The Express.
London, England, 1847-08-03 00:00:00

PROVINCIAL.

Tug Hostetter P;tosrecre ;„retaoet satisfactory. At
Guildford market, on Saturday, there were four samples of
new wheat, representing a quantity of 10 or 12 loads. They
were all of good quality, one very superior weighing 6611b5.
per bushel. The Gloucester Cliroonck says: "The weather
was never more propitious for the growing crops of wheat
and barley than it is now. The wheat never made greater
progress towards maturity than it has done at present; and
should the weatker continue fine for the harvest the produce
will not only be of excellent quality but also abundant in
quantity. Heaping has partially commenced in some die-
trim, and in the course of next week it will become pretty
gent rel. In the early districts the barley crops are excellent,
on good barley moils, and will, in genera), be early to harvest.
Many farmers have already commenced cutting. From
Wiltshire we learn that the early crops of potatoes may
be enured; red secured, and the yield has seldom been known
so abundant and of such excellent quality. At the time
we write a sack may be dug, where, last year, a peck could
not be produced. The same cheering prospect is before us
with respect to the late crops, which are rapidly growing
and hastening to maturity ; in that even on this head, con-
cerning which much anxiety ha been felt, there is nothing
to apprehend, but everything to hope which the most
sanguine can desire. The large corn growers supply us with
corresponding accounts of the flourishing state of the wheat,
barley, and oats ; and even with the beans the yield will be
considerably more than has been anticipated. The weather
continues most propitious. Preparations are making for the
glorious harvest throughout the breadth of the laid. In Devon-
&ire every thing appears to be equally flourishing. The harvest
has commenced in a few of the earliest parts of the county.
The crop, of the different kinds of grain are about the
average of the last seven years, the straw being in general
thickly planted, the earn containing an unusual number of
grains, and the grains being large. The early kinds of
potatoes have ripened several weeks earlier than usual, and
notwithstanding there has been a partial blight of some of
the haulms, and come were " curled" when they sprung up,
the crop is abundant, and the quality excellent. Sanguine
hopes are entertained that thelater kinds will also escape the
destructive epidemic of the last two years, and be equally
prolific.
LANCASHIRE.
A munnen was committed at Manchester on Saturday. A
man named Joseph Speed. living in Lord-street, 'Lulea',
quarrelled with his wife, and struck her several times with a
hemmer, the head of which is about a pound weight, and
inflicted a deep and shocking fracture of theckull, which
left her stretched on the floor of the house, with blood flow-
ing copiouslfrom the wounds. He then appears to have
gone to the bed in which their two children slept, one four
years and the other nine months old, and to have cut both
their throats in such a shocking manner as to nearly sever
the heads from their bodies. Some neighbours, attracted by
the screams of the wife, went into the house, and seeing the
state of the woman, advised him to get surgical assistance.
He pretended to leave the house for that purpose, but went
and delivered himself up to the police. The bodies of the
children were subsequently discovered by the neighbours,
but life was extinct. The wife was taken to the infirmary, where
she lits in a very dangerous state. They had been in great
distress through Speed being out of work, and there is a rumour
to the effect that the prisoner is hardly une, but his conduct
and demeanour since he has been in custody has been that
of • perfectly sane and rational man. He is about fo-ty
years of age, and has been accustomed to work in a cotton
mill as a carder.
THE MURDER AT MANCHESTEH.—An inquest was held
yesterday on the two children murdered by their father,
Joseph Speed, in Lord street, Hulme, Manchester, on Satur-
day, but there were no tette elicited beyond what we have
above stated. The jury found a verdict of " Wilful mur-
der." The wife is still alive, but with little hopes of re-
covery. The prisoner was brought before the magistrates
yesterday morning, but remanded till after the inquest.
This day he will, no doubt, be brought up for examination
and committed by the magistrates, es he already has been by
the coroner, for trial on the capital charge.