The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-10-30 00:00:00

GENERAL INTELLIGENCE.

T 312 CRYSTAL PALACE HOTEL at Sydenham was offered at
auction last week, under the bankruptcy of Mr. Masters. It
was bought in at £9,000.
TRE EMPEROR or THE FRENCII promises that a part of
the cannon taken at Sebastopol shall be employed in casting
the colossal statue of the Virgin to be erected on the Corneille
Rock, in the Puy-de-Dome.
A DEVIDRND-MRETING was held in the Leeds Bankruptcy
Court, last week, in the estate of Seaton, Brook, and Co., of
Huddersfield, bankers, who failed in 1810, owing to losses
arising out of the French Revolution of 1798.

ELIZADETTI HOLLAND, the wife of a brass-founder at
Sheffield, was accustomed to drop a few drops of aquqfortis
into her tooth to cure its aching. She did so a few days ago,
after drinking a quantity of spirits, and, as a consequence,
died from inflammation of the bowels the same evening.
ELLIOT CRAIG, wood forester to the Earl of Galloway, was
on Wednesday cutting up a cheese with a common clasp-knife,
when the blade slipped and entered his thigh with such force
as to cut the femoral artery, and in the course of an hour and
a half he bled to death.
THE SMOKE NursArrcE.— Leeds, in public meeting as-
sembled, has resolved upon a subscription of £l2O per annum
for three years, for the purpose of abating the nuisance arising
from smoke; and a subscription of £l2O per annum, for three
years, for " giving premiums to those enginemen who shall,
under difficult circumstances, consume their smoke in the
most effective manner."

AT DEWSBURY, a bell is tolled on Christmas-eve, as at a
funeral, or in the manner of a passing bell ; and any one ask-
ing whose bell it was, would be told that it was the devil's
knell. The moral of this is, that the devil died when Christ
was born. The custom was discontinued for many years,
but was revived by the vicar in 1828. Amongst the sweet
bells of Dewsbury is the famous " Black Tom of Tothill,"
which is said to have been an expiatory gift for a murder.—
Gloucestershire Chronicle.

HUNTINGDONSHIRE ELECTION.—OR Tuesday, a special
court was held for the purpose of electing a member for the
county of Huntingdon, in the room of Viscount Mandeville,
M.P., who has succeeded to the peerage as Duke of Man-
chester. It was thought that Mr. G. Game Day would have
been put in nomination, but Mr. James Rust, of Alconbnry-
house, was returned without opposition. The new member is
a Conservative.

