The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-08-17 00:00:00

Aug. 17, 1847. Entritignrt. LIVERPOOL SUMMER ASSIZES On Thursday morning the Lord Chief Baron entered the Crown Court, accompanied by William Gale, Esq., High Sheriff, the Sub-Sheriff, Geo. Hall Lawrence, Esq., and the Chaplain to the Lord Chief Baron. The royal commission having been read, the following gentlemen were sworn as the GRAND JURY : Sir Peter Hesketh Fleetwood, Bart., Fleetwood, Foreman. Joseph Acton, Esq., Wigan. Joseph Brotherton, Esq., M.P., Manchester. R. B. B. H. Blundell, Esq., Deysbrook. James Brockhurst Barclay, Esq., Wavertree Lodge. Reese Berang, Esq., Freckleton House. Richard Edwards, Esq., Roby Hall. Wi lliam Entwisle, Es q , Rusholme. Richard Earle, Esq., Edenhurst. John Fenton, Esq., Bamford Hall. David Hodgson, Esq., Liverpool. Joseph_ Langton Esq., Liverpool. George ee Loch, ,E' Lawrence, ,g,, Esq., Mayor of Liverpool. Ato E re s , el E . ' orsleyo l ld Hall. Wi lliam Marsh Esq., ‘ Liverpool rt h a m Hall. J ohn Bramley- Tho mas Rodick, E sq., G ateacre. Thomas Thornely, Esq. , M . P., Liverpool. Jo hn Haywood Turner, Liverpool. W illiam G. Walmsiey, 'Esq., Westwood House. James Hibbert Wanklyn, Esq., Crimpsall House. John Wybergh, Esq., Liverpool. His LORDSHIP then proceeded to deliver his charge. He said :—Gentlemen of the Grand Jury, the calendar which will be presented to your attention on the present occasion, certainly is one of the most remarkable which I have met with in all my experience, which, gentlemen, is not very long indeed ; but, in the whole course of that experience, it is the most remarkable I have ever met with. I believe it exceeds in amount any other calendar that I have ever known to be presented to a grand jury. It contains the most frightful catalogue of atrocities which it is possible for any of us to imagine. There are no fewer than 43 cases of violence to the person ; 7 mur ders; 13 manslaughters ; 10 cases of cutting and wound ing ; 5 of rape ; and, in addition to these, there are 2 cases of burglary. And, gentlemen, if one looks back to a period only a few years ago, before the recent change took place in the criminal laws of this country—a change with which my own opinion, in every way, and for every reason, entirely coincided—he would find that much of this amount of crime would be subject to capital punish ment. Yes, it is alarming ta_reflect on the fact that. a P• very few years ago, if this calendar had been returned, there would have been presented to your attention not less than 70 cases of capital felony, the majority of which were very frequently punished with death. Gentlemen, I know not to what this is to be ascribed—l mean the alarming increase of the very great and atrocious crimes which your calendar presents ; and particularly that spe cies of crime which consists in a disregard for the sacred ness of human life, the health, and the personal enjoy ment of those who suffer from its perpetration. I consi der the due investigation of this subject to be of great importance—to be of more importance than the question relating to the increase of those offences called petty lax cenies—which frequently never find their way into this court ; but which, I am afraid, present a striking feature in the proceedings of the Court of Sessions here, as in otl '-noa. G .ner places. .aentlemen, notwithstanding the very great and the very black, calendar of crime which is now before me, I am not aware that it will be necessary to offer any very lengtheaed observations of mine to you. V spect to one case founded on a coroner's inquest, probably there may be bills presented to you—l mean No. 4, Wm. Wolfe. If that case should come before you with no more evidence than is presented to my attention, through the proceedings before the coroner, I would caution you to be particular in your investigation of the case, and to see clearly if there be any just grounds for placing that party on his trial. If there be, you will of course present the bills ; but if not, you will throw them out. It may be right also, gentlemen, to make another remark. There is at least one case that may come before you—and in this dark catalogue of crime I do hope that there are more of a like nature—but there is one case where there is reason to suppose that the party may not, in the eye of the law, be adjudged guilty, although the fact may be clearly proved ; because, gentlemen, that party m a y no t b e i n the possession of that reaso n an d soun d m i n d w i t h w hi c h it is necessary to accompany the commission of crime before he can be held guilty in point of law. I consider that it would be unsafe for you to throw out the bill, even upon those grounds. If you find that the act was committed by the party charged, then it will be your duty to return the bill, in order that any ulterior proceedings arisin g out of it may be sustained. Perhaps the case will tbjected to a more accurate and perfect inquiry here- There are some few offences against the person, \hire of which I need only allude to, the public in lion of which has no tendency to promote the -rats of the people. You, gentlemen, will have no cliffi culty in understanding the class of cases to which I al lude. They are a class of offences, the investigation of which in ver t s t h e general rule which attends the public exposure of every other sort of crime. I •conceive that public inquiries into this class of evil offences produce no good effect on either the mind or morals of those who hear them, or the great body of the public out of court ; and, therefore, gentlemen, I think it is better, unless you see that such accusations will terminate in conviction, that you should exercise a judicious discretion in throwing lAN—and the exercise of that discretion will Nith re- otherwis, might be tainted in their morals by listening to of such abominations. I alluded to the fact ..• have not seen all the 4 inueeti, that lam unable to read. I take this pu ot stating that any corone, ~ ., i s the lu'i:--- to dis c h arge of taking depositions and returning them t this court, should take care that the proceedings taker. b efore him b e returned here in a legible hand. I think i that t ou g h t to be conveniently legible. For when youknow a jud g e is d called on in a ver y short fromace of time to read to he d epositions in connection with not less than 100 l2O offences, we have reason to conclude that if such..obstacles are throw n in his way as bad writ . ing, bad hug, and the ha ndwriting scarcely legible, it is next iPossible for him to ay that attention to the cases li le cessary for h h e should do. This% the second time that it has eghgences. I forbear, at present, from mention desire, the judges of this circuit to notice name of gentleman in question ; because I if thecan help it, of inflicting any injury o . rl -gs of any individual. He may not be tie 'nth . - .1, whose conduct my ber Wightman oun it e ssary to comment on the roth other day; but if f not, d he -410uld, at least, have sent in such depositions as are logi b.le. The coroner who so neglects his duty, besides being liable to a fine in this court if he persists in discharging his duty in such a slovenly , manner, is liable, I think, to be removed from his situation altogether. These are all tn,,,reixiarks necessary for me to make to you. Th e grand jury then retired. 1?f, the feelin7 STABBING AND WOUNDING. :fretialinio/t, aged 26, was indicted for having, at Great so f ner, it do him felonious) stabbed and wounded John Cort, with some grievous bodily harm. The pri it appeared, was a private watchman in the service 1 0 1 a gentleman near Bolton, and the prosecutor, in going ti 4: : : 1116 on one Occasion past midnight, went by a lane the ugh t thatere W which h e h a d no r i ght, near to the works which him Prisoner was employed to w a t c h. Th e pr i soner told knew baust he no road that way. Th e prosecutor sa i d he , persisted in going on . H o l t h eld a la ntern in kick it outthe face of the prosecutor, who threatened to of his hand. The prisoner then extended what appeared to be a blunderbuss with a spring bayonet on it, and the prosecutor, whose two coats were cut through, received a wound in the left breast, which placed him for some time under medical superintendence.