The Sun. — London, England, 1846-06-01 00:00:00

. MAGAZINE DAY. BLACK: W 0 An unusual variety of articles charecterises 131aek 'rood for June ; but from the inferences which are de duced from it, and the scholarship which is evidenced in its composition, the disserta'i on u p on th e "F a ll o f Rome" assuites the most prominent position. In the writer of tllis paper we recognise either a man versed in classic tire, and willing, for the sake of an ingenious hy , - Pothesis, to contort the significance of past events to a particular meaning, or one who, while imbued with a i teowledge of the occurrences of antiquit, regards them only through the distortion of prejudice. y We are inclined to attribute the unphilosophical arguments contained in his lucubration to the former cause ; espe cially as we cannot conceive the possibility of any well reading and thinking student being so little of a logician as to advance reasonings so totally averse to common sense. Let us sea now what is the precise delinquency against which we are thus inveighing. It, is, then, as follows :—The author, as a contributor to Ebony, sees the advantae.e which might result from, and the credit Which would be attributed to, a dissertation demonstrat lag the fallaciousness of those who no v a-days are, thank God, abolishing the atrocious corn-laws ; and he Perceives that this credit and this advantage would be eeven t :old if, by any ingenuity of disputation, however f raeidulent, the question were enforced by some striking coincidence of fact in ancient history. So far his con elusions are rational and allowable ; but for the one sided purpose of illustrating the protective system in this manner, he altogether overlooks the greatest duty of a political economist, and what is equa ll y t h e c hi e f neces sity of a logical commentator, that of adhering strictly to the honest narration of facts, and of neither tam peri.ug with the truthfulness of the historian for a mere party object, or of imposing upon the credulity or ignorance of his reader by a false use of his own erudition. Now, we dis tinctly impugn the writer of this dishonesty, this imposture, and tliis shameful employment of learn ing, merely with the view of pandering to the political partialities of partisanship. He audaciously attempts to apply the destruction of the Roman empire to the com mercial controversy now agitating the English public. Ile assumes the downfall of that marvellous power as a fair prototype of what he implies must result from the establistsment of a free-trade policy in our native coun try. he rejects the aphorism of Montesquieu, that the decay of Roman authority was the natural consequence of the extension of its territories ; in like manner he throws aside, as wholly inconclusive, the idea that that decay originated in the prevalence of serfdom under the later emperors ; and with the intention of carrying out his original design, he attributes the " Fall of Rome" solely and exclusively to the circumstance of its rulers Permitting the free importation of provisions from its colonial possessions. According to him, that importa tion of corn and cattle from Egypt, and Lybia, and Sicily, at first enervated an d fi na ll y extinguished the agricultural energy of the mother country ; according to him, a considerable portion of Italy degenerated to barrenness from a previous state of fertilisation, entirely from that introduction of foreign grain. Now, sup- Posing, for the sake of argument, that all these asser tions hold good (which they do not !), and that his de. ductions are correct in regard to the heathen empire (which we deny !), the whole aim of his rea soning is nugatory, the entire fabric of his inferences falls to the ground, because THERE IS NO SPECIES or ANALOGY WHATEVER BETWEEN THE POLITICAL OR COM DIERC/AL, OR AGRICULTURAL POSITION 05' ENGLAND AND or Rorie, ! It is an incontrovertible aphorism in logic that a comparison between two things altogether disimi lar is by necessity altogether inadmissible. Now we can r,leraonstrate, in a few sentances, that the position of England, and the position of Rome, are two things es sentially dissimilar, consequently the comparison of them le absolutely inadmissible, and, being in admissible, the conclusions arrived at from that comparison go for nothing. That, we take it, is an unanswerable propo sition. First of all, then, for the non-existence of any Thing analogous between the Roman and the British Empires. The Romans were, be it observed, a people of warriors, a people almost entirely engaged in the Prosecution of warfare ; the bulk of th em was port i one d out in co h orts and legions ; the nation, or more strictly ?peaking, the Roman citizens, travelled in a body, sword 111 hand, upon Gaul, upon Africa, upon Spain, upon Germ any, upon Britain. They conquered those regions and rend,,red them subsidiary to the great core of au th°ritY--to the Great City. A minority of the Romans were agriculturi s t s i n t h e vicinity of Rome, a minority of that minority were artizans in the streets of Rome : but the vast majority of those citizens had carried the nword, had fought the battle, had swelled the carnage consequent upon a military government. When, how ever, the opportunity of engaging in warfare had become a matter, well nigh of impossibility, from the circumstance of the Romans having subverted nearly the whole of the then known world by their own indomitable prowess, and under the lea dership of Caesar, and Pompey, and Trajan, and so forth, a continuance of their former exertions was rendered unnecessary. A comparatively insignificant force—a standing army—was scattered at intervals upon the frontiers of the colossal empire to awe the new subjeets into submission, and to assert the dor mant strength of Rome in case of an emergency. By this state of things the citizens may be said literally to have "retired from business " for the more leisurely enjoyment of the proceeds of their labour. Subsidiary nations tilled the ground, and worked the mine, and ir rigated the soil, and reaped the harvest " in the sweat eti their brow " for the support of the luxurious and indolent Romans : so prodigious was the wealth of the Romans that home labour became absolutely super fluous. While the rest of the world was drudging to administer food and raiment to the rulers of the World, those rulers saw no reason to trouble them selves with any effort, save an effort for the eaten sion of their amusements. Their slaves -those slaves who in the struggling days of Rome had populated the workshops and the homesteads—were now enlisted as accessories to the recreations of their Epicurean mas ters. Gladiators wrestled in the amphitheatres, the great city became the arena of one interminable car nival, every individual Roman lived a life of the most Profligate extravagance, the most consummate luxury, the most unremitting idleness. Their limbs were hence enfeebled by effiminacy, their courage was emasculated ; Political imbecility supervened upon social abandon- Ment ; their warriors struggled homewards and were Bc'eu swallowed up in the contagion of indolent enjoyment, until the cohorts which they had de serwere composed in time of enlisted bar k-Jana and mercenary swordsmen. These we con ceive to be the real motors in the fall of Rome," :l e t r l . n . ot the free importation of provisions. After de andDing, as we have just done, the political, commercial, •-et'''—icultural condition of that empire, it is surely unn ecessary to p ar ti cu l ar i se the precise want of analogy be between it and t h e position of Great Britain—their dis similarity is so glaring and so undeniable. The Romans, ~.1t ..yr. have said, w ere l uxur i ous revellers, simultaneously h the free importation of provisions ; we English .._are a striving, l a b our i ng, agricultural mercantile, Cl '4,asso:ley ge-ettin race : our midle class our chief ; w ea g d t our bre a d by the sweat is of our brow. Napoleon called us, rightly enough, a nation of shop keepers ; and such will continue our position when free trade comes into operation. We possess vast factories through the medium of which our home-made merchan dise may be exchanged for whatever corn, or wine, or oil, or oxen will be imported. H a d t h e Romani these' factories? We possess such advantages in scientific knowledge, as applied to agriculture, that our farmers are second to none in the wide world. Had the Romans these advantages? Our princes are mostly devoted to a gricultural pursuits, at the moment when free trade is Proposed. Were the Roman patricians so in like mann er ? Our country is threaded with a multitude of railways, Whereby it is but a step from the corn-field to the corn narkr.tt, from the pasture land to the butcher's sham eta!, rendering competition with remote growers of grain anra fatt eners o f catt l e little more than nominal. Had are their the Romans these railways? The questions Assuredly the Own emph at i c answers in the negative. dissimilarity b etween the state of Rome and England panao d t any am co Prepost erous ly ev id en t, that the matter would be an egregiousiml ) impertinence. We ,have already ( a nd our readers must in ca ndour admit it) proved clearly that nothing analogous subsists be tween those two things; reason has al l r a e r ady informed us things is logic that a comparison of two such dissimilar ally inadmissible, and, being inadmissible, und. the whole The argument necessarily drops to the ground. is, therefore, an In Blackwood on the "Fall of R°me because it is spe ciously, nonentity. is, eiously, and learnedl l y t , however, elegantly written, and be cause, on these accounts, it might possibly mislead the unreflective, that we have deemed it fitting to disclose its inconsistency and absurdity at such a length. We c oMmend our foregoing observations to the serious at tendon of the writ e r i n old Maga. "Rogues in Out line" are amusing sketches of character, coloured with sarc we reg-aasm, and p r e d ncilled with smartness. " Elino d r Travis" as a very mawkish, exaggerated , and, in some portions, an extremely vulgar attempt at romance. Christopher, our brave old Christopher North, must have been in a singular good humour when admitting this first of three chapters into his fastidious .Ebo,, rd the Fox" is another of ttose The criticism " Reyna erroneously desi