The Sun. — London, England, 1847-01-07 00:00:00

namaft.fr 34% 2% P •••.• • •••• • ....• D ~~" ~ ow. 1,6 10 1 ,4 74 1% 0 .0. 0 0 43 /4 .... 00 I )AY.) ick hazy' L_Arril• us, NO it, Beale , Madras; Id. Sarah 5, Pet OM to, Ne' ck ; Air Quebec ; er, NeW 1 Devon' h, Moul - Perkins, .ar, Ba 1" Glen- Orleans; vannab ;'Mandl► I. Liar t ; West 7ork._ hne ha g Le 11006 between 3rrinisil stem o4 st, S un t rtb ult., by the Intent, , Mor- ier, St. has not Mon all her perior, , rk. hi for range► , acting under, rrived , sank h the 384 i2S 46 92 &is 18 1 ,4 Can . trEsTEn, JAY. 6.—A1l kinds of stock moved off slowly II the following terms :—Beef, fr6m 3s to 4s 4(1 ; Mutton, 43 441 to 5s 21 • Veal, 4s to 4s 6d; and P or k, 4s to 4s 6 ( 1 .1 "r 8 1b! , . Suchling Calves, 18s to 282; quarter-old Store 16.3 to t9s and Milch Co . ws, with their :TnP.ll Calf, la 14.) tj 74 d xe , Nior • SHERIFFS' COURT.—(THIS DAY.) ttuxTk,N v. POLHILL—RAILWAY LIABILITIES. Tl.is was an action brought by the plaintiff to recover the sum of 191. 195., for - services rendered as clerk to the Cambridge and Colchester Railway Company. The defendant, who wa s sue d as a provisional com mitteeman, &c., pleaded that he was not indebted. This case differed very slightly from the many which have lately occupied the public attention. It appeared, from the statement of counsel and evidence, that in 1845 emnpan Wad y was propo se d, to b e ca ll e d t h e C am b r id ge , the Colchester Rail wa y C ompany. T he plaintiff was at offices, acting as clerk, from August, 1843, but the defend ant had nothing to do with the Company till the 24 th of O etober,'lltliough his name was kept on the prospectuses till thek;company broke up. Nu deposits had b een paid in, and it ,f was contended that the defendant Imerely attended two meetings with a view of effecting n 41'144:al:ntion with another company, in order to ren her it efroctive but thnt as that could not be . effected, withdrew ou the Bth of November, and never autho rised his name to be used. It also appeared that a docu ment had been signed by the parties intending to act as provisicual directors, in which plaintiff and another per son were described as trustees. Fo3llr. UDALL submitted that there was no evidence to e to the j ury, for the terms of the agreement With plaintiff had not been proved in evidence, and in the absence of that it must be taken that there WaS a yearly hiring by some per sons long previously to the defendant joining the con .e,e!ln• In support of his argument he quoted the case of 4eyossettt and Ca-h," 5 Ado!. and Ellis ; and that, at iiee2"nt', the defendant could only be held liable from 4th of October to the Bth of November, the only periodon at which it was proved the defendant was at all c fleeted with the proposed - company, besides which,. the duties perf oreaed by Plaintiff was consistent with his cha racter as trustee. The Learned UNDER-SHERIFF said the question as been nthe .hiring and liability of parties joining had Rot uee raised before, and if Mr. Udall felt confident, and a pply agree to a verdict, the writ should be retained, to tiPi_y to the court as to whether there was evidence. Mr. Udall said he should go to the jury, as to amount, Maether the defendant, if liable at all, was liable for more than during the time he was connected. Mr. PUSH replied, and urged that the clerk must 'aye been appointed for the general purposes of the t e lT n P a nY• As to the duties being performed as a trustee ob servations could be met by showing that it .was usual to make the secretary and clerk nominal trustees, in order to comply with the Act of Parliament. The UNDER -SHERIFF left the jury to say'whether the Parties bad acted under any agreement. If the defend ant had held himself out as liable, and the plaintiffs had r,elied upon him for payment, then the defendant was tnble ; if there had not been any agreement, or they had not acted towards each other, as the employer and the employed, then defendant was entitled to a verdict. Verdict for the defendant, but the Under-Sheriff stayed the writ. SON V. . This wa s an action brought to TROLLOPE recover the sum of 61. 11s., the amount of a farrier's bill. The defendants Pleaded that they were not indebted. Mr. Smors stated the case. The plaintiff is a farrier, and the d e f en d ants are highly respectable house de corators, and the claim was for work done in 1845 and 1846 . It was singular that although the defendants had Pleaded that they were not indebted, they had claimed sent of some premises occupied by him, and offered to allow the amount of the bill out of the rent. Under these, circ umstances all doubt as to tke fairness of the d emand was removed, and, he should contend, the Thcollateral question as to the liability to pay rent. ere was some dispute between the parties as to the la bility of plaintiff to pay rent to the defendants which led to the dispute, or he was quite sure the defendants would not have resisted the present claim. The Learned Counsel then called Mr. Robinson, the defendant's groom to prove the Work was done. Mr. noggins said he did not wish to cause the least Unnecessary trouble, and would admit that the work was done for the three first -named defendants, William Trol lope had nothing to do with the cone, rn. It wa s then shown that Mr. William Trollope was not in the business, being an articled clerk to a solicitor. Mr. SimoN said, that under these circumstances he must submit to a nonsuit. Mr. Hoggins said that the defendants and their rela tives had carried on business for more than a century, and they would not have refused payment except on good grounds, the fact was as defendant was not in debted to the four, the four could not plead the set-off. IMINAL COURT.—(THIS DAY.) OLD COURT. 'dna Alexander, aged 25, described in the calendar as Vit Lauded woman, was convicted of stealing a watch and aer articles from the person of William Charnock. 0 4 r he prisoner, who, it appeared, was in league with one , 11( 1w0 men, solicited the prosecutor to accompany her, Whilst doing so, snatched the articles from him. yhe was sentenced to transportation for ten years. a , ' l e the case of coining, reported yesterday, we fell into t r i e rr °r, in consequence of the Learned Judge who a _ th e case (Mr. Justice Maule) omitting to state, in I,lQtyneing the prisoner for fifteen years on each con ,tet,_n, that " each sentence was to commence and end t t " same time." The prisoner was, therefore, sen .ette 0u to fifteen years' transportation, and not t o thi rty , as stat e d . i r . 4A XsttucitTEß —Matthew Ford, age d 21, an omn ib us i 7,ert was indicted for the manslaughter of William a driv er of one of Mr. Ball's Brixton omnibuses. 6 th ' QO occurren ce t oo k p l ace on Brixton-hill on the wh , ,of Dece m b er l ast. From the evidence adduced, - I`en, as in all similar cases, was extremely contradic p-rYstiit , appeared, that a b ou t fi ve o ' c l ock on the day in e on, the two omnibuses were proceeding a pac, the omnibus driven by the prisonerbeing ,halightly in advance of th e one i n c h arge of the deceased. 411 0 prisoner gradually " slowed " his omnibus across Aleh e road, in ord er t o prevent the deceased driving past. a sudden drawin g up b rought the deceased ' s omnibus sudden a lamp-post, and he was thrown from the box, and received such injuries that he died in about ten days after. No collision took place between the omni buses. The prisoner was, however, on the " off" aide at the time, the "near "one being his proper side. The men drove rival omnibuses, and being actuated by a spirit of rivalry, evidently were not particular in their eourtedes, and annoyed each other in the way described, Passing each other when an eligible opportunity offered, and each ava ili ng hi mse lf o f every means by which he could keep his vehicle ahead. One or two of the wit nesses stated that the men were both to blame. Mr. Ballantine was for the prosecution, and Mr. Clarkson for the prisoner. M CLARKSON contended th a t t h e prisoner was vthollr. y blameless, and that th e d eceased alone caused the kcident which resulted in his death. Mr. Justice MAULS summed up ; and, The jury acquitted the prisoner. SURR— .EY SESSIONS.—(THIS DAY.) tighsGeorg e Stone, convicted of having in his possession t counterfeit h a lf- crowns, was sentenced tn. twelve nths imprisonment, with hard l a b our. Several prisoners charged with larcenies pleaded geilty, and were sentenced to various terms of imprison ,lll,ent• Among them Edward Byrne, aged 15, for t‘ - ` e aling two loaves of bread from the shop of Mr. Henry —n i 4 den, at Cheam, was sentenced to solitary confine ment for seven days, and to be once privately whipped. -" i n W M. Matth ews , 20 years of age, was indicted for steal g llhirt h a shirt at Woner s h, f rom J ohn Cobbett. The ad ben put out with other clothes to dr, and had been stolen. It was found in possession of the y prisoner, , W ho said, i n hi s defence, that he had b oug h t i t of a tea p on the road.--Verdict, Guilty. ,The prisoner was also indicted for stealing a number of carpenter's tools, at Compton, on the Bth Dec. last. William Hurst, a w h ee l wr i g h t, stated that on the d ay named he was at work at a farm-houee in Compton, and left the tools in a shed at night. The next morn ing thethey were not to be found. Wit ness id ent i f i ed several of tools. 