The Express.
London, England, 1852-11-05 00:00:00

TILE GUN EXPLOSION AT GIBRALTAR.

The Gibraltar Chronicle gives the following ac-
count of this aceiikat, mentioned in the I:.rprest yes-
terday It is under the impression of a most painful
feeling. that we relste the particulars of a deplorable 'mel-
d( nt which took place on the .aluting battery about half-
past 4 o'clock p.m. on the 18th lust, nud by whith the litre
of two of our fellow-creatures were endangered he in I, it
is apprehended, the possibility of prosereatlty,anA Ilectral
others were more or leas severely injured. While two and
a half companies—viz., Captain Dixon's 3rd battali
Christie's ith battalion, and half of Capt. Phillpott's, of the
sth battalion of the ltoyal Artillery, under the command of
Colonel C. C. Dansey, C. 8., l.ieut. Colonel nacres Lint.
and Adjutant llashwood, Captain Lawson, Lisutenisaut
Seymour, Young, and Taylor, were carrying on run I.f4C.
tice with red hot shot, a 32-pounder, 9 feet 6 inches lone,
and weighing 56 cwt., charged with ten pounds of powder,
a dry wail and a wet one, and 321 b. iron hot shot, having
mis-tired, was reprimed and fired by a percussion-hammer
and tube. Oa the charge being ignited the run burst,
shattering the carriage to atoms, the splinters of which
knocked down six of the unfortunate sundetachminton
the spot, wour.ffing two of them (William Burnett and
IliteLen) dreadfuily, and a tlaird (Usury BA, s: very
seriously. The injuries received by the rernamiler
(Beattie, Skiffington, and Adams) wive prwiiicrtially
not serious. Colonel Dansey, who was standing within a
few feet of the piece whi a the ateisleet hapvenid, was
struck by particles of the/en-metal and splinrcrs ,a Ins
thighs and legs. llis clothes and bets were compel ly
perforated, one particle cutting into the Ileser per: of the
right thigh, and ether pieces inffcen.: bruins down
to the feet. Lieutenant Taylor was very eerieuav hurt
about the right side of his body and legs. Tleictis, parted
into a dozen pieces ; four immense masses, several hun-
dred weight each, were hurled nearly a hundred tees Ma
the air, and carried to a distance of namely 300 yard. from
the platform on which the gun was standing; and the
breech, thrown to the r,,ar, across the battery and
public road, killed an aaa oft which a little bey (who
miraculously escaped unhurt) was mounted. The whole
battery was for an instant enveloped in smoke, and the
panic which ensued during is clearing away ass One of
such iutense anxiety as to baffle description. A medic,'
officer was on the battery, others immediately valved. and
every assistance, as far as humsn efforts could be msde. vas
afforded to tho sufferers, who art., with two exceptions, in a
fair way of recovery. When we consider what a vat.: num-
ber of the military were at the guns, and the ceneourse
spectators, among whom were some Moors of distinction, it
is passing wonderful that so few were hurt; and, above el.,
that only two cases may he deemed dangerous.
" William Ilitchen died au the 24th of tas in.'s!** la,:
received."

VACXIIAr.L BRITOE rt4ll'.OlY.—S7A7ll Oy Tilt
RlTalt.—Ycaterday, an adjourned general assembly of the
proprietors of this company was held at the George
Vulture ; Mr. l'rendergast, Q.C., in the chair. Th •
minutes of the original assembly haying been read sad cei-
firmed, the report of the directors for the last sit none,'
was brought forwr.rd. It stated that the founilatiol.• of
the bridge wore in excellent order and perfectly set are..ind
that, in pursuance of a discretionary newer s
in them, they had, under an engineer's adric...
taken stops for the repair of the steamboat
pier. The company still retained 21 shares in the und.r•
taking, and Exchequer Bills to the amount of 2.00.1.
reserved fund in the 'Three per Cent. Consols is
1,2121. 10s. 9d., and the unpaid dividends amount to
364/. 3s. The tolls for the last six months were 5,5917. Ids.,
being a decrease of I Is. Id. upon the correspomFmt
perisd of last year. The pier dues were 2211. 2s. id. ; the
expenditure, 1141.35. Id. ; and the profits, 115/. 196. tkl.
iOn the motion that the report be received end entered on
the minutes, considerable discussion took place respecting
Chancery injunction applied for by Mr. Parr.ell, a direr"or•
for the removal of the pier. The directors were empowered
to take the necessary defensive measures, and the Report
was adopted.
A Silt.tliGE CittcultsrANct: took place a toy (1.-. ye
since on a farm in the commune of At. Aulna.siit•Mer
(Calvados.) A boy wishing to get rid of a miubierou• de;
hung it to ono of the rafters of the barn. A girl, who s•im,
what he was doing, reproached him with his envlrc, and
said, " Take care that it is not your turn tonorrow.- On
the following day, as a woman was passing the barn,
was horrified at seeing the boy hanging, and ran ..)tr to
give an alum. A man came to the %lilt, and not has lug a
knife, lifted the hods in his arms, and untied the knot A
surgeon was sent for, who fortunately ,acceeded in redor-
Mg animation. When the boy hod sufficiently recovered
to give an account of himself, he stated that while climbing
up to untie the rope his fuot s'ipped, and in falling the
i noose got round his neck, and he was thus near verifying
the prophetic remark of the girl.—Ualisparia