—The Lord Chief Baron thought the charge of felony could not be established. The prosecutor had persisted in snaking a trespass over a place which the prisoner was employed to At the same time he remarked, it was highly im hat any one should be set to watch with so lian -The prisoner was then discharged. gerous a weapor MANSLAUGHTER Nathan Dearden, a carter, was indicted for having, on the 7th of December last, in a road near Ashton, inflicted 43 ; 1 c wounds on a little boy, named Thomas Cornwall, Monck conducted the ne soon afterwards died. Mr. 11 ease for the prosecution, and Mr. Pollock appeared for the Prisoner. It appeared from the evidence, that the .2Y, in company with others was returning from school, and /net Dearden. The prisoner was drunk at the time, the boy rushed at him, and severely kicked -al on the l'eg — sev;;:llimes. The limb shortly alter be- F rr e t° swell, and continued to do so till the child died.— hh mercy returned a verdict of guilty, but recommended HIGHWAY ROBBERY. John Smith 18, (could read and write imperfectly), " a a charged with having, at Manchester, knocked down and robbed "Wam Southam, traveller, of his watch and se silv er. Mr. Sanders prosecuted. On : the 13th of April, as Mr. Southam was crossing Cockpit-hill-bridge, Manchester, between ten and . eleven o'clock, three - came behind him, " :ed him d ...own, and beat him so ~ , , e ty ri c i i rtilly that lie became insensible. When he repo broker. a" hund that his watch had been taken from him. pri saT Z: his pockets had been rifled. Two days after the o,lj.frecl the watch for pledge with Mr. Cox, pawn ferred, Prisoner was found guilty.—Sentence de _ rhonaB Hui DEVIII By FIGFITING. charged with', write,) was Inf., 26, (could neither read or death of Georgeav}3a Fr defe uchanan. Mr. Pollock prosecuted, air g, at Upholland, been the cause_o . f_the . Y ride& On the 2 9th of IV last,the prisoner and Iceased were drinking other Barton's beer alo with severa other mentor. A quarrel took ben the parties while inthe house. A fight and either from a fall or a blow, was deceased,His lordship said the only question for 39 Whether death was produced by oy a blow. If they thought that death had been a blow then the prisoner was guilty of mall: -.gnter. If the' prisoner had caused the fall, and death had been produced by it, then he was still guilty of man slaughter; but if the prisoner had fallen in endeavouring theto strike a blow, then he would not be guilty, although transaction was in itself illegal. --The prisoner was 'euild goiltY, and recommended to mercy, in consequence of 'the provocation given him. His lordship, in passing. a_lntence, said that, taking into consideration the provo o a h c uld tT i o, and the time he had been imprisoned, he should of th Y pass a slight sentence upon him. The sentence e court w as, that he be imprisoned for one week. MAN SLAUGIITER. John Gordon, 4, (could read,) was arraigned for hriaove !ng, at Manchester, caused the death of Thomas P by forci n 12 The • and the deceased, who linsoner is a master chimney-sweeper, g Jam to enter a hot flue, which caused his death'. was about seven years of age, Prentice to Win. On the 11th of last July, the prisoner the was engaged in cleaning the flues in connexion with_ a - boilers, boilers at the works of Messrs. Tennant and Co., m I _ was an ap- A.,nuring the day he sent the deceased into the to consider wa 1847. al out ; and . me bales of ia, they re ;e of bread. ery insolent Usal to shift Fast, several le had paid considered, olding their crew, and to pay them. meeting, at turing- con ;umption of . gentlemen they felt in ppointed ait upon or )enalty can- it the usual enley-Moore n, Hender- .ehouses, to now. com- aat the pre as refereed ments with rna,s Inman I performed r. The ex- ending June ) the Watch plained that p, the con- it appointed erred to the 'l7 interest- chair- ad Pkiory y, by an its giand- carelessly ig the di- , sda* after. to a man 1, Ashton, Ln estate in m by the have been a pair of des, both as held on and inge id presided lrewarded, )n the first t the wea -11 supplied of viands, from Mrs. ake from ple supply Liverpool. rated with s enlivened very hand: )assed off be recol- cutting 0.1 the we Le oats are wheat and should bulk will :ion of the ities would t we disco- t time th.! dly, had it Lid by this ress of the t measure. it of the r portions , roduce be; umber, ane tat we shall, will be 01 hould have ure to sal n they were ant.—Lan- WednestlaY t extensive lanchesterr gs bounded street, and r with the I was sepa- 1 ; and the In. the breet, occu w ; Messrs. W. Wood, sigh, wool _ . anufacturer and go., .son, i6sqao igs was five 'here goods r Mr. Grin ; discovere d s shop, an d ngines fr of e length ° ICTOSS !n dangering itter street' Ltely on 11 . 9 • in the al' ltv that th e mildings rn-si ie - e - t , ti s krrower than flames wer e , , xtinguisbe.! amage, it " on Toes cloi remove°'• very qUit. i; 1 t flues for the purpose of scraping them, and carrying out the soot. In about five minutes he called out to a man named Kerry, who was at another part of the flue, that the place was too hot, and both came out together. On coming out, he complained to his master of the heat, and said it was too hot for him. The prisoner said he was only " capping," and ordered him in again, and upon the deceased repeating his complaint, he struck him several times, across the back with a stick. The poor little fellow at length went in again. He was not heard of for some time, when the prisoner went in, and found him with his face downwards, breathing hard. He was brought out, and continuing to breathe hard and quick, some water was brought, and he was washed. Ultimately he was taken' to the cellar of the prisoner, and put upon some straw. He was there further cleaned by Mrs. Gordon ; but not appearing to recover, the prisoner ordered his wife to bring him a rod, which she refused. The inhuman fellow said the boy was only " foxing," and procured a stick and beat him so violently that the little fellow screamed pitiably.' During the night he expired. Guilty. Sentenced to ten years' transportation. POLICE COURT, HIGH-STREET. (Before Vice-Chancellor Twiss.) In consequence of the great number of prisoners to be tried, this court was opened at three o'clock, for the hearing of criminal cases. BURGLARIES Jeremiah Parkinson, 28, (could neither read nor write,) was charged with having, at Manchester, entered the house of John Wood, and stolen sundry articles.—Guilty. Four months' imprisonment. George Thompson, 19, (could read and write imper fectly,) stood arraigned with having, at Little Bolton, entered the premises of William Morris, and stolen a quantity of linen goods.—Guilty. Three months' impri sonment. CROWN COURT -FRIDAY Mary Thompson, 38, was found guilty of having uttered at St. J ohn's Market, in April last, two counterfeit half crown pieces, she being convicted of a similar misdemean our at the Liverpool July sessions of 1846.—Sentence deferred. John Humphreys, 33, and Jane Humphreys, 22, his wife, were given in charge for having in their possession a mould for making counterfeit pieces. The female pri soner pleaded guilty. The prisoners occupied a room in Clayton-street, Liverpool, and on the evening of the 30th June last several police-officers went to the house and found n nrueihiP nn-±h4-- fir 4- stria some plaster of paris, britannia metal, files, and other materials, on the premises. The prisoners were arrested after making a vigorous re sistance.—The male priso ner was conv i c t e d. Mary Bower, Catherine Bower, Mary Mitchell, and George Peter Bower, were indicted for having, at Bolton, had in their possession eight pieces of false and counterfeit money, resembling shillings, with intent to utter the same. One of the female prisoners was only eight years of age, and it was in consequence of having sent her to a beer-house with a bad shilling for a quart of ale, that detection of the other prisoners followed. George Peter Bower and Mary Bower were convicted ; the two other prisoners were acquitted. MALICIOUS STABBING Elizabeth Jackson, 51, was indicted for maliciously stabbing and wounding Thomas Royle, her son-in-law, with intent to murder him ; also, with intent to maim, or to do some grievous bodily harm.—,Mr. Warren appeared and Mr. Monk defended.—Atter the tor the 3rosecution case had been stated, Thomas Royle was called. He stated that he lived in Manchester. The prisoner was his aunt, and witness married her daughter. About two months previous to the attack upon him, the prisoner came to reside with witness, and slept in the same room as witness and his wife. About three weeks before, the pri soner said she wished witness was stiff, and asked for some property back she had given to witness when married. On the night of the 26th of May, witness went to bed with his wife, the prisoner having retired about twenty minutes previously on good terms. In the night, witness was awoke by finding blood on his throat, when he discovered the prisoner with a knife in her hand cutting his throat. She also stabbed him in the chest. Witness got up, took the knife from her, and ran into the street, where he found a policeman, to whom he gave information as to what had occurred. When asked what she had done it for she made no answer.