The Express.
London, England, 1847-10-01 00:00:00

PROVINCIAL.

LINCAfigl!tE.

FLOODS.—Manchester and its neigbbourbpod hays
been visited lately by very heavy rains, which haves° swelled
the rivers Irwell, Medlock, and Irk, that much of the ma-
chinery which they work has been kept at a stand still, on
account of the rapidity of the streams. At Stretford, the
Mersey overflowed its banks. The lint beside it lice low,
and forms a narrow valley, leading towards Cheshire. To
save this land from damage by an overflow, a channel or
swallow was, some years ago, constructed to draw away sur-
plus water from above the point where an irruption was
likely to take place. This swallow was found insufficient to
answer that end : all the fills in the lowlands were laid
under water.—At Cheadle, higher up the .ame river, the
water overflowed the highway. Thht portion of the London
and North Western line between the Warrington junction
and the town of Warrington was surrounded nearly the
whole distance. The waters were first seen at Bury-lane,
on the other aide of Chat Moss, and on the junction fine
the appearance was that of a very largo lake, all
traces of the liver and canal being obliterated, and
the train seemed to be moving on in the midst of it.—
An impetuous torrent descended upon Stockport and its
neighbourhood : the Mersey, usually shallow at that place,
became Ii feet in depth.—At Macclesfield, the heavy rains
caused each a flood in the Bollin, which passes through, that
the puddle-banks erected by the contractors for the protec-
tion of the works of the North Staffordshire Railway, now in
progress at the lower part of V e town, were washed down,
and the works for a time completely stopped. In some
places, the workmen have been eiupl syed ever since in getting
rid of the water, and erecting stronger banks for the pre-
vention of any similar accident in future,—At Wigan, the
river had overflown the basks, and risen to such a height
fiat the roofs of the workings of an old coal mine had given
way, and the water was sinking into the hollow, with •
fearful rapidity. The coal-owners working mines in the
vicinity made an ineffectual effort to turn the current in
another direction; the waters, however, continued to roll
into the caverns, and continually increuing in size, for seve-
ral hours, threatening to flood out the whole of the adjacent
mines, and which will, it is feared, do so to a great extent,
for the quantity of water in the hollows must be immense.
After the stream had somewhat reduced itself, and the sup-
ply to the hollows checked, there were visible three immense
, or pits, one of them having the appearance of an
old shaft, through which the water had penetrated to the
mines below. The roof of another old pit, situated
nearer to the river, also gave way, but from this there
are not the same fears as at the one first mentioned.—
The wire at Garstang was filled to an extraordinary degree,
and the embankment at Stockingbridge, near St. Michael's,
gave way, and an inroad was made into the adjacent roads
and lands by the rush of waters through an opening about 70
yards long, by which about 100 acres of land have been laid
under water ; whilst in the dwelling house of Mr. Stuart, of
Stockingbridge, the water in the lower parts of the house
stood at not less than a yard in depth. The roads, for two
miles between St. Michael's end Great Eceleston, were ren-
dered quite impassable, being in most parts nearly two yards
deep in water.—AU the works on the Crole were stopped on
accouot of the size and rapidity of the river ; and at Bolton
several houses were flooded,. A horse and a field of wheat
were swept away.
my 1014.19. VT • tin

MALICIOUS DEsios.—A large piece of iron, the
crane of the old fashioned wood ploagh formerly in use in
this county, was placed upon the mils of the -Kendal and
Windermere line, near to Staveley, on Tuesday night.
Fortunately it was discovered by a man employed upon the
line before the passing of the first train. A reward is offered
by the company for the discovery of the guilty party.

INDEPENDENCE FITNIZITD.7— A correspondent
writes as follows:—" Stamford, Sept. 29.—This has been a
day of rest excitement here, it having been marked by the
first act of persecution on the part of the Marquis of Exeter
against those of his tenants in the town who either voted fur
Mr. Bolt, the independent candidate at the late election, or
did not support both the Burghley nominees. All such who
hold houses, warehouses, or land under the marquis, have
received notice to quit their occupations, and are to be
turned out as soon so the law will permit. A few did not
vote at all, fearing that if they supported the man of their
choice the result which has arrived would also be their fate.
One poor old man, who had worked for a number of years
on the Burghley state' voted by mistake for the indepen-
, dent candidate : when he found out his error, he told a
simple tale as to how he was flurried, and did not know what
he was about; but the error was fatal, and he was dis-
charged with an intimation that the result of his blunder
would teach him to be more collected in Mare. The man is
likely to become a peeper. Many other cases of oppression
might be recorded.'
w.ust-trscultrev_

Alkll
MIDLAND FREEHOLD LAND ASSOCIATION.—The
principles and advantages of this association were explained
fully eta meeting held in the Town hall, at Birmingham, on
Wednesday night. Mr. W. Scholefield, M.P., presided.—
Mr. Councillor Brook Smith said that, by means of the in-
stitution, not only habits of providence and can would be
induced among the humbler classes, but it would effect a
most important change in the character of the county elec-
toral body.—Mr. Ald. Weston said that, although the object
In view partook of a political, it was not of a party character.
—The Chairman very warmly advocated the principles upon
which the emaciation was estabiished. It was calculated
(he said) to confer benefits on the people social,
political and moral. It would be the means of inducing
forethought and prudent habits, and lead to the practice of
economy and self.dental amongst the workers of the com-
munity. It opened its doors wide to men of aU sects, all
parties, and all creeds.—Mr. Ald. ()each, of the Midlands
Bank, pointed out with much perspicuity the advantages of
the association to the artisan. It would be the means (he
said) of affording a safe and profitable investment for small
sums, and would materially change the character of county
constituencies. All they wanted was an honest and inde-
pendent constituency, and they had no fear of getting a fair
expression of opinion. He felt satisfied that this association
would lead to the establishment of others, and that it would
tend also to the social, moral, and political elevation of the
people.
RENT.

SOITTH-EASTERN RAILWAY MECHANICS' INSTITP-
vtos.—On Monday evening a meeting of the officers and
workmen employed by the South-Eastern Railway Company
wu held in a large room at their offices at Ashford, for the
purpose of establishing a mechanics' institution. The chair-
man of the company presided, end several of the directors
were present, who appeared to take a lively interest in the
proceedings. The ltev. Mr. Green, of Sandgate, haring
unplored the blessing of God on the society about to be
formed, the chairman said that he trusted the institution they
were about to establish would grow and extend as far
beyond their present expectations, as the magnitude of
the South Eastern Railway exceeded the anticipations of its
first promoters, who proved in evidence that the line might
be made fora million of money, and would have a traffic
requiring ten locomotive engines, whereas it had already cost
about five times the amount mentioned, and (2/ many well
knew) the number of locomotives exceeded a hundred7-so
hlßientetideitiedcodiwaithulde
tudtirec.h:yx fnofre:;perothmthoeeitir.epgrite.thoste. omhfaldef,iww?ualnysfardeercotaki:.l...
workmen and their ImMes, Au the piano of the village, drawn
more than twelve months before, would show, since they In.
sladed a building for a society of this description, schools, a
plus of worship, and public baths and wash-houses. lie was
delighted to find that the men had taken a step in advance
of them, and the directore heartily concurred in their pro-

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