The Sun. — London, England, 1844-01-05 00:00:00

principal engineer of the Company, and reflects the s greatest credit on him, on Mr. Forsyth, the assistant engineer (who has had the personal supervision of the greater part of the work,), and on Mr. Thomas Brogdnn, the contractor for the whole of the works of th 9 station and approaches. We understand that the omnibus establishment of the Company, which was quite necessary while the passenger station was in Oldham Road, is now con siderably reduced, being limited mainly to the omni buses plying between the Victoria Station and the present station of the Liverpool Railway, in Liver pool Road. We believe, however, that omnibuses from the principal hotels will ply to and from the Victoria Statiou, at small charges. Every accommo dation will be given to the pubic, in the requisite supply of coaches, cabs, &c., which will be allowed to stand on the carriage-drive of the approach, just without the gates of the station, a certain number being admitted within the gates before the arrivals of the trains. On inquiring at the station yesterday morning, we learned that the new half-hourly short trains to Miles Platting, & c., had filled very well throughout the day, and that no accident of any kind had arisen to mar the satisfaction of a successful opening. We learn that the stationary engines and endless rope are not yet in operation, though quite perfect. The trains (hiring the day were taken up the incline by two en gines, which drew twelve carriages with case. Each train has with it a loaded, small, square waggon, called the brake waggon, which is provided with a brake so powerful as to be thereby enabled to stop the train at any part of the incline, in case of acci dent. Thus there is no accident that could take place, eve❑ the breaking of the endless chair), or the Thilure of the statioeary engine, that could cause more than a few minutes' delay. - To some extent connected with this station, flank ing the entrance to the inclined approach to the railway from Great Ducie-street, is an edifice of con siderable size, erected for the proprietor, Mr. Robert Gill, by Mr. Bellhouse, from a design by Messrs. I. and J. P. Holden, of this town. It has beet•, named the Palatine Hotel, and stands on the site of the College Inn (formerly the Castle Inn), and the ad joining land between the College wall and the street. This handsome 3.1):1 capacious structure pre sents a frontage towards Great Ducie-street of 110 feet, and a semicircular return front along the ap• proach to the station. The style of its architecture is what is called the early Italian, or Romanesque ; and the whole of the front is constructed of the same material as the station-house—the Pierre -joint stone—which has a very good and pleasing effect. fri conclusion, we may express our gratification at to large a portion of this important line of railway junction and communication being effected within the town—indeed, so near the very heart of the town— Tet at so comparatively ainall a sacrifice of valuable property. The centrality of the Hunt's Bank Sta tion, and the advantages we have adverted to, will be the more striking when it is considered, that (when the Liverpool junction is finished).. it will be the point from which the transit from this town will be commenced. on the following - railways :—Manchester and Leeds Railway and thence to Selby and Hull; also by the junction with the great eastern lines of railway from London north ward to Scotland ; with the North 'Midland and its extension southward towards Birmingham, Derby, and the midland counties ; and with the York and • .North Midland line to York, Newcastle, and Edin burgh. The Manchester and Bolton Railway, with its continuation to Preston and Lancaster. The Liver pool - and Manchester Railway, with the Bolton branch; the North Union to \Vigan and Preston, - and thence to Lancaster, Carlisle, and Newcastle, and the north western line to Scotland. FREE TRADE SOIREE and MEET ING AT BOLTON. A splendid soirde and meeting, in aid of the great League Fund, took place at the Temperance Hall, Bolton, on Wednes day night. Mr. Cobden, M.P., Colonel Thompson, Mr. 11. R. A:Moore, and Mr. W. Evans, attended as a deputation trout the League, and, on making their appearance on the platform, were greeted with loud and long continued plaudits. 11r. Henry Ashworth and Mr. Edmund Ashworth, members the Council of the League, were also present. The meet ing was crowded; there was at least a thousand persons present. The chair was taken by 'l'. Gregson, Esq., Mayor. Colonel Tnomesoer first addressed the meeting. He said to show the enormity of the corn-laws, to show their monstrous injustice, they might be compared to a law which should be passed to put an end to the wine trade with Portugal, in order that wine might be made from grapes grown in our hot houses at home. He said the thing was perfectly practicable, and would, no doubt, for a time work well for gardeners, joiners, and glaziers; but would the community stand it?— (Cries of " Hear, hear.") Yet the law for " the -protection of British industry" as it was called,— Laughter)—was jest such a law in effect. Such a law could not stand ; the agriculturists themselves began to see that, and were preparing to give up the game.—(hear, hear.) It was true, that a small knot of foolish men in Essex the other day made a feint of establishing a counter agitation to put down the-League; and, to show how much in earnest they were, *hey got one 501. towards it.—(Laughter.) But nothing had been heard of this Anti-Anti-Corn-law League since. If they have not given it up, they seem to be ashamed of their cause; and when people became ashamed, and began to despair of their cause, depend upon it that cause would not last long. Mr. COBDEN next came forward, and was received with loud cheers. After passing a high eulogium upcn Colonel 'Thompson, in this cause, whose efforts, he said, had been directed to the subject long before either he or his friends were alive to its importance, he said he did not come there to argue the question that night. He thought the people of Bolton, after the suffering, destitution, and misery to which they had been so recently subjected, did not want convincing of the impolicy of the corn-laws. Why no class of men, even those of a certain party;in politics, but had long ceased to believe that the corn-laws were for the good of trade. But then they had another reason for holding aloof from this agitation; and a few of them might be seen coming out of their mills when the question of repeal was proposed, and shaking their heads-- heads never very remarkable fur the quantity of brains in them (Lateihter)—and these men said, " Oh, it may be very well for us that the corn-laws should be repealed, it may snit the pur pose of those who have mill property, hut what is to become of the agriculturists ?"—( Laughter.) Now these were a fair sample of the sort of men, and their wisdom, who prided them selves on having stuck to their [arty and opposed repeal. These poor creatures had got a notion into their heads that it was im possible for all classes to prosper at once—they thought one class must of necessity flourish at the expense of another, and their saying was " turn and turn about."—( Laughter.) Why these men were absolutely to he pitied. The agriculturists, for whose benefit it was pretended the law was passed, were going a-head of these usen. ,The League had already the oldest and best families of the aiiseccracy, the largest and most wealthy landowners with them—the Fitzw illiams, the Spencers, the Ducies, the Bedfurds, the itaduors, and the Grosveners.— ( Cheers.) Yes, they had and would have the best of all classes with them ; they were fast flocking round their standard —every day brought with it an accession el strength ; and having obtained the assistance of such men as these, what need they care about the rest? Mr. Cobden wrnt on to speak of 'other topics, and addressed the meeting for nearly an hour, irequenay /elerrepted by loud and long-cuntinuest bursts of cheering. Mr. R. It. R. Mooax next addressed the meeting, detailing the proceedings of the League hitherto, and the course pro posed for the future. He concluded a powerful appeal to the meeting by showing the futility of all the attempts yet made to l • ounteract their agitation, from the calumnies of the press which attributed to them the turn-out in the manufacturing streriets of last year, (town to the nailing of their tracts on barn-(hors, and the burning isf them by a veracious clergyman in Isis church at Norwich, who declared to his congregation *. that they smelt of blood''—acts which, in-lead of answering the end intended, but stimulated licoplis's curiosity to read them.— ( Apjeause.) He then announced the following sub scriptions, as already received in Bolton, and as intended to beret the subscriptions in the room . Messrs. Callender, Bickham, and Cross (double their sub scription of last year), 2001. ; Alessrs. H. and E. Ashworth, 2001.; Messrs. J. R. Barnes and Son, iOO/. ; Messrs. Robert and Jos. Lord, 501. ; Mr. Thomas '1 homason, 1001.; Messrs. .Arrowsmith and Sons, 501.—Total, 700/. Subscriptions immediately began to flow in from the body of the Icons, and Mr. Moore announced the following : Messrs. J. Crook and Son, 50!. ; John Cutler (or Cotterill), Alarket-street, 21. ; Collected by ditto, I 2s. 6d. ; Joseph Had dock, I/. ; John Barnes, It. ; Baxter, Blackburn-street, I/. • Hervey and Southwark, Si. ; \Valiant Barlow, bs. ; Joseph Arrowsmith, 10/. ; .1. and J. Brierley, 1(0. ; Thomas Kirk bara, ss. ; James Shuttleworth 10s. ; George Mee, Ss. ; John Mitchell, Ss. ; and an immense Lumber of names put down for small sums. Sir. Moorsx announced at half-past ten o'clock that the subscription in the room had reached to 505/. 4s. 9d., making with the 700/. to head the list, a total of 1,205/. 4s. 9d. The anwiuncement was received with loud cheers. After votes of thanks to the Chairman and to the Deputa tion, the meeting separated. DARING BURGLARY. PLYMOUTH, WEDNESDAY, JAN. 3 —About two o'clock • this morning a dart„ burglary was committed on the premises 4 Mr. Richard Hicks, Nu. 2, Bilbury-street, in this town, - occupied by him in carrying on the business of wine and spirit pliar c hant . It appears that the office was closed and the doors premiseswere secured by the pers , :n charged with that stuty, about 'eight o'clock last night, who then left, as was ens ' tom!ity—mi'lartson Sleeping on the premises. At about two o'clock this Morning a noise was heard by an individual residing in Morley-street, which is near the back of the premises, such as would be occasioned by very Leavy blows on some substance capable of strong resistance, but. as ;his noise soon discon tinued, no further notice was taken of it by the neighbour. But this morning, on Mr. Hicks's servants proceeding to open • the premises,' it was at once perceived thatsome party or parties , bad entered them through a doer at the back, near Charles street, and then proceeded to the office, where an iron sate had been dislodged from the wall, where it had been fixed with masonry, and carried :away. On proceeding to the open yard behind the premises it was discovered that the iron safe bad been taken thither, and there broken to pieces by blows from a large stone, which was lying with the pieces, and its contents taken out and looked over, and a portion taken away. The safe contained a number of papers and a bill for 501., which became due thi, day, and cash iu notes, gold, and silver to the amount of 651. 