The Express.
London, England, 1861-10-08 00:00:00

VOLOSPEERS AT A FIRE.

Perhaps the most rapid, and, within certain
limits, completely destructive conflagration that has berm
seen is Edinburgh for many years occurred on Saturday
evening in one of the crowded localities of the 'south side.
The scene of the disaster was the extensive range of work-
shops belonging to Messrs. Willow and Son, brass foundeni,
pa meter manufacturers, pa fitters, and Venetian blind
makers, Simon-square, a set of Premises where employment
woe given to about '..VO men and boys, and some 20 girls,
and which were closely sun ouuded on all sides by dwelling.
houses occupied by the working classes, many of them of the
poorest description.
About six o'clock a girl employed in the lacquering room
observed, from her window in Simoo.square, • thick smoke
teeming from that part of the work. The alarm was immediately
sent to the St. Leonard's and High-street Police-offices, and
in • few minutes the cit. Leonard's engine was on the eject,
sod the High-etreet engine shortly afterwards. By that
tins, however, the whole of the centre building was in •
blaze. Several other engines began to play (though with
no appreciable effect) upon the (lames, which had spread
over and enveloped the whole of the bnissfounders' shops
in both divisions of the premises, sod were rapidly extend.
lag backwards into the wood-yard and Venetian bliod manu-
factory in Hardwell-close. So rapidly did the fire rush, as
it were, over the buildings, that before 7 o'clook the whole
of thesis two ranges of workshops, consisting of at
lead five distinct though counected tbree.story
eneticoa, were blazing from ". top to bottom. The
sense at this moment, as witnessed from the
windows and roofs of the surrounding dwellings,
was terrifically grand. About seven o'clock thereof of the
centre building fell in, sending up spirts of flame, and
shows—oot of sparks— but of red-hot cinders and blazing
embers, which were visible over all the city and for miles
beyond it.
Far some time before this the whole of Simon-square
and the erne lanes leading into it, were blocked up with
deem muses of human beings, and by the crushing of the
crowd both the operations of the fire brigade and the move-
ments. of the police themselves were for a short time
impeded. At this moment, however, most efficient
and timely assistance arrived from an unexpected
quarter. The City Artillery and Rifle Volunteers
had been at regimental drill in the Queen's Park
in the afternoon, though in different parts of the
ground; and about 150 of the rifles marched up
Arthur-street to the fire. Shortly afterwards, the City
Artillery gut the order to march home and the greater part
of No. 4 and No. 7 companies formed under Captain Nor-
daunt Gray, and Lieutenants Elgin and Sexton, and
" doubled" to the scene of the conflagration. On their
arrival, both bodies of volunteess, numbering about 200,
were put under the command of Captain Gerrie, who
quietly but quickly cleared a way for the admission sod free
operation of the fire-engines. A detachment of the artil-
lery next proceeded round to the Hardwell-close, and after
clearing a paanage, rendered valuable ansistance in removing
• large quantity of wood, in deals and planks, from the
woodyard connected with the Venetian blind factory and
joiners' shops. Others of them, in conjunction with the
Rifts, cleared Simon-square of the greater portion of the
crowd with which it bad been packed.
By ten o'clock the fire was so far subdued that little ap-
prehension was felt for its revival or further extension, and
the further plumes of the volunteers being lIDDSCONIfy,
they left the ground, where they had rendered good service
for more than three hours. By eleven the whole area of
Messrs. Laidlaw's premises, extending to about 70 yards
long by 60 in breadth, excluding the eras row of workshops
on the east side already mentioned, was only filled with
gaunt bars walls and smoking rubbish, from which fitful
jets of flame blazed up at intervals, with no other effect
than to draw down upon themselves • speedy extinguisher
from the firemen's hose.

