The Sun. — London, England, 1851-03-06 00:00:00

15bitto, SUN OFFICE, Seven o' Clock. IATTERSALL'S-THIS EVENING. Srx O'CLOCK. NORTHAMPTONSHIRE STARES. 8 to 1 agst Legerdemain 12 to 1 agst St. Rosalia 15 to 1 agst Clothworker CHESTER CUP. 12 to 1 agst Rhesus 40 to 1 agst Beehunter 40 to 1 agat Nancy 50 to 1 agat Due an Darras DONCASTER HANDICAP. 4 to 1 agst Chantrey 4 to 1 agst Achyranthes DONCASTER STEEPLECHASE. 4 to 1 agst Maria Day 4 to 1 agat Abd-el-Kader 6 to 1 agst Mulligan TWO THOUSAND GULNEAS STARES. 11 to 10 agst Grecian 3 to 1 agst Nawminster DERBY. 6 to 1 agst Grecian 6 to 1 agst Prime Minister 12 to 1 agst Mountain Sylph colt 25 to 1 agst Marlborough Buck GREAT NORTHERN RAILWA (THIS DAY.) The usual half-yearly general meeting of the pro prietors of the Great Northern Railway was held this morning at the London Tavern; Mr. E. B. Denison, M.P., chairman of the board of directors, in the chair. The advertisement convening the meeting having been read, and the minutes of the previous meeting con firmed, the common seal of the company was affixed to the register of proprietors. The following report of the directors was then sub mitted to the shareholders:— " The accounts exhibit a balance on the net revenue ac count amounting to 52,552/, 17s. 7d., but as there is a charge on this balance amounting to 16,164/. 13s. 9d., for dividend due to preference shareholders, to 31st De oember last, and 15,8984 159. 4d. for interest due on mortgage debt to the same period, the available balance will only amount to 20,489/. Ba. 6d., which your di rectors propose to carry forward to the credit of the current half-year. It has been the earnest endea vour of the directors to economize expenditure as much as possible, but the requirements of an increasing traffic, and the necessity of making ample provision for a considerable expansion of it in the present year, have called for an immediate and larger outlay in additional sidings, buildings, and other works, and in rolling stock, than was originally contemplated. To provide for this extra expenditure, as well as the deficiency es timated at the last half-yearly meeting, and all future requirements, your directors propose to take powers at the present meeting to raise 750,000/. of additional share capital. The share capital being paid up, the directors recommend the conversion into stock of the 251. original shares and the A and the B half shares of 121. 10s., to take effect from Ist of May next, at the rate of four of the original and eight of the half shares, for each 1001. stock of the various denominations,. transfers not to be allowed for a less amount than 101. stock, and to be for sums only that are equal multiples of 101., except in cases of balance; and as the object has been long since attained, for which the privilege to di vide the 25/. shares into A and B half-shares was created, the directors have decided that such di vision of shares shall cease on the 30th April next. The works on the Towns' line are progressing satis factorily; and in behalf of the body of labourers em ployed over the several contracts of the Towns' line, about sixty miles ' the directors recommend a vote of two hundred pounds for their moral and religious instruction. The arrangement with the York and North Midland Company, referred to at the last general meeting, has been ratified under the seals of their respective companies; and the Great Northern trains have been, since August last, regularly working over the York and North Midland line, to and from York. The directors have steadily en deavoured to make traffic arrangements with various companies, and whilst they have sought to protect the interests of this company, they have deemed it wise to concede something for the sake of arrangement, rather than risk the expense and loss which would result from active competition. With reference to the traffic from Edinburgh, Newcastle, and other places north of York, your directors have come to an arrangement with the London and North-Western, the Midland, the York, Newcastle and Berwick, the North British, the Cale donian and the Carlisle Companies, for a division of this traffic. With regard also to the traffic from Yorkshire and Lancashire, for which the Great Northern Company competes with the Midland and the London and North-Western companies, your Directors have made a proposition for a division, which is under consideration. The subject of traffic arrangements with the Eastern Counties Company I%as been renewed since the last meeting, and a deputa tion from this company came to an understanding with a deputation from the Eastern Counties Company, upon all the points in which the two companies would compete with each others; and your directors dwelt with the question upon a basis which they considered liberal tow ards the Eastern Counties Company, in the hope that a permanent arrangement might be made to Ey.icure the harmonious action of both. It is, however, to 'oe regretted that the Eastern Counties Board have not ratified the arrangements made by their deputation. This company, it will be remembered, possesses the right to work over the Eastern Counties line, between Peterborough and Wisbeeh ; and your directors have made arrangements with the East Anglian Company by which they will work the East Anglian line from Wis bech to Dereham and to Ely, thus enabling this company to communicate to and from their main line to the northern parts of Norfolk. This contract is made upon the terms of paying to the East Anglian Company 40 per cent. of the income derived from the East Anglian line, with a guarantee that the amount thus paid shall not be less than 15,0001. a year, being about the net profits earned by the line for each of the two last years; th a per tentage to increase upon an increase of traffic. The affic of that line has been depressed by the want of free 'communication to the west and to the south, which will be furnished by the Great Northern Line, and there can be no doubt of its improvement under the arrange ments with this company. This company having received from the Royston and Hitchin Company the line 'from Hitchin to Royston, has been work ing it (since the month of October last, and the Extension to Shepreth will, it is expected, be ready for traffic in May next. Your directors, feeling the impor tance of the completion of the line into Cambridge, deemed it necessary to deposit in Parliament a Bill for an extension from Shepreth to that town, and for a junc tion there with the Newmarket line; the Bill was, how ever, opposed by the Members for the University of Cambridge, upon an assurance by the Eastern Counties Company that the line granted to them should be opened for traffic in June next, and the Bill was upon the second reading withdrawn ; and your directors trust the commu nication by the Great Northern line to Cambridge will not be delayed beyond that period. With the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Company, your directors have been unable to come to any definite terms•, and as long as that company continues bound, under their pre sent contract with the Midland and the London and North-Western Companies, to withhold from this com pany all facilities for traffic in respect of which the Mid land and the London and North-Western com pete, it is improbable that any permanent or satisfactory arrangement can be made. Your directors have had under review their relations with the South Yorkshire Railway Company, and, finding the arrangements connected with the coal traffic involved many constantly recurring matters of difficult adjustment, whilst the limited mileage (about 25 miles) of the South Yorkshire Company, naturally disinclined that board to second the extensive arrangements re qaired by the Great Northern traffic, thought it better to make propositions for permanent possession of the South Yorkshire line, and have been enabled to satisfy the South Yorkshire board that the mineral traffic, which forms their chief source of income, may be safely left to the management of the Great Northern Company, upon the basis ultimately agreed upon; so that your di rectors will henceforth, provided the arrangement meets with the sanction of the shareholders, take the management of the South Yorkshire line, to work it in conformity with the traffic arrangements on the Great Northern lino. The basis agreed upon is, in effect, that the Great Northern Company shall guarantee to the South York sbire Company a dividend of 3 per cent., and be entitled Lo carry 200,000 tons of coals, the present extent of the traffic, to their railway; and that the dividend shall be increased by one-half per cent. upon every additional 100,00 0 tons carried, until 800,000 tons shall be carried, is to 6 per cent. paid ; any quantity carried beyo nd this L° be entirely free of charge. The dividend, when it net once reached 44 per cent., is not to recede, bu t is liable to fl uctuate between 6 and 44 per cent., according to cach half-yee,estraffic. Any South Yorkshire shareho lder willing to acce pt 4 p er cent . as a d e fi n i t i ve di v id en d, is to have the option of doing so. The present outlay on the South Yorkshir e line is about 500,0004, and the Great northern Company will henceforth take the ma nagement of all further outlay, which may probably SLMOUnt to 200,0001. or 700,0001. in all. The earning s of th e South Yorkshire Comp any, for the last half-y ear, yielded a divi dend of 25 p er cent., and the effect of the arrangement agreed to will be that this company will not pay more than a per cent., except as the traffic in minerals to the Great Northern line increases; ;end the Great N orthern shareholders h ave this satis factory security, that for every additional pound paid by them to the South Yorkshire Com pany, they will be own earning, upon an average, at least 51. on their I line. The coal traffic on the Great Northern line, though be a source of great and ent is now yielding 1 oily in its commencem ent, g s2OOl. week ; and appearing likely to permanent income, it requ ires very extensive as well a s economia 1 arrangements in the principal coal field, freed from th e embarrassments which would be occasioned by the interposition of an indep endent compan y . John Cattl e y, Esq , one of the au ditors, is in turn to retire. but i s eligible for re-election , and is willing again to undertak e the duty. This is the period at which a fourth of the number of directors, in rotation, retire, and the ' following five are the gentlemen now in turn to retire; Ulf 7 being eligible, offer themselves, and are re commends d by the board fcr re-election, viz : —Major Amsinck; Charles Chaplin, Es q.