-rm

" Florcoce, Ovt. 21.

TUE DFPUTATION TO THE GRAND
DI KE OF TUSCANY.

FLORENCE, Oer. 30.
qhe Faropoin deputAtion of Evangelical Christians
itss to-min:dud its self-imposed labours, apparently
with ,ut Iwviug gained anythinq but the conscious-
ot haring discharged its duty. From the tint
Apparent that the Jesuits who sway the Grand
Dural mind to a fur greater extent 'than the respon-
sible niin eers can do, had resolved to repell the ap-
r,,,sches ..1 the protestant deputation manner
which plcold offer hut little encouragement to simi-
kr 8/.oc-diens hereafter.
,1,-putution was composed as follows:—From
England. the Earl of Roden, the Earl of Cavan' and
pcitain 'trotter ; for France, Count Azenor de o.is-
rzin. end M. de Himont; for Germany, Captain
Bouiii, of the King of Prumia's Guards, and
p,,u..Vhert Pourtales, formerly Prussian minister
le Constantinople; for 11Aland, M. Elout van
Sr•herwonile ; and for Switzerland, Colonel Inm-
an:. and M. de St. George. By some misunder-
stand:m.7, the Salmi and Dutch deputies. with M. von
rour:ali 4, did nut arrive at Florence until the cork
had been done.
_ _

On the 21th inst. the deputies transmitted the
Eiorriug eotumnnieltion to the Tuscan minister:
'iv the Duke of Casigliano, Min:ster of Foreign
Attain.

Monsieur le Nlinistre,—We approach your ex•
eel:Lucy to solicit ) our intervention for the purpose
of procuring us on audience of his Imperial High-
ness the Orinad I)uke. We desire an opportunity of
pla,ing before his eyes an expression of the svnina-
tlies which the sufferings of %I. and Mahone Sladiai
excite among our fellow .believers.
We present ourselves in the rharacter of simple
delegates from the Evangelical Christians of vari,ais
countries. not concealing from ourselves that we
hare no right in this quality to solicit the favour of
being received by his Imperial I fighnese, but conceiv-
ing that it is of consispience that a proceeding of
this .hould not he complicated by any political
icicreention or pressure whatever.

It is for this reason that we do not hare recourse
to the intermediary of one of the ministers accredited
to the Orsini Ducal court, hoping that our request
will be reeeited with the more favour that it is pre-
ftm d in our own name.

hurt-vial IliL:hness will appreciate the feel-
which prompts us t., this course, and that which
Las lititiOtt us hither. respectfully to rciaiminend
th. iii:uation of M. and Madame Medial to his ele-
faiury.

".-crept. Monsieur le Due, the assurance of our
high o:y4:aeration.
RopEtc, A. DE GAPPARIN,Cavas.
F. DE MINONT, CAPT. 'lttorrEit."
th:. bole the minister of the Grand Duke sent
en •!:c n...! day the following reply :
"To the Right lion, the Earl of Roden, Peer of
England, at Florence.
" Florence, Oct. 25.
"My Lord,—l have placed the letter signed by the
persons whore names are associated with yours, and
which a..s allre,sed to me under date the 24th of
thh, prea.nt month, La fore my august Sovereign.
" Imperial and Royal Highntss appreciates the
form under which this application is made, but he
would certailily have repulsed any political pressure
whatever: and the honourable diplomatic agents who
reside at this court would equally have abstained
from exercising it.

