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

~~M-- )A l4 i c k bast , lus, N e i l/ at, B es ' e ' m a dras; Sara h 3abia. ra, Petoo, UP, A e h " ick ; Quebec.; her, Ne" d Devon' th, /Aqu i ' Perko* car 1381- h ; Glen Orleans ! avannab id. .Lio* is ; Weed York. phne b"' ;he 1106 betweerl GrirasbY steamer' mat, on 27th OW , by tile l Intent, isfor ker, ir SI 1., has no- :e )fOO ISO bist SuperxOrt York. bi Ibt lie Gratiget coasting founder, , arrived ick, sank with the Yom, has on Sandi MN Ins of t he uid Wal", I PNAI* 493 8A , 1 " 28 "" Y). rer ditto , 1. Bot h nand, 01' rer ditto Trade CIoVI ler lotto• • 10 gene . _ ef, fro' 8 ad ° I 880. ,to -day' t weeps' ii, 4 5 t`° . J n . ...,4 ,8045 t 0 gou— oo ler 811* 1 6 5 to !re 11 e this 2 3 11 to d pork., kluttoX 1 44 per to Cmcnr.grza, JAN. 6.—A1l kinds of stock moved off slowly n the following terms :—Beef, fres 3s to 4s 4d ; Mutton, 4s 4d to 55 2d ; Veal, 4s to 4s 6d ; and Pork, 4s to 4s 6d per 811 m. Suckling Calves, As to 285; quarter-old Stare igs, 16s to 195; and Milch Cows, with their small Calf, 161 to 181 each. SHERIFFS' COURT.-(THIS DAY.) BrIXTuN v. POLHILL—RAILWAY LIABILITIES. This 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 was sued as a provisional com mitteeman, &c.. pleaded th a t h e was no t i n d e bted. e This ea d'ff)red very slightly from the many which have lately occupied the public attention. It appeared, from the statement of counsel and evidence, that in 1845 a Company was proposed, to be called the Cambridge and Colchester Railway Company. The plaintiff was at the offiLTs, acting as clerk, from August, 1845, but the defendant had nothing to do ..i:1-1 the Company till the 24th of October, although his name was kept on the Prospectus till the company broke up: No deposits had been p a id in, and it was contended that the defendant Merely attended two meetings with a view of effecting anama lemnation with another company, in order to ren aer it efl;Jetive ; but that as that could not be effected, he withdrew on 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 provisional directors, in which plaintiff and another per son were described as trustees. Mr. U DALL submitted that there was no evidence to go to the j ury, for the terms of the agreement with the plaintiff h ad not been proved in evidence, and in the a b sence of that it must be taken that there was a y ear l y hi r i ng b y souse per- In ns long previ ous l y to t h e defendant joining the con- In support of his argument he quoted the case of "Foasettt and Ca. h," 5 Ado]. and Ellis ; and that, at all events, the dcfendan could only be held liable from the 24th of October to the Bth of November, the only Period at which it was proved the defendant was at all c onnected with the proposed company, besides which, the dutits performed by plaintiff was consistent with his cha racter as trustee. The Learned U NDen-Suraire said the question as be to ea the and liability of part i es j o i n i ng h a d Ro t wouldraised before, and if M r. Ud a ll f e l t con fid ent , an d a_ agree to a verdict, the writ should be retained, to apply to the c ourt as to whether there was evidence. r Udall said he should go to the jury, as to amount, Whether th e defendant, if liable at all, was liable for more than during the time he was connected. be Mr LUSH repli e d, and urged that the clerk must i co ave been appoi nte d for the general purposes of the As to th e d ut i es b e i ng performed as a trustee the observations could b e me t by s h ow i ng th a t i t 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 had acted under any agreement. If the defend ant had h e ld hi mself out as liable, and the plaintiffs had relied E n t, ' upon him for payment, then the defendant was there had not been any agreement, or they .1.41 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. SAUNDERSON V. TROLLOPE. This was an action brought to recover the sum of 6 4 1 1s, the amount of a farrier's bill. The defendants Pleaded that they were not indebted. Mr. Sntox stated the case. The plaintiff is a farrier, and the defendants are highly respectable house de corators, and the claim was for work done in 1845 and 1146. It was singular that although the defendants had Pleaded that they were not indebted, they had claimed rent of some premises occupied by him, and offered to allow the amount of the bill out of the rent. Under these circumstances all doubt as to tke fairness of the demand was removed, and, he should contend, the collateral question as to the liability to pay rent. There vras some dispute between the parties as to the l iability 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 -I°Pe had nothing to do with the cone. rn. , It was then shown that Mr. William Trollope was not the business, being an articled clerk to a solicitor. Mr. SIMON said, that under these circumstances he roust submit to a nonsuit. Mr. Huggins said that the defendants and their rela tives had carried on business for more than a century, and they w ou ld not h ave refused payment except on good grounds, the fact was as defendant was not in debted to the tour, the four could not plead the set-off. CRIMINAL COURT : -(THIS DAY.) OLD COURT Ann Alexander, aged 25, described in the calendar as married woman, was convicted of stealing a watch and other articles from the person of William Charnock. The prisoner, who, it appeared, was in league with one or two men, solicited the prosecutor to accompany her, a nd, whilst doing so, snatched the articles from him. "—She was sentenced to transportation for ten years. In the case of coining, reported yesterday, we fell into an error, in consequence of the Learned Judge who tr ied the case (Mr. Justice :Mule) omitting to state, in sentencing the prisoner for fifteen years on each con ": ction, that " each sentence was to commence and end tonthe same time. " The prisoner was, therefore, sen ced t o fi fteen years ' transportation, and not to thirty, as tated. Iti ow S LAUGHTER.