The Sun. — London, England, 1849-01-17 00:00:00

THE TOOTING CASES. The following is the report of Mr. Grainger on the state of Mr. Drouet's establishment at Tooting. We were reluctantly compelled to omit this report on Monday, from want of space : Sir,—l beg respectfully to state, for the information of the General Board of Health, that, in accordance with the instructions I received, I visited, on Friday, the sth inst., the establishment of Mr. Drouet for pauper chil dren, at Lower Tooting; I made a careful inspection of the various rooms occupied as cholera wards for the re ception of the sick children. It is necessary, however, to premise that as the powers of the General Board are limited, under the provisions of the Nuisances Removal and Diseases Prevention Act, to the issuing of regulations and to instituting inquiries, no authority existed for en forcing any measures which in consequence of this in • vestigation might appear to the General Board to be desirable. I first entered those on the female side, when I was struck by a sense of the extreme closeness, op pression, and foulness of the air, far exceeding in of fensiveness anything I have ever yet witnessed in apart ments in hospitals, or elsewhere, occupied by the sick. There was especially, in the highest degree, that pecu liar and sickening smell familiar to all who are ac quainted with close, unventilated, and heated rooms, overcrowded with children. The rooms were crowded with beds, utterly disproportioned in number to the space allotted to them. In a room, for example, 10 feet long, 12 feet wide, and less than eight feet high, there were five beds occupied by eleven children, all ill with cholera. In another room of the same dimensions, there were four beds with 13 cholera patients, of whom four were in one bed, and three in each of the others. In a third room 18 feet long, 16 feet wide, and eight feet high, there were nine beds with 16 children in cholera, two of the beds having three patients in each; a circumstance which I observed likewise in other wards. The lighting and ventilation of the whole of these wards was totally insufficient. On the boys' side there was a room containing 18 beds nearly touching each other, in which were 35 boys ill with cholera; 25 being in bed (two in each bed), and 10 sitting round the fire, being convalescent. One boy had just died on my entrance. In this ward, which is an example of the arrangement of all the main buildings of this establishment, there were windows only on one side —a construction totally incompatible with a due supply of light and air. On the girls' side I found only one regular nurse, who was passing in and out to attend to the children in several wards ; and in the boys' side, in the room above described, containing 35 patients, there was only one nurse (a man) in attendance. To those who are acquainted with the nature of cholera, with the violent and most sudden evacuations both by vomiting and purging, it is needless to point out the utter inefficiency of such attendance. I found that the children were continually vomiting in the beds and on the floor, and that, consequently, the sheets, bedding, and floor, were covered with the dis charges; that no efficient aid was in a single case afforded to those suffering children; that some of them were get ting oat of bed; and that all needed, not only for de cency and comfort, but for actual safety, that careful and watchful attention which cholera patients in the stage of collapse so urgently demand. The various appliances found in all properly regulated institutions for administering relief to patients suffering under cholera, and especially for applying continued heat to the surface of the body—a point deemed by all authorities to be one of the most essential means for the treatment of collapse—were either totally wanting or quite inadequate. In passing through the girls' cholera rooms I ob served some small apartments containing unoccupied beds; and on inquiring why these were not used; in order immediately to relieve the over crowded beds. I was informed that they were unprovided with fire-places, or other means of heating. As a medical man it is my duty to state that it is im possible to conceive a state of things more entirely un suited as to the construction of the buildings and the overcrowding of the inmates, the absence of all efficient nursing, and the want of the recognised means of medical and other treatment, than was presented in this esta blishment. From the evidence of Mr. Popham, one of the paro chial surgeons of St. Pancras, who was sent down on Friday evening by the Board of Guardians of that pa rish, it appears the evils described above had become greatly aggravated, in consequence of the increased and rapidly increasing number of the sick. This gentleman says—" Found everything in very great confusion; found, in the cholera wards for boys, with two exceptions, four boys in each bed. Some were dying; others in a state of collapse; some recently brought in and placed in the beds with others. In the girls' cholera wards found five patients in one bed. In the other beds generally four in each. A foul stench in all the wards. The floors were wet from the matters vomited, owing to the total insuffi ciency of nurses and attendants. In the boys' side there aro two rooms communicating so as to form one ward. In this ward there were on his arrival 64 boys, all suffering with cholera. The number of beds was 28, of which some were empty, in order to receive, as he supposes, fresh cases. As to the arrartgements and attendants, found all defective and in confusion ; one male nurse only to the boys' ward, and occasionally a female, who was for the most part in bed, owing to fatigue and bein g unwell. There was only one oandle in this ward, and the buys were crying out for assistance in all directions. There were no means of applying heat; only two or three hot bottles ( to his knowledge) could be procured. "As to the surgery, there was only one pair of scales, one spatula, and some of the medicines were not labelled at all; in consequence of this total insufficiency little efficient assistance could be afforded to the patients last night. The great crowding, the noxious atmosphere of the wards, the impossibility of procuring and putting up the proper medicines, and of attending to so many patients with so tew nurses, were most adverse circum stances. Am of opinion, as a medical practitioner, that the mortality has been considerably increased by all these causes." On inquiring as to the total number of children in the establishment, I was surprised to find that, after the continuance of the epidemic for eight days, so few had been removed; that no efficient means had been taken to lessen the overcrowding, whereby the danger to those who had hitherto escaped was greatly increased; whilst at the same time by furnishing continual accession to the sick, the latter could not receive the accommodatioe they needed, nor could the convalescent be removed into less contaminated rooms. Although it was no part of my duty to interfere with the management of the cases, yet common humanity de manded that I should make some effort to lessen evils of such magnitude. I therefore recommended that the services of three additional legally qualified medical practitioners should be immediately obtained; that some physician in whom the public had confidence should be selected to su perintend the arrangements; that in each room containing more than 12 patients four properly qualified nurses should be appointed, in order to afford assistance day and night; that in the rooms with less than 12 patients three nurses should be provided; that means should be taken so to relieve the overcrowding that there should be only one child in each bed; and that the recognised means of affording warmth, &c., should be forthwith supplied. In connexion with the arrangements for the sick, it may here be stated that on Sunday, January 7, I again visited Mr. Drouet's establishment; and on inspecting the cholera wards, I was much concerned and surprised, after the explicit recommendations I had made on Friday, to find that some of the more important of them had been so imperfectly carried into effect. In each of the beds there are for the most part still two patients ; thus, in the room for the female children of St. Pancras parish, there were tea beds and nineteen children, many of whom were in a state of the extremest collapse. As regards the provision for nurses, I am called upon to express my strongest disapproval. On Friday evening four addi tional nurses were sent down by the authorities o f St. Pancras ; two of these returned on Satur day evening—a promise having been given, ac cording to the statement of Mr. Popham, that six additional nurses should be sent to Tooting on the same evening; which, however, was not realised. I find on Sunday that the proprietor of the establishment had not added a single nurse; so that the only addition made since Friday consisted of the two women who still remained from it. Pancras; and yet at thin time there were 178 cholera patients under treatment, being an increase since Friday of no less than 64! On a m ore c • l exa mination, the results of thi s l amentable and close . reprehe ns ibl e ne glect were most apparent. I found f our of the female wards under the care of one nurse --a wo man belonging to the establishment, and wh om I h ad seen on my previous visit. In the ward with t h e St. Pancras female patients? 