The Sun.
London, England, 1852-05-18 00:00:00

The Opinione of Turin, of the lath, states that the
indisposition of Marquis D'Azaomo, which has kept
him for the last few days from the Chamber, has be-
come rather more serious than was at first expected.
The Costituzionale of Florence appeared for the
last time on the Bth, with a farewell article to its
readers, in which it deplores the abolition of the
Tuscan Constitution ; adding that, " although the
Costituzionale dies, its principles will not die with it."

RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION.---COMBINA-
TION DEFEATED.
(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)
On Friday last the Permanent Way Companies Bill
was brought before a Select Committee of the House of
Commons, Lord Hotham Chairman. The promoters of
this Bill consisted of persons connected as engineers or
otherwise, indirectly concerned in the construction of
railways, consisting of Mr. William H. Barlow, En-
gineer of the Midland Railway; P. W. Barlow, r. Sa-
muels, formerly Engineer of the Eastern Counties; Mr.
P. Ashcroft, Superintendent of Permanent Way of the
aofth
together,e ii in railway
croanialwt
ieatly,wtconstruction.
purchase
would
racphpaes appear
rup fromaThese parties had
Eastern Counties; and a Mr. Richardson, who has been
du employed
ei
stes
iphaet eonptesn iantgparde
sent obtained relating to permanent way of railways, and
sought powers also to purchase future patents relating to
the same object—a power that was looked upon with consi-
derable jealousy by the Committee. The two witnesses
called by the promoters of the Bill were Mr. Samuels
and Mr. May, of the firm of Ransome and May, who
endeavoured to maintain the principle that railway com-
panies and the public would be benefited by a combina-
tion of all inventions relating to the formation of rail-
ways being in the hands of au incorporated company, '
and possessing exclusive powers, to which reference has
been made. On this, as on all other questions, there
happened to be a difference of opinion; and the pro-
moters of the Bill found, to their great astonishment,
an array of opposition against their dews, as to rail-
ways anti the public being benefited, which they did not
at all anticipete.
The opponents to the Bill, Messrs. Adshead and
Greases, the proprietors of Greaves's Patent Conical
Slccp:,r, which is adopted by Mr. Robert Stephenson for
(M Egyptian Railway, found gust unexpectedly an in-
-llnenee spontaneously off,red to their aid which pre-
sented such a phalanx of first class engineering strength,
that completely paralyzed the efforts of the promoters of
the Bill, and they concluded after the first sitting of
the Committee to withdraw it.
A judgment may be formed of the estimation in
which this Railway Construction Monopoly Bill was
viewed, when it is seen that out of the number of most
eminent eegireets, who tendered to give evidence in
opposition to the Bill, are to be found the names of J. K.
Blond, Esq., C.E.' Joseph Lucke, Esq., C.E.
J. M. Itt adel,,Es q , C.E., President of the Institution of
Civil Engineers, Charles Vignolee, Esq., C. John
Fowler, E-q , C.E., J.E. Ellington, Esq.,C.E., J. M'Lean,
Esq C.E , Wbertson, E:q., C.E, &c. The op-
ponents of the Bill would also have had the able assis-
riitethoarvsinogf
been
assis-
tance of John Hawkshave, Erq , C.E.
The
hourwe h s moat
t thetimely,
Greaves'a Sleepers. The Bill appeared to have escaped
Tmospdpeos at itio
tnho to
eleventht
the notice of those who would have been by the powers
hisßill
and operations of the Bill most seriously concerned.
tioned, so importantly connected with the construe-
The gentlemen whose names are above-men-
tion of railways, must have been impressed
with the restrictive and mischievous influence
by the Permanent Way Company Bill would inflict,
which the possession of powers sought. to be obtained
inasmuch as it would plsee both railway companies and ,
engineers under an influence so at variance with the
.
free competition which should exist for the promotion or
advancement of improvements in railway construction
by indiriduel effort or enterprise. It woAuldsd,heinadfaaentd
Greases, aided by the important assista,
place the railways within the power of a com neo bined
nopoly to charge their own terms for patent right for
the meat important materials emplobyeee one
dr:rmisn.ent-ht
ei- cd onstruc-
that
,
whosettcnanpatemdeslt have
ailway Construction Mono-
lion of railways, and it is owing to Mes
assistance of the emi-
rt sh
e a
poly has been so eignelly defeated.
tnhe t e
freonrgtsin ofe e

