The Sun. — London, England, 1852-01-08 00:00:00

MARKET NEWS.-(THIS DAY.) znawo.a.TE 11. ND The general demand has ruled steady to-dny at full priceg. Beef, from 23 6d to 3s 6d; Muttin, 2s 104 to 4s; Veal, .3s to 4s; Pork, 23 8d to 4s per Sibs by the carcase. EAT MATLIZETS. SMITHFIELD. — Meadow day, 2/ 153 to 31 17 63; Clover ditto, 3/ 53 to 4175; and Straw, 1/ 03 to 116 s per load. Trade dull, at ltie rates. CUMBERLAND. —Meadow Hay, 2/ 163 03 to 3/ 18s oa ; Clover ditto, 31 5s to 41 6s; and Straw, 1/ Is to 11 7s per load. A full average supply, and a sluggish demand. WHITECHAPEL.—Meadow Hay, 21 15s to 31 17s 03; Clover ditto, 31 5s to 4/ 85; and Straw, 110 s to 117 s per load. Supply good, and trade dull. MEAT MAM.KETS. SOUTHALL, JAN. 7.—Our market is firm to-day, and prices have advanced 2d por.Bths. Beet, from 3. t , 3s 10d; Mutton, 3s 24 to 4s 64; Veal, 3s 2d to 4s; Pork, 33 to 3s Sd per Sibs, to sink the effals. ROMFORD, JAN. 7.—Beasts and Sheep have moved off freely, at higher rates. Most other kinds of stock are quite as dear. Beef from 2s 10d to 3s 103; Mutton, 3s 44 to 48 6d; Veal, 33 2d to 4s; Pork, 3s to 33 8d per Sibs. Suckling Calves, 18s to 223; and quarter old store Pigs, 163 to 203 each. LEWES, JAN. 6.—The general demand is steady, 6s follows:—Beef, from 38 to 4s; Mutton, 33 64 to 43 8d; Veal, 3s 24 to Si 8d; Pork, 35 44 to 35 6d per Sibs. CORN AVERAGES. GENERAL AVERAGE P ICES OF BRITESII CORN For the Week ended Jan. 1, 1852, made up from the Returns of the In pectors in the different Cities and Tt,yrns in England and ri aleF, per Imperial Quarter. WHEAT. I A I BABLEY. I OATS. 1 AYE. BEANS. I PEAS. PRICE • • 1 31 s 2d 26s 17s Ud I 1 , 1 28s 7d 1 28s 4d DUTIES ON FOREIGN CORN. WHEAT. I BARLEY. I OATS. 1 RYE. 1 BEANS. PEAS. 1. Oil Is Od Is Od Is Od Is Cd Is Od QUANTITIES OF GRAIN SOLD IN THE PAST WEEK. Wheat, 85,457 ; Bar'ey, 24,742 ; Oats, 20,245; Rye, 179; Beall!, 5,767 ; Peas, 2,434 quarters. SHERIFFS' COURT,—(THIS DAY.) (Before Mr. W. BURCHELL ) MACKENZIE V. DELL. The plaintiff is a licensed victualer, residing in Au gusta-street, Regent's park, and defendant a gentleman residing in that neighbourhood. The amount claimed was 681. 1 ls. 4d., for wines, &c. supplied. Etidence was adduced to show that the defendant had been supplied daily with wine, spirits, &c., to the above amount. The defendant did not plead, and a verdict was given for the amount claimed. MANSELL V. WOOD. Mr. DUNCAN, who appeared for the defendant, said tkat unfortunately neither the defendant nor his wife were able to attend from illness, ho therefore should only make a nominal defence, in order to raise the question of costs. The plaintiff's attorney said that !they could not find the defendant's place of residence, but his place of busi ness was in the City; but the reason they had brought the action in the superior court, was that the defendant had been the chief bailiff of the City Court. A verdict was taken for 181. 19e., plaintiff being left to apply to a judge as to costs. USHER V. HILL . Plaintiff is an auctioneer at Bedford, and defendant is a farmer at the same place. Mr. DUNCAN stated the case, and called witnesses to prove that the defendant had purchased a growing crop of grass at 61/. 10s., and paid a deposit of 61.; credit was given till the 29th of September, but he had not paid the balance. The defendant did not appear, and a verdict was given for the amount. The other cases were undefended. CRIMINAL COURT.—(THIS DAY.) OLD COURT. (Before Mr. Baron PLATT.) THE MARYLEBONE MURDER. Thomas Bare, aged 43, was indicted for the wilful murder of Louisa Bare, his wife. The prisoner pleaded not guilty. Mr. Bodkin, with whom was Mr. Clerke, conducted the prosecution, and Mr. Ballantine defended the pri soner. Mr. BODKIN opened the case to the jury, and told them that the prisoner was charged with the wilful mur der of his own wife, committed under circumstances of great atrocity. It appeared that the prisoner was a pipe maker, doing a good business, and some years ago he married the deceased. The marriage, however, was not a happy one, and ultimately the deceased and the pri soner agreed to separate. Knowing the violence of the prisoner's character, the wife kept her residence a secret, and again adopted her maiden name, but on the Bth of November last the prisoner succeeded in tracing her, and then committed the dreadful offence of which he now stood charged. The LEARNED COUNSEL then proceeded to call the following witnesses:— Fanny Knott—l live in Rider-street, Grosvenor square, and the deceased was my daughter. She was the wife of the prisoner and had been married to him nearly twenty years. I remember living in Riverie's gardens, and I was there about five weeks before my daughter's death. The prisoner came to my house and wanted - to know where his wife was. I told him I did not know, and he said he would be revenged upon some one, but he did not say who. Cross -examined—I am sure he made use of the term levenge, because I told him vengeance belonged to the Lord. This is the first time I have mentioned that. Sarah Abr a h ams —l li ve at N o . 5, B roo k' s - ga rdens, Bagnige Wells, and I know a woman named Hams. In the month of October last she was lodging at ray house, and another person, who called her self Mrs. Bare, came to live with her. This was about a fortnight before I heard of the deceased's death. She stayed there four nights and went away with Mrs. Hams. My son, who goes by the name of Black stone, took their boxes away for them. I recollect the prisoner afterwards coming to my house to ask for his Wife. He asked if I had a little woman living with me. I said I had, and likewise a Mrs. Bare. He said Mrs. Bate was his wife, and he asked if there were two boxes in the house. I said no, they are gone; but he wanted to go up stairs to see, and I refused to let him without a police authority. He then went away, but he was in the habit of coming almost every day to see if I knew where his wife had gone. On one occasion he said to ins I am afraid my wife is going on wrong," and sooner than see his wife come to the emaciated state of his daughter he would die in Newgate for her. He came to me on Saturday, the Bth of November, and went away with my son. rs Edward Blackstone—l live with my mother, the last witness, and I recollect Mrs. Hams and Mrs. Bare living with us. When they left I carried two boxes for them to Marylebone, and some time afterwards, on a Saturday, I took the pri soner to the same house. It was about half-past six On our way we stopped a three public-houses, where the prisoner had something to drink. We wenl to a public-house at the corner (if the street where I took the boxes, but he said it was too open for him to sit in, as his wife in passing might see him, and not go home. He arranged that we should go to the house and get posses sion of the boxes. He was to take one and I the other. We afterwards went to the house, and saw the landlord, With whom the prisoner had some conversation. About half an hour afterwards the woman who had lodged with my mother came in, and the landlord said," That's her; don't kick up any disturbance." The woman did not see the prisoner. The prisoner followed her up stairs, and in a few minutes he called out, "My lad, come and fetch the boxes." I went up stairs, and found the prisoner and the woman talking together in a back room. When I got in the prisoner said, •‘ Here, my lad, Tom take this box down stairs;" and I did so. As 11 7 . as leaving th e room th e p r i soner struck the woman, hitatin your Isaid to him, " What is the use of g wife like that?" The prisoner replied, " Oh, you trouble your head with your own business." I saw him hit her two or„ . t hree times on the head before I left the room. I went down with the box, and as I was going down I heard the woman call out " Murder ! Murder p " repeatedly. I down in the par lour and. went up for th e out the box therAsl w as up I met the prisoner, who said t o me, fetch h down, end I will carry it awa y.When v,, l n go oc her near into the room. I sa w the woman lying de ar t he firephwe. There were two person s at the door, but no one inside. She was lying against the grate , and there was blood on her face. I took the overtook othEre box down and carr ied it outside into the stre e t, but the prisoner was gone. I ran after and You er com him e barb;, he had blood on his hand, and I said bad:, you have killed your wife." He said---" No, I have not, but if I have, you tell the policeman." I did so. During the time I was in the room I did not see the woman strike the prisoner at all. Cross-examined—I saw the blow struck which made the woman begin to scream. They were standing opposite to each other, but I cannot recollect what they said. The woman did not use any bad language in my hearing. I did not hear the prisoner saying a ny thing about a man named Th om p son . Th e wom an was angry at my taking the boxes away, and said to me. " 0, you cruel boy, how can you take the boxes away." I know a man named Thompson. I saw nothing in the pri soner's hand. I think I should have seen if he had a blade of any sort in his hand. The woman began to scream out murder after I had left the room. She had not screamed murder before. By the JUDGE—When I first entered the room they appeared to be talking friendly together. The woman did not strike. George Lanney—l live at No. 33, George -street, Marylebone. I remember the deceased coming to lodge there. She had been there a fortnight on the very night his happened, and passed by the name of Knott. Im il lember the prisoner and the last witness corning to my , 'use on the Bth November. The prisoner asked if hlt '3. Bare was at home? I said I did not know any such ,t`e s. r4, on, and went over the names of my lodgers. I Na, there is a Miss Knott who is living here with Mrs. Hams. He said Knott was my th, t • maiden name, and she had some property hi s " ra c his. He added that my daughter had sed u c ed w iki to come and live with her, and ho would break 1 ope 4 t o t :N.. door in the house till he found the property. th ey 1 : 1 :11 that I had daughters, but I did not thick that halle vi anything of Miss Knott, nor was I aware Poli ces ," had any property there, hut if he would fetch a hie b ,he should open Miss Kuokt's doer, and have oss e th at a. 