The Express.
London, England, 1847-02-16 00:00:00

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timehopodthat they wereaMat all shaken in thca confidence
In kim ma a representative. Mr. Wakley concluded with
some remarks upon the necessity for • reform m the present
poordaw, which were received with great applause.
The kos)th of Mr. Thomas Dancimate, M.P., was then
proposal by the Clusinnan, together with several other
toasts, stick were warmly responded to ; shortly after
which the party broke up.

straits remonstrated with the &fondest as to the fearful de-
lusion under which she laboured, and with a promise from
her not to go near the complainant, allowed the parties to re-
tire. Mrs. Cole seemed naturally shrewd on Laurel
subjects, and before she left the court, admitted
sibilityef her belief being erroneous, for sheer " We 11.,,
Athere are such things as witches, my is one."
A second instants may be taken from the Leeds May
of Saturday last. " A person in humble circumstances,
residing in the neighbourhood of Bradford, had a daughter
grown up, who is terribly afflicted with epilepsy, the fits of
which have grievously affected her both mentally and bodily.
The father went to one of those half quacks, half " wise
men," as they are termed. which to the disgrace of the sr
still infest this neighbourhood! for adrift respecting the
young woman. The quatle seriously advised him to paths
skull of a young woman, not decayed, and to pound it Min,
mix it with treacle, and give it in small doses to the raw
woman, asserting that it would be a ewe ready it tke
disorder. Afar
of trouble the father oldideeithememineen
compound, all of which was serepaleuelpaikhdaddie ii
Course without effect, theyoung gems swarektel=re
deplorable condition."--The NedhiliOluseleile
case in its report of a case before Ile nuistratee atlferwfaL
"An old woman, named Chasidim Harley, an bashe ether
Great Hospital, came to claim *be protection of rife magis-
trate, against several of her felkardasatee, but use viry old
lady in pertic.lar (who appeared In snort), who had been
tormenting her for soma time past, agensing her of having
stolen a cloak. It appeared, that the defendant had lest a
cloak from off a clothes' line in the heeplad-yard, and having
consulted with her cronies, it was uselved that she should
go to a " cunning woman," blame Ilemennah Rix, who was
noted far and wide for her skill miketeedes thieves by means of
charms and incantations. The deleadest,aellemparoed by a
friend, visited Mrs. Rix, and laid helm hat the bib of the
ease. The " wise woman" took her took of incantation,
and reed a long rigmarole, ending, of course, with a string
of jaw-breaking words, which are supposed to be the peou-
kar Magmas* of gnomes, genii, and the spirits apportioning
Asi Imps, end chains. She then told flee defendant
WV bine, and return in a day or two, when it wee" liable,"
HAG put her trust in God, that she would guile* sleek
again. The old woman returned at the eppeisked tine ,•
and the " wise woman" having, we suppose,la the Interval
been favoured with a personal interview (by the. aid of her
wondrous power) with the thief, gave a desmipticia of her,
which, unfortunately, corresponded with Mn. Burley's ap-
pearance. The defendant, on reaching home, immediately
charged Mrs. B. with taking the cloak, sad had " bothered
her so" ever since, that she was obliged to apply for protec-
tion to the magistrates. Inspector Peek said, he received
information of the robbery and he found the cloak at a
pawnbroker's, where it had been pledged by a lad in a fustian
coat, who went there in great haste, saying his mother was
very ill, and wanted some money to pay for the doctor.
The magistrates said it was most likely that the lad had
just stolen the cloak, and advised the defendant to let the
matter drop, as it was evident the complainant had nothing
to do with it. Susannah Rix, who resides near the Rising
Sun, was then brought forward, and asked u to her share
in the business. She acknowledged that she told fortunes,
and helped people to regain their lost property, but said,
she did not make use of anything evil ; she =aced
her book (a very old one), entitled, " A Book ofooggyy
and Necromancy," and pointed out the charm she used.
There was also an incantation for raising " the dark gentle-
man," with a 11111-length portrait, with horns and tall. Mr.
Palmer asked if she believed she could raise " him," and if
he would appear in that shape She said, the book was
some centuries old, and she did not thick the " spirit" would
come in that 'attire in the present day. The magistrates
cautioned her. that if they heard of her practising in her
profession again, they should send her to prison for three
months. She said if her husband behaved to her as he
ought, she should not be obliged to take " tuppences
and throppences" from people for telling their fortunes.
