited in extent : the soldier being troubled with relapses of his disorders on descend ing into the plains unless he is kept in the hills for a long time. The mountain ranges, therefore, which have hitherto been occupied by Europeans stand forth as possessing climates preservative against fevers, and as such we must improve them, and use them wherever required. 14. When, on the other hand, we find the British soldier lingering under chronic or structural dis eases contracted on the plains, a removal to the sea board, or to an insular sanitarium, or, still better, to England, will be found the only effective means of restoration ; and this last resource of medicine should never be denied to him, for the climate of the mountains, invaluable in prevention, will not cure disease. • 15. Referring to what has been stated in para graph 12, how arc we to escape from the admitted evils hitherto experienced in the very high positions occupied by us ? Where and how are we to obtain that amount of elevation which, while it removes the European out of the range of malarious fevers, may not place him in that of an exhausting and dangerous diarrlnva ? This is the great desidera tum—one hitherto unascertained, because unsought for ; yet no examinations which may fall short of ascertaining this desired medium elevation can be deemed satisfactory of our sanitary wants. 16. In the climates of yellow fever an elevation of 2,500 feet is found sufficient to remove the Euro pean from the locality of pestilence, without placing him in that of bowel disorders ; and in the mountain stations of Jamaica the mortality among British soldiers is found to exceed but little, if at all, that of the same class of men in the United Kingdom.. • 17. Let us, then, have a series of careful and scientific examinations, by competent persons, of the lower and medium ranges of hills throughout India, in order that the great sanitary problem may be solved in a conclusive manner—namely, the providing a place of resort for our European troops which shall be alike free from malarious fevers and from disorders of the bowels. That such procur able perseveringlylelocali ties arc to be found in the East , as they have beeniitlie s l o V u e g s h t, t i f s or m . y belief, and let them 18. Let th e solitary plains—be so ugh t, and carefully examined ; they give excellen c i es peculiar to Lastly, let the re b e each of . emse Cs. appointedthe Ind for cies, duties of the army, a t a medical officer of health an officer of scien tific attainments and of rank, who shall be attached to the quartermaster-general's department ; shall thus add to the department of milit ar y topo graphy that of medical topography. The medical officer of health should preserve in his office, for the use of the scientific persons concerned, plans and models of the best barracks and hospitals which may be from time to time approved by the military powers of Europe, in order that the most recent improvements may be rendered available wherever buildings of the nature indicated may be found Thenecessary. du t ies of the medical officer of health should be, in peace, to e xam i ne an d report on all sites and on the condition of camps, temporary military sta tions and cantonments, on convalescent stations and sanitaria, on mountain ranges suitable for troops, a nd on solitary mountains and their capabiliti es , on the plans and structure of barracks and hospitals, and on everything relating to the health and com fort of the soldier. In war he should be attached to the quarter master-general in the field, and be always in advance with this officer, so as to master the medical topography of the scene of action ; and, where military - reasons of imperative necessity clipat9s2rr iate Tighleace 91 • EQS sity do not overrule sanitary considerations, the ad vice and opinion of the medical officer of health should be received on 'the sites of camps, whether temporary or permanent, and on all matters having reference to the sanitary condition of the camp. In a recent report to her Majesty by a Royal com mission, of which I was ;a member, and which was ordered to inquire into the orOnisation, govern ment, and direction of the medical department of the British army, the appointment of a medical offi cer of health, as long recommended by me for the service of the Indian army, was strongly urged upon her Majesty's attention, with a view to the great benefits to be expected from the services of such an officer. J. R. MARTIN. Grosvenor-street, London, Aug. 12, 1857. THE FALL OF •A TUNNEL ON THE HAMPSTEAD RAILWAY, The following, from the Observer, is a fuller ac count of the falling hi of the railway tunnel at Hampstead, as noticed in our paper of Saturday : The Hampstead Junction Railway joins the North London Railway at Camden-town, where the latter crosses the Kentish-town-road, and passes on arches by means of an excessive curve in a nor therly direction, over the Hawley and Hartland- roads, passing close to the St. Pancras Almshouses and tho Governesses' Asylum, on the western• side of the hamlet of Kentish-town, until it reaches Gordon House-lane, where the arches r 3 substi tuted by an, embankment on another sore .e curve in a westerly direction towards Hampstead. At this point the line enters a cutting at the foot of the spot well known as Parliament-hill, passing onward still in a westerly direction between the lowest of the Hampstead Ponds and Pond-street. After reaching this point the cutting gradually deepens until it arrives near the Hampstead-road, at a point between Downshire-hill and the George public-house. At this point a tunnel was being constructed, and was intended to run under the Rosslyn estate, near Rosslyn House, and that which is known as the " Conduit-fields," terminating near the Finchley-road, a distance of about three-quar ters of a mile. The works of the line are of such magnitude, and of such a character, that they have been let to several contractors. Mr. -George Berkeley, of 24, Great George-street, Westminster, and - who, we believe, was formerly connected with the establishment of Mr. Robert Stephenson, is the engineer ; and the original contractor for the con struction of that portion of the line of which the Hampstead Tunnel forms part was Mr. Thomas Heaton, who died shortly after the works were commenced, in consequence of which the contract was taken up by Messrs. Oliver, Banks, and Bar ton, contractors, stated to be well acquainted with such description of work. On sinking the original shaft for the tunnel, in one portion of the conduit field an attempt was made to sink a shaft known as No. 3 shaft ; but in consequence of the vast amount of water met with, it was abandoned, and a second No. 3 shaft was sunk, which proved •comparatively dry, and the works proceeded. It must be premised that the strength of the tunnel, as specified in the contract, was that the arches should be turned—that is, the roof of the tunnel should consist of seven rings of brick work; but there was, as we understand, no stipulation as to whether