The Express.
London, England, 1848-01-20 00:00:00

R Z.PMES, THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 20, 1848.

bow that *UM. IL had • 'brother. The ast:lmealied
Wine. E., who was an the fires tow, end who se
ester Into the back little room where she was *a-
gue& I requseted her to make out my account,
fortesed4ll-
- the hype that she would not be offended with me •
net milli/ her sooner. I said that I bad been un
and that I had been four meet& in prison. She replied,
I eertainly bad made her wait long for the money, but that
I must see myself that she had no in
against me, because
she had not put me to any expense to recover the debt. I
can na
ed on this convetion in order to time, I bad
with Vandenplas that if I shouldgain vefor remain fi minutesar-
t*
irtrinftore, it would be a sign .hat there was no obstacle to the
execution of our project, and that he should come in. It bad
been agreed that Vandenplu should introduce himself hats
the house under the pretext of renting one of Mdlle. Emit-
poet's houses in the Rue d'Andenlecht,aud that whilst deliver-
ing his message to tho servant, ho should stun her with a
heavy hammer belonging to a ow keeper, outside the Porte
de Louise, at a place called La Longue-haie (the long hedge),
where Vandeoplas took his victuals, and from whisk ha
fetched away the hammer without the
_knowledge of the
owner. We did not know that there was a ascend servant
in the house. Whilst Mdlle. E. was looking over her book
of amounts, I beard the bell ring, and I said to myself, 'That
is Vandenplas.' A few minutes elapaed, but I heal Ile
noise, and not knowing what might have taken place dews
stain, I made an excuse to descend, and said to Mdlle.
Ezeuse me, I have en errand to perform; I have not got I
the money about me. I shall return tomorrow.' She re-
plied, ' Very well ; I have not yet found your account.' I
went down, and found Vandenplu close to tl.e door of the little
WOW into which, on my first snivel, I had been shown. We
immediately went up together into Mille. E.'s room. Oa seeing
Vandenplas she exclaimed What is the matter I' in Fle-
mish (West is dat ?) I replied, ' This is my comrade, and I
am now going to pay you.' I put my hand for a second into
my pocket, and we immediately attacked her. Vandeoplas
stunned her with the hammer, and when she fell on the
ground I cut her throat with a poniard. She had onljtinte
to utter two cries—the name twice of one of her servants,
which I forget. When I first went down stain, and, se be-
fore stated, found Vaadeuplas close to the little room door,
he asked me if Mdlle. E. was already dead. Oa my reply
in the negative he abused me as a coward, told me he had
already killed the servants, and asked me where was thAe-
=obeli'. It was then that we hastily betook ourselves to
her room. Vandenplas told me there were two servants. I
heard them groaning. I found one lying alongside the door,
and the other in the kitchen, near a pump. I c the throats
of both, and dragged the body of one close to the other.
Subsequently Vsnelenplas informed me that he had stunned
the girl who had opened the door for him, and that whilst
he was busy finishing her (oecupe u ractever), he saw the
other servant comtng out of the cellar with a light, and
heard her exclaim, probably because she Ind heard some
noise, What is the matter ?' He immediately ran towards
the second servant, and knocked her down senseless before
she had time to utter a single word." Such is Roasiel's con-
fession, but, notwithstanding its positive nature, Vandenplu
still persists in declaring that he had no hand, directly or in-
directly, in the matter. It is calculated that altogether the
house of Mdlle. E. and brother war stripped, after the
murder, of property to the value of 6,000 f. The trial of the
prisoners well 11001% commence.