• Colonel Colquhoa n ; James Meek, E sq.; and Thomas 'Wetherell, Esq. The CIZAIRM4N, in m o vtng the adoption of the report, said the directors had endeavoured to embody in it all that could be interesting to the pr o p r i e tors, and it would THE therefore be only necessary to make one or two general remarks.—(Hear, hear.) No doubt the accounts on the whole would be satisfactory. It should be remembered that the line was only opened to Peterborough last sum mer, but still the revenue returns displayed an increase over expenditure.—(Hear.) That increase amounted to about 20,0001, but under existing circumstances it was not thought desirable to divide that balance ; and he hoped that conclusion would receive the sanction of the meeting.—(Hear, hear.) A few figures would illustrate the rise and progress of the line. In October last the weekly receipts were 22,8661.; in Nov., 23,5161., and in December, 33,5411.; showing that the opening of the Peterborough line had not only proved advantageous in itself to the public, but it had greatly increased their average receipts.—(Hear, hear.) No doubt the meeting would remember that when this un dertaking was in Parliament the line from Peter borough to London was strongly opposed.—(Hear.) It was resisted on the ground that it would never pay, but the company convinced the Legislature that it would, and the line was granted in its integrity.—(Hear, hear.) Now, what had been the result? Why, before the Peter borough line was opened, the returns were 221. per mile per week, but directly the communication was opened from Peterborough to London, the average returns rose to between 30/. and 341. per mile, and he had no hesitation in pronouncing that in five years' time the southern division of the line would pay as well, if not better, than any other portion of the scheme. — (Hear, hear.) The proposed splitting of the 501. shares, he could not help feeling, would prove beneficial to the proprietors generally, and he trusted the recommenda tion of the directors in that respect would be freely fol lowed.—(Hear.) At all events, whatever independent proprietors might do, it was his intention to act upon the suggestion of that report, and he looked for ward to the day when the A and B shares would be comparatively more valuable than the 501. (Hear, hear.) The meeting would perceive that the di rectors required additional capital, and they therefore proposed to take authority for raising 750,0001.; but the proprietors might rest satisfied that no more of that ad ditional capital would be expended than was abso lutely necessitated by the wants of the public and the increase of the traffic.—(Hear, hear.) The Town line would be opened towards the lose of the pre sent year.—(Hear, hear.) The arrangements referred to in the report as having been come to with other com panies would have the effect of averting ruinous corn petition.—(Hear, hear.) The arrangement with the London and North-Western and the Midland was to last for a period of five years, while that with the East Anglian was to continue for twenty-one years, and he, with the directors, were not in the least apprehensive that these contracts or agreements would turn out disadvanta geous to either one side or the other.—(Hear.) He re gretted that the negotiations with the Eastern Counties had fallen through; but as the directors are still open to overtures from that company, he yet hoped the time was not far distant when the two concerns would come to work amicably together.—(Hear, hear.) The Bill for connecting the Great Northern with Cambridge had been successfully opposed by the University autho rities, urged on by the Eastern Counties Com pany; but the directors were in no way disheartened by that circumstance, because the opposition had pro mised to join with them in forcing the Eastern Counties Company to complete their Royston and Hitchin line without delay.—(Hear, hear.) He, as well as the di rectors, could not help thinking that the Sheffield, Man chester, and Lincolnshire Company had rejected a most favourable offer which this company made to them, but it would seem that the Sheffield, Manchester, and Lincolashire were under an arrangement to the London and North-Western Company, which prohibited them from rendering any facilities in assist ance to the Great Northern line.—(Hear.) The agree ment which the directors proposed would have thrown a large additional traffic upon the Sheffield, Manchester, and Lincolnshire line; and as the excuse of Lord Yar borough and the other directors of the Lincolnshire Company was based upon arrangements which Parlia ment never contemplated when it sanctioned the Sheffield, Manchester, and Lincolnshire line, and which could not legally be maintained.—(Hear, hear.) How ever, the offers of the Great Northern board had been rejected, and as the other side had accused him and his brother directors of a want of courtesy in conducting the negotiations, it was not improbable that he should even tually feel it necessary to publish the correspondence which had passed between the two boards.—(Hear.) The arrangement with the Yorkshire lines would increase traffic upon both this and the Yorkshire lines. The na ture of the arrangement was fully explained in the re port, and it was therefore unnecessary for him to go into its details, but he might as well mention that the arrangement was intended to be perpetual.—(Hear.) These were all the observations he had to address to the meeting, and it now only remained for him to move the confirmation of the accounts and adoption of the re port.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. PRESTON wished to move an amendment. At the last meeting some allusion was made to a gentleman at the board, and it was stated that he was a jobber, or speculator, on the Stock Exchange. Now he thought such a man was not a fit and proper person to sit on the direction of the company, and he should therefore move as an amendment that in future no person should be eligible to a seat at the board who made a practice or profession of speculating on the Stock Exchange. Mr. WATERS seconded the amendment, fully concur ring in the opinions expressed by the Hon. Proprietor who had moved it.--(Hear, hear.) _ _ The CHAIRBIA.N admitted at once that as a rule the direotors of a railway company ought to have nothing to do with the Stock Exchange, but it was unfair to attack a gentleman at the board in this way.—(Hear, hear.) The gentleman against whom this amendment was directed was a most useful and efficient member of the board, and he should be sorry to see the company lose the benefit of his services. —(Hoar, hear.) Mr. PRESTON insisted that his amendment had not been answered. It was not denied that the gentleman in question was a speculator on the Stock Exchange, and he must therefore take the allegation as true. — (Hear, hear.) Now a railway director should be like Caesar's wife, " not only pure, but above suspicion," and he hoped the meeting would adopt his proposal. Mr. WATERS reminded the meeting, that in the early career of this company a gentleman, who wished to be on the board of management, was rejected on account of his being connected with the Stock Exchange.—(Hear, hear.) Now the director whom he now had in his eye it was notorious kept a Bull ,account in; the Stock Ex change, and the 1,000 shares which he was said to hold in this concern were not held in a ionic fide manner. The CHAIRMAN said all that he knew was that Mr. Parker, the gentleman referred to, held a sufficient qualification in stock to entitle him to sit on the direc tion.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. PARKER emphatically denied the imputation of Mr. Waters. It was wholly unfounded in truth, and nothing more than a pure fiction.—(Cheers.) The amendment, after some further discussion—the majority of the meeting protesting against this prying into the private affairs of the directors—was withdrawn. Mr. WATERS moved an amendment negativing that portion of the report which referred to the arrangement with the Anglian Company, as he was firmly con vinced, if carried out, it would result in clear loss to the Great Northern of 15,0001. per an num.—(Hear.) He declared that the East Anglian had never made 15,000/. per annum, and the statement in the report to that effect must be an error. The line had never made more than 13,2661., while, according to the returns of the East Anglian Company, the last three half-years yielded only 20,689/. 16s. 11d., and it should be remembered that these figures were irrespective of the legitimate deduction that should be made for wear and tear of rolling stock, renewal of way, &c.—(Hear, hear.) They had hampered themselves already with the Lincolnshire lines, which had proved a:dead loss to them, and if the shareholders did not take care these gua rantees would sink them to a level with the Eastern Counties.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. HERAPATH gave it as his opinion that the com pany had no power to graat guarantees either to the East Anglian or the South Yorkshire, and he would suggest that the question of these contracts should be deferred for the consideration of a special meeting. Mr. PRESTON thought the board ought to examine the share register of these two companies before they made any guarantee; and the same source of information should be open to the proprietors.—(Hear.) Mr. BAGSTER, the solicitor, said the contracts were quite legal. Mr. HERAPATH still insisted that they were not. The company had power to enter into working contracts, but not to make guarantees.