The Express.
London, England, 1847-08-31 00:00:00

SCOTLAND.

BOIXIIII2IOII. AVO. 28.
On the 21st the Duke of Atholl personally stopped
a party of naturalists, headed by an Edinburgh profes-
em, while proceeding on their way from Braemar to
Blair Atholl by a pass which some of the savant were
freely allowed to traverse in 1830. They refused to
go back at the bidding of gillies, henchmen, and
gamekeepers, but, giving their cards, retired at the
ducal flat. Not knowing the way, they probably
committed more real trespass in their retreat than in
their invasion, and alter getting off the forbidden
ground, were believed to have been dogged to their
inn by spies. The philosophers have a sort of im-
presuon that the duke will prosecute, which is, per-
the beat thing he could do, as those earth mono-
polies require clearing up.

PomoNum.—A curious cake of poisoning, by arsenic,
lately took place in H►ddingtooahire. Forty-three pigs
were the victims, and 29 of them died. ♦ reward of 101.
baa been offered for the discovery of the poisoner.
PROVINCIAL.

LEGAL HATRED oiCHll*Pis.tW.—Since the new
court for the recovery of small debts has been in operation,
circulars headed " Notice to piy the Debt " have been
printed in all the market towns in Lincolnshire, and trades-
men have bad them filled up with name and amount of debt,
and sent them to debtors doubtful and of long standing,
threatening the jurisdiction of the court if such accounts are
not immediately discharged. The effect in most instances
has been payment of the debts, which appears to have so
reduced the number of cases in the county court as to call
forth the notice of the judge and officers, who have issued
hand-bills and caused advertisements to be inserted in the
local papers, threatening to report to the Lords of the Trea-
sury any person printing or using the said forms. The Lincoln
Mercury sem, " It is asked whether the act was pawed to
benefit the judge, the clerk, and other officers, or to secure
the payment of doubtful and long-danding debts ? We can-
not see what there is in the circular printed b 7 Mr. Cuseons
which deserves the strong condemnation fulminated against
it ; and least of all can we see anything ' felonious' in it.
We should say rather that there is something libellous in the
way in which what he had done has been denounced, and
that he is much more sinned against than sinning."
SALE OF STANDING CROPS—The following will
be interesting to such of our readers as are either agricul-
turists or embarked in the corn trade. It is a statement of a
sale of agricultural produce which took place in this county
on Monday. The acre was the statute acre. The crops to
be taken as they stand, all risks of weather and all expenses
of harvesting to fall upon the buyers :
310 mono/ wheat, highest prim per awe.— £l3 0 IP
Lower. price per acre
Tales, at avenge of IV. per we £3,710 0 0
190 scree of braise, highest prLe
Value at average price, 71. 7a. 1,396 0 0
97 aorta of pontos., highest peke 9O 1 0
beteg ditto l7 14 0
Ville at avenge price, 181. 10a. 370 0 0
HO eons

,406 0 0
This does not read like ruin to the agricultural interest. It
is stated that the valuations of the seller were seats seven
hundred pounds ins thanth• sum weird.

RIVE& NENS ITRTITIAGEA;T NAVIGATION.—A
=dieting was held last week at the Town-hall, Wittlesey, for
the purpose of eonsiderisg the best means of improving the
drainage and navigation by the River Nene, from Sutton-
bridge below Wiabech, upwards through Morton's Leam
Washes, to and beyond the city of Peterborough ; J. W.
Childers, Esq., M. P., in the chair. T. Wing, E 41., read a
series of resolutions, which were afterwards airried. These
resolutions showed the necessity of currying out a great
schema of drainage, and the improvement of the navigation,
so that vessels ofa larger burden might be enabled to come up
to Wisbech, and if the present river should not be widened
20 or 30 feet, to make • side cutting necessary for the purpose.
llpm this subject • difference of opinion prevailed.—Mr.
Ward laid that was the sine qua non, and the inhabitants of
Wisbeeb would allow a side cutting.—Mr. T. Dawbarn
differed: be solid that the feeling- of having a cutting was
gaining ground every day among the inhabitants of Wisbech.
He denied that the majority of the people of Wiabech were
against a side cutting. 'nun was, he said, • warm feeling
that the improvement should take place, and that there
should be • wet dock. A long discussion also occurred upon
the amount of tonnue which should be laid upon the ship-
ping, but it was stated that if Is., 9d., or even Bd. a ton was
levied, the trade of Wiabech would be annihilated. With
regard to the drainage part of the question, it was admitted
ea all hands that it was highly necessary, and there was no
dissentient upon it. A conversation ensued, however, upon
the amount of taxes to be I vied; and Mr. Wing named 50.
as acre per annum upon Morton's Leam Wash, and 61. per
acre as a maximum contribution, if necessary. It was agreed
that steps should be taken to frame a bill for the next se•sion
of parliament, that the scheme might be carried out as early
as prosible.