MURDER AND SUICIDE BY A FARMER.
The village of Cheadley, in Stegordshire, was during
tguhred.xecriatenmd de h
enLutiebiythey
eehnoer horrible much
'l
a o youngm mi
s
slajosnt weeko a them e:t
farmer named S:ephen Walker. He was a single Wan,
of about twenty-seven years of age, and it would seem
that he was rather of unsteady habits, and fonder of
m Coing about with his gun than
of settled industry He
c
had been for some time paying his addresses to a young
girl of the name of Fanny Walker, the daughter
publican, but her parents disapproving of the
eectof
acquaint-
ance, sent her out of the way. This had the
f the week
considerably exciting him. In the course 0
she returned to her father's house, and
y he endeavouredcalled at the
to renew his addresses. On
Tuesday
daughter, at the
house and stayed for several hours, the daughter,
from
upstairs, request of the mother, being kept
him. Ha had some conversation with
to see Fanny excited
circumstance of not being allowed
went out for
his deepest anger. He then a gun in his hand.
short time and returned
withher parents' directions to
The daughter, disregarding
keep out of the way, e stairs to see him,
28 he assured her tha_7, down
t came would not harm her.
whether she intended
He then asked
Intrance or not. She replied that
to continue the acquaintance
him was his course of life, where..
her only objection to
the
gun, and pointing it at the
upon he snatchedsallip,
ii 4s I will now show you what I
unfortunate girl,
want." The
mother screamed, and, getting between
succeeded a pushing him out of the passage into
them,
dow,the road,
and thrust the muzzle of the gun through one of
and r,
panes. devotional"
moer took hold of it, exclaiming with
the pae--- Don't shoot Fanny, shoot Tee_
the utmost
same
moment urging her daughter to run
eoru_re!
at the This she poor girl attempted, but in ear t
58
the rooroc.ou
Id t the door; and just
cr,h'e gun,
pidationout
, of the room the rascal discharge '
below the
passingcontents lodged in her left side, just
the , ed, taking
andlnc, her fall the fellow decamp
t. On see ta e fields ho
breast. • with •running across some
/I him. After
and then taking off his
the gun
and re•loaded the gun, trigger,
stopped ' he put loop of the ribbon on the
and
„ ,aairey' hat a
chin,
themuzzle under his
and then placed the hat downwards, dis-
chargedpressing his foot on
As may be supposed,
so, by
into his head.
the gun
eons. A coroner's inquiry was
his death was instantan
the
jury gave as their verdict—
held on both bodies, and
That the deceased girl
was murdered by Stephen
Walker: and that he then "
destroyed himself while in a
. .
,yF. " Although of the same
name, they were no
'tate 43;
temporary t insamrelated to each other.

DREADrIif. FUZE.—
On Sunday, the 1611 instant,
between two and three, r. 31., one of the most disastrous fires
that has ever half-depopulated a village took place at
Bianca, in Cambridgeshire. The town or village consists of
one long streetswarly half a mile in length. The fire broke
out in a pig-stye, and the wind being in the same direction,
it rapidly spread from one end of the place to another, con-
suming everything in its course. One small engine was
brought to play, but, through the want of water, was of little
use. The station master of the Alanea station (within one
mile of the village) immediately telegraphed for engines
from March, and in the course of an hour one arrived, and
was the means of saving the other half of the town. The
loss is not known, but most of the sufferers are not insured.
The sight of the many families trying to save their furniture,_
and the cries of the women, were most heartrending. iTwo
or three fields are Low covered with household goods of
every description, and, as Manes is a very small place, they
will most likely have to remain in this lament able position
until other habitations are built, Or the kindness
roue public reillYes them. of gene"