—Alice Royle, who appeared to be a mere girl, was then called. She said she was three months short of eighteen. On the 26th of May slept in the same room with her mother (the prisoner) ; was awoke with the screams of her husband, and found him bleeding from the throat. Her mother was standing leaning over wit ness with a knife in her hand..—William Corp, one of the Manchester police, deposed to taking the prisoner into custody. When told the charge she made no answer. Mr. Foster, surgeon, denosed to liskvi'nfr LA a L.G.1.11.1C14 I,lle pro secutor. There wasa wOund about t E, inches long and half an inch deep in the throat. It was nor a serious wound because it had not touched any important part. The prosecutor had not bled much. There was a slight wound on the breast.—Superintendent Taylor was then called.—He stated that he was in the police-office at the time the prisoner was brought into custody. She said on his asking from the police-officer the nature of the c what she was doing; she was sorry he only wanted to get her property ; he rk.—Mr. Monk addressed the jury at length, siderable eloquence on behalf of the pri- that she hardly kn for all sides ; 1 would not woi and with c he prisoner had committed the act in her sleep, she having on her mind at the time a strong sense of wrong ender which she acted without any consciousness what ,ver. The learned gentleman was about to read from the ook of Professor Taylor on the subject, when the learned interfered, and held that he could not do so. Mat ters of science must be proved by livinc , evidence and not from books.—The learned gentleman then made a powerful appeal to the jury in behalf of the prisoner.—The learned Chief Baron then summed up the case, and, in doing so, observed that if the doctrine propounded by the counsel for the defence were to prevail, without the slightest evi dence on the subject, the public safety could not be main- tained.—The jury retired, and after being out of court upwards of half an hour, found the prisoner guilty of the offence, with intent to murder.—Sentence deterred. FORGERY AT MANCHESTER Adolyhe Schutz, (19,) a native of Germany, pleaded guilty to having at Manchester, feloniously forged a cer tain warrant for the payment of £2,000, with intent to defraud Theodore Merche and others. TABBING IN BURY Isaac Johnson, (430 was indicted for having, at Bury, wounded John Howard with intent to do him some grie vous bodily harm.—Mr. Blair prosecuted ; the prisoner was undefended. it appeared from the evidence, that for some time prior to this occurrence the prisoner had been in the service of Messrs. Walker, Smith, and Hacking, at the foundry, in Bury. He was a turner, and when business became slack, in May last, many of the hands were dismissed. On a Saturday evening, Mr. Thorpe, the foreman, by order of Mr. Howard, the manager, in formed the prisoner that he must be off work until there was some for him to do. On receiving this communica tion, said that he would not be off work either for Mr. Thorpe or Mr. Howard, and at eight o'clock on Monday morning he came to the place, and at ten Mr. Howard asked what he was doing there. Prisoner said he was doing his work. Mr. Howard told him that there was no work for him, and that if lie remained he should receive no pay. The prisoner took up a " rest key," which is an iron in strument belonging to the lathe, and inflicted a wound upon Mr. Howard, about two inches in length, which extended through the scalp to the bone. The prisoner was arrested in Bolton, whither he had fled, and on being ten height n n d of ninep a s s i o month's taken int o cus t o d y h e said he had inflicted the cut in the T , h n p prisoner risnnm 'aemnstwit h convicted, h ar d andlalabour. sen tenced - Elizabeth Parr s (T2A7non was A indicted TnnnY fo . r having, at Bury, stabbed and wounded Robert Grundy, with intent to do him some grievous bodily harm. the prisoner was undefended. Ir. Cross prosecuted ; as sault here waslt appeared that the utterly unprovoked, and was wholly inex plicable. About the h our o f h alf-past one o'clock onmorning of the 25th of' July, th e prosecutor who was the e a collier, was proceeding down Bolton-stree;, -- Burr, - un when he had reached Mill-brow, the prisoner, whom lie had never seen before, came up and struck him on the breast and said, " I'll do for thee." The prosecutor stag gered, reeled round, and fell, and it was then found that he had received a severe punctured wound with some sharp instrument on the breast, from which blood was flowing freely. No weapon was found upon the prisoner when arrested. A verdict of guilty of a grievous assault was returned. The prisoner was sentenced to twelve calendar month's imprisonment, and hard labour. MANSLAUGHTER A NORTH MEOLS Nicholas Leadbetter, (19), was indicted for having, at North lkileols, killed and slain Thomas Leadbetter. Mr. Owens prosecuted, and Mr. Pollock defended peared that the prisoner and deceased were cousins, and that on the 29th of May last they were in a public-house together at North Meols. They had a quarrel, and went out for the purpose of having a stand up fight. The de- It ap- ceased knocked down the prisoner first, and then the di ceased was knocked down. He was taken up in an insen sible state ; he never recovered his senses ; and he died shortly afterwards of extravasation of blood on the brain, the result of external violance. The prisoner was ac quitted. _ . BURGLARY NEAR. WIGAN Henry Doodson (28) was indicted for having, at West Houghton, near Wigan, burglariously broken and entered the dwelling-house of John Gregory, and stolen four sheets, two blankets, and two bed covers.—Mr. Raffles prosecuted ; the prisoner was undefended.—lt appeared that on the morning of the 7th of April the prosecutor left his house, and fastened the door upon the outside with bars and nails. He did not return until the follow ing morning, and, on approaching the door, he observed some person making his escape over the hedge. He found the door quite safe as he had left it ; but a hole h b ad een made in the wall leading to the pantry, and through that an entrance had been effected into the house. Then the property named in the indictment was missing, and sub sequently that property was traced to the house of the prisoner's brother whither the prisoner had conveyed it. The principal evidence against the prisoner was given by his brother.—The prisoner was acquitted. BIGAMY AT MANCHESTER. Mary Simmons (33) was indicted for having, at Man chester, feloniously married Samuel Smethurst, her for mer husband being then alive. The first marriage took place about 16 years ago, at the old church, Manchester. The name of her first husband was James Simmons, and teyvi ddamhshne aseu e moantea h itnreec erstt a wdtehhi d ls. imtyuset o b nrped i t oeal,tawle s apotssd e nohrwt e hhidfe n saretaotocritnre a mteser l hha i htr v suehci alive about four months ago. Eight efiosewmobe certificates altaa dadshstnrei ,as fhcebond we iduafr?:hbicmstdti church. acquitted, haadl in:,thealive.