GSNKRAL MitDIC7LANVITITTFUND.—Str —Your,
kindly and benevolent leading article on Wedned4 on the
lamented Dr. Lynch, and the frequent notice of late, in your
list of deaths, of the numerous victims of fever from our pro-
fession, induce me to direct the attention of pour medical
readers to the " General Medical Annuity Fund," esta
blinked at Northampton in 1845. This institution is now
organised under the management of Mr. Daniell,
2gleaVjortPectiell, the founder of it, with a president,
teentwas, mad directors, and is receiving the cordial support
eitembjollassion. The object of the institution is to provide
hir superannuated or permanently disabled ment-
ion of the medical profession, and for the widows and
Es of medical men. The annual subscription is •
and every one hundred subscribers will enable the
to grant four annuities of 251. each. It will be per-
oohed that this fund offers to each of its members the ad-
esobvies of the benefit society system, with the addition of
am mosaity to the widows and orphan. after his decease. It
Whom evm amber of the profession, after the lamentable
MSS which brae latterly come before the public, to look to
As imirestives derivable from institutions of this description.
The 1111 "tee arodial man is particularly uncertain, but by
•bemeembott combination of members of his own profession,
shitupllie be cut of in the midst of his career of usefulness,
. .

and befogs ha shall hays made provision for his family, hii
wih and &aim will be, to a certain extant, provided for.
—I am. sir, Oho., T. BULBUL? BASLER, Y.B.—Bodford,
~ ♦u`. 27.

KENT.

OP iiiE-GOODIPIN SANDS.-OR

Saturday a notice wee posted at Lloyd's that the Trinity-
house had been compelled to place a number of extra buoys
to nark the eastern extrenuty of these sands, which had
extended their boundary in an easterly direction into the
track of navigation. The Tongue Sand, opposite Idargate,
ham also increased in sins.
ESSEX.

DISTRUCTITE FIRE ET A RAILWAT ENGINE.—
Os Rabarday a fire took place about two o'clock, in the int-
arab vicinity of the Chelmsford Railway station. It sp-
plan that a large quantit7 of hay, valued at several hundred
=add. been by several persons in the town of
and placed in neks on a piece of waste ground
seVanag the railway. Rome sparks falling from the funnel
a the dews two o'clock train to Colchester on the hay
Ads% they immediately ignited, and In a very short time the
while was is dames. The engine of the Economic Insurance
=re brought to the spot ; but, although there was
of water, the ergots was net worked. Before
lie &Week the whole of the_ property was consumed.
111011 RD PAT TO NATIONAL SCHOOLMASTERS.
Itiarianleml that the Rev. Mr. Cook, the government
ena kith* 'seminar in this county, will be preparid to
esaknk hl October next, schoolmasters end schoolmis-
tresses fa elltiflestre under which an increase of salary will
be granted by the Committee of Council on Education ; at
the ewes Iles will be examined those young persons who
snay be madithlee for the situations of pupil teacher, and
stipendiary peal in sari& aelhoole.
GLOUCESTERSHIRE.
EXPLOSION IN A Causcii.—On Saturday evening
an assides‘ from en mission a gas, took gem at St.
316M/Wea Histephown.lkistol. In mamma. of
MOO bid is the gee maw /a bed bees %loos down by
We lewd= etas go We atoptir sod 1.11111.11 i Ow the
=et big segehtL llbel wee wined, the key
ad doe misilp toes doled fa the his of pre.
vreillei say mow of pa, bodr it it thooskt, that It, as well
as the mit% must bow boa doetsdot, am a toodesosido
ViZof the aloorrolownisTor ad sot Mt the ohm&
ige boUrj lad the pa Wok soplool
for the NNW* iortioo, It Int &Imbed to ow
mot So mob*, art loading loaf May by sum
of a • *Wow pipe et hod, and did M1fe1.410.•
■the sooloa, NNW Wily._ mod two
=l.l.=*Aylotboiy mod Toplor, pooloolod to the
110 mese they wow la the aura Bs* wood
▪VS 04••• OM a dooad6l

