The Sun.
London, England, 1855-04-04 00:00:00

THII .117,N, LONDON, WE.DNESDAY EV:PIIkTINC-, APRIL 4; 1855.

Paid.

Leasing
Compans

losing Prices
yesterday.

8118113098
this day.

MIDDLESRX SESSIONS.-(T.7313 LAY.)

(Before Mr. Serjeant Adams, Assistant-Judge.)
CHARGE OF CRUELTY TO AN AITRENTCE.
John Manley was indicted for unlawfully committing
an aggravated assault upon George Clements, his appren-
tice.

Mr. Parry prosecuted, and Mr. Ribton defended the

prisoner.

It appeared from the evidence of the boy Clements
(who seemed to be a healthy stout lad), that he was 13
years of age, and was apprenticed to the prisoner in July
last year by the guardians of Shoreditch pariah, in the
workhouse connected with which he had previously been
an inmate. Previously to his apprenticeship he was
with Manley for five months on trial, during which pe-
riod his master behaved kindly to him, but no sooner
had he been bound than his conduct altogether changed,
and ho frequently beat the boy with a leathern strap,
knotted in one or two p'aees, because he would
not get on with his work, and kept him without his
victuals. According to the boy's statement he was
beaten several times a day ; and his meals were but ir-
regularly aupplie Ito him. Within the last four months
he became very idly and had a cough. He complained
to his limiter that he was very unwell, but his master
told.him that he must get on 'with his work.
In cross-examination, the boy admitted having asked
his master fur money, a penny or a halfpenny a week,
but he denied that lie had ever refused to work unless
his master gave him money. He told his master that
if he thought shoemaking was like that he would never
have conic to him.
Mrs. Child and Mrs. Crowhurat, two lodgers in the
prisoner'slouse, were afterwards called, and deposed to
having heard the boy beaten as much as four times a
day, and hearing him cry out, !` Oh my back oh my
back !" The last-named witness spoke to observing a
great change in the boy for some time before he was
removed. He had become quite thin and ill-looking,
and she told Manley that she thought the boy had not
enough to eat, to which the prisoner replied that "he had
as much to eat as he (Manley) had, but he was an idle
boy, and sulked at his food."
John Meadows, a beadle of Shoreditch parish, who
was next called, stated that, in consequence of whit he
had heard, he went to Manley's house and found the
boy at work. He asked the latter if he had enough to
eat, and he replied "No." Witness then asked
him if he had been beaten much by his mas-
ter, and he said he had. The boy was dreadfully
thin and emaciated, and his back was bruised from
shoulder to shoulder. The left shoulder bore the marks
of two wounds, with scabs on them. Whilst the boy
was at work he did not appear to have strength to pull
the thread through the leather. When the boy com-
plained of haying been beaten, Manley admitted beating
him, because he had not done his work in time. Wit-
\ness took the boy before the guardians, who, in con-
quence of his report, deemed it their duty
to give the prisoner into custody. The boy
was a healthy one before ha was apprenticed.
In reply to questions from the learned judge, the wit-
ness said he occasionally called to inquire after boys
who had been apprenticed from the workhouse, but it
was not part of his duty, nor was it the duty of any
person connected with the parish to look after the
manner in which parish apprentices were treated by

their masters.
Mr. George Ross, relieving officer, spoke to the
healthy appearance of the boy before he went to Manley,
and his sadly altered appearance when before the

guardians.
' Mr. James Clarke, surgeon to the workhouse,' stated
that he examined the boy after he was taken from the
prisoner on the 9th March. He found black aad blue
stripes on his back, some of the marks answering to such
al would be made by the knots upon the leatb.er strap
produced. His chest was attenuated and contracted,
there was congestion of both lungs, and he had a. cough,
having also suffered from diarrhoea for a fortnig ht pre-
viously. The boy was much emaciated in all re spects.
The majority of the marks on the boys back were appa-
rently some days old. The appearances he dee cribed
might have been caused by overwork and insifficient
food.

In cross-examination, the witness said the congestion
of the lungs might have arisen from natural can ses, or
have been induced by the severity of the weatlzer. In
some degree the nature of the trade might have tended
to produce contraction of the chest. The cough was a
natural result of the congestion.
This being the case for the prosecution,
Mr. Ribton made a powerful address to the Stry on.
behalf of the prisoner, contending that the evidences ad-
duced was insufficient to support the charge, and 1-e lying
upon the medical testimony, combined with oth,sr cir-
cumstances, as being of itself sufficient to a2counti'ar the
emaciated appearance ascribed to the boy when 1 iyfore
the guardians. He also argued that the boy, as was
clear from the evidence, had a dislike to his work, and
was lazy and sulky, and that his master was justified in
making use .of a proper degree of correction.
The learned judge having summed up the evide nee,
the jury returned a verdict of guilty.
The prisoner UM then sentenced to three mon•.shs'
imprisonment.

