The Sun. — London, England, 1852-12-30 00:00:00

BARRON HARROW, WEDNESDAY This morning, at ten o'clock, Mr. Wakley, coroner for the western division of Middlesex, and the jury em pannelled on Friday last on the body of John Barth°lo anew, the guard killed by the late accident to the Liver- Pool and Manchester express train, re-assembled at the Queen's Arms Inn, further to prosecute their investiga tion. Mr. Hayes, of the firm of Parker, Hayes, Barns, and Twisden, attended on the part of the North-Western Company. Captain Wynne, Government inspector of railways, Captain Huish, general manager, Captain •Bruyeres, general superintendent of the line, and Mr. 7K‘Connell, chief of the locomotive department, were also present. Previous Ito the inquiry being proceeded with, the jury, accompanied by the coroner, Captain Wynne, Mr. 31`Connell, Mr. Sharp (the head of the firm of Sharp, Ettart, and Co., of Manchester, the makers of the en gine), Mr. Edwin Clarke, and other officials, pro ceeded to examine the tire of the engine, which, in accordance with the directions given by the coroner en Friday last, was placed on a groove by the side Of the rails, in order that its strength might be tested. In order to accomplish this effectually, the tire was Placed on end, and a monkey, weighing 18 cwt., was raised by means of a triangle to the height of seven feet, each foot. being equal to one ton, in addition to the 'weight of the piece of iron. The weight was then, by means of a pulley, dropped suddenly down upon the tire. The effect was to close the aperture (measuring two feet six inches) five inches. The same weight was raised a second time, but at an elevation of twenty feet, as far as the triangle would admit, and dropped as be fore, the only effect being to reduce the opening 74 inches more. The weight of the tire is about 7 cwt. In order to afford the jury the opportunity Of judging of the quality of the metal, the tire was severed by means of nicking ; the metal presented a fibrous bright appear ance. At the suggestion of the foreman, the iron was then removed, in order that it might be broken close to where it was originally snapped. On the return of the jury to the inquest room, George Grace and Henry Perfect, the drivers of the engines of the express and goods trains, were examined. Their account, however, was substantially the same as that which has already appeared. At this stage of the proceedings the tire, which had, by order of the coroner and jury, been again "nicked," to test the quality of the metal, within an inch of the spot where the breakage of the tire took place, was again brought into court. The metal was pronounced excellent, but the welding defective. Mr. Thomas Beatt Sharp, of the firm of Sharp, Stuart, and Co., of Manchester, makers of the engine—No. 289 was made by the firm. The tires were supplied, not manufactured, by them. They supplied the company by contract. The present engine was one of a lot of ten to be supplied at a certain price. In this case they did not put in a tender. The price of the engine was not calcu lated by horse-power, but by the heating surface. The value of engine and tender was 2,450/. Had charged a much higher price for an engine and tender ; four years since the price would have been 5001. more. The reduction is caused by a reduction in the price of mate rials and improved mechanism. Were bound to supply the best of materials, and were bound to supply the tires manufactured by the Patent Shaft and Axletree Com pany, of Wednesbury, near Birmingham. Had examined the quality of the iron of the tire, and found it to be good. Doubted if he had seen better iron. The weight of the tire was about 7 cwt. The welding was entrusted to the foreman of the smiths in the establishment, Mr. Beyer. By the Coroner—We superintend the welding person ally. The tires are tested by sounding and other wise. I have examined the welding, and I do not think that it indicates either soundness or unsound ness. The particles appear to have been rubbed, together. We do not test the strength of the tire. We purchase the best quality of iron. Each tire is subjected to a sort of test by placing it on a wheel at black heat, and allowing the eleventh part of an inch in the diameter of the tire for shrinking. I cannot ac count for the breaking of the tire. It appears to me to have been subjected to friction since it was broken. By the jury —The welding of a tire does not weaken it. Examination continued—lt is a portion of our contract 'to guarantee the engines to run a thousand miles ; if anything happened they were boand to repair it, but after the thousand miles was completed our responsi bility ceases. The Coroner—Can you suggest any means of prevent ing such accidents ? Mr. Sharp —I do not see any means of preventing such accidents. I have never met with more than three cases of tires breaking out of 750 engines which we have manufactured. Mr. Edwin Clarke, engineer and general manager of the Electric Telegraph Company, sworn—l have made a great many experiments as to the strength of iron. I have been some years with Mr. Robert Stephenson, the engineer. I have had much experience in welding. There is a weld in about every 120 yards of telegraphic wire. I have examined the tire in the room, and the quality appears to be unusually good. I have examined the part where'the fracture occurred, which I have no doubt was the welded part. Ido not think the union of the iron per fect in the weld. It appears to me that nearly two fifths of the weld was not in cohesion. Welding is a very difficult process indeed. If the temperature is too high or too low the weld is apt to be bad. The colour of the metal is the principal guide as to whether the welding is good or bad. It requires great experience. It appears to me that about two-fifths of the iron broken 'was not properly united. I have heard Mr. Sharp's evidence, but I do not think the fracture was caused by friction, but by the want of cohesion. It is a very diffi cult thing to test a weld. Ido not think that sound would do it, nor could the eye in this instance, as the cohesion of the metal is quite perfect all round. By the Coroner—l attribute the fracture decidedly to the defective nature of the weld. By Mr. Sharp—The ends of the tire did not fit, but I do not think that shows there was something like friction. Mr. Sharp said if there had been no friction the ends of the tire ought to have fitted exactly. By the Coroner—We never, when a weld is properly made, consider it equally strong with a bar not welded. My opinion has not been changed as to the character of the welding by seeing that the ends did not fit. Mr. J. E. M'Connell examined—l am locomotive superintendent of the southern division of the London and North-Western Railway. I am a practical and mechanical engineer. I have no interest personally with respect to this accident, and I speak independently in this matter. When engines are purchased I inspect them, and I also order the foreman at Wolverton, Mr. Forsyth, to examine them and report. We examine the tires by narrow inspection, and if we have a doubtful tire we put them in the fire, and if a dark line appears we condemn it, and put it aside. I examined the tire of this engine and saw no imperfection. I have exa mined the fractured ends since the accident. The quality of the iron is very good, fibrous, and strong. I never saw a better quality of iron. The extreme breadth of the tire is 5/ inches. The outer edge is 21 inches in thickness. Through the centre of the tire the thickness is 21 inches. Over the flange it is 34 inches. The portions are imperfectly welded in breadth to the extent of three inches, and have never been united properly. An inch is unsound throughout out of the width. Three square inches of the surface I deem unsound. I should say there are other parts imperfectly welded. I should call this a bad weld. I travel over portions of the line very much. If I find the rails rough or uneven I report to the permanent way. My reports are punctually attended to. We weld at Wolverton about 3,000 tires a year. After being welded we put them on what is called stretching blocks. We suppose that the force used would at once discover if a tire was unsound. If this tire hid been subjected to such a trial, my opinion is that it would have flown. As near as I can say, we have about 5,000 waggons and 1,000 carriages. 260 engines, and 260 tenders employed on the line, on which there are about 30,000 tires of our Own welding. I only remember one tire being fractured within six years of our own stock and our own manufac ture. Ido not regard the welded portion of a tire, if it IA properly done, to be weaker than the other portion of the tire. The reason I have for it is, that the metal b uing, , well hammered makes it the stronger. We have had Solid iron break in frosty weather, but not the weld. 1% !, ° flaw could have been detected in the tire in this in e from outward appearance. Mr. 