immediately leek place. The three men were knocked
down, and their feces, hands, and other parts of their per-
sons frightfully burnt, and some materials is the church
catchier[ fire fears were entertained for the misty of the edi-
fice. An alarm was given, and the engines were promptly
brought to the spot, and the fire got under before much
damage had been done. The three sufferers were removed
to the infirmary, w,.ere they now lie. Poor flayly is con-
sidered in mesh danger, and the others are dreadfully burnt.

A Rumona.--Out of the four candidates for the
representatisa of Reading at As late election, one—Mr.
geryeant Talfourd— is busy with his friends paling from
house to Louse to return tbanka. It is said that the learned
gentleman is about to take calm • if so, another struggle
for one of the seats for this town 'becomes inevitable, and,
in that event, quoth the Orford Journal, we have every
confidence that Mr. Charles Russell will be returned.

SHARKS ON THE ENGI7ISHZOART.—The extraor-
dinary number of mackerel which have visited the English
Channel this summer appears to have attracted a party of
'harks to the Downs. On • fine evening, says the Hants
paper, with the wind off the land, those rapacious creatures
may be see* dogs in to the shore, skimming along the sur-
face of the water—a large triangular dark coloured dorsal fits
being the only part visible. It is quite a novelty to see the
fishermen no the southern coast of England enjoying the
hazardous sport of harpooning. finch, however, may be seen
off Dunnage and Luccomb (Isle of Wight) every fine evening
in moderato weather. A gentleman of Bough web, while fish-
ing, and unable to account for the unusual shyness of the finny
tribe, was in a few minutes surrounded by sharks. 00 rais-
ing the alarm, a Luocomb fisherman hastened to the spot
with a harpoon, and soon transfixed one of the voracious
strangers (nearly eleven feet in length), which, after afford-
ing the mast exciting play for nearly twenty minutes, made
its escape. Oa the arrival of some boata from Shanklin an-
other shark was struck by • waterman, and after thirty-five
minutes' play, was, with the assistance of another boot, towed
into shallow water and captured at Luecomb. This shark
was the "porbeagle," of Tarrel (the Lamua Coruubria,"
of Curia), and measured nearly seven feet.

CAUTION TO COUNTRY CaItRIZILL—On Friday the
attention of the Oxford city magistrates was occupied a con-
siderable time in hearing informations, on the prosecution of
the crown, against 17 market carriers, for having, contrary
to the statute, carried passengers, and travelled at a greater
speed than four miles an hour, whereby they had not only
incurred a penalty of 51. each (the lowest the magistrates
could iollict), bat had made themselves liable to the mileage
duty, axwell as to • license for carrying passengers. The re-
sult we., that seven were fined 51 each and 9s. costs, four were
dismissed for want of proper evidence, three were adjourned,
and the remainder were out of the jurisdiction of the city
authorities. These informations, it is understood, were at the
instance of some of the coach proprietors, who bed corn.
plaited to the Board of Stamps and Taxes of the system carried
on by the carriers trading to and from Oxford. In every
case the defendant pleaded ignorance of the law.

PURCHASE OF SHARSPEA—RH'S HOUBL—A collecting
box has for some time been kept at the Devonport Mechanics'
Institute, to receive subscriptions for this purpose. A Shak-
'penman reading is to be given at the Plymouth Mechanic.'
Inmituts on Sept. 16, when the proceeds will In sent se the
committee appointed to superintend the purchase of the
poet's house.
IMYSILIODDINTITIrIrnif

----
SCIENCE IN SOMERNET.--At— the recent election,
the well-known Mr. Crowe, of Broomfield, was actually
hooted at by mime of the farmers present, who consider that
"he deals with the devil." One farmer was heard to say,
He has raised the devil at his cursed house four or five
times to my certain knowledge, and the last time he was
near setting the place on fire. I believe be has not tried it
on ants, but there is no going near the place after night for
his vagaries."