the brick-work should be set in Portland cement or mortar, the fat ter being used throughout. Notwithstanding the geological difficulties which the engineer, as well as the contractors, were aware they would have to contend with in passing beneath the con duit field within fifty feet of a conduit arising from natural springs, and which has been one of the main sources of water supply to the town or village of Hampstead for centuries, the works progressed favourably till Sunday week, when the continued crackings of the timber supports, as well as the brickwork of the crown of the tunnel between Nos. 3 and 4 shafts, gave indication that something was wrong. This was the more apparent when, through the apertures created by the cracking and falling down of the brickwork, water and quicksand rushed in in large quantities. Notwithstanding that it was Sunday, Messrs. Oliver and Co., the contrac tors, succeeded in getting a gang of from forty to fifty of their men together, and commenced a more secure shoring of the tunnel in the dangerous part. These proceedings had scarcely commenced when a large mass of the brickwork of-the tunnel fell in with a loud noise, being completely crushed down by the superincumbent weight of the earth above. At this moment the' s were upwards of forty men at work in the tunnel, ranged across fixing-up supports, and the several narrow escapes they had are de scribed by some of them engaged as truly extraor dinary. After the first mama of the tunnel gave way the brickwork came crushing in yard by yard, and. it did so the men receded gradually, until at last they were successful in getting up their bear ings and supports so as to stop its further progress. This, however, was not effected till something like eighteen lengths of brickwork, of eleven feet each, giving a gross amount of very nearly 200 feet, had, together with the earth above, fallen in and com pletely closed up the tunnel, thus destroying in a few minutes the labour of months. Some idea of the immense mass which fell may be conceived when it is stated that from the surface of the ground to the basement of the tunnel is 130 feet, and the height of the tunnel 29 feet, so that the actual amount of earth which came down, crushing the brickwork beneath it amounted to many thousand tons. Oil the surface of the ground,just between Nos. 3 and 4 shafts, was erected an engine-house with a shaft and machinery for working the tunnel, and lifting earth and other materials' after blasting operations, which has been in a great measure the mode adopted in making this tunnel. When the fall took place it carried with it the engine-house and machinery as well as the shaft, and these premises present a most singular appearance. The entire ground for the distance mentioned has • sunk from the surface, a depth of some fifteen or twenty feet, and - Una engine house has fallen over and leans against the sides of the field ; but the chimney or shaft, which was about thirty feet high, stands perfectly perpendi cular, as it did previously, its height above the sur face being, however, diminished to the extent of the depth of the ground its foundation has de scended. The soil generally throughout the cutting, and in the tunnel, was what is termed loamy clay ; but for some clays prior to the occurrence it had been observed that the workmen were coming upon gravel, which is said to be a sure indication that there was water in the vicinity. The question of responsibility now arises, and various statements and conjectures are afloat as to who will have to bear the loss, which, when time and labour is taken into consideration, is estimated at very little short of £20,000. From all that can be gleaned upon this point it appears that the con tractors had carried out the works to the satisfac tion of the engineer, who had duly certified to their having been properly performed. If such be the case then the company will have to bear the ex pense of the occurrence ; but there are, it is said, very great doubts as to whether proper precautions were taken by those who had the control of the. works, and who were of course supposed.to,be fully acquainted with the character of the ground through which the tunnel was to pass. By some of the other contractors it is asserted that in such a case, and as soon as the indications of water and shifting sand appeared, instead of continuing the arch of the tunnel with seven rings of brickwork, there ought at least to have been nine rings put in, and that Portland cement, instead of mortar, should have been used. With a view to enable the company to arrive at a proper conclusion, on Friday last the works. were inspected by Mr. Robert Stephenson, the celebrated engineer, accompanied by Mr. G. Berkeley and several other railway engineers of eminence, the result of which is an opinion that the works are more seriously damaged than was originally anticipated, and it was determined as one course of proceeding to re-let the wcoint are contract. There is, however, another, and still more im portant question involved i n the affair. It is stated p that a b n y t their ed fr o actfrom interfering of parliament in a n t , h , e company way surface of the land, for the purposes of their rail wayp ed beenand i t n h t e r ° F a j u n :e h:3, a - t -10 ad , s b b e y tw a ee e n lau t s h e e said Hampstead to l the instance of Sir Thom as Mar y on Wilson, as Lord of the Manor, as the point where the tunnel emerges on the west is close to that which Sir Thomas Wilson has been so long endeavouring to appropriate for building purpos es. A cuttin g through the conduit field, in lieu of a tunnel, is therefore impossible, and it is even doubted whether it will not be necessary to alter the line, and to apply to Parliament next session for an amended act, empoWering the company to make a deviation from its present course. The entire length of the Hampstead Junction Railway will be, when completed, a little over five miles, and it will, by means of the North London Railway, unite in a more direct manner than at present exists, the Great Western, North Western, and Eastern Counties with the Blackwall and Dock Junction lines, being, it is expected, a good line for the conveyance of merchandise, as well as afford for City people, whose residences are in the north western suburbs, an easy mode of transit to and from their business daily. At present the Hamp stead Junction Railway Company is a distinct and independent company, but it is stated that so soon as the line is completed it will be handed over to the Lenciu and s94lA Western Cvmpany, lylio will rnE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 13, 1858. work it in conjunction with the North London line. What refideii the escape of the 'Men the mote -1 miraculous is, that in the tunnel works they all have to labour with candles, and when the fall took place nearly every one of them, by the sudden pressure of air, was extinguished. In the' momen tary consternation it was sadly feared that some of the workmen might have been buried, but on