The Sun. — London, England, 1844-12-10 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY MORNING,. DECEMBER 10, 1844, SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS. extent. They think, moreover; that men pursuing a FROSI THE EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY. common end must pursue that end by the same means. GLOBE.—In looking back over the multifarious A very short experience, however, of public affairs, and records of last session's legislation, the bulky blue more particularly in a complicated state of society, book of evidence on " Commons Inclosure," the result I un leceives them in one or more of these respects. of the labours of the Committee which sat, on the It is always, however, easier to self-love to withdrawal of Lord Worsley's Inclosure Bill, contains conclude that others are false and treacherous several matters worthy of attention. The first reflec- than that we have duped ourselves ; hence the tion it suggests is, how little pains have been taken, middle period of the lives of men occupied in tubs till lately, to obtain accurate statistical information serving public affairs is usually clouded by the de respecting the most important branches of our national lesion that all men are hypocrites or " humbugs." industry. Of late, however, something has Age and experience offer another lesson to candid been done in this way—manufacturing distress minds—and it is both gratifying and profitable brought on inquiries into the extent, cha- to know that the testimonies of aged public men racter, and subdivision of the vast population en- are nearly unanimous in favour of the general gaged in manufacturing industry. A special legisla- honesty of our species—they teach that if in early tion for the young, and for females, was founded on youth we form too favourable an opinion of man another and more careful series of investigation. It kind (which is not always the case), at a later period is now the turn of agricultural labour, propped up as we are disposed by disappointment of our hopes • it has been by artificial laws ; a vast deal of informa- of them, sometimes from others, to judge much too tion as to the condition of the occupier and labourer is harshly ; but it is only when men can judge with coming out by instalments, and we do not despair of temper and fairness that their judgment is worth seeing the information for which Mr. Cobden vainly anything. When, therefore, Mr. Ferrand, applied, in his admirable speech last session (motion " the guiltless head with random censure for a committee to inquire into the effects of import strikes," we appeal from himself to him. duties on landlords and tenant-farmers), arrived self--wiser by a few of those many years at in detail, and bit by bit. The Committee on in- which we hope he will be spared to his country. closure reported in favour of a general Act for that Meanwhile we warn him against the flattery of purpose, and a Central Board of Commissioners, those who have flattered, insulted, and betrayed The bulky mass of evidence published, extending to almost every party and every public man in the above 6,000 questions, contains much information re- country panders to all spiteful feelings —on lative to the statistics of land, which all classes may whatever side to be indulged—who have, indeed, refer to with advantage, whether agreeing with an interest in denouncing as " humbugs " all or dissenting from the conclusions in ques- who are not prepared to imitate the profligate im tion. We shall cast a restropective glance pudence of their own habitual tergiversation. The over a few of its leading features. The fact that flattery of such is a contamination which prudent there exist in England and Wales large tracts of men will shun as they would the plague. This, common which might be, as to some portion however, brings us to another subject. If there at least, profitably cultivated, is established by a large is in England one public ' man above body of respectable evidence ;as to its precise amount, the suspicion of hypocrisy, that man is, we look in vain for any accurate information. Mr. assuredly, Lord Ashley—his refusal of office when Jones's estimate of common and waste land at pressed upon him—his obscure labours for the bene -8,000,000 acres tells us little or nothing, since all fit of the forgotten and neglected—obscure until witnesses admit, and indeed it is a notorious fact, that his genius and energy dragged into day the a large portion of this would not repay the expense. sufferings of the mine and the mill. These even of inclosure. A variety of classes of land is treated surely prove Lord Ashley sincere if ever man was of in the evidence, from absolutely uncultivated coin- sincere, yet Lord Ashley has not escaped calumny in ,mon- to that which is in regular farm occupation, but, that quarter in which Mr. Ferrand's proposition that from its inconvenient position, unsusceptible of the "England has become a nation of humbugs,'lsreceived most efficient cultivation. Admitting the evidence with applause ; probably in some degree, because given as of competent authority, there are, however, the conduct of Lord Ashley and of those who no means of shirking the conclusion that much land firmly support him, presents a standing rebuke remains which would repay capital laid out on it in to the slander that would charge all Englishmen inclosure and regular cultivation. This fact was in- with hypocrisy; but, in part, also, from a recollection deed pretty well known before; it remains to be con- of the Noble Lord's opposition to the Oxford Trac sidered what would be the social influence of such a tarians some years ago, when his Lordship's calum measure. Supposing it a desirable result, there can be niator was the organ of that party. So tenaciously no mistake as to the inefficient nature of the present do ill habits and ill dispositions adhere, that Lord mode of inclosure by separate Acts. The expense and Ashley continues to be insulted by the late Tree jobbing attending such Bills are proverbial. As Mr. tarian organ, even - after the Tractarians have been Graham says—" A private Bill being promoted by aso • deserted and reviled by his Lordship's insulter. licitor, the Commissioner is in most cases his nominee, and the former is appointed clerk to that Commis sioner. Thus the solicitor has the whole control of the matter. Of the expenses some precise data are given. Mr. Hayward, a Parliamentary agent, states the average of fees alone on five Bills passing both Houses was 2301. When a common is in two parishes these are doubled. The expenses of the Llangerniew Act, 1840, amounted to 7731. Under the Common Fields Act, parties have been put to an expense of 51. per acre. As these charges often exceed the value of the land in question, it is evident that applications for inclosure cannot be numerous under the existing laws. With respect to the advance of value to be expected in land thui brought under cultivation, the evidence leads to the conclusion that it wou ld be considerable. Mr. Keen speaks decidedly as to what has taken place in the neighbourhood of Godalming and Gu'.ld ford. Land, which before inclosure was not worth 10s. per acre now maintains a large population, and has given employment to a vast number of labourers. Other witnesses affirm the low moral state of the inhabitants of uninclosed rural districts. Chicanery, broils, and fraud, are rife ; in fact, nearly all the social irregularities which lain and opinion seek to correct are prevalent, Those locally near the common use that advan tage to overstock, and become the practical possessors of the land. Squatting. to borrow the colonial term, is by no means rare. Mr. Graham says :---" The improvident dependence of cottagers on the common is a check on their industry, and crime is difficult of detection." The great social question remains, how far inclosures would diminish the pri vileges of the labouring classes ; and all parties admit that extreme caution must be used in deal ing with their rights, and special reservations of land set apart for this purpose in case of a general Inclosure Act being-passed. We fear that these safe guards against the diminution of the poor cottagers' rights would be more specious than real. Commis sioners acting for the parties interested would probably only amount to representation of the large, and ex • elusion of smaller interests, though more important relatively to the means and condition of the parties. Are, then, these objections so great as to be impos sible to overcome ? and would a certain amount of eco nomical advantage be counterbalanced by social evils and injustice, such as no legislature has a right to unction ? Such is the great question suggested by the large body of evidence submitted to the committee of last session. It is a question that will again be brought before our Legislature. IVe prefer leaving this matter for fsir and dispassionate consideration, and before returning to the subject, will for the present mention two or three incidental topics suggested by the volume before us. This may be considered-Ist, as a statistical inquiry into the condition, value, and social state of certain agricultural districts : 2dly, as preliminary to an effort to extract more subsistence out of the soil : and, thirdly, as evidence of a desire to substitute more compact and central legislation in place of the partial operation of special Acts. The two first of these caaont but be productive of good : information as to the capabilities of the soil, and the economical and social condition of labourers and farmers (and, however, by a side wind, the body of evidence on inclosures does bear upon these topics) tends to promote sounder legislation respecting landed produce. It is startling to hear, that at a period when redundant capital seeks every possible outlet, there should remain much wild land (after allowing for all drawbacks), which only awaits enitivation to yield considerable returns. Yet the fact seems fully established. The evidence of Mr. Davies is, perhaps, the strongest on this point. He says, " Land which, as it now stands, Is hardly worth 2s. 6d. per acre, I should value at from 20s. to 40s. after inclosure." The merits of centralised legislation are perhaps more specious than real ; what advantages it has appear at once on the surface—it is expeditious, compact, and uninfluenced by local interests; but it is, as we see in its work ing, often superficial and hasty. Skimming over a vast surface, it dives deeply into no parts of a ques tion—the machinery of form becomes an end instead of- the means. For example, a Central Board of Inclosure Commissioners might do their work cheaply, expeditiously, and with a sincere desire to promote justice ; but it would inevitably sacrifice local interests to the carrying out a general theory ; and when such is the consequence of rapid legis lation, public opinion will force it to retrograde in a way that will ultimately enhance the labour. In taking leave for the present of the inclosure evi dence, we feel sure that should the plan there proposed be ever carried into effect, it must be in a very mo dified form, and with some element introduced which will he a real and honest equivalent for any losses incurred by the humbler residents in the neighbour hood of our commons ; and we shall recur to the subject, and endeavour to investigate more especially how this might be accomplished. STANDARD.