The Express.
London, England, 1855-01-25 00:00:00

NAVAL AND MILITARY.

ADMIRALTY, JAN. 24.—APPOINTWENTB.—Com-
mender J. P. Luce (1854) to the Artel, 9, screw steam-
sloop, at Portsmouth.

Assistant• Surgeon J. S. Ayerst (1847), to the Calcutta,
84, at Devonport.

Clerks' Assistant F. L. Page, to the DuLe of Wellington,
130, screw steamship, of 780 bone-power, at Bpithead.

Tenders will be received by the Admiralty on the
30th lint, for the conveyance of ordnance stores to Malta,
New South Wales, Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land,
and Melbourne; and provisions to Gambia, Rio Janeiro,
and Valparaiso.

Two captain, four subalterns, six sergeants, two
drummen, and 100 rank and file from each depot of regi-
ments serving in the Crimea, are ordered to be held in
readiness for immediate embarkation for Malta, where
they will form a provisional depot to the army under Lord
Raglan.

The authorities of the Royal Clarence Victualling
Establishment. Gosport, are aow loading the transport,
late, Louisa, Margaretta, and Shannon, with provisions for
Malta and the Crimea.

Major General Henry William Breton is appointed
to the Lienten6nt-Governonbip of Portsmouth and the

command in chief of the eonth•wat military district

PORTSMOUTH, Jaw. 24.

The Retribution, 28, paddle-wheel steam-frigate,
Captain Tatham, arrived at Spithead late last night, from
the Crimea and Malta. She has brought home 49 invalided
and wounded soldiers, who were landed this morning, and
conveyed to the Military Hospital in this garrison. Lien-
tenant Cator, 68th Light Infantry, who is wounded, comes
home by this ship. The Retribution bean very strong proof of
the severity of the treatment she received at Sebastopol dur-
ing the attack on the tuts by the English and French Beets.
Her mainmast is quite goes, having been knocked away by
a shell, whilst her rigging is almost entirely destroyed.
Her hull also has marks of shot and shell in several phew.
The Retribution hu mede the voyage from Constantinople
to this port in 21 days, including her stoppage at Malta.
The Sprightly, steamer, Muter Commander Allen,
sailed this afternoon for Plymouth with supernumerary
mama for the ships fitting there.
The Penelope, 16, paddle steam frigate, Captain Coffin,
was taken out of the steam buds this afternoon.

The Rajah, steamer, is loading alongside the dockyud
with the remeleder of the wooden huts for the Crimea.

Ths Canadian, anew steam ship, will embark about
1,200 men, drafts of various regiments in t►e Crimea, OR
Friday next.
Tits James Watt, 91, screw ship, Captain Elliot, is
having her foremast stripped, requiring a new one.

SHEERNESS, J*i. 24.

The Desperate, 8, screw steam ship, was taken into
the fitting basis, yesterday, to be refitted for immediate
service.

DEVONPORT, Jeri. 24.

The Malays, 51, *crew, is to be got ready with
all possible spud. Her crew hu been granted 14 days•
eau. The Cesar, Captaia Robb, is being fitted for the
nuptials of troop.. The Calcutta is lying is the Sound,
under orders to sail. The Nile will come out of dock en
Friday hut.

SOUTHAMPTON, JAL 24.
The. royal MCI etemsei &veto, now at this port,
snag Op ea a hoipaid ship for thißlaek Sea, wit be ready
fa a day er two. The royal snail steamer Avon, chartered
she foe the Black Else, is rapidly refitting. the United
States clipper ship Whim Palma, taking in hots for the
French soldiers in tits Crimes, ie nearly loaded. The
Crones and Ili:inlays are still la the dry docks. The latter
will not have seek extensive alterations =WO on her as was
first proposed by the government. The transport steamers
Loa and Simla ere shortly expected at Southampton from
the ➢lack Elm.

