The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-01-05 00:00:00

WRECK OF THE PACKET SHIP NEW YORK.

Our advices by the Africa bring us the melancholy
tidings of the loss of the packet ship New York, of the
Black Ball (Liverpool) liners, Captain M'Kennon, with
some three hundred passengers, abut three miles north of
Barnegst Inlet, New Jersey. The New York Daily Tames
of the 23rd inst. says—We immediately despatched a re-
porter to the scene of the disasoer, and are enabled this
morning to lay some of the particu'ars before our readers
On Sunday morning the Underwriters' tug steamer
Achilles, being down the bay when the information was
received, the wrecking schooner Excelsior was despatched
to the wreck and yesterday morning a steamboat was
despatched to Barnegat by the Board of
Underwriters, to bring the passengers to the city.
The New York, yesterday, lay head on, on the
outer bar, full of water, with the sea making a complete
breach over her. The passengers had all been landed on
the beach in a very destitute condition, and suffering for
want of food and shelter —having little or nothing to eat.
Three hard biscuits a piece were all they had to cat for 24
hours. One man had died from hunger and exposure; and,
from the appearance of the weather yesterday, it was not
believed that the unfortunate creatures could he removed
for some time. Captain F. J. Brannan, of Span, had,
however, sent a load of provisions to the wreck, which will,
at least, relieve the sufferings of the people for the present.
The exposure and deprivations which these people
have been forced to undergo have not been their only
sufferings. The crew have behaved in the most brutal
and outrageous manner. They beat Captain M'Kennon so
severely, that, by the latest emulate, be was in a very
critical situation, from the wounds he received at their
hands. His recovery is considered doubtful in the extreme.
Many of the passengers have also been most brutally treated
by the ceew ; and, wounded and exposed to the inclemency
of the weather, it is feared that several lives will be lost.
One woman, at six o'clock last evening, had been in child
labour for fourteen hours previous, and was considered in a
hopeless state, though there was a bare possibility .of her
surviving. The passengers are mostly Irish emigrants.
The men have exhibited no feelings of humanity for the
women or children, but drive them away from every
thing that can give the least shelter, and aprropripriate it
to themselves. The station house affords a little
shelter for a few persons, but it is a mere apology for
what should exist on such a barren, uninhabited coast. The
doctor of the ship, it is proper to say, has been unremitting
in his attentions to the sick and wounded, and all who
needed his assistance. He had eaten nothing for three or
four days but a few sea biscuits, and was finally compelled to
abandon his exertions from sheer exhaustion. We learn that
he wl:s taken yesterday to John Allen's shanty.where they were
cooking their last morsel of flour, which was divided with him.
After thi=, he again commenced his arduous duties among
the famished, suffering passengers The New York was
built by Mr. George Vebb, of this city, aid is:sixteen years
old. She is 862 tons register, and is insured here.

Mr. Millar, a gentleman in the suite of Count do Morny,
has been authorised by the Russian government to copy a
number of notes and letters of Voltaire, which are kept in
the imperial library at St. Petersburg, and refer mostly to
the French court. as well 89 to the great questions of war
and diplomacy of his time. Another French gentleman is
employed to make a copy of eighteen or twenty volumes of
hitherto unpublished writings of Diderot, which are kept in
the same library.

3fEETING 0.11 THE SWISS RESIDENTS OF

LONDON;