16s. The papers and the bill remain, and were found strewed about near the mutilated safe, but the whole of the • cash is gone. The policeman on the beat in which the .premises are situate heard nothing whatever of the matter. It appears that it takes him upwards of one hour to go his rounds, the beat being an extensive one. No clue exists to trace the depredator or depredators, but the police are on the alert to discover them if possible. The manner in which this burglary wig, effected, shows that it was the work of a practitioner in sirch daring acts. It appears that it was first attempted to pick the lock of the street door—that, however, not succeeding, recourse was had to the back door, for the pur pose of gaining admission to the prori,es. Lying with the broken safe was found a Fair of thread gloves of dark colour, and a piece of wax candle, no doubt used to give light in se lecting from the contents of the safe, and then dropped. r-- --- --- - / v TUE ESC APE FROM NOTTINGFIAM GAOI 4....... We .. 41 '...) n from the police, just as we are going to press, that one --:-- •-,,,<,'; t e escaped conv i cts, or a person supposeil to be one, has _:4),4-m pprehended at a d istance from Nottingham of near l y ndred miles. 'Whitworth. the constable, has been dis _ .to prove th e man ' s identity. It is supposed to be Smith. R9Aam Sevicw. HE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EN ENING, JANUARY 5, 1844.' the late tariff, which it treats as an experiment in free trade. We fully concur in the beneficial effects assigned to the tariff, but we can !lot admit that that financial adjustment is to be considered as, in any respect, an experiment in free trade. The proof that it is not such an experiment, will be found in the fact that nearly all the important taxes reduced were taxes for revenue, not for protection. The tariff and the property tax are to be taken together as one great measure of financial reform — an approach to a more equitable distribution of the public burdens. As such they have operated most beneficially upon the home and colonial markets, and it is thus that they have restored manufacturing industry. If in truth the tariff is to be considered as an experiment in free trade, it is an experiment that has wholly failed ; for it has not procured the admission of a single yard of cotton or of one penknife into any country of the world upon terms more favourable than before. This the Times itself candidly admits, when it says that " so far as foreign tariffs are concerned, tile ' result has been, it must be owned, absolutely nothing." The tariff, however, has not failed ; it has most happily succeeded in contribut ing to our present prosperity and in opening the road, as we firmly believe, to still greater prosperity hereafter; but it has not failed, because it was not an experiment in free trade. As to the foreign tariffs, we are per haps unpatriotic in saying that we are no proper judges of their wisdom or folly, for your perfect patriot has no charity for the patriotism of the natives of other countries. There are, however, certain general principles of which we ought not to lose sight in pronouncing upon the acts of our neighbours ; and one o f these principles is, that an enlightened and liberal self-love is as commendable in Governments as it is pardonable in individuals. NEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT As the meeting of Parliament is now near a baud, the public will naturally look for some ac count of the new houses in which the future des tinies of the country are to be discussed. The present aspect of the works affords, it is true, no indication of the time when their com pletion may be expected, but from the great ac tivity which prevails in every department, and from the present state of the shell or exterior walls of the building, it may be inferred that about the one-half of entire work, preparatory to the interior fittings and decorations, has been com pleted. The whole river front now assumes an imposing appearance, being carried up uniformly to the height of two full stories above the basement of the building. The whole length of this exten sive front is embellished by innumerable heraldic ornaments, niches, figures, royal ciphers, scrolls, and by the richest mouldings and tracery of the most florid style which distinguishes the Gothic architecture. Considerable progress has lately been made with the north and south extremities of the building, where it is intended to erect the Victoria and clock towers. These:extremities, which ex tend at right angles to the river front, have been carried up to about the same height as the river front itself. In general terms, therefore, it may be said, that the whole exterior shell of the building, comprising the river front and the wings at each end, are . completed to the height of two stories, or about 50 feet above the surface of the ground. The space comprised between the two wings, and bounded by the main range of building, will be occupied by numerous courts and cross ranges of building, to be appropriated as the dwelling-houses and offices of the officials connected with the establishment. This portion of the work is eonsiderably in arrear of the main part of the building, being built to a height not generally exceeding 14 or 16 feet. With regard to the execution of the work, the most superficial observer must be struck with the regularity and precision which pervade its most minute portions. Although the whole establishment of labour, capital, and machinery can only be looked upon as temporary, yet the combination and division of labour are here pushed to as high perfection as in those enduring establishments of manufacturing industry which have excited the wondering admiration of the world. The mechanical arts minister here in a thousand ways which ten years ago were quite unthought of; iron railroads, of excellent construction, laid not only on the ground, but high up in the air, serve for the easy conveyance of stone, mortar, bricks, and other materials to all parts of the building. Powerful machines, termed " travelling cranes," with nu merous wheels for multiplying power, traverse these railroads, carrying, suspended from their huge frames, large stones, often weighing many tons, and the stones, when lowered from these cranes, are carried off in trucks to the inmost parts of the complicated building. Each stone bears upon it some distinguishing mark to indi cate the allotted place in the structure, so that no confusion arises in the disposal of them. The proximity of the building to the river affords unusual facilities for the delivery of the lime, sand, stone, and other materials, and nu merous barges, containing these stores,, are con stantly being discharged of their cargoes at the long embankment in front of the building. The space between the river and the front of the building affords a convenient depot for the stones, &c., thus brought to the work. Nearer still to the building a long range of covered sheds extends the whole length ; here great numbers of masons are employed in dressing and fa shioning the stones into the immense variety of forms required by the peculiarly rich and decorative style of architecture which has been adopted. About twenty feet above the . ground, where the stones are thus prepared, is erected a railroad for the travelling cranes to work upon, and by their means the stones are placed upon the trucks, and are thus conveyed upon cross-railroads to their ultimate destination. The mode of dressing the stones deserves par ticular notice, being highly interesting, and a considerable improvement upon the old practice. 1i 'hen intricate forms had to be cut out in stone work, it was usual to construct what were called " wooden templets" or moulds, which were made of several pieces, and which the mason in working the stone applied to the va rious planes or faces in order to fashion it to the required form. These figures are now cut out of sheet zinc, on which they are first drawn with geometrical accuracy. These zinc plates, representing innumerable varieties of deviced mouldings, are laid upon the stones, when the figures are traced out, and the stone cut away to the exact form of the zinc pattern. The tools employed by the masons, some of them rivalling in delicacy and finish the imple ments of the sculptor; the machinery invented by Dr. Spurgin for raising mortar, bricks, &c., to the upper stories ; the application of hoop iron to produce a " bond" in those walls which are composed of brickwork ; the iron " gird ers " for supporting the floors, so as to render the building fire-proof; by dispensing with the use of inflammable substances; the pecu liarly scientific scaffolding, so widely different from the common method of scaffolding, by poles and ropes; and a variety of other ingenious ap pliances, are scarcely less calculated to excite admiration, than the concentration of genius and artistical skill displayed by the architect himself in designing the structure. All the principal part of the building which is not purely decorative is composed of the stone termed in geology " magnesian limestone," which prevails extensively in this country, as one of the lower members of the new red sandstone forma tion. The mineralogical character of this stone is that of a silicious grit, united by a highly chrystalline calcareous cement. Its texture is firm and tough, the particles being closely ag gregated and finely wedged together, so that there is every probability that it will effectually resist the variable action of the atmosphere. It is procured in large quantities from quarries at Bolsover Moor, in Derbyshire, and Huddlestone and Anstone, in Yorkshire. When moist from the quarry this stone is of a yellowish brown colour, and works well under the tool of the mason. When dry, however, its colour is much more delicate;and it acquires an additional hard- ness. Some of the very ornamental parts of the work are composed of the Bath oolite, procured from Painswiek and other places in the neighbourhood of Bath. The stone, though differing considerably from the magnesian limestone in a mineralogical character, having less adhesion amongst its parti cles, and consequently less touFhness, appears well adapted for elaborate decorations, in consequence of its fine and uniform grain, beauty of surface, and the readiness with which it may be worked. The limestone, however, appears to be much inure extensively employed, even for decorative purposes, than the Bath stone, which was once so great a favourite, arid, judging from the present sound appearance of every block to be seen upon the works, there is every reason to suppose that the test of time will amply justify the high recommendations rbestowed - ursonit by — Sit 11 - . - De hil3eche and the other Commissioners appointed to select the stone for this great national edifice. - --- The Pukc of Grafton has resigned the: Lord Lieu tenancy of this county, the duties of which his 4ge and infirmi ties have disabled his Grace from executing. It i. generally believed that Earl Jermyn will succeed to the. office.