't then asked him to come in, and told him be M 1 55 At was so regular that she was certain to Ito:, at hie,;" 'clock. He asked me if I kne w t h at Mi:(s t and 0 not know e th e 6 slier were two rostitutes. I said I did an t 4b ow th e were, but ne assured me they were, 0 ,113 Pd t ``‘` V much. A few minutes before nine 11Z e l : ck in, and as the passed along the and said I Ott et. ted candle in the prisoner's hand, nu s a i d r aced a ligt , -.re oes the good woman you Want to seto h Te h er im up stairs, and I went cult to l oot .. He foli o , s, for police; nan. When I returned I found THE SUN, the woman in her room, and my wife bathing her tem pies. She appeared to be deal. Cross-examined—l never spoke to Miss Knott. The prisoner wanted to get the boxes before his wife came home, and if I had let, him I think it was hie intention to have broken the door open. Rebecca Lenney, the wire of the last witness, was next called. I remember the prisoner coming to our house and the deceawd afterwards going up stairs, fol lowed by the prisoner. I heard talking up stairs. The boy was afterwards called up and told by the prisoner to take the boxes down. He did so, and after he left the room the woman's cries became very violent. I beard a fail, and two minutes afterwards the prisoner came down stairs. I heard no screams after that. I let the prisoner out, and observed that his hands were smeared with blood. Directly after I let the prisoner out I went up stairs, and found the women leaning over a chair against the fireplace. Her hair was in confusion, and blood was on her cheek flowing from a wound in her temple; she struggled once as though she was in a fit, but never spoke, and when the doctor came she was quite dead. Cross-examined—The woman had not many visitors. I only saw one, and h s namo was Thompson. He al ways - inquired for Miss Nott, and generally went up stairs to her. Mrs. Hams was at home on these occasions. Selina Beckett—l loriged in the room next to that occupied by the deceased, and remember well the night of the Bth of November. I heard the deceased come home, and a few minutes after she was followed up by seine one. When they both got into the room, the door was shut, and they commenced quarrelling. I heard the prisoner acceise her of frequenting a low pub ic-hens3 with low prostitutes. The deceased made answer, " So help me God, Ido not," and the prisoner thereupon ex claimed, "LYt 11, I shan't leave the house without the boxes." I heard afterwards a scream of " Murder!" and upon going out upon the landing, I saw the boy with a box on his shoulders. The woman's door was open, and upon looking in I noticed.: the deceased and the prisoner fighting. The prisoner had his right hand raised at the moment, and I saw him strike her several very heavy blows. I did not see the de ceased return the blows, but they both fell down toge ther. I saw nothing in the prisoner's hand, but the boy who came for the box, and who had returned on to the landing, said to me, "Don't touch him, for it serves her jolly well right." The deceased and the prisoner got up together. Another struggle ensued, and then the prisoner came out and went down stairs. In a few minutes after the landlady came up, and the woman was found to be quite dead.—Cross-examined—l heard the prisoner say, " I want nothing of you but my boxes, and, so help me God! I won't leave the house without them." Edward Blackston was recalled and examined by the Court—Did you make use of the expression attributed to you by the last witness? Witness—No; I don't re collect. The COURT—But you must recollect. Witness—Well, I don't think I did. The COURT —Why did you not interfere to prevent the man beating the woman? Witness—What was it to do with me? The COURT—Do with you, why, surely you could have pulled the man away from the woman? Witness—No, I couldn't. Emma Webster, another lodger in the house, give similar evidence to that of the last femalo witness. _ _ Mary Robinson had heard prisoner declare he would be avenged on deceased. Rebecca Knight, the wife of a marine-store dealer, in Blackfriars, stated that a few days before this occur rence, the prisoner purchased a file of a triangular form. The file produced was similar to the one sold to the prisoner, a narrow instrument with a sharp end. Joseph Church—l am a policeman. I remember being on duty about nine o'clock on the Bth of Novem ber last, in Marylebone, when the prisoner came up to me and said " What are you going to do?" I asked him what he meant, and ho replied " Oh, nothing, only something that took place between me and my wife." The prisoner then crossed the street, and at that moment the boy Blackstone came up and made a communication to me. I then went over to the prisoner and told him he must go with me. He said very well, and we walked to the house where the de ceased was lying. There were two boxes at the door, and the prisoner observed if it had not been for those boxes this would not have happened. Another constable came up, and having handed the prisoner over to him I went up stairs. There I found the woman bleeding from wounds, and upon searching the room I discovered the file produced in the fire-place, covered with blood, and .sith the end recently sharpened. I then sent for a surgeon. John Cox, another policeman, who conveyed the pri soner to the station-house—The prisoner told me that his wife struck him with a chisel, and he took it from her and gave her the contents. His right hand was covered with blood. The prisoner was afterwards told in Ley presence that his wile was dead, and he exclaimed, " Lord Christ Almighty, who would have thought that I had the heart to do it?" He further said, " I have a boy i❑ bed at a public-house—little does he think that I have murdered his mother; I have a daughter a prostitute on the town, and I wish I was going to be hung to-morrow morning at eight o'clock —no, at the present moment." Robert Jackson, the inspector of the district, confirmed the testimony of the last witness. John Hall, another policeman, who remained with the prisoner the whole of the night after he was arrested, stated that about five minutes after he was locked in the cell the prisoner said, " W ell, I have done it, and this is the arm that's done it too." Mr. Davidson, surgeon, described the nature of the wounds. Mary Hams—l lived with the deceased. I never saw the file produced in the room occupied by nio and the deceased. This was th© case for the prosecution. The Court here adjourned for a quarter of an hour. THIRD COURT. Joseph Cox pleaded guilty to an indictment charg ing him with unlawfully attempting to obtain from An thony Brown and others the sum of 1001., with intent to defraud them. Mr. CLARKSON, who appeared with Mr. Bodkin for the prosecution, said the charge against the prisoner was for attempting to obtain a loan of 1001. from Wilson's charity by means of false representations. This charity was well known in the city of London. Its object was to make loans to small tradesmen who had been in busi ness in the City for twelve months, on their furnishing the trustees with respectable sureties. The amount of the loans was from 1001. to 2001., and the period over which they extended was from one to two years, the interest upon them being merely nominal. The Cham berlain, Anthony Brown, Esq., and several other mem bers of the corporation were ex officio trustees of the fund. The prisoner, it appeared, obtained the necessary form which is required to be filled up on making an application for a loan. Ho described himself as a tailor and draper, carrying on business in Drummond-street, and gave the names and addresses of three persons as references and sureties. He then delivered his appli cation in the usual way, but on inquiry being made it was found not only that the prisoner did not carry on business in the City, but that the three persons whose names he had given were altogether ficti tious. The fact of the prisoner having pleaded guilty, and of his not succeeding in obtaining the money, went somewhat in his favour; but it was absolutely neces sary to visit his offence with some substantial punish ment, in order to repress the commision of it by other parties. This was unquestionably a highly beneficial charity to the poor but respectable tradesmen of the City, and it was the duty of the authorities to protect it from any abuse or fraud. Mr. PAYNE, who appeared for the prisoner, said one circumstance spoke very much in the prisoner's favour. The ver fr y au b d un w gl a in s g co m m a m n i n t e t :, cl not in a scientific way, but in a which was sure to be disco vered, because he must have known that the trustees would not advance the money without first making in quiries. The prisoner must either have been imposed upon by other parties more criminal than himself, or been associated with them in some way, or he would not have attempted such a fraud. Mr. CLARKSON said if his Learned Friend thought the prisoner was in a condition to give information as to the parties with whom he was connected, he would have no objection to the sentence being respited till next sessions. Mr. PAYNE said the prisoner thought he would be more useful in that respect out of prison than in prison. Mr. CLARKSON said he could show that the prisoner had gone by twenty different names. The prisoner on being called said he had been drawn into the fraud by other parties, and begged the mercy of the Court. The RECORDER said he wished it to be known that any similar attempts would certainly fail, because the active and intelligent officers who were employed by the trustees of the fund, made the strictest inquiry regard 1, applicants, and would easily detect any imposition. The eightmpornistohsn: withrwa hstahred labour then sen o te r n . ced to be imprisoned for DREADFUL MURDER _ TIIAME (T S H P I. O B L D IC A E Y - . COURT. Jose r rotose Berdugo, suit , a Spanish seaman, belonging to was brought before Mr. Ingham, the ship White feiono4ue .stabbing Janus Almon, an morning, at of the wound. deceased charged with En l g t lt a sh pp s e e a a r m ed an t , h w at ll, th h i u s ? s r h n a lp d gt at two o'clock, the well. Another Spanish of Almon was invited by some beer, parties were in a brothel in sailor was there. The one of the Spaniards to partake abdomen,ts knife into which he refused to do. Some words occurred, drew their knives. The prisoner of and he Plun"edd the h Spaniards women David -lane the lower part of the Englishman's fell mortally wounded. The thescreams brought immediate assistance, and the prisoner was se cured and given into the custody of Lane, 87 2 K, who conveyed him to the station-house in King The wounded man was conveyed to the London Hospital.. A large penknife, with two blades, was afterwards found in the brothel. The largest blade was stained w i t h blood, and it was identified as the prisoner's knife. 