The Sun. — London, England, 1847-03-10 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MARCH 10, 1847. ' 4l et" - : -. " ---------- i t _ looking at the arguments by which the w7e..Gentlernan supported his motion, and the object i f? 1 ,1! he had in view, namly, the abolition of capital ' o ' 4 o ll braent, he felt it his citify to object to the introduc aeauiedf,the Bill on the same principle on which he o f „, have objected to the resolution to which he had i t ;red,- if the Hon. Gentleman had brought it forward. as true he had If th e not entered into a theological view 14 ., Auestion, and he (Sir George Grey) considered 4: d. tie had adopted a wise course in having so e s , ti Re dealt solely with the argument that tho ~ therefore of the punishment was injurious to society, 414_ he sought leave to introduce this Bill. He `e° them s Or 14 „ , so agree to the proposition, that in all cases du tt eruer, of treason, involving perhaps the most lli o f e lls consequences to the nation, involving Ve loss of life, perhaps to a great extent, It :1 , 0 111d safely dispose of the punishment of death. pro_e",eonfessed he could not agree in such a sweeping wuieetsuton as this. He based his argument principally on dealt lea,, and the lion. Gentleman who followed him is ierit t uso with his argument, that in proportion as the Pied, Yof punishment had been diminished—in pro the ~,_n to the decrease of capital punishment—that in 11, " G ‘e proportion crime had diminished. He (Sir we. rey) agreed with him that statistics were "good if hirans of Party warfare," but he would not say, that ea utim ised taken some other parts of the years he had teci toin . "" k , he would have met with different results, *641,1 was not prepared to deny that the mitigation todi,,," ll ° taken place in punishment had done good ; 117 t i w as sure no Hon. Gentleman would get up and tille i es it they ought to retrace their steps in the „Pec, t• With respect to those crimes for which he k t 4 hMent of death had been abolished- (Hear, Pole o f wi ltiAnsent was not inflicted for the mere pur 411d lar.,"Pg pain, but for the protection of the interests Preri.. o , ; Y. of society; its legitimate object being the hiel l " e n of crime, and the protection of those interests e t th o w a s s _ . the bounden duty of the Government and that tfl L egislature. His Hon. Friend was of opinion from th e Punishment of death was not sufficient to deter I , e ttadixi l cri me of murder. But that view of his was not 16104 r ,t_ )11 the statistics of crime as applied .to ekeit a i'„ u ttt was derived from the crimes for which t ellsrd r u aLshMents had been abandoned. But with tte• to the latter crimes the reason why capital Me rits in reg a rd to them had been abandoned , w as tee Public opinion was against it. It was impossible 4,1. tete ) s YJ o Government to inflict a penalty to which the :If es i 6 e the People was opposed, and, therefo re, the nte t 4 1, - "Innerly stood tended more to encourage crime flai l repress it. L e t them take forgery for instance. k g b Y t rerso n , would not prosecute fur this offence, involv te th e t,ePeenniary loss, because the conviction would lead kid ~e n edding of blood. These facts were well known, to ae " t r ey,ented the application of the punishment ; for K w e i Parliament could last long and run counter to uar °l 4 ,l l i oll. But what was the present state of the teei s h,„'"lce 1841, though the law provided capital %I h t ir e nts for several offences, 'not a single execution thot th tak en Place but for murder. He therefore thought %a l e ; had advanced as far as it was prudent. But ki eht be abolished still further, what they had now to )Ise e ; l l 7 Was not the degree to which this should take l ot, an t d l t its total abolition as applied to murder, tree tzteetaii,„the most atrocious offences. Since 1841 no rath' had taken place but for murder, but so far th wre hecritne of murder having increased, on the contrary tjt llee ad been a regular decrease. Taking the average Fein l e raos l years the following would show the resul ts : hewer to 1815 there had been one commitment for to 1 32,000 inhabitants ; from 1815 to 1825, one 19a4Y 172,000 ; from 1825 to 1835, one to each tr et ,7 , and in 1845 an d 1846 the average was one to Si t 241 ,000 of the population. This was the Ler „„regarding murder, while the commitments tie ~,r4 e r crimes had increased 233 per cent. tie r taware, from the increase of population. a supe thottuce, and the establishment of a detective force, %Ito e ,,aPearent increase of crime might easily be ac ef ex for. But this went to show that the certainty of eetition went very far to prevent the commission t her e ', He was quite impressed with the belief that Igird was 110 punishment to which offenders looked for ted . ha so much horror as the punishment of death, 14,4e11,1.ad unquestionably been greatly instrumental in Pr e ,,,,,,,""g the crime of murder. He was quite im re'' with the belief that, as respected the crime of Leb er ' public opinion was not, by any means, in favour 0)4. _ 1 9 abolition of capital punishment, but that, on the sli ra rY, it was quite the other way, in favour of it. It euld b e f or , recollected that this punishment was instituted th e protection of life, and he believed that the public to -l es tl . tre d such a safeguard as that which capital punish -4441 threw about life ; and it should be further re tieuzilbered that juries had never evinced any indisposi . to do their duty in cases of murder, when they be lived the prisoner to be guilty. Nor had their been unwillinpess on the part of prosecutors to come ~ fo rward to bring the crime home, although the result 4. 7 g ht be the extinction of life, and there was a cer ‘l„ nty of the punishment following conviction. His gen:Friend seemed to think that th e ev il was increased the shockingness of public executions, and had 511 ed that the repetition of them tended to harden a le public character, and that ultimately the effect was itroyed. But did they not know that the effect `he public mind was not wrought upon by the exe "ola only, for did not they read of the trial, of the im ulille terms in which thejudges passed sentence, and of %the s o l emn accompan i ments o f a criminal conviction? ex ee l lther believed that the persons who visited these tujo ilti csus Were so tainted by crimes that no further k t e t / could be anticipated to their moral character. h af t e lion. Gentleman himself did not appear to think h ii , e the abolition of the punishment of death would Plusi a it i , 4 effect of removing the crimes for which this Re - X1 was sought to be a remedy. T Hon. Gen. Idea, of 1 " hat the criminal jurors would revolt at the bl ai toentraor e a o i n ly victi ng a person, even though they believed guilty, rather than that the capital punish *fir should be inflicted ; but he believed that this un inane op or ptoh: tphrsisso convict arose only where doubts existed prisoner sanity. For these reasons he should petal Ron. Gentleman's resolution, he hought that t vezttPunishment could not with safety be t e estricted to the cr i er degree than it was, a nd although for some time tkei o h a r of murder was the only one which had been sityl o e u,_ with death, he (Sir George Grey) was far from to that teat the capital punishment should be confined high t crime, he thought for instance that the crime of goo.li e " 0 11 should be capitally punished. The Right tli r i diu aronet concluded by expressing his intention of 14 . f ry against the Hon. Member for Dumfries. his sp e ed thought that the Right Hon. Barone . t bad "q ae„„aais own argument in the very beginning of etpit t i"'e , because he admitted that the diminution of t'eets Punishments had been attended with the happiest 00 1. lac thought that the speech of the Right Hon. Atm ~`` contained the same arguments in favour of ca 4Piternlishment as had been used years since, when 1 4 p re Punishment was much more frequent than thy 8 ,71: lie (Mr. Hume) contended that the taking 'tare life rendered life less valuable, and destroyed 'tu b for its possession. The effect of it might be ' e ltes r e fully upon persons in the army , ,who had . rsoo, so da great deal of the shedding of b lood. Such P eo, -... , Pf °uld always be found regardless of their o w n Was f el ,. Nhen, therefore, a disregard for human life tuish,", ll Y Persons, it could not be supposed that capital . ee s , -en t would deter from the commission of crimes. Pert o i, - , B 'dered that his Honourable Friend should be a el Pit j' e d to introduce his Bill. Since the' abolition of s'eUb ti t e l n uishments in certain crimes, it was an un. $' act, ` 4 , 0 . tact. that more crimes had diminished. The . he lie - e " - ,,, nn • Baronet admitted the fact himself. He did litvanish they had not the power to continue such a i l s li - ' Olll , and he therefore did hope that the Bill of Aueneurable Friend would be introduced. er i „.GLION BY said that the Right Hon, Baronet it m u -ts tnformed w h en he said that public opinion was the e „ lt the Bill. A s f a r as ho could see, it was quite 44 1. -11tr arY• He would support the introduction of the 1 Sir Ilti b „ R OBERT INGLIS considered that human legis- Peoii,would not be sanctioned in the abolition of the Utitt e ", 4 ll3 ent of death for wilful murder, they had the 11 ,rer - X, t Y of the word of God for its infliction, ' Whose- Ilhed 7,'," 1 11 the blood of man, by man let his blood be 40e' th he would oppose t he introduction of the Bill al - D e alegical grounds. I,listrea.."