The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-02 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS

BRISTOL AND SOUTH WALES UNION.
The half yearly meeting was held on Wednesday at
Bristol—Mr C. J. Thomas in the chair.

Mr L• BRUTON, the secretary, read the report, which
stated that on the Bth of this month the line would be out
of the hands of the contractor, and that the Great Western
Company would maintain the permanent way until Dec.
31 next at cost price, and thereafter at their own expense,
as provided by a special agreement.

The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report,
said that the number of passengers had increased from an
average of 4,100 per week in 1863 to 5,800 per week during
the past half year. The goods traffic had not increased so
much as they had expected, but they looked for increased
receipts in future. The debt due to the bankers had been
reduced by £3,200, and the hotel company would in the
course of a month pay them £2,300. This, with other
items, would enable the directors further to reduce the debt.
Mr T. W. RANKIN seconded the resolution.

A discussion ensued, in which several proprietors depre.
cated the agreement with the Great Western Company.
The CHAIRMAN stated that no other company would
have given them such advantages as they had from the
Great Western.
The report was adopted.

The meeting was then made special, and the forfeiture a
certain shares for non-payment of calls was confirmed.

MERTHYR, TREDEGAR, AND ABERGAVENNY.
The half-yearly meeting was held at the offices, Aber-
gavenny, on Woinesday,—Mr. C. Bailey, M.P., in the
chair.

The report stated that the requirements of Capt. Tyler
had been carried out as regarded the second section of the
line, and the railway was completed and opened to Tredegar.
The London and North- Western Company had paid the
half-yearly rent, and they continued to work the line in a
satisfactory manner. In order to pay off certain liabilities
it was proposed to make a call on the shares not paid up.
The capital account showed thatX241,620 had been received
and £257,296 expended, leaving a balance against the com-
pany of £15,676.
The report was unanimously adopted, and a dividend at
the rate of 5 per cent per annum, less income-tax, was de-
clared for the half-year.
The proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks to the
chairman.

MID-WALES.
This line has been opened, for both passenger and goods
traffic, throughout its entire length from Talyllyn to Llanid-
loes, a distance of about 52 miles. It has running powers
over the Brecon and Merthyr to Brecon, and the line forms
a junction with the Hereford, Hay, and Brecon at the
Three Cocks. The cost of construction has been a little
over £SOO,OOO. The contractors are Messrs Watson and
Overend, and the engineers Messrs. B. and P. Piercy. The
gradients are easy, and the line will form part of a direct
communication between North and South Wales.

MANCHESTER, SHEFFIELD, AND LINCOLN•

SHIRE.

Lord Wharncliffe has been elected a director of this com-
pany in place of Mr John Pender, M.P., who has resigned
in consequence of his numerous engagements.

WE ST FLANDERS.

It is stated that the Rnyal assent has been given to the
agreement made between the West Flanders Railways Com-
pany and the Societe Anonym de Construction de Tubize,
for the leasing of the former lines.

Frightful Sufferings of a Respectable

Family.