—IIIatthew Ford, aged 21, an omnibus p r d T a er, as indicted for the manslaughter of William "Y, driver of one of Mr. Ball's Brixton omnibuses. 16t The Occurrence took place on Brixton-hill on the Nos , of Dece m b e r la s t. F rom th e ev id ence a dd uce d, i f ,`"ch as in all similar cases, was extremely contradic -17, it appeared, that about five o'clock on the day in :111estion, the two omnibuses were proceeding along at a PidZ pace, th e omn ib us d r i ven b y t h e pr i soner b e i ng Tlightly in advan ce of th e one i n c h arge o f t h e d ecease d. th e road, i n prisoner gradually " clewed " his omnibus across order to prevent the d e c ease d d r i v i ng p as t. T he sudden drawing up brought the deceased's omnibus a gainst a lamp-post, and he was thrown from the box, tand received No such inuries that he died in abot ten aYa after.collision'took place between the u omni uses. Th e p r i soner was, however, on the .4 off" side at the time, the " near none being his proper side. The I nen drove rival omnibuses, and being actuated by a spirit of rivalry, evidently were not particular in their enurtesiei, and annoyed each other in the way described, Passing each other when an eligible opportunity offered, and each availing himself of 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. Mr. CLARKSON contended . that the prisoner was 'wholly blameless, and that the deceased alone caused the accident which resulted in his death. Mr. Justice MAuLz summed up ; and, The jury acquitted the prisoner. SURREY SESSIONS.--(THIS DAY.) George Stone, convicted of having in his possession eight counterfeit half-crowns, was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment, with hard labour. Several prisoners charged with larcenies pleaded guilty, and were sentenced to various terms of imprison ment. Among them Edward Byrne, aged 15, for stealing two loaves of bread from the shop of Mr. Henry Xmsden, at Cheam, was sentenced to solitary confine ment for seven days, and to be once privately whipped. Wm. Matthews, 20 years of age, was indicted for steal ing a shirt at Wonersh, from John Cobbett. The Shirt had been put out with other clothes to dry, and had b een stolen. It was found in possession of the prisoner, Who said, in his defence, that he had bought it o f a tramp on the road.—Verdict, , Guilty. The prisoner was also indicted for stealing a number or carpenter's tools, at Compton, on the Bth Dec. last. William Hurst, a wheelwright, stated that on the day named he was at work at a farm-houee in Compton, and left the tools in a shed at night. The next morn ing they were not to be found. Witness identified several of the tools. Mr. Siemer, landlord of the Blind Man at Farnham, said tbat he and his ostler had bought most of the articles produced of a party, of whom the prisoner was one. NV. Hollington, the inspector of police at Guildford, having heard of Mr. llurst's loss, had reason to suspect the prisoner. He followed the prisoner and two others fr eml Guildford to Farnham, keeping them in sight as much as possible. lie occasionally l os t s i g h t o f t h em. On inquiry at Farnham he learmd that the tools h a d been sold as described by the last witness. On his ap prehension the prisoner declared that he and his com panions had found them in a turnip field ; but witness was positive that throughout the whole of the way between the two field of that kind.towns none o f th e party entere d any Verdict—Not Guilty. liollington being recalled, stated that the prisoner was known to be connected with two men whom he had ap prehended for a highway robbery committed with violence.—Sentence, three months' i mprisonment, with bard labour, and to be once privately Whipped. oJohn Moore, aged 38, for stealin g a h andkerchief from nCulcheth, landlord of the Maso ns ' Arms, Croydon, on Christmas-day, was sentenced to s ix month s ' impri sonment at Brixton, with labour. MA RLBRO'-STREET—(T HIS DAN). dliicd Bags, a very respectably dressed y oung man, was brought up on a charge of attempting to pick two ladies' pockets. John Godward, police-constable 34 E, said h e 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 been attempting their pockets. He (the constable) followed the young man across Oxford-street, and took him t • ato custody between Burners-street and the Pan theon. Mr. Bags, the father of the boy, said the policeman was drunk, and incapable of doing his duty, and the statement was false. The prisoner said he was going home last night, and on his way down Wells -street he saw the policeman Godward staggt.r, which made him look at him. The policeman 83. w him. He (the prisoner) walked on till he came to O x f or d street, and he saw the policeman stagger gain. 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 whoa I took THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 7, 1847. him—between Wardour. street and the Pantheon. I did not tak,:hitn at his own house. 