The Express.
London, England, 1847-01-08 00:00:00

PROVINCIAL.

RUNCORN NADI AN INDRIPENDENT PORT.-06 W•th1011-
day • Treasury order wasreceived, eating that—on memo-
rials from the merchants of Runcorn anirthe Northwich salt
proprietors—their lordships have constituted Runcorn an
independent port, as an experimental measure for three
years; and creating new offices of coffector and oontroller,
each of which officers will also till subordinate offices. It is
" approved " also as a bonding port, and the collector of
Manchester is directed by the commissioners to repair thither
and report as to the suitability of premises offered by the
memorialists for a customhouse, • watch-house, and bonded
warehouses; and to aseeetain what should be the uteril
limit of each port as between Runcarn and Liverpool.—
Express.
A NRIURVIIIILL TO RR LET.-0n Taesday the magistrates,
at the Towa-hall, Prestos, had the satisfaction o leaving
the bench without !unseating any business. There was
not acme for investigation of any description, neither was
there •• prisoner in Bridowell during any part of the pre-
ceding evening.
LITURPOOL MICRANICIe INSTITUTION.--011 Wednesday
evening, a grand some of the members and friends of the
Idechanicie Institute was held in the spacious theatre of the
establishment, and was very numerously attended. William
Brown, Esq., M.P. for South Lancashire, President of the
Institute, occupied the chair, and am ongst the literary
guests present were the Rev. J. Aspinatl, of Althorpe ;
William Hewitt, Ru., 0. Dawson, Ru., of Birmingham;
and Mr. J. B. Rogerson. Several excellent addresses were
delivered.

........,
Ittriorastierr o► Towns, itc.—The first notices under
the act of last session of parliament for making preliminary
inquiries in certain cases of application to parliament for
local acts were pablished at Leeds yesterday. Mr. 13. B.
(limning, hamster-►t-law, and Mr. W. C. Mylas, C.E.,

give notice that they have been appointed surveyisig ex&
miners under the act by the Board of Woods and Forests,
and that they will attend at the Court-house, in Leeds, on
Wednesday, the 20th, to inspect plans and to examine wit-
nesses for and against the scheme-, lur bringing an additional
sup)ly of water to Leeds, for which notices of new bills have
been given by the Leeds and Think Railway Company, and
the Leeds Waterworlui Company.
ALAIMINO ACCIDIMT.—At West-end, near Otley, some
days since, at the mills of Whittey, Brown, and Whittey, a
considerable number of people were assembled on the occa-
sion of • sale, when part of the floor sank beneath itsburden, and the crowd were precipitated into the room be-
neath. The shrieks of those who were frightened, and the
groans of the injured, were truly heartrending. Some of
the unfortunate party were taken out in a state of insensi-
bility, and others crushed and bruised.
.....

..---....- ...... -
A FATAL Sewn—Yesterday, one of the men employed
in excavating for the tunnel on the Oxfonl, Worcester, and
Wolverhampton Railway, near to the town of Dudley, aeci-
di
nt My slipped into the skaft and was killed This makes,
we believe, the sixth man who has been killed in the forma-
tion of this tunnel.

RETURNE HAPR BEEN HAD[,llp ORDER OP GOTP.RP-
MREIT, from this and other counties, containing very full
and detailed information' relative to the 101. householder..
From this fact it is,
_we (Brighlon Gazelle) suppose, that a
report ho. originated of certain schemes which ministers are
mid to have in contemplation respectinghousehold suffrage.
LORD EDWARD EDWARD has, it is mid, been solicited
by certain of the Whig party to become a candidate for the
representation of West Sussex, but his lordship has de-
clined the invitation.