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. BACISTER said the power was not derived from the special Act of this company, but from a clause which was to be found in the General Clauses Consolidation Act, The proposed arrangement, however, did not partake of the nature of a guarantee, but it was simply a contract for working and appropriating the receipts in a particu lar manner.—(Hear, hear.) It was unfair to make the basis of this arrangement the present receipts of the East Anglian line, because, owing to mismanagement, no less than 60 per cent. of the gross earnings had been swal lowed up by the working expenses.—(Hear, hear.) This company, however, could work the line for 50 per cent., and therefore the difference between 60 and 50 would be profit of the proposed arrangement.—(Hear, hear.) Besides, the East Anglian was at present shut up at its two termini, but directly this contract came into operation the line would be thrown open at both ends, and then it could not fail to become a most profitable undertaking.—(Hear' hear.) The meeti ng should recollect this , that they could not base by the contract, while it would place 67 miles of additional railway under their control to develop as a tributary. Mr. GROVES told the meeting that one of the effects of their guarantees with a Yorkshire company was to com pel them to run trains into York , which did not pay working expenses; and to ru n tra i ns between York and Doncaster, which did not even pay the men's wages.— (Hear.) Those two significant facts, he trusted, would be sufficient to induce the meeting to pause before they rashly sanctioned either the contract with the South Yorkshire or the East Anglian.—(Hear, hear.) Lie was afraid too many of the directors were interested in it the South Yorkshire.—(Hear, hear.) The CHAIRMAN, assuming that they had the power to make the East Anglian contract, wished to bring the at tention of the meeting back to the policy of that ques tion. Now it had already been remarked that practically the East Anglian line had been shut up at both ends, but remove that blockade, and the line would at once become profitable.—(Hear, hear.) Granting that the line only giv e yieldedthem 14,8 8 0 /. 71. 10 t so. meetper mile e per ua r w al n e 2 e r k ep , eor w o o nis u l l ol d emp n le l But the li ne h ad paid 101. and even g week, and let them once get this agreement con firmed, and they might depend up on it th e line would become extremely profitable.—(Hear, hear.) Fe, therefore, thought the proposed contract was sound and politic, and he h a d no hesitation in strongly recom mending the meeting to sanction it.—(Hear, hear.) With regard to the statement of Mr. Groves about the LONDON, THUR:sDAY EVENING, MARCH 6, 1851. UN, losses at York, he begged to tell the meeting that it was incorrect.—(Hear, hear.) A PROPRIETOR stated that Mr. Brassey, the eminent contractor, bad assured him that a line like the East Anglian could not be worked for less than 121. per mile' per week, and he hoped this contract would not be has tily adopted. Mr. REYNOLDS said none but great trunk lines could be worked at 50 per cent., and with the example of the Eastern Counties and the Newmarket line before them he thought it was their duty to pause before they passed this contract. If there was one thing more than another that was generally admitted by railway shareholders, it was that the London and North-Western, the Great Western, and the other great companies of the kingdom would have escaped all the re cent difficulties had they kept to their respective trunk lines and avoided guarantees.—(Hear, hear.) Now, the East Anglian was a rotten concern, and he very much feared the South Yorkshire was little better ; and he for one would do his best to defeat these proposed contracts, which were fraught with danger and objec tion.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. PRESTON created some confusion by forcing him self upon the meeting, but the meeting would nut hear him; and the noise becoming greater than ever, Mr. REYNOLDS rose and said it might be an amuse ment to Mr. Preston to cause this uproar, but it was a nuisance to the meeting, and unless that gentleman sat down, he should move that he be turned out.—(Cheers.) A PROPRIETOR having seconded the motion, The CHAIR➢IAN informed Mr. Preston that if he per sisted in his attempt to address the meeting out of order he should put the motion which had just been made, and if carried steps would be taken to put it in force. After another scene of uproar and confusion, during which Mr. Preston behaved in a very frantic manner, that gentleman was induced to sit down, and the motion that he be turned out was withdrawn. The amendment that the East Anglian contract be not confirmed was then put to the vote, and negatived by a large majority. Mr. WATERS then moved as an amendment, that a resolution which was passed at a former meeting, to the effect that the directors be authorised to take such steps as they should consider necessary for protecting the in terest of the Great Northern, either by treating with other companies, or applying to Parliament, be rescinded. but no one seconded the resolution, and it therefore fell to the ground. He then moved a third amendment, di recting the board to charge the interest on the mort gage and the costs of management in future to revenue account. Mr. GROVES had much pleasure in seconding the amendment. It was high time they had a dividend, and unless they got one now they never would have any. .„ The CHAIRMAN said Mr. Groves was evidently an in nocent, unsophisticated Yorkshireman, and misunder stood the object of the amendment.—(A laugh.) Mr. Groves thought the amendment would give him a divi dend?—(A laugh.) Mr. GROVES—Yes, surely. The CHAIRMAN—Then you are very much mistaken. —(A laugh.) The effect of the amendment would be to delay all dividends. Mr. GROVES—Oh, then I'll have nothing to do with it. I won't second an amendment of that sort. No other proprietor would second it, and the amend ment met with the same fate as its predecessor. The resolution for the adoption of the report was then put and carried, after which a resolution was passed authorising the directors to forfeit 720 abases of all classes. Resolutions, in accordance with other recom mendations in the report were also proposed from the chair and agreed to, when the retiring auditors and di rectors were re-elected. A resolution was also passed, fixing the remuneration of the two audi tors at one hundred pounds each. The meeting was then made special, and resolutions passed authorising the directors to proceed with certain Bills which the company have now pending in Parliament. Thanks were then voted to the Chairman, and the meeting, which was very numerously attended and was protracted to a late hour, broke up. Miss M'Lean, sister to the petitioner, proved the arrival of Mrs. M'Lean in this country, in company with Captain Christal. During the whole - of her stay in England, Captain Cristal visited her at various places where she was staying, and when she again left England to return to India, that gentleman sailed with her in the same ship. Catherine Hodgkieon, a domestic servant in the em ploy of Mr. Tomlinson, of 22, Maddox- street, stated that on the 29th of December, 1846, Mrs. KLean came to lodge at her master's. She was accompanied by a little boy, her nephew, who remained for a few days, and was then taken by his aunt to the station at Padding ton. On returning she brought back Capt. Cristal with her, whom she stated to be an intimate friend of her hus band's, whom she had accidentally met, and who, she proposed, should occupy the room which her nephew had occupied, for a few days. A few nights after, after Mrs. M'Lean had retired to rest, the witness heard Captain Christal's bedroom door open, and on looking out of her own door she saw that gentleman come out of his own room and go into Mrs. M'Lean's bedroom, where he remained for some time. The next night after that witness saw Mrs. APLean go up stairs into Captain Christal's room. She was in her night dress only, and in the morning witness saw Mrs. M'Lean coming down stairs again in a similar condition. This was repeated on the next night, and on these three occasions the parties were together more than a hour to the witness's own knowledge. They stayed at the lodgings - only a week ; but in the summer of the next year Mrs. Mac Lean re turned, and Captain Cristal often visited her there. They lived there on the same terms of intimacy as before. On one occasion in July witness remembered Mrs. M'Lean coming hcme one day very hot, and asking for some hot-water to bathe herself with. Witness went down stairs to fetch it, and on re turning to Mrs. APLean'a bed-chamber she met her coming out of the sitting-room, which opened into it, half naked. Captain Christal was in the sitting room at the time, but Mrs. M'Lean said when she went into the room that she was not aware that any person was there. They left the lodgings in September, 1847, to return to India, as Mrs. M'Lean told her. Dr. Sheckleton deposed to the return of Mrs. M'Lean toiliurrachee, where she joined her husband on"the 22d December, 1847, and to the birth of a child on 6th of July following. The child was a full-grown nine months' child, that there was no doubt of. By Lord BROUGHAM—It could not possibly have been a six months' child, though children were occasionally born within that period. Mr. HARVEY produced the proceedings in the Con sistory Court, in which a judgment for a divorce a mensi et thoro was pronounced. Mr. Manvers, of the East India House, proved the death of Captain Cristal. This completed the evidence. The Bill was then read a second time. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. (THIS EVENING.) HOUSE OF LORDS. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool. sack at Five o'clock. HEATHCOTE'S DIVORCE HOUSE OF LORDS, March 4. This afternoon their Lordships heard counsel and wit nesses in this divorce case. The Peers present were—The Lord Chancellor, Lord Brougham, the Earl of Lanesborough, the Duke of Wel lington, Lord Beaumont, and Lord Saye and Sele. The lion. Mr. TALBOT, in stating the case for the pe titioner, said that ho bad the honour of appearing at their Lordships' bar in support of the petition fur a Bill for the divorce of Captain Edmund Heathcote from his wife Elizabeth Lucy. Doubtless their Lordships had read the previous proceedings of this unusually painful case, and therefore he might be relieved from entering into a detail of certain distressing portions of the circum stances, which ho should be glad, with their Lordship' permission, to be spared. With their Lordships' sanc tion, then, he would at once enter upon an outline of the case which he was prepared to prove by evidence. The petitioner was a commander in her Majesty's navy, and a member of a highly respectable, family in Hampshire, and who in the year 1844, being on the New foundland station, had become acquainted with the lady who had subsequently become his wife, Miss Eliza beth Lucy Law, the daughter of Colonel Law, a gentle man holding an official appointment in Newfoundland. The ceremony of marriage was performed, with the ap probation of the members of the lady's family, by the Bishop of Newfoundland. After the marriage the par ties resided at the house of the lady's family for some time, and until the then Lieutenant Heathcote was or dered off to the West ladies. Lie went, leaving his wife at her father's, where she remained till 1846. A son was born in April, 1845, and in the year 1846, Mrs. Heathcote quitted Newfoundland for England, in the company of Mrs. Spearman, where she was to meet her husband. Having reached Portsmouth, Captain Heath cote and his wife went to Fritham, where he had pur chased a house and grounds, that place being only about two miles distant from the residence of his father at Brombam. The stay of the captain, however, was but short, in consequence of his having been ap pointed to the Constance, and he set sail again on the Ist of August, 1846, bound for South America. Mrs. Heathcote remained at Fritham surrounded by every luxury and comfort that a lady could desire. She was liv ing in the vicinity of her husband's family, and was visited by and visited all the neighbours. Up to that moment there was no reason to doubt but that the warmest affection was felt by Mrs. Heathcote towards her hus band. In the course of April, 1847, a second child was burn. Affection and harmony of feeling still reigned, but in the month of October, 1848, the lady's brother, George Francis Law, returned home, after an absence of six years' service in India, when he paid a visit to Mrs. Heathcote, at Fritham, at which place it would he proved thatthe most improper and criminal conduct had taken place between the two; and, although this con duct would be proved to have taken place from day to day, and from month to month, and although the suspi cions of what was going on amounted to positive know ledge, yet those suspicions had been entirely confined to the servants, and had not come to the knowledge of Mr. Heatbcote's family. The consequence had been, there fore, that during the whole of the time that this crimi nality of conduct was proceeding Mrs. Heathcote had continued to visit the family of her husband, who, of course, were in total ignorance of the acts of the lady. Captain Heathcote returned to England on the 24th of November, 1849, and having resumed his place at home, continued, in the fullest reliance in his wife's faithfulness, to live with her up to the 15th of May in the last year. About that time he had gone to pay a visit at Bath, leaving his wife with the knowledge of her pregnancy, with the firm conviction that he was himself the father of the in fant to which in due time she would give birth. On his return home on the 18th of the same month, the Cap tain was informed by one of his servants that Mrs. Heathcote was extremely ill, and had become so during the preceding night. He went instantly to her room, and in the most affectionate terms inquired how she was, and was lying on the bed with her hand in his, when he saw the nurse, and presently heard the cry of an infant. He looked at his wife in a feeling of despair, struck with the conviction of her faithlessness to him. Utterly unable to speak, he turned upon his wife one more look, and left her for ever. From that time to the present Captain Heathcote bad never seen his wife; be had not seen her since that fatal day. Subsequently he had an interview with the nurse, from whom he ascer tained the lamentably criminal faithlessness of his wife. Measures were subsequently taken, and Mrs. Heathcote was eventually removed to Jersey, where some mem bers of her own family were then living. It would be his duty to put in a letter from Mrs. Heath cote, addressed to her husband, in which, in terms of the bitterest pain she confessed her guilt, and pointed out the party who was the father of her child. That letter it was not his intention to read, unless under the command of their Lordships, before whom a copy had already been laid. An action had been brought against Mr. George Francis Law, and a verdict for 1,000/ damages re covered. Not one farthing of those damages had been obtained, for the defendant had since been convicted of fraudulently obtaining money under false pretences, and was at the present moment undergoing his sentence of seven years' transportation. The Learned Counsel then called the following witnesses : Mr. Charles Bush Lee—l am a solicitor, and conduct this bill for Captain Heathcote, the petitioner. I know Elizabeth Lucy Heathcote. I served her with a copy of the bill and the order of the House. Mrs. H. Spearman—l remember being resident iu Newfoundland. I remember the marriage of Miss Lucy Law. I was present at the marriage. I am a member of the Church of England. It was solemnized by the Bishop of Newfoundland. The father of the bride, Colonel Law, was present. I was acquainted with her family previously. The marriage took place with the consent of the father of the lady. I knew them after the marriage. It fell to my lot to accompany Mrs. Heath cote to England in 1846. While they were in Newfound land they lived at Colonel Law's. They lived upon terms of affection and goodwill. We came to the port of Bristol. I did not afterwards go to Portsmouth. I remember the birth of a child a year after the marriage. It was a son. He came with us to England. William Arthur Heathcote—l am a magistrate for the county of Wilts, and brother to the petitioner. I think it was in July, 1846, when my brother and his wife arrived from Newfoundland. He came home in the Eurydice. I saw them at Fritham and Bromham. Fritham is between two and three miles from Bromham. My brother was appointed to the Constance on the Bth of July, 1846, and he sailed on the Ist of August follow ing. He was in England some five or six weeks only. During that time I met them frequently at my father's at Bromham. I am the elder brother of the captain. They were living, I consider, on the most amicable terms. The Constance was bound for the South Ame rican station. When he (my brother) went away his wife remained at Fritham at his own house. She had servants there. Every comfort was provided her. I have met her at my father's house frequently. I am my father's executor. He died the 27tri of November, 1846. I corresponded with my brother in conse quence of his death. I heard from my brother from South America very shortly before he came home. He came home in November, 1849. The child was born OR the 18th of May, 1850. I know George Francis Law. I saw George Law in company with Mrs. Heathcote the first time at Salisbury. Teat was in November, 1848. I afterwards saw him in June, 1849, at Fritham, while I was on a visit there. He was living there for some months. After Captain Heathcote came home I had opportunities of seeing him and his wife to gether. They were then upon the most affectionate terms. I always treated her as a sister-in-law. I am married, and my wife treated her as a sister. I remem ber being at Bath in the month of May, 1850. I was living there. I remember leaving Bath on the 18th of May. I parted with my brother on Salisbury-plain. I was going to Bromham; my brother to Fritham. My brother came to me the day after we parted on Salisbury plain. I remember going to Fritham subsequent to that. Upon that occasion I saw Mrs. Heathcote. My brother was in the stable, he did not see Mrs. Heath cote. Mrs. Heathcote told me she could not tell what had possessed her—it was a sort of infatuation. Having committed the first fault she could not withhold. She confessed that her brother was the father of the child. The children were taken away from Fritham and brought to my house. I took Mrs. Heathcote to South ampton, thence she went to Jersey. By Lord BROUGHAM—I saw my brother within a week after his return in November, 1849. I received a letter from him within a month of his coming home. That let abuko s o to k ,f s ics t o4 o : ,Ba s h eai o nt w hdeer t r n e a nt t hd i m e he logi w name oa e ri e n eCawpotua would d n atmbenerod camefoundetdh eto mibt in August, e 8 A p t r o e uar s Mr. Thompson—This witness produced the logbooks Heathoote was out of the country. An entry could not let c May,oh muster booksfa pr i m n iroea c tvyt o ie. n o consequence lo q tl recollect _n t ise of hf t nh a ge t r o tlfoa her not appear. nurse. I attended Mrs. Heathcote in two of her confine ments. I remember seeing Mrs. Heathcote on the 2d of confine ment. I am not certain that I had a conversation on the her size. I said to her, " Ma'am, lehink you are getting very stout." She said, " Do you think so, Rolfe?" Cap tain Heathcote's name was mentioned. After I told Mrs. Heathcote she was getting very stout, she said, "I do monthly e r about 1 o l y Bi. tohsteha:yetuihppneaegtttiisi petitioner :men er having been pro_ not know that I have a day to go." I looked quite confounded. She said, "Rolfe, Do you