The Express.
London, England, 1848-06-19 00:00:00

SCOTLAND.

EDINBURGH, JUNE IG.
As anticipated, the formation of the Scottish Anti-
State Church Association has caused some ferment.
Tco uphelsterers having for a series of Tears refused
to pay minister's stipend a sale of their goods was
announced to take place, but mobs having been suc-
cessively formed at the two places of auction no sales
could be effected, and the proceedings were abruptly
brought to a clone amidst the yells of the spectators.
A meeting of the association is to be held on Mon-
day evening, when it is probable that concerted mea-
sures of resistance on some large scale will be re-
solved on. Edinburgh and lklontrose are the only
two towns in Scotland where a direct ecclesiastical
impost is levied, but from the great increase of dis-
sent, especially since the free church commer.ced,
this mode of raising the supplies will soon have to be
res irted to in other places. la Dondee one of the
clergy has raised an action for inadequate stipend, and
if it be decided in his favour, as it prnbably will,
similar claims will likely be preferred in other
quarters, and this will precipitate a crisis in church
politics.

COMMISSIONS SIGNED 141( THE LORD LIEUTENANT CY
F DIN al; D Laud. r, Jerq. ; A. Rutherford,
E. 41.; H. 11. Brown, Esq.; IL Trotter, EN.; J. Dewar,
T. B. Bare, Esq ; W. M. Times. E,q. • W. H. D.
Cunyngham, Erq., younger; and It. Dyads', 'Esq.; to be
Demi!). Lieutenants.
A HUSBAND AND WIPE CARRIED AWAY BY A FLOOD.
—On 'lucidity a Mr. and Mrs. Outherie, who bad reached
respectively the ages of 74 and 70, were crossing the lord on
the river Ayr, near Holmston, in a one horse chsi.e, with
their grandson, when a sudden Blot came down upon
them, by which they we e carried away and drowned. The
young man was:saved by the intrepid conduct of a plough-
man's wife.

PROVINCIAL.
LANCASHIRE.
FATAL ACCIDENT AT TILE LIVERPOOL ZOOLO-
GICAL GARDENS.—On Saturday a melancholy accident oc-
curred at these gardens. The slept an,. Rajah, was chastised
by his keeper, Richard Howard, slightly, for some disobe-
dience. the animal immedi►tly resented, and struck his
keeper to the ground, crushing him ti death afterwards with
his toot. This is the second keeper within a few years who
has been killed by this elephant, who was generally trac-
table, and walked about the gardens on gala nights with an
Eastern car behind him. The Messrs. Atkins immediately
resolved upon destroying the animal, and, for this purpose,
two ounces of prussic acid and 25 grains of aconite were ad-
ministered to him in a bun; but, beyond a alight uneasiness
for about fi e minutes, the elephant did not seem to be at all
affected be the poison. After waiting thrce•quarter• cf an
hour, and finding the poison was not likely to take effect, it
was determined to shoot the animal. A detachment of the
and Rifles, who are at present statioted in Liverpool, were
sent fur, and twelve men having wend the den, they
waited their opportunity and fired. 'The animal staggered,
and leant against the den. Another dozen set rifleman en-
tered, and fired. This bought the animal to the ground,
and he died instantly. The poor magi who has lost his life
*as literally flattened, every rib in his body being broken.
Amongst the gentlemen who were resent when the animal
was destroyed was Van Amburgh. who is at present filling
an engagement at the Theatre Royal. Teen were also se-
vsral medical gentlemen in attendance to assist in destroying
the animal. The sinimal cost SOO, eleven years ago, but was
worth more th.,n I,oool.—Suaddy paper.

BOILER EXPLOSION AT PREsTos. —SEVEN PERSONS
KILLED.—On Saturday morning a toiler explosion,
by which seven persons have lost their lives and others have
been seriously injured, occurred at the cotton-mill of Mr.
Hollis, Preston. The mill is kno en by the name of " The
Soversisn," and has become not rious tar the misfortunes
which have occurred at it. About two years coo the build-
ings were destroyed by fire, when dr. Pickles, the then
owner, fell a victim. The engine of the present mill is about
26 horse-power, on the high-pressure princirle, and was sup-
plied with steam by a boiler of considerable dimensions,
situate in the buildings at the west cud ut the premiers. At a
few minutes before 9 o'clock on Saturday morning, a num-
ber of hands employed in the miil were sitting in the boiler-
house taking their breaWast, the engine not being at work
at the time. The engine tender, William Durham, was
holding up a ladder to adjust the halt of the safety
valve, when an exploeiou took place, end the room
was immediately filled with a emir, of steam ; the
fire and ashes being driven forward through an open
door into a yard in front, and bre king the win
down of a building immediately opposite, The neigh-
' bours immediately hasten, d to the assistance of those
who might be injured ; and on mitering the vard, saw
a number of persons jumping abase near the toiler-house,
in a state of frantic agony, and others • ndeavouring to leave
the house, being less able to assist th, mselves. The engine
tender, Durham, was found near the door shrieking out for
assistance ; his clothes were so c•-,mpletely destroyed by the
steam that they dropped from nis body. seven others were
found ins more or less injured condition ; and of the eight,
six have since died. The catastrophe is attributed to the
yielding of two of the flue plates, to the want of sufficient
water in the boiler, and to various other causes: the en-
gineer, Durham, it is said, shortly before his death declared
he had for some time past had misgivings as to the
condition of the boiler. He alleged that " there were
cracks in the plates of the boiler, and leaks from the bolts,"
and that the third plate (which proves to be the one rup-
tured) was particularly weak and faulty. An inquest is ap-
pointed to be held this day.
VSSFS.

A FIRE broke out on Friday in a farm at Sbelford,
which raged for some hours with gre►t •iolence. A large
body of labourers soon collected at the spot, and every effort
was made to stop the prestress of the flames, by cutting
down stacks and removing buildings; but all was of no
ava,l—the barns, cranaries, and other eg icultural buildings,
were burnt to the ground, some of the live stock p. rishing.
The damage is estimated at several thousand pounds, but
the property is Insured in the Suffolk Fire-office.
NORFOLK.

SOME REBELLIOUS PAtPERS in the Norwich work-
holm having been given into custody, the p liftmen who,
on Friday, were moving them to gaol, were pelted by the
mob, and it was some comidtrable time Wore the con-
stables could clear the rioters from the streets of the city
Many persons were injured in the fray.

RESULTS OF PASSION.—An inquest was held on
Friday, at Kingawood-hill, near Bristol, on the body of an
infant, named Edwin Charles Ferrier. It appeared that on
Monday week the fatheLof deceased, a tailor, was sitting at
dinner, with his wife aITU two children, aged respectively
two and three-and a-half years, and the infant which was in
the arms of a nurse by the fireside. One of the children put
his hand into the dish, and kis father slapped him; upon
which the other two children were impertinent to their
parent, who, being in a great pas-ion, seised a poker and
threw at them. The poker missed them, but struck the in-
fant, and entered his head. Mr. Biggs, surgeon, was sent
tor, and by his skilful treatment life was preserved till Mon-
day last, but erysipelatous inflammation came on, and the
child died. The jury returned a verdict of " Manslaughter"
against the father, Chu. Vanier, who was committed for
trial.