1 John slags, 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 (lid not recollect if the child had said anything about the policeman, but he told her of his brother, and she imagined lie 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 Rewnt-street, into Han over-street, end then inquired again. From this he toc.k him down Albemai le-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 lonia I would not go any further. Mr. HARDwicx- --That's a new version. You did not tell us that 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. HARDWICK—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 R as, and would show me 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 called there. Mr. H.Annwzox—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 persona 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. CLERKENWELL.—(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. Mr. 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 e 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 him two or three times to proceed with it, he still gazed fixedly into the body of the Court, as motionless and intently as 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, having desired Mrs. Layton to stand forward, informed her that her attendance was nut 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 imagined, 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. The family of the Right Hon. Sir George Clerk, Bart., 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 FROM THE PACIFIC.—WIII. 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- TllNE.—Yesterday morning an inquiry took place be fore Wm. Carter, Esq., at the Princess Charlotte, Albany-road, Camberwell, as to the death of Mrs. Sarah Gregory, aged 60. Mrs. Martha Burgess stated that the deceased resided at 1, Albany-place, Albany road. She was the aunt of Mrs. Smithe, of St. John's Wood, who left a large fortune for the education of her children, and the witness was left her executrix. Upon the death of Mrs. Smithe they removed to 1, Albany road, and on the 31st cf December she went up 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, " Ohl 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 hsd 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 STAGHOUNDS.—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 DETlES.—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 Marylehone, 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 b e Sir Charles Napier. . _ COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, WEDNESDAY.—Her Majesty and Prince Albert took their usual early walk this morning. Their Royal highnesses the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, and the Princess Alice, took poney ex ercise this forenoon, in the grounds around the Castle. The Royal dinner party Rt the Castle this evening; will include her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, their Excellencies Mons. and Madame Van de Weyer, his Excellency the Baron de Brunnow, the Lady 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 afterwards attend in the Castle. The Dean of Westminster had an interview with Lord John Russell yesterday, at his official residence in Downing-street. Sir Edward Codrington bad an interview with the Right Hon. T. Milner Gibson yesterday, at the office of the Board of Trade. Dispatches were received yesterday at the Colonial office, from the Governor of Gibraltar. THE OLD YEAR AND THE NEW. (From Punch.) 1846 speaks : I faint upon December's lap of snow, I watch my lees of life drop one by ore; 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 vain ; 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 of Time, I have bad 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 frore 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 •ne leaf from 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 hast given, Material blessing to material man, — Who waits what I must do, ere he 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 or WHISKY.— Yesterday, in consequence of the additional rate now chauged 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 3id. 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 Register. THE NEW DISCOVERY IN SURGERY.—The public will have seen with considerable interest that means 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 the Conservative body had to undergo the painful process of the cutting off of so many of its members I 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 Majesty'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 BOROUGH ELECTION.—We 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 Neils,, 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 en 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. the r t C tre d e iv t s MELANCHOLY DEATH or A COLLECTOR.---abOUt neighbourhood o cer of of Port-street, a quarter past elev en o ' c l oc k on Thursday last, as N o . 