—We have a great respect for Mr. Busfield Fercand—we admire his talents and courage, and we love his enthusiastic philanthropy, and though he has lately made a speech of which we en tirely disapprove, we respect hi m no thi ng t h e l ess on that account. T he Hon. Member for Knaresborough has a great deal of ability, of spirit, and of zeal, butt he wants one quality which never yet was found united with so very energetical a character in a young man ; he wants—we should, grieve to he supposed - to say it- in an ill-sense—he wants wis dom. A few years will, in so honest and can did and acute a person, supply this defect, and when it shall be supplied in Mr. Ferrand, he will be a most useful public man—we know of no one likely to be more useful. In the speech to which we have referred, Mr. Ferrand summarily disposes of the character of the present generation of Englishmen as follows :—" It is a fact that England has become a nation of humbugs." Now we can assure Mr. Ferrand that except the homeliness of the epithet applied, there is nothing new in this charge. The young and ardent of each generation always apply it to their con temporary age, and each succeeding generation discovers, that it has been unjustly applied to the time of their fathers—Shakspere, Milton, Marvel, De Fee, Pope, Churchill, Southey, are all witnesses against the hypocrisy (or humbug, as Mr. Ferrand calls it) of the times in which they lived ; so that if England is to be convicted of being a nation of humbugs, upon even the most respectable testimony, it has been a nation of hutnbugs for nearly three centuries, if not from the beginning. The charge is, however, wholly unfounded. Sin cerity is a national characteristic ; and we believe that the virtue was never more largely or more gene rally diffused than it is at this moment in this country. Ferrand's error is, however, the error of all young men of his temperament. Such with an m earn eat n enter upon life and therefore the n r pupose ofgood, and e with the most singl e tion. Th e y arrowest view of ever y pu bli c ques attach themselves to parties or to individuals whose opinions they own fidently believe to correspond precisely with their cThedeetaril, because they corre spond in principle. or fear the same value the same objects wit i; the Y, too, that all who dangers, value the one or fear the ses otlaer• t. 4v. LAW INTELLIGENCE. PRIVY COUNCIL, Dec. 9. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council sat to day at the Council Chamber, Whitehall. 'the Lords present were the Master of the Rolls, Mr. Baron Parke, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Cornwall, and the Judge of the Admiralty Court. The further arg uments in the part-heard case of J ones v. Guldnett, which came before their Lordships upon appeal from the Prerogative Court, occupied their Lord ships the whole day. COURT OF CHANCERY, Dec. 9. The Lord Chancellor sat to-day in Lincoln's Inn Hall shortly after eleven o'clock. His Lordship heard ap peals to-day, after disposing of some short petitions ; but no case of interest came before his Lordship during the morning. His LORDSHIP addressed some most appropriate re. marks to the prisoner, and sentenced him to six months' imprisonment in the House of Correction, with hard labour. George Swainson was indicted for haring, on the 22d of July le4, at Cawthorne,, feloniously cut and wounded mendous explosion, and in about h a lf a n h our a ft er - I G eorge Dy son , with intent to do him some grievous wards William Prince, who slept in a kind of cabin at bodily harm. the net uth of the pit, called him up and took him to ex- Tne Wan yrt pr) , :t.ciir.p: 1;',- f . p,- amine the boiler. On reaching there he found all the when brick-work blown down and scattered about. The boiler Mr. HALL, who to for the Cs ewe, inti nse t e e that e, happened to be filled with water, but no water had es- thought it. would be eseeess to ere. e the eltar ; ee. and the caped. The steam-pipe, however, had broken away jury, therefore, ueder h's Lordship' e dieserieee at se ee . from the steam-chest ' • the pipe for the conveyance of Acquitted the prisoner, a n d hi s Lordship refthetleo water to the boiler had also been broken, a n d a sma ll th e prom-cuter e costs. shed over the boiler had been blown down, so that the This man, who '.sas ev:dently innocent of the charge steam-engine was put out of working condition. On re- , laid to his account, and was much •I* more sinned against moving the debris witness found two caps and a hat very than sinning, was committed t o p r i son i n J u l y l ast , an d much damaged, as well as a tin c a s e co nt a i n i ng a collier's there he would have remained until next March but for cartridge and some loose gunpowder. In the firehole ; these Winter Assizes. were found several portions of a barrel, and everything smelt strongly of gunpowder. Cross-examined by Mr. GIIAINSIER—The pit had been worked twenty-two years. The boiler was about three yards from the steam-engine. Was quite sure that two caps were found. The cartridge found in the tin cane was such as colliers commonly employed in the opera tion of blasting, and gunpowder was occasionally used for that purpose in some of the pits near Sheffield. William Prince remembered the 25th of August last. He was in bed in the cabin at the mouth of the pit, and shortly after eleven o'clock he saw some men peeping into the cabin, through a small crevice in the door. In a few minutes after he beard an explosion. He thought there were about six men altogether. Cross-examined—The night was dark. Could not see the faces of the persons who looked in at the door. Mrs. Ledger deposed that she resided about half a mile from the colliery. The prisoner Bolton was her brother, and _ had dined at her house on the 25th of August. About twelve o'clock oil that night she was awoke from her sleep by a noise at the door, and she heard a moan apparently proceeding from a man in great bodily pain. ' She opened the door, and found her brother crouched down at the door. Ile was very much burnt on his head, face, neck, and hands, and was covered .MIDLAND CIRCUIT. —Leicester, Dec. 7. with black, and his clothes were torn. Witness obtained f (Before Mr. Justice Palvescier.) assistance, and put him to bed, when Mr. Shaw, a sur- Thomas Berresford, a venerable-looking old-man, sta geon, was immediately sent for, who attended him for 14 ted to be 74 years of age, was charged on the coroner's days whilst be remained confined to bed at her house. inquisition with the manslaughter of a boy named Wit- Cross-examined—The prisoner appeared very much Hain Harrison, about 18 years of age, by etiootine him intoxicated when he got to her house, and be vomited a with a gun. quantity of spirits and ale. He was delirious also during The circumstances of the case created considerable in the night, and continued so for several days. tereet, and a very .general sympathy was excited tar the John Shaw, jun., a medical student, who was called in prisoner. to see the prisoner, confirmed the la s t witnese's state- Mr. MaLLOR, in stating the case to the jury, expressed ment as to his condition at that time. Witness asked the great pain he felt in, being called upon, in the exer him how he had received the injuries about his person, : rise of his professional 'duty, to conduct the present pro and he, replied by firedamp. A woman present said it secution. The prisoner was charged with the shooting would be beat to tell the doctor all they knew about the of the deceased ; but, although the act was fatal, yet, as matter, and they then said they h a d h ear d a great exp l o - h e acted under strong i nfluences, created by the conduct' sion, and that they suspected the prisoner had been con- of the deceased, the offence did not amount to murder, cerned in blowing up a steam-engine. The woman but to the minor offence of manslaughter. There was begged of witness not to mention the circumstance to no doubt the prisoner was the sport of the ruffianly boys any one, and the prisoner joined in that request. of the neighbourhood in which he lived, and that he was John Shaw, surgeon, of Attereliffe, corroborated the at the time he fired the gun much excited by the out greater part of this testimony, and detailed a statement rages which were committed upon him. It would, how made to him by the prisoner wherein he confessed his ever, he thought, be impossible to reduce the offence participation in the act with which he was charged. below the crime of manslaughter. The jury would have They put some gunpowder in a barrel which they placed to determine whether or not the prisoner by his