WORKHOUSE MANAGEMENT. —An inquest was held
last week at Camden-town, London, on the body of Char-
lotte Young, aged sixty-six, who had died in St. Pancras
workhouse. It appeared that the deceased, not being
considered dangerously ill, was suddenly found to be,
as the nurses supposed, dead ; but no medical man
was called to ascertain if she really were dead, or might be in
a fit ; that the deceased's son had been refused admission to
see his mother, and roughly pushed out of the gate because
his name was not down on the porter's slate that half the
nurses were old and decrepid, and (as Mr. Waldegrave, assist-
ant parochial surgeon deposed), that "there was not a sober
woman amongst the number.'
WHOLESALE MURDERER.—John (alias Rocky) Whelan, a
criminal recently executed in Tasmania, confessed, the day
before his execution, to the following murders committed in
the space of two months :—" 1. An elderly man, between
Brown's River and North-west Bay. I shot him in the head,
and robbed him. 2. A young man (I learned afterwards his
name was Dunn), on the Huon track. 3. An elderly man at
Bagdad, six on seven weeks ago. 4. A young man, on the
Westbury-road, about a week after the last murder. I shot
him in the head, and took awaya few shillings. 5. A hawker,
near Cleveland, about three days before I was taken." The
bodies of his victims were afterwards found where indicated.
ECONOMICAL COOKERT.—M. Soyer writes home to the
papers an account of his " Field Kitchen," invented for the
army in the Crimea. He says of it, that each apparatus will
contain a cauldron holding twelve gallons and a half. Two
will easily cook for a company of 100, and even more, if re-
quired ; and both stoves can be carried by one mule, and loaded
inside with sufficient dry wood for two days' consumption for
a full company, whereas an additional quantity of fuel for one
day's further consumption may be-carried outside between the
apparatus on the animal's back. The weight would then be
sixty pounds, under the entire charge of a mule. The saving
of fuel is remarkable, being above eight-ninths. The stoves
will also burn any kind of fuel, and are entirely free from
smoke. The cooks employed in each company will have but a
few pounds of fuel to saw and split, instead of several hun-
dreds, and the food will be much more nutritious by cooking
in large quantities. When a regiment is stationary, four men
with six assistant cooks may cook with ease for 1,000 persons."
THE Leeds Intelligences. contains a report of a lecture to
the working-classes of Bradford, by the Rev. J. P. Chown,-the
subject being "Jack the Giant-Killer." The curious title ex-
cited such interest, that long before the hour of commencement
the Temperance Hall W3S.trammed to overflowing :—The well-
known story of " Jack the Giant-Killer" was told in an ad-
mirable and amusing manner by the lecturer, and he then
made the story a sort of moral through which to enforce the
duty and wisdom of obtaining knowledge in abundance, as a
means of removing giant evils and giant difficulties in the
world—personal, social, and moral—eloquently enforcing his
appeal by varied illustration. The lecture was, as usual in all
Mr. Chown's efforts, received with great favour by-the au-
dience, and is to be repeated.
SINGULAR Csrsavoz.—The' Rev. Dr. Vaughan, incumbent
of St. Matthew's, Brixton, is charged by a printed and circu-
lated report drawn up by a committee, and adopted by a meet-
ing of his parishioners, with permitting burials in the church-
yard, in opposition to the Metropolitan Burial Act, illegally
exacting double fees for burials, falsifying the books with I
reference to the same, and to the residences of the persons
buried, and accounting only for the single fee to-the church-
wardens. The following is one of the cases mentioned in the
committee's report :—" Jane Webb, of Park-place, Park-road,
Clapham,..buried-in June, 1855 ; -double fees charged by the
Rev. Mr. Vaughan and paid to %him, including 12s. for the
double ground fee,,but the single fee, Os., only entered in the
rough-book, and the moiety of that sum, 3g paid to the
churchwardens ; the entry in the registry-book, in Dr. Van-
ghan's handwriting, falsely described the place of residence of
the deceased as of Acre-lane, which is in St. Matthew's dis-
trict." There has been for some time great ill-feeling amongst
the parishioners against the rev. doctor, and the grounds of
the present charges have been found out at the suggestion of
a disappointed candidate for the-office of clerk. At the meet-
ing which came together to bear the report, a Mr. Prior
stated that there mere many cases of a similar nature which
had been brought to the attention of the committee, and he
observed that by the act of parliament the making of a false
entry in the registry-book was a felony, punishable by trans-
portation for fourteen years. " This intimation of the possible
fate of their pastor," says the report in the Daily News,
" seemed to delight the majority of the audience, who received
it with vociferous cheering." Resolutions were also carried
authorising the committee to take legal proceedings, and to
get up a subscription for that purpose.
A SIEGE IN Yoaicsniivz.—An extraordinary and disgrace-
ful scene has been enacted at Millhouses, a village near
Sheffield. There are two rival owners of a house, one being
a surgeon named Whitehead, who had been absent for a long
time in America, the other a silversmith, named Oldale. The
latter gentleman, immediately on the tenant quitting last
week, sent a dozen men to the house, who took possession in
his name. Next day Mr. 'Whitehead sent a party of men, and
between them and those in the house a contest took place, Mr.
Oldale's party being victorious. The men in possession armed
themselves with guns, pistols, daggers, knives, and bludgeons ;
and at night the doors were barricaded inside, while heaps of
missiles, such as bricks and large stones, were placed near the
up-stairs windows, ready to be thrown on the expected be-
siegers. The second assault took place at two o'clock-on Friday
morning. The attacking party, about twenty men, armed
principally with heavy sticks, proceeded en mane to the house,
and 'began forcing their way into the premises. The besieged
party seemed to have been lulled into carelessness by delay in
the attack, and being well supplied with drink, were most of
them fast buried in drunken slumber. The number that was
opposed to the besiegers was, therefore, small ; but these few
opposed the entrance of the besiegers with all the weapons and
missiles they could collect, and .a hand-to-band fight took
place. Guns were fired; one,among the besieging party had
his head aeverely cut by a treepot which was thrown from the
window .above, and another belonging to the party in pos-
session also had his head cut. The battle ended in the triumph
of the invaders. Meanwhile, the men who were asleep woke
up, and set fire to the straw in which they had been sleeping.
The fire was put out before it had done any serious damp,
and the besieged party having been utterly routed, the in-
vaders triumphantly took possession. " Their numbers,"
says the local paper, "have been largely reinforced, and the
house is now occupied by a party of from forty to fifty as
rough and reckless fellows as can be found in Sheffield. Half-
a-dozen policemen have been sent to the spot, to prevent a
breach of the peace ; but if another fight were to be com-
menced, these constables would be utterly incapable of taking
any effectual measures to stop it."