An inquiry was held by Mr J. Humphreys, East Middle-
sex coroner, at the Earl Vincent Tavern, Philpot_street,
Commercial-road, on Wednesday night, respecfin,g the
death, under very painful circumstances, of Miss Lucretia
Jeffreys, aged 24 years, the daughter of a well-known paper
manufacturer.
The jury proceeded to No. 5, Stonor-street, Philpot-street,
to view the body of the deceased. The family occupied a
small shop (not used as a shop), and a room behind it. Upon
entering the shop the sister of the deceased was seen lying
on a parish bed on the floor. She was in a state of great
exhaustion and looked as if she were dying. She said to the
coroner, "It is overwork has reduced me to this state."
Tne sole furniture in the room consisted of' a box sad a
broken chair, which had been lent by a neighbour. As the
jury passed through the back room where the dead body of
her sister lay she raised herself and looked after them with
an expression of agony painful to witness. The back room
contained a parish coffin in which lay the emaciated body of
the deceased. The place was otherwise empty. It was I
stated that when Mr Badenhurst, the relieving officer, en-
tered the place on Sunday last, the deceased was found lying
on the floor in a corner of the back room, dead, end her
sister was dying, to all appearance, on a piece of oilcloth in
the shop.
The first witness examined was
Mr Henry Jeffreys, who appeared ill and trembling, and
said—l now reside at No. 5, Stonor-street. I was a bleacher
and paper manufacturer in a large way of business. We
came from Maidstone to London. The family consisted of my
wife, two daughters, and two sons. I had studied chemistry
in France, as a guide to the arts, sciences, and manufac-
tures, Since the circumstances of the family became
altered I contributed to their support by selling chemical
bottles, but it was necessary for nay daughters to as-
sist. They worked for a slopseller near Bedford-square,
whose name I have forgotten. They were paid 28 a dozen
for making flannel shirts, and for blue and white ones
they got 2s 6d a dozen. Lucretia has made four shirts in
one day. By working very hard she made about two dozen
in a week. My eldest daughter, who is ill, could only earn
one-third as much, as she could not work so quick. One
of my sons got ill, and I tried to do his share (in selling
bottles) as well as my own, and I got ill. My other son,
who had to take a situation at a wool stapler's, met with an
accident. A bale of wool fell on him, and we lost his guinea
a week. Both my daughters then became ill from overwork
and anxiety. The altered position of the family preyed upon
their minds. The earnings of the family for the last eight
weeks were nil. We pawned and sold everything to keep
body and soul together. The clergyman of the parish gave
us 4s and I borrowed 2s, which was all we did barrow. We
determined to apply to no one, but to struggle through any-
thing and pass through the storm rather than trouble any
one. We felt certain that within a few weeks we should
receive a sum of money sufficient to supply all our wants.
Coroner —Did the deceased die for want of food ?
Witness—No, I think it was her mind that did it. We
sold everything to get food.

Coroner—But had she sufficient of a proper kind of food 1) Witness—No, she had not. She refused on Wednesday
last to allow a doctor to be brought in, saying she did not
want to be practised on by doctors; but I think her real
rce.son was she was afraid to let any gentleman see us in
the awful state in which we were. She said, "Father, if
you bring one I will make away with myself." I was
afraid she might do so, as an aunt of hers had three years
ago, while ill, secreted a silver spoon in the bed and choked
herself with it in the absence of her friends, I removed,all
the poisons and chemicals out of my daughter's reach.
On Sunday I saw she was dying, and I went for a parish
doctor. I thought I had only to go for one and he would
, come, as the person was dying, but I had to go to
three places before I could get an order. As
it became so late (I was out for several hours), I went
back to see how she was getting on. I found her dead,
Since her death the neighbours and the relieving c. facer
have been very kind. We only came into that house on
Friday last. The rent is 4s 6d, but Ido not know where
it is to came from. Before that we were in Philpot-street,
and the rows and threats of the landlord about a month's
rent that wo owed, and his continually saying he would
bring the brokers and take all we had got (we had, in fact,
nothing, for we were obliged to sell everything for food),
had a dreadful effect upon my daughter.
Mrs Jane Clarke, 5, Norfolk-street, said that the family
were in a dreadful state of privation. They slept on the bare
boards at night. They had no bed. Witness gave them a
chair and a bit of oilcloth, Witness lent them 2d on Friday
night.

Mr Stephens said that the sister of the dccoased was in
a very dangerous condition, but nothing could induce her to
go into the workhouse infirmary.
Dr Robinson, parish surgeon, said that he was called to
the deceased and found her dead. The body was much

emaciated. The post mortem examination showed that there

was Effusion into the ventricles of the brain and into the

chest. There was only a little fluid in the stomach. She
would have required nourishing food, bedding, clothing, and

warmth, and the want of those necessaries was the acce-
lerating cause of her death. Witness was now attending
the other daughter, and he could not get her to go into the

workhouse.

The Coroner, in summing up, said that the case was the
most distressing one that had ever come before him. It was

no doubt to be regretted that Mr Jeffreys had not earlier

applied for medical and other aid, but the omiksion to do to

was the result of an error of judgment on the part of a
gentleman naturally unwilling to succumb to a reverse of

fortune.