own act in-the fire-hole, and setting light to a fusee, one end of caused the death of the deceased. If the discharge of which communicated, with the powder barrel, they ran the gun was accidental, of course the jury would acquit away to await the effects of the explosion ; but as this the prisoner I but, if intentional, however great the pro did not take place so soon as they had anticipated, they vocation, and however unpleasant the duty might be to went to the fusee to blow it up. He had just reached the gentlemen whom he was addressing, they must find the spot where the engine was when it did happen, how- . the prisoner guilty of the charge imputed to him in the ever, and he remembered little or nothing further. The , indictment. prisoner Bolton had made this statement to witness on The circumstances of the case, as proved in evidence, several different occasions. were shortly as follow ea-The prisoner, an eccentric old Cross-examined—The prisoner told him that he had man, together with a maiden daughter, between forty met with two men before the occurrence, who would not and fifty years of age, lived a secluded life upon a little let him go till he had had a certain quantity of some- freehold of about fifteen acres, at Martinshavv-wood, thing to drink. He did not say that he was very drunk. ' near Ratby, in this county. He was considered a harm-' William Maybury, a tailor, living in Todd-street, lets man, but in consequence of his peculiar habits, he Manchester, deposed, that he met the prisoner Crirch- ,! has been the constant sport, and subjected to the great low with two men, named Dixon and Stocks, on Tues eat annoyance, of the village boys in the neighbourhood, day, the 27th of August. The skin was then all off his It was their habit to assemble in numbers, - and not only face. He said that he had the wet scurvy, which ac- to' jeer and aSsault the old man, but even to beat his counted for that circumstance. He met the same per- daughter. On Sunday, the 27th of October last, the de sons together soon after in the Coach and Horses public- 'ceased, with ten _other lads, went to Martinshaw-wood, house, and he heard SOON ask Critchlow if he had been and engaged themselves in their accustomed practices of to a doctor, to. which Ciitchlow replied no, he wash annoyance. The deceased, Harrison, went into the yard frightened to go to a doctor lest he should be found out, of the prisoner's house, and, to use the expression of one Critchlow then asked Stocks. if he had seen that day's of his companions, " teased him out." The prisoner paper, and if there was anything particular in it. Stocks i presented himself with a gun, when the deceased beat answered, that be had seen the paper, and that a cap him with a briar about the head. The prisoner re had been found. Critchlow said that that was his cap, I quested him and his colleagues to go away, when the and he then proceeded to detail the circumstances at- deceased replied they would, if he would shake hands tending the explosion, adding, that he had before very with him. The old man did so, when the deceased left large whiskers and a good head of hair, but when the , the yard. No sooner, however, had he got into the lane, powder went off it flashed in his face, and scorched it all than he and his companions commenced throwing stones, off. He was otherwise also a good deal injured. - several of which struck the arms and body of the pri- Cross- examined—Have not got much above tailoring Boner. Under the influence of this provocation, he pre yet. There was a rat-den at Davis's public-house. Wit- sented his gun and fired .the contents lodging in the mess did not provide the rats or the dogs. He assisted breast of the deceased. The blood gushed out of his Davis sometimes in keeping and obtaining the rats. He mouth, and he shortly 'afterwards expired. The pri did pay for his board and lodging at Davis's. Was not seller, when apprehended, stated that he had fired the in t.e habit of attending prize. fights. Had never been gun in self-defence. at one. Didn't teach boxing ; put the gloves on some- J A large bagfull of stones was presented in the Court times, for a little bit of amusement. Had been in trouble to-day, all of which It was sworn had been thrown into once, about six years ago, for hitting a man in the shop the yard, and premises of the prisoner by his youthful where he then worked. Had never seen Critchlow pre- assailants. vious to the first interview which he had referred to. . • Mr. MACAULET, in defending the prisoner, said the Several other witnesses corroborated the main features jury must undoubtedly convict him of manslaughter, orthe evidence already given. unless he (Mr. Macauley) could convince them that he Mr. GRAINGER addressed a long and ingenious speech shot the deceased in defence of his life, or that the dia . to the jury on behalf o; the prisoners, commenting chiefly charge of the gun was accidental. He purposed to adopt with regard to Critchlow's case, on the want of all evi- the latter course of defence. He would show that the deuce connecting the prisoners together. prisoner fired the gun When a shower of stones was rat- Mr. Justice COLERIDGE summed up, and laid the case tling about his head, and that he was struck and severely before the jury in the clearest manner, who retired fora bruised upon the right arm: The trigger would not have few minutes, and then returned with a verdict of Guilty been. pulled if the armeli.sd - not been struck. He (Mr. against Bolton, and of Acquittal as regarded Critehltm. Macaulay) should call before them the old man's dsugh- His LonnantP, in passing sentence, observed upon the - ter, who was a witness' to' the outrages committed lima magnitude of the crime of which the prisoner had been her father on the day in question, and would also put found guilty. It was especially a crime in a county like intothe box the surgeon who attended the prisoner after that, where property of incalculable value was often in- the assault committed upon him on that occasion. vested in engines of the description alluded to, which, - Ann Berresford was then sworn, and deposed that valuable as they were, were particularly liable to the when her father fired the gun he was struck upon the attacks of vicious persons. In a moral point of view, arm; head, antibody with stones. His right arm was the crime was very great, for, if people chose to leave quite black the next day. their work, and band themselves together, and go out at Mr. J. Sketchley, surgeon, proved the injuries the pri night, taking barrels of gunpowder with them for the soner had received upon his arms, and spoke to his ex purposes of mischief—people who went so far as that cellent and peaceable character. would require very little inducement, he feared, to go Mr. Meenou, shortly replied, contending that the much further. The prisoner had, however, suffered prisoner's declaration to the policeman, "'that he did it already in his person very severely for what he had done, in self-defence," showed the act of firing to be inten and it appeared that one of his unhappy companions on aortal. that night had paid a severer penalty still. When he Mr. Jiestice PAT'rEION, in summing up, said there was should recal that to his remembrance, it might prove no doubt the prisoner was uses exceedingly ill , and that to him, perhaps, a more bitter recollection, and give he received gross provocation, but that did not justify him a great deal more pain than he was likely to sutler him in the use of firesarms. lie ought to have appealed at the hands of the law. The sentence of the Court was, to the civil authorities, and had his assailants properly that the prisoner be imprisoned for eighteen calendar and deservedly punished. He left 'the jury to say months, with hard labour. whether the act was accidental or intentional. If the A man named Thomas North Stochs was next indicted former, the prisoner was not guilty ; but if the latter, for harbouring John Critchlow, well knowing that he he was guilty of the crime of m ans l aug h ter. had committ e d a f e l on y. A s C r it c hl ow h a d b een ac - Th e jury found a verdict of Guilty, but strongly re quitted, however,: by the jury, the charge against Stocks commended the prisoner to mercy. was, of course, abandoned. Mr. Justice Parresoet, in passing sentence, said, had December 7. the jury not accompanied their v e rdi c t w i t h a recom - At the sitting of the C ourt thi s morn i ng hi s 'L or d s hi p mendation to mercy, he certainly s h ou ld h ave passe d a butin announced that, is consequ ence o f th e h eavy state o f t h e o v r:a y very l en ie nt serlous offence, sentence. The he had al rea dy been pris oner h a d b een co n v i cted calendar, it was determi ne d t o open anot h er C ourt on Tuesday next, to assist in th e t r i a l o f t h e pr i soners , prison a consi derable time ; -and, morever, he had re- James Tassey was charged with mans l aug h ter , f or th at ceived the greatest provocation f rom d ecease d an d hi s he, on the 23d of September l as t, a t H a lif ax , i n t h e W e i t companions. The sentence was, that he be imprisoned Riding. feloniously did kill and s l a y one D an i e l M art i n , gaol, without hard l a b our , f or f our ca l endar in the by stabbing him with a knife in . and u pon the left sid e The Learned Jud ge t h en turn i ng to the lade of the neck. months. litho had been examined as witnesses, said, " Boy s , y ou have been the real cause o f a ll m i sc hi e f . You all de- Mr. Hall and Mr. Boothby conducted the prosecution, - serve punishment, and.l, do hope you. will each of you and Mr. Dearsley defended the pri s oner. be prosecuted for. the assaults upon the old man. I Those of our readers who are acquainted with Halifax sure you, if it was in mrpower, you should not only be as well know that there is a quarter of the town called Hat otherWise punished, but der should be severely whipped." The other cases trieding the day do not deserve a ters'-yard, and Gardeners'-square, which is principally inhabited