—The ass of rsiftcrhanoelgelonerwwsds Smethurst appeared had husband, u s nr dbeo b ue a per ie n ni prosecution,o ng The an Judged shall I pot allow any part of them,--Smethurst, the second hus- THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. band : Thank you, my lord. (A laugh.) The prisoner was forthwith discharged. The court adjourned at 20 minutes to six o'clock. SATURDAY, Samuel Irish was convicted of cutting and stabbing Thomas Willet on the 27th of March at Manchester. He was sentenced to ten yesrs' transportation. James Lever was sentenced to ten years' transportation for burglariously entering the dwelling-house of George Balfour, at Great Bolton, on the 13th of May, and stealing one shirt, &c. _ _ Ralph Walker, a lad of stunted growth, about 14 years of age, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment, with hard labour, for burglariously entering the dwelling-house of Elizabeth Sorton, at Manchester, on the 3rd of May, and stealing therein. William Brown and William Doran were sentenced to four months' hard labour for a burglary in the dwelling house of John Beresford, in Jackson-street, Manchester. John Pearson, for a burglary at the dwelling-house of John Ashworth, at Bury, on the 28th of April, was sen tenced to four months' imprisonment and hard labour. Daniel Flaherty was acquitted of a charge of bigamy, in having married at Ashton-under-Lyne on the 13th May, 1847, Margaret Bryan, proof being wanting that the pri soner was really married to Catherine Ayres, his alleged former wife. Richard Broadhead and John Loany, two youths, were found guilty of having assaulted and robbed John Kinnis ton on the 27th of May last, at Manchester. Loany, who bore a good character, was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment and hard labour. Broadhead was ordered to be imprisoned for three months, and kept to hard labour. .Adolphe Schutz, who on the preceding day had pleaded guilty to having forged a warrant for the payment of £2,000, with intent to defraud Theodore Merche and others, was placed at the bar to receive judgment. Mr. Pollock, who conducted the case for the prosecution, ex pressed a wish that no more severe sentence should be passed than his Lordship thought was compatible with the ends of justice. The really guilty parties were now in custody at Vienna, and there existed no doubt that the prisoner had been merely an instrument in their hands. Mr. Fowler for the prisoner, in further extenuation, re marked on the youth of the prisoner, and on the fact that he had afforded every facility for the recovery of the money, nearly the whole of which had been returned. His Lordship, under these circumstances, after a warning address to the prisoner, sentenced him to twelve months' imprisonment and hard labour. John and Lee .Ashurst, two youths, who had been committed under a coroner's inquisition for manslaughter, were discharged, there being no evidence tendered on the part of the prosecution. William Riding, convicted of a burglary in the dwelling house of David Scott, and who had been previously con victed, was sentenced to ten years' transportation. THE LATE MURDER AT KNOWSLEY Mr. BURKE, in the case of John Dwerryhouse, charged with the murder of Ann Leyland, at Knowsley, (the horrible circumstances of which must be fresh in recollection,) made application to his lordship as to which of two courses his lordship would adopt. The prisoner, who, there was no doubt, w as i nsane , h a d b een removed to the county asylum. The course adopted had been to respite the recognisances and postpone the trial ; but the more regular course would be for the pri soner to be brought up upon a habeas corpus to ascertain whether he was in a fit condition to take his trial. His LORDSHIP said he should adopt the latter course DISMISSAL OF THE GRAND JURY. About three o'clock, p.m. the grand jury brought in their last bill, and were discharged. NISI PRIUS COURT THURSDAY, Before Mr. Justice Wightman. The cause list is lighter than usual. In Salford Hundred only 28 entered ; in West Derby Hundred 85. Nine are special jury cases. -LANSDALE V. CLARKE AND ANOTHER In this case application was made to postpone the trial, and a rule granted to show cause. PRCIMISSORY NOTE -HAMER V. KELLY In this case Thomas Hamer was the plaintiff, Francis Kelly the defendant, and the action was brought to recover the.amount of a promissory note for £5O, signed, amongst other parties, by the defendant. It appeared that £2O had been paid into court, and a verdict was taken for the remaining £3O. HAMER V. CANNON. This was an action on the same note against Bernard Cannon. Verdict also for £3O. PROMISSORY NOTES.-LARMOUTH V. BOARDMAN AND OTHERS. In this ease . Thomas Larmouth was the plaintiff, and Robert Boardman and four others the defendants. Mr. Hill and Mr. Atherton appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. Serjeaut Wilkins for Thomas Edwards, One of the defend ants. The others were undefended. The parties, it ap peared, were members of a money club at Manchester, and the action was brought to recover the amount of two promissory notes of £llO each, or rather a balance, amounting to £203. The defendants denied their liability and alleged fraud in connexion with the preparation of the instruments. Mr, Robert Ogden, inspector of nuisances for the Corporation of Manchester, deposed that he wit nessed Edwards and the defendants sign their names. On behalf of Edwards, Mr. Serjeant Wilkins called two wit -sses, an inkeeper and an auctioneer, who expressed belief that the writing on a note produced was not —Verdict for the plaintiff, damages £203165. their I V. AUSTEN is an action to recover £2OO in money. The de ileaded, first, that he was never indebted, and, second, that the cause of action did not occur within the last six years. Mr. Crompton stated that the plaintiff was a gentleman residing in Bolton, the defendant was 4 shoe maker in the same place, and the plaintiff was in the habit of lending him sums of money. Some time ago he had lent him a sum of £2OO, for which interest was paid down till Oct. 1843, and there was another loan of £lOO on which interest had been paid. Notice had been given to produce the books recording the payment of the interest, but he understood that they were not forthcoming. Mr. Crompton then called Joseph Austen, the son of the de fendant. He denied that there were any books in which there was any such transaction entered. He had never heard his father say that this money was due, but he had heard him repeatedly assert that he did not owe i had never heard him say that he owed Mr. Albinson any thing, or that he had paid him any interest whatever. Mr. Crompton : Then, my lord, I had better withdraw. Withdrawn DEBT-ALLEN V. IRVINE In this case, an action for debt, a verdict was taken by consent for the plaintiff, for £75 18s. BILL OF EXCHANGE - BROADBENT V. COWELL. In this case, in which William Broadbent was the plaintiff, and R. E. Cowell the defendant, a yen recorded for the plaintiff, damages £57 19s REMUNERATION OF LAND SURVEYORS- .MAL ONE AND ANOTHER V. TURNER Mr. Sergeant Wilkins, with whom was Mr. Sowler, appeared for the plaintiffs, and Mr. Attorney-General Knowles, with Mr. Segar, for the defendant. Dennis Malone, one of the plaintiffs, was, it appeared, a land surveyor and engineer, and Thomas M`Mahon, the other plaintiff, his assistant. The defendant is a manufacturer in Manchester, and employed the plaintiffs to survey and make him plans of eight estates which he possesses at Haslingden, in this county. The plans were made, and delivered as they were finished, and the defendant had paid £2O into court, which, he contended, was enough, inasmuch as the work was not well done. A surveyor, d, said the plans were accurate, and he esti- who was call another surveyor, thought the work was excellent, and valued the small plans at £lO, and the larger ones at £4O each. For the defence, it was contended that the plaintiffs had engaged to execute the work at an understood specific price —so much per statute acre—and a surveyor from Haslingden, who was called, considered the money paid in would be most ample remuneration. A verdict was eventually given for the plaintiffs for the amount sought (X 75), deducting the £2O paid. The court then adjourned. The learned gentleman then called witnesses, one of whom an auctioneer of the name of Whiff, from Roch dale, swore that the goods had been sold for within about five shillings of their real value, whilst Mr. Whittaker, woollen manufacturer, of Spotland, near Rochdale, swore that he bought at the sale goods for £66, which he consi dered to be of the fair valtie £99 ; and that the plaintiff's sons stated that the defendant himself bought for £6 55., two blue vats worth £25 to. £3o.—Mr. Martin replied at considerable length, contending that the plaintiff was en titled to far more substantial damages.—His Lordship, in summing up, reviewed the evidence of the various wit nesses, and said that, in one instance at any rate, the jury had the means of knowing from the evidence of Mr. Whittaker, who had been called for the defendant, that the goods had been sold for two-thirds of their real value, and if they took his evidence as a criterion, the plaintiff would be entitled to £2O in addition to the sum paid into court. If they thought that the value of the goods was not more than £212, their verdict must be for the defen dant ; but if they thought the value was above that slim, the verdict must be for the plaintiff. The jury retired, and after an absence of an hour returned into court, a verdict for the plaintiff—damages £3O. The defendant had refused to refer the cause. • ACTION ON AN AWARD.