1 On the Spaniard being placed at the bar, Sergeant Squire said the patient could not live many hours, and that the surgeons of the hospital had re quested that the deposition of the poor fellow might be taken as soon as possible. Mr. INGHAM said he would proceed at once to the hospital, and asked if an interpreter was in attendance? Sergeant Squire said there was not. Mr. INGHAM directed Normogle, en intelligent con stable of the H division, who understands Spanish well, to be sent for. The prisoner was then removed in custody, and im mediately afterwards Mr. Corner, assistant to Mr. Rose, ) said that Almon was dying fast. - - —~ Mr. directed that the prisoner should he at once conveyed to the London Hospital, in custody, e, hero Mr. Symons, the chief clerk, soon afterwards arrived. The patient, a re markably fine athletic wan, was sinking fast. lie LONDON, made his declaration that the prisoner, who was brought to his bedside, had stabbed him, and soon afterwards expired. The prisoner was then taken back to the police i court and remanded. Ills companion, who also drew his knife, escaped. The police aro in active search of him. THE WHIG MIN ISTR Y. PROBABLE DISSOLUTION. It will not at all surprise us should the result of the Cabinet Council, to be held to-day, be a formal ratifica tion of what we have been saying for some days past, that the Whig Ministry does not, in reality, any longer exist. Of this we are certain, that those most intimate with Lord John Russell fully expect that a majority of the members of his Cabinet, if not all, will resign their respective seats at the Council of to-day. In that case, Lord John may also be expected to tender his resigna tion. We stated, eight days ago, that the Premier was in the doubly unpleasant predicament of not being able either to induce new parties to join his Administration, nor to prevail on these who are the present members of his Cabinet to remain, even for a time, in the offices they now fill. It is no longer a sec.ea, that the Duke of Newcastle, Sir James Graham, and Mr. Cardwell have re fused to join the Cabinet of Lord John Russell, and that the Marquis of Lansdowne, Lord Grey, Sir George Grey, and at least one other member of the Ministry, will, on no account, remain any longer in (Ace. They wished to have quitted immediately after the ignominious dis missal of Lord Palmerston, but afterwards they so far yielded to the entreaties of the Premier as to consent to hold the seals of office until the result of his negotiations with the Peelites was known. T hat result is now known. It is now adverse to the Noble Lord, and con sequently the thiee members of the Cabinet whose names we have mentioned, and at least one other, whose name we forbear to mention, have fully resolved on at once retiring from a Cabinet, of which they have been heartily ashamed ever since the Palmerstonian business. Lord Grey had yesterday an interview with the Marquis of Lansdowne on the subject, when they both determined on adhering to the resolution to which they had formerly come, of tendering their resignation at once. Under these circumstances, it is to be presumed there will be a complete break up of thejMinistry to-day, and that, in a day or two, we shall hear of her Majesty having summoned to her presence some other statesman than the Noble Lord now at the head of the Govern ment, to advise her as to the course which ought to be pursued in the present crisis. Some persons, we are aware, think that Lord John will still attempt to remain at the helm, rather than see the Noble Lord whom he has so grievously and gratuitously insulted, occupying the place which he now fills; but what can he do? He cannot achieve impossibilities. If the leading men of his Ministry will not remain, and he cannot induce any others to join him, we see no other course open to him than to resign also. Iu the meantime, the Noble Lord's residence at Chesham-place, where he is now staying, has been, for the last few days, a scene of unceasing bustle and con fusion. It has had precisely the appearance of a house which was being set in order, preparatory to some im portant expected changes. Right or wrong, there is not a servant in the Noble Lord's establishment who does not feel quite persuaded that his Lordship's term of office is on the eve of its expiration.—Advertiser. At the clubs last night it was in every one's mouth that Sir George Grey would be immediately called to the Peerage. It is a fact that Sir James Graham is in town. Putting this and that together, it is not im possible that the Government may make a death-strug gle to meet Parliament, —Herald. COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, JAN. 7. The additions to the Royal dinner party yesterday were Colonel the Hon. C. B. and Mrs. Phipps, and Colonel the Hon. Charles and Mrs. Grey. Her Majesty's private band attended at the Castle in the evening, and performed the following selec tion : Overture, " La Part du Diable .. Auber. Quintetto, allegro, larghetto, minuetto, trio, thema con variazioni— clarinet, two violins, viola, and'violoncello, Messrs.Wil- Hams, Sainton, Cousins, Hill, and Chipp Mozart. Romanza, " Frieschutz" . .. Weber. Finale, " Pre aux C1erc5".................. Herold. The Queen walked in the Home Park and Slopes this morning. The Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, and younger members of the Royal Family took their usual exercise. His Royal Highness Prince Albert went out shooting this morning accompanied by Sir W. Mid dleton, and attended by the Earl of Morley, Captain the Hon. J. Denman, and Colonel F. H. Seymour. The Duchess of Orleans visited the Queen to-day, and partook of luncheon. The Earl of Morley and Captain Hon. J. Denman have relieved the Marquis of Ormonde and Colonel the Hon. N. Hood, in the duties of Lord and Groom in Waiting to her Majesty. The Marquis of Lansdowne, the Duke of iNew castle, the Marquis and Marchioness of Westminster, and Lady Octavia Grosvenor, have received invita tions to the Castle, and are expected to arrive this afternoon. The Marquis d'Azeglio, Sardinian Minister, has returned to his residence in Berkeley-square,lafter a few weeks' stay in Paris. Sir Francis Baring arrived at bis residence in the Admiralty yesterday, from his seat, Stratton-park. Dispatches from the Governor of the Cape of Good Hope were received yesterday at the • Colonial-office. Dispatches were also received yesterday from the Governors of Sierra Leone and Port Philip. REUNION DES ARTS.. This admirable society opened its seventh soirée, for the winter season, last night, at Queen Anne-street, with a very crowded and fashionable company. The music al programme, as usual, was varied and well selected. Beethoven's trio in B flat, by Madame Goffrie, Mr. Goffrie, and Mr. Latgen, was most exquisitely per formed; Mme. Goffrie throughout, on the piano, with her usual spirit and accuracy, was most admirable, as well as in the duet of Williams with Mr. Goffrie, which was most enthusiastically applauded; while the songs and solos were well supported by Miss Messent, Mine. Le Maire, Mrs. Wallock, Mr. Eskens, Mr. Lutgen, Mr. Kloss, Mr. Goffrie, Mr. Gollmick, Mr. Snelling, Mr. Rumel, and others, who individually received deafening applause. We must say we never spent a more pleasant and sociable evening which lasted to a late hour. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SlR,—Observing in your City article of yesterday a paragraph to the effect "that about thirty of the clerks employed by the London Joint-Stock Bank, conceiving themselves underpaid, and not advanced as their merits and the work required of them would justify, have made a joint representation of their wishes, and of their in tention to quit the service' if greater liberality were not exercised towards them, and which, it is further said, they had been led to expect. We believe an ami cable arrangement has been come to ;" I beg leave to inquire on what authority you have made that state ment, and at the same time to inform you that there is not a particle of truth in any part of it. I have to request the insertion of this letter in your next publicatiou.—l am, Sir, &c., G. POLLARD, Manager of the London Joint-Stock Bank. Princea•street, Jan. 8. --- A deputation from the Committee of Spanish Bondholders opposed to the conversion, consisting of Lieute nant-General Sir J. F. Fitzgerald, K.C.8., Benjamin .Oli veira, Esq., F.R.S., and H. Tindal Atkinson, Esq., accom panied by the Honorary Secretary, J. M. Dein, Esq., waited upon Lord Granville this day at the Foreign- office, when, after a full statement of the facts of the case, his Lordship, who re ceived the deputation with great courtesy, was understood to have expressed a wish to have the statement committed to writing and forwarded to him, promising then to give it his most attentive consideration. SOVEREIGN LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY.