The Express.
London, England, 1868-05-15 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, MAY 15, 1868.

DESTRUCTION BY FIRE OP LEWISHAM SAW

MILLS.

Early this morning a ire broke out on the pre-
mixs of Mr. G. Newport, a saw-mill proprietor and
timber merchant, carrying on an extensive busi-
ness at Loam Pit Hill, Lewisham. The flames
spread with great rapidity, and would not be extinguished
until the mills, stores, and costly steam machinery were
destroyed, and the stook in the yard damaged by fire and
water. The disaster is said to have been caused by a
defect in the furnace fine.

THREE CHILDREN BURNT TO DEATH.
An awful calamity, resulting in the death of
three children, occurred at East Bergholt on Monday
afternoon. On the east side of the village, and at a short
distance from the Bentley-road, stood a cluster of farm
buildings, in the occupation of Mr. William Green. At
half-past 3 in the afternoon flames and smoke were
observed to issue from these buildings by the men
who were at work in the neighbouring fields. The
flames quickly spread to the two cottages, and as the
men were unable to obtain a sufficient supply of water
they procured a number of ladders, by means of which
they got on the roof and tore off the tiles ►nd rafters of
the cottage which was already on fire. By these means
they succeeded in saving one of the cottages, but the
other was completely destroyed, and by 6 o'clock in
the evening the whole pile of the buildings, with the ex-
ception of the cottage just mentioned, presented only a
blackened heap of ruins. In the house destroyed resided
a man named Henry Wright and his wife, with a family
of five children, the eldest of whom was at work, the
second at school, while the remaining three were playing
in the shed at the time the fire broke out. It is supposed
the children had accidentally set fire to some straw.
The eldest of the three, named Henry, aged eight, was
found in the yard lying fiat on his face, with his legs
wide apart, and a bowl a few feet in front of him. From
this it is conjectured that the child had gone to fetch
some water from a tub standing in the yard, with which
he meant to extinguish the dames, but being over-
powered by the dense smoke fell down, and was
suffocated. Of the two other children, the body of one,
Elizabeth, aged between four and five, was found just out-
aide the place where the shed had stood, and that of her
brother, Alfred, aged two years and a half, inside ; leading
to the inference that the little girl had gone to meet her
brother returning with the water, but was arrested by the
dames, while the youngest remained in the shed. The
eldest child was frightfully scorched and his brother and
sister so fearfully burnt that they could scarcely be
identified.—Chelmsford Chronicle.

SOUTHAMPTON, MAY 15.—The North German
Lloyd'. steamer Berlin, from Baltimore on the 2nd of
May, has arrived here. She brings 114 passengers for
Sonthamptos•and Bremen, and 3,434 packages of general
merchandise for the latter port.

BOMBAY MAIL.--SVEZ, MAY 15.—The Colum-
bian, from Bombay 2nd inst.. arrived at 6 a.m. to-day.
017TWARD BOMBAY MAIL.—GIBRALTAR, MAT 14.
—Tho Bangalore, from Southampton 9th inst., arrived at
7 a.m. to-day, and leaves at 11 am. for Alexandria. All
well. Experienced unsettled weather across the Bay.
CROOKH&VEN, MAY 15, 7.45 A.M.—The Cunard
steamer Java, which left New York on May 6, is now pass-
ing Browhead signal-station en route for Queenstown.
KING'S COLLEGE EVENING CLAN4EN.—The dis-
tribution of the prizes to the students attending these
classes who distinguished themselves in the examjnations
for the winter session, took place last evening in-the hall
of the college, in the presence of a large audience. His
Grace the Archbishop of York occupied the chair, and
after an address from Professor Plumptres distributed the
prizes.
THE HEALTH OF THE PRINCESA OF WALES.—
The recommendation of the medical advisers of the Prin-
cess of Wales that her royal highness should not under-
take the fatiguing journey to Leeds is' we understand,
founded, not upon any apprehension as to her royal high-
ness's health, but to a desire to avoid long railway journeys
in the present condition of the princess.—British Medical
Journal.

CONGREGATIONAL BOARD OP* EDUCATION. —The
annual meeting was held last evening is the Congrega-
tional church, Lower Clepton. Mr. Samuel Morley, in
presiding, said that the board was still anxious to send
out religious teachers that they might bring all their
powers to bear upon the youth of the country. They were
not prepared to throw themselves into any scheme that
any government might propose, but they had come to the
conclusion that they ought to be free to watch the course
of events, and to consider any means whereby
they could, while maintaining their own indepen
deuce, accept government aid. In respect to
Homerton College, religious character would continue to
be the test of a student's fitness for entering. There was
no doubt that great changes were pending, and he be-
lieved it would be their wisdom to watch all proposals
brought before the country with a view to their modifica-
tion and usefulness in respect to the future education of
the people. The report read by the Rev. Dr. Unwin
referred to an important resolution passed at a special
meeting last week alteriogthe constitution of the board,
and no longer making the rejection of aid fromgovernment
indispensable to membership. Details were then given of
the work of Homerton College during the past year. The
year's income amounted to 1,485/. is. Lid., and the expen-
diture had been 1,483/. 18s. On the motion of Mr. C.
Jupe, seconded by the Rev. Professor McAll, the report
was unanimously adopted. Afterwards the Rev. T.
Binney delivered a discourse upon parental education to a
large congregation.
HANDZL FESTIYAL.—A rehearsal of the 2,200
amateur choralists will take place, under the direction of
Mr. Costa, at Exeter-hall, this evening, when the
choruses rehearsed will he chiefly those to be performed
on the selection-day the festival.
ADMIRALTY, MAY 14. APPOINTMENTS. —Pay-
master Alfred T. D. Nettleton, to the Rapid ; Assistant-
Paymaster David W. Wise, "in charge," to the Gnat;
Clerks, Robt. Wright, to the Rapid, and Thos. Winter.
bottom, to the Cambridge.
WATERLOO AND CHARING CROSS STATION. —The
works of the new station atltbe junction of the London
and South Western with the Charing Cross line have been
commenced. This station will be erected by the South
Eastern Company, and is designed for the accommodation
of the South Western travellers and the population of the
Lambeth district. The station will have three platforms
available for passengers desiring to proceed to Charing
Cross or Cannon-street. They will be nearly 500 feet long
and ample in width. The new station will be formed by
an extension, widthways, of the existing viaduct arches.
The South Western passengers will change trains at
Waterloo for Charing Cross or Cannon•street, and will
only have a comparatively short distance to walk. The
introduction of the South Western trains would have
caused a complication that the:existing preemie upon the
Charing Cross line could not bear without danger and risk
of dislocating the traffic. The new station is expected to
prove a very great public convenience.

Barometer corrected and reduced to 22 deg. at sea level. The
letters r (rlidng), f (falling), s (steady), Indicate direction of
motionef within MA 14 hours. Thermometer exposed
In abode. Extreme ores, with Its. direction during last 24 boars.
Z.—calm. Weather: b.—blue sky ; c.— clouds (detached) : f—
log; ; ; (buy) ; o.—overcast
(dun); v—rala ; s.—snow; t. —thunder. =Ow or
hail melted), daring lad 24 hours gea disturbance