'
SCARCITY OF SAILORS IN THE UNITED STATES.—One
of the greatest impediments to our commercial prosperity and
supremacy is a lack of seamen to navigate our ships. This
want is always felt with peculiar severity whenever there is
an extraordinary demand for shipping, such as exists at the
present time, and no successful plan has yet been conceived
by our Government or merchants to obviate it. The appren-
tice system has not been tried to any extent, but unless some
means can be discovered for making boys willing to serve as
apprentices, and then to make them satisfied to go to sea,
when they could better themselves by remaining on shore, the
apprentice system could never be of any service. At the pre-
sent time sailors are very difficult to be obtained at any price,
and one of the Liverpool packets lay in the stream three days
this week, waiting for a complement of men to navigate her.
The wages paid are very high, at the rate of sixty dollars
a-month: for, although the nominal wages are but twenty
dollars a-month, ,yet, as the sailors demand two months' pay
in advance, and desert as soon as they arrive in port, it makes
the wages amount to fifty to sixty dollars a-month. The
Baltimore Board of Trade have recently published their an-
nual report, iu which they recommend the establishment in
that city of a " Floating School," in which boys can be in-
structed in the art of seamanship, and a nursery for sailors
created. But this plan is only a modification of the several
naval apprentice systems which have been heretofore sug-
gested, but none of which have ever been carried into effect.
As nearly all healthy boys have a natural inclination to run
away from school and become Robinson Crusoes, it may seem
somewhat remarkable that sailors should be so scarce in
a country like ours, where all labour is honourable, and the
paths of promotion are free to all competitors. The great
difficulty, we believe, lies in the fact that sailors are an excep-
tionable class; their occupation is not, in its lower stages, an
honourable one, and hence it is shunned by the well-behaved
and ambitious youths of the country. The fault of this lies,
in a great measure, with the system on which our navy is
conducted. England found it necessary in war time to man
her fleet by the iniquitous system of impressment, and France
applies the conscription to her marine as well as to her land
forces. But in this country we cannot avail ourselves of
either of these systems, and we have had to resort to the
temptations of bounties and high wages, which England has
had to resort to in manning the Baltic fleet. But the only
plan by which we can ever hope to man our national ships
with American sailors, and to provide a surplus of seamen for
our merchant ships, is by throwing open the line of promotion
from the ranks, infusing an esprit du corps into the
service which shall pervade the entire crews, and make the
occupation of the sailor an honourable one. When this shall
be done, there will no longer be any difficulty about procuring
seamen, and our ships would be as superior in their manage-
ment to those of other nations as they are now in their build.
The recent action of the " Retiring Board" shows that, under
the present system of officering our navy, a contingent of
useless drones and pensioned incapables is the result. No-
thing worse could be anticipated from the democratic plan of
opening the line of promotion in the navy as it exists is the
civil service.—New York Daily Times.

THE Edinburgh Review, in an article on the "Results of
the Campaign,"Lrecommends an early dissolution of Parlia-
ment. _ _ _ _

A SIIN-FISTI, measuring sft. 4in. by sft. Bin., and weighing
540 lbs., was caught last week by a revenue•cutter, off Dun-
bar.

Mn. HUDSON M.P., intends, it is said, shortly to retire
from the representation of Sunderland. Mr. Digby Seymour,
Mr. Hartley, and Mr. Charles Alcock, have been named as
probable candidates.
ON the 17th, the King of Prussia gave a dinner at which
A. von Humboldt, the statuary Rauch, the artist Schadow,
and Dr. Barth were present.
CHARLES SIMPSON, a postman, was sentenced to six years'
penal servitude on Wednesday, at the London Central
Criminal Court, for letter-stealing.

A BILL-STICKER in London has been fined Z 5, or three
months' imprisonment, for selling the bills given to him to
post, as waste paper. It appears the offence is not uncommon.
TIIE Moniteur Alyerien, of the 15th instant, announces
that the wandering tribes are now beginning to build and
plant, and that they have entered into an arrangement with
some contractors for the construction of houses at the price of
3,500 f. each.

NUMEROUS robberies have of late been perpetrated at the
British Museum, and other places of public resort, by an
elegantly-attired woman, aided by male accomplices, who act
as foils, and receive the produce of their dexterity.
Tan trial of Isabella Mary Jolley, for the alleged murder of
her mother, at Knightsbridge, on the 15th of August, took
place at the Central Criminal Court, London, on Wednesday,
and resulted in the acquittal of the prisoner, the judge (Mr.
Baron Alders* expressing his concurrence in the verdict.