THE ADDITIONALTALE U
CONDER-SECRETARY FOR
THLONIES.
Copy of the Letter of Earl Oroy to the Lords Com-
misdoeors of the Treasury relating to the appointment of
an additional Assistant Under Secretary of Stan to the
Colonial department.
Downing-street, Nov. 27, 1847.—Sir,—I am directed be,
Earl Grey to state to you, for the information of the Loris
Ceminisnosen of the Treasury, that the 'means illness of Mr.
Stephen having deprived the public, for a time at lea* of
his valuable services in this department, Lord Grey has heed
himself compelled to consider in what way the conduct of the
public businese may be most efficiently provided for during
Mr. Stephen's absence, and in the event of his hold
retirement.
The Lords of the Treasury are well aware of the unri-
valled teal, energy and ability with which Mr. Stephen,
during a period of thirty-five years, has afforded his main-
nice to successive secretaries of state, and their lordships
will therefore understand, that even if a suriesseor equally
•& le and aeslous could be found to Mr. Stephen, the ac-
quaintance with colonial subjects, and with the conduct of
the business of this department, which Mr. Stephen had ac-
quired during that long period, could be possessed by no
other person. It is obvious, therefore, that at would be im-
possible by any new appointment effectually to supply the
loss of Mr. Stephea's services.
The Lords of the Treasury will not be surprised, under
these circumstances, to learn, that, in considering the ar-
rangements which may be required, Lord Grey ham felt It
necessary to contemplate an increase of the establishment of
this office. Mr. Stephen has for the present received a leave
of absence for six months, and until that period shall have
expired no permanent arrangement can be made. But Lori
Grey regrets to say that the state of Mr. Stephen's heath
renders it highly improbable that he will ever be able to
sumo the laborious post of Under Secretary of State in Wade-
partment. His lordship trusts that Mr. Stephen's great
abilities and familiarity with colonial law may be here-
after rendered available to the public service in some '
Ins arduous situation, and he regard', as one means
by which this may possibly be effected, Mr. Stephen's
recent appointment to be a member of her Majesty's Privy
Council. But, in the meantime, it is impossible to postpone
the arrangement which will be necessary to enable Lord
limy to conduct ethciently the important anti growing busi-
ness of this office. Under these circumstances, it has ap-
peared to Lord Grey that it would be desirable that the
arrangement to be now made should be en with reference to
the probable contingency of Mr. Stephen's final resignation
of his office. With this view, his lordship proposes for the
present to appoint two Assistant Under Secretaries, at sala-
ries of 1,6001. a year each, to perform the duties which Mr.
Stephen has hitherto discharged, selecting for one of those
officers a gentleman who, in the event of Mr. Stephen's
retirement, will, Lord Grey trusts, be found well fitted to
succeed him ; and for the other, Mr. T. Frederick Elliot, at
present the Chairman of the Colonial Land and Emigration
Board.
This arrangement will, in the first instance, involve an
increase of expense at the rate of 3,0001. a year; but in the
event of Mr. Stephen's retirement, the permanent addition
to the expense of the establishment on this account will be
only 1,6001. a year. Lord Grey regrets that it should be
necessary at the present moment to propose such an increase
but, looking to themultiplicityand of
importance the gen-
tian now pressing on this office, he feels that he would not
be justified in shrinking from the responsibility of such a
prevention.
The appointment, as an Assistant Under Secretary of !
State, of Mr. T. Frederick Elliot, will leave vacant the office
of Chairman of the Land and Emigration Board; to that
office it is Lord Grey's intention to appoint Mr. Murdoch, at
present holding the situation of an extra senior clerk in this
department, at a salary of 9001. • year, to be increased
yearly additions of 251. to 1,0001. • year. But Lord
Gey feels bound to state that, looking to the amount and !
importance of the business which for several years has de- '
volved on the Land an i Emigration Commnsioners, and to
the scale of remuneration of other similar boards is this
country, a salary of 1,0001., appears to him quite inadequate!
to the labour and responsibilities attaching to the chairman
of that board. He would, therefore, recommend to the
Lords of the Treasury that the salary of the Chairman of
the Land Board should hereafter be fixed at 1,2001. per
annum.
The duty latterly performed by Mr. Murdoch it, this office
has been that of preparing for the consideration of the
Secretary of State such cases as from their unusual impor.
tance or extent could not be entrusted to other members of
the department without an inconvenient interruption of the
current tininess. Lord Grey considers that this duty cannot
be left unprovided for. To supply, therefore, Mr. Murdoch's
vacancy, his lordship proposes to appoint to the situation of
" priers writer" in this office, Mr. Strachey, a gentleman at
present in the service of the East India Company, but who
has expressed a willingness to retire from that service, and to
accept the situation, should it appear upon trial that such an
arrangement wouldbe advantageous to the public service. Mr.
Strachey has already &Laded important aid to this depart-
ment on the recent inquiry into the state of affairs in
Ceylon, and Lord Grey anticipates that the habits of limi-
ness, and the experience he has gained in India, and his
general acquirements, will enable till!' gentleman to render
very valuable assistance in the consideration of many im-
portant questions which are brought before this department,
and more especially those relating to the eastern colonies.
Lord Grey would propose to fix Mr. Strachey's salary at
1,0001. per annum, being the maximum salary of a senior
clerk, and an immediate increase only of 1001. a year to the
salary at present drawn by Mr. Murdoch, whom Mr. Strachey
succeeds. These are the only alterations which at the present
moment Lord Grey considers absolutely necessary. It is not
improbable that he may shortly have to propose the addition
of an officer to discharge the duties of registrar, and other
analogous functions, at • salary of 3001. a year ; but for the
present his lordship suspends that recommendation.
The immediate additions, then, to the expense of this
office, which Lord Grey has thus proposed, are:
Two Assistant Under-ienetaries, at 1.5001. each £3,000
The difference between the salary of Mr. Murdoch and
the proposed salary of Mr. ffuechey