--A meet ing of the Sovereign Life Assurance Company was held yes terday, at the offices. The report stated that 287 proposals for assurances, to the amount of 131,7901., and producing premiums to the extent of 4,5291. 18s. 5d., had been made to the board, of which number 191 cases had been accepted, assuring 92,152/. 195., and adding 3,1081. 3s. 2d. to the in come of the office. The general progress of the office gave great satisfaction, and the usual dividend of Si. per cent. was unanimously declared. SOUTHAMPTON, WEDNESDAY NIGHT.--The Penin solar and Oriental Steam Navigation Company's ship Mon. trose, Captain John Bowen, arrived here at eight o'clock this evening, from Cadiz, having coma home thence with only one paddle-wheeb.propelled by both engines, assisted by her canvass, The day after leaving Cadiz the Montrose experienced very heavy weather. She brings neither mails, passengers, nor cargo, and not having called at Lisbon, Oporto, or Vigo, there is no intelligence by her of any con sequence. She left Cadia on the 31st of December. THE LATE LIEUTENANT-COLONEL FORDYCE, 74TH HIGIILANDERS.—Yesterday the particulars of the death of this able officer was given in the Cape news published by us. We now add the dates of his several commissions in the ser vice. His first commission as an ensign in the 34th Regi ment was dated in 1828. He served with that corps (then in Nova Scotia) until 1832, when he obtained an unattached lieutenancy. The same year, however, he returned to full pay, first in the 94th and soon after in the 21st. He served with the 21st North British Fusiliers until 1836, when he obtained his company in the 35th Regiment, from which he exchanged to the 11th Foot in 1839. Having in 1844 obtained his step as major in the latter regiment he ex changed the same year into the 74th Highlanders. In 1846 he became lieutenant-colonel and commanding officer of this regiment, in which important position he gained the esteem of the military authorities and the affection of all that served under him. The late Lieutanant-Colonel Fordyce pur chased all his commissions. Though possessed of a good private fortune, so strong was [the esprit de corps of this noble officer that in March, 1851, he embarked with his regiment for the Cape of Good Hope, where, after months of severe and harassing warfare, he fell at the head of his gallant and beloved Highlanders in the prime of his man hood, and with a name already one of renown. The er nan letters had from the Paris Bourse continue to describe teme a rapid advancein all descriptions of securities. A sta tto f been transfer circulated nser the functions that is of the the intention various of R the e. Re ceivers -General Government to the Bank of France, and a further rise had taken place in the shares of that establishment from yea A: H A e G r E h D usb C an o d, 2,700 f. to 3,000 f. u l P B L tn E.—There at New , Byth, she lived a few we-lcs longer, who survives her, Banffshire, on the is only seven years Forrest, ,ad w h w .o h s o til h l had moves w y o o u u l n d g e h r a . v e l c h o m e p p a l e r t t e l e d s h h a e v r e lo b o e e t h n in happy wedlock for th 1 f 6 e wig space o 8 years. AN Lou J is E . A N L a o p u ol s e r oi: —All tbe leaders in the French apers are suppressed. He will only tolerate one Leader This is mean jealousy on the at a time in France—and that Leader must be, of course, about, uprnaewri it‘topd Ef himself I—funch. THURSDAY EVENING, THE LOSS OF THE AMAZON. The destruwion of this splendid steamer, and the dreadful loss of life v;ith whica there is every reason to apprehend that it hag been accompanied, have created, as might have been expected a most painful impression lin the public mind. We regret to say that no tidings have been yet received of a n y more of the passengers and crew being saved, and a d a y or two will probably elapse before all doubts and ur . ce rtaintins are removed upon that terrible subject. It is possible that other boats besides those seen may have got away from the burning wreck, for there were nine altogether, three of which were swamped, three floating off with their car goes, and three still remaining unaccounted for. The darkness of night might by chance have prevented those in the life-boat from observing all that took place, yet the strong impression among them seems to be that they are the only survivors. _ The list of passengers believed to be lost is as follows: -Messrs. Do Pass and Delgado ' Li eu t e nant Gulls, Mr' Fellows, and Rev. Mr. and M rs . Winton, Jamaica; Mr. Beet and servant, Mr. Killeelly, Messrs. Callender and Stirling, and Mr. Alloyne, Barbadoes ; Mr. Johnston; Mr. Burnett, and Mr. and Mrs. Scotland, Trinidad; Mr. Hick, Mr. and Mrs. M.'Clinneve, Demerara ; Mr. Eliot War burton, Mr. Geraud, L and Madame Lacombe and child, M. Kerssboe, Mr. China. file. Barincose, and 4r. Dellemare, Chagres • Mr. M. Del Rio, Margaret Fitzgerald, M. Fevrier, ;lid Mr. Giennie, Vera Cruz; Miss Smyth, Porto Rico ; Mr. Joel, Jamaica; Mr. Cum ing and Mr. Ev ALIY, St Thomas; Mr. Cardennas, Santa ele.rtha; Mr. Blood, Mr. Anthony, and Mr. Hamilton, Jamaica; . Mr. Ferr eor , Grace Hoare, Mr. Stryboo, and T p Mr. Granter, Vera C ruz; M r. Crevecowst, St. Th omas; Mr. The ee passengers Faye, G ue. d arcedal e a ' re-Mr. Hawkes, Vera Cruz; Mr. Neilson, Demerara; Mr. Sisley, Chagres. The names of the crew believed to be lost are :-Wil ham Symonds, commander; Henry Roberts, 34, chief officer, Gosport; Charles H. Treweeke, 29, second officer, Mogan; John Lewis, 21, third officer, Kingston, Jamaica; George D. Goodridge, 21, fourth officer, Paignton ; James W. Fullerton, 37, surgeon, county of dshi Donegal; M. H. S . trutt, 33, parser, Middlesex; Francis midshipman, East Indies; William K. Stuart, 15, midshipman, T allyhog; T homas W a lt er Stainforth, 16, nai Shapcott, 28, purser's assistant, Southampton; David Davis, 40, boatswain, Cardigan; James Murchis, 34, car penter, Ayr; James Brya nt , 26, carpenter ' s mate an d ve joiner, Denton, Wilts; Joseph Kay, 41, master-at arms, Bolton; George Deal, 26, quartermaster, Brid port; Alexander King, 3 3, quartermaster, Stromness; William Martin, 33, quartermaster, ' Farebam; Richard Carter, 20, A. 8., Poplar; Peter Kelly, 19, A. 8., Aberdeen; Daniel Brown, 27, A. 8., Yarmouth; George Webb, 34, A. 8., Southampton; Samuel Perry, 20, A. 8., Harton; Richard L. Tammadge, 34, A. 8., Hilsea; Henry Wright, 28, A. 8., Gosport; John M. W. Rogers, 28, A. 8., London; Joseph Weisman, 20, A. 8., Devonport; William Foy, 21, A. 8., Althorpe; Thomas Hart, 33, A. 8., Kent ; Squire Glen, 34, A. 8., Greenock; John Clark, 39, A. 8., Burnham; William Stevenson, 23, A. 8., A. 8., Isle of Wi g ht ; George Mile-e n d ; J o h n F orse, 3 6, officers' servant, Exeter; Richard H arr i s, 16, d i spensary H Ayr; ola h James 2 9,ship's Dove, cook, 36, boy, Isle of Wight; William Fox, 17, boy, Falmouth; Southampton;Ds tnie l Trimming, Koyel; F. S. Wall, 15, boy, 17, boy, St. Ives; George Angus, 34, chief engineer, Dunbar; William Angus, 32, second engineer, Dunbar; Bastin, 40, third engineer, Alphington; William Stone, 37, fourth engi neer, Ludgeon ; Andrew Ferguson, 25, fifth engineer, Greenock; Frederick Davey, 26, sixth engineer, Exeter; CharleslB, Leddra, boy Isaac Roberts, 36, boiler-maker , Holyhead ; John Lamont, 22, fireman, Jersey; Charles Flemington, 29, fireman, Morton; George Reeves, 22, fireman,Brading; Charles Lang, 44, oreman, Alverstoke; Michael Fox, 36, fireman, Blarney; John Fowler, 38, fi r e man, Old Ford; George Harding, 26, fireman, Crayfo rd ; N athan Wigley, 32, fire man, Paul's cray; Thomas Att w ood, 3 0, fireman, at sea; Petes M'Kirdy, 33, fireman , Roth sea; John Richards, 29, fireman, Millbroolee; Robert Furl, 36, fireman, Portsea; William Paine, 38, fireman, Southampton ; John W. Watts, 23, fireman, Southampton ; William Scott, 29, fireman, Harwich ; William J. Lane, 31, fireman, Ly mington ; H enr y Day, 22, fireman, Walton ; George Tucker, 21, coal-trimmer, Walton ; W. J arman , 30, coal-trimmer, Portsea ; W. Good, 32, coal-trimmer, London ; Charles Dendney, 25, coal-trimmer, Hastings; W. Lucas, 20, coa l-trimmer, Dorsetshire; Henry Car ter, 21, coal-trimmer, Southampton ; Abraham Bundy, 33, coal-tri mmer , Leap ; W. Wall, 25, coal-trimmer, Wickham; John Potter, 23, coal-trimmer, Wylie ; Sa muel Lees, 35, coal trimmer, Wolverhampton; Thomas Forder, 32, coal-trimmer, Sutton; Angus Mimes, 27, lamp-trimmer, Fortwilliam ; W. Norris, 18, engineer's servant, Southampton; Michael Gould, 41, head waiter; Kinsend ; W. G. Lambert, 24, waiter, Chatham ; W. Adams, 21, waiter, Shirley ; John Bance, 20, waiter, Southampton; John Blake, 33, bedroom steward, Hop ton; Thomas Philpott, 34, foreroom steward, Ramsgate; Robert Daniel, 23, saloon cook, Bethnal-green; Debray Thophile, 30. French cook, France ; Charles Mills, 25, second cook and scullion, Burnley ; Joseph Kirby, 36, baker, Southampton ; John Watson, 22, boots, South ampton; James E. Stroud, 26, butcher and stock-keeper, Thatcham ; Frederick Falkner, 33. storekeeper, Mid dlesex ; E. Scott, 44, stewardess, Banff ; George Ger rin, 17, boy, Helin ; Thomas James Brown, 18, able seaman, Hants. Those of the crew saved are-Mr. Vincent, jun., midshipman; Mr. James Williamson, chief steward; Mr. John Danford, quartermaster; W. Foster, Thomas Carney, James Maylin, James Mowatt, William Stears, J. H. Passmore, H. Williams, William Stevenson, and John Nerink, able seamen; William Nutman, water tender; James White, John Shearing, and Charles Thorn, firemen; W. Dumner and George King, trimmers. The fearful account of life and death, therefore, by the loss of the Amazon stands thus at present- Ship's company Admiralty agent Passengers ..