The Express.
London, England, 1862-08-29 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, AUGUST 29, 1862.

THS SMALL•PO X IN SHEEP.

We are sorry to hear that this dreadful scourge
has extended its ravages to several more flocks in the neigh-
bourhood ; and we mention the fact, not with a view of
creating unirecamary alarm, but to exhort all Bonin:easter' to
keep &careful eye upon their flocks, and to take prompt
measures on the very first symptom of the malady, and we
are convinced that it is only in this wee the disease can
effectually be arrested, and its fatal effects diminished.
There is also another reason which will prompt all honour- I
able men to adopt this course, and to take especial care, be-
fore any sheep are exposed for sale, that they are examined
and ascertained to be free from disease, in order that they
may not be the means of spreading the malady to other
parts of the country.
The neglect of this precaution may lead to interminable
mischief, and be the means of perpetuating the scourge ill
way which no one can see the end of. We mention the
matter more particularly, because it has come to our know-
ledge that 200 lambs were sold by a farmer in this neigh-
bourhood (Mr. Neste, of Allcannings) at Marlborough fair
last Friday, which were ascertained on the following day
to have had the small-pox amongst them for a fortnight
previously ; some of them when examined having pus-
tules fully formed on parts of their body where the
disease is moat easily discernible. That Mr. Neste was
aware of the fact when he sent the lambs to Marlborough
we cannot for • moment suppose. indeed had he been so, he
would not only have rendered himself liable to a heavy
penalty for exposing them for sale "in any market, fair, or
open or public place," but for even driving them along the
turnpike road. But he does not appear to have been aware
that his flock had been impregnated wills the disease until
the day after the fair, when on examining tho sheep and
lambs which were upon hie farm, many of them were found
to have the pox fully developed over their bodies. He then
did the only thing he could do to retrieve the mischief he
had caused. He set off immediately to Lambourne,
whither We lambs had been driven by their purchaser
(Mr. Loualey), and had them back to Allem:nags, re-
turning Mr. Loualey the money he had paid for them. So
far all would have been well ; but it was ascertained that
these 200 lambs had been driven off with about 700 other
sheep which Mr. Lousley had purchased at the fair, and
had remained with them all night, and in fact until the
arrival of Mr. Mete with thi dancing news that they had
probably got the small-pox, and which on examination
proved to be too true, Mr. Neste has, we hear, since bad
the greater part of his flock inoculated by Professor Simonds,
who appears, unfortunately. to have as much work upon
his hands, in this way, as he can well attend to ; for Mr.
Neate's flock, we are sorry to say, is not the only other flock
in which the disease has shown itself since our last.
Of Mr. Parry's flock, in which the malady first made its
appearance, we are glad to be able to give a favourable re-
port Of the 446 ewe which were inoculated, 400 have
through the disease, and are perfectly free from all
fireder danger, leaving 39 invade, with only seven deaths
up to the present time. Out of 525 lambs inoculated, two
only have died, and in another fortnight the whole of Mr.
Parry's flock will have passed entirely through the disease.
The mortality among those which took the disease naturally
has been, as we stated last week, 65 per oent.
Mr. Harding, of Etchilhampton, who, on the first anPear-
anoe of the disease among his fat nether', had all (except
the twenty which were shown to have taken the infection
in a natural way) inoculated, his up to the present time lost
none ; but the twenty in which the small pox first made its
appearance are in a very bad state, and there is great doubt
whether several of them will recover.
The following precautions should be strictly adhered to in
order to avoid and hinder the spread of the dimes. :
Separate any diseased animal directly, if possible, 200
yards from the rest.

Binder shepherds or persons tending the diseased sheep
from coming in contact with those in health.
Bury the dead animals with their skins on, untouched ;
and should the disease take an epidemic turn, isolate the
infected, and hinder the circulation of all things appertain-
ing to the sheepfolds, &c., which may convey infection.
In conclusion, we would again urge flockmaaters who may
have the misfortune to have the disease break out in their
flocks to have instant recourse to inoculation. The bene-
ficial effects of adopting this course have been fully demon-
strated in Mr. Parry's flock.—Devi:cs Gazette.