—Bury Post. LAW INTELLIGENCE. INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT, Jan. 4. IN RE JAMES EDWARD MIVART, THE YOUNGER. The insolvent, whose case has been already partly repotted in The Sun, came up this day for his final hearing. On the last occasion the hearing:was adjourned, to compel him to re-adver tise and describe himself by the name of Rolles, resident at Upper Clapton. Mr. CRESSWELL stated that the insolvent was the son of the proprietor of a well-known hotel in Brook-street, Grosvenor square, and had contracted debts to the amount of nearly 6,0001. He (Mr. Cressw ell) appeared on behalf of several creditors, to pray the Court would now pass judgment upon the insolvent. Mr. Spinks. of Upper Clapton, whose evidence has already appeared in The Sun at length, attended again this day, but stated no further circumstances worthy of notice. The insolvent having been sworn, The Learned CHIEF COMMISSIONER. said the insolvent came before the Court to be discharged for debts amounting to 5,9001., of which the greater part was without consideration. He had been already before the Court, when he was discharged from a large amount of debts, and, on that taking place, his father,' who was a most respectable and estimable man, kindly did all in his power to put an end to the foolish and reckless course which was pursued by the insolvent, and allowed him 2001. a year, with the run of his house, where, it was well known, all his wants would be well and even luxuriously sup • plied. Not cont ent with this, the insolvent, in an incredibl y aceofti t tmeh contracted debts to the amount of nearly e slightest prospect of his being ever able 6stol:l3poratoyl7; witliou hem, from every tradesman whom he could delude into giving him credit. if such conduct were not marked by a strong sense of disapprobation on the part of the Court, he thought it would be an insult to public justice. The sentence upon the insolvent therefore was, that he be imprisoned for eight months from the date of the vesting order. The insolvent was then removed in custody. WINTER ASSIZES. CHESTER, Wednesday, Jan. 3. THE HIGH LEIGH BURGLARS. Thomas Riley, Richard Holbrook, and Joseph Holbrook, weavers, were placed at the bar, charged with having on the 14th day of October last burglariously entered the dwelling house of one Lettice Widders, at High Leigh, and stolen there from 50 sovereigns, her moneys. This burglary, as will appear by the evidence, was of the most atrocious description, per petrated in the middle of the night by armed men, with blackened faces, under circumstances of almost unparalleled atrocity. The Attorney-General, with whom was Mr. Trafford, ap peared for the prosecution ; Mr. Temple conducted the de fence tor the prisoners Richard and Joseph Holbrook, and Mr. Yardley appeared for the prisoner Riley. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL, in stating the case, said, the prosecutrix was a widow, of the name of Lettice Widders, who lived at High Leigh. On the night of the 14th of October last her house was burglariously entered by persons armed with pistols, who on being surprised by the inmates had used threats and intimidations of a fearful nature, such as would be detailed by the evidence which be was about to call. In endeavouring to affix the guilt to the parties concerned, the prosecutor had been obliged to resort to the evidence of one of the prisoners' accomplices as an approver. Of course, it would he unneces. sary to say, from the character of that witness, that his testi mony should be received with caution, he being, as would be elicited, no doubt, by the cross-examination, a confirmed thief. Lettice Widders, the prosecutrix, was then called, and she deposed that she lived at High Leigh, and when she went to bed on the night in question, she left the house perfectly secure. About one or two o'clock in the morning she was awoke by a noise in the buttery. The prisoners, when they were disco vered, called out for their pistols, which they then presented to me and my servant-man. 111 y man fled from the prisoners, but found they had fastened the front door outside. The thieves had effected an entrance by taking out a window, and then had burst open the door of the buttery, and entered the room where the witness was. The witness continued—They bad all black ened faces, and they said, "Do you know us?" They then asked for money, and I said I had not got any. They said they knew me of old, and I had got some. They said they would shoot us, and my man, being much frightened, said he had got nine sovereigns up stairs, and he would give them to them. Two of the men then went up stairs with him, and the other two remained down stairs with me. One of the men began to break the locks of the drawers, and to destroy . my goods with a poker. They found any money, which was in a box, and then they handed me up to bed, step by step. They took and ate even a few apples there were. (The witness, who was somewhat advanced in years, at this part of the recital, lost all self-composure, and repeatedly railed with indignation at the prisoners at the bar for the injuries she bad received. The Learned Judge recommended her to avoid unnecessary excitement, when the evidence was continued.) I remained in bed until the robbers had left, and my money was taken away. Cross-examined by 11r. TEMPLE—I became exceedingly alarmed. I really could not tell from fright what happened. By Mr. YARDLEY—I cannot say I knew any of the prison ers at that time. Peter Street examined —Was servant to the last witness. Remembered the night in question when the house was broken open. Was awoke between one and two o'clock by a noise in the buttery. Looked through the roof, and saw men with blackened faces ; asked them what they were doing there, when they pointed their pistols to the place whence his voice pro ceeded. He then put the slate on the hole whence he was looking. He went down stairs and tried the front door, but found it fastened on the outside. As soon as he got to the door, he turned his head round, and saw the men following him. They said, if he did not sit down and be quiet, they would blow his brains out. They asked him if he had any money, and he replied " No." They told him if he did not im mediately deliver what he had, they would shoot him. They asked his mistress for her money also, and whether he or his mistress knew them. They said they did not. They brought down a sickle afterwards. Their faces were blackened all over. Two of the men went up stairs with him into the bed-room. They took 9/. from him. He did not know any of them at lot time. He had seen one of them since the robbery ; it was Kerfoot, the approver. As soon as he saw him, he said he was one. There were two sickles in the bed-room. One was brought down and put into the fire. His mistress asked them what that was for, when one of them took out the sickle, and shook it over his mistress's head. It appeared very hot. He saw them take the money out of his mistress's box. They afterwards broke open some drawers and a desk. They got hold of some silver spoons, and one of them said, " Put them down, they are marked." One of them made a prayer upon his knees, and said, " There, we shall do now ; we will not come again this year, but shall the next;" and said, while on his knees, " The Lord have mercy on your two souls." A handful of ashes was then thrown into his eyes. When they went away, they . told him what he had to expect if he offered any alarm or resistance; that they would leave two men at the door with the ,pistols, who would turn upon them and kill them both. Ralph Kerfoot, the approver, was then sworn, and said-1 know the prisoners at the bar. I have known the Holbrooks from children, and Riley about five years. I went with them on the 14th of October from a public-house in Bridge-street, soon after nine o'clock. John, Joseph, and Richard Holbrook, and Thomas Riley, started with me to go to High Leigh. We went to a house that John Holbrook had arranged to rob. We arrived about eleven o'clock at the house where Mrs. Widders lives, and they then consulted which was back est way to enter. W es, entered by a small window at the of the house. After that we fastened the door of the adjoining h ouse with a o think, a thick stick. Riley then fastened the fc r front faces dooran d, Widders' house. We then blacked our as l l Mrs. o f ri e blacking which we had bought. John ea with Hol brook came to us, and said somebody was going by, so that we desisted for a little time. Riley then, who had a chisel, struck out a pane of glass, and wrenched the window open. We broke some iron bars which were across the window. Riley got in first, myself next, and then the Holbrooks. John Holbrook remained outside to watch. Riley m a d e a great noise by jumping upon a mug, which aw o k e M rs . Widders. The m an above said " Where's my gun ?" There was a hole in the room floor, and I thought some one was going to shoot down. We cried out " Get your pistols ready." They then broke open the door into the house, and found Mrs. Widders and the servant trying to make their escape from frit fr..nt door. We went to them, and demanded their money. They at first said they had none, but we said we knew they had, and we were determined to have it. At that time Rile) put a sickle into the fire which he had found. Joseph Holbrook and Riley then broke open the drawers. I then took the sickle out of the fire. Riley then went up to the old woman and said, that if she did not find the money in two minutes he would blow her brains out. We had two pistols, but I do not know whether they were loaded or not. Joseph Holbrook gave me the pistol when he went up stairs to open the drawers. 