The Express.
London, England, 1848-02-10 00:00:00

PROVINCIAL.

An EL ns.
THE ROBBERY AT THE LEEDS HOUSE OF RE-
RIMOVSBY, OR FRYER HOSPlTAL.—Yesterday, W. Harri-
son and R. Fermis underwent a final examination at the
court-house, and were fully committed for trial at the en-
suing Yorkshire Assizes, on a charge of burglary. It will be
remembered that their comrade, George Greenwood, died
from the effects of the quantity of stolen whiskey which he
had drank after the robbery, before they were found by the
poliotman.
unreritutfuemAND.

Tae NATIONAL DEFENGEs.—A public meeting,
convened and presided over by the mayor, was held in the
Guildhall, Newcastle, on Tuesday at noon, to consider the
general question of naval ant military expenditure. The
attendance was large, and comprised men of various shades
of political opinion. The principal speakers were Mr. Priest-
man, Mr. G. Crawshay, Mr. T. M. Geenhow, the Rev. G.
Harris, and the Rev. J. Pringle. The purport of their
remarks was, that as there is no probability of invasion, or
even of war between this country and I. ranee, the panic
which has been created on the subject of national defences
is groundless, unjust towards the French, and tend-
ing only to benefit the scions of the aristocracy, who
now look in vain for commissions; that the na-
tural tendency of commerce is to blend the interests
Of all nations ; that the military spirit is hostile to
commerce, and that we should endeavour to extend our
' friendly relations rather than to excite jealousies which time
Me, to a great extent, rendered dormant ; that, instead of
lamming our expenditure, and thereby injuring a people
already suffering from financial embarrassment, • parlia-
mentary inquiry should be instituted to ascertain whether a
reduction cannot be effected in the naval and military esta-
blishments of the country. Resolutions were passed em-
bodying these views, and a petition to parliament was also
resolved upon. The proceedings extended over four hours,
and were characterised by perfect unanimity.
DURHAM.
Tit SEAMEN AND THE NAVIGATION LAWS.—A
correspondent says : How little reliance is to be placed on
the representations of certain persons professing to express
the sentiments dim seamen, shipwright+, and others of the
working classes of the Tyne and the Wear, on the subject of
the navigation laws, will be seen from the following notice
of a public meeting held on Monday evening, in the
Athenaeum, Sunderland. The meeting, according to the
placard convening it, was one representing the seamen,
shipwrights, and other trades interested in the prosperity of
British shipping. A shipwright named Oarnaby was called
to the chair. In accordance with the plan of the meeting, he
invited any gentlemen present in favour of or against the
navigation laws to express their sentiments.—Mr. J. Wilson,
an extensive merchant and shipowner, was the first to ac-
cept the invitation. He mails a speech exposing the absur-
dity and mischief of the protective policy.—Mr. J. Candlish,
a shipbuilder and shipowner, followed on the same side.
Having concluded a speech abounding in arguments and
striking facts, an appeal was made to any who might be dis-
posed to maintain protection to come forward, or for any
who had any questions to put or doubts to be solved to urge
their views; but no one accepting the challenge, Mr. J.
Ferguson, a shipwright, rose, and proposed :
That this meeting, having heard the addresses just delivered, Is of
opinion that no apprehension need be entertained that the repeal of
the navigation laws will be productive of say injury to British chip-
ping, or to the ecamen, shipwrights, and others connected with the
maritime Interest; but, on the contrary, this meeting believe, that,
looking to the obstruction which those laws offer to the advancement
of our commercial and manufacturing interests, the immediate repeal
of the said laws is highly desirable; and that British shipping and
British industry need not dread competition with any foreign nation.
After other addresses, chiefly from working men, a peti-
tion in favour of repeal was adopted, with only three dissen-
tients. What renders the above meeting more remarkable
is the fact that the secretary of the Shipowners' Society, R.
Brown, Esq., an able and popular speaker and an advocate
for the navigation laws, was specially invited to attend, but
he did not make his appearance.
A SEMI:B EXPLOSION OF GAS took place in the
office of the Corporation Gas Company, at Sunderland, on
Tuesday morning, which caused very considerable alarm in
the neighbourhood, and has done very extensive damage,
not only to the office and premises where the explosion
originated but to the residences of several families in the