WARN Currango ma THE So
lowish is a list et theuledting illeembeekeld at • JA,
Jean 9 :—Weollen. Jersey', 49,480 • 4,7:: ••• • ..c1
48,448; eoi kr (pain), 86,288 ; oomtorte2 ,
owl* fr`lr bow (*To, 26,2130; shoe. (Pain), 4,1 i •
6,000; soma, 6,934 ; great cctw, 10,000
Of other toomforte that easy. be domed with r'
WWII leaded Buffalo robes, 12,061; Imo; Vrf
19,21,10; bolster itemei, 21,800; bleakelk • Ow!
bFOintbezas.a).a-o"446:stra.; IbilvililAPOST- • •‘lB/..i.;"1
1866 —bails Tat hokum minor money ••P ;
be opened at the undermentioned places i—Brynstio, Ben.
birthaltire ; Kaaborougb, Yorkshire; Tanya, blerioaetti•

TII LATE FAT: a. ACCIDENT IN ST.
jAItEB•B PARK.
—4,—

Yeetct day gr. Bedford held an inquest in the
beard-room o the Westesinoter Hospital, upon the bodies
of James Bradley, aged 16 ; George Edwards, aged 15
John Hutton, aged IS ; and Jobs Linters, aged 16 who
Were drowned, on the afternoon of Saturday last, in the
brasmitatal water in St. James's Park.
The identity of this deceased having been preyed,
Wiliam Clark, a seafaring youth, was first examined.
are said he was upon the ice in St. Jalaila'S Park about half-
past three o'clock on Saturday afternoon, and standing
eery near bur youths, who had just come down one slide,
*ad were preparing to return up another, when he observed
the lee give way, and all of them fall into the water. See.
log that no proper °dicers were near, himself and other
persons ran to fetch hurdles, which were thrown towards
the parties struggling in the water. Some pumas, an ao-
deavouriag to render assistance to the boys is the water,
became immersed themselves, and one of these was
drowned. Only one of Ito Ant four who fell la escaped,
and he did so by getning hold of the drag pole which was
throws to hide by • bystander. Four of the boys were
clinging to each other for more then Ave minutes before
they sank, and one of them for a much longer period.
Folly half an hour elapsed before the bodies were get oat
of the water. During that time witness only saw one man
beloagiog to the Royal Humane Society, sad he did not
arrive till firs minutes after the accident happened. He
trough% only a life-buoy and hand-line with his. Had the
Machinery belonging to the Humane Society been Lair the
spot, witness confidently believed that all the parties might
have been saved. Boards indicating danger" were exhi-
bited in several parts of the ice, and one of them was very
near the fatal spot.
Frederick William, a printer, also deposed to having
seen the boys' fates through the ice. lie believed they
floated for hearty ten minutes before they sank; one of
them was in sight for nearly 16 tainates. Several persons
exhibited great intrepidity in endeavouring to rescue the
boys; and one of the deceased was in the act of assisting the
others when he also sank. Orily one of the Humane
Society's men was pressot, and all the parties *seeps one
had stook tutore he arrived. He brought with hiss a life-
buoy attached t e • lice, which he threw towards the
sinking youth, but it failed to reach him. No other
machinery belonging to the Humane Society was there.
If they bed had even ropes, all the parties might have been
saved. The Humane Society's officer wore an india-rubber
life-preserver round his cheste but he made no attempt to
go into the water.
W illiam Flower, a stone sawyer, was parsing through the
park at the moment the accident occurred, end, together
with his mots, ran round to the wild fowl island, in order to
render assistance. He also was of opinion that, providing
the proper implements had been at hand, at least three of
the four lire- might have been saved.
William D. an, one of the park constables, who assisted
the last witness, depo.ed that the boys must hare been in
sight at lout from 10 to 15 minutes.
Edward Cook, • bricklayer, end occasionally employed
by the Humane Society as ea iceman, said he was on duty
I. St. James's-paik on Saturday last. Just previttusly to