2 police s a i o r n e , s p w e c a t s a b o l n y d d r u e t s y s e i d n man th e accosted him, stating that he had been robbed of 571. by a female, and requesting that he (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 alse 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 making away with himself They then parted, and the officer saw no more of him that night. The next morning, about half-past eight o'clock, as a boatman, named Samnel Lamb, in the em ploy of Messrs. Vt evers, 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 was immediately taken out, and a clue was at once obtained as to his identity, by the discovery of some cards, found in a card case in his pocket, bearing the address, " Thomas Fothergill, hop and vinegar merchant, and dealer in foreign cigars. Upon further inquiry, it was ascertained that his name was James Billington, and that he was a collector in the employ of Mr. Fother gill. The officer Platt, on viewing the body, identified it as being that of the person who had addressed him, as above stated, on the previous evening.—Manchester Guardian. _ _ MAGAZINES, ETC.—(CONTINUED.) THE RENFREWSHIRE MAGAZINE. Nos. 1., 11., DI, and IV. A new aspirant for public patronage, published at Paisley, and issued at a trifling amount monthly, is lying upon our table„ The contents are singularly varied, singularly-well written, and singularly intel ligent. We are glad to obserre 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 Peesweep," a feeble imitation of the glorious" Noctes Ambrosiance." Several of the contributions—such for example as "Dr. Nichol's 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. SIMMONDS'S COL(ANIAL MAGAZINE. It is melancholy to observe the lamentable manner in which the rhythmical contributions of the Colonial for 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— " Far famed Dalhousie, the great god of war, Lieutenant-Colonel to the Earl of Mar!" was nothing to it. The writer kindly informs 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 solemn/9 'Tis 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 corse" 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 corse is de picted 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. GILBERT'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, be altogether invaluable. THE PLOUGH. As a beginning to the first month of the second year of this excellent 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 DIEDIN, chronologicallyged, and the . Music of the Lest and most popular of the Melodies, to 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. Part 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 XIL '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, an d 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 7 ORLOGH O'BRIEN. 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 has only just reacl CONCERT IN AID OF 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 for themselves and their f am ilies b as it does, in many instances,to gain a live lihoody wardin off from them that greatest of all of blindness.g On this occasion, Madame Albertazzi, Miss Rainforth, the Misses Williams, Miss A. Hill, Mr. and Mrs. Weiss, Mr. and Miss Lockey, 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 th e satisfaction of knowing that their exertions have mate rially promoted the prosperity of this most excellent institution. AFFECTING SCENE. The ship Anglo-Saxon, which recently arrived at this port, brought over three hundred passengers from Ireland. Nine deaths occurred during the passage. The mother of a family of five children was among the deceased. The children were landed here without a friend, and were found on board of the vessel by a benevolent individual, who brought the case before the Rev. Mr. Flood, of St. Mary's, who had them taken to that church on Sunday, placed them on the altar, and made an appeal in their behalf to that benevolent congregation. The result was, that 253 dol lars were paid in on the spot for their relief ! Four other orphans, similarly situated, have been provided for tcht o hr Y ieos A ft L t th, Chapeloe StFTh Feast a Rs J Gt A oeoy m nf at: Gentiles, e 's sa ~ Epiphany,c — ctuh Y red e i 6 a t go e mr r edtt to ancient a s being duly by the same benevolent pastor and people.—Boston Pilot. CHAPEL R Mani festationtohbesery ed annivers ary efa usage. Sir William Martins (of the Lord Ch to an accident to lain's office), presented on behalf of her Majesty theaC THEATRE.—Dickens's Battle of Life has LYCEUM of this customed offerings of gifts, gold, and frankincense, ' &c. theatre, the house being nightly frothed_f caw.tness the performance of it. The newgna Christmas panto- The Marquis of Lansdowne, the Ministerial leaderincreases mime of The Butterfly's Ball (owingnightly in in the House of Lords, will give a banquet to I : proved a most successful hit ry _ a large number of members of the Upper House, on the 18th instant. Miss Laidlaw) appeared for . the first time on Monday attraction. Miss Olivia Hicks last, as Columbine ; her dancing thewas truly admirable— registered m the London districts in the week ending HEALTH, &C., OF THE METROPOLIS. The deaths the gracefulness of which elicited_ most rapturous ap dered th Saturda 3', Jan. 2, 1847, amounted to the extraordinary h certai 1 at she took the part without any preparation, s acquitted herself promise ofny number of 1,510, or males 759, females 751. This is the largest number registered in any one week for the plause ; and when it is cons e i in a manner that gives a h brilliant and Prn she , sue " cu°B " --- a pret last seven years, exceeding the average of the last five c essful career in the profession tier Columbine we have not , u for a very longtime. winters by 442. The principal increase is on those seen A GooD STREAK or 14 friendscK.