upon what is gna ted trushing satires which Blackwood ha s 31 Cockney school of poetry, in sure, " Greek Fire a n d a va ys evinced such a plea hich will infinitellynprhowder" is an antiquarian morfeau w than satisfy those who take an interest in the progresslon of science and in soefieLnotrdcßrougham's n ve o n b t l i e on w . ork A u r p at o h n er th d e esu li l t t e o r r a y r yn and • characters a c c n t e ui r George o f t h j e ns ep who flourished during the reig n of hgazine, mences a very admirable number Banks though in it we think . the influence of Si,, as a minor Macaanas is somewhat under it HOOD'S. recent Not only a new covering, butanesweecinhgartahcatetrthise given iven to Ho o d' s Magazine for June ; and is a v er y remarkable improvement up on many numbers, we congratulate the pnblisher upo n the alters_ tion. Since the untimely decease of its first g if ted edi tor, we regretted to observe a singular falling off in th e ability of his miscellany, and we regretted this the more as it was intimately connected with his memory, and with some of his last and noblest literary efforts, by as sociation. It faded away from a sparkling and humour ous collection of papers to a mere hodge-podgeing (to employ a homely phrase) of indifferent fictions, and those moreover in a swarm of fragments. Without any question the present number is the best which has ap peared since our noble poet Thomas hood seceded from the magazine. It is commenced, too, in a very unusual Manner for a periodical publication—the first contribu tion being the first act of a Portuguese tragedy, entitled I gnez de Castro, from the pen of Mr. J. Jones, the ac complished author of "Rural Sonnets." Anything that b ill 'ty appear under th e sifr,l ature of this entleman is to enii.t out 6 y iup t a w. and, i.O re,oonable extent, w e pr o pi t i ate our favour. Iu spe4king tens, moreover, w are influenced wholly . by a sense of what is truthful, and goed. and beautiful ; the more so as we know the author only through his writings ; individually he is a total stranger to us ; as connected with his poems he is one of our familiar favourites. . Our . predisposition in his favour, however, arises from something beyond even the merit of his productions ;" our interest towards him is aroused from the circumstance of his being the brother of one of our most illustrious female lyrist; Felicia 'romans. We shall reserve our opinion upon his five-act tragedy to a later period, when the drama enlarges upon us in a more complete form : but of his " Sonnets for the Times" we can speak in decided terms of praise ; they are nerved with the true verve of poetry. Those now lying before us form a per fect match to three preceding ones, " Moonlight on the waters," the present being descriptive of " The phos phoresence of the ocean." Regarding the wonders of nature with the sympathising eye of a lover of nature, the writer infuses into his descriptions of those wonders a reflex of their awe and loveliness. This is essentially the case with these most charming sonnets, they have upon them the bloom of truth, and within them the animation of feeling. When, for example, their writer says of the phosphoressence of the ocean— " A mys'try of volition it appears," the picture conveyed in that single line is complete, be bause it is so suggestive. With its utterance the ima gination takes in the lambent and undulating aspect of this phenomena of the billows ; the mind at once has before it a sea corrugated with a silver brightness. Here again is a noble piece of pictorial metre : " But now, around, On ev'ry side the thunder-drops let fall. In globules all luceolent rebound, As, quLcrelling, the winds bring on a squall, Which into foam the Water-gems doth blow, And calls the dagger'd Lightning to the fray Beneath Night's ebon pall their part to play.' It is pleasurable to encounter passages like these amidst the scum of verse with which the public are being incessantly drenched. It assures us that the mantle of poesy has descended to our own generation, and that we are not absolutely lapsed into a sordid and matter-of-fact disposition. It admonishes us, moreover, to remember some that are among us, and to look with hopeful eyes to the author of the " New Timon," but especially and mainly to THE Young Poet of the Age, whom that same author of the " New Timon" scorned —Alfred Tennyson ! As likely to sustain the popular taste for poetry we rejoice that an idea which received our commendation last month, under the name of " A May Garland," is continned this month, under that of " A Summer Wreath for Summer-tide." It is a treat worth striving much to obtain, and betokens the rhythmical taste of the collector. He reminds us of Thomson's flocks, " thick nibbling through the clover'd vale ;" of Shakspere's Ariel, revelling " under the blossom that hangs on the bough ;" of Croly's " per fumed pink, that studs the earth with clustering ruby !" and of other choice cullings of variable beauty. " Nell Gwynne," the " White Cloud," and the " Bushranger," are continued with average ability, but their incessant recurrence induees us to wish them ended. A few more miscellaneous papers make up, however, an excel lent number. TAIT'S. From Mr. De Quincey's article on " Christianity as an organ of Political Movement" we could select perfect jewels of thought ; sometimes, like the ruby, flushed with the hue of his imagination ; sometimes, like the sapphire, tinged with a heaven-ward bias ; some times, like the diamond, lambent with the sparkle of new and vivid ideas ; sometimes, like the pearl, pure from the pellucidity of truth. We might pursue the metaphor throughout the catalogue of the lapidary. Nor in doing so should we be violating the stern impartiality of criticism : our praise is not exaggeration ; our ap proval is not panegyric. In proof whereuf, we will quote hap-hazard a few sentences, or, more properly speaking, a few thoughts. Referring to the Deity of the Christians, De Quincey says,— " How great was the chasm dividing the Hebrew God from all gods of idolatrous birth, and with what starry gran deur this revelation of supreme Deity nzust have wheeled upwards into the field of human contemplation when first surmounting the streams of earth-born heathenism, I need not impress upon any Christian audience." And again, when commenting on the feebleness of that love for universal peace which is now spreading amongst mankind, and upon which we ourselves took occasion the other day to dilate, he laments that— " War is still, like a basking snake, ready to rear his horrid crest on the least rustling in the forest." In another part he conveys a marvellous immensity of reflection in a few of our simplest words, where, alluding to the fact that men no longer continue mall demon worship as the Grecian and Roman mythology, he ob serves— "It is true they do so no longer in our planet. But what has been apparently may be." Nor does Mr. De Quincey fall short of himself in transcribing the views of others ; one passage, indeed, collated from Sir Isaac Newton's " Optics," is, to our thinking, sublime, however much the corollary of lie Quincey may depreciate its significance t—our great philosopher says, that— " God is not good, but goodness; is not holy, but holiness; is not infinite, but infinity." Tait may rejoice in the possession of such a contri butor ; for, though Mr. De Quincey may be somewhat transcendental as a metaphysician, and somewhat obscure in his mode of conveying his conceptions, there is nothing mephitic in his mists of thought, nothing baneful in the exorbitant idealism of his sentiment. From " A Ramble in North America," in 1844, we obtain some novel notions respecting transatlantic natives ; nevertheless we have no compensation in the narrative for the facetiousness of Dickens, the elegance of Hamilton, the keen observance of Marryatt, or even the amusing though injudicious scornfulness of Mrs. Trollope. The magazine reader will, however, swallow the potion of the traveller in good part, as a well-intentioned piece of pleasantry. "Truth and Falsehood" is the continuation of a romance upon the merits of which it would be invi dious to decide before the story has been further deve loped. Tait maintains its supremacy among the month lies for analytical and elaborate critiques upon the more remarkable effusions of the book-press. Among which we observe that the " History of Greece," by Mr. George Grote, obtains particular consideration. The political article at the termination of this Edinburgh Magazine, would have induced us to amplify the arguments of the writer had it appeared earlier. It is entitled " The Lords on their Trial." But as the Lords can now be scarcely said to be any longer "on their trial" (having pronounced fur themselves their own acquittal) any ex tension of its reasoning would be superfluous. FRASER'S. Fraser, for this month, has no political article, pro perly so called, and the only allusion to the politics of the day, is to be found in an article on the Broad and Narrow Gauge, (the writer of which is an ardent ad vocate of the Narrow) in which towards the conclusion occurs the following passage:— "Bat a period is, perhaps, at hand, when large and small engines shall disappear altogether; when Mr. Stephenson's new galloper, backed at 10,0001. against twice his weight ; when the Mammoth engines, big and beautiful as they are, splendidly rushing down their broad streams of iron, shall give place to something still more rapid and powerful—the atmospheric principle, which Mr. Brunel believes in. Then let them be rolled to the National Museum, and take their places beside Henry the Eighth's gun, or the figure of the dethroned Jupiter, or the st _date of the repealed corn-laws." We hope that the protectionists, as a party, will henceforward yield as gracefully to the clearly ex pressed wishes of the people, and regard the repeal of the corn-laws as un fail accompli. But if we have no article on special politics in the present number of Fra ser, we have laid down, in an admirable article on the Education of the Army, certain axioms in general politics in the truth of which we must cordially concur. " It may savour of the paradox—yet we believe the senti ment to be just—that the very last persons who deserve to be consulted, in regard to substantial reforms in any of the