Mr. Hudson thought her art must be weak, if she
could not make him rapport her properly. The
case was then dismissed. A cemelading quotation may
be made from the Inverness Courier to show that Soodeadei
equally implicated in this superstitious ignorance. Johnitair-
son, 24 years of age, residing at Manilla, in the island of Harris,
wag brought before J R. Macdonald, Big:, J. P., Rodil, to
answer to a singular charge of propagating his belief in a
ridiculers and vulgar superstition, or of imposing a fiction
on his credulous neighbours. It appears that about a fort-
night ago, on a dark night, in a wild and solitary moor,
as Morrison was journeying homewards from Obe, where he
had been to procure sense medicine for a sick child, he
observed on his way, near a lake, an object which appeared
to him as possessed of life. As he proceeded onwards,
towards a burn in his course, he again perceived the tome
object, which he now knew to be a female, walking slowly.
before him over the stepping stones in the burn. He salubid
her, but she made no reply. Having a stick in his hand, lie
raised it to push the female with it, that she aght nodes it;
but still not a word was spoken. He then became very
much alarmed, and, fearing that he had met with an appa-
rition, he repeated some Gaelic psalms. After the lapel of a
little time, and on a nearer inspection of her " mouth and
nose," he recognised her as a eusin of his own who died
some three yrarsap. She at length broke the solemn Wanes
which she had maintained, and the following conference took
place . " You have now got a school at Mulish ? " To which
he replied, "We have." " You attend it yourself? " I
do." " There is not a day you do so, then, but you backslide,
step by step, from your Creator ; and I little thought that
any friends of mine would have gone to that school." fibs
further added, that " she was commissioned to go abroad,
about Lammas last, in quest of s sayer!, but till now failed
in getting one; and that unless be published among hie
neighbours this message, she would soon repeat her visit."
This aerial spirit then took flight, and instantly rankled!
On getting home the youth took to his bed, and, aceardiet le
his own statement, has scarcely got over the fright yet. •
new edition of the story was, however' soon of erica Net
up, with the addenda that, on some future wig% Met if
distant, the school-house was to be set on fire.by amyl
apparition. It is needless to say the story gained ready are-
deuce among the ignorant and unenlightened natives ; and
the school—which is in connexion with the education selems
of the general assembly of the church of Ikederl—erhal it
could biAst of sixty-four scholars before tile eepersatieral
appearance occurred, has dwindled down to sixteen. The
schoolmaster, Mr. Donald M'Lean, fearing that the
threat of burning his school-house might be carried into
execution by this wonderful visitor, in some of her nocturnal
expeditions, enraged a man, and provided him with his own
gun, and pave him directions to patrol and keep watch
throughout the night, and, by firing it, scare away any one
intent upon an incendiary errand. As his scholars were daily
disappearing, the poor dominie at length left the school-
house, scholars and all, and started for Rodil, with the view
of causing an investigation to be made by Mr. Macdonald,
trusting that the result of that investigation would be such
as to allay his fears, and enable him to return and prosecute
his labours. After a very searching investigation of the
ease Morrison was dismissed, and the matter still remains in
slab; quo.
. 111

LIBUT.WAOHORN ON THEMIDITERRANLAN"TUBIe
is the Herald newspaper that continually Whin
about her Majesty's Oslo stamen, as they call them, between
Marseille+ and Malta; and no matter what happens ebur
when by delays, miessamegesat, or private porpoise, elf
taking In cargo It still the Peninsaksr and
Oriental (:oariany arakviega her Majesty's tub stamina, as
they call them, responsible for everything that takes plans.
Now, then, the mail before this was delayed at Alexandria
because the Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Tagus, leaving Southampton Jan. 3, could not pet to
Gibraltar till the 14th. Again, their Brick-st. Ripen
(why called Brickst. that company best knows) leaves
Southampton Jen. 20, and cannot get to Gibraltar
till the 30th. All this is from Lloyd's List. The
one is eleven days getting from Southampton to
Gibraltar—the other is ten days ; the ordinary time being
six days, and it has often been done in four and a helf. Yet
the Herold wilt make H.M.'s steamers between Malta and
Marseilles responsible for this. This, air, is the way the
made are constantly delayed at Alexandria, and not frcea the
insufficiency of MIL'. SteaMers, although I do not masayr
are first-rate , but as the Admiralty are intent upon
ins that service, surely the Admiralty should not be the hatt
of the Peninsular and Oriental company in the columns of
the Herald. I send a copy of this letter to each newspaper,
solely for the information of my Lords of the Admiralty,
merchants of England, and other persona in London and at
the outports.—THostAs WAONORN.-34, Cornhiil, Feb. 12.