The jury returned the following verdict :
" That Lucretia Jeffreys was found dead on the floor of a
certain room from the mortal Effects of effusion of serum
into the bram and chest, and that her said death was accele-
rated by fatiguo, front overwork, by absence of stimulating
ncurishment and of clothing and other necessaries ; and the
jury express their regret that through an error of ju:ig-

-
TIMM—The last surprise of the American war
has been the appearance of a new Confederate
cruiser, the Tallahassee, which has achieved unpre-
cedented success. The Alabama has been destroyed,
the Georgia sold, the Florida is in some other seas,
and the merchant vessels engaged in the Atlantic
trade were thought once again secure. But all at
once a long swift steamer is discovered haunting
the coast, and preying upon Federal commerce
with even more than the activity of its predeces-
sors. It is commanded by a captain intent upon
his business of capturing merchantmen, but, if re-
port is to be trusted, very little troubled with that
restless heroism which takes men into unnecessary
danger, for he says that he shall run rather than
fight, his ship being especially constructed
for the former purpose. Within a few days
upwards of fifty vessels, great and small, have
been destroyed by this daring but prudent adven-
turer. The rate of insurance on American bottoms
has risen, and not without good cause, for nothing
has been found yet to resist or even to catch the
Tallahassee. The naval department has been
confused by these sudden and multiplied disasters.
It has despatched a whole squadron of steamers in
search of the hostile vessel. Yet there is an opinion
that the Tallahassee es `_ll not be taken. Like some
phantom ship, she appears every now and then to
vessels on their way, but those who seek her seek
her in vain. Merchant captains come into New
York and Boston and report her capturing, burn-
ing, and sinking vessels, or exacting bonds for the
payment of money as the price of her safety. She
cuts away the spars of the Federal ships and
scuttles them, carrying off their men to the nearest
land, and then putting them pitilessly on shore.
All this it has been as yet impossible to prevent.
The Federals have some swift vessels, but the Tal-
lahassee is swifter. For the second time a
single " pirate" paralyses the trade of the whole
union. The success of the Tallahassee must pro-
duce more than one imitator, and it is consequently
the first wish of the Federal navy to put a stop to
her depredations, and to show that a reputation
such as Captain Wood has earned is in its nature
shortlived. But as yet the Tallahassee has not been
touched, and it is quite possible that she may have
as long a career as the Alabama—all the more as
her captain will probably not fall into the error of
Captain Semmes, and feel himself bound in honour
to accept the challenge of a more powerful vessel.
Such exploits cannot be contemplated without some
surprise. The English notion with respect to marine
warfare is that it is much more certain and scientific
than that on land, and with quick vessels and
powerful guns, and convenient coaling stations a
nation must soon drive off the seas a rival which is
less well provided. Powerful land armies may be
opposed by the valour and patriotism of a weaker
enemy, but numerous efficient and well-managed
vessels have seemed almost irresistible. The achieve-
ments of these Confederate cruisers, however, seem
to show that there is a chance for the weaker even
at sea. It is only necessary, when the lion's skin
fails, to piece it out with the fox's. By speed, in-
cessant watchfulness, and early information, such a
vessel as the Tallahassee can multiply itself fivefold.
The command if no doubt given by the Confederate
Government to officers of the utmost skill and re-
source, and these are forced by the very nature of
heir employment to use all the faculties they pos.
sees. They stand out before the world; there are
seldom more than two or three of them at sea at the
same time. Their duties, though strictly within the
rights of belligerents, are of so invidious a kind, and
bring down on them such hatred from the enemy,
that they know that if taken prisoners they would
be treated with unusual harshness, if even no worse
fate befell them. They strain every nerve to inflict
the utmost amount of damage on the enemy,and to
escape being taken themselves. Hence, though the
Federals have a most powerful navy at their dispo-
sal,though they can send out some six or eight vessels
on purpose to search after the Tallahassee. though
they have their coaling ports close at hand, while the
Tallahassee has to take the chance of being ordered
off as often as she asks for a ton of coals at a neigh-
bouring English port, yet, unless some chance ren-
contre brings a superior Federal force against her,
the Confederate vessel may continue her career of
devastation for months to come. The half patriot,
half buccaneer, who used to play so great a part in
old wars is represented in the present day by such
persons as Captain Semmes and Wood. The man
who imbibes the spirit of this irregular warfare is
generally more than a match for the regular sea-
man, accustomed to the routine of a fleet, and re-