'Beyer was here sworn—l am trusted with the 7 es e s 7 s i siun of the making an d we ldi ng o f t i res i n Sharp's establishment. They are made and welded by l ob , Nuttall, the foreman of the smiths. It is my duty to inspect the work as it p j roceeds. Three or five men wou ld mak e t h e weld for a tire of the size be fere the jury in about three-quarters of an hour. The men are paid by the n u mbe r of think it would be we ll to pay them for the number of welds they make. We stretch our tires when welded in the same way as de scribed by Mr. ;12 Conn e ll (the witness described to the and the mode of stretobi n which g adopted at Messrs. Sharp and Stuart's factory, differed from that used at inasmuch as the metal at the the factory at Wolverton, latter place is tightened by a 'crew). Considered the test much the same, and that it aught have borne the test referred to by Mr. M'Connell. The weld is a bad one. The responsibility of sending out such a weld would rest upon no one in particular, but upon the entire m any hands f or estaldishment, as it cast es through s o isspection. The Coroner said he thought that the inquiry was now narrowed into a very small compass ; and unless Mr. Sharp or the company wished to call any witnesses, th ey might now conc l u d e t h e i nqu i ry, w hi c h , as f ar as the safety of the public was concerned, was a very important one. • Captain Huish said, on the part of the company, they had no evidence to offer, unless there was thought to be anything reflecting on the management. The Coroner said that he could not see that the ma nageinent of the line was in the slightest degree af fected by the inquiry. The real object they had to con i ler was the death of this unfortunate man, the guard ; and if Captain lluish had anything to state which would result in good effect with respect to the prevention of a recurrence of such accidents he would be happy to hear him, As far as that investigation was concerned, there was not the slightest blame to be attached to the Inn.no4-enkent of the line in the slightest degree. The real point was whether or not there was anything defective in the tire. It was however most desirable that the fears and feelings of the public should be softened and allayed ; and if greater confidence could be given to the public in railway management by any statement, he The report was read by the secretary, Mr. Jenkin Jones, submitting the progress of the society for the year ended the 30th September last. The amount of new assurances effected during the year was 202, 350/. 10s., yielding in annual premiums 6,014/. 12s. Bd. The in come of the society, as shown by the balance-sheet, was 48,2801. 16s. a year. The claims paid during the year amounted to 13,1511. 'ss. lid., showing, as compared with the preceding year, an increase of upwards of 6,0001. The gross annual income of the society, in ad dition to. the assets, was 24,2941. 10s. 7d. As the amount of the future bonus would probably be influenced by the extent of the new business introduced, and the cost at which it was obtained, the directors felt it to be their duty to draw the attention of the policy holders to the large number of new assurance offices continually being formed, amounting to no less Than 71, and to the great competition thereby introduced. The directors, on their part, were using every means to extend the operations of the society, and especially in the appoint ment of new and efficient agents ; and they strongly urged upon the policy holders the importance of each of them using his influence to obtain new assurances. The CHAIRMAN, in reply to Mr. Waddington, said that the office was progressing in a very satisfactory manner. Up to the present period the directors had submitted to every claim, and they never intended to dispute any claim of any kind, unless it was actually fraudulent. For the protection of the proprietors' pro perty they would consider it necessary to do so. Mr. CUFFLEY said that there had been a local board appointed at Manchester, and he thought that that ought to have been stated in the report. The SECRETARY said that they had a gentleman of eminence in Manchester who had policies to the extent of 5,0001. He introduced four other policies for 4,500/. It was then agreed that the report of the directors be received and adopted. Mr. Peake, Mr. Nicholson, and Mr. Baker, the re tiring directors, were re-elected. The accounts were passed, and after a vote of thanks to the chairman, the business of the meeting concluded. The directors and friends of the society dined together in the evening at the London Tavern. There was a ra ther numerous assemblage, amongst whom we noticed Messrs. Lawson, Baker, Cursham, J. R. Cuffley, Nichol son, John Mair, Teape, Hodgkinson, Jones, Brockle bank, and Jones (secretary). Mr. R. Wilcoxon occu pied the chair. After the usual loyal and patriotic ;oasts, The CHAIRMAN gave "Success to the National Mer cantile. Life Assurance Company." Ile said that it afforded himself and his colleagues—and he was sure also all those present—much satisfaction to find that that company, which had now been formed 15 years, had, by industry, perseverance, and vigilence on the part of its directors, arrived at its present measure of success, and become, as it were, firmly established on a rock. Those who had been present at the annual meet ing of the society which had been held that day, had had an opportunity of knowing the real position of the society, and it must have been encouraging to its best friends to know that, although it had not progressed with giant strides, it had marched on steadily, and that it was advancing in prosperity in a manner that must be satis factory to 'all its members. It now occupied a most re spectable position in the first rank of insurance offices ; it had become a mutual assurance office, and it did not litigate its claims, but endeavoured to steer its course in every respect in the path of justice. (The toast was very warmly received.) Mr. JONES then proposed "The Commercial Travel- I lers of England," and in doing so he paid a high compli ment to the general intelligence and good feeling of that class. Mr. ROBERTS, in returning thanks, bore testimony to the great increase of provident habits amongst the com mercial travellers of late years. Mr. NICHOLSON then proposed "The health of the Chairman," to whose exertions, he said, the society prin cipally owed the great success which it had attained amongst institutions of the kind. The toast was drunk in a most enthusiastic manner, and the chairman returned thanks in appropriate terms. Mr. CUFFLEY proposed "The Health of the Directors of the Society." The toast Was received with the usual honours, and was acknowledged by Mr. JOHN MAIR. Mr. LawsoN proposed " The Health of Mr. Jenkin Jones, the secretary of the society," to whose abilities as an actuary, and to whose zeal in the service of the society, he referred in the most eulogistic terms. Mr. JENKIN JONES, in returning thanks, stated that during the last year no fewer than seventy-one new life assurance offices had been established, a number which was altogether uncalled for. He trusted that all those engaged in the management of the society would con centrate their most energetic efforts upon the introduc ticm of the greatest amount of business to this society, at the least possible risk. The in to as t s were —" T he Agents of the So ciety n the Provinces," " The Legal, Medical, and other Officers of th e S oc i ety, " and " The Visitors." Tile company then separated after an exceedingly picasant evening. [ADvERTisEmErr.l—" Bell's Life in London," of Sun day next, January 2, 1853, will contain—Letters " On the breeding, rearing, and training of greyhounds," by Stonehenge—" On hunting, sporting, notes from the provinces, kennels of the country," &c., by Scrutator— " On the artificial breeding of salmon," by Ephemera. Gallant fight between Ned Donnelly and Mike Madden, for 501. a side ; and all the usual accurate sporting and other information, including the turf, the chase, the field, chess, angling, aquatics, cricket, pedestrianism, the ring, &c. Office, 170, Strand. Mr. Lewis appeared for Mr. Grafton. Mr. Alderman Copeland said this case had received his most serious consideration ; and, after looking through the evidence, he had come to the conclusion that Mr. Alexander had been greatly imposed upon in the matter ; but as that gentle man could not speak with certainty as tethe date of his purchasing the "gold" chain ; and as he (the alder man) at all times objected to sending cases before a jury, where there was no probability of obtaining a convic tion, he had come to the determination of dismissing the summons. He had, however, no hesitation in saying it was a case of gross fraud, and it would be his endeavour, from his position in the Court of the Goldsmith's Com pany? to put that body in motion to communicate with the Government on the subject, for he had been per fectly inundated with similar complaints since this ques tion was first mooted ; and he hoped the day would net be far distant when measures would be taken to sup press the system of trickery altogether. Under the cir cumstances the summons was dismissed ; but he wished it to be distinctly understood that it was dismissed only on the ground of Mr. Alexander's uncertainty as to the date of the transaction. MARLBOROUGH -STREET.—Thomas Munro, an Irishman, was charged with stabbing his wife with a table-knife. Ellen Munro saki she lived at No. 55, High-street, St. Giles's. The prisoner was her husband, and for a long time had been in.the habit of ill-using her. Last night her husband began grumbling with her son, and to prevent mischief she got out of bed to try to pacify him. Her son ran out of the room, and her husband then turned his rage upon her, saying he would put her out of the way. He then seized a knife which was on the table, and came at her with it. She put up her arm to ward off the stab, and she received a severe wound on the arm. Her cries for assistance brought back her son, and further injury was prevented. She had been to a surgeon's to have the wound dressed.l John Munro, the son, said his father picked a quarrel with him last night, and took up a knife to stab him. He ran out of the room, but hearing screams he went back and met his mother on the stairs bleeding from a long wound which she had received on the arm. The prisoner, who is a man of very violent disposition, and well known at this court, laid the blame on his son, and denied any premeditated intention to wound his wife. The prisoner was sent for trial. From "E. C.," 51. ; and from " T. T. T.," 51. ; has )een received for the poor-box. WORSHIP-STREET.