19 in number, th ere was but one nurse, wh o informed me that she had been up s ince she came on Friday evening. O n the boys' i side I found that in a small ward, contain /4g, besides several children labouring under ordinary complaints, one cholera patient an d eight with diarrhoea, vas a nu rse o f th e e stablishment, who had been up on Friday night, the greater part of Saturday, all Satur day night, and on Sunday till the time of my visit. In the adjoining larger ward, with nineteen patients, some of whom were convalescent, was one male nurse; whilst in a third room, with 32 beds, I found only one female nurse, sent by St. Pancras p ar ish, who informed me she had one young woman to help her in the daytime, but she herself had been up all the time since her arrival on Friday evening without five minutes' rest. It is right that the names of these two young women from St. Pancras, who have thus hazarded their own lives in the attempt to save that of others, should be recorded; they are Mary Ann Keith and Sarah Sellers. An attempt was made to make up for this insufficient supply of nurses, by employing some of the older pauper boys and girls still free from attack; in one of the boys' wards, I found, for example, four boys, of the average age of thirteen, thus assisting ; even some of the children recovering from cholera were so employed. This is a most objectionable procedure, inasmuch as to bring children, already acted on by the cholera poison, and perhaps on the very verge of an attack, into the contaminated atmosphere of such sick wards as these, was to expose them to imminent danger; , whilst, as regards those who were recovering, it was of primary importance that they, instead of being detained to attend on the sick, should have been removed as early as possible into properly prepared convalescent wards. The consequence of all this increased neglect was, that on S un day the bed clothes were still soaked with the evacuations of the suffering children, and that the few nurses who were in the wards were obliged to run from one bed to another, and that the pati en t s were mos t in efficiently attended on. With reference to the medical assistance for the sick, I found one resident medical officer, 25 years of age, a member of the College of Surgeons and Apothecaries'. ball, who had been the medical officer of the establishment during the last two months, having to take the charge of 1,370 children, at the remuneration of 50/. a year, with board and lodging. This gentleman states that he had THE SUN, visited the hulks at Woolwich, where he had seen some cases of cholera; and also that he had, in two previous situations, had the charge of pauper patients. It appears that a significant warning of the approach ing outbreak was given 14 days before a single case of cholera had occurred. Three girls were on Friday, De cember 15, attacked with vomiting, diarrhces, and col lapse; but this warning was not understood by the resi dent medical officer, who supposed the cases were dependent on cold and dampness; and thus, no suspicion being awakened of the true character of the attack, none of those preventive measures which experience has proved to be most effective were adopted; no inquiry was instituted as to the prevalence of diarrhoea among the children; no alteration was made in their diet, and no means were adopted to guard them from the noxious effect of overcrowded and unventilated rooms. If at this time, 14 days before the fatal outbreak, due and proper measures had been carried into effect, a large part of the evil that has since occurred, it is certain, would hare been averted. It further appears from the evidence, tbat after the attack of cholera no efficient means were adopted either to discover the existence of the premonitory diarrhcea, or for its treatment, when it was brought under the no tice of the resident medical officer. Thus, the mistress of the girls says, " she had received no direction to question the children whether they have diarrhoea," and a similar statement is made by the master and one of the under-masters, tee only officials of this class ques tioned by me: whilst, as regards the medical officer, he could not undertake this duty if it had ever been con templated, being overcharged with attendance ou the sick. With respect to the treatment of the premonitory diarrhoea, although all the medical authorities connected with the Board of Health in England, Ireland, and Scotland, have, in their published instructions, advised the use of some preparation of opium, that medicine has not been administered in a single case of diarrhoea up to my visit on Friday, the medical officer relying on astringents. That there has been, as in all similar circumstances, a large amount of diarrhoea prevailing among the children at this establishment, both previous to and since the out break of cholera, is abundantly proved. One of the assistant-masters stated to me, " he had observed that the boys had been purged during the last fortnight, and especially since yesterday week."* The schoolmistress also states, that " many of the children have been taken with pain in the bowels." The resident medical officer says, many of the children at tacked by cholera had informed him that they had suffered from diarrhoea before the attack, some for a day or two, and others longer. The inquiry instituted at my suggestion by the several medical gentlemen now in attendance, led to the discovery of 38 cases of diarrhoea on Saturday and a part of Sunday, although the number of children had then been diminished one-half by re movals ; among these cases only one child bad on Sun day passed into cholera. On examining the buildings and premises appropriated to the children in general, I found that the boys' dor• mitories had only windows on one side—a most unfavour able arrangement both as regards light and air; the same observations also apply to the schoolrooms. The dormitories are greatly overcrowded, and in those for the younger children the arrangement was that three chil dren should sleep in ono bed. In the schoolroom for boys the master informed me there were, when all were present, 500; the length of this room being 94 feet, the width 21 feet, and the height 11 feet. The ventilation is most defective, and entirely incom patible with the maintenance of health, even in the case of a much smaller number of boys than that above speci fied. The girls' schoolroom is used for 260 children, it is lighter than that of the boys, but the ventilation is equally defective as in the preceding case. In Connexion with these schoolrooms, it is necessary to state that Mr. Hall, the Assistant Poor.law Commis sioner, informed me that in the beginning of the month of November last he and Mr. Tufnell gave l Mr. Drouet a written order, limiting the number to be received in the boys' schoolroom to 400, and in the girls' schoolroom to 160. This order, which ought, under the ordinary cir cumstances of health, to have been immediately carried into operation, was neglected, and, as it must be pre sumed, to the injury of the children's health. The yard or playground was damp and wet, owing, as it appeared, to its limited size, and to the buildings by which it is more or less surrounded. Mr. Semple, one of the medical officers of Islington, stated to me that he had complained of the wet and damp condition of the premises. All this is most unfavourable to the health of , young children, for, as there are no day rooms, the children must either go into this damp yard or remain in the schoolrooms or dormitories, which, on other grounds, is equally objectionable. One part of the buildings requires a special notice. About five or six months ago, according to the evidence of Mr. Walter Chapman, one of the late medical atten dants of this establishment, a low range of buildings, constituting one long room, was erected in the imme diate vicinity of a yard, in which a large number of animals, pigs, cows, horses, and poultry are kept. These premises are, moreover, in a most objectionable situation, as they are placed very near to the two foul open ditches or drains described in the evidence of Mr. Lovick, of the Sewers Commission. When this building was erected, and before any children had been placed in it, Mr. Walter Chapman, then the professional medical ad viser of Mr. Drouet, " expressed his opinion that the Commissioners of the Poor or of the Board of Health would insist on the removal of the pigstyes and animals if the children were to live there." Notwithstanding this representation, 150 children were placed in this room. The present medical officer has also expressed to the proprietor his opinion that the locality was not suitable. In consequence, as it is believed, of these representations, some of the animals have been removed, but I saw a large number of poultry still in the yard, and some pigs also remain. One of the ditches was also cleaned out about a fortnight ago, but in so ignorant a manner, the offensive mud being thrown upon the banks, as to increase the evil by extending the evaporating sur face. (See Report of Mr. Lovick.) In the immediate neighbourhood of this establishment, and intersecting the land in all directions, are numerous open ditches, canals, and pieces of water, of the most offensive character. The condition of these foul streams, and their relation to the premises of Mr. Drouet, are very clearly and correctly described in the report of Mr. Lorick. It is only requisite, therefore, in this place, to state that no locality more unfit for the lodgment of a large number of children could possibly have been se lected, and the fact that the inmates of this establish ment have heretofore escaped violent epidemic disease, can only be attributed to the dilution, by the pure air of the country, of the poisonous effluvia constantly poured forth by the vast extent of exhaling surface described in Mr. Lovick's report. In considering the causes of this awful visitation, the more important circumstances requiring notice are— firstly, the locality; secondly, the diet and clothing of the children; and lastly, the number of children in the establishment. As regards the locality, there can be no doubt that it has exerted a most injurious in fluence on the children; for, although, according to the evidence of Mr. Walter Chapman, the amount of actual sickness in the establishment has not been high, yet the experience of the present epidemic has plainly demonstrated that the constitution and health, in a large number of instances, must have been seriously deterio rated. Thus far I have no hesitation in stating my opinion that the foul waters surrounding Mr. Drouet's premises hare, by their exhalations, acted most delete riously, and by thus inducing a high degree of suscepti bility to disease, have greatly aggravated the intensity of the attack and augmented the mortality. But it is certain that the injurious locality has only played a secondary and indirect part in this epidemic, and for this obvious reason—that whilst a large