THE NEW MARBLES IN THE BRITISH MANCH.
The antique marbles recently obtained by the expedition
under the command of Lieutenants Smith and Porcher, at
Cyrene, have been received at the British Museum. Some
of them, which were in fragments, have within the last
few days been put together, hod may now (be seen on
application.
BOOK-CANVASSERS AND HAWKERS' LICIDDIEB.—
A cue, which bad been several times remanded, was de.
LORD PALMERSTON AND THE POWDER tided on Saturday at the Manchester Police thud, in which
MAGAZINE. Thee. Slater, a canvasser or hawker in the service of Mr.
Ainsworth. of Piccadilly , Manchester, was charged with
We read in a local newspaper :—Some two or o carrying to sell, or exposing for sale," without a license,
three years since an order emanated from the War Depart- numbers or various parts of various publications. George
rnent directing that all forte and maths upon the cost be- Wood the inspector who laid the information, having
tween Portsmouth and the mouth of the Thames (many of I powed the case, Mr. Ernest Jones addressed the bench fur
which had been dismantled) should be placed in a state of the defence, and called Mt. Aissworth, who said that Slider
defence, and, in accordance with these inatructioss, batteries I was in his employ, and bad hero so, partially, for the last
were repaired, cannonpaired, mounted, and magazines filled with tlO years. It was a portion of his duty to go round with
ammunition throughout the district. At Widmer Castle 1, publications belonging to witted, and to obtain subscribers.
the half-dozen field-pieces which had been placed upon the lie was paid a fixed weekly stipend and commission. He
ramparts during the early pert of the wardenship of the I bad carried on his bulimia undisturbed until now. In an.
liuke of Wellington had never been dismounted, and some i at to the complainant, Mr Ainsworth said Le wastot the
five toes of gunpowder were stored for tbe defenceof the ! printer of any of the books found in the defendant's pack ;
fortress. Of this circumetauce the present inmates of the I they were his property. Mr. Ross said the bench felt corn-
castle were totally ignorant until •few mornings since, when pelted to convict. It could not be sail that the defendant
a working party or soldiers from the neighbouring bar- was is any way the maker of the goods, or went round as a
racks were seen approaching, and shortly afterwards to commercial traveller. It would be satiefsctory to them, how-
cross the drawbridge, and form in the court-yard of the i ever, if the question was settled in a higher court, and they
castle. This unusual circumstance of course created some should be glad if an appeal was made. The defendant was
surprise, which was further increased when, upon inquiry fined the lowest penalty (one-fourth of the fullest aaseemt).
being made by the officer in command as to the cause of viz. 50e. and code Mr. Jones gave notice of appeal, re.
this unexpected invasion. he replied that be had come for marking that it had previously been arranged to de so If
the tupelo of "turning the barrels of powder in the maga- necessary, because of the importance of the question.
nine. This intelligence was promptly reported to Lord Loans OF THE HENRY CLAY.—OD Saturday, par-
Palmerston, who requested the officer to
point out to him l• ticul were received at Lloyd's of the low of the well-
the whereabouts of the magazine and inform him of the known Liverpool and New york line of packet ship Henry
quantity of powder depreited there. The officer replied,
Clay, Captain Caulkins, which took place in a terrific gale
thates near as he could judge the position of the magazine on the night of the 29th September, on Laggan Point, near
was immediately beeeath the place on which his lordship
wmoyne Islay, West Oast of Scotland. She sailed from
was then standing, and that the quantity deposited in the .
magazine was one hundred barrels. The officer added, that The vessel went to pieces oa the reeks, and the crew
as regular intern]. the castle was rioted ta party such cargo, The
on the 25th, with 41 passenger. and a
the and paw. users were with difficulty saved.
aswbeleWereof"ZeformatinePobswpdlesrikaadthereirweirsednd°wtsiewpositintredef
casks.
His
lordship
said
that
alder
ao
thaamatasaat
worl thed
.Slo.:To!ctKZsNtrairoOTOvisiletoM:hiligvtleMbee.—aDtirinfogisott: Wamair,_o.
Monday, Tueaday and Saturday, free days, 7,6611; OR
ha continue to sleep immediately over • powder mapsioe4Tues&7, . the three
tad instructed the officer to take steps without say delay
On meadeote days (ad i to the point c 6d.), 1,750 ; one
for the immediate removal of its mounts.
students' evening, Wednesday. 180 ; total, 15,421. Prom
Monday and tree evenings, 1,1(37. trn
Use opening of the Museum, 2,264,545.
CZYNTAL PALACZ. ONZ SHILLING DAY.
TWINITT.BETENTH ASCENT OF M. BLONDDL—MONDAT,
OCT. 7.—Admissions on payment. 29,409 ; ditto by season
Whets, 4786 ; total visitors, 3'1,195.

The muse of the disaster is at present unknown. A great
number d poor people will asfortunately be thrown out of
work.—North Drama Mail.

MUNZUII OF PATILNTS, SOUTH KINSINOTON. -
Number of visitors for the week ending Oltnber
3,871. To number since the opening of the museum
IN. day (Nay 12, 1858), 420,473.

It was then decided that Mr. Nokes should have a awe for
the decision of the court above, and a discussion then ensued
as to the service of the overseer's notice.
Mr. Nukes admitted that the notice in this case was
served on the vestry clerk.
Mr. Sidney Smith contended that this was not a good set.
vies according to the act.
His Honour, after hearing the arguments, granted Mr.
Makes a case on this point also.
The discussion on the next notice, signed by Luckett, was
of • similar character to the preceding, and
His Honour said that he really must insist on Luckett's
attendance, for he would not take any more secondary evi-
dence, and he should reject all the objections it they were
signed in blank. if Lockett signed any notices which had
been filled in he should require him to state which were so
signed.
Mr. Nokes said it would be utterly impossible for
Lucsett to do that. Luckett had been told to attend the
court, and it was not his (Mr. Nokea's) fault he was not
present. He was ready to admit that some of the notices
were signed in blank.
His Honour thought that a very lax system prevailed.
Mr. Nokes having drawn up a statement of facts on
which the barrister should found a use, mid that the party
he represented learned the system complained of from Mr.
Ledger's own association.
Mr. Ledger said the system of having paid objectors was
in existence when he tirst became acquainted with the as-
sociation 19 years ago.
His Honour said he did not quarrel with the system, for
it was necessary, but it was the manner in which the system
was worked out. He was really sorry he could not enter-
tain Mr. Nokea's objections, it would have saved much time.
He must say that all Mr. Nokee's objections had been taken
most fairly, and he vim sorry he could not hear them.
Mr. Nukes—lt would have been a good thing for the City
if they could have been entertained.
It was then arranged that Mr. Gilder's name and the
others similarly circumstanced should stand over pending
the decision of the court above, and they will be sustained
if his Honour's ruling is held to be correct.
Mr. Nokes next applied for a case for the court above
under the following circumstances. Mr. Wdson occupied
the first floor of Nu. 32, lbw to-hill, for more Duo twelve
months previous to the 31st July last. He was duly rated,
and had full and sufficient qualcation. The landlord occu-
pied the shop on the ground floor. There were two doors to
the house, one to the shop, and the other leading to the
upper part of the house. Mr. Wilson had the key of the
second door and was never under the control of the laud-
lord. Mr. Wilson had been objected to by Mr. Roberts on
the liberal side, and Mr. Nokia now asked a case to be
grouted that the question might be settled by the court
above.