—Mary Anne S7learman, a masculine-looking woman, who was well known to the police, was placed at the bar before Mr. D'Eyncourt, charged with having assaulted, with intent to rob, a gentleman named Cobin, residing at Cambridge-terrace, Hackney. _ _ The prosecutor stated that on the previous night he had just alighted from an omnibus in the immediate neighbourhood of his residence, when he was suddenly intercepted by the prisoner, who caught hold of his arm and attempted to intrude herself upon his company. He declined to have any conversation with her, and endea voured to release himself from her grasp, but she still pestered him with her importunities, and continued clinging to him with such pertinacity, that he found it necessary to give her a smart cut with his cane to com pel her to relinguish her hold. Witness then pro ceeded on his way, but was almost immediately overtaken by the prisoner, who clasped him tightly round the waist so as to pinion his arms, and seizing hold of his guard chain, made a strenuous effort to force his watch out of his pocket. He struggled violently to disengage himself from her, but she held him with such tenacity that he was completely powerless, and she was i n ac t o f securing her booty when his cries for assistance attracted the notice of a policeman, who hastened up and took her into custody. Police-constable K 61 corroborated the latter portion of the prosecutor's evidence, and stated that he had known the prisoner about the streets for the last five years, during the whole of which time she had been the constant associate of thieves and the worst characters of the district. On being called upon for her defence, the prisoner stoutly protested her innocence, and impudently insinu ated that the charge had been trumped up by the prose cutor, because she refused to submit to his familiarities. Mr. D'Eyncourt considered that the case had been clearly established, and ordered the prisoner to be com mitted for two months to the House of Correction. SOUTHWARK.— Hen2l/ Newberry was brought from on board a vessel bound to South Australia, charged with stealing a watch, the property of James Taylor. The prisoner had come up from Berwick-upon-Tweed, for the purpose of taking a passage out to South Aus tralia, where he had a relative who had realised a fortune at the diggings, and had sent for him to share his good fortune. While the prisoner was waiting for the sailing of the ship that was to convey him to the gold regions, he took an opportunity of purloining a watch belonging to a man with whom he lodged at Bermondsey, and, having pledged it, then burnt the ticket. He then em barked on board the vessel which was to have sailed the previous day, but the fact of his having stolen the watch and pawned it having come to the knowledge of the police, he was taken into custody. The prisoner was remanded for the production of the watch by the pawnbroker. Mr. Combe announced the receipt of 101. from the Mercers' Company, 51. from "W. H. C.," and the second half of a 101. note from " M. H. C." for the poor box. THAMES.—Antonio de Roslia, a Portuguese seaman, lodging at No. 32, Wellelose-square, was brought before Mr. Yardley, charged with cutting and wounding Julia Ann White, a woman of the town, of No. 7, Crown- . court, Whitechapel ; and also stabbing Rae Brinkhorn, a labourer, of No. 102, Pennington-street, Ratcliff highway. The first complainant, White, said she was going home with a sailor on Friday night, about nine o'clock, and met the prisoner on the steps of her door. He was having his boots blackened. She asked him to step aside and let her pass in, which he refused to do. She made an attempt to get into her dwelling, and he took a knife from his pocket and said he would go into the house with her. She would not allow him to do so, and he then made use of some expression and threw the knife at her. It struck her arm and nearly cut it off. She had a struggle with him, and he then draw the knife into her left arm and inflicted a severe wound. A girl came to her assistance, took possession of the knife, and shut the door, when the prisoner ran away. Police-sergeant Macintosh, H. produced a long knife, with a sharp-pointed blade, dagger shaped, and pointed to stains of blood near the point. He received it from the last witness, who said it was the one with which she was wounded. The knife had perforated both arms. Rae Brinkhorn said he knew nothing of the occur rence of Friday night ; but on Christmas night 'he went into the Cock and Neptune public-house, in Neptune street, Wellclose-square, to obtain his supper beer, and was quietly seated on a form when a disturbance took place among some foreign seamen, in which he took no part, and the prisoner seized him, threw him with great violence on a table, and after kicking him in a most savage manner about the body, particularly on the ribs, stabbed him on the face. He bled copiously from the wound, and had been put to great inconvenience and pain. Mr. Yardley—Had you ever seen the man before ? Brinkhorn—Never, sir. He rushed upon me and pulled me off my seat in an instant. Mr. Yardley—Was there any row or quarrel going on at the time ? Brinkhorn—None whatever, sir. I have been under medical care ever since I received the kicks and the wound. Macintosh said a tremendous row took place among the foreigners after the man Brinkhorn had been stabbed in the manner he had described. The prisoner, in broken English, denied that he had stabbed either of the parties who had given evidence against him. Mr. Yardley remanded him. The magistrate acknowledged the receipt of 101. from the Mercers' Company (their annual donation), and 2/. from "E.L.," for the poor-box. HAMMERSMITH.—Robert Caunt, a tall, powerful young man, about thirty years of age, described as a carpenter, living at No. 33, The Terrace, Kensington, was placed in the dock, before Mr. Beadon, on the charge of committing a ruffianly assault upon Mrs. Ann Deller, the landlady of the Duke of Cumberland public house, in High-street, Kensington, without any provo cation. The case was fully proved. Mr. Beadon said the prisoner was a perfect ruffian, and he was very sorry that he had not the power to or der him to hard labour for his unmanly conduct. He hoped the law would be altered in a short time, and that he should have the power of ordering hard labour in cases of brutal and savage assaults. He fined the pri soner the full penalty of 51., or two months' imprison ment. The prisoner was locked up in default. TRIAL OF MR. BOWER AT PARIS. THE FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT AT THE SUN, LONDON, THUKSDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 30, 1852, thought they were bound in justice to the company to hear it. Captain Huish begged to thank the Coroner for the statement he had made. Attacks had appeared in the public press to the effect that this accident had arisen from mismanagement, and that there were more acci dents on the North-Western than other lines. It ap peared, however, that the coroner did not attach much importance to the out-of-door remarks that this accident had arisen from other causes than the mere breaking of the tire. Mr. M'Connell had made a mistake in stating that there were but 30,000 tires in use on their line. The fact was that there were upwards of 60,000 tires in use on the line, and they had never met with a casualty of this unfortunate description with any tires of their own manufacture. To say that there were more acci dents on the North-Western Railway than other lines, considering that it was three times the size, and had three times the amount of traffic of any other line, was to say, supposing the others were equally well managed, that other lines ought to have three times ao many accidents as they did. When the enormous traffic of the North-Western line was considered, with 300 trains running over it per day, and with the delays of 25 diffe rent lines of railway running into it, with a staff of 11,000 servants engaged in attending to the wants and looking after the safety of the public, he (Captain Huish) thought that much blame could not fairly be attributed to the management. He could assure the coroner and jury, that during the last six weeks the most unprece dented difficulties that had ever occurred during his experience as manager had taken place. Bridges had been thrown down, and the road damaged by the heavy floods ; and these circumstances had presented vast diffi culties in the management of large trunk lines such as the North-Western, and had of course resulted in great delays. He was happy to state, however, that things were coming back to their normal position, and he hoped and expected that the traffic would be carried out with less difficulty, and the public safety be secured. The Coroner said, as Mr. Beyer could not in his ex perience, suggest any remedy for such occurrence as that which had taken place, perhaps Captain Huish might suggest somethi ng . H e knew it was not his department. Captain Huish said, nevertheless, he felt it his duty to keep a general eye over every department, and his opinion was that such an accident as this ought to be, and would be avoided, if proper care was taken in the welding of the tires. They did not find accidents arise from tires welded by themselves. It could not have been the fault of the road, for it was a remarkable fact that it happened on that point of road which was new, and the best up6n the whole line, upon a perfect level and the engine going rather under usual express speed. The Coroner then proceeded to sum up the case to the jury. He remarked that the only blame which could be attributed to any one was to the actual