ceiving into his mind that element of slowness
which is almost inseparable from men who obey a
strictly constituted power according to rules tradi-
tionally handed down. Did not Paul Jones defy
the whole British fleet, sail up the Frith of Forth,
and fight a British frigate with impunity P Even
the French, in the worst days of their naval mis-
fortune, generally had two or three well-known
officers who were the terror of the British mercan-
tile marine, and raised the rates of iesstrance as
Captain Wood is raising them in New York to-dey.
But though we must acknowledge the energy and
skill of these Confederate commanders, we can have
no sympathy with the particular kind of warfare
hick they carry on. Looking upon it as a retali-
ation for the many excesses and cruelties of the
Federals on land, we may excuse it; but the whole
system is barbarous, and it would be well if the war
could be waged without such hateful doings. These
prizes of the Tallahassee are, many of them, almost
too petty for the dignity of a ship of war. The
little schooners of the American coasting trade and
the fishing vessels which are sent out of the New
England ports appear to have chiefly made up the
list of the Tallahassee's captures. Nothing is more
likely to weaken the Peace party at the North
than the story of these captures, which must irri-
tate the Northern people everywhere it is told, and
make enemies of a large number who have no
sympathy with Mr. Lincoln and his party. But
while the war latts there can be little hope that
either side will pause in the course that i; has
chosen. Never did war appear more clearly in
its true light than in the present contest, when
all amenities have been cast aside, and each
belligerent has used every means at his dis-
posal to harrass or overthrow his adversary.
POST.--The Cotton Supply Association have just
offered to the public certain facts of much interest
and curiosity, in addition to the dry statistical
details which commonly form the staple of their
proceedings and reports. The recent changes in the
tendency of the cotton growth are very remarkable.
It seems likely, for instance, that the supply of
cotton from Egypt, a quarter from which so much
was originally expected, will soon come altogether
to an end. The Egyptian climate has been found
quite unsuited to the cultivation of the plant, and
already it has been almost entirely abandoned.
This is a result which cannot fail to be a serious
disappointment to those who have interested them-
selves in the Alexandrian trade. In Turkey and in
India the case is just the reverse. Both countries
have shown themselves adapted in a very high de-
gree for the culture of the cotton plant ; and it is
not improbable that there may be a sharp competi-
tion between them for the supply of the English
market with the raw material. It Turkey can pro.
duce it at the same cost as India, she wilt of course
have the advantage, for the distance of the Turkish
ports from Liverpool is less than one-third of the
distance of the Indian ports ; and the difference of
time, shipping cost, and interest of money, will be
in favour of the former. We will, however, com-
mence with India. Bokhara appears to be one of the
most favoured regions,but as is well known it is not
a part of British India, and the export of cotton
from thence is an overland one through Russia. Five
years ago the exports of cotton from Bokhara
amounted to no more than 1,500,0001 b., whereas
they are estimated for the present year at
20,000,0001 b. These figures are safe as ground-
works for calculation ; but the association are apt
to lead the public astray when they argue from
the difference of relative value, They say that
in 1859 the trade was worth only £25,000,
whereas now it is worth £1,00,000; but it will
be seen at a glance that this ratio is out of all pro-
portion with the ratio avoirdupois—the fact being
that cotton is worth four or five times as much in
the Liverpool market now as it was in 1859. The
increase, however, in weight and quantity is sat&
cient to show that Bokhara has succeeded in esta-
blishing a thriving trade, and in cultivating the
cotton plant with very different results to what we
now find in Egypt. In Scinde the cultivation is at
present experimental, but there is a disposition to
promote it, and a fair prospect of a successful issue.
On the coasts of the Mediterranean cotton has been
cultivated with a variety of success much more than
in proportion to any possible varieties of climate.
We must, therefore, conclude that the soil has been
as influential as the atmosphere. We have already
said that in Egypt the cotton cultivation is about to
be abandoned. In Tripoli, again, the attempt has
proved itself hopeless; but more on accoant of the
want of capital, labour, and water, than through
any tested inaptitude on the part of the soil itself.
But in Algeria, in the same latitude, and on the
same Southern shore of the Mediterranean as
Egypt, great expectations of success appear to be
entertained. Last year nearly 1,000,00u1b. of
cotton were exported from that country ; and
during 1864 it is expected that between three and
four times that quantity will be shipped. The
French Government, however, still cling to the old
usage of making their colonies as useful t'd to