-BROOKS AND OTHERS V. LEES. This was an action on an award, brought by Mr. Samuel Brooks, of Manchester , banker, a n d the . other assignees of the estate of Mr. Aaron Lees, late of Gor ton, and of Crumpsall, near Manchester, cotton-spinner, to recover a sum of nearly £7OO, due to the plaintiffs under an award. It appeared that, after the b an k ru pt c y of the defendant, in the year 1837, he was employed by them to manage the mills, at a salary of £5OO p er year. Some differences having arisen betwee n th e assig nees and the defendant, in May, 1841, all matters in diff er ence between the parties was submitted to a Mr. Peat, of Manchester, who, on the 16th of August in that year, delivered his award, which stated that £2254 17s 10d. was due to the assignees. The defendant subsequently paid them £l7OO and odd pounds, and it was for the balance that this action was brought. The only question was respecting the execution of the award by Mr. Peat. This having been proved, a verdict was returned for the plaintiff. Damages £620 15s. 6d. As it was stated that Mr. Lees was now in a condition to pay the money, exe cution was ordered in a month. PAULING AND ANOTHER V. M ' CORMICK AND ANOTHET This was an action brought by Messrs. Pauling and Co railway contractors, to recover the value of about £5O worth of stone, which the defendants were alleged to have converted to their own use, which, it was stated, belonged to the plaintiff. The caie - Avhich was of the most trum pery description, occupied the attention of the court for several hours. The jury retired about six o'clock to con sider their verdict.—Verdict for plaintiff, damages £5. SATURDAY. SCHOLES V. SCOTT AND ANOTHER This was z n action brought by the plaintiff, Sarah Scholes, against James and John Scott. The declaration was in debt for the recovery of the amount sory note for £2OO, made by the defendants to the plaintiff. The defem make the note. A verdict was returnee for £228 14s. 9d nd payable [ants pleaC hat they di LANSDALE V. CLARKE AND ANOTHER. This was an action brought by James Lansdale against value of certain goods sold and delivered. The defendants pleaded that they were never indebted, and a payment of £lO into court. The plaintiff was an innkeeper at Swin ton, near Manchester, and he brought the present action to recover the amount of a bill for refreshments furnished on behalf of the defendants, who are builders in Manches ter. It appeared that, a few years ago, the Swinton In dustrial Schools were built by the Board of Guardians of the Manchester Union. The defendants took the contract, and when the school was finished, the next thing was to have the work measured, in order that the contractors might be paid. Accordingly, in Jan. and Feb., 1845, the work was measured. Various parties went to measure it. It took nearly a fortnight to complete the measurement, and during that time the parties had their refreshments at the inn - of the plaintiff. Measurement seemed to be a hungry and thirsty sort of work, for they had lunches, dinners, wines, cigars, and brandies at the plaintiff's, and so the eating and drinking went on until the bill amounted to £2l and a fraction. The dinners were charged at the rate of 2s. a-piece, laying on the wines, brandies, and ci gars in addition. The defendants were present at all the dinners, but when the day of reflection came they refused to pay more than £lO . for all the enjoyments they had at the expense of the plaintiff. It was contended for the de. fendants, that £lO was a sum sufficient to discharge the amount really due ; t one day joyed a glorious smoke,—(laughter,)--which, however, sickened them, for upon the next day only ls. Bd. worth of cigars appeared to have been smoked. A verdict was returned for the plaintiff for the full amount. RICHMOND V. COODI In this case a witness of the name of Charles Mott was called upon his subpoena, and he not having answered to his name, Mr. MARTIN consented to a verdict being taken for the plaintiff for £62 14s. 3d. Mr. WATSON observed, that there were no fewer than fifteen pleas put upon the record. FRIDAY plaintiff Dignr--- - wlLsox In .1 - d o t fi li. i.r .e szorq Mr. Attorney-General Knowles and CruMpton were for the • Mr. Martir i l ls f o or the defendant.—The plaintijamobli.enrstnoni7cahajonitneait. tiff in this case, Mr. W Manchester, an the defendant, n's A and builder, in the same place ; a brought to recover the amount of a bill of excha ngeinnf'ovraa.ts a further sum due for goods sold and delivered. The de fendantand indebted ; that he had become bankrupt, and that the prosecutor and his other coeditors had agreed to take a composition offered of ss. in the pound. £l3 Os. Bd. had accordingly been paid into court. Mr. William Haig, an accountant at Manchester, said he was employed by the defendant. In May or June, 1846, a meeting of Mr. Johnston's creditors was called, whisk the plaintiff did not attend, but at which it was unanimously resolved to annul the bankruptcy and accept the composition offered. He afterwards waited on the plaintiff •to induce him to accede. Plaintiff at first refused, but at last said he would not stand as a barrier in the way of any man settling his affairs ; that he would see the assignees, and if he found everything right and straightforward he would consent. A few days afterwards witness called again, when plain tiff told him that he had seen the assignees, he was per fectly satisfied, and would take the composition. It appeared, however, that he never called for the amount. The witness stated that there were in all twenty-five cre ditors. It appeared, however, that only twelve had signed the composition deed, and it was necessary, to sustain the action, that all should have agreed, th e case b ro k e d own ; and thei jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff for £39 2s. TRESPASS—WIIITWORTH V. MADEN AND ANOTHER. Mr. Martin with Mr. Segar appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. Atherton for the defendants. The facts of the case are as follow. The plaintiff is a woollen dyer, resid at Holcombe-brook, near Bacup, and the defendant is a gentlemar residing in the same neighbourhood and the landlord of the plaintiff, and the action was brought to re cover damages for special injury inflicted upon the plain tiff by irregularities done by the agent for the defendant, in a distraint for rent which the defendant made upon the premises of the plaintiff. The plaintiff occupied the pre mises in question at the yearly rent of £BBO, and in April of this year he was indebted to the defendant in the sum of about £240, and the defendant determined to distrain for the amount. He accordingly sent a bailiff of the name of Stott, who took possession of the place, and caused the plaintiff's goods to be sold, without having taken the pre caution to leave . the usual distraint upon the premises. The defendant paid £52 into court, and pleaded that that was sufficient to cover any injury the plaintiff had sus tained. Several witnesses were called, who deposed to the principal facts of the case, and stated that the goods were sold at £l5O less than the cost price. Mr. Atherton ad dressed the jury for the defendant, contending that under the statute they had not committed any illegal act, that the sum paid into court was sufficient t o cov e r any damage to which the plaintiff was entitled, and that the good* had not been sold at Price* below their rea l yam. BEDFORD V. COOPER AND OTHERS In this case Charles Bedford was plaintiff, and Edw 3oner. John Slack, and two other persons were the de fendants. The action was for work and labour done, money paid, money received, and on an account stated. The defendants, except as to £8 denied any promise, and as to £2lO they pleaded a set-off. They also pleaded payment of the £290. It appeared that the plaintiff was a clerk, and that, for twenty-one years,' he had been in the employment of the firm of Margaret Barton and Co., who formerly carried on business in the copper ore and brass line in Manchester. The defendants consisted' of four gentlemen who were creditors to the firm of Barton and Co., and on the Bth of October, 1825, Barton and Co. getting into difficulties, all the money of that firm was transferred to the defendants, and they carried on the business until June, 1846, for their own benefit, and that of the other creditors. The present action was brought to recover the wages owing to the plaintiff: and it was contended that there was no doubt that the relation of e I master and servant commenced between the defendants and the plaintiff when the former became inspectors to the estate of Barton and Co. The plaintiff was non suited. Two undefended causes were then tried, and the whole of the first list, with the exception of one special jury cause, was disposed of. Several undefended causes in the second list were then rapidly gone through. R V. DAVIS AND ANOTHER This was an action brought by William Spencer against Thomas Davis and Thomas P arr y f or th e recovery of a sum of £32 6s. 6d. for work and labour done. The plaintiff was a plumber and glazier in Liverpool, and he bad agreed for the sum of £4O, less 7-I ner cent.. to naint nine houses .