manufac turers of the tire ; he meant the workmen in the employ of Messrs. Sharp and Stuart ; but it was impossible, where the matter passed through so many hands, to visit the parties with any criminal re sponsibility. There could be no doubt that the death had resulted from the bad welding of the tire, and that the employer was responsible for the acts of his servants ; but when a firm employed, as they conceived, trustwor thy persons, and paid them fair wages, it was exceed ingly hard to visit them with punishment. With respect to the management of railways, he wished to remark that, when the number of miles of railways and the great number of stations, with the immense number of travellers that passed over them in that division of the county for which he (Mr. Wakley) was coroner, was considered, it spoke highly for the excellence of railway management. It was a remarkable fact that, notwith standing the millions of travellers who had passed over that line and the Great Western line in Middlesex, dur ing the twelve years he had been coroner, he had never held an inquest on the body of a first-class passenger. If anything could show the extraordinary care, prudence, and foresight exhibited in the management of those lines, it was this fact, and also the fact that, notwithstanding the millions of travellers, he had only had to hold in quests on two second-class and two or three third-class passengers. He (the Coroner) should be glad to find the company introducing cushions inside the second and third class carriages, be they ever so rough, as it would furnish protection to passengers in case of collision. Fir.t-class passengers escaped in consequence of their heads coming in contact with soft cushions, but in a second or third class, unless a man had a skull of extra ordinary thickness, it was not likely he could stand col lision with oak. (Laughter.) Captain •Huish said he would take care that the coroner's suggestion should be laid before the board of directors. The jury then retired, and returned a verdict, " That the deceased, John Bartholomew, was accidentally killed by the breaking of the tire of the leading wheel of en gine 289, on the London and North-Western Railway, in consequence of such tire having 'an imperfect weld of iron in its manufacture." The jury added their opinion that greater care and improvements ought to be adopted in the testing of weldings, and recommended the firm of Messrs. Sharp and Stuart to make provision for the widow and family of deceased. NATIONAL MERCANTILE LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY. A meeting of the shareholders of this society was held at the London Tavern yesterday ; Mr. Robert Wil coxon in the chair. POLIO 'ENCE. BOW-STREET.—Charles Mitchell, a militiaman, was charged with highway robbery. A young man named Thomas Bennett, in the employ of Messrs. Daukes and Rodick, bottled beer agents, Exeter-street, had spent the evening in company with a young woman at a temperance ball, from which they were returning through High-street, St. Giles's, at about one o'clock in the morning (Wednesday). They saw a group of men near the railings of St. Giles's Church, and crossed the road to avoid them. The men followed, and one of them (the prisoner) seized Bennett by the throat, forced him back on the pavement, rifled his pockets, and snatched at his watch chain, which broke at the swivel. The others assisted in the attack, and the prosecutor was severely knocked about ; but the screams of his companion brought a policeman to the spot bsefore they could secure his watch, and the men ran off in different directions. The constable (F 73), suspecting tillat one of them had gone into Dudley-court, proceeded to the spot, where he found the prisoner almost out of breath from the exertion of running. He was immediatel v identified by the prosecutor as the man who had throttled. him ; and Hannah Reardon, his com panion, corrobonded the statement. Mr. Henry inquired if the prisoner was known to the police ? - - _ _ The gaoler stated that the prisoner was brought before Mr. Hall a few weeks since,in company with another man, charged with being drunk and assaulting several people in Holborn. They were both in the militia uni form, and the prisoner was committed in default of pay ing the fine inflicted. The prosecutor expressed a wish not to proceed with the case, became he could not get leave of absence from his business ; and the inspector informed his worship that the foreman of Messrs. Daukes and Rodick, who was present, had threatened . to dismiss him from his situation if he absented himself for the purpose. Mr. Henry, after remarking that this was very extra ordinary conduct, requested the foreman to explain it. The foreman said that several of the hands were already absent from sickness and other causes, and if the prose cutor was to be kicking his heels for three or four days at the sessions upon this business, he (the foreman) would not undertake to say that his place would not be filled up by another hand. He wished the case to be disposed of summarily. Mr. Henry said he had no power to deal adequately with such charges as this, except by sending the case for trial. Highway robberies in the streets of London were getting very common now, and soon it would be unsafe to walk them after dark, if some exertions were not made to detect the offenders. It was a very small sacri fice for a respectable tradesman to make in the public service, and it - would be extremely unjust to visit the prosecutor with dismissal from his situation for one day's absence, and probably no more, to attend the sessions. What had happened to him (the prosecutor) might hap pen to his employers at any time ; and if the employers were consulted, he could not think that they would be so selfish as to sanction the threat of their foreman, who had shown a vea7 bad spirit in the matter. The constable said it was with great difficulty that he had prevailed o n the foreman to allow Bennett to attend before his worship that day. Mr. Henry desired the officer to communicate his sen timents upon the subject to the principal of the firm, who, it appeared, was not at present in town. The prisoner, on being asked if he had anything to say to the charge, said, "You have got it all your own way, so do as you like." 4 He was then committed for trial. Daniel Mahony, James O'Carroll, and Catherine Sul livan, each of - whom occupied a room at 4, Lincoln court, were charged by Inspector Reason and Sergeant Hunt, with neglecting the regulations enforced by the act for the improvement of common lodging-houses. It was shown in evidence that the defendants had neglected to provide the requisite partitions between the beds occupied by men, women, and children, and that the whole of the house was in a very filthy condition. The landlord was chiefly responsible for this, because, owing to the unapproachable state of the water-closet at the bottom of the house, the lodgers had habitually re sorted to the front cellar, the stench arising from which was truly horrible. Mr. Henry said he should not dispose of this case without seeing the landlord. His worship then issued a summons for the attendance of the latter, and adjourned the inquiry to a future day. Four similar charges were preferred against the occu piers of rooms in Orange-court, but as the defendants promised to put up partitions forthwith, and to comply with the other regulations of the act, Mr. Henry sus pended his decision for a fortnigilt. Our reporter was requested to acknowledge the receipt of 10/. from the Mercers' Company, for the poor-box of the court. GUILDHALL.--Mr. Alderman Copeland having signified his intention to deliver his decision in the case against Mr. Grafton, a watchmaker and jeweller, of Fleet-street, all the parties attended according to the notice. The trial of Mr. Bower for the murder of Mr. Saville Morton took place at Paris on Tuesday, and occupied the Court of Assize of the Seine the whole of the day. It excited the greatest interest, and the court was crowded during the investigation. The " act of accusa tion" was as follows : Elliot Bower, an Englishman, aged 38 years, was married in 1842 to Fanny Vickery, a widow, by whom he had three children, the last borne on the 2d Sept. 1852. In the course of the year 1848, Bower established himself at Paris with his family. He was correspon dent for the English journals published in London, and occupied apartments in Rue de Seze, and an intimate friendship existed between him and Saville Mor ton, his fellow-countryman, also a correspondent for the English journals. They co-operated in the preparation of the correspondence. Morton was a friend of the Vickery family, and knew Mrs. Bower from her childhood. Mrs. Bower apparently enjoyed complete happiness. She appeared to be the object of her husband's assiduous care, although her domestic life was not unclouded. She often suffered from the violent character of Bower, and probably also from his conjugal infidelities. In 1850 she received a letter from Isabella Laurie, living in London, in which that young woman accused Bower of having sought to estrange her from her husband's affections. That revelation produced a profound impression on Mrs. Bower's mind, the bitterness of which time had failed to soften. Mrs. Bower had the imprudence to confide her griefs to Mr. Morton. He abused her confidence, and forgot that Bower was his friend. There was no certain proof, but unfortunate circumstances in spired Bower with the thought that he had been unwor thily betrayed. During many months Mrs. Bower was in a state of excitement, the precursor of that derange ment which subsequently affected her intellect. Fif teen days before her last accouchement she ordered the woman Pepin, the portress of the