• 110 S,yed Of the causes whiCii yet known doubt, form the subject nothing is at present be hazarde di rectors o rs ships of f t s h n e ffe r company, - outbreak of the firem m o re the subjoinedled .to thinerribie catastrophel4o eet w o i r th nlaersrsati certainty, but they will, n o of e stheated immediate state einquiry bearings.b y the All i l - 1 from the in her The only conjecture that can is that which connects with the seengt thei rw a i l e c e o f wind which able to until was engines get into full pressure of steam, working trim, and, as will be position was course t i s s h: v t very cause. sameA ca m u way s s e z . The likely thus to arise, and The loss of life,ofthteh.swaamp blowing, the heavy sea, and the originated in the e n all tended to increase the danger the point at which the flames were first seen certainly will probably be gine-room. Some of the survivors p p i e n a g rs of to th p e ro b v o e ats t , ha a t nd th a e l y l this point. give important evidence on the other horrors account for. The ion of the fire rendered it impos sibleafflicting event are too easily the ship's head was to get at the th : windward the flames swept the engines, in order to stop them. When the wind she was going afterdecks, where passengers chiefly were. Before ort a : a tremendous speed, and it is saoh marvelloushow circumstancesariy and in such a sea. The escape of e boats were launched under 1 is no doubt vineent due to the calmness and in trepidity yesterday years , proved himself a thorough who, though a mere boy in occasion. He not only man and sailor on the till he joined the life-boat, the little m r . officer, there he took immediate 4guided his small boat in safety courage of the crew throughout command as superior power to sustain the e following written statement r, and did everything in his that dreadful night. y ft a n it o e o r n no o on f bthefeor3edthoef January, directors was laid by him " The Amazon Was 1852, in lat. 49 12 N., and time she steered w. b _ S. long. 4 57 W., from which same day, when s h e wY aa i S., till 9 30 P.M. of the of the company:— At 11 12 PN. she stopped to cool the bearings. course, steaming about Bproceeded, still steering the same increasing from the wiudj knots per hour, wind and sea the 4th smoke was observed coming At 40 minutes A.M. on w ay, on the foreside of the coming through the hatch afterwards the flames burst foremost funnel. Immediately immediately given, and the through. The alarm was came on deck. The fire-hose captain and chief officer brought to play on the fire°,Bl: and buckets of water were attempt to stop the engine was that together with the was put hard to starboard to as ineffectual. The helm it was some time before she put her before the wind, but when lowered, was immediately swamped, off' The mail boat, people in her, all of whore w - a rramPed, with about 25 when lowered, sheered across th ere lost. The pinnace, in her could unhook the fore •tacit:i sea before the people washed out, and the boat remained They were thereby While clearing away the second " hanging by the bow. and raised her off the cranes aec rtter a sea struck her tackle. The fore en d immediatei un Y fell down, and doubled over the thwarts, were of two, who hung sea and drowned. Sixteen men Precipitated into the gers) succeeded in clearing a.,,, e including two passen life-boat on the starboard side. Y T and lowering the deavour to save those in the water,hey used every en past so rapidly that their exertions but were swept out avail. At about the same limo were with with the chief steward, one passengerno I (Mr. Vincent), got into and lowered the dingy, and and two seamen, were picked up by the life- boat about half an hour afterwards, when we i m mediately took the small boat in tow, for the ship, hut the wi nd and sea and stood down dingy being upset, and ourselves hei increesing, and the we were obliged to let the small boa t n swamped, g nearly life-boat with her hea d to the se n, and keep the c Whilst lying-to a barque passed astern o f us, and w as ac and did, I believe, an swer, but did nothingdingly hailed, of any kind to assist us, but stood down to leeward of the ship, hauled on a wind, and went away. There was now on our quarter a boat w ith five tee n jo h be the gig), but we co uld not fro m the severity of the About weather render her any assistan ce. half an hour afterwards we suddenly lost si g h t of her. About 4 A.m. it rained heavily, wind shifted to northward, decreasing sea, confused, but going down ; Put the boat about, and kept before it. At 5 t he ma g azi ne exploded, and about half an hour afterwards the funnels webodily. nt over the side, soon after which the sh i p went down At noon we were picked up by t he Mars den, of London, stood in for the coast of France, and afterwards (wind shifting to the southward) for Falmouth, and lastly for Ply mouth, at which place w e arriv ed on i‘/onday, 11 P.M. "48 5 N. lat. when picked up ; 5 30 „ _ W. long., ditto. s. p. WILLIAM VINCENT. " To the Secretary R . M. Jan. 6, 1852 . -11:mi l )a "3' , The Court have already taken steps to supply the gap in our communicat ions W ith the West Indies and of Central America cause d b y th e lossthe Amazon, and on Sunday or Monday next the Avon will start from Southampton. JANUARY 8, 1852. log only three—viz , the Oronoeo, Magdalena, and Pa rana—with which to perform the direct mail service be tween Southampton and the Lehmus of Panama, Se veral of the old ships will now have to be retained On the main line till other vessels to replace the missies; ships can he constructed, and in the meantime much in convenience will be experienced isy the disorganization into which the general mail service will necessarily be thrown by the non-employment o f s t eamers o f su ffi c i en t power and speed with which to maintain the chain of com munication between this country and the West Indies, Central America, the Gulf of Mexico, Pacific, &c. We have no doubt the directors will make every effort to remedy this state of things without delay, but a consi siderable time will elapse before so great a blow can be recovered, and the traffic will necessarily suffer to some extent by the competition of the New York route, which is found to be more speedy for the transmission of male, passengers, and treasure from the Pacific and some other points, than can be provided by the old West India packets, which are, when compared with other ocean steamers, so deficient in speed. The West India Mail Company has been the most un fortimate of all the great steampacket associations in the loss of their steam ships. Since the establishment the company in 1841 no less than eight of their fleet of steamers have been destroyed by c a s ualty on the sea. We lac ipitulate their names—the Medina, wrecked on the 12th of May, 1844, on a coral reef, near Turk's Is lane.; the Isis, en the Bth of October, 1842, sunk off Ber muda, having previously s truck on a reef; the Solway, wrecked off Gunies, on the Bth of April, 1843; the Tweed, on the 12th of February, 1847, on the Ala cranes reeks, Gulf of Mexico; the Forth, likewise lost on the same rocks on the 15th of January, 1849; the Actea sa lost in 1844 in the Negrelles, near earths g,ena; and the new steamer Demerara, stranded in the river Avon, near Bristol, not long since. The wrecks of the Tweed and Solway were attended with peculiarly distressing circ umstances, involving the loss of nearly 120 lives; and in the case of the survivors of the Tweed with an extent of hardship and suffering which has rarely found a parallel in the records of disasters at sea. The catalogue is closed by th e b urn i ng o f the Amazon on Sunday morning last, and by t h e harrowing occur rences whichit has been our painful duty to recount in connexion with her destruction. Great as the loss of the Amazon may be in a pecu niary point of view, and extensive as will be the incon venience arising from an interruption of the mail ser vice and the postponement of long-desired improvements and accelerations in the transit which would have been introduced into the working of this important line, these considerations bear little comparison with the frightful expenditure of human life which has attended the de struction of this stupendous vessel. Among the passengers will be perceived the name of Mr. Eliot Warburton, the well-known author, who was deputed by the Atlantic and Pacific Junction Company to come to a friendly understanding with the tribes of Indians who inhabit the Isamu.) of Darien. It was also the intention of Mr. Warburton to make himself per fectly acquainted with every part of these districts, and with whatever referred to teeir topography, climate, and resources —an intention that has been frustrated by his untimely and dreadful death. Another of the passengers by the Amazon was one of the deputies to the Congress of Now Granada, who was returning to the seat of Go vernment in New Granada, as one of the commissioners of the Atlantic and Pacific Junction Company, empowered by them to negotiate for some modifications of the very important concessions which were recently granted by the Legislature of New Granada to the agents of the company in reference to the construction of a ship canal. The wives, families, friends, and connexions of most of the crew of the Amaz)n reside in Southampton, and the melancholy event has caused a deep gkom in the town. Many of the officers, engineers, seamen, &e., have wives and families depending upon their exertions for support; and to the loss of their husbands, sons, and brothers, as the case may be, is added, in several cases, the proximate loss of the means of subsistence. While widows and orphans are mourning, the voice of chariv is making itself heard, and we have much pleasure in stating that a subscription has already , been commenced here for their benefit, the Mayor of Southampton, Mr. R. Andrews, heading the list of donations with the sum of 10/. It is hoped that subscriptions will not be con fined to this town alone, but that contributions from other parts of the kingdom will flow in when a com mittee has been formed. In the meantime the following notice has been issued to the public by order of the mayor:— " The total destruction of the %Vest India mail steam ship Amazon by fire, with the melancholy loss of upwards of 141 persons, who were on board when she left the port of Southampton on Friday