The Express.
London, England, 1851-09-13 00:00:00

SOUTH EASTERN RAILWAY.

The directors have resolved to recommend the pro-
prietors to declare at their ensuing meeting a dividend for
the half-year ending on the. 3lst July, of eight shil-
lings per share, which, with the dividend declared for the
preceding half-year, of 10s. per sh.ire, will make a divi-
dend for the whole year of three p.r cent. The sum of
0.5,01)01. has been expended by the company during the last
half-year in the purchase ot new engines and new carri-
ages, of which 39,0001. has been placed to the debit of
icapital account, and 27,0001. to the debit of the fund laid
aside for renewals.

THE LATE SIR WILLIAM PARKE, KT.—The late
Sir William Parke, whose death was announced in the ,
Daily News of yesterday, had seen much active service in I
the West Indies, the Mediterranean, at Walcheren, and in
the Peninsula. Ile was severely wounded in the battle of
Corunna, for which and Vimient he had received the war
medal. In 1836 he was knighted by the Marquis of Nor-
manhy, then Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland. The late Sir
William Parke seas a magistrate, and Deputy-Lieutenant
of Sligo, and had twice been high-sheriff of the county.
REPRESENTATION OF THE EAST RIDING. —Mr.
Egerton, to whom a requisition was presented inviting him
to come forward to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death
of Mr. troadley, has declined the honour. It hus, there-
fore, been determined at another meeting of the conserva-
tive gentry, Sir Tattun Sykes in the chair, to offer the
representation to the lion. Captain Duncombe, M.P. for
East Itetford, who will retire from that borough.—
Stamford.

THE WEATUER. Tit E POTATO CROP. Tlie
30e
weather continues most favourable for the progress of the
harvest, and in many places the important labours of the go
season are drawing to a close. The atmosphere has been
divested of that closeness that characterised the weather of
a portion of the last few weeks, and although there is for "
the most part a warm, cheering sun, yet the air is cool and lu
bracing, and very suitable for preserving the reaped grain.
We regret to observe that the reports of the potato crop are ee
not so favourable duriug the last week, although the market
price has advanced considerably during the last few days. is
The usual mode of explaining this latter circumstance u
would be that the farmers are too busy in the fields to take
time to bring them to market, and we cannot think that, if so
the disease was mating that rapid progress the reports in et
circulation would lead us to suppose, they would run the 124
risk of losing a large portion of the crop by permitting them
to remain in the ground. The number of partially diseased '
tubers are certainly more numerous than they were a week so
we two ago, but wo still think there is out yet any cause to 10
warrant a doubt of the fact that a large proportion—pro-
bably to the amount of an average crop—wad remain sound. 10
—Belfast Netts-Letter. SO
FATAL ACCIDENT.—About nine o'clock last even- ea
ing, as the driver of one of Meyers. Pickfurds' waggons was
proceeding up Presidentstregt, Doswell-street, sitting at 14
the time on the shaft, and, uis supposed, being asleep, ho 30
fell off, the wheels passing over him, and crushing him in 61
a most frightful manner. When the body was taken up
life was quite extinct. el
SHOCKING OCCERRENCE AT WRINGTON, SOMERSET. 12
—Two Wormer Pomo:gen.—lntelligence was received at u
Bristol on Thursday afternoon of an occurrence of a shock-
ing kind having taken place at the village of Wrington
situate at about ten miles distant from that city on the
Sumenetshire side. The rumour which first reached was
that two women had been murdered by poison, but on in-
quiry being made on the spot the particulars were found to
be as follows:—Thos names of the deceased women were
Sarah Ann Roberts and Charlotte Birch. Roberts was the
widow of a shoemaker who about a year since absconded
from the village and emigrated to one of our colonies, ,
where he shortly afterwards died ; his wife (who was
between 20 and 30 years of age) was left with two young
children, and without any means of provision for them and
herself beyond what trifle she could earn by binding boots
and shoes. She occupied a little cottage near Wnogton,
and was latterly understood to have mewed an attach-
ment fur a young man between whom and herself, it now
appears, en illicit intercourse had been carried on, as she
was at the time of her death somewhat advanced in preg-
nancy. The other female, Birch, was a native of a
neighbouring village (Churchill), but had recently lived as
housemaid with a family at W. ston-super-Mare, from
which she had been dismissed a short time ago in conse-
quence of its being suspected that she was pregnant. Upon
her return home Birch became intimate with Roberts, and
on Tuesday last she was at her cottage, as was also the
young man with whom the latter kept company. They
were neither of them, as far as has transpired, seen to take
anything, but in the afternoon they were both seised
with severe Blues,. Roberts was immediately put to
bed and Birch conveyed home, and surgeons were called
in to see them. It was soon ascertained that they were
suffering from the effects of some poisonous drugs, which
they had taken for the purpose of endeavouring to procure
abortion. Suspicions are entertained that the deleterious
stuff was given to them by a woman who has sines run
away from the neighbourhood, but tabs would seem to be
contradicted by the statements which they made during
their last illness. Roberts stated that she prepared the
stuff sad took it with her own hand, and that no one else
in any way interfered with it, while Birch asserted that
Roberts induced her to take it, telling her that it would
asset her ease, and that if it failed to effect the object
aimed at, it could not hurt her in the least. After the
deaths, too, the house of Roberts was searched, and in her
box were found four quart bottles full of the drug of which
the unhappy women partook. Information of the sem-
fence was conveyed to the Coroner, who at ones Wog Ha
warrant for the holding au inquest, and has directed post
merlon examinations of the bodies to be made by the tar-
pons who attended them, Mr. Chadwell and Mr. Coated.
The inquiry will be prosecuted on Wednesday next, when
the whole matter will be thoroughly investigates
NAVAL APPOINTWww,r, -

Seri. 12.
Mona (conviet-ship). . Willius M'Crea —to Anna
litireasd-Matat C. Turner, Boatswain W. Davis, Gunners
B. Hayward and W. G. Carat, and CarpenWr J. Reid—to
HITCIIIIIO.

Second-Muter A. J. Parkes—to Sprightly.
Midshipman Coolur—to Album.
tlogataat-Eagineer J. Smith—to Aso.