the muster roll being called every man answered. With respect to the conduit field, which now ex hibits in its centre and upper part a gap, as if there had been an earthquake, the visitors to Hampstead by the western side from the Chalcot-villas and over the mouth of the North Western Railway tunnel, will recognise it as the second field beyond the enclosure, known as Bellsize Park, formerly the residence of Mr. Wright, the unfortunate banker of Henrietta-street, Covent-garden, and rendered notorious for being the place selected by Hocker for the murder of Delarue some years since. In the centre of this field stands a bricked conduit or well, which is always plentifully supplied with very beau tiful water, derived from a natural spring. About 50 feet beyond this ran the tunnel which has fallen in, and great apprehension exists among the in habitants that the occurrence may have damaged the spring, and may prevent themhaving their water supply. This, however, proves not to be the case. It is believed that there is a further consultation abmil to be held amongst several eminent engineers as to the best course to be adopted in carryi n g out the future works with as little delay as possible. TILE RAILWAY ACCIDENT AT LOSTOCK JUNCTION. " One of the Excursionists" writes to the Allan chester Guardian as follows " On our journey from Southport to Lostock, it appeared to me that we travelled slower than I had anticipated, and I , feared that we were not going to reach Lostock until near the time at which the ordinary passenger train from Manchester to Preston was due, and that if we had to shunt before it came up, there might be less time than was desirable. On reaching Lostock, the train was brought to a standstill between the ticket office and the inn, on the south side of the line on the Wigan and Southport branch. Here the tickets were collected, the engine being then nearly oppo site to the station-master's house. From this house and the station there is an incline towards the shunts, which are on the Bolton side, the ground and rails falling towards Bolton. It appears to be customary at this station, when a train is to be shunted from the Preston and Choricy branch on to the Wigan and Southport branch, or from the latter to thq. former, to do it in the following manner:—After the train was fairly got on to the incline, the engine and tender arc detached from it, run on rapidly before, leaviit . the train to move on dawn the incline by its own weight and acquiredmo menturn. After the engine has left the train a consider able distance, and passed the shunts, it is reversed, driven rapidly back; and by . means of the shunts, regulated. by the point s man, passed on to the other line before the train has reached the shunts. The train is allowed to move on by its own gravity down the incline until• the last carriage has passed the shunts; the'Vagine Which has been waiting on the other line is then brought down-after it, attached to what was previously the last carriage, but which then becomes the first ; and the train is then, by means of the engine and the shunts, brought on to the other line, and proceeds on its journey to its destination. " In the present instance the station-master ap pears to have ordered or allowed the train to move on to the incline before the tickets had all been col lected.. The guard being, I believe, engaged in the collection of tickets, did - not reach his van to apply the break soon enough to moderate the descent of the train. Perhaps the engine and tender were not detached sufficiently soon, or' perhaps the engine was - not reversed soon enough after passing the shunts. Whether from the first, second, or third of these causes, or two or all of them combined, it is perhaps 'impossible to say; but certain it is the train came down a second or two too soon for the engine to get out of its way,. and was met by the engine right in the middle of the shunt, and struck on the right side by the left hand' buffer of the en gine. ; The shoCk of the :Collision smashed and upset the guard's van.and the next succeeding carriage, and shook the train from-end to end. The engine driver immediately turned off the steam, and the excursionists rushed out of the carriages in confu sion and dismay, tumbling over everything that came in their way, in the dark. The railway offi cials rushed_ to the overturned carriages, and the bruised and terrified inmates were in a few minutes dragged out through the windows ; and when tie extent of the misfortune had been made known, the excitement a little subsided. The wounded were attended to by the railway officials personally, as well as circumstances would permit ; but I was sur prised that they remained at Losteck about' three ' hours, and no medical advice was procured. " I must say, in conclusion, that I think the above method of shunting decidedly objectionable. It is too much of a game of - chance, dependin7 upon the judgment, calculation, and expert manipulation of the officials in calculating the power of self . continuing motion of the train, in detaching the engine, applying the brake, reversing the engine, putting on the steam, &e., where a second too early in the case of the train, or too late in the ease of the engine, renders an accident inevitable."' THE BOILER EXPLOSION NEAR LEEDS. (From the Leeds Jferoury.) On Friday morning, at ten o'clock, the inquest upon the bodies of the four unfortunate persons killed by the explosion at a woollen factory at Gildersome, near Leeds, was resumed by Mr. Jewison, the coroner, at Gildersome. The names of the jurors having been called over, the following witnesses were examined : Mr. Samuel Almond—l am a cloth manufacturer, and reside at Gildersome. John Bradley, Sarah gton, and Alice Wright, the Halliday, Geo. Woffin deceased, worked for me. Bradley was the fireman, Halliday and Wright were weavers, and Woffing ton a piccer. These four persons were all killed by the explosion on Saturday morning. I do not know the cause of the explosion. Bradley had only worked for me since th e M o nday previous. He seemed to be, a compete n t man . 