The Sun. — London, England, 1859-02-28 00:00:00

THE NAVE The flag of Admiral Sir George F. Seymour , G K.C.8., .C.H., naval Commander-in-Chief at Portsmouth, will be struck on board the Victory, 104, Capt. G. H. Seymour, C. 8., flag-ship in Ports mouth harbour, this evening at sunset. To-mor row morning the flag of Admiral. W. Bowles, C.B. hlue at the main), who succeeds him , w ill be oisted. The screw steam-ship St. Jean d'Acre, 101, Capt. P. Thompson, got up steam in Hamoaze on Satur day morning, and went into Plymouth Sound. She took a turn round Cawsand Bay and appeared to go to windward very successfully. • The screw steam-ship Nile, 90, Captain Arthur P. Wilmot, from Ireland , arrived on Saturday at - Plymouth, where the defects in her machinery will be repaired. She will be supplied with the spare boilers of the Royal Albert. The screw steam-ship Aboukir, 90, was towed up Hamoazc on Thursday, and placed in the steam reserve. _ _ Cans were placed over the topmast of the Turkish line-of-battle ship Fethia at Plymouth on Thursday. She will soon be ready for sea. The gun-boat Hind, tender to the Russell, 60, at Falmouth, arrived at Plymouth on T ursday even ing, and, having obtained some men, returned to Falmouth on Friday afternoon. Sails were bent on Saturday on board the screw steam-sloop Gannet, 11, at Plymouth. The gun-boat Grappler was taken into the basin at Plymouth on Friday morning to be fitted for the pennant. The Forward was also placed in the basin ; the Shamrock was taken out. The Asp was undocked, received her boilers, and docked again. Admiralty orders were on Saturday received at Chatham dockyard directing the launch of the line of-battle screw steamer Hood, 91 guns, to take place on the 4th May next. Her Majesty's screw steam frigate, Termagant, 25, Capt. Robert Hall, was inspected at Spithead on Saturday by Admiral Sir George F. Seymour, and her crew paid advance of wages. Capt. A. F. Kynaston has been ordered by the Admiralty to fit the screw steam frigate Termagant with his lifeboat hooks. • ---- ----- The following appointments were made on Sa turday at the Admiralty :—Capt. A. Farquhar to the Victory, as Flag Captain to Admiral Bowles ; Lieut. F. C. B. Robinson, to the Victory, as Flag Lieutenant to Admiral Bowles ; Joseph Chegwyn, Master, to be agent in charge of mails ; Valentine H. Cuming, Mate, to the Gannet ; C. B. Farquhar son, midshipman, to the Algiers; Edward M'Sorley, assistant-surgeon, to the St. Vincent ; and F. J. Fegan, paymaster, to be Secretary to Admiral Bowles. THE ARMY. The deputy adjutant-general at head quarters, Col. W. F. Forster, has recently issued the follow ing suggestions for performing the marchino-out duty to officers commanding regim en t s and depot battalions, by direction of his Royal Highness the General Commanding-in-Chief : “In marching out during the winter season commanding officers should profit as much as possible by the opportuni ties afforded to them for instructing their battalions (espe cially the young officers) on those subjects which can be more particularly and more practically explained on'oica sions of this kind than at the regular daily parades in the barrack-square or at the orderly-room examinations. " A great many officers are not even aware that it is their duty to be provided with a map of the district in which they are quartered, to study it, and to compare it with the country it embraces, so as to acquire a practical knowledge of its military features, roads, rivers, woods, hills, plains, canals, bridges, and villages, and whatever, in fact, is cal culated to assist or impede troops in offensive or defensive warfare (See "Field Exercises and Evolutions," page 313 and following.) "In order to insure the officers acquiring as much as possible of this kind of information, and for the sake of practising them in committing to writing their observations and opinions, every subaltern officer should take out with him a pencil and memorandum book, to enable him to make the necessary rough notes from which he should afterwards frame a report of all the before-mentioned subjects, and of the many others that will occur to him in the course of his march. The details of these reports will greatly depend on what is done on the march, and the above are only a few of the common particulars which are sure to be required un der the most ordinary circumstanees. When battalions practise the posting of pickets and placing of sentries, or any such kind of instruction, the whole is to be described ;„ and whenever an officer can illustrate any part of his report by , making a rough sketch, even in the margin, he is recom mended to do so. " A report of this kind cannot be too simply and too dis tinctly worded ; at the same time it should give all possible information, the more minute and exact the better. For example, the condition and width of roads should be stated, and whether practicable for artillery ; whether the country is close, open, flat, or hilly; the prevailing crops should be named ; and canals, forts, towers, and every strong ground capable of being made good military posts should be alluded to. " These reports should be sent to the commanding officer of the battalion on the morning after the march, for exami nation by himself or by one of his majors. All errors and omissions are to be pointed out and corrected, after whiola the reports are to be filed, and kept in the battalion orderly room for inspection, if asked for at any future time, and those that have particular merit, either from the talent they show or the pains bestowed 9n them, are to be sent to the brigade office. . " On these occasions of marching out the officers com manding companies are to practise their men in judging dis tances whenever the battalion halts, and each halt may be a little prolonged for this purpose if necessary. The names of the best judges of distances are to be taken down and de livered to the adjutant on the return to barracks, and such of them as deserve it may be permitted to be absent from the afternoon parade, or receive some trifling indulgence. All companies in turn are to form advanced and rear guards. "If commanding officers will take an interest in these little matters, the exercise of marching out may be made both amusing and instructive, in addition to being very conducive to the health and physical condition of the men. " In order to give the officers as much practice as pos sible, commanding officers are requested to march by a diffe rent route every time they go out. On all occasions care must be taken that there is no trespassing on property." Lieut.-Col. Sir W. Russell, Bart., M.P., who has been serving with the 7th Dragoons during the war in Oude, is expected to return home in the cou rse of April. At the request of several of the officers of the Royal - Engineers at Brompton Barracks, Captain. Norton has just completed another series of experi ments at Chatham, for the purpose of subjecting some of his inventions to a severe test, in order to prove their practical utility, his former experiments having attracted a high degree of interest among scientific persons, and the officers of the Royal Ar tillery and Royal Engineers. One of the most in teresting experiments made during these trials was that with the " liquid fire" rifle-shell, for the pur pose of demonstrating the tremendous effects which would follow from the explosion of the shell against the hull or side of a ship. In the experiments pre viously made with this " liquid fire" shell at Chatham, by Captain Norton, the shell was fired at some pieces of sacking suspended to represent the sails of a ship, and notwithstanding that the can vas was soaked through with the pouring rain that fell at the time, the whole burst out into a flame in a very short time after the shell had exploded against it. The further experiments made with this were undertaken by Captain Norton for the pur pose of proving that any line-of-battle ship, or other vessel, could be easily set on fire by firing one or more of these shells into the hull. In order to de monstrate this, some pieces of thick planking were erected at a convenient distance from the spot se lected for the firing of the shell, which Captain Norton charged with the most minute portion— certainly not more than an ordinary teaspoonful— of his " liquid fire." The shell was then placed in an ordinary large grooved rifle and fired at a short range at the deal planking, against which it ex ploded, the glass containin g the " liquid fire" im mediately bursting and scattering its contents over th e plank. The results were quite satisfactory, the planking in a very few moments bursting into flame, w hi c h burnt furiously until the plank struck was consumed. There can be no doubt that a suc cession of these shells, charged with the " liquid of l A va f r t , er w c o a u p l t d ain bu N rn or h toenr fire" poured into a man down to the water's edge. had completed his experiments with his shell h e proceeded to test another in vention of his called th e waterproof frictional ig niting cartridge. This cart ridge which, from its superiority , and extreme simpli city, is better adapted for submarine explosions than either the Voltaic battery or Pick f ord's fuze, con sists of a small indiarubber bag or casing, w hich holds a small quantity of powder, and al so a simple contrivance for igniting it by means of friction. A • cord leads front the frictional igniter within the bag, and this may be carried to any length. The waterproofbeing sunk, the slightest pull at the end will, ignite. the powder, which explodes the:large mass, again 4 which it is placed. The experiments made by Captain Norton with this frictional igniter showed the case and safety with which submarine explosions can be carricd on in any situation and at any depth. The remaining experiments made by Captain Norton were for the purpose of demon strating the action of his concussion fuze, and his frictional exploding signal, which, being attached to a cord anti secured, the grenade may be thrown the required distance, when it will explode in the face of a body of assailants. The concussion fuze is considered a very valuable missile, and has been very favourably reported on to the Government as being simple, safe, and efficacious, and well adapted for horizontal firing with high velocities. As soon as a Government commission has been appointed Capt. Norton's missiles will be subjected to a variety of tests. Reserve detachments from the corps of drivers and the battalions of Royal Artillery h ave been despatched during the past week in large numbers fiorn Woolwich to Portsmouth, Aldershot, Shorn eliffe, Shoeburyness, Devonport, Hilsea, Ballineoly, Guernsey, Do ver, . Leith, Longford, Christchurch, other' *ton§ j a. curio of 31 . 914'COMMIN • A1i91411 officers, in order to fill up to the complete war strength the 12 field batteries of Royal Artillery under orders for India. The whole of the disposable men belonging to the Woolwich division of Royal Marines were on Sa turday mustered in eommand of Col. St..cnsham in the barrack square, to witness the presentation of a silver medal and a £5 gratuity, for long service and good conduct, to James Harvey, a private in the 28th company of the division at Woolwich, who has recently disembarked from her Majesty's ship Hecla Commander Elphinstone D'O. D'A. Aplin, late on service on the coast of Africa. To facilitate the enlistment of the 5,000 men required by the corps of Royal Marines, the Lords of the Admiralty have directed that the standard for recruits shall be reduced to sft. sin. for growing lads from 18 to 20 years of age, and sft. 51in. for men over that age. THE ARMSTRONG GUN. (From the Mechanics' Magazine.) The Government are exercising unwonted care in keeping the nature of Mr. Armstrong's gun a secret. They have suppressed his application for a patent, and are about to bring a bill into Parlia ment to justify that proceeding, the Patent Law Amendment Act of 1852 making no provision for it. If we believed it possible for them to prevent foreign Governments from learning all about it we would support them in their course, and would wil lingly refrain from divulging what we know re specting it. But that is not possible. There is always plenty of French and Russian money to be had in this country , for secrets of far less import ance than this • and if there were not, we know perfectly well this; our own Government often make great pretences of secrecy to the British public,but at the same time are as communicative to foreigners as they . can desire. Knowing these things, we view all official attempts to suppress information in this country as a challenge to the press ; an d we f ee l some pride now, as on all other such occasions, in showing the British press can do as much for the British public, in the way of obtaining information, as bribery can do for foreigners. It was publicly stated last week, by a newspaper correspondent, that the secret of this gun is out, and has been for weeks ; but we have as yet met with no public de tailed description of the Armstrong gun ; and, if the writer himself had been in possession of it, he would not, we presume, have evaded it altogether. Judging from the refusals we have ourselves met with, we believe no unofficial person will have had easy access to the information in question. There are, however, means of penetrating all such barriers as a Government like ours can raise ; and the fol lowing statement will show that the precautions taken in this case have proved insufficient. Instead of being cast like ordinary cannon—or formed of several longitudinal pieces like the 1V hitworth can non—or of a hooped or wire-bound tube as proposed by Capt. Blakely, Mr. Mallet, and others—the new gun is formed of an internal steel tube, bound over with strips of rollediron laid on spirally, somewhat after the fashion of small arm barrels, the alternate strips being laid in opposite directions, so that the joints may cross each other, or, in other words, so as to " break joint." This system of construction is, of course, expensive, but it gives great strength with a very small quantity of metal. The internal steel tube is rifled in a very peculiar manner. In stead of having two, three, or four grooves, like or dinary rifled guns—or being formed with an oval bore like that employed by Mr. Lancaster, or with a polygonal bore, as in the Whitworth system—it has a large number of small grooves close to each other, no less than 40, we believe, in a gun of 21 in. bore. The shot or shell Mr. Armstrong usually makes of cast-iron, of about three diameters in length, and covers it entirely over with thin lead, so that it may readily conform itself to the rifled interior of the bore when forced forward by the explosion of the charge. Provision for loading the gun at the breech is made by cutting a slot near the breech end down from the upper side into the bore, of a sufficient length to admit the elongated projectile and the charge of powder, and of a breadth slightly greater than the diameter of the bore. The bore itself is slightly enlarged where it opens into the space formed by cutting out the slot, in order that the projectile and powder, after being lowered into the slot, may be easily pressed forward by hand or other means into the bore. In order to close the space formed by the slot after the gun is charged, a moveable breech-piece is formed to fit into it, and is furnished with two handles, by means of which it may be lifted out and dropped into its place as required. This breech-piece has fitted to its front face a facet of copper, a portion of which projects slightly, so as to form a disc which, when the breech-piece is forced a little forward, will enter the bore behind the charge, and by its expansion at the moment of explosion prevent all escape of gas. The slight forcing forward of the breech-piece is effected by means of a strong screw passing in through the extreme breech of the gun, and pressing against the rear end of the breech piece. This screwis turned by a hand lever. The fore end of the breech-piece is bored out at the centre, the bore extending through the copper disc, and into this bore is placed at the time of loading a small discharging cartridge. The "touch-hole," or hole for the detonating plug, is formed in the breech piece, passing down from its upper side into its bore; so that when the piece is to be discharged the detonating cap or plug is struck, the small dis charging cartridge is thereby fired, and its fire is instantaneously communicated to the main cart -1 ridge in the bore of the gun itself. With his shells Mr. Armstrong uses a percussion fuse of his inven tion for causing the shell to burst on striking an object, in case the striking takes place before the time-fuse has operated. This percussion fuse has been already described in our pages, but may fitly be again referred to here. In a cylindrical case within the shell Mr. Armstrong fixes a weight or striker, by means of a pin passing through it and the sides of the case. This pin is cut or broken by the shock which the projectile receives in the gun at the instant of firing, and the striker being thus liberated recedes to the rear end of the case, and there remains until the velocity of the shell is checked by coming into contact with some object. When this takes place, the striker, not participat ing in the retardation of the shell, advances in the ease, and causes a patch of detonating composition to be carried suddenly against a fixed point, which fires the composition and ignites the bursting charge in the shell. Let