The Express.
London, England, 1848-11-14 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, MONDAT ETCHING.
The Court of Queen's Bench was occupied to-day
with the case of Martin in error r. the Queen. Sir
C. O'Loghlen opened the arguments, relying prin-
cipally upon the following points : First, that the
caption of the indictment is bad, as it does not appear
therein when or where the grand jury which found
the bills had been sworn. Secondly, that the counts
of the indictment are bad, because of uncertainty,
the two last not setting forth the printing charged
therein. Thirdly, that the challenge to the juror Duff
was a good challenge ; and fourthly, that the sentence
is bad, as no penal colony or other place of transporta-
tion was named therein. Sir Coleman was fol-
lowed by Mr. Perrin for the crown, but the argu-
ments are not yet concluded.
A communication from Athlone, dated Saturday,
says:
This town was fearfully alarmed to-day by the rennet that a
respected magistrate of this county, W. H. Daniel, Esq., had
beau fired at. Is appears that he left his house at H o'clock
in his gig for this town, and when half way, at Kiloornan,
he was fired at from behind a hedge hyoneof two ruffians who
lay in ambush. The shot took effect in the left shoulder. Mr.
Daniel aeis• d the reins with his right, and urged on his
horse. A second shot was tired at his, but, providentially,
it paused over his head. At Glisten be reached a consta-
bulary station, from whence the police went at once in search
of the amapins. Uis wounds were dewed by the local phy•
sician, and five balls extracted from his shoulder. His
escape is attributed to the gun beinr too heavily leaded.

SCOTLAND.

CHARTIST TRIALS.
_ EDINBURGH, MONEVr Branco.

The trial of John Grant, printer, Henry 'taken,
and Robert Ilamilton, for sedition and conspiracy,
came on this morning before the High Court
of Justiciary. The Lord Advocate, Mr. Craufunt,
and Mr. M. Bell appeared as counsel for the
crown ; and NIT. Logan, Mr. Lorimer, Mr. Moncrief,
and Mr. Graham for the primmer& The witnesses
for the prosecution having been examined, the cue
for the crown closed, and the trial was adjourned till
to-morrow.

POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION.—Yesterday some ex-
perimenta on steam propellers were exhibited in the presence
of the Earl of Auckland and several officers connected with
the steam branch of the naval s toile. The object in view
wee to test the powers of anew application of the screw. The
novelty consists in placing a proctor under each quarter,
and rot as now, immediately before the rudder. Experience
as well as theory have demonstrated that when the screw-
propeller is placed at the stern of the mooed it works
at a very great disadvantage. The vessel which is propelled
by it displaces the whole body of werr through which
it moves, and consequently the strew has little or no resisting
medium to work upon, for the water has not had time to
rues into the vacuum created by the passage of the vessel so
as to offer any resistance, and moreover the current flows
with the ship, and not in a contrary direction, so that under
these two conditions the rate achieved by a screw propeller,
as now applied, can never reach the maximum speed which
paddle-wheel summers hme attained. The objections to
paddle-wheels are too well known to require detail here.
Captain Carpenter, the inventor of this new application of
peep Iliac power, is a practice seaman, having nerved marl
years in the navy, five of which he was in command of the
Geyser steamer, in the Mediterranean fleet. The experi-
ments pester ay gave great satiate/Mtn to the Admiralty
autborides present, and particularly elicited the approbation
of Mr. Loyd o, Mr. Edie, and Capt. Ellice, all of whom are
ptacticolly connected with the steam department of the
a • nice.
LAUNCH OP A STEAM SHlP.—Yesterday an iron I
steamer of about 600 tons burben, built for the Emperor of
Russia, and destined by his Imperial Sleety to promote
and protect the commerce of the Black Sea, was launched
from the yard of Messrs. Robinson and Russell, at !indwell.
The Taman, which is the name given to the vessel, is 175
feet long, 26 feet in the beam, and 14 feet 7 inches depth of
h.ld. The hull is constructed on lines laid down by Mr.
Ditebburn, and for strength of construction, smooth-
ness of finish, and perfect execution, somas well
calculated to maintain the euperior character of
Thames-built vessels. As the flood-tide arrived et its height
the dog-shores were knocked away, and her name having
been pronounced, while a bottle of wine was sacrific.d at
her bows, she glided smoothly into her future element,
amid the cheers of a numerous -body of gentlemen—many of
them connected with the Russian and other sashes ies—who
were assembled to do honour to the occesian. The vessel
will be immediately towed to Greenwich, where she will he
fitted with a pair of 90-horse power engines, by the Messrs.
Penn.
THE ALLEGED FonoEs BARBEIL—The following
letter has been received from the lieme-offiee, by one of Mr.
Barber's friends:—Whitehall, Nov. 10, 1848.—Sar,—I sea
directed by Secretary Sir George Grey to acknowledge the
receipt of the several documents which you have treismitteill
to him in behalf of Mr. W. H. Barker, who was convicted at
the Central Criminal Court in April, 1844, of being's/emery
before the fact to forgery, and sentenced to be transformable
life. Sir George Grey desires me to inform you Unit throe
papers have received his full and anxious conatderatioe,lol
that he has satisfied himself that there is sufficient geseed
to justify his advising her Majesty to great Mr. BOWa
free pardon, which is hrewith enclosed. Bat while be bee
arrived at this coiselusiee, from a ooneidrration of ell the
documents in his pO-session, comprising very materiel dr-
cumatanees which have transpired lance the conviction. Sic
George Grey feels bound to add that he sees no ranee to
doubt that the verdict of the jury wee warrsated by the Mee
proved at his trial ; and although he now believes Mr. Dalt
herto have been free from any guilty participation In tbe
frauds of which he was made the instrument, be thinks den
greater prudence and caution en his pert would have ex-
empted him from the suspicion to which his randued In the
transactioos in question naturally exposed him,— me, Sir,
your obedient servant,—G. Coanewaiti Leerier-A. Steb
men, Esq., 19, Emu-.*rest. Strand.