The Express.
London, England, 1847-07-27 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, JULY 27, 1847.

being made by shareholders against the directors, whom
they accused of want of energy end skill in conducting their
operations. The report was, however, in the end, adopted ;
and the retiring members of the committee having been re-
elected, and the chairman and directors thanked, the pro-
ceedings terminated.
ANTIQUITIES FOR TIM B =TIM MUSEUM.—
Several cases of antiquities, intended for deposit in the
British Museum, have been shipped at Leghorn for South-
ampton, on board the steamer Montrose, en route to their
destination, and the Lords of the Treasury• hare issued the
necessary directions to the proper authorities for their de-
livery on arrival, free of duty, to the establishment men-
tioned.

EXPLOSION AND FIRE AT WATN ET'S D I STILLERY.—
Yesterday afternoon the town of Wandsworth was thrown
into a stato of great excitement, by a report that Watney's
distillery was on fire. In the coune of a few minutes hun-
dreds of persons were to be seen hurrying to the spot,
and on entering the premises, a spacious lofty building.
termed the new distillery, wee found to be wrapped in one
broad sheet of flame, and for some time it was teartd that
the work of destruction would extend throughout the
whole range of buildings. Three engines belonging to the
premises were immediately drawn out and eat to work ;
these were followed by several brigade engines. By the
time the firemen from London came down, the strangers
and workmen hod happily succeeded in stopping the further
progress of the flames ; they were, however, far from being
entirely extinguished, but, with the aid of plenty of water that
waaprocured from the tanks on the premises, they were shortly
afterwards wholly subdued. The damage done is of a very
serious character, for the building in which the fire com-
menced is partially burned down, and the same was filled
with a costly patent still which, of course, is materially in-
jured. The cause of the disaster lass been traced to the
escape of hydrogen gas from the main hole, which, as soon
as it came in contact with the furnace, exploded with a noise
resembling the discharge of cannon, blowing part of the roof
and sides of the premises out, and displacing the apparatus.
Fortunately no one was injured ; but had the accident hap-
pened a few minutes sooner, the most disastrous emsequenccs
to life and property would doubtless have occurred, for the
men had just succeeded in drawing off the large quantity of
3,500 gallons of spirits from the same compartment. The
loss will fall upon the Sun, Pticcnix, and Imperial fire officer.
The damage done is thus reported to the insurance offices by
Mr. Superintendent Braid weiod ; "New distillery and patent
still—severely damaged by explosion and fire, and roof off.
Cause—escape of hydrogen gee from main hole."

- - - -
INQUESTS, YESTERDAY.— AFFLICTING SUICIDE.—
By Mr. Bedford, at St. George's Hospital, on the body of
William Murch, aged 39. The deceased was foreman of car-
penter in the employ of Mr. Wyatt, the architect. For
several days past the deceased's manner was wild and di, •
ordered ; on the 14M inst., on the return of the workmen
from breakfast, the deceased was discovered at No. 31,
Gloucester-square,lying across the doorway of a closet in the
front hall, in a pool of blood, having inflicted a deep incision
in his throat with a penknife, dividing the carotid artery
and jugular vein. Ho was conveyed to the above hospital, and
for several days he appeared going on favourably, but on the
22nd the waned burst out afresh, and he expired the same
night from the loss of blood. Verdict —" Temporary Insanity."
—NEGLECT Or w Stuotost.—By Mr. Payne, at the
Vestry-hall, Tooley-street, Borough,on the body of Charlotte
Walker, a child about 3 years old, late a pauper of St. John's
Workhouse, liorsleydown. The investigation was adjourned
front Saturday, in consequence of a charge of gross culpa-
bility sud negh.ct againat the surgeon who had attended the
deceased.--Elizabeth Curtis said she lived inthe St. John's,
Union, and, on Friday fortnight, a man in the workhouse,
named Rose, brought in a gallon of hot-water in a tin can,
when one of the female paupers, a child about .1 sears old
filled a half-pint pot with some of the het-water and brought
it to the deceased, who, in endeavouring to drink it, got it
spilt over her chest. The deceased screamed, and was soon
taken upstairs, and some fl nir was pat on the wound.
Ellen Mahoney, the girl who brought the water, cried, and
said it was not her intention to hurt deceased. The accident
happened about one o'clock, and Mr. Pettigrew, the house-
surgeon, was seat for, but he did not attend.—Mrs. Wood-
bine, matron to the Union, stated that Mr. Pettigrew
was sent for, and came in the afternoon of the accident,
but she could not say when he saw the child again.
Jane Walker, mother of deceased, stated that she first called
the attention or last witness to the state of deceased's mouth,
the Sunday after the accident. It was then all in a blister,
and the matron thea declared she would have the doctor to
set the child, but he never came until the Wednesday, nor
did she (witness) receive anything to apply to the mouth.
Witness showed the ehiln's mouth to Mr. Pettigrew, and he
said it would soon get better, though he remarked " What
an awful state it was in." lie saw-the deceased a third time