1 as k e d him questions affecting engines, a n d h e seeme d to have a good knowledge of' them. He had previously been with Mr. Nowell for about a year, and had managed an engine before. I. gave him 15s. per week. My engine had - been running all Friday night. My son, Edward Almond, who is 24 years old, attended to the engine on Friday night from 8 or 9 o'clock to half-past 1 or 2, and my son James, 27 years old,. from the latter time until Bradley came, at about a quarter to five o'clock. The explosion occurred about . a quarter or twenty past six on Saturday morning. There were both a steam-guage and a water-guage attached to the boiler, which were fixed new with the boiler. For anything I know they were in good order. The boiler was 16 horse-power, and my orders were that it shquld not be worked at a pressure greater than .351bs. to the square inch. It would run the mill and rag machine comfortably at that. The boiler. was made by Messrs. Bennett and Bratt, of Batley Carr, about 14 months ago, the agreement being that it should be constructed of the best Low Moor iron. I examined to see if I could find the Low Moor Company's mark upon it, and I could not — either inside or outside. I' asked the boiler makers when they brought it if it was Low Moor iron, and they positively said it was, and so I did not make further inquiries. The boiler makers said it would bear any pressure up to nearly 1001bs. per inch. I have not examined the plates to see if they were heated. • A man named James' Stead had fired for me before.. Bradley. My son Edward was injured by the explosion, and is unable to attend the in quest. • Mr. J. Almond, son of the last witness, deposed that he was in partnership with his father and his brother Edward, as woollen cloth manufacturers, at Gildersome. He had charge of the engine on Satur day morning, from 12 or 1 o'clock down - to 10 mi nutes to five, when he was relieved by the deceased Bradley. According to the steam-guage, he had been working during the night at a pressure of 151bs. to the square inch. They had only had the rag machine at work during the night. When he left he examined the boiler, and found it contained 6 or 7 inches of water which• was the height at which they generally ran. He had no idea of the cause of the explosion. John Grepon, an overlooker at the mill, whose foot was injured by the accident, stated that he reached the mill about five minutes past six, and got the machinery into operation. Everything then seemed to be in proper order. The engine was running. H e was standing betwixt the mill and the weaving room, loadint, a cart, when the accident occurred. He assisted to remove the in jured. The first he found was Jane-Collinson, who was injured". His own' daughter was taken out much hurt, and had since died. He removed four persons—two killed and two injured. The boiler was cleaned every month or five weeks. He had never seen the engine run at a greater pressure than 401b5., and that only once or twice at excep tional times, when they were trying the amount of steam required to work the rag machine. He had not been in the engine or boiler house that morn ing, and did not know the cause of the accident. John Stead, millwright and engineer, saki he had examined the boiler m que§tion, ¶hick he On 20 minutes after the catastrophe. Part of it had been carried from Mr. Almond's mill into the field oppo site: In his opinion the boiler plates at the top of the flue over the fire box had been overheated and made red hot. He was quite sure of that, because they presented that colour which would be pro duced by heated iron having water thrown upon it. The water would be immediately converted into steam, and there not being sufficient means for its escape, an explosion would be the consequence. He could not form an opinion of what pressure the engine had been working at. The boiler was not made of Low Moor iron, nor was the fire box. It would have burst if it had been made of Low Moor iron, and, in his opinion, the damage in that case would have been greater. The boiler could have been safely worked at a pressure of 401bs. ; it would even have borne with safety a pressure of 601bs. to the inch, and 801bs. before it would have burst. Six or seven inches of water would evaporate in abou three•quarters of an hour. By a Juror—The safety valve had been used before it was fixed in the boiler, but he could . not say it was any worse for that. Mr. C. H. Holt, engineer to the Huddersfield Dis trict Association for the Prevention of Boiler Ex plosions, deposed that he examined the exploded boiler on Wednesday last. He found it 18 feet 2 inches long by 5 feet 6 inches in diameter. He examined the collapsed flue, and found nothing which would justify him in stating that it had been overheated, and he was decidedly of opinion that it had not been red hot. He also examined the flue internally, and found there no indication of its hav ing been red hot. He found soot on the top of the fire-box in several places, and also at the back end of the flue. Had the plates been red hot, that could not have been there. He examined the flue, which was fully one inch oval at the fire - box end, where it apparently had not been disturbed. This would materially weaken the strength of the flue, and his decided opinion was that the boiler had collapsed from over pressure. The jury, after consulting together for about a quarter of an hour, returned a verdict to the effect, that the " deceased were accidentally killed by the explosion of a steam boiler, but from what cause the said boiler exploded there was no positive evi dence to show." THE DISTRESSING FATALITY AT WOLVERHAMPTON. On Friday Mr. W. H. Phillips, deputy coroner, opened the inquest, at the Fighting Cocks Inn, at Blakcnall, on the body of the young girl Emma Griffiths, who, under the distressing circumstances already recorded, threw herself down an old coal- pit shaft near the above-named inn on Wednesda Last. The following evidence was given : Sophia Harper, wife of Joseph - Harper, collier, had known deceased four months ; she was about fifteen years of age, and had been living as servant of all work at the beer-house of William Traunter, at Blakenall. Traunter was also a collier. Deceased always appeared in her right mind. Witness saw deceased last on Tuesday morning, when her mother sent for her and asked if her daughter had been sleeping in her (witness's) house. Witness replied that she had not. Deceased was then cry ing, and appeared much distressed. Witness went with the jury and identified the body, which the jury remarked appeared that of a " mere child." William Cartwright, a blast furnaceman, deposed that at about 11 o'clock on Wednesday morning he saw the deceased running up the road leading from Penn to Bilston. Her father was then 20 yards behind her. When she came to Dainty's garden, without speaking a word, she turned along a by road leading to the Cockshut engine, ran up the bank which surrounded the pit, which is about six feet from the path and 20 yards from the turnpike road. She flew to the pit like a bird, and rolled over the wooden protection around the pit on her side. Witness was quite sure that the deceased did it wilfully. [Here the Coroner and jury proceeded to the pit in question. The 'shaft was protected with some stout oak planking, reaching up about three feet from the ground. It was evident that the suicide must have been the result of much deliberation.] Examination continued—Witness heard the de ceased fall upon the scaffolding, which was 69 yards from the mouth of the shaft. _ _ Joseph Elwell, eugineman in Messrs. Poole's field, deposed that some one came to him and said that a girl had thrown herself down a pit. He went to the spot, and was let down by a rope. He went down three times, and dragged for her through the :30 feet of foul air; at last he got air-troughs which cleared the shaft to within nine yards of the scaffold. Through that he went down to the. scaf fold, where he brought her