by the lower class of Irish—a spot notorious for the constant recurrence of misdemeanours and as saults; and the scene not unfrequently of more serious particular report. affrays, ending sometimes only with the death of' one or other of the parties concerned. In this quarter resided the deceased, Daniel Martin, and the prisoner, James Tansey, both of whom were Irishmen. About mid day on the 23d of September the deceased, a powerful and at the same time a violent and intemperate man, was seen in pursuit of a woman, his sister, whom on reaching he struck with great force, accompanying the blow with the remark that" he would teach his sister to be a w— for any man." The woman rushed for safety into the house of the prisoner, whither she was pursued by the deceased. The prisoner at that time was seated in the kitchen in his own' house, paring a sheep's head with a knife. Into this room the deceased entered, and struck at his sister, when a man named Rocks' interposed, and him the deceased felled to the ground. Upon this the prisoner rose from his seat with a knife in his hand, and, saying that he would have no row in his house, attempted to turn the deceased out. It appeared that the deceased however, struck the first blow. A scuffle ensued between the two, who ultimately made their way into a corner, and there, by some means or other, the deceased was struck under the left ear by the knife in the hand of the. prisoner, and from the wound thus inflicted Martin's death resulted in a few hours after. It was contended for the prosecution, that the prisoner deliberately raised the knife to strike the deceased, and some mention was made of another knife, a most formidable weapon in ap pearance, which it was insinuated had been substituted by the prisoner for the one with which he was eating his dinner. There was no evidence, however, to support this view of the case, except that a policeman produced two knives which he had found in the house, and the blades and hafts of which were both covered with blood. For the defence it was contended, that the prisoner rose suddenly from his dinner to turn out an unwelcome in httt h r ha u eed d bkie it in iiwtrne %h h a. jaanitsdhi a c c i dentally ni t gd h h e at e nh x da c v i t te e h g i m ba eteveneni given. e h v e mtehn n re e .. ug scufflenl tnesde Dearsleyti t ho o uae I stx a p y tehl na d asi o tnu w ehe dd n e to the jury,that Where a man killed another on a sudden rencontre in his own defence or in that of his children, wife, or servant, that was justifiable homicide. The case before the jury, he contended, came within that cate gory, and the prisoner was therefore entitled to an ac quittal But this view of the case was somewhat inter fered with by the evidence of two apparently respectable witnesses, one of whom deposed, that after the deceased had been struck with the knife, and whilst the blood was yet gushing out and bespattering the walls around, the prisoner raised his fist again to strike the deceased, but " The other .eal W al i d e o er ft p s r t e ri ve k n e te t d he by ma th n e ag a a i i t n n , e h ss es sa d y ea in d g i, t ness referred too imputed to the prisoner the words, "If I haven't killed him, I will do it." There were some slight discrepancies in the minor details, but the above were the principal facts generally corroborated. Mr. Justice COLERIDGE having summed up, The jury retired to consider their verdict, and after a h s s ia o u r g t h te absencer, with afo recommendation e° m the e n d prisoner Guil t y to Inerc ~ on o acc o un t c c 3 o f t a r n n of ha having received considerable provocation in his own house. F.n^c OXFORD ClRCUlT.—Shrewsbury, Dec. 7. The commission for Salop was opened yesterday evening, and Mr. Justice Coltman having attended Divine service this morning; at St. Chad's church, took his seat in the Crown Court at eleven o'clock, when a full jury of 23 gentlemen was empannelled, Viscount Clive, M.P., being the foreman. The calendar contains the names of 38 prisoners, whose offences may be thus classed :—Murder, 1 ; manslaughter, 1 ; arson, 3 ; sheep stealing, 9 ; horse stealing, 1 ; highway robbery, 8 ; burglary, 6 ; maliciously stabbing, 1 ; concealment of birth, 1 ; and larcenies, 6. Hannah. Westwood, aged 19, an idiotic and miserable looking girl, was placed at the bar on the charge of un lawfully concealing the birth of her female child, at llalesowen. The prisoner exhibiting evident proofs that she was labouring under.weakness of intellect, the jury was sworn to deterzoine Whether she was then of sound mind and understanding, so as t o be capable of pleading and taking her trial. The matron of the county prison was then examined as to the mental capacity of the pri soner, and the jury having returned a verilict of incara citv, she was ordered to be confined during !Int. Ma jesty's pleasure. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. (YESTERDAY.) 111 ARLBORDUGH-S7'REET. John Williams, a very' powerful young man, was placed at the bar on thefollowiag charge Police-constable, No. 36 of the A division, stated that between ten and'eleven o'clock on Saturday night he was on duty in Pall-mall in Plain clothes, and saw the pri soner accost several gentlemen and solicit alms of them, and to the last one he heard the prisoner say in a m enac i ng manner, " D--n your eyes, give us some money, for I must have some.' Witness directly seized him,•but he broke from his grasp and commenced a most furious attack upon him. He also struck a gentleman who was standing by, and , he afterwards repeatedly as• saulted 'another constable - who was assisting in secur ing him. M. HARDWICK said .this was a new feature in mendicant audacity, and closely approached toinducing persons to give alms by threats of violence. If such things were permitted the public would not be able to walk .the streets in safety. lie wished it to go forth that all such offenders would be punished with the utmost severity; and, as an instance of it in the present case, he'should commit the prisoner for three mouths to hard labour. ....--......._ _____------.,„1 DREADFUL MURDER. . I 'MEL ANC HOLY CATASTROPHE. I MARKET NEWS•—(YESTERRAL _. ... (FROM A. COD RESPONDENT.) !On Vrilay I ..-t Mr. T. T. Do Lasaux, one of the i CORN EV..c.a.aznseer . . 0 15" ;: . , _ i. ... 1; r , ..1' -, :' ,, z Pf:.._:. 7.--1. -,. z;d. ywa 1 , -;rtictlars of one of oorr.n, ; -.. .f f-: , .1f ht7i.tl c. 3.1 irluest, at Whitstable, ou the ! _Jill-,-.'_,- ‘ht• \-ef-•- , - 'e , •l , --ng rya '.'R , t.tir ,l, l,Y, 11 ' 151 . 0 - 1 ;-he rac ,,, t: ford - :_nurd-:,; . 3 ,;••.- have tit 1, le• - .-;• , 1 ~ f; and \vbien b. ,, ,1rs ..' 1.:, , , - ara. Pufl.ii!, uyed thirty-fortr, Willi ou F:ngli:4l Wheat and F.,arley were tolerably good "•':! lr. !.' '• ' , .: ,- f - 7u'd:* - •:'•: - . 1 ~ , 1: , ';'': l •: , ''. - i•.oa Poi/Wl, al.- 4 ,2(lt , y,:nty-five, t .c , f,l.g:? MO e.:, need thirty-t wo , ' the imports of Foreign &a le,: end Oats were 0 „-• . ! e-- 2 , -;:: eee Jen i.l :', :.,! - 1 , .r.iny z•l,i '.ii, ,i/•?.ili John "..',1,:.•:-.-1, ,•,-,' v: --e and 11 -Pry '',••,-- - d er-.-0• Of all other i;rtici,-sof Grain the rue i r'es eo.ee t `girt ~...„ t . . L , ....1, a t e • - - ,tre I" '••,, ,", ,', 1 ,, L ••,..-..' HI , ~ -nri 0. ",.:,' provi- ' thirtv-thr ,: ~ .11, .-. of -nom hat, 11,:et. antoctunm e l v . 0.111, arstiveiv swan. 1;%-.,11. , Ip, a fair aVer-o. •. e t i sion, 10 . f. : ~icTr, ~,;.) .;1, ~,;,;- - 1 , . - !: . :,.••', •,a t. kin - drowuce ei , e.- e.. .e of '‘.,- , et:)e,4ilay List, ',via, pessing tity of borne-grown Wheat e:-irne to hand, cossov i ii ' eri 11, LI ti, k , ,, L'on 0i.. - -;e...- fr ~,:•. ; ';,,t /i 1 , . ,•: i. , t ',ffen , 1.2:11 V- 1,,,,- -:.;,:, ,• . -: I: '''• :: '.7 , .:.r) ,- -3:. . well as by land carriage and sqt r ,r,T,, , ; , from Essill k e i!ompelied .!i) iravei :.-,:: , ery ;Lao i; , i.‘ur,i' (4 nip,iiii, Z.O iiir:id Vi - ,., 1 . . !II ':: ~:: ;.1. !:.t ii., i, Zifili ier some years occupied i and Cambridgeshire. consequernly the ?bow of ea u ' s el the payment of beck toile, which in . ;hie eeighbourhoad 'an extensive farm At Le jsdoWn, in Sheppey, but had in which, arising from the present seasonable We , are enormously heavy, it b e i ng 9d. f ur a s i ng l e h orse an d i recently retired from business, and at the ti me o f hi s . great improvement was not i ce d, was , on th e whole , 1 ! cart. The poor vi c ti m a ll u d e d to eas one of these men, ' melancholy death resided at Bridge, near C an t er b ury . ; H av i ng a l arge num b er of b uyers i n attendance,- le He bad sold his butter, and was returnin to Cardigan- Hi s companions in misfor t un e were men engage d i n t h e ; improvement was noticed in the demand for all kin d shire. He l e ft thi s tow n a b out eight o'clock on Friday . Coast Guard service, stationed at Whitstable, and w ere , English Wheat. The hest kinds were held at soir ee i evening ; he was in one cart. an d hi s eon a lad a b ou t ail hi g hly respected ' by th e i r com p an i ons i n th e serv i ce, •more money, but the gen era l va l ue o f th a t descriptir thirteen years of age, was drivi ng ano th er . It appears . as well as by the inhabitants of Whitstable and Seasalter, i, produce remained ab , ut stationary, at which 1 to from the statement of th e l a d, t h at a b out two miles from :by when their untimely fate is much regretted. E. ; c l earance was effectel. On a comparison of q O O this town, they overtook a men, woo u.ked his father Polhill and G. Miles have each left widows, with fi ve the quotatio ns w ere more in f'lvour of the gr 2 .41 what h e wou ld t a k e hi m to L am p eton for, and they young chilnren ; and J. Mason; also a marri e d man, has There was only a mortis- ate quantity of fine 1 "7, - 0 agreed as to the price. When about half.way to Tri- left a widow and oue child ; the other two—viz., W. Wheat on offer. H dders, as for some time pest, castle, the man, himself, and his father, got out and Polhill and IL Pym, were unmarried, very few, and would not sell except at very ,h' 1 7 0 ,, tr walked a little way. The man asked if they were near The jury having been sworn, proceeded to the Coast rencies, which were paid in the few tranlae" de ld Tricastle, and his father said they were but little more Guard station-house to view the bodies, which presented ported. In Corn wrier lock very little was ot than half-w a y (th e dist ance i s more than twelve miles). the melancholy spectacle of five human beings, in the yet the prices wer e qu it e as hi g h $ s 1 14 ~ He then paid his fath er what h e b a d agree d to pay fir pr i me of life and full of health, hurried into eternity Notwithstanding the greet increase in the 8,, 00 taking him, arid advised the boy to get into the front without a moment's warning, as may be conceived by the of Barley, both English and foreign,: that cart, and let him cover him over with some straw and evidence adduced. especially the best making kinds, was in better r e g t i e n tarpaulin, - which he did, and he went to sleep. The Mr. Aldridge, Chief Officer of the Coast Guard Ser- but we can notice no alteration in the qu °ts eno l horses went on, until they came to the turnpike-gate, vice at the Seasalter station, stated, that shortly after Nearly the whole of the late arrivals from . 