11r. Slarner, landlord of th e Bli n d M an at Farnham, said that he and his ostler had bought most of the articles produced of a p arty, o f whom the prisoner Was one. W. Hollington, the inspector of police a t G u ildf or d , having h ear d of Mr. Hurst's loss, had reason to suspect th e prisoner. He followed the prisoner and two others from Guildford to Farnham, keeping them in sight as Ouch as possible. He occasionally lost sight of them. On inquiry at Farnham he leamed that the tools had been sold us described by the last witness. On his ap prehension the prisoner declared that he and his com tv,kPanions had found them in a turnip field ; but witness a positive that throughout the whole eti reen the two towns none of the party entered any fie ld of that ki n d. Verdict—Not Guilty. ll ollington bei ng reca ll e d, stated that the pr i soner was kno wn to be connected with two men whom he had ap- P!ehended for a highway robbery committed with l'i°l°llce•—Sentence, three months' imprisonment, with haul labour, and to be once privately whipped. oCMoore, aged 38, for stealing a handkerchief from ulch et h , landlord of the Masons' Arms, Croydon, 14 Christams-day, was sentenced to six months' impri. "ritnent at Brixton, with hard labour. B W illiam Lau rence was indicted for stealing, from Mr. ~wen-nal), butcher, of Bermondsey, twelve trusses of th y ' four trusses of straw, and three bushels of oats, on 18 th of December. Mr. Charnock prosecuted. The John Pl uc k Prisoner was described as being a b u t c h er ' s porter. Itt the said that he d e li vere d 36 trusses o f h a y til premises of Mr. Bowerman, in Cottage-row, Ber' t he tru sses, on th e 17th December. He could recognise trusses,because instead of adopting the usual mode of tri ne' th e two ` bands diff erent ways, one being tucked to t ( . l e . ri ght and th e other to the left, witness always Q eked both his bandst the that Cro ss - exami ne d_ H Had tnoet left„ slightest doubt but ,tilladthe. hay he h . ad seen at the station-house was the delivered by him to Mr. Bowerman. r,!„T_,l'ttonlas Tvwers, a person in Mr. Bowerman's em ;_u? ent, had received the bay from the last witness, t 0 a shay towed it away . in the loft. On the day after the `livered his attention was called by t is master sre ss T hat hay lying in the tni.ldle of the public road. Lo"? immediately recognised as being part of the hay Ist..reeorvd from Flu*. On going into the loft with tr.i...ll93vvernaan he missed twelve trussea °fluty, three " of straw, and a quantity of oats. 15% 3' 14 136 4 - 4 - 44 31,4 allia. THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENt PAlice,oi tn. M 240 proltcA two samples of oati, one taken frwil the stock of Mr. Bowerman, and the other from the premises of the prisoner, which appeared the same. Mr. Bowerman confirmed the testimony proviously g',Yen raspt_cting the rec:",i)t of the hay rend the discovery of its loss. West, the policeman, depuscd to going to the prisoner'6 premises, and finding a quantity of hay, straw, and tern, part of which was produced in court. While inspecting the premises the prisoner came up, and as soon as he learned that there was an inquiry going on went away. Mr. PAYNE addressed the jury on behalf of the Fri soner. _ _ The jury returned a verdict of Guilty ; and he was sentenced to seven years' transportation. lIIARLBRO'-STREET--(THIS DAY). Allied Bags, a very respectably dressed young man, was brought up on a charge of attempting to pick two ladies' pockets. John Godward, police-constable 34 E, said he was going down Berners-street to Oxford-street last night, between four and five o'clock, when two ladies, who gave him their addresses, pointed out the prisoner, and said he had igen attempting their pockets. He (the constable) followed the young man across Q . .rd-street, and took him into custody between Bern. eet and the Pan . thant. Mr. Bags, the father of the • , tail the policeman was drunk, and incapable of doing his duty, and the tatement was false. The prisoner said he wit: going home last night, and on his way down Wells-street he saw the policeman Godward stagger, which made him look at him. The policeman saw him. Ile (the prisoner) walked on till 117 came to Oxford-street, and he saw the policeman stagger qgain. Prisoner then went to his home, 19, Broad street, Golden-square, where he had just rung the bell, when the policeman came up and laid hold of him. His younger brother had just opened the door when the policeman dragged him away. Policeman (in answer to Mr. HARDWICK)—The state ment is false ; it was near the Pantheon when I took him—between Wardour- street and the Pantheon. I did not take:him at his own house. John Bags, the prisoner's brother, a child six years of age, said he was in the first-floor room and heard the bell, and went and opened the door. He saw his brother Alfred there, and a policeman with him, who took him away. The mother confirmed the child's statement. She heard the bell ; she did not recollect if the child had said anything about the policeman, but he told her of his brother, and she imagined he had forgotten some thing and gone away. Mr. HARDWICK (to Inspector Baker, of the C division) —Was the policeman drunk ? Inspector Baker—l did not notice that he was. The prisoner said he was so drunk that he could not find out the Vine-street station. Policeman—l missed my way, and inquired at this court The prisoner said he did inquire at this court, but instead of taking him to Vine-street station, he took him along Argyll-place, across Regent-street, iato Han over -street, and then inquired again. From this he took him down Albemarle-street into Piccadilly, to Burling ton-house, where he inquired of the waterman for the station of the C division. He inquired subsequently of several persons, till he got behind the County Fire office, then into the Quadrant again, then into Glass house-street, where somebody/showed him Vine-street. The policeman—lt's false. I went into several streets seeking for the 'address of the prisoner, until I said I would not go any further. Mr. Hannwrcx---That's a new version. You did not tell us tkat before. (To Leicester, the under-gaoler)— Did you see this constable call 'here last night ? Leicester—Yes ; and I told him to go down Carnaby street. But when I looked again I saw the constable going down Argyll-place. I expressed my astonishment to some one near at the man's stupidity. Mr. Heanwicx—After you called here, what then ? Policeman—l went down Argyll-place, and missed my turning, and the prisoner took me into Hanover-street. Mr. HARDWICK—Took you ? Why, he was your prisoner. Policeman—The prisoner said he knew where the station n as, and would ,show rue it. Mr. HARDWICK—That's a third version, which we did not have before. Where did you come from when you called at this Court ? Policeman—From Broad. street. Mr. HARDWICK—What were you doing there ? Po liceman—The prisoner gave me his address as No. 16, Broad-street, and I calle there. Mr. HARDWICK—Who answered the door ? Police man—A woman, who said the prisoner did not live there. Mr. HARDWICK ordered the prisoner to be put back, while one of the officers went to inquire at No. 16. Leicester, on returning, said that he was told by the parties in the house that no policeman had called at the house last night, and if any woman had answered the door it must have been known, for all the women were in the house this morning who were in the house the whole of yesterday. The bell had not been rung ail afternoon or evening. Police-sergeant 10 E came in at this moment, and in formed the magistrate that policeman 34 E brought a charge immediately after to the station-house of the E division, and was detained for being drunk. When this was heard it closed the case. The pri soner was immediately discharged. Mr. HARDWICK said, if the father of the boy meant to lodge any complaint against the policeman, Inspector Baker would receive it. He handed over the addresses which the policeman had given in as those of the persons who gave the young man into custody, and ordered the sergeant to inquire whether any such persons lived at these addresses, and whether they gave any person into custody? Inspector Baker said, the impression left on his memory was, that when the constable brought in the charge, he said he had not got their addresses; but he came and said he had got them afterwards. based at an expense of 1,182,000/. It appeared, from reeirn made to the house of Commons, that the ameunt of light dues paid by British and foreign vessels in the foreign trade was 43,7001., whereas the amount of light dues paid by B:i':isn vessels employed in the coasting trade delouet.el to the large sum of 303,0001. This was most unfair to that portion of Biltish vessels employed in Ile coasting trade, which was always considered as the nursery of seamen Ile- the British navy ; and, unless some of these oppressive charges were removed the coasting trade would be ruined, for it would not he able to com pete with the recently-increasing number of the rail ways of the country. The Honourable Member went on to say that it was the duty of the Government to support the light-houses. France and the United Stites paid all the expenses themselves, and why should not this country do the same ?—(Loud cheers.) He did not wish to cast any reflection upo❑ the Elder brothers of the corporation;of the Trinity House, and, in conclusion, called upon those present to unite in forming an agitation which should a waken the Government to a sense of its duty. Nothing but agitation had ever been effectual in removing abuses, and nothing; but a strong and vigorous opposition would be successful in removing the present grievance.