The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-11-15 00:00:00

MELANCHOLY sHipI,VRECK , f a letter ship Hya inhabita by the blue ui six o'clock it was of the unfortunate vessel was th a London, with 500 r 50 LIVES LOST . • ave now to relate one of the most aw occurred in the memory of the oldest ii. On Saturday night, the 27th inst., which increased in d about four o'clock, ( nhabitan f Cape d proceeded t lights soon ascertained that two ead of the bay, close u rrents, the forked ligl , the thunder was stunning. It was a he distance of Salt River from Cape Towi miles, and upon my arrival d o early I found numbers of people ertained that 'ay was Abercrombie Ro- st regiment, to relieve the 75th regiment, She had also on board a band for the Cape bercrombie Robinson arrived in Table-bay fast bre aki assembled inson, Corps. on Thar to proc soon pre tained lea wreck, not ing the da 1415 to y last, an r landing some of the officers, was ) land the 91st. She was a splendid as a transport About seven ley Sir G. Napier arm, . animated appearance, every officer not esides those of the 91st who had ob gore. The vessel having been driven ,er, we soon were able to communicate ..cough this fine ship will become a total de was lost, and every soldier was landed dur- r i - , and the b( 'esent, bi gh WBti About 300 yards from the Abercrombie Robinson was the convict-ship Waterloo, which had arrived during the week, for the purpose of provisioning on her way to Sydney, with about 240 male convicts, a guard of 30 soldiers, five women, Ind 43 children, with the crew, about 320 souls. She lay in • She was within a few yards of out it was thought she might hold on until the .er moderated, when she might be turned off. Under impression the vast multitude which had assembled on the spot began to separate. About ten o'clock, however, the Waterloo gave a sudden lurch, and parted from all her anchors, and came broadside in among the breakers. The scene which now took place I shall remember to the day of my death. After two or three heavy rolls, her three masts went over the side with a dreadful crash. The hatches were now opened, and the convicts rushed on deck. The sea was making a clean breach over her. Immediately on the con victs arriving on deck, about fifty jumped overboard ; about 15 or 20 gained the shore ; the remainder were drowned. The cries of the poor wretches on deck were now heart breaking. Each sea, as it made a breach over the unfortu nate vessel, carried a dozen or so into the water, who, of course, were drowned. Thousands of people were on the beach, but could render not the least assistance. Oh I it was a dreadful sight. There, within a stone-throw, lay 200 or 300 of our fellow creatures being drowned before our eyes. " But now comes the awful part of my tale. About 11 o'clock, within half an hour after she struck, the Waterloo parted in two. They who had never thought of their God, or who, if they had, it was only to take His name in vain and break His laws, were now seen with their hands clasped, and beard loudly calling upon Him to save them. Soldiers' —"re seen clasping their little ones to their bosoms in One woman I shall never forget; she was holding on with one hand to a piece of plank, with the other she held, pressed to her bosom, a little infant ; her cries were At last a sea came and washed ti" very p reel le breaker: !arious situation little one off ey were woman and seen no more water was now full of the struggling and the dead. A boat was em ployed to pick up all it could. It could not approach the wreck on account of the heavy sea. I have neither time nor ther particulars. I saw one man embrace one; then jump into the boiling surf. lie •-- I could repeat hundreds of similar occur rences ; suffice it to say, that within one hour and a half of the Waterloo striking, not a particle of her was to be seen. She had literally gone to pieces ; and, horrible to relate, out of 330 souls, 250 have met a watery grave. The military escort was composed of a detachment of the 99th Regiment, under the command of Lieutenant Hest, of the 4th, and Ensign C. Leigh, of the 99th Regiments, and amounted, including the officers, to 51 individuals ; of these 32 were lost, and 19 saved. The crew consisted of 33 officers and men, of whom 14 were lost, and 19 saved ; and there were 219 convicts on board, of whom 143 were drowned, and 76 saved. The persons who were drowned belonging to the escort were—Sergeant Smith, his wife, and three children ; Corporal Mulvaney and child ; Corporal Madden ' • private Nestor, his wife, and one child; private Greenless, his wife, and three children ; privates Ahern, Muir, Askey, Barnacle, Byrne, Beaumont, Reynolds, Vincent, Warburton, and Whit more;. and Mrs. Armstrong and five children. The boat swain, sailmaker, and carpenter, and eleven seamen, of the Waterloo, were lost; Capt. Agar, the master, Mr. Jackson, chief mate, Mr. Gunner, second mate, Mr. Gill, third mate, and fifteen of the crew, were saved. The following were the convicts who perished on the occasion :—Thelwall, Serrat, Mills. Taylor, Jackson, Harnman, Goddard, Howard, North, Marsh, Stone, Newton, Rigden, Mepsted, Thorn, Adcock, Proctor, Clark, Williams, Alexander, Aldridge, Scatebard, Woodward, Wightwick, Atwood, Saint, Davis, Cunningham, Lloyd, Wells, Barnes, Thisselton, Nash, Hill, Stamps, Low, Garner, Bradbury, Johnson, Green, Dawes, Edmonds, Jones, Esson, Elliot, Fairfax, Hewitt, Taylor, Flint, W. Jones, Holyland, Short, Harris, Brown, Bulmore, Parker, Jacks, Hamlet, Moore, Brooks, Armitage, Blyth, Hancock, Cryer, Stuart, flicks, Balaam, Robinson, Birch, Bamber, Wilks, Carson, Workman, Parsons, Curry, Cowley, Craig, Win stanley, Goulding, Marriot, Peacock, Felix, Curry, Hether ington, Wyles, Gregory,Wilson, J. Jones, Barnes, M 4 Kinnon, Ledingham, Smedly, Reynolds, Hawkins, Birch, Ellis, Duncan, Barker, Pearman, Bertrand, Edmonds, Barnsley,,l Clark, Hill, Wilding, Greenham, Campbell, Knott, Newton, Joblin, Thompson, Broomfield, Voss, Parkinson, Smalley, Giles, Powuall, Morgan, Wright, Lovatt, Biggs, Boswell, Kirwan, Murphy, Nowlan, Gyoury, Jenkins, Waltham, J. Hewitt, Xing, G. Williams, Brookes, Purser, White, J. Rosser, G. Rosser James Rosser, Thomas Hewitt, Martin, Osburn, Barlow, Jones, Packer, and Crane. The 76 convicts who were saved were in the Cape Town prison. On the same night the Abercrombie Robinson transport, with 454 rank and file of the 91st Regiment, with 36 women, and 48 children, and 32 rank and file, 2 women, and 1 child, of the 27th Regiment on board, was also driven on shore, but happily, although the ship was lost, all hands on board heart to w were saved. During a heavy gale on the 9th of September, several ships lying at Table-bay, were driven on shore. The American bark Fairfield, the ship John Bagshaw, the brigs Reform and Henry Hoyle, the schooner Ghika, and the cutter Alba tross, were the vessels which were stranded, but no lives were lost. We have been favoured with the copy of the following letter from the master to the owner of the Abercrombie Robin- " Cape of Good Hope, Aug. 31 ontinue )re to liv son : " Sir,—lt grieves me beyond description to think it has fallen to my lot to relate to you this tale of the wreck of your splendid ship Abercrombie Robinson, near the Salt River, in Table Bay, on Sunday, the 28th instant, at 4 a.m. : crew and troops all saved. We arrived in Table Bay on the evening of the 25th instant, and anchored with 60 fathoms of chain on the larboard bower, at 7h. 30m. p.m. Had a visit from the port-officer, and communicated with the shore directly. Fine weather; wind at north, next morning at daylight still fine weather. We veered out 20 fathoms more chain on the lar board bower, and gave the ship a broad sheer with the stay sail to the eastward, and let go another anchor, viz., the starboard one, and veered away upon both with an open hawse to the N.E. until the larboard chain was out to the clinch. We then had 150 fathoms upon the larboard chain, and 70 on the starboard chain, and made them both bear alike ; this .was all done during fine weather, to give the anchors time to get well set. We sent the topgallant-yards on deck, and struck topgallant-masts, and restowed all the sails afresh, and lashed them securely, ready for a hard blow. This was all done on the 26th, weather still fine, and on the 27th the barometer began to fall, but still it was fine enough weather to bring passengers to and from the shore. We landed the Colonel and Major and their families, and civilians. At 4 p.m., on the 27th instant, it began to blow from N.N.E., until it increased to a terrific gale, with a very high sea, and thunder and lightning awful to witness; but still the ship never started her anchors, for we had the deep sea lead over all the time, and she kept tight as usual, for the sounding-rod was properly attended to. At 3 a.m. the larboard chain parted just before the bits, and immediately afterwards the other one parted outside, and she cast with her head to the eastward, and soon afterwards struck. In a few strokes she knocked away the rudder, and stove all the trunk and stern frame, the sea making a fair breach over her fore and aft. As soon as daylight appeared we saw there was no fear of life, and that we were near the Salt River. The people began to assemble on shore, and we sent a rope through the surf, and they brought the surf boats and commenced land ing the troops, and we had all hands on shore at four p.m., but the gale after daylight became comparatively moderate At dark the wind and weather was much the sac light as at day- 29th, morning daylight, we coma raced with the surf boats to land IN officers' baggage, and the baggage at all dav, with the excep t-he 30th, h the surf boats and survey on board. 31st, wea was moderate and fine; Her Majesty's stores. Lieut. Black was s with two nava l o ffi cers f rom th e admiral, Majesty. Lieut. Black still flies his penant tention as•soon as Her Majesty's stores are offer the ship for sale, as she now lies, for fit, at least I have suggested this; and shall make the best of my way to London. parted also, and came on shore within two mu us, and was an awful sight, near 200 drowned. -onclude at present, remaining your most ok 'i-obliged servant, 1 in attendance, , on the part of Her It is my in- all on shore to Len all is done et-shots of I now beg ient and " JOHN YOUNG, " Master of ship Abercrombie Robinson. " We have on the same beach the Waterloo, the John B a gsbaw, the Gbika, the Fairfield, the Henry Hoyle, the R e form, and a cutter." L O NDON LORD MAYOR'S DAY : . The following was the g eneral bill of fare a t the dinner :. -25 0 oyster tureens of real turtle; containing 5 pints each ; 200 bottles of sheret ; 16 dishes offish, 30 entrees -, 14 boiled turkeys and 60 roast pullets ; 4:1 tongue b s e ; ef l . 