—A correspondent deaths arising from diseases of the organs or respiration and diseases of the brain ; the deaths from bronchitis from Havannah writes to o9r_ of La Patria that and grand prize of the Royal Lottery the being no fewer than 163, or more than four times the 100,000 dol t . lars—was drawn by 50 negroes, most of average. There is also a great increase in the number them slaves. average. had joined to buy three whole tickets, and a of deaths from violence, which amounted to 81, being dollar each for that purpose. One of those tickets ve one nearly 200 per cent. above the ordinary average. Among the number 3,997, and on the e morningtheywas the latter class is one of a female who is stated to have of the 18th been killed by eating unboiled rice, which, being un- found that each of them bad won 2,000 dollars. Thi surely, is more than sufficient to buy the slaves freedom s ' digested, caused distension and inflammation of the sto as their regular value is from 400 dollars to 750 dollars , mach; also one of a little girl, caused by a shock of the and when they have the money and wish to , nervous system, arising from fright at seeing a boy in a freedom their masters are obliged to sell them buy their iv red mask. Among the deaths from bronchitis is one York Evening Express. • ew under the head of " lodging in crowded apartments," to which a note is added, that " condition of deceased was Madame Bishop has given three concerts d • the past week at Cheltenham, i n each of which sheconcert ex living, cooking, and sleeping in two rooms nine feet was encored in every song, with one she square, in a close court in St. James's, Clerkenwell." was called upon to repeat a French air twice, exception, ' and h she The number of births registered in the week ending Saturday, Jan. 2, likewise shows a great and sudden in- she produced a novel effect by accompanyin g h i e n rs w elf . on h the tambourine. Her execution of crease, being 1,650, or males 861, females 789 ; this isthis ch s roved that Madame Bishop is a an onette an increase of about 300 over the average of the last 13 P great artist she . interprets the most difficult or the moste, whetherl weeks. From the return of the meteorological observa tions taken during the week at the Royal Observatory, music. third .4. t cavatina, from Uyo di Parigi, exhibited nale Greenwich, we find the mean height of the barometer to 1 ce p on, rl 9 .s iy e n . the v rare t and artistic resources of this most ocalis_ have been 30.277 ; thermometer (dry) highest 67.0, a C ONFESSION Pll a 4 !..OF B URGLARY. lowest 19.0, mean 29.0 ; the wind was generally calm, —At Worship-street the pressure in lbs. on the square foot never having been and Police-court yesterday, two men, named Henry Turman higher than 0.1, while the sum of horizontal movement , William Kemp, were charged with having eern. d burglary mate a in the premises of Me and of the air for the week was only 450 miles; mean amountssrs. Giles Beniger, lucifer match makers, near of cloud 8.5 ; sum of rain, in inches, 0.0.3. • the Monday night before Christ the City-road, on It is reported that Lieutenant-General Sir Maurice , that „, having. . Christmas -day It appeared of 'unman, not received his Gs ' O'Connell will shortly vacate the Staff appointment his accomplice •the r in burglary, regulars" from General Officer in New South Wales and Van Diemen's made a confession to a policeman fur the purpose of having his revenge. Both Land, and that his successor will be Major-General Pitt, 1 prisoners were remanded. whose destination has been inaccurately stat ed to be The Right Lion. Edward Skutt has returned to town. A elf Z041311d. • NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PORTSMOUTH, WEDNESDAY.—A court-martial, com prising Rear-Admiral H. Parker, president ; Captains Pasco, of the Victory; Chads, of the Excellent ; Onalow, of the Daphne ; Codrington, of the Thetis ; Henderson, of the Siclon ; Milne, of the St. Vincent ; Giffard, of the Penelope ; and Mr. G. L. Greethare, Deputy Judge- Advocate of the Fleet, 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 Rev istance 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, 18, Captain J. J. Onalow, 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 was 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 dark, she stretched too far, and ran aground on that sand about half-past five. Guns were 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, were 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 Atholl 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 Admi 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 forthight 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:— Agincourtlndies c ommiss i oned(flag-ship), ip),7 F 2 eb g r u u n a s r , y C i e s p 4 t 2 ..Johnstone, East Albion, 90 guns, Capt. Lockyer, Tagus, Nov. 1843 Alert, 6 guns, Com. 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 Curacoa, 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, Com. 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, Nor. 1842 Hazard, 18 guns, Com. Egerton, East Indies, Oct. 1841. Heels (steam-sloop), 6 guns, Cora. 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, Cora. 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, Cora. Watkins, Pacific, June 1843 Pilot, 16 guns, Corn. Wilson, ERA Indies, July 1843 Racer, 16 guns, Cora. Reed, Brazils, April 1543 Royalist, 10 guns, Lieut. Gordon, Ea-t Indies, Oct. 1841. Salamander (steam-sloop), G guns, , Pacific, June 1842. Satellite, 18 guns, Com. Rowley, Brazils, Dec. 1843 Sealark, 10 guns, Corn. Gooch, Coast of Africa, Oct. 1843. Spider, 6 guns, Lieut. Pym, Brazils, April 1842. Spiteful (steam -sloop, Capt. Sir W. Hoste, East Indies Dec. 1842. 