On Friday evening, a meeting of the Swiss residents of
London took place at Radley's Hotel to adopt an address
the conductt of the Swiss
he Federal Council,meetin g
theliwnpaps
aolvsdisputeintended
with hhe King of Prussia.
the families of poorer militiamen in Switzerland, while
husbands or sons were drawn away to defend the frontier,
and also to enlist volunteers among themselves for the
emergency of a war with Prussia. About two hundred
persons attended, and we must confess, that it has rarely
been our lot to cast our eye on an assembly of more
expressive heads, or taller bodies, and broader shoulders,
and to witness a more masculine and self-possessed
bearing on the part of a public meeting. All ranks of
life and all ages were apparently represented, but it was
easy to observe, that the Swiss abroad, like the Scotch,
contribute more, in consequence of their success in basis
ness, to the upper portion of the middle classes, than to
any (eller class. The meeting was a strictly national one,
the stewards stationed at the entrance requesting every-
body to say if he was a Swiss or not, the truth of which
could be easily ascertained. As, however, no desire
prevailed to keep the objects of the meeting secret, the
representatives of the press were admitted, and provided
with seats at the table. The proceedings were opened
by a gentleman inthe meeting, proposing that the Consul
of Switzerland, Herr Rspp, should he calied upon to take
the chair, which was unanimously agreea to. Herr Rapp
delivered a few introductory remarks on the objects of
the meeting, and in French, the language mostly made
use of in the course of the proceedings, though the cos•
mopolitan composition of the assembly made It necessary
in the course of the proceedings to make use of the
German, and even the Italian languages. It was then
proposed by Mons. Broe, in an able speech, and seconded
by Herr Stauffer, in a very enthusiastic, and not less able
one, that the meeting should resolve upon the adoption
of an address of approbation to the Federal Council of
Switzerland. The following is a translation of the
address proposed

" Mr. President and Gentlemen, Members of the
Federal Council, sitting at Berne. Sirs,—The under--
signed citizens of Switzerland, assembling at the news
of the dangers width menace the mother country, avail
themselves of the first opportunity publicly to testify to
the Federal Council their profound gratitude on account
of the wisdom and the firmness which 'it has displayed.
Unanimous, strong in her good right, and determined to
sacrifice all and everything for the sake of maintaining
its independence, Switzerland has confided its honour to
the trust of the Federal authority, and rallies without
distinction of opinion under the banner of the Confeder-
ation, The Federal Council has justified the expecta-
tions of the Swiss people, and will know how to
preserve the national honour. May the serious events of
the moment turn to the advantage of the fatherland l
May the Confederation emerge from the conflict united,
strong, and respected by the foreigner ! Sich are
the ardent wishes of the subscribed. We pray the
Federal Council to accept the assurance of our not to be
shaken attachment to Switzerland, and of our firm
resolution to muster our efferis with those of our brother
citizens for the welfare of the fatherland. The subscribed
beg you, gentlemen, to receive she expression of their
high esteem and of the wishes they cherish, for the
prosperity of your persons—God preserve Switzerland !"
This address was unanimously adopted by the assembly,
which betrayed its deep emotion in deafening cheers at
the patriotic sentences of which the mover and seconder
delivered themselves. Wlyn the president declared the
address adopted, Herr Staufer proposed to greet the
result by an old Swiss ban, which consists in a rhythmical
clapping of hands, three time three, first in slower, then
in quicker time, and which makes on the hearer a very
peculiar impression, somewhat like the beating of drums
in a storming column. M. Bordier proposed and Herr
Walther seconded a mation, that a subscription should
be raised on the spot to alleviate the sufferings which a
war, and even the present preparations for it, doubtlessly
would inflict on the families of the poorer militiamen,
whose only income was that derived from their labour,
M. Bordier remarked that these Swiss abroad, who,
by family ties, were prevented from personally nerving
their fatherland in its present hour of need, were all the
more bound to serve it with their purse. There was
no necessityror their contributing to the direct expenses
of war, as the Swiss government did not lack money for
,hat purpose, and had already received offers above their
necessities, but the government could not undertake to
alleviate indirect sufferings from the war, and therefore
individual exertions bad to provide for them. A Swiss
merchant, from Liverpool, announced that, on the Ist
instant, the twenty-nine Swiss residents of 'Liverpool
held a meeting for a similar purpose, and that the
subscriptions 'for the above-mentioned object, at that
meeting, amounted to £540, a sum brought together in
ten minutes. The Swiss of Liverpool wished it, however,
to benndersfood that this was only a first instalment.
The effect of this communication was, that in liss than
a minute M. Bordier announced that the persons near
him had already covered a sum of £950 by their
subscriptions. The proposition for the subscription was
unanimously adopted, amid thundering cheers. At the
end of the meeting the subscription amounted to £1,783.
For the sake of putting their names to the address, and
subscribing to the contributions, the assembly marched
slowly in a row round the table, while the meeting was,
in the meantime, addressed by other speakers. The
last business was that of the enlistment of volunteers,
ready to obey the call of the country, if the authorities
at Berne should require their services. To those who
were unable to pay their journey, it was announced that
their expenses would be defrayed, if they applied at the
Consulate. A list of some twenty names, mostly younger
men of the German cantons, was rapidly got together.
In conclusion, an old English gentleman, the descendant
of a great Geneose family, of the name of Pete, if we are
not mistaken, addressed the assembly in English, and
with much eloquence. He proudly compared the way
in which the Swiss had known how to preserve the
libeity of the middle ages, while refined and graceful
Italy, reflective and learned Germany, and witty and
brave France, had succumbed to a growing despotism.
The thanks of the meeting were voted to the chairman,
and to M. I'revot, the originator of the movement, who
delivered himself, at repeated occasions, of speeches in
French as well as in English, with almost equal facility.
Another " ban" followed these votes of thanks. At ten
o'clock the proceedings terminated.