2 quarters 64) dishes of fowls; 46 ditro of cap ons ; s _; 50 French pies ; 60 pigeon pies ; 53 barns ornamented ; beet stewed of house lamb ; 2 barons of beef ; 3 rounds of beef b 6 dishes rounds of beef ; 13 sirloins, rumps, and rib s . 1 44 ditto t ' ‘Captain of asparagus ; 60 ditto of mashed and other p otato of shell-fish : 4 ditto of prawns ; 4 ditto of+Selirne': roast White's) true India curries; 140 jellies; 50 blancmanges; 30 ditto of oranae .1 40 dishes of tarts, creamed ; an.. other tourtes; 43 ditto of almond pastry ; 20 Chantilly baskets ; 60 ditto of mince pies ; 56 salids. The removes. —so turkeys; 6 leverets ; 80 pheasants ; 24 geese ; 40 dishes o f partridges; 15 dishes of wild fowl ; 2 pea fowls. Dessert. 100 pine apples, from 21b to 31b each ; 200 dishes of hot-house grapes ; 250 ice creams • 50 dishes of apples ; 100 ditto of pears ; 60 ornamented Savoy cakes ; 75 plates of walnuts ; 80 ditto of dried fruit and preserves; 50 ditto of preserved ginger; 60 ditto of rout cakes and chips; 46 ditto of brandy cherries. PROVIDENTIAL ESCAPE.—On Saturday the 22d of Oct( ber, whilst the men were engaged in one of the pits of tl Oak Farm Colliery, near Stourbridge, symptoms of fire-dam were observed, upon which the men hastened out, and con menced covering the top of the pit. While so engaged th heard a noise at the bottom, and, one of the men was discovered to Dn mugtering th nave uncovered the pit would have been usetea, would have poured out, and' the poor fellow was given up y lost. The pit continued covered up ; but on the followir Tuesday some men go i ng d own an a dj o i n i ng stone pit their astonishme n t di scovered the suppose d lost collie — was immediately hauled up. and medical assistance nay'' , been obtained, he was quite recovered. It appears that o the alarm being given of the signs of damp, be made toward the shaft, but found th a t a ll t h e men were gone. After wait ing some time in anxious expectation, he left that spot, takinl with him about 61b; of candles, and, well knowing the work logs of the pit, be made his way into the stone pit where hi was discovered. He says he never went to sleep for fear hi candle should go out. The preservation of his existence i attributed to his having placed himself near a small strean of water, which afforded him air and refreshment.—Worces ter Chronicle. in Tabl I immed RAILWAYS tppears from the repor f the United Kin he officers of the t the number of arising from causes be engers, which occurred in the year I persons were killed and 72 injured. •" • The number of accidents which occurred in the same pe )d to individuals owing to their own negligence or miscon by which 17 persons were killed and 20 in several cases in this class duct, was 36 jured. The( )rds proof of the extraor uals who have suffered. iary reckl , Jumped o II 7 'un over, crossing ness of the inth 3r his hat" oc ' twelve times mped off, a train," occurs six time are also several cases of persons killed whilst lying asleep on the rails, and of others killed or injured by falling from trucks on which they had been riding without leave. Me num r of accidents which occurred in the same pe company, under circumstances not in- riod to servants of ti volving danger to the publi were killed and 36 injured. The safety of railw ne of the )wn by th _ travelling, which indee _ s of that: mode of locomotion, is er of persons killed and injured by accide from causes beyond the control of passengers. it ould be easy to prove that the mortality and injuries occa- smaller nun sioned duri re recorded in the newspapers occur a in mind h number vr id probal ist be borne w few persons now tra o travelled by railw .1 by coaches, v during the first ha' amounted to no less thin 8,901;916 ! It must not, however, be assumed that the railway companies are not culpable with respect to the accidents,, few thoug curred. There ought to be no lated rai.way there would be nom. cciden hey be, which have oc- Lts, and on a well-regu traveller by a railway should be as secure from danger n sitting at his own fireside. The number of persons who travelled by rail ways from the Ist of January to the Ist of July, in 1841, was, as we have stated, 8,901,916, and the gross sum paid for their fares during the half-year was £1,145,546 15s. 4d. It appears that a great third-class passenger traffic (a test commodation afforded to the poorer classes by rail ways) is carried on by most of the fines in the manufacturing districts in Yorkshire and Lancashire, in the coal districts of the north, and in Scotland. These lines are, in a great it upon third-class passengers, who are ly all, the trains at fares averaging measure conveyed by all, or ne from ld. to 10. per mile. The following information respecting the nature of the third-class traffic upon the Manchester and Leeds Railway will afford a fair exemplification of the effect of a railway in a densely peopled manufacturing district :—The Manchester and Leeds Railway passes through, or near, fifteen towns fnrmerl between w and van rnannfac there we s passing he day and nigL of which the po( ring and market pr.' avail themselves at a trifling expense of money siderable sacriti swept away, and the market people load one or more of the railway trucks amongst them, paying 3d. or 4d. per ton per mile fOr their s than ld. pods, and in mile for themselves s been to brin of fruit, fish, 1 vegetables within the rel ihOse Wh, and to afford very gre id towns. ple, clerks, &c., avai. r obtain them formerly to the market people third-class carriages to a considerable the great bulk or the half million of third-class themselves of the carried on this rail ,assengers who y in the course a the year ar, rictly the working cla weavers, masons bricklayers, carpenter mechanics description me of whom used for rly to travel by cart ,er on foot but the greater nu The fare from Manchester to London by railway steam-boat, via Hull, is 14s. ; and many of the labou classes avail themselves of this mode of conveyance, esped during summer. _ _ _ _ _ _ Le 6 In the case of such a line as the Manchester there can be little doubt that the railway has been a advantage to the poorer classes, and it may be ea r .,_ _ the interest of the directors will induce them to afford ever facility for the developement of an extensive third-clas traffic. But upon the long lines, which form the main line of communication with the metropolis, and upon which they is a great thorough traffic, the case is very different, and th number of third-class passengers is inconsiderable. Th whole number, for instance, of third-class passengers carriec on the London and Birmingham and Grand Junction Rail %IMAM. between London Mancl tha'.n the number carried by the Arbroath and Forfar Ha way, and not a seventh part of the number carried betwe Newcastle and North Shields. Upon these lines it may be questionable whether the in terest of the proprietors will ever induce them to encourag , the developement of a large third-class traffic. It is satis factory, however, to find that there is a growing dispositioi among railway companies, thus circumstanced, to afford th accommodation of at least one train a day by which the poorer classes may be conveyed at reduced fares. It is stated that the result of the experiment of running a third class train upon the London and Birmingham Railway has and Liverpo been very satisfactory, the persons who have availed them selves of it having beeb, with few exceptions, of a class who could not have afforded to pay second-class fares ; and it is expected that the number of this class of passengers will greatly increase when the advantages to be derived from the great saving of time are more generally known. It is right, however, to observe that the advantage to the third-class passengers in point of time is often not so great as might be anticipated, where the links of communication are formed by distinct lines. For instance, third-class passengers from London to Manchester or Liverpool are detained at Bir mingham from three in the afternoon till six next morning. It is very desirable that,ln such cases, arrangements should be made for securing to the public the same advantages which they would have had if the whole line of railway com munication had been one undertaking, and under one manazement.—Times. MORTALITY OF ENGLAND AND WALES The quarterly table of the mortality in 114 of the principal districts of England and Wales has just been published. It embraces nearly all the large tbwns as well as the more rural districts, and therefore affords a fair criterion of the rate of mortality throughout the kingdom. Besides giving the number of deaths (and the causes of them), registered during the thirteen weeks previous to the 30th of September, it also gives the average of deaths in the same quarter of the four preceding years, and so shows the general and local increase or decrease in the mortality. The total number of deaths registered during the quarter for those 114 principal districts (there are 447 registrars for all the country) is 39,069, out of a population of 6,534,5n _ Exclusive of the metroPoli,;, the number of deaths is 28,050, out of a population of 4,663,808. The number registered in the metropolis during the quarter was 11,019, out of a population (June, 1841) of 1,870,727. As compared with the average number of deaths in the same quarter of the four preceding years, 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, there is an increase in the past quarter of no fewer than 2,471 deaths, the average for those four years having been 36,595, while the deaths in the past quarter have been, as above stated, 39,069. This includes the metropolis, where however, there were two deaths in the past quarter less than the average of the four preceding years ; so that the increase of 2,474 deaths is to be accounted for in the country. The increase of population, however, has to be taken into account, as reducing the proportionate increase of deaths. This population increases in the town districts about 174 annually, which would reduce the average of deaths applicable to the summer of 1842 from 39,069 to 38,208, or 861 deaths less than those actually recorded. Still, this would leave an in crease of deaths upon the quarter of no less than 1,613. The deaths regi . itered for the 114 districts in the first quarter of the present year amounted to 44,472. In the second (or spring) quarter there were 38,190. Thus there were 879 more deaths in what is called the summer quar ter (ending September 30) than there were in the spring quarter. The mortality was 2 per cent. greater than the summer average, which is at the rate of 23 deaths annually in a popu lation of 1000. In the last summer quarter, ending Sep tember the 30th, the mortality was at the rate