— (Cheers.) Mr. FORSTI3R, M P., moved the first resolution : " That an association be formed, to he called the Asso ciation of Shipowners for the Abolition of the Light Dues,' for the purpose of adopting such measures as might he deemed requisite to further the interests of the association, and to obtain the e'oelition of the unjust and oppressive duee" Mi. PHILIPS, who represented a large shipping; interest in the United States, seconded the resolution, which was carried unanimously. Mr. MercHELL, who was (bleated by the merchants of Leith to attend the meeting on their behalf, snored the second resolution, appointing a committee to carry out the objects of the Association. Mr. WILLIAMS, from Ireland, seconded the resolution. He represented the Dublin Steam-packet Company, and as an instance of the unfair mode of levying the dues, he would state that the company which he represented Paid between 5,0001. and 6,0001. per year under that head. Between Dublin and Liverpool there were but four lights, and the sum paid by that one company was more than sufficient to pay the expense of the whole of the lights. Mr. BURRELL, of Plymouth, supported the resolution. The resolution was carried unanimously. On the motion of Mr. MOFFATT, a memorial to the Board of Trade, praying :relief from these dues, was then agreed upon. A vote of thanks was then given to the Chairman, and the meeting broke up. WORCESTER, WARWICK, AND RUGBY RAILWAY.—(THIS DAY.) A meeting of shareholders in this line was held this afternoon, at the London Tavern, to consider the pro priety of requiring the directors, under Lord Dalhousie's Act, to call a general meeting of the shareholders for the settlement of the affairs of the company. Mr. SPACEMAN, who was called to the chair, said that he and his friend Mr. Samuel represented several thousand shares belonging to parties in different parts of the coun try, and who wore willing to concur in any steps that the meeting might decide upon taking. He considered the last meeting of the shareholders a nullity, inasmuch as the directors introduced 4,240 shares which had been pre viously paid off and cancelled. The effect of this pro ceeding was to neutralise the votes of those present. If those 4,240 shares were deducted from the number of shares represented, the votes given on that occasion were not sufficient to constitute a meeting. The share holders, therefore, under the Act, could call upon the directors to hold another meeting to decide either upon desolving the company in the ordi nary way, or doing so by an act of bankruptcy. 'With out Zaking such step, the shareholders would be de prived of all their deposits. They would recollect the assertion of Mr. Ward, M.P., the chairman, that, in order to relieve himself and the directors of all liability, the whole of the claims against the company, and those previously disputed, would be discharged in order that there might be no creditor to support a fiat in bankruptcy. The course he (Mr. Spackman) suggested they should pursue under these circumstance was to sign a requisition calling upon the directors to hold another meeting, and if they refused that, they, the shareholders, should call a meeting for them, at which the dissolution and bank ruptcy should be discussed. In the event of their not being able to obtain a satisfactory statement of their affairs, they would then petition the House of Commons for a Committee of inquiry, more especially with regard to the conduct of some of their own members connected with the company. That petition would also show the defective state of the present law with regard to joint stock companies, and pray for its amendment. Mr. DIXoN then proposed, and Mr. GooLD seconded, a resolution to the effect that a requisition be sent to the directors calling upon them to convene another meeting, which was unanimously passed, and the meeting sepa rated. The family of the Right Hon. Sir George Clerk, Burt., has been greatly alarmed at the serious illness of Lady Clerk. By letters received in town from Penny cuick, we are glad to find that her Ladyship is out of danger, and when sufficiently recovered will accompany her family to join the Right Hon. Baronet in Park-street. COURT NEWS TROM THE PACIFIC.—Wm. Miller, Esq., her Britannic Majesty's Consul-General, had an audience of the King of the Sandwich Islands, on Thursday, the 20th inst., at noon, in regard to the in terests of certain British subjects on these islands. The Consul-General took occasion to renew the assurance of his Government of their determination scrupulously to adhere to their engagement to respect the independence of his Majesty as sovereign, and of the deep interest that they took in his prosperity. These assurances were highly gratifying to the King.—Polynesian, Aug. 22,1846. EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDE OF A LADY OF FOR TUNE.—Yesterday morning an inquiry took place be fore Wm. Carter, E•q., at the Princess Charlotte, Albany-road, Camberwell, as to the death of Mrs. thela largo fortune of Sarah Gr egor y, age d GO. Mrs. Martha Burgess state d 00. who She wasleft a that the decea se d res id e d at 1, Albany-place, Albany road. Mrs. or rsiStnihietheed,uoeaf education John's Wood, vird children, and the witness was left her executrix. Upon the death of Mrs. Smithe they removed to 1, Albany road, ar.d on the 31st cf December she went no to her room, and found her lying on a sofa and vomiting. She asked her what was the matter, and she replied, " I have taken arsenic. This is the worst thing I ever did." Her mind had been singularly altered of late, and she said, when witness went up to her, she had taken a great deal; and upon the medical man arriving with the stomach pump, she said, " Oh! it is too late now." She said it was too much for her to do to distribute and attend to the money and children; and the obligations of the will witness considered had turned her brain. The deceased was under the impression that everything they had for dinner was too expensive. She would say at a common dinner, " Why, can we afford this, Martha?" when, in fact, she was the trustee for the children of great property, and possessing good property herself. Verdict, " Temporary insanity.' , THE ROYAL STAG HOUNDS.—The frost having en- tirely broken up, and the snow which had fallen in the vicinity of Ascot having disappeared, rendering the country again in a fit state for the enjoyments of the chase, her Majesty's staghounds met, for the first time since the 22d ult., on Tuesday last, at Winkfield-row, a short distance from the kennel. The deer Woodman, upon being uncarted on Tuesday, at Brock Hill, took away to Winkfield, doubling back to the church, where it was headed at Warfield-grove, and thence doubling round to hawthorn-hill and Bray-common, it made for Binfield Church, by the Stag and Hounds, and was taken in the stable of the Windmill, at Oakingham, after a very good run of upwards of an hour. The meet to day (Thursday) will take place at Salt-hill, and on Saturday at Bedfont Tollgate. ALLEGED CURIOUS DISCOVERY AT BLACKPOOL. — On Wednesday last we copied from the Preston Guardian a paragraph stating that a bottle containing a letter had been found in the belly of a cod fish taken off Blackpool. That journal, however, now states that the letter and story were fabricated by some persons at Blackpool, for the purpose of deception.—Manchester Guardian. REPEAL OF THE WINDOW DUTlES.—Yesterday a very numerous meeting of delegates and deputations from the various metropolitan parishes, was held in the Court .house, Marylebone, for the purpose of devising the best means of forcing upon the attention of the pre sent Government, in proposing their financial schemes in the ensuing session of Parliament, the necessity of carrying out a total and immediate repeal of the window duties. Mr. John Williams, of the Regent's-circus, oc cupied the chair. After some discussion, a resolution was agreed to to the effect—" That a meeting be con vened for the ensuing week, to which the Members for the borough of Marylebone, the city of Westminster, and Lord Duncan, the Member for Bath, be invited, to consider the propriety of appointing a deputation to the Government urging the necessity of an immediate and total repeal of the obnoxious window tax." Accounts have been received from Bombay, which mention the serious illness of Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas M'Mahon, Commander-in-Chief at that Presi dency. It is understood that in the event of the gallant officer resigning the appointment, his successor in office will be Sir Charles Napier. ADVANCE IN THE PRICE OF SPIRITS.—Owing to the high and increasing price charged by the principal metropolitan distillers, the licensed victuallers generally h a ve given notice that within a short s p ace o f time they will be compelled to advance the price of gin ' whisky, and rum to the extent of about threepence per pint, or one penny per quartern. TROTTING MATCH AT MITCHAM.—The two-mile match for 251. a-side, between Jem Crow, the property of Mr. M‘Donald, and Peggy, came off yesterday, across Mitcham-common. Jem Crow, although he gave the little mare 300 yards start, was the favourite, from his well-known performances. The ponies, harnessed to light match carts, were started at a little after four. For the first half-mile Jem Crow did not get much of the advantage he had given; in the middle of the distance he had somewhat pulled ahead, but by no means enough to alarm those who stood on little Peggy. Eventually, Peggy went in an easy winner by a couple of hundred yards. The road was dreadfully heavy. The time was a second or two under eight minutes. A YOUTH DROWNED IN THE SIGHT OF HIS FRlENDS.