The Express.
London, England, 1849-08-23 00:00:00

QAt Ilfprt(e

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.

THIS DAY.

OLD COURT.—Baroaa Ma. torrncs EELE.
POST OFFICE ROBBERY.

JoAs Luchhurst, 37, was indicted for feloniously stealing
a letter, containing one shilling, the property of her Ma-
jesty's pOstmaster-g I.
Mr. Clarke= sad Mr Bodkin prosecuted, and Mr. Bal-
lontine defended theprisoner.
It aveared that the prisoner had been for nearly
ten years in the service of the Postoffice, and up
to the time of this transaction bore a good cha-
racter. On the evening of the 7th of August, Peaks,
the constable of the establishment, wee standing on the outer
wall is such a position as not to be readily seen, end he
observed the prisoner come out of the office, and as he was
walking along he tore up a paper and threw the pieces upon
the ground. He continued walking along, and at a short dis-
tance from the former spot he tore up some more paper,
and threw down the pieces. Peaks as soon as he had an
opportunity, picked up all the pieces of paper, and soon
afterwards he communicated what had occurred to one of the
ptincipal officers of the establishment. The pieces of piper
were subsequently pasted upon Cetus paper, a portion of
them formed the envelope of a letter, addressed to a
person named Whitty, at Framlingham, in Norfolk. This
letter, it appeared, had originally contained a shilling, which
was sowed up in a piece of silk, and tied round with thread,
a portion of which was discovered among the pieces of paper
picked up b 7 the officer. It also appeared that the letter in
question, being illtgibly addressed, was sent to what is called
the Blind.office, to b • re.addressed, and it was proved that on
the day is question the prisoner was engaged as en inspector
in that department, so that the letter must have passed into
his hands ; besides which it was shown that the name of the
post-town, Norwich, had been added to the address in the
handwriting of the prisoner.
The jury returned a verdict of Guilty, but recommended
the prisoner to the merciful considerauon of the court, en
account of his previous good character and the long period
he had been in the service of the Post-office. .

Mr. Justice Erie sentenced the prisoner to betransported
for ten years.

THE HOP DUTY.

Three meetings of hop planters were held during
the put week, for the purpose of obtaining a postponement
of the payment of the hop duty ; one at Brenchley, another
at Goudhurst, and the third at Harden. At each of them
the resolutions passed were similar to those passed at the
H orsmonden meeting, reported in the £avreu last week.

DEATH OF SIR ASTON Kay.—This morning, at
half-put seven o'clock, the above-named gentleman died, at
his residence, at Great St. Helen'replace, Bishopsgate.
LOCAL. BOARDS OP HEALTH.—On Wednesday next
the fir.t five elecli me of local boards of health will take
place at Croydon, Chatham, Sheerness, Ware, and Uxbridge,
under the new act for confirming certain provisional orders
of the General Board of Health and the improvement al
towns and populous places (12 &13 Viet., cap. 94). The
local boards of health may contract for any period not ex•
needing three years at any one time, with any compasy or
person for the supply of gas, or oil, or other means of light-
log the streets, roads, and other °Fen places and public
buildings within their respective districts, and may provide
such lamps, lamp-posts, and other materials and apparatus
as such local boards respectively may thick necessary, and
the expenses incurred by any such local board in so doing
shall be defrayed out of the general or special district rate
(u the nature of the case may require), levied under the
Public Health Act. On the 29th mat. the elections at the
places mentioned will be made.

-
Tun NEW YRI:SsIAN MUSKET.—The German jour-
nals are filled wi h descriptions and observations concerning
a new-invented musket which they all academie' (touch-
needle), and with which a great part of the Prussian army is
now armed. The Prussian minister of war is said to have
alone at present the secret of the new method, and to have
refustd to communicate it to those friendly governments
which have made applications respecting it. The Cologne
Gaulle declares, however, that it is able to give the follow-
ing explanstion:: The name of this new musket has been
' given to it because the explosion ie produced by a metallic
blade, or needle, which is inserted into the cartridge. The
bore is rifled, and the balls pointed, conic at the point, cy-
lindrical at the centre, and round at the large end. The
cartridge is provided with a layer of some explosive sub-
stance near the bullet, and the powder is placed at the bot-
tom of the cartridge, which is introduced at the
butt-end of the musket. In pulling the trigger
a fine steel blade ( a needle ), introduces itself
by an opening in the back of the tube, tra-
verses the cartridge and powder, and arrives at the ex-
plosive substance, which is the same as that employed for
filling percussion cape. Thus, the powder kindles at the ex-
tremity and is consumed to the last grain. The charge of
powder is the one-eighth of an ounce, whilst that for a
common percussion gun is generally a quarter of an ounce.
With these muskets • soldier is able to load and fire 6 or 8
times without letting go and the longest range of his weapon
is a thousand Wises. He can take • correct Wm at 800 toises ;