last, thereby leaving numer ous widows, orphans, and fatherless children perfectly , destitute, the mayor appeals to the gentry and inhabit ants of Southampton and its neighbourhood to assist him in carrying out a general subscription, and invites them to attend a public meeting to be held at the Guildhall, on Monday next, the 12th inst., at 12 o'clock at noon, to take such steps as may be deemed best for the relief of the sufferers. " By order of the Mayor, " CHARLES E. DEACON, Town Clerk. " Audit-house, Southampton, Jan. 7, 1852." FURTHER PARTICULARS. A Southampton correspondent writes as follows: The most disastrous intelligence of the destruction of the magnificent steamer Amazon, by fire, reached Southampton early yesterday morning by electric tele graph from London. Such a shock has scarcely ever before been felt in this town. Only last Friday after noon she left this port, with every prospect of a fa vourable and successful voycge. It appears to be but a few hours since that nearly the whole of the 159 per sons on board were standing on her deck as she was steaming down Southampton water, and with waving hats and handkerchiefs were bidding good bye to friends and relatives. The Amazon was the largest mail packet afloat; she was the first of the gigantic fleet of steamers building for the Royal West India Mail Packet Com pany which was got ready. Must of the crew and officers were picked men from the company's service, and it was considered promotion to be transferred from any of the West India packets to the Amazon. Among the passengers who were lost in the Amazon was the ac complished Eliot Warburton, the author of the " Cres cent and the Cross," " Hochelaga," " Darien," Sec. Captain Symons, the unfortunate commander of the Amazon, was a most experienced officer. He was for merly in the Peninsular and Oriental Company's service. During all the time ho commanded the West India packets ho was enabled to boast that notwithstanding the intricate and difficult navigation of the West Indies, the Gulf of Mexico, and the central American coast, he never met with the slightest accident. He had not long been married. Had Captain Chapman, the commander of the Tay, been in England, he would have taken out the Amazon. Lieutenant Brady, the Admiralty agent, was for many years the Admiralty agent on the Alex andrian line. He was a highly intelligent and most amiable man. He was called on by the Admiralty au thorities, almost at the last moment, to take charge of the mails on board the Amazon, in consequence of the illness of a brother officer. Mr. Roberts, the chief officer of the Amazon, was first in the company's service for promotion to a command. Mr. Wm. Angus, the se cond engineer, was wrecked in the Acteou and Forth, two of the West India packets. Most of tee officers and crew of the Amazon have left families or friends in Southampton. The task of revealing the terrible calamity which has befallen most of them has been of the most painful and affecting kind. It was a long time before the news of the loss of the ship was generally credited by the inhabitants of Southampton. On the receipt of the London morning papers, however,n the truth of the disastrous intelligence could no l n West be doubted. The utmost sympathy is felt fo r t a r extensive dtn perfect success. The and a d m i rable comp any spared, to see India Company. They have e xperiencedunp aralleled disasters, owing principally to the difficult di s asters would an duties they undertook to perform; such exercise have broken the spirits and ruined the fortunes of almost any body of men; but by the submission to great sacrifices , and h(lisp,av of indomi table of great skill, the t dis patched c a gain had their hopes temporarily perseverance, they had recovefromred übl.companies, their mis fortunes, and were nearly equalling and surpassing m blighted by the most cruel andt h heartrending n i e P misfortune.emnn most thatmanner. n her No constructionattention re x P t teinngse was They n have s p everything was possibly done which could be suggested b y t h e most proved experience and advanced sci ence to contribute health tuondth the the safety Up to the l ast moment o f her departure the most experi ence d officers of the com oanfdthhe ship, of the pa ssengers and crew, . com pany were examining and testing the Amazon. But the most laborious efforts of m an are sometimes frustrated by the mysterious dispensations of Providence, all human contrivances are oft' Imes vain in providing against or controlling the furious elements of nature. The fire on board the Amazon broke out, it appears, in the gal ley- The galley, it is stated, aft, different from what it is in most ships. It was situated over the engine-room. When operations were going on in the galley before the Amazon left South ampton the heat was most intense there. The property sacrificed by the loss of the Amazon cannot be less than a quarter of a million sterling. By none of th e West India packets which have been lost has there been such a frightful loss of life as has happened by the burning of the Amazon. In fact, the lost of life in the latter, consisting of 128 persons, is nearly as great as that of all the other wrecks put together. The following are the names of the principal West India packets which have been lost, viz.--The Tweed, Forth, Solway, Isis, and the Medina. The Amazon is the first belonging to the company destroyed by fire. SOUTHAMPTON, WEDNESDAY NIGHT, JAN. 7. The water tender on board the Amazon, who was saved, has just reached Southampton. He states that the chief and fourth engineers went the rounds of the engine-room after midnight on Saturday, and found everything right; within a quarter of an hour after they left the water tender saw bits of something on fire fall into the engine-room; he had only just time to get as sistance before ho was driven out of the engine-room, owing to the intensity of the heat arising from the fire. He describes the fire as most rapid and intense. He is confident that many of those forward never could have got out of their beds before the fire overtook them; he only recollected distinguishing Captain Symons and Mr. Roberts, the first officer, amongst those who perished. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES. Sir,---In the abs ence o f an y definite informat ion re spcc ting the origion of the fire which in the space of a few hours consumed this splendid steamer, and added to the annals of maritime disaster the most deplorable ca lamity which has happened since the mysterious loss of the President and the wreck of the Avenger, it is very difficult to speculate with anything, like certainty on the primary cause of the c onflagration. It seems probable however, that an unhep-y anxiety to make "a rapid run" may have rendered the officers and engineers indifferent to the extreme danger of working new en gines head-se a at, a high pressere ; that tll”beaji4nnit a g:gra n d e u a :lfy heated, and that the woodwork round the mnhinery having caught fire ' th e w h o l e vesse l was soon in flames, at the acme tf:me that the evgincers were driven from the engine -room. It is to be observed, - that . when the Amazon was going round Southampton, in ordinary weather, the engine bearings became co hot on two Occasi ons th at, if I recollect rightly, she aas obliged to lie to till the temperature was reduced. In the account you have published of the fire it is distinctly affirmed that from 9.30 to 11.20, nearly two hours, she lay to—as I le nture to assert, to let her engines cool down. She then proceeded, us it aFears, steering west by south half south against half a gale from the south-west; and, if it be true that she was bursting through the heavy seas of the Bay of Biscay at ai knots an hour, it is evident she was forced along at full speed. In little more than one hour from the time she was set la motiou she became from !ACM to stern one sheet of flames. The greatest confusion seems to have prevailed, but the noblest might well have lost head and heart at such a tremendous moment. In the dark night, on a turbulent ocean, and mid a howling gale, with the fire fanned by the wiud into a furnace blast, the physical end moral courage of the bravest sailor, no doubt, gave way. Then came the awful " rush for the boats," which, under such circumstances, could only end in the sad alternative of one death for another. Of the fate of those who perished in their berths let us net speak. It may have been less horrible than the lot of those who, full of life and energy, ding for dear xistence, were sucked dowa in th e p it il ess waters. Ni ce manage ment with falls and ta c kl es i s a l ways requ i red to launch a beat in a he av y sea f rom a rolling ship. It is too t a nb which toe cr aw o f the Amazon were placed, all watch on , deck just roused from their smucheust in nt to h ► xpect co mmon caution under the circum stances hammocks by the cry of " Fire," and the officers unable to preserve any control over the terrified passengers and seamen, the last of whom knew besides that there was a magazine beneath their feet surrounded by flames. It is beyond doubt that, had the mail-boat, pinn a ce, and second cutter been properly handled, every soul on board could have been saved. For . hay an hour the dingy, the smallest boat in the shy, lived in the sea, with five men on board. Pinnace, mail boat, and life boat between them ought to have held nearly 100 persona or even more; the first hung by the fore tackle from inattention in lowering it from the deck; the second was swamped, most likely by bad management; and, if the lifeboat were a good one, as no doubt she was, she could have held at least twelve persons more than were actually on board. As to the second cutter, she was hurriedly lowered away to a rising sea—the beat lifted, the fore-tackle unhooked, the sea fell away, and down came the boat, the boat's bow lot 'most, while her stern was soil hooked up by the after tackle, and all the people were washed out of her. Of the first cutter Ido not yet despair, but alas! there were only five people on board when she was last visible. Would it not bo well, even at the risk of damaging beats, to exercise the crews of our largo steamers in lowering them away y in rough weather? Would it not be well, at any risk, to avoid the danger which must arise from the heating of new engines when worked full pressure against a heavy head sea, and to save life and prep2rty at the hazard of losing reputation as a "clipper."