of 23.4 an nually in 1000—namely, 23.0 in the metropolitan districts, and 23.6 in the provincial towns. The following are some of the towns in which the most re markable increase of deaths has taken place :—ln Brighton 310, or 70 above the average (240) of four fo:mer years; Plymouth 343, or 178 upon 165 ; Redruth 288, or 77 upon 201 ; Penzance 283, or 84 upon 199; Clifton 426, or 115 upon 311; Cheltenham 259, or 79 upon 180 ; Liverpool 1956, or 158 upon 1798; Tynemouth 360, or 80 upon 280. The un dermentioned towns in the manufacturing districts present the following results :—ln Kidderminster the number of deaths in the last quarter was 172, an increase 63 upon 109, the average of former years ; Dudley 38, or 147 upon 421 ; Walsall 243, or 91 up - on 152 ; Wol•serhampton 508, or 87 upon 421 ; Nottingham 429, or 71 upon 350 ; Preston 482, or 73 upon 402; Chorlton 679, or 214 upon 465 ; A ter 1614, or 191 upon 1423; Bradford 820, or 115 upon 705 Leeds 1133, or 114 upon 1019. At Rochdale, Sheffielc Huddersfield, Merthyr Tydvil, Newtown, and Wrexham, the deaths were much under the average of the four preced ing years. The registrars almost universally attribute the increase of deaths to the prevalence of scarletina and bowel complaints, in which they include diarrhoea and cholera. The children have been the chief sufferers. In St. Anne's, Nottingham, out of the 133 deaths registered, 52 were of children under one year of age. At Cborlton 28 children died, of whom 23 were children of the working classes. It is amongst the working classes, the registrar says, that the disease has been most fatal. The increased mortality at Brighton has been chiefly amongst young children. In the metropolis, as has been said, the deaths from all causes exhibit a decrease of 2 on the average of former years. The decrease of deaths from epidemic, endemic, and contagious disorders has been 251. Deaths from smallpox exhibit a decrease of 251 ; from typhus, of 153. On the other hand there is an increase of 260 from diarrhoea (total from this disease 477), and from cholera of 74. In other re spects the return from the metropolis presents no striking features. THE POPULATION OF FRANCE.—The following is a sta tistical and official table of the population of France, since the year 1700 1700 1762 1784 1789, 19,669,320 1 1820 21,769,163 1826 24,800,000 1831 30,461,875 31,858,937 32,569,223 27,349,003 I 1842 22,107,425 I 33,540,910 34,194,875 The population of 'Paris, according to the census of 1841, amounts to 912,330; and if the troops of the garrison and strangers are added, to 1,035,000. LORD MAYOR'S DAY.—The ceremony on Wednesday last, in honour of the New Lord Mayor of London, Alder man Humphrey, was fully equal to those of previous years. There was a very numerous company at the banquet at the Guildhall. Sir Robert Peel replied to the toast of Her Majesty's Ministers, and thus concluded :—" Gentlemen, as you have drank the health of Her Majesty's Ministers, and as I am returning thanks in my capacity as head of the Government, I shall not be transgressing the rule I have laid down if I say that I assure you we are not unmindful of the obligation s which office imposes. Many may differ from us as to the mode in which we effect the object we have in view —few will differ, I think as to the propriety of those objects. (Cheers.) Our earnest wish is, to cultivate the relations of peace, and to extend the inestimable benefits of peace every manner that is compatible with the honour and permanent and comprehensive interests of this cfs (Cheers.) The object of our policy is to maintain ished the lustre of the British arms on every which the appeal to arms becomes indi 8 - penp-' The object of our p o li cy i s to eller— labour, and to extend the ,uuntr occasion on he der uly c ountry. (Cheers.) The obje-c"t"o7 Ou 'u r P policy to n' t ‘ n ain thin the public credit and that character for public faith which no country can lose without losing also a great por tion of its moral strength (cheers;) and, such being the objects of our policy, we shall regard it as one of the most favourable indications of the results of our policy, if we shall find that the commerce of the city of London, so intimately connected with all the manufacturing and commercial inter ests of the country, shall be in a flourishing state. With that sincere and earnest wish I conclude by assuring you, that next to the approbation of our Sovereign and our own m receive no higher reward, there can be consciences, %I days, o mainder, no greater 'incentive to exertions to promote the „public . . interest, than the hope of c' ....w. _, - vourable opinion and confid ity of I The Right Hon. Baronet universal shouts of applause THE NEW BANKRUPT ACT The new Bankrupt Act niercial transactions of ti does, increased protection ime into operation on Friday. I .ensive and comprehensive cha- as the measure 7 Et, 0 7 ;reditors and debtors, and requiring the latter to abandon that spirit of recklessne their dealings which has occasioned such innumerable failures. The certificate, which under this act is vested in 11, in all cases, after the day mentioned, who have heedlessly speculated, or the commissioners, w be withheld from th pursued a career other than that which fair conduct imperatively de Lave been gat ,ty dictates an, These principles of the ;ent statute, and by the recent appointment of twell in districts, an uniformity of . country commissioners, located ractice may be expected, re- ulting in permission to all parties to appeal to the Court of tcview. We give a condensed summary of some of the principal clauses of the act : Sec. 4. Every fiat granted to be transmitted to the court to which it shall be directed, and to be opened forthwith. If fiat be not opened by the petitioning creditor within three • within such extended time as the court shall allow, to be opened by such court at any time within fourteen -editor ion of any other petitioning cr 5. After fiat issues, and before the opening thereof, a trader may be apprehended, if proved to the court that he is about to quit England, and all his property may be seized. 6. Party arrested may apply to be discharged—appeal given to either side to the Court of Review. _ . 7. No act of bankruptcy valid unless committed within twelve months. Not valid if concealed 9. The amount required by this act to issue a fiat is £5O, to a single creditor, £7O to two, and £lOO to three creditors. Persons who have given credit, but whose debts are not due, may petition, or join in a fiat, whether they have or have not security in,writing. 10. Increases the number of traders, now including livery stable keepers, coach proprietors, carriers, ship-owners, auc tioneers, apothecaries, market gardeners, cow keepers, brick makers, alum-makers lime-burners, and millers. 11. Creditors aftertlffidavit of debt, and after having de livered their accounts and demanded payment, may require the attendance in court of the trader by summons. This and other provisions are quite new, and while they protect traders from being harassed, will enable creditors to ascertain their true position, and prevent false appearance. 13. Trader not coming before the court, having no lawful impediment, or when coming, refusing to comply with the requisitions, who shall not pay or compound within fourteen days after notice, or finding two sureties to a bond, to be deemed to have committed an act of bankruptcy on the fifteenth day of such service, provided the fiat be issued with in two mr ""-- the affidavit. 1 14. Tr iths of film ler attendin, __ and signing the admission, if he shall )und within fourteen days, on the fifteenth med to have committed an act of bankruptcy. 15. Trader admitting a part, and refusing to sign a form that he has a good defence, or omitting the requisites in the former section, then to be liable to the same result. 16. If trader refuses to sign the admission, whatever his statement, to be deemed a refusal of the demand. Court may enlarge the time for calling on the party. 19. Creditor in an action not the sum for which he made affidavit, trader to be entitled to the costs of suit, when it shall appear that the affidavit was made without rea sonable or probable cause. 20. On plaintiff being In a situation to sue out execution, and trader not paying or compounding within fourteen days after summons, shall, on the following day, be deemed to have committed an act of bankruptcy. 21. Trader not paying money on a decree in equity, or order in lunacy, to have a day fixed for payment ; and being served with notice fourteen days before, shall on the fifteenth have committed an act of bankruptcy. 22. Trader may sign a declaration of insolvency—to be considered an act of bankruptcy if fiat issued within two months. 23. Th a most important provision. Before notice of adjudication of bankruptcy is published in the London Ga zette, or any warrant of seizure put into force, the trader have five days to show cause to the court against the validity of such adjudication. If, at the expiration of the time allowed, no cause is shown, then the bankruptcy to be in serted. Bankrupt may consent to forego the time in order to facilitate the proceedings • to be protected from arrest, and, should an examination be adjourned sine die, the court may endorse his protection for any time not exceeding three months. Bankrupt, if arrested, to recover for his own use £5 a day from the officer. 24. It bankrupt intends to contest the fiat, he must com mence an action in twenty-one days from the advertisement; if within any part of Europe within three months, or else where within twelve months. 27. Court may alter the sittings for last examination, &c. 28 Servants and clerks entitled to arrears of wages, not exceeding three months, and not exceeding £3O. To prove for the residue N. Labourers entitled to 40s To prove for the re- 32. Bankrupt guilty of felony if he conceals property to £lO, or books of account, and liable to transportation for life, or imprisonment for seven years. 33. Court may enlarge the time of surrender. 34. Destroying and falsifying accounts or authorizing false entries to be deemed a misdemeanor, and liable to three years' imprisonment. 35. Obtaining goods within three months under false pretences, or disposing of them, knowing them to have been so obtained, liable to three years' imprisonment. 38. Certificates not to be granted, and if allowed void, if bankrupt has lost £2O in one day by gaming, or £2OO in the preceeding year, or £2OO by stock jobbing, or have concealed destroyed, or falsified his books, &c. or concealed any pro perty, or allowed a false debt to be proved—any of these circumstances to vitiate the certificate. _ _ . 