number of ;persons inhabitants of Tooting and of the poorer classes, have been exposed to the same noxious effluvia, though probably not in the same degree, not one of them, either adult or child, has hitherto given any indications of being affected by the cholera poison. Under such perilous circumstances, it was, of course, my duty to in stitute a searching inquiry into the present state of health of this populous village ; and I therefore re quested the medical officer of the district to ascertain if any of the inhabitants, and especially the children of the poor, were labouring under diarrhma or other affection indicative of cholera. The result of this inves tigation, I am rejoiced to say, has been most satisfac tory, by showing in a conclusive manner that up to the present date there has been no excess of disease above the average. This being the case, the essential causes of the outbreak must be sought in the establishment it self ; and, first, as regards the diet— This consists of meat three times a week, pudding once, and pea-soup three times a week. On inquiry, and questioning a considerable number of children, I am bound to state that in many instances the food has been defective in quality: the kind and quality of the diet also ehsapveeciall bee y n of an objectionable character, and liable, in a season like the present, to have exerted an injurious influence on the system. Under ctuh.onam utmet htehen he the use t autsieo s no e proprietor sf as vs eugdeedidt a bnb circumstances yloet, it i tdihni diet. General s eln t fo,erbael accordance mB insteaduowcaih regretted Board, feeding ehireseedet discon tinue these children so often on a kind of food, pea soup (known to exertin na r a diet yeasescoanrseisltaixngingmionrfleueofcesoloind the alimentary ca and dry and farinaceous food, had been substituted for green vegetables when the cholera approached the me tropolis, there are sufficient grounds for inferring that the stamina of the children would have been better maintained, and that consequently more resistance would have been offered to the attack of the epidemic influence of cholera. With respect to the clothing, this is insufficient, parti cularly as concerns the provision of flannel next the skin, a point in primary importance in maintaining the health of all young children. After maturely considering all the circumstances con. nected with the painful occurrence, I am induced to essentialex ove rcr w c d a i n u g s e of f f t h a i l s l pethsrtel'asbmsliimsshcyhmifieefhrrath.apcsobanenvegincetrtiohouensitnahoiarltdictn(hianetceetve the effluvia from the foul sewers and stagnant ditches to be, yet, diluted as they are by the winds, they might not alone have been sufficient to produce this outbreak, as may b e p resumed by the im mu nity up to this time of the inmates of other houses near these moats and ponds. But the state of overcrowding was such as must have lowered the health of the inmates in ordinary times, and was almost certain to produce disease under the depressing influence of an 1 epidemic condition of the atmosphere. Without doubt, both the noxious effluvia and the overcrowding contri buted to the calamitous result; but of these two causes I attach , o t h h e a h u y t m s t o e s importance carried to t theo such h overcrowding ,extent as will be immediately shown to have prevailed in this establishment, must have lowered the health of the in mates and predisposed them to disease. It appears from information derived from the Poor law Commission, that on the 23d of December, the total number of children under Mr. Drouet's charges amounted to 1,372. The original premises were totally • This evidence was taken on Friday, Jan. 5. insufficient to accommodate this large number, and consequently, as successive additions were contributed by various parishes, new buildings were erected. In the construction of these buildings none of the sani tary precautions so urgently demanded by the circum stances were observed ; no effective ventilation was provided; and especially it must be pointed out that the space allowed, both in the dormitories and school rooms, was altogether inadequate to the number of inmates they subsequently received. It is one of the best ascertained facts in the construction of hospitals, that wards containing a large number of patients in each, as seen so often in continental cities, exert a most prejudicial influence over the pa tients lodged within them, and never can be ren dered so healthy as smaller wards. The same principle strictly applies to the case of apartments designed for children, especially those of tender age. In the present instance this injurious system has been carried to the utmost extreme, and has, by inducing a highly sus ceptible state of the system, enabled the efficient cause of cholera, at a time when that epidemic gave so many plain indications of its existence, to operate with intense energy among the crowded inmates of this establish ment. It may be affirmed that in no public institution in the kingdom, however well contrived and regulated, could so large a number of children, with the existing detective sanitary arrangements, be received without an injurious influence being excited on their state of health. This being so, what but the most evil results could be anticipated by the collection of nearly 1,400 children in an establishment formed upo❑ no plan, expand( d hastily to receive the repeated influx pouring in from so many parishes, supervised by uo compe tent authorities, and freed from the wholesome control deemed essential to the safety and well-being of every parochial establishment in the kingdom? If there be any one part of the pauper population re quiring, more than another, watchful and solicitous care, it is assuredly that large part of it comprised of children of tender age. To these, much more than to adults, whose vital powers are fully developed, a free supply of pure air, a provision of spacious and well warmed rooms, and of dry and airy premises, are, in addition to a suitable diet and proper clothing, indispen sable to the maintenance of health. If any of these con ditions be violated, not only will the general stamina of the childien be in many instances permanently lowered, but the danger of violent and destructive epi demics will be ever impending. As indicative of the evil and pernicious influence of the overcrowding and improper diet, it is important and interesting to state that out of 56 adults employed in various capacities in the establishment, only one case of cholera had occurred up to Sunday, Jan. 7. In concluding the report it is my duty to call the at tention of the General Board of Health to some facts connected with this distressing case. It is, in the first place, certain, that if the various instructions contained in the several notifications of the board had been duly observed and efficiently carried into execution, a large part, if not all, the evils that have occurred would have been avoided. It has been shown, for example, by the evidence of Mr. Lovick, that a fortnight before the outbreak one of the foul ditches near the premises was emptied and the filthy mud thrown on the banks, in contravention of the following clear directions contained in the second noti fication of the General Board, bearing date October 31, I848:-- " With reference to the larger works of cleansing, such as the cleansing out of long lines of ditches, or the re moval of large masses of decomposing refuse, much mis• chief has sometimes been occasioned when the ope ration has been so ignorantly and unskilfully con ducted as to increase the extent of the eva porating surface ; as, when the contents of foul ditches have been spread out on the banks and allowed to remain there, and when cesspools have been emptied into drains or sewers having no proper fall, or no run for the discharge of the contents from beneath inhabited houses. Works of this kind should be conducted under the superintendence of a person who possesses some knowledge of the nature of the gases evolved, the atmo spheric and other conditions that promote their copious evolution; their probable effects on susceptible persons and the mode of diminishing or averting them, either by the proper use of deodorising fluids, or by other means. The medieal officer who may be expected to be the best informed in these respects, should, therefore, as before stated, be required to take the general superintendence of such operations." Again, with respect to the premonitory diarrlicei, not only was no attention paid to the purging, which it had been shown became so prevalent a week before the de cided attack of cholera as to attract the notice of the school• master, but even the occurrence of three well marked cases of ♦omiting, purging, and collapse, occurring fourteen days before the outbreak, awakened no suspicion of the approaching evil. Upon this point the General Board has been most so licitous to diffuse correct information. In the first noti fication, dated October 5, 1848, in addition to other cautions of a similar kind, occurs the following pas sage : •• It must be repeated, however, that whenever Asiatic cholera is epidemic, the slightest degree of looseness of the bowels ought to be regarded and treated as the com mencement of the disease, which at this stage is capable of being arrested by simple means, but if neglected only for a few hours, may suddenly assume a fatal form," These notifications were widely diffused, and ought to have come to the knowledge both of Mr. Drouet, and of the various boards of guardians that had children in the Tooting establishment ; they were inserted in the Gazette, copied into the newspapers, and moreover, were expressly sent to each board of guardians throughout the kingdom, and also to the medical officers of the various unions and parishes. These facts relate to the circumstances antecedent to the fatal outbreak. On its actual occurrence there appears from the evidence to have been even more reprehensible neglect. No means of separating the healthy from the sick were taken for seven days after the first cases. The directions of the General Board, of the date of November 6, 1848, upon this point are to the following effect : " And we'also authorise and