Tug SMITHFIELD NUlSSNCE.—Yosterday after-
noon as Iwo oxen were driven from Smithfield towards
Bayswater-rood, one of them being struck, turned end
attacked the drover. The woad ox tented and gored the
flanks of the first, which gave the drover a chance to extricate
himself, loaning the animals to continuo their combat. Be-
fore they could be parted, a cab was overturned and several
perms were injured.
JUVENILE OeFENDERIL—Upon the recommenda-
tion of the Secretary of State for the Home Department,
twenty-five juvenile criminals wee* yesterday admitted into
the Philanthropic Institution, St. George's-road, Southwark,
upon the conditions of the expenses of their board and cloth-
iug Wino defrayed.--The criminals transmitted to the
society were from Pa, Aunt prison.
SURGICAL OPERATIONS WITHOUT PAIN. On
Thursday last, at St. Genge's Hospital, two formidable
operations were performed whilst the patients were under the
nfluence of ether. The first was a case of lithotomy ; the
patient, a boy of four years of age, who was admitted into the
hospital under the ease of Mr. Cutler. The child evinced
much terror, and was remarkably violent till the ether was
administered, but on reepiriag the vapour for two or throe
minutes became insensible, and during the operation was
perfectly ruder}, and appeared to suffer neither pain nor die-
c onion. in the second ease, the patient, a woman forty
years of age, had suffered for the last twelve months from a
urge tumour in the right breast; Mr. H. C. Johnson, to
whose care she was committed, having determined on the
removal of the tumour, proceeded to its extirpation, which
was successfully accomplished in a few minutes. The phe.
nomene produced in this instance, as the effects of ether,
were somewhat peculiar. The woman had been in the her
p;tal a nirnth previously, and there suffered severely from smi
attack of bronchitis. She left the hospital for a time, alai
was re.adreitted two or three days wince, for the purpose ailalr
dergoing the operation, the bronchitis having somewhat oar
aided. For the last ten years the had had a troublesome I
cough from a diseased condition of the bronchial tubes.
-These circumstances iedueed him to hold a consultation with
his colleagues as to the p ' of administering the ether,
when the cheat was so far im • ted in a chronic disorder.
It was detormined that as, ti priori, no good physiological
reason existed against the administration of the ether,
the poor woman should be submitted to its influence.
The patient accordingly inhaled the vapour. Cough was
soon induced, which was followed by a rapid pulse, but by
so very decided effect on the pupil of the eye. She did not
appear to be insensible, but became somewhat livid in
aspect, from a partial state of asphyxia, and although the
ether was continued for many minutes during this state,
perfect uncoasciosumeas did not supervene. Mr. Johnson
asked the woman, at the conclusion of the operation, if else
had suffered during the employment of the knife. She said
that she was perfectly ewer, of what was going on, but had
not felt the slightest pain. After the patient was placed in
'.ed, she again asserted what she had before stated. From
this last case it would appear that the existence of bronchitis
does not vitiate the advantage' derived from the inhalation
of ether is surgical operations, and moreover, that, although
a state of insensibility is not always induced, that bodily pain
may by the influence of this agent, be
_p_revented.