-",OTHERTON said that when the slave trade Ves t im tuere were persons ready to justify it by scrip but ni c l e 4 re o i ta y tions. The words did not conve y a p recept, f , I , Pointed out the law o f retribution, the words I rorsl 3 "n win e same character as these, " He who loves Th e -Ous e perish bit." - °u:a then divided, when there a pp eared — .1 -1. the motion 4l against it Bl 0 the ,„ 'Majority —4o motion Was lost. b Lord a 1 , GREECE. -Ilociii J. MANNERS said that in consequence of the for pl-able absence of the Noble Lord the Secretary l ikta n ° ,i ei gn Affairs that evening, he vas compelled, re- Preo ew "l , to Postpone his motion on the subject of the COLt,condition of Greece to Thursday, the 18th inst. r4CTION OF AGRICULTURAL STA , kr, e s „ TISTICS. i `rod,„7 4 -eNER GIBSON, in moving for leave to in -1.4 te a nill for the collection of . agricultural statistics - ' l 7 to es- ' and Wales, said that it would not be neces- Which troubl e the House at any length upon a Bill of NV every 51 0 a -_ one must see the - utility. England and t f riet o w.1 77e divided into superintendant registrarsoo_ obtain Itu ' i :'egistrar s districts. It was proposed to b 111 es tech registrar's districts through England and call e d • e returns required, by appointing a person to be W ould L tll4- agricultural enumerator, and upon whom f „ „, 0 ~, _ . e ur ru, t,, swiaced the duty of leaving with every farmer a ea - -- ue fin d ker, i t e up, and then, having taken . it from the I str or ,Would be forwarded to the superintendent re . - 44 °, nd, r ,' w ,." . ° would forward it to the registrar-general in * 0 th L s : "Y whom the document would be transmitted be e: Board of Trade. Theoperation of that Bill would de s i; ll6,ll ed t ss -(;) -4°land Wales, but if it were thought Untls -4-10 to extend b its a operation to Ireland, a plan was lbo u e s ration, by which thewhich executive could obtain 0 'eeess ar n ' yys • kit necessary to w e ll u y returns. Lie did not thin _ the o Pe° the imortance of obtaining a knowledge of clia gneultural produce of the United Kingdom, and he th e , lll tted to effect plan which had -111:'It thlnk any been proposed better burl 4 °ollll k that object. It was important tha, rle ' know the number of acres sown with wheat, f ore t ' Y h'„ e •nd oats. He would, however, lay the Bill be of t h e ' lll , and then they would be better able to judge 1 ,,, mac and by which it was worked. tri ""I IIME did ' ab out , 1 not agree with the principle of the Ul e ut xt i uu to be introduced. Under the present Com- Tithes Act, the acre and their produce were a la ti a o llk e l e u rat ed to a square yard and a bashel. It would be occupy 0 0 , 5 w 68 e xpenditure of the public money, and the pro reti„ould until the day of judgment before the as'" could h e eAr HENLEY made. th • saENLEy made. quentit said that unless they took a return of 4 014 n, tbr‘ Y produced, as well as the number of acres ( 111auti t "Y would be very little nearer ascertaining the 444 ilff°° d„_ produced. 5 ,,„,, "*" hen give nto bring in the Bill. Mr. W. S. O'BRIEN moved for a return of the number t of persons who have, died in each parish in Ireland, during each month, since the let day of November, 1846, in so tar as the same can be ascertained by information derived from the inquiries of the constabulary, and from the officiating clergymen of the several religious denomi nations, specifying the number who have died from star vation or disease consequent upon insufficiency of food, with a summary for the whole of Ireland. Several Hon. Members successively objected to the return, on the ground of theimpossibility of obtaining it correctly. There could be no proof that the statement as to the causes of the deaths were correct. Lord J. RUSSELL said that there could be no cer tainty of the accuracy of such returns. The Govern ment could have no objection to their production, but he would suggest to the lion. Member not to press them. He had proposed some years since to bring in a Bill for the registration of these births and deaths, but so strong an objection existed that he was compelled to give it up. Mr. SMITH O'BRIEN said that he did not wish to press for these returns if they were not likely to be con. rect. He believed that it was still in the power of this country to prevent the death of any single individual by famine in Ireland. He had endeavoured by moving for these returns, and by every other means to call the at tention of the civilised world to the fact that his coun trymen were allowed to perish like vermin. It was with such a view that he had asked the Government for these returns. Mr. HUME said that the Hon. Member had made a very strange assertion. He had inferred that it this country had done its duty, not one single individual would have perished. He (Mr. Hume) thought that so far from any charge being brought against the huma inanity of this country, it ought to be considered as having exceeded in that quality. lie hoped the Go vernment would not allow these returns, for if they were to be used, the Hon. Member would have to show that the cause of each death had been correctly stated by a properly authorised party, and without such proof there would be a fallacy and a delusion, and he called upon the Hon. Member to show that the charges he had mada against his country were correct. Mr. S. O'BRIEN said that he had endeavoured from the beginning of the session to show that food and em ployment ought to have been supplied to the people. These returns ought to be allowed by the Government. Mr. HENLEY hoped that after the speech of the Hon. Member near him, the Government would not allow these returns, for there could be no means of pro ving their accuracy and by errors in the descriptions of the causes of death, a case might be made out unjust in itself, and yet impossible to answer.—The returns were then granted. Sir HENRY SALFORD moved for a Committee of the whole House, to take into consideration the Bth and 9th Vic., c. 77, being "An Act to make further regu lations respecting the tickets of work to be delivered to persons employed in the manufacture of hosiery in cer tain cases." He anticipated no opposition at present to the Bill, and he was willing that in its future stages it hould undergo a thorough consideration and discussion. The Hon. Member then moved for leave to bring in the Bill. Mr. MILNER GIBSON said, though he had no ob jection to the introduction of the Bill, he must inform the Hon. Member that he had no faith in legislation of this kind, and that he would be prepared to state what objections he might have to the Bill in some of its future stages. Leave was then given to bring in the Bill. Mr. C. O'BRIEN moved the following resolution, which was agreed to:—Returns of the number of extra ordinary sessions held in each barony in the county of Clare, under the Act 9 and 10 Viet., c. 107 ; the sum presented at each; distinguishing the sums granted for completing unfinished works from those granted for new works, and the gross amount thereof ; specifying the several works as described in the schedules for each parish in each barony; the amount granted for each work at each special sessions, distinguishing the sums expended for labour, implements, overseers, stewards, pay clerks, and check clerks, in respect to each work; also, the amount deducted from each of the sums granted under the head of contingencies, with a statement show ing whether the sum still in hand, in respect to each work, be or be not sufficient to complete the same ; specifying the respective sums granted for works in each barony and parish which have not yet commenced, and the gross amount thereof. SPANISH BONDHOLDERS. Lord GEORGE BENTINCK moved, as preliminary to his motion on this subject, that the petition from the Chairman and Deputy-Chairman of the Spanish Bond holders, praying the assistance of the House in obtain ing redress from the Spanish Crown, in the matter of a debt of upwards of 71,000,0002. sterling, alleged by them to be due from the Spanish Government, principally to British subjects (presented Bth March), be printed with the votes. SITES FOR SCOTCH CHURCHES. Mr. BOUVERIE moved the following Members on the Select Committee on Sites for Churcs in he Scot land :—Mr. Bouverie, Sir James Graham, Sir John Pakiogton, Mr. Secretary at War, Lord Dalmeny, Mr. Baine, Viscount Morpeth, Mr. Morgan John O'Connell, Mr. Brotherton, Sir Edward Colebrooke, Mr. George William Hope, Mr. Deedes, Mr. Stafford O'Brien, Mr. Wilson Patten, and Mr. Henry Baillie.—Agreed to. LOAN BILL. _ The Report of this 8111 was received, and the Bill ordered to be read a third time to-morrow. CATHOLIC RELIEF BILL. The Committee on this Bill was postponed till the 14th of April. SPANISH BONDHOLDERS. Lord GEORGE BENTINCK gave notice, that on that day fortnight, he would bring before the House the claims of the holders of Spanish bonds in this country ; also, that he would move for a return of all the deaths in Ireland from September Ist to the Ist of March last, with the number of deaths in the corresponding periods of the three previous years. RAILWAYS FOR IRELAND. Lord GEORGE BENTINCK presented several peti tions from Westmeath, Kilkenny, Carlow, and other Irish counties, in favour of a system of railways for Ireland, and deprecating the unproductive works hitherto carried on by the Government. The other orders of the day were then disposed of, and the Reuse adjourned at a Quarter to Eight o'elock. sion and Amendment) petition, the standing orders ought to be dispensed with :—That the parties be permitted to proceed with their Bill. 7. That in the case of the York and Newcastle Railway (Main Line Improvement, &c.) petition, the standing orders ought to be dispensed with :—That the parties be permitted to proceed with their Bill. First, second, fourth, fifth, sixth. and seventh resolutions agreed to.—Report to lie on the table. HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Lucia de Lammermoor was performed here last even • ing, for the rentree of Madame Castellan, and the debut of Signor Fraschini. Signor Fraschini, who was the Edgardo, is the greatest tenor who has appeared since the days of Donzelli, whom he greatly resembles. He is a well formed, manly-looking man, with handsome features, and most expressive eyes. As an actor, he is full of power and energy ;: as a singer he is the first of strong tenors. He is what Moriani was five years since, what Duprez was ten years since. His voice is a pure voce di petto of im mense power, and of great compass. He sung the whole of the music of Edgardo, without once intro ducing a single falsetto note. His voice completely fills the immense area of her Majesty's Theatre ; and we wanted not the suffrages of the au dience of the Opera of Vienna (perhaps the most learned musical audience in the world) to convince us that Fraschini is a most accomplished musi cian. Edgard() does not appear until nearly the close of the first act, and from the moment that Fraschini en tered, it was evident that he was determined to do great things. He had not been on the stage three minutes be fore the audience felt that they had a great musieian, and also a most impassioned actor before them. His manner of giving the words— " Qui di aposa sterna fede, Qui nil giura," was superb, and the concluding duet with Castellan— " Verranno a to still aura," at once secured to him his position. The audience listened in breathless silence to the conclusion, and then there was a burst of enthusiastic applause, which was repeated again and again, and at the fall of the curtain there were loud cries for Fraschini, who appeared, lead ing on Madame Castellan. The only scene in the second act in which Edgardo appears is the last, and in this scene, Fraschini achieved a perfect triumph . as a singer, equal to any as an actor, surpassing all his pre decessors. Never has the trio "Che rittiene in mio furore" been more effectively given than it was last night by Coletti Fraschini and Madame Castellan. It created a degree of excitement quite unusual within the precincts of Her Majesty's Theatre, and was most deservedly rewarded with an encore. While, however, as faithful reporters, we record the fact that the excitement created was unusual, we are also bound in justice to add, that never has this trio, as a whole, been so admirably performed, and never has such cause been given for excitement. It was a spontaneous and almost involuntary homage paid to transcendent genius. Then fellowed a magnificent