require the said guardians, where it shall appear needful, to provide rooms or places of refuge, to which may be removed the families of such necessitous persons as have been attacked with cholera, and also such necessitous persons living under the same roof with, or in the vicinity of, persons so attacked, as the medical officers acting under the authority of the said guardians may deem it necessary to remove ; and the houses, room, or dwellings from which persons may have been so removed to the houses of refuge, shall be cleansed and purified by the owners or persons having the care or ordering thereof, or, in their default, by the said guardians." If under the ordinary circumstances attending an out break in a town or city this measure is, as it is recog nised to be, of primary importance to break the force of the epidemic, how infinitely more imperative was it in the case of this establishment, overcrowded to excess, and with few or none of the appliances demanded for the treatment of the sick ! That the sudden removal of nearly one thousand for hundred children under such circumstances was a difficult procedure, and one which could only be justified by the urgency of the occasion, is self-evident; but with children falling into collapse every minute, with such an awful and rapid mortality, and with such a state of things as that described in the cholera wards, there was but one step to •be adopted by the guardians—the instant removal, under medical ad vice, of all the children not yet seized, to properly-pre pared and sufficiently spacious premises unconnected with any other building. This was the recommendation made by me to the general board, and by it communi cated to the local authorities of the parishes interested. Seeing the distinct evidences of a general poisoning among the children, and knowing that they were all still subjected to the same pernicious agencies, which had caused all the mischief, my conviction is that if they had not been taken out of the establishment and re moved to a purer atmosphere, and uncrowded rooms, the epidemic would have continued to rage among them until hundreds had been destroyed. That many must, not withstanding this measure, still be attacked and perish, was foreseen and explained to the parochial authorities, for the children were already poisoned, and whether they remained, or whether they were removed, the result must have been the same, except that in the latter case a larger number, passing into a more favourable atmos phere, would be enable to resist the noxious influences and escape. The interests both of truth and humanity compel me to affirm that no effort or attempt was made on the part of the proprietor to carry into execution some of the most essential of my recommendations given on Friday, the sth of January, and which were capable of speedy execution. Among the foremost of these, next to ob taining further medical aid, was the provision of a suf ficient number of competent nurses. I expressly stated to Mr. Drouet and to his medical attendant, Mr. Kite, that to each of the wards containing more than 12 cholera patients four nurses should be allotted, and in wards with less than 12 patients three nurses. On Sunday, January 7, as already stated, I found in all only two ad ditional nurses, and yet, if my reccommendation had been carried into effect, as there are eight wards, there would have been in attendance on the poor sufferers at least 32 nurses. On my remonstrating with Mr. Drouet upon this gross neglect, he replied that he had understood me to say that I recommended four new nurses for all the wards, and in this he was supported by his medical officer. Fortunately, in addition to my own distinct and certain conviction, there is the testimony of Mr. Hall, the Poor-law Commissioner, who, in hisl report addressed to the Poor-law Commissioners dated January 6, 1849, states:— " Mr. Grainger required that he should at once en gage three additional medical officers to remain on his premises, and arrange with a physician of eminence conversant with cholera to visit his establishment daily; he also required him to appoint four nurses to every ward in which there were as many as 12 sick children." To attempt to remedy the evil caused by inattention to my directions, children still unattacked, as already mentioned, were brought into the cholera wards to act as nurses, thus periling their lives by greatly increasing the danger of an attack, affected as they must already have been by the poison. Another consequence of this neglect was, that the few nurses in attendance were ex hausted by fatigue; two of them from St. Pancras had been in attendance on the sick from Friday night, and were thus placed in a most dangerous condition, perilous to their lives, by being exposed to the epidemic with the vital powers debilitated by long watching and incessant fatigue.l also urged the vast imp ortanc e of placing each in a separate bed, by two children. bed, but on Sunday I f ound u cholera almost p everyti patient t ed still occupied It cannot escape the noticel_kon e of the board that in oth er important respects Mr. t has e a evinced great ne glect. Notwithstanding the warning from his former and present medical attendant, he per sisted in introdpcing 1 50 childreninto the new building he received both yard alluded to abotO whilst the air in its immediate vicinity contain. was poisoned by , the exhalations from the LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 17, 1849.; ing animals. Tho proprietor was equally indifferent to the express order of the Poor-law Commissioners, Messrs. Tufnell and Hall, limiting the number of chil dren both in the school for boys and in that for girls—a most momentous poin(with such an overcrowded estab lishment. I must also state that the proprietor ob structed mY~-inquiry by sharply rebuking one of the under-masters whom I was questioning respecting the prevalence of premonitory diarrhoea, among the boys. It is the concurrent opinion of all the five medical gentlemen who have attended the children that the epidemic is true Asiatic cholera. All these gentlemen are acquainted with the disease, and one of them has had an opportunity of observing it extensively at the General Hospital of Calcutta. I may also state that my own experience is entirely in accordance with their opinion. I have, in conclusion, to state that the several profes sional gentlemen sent to attend the sick, Mr. Popham, Mr. Bailey, Mr. Penny, and Mr. Phillips, have been most zealous and earnest in the discharge of their ar duous duties; that they have not only acted as medical men by visiting night and day those actually attacked, and by sedulously watching over the safety of those still free from seizure, but they have endeavoured by their own unceasing exertions to supply the want of nurses by administering medicines with their own hands and other wise attending the patients. I have already noticed the conduct of the two nurses, Sarah Sellers and Mary Anne Keith, which is above all praise. Jan. 8, 1849. B. D. GRAINGER. Henry Austin. Esq. LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF QUEENS BENCH, Jan. )6. (Sittings in Banco, at Westminster, before Lord Chief Justice Deutnan, Mr. Justice Ptstteson, Mr. Justice Coleridge, and Mr. Justice Wightman.) COBBETT V. HUDSON. This was a demurrer to certain pleas put upon the re cord by the defendant, in an action brought against him by the plaintiff for false imprisonment. The facts of the case are very generally known to the public. Mr. Cob bett, who is son of the late William Cobbett, the poli tical writer, has been long a prisoner in the Queen's prison, under an alleged charge of contempt of Court, in not answering certain allegations at the suit of Mr. Jesse Oldfield, executor to his father, the late William Cobbett. He alleges that he has not been guilty of any contempt; that he is wrongfully detained by the defendant, Captain Hudson, who is keeper of the Queen's prison, and has brought his action against that gentleman for false im prisonment. The defendant's case is, that he detains Mr. Cobbett under authority of a warrant, which trans ferred him, with other persons, from the Fleet prison, where he was then confined, to his custody. Mr. Cobbett appeared this day in person, under a writ of habeas, and argued in support of his demurrer. Mr. Unthank appeared for the defendant. The Court took time to consider. . _ Lord I)ENMAN, in a communication to the bar, said that it was desirable, as a general rule, that all motions for new trials should be made within the last four days of term, and that the Court would not be acting wisely in giving sanctio❑ to the practice of deferring such mo tions to the fifth day, to which, for various reasons, it was not desirable to extend the time. BAIL COURT, Jan. 16. (Sittings at Nisi Prius—Common Juries.) THE DERBYSHIRE, STAFFORDSHIRE, AND WORCESTER SHIRE JUNCTION RAILWAY COMPANY V. REV. E. WOOD- LAND. This was an action to recover 151., being the amount of a call of 11. per share, on 15 shares held by the de fendant in the above company. Mr. Sergeant Shee and Mr. Bagley were counsel for the plaintiffs, and Mr. Ball for the defendant. Evidence was adduced to the effect that the number of shares mentioned had been allotted to the defendant, and that the call of 1L per share was duly advertised in a newspaper and the letter sent. Mr. BALL argued that the Act of Parliament obtained by the company provided that 21 days should elapse before the call could be determined on. Mr. Justice ERLE remarked that he did not take that view of the case, as it appeared more time than 21 days had elapsed from the service of the letter of call to the time at which the amount claimed was to be paid. The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiffs for the full amount. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. WESTMINSTER. Agreeably with the directions he bad received from Mr. Broderip, with respect to the frightful case of des titution and distress in York-street, Westminster, de tailed in The Sun of yesterday, the chief usher of the Court set about executing the commission entrusted to him with praiseworthy zeal. Atter unsuccessful appli cations at the residences of two of the overseers of St. John's, who were from home, he at once proceeded to the abode of wretchedness, and there found that the landlord had drawn but a feeble picture of the distress ing reality. In a noisome attic lay the deceased sufferer in his clothes as he had expired; by his side his stricken wife, who was weeping convulsively. She was lying upon a miserable dirty mattress, and appeared for acme time unconscious of the chief usher's presence. She appeared very ill, and articulated feebly ; and, in reply to an inquiry from the usher, stated that some time ago they had had a little relief from the parish, but of late had been reluctant to ap ply for any assistance, hoeing that some favourable change might occur be their circumstances. The whole of the furniture the attic contaiced consisted of one broken chair, a form, and an old table, with the mat tress before alluded to, upon which the woman was stretched, without a morsel of rug or bed covering of any description. Her children, pictures of squalid misery, were sitting near her. There was no covering of any description to shield the children from the in clemency of the weather, and their whole stock of ap parel consisted of the clothes they had on. The usher learned from the eldest child that they had had no food of any description on Sunday, and that for some days previously the only thing that had passed her father's lips was weak tea or cold water, a small jug of which was found in the wretched apartment, and there ap peared but little doubt that he had died from starvation. Having given the afflicted woman and children some food, of which they partook but very sparingly, the usher proceeded to Mr. Thomas, one of the relieving officers, who immediately returned with him, supplied some blankets and a bolster, gave an order for the doctor to visit the poor woman immediately, and evinced rderi p had g in every irveesn very respect the greatest kindness. As Mr. o strict directions that the greatest possible attention should be applied to the case, the officer visited the poor creatures three times yes terday, and found that the poor woman had been insen sible during the night, and so extremely ill at one por tion of it that it was thought she would have breathed her last. She, however, rallied slightly in the morning and during the day. She has been supplied with flan nels, and such other comforts as the shortness of the time would permit, and was up to last evening pro gressing favourably, but slowly. The deceased and his wife have been both very well brought up, and the hus band, who is described as the son of an eminent solicitor named Williams, possessed some talent as an author and artist. CLERKEN WELL. John Smith, alias "Looney," a notorious thief, and Catherine Burns, an infamous woman, were placed at the bar before Mr. Combe, charged by Mr. William Newton, of 5, Church- terrace, Waterloo-road, Lambeth, with having been concerned in the following daring out rage with intent to murder:— The prosecutor, whose face was covered with adhesive plaster, having been sworn, stated that on Monday night last, about half-past six o'clock, he was passing through Goswell-street, Clerkenwell, with his hands in the pockets of his Taglioni coat, when he observed the pri soners and some other women larking and pulling each other about, when suddenly and unexpectedly the male prisoner rushed upon him and seized him round the waist, and subsequently struck him several times, and challenged him to fight. Witness was quite astonished at such an extraordinary proceeding, and refused to enter into a conflict, saying that he would not demean himself by fighting with him, but that he would give him into the custody of a policeman ; and he accordingly followed the prisoner up Bell-alley, when the female prisoner came up, and, making use of a most horrid oath, exclaimed, " You --, I'll do for you," and she took a knife from her pocket, which she opened, and made several stabs at him and knocked hint down insensible. He knew no more of what happened until he recovered his senses, when he found himself surrounded by a crowd of per sons and policemen, and was bleeding profusely from wounds on his face, &c. One wound was on his temple, near his eye, and another on his cheek; and it was evident that the female prisoner intended the stabs for his eye and his throat. He was supported to a surgeon's, where his wounds were dressed. He positively identified both prisoners. Richard Jenkins, an intelligent boy 14 years of age, deposed that at half-padt six o'clock on Monday evening he was near Bell-alley, Goswell-street, when he saw the male prisoner rush upon the prosecutor, and strike him. The woman immediately afterwards came up, and using a filthy expression said, " I'll do for you," and stabbed him several tithea with a knife. Mr. COMBE—Did you see distinctly the knife in her hand when she stabbed the prosecutor? Witness—l did; and when she leit the spot with the male prisoner she closed the knife and put it into her pocket. I am quite sure it was a knife. George Pierce, another boy, residing with his parents at 5, White -street, Bell-alley, Goswell-street, saw the prisoner Burns stab the prosecutor with a knife, when she swore she would " do for him." Mr. Mould, the clerk, asked the prisoners if they wished to ask these witnesses any questions? Burns— It's no good to ask any questions here, because they have been put up to what they are to say. Wm. Davies and another boy gave confirmatory evi dence, and identified the prisoners. Police-constable 441 A deposed, that on Monday evening he received information that a man had been stabbed in Goswell-street, near Bell-alley. He pro ceeded thither, and found the prosecutor bleeding pro fusely from his wounds. He received a description of the prisoners, and at half-past eight o'clock the same evening apprehended the female prisoner. He told her the nature of the charge against her. She denied hav ing been in Goswell-street that night. He took her to the station-house, where the boys identified her. Sergeant Brennan, 320 G, saw the prosecutor bleed ing in Goswell-street. Witness apprehended the pri soner Smith yesterday morning at his lodgings in Wil liamson's-buildings, Bell-alley. He was in bed, and when he told him he wanted him for having been con cerned in the outrage which had been committed in Goswell-street , on Monday night, the prisoner said he was not there; he was not out all night. Witness re. plied, " That is not true, tor I searched heref or yen last night and you were not here." Sergeant Harvey, 11a G, said, that when the prisoner Smith was at the - station•house he said, " I saw the row, but took no part i❑ it." Mr. CONBE asked the prisoners if they wished to question the witnesses, or to say anything in their de, fence? He intended to commit them both for trial. It they did say anything, it would be taken down in writing. The prisoners, who treated the matter with indiffer ence, declined putting any questions to the witnesses, or sa)ing anything in their defence. They were fully committed for trial. LAMBETH. Mary Ann Flood, a well-dressed and powerful woman, was placed at the telon's bar before Mr. Norton, charged with violently assaulting and robbing Mr. Edward Bates on the Ilungerford Suspension-bridge. The person of the prosecutor presented a very shock ing spectacle, both from the loss of blood, and from the injuries he had sustained, and it was clear that he had had a very narrow escape of his life. His forehead and face showed several severe contusions. When sworn, he stated that, about twenty-five minutes past twelve o'clock on the previous night he was going over the Suspension bridge, and had not gone more than thirty or forty yards when he was accosted by the prisoner, who walked alongside him. On nearing the Surrey :ide the prisoner gave him a violent blow, and snatched his watcri tram leis waistcoat pocket. Previous to striking him the prisoner got in front and stopped him, and it was when he was pushing her out of his way that she struck him. Immediately before he was struck he saw a tall man a short distance off, who accused him of taking indecent liberties with the pri• saner; but this he denied, as such was not the case. Ile thought the man had struck him as well as the prisoner, for the force with which he fell against the opposite side of the bridge was so great as to render him perfectly insensible. In reply to a question from the Magistrate, the prosecutor admitted he was not sober at the time. Charles Battern, a waiter, residing in Henry-place, Lower Marsh, Lambeth, deposed, that that morning, at about one o'clock, he was on the Suspension-bridge, and when he got near the Surrey side he saw the pro secutor and prisoner against the wall, and apparently close together. After he had passed them he heard a sort of rustle and a blow, which caused him to turn round his head, when he saw the prosecutor in the act of falling 011 his face against .the opposite wall. The prisoner then ran past him, but witness called out " Po lice" as loud as he could, and a constable having made his appearance he pointed out the prisoner to him, and desired him to stop her, as he was certain t he had been doing something wrong. On his doing this the prisoner hit at him right and left, and gave him a black eye. Prisoner—Was there any other woman there at the time? Witness—Yes, there was another woman there, who, when you struck me in the eye, kicked me. Mr. NORTON—But you are quite sure the prisoner is the person whom you saw standing close to the prose cutor, and who san away from him when he was knocked down? Witness—l am, your Worship; the prisoner is the person. Mr. NORTON—Did you see any other person near the prosecutor? Witness—Yes, Sir; o❑ his falling I saw a man in the act of taking him up, but where he came from I cannot say, as I had not noticed him before. Had he been to the spot I must have seen him; my impression is, that he must have been concealed. Mr. NORTON—What became of this person? Witness —He must have gone over the bridge i❑ a different di rection. The policeman, on securing the prisoner, desired me to run over the bridge and cry out " Stop thief," but, to say the truth, Sir, I did not fancy doing so, fearing that I might be thrown over the bridge