11 ,- 01 about a quarter of a mile from Tricastle. The boy four o'clock in the afternoon of Wednesday he directed have been entered for home consumption e a: er might have been here some little tim e asle e p, wh e n a E. Polhill, chief boatman, and his companions W. Pol- 3s. duty. The quantity of Malt brough t b a s' man with a waggon came up in the opposite direction,, hill, G. Miles, and J. Mason, to proceed to sea in the wird was small. In Chevalier qualities a fat din and woke up the gate-keep...r. This awoke the boy, " four-oared gig" on duty, to watch the various craft Den was doing, but all other kinds were very who who immediately inquired for his father, but he was not that might be rounding the Sliellness point, and also to The supply of Oats was again limited. As Inoso.-; to be found. Th e p oor boy was much di s t resse d , an d proceed to the station at Shellness, and communicate large dealers are short of stock, the best potatee F;;1 rte toll -gate - keeper took -him to an inn in the village• with the chief officer there. Mr, Pym, who was at Whit- ea, indeed, most other kinds, were in ready reci tie t 0 1 It was now about twelve o'cl oc k. I n a very s h ort t i me sable at the time, asked his permission to be allowed to a trifle more money.- Our I r i s h l e tt ers s tate 0 1 0 the waggoner returned riding one of his horses, saying pass over in the boat to the Isle of Sheppey, which he shippers in Ireland are still demanding extrenh e e o tt he bed found the man about a mile on, lying by the assented to, and the five left the beach on board the Deans and Peas, the supplies of which were in side of the roa d mur d ere d. A ss i stance was g i ven, and boat for the above destination. He (the witness) saw no moved off slowly at previous currencies. The the body was brought „in. At that time he was quite more of thew; but the men not returning all night, fears trade was heavy, at the late decline in value. e sti warm. His death was occasi on ed by a pi sto l- s h ot , w hi c h were enterta i ned for their safety, and he on the following and Rape-cakes were in active request. In seed' , passed through his hat, and. entered his head just over day went in search of them, and between one and two to nothing was passing. the right ear. The bail lodged in the head, and has o'clock in the afternoon of Thursday found the bodies of CURRENCY PER IMPERIAL MEASURE- ap since been extract e d. D.-ieh must li s v e b een i nstants - E. an d W . Polhill, Pym, and Miles, lyin g on th e P onar d WissAT-Essex & Kent, I DI ALT -Ch eva lier.....l 6 l 0 red... ..... .... 40s to 56' Was—Yorkshire 5 0 " optop neous. There is not the slightest. mark of any struggle. Sands, and the boat a short distance from them, lying on Ditto, white , e It is to be hoped that the s: ranger is known, though he her larboard side. On further search the body of Mason Norfolk and Lin- Potatoe ..... ......-.• 0 coin, red is not yet apprehended ; and a person answering his de- was found in the water with an oar under him, appa- Ditto white . 42s to 50s black ..........• q441 0 '0 scription bought a pair of pistols of a tradesman in this rently as though he had attempted to save his life by its Irish, red -5 to -s Cork, white ........ dit/d town a few days since. It is aupposed the deceased had assistance. The whole of the men were perfectly sober Ditto, white Res—old about 70/ with him, the prticeeds of his two loadsof but ter, when they put to tea, and were well known as being New 35s to 36s' Pigeons ..... .......• 041.4 but there was not a farthing in hie pockets when h e was steady and careful men. Witness believed that their BAst 6 Y-Grinding - Grey ..........." %IWO found. ,I should add that the boy says he saw the same deaths were caused by the capsizing of the boat, caused Malting Min in • Brecon, in the afternoon, and he then asked by a heavy swell of the sea, which often takes place by eien C e h -l al go r ik and Nor- 38s to Ws 11 V 0i t 1e it r e 5 . ............ "'" : 39 1 1 What time his father would- leave for Tricastle. tie the meeting of two tides near the place where the bodies folk sBs to 625, FLoSa-Town m uds .... 8 , Si told him about e i g ht o ' c l oc k. Thi s proves that this was were found. Brown.-- ... N o'k.... y_.. off.. ....1: "ti " a most deliberate, coldeblO o d e d mur d er . Charles Foreman, a dredger , Kingston and Ware 63. tool s S toc k ton & of Whitstabl e , s t a t e d FORE IGN GRAIN AND FLOUR IN BONm•got/i that he was in a punt near the Pollard oyster-grounds WHEAT—Dardzic on Wednesday last, shooting wild fowl, and saw a boat BARLEY ..... rs t t ° o 79 3 s R0 A :r ....... A .".... " --."..." gi l d FLOUR — American •••••• 0. crossing towards Shellness, and noticed that she was OATS—New going at a fast rate, and shortly after he lost sight of Fee 1.............« her, when he supposed those who were in her had lowered SMITHFIELD. S OV the sails. On the following day he found the body of As the great Christmas market will be held oa .4 Miles, arid gave information of th e f ac t, an d s h ort l y a f ter day next, no little curiosity w as man if es t e d by ntY the other bodies were found. Wh en h e fi rst saw t h e and butchers to ascertain the qua lity o f the ile c rec v elt l l boat on Wednesday, there was no o th er vesse l o f any bited for sale to-day, by way of a cr it er i o n to 00 01 description on the water with whi c h it cou ld h ave come their future transactions ; b u t w i t h the exe e P te , or in collision by accident or otherwise. there being a few well made-up Dcvons, Se e Captain Blair, RN., inspecting officer of th e di s t r i ct, Runts amongst the Bullock supply, a nerl it n!, was in attendance, and at his suggestion severa l guys - and almost unprecedented deficiency of noT e 4etr Lions were put to the above witness, as to w h e th er i t was apparent ; in fact, at least a moi e ty o f it wag l eB ' prudent to allow a boat of the description to go to sea in half fat. From the numerous attendance of 11 ,16 0%: the then state of the weather ; and also as t o w h et h er and the near approach of Christma s , we we re le! e o n the men who had charge of the boat wer e p rocee di ng to peat an improved demand ; but su c h was n ot Ono' their ' destination in a proper direction ? To which still, however, the primest Beef was in geed Te/r 4 jfi l fully last week's quotations, viz., from 4s to . 49 _,001 , ' questions the witness replied, that there was nothing in the weather that would prevent any one going to sea for i Bibs ; but in all other kinds exceedingly littler/P .4 nd such purpose in a boat of that kind, and had he been and ,in some instances, the rates had a downward te,',4. ~ going, he should have proceeded in the same direction The imports of live stock from abroad during L" !, as he saw the boat, without any idea of its being week have been again liberal, they having erne hell i I; unsafe to do so ; but he st a t e d th at at t i mes t h e passage 105 Oxen and Cows, and 60 Sh ee p at Hull l e across was a difficult one, arisi ng from what was termed Beasts, together with 163 sheep into London, th e O A by the seafaring men of Whitstable a "hollow," or being from Rotterdam by steamers. The supplYrefir " counter sea," occasioned by the general tide and be to-day consisted of 44 Oxen and Cows, and In :0 , the water flowing through the " East Swale," which With respect to quality of the former, we inal-1 . 1 !; divides the Isle of Sheppey from that part of the coast that it exhibited a slight improvement coniPs;;A: previous importations, while the latter were in tie, of Kent. Captain Blair explained that he had merely ' required those questions to be put to the witness, who, condition. The Beasts found purchasers at fro", e lr e 191, and the Sheep from 39s to44s per head. Vi r e:',n o i being a seafaring man of the place, might be better able the foreign Beasts are still in good favour aln, o l o to show if danger was to be apprehended at the time the boat went to sea, and not that he (Captain Blair). butchers, while the Sheep are somewhat eager'La e considered there was, as, in fact, he himself was at sea after. The bullock droves from our northern grad in exactly the same description of boat at the same hour tricts consisted of about 1,800 short horns. Froni,f e a . 