His Honour said Mr. Nokes had made out his statement
of facts with great (afros's, and at once granted him
a MO.

rho Court adjourned at half-past four till 11 to-morrow
(thie) morning.
In consequence of the informalities in the signatures of
the notices of objections taken by Mr. Kokes, and the num.-
ber of cases in abeyance in consequence, we are unable to
give any statistics u to the result, of the revision, but
horn the circumstances enumerated, the result has been
considerably in favour of the hberal party.

TIM AOCEDICNT ON THZ a/AMSTRAD JUNCTION.—
DEATH Or ANOTHILI SUP7I/113.—We regret t• add another
death resulting from this accident. The North London
signalman, Joseph Cox, whose depositions were taken
before the coroner at the University Hospital, died yester-
day morning at seven o'clock in that institution, from the
effects of his injuries. He hiui left a wife, but no family.
The wife was in the train at the time, and sustained much
injury. She haa, however recovered, and was with her
deceased husband, attending upon him, up to the period
of his death.

---
FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE SOUTHAMPTON WATER.-
On Sunday morning three men, named Isaac Wills, John
Pitt, and Thomas England, went out in a boat upon the
Southampton Water. They fished all day opposite to the
Victoria Hospital, at Netlay, and about 3 o'
clock in the
afternoon proceeded to haul up their author. While en-
wiged in this task the boat was by some means upset and
England was drowned. The other two were picked up by
the crew of a yacht lying close by when the accideut oc-
curred, and were taken on hoard a Hessian bar. me. England's
body has not yet been recovered. Pitt was yesterday in a
very precarious condition.
SIiocRING CRUELTY TO AN INFANT- —Yeetertlay
afteruuou Mr. Thomas Hills held an inquest at Brampton,
near Chatham, on the body of an infant. aged six months,
named Sophia Mitchell. Mary Jane Hughes deposed that
she was barmaid at the King of Prussia, where the mother
of the dareased, whose husband had left her, lodged. About
a month since the child was fetched by its mother from the
Union workhouse, but it had never been provenly attended
to. The mother would often leave it for four hours at a
time while she was away drinking. Waimea had often re-
monstrated with her about neglecting the child, but she
would tell her to mind her own business. For the last fort-
night the deceased had had no clothes whatever on, but
only wrapped up in an old shawl, which was washed.
Whenever any one gave it food it took it with great avidity.
On Saturday deceased was seised with convulsions, and died
the following day. A great deal of other evidence to the
same effect was given. The jury returned a verdict of
" Manslaughter against Ellen Mitchell," the mother, and
the coroner immediately issued his warrant for her appre.
bonsai° and committal to Maidstone Gaol.

- •
SERIOUS RAILWAY ACCIDINT.—Soon after Pleven
o'clock on Saturday forenoon • serious accident happened at
Book Top Station. on the East Lancashire Branch of the
Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, Burnley, to a young
man named Joseph Knighton, stoker of • goods train. The
train which had come from Accrington does not proceed
further than Burnley, but runs about • hundred yards be-
yond the station before it stops, to be shunted to the goods
warehouse. As the train was passing the station, at •
diminished speed, Knighton stepped oft to get his dinner,
and in doing so his foot slipped, and he fell backwards be-
tween the rail and the platform. Two or three of the wag-
gons passed him without harming him ; but at lest his left
leg was caught, the rest of the train passing over it, crush-
ing through the hose • little above the ankle joint, and
leaving the foot hanging by • Bap of Seib. Knighton is
about twenty-wen years of age, and a single man.—Leeds
Herron,.
THZ •
DORCAS:MR PRISON BREAKER.—Thomas
Hamm, the retai/au who escaped from the Doncaster
Borough Oaol au Thursday, was captured at Shellleld and
brought to Doncaster on Saturday afternoon. After ha
elfectedhia canape he did oot attempt to leave the town, but
led the police-allows • chase through the by-lanes of the
borough oa Friday, and eventually escaped. He took the
last train for Sheffield, and on arriving there • pan= In
the train who knew him gave him into custody.
ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL, DRAT'f4-INN-ROAD..-..
The number of patients relieved at this hospital during the
week ending October 5 was J,158, of which 984 were new
MOM