understand me?" I said " Ma'am, the captain has not been home more than six months, and scarcely that." I then said, "Have you informed the captain?" She said she had not, and asked me if I could keep a secret. I then asked her if she had named it to a medical ran. She said no, and asked me to keep it secret, for if the captain knew it it would be a deathblow to him. I do not recollect any more of the conversation. I went home that even ing. I recollect being sent for to go to Fritham about the 15th of May. The captain left that morning to go to Bath. I went to stay with Mrs. Heathcote and take care of the children. I remember Mrs. Heathcote being taken very ill, in consequence of which I sent for a me dical man. That was on the 17th. It was between eleven and twelve at night when I sent the man off for the medical man. The child was born about half-past one in the morning. There was only myself present, and I delivered her. I have had a great deal of expe rience, and according to my judgment the child was a full-grown child. I think Mrs. Heathcote must have gone her full time. I remember the captain came home on the Saturday evening about seven o'clock. I remem ber seeing him in Mrs. Heathcote's room. By the Loan CHANCELLOR — It was Saturday morn ing, between one and two, when the child was born, and the captain came home in the evening. By Mr. TALaeT—I was present when he came into the bedroom. He went to the bedside and kissed his wife, and said, "Dear Lucy, how are you now?" She said she was better. I had the child at the far side or the room. The captain walked to the other side of the bed. The baby cried out; he looked round and saw it. He had Mrs. Heathcote's hand in his, he dropped it, and he never spoke to his wife, or to the baby, but walked out of the room. I afterwards saw him go down stairs. I did not follow him, but he sent for me the .next day and I told him what 1 have told their Lordships. When I told the captain he appeared very much hurt—very much indeed. I do not know whether Captain Heath ccte had any suspicion that the child was to be born so soon or nor. I remember the children being removed on the Tuesday morning. The captain left the house on Sunday. I saw him at the house, but never saw him in Mrs. Heathcote's room again. I saw Mr. Arthur Heathcote come with him about a fortnight afterwards. I know Genre Francis Law. Ido not know whether he was living in the house. In the conversation which took place between myself and Mrs. Heathcote, and when I told her that the captain had not been home more than six months, she said, " Ob, Rolfe, I know no one but my brother." Mr. George Robert Tatam—l am a medical practi tioner, and remember being summoned to attend Mrs. Heathcote. I saw the child. She was confined before I arrived. The confinement seemed to me to be recent. The child was a perfect child—full grown, and I should say certainly a nine months' child. Henrietta Prowett-1 am in service. lam twenty three years of age. I lived in Mrs. Heatbcote's family at Fritham. I went to live there in 1848. I went there in the capacity of nursemaid. I never saw the captain until ho came home. He came home the 24th of No vember in the next year; that must be 1849. That was the first time I saw him. • Mr. George Francis Law was stoppirg with us. I can't remember when he came to stop with us first, but it was, I think, in November or . December in the same year. I have known him to stay a month or six weeks et a time, then go away for a month, and then return again. Mrs. Heathcote was in the habit of going to parties with her brother. I was in the habit of helping to make the beds. Ellen Del man used to help me make all the beds, except the cook's.;,We often remarked that Mr. G. Law's bed had not been slept in. We frequently noticed this. In the evening, about ten o'clock, .1 have noticed Mrs. Heath cote going into Mr. Law's room, about the time we went to bed.' We have known her to go in and come out again. We have found in Mr. Law's room an ex tinguisher put on the candle, and the bed tumbled as if it had been laid upon. This has happened more than once. There was no one in the house besides the ser vants, except Mrs. Heathcote and George Law, on the occasion I have spoken of. Mr. Law was in the draw ing-room. I did not see Mr. Law go upstairs on this occasion. There were six steps to go up, and the cook's bedroom was between Mrs. Heathcote's bedroom and Mr. Law's. The cook's room was on a line with Mr. Law's. I have observed that Mrs. Heathcote's bed had been occupied by more than one person. I judge it from there being marks of two having been in it. I Lave noticed that more than once. There was nobody in the house but Mr. Law who could have slept with Mrs. Heathcote. After the captain came home I noticed that be treated his wife very kindly. She did not ap pear so fond of him as he was of her. Ellen Delman—l was housemaid in the service of Mr. and Mrs. Heathcote at Fritham. I went into their ser vice in November, 1847, and stayed until 1850. I never saw Captain Heathcote until November, 1849. That was the first time I ever saw him in my life. He came to live at Fritham with Mrs. Heathcote. I bad seen Mr. Law on and off there for two or three months at a time. He was not so constant in his visits at last as he was at first. I saw him first in 1848. It was my duty to take up the hot water to my mistress. I sometimes put it down at the door instead of taking it in. There was a night bolt on my mistress's door. This excited my attention, and in consequeuce of it I used to go Mr. Law's room. I went there to see where he was. I did unt find him there. I used to take up the hot water sometimes at eight, and sometimes at ten. I noticed Mr. Law's bed; sometimes it was tossed and sometimes it was not. I have seers Mr. Law outside Mrs. Heath cote's bed, sometimes with bis irowsers on and sometimes with his trowsers and waistcoat. I have seen Mrs. Heathcote go into Mr. Law's room. I have been into Mr. Law's room to fill up the jugs, and have noticed that the bed has been pulled to pieces as if somebody had lain in it. This witness also corroborated the state ment of Henrietta Prowett. Mr. W. Legge Harvey, from the Consistory Court, Doctor's-commons, produced the proceedings in that court in this case. Mr. Lee, on being recalled, produced a copy of the judgment in the action in the Court of Common Pleas between the petitioner and George Francis Law,wherein a verdict by default was taken for 1,000/. damages, the defendant not having appeared either in person or by counsel. He also produced the record of the conviction of George Francis Law at the sessions at Southampton in August last year, when he was sentenced to transpor tation for seven years for having fraudulently obtained money under false pretences upon a draught. The further proceedings were then adjourned to Thursday next. Adjourned accordingly. ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. HOME ClRCUlT.—Chelmsford, Mareh 5. CROWN SlDE.—(Before Lord Objet Justice CAMPBELL.) _ _ . Thomas Hammond, aged 21, was indicted for feloni ously setting fire to a haulmstack, the property of John Bush, since deceased. Mr. Hawkins prosecuted, and Mr. Charnock defended the prisoner. The circumstances under which this charge was pre ferred were of rather an unusual character. It appeared that the fire in question occurred so far back as the month of October, 1847, and it seemed that two brothers named Wood wero taken into custody on suspicion of having committed the offence, and were eventually com• witted for trial, but the grand jury ignored the bill, and they were ,discharged. Shortly afterwards the prisoner was represented to have entertd into conversation with Joseph Wood, one of the parties who had bean com mitted, and after observirg that " he had suffered inno cently for that there fire," he said that he would tell him who was the guilty party; and he then went on to say that it was himself who had fired the stack. The only witness to speak to this conversation was the young man Wood, and ho accounted fur not having said anything about it at the time by stating that nobody applied to him upon the subject until a policeman came to him a short time back, and he then related the particulars of the conversation he had had with the prisoner. The witness admitted on cross-examination that the prisoner appeared to have had some beer when he made the state ment, but he declared that he was quite sober. When before the magistrate, however, it seemed that the pri soner asserted he was drunk at the time, and did not know what he said. The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE expressed an opinion that, under these circumstances, and in the absence of any cor roborative evidence, it would not be safe to convict the prisoner. The jury therefore returned a verdict of Not Guilty. (Before EDWIN JAMES, Esq., Q.c.) John Burrells, 22, and Thomas Purhess, 20, were in dicted for a robbery with violence upon David Little child. Mr. Maude conducted the prosecution, and Mr, Par nell was for the defence. It appeared that the prosecutor was a waggoner, and on the night of the 15th of Novmher, he was going with his waggon on the London-road, near Brentwooo. A boy was driving, and he was asleep in the hinder part of the waggon, when two men jumped from the hedge by the road-side and got into the waggon and rifled the pockets of the prosecutor, using considerable violence to him in the course of the proceeding. The prosecutor positively identified one of the prisoners, and the lad who was driving spoke to the other, and there were other circumstances deposed to which tended to establish the guilt of the prisoners. Mr. PARNELL addressed the jury for the defence, and endeavoured to satisfy them that the witnesses were mis taken in speaking to the identity of the prisoners. Mr. JAMES summed up the case very minutely to the jury, and he particularly reminded them that before they could return a verdict of guilty they ought to be satis fied that the identity .of the prisoners had been esta blished beyond any reasonable doubt. The jury returned a ♦erdict of Guilty, and the prisoners were sentenced to be transported for seven years. OXFORD ClRCUlT.