East Suunox.—We (Briyhrort Gereffe regret to learn
that our respected representative, Mr. Fuller, is detained In
I Wales by serious indisposition.
A BECOND WYNDHAM.-0110 day last week a visitor ar-
rived at the Sea-house Hotel, the principal inn in Worthing,
He was young, fashionably attired, and ha 1 the aim and
graces of a t11:111 of fors. A horse and gig, which he brought
with him he duly put up in the 'noble, nail with apparent
previous knowledge of the house, he, sons incytiry, walked
into the spacious coffee-room, switching an elegant
whip, and installed himself as a Runt. la course of a
little time the visitor ordered a dinner fur himself, to consist
of a fried sole, a boiled chicken, and a mutton cutlet.
Diener time was named, and having to call at
sundry shops for small articliw, and not having any
money-change, the stranger inquired of a confiding
and attentive waiter if be had a pound's-worth of
silver in his pocket—he should be repaid presently. An
obliging ready answer in the affirmative met this conde-
scending application, and a pound's worth of silver was ac-
cordingly torthwith transferred from the p anession of the
waiter to thy guest. The traveller went on ! Dinner-time
arrived, but he had not returned ; hour succeeded hour, and
still he was absent. At length sumi iuu dawned on the mind
of the worthy innkeeper; and this suspicion was strengtk-
ened by the incident of thy loan. Yet the horse and gig
were in the stable; nevertheless, the visitor was no more
seen. Meanwhile, however (as if ternpirarily to avert suspi-
cion), a p reel containing silk pocket handkerchiefs from a
neighbouring mercer's was delivered at the Noel far him—
but they were not paid for! The errant gentleman went
away in the direction of Chichester. The horse and gig, it
was bond, belonged to Mr. Egerton, of the New Ship,
Brighton, of whom they had been hired. It appears that from
Worthing our hero went to Andover, where, on the even-
ing of the 6th, he made his appearance before the
magistrates at Andover, charged by Mr. H. P. Drover, pro-
prietor of the George Hotel of that borough, with obtaining
good. from him under false pretences. It appears the
accused has assumed various names in addition to that of
Selby.—Emily Wilkins, barmaid, stated that the prisoner
came to her master's house on Sunday evening, the3rd Jan.,
and asked if he could have a bed. She requested him to
walk into the bar; inquired if lie had a horse outside, when
be stated he hail left it behind, as the weather was bad. In-
formed him he could have a bed. Ile then went into the
smoking parlour—then into a private mum. Ile remained
until Tuesday. Between one and two o'clock he left without
saying anything, not even asking for his bill. When he
came he had nothing with hint but a riding-whip; no carpet
bag or other luggage.—P. Drover stated he was ostler at the
George Inn ; that on Monday last he had a home and gig,
in which the prisoner drove him to Iluestbourne Tarrant,
five miles, so that he might look at his horse he had left
there. The prisoner pretended to go to a Mr. Kent's there,
from whence he quickly returned to the George Inn, when
he stated that Kent had sent back his horse to New bury, to
the inn he brought him from, telling witness he should want
some one to fetch his horse and hunting equipments from
thence the next day. Witness told prisoner lie would go.
Witness was to bring his hunting things in the gig. A letter
was written to the landlord to let the witness have the thing..
He took the lad with him as fur as Ilurstboume —there
found on inquiry at Mr. Kent's that no horse had ;leen left
there by the accused, returned to Andover, found him gone,
gave the letter into the bands of Mr. Charles Van Sauter,
superintendent of police, went with the superintendent in
pursuit the same afternoon, hut did not find him till this
morning.—Charles Van Santee, superintendent of the An-
dover police, said that haring received instructions about
three o'clock on Tuesday afternoon from Mr. H. P.
Drover to search and apprehend a person who had been
staying at his house, he succeeded in arresting the amused
about ten o'clock in the morning at Vernhams Deane, just
preparing to get up from his bed. The Prisoner was then
remanded until Monday the 11th inst.
DEVONSHIRE.

FLY1101;1H.-At a meeting of gentlemen favourable to
the freedom of the preen, a suhscription was opened in aid
of the proprietors of the Plymouth Journal, who, after
virtually gaining a verdict in the ca,e of Iluldsworth, have
yet to pey an enormous bill of cow, for boldly doing their
duty as public journalists.

LITERATURE.