histrionic effort on the part of Fraschini. Our readers will remember the scene in which Edgardo curses the moment that he loved Lucia— " Maledetto sia l'istante, Che di to mi rese amante." N i w v eans last with nightsuc h g p v e o n w b e r y , such,eve p r a h th a o s s, th an is d psuaseshageffect e a n s i g t Fraschini. It was absolute thrilling, and the only thing on the Italian stage that can, for a moment be com pared to it, is Lablache's celebrated curse in Otello. The last scene however was the great triumph of Fraschini. There was not, as we have observed, in many of his predecessors, any screwing up of power to produce an effect in the last scene—(on the contrary, Fraschini threw his soul into every scene, and made of Edgardo what w e have never before seen made of the character—a perfect whole, but because the last scene is by far the most effective in the opera. Nothing could exceed the mournful pathos of his tones as he sighed forth. " Tombe degli avi miei l'ultimo avanzo, D'una stirpe infelice Deh 1 ra ccoglete voi." They pwaetrheosthwehaciech he intsoffaused into tter hisdespair,d and the deli ciousying address to the soul of Lucia. " Ter the a Diu Spilgaste l' Ali," was quite heart-rending. It was impossible not to feel tbr him and with him. Never has this scene been more perfectly given than it was last night by Fraschini. Rubini, who equalled treat in pathos was deficient in power. .Nloriani, who had . gr power than Rubini, was not equal to Fraschini in pathos. Take him for all in all, be is the greatest of modern tenors He was called for at the conclusion of each act, and twice at the fall of the curtain, an honour that, as far as ou r recollection serves us, has never before been conferred upon any singer in England. Ma dame Castellan, who was the Lucia, was in ex• callent voice, and sang and acted beautifully. She is par excellence the Lucia of the day. Equal to any of her competitors in voice, in musical acquirements, in histrionic accomplishments she has a great advantage over all of them —an advantage for which nothing else can compensate youth. We could as easily tolerate an ancient Juliet as en aged Lucie. Coletti first acquired his fame in England, as Enrico, and he fully sustained his reputation last evening. Ilis " Cruda funes'a smania," was magnificettly given, and nothing could exceed his intensity in the celebrated " Se tradirnia to petrel," in the second act, with Cas • tellan. The billet of Coralia, which increases in at traction every night that it is repeated, concluded the evening's entertainments. The house was crowded. ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. HOME ClRCUlT.—Chelmsfo•d, March 9. The Commission for the County of Essex was opened yes terday, and this morning business was proceeded with in both Courts. The Lord Chief Justice presiding on the Crown side, and Sir T. Wilde at nisi prius. There are four teen causes entered, only one of which is a special jury case. The criminal business is heavy, there being sixty-four per sons for trial, and there are several charges of poisoning, which appeared to create a good deal of interest in the county, CROWN SIDE. (Before the LORD CHIEF JUSTICE. LORDSHIP in charging the grand jury observed in re .'erence to the cases of poisoning, that there was not sufficient care or caution adopted by chemists in dispensing poisons, or else this crime would not be of such frequent occurrence. He likewise considered that there must be a want of care in the parish authorities, or of the medical officers in investi gating the causes of the deaths of persons who died under suspicious circumstances, for, if they did make proper inquiry, it did not seem probable that the offenee of poisoning would be attempted. His Lordship then briefly alluded to some of the cases, and the grand jury retired. The business on the Civil Side was deemed of no interest. OXFORD CIRCUIT.—Oxford, March 9. CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Sergeant Gazat.xE.) Aden Hayfield was indicted for having, in company with two other persons, entered into a wood belonging to the Duke of Marlborough, tsr the purpose of poaching. It was proved that two of the prisoner's accomplices were seen in the wood, and that the prisoner was seen a few yards outside it, acting in concert with them. The prisoner was undefended. Mr. COOKE, who appeared for the prosecution, cited some decisions to show that it was not necessary under the statute that all the three men should have been bodily in the wood, and asked his Lordship, who expressed an 'ntention to rule otherwise, at least to reserve the point for the fifteen judges, as there were conflicting decisions upon it. His LORDSHIP said, however, as he had no doubt whatever on the point, he would not reserve it ; and then told the jury that he was of opinion that all the three men must have been bodily present in the wood, in order to satisfy the statute, which was a highly penal one, and therefore should not be strained against the prisoner. The jury thereupon Acquitted the prisoner. NORFOLK ClRCUlT.—Aylesbury, March 9. This circuit commenced yesterday, the commission for the county of Bucks having been opened at three o'clock by the Chief Baron of the Exchequer. His Lordship was met out side this town by the elegant cortege of the Baron Meyer Amschel de Rothschild, by whom the office of high sheriff has been entered upon with a degree of magnificence com mensurate with the dignity of the law and the well-known liberality of the occupier, and unprecedented in these parts. This county, which has been characterised at agricultural meetings as one which was . 4 from end to end pre-eminently Conservative," has hitherto earned that title in one sense by niggardly manner in which the shrievalty has been dis charged by its squires, and it has been reserved to the Baron de Rothschild to rescue his adopted county from this oppro brium. It is said that the present assizes will be signalised by a series of magnificent entertainments, to which the bar, as well as the magistracy and clergy of the county, have been invited, a circumstance which has only once before occurred within our recollection on this circuit, when the office of high sheriff for Norfolk was filled by Sir James Flower, some years since. The Civil Court was opened this morning, at ten o'clock, by Mr. Justice Coleridge, there being an entry of seven causes, ene of which is for trial by a special jury. His Lord ' ship was mainly cccupied during the day by an uninteresting action of ejectment, wherein the . title to a certain " sterile dell" was in issue. On the Crown side the calendar is lighter in quality than that which this county generally furnishes at the spring assizes; but it contains the names of nearly 70 prisoners; of these there are upwards of 50 charged with ordinary larcenies, one with arson, two with cutting and wounding, three with burglary, the like number with manslaughter, two with horse-stealing, four with night poaching, two with sheep-stealing, and two with felonious assaults. CROWN COURT.—( Before the CHIEF BARox.) The proceedings of the day in the criminal court were not of a very interesting description. The following may be selected as a fair sample. James Jackernan, aged 48, and Thomas Blake, aged 24, were respectively indicted for stealing and receiving two sacks and a quantity of peas and beans, mixed, on the Ist of January last. Mr. Wells appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Prender gast defended the prisoners. The prosecutor is an extensive farmer, living on the bor ders of Oxfordshire, and occupying a farm in this county, where, during the last season, he grew a large quantity of peas and beans in one field. On the Ist of January last orders were given to the bailiff to send off 24 sacks of these articles to Oxford market, and they were accordingly loaded in a waggon one night. The farm being remote from the high road, the waggon and its contents were left standing in the road opposite the barn, the intention being to start at three o'clock in the morning. At that hour the carter discovered that two of the sacks had been abstracted, and a vigorous search was instituted after the lost property. In the course of Monday, the 4th, the house of Jackernan, the village con stable, was searched, but nothing was found in it, though a new sack, marked with the prosecutor's name and containing two peas corresponding in quality and character with those in question, was discovered lying on the top of an oven which was outside the house and exposed to public view. Soon after this suspicion fell on the prisoner; for the house of one Sawyer being searched, and the missing quantity of peas and beans being found, and shown to have been there carried by Blake, it was ascertained that he had fully admitted his guilty participation in the transaction, concerning which he gave a long account. His LORDSHIP having left the case to the jury, they ac quitted Jackernan, but convicted Blake. Sentence deferred. MIDLAND CIRCUIT.—Lincoln, March 9. CROWN COURT.—( Before Mr. Justice PATTESON.) Yesterday, Samuel Kinder and Thomas Frudd were charged with being armed in the night of the 30th of October last, at Fillingham, in this county, and, together with other persons, entering certain lands in the occupation of William Glover, for the purpose of taking game. Mr. Wildman conducted the prosecution, and Mr. W. 11. Adams defended the prisoners. - The circumstances of the case'were fully detailed in The Sun at the period when they occurred. It appeared that four persons, of whom the prisoners were two, were met by a keeper •n the estate of Mr. Dalton, of Fillingham hall, and, on the watcher asking them their business, one of them struck at him with the butt end of a gun. The consequence was that the piece exploded, the contents en tered the body of the assailant (the muzzle of the gun being presented in the direction of his belly), and he died on the spat. A coroner's inquest was held upon the body of the deceased, and the jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death." The two prisoners were apprehended, but the third man escaped. The charge to-day was proved by the evidence already published, and The jury returned a verdict of Guilty. Sentence deferred. CHARGE OF ATTEMPT TO MURDER. James Brunt, who was represented to be a common beg;ar. but who had the appearance, when placed in the box, of being a working mechanic, was indicted for stabbing James Ely, with intent to murder him. There were other counts, charging the prisoner with cutting with an intention to maim, to disable, or to do some grievous bodily harm. Mr. WILDMAN, without any opening observations, pro ceeded to call witnesses in support of the prosecution. The prisoner was undefended. Betsy Jeffery deposed that she was the daughter of Thomas Jeffery, a farmer, residing at Tumby, near Horn castle. She saw the prisoner coming to the door of her father's house some day in the month of October last. He asked for alms, but she refused to give him anything, be cause, as