house, to come to her immediately after her delivery, in order to bear the news of it to Morton, together with some of the hair of the expected child. fOn the 2d September, after her ac couchement, she said to that woman, "Go announce to Mr. Morton that I have been confined, that the baby re sembles him, that I cannot send him a lock of its hair to day, but that he shall have it soon." Morton, on re ceiving this message could not refrain from making the miserable exclamation, " Ah, what misfortune !" Never theless, Morton partook of the passion that inflamed Mrs. Bower. He had conceived the mad project of procuring a divorce between Bower and his wife, for the purpose of marrying her himself. Several English lawyers whom he had consulted as to the legal means of accomplishing his object could not turn him away from that wild desire. Mrs. Bower's accouche ment was favourable, and everything presaged a speedy. convalescence ; but towards the 15th day, an im prudence induced puerperal fever, and the state of excitement which already existed was increased so as to produce mental aberration. Her relations were summoned to her bed-side, and, with the consent of Bower, Morton himself remained in the chamber of the sick lady, where he passed the night on a couch. By his presence and his discourse he appeared to calm Mrs. Bower's agitated mind. On the 30th September Mrs. Bower expressed an ardent desire to abjure the protest ant religion, in which she had been born and educated. Her wish was accomplished on the evening of the same day ; but her madness, far from calming, increased in force during the succeeding night and the day of the Ist of October. She refused to see her husband, and found food for her fury against him in the letter of Isabella Laurie, which she held constantly in her hand. On the Ist of October, about nine o'clock in the evening, the relations of Mrs. Bower and the mother of Mr. Bower were assembled in the dining-room. Mrs. Bower called her husband into her chamber, and then, after having reproached him with acts of violence committed on her person, she, in a fit of delirium and of fever, cried—show ing her infant which she held in her arms—" That baby is not yours—it is Morton's ; " and when Bower protested against that revelation, his wife, still further excited by the resistance offered to her, added, that on the 2d of December, in the absence of her husband, she had sent for Morton, who had passed the night with her, and that she had become a mother on the 2d of September. "If I believed that," cried Bower, " I would kill this infant." These words carried Mrs. Bower's insanity to its height, and addressing her sister, who was present, she said, " Queen of England, drive away that man." Such dis course, inspired by a raving imagination, should have given rise to no feeling in the mind of Bower but that of pity ; but a thirst for vengeance had taken possession of him. He quitted the chamber of his wife and entered the dining room. He was pale, and his features ex hibited the violent emotions that agitated him. Mor ton was sitting in the dining room. Bower seized a table knife and rushed at Morton, who, com prehending his rage was directed against him, rose precipitately and made for the ante chamber, in order to escape by the principal staircase. Bower's mother at tempted to restrain her son, and caught him by his coat, but his coat rent, and she fell by the effort which Bower made to disengage himself from her grasp. Morton, having traversed the ante-chamber, descended rapidly the first steps of the stairs, when he was overtaken by Bower, who struck him a violent blow with the knife near the left ear. Morton fell never to rise again ; death was the result of a terrible hxmorrhage, caused by the cutting of the carotid artery. At sight of the man ex tended without motion Bower comprehended the enor mity of his crime. He reascended the stairs, and stood like one annihilated ; but, hearing that Morton was dead, he entered his apartment, changed his clothes, took some money, and, taking advantage of the commo tion, he descended the back stairs, and left the house without having been noticed. Although the pursuit was active he was not arrested, and succeeded in taking •efuge in England. At the close of the trial, Mr. Bower was acquitted• AUDACITY OF THE LONDON ROBBERS DURING LAST CENTURY.—The following is an instance of theimper fect condition of the London police in 1727 :—At the time of the first visit to the City by George 11. and his Queen, soon after their accession to the throne, the cities of London and Westminster had been greatly pestered for a considerable time past with a number of street robberies ; and so audacious had they become, that they formed a scheme of robbing the Queen in St. Paul's Churchyard, as she came privately from supper in the City to St. James's Palace. This scheme was, how ever, frustrated by their being busily employed in rob bing Sir Gilbert Heathcote, an alderman of London, as he was returning in his carriage from the House of Commons, during which time her Majesty luckily escaped. This circumstance greatly alarmed both the Court and City. Letters were immediately sent to all the magistrates, enjoining them to use their utmost endeavours to suppress such robberies ; and many of the parties implicated bell* apprehended and executed, this barefaced system of robbery was, to a great extent repressed. In 1744 the robbers again became trouble some after dark, and to such a pitch of insolence had they arisen, that they went to the houses of the peace officers, and made them beg pardon for endeavouring to apprehend them ; and many, whose lives they had threatened, were obliged to secure themselves by taking shelter in Bridewell.—The Builder. THE MANCHESTER POST-OFFICE.—There are employed in this office a postmaster, above 40 clerks, 5 letter stampers, and nearly 100 letter-carriers ; mails arrive at the office, and are despatched about 60 times daily. Nearly 2,000 merchants and tradesmen pay for private boxes at the Manchester Post-office, by which they are enabled to obtain their correspondence direct from the office, instead of through the medium of the letter carrier. THE GOLD. VICTOPIA. On the 7th of the present month, the day prior to the departure of the Chusan steamer, we pub lished an elaborate article, embodying the results of a most careful investigation into the actual con dition, commercial, social, and political, of the colony of Victoria, and designed for transmission to Europe by the overland mail, in order that the British public might be furnished in a condensed form with the latest and most authentic informa tion respecting a colony so strangely circumstanced, and at the present moment exciting such profound and general interest throughout the civilised world. As the Australian steamer is on the point of depart ing for England by the direct ocean route, we design to add such supplementary particulars as will bring down our summary of events to the pre sent moment. And, as before, we shall commence with the grand primary topic of THE GOLD. The total amount of the precious metal brought into Melbourne by the several escorts, and by pri vate hand, up to the end of August, we showed to be 1,771,974 ounces. Since then the quantities brought in have been as under : GOVERNMENT ESCORT. Sept. 3.—From Ballarat 7 " Mount Alexander "10 " Ballarat , " 17 " do. Mount Alexander do. Oances. 4,627 37,956 4,897 4,661 47,061 28,628 " 25 Ballarat, unknown 128,880 PRIVATE ESCORT. Sept. 3.—From Mount Al exan d er... 5 7, 77 14 7, 71, " 20 " ff " 26 " 33,805 31,755 47,050 40,922 44,427 197,959 TOTALS. By Government escort By private escort Amount conveyed to Adelaide by South Aus tralian escort on the 16th inst. 128,830 197,959 39,404 Total quantity brought down by escorts... 366,193 We have here tolerably correct data to determine the average weekly yield of the Victoria diggings. In an address to her Majesty, drawn up by the Legislative Council some days ago, it is stated that " the present weekly yield of gold, taking the last three months as a criterion, may be estimated at 80,000 ounces, which, at 70s. an ounce, gives a gross annual sum of 14,560,0001. sterling." This estimate is fully substantiated by the figures given in our previous article, and more than confirmed by the statistics given above. For we find that in the first four weeks of the present month close upon 370,000 ounces have been conveyed from the dig gings by escorts, in addition to the unknown quan tities brought away by private persons, and still remaining in the hands of the diggers. Perhaps an, average yield of 120,000 ounces weekly would not be- an exaggerated estimate, At all events it is perfectly certain that the weekly yield is constantly increasing ; but, on the other hand, it must be stated that the present is the most favourable period of the year for gold-digging, and that the number of diggers is constantly increasing. In our previous summary we estimated the total yield of our gold fields, from their commencement to the end of August, at 2,532,422 oz., to which, adding the amount since brought in, we have a present total of 2,898,615 oz., which, at 31. 10s. per oz., is equal to 10,145,1521. sterling ; but this amount, we may again state, we believe to be much below' the actual value of the gold produced in Vic toria to the present date. We have said that the number of diggers is in creasing. Our previous estimate gave the number at 70,000, and it is likely that upwards of 80,000 are at this moment on the ground. Taking the average weekly yield given by the Legislative Council, we find that the average yield per man per week is exactly an ounce. This result is at least confirmed by the general statements of the diggers themselves, it being universally admitted that any persevering digger can easily secure an ounce a-week—a striking contrast with the wages of the Lanark handloom weaver, and - the pittance doled out grudgingly to the Dorsetshire labourer or the famished Irish peasant.