great institutions of this country, are those who, in their own persons, constitute a portion of the moving principle, so to speak, in such institutions. Men seldom attain to what is called influence in their professions, or offices, or occupations, whatever these m a y b e, t il l they have; arrived at the verge, at least, of old age; men seldom arrive at the verge of old age, as members of a profession, or of a public body of any sort, without having their minds overlaid by an impenetrable crust of prejudice, and their reason itself clouded and ob scured through the growth of settled habits both of think ing and of acting. Take the Church—as we are accustomed to use that term, most improperly restricting it to signify the bishops and clergy—does any sane man believe that they are the best judges in regard to arrangements that may be needed if we seek to give the greatest efficiency to the mi nistrations of their order among the people? What ecclesi astic would have originated—what ecclesiastic did not in his heart condemn the measures which were begun by Sir Robert Peel in 1835, and are still in progress? The clergy looked ten years only to what they described as the respectability of their own order ; they argued in defence of superabundant cathedral offices, of pluralities, commendams, and Lord knows all what, because, forsooth, the chance of getting a good slice out of the loaves and fishes, lured young men of high birth and first-rate talents into the ministry. They en tirely overlooked the fact, that while these continued, hun dreds of thousands of the people were famishing for want of spiritual food, and hundreds, if not thou sands, of hard-working clergymen, starving upon benefices, o which ssib hpicohblry a hundred.oughtthe Sir Robert them inof forty t pounds Peel, a layman,a-year or eighty, took a different view o f f o trhedu pon subject; h t be e chingsuuprnph reforms, ortedby of Par liament, he lite.ially forced may, perhaps, which all among the clergy, exceptthe few who have got beyond the ag e when men discover that they the who have " Fraser is right, an b e mistaken, now ackndo,wkaloeedthigienretghteeeramm uebrietsmore absurd than . men to employ in f the abuses which Led with, beingis connec the existence o who imagine that their well been nurturedthien,l'a'on'd c i t t o is e m desired to abolish; and as it s mal m d e beof church reform, or army men i n d ev i s i n g a scheme of army re- re form,form: o so r inred- is tap e i t s i t o s aiiy absurd devising t o a m de vising a scheme of law reform, or to consult medical e scheme pl o y lawyersofficial men on a n y sc h eme of medical reform; and if Sir J . in Graham, instead of listening to the selfish absurdities propoun o d u ed t h e to o h no i m ha b n y d, p a u n r d e by ph p 3 a rs r icians and pure sur geons" all at" general practitionersr on th e e pur sued his own course, haNT•ehebenuenositn apothecaries, car hand,ies aud e m , e g d t;ided by the plain dictates of common sense, the interestingtits present w . or world t i e would le in n the t p a r t e s this t momentdisorder. number of Fraser is the opening one on the " Man ners, Traditions, and Superstig'tiaons, of the Shet i we ex ne e w ct .t'lviculd for lourand e r s. " book-making lt ha tourists, opened andu the ensuing spring we shall be inundatedpwith duringastke ketches from Shetland." . Colonel Mitchell continues his on the principal campaigns in the rise of Napoleonpapaenrcel proves most lear ne dl y t h at the Emperor ought not to have won the Battle of Austerlitz. 'What a pity it is that Colonel Mitchell was not consulted by the Austrian and na—inn and Prussian genernis on that occasion. IlAti ire liekm ii, is e‘icient that VV - eiitoo,un would have been still Sir Arthur Wellesley, for Napoleon would have been destroyed ten years before the Battle of Waterloo. Colonel Mitchell, however, is by no means original in the line which he has taken up, for years ago General Foy proved by somewhat similar arguments that the Duke of Wellington ought to have been beaten in every battle that he fought. The Duke, however, seems to care nothing for the criticisms of General . Foy ; and Napoleon, were he alive, would, no doubt, care as little for the criticisms of Colonel Mitchell. In an arti cle on French newspapers, the amende honorable is made to the French newspaper writers for an undiscriminating attack made upon them in the number of last month. The fact is, the French press is disgraced by the exist ence of certain scandalous newspapers in the same man ner as the English press, but the Dejarriers, Beauvallons, and Emile de Girandins, the conductors of the Presse and of the Epoque, are not to be confounded with the decent portion of the press, such as the Journal des Debats, the C'onstitutionnel, the Aational. and the &ale, and the Courrier Francais for instance. The article is well worthy of perusal, as giving a fair and just account of French newspapers and French newspaper writers. We have also a witty article on beggars, a well-written cri ticism on British poets, and an admirably finished pen and. ink picture of Mr. Shiel as an orator. Altogether this is an excellent number of Fraser. CHANCES OF ACCIDENT ON RAILWAYS. Among the matters connected with railway travelling, the chances of accident naturally arrest attention. The number who are injured, compared with the number who travel, is exceedingly small ; but it will be seen, from the details subjoined that it varies widely from year to year, and that to reduce it to a minimum, constant vigi lance and strict rules rigidly enforced, are indispensable. In the report, the accidents are divided into four classes 1844.—CLASS FIRST. Accidents attended with personal injury or danger to the public arising from causes beyond the con trol of passengers Persons killed 10 Persons injured 74 Of the persons killed, 4 were railway servants, engine men, or stokers, and 6 were passengers. Of the persons injured, 10 were railway servants, and 64 were passen gers. The 33 accidents include many which were not attended with injury to any person, such as axles break ing, engines running off the rails for a short distance, slight collisions with trucks left on the line, &c. By one accident on the London and Croydon Railway, 20 passengers and 3 railway servants were injured. Nobody was killed. It arose from a train in which the red light it should have carried had gone out, being run into another train. CLASS SECOND. Accidents attended with personal injury to pas angers, owing to their negligence or misconduct 16 Persons killed 7 Persons injured It may serve as a useful caution to railway travellers to state the accidents which caused the seven deaths. Those which produced injuries were nearly of the same description. Imprudently putting his leg out at the door, it was caught between the platform and carriages, and so much injured as to cause death. Attempting to sit on the back of a third-class carriage, overbalanced himself, and fell betsv een the carriages. Jumped out of a carriage after his hat while the train was in motion. Attempting to enter a second•class carriage while in motion. Attempting to leave the train before it had properly stopped, MI, and was run over. , Jumped out before the train had stopped, and run over. Intoxicated. Feil from a third-class carriage, and run over. CLASS THIRD. _ Accidents attended with personal injury to railway servants, under circumstances not involving dan ger to the public Persons killed .. Persons injured 50 33 28 CLASS FOURTH. Accidents attended with injury to persons other than servants of the railway companies, under circumstances not involving danger to passengers 4g Persons killed . Persons injured These were trespassers. drunk persons, children, labourers imprudently cros s in g th e li nes when a train was approaching, and the like. THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY 111ORNIN"G, JUNE 1, 1846. upon the natives. If nothing Were to be done for the colonies for another year, he advised the directors to gtve 'up the attempt to carry on the govern ment and the affairs of the colony, to throw the respon sibility upon the 111inistry, and to quit the field of action, from which . they had been driven by injustice and im pulicy.---(Cheers.) The directors were told that the ob ject they had in view would be accomplished by the in struction's last sent out to Governor Grey. He doubted this, and thought the Company . ought to have an act of Parhament, securing to the colony, a representative go vernment. A general reform of the system by which the colonies were governed, was what was wanted, and until the colonies made common cause together, their interest would continue to suffer. When Mr. Ewart, the other evening, brought forward a motion exhibiting the gross est instance of mismanagement in the case of Van Die men's Land, the House was counted out. Only twenty seven members were present on a motion affecting the very existence, and well-being of a colony. If all the in jterests of the colonies were brought to bear on this sub ect, success would be certain, for never in a better cause did men appeal to the sympathies of all wise and right thinking persons.—(Cheers.) Mr. CLARKE wished to know in what position a dis sentient proprietor would be placed, and what compen sation would be due to the company from the Government if they took the company's land. Four years ago, he had paid down money, which he could ill afford to lose, for land which he understood was guaranteed, and now his title was, he feared, little better than a waste sheet of paper. Dr. BOWRING thought the directors had done right in throwing the responsibility upon the Government, and he hoped that Parliament would feel bound to protect the shareholders against loss. He seconded the motion, that the report be received and adopted. The Noble Chairman having been compelled to leave the meeting shortly after the commencement of the proceedings, ➢lr. AGLIONBY, who took the chair, in reply to the first question of Mr. Clarke, said the voice of the majo rity would bind the meeting. He hoped he would not press for an answer upon the other point. After a few words from other proprietors in support of the resolution, the Chairman put the motion, which was pp ssed unanimously amidst applause. The retiring directors and auditors were then re-elected, and after a vote of thanks to the directors for the skill and ability with which they had conducted the affairs of the com pany, the meeting broke up. MARYLEBONE VESTRY. SIR P. LAURIE AND PERAMBULATING STREET-ADVER TISING VANS. On Saturday the Marylebone Vestry was especially convened to consider a resolution, of which notice had been given by Sir Peter Laurie, with respect to taking steps to ensure. the abolition of street advertising vans. Mr. E. Joseph was in the chair, and the vestry was more fully attended than usual, out of the one hundred and twenty-five members composing it there being pre sent upwards of one hundred gentlemen, among whom we observed Lord Keynon, Earl Manvers, Lord Strafford, Lord Montfort, Sir James Hamilton, Sir Walter Stirling, Sir Peter Laurie, Mr. W. Williams, M. P., John Thomas Hope, Esq., Martin Thackery, Esq., the Rev. R. Wal pole, the Rev. D. Fellowes, Mr.