myself. Mr. NORTON—WeII, I cannot say but that you have acted very well in the matter; and I'm sorry you should have been maltreated. James Bradley, 42 L, stated that, hearing the cry of "Stop thief!" on the bridge, and seeing the prisoner running, he secured her and took her to the station house. On subsequently examining the place he found the watch of the prosecutor near the side of the bridge. The prisoner, who offered nothing in defence, was re manded. SOUTHWARK. Robert Duncan and _Mary Duncan, his wife, were placed at the bar before Mr. Cottiugham for re-exami nation, for conspiring, with another person, not in cus tody, to extort money from the London and North- Western Railway Company, by pretending that they had received serious injuries in one of the second-class carriages on the sth of September, owing to a collision alleged to have occurred on the journey from Y or k t o London at a place called Leighton Buzzard. Thomas Borridge stated that he was in the habit of supplying Duncan with greengrocery articles, and from an entry in his book he found that he had been at the prisoner's house on the 20th of September, on which occasion he recollected having seen the female prisoner, who appeared to be in her usual state of health. She d d ibud we wnee i nia d gn:tdishns,te n i:ellr o aosowans t at nnnhdn m dawelyaos e r are n b, esdhr t oaao i ad o titotsrilt n lwefoeyDaer t aasie o i:uull him nor 'didh t shesh e hadse seem met m to with b e sauntreilreiCnig ic tlinp:nec.useracbts.naa: cal d led osthattiuitsinseeeec Witness sie i ngrt Druids irßa t dy e ars e o n ohof rfek m eicitd o shu n t tereh t en h ceeti s itur, ago bm]E:aeaen an h t oppor tunities of seeing Duncan's handwriting, and should be enabled now to identify it. The following letter was then read. It was addressed to the Secretary of the London and North-Western Railway Company;"— " 59, George-street, Bermondsey, Nov. 2, 1848. " Sir,—The medical gentleman representing the com pany, having seen Mrs. Duncan and Mr. O'Brien several times, is fully aware of the serious injuries sustained by my wife as well as Mr. O'Brien. You will, no doubt, be informed by him that Mrs, Duncan is still very ill, re quiring great quiet and nourishment, and in the event of her being again pregnant it will be attended w ith gr e a t danger. Mr. O'Brien has suffered severely from the in juries to his knee and chest, and is still spitting blood, especially at night, when his cough is very bad, which will prevent him from attendng to his business for some time, for did he do so before he is thoroughly well, it might bring on relapse, the consequence of which may be very serious. Under those circumstances Ido hope that we shall not be compelled to proceed in an expensive litigation against so powerful a company, where the means of a private individual would be perhaps wasted entirely in entailing utter ruin on ourselves and family who have already suffered severely enough. lam wil ling to accept 601. for the injuries to Mrs. Duncan ; and Mr. O'Brien is willing to accept 601., provided it is set tled this week, as Mr. O'Brien has been informed by his solicitor that unless proceedings are issued directly it cannot be tried this term. In the event of this arrange ment not being made, Mr. O'Brien wishes it to be tried as soon as possible. This letter is, of course, without prejudice in either case, should we be compelled to have recourse to a court of law. An early answer will greatly oblige your obedient servant, "R. DuNceti." The witness having examined the above letter, stated that he had no doubt it was in Duncau's handwriting. Robert Darke—l was acquainted with O'Brien, who is brother- in-law to the male prisoner. I became ac quainted with him in 1840, when I was working as a compositor in Mr. Bensley's printing establishment. I am now employed in Mr. Crawford's printing-office, pre vious to which I was at Mr. Reeve's, and during the time I was in the latter situation—about, I think, the middle of December—O'Brien called upon me, and pro duced a letter which he said he wanted me to copy. He mentioned that it related to an accident his sister had met with in a railway carriage. lat first refused to copy the letter; but he at length prevailed upon me. The letter runs thus-- " 11, Northumberland-street, Strand, Dec. 15, 1848 " Sir,—Mr. O'Brien having made application to me this morning respecting an accident which took place on the North-Western Railway on the sth of September, I beg to state that I was present, being one of the passengers on that unfortunate occasion, and that I was in the same carriage with Mr. O'Brien and Mrs. Duncan (whom I afterwards found to be brother and sister) when the accident took place; and afterwards I saw them on the line, and likewise at Leighton Buzzard, and came to town with them. I was very much shook my self and did not forget it for many days; but having received no particular injury I did not trouble myself about it, nor had I any time, but will not travel again by railway if I can go by any other conveyance. They appeared very much frightened and hurt. I had told Mr. O'Brien that if he wanted me at any time he might depend upon me to come forward, if I could do so conveniently, as I con sidered it a piece of gross negligence somewhere. I will do myself the honour of waiting on you this afternoon at three o'clock if you wish it, but am leaving town on Saturday.—Your obedient servant, _ _ _ " R. DARKE. " To Mr. S. Harrison, solicitor, 5, New Inn, Strand." The witness, in continuation of his evidence, said, when I copied the above letter I returned it, and the one I copied it from, to O'Brien. Ho had previously told me that such a letter as that referred to was required before the railway company would grant compensation, as a person who was present and witnessed the accident was either absent abroad or dead. Mr. Clarkson—ls there any truth in what is as serted in the letter just read, namely, " That you were present and witnessed such an accident as therein described ?" Darke—There is no truth whatever in it. Mr. Clarkson—Were you to have derived any benefit, if compensation had been granted by the company to the parties who made the application for it? Darke—"l was to have had 41. or 51." The witness proceeded :—O'Brien afterwards took me to Mr. Harrison, who required the same proof of my respectability of character, and I in formed that gentleman of my situation of life, and those employers for whom I worked as a compositor. I saw O'Brien on Friday last (the day on which Mr. Clarkson made applicatio❑ to this Court for warrants against the parties implicated in the conspiracy). That person came to me at one o'clock while I was at dinner at the Ship, at Hungerford-market, and I expressed my surprise that he should have called upon me after what had transpired, and informed him that a warrant was issued for his ap prehension. O'Brien then went away, and I have not seen him since. -- lyiir:CTa;kson—After I copied the above lett e r I had my suspicions, and I communicated them to Mr. Menem Subsequently I gave a voluntary st a t emen t o f all that I knew of the transaction to the solicitor of the railway company. When I saw O'Brien on Friday last, before he left the room, he expressed a hope that I would not appear as a witness against him in the event of his apprehension. Duncan here requested that some letters relating to a correspondence between him and M r . H arrison m i ght b e read, as he considered that it might be of importance. Mr. COTTINGHAM accordingly perused one of the let ters, in which a pen was drawn through the words the sth of April, and the sth of September substituted. Darke explained this by saying he made the mistake himself, and it was corrected by Mr. Harrison. Mr. COTTINGHAN (to Darke)—Then you represented to Mr. Harrison that you were in the train when the alleged accident occurred? Darke—l certainly did. Mr. Harrison then produced some memoranda. which jhe took down from Dark e ' s lip s w h en h e was fi rs t ap plied to on the subject, and which were confirmatory of the circumstances as related in the above letter. - Cross-examined by Mr. Buchanan—l never saw Mrs. Duncan during the transaction. Mr. COTTINGUAM— Now, witness, do you mean to say that 31. or 41. was the only inducement held out to you by O'Brien for writing the letter? Ihave already can tinned you that y ou are no t b oun d t o give any answers which may tend to criminate yourself. Darke—He induced me to do it innocently. Mr. COTTINGRAM—You repeated the assertions con tained in your letter to Mr. Harrison when he examined you, and when an attempt was made to make him an innocent instrument in adopting proceedings against the • company. s. Darke—l now sincerely regret what I did, but I did believe that au accident had really occurred to the par ties, and that was the reason I had the folly to copy such a statement as I did. Mr. COTTINGHAM asked Duncan if ho wished to put any questions to the witness; and his reply was that he could put many, but that he would merely ask him if he (prisoner) only accompanied him to show him where Mr. Harrison lived, at the time they instructed that gen tleman to proceed against the railway company ? Parke replied, that such was the case. Mr. Clarkson here took an opportunity of observing, that there was nothing whatever to reflect the slightest imputation on the character of Mr. Harrison for the part he had taken in the transaction. Darke said that he regretted ever having mixed him self up in such an affair, and that he had witnesses to speak to his character. Mr. Clarkson—You have already given evidence of your character by the letter you wrote, and which has been just read. The Learned Counsel then said that there was still one of the offenders at large, and on that account a remand would be necessary before sending tilt, case in its present form for trial. He believed that the evidence of the principal witness who was brought for ward on this occasion would probably be rejected by a jury, he having, by his own admission, taken such a prominent part in the transaction. He, therefore, applied that that person should now find sureties for his appear. ance on the next examination. Mr. COTTINGHAM at once assented to the application, and then, addressing