BAD NEWS OP THE WHALE Ftsmrr.—A telegraphic des-
patch has been received in Dundee, stating that a ship had
passed Aberdeen with the intelligence that all the ships that
had gone to Davis' Straits were clean on the 19th Sept., except
the Abram of Kirkcaldy, which had two fish.—Dundee Ad-
vertiser.

Join; LAWN, aged 16, of Gwennap, Cornwall, shot his
brother, a child three years of age, a few days ago. It seems
that a loaded gun had been carelessly left in the kitchen ; the
boy, not knowing it was loaded, took it up and pulled the
trigger, when the charge went off and entered the child's
breast. Death took place within a quarter-of-an-hour after-
wards.

SACRILEGE.—Some sacrilegous ruffians have entered the
parish church at Seaham, taking away in mere wantonness the
large iron chest containing the parish records, and tumbling it
into the Dene. The only booty of which the thieves possessed
themselves was half a bottle of sacramental wine, which they
appear to have drank on the spot. The sacramental plate—
no doubt the chief object of their search—was not kept iu the
church.

THE Observer, speaking on official authority, estimates the
number of British troops now in the Crimea at 50,000 ; men,
namely, 33,000 infantry, 9,000 artillery, 6,000 cavalry, and the
Engineers, Sappers, Transport Corps, and other exceptional
bodies. To these must be added 80,000 French, 15,000 Sar-
dinians, 36,000 Turks, and 20,000 of the Turkish Contingent.
This gives a total of 200,000 mess, without counting the Bashi-
Bazouks, or the German Legion now on its way to the Crimea.
EXTRAORDINARY CABE. —Two swindlers, who gave their
names John and Alfred Jones, were apprehended and commit-
ted to Maidstone gaol, last week, on a charge of conspiring to
defraud. Here, however, it was discovered that one is a
woman ; she declares herself to be the other prisoner's wife,
and, if so, the charge in its present form must fall to the
ground, a " conspiracy" being legally impossible between man
and wife. There are, however, other charges against them.

OLD ALMANACS As GOOD AS NEW.—By a strange coinci-
dence, which will not occur again for a long time, the new
year of 1855 commenced on the same day as in 1849, and
consequently all through the year the date will be on the
same day. But what is more singular is, that all the moveable
holydays, from Septuagesima to Advent, fall on the same
dates and the sames days. The almanacs of 1849 might,
therefore, serve for the present year.—New York Journal of
Commerce.

- - ..... -
FRIGHTFUL RAILWAY ACCIDEST.—A dreadful accident
occurred on Sunday morning at four o'clock, on the Lyons
railway, between Thomery and floret. The express train,
which left Lyons the evening before at seven o'clock, overtook
a cattle train that preceded it. The collision was terrible ; the
three last carriages of the cattle train, one of which (the
second last) contained the drovers to the number of 26, were
completely smashed; 16 persons were killed ; three danger-
ously wounded ; and three others received contusions.

SUICIDE IN A BRIDAL CRAMBER.—Miss Clara Haskins
was found dead in her bridal dress and chamber near Natchez,
Mississippi, on the 2nd ult. After being dressed by her
bridesmaids she requested them to retire for a short time, and
when they returned they found her lying lifeless upon her
conch, with an empty vial which had contained prussic acid,
still clasped in her hand. She had adopted the desperate
alternative of self-destruction rather than marry a man she
could not love, in obedience to parental authority.— Washing-
ton Intelligencer.
ALICE Gazr.—A pretty and artless-looking girl, who has
assumed a variety of names, but is chiefly known as " Alice
Grey," is in custody, at Wolverhampton, on a charge of
swindling. Her mode of operations,—a novel and ingenious
one,—consists in charging some person with having robbed
her, and, though she generally loses her cause, she contrives
to work upon the sympathies of the magistrates and other
judicial officials so as in most instances to secure a liberal sum
for her " expenses." She has frequently visited Liverpool in
the course of her professional rambles.
Hoitsa-alcint AT ALGIERS.—The annual horse-races at
, Algiers came off about ten days ago at that city, and excited
considerable interest amongst the native population. Not
fewer than 510 horses ran for the different stakes, and paid
entries. The horses belonged chiefly to aghas, caids, and
cheikhs. The result of the races was to prove the superiority
of the southern breeds of horses : thus, horses for the sub-
division of Medeah won 18 stakes ; from that of Milianah,
Id ; and from that of Aumale, 10; whilst the horses of Or-
leansville only won 3, and those of Algiers 2.