—Oxford, March 4. - ------ - CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Justice PerrEsow.) John Lantbourn, a labourer, aged 50, was charged with having murdered his wife, Ann, at Watlington, on the evening of Saturday, the 28th of September, Mr. Carrington and Mr. Skinner conducted the pro secution; and Mr. Williams the defence. It appeared that the prisoner and his wife had lived very unhappily for several years. She was very ema ciated and weak in constitution, a few years older than the prisoner, and partially deaf. They lived in a cottage in Watlington, which was separated from the road lead ing to Cuxham by a small garden and hedge. They lived quite alone, without lodgers or children. Their cottage adjoined another inhabited by a family named Coles. A little beyond that was another cottage, inha bited by a family named Jones. At five o'clock on the above Saturday evening she came to her neighbour Mrs. Coles for some firing, and got it. About half-past seven Mrs. Coles and her husband left their house, no one re maining behind. They passed by again at half past eight, when they heard the prisoner and his wife quar relling, and he complaining that she ought to have made his tea before. They came home that night at eleven, and went to bed. The door of the prisoner's house was at that time ajar (ashore was the word used by the wit nesses), and there was no light in the house. They did not mind that, as the deceased was in the habit of sitting in the dark while she was waiting up for the prisoner. Soon afte7 twelve o'clock they were roused by Robinson and the other neighbours, and then they learned that she had been murdered. Mrs. Martha Wheeler said her husband sold beer, and on the Saturday evening in question the prisoner came to her house about half-past seven, and asked for a pint of mild beer. She remarked his manner as being stiller than usual. George Gould was there, and asked the prison er , "Well, John, how is little Nan; don't you wish she was dead?" and he apse ered, " Oh, George, that is going too far." Little Nan was Mrs. Lambourn. He was generally a lively man, and would sing and joke. When he first came in that evening he had some bread and beer. Moses Robinson proved that Lambourn came to his door about eleven o'clock, and cried out, " Will some one come along with me, fur I think my wife lies dead in the gardee." Witness went with him. When they got to the door it was open. There was no light in the house. The body lay dead in the garden near the door. Lam bourn said, " My poor old wife." The b o dy lay cold. The hands were bloody, and grasped some grass, as if she had clutched it in the agony of t'eath. She lay on her back. She had no shoes on her feet. The prisoner first pointed out where she lay. The neighbours soon brought a light. Blood was on her cap and bonnet, and a good deal on the ground where her head was lying. She was not quite, dead. He could just discern a little life. Ile found her heart boating. bhe was not a stout woman; she was a poor little object. The next morning, a fter church, he went to the place where she had lain, and saw blood there, and also sca ttered arounded th ga 0 den in a good many places, as though spurt from water. pot round it, but not so far as tt n yards fro m where she had lain. When they had p laced her on the bed the night before, Lambourn said, some one must go for a doctor; and witness answered, " You m ust g i o yourself;" and he (Lambourn) imm ediately went offline brought back the doctor. William Cole, the next-door neighbour, said that tbe prisoner came into his house about one o'clock that night, and said that if she lived twenty-four hours theY could not demand a jury, and he hoped they would net have one; to which witness answered prisonerif she liviid three weeks there would be a jury. and b ls wife had quarrelled frequently, and be often said th at God Almighty must have fo r g otten her or be wci ss ` have taken her long ago. Samuel Lewis, a baker, met the prisoner about trtel!f. o'clock that night, who said he had found his " I : curled up in the garden, und asked him (witness) t fetch the doctor. He added that she was cold, end ~: , did not know whethi r she was dead or alive. li e t 'lt you will fetch the doctor I will fetch my sisl er ' t be . Samuel Gould, a baker, said that when be bad , prisoner in custody h S he Orel: to him that she was as 'enkuilled"(Yi.afet.eirL°rlnd) a Ing b Le be had seen. The prisoner asked him whether be "" 0 seen her? He raid that he had that morning. Witilee remarked that she must have been murdered Tae eri. one. Prisoner replied, "I am innocent e dit." i ,,,P 0 0 soner afterwards said to him that when he Wa s " - oft the preceding evening, there was no light, and be OA a gurgling noise outside the door, and went out . 0 1 . 1 : 0 found his wife lying near the door, and then Heat for the neighbours. On the following day he took up ~ tongs which were in the chimney. corner of the prisyt:of house, and found blood and hair 011 the flat P ol° them. The blood eppeared to be very f esb I' • 001 Moses Robinson was recalled, to prove that it srus os o possible for the prisoner to have gone into the b without seeing the body as it lay at the door, sa d ink Mr. Di, kson, the sulgeon who attended her, enuybich the post :Norton examination, said the woundP„f die caused death were a lacerated wound on the banufisk, bead, which went as f.Ar as the bone, but did not T oe but merely bruised it; and a clot of blood at the tio She Lion of the brain with the spinal marrow, whicbus:oolo3 result of a concussion. She was a very 13 10 ' „b ir and quite emaciated, and it was not possible for ell! b 1 juries to result from a fall or a fit. She died to 71 o'clock on the Sunday morning- The its have been inflicted upwards of an hour before ~ the body. There were slight di colorations on th: rat . The prisoner told him that be would find bruise. _0:1-i- •• her, as she had thrown herself about. These nerep, were so slight as not to call for all °b •sr elo f The wound on the seal indicated that 8 7 e i nt e ou. --4 had been inflicted on he p r. The bonnet whic h -11 was crushed and quite saturated with blood. the Fri. It was proved that on the Bth of September I d if be soner was at a public-house at Cuxhatn, and said if nit o could get rid of that old brute of his he could C o, oil young woman. He bad had a good deal of l'f d off there were several young girls in the houe, t o 00 were laughing, and joking, and larking. It' ss ie 10 proved that in the course of the last summ er u s befell would cut her old head off, and on the Thursday _ d i d her death he quarrelled abo ut 49. Whi nachme°. she 11;0 bers out, and called her o ffensive s t a month of her death he said God AlreightY P l° 0 sad forgotten her or he would have taken her long :g o ; et ei he would not stand it long. Last summer twc2:;.a. 0 0 lerf ho beat her. When they began to quarrel, s i e o rder the next neighbour, used to leave her own ben su aio ens not to be in the way, as the deceased did ootowved t ot one to interfere in their quarrels. It was I be ih? he repeatedly in the course of last year so her. bit to see her dead and the daisies growing over sB O wi th once said he would kill her, and when renle ns 1 m pg la for using such language, he said he should be m 00 her some time or other. „ in tending „ a o Mr. WILLIAMS addressed the jury , "'"-- aoaer "a there was no satisfactory evidence that the P w r ' al , pro/ the person who committed the crirne. I : setioee pro/ that blood was scattered about in every d.r a:t b Woo" that the poor woman's bonnet was WU ravd w ri . sover , 0 : yet no blood whatever was found on °e ke' ) tbli s°. (l traced in any manner to him. It might „alders ruffians who were bent on robbing Moulde.. 1 01 per her, but were disturbed before they lo° perry away.t h e esid: His LORDSHIP went carefully through . k . 0 ,000 and left it to the jury to say whether or not ii'v r . was the person who had committed the criine!_.d with ' The jury retired for an hour, and re ttiry' verdict of Acquittal. Richard (,! d tor o s Bonner, ISboUrer, Was laolete t Du o, Jobe Horemen on the Queen's bights*, a before Mr. Justice TALrovia) „ ro bbia a ts the 27th of December,' 1847. O a Mr. Philtimore conducted the prosecutielie sa Williams the defence. t of ° is 110 O _M , a Horst:nen, a termer, was comiog 0 ° , srse y. on ~,o f _Chime, ou the road bowe towards Tolrl , o va 1, 1 1 ; evening of the above day, about eiz o'clock tor Oti; prisoner and another man'overtook b an, all saeriew, ing about 100 y ards along the road with him . ok 0 0# knocked him down and rifled his pockets' 6136 toad ill ls i s d . i l ti ss s . ilve H r e a w n a d s some cloth, fo r WI" "r °llone d • b he e the il two men. He had often seen hil r d, a rre eu t bis Theme, buitliwe a p s r r is e o sc n u e e r d w i e r s om so t o h n e C a o T i r te or b k a le l e: °d je ll; , ce ef the. s' s p ice till of thhee returned cout,trpaolnideittievAleuedtghe u:st thet 5 eol o Pis d gr s ii ' 1 8:11i a fl u: tie'er3se:lee a tef e di: bourhood, when h e was app„tess goitre i t t t o be e l. Another farmer proved that as he --a , b O3-- foe ;v , soner and six about • o'clock on the above even roa d at'his°. another man going out o °, mewl bard off cif a great is Towersey, an but the • one of the men..as the prisoner ries eu h i, e nd ue st e r sv o prisoner did not return the 100 , as r iser ) 00 0 hurry. Two men were liT c eh a ' more than 500 yards from ebe spot ff be "" OM was robbed, Th a s a it mrell r bhg" an al ' 00111°Pati k to iss b e e d s i w t to o ade a teint of ki ss ing the book Y .._ e was c' d 0 01 his nose, but the trick being discovereatt.s; he 0 dm properly; a° - he had done so. He swore that the prisone 00 house that .. five o'clock, and rewo r d ._, till nine evening at ...,_ for taar_sporina se o'clock, helping t balingn with 0000 the same time. Great and Yerl cond witness swore to b e en ~.1 00 010 0 instep,.. ior y If d ale sworn properly; but et c ods u Po s ,eotddtowb"atp. t hi m r te; s rPnv e :e l 9 f ibbb b t il y i e . 