THE Comnr.—M. Petit, director of the Observa-
tory of Toulouse, has published the following particulars
respecting this new visitor :—" The nu:leus, which is now
visible to the naked eye, resembles in size • star of the
fourth magnitude, and is rendered somewhat faint by the
coma, which, on the 19th, subtended an angle of four
minutes, corresponding to a real diameter of 21,000 leagues,
and to a volume 400 times larger than that of the earth.
The tail is likewise perceptible, and will increase by the
31st instant to double its present size, whereby the comet
will become rather • conspicuous object in the hea-
vens. It now between the head of Ursa Minor
and Disco, and therefore not far from the polar
star, and is moving towards Scorpio, where it
will disappear towards the end of September.
It will be visible to the naked eye until about the middle
of next month, but from the 31st instant its brilliancy will
rapidly decline while it traverses the constellations of
Corona, Serpens, and Oplnucus. Its maximum proximity
to the sun was 37 millions of leagues, and occurred on the
23rd instant. On the 15th of September it will be at a
distance of 40 millions of leagues from the sun. Its
shortest distance from the earth will be 13 millions of
leagues on the 31st instant, and 36 millions of leagues on
the 24th of September, when its brilliancy will be reduced
to one-fourth of what it is now. The friends of cometary
astronomy will learn with pleasure that there is at present
a second comet, though • very faint one, in the vicinity of
the orbit of Mars, our nearest neighbour among the planets.
It is 70 millions of leagues from the earth, and 53 from the
son, and may be found between Ophiucus and Sagittarius."
THE 0 OTRAO II ON POLICEMEN AT NEWTON
Hgers.—After the despatch of our parcel last evening the
jury found Whelan and Brady guil of assault with intent
to do grievous bodily harm, and Howard not guilty.
Howard was therefore discharged, but Whelan and Brady
were each sentenced to twenty years' penal servitude. Mr.
Liddell, Q.C., the presiding judge, commented with great
severity and earnestness upon the atrocious character of
the offence of which the prisoners bad been convicted, and
said that within his experience of courts of justice, extend-
ing over twenty years, he bad not known a more mirage
or brutal act of violence. He thought that the police
officers who bad acted with such determination and bravery,
and who had been injured in the discharge of their duty,
should receive some reward. _

ACCIDLITT ON THE MIDLAND RAILWAY.—OD
Wednesday morning, the 27th instant, an accident of a very
alarming nature occurred on the Midland Railway, at Long
Eaton. between Nottingham and Derby. The North Scar-
borough express train, which consisted of engine, tender,
and four carriage., and the guard's van, left the Nottingham
station at 11.30 a.m. The train, which doe. not stop until
arriving at Masbomugh. proceeded safely on its journey
until coming within a short distance of Long Eaton, when
the engine ran off the line into the adjacent field. A third-
class carriage mounted the tender, and was smashed to
pieces, and the end of the next carriage (a first-class) was
forced in, but fortunately it did not contain any pariengera.
In the adjoining carriages the passengers were considerably
shaken and terrified, hot none of them were seriously hurt.
They weretaken up by the 11.40 train, and proceeded on
their journey. The driver, William Barron, was scalded on
the foot ; in other respects he miraculouslyheaped without
FREE VINYNEBO'
or TBE CITY OE LONDON.—In
the new Customs Act it is stated that doubts have edema as
to the extent of the privilege of the free vintners in the
City of London to sell wine without taking out an Excise
license ; and it is enacted that no freeman is to be entitled
to sell wine in more than one separate and distinct house
or premises at the same time without taking out the proper
license, and entering the game with the proper officer of
Excise, in the manner decided by the 4th and Lth Vic.,
c. 51.

CANNOCK MINERAL RAILWAY. —The half-yearly
meeting was held yesterday at the Euston-station, Major
the Hon. S. P. Vereker in the chair. The report stated
that the amount to the credit of the revenue account on the
30th of June last amounted to 8801. 18s. 3d., which with
the half year's rest would make a disposable balance of
3,528/. Oa. 9d., and from this sum the directors recommend,
after making provision for uncombed warranta,
a dividend at the rate of 3s. 6d. per share, or 31 per cent.
The debt to the contractor had now been reduced to between
5,0001. and 6.0001. A bill to vest the line in the London
and North Western Company, moos to reduce to a minimum
the expenses of management, had been granted hy parlia-
ment. The report was adopted, and the dividend was
declared.

ASERYSTWITH AND WELSH COAST RAILWAY,
The ordinary half-yearly meeting of the shareholders of
this company was held yesterday at the offices, 9s. Bridge-
street, Westminster, Mr. G. H. Whalley, LP., in the
chair. Mr. Roberta (the secretary) read the report, which
stated that the land necessary for the construction of the
line between Machyulleth and Aberyetwith, and between
Aberdovey and the river Dyasyne, had been obtained, with
one or two exceptions. Steps were now being taken for
obtaining possession of the remainder of the land to the
junction opposite &mouth. The propene of the works
had been extremely satisfactory. The bill for extending
the line from Portmadoc to Pershatinllyn, and from Bar-
mouth to Dolgelly, had been successfully prosecuted, the
bill having received the royal assent ; and during the session
bills specially bearing on the interest of the company had
been passed for constructing railways in Cornarvonshire and
Merionethshire. The act for the construction of the railway
was plumed only 13 months since, and notwithstanding cons
derable difficulty in obtaining possession of the laud, the pro-
per which had been made was highly creditable to the coa-
-1 tractor, and oould not fail to be satisfactory to the share-
holders. The chairman, without making any remarks, moved
the adoption of the report, which having been seconded by
Captain Johns, it was 'greed to.
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