5 on Wednesday, in which they stretched out full three , Suffolk, Essex, and Cambridgshire, we reeel' e ert miles, passing on from Reculver to Whitstable. Scots, &c.; from the Western and Midland counn e s! No other evidence being adduced, Herefords, Runts, Devon!, &c. ; from other rif i England, 700 of various breeds ; from Sno 1 • 18$1 70 The CORONER addressed the jury, calling their at tention to the facts elicited ; and remarked, in the ab- horned and polled Scots, and from Ireland, inn ten n i j sence of further evidence, and almost certainly with the 40 Beasts—the remainder of the supply beirv . delyZ e i " whole that could ever be produced, he felt justified in say- the neighbourhood of the metropolis. The i f il e ge; s e o f Sheep was somewhat on the increase, and a , 5 , 41 ing that the deceased had come by their deaths by purely age quality. Prime old Downs were in goo a • accidental circumstances ; in which opinion the jury concurred, and returned a verdict of " Accidentally at full prices ; but all other kinds were with ~li, disposed of at late rates. In Calves exceedi e / 0 1 0 0 10 5 drowned," levying a small deodand on the boat. was doing, at previous currencies. We hen f 144 Pigs, by sea, from Ir e l an d. All des c ription° ° were heavy, yet prices were supported. i Per Bibs. to sink the offal. OP s. d. to s. d f. 4 .0 Inferior Beasts . ... ... 9 6 2.101 Second qualityclittOw ! • 11 Second quality ditto... 8 0 3 6 Coarse.woolled ditto. f (1 . ',, Prime large Oxen..... 3 8 4 0 Southdown Wethere v .„, i i / Prime Scots, 5ec...„.. 4 2 4 4 Ditto out of the WWI I i Large coarse Calves.. 3 0 3 5 Large Wks .......... . • sPrime small ditto 3 8 4 0 Small Porkers......ra, 0 Suckling Calves, each IS 0 32 ii Quarteroldrigs,eace.% • • Inferior Sheep ........... SUPPLY AT MARKET. 1 4 1 $ Beasts. I Sheep. I 4,120 1 30,140 t Ca r i zrzwasTla AND zataxonsf Emstwel j Since this day se'nnight a fair average tin:kr - e n t supply of slaughtered m ea t h as b een receive:l l ' l 'ooA markets from Scotland and different parts 0f.r4. 1 ',,i , in good condition. Although the quantities ofl o il t o i e ' killed meat offering have be en l arger , th e getd, mand has improved, and the best qualities of . 7 . 01 0 Mutton have found buyers, at somew h a t i ns proneu t i e s In the value of other qualiti es we h ave no site/ boe! report. Several carcases of f ore i gn B eas t s and ' have sold at fair prices. ARRIVALS DURING THE PAST WEEK ft Beasts. Sheep. Calve.' P' . .,, Scotland ..... •••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 30 380 -•• V'',,, Yorkshire ......................... 28 400 •-• rdN0rf01k........... ................. 12 150 -- r d Suflblk .. . ..... ... ....... ............... 16 100 .... f° Cambridgeshire - Essex 22 :80 40 ge n Surrey. ... Devonshire ............ ....... Wiltshire .......... .............. Other parts „,..e . , " —_ —......- Ix NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PORTSMOUTH, DEC. 7.—The Cambrian, 36, Commo dore Chads, left Bombay for Madras on the 24th of October. The Columbia steam-sloop, Lieutenant-Commander Shortland, was at St. John's refitting on the 11th ult. The Harlequin, 16, Commander the Hon. G. F. Hast ings, left Singapore for England on the sth of Sept., with nearly a million dollars on board. The Pilot, 16, Commander W. H. Jervis, was at Cal cutta on the 30th of Sept., last from Moulmien. The Savage, 10, Lieutenant-Commander J. Booker, has been daily expected at Spithead from Gibraltar to be paid off. The Serpent, 16, Commander W. Neville, was at Bom bay on the Ist of November. The Vixen steam-sloop, Commander G. Gifford, was at Sir gapore, repairing damages, on the 13th of Sept. The Wolverine, 16, Commander Clifford, had replaced the Harlequin at Singapore prior to the 30th of Sept. DETONPORT, DEC. 6.—The brigs forming the experi mental squadron have arrived in the Sound ; but no au thentic information repecting their sailin g qualities has transpired, from the caus e s t a t e d i n The Sun of Mon day last. The Amethyst, 26, is reported t,o be launched to morrow. We believe her dimensions to be somewhat as follows : Ft. In. Length between perpendiculars Extreme breadth Breadth moulded Breadth for tonnage 4O 0 Length of keel for tonnage 10 9 Depth of B ho u l r d den in tons, 911 37-96. The Canopus, 84, is reported for speedy commission, and extra hands have been put upon her to expedite her fitting. The Daedalus, 20, Captain P. M'Quhae, arrived from Woolwich on Wydnesdly, to receive her advance wages. The Penguin. 6, Limiter'lnt-Commander Leslie, left yesterday for Falmouth, to carry out the neit mail to the Brae's. The Snipe cutter, Li( tttenant-Commander Raymond, arrived on Wednesday from Portsmouth, with supernu meraries. The Albion, 90, Commodore Lnckyer, we believe, i ordered to this port to repair defects. In Harbour—The Caledonia, flagship, San Josef Swift packet, Snipe cutter, and Confiance steam-vessel. In the Sound—The Medallic - - THE STEAM-ENGINES OF THE RETRIBUTION. (FURTHER PARTICULARS.) After some preparatory trials the engines were set to work on Friday, and several persons distinguished for scientific acquirements or mercantile eminence, received invitations to witness the performance. No inconsider able number of gentlemen attended, and several ladies. We are glad to see such a deep interest taken in the suc cess of our steam navy, for one of greater national im portance hardly exists. There was no pleasant trio on the occasion to give excitement, for the vessel was lying the whole time fast bound to the dock pier, but so far from it as to permit the paddle-wheel freely to revolve. The mere performance of the machine, and wonderful it was, excited the highest interest. As we approached the vessel we saw the immense wheel, 34 feet in diameter—the paddle-boxes which cover theta standing high above the top sides of the ship, and looking, we must say, unsightly—throwing the water away with great rapidity, and though that was no index to the rate at which the vessel would move were she at liberty, the velocity with which the water was thrown past the ship was a sufficient test of the vast power which was at work within. It has been said, is depreciation of man's faculties, that he " dashes the water to hasten the speed of the cataract ;" but each of the mighty wheels of the Retribution, as it revolved, gave rapid motion to a body of water that may be ap propriately styled a river. It made as much ferment as a little cataract, and it raised the water to which it gave an impetus. The wheels, however, were not at full work, for only half the float boards were on, yet the rush of the water filled us with astonishment. So dis turbed and so aerified the usually still waters of the dock probably nevsr were before. We entered the ship, expecting to find her trembling with the exertion. She was perfectly still. Not a vibration was felt. We descended into the engine -room. convinced that so great a power could not be exercised without considerable clatter, but it was working almost as noiselessly as the heavenly orbs. It did not tick as loud as an eight-day clock, and yet it was raising and sending astern, on either side, a long stream at the rate of eightor nine miles an hour. We saw cranks, weighing each thirteen tons, moving backwards and forwards, and they were perfectly silent. Such great power, combined with such a total absence of every kind of noise, as is exhibited by these two noble engines, is, perhaps, no where to be found, except in the works of nature. We were astonished, too, at the large space prepared for the machinery, and at its compactness. The two ergines, with their boilers, which occupy the whole breadth of the ship, weigh no less than 540 tons. They occupy nearly one-third of the tonnage of the ship; but they are as compact and well arranged as thee are powerful, and every part of them is easily accessible. It any man get entangled with the machinery it must be by his own fault ; he can move about amidst it as com fortably as in a parlour. The whole, too, is as simple as it is compact and gigantic. Four cylinders, two to each engine, each cylinder 72 inches diameter, occupy the hold of the vessel; and the double cylinders giving motion to one beam must work identically. The smallest deviation would cause a waste of power. The two legs, though they each co n t r ib ute equally to move forward the body, do not work so pre cisely together as Messrs. Maudslay's double cylinders. By their invention a great power is obtained in compa ratively small space, and the immense wheel receives its impetus from a short and slow stroke. Abaft the cy linders, but with an ample space betwixt, the boilers are placed, and the stoker's-room seemed no more confined orkheated than a well-warmed kitchen. With all this power and ingenuity great neatness is combined. The cylinders are cased with mahogany, and instead of the places about the engine being like a dirty smithy, they resemble rather a ladies' drawing-room. After admiring this wonderful union of power, s'mpli city, order, compactness, and neatness, remembering that the Retribution is to be what the Victory and the Queen Charlotte were, the means of ensuring the safety of the nation, we could not help asking ourselves how many generations of small farmers and spade husbandry men, whose gradual disappearance it is at present the fashion to regret, and whose restoration is the object of so many prayers and wishes, it would require to construct such a model of skill ? By similar instruments has Great Bri tain in past times been made triumphant—by such in struments must she he henceforth defended; and they are blind admirers of her great maritime superiority, and her national independence, who would impede the increase of those classes who construct such admirable machines. 178 1,640 Previous week's arrival 228 1,700 Naval victories, it is conclusively shown in the present number of Blackwood's Magazine, are far more decisive of the fate of empire than lane battles. Those who form a contrary opinion derived it from contemplating' the naval battles of something less than a century ago. But the writer in Blackwood only described half the value of our great naval victories. They were obtained at a uomparatively small cost of human life. The great battles won by Lord Howe, Lord Duncan, Lord St. Vin cent, and Lord Nelson cost the country less than 5,000 men, or less than fell in each of several of the battles in the Peninsula. The reason is, that disabling machinery, instead of slaughtering human beings decides the fate of naval warfare, and the more machinery is used the less bloody will be nrtral encounters. The more it is used the more time and labour it requires to equip a fleet, and the more decisive will be those victories which destroy it. At the same time, the more complete is the machi nery the more certain will be the success. We look, therefore, on this invention, and such works as those of Messrs. Maudslay, as h►wing a greater value than merely strikes the eye, impressive •as they are. They are the means of securing the national independence and the notional superiority. 