Duncan, asked him if he wished to say anything in his defence ; and told him that it was entirely optional with him whether he did so or not, as he would have an opportunity on the next examination. Duncan said, that he would save the time of the Court by making an avowal that he was guilty of hisving par ticipated in the offence with which he was charged, and that he was now only anxious to make every reparation in his power by giving all the inforMation he could to the conspany ; that he was only guilty to a certain extent, the chief criminal in the affair being still at large. The prisoner then reverted to an awful accident whioh had occurred in his family since his and his wife's apprehension, and said that on Saturday last his only boy, a child of five years of age, was burnt to death, and that his own sufferings on that account, as well as the painful situation in which he and his wife were placed, were most acute, and he trusted that the miseries they endured would operate in some degree as an atonement for their offence with the company; that his wife had acted entirely under his control in the affair, and he trusted, at all events, that she would be permitted to be at large upon bail, in order that she might be present to attend to the burial of their unfortu nate child. (Both the prisoners were dreadfully affected while he was describing the accident.) Mr. COTTINGHAM deeply deplored the accident, but said that'in a case where such deception had been re sorted to for the purpose of defrauding a company, he should remand the prisoners until Monday next; but, under the circumstances, he would take bail for the female prisoner's appearance on that day. MARKET INTELLIGENCE. (From the London New Price Current of Jan. 16.) SUGAR.—To-day the proceedings in the Raw Sugar market were of a satisfactory nature, and it is quite evident that prices have not yet arrived at their highest point, as the demand for all purposes continues to get greater. West India was in excellent request for home trade purposes, and in some cases the rates ob tained are rather above those of Friday. At public sale 143 hhds 7 trcs Barbadoes went readily at firm, and in some instances at better rates; fine yellow re alised 41s to 41s 6d, good 39s to 40s 6d, low and mid dling 36s 6d to 38s 6d. 150 hhds 7 trcs 73 brls Trinidad, low 'yellow 36s 6d to 375, middling 38s, fine and good brown 35s 6d to 365, middling 355, low 34s 6d. 46 hhds St. Lucia, low yellow 365, good brown 35s to 35s 6d, and very low dark 335. The total quantity of Sugar sold to-day amounted to 940 hhds and trcs. Some holders will not sell at present rates. REFINED.—To-day former rates were well supported for Refined goods, and the home trade were desirous to make purchases. It is difficult to buy Standard Lumps under 50s per cwt. Bonded Crushed Sugar is selling at 28s 6d to 295, and in some cases fine is held for 30s. EAST INDIA.—This afternoon there were eight public sales of Bengal Sugar. consisting of 10,494 bags, when a good demand was experienced, and the chief portion sold upon full terms. Of Madras 3,559 bags were sold; good soft yellow 345, middling and low 31s to 335, ordi nary to good brown 28s 6d to 29s 6d, and fine 30s 6d to 3ls per cwt. _ _ _ MIITILITIUS to-day was in excellent demand, and the public sales of 6,935 bags went off with spirit at fully former terms; indeed mid yellow and strong grey realised 6d per cwt advance. FOREIGN.—To-day several inquiries existed for Fo reign Sugar, but there are still few sellers. By private treaty 200 tons low brown Manilla, in bond, at 14s 3d to 14s 9d. Small parcels of Havannah at 40s 6d for mid yellow, and at 38s 6d fur brown. There was no public sale to-day. MOLASSES.—There are many buyers of West India, but holders asking much higher rates, operated mate rially against business. The value of low to fine quality is from 16s to 19s per cwt. COFFEE.—This afternoon there was less disposition manifested to do business in Native Col bon, still lower rates were not acceded to. Of 1,650 bags offered at public sale, a small part only sold upon former terms; real good ordinary went at 355, good ordinary 34s to 34a 6d, damaged 30s to 33s 6d, and fourth class in bad condition 24s 6d. For Plantation the demand fell off, and of 1,965 bags 180 casks put up to the hammer, a small part only sold at rather lower rates. Cocoe,—West India is more in favour for home con sumption, and stiffer rates are obtained. At auction 400 pkgs Trinidad were sold; low to fine grey at 39s to 42s 6d, and red 39s 6d to 45s 6d. With superior red the market is yet moderately supplied. Foreign is not offered at any further decline, but the demand does not get bet ter, and 26s 6d to 28s 6d is the value. TEA.—Black realised fully former terms, and dealers were disposed to further increase their stocks, holders also evince firmness. Congou of sound common clean quality realises 8d to 814, good ord 91 to 9isi, but mid to mid lOd to 11d, good mid and good is to is 2d, fine is 3d to Is 6d, Pekoe flavour is 6d to is 9d, Souchong common 6d to I Id, mid Is to Is 2d, good Is 3d to 1 s Bd, and fine Is 93 to 2s 4d. For Green previous quotations are in sisted upon, and a steady business has been concluded. SPIRITS.—For Brandy the market is in a firm posi tion, there is a good demand, and former rates are well supported. Deliveries are large, and stock moderate. Cognac best brands of the vintage of 1847 has been selling. at 3s 8d to 3s 10d; 1848 ditto at 3s 4d to 3s 6d, and in ferior sorts at from 2s 4d to 3s 4d per gallon. Geneva is not much wanted, and the rates accepted are 10 10d to is lld for ord, and 2s 6d to 3s for fine home trade kind. There is a quiet market for British made Spirit at 9s 10d nett cash, and 9s 9d for Scotch and Irish. The moderate rates are, however, expected to cause a brisker demand shortly. To-day several parcels of Rum were sold at fully former terms, indeed some parties will not sell thereat. and the market has a firm aspect. RICE.—To - day there was no public sale of East India Rice, and privately little business was done. SAGO FLOUR.—This afternoon at public sale 141 bags of damaged went at lOs 6d to 14s 6d per cwt. SPICES —To-day black Pepper was dealt in with more readiness, at id advance, and 386 bags Sumatra at public sale sold. Of African Pod, 12 bags sold at 42s for ordinary. Ginger, only a part of 323 bags of Malabar sold at 24s for good export sort. COCHINEAL—The market has again been well sup plied, and prices have suffered a depression of id per lb, although a good demand has been experienced. The parcels submitted to public sale amounting to 175 bags, were for the most part disposed of. browse—Although the quantity of the E. I. declared for public sale is large, amounting to upwards of 10,600 chests, the market has a firm aspect, and holders appear sanguine in their expectations as to future operations. Spanish met with rather more attention, and cannot be obtained upon former terms. FRUIT.—A much better demand has been experienced for Currants, and prices have assumed an upward ten dency. Raisins are dealt in with greater freedom, and holders evince more firmness; Valencia realise from 36s to 375. For other sorts of Fruit there is generally a better demand. SALTPETRE.—To - day the parcels of Saltpetre sold privately were upon stiffer terms, and 172 bags of Cal cutta at auction fetched 27s to 27s 6d for good strong grey 41 per cent refraction, and not refracted 25s 6d per cwt. TALLovr.—Russian on the spot is offered at further reduced rates, still Soap makers and Chandlers operate with caution, and 41s to 41s 6d per cwt is the value of fine P. Y. Candle. For forward deli very scarcely any demand exists. Home melted is dull of sale at 418 6d to 42s nett cash, and at which a desire is evinced to sell on account of large supplies. Other sorts of Tallow have fallen in value, whilst a greater quantity has been brought forward. At auction 782 pkgs of South American were nearly all sold ; 375 cks of stranded P. Y. C., first sort 38s 6d to 39s 6d ; 120 clts of Odessa 40s to 40s ed ; 8 cks East India 41s 3d to 43s 9d, and 9 casks of Italian 42s per cwt. Rough Fat is dull of sale at 2s 5d per stone, and is in plentiful supply. OILS.—A greater disposition has been manifested to operate iu Southern Oil, and the parcels sold privately were at firm rates. Seal is held with firmness, but at pre sent there are few buyers, and of 105 tuns at pubiic sale a part only sold. For Cod there is a good demand at 231105, and supply is moderate. Of North West Whale 30 tuns at auction realised '271 to 28/ 5s for good and fine. For Sperm the market is brisker, and at former rates a fair business has been concluded privately. At auction 12 Ituns of Colonial went I at 801 to 801 10s, and at 81/ 15s for Headmatter. The value of fine Oil is 81l per tun. Of all sorts arrivals have been small since this day week. For Linseed Oil the home de mand is not so active, and there are few export orders in the market, whilst prices are not so firm, and rule at 22s 6d to 22s 9d on the spot. Rape Oil finds a ready sale. Of Cocoa Nut there are further arrivals, and the market has a dull aspect. Palm is little wanted. At auction 60 cks were withdrawn. Olive met with a ready sale and at better prices. Lard Oil is drill of ale. THE COUNTRY' MARKETS. HULL, JA N. 16. Messrs. Taylor, and Bright's circular states—" We have at length a comparative cessation of imports, and under i a influence the tone of value for all articles of the trade improves. There is more desire on the part of inland fectors and millers, as well as to some extent of speculatms, to get into stock than we find manifested oy holders to realise their importations. The character of the market generally is towards firmness. This may not unlikely grow into some improvement in price, since it is well known that a great number of millers and dealers are holding back under a very mistaken idea, that with the Ist of February we are to have an inundation of samph s, and much pressure. We have no doubt of quite the reverse being the case; in fact, as regards this market there is no quantity of really good wheat with which to depress the market. A good many sales of wheat under lock have been made at about 42s per qr. fair runs of r, , cl weighing 601 b per bushel. The weather during the week has been variable and unseasonable; a ' (rood deal of rain has fallen, and on Sund a y we h a d thunder and hail; to-day is fine and dry. There was more firm! eai manifested by both farmers and factors at this day's market, with a general impression that the trade has seen its worst. Farmers are not generally sellers at last week's rates for best wheatS, and its some instances the turn more money was obtained, with a less supply than of late. Very little good foreign wheat on offr, the bulk of what remains on shipboard being either destined for the warehouse, or sold for liberation on the Ist po oxitno. More inquiry for barley of all kinds. The finer qualities are held ab are tne prices of maltsters; and none being at present afloat, holders are stiff in their demands; grinding is more plentiful, but is hardly pro curable on the low rates lately taken, which were ex tremely tempting to the speculator. New beans have quite recovered their late depression, and are no longer procurable at previous low rates. Egyptians of good quality may be purchased on favourable terms. The market is almost cleared of the inferior qualities of peas, and the finer descriptions were never so depressed. 