—Melbourne Argus. STATE OF TRADE. ( From the Manchester Guardian of yesterday. ) MANCHESTER, DEC. 28.—The total receipts of cotton at the American ports, to the 15th inst. were 1,001,000 bales against 619,000 at the corresponding period of last year, and, in the last week, 138,000 against 96,000 ; while the total exports to Great Britain were 359,000 against 210,000. The magnitude of the receipts (those of the last week exceeding any ever before known), and the continued prevalence of high estimates of the crop, taken in connection with the decline on this side,'re ported in letters of the 27th ult. by the Niagara, had the effect of causing prices to recede in all the markets of the United States—at New York, New Orleans, and Mo bile to the extent of lc. to 4c. But, in all these ports, freights had reached the excessive high rate of ld. per lb. The Liverpool market is evidently influenced by the tenor of these advices ; for yesterday's sales were only 4,000 bales, and to-day's not more than that number, while prices are slightly in the buyer's favour. In our own market, also, a similar influence is per ceptible in the conduct of buyers, who, for the most part, operate in a very cautious and sparing manner. The principal purchasers are still the Eastern merchants, who, however, are somewhat less free in their action than they were last week ; yet, for some things, particularly 40's and 50's mule twist, they are paying rather higher prices, in cases where immediate delivery can be secured, which is rendered exceedingly difficult by the extent of the pre-engagements. The Ger mans are as little disposed for business as ever, and 20's and 30's water twist may be had on rather lower terms ; but there is some demand for extra hard and mock water, on the part of the Italian and Levant houses. The home consumers of the coarser counts are buying but little ; these yarns are therefore stationary—scarcely lower. With respect to domestics, which have long been quite unremunerative to the makers, there have latterly been more hopeful indications in a slowly increasing demand ; and this has been felt to-day, so far at least as regards the export department. Some kinds of printing cloths are hardening in price, from their scarceness, as com pared with the call there is for them. Altogether, the market, both for yarns and goods, is steady, and the amount of business fair for the season of the year. ROCHDALE, DEC. 27.—We have had a thin attendance of buyers in the market to-day from other places, but two of the resident manufacturers have purchased rather largely to supply their own orders. The wool market is steady, the demand regular, and prices firm. • HALIFAX.—The market being held this week off the usual day, the attendance both of manufacturers and bmerchants has been exceedingly slight, and scarcely any usiness has been transacted. Yarns and wool are pretty much in the same state as noted in our last. The up ward tendency of prices continues ; and the feeling that they are not likely to recede induced all parties to pur chase with more confidence. HUDDERSFIELD, DEC. 28.—The cloth hall has been rather thinly attended by buyers to-day, and their pur chases have been only for small quantities to assort stocks. Little business is expected to be done at this particular season, as most of the leading houses are busy stock taking. ENGLAND AND ITS PROSPECTS.—EngIand is a young country, not an old country, as some mistakenly assert. The energy in it at this moment is enormous ; we are but commencing to move, and have a mighty future in store. Statesmen, as it seems to us, are beginning to have glimpses of their real duty—the welfare and ad vancement of the people committed to their charge. The time is coming when leaders will have to be leaders, and the world will not be governed or trammelled by shams. The recognition of the importance of the fine arts and practical science in the late speech from the throne is a promising sign of the times, and the prop ose d I n d ustrial and Arti s ti c U n i vers i ty will be looked forward to hop ingly. The application of art to the manufactures of the country, and the general advancement and elevation of the industrial population, is no longer a matter of pre ference or otherwise, but one of vital necessity. If we stand still, other countries will not, and we shall be passed in the race. The mind must be set to work to aid the hand. As the Duke of Newcastle truly said at the late meeting of the Sheffield School of Design— " These are days in which education is no longer one of the luxuries of life ; it has become one of its greatest necessities, for all classes and for all grades of society. It has become the daily bread of us all. —The Builder. IMMIGRATION.—We earnestly entreat attention to the injudicious and cruel system of sending out overcrowded vessels, which seems to be gaining ground just now. Three striking instances of this kind have just occurred. The Bourneuf, Wanata, and Marco Polo, have arrived frbm Liverpool with about 800 passengers each. The consequences of overcrowding are sure to be fatal, and, accordingly, the deaths were 83, 39, and 53 respectively, during the voyage. The vessels were of the largest size, it is true, but. it is perfectly obvious, that no v esse l, whatever its si ze , can sa f e l y carry such large numbers on a three months' voyage. It is also true that the mortality in these cases was almost wholly confined to children ; but the facts are not the less painful nor in applicable as warnings of the disastrous consequences of an inhuman system—Melbourne Argus. PERNICIOUS LITERATURE.—The circulation cf perni cious publications is immense. In 1845 it was calculated from London alone there was a yearly circulation of stamped and unstamped newspapers and serials, of a decidedly pernicious character, to the extent of 28,862,000 ! During the last five years, while cheap religious periodicals have made limited progress, either in numbers or interest, the corrupt printing press has been unceasingly at work. The present circulation in London of immoral unstamped publications of a half penny to three halfpence each, must be upwards of 400,000 weekly, which would give the enormous issue of 20,800,000 yearly. LIVERPOOL, Dec. 29.—Wind, S.S.E., fresh. The Childe Harold, from Liverpool to Mobile, has put back to Pieli of Fondry, disabled, and with captain hurt ; she grounds at low water. The Sir Howard Douglas, hence for Apalachicola, that went ashore in the Lay of Lace on the 20th inst., was completely broken up by the gale of Monday. The Swedish barque Isis, from Glasgow to Liscata, with coals, was abandoned on the 27th of De cember 15 miles N.E. of the Calf of Man ; crew saved by the Themis, put back here. Two sloops were aground off West Hoyle this morning, but have since got off. The Conway, from Liverpool to New Orleans, that was aground off the wall of the north dock, has been got off, and taken into Sandon Basin. The barque Tenamara, hence for Ceara, which sailed Dec. 18, is at anchor off the port, with loss of jibboom. Arrived— The Conchita, Havannah ; New York Packet, New Orleans ; Guesta, Alexandria ; Jacob A. Westerweldt, New York ; Amelia, Marseilles ; Amadora, do. ; Frank fort (screw-steamer), do. ; Trenton; Savannah ; Bryn-y- Mor, Alexandria ; Stephanie, Rouen. PLYMOUTH, Dec. 28.—The Freedom is on shore at Mill Bay, and fills with the tide. The Wanderer, sup posed to be a barque of from 300 to 400 tons, has been totally lost near Salcombe. Fourteen bodies of the crew of the Ocean Queen (s.), from London to Jamaica, wrecked at Wemburg, have been washed on shore at that place. LIME REcas, Dec. 28.—The Sarah, of this port, came on shore, and has broken up ; crew and passengers saved. The Adele, of Jersey, has also come on shore, and is expected to become a total wreck ; crew saved. PENZANCE, Dec. 28.—The Sophie, of this port, is on shore, and fills with the tide. The Alert drove foul of the William Camyges, and had bows stove, &c. ; the latter was cut down to the water's edge. MILFORD, Dec. 23.—The Mary Anri, the Queen Ade laide, and the Jane, are on shore with considerable damage. TORBAY, Dec. 28.—The Engelina, of Paphenburg, from Shields to Cadiz, was abandoned yesterday ; crew saved and landed here. CLYDE, Dec. 2 7. - -Arrived—Hudson, Savannah ; New Hampshire, New York ; Arabic and Rankin, Quebec ; Fear Not, Newfoundland ; Carlo Mauran, Mobile ; Sarah Mary, Quebec. YARMOUTH, Dec. 27.—The Orient (brig) has been put on the beach. The Henrietta, from Emden for Ips wich, has been assisted in, having been on shore. MARGATE, Dec. 28.—The Eu, Antwerp for Liverpool, which was towed upon the main after being ashore, &c., is discharged ; about 5,646 loaves of sugar are in a dry state. SUNDERLAND, Dec. 27.—The Crocus, on shore on the 19th, has been got off. The Brightlandsea, of Colchester, St. Andrew's to London, sailed on the 23d inst., and has not since been heard of. GRIMSBY, Dec. 28.—The Albion, of Exeter, has put in leaky, &c., having struck on Sand Hale. The Cathe rine (sloop), of Aberdeen, went on the Trinity Sand, and became a total wreck • part of the cargo has been lauded here and at Hull. The Wool Packet (smack), of and for Rochester, from Hartlepool, drove on the sunk island and filled ; crew saved. The West Hendon, of Whitby, on shore yesterday, has been got off. WIVENHOE. Dec. 28.—A vessel, said to be the William and Mary, of London, in ballast, was wrecked on the Gunfleet ; the crew (seventeen in number) were taken off the mainmast this morning, the wreck being nearly on her broadside. HARWICH, Dec. 28.