us now glance at some of the effects which the introduction of the Armstrong gun is likely to produce ; and, as the advantages which a light long range gun must possess as a military weapon will be pretty evident to every one, let us regard it more particularly in its relations to naval warfare. Ex periments have already shown that a 32-pounder gun, constructed upon Mr. Armstrong's system, has a greater range and fires with greater accuracy than any . gun at present in use in the navy; and yet, while the former weighs but 26cwt., the pre sent 68-pounder weighs no less than 95cwt. We may therefore at once reduce the weight of our naval guns by nearly three-fourths, without im pairing their range or aim. This would enormously increase the facility of handling them, and there fore leave us free to greatly reduce the number of men employed to work them. Again, with the breech-loading arm it would probably be found possible to get rid of the running out and in of the gun while in action, by counteracting the recoil in some suitable way ; and for this rea son, also, the number of men required to work them might be very much below the present staff. Again, both the bore and the thickness of metal of the gun being greatly reduced, the external dia meter of the gun will be so small that very small ports only would be necessary, and this would add materially to the safety of the gunners, especially in close action. Another advantage might be gained in the use of certain guns, particularly the bow chase guns, on board ship. It is always a matter of great difficulty to give such a form to the ship that the . muzzles of these may, when the guns are run out, p ro j ec t sufficiently far to carry the fire of the explosion clear of the vessel. With the sr , lon slight Arm s t rong gun this difficulty would not be experienced. But, on the other hand, the Arm strong shell is not to be compared, for destructive effect, with the round The charg e of powder shells now used in the navy. w which it contains is far too small for this. Nor penetrate thick iron does th e A rms t rong p ro j ec til e plates as sonic suppose. It is found to have but little effect up on th em , and this is why both th e French and English are just now so anx i ous f or prob probably one ernm re e a n w r r 4 _' the construction ofiron.plated ships of war, if such can be successfully devised. That the Admiralty have the 'neaps of penetrating iron plates we are prepared confidently to state ; but the Armstrong gun is not the gun they would use for the purpose. And before we conclude we would explain that there is no magic about the peculiar combination of parts which we have ex p lained in describ ing the the efficient manner in which the p ro jectile is gun. The success of th e g un de p ends solel y upon caused to fill and fit the bore of the piece. This accuracy can never be obtained in muzzle-loading. cannon. With breech-loaders , however, is not difficult to secure. Any . well-constructed breech loading cannon would give good results; although Mr. Armstrong's lead-coated projectile has un doubtedly great advantages. Whether the contact of the two metals will deteriorate the projectiles, if kept in store long, has yet to be seen. As for the Napoleon field-piece, of which the Emperor has 200 already completed for the Impe rial Guard, we do not believe it will at all ap proach the Armstrong piece in merit of any kind. It is merely a two-grooved, 4-pounder-bore piece, Witli mud Altell mg, to At Ow grooves. THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 28, 1859, DREADFUL RAILWAY ACCIDENT AT LEA3IINGTON PRIORS. THREE PERSONS KILLED. LEAMINGTON, SATURDAY. A sad and fatal accident has just occurred about half a mile from the town, on the loop line of rail way between Rugby and Leamington. The down train, which was due here at 10.25 a.m., consisted of the engine and a tender, a break-van, a second class, a mixed, and a first-class carriage, a horse box, and the guard's van. The accident hap pened just after leaving the Radford-bridge, where occurs one of those sources of danger, a double curve, somewhat like the letter S. From the statement of one of the survivors, it appears, that on reaching 150 yards from this curve some premonitory symptoms were indicated by the " jumping" of the engine, when the attention of the driver was drawn to the factthat one of the springs supporting the locomotive was broken. The steam was then let off, when the engine began to displace or break the chairs, and turn up the rails for about 50 yards. The engine, with the tender, ran off the line, down the embankment, through the fence, and embedded itself in a , ploughed field belonging to Mr. J. Stanley. There were four persons on the en gine and tender, two of whom, an engine-driver and stoker, were killed on the spot, and a third, another stoker, died on being taken into the Warneford Hospital. The manner in which the men met with their death seems most singular. On the engine and ten der rushing down the embankment, the draw rod and coupling irons were wrenched out or broken from the first carriage after the tender, which ap peared to have been turned completely round with the shock, as it lay with its head portion facing the end of the train. The carriages on the top of the embankment ran forward until the fourth carriage came abreast of the engine and tender, when they all fell over, and the,fourth carriage capsized on to the engine and tender. Henry Kite, the stoker, was caught by the left leg and arm, between this carriage and the engine, the body lying on the fire box. The arm of the poor fellow was literally torn off. Another engineman, named, Pilkington, a fine fellow, 22 years of age, was also jammed between the carriages, and his back broken by the force and weight of the mass lying upon him. On being re leased from this position the upper portion of his body fell over. The driver, George Ricketts, was killed on the spot, and leaves a wife and one child at Coventry to regret his loss. But the second stoker lay for some time crying for help, being scalded by steam as well as crushed, but, though alive when removed, died on reaching the hospital. The passengers; during the moment of excitement, scrambled through the doors of the carriages, which now formed the roof, as every carriage was more or less upset. The first and fourth were turned com pletely over, the former on its right side, and the latter on its left—caused apparently► by the sudden fall in the embankment through being ploughed up by the engine and tender. The front of the break van was completely shattered, the end of the second was also sent in by the shock. The passengers were not muchinjured, and were enabled to proceed to the town or the station, to be sent forward to their destination. The bodies of the two men killed were conveyed on trucks to the Town-hall, and that or the stoker lies at the Warneford Hospital, waiting the coro ner's inquest, which will be held this day (Monday). GREAT FIRE AT LISSON-G.ROVE. LOSS OF SIX LIVES. The following are additional particulars to what we published on Saturday :—lt appears that the fire broke out in a ten-roomed house belonging to Mr. John Rufus Reeves, proprietor of an eating house and refreshment-rooms, situate at No. 36,. Great James-street, Lisson-grove, Paddington. The building in which this calamitous affair occurred, although consisting of only ten rooms, was rather higher than the general run of houses of the same class of architecture, and it was adjoined on either side by similar structures, and, as will be seen, the whole width of the street did not prevent the flames from rushing across the road and firing several of the houses opposite, as well as two or three others in Charles-street. So fiercely did the fire spread at one time that every house in the immediate vici nity appeared to be on the point of being destroyed- About a quarter past one o'clock on Saturday morning a police-constable, named Peter Hobbs, belonging to the D division, whilst passing along his beat, perceived a lurid glare shining through one of the windows of Mr. Reeves's premises. The con stable seeing at the same time that smoke was issu ing from differentparts of the premises, became con vinced that the house was on fire, and without a moment's delay he sounded an alarm in the usual way, and sent off for the aid of the Royal Society's escapes and engines. Some of the neighbours at once brought a ladder to the place, and pending the time necessarily lost in sending for the escapes, it was attempted to be used to save the inmates, con sisting of nine persons, who made their appearance at the upper windows, and were crying for help. Unfortunately this ladder was hardly tall enough to reach the top of the house. The proprietor of the building, at the risk of