The Express.
London, England, 1852-01-08 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY REFORM MEETING AT

OXFORD.

One of the largest and moat influential public
meetings that hu ever been held in Oxford took place In
the Town-hall on Monday eveninn, for the purpose of re-
ceiving Sir Joshua Wallinley, M.P., and G. Thompson,
1.1'., as a deputation from tho National Reform
Association, and to propose a petition t 4 p irliainent in
favour of a full, fr. e, and fair representation of the people
in the House of Commons. By 7 o'clock, the time appointed
forthiscominencement of the business, there were fr. on 800

to 1,000 persons assembled, candidly, of men ~f all ranks,
hut a predominance of working uteri •, Mr. Jo,evit ARNE,
a councillor and post master of Oxford, in the choir.
Sir .1. WALMSLEY, who was received with mach
cheering, thanked them for the kind reception which they
had gives' him and which he considered was given rather
to the cause than to himself, who was a stranger to
them. He remarked that ho had been 'truck with the
beauty of their various halls and colleges, awl lauped the
time would 11004 coma when they would open their arms
wide to receive strangers worthy of them. (Cheers.) lie
trusted that whatever might fall from himself or his friend
would not be regarded as of a personal nature, because they
eschewed everything of the kind, and it was not V, wish
of the association which they represented to interter, in an
unto money way between members and their constituencies.
He trusted that constituents would bear in mind the duties
they owed to others, and pause before they allowed their
representatives to join au administration which refused to
recognise the principles which they advocated. lie felt
proud to be in no assembly of men who advocated the rights
of their fellow men, and required no eloquence to inducts
them to take up the cause of the people. The task was an
easy and plc sing one which the society he represented had
uudertak n, mid it r.died more on the justice of its object
than on the eloquence of its advocates, for it sought to give
effect to the principle, that men should enjoy their
full and just rights; it weight to promote a hroad
extension of the franchise ; to admit persons octunying
tenements fur twelve months to the frauchise ; to obtain
protection of that franchise by the ballot, without w:'ich it
would be worse than useless. (Cheers.) It prayed that
the duration of parliaments should not exceed three years,
and for such changes in the electoral districts as would give
a fair apportionment of members, and that a seat in the
House of Commons should not depend on a pecuniary qua-
lification. (Cheers.) 11 they were asked why they did not
advocate the payment of members, it was beeirase that was
already the law of the land, and they had the power to do
so if they thought tit. Such an extension of the suffrage,
without a ratepaying clause, would increase the constituency
fourfold ; and if any were not represented then, they wou'.4
have the opportunity of obtaining a 40s. freehold, by which
they would acquire a vote, so that the proposed scheme
would be as useful as universal suffrage itself. (Loud
cheers.) In conclusion, he urged them never to Iwo
sight of the subject, either in or out of season, ant con-
tending, as they were airtinst prejudices, elase legislation,
and a powerful oligarchy, all their efforts would te un-
availing unless they were resolute, untiring, and persever-
ing. (Loud and continued cheering.)
Mr. G. THOMPSON, who 11..111 received most COllll,llly,
next addressed the me, ting at length and with great effect,
urging the necessity for reform. His remarks were very
cordially received.
The SECRETARY read the petition, which embodied
the recommendations alluded to 1484 J. Walmsley, and it
was unanimously adopted.

BOILER EXPLOSION.-FOUR LIVES LOST.

An explosion, attended with very serious and fatal
consequences, occurred at Cold's (fill, near Dudley, yeater-
day morning. At about 3 o'clock a violent concussion was
heard thronghout the neighbourhood, and fur some miles
distant around Wednesbury, West Bromwich, and Dudley,
the report W 4. most distinctly heard.
Upon inquiry, and visiting the spot, it was te•cerWined
that an explosion had taken place at tho works occupied
by Me•srs. Davies and Bloomer, irnmedian ly a,:joiniag
those of Gold's Hill, worked by Nes,es. 11ag0.,1, sad sew hers.
At We time the explosion took place, a Man named John
Evans, the furnace man, was at the bo.ler. Ile i, stated to
have been a very steady man. Evans had cmplo)ed under
him two ',sift-int', one named Allman and the other
Osborne. Daniel Bradbury was the engines, and there
are some singular circumstances connected with the escape
of this man upon the occasion. Bradbury's duties, u en-
gineer, were iu part to superintend the boilers ; and it ap-
pears that this morning he had not left the boiler which
exploded half a minute I.efore the accident occurred. While
standing at the boiler-side, the bell rang for the engine to
be stopped, in order that the rolls might be etar.ged, when
Bradbury at 4aice repaired to hi, engine. He did not reach
it be fore the boiler exploded, and the mischief wax com-
pleted. Evans and his two assistants were instantly killed;
and a man named James, who was by trade a Phingler, died
from some cause which surgeous cannot satisfactorily
explain, as there are no outward appearances of injury.
The cause of the accident has been inquired into—but is
not satisfactorily explained. The boilers, of which there
were three, were about five tons in weight. They were
firing boilen. The plates were said to be half-inch plates,
and to Lear albs. pressure to the square inch. Th. y were
high pressure boilers. It is not a little singular that live
years ago a similar accident took place at the same works,
and that the boiler which exploited this morning is the ono
which was manufactured specially to supply the place of the
boiler which exploded on that occasion. Special pains were
taken in its manufacture. It was constructed on the works,
of first-class charcoal iron.