•-••• fICI. 1:C1.114., W pilLuu 11111 G uttuaea belonging to the defendants, which are situated in Crown street. He had fulfilled his part of the contract, and now TIP nof;nn crrne ST--2: -4. In the two following cases, Greenhouse t Williams v. Sharpies and another, the plaintiffs, who were unrepresented by counsel, were nonsuited. Woolf, and CROSTON V. GARDNEE This was an action brought by George Croston against Henry Gardner. The declaration was in debt, and the ac tion was brought to recover a sum of £7O 14s. for certain plumbing, painting, and glazing done to certain houses belonging to the defendant in the plaintiff, subject to a reference Counsel not being ready to proceec 'oxteth-par anv causes, minal case William Storey, Thomas Cox, and Charles Foley were indicted for having, on the 18th ult., broken and entered the dwelling-house of John Jordan, innkeeper, residing at . _ . Liverpool-road, Manchester, and stolen thereout some silver and copper money. The facts of the case were very brief :—The doors were fastened, as usual, on the night the prosecutor was called up by the policeman on duty, and then found that an entrance had been effected by the grid, that the till had been ransacked, and that the money which it contained, which consisted only of . a couple of shillings, had been taken away. The prisoners Cox and Storey were observed near the premises, and upon Foley a crooked sixpence was found, which was similar to one that had been stolen. The prisoners were acquitted. "My lord," said one of the jury, "we have no doubt whatever that the prisoners broke into the house and robbed it, but there is not sufficient evidence of it." (Loud laughter.) Another Juryman : " There is no doo't aboot it, but we mun go by th' evidence." His lordship looked and smiled, but said nothing. Andrew Howard pleaded guilty to a charge of burglary. Sentence deferred. The trial of Joseph Speed, for the murder of his two infant children at Manchester, is fixed for this morning (Tuesday). On Saturday evening, Mr. Justice Wightman fixed that none of the special jury cases will be taken before Thurs day, and then they will be tried in the order in which they are inserted in the cause list. At Gloucester, John Skinner, aged 30, indicted for the wilful murder of his wife by throwing her out of an upper window into the street, was acquitted, it being doubtful whether the deceased fell out of the window accidentally, jumped out in order to avoid her brutal husband, who was rushing at her with a knife, or was thrown out by him. COMPENSATION.—In January, a labourer was killed on the South Eastern Railway, by a sudden jerk of an engine throwing him beneath the wheels of a train of waggons on which he was employed. At the Croydon assizes, last week, his wife sued the company in forma pauperis to re cover compensation for the injury she had sustained by his death. The jury gave her a verdict, damages £lOO, £5O for herself, and £25 for each of her children. At the Warwick assizes, a Mr. Bethell, a widower and upholsterer at Birmingham, brought an action for breach of promise of marriage against Miss Meredith, the daugh ter of a farmer, aged thirty. She was a young lady of property, and her counsel laughed the case out of court, admitting the promise, but contending that the property, and not the lady, was the real object of the plaintiff's addresses. The jury returned a verdict of damages one farthing. At the Bridgewater Assizes, on Monday, Maurice Perry, a railway navvy, was found guilty of the wilful murder of John Bailey, a police constable, while engaged in the ex ecution of his duty at Bathampton. A fight was taking place in the tap-room of a public-house, between some railway labourers, when the deceased interfered to put a stop to it. He was knocked down several times, and kicked by many of them, and the prisoner, a ruffianly looking fellow, was observed to be foremost in the affray. Chief Justice Wilde passed sentence of death on him, leaving him without hope of mercy in this world, but the murdererwm quite unmoved clgougheut the trhilt Express ward Parker, ing, Edward soners AN INDUSTRIOUS JUDGE.-At Croydon assizes, on Saturday week, a case, which had long occupied the court, did not conclude until past seven o'clock in the evening, and his lordship ordered another special jury cause to be called on.—Mr. Chambers said he was concerned in the cause, and he hoped his lordship would not take it at that period of the day. It would occupy at least five hours,— Baron Parke : Never mind. (A laugh.) Eventually Ba ron Parke consented to the cause being postponed, but he decided upon disposing of a common jury case, and the court rose at eight o'clock. EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANC E.-A circumstance of rather an extraordinary nature occurred at Clonmel The sheriff had been warned to amend, previous to the North Riding assizes, the jury panel, which Judge Perrin declared to be informal. At length the panel appeared in the same state, when his lordship called the high sheriff, and inquired the cause of the neglect. He replied that counsel's opinion had been taken by the sub-sheriff, who had been advised it was quite correct ; when his lordship repeated that it was informal, and fined the sheriff £5OO for refusing to obey the orders of the court.—Leinster It Lancaster assizes, last week, Ed aged 20, was charged with killing and slay- !den with aiding and abetting. The prisoner and deceased, it appeared, had quarrelled on Lancaster race-ground, and fought for an hour, from the effects of which Seward died next morning. A surgeon proved the immediate cause of death to be effusion of blood on the brain ; which, in an swer to the prisoner's counsel, he stated might have been the fight. His lordship, under these circumstances, ped the case, and directed the jury to acquit all the BILL DISCOUNTING.—JACOBS V. TARLETON.-AtCroy don, on Saturday, an action was brought by Henry Jacobs against the Rev. John Edward Tarleton, the rector of Chelsfield and Farnborough, in Kent, to recover the amount of his acceptance upon a bill of exchange for £lOO. The defendant pleaded that the bill had been ootainea Dy trawl, ana tnat tne plaintili had nc any consideration for the bill, and was not bond frit holder of it. Mr. Chambers and Mr. Petersdorff were for the plaintiff, and Serjeant Shee and Mr. Ogle for the defendant. The bill in question was put in. It was drawn on the 21st of January, 1847, by one Snell, accepted by the defendant, and then appeared to have been endorsed by one Gardener, and by him and Henry Jacobs, the present plaintiff.—Serjeant Shee then ad dressed the jury for the defendant, and said that the defence he was instructed to offer was, that the reverend gentleman had been made the victim of a gang of swindlers, and that all the persons whose names appeared to the bill were parties to the fraud. He then proceeded to state that the defendant, being in some pecuniary difficulty in October last year, was desirous to raise some money, and he was incautious enough to answer an advertisement that appeared in one of the public papers, offering to lend mo ney, and eventually a person named Gardener called upon him, and at his suggestion he was induced to accept two which Gardener took away with hiin he gave the defendant get cuscounte and a few da 67 in two payment ailed again upon him, and represented that there some informality in the two bills, which prevented him from getting them discounted, and Tarleton gave him two le first 300 one, s threat- pelled to pay both the £2OO bill atic and when the other £3OO bill became dui ened with legal proceedings by Gardener duced to give three £lOO bills in lieu of t and the present was one of those bills ; but as it was quite clear that the transaction was one of the most fraudulent character, he felt it his duty to resist the payment.---A verdict was returned for the defendant. :hool and an son should have b e music after a: stated that i Is° resolutions 5 held in estimatec )er next nezt ; £4 SAFETY OF RAILROAD TRAVELLING.-At the half yearly general meeting of the Eastern Counties Railway, on Thursday, Mr. Hudson, the chairman, made the fol.