(ex-Sheriff) Salamons, &c. Sir PETER LAURIE, in bringing forward his motion, said :—Although some persons might view the subject to which he was about to direct the attention of the vestry as a very trivial matter, and that in doing so he might himself be subject to ridicule, still he had no he sitation in declaring the perambulating street van sys tem, which had recently sprung up in the metropolis, as one of the greatest nuisances that had ever been inflicted on the inhabitants of London.—(Hear, hear.) He (Sir Peter Laurie) took credit to himself for having, with the aid of Mr. Fox Maule, then Secretary of State, succeeded in ridding the country of two other nuisances which had previously existed, namely, the horrible practice of climb ing boys in chimney-sweepirg and the monstrous dog cart nuisance. —(Hear hear and laughter.) If for no thing else he (Sir Peter Laurie) thought those two acts were sufficient to hand his name down to pos terity.—(Cheers and laughter.) The nuisance he now had to complain of, and which, if it were possible, he was determined to put down, was the prevalent practice of allowing large square boxes, reaching in some in stances nearly as high as second floor windows, to per ambulate the crowded streets of London, covered with the advertising placards of puffing tradesmen, horrible murders, and penny concerts. These perambulating advertising machines had become so fashionable that the principal thoroughfares were frequently completely block up with them, and their proprietors made vast sums of money thereby. He (Sir P. Laurie) had re cently set a city officer to inquire into the matter, and he found that a man named Taylor, living at Hoxton, simply for exhibiting a bill of the Britannia Saloon on one of his vans charged 255. per week, and although the horses employed in these machines were so old that it might be attended with considerable difficulty to get them along at a rate exceeding four miles an hour, yet these people could not find enough horses and vans for, their business.—(Hear, hear, and laughter.) Now, after Parliament, he (Sir Peter Laurie) looked upon the Corporation of London and the Marylebone vestry as the fourth estate of the realm—(Laughter)—and when the Government or the Legislature of the country failed' to discover and check abuses, it was the duty of these bodies to take the lead in doing so, and bring the matter under the notice of the Executive Government. There were continually local Acts passing through Par liament, and the object he (Sir Peter Laurie) had in view, was to call the attention of the Secretary of State to this matter, and get him to introduce a clause into one of them, which would effectually put an end to the nuisance complained of. If this were done, he had no doubt, like Mr. Fox Maule, the Secretary of State would aid them in the object. He (Sir Peter Laurie) had no desire to dictate to the Government the precise clause which should be introduced, but he held in his hand one which had been drawn up by a legal friend, and which he considered would serve as the ground work of a clause. The worthy knight here read the proposed clause, which was to the effect, that for every offence of either drawing or driving through the public streets of the metropolis a van covered with an advertis ing placard,.or placards, the owner of such van should be subject to a penalty not exceeding 31. There was vnother point in connexion with these vans in which the law was evaded. If any person were to take one of these vans before his friend Mr. Rawlinson, the magis trate (who he was glad to see present), and show to the worthy magistrate that these vans bore no name what ever in accordance with the Act of Parliament, he had no doubt he would fine them. He (Sir P. Laurie) had seen from ten to twenty of these advertising vans in one day, without any name upon them except those on the placards, and if he did not succeed with his present plan, it was his determination to have the drivers of all vans he found without the names, whether they had the placards of Madame Tussaud's Exhibition or any one else, before Mr. Rawlinson, or some other magistrate, and get them convicted, as he was determined to put the nuisance down. He was glad to find present his Noble Friend (Earl Manvers), who had written to him to say he would give the matter his cordial support, and he now begged to move, " That a deputation from the vestry be ap pointed to wait upon the Secretary of State, and urge him to introduce a clause into some act to abolish the advertising van nuisance." Earl Manveas seconded the resolution and with the greatest cordiality, although he found his friend Sir Peter Laurie had not complied with the request in his (Earl Manver's) letter—namely, when he had read it to light his pipe with it—(Laughter.) He considered that all classes of the community might agree with him that these perambulating advertising vans were the greatest abomination with which the streets of London were at present affected. They were the vehicles by which the vendors of corn plaister, cheap tea, and puf fing Sunday newspapers deceived the public. Mr. RAWLINSON (the magistrate) hoped the vestry had too much good sense to pass the resolution of the worthy knight. The law was at present sufficiently effective to put down the nuisance complained of. Mr. RIDGWAY agreed with the learned magistrate who had just sat down that the existing law was sufficient to destroy the nuisance ; but it would place the worthy knight as the ehampion of its destruction in the position of a common informer.—(Laughter.) He equallydetested these perambulating machines with the worthy mover, and looked upon the placards placed on them as false reports to swindle the honest tradesman, and gull the public. If the police had the common sense to study the clauses of the Police Act they would find it was their duty to abolish the nuisance • but, alas I how few of the police were gifted with the slightest particle of common sense.—(Laughter.) Mr. TABRIIM supported the motion on the ground that these ponderous machines were not only a nuisance, but dangerous to the public. Mr. H. C. WILSON said there could be no doubt but these advertising vans did geat injury to legitimate trade; but he thought, as far as the nuisance was concerned, there were many vehicles used for the ordinary purposes of trade which were much more dangerous. He thought it far better that the attention of the Secretary of State should be called to the subject in general terms, than that they should frame a clause for Government. Mr. G. DANIELL said the difference in the opinion of the two worthy magittrates, as to the power of the law, was exceedingly strange. He, however, agreed with the Noble Earl (Manvers). It was only a day or two since he saw Fleet-street completely blocked up by seven of these vans passing along in succession. Mr. SALAMONS was exceedingly glad that Sir Peter Laurie had brought forward this important subject. He had himself been so frequently annoyed by these ad vertising vans, that he would not, for one moment, have hesitated to have incurred the odium, if there was any, in becoming a public prosecutor, could he have dis covered the names of the owners upon them. There was the greatest difficulty in getti ng e i t h er names or number; and at least some steps ought to be taken to identify them, by placing the names of the owners upon them in a similar manner to the names painted on a farmer's cart.—(Hear, hear.) Sir PETER LAURIE said he never was more surprised say than to hear M r . R aw li nson there was an Act of Parliament existing to put down these perambulating machines. Mr. RAIVLINSON—I meant by indictment.—(oh, oh.) Sir P. LA URIE sa id that was the very cry he was met with when he first tried to put down that monster nui sance which had existed in Marylebone some years ago, and which swindled the nublic out of something like 300,0001. He meant the 'West Middlesex InkiFance Company.—(Hear, hear, and laughter.) " Oh," said the local magistracy, "you must proceed by indictment ;" bnt he (Sir P. Laurie) got the poor victims to come out of the district, and he shut the whole concern up in four and-twenty h ours . H e t h oug h t t h e v estry, who had the power, oug h t to ta k e t hi s matter up. They had already seen the effect of the power they had through the press concerning the fair at Chalk Farm, and he called upon them must see thato exercise it in this particular. Every man in his senses d ere only intended these vehicles were it nuisance , on w NEW ZEALAND COMPANY. .The annual meeting of this company was held on Friday at one o'clock, at the company's offices, Broad street-buildings, to receive the report of the directors upon the expediency of winding up the affairs of the company. There was a numerous attendance of the directors and proprietors. Viscount Ingestre, M.P., chairman of the Court of Directors, presided. The CHAIRMAN said the directors felt unabated in terest in the magnificent colony of New Zealand ; and, if the company were supported by the Government, it would become one of the most important parts of the globe. The Secretary then read the twentieth report of the directors, of the refusal of the Go vernment upon n the from affair G s o o v f er t n h o e r islandG Grey This the dir ec t ors cons i dered to b e an i n d e fi n ite until dispatch es were received . postponement, by which a whole year would be lost. " If," the report stated, " the present session should close without the repeal of the Act 3 and 4 Vic toria, cap. 62, so far as concerned the present despotic Government of New Zealand, and the passing of an Act authorising the Crown to grant a charter of Govern ment on the old English model, we shall despair of good Government for New Zealand." The subscribed wased been xpend xeedpendd, whichormeortgag had mortgaged. A further captital sum o 300f0,300000,1. 