overbalancing himself, managed to lower fromthe window a female named Wreford, who was carried down the ladder and re ceived no material injury. In the course of a few minutes afterwards the shouts of the spectators clearly indicated that the Royal Society's escapes had entered the street, and that there was every probability of all being saved. Conductor Hall had hardly time to affix his machine in front of the blaz ing building, when he was succeeded by .another conductor, named Horne, with another escape of the society. The former managed to get out two chil dren, who were nearly suffocated. Having handed them to some of the bystanders, he returned and was in the act of carrying Mrs. Reeves down the ladder when the flames shot out of the ground floor windows, and ignited the escape. The conductor, though exposed to such imminent danger, behaved in the most cool and intrepid manner. The flames were even rushing across the road, and were firing in rapid succession five houses on the opposite side of the street, as well as several in Charles-street. Nothing less than the total demolition of Mr. Reeves' premises and every soul remaining in them, could for a moment be doubted, and to add to the tragedy, the conductor could be seen with Mrs. Reeves clasped round the waist, but un able to descend with her, cm account of the fury of the flames, and a portion of the escape being de stroyed. This caused the two persons—the con ductor and Mrs. Reeves—to be thrown off the ladder, and both fell with fearful violence to the ground, they having first alighted upon the head of a policeman, who was so fearfully injured that he was obliged to be removed to the hospital. Hall's hands are very much burnt, and he is internally injured, but it is hoped not fatally. At the instant the escape took fire, the conductor was in the act of carrying down a child, who was so fearfully burnt as to be compelled to be taken to the hospital. Everything was there done for it that humanity or surgical skill could devise, but without avail, and the sufferer only survived a few hours. The other escape man made an endeavour to rescue the remaining inmates with his short or upper ladder, by placing it on the penthouse of the adjoining house, but the different floors and roof fell in almost simultaneously, and the unfortunate creatures became buried amidst the burning timbers. The engines of the parish, two in number, and three of the C district of the London brigade, under the direction of Mr. Staples, the foreman of the station, having arrived, this powerful force and the parish engines went to work in a manner to elicit the approval of all present, but they were unable to get the mastery over the fire until the premises were totally destroyed, the contents consumed, and serious damage done to several houses. The total loss is very , considerable, and is thus officially re ported by Mr. Braidwood : No: 30, Great James-street, Lisson-grove, Mr. John Rufus Reeves, eating-house keeper—house of ten rooms—burnt down and six lives lost. The cause of fire unknown. Contents insured in the County Fire-office—the building unknown. No. 29, ditto, Mr. Allen Sharp, greengrocer. Contents not insured. Considerable damage by water, fire, and removal. No. 31, Mary Bucksey, tobacconist. Building and contents damaged by fire, water, and removal. Insured in the Union Fire-office. No. 39 (opposite), Mr. J. W. Rayner, pork butcher. Front of premises damaged by fire. In sured in the Sun•office. No. 38, ditto, Mr. Joseph Shaw, shoemaker. Si milar damage. No. 37, ditto, unoccupied.—Front scorched. In surance not known. _ _ No v 39, Charles-street, Mr. J. G. Cooper, dealer in old building materials.—Contents and building unknown if insured or not. _ uild ingisio. an 4 a o, da l m ac a l g ea e n d , cboynfeficit.eir waterer contents ater, Contents not insured ; building in the Union Office. The following is a list of the persons burnt to death : Mr. J. R. Reeves, aged 45 ; Miss Christina Reeves, aged 8 years ; Jane Reeves, aged 41 years ; Frederick Reeves, aged 3 y ears ; M ary J ones , the nursemaid; and th e i n f ant child of Mrs. Reeves. The bodies, when extricated from the ruins, were removed to the dead-house t o awa i t t h e coroner ' s inquest, which it is expected will be held this day (MotlaY). LAW INTELLIGENCE.—Feb. 26. COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH. ;Sittings at Nisi Prius, before Lord Campbell and a Special Jury.) THE WESTERN BANK OF SCOTLAND V. NEEDELL. Mr. Bovill and Mr. Murray conducted the case of :he-bank, and Mr. Wylde and Mr. Aspland that of the defendant. The action was brought to recover £17,171 14s. 9d. upon 14 bills of exchange discounted by the bank between January, 1856 and April, 1857, for the firm of John Monteith and f Glasgow, and of which firm they alleged the Co., defendant, Mr. Needell, a gentleman of fortune, who had carried on business up to 1850 as a calico printer in Lon don, and resided at Kingston Russell-house, Brid port, Dorset, was a partner, or-had been a partner, and had never publicly notified his withdrawal. It would, therefore, follow thatlas John Monteith and Co. when made bankrupt on the 7th of November, 1857, owed the bank, which stopped payment two days afterwards, no less a sum than £446,000, the question of Mr. Needell's partnership involved that gentleman's liability for the whole amount, and not merely for the £17,000, the subject of the action. The case of the bank rested entirely on the evi dence of one witness. Mr. Taylor, who said he was assistant-manager of the bank froin November, 1852, to the end of 1854, and manager from that time to the 15th of October, 1857, the bank stopping payment on the 9th of November following. The firm of John Monteith and Co., calico printers of Glasgow, kept an account with the bank, and had large dealings by way of discount. He frequently saw Mr. John Monteith, who conducted the business. Mr. Needell was an individual shareholder in the beak ; but on the 17th of February, 1853, he transferred 72 shares for £5,406 16s. Bd. to John Monteith and Co., consisting of John Monteith and John Hodder Needell, partners, and those shares remained so re gistered as belonging to the firm of John Monteith and Co. In the early part of 1855 the firm, being largely indebted to the bank, executed a mortgage of some machinery and stock-in-trade to the bank, and the defendant signed it. There was a firm, John and Henry Monteith, of Hayfield, in Derby shire, consisting of John Monteith and his younger brother ; but witness was told distincly by John Monteith that defendant had nothing to do 'with that concern. In August, 1857, he saw defendant in Glasgow two or three times. He called on witness with reference to the affairs of John Monteith and Co., of which firm he be lieved defendant to be a partner, and in that capacity spoke freely to him on the subject. Mr. Needell said that he had not taken any particular charge of the business for the last year or two, and he did not know the position of the firm. Witness urged him to look more minutely into the affairs of the firm, and for that purpose recommended that he should come for a short time and reside in Glas gow. Witness rather pressed him on the necessity of raising more capital to carry on the business. Defendant said he would use his efforts to do so. It was then arranged that the defendant should raise £3,000 or £4,000 by bills on the firm of Lupton and Co. Mr. Lupton was Mr. Needell's father-in law. Two or three bills for £4,000 in all were drawn on Lupton and Co., and carried to the credit of John Monteith and do. On the 15th Aug., 1857, witness received a letter from Mr. Needell in these terms : "Dear sir,—The enclosed will show you that we have plenty of funds coming in for our engagements next week, which are very light indeed. Mr. Monteith will be home on Monday, when I will take care to come to a definite under standing with him as to the way the business must be con ducted in future. I find that a great deal has been put right for you during the last three months, and if you wish us to go on and do so, we must have money for the bill of £521 145., due to-day at the Union Bank. The other we can manage without troubling you. " J. H. NEEDELL." There was a kind of postscript There is no possibility of managing this £520 odd in any other way, and the bill must not be allowed to lie over on any account. The Union have a rule that When a bill is not paid duly at maturity, I believe, they never take an other from the same parties. Witness never had notice of the retirement of Mr. Needell from the firm of John Monteith and Co. Cross-examined—Witness had heard of Mr. Needell's retirement since the bankruptcy of John Monteith and Co. for the first time. Would swear that he did not suggest to John Monteith the for