- lowing statement :—" Gentlemen, there is another subject of deep congratulation and of great thankfulness. You have carried 1,056,000 passengers ; whereas, in the corres ponding months of last year you carried 827,000 ; and that number of passengers has been carried without a single accident to a single passenger. (Hear.) I state this with great thankfulness, because I know that a casualty may occur ; still it is a proof how perfect the system has become, when a million of people may be con veyed during a kW-year without one accident. This is the fifth company over which I have presided this week ; this is the fifth body of shareholders whom I have met, and it has been a subject of deep thankfulness and con- gratulation that the freedom from accidents has been so YORK AND NORTH MIDLAND RAILWAY yearly meeting of the corn The half- .ny was held at the De Grey Rooms, in I - ork, on MoLlaY last. The report recom mended a dividend of £lO per cent. per annum . upon the original £5O and £25 shares, the Selby £5O and £25 shares, and the Scarborough £25 shares, and also after the same rate upon the amount, called up prior to the Ist of January last on the extension shares of 1845 (being £2O per share', all of which shares are now converted into con solidated stock. The total amount of this dividend will be £88,550, which, when paid, with the half-year's rent . , of the Hull and Selby line, payable on the Ist instant, will leave a balance of £3,318 ss. Bd. to the credit of the company. The recommendation of the report was imme ,• . • mately aaopteci. Mr. Hudson, the chairman, announced that he did not anticipate they would have to appear be fore parliament at all during the next session. (Applause.) This company had now all they could get, and he saw no prospect at present of any other profitable outlay of their money ; and he hoped they would now be able to sit down, and enjoy what parliament had committed to their charge, rather than continue to be engaged in fighting parliamentary battles. The announcement was received. with evident satisfaction by the great body of share holders present. _ _ LONDON AND NORTH WESTERN RAILWAY : THE WOLVERTON " COLONY."—On Wednesday, August 4, the children of Wolverton station day and Sunday schools enjoyed their annual excursion, by special train granted by the directors for the purpose. Last year we recorded their visit to Tring and the beautiful village of Aldbury. C it occasi."- in the pres, the place selected by the clergy man of the station, the Rev. Geo. Weight, was Bedford, and, with it, the village of Elstow, the birth-place of the magic dreamer John Bunyan, the immortal author of the " Pilgrim's Progress." The train consisted of 15 car riages, and conveyed nearly 300 teachers and children, arid about 100 adults, the parents and friends of the children. 2701b5. of plum-cake were distributed to the teachers and children. The former were also plentifully supplied with tea and other refreshments. If there be any person who, at this period of the railway era, can doubt whether it be wise and politic, even in a worldly point of view, to sunnlv such a. 'olverton with a Church , een present at the excursion to Bedford. e waving of ) or 270 children— flags and banners—the shouts of 2t and the smiling faces of the happy parents who followed their minister, and walked beside their healthy and happy rhildran —a 1 I mnlll ri _ _ proved that there was som e thi ng i n -the N;O7-171—w4osartvlei. caring for, even before Mammon. We will only add, that the company give the clergyman of the station a„ carte he one for £3OO, blanche on these annual occasions, and they most libe- rally pay all the expen LONDON AND Nor usual half-yearly meeting of tl vay Record The company took place on Esq., ALP., took the chair at twelve o'clock. The Chairman said—He thought the company had given to the public all the advantages of competition ; but if that principle was carried on, it would be found that where combination was possible, competition would be found impossible. The public safety would be endangered the , by. -- , ld be fr .1w- Jecause no person wornu iound in railway companies to keep them up to that perfection which they had hitherto attained.—(Cheers.) The accounts of the company were before the proprietors ; there was a great falling off, he was sorry to say, of the passenger-traffic of the company for the last half year. In , firs , I:la:s ir :as s passen gers alone there was a falling off of X 16,400. In the se cond-class a small increase had taken place, but in third class passengers there was a falling off of £8,345. There was also a great reduction and increase in the rates and taxes si to this there was a great 5. The worthy chairman, he directors to proceed hastily with any of ti res for which they had obtained th gulations of Parliame they had pursued. The re- company had been anxious for a !rences between all c settlement of al, and he hoped the time was not far distant when they would all pull together, and every railway company have an opportunity of looking into its own concerns. The se cretary then read the report, which, after taking a review of the proceedings of the company for the last half year, and the works that had been carried on during that period, recommended a dividend of 4i per cent. for the last half half year, after a few observations - from some of the pro— prietors. In answer to a question from a proprietor, the chairman said that the proprietors might expect but a small increase in their dividends next - half-year. With respect to the Oxford and Birmingham line, all the com pany asked for was, that it might be a second line for them into Birmingham. Their object in this was to pre vent an immense outlay of the capital of this company, and that was the whole secret of the proceedings of the directors of this company. Mr. Crossfield said that it had been decided that it was not illegal for the proprietors of that company to possess shares in the Oxford and Bir mingham Company, and he trusted, therefore, that the proprietors would increase the number of shares which they at present possessed in that company. treet, London, on Wednesday; rhe di— r. Thomas, dep rectors, in their report, state that the investigations into the plans for the proposed extension bridges to span the Conway and the Menai Straits give the utmost confidence in the results, and that that over the Conway will be com pleted in three months, and practically tested. The e monthly expenditure for the last h a lf-y ear was £90,916 ; I k that for the six months up to December 31st next, is . . proceedings in parliament, and expressing a confident hope in obtaining power next session to establish steam boats between Holyhead and Dublin, notwithstanding the authorize this company to raise for the contribution to the harbour, the extension of the line thereto, and for the necessary wharfs and stations, amounts to £3,363,332. Your directors recommend that of this sum £63,000 shall be raised by the creation of 42,000 shares of £l5 each, being one new share for each original share ; and that tl remaining £34,538 be raised by loan. That these new shares shall be issued as preference shares, to receive at all times a dividend at the rate of 51- per cent. per annum, and to participate with the entire stock in any increased rate of div idend which may be declared. That these shares be paid upon as follows :—£4 deposit on the Ist of Septen FIGHT, RAILWAY AFFAIRS, EAST ANGLIAN RAILWAYS from Narborou, these line opened on A. further portion of h to Swaffhatn, was - EASTERN COUNTIES.—The line from Cambridgeshire to St. Ives and Huntingdon will be opened for public traffic to-day A majority of 1,307 votes have sanctioned the existing agreement of the Scottish Central with the London and North-Western and the Caledonian, &c. The meeting of the Eastern Counties Railway on Fri day was by no means satisfactory, and a fall of nearly £1 the rate of 10s. pi share for the half-year a Parliamentary retm 21st ult £35,773,789 14 .Bd. was paid, and £11,830,761. 13s. 10d. remained to be paid by the several railway companies having had purchase, sale, lease, or amalgamation bills befo r e Parliament in the late session The suit against the Great Western Railway Company, by the sufferers from the Stoke Canon fire, by which a loss of between £B,OOO and £9,000 was sustained, and the finest part of the village destroyed. has been compro mised. The case stood for trial at Exeter, during the present assizes, but the defendants have consented to pay half the damage sustained, and costs. early meeting SHREWSBURY AND BIRMINGHAM RAILWAY. - The of this Company was held at Bir , when a Report, was read, which states line will be opened fn the course of next Year. Interest is to be continued on the calls in respect of the original capital authorised for the construction of the line, and 5 per cent. allowed on calls paid in advance. THE MENAI RAILWAY BRIDGE.