The Express.
London, England, 1849-11-21 00:00:00

CEYLON.

We have dates from this colony to the 14th of
October. There was little of excitement in the
Wand. The governor's crgan, the Examiner, pub-
hatted on the 10th and 13th of October tabular state-
ments of the revenue for the first six months of 1849.
It is not easy to come at the truth through these
documents, but their general result is unfavourable.
According to one table there is a decrease of revalue
in the first six months of 1849 to the amount of
9.666/., and a decrease of expenditure to the ainlant
of 1,1931.: from this it would appear that the balance
of receipt and expenditure was 7,4731. worse in the
first six months of 1849 than in the corresponding
months of 1848. According to another table the
excess of revenue over expenditure from Ist J inuary
to 30th July, 1849, was 13,257/. Yet, in the face of
these official documents, the Examiner, the govern-
meet organ, cooly states that in the first six months
of 1849 the revenue has been 215,4871., and the
expenditere 202,2291. The force of impudence can
no farther go.

MELANCHOLY CATASTROPHE AT LOUTIL—FIVII
Liven LosT.—The Lineokshire Times pivot the fellowl4
details of this distressing event :—About three o'clock in the
afternoon of Saturday last the inhabitants of this borough
were thrown into • state of considerable alarm sad conster-
nation by • terrine explosion of combustibles, on the ow
of Mr. W. Armitage, ehemiat and druggist, 01 the Fish
Shambles. About two years ago, that gentleman, who was
a member of the town council, highly yes; ected by his
fellow townsmen, and possessed of high scientific attain-
ments as a practical chemist and pyrotechnist, inven'ed
valuable explosive railway signal, for the purpose of
indicating any danger that might arise on a radio,
line, and having received orders of late from event
companies for • considerable number, was engaged *
the afternoon above-mentioned in the :manufacture of
them, The place in which this was carried on was • weer
house immediately over the ki•chen, which stood detached&
few feet from the dwelling house, and Mr. Armitage, hit
father, Mr. Thomas D. Armitage. a youth named Stephen
Evans (the son of a neighbour), and Mary Jane Evans. his
• , were employed. In the kitchen below were Eliza
Wilton, Mr. Armitage's housekeeper, and a screed. When
Mr. W. Armitage entered, and °posed the door of an iron
oven to take out same paste of a combustible nature, of which
the signals are made, and which had been placed there to
bake or dry, from some cause or other it exploded with a
terrific' report, igniting the combustibles in the warehoss
above, reducing the whole building to a heap of ruins, sad
burying the above named persons under the burning mam,
with the exception of the servant maid, Roberts, who mira-
culously escaped through a window, who, with a little boy of
Mr. Artnitage'e in her arms, sustained little injury IWO
from fright. The assistance of the police, with their super-
intendent, Mr. Tacey, and one of the fire engines attached
to the force, were promptly procured ; the are being et,
tioguished, operations commenced, wi'h the assistance of
a great number of the inhabitants, fcr the removal of the
ruins and extrication of the sufferers. The first who was
got out was Eliza Wilson. the house-keeper, alive, but
her legs being so much crushed and her body having me'
tamed so much injury from burns and bruins, that ski
gradually sunk and died shout three bows afterward&
The youth Evans, was then taken out, and survived bat a
very short time. The other three, Mr. Armitage, his fathers
and the girl Evers, were quickly and successively extricated!
but were quite dead. AU the poor tuff Ten presented a
most the r being charred by the fire and muti-
lated by the fall of the 'building, almost beyond pombilityd
recognition, except from their dress, or that portion of it
which remained unburned. Too marsh praise cannot be
' awarded to the inhabitants, of all closes, who assisted in
extinguishing the fire and removing the ruins, reckless of
the danger around them arising from the explosi t, at in-
tervals, of rockets, signals, and combustibles, by which they
L were surrounded.
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY.—A female child of only
nine years of age was charged at the Liverpool Police-allot
, on S motley, with having dexterously picked the pocket els
lady in St. John's Market, a second offence of the tar
kind ! Toe mother was in court, and seemed dilate/AA
such conduct in her child, whom (she said) abe sent to when
, daily, and to a place of worship on Sunday, so that she eons
only account for such crime by her contact with bad of!
pany. Mr. Rushton could net help thinking that Ur
offender was not strictly looked after ; but after strongl pp
I monishing the mother ordered the child to be given
her, so that she might yet endeavour to reclaim her.