ON THE USK AND ABUSE OF HOSPITALS.—SIT,—
At the present time, when most of the London hospitals are
circulating tbeir begging advertisements in the daily news-
papers, end collecting large sums from a liberal public,
surely it is s very proper and fitting opportunity to direct
attention and inquiry as to the due appropriation of the
various amounts contributed for the charitable pur-
poses intended ; or whether there are not too main
instances of the seal-appropriation, misuse, and II
may say abuse of that good and benefit which the
donors and supporters consider to have promoted. I
I sus prepared, however, to show that the humane
purposes' of these charities, are constantly and most
wantonly diverted from their proper course, and rather
made a vehicle for private interests, than for the reli4 of
truly pitiable objects. As it is the received opinion that the'
poor and seedy only are supposed to have a claim upon such
institutions, ie it not, I would ask, a misuse and
abuse of their funds in any way to allow admission
(except under peculiar circumstances) of persons who',
have ample means, from their own resources, to obtain
medical assistance elsewhere. It is a matter, however,
of daily notoriety, that persons present themselves at hos-
pitals, and are received as patients, whom circumstances
in life would seem to justify such an application, and
it is to the surprise of many that the medical otßoeofficers silently
permit such encroachment*. In the course of my attendance
on the London hospitals (now some years) I have too lorg
witnessed, and often expensed my indignation that such
practices should be tolerated.—From numerous cases which
I have taken some trouble to investigate, it appeared that
the parties wore well able not only to procure private medi-
cal attendance, but to exhibit themselves at all times with
the ornaments and frippery of fashion ; others, influenced
by still more sordid motives, make it a matter of eco-
nomy, ashy a trivial contribution per annum they claim the
privileges of sending the whole of their establishment, often
very numerous, for medical advice and medicines throughout
the year. On the other hand, in too manfeases where poor mis-
erable objects present themselves for relief, they are abruptly
rejected, and dismissed, as only fit for the tender mercies of a
workhouse—the reason assigned being that, although labour-
ing under disease, often of a very frightful form, they are not
suitable subjects for the instruction of medical sad surgical
pupils. I fear that the private interests of the physicians
and surgeons are often considered in admitting such as have
no dein% upon the charity. I have been led to enlarge more
upon this subject than I had at first intended, but I trust
you will ase the purport of my remark*, end deem them
worthy of attention and insertion la your widely circulated
naper.—Asova

SCOTLAND.
EDINBURGH, Faa. 13.
Two new acts of legislation connected with Scot-
land are said to be in preparation. The first to compel
Sunday trains on railways—to be brought forward by
Mr. Hume; the second to obviate the grievance com-
plained of by the Free Church, in regard to the pro-
prietors who have refusal sites for places of worship.
Mr. Hume having already moved for returns regard-
ing Sunday travelling, it is likely that the surmise on
that subject is correct; bat nothing is yet known to
have been done by Mr. Bouverie, M.P. for Kilmar-
nock, who is represented as having undertaken the
settlement of the site question. His intention is un-
derstood to be the movement of a select committee to
take evidence—a measure to which it is mid govern-
ment are likely to accede.
• At Glasgow great interest has been excited as to
the beat locality for a common railway terminus ; and
as a teat for ascertaining the site that would give most
satisfaction, a declaration was lodged for signature at
the Exchange and other places. It was subscribed
by 443 persons, of whom 5 were for the West of Scot-
-24 for the Caledonian, 346 for the Trongate
Terminus, and 68 for the College ditto.
SUNDAY Ts/atm.—At the Edinburgh polies hoard on
Maeda, last, notice was Aiwa d the following motion :
That the etoppage ef like trains on the Edinburgh
and Glaegow railway tads te kidee and obstruct the police-
diners iu the disharge of their duty, and gives a new and
amsgerou• addsteg• to mind& in their attempts to
=That a nmeaorial by the board in favour of re-
the Sunday trains be hamediately forwarded to the
Mitten of the railway, and that petitions be prepared to
send to parliament for the same porpose if found necessary.

Ran wav CASIL—An inquiry took place on Monday last,
at the sessions room, Blackburn, under the providons of the
general act of parliameot passed in the session of 1843, lbe
consolidating the provisions relative to railway companies.
H. Petro, Esq of Dunkenhalgh was the complainant in the
case, and the East Lancashire Railway Company the de-
fendants. The facts appeared to he that, in the conetruction
of the line of railway between Blackburn and Accrington,
the company having, for some reason, dispensed with a
heavy embankment in the valley, near the Lower Aspen
farm, in Oswaldtwiele, shown in the original plan, and
proposin' gto constrain a viaduct instead, and having an ex-
caved= of the depth of eight yards through • Lree
portion of Mr. Petre's estate, in Rishtou, the earl
from which will not now be required for the constrnetien of
the line, they had given Mr. Petra nodes of their intenders
' to take an additional quantity of land on the north side of the
intended railway, for about three quarters of in length,
for the purpose of laying the excavated earth epos, or hew
ing, as it is technically celled, a ...poll beak.' To this Mr.
