The Express.
London, England, 1848-08-22 00:00:00

fbt (Scutt.
OSBORNE, MONDAY.—The Prince of Holieslobe
Lanimbourg and Prime Victor Holssnlobe took leave of
her Majesty and left Osborne this morning. His Serene
Mgbnese returns immediately to Germany. The Princess
of Hobertlobe Langenbourg and the Priapism Bliss. Ade-
laide, and Feodors, remain at Osborne.

Captain Huish, of the London and North Western
Railway Company, had an interview with the C011:1111i•-
stoners of Railway., yesterday, at their office in the Board of
Trade.
M. de Beaumont, the French Minister, Viscount
and Viscountess Palmerston, and the Earl of Mints, dined
with Lord and Lady John Russell, on Saturday, at their
residence, Pembroke Lodge, Richmond Park.

THE EXPLOSION IN ALBANY-STREET.
The adjourned inquest was held yesterday before
Mr. Wakley, at the London University College Hospital,
and afterwards at the Orange Tree, New-road, respecting the
death of Mary Bentley, nursemaid to Mr. Loten, late of 60,
Albany-street, Regent s-park, who tut her life by the explo-
aion which occurred on the 7th inst.
The Coroner having been informed that Captain Leten
was not able to lease his rosin, proceeded, accompanied
by the jury, to the ward in which that gentleman was
lying, and took his depositions. He said he had been visit.
ing his brother at No. 60, Albany-street. On the 7th inst., at
five minutes before 10 o'clock at night, he went down stairs
with Miss Burgh into the back-parlour. He smelt gas very
strongly, when MU Burgh said, • Had we not better go and
see where the gas escapes? " Witness took up a candle, and
opened the shop door when the 'aphis oceurred,andhe knew
nothing more until he found himsei. .n the ruins at the back
of the hems. He was then covered with dust and blood so
that he could hardly see. Having groped about he laid
hold of Miss Burgh, and succeeded in getting her into the
Windsor Castle public-house. She and witness were after-
wards conveyed to that hospital, where they had remained
ever since.—By the Coroner : For three weeks previously he
had experienced a strong smell of gas in the building, but
could never find tut where it came from. The explosion
took place before the door was opened a foot. It. curled
the candle rather higher than his head. Ile was quite sure
there was no gunpowder or gun cotton in the place.—ln an-
swer to a question from a juror witness said that whilst the
boy was shutting up the shop, in drawing one of the shut-
ters out of the box he accidentally struck the meter and
turned off the gas.
Miss Jane Burgh, sister in law to Mr. Loten, deposed to
the main facts in the previous evidence, and added, that she
had lived in her brothee in-law's house about 12 months,
during which time she had been greatly annoyed by the gas
escaping. Her sister had written to the gas company, and
the inspector came and examined the meter. He said that
thus) was too much wate tin the pipes. lie examined the
pipes before last Christmas. Mr. Howell, living in the same
street, came repeatedly t examine the meter. He at last
said that he could not attend to it any longer, unless he re-
ceived en order from the gas company. There were two
burners in the window, one in the shop and another to light
toe stairs.—Croas-examined : Wanes' as she came down
stairs, smelt gas stronger than usual.usual.Captain Loten asked
her to go with him into the shop and see that all was safe.
He took • candle in his hand, and was opening the door
when the explosion took place. Witness could not recollect
whether there was any flash or report. tihe believed she
was found on the balcony at the back of the house. Captain
Lotto got her out. She was very much burned. Witness
eentrally turned off the gas. She did so on the night of the
explosion. The meter was kept in the shutter-box, under
the stall board of the 'hop front. On tt.e daht
of the explosion the gas was turned off
nine o'clock. The meter was not injured. A Ater
said that meters were formerly made of iron, but now for
cheapness they were made of tin, and it would be tamest se
safe if the gas could be wrapped up in a sheet of brown
paper instead of the cheap machines. The Coroner said it
would be desirable to see a meter fixed like the one at Mr.
Loten's.
Dr. Arnett, of 38, Bedford-square, said that explosions
had engaged much if his attention. He maintained that
coal gas, if sufficient quantities could be got, would produce
almost any effect. One measure of ordinary coal gas and 10
d atmospheric air would give the greatest explosive power.
11% his opinion the gas had been escaping for some time, and
bad filled the apertures in the wells and under the flooring.
If an opening was made in the chimneys, it would be almost
impossible for an explosion to take place. GAS ascends to
*be top of • room, and there remains usually at the top of
the air as oil does upon water, as it become. mixed with
I atmospheric air the more explosive it becomes, and the pro-
bability* in this instance, had Capt. Lotto held the candle
lower there would have been no explosion. The surest
remedy is to have a ventilator at the top of each room in the
chimney. Gas ascends about much mote freely than or-
dinary smoke, and the draft in the chimney would be sure
to carry it of, inasmuch as • chimney is always an air-
pump.
Mr. Loten said be had occupied the house since Midsum-
mer, 1847. The gas was laid on when he went there. The
meter and pipes were in the same condition as when he
went there, up to the time of the explosion. About three
weeks before the explosion, the gas escaped very much and
smelt strong. There was nothing unusual in the construction
of the shop, except that leather had been placed round
the doors. On Monday or Tuesday before the explosion he
smelt gas and took • lighted match, but found no escape.
Oa the Sunday before the explosion, witness and his wife
went to Thames Ditton, and were not at home when the
explosion took place.
The Coroner said the results of that expiation were most
extraordinary. He thought the parties who had had their
houses damaged would be more than re-imbursed, if they
were to make an exhibition of their places.
Other witnesses having given corroborative evidence,
polies constable Francis, 146 S, who was on duty in the Col-
losseum on the night in question, said that on hearing the
report he went and found the whole of the gas lights in the
street extinguished. lie found the deceased lying on the
pavement opposite the third house from Mr. Loten's pro-
mises. Her head was knocked to pieces.
The coroner said it would be most desirable for the jury to
see a meter fitted up similarly to that at Me. Loten's, and he
adjourned the inquiry till Wednesday evening next to allow
the officer time to inquire in the neighbourhood whether any
meters were so fitted up there