—Two brigs and a barque are re ported to have been wrecked on the Gunfleet yesterday. The Veronica, of Scarborough, has been assisted in to day, after being ashore on the Cork Sand. SCHEVENINGEN, Dec. 26.—The Annegiene, Amsterdam to London, is stranded here ; .crew saved. CHRISTIANSAND, Dec., 15.—The Seven, Dantzic to London, put in yesterday leaky, and must discharge to repair. YSTAD, Dec. 19.--An English brig, of Scilly, timber laden, from Dantzic to London, supposed to be the Royal Brit a i n , was wrecked at andhammar, Dec. 17 ; one man saved. THE FAMILIES OF POETS AND AIITHORS.—It is im possible to contemplate the early death of Byron's only child without reflecting sadly on the fates of other fam ilies of our greatest poets. Shakspeare and Milton, each died without a son—but both left daughters, and both names are now extinct. Shakspeare's was soon so. Addison had an only child—a daughter, a girl of some five or six years at her father's death. She died unmar ried, at the age of 80 or more. Farquhar left two girls dependent on the friendship of his friend Wilkes, the actor- who stood nobly by them while he lived. They had a small pension from the Government; and hav ing long outlived their father, and seen his reputa tion unalterably established, both died unmarried. The son and daughter of Coleridge both died child less. The two sons of Sir Walter Scott died without children —one of two daughters died unmarried—and the Scotts, of Abbotsford and "Waverley" are now repre sented by the children of a daughter. How little could Scott foresee the sudden failure of a male issue. The poet of the " Faerie Queen" lost a child, when very young, by fire, when the rebels burned his house in Ire land. Some of the , poets had sons an d daughters. Thus we read of Chaucer 's son, of Dryden's sons, of the sons of Burns, of Allan Ramsay's son, of Dr. Young's son, of Campbell's son, of Moore's son, and of Shelley's son. Ben Johnson survived all his children. Some —and those among the greater—died unmarried :—Butler, Cowley, Congreve, Otway, Prior, Pope, Gay, Th omson , Cowper, Ak ens id e, Shenstone, Collins, Grey, Goldsmith. Mr. Rogers still lives —single. Some were unfortunate in their sons in a sadder way than death could make them.—Athenceun MORE GOLD.—The quantity of gold on its way to this country by the screw steamer Australian is larger than reported by some of the journals. She left Port Philip, with the mails for England and 150,000 ounces of gold, 11 days before the Marco Polo (which has arrived at Liverpool), and had arrived at Adelaide, whence she was to sail with 65,000 ounces more of the precious metal, so that we have here a total of 215,000 ounces, worth 860,0001. The amount of gold brought in by the Marco Polo is not exactly ascertained, but is believed to b e about 100,0001. Letters from Melbourne further state that the Calphurnia, Captain Nicholson, had cleared for London with 56,177 ounces of gold on freight, worth about 224,0001. The amount of the specie and bullion brought in by the Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer Haddington is 15,0001., of which 1 2,500/, is from Australia and the rest from Malta. BRISTOL, DEC. 29. at STOCK EXCHANGE.—Th e s h are market was very fla to-day, and the t ransac ti ons h ave been confined to are a Western Stock, which has been done at 964. SEABORNE MAILS. (N signifies that the mails are sent from the General Post-oi tiCi by the night—and Mby the morning —dispatch.] Day when made up From what -when COUNTRIES. in General Post- Port duo. Office, London. Dispatched. America (byßrit.pack.N Dec. 31 Liverpool Jan. 4 America (by United Sts. packet) ..........N Jan. 11 .......... Liverpool ... Jan. 6 America (by U. States packet) ..........N Jan 5 ............ Southampton Dec. 25 Australia (via South. ampton) ..........M 20th of each month Southampton Jan. 24 Ditto (via AI arseilles N 24th of the month Dover Jan. 1 *Ditto (via Cape of Good Hope) ............N 2d of February.... Plymouth Nov. 36 Africa (West Coast) ..N 23rd of the month. Plymouth .• Alexandria* N 19th&30th of mon. Dover Jan. 1 2 Belgium .......... ..N Daily.. • • .... Dover Daily Brazil .... .......... IV 9th of the month.. Southampton Jan. 1 6 Buenos Ayres ........M 9th of the m on th .. S outhampton Jan. 16 California .. & 17th of month Southampton ram 1 i Cape of Good Ilope..N 14thof the mouth.. Southampton Jan. 2 6 Cape de Verds ......N 14thof the month Southampton Jan. 2 6 Constantinople*......N 7thl7th27thof mo. Dover Dec. 30 Central America —.54 ?rid & 17th of mon. Southampton Jan. 1 d o Channel Isles .. ......N Mon.Wed.bFriday Southampton Ta.Th.•P Chili.... .. 2d & 17th ormonth ;outtiampton Jan 1 France ........ M& N Twice daily Dover dif Greece* .. ..N 7thl7th27th otinon. Dover Dec. 3u t . Hamburgh Tuesday & Friday London Tues.. p• Holland ............ M Wednesday & Sat London sun. Honduras N 17th of the month. Southampton Jan 16 Ireland ..... ..M & N Twice daily ...... Holyhead ... Twicedaw India (viaSoutbampt.)M 20th of the month.. Southampton Jan. 2 4 In'lia (via Marseilles) N Sth& 24th of month Dover Jan. 1 India (via Cape of Good .. M 14th of the month.. Southampton Jan. 2 6 Mauritius ..........N 14th of the month.. Southampton lam 26 Mediterranean (via Southampton .......M 20th of themonth , qouthampton Jan. 24 Ditto (via Marseilles).N ith& 24th ofmonth D0ver;...... Jan. 1 Mexico )nd of the month. Southampton Jan. 1 Madeira ,..,M 9th&23dofthe mon. Southampton Jan 1 6 7th, 1 7th,19th,27th, - &30th of the month Dover .. Jan. 2 Naples* ........N sthlsth2sthofmon. Dover Jan. 2 Papal States*........N -, thlsth2sthormon. Dover Jan. 2 Peninsula "thl7th27thofmon. Southampton Jan. Peru 2d & 17th of month 'outhampton Jan. 1 Tuscany* ..........N sthlsth2sthofmon, Dover Jan. 2 West Indies .... ....M 2d & 17th of mo n th S ou th ampton Jan. ! Van Diemen's Land (me Australia) ...... * The mails for A us t ra li a v i a t h e C ape of Good Hope are made vP on the 2d of every alternate month. Those made up on the 2 0 n and 24th of each month via Southampton and Marseilles are sent by sailing vessels at present from Singapore, but next year they Will Ue sent in steamers. t Mails are also made up on th e 2d of every alternate mon th for the Cape of Good Hope. * The mails to those countries thus marked ( 5 ) are conveyed bt French packet to Marseilles. • MORMON EMIGRATION. — The Mecklenburg post steamer Obottritt has conveyed from Cop en h a gen '- Kiel a body of about 300 Mormons, including women and children. With the exception of a few Norwegian* the whole are Danes. They will be conveyed from Hamburg to Hull, and thence to Liverpool, where thef will embark for New Orleans, to join their brethren in the distant settlements. The greater part of the elders possess some capital, and all are respectable. [ADVERTISEMENT.]—HoIIoway's Pills have cured a pal pitation of the heart and shortness of breath.—J. Word, of the Ist European Bengal Fusiliers, Lahore, had suf fered for three years from a palpitation of the heart, great difficulty of breathing, a diseased liver, and over flow of blood to the chest to such a degree that he vo mited considerable quantities. His case was viewed as hopeless, having baffled the skill of several eminent medi: cal men, who gave him up as past all human aid. Whilst lingering in this condition he was advised to try 11 01 " loway's pills, and solely by their means he h as been effectually cured, and his health completely re-established . —Sold by all vendors of medicines, and at Professor Holloway's Establishment, 244, Strand, London. BIRTHS. OF A SON. On the 25th inst., at Downe-place, Guildford, the Wif e of Major G. Mac Call. OF A DAUGHTER. On the 27th inst., at Albans-villas, Highgate-rise, M il. J. de Paiva. MARRIED. On the 29th inst., at St. John's-church, Paddington , L I : Wakeford, Esq., to R ose E m i ly, second daughter of Si r R. Bishop. On the 28th inst., at St. Georg e ' s , Honover-square , yichael R. S. Stewart, Bart., t o Lady Octavia Grosven°' DIED. On the 24th inst. at Birch-house, n ear H ere ford, a'g 76, Kedgwin Hoskins, Esq., a deputy-lieutenant all magistrate for that county. al On the 27th inst., at Windsor, J. P owe ll, E sq ., Aim tf Knight, an d l ate of H.M.'s 77th Regiment, aged 84. 1 4 On th e 28th i ns t ., at 72, Oxford-terrace, IrYde-P— -.1. Carolin e , relict of the late W. Allen, Esq. ea o On the 28th inst., M r . J ames Innes, late of the Q ll Arms Hotel, Cheapside, in the city of London, aged 50, On the 25th i ns t., a t 3, Park-street, Grosvenor -0 V Miss Eliza Harper, of 6, Leonard's-place, York. . a eti On the 28th inst.. at C o ll ege - s t reet, Northamp tou t ,..q a l 47, Capt. John Luml e y, l a t e o f h er Majesty ' s 6th -LW Regiment of Foot. I%lGt LONDON : Printed and P u bli s h e d by MURDO 0.1)- 1111 of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, Strand, in the Precinct o f th e S avoy, i n the coulw Middlesex, Thursday, December 30,1852, THE SHIPPING INTEREST. TO THE EDITOR OF THE. TIMES. SIR,—As many of my friends give me credit for being the person alluded to in the report by you of Mr. Alder man Thompson's speech in the House of Commons on the 15th inst., I trust you will not object to publish the annexed correspondence, and that you will permit me to add, that I am not, and never was, an ultra-Protectionist or Free-trader. I always advocated a small fixed (55.) duty on corn, and that all goods should be considered the produce of the country where they lay, and allowed to be imported as such in a ship of that country and a British ship. The Legislature has decided otherwise, and we must now do our best, and I am only anxious that the public should clearly understand the value of the so much boasted relief to British shipping.