44. The allowance to a bankrupt after certificate, and not to be paid before twelve months, is to be five per cent. and not to exceed £4OO, if 10s. in the pound be paid ; 71 per cent. and not exceeding £5OO, provided 12s. 6d. be paid; and 10 per cent, and not exceeding £6OO, if 15s. be paid. Official Assignees to the number of thirty are to be ap pointed for the country, and twelve new commissioners to country districts, and twelve Deputy Registrars. The sala ries are fixed at £2,500 to the Judge of the Court of Review, £2,000 a year to the London Commissioners, £l,BOO to those in the country, £l,OOO each to the Registrars in Lon don, £BOO to the Deputy Registrars in London, and £6OO to the Deputy Registrars in the country. THE WHOLESALE INFANTICIDE.—The inquiry into the case of Frances Bennett, accused of having murdered six children, whom she had borne to a man of the name of Yapp, with whom she' ohabited, was resumed on Wednesday last. We gave in the STANDARD of Friday all that was divulged at the first day's inquiry. The evidence adduced at the adjournment was similar to that to which we adverted last week, and no new fact of a material nature transpired. The jury expressed an opinion, that if further time were allowed, additional evidence might probably be obtained, and the in quest was, consequently, again adjourned till Wednesday next, the 16th instant. In the mean time, Thomas Yapp continues in custody, and a policeman also remains in the house where the tragedy was committed, in order to take charge of the woman, Frances Bennett, who continues in the same state of ill-health.—Gloucester Journal of Saturday. FATE OF A BRITISH OFFICER ON THE RETREAT FROM CABUL.—Tbe following particulars of the fate of Captain W. Grant, 27th Native Infantry, major of brigade, who fell in the retreat from Cabul, have been furnished us by one who esteemed him as a friend, and well knew his worth and gal lantry as a soldier. The details may afford satisfaction (a melancholy one indeed) to his friends and relatives. The writer says, " I have gained the particulars from Captain Boyd, of the commissiariat (a prisoner now in Cabul) and from Captains Johnstone, paymaster of the Shah's force, and Souter, of her Majesty's 44th, the only officer of that regi- ment who survived the massacre at the barrier thrown across the Gundamuck pass. As you already know, he (Captain Grant) received two sabre cuts in the face the second or third day after the force moved from Cabul, but of these he made light, and continued to keep his place with the troops. At Jugdulluck the little remnant that remained, all Europeans. were sorely pressed by the enemy, and General Elphinstone desired the whole of the officers present, who were mounted (about twenty in number) to form into line and charge the assailants ; in this charge Grant was included, and was placed next to Johnstone in the line ; he received a shot in the cheek which broke his lower jaw, but he still maintained his position, and the enemy were beaten off; he struggled against the torture of his wound most manfully, but the loss of blood at length overcame him, and Johnstone at length assisted him to dismount, and bandaged up, as well as he could, the fractured jaw, which gave him great relief, and he started with the rest that night for Gundamuck. Captain Souter states that during the march he was dreadfully ex hausted by the intense agony he suffered, but just before they reached the pass he completely rallied all his strength, and seemed to gain fresh spirit. At the hand-to-hand con flict at the barrier, Souter says 'no man fought more des perately, or sold his life more dearly than poor Grant ;' but he was at length struck down by a Jezail ball in the breast. A sergeant of the 44th ran up to him, and tried to raise him, but he stopped him, saying, ' It's no use my g o o d f e ll ow , that ball has done the business. Take this,' giving the man his sword ; it has done me good service, and may serve you.' With these words he breathed his last. Peace be to his un buried ashes ! The sergeant to whom he gave his sword was made a prisoner, and carried the good blade to Lughman ; but there he was deprived of it, and all Bazett's endeavours to procure its recovery have been ineffectual. It was one he much valued and relied upon, for it had been presented to his father by his regiment." We may be excused for dwelling on these particulars ; they form but one relation of the suf ferings of hundreds who met their death, we hope, in as truly a Briton-like manner, and will serve to show those who, like ourselves, merely read in the despatches the mere number killed and wounded, the gallantry and sufferings of those that fell, and have no one to record their behaviour ; few, alas ? remain to do so on this occasion.—Delhi Gazette, August 27. DESPERATE OUTRAGE AND GALLANT RESISTANCE. — At Ballygraigue, in the vicinity of this town, on the night of Monday week, a number of men broke into the house of J ames and John Power. James, who was in the act of reading a religious book for his infirm mother, had a pistol pointed at his bead by a miscreant who swore that he would soon change his devotion, and ordered him to go on his knees until he shot him. The young man, notwithstanding the pistol being presented to him, sprung, lion-like, on his intended mur derer, and rung the pistol from his grasp, exclaiming, at the same time, " That if he was to die, it would not be on his knees." Two morieruffians rushed in to the rescue of their accomplice, beat Power to the ground, and deprived him of the pistol. John Power now joined his brother ; and having knocked down one of the fellows, who was trampling on his brother, a pistol was presented at him, with an execration that his brains would be blown out if he stirred a hand. Henry Power, who had been in bed, now came to the assist ance of his brothers, armed with a shovel, and cleaved the bead of the ruffian who held the pistol; the miscreant fell, and while down, he gave him three blows of the edge of the shovel. Seven or eight men broke into the house, every second man of whom was armed with a pistol ; the candle being extinguished, the conflict became general and desperate, and there caa be no doubt but it was the fear of shooting some of their own party, that prevented the discharge of the pistols. Patrick Power, a young man, upon whose sight the Lord was pleased to set the seal of darkness, groped out and seized one of the fellows by the throat, and would have choked him, had it not beep that the wretched being cried out for mercy ; and the young man, from a religious feeling, let the miscreant go unstrangled. So desperate was the re rivers gave, that they cleared the kitchen of and barred the door against them. While ance the Pi cial train railway, c ither measures to secure the place they heard a I n the room, and turning in they found that they had two ( Of these they determined to make pri the fellows insid soners, but they calling out, " sth us to be murdered ?" the doors and windows were all smashe in with large stones ; the gang re-entered, and the terrific struggle recommenced. The Powers fought for life and death, and owe their escape to the number of their opponents, who in many instances beat each other in an unmerciful manner through mistake. It being understood by them that one of the women had escaped out of the house and was giving the alarm, they retreated, bearing one of their comrades almost lifeless on their shoulders, and leaving behind them a loaded pistol with the lock broken off, two hats, and a clan-alpine. They were not long gone when the Ballinaclough police and Ballygraigue boys, armed with pitchporks and other missiles, surrounded the house under the impression that the gang wasinside ; but, on finding their disappointment, they scoured the country, but without any effect. There were traces of blood round the haggard of the Powers ; and in one spot there was nearly the full of a basin, and the straw about it was saturated.—Nenayh Guardia*. HER MAJESTY'S VISIT TO WAtLNIER CASTLE The Queen and Prince Albert, accompanied by the Prince of Wales and the Princess Royal,, and suite, arrived by spe- the Paddington terminus of the Great Wistena , Thursday morning, from Windsor Castle. The royal party took their departure twenty minutes before nine o'clock in three of her Majesty's carriages and four, escorted by a party of hussars, for 'Palmer Castle. On the arrival of the Queen and Prince at Greenwich, a party of the 7th hussars relieved the escorting detachment that accompanied the royal party from Paddington. At Dart- ford a reltiy of horses was supplied and a flesh escort pro vided. Horses were again changed at Gravesend, a tri umphal arch being erected across the new road by High street. A vast number of persons loudly cheered the Queen arid Prince, and after a short delay the royal cortege of three carriages pursued its route, through Rochester and Sitting bourne, to Canterbury, parties of the 7th hussars relieving each other at the different stages. _ _ . At 20 minutes to three the royal carriage, escorted by the cavalry, was discerned from St. Dunstan's, and the gratify ing intelligence passed very quickly to the remotest part of the city of Canterbury. At precisely a quarter to three o'clock her Majesty and his royal highness reached West Gate, the Queen and Prince having been loudly cheered from St. Dunstan's by the people. A royal salute was immediately fired from the gaol, and the multitude rent the air with their enthusiastic acclama tions of joy, the ladies in the galleries at the same time waving their handkerchiefs, betokening their pleasure in be holding their amiable and beloved Sovereign within the pre cincts of the city. Owing to the thoroughfare being thronged on either side with spectators, the speed of the horses was abated, and the carriages progressed along the High-street at a slow pace, amidst the warm and oft-repeated cheering of the loyal inhabitants and others congregated to welcome their Queen on the occasion. The pleasure of the people was unexpectedly heightened by the opportunity tkey had of beholding the lovely little Princess Royal and the Prince of Wales, who w3re held to the carri age windows by their attendants, the Dowager Lady Lyttle ton, in care of their royal highnesses, being with them. The guard of honour, before the royal carriages arrived at St. Margaret's-lane, passed the Fountain Hotel, where re lays of horses were in waiting, and on her Majesty's arrival received her with the customary honours. The escort kept close in the rear of the Queen's carriage. It was about ten minutes to three when the royal carriage drove up to the hotel, and after the necessary delay of changing the horses the royal cortegeimmediately resumed its route by the High street to the Deal-road. The " royal progress," as far as St. Thomas's-hill, afforded a very animated scene, the liveliest demonstrations