'The servant then said he had a trifle, and Richard Holbrook and Riley went up stairs with him, leaving myself and Joseph down s t a irs. We then all went up. I discovered a box, and went round and pulled it out from under the bed. Riley broke open the box, and found a purse with 42 sovereigns, 4/. or 5/. in silver, and a watch. Some silver spoons, also, which I had in my hand, I was told by them to put down, as they were marked. Riley went down stairs, and returned with some ashes, knelt down , and , as I understoo d him, said, "Ma y the Lord have mercy on your souls," and then threw the ashes to wards the young man's face, and said, " Come, now we shall do." We went down stairs, and struck off for the direction of the river, and then divided the money, and each received his share, some 101. and a few shillings each. Riley threw the watch into the river. We then ft.und a boat moored on the river, which we took, and passed over to the Lancashire side of the river. The three Holbrooks went towards home. Riley and myself went to Manchester. The dark lantern was pur chased by John and Richard Holbrook. I gave Joseph 91. 14s. of my money, because I was going home, and was afraid of my wife seeing it. Joseph Holbrook told me that he had thrown my money into the river. He told me, also, that he had given it to hie wife, but when in Bridewell he said he had thrown it into the river. Cross-examined by Mr. TEMPI.E—i did not keep my share of the money. I was taken up on the 22d of October. I was tired of the line of life I was leading, that was the reason why I turned approver. I thought it would be a means of breaking us up. I was never in gaol before, or ever caught. I have a very good-will towards the prisoners. I have never quar relled with any of them. By Mr. YARDLEY.--I am a power-loom weaver by trade. I have not done an honest day's work these three months. I have been concerned in four burglaries, and one attempt. I cannot recollect whether I have been concerned in any high way robberies, or other offences. Mary Houghton deposed t o sellin g a dark-lantern to two men on the day in question, but c ould not identif y them. Mary Gibbon s e xamined — I ke e p a sho p at Lutchford, and sold some blacking on the 14th of October, a half-penny worth, to a man of the name of Thomas Riley. Cross. examined by Mr. YARDLEY----1. will swear solemnly that the prisoner Riley is the man. William Walton, the owner of a boat on the river, de posed to finding his boat on the Lancashire, instead of the Cheshire , side of the river, where he had moored it. John Yates knew Nerfoot, and saw him with Riley in Man chester the morning after the robbery, and thought from their looks that they had been up all night. James Irwin, a constable, arrested Richard Holbrook. Went to his father's, and found two pieces of cord, which corre sponded with that with which the doors of Mrs. Widders' and the adjoining house had been fastened. James Jones, a deputy-constable at Warrington, on being sworn, said—l apprehended Kerfoot and Riley. The prisoner Riley said he had not been in Warrington since 1839, nor had he seen Kerfoot for five months. Riley said in my hearing that he w o uld no t mind giving 10/ . to somebod y who could pull them through the job. Riley said to me, as I was con veying him along, s. Weil, Jones, what is your opinion? had we better not plead guilty ?' It is a good job we are stopped, for had we gone on much longer, murder would have been the result. It has been suggested by one of our party that we should strike parties on the temple, so as to make them insensible." David Willis, policeman, on his examination said—The two Holbrooks admitted to me that they had done the High Leigh robbery. The evidence given by this witness in every respect corroborated the evidence of Jones as to the confession of the prisoner Riley. This was the case for the prosecution. ._Mr. TEMPLE, for the prisoners Holbrook, laboured hard to prove an alibi. Witnesses were called, but they did not at all strengthen the defence. Mr. YARDLEY also addressed the jury for the prisoner Riley, after which The ATTORNEY-G ENERA L replied. The Learned Juno F. summed the case up very elaborately, recapitulating most minutely the evidence that had been of fered, when The jury returned a verdict of Guilty. The Learned JUDGE, after commenting upon the heinousness of the offence, sentenced them to be severally transported for eighteen years. John 1) ckenin was indicted for an abominable offence. The evidence was of such a disgusting nature as to preclude the possibility of publication.--He was acquitted, CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT. OLD COURT. Orrow, 29, pot-boy, was charged with burglariously breaking and entering the divelling-shouse of Thomas Sproston, and stealing two gold watches, a silver watch, a Si. Bank of England note, and other articles, value 301., the property of the prosecutor. Mr. Payne conducted the pro-ecution, and Mr. Wilkins de fended the prisoner. From the evidence adduced in support of the prosecution, it appeared that on the 15th of December the house of the pro secutor, the Rising Sun, Princes-street i Lambeth, was broken into, and the property mentioned in the indictment stolen therefrom. A strong suspicion was created that the ri hbery must have been committed by some person well acquainted with the premises, but the prisoner, who was employed by the prosecutor as pot-boy, was not at all comidered as the guilty party. Eventually, however, he was taken into custody, and a man named Spirey came forward, and stated that the prisoner had urged hint to assist in robbing his master's house, and had proposed that he should be concealed in the house before it was closed for the night, and that he should then take all the property that came within his reach. The whole ease for the prosecution rested upon the evidence of the man Spirey, and another named Cowing, who deposed that after the rob bery had been committed he was present when the prisoner Orrow came to a public-house where •he was, and told him to sell Spirey or his friend, that he, the prisoner, and a man who went by the sobriquet of 4 . Kiddy," were suspected of eommitting the robbery at the prosecutor's house, and that the police were after them. The witness Spirey in cress-examination said that he had himself been in custody upon a charge of burglary, and had often been in prison upon other charges, soil it appeared very clear that his character was of such a descriptitei as to require that his evidence should receive material corroberation. The only circumstance in support of the evidence of this witness, however, was that a screw-driver was found in the prisoner's cupboard, which corresponded with the marks on the bureau from whence a portion of the property had been abstracted. Mr• WILKINS addressed the jury, and commented in severe terms upon the character and conduct of the witness Spirey, concluding by calling upon them not to give credit to testi mony of such a description. The Jury returned a verdict of Not Guilty. Josiah Langan, 29, carpenter, was charged with cutting and wounding T. Pike, with intent to do him grievous bodily harm. Mr. Clarkson defended the prisoner. It appeared that the prosecutor was with his wife at Rattle bridge on the 27th of December, and the latter having stopped for a moment to look into a shop, the prisoner, who was intoxi cated, came up to her, and putting his arm round her waist, made ear of some offensive expression towards her. The pro secutor upon hearing his wife give an alarm came to her assist ance, and a scuffle took place between him and the prisoner, during which he received some injury, which was, however, of a trifling description. The weapon with which it was inflicted, a screw driver, was found in the possession of the prisoner. The Jury found the prisoner guilty of an assault, and ac quitted him of the felony. The prosecutor recommended the prisoner to mercy, and he was sentenced to one month's imprisonment. The Grand Jury were discharged in the course of the afternoon. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. ( YESTE RDA Y.) A/ANS/WV-I/O USE. The LORD MAYOR upon taking the Chair directed that the officers appointed to attend to the immediate vicinity of St. Paul's, should appear to answer for having permitted a most disgraceful contest between the conductors of omnibuses there on the preceding day for a passenger. He hail been informed that notwithstanding the strict injunctions which he had but a few days ago given, that omnibus and cab obstructioes should in no instance be allowed to pass unnoticed by the police, a laxity in the discipline, commenced with so much activity, had already appeared in the street. He had heard that the drivers had relapsed in some parts of the great thoroughfares into their old practice of loitering, and he could not ascribe such disobedience to the orders which had been issued to any thing but the remissness of the police. He should, there fore, make the policemen in each district responsible to the public, and cause the dismissal of such of them from the force as neglected so important a duty, by immediate applica tion to the Commissioner. His Lordship also took occasion to observe that the contract to which he had on Tuesday last re ferred, with respect to the work of the scavanger, did not seem to be acted upon even since the exposure of its frequent violation had taken place. He called the attention of Major Shaw, the Superintendent, to the latter tact, and said he should expect that a copy of the contract which was on Wed nesday published in the newspapers, and which contained in detail the specific direction, would be pasted up at every station house, so that the policeman of every district might make him self acquainted with the duties which the scavengers had to perform, and summon such of them as neglected to do what the contract pointed out. It would not be imposing an onerous duty upon the force, as the men could easily ascertain whether the scavengers a' tended to sweep the stree's in the several localities at the hour specified in the paper. The Superintendent said he would take care that a copy of the contract should be put up in every station-house, and that the men should he ordered to summons those who neglected to perform the terms of the contract before the Commissioners of Sewers. His Loanstnir added that he had no doubt of the determi nation of the Commissioners of Sewers to inflict the penalties ennmerated in tke contract, which was as binding as an Act of Parliament. Mr. Grainger, the owner of several cabs, was called upon by a cab-driver, named Ettridge, to answer a complaint under rather singular circumstances. Between two and three months ago Ettridge wasbrought before ' the Lord Mayor upon the complaint of one of the officers of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, who stated that the driver hail driven a horse upon whose shoulder s and back there were sores. A fine of 40s. was demanded upon the conviction of the driver, who preferred, at all events, the alternative of confinement in a prison for fourteen days, and was accordingly committed. The driver, it appeared, had, upon entering the service of Mr. Grainger, subscribe,l to a written agreement, by which it was settled that the master should retain in his possession the license of the driver as secu rity for the payment of 12s. a day for the use of the cab and horse, and the license lay in the master's desk for the sum of 3/. 