The Express.
London, England, 1846-09-08 00:00:00

SCOTLAND.

IT IS STATED THAT LOIID ASHLEY is to be the conserva-
tive candidate for Glasgow, at the ensuing election for the
Rectorate. Lord John Russell and Mr. Macaulay are spoken
of as likely to stand on the liberal interest.
The Scoveit Pooa-LAw.—The Spectator of Saturday
adverts to the case of a Scotch pauper, named John Wood;
who thus states his case, in a petition to Parliament Your
petitioner is seventy-three yeah of age, and is afflicted with
asthma and cough ; and is, in consequence of old age and
infirmity, unable to do anything for the support of himself
and family, consisting of his wife and three children, the
oldest of whom is only eleven years of age. The whole in-
come of the family consists of the earnings of his wife and
eldest child, amounting, when both are fully employed, to
three shillings per week, together with four shillings per
calendar month allowed by the Parochial Board of the parish
of Gorbals, as sufficient subsistence' for himself and his two
youngest children, who are too young to be able to earn any-
thing. As your petitioner pays 21. 10s. a year for rent, his
allowance from the parish does not even provide him with
lodging ; and the whole income of the family, including his
parochial allowance, after paying the rent of the house, only
leaves about fivepeoce per day to provide five persons with
food, fuel, and clothing."—Wood applied in vain to the
parish for increased allowance; in vain he applied to the
Board of Supervision at Edinburgh for leave to appeal to the
Court of Session. Re is not aware whether the Board insti-
tuted any inquiry into his case . but he was afforded no
opportunity of proving his allegations ! Is this petition a
fabrication or not? If there is any truth in it, serious in-
qniry is demanded, not only into the conduct of the Board of
Supervision, but also into the law, which can render such
cases possible. We repeat our conviction, that when the
English Poor-law is revised, regard also should be had to
Scotland; still denied so needful a provision, except in form.

PROVINCIAL.
I!INCARIIIRE.

Tue Taorntits OF Pooh E3IIC;RANTB.—At the police
court, Manchester, on Friday, a decent looking woman,
apparently between 30 and 40 years of age, preferred a
complaint agaiast Mr. S. Dodge, emigration agent, No. 2,
Deansgate. She said that haring two brothers doing very
well at Sydney, and learning that she could procure a free
pasaage thither by application to Mr. Dodge, she applied to
him for that purpose about five weeks since. She paid him
20a. and 3s. 61. to Mr. Dent, solicitor, before whom she made
a declaration, and Mr. Dodge told her she was to sail on the
20th ult. When she went to him for the purpose of being
sent off, he said there had been so many over the number,
that she must wait and go by the next vessel. Re had sent off
her papers to London, and she, having been out of place five
weeks, and obliged to pleige her goods for a living, wished
for the advice of the bench under the circumstan-
ces. She did not wish to receive her money hack if she
could get a free passage to Sydney—Mr. Maude said he did
not see how he could interfere in the present state of the
case. If it were proved that the defendant represented him-
self as authorised to grant a free passage, and by that means
obtained money from parties, when he really was not so,
that would be another matter. At present he could not
take cognisance of it. The applicant then left the court.
YORKSHIRE. - . -