she stated to him, he came so very often. The prisoner replied, " I hope Almighty God will set a curse upon the house," and added, " I will serve you out before I have done." By the prisoner—Had seen him at the door often, but she would not say 100 times. By Mr. Justice l'ArrEsoN—The time of which she spoke was a few days betore the boy Ely was injured. It might be 10 days before. Susan Addison being sworn, stated that she had known the prisoner for many years. On Sunday, the Ist of Novem ber, she saw him about a mile and a half from Mr. Jeffery's house, going in that direction. Witness said to him, "Jemmy," hut he would not speak. She continued "What! not speak, Jemmy, to an old neighbour ?" He still re mained silent, but took something out of his coat pocket and passed on. This was about half-past four o'clock on the Sunday afternoon. Prisoner—That is false. I was in bed at the time. (The prisoner spoke in a wild and heated manner.) Mr. Justice PATTF.SON—Prisoner, you stand there charged with a crime which affects your life. Pray be calm and quiet, and, if you have any questions to put to the witness, put them properly. Prisoner7l say it is all false. James Ely, a sharp and - intelligent lad, deposed that he was in the service of Mr. Jeffery, of Tumby. On Sunday, the Ist of November last, he obtained permission from his master to go and see his mother. He came back about a quarter past six o'clock, and on going along the close he saw, as he thought, a beast getting up from under a thorn bush, but on going " gainer, he saw it was a man. The man walked on the faster. Seeing that he (witness) was observ ing him, the man called out and told him to stop. At the time he did not know who the man was. When he came up . - to witness the man laid his hand h' ri ght shoulder and said. ]fir." Lad, Justice p wh ere Ar a r r E e so ) N .o t_r_ c g o a i n n g y u tell me who the man was? Witness—" Yes, theprisoner, Jame s Brunt " Wit ness, pointing to his master's house, replied that he wa r on going there. The prisoner then said, " You are just the lad I want." Witness rejoined, " Oh, am I ? Then I think you won't have me, though." Prisoner instantly pulled a knif • out of his coat pocket, and struck him on the hat and head, e and then pulled it back again. He gave him another job on the head, and the , hat fell off. While this was going for ward the prisoner exclaimed, " The people at the farm house would not give me anything; have you got any money in your pocket?" Witness replied, "No ; if I had a halfpenny, I would give it to you." He then said he would murder witness. He threw him up by the heels on the ground, and got his hands on his throat. Witness saw him when in that position reaching out for his knife, which was stuck in his (witness's) hat at some distance, but it was too far cff, and he could not obtain it without getting up. They got up together, when the prisoner caught hold of the knife and passed it round witness's throat. He marked his throat under the chin with the sharp point of the knife. Witness made his escape over a dike, but whether he jumped over it or not he could not tell. He saw the prisoner stretch out his hand to lay hold of h is " smock." Witness never stopped running and crying o ut " Murder " until he got home, when he told his master of what had occurred. They went out together in search of the prisoner, but could not find him. ' When on the ground he recollected having his hands on the pr i s oner's face., but did not know whethr or not he had scratched him. He observed some slits in his hat, and also felt slits in the back of his coat. Witness saw the prisoner next day. His face was scratched. The constable, Thomas Copperthwaite, took possession of witness's hat and frock. Cross-examined by the prisoner—When did you see me? Witness —I saw you first on the Sunday morning, soon after nine o'clock. You said to me, "Good morning ;" and I said to you, " Good morning" again, and then went on. Mr. Thomas Jeffery, farmer, of Tumby, being sworn, stated that the last witness came home between six mber, and cryingseven o 'clock on the n i g ht of Sunday, the ove out " Murder!" and described the manner in which he had been assaulted. They went out in search of the assailant, but could not find him. They found, however, the boy's hat and bundle. When he came in he was bleeding profusely from the head. The skin of the head was divided half an inch wide in two places. Witness at first thought the boy much more injured than he really was. Could not. swear pos i t i ve ly that he had ever seen the prisoner begging. The prisoner—l am innocent of it ; and, if ever I get clear of it, 1 will go to the Queen and make you (witness) pay for it. Thomas Copperthwaite apprehended the prisoner, and took the knife he now produced from hie possession. The wound on the boy's head seemed to have been produced by such an instrument. The prisoner, when apprehended, had a small scratch on his face. Witness also produced the prosecutor's hat. It presented two cuts, effected by some sharp instrument. The prisoner —That man has got'money to come and swear anything. lie has got a sovereign and a shilling. I saw it. I am as innocent as a baby unborn. This was the case for the prosecution. Mr. Justice PATrzsox—Now, prisoner, is the time for you to say anything in your defence, if you choose. The prisoner—l don't know the boy; bat will you allow me to be sworn. Mr. Justice PArrEsoN—No, I can't allow you to be sworn, but you may say anything you like. The prisoner repeated that he was quite ignorant of the whole affair; he knew nothing of the prcsecutor. Mr. Justice PArrEsoN here inquired how the prisoner got his living? when the witness Addison said it was by begging. The gaoler of Louth prison, in answer to questions from the judge, deposed that the prisoner was sometimes not in a rational state of mind, and when in his custody he had been very violent. Mr. Collison, the Clerk of the Arraigns, observed that one of the jurymen knew the prisoner, and could speak to the state of his mind. Mr. Justice PATTEsow—Well, I see no reason why a jury- man should not give his evidence upon such a question. Mr. Dean, a tradesman of Louth (one of the jury), then deposed, that he had known the prisoner for many years, and that he was generally considered by the inhabitants not to p.,ssess his proper reason. Sometimes he was known to eat putrid matter which fell from the butchers' shambles. In his opinion, at times, he did not know right from wrong; the present was the first time he had ever known him guilty of act of violence. Mr. Justice PArrEso,r, in summing up the case to the jury, observed that the charge a,:minst - the prisoner was, ac cording to the evidence adduced, for stabbing with an intent to commit murder, or do some bodily harm. It was one or the other of these; the other counts in the indictment ought not, therefore, to be taken at all into their considera tion. The jury would then have to consider whether at the time he committed the offence the prisoner was possessed of his proper reason—not whether or not, when he committed the assault he knew the murder was contrary to the law of God and man. If they believed that he did not, then they would acquit him on the ground of insanity; if they be lieved that he did, then they would find him guilty of stab bing with the intent to murder or do some grievous bodily harm. The jury Acquitted the prisoner on the ground of insanity, and he was ordered to be detained to await her Majesty's pleasure. The Court this morning was occupied with the trial of two cases, one an attempt to commit a nameless offence, in which the prisoner was convicted and sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment and hard labour; the other a charge of a rape against an Irishman named William Daley. There was a second count, charging the prisoner with the assault with intent to commit. The jury had not returned a verdict when our parcel left. CIVIL SlDE.—(Before Mr. Baron PARKE.) MELVILLE AND ANOTHER V. CHRISTIHAND ANOTHER. This was an action upon the case. Mr. Humfrey, Q.C., and Mr. Waddington appeared as counsel for the plaintiffs; Mr. Whitehurst, Q.C., for the de fendants. The action was brought to recover the sum of 2704 being the value of a vessel called the Ino, under the following circumstances :—The plaintiffs represent at Boston a branch of the National and Provincial Bank of England. The de fendants were the official and trade assignees Of a person of the name of Carroll. The amount in dispute was admitted. The question, whether the plaintiffs were entitled to recover, depended upon two points • first, was an act of bankruptcy committed by Carroll on the 2d of January? and, if so, se condly, had the bank notice of that act of bankruptcy before the transfer of the Ino to them ? The negativing those questions would establish the plaintiff's rights. It appeared Carroll was a person interested in certain vessels and cargoes, and, among others, in a vessel called the Ino and its cargo, consisting of from 25 to 30 tons of carrots. Carroll lodged in the house of a widow named Harrison, and there appeared to be no doubt that being in difficulties in December, and having a bill becoming due on the 2d of January, that he quitted Boston for Sheffield by coach on the morning of that day, the object of his going, as was now alleged, being to ex pedite the sale of the cargo of the Ino, in order to enable him to meet and satisfy his pecuniary engagements. At the time Carroll quitted Boston he did not discharge his lodgings which he held as a weekly tenant, but contented himself by saying to Mrs. Harrison, that he was going into Yorkshire, and might be absent a week, a fortnight, or a month ;" but it also appeared that the day after he quitted Boston he wrote from Sheffield to a friend of his, of the name of Green, stating where he was, and giving his address at " The Lincolnshire Potato Warehouse, Sheffield." It seems that ru mours had been afloat that Carroll had left Boston to delay, if not defeat, his creditors; and upon that rumour coining to the knowledge of the bank, steps were taken to seize the Ino. Upon this becoming known to Green, the friend of Carroll, he wrote to the latter, who, thereupon came to Boston, and ultimately got the vessel released upon payment of SOL down, and agreeing to pay 71. or Si. per month, or more if he could, until the claim of the bank was satisfied. In the meanwhile a conveyance of the Ino having been made to the bank as a collateral security, a fiat in bankruptcy was issued out against Carroll by the holder of a dishonoured bill, and the present defendants were appointed assignees. By their direction the Ino was sold, and the proceeds formed the sub ject of contention on the present occasion. There was evi dence that he had been denied by young Harrison, who re fused to give his address to one of the creditors ; and in reply to a letter written to Carroll by Harrison, mentioning what he had done, and asking whether he had done right, the answer of Carroll was, that he had done quite right. Ulti mately the questions submitted to the jury were, the two already mentioned; namely, had Carroll committed an act of bankruptcy? and, if so, was it brought under the notice of the trustees of the bank before the transfer of the Ino took place? The jury answered both questions in the affirmative, and consequently a verdict passed for the defendants. WESTERN ClRCUlT.