195., due in accordance with the condition of the instrument at the time the summons was applied for. Ettridge obtained the summons for the detention of his license upon the repre sentation that as he had suffered the penalty in its most grievous shape for having driven a horse which, whatever might be its condition, had been supplied to him by his master, he had an unquestionable claim to his license, denying at the same time that the debt to his master was more than four shillings, which, when offered once, he had rejected. Ettridge stated that he went into the e mployment of Mr. Grainger last April, and subsequently signed the agreement alluded to, dated the 25th of September. He was afterwards charged with having driven a horse with a sore hack, and im prisoned for the time stated. Upon coming out of prison he again went into the service of Sir. Grainger, but on Tuesday week he left it, having received notice to go. On Thursday he applied for his license, but he could obtain no satisfaction, and he could not get employment without being able to pro duce that authority. The Loan MAYOR said it was a question whether an Act of Parliament which was made for the public did not altogether destroy the effect of an agreement which appeared to have been made in contravention of it. The tendency of the agreement seemed to him to be incompatible with the spirit of the Act. The solicitor to Sir. Grainger said that at all the police courts agreements of the kind were recognised, and, in fact, if they were not, the owners of cabs could not conduct their busi ness at all. He then quoted the 6th and 7th Victoria, cap. Sb, sec. 23, which says—" Provided always, and be it enacted that it shall not be lawful, either in any court of law, or before any justice of the peace,, to enforce the payment of any sum of money claimed from any driver or conductor by any pro prietor on account of the earnings of any hackney carriage or metropolitan stage carriage, unless under an agreement in writing, which shall have been signed by such driver or con ductor," &c. &e. The driver, he said, had acted very badly, and it appeared from the summons, upon the hearing of whis,h he had been imprisoned, that it was for cruelty to the horse that he had been punished. The Loan MAYOR asked whether the driver had, upon coming out o f prison, signed a now agreement ? The driver replied that he had not. The Loan Maroit then said that whether the agreement which had been signed was or was nut rec o ncil a bl e with the Act of Parliament, he considered that the imp risonm ent the driver had undergone was such a cessation from work as to constitute a virtual discharge, and therefore, after he came out of prison, no fresh agreement having been signed by him, he was entitled to his license. His Lordship added that he had observed, from the conduct of the driver, that he merited but a very small share of indulgence, and that he was bound to make reparation for the loss sustained by his master, who, upon his part, if he took care to enforce the Act of Parliament in its true spirit, would, to a clear certainty, get better servants. W S HIP-STILE E7'. Yesterday a tall, powerful man, named Patrick Cannel!, ap parently a bricklayer, was charged before Mr. Bingham with cutting open the head of a youth, named William White, with a tailor's iron, called a " vose," and thereby endangering Iris life. The offence was fully proved, but it appeared that the pri soner's intellects were considered to be affected. The object of the prisoner's rage, who is a slender youth of 15 years of age, was ghastly pale, and so ill that it was with considerable difficulty he could support himself while giving his evidence. Mr. Courtney, the surgeon, described the injury as a very severe scalp-wound of great extent, and said it was altogether a truly wonderful escape from death. The prisoner, of whose insanity there cannot he the remotest doubt,—as the unhappy man sometimes displayed the most apathetic indifference and at others the greatest violence, and for one half of the day was singing and shouting gaily, and for the other was on his knees devoutly praying,—made in his de fence an incoherent and unintelligible harangue, and Mr. Ilixcua 31 fully committed him to Nevrgate for trial, leaving it to a jury to determine the queAion of his sanity. LA BETH- S7l E E 7'. Last evening, after the numerous night charges had been disposed of by Mr. Norton, Nehemiah Shakspeare, a middle aged man, who had been upwards of seven years resident engi neer at the Lambeth waterworks, and who while in that situa tion enjoyed a handsome salary, was brought into Court and charged by Air. Johnston, the principal in the firm of Johnston and Co., of Gloucester-street, Counnerc'alroatl, with having wilfully and maliciously caused the bursting of a steam-boiler on his premises on Tuesday morning last, by which the lives of upwards of 70 individuals were placed in the most imminent danger, and property to a considerable amount. destro3ed. An account of this explosion appeared in Ihe Sets of Wednesday. It appeared from the evidence of Mr. It. Johnston, that the accused had been engaged by him as engineer at a salary of 28s. a week. The accused had been engaged in preparing a slide for the engine, and witness thinking that he was slow in executing the job, told him that if he did not wish to do it to say so at once, and he would find somebody else to finish it. The prisoner made no particular obnrvations in reply ; he, however, finished the job on Monday. On Tuesday, the morning of the explosion, witness went into the engine room and saw nothing amiss. The witness described the manner in which the engine was supplied with water, for the purpose of proving that with ordinary rate all tie tangement from deficiency of water might be avoided. After witness had gone from the engine-house to the ware house he was alarmed by a violent rusts of steam into the latter place, about ten minutes to 9 o'clock. The witness then de scribed the effects produced by the explosion of the boi...er. When he first saw the prisoner afterwards he was standing by the side of the boiler in the yard. Witness said, " Well, Shakspeare, you have done a pretty thing," and observing that he was smiling at the lime, and instead of exhibiting the slightest grief or regret at what had happened, seemed to enjoy it as a good joke. Witness, addressing a friend who was with him at the time, said. " Look at the old villain, he has got a smile upon his countenance ;" and his only answer was, " No, 1 have not." While witness was in conversation with Mr. Good, a cigar manufacturer, the prisoner was about to leave the SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS. FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY. GLOBE.—Some men are born to fame ; others gradually work their way upward from obscurity to distinction ; a few burst upon the astonished vision of their contemporaries, M and become the " observed of all observers." r. Alderman-Churchwarden Gibbs is of the latter class. The fame of this worshipful and worthy civic functionary has travelled far and wide. The press has largely chronicled his feats. Punch has burlesqued his punctuality, skill, and fidelity, as a keeper of cash-accounts pertaining to public busine,s. The Court of Chancery will shortly record, if it do not confirm, his claims to the unlimited and enduring respect and confi dence of the citizens of London, and exhibit him as the model after which all public officers should endeavour to form their habits. These, it is true, are perishable records—memorials which may be obliterated from the public mind by the action of passing events upon it ; and thus injustice be done to the now acknowledged merits of Mr. Alderman-Churchwarden Gibbs. The Rev. Dr. Croly, the Rector of St. Ste phen's, Walbrook, the parish of which the Alderman is Churchwarden, has prevented the occurrence of au event so much to be deprecated. The waters of Lethe would be inoperative in pro ducing obliviousness of Alderman-Churchwarden Gibbs' name and achievements. Dr. Croly has secured to this distinguished character immor tality among mortals. The man may die—the memory of the functionary will survive the tomb. Dr. Croly has rendered a monument unneces sary ; or, if the customary marble record of the living merits be placed over his remains, the most appropriate inscription would be in extracts from the speech of the Reverend Doctor at the. vestry meeting of yesterday. The mira culous achievement of " the select"—wrought iu the presence of Dr. Croly, .on the 22d ult. when they did the work of weeks in a few minutes—is hit off with a felicity of description truly graphic. The precautions taken against interruption, by planting police-officers at the church doors, and the Alderman's " foolish son John" at the inner door, which was also locked • against intruders; while the self-chosen and ap proved select assembled in the vestry-room, with the sextoness standing without, her back to and in contact with the locked door, 1 to defend the sanctorum of the self-con stituted body—the difficulties which the Rev. Doctor encountered and- surmounted in gaining entrance to this scene of parochial hocus pocus— the endeavours lie used to convince the Wal brook Magi of the inutility of the performance in which they were engaged—the rapid progresS of the proceedings—and their gratifying result to Mr. Alderman-Churchwarden Gibbs—all these are sketched by the hand of a master. They constitute'bUt the back-ground of the picture— the mere attendants on the chief personage; and are introduced to give effect to the piece. A full length figure of the hero is exhibited—paintedin a style of ; art which, for the fidelity of the likeness, commands, and will obtain, general admiration. The Rey: Doctor supplies a companion-picture to that already given of Alderman Gibbs, in the character of Trustee of St. George the Martyr Apprenticeship legacy. The guinea legacy left by some pious parishioner of days long since joined to the years before the flood, to be paid to the Minister of St. Stephen's for preaching a sermon on Good Friday, had passed into Alder man Gibbs' keeping, as perpetual churchwarden; whence, with considerable difficulty, it was extricated, and the arrears of eight years— the whole period of Dr. Croly's incumbency —paid. Whether Doctor Croly's predeces sor was equally successful in obtaining the pious legacy may •be doubted. Alderman-Church warden Gibbs' eighteen years' unaudited aecounts with the" parish, when printed and published, will probably give a satisfactory explanation of this, and many other parochial mysteries, which have been long concealed, but will be then made manifest. Alluding to the worthy functionary's skill in keeping the pariShioners out of their church, Dr. Croly, by a flight of genius, assumes that Alderman