common muskets don't carry beyond 400 toile', so that the
Prussian soldiers arc able to open lire at double the distance
of the enemy. A troop of soldiers marching at gymnastic
pace (double quick time) would go over the distance in four
minutes and would have to stand during this time from 20 to
30 discharges. The cavalry, which panes over 800 Wises in
two minutes and a half, would have sustained 20 discharges.
Grape shot produces only weak results at 800 toises, there-
fore gunners may be picked off and killed one by one at
their guns by the Prussian soldiers.

liusu CONSOLATION.—" Well, Paddy," said Thaddy,
" these illumine.ions are the death of repels." " True, in-
deed," said Paddy to Thaddy ;" " but sure it's an illigant
wake."—Punch.

A HINT FOR THE MILK TRADE.—We have just
hit upon an idea that will make the fortune of even the most
desponding of dairymen, and set firmly open his legs, how-
ever great may be the hobble he may be in, the owner of any
milk-walk. During the prevailing epidemic we know that
the favourite prescription of the faculty—who, while differ-
ing in everything else, would appear to be agreed in this—is
a chalk mixture. Let any Loudon milkman come forward
boldly and honestly to proclaim his new milk for what it
really is ; or, in other words, to paint his sky-blue in its true
colours, and he will be a rich man in a week or two. The
first milkman who has the courage to advertise his new milk
from the wow as the " Genuine Chalk Mixture" may carry
everything before him, and leave something handsome
behind him for his family.—Pteneh.

MONEY MARKET.

WEDNESDAY EYEDINO.

At the commencement of hasinen on the Stock

Exchange the English funds fully maintained the
closing prices of yesterday. Consols opened at 921 to
t for money, when the intelligence of the sur-
render of the Hungarian General Giirgey to the
Russian Field-Marshal Prince Paskiewitch, caused
an immediate rise, and Coalele were next done at
93, at which they remained. For account the
first operations were marked at 921, and the
next and last at 931. They closed at 921 to
93 for money, and at 93 to for account
11th September. The Three per Cents. Reduced
were done at 921, and 931. The Three-and-a-
Quarter per Cents. at 93,1, t, 941, and 94.
Exchequer Bills were variously negotiated from
43e. to 475. premium; Long Annuities were marked
at 8 15-18. Bank Stock at 200 and 199. India
Bonds at 735. and 745. premium. South Ses Old
Annuities at 901 ; ditto New Annuities, at 901.
With the exception of Mexican Stock which expe-
rienced a further decline, there was very little done in
Foreign Securities. The entire business was limited
to the following :
Brazilian New Bonds, 1843, at 81. Buenos Are.
at 521 and 52. Chilian Three per Ceuta., at 53.
Equador at 4 and 41. Mexican, ex coupons, at 28, 1,
and 28 for money, and for account at from 281 to
271, closing at 281. Peruvian Six per Cents. at 53
and 1. Portuguese Four per Cents. at 29. Spanish
Five per Cents. at 181 and / ; ditto, Passive, at 31
and ; Spanish Three per Cent. at 341. Two-and-a-
Half per Cents. Dutch at 531 ; ditto Four per Cent.
Certificates at 831 and 1.
We have much pleasure in giving insertion to the
subjoined circular maned by Mr. George T. Brain,
whose difficulties in July, 1848, excled es much inte-
rest and attention. Our commercial re%ders will
doubtless recollect the fruitless effort which he made
at the period to obtain temporary assistance from the
Bank of England, although hie assets, according to
the statement of an eminent accountant, showed a sur-
plus of abut 60,0001. over end above all liabilities.
We congratulate Mr. Braire in having so soon, and
unaided, recovered from the difficulties which then
surrounded him, and we hare the further gratifica-
tion to be able to state, on the same authority, that
the result, after discharging all claims end liabilities, I
shows a surplus of nearly double the amonnt antici-
pated.
London, Aug. 22,1849.
Sir,—l have the pleuure to advise my inteauon %Spaying
the remainder of your claim upon me, with interest, on the
28th inst. At the Name time I beg to exprees my thanks for
the indulgence and co-operation I hare experienced from