BOM BA RDMENT OF CANTON THE KILLED AND
WOUNDED.

Admiralty, Jan. 3, 1857.
The followin7 is a statement of the killed and wounded in
the recent operations at Canton.
The wounded were reported by the admiral at the date of
his despatch (Nov. 14) to be doing well.

Kli LED.
James Tawley, boy, lat class, H.M.S. Nankin.
Win. Prowse, ordinary, Ist class, H. H.S. Calcutta.
Henry West, marine, ht class, II NI.S. Bittern.
James Lulham, marine, Ist class. H.M.S. Bittern.

WOUNDED.
Mr. Oliver T. Lang. midshipman, slightly, Nankin.
Alex. Morrison, A.B slightly, Nankin.
George Dwyer, ordinary, slightly, Malkin.
Thomas Kirby, leading seaman, slightly, Nankin.
Richard Proctor, ordinary, severely, Nankin.
Reid, royal marines, danzerouslv, Barracouta.
John Barne, loyal marines, severely, Barracouta.
John Dempster, quartermaster, slighly, Barracouta.
Charles llipay, stoker, slightly, Barracouta.
Henry grab-, first lieutenant R.M, very slightly, Sybille.
John Baskyfield, marine, severely, Calcutta.
Richard rioare, marine, slightly, Calcutta
George Atkins, marine, severely, Calcutta.
William Straw, =tine, severely, Caleutta.
Simon Jessop, marine, slightly, Calcutta.
James, Nicholson, marine, dangerously, Winchester.
Patrick Byrnes, marine, slightly, Winchester.
James Love, marine, dangerously (since dead), Comm:,
Reuben Bargery, fifer, R.M, slightly. Comus.
Roland Bradstock, marine, slightly, Encounter.

EDUCATION IN TRILAND.—The expense to the counts
for education in Ireland in the year ended March last was
£195,040.

The board of the East India Railway have appointed
Messrs. M. and G. Rendel, sons of the late Mr. Rendel,
C.E., to fill the office vacated by the death of the eminent
engineer, their father.
THE SHORT HOURS' MOVEMANT INCOMPLETZ.—Terenty
minutes to twelve on the Saturday night before Christmas
week, arid not a shop is closed in the long lines of Bishops-
gate, Bethnal Green road, Hackney road, Heaton, High
greet, and all the satellites, broad and narrow, that crass
and recross these great thorouelifares. What has come of
the short hours' movement, its meting, and pamphlets,
and reports ? Here are five or six thousand persons, in one
district, chained from early morning to the latest hour at
night—to counters, and shelves, and tills—the victims of
miserable customs and rivalry. The short hour movement
hos moved back rather than forward in all parts of London,
daily,
out of the city, in its municpal and narrow sersa, and a
few Neat End
streets.
hours
ily
chiefly to the worki-g classes, the ahonlreeping world appears
to toil fo
The system produces a
middle class, in search of riches at any COW', spending life in
equiring the means of living, and thoughless of their
assistants and their comforts, or even of their existence,
r sixteen Were. the customers belong
beyond the passing hout.—.Talc's Magazine for January.