on the succeeding Friday, when he gave a box of ointment;
and be told witness the day after deceased's death, which
took place on Thursday last, that he was never more sur-
prised in his life than when he was informed the deceased ,
had expired.--Mr. W. H. Pettigrew stated that he bad seen I
deceased on the 9th lost., when he noticed a superficial
scald on the breast, and deceased did not appear at all
depressed by it, and he understood it had been occasioned
by hot water, bat did not look at the child's mouth.
As soon as he heard of the bad symptoms, be had her re-
moved to the sick ward, and she was then seen daily until
her death. Death was the result of ulceration of the bowels.
The shock to the nervous system was very slight indeed, and
there were no symptoms of inflammation in the windpipe.
The witness was here examined at great length in a scientific
manner by the coroner, hut his answers gave but little sates-
faction.—The coroner: flow came you to give a certificate
to the registrar of deaths that this case was a "natural
death ?" Were you not aware that a death from scalding
could not be considered a natural death ? Witness: I was
not aware that I was required to give any other certificate.
Mr. Payne having summed up, the jury returned a verdict
" that the deceased died from ulceration of the bowels, and
they were of opinion that it would have been much more
satisfactory if the medical man hail, instead of trusting to
the accounts of other persons, attended the patient himself,
and that he ought not to have given the certificate which he
did to the registrar, as it was likely to have had the effect of
defeating the ends of justice by preventing inquiry where
perhaps it was essential to be made." Mr. Pettigrew was
subsequently reprimanded by the coroner, and the proceed-
imp terminated.

ELECTION INTELLIGENCE.
THE METROPOLIS.

LAMEPTII.—MR. D'ETNCOURT.—In compliance with the
custom of the borough, that each candidate should in torn
make a public " conftasion of faith" at the Horns, Kenning-
ton, Mr. D'Eyncourt addressed the electors there yesterday
evening. The chair was taken at seven o'clock by J. H.
Palmer, Esq., who, in openingtthe business of the meeting,
read lettere from Mr. T. buncombe and Sir De Lacy Evans,
both strongly recommending Mr. D'Eyncourt to the con
stituancy of Lambeth. Both writers apologised for their
non-attendance, Mr. Duncorohe on the score of illness, and
Sir De Lacy Evans in consequence of having to meet a
conservative candidate (Lord Wandeville), who had suddenly
started up in Westminster. Tha chairman, in introducing
Mr. D'Eyncourt to the electors, reminded them of his long
and faithful services in the cause of reform, of which ho
might almost be called the pioneer in consequence of his
exertions in the celebrated East Retford case.—Mr. D'Eyn-
court then came forward and was reeeived with loud and
general cheering. He regretted that the power which the
constituency wore about to exercise was one which returned
to them only once in every seven years. His bad been a
long career of public life, more than half of which bad been
passed in the service of the borough, and he was still able
and willing to serve them should they deem him worthy of
their confidence. They had arrived at an important crisis
in political affairs. The dislocation of parties which bad
resulted from the policy of Sir Robert Peel, made it
necessary that the representatives of the people should be
exceedingly vigilant and watchful. The word " coalition"
had become familiar to their ears within the last few days—
a coalition of the state managers it might he, inimical to the
liberties of the people. Under such ctrcumstances he wished
the electors had ten candidates to choose from ; they had
only three; but if they selected him he had still, although
advanced in years, energyandvigonr enough left to do battle
for the liberties of the English people. His votes were ail
before them, and for none did he feel any regret—not even
his much vilified vote in favour of the Maynooth .grant.
He was there to explain everything, to answer every one ;
and on his answers to abide by the decision of the electors.
On the education vote he had opposed the government.
Had he done wrong? (No, no.) He had voted against any
increase in the number of bishops. In minorities of fifteen
and ten he had so voted, but if the constituencies had been
properly represented the case would have been very different.
If they had had the ballot—if they bad had short parlia-
ments—would the Manchester Bishopric Bill have passed ?
(Cries of " No, no.") He laid his opinions can-
didly before the constituency, but he declined giving any
pledges. lie thought they were unconstitutional, and al-
culated to fetter the fair discretion of a member of parlia-
ment. Last year he had been asked in that mom to plates
himself to the total anti immediate repeal of the 11111 Slaws.
He had refused, and consequently had found blseself
liberty to vote for the es. duty of Sir R. Peel. If he had
been pledged, he most have refused that virtual repeal
of the corn laws. He had repeatedly brought in mo-
tions for the repeal of the Septennial Act, with in-
creasing majorities, and last session had placed a al-
miler motion on the paper, but not one petition was
presented in its favour, not even from the radical borough of
Lambeth. Under these circuits/tutees he had not pressed it,
not wishing to give it the appearance of a motion which was
retrograding in public opinion. However, if they returned
such men at Mr. Buncombe and himself to parliament, a
staunch phalanx would be formed, whose duty it would be
to sit night after night, and by repeated motions finally to
press on a reluctant parliament the repeal of the rate-paling
clauses in the Reform Act, the extension of the franc ise,
and his own motion for the shortening of the duration
of parliaments. in conclusion, Mr. D'Eyncourt disclaimed
any coalition with any other candidate ; he thought it
looked like dictation, and therefore presented himself to the
electors to stand or fall solely by his own merits. (The hon.
gentleman resumed his seat amid loud cheering.) An
elector : Will you vote for the repeal of the income-tax ? Mr.
D'Eyncourt said he had voted against the income-tax. He
was prepared to propose now that it should be reduced to
twopence in the pound on trades and professions. It
ought to be a property-tax.—The same elector a
Mr. Edwards, we understood) again came
and, amid much cheering and uproar, exhibited a
military, or rather naval, 4‘ cat," of ominous p
at the same time asking the candidate whether he
vote for the abolition of Hogging in the army and navy. M.
Hawes, he reminded him, had voted against the abolition,
although this was the only civilised country in which
it was practised. It had been abolished in the
French and American services.—Mr. D'Eyncourt al-
ways had voted, and always would vote, against
so barbarous a practice. He flattered himself that
in bringing forward the case of Hutchinson, who was