of the people rendering the reception of the Queen at once gratify ing to herself and to the illustrious prince, her consort. The royal cortege consisted of three carriages, the first with her Majesty and Prince Albert, the second containing the Prince of Wales and the Princess Royal, and the third the Countess of Dunmore, lady in waiting; Viscount Hawarden, lord in waiting; Lord Charles Wellesley and Colonel Wyide, equeries in waiting on the Queen and Prince. The weather was on the whole fine for the month of. No vember, and all the arrangements for the decoration of the houses along the High-street from West-gate to Deal-road, and the erection of galleries and triumphal arches, were in excellent taste. At West-gate, the only city gate now remaining, galleries were erected on each side of its lofty round towers, tastefully , hung with coloured draperies, and ornamented with ever greens, and streamers and flags, emblazoned with the royal and city arms, and others with inscriptions expressive of at tachment to the reigning family. The noble archway was also profusely hung with evergreens, with the royal initials of V.A. in large gilt characters. On the eastern tower was hoisted the royal standard. That part of the city was densely crowded for some con siderable time before the Queen's arrival, and by one o'clock the galleries were filled with the families of the clergy connected with the cathedral and those of the civic authorities. _ _ . At the end of High-street, by the Dane John, a triumphal arch was formed across the road with columns on each side with " Welcome" inscribed in large letters over the carriage way, the whole being decorated with evergreens and various coloured flags. By two o'clock the thousands congregated from St. Dun stan's, along the line selected for the royal route, as far as St. Thomas's-hill, were momentarily expecting the arrival of her Majesty, and the royal carriages which passed through the city for Walmer, with the principal domestics in the royal household, occasioned a stir every now and then amongst the populace. The windows of every house were occupied by parties of ladies, all evidently anxious for the arrival of her Majesty. ARRIVAL OF HER MAJESTY AT WALMER CASTLE On Thursday afternoon, about five o'clock, her Majesty and suite arrived at Walmer Castle (the seat of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports) in perfect safety, amid the joyous greetings of a numerous concourse of her loyal sub jects. As the, royal cortege passed through the towns along the road, and under triumphal arches that had been erected at various points, the utmost joy and rejoicing were mani fested by her people. The weather was rather unpropitious —a thick drizzling rain having continued to fall during the greater part of the day ; but this circumstance seemed in no way to affect the loyalty of the men and women of Kent. The Duke of Wellington left Dover this morning at an early hour, to meet the Queen on the threshold of the Cinque Ports, and to conduct her to his marine residence, Walmer Castle, the keys of which he delivered in due form to her Majesty ; and after the Queen had taken possession of the castle, his grace returned to the Ship Hotel. at Dover, his present temporary residence, which he reached by six o'clock. WALMER CASTLE SUNDAY EVENING The extremely rough and boisterous state of the weather, —it having blown a stiff gale throughout the day, and rained in torrents, almost without intermission—has totally pre vented Her Majesty and the Royal infants leaving the Castle.. Her Majesty has only been enabled once or twice, in the morning, to walk upon the ramparts, and then for only a few minutes between the storms. This morning, at 12 o'clock, Her Majesty and Prince Albert, with the whole of the Royal suite, attended divine worship in the large drawing-room, which had been appro priately fitted up as a private chapel, with reading desk, &c. The service was performed by the Rev. Mr. Wilberforce, the rector of Walmer, who preached an excellent sermon from the 2Gth and 28th verses of the 24th chapter of the Gospel according to St. Matthew. " For as the lightning cometh cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west ; so shall also the coming of the son of man be. For wheresoever he carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together." Yesterday morning, soon after 10 o'clock, the Queen and the Prince left the Castle for the beach, and walked along the shore for upwards of an hour. The wind was " blowing great guns" at the time. Her Majesty appeared in the high est spirits, and delighted with the animated scene, there being between 100 and 200 sail of vessels in the Downs, driven in for shelter during the previous night's gale. Upon Her Majesty's return to the Castle, the Queen and the Prince walked upon the ramparts for a considerable time, accompanied by the Prince of Wales, and the Princess Royal, and attended by the members of the Royal household. The Royal infants were taken out for an airing twice dur ing the most favourable portions of the day. In the afternoon her Majesty drove down the Walmer-road into Deal, proceeded through Prospect-place and Lower street (which is the principal street , in the town), up St. George's-place, through West-street, to Upper Deal, upon the Sandwich-road ; and returning to the Castle by the water works, along the Walmer-road. Her Majesty, upon her return, walked upon the ramparts with the Prince, attended by the royal suite. It is strongly feared that seven of the Deal boatmen were drowned this morning by the upsetting of their boat a very few miles from the shore. They were signalled this morning to go on board a steamer, weather-bound in the roads, and it is feared that the rolling of the steamer capsized their craft. Some of their oars have been washed ashore, and a boat was seen floating in the Downs, bottom upwards, by a Deal boatman, who made the land abont 3 o'clock this after noon. There is very little doubt that the whole have perished. John Jones, Esq., one of the conservative members for Carmarthenshire, expired on Friday last. It is contemplated, to erect forthwith, a line of telegraphs from the Lizard to Falmouth. PROPOSED NEW BRIDGE OVER THE THAMES.—The project has again revived of building a bridge across the Thames, from the stairs adjoining Lambeth Palace to the Horseferry-road. Mrs. Williams, widow of the " martyr of Erromgana,' arrived at Gravesend lately In the Cairo, which left Sydney on the 14th of May. Mrs. Williams is accompanied by her youngest son, and both are in excellent health. It has now been decided that no new judge is to he ap pointed to the Court of Review in the place of Sir John Cross, but that the business of that court shall in future he heard before Vice-Chancellor Sir J. Knight Bruce, who was sworn in as a judge in bankruptcy on Friday last. Letters sent under envelope to any part of America are charged as double letters by the Post-office there—thus, 9d is the inland postage of a single letter ; but in an envelope, the charge is Is Gd. They who have friends should remem ber this. EXTRAORDINARY SPORT.—On Michaelmas day last Mr John Mears, of Bagshot, Surrey, shot in Cobham Marshes, in the course of a few hours, the very large number of 37 snipes, Pi couple and a half of which were jack snipes. There is no doubt that the number killed would have been much larger had it not been for, an extremely high wind, which rendered many shots futile. GAS FROM SOAPSUDS 1-1101yever strange it may appear, it is, nevertheless, a fact, that a process has been discovered, whereby gas for lighting can be fabricated from common soapsuds. M. Murion, aggrieved that the immense quantity of soapsuds employed in the city of Rheims in preparing woollen stuff should be lost, conceiving the idea of extracting them from that fatty matter, and, by submitting it to a regu lar purification, he obtained a limpid oil, with which he has succeeded in preparing the soap in demand in commerce, while the residue of the purification serves for the advanta vans production of, a gas for lighting a part of the city.— Railway Magaziue. Why does the Queen stay at the Duke of Welli n rather than at home?—Because, as it is cold, ' Walmer Castle than Windsor PROFITLESS CUSTOMER.—In the good town of Shrews bury there were, and still are, very probably, three inns, called the Lion, the Talbot, and the Raven, whereat were weekly holden the market ordinaries, the charge for dinner being 18d. a-head, beer included. A frequenter of the market and its tables d'hote was one Mr. David Williams, a dealer in Welch flannel by profession, of whom his friends were wont to say be was blessed with an excellent appetite, the English of which was, that when he dined at home he ate as much as six ploughmen, and when he dined abroad as much as sixteen. The Raven was David's favourite ordinary, and for many, a long year the landlord put up with the flannel mer chant's custom with a resignation worthy of a more distin guished martyrdom. At last, when bankruptcy began to stare him in the face, on receiving the accustomed 18d. for three fried soles, a rabbit smothered with onions, a pair of roast fowls, a pound of plum-pludding, and half a gallon of ale, his natural politeness forsook him, and he spoke thus : " Mr. Williams, 1 have no desire any longer to monopolize all your favours. lam quite satisfied of your wish to serve me. Why don't you give the Lion a turn ?"—Globe. No DISTINCTIONS IN CHILDHOOD.