the accident he bad been called to extricate a gentleman
who hod become immersed near Buckingham Palace. Wit-
ness was returning in the direction of the Horse Guards
when the alum ot Intl accident was given. Ile sent a rope to
the spot by two geemen, aid followed himself with the
life buoy and other apparatus. Two other officers of the
society had been in St. James's-park during the day, but
just at this periot they had gone to the society's office in
Trafalgar-sqsare, leaving witness alone on duty. Ooly one
of tie boys was visible when witness reached the scene of
the accident. Witneu had been in the water seven times
that morning, and his clothes were frozen upon him, or he
might have reached the spot more speedily. He believed
that if the proper apparatus had been at band the boys
might have been saved.
A juror—Were you not asked to plunge into the water
and endeavour to rescue the drowning lads?
Witness-1 believe some person desired me to do so, but I
was not in a fit state to render the required assistance. I
had been on duty seven hours without relief.
Witness here banded to the coroner • paper recording a
long list of rewards he had received for rescuing persons
from drowning.
The Cornier said there appeared to be no fault attribut-
able to witness, who had dune all he could under the cir-
com.tances. D.d the witness know how many men were on
duty on the day fellowing the accident?
Witness—Eleven men and one boy were stationed in St.
Jame s'e pai k.
Edward !Laskin, one occasionally employed as an iceman
by the Humane Society, said himself, sod many other con-
stable. bad repotted themselves at the receiviog-house, in
Hyde-park, for employment on Saturday morning. Mr.
Charlier declined to engsge any of them, but told them to
attend the nest day.
Herbert Williams, the superintendent, being sworn, woe
asked by the Coroner—How can you explain the fact that
not more than one man was Bent to each pack on Saturday
morning ?
Mr. Williams—Mr. Charlier assumes the entire rupee-
sibility of employing the icemen. In consequence of the
thermometer paring fallen to 21 uegrees on the previous
day, and my personal observation of the increased substance
of the ice, I wrote to Mr. Chattier, and advised that the
full force of constables should be employed, but be declined
to increase the number before the following Sunday. I
have ao pewee to put on the men myself.
Coroner—Do you think that if a sufficient force of icemen
bad been on duty the lives of these unfortunate youths
might have been saved ?
Mr. Williams—With the proper appliances of ropes and
ladders, there can be little doubt of it.
The medical tee imony having proved drowning to be the
cause of death in all the cases,
The Coroner briefly summed up, and the jury, after
considering for a few momenta, returned a verdict of " Ac-
cidental Death," the Foreman, on behalf of himself and the
rest of the panel, remarking that they could nut record that
verdict without a string expression of their,feeling that the
lamentable deaths of these young men was attributable in •
great measure to the Humans Society, in not having a sun-
client number of men and proper means at hand to protect
life in St. James's park on Saturday lest.
Mr. Chattier, thus appealed to, said that on no former
occasion durlog his experience of eleven years had the
society bad the misfortune to lose so many lives in one acci-
dent. The society were frequently blamed for having too
many icemen on duty, inasmuch as it was said to encourage
the foolhardy to run into danger. The unfortunate facts
which read been elicited were entirely owing to Saturday
having been the first day of the feast. Had it °marred on
the Sunday, all toe men would hare been on duty. If the
wouid come in a little more spontaneously with their
subscription', the society might employ more constables.
The Coroner said there might be something in that, and
with this remark the proceedings terminated.