9 Superb, 80 guns, Capt. Corry, Tagus, Dec. 1843. Talbot, 26 guns, -- Sir T. Thompson, Pacific, April 1842. Thunderbolt (steam-sloop), 6 guns, Com. Boyle, Cape of Good Hope, Dec. 1842. Vestal, 26 guns, Capt. Talbot, East Indies, Nov. 1843. Virago (steam -sloop), 6 guns, Com. Lunn, Mediterra nean, May 1849. Wolf, 18 guns, Com. Gordon, East Indies, June 1842. Wolverine, 16 guns, Com. Clifford, East Indies, Jan. 1842. The above list does not include surveying or other vessels, as packets, troopers, provision or store ships, 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 acdnowledge 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.), 11.; also IL Is. from Mr. Wm. Day, 1, Queen- street, Mayfair. WOOLWICH, JAN. 6.—The Amphion steam-frigate, Captain J. V►. 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 H ERALD. Sir,—Seeing i n the Herald, yesterday a propositi on from an ' Officer in the Na v y; for making men-of-war useful as transports, and praising the arrangements of one so employed, by dismounting her lower deck guns, and puttin g th e carr i ages in her hold to accommodate ' 600 soldiers for c onveyance f rom 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 ano th er pl an , a t th e same time, sent ashore her 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 I 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 ~ n d 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, 1547. AN OLD OFFICER. THE LATE FIRE AT IRONGATE WHARF.—The 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 BY MISTAKE.—The woman named Woods, who was nearly killed on " boxing" night by Alexander APLeish, who mistook her for his wife, is now expected to recover. APLeish 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. SCOTTISH HOSPITAL. The quarterly meeting of the members of this corpo raeiin was held yesterday at the offices of the society, Crane court, Fleet-street. The chair was taken at one o'clock by Sir Walter Stirling. The minutes of the annual meeting having been read over and confirmed, the meeting proceeded to take into consideration a re commendation of the committee to suspend one of the bye laws of the society, and to sell out 5004 of the stock in order to meet the pressing emergency of the large amount of claims made upon the funds of the charity. Dr. WEBSTER, in proposing the suspension of the bye law, said that he feared an erroneous impression had gone abroad that this society was very rich, and did not stand in need of the assistance of its friends, and this would probably account for the present deficiency in the funds of this charity. Sooner, however, than the opera tions of the charity should be brought to a stand-still, he would move the suspension of the bye-law as recom mended by the committee. The resolution having been seconded, Mr. MORRIS said he thought that some explanation of the reasons of the present deficiency in the funds should be given. lie disapproved of the recent increase in the salary of the secretary. W. LANE, Esq., thought that the late grant to the Caledonian Asylum was highly improper, and that at least that society should pay something to the funds of this society, for the use or the rooms and offices. The Rev. Dr. CUMMING thought that the circumstance should not be lost sight of, that there had been a lgrger number of applicants during the last year, and also that the allowances made to them had been larger than for merly. In answer to a question put by Dr. WEBSTER, The SECRETARI said that the amount of subscriptions to the society was, for the years-1844, 2,3671. ; 1845, 2,6911. ; 1846, 2,7611. ; and that the number of indivi duals relieved out of the funds of the society had increased since from 2,802 in the year 1837, to 4,611 in the present year. The resolution was then agreed to unanimously. The SECRETARY then said that a matter personal to himself had been obtruded upon the meeting by one of the speakers, containing an insinuation that he had acted improperly with the funds of the society. He totally denied the charge, and hoped the committee would not separate without appointing a committee to inquire into the subject. A warm discussion ensued between several of the members, but, upon the suggestion of the Rev. Dr. Cumming, the subject was dropped, it being finally arranged that the Hon. Gentlemen (Mr. Morris) should go over the accounts with the Secretary himself, and report upon the subject at the next meeting of the Court. Several other matters of business having been dis posed of, The CHAIRMAN, having vacated the chair, then moved a resolution, embodying the sentiments of the society on the occasion of the sudden demise of their respected treasurer, the late Patrick Maxwell Stewart, Esq., M.P. He was a scholar, a statesman, and a man of business, whose energy of mind was equalled only by the amenity of his manners and the kindness of his heart, and who was ever ready to do all that in him lay to promote the interests of this society and of his fellow-creatures. W. DALLAS, Esq., having seconded the resolution, it was agreed to nem. con., and the resolution in question ordered to be forwarded to the Dowager Lady Shaw Stewart, and bearing the signature of the secretary. Mr. L.s.rNG then brought forward the motion of which he