—Yesterday an inquest was held by Mr. W. Carter, at the Bull Inn, Barnes, Surrey, on the body of William Vaughan, aged sixteen. On Thursday morning he was on board a barge moored off Barnes, and for amusement had been washing the deck with a mop. He dipped the last dip to finish his work, but the mop slipped from his hand, and in trying to regain the hold of it he overbalanced himself and fell into the river. Unfortunately there was no boat attached to the barge, but there was a pair of sculls, which they threw towards him. From the force of the tide and his powerless state he could not reach them, and he was drowned. The body was not found for two days afterwards. Verdict— " Accidentally droned." COURT CIRCULAR. WINDson, WEDNELAY.—ife; Majesty and Prince Albert took their usual early walk tills morning. Their Royal Highuess the Princ , 3 of Wa!es, the Princess Royal, and Cie Pfines _1 i!e, took poney creise this foki , noon, vroamiLl ornund The Royal dinne r 71,y tl.e will include her Royal Highness the Duellesx :;f Kent, their Excellencies Mons. and Madame Van de Weyer, his Excellency the Baron de Brunnow, the 1,.01y in Waiting of the Duchess Of Kent, the Baroness de Speth, and Sir Robert and Lady Peel. The band of the Scots Fuselier Guards will attend during dinner. Her Majesty's private band afterxards attend iu the Castle. The Dean of Westminster had an interview with Lord John Russell yesterday, at his official residence in Downing -street. Sir taward Codrington had an interview with the Right Hon. T. Milner Gibson yesterday, at the office of the Board of Trade. Dispatches were receivel yesterday at thl , Colonial office, from the Governor of Gibraltar. THE OLD YEAR AND T E NEW. (From Minch.) 1846 speaks:— I faint upon December's lap of snow, I watch my lees of life drop one by or e; Young forty-seven is on the watch below. To fill my shoes, almost ere breath be gone. But listen, greedy heir, though faint and old, My heart is big with work, not worked in va.n ; This hand, now palsied, forced Protection's hold, And loosed the giant Commerce from his chain. And all this night, the last night of my life, Ere I go hence to join the ghosts ef 'l'ime, I have had glorious visions.—War and Strife Lay dead, and by them Hunger, Hate, and Crime. And Peace and Plenty, Knowledge, Hope, and Love, Shone round my bed like angels, and bowed down To my dim eyes; and then there came a dove, That placed on my froze hair au olive crown. Who will crown thee, young upstart? What remains Of glory such as mine beneath the stars? The year, that shook from industry her chains, The year that spoke the doom of human wars! 1847 answers : Scowl not in death, old sire, nor think my hand Would break one leaf irons off thy crown :—in thee I bow to a great year; but through the land Achievement large enough is left for me. Thy boon is incomplete; what thou hest given, Material blessing to material man, — Who waits what I must do, ere lie have striven Up to the compass of his human span. Thou gayest wealth—l'll teach him how to use it; Thou gayest peace—its arts I must bestow; War, thanks to thee, is such, that they who choose it Choose isolation, beggary, and woe. But ignorance is left, and where that is, Is war 'twixt light and darkness; be it mine To chase that darkness back to the abyss, To lift that light, wide as age, sex, or clime. What schools must I not build? What prisons purge? What self-contented foulness clear away? Oh, there is work for me—and in my dirge Deeds may be told great as in thine to-day ! PRICE OF Wilmer.— Yesterd a y, in consequ ence o f the additional r a t e now c h ange d by distillers on the price of whisky, a meeting of wine and spirit mer chants was held at Alexander Paxton's, Royal Ex change, to take into consideration the propriety of making a proportionate rise in the wholesale and re tail prices of that commodity. Resolutions were ac cordingly adopted by the meeting, to the effect that, so long as distillers maintained their present high prices, the retail price of malt whisky - Should, ou after Monday, 11th January, not be less than 4d. per gill, and grain whisky 34d. An efficient com mittee, representing all the branches of the trade, was nominated to see that the trade carry their re solution into effect, and generally to watch over the interests of the wine and spirit dealers of Edinburgh.— Edinburgh Weekly Regiskr. THE NEW DISCOVERY' IN SURGERY.—The public will have seen with considerable interest that moans have been discovered for performing the most difficult operations without giving pain to the party upon whom it is necessary to operate. A man may, it seems, have his legs cut from under him without his knowing it, by the new process, while the drawing out of his teeth be comes an agreeable excitement, which is so delightful that a boy having been mulcted of a molar, clamoured loudly to have another extracted, and only held his jaw when the dentist consented to oblige him. However desirable this invention may be in a surgical point of view, we have every hope that it will soon be applied to the more delicate operations of politics. How useful would it have been during the last session, when tho Conservative body had to undergo the painful process of the cutting off of so many of its members ! Had the new process been known, the political amputations might have taken place without any of that pain, amounting in some cases to direct mortification, which ensued in several instances. Considering the frequent severings that Sir Robert Peel has been obliged to undergo, and the numerous occasions upon which he will again most probably feel it necessary to submit to amputations, the new process must be almost invaluable to the Right Hon. Baronet. As the plan is calculated to prevent pain in all cases of removal, we should recommend its being tried on the next occasion of a removal from office by her J,fajesty's Ministers. This has always been a most distressing operation, from the suffering it has in flicted on the parties concerned ; and all the friends of humanity must be delighted at the prospect there is of its becoming an entirely painless proceeding.—Punch. MANCHESTER BOROuuli ELECTION.—W e are now in a condition to announce that the Earl of Lincoln will speedily be amongst us. We understand that a letter was received yesterday from his Lordship, by Mr. Alderman Neild, intimating his compliance with the request of the committee to attend a meeting of his supporters. We believe the Noble Earl will arrive here on Monday, and the meeting will in all probability take place on Tuesday evening next. We understand that his Lordship, during his stay here, will be the guest of Mr. John Peel, of Swinton Park.—Manchester Guardian. MELANCHOLY DEATH OF A COLLECTOII.—About a quarter past eleven o'clock on Thursday last, as No. 2 police officer of the C division, was on duty in the ne i g hb ou rhood of Port-stre e t, a respectably-dressed m an accosted him, stating that he had been robbed of 571. by a female. and requesting that ho (the officer) would go with him in search of her. Platt went with him to the extent of his beat, and then told him that he could not proceed further without the consent of his inspector, telling him also to go to the station and report his loss there. About twelve o'clock he saw him again in Pic cadilly, and asked whether he (Platt) could do anything else for him, to which the person replied in the negative, and said something about ma ki ng a way with himsel f. They then parted, and the o ff i cer saw no more of h i m that night. The next m orn i ng, a b ou t half-past eig ht o'clock, as a boatman, named Samnel Lamb, in the em ploy of Messrs. Veevers, carriers, was passing along the Rochdale Canal in his boat, he saw the body of a man in the canal, at the bottom of Minshull-street. It wa s immediately taken out, an d a c l ue was at once obtained as to his identity, by the di scovery of some cards, f oun d in a card case in his po c k et , b ea ring the a ddress, "Thomas Fothergill, hop and vinegar merchant, an d dealer in foreign cigars." Up on f u rther inquiry, itw a s ascertained that his name was J a mes Billingt F on o , h a:d that he was a collector in th e e mploy of gill. The of fi cer Platt, on vi ew i n g the bodlyi,ridentlifieliTl it as being that of the person who had address e d him, as above stated, on the previous evening.— M a nchester Guardian. l AFFECTING SCENE. The ship Anglo-Saxon , which recently arrived at this port, brougltg )vo-Saxon r three ' hundred passengers from Ireland. Nine deaths o ccurred during the passage. The mother of a fami ly of five children was among the deceased. The children were landed here without a friend, and were f ou nd on board of the vessel by a benevolent individua l, who br ought , who the case before the Rev. Mr. Flood, of I St. 31 , placed them had them taken to that church on &l il a c ( their behalf to that on the altar, and made an appeal in t Was, that 253 benevolent congregation. The resu l t heir relief ! Four dol lars were paid in on the spot other orphans, similarly situatedf,ohrave been provided for by the same benevolent pastor a nd,pse_ople.