A Canoe Voyage up the Mitenay Saar ; with en Account of
the Lead and Copper Deposits in Wisconsin ; of the Cold
Region int/se CAeroitee Canary, and Metches of Popular
Manners, frc. By 0. W. FEATHERSTOXII•UOH, F .R. 8.,
F.U.S.
If this work contained no more than is premised by
the title-page, it would scarcely afford a meal sub-
stantial enough for the readers of the Erpress.
Of comparatively little interest to the people of Eng-
land can be the state of the country on the banks of the
" Minnay Sotor" (StPeter's Itiver),which is all but un-
known even to the Americans themselves ; or " the lead
and copper deposits of Wisconsin ;" or " the gold region
in the Cherokee country." These are subjects which
may have interest for the local reader, or rather
for the individuals who have purchased estates en-
riched by such mineral wealth, but they cannot pos-
sibly have very general importance. Like many
other writers, however, Mr. Featherstonkaugh
inct-
dentally adverts to matters which are of far higher
moment to us, than those which form the staple
of his book. No writer, indeed, could easily
traverse the vast space between Washington
and the north-western districts of Wisconsm ;
thence through Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, and
Tennessee into Georgia : and from the latter state
through the Carolinas back to Washington, without
perceiving something worth communication; cer-
tainly not such an observer as our author, who is
already advantageously known to the English public
by his "Excursion through the Slave States." But,
as we have just intimated, whatever there- may be of
general interest in these volumes is merely incidental;
k is moreover small in quantity ; and what little
there is, not fully developed. This, indeed, was to
be expected from their special character (which is
geological), and, therefore, we mast deal with them
as little more than suggestive of higher, or we
could rather say, of mere extended consideratioa&
There can be no doubt that the mineral wealth of
the United States is a subject that deserves in some
degree the attention of England. When we are told
that the coal fields cover an area larger than Greet
Britain,—that the lead district extends at least eight
hundred miles,—that the gold regions are almost
as vast,—that the treasures of iron and copper
are probably inexhaustible, we cannot shut our
eyes to such facts, especially when we take
into account the immense extent of country
teeming with corn, with animal food, and with
all the necessaries of life,—necassaries that may
be augmented to any extent,—even to the sup-
Irelyinegiemoenf theis ofenpotirewerpothpurolawntiontooLthEcuror
wp7th.
allperere-
fusion unexampled in any former age of the world,—
that maid, influence the condition of the great
human family,—England probably more than any
other branch of it. We should certainly
mate, is our own colonies, something like an
equipollence to such stupendous advantages, and
lbetunately in these, we, too, have abundant mineral
treasures—if not of gold, certainly of what may be
found infinitely more useful,—of coal, and iron, and
copper, which emigration could easily Iring to light,
and which the general government might easily
render available to the general benefit. It is also
our obvious and more immediate policy to obtain a
share of the many advantages enjoyed by our rivals;
and this share commerce would at once put into our
hands We allude more particularly to agricultural
produce, and to its transit by our own steam-boats and
ships from the borders of Lake Erie to the English
Por
It is is impossible even for the most careless traveller
to pass through the states of Kentucky, Pennsylvania,
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, lowa, and Wisconsin.
or any considerable portion of them, without feeling
the justice of the considerations—first, that here is to
extent of °Santry fertile enough to meet the physited
wants of half the world; and next, that the
may be easily transported to almost any patio','
certainly to any maritime part. The supply • C
increase with the demand ad snAultuns. The
serious question is that of transit, f 17, 0-
presents no great difficulties in tWow;4l)rtiap. • itai:
Huron, Erie, and Ontario are as •
they ere American; we might, if
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e.:oublo the number of ports and vessels on them ; and
the St. Lawrence, the grand outlet into the Atlantx,
is almost an English river. If t
thehe 11 elland .anal
whiclt c?nne'-es
were widened and deepened,
Lakes Erie and Ontario, the cornmunicatio-, between
Kingston and Montreal rendered more easy, by im-
proving the Rideau Canal, and, perhaps, by
ang a railway of no great length—both which objects
might be attained at a trifling expanse—little more
would he required for the facile transit of the produce
of the western world, from Detroit and Cleveland,
and Buffalo to Bristol, Liverpool, or London. Mr.
Featherstonhaiigh, indeed, would have a much
larger expenditure; he would have a railway from
Halifax in Nova Scotia, or at all events from St.
John's, on the Bay of Fundy, to the St. Lawrence ;
and from thence he sees no reason why it should not
" be continued to Montreal, Kingston, and round by the
north shore of Lake Ontario, rifi Toronto, to the
Welland canal." But lie is evidently mistaken as to
the expense of such an undertaking. A thousand
milesof railway would meet assuredly absorb a greater
capital than could rt•aeonably be expected to be returned.
Nor would it ensure any advantage at all com-
mensurate with the enormous outlay. It would not
facilitate the transit of produce during the months
when the St. Lawrence is frozen over; for no in-
genuity, no labour, could keep the rails traversable
during the heavy snow storms so common in the
northern parts of the American continent ; and if they
could, few persons would be tiiund willing to expose
themselves to the hardships of a more than Siberian
winter. Nor, indeed, is such a transit necessary, since
the fall of the year affords time enough for the
transport of that year's produce. How far it
might be expedient to connect Montreal with
Kingston by an entire line of railway, is a different
question; but, we suspect that speculative engineers
have not sufficiently taken into consideration the
influence of the deep snow, the excessive frosts, and
the instantaneous spring thaws on the soil, or on any
possible substratum placed above the soil for the
support of the rails. Nor were Canada overrun with
railways, could any reliance be placed on them during
at least four months of the year. And if intended
to be available during the summer months
only, the return of every spring, would neces-
sitate more repairs than anybody contemplates.
The line between Boston and Albany, though in
the depth of January both places enjoy a summer
compared with the season which reigns on the banks
of the St. Lawrence, is subject to many interruptions,
and calls forth heavy complaints. Short lines of rail-
way, however, such, for instance, as might be neces-
sary to escape the rapids of the St. Lawrence between
Montreal and Kingston, might be advantageously
worked through the summer months.
Whatever may be thought of the feasibility of rail-
ways for long or short distances, whether in Canada
East or Canada West, nobody can deny that, be
our deficiency of breadstuffs what it may, they are to
be purchased on the lakes—that they can be brought
by steamboat and canal to Quebec—and that the
carrying trade ought to be made to take this channel.
At present the transit of agricultural produce from
Michigan or Illinois (to say nothing of lowa or
Wisconsin) to New York or New Orleans, adds
grievously to the cost price. As no people have equal
facilities of internal communication, such transit to
the shores of Lake Erie is, or will soon become,
both expeditious and cheap. The subsequent dis-
tance should depend on ourselves, and for many
reasons. In the that place, it would afford employ-
ment to our own steamboats as far as Quebec, and to
oar own sailing vessels afterwards,—an advantage
which the Americans almost wholly engross. In the
second place, the commodity would come cheaper
into the English market than it does, or can do, at
present; for we must not forget that each of the states
through which it passes, under the actual system, is
labouring to exact as heavy tolls and freights ss possible.
There can be no check to such a system, managed as it
is by the local legislatures, which are al ways keenly alive
to their individual interests, without troubling them-
selves about those of the anion in general. We have,
however, but to render the navigation to and through
the St. Lawrence as facile as possible. Corn will
inevitably take the cheapest route.