Tilts LIVERPOOL TOWN DtrEs.—Yesterday, a meet-
ing was haid in the mayor's parlour, Manchester, "to con-
sider and determine upon the steps to be taken for securing
the support and eo-operation, not only of the districts which
are more immediately interested in obtaining relief from
the tel now levied (to pay the borough expenses) on every
article imported into or *sported from the p set of Liver-
pool; but ale iof sU places which may be suffering under
imposts of • like character, and therefore similarly inte-
rested in urging on the Board of Trade the necessity for
carrying out without delay the recommendations of the
Shipping Dues COMlllinloll. Many influential gentlemen
of Manchester sod Salford were present, end deputations
attended from Ashton under-Lyne, Bolton, Oldham, Roch-
dale, Stockport, end Liverpool. The meeting was ad-
dressed by the Mayors of Manchester sad Salford,
and by Messrs. Henry Ashworth, William Bibb, Malcolm
Ras, &a. The following resolationwas unanimously adopted:
"That the claim of the corporation of Liverpool, to exact
the payment of dues arbitrarily fixed, in respect of every
article imported into, or exported from the port of Liver-
pool, without being under legal obligation to expend any
portion of the amount obtained, in maiatainbsg and im-
proving the port, or for the benefit of shipping, is as uncon-
stitutional in its nature es it is opposed is principle to all
recognised lase •' and the exaction of such dues, to the ex-
tent of upwards of 125,0001 per annum, to be expended
fur strictly local and borough purposes, constitutes a most
vexatious and unjust tel upon the trade end commerce of
the nation which in the opinion of this meeting, ought to
be abolishe. l." It was also resolved that the necessary steps
should betaken for bringing the subject tinier the attention
of the government, and the following gentlemen were
appointed • committee for that purpose:—The Mayor of
Manchester; S r Elkeneh Armitage ;_Mr. Alderman Shut
Geworth ; Mr. Alderman Bancroft; Thomas Bagley, Rot,
president of tie Manchester Chamber of Commerce; Henry
Ashworth, Esq , vice- preeideat ; J. A. Turner, Eq., pre
sident of the Manchester Commercial Association ; Malcolm
Roes, Rol , vice-president; George Loch, Seq.: his Wor-
ship the Mayor of Salford; S R. Langworthy, Esq.
VALUE OF LAND IN THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF
Lonsos.—Notwithstanding the war, it appears that there
is:not the slightest isdispoution on the part of members of
freehold lend societies to invest their espital on estates on
which building operations are tare to be commenced. The
Old Ford estate, Bow, which is withia the district of the
Tower Hamlets, was allotted yesterday (January 24) at the
ofScis of the Conservative Land Society, end small plots to
the value of upwards of 6,0001 were eagerly selected by
members. The allotment of the estate excited much inter-
est. It is close to the Victoria park, and a new church is
about to be erected in its immediate neighbourhood. On
theism. day the society offered another estate, situated at
East Retford, North Notts, width fossedical favour in
the eyes nett only of local bal al &OW
Ax INTERESTING A1Ca1101.003011......-iteleas
just bees made at Coatis's', seer Lwariaas. of •
tomb *staining • large earthen vase, is which wee esediss
of gismo( a square form. nil assiseel al this elaskaal
of boom, ashes, two rings, and bar sum esin—a. el'
Fautina, the wife of Manse Amass, and the mbar three
of Lucille, the sister of Commodes. Between these lay a
bronze ring with the isseriptkm" Pins," and close M this.
• golden ring set with • ruby, and a sleep set with jewels.
,Theee trinkets denoted the lamb to be Mat of a woman.
All these objects have bees besets by the esatesal museum
of Lassese.