Petro objected, as being injurious to the estate miesenft,
cad in pursuance of one oldie dames of the Genital
may Act, gave the company settee that he did so and that
, there were other lands contignees to the land proposed to be
taken, more suitable for the pupae , and which would be
less injurious to the occupation of the adjoining land. The
company not having adopted the suggestion of Mr. Petrie
the latter, in pursuance of another clause in the act, now
applied to the magistrates, who are thereby invested with
power to investigate the matter, and to determine whe-
ther the lands proposed to be taken by the comps
ought to be so taken, or whether the other
proposed by the landowner shall he used for the intended
purpoes. Mr. Thomas Howson, steward to Mr. Petro,
Mr. J. J. Myres, of Preston, land surveyor, Mr.
Tbornher, of Broughton, land surveyor, Mr. William
Smith, of Pleasington, end Mr. Moses Cocker, of Liveiey,
were examined on behalf of the complainant, and all ex-
premed • decided opinion that the making of the spoil bank,
as proposed by the company, would be a serious detriment,
and greatly inconvenience the occupation of the adjacent
land, inasmuch as the railway severs the farm buildings
from a groat portion of the land occupied therewith, and as
the bank would be very precipitous, and several yards higher
than the present surface, it would prevent the occupier of
the farm from seeing the land from his house, as he can now
do, and thereby increase the risk of his cattle getting wrong,
and occasion him much additional trouble in looking after
them. The drainage, they also considered, would be
interrupted, and it was their opinion that less rent would be
realised if the spoil bank were made than if it were not.
They also stated that the other lands proposed by Mr. Petro
were sufficient to receive the soil, and conveniently situated.
It was contended. on the part of the company, that sufficient
notice of the proposal to substitute these lands had not been
given; that if these lands were so used, the works must be
retarded 6 months at team, because the same number of hands
could not be employed at once, as if the spoil bank were made
as the company proposed; and it was also asserted that one of
the places of substitution pointed out—vis., the Aspen Valley,
was mot at all suitable for the purpose in an engineering point
of view, fur that the company had been obliged to abandon
their original design of forming an embankment acmes
that valley, because it had been found on actual trial
that it could not be made with safety, nor without en-
endangering the banks of the canal which skirts the
valley • and it was said the same objection exists in
the placing the surplus soil in the valley. Considerable dis-
til/um ensued, and there was much examination, crow
examination, and re-examination on this point, and Mr.
Seger, for the company, proposed to call some engineering
evidence, but as it appeared probable that the lands of an-
other owner, Mr. Omani, in that valley, might be affected,
and he had not been summoned, it was eventually deter-
mined to adjourn the ease for a fortnight, and that Mr.
Ormerod should be summoned in the meanwhile.

PROVINCIAL.
CASES or Gams SUPERSTITION are from time to time
reported in the country papers, and a few of these may add
smother to the many proofs already collected to show the
necessity !or some system of national education. The Bury
Herald affords a specimen. The last number of that paper
says: " On Saturday last, Mrs. Leggett appeared et Yar-
mouth pnliodecourt tO crave sureties of the peace against her
slater, Mrs. Cole, both inhabitants of Gorlestone, and the
defendant, the wife of the well-known pilot of that name. It
appears that the two sisters have lately. " fallen out " re-
specting some property left them by thew father. On Fri-
day, lire. Cole went to the house of Mrs. Leggett, and broke
opus her door by throwing a stone at it. She then cos-
manced a volley of abuse directed *mind her sister, sad
threatened " to make her wallow in her blood unless
eke went to Norwich, and had the witches taken
off her (Mrs. Cole's) husband. She wauld make
leer drink her own blood unless she unbewitcked
her biol. Ind." The mayor asked Mrs. Cole what she meant,
when she made, with all possible earnestame, the following
statement My sister gotmy father to make a wrong
and hare all his property to her and she low sets all the
lawyers at defiance. My husband has been lately in a very
low way 1 hare had Dr. Impey to him, the pier-master's
he., and old Dr. Smith, but they know nothing about his
cemplsiiit—he is never at rest night or day, and me belief is
he is bewitched by Mrs. Leggett. He is newer well, and yet
nobody can see mutton t e matter with him." The magi-

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 16, 1847.