The Express.
London, England, 1853-03-01 00:00:00

NUMEROUS SHIPWRECKS AND LOSS OF LIFE.

The mails of yesterday from the various' ports
enumerate a sad catalogue of disasters occasioned by the
tempestuous weather of Saturday. It seems to have been
felt generally throughout the country, and was accom-
panied at intervals by heavy falls of snow and severe frost.
In the vicinity of the Downs most trying weather was
experienced, which placed several valuable homeward-
bounders in a very critical position. The Lady Nugent, East
Indiaman,was making her way through the Prince's Channel
(or London,when she was overtaken by a severe snow squall,
and lost both anchors and chains. As may be imagined,
with such a loss her situation became somewhat alarming.
Assistance, however, was speedily rendered by the Mar-
gate boatmen, and being supplied with other cables, she was
brought up in safety. When the gale came on there was
quite a run of ships from the eastward to the road
stead off Deal, many of which sustained serious damage.
Much anxiety was created for the safety of the Roxburgh
Castle and Chowringee, whose arrival in the Channel from
Australia, with an immense amount of gold on board, bad
beta reported. They, however, weathered the gale with-
out sustaining any injury, and will in all probability reach
the Themes to-day. The arrival of the Boulogne packet at
Folkestone yesterday announces the storm to have been
equally as severe on the other aide of the ChanneL Within
a few miles of Boulogne, on Sunday morning, a fine vessel
called the Fox, belonging to Stockton, was cast ashore by
the fury of the sale, and, melancholy to relate, every soul
perished with her, in all some eight or ten persons. About
the same period, a little higher up the range of coast, the
Elisa of Dundee, bound to Italy from the Tyne, was
wrecked, and subsequently took fire. The wreck of a third
vessel was seen, and it was believed that the unfortunate
creatures forming her crew had also perished.
As usual in bad weather, the Cornish and Devonshire
coasts were the scene of many casualties; and the sudden-
ness with which the gale came on produced much havoc
amongst the fleet of vessels which were beating up, and
which had been so long detained, knocking about in the
Chops, by the continued easterly winds. The fishing
smacks have sustained much damage, and in sonie parts
the tide rose so high as to produce great mischief ashore.
At Pertinllaen the gale is described to have been terrific,
and two vessels, the Linnet, Jones, master, of Liverpool,
and the New Gift, of the same part, foundered.
The Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, Northumberland,
and neighbouring coasts appear to have experienced the
full severity of the storm. A most alarming return of dis-
asters has been received from Yarmouth and Lowestoft
Numerous are the losses of anchors and chains, and those
herts are crowded with disabled vessels. Here there was •
avy fell of snow. Amongst those wrecked was a
foreign barque, name not at present ascertained,
and the brig Hiltons. Mr. Grimes, master, which was
driven ashore near the Palling beach. Higher up, towards
Wells, to the westward of Blakcney harbour, a large-
sized brie was cast on the beach ; and near Cromer, on Sa-
turday night, a Dutch craft, named the Cassino, bound to
the northward from the Thames, was lost ; but happily the
crew were preserved. While the gale was at its height the
Amherst, of Aberdeen, attempted to enter Bridlington has-
Dour ; she, however, struck the pier head, and was driven
back behind the pier, where she became a wreck. The
life-beat was quickly launched and succeeded in saving the
crew. Within • few miles of Bedcar two vessels were
driven by the violence of the wind ashore. One named the
Britannia, of Whitby, bound to Hartlepool, had previously
been dismantled ; and, being unable to wear off, was
thrown on the beach. The other unfortunate craft was the
Elizabeth, from London, for Seaham. Both crews were
preserved. Towards the Coquet, off North Sunderland, a
melancholy loss took place. The Iresus, belonging
to the Humber, was overtaken by the storm and
thrown on the coast, and became a total wreck.
Unfortunately the captain and two of the seamen were
drowned ere means could be taken to save them. In the
same district another fatal loss occurred. The Jane John-
' oton, bound to Goole from St. Andrew's, was endeavouring
to rua for the harbour of Holy Island, when the gale
caught her and threw her off on to a neighbouring shoal.
The master and one of his men took to the boat, which
was capsized by the boisterous character of the surf, and
the unfortunate fellows perished. Those who remained on
the wreck were rescued.

Many serious losses are reported to have happened on
the Scotch coast. Early on Saturday morning a vessel
foundered in Dunbar Bay with every soul on board. The
ill-fated ship is said to have belonged to Fraserburgh. Oa
the west coast of Scotland the wind is described to hove
raged with all the fury of a hurricane. It also visited the
Isle of Man with similar force.

DESTRIICTION OF DONCASTER CHURCH By FIRE.—
Yesterday morning, at one o'clock, a fire was discovered to
be raging in Donc,mer church, and notwithstanding the
most strenuous exertions of the surrounding population, the
edifice was totally destroyed. A correspondent states that
the loss of property is supposed to amount to 100,0001. The
origin of the ice has not been ascertained.
COLLISION ON THE GREAT NORTHERN LINE.—On
Saturday afternoon, between 4 and 6 o'clock, as one of the
up-trains was proceeding from York to London, a waggon
train ran into the carriages. Luckily the approach of an
accident was observed by the railway official, and although
the shock was rather severe, only two persons were injured ;
one, a gentleman, who was very severely cut on the left
eye, and a young child whose trout teeth were forced eut
and face slightly damaged.