—Your very obedient servant, QUESTOR. =AMU _NI, TUESDAY. The caw of the dcgtruction of the Amaz )n is on known; she was und2r steam from the time of her de parturc to the period of the accident. As is usual with new machinery, water Was kept almost eonzinually play ing on the bearings of the cligim-s. On account of the heat of these ber).rings the shin was stopped off the Bill of Portland en Friday night, between the hours of eight and twelve, and about the same period on Saturday night she was stopped for two hours cod a half; however, the necessity for the operation of wetting these parts was decreasing, as the main centre bearings were getting more suent and the engine altogether in bettor order. John Shearing, an intelligent fireman, states that in playing the water on the cranks a quantity fell on the wood and felt of the boilers, and he conceives thr.t these substances, when the water was dried from them, would ignite the quicker for the operation, and hence the accident, The boats of the Amazon ware fitted with iron cranes or crutches on which their keels rested; these fittings obstructed their clearance from the ship, and but for this fatal arrangement the serious lo ss o f lif e wou ld h a v e hem lessened. Captaic Symonds ordered eo one to get into the boats. Tills order was obeyed until tie? people saw the flames Overpowering the ship. He was last seen wits the man at the wheel, ordering the helm to be put up, so as to keep toe ship before the wind. Fits last words were—" It is all over with her." The officer of the watch, Mr. Treweelte (s( cone! officer), was wonting the bridge when the accident WIIS discovered. Mr. Henry Roberts, chief officer, in his shirt only, was ac tively assisting the captain; he aas last seen going through the companion down to the mein deck, and is supposed to have perished there. Mr. Lewis (third officer), Mr. Goodridge (fourth officer), and the two midshipmen, some of whose berths were forward, on the port side of the main deck, were probsbly suffocated, as were also the chief engineer, Mr. George Angus, and Mr. Allen, superintending engineer under Mr. Seward, as they were seen in the engine-room ten minutes before the fire broke out going forward, there being no possi bility of their re turn through the flames. The second engineer, Mr. William Angus, was on the spar deck, between the funnel and the crank gratings, pulling oars, and throwing them out of the way of the fire on the deck near the boats. The two best boats were stowed on the top of the sponsons, where the flames prevented approach. After the Amazon was put about she went at the rate of 12 or 13 knots, dead before the wind. One boat on the starboard side, the second cutter, was full of people when the wash of the sea unhooked the foremast tackle; she held on by the stern tackle, and her stem failing into the sea, all except two were drowned in consequence of the ship's speed. The pinnace was observed on the port side, tow ing by the fore tackle, behind the burning ship, and as no one cut the towrope the miserable passengers, who were all huddled together, were, one after the other, washed into the sea. The mail-boat, which was also full of people, having shipped a quantity of water, went down alongside. The scene on deck is described as dreadful in the ex treme. When the flames had approached the after com panion, two male passengers came up from the saloon ail in flames, and running aft, fell on the deck. A tall lady, supposed to be Mrs. Maclaren, entreated some one to take care of her child, but she would not enter either of the boats. Dineford, the quartermaster, placed one lady passeeger in a boat, but she, being extremely agi tated, got out again, and although Henry Williams and another used some force and begged her to go in, she persisted in remaining on board. The Stewardess, Mrs. Soott, with her bonnet and shawl on, and something in her hand, first asked Steer to put her into the dingy and then left for a larger boat. At the time of leaving some of those who yet lived were kneeling on the deck praying to God for mercy, while others, almost in a state of nudity, were running about screaming with horror. The survivors escaped in the after starboard second life-boat, in which was Mr. Neilson. One of her occu pants (Maybe), in leaving, pressed his foot through the burning deck and injured it; two others (Williams and Passmore) had to climb the starboard paddle-box through the flames and smoke. They succeeded atter three at tempts, and then slid down hands and face over the paddle-box into the boat; several went down by the tackles. Two of the watch below (William and Foster) had their hair burnt while coming on deck. When the life-boat left there were sixteen on board; they heard some one shouting in the water, and threw over a keg and some oars. They endeavoured to approach, but a sea carried the boat off. They then took Mr. Vincent, Mr. Williamson, Mr. Sisley, and two sailors from the dingy, and, making her fast to the stern, towed after the burning wreck, thinking to save more lives, but the dingy having filled, they were obliged to cut her adrift, and, fearing that they themselves should be swamped, their boat's head was put to face the sea. Twelve oars were at work, the wind was increasing, and heavy squalls coming on. They saw the ship's gig full of people, shouting as if for assistance, and at the same time descried a sail standing apparently to the south ward. The vessel appeared to pass between the two boats, and after this the gig was not seen ; whether she was swamped or was taken up by the stranger is unknown. The strange vessel came pretty close under the life-boat's stern, when all shouted together, and thought they were answered on board; she was a barque, under closereefed topsails, foresail, and foretopmast staysail; her spanker was hang ing in the broils as if she was in the act of wearing. Soon after her helm was put up, and she bore right down towards the wreck, behind which she disappeared. The masts of the steamer went over before four o'clock in the morning, the foremast on the port, and the mainmast on the starboard side. One poor fellow appeared at the jibboom end; the jib was cut loose, and was blowing away. Her mizsnmast was still standing while she was in flames from stem to stern. About five o'clock, when the lifeboat was passing the ship in a leewardly direction, the gunpowder in her two magazines aft exploded, and in about twenty minutes, the rumen having gone by the board, she made a heavy lurch and went down, her fun nels being red hot and still standing. Those in the boat now pulled before the sea and wind, thinking to make the French coast, which was, as they thought, the nearest. Mr. Vincent's monkey jacket, being mounted on an oar, was their only sail, and the boat was kept dry by baling her with his boots. At half-past ten on Sunday morning they saw a brig, and taking down the jacket, they hoisted handkerchiefs, fore and att, for signals of distress; and at twelve o'clock, in lat. 48 5 N., long. 5 30 W., they boarded theMarsden, of London, Captai❑ Evans, from Cardiff, with railway iron for North Carolina. The brig took the boat in tow with a new 7-inch hawser, but this having got chafed,it broke at four P.M. on Monday during half a gale of wind, and the boat was lost. On board this brig every humane attention was exhibited, and after giving the shipwrecked crew as much clothing and comfort as could be produced, Captain Evans landed them safely at Plymouth, whence they were sent to their homes by the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society. The ADMIZ9II is described as having been a splendid vessel; her machinery is also spoken of in high terms. From the main deck up she is said to have been built of pine fir, which, when once ignited, speedily carried the flames in all directions, and thus led the more quickly to her destruction, and the fearful loss of life among her passengers and crew. SOUTHAMPTON, JAN. 7. The sudden and appalling account of the total de. struction by fire of the Royal Mail steam-ship Amazon at the entrance of the Bay of Biscay, and the loss of the majority of her passengers, officers, and crew, has caused the most wide - spread sorrow iu South ampton among the numerous persons having friends or relatives on board the ill-fated ship. The Amazon was commanded by Captain William Symons, a gentleman of known and tried courage and abilities. He was only provisionally appointed to the Amazon in consequence of the absence from England of Captain Chapman, of the Tay, who was destined to be her permanent commander, the directors having intended Captain Symons to assume the command of the new steamer Oronoco, now in the Thames and nearly ready to take her station on the main line of the West India mail service. Captain Symons has recently distinguished himself by great bravery in the Isthmus of anama, where, by his intrepidity and coolness, he prevented the slaughter of a great number of American passengers by the infuriated natives, and where, under a heavy fire of musketry and cannon, he succeeded in conveying gold dust to the value of upwards of 2,000,000 dolls. in the boats of the Medway on board the United States' mail steam-ship Cherokee; and, further, in rescuing the passengers under circumstances of imminent danger, and placing them safely on board the steamer. Just prior to the sailing of the Amazon, Captain Symons received the subjoined letter from the United States' Mail Steam ship Company, of New York, accompanied by a magni ficent silver speaking trumpet: — Office of the United States' Mail "Steam Ship Company, New York, Nov. 4, 185]. "To Captain Symons, commanding the Royal Mail Packet Company's steam-ship Medway. " Sir, —Captain Windle, of the Che rokee, one of this company's steamers, has reported to us the prompt and efficient aid rendered by yourself and the officers which your command, in the recent affray at C ha g ree, by , y and ' the mails, treasure, and passengers, were pr op * securely placed on board the Cherokee. " I beg you to accept, in behalf of this companY , mY best acknowledgments for this hig h act of courtesy, characteristic alike of British honour and humanq , and officers, human men. honourable to your flag, yourself, your Allow me also the pleasure to tender you the s light t oter testimonial of companying speaking trumpet, au rcter and ser the company's appreciation of y vices.