M I.REET NEWS--(THIS DAY.)

11118 Ban? FLEET.

PORTSMOUTH, TUESDAY.
The departure of the fleet, which was announced to
taka place at 3 o'clock to-day from Spithead, has been
put off; and for a few hours more the giant ships rest
quietly at their anchors in the Solent. In London and
elsewhere the belief that they would start at the time
stated was so generally entertained that from an early
hour in the morning numbers of people flocked down
here to witness the event. Steamers were in readiness

on their arrival, and they were soon at Spithead gazing
with all their might at the proud lines of floating for-
tresses—silent, stern, and cold, as seen through the thick
atmosphere of a raw disagreeable day. Though not the
sort of weather for a brilliant spectacle, one could
hardly fail to trace a kind of fitness for the occasion in

the murky, leaden sky, the south-west wind, that came
down in gusts, accompanied by spattering showers of
rain, and the fretful surface of the water, broken up
into a short and angry jumble of waves, through which
open boats with difficulty cleft their way. The scene
had a severe, earoest, serious look about it, which at
a glance conveyed the impression of grave work at
hand for those mighty and complex engines of war, close
up to their anchor;•, and with a list forward by the Low,
as if impatient to be gone upon their fatal mission. Very
different indeed was the impression produced to that of
last year, when the sun shone out brightly, and the placid
waters of the Solent were alive with sightseers, and the
popular expectation triumphed too hastily over the anti-
cipation of victories which have yet to be achieved, and
the Queen herself was present to see her gallant sailors
off; and to wish them a heartyfarewell. If the fleet sailed
to-day, as was announced, it would put to sea quietly,
with few visible manifestations of sympathy, in no exult-
ing spirit, but with the fixed and high resolve of doing
something worthy to be talked of before it returned.
Such were the impressions with which the visitors from
town gazed at those colossal ships formed in double
line at Spithead, with the gun-boats and smaller
steamers also in line on the►r right, yet at a re-
spectful distance, and dwarfed into mere pigmies by
contrast. The fleet lay in more compact order
than last year, and each, as you scanned her, appeared
to be in better and more perfect sea-going con-
dition. Even to inexperienced landsmen it was evident
that here were no shorthanded or untrained crews, but
men accustomed to the service, and confident in them-
selves. The sightseers passed up and down the lines in
their excursion steamers, now taking the centre of the
watery avenue formed by the men-of-war, and wondering
at the long array of checkered broadsides ; now going
close alongside, and looking curiously into every port-
hole. By and by, they would run past the smaller pad-
dle-wheels, speculating sagely upon their number and
effiCiency for the narrow channels and granite fortresses
of the North. All this time the signal ships kept sig-
nalling, and Admiralty yachts and tenders were dashing
rapidly about, and bumboats and smaller craft clung
precariously to the huge sides of the mighty ships, but
people watched in vain for the evidences of an intention
to weigh anchor and put to sea. No puffs of white ,
vapour ascended from the steam-pipes ; and the fun-
nels, telescopic or otherwise, were smokeless. It
was evident that the sailing of the fleet was post-
poned, and that the sightseers, ashore and afloat,
were doomed to disappointment. Still, strong in faith
and in the immutability of preconcerted arrange-
ments, thousands refused to believe that at three o'clock
each man-of war would net weigh anchor and quit the
Spit in grand procession with that mysterious air of
movement without causation peculiar to them. Three,
half-past three, amid four o'clock came and went, and,
though the wind had moderated, and the sky in some
degree cleared up, not a ship stirred. No one knew or
could tell why the intention to sail had been altered, but
so it was.

It is uncertain now when the fleet sails, whether to-
morrow or next day, or at wbat hour, but, whenever it
goes it takes with it the best wishes and prayers of the
nation for its safety and success. A maritime people
like this does not send forth such armaments without a
degree of emotion corresponding to the incalculable in-
terests committed to their safeguard and protection.
While we entertain no shadow of doubt that our brave
sailors will do all that can be dolie upon the sea to up-
hold the honour of their flag, we have no reason to be
dissatisfied with the amplitude of the means placed at
their command by the Government and the country.
The extent of these means may be best judged of by
comparing the following statistics connected with the
Baltic fleets of this year and last :

arey and other nienaterd Otto Govan* neut s,lsri arrival
in tho port, and, together with large parties of the
nobility and friends of the Admiralty and Treasury,
went out in the Vivid, Pigmy, Sprightly, and other
steamers. The Port-Admiral, Sir Thomas Cochrane,
aiso went out in the Fire Queen. The fleet was aug.
merited to-day by the arrival of the Orion, 91, from
Chatham, a noble-looking ship.