'Mere are some choice boilers in warehouse jest now. We are without stocks in the granaries of oats, but the demand is quite insignificant. The arrivals of linseed cease, and the market stiffens; full prices are obtainable for ail descriptions; cakes are not pressing for sale, but may certainly be bought on easy terms. Foreign have attracted more attention during the week. We hear of no transactions in either rapeseed or rape cakes. Bones of all descriptions are fully as dear." The following are the present prices of grain : s. s. Lin see d cakes, English, per Wheat, red ?o. new do 4O 44 Do. foreign, d 0...... 71 to 810 s Do. white 44 46 Rape cakes, do. ........ ...87s 6d Do. new do 42 —44 Bones, do 003 Od to 87s 6d Do. Dantzic ... 46 —4B Guano 4l to 91 53 Do. Lower Baltic & FOREIGN GRAIN IN BOND. Hamburgh . 42 —46 The free prices less current Barley, malting 26 —3l duty. Do. grinding.. Oats.... uo. Do. Friesland l6 18 Barley, Saal and Magdeburg Do. Russian ' l4 16 Do. Danish and Holstein ...... Beans 3O 33 Oats, Russian Do. foreign 2B 34 Do. Danish and Pomeranian... Peas ...... 26 32 Do. Friesland, brew Linseed. crushing 34 38 4 0 Do. do. feed Do. feeding Rapeseed, per 10 qrs. 241 to 26/ Peas HULL AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH GRAIN OF THE WEEK ENDING JANUARY 9. Wheat. Barley. I Oats. I 873 Qrs at 41s 9d 175 at 28 s 9d l5 at 16s Od Rye. Beans. Peas. I 0 Qrs at Os Od oatO s Od oat Os Od IPSWICH, JAN. 16. We bad a fair supply of grain at market to-day. Wheat was not a ready sale, but prices were not lower. Barley dull, at the rates of this day week. Oats are to be purchased at rather less money. Beans and peas are each Is cheaper. Malt continues dull, and lower prices must be taken to effect sales. Flour, no variation. PER QUARTER. PER QUARTER. Wheat 4os to 50 , Beans 2ss to 33 5 Barley Oats... Rye.. 23s to 26s Fthur, per sack 3Bs to 421 AVERAGES FOR TEE WEEK ENDING JANUARY 13. Wheat 1,437 quarters at 45s 2d. Barley Oats Beans lOB „ 28s 2d. Peas.... . LIVERPOOL, JAN. 16.—This day's market was well attended by millers and dealers, but the transactions were on the most limited and restricted scale, and generalli, at a small further decline in p r i ces . F ree wheat was la to 2d per 70 b lower; and bonded met only a slow in' quiry, and was rather cheaper. There was a very MO sale for oats and oatmeal, and prices were again rather lower, 2s 6id per 451 b being the top price of good meal' ing, and 23s 6d the price of best Irish. Barley, for malting, was Is per quarter; and beans and peas 2s Ref gusr er lower. In free flour there was no material change, but in the few sales made buyers had a slight advantage. Bonded was inquired for, and held firmly at 25s for Baltimore, and 25s 6d for Western Canal; Indian corn gave way 2s per quarter, and corn meal 6o per barrel, at which a few sales were made. LEEDS, JAN. 16.—We continue moderately su pplied with grain, but f u ll y equa l to the demand.' , Sales , wheat cannot be effected, unless at a decline of Is per quarter, exeapt for the very finest qualities. Bari/ meets a bettor demand at Is per quarter under late rates. Oats and beans are the turn in favour of the buyer. I)ALKEITH MEAL MARKET, JAN. Is.—There were. 125 bags of oatmeal, and 1 of pot barley at this clay's market; sales ready, at the prices of last week; there was no barLimeal, peasemeal, o • flour in the market. Oatmeal, per sack, of 280 lbs. First Second Third imperial .. 27s Od 26s 6d 26s Barleymeal, per ditto • ... —s €d —s Od —s Od I'easemeal —s Od —s Od Od Flour ... Od Od A Pot barley ... —s 6d —s Od --e Od RAILWAY silAitid; MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, JAN. 16. STOCK EXCHANGH.— The sales are—Birkenhead, Lance' shire, and Cheshire, 9 1 4 dis. —Bolton and North-Western , guaranteed 6 per cent. (B), 18—Great Northern, 10 dis.-*" Great Western, 93 Lancashire and Yorkshire, t'ifths, 3d. dis.—Ditto (late West Riding Union), Fifths, 4'4 0126 —Leeds and Thirsk, Preference, 6 per cent., 2 dis.— Londo n and North Western, 1284—Ditto, New Quarters, 3 5 /g P. 14 Ditto, Fifths, 53/4 89 Huddersfield C ana l an d R a i lway, 25 Midland Stock, 89 , A —Ditto, Newllalves, 6 dis.—Nort h Staffordshire, 3 dis.—Scottish Central, 26 c.—Shrewsbury and Birmingham, 9/. 12 s . 3d . Shares (B), 68s. 9d. dis , "" Shrewsbury and Chester (late N. W. M.), 114 p. —South' Eastern and Dover, 25 1 4—Ditto, No. 4, Thirds, 7% Dia° , Registered, 7 5 .9—York, Newcastle, and Berwick (Extension) , No. 1, i 4 p.—Ditto (N. and B. Extensions), : , / 4 p. — D itt° (G. N. E. Purchase), p.—Dutch Rhenish 6 1 / 8 dis. MANCHESTER, JAN. 16, STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales are—North Staffordshir e ' 3 1-16—West Riding Union, 4%—Leeds, Fifths, 2 15-16 d?; —London and Brighton, 3434—Sheffield and Lincoln, IPA c. dis.—South-Eastern and Dover, No. 4, 7% —Grimsby' 50/. Shares, 24 1 4 c. dis.—North-Western, 8 34 c. dis.-1 011 ' cheater and Birmingham, Quarters (A and B), 2 13-16 p. Ambergate. Nottingham, and B oston , 4 % d i s.— G r eat Northern, 9 dis. —East Lancashire, Quarters, 5. BIRMINGHAM. JAN. 16. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The following are the day's quota' tions :--North Staffordshire, 3 1 4 die.— Shrewsbury andl3ir mingham (A), 6/. ss. Bd. dis.—Ditto (I 3), 71s. 3d. die. LEEDS, J.N. 15. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The following are this day's at which a moderate amount of business has been done,:,:: East LancaShire, New, 51i dis.—Great Northern, 10% . u 1 — Leeds and Thirsk, 24—Ditto (Extensions, 1448), 21A, dis."*; Ditto, Quarters, guaranteed 7 percent. for three years, and u per cent, in perpetuity, 15s. p.—North British (Extension ), 7s. dis. —North Staffordshire, 3 1 4 dis.—Sheffield, Rorther' ham, and Goole (N. Div.), 7 dis. YORK, JAN. 15. .011 S STOCK EXCHANGE. —The business transacted to-day as follows:—Eastern Union, Class B (late I. and 130, °,. —Great Northern, 94—York, Newcastle, and Berwick price* N. E. Purchase), N. Is. 3d. NE W CASTLE-UPON -TYNE, JAN. 16. STOCK EXCH ANGE. —Th e only sale was—North Br'" 3 hr Thirds, 41A. EDINBURGH, JAN. 15. STOCK EXCILINGE.—The sales are—Edinb u rgh an h Northern (Ne w p ort ) , 6 / . IBs.—Great Northern, B%— N ( lt British, Thirds, 92s.—Scottish Central, 26. GLASGOW, JAN. 15. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales are—Caledonian, Prefes ence, 81. 6s.—Dundee and Perth, 26—Edinburgh 311 Northern, 113,,—Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ayr, 46 —Ditto 5 per cent. guaranteed, 100—Ditto, Halves, No. 1,5/. 75." 3 - , Glasgow and Greenock, Halv e s, 7 1 4—Great Northern, 8 —Scottish Central, '26—York, Newcastle, and B erw i c k ( 64. N. E. Purchase), 8. LARGE FLOCK OF IVILD GEESE.—on SUndq, forenoon the largest flo c k o f w ild geese passed over 131' row that has been no ti ce d f or years. It appeared r, e cornsist of upwards o f a th ousan d.— W estmor l an d Good' . BIRTHS. On the 12th inst., at Torquay, the lady of Arthur SinYt ile ' M.D., of a son. On the 12th inst., at Peckham, the lady of Monsieur A' Camus, of Tours, of a son. On the 12th inst., at Cople Vicarage, near Bedford, the wife of the Rev. H. E. Havergal, of a daughter. fe On the 13th inst., at Mornington-lodg e , F u lh am , the 1 0 of Mr. W. S. Lindsay, of a son. C. On the 13th inst., at Calver, D er by s hi re , Mrs. Alfred Bentley, of a son. wide J. the 14th inst., at the M oun t, H amps t ea d , t h e w" r " „, J. Tatham, Ese., of a son. On the 14th inst., the wife of Mr. E. M. Dolman, Norw ay, place, Limehouse, of a daughter. ° On the nth inst., at Compton-t errace, I s li ngton, the v of Mr. J. Winn. of a son. MARRIED. tO At St. Mary's, Maryleburie, Whitfield Kelly, E5q,,,," Theresa Lydia, only dau g ht er o f t h e l ate Thomas F re g' Consitt, E-41., M.D. DIED. On the 14th inst., at' Mse, ontt% Mrs. Luke, aged 94►, the moOn the 14thther of Sir James inst . D at Wet-hill, Wand y sworth, age" M ~Lord Maor. A Or John Bell, late of 338, Oxford-street, London. doiv At Cheltenham, on the 15th inst., Mary Pennyston , 17 , 1 6. of the late Rev. C. Western, of Kingham. Oxon, aged: h eft On the 3d inst., at Le , eester, aged 29, the Rev bent Knipe, fourth son of the Rev. R.U. Knipe, of Hook groveOn the 12th Ep,,Orri. A ettef inst., at Ryde, Joseph William BaZ"' Captain R.N. On the 11th inst., at Chipoenham-heuse, near - h op Jane, widow of the late Lieutenant- General William F ° P of the Hun. Eas' India Company's Service, aged 69. late 40 On the 11th Mat., Lieutenant Henry B u ll, Ellen's Brook, Swan River, Western Australia. On the 14th inst., in Cecil -street, aged 3 , Samuel n r e e ,,, 11 :0 13 :, second son of the late G. Sparkes, E sq ., o f Sidmouth, ict On the 12th inst., at Islington, aged 77, Rachel, I . ` the late T. A. Teuton, Esq., of Tenchleys-park, surrq>.--- London : Printed and Published by MURDO No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office' Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the C9l " . .... 514141910 Xt,,WICTinadlli 171 I