—l am, with great respect, o y . osu.r. 0. obedientiTh It servant - 4 OBERTS," Admiralty agent of the Amazon, Brady, R.N., the take charge ieutenoani the Amazon, was sent on board to at the last moment, in the el e, a t e from emba 1: in was Pdrewvhna:e life has thus been ring p r b o y v ia son, R.N., who pense of that of Lieutenant sudden indisposition, an dentially preserved a t tbe Brady, who is an officer well known and highly respected here. gwienrene selectedr s , It may be added tutuioickndmee7B,anedn crew of the Amazon r , for appointment to the new ship from their previously known abilities and intelligence. The value of the Amazon when ready for sea was about 100, 0 00"., arid she is und ers t oo d to have cost the Royal s te am -packet Comp any f u ll y that sum. W e are informed t hat she is not insured, and the loss will consequently fall entirely upon the insurance fund of the --a fund exclusively devoted from annual grants companyderived from the profits of the company towards casual ties of s hipwrecks and los s o f t h e i r vesse l s. Th e va l ue of the specie, quicksilver, cargo, when added to the value of the ship, will give a total loss of property by this melancholy occurrence of little less than 200,0001. sterling. The destruction of the Amazon following so quickly upon the stranding of the Demerara at Bristol will be seriously detrimental to the interests of the company, as two out of the five new ships are thus withdrawn, leav- TO THE EDITOR CF THE TIMM. Sir,—ln consequence, cf the destruction of the Amazon steam-ship, and the reported loss of 134 lives, I take the liberty cf mentioning that when that vessel was building I placed before the Royal Mail Packet Company a plan for extinguishing tires in steam•sl.ipt, by mules of the steam from their ooilers. Messrs. Seaward and Capel were requested by the company to furnish an estimate of the expense necessary to fit so large a vessel as the Amazon (which was 2,250 tons' burden) with the apparatus. The estimate was under 2001. Messrs. Seaward and Captain Chappell appeared to be of opinion that the plan was the best they ever remembered hearing of, and said that probably no fire could live under the torrent of steam which might be projected into any or all parts of the vessel. Nevertheless, after considerable trouble,: and sundry journeys by the Blackwell Railway, it was stated to me that as steam-vessels were very seldom burnt, my , apparatus would be an additional expense to the Ama zon which the company begged to decline incurring. Perhaps the heartrending catastrophe which has oc curred may induce the various steam companies to make inquiries regarding an invention which was in the list of things rewarded with a prize medal at the Great Exhi bition of 1851.-1 have, - the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant, WILLIAM RIDDLE. East Temple Chambers, Whitefriars, Jan.:. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES. Sir,—l am not in the habit of intruding my name on the public, yet on the present melancholy occasion of the sad accident which has just befallen the Amazon steam-packet, I feel it a duty to call your attention to a simple and inexpensive means of averting such accidents in future (and the consequent loss of lite and property which has just ensued), by the use of a solution of chlo ride of zinc. The fact of preventing the conflagration of ships or buildings has long lacer' before the public, but I felt it has received only alight consideration. I have no doubt, however, I may repeat, that the catastrophe could never have occurred had the means pointed out in the 16th, 17th, and 18th pages of the accompanying pamphlet been properly employed. The fearful conflagration would have been prevented, and the ship would also have been rescued at the same time from dryrot and prema ture decay. My public avocations leave me little leisure to extend this letter, and it is for the sake of humanity alone that I have written it, but I must entreat special attention to the official documents at the pages already mentioned, as evincing the truthfulness of the properties assigned to the process, and the ease with which an object of such magnitude and value may eadily be obtained. I am, Sir, your most humble servant, W. BU NETT. P.S. If any doubts bo entertained of the efil.ct of the solution, I can send you specimens which will fully prove the truth of the character given it. Admiralty, Jan. 7. THE TROOPS EN ROUTE TO THE CAPE. -____ HER MAJESTY'S SCREW:FRIGATE MEGZRA. AND THE RIFLES.—The Rifles it is well known with bag and b aggage , embarked at Dover on the 211 instant for the only her progress against Cape. The embarkation was conducted in the most orderly and satisfactory manner, under the superinten dence of Captain Baldock, who has charge of the packet for deemed b v is ship a l P e r o :o e rto th w e , m service, and in the teeth of a gale of Niuditthaed c ht h e e e er d gi e ca d ol . me IZi l :h ne a c u e x s i s l a ia ri r l y y power sl?w,and h a vi n , a few defects, the opportunity of filling up with coals. good, and to take Ou Tuesday she was reported ready aga i n and it seasoning at the anothercom start, and it was expected that the would leave touch at P il l a y n ns d o er u ' th g to r.hß e va good yesterday. The com mencement of their voy age Rifles have thus had a prett ; y i . t, must be most grati fying to find themselves stowed in such a comfortable and roomy ship, instead of a couple o f b at t ere d o ld trans ports, which would have been rolling abo u t at Dunge- Mit is, with a perhaps for a fortnight longer. s t e aming, s h e will su"ly otthree weeks' coals, fell doubtless make her passage, lille the screw-ship Vulcan,stances, under the most favourable circum stances, S -- ,CREw.sH with the 43d IP VULCAN AND THE 43D.—This ship, (showingßegiment on board, passed the Island of Ascensionher number only), going to the southward en the 17th of November. She most pro bable arrived at the Cape about the 4th of Decembor.— Herald. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES. Sir,--Your columns are generally open to any com munications really regarding the well-being of the coin•• munity. You will, therefore, perhaps, give admission to this. . __ On the 2d of January the Rifle Brigade, numerically seven hundred strong, embarked on board her Majesty's steam-ship the Meg era, for the Cape. As night drew on the frigate bore up for the Downs, where she lay until the morning of Saturday, the 3d, at daybr ea k, an d preceeded down Channel with a living mass of nine hun dred human beings on her decks. You will now ask was not every provision made to meet the emer gency and afford accommodation on board? You shall hear. The store-room and stowage were filled with Ordnance stores, and thus no place remained for the ar rangement and proper disposition of the vast amount of sea-stock, baggage, and " belongings" of this large body of men. Government, at the sacrifice of the men's and officers' just claim to regard and consideration, had made the ship to answer a purpose for which it was never in tended—the transport of stores and the conveyance of the troops, the latter being evidently put aside to make room for the other. Well, the night of Saturday came on, and with it s gale of wind, and you may easily imagine the conditionof a number of raw soldi e rs, without proper conveni ences, or even necessaries, the stores and . baggage lying wherever they c ou ld fi n d a s p a ce unoccupied, the passage from one part to another of the ship being everywhere impeded, and in most places obstructed. On the morn ing of th e sth s h e p ut into Plymout h, muc h disabled, and with a depth of water in her whichher crew had i been engaged the whole night n pumping out. but P i Providentially i s d h e e n , ti v a n li d y er th t e h r e an to Plymouth was saf e ly ma d e; and found to traverse the extent of water before her ? in short, is she the vesse l to take out nin e hundred valu able lives ? If it be not too late, let the voice o f trut h reach those in authority. Let even the First L or d b e to ld—" Qui facit per cil i um facit per Sc; ' and that he s h a ll b e h e ld c i r cumstances, adequat e ly fi tte d responsible for the recklessness or ignorance of those subordinate officials who can thus risk the life of Eng land's best and bravest sons. I write as an eye-witness. I accomp an i e d th e reg iment to its embarkation,admired the perfect order, celerity, a nd discipline of everything that depended on the soldier, and loft with an aching heart at the thought of bow much wanton and unnecessary misery our brave fellows must e ncounter before they reach the Cape. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, WILLIAM Brrunit, Rector of Holy Trinity, Dorchester, Dorset. Oxford and Cambridge Club, Wednesday, Jan. 7. VICEREGAL COURT.—IIis Excellency the Lord_ Lieutenant of Ireland will hold hit first levee for the seaeon at Dublin Castle, on the 28th instant, and there will be a drawing-room the following evening. DEPARTUAB or TJI ARCTIC. —LIVERTOOL, JAN. 7.—To-day the United States Mail steams-hip Arctic, Capt. Lucas, sailed from the Mersey, about ‘eleven Alba, with 43 paimngers and a full and valuable earl N.