—Salisbury, March 8. NISI PRIUS COURT. Mr. Justice Williams, having disposed of all the eivi cases, took prisoners. Anna Maria Sampson was indicted for stealing, on the 9th of January, silver teaspoons and other property belonging to Issac New. her master. Mr. Slade conducted the case for the prosecution. From the evidence these very extraordinary facts were elicited :—Mr. and Mrs. New, with their three children, lived in Castle-street, Salisbury, and the prisoner had lived two years and a half with them, during some part of that time as their only servant. She had been considered trust worthy. On the evening of the 30th of December. Mr. and Mrs. New were from home. On their return in the evening they found they could not open the door with the latch-key, as they had been in the habit of doing. Having tried to open the door, they heard an upstairs window open, and in a short time the prisoner opened the door. She was iu considerable alarm, and she then told them a most extraor dinary story. She said that about ten o'clock she had heard the front door open very gently, she went into the passage and she saw a man there who had on worsted slippers; he asked her if her master was at home? She replied that he was, but was engaged. Ile then walked into the parlour, and she followed him. He then pulled out a pistol, and threatened to blow her brains out if she did not tell him where the plate was. She said " You wouldn't do that," and retiring before him towards the fire-place, a thought occurred to her about the bell, and she said, " My master is engaged with two gentlenien up stairs, I will ring the bell," The man then struck her with a bunch of keys on her head, and immediately retreated. The next day Mr. and Mrs. New were again out, but Mrs. New was spending the even .ing in the neighbourhood, when a most extraordinary kind of I letter was brought to her, and which was in the prisoner's handwriting; it was to this effect:— "My dear Madam,—l was in the nursery' about nine o'clock, grating up the bread for the hare. I heard the bell ring gently ; I went to the door, and there was the man who came last night. He said he had a note, and asked me to give it to my master. I did not take it. I have written this that Mr. Felford may speak to Mr. Blake about it, as I am certain he was the same man. He had a boy with him. The man went one way and the boy another. lam afraid you will hardly be able to read this. I tremble so much I can't write better.—Your obedient servant, " MARY." This letter, of course, occasioned Mrs. New considerable ap prehension; she returned home immediately, and the pri soner gave her the same account as she had given in the letter. Not only Mr. and Mrs. New, but almost all the in habitants of the town became in great alarm, for the account given by the girl spread all over the city. The servant had lived two years and a half with Mr. and Mrs. New, and therefore not the slightest suspicion was created as to her veracity. Nothing further, however, took place till the 9th of January, when about two o'clock in the morning Mr. and Mrs. New were awoke by a great noise outside the bed-room door, and they heard the prisoner crying out, ",There's a man in the house—there's a man in the house." Mr. New opened his door, and found the prisoner standing there with a light in her hand. She said, " There's a man in the house, he has just run down stairs ;" and she then said, " Sir, look here, he has done this ;" and Mr. New then saw a carving-knife apparently sticking in her body. Mr. New's first act was to take the knife out, which turned out only to have been in her dress, for no blood came, and she complained of no plan. Mr. New then went down stairs, and the girl followed him . He found the front door was safe. The parlour door, whic h had been locked the night before, was open. They w e nt into the parlour ; there was a bundle of things on the table. A cupboard in the parlour had been broken open, and three silver teaspoons and other things had been taken away. He then went into the passage, and on the passage floor he found a pair of silver sugar tongs. The passage-door, against which a chair had been placed the previous evening, was wide open, and the chair had been put back against the wall. The back door was open. The prisoner pointed out to him that the upper bolt had been withdrawn, and she suggested that it must have been done by a man putting his arm through a hole at the top of the door, which was left open at night as a kind of air-hole to the larder. The staple of the lower bolt had been drawn out, but the wood there was so rotten that a child might have done it. Mr. New then went to the nursery, and saw a missionary-box on the table, which had been broken, and the money taken away. He then went into a pantry that was in the nursery, and the prisoner then said to him that the knives were gone. There were not any knives there then. About this time Mrs. New went to the study window and gave an alarm. The police came, and Mr. New opened the door and let them in, together with one ontwo other persos. They made a search in the house and in the back garden, n but could not find any one, nor could they see any marks to lead them to n suppose that any one had got over the wall. Upo examining the bundle which was found on the parlour table, they discovered many thin g s belonging to Mr. and Mrs. New; still no su s p icion was entertained of the pri soner. About noon, however, Mr. Hill, who was the attor ney for the prosecution, asked the prisoner to show him what had occurred in the night, and she took him to the different rooms, and to t he back door, and poin!ed out where the party must have put in his hand to have undone the bolt ; she also took him to the bottom of the garden, and showed him the spot where she said the thief had got over the wall. Mr. Hill narrowly looked at the wall, but could not discover any marks whatever. He then wont into the house with the p risoner ; the y went into the pantry and the nursery. She took from the shelf a lot of knives, and said that bundle had been retied and left in the parlour. Mr. Hill asked her if she was certain the carver had been in the bundle ; she said she was, because she had put it in the bundle herself. He askedler how the parlour door had been opened, and she said some one had said that it had been opened with a key; that she had locked it herself the night before, and had taken the key up into her own room. Sh e said the only doors that had been broken open were the back door and the cupboard door. Mr. Hill said none of the doors of which she had (the keys had been forced ; and she said they had not. In about half-an-hour after this, Mr. Hill charged her with having concocted all th e proceedings .of the night with the intention of robbing her master. She said, " Oh, don't say so." He said the things had been found in her box. She said she would n t believe it until she had seen them, and if there were any t hings in her box they must have been put there to injure h done it herself, it must have beenere w ta n cte e f ie ; or, 4:d ifnosthznhoawd PARLIAMEN TARY DIVISIONS. From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons. , TUESDAY, MARCH 9. PUNISHMENT OF DEATH. Motion made, and Question put, " That leave be given to bring in a Bill for the total repeal of the Punishment of Death." The House divided :-.,. MINORITY—AYES, 41. Aglionby, IL A. Escott, Bickhast Pechell, Captain Baine, Walter Fielden, John Strickland, Sir G. Barclay, David Hanmer, Sir John Tattered, H. W. Barnard, E. G. Hindley , C. Thornely, T. Bowrinz, Dr. Hutt, William Trelawny, J. S. Brotherton, Joseph Kelly, Sir Fitzroy Turner, Edmund Brown, W. Lawless, Cecil Walker, Richard Castlereagh, Visc. Mackinnon, W. Warburton, H. Christie, W. D. M`Carthy, Alex. Williams, W. Crawford, W. S. Milnes, it Monckton Yorke, Henry R. Currie, R. Morison, General Dennlstoun, J. Munts, G. F. TELLIES. D'Eyncourt, C. T. O'Brien, C. Ewart, William Duncan, George O'Connell, John llume, Joseph Ellis, Wynn Pattleon, James MAJORITY-NOES, 81. Acland, Sir T. Grey, Sir G. Parker, John Adderley, C. B. Raiford, Sir Henry Patten, J. W. Aldam, William Hastie, Archibald Peel, Colonel Arundel, Earl of Henley, J. W. Protheroe, E. Baillie, H. J Herbert, Sydney Pulaford, Robert Baring, Henry Heron, Sir R. Pusey, P. Baring, Thomas Hope, G. W. Rashleigh, W. Barrington, Viscount Howard, C W.G. Reid, Colonel Bellew, R. M. Ingestre, Visct. Round, C. G. Bennet. P. Inglis, Sir It. Russell, Lord J. Bentinck, Lord G. James, Sir W. C. Scrope, G. P. Beresford, Major Jervis, Sir John Seymour, Lord Berkeley, Craven Law, C. E. Shaw, F. Buller, Sir J. Y. Lawson, Andrew Sheppard, T. Carew, W. H. Pole Lefroy, Anthony Slbthorp, Colonel Chichester, Lord J. Lincoln, Earl of Smith, J. A. Clay, Sir W. Lindsay; Colonel Smythe, G. Clerk Sir G. Macaulay, T. B. Somerville, Sir W. Clive. Vise. Mackenzie, T. Spooner, Richard Douglas, Sir H. Manners, Lord J. Stuart, V. Duncembe, 0. Matheson, James Strutt, Edward Dundas, Sir David Mites, William Vesey, Hon. T. Entwtsle, W. Monahan, J. H. Vyse, R. H. R. IL Fellewes, E. Morpeth, Viscount Wortley, J. S. Ferguson, Sir R. Newry, Viscount Wrightson, W. B. Frewen, C. 11. Northland, Viscount TELLERS. Gladstone, J. N. Palmer, Robert Tuttlell, IL i Graham, Sir James Palmer, G. Craig, W. G. I PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS. _ (From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons.) TUESDAY, MARCH 9. The nndernamed Railway Bill was presented, read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time : Gloucester and Hereford Railway and Canal Purchase— " for constructing a Railway from Gloucester to Hereford, with Branches therefrom, to be called 4 The Gloucester and Hereford Railway,' and to transfer to such Company the Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal Navigation, and for other purposes connected therewith." The following Railway Bills were read a second time, com mitted, and referred to the Committee of Selection : Manchester, Buxton, Matlock, and Midlands Junction De viations. Mold (from Mold to join the Chester and Holyhead 2RailwExtenay). Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton (. - sions and Amendment). _ __ Great Indian Peninsula. Regent's Canal Company (Paddington and Limahouse Rail way and Branch). The undernamed Railway Bill was withdrawn : Glasgow, Paisley, and Greenock (Branches at Port Glasgow and to the Caledonian Railway, and Diversion of Caaal). (To be divided into two Bills.) STANDING ORDERS COMMITTEE. The following Resolutions were reported from the above Committee :- 1. That in the case of the Manchester Corporation Water works (Power to sell to the Manchester and Salford Water works Company) petition, the standing orders ought to be dispensed with :—That the parties be permitted to proceed with their Bill. 2. That in the case of the Rathmines Improvement peti tion, the standing orders ought to be dispensed with :—That the parties be permitted to proceed with their Bill. 3. That in the case of the Manchester and Southampton Railway petition, the standing orders ought not to be dis pensed with. 4. That in the case of the Waterford Road petition, the standing orders ought to be dispensed with :—That the par ties be permitted to proceed with their Bill, on proving before the Committee on the Bill that the Notices have been inserted in the Dublin Gazette and County Newspaper for three successive weeks in the month of December last 5. That in the case of the Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway Act Amendment and Branches petition, the stand ing orders ought to be dispensed with :—That the parties be permitted to proceed with their Bill, with the exception of that part which enables them to make a Branch from Wolverhampton to Wellenhall. That the Committees on: the two preceding Bills do exa mine, in the first place, how far such orders have been com plied with; and do report the same to the House on the re port of the Bill. 6. That in the ease of the South Devon Railway (Eaten- THE PRESENT STOCK OF FOOD IN THIS COUNTRY. We perceive in the Gardeners' Chronicle returns from various parts of the country of the stock of food at pre sent in the hands of farmers, as compared with the quantity usually held at this season of the year. The returns from this county are from six different districts, and they have been furnished by practical men, who, it is stated, in most cases also consulted with their neigh- bours before sending their reports. The return for the district around Launceston was prepared by Mr. J. Wills, who gives the quantity of wheat at present On hand at about an average for the season ; barley, not two thirds of the usual stock ; oats, little more than seed on hand ; potatoes, none ; turnips and other roots, rotting ; hay, in great abundance ; the extent of whea - sown ho states is above the average , but in appear ance the late sown is sickly. For the district about Saint Germans the return is by Mr. R. Polgreen, who states the stock of wheat and barley on hand to be about the average ; of oats, the usual quan tity ; potatoes, bad and scarce ; turnips and other roots, in some places rotting ; hay, plenty and g rod ; the wheat sown he gives as about the av era g e, and in appearance it is very thin. For the Wadebridge trict the return is by Mr. J. Pollard, of Clapper, who states the quantity of wheat on hand to be an average ; barley, not quite an average stock ; oats, about as usual; a great scarcity of potatoes ; turnips and other roots in fair proportion ; hay, above the average stock ; the ex tent of wheat sown is about as usual, and the early sown wheat looks well. Mr. J. Roberts, of St. Austell, reports an average stock of wheat on hand in tthhat dare is trict ; the stock of barley and oats is sho rt ; ere scarcely any potatoes ; the stock of turnips and other roots is small, owing to root ; hay is plentiful ; the ex tent of wheat sown is above an average, and in appear ance the plant is backward but healthy. For the district around Truro the return is furnished by Mr. W. F. Karkeek, who s ates that there is at present an average stock of wheat in the hands of farmers ; of barley and oats less than the usual stock; potatoes, very few; turnips and other roots are one-half rotten ; of hay there is a large stock ; the usual extent of wheat has been sown, and in appearance it is thin but healthy. Mr. J. eters, of Tehidy, rep an average s t o ck of wheat P on hand in that district, orts two-thirds the usual stock of barley, and a deficiency of oats ; of potatoes there the re none for sale ; turnips and other root s are rg hay is good ; the usual extent of wheat has been sown, and its appearance is healthy.—The following conclu sions are deduced from the returns from different parts of the kingdom :—That the present stock of wheat is probably one-fifth or one-sixth less than usual, at that present appearances are against an early barves ; s th u e ffi r c e e is f l o 'e r ry se l e it d tl ; e are unusually short ; that there are enough of desireso atoets in the country for seed only, because no onesiort ino plant the usual quantity ; that turnips are very h that t e barleylthe sstock k i 0 ; f the oats, cob b ne ass tabnadtn peas l l porch oft appears that large stock of hay is at present of England and the extent of wheat sown in the quantity, and much injured by the frost, and that a very Scotland is as yet below an average, owing to the seve n 'ty of the winter, which has delayed all field operations; but a fl averag ha been got in over most of England, and ther ul e can be e no s doubt that an unusual extent will be sown. was a tremen. At a certain German town, last au ft'er driving the whole dons furor abort Jenny Lind, w o, GERMANY.—JENNY Tr he E re STUDENTS. , a l • Th place mad, left it on her travels ear )o t morning. c moment her carriage was outside . the ga es,_a pack of tame AND u N m D n ' bedroom, and demanded to be shovrn Jenny s swept like a ' dup stairs into the room . indicated to them, tore whirlwind in strips as decorations. An and wore them d pant students, who had escorted it, rushed back to the inn, up the sheets, eman, of amiable Englishman, who Wa stay ing in the hotel, appearance, an able-d'hote and was to breakfast at the t , observed to baemmeuch disturbed in his mind, t and to show great terror whenever a student came near him. At last he said, in a low voice, to some who came near him at table " You are hour or two afterwards a bal old English gentlemen, I o bserve? Most extraordinary p eo pl e these German students; as a body, raving mad gentlemee. ,, no," said somebody, " on!) , excitable, but very goo d fellows, and ver y sensible." By heavens, Sir !" returned the old gentleman, still more disturbed, then there's some thing political in it, and I am a marked m a n. I went out for a little wa lk this morning, a fter shaving, an d while 1 was fell into a terrible perspiration as he told it— gone, nall •u p m y sheets, and are ne w patrolling the town directions with bits of 'em in their button-holes." —In the confusion the students had gone into the wrong room.—DoVas Jerrold's Weekly of that village, farmer. From what the affair, Mr. Serjeant was pro " they burst into my bedroom, ts)re Newspaper. MYSTERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCE.—The parish of Hari ton, in this county, has been thrown into the greatest con. sternation, in consequence of the mysterious disappearance Saturday, the 13th instant, and being a person much given to drink, he called at the White Horse at Barton, which place he left at of feeelkdiciran. can lea r n ahgoem Serjeant, C re s pect i ngam bridge market, on about twelve o'clock at night, in a st al e of intoxication, and has not since that time been seen or heard of. Mr. Serjeant mostly took sums of money home with him, and it is feared that he must have been met by some person who knew his habits, and robbed or perhaps murdered him. Ills rela tions have caused every possible search to be made for him, but without success; and on Sunday last nearly sixty per sons were engaged the whole day in searching every hedge and building, and dragging every brook between Newnham are liarlton, but no trace of the poor man has yet been dis covered.— Cambridge Adverttser. RETIREMENT OF MR. VALE FROM THE STAGE. — Vale. the veteran comedian, to whom we have all been indebted for many a hearty laugh, takes his farewell at the Surrey, on Wednesday, the 17th inst. We all owe Vale a debt of gratitude. As boys, we looked forward to seeing Vale as one of the greatest treats of the holidays. As men, be has beguiled for us many an hour which would otherwise have hung heavy on our hands. Vale is now about to say vale; and as an honest, worthy (elm, and the best of choice spirits, the least his admirers can do for him is to give him " a bumper at parting," LITERATURE. THE PARLOUR LIBRARY. Vol. I. The Black Prophet. By William Carleton. With this story of Irish Famine, a new periodical of compact, popular, and cheap literature is commenced. In external appearance the work is deserving of a wide circulation, and of the internal excellence of the tale by William Carleton, we have frequently spoken during the course of its publication in the pages of the Dublin Uni versity Magazine. A period more unfortunately appro priate could not have been selected for its issue, and the dearth by which Ireland is at present desolated will insure for it a perusal in those few localities where the fame of William Carleton has not yet penetrated. KNIGHT'S MONTHLY VOLUME. VII. and VIII.; or, THE PHILOSOPHY OFHEALTH. By Southwood Smith. M.D. Saving the inimitable work upon Physiology written by Dr. Andrew Combe, a more popular and intelligent exposition of the complicated mysteries of the human body has never been published, than the noble production which is here reprinted. It is the monument of the genius, the industry and the humanity of Dr. Southwood Smith. Of genius, inasmuch as it required nothing less than genius to take so comprehensive, and yet so lucid, and miniature a survey of the anatomical and patholo gical character of our framework. Of industry, because the accumulation of so many important facts and truths, and the reduction of them to a compact and sym metrical whole necessitated a very extraordinary amount of industry. Of humanity, because the plain purpose and entire object of the production is. to insure the larger diffusion of health and consequently of happiness. What Dr. Combe's work is as a model, Dr. Southwood Smith's is as of practicable dimensions. The illustra tions are numerous, clever, and well.introduced in the letter press, serving perfectly for the embellishment of the pages, and the elucidation of the text. A more ap propriate moment could not have been selected for the republication of this invaluable composition. Now that the sanatory measures are being considered by the Legislature, preparatory to their introduction to Par liament, a better book could not have been selected to aid the development of that important system. THE PARLIAMENTARY VOTE BOOK. By .Robert O'Byrne, jun. A laborious and faithful exposition of the votes of the House of Commons' legislators during the last session. FINE ARTS. SCOTLAND DELINEATED. Parts I. and 11. The mountain scenery of Scotland, from its peculiar beauty and its various magnificence, has been more repeatedly made the subject of illustration than that of any other country, with the exception of Switzerland. Paintings and engravings unnumbered have appeared, in which the more remarkable features of Caledonia have been pourtrayed. Hundreds of them have come under our immediate inspection, but we must