RIOT IN TVHITECROSS-STREET PRISON.

On Thursday John Ford, James Winton, John Black-
moor, William Stuckfiela, Alfred Badmen, George Saunders
Flood, George Elins, William Wiltshire, and about twenty
other persons, appeared before Sir .Francis Graham tloon, at
Guildhall police court, London, 'seine upon summonses, and
others by habeas from the debtors' prison in Whitecross street
to answer a charge of riotously assembling on the 31st
of July last, in Whitecross street prison, to the terror of her
Majesty's liege subjects, to disturb the public peace, and being
so riotously assembled, for assaulting Mr. James May. an
attorney at law. The Right Hon. the Lord Mayer, and Sir
R. W. Carden were on the bench a portion of the time, and
Captain Williams, the inspector of prisons, was present through
the whole of the inquiry. Mr. Charles Pearson, the city
solicitor, said he attended to prosecute on behalf the city of
London, and the object he had in view was that of suppressing
a practice that was subversive of the discipline of the prison,
and detrimental to the administration of justice. Mr. May
visited the prison on professional business, and it was in conse-
quence of the treatment he received on that occasion that he
complained, and that the magistrates hal ordered this prosecu-
tion, He would not introduce any exciting remarks upon the
case, hut, after adducing the necessary face', he would
ask the Alderman to send the matter to be
dealt with at the sessions of the Central Criminal Court.
Mr. Lewis, jun, appeared for the defendants, and applied
that all the witnesses for the prosecution might ho ordered out
of court, and his request was acceded to. Mr. James May said :
lam an attorney, of 22, Princes street, Spitalfields. Ott the
31st of July last, I went into Whitecross street prison to see
a man named Ford, on seeing whom, I told him I came to
make enquiries about a bill of exchange, which Mr. Evans, a
client of mine, had been sued upon, for the purpose of preparing
a defence to the action. The name of Thomas Ford was
upon the back of the bill as endorsee. Ford said ho was not
the man, as his name was J ihn, upon which I went out ; but
meeting Mr. Evans, I returned, and ho then pointed out
Ford as the person I was in quest of. I had previously told
Ford I had no process to serve upon him. When I advanced
with Mr. Evans towards Ford, he mixed with a crowd of
prisoners, and I lost sight of him. Immediately afterward?,
one of the prisoners came forward, and said, " Da you come to
serve Ford with a copy of a writ ? If you do, you will be served
out." I told them I came to make enquiry relative to the
negotiation of a bill of exchange; but almost immediately
after I was hustled and jostled about, and cnaio!ctely
smothered with flour, which had been thrown at me from all
directions, in small begs containing about half a pound of
flour, I was also saturated with water, and when near the
gate I received a quantity of scalding water upon me, which
had been thrown from the windows of the ward. I was soon
after rescued by one of the turnkeys, and as I was passing
through the gate, followed by the crowd, I was kicked twice on
the breech. Cross examined : I have been many times in the
prison on professional hesiness, but never served writs. I had
the copy of the writ I have. mentioned in my hand at the time
I spoke to Ford, and also whi e I went into the pri-on again.
Wheu the other eiieniers advanced towards me I showed them
the copy oi. ;en wi tt, and explained to them that it had already
been a . epen Mr. Evans, but tiley would not listen to rise
Bevies' relies. out, " Put him under tile pump ! Serve
him re,`" trot other exclamations of that kind. Some of the
bags of flea :truck me on the face, but I cannot say where I
was struck fist, as the flour and water came from all directions,
and so simultaneously. I heard no cries of "Let him alone."
Mr. John Evans said : I am the person upon whom the
copy of a writ spoken of by the last witnesawas served, and
I met Mr. May at the door of the prison as he was coming