Gibbs would make an excellent Governor of Newgate. His arrange ments for keeping the prisoners in gaol would, it is thought, be as effectual as those employed for keeping the parishioners out of church : " He would make a capital Governor of New gate, with the wards as a provision for the minor branches of his family, and, perhaps, the Trea surership of the Sheriffs' Fund (!) to complete the recreations of his cell." The following allu sions are too plain to be mistaken, and too admonitory to the body to which they are addressed to fail of their effect :—" It is no matter to me if the livery of London will harness themselves to his chariot or his sledge— if the Corporation hold out to him their embrace, shape themselves into a select vestry, and make him their perpetual church warden—(Laughte r) —if the Board of Aldermen take him into their boat, and take their chance of the navigation— (Cheers) —if the Mansion-house feel the weight of his footsteps, and place him in its tribunal— (Cheers and laughter)—l care not. But when I am told, ' VC by trouble yourself about so unim portant a personage ?' the true answer is, that he is not an unimportant personage." We have said that Dr. Croly by his speech of yesterday has immortalised Mr. Alderman Gibbs. He has done so ; but in a style which has effectually barred his way to the attainment of higher civic distinction. After such an exhibition of Mr. Alderman Gibbs as Dr. Croly has supplied, the Livery of London would be as likely to return to the Court of Aldermen, as a fit and proper person to fill the office of Lord Mayor for the ensuing year, one who had been a " surveyor of the pavements," as the Alderman who now stands next upon the list. The thing is impossible. STANDARD. -- The Times has to-day an article upon the state and prospects of manu factures, with most of the propositions of which, as well as .with its general conclusion, we entirely agree. It is quite true, as our Con temporary asserts, that " employment in the great manufacturing business of this country is be coming more the staple employment of her people, and the prosperity of her manufacture more and inure the staple prosperity of the empire." No less true, and much more gratifying, is it that at present " the return of the state of manufactures is not imply favourable but highly encouraging." From these truths many useful and important inferences may be drawn. First, that the pur suit. which thus advances in absorbing the employment of the capital at the country — for without absorbing the capital it cannot engross the employment—has certainly suf fered no undue depression under the exist ing state of the law; secondly, we must add with pain, that this progress of manuflic tures is not necessarily accompanied by any improvement of the labouring classes, either as its cause or its consequence. Indeed, we see enough to demonstrate that even an infi nite increase of manufactures would not and could not permanently improve the condition of those classes ; it would merely lead to larger investments of capital, and fiercer com petition among capitalists ; while the wages and condition of the labourer must remain the same, or, if possible, suffer a depression from the influence of competition—for the profits of capital must be returned, whoever is to be the sufferer. One can imagine the ease of a society, composed of a single employer, and a population of slaves, employed in manufactures ; what would the population of slaves gain by any amount of increased demands upon the employer, if it should not be increased toil ? But let us advance a step further, and suppose three or tour employers, with a like increase of demand, what would the working population gain ? Would they not be made worse, by the com petition of these three or four employers, each arrxious to obtain as much of the increased demand as possible, and each, therefore, trying to underbid his competitors, which lie couid do only by underpaying his labourers ? But the number of employers is, with us, unlimited, and in the event of a greater demand for goods, it would increase in a ratio far beyond the augmented demands, thus still more severely grinding the working class; for it cannot be too often repeated, that the competi tion which must ever exist in such a case will be a competition to produce at the lowest price, i. e., at the lowest rate of wages. It must be, how ever, the less necessary to press this considera tion, because we have seen the experiment tried by a thirty years' proof, and the result is, that OD the whole wages decline as manufacturing ex ports multiply. The second inference Which we draw from the premises furnished above by the Times, is the precarious nature of the pros perity based upon manufacturing - success. The present prospects of manufacturers are " not simply favourable, but highly encouraging." This is a relative commendation ; it implies that lately the prospects of manufacturers were not flivourable nor encouraging, but the reverse; and, indeed, our Contemporary distinctly admits as much in the introductory part of the sen tence partially quoted. • The prosperity of the empire and the happiness of the people, how ever, are surely not safely . committed to a purs suit subject to such violent fluctuations. As to the labouring classes, indeed, their condition varies but little, for the melancholy reason, that scarcely at any time can it be made worse than it is at all times. Our respected Contemporary proceeds to ascribe the improved condition of manufacturing industry to the operation of •yari, ant Witness toll him he sl-.ould not leave the place, and that he (wittiegsj i-,•puld give i hirc into custody. The prisoner merely replied, " I very we,:?"ond requested he would allot' him to go lunge for his jacket. Witness cermined him to go as he requested, expecting of cotrite that he WOUit: come back, but witness saw nothing of him ft , rat that time until thii Morn ing, when he came to the premises and witness then sent for a constable and gave him into custody. When he saw the policeman he laughed. Finding he prisoner had kept out of the ista,y, ttitness had called at thc. , prisoner's lodgings, and left. word, its fit wits hot at. haute, that finless he came forward wit ness would send a pilliteritatt after him. John Williams said ho had betn employed in assisting the prisoner in finishing the slide for me ettgifte, and on Monday night he had occasion to get upon the top of the boiler, and finding that there was no water in tt, he, addressitig the priso ner, said, " lrllott there's no water in the boiler;'' upon which he replied, " No, I :Itould think not." On Tuesday morning, a little before ten he (witness) was in the saw-house, when the prisoner cssne itt there and went past him, and was returning, when tl , l explosion Wok place. At the time the prisoner exclaimed, " Oh ! what's that ?" and the witness replied, " It's the holler that's burst, and you must Ittimiv it is." In reply to a ques'inn from Mr. John tun, the witness Said that on Monday the stoker tried the cocks in front of the boiler, WI P.m(' there NN as no water oil. The prisoner declared be could not account in arty ray for the accident, but was satiAed b. was not for want of a good supply of water. lie further said tint/ he was perfcctiy inner- cent of the charge, and that it was quite impossible he could have thought of anything so wick..d, as he endangered his own life, a , much, if not more, than any other ; and for his cit?,rac ter's sake, as an engineer, would Jot have wished the thing for a thousand pounds: Alr. NORTON observed the ease should undergo a much more minute investigation, and remanded the accused to a future day, consenting, however, in the meantime, to take bail for his future appearance. THAMES-POLICE. It is now Imre than twelve months since this Court was opened for the transaction of pub is business, yet malting can be so disgraceful as the state of each arid every of the passages by which it is accessible. The approaches north an d south by Charles street and Arbour-square when the weather softens in the slightest degree, are all bet ankle deep in mire, whilst the two other modes of access, 0.,e leading from the Court to tha Post-office, are altogether i-epassible except by wading knee-deep through the slough. Jp to last summer a stagnant pool, reaelii ,, g from the footway ^ u either side, lay directly in front of the entrance to the Court. By way of remedying this the_wat , r the water was bale(' out, the soil was dug up and carted away, and a parcel of loose shingle, without a particle of binding material, was thrown into the hollow. The conse quence is, there being no drainaee, all the moisture in the neighbourhood oozes into the holl-w in which the loose shingle is deposited, and the unhappy wight who hopes to escape from the mud by stepping on the stones feels his footing give way, and finds'himself suddenly immersed in the eubjneent pool, wondering the while what motive +he constructor of a trap can have, the only produce of which is the increase of catarrhs. Wo to the confiding waggoner Yrio, trusting to the seeming solidity of the way, ventures his t ?am upon the passage ; once floundering in the slough of despc4d, nothing short of unload ing will unable him to get out. '.t is amusingly provoking to see the manner in which the prisrn van endeavours to obviate the difficulty. The driver, a very decent whip, takes a certain over-righting, the gates are openeJ, the passage cleared; an I, whack, whack, whack, the animals—excited by whip and voice, " As when the swift Camilla scours the plain," evade the dangerous quicksand acidst the applause of those who regularly twice a day witness the extraordinary feat vtith undiminished admiration. On Monday last one of het 111.4esty's justices of the peace had a narrow escape of being swallowed up in the earth, like the Roman Curtius. Though aw ire of the danger, from the experience of every day, as well as from former disasters, Mr. Broderip, on the first day of the ~ ew year, ventured to escape the mud by driving up in a light cab, but just as he got in front of the magisterial entrance dsiwn sank the vehicle through the superfieies of loose shingle i,ito the subjacent hog. The horse, in endeavouring to save nimself from a similar fate, made a bound on the asphaltic .00tway and slipped. The kicking and plunging of the animal, who was with much diffi culty treed from the harness, were more alarming than danger ous. The magistrate was immediately rescued from his un pleasant and almost ludicrous post'ion, and the cab, which was stuck fast nearly up to the naves of the wheels, was, with much labour and the efforts of several arong men, ultimately placed on terra firma. Scarcely a 'lay passes without scenes of this sort. Comment is superfluous. Mr. BALLANTINE acknowledged the rec ei p t of 51. for the ioor-box, from " A. A." UNION-PALL. _ Yesterday Thomas Groves, adiminutive boy, 10 years