ELECTION EXPOSURES.
CLITHEROE.
ma. m. WILSON UNIIIILTID.
We yesterday announced the fact of the decision in tl is
ease : the following are the formal resolutions
"That the committee bad unanimously determined that
Matthew Wilson, Esq., was not duly elected as s burger
to serve in the present parliament for the borough of
Clitheroe.

4. That the said election for the borough of Clitheros was
• void election.

"That Matthew Wilson, Esq., was, by his agents,
guilty of bribery and treating at the last election fur the
said borough ; but that no act of bribery or treating was
proved to have been committed with the consent or know-
ledge of the said Matthew Wilson, Esq.
"That it was proved that Henry Taylor was bribed with
the payment of 304.
" filet extensive and systematic treating, together with
other corrupt and illegal practices, prevailed ut the last
electioa for the said borough.
That violent and tumultuous proceedings appear to have
taken place at the said election ; and that hired bands of
men, armed with sticks and bludgeons, were iutroduced
into the said town for purposes of undue influence and in-
timidation." _

Mr. Serjeant Wrangham applied to have the opposition
to the petition declared frivolous and vexatious ; but
The Chairman stopped him, and said theme was im chmce
of the committee acctding. The learned counsel then with
drew the application, and the proceedings terunuoted.

BItIDGNOItIII.
CLOSE OW ERB INQUIRY.
When the select euinmittee met ytstarday morning,
Mr. WhateleY, tI•C., resumed his argument from Satur-
day on the question of costa as regarded the petition against
Mr. Whitmore.

Mr. E James, Q.C., having replied,
The committee came to the following decision :
That the application is rejected en the 89• h section—
that is, to declare the petition frivelous and vexatious; but
the committee give expenses in all the alleged cases of
bribery on the liar, with the exception of Dukes, Iliad,
Joseph Evans, and Hughes."
A statement having been made by Mr. Whate'ey in the
course of ilia address, that an attempt had been mode by
Mr. Caftan to compromise, Mr. Whitmore and Mr. Ledo-
gan were examined by the committee.
Mr. Whitmore stated that, on Monday night lust, he was
accosted in the lobby of the house by Mr. Cadogan, w lie in-
troduced to him au hon. member whom he did nut know,
and had never seen before. The hon. member told him that
he had a preposition to make to him on behalf of Mr. Gado-
gan ; it was to the effect that if he, Mr. Whitmore, would
undertake that at the next vacancy tor Brieignortil. the
Whitmore interest should out be used against Mr. Cadogan
or any of his party, he (Mr. Cadogan) woul.l withdraw the
petition against Mr. Whitmore. lie (Mr. Whitmore) re-
fused to accede to this proposal.
Mr. Cadogan stated that be had desired the hon. member
in question to endeavour to come to some arrangement with
Mr. Whitmore with regard to the representation of liridg-
north, by which the teats for the future would bc held IT
a Couservatise end a Liberal party, but he lied never
authorised any proposal to be made to withdraw the peti-
tion against Mr. Whitmore.
The room was then cleared, but tho committee lid not
come to any resolution on the subject.
The proceedings then terminated.

FUOME.
DECISION OF THE COMMITTEE.

On the re-assembling of the committee yesterday,
Mr. Serjeant addressed the cumm:ttee on the
second part of the question involved in the petition from
Frome. As we stated on Saturday, the committee had de-
cided on that day that the sitting member, the Hen. Colonel
Bole, was disqualified from keeping his seat on the ground
onas holding a place of profit under the crown—that is,
secretary to the most illustrious Order ot St. Patrick, con-
trary to the statute of Queen Anne. The srcond point, which
came on for (ascii:mien yesterday, was whether Mr. Hall
Dare, the other candidate fur Prow at the last election,
►hould now be declared the sitting member. On this
Mr. Serjeant Kinglake raised three objections—the first,
that Mr. Hall Dare did not demand a pail at the election,
and accordingly there wrs no poll ; the second was that, oil
the face ot the petition there was no objection made at the
time of the election till after the show of hands ; the third
objection was strictly a technical one. That was, if the
committee could go into the case ut all : it was a question
affecting the vote of each separate voter, and for that
purpose the learned serjeant contended that the committee
could net set aside the show of hands, nor str,ke off any
of those votes, except it could be shown that each par-
ticular voter had received notice of Colonel Boyles' disqua-
lification before lie si..e declared duly elected. The learned
serjeant quoted a number of precedents in support of his
proposition.
Mr. Wilde followed on the same side, stating that what
he had to advance was from the mouths et his learned
friends on the other side themselves, for the petition set
forth that all votes given for Colonel Boyle were absolutely
thrown away. The question for the committee now was,
sot Colonel Boyle's qualification or disqualification, but
whether Mr. Hall Dare was or was not duly elided.
After hearing counsel on both sides at much length,
The committee came to the following decision :
" That in this case, no poll having been demauded by the
petitioner or on his behalf, and none having taken place at
the last election for the borough of Frome, the committee
are unanimously of opinion that the present inquiry should
proceed no further."
The inquiry then terminated.