out the first timer I went in with him again and pointed
out Ford. This was on the Middlesex side of the prison. I
heard Flood say, " If you have any process to serve you will
not be allowed here," and directly after a person brushed
passed me, calling out, " A rat ! A rat !" There were thirty
or forty persons assembled at the end of the yard, and on our
approaching, Mr. May enquired far Ford. Flood said " You
have a writ in your hand." Mr. May held the writ up for
them to look at, and at the same time I bean' some one
exclaim," D— your eyes we will put you both undt r the
pump." Blackmoor was sitting on a stool, and knowing him,
I appealed to him to explain the nature of our visit; but on
my turning round again to Mr. May I sew a bag of flour
strike him in the face, and immediately after he was smothered
in flour end water. I received about a quart of water on
my breast, and a portion of the flour thrown at Mr. May.
Caws-examined : Flood did not say "'Take my advice and
le the yard." I saw the turnkeys come to Mr. May's
assistance, and I went out soon after him, and was bonneted
as I was passing through the gate. Mr. Albert M`Keneie
Russell Kinahan was then called, and on the oath being ten-
dered said he objected to be sworn, on the ground that he was
under duresse, having been brought up from the Queen's Bs nch
prison, and that it was repugnant to his feelings to give evi-
dence in this matter, but after some observations made by Mr.
Lewis, to the effect that the witness was not bound to criminate
himself, and an intimation from the Bench that lie would' be
committed to prison if he refused to answer the questions put
to him, the witness was sworn, and, to the surprise of the
City solicitor, who appeared to have received information
previously as to the nature of the evidence he (witness) could
give, denied all knowledge of the parties implicated in
those proceedings, although present, and taking no part
in them, was unable to name a single person who
took any active part in pelting Mr. May. The
Pity Solicitor said, in the exercise of his discretion, he should
not ask any more questions of this witness, but leave
him to be dealt with by the judges, and see what evidence he
would then give. Benjamin Constable, one of the turnkeys
of "sYhitecross street Prison, corroborated the evidence of the
prosecutor, and Mr. Evans, as to the riotous conduct of the
prisoners on the occasion in question ; but his memory was
equally treacherous with that of Mr, Kinahan's, and his replies
of the same non mi ricordo character. Sir F. G. Moon
enquired if such riots were of frequent occurrence ? Con-
stable said they happened on an average about once a year,
and sometimes even worse than on the present occasion, In
one instance, while the whitewashers were at work, the
prisoners, out of pure mischief, took up the pails, and threw
the whitewash over -each other. Mr. Lewis said that the
generality of prisoners went there to be white-stashed,
(Laughter.) Constable said ho believed they did. The
cry alluded to was Hie, rat," and originated with a
'man named Fowler about seventeen years ago. The
City Solicitor paid he was disappointed in the evidence
of two of the witnesses, and he was not prepared to carry the
c ase any further, and he therefore applied that those who had
been identified in this riot might be committed to take their
trial at the sessions. Sir. F. G. Moon said there was no case
Wally made out against any of the defendants before him
sufficient to send them for trial, and the summonses were there-
fore dismissed; but in the event of tbo city solicitor obtaining
fresh evidence, the parties would still be liable to be proceeded
against. Sir R. W. Carden said there was no doubt about the
insubordination of the prisoners, but the evidence did not
mrilirate any of the parties before the court in the infliction of
'the 'loon Mr. May. The court was then cleared, and
those .par.iee ~-ho had been brought from Whitecross street and
the Queen's Bench, were escorted back to their quarters in
those peisens by e strong body of officers.