STATE OF TRADE.

MANCHESTER, APRIL 3.

The check in the demand for cloths suited to the
Levant trade is more marked, but in other fabrics the
I tone of the market has improved. A better demand
for 39-inch shirtings and other goods suited to the India
market has been observable both yesterday and to-day,
with rather better prices. Manufacturers are not ob-
taining an advance commensurate with the increase
which has taken place recently in cotton. A glance at
the comparative tables of prices given for the raw ma-
terial arid manufactures over a series of years past will
show that the margin between the two out of which
profits conic has seldom been so small, even in times of
the greatest depression. In the majority of fabrics now
making by the cotton manufacturers the tradesman can
scarcely see his own money back. The slight symptoms
of improvement we have had to notice, during the
past few weeks, and which is certainly more real to-day
than previously, are most welcome. The business done
has been considerable, and but for the advances asked
by sellers it would have been large. The home as well
as the foreign trade shows a little more animation,
but far less has been hitherto done than might have
been expected in this branch. The demand for
India could hardly have been expected from the
last advices, and possibly some portion of the busi-
ness is speculative. Stocks of India fabrics, in fact,
at the present low rates must be quite as sensible a
speculation as that now going forward in cotton at
Liverpool. To some extent the home trade has been
deprived of one of the best seasons for demand by the
weather. Since the termination of the great frost to-
wards the close of February, we have had a continuance
of unusually cold weather for the period of the year, and
the night frosts are still keeping back vegetation. Even
this morning, in the week before Easter, we had a snow-
storm of three hours in Manchester, and this protracted
cold weather at such an advanced period of the spring
must have a bad effect on the country trade.
The yarn market has been much more active again
this morning, and in some cases spinners have realised
an advance of dd. per lb. A seller of common 40's re-
fused 8&d. per lb. With less stringency on the part of
sellers for an advance a very large business would have
been effected. The chief demand was for the Mediter-.
ra,nean, Germany, and the home trade.

Of the cloth-market Messrs. John Slagg and Co. say :
—" Since our last report there has been a more cheer-
ful feeling in the market, and during the week a fair
amount of business was done at the full rates of last
week. Yesterday and to•dav there has been a better
demand for India goods, and a large business has been
done at a slight advance in prices. With the exception
of:T•cloths and long-cloths, for which there is less in-
quiry, there is more firmness on the part of sellers, and
buyers give out their orders with more confidence than
has been the case for some weeks."

LEEDS, April 3.
The markets for woollen cloth this morning have been
of a quiet character, and purchases have been somewhat
limited. The protracted cold weather checks operations
in the home trade. Still the tone of the trade is tolera-
bly cheerful.

There is no material change in the prices of wool, but
they are firm. Messrs. W. Greame and wool brokers,
Liverpool, in their circular of yesterday's date, say
" We are glad to be able to report a somewhat improved
feeling in the wool-market during the past month. A
fair amount of business has been done, and for some de-
scriptions of useful blanket and clothing wools an ad-
vance of Id. to id. per pound has been obtained. The
accounts from the worsted districts are rather more
favourable, and good combing fleeces, both English and
Irish, suitable for the trade, are more inquired for, with
prices slightly in favour of the seller. The arrivals of
Australian wools are considerable, during the past
month amounting to 5,239 bales. The bulk of this wool
is, however, merely here in transitu, being on account
of London houses, and has been forwarded on for the
public sales there without trying this market. There is
a good demand for these wools at present, and some
small lots that have been put on the market here sold
readily at improved prices."
HALIFAX, March 31.—The inquiry for worsted goods,
both in our Piece Hall and in the warehouses, continues
very limited, and prices are not adequate to cover the
cost of production. Yarns sell more freely, and the ad-
vance mentioned in our last seems to be pretty generally
realised. Bright Lincolnshire wools are still looking up-
wards, but there is not much doing in other sorts.
ROCIIDALE, April 2.—The flannel market continues
steady, both in demand and the amount of business
transacted. Prices may be said to have undergone little
or no variation since the previous Monday. Wool is
firm at last week's prices.

HEALTH OF LONDON DURING THE WEEK.

( From the Report of the Registrar• General. )

The births of 2,099 children and the deaths of 1,604
persons were placed in the London registers in the week
thitt ended last Saturday, which was the la,t week of
tae quarter. At this period the registration usually
shows an increase, arising from cases which occurred in
previous weeks, but were not registered at the time of
their occurrence. The deaths that belong properly to
a former date are cases on which coroners have held in-
quests, and chiefly consist of deaths from external causes,
such as fractures, wounds, burns, suffocation, &c., a
class which in the present return numbers 139. Under
the head "sudden," 74 deaths are classed, a number
which is much greater than usual, these cases having
been returned by the coroners as " fiund dead," " visita-
tion of God," &c.