E 3,100
But, u I have before explained, the permanent addition
will be considerably less, inasmuch as, on Mr. Stephen's re-
tirement, one of the present Assistant Under Secretaries
will succeed to his office, and as the increase on the salary
of the précis writer is merely an anticipation of the increase
to which Mr. Murdoch would, in the course of four years
have gradually become entitled. Bat LorJ Grey feels it his
duty to add, that, notwithstanding the aaeistance and relief
which he expects to derive from these additions, it is, in his
opinion, necessary that the strength of this office should be
fully maintained, and, consequently, that her Majesty in
council should be advised to rescind so much of the order in
council of the 19th May, 1846, es directs a prospective reduc-
tion when vacancies occur of tho number of first clerks from
five to four, and the prospective abolition of the office of
supernumerary clerks.
Lord Grey has been reluctant,as the Lords of the Treasury
will have seen from his letter of the 12th of February last,
to propose the reversal of a measure recommended by his
predecessor, until ho should be enabled, on the ground of
personal knowledge and experience, to state that there was a
necessity for doing w: but he considers it his duty now to
state, that he sees no prospect of the business of this office
being efficiently performed with a reduction of its strength
in any of its classes. Indeed Mr. Gladstone himself, in is
letter to the Lords of the Treasury of the 17th of April 1846,
appears to have contemplated the question of maintaining
the supernumerary class 111 one which it might be the future
duty of the Secretary of State to bring under their lordships'
consideration.
In conclusion, Lord Grey desires me to express his confi-
dence that the Lords of the Treasury will look at thew
arrangements with an especial reference to the extent to

which the colonial poesessicae of the crown lave been en-
lateTM% WA the nail greater degree in which
guidon' Mallow with them have been multiplied,
that mice eseasedisg government, even with the
invelnehie toolotoomo of Xr. Stephen, bar found this branch
of othalnistraties id be more and more difficult to conduct.
The los of ly milidral• readers it indispensable to make at
ewe en eadasvema,whisie bat peithw been too Jong deferred,
thr plain the othsisletratths- of Wade' 'Shire on a footing
of greater olitthrth and eithiesei.-1 have, &o.
C. S. Tamers, Seq., Ike. (Signed) B. H.twas.
[To this doesiesst appended in the parliamentary
paper dethered yosterday a Treasury Minute, authorising
the proposal smoothest* to be serried into effect.]