" WHAT'S IN A NAME ?"—Horse racing is against the
law in Boston, Now York, so they call a, race " a grand
agricultural horse exhibition," and " purses" are called
premiums. A good people these Bostonians 1
At a picture sale at Paris, a few days ego, a portrait of
"Angelica Kauffman," by Reynolds, was sold for 454 to
Lord Holland, and an "Iverior of a Guard Howe," by
Schalken, for £124, to Baron Rothschild. At the same
sale a small landscape, by Huysmann, of Malin"', went
for 416: an " Entry to a ,Public Howe," by Karl
Du.larlin, for 416; "Two Horses," by Gericault, for
421 ; a " Portrait of Fontenelle," by Tournieres, for £18;
and " A Lady of the Court of Louis XV.," by Nattier,
for 419.
- - • -- -

TEE Cinr GAOLS.—On Thursday, being New Year's
Day, each of the prisoners confined in the gaols of Newgate,
Whitecross street, and Holloway, were, at the expense of
the sheriffs of London and Middlesex, provided 1 lb.
of roast beef with 1 lb. of bread, 1 lb. of pota
teen, and a pint of porter. The Lord' Mayor, accord-
iug to annual custom, gavo the usual allowance
of• extra food to the inmates of Whitecross etreei
rids na on Christmas eve, and between nine and ten o'clock
at night visited the various wards of the gaol, ace, mo. nied
by Captain Williams, the government inspector of prise. B.
A HAUNTED HOUSE.—In one of the principal thorough-
fares of Bingham, Nottinghamshire, stands a dwelling
with shop appurtenances, having a ghostly reputation,
and though admirably adapted in point of situation for a
commercial vocation, the opportunity is disregarded from
the fact of this supposed disqualification. For a number
of years, in fact during the whole business career of a
former occupant, noises of a remarkable description and
from unaccountable sources are said to have been heard
at frequent intervals. The late Mr. Baxter, of fond
remembrance and a person of scientific knowledge, failed
to develupe these mysterious occurrences. Being, how-
ever, of a disposition insusceptible of superstitions terrors,
he silently succumbed to the annoyance, which up to a few
months ago periodically infested the premises. From
descriptions received of the loud and peculiar. knockings,
and route of perigrination of the supposed sepulchral
visitant, perhaps a narrative of the affair might adorn a
page in a future edition of the works of Mrs. Crowe. The
oft repeated legend of the suicide of an old woman in a
room of this house is pertinaciously insisted upon by a
great number of people as a sufficient explanation of the
noises, but the suggestion meets with little response in the
minds of educated persons. The house is now tenantless,
and with its unpleasant associations, a frequent fireside
theme. It, is notorious that persons characterised for the
rigidity of their scepticism in agencies supernatural have
retracted and become partakers of this extraordinary
dAusiou. some time ago a scheme was projected with a
view of arriving at the cause of these rappings, foe,, but
was imperfectly carried out, and consequently no sutis-
factorY:resulta were obtained.

THE ROYAL BRITISH BANK.

DIVIDEND SCENE IN THREADNEEDLE
STREET.