—Baston CHAPEL ROYAL, ST. LTAME . b_. Y n esterday being or the Mau the anniversary of the Feast of Gentiles, the was duly l festation of Christ to the Gen observed at the Chapel Royal, according to__ ancient usage. Sir William Martins the Lord Chamber- LYCEUM THEATRE. — Dickens's Battle of Life has lain's office), presented on behalf of her Majesty, the ac- proved a most successful hit for the treasury of this gifts, gold, and _ .. frankincense, &c. theatre, the house being nightly crowded to witness the Ministerial leader customed offerings of Inquettertio a large performance of it. The new grand Christmas panto inThe Marquis of Lanscl:iwllngei,vethaehl..l ints , on the 18th mime of The Butterfly's Ball increases nightly in the House of Lords, upper ouse attraction. Miss Olivia Hicks (owing to an accident to number of members of the instant. Miss Laidlaw) a pp eare d f or the first time on Monday HEALTH, &C., OF THE METROP OLIS.---Th e d ea th s last, as Colu m bi ne ; h er d anc i ng was truly admirable— registered in the London districts in the week ending the gracefulness of which elicited the most rapturous rip- Saturday, Jan. 2, 1847, amounted to the extraordinary plause ; and when it is considered that she took the part number of 1,510, or males 759 . , females 751. This is without any. preparation, she certainly acquitted herself last five in a manner that gives promise of a brilliant and suc the largest number registered in any one week for the the on those last seven years, exceeding the average . cessful career in the profession she has chosen—a pret winters by 442. The principal increase is tier Columbine we have not seen for a very long time. deaths arising from diseases of t he organs sq. respiration A GOOD STREAK or Lucx.—A correspondent and diseases of the brain ; the deaths from bronchitis from Havannah writes to our friends of La Petrie that being no fewer than 163, or more than four times the the grand prize of the Royal Lottery—the 100,000 dole average. There is also a great increase in the number lays —was drawn by 50 negroes, most of them slaves. of nearly 200 deaths from cent. above the violence, whichor amounted to 81, b e i ng They had join e d to b u y thr ee w hole tickets, a n d gave one Among per dinary average, dollar each for th a t purp o s e . One of those tick e ts was the latter class is one of a fema le who is stated to have the number 3,997, and on the morning of the 18th they been killed by eating unboiled rice, which, being an- found that each of them bad won 2,000 dollars. This, digested, caused distension and inflammation o f the ;:to surely, is more than sufficient to buy the slaves freedom, sho e i e of t mach; also one of a little girl , caused by a as their regular value is from 400 dollars to 750 dollars, nervous system, arising from fright at seeing a boy in a and when they have the money and wish to buy their red mask. Among the deaths from bronchitis is one freedom their masters are obliged to sell tit - ctn.—New under the head of " lodging in crowded apartment s " t o York Evening Express. which a note is added, that " condition of decease d was Madame Bishop has given three concerts during rendered much worse from being one of eleven persons the past week at Cheltenham, in each of which she ex living, cooking, and -sleeping in two room s square, in a close court in St. James's , nine fret cited the greatest enthusiasm. At her last concert she s Cleritenwell," was encored in every song, with one exception, and she The number of births registered in t he week ending was called upon to repeat a French air twice, in which Saturday, Jan. 2, likewise shows a great and sudden in - she produced a novel effect by accompanying herself on crease, being 1,650, or males 861, females 789 ; this is the tambourine. Her execution of this chansonette an increase of about 300 over the avera ge o f the last 13 proved that Madame Bishop is a great artiste, whether weeks. From the return of the meteorological observe- she interprets the most di ffi cult or the most simple tions taken during the week at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, we find the mean height of th e b arometer to t o music. A third cavatina , from Ugo di Parigi , exhibited perfection the rare and artistic resources of this most have been 30.277 ; thermometer (dry) highest 37.0; I acc omplished vocalist. lowest 19.0, mean 29.0 ; the wind was generally calm, ! CONFESSION or BURGLARY. —At Worship-street the pressure in lbs. on the square foot never havine. been Police-court yesterday, two men, named Henry . Turman higher than 0.1, while the sum of horizontal movement and William Kemp, were charged with having corn of the air for the week was only 450 miles; mean amount mitted a burglary in the premises of Messrs. Giles and of cloud 8.5 ; sum of rain, in inches, 0.0.3, Beniger, lucifer match makers, near the City-road, on It is reported that Lieutenant-General Sir M aur i ce the Monday night before Christmas-day. It appeared O'Connell will shortly vacate the Staff appointment of that Turman, not having received his "regulars" from General Officer i n N ew s ou th Wales and Van Diemen's his accomplice in the burglary, made a confession to a Land, and that his successor will be Major-General Pitt, policeman for the purpose of having his revenge. Both whose destination has been inaccurately stated to be prisoners were remanded. ze w Zealand. The Right Hon. Edward Strutt has returned to town. GILBF.RT'S DICTIONARY OF THE ENG LISH LANGUAGE. Parts XII. and XIII. This extraordinary and laborious work is still con ducted with ardour and intelligence. A few blunders among such thousands of explanations are inevitable, and certain omissions are also at intervals almost un avoidable. Making every allowance, however, for the difficulties of the task imposed upon the editor, he is compiling a work which will, when completed, he altogether invaluable. THE PLOUGH. As a beginning to the first month of the second year of this exoelleet publication, the January Number for 1847, is full of promise. Both in the selection of the contributions, and the arrangement of the contents, the editorial duties are fulfilled with much discrimi nation. The principle characteristic of each number of the Plough is seasonableness, and in the promotion of agriculture, the different writers are fully con versant with the latest data derived from chemical analysis. THE SONGS OF CHARLES DIBDIN, Chronologically arranged, and the Music of the best and most popular of the Melodies, with Pianoforte accompa niments. Arranged under the Editorship of George Hogarth, Esq. Parts I, and 11. Mr. Davidson is doing good service by the publi cation of this cheap, yet most accurate and beautiful edition of the works of Dibdin. It is a truly na tional work, and should find a place not only in every musical, but also in every Naval Library. PICTORIAL GALLERY OF ARTS. Pact XXIV. The miscellaneous collection of wood engravings published under this comprehensive title seems month after month to be fairly inexhaustible. As a serial, the contents are more varied, and sometimes more excellent than those of any similar periodical hitherto issued. In some instances, as in the figure from the House of the Female Dancers, the drawing is admir able, and the engraving accurate. OLD ENGLAND'S WORTHIES. Part XII. With this, the twelfth part, the volume of "Old England's Worthies" is completed. A sketch of the statue of Sir Isaac Newton at Cambridge, and por traits of Pope, Smeaton, Walpole, Halley, Swift, and Hogarth, are the illustrations. The letter-press is of corresponding interest, and the book altogether is an admirable addition to the library of popular works already published by Charles Knight. THE FORTUNES OF TORLOGH O'BI?IEN. No. IX. After a marvellously grandiloquent preliminary to an account of the Battle of the Boyne, the author of this serial romance slurs over that account in a few slovenly paragraphs, on the plea, that there is already a good description of the conflict by the writer of the " Boyne Water." There is likewise a very disgusting chapter about the inhuman punishment of the " strappado," the excruciating torments of which are dilated upon by the narrator with a hideous zest. The shrieks of the victim are interrupted by the most sickly witticisms, and the scene altogether is rather like an incident among devils than among men. An excellent and spirited etching by " Phiz," pourtraying the horrible death of Garvey, is accompanied by another, which we are certain cannot be from his hand. The story is evidently approaching its termination. [Tait's Magazine only just reached us.] CONCERT IN AID OP THE FUNDS OF THE WESTERN OPHTHALMIC INSTITU TION. To the honour of the members of the Musical Pro fession be it said, that they are ever the foremost in the cause of charity. On Friday a concert takes place at the Hanover-square Rooms, in aid of the funds of the Western Ophthalmic Institution. An institu tion which is, from its very nature, of infinite service to the industrious classes, enabling them as it am, in many instances, to gain a live lihood for themselves and their families *by warding off from them that greatest of all afflictions, blindness. On this occasion, Madame Albertazzi, Miss Rainforth, the Misses Williams, Miss A. Hill, Mr. and Mrs. Weiss, Mr. and Miss Lcckey, Mr. F. Bodda, and Mr. T. Wil liams, together with Miss Kate Loder, the Messrs. Distin, Mr. Carte, Master Day, and Mr. A. Sedgwick, with Mr. Brinley Richards, as conductor, have volunteered their gratuitous services. There cannot be a doubt but that the rooms will be crowded. The artistes will have the satisfaction of knowing that their exertions have mate rially promoted the prosperity of this most excellent institution. CLERKEN AVELL.