up. He considered that , the pit was properly fenced. John Griffiths, collier, living in Traunter's-yard, Dudley-road, deposed that he was the father of the deceased, who was fifteen years and four months old. She had been living at service at the house of William Traunter, who lived by him (the father), and had been there about six months. She came home on Sunday morning ; and when he got home the girl was in bed. He asked her what brought - her home ? She said that her master had been - " pulling her about." Witness replied, " Then, my wench, I'll make an example of him." She was then very much agitated, and then, and on Mon day and Tuesday the sight of a man seemed to frighten her. On Tuesday, she went to her aunt •at Willenhall, and told her how her master had been treating her. He instructed her to meet him at the magistrate's clerk's office. She failed to do so, and when he went home at night he found her in bed. He asked her why she did not meet him ? She said, " Father, I was ashamed ; I am very bad." She had not taken off her clothes since she had been home. He said, "My wench, it's no use for you to deceive me, for to-morrow I will take you to a surgeon's, and I will get a special warrant for him." : On Wednesday morning, however, he found, upon getting up, that she was gone out from home. He saw her near the Penn turnpike, and, accompanied by his little boy about 5 years old, fol lowed her at about 30 or 40 yards' distance. When she got near the Fightini , Cocks she ran towards a p't • witness then shouted out to her " Oh, my • , wench, what are you going to do ?" and sherolled herself over. He did not believe that she knew what she was about, for on the Sunday when Traunter came into the yard the deceased became dreadfully agitated, and wanted to. go out at the front window. Her mother, Who .Was now near her confinement, and who was unable to attend from premature ness brought on by this occurrence, said, "My poor . wench, what .as the matter ?" Deceaeed had not' then told her mother all that she afterwards re-. vcaled. The Coroner inquired whether on any previous Occasion the deceased had come home and com-, plaincd of ill-treatment ? Witness said she had not, but when he put the question to her respecting Traunter's previous conduct, she Said that he had " pulled her about, before," but .hadlieVer " served her so bad as on' Sunday morning:" lle (witness) was able to say a great deal More about that, but he supposed that' it was not necessary there. He, however, hoped, that he should be able to punish .Traunter. • The Coroner said he had no power to interfere . with that, but he , shonld'recommend him to go to a• solicitor and take hiS "advice ; and he (the Coroner)`. sincerely hoped that he -(the father) might succeed. in prosecuting Traunter, • If all was true that the father had 'Stated, he (Traunter) richly deserved to be severely punished. The father said that he was a poor man, and had no money, but he would put himself to the utmost inconvenience to prosecute him. He could not, however, tell how he should be able to find the means of doing so. - • Police-constable James Hosley and another offi cer, on the instruction of the Coroner, examined the body, and returning said that the leg was cut through the bone at the knee. The right shoulder -was dreadfully broken, the left wrist was broken, and there were other injuries. The Coroner then said that although- it was not, ecessary to the ease, as' it appeared before the jury, yet as the father expressed himself unable, through poverty, to call in professional help, he thought that the jury would concede with him that it would be well to have the body exas mined-by a surgeon, and adjourn the inquest for - that purpose. The jury warmly apprOved of the suggestion, and expressed themselves in strong terms upon the supposed conduct of Traunter, who they said, was known as Traunter;the fighter.' The inquest was then adjourned till Wednesday next, to afford time for the post mortem exami nation. The Coroner'told the father that if he could do anything more for him in bringing Traunter to justice he should be glad to do so. • [ADVERTISEMENT.] —Holloway's Pills and Oint ment. —These medicines have obtained a celebrity and an amount of sale in all parts of the world, which must be taken as a sufficient proof that their virtues are not exagge rated. They have stood the test of a quarterof a eentury,and during all that period there has not been a single charge brought publicly against them. No one has complained that they have done harm instead of good. No invalid, after a'fair trial, has found therd fail to relie re his pain or cure his disease. In all cutaneous disorders, especially, the com bined action of the ointment and the pills is absolutely irre sistible. The cure is not temporary or superficial, but cern_ Ado Wig rcrlunelat, DR. LIVINGSTONE'S EXP.EDITIOA" (From, the Ceylon. Observer of July 24.) The long-expected Pearl is at length in our road stead, and will, we imagine, speedily visit the northern and eastern divisions of the island. She is a fine model of a 'steamer, and some of our readers may be glad to see reproduced the following de scription, which appeared in our columns some months ago : The length of the vessel is 145 feet at the keel and 160 feet on the upper deck ; her breadth 24 feet and her depth 11 3 / 4 feet. Her tonnage is 448 by the old or builder's rule ; her gross register tonnage 335, and net register tonnage 267. She has direct acting engines of 70 horse-power ; and on her trial she accomplished the rate of nine knots an hour. Her outfit will include 12 sleeping places, bedding, all appropriate cabin furniture both in Saloon -and in the state rooms, services for breakfast, dinner, and tea, together with nautical arid optician's stores, suds as compasses, spy glass;_barometer, -and such other articles, the whole to be included in the price of the vessel. A supply of the compo sition for preserving iron—the same . its that whieh is used in her Majesty's navy—will likewise be secured. To the courtesy of Capt. Duncan, the commander of the Pearl, we arc indebted for the following nar rative of the proceedings of the great African ex plorer,. Dr:Livingstone, up to the period at which the Pearl finally parted from the Ma Robert (the name of the iron launch) at the mouth of the Zam besi : The Pearl left Simon's Bay on May the Ist, and arrived off the mouths of the Zambesi on the 13th, waited for fine weather till the 15th, and then ran in over the bar of West Luaho river, the doctor having chosen this mouth of the Zambesi on account of its clear and safe bar passage, and from the reported safety of its channel. We found the West Luaho three-quarters of a mile wide at the mouth, and from the volume of water it sends out, the conclusion was at once arrived at, it must communicate with the main stream of the Zambesi, so we set to work, and on the afternoon of the 16th the steam launch (which the Pearl carried on deck) floated alongside. Three days were employed in getting her put in working