—ChiIdren are natu rally inclined to love one another ; in their youth they have no regard for rank or station ; friendship is not with them as with their elders, the result of reason—children are guided by inclination alone. A youthful monarch returning from Rheims, where he bad been crowned, was received with great pomp and splendour at the palace of a bishop, who was anx ious to procure for the young king amusements suited to his age. The bishop, therefore, caused a great number of hares and rabbits to be confined in a cage which was placed under the window where the young king was to be seated, in order to have a good view of what passed. A number of children were assembled, and, on a given signal, the cage was to be opened. the hares and rabbits let loose, and the children were to run after them : this sport amused the court so much that no one noticed the disappearance of the young king : but when:it was:observed, the greatest anxiety prevailed ; he wa s cagey)) , sought for, and was found among the other children, sharing in their pleasure. He had gone away unperceived by any one, prefei ring the amusements natural to his age to the dignity of royalty ; but the sport probably would not have been so attractive to the young king had not the actors in the scene been of his own age. prefers a FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE PORTUGAL en received from Lisbon to I. Advices hay Excellency "Sir R. T. Wilson arrived at Gibraltar, on the 10th ult., and was sworn into office on the following day. The ex Lieutenant Governor, embarked on the 2nd inst. for England. The expected decree relative to the Treasury debentures has at last, after much apparent hesitation; been published in the official journal. The debentures are to be for various sums, from 2,500 to 50,000 reis each, and to bear interest at the rate of about seven per cent. per annum. These debentures are to be admissible in payment of the decima tax ; but the decree states that those persons who wish to get cash for theirs may do so by applying, after ten days have elapsed, at the Board of Public Credit, which will be provided with the funds required for the purpose. BRAZILS Her Majesty's packet, Swift, Lieutenant Douglas, arrived at Falmouth, on Friday night, from Rio Janeiro September 17, Bahia 29th, Pernambuco October 9 ; freight, amount ing altogether shipped from Rio and Babia to about £44,000. _ . _ _ . . . Her Majesty's ship Phantom took into Rio a prize, having on board 337 slaves, on September 2. Sir William Gomme and suite arrived there, September 6, in the Cleopatra, and left on the 14th for the Cape of Good Hope. The Curagoa put in on the latter date from the Pacific with a freight of 2,000,000 dollars, collected from round the Horn, and was to sail for England,en.the 18th. On October 2, the Growler, steamer was spoken off Bahia, going southward. The Phi lomel had proceeded for Monte Video and the Falkland Islands. _ _ The exchange had risen to 26 and 261, in consequence of the settlement of the late revolutionary movements, gold being brought down to Rio and Bahia for shipment, from the mines of which the Swift had her freight. The Crane packet, following, had arrived at Rio, and was expected to have also a large amount. The rise in the exchange had. given a slight impetus to trade, but it was supposed to be a visionary movement only. There is nothing of importance to select from our mercantile announcements. GUADALOUPE MEXICAN STEAMER The New York Herald, of the 17th ult., gives the follow ing letter respecting the crew of this iron war-steamer from its Vera Cruz correspondent : " Vera Cruz, Sept. 16, 1842. " I have just received the annexed statement srom one of the crew of the Guadeloupe, the war-steamer arrived from England " I shipped on board the steam-frigate Guadeloupe, Cap tain E. Charlewood. at Liverpool, at the close of June last, as I thought, for China. The number of the crew was then 86, including engineers, firemen, &c. The day before the steamer left Liverpool we were all called aft, when Captain Charlewood read a written agreement, without a stamp, and written by himself. It is stated that he wished all hands to go with him—that he was ignorant of the destination of the ship —and that we must ask no questions. We were to receive £3 per month as wages, warrant and petty officers rated according to rank. We sailed from Liverpool on the 4th of July. Two days after I noticed in the Liverpool Mail, of the 2d, that the Guadeloupe had cleared out for Corunna. On the 7th we called at Cork. Orders were then sent on board for the captain to go ashore, and report the ship immediately. He therefore piled on sail and put on steam, and we soon left old Ireland in the rear. On the 15th we touched at Funchal, took in coals, and left on the 18th. Shortly after the captain ordered the boatswain to pipe all hands to quar ters. We were ranged on both sides of the deck. Captain Charlewood then said, Well, men, it is my intention to in form you what my business is. I was ordered not to tell you before. lam bound to Vera Cruz, in Mexico. That place is blockaded by a set of half-bred Yankees, who call themselves Texans. lam determined to -break myself through. I am well convinced that you are all ft set of picked men. We have a good ship, with two 68 pivots, and we shall no doubt take plenty of prizes.' . J • " Two days after we S.W . the Mexican colours on board, much to our surprise. From that day we were constantly drilled at the big guns and small arms. It was laughable to see the firemen, all so very green, handling the muskets. We were piped to quarters whenever a vessel hove in sight. On the 25th of August we reached Vera Cruz. On the 29th all hands manned the yards and saluted the Governor. We were then piped to quarters, and Captain Charlewood again spoke : " Well, men, I wish to inform you that this ship is going to exchange flags ; that of Mexico will be hoisted to morrow morning. If any of you have anything to say, now is your time. Hereafter you must hold your tongues.' Se veral declined serving under the Mexican flag, and wished to leave. Four were permitted to go. The others were told that they must remain, as the Mexican government were anxious for English sailors—so much so, indeed, that the wages of the warrant-officers were raised. We were then in formed that Captain Charlewood would receive 450 dollars per month; the first lieutenent, G. Wright, 150 dol lars ' • Dr, Clementson. 150 dollars ; under purser and clerk, each 150 dollars; and, after the capture of Texas, they are to receive 300 dollars, to pay their passage home—and poor Jack but 25 dollars. All those who should lose an arm, an eye, or a leg, were to receive £6O, and £3O for a finger, a toe, or for any scar. This is a list of prices adopted by Santa Anna. He lost a leg, which was probable worth no more than £6O. hence the list. Three men refused to com ply with these regulations and serve in the steamer. They were consequently thrown into prison and confined three days without any food. The British Consul refused to offer any aid. TREMENDOUS EXPLOSION AT A GRINDING WHEEL BY A BARREL OF GUNPOWDER. (From the Sheffield Iris of Saturday, 2 9V. 12.) About two o'clock on Monday morning, the inhabitants of Abbey Dale, near Sheffield, were suddenly awoke by a loud noise and violent shock, sufficiently strong to shake the houses adjoining Mr. Dyson's grinding wheel, the building containing which was shortly discovered to have been liter ally blown up with gunpowder. One of the workmen, named William Price, lives in a cottage, only separated from the grinding wheel by a workshop, and a doorway standing at right angles to it, and to the building which was blown up. Mr. Dyson is a scythe manufacturer, carrying on an extensive business at Abbey Dale, and residing about 300 yards from the premises before mentioned. Upon Price, the forgeman, hearing the noise, he and his wife immediately jumped out of bed, and fetched Mr. Dyson to see what was the matter ; and upon examining the grinding wheel, it pre sented a scene that is rarely witnessed in a country not at war. The building is about 18 yards in length, by Bor9 in width, with gable - ends, and the roof, which was covered with stone slating, being supported by four strong beams. The whole of the avails were built of soli stone, and the window casements were made of iron, glazed with small panes of glass. Along the south side of the building runs a long bench, called the buffing bench, about 4 feet wide, and the same height from the ground, and under this bench, about seven yards from the west end of the place, were dis covered the remnants of an exploded barrel of gunpowder. This position seems to have been chosen by the incen diaries on account of its close proximity to the great wheel, which is turned by a water-fall, and which wheel puts into motion all the machinery used in carrying on the business. Immediately above the spot, on the outside of the wall, were the turning and boring chamber and the joiners' chamber—and therefore the spot selected was one from which an explosion would be fully felt in each of the three departments of the premises, and fully indeed it was felt. The door had evidently been forced open with a crow bar. The whole of the 'stone slating on the roof was com pletely blown to atoms—each of the gable ends of the building blown outwards from top to bottom—and the stones composing the west wall lying in almost the same regular order as when first laid by the builder. Part of the skylight was blown about twenty yards off in the Abbey Dale dam, a fine piece of water contiguous to the building. That part of the buffing bench under which the explosion took place, was, of course, non est inventus. The six windows on the north side of the building were so shattered, that not a whole pane of glass was to be found in any one of them. The wall which separated the great room from the two chambers before named, was very much shaken, and bulged towards the great water-wheel with a threatening aspect. The floors, roofs, and windows of the turners' chamber and joiners' chamber shared the same fate as those of the large room in which the gunpowder was placed—many portions of the roofs and window casements being picked up at distances from 50 to 100 yards off. The object of the explosion was to destroy most effectually the grinding-wheel and its attendant ma chinery, with any thing else that might happen to be within the reach of the explosion. In the cottage occupied by Price, the forgeman, the cupboard was shakn, and a pane of glass out of one of the windows. Part of the iron case ment was picked up about thirty yards from the building. Mr. Dyson, it seems, had not insured the premises, nor have we yet heard the amount at which the damage is esti mated ; although it will probably not exceed £4OO or £5OO. Amongst the grinders there exists a union, and if any mas ter employ men who are not members of this union, a decree is forthwith issued that such master "is to be served out"— i. e., he is to have either his dwelling-house or place of business blown up with gunpowder, or some other matters of a combustible nature. In this case, Mr. Dyson had two men in his serrice who, though industrious and efficient workmen, did not belong to the union, and therefore Mr. Dyson came under the displeasure of the men who compose the committee appointed by this union. From some cir cumstances which have not yet transpired before the public, three men were apprehended on Monday and Tuesday—viz., William and George Thorpe and Thomas Richardson. They were taken before the sitting magistrates, Mr. Overend and Mr. Bagshawe, on Tuesday, at the Town-hall, and were re manded until Friday, on the application of Mr, Palfreyman, solicitor for the prosecution. Mr. Broomhead defended the prisoners, who were advised to hold their peace. The explosion has caused an immense sensation in the neighbourhood ; and it is stated on good authority, that 100 lbs. of gunpowder were fired at once, to effect the diabolical object of which we have given a description. GREAT WESTERN STEAM-SHIP COMPANY. — The affairs of