Kab3 intelitgenct.

EQUITY COUNII3,-JAN. 24.

1111/0111 TICI•CrLOCIV/011 HS WIG PAU WOOO.
711501 e. BiateLAND.
Mr. Danlel, Mr. Rudy, and Mr. Charnock appeared for
the plaintiff in this ease, is whisk a hill ladle* filed
penis' that it might be declared that the sum of 1,6431.
Meek standing is the name of Mary Pierce, and the
des* wheel& had accrued thereon singe her death, were
Mead by and subject to the trusts and provisions of an in-
dealers dated the 26th day of November, 1851, that
that indenter' might *earned into *muting under the
direction of the court, sad that the defends* Beanland
might be restrained from dealing with the said sum of stock.
Tete lodestars is question was one dated 26th November,
1851, and made between Mary Pierce of the one part the
plaintiff, and Jacob Pierce of the second part, and Jobe
Pierce of the third part, and after reciting that thellald
Mary Pares was entitled to certain real estate and SIMI
is the feeds, and the personal property enumerated be elsi
schedule thereto smashed, and that she was desire* of
making pronsioufer the said plaintiff and Jaoub Pierce,
eonveyed and aniseed all the said real and pension
estate to the said John Pierce upon trust for
banal( for life, sad after her death am" trust
for the said plaintiff and Jacob Pierce in the
skins therein motioned, with a proviso that the
said John Pierce should retain 301. out of the property for
W lows ate. This deed was impeached as a forgery, and
the circumstances of the case were of a somewhat extraor-
dinary nature. It appeared that Mary Pierce was • widow
who had lived at Devizes since the year 1822 or 1823, up to
the time of het death on the 18th Octor, 1862. She was
the sister of Dr. John Crew, of Devises, who died in 1819,
Withoet issue, and intestate, leaving her his sole nest of kin
and heiress et law. She had Married beneath her own eta.
lion, and had for some years acted as organist at Putter*,
a village about two miles from Devises, where her hushes'
lived. Her hnabsnd had three brothers ; the plaintiff, Wm.
Pierce, who had left Devises early in life and had sines
been residing in various places, principally in Landes;
Jacob Pierce, who had lived all his life at Devises, ass
was a blacksmith, and John Pierce, who was a Webster
rsou
and • labouring man. Mary Pierce upon the death
of her blether was left without any pre who had any
Wand claim of relationship to ber of whose ex-
, lasses eke wee aware ; she had endeavoured daring her life
lipelasrpn any such, andhad had advertisements inserted in
ithe papas foe that purpose, but without effect, gad the den
beemat Beanland, who had since Dome forward claiming la
be her nest of kis, had never been heard of till some time
after her death. Four or five years before her death she
took one of the daughters of Jacob Pierce to live with berme
servant and companion. See became infirm in body before
her death, but not in mind. She was, however, somewhat
eccentric, and did not mix much with her neighbours. The
plaintiff, William Pierce, was in the habit of going down to
Devises to see her. Down to 1861 she allowed her rents
sad the proceeds of her property to be received by Mr.,
Meek, a solicitor at Devizes, but before that time she had
bemoan dissatisfied with him, and in 1850 had authorised
Jacob Pierce to act for her in her money matters, and in
March, 1861, she authorised him to require Mr. Meek to
bue up his bill, whieh was done. The papers in
hands were handed over, and no further aim-
Manication in reference to her affairs took place be-
tween her and Mr. Meek during her life. According to the
plaintiff's ease, on the occasion of the plaintiff's neat visit,
lin. Pierce gave him instructions to get • deed prepared,
making over her property after tier death for the benefit of
himself and her brother-in-law Jacob, and pave him 101.
fur the purpose, that thereupon he mentioned the matter
to a person of the name of Giddiap, who was a sort of
Imager on of solicitors* offices, and who moan acquaintance
of kit from his bring a Potterne man. Giddiegs midge-
t** to get the deed prepared, and for that purpose gave
Instructions to a Mr. Brown, who had been a solicitor, but
had not then a certificate, and Brown instructed Mr. Wat-
son, a conveyancer, to prepare the deed, and it was pre-
pared accordingly. On the 24th November William Pierce
and a man of the name of Martindale went down to
Devizes with the deed, and the next day it was 'located by
her and attested by Martindale. Jacob Pierce was there
then, and John Pierce also, but the latter did not stay,
having some matters of business of his own to attend to,
and other members of the family were present. The deed
was read over and explained to Mrs. Pierce, and then she
signed it. It was afterwards signed by William and John
Pierce, and taken charge of by William, at the request of Jobs
upon the ground that he was better able to take care of it
and took the greatest share of the property under it.
There was evidence that Mrs. Pierce had stated to several
wow her intention of disposing of her property among
tee Pierces, and of her desire that her property should net
go to the crown; and one witness stated that Mrs. Pierce
had told her that she had arranged her property end made
It over to Pierce, of Potterne, and that nobody could do him
eat of it. This deed having been thus executed in Novena-
her, 1861, in the October following Mrs. Pierce's house was
burnt down, and she herself was burnt in the ruins, under
greumstanees of some suspicion, and the defendants insinu-
ated that the house was set on fire by the Pierces. The
defendant's ease rested principally oa the evidence of Old-
dings, who had made an affidavit, is which, after stating
the way in which instructions were given and the deed pre-
, pared, in which he did not differ from the plaintiff se case,
he stated that on the 20th of November William Pierce
asked him for the engrossment, as he was going down to
Devizes to try to get it executed. That in the beginning of