But it is obvious that this cause of disturbance as now
stated will not affect, or will affect only to a small ex-
tent, the comparison with returns of corresponding.
weeks in previous years. In the 13th week of the years
1845-54 the average number of deaths was 1,243, which,
with a correction for increase of population, becomes
1,367. It will therefore be near the truth to state that
about 200 persons died last week above the usual num-
ber, in consequence apparently of the coldness of the
season .

With the exception of plithisis, which in England de-
stroys more lives than any other disease, and in the pre-
sent return numbers 181 cases, bronchitis is the mcst
fatal in the list, and next to it is pneumonia. •To bron-
chitis 149 deaths are referred ; to pneumonia 113 ;
whilst the corrected averages are respectively 106 and
97. Hooping-cough was fatal in 77 cases, typhus in 49,
scarlatina in 42, measles in 14, small-pox in 11. The
deaths from small-pox are not many, but most of them
occurred in the east districts ; and the same remark is
generally applicable to that part of London with refer-
ence to other zymotie diseases. During the last 13 weeks
21 persons have died from disease directly attributed to
intemperance ; and others have died from, injuries re-
ceived in a state of intoxication. In the same period 17
have died from want of the necessaries of life, and 36
from exposure, or want of sufficient protection against
the cold. Also in the last 13 weeks 90 children died
from want of breastmilk.

Last week the birth of 1,021 boys and 1,078 girls, in
all 2,099 children, were registered in London. In the
ten corresponding weeks of the years 1845-54 the me-
rage number was 1,588.

—At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean read-
ing of the barometer in the week was 2,9.940 in. The
mean daily reading was above 30 in. on the last 4 days.
The mean temperature of the air was 3E.,.5 deg., which is
G.S. deg. below the average of the same •sleek in 38 years.
The mean daily temperature fell below the average on
Wednesday, the 21st, and has continued below it during
the rest of the month, the amount of depression averag-
ing 7 deg. The highest temperature in the week oc-
curred on Friday, and was 48 deg. ; the lowest on Mon-
day, and was 25.6 deg. The differer Ace between the dew-
point temperature and air temperature was 4.6 deg.
Scarcely any rain fell in the seven days ; and the wind
blew from the north and north-eas t.

MORTALITY IN THE METROPOLIS.
NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM ALI , CAUSES REGISTERED
IN THE WEEK ENDING SATU RDA; MARCH 31.
Zyrnotic Diseases
Diseases of Uncertain Seat
Tubercular Diseases
Diseases of the Brain, Nerves and Senses
Diseases of the Heart and Blood

1 Diseases of the Lungs and other Organs of
t'. \Respiration
Diseases of the Stomach, Liver„ and other Organs
of Digestion
Diseases of the Kidneys, &c. .. --.... .......................... 13
Childbirth, Diseases of the Uter u—r-i, &c........•••••"' 8
Diseases of the Joints, Bores, an d Muscles ......... 17
Diseases of the Skin, &c.
2
Afalfox 'mations ......................... .........................
Premal hire Birth and Debility ... ........................ 120
Atroplry ................. ................. 56
Old A 4 0
Suckle) a
aleen: iicne,otPsipivecaitfiioen Cold,
d,
....... . a..n.d...1 n....t.:e...m.........p.......e....r..:a.:6.....c....e.......................... 171 Su

I nATBEI /BOX ALL CAUSES ..................... 1,604
population Deaths in corre.
Enumerated. spending week Deaths
tssl. Of 1854. in the
We it Wistricts 3'6,427 ...... 195 Week ,
No-.-th "Districts 490,396 ...... ..... 258
.........
33v,
............ 23:67,5
"1 29
Ce"tv al Districts 393,256
...... 256 ..... . 0
Eas' Districts 485,52-3
...
''' a th Districts
_616,L33

Totals , 2,362,231;

1,139

Males
Females

••• .......
762

BIRTHS IN TI LE WEEK.

Males...
Females....

Total .

1,604

1021
1078

. 2099

E NEWSPAPER PRESS 1.11 SPAIN.—On the 6th ult.,
M. Ck irradi, editor of the. Clamor Publico, And M. de
Ma zo, editor of the Occide ate, both of Madrid, fought
iut 1. . To escape the penalty of the Spanish
law. ,tl ie duel was fought in a hired hall. The comba-
tant s fought with swortb;, which were ground for the
ems m, and baying wounded one another, closed. in-
tent lin g each to end the other's life. The secants wece
com pc lied to tear them, asunder.