this company being in a very bad state, at a meeting lately held, a committee of twelve proprietors was appointed to confer with the directors, and report to the company on the state of its affairs. The committee having prepared its re port, a special general meeting of the company was held at Bristol on Friday, at their offices in Prince's-street, for the purpose of taking it into consideration. Mr. R. Bright, Chairman of the directors, having taken the chair, Mr. G. Jones, chairman of the committee, read the report (a copy of which had been previously sent to the directors with a re quest that it might be published for the use of the sharehol ders : this request was not, however, complied with.) The report recommended the sale of the Great Western, of the Great Britain, as she now stood, and of the company's yard, works. and other property, and the winding up of the concern. Mr. J. Cunningham having moved a resolution in accordance with the committee's report, it led to a very long and stormy discussion ; in answer to various questions put to the chair man, it was elicited that of the £170,000 subscribed capital, there was due on calls £17,000. The liabilities of the com pany were stated to be £23,818, and deducting the £17,000 unpaid calls, it left a balance against the company of £6,818. The entire cost of the Steam-ship Great Western was stated to be £61,671, while the estimated cost of the Great Britain would be £lOO,OOO. Loud complaints were made of the extravagant management of the company's affairs ; Captain Hosken being paid, as it was said, at a very much higher rate than any of the captains of the Royal Mail Company, and it being suggested that the salaries of Mr. Guppy, one of the directors and manager of the works,- for which he received £5OO per annum, and of Captain Claxton. Managing Direc tor, for which he was paid £3OO per annum, might be saved. It was also stated that the yard and implements had cost about £60,000, while the company had only been offered a very reduced soul for it, and that the hilliest bone fide bidding for the Great Western, at the late sale, had been £17,500. It was, however, stated in justification for the ex penditure at the yard, that no person could undertake the building of the Great Britain, and it was therefore ne cessary to erect machinery of their own, and it was stated that Mr: Guppy acted as engineer. It was also stated that the Great Western of herself had paid 6i- per cent. A counter resolution was proposed on the part of the directorate, and very ably advocated by the chairman, and ultimately adopted in a modified form by the meeting. The resolution was to the effect, that the directors should be empowered to raise £20,000 on the security of the company's property; that the Great Britain should be com pleted with all possible despatch ; that none of the company's property should be sold at a sacrifice ; and that the Great Western should continue her voyages to New York as usual, unless sold in the meantime to advantage. The meeting then separated. THEATRE-ROYAL, WILLIAM SON-SQUARE Under the sole Management of Mr. W. J. Hammond THIS present TUESDAY EVENING, the 15th instant, the Drama of THE RANSOM Mrs. Seymour. After which, the Burlesque Drama of BOMBASTES FURIOSO General Bombastes Pauline. ,Xr. Browne To be followed bvi , THE IRISH TUTOR. Doctor O'Toole Mr. Leonard To con&nde with THE PILOT THE INFANT SAPPHO, UNDER HER MA.IESTY'S PRINCE ALBERT'S ESPECIAL PATRONAGE.." THIS extraordinary Child will have the honour of giving TWO MORE MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENTS, at the ROY AL ASSEMBLY Rooms, Great George•street, TO -MORROW, (Wednesday,) the I6th; 7 and FRIDAY next, the 18th instant, at Eight o'clock, itvhen she will sing a variety of Italian, English, Scotch, and Irish Melodies. including several of her own Compositions. Between the songs of the Sappho, Mr. VINNING will perform some of Mori's Pieces on the VIOLIN, accompanied by Miss AMELIA VINNING on the PIANO-FORTE. The performance will only occupy an hour. Tickets, 3s. Gallery, 2s. Children and Schools, half-price. Tickets to be had at the principal Music-shops. The INFANT SAPPHO will perform'at CHESTER on SATURDAY next, the 19th instant. asielammeimstmmwmmwmorml , ww . l Ebe it.thrrpoot 'tanlarl. world the weakness, the selfishness, and THE CRIMES of those statesmen whose wicked policy, as exhibited in the originating of these wars, has affixed indelible disgrace upon the arms and the character of their country. The national honour must be vindicated, and retribution must fall upon the heads of the guilty, however high may be their station, and however boastfit: their pretensions to superior wisdom and virtue ! At a meeting of the Council on Wednesday last, in vply to a question from Mr. Bushell, Mr. Alderman Evans is reported to have said, that ." he should desire above all things" the introduction into the Dock Com mittee of parties who were inimical to the erection of warehouses on the dock quays, " because many had come upon the committee who were at first inimical, but, they were so well convinced afterwards, that they had all dropped into his views." A most extraordinary fact I—highly elucidatory of the Circwan powers of Mr. Evans, but little complimentary to the gentlemen who have so tamely " dropped" into his views. The fabled fascinations of the rattlesnake are nothing when compared with the fascinations of the wily Alderman. Silly birds only are said to " drop" from their twigs into the maw of the potent reptile; whilst men, reputed to possess intellect, judgement, and experience, suc cumb readily, and " DROP"—we must not part with the expression —into the maw of the more potent human charmer. We are not at all disposed to question the veracity of the above assertion ; but really it does suggest to us some considerations which are far from being com fortable, or flattering to the intelligence of the present generation. What weak beings are the mass of man kind ! How little to be depended upon, the best and wisest of them The merchants of this great port se lect, from amongst themselves, men having opinions in unison with the majority of them, with respect to the mode of administering the dock estate. The Council pursues a similar course in its selection of members of the Dock Committee. And when they look for the fruits of their exertions ;—when they look for the mea sures to which their representatives stand pledged be fore the world—they are coolly informed by the mighty magician who presides over and directs our dock affairs that those representatives have eaten of the " root which takes the reason prisoner"—have drunk deeply of his own persuasive eloquence, and " dropped"-- fallen—from their self-dependence and consistency, to become his blinded and infatuated followers. Let us take this opportunity of calling the attention of the Dock ComMittee to the above boastful parade of their slavish submission to the great Dictator. Are these things so, Gentlemen ? Have the opinions of the representatives of the dock-ratepayers, and of the Conservative majority of the Council, merged or " dropped" into the " sic volo, sic jubeo, stat pro ratione voluntas" of Mr. Alderman Evans ? If they have, then away with the farce of the representative principle in that committee, and let the proud words of Coriolanus be engraven upon every future erection upon the shores of our noble river—" ALONE, I DID IT ! EYRE EVANS." The world has not as yet, it would appear, arrived at a knowledge of the extent of the mismanagement of the Bank of Manchester. It will be remembered, that amongst the debtors to that now notorious concern was a firm doing business under the style and title of " Joseph Raleigh and Company," and which, a t the stoppage of the bank, was indebted to it in the mag nificent amount of some HUNDRED AND EIGHT Y THOUSAND POUNDS. What, then, will our readers say to the fact, which we now publish, that by the act of the bank itself—by its attempted evasion o f the requirements of the Bankruptcy Act, in order to take advantage of a preference over the other creditors of the firm in question—the whole of this vast claim has become forfeited, and the shareholders thus deprived of the dividend which may arise from the realization of the property of the bankrupts ? Yet, such is the fact. The Bank of Manchester has no longer a claim for a single shilling of this almost unheard of amount of debt ; and Messrs. Joseph Raleigh and Company, its creditors, are thus released from the bulk of their liabilities. Let us endeavour to convey to our readers the mode in which this queer transaction has been managed. By the eighth section of the Bankruptcy Act it is enacted— " That if any such trader, liable, by virtue of this act, to become bankrupt, shall, after a docket struck against 1)10 3 , pay to the person or persons who strike the same, or anY 0f them, money or goods, or deliver to any such person any satisfaction or security for this debt, or any part thereof whereby such person may receive more in the pound in re• spect of his debt than the other creditors, such payment, gift , delivery, satisfaction, or security, shall be an act of bankrupt cy. And if any commission shall have issued upon the docket so struck, the Lord Chancellor may either declare such commission to be valid, and direct the same to be pro ceeded in, or may order it to be superseded, and a new COin" mission may issue ; and such commission may be supported either by proof of such last-mentioned or any other act of bankruptcy. And every person so receiving such money, 90' delivery, satilaction, or security, shall forfeit his whole debt, and also repay or deliver.up such money, gift, ez.e , the full value thereof, to such person as the commissioners shall appoint, for the benefit of the creditors of such bank- rupt." Clear enough one would imagine this! Well, then , how, it will be asked; could the Bank of Manchest er commit itself by running counter to a statute dins penal ? On the 3d of August, a docket was struck against Mr. Joseph Raleigh, of the firm of Joseph Raleigh and Co., on the petition of the Bank of Ma rl ; chester. On the sth of August, sundry bills were pal ° into the hank by the bankrupt, with a credit n° te advising of their application, and no objection sy se made at the time to the receipt of such bills, although clearly paid in after the striking of the docket, an ti ' therefore, coming within the meaning of the above clause of the Bankruptcy Act. By the evidence of one of the clerks of the bank, they acted upon th e advice of Raleigh given in his credit note, and, with 3 portion of the proceeds of the bills paid in, retired, on that day, another bill then due, and for the pay ment of which Raleigh was liable. So far, the t r ansactil though clearly illegal, was wanting