85 8 00: 1 ly:ii:ce ' bi t le tli:siotneb: were elicited from these witnesses, In tu t ;'' d NO a moment's h e sitation discredited Wino on . a bet s" ona 'son prisoner Guilty. victed. The second conviction took Ps w- d be Ir - It was then proved that be bad beenittie- 18 3 1'00 aet he was oe'' I then transported for 14 years , ° II out of the coma His LORDSHIP try. oat ofige °f l # oo%.,. re i; said this was the ..- _. peen A p. of crime. The prisoner could not " 7 :ol l3 ° llfge n uos turned from transportation when b° d bis of e ffe icett c crime, and he had greatly aggrayst% e sclt ;OP alling perjured witnesses to defeat t he a wig tr The lightest punishment he could impo se s il ts e ration for life. ___-..--- 0 des lig , F e f re; ii i PRACTICAL EXORCISM.---Abollt ten were t ck, 0 epode; population of Brunn, in the Austrian .. d o into commotion by the appeerance of tl b drillted, u sl persond, surrounded by gensdarines W i re preS, A , 011 covered with hair, hors 's legs, His Satanic Majesty was, as he is alWalasoges e':". IR s e fectly black. with two enormous born* undergoingand c loven o tea To I seemed decidedly out of espirits, end it °P, s P e d to dark 0 :0P the indignity of being c, .., fell 0 e l st ''' ine The old men and women of the Pl r) 4%1 'lit ' A o le o : o fo i re6 ss e io; ro l l) and prayed to all the saints to protect them 002 b a d o fe.. d o rible . Prince of Darkness; but the You°g.squiry ti! pen? ety to laugh and to scoff at him' ovofevaehrimethoilhdinitha sumd devil of ing facts were stated .—A few days woman named Hint . i • • b ed after d th 041 1(1 either e liver d was lying in or make gi ,e ev and i 0 or window, cl ' anking a chain, and dam _ do reg,_, le the child to be carried re d forie woe s o uci ne de 7 lede :li teb : C e ilb tl :Pel :: teendre p eer es silver, • which he knew she had collecto" mie y, in de l re tl I%ctey terried, at once produced the 01 "Tbe niT re el 0 wom te d it ; h after which he went 119.' t oe li s p eotil 0 and an told the parish priest of the Vl5lOO orio ° be t ' added that she had collected the 1 ~,, e ce , 2 a eed penny to pay for religious services on _Pc, fi e r:. 1, 0 0 "Did you tell any one that you bad tee "'"'oWeli• tha t ~ priest. "Oafs the midwife," slid she . sing e lie' ner -- or i t i, midwife that the devil was mistaken i° s s o - orili s g ive had only 100 florins, for that you hav e , a ou a t s „ Or say that you are glad he did not comp ass„ told up. The devil will perhaps pay Sot, wo . ull t t eed' s , but I will be there to exorcise him., "not/I/et- tbe t , l4l ,o midwife what the priest had said• ib . .!;, - , lint ,I-0 one o f reappeared and demanded the 50 fir"'„%iaibf;',ertielet moment the priest rushed forth, seize , ' de vil, " p d in Ar charged him with being a thief. Tb d s ,, e fes t ti - Ig• eris k A was the husband of the widwife. Ile 'l, O --- - s; 1 0 ", t ill and the next morning was taken to Pr- °a Con 1 0 / 0 01, A 41 MARISCHAL COLLEGE, ARESlellosjori,t/hie, IP" last the Earl of Eglinton was elected, 01 - Tee Ps "nations," Lord Rector of this College' opponent was Sir Charles Lyell. On the Chewton, of 2 a d n h in e e i t r . . , • tia t6ii BIRTHB Vl sc° OF A SON. ,t the 01 On the 3d - the Rev. Ralph R. Tatha , ~ S at Wilton-crescet o p m.,.. 1 . 1i00 ) " ' inst., at the Vicarage, ..--a, wi o fe n of the 3d inst., inifTee'rryinAgtuoan-116,11.:1111' the Wife °I et S. Selfe, Esq. jos O e n ph th i e ,r 2 e d em i a n n st . ., de "' iF tisha r Y son at Artillery-pl ace, * 4 eiTidaetsi ltd On the 4th inst., at Trinity Church, x f a l l, ,1 t • , ,, i d do: fOirpoci Kentish-town MARRIBD. .., gboD, to lf , 0 ( of Edward Bright, Esq. , 131„,"naudY5' il 0.., third daughter Matilda, youngest daughter of the late 1.," tiofie';ooi h-town • andatthe time 11011 loris Poio' son of William of the late T. Sandys, Esq , 4:4 Bodger, Esq., of Rornford,los.ooo.so i° ° ' the o i Div e a "IN < A , of lig On the 2d inst., at Halkin-street Wes t ' Wor t ' u fr i . S o Caroline Vansittart, relict of Arthurlood,Y Shottesbrook, Berks, and sister of Lord M c , P r ot Sodor and Man. ..,1 Do' toOr u the 3(1 inst., in Bryanston t o r- sr 11 0 Willett the relict of the late Rev. Charles I.' 0.4, ..stree , „. s ti r, idg e ' J t ' East Dereham. v % br ,ge r e, On the 3d inst., at Park -cottage, near hire , 4 $ •les .3. 1 Admiral Colin Campbell, of Ardpatrick, ° f M 1,10 f On the 3d inst., George Tindall, ego ~tigl'tose Pentonyille, aged 67. , , 0011'vecibil On the 2d inst., at Dedham, Essex, Ja?"„'of tbo of the Rev. Osborne Reynolds, Head Alas°. Grammar School. t il, Sgt „sijog,c, q On the 21 inst., in Liverpool- terrace, 1 r , ' Langridge, aged 74. Ar tbli On the 3d inst., in Upper Ilarley-str et, ea 7, a4 otif youngest son of the late John Travers, E5c11,11.610011 On the 21 inst., W. H. Turner, Es ( 1 4 v i ., ei Hyde-park. --------- ----------------- 0 I f Q tls'-'l' li i London: Printed and Published by lgtilli?Ace, ; 4 _ ,i4 17 il . No. 112, Strand, Printer, at Ths So,`" — tile O vw- Strand, in the Precinct ul the Savoy, P . • Middlesex, Thursday, March 6 , 1851' ITALY. The Corriere Italiano a Milan, of the 25th ult., annouwces that an ordonnance has been transmitted by the Austrian Government to all the lieutenancies of the parts of the empire which are still in a state of siege, directing that no journal shall be allowed to mention, even incidentally, the titles of prohibited works or pamphlets at present secretly circulating among the public, notwithstanding the vigilance of the police. Should they infringe this order, they will subject themselves to the punishment of being suppressed. The Roman Journal, of the 24th ult., quotes the following, dated Imela, 18th :—" The band of assas sins, who, some days ago fired a few shots on the Pontifical and Austrian troops in pursuit of them, sought refuge in the woods situate near the Tuscan frontier, in the direction of San Casciano. Traces of blood, and clothes pierced with bullets, were disco vered on the road. The disclosures made by one of the assassins led to the arrest of fifteen individuals within our district, having in their possession a number of valuable objects and money, for which they could not satisfactorily account." An English society had given a splendid ball, in the Palace Albani, at Romb. The Carnival com menced on the 1r2(1. Although the weather was un favourable and that generally the affluence is not great on the first day, yet there was on this occasion an immense crowd in the streets, and but few carriages. A race between ten horses closed the day, to the sa tisfaction of all. A letter from Bologna, of the 26th ult., states that since the creation of military committees in the Papal States, upwards of 130 banditti have been shot, and that nevertheless robberies are increasing to a frightful extent. The bands are mostly composed of youths of from 17 to 24 years of age, who submit to death with a most astonishing indifference. The same letter states that the Austrians have occupied Forte Urbano, a small fortress situated between Bologna and Modena, hitherto used by the Papal Government as a prison. HOUSE OF LORDS.-(THIS DAY. HEA.TFICOTE'S DIVORCE. The proceedings in this Bill were resumed this after noon before the Lord Chancellor, Lord Brougham, Lord Strangford, and Lord Lauesbrough. Mr. TALBOT proceeded with the evidence in support of the Bill. Captain Courtney, RN., deposed that on 27th Nov., 1847, he took the eommand of the Constance at Valpa raiso. He found the petitioner, Captain Heathcote, on board the ship, acting as first lieutenant, where he re mained constantly until the 24th of November, 1849, when he landed in England in company with the witness. This concluded the evidence in support of the Bill. . . Lord BROUGHAM inquired if the petitioner had any other evidence to produce of the relationship of the parties; at present they had no other evidence but the lady's admission that G. F. Law was her brother. He was said to have been in India from eight years of age. Mr. TALBOT said they had not such evidence at pre sent, but he would take care to have it supplied. On the motion of the LORD CHANCELLOR, the Bill was then read a second time. M'LEAN'S DIVORCE. In this case the petitioner was a Lieutenant Cole, in the 11th Regiment of Native Infantry, E.1.C., suing for a divorce from his wife, Mary Lewis M`Lean, on the ground of adultery committed with Captain Christal, of the same regiment, now deceased. Mr. TALBOT stated the case. In 1834 the petitioner, an officer of high standing in the Bombay army, mar ried Miss Pelley, daughter of a gentleman in the civil service of the East India Company, at that time about eighteen years of age, to whom he had been for some time attached. For the first two years of their married life they had lived at Bombay, but in 1836 they removed to Satter& with the regiment. At this period the health of Mrs. M'Leen required that she should reside in England, where her husband accompanied her. After residing is England two years, they returned to India, and fixed their residence at Kurrachee, where they re mained until 1645, when Mrs. M'Lean, owing to the entire breaking up of her health, was obliged to return to England, but owing to his professional engagements, he was not able to accompany her this time. She returned by the overland route, but being delayed by her illness at Cairo, she was overtaken by Captain Christal, the gentleman with whom the alleged adul tery was said to be committed. This gentleman was a brother officer of the petitioner, and a most inti mate friend, both previous and after his marriage, and meeting with Mrs. M'Lean at Cairo, he escorted her to England, paying her the utmost attention. After arriving in England, he visited her friends at Cheltenham and other places where she was then staying; and in the latter end of 11146 and the sum mer of 1847 he should be able to trace them