order, and in the meantime the bar was surveyed by Mr. Skead, Government surveyor for Cape Colony. The rank and luxuriant vegetation of the banks was laid under contribution by the botanist ; the geologist searched in vain for a single stone on which to try his ham mer, and the idlers hunted hippopotami with indifferent success. On May,2oth we started up the river, leavinc , the fresh sea breeze of the entrance, with its clean sand banks, covered with glittering mica scales—to Fish our way . cautiously between close and heavy mangrove woods, growing on mud banks; whose filthy, sickening, green slime looked strangely suggestive of fever. The woods were noisy with the discordant screaming of many birds. Alligators stretched on the mud slid lazily into the water on our approach, and the flocks of geese, cranes, ducks, &e., would rise from the low islets at no hint less gentle than a volley of small arms. Now and then a solitary canoe would be seen escaping hastily under cover of the mangroves ; traces of huts were visible anywhere, and everything looked as if the river had been little visited before. The channel was very tortuous and narrowing gradually till at last I found it by measurement less in width by three yards than the length of the Pearl, so I declined going any farther till we were sure that there was a passage through. The steam launch was sent ahead to examine, and came back LW - day with the information that "the river ended in bulrushes some 20 miles further." Turned next day to come back, the steam launch trying a branch we had passed in hopes of still finding a channel, but with no better success. On May 30 the Pearl crossed the bar again, and ran down to East Luaho, followed by H.M.S. Hermes, to assist if the Pearl got into difficulties. For three days we searched in win for a practicable pas sage.over the Bar. Dr. Livingstone and Mr. Skead in the Hermes cutter, and I in a whale boat, went round in every direction, sounding as close as we dared, and fining 12 feet outside the breakers—among them nine. On June 21, after a consultation, it was determined to try the branch marked on the charts as Maindo—called by the natives Congone. Seven miles west of E. Luaho we found a clear bar and ran in easily, anchoring in 6 fathoms. The Hermes ran down to W. Luaho, where the launch still was, and brought her round. She had a severe trial on the bar, having taken the wrong passage, and got nearly swamped in the breakers. A canal or creek was found, leading from the Congone to E. Luaho, very narrow but deep, and through this creek on June 10 the Pearl ran, brushing the bulrushes on each side, and actually running among them as far as the foremast once before she could be got round a sharp turn. Just at the junction of the creek and Zambesi and as Dr. Living stone was congratulating me on getting through, she ran ashore in six feet water ; however, she was got off next day none the worse, and ran a few miles up the Great Zambesi. I estimate the width of the river as 11 miles at this place, but so full of islands that the deep channel Was very hard to find, so I thought it only wise to stop where I was till a passage was found. Dr. Livingstone and some of the party went up to Ma zeno in the launch, and Mr. Skead and I sounded in boats for a passage.. We found a bank across from side to side of the river, deepest water 11 feet. Tried among all the islands for a way to pass it in vain, so we waited till the doctor came back, and he agreed that it' would be too much risk to pass over 11 feet, with a river falling 11 inch a-day. An island 20 miles further up was chosen, and on it all the effects of the expedition were landed, and the iron house partly constructed so as to serve for a store-house, and on Saturday, June 26th,. I got my congo from Dr. Livingston and the two steamers took different routes—the Ma Robert to Expedition Island, and the Pearl down to the creek, through it, and on the 28th of June crossed the bar and started for Ceylon. The expedition does not start under such good auspices as was expected—they have a long and arduous task before them in getting their goods up to the settlement they pro pose forming above Tete, and then the real work of explor- ing commences. • The country between them and Tete is in a very disturbed state, the natives being in arms against the Portuguese, and having driven them out of Mazaro. The very day after we parted with Dr. Livingston had been pitched upon as the clay: of the Portuguese grand attack on Mazaro, and the doctor was rather uneasy about the result. However, he had communicated - with both the rebels and their quondam masters, and made friends with both . rwirtics, and he has quite tact enough to steer clear of a collision on cither.side. He has rather a formidable party with him too.. Seven Europeans and 12 Kroomen, armed with rifle, bayonet, cutlass, and revolver, cannot fail to impress the natives with the idea that they can take care of themselves, and, moreover, 120 of the doctor's old Makololo Mends with . him at Senna.. We add a copy of a characteristic letter written by one of the men on board, and which - has been placed at our disposal West Luaho River, May 28. And now I must tell you of our search for the Zambesi. The Hermes man-of-war steamer was appointed to see us over the bar, and left Si mon ' s Bay the d.ay before we did, but as she anchored at night while we pushed on, we passed her, and arrived off the bar two days before her. It was, however, blowing a gale of S.E. wind dead on shore, and we could not attempt to cross. On Saturday, May while we were heaving up our anchor to go in and have another look at the place, the Hermes made her appearance and her captain ca me on board of us. We stood in for the river together ; but, the Hermes came to about If mile from the bar, and as we understood, refused either to attempt the bar herself or to, risk her boat's crews in sounding for us, so Captain Duncan ran in without him. It was very ticklish work, but .we crossed safely at three quarter's flood, and it was found at low- water that we had hit the only safe channel. We saw no more of the Hermes. She was appointed to see us over the bar, and she certainly did, but at a very prudent distance, and she might as well have been in Portsmouth dockyard for all the use she was to us. Next day was. Sunday, but being a missionary,ship, we, of course, were not expected to pay the same-respect to it that a mere merchant ship would, so we were " turned to" to get out the launch. The fore and aft compartments were r ot out without much difficulty in the forenoon, and after dinner we began with the centre one ; we had hard work, and we wrought anxiously, for we had not been pro vided with machinery forth° purpose, it having been under stood that the heavy spars and large crew of the Hermes were to have done the work, and we knew that the failure of a single rope would deprive the doctor of his launch. But all went well ; we wrought hard for our monkey was up, and we re solved not to be beat. The Hermes