December he went to en Pierce again, when he penalised
the deed and asked Giddings to write the schedule
of personal effects on the deed from a list which
he produced, and which he (Giddings) accord-
ingly did. That at that time he noticed that
the deed was signed by the other parties but not by Many
Pieree. He mentioned this, and William Pierce told him
that she refused to sign any deed with respect to her pro-
perty, as she wished it to go to her relations from whence it
was. That William Pierce then stated that he had ob-
tained a signature in Mrs. Pierce's writing, and that he
(Giddings) could copy it very nicely, and better than he
(the plaintiff) could; that be than weal to • drawer and
took oat a slip of paper, with the signature " Mary Pierce "
upon it, and when Giddings asked him how he got it, he
aaswered that he had procured a letter to be written to
Mrs. Pierce about some tax business, requiring an immediate
answer, or that she would be fined, and that thereupon
Mrs. Pierce wrote an answer and gave it to her servant,
Jane Pierce, to put into the post, and the servant handed
the letter to the plaintiff ; that he had torn off the letter
and kept the signature. The plaintiff then promised Gid-
dings 1801. and • valuable Cremona violin belonging to Mrs.
Pierce, if be would imitate the signature Be refused to do
anything of the sort, and the plaintiff then said there was
no harm in it, as it was better for the property to go to them
than to the government. That he afterwards saw the
plaintiff again at his house in York-road, and
he then asked him to get the deed stamped.
He showed the deed, and asked whether the name
Mary Pierce was net • good imitation, producing at the
same time the slip of paper, and comparing the two, and
said it was done by a scientific process, so as to have it
meetly the same; that he (Giddings) refused to get the
deed stamped, and he remarked that the deed was not
then attested by Martindale. Giddings further stated that
Martindale had since informed him that he had been down
to Devizes, but that he had eon Mrs. Pierce. Old-
dings then went on to swear that he did sot see the plaintiff
spin till October, 1852, when he stated he was going down
to Deviate to find out whether Mrs. Pierce had made • will,
and, if not, te induce her to do so; and on the 19th of oo-
tober he saw him again, and he then said he had just re-
turned, and that he had had • letter that morning, infer*
rj..t.m that Mrs. Pierce's house had taken flee the night
sad that the house and all in it had Dees burnt, and
lonself burnt in the ruins. Giddings further went ea to
tag tbat in August, 1862, he called at Mr. Meek's, for the
of informing him about this deed, but that Mr.
was absent ; that he subsequently tried his utmost,
bat without succor, to find some relations of Mrs. Pierce
to communicate the facts to, and that he bad afterwards
written to Mr. Meek an amount of the business. No such
letter was produced. There were further affidavits by Mr.
Meek, who said Mrs. Pierce was a suspicious person, and
sot likely to assents such a deed. And by his clerk re-
hiding circumstances tending to show her eccentricities
and thedielasions under:which she laboured; that she fancied
her segghbour in the next house was making a way through
into hog bedroom, and that she should be murdered; that be
wee wag eight and day boring holes ; that he inserted
Illakl=llled with gunpowder which he set fire to sad
into her bedroom ; that these flashes of light
semellifeel aearly blinded her ; and that he made use of
MN meld* by minas of which he was enabled to +Sh-
amir*, air from the room, which took away her breath
sail debut killed her. All this she had stated in an interview
obis be MI bees sent to take instructions for making her
alit, ssi OM be then stated that he did not consider her
in•sempoleat state to make a will. The inspector of police
able even to similar circumstances, and also threw out in-
simmtheas against Jane Pierce, who lived with her, and
wise had made an affidavit as the state of her mind, and
also iaaketations as to the fire having taken place under eir-
oniestaness of grave suspicion. Upon the death of Mrs.
Pine, the stock was still standing is her name, and • dis-
triages was put upon it by the plaintiff, sod he had also
loommeseed an action of ejectment to recover the real
estate, but this action had not been proceeded with
I It was conteaded, on behalf of the plaintiff, that the three
Iproposition which must be made eat,—tint, that the deed
was executed by Mary Pierce ; secondly, that it was
I obtained fairly and that she understood its purport and
effect; and thirdly, as to the money in the funds, that the
relaties:of trustee and cestui quo trust was completely made
out, were all fully established. It was not disputed that
iadasstions were given to Brows to have the deed pre-
pared, gad there was not aay pretence for saying that there
was any intention of committing forgery in the first instance.
It was sot pretended that any such idea was entertained as
foveae Mrs. Pierce's name until after the return of William
Piero and Martindale from Devises. Mr. Meek, who
must have known well the handwriting of Mrs. Pierce, did
set pretend to say it was not her genuine signature. There
was no evidence to impeach the deed except the story told
by Giddings, whisk was extremely improbable. It was
improbable that men who were manna* with business
should think of taking down the deed without the schedule
lira it, when the sebedale was referred to in the
body of the deed. Then it was most improbable
that William Pieria should propose to Giddings is the
lcool way he did to commit • forgery, or that Gid-
dings should receive the proposition apparently with-
lout surprise. (The Vies-Chanosilor here remarked that
Giddings all through his evidence seemed to treat for er y
lea • matter of every day budges, and the only Strap ehe
eattatiised seemed to be to getting a forged deed .1