had given notice with respect to a grant made to one of the applicants. The circumstance has been brought before the committee upon various occasions. The grant complained of was, it appeared, recommended by Mr. Nisbet, one of the governors of the society, but in consequence of some irregularity in the application, the grant was reduced from the sum of 101. to 31.. Mr. Nisbet having been taxed with the irregularity, denied all knowledge of the subject, and a committee was ap pointed to inquire into this subject, which reported ac cordingly. The object of the present resolution was to set aside the report of the committee, as not founded in fact, and to appoint a committee to inquire into the subject. Mr. NISBET, whose conduct had been impugned, stated that neither directly norindirectly did he kno w any thing at all of the applicant or the grant, and challenged any person to say that he had ever been guilty of a dereliction of his duty as a dispenser of the funds of the charity. _ _ After a few remarks from Mr. Gillespie and Rev. Dr. Cumming, to the effect that no possible good could arise from re-opening the case, and much detriment to the interests of the charity might ensue by opening the question, A warm discussion ensued, but, upon the motion of Mr. Gillespie and Mr. Dallas, the subject dropped, the original motion having been withdrawn. The other business of the meeting having been dis posed of the thanks of the Court were given to the Chairman, and the meeting broke up. EDINBURGH AND GLASGOW RAILWAY. The resolution of the directors of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway to stop the travelling of the trains on a Sunday has created much excitement in Scotland. At the last meeting of the Town Council in Glasgow, Mr. Bankier moved as follows: " 1. That the running of railway passenger trains with the mails on the morning and evening of the Sab bath-day, between Glasgow and Edinburgh, as has been practised for four years past, is absolutely necessary, there being no other mode of travelling or conveyance between the two cities. " 2. That the resolution recently adopted and acted upon by the directors of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway Company, to stop those trains, is a breach of faith with the State, and of course with the country, in asmuch as the allegation in the preamble of their Act is not implemented, and that it ought to be rescinded, and that the morning and evening passenger trains on Sun day ought to be immediately se-established. " 3. That the railway directors having disregarded the remonstrances of the city of Edinburgh, the burghs of Linlithgow and Falkirk, and other places, and par ticularly 01 a large and influential number of the citi zens of Glasgow, this Council feel it incumbent upon them to intimate these resolutions to the Parliamentary representatives of the city, with a request that they shall oppose all Parliamentary proceedings in which this rail way company may be interested, until they comply with the reasonable wishes of the public so unequivocally ex pressed. " 4. That these resolutions be intimated to the direc tors of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway Company." The subject then led to an extended debate, a number of members speaking for and against the resolutions. Mr. Bankier replied, after which the Council came to a vote, when 24 voted in favour of the resolutions for the resumption of the Sunday trains, and 17 voted for the previous question. Majority in favour of these resolu tions, 7. The Council then adjourned. LAUGHABLE APPLICATION. A tall athletic fellow, whose appearance bespoke any thing but short commons, presented himself before Mr. Yardley, at the Thames Police-court, and with a strong provincial accent, said, " Zur, I comes here to consult you about this ere piece of beef. I belongs to the brig Ann, she's a collier wot trades from South Shields to Lunuun. When we starts the captain agrees to give us lots of the best of grub—(Laughter) —and a man aboard a collier, yer warshup, works precious hard, and on Christmas-day, of all the blessed days of the year, they gives a feller sich stuff as this (here complainant, amid roars of laughter, produced something he called beef, but which seemed like a good sized coal, selected from the cargo). Then, yer warshup, instead of small stores, they gives us small beer, and if you tasted it, yer warshup, you'd say it was precious small—(Loud laughter)—and when we complains, captain says he'll cum Capun Johnson over us, but he won't while I be on board." Mr. Yardley, who seemed much amused at the indig nant tone with which this complaint was uttered, with lungs of such stentorian power it would have been im possible to have stopped the application, directed In pector Judd, of the Thames-police, to inquire into the facts of the case. Applicant—Thankee, yer warshup; but there be one point more. I be a married man, and my wife and young'uns be in Lunnun, and because I complains of the grub, he keeps I aboard, won't let I go home of a night to my wife.—(Laughter.) Be that;lawful?—(Laughter.) The Magistrate, who could scarcely control his risibility at the earnestness with which this facetious application was made, told the applicant he was afraid that, if the captain insisted on it, he must remain on board. He then retired, observing, " he wouldn't gee a button for a feller that wouldn't speak for hisself when he wur hungry." A YOUTH DROWNED IN THE SIGHT OF HIS FRlEND.