TUTOR FOR THE PRINCE OF WALES.—It is ru-
moured is well-informed quarters that the choice of a tutor,
during the early period of the Prince of Wales's education,
has fallen upon one of the sosistant-masters of Eton College,
from whose success in engaging the attachment of his pupils,
as well as the cenfldence of their parents, the best results
nay be anticipated in the more prominent sphere to which it
k proposed to transfer hint.
THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION concluded its proceed-
ings at Swansea on Saturday. The report of the treasurer
showed the number of tickets issued at the recent meeting'
to be—old life insaiben, 149 ; new life members, 3; new
annual subscribers, 23 ; old annual subscribers, 61 ; asso-
Mates, 388 ; ladies, 20.5 ; foreigners, 16 ; reporters of the
metropolitan journals, &c., 13 ; making a totalof 847: while
the number at the sessions of preceding meetings are as fol-
lows, viz. :-1844, at York, 940 ; at Cambridge, 1,090 ; at
Southampton, 860; at Oxford, 1,260; at Plymouth, in 1841,
650; and at Cork, 370. It was then publicly announced
that the next meeting would be held in September, 1949, at
1 Birmingham, to which plats Lord Northampton invited
their attendance.
THE SALE AT STORE,—The sixth day's sale took
iplace yesterday, and included the mli'ction of sculpture and
the busts from the Temple of Friendship, erected by Lord
Cobham. Atnoag the noticeable lots were the following :
697. The Marine Venus arranging her hair, a beautiful an-
tique statue, about 4ft. 6in. high, found in excavating the
baths of Agrippa at Rome, and brought to England by the
present Duke of Buckingham when Marquis of Chandos.
This statue has since its arrival at Stowe been placed in an
alcove in the music room. The slight injuries it had suf-
fered have been very carefully repaired, and it is now per-
haps one of the most complete and beautiful antiques in
existence. The competition it excited was most spirited ;
167 guineas was given by Mr. Gruner, a Gentles ecsaciimear.
It was reported that the purchase wasmade for Prises Albert.
732. The Mercury of G. di Bologna, a copy, the size of the
original, on a marble half column-1121. 733. The cele-
brated Laocoon, a bronze by Carbonnesux, the sip of the
antique marble. It was disposed dm Foothill for MI, and
subsequently slid for, we believe, the same amount to the
Duke of Buckingham--540 guineas. 741. liygeia, a fine
antique statne,• the head and hands restored, 5 test fl inches
high-61 guineas, to Lord Nugent. 761. A bast of Prior,
the post, by Roubiliac, one of, the finest efforts of the muter,
180 guineas. TI • day's catalogue concluded with two
marble groups by 6eheemaken, formerly at Canons, the
seat of the Sent Duke of Chandos, in Herat Makin, repre-
senting respeotively Venus and Adonis, and Vertumnus and
Pomona—the first 85 guineas, and the other 82 guineas.
The day's sale realised nearly 3,0004
A Howls RAS DESTROYED yesterday in Queen's-
place, Great Queen-street, Lincoln's-inn-fields. A tall
stack of chimneys was blown down, and falling upon the
roof carried it away, sad famed down every floor, demolish-
ing the whole of the taimitare, and nearly killing a child,
the only person in the beam state time.

TIMBER SALES IN THE NEW FOREST.
The following is the evidence given on this head
by Mr. Osage Fletcher, of Millbroik, Southampton, to .
Lord Duncan's committee :
What is your occupation I ars *ti
mber-merchant and
valuer —How long have you resided in the vicinity of the
New Forest? For 24 years I have resided in the neigh-
bourhood of the forest; bat I have known the forest
well for the lest 16 year..—Have you been in the habit of
valuing timber for timber sales ? I have been in the habit or
m • timber trees in the fore*, with my father, who hes
pure had timber in the forest.- -Row long have you been
acquainted with the deputy surveyor, Mr. Reed, and his
eons? For between seven end eight yearn.—What is the
nature of your acquaintance with them ? I have been to
look over ember, and I have applied to them for • catalogue
of the sales of the timber, and of the contents of the timber,
in order that I might compare it with my measurement
after I had been aver the timber.—Did you ever hear
that Mr. Reed, the deputy surveyor, surveys on ether
estates besides the estates of the mown ? Yes, liesurveysfor
Sir Beery Panted, and other gentlemen in the neigh -
hood What does he eereey ? Tienber.—Do you know aay-
thing with regard to the sales of the timber, or the pasties
who buy it ? It waa always sold * Mr. JIIMIG4
it, previously to Mr. Reed's massatiat. to be sold by pub-
lic auction? It mad.—Do you Mr. Junes Reed ?
Yee, very assn.—Re is a eon of Mr. William Reed Yes.—
Is he employed by hie father la OM foreat ? Yes, at 601. a
year; I have heard that be wee offered • eitsiestion o['