—At the meeting of the Chester and Holyhead Railway Company last week, Mr. Stephenson declared that, not Captain Moorsom, nor any one else, could be perfectly acquainted with his plans as to this project; and, therefore, the worthy General must have reasoned from wrong data, as it was evident by his letter he had done. Mr. Stephenson wished it to be clearly understood that the General had not attempted to dispute the soundness of the principle on which the Britannia (Menai) and Conway tubular bridges were con structed ; all that he had made a fuss about was the method adopted in the erection of them. stray trait of ge- n. Weare glad to against railways, occasionally we find preserve the following in our column extending its dominion far and wide produce to market with the Manufacture is The farmer takes his seven-league boots of a loco- motive. Tamworth, as the ex-Premie - r informs us, is now but a garden of herbs to Birmingham. The very water- be knit still more into one ; and there will not be a single farmer who will not ask every day the state of trade, and bless the mechanic as his real friend ;"—and the day fol- things to be put down violently, our present monetary troubles ! BROAD AND NARROW GAGE le immea —The broad-gage party great trial for parliamentary supremacy. On the broad gage side we find only Mr. Hayter, Mr. Rufford, the chairman of the Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton Railway, and Mr. G. F. Muntz, if he be really of broad gage principles. But on the side of the national gage we have, to commence with, Mr. Glyn, Mr. Hudson, Mr. R. Stephenson, C.E., Mr. Chaplin, Mr. Grenfell, Mr. Cob bold, Mr. Waddington, Mr. Bagshaw, Mr. Ellice, and Mr, tlemen more or less engaged in the narrow-gage interest There is but one broad-gaze line, an adjunct of the Grea min - has be n elected, while Less than five chairmen a ;ensive ns lines placed in parliament ! The preponderance of pO j w - er is thus vested in the hands of those in whom the public have a preponderating interest, and from whom the public MIDLAND COLTIZTIES RAILWAY.—The half-yearly meeting took place at Derby, on the 10th of August. Mr. G. Hudson, M.P., in the chair. The director's report , which after the payment of the guaranteed dividend , of 4 per cent. to the Bristol and Birmingham Railway, amounting to £47,384 ss. id., would enable a divi dend to be declared upon the half-year of £3 10s. upon each £lOO of the Midland Consolidated Stock; £3 10s. upon each £lOO of the Midland Consolidated Preferential Stock; also a dividend after the same rate, upon £lO on each of the £4O shares, and £2 16s. 3d. on each £lOO of Birmingham and Derby Stock ; the same to be payable on the 2Sth inst. This would leave a balance in hand of £2,737, 10s. 9d. The locomotive department of the Bris tol and Birmingham line has been added to the Midland management. , The statement of the capital account showed to the 30th June, 1847, in the construction of new line ana various other works £8,658, had been received on this account by severs traffic, interest, &c., were £507,112 15s balance of £242,607 Os. 2d. BIRKENHEAD RAILWAYS.—A special general meetin g of the Amalgamated Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire Junction and the Chester and Birkenhead Railways, was held on Saturday, at Birkenhead. Joseph Bailey, jun., Esq., M.P., was in the chair. The report stated that, " the only modification of the act as originally intro duced is one reducing the capital of the Birkenhead, Lan cashire, and Cheshire Junction Company £105,000' which is equivalent to limiting the amount to be called upon each original Cheshire Junction share from £33 6s. Bd. to £31." After alluding to the great increase likely to arise in the traffic on the lines by the opening of the Birkenhead Docks, the report says : "The success of the St. Helen's Canal and Railway Com pany in perfecting their line between Garston and War rington, assures this company, at an early period, of another access to Liverpool, so that the traffic from the docks on both banks of the Mersey will centre upon your line from Warrington to Stockport and Manchester. The Chester and Holyhead Company propose to open their line from Chester to Bangor in October next ; the entire line, except the Menai bridge next spring ; and the bridge itself is also expected to be completed in the course of next summer. A very considerable accession of passen gers and mineral traffic may soon, therefore, be expected from this source." The works on the Chester and War rington line will not be completed until the spring of 1849, in consequence of the pressure on the money market. The time for completing the Cheshire Junction line has been extended for five months. After a little discussion the report was carried, and thanks were voted to the directors. On the motion of Mr. William Potter, the following gentlemen were appointed the new directors : Joseph Bailey, jun., M.P., John Laird, Esq., William Wanklyn, Esq., Cephas Howard, Esq., William Laird, Augustus Radcliffe, Esq., James Burt jun., Esq., Richard Bryans, jun., Esq., John Williams, Esq., John Cochrane, WilliarYA Bellamy, Esq. ? and William Davies? En. purposes of £264,505 Bate cause of I. and t hares at there The revenue account we unt shod an expenditure for _ _ the receipts for 11d., leaving a £4 first call on the Ist of November cond call on the 10th of January next ; and 284 h of March, 1848 the directors line may be opened throughout, with the exception of the Britannia Bridge (across the Menai Straits,) in February next, and the bridge itself in the early part of the suc ceeding summer. The line may, indeed, be made readv- for traffic, as far as Banger, in October next, provided the passage over the river Conway be effected. In the course of the discussion which ensued, Mr. Stepenson adverted to the letter of General Pasley, on the subject of the tubular bridge, and said that it contained nothing re quiring a reply. General Pasley's objections were founded entirely on hear-say; there were only two or three per sons in the country who were acquainted with his (Mr. Stephenson's) plans ; and General Pasley knew nothing about them. He intended to have that bridge supported on chains, and it was only in the method of raising the bridge that General Pasley saw anything to con demn. The apprehensions that existed on this matter were entirely vague, and had no foundation whatever but in feelings that were entertained towards what was consi dered a novelty, though it was merely the extension of a principle already in existence. The whole of the objections were founded on false assumptions.—The report was unan- imously approved and adopted. A resolution to apply to parliament for authority to run steamers between Holy head and Dublin was also agreed to, after some discussion. Upwards of 8000 tons of shipping have made use of the Birkenhead docks since they were opened in April. CRICKET MATCH.—A match will be played to-day, be tween the second elevens of the Edge-hill and Birkenhead Clubs, wickets to be pitched on the ground in Birkenhead Park at two o'clock. THE FAMILIES OF THE FEVER VICTIMS.—It iS gratify ing to state that the wives and children of the parochial and relieving officeis who have died of fever, caught in the discharge of their duties, are not to be forgotten. Sir G. Grey declined to introduce a bill authorizing payments to the widows and orphans out of the poor-rates, but states that it is the intention of Government, when applied to through the Poor-law Commissioners, to consider every case on its own merits, and relieve it accordingly. CREMORNE GARDENS. — Mr.Iis, the spirited pro prietor of these popular gardens, offered Jenny Lind £1,400 for two concerts. The offer would have been ac cepted, we believe, but from the fact she has not a single night to spare during her present stay in England. The Cremorne Gardens ought to be visited by all who go up to London; the amusements and attractions are very nu merous, and include concerts, theatrical performances, dancing al fresco, singing, by the American Barlow, archery, rifle shooting, balloon ascents, slack rope, vault ing, &c. The grounds are beautifully laid out, the re freshments good and cheap. The gardens can be reached at any time of the day by " bus" or steam-boat, for a few pence. 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