mation of the firm of John and Henry Monteith, of Hayfield, for the purpose of John Monteith and Co. drawing on the new firm and the bank discounting the bills. That result did follow. Witness would swear positively that John Monteith did ,not tell him that the part nership of Mr. Needell expired at the end of 1855. To the best of his recollection he did not ask John Monteith whether he had given Mr. Needell a written release. John Monteith did not tell wit ness that he did not, and witness did not exact any promise from him that he would not give a written release without letting him know. Witness did not say that he did not care for the contract having ceased. Witness did recollect Mr. Monteith telling him that Mr. Needell was not connected, with the firm of J. and H. Monteith, of Hayfield, but that he continued to be connected with the firm of John Monteith and Co., of Glasgow. Witness under stood that Mr. Needell had acquired considerable property by the death of an uncle, and desired to make that property available for the indebtedness of Monteith and Co. When the bank stopped there was a liability on bills of J. and H. Monteith to the extent of £50,000 or £60,000. Mr. Wylde, in addressing the jury for the de fendant, said it was no part of his case to show that Mr. Needell was never in partnership with Mr. John Monteith, but he should satisfy the jury that, as a fact, the partnership ceased on the 31st of December, 1855 ; and then the only question would be whether knowledge of its termination was brought home to Mr. Taylor, the manager of the bank. The answers of John Monteith to interrogato ries, when examined under a commission in Paris, were read. The chief points were denied in the cross-examination of Mr. Taylor ; but, in addition, the deponent swore that at one interview in 1856 Mr. Taylor said he did not wish it to be known that the contract of partnership with Needell had ceased, and that, in the presence of the directors of the bank, Mr. Taylor, in May, 1857, urged de ponent to get another partner in Mr. Needell's place. Mr. John Hodder Needell, the defendant, said he entered into partnership with Mr. John Monteith at the end of 1848. The firm was "J. Monteith and Co." in Glasgow' and " J. H. Needell and Co." in London. In 1850 he ceased to transact any business, and the firm of "J. H. Needell and Co.' ceased to exist. He retired to live in the country, but remained a partner in the firm of " J. Monteith and Co." In 1852 a, new arrangement was made between him and John Monteith, and a deed exe cuted on the 12th of Nov., 1852, by which trade was agreed to be continued for a further term of three years from the Ist of Jan. following, Mon teith taking two-thirds of the profits and witness the 'remaining third. Accordingly the partner ship expired on the Ist of January, 1856. One of the terms of the deed was that the books should be balanced on the Ist of July in every year. That was done in 1853, but not afterwards. The shares were transferred in accordance with one of the terms of the deed. In January, 1856, witness went to Glasgow on purpose to get a settlement with Monteith ; but Monteith asked him to wait until July, and it should make no difference. In July or August, 1856, witness went again to Glasgow and pressed Monteith for a settlement. He showed the books, and he said the stock had been taken, but the balance had not been arrived at. He said again that it should make no difference to witness, and that he should have his money, although no balance had been arrived at. 'Witness did receive some money on account of what was due to him on the partnership to December, 1855. He went again in Decembei, 1856, or January, 1857, and again Mon teith came to no settlement. Up to the end of 1856 the works at Hayfield belonged to witness's firm of "J. Monteith and Co." In August, 1857, witness went again to Glasgow, and saw Monteith on the same subject. He said he wished to draw out £3,000 and place it in the firm of Lupton and Co., Mr. Lupton being his father-in-law. Monteith asked if bills would not do. He said if he could not get the money he thought bills might do. No arrangement was made then as to drawing the bills, and he went to the Highlands. In three or four days he returned, but did not see Monteith again. He saw Mr. Taylor, in consequence of Mr. Taylor sending for him respecting some bills drawn by John Monteith. He went to the bank and saw Mr. Taylor for the first time in his life. Taylor made some remark about the bills, and he made answer, " I ceased to be a parner at the end of 1855." Taylor said, "I do not know about that. That is a legal question," and went on to say he would hold witness liable, or words to that effect. Taylor told him there were £4,000 worth of bills sent to the bank by J. Monteith and Co., drawn on Lupton and Co., which were refused acceptance. He expressed his surprise at the bills having been sent in unaccepted, and said that he did not expect £2,600 would be accepted. There were two bills, one for £1,400, and one for £2,600. Taylor went on to speak of its being a very serious matter that Monteith's account should be so much overdrawn, and said, " Why don't you come down to look after the business ?" He told him, in reply, that his engagements were in agricultural pursuits in the West of England, and he had no right to interfere. He 504 he W9llld try to get Lupton to accept for £3,000, and no more. He made no further agree ment with Taylor to reduce the amount due by Monteith and Co. The bill for £2,600 was re turned unaccepted, and he agreed to get Lupton and Co. to accept another bill for £1,600, besides the one for £1,400. Taylor said Monteith had had the money, and witness expressed his surpise that the bank should advance money on bills before they were accepted. He recollected circumstances under which he signed the letter of the 15th of August. It was written .and indited by David Murray, cashier to John Monteith. During Monteith's absence, Murray came to him and said he was pressed by Taylor for money to pay a bill, and it was useless his writing to Taylor himself. Murray then wrote the note, and placed it before him for signature, saying that if he refused Monteith must stop payment. He read the note, and very reluc tantly signed it. He saw Taylor again, and said the same thing as before, that he would do his best to get the £3,000 accepted by Lupton and Co. Lupton and Co. only accepted the £1,400 bill, and Monteith had the benefit, as it was carried to his account at the bank. Cross-examined—Witness received upwards of 1,000 in 1856 from Monteith, and in 1857 perhaps £3OO or £4OO. His belief was, but lie could not swear, that it was £l,OOO in 1857. He had arranged with his father-in-law's partner, previous to going to Glasgow in August, 1857, about draw ing the bills on Lupton and Co., by Monteith and Co., for £3,000. Re-examined—There was a balance struck in 1853, and above £2,000 was coming to him then. He expected to receive £lO,OOO up to the end of the partnership in 1855, as the books showed a profit of £20,000 a-year. Up to the end of 1855 he had every reason to suppose the business was very profitable indeed. Lord Campbell read over the letter of the 15th of August, 1857, called the defendant's attention par ticularly to the wording as of a partner in the con cern, and asked whether he had any further expla nation to offer of his signing after reading it. Mr. Needell could only say that it was done under the excitement of the moment, and the pressure of Monteith's clerk. The wording_ was not his. That was Mr. Murray's. It was all Mr. Murray's doing. Mr. David Murray, the cashier of Mr. John Mon teith, said he accompanied Mr. Needell to the bank the first time that defendant ever saw Mr. Taylor. Mr. Taylor said he was very glad to see Mr. Needell. He had been anxious for a long time to see him, as he had been very desirous of talking to him about the affairs of John Monteith and Co. Mr. Needell said he was not a partner in that firm. Mr. Taylor said,—" We were not to know that. We look upon you as a partner and we hold you as such. It is best to be plain with you." They then began talking about Lupton and Co.'s bills, and Mr. Needell expressed very much surprise at Mr. Taylor having given money for the bills unaccepted. He promised, however, that he would get £3,000 ac cepted by Lupton and Co. Witness believed that Mr. Needell mentioned the time when the partner ship expired. He wrote the letter of the 15th Aug., 1857, which Mr. Needell signed. No one had told him what to write. He indited it himself. He took it up to Mr. Needell, who objected to sign it. He said he could not get any money from Mr. Taylor; he had tried all he could., and as there were bills to pay, unless he had money the concern must stop payment that day. Mr. Needell read