had left us to our own. resources, and we were determined to do without her. We knew also that the responsibility rested with Captain Dun can, and we believed that he was taking a risk which other men had shrunk from. We did not fail him. About four o'clock she hung clear over our side, and the strain of lowering began. We watched her eagerly when we heard, the order " Let go all," and saw the last compartment drop gently in the water ; we then found our th r oats and broke forth into three such hearty cheers as the old Luaho had never heard. Our work was done, and we saw the doctor turn to our skipper and heard his emphatic " That's well done," the only words he had spoken all the afternoon and we raised one cheer more for him Next day we had a holiday to make up for the loss of our Sun day, but the Kroomen add the members of the expedition wrought:at the launch, and on Wednesday she was tried under the charge (I had almost writtten care) of a Captain Bedingfield, one of the passengers, a naval not . It civil cap tain, and she did Pretty fair about seven kno ts. On -t Thurs day we started up the river, the launch goienngsttyahetaod,geot sound for us, but having an unhappyPl about ten. into shallow water, she l ed us aground about y the details we anchored for day. I need t o h n e o'clock, and we did, not get . off for n a o b t oi gi tt v t e wo ,mt ours, when t o h f each h d a r y e - t ' lltgo_s_uffil *melepnuels,hered gro b still keeping up heart and pking on, rounding impossible launch was lucky enough to o find a ank to d le . ad u . s on, but wide as the Clyde at C ar - corners and avoiding unavoidable . shoals until the river, which at starting had been as . ross, had dwindled down to a d . itch,. an . d . on . Sunday, the 23d, we came to a place seven feet les., in width than the Pearl's length, and she laid her nose comfortably in a green field. At high water we • got off with the aid of ropes on shore ; and the Ma Robert, which had been sent ahead to sound, returned reporting that the river narr owe d an d s hoaled fes they went up.. Still hoping against hope, we put two days' provisions in-her and sent her off again with in structions to rim to dry land if necessary, but to make sure that there was no passage even for herself; if there had been we would have found some other mouth and joined her in the main stream ; but there was no outlet. She ran till she was among reeds, and then Came back like Admiral Noah's dOve. There was no help for it but down stream again, which we accomplished with much le ss t rou bl e than going u p, as, for a considerable part of the way we led the launch, instead of followino• her, and here we are at the mouth of the River, with the Hermes visible from our mastheads about three miles outside the bar, and waitinc , for us. We hear that . s h e i s t o ta k e our letters to the' Cape, so I write this to let y o u k now w h at i s d o i ng so far. I have not heard what is to be done with the launch. We cantt take her on board again without machi nery, that is certain, and how v an egg-shell like her is to get through the surf to any other mouth is a mystery to me, but I suppose if it has got to be done it will be done somehow. We are all in good health and spirits, no signs of fever among us, and we don't mean to have any ; we work under awnings and are not exposed to the sun or dew, we get a glass of quinine every morning, and if it were not for the insatiable and abhorred musquitcs would have little to growl at. As it i s we h ope t o see au ld Scotland aga i n , I say Scotland, for it is singular enough, that, even including the expedition, all on board are Scotch except five, four of whom are English and one Irish. If I have time I shall write you again before the Hermes nabs Yf don't $11.91 1 ( whether eke mew tQ lie by us or not; there is a report on board that we are to transfer Dr. Livingstone and his traps to the Hermes, and that she will land him at Quilimane we shall be sorry to part with him, for he is exceedingly civil and agreeable to us all, and evidently a fine fellow, and may all good luck go with him. FIRE AT GREENTrICH.-TWO CHIL DREN BURNT TO DEATH. Yesterday morning, shortly before four o'clock, a fire, which resulted in the death of two children— the one a girl, aged five and a half years, and the other a boy, aged one year and nine months—broke out at the residence of Mr. Roper, corn merchant, Royal-hill, Greenwich. The fire was first discovered by police-constable Haycraft, 381 R, who perceived an ususual light in the upper part of the house, and on proceeding to the shop-window and placing his hand against the shutters found that the place was in flames. He immediately raised a cry of " Fire!" and sprawg his rattle. At this moment, Mr. Roper with his wife and infant (Mrs. Roper having only been confined on Thursday last), accompanied by the nurse, in their night clothes, made their escape by the street door, and police-constable Odd, 123 R, coming up at the time, he immediately ran for the parish fire escape and engine, there being at that moment the two children above-named, and a nurse•girl, about 15 years of age, sleeping in the front attic. The flames had now gained a complete mastery' over the entire building, and although the fire escape station is not distant more than two minutes' walk, it was at least a quarter of an hour before the fire escape was brought to the spot. During this time the servant-girl of Mr. Roper, who had escaped by the attic window; remained on the roof, screaming frantically, and only kept from throwing herself into the street by an assurance that the fire escape was coming. Police-constable Abbott, 350 R, here made an attempt to enter the attic by being assisted on to the projecting shop front, but the heat was too great, and he was ob liged to abandon the attempt. The flames were now speedily encircling the girl on the roof, when Smart with his machine arrived, and having ascen ded it succeeded in bringing down the girl, but not before she had been considerably burnt about the legs and arms. Soon afterwards the roof fell in , and all hopes of saving the two children were at an end. Every exertion was therefore made to prevent the flames extending to an adjoining building, the inmates of which had to escape in a state of nudity, and the hose of the town engine having been at attached to one of the mains of the Kent Water works Company, a plentiful supply of water was obtained, by which means the fire was speedily subdued, the engine from the Southwark-bridge road, and the West. of England engine arriving in the meantime. A search was afterwards made among the ruins, and the bodies, or rather the charred remains, of the two children were found together, having fallen through from the front attic, with the bed upon which they had been sleep ing, into the shop, thus favouring the supposition that death must have resulted from suffocation. There can be little doubt but that had the escape been sooner on the spot, or other assistance by lad ders readily, available, both