IS I Arr SI....ft.••••••••
FIRE-DAMP EXPLOSION AT WEST BROMWICII.
BIRMINGHAM, WEDNUDAY NIOHI.-A fearful expleeion
of fire-damp is stated to have occurred in the neighbourhood
of West Bromwich this morning, by which the laves of seve-
ral men and hones were sacrificed. At the present time it is
impossible to ascertain the cause and extent of the calamity,
end we therefore reserve authentic particulars until to.
sorrow.

t;amuniu.,s~.~...z.
TIIE HADDENIIAM BCROLARY. Yesterday, at
Ely, J. and T. Hart, and M. and L. Jeffreys were examined
on the charge of robbing and ill-treating Mr. Mitchell, of
Dairy House Drove, near Haddenham. The accused are re-
ported to have borne themselves throughout theexamination
with the greatest effrontery, frequently interrupting and call-
ing the witnesses opprobrious names, and breaking at inter-
vals into bursts of unseemly laughter. They were identified
as a gang of midnight disturbers who have long infested the
neighbourhood. They were folly committed on this charge.
The same prisoners were then arraigned for a burglary com-
mitted under exactly similar circumstances, in Wisbech Fen.
They were all distinctly sworn to by Mr. Foster, and some
property carried from his house was also found upon them at
the time of their apprehension. Having been committed for
this second offence, the prisoners, who also stand charged
with the commission of a burglary at Mrs. Turner's, of lin-
gay, Norfolk, being again asked if they had aught to say,
Luke Jeffrey replied, "It don't signify what we say; things
has been sworn to : but I can prove that two false oaths have
beeu taken." They were conveyed to Cambridge gaol.

THE DUNDEE MURDER.—FURTHER _—The inquest on the body of Mr. Walsingham Hazen was
yesterday brought to a conclusion. In addition to the facts
previously deposed to some circumstances were detailed cal-
culated to strengthen the suspicion previously existing
Litainst the nephews of the deceased. The witness Capel
(who, it will be remembered, was at work in the barn on the
Monday, aud, saw his master at the colts' house with the
prisoners) was recalled, to speak to a material fact, which at
his form urination he had omitted to mention. lie was
in the habit of keeping an old coat at the farm to work in, 11
and his usage was to take off his other coat when he came ,
to his labour, hang it up in the stable, and resume it
when he left in the evening. lie should in the usual
course have gone into the stable on the Monday
evening to fetch his coat, but he found that some
person had brought it out and thrown it across
the door of the barn, so that it was unnecesary
fir him to do so. Mary Stallard, • connexion of
the deceased, stated, that on the Friday after the pri-
soners were in custody she was at the Carpenters' ,1
Arms public-honse, at Dundry, and saw James Resell there, 1
in conversation with his sister. She heard him say it was
not he who did it, and also heard him exclaim, " I wish that
Benjamin bad never come here." A youth named Pritchard
deposed, that on Tuesday evening, while the search for Mr.
Mizell was going on, he went to the premises, and asked the
prisoners if he might not have got into the old well. They
did net offer to search it, but said they did not think he could
he there. Josiah Sampson deposed that in the search for
the deceased a person named Itees took an active part. Wit-
ness beard the prisoner Benjamin say to his brother, "Here's
that old Rees again. He 'a been bothering here several times,
and wants • bit of the skin knocked off his head." A man
named Marshall deposed that, on the Tuesday after Mr.
disappeared, he saw the prisoners and the ser-
vant man owles in the stable. Fowles, who was tipsy,
leaned against the manger, and said, "0 I'll die, I'll die."
Benjamin Hazen inquired, " What, bee'st thee going to '
die instead of thee master ?" The Ashton winnable Your -g
deposed, that while the prisoner James was in custody a con-
versation took place about the umbrella. The priaoner said
ne one could have put it into the stable, as he had the keys.
Witness also heard him say, " I wish that Benjamin had
never come up at Christmas." The corone; having slimmed
up the evidence the jury returned a ",erdict of " Wilful
murder against Benjamin Hazel! air; James Hazell." It
is understood that they will not be 'removed to gaol till they
have been finally examined by tae junk:P.

P. Blum
FRENCH PLATS: La Vicomteeee Lolotte," in
rt.!'" Iddlie• :Rath :tie appeared with so much semen on
sseadaY, was reP'Ated last evening. It was preceded 1".,y a
1 vaudeville, in ~wo acts, called " Noensie," little ;..o.ece of
and net without interest. It tow, upon an
tr..le lilin
dmiTtew'al a'
ch, if we remember rightly, foram the subject of
I another French piece produced here a few rare ago. A