-(THIS DAY). William Whitlock, who had been remanded from Tuesday last on the charge of embezzling the amount of a cheque, with which he had been intrusted by his em ployers, Messrs. Cooper and Co., solicitors, of Hatton garden, to pay into the office of the Stamps and Taxes, was again brought up for final examination. Mr. T. Brown, clerk in the Registrar's-office, Somer set-house, produced the book, in which there appeared no entry of any sum as having been paid by the prisoner. In reply to Mr. Wolff, who appeared on behalf of the prisoner, Mr. Cooper said that when the cheque was given to the prisoner to get cashed, and afterwards to pay into Somerset-house, it was about half-past two o'clock on the 24th Dec., and Mr. Brown stated that the office closed at three o'clock, and was not opened again until the day after Christmas-day. Mr. Wolff contended that these circumstances, at all events, were strong presumptive evidence that the pri soner did not intend to steal the cheque when he got it, and that he had yielded to a momentary temptation. Air. GREENWOOD said, he did not intend to commit him for stealing the check, as there might arise some doubt respecting his intentions at the moment he got it into his possession; but he should commit him on the charge of stealing the amount of money he received at the bank. The depositions were made out accordingly, and the prisoner was fully committed for trial at the Old Bailey. Sarah Goodyear, was charged with stealing a silver watch, and several other articles from the person of James Layton, of 5, Seymour Cottage, Caledonian-road. The prosecutor was in the midst of his statement of the circumstances attending the robbery, to which w•e need not more particularly allude, when he suddenly stopped short, as if deprived of all powers of articula tion, and although Mr. Greenwood desired bim two or three times to proceed with it, he still gazed fixedly into the body of the Court, as motionless and intently tts the bird at the rattlesnake, until Inspector Penny explained the fascination by pointing out the prosecutor's wife, who occupied a prominent position in the front row of the space allotted to persons in waiting. Mr. GREENWOOD, baying desired Mrs. Layton to stand forward, informed her that her attendance was not re quired, and she might leave the Court if she chose. Mrs. Layton begged to decline availing herself of the Magistrate's considerate offer. Mr. Layton then proceeded with his statement in no very enviable state of mind, as may be imagines', his wife sitting right before him, within about three yards, and bringing to bear upon him a pair of bright eyes, which seemed never once to wink during the time he was in the witness-box. His evidence proved that the Prisoner had snatched his watch from his pocket, and broke the guard, while he was tete-a•tete with her, and ran away with it. She was fully committed for trial. ABOLITION of the LIGHT DUES. (THIS DAY.) A public meeting of ship-owners, and other persons interested in this question, was this day held at the London Tavern, Bishopsgate-street. The chair was taken at one o'clock by Joseph Hume, Esq., M.P. The meetin ,, was well attended, and among those present we observed Sir James Duke, M.P., Mr. Moffatt, M.P, Mr. Forster, M.P., Admiral Codrington, Captain Washington, F. Philips, Esq., &c. The CHAIRMAN, in opening the business of the meeting, said, if the consideration of the present question was one which only affected the interests of the city of London, he would not have consented to occupy the position which he then held, as chairman of so respectable and influential a meeting as that which he had the honour to preside over. It was, however, a question not of local importance, but one which affected vitally the interests of the whole country.—(Cheers.) The Hon Gentleman then went into a brief review of the efforts which had been made upon this subject. It was in the year 1821 a petition was presented to the House of Commons, pray ing for an i nqu i ry i nto t h e su bj ect. Th e prayer of that petition he supp or t e d, an d su b sequent l y o b ta i ne d a Com mittee to inquire into the subject of the lighthouses of the country. 'The report of that committee brought to light a . considerabl e amoun t o f gr i evance, b ut st i l l t h at Committee did no go f ar enoug h , a l t h oug h i t was a move in a right direction. The report of that Committee showed that one half of the lighthouses in the kingdom were the property of private individuals, held upon leases from the Crown, and the Committee recommended that ! e li d e s bye leases th runnCrown ing Notwithstandingut t ey should not thisbe again uponrene% recom mendation, a n d t h e promise of Mr. Huskisson, made to him in his place in the House of Commons, that the leases shoald not be renewed, nine of these leases, which pad expired, were renewed by the then Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mr. Goulburn). Tbis act was not only a most gross breach of faith on the part of the Government, but an act of oppression upon the merchants, which entailed upon them the loss of the enormous sum of 480,0001. In the year 1834 he supported a Bill empowering the corpora ion of the Trinity House to purchase the remainder of the private leases of the lighthouses of the country. Eleven of these lighthouses bad accordingly been pur- G, ANUARY 7, 1847 GAZINES, ETC.—(CONTIN LIED.) THE RENFREIVSIIII?I3 MAGAZINE. Nos. 1., 11., 111 , and IV. Anew asprant for public patronage, published at Paisley, nad is:AA at a trilling Lniount monthly, is iyin4 Lunn our table. the con'eut!:, are singularly tri..l singularly intel ligent. We are glad to observe throughout, the breathings of a gentle and philanthropic spirit. Many of the contributions are brimming over with an inno cent and agreeable humour, such as the " Passages in the Life of Oliver Nappe," and the " Nights at the Pees weep," a feeble imitation of the glorious " Noctes Ambrosianx." Several of the contributions—such for example as "Dr. Nichol'a System of the World," " The Province of Intellect," and others, though brief, are of superior merit. "My Old Arm-chair" is an unsatisfactory copy from the ballad composed by Henry Russell. On the average the periodical begins admirably. SIJIMOND S'S COLvIV AVAGAZINE. It is melancholy to observe the lamentable manner in which the rhythmical contributions of the Co!on al fir 1847 are commenced. Such puerility was scarcely ever perpetrated by the disciples of Bayes as the lines entitled the " Bell Buoy." Neither Swift nor Pope could have discovered among the lucu brations of Catnach a more miserable specimen of true bathos— R.Lr farnel puthouiie, the gr,at of war, Lieuter.ant- Colonel to the Earl of Mar!" was nothing to it. The writer kindly infw-ms us in a foot-note that the production was composed after reading the account of the perilous voyage of the Great Western. With the opening of the first stanza the sun is described as having legs; for the author says; that luminary " strode on toward the west." Two lovers are on the deck, looking upon vacancy, and thinking about the same, when they hear the sound of the bell-buoy : " 'Tis a voice like a conscience that warms solmn/y— -'ris the toll of the bell-buoy that rings out at sea." Then the bell-buoy is described as having something or other to do with a " shroudless cone" which it dandles about—. " On its many-backed courser, the ocean tides." A courser with many backs ! why it must be a kind of equine polygon ! This same come is de ' pitted as " tugging and tussling the white foaming main." Shortly after comes an account of the par tial catastrophe of the Great Western—which is con densed in one charmingly graphic line— " A rock, and a roll, then mad shrieks of despair!" and afterwards comes the very acme of absurdity, when Her captain is heard, still undaunted, to shout— Mind the helm, boys ! Steady ! Look out, lads— look out!" Surely this is the art of sinking in poetry with a ven geance ! Besides which, it conveys to the mind a detestable levity in connexion with a spectacle of real sublimity. One of the most monstrous specimens of this kind of levity is in Tom Ingoldsby's " Old Wo man clothed in grey :" where the soul of the old lady is refused admission into Paradise by St. Peter—" so she tucked up her shroud," and said, " here goes for a fly !" Hardly a jot less monstrous is the tone of this poem on the Bell-buoy. Otherwise the magazine is of its usual merit. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PORTSMOUTH', WEDNESDAY.