lives might have been saved. But this will be a point to be explained at the official investigation which will take place. The bodies were placed in a shell and removed to the premises of Mr. Musgrove, undertaker, to await an inquest. Mrs. Roper and her infant were taken to a neighbour's, where they now remain, but from the shock which she has thus sustained, ' fears are entertained as to her ultimate recovery. The cause of the fire is unknown. The premises and stock-in trade arc understood to be insured in the Kent Fire Office. COUNT.RY MARKETS. ROCHESTER-SEPT. 11. At this corn exchange to-day several new samples of white wheat were brougt forward by the farmers, but, on the whole, the quality was not so good as last week. There was a small supply. of old wheat, which was readily taken off at the prices of last market ; buyers, however, were in disposed to make sales to any great extent. The deliveries of barley are now on the increase, as the malting season is drawing on. White wheat, new, 44s to 48s Red do. 4os to 44s Old white 44s to 46s Red do. 405 to 42s Barley, malting.— 28s to 32s Barley, grinding 28s to 32s Oats, old, 12st .. —s to —s New do 9 5s to 28s Beans. 408 to 441 Peas.... 42s to Its NOTTINGHAM-SEPT. 11. There was a fair supply of wheat in our market to-day, and prices were barely the same as last week. New white samples sold at 51s and red 47s ; old white 50s, and old red 46s per qr. Not much change in the price of barley, grind ing samples being disposed of at 32s per 30 stone. There was some new malting samples at market, realising 37s to 41s per qr. -Oats 30s to 31s; and new 27s to 315 per 24 st. Beans, 50s to Ms per 38 st. YORK-SErr. 11. - - At our market there was a fair show of wheat,, and some od new samples, which sold at a reduction of is per qr. Good white sorts sold'at 48s and red at 44s per qr. Spring corn in better supply at about previous rates. Maltingbar ley realised 365, and grinding 28s to 325. Good samples of old oats were disposed of at is 4d, and new is 2d per stone. Beans 46s to 518 per qr. LEICESTER-SErT. 11 Our corn exchange to-day was again well attended, with a good supply of all kinds of grain, which.met a firm mar ket at late prices. Oats were again rather firm, and tho previous prices were taken. A little more doing in barley; some samples of new were on offer at 37 s to 40s per qr. Beans fully as dear. Wheat .44s to 46s Oats.... 3os to 36s White .47s to 49s Beans ..54s to —s Barley .30s to —s NORWICII—SEPT. 11. At to-day's market there was but little animation in the grain trade, and prices were unaltered. Fine barley sokl slowly, at late rates. Flour in favour of the seller. Other articles were without change. Averages for the week : Wheat 3,524 j qrs., at 44s 8d Barley ......... 537 „ 37s 3d ... Oats — —s Od Beans ... —s Od - It [ADVERTISEMENT.I—TIIe great injury inflicted on many invalids by drugs increases the interest the public take in Du Barry's Revalenta Arabica Food, which cures without medicine, indigestion (dyspepsia), flatulency, constipation, nervous, bilious, and liver complaints, cough, asthma, cons sumption, and debility. We quote a few out of many, thousand cases of cures by this delicious food :—Cure No. 180—" Twenty five years nervousness, constipation, indi gestion, and debility, from which I have suffered great misery, and which no medicine could remove or relieve, have been effectually cured by Du Barry's Food in a very short time. W. B. Reeves, 181, Fleet-street, London." Cure 4,208.—" Eightyears' dyspepsia, nervousness, debility with• cramps, spasms, and nausea, for which my servant had consulted the advice of many, have been effectually cured by Du Barry's health-restoring Food. I shall be happy to answer any inquiries. Rev. John W. Flavell, Ridlington. Rectory, Norfolk." From the Venerable Archdeacon of Ross.—No. 32,836.—" Three years exces sive nervousness, with pains in my neck and left arm, and general debility, which rendered my life very miserable, has been radically removed by Du Barry's health-restorini food. Alex. Stuart, Archdeacon of Ross, Skibereen.' Supported by testimonials from the celebrated Professors of Chemistry, Dr. Andrew Ure, - Dr. Harvey, Dr. Shoreland, Dr. Campbell, Dr. Gattiker, Dr. Wiurtzer, Dr. Ingram, Lord Stuart de Decies ; Major-General Thomas King, and main' other respectable persons, whose health has been restored by it, after all other means of cure had failed. Suitably packed with full instructions. In canisters, 11b. 2s. 9d. ; 21b. 4s. 6d. ; 51b. lls. ; 121 b. 225. The 121 b ca nisters are sent carriage free on receipt of a Post-office order. Barry Du Barry, & Co., 77, Regent-street, London, and through all chemists and grocers in town and country. Important caution against the fearful danger of spurious imitations : The Vice-Charicellor Sir William Page Wood granted an injunction on the 10th March, 1854, against Alfred Hooper Nevill for imitating "Da Barry's Revalenta Arabica, Food. BIRTHS. FOWLER.—On, the Bth inst., at Crookham-end,,near New bury, the wife of Commander G. C. Fowler, of a son. HAauILTON.•—On the 31st August, at Corfu, the ,wife of . Major T. de Courcy Hamilton, V.C., Major. of tricmde of a daughter. _ _ _ METCALFE.—On the sth July, at Calcutta, the wife of C. T. Metcalfe, Esq., 8.C.5., of a daughter. PAGIDN.—On the 9th inst., at Batheaston, Somersetshire, • the wife of Mr. R. Pagden, of a son. TERRY.—On the 7th inst., at 9, Circus-road, St. John's' wood, the wife of E. S. Terry, Esq., of a daughter. ARRIAGES. FOQUETTE—SOWARD.—On the Bth inst. ' at Ilfracombe, H. R. Foquette of Ilfracombe, surgeon, to Fanny P. Sowards second daughter of the late J. J. Hooper, and widow of the late J. T. Soward. GOSBELL—MILLARD. — On the Ist July, at Melbourne , George Henry, eldest son of Mr. Gosbell, of High Hol born, to Emma, second daughter of Mr. J. P. Millard, of Bath. HARRISON—TRom,psas. — On the 7th inst., at Grasmete , Capt. Arther Harrison, Royal Artillery, to Mary Eliza beth, only daughter of the late Thomas Thompson, Esq. , of Ellell, Lancaster. DEATHS. GEESIN.—On . the Bth inst., at Hastings, John Robe Geesin, of Queen Anne's Bounty-office, and of 7 ,0 9 Ashley-place; Victoria-street, Westminster aged 49. GREEN.—On the 26th Juire; from the effects of fever, ' it Beechworth, Australia, Richard, sixth son of the late Mr. Thomas Green, of •Vesterham, Kent, aged 30. KIRKES —On the Bth inst., at Moorlands, Lancaster, John Kirkes, Esq., Captain in the Ist R. L. M., aged 45. MARK.—On the 26th July last, at Ahmednuggur, of few' Lieut. Arthur Riddell Mark, of the Bombay Artillclit aged 29. . , SMITH.—On the 9th inst., T. A. Smith, Esq., aged 82. TURTON.—On the morning of the 17th August, on boa the steamer Hindostan, in the Red Sea, on his way fro m Calcutta, home, Colonel J. Turton, of the Bengal Hon e Artillery. LONDON : Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNt i , of No. 1 12 , Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, No. 11 Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the countY ° Mitliceoxf Kuslay, koptualm 13,188.