A LION AT LAILOE.—The population of the Croix-Rousse
at Lyons. assembled in the Grand Place, a few days ago, for
the annualfrte, were astonished to see a huge lion, which had
escaped from a travelling menagerie, advance calmly towards
them. They fled in every direction ; but the lion, taking no
notice, continued his promenade to a place called Les 'lapis,
and there suddenly leaped on to a poor donkey, which was tied
to a post, and, with one grip of his teeth, killed him. The king
of the forest then calmly placed himself on the ground near his
victim, and, after a while, allowed himself to be conveyed back
to the menagerie by his keepers.—Galignani.
MIID AT A PREAtirm.—The Stamford Mercury, advert
ing to the cleansing out of the river Brayford, says :—"Th
men get-out 200 tons of rich soil daily, or 1,200 tons weekly
and it is turned into the diggings to fill up the swamp. One
person has offered Is. per ton for 4,000 tons, another the same
price for 1,000, and another the same price for 700—all to put
on land, as it forms very superior manure. A farmer who
put 2,000 tons on some land some years since, states that the
land has not yet forgotten it. This is the same person who
now wants 4,000 tons. The cost of getting the stuff out is
£25 weekly, and 1,200 tons at Is. per ton would realise M—
a profit of £35 weekly. After this demonstration it is to be
hoped that rivers will be kept constantly cleansed of mud."

Two recent extraordinary accidents to infants may be men-
timed. DorothiTaylor, at Pclton Fell, near Durham, pu
her child to sleep in a cradle, and some time after found i
dead. A cat belonging to the family brought forth a litter of
kittens in the cradle, and, from the marks on the child's night-
dress, had evidently lain across its throat and mouth, pro-
ducing suffocation. Harriet Tovey, of Elinstone, Hardwicke,
was spending a day at a relation's in Cheltenham, and took
her child with her. She slept downstairs in a turn-up bed-
stead with the child, and got up the following morning, leaving
her child in bed. Some other person happening to come
into the room in the absence of the mother, turned up
the bedstead. When the mother returned she pulled the bed
down, and found the child quite dead.
TRADE OP PARIS.—The trade of Paris continues to suffer
from the restrictive measures adopted by the Bank of France.
The refusal of that establishment to rescind its resolution
respecting bills above seventy-five days, has created consider-
able discontent, particularly in the departments. The diffi-
culty of making returns induces merchants to operate with
extreme prudence. The restrictions of the Bank might have
occasioned a very serious crisis at the end of the year, had not
the merchants observed a great reserve amid the important
transactions produced by the Universal Exhibition. Manu-
facturers fortunately limited their credit as much as possible,
and there is no danger that the increase in the rate of dis-
count will he attended with any extensive catastrophes.
RUSSIAN ABSENTEES.—Measures of great severity have
just been ordered by the Czar against those who continue to
reside abroad. In Livonia, the estates of several noblemen
who reside abroad have been placed under guardianship,
although their term of permission has not expired. Accord-
ing to a communication lately made to the authorities, the
Emperor is determined to put an end to the mania of ab-
senteeism on the part of the Russian nobles. In case of any
landowner remaining abroad without leave, the tribunals will
manage the estates, and render an account of the revenues
to the owners for one year, at the expiration of which term
the estates, if the owners still remain abroad, will be con-
fiscated, unless particular circumstances can be brought
forward to justify a longer delay being granted.