Also-titan FATAL COLLIERY At:Ott/ENT IN caned at
Barnsley yesterday, at the Ilarborough pit, which is the pro-
party oflifei•srs. Day and Tumbell,and where a youth named
Charles Chambers was killed by a lump actd, weighing
about 15 cwt., fulling from what is termed the top bed,
upon his bead.
PARLIAMENTARY AND FINANCIAL REFORM.
Yesterday, at the usual meeting of the Vestry of St.
Pancras, Mr. Churchwarden PIERCE in the chair, the
vestry clerk read a resolution passed at the East Pancras
Parochial Association on the 2nd instant, calling upon the
vestry to convene a public meeting of the parishioners, to
consider the question of Parliamentary and Firincial Re-
forrr, about to be introduced by Lord John Russell. A
resolution to the eff•ct that the memorial be ent,reil on
the minute+, and that the vestry call a meeting of the rate-
payers for Monday, the 26th lust, carried by a large ma-
jority.

" PRESERVED" MEATS FOR THE NAVY.—Yes-
terday the examination of the canisters of preserved
meats" was resumed at the Royal Clarence Victualling
Establishment, Portsmouth. Out of 300 canisters of 101 b to
1111 b. each, only one was suffered to pass as consumable, the
rest were condemned and thrown overboard at /4:11. Tho
contents were chiefly loose putrid matter, now and then
varied with a few'stones, entrails with the excrement in
them, kidneys green with decomposition, lumps of heart,
and in many cues whole hearts festering with putridity,
coagulated blood in great abundance, tallow, lumps of
tendons, garbage, grease, and effxl. After three hours'
labour, the officers forming the board were compelled to
leave off, the stench was so great, notwithstanding that at
intervals a man was employed saturating the floor with Sir
William Durnett's disinfecting fluid, while a blanket satu-
rated with the same was hung up immediately contiguous to
the bench whereon the contents of the canisters were emptied.
Due notice of the intended examination was given to the
contractor's agent and his sureties, requesting their at-
tendance, but no one has appeared, and the contractor him-
self is not to be found. At the commencement of this in-
vestigation, on Tuesday week, there were 6,660 canisters,
varying in size from 41b. to 11.1 b.. and Nome of 32,h. each,
and about three months ago, when the stench arising from
the store in which they were kept made the authorities of
the Clarence-yard suspect something was wrong, the agent
to the contractor came down and took away 2,000 canisters
(containing 17,00016. of stuff) without opening them. This
contrast has long since been paid for. The examining of-
ficers will not resume their disgusting task until Friday.
About 2,000 more canisters rem:un to be examined. Com-
modore Lambert, of the Fox, on the East India station,
returnA a lot of this stock, with a report that after par-
taking of some of it those who had done so had been seized
with sickness, die. Other ship. have likewise been sup-
plied.

COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS FROM THE CAPE OF
Goou !i01.13; received by the Harbinger, are very unsatis-
factory ; the losses of the colonists by the Kaffir war having
almost put a stop to the trade of the interior, and will se-
riously reduce the quantities of wool and other produce
usually exported to this country. The prices of the princi-
pal articles of export were as follows:—Wool, 101 to
lA. 2,d. per lb. ; skins, sheep, 61. to 10d. ; goat, Is. 3d. ;
seal, 151. to 17s. each; hides, dry, Id. to 3,1. per lb.; wet,
2d.: horns, IL 11. 10., per 100; ostrich feathers, 3!.
to 71. per lb. ; argol, 11. 10A. to 11. 13s. per 100IbA. ; ele-
phant tusks, 4s. 34. to 4s. 6d. per lb.; gum,
15s. 2.1. to Ilk. per 100Ibs. ; oil, whale 181. per too;
and sea elephant, 19!. 10s.; tallow, Ifki. to 11d. per
lb.; while fins, rd. fie per pipe. Freights to England;
Wine, 'AK per pipe ; 60.. for dry, and 40s.
for wet ; wool, id. per lb.; skins, 51. per 1,000 ; and
horns, 2s. per 1,000. The estimates for 1812 had been laid
before the council. The estimated revenue for the year is
placed at '204,7001., against 210,0011. in 18.31, and the total
estimated expenditure at 200,8281., against 231.168/. in
1851. The decrease in the expenditure arises from the sum
lof 2,574/. being approprieted to "works and buildings,"
against 10,11$1r. last year, and "aborigine. " requiring only
• 730!. this year, instead of 7,131/. last year. For " emigre-
' tion " no sum is required, against 7,9.501. in 18-51; for
roads, streets, and bridges, only 27,6001. ia nquirill, instead
of 33,4321. in 18.50. The conveyance of mails, on the other
hands, absorbs 12,711/. this year, against 9,423/. in 111.50,
!.vat year the estimates gave an expediture of 210,1201., but
the actual expenditure was 231,568/. ; it may. therefore, be
interred that the estimated expenditure for 18.52 will also be
much below the actual disbursements.

NOR 111 BRITISH R Mu-Av.—A meeting of share-
holders in this company was held at the Guildhall Coffee-
house yesterday—.tr. Brock in the chair—when various
allegation. basing hen made that tho present di messed
state of the company'a affairs arose from a want of efficient
superintendents soil management, it committee of nine
gentlemen was appointed to take the necessary steps for
c inveniug a mineral meeting of the propel tars, with a
view of acting whether some course cannot he adopted for
the improvement of the management and condition of the
property, and .1 subscription was entered into to defray the
necessary expenses of getting an authorised list of share-
holden', and communicating with them, by cit.liar, upon
the subject. A late of thank. to the chairman fur con-
vening the meeting concluded the proceedings.