— A court-martial, coin ! prising Rear-Admiral H. Parker, president ; Captains Pasco, of the Victory; Chads, of the Excellent, ; Onslow, of the Daphne ; Cudrington, o f t h e Th et i s ; Henderson, of the Sid on ; Milne, of the St. Vincent : Giiiiiad, of the Penelope ; and Cllr. ti. L. Grew:Lam, Deputy d udge- Advocate of the Fl eet, assembled at nine o'clock this morning on board the St. Vincent, 120, Captain Milne, flag of Sir Charles Ogle, to try the boatswain of the Revistance troop-ship, Commander G. Lowe, on a charge of drunkenness, preferred by his captain. Mr. Gray, first lieutenant ; Mr. Hoggard, second lieutenant ; and Mr. Sparrow, assistant-surgeon of the Resistance, were examined, and fully made out the charge. The prisoner called no witnesses to disprove the statements for the prosecution, but called his captain to give him a character, which he had better not have done, as although Commander Lowe gave him a first rate character as a seaman, he was compelled to prove him an habitual drunkard, and on the day named in the charge (the 2d instant) the prisoner was so intoxicated as to be totally incapable of attending to his duty. The Court considered the charge fully proved, and sentenced the prisoner to be dismissed the service. The Daphne, IS, Captain J. J. Onslow, got under way last night just after sunset, to proceed to the east ward to be paid off. As the wind was dead on end she was obliged to beat out. Her first reach' as on the port tack towards the Isle of Wight. She tacked a little before five, and made her second reach towards the Horse Sand, when unfortunately, it being excessively khotk, she stretched too far, and ran aground oa that sand about half-past five. Guns w e r e fired and blue lights were burnt to indicate her position to the autho rities, and the Echo, with Mr. Bellamy, assistant-master attendant, and a party of seamen from the St. Vincent, sere sent out to her assistance. Boats were also sent to her from the ships at Spithead. The Echo reached her about nine o'clock, and she was got afloat about ten without receiving any damage. The Commander-in- Chief and his flag-captain have been on board her this afternoon to investigate the cause of her getting ashore. The Athol! troop-ship, Master-Commanding E. J. P. Pearn, was towed into harbour to-day by the Echo. By the last advices from the Miditerranean we are informed that Mr. Elkens, paymaster and purser of the Harlequin, 16, Commander Moore, had shot himself while labouring under a fit of insanity. The New Board of Naval Construction are expected to hold their first meeting at this port this week, with Captain Lord John Hay, one of the Lords of the Adm ralty, in the chair. The Resistance troop-ship, Commander Lowe, embarks here the head-quarters of the 36th Regiment for Corfu; thence she conveys the 97th to Malta ; whence she proceeds to Bermuda, and thence to Halifax with the 20th, and home. Accounts have been received from her Majesty's ship Kingfisher, Commander Wilmot Horton, of the 21st of September. He had taken two slavers within a fortnight of assuming the command of the vessel. Commander Horton is the nephew of the Secretary to the Treasury, Mr. Tuffnell, M.P. The Spiteful steam-sloop was at Bombay on the Bth of November, waiting for her new Captain, Sir William Hoste; Lieutenant Halsted had died suddenly on the 7th of November, Lieutenant J. D. Hay had been appointed to the death vacancy (caused by the decease of Com mander Maitland), and had been appointed to the Wol verine, 16, vice Clifford, to the Ringdove, 16, vice Sir William Hoste to the Spiteful. The America, 50, Captain Sir Thomas Maitland, was at Corunna on the Ist inst., waiting orders. The Vanguard, 80, Captain Willes, was at Carthagena on the 17th of December, expecting to be sent to Malta. The following ships have served the usual period of commission (three years), and may shortly be expected home to be paid off; many of them, having been relieved, are on their way:— Agincourt (flagship), 72 guns, Capt. Johnstone, East Indies, commissioned February 1842. Albion, 90 guns, Capt. Lockyer, Tagus, Nov. 1843 Alert, 6 guns, Corn. Ellis, Coast of Africa, July 1843 Castor, 36 guns, Capt. Graham, East Indies, April 1843 Cleopatra, 26 guns, Capt. Wyvill, Cape of Good Hope, April 1842. Conway, 26 guns, Capt. Kelly, Cape of Good Hope, May 1843. Cormorant (steam-sloop), 6 guns, Capt. Gordon, Pacific, April 1843 Curagoa, 24 guns, Capt. Broughton, Brazils, Feb. 1843. Dolphin, 3 guns, Lieut. Miller, Brazils, July 1843. Driver (steam-sloop), 6 guns, Capt. Hayes, East Indies, September 1843. Espoir, 10 guns, Corn. Hand, Coast of Africa, May 1843. Fisgard, 42 guns, Capt. Duntze, Pacific, May 1843 Fox, 42 guns, Comdre. Blackwood, East Indies, Oct. 1843 Frolic, 16 guns, Corn. Hamilton, Pacific, Nov. 1842 Hazard, 18 guns, Com. Egerton, East Indies, Oct. 1841. Heela (steam-sloop), 6 guns, Com. Starmer, Mediter ranean, Jan. 1843. Helena, 16 guns, Capt. Sir C. Ricketts, Cape of Good Hope, Oct. 1843. Hermes (steam-sloop), 6 guns, Com. Carr, West Indies, May 1843. Hyacinth, 18 guns, Com. Scott, West Indies, Sept. 1843. Hydra (steam-sloop), 6 guns, Corn. Morrell, Coast of Africa, August 1843. Inconstant, 36 guns, Capt. Fremantle, Mediterranean, May 1843. Iris, 26 guns, Capt. Mundy, East Indies, Oct. 1843 Larne, 18 guns, Capt. Brisbane, Coast of Africa, Nov. 1843. Modeste, 18 guns, Corn. Watkins, Pacific, June 1843 Pilot, 16 guns, Com. Wilson, East Indies, July 1843 Racer, 16 guns, Com. Reed, Brazils, April 1543 Royalist, 10 guns, Lieut. Gordon, Ea•t Indies, Oct. 1841. Salamander (steam-sloop), 6 guns, , Pacific, June 1842. Satellite, 18 guns, Com. Rowley, Brazils, Dec. 1843 Sealark, 10 guns, Com. Gooch, Coast of Africa, Oct. 1843. Spider, 6 guns, Lieut. Pym, Brazils, April 1842. Spiteful (steam•sloop, Capt. Sir W. Iloste, East Indies Dec. 1842. Superb, 80 guns, Capt. Corry, Tagus, Dec. 1843. Talbot, 26 guns, -- Sir T. Thompson, Pacific, April 1842. Thunderbolt (steam-sloop), 6 guns, Corn. Boyle, Cape of Good Hope, Dec. 1842. Vestal, 26 guns, Capt. Talbot, East Indies, Nov. 1843. Virago (steam-sloop), 6 guns, Corn. Lunn, Mediterra nean, May 1843. Wolf, 18 guns, Corn. Gordon, East Indies, June 1842. Wolverine, 16 guns, Corn. Clifford, East Indies, Jan. 1842. The above list does not include surveying or other vessels, as packets, troopers, provision or store s hi ps, employed upon " particular service," whose terms of commission are not defined as are those of other ships in the Royal Navy. We have compiled the above from the official Navy List just published. We are requested to acdnoiledge the receipt of the following sums on behalf of the family of the late Lieut. W. P. Green, R.N.:—By Captain Pasco, of the Victory, from "An Old Brother Officer," (T. P. C.), 1/.; also 11. ls. from Mr. Wm. Day, 1, Queen- street, Mayfair. WooLwicii, JAN. 6.—The Amphion steam-frigate, Captain J. W. Williams, had her steam up to day, to try her engines in the harbour, and will again try them down the river in a few days. The Geyser steam-vessel will leave Woolwich on Sa turday for Greenhithe, to have her compasses adjusted, and then proceed to Portsmouth. Dr. Lyon Playfair and Mr. John Wilson, from the College of Civil Engineers, at Putney, visited Woolwich Dockyard officially on Saturday last, to examine and report on the cause of the coals near the Foundry taking fire, which was discovered on Chritmas-day. The coals ignited a second time, and they heve now been all re moved. SHIPS OF WAR AS TRANSPORTS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE MORNING HERALD. Sir,—Seeing in the Herald, yesterday, a proposition from an • Officer in the Navy' for making men-of-war useful as transports, and praising the arrangements of one so employed, by dismounting her lower deck guns, and putting the carriages in her hold to accommodate 600 soldiers for conveyance from Cork to Gibraltar, thus reducing her armament to that of a frigate, and lum bering the ship throughout, I beg to call to your remem brance that the Thunderer, 84 guns, fitted by Mr. Lang, of Woolwich-yard (whose ability and experience have been well tested in fitting sailing and steam men-of-war), was so arranged on his plan for conveyance of troops that she took out a regiment of 600 soldiers without dis mounting a gun, or in the least interfering with her fighting capacity, or with the comforts of her crew, from Cork to Gibraltar, where, after disembarking the troops, she took on board three months' stores and pro visions on her orlop deck, and then proceeded to Malta. The Revenge, 74 guns, fitted on another plan, at th e same time, sent asho re h er lower deck guns, thereby reducing her armament to that of a frigate, and also conveyed troops to Gibraltar. Having disembarked them she returned to England for her guns, and then went back to Gibral tar, thus not only losing much time, and increasing ex pense, but she was reduced from a 74-gun ship to a 46- gun frigate, out to Gibraltar and again to England. Now, it is worthy the notice of the Admiralty, that if ships were fitted as the Thunderer an immense expense would be saved, and great advantage would be gained, inasmuch as they would not only be efficient transports, and be capable of taking stores when required, but by keeping their guns and good seamen, they would be always efficient men-of-war—in fact, always ready for fighting as line-of-battle ships, let them be employed in whatever service they might be required to perform. I presume that the important national advantages to be gained from the employment and exercise of our officers and the training of a large force of seamen under the pennant, in the general adoption of men-of-war as transports, will not be questioned. With the strongest confidence that your earnest :nd disinterested desire to benefit the service and to increase our national resources will induce you to give insertion to the above, and as suring you that your past exertions are highly appre ciated by all grades and classes, I have the honour to be, Sir, your obliged servant, January 6, 1847. AN OLD OFFICER. THE LATE FIRE AT IRONGATE name of the man who is missing is Brown. He was the innocent cause of the fire, as it originated from a spark from the candle he took into the warehouse to examine one of the bales of goods. It is supposed that he is not dead, but that he is keeping out of the way to avoid a prosecution. This dread, however, is needless, as there is no doubt the fire was entirely accidental. THE ASSAULT EY MISTARE.—The woman named Woods, who was nearly killed on " boxing" night by Alexander 11 , PLeish, who mistook her for his wife, is now expected to recover. DPLeish was yesterday taken be fore the magistrate at Lambeth Police court, but as the poor woman was not well enough to attend, he was again remanded, IRELAND. ________ ' DISTRESS IN THE COUNTY OF CORK. 1 DUBLIN, JAN. s.