NEARLY BURIED ALlVE.—Thegianger of too rapid inter-
ment was exemplified in a very extraordinary manner in this
town during the last week. A young man, who had been suf-
fering from malignant fever, to all appearance, died on Tues-
day morning. To avoid the danger of infection which might
arise from a corpse remaining in the house all night, a coffin
was immediately commenced, the certificate of death sent for,
and urgent application was made to the incumbent of a church
in one of our suburbs to allow the corpse to be interred the
same evening. This, however, he declined, considering the
proceeding too hasty, but consented to the interment taking
place on the following morning. The result proved the pro-
priety of the delay ; the grave was dug, and the coffin ready,
but the dead man in the course of the night gave signs of re-
turning animation, and at the hour fixed for his burial was in
the comfortable enjoyment of a cup of coffee, which he had
asked for, w ith every prospect of recovery.— 11"akej ield.lo rna 1
RUSSIAN POLITENESS.—The following is a letter from the'
Grand Duke Constantine to Lieutenant Maury. We learn that
the Russian minister yesterday waited on Lieutenant Manry,
at the National Observatory, to deliver, by command of his
government, an autograph letter from the Grand Duke Con-
stantine, who, it will be remembered, is the Commander-in-
Chief of the Russian navy. This letter is written in French ;
but, under the belief that many of our readers will derive as
much pleasure from its perusal as we have done, we give pub-
licity to a translation of it :—" St. Petersburgh, Dec. 10 (22),
1854.—T0 Lieutenant Maury.—Sir,—lt is now a long time since
the eminent scientific works for which navigators of every
nation are indebted to your zeal and your talents attracted my
attention. Recently again the imperial delegates to the
Brussels conference have rendered me a complete report, in
which I have taken the most lively interest. I should rejoice,
sir, to present you with a testimonial of my esteem; but,
knowing the laws of your country, which do not permit you
to accept any thing from foreign princes, I must confine my-
self to the expression of my sentiments. They are as exalted
as your own merits ; and in my official capacity I must say to
you that you do honour to the profession to which you belong,
as well as to the great nation which you have the honour to
serve. Receive, sir, the assurance of my goodwill and esteem.
—CONSTANTINE.".--This is a high but deserved compliment
to Lieutenant Maury, who, we feel well convinced, has been
relieved from active duty in the navy that he may be perma-
nently retained in his present exalted 4 an- responsible position
as chief of the National Observatory, where his services in the
cause of science and nautical improvement will be more im-
portant and valuable to his country and the world than they
would probably prove, however eminent they might be, in any
other position.— Wairhington National Intelligences.

THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT is sending out to the Criame
many casks of fresh meats, preserved in their own juice, with-
out desiccation, by a process newly submitted to that Govern-
ment.

IN consequence of the large number of prisoners in Win-
chester gaol, it is expected that there will be an extra assize
held in that city in the first week in December. The South-
ampton murder will be then tried.
GOLD IN THE WEST INDIES. —The Journal des Debats
gives the following extract from the West Indian paper Les
Antilles, which, if true, promises another Australia or Cali-
fornia, and that near the supposed site of Sir Walter Ra-
leigh's El Dorado There has just been discovered in
Cayenne, on the banks of the river Appronagne, a gold mine
of almost fabulous richness, which does not yield in anything
to those of California. According to the specimens now lying
before us,— que nous avons sous les yeux,—we cannot doubt
this important discovery, which promises to revolutionize our
poor Cayenne."

EXPLOSION IN WOOLWICH ARSENAL.—On Thursday, at
half-past one, p.m., an explosion took place in the fusee de-
partment of the oyal Arsenal at Woolwich, but no loss of
life resulted. A considerable quantity of prepared fuses had
been collected, and deposited in the drying-house. The men
and boys employed there had not returned from dinner when
the explosion occurred. The only person injured was a police-
man, whose beat was on that spot, and who was suddenly em-
bedded in a portion of the ruins. His injuries, although
severe, are not of a dangerous nature. The drying-room, it
appears, was heated by steam conveyed through the building
by means of various pipes, but how the accident occurred has
not been discovered. The fire was speedily quenched, and the
amount of damage was very light, considering the amount of
combustible matter collected there.