the letter and ultimately signed it. Mr. Henry Monteith said he was a member of the firm of John and Henry Monteith, which was formed in Feb., 1856. It was put into writing. He went to Mr. Taylor before, and asked whether he was satisfied that witness should become a part ner in the concern. Mr. Taylor said he had no objection. Witness said he was going that night to Manchester, in order to satisfy himself that the property was at Hayfield, near Manchester, as re presented. Mr. Taylor approved the step. On his re turn he took the deed of partnership to Mr. Taylor to know if there was anything to be added to it. Mr. Taylor said he was too busy to look over it, but if witness was satisfied he dared say it was all right. Subsequently Mr. Taylor saw the deed after it was executed, with the inventory, and bills to the amount of £15,000 were handed over to him at the same time. Witness brought no capital into the concern, and had drawn out £2OO or £3OO only. The firm at Hayfield was indebted £60,000 to the bank. Mr. Wylde, in summing up the defence, sug gested that the letter of the 15th of August, was drawn up by a clerk in the usual language of a firm, and signed by Mr. Needell, in an unguarded moment, under the fear that Monteith and Co. would stop payment, in which, of course, he was deeply interested. Mr. Bevil' replied for the plaintiff. Lord Campbell left it to the jury to say whether Mr. Needell held himself out to be a partner in the firm of John Monteith and Co., of Glasgow, at the time these bills of exchange were negotiated—viz., between January, 1856, and the 20th of April, 1857. It was admitted that the defendant was a partner ; that he had never given public notice of his having ceased to be a partner, as every prudent man should do, and that he had not given any such written notice to the bank. The defendant relied on verbal notice to the manager of the bank, but that was distinctly denied by Mr. Taylor. The most important evidence was as to what took place on the 15th of August, 1857, when the letter was written by the cashier of John Monteith, read over by the defendant, and signed by him. The jury retired for a quarter of an hour and then returned a verdict for the plaintiff. THE STATE OF THE COURT AT GUILDHALL. In the course of the trial of the above cause, Lord Campbell noticed the unseemly attitude of the defendant, standing with his back to the Judge and leaning over the first row, where the Queen's Counsel sit. The attorney explained that he was taking notes of the evidence in the temporary absence of the leading counsel, and as there was no table provided for the attorneys he was obliged to stand and write. He was very glad of the opportunity of noticing to his lordship the fact that in no other court were the attorneys left without the accommodation of a desk or table. Lord Campbell said he quite concurred in the justice of the complaint, and he supposed that if it were noticed in the usual manner something would be done to remedy it. . The next case was not concluded at 5 o'clock, when the Court was adjourned until Monday. SECOND COURT. (Sittings at Nisi Prius, at Guildhall, before Mr. Baron Bramwell, and a Common Jury.) PAGET V. BOTTOMLEY. This was an action brought to recover damages for an alleged slander. The defendant pleaded not guilty . • Mr. 0. B. C. Harrison appeared for the plaintiff; Mr. Henry James represented the defendant. It appeared from the plaintiff's case that the parties were housekeepers at 55, Broad-street. City, and, a letter containing bills of exchange having been missed from a room under the control of the defendant, she made use of the words com plained of—namely, "NO doubt that the woman up-stairs has taken it, and has given it to her friend the Frenchman." At the conclusion of the plaintiff's case Mr. James submitted that the words used did not amount to a slander. Mr. Baron Bramwell—l have very considerable doubt whether they do, and it is very singular that there is no case upon the subject. It seems to me if any person states the conclusion at which, upon certain facts, he has arrived he is not guilty of slander. However, Mr. James, you had better go to the jury. This is a sort of make-believe action, for if one party recovers she gets nothing, and about a few paltry words which no one believed costs have been incurred amounting to upwards of £lOO. I must say it is a scandalous action. The learned Counsel having then addressed the jury on behalf of their respective clients, His Lordship summed up. _- - - The jury asked what amount of damages would carry costs. Mr. Baron Bramwell said he was not sure that he ought to tell them if they were going to make a bad use of the information, as they would do if they allowed their verdict to be influenced by it. However, Lord Campbell had said that it was a part of the law of the land, and, therefore, a jury should be made acquainted with it. The amount of damages which would carry costs was 40s. The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff, damages one shilling. ANDREWS V. HtFF. This was an action for an alleged breach of promise of marriage. The defendant pleaded, first, that he did not make the promise as alleged; secondly, that before the breach the plaintiff discharged and exonerated him from his promise ; and thirdly, that the plaintiff was not ready and willing to marry the defendant, The plaintiff's replication to the defendant's second plea was that atter such exoneration the defendant again agreed to marry the plaintiff. Mr. M. Chambers and Mr. Griffiths appeared for the plaintiff ; Mr. Serjeant Piggott and Mr. Orridge represented the defendant. It appeared that the plaintiff, Miss Luisa An drews, was the daughter of a farmer residing near Bristol, and the defendant, Mr. Evan Evan Huff, was the son of a farmer living in the same neigh bourhood, the age of the lady being 38, and the young gentleman being 25. Miss Andrews had £lOO a-year of her own, and the defendant, who was in business at Ashton-under-Lyne, near Man chester, as a chemist, had good expectations: burg the defoncloint'o apprentace§hip ho began to pay attention the plaintiff; and they were eventu ally engaged to be married. For some short time the engagement was broken off, but was subse quently renewed. Several letters written by the defendant to the plaintiff were put in, written in the most polite terms, but scarcely so warm as would be expected from a lover to his affianced wife. On Oct. 6, 1858, the defendant, who had been gradu ally cooling down towards the plaintiff, married another young lady of 21 years of age, who had no money. Miss Andrews had then brought the pre sent action. Mr. Serjeant Piggott, in addressing the jury in mitigation of damages, said that Miss Andrews, the young lady of 38, might think herself well off that she had not married such a boy, in comparison to herself, as the defendant. He had a shop, certainly but he only gave £l5 per annum for it, and_ having only just commenced business in a little country town as a chemist he surely could not be considered either a great catch or a great loss. Misi Andrews had her £lOO a-year, and, in fact, was much better off than she would have been if she had married the defendant. As for his expectations, he would have nothing till his father's death, and, although he would then have a little property, yet they could not have lived upon expectations, and it was not an agreeable thing to have to look forward to his father's death before he could have got married. Under these circumstances a very small sum would be sufficient to compensate Miss' Andrews for her loss. Mr. Baron Bramwell, in summing up, said that the only question for them was the amount of &images, as it was admitted that the promise was made, and broken. In order to properly estimate the amount of damages they must look at the difference of posi tion the plaintiff would have occupied if she had married the defendant. If she had been seduced, or the defendant had left her to marry a richer woman, then the damages ought to have been heavy. But what loss had the plaintiff sustained? What possible hope of happiness could a woman of 38 have had with a young man of 25, who hap pened to have been smitten with her for a short time. They ought to have taken Punch's " advice to persons about to marry—Dont! " The lady was a great deal older than the defendant and more ex perienced and worldly. If it was said he ought to have known his own mind, why she ought to have known the risk she ran. As to the love letters that had passed, it was the coldest series of love letters he had ever seen. It was certainly a miser able thing for a woman to be courted fur a time and then thrown off in this way, but still, if the de fendant had changed his mind, it was the right thing to say so, for if he had married her