—The Corl: Examiner of yesterday devotes a great portion of it space to the proceedings of a meeting held in Bantry on Friday last. The object of the meeting will be foun'd embodied in the subjoined re solutions : " That the condition of this district is most appalling, starvation being universal, deaths from want of food frequent, and fearfully on the increase, whilst despair has seized upon the public mind from.the apparent indisposi tion of the Government to exert itself for the preserva tion of the people. " That thus circumstanced, it becomes indispensable to provide forthwith, and no matter at what sacrifice of present or future interest, food and employment for the people. " That considering the many obstacles which have heretofore obstructed the progress of reproductive works throughout the country, and the hopelessness of making them immediately available for the relief of the pressing wants of the people, it is our opinion that we cannot do otherwi:e than fall back on the admitted evils of the Labour rate Act, at least until reproductive works equal to the amount of employment required shall have been put into active progress within the district. " That the prices of food have now risen in this dis trict to a price which places it far beyond the reach even of those amongst the labouring classes who are era• ployed, and this most unfortunate condition is, in our opinion, mainly attributable to the obstinate refusal of the Government to establish foot? depots throughout the country, and to the discouragement given by it at• an early period to the procuration of food from funds raised by pli: ate stbscriptions, by its refusal to aid any funds Lpplie Wle to the object of lowering the prices of food even to the poor and the destitute." STATE OF CLARE. The Clare Jostrnal has the following statement with respect to the adoption of measures for counteracting the mischief resulting from the neglect of all agricultural labour in that district:— " We are given to understand that seventeen of the relict committees in this county have agreed to the pro posal made to them by the Killalue committee for a ge neral meeting of a deputation from each body, to take place, we believe, in Ennis, for the purpose of devising means to secure the cultivation of the land now ready for tilling in the several districts. We shall, therefore, wait for some short time to learn how far this proposal will be carried out before we further address our inquiry to each relief committee, as to what efforts they may have made in their separate localities to secure this very desirable object—one which, if neglected, will be the means of perpetuating the misery we are now suffering under. The Ennis committee have taken the first step towards procuring seed wheat for their district ; and this, we should hope, will be followed by efforts to se cure, in the proper season, a supply of seed barley and oats. They will, we are sure, at all events, do their duty. We hope others will do likewise." Meanwhile, outrages on the public works in progress in that county are still rife:— " The public works have been suspended in the parish of Ruan, in this county, in consequence of an attack having been made upon Air. Harrington, the principal overseer in that parish, because he was a stranger in the district. Mr. Harrington was severely beaten, but we are glad to hear that the medical attendant has pro nounced his life out of danger." Extract of a letter, containing some American in formation, received from a friend at Liverpool by Mr. John Singleton, Quinville, county of Clare:—" Amongst many intelligent friends with whom I have conversed here, one was an extremely well-informed gentleman from New York, who told me there was plenty of food for us in America; and that, as my countrymen seemed to adopt Indian corn, he could assure me that any quantity could be grown for fourteen cents a bushel to the farmer; the shipping price depending, of course, on the current of speculation, as well as the expense of inland transit. New Orleans is the safest port to look to, because corn can be borne on the Mississippi at a light charge and from any remote districts. Then the price at New Orleans was 30, while at New York it was 70 cents a bushel. One great comfort we have—that as yet none of the Indian corn of 1846 has been exported from America. This month, January, is the first for thrashing and preparing the crops, and I do hope it is true that Government design sending some of their ships of war, unarmed, for supplies, because the mercantile navy is not yet sufficiently numerous to embrace this new traffic in addition to its usual calls." DARING ATTACK AND ROBBERY. The following is an extract of a letter received in town to-day from the neighbourhood of Cahir, county of Tip perary:— " On Sunday last, at 12 o'clock in the day, Captain Batley's house, near Cahir barracks (an officer in the Bth Hussars) was attacked by an armed party, who rifled the house of two guns, two pistels, money, &c. The fellow: were pursued by the military and police to the neighbourhood of Clogheen, where they were lost sight of. Houses are attacked every day, provision carts plundered, cattle and sheep taken o ff the fields—in fact, society is totally disorganised. Every ruffian in the country has arms; neither life nor property is secure for one moment." ANOTHER ACCOUNT. " CARIB, JAN. 3, 9 O'CLOCK, P.M.—A very daring outrage took place here this day. Mr. Batley, pay master of the Bth Hussars, rents a house about two miles from the barrack. At about two o'clock this afternoon an armed party entered his house ; four went into the room in which he was with his wife ; they presented two guns at his head, and threatened to shoot him irhe moved. They remained about half an hour, holding him all the time ; they would not take his watch, or any of the plate in his house, but took a double gun, pistols, and a esi bine, and all the money in the house, about 11. 16s. They had handkerchiefs tied on their faces. When it was reported here, the police, with Inspector Brew, started, but have not yet returned. I don't think there is any chance of finding them, as all the peasantry are armed." EMPLOYMENT UNDER THE BOARD OF WORKS The subjoined return shows the daily average num ber of persons employed on public works in Ireland for the week ending the 26th of December, 1846 : LEINSTER. Carlow Drogheda, Town of. Dublin Dublin, City of Kildare Kilkenny Kilkenny, City of 576 King's County 3,999 Longford t. Louth 3,693 Meath Queen's County : - I. 4,268 Westmeath Wexford Wicklow ... 2,383 UNSTER. 1,961 Clare 40,778 Cork, East Riding Cork, West Riding 11,788 Cork, City of Kerry Limerick Limerick, City of 690 Tipperary, South Riding Tipperary, North Riding Waterford 8,535 Waterford, City of CONNA.UGIIT. 69,585 163,213 Galway, East Riding Galway, West Riding 21,040 Galway, Town of 2,844 Leitrim 11,460 Mayo 22,208 Roscommon 30,548 Sligo 13,482 119,848 ULSTER. Antrim . Belfast, Town of . Carrickfergus Armagh Cavan Donegal Down 429 Fermanagh Londonderry Monaghan 6,650 2,715 Tyrone 45,487 398,231 Total for the four provinces AWFUL FIRES. the sen t r y . on A little after two o'clock this morning guard at the gate of the Lower Castle "lll3' p erceivi n g the smoke issuing from the shop of Mr. Mears ,bu t, boot maker, in Dame-street, promptly gave the ala rm; before the family were well aroused to in a sh eet o asel:lse of et their danger, the whole premises were of enveloped flame. Mr. Mears and bis wife rushed to the drawing. room window, and, throwing open the sash, the latter sprang into the street, and was caught in the arms of the soldier who discovered the fire; she fortunately escaped without any injury. Mr. Mears was saved in ,a similar manner, and also received no hurt. By the exertions of the police some of the inmates who slept in the top of the house were got out through the roof ; but two children, a nd s n to ieee extricate o f Mr. Mears, themselves, who and oa perished a visit, were A little after four o'cock the whole concern was, in spite of every exert i on, completely gutted. About this time an alarm was given that another fire had broken out in the extensive premises of Mr. Clifford, the drug gist, in Castle-street, and quite adjacent to the scene of the previous conflagration. The engines were imme diately set to work, but, from the combustible nature of the stock, all efforts to check the furious element proved unavailing, and, in a few hours, not a vestige of the house was left standing except the front wall. Here also there was a loss of life. At nine o'clock two men were ascending a fire-ladder for the purpose of gaining the roof of an adjoining house, and had reached to nearly the top story, when the ladder snapped across, and pre cipitated the two men into the street below ; one saved himself by clinging to a lamppost, but the other, falling on the pavement underneath, was so severely mutilated that he died shortly after the accident. At two o'clock this afternoon the bodies of the two children of Mr. Mears were discovered in the ruins ; both were literally burnt to cinders. The third body has not bean yet found. At three o'clock P.M. the house adjoining Clif ford's took fire ' • but by great exertions it was sup pressed,—not, however, before serious damage was in flicted on the owners, two elderly ladies, who carried on the haberdashery business there. At post-hour the en gines were kept playing on the smoking ruins in Dame - street and Castle-street. . 40. ig 364 9 1 4 3% 1214 1 2 22% 3,4 5 2 1 4 l A (14 Ilh P 40 is P 1, has Sand of the Wal's .11A0. 9s 8d 2o Od late, Both d, at Litt° rade over oath• ?ne. hail l to I I e,*