ISLAND OF OALITA.
The hitherto obscure sad almost unknown island
of Gate having, from Its association with the mournful lass
of the Avenger,become an object of special interest, we are
sore that the subjoined narrative of a visit to that island, by
her Majesty's ship Favourite. in Feb. 1834, Captain R.
Mundy, with which that gallant officer his kindly favoured
us from his valuthiejournal, will he deemed well worthy of
A" We have puma lour days of considerable anxiety.
Seely en the menedsig of the 31st of January, the wind began
to and drew round to the N.N.E. qaarter, with
heavy eiteenepanied by thickraioy weather, whilst the
beeelealwe Wing rapidly dapped from 30 20 to 29.60, gave
hie wombs of an approaching gale. I, therefore, pre-
tinsel lemsdlagly, by hauling more off the land, by
yjVegthree reefs in the topsa and reefing the courses.
mensidercd the position of the ship to be known
tellifn a few miles, as I had taken a departure from Cape
aftftelft 3 p.m. on the preceding afternoon, and after passing
the Sharks hauled up W.N.W., keeping clean full, and run-
ning between eight and nine knots. At noon the ship, by
her reckoning, was 24 mile, due north of the Cane Rocks,
the wind at that time drawing gradually to the northward,
and blowing a fresh gale, with heavy squalls and rain;
about • quarter of an hour later there was a short break in
the weather, when, to our great surprise and consternation,
we observed the land close under ear lee bow, which
(having sighted it only a few weeks before) we knew
to be the Cane Rocks. I put the helm down home-
rdlately, but owing to the heavy sea the ship would
act stay, and as we paid off and wore round, it care
fearful to observe the outer breakers rushing over the reef.
Being now on a lee shore, blowing • gale, with every
appearance of worse weather, I took advantage of the
knowledge of our exact position, and bore up for the road-
stead of Farina, distant 16 males, and the entrance being %
mile and a half wide, we managed to get in, and anchored
clue under the point, called by the ancients Appoilinis
Promontories, where the ship rolled heavily all night,
daring which it blew with much violence, accompanied by
thunder, lightning, and rain. Early in the forenoon of the
Ist of February the weather moderated, and we put to sea,
continuing all this day and part of the following working
to windward along the coast, which in this part of the
Tunisian territory is very beautiful, and apparently fertile
and well cultivated. At noon Galita bore WbyNl N, 36
miles, the ship just heading up for it with a strong north-
erly wind. At sunset, perceiving that I could not weather
the Island, I determined en anchoring there for the night,
as we had experienced a current setting to the southward, of
one mile per hear, and I was desirous of holding our own.
Just as it became dusk I rounded the *sateen extreme of the
island within a tauter of a mile, and then stood over to the
B.W. point, off which, according to the direction-book,
anchorage would be found. I was, however, unable to get
say soundings for more than two hours, during which it
berme dark, and the high and fantastically shaped hills
whisk were dimly seen almost above oar heads, had a grand
seem. At last we struck 40 fathoms, and at the same mo-
ment found ourselves alongside of a polacca, which I hailed
In Italian, and received for an answer that. she was from
Tunis, and at anchor in 28 fathoms, upon which I dropped
the best bower in a bottom of sand and red shells. It re-
mained calm during be night, with a heavy ground swell,
so much so that I doubted if the berth were a geed one.
Daylight at length showed as that we were only half a mile
from the land, which was very high sad barreulooking.
I sent the master, Mr. Dowers, to sound, and the calm con-
tinuing I went on there after breakfast, taking with me all
the officers except the first lieutenant, and several midship-
men, and also the starboarl watch, armed with stretchers
and broomsticks, to wage war against the hares and rabbits,
which the crew of the Tunisian pelmets had informed us
were plentiful. We pulled along the beach for some time
before es eligible spot was found to disembark so large •
party, though the water was perfectly smooth. At lest I
observed a good-Weed stone tank erected close to the shore,
from which it was evident vessels occasionally watered, as
no landing we found that it supplied itself from a neigh-
bouring stream, slowly certainly, but in sufficient quantity
to induce vessels to resort to this anchorage in fine weather.
We soon ascertained that the statement of our poles=
friends was correct ; as we found abundance of rabbits, and
also several goats, but the latter were so wild, that, although
many of us toiled in the hotted sun to the highest accessible
points, these animals soon gained some more lofty crag, and
bid defiance to the best of our rifles. The prospect from the
summit of Galita was magnificent, but our anxiety to get a
good bag of game soon brought us again to the lower
ground, and at two p.m., under the shade of • few struggling
trees, by the side of the oily stream on the island, we partook
of a hearty luncheon. About four I observed with my glass
that a breeze was setting in from the eastward, so I sent to
Mr. Toby to get the Favourite under weigk and us
in the urn
is,
and shortly afterwards we all returned on
board, every one, and more particularly the seamen and
marines, delighted with the novelty of the day's proceedings.
No hares were seen; but many rabbits found their way into
the coppers to-day. I believe the bag of the officers was
also • good one. I can, however, only
.answer for myself.
I knocked over as many as • fair shot might do after hung
away a powder flask full, and I brought on board 11 rabbits
and two woodcocks. I saw several of these long bills, and
was surprised to find them so wild. Several parts of the
island are capable of cultivation, but there seems to be only
a small supply of water. I found the first lieutenant in
high good humour, having been delighted at the opportunity
of scrubbing the hammocks. At sunset we passed between
the Agaglio Rocks, and the west end of the island, with a
fresh breeze, at S.S. The holding ground was indifferent,
and the anchorage altogether bad.' —Morning Herald.