--I am, Sir, your humble servant, Limehbuse, Dec. 24. DUNCAN DUNBAR , "Dear Si r " Limehouse, De c . 17. Wshipowner are anxious to know to whom you referred 'as ( the largest shipowner in England and the world.' Will you oblige me with his name, and also if he represented himself to be what you described him ? "I am quite prepared to prove what I personally stated to you, that the relief proposed to the shipping interest was very insignificant--about the same as taking off the tax on shepherds' dogs would be to the agricul turist. "Although I am sure you have kindly feelings to wards us, I will not take up more of your time than to state the proposed salvage measure can in no way re lieve the shipowner ; it is entirely an underwriters' question. "You will also keep in view that any deduction in lights benefits the foreigner equally with ourselves, and that even allowing 100,0001. per annum to be reduced, only about one-half will fall to the British shipowner. "The lights paid into the Trinity-house in 185' amounted— on British ships, to ... on foreign ships, t 0... ... being an increase over 1850, on English shipss,l63 on foreign ships ... ... •• • ... 11,710 and I much fear the year 1852 will bring the two much nearer together. "You will see that about one-half of the proposed re lief of 100,0001. mill make a very small per centage to us, but we cannot understand how this even is to be made out, and we would be much obliged if you would ascertain for us the items composing it. I may add, that although I have been so many years a shipowner, I was not aware that our ships could be turned out of a snug berth by her Majesty's ships. Apologising for this liberty, I am, my dear Sir, yours very truly, " William Thompson, Esq., M.P." "D. DUNBAR. £123,000 80,000 "Park-street, Dec. 18. "Dear Sir,—l cannot satisfy the curiosity of the ship owners as to the largest shipowner in England and the world,' as I made use of no such term • neither has any person rep resen t e d hi mself to me in that character. I did not represent the salvage question as exc l us i ve l y bearing up on s hi pp i ng, b ut as being of importance to the commercial and shipping interests generally. I know shipowners who are their own underwriters, and to a great extent. " With respect to your other point, the light dues, &c., I should have been a very indifferent observer of the course of legislation for the last 28 years, and a very unfit representative of great maritime ports, if I had not known that this country was bound by many treaties to put the foreign ship as to lights upon the same terms as the British ship. "I am not surprised that the report of my speech should have attracted your attention, because not one sentiment in twenty which I uttered was reported, and some which I have been reported to have uttered never fell from my lips. I had not voice to reach the gallery, and I was not well placed when I spoke ; but Hansard' has applied to me to correct the press, which I probably may consent to do, in which case you will find that I am as firm and consistent a friend to British shipping now as I was when I entered the House of Commons 33 years ago.— I am always, dear Sir, yours faithfully, "D. Dunbar, Esq." "W. Tuomorr. SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. MORTALITY IN THE METROPOLIS• TO ) NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES REGIS IN THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, DV' 25. 1 6/ Zymotic Diseases .......................................... 35 Diseases of U ncer t a i n Seat .................. . ........... 1 45 Tubercul ar Diseases ....................................... Diseases of the Brain, Nerves, and Senses ........••• 41 Diseases of the Heart and 8100d-ve sse l s ............. •• i Diseases of th e L ungs an d other Organs ° igp Respiration ............................................... • Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs 69 of Digeston ................................................ Diseases of the Kidneys, &c. Childbirth, Diseases of the Uterus , &c. Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Muscles ......... Diseases of the Skin, &c. ................... .............. Malformations ............................................... Premature Birth and Debility ........................... Atrophy.. .................................................... 3 SOld Age .................................................... .• 1 0 udden ................................. . ..................... 33 Violence, Privatio n Cold, and Intemperance ...... .• 1 5 Causes not specified' .............. ........................ 87 1 DEATHS PROM ALL CAUSES ..................... _coo Population Deaths in torte- till Enumerated. spoading week wee' 1851 . of 1551. 145 West Districts ...... 376,427 North Districts 490, 396 Central Districts 393,256 East Districts 485,522 South Districts 871 Totals Males Females 1,040 ........ ii 3 Males Females.. Total . BIRTHS IN THE WEEK. 703 643 _1,35 1 COUNTRY MARKETS. EDINBURGH MEAL MARKET—DEC. 28 ' co b There were in th e mar k e t t o -d ay, 5 sacks oatmeal, a t weighing 2801bs imperial, whereof 3 sold thus 1/ 12s, 2 at 1/ lls Od. EDINBURGH HAY AND STRAW MARKO -- DEC. 28. Supplies of all kinds these last six days again large., n es Oat straw, from 7 s Od. to 8s Od per k em pl e o f 16 fnxl. trop ; whe a t d o ., 6 s Od t o 6 s 6d ; barley do., 4s 6d t o 5 0 Hay from 8d to Mid per stone. DALKEITH MEAL MARKET—DEo. 17. 8 There were in the market to-day 96 bags ostrue 3 / 4 , bags of barleymeal, and 7 bags pot-barley ; sales u o g The top and second prices of oatmeal down 4s 3d Pe r each ; barleymeal the same as last week on the top. Oatmeal, per sack o f 2801b s Fi rst. Second. imperial Barleymeal, per ditto Peasemeal, per ditto Flour, per ditto —s. Od —s Od Pot-barley, per ditto 7-DEC. 29. Le close of the market s. 6 Northumberland. E. ...... 1 4 6 Killingsworth E. . 6 Glennell ... . . .. ....... 6 Smith's West Hartley .- 1 „' 0 Eden Main .................. 1 ' 0 1S Hetton ..................... 0 Haswell .. . 0 Pensher ..................... 6 Kelloe • l' 0 Thornley ............... 17 6 St. Helen's Tees l5 9 Woodhouse Close ...... ••• • ,., 15 0 Gwaen Cae Gurwen Llangennech -• Sidney's Hartley l° 42 I Sold 3O. COAL MAR Prices of Coal per ton at t] s. d. Buddle's West Hartley 15 6 Carr's Hartey l5 6 Holywell 16 6 Howard's West Hartley Netherton 15 6 North Percy Hartley l4 9 Ravensworth W. Hartley 15 6 South Peareth l4 0 Tanfield Moor Butes 14 6 Townley 14 9 West Hartley 15 6 Wall's End, &c. Brown .. Gosforth Lawson 15 6 16 6 15 6 Ships at market RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, DEC. 29. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The market to-day was rather g ; o d: but improved i n th e a ft ernoon, and closed very 1, The followin g are th e c l os i ng prices :—Chester and gov head, 24 ; E as t ern C oun ti es, 134 c. ; Lancashire a n Yorkshire, 85g ; London and North Western, 1264 ; or chester, Sheffield , and Lincoln, 31 c. , St. Helen's Its",” s i; and Canal, 734 ; ditto new preference 6 per cent., ' South Eastern and Dove; 25g. MANCHESTER, DEC. 29. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The market was better to -61111 ' both in busin ess an d pr i ces. Th e closing amounts were.:-.: Birkenhead, L ancas hi re, an d Ch eshire Junction, 61 ditto, 20/ share s , 28 di s. ; Bl ac kb urn Class B Pref., 1,; Eastern Counti es , 131 • East Lancashi re , Fifth s, 2d il 4 dis. 5 3-15 ; Lancashire and Y or k s hi re, 85 n. ;to ' 16/ shares, F, 4 prem. ; London and North Western, 1 4 1 Midland Railw a y C onso l s, 834 ; North Western Pre' issued at 4 dis., 154 ; South Eastern and Dover, 25k. 1;1t:1 ler !":::ee 'ni n end c nag l dt o re ie rei ns d , [ lil t POST: bo it neral, ' a °l‘lll° N t i \ WAY * -9 ti, —ntCTO tg9TIoN o f zi s STATIC 7_clesiroua Ltin qllO obti on Lluck 'l4l, • adcirog '" o'clock on 4 rY'R oak 22d Decer 10 -__________ NDol ALTER. : 15 E: 4 .ao ex IA °l;:rl.lMana r i t EAT N ISSUE OF 'lDorated by 'lnntine 72 in en. and pr o uaA • uIELT ,I tuntlq, K p r esent issu 1,;!,, entitled eat ons for Ik e L e h e f ra ollnwlng (I, 2 Roy Londot h4h.`" t aer of wh atd maps lI TY RA pSPecial ie Londc t Precisely,shile ttnanil )ted. That 'I'S et the I Teo op; thri to . n tbeir nol ip time to that a me tll, month future pi 'ed. That Esq. tl Itothschtl r,,,gcr port IlDany, a Lktitio n • tied ed, That earson, tp', for the ' v ed, That plod commtt out this '4l Pd. That Chaim 'the benefi le 13 I ,,elltral Ter 4, Bucklers M !thi t 4 !olym medie e 441 %. - -In con Fra t th„ rno oi ~7 PUblic tc tk,'"g previ Mend hay' 411: Inform yo kikli? Period iqp,(l4elan—d tht State a 11 iLto add, ti Of not Co \ t hi -Ir. T. I' excellent ly etie z all a 'lt, safe, I hi t 'eration A nt ' of diet o' FRA qt vt ‘nd addre r4l Zent St 111 E Pill INTIE Er N, R ealed Enx lAnalytic h ria ge, lit al ,q - alto and tracin exces! 'sttknlarks, t 4,, ,, ' 1 1118, and a. (4, 4 '44 by F,O Organs ,f bredn L, B I rb t , utiate ni essonti ha v ''quences )104 Produce oth_ and pre 14'2 class of ,ttillo-t';:il).,.l):,ii,t?, .(11,:,ii.ogsfihnimeafaneOfii to results 01 t;ail)ersonal 'ed gt-,l* tp ory .. it t o ti, Deculla 114 1 ;:e aenerf , ortrate cure 1. . La'llll t„..cadernis w i l i , al:itee ti 1 4 ,2 in ever otZalable se 1 1 . 1 .er.r ow „ ki n ,. 9 b. atket ; 4ir 'Ps, .t from daily, Just put S' ®NT tltl;:attonwit'i Trs t a : i s 1 /r. Pie] th r e olitribu '4l e+ he int re (1 4tecl ad an er y . ++: \ .;er to Rorkprop in or theat eat ands ere 'hied ~,4 1,1 find 1 t."aillt of 1 - Zsa'red tr iropor n.on ,en nom' -'ellto d, i rrir C .ta at: on 44(1 Pear, niro A te, Cure •fleetes p atent' Ile to L ; Cur( Dehsia Sit'cu e Norco] Norfol Cur street niveu fur watt] gat Cu] Aervc ,rve,