Saturday being the first day appointed by the Court
of Bankruptcy for a divi,on among the creditors of the
salvage realised out of the wreck of this unfortunate
affair, there was a formidable " rush" of all entitled to
participate in it, to the head offices in Threadneedle
street, where the following notice was posted up :
" Nonce TO CREDITORS.
" Threadneedle street, Jan 3, 1857.
"In Binkrnptcy.—Re Royal British Bank.
" For the accommodation of creditors all dividend
warrants delivered out by the official assignee in the
above matter on this Saturday, the 3d, and on Monday
next, the sth of January, wi.l be paid here until foul
o'clock on the above days (instead of at 82, Basinghall
steeet), upon being presented at the counter."
So beseiged was the building that the police had to be
called in to assist the officers arid porters of the bank
It was, however, found diffiult to preserve °Hee, in
consequence of the presence of a large lumber of
females, and others, who under the influence of exaspe-
rated feelings, caused considerable uproar, which was
materially augmented by the insubordination of two or
three intoxicated creditors, whose conduct compelled
those within to close the doors of the bank, and to admit
the applicants by only a dozen at a time. This, un-
avoidably, increased the agitation outside, which
developed itself in violent declamatory observations on ,
the rascality of the concern, while many gave vent to
still more violent demonstrations, by belabeurieg the
brass plates of the " Royal British Bank" with their
sticks, umbrellas, and knuckles. Altogether about 2,000
creditors out of the entire 6,000 were summoned to
attend, as far as letter Lon the list. As a matter of
course, they were true to their appointment, and
great blame was freely cast by them on the
want of regularity and arrangement that characterised
the proceedings. There were present :—The clerks of
the Bank of England, with their " ledgers ;" the official
assignee in bankruptcy, with his staff of clerks and
solicitors ; Messrs. Linklater and llackwood, the clerks
and officers of the Defunct Bank, and the Accountant
General of the Court of Chancery. The first dividend of
5s 6d. in the pound was delivered out by the official
assignee to each of the applicant creditors summoned,
and the amount was paid upon the spot on its being
presented to the Accountant General. This caused
considerable delay and inconvenience, a circumstance
that would not have occurred had the creditors been
directed to go out and take their warrants
immediately to the Bank to be cashed. It is
supposed that between £loo,oeo and i'200,000 was
thus paid over. Considerable confusion, it is stated,
was occasioned by some of the dividends being
erroneously calculated, and many creditors who
had proved their debts in Ch ricery on'y, were
highly indignant on being told that, not having
proved in bankruptcy, they were not entitled
to receive the dividend until they were proved over
again in bankruptcy. Another subject matter of
complaint app:ared to be that all parties were refused to
participate in the dividend who were liable for bills
discounted on the Ist Sep, ember, when the bank stoppsd
payment, although these bills have run off wince. One
creditor had a certificate of she proof of his debt, with
the commissioner of banleruptcy's signature, but on
presenting it for payment, it was refused, although he
had been liable on a great number of bills, only one of
which now remained. The result will, it is understood,
be an application to the commissioner on the subject,
the cote missioner having allowed the creditor to set
off the amount of this remaining bill, of which he was
the drawer.

One of the most melancholy features of this most
unfortunate Affair, is the present and future " flights "
of those ill-oute.ned things called " writs" that must
hover and harass the shareholders in this sad cone •
mercial catastrophe, to the advantage solely of lawyers
and sheriffs' officers. Already many of them have left
tl►e country, and others will follow their example, if
unduly pressed i►y creditors; while ►nore shelter them•
selves under thdprotectionof Parliament and bankruptcy.
Should this be tl►e case, the calls of £75 per share in
Chancery, and of £5O in Bankruptcy, will never iu all
likelihood, be realized. This latter call, however, it is
thought cannot be recovered, inasmuch as it was made
after the date of the act of bankruptcy, though before the
adjudication therein, but this the courts of law will have
to settle. An illustration has occurred during the week
of the animus that actuates some of the creditors. One
creditor, we are informed, obtained an execution against
a shareholder, and proceeded to such extremes as to
sell all his property, including the bed he slept on.
There are several other cases of a similar nature. The
total amount of the debts of the concern has, by the
most recent valuation, been estimated to amount to
£554,000, and in the assets and credit to £330,000. It
is also estimated that on the realisation of the e,tate,
under the most favourable circumstances, there will still
be a deficiency of £220,000. Mr. Cameron figures on the
list of contributors as holder of 76 shares, Mr M'Gregor,
M.P ,of none. So that on. the supposition that a call
of £76 per share is made, he will have to pay
about :£5,000. Fresh complications arising out of The
collision between the jurisdiction of Chancery and
Bankruptcy are occurring every day, and the only remedy
for this monstrous social and commercial anomaly will
be the passing of a short act in the ensuing session of
Parliament, giving the exclusive jurisdiction in such
matters to either the one or other court exclusively.
On Friday the Lords Justices dismissed an appeal
from a decision of Mr. Commissioner Holroyd, refusing
the prayer of a petition presented by six of the creditors
of the Royal British Bank, asking the Court of Bank-
ruptcy to direct the official assignee to petition the
Court of Chancery for an order to wind up the company,
and to appoint a receiver.