0001 had m b e o e n n e y p a o i d f l t a o n t d he s, n company b acre by f s w e , t h t i le eh r s h a a s d the y pu e th r e chaen sob tained.e- For this great outlay there was no property to show. On the faith of the promise of a loan of 100,000/. from the Government the company had ob tained a loan from their bankers, which maintained their establishments here and in the settlements. The di rectors, therefore, recommended the abandonment of the enterprise, and that compensation should be claimed for the losses incurred, in :the event of the session closing without such a legislative measure as the directors deemed indispensable. Mr. AGLIONIIY, M.P., moved that the report be re ceived and adopted. The directors had one faint hope, session, that they a n mighttha t yet obtain they still clung. ai n re d r ess dting ß thea tif the session presentte session passed over without something being done, the directors had nothing to propose, and the proprietors must, as honourable men, abandon their enterprise. They would only embarrass the settlers and get further into debt by going on. - The proprietors had no object but that of the public good in carrying out this undertaking; their object had been to acquire one of the best colonies in the world for the enterprise of Englishmen, and to carry the blessings of civilisation and Christianity to the natives. The meeting scarcely knew the painful scenes which the directors had to wit ness from settlers who returned to this country, or the painful letters they received from settlers in the colony, who could not obtain a title to their land. They had reason to - expect when they parted with their hind that they would obtain a title to it, but at this mora,nt they had not done so, the conditional grant offered to them being a mockery of justice.—(Hear, hear.) [The Hon. Member then read an extract from the twelfth re port, describing the proceeding s in the Court of La ud Claims, and the vexatious delay in obtaining award., owing to the constitution of the court.] When an award was made in favour of the company by Mr. Spain, they only obtained a grant that was valueless; for where the natives happened to have driven off the settlers their " cultivations " would be excepted under the grant in question. Mr. Spain said of the land so awarded that the company had well paid for it, and they ought to have it. In the only case in which the company had got full justice from the Court of Land Claims, viz., in an award in their favour of sixty thousand acres at New Plymouth, the governor had refused to confirm the award. Since Mr. Gladstone had en tered upon office as Colonial Secretary, the com pany had been in communication with him. They had laid before him a point which did not re quire to be delayed until the arrival of dispatches from Governor Grey—namely, that of a representative system of good government to the company's settlers, which ought to be granted. It was for the proprietors to de termine whether the directors had acted wisely in ob taining the power to wind up the affairs of the company. —(Cheers.) The pecuniary interests of the proprietors were not an ingredient to be neglected, and if they failed new the directors trusted that after years would do justice to them. He still believed that New Zealand would become what her warmest well-wishers desired. Mr. C. BULLER said, that having taken an active part in Parliament respecting the company's affairs— (Cheers)—he had been asked by the directors to offer a few remarks upon the important report now laid before the meeting. He did hope that the struggle of the New Zealand Company with an adverse Go vernment had come to a satisfactory end last session. It had been admitted that the debates on the subject had disclosed a tale of mismanagement on the part of suc cessive governments which was the cause of the difficul ties of that once thriving settlement. He had hoped that reparation to the company would have been at once made. Nothing could be more satisfactory than the as surances received from the Right Hon. Baronet at the head of the Government during the debates, and he trusted that Government would at once have proceeded to act upon their promises. It was, therefore, with deep mortification he had given his assent to the report, but the course recommended in it was the only course that, as men of honour and sagacity, they could pursue. It was discouraging to have to battle with the Government, and still more to face those whose insidious opposition was at the bottom of the treatment they had experienced.— (Cheers.) Bnt now, having gained every triumph, hav ing it admitted that the remedy they recommended was the right one, they had still produced no vivid and vital effect in action. The disasters of New Zealand were not to be repaired by adMissions, but by acts— acts which it was in the power of the Government to do. The directors were told that her Majesty's go vernment would do nothing to relieve them until they received reperts from Governor Grey.' He wished that those who made them that answer could be aware of the state in which the colonies were, and would re main, until a satisfactory decision was given. Every moment was fraught with mischief, evil, and despair to thousands of their countrymen. The debate of last session had produced a revival of hope in the breasts of the colonists, but now some of the best and most valuable settlers were deserting the colony. Every ves sel that arrived from the colony contained some of the best of its settlers, who wisely tried to save what little property they had left, by quitting the scence in whi,ll they had lost so much.—(Cheers.) The condition of the labourers in the colony was deplorable ; some had obtained temporary employment, others had gone to the neighbouring colonies. But, if such were the state of the labourers, what must be the condi tion of those who had paid for the lands which they now saw in the possession of the savages ? The weight of colonial misgovernment had fallen upon those who had purchased land. They had seen the titles to their lands withheld; they had been compelled to dance attendance at the office of some official in the colony ; and after all they were still doomed to disappointment. He regretted to see his learned friend Mr. Halswell pre sent, who had been one of the first settlers in Wellington. His main object in going to New Zealand had been to do good to the natives, and it was deplorable to see a gentle man obliged, through the mismanagement of the British Government, to abandon the country in which he had hoped to pass his life. He had spoken of the colonists out in New Zealand ; but what should he say of the intended colonists who remained at home ? He observed a gentleman there (Captain Cargill), who was one of a colony started three years ago, under the auspices of the Free Church of Scotland, which consisted of labourers, shopkeepers, ,and farmers, who were prepared to quit the country. They had abandoned their occupations, and transferred the investment of their capital ; and, after all, they were not able to go out of the country. They had, first, no guarantee of their land when they got there ; and, secondly, no guarantee could be given them that they would enjoy free institutions. What was it the company wanted ? A title to the land which they had purchased, and fairly purchased, and institu tions under which Englishmen could live. The caprices, vagaries, and follies of its governors justified him in as serting that the despotic Government of New Zealand had been as stupid as it was mischievous. The ques tion between the company and the Government was a great question, which concerned every colony in the empire. Why should Englishmen when they went to a colony be subjected to a despotic Government, and be considered enemies and not friends to the State ? They ought to lose no rights by extending our empire over the ocean, and the notion to the contrary was a asked had that s at rise convict should 11 T o h t e io d n irec w t h or ic s h do for the free and intelligent settlers of New Zealand colonies. revolting Governmentinour what James I. and 11. and Charles I. and 11. did for the Englishmen of their day, viz., that they should carry with them the rights of self-taxation and aself-govern ment.—(Cheers.) He claimed for every colony as wells for New Zealand, that they sh mild revert to the sound practice of their ancestors, and enable every free and intelligent man to vote on all matters affecting the good of the community. Who were the persons usually sent out as governors of our colonies, and in trusted with almost arbitrary power ?—captains of men-of-war, colonels of regiments , old generals who had passed the period of service, gentlemen who had tried to make their way , in Parliament, and had not been able. The bowing and scraping which such persons were the object of in their new title of "your Excellency" was enough:to turn the heads of the wisest and best men that ever lived. The Legislative Councils had as little claim to public confidence as the Governors. The com pany required a total alteration in our relations with tie natives, and a total abandonment of the foolish way in which the Government had acted. He admitted that the opinion of the directors had changed as to the policy to be pursued towards the natives. They had recom mended at first the colonisation of all the natives, be lieving that it would be practieable. The company's settlers lived in happy relations with the natives, until the Government came among them and disturbed those relations. He asserted that the impolitic course of the Government had alone produced that sanguinary war in the north of New Zealand, which had ar rested the improvement of the colony. The scene of those disasters was where the missionary system had had full scope, where the treaty of Waitangi was made, and where Governor Fitzroy had established what relations he pleased with the natives. And there had grown up a war, which, unless it were put a stop to, would put an end to the colonisation of the island. He thought they ought to abandon the hope of colonising the north of New Zealand. The natives should be left in possession of those districts, and the company and the Government should confine their attention to the settle ments of Europeans, and to prevent contact between the natives and the Europeans. If the Government per sisted in conquering the native tribes by military force, it must be followed by the utter extirmination o f th e w eaker race. Government were now employi ng one ' our colony where thickest, and ought not to attempt to impose t h e i r laws pz e t )r o f ought e ht natives t,) giveto cut up the the throats attempt to plant o f t h e others. the natives were PASSENGERS KILLED AND INJURED IN 1844. Killed. Injurod. From causes over which they bad no control From their own imprudence 7 9 Total l3 73 Railway Servants 37 38 Other persons, chiefly trespassers ..... 