—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 drowned." 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 give the little mare 300 yards start, was the favourite, f r om 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 enou gh 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. THEATRICAL FRACAS.—At the Greenwich Police court yesterday, Mr. Herbert, the lessee of the Deptford Theatre, was charged with:having assaulted Mr. Cane, one of the performers, by ejecting him from the green room, when he refused to perform until his arrears of salary were paid. In Cane's hurried ejectment from the green-room his nose came against the wall, and several contusions and bruises of an anti-dramatic appearance were the result. The magistrate recommended a com promise, which the parties effected by virtue of a sovereign and a rumpsteak dinner. ADVANCE IN THE PRICE OF SPIRITS.—Owing to the high and increasing price charged by the principal metropolitan distillers, the licensed victuallers generally have given notice that within a short space of 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. IRELAND. DISTRESS IN THE COUNTY OF CORK. DITBLIN, JAN. s.—The Cork Examiner of yesterday devotes a great portion of it space to the proceedings of a meeting held in Bantry on Friday last. The o bj ec t of the meeting will be found embodied i n the sabjoined 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 matteri k at what sacrifice of present or future interest, food and IMployment 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 warits of the people, it is our opinion that we cannot do otherwise than fall back on tha 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 em ployed, and this most unfortunate condition is, in our opinion, mainly attributable to the obstinate refusal of the Government to establish food depots throughout the country, and to the discouragement given by it at an early period to the procuration of food from funds raised by private subscriptions, by its refusal to aid any funds applicable to the object of lowering the prices of foul •ven to the poor and the destitute." STATE OF CL The Clare Journal has the foil ling statement with respect to the adoption of measu or counteracting the mischief resulting from the ne (`9f all agricultural labour in that district:— " We are given to understand%t seventeen of the relief committees in this county have agreed to the pro posal made to them by the Killaloe 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 ➢Sr. 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 ROBBETtY. 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 pistols, money, &c.. The fellows were pursued by the military and police to the neighbourhood of Clogheen, where they were lost sight of. Houses are attacked every day, prevision carts plundered, cattle and sheep taken off 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. " CAEIR, JAN. 3, 9 O'CLOCK, P.ld:—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 if he 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 carbine, and all the money in the house, about IL 16s. They had handkerchiefs tied on their faces. When it was V 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 ITNDE it 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 King's County Longford Louth Meath Queen's County Westmeath Wexford Wicklow . 2,077 1,961 3,859 9,324 576 3,999 8,506 3,693 9,023 4,268 6,541 13,375 2,383 MUNSTER. Clare Cork, East Riding Cork, West Riding Cork, City of Kerry Limerick Limerick, City of Tipperary, South Riding Tipperary, North Riding Waterford Waterford, City of 40,778 20,059 11,788 437 19,478 31,206 690 15,239 14,748 8,535 255 CONNAUGHT. Galway, East Riding Galway, West Riding Galway, Town of Leitrim 18,364 21,040 2,844 11,460 22,208 30,548 13,482 Mayo Roscommon ,. Sligo ULSTER. Antrim Belfast, Town of Carrickfergus Armagh Cavan Donegal 2,302 20,503 1,804 Down Fermanagh Londonderry Monaghan Tyrone ' 429 5,996 4,933 6,650 2,715 Total for the four provinces 69,585 163,213 119,846 45,487 398,231 AWFUL FIRES. A little after two o'clock this morning the sentry on guard at the gate of the Lower Castle-yard, perceiving smoke issuing from the shop of Mr. Mears, the boot maker, in Dame-street, promptly gave the alarm; but, before the family were well aroused to a se nse of their danger, the whole premises were enveloped in a sheet of m g f o a om eMr. window, .M and, ear throwing and hiswife e r n u sthheed sash, the s ht d h r e a wi later n t sprang into the street , and w as cau g ht in the arms of the soldier who discovered the fire; she fortunatel y 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 edren, were and a t w ho slept in the top ofut twothe hcobuisl ou t through the roof; but niece of Mr. Mears, who was on la visit, were unable to extricate themselves, and perish e d i n th e fl ames . A little after four o'clock the whole concern was,. in spite of every exertion, comp l ete l y gutted. About this time an alarm was given that another fire had broken out in the extensive pr em i ses o f Mr. Clifford, the drug gist, in Castle- s t ree t, an d qu i te adjacent to the scene of the previous con fl agrat i on. The eng i nes 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 been 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. -~a...~. t ,~ , 0••• I law 1 -• 1...... I --- ) ow. 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