Cbe erourt.
WINDSOR, WEDNESDAY. —The Marquis and Mar-
chioness of Douglas, and the Rev. Dr. and Mn. Whewell
are expected to arrive at the Castle this evening on a visit to
the Queen.
The royal dinner party at the Castle this evening
will include the Duchess of Kent, the Marquis and Mar-
chioness of Douglas, the Earl of Liverpool, the Lady ins
Waiting of the Duchess of Kent, the Baroness de Spethould
the Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Whrwrll.

The Duchess of Gloucester visited the Princess
Sophia yesterday, at her residence at Kensington.
A Cabinet Council was held at three oclock yester-
day afternoon at the Foreign-oilice. The Ministers present
were Lord J. Russell, the Lord Chancellor, the Marquis of
Lansdowne, Sir G. Grey, Viscount Palmerston, Earl Grey,
the Chaneellor of the Exchequer, the Earl at Auckland,
Lord Campbell, the Right Hon. H. Labouchere, the Mar-
quis of Clanricarde, and the Right Hon. T. B. Macaulay.
The Council sat two hours and a half.
The Marquis of Lansdowne, Lord President, arrived
in town yesterday, from his seat, Bowoxl-park,
Mr. Jennings, architect to the Grand Surrey Canal
Company, Mr. Smith, surveyor of the canal, and Mr. J. C.
Hall, solicitor to the company; also, 'Mr. P. Clarke,
manager of the London, Brighton, and South Coast Rail-
way Company, Mr. Hood, engineer, and Mr. Parson,
attorney to the company, had an interview with the Right
Hon. E. Strutt, yesterday. at the office of the Commissioners
of Railways, in the Board of Trade, respecting the mode of
forming a bridge over the Grand Surrey Canal.
Sir John Rae Reid and a deputation of gentlemen
connected with the Mauritius, had a conference yesterday
with Lord J. Russell, Earl Grey, and the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, at the official residence of the First Lord of the
Treasury, in Downing-street.
Viscount de Moncorvo, the Portuguese Minister,
transacted business, yesterday, at the Foreign-office.
Mr. Cardwell, M.P., and a deputation from Man-
chester and Liverpool, respecting tea, had an interview with
Lord J. Russell yesterday.
Despatches were sent off yesterday evening from
the Colonial-office for the governors of Hong-Koug, Ceylon,
and Malta.

DEATH OF COL. FRANCIS SHERLOCK, K.H.—This
gallant officer expired on Saturday morning, at Southwell,
Notts, after a short illness, at the ripe age of 71 years. He
had been in the army above 55 years, and had seen consider-
able service. In 1794 and the following year be served with
the Bth Light Dragoons in Flanders, Holland, and Germany,
and took part in the attack of Bousbeiue; all the outpost
affairs on the retreat from Ostend, particularly at Alort and
at Duffeldt ; action at Boatel, where his horse was killed
under him, and the retreat from the Rhine. In August,
1811, he proceeded to the Peninsula, in the command of the
4th Dragoon Guards, and served with that corps till May,
1813. His commission bore date as follows :—Cornet, Aug.
31, 1793; lieutenant, Dee. 19, 1793; captain, Dec. 22,
1793; major, June 4, 1801; lieutenant-colonel, April 25,
1808; and colonel, June 4, 1814.
DEATH OF REAR-ADMIRAL SwAINE.—We bait to
record the demise of Rear-Admiral Speiman Swains, who
expired on the 14th inst. at Wisbeach, at the advanced age
of eighty, and after a service of nearly sixty years. He neld
the civil appointment of magistrate and chief bailiff for the
Isle of Ely. The deceased officer was midshipman of the
Recovery at Howe's relief of Gibraltar, and was mate on a
voyage of discovery with Vancouver, and saved the life of
his captain in an affair with the natives on the north-west
coast of America.

CHANGES IN THE EXCISE DEPARTMENT.—It wag
currently reported yesterday in the Excise department, that
a minute had been received from the Lords of the Treasury
by the Commissioners of Excise, that in future the licences
taken out by wholesale wine and spirit-dealers may be
transferred from one occupier to another, on the same princi-
ple as is at present acted upon is the case of one licensed
victualler taking to the business of another before the expim
lion of the financial year, viz., the 10th of October. Accord-
log to the present regulations, should a wholesale dealer
only continue the business for a day after that period, his
successor is subjected to the same charges as if no former li-
cense had ever existed, and in some cases three or four licences
have been paid for the premises within one year. The injus-
tice has been greater with regard to retailers of beer, where the
tenants are more frequently changed; and from information re-
eently obtained from surveying officers in many of the districts,