The Express.
London, England, 1851-06-12 00:00:00

INDIA AND CHINA.

Our telegraphic advices from Trieste state that
the Indian mail had arrived at Sums on the let,
with letters from Hong Kong to the 23rd of April,
Calcutta, May 3; and Bombay, May 14. (17 ?)
The deficiency in the assets of the North-West
Bank is estimated at 80,0001.
India was tranquil, but the western frontiers of
the Panjaub were still threatened by the robber bands
of the mountair.s in that locality. Ample reinforce-
ments had, however, been sent to the irregular troops
which guard the mountain passes.
Rain and hail storms had been frequent from the
north-west in Bengal and Madras.
The perpetrators of the thefts on the Bombay
Oriental Bank have been discovered.

The money-market was firm, and the rate of inte-
rest high.
Imports dull; exports very active, especially in
cotton, which sells at 78 to 115 rupees per candy.
Freights to London, 21. 10s. to a 3s. per ton.
Exchange on London, six months' sight, 2s. 11d.
to 2s. 1;d. per rupee.
Hong-Kong.—Exchange on England, 4s. Bd. to
4s. 9d.

THE TEETOTAL MOVEMENT.—Last evening a
"tea festival" and public meeting took place at the
National-hall, High Holborn, to adopt a petition to parlia-
ment for the appointment of a committee to inquire into
the laws affecting the regulation of the manufacture and
sale of strong drinks with a view to the suppression of
drunkenness, and the elevation of the morals, literature,
religion and polities of the people. Mr. L. lleyworth,
M.P., presided, and was supported by several welt-known
advocates of the cause cif temperance. A liberal supply of
tea was provided, and the evening's entertainment was en-
livened by some musical performances, which alternated in
• most agreeable manner with the various speeches deli-
vered on the occasion. Several gentlemen addressed the
meeting in favour of teetotalism, and resolutions were
passed in furtherance of the movement. A petition to par-
liament embodying the sentiments above mentioned was
agreed to, and • general feeling was expressed against the
evil effects of intemperance, as exemplified in the dis-
tressed condition of a large portion of the community.
COALPIT EXPLOSION NEAR BARNSLEY.—We re-
gret to announce that another fearful explosion from fire-
damp took place about • mile from Barnsley, on Monday
last, at the works called the Ardsley Colliery, belonging
to Messrs. Firth, Bailey, and Co. This colliery was the
scene of the disufirous explosion which took place about
four years ago, when upwards of 70 poor fellows paid the
forfeiture of their lives; and since that period a partial
discontinuance of the works has taken place until recently.
Three men only have, however, been working in the pit
from time to time ; and on Monday they pursued their
occupation as usual until the shift arrived at 12 o'clock.
The three men were being let down the shaft, which is 284
yards deep; and when about 80 yards from the bottom a
terrific explosion suddenly took place, the fire-damp rushed
up the shaft with frightful violence, and issued at the top
like the eruption of a volcano. Two of the poor fellows, on
being brought to the top, were found to be dreadfully
burnt, and of course quite dead. Their companion, how-
ever, had been thrown from the basket and precipitated to
the bottom, from whence there is little hope of his reco-
very, at all events for mine time to come as the water at
the bottom is more than 12 feet deep. This unfortunate
man (whine name is Thomas Billington) was aot regularly
engaged to work in the pit, but had gone as a substitute on
May in lieu of a companion who was attending a club
dinner. Two of his brothers lost their lives when the ex-
plosion took place in the Ardsley pit, four years since. 'The
other two men are named Charles Richards and James
Bailey, and have loft wives and families unprovided for.
An inquest was held at Barnsley yesterday (Wednesday)
on the bodies of the two men taken out of the pit, and a
verdict of " Accidental death" recorded. The colliery was
yesterday on fire, and in so dangerous a state that it waa
impossible to descend in order to search for the body of
Billington.

SUICIDE AT STRAND-ON-TIIE-GREEN.—Loat mi
tgqht
an inquest was held at Mr. Dough's, the Steam-packet
Tavern, Strand-on-the-Green, Chiswick, before Mr. H. M.
Wakley, upon the body of Mr. Samuel Thorrington, aged
68, • coal-merchant and barge-master, lately residing at
Hill-cottage. The catastrophe had excited much sensation
in the locality, the deceased being comparatively a stranger,
but well-known at Windsor, as carrying on business
there many years. The general report was that he
was living apart from his wife, and had done so
for some years, allowing her a separate maintenance.
She came to his house during his temporary absence at
Brighton, and on his return home ho took no notice of her,
and wandered about the neighbourhood for several days,
declining to go home, where he had a very aged mother,
and he had previously said that if ever his wife came to
him he would destroy himself. The first witness called
was Sophia Thorrington, the deceased's widow, who stated
she came home on Monday evening, but the deceased and
herself were the only persons in the house. About eight
o'clock she went into a room occupied solely by the de-
ceased, and in which he transacted business, and asked
him for an envelope to enclose a letter she had been
writing to one of her daughters who is living at Wind-
sor, and he said " I won't give you one," and went into
an adjoining bed-room, and the witness went back to her
room and sat down. In a few minutes he walked in, hold-
ing a pistol in his right band, and exclaimed, " Now, old
girl, the time has come." She fearing that he was about to
murder her, rushed towards him, caught hold of the pistol
with one hand, whilst with the other she opened the front
door and ran into the garden and called out " Murder—
police." A policeman was passing at the time, and as he
was entering the garden the report of a pistol was heard by
both of them, and she returned to her husband's room with
the policeman, and found deceased lying on the sofa wel-
tering in his blood, and the pistol grasped in his right hand.
He was then snuggling in the agonies of death. Dr. Hold-
nets, of Windsor, had attended him for 15 years ; had said
he was decidedly insane, and ought to be under confine-
ment. He always anxious for business, and
closely attended to it. After hearing some other evidence
the jury returned a verdict of " Temporary insanity."