The Express.
London, England, 1848-01-08 00:00:00

WRECK OF THE AVENGER.

ADMIRALTY, JAN, B.—The following has been re-
ceived at the Admiralty as the list of pen.uns saved in the
cutter of her Majesty's steam-ship Avenger : Lisut. Francis
Hooke; Mr. Larkham, gunner; William Hill, steward;
James Morley, boy.
Drowned in the surf, on the upsetting of the boat : Mr.
James H. Steele, surgeon; Mr. Batt, second master; Mr.
Al ling, master's assistant; John Owen, seaman.

DEATH OF TIIE MARCHIONESS DOWAGER 01,
Avois.—We arc sorry to announce the death of the Mar-
chioness Dowager of Aliso. Her ladyship died at her house,
St. Margaret's, I,leworth, on the sth instant, having been
seised with influenza a few days previously.
RAILWAY BlLLS.—Friday last was the last day for
deppmo~iting petitions for private bills for the ensuing session.
234'1:tills are brought in, of which 12'9 are railway bills, and
thuXdivided :—Pritt and Co., 44; Barrington and Co., 17 ;
Dyson.and Co., 18 ; Dean and Co., 8; Graham and Co., 7 ;
%ebsters, 7; Law, 6: Lang, 6; Gregory and Co. 3 • Jones
and Walmesley, 2; Bryden, 2; Dunlop, Toogood, Richard-
son and Co., Ireton, Bell. Nash, and Brown, 1 each. 30
arc bills standing over from last session, under the standing
order for suspensions. Only one is by a new company, the
rest being by existing companies for extensions or amend-
ments.

THE "DEVIL'S OWN."—In those days (A.D. 1803),
Bonaparte's projected invasion of England was the topic
most mooted; and well it might, for the danger with which
it menaced the country. In arming to repel invasion
Erskine was not slow ; but the account of the armament is
altogether so ludicrous that it must he extracted : " Of the
300,000 volunteers enrolled and disciplined, the lawyers in
the metropolis raised two regiments—the 11.1.C.A., or
Bloomsbury and Inns of Court Association, and the
' Temple Corps,' generally called the Own.' The
command of the latter was conferred upon Erskine. Having
myself served in the ranks of the former, I am not able,
from personal observation, to criticise his military prowess,
but I well remember we heard many stories of the blunders
which he cemmittid, and we thought ourselves lucky to be
under the orders of Lieutenant-Colonel Cox, a warlike Muter
in Chancery. While our rivals could boast of most of the digni-
taries of the law, and were renowned fur their ' belly gerent'
appearance ; we consisted chiefly of lean students and brief-
less barristers, so that we were in great hopes that if we did
not go into the field before the end of the campaign, fatigue
alone would make great openings for us in Westminster
Hall, and on all the circuits. We had drills every morn-
ing, and many field-days, but we never had any heeler ser-
vice than being reviewed by George 111. in Hyde-park,
along with all the volunteers of the metropolis, on a very
rainy day. Both the law corps were particularly noticed by
his 'Majesty, who caused much jealousy among us of the
C.A , by his particularly gracious return to the salute of
Lieutenant-Colonel Erskine. Many severe colds were
caught, but there was no casualty to cause any promotion
in the profession, the servants of the seniors waiting for them
with cloaks and umbrellas as soon as they were dismissed
from the parade. Lord Eldon, in his old age, gave the fol-
lowing account of this spectacle : I think the finest sight
I ever beheld was the review in Ilyde-park before George
111. The King, in passing addressed Tom Erskine, who was
colonel, asking him the name of his corps. He answered,
' The Devil's Own.' The Lincoln's Inn volunteers always
went by the name of ' The Devil's Invincibles.' Law, then
Attorney-General, afterwards Lord Chief Justice Ellen-
borough, was reported to be a fair specimen of them ; for,
even with the help of chalk, he never could be taught the
difference between marching with his right or his left foot
foremost, and all the time he was in the service he continued
in the awkward squad." Lord Campbell slyly adds, with
an rnimue which barristers only can appreciate:—" There
were likewise a good many attorneys belonging to us, who
brought down many jests upon us, among others, that upon
the word being given " prepare to charge," they all pulled
out pen, ink, and paper ; and being ordered to " charge,"
they wrote down Cs. Bd. or 13s. 4d. The soul of our corps
was our adjutant, my poor friend Will Harrison, who with
us could talk of nothing but battles, and seemed to think
himself as great a military genius as Napoleon, although he
talked much law at regimental messes, which he was fond
of dining at, so that it was said he was a general among
lawyers, and a lawyer among generals.—Campbell's Liras
of the Chancellors.
A NOVEL TEA-CARTV, held in the New-hall,Lcicester,
is described by the local paper. Various benevolent inhabit-
ants of the town, headed by the mayor, subscribed to give a
tea-party to those who, from age, misfortune, and honest
poverty, had hitherto only heard of such gatherings. About
201. was quickly raised. The persons who distributed the
tickets of admission (which were wholly free to the recipi-
ents) were instructed to make no distinction of sect or party.
This advice, we believe, was strictly observed. " Those who
were unable to walk were conveyed to and from the enter-
tainment in flys. The fare consisted of tea, plum-cake,
bons, bread and butter, of which more than 1,200 partook!
Never before was such a company gathered in the New-hall.
Old men with grey hair, matrons with double-bordered
cape, widows in starched weeds,' the disabled and those
who could procure nothing to do, made up the assem-
blage that in every part crowded the room to suffocation.
During the evening several ministers of the town addressed ,
the attentive and delighted audience. The whole passed off
in an admirable manner."
CLERICAL VALUATIONS. The Lincoln Ilfercnry
of yesterday says : " The indefatigable M.P., Mr. Horsman,
is investigating the honesty or otherwise of the returns of
church property made to the ecclesiastical commissioners,
and it is stated that he is prepared to make such statements as
will astonish the community for the magnitude of the sup-
pressions and frauds which they will exhibit. During the
last fortnight, a gentleman who acts as one of his agents has
been at Lincoln, and has obtained much valuable informa-
tion, which will be laid before the House of Commons. Eiy,
it is stated, h the next point for inquiry, and a line field is
believed to present itself in that diocese.'
A PRACTICAL HlNT.—Whilst the mayors of Boston
on either side of the Atlantic are laudably and eloquently
emorcing the principles of entire abstinence from intoxicat-
ing agents in their respective governments, the mayor of
Wisbeck, with the aid of the municipal corporation, is prac-
tically bringing the principle to the homes of his neigh-
bours by plating an additional " parish pump" in the market
place of the town.