34 17 Total, passengers, servants, and others, in 1344 B4 128 1845.—CLASS FIRST (DEFINED AS ABOVE). Number of accidents Persons killed lO Persons injured Of the 10 persons killed, 4 were passengers. CLASS SECOND. Number (,f accidents Persons killed 9 Persons injured All these were passengers killed or injured owing to their own misconduct. CLASS THIRD. _ _ Number of accidents Persons killed 36 Persona injured All servants of the railway companies. CLASS FOURTH Number of accidents Persons killed Persotis injured Chiefly trespassers. PASSENGERS KILLED AND INJURED IN 1845. Killed. Injured From causes over which they had no control From_their own imprudence 9 10 54 45 9 Railway servants Trespassers and others 13 92 42 43 45 9 It is astonishing that the number of fatal accidents be. falling persons who trespass on railways, or loiter about them, or somehow expose themselves foolishly and cause lessly on them, should be three or four times greater than all that happen to the millions of passengers who travel upon them. What chiefly concerns the public is the chances of accident to persons who find it necessary to travel by railway, and who exercise common prudence while on their journey. It will be seen, from the subjoined table, that the danger which such persons run is extremely small. It is copied from the railway report, but dif ferently arranged. Statement of the number of accidents attended with personal injury or danger to the public, arising from causes beyond the coutrol of the passengers." Number Killed. Injured Total Number of Accid, not fatally. of Passengers. 5 last months of 1840 28 22 131 6,029.866 Year 1841 29 24 72 20,449,754 1842 10 5 14 21,358,445 1843 5 3 3 25,572,525 1844 34 10 74 30,363,052 6 first months of 1845 15 2 30 16,720,550 The proportion which the number of passengers thus killed or injured from causes beyond their own control, bore to the whole number of passengers, was as follows : Proportion of Number of Pas- these to the whole sengers killed number of Pas or injured. sengers. 5 last months of 1840 153, lin 39,410 Year 1841 96, 1 in 213,0i8 1842 19, 1 in 1,224,128 1843 6, 1 in 4,262,087 1844 84, 1 in 356,702 6 first months of 1845 32, lin 522,517 This table shows (taking it in round numbers), that of every 40,000 persons who travelled by railway in 1840, one was killed or injured. Many will yet remember the alarm caused by the excessive frequency and frightful character of the accidents then occurring weekly. But after a high penalty had been paid in instantaneous deaths and maimed limbs, for the lax system of manage ment then followed, self-interest awakened the railway directors to a sense of their duty. Greater attention and better regulations were introduced, and the number of accidents rapidly diminished. From lin 39,000 in 1840, it had diminished in 1841 to 1 in 213,000; that is it was five time less. In 1842 it had diminished to lin 1,224,000, or thirty times less than in 1840. In 1843 it had diminished to 1 in 4,262,000, or one hundred times less than in 1840! The remarkable security of railway travelling in 1843 could not be produced by a miracle. Who can doubt that if the same vigilance had continued to be exerted the loss of life and limb would have been maintained on the same small scale afterwards. So far from this, however, it was twelve times greater in 1844; and on the following half-year it was still eight times greater than in 1843. In this as in many other practical matters there is a rebound from one course of conduct to another directly opposite. Extreme remissness mul tiplies accidents. Numerous accidents produce alarm. Alarm leads to increased vigilance; and this in its turn renders accidents rare, and induces false security, which again gradually brings back rashness and negligence. We are disappointed to find that the commissioners have not attempted to give any rational explanation of this enormous difference in the security of railway travelling. Keeping records of every accident which happens, having access to the working regulations of every company, and being enabled surel wtoaspuwt within n qu t e h r e ie ir s to delinquent parties, ho it hap pened to be so kind was evidently requisite to serve Something of the sv greater the loss in o y n o e f yearlife and th a than i another. t p a o:er ba to sis p do not attend to such mat ofionrt out much deaths and injuries mat ters ? The proportion of violentriofvtehdeyregulations. Of what use are 1 t of rules the commission i e m rs p informs ns that accidents arisingfrom . the last neglect d ec the report and s been hazardous peed advancingwe were e Sectsman. eight months of 1845 than at any former period: frequent in . , Preparations are being made at the baths of Kissen gen for the reception of the Emperor of Russia, who will visit that Place after the marriage of his daughter, the Grand Duchess Olga, which is to take place early in July. The Empress of Russia has arrived at Saltzbourg, on her return from Italy. URAVI:sEND AND ROCHESTER RAILWAY.—The fol lowing are the traffic returns for the week endinki may 23 ;—l'ae• feagero, 111329011 t r6e.4lYed 2001 NO LW . to gull the public. If they were caught in the city, they might depend upon it they would be punished fur it; but they - did not come there much, as they knew the people in the city were - not so 'easily gulled as' they were in Marylebonc.—(Laughter.) It was, however, a monster evil, 'aid he hoped the vestry would aid him iu putting an end to it. The resolution was then put, and carried almost unnanimously, there being but four dissentients. Earl Manvers, Sir Peter Laurie, Mr. G. Daniell, Mr. E. Joseph, Mr. Harbut, Mr. Ridgway, Mr. Peter Laurie, and Mr. Soden, having been appointed as a de putation to wait on Sir James Graham on the subject, the vestry separated. THE DREADFUL COLLISION ON THE MERSEY—•INQUEST ON THE BODIES. LIVERPOOL, MAY, 30.—We refired to add that an other of the passengers in the ill-fated Rambler died yesterday in the Northern Hospital. His name was Patrick Geoghan. This morning an inquest was held at the Sessions house upon the bodies of the two men and child who were brought to the Liverpool side of the river. The coroner, P. F. Curry, Esq., stated that it was his desire fully to investigate the whole of the particulars in this case. Mr. Harden, barrister, appeared on behalf of the mate and capt a i n of the Sea Nymph, who, it was alleged, were in liquor at the time of the accident. Mr. Myers ap pearedHassaii for rr ththeeowownenresrsofotfhothßeamSehalerlymopoht,haendhonAclhr: Aalosiniegorthhatvhheeucro.rmosasetre,rw;ascCaapptatainin s ß a ev v is, fi ß ei . d N , ~a a n n d d Cooke, of the Pilots' Committee, were n also ' in court. a w m e i r n e ed eLa w mi e n e The : Honourfol following i j‘ n G w l i o tn ve ess e e x s l d eft Sligo n i l n e the P Rambler on S un d ay morning for Liver 001. ceased, Patrick R oac h e , was in delicate health when dwee left. On Monday morning I found the child dead in my arms, and mentioned it to some of the sailors. At the time of the collision the child was taken on shore in one of the boat; and conveyed to the Northern Hospital. Patrick M‘Glove called—l am a farmer, and came from Sligo on Sunday with my wife and the deceased ; I was about to emigrate to America. He corroborates the statement of the preceding witness as to the death of the deceased. Thomas Gildersleeve, house surgeon to the Northern Hospital, stated that deceased had died from congestion of the brain, which might have arisen from being over lain or from natural causes. lie was inclined to the latter opinion from having heard the history of the case. The jury returned a verdict to the effect that the de ceased died by the Visitation of God. The Coroner intimated that he was desirous of making most searching inquiry into the causes of this melan choly accident, which had taken place, and hoped the jury would render him (as he doubted not they would) every assistance in so doing. The evidence was then proceeded with as regarded Pat Geoghan and John Rooke. Ellen M`Lean called—We left Sligo on Sunday last, by the Rambler, for Liverpool, and I belonged to a party about to emigrate to America. Knew the de ceased Geoghan. We were deck passengers. There were a great many passengers, but I don't know how many. On Sunday night, when we got near Liverpool, I was sitting in the steerage, when another steam-boat came against us, and smashed the vessel we were in, and a great number of persons were exceedingly hurt, amongst whom was the deceased Geoghan. The broken pieces of wood and iron flew about in all directions. A. boat came to our assistance, and the n ex t d ay t h e de ceased was, al ong with others, taken to the hospital. The captain and mate, after the accident, did all they could to save us. Bryan Kelly examined—l am a provision dealer, and was a passenger on board the Rambler for Sligo. Knew the deceased, John Roache, who was also a passenger. Heard of a child dying on Monday morning, but no thing happened after that until we got near the dock on Sunday evening. I was standing near the bulwarks, on the Cheshire side, and heard the captain giving great commands. He called out to one of the hands to go to the helmsman, but did not understand what he said. He ran back, and the captain called out " stop her," and in about two minutes we were struck by the other boat. The whole ship was then alarmed, and the other boat turned off from us very quick.. There was then an alarm that the ship was making water, and the captain called out " full speed," and I asked one of the hands if there was any danger, and he said no, as she was aground. Several persons were badly hurt, but I don't know that Roache was amongst them. Saw him at the hospital, but cannot say how he was hurt. Did not see the other steamer till our boat was struck. It was rather a dark night. Cannot say whether the other vessel had lights or not. Our steamer had two, one upon her chimney, and another in one of the rooms adjoining the paddle-box, facing out to the bows, By a Juror—l saw a man run to the man at the helm. I cannot say whether the vessel altered her course. About twenty minutes before the collision, the captain gave orders about the steering, and continued to do so up to the time of the collision. By Mr. Hassell—Don't, recollect the word port being called out by any body about the time of the collisio.. There was no confusion on deck till the collision took place. We passed close to the Light house, and, before we arrived there, several vessels passed us. By Mr. Harden—The orders given by the captain were before we came to the Light-house and afterwards; he had the trumpet in his hand at the time. By the CORONER—Everything on board the Rambler went on with regularity till the collision took place. Bernard Gollagher, butcher, of Sligo, one of the pas sengers on board the Rambler, proved that John Roache was on board at the time of the collision. Mr. Thos. Gildersleeve, surgeon to the hospital, de posed to the wou n d s on the body of Roache, and that the injury he had received was the cause of death. He also stated that Patrick Geoghan died on Friday, from fracture of the spine. Peter M'Farlane called—l am second mate . of the Rambler. She was commanded by Captain William M'Allister. The engines of the vessel were of about 250 horse power. We had on board six firemen, two coal trimmers, two engineers, a n d e i g h t seamen. T he vessel plied between Sligo, Glasgow, and Liverpool, carrying passengers and cattle. We left Sligo on Sunday afternoon about five o'clock, with about 300 deck passengers, and one or two cabin passengers, with about 600 pigs and 14 head of black cattle. Nothing interfered with our passage till we got to the Bell Buoy, about half -past nine on Monday night ;it wanted about half an hour of high water, and there was a westerly wind. Ourcoast was south-east when we were at the Bell buoy, which we continued till we were about half-way in, and then we altered it to E.S.E. We had a light at the funnel-head, and a red light on the larboard, and a white one on the starboard side, on each paddle-box there being the usual quantity of lights, in the places for putting them for vessels coming into port. Had a watch forward, consisting of the mate, and two men, from the time we passed the Bell-buoy. The captain was on the gangway between the paddle-boxes, and had a speaking trumpet in his had. We continued our course E.S.E., till we came to the Rock light, and passed two steamers. We rounded the Rock about a quarter past ten, and were about a breadth and a half of the packet from the small buoy placed off the Rock Light. We then steered due south for about a minute or so, and then south half west ; and I then heard the mate report a steamer a-head. I said to the man at the wheel I saw smoke, but no lights, and in a moment after, I saw a starboard light and funnel light off our larboard side. It was aboat two points off our larboard bow, and I said to the man that she was coming towards us. We were then pretty close to the Cheshire shore. I then lost sight of their red light altogether, and the word was from the captain to " port," which was passed along to the helms man, and he did port. The next word from the gang way was " port" again, and that passed to the helmsman, and he ported a second time. I then began to be frightened ; and in a moment or less it was "hard s port," which was obeyed. Ilaid hold of the wheel, and called to another man to assist us, and then three of us held the helm hard a port, and were holding it so when a steamer ran aboard of us, and struck us on the lar board bow. She cut us down below the water edge, capsized the windlass, tore up the deck, and a e great r manypersons were hurt, and some were killed dead Th on oth th e e spot by the materials that were flying about. steamer then backed her way out and got clear, and we did not see any more of her. The captain ordered our vessel to be run on shore, and all the passengers were landed, some at Cheshire, and others at Liverpool. Could not say whether orders were given to stop the en gines before the collision, there were so many pas sengers and so much noise. We got a pilot off the Bell buoy, who took charge of the vessel. The CORONER intimated that he should merely take the evidence of one or two of the principal officers as to the course which the vessel had taken, and then it would be for the practical men who might be called to say whether the correct course had been taken or not. By Mr. Duncan—We came up the North Channel. The witness here referred to the chart of the port, with a view of showing that the Rambler passed the Rip-Rap buoy off the Lighthouse, a breadth and a half to the eastward, and afterwards kept close to the Cheshire shore. By Mr. Harden—The direct course from the Rip-Rap buoy to the Clarence-dock would be about south-east. We were not is what is marked down as the tidal course. It is usual for vessels going to sea with a flood tide to hug the shore, but with an ebb tide to keep the centre of the river ; some however do, and some do not, according as there may, or may not, be vessels in the river. By Mr. Myers—lf we had held on our cou rse , not ported the h e l m , I cannot say i whether . th e col lision would have happened or not. It s according to law to port the helm. ph had held on her By Mr. Hassall—lf the Sea Ny By the CortosrEa— The rules of the Trinity House are course and not struck us, she wou ld mph gone ashore. sea a a t t owspeoosihaolluyldatpooirgthtoutime r helm on meeting a vess e l at By the Jury—Our vessel answered her helm very quickly. By the CORONER—If the other h steamer fi r t had continued hh us on saw our larboard ei she would e was clea nand en passed we the havee gsohnee side. The bullocks were placed close forward and the pigs about the deck. There was a place in the steerage for the passengers, and none of them were injured by the cattle. By Mr. Commissioner Dowling—None of the pas sengers were in the hold. John Hunter, chief-mate on board the Rambler, was then called. His evidence went principally to corrobo rate that given by the previous witness, as to their leaving Sligo, and entering the river. The pilot, W in . Daniels, had charge of the vessel. The orders were given to port several times, as stated by the second mate, immediately after which the Sea Nymph struck them. The course for vessels coming in on a flood tide is to keep near the Cheshire shore, and those leaving take, ecce gio north Ohm, bWd 691116 the Chown I r, ~~/~' _ ~1 - ~ ~ " 111 ~'~ ~?~~:.--1_ ~ :~.~ i l .rs side, but there is no strict rule laid down. W raw the light on board the Sea Nymph, she ro: about half a mile off If she had continued her o when the light - was first seen, and we had pursu NIISAta!i the collision would have been avoided, and they have paseed each other on the larboard side. When the collision took place, I jumped on board the Sea Nymph, and was taken to the pier, and aftewards I took a boat, and was taken back to our own vessel. By Mr. Duncan—After we were struck I saw the captain of the Sea Nymph on the gangway, and said to him, " For God's sake keep by us, for fear we go down ;" and he told me to get out of the way. By Mr. Harden—l called out " port," lest the other steamer should alter her course. Our captain ordered the engines to be stopped about half a minute before the collision, which was done, but there was not time to re verse them. If I wanted to make a quiek paassage to ao S nr l idng north rn a t h ga rse i ht n uo s rr t ne ipi fl gr flood sd h t i i no d gu e eld, urshouldt were af i e k no e oodv p ez oi eei th , vessels etphein Cheshire ;waythe middle of the river. Myself, two of the crew, and two of the passengers, got on board the Sea Nymph. The captain of the Sea Nymph did not wait to know whether any assist ance was required by the Rambler after the collision took place. We ported our helm to give room to the Sea Nymph to pass, and we going close on shore. The bow sprit of the Sea Nymph did not go over the stern of the Rambler to my knowledge, and she did not return to her so far as I saw. I was very much confused. Never heard Captain Tompson hail the Rambler, and offer assistance ; he might have done so. The captain of the Rambler was perfectly sober. Cannot say whether the captain of the Sea Nymph was sober or not when I went on board her, although I spoke to him ; but he appeared vary much confused. Ido not mean to say that he was drunk. The case was adjourned at four o'clock till half-past nine on Monday morning. THE GAUGE DEPUTATION TO THE BOARD OF TRADE. By yesterday'slliorningP ostrtwill be seen that a depute.