THE VALUE OF SALT EXPORTRD.—Tn the eleven months
ended November the value of salt exported was as much as
£373,170.

AN AMERICAN• GENTLEMAN SHOT.—An English prisoner
fur debt in France writes to the following effect :—" The
Mahlon d'Arret Pour Dettee, de Clichy, ordinarily contains
150 prisoners. Of these there are now 20 or 30 foreigners,
several of whom arc English. The law recognises that
they are not prisoners, but only detenus, and does not regard
them as felons. This morning, at nine o'clock, Mr. Charles
Morvet, an American gentleman, patentee of the vulcanised
India rubber, was deliberately shot dead by a soldier of the
88th regiment on guard, when standing with his hands in
his pockets at one of the windows of the prison, which is
public to all the inmates. He had committed no infraction
of the regulations, and the murderer's consigns in no way
authorised him to fire on any one in any case; indeed it
expressly forbids the sentry's musket being loaded in the day
time. The unfortunate victim was a married man, and
during his residence in the prison was one of the nnst
respected and honoured intnetes." It is necessary to state,
tt.at, had the murdered man been a felon, the law would
have held the soldier harmless for firing at a prisoner expos-
ing his face at the jail window.
TRAGEDY IN FRANCE.—An extraordinary affair has just
taken place at Toulouse. The wife of a gentleman, nameo
S—, on Wednesday informed her husband that a sculptor.
named 3—, of the Rue des Cimetieres Saint Aubin, had
committed a gross outrage upon her. The husband at once
procured a pistol, went direct fo the s'udio of the sculptor,
and discharged the pistol right at him. The ball passed
completely through the artist's neck, and thin, breaking a
pane of glass, fell int the street. The wounded man ruhed
from his workshop into his drawing room, which adjoined
it, Hang open the window, stepped on to the balcony, twice
Cried " Murder !" end then tell against the iron balustrade.
His cries, and the sight of blood dropping from the balcony,
causel the passers-by to enter the house, but, to their
horror, they found the unfortunate man ead:' As to M.
S--, after firing his pistol, he fled from the house, and was
seen proceeding towards the canal. Since then, though the
most active search has been made everywhere, nothing has
been seen or heard of him, and it ,s supposed that he has
committed suicide. From the position of the head of a
statuette, found in the centre of the workshop, it appears
that the sculptor was at work on it when he was shot; and,
from the nature of the wound, it appe irs that the pistol was
fired just as he turned round his head to see who had
apened the door.
An ACCIDENT which, though comic enough, might easily
have had a tragical ending, occurred the other day at
Madame Tussaud's Exhibition. A medical student,
examining the guillotine in the Chamber of Horrors, took
it into his head that the sort of yoke which fits down on
the shoulders of the criminal to hold him in his place, would
not be sufficient to confine a person who struggled. His
cariosity on this point led him to watch till the place was
empty, when he actually put himself in, letting down the
yoke. He soon found that be was quite unable to lift it,
and it at once flashed into his mind, that the sharp axe
which was suspended over his neck could not be very firmly
fixed or it would not fall (as it does) with a touch. Ile
was afraid to struggle, lest the shaking should bring it
down and at once deposit his heal in the basket of sawdust
below him, into which his eyes were of necessity steadily
looking. Having stayed some time in this plight, he
was overjoyed to heir the approach of a visitor whom
he suppliantly implored to release him. " I'm thinking,"
said thg gentleman (a Scotch visitor of the metropolis) to his
wife, I'm thinking he must be hired to show bow the
thing acts, and I think we'd better not interfere." So
the luckless student was left till M. Teseaud came in,
and made fast the axe bef"re releasing him. The axe
has been removed and laid by the side to prevent future
accident' e.