after he had changed his mind he would have been a rogue. He could not help regretting such an action was brought, but still, as it was before them, the jury might say to what amount of damages they consi dered the plaintiff entitled. The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff— damages £5. SPRING ASSIZES. NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—NEWCASTLE, Feb. 25. The Commission was opened here yesterday after neon by Mr. Justice Willes, who came over early in the day from Carlisle. This morning Mr. Justice Willes took his seat on the bench in the Guildhall to dispOse of the town prisoners, and Mr. Justice Byles sat in the Moot hall to dispose of the county prisoners. The town calendar contains the names of five prisoners, and the county calendar the names of nine. None of the offences were of very grave im portance. The cause list contains an entry of six causes for the county, and four for the town ; of these two are marked for special juries. (In the Guildhall, before Mr. Justice Willes.) Ann Tulloch, aged 39, and Matthew Wilson, aged' 44, were indicted for the manslaughter of Joseph Scott, at Newcastle, on the 14th January last. The Hon. A. Liddell and Mr. Church appeared for the prosecution ; Mr. Davison defended Tulloch, and Mr. Price the prisoner Wilson. It appeared from the evidence of the witnesses that the deceased, accompanied by some men named Cameron, Ratcliffe, and O'Neal, went to the house of the female prisoner, who lives in a street called Peel-street, in Newcastle, about half-past two in the morning, and knocked at the door. They were let into the house by the female prisoner, and found there the male prisoner and a young woman named Miss Willens. Mrs. Tulloch asked them " what they were going to stand." The men ordered beer —the female prisoner made use of some bad lan guage, and wanted ss. for a bottle of whiskey. The money was not given to her, and at this time the prisoner Wilson and Ratcliffe went out of the room. Mrs. Tulloch and the deceased were then talking together, and she was seen to give him a blow on the nose. Scott got into a passion at this, and on Tulloch rushing towards him, he struck at her, and hit her on the eyes. Tulloch then got into a great passion, and swore she would murder the before he left the house. At this time Scott was very drunk. The other prisoner, Wilson, then entered the room, and Mrs. Tulloch pointed to her eyes and said, "see what he has done to my eye." Wilson then immediately struck at Scott several blows in the passage near the taproom, in which the female prisoner was. She cried out, " Push the -- into the room." Wilson then pushed Scott into the room, and con , - tinned striking him and driving him into a corner, when Tulloch seized hold of a quart glass decanter and struck him a blow on the back of his head with it. She repeated the blow, and it fell on Scott's hand which he had raised to protect his head. On removing his hand the female prisoner gave him a third heavy blow on the head with the glass decanter. Blood flowed, and the deceased fell on his face on the seat. One of the witnesses present cried out they had murdered him. Wilson then pulled him off his seat, and he fell with his face in the blood on the floor. The female pri soner then seized him by the hair of his head, and lifting him from the blood gave him a kick in the side, saying, "Is the not dead yet ?" The police shortly after entered the house, took the prisoners into custody, and removed the deceased. The policeman said it was a bad job, and the female prisoner produced a decanter, and said, " She did not care a , she would kill a better man than him," and Wilson, the other pri soner, said, " It served him right ; look at her eye." The deceased was found insensible, with a deep wound at the back of his head about an inch long, which bled profusely. He died about a week after, and a post mortem examination discovered his skull to have several fractures running from two centres. These fractures and extravasated blood on the brain had caused his death. The learned counsel for the female prisoner having addressed the jury, His Lordship summed up the evidence, and left it to them to say whether Wilson had not assaulted the deceased, exasperated by the blow he had given the woman, and without any design of assisting in the attack which the female prisoner afterwards made upon the deceased. The jury found ~.the female prisoner guilty, and acquitted the man. His Lordship, in passing sentence, said the pro vocation the prisoner had received was very great ; but he could not overlook the brutal manner in which she had assaulted the deceased. He should not inflict so severe a punishment on her as he would have done on a man under the same circum stances, and he thought justice would be satisfied by her being sentenced to twelve months' imprison ment with hard labour. The case seemed to excite a great deal of feeling in a very crowded court against the female pri soner, and the passing of this sentence was followed by hisses and murmurs of disapprobation in court, which were with difficulty repressed, notwithstand ing the threat of his lordship to send to prison any one who was brought before him for committing such a contempt of Court. SATURDAY, FEB. 26. (In the Moot-hall, before Mr. Justice Byles.) Luke Skelly and Charles Richardson were in dicted for shooting at James Gibson, with intent to murder him, or to do him some grievous bodily harm. . Mr. Davison prosecuted, and Mr. Price defended the prisoners. It appeared that on the 23d Feb. last, as a man named Lloyd, gamekeeper to Earl Grey at Howick, accompanied by two watchers, named Gibson and Darling, and a gamekeeper of a gentleman named 'Crasters, were out - watching at a place called Low stead Farm, about half-past 11 o'clock at night, they saw two men enter the field and set a net. They then saw a dog run, and heard a hare scream, and the prisoner Richardson then came to the net, in which there was a hare. The keepers and watchers then got into the field and endeavoured to arrest the two men, when a voice called out " Shoot the ," and immediately a gun was discharged by the prisoner Richardson. No ono was hit, and after a fight the two men were mastered and taken into custody. It was contended by their learned counsel that the gun had gone off accidentally, and that there was no intention on the part of the men to shoot at the watchers. His lordship having summed up, The jury acquitted the prisonerS. They were again indicted for night poaching, and found guilty . , and sentenced by his l or d s hip t o 12 months'Anipnitallent, GALLANT RESCUE. About 3 o'clock on Thursday afternoon a fire b roke out in a three-storied house in Edge-street, Oak-street:, Shudehill, each story of which is occupied by different families. An old man and his wife were sitting in their room, on the second story, when, it is supposed, the old man set a straw bed on fire with the ashes from his pipe. The old couple made their escape downstairs on discovering the fire, and at the same time two young children, who lived on the same level, ran to the room above, into greater danger. Mrs. Emma Gee and her child were the only occupants of the third story until the two little ones joined them. The flames and smoke ascended the staircase after the fugitives, and Mrs. Gee found that egress by the staircase was im possible. She then ran to the window, which in her terror she could not open, and, breaking the glass, she cried to some men who were in the street to save her. They quickly collected together some bags of cotton under the window, and the mother threw out her own child. The men par tially caught it, and broke its fall, but it tumbled through their hands upon the bags, and escaped unhurt. By this time a ladder had been obtained, which, however, was not long enough to reach the windom;. The woman, dropped a. second child to the men on the ladder, from whom it fell upon the bags, and was also unhurt. The smoke now' became overpowering, and Mrs. Gee could no longer re main in the room. She got through the window, and hung by her hands from the window sill, about 30 feet from the ground, while the men were busily splicing two ladders together, in order to rescue her from her dangerous posi tion. By this time a large crowd had collected, and the excitement was very great. The ladders were soon con nected, when it was found that they just reached the woman's feet. A man ran up them, and brought her safely to the ground. Several men then mounted the ladders to rescue the third child, which still remained in the room; but they were driven back by the smoke, that issued in dense volume from the window. After a few moments of dreadful suspense, Mr. Bagsbaw, jun., stepped forward from the crowd, ascended the ladder, and entered the room. He searched for the child,. but could not find it, although he heard it crying. Repeatedly he came to the window for a fresh supply of air, and then turned back into the room to renew his search. After groping about •n his hands and knees upon the floor -for some time, he came in contact with the child, which he carried to the window, and handed to the men who were waiting on the ladder. lie then de scended himself, almost suffocated. This gallant act excited the admiration of the bystanders, by some of whom it was resolved that a subscription should be entered into for the purpose of signifying to Mr. Bagshaw their apprO ciation of his noble conduct. He is one of the firm of Bag shaw and Son, cabinetmakers, Thomas-street.