assert at once, that we have never yet had the good fortune to view the commencement of any serial work of this description which augured, on its completion, a work so truly national and splendid. Printed in large folio, and with type of a size and clearness which we have seldom seen surpassed, the letter-press is not, as is too frequently the case, the least attractive portion of the publication. And this department is by no means deteriorated from the circumstance of its being conducted by Mr. John Parker Lawson. Among the many distinguished artists en gaged upon the pictorial part of the series we may enu merate the names of Clarkson Stanfield, George Catter mole, David Roberts, and Thomas Creswick. Can any commendation be more eulogistic as to the character of the engravings, than the implied eulogium of that simple catalogue ? The work altogether reflects honour upon all who are engaged in its production ; it is the creation of extraordinary talent and astonishing industry. ROYAL MILITARY ACADEMY AT WOOLWICH. A large and elaborate lithographic engraving of this fine national establishment, dedicated to the Prince Al bert, and representing a review of the Royal Artillery in the presence of his Royal Highness. There is an absence of formality iu the grouping of the figures and especially in the delineation of the spectators in the foreground—a feature but two little regarded in these architectural drawings. To the pencil of Mr. W. Ran well we are indebted for this clever picture, THE ART-UNION MONTHLY JOURNAL. Among the various improvements which have been latterly visible in this periodical, the most striking, and, we are persuaded the most generally welcome, is the introduction of portraits and biographical sketches of the most eminent native artists now living. Beginning with the present number, the two first are Mr. East lake and Mr. Lance. The new fairy tale, by Mrs. S. C. Hall, entitled " Midsummer Eve,' is continued in the most graceful style of that graceful writer, and is lavishly embellished with wood cuts by Kenny Meadows, Measom, Frankliniropham, and others. Some of them are beautiful, for instance the one which seems to be an illustration to that line in the song of Ariel " On the bat's back I do fly," another of the bridling of the frog, and another of a garden snail. In the multitude of its engravings, and the general sagacity of its literary contents, the Art- Union maintains the character which it had long since acquired. HAWKING. Painted by Edwin Landseer. Engraved by John Burnet. Another of tho.3e brilliant compositions of sporting scenery which Landseer can do better than any man living. The horses are delineated with as much care as when the artist had to acquire his celebrity, and the figures are grouped with considerable skill. Mr. Burnet has done justice to the original. HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.—There were presenl yesterday evening, at her Majesty's Theatre, the Duke of Wellington, his Excellency the Russian Minister, the Baro ness Brunow and Mdlle. Olga de Lechner, the Count de St. Aulaire, the Count de Noailles, the Marquis and Marchioness of Ailesbury, the Marquis and Marchioness of Douro, the Marquis of Sligo, the Earl of Falmouth, the Earl of Munster, the Earl of Aboyne, the Countess of Jarnac, the Earl of Lovelace, the Viscount Duncannon, Count Koudri..ffbky, Count D'Orsay, his Excellency the Austrian Ambassador, Mr. and Mrs. De Burgh and party, who occupied the Duchess of Cambridge's box; Lord A. Fitzclarence, Lord Foley, Lord Gardner, Lord Ernest Bruce, Lady Freemantle, Mr and Lady Augusta Wentworth, Lord Burleigh, the Hon. G. Byng, Sir R. and Lady Howard, Sir H. Webb , Sir G. Wombwell, Bart., Colonel Wildman, Mr. and Mrs. E. Phillips, Major Baring, M. C. W. Pack, M.P., Mrs. Pack Redding, Mr. A. Broad wood, M.P. Col. Bowen, &c. A GHOST STORY, BUT not BY CHARLES DICKENS. —A fellow, named Philip Emmerson, a coal porter, has been for some time past annoying the inhabitants of Ipswich, by personating a ghost. He succeeded in frightening several persons in Water-lane, leading from the top of St. Helen's into the Woodbridge-road; and in some cases, and particu larly with females, the cowardly miscreant proceeded to personal violence. Notwithstanding the vigilance of the police, who were upon the look-out for him, he managed to escape detection until Saturday last. Just at the witching time of night the ghost stopped a young man in the above lane, and after indulging in a few antics such as ghosts are prone to, he seized the young man by the collar, tore the bosom of his shirt, and gave him a severe blow on the wrist with a stone, cutting away a portion of the flesh. lie then attempted to escape. This time, however, he had reckoned without his host ; the party assailed proving a match for the aggressor. Imagining that ghosts are not in the habit of inflicting blows, or rending shirt-fronts, he soon recovered from the fright into which he had been for a mo ment thrown, and gave the would-be supernatural such a chastisement as will probably deter him from indulging in such foolish and wanton tricks for the future. It is to be regretted that no horse pond was near : a good ducking would, no doubt, materially assist his memory if he ever feels again an intention to indulge in such unpardonable sport. — Ipswich Express. A PRACTICAL PUSEYITE.—We have received a statement of an occurrence which is said to have taken place recently within a hundred miles of Totnes, which, if correct is very discreditable to the party chiefly coneerned. The child of a poor woman having died, it was taken to the pariah church for interment. Previous, however, to the child being consigned to its final resting place, the parson alluded to, inquired of the mother if it had been christened, to which she replied in the affirmative. " I ex pect it was by some Methodist," said his Reverence. The woman declared it was not, but that it was done by a regular church parson. The interment was then suffered to take place; but the clergyman's zeal for the non intrusion of dissenter's children in his churchyard and the spiritual good of souls did not stop here. After the corpse had been placed in the ground he told the woman to follow him into the vestry, where he detained her, we understand above half an hour, during which time he elicited from her that her offspring was not born in wedlock, and that he doubted its ever having been christened according to the rites of the Church of England. After giving her a severee lecture on this supposed breach of duty, he took her into than ‘a aht ‘n hia N n dedo o tn . a 'g g a ' b tr s h e ut e e nns,otwit tn' iievaelouftor the Church, and there actually read over to her the service for the Churching of Women, when she was allowed to de part. Could no other tune be found for the exercise of religious discipline than at such a distressing time as this? —Plymouth Journal. YANKEE MISSIONARY. I went to see Mr. or Dr. Williamson, who was here both in the capacity of mis sionary and apothecary, and found with him an out-and-out western Yankee, of the name of Huggins, an odd, long legged, sharp-faced, asparagus-looking animal, every portion of his body being as narrow as the head ho bore on the top of it. This fellow being rather In the pious line, and profes sing to know something about farming, the missionary had brought him from Illinois to raise corn and vegetables, as well as to assist him in his other labours • but he was such' an original, that the missionary himself stood' no chance of being noticed where he was. I never saw a Yankee that so com pletely came up to those quaint, drawling, H vu e lgar, Jonathans. e l i the idea of which is now so general. always I e.l the Indians " critturs," had got all their interjections and used them instead of "Yes" and Il ts' e certainly knew more about the Indians missionary did, di l d v , im a a n in d so w n aswasmorme married, and home, but Huggins, who verses habit t e o e sy r alk tsnog that into ot at t itting own, would . take ' the women o the Indians, h fiwill:opssso•aslina. bloonoekianntdhesiowgoraldf,ewways "Some folks is considerable curious," headdsaiCoke me," h im .t from.clilderatli.d d ceremony, ieniainagn d, s I S am . as b k h lost tribe of the Jews, e ase w ar tures : they cant be the t wha h r a d these g ot ac c ustomed ignora ignorant ar i t t o t u h r i s I asked him why sartin as death that they are the old Philistines of the crip under arth is their birds (beards) gone?" why under l • t • said he, "I allow them bar young painted Jizzabu s am just he had not taken a young Indian girl to wife? " Stranger," up to missionarying."—Featherstonhaugh's Canoe Voyage up the A deput Mining ation, consisting of Sir John Hop e, Mr. William Sotor. Lockhart, Mr. William Baillie, Mr. Sniollett, Colonel Muir, and Mr. Alexander Oswald, h ad an interview with sir G Grey yesterday, at the Homo-tace. what the was doing. The inspector of police asked thei soner to show him her boxes. She pointed out one in her room that was open, and in it he found some books and a work-case. He told her she was charged with stealing a great variety of articles. She said she bad not stolen them. She then went up a step or two, put her hand up to a beam, and produced the three silver spoons. Mrs. New identified the different articles. Mr. Justice WILLIAMS having summed up, The jury returned a verdict of Guilty, and The prisoner was sentenced to one year's imprisonment with hard labour. NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—York, March 8. Saturday being the commission day, the business at these assizes commenced this morning, when Mr. Baron Rolfe pre sided in the Crown Court, and Mr. Baron Alderson at Nisi Prins. The criminal calendar, which is less heavy than some others of late, contains the names of seventy-nine persons, and these are charged as follows :—With stealing from the person, 19 ; burglary, 9; robbery with violence, 4; stabbing or wound ing, 6 ; rape, 2 ; attempting ;rape and robbery, 3 ; stealing from a dwelling-house, 7; manslaughter, 3; sending a threatening letter, 1; housebreaking, 1 ; embezzlement, 1 ; horse-stealing, 1 ; sheep-stealing, 1 ; forgery, 1; robbing a shop, 1 ; larceny, 3; attempting rape, 1; concealing the birth of a child, 1 ; bigamy, 1; riot, 9. Their Lordships took their seats at the usual time for the first day of the assizes, soon after twelve o'clock. Nothing of public interest occurred on the civil side, the whole after noon being occupied in trying two causes, one in which the question was as to the right to goods seized under a distress, and the other an ejectment. CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Baron ROLFE.) William Fisher was indicted for having, on the 12th of March, 1844, along with others, broken and entered the shop or warehouse of Isaac Beaumont, at the parish of Gildersham, near Leeds, and stolen therein a large quantity of prints, merinos, cloths, silk handkerchiefs, &c. Mr. Blanchard and Mr. Pickering appeared for the prose•• cution, and