150 a 150 Difference since our last 5O 60 At per stone, by the Carcase. s• d ' 3. d. tot. d. mief, ...... 2 6 210 Mutton, inferior 2 .... 3 0 3 2 .-- 6 prime large ...... 3 2 3 4 prime......... 9 6 ' ptime sivial 3 6 3 8 Pork, large ........ ••••••• 6 Vital ........»....„ 3 4 4 0 ----small - BOROUGH now BLANKET. eiri m Since our last report exceedingly little ber ii tto'' been doing in pockets, either n ew or o ld, yet W e n t 0$ !ions have ruled *bout stati onar y. Th e supply A of the present year's growth, is moderately the sales effected toe mostly at full currencies. 11016'3UG1I AND sPrrazrizsal - ,* JO A tb Full average supplies of Potato e s h ave arrive d water-side coastwise during the week ; while theL6i:/ from abroad have consisted of about ninety whole of very inferior quality. The demand I ° kinds is steady at our quotations. WOOL MARKET. upeti All kinds of foreign and colonial Wools ha ve rpf r o improved inquiry since this day se'nnight, a n Or l y have been steadily surported. English Wool i s ja better request, but we can notice no altersti°, bed quotations. The imports for the - last week lino Pv 333 bales from Seville, 100 from Hamburgb , Calcutta, and 385 from Odessa. tl? TALLOW. • flet/ There is no alteration to notice in p r i c es d o 0 week. The demand has been a little better, el l o l o expected to continue so, therefore no further 0 7 4 4 111 anticipated for the present. Home Tallow l 5 so abundant ; the nett price is 41s. COAL IVIAIZIMT. Prices per ton at the close of the market : old p ro , Wrest Hartley, 19s ; Hasting's Hartley, 19 5 ; top, 16s 9d ; Towney, 18s ; W. E., Clark ag3511,, I9s 6d ; W. E , Heaton, 23s ; W. E., Belmon W. E., Braddyll's Hetton, 24s 3d to 243 65 Haswell, 24s 6d ; W. E., Hetton, 24s 6 d i ; ' Hytton, 22s 6d • IV. E., Lambton, 24i 3 " sq , ,s ' Stewart's 24s 6d ; W. E., Heselden, 223 ;., , 5 1 . :/, Stockton West Hartley; 18s ; W. E., Richard ec hfisi;a 22s ; W. E., Tees, 23s 6d ; Clackmannan, 163 ; s ijaq 20s ; Hartley, I9s ; Lewiss Merthyr, 21s 3c l ; Hartley, 19s.—Ships arrived since last day, 11 ' tot s A gentleman of Newcastle lately underc,co wager of 501., to walk three miles on the r° 0 ;05 near that town, in thirty minutes, and 101 r se'nnight he accomplished .the task with ease and 30 sec. —Durham Advert iser. The Hon. H. T. Liddell, M.P., has arrived at Ha-. vensworth Castle from Ealington House, on a v i s i t t c his noble and venerable parents, Lord and L a d y worth. During Christmas holydays Ravenswoe:a C ast l e will be full of viathora, and old English hospit t o , Wit •,1 be dispensed in bounteous profusion.. BIRTH o f° & th e i On the 4th inst., at Haughend, Yorkshire, lScl web 11 K. Clarke, Esq., of a daughter. 13* On the 4th inst., at Hampstead, the lady of 1 ' T , Esq., of a daughter. A r Ati be° On the sth, nst., at Lecroft Lodge, Hurst, •—r s " ttis Creasy, of a daughter. - +9s.P erl4 , j , On the 6th inst., at Omega-terrace, 'lg en : a ,. ~ p- . lady of R. T. Swinnerton Dyer, Esq., of a &ugh.' of Camp if, On the 6th inst., at Grove-hill-terrace, Y , wife of Alfred Sadlow, Esq., of a son. Ali cire if On the 7th inst., at Sise-lane, the lady 0 ' Brandram, Esq., of a daughter. ird, 00 On the 7th inst.,at Stamford-hill, Mrs. J. Be rn the P''' On the 7th inst., at Barnsbury-park, the Rev. Daniel Wilson, of a son. of A P Islingt° ° ' .AO the lad, On the 7th inst.. in Lowndes-square, Walford, Esq., of a son iii° MARRIED. gl.gter On the sth irst., at All Saints, Southanipt°ll...,e t,, Ellis, to Mr. CI larks C. Luckombe, of Doughty -0- foie lenbrgh-sua'e, Londo. ~, I ge ntr f 0 , On u q f the sth inst., at n Tri n ity Church, Gra4ar, e Felicia EMMP, only daughter of the late 11.1& 01 40, 0 44 12th Bengal Native I n fantry, to Evan D. iv Union-street, Southwark. O f land and N ova : DIED. th egos'/# Ja Chl mes t ii h r e o r , th nit., at Moffat, Dumfriega dre ' onat °f t $ ens ° On the Ist of October last, in India, Lieg t _ g oat 2 1 . wrhg . " Maxwell Irving, of the Madras ArtillerT, ag ed li ti n c t o . t , i ß a. aron of Colstoun, and a 13ar dota On al e 26th ult., at Hastings, _ gn 9 44 late of the 42d Highlanders. 'th )I°6 , On ti te 30th ult., at Henfield, Nelson Sall .. f,4 4 . il, liti ete st - ,trgeoi 1, aged 46. 5 •,. k :)n the 2d inst., Harriot, the wife of Jarne _, of p. ark-lane, Piccadilly. .160 V) ~^..' OVP 19/ ''. . '.'''.."......"....^'."-- . INV - 01 $O. 1 ft Major Maar Lop l z, in , Printed Ind Published by AlL y. oi iice,t/ , 11. , s `; ,- TST , ft, Printer. at Tle ,!`?, ", t o - .r , t I tie Proclitzel; ....t tt.c : 4 :lt'crl• 1 " ---, 1 , Dliddi ce 2 , 37 1 Tuesday, December 10, 1844 UNION-HALL. Lucy George, a girl of 16, only acquitted at the Surrey Sessions last week for felony, was charged with robbing her aunt of several articles of dress and a half-sovereign. The complainant took the prisoner•home after her ac quittal at the above sessiors, and the former being obliged to leave home for a short time; when she re turned she found the prisoner had decamped with the above property. She was taken shortly afterwards, and it was found she had pledged the clothes at a pawn broker's shop, The hamirrnATi committed the prisoner for trial, ob serving that the lenity extended to her at the sessions appeared to have had no , effect in correcting her pro; pensity for theft. CLERKEIV WELL. Two bricklayer's labourers, named Boleyn and Bandey, were charged with assaulting and threatening a publican named Roecliffe. The assault, which was of a very trifling nature, was proved against Boleyn, and it appeared that the landlord struck Boleyn a very severe' blow on the eye. As both prisoners, however, threatened the complainant's life, they were bound over to keep the peace. The case drew from Mr. GREENWOOD, the sitting ma gistrate, the following important observations :—lt was clear that the present case sprung from a system the m ost pernicious and d estruct i ve of the comfort of the families of the poor. The payment of labourers by their masters at public-houses. It was managed in this way—the master gave six or seven men a five pound note to be divided between them, and the publicsn refused to change it un less they drank a certain quantity of liquor. The prac tice had been put down in the ir , rth of England, where it was very prevalent, and it was quite as deserving of suppression by A , t, of Parliament as the tri ck system." We regret to hear :that Mr. Bailey, M.P. for Worcester, mei with a serious accident while hunting with Lord Fitzhardinge's hi tinds last Tuesday. We are, hoWerer, haPpy to find the. Hon. Member is going on fa vourably under medical attendants, at the Plough Hotel, Cheltenbam. ' • • 1111 =IN VICE-CHANCELLOR'S COURT, Dec. 9. The Vice-Chancellor of England was occupied the whole day with motions, continuing the second seal from Saturday. (Before' Sir J. K. BRUCE.) His Hotwilit sat for a short time in Bankruptcy, as Chief Judge of the Court of Review, but the cases on the paper were ordered to stand over. - His Hosour then took motions in equity. (Befire Sir J. WIGRAM.) LEE V. PAIN. This case was before the Court' in March last, the question being one of the construction of the will of Mrs. Waring, late of Stockwell, leaving property to the amount of 100,0004 She died in ,November, 1826, and after leaving legacies to several individuals, she gave 100/. to each of the following Societies : Ilighbury College, the London and Church Missionary Societies, the Bible Society, and the Female Peniten tiaryat Pentotiville. By codicils s h e gave man y o th er legacies, some of them repetitions of the former ones. The questionis, whether these bequests by codicil 'are additional .or •not'? The executors allege that if they are so held they will far more than exhaust the whole estate ; they therefore pray for. the .direction of - the Court. There are four exceptions in the case, and these have already.occupied the Court two days. COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH, Dec. Lord DENNAN sat at nisi prius this morning, at the Guildhall, with a London common jury. Several unde fended causes were disposed of during the early part, after which the Court proceeded to try common jury cases. No case of any public interest came on during the morning. COURT OF COMMON FLEAS, Dec. 9. (Sittings at Nisi Prius, before Lord Chief Justi ce TINDAL and a London common ,jury.) The Court was occupied the greater part of this morn ing with an action of debt, which was in no way inte resting to the public, COURT OF BANKRUPTCY, Dec. 9. The cases put down for , hearing this morning were al of the most uninteresting character. ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. NORTHERN CIRCUIT—York, Dec. 6. (Before Mr. Justice COLERIDGE ) John 11I'Cann was to-day put upon his trial, charged with the wilful Murder of Benjamin Gott. Another count in the indictment charged him with manslaughter. This case must be even yet fresh in 'the recollection of our readers, as it created at the time of its occurrence considerable excitement. Fiveother persons,named Rogan, O'Brien, Donovan, Quin, and Power, who had been concerned in the matter, were tried at the last assizes, and were convicted of manslaughter ; but in consequence of some legal ob jections being raised to the form of the indictment, Judgment was respited, and those persons are still in custody. M‘Cann at that period was not apprehended. Mr. Bliss' and Mr. Overend were for the prosecution, and the prisoner was defended by Mr. Wilkins. The facts of the case were briefly narrated by Mr. Bliss, and were as follows :—On Whit-Monday last, the 27th of May, there had been a proceision of Orange lodges. On that occasion two bands were engaged, one of which was called the Idle and Calverley band, and of that band Gott (the deceased) was a musician. As they were passing through the town of Bradford, the band playing certain tunes, and amongst others " the Boyne %Voter," which gave great dissatisf a ctio n to th e I r i s h population of the neighbourhood, who fancied also that a still more offensive tune, called " Croppies, lie dawn," had been played. When the procession was over, and the musicians were returning home in a straggling !neither, a nuipber . of Irishmen we're seen coming behind them, having sticks and other Weapons - in their hands, and making use of threatening language. The Irishmen commenced an attack, and the first thing they did was to.knock down the man who who was playing the drum. They then fell on Gott, and from the violence that was employed his death resulted. On a post mortem examin ation the deceased's skull was found to have been most severely fractured, and death was attributed to that cause. Amongst the people in the crowd was the pri soner, and he took an active part in the proceedings. Thomas Thornton, the first witness, wee undergoing examination, when Mr. Wuatists said, he thought it would be idle for him to attempt to combat the mi nor tharge against the pri soner. Ile had read the depositions over twenty times, and he found no means of resisting it. He would, there fore, with his Lordship's permission, wish to plead guilty to the charge of manslaughter. Mr. Justice COLERIDGE briefly addressed the jury, informing them of the 'Circumstances alluded to in the commencement of this report, and recommending them to find the prisoner guilty of manslaughter. The jury, without hesitation, pronounced the prisoner Guilty of Man s l aug h ter , an d sentence was deferred till the opinion of the fifteen judges could be had upon the legal objections before referred to., John Critchlow and William Bolton were next placed at the bar, charged with having on the 25th of August last, at Sheffield, feloniously and unlawfully attempted to destroy a certain steam-engine, by the explosion of a large quantity of gunpowder, the property of John Wilson, Thomas Dunn, William Jeffcock, and George Hounsfield. This case would have been tried yesterday, but Mr. Grainger, on behalf of the prisoners, then objected to the whole of the jury. A fresh jury was this morning em pannelled for the trial of the prisoners. Mr. Wilkins, Mr. Overend, and Mr. Smith were for the prosecution; and Mr. Grainger was for the defence. • The prosecutors in this case were some of the largest coal-pit owners in the neighbourhood of Sheffield. In the month of May last there was a general " turn out" of the colliers in that part of England, and the prose cutors' pits had been unworked from May until the date of this occurrence; in August. Towards the end of August there were symptoms of returning good sense on the part of the men, and on the 26th it was determined that some of them at least should return' to their work. At the mouth of the pit there was, as is frequently the case, a steam-engine, worked for the purpose of hauling up the coal, as well as of letting persons in and out of the pit as occasion might require. This was the engine which the prisoners were charged with having blown up. The indictment was founded on the 7th and Bth of Geo. IV., c. 30, s. 7, which renders it felony for any person Maliciously to pull down, destroy, or damage with intent to destroy, any such steam-engine. Jonathan Habershon was the first witness called. He deposed that lie was under-ground steward at No. 2, Deeps-pit Colliery, near Sheffield. There was a steam engine at the mouth of that pit. The boiler, which weighed when filled about 8 tons, was detached from the engine, and was surrounded with brick-work. On the night of. Sunday, the 25th of August, witness, who lived close to the pit, was awakened by the report of a Ire. PROMOTIONS. Cominanders—G. G. Wellesley and A. R. Sturt, to the rank of Captain. Commander—John Clavell, acting, confirmed in the rank of Commander. I.ienttenant E. Codd, tO the rink of Commander. Mates—H. D. Blauckley, E. P..Fuge, U. H. Risk, C, T. Deuch,',and F. - Martin, to the rank of Lieutenant. A PPOINTIMNTS. rommander—H. C. Otter, to the Sparrow. 'Lieutenants—P. F. Shortland, to command the Co• lumbia, vice Harding ; J. Giles, to the T ar t arus , v i ce Stokes, dismissed ; 11. Maguire, additional to the Agin court ; Hon.-W. B. De B!acquiere, to the Eagle ;A. G. Edge, to the Caledonia. Chaplain and Naval Instructor—J. Burrough, to the Amazon. Mate—F. F. Hawkins, to the Eagle. Surgeon—H. D. B. Kenning, to be'surgeon and me , dical storekeeper at Malta Hospital, vice Whitmarsh. Assistant-Surgeon—J. Whitmarsh, from Malta Hos. pital, to be Dispenser at Greenwich, vice Drayton, super• annuated. Midshipman—lYArcy Preston, to the Eagle. CHATHAM,• DEC. 7.—The Hornet, 6 gun brigantine, was paid off at Chatham this day. She arrived here from the West Indies on the 3d instant, after a passage of fifty-nine days. She experienced during her homeward voyage several calms and variable winds, which ac counted for her being behind the Griffon (which was paid off last week at Sheerness), that left Jamaica before her for nearly a week. Lieutenant C. Seaver, from the Imaum, receiving-ship at Jamaica, was in command of this vessel. One corporal and eight privates of the Royal Marines disembarked and joined their head -quarters at this division. The Hornet is to be taken into dock, and refitted for commission. She has been absent seven years on the West India station, and during part of that time she was employed in the mail-packet service. The engines of the Janus, steam-vessel, having arrived from the contractors, were put on board oa the 30th ult., and she has been since taken into dock again to complete her fittings. FIRE AT ST. PETER'S CHURCH, HACKNEY.-- On Sunday morning, about half past five o'clock, much alarm was created in the Hackney-road, on the discovery of a fire in St. Peter's Church. Some persons were engaged in lighting the stoves for warming the building, and a portion of the pipe under the organ -loft having got red hot, the fire communicated to the wood of the gallery. A party of the N division of police in stantly procured the parish engine, and, within half an hour afterwards, several brigade and West of England engines had arrived. The water-mains were well charged from the East London works, and the engines having been set to work, the fire was very soon got under ; not, however, until considerable damage had been done. NEW NAUTICAL INVENTION.—A useful invention is now in the act of being applied to one of our men of war. It . is called a " manceuvrer ;" it:is the proposition of R. Foulerton, Esq., is an Archimedean screw fitted through the deadwood of the ship at right angles with the keel, and set in motion by the capstan, for the pur pose of turning the ship round when, from calm weather, the helm has no effect on the vessel. It does not project in any degree. so as to impede the ship's way through the water, and must be highly useful in the case of a ship being attacked by steamers or gun-boats, in bringing the broadside to bear on them ; or it may even assist a ship in the act of staving. DARING ROIVIERY.—A respectable corn-dealer, from the neighbourhood of llowden was cruelly robbed in this town on. Tuesday last of 2151., with which he was proceeding to the corn-market. The villanous per petrator must have been well acquainted with the habits of his victim, and the manner in which he carried his money—in a waistcoat 'breast pocket —or he could not, even in the crowd by which the parties were in all pro bability surrounded, at •or near the entrance of the market, have so adroitly effected his nefarious purpose as unfortunately proves to have been the case in this in stance. The pocket, it seems, was completely cut from the waistcoat, together with the contents—a red pocket book, inclosing 20 notes of. the Doncaster Bank, 22 of the Howden Bank, and one of the bank of Beckett and Co., Leeds, for 5/. eacli--2151. The numbers of the notes are unknown, neither has the individual who sus tained this merciless pillage any suspicion of the thief ; yet unwilling to return home, he lingers in Hull with the fond hope of his property being traced. The office has been given to some of the elite of the police, but we fear it is a forlorn hope, which even their :vigilance may not achieve.— Hull Pachet. TAR ROYAL STAG-HOUNDS.--In consequence of the extremely severe natute of the frost which has pre vailed for some days past the Royal Stag-hounds have not been hunted since Wednesday. The meet this day has been appointed to take place at Thorpe Green, in Surrey ; but, from the appearance of the weather up to a late hour last evening, with the wind in the north-east, there is not the least probability of there being any hunting for some days. THE QUEEN DOWAGER.—Her Majesty has trans mitted 201. towards the fund for the erection of the new church now in progress at Broseley, Staffordshire; a donation of 201. in aid of the rebuilding of the old church, which hies falleia into comparative ruin in the re tired village of Kingsweare, Devon; and 201. to the fund for erecting the proposed new church at Skirbeck, Lin colnshire, to which laudable object the Earl of Brownlow has contributed the munificent sum of 100/. ROYAL ACADEMY OF Music.—The examination of candidates for the King's scholarship, which was founded by his late Alsijest), with a portion of the surplus de rived from the festival in Westminster Abbey, 1834, will take place at the institution on the 20th of December, when one male and one female will be selected, who will received a musical education for two years gratuitously. Musical. World. it°rut v IIE The ov er ., of the s Pectft them 14r 1 41arkel Ni(