--.Mancluster Guardian. COUNTRY MARKETS. LIVERPOOL—FEB. 26. Holders to-day are firm, and buyers reluctant to take anything more than the regular demand requires. OXFORD. There was a - small supply a to-day, and a great degree of d a good inquiry for seed beans. Wheat ....40s to 44s I Oats.. ' 23s to 29s White do ..43s to 46s Beans, new 42s to 48s Barley ....328 to 36s I Peas ... , 44s to 48s .FEB. 26. ' all kinds of grain at market lullness prevailed. There was CHELMSFORD—FEn. 25. At our corn exchange to-day there was a good supply of wheat, for which the trade ruled rather better, at about last day's currencies for good dry qualities ; all damp samples continue very difficult to dispose of. Beans and barley in demand at former rates. Other articles unaltered. Wheat, white 42s to 46s Peas, Partridge ..448 to 46s red 38s to 41s White 41s to 43s Barley 34s to 41s • Boiling 42s to 48s Chevalier ....37s to 45s Dun 44s to 46s Grinding 27s to 33s Beans, Tick ....38s to 40s Malt 70s to 73s Harrow Ticks 38s to 42s Chevalier ....728 to 73s I Mazagan 36s to 39s Oats 25s to 35s NOTTINGHAM-FEB. 26. There was a good quantity of wheat on offer, and prices for all descriptions were about maintained. Barley a very fair demand, and at last week's extreme rates. Beans were a small supply, but fully as dear. Oats a fair sale, at late rates. Wll4e wheat, new, 44s to 50s Barley, grinding.. 28s to 30s Red do. 4os to 44s Oats, old, . 3os to 34s Old white 44s to 48s New do 27s to 303 Red do. 38s to 40s Beans.. 40s to 443 Barley, malting... . .38s to 44s Peas —s to —s Super. fiour,b33S to 36s ; fine, —s to 30s per 20 stone. NORWICH-FEB. 26. With a very fair attendance at our market this morning, there was but a very limited show of wheat, and though prices were nominally the same as last week there was no difficulty in obtaining them. The finer qualities of oats and oatmeal were fully as dear. Barley was a limited show, and fully as dear. Wheat, white 44s to 46s Beans, Mazagan.. 32s to 34m red 38s to 43s Middle & small 38s to 40s Barley 36s to 40s White peas 4os to 42s Oats 24s to 28s Grey 40s to 423 Flour, 26s Od to —s per sack from the miller. LEICESTER-FEB. 26. The supply of wheat is very plentiful ; fine dry samples are held for last week's rates, and the business transacted is on a moderate scale. Barley in fair demand at high rates. Oats at late rates. Beans rather more inquired after, and rather dearer. _ _ Wheat ...40s to 42s Oats . 28s to 36s White .44s to 488 Beans —8 to —s Barley, ~ .358 to 44s Ditto, old sos to 45s Fine flour, 31s 1 Seconds, 298 J Thirds, 27s per sack. DUBLIN-FED. 25. There was a small supply of wheat and oats of prime quality to-day, for which Tuesday's prices were scarcely obtained. Trade dull. s. d. s. d. Wheat, white 22 6 to 25 6 Do., red 2l 6 to 23 0 Do., new Barley Oats Do., black lO 6 to 11 0 s. d. s. al. Do., new 11 6 to 13 0 Bere ... 10 0 to 12 0 Rapeseed .... 26 0 to 29 0 Oatmeal l2 6 to 14 0 Bakers' flour Indian corn [ADVERTISEMENT.] SIGHT AND HEARING. SPEC-- TACLES.—POWERFUL TELESCOPES.-.-OPERA, RACE, AND PERSPECTIVE GLASSES.—Messrs. S. and B. Solomon, opticians, 39, Albermarle-Street, Piccadilly. Observe— opposite the York Hotel, W.—Opera, Race-course, Field, and general Out-door Day and Ni g ht P ers p ec ti ve Glasses, very small, for the waistcoat pocket, e a c h c on t a inin g 12 a nd 18 lenses, constructed of German glass. Will show dis tinctly a person to know them at two-and-a-half and three miles, and an object from eight to ten miles distant. Her Majesty's Coast Guards are making use of them as day and night glasses in preference to all others ; they are also pre ferred for deer-stalking by sportsmen, gentlemen, and gamekeepers. Telescopes 31 inches long, by which a per son may be, clearly seen and known at 31 miles' and an object at 12 to 14 miles' distance; and with an extra astro nomical eye-piece, Jupiter's moons, Saturn's rings, and the double stars aro distinctly seen. All the above can be had of larger and all sizes, with increasing powers, and are secured by her Majesty's Royal Letters Patent. The Royal Exhibition, 1851. A valuable, newly inventea, very small, powerful Waistcoat-pocket Glass, the size of a walnut, by which a person cair be seen and known one and a half mile distant. They answer every purpose on the Race-course and at the Opera• houses. Country scenery and ships are clearly seen at four to six miles. They are invaluable for shooting, deer-stalking, yachting, to sportsmen, gentlemen, game keepers, and tourists. Price 30s.—Spectacle Lenses of the greatest transparent power. The great advantftge derived from this invention is, that vision becoming impaired is preserved and strengthened, and very aged persons are enabled to employ their sight at the most minute occupation —can see with those lenses of a much less magnifying power, and they do not require the frequent changes to the dangerous effects of further powerful assistance. Persons can be suited at the most remote part of the world by send ing one of the glasses out of their spectacles in a letter, and stating the distance from the, eyes they can read small print with it, and those who have not made use of spectacles by statingtheirage. Deafness.—New Discovery.--The Organic Vibrator, an extraordinarily powerful small newly-invented instrument for Deafness, entirely different from all others, surpasses anything of the kind that has been, or probably ever can be, produced. Being of the same colour as the skin, is not perceptible. It enables deaf persons to hear distinctly at church and at public assemblies; the unplea sant sensation of singing noises in the ears is entirely re • moved, and it affords all the assistance that possibly could be desired.--39, Albemarle-street, Piccadilly. Observe-- cpposite the York Hotel, W. BIRTHS. BYRON.—On the 25th inst., at 48, Eaton place, the Hon. Mrs. F. Byron, of a daughter. CRoucn..- 7 -On the 25th inst., the wife of J. H. Crouch, Esq., of her Majesty's Dockyard, Woolwich, of a son, stillborn. MANNERS.—On the 26th inst., at 56, Upper Brook-street, Lady Manners, of a son. STEPHEN.—On the 25th inst., at 15, Sunderland-terrace, Bayswater, the wife of Fitzjames Stephen, Esq., barrister at-law, of a son. WOODFORDE.—On the 25th inst., at 5, Lansdowne-terrace, Bromley, E., the wife of W. T. G. Woodforde, Esq., M.D., of a son. WRAT.—On the 24th inst., at 27, Cambridge-street, Pim lico, the wife of Captain Wray, R.E., of a daughter. MARRIAGES AKERMAN—STEruENs.—On the 25th inst., at the Church of St. Mark, Old-street, Mr. John Thomas Akerman, of 81, Old-street, Finsbury, to Ellen, eldest daughter of Mr. Edward Stephens, of 50, Old-street, Finsbury. BARNES —D uNsTERvILLE.—On the 24thinst., at St. Mary's Church, Cheltenham, John Samuel Barnes, Esq., of St. Petersburg and Cheltenham, to Sarah Septima, daughter of the late Major-General Dunsterville, of the Crescent, Plymouth. DEATHS. BARNARD.—On tho 22d inst., 'at Nice, George Martin Barnard, Esq., late of H.M.'s Exchequer, aged 60. BEVAN.—On the 23d inst., at 9, America-square, Henry A. Bevan, Esq., aged 47. BROWN. —On the 25th inst., at his father's residence, J. G. Brown, Esq. , of Woodton, Norfolk, aged 30. ELLIOTT.—On the 24th inst., at his residence, 55, Regency square, Brighton, Henry Elliott, Esq., lath of Barforcl, Warwickshire. LEGGATT.—On the 23d inst. ' suddenly, in Oxford-street, Wm. Leggatt, Esq., of Southsea,'Hants, aged 66. LYON.—On the 3d Jan. last, at Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope, Mr. John Lyon, late of Glasgow, aged 33. MENDS.—On the' .25th inst., at. Dover Elizabeth Lady Mends, relict of the late Commodore gir , Robert Mends, aged 84. RUSSELL.—On the 2Gth inst., at Woburn-place, the Rev. Edmund Russell, incumbent of All Saints', Pontefract, aged b 6. LONDON : Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, No. 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the county of, Niddleeex, XoudaY, February 28, 1859, : 4 , 4, • ' SA , . .1 , ~.i. ... I I I] ( 3 I o El( -. • 1 I 11 in SI SI A r rr ir 1( 'I P a 9 3 9 f • ( - 1 , I ' 1 1 ' i • .„., ,4\ I 1