o age, a foundling, was brought befi..re Mr. Cottingham, charged with being found in the area of a house with an intent to com mit felony. The investigation ex-iibited the incorrigibly vici• ous habits of a boy seldom cqualle J. It appeared from the statement of a Mrs. Groves, the wife of a wharfinger in very good circumstances, that several years ago it was announced in the newspapers that a child was aban doned by its unnatural parents, and left in a basket at the gate of one of the metropolitan workhcases. Mr. Groves's former wife being apprised of the circumstance, and being inconsolable for the loss of her two children w.. 0 died about that period, on being made acquainted with the SP9OVe circumstance, and with the sanction of her husband, applied for and had the foundling delivered up into her charge. The child was adopted by the persons named, and at a proper age was sent to school, and, in deed, had every attention paid to ;t; Mr. Groves intending to spare no expense in the education .1 his foster child, as he usu ally termed him. The boy, however, as he grew up, exhibited many bad qualities, was in the habit of pilfering from his school fellows, and committing other pett r thefts. Every means were adopted to. break him of such vicious habits, but all to no purpose ; and frequently would ',se abscond from the dwell ing, of his protectors and go wandering about the town, and pil.ering whatever he could lay his hands upon. Not a work house in London but he had been the inmate ot, being usually found in the streets almost naked, .4nd not one word he uttered was to be believed; in fact, he meanie so incorrigible, and robbed his protectors so often, that they found it was quite a hopeless task to produce a reformation in so hardened yet so youthful a character. On a resew. occasion, he decamped from home having first broken open a chest of drawers, from which he took some silver, and he was n-st heard of from that period until the preceding night, when a policeman on duty in Allen street, Lambeth, hearing a noise in the area of a house, on casting his bull's-eye lantern down the railings saw the prisoner crouched up underneath a meat sa f.e, and he got there evidently for the purpose of breaking it °per.. When he was discovered, as usual, lie told a number of falsehoods, but it was at length found that he had been away from 11r. Groves's house for some days, and that. in the interval he had parted with his clothes, and had scarcely any covering upon him. Mr. COTTI NG AAL said he shodd commit the prisoner for a month, and suggested that when the boy came out of gaol, if lie returned to his bad habits, it .could be then incnmbent on Mr. Groves, if he was robbed, again to prosecute him, and on his conviction the Judge, prob..bly, instead of transport ing him, would send him to the ;rison in the Isle of Wight, where he would be taught a trade by which he could earn an honest livelihood when he came (eat. The prisoner, who appeared quite unconcerned during the recital of the above circumstances, was then committed. SUPPLY OF GAS TO THE METROPOLIS. Yesterday evening a numerous .end highly respectable meet ng of the parishioners of St. Mart: a-in-the-Fields, was held in the vestry-room of the parish, to take into consideration the present state and mode of supplying the public with gas, and to devise, if practicable, some mod , of establishing a standard and measure for the same. At seven o'clock Dr. JONES was unanimously called to the Chair, when he entered upon a luminous exposition of the nature and qualities of gas, and the manner in which the various gas societies had it in thei, power to defraud the con sumers. He said the meeting h..d been adjourned from the 20thult. to this evening. The grievance which pressed most h . eavtly upon the consumers was tiff. extremely partial manner which the revenue for gas was collected, tor one individual was supplied by contract, while ant.ther was compelled to burn by meter. in the United Kingd'sm, a sum of upwards of 20,000,000/. was expended in the consumption of gas, and in London alone the sum paid to it e several gas companies ex ceeded 2,000,0001. Such being the case, he thought that the subject was one of suc:i importance as to require their particular attention, for in many instances one consumer paid for the carelessness of another. In a great many cases the measures were most incorrect, and although he did not mean to charge any r f the Gas Companies with any wilful error, yet he should Lay, that when the meters were put to the test, a vast number ot them were found to vary fro n one to five per cent., and, in some cases, he could assert, on his own authority, they varied as much as from oim to twenty, or even thirty, per cent. The Gas Companies were completely the arbiters in their own cases , for the consumer was ' c ompelled to send the meters be tested at the gas-works. Again, there were a grea t man y of those meters which were so constructed that they would not act at all against the Gas Com panies, or register the eve nt when a less quantity of gas than usual was consumed, whilst they v;ere must accurate when a impressed r e s s o s m e d e something •like rester Go ver quantity nm e ‘ ri v t a s s tlafunirpn,t such c 1 , h 1 7 haast the wished Excise measures ; to attest their correctness; in •.; would not, discontinue its exertions until some such measure vas carried.—(Cheers.) Mr. CIIAI,VVICK, in an appropt :ate speech, proposed the first resolution, which was as follows :—" That whereas the con sumption of coal gas has so much inc r e ased of late that it has now become a necessary article of domestic economy, and in the United Kingdom yields a y•aily revenue of at least twenty million pounds sterling, whi sum as not collected im partially from the various consumer s proportionately to the quantity which each consumes, some being supplied by con tract and others compelled to burn by measure, whereas the various measures employed by different Companies are supplied to consumers, and the mode in wt.ch it should he supplied to them should be subject to one general system of government, either by Act of Parliament or other legislative interference, in order to insure to the consumer is supply of gas of uniform quality, and correct measurement of the same." The next resolution, which was to the following effect, was proposed and carried with acclamation :—" That for the purpose of bringing this subject under the notice of Govern ment, a committee be appointed who shall have power to com municate (as a deputation from this parish) with the Hon. Se cretary for the Home Department, sir J. Graham, and confer with him as to the best mode of carr‘'ing its object into effect." The following resolution was ne A carried unanimously :- 4, That it is the opinion of this meeting, that as the gas sup plied by various Gas Companies differs materially in purity and illuminating power, it would be desirable to define and esta blish, if practicable, a standard o' purity and illuminating rower of the gas to be supplied to gas consumers under the same, or such other regulations, as may appear more applicable, as are applied to the supplying of spats to the public of a cer tain strength." Messrs. ItarALl. and ONION prol.ased the next resolution, as follows:—" That it is the opinion of this meetin z, that, it would be desirable to establish a i_ublic standard of measure for gas, and to permit no measure far gas to be used by any Company or consumer, or sold by f.oy measure manufacturer, unless it hail attached to it an authorised stamp of its accuracy, according to the standard, as in the case of other measures, and also in the case of weights." A resolution that the ininbitanta of the parish of St. Alar tin-in-the•Fidds consider it desirahle that they should meet the other metropolitan parishes, for the purpose of forwarding the objects of the meeting being passed, A vote of thanks was passed unar.:mously to the Cl'airrrian, after which a Committee of twelve was appointed, when the meeting separated. DELEGATE IkIEFIING OF COWERS IN MANCIIES TER.—A national delegate meeting, or " conference," of coal miners commenced its sittings in th.s town on Tuesday. The delegates, to the number of seventy or eighty, assembled in Carpenter's Hall, Garratt-road. Or. the Wednesday night, in the same place, a lecture was delivered by William Dixon. on the subject of the miners' grievances•—Manchester Guardian. A NEW ORDER.—We remember, in the flourishing days of architectural monstrosity, to which the Brighton Pavil lion and the church in Langbaru-pla .e belong, being exceed ingly perplexed by the appearance of a column about to be raised to its place in a new building. We asked one of the builders "to what order of architetzure it belonged?" He answered with great simplicity, " ‘3ir, that is Mr. Morris's most positive order."..4lrt- Union. .awry . . ••• ' ....._:—,:-.- , „,„ ii. SCOTCH FARMERS AN -4- 111 " CORN-LAWS We find the following list in a Sc of ch pa t i o so ' which shows that the farmers in the Pc eth hav fear of repeal. After the Anti-Corn - law mt a eting so ai liaddington in October last, the o,:cupyini. r t . en lp who were in favour of the corn - laws were it, llteuei subscribe their names, and after all the influ eir iti the landlords, it will be seen that the great rnA,lll •• sir of the best farmers in East Lothian withheld the; natures : •r ABER LADY-9 resident tenants, of whom 4 have st g ' One of them, Lord Wemyss's factor, holds no land in theerialto, One tenant in this parish, whose name is not in the' list , I 1 more acres than all the four put together. ATHELSTA xEronu-10 tenants, 2 have signed. , afro wit i Boi.Tost.-11 resident tenants; 4 have signed, on c 0,„, has only thirty acres. Here, too, one farmer eh o P signed, t han more land than al lthe 4. Di a Lk:ro . —lB resident tenants ; 3 have signed, t‘fosiPl whom are joint tenants. ' There are several tenants 0 1 ° possessions besides the 18. De NBA IL. -21 tenants, 10 signatures. Two or three of rn e ' t I have not 1($ acres altogether. FALA.-4 resident tenants, all of whom have signed. ..,,,,i, (.; A RvAL D.-15 resident tenants, of whom 10 have sili: o , two of them being joint tenants of about sixty aere4;other V, oce a baker, the other a wright and innkeeper, cannot be as tenants at all. . ,bi , GIFFORD. —lB tenants, of whom 15 have signed, bo 0 3 these hold mere patches, 4 may have 100 acr e s amongst th.o one is the road-surveyor in the parish. The 3 who JO signed are the most extensive farmers in the parish. ..„, 01 GLADS3IISIIt.-18 tenants, 11 havd signed, 5 o f tl n li lowing other avocations than farming ; they may 1 100 acres amongst them. i itt" Ha Del NGTON. —32 tenants, 16 have signed , amongs- to, are 4 joint tenants, Lord Dalhousie's overseer at Celli ,f 6 surgeon, a seed merchant, and at least 3 holders of but acres each. bi O4 { li U 31111 E. —l5 tenants, 7 have sign ed, two of theel,dr joint tenants on one farm , and one, a member of the Coe!'" i at Edinburgh, two years ago against the corn-laws. IN t-1 agivicK.