HER MAJESTY'S JUDGES IN THE RURAL DISTRICTS.—
The anniversary of the Broadhembury Agricultural Association
was celebrated on Monday last week, and the interest of the
proceedings was enhanced by the presence of Mr. Baron
Alderson (who was spending the vacation with his relative, Mr.
Drewe, of the Grange), and Mr. Justice Pattison, who resides
in the locality. The learned baron had the toast of " The
Judges of Ploughing" confided to him, and he proposed it in
a facetious speech, in the course of which he alluded to a
portly agriculturist named Pyle, who was one of the judges,
and said that that worthy gentleman had a particular claim
on him, inasmuch as he had told him (the learned baron) that
he had become a " judge of the land" 25 years ago, at the
same time that Mr. Baron Alderson had commenced his judi-
cial duties. Farmer Pyle, in responding, rejoiced at the fra-
ternising spirit of the learned baron, but said there was a
difference between the two, " and that difference," exclaimed
the sturdy farmer, slapping his breeches' pocket, " is here."
This amusing retort excited considerable laughter.
MURDER IN BELGIUM.—A mysterious murder, to which no
clue has been obtained, was perpetrated a few days ago, on the
person of Madame d'Ennetieres, wife of the marquis of the
same name, from whom she lived separated, at her country
mansion of Sominerghem, near Ghent. The unfortunate lady,
whose only daughter, an immensely rich heiress, is married to
Count Octave d'Outrelmont, and allied, through the wealthy
marquis, to many of the first noble families, appears to have
been assassinated with some blunt instrument during the brief
interval that her demoiselle de compagnie quitted her apart-
ment. On the return of the latter she saw an individual in
the act of committing the crime, but, being overcome with
terror, she flew to an upper storey, where she opened a window,
and called to the watchmen of the mansion for assistance.
Upon their arrival the crime had been consummated, and the
perpetrator had disappeared. According to the accounts given
by the local journals, the marchioness had no other domestics
or attendants with her at her country mansion than the
demoiselle de compagnie. As no robbery was committed, the
murderer is supposed to have been actuated by revenge, and
suspicion has therefore fallen upon discharged servants.
AGE ASSURANCE COMPANY.—The fourth annual meeting
of the shareholders of this company was held last week, at
their offices in Chancery-lane, London, the Rev. Geo. Roberts
in the chair. The report, which was of a very satisfactory
character, stated that during the past year the premium ac-
count, exclusive of half-yearly and quarterly premiums accru-
ing, amounted to £6,325 I.ls. ed. • and the income derivable
from polices actually in force, to £7,629 75. 3d. The directors,
in order to bring to a close, as nearly as possible, the expenditure
arising from the formation of branches, and the agency ma-
chinery of the company, had thought it advisable to clear off
all outstanding accounts connected with those subjects; and
although the liquidation thus accomplished would necessarily
make the outlay of the year in appearance heavier than usual,
yet the fact was, a large reduction had been effected in the
working of the chief office, while the cost, now defrayed, of
placing the branches throughout the country upon a firm foot-
ing might be considered in the light of capital permanently
invested for profitable returns. The directors had the satis-
faction of assuring the shareholders that no company of equal
standing could show a better foundation for progressive and
complete success. The outlay, on the whole, might seem to
be considerable, but it bad secured the formation of an estab-
lishment wherein all materials had been provided, and every
facility afforded, for carrying out the most enlarged plans for
obtaining an extensive and lucrative business.

CONCORDAT aETWEEN AUSTRIA AND THE POPE OF
ROME.—The articles of the concordat between Rome and
Austria have been published. They accord, amongst other
things, the right of full and unrestrained liberty of commu-
nication, in things spiritual and ecclesiastical, between Rome
and the prelates and clergy of Austria. To the latter they
grant the right of issuing such ordinances and instructions
on ecclesiastical matters as seems suitable to them ; to the
bishops to name their vicars-general, to grant or refuse the
collection of orders, erect benefices, change parishes, prescribe
pilgrimages, funeral ceremonies, convoke and publish the
acts of synods, &c. The bishops are to direct the reli-
gious instruction in all schools, and an ecclesiastical inspector
is to be appointed to each. They have also the right to
prohibit books contrary to religion and morals, and the civil
government promises to lend them main forte to prevent the
publication of such. Purely civil cases respecting ecclesiastics
are to be judged before civil tribunals, as also criminal cases ;
but in the latter case previous notice is to be given to the
bishop. The government has the right to present bishops to
the Pope for institution ; but for the choice he must previ-
ously take the advice of the bishop of the province. In
cathedral churches the Pope nominates the first dignitary,
the Emperor the others. The conventual bodies may com-
municate freely with their superiors at Rome, and the latter
may visit all religious houses. The reception of novices, and
the formation of new convents by the bishops is allowed, with
the consent of government. The Roman Catholic Univers
appears highly satisfied with the result obtained, and declares
the news to be the " preoccupation of all Germany and the
joy of Catholics." " The words," it continues, " with which
the concordat opens—' The Holy See accords to his Majesty
the right,' &c.—exalt in the eyes of angels and men the
apostolical empire and the young Emperor, Here, again, we
have an evidence of the labours of Mary the Immaculate for
the pacification of a people who always venerated, with a
peculiar predilection, the august privilege of the Mother of
God. May the example of the Emperor Francis Joseph not
be lost upon other kings and governments."
NaNSLI.UORTER BY A PIT-OWNER.—The locality of Ketley
has presented a scene of great excitement for several days, in
consequence of the death of a pitman, named Samuel Higley,
through the violence of a chartermaster, of the name of
William Vaughan. Some of the men below refused to work ;
Vaughan, who was above, then came to the mouth of the pit
and shouted down the shaft to know if the men intended to
work or not. They answered "No." He then asked them if
they were coming up. They answered "Yes." He said,
" Then, if you do, I'll kill you." The men at this time seem
to have entered the doubles, ready to be drawn up. Reiterat-
ing his inquiry whether they were going to remain in the pit
or not, and receiving the same rejoinder as before, Vaughan
now became unconquerably furious with passion, and, seizing
an immense "slab' of timber, hurled it down the pit shaft.
The men below heard the slab coming thundering down the
shaft, and five of them succeeded in making their escape; but
one man, named Rigley, could not disentangle himself from
the chains and get clear of the basket at the bottom of the
shaft before the immense piece of timber reached him, striking
him on the back, and inflicting the most frightful injuries.
The men shouted up to Vaughan that he had killed a man.
Vaughan seems to have been immediately seized with a
paroxysm of fear and remorse, dancing about, tearing his hair
and clothes in a frantic manner. lie then ran away. The
deceased was a young married man, aged 21, and his first child
is only five months old. The coroner's jury returned a ver-
dict of "Manslaughter" against Vaughan, and he was com-
mitted for trial at Salop Assizes.— liTolrerhampfon Chronicle.