in that " fraud an privacy" which the statute contemplated as its accon' paniment; and this was supplied on the following d 3 Y; One of the managers was, it seems, struck with th dangerous nature of the payment ; and what did that gentleman t gentleman under the circumstances ? Repudiate t, payment and give up the money ? No such th ing ' The bill was sent back—still remaining in the 1 3°e ' session of the bank—to Raleigh, and his consent asked to its being endorsed by another firm, in which he syas , a partner. This quibbling evasion was perfect e,o do outward appearance, at least; but its failure proveSaii be two-fold. First, the original payment by Ital e l l iv to his own account is clearly proved ; and, seccsri'co' the procuring its endorsement by Thorpe and es would fail, because Thorpe and Co. are thernse lv o partners of the bankrupt, and the payment Nv °tl therfore be his as well as theirs ! set It is presumable that an effort will be made t° 0, aside, in the Court a b ove , th e d ec i s i on w hich was pr, nounced against th e c l a i m of the bank by the n° 11319 t, sioners under R a l e i g h and Co.'s fiat on Friday la seo We, how e v e r, d ou bt much the success of su ch attempt. The philosophers of the Anti-Corn-Law League ar b ei e at this moment, engaged in the effort to levy , from t gulls, male, female, drab and blue, of this be fooleo be .tion, the sum of FIFTY THOUSAND POUNDS, t° spent, as they tell us, in the dissemination of " al ts principles of free trade," by the circulation of tr il l and hired spouters, throughout the land. Now it /y o t scarcely be denied, that one of the most imP°rtare " principles" of free trade is the principle that tb e , th should beno protection for labour — no interferanceta et the marhet for that commodity. Upon this subject 0 0 s i , of men have more unmistakeably expressed their op ifl is ons than the leaguers ; and, we be lieve, there would th d day be found, amongst that body, men hardY shameless enough to denounce every past effort of the b 0 legislature to protect even infant labour from tof tyranny of the facto-ry , or to arrest the bestializati oti females in our mines and colleries. t int; Labour must com p ete, unaided b y the protec is care of the legis lature, with the p ower of capital. 'llO is one of the free trade doctrines, for the dissernin2ti°it of which E n g lish men and women are contributing eav es , s hillings and pounds to the begging box o f the fibsleagi Let us, then, invite the lovers of this do ctrine to to co ntemplation of a few facts, illustrative of the efrec of such Pqtg of heading announce by many IteYnolds in the m, and exp.( Anblie ch as exhibit ever, that to the exl ►t 110 less able trail halfpence hoped th 844 a pr 8n -roethi n th em to for them Norto n ) names of a W ant o Prov o of the ... , era ar hearted w ith the that thei raOtely, t on) hac Pliilanthi t han enc s lavery— THRE E to Proc e ndured Who wer greater 1 form at, persons, into th; busines! forei gn were gr , t he Per. Present act a ' naiddl out for gettin g to obtai rate. j fOrnaerl and aft( ° f a pe, tot a c 1( he had find tin food un and wi bulk o Of w, bro ug i and pc daily of cal °lle of how 1 glancc and si to fill "ape More th an 1 lYitlg Anti-, ther e for I Prom. Ti Wat befo 4101 tha t boa s tion ben ado i %tan sing tv ( indi cats TUESDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 15, 1842 We look forward with painful anxiety to the arrival of .our next despatches from India and China. We are now, it must be evident to all who have bestowed the slightest attention upon the details brought us by the last mail, approaching, both in our opium war, and in that hitherto calamitous struggle in Affghanistan, to a decisive crisis. In China, our forces were, at the last dates, rapidly nearing the .stronghold of the enemy, where the crowning blow, to be effectual, must be In our Indian war, the British forces had again plunged into the passes of Cabool, and were in full march to that capital. The next mail, therefore, we confidently anticipate, will assure us that the hitherto-stubborn Emperor of the Chinese has bowed his neck before the conquering arms of England, and that the butcheries of Affghanistan have been atoned for in blood upon the same sod which witnessed the savage slaughter of an entire British army. struck We cannot bring ourselves to contemplate, in either of these struggles, a result less satisfactory than a hardly-earned victory. We can barely imagine the poisibility of a calamity so sweeping and irreparable as would be a defeat sustained in them. And yet what is our position in either of these struggles. In both—in China and in Affghanistan—we fight against an entire people. In both we fight at vast distances from our resources. Above all, in both we fight in a causeless and an unjust quarrel. No good man, con templating all the circumstances of our position, dare lay his hand upon his heart and say that, as a nation, we deserve a blessing upon our arms. No man can lay his hand upon his heart and say that victory, the most complete and signal, can add one laurel to the brow of England's monarch, or one trophy to the fame in arms of her gallant troops. We anticipate, certainly, a triumph for our arms in both these quarrels ; for we have " a giant's power," and—shame upon us for the deed !—we have "used it like a giant," to trample upon a defenceless people, and to mingle in a quarrel which concerns us not. But admit that victory is ours, and that the next eastern mail will inform us of the submission of the Chinese, gained by the massacre of thousands of their unwarlike population, and of the fall of Cabool into our hands at a vast expense of blood and treasure : two questions will then present themselves, and must be answered—" For what have we been fighting ?" and " what use must we, or can we, make of our victories ?" These questions, we repeat, must be answered, and that, too, at the bar of Parliament. The honour of England demands it; outraged humanity demands it; the blood of the thousands of British subjects which dyes the rocks of Affghanistan, cries up, before heaven, to the assembled legislators of Christian Eng land, for their judgment upon the statesmen by whose misdeeds the ineffaceable infamy of these disgraceful and useless wars has been fastened upon the name of their country. Let us see what answer can be given to these ques tions. And first—" For what have we been fighting?" In China, to force upon it a noxious drug, to demo ralise and debauch three hundred millions of people ! We have fought, there, in a smuggler's quarrel, for the right of introducing delirious and gibbering idiocy amongst an ignorant population, in defiance of the declared will of their government. Yes : England, who boasts, and justly boasts, of her noble efforts to put down slavery throughout the world, thirsts to be permitted to inflict upon a whole people that worst of slavery—the slavery of the mind—THE SLAVERY OF INTOXICATION ! Shame upon US! shame upon the lips which dare to extenuate the NATIONAL INFAMY which wastes the best blood of England in a quarrel so utterly indefensible and vile ! And, in Affghanistan, for what have we been fighting ? To force upon a free people, as their ruler, a licentious and profligate dotard whose yoke they had cast off as intolerable, and who only breathed in safety, within his own capital, when fenced round with British bayonets ! Yes, in such a quarrel it is—for a wretch stained with a thousand vices—for a being as trea cherous and ungrateful as he was cowardly—that England embarked her hitherto honoured name in this calamitous struggle. What marvel, we ask, that an all-seeing Providence has withheld its blessing from her arms, and that her every step against the liberties of this people has been marked with shame and slaughter ? And when victory shall have crowned the exertions of our troops—when hecatombs have been slain, and vengeance glutted—what use can we make of our vic tories ? Shall we direct our efforts to colonisation ? Shall we erect a second eastern empire beyond the Indus, and subject China to the British crown ? Surely not. Surely the colonial possessions of Great Britain are amply sufficient in extent to satisfy the most boundless ambition ; and even if this were not the case, and we could dream of the appropriation of our conquests, through what an ocean of blood must we wade before we could occupy either China or Affghanistan by any other than an armed and con stantly pressing tyranny ? At every step we have made, or are making, in these conquests, we are sewing inextinguishable hate in the breasts of the population which we vanquish. If the cause in which we are fighting is not a Christian cause, neither are the weapons with which we fight Christian weapons. The reckless destruction of vine yards, of fruit trees, and of villages, is a mode of war fare which British soldiers have as yet little practiqed. But in this Affghanistan war every license appears to be practised : " While our troops were advancing," remarks the Bombay Times, " parties were detached to set fire to the houses and villages; and the force afterwards remained on the ground, employed in cutting down the vineyards and mulberry trees, ' to which much value and importance were attached by the enemy ! ' The wanton and useless havoc occasioned, and applauded by a portion of the press, will not, it is said, be recovered for from 25 to 30 years ! The inhabitants were seen watching from the pine-forests far up amongst the hills the ravage and devastation which continued in progress after re sistance had ceased—having never, probably, in their own savage contests witnessed war carried on against unoffending orchards because they were valued and could not be restored !" What wonder, we ask, if the hoarded vengeance of a wronged people, for such acts committed before their very eyes, should visit us at every step we make in our unjust invasion of their soil; and what chance of colonisation or extension of our commerce, in a land thus strewed with hideous wrecks, and peopled with wild and sange men, sworn to avenge their ruin upon the head of the oppressor whose hand has made them houseless wanderers upon their native hills. This subject, we repeat, whatever be the issue of the crisis which is at hand, must be gone into immediately upon the assembling of Parliament; and the questions which we have put must be answered, and satisfac torily answered. No garbled despatches—no falsified correspondence must, this time, be suffered to blind the eyes and to warp the judgment of the legislature and the public. The full light of day must be permitted to fall upon the darkest recesses of the Foreign Of in Downing-street; and even the secret council of the government of India must no longer cloak from the