Mr. Overend for the defence. The indictment, charging the plisoner with this offence, was one upon which several other men, concerned in the same transaction, have been already tried. Their trial took place in July, 1844, and they were convicted upon evidence similar to that now adduced against Fisher. He having escaped, from fear of detection, soon after the burglary, was not committed until January last. It appeared, from the evidence of Mr. Beaumont and his wife, that at the time of the offence they kept a shop, dealing in groceries and drapery, in Gildersham. Their• shop, and a warehouse connected with it, were broken into on the night of Wednesday, the 12th of March, and the goods above-mentioned taken away. The robbery was discovered at an early hour hour the next morning by a witness passing by on going to his work, who perceived a ladder put up against a window, the shop door open, and one of the sacks employed by the robbers lying at the shop door. _ _ _ _ _ Sarah Hudson, wife "of Joseph Hudson, one of the men transported in 1844, proved the circumstance of her husband, his brother James, the prisoner, and others, assembling to gether at the house of Joseph, at Westgate-common, near Leeds, and settling upon the mode of proceeding, to effect the robbery. They had all started off at night, carrying sacks in which to put their booty. Two of them only, her husband and the prisoner, returned the next morning at an early hour, bringing a large portioniof what they had obtained at Beaumont's. The prisoner, who also lived at Westgate.. common, escaped, taking his wife with him, and leaving be. hind them four children, the youngest but a year and a half old. The wife had, before her departure, taken some of the stolen property, in a box, to deposit with a female neighbour, to whom she reported herself as setting off for Sheffield, her husband having, as she represented, been "paying her," (giving her a beating). The prisoner was convicted. His LORDSHIP, after remarking upon the seriousness of the crime, and the daring with which it had been perpetrated, sentenced him to be transported for 20 years. CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT. OLD COURT. (Before the RECORDER. Elizabeth Griffiths, 25, spinster, was indicted for a misde meanour, in having unlawfully administered to herself a quantity of sugar of lead, with intent to destroy herself. Mr. Law conducted the defence. It appeared that the defendant was in the habit of using sugar of lead in a lotion, and on the day mentioned in the indictment she drunk a considerable quantity of the deadly ingredient, mixed in water. It appeared that she was in toxicated when this occurred, and she afterwards declared that she did not know what she was doing, but it was very evident that at the time her intention was to destroy herself. The prisoner was found Guilty, and sentenced to one month's imprisonment. The Court adjourned until Monday, April 5. WEST INDIA AND MEXICAN MAILS, SOUTHAMPTON, TUESDAY NIGHT.—The Medway Royal mail steam-ship, Captain Andrews, arrived this evening at seven o'clock. She brings 68 passengers, and a..very large and valuable freight, consisting of gold-dust, gold, to bacco, &c. There is not a single dollar on account of the dividends; in fact, it could hardly be expected in the present distracted affairs of that unhappy and unfortunate country. Her latest dates are as follow ;—Chagres, Jan. 25; Cartha g.ena, 28; Jamaica, Feb. 8; Jacmel, 10; Puerto Rico, 18; Demerara, 3 ; Tobago, 4 ; Trinidad, 5 ; Barbadoes, 11; Gre nada, 12; St. Vincent, 13; St. Lucia, 13; Martinique, 14; Dominique, 14 ; Guadeloupe, 14 ; Antigua, 15 ; Montserrat, 15 ; Nevis, 15 ; St. Kitt's, 15 ; Totola, 16 ; St. Thomas, 16. On Freight.-391,713 dolls. on merchants' account, 130,e00 dolls. in gold and gold-dust, 1561.85. British coin, 2,2501. in pearls, 20,000 dolls. in old silver, 155 cases of cigars, 10 bales of tobacco, 200 half barrels of arrow-root, 94 serons of indigo, and 68 passengers. We have letters from 'our cerrespondent in the city of Mexico to the 29th of January. Gomez Farias, as Vice- President, continued at the head of affairs. The Ministry had been again dissolved. Senhor Suarez Iriarte was the new Minister of Finance. Santa Anna remained at San Luis Potosi. A law had passed Congress authorising the sale of church property, to pupped the expenses of the war against the United States. LIGHT SOVEREIGNS. The following letter has been addressed to the editor of the Times : Sir,— Some twelve months since a great stir and bustle was made about the light sovereigns, and, as I presumed, they Ivei 0 all called in; and I had a hope, therefore, that an end was put to further weighing them. Strange to say, it is not so, for hundreds of light sovereigns are still in circulation; and it is no more strange than true that they flow from our banking-houses in town. I had a cheque change.' a few days since at the London and Westminster Bank, and, out of twenty sovereigns, I had eleven light ones. Some of them I took to the Stamp office to pay for duties, but of course they were weighed and were found wanting. This put me to very great '::convenience, such as you can hardly antici. pate ; however, I have no redress, and must only wait patiently for a better state of things. Will you kindly give the public a caution not to take light sovereigns? They are chiefly to be found amongst those coined in the reigns of George 111. and George IV. They should be refused by the public when presented to them ; this would make the bankers take them elsewhere, and thereby probably rid them from being sent into circulation Yours, A SUBSCRIBER. SAVINGS' BANKS. Mr. John Tidd Pratt, the barrister appointed to certify the rules of savings' banks, has addressed the following cir cular to the trustees of these institutions : " London, March 6, 1847. " My attention having been called to an observation said to have been made by one of the Barons of the Exchequer, as to the operation of the Statute of Limitations on deposits in savings' banks, viz., that a great many people who lodge their money in savings' banks would be rather asto nished to learn that if they allowed their money to remain for six years in the hands of their banker, without receiving any portion of their money, they were barred by the Statute of Limitations, and could nut recover it ; I am quite sure that if such an observation were made, bis Lordship could not have been aware of the provision contained in the Sa vings' Bank Act (9 Geo. IV., c. 92, s. 17), which expressly prevents the operation of that statute, by enacting, ' that it shall be lawful for the managers and trustees of any savings' bank, if they shall so think fit, to direct that all interest which shall become due and payable to each depositor, on any sum of money deposited in such savings' bank, shalt yearly, or twice in each and every year, be calculated and computed by the trustees, and shall be carried 'to the credit of the person depositing the said sum of money, and shall become principal, and shall thenceforth carry inte rest in all respects as other principal money deposited in the said bank ; or, as if the said sum of interest so calculated had actually been paid to the said depositor, and by him re paid to the said trustees, any law, statute, or usage, notwith standing ;' and as the rules of every savings' bank provide for the computation of interest, yearly or half-yearly, in compliance with the above enactment, it is quite clear that. as the interest so added is declared to carry interest in all re spects as if the same had actually been paid to the depositor, and by him repaid to the trustees, the Statute of Limitations cannot apply to depositors in a savings' bank." A LONG WORD.—The Allgemeine Zeitung informs its readers that a society has been established in Hull for dis couraging tight-lacing. The German editor pleased to inflict on this harmless association the following formidable title:— " J unge f r auenzimmerdurchschwindsucht t o edtun g s- g e g enverein." Otherwise the " Anti-killing-young - women - by -a-lingering - death -society. CANTERBURY ELECTION. Yesterday Mr. H. Plumptre Gipps issued an address to the electors of Canter. bury. Mr. Gipps put up in 1837 with Mr. Bradshaw, on the Conservative interest, but was defeated. The nomination is fixed for Saturday next, and the election for the following Monday. Colonel Sir W. R. Clayton, Bart., has issued an address to the electors of Great Marlow, declaring himself a can didate on the first vacancy.—Bucks Advertiser. THE HULKS AT Woor,wicm—Among the Parlia mentary papers recently printed was one obtained by Mr. T. Duncombe, in reference to the hulks at Woolwich. It ap pears that since the Ist of January, 1844, 122 prisoners have died at the hulks, and the verdicts returned show that many died of consumption. In the period embraced by the return it seems that 59 corpses have been removed for anatomical examination, on each of which a sum of 21. 10s. was paid to Mr. Dix, undertaker. The corporal punishmen e tsf pro:, andthe Ist of January, 1843 , to 12 th February last , numbered 44. The punishment awarded in some cases was by strip es, in a few instances by lashes. COUTTS v. DUNN.—The defendant in this c ase removed immediately after the trial in a coach to the Queen's Bench Prison, and was placed in the receiving war d, with an intimation that the Governor would oulv all ow him to remain in that part of the prison for two days. Ihe defendant, how ever, remained until four o'clock onThursday afternoon, when Cady: ell, the turnkey, entered and informed the defendant that the Governor's orders we re f or him t o _ leave immediately. Mr. Dunn replied that be c ou ld not, as_ he had hitherto been unable to get any furniture. B es id es, as Lord Denman had not ordered him to be placed in any particular part, he objected to be placed in that portion of the prison, which would amount to what might be termed solitary confinement. There was another ground why he wished t o remain. lie intended to issue a writ of error, and until the error was settled he was entitled to be bailed. The turnkey, however, said his orders were impera tive, and Mr. Dunn was at once removed to that part of the prison which is set apart for misdemeanors, which is three stories high, and separated from the other portions by a dead wall on one side, and a high iron railing on the other. The de fendant was conducted to what may be termed the best room, No. 1, at the top of the staircase, where a fire was burning and a chair was placed. The defendant wanted to know whether he was to be allowed a bed, or was he tosleep on the boards. Subsequently a bed and a bedstead were sent in, with a message that he would be allowed this convenience for ten days, by which period he must find his own furniture. Mr. Dunn again protested against being in almost solitary confinement, and has since written to the Secretary of State on the subject, but at present no answer has been received by the defendant from Sir G. Grey.-- Sunday Paper,