" The husband and wife Msdiai, Tuscan subjects,
have been condemned to six years of reclusion by
the regular tribunals for the crime of spreading pro-
testantism, which. inasmuch as it attacks the tcligion
of the state. is punished by our laws. Their punish-
ment is merely an application of those laws, and
tier appeal for a revision of the process has been
•
Nisi's' by the Court of Cessation.
"His Imperial and Royal Highness, while re-
serving to himself the exercise of his high preroga-
tive in such a manner and at such a time as he may
judge tilting, cannot accept any interposition in an
affair which concerns the administration of justice
in li;s state, and its operation upon his own subjects.
Nly august Sovereign, taking cognisance of the
benevolent sentiments which inspire your conduct,
but convinced that he ought non to listen to any
kind of intervention in this matter, orders me to
make known to you, my lord, that he regrets his
inability to grant the audience desired by you and
the ot/iZT subscribers to the letter addressed to me.
"Receive, my lord, for yourself and colleagues, the
ataurance of my high esteem.
"Le DIX DE CAsiGus-xo."
On tke next day the following note was sent to
the Tuscan Foreign.office:
"To the Due de Casigliano.
"blorence, Oct. 26.
"Monsieur le klinistre,—We have received the
r by which your Excellency does us tho honour
to ir.form us that his Imperial Royal Highness has
appreciated the form of our application, but that he
dois not lee! at liberty to grant us an audience, and
that he reserves to himself the right of exercising his
high prerogative in the manner and at the moment
which may appear to him most fitting.
" It now remains for us to elischar,,o our duty . in
the only mode henceforth possible, ty transmitting
to your Excellency the expression of the sentiments
which we are charged to bring before his Imperial
li.gliness, and which are contained in the accompa-
nying address.
" We venture to hope that if his Imperial Highness
will inspect it he will tied there uothing out of har-
m. -ay with the religious character of our mission and
with the profound respect which fills our breasts.
" Aceept, Monsieur is Duc, the renewed assurances
of our high esteem.
" Ropes, A. DE GASPARIN, A. DE Borcia,
CAVAN, F. DE BLINIONT, CArT. 'fBOTTEE."
The following is the address prepared for presen-
tation to the Grand Duke, referred to in the forego-
ing letter:—

" Mon.eigneur,—Your Imperial and Royal High-
est. is already aware with what object and in what
character we have the honour to present ourselves
be:ore you. Not only have we avoided recourse to
diplomatic intervention, which would have compro-
mised the exclusively religious character of our pro-
ceedings, but we manifest the express desire that this
dttnarehr may not serve as a starting point of any
future political actiop.
"We ore here only as private Christians, repre-
senting millions of other Christians who desire to
know nu other weapons than prayers, no other force
than that of their Divine laater. Here is an embassy
a novel kind, and ono which manifests, we venture
to think, our respect for the sentiments of the prince
to whom we are commissioned.

"Ouibreth;inl;;;;;;;CT..., Go not in the
name of this or that protestant power, but in the
name of the Lord Jesus ; go carry to the sovereign of
Tuscany the expression of the profound sympathies
which we feel 6,r the sibuatiein of the Nladiai. We
dare hope that these sympathies, so general, wfll not
be disregarded be the Prince.'
We would not, Nlonseigneur, commit the impro-
Licty of expnesing an opinion on the law which
been applied in this case, nor on the manner of
its spplicatioa. It belongs not to us to interfere in
the legislation or the administration of justice in
your states ; we feel that, to justify our conduct,
in this matter we need e my say that that which we
desire for our fellow-believers, we would not deny to
the.e who arc strangers to our faith.
"Roman catholicism is free I. the protestant coon-
trics which we represent. Your Imperial and Royal
Highness will readily perceive why we recall this
het; her how could we dare address to you &request
in taco:Jr of our brethren the Nladiai, if we were not
willing to grant the liberty of Roman catholic/ P
" We should have been wanting in the profound
'rowel which we owe to your Imperial and Royal
Highness, had we hesitated to hold this language.
"Ibis respect, which is on our lips, is aW) in oar
hearts. The evangelical Christians who have sent
hither have all learned, by the study of the 11017
hetflptures, to honour established powers, and their'
payers, few your Imperial and Royal Highness will
lured to those which rise from all parts of
Earls: and America, fur our brother and sister
Potadiai.

We venturo to hope, Monseigneur, that your
re..p.,,,5e will rejoice tho hearts of those who have
scot us.

"Rot.ENr, A. DE OASPASIN, A. DE BONIN,
C. 1% tN, F. DC MAIM, CAM TROTTEL