PRESENTATION TO COLONEL THOMPSON. Colonel P.
Thompson, the prime instructor of our modern free-traders,
is now in Sheffield. Anticipating his visit, a few of the
staunch friends of commercial freedom, anxious to recognise
the presence of such a man in our locality, agreed at a short
notice to present him with a slight remembrance of their
esteem and gratitude for his invaluable services, made at
great personal sacrifice, to the cause in which they themselves
have been among his disciples. The result of a conversation
on the subject was an order to Mr. H. Atkin, silver cutler of
this town, who has produced for the occasion one of the meet
recherchi case, of dessert cutlery we have ever seen. The
cue contains 18 pairs carved mother-of-pearl silver dessert
knives and forks, 1 pair melon carvers, 2 pairs pickle knives
and forks, 2 butter knives, 1 pair grape scissors, and 4 pairs
nuteracks. The whole are enclosed in a splendid mahogany
case, lined with blue silk velvet : on the top there is a silver
shield containing the following inscription :—" To Gol. P.
Thompson, the father of free-trade, and author of ' The
Cern-law Catechism,' this case is presented, as a tribute of
sincere esteem and resrard, by a few of his Sheffield friends,
September, 1846." The testimonial is got up in the most
tasteful and workmanlike manner.—Slieffield Ir ea.
DANGER FROM FIRE IN LEEDS.—A fire broke out on
Saturday night in the oil-mill of Messrs. Joy, Leeds, and
destroyed the building with its contents. The scene exhi-
bited upon that occasion is described to us (says the Leeds
Mercury,) as destitute of all order and judicious combination.
There wee no directing head, each of the fire-engines had
their own managers, some of them giving directions in op-
position to the others, and the police force having as little
authority as the usual bystanders. Owing to some cause the
Town's-engine did not arrive at the spot till the flames had
attained a height that rendered its exertions nearly un-
available ; and had the fire occurred on some of the more
densely built parts of the town, it is impossible to calculate
the extent of the mischief that it would have inflicted. The
lesson bought by this and similar disasters will be purchased
at a very moderate price, if it should lead to a great and im-
proved organisation of the establishments for the extinction
of fire, whether it be called a " Fire Brigade," or by what-
ever other name it be designated. The object cannot be at-
tained without some cost to the public, but the security to
life and property in an opulent community, is surely a
matter of much more consequence than any moderate expense
by which the public safety may be secured.
EFFECTS OF RAILWATS ON WATERING PLACES.—
There never was • season, we believe (Leeds Mercury), in
which the principal watering places in Yorkshire and other
parts of the kingdom were so full of company as at present,
and this is chiefly accounted for by the cheapness of travelling
and the other facilities that are given to visitors by railways.
CAMBRIDGESHIRE.
ANOTHER INCENDIARY FIRE AT SOHAM.—II would
be a task of no small difficulty to describe the excitement
that necessarily exists in the town of Soham, from the
repeated acts of the daring incendiary. The success of his
villany leads him from one atrocity to another, and he
literally paralyses the while neighbourhood with his
monstrous achievements. NaShan, in Dr. Bird's celebrated
novel of " Nick of the Weods," did not produce more
consternation by his fearful and mysterious sets of revenge
amongst the Indians, than does this " Nick " of Soham
amongst the quiet inhabitants of that place. Stallion,
the lest man who expiated his offences at the Cambridge
county gaol, twelve years ago, having admitted to
eighteen isocediery fires, ere his career of crime was
ran, beame se audacious, that even at mid-day he =
hided his dietetical crimes 3 the incendiary of
is becoming shied es tad. Oa tiettirday night last,
when the elect were tell, mad the town„ to used it
sash these, the seen et beide eat activity, sad
boars wine caspealstibeg seek sea that there belt
a sheet doe been a earretia to its dreeitel Amilatiese
they had ee deal two eelfeet to, mai tau ei* that tie it
oendiary bed Israel hem the whiner& el limanteli
cry of "flee" tesoessimilheeeek the pleesosedge
amongst the whale et the bareldleale. The
activity which ebueeteriserl tlesk preeeediaisTiZemer

similar
melancholy occasions were speedily again in action.
Theltre wee found to roceed from the premises of Mr. J.
Smith, farmer, Quam Fen Common. Mr. Smith has a
family of ten children ; and, at the time his premises were
in flames, six of them were in bed, and it was with con-
siderable difficulty that their lives were saved, so furiously
did the flames extend. Unfortunately, there was a very
short supply of water; the consequence was that nearly the
whole of the premises were consumed, as were also three
eottages close by. Mr. Smith was fully insured ; the cot-
tages were not insured. A reward of 2001. in each case has
been offeregi for the discovery of the incendiary.—Consbrarke
Independent Press.

STORM.—WiNnsoR, Monday Evening.—Shortly before 3
o'clock this afternoon one of the most alarming and fearful
storms of thunder and lightning, accompanied by torrents of
rain, ever experienced in Windsor, passed over the town from
the south-east and lasted fur upwards of an hour and a half.
The lightning was of the most vivid character, and flash
followed flash without intermission. For the last two days
the heat has been most oppressive, the th,,rmometer this day
at 1 o'clock, in the shade, standing as high as 52 degrees.
DEVONSHIRE.

....
FATAL ACCIDENT.—On SKturday night last, an alarming
accident occurred at the Marley Tunnel, on the South Devon
Railway. It appe►rs that about ten o'clock in the night,
several workmen were engaged in removing the centre and
uprights that bad been used in erecting the arch over the
tunnel, as all the masonry was considered perfectly safe.
Melancholy to relate, about fifty yards of the arch felt in,
and buried four men, and others meived injuries. Several
hours elapsed before the bodies could be extricated, and the
poor fellows were literally cut to pieces by the heavy mass
which fell on them.