REPRESENTATION OF SOUTHWARIL—At a late hour on
Tuesday, the following address from Admiral Sir Charles
Napier was extensively circulated, and posted throughout the
borough :—" To the electors of Southwark. The lamented
death of your late representative, Sir William Molesworth,
has again caused a vacancy in the representation of South-
wark; at the late election I abstained from going to the poll,
thebee
been
i smo
efiotreaprteop
cheerfully accede to, and announce my intention of this time
ara
going to the poll, feeling satisfied that the electors of the large
otai?nm lylsaevlifn
and important borough of Southwark, to whom my sentiments
gtobebieteoigmsoe
ashcoarntd.idaltlem, vlNe,harchinl
arc so well known, will on this occasion do me the honour of
electing use as their representative. I object to a personal
canvass, thinking that every elector should exercise Ins right
of voting unswayed itud unbiassed, and the only expenses I
will be put to will be those necessary to the poll. I shall,
however, have pleasure in attending any district meeting
where my presence may be required, and if the electors ap-
prove of my sentiments they will send me to parliament; if
not, they will choose a better man. This is the way, in my
opinion, elections should be conducted, especially in the me-
tropolis." Mr. Scovell, of ScovelPs Wharf, is also a can-
didate. Sir S. M. Peto has declined to be put in nomination
for this borough, and a requisition is to be presented to Alder-
man and Sheriff Kennedy, who, it is thought, will at once
consent to come forward. It is also in contemplation to pre-
sent a requisition to Mr. John Thwaites, a woollen-draper, of
High•street, Southwark, who is very popular in the borough.
On Thursday, Sir C. .Napier addressed a meeting of the elec-
tors, and was enthusiastically received. The contest will
most probably be between Sir C. Napier and Mr. Scovell.
SERIOUS MUTINY.—A serious outbreak has occurred at the
Horrid(' Barracks, near Bristol. These barracks are occupied
partly as the depot of the Land Transport Corps, and partly
by a portion of the Royal Artillery. Owing to the system
recently adopted of recruiting from the different regiments of
Militia into the Land Transport service, a number of fresh
men have been constantly arriving. On Wednesday morning
a number of recruits came b steam-packet from the Galway
militia, and were marched rom the Hotwells, where they
landed, to the barracks. When they came to ask for the pro-
mised bounty of £5, they were told that their outfit would
have to be deducted from it. At this they became dissatisfied,
and insisted that £5 they had enlisted for, and £5 they would
have. The sergeant remonstrated and threatened them with
the guard room, upon which they commenced an attack upon
him, and, it is said, knocked him down. The officers then
came from their quarters and attempted to restore discipline,
,
but without effect, as the insubordinate recruits attacked
them, tore the ornaments from their coats, and arming them-
selves
with stones from the great exercise yard, threw them
in thick volleys at the officers who , seeing the position in
p
which they were placed, and apprehending a serious outbreak,
called upon the artillery officers for assistance. Messengers
were immediately despatched to Colonel Patton, the ea!'
mandant of the district, and in the meantime the commander
of the artillery got his men under arms anti had a.ohowltzer
brought -ont and placed on the parade. insubottinatt n beingd
still manifested by the malcontents, the artillerymentbeesired
effect, werey ordered to load, an operation which
Ite
restoring something like order.
of the principal ringleaders
were then arrested and placed in
the guard-house, while others w llti:(e twenty and thirty
hats the
were sent into the city. It is
understood that Colonel Pattond A general feeling is ex-
be held on the has ordered court-martials to
PlnciPalt d • fe
pressed by the citizens
and then reducing it by dednctions to
ing a nominal bounty,
some ether sum.
he citizens thatche governmen o wrong in er-