- tion on the subject of the broad gauge had an interview with Sir George Clerk yesterday at the offices of the Board of Trade. This deputation included eleven Peers, twenty-eight M.lterines sP.sti;snd, easeaa s n daan directorsdconsiderable rh t e a eh i oq l lu o de f es g rts e n i in t n l oe variousfm e gauge m o r ibs e r eo o sa r sd l e au i n lgl y - e a public question,' and must be decided onpublic grounds. The trading, the m anu f acturing, the mining, the agricul tural interests, the inte res t s of small shopkeepersand as well as of great merchants, of second-class, aye, and of third-class passengers, have to be considered. After the very full, fair, open, and complete investigati ons which this subject has already undergone, it would certainly be rather curious to discover that the mob of well-dressed gentlemen who crowded up the trade offices yesterday could throw any new light on the subject. After three decisions by different bodies, the last being the Board of Trade, the House of Commons declared itself incompetent to treat the subject, and unanimously voted an address for a Royal Commission to inquire into the whole subject. Every one praised, every one seemed to ap prove the Commissioners selected. Men of high character, men of practical experience—Sir Frederick Smith, a colonel of engineers and ex-inspector of railways, Mr. Barlow, Pro fessor of Mathematics at Woolwich, an ex-commissioner on Irish railways, and Professor Airey, the Astronomer Royal— they entered on their investigation, they made the inquiry perfectly open, they examined every engineer and every engine-builder of any eminence—the railway managers, secretaries, superintendents, and officers of almost all the lines in the - kingdom ; all the principal carriers, all the miscellaneous people who chose to present themselves, including coal and iron miners, copper refiners, railway road contractors, and amateur engine builders, and, though last, not least, General Fox, inspector general of fortifications, an ex-Irish railway commissioner, and General Sir Willoughby Gordon, quartermaster-general —in all forty-eight witnesses, great and small.' The investi gation lasted nearly six months; the evidence was taken down in writing, and after an ample period had elapsed for deliberation, the Commissioners made their report. It was in favour of national uniformity of gauge, and modestly hinted at the propriety of granting a million sterling for the purpose of reducing the broad gauge to that gauge which stands in the proportion of eight miles to one of the broad. They gave a trifling advantage to the broad gauge for speed beyond fifty miles au hour. They considered both gauges to be equally safe, but, for the general requirements of the whol kingdom, they decided that the narrow gauge was most uses ful and economical. Now all this may be quite wrong, and the Commissioners may have been most egregiously bamboozled by the advo cates of the narrow gauge and national uniformity; but, at any rate, they decided on the evidence. Out of forty-eight witnesses, only four could be found to support the broad gauge. Upwards of forty, including the two military men, declared for national uniformity, upwards of thirty declared in favour of the four feet eight-and-a-half inches gauge, on which are constructed 1,200 miles in England, all the rail ways in France, in Belgium, in Prussia, in Austria, in Sax ony, in Bavaria, in the United States, and in Sardinia. where Mr. Brunel himself has lately laid down a narrow gauge line. Another question naturally presents itself. To what tri bunal do the broad gauge and break of gauge advocates wish to appeal? Four times defeated, they still claim a fur ther argument and further trial; where is the investigation to end? The great mass of engineers and railway proprietors of the old and new world, the men of scientific experience like Stephenson, Nicholas Wood, and Braithwaite, and the dozens of English and foreign engineers who follow their gauge and the men of finance, like the Railway Bing, and his Quaker Prime Minister, John Ellis, may be the miserable victims of a delusion and a prejudice, but we must have some final verdict, and where is a fuller or fairer arbitration to be had than the last. Perhaps the friends of the beaten gauge only want delay like Prior's prisoner, who— " Now looked at the halter, now traversed the cart— And often took leave, but seemed loth to depart." Be that as it may, these attempts to overawe a Govern ment department, by parties having a private interest in settling in one particular way, a public question, are highly objectionable. The day seemed chosen for effect— " Big with the fate of Peelers and the Bill." Every one knows how these deputations are got up. First, the Noble and M.P. Chairmen, directors, and shareholders are assembled ; then the attorneys retained whip their noble and gentle clients; then constituents press upon representa tives; and if the cause have the good luck to have enlisted under its banners a few noble ladies of fascinating manners with a genius for electioneering, the attendance of a round dozen of dandies and diners-out may be counted on with ab solute certainty. If this sort of mobbing is persisted in we may expect a de putation to wait on the Lord Chancellor whenever his Vices displease people of influence and acquaintance with M.P.'s and Peers, to state their case !—Post of Saturday. CIDER.—This beverage, so extensively used in this county, is likely, partly from the increased consumption by ' the workmen on the South Devon Railway, and partly from ' the comparatively small quantity that will be made this year, to be considerably increased in price.—Plymouth Journal. THE CHOLERA.—We have already stated that the cholera had made its appearance in some of the provinces of Persia, carrying death into the principal towns. It has spread from Bokhara to Herat and Meshio, and has now taken the direction from the Caspian Sea to Teheran and Ispahan. Late accounts from Odessa state that it had crossed the Russian territory and appeared suddenly at Tiflis, taking a northerly direction between the Caspian and the Black Seas. On the other side the cholera broke out unexpectedly at Orenbourg, in the mines of the Ural mountains ; it crossed the Volga, and set its foot in Europe, at Casan, only 2,000 kilometres from St. Petersburgh. If the accounts we have received are exact, it has taken a most irregular direc tion. It has advanced from west to north, and does not seem to have followed the banks of the river as in 1828 and 1832. The cholera which d evas t a t e d France in 1831 and 1832 had been raging in Persia for seven years, 1823 to 1830. It first appeared in 1823 at Orenbourg, and shed death around that town for five years. It re-appeared at Orenbourg, in 1829, and one-tenth of the population fell victims. It broke out at St. Petersburgh in July, 1831, and in France in the Oc tober of the same year. THE BOOK OF COSTUME ; or, ANNALS OF FASHION, with numerous Illustrations. In its notice of this attractive a volume, the Weekly Chronicle observes :—" This is happy boeks as a species of elegant furnit idea, very happily realised: elegancan d e ur f e_ or_t i h n o te s res e w t h f o or co gu n c si h a as er The work takes a ve ry look upon a taste in dress as on e of the female, hnediesngseint not femaletiaulssefotilnofnlessy foryo pretty nearly the whole of the sex. r ornament; which is equivalent to ex extended view of the toilette, male and the present, but for all time, and has this advantage, that, in as muc h as physiognomy and figure have most to do with the matter, the reader is here enabled to form a better es timate of how the design would look reduced to actual wear, by the spirit and animation of the numberless designs scat tered over every page. In relation indeed to the prevalent fashion of fancy-dress balls the book seems to us to be not only invaluable, but absolutely indispensable ; since, although most diffuse in relation to English costume from the Saxon to the current time, it is sufficiently and pie turesquely Europe,descrip usgreatmi dr r es & üb n a ndl c e i (lei varied information re and edss pt m ieocn o i ad andlelr empires y n o f daG hiu e ge e s u c e E e emaa se a nnt fort.d f ß rtWoh o m m : ei have s tive of the rest of th e B r i t i sh isles, the whole of continental purposes t a M v p ed c e a e a n v a n e ddd tcrilecone dicated, with a wider interest inseparable from a subject confessedly popular, and very ably treated, and most artis tically illustrated." DREADFUL FIRE, CAMBRIDGE. About two hours after midnight (Friday) an awful fire suddenly burst forth near the village of Bottisham; which for hours threw a lurid glare over the surrounding country, and was not extinguished till an immense quantity of buildings and valuable property were destroyed. The scene of destruction was at the eaten sive homestead of the Trinity College, rented by Mr. New man, one of the oldest and most respectable inhabitants in lodge and piggeries which abut upon th e of a cow These were soon in a bl aze, and that part of the country. The fire commenced at the corner t u rnpike-road. communicated to a the andes l arge barn, speed ily steek of clover close by. The fire of eighty feet in length and forty in upwards breadth, next attacked the stables, and some other buildings, wherein were six fat calves, twenty store hogs, and a brace of grey hounds, all of which perished in the flames. The conflagra tion then crossed the farmyard, consuming several small buildings, and eventually reached five cottages situated in the road, which were likewise consumed, also their contents. Luckily its career was here stopped, but the havoc it had done was frightful. Not a doubt exists but that the calamity is the work of an incendiary. SUICIDE AT LORD MARCUS HILL'S.—On Friday an inquiry was gone into at the Lowndes Arms, Lyall-place, Eaton-square, as to the death of Thomas Froggett, aged 44, butler in the service of Lord Marcus Hill, No. 2, Chesham street, who committed suicide. Lord Marcus Hill accom panied the coroner and jury to view the body, which was lying in the pantry of his Lordship's house. Robert Sawyer, footman of Lord Marcus Hill, said that at eleven o'clock on Thursday night he had a glass of beer with the deceased, who appeared unusually desponding; at eight o'clock yes terday morning he went to call the deceased, but received no answer ; he went away, and returned in a few minutes. He then opened the door, and found him with his throat cut and quite dead. Lord Marcus Hill asked if he had been speculating in the races?—The witness replied it was only to a trifling extent. Lord Marcus Hill was examined, and de posed that he was alarmed in the morning by his footman telling him that the deceased had cut his head off. He had observed nothing in his manner to call for notice, and he was a good and honest servant. Verdict—" Temporary in sanity." BRISTOL SUGAR-MARKET, MAY 29.—We have had $ quiet week in sugar, the trade showing no inclination to put, chase beyond the requirements to supply immediate wants and the sales since our last do not exceed 300 hhds., at from tid. to is. per cwt. decline on previous transactions. For rum there is a good demand, but importers are not free sellers at the present currency.--Brista Mercury. C _M ..c a 1 ~ 7 ;'~