living in the same lodgings in Maddox-street, where there was no doubt but that several acts of adultery had been commited. In the latter end of that year both Mrs. M'Lean and Captain Christal returned to India in the same vessel, and though he should not be able to offer any evidence of what had taken place on the passage, yet he should prove that exactly six months and fourteen days after she had rejoined her husband a child was born, which was in every respect a full grown nine months' child. When tls fact was communicated to her husband, his state of mind had been almost bordering on insanity, and a military board was held on him and he was discharged on the ground of ill-health. Two letters had been written by Mrs. M'Lean to her husband, in the first of which she denied the adultery, but within forty-eight hours after she wrote again, admitting that she had been unfaithful to him. An action was brought at Bombay against Cap tam Christal, and a verdict obtained aga i nst him with 2001. damages, and subsequently a suit was in stituted in the Consistory Court in this country, and a defininitive sentence of divorce, a meniii et thoro, pro nounced. The Learned Counsel then proceeded to call witnesses. Mr. W. Ackon proved the serving of the copy of the bill on Mrs. M'Lean ou the 27th of February, 1851. Mr. relley, father of Mrs. M'Lean, proved the mar riage of the parties at Surat,in 1836. Colonel Mackintosh deposed to the affectionate terms on which Mr. and Mrs. M'Lean had lived together. He had seen them both in England and India up to the year 1840, and had always considered that a strong at tachment existed between them. Mr. Crauford deposed to joining M rs . M'L ean a t Cairo on her homeward route. She was then in a very infirm state of health, and he escorted her as far as Malta, where she appeared so much recovered that he left her in charge of Captain Christal who was an intimate friend of her husband, and professed hie rea di ness t o escort her the remainder of the j ourney. PETITIONS. The Earl of ENNISKILLEN presented petitions against the Papal aggression from the city of London derry, the town of EnniEkillen and Manorhamilton. The Duke of ARGYLE presented a petition from Glasgow ageinct the slave trade. CAPE OF GOOD HOPE—THE KAFIRS. Lord MONTEAGLE said he wished to ask the Noble Lord the Secretary of State for the Colonies a question, of which he bad given notice, and which related to a matter of very considerable importance, especially at the present time. He had received advices to-day from the Cape of Good hope which gave an account of some very serious transactions in that colony, which, if true, were likely to affect in a material degree, not only the colony itself, but all those who bad any connection with it ; and he was quite sue that the Noble Lord would see the propriety of communicating to the House the contents of any dispatches which the Government had received with regard to the present state of the colony. It was advisable, he thought, to reassure confidence in the minds of all parties who were interested in the colony, that the rights of pro perty and life were respected; and therefore, whatever the truth was, it would be better to make it known to the public at once than to keep them in sus pense. It appeared that Sir H. smith had been under the necessity of proclaiming martial law through out the greater portion of the province, and he had not only dove this, but he required a levy to be made on all persons between fifteen and fifty to defend the frontier against the Kafir war, which appeared to be actually in progress. Letters had been published in the newspapers containing facts, which were extremely important to all who had connexion with the colony, whether in a commercial point of view, or by the ties of affection or relationship. He now wished to know if the Noble Lord had received any communication which ho could properly lay before the House as to the incursions of the Kafirs, and as to the means of defence at the command of the Governor. For the purpose of being in order he would eonclude by moving for a copy of the proclamation of Sir H. Smith. Earl GREY, who was almost inaudible in the gal lery, was understood to reply that he had received a dispatch from the colony, which mentioned that an at tack had been made by the Kafirs upon Sir Harry Smith, and he regretted to add that the en counter had resulted in the death of several men and two officers. The dispatch would be laid on their Lordships' table as soon as possible, and he had given instructions to have it paepared for that pur pose. With regard to the la't question of the Noble Lord, he had to state, that during the last two years the forces of the colony had bFen greatly reduced, but Go vernment was now on the point of dispatching additional forces, and he hoped shortly to hear that the insurrec tion of the Kaffirs had been put down.—(Hear, hear.) Lord STANLEY said the reply of the Noble Earl was satisfactory as far as it went, but the Noble Earl had spoken or a reduction of forces during the last two years, and he should be glad to know what the extent of that reduction had been?—(Hear, hear.) Earl GREY. who still spoke iu a low tone of voice, replied, that at the close of the Kafir war it w a s thought un necessary to maintain the forces of the colony on a war footing, and they were therefore reduced to the same state that they were in before the war commenced. The last official documents which appeared to have been issued by the governor was the proclamation published in the Grahamstown newspaper, and from that it would appear, that the attack of the Kafirs in the first in stance was most unjustifiable and unprovoked.—(Hear, hear.) A body of them, while partaking of the hospi tality of some British settlers rose upon them and bar barously murdered them. Lord MONTEAGLE was sorry to recur to the sub ject with which he had frequently troubled their Lord ships, but he could not help making a few remarks on the matter by which they were occupied. It should be recollected that the Cape was in a very different state to what it was when this Kafir war began.—(Hear.) If there had been any arrangement made at the begin ning of that war it had been grossly violated in the course of the contest. If British merchants determined to supply arms and ammunition, con trary to the law, to the natives of the district, those natives were not to be blamed for using the means put into their hands. Knowing all these circumstances, he had to beg to withdraw the mo tion which he had made. TAXES ON INCOME. Lord BROUGHAM, after having read the resolutions of which he had given notice to the House, showing an opinion that there ought to be a difference made in the tax imposed upon incomes derived from realised pro perty and from professional labour, begged to withdraw them. DESIGNS EXTENSION ACT. This Bill was read a second time, and their Lordships adjourned. UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE. OXFORD, MARCH s.—The examiners appointed by the trustees of Dean Ireland's foundation give notice that an examination will be holden in the schools on Mon day, the 31st instant, and the following days, for the purpose of electing a scholar on that foundation. Gentlemen who desire to offer themselves as candi dates are requested to call on the Rev. James Lons dale, M.A., of Bailie' College, with certificates of their matriculation, and of the consent of the head or vice gerent of their college or hall on Thursday, the 27th instant, between twelve and two o'clock. The scholar ship is open to all undergraduate members of the Uni versity who hav e no t e xceeded their sixteenth term. J A MES G. LONSDALE. WILLIA M LINWOOD. J AM ES T. B. LANDON. NEW PROCTORS.—The proctor s for the ensuing year will, on W e d nes d ay nex t, being the second Wednesday in Lent, b e e l ected b y the respecti ve societies of St. John's and M erton C o lleges, and th eir names must be announced to th e Vice-Chancello r before nine o'clock in the evening o f th e sam e day -s.—At a congregation holden CastBRIDGE, MARCH this day, th e f o ll ow i ng degrees were conferred:— B.A.—H. W. D ow nes, Trinity; R. I. Livin g stone, Trinity (c om p oun d er ) ; C. J. Ver non, Trinit y; G. Ar mitage, Joh n ' s; T. Badcoc k, Johns; M. Bland, Johns; R. Lawrenc e . John's; R• 0 _ • Lloyd, John's; W. Owen, John's; A. W a t son , John's; S. J. Whottle, John's; F. Soames, Caine; M. E. Stanb rush, Caius; L. J. Ste p hens, Caius (compounder); W. De Vear, Queen's; C. C. Wharton, Catharine Hal l ; J. Ruston, Jesus; J. Sim. monds, Jesus; F. J. Stockd ale, Emmanuel. At the same congregation the followin g g races p assed the senate:— To authorise each of the persons who may be employed to make a catalogue of the MSS. in the University Library , to take one MS. at a ti®e out of the Library without the usual bond, but under such conditions as the Library Syndicate may think necessary to prescribe for the safe custody of the MSS. To authorise the Vice-Chancellor to present to tan Rev. Benjamin Donne, M.A., of Queen's College, an old pulpit belonging to the University, but now no longer used. LIVERPOOL WATER ACCOUNTS.—The ordinary income of 1850 amounted to 59,7331. Os. 6d., and the expen diture to 54,6801. 13s. 6d., leaving a balance of 5,652/. 7s. The total income for the three years 1848-9-50, was 173,326/. Bs. I ld., and the total expenditure for the same period, 145,106, 3s. 7d., leaving a balance of 2ii,22t /. ss. 4d. Deducting the amounts owing on the 31st of December last, and sundry amounts charged in Rivington account, there is a balance of income over expenditure fur the three years of 2,4341. 3s. 2d. In 1848, 819 45,8481., received from water rents was 44,799/., in and in 1850 46,343/. On the Rivington account there was expended last year the sum of 104,831/. 14s. 3d. The bond debt on the water account amounts to 802,053/. 13s.e4r cent.,d.Theapardintchie pal part of this sum is borrowed at 5 per Int Of it is redeemable in the par 107. TI TA` /e0 )1 Bp/ The the T , tie 4 ho , 4e,0 a.. 1 11 k. N 1! lo i • 2 1