-15 tenants, 1 signature. . Mimiast. —5 tenants, none of whom have signed. 1 011, NoaTii BER.WICK.-12 tenants, 4 signatures , twe °' being joint tenants on one farm. dl th i ° °Lena 111F,TO CK S. —lO tenants, 10 signatu res, one, go, has eleven acres, and the farms of two, Pathhead and 90 dean, are not in the county at all. Butterdean belong s Balfour of Whittingitam. OKMISTON.— 8 tenants, no signatures. 1 PENCAITLAND.-14 tenants, 5 signatures. I, feiii ? PILESTONICIRK-15 tenants, 9 signatures, thoogo - P. them really cannot be called tenants, having only 'cat g . amongst them, one being an innkeeper , another a. ratP' defier, and two carters. PRESTONPA.NS-5 or 6 tenants, and no signatures. A/ SA LTON-12 tenants, 5 signatures; at least one 01 " . a mere apology Or a farm. • &MITT-9 tena,nts, 3 signatures. STarizoN-9 tenants, 1 signature. 0 0 TuaNENT.-28 t enants, or t h ere abouts, 16 Bigo t these, 9 have not 200 acres amongst thorn. he ms WHITEKIRK.-13 tenants, 10 signatures , fou r of /op' a miller, a tailor, a carrion - , and a baker , ho l d under 1,d,, The tailor makes liveries for the First Lord of the 17 fIY, WHITTINGITAM.-13 tenants, 9 signatures, most ; are the tenants of Mr. Balfour'. , SOUTHAMPTON EAST AND CHINA pe o CIAL AGENCY COMPANY.—Orr. Wednesday the Committee assembled to allot the shares subscribed ris, new undertaking. To us who iwiformly favourable—perhaps sanguine—opinion in respect to enterta'ift6 tion of this Company, it is a matt of sincere C lo opf to know that we shall neither be di . a a pp ointed t ) have misled the public or the press—v.l :w have given circulation to our opinions as to the , ce u mplete s eT, project. We understand that an unprecedentedly IsTe of shares have been taken by the public, and this 010 even the Directors have been appohre ed 5 0 A residue—a mere bagatelle, as we are in l t "), m to fti be held at the disposal of the manufactrC in g , e , "'A cities of the kingdom, provided they be appli,ed deposit of Is'. per share be paid previous tot 01 January next, on or before which day the depcx,`"i; 41,1 paid by the Shareholders generally. Immediatc`J. c tsrj date an efficient, and, as we are told, a highly res ni t. •51' influential Board of Directors will be submitted fol 4P, of the Shareholders.—Hampshire Independent. The Rev. H. Moseley, Professor of Nate lli t, sophy at King's College has, it is said, received tb ment of Inspector of Normal Schools from the Co° t ' Privy Council for Education. C/ 01 /, SITTINGS OF THE INSOLVENT DEBTORS' There is a visible diminution in the business of this p/ which has, no doubt, been caused by the operation l.girp Act in the Court of Bankruptcy. The present 51 0 ;0 4 0 , only been appointed to the 10th of February, and 40§,i hearings granted to the 20th of February. Severs , l ife been struck out for want of eases. The Court le r ? according to the present arrangement, more than th,,„ 1 days a week. It is expected that a measure will for the consideration of Parliament, embracing , I c oorie principal features in the two clashing Acts now n,io ° the absorbing questions seems to be, whether uri r st , i Debtors' Court shall continue to have the adman's the Court of Bankruptcy. SA SHOCKING MURDER NEAR WEST CO I ' S Sunday last the dead body of an old man named P i ; fri a labourer, residing in a cottage by himself, on toe.; Longford, about three miles from West Calder, 10 t i e s( was found in a shockingly mangled state on the % ,00 1 ,fi own dwelling. He had been missing for ' e t ,', but as he was in the frequent habit of work/060e r twice from home, no alarm was excited among , A bours till Saturday night, when there was ri,, anee of him as usual. On Sunday, therefore• losr, solved to break open the house to see whether he je o p be lying ill, when they were horrified to find his tel y ' , stretched on the floor in a state almost indescriba v efP moving an old shirt which was thrown over the a VA found a deep fracture in the skull, thn left el • tb:s into the head, the bone of the eye-brow brok0;0/ all but torn off, the jaw-bone and collaribone c oot ribs broken but two ! A more horrible sightliagl o d y seen. A pair of tongs covered with blood were., 0 4,1( fireside, with which the wounds had evio!,..jorfi, inflicted. The Sheriff and Procurator Fiscal vinOtill on Monday to investigate into the circumstances, rtslo we can learn, no positive clue has yet been f0un0_,,,,,,,,,, derer, or even the cause of the murder. The dew" del i a labourer, had the reputation of some wealth, an,d e sea s te! possession of that might have been the object of I , ' veil v but we have not learned whether anything 100 The murder is supposed to have taken place severs )1 the discovery.— Scotsman of Wednesday. g oss . V PUBLIC BATHS YOR THE WORKING Cf4- 4. '" - 010 delightful to witness the decided movement nevo. ll o s t i, establishment of public baths in Edinburgh, ° 1 ,i09 1 1 their general use by the working classes. It le to i late in the day this project has been started , e° e ltli , undeniable utility, as respects the comfort and lloselj, human being, and seeing that other nations, far b e t.h sii l scale of civilization, have len t '; used ablutions. 13 ;1 0 of to have been fully assured of the benefit derive ~ 0 0 ,1 source, since he made washing with water a markelice"l religious code. It cannot be the warmth of the ,', 0 ,01 that settles the use of bathing,. as we find the . f: n: 4 1 4 . colder region than our own, equal l y attached to 0 _ % 015i0 to result from wise legislation at the outset, se t. ; v re ge l i anything else. In our own ease we trust that t e st 0 1 ',1 public baths will be the consenuettce of a grew 1b public among the public which requires thotn—by fa.r at , it 4 oli most honourable way of attaining such Otiects. P i er 1 , time, we are delighted to notice the cotdia! encemotioo6, stowed on this movement of high rank and eminee t ,%ll, . 4, 1 1 us. On Wednesday the meeting at the Music-,0 b y 0 0, street, for considering the subject, was arldresn i er Sl if .o Provost, Lord Dunfermline, Dr. Alison, and e' id i pit influence and distinction. Lord Dunfermlinei just in ar this proposition of the working-classes as c learl i f e l:t i ; vast advance made by thern, and as heralding s ti , t iff 14,P of improvement. This is a, notable and moot g',', l t hef_kiS 4 Temperance and bathing going hand in hand , a t ' be et will make a great and striking ein'tnge indeed in. cou ld no! our operatives. No better signs ,of the tittles, : l is (P ill We need not point to the strong ree,,ommendalbere spoi to be found in the works of our medical men' us hop., dissentient voice on the subject. Then, le t ~,,,doi ,jr i shall have this great public improvement eh:ee';' Do se 7d, One thing is certain, that we shall have a ,itb ' e t r scourges which every now and then visit ;' pan° effect greatly mitigated in their virulence , if w n ifif them altogether_ from among in.—Scotsman' % Z , 'o AN EXTRAORDINARY CURE Of el• 01 CANCER BY HOLLOWAY'S PILLS AND °Dil l? ' Sexton, residing at Shrewsbury, is prepared to at o oi P , g davit that she has been radically cured of a ca r t etbdi f in her breast, of seven years' standing, after e ver '', O l io , had failed, and by the use alone of these invaluahoutroil which will cure any bad breasts, bad legs, sores o el , l A til ulcers; likewise abscesses, however bad, ivell t e a IV pronounced as incurable by the means usually ° oe obl., Faculty.—Sold at the establishment of Proles-OA 244, Strand (where advice may be had gratis) ;„ ie r li t l , respectable medicine vendors throughout the el; Pee l , THE UNITED SERVICE MAGAZIN E tt i° eCOO h t,,,' commences the year in a manner that mu t h e ter,.. , strongly to every one who takes an interest 101 e & L oot,' t services.n iva a do li iy a c l edefr.oami, c aa tifteerni Amongst atinod, ,„ a wt r t ti h ht e ti se n np u eo m rni e o i t : hi o ,e u s ws p : o r t t l f a y s vo o l / r s 0 '. i it , 0 e el e r valuable information on the critical state of affai'' a l , tb,' 0 i at the Cape, evidently from a trustworthy se c r ie rf I t s o l l fail of exciting remark. The paper on ' :vie tli, from the pen of Captain Hart, of the Bornhai ~,,eine contribution of singular importance at this 7 , 0 bf r o' i i those on " The Canadian Seat of G ov ernmq ue ettl e joi 0 Parkenson ; " The Army in Ireland and the ,; ( 0/1 1 " The Wars in Sinde and the Punjaub," arelf„oter° rill resting or applicable. The lovers of stirring au" 0 P io l o ~ an almost inexhaustible source of amu semen t ; ille e o . ; j i the Peninsular War," by Dr. Bradley—" Te re ner o ,6", in the Gulf of Alexico"—c . The Heroes of Ca!lir - d tr et e Cadet's Introduction to India"—" A M em° , rig hl I ' tro t Ava"—" Recollections in the Peninsula, ....„ 0 bY b er Colonel Wilkie—and in the various o ther Per voie acknowledged talent, to be found in theJatniail unique periodical. , pl l /11 , ?TEAS AT WIIOLESALT) ,hosg''.o -1- Good Common Black 3s. Od. Fine Pekoe SO - ...*:0 Strong Cor gou ' ..... 3s. 4d. Superior ditt.o,:no Fine ditto, Pekoe flavour 3s. Bd. Finest ditto lO'r .1 1 ' COFFEE. , ../. P ....• Good Common Os. 9d. Finest Java''' ~.'"or Ceylon, sound and sweet— Is. Od. Ditto Cuba ''''....,' Fine do., recommended is. gd. Finest hiocba ''' Finest Ceylon, rich and mellow orders amounting to 5/., sent Goods delivered in all parts of WO 00 pO' Country siJ e. Britain. Cile M MANSELL and CO i, B klersburi, ----- , uc free to of ee 9 BIRTHS. PO , W On the 23d ult., at Madeira, Mrs. Arcb"4 O ° ar On the 2d inst., Mrs. Robert Browne , Edge-hill Liverpool, of a daughter. A , isdY of P On the , 3d inst., at Stone House, Berks• 1- Hobson, Esq., of a daughter. MA R R IE o f - On the 4th inst., Philip S. Hudson , PP" Ellen, only daughter of the Rev. T. F° ll "' of Llandulas, Denbighshire. of b;‘ , DIED. „h y ep ° On the 4th inst., at St. Ives, in the 1 /b p i,. sos ite William Bishop, eldest son of Mr. Thoma s „ of On the 2d inst., Richard Burman, ' s ` l. ' 44‘' ' grove, Chelsea. DQ Or London : Printed and Published by bluZ;,. No. 112, Strand, at The Suu Office) 1 `"0, ki 4 lo the County of Middlesex, Friday, Januar: cc OYU 'l3 t HA3I esty., 11 :I A VI ANTI Thursda3 OSTE / 1 011 L CALA HULL - YAW , tDIN turday an 13 , 20, SUND NEW( To secs of depart 37 , Re.e A of% Institnti It h„, sin'bngle in' North ) , t The : u be Jee u re s d; , Board ar existing I re4e, t h i L 9 deto eta tie N. 13, he 8 b' tO extr a fin nuiqe k " 21. f it Sp errii. botii IP • • t ILT IA( vrolontl at 3, PalPitatiol ° ,, , t l ° \ PUr a hie! thet4 of c "lPl.atel ‘‘ lrtit Uee oral, 'To " I) %tri 1'44 % to 1 11.1..8 life. IVe 14 thin n , II t in, Picts d cat th e chest, en, to Het do 14 edi 041 ft icti a to ine di eine Vega - ga n to With fr 14 vi 2 in Isui had 1 441 Ittid , tra n lhail 4iwi . ' 0 Pla„ I t attut ta„ye l'oet