The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-12 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER.

IMPUDENT ROBBERY OF A HORSE 'CLOTH.--Matthew
Slaney, a boy about 12 years of age, was charged with
stealing a horse cloth from a cab in Tothill •street, West •

minster.

William Kennedy, a little boy, said that he was in
Tothill-street on Thursday, and saw the prisoner and an-
oilier boy watching a cab that a little girl was minding.
After walking about for some time the other boy covered
the prisoner by getting between him and the girl while ht
took the cloth. He ran away with it. Witness told the
owner of the cloth, and the boy was chased but lost sight of,
Maria Lambert, a person living at 48, Tothill-street,
said her husband's cab was standing at the door on Thurs-
day, and she looked out of the window and saw prisoner take
the cloth off the horse and run away with it while another
covered him. She ran down stairs and pursued him, but
lost sight of him. On Friday morning she again saw him,
with the cloth under his arm going about from place to
place to try and sell it. She pursued him, and he again
escaped her, upon whioh sbe gave information to the police.
Sergeant Edmund Buckley, 17 B, proved apprehending
the prisoner, from information received that morning, in
Old Pye-street, Westminster. He was taken to the station,
and witness placed him with other boys, and he was iden-
tified by Kennedy and Mrs. Lambert. He said to witness,
"It is not my fault; a bigger boy told me to take it.'!
Mr. Selfe asked him what he had to say ?
Prisoner said that he had taken the cloth, but had been
incited by a man and boy to do it. They had sold the cloth,
but had not given him any share of the money.
Ile was remanded till Thursday for the sergeant to make
inquiries.

CONSUMPTION OF COAL.—At the last sitting of
the Academie des Sciences Morales et Politiques,
➢i. Dalloz gave the following interesting particulars on the
consumption of coal :—ln 1789 France consumed 500,000
tons of coal, 220,000 of which were imported ; in 1811 the
quantity was 773,000 tons; in 1830 it rose to 1,800,000 tons,
and in 1847 to 7,600,000 tons, 2,500,000 of which were im-
ported. During the four following years—those of the
Republic—there was a considerable diminution, the
extraction in France being reduced to 4,000,000 tons,
and the importation to 2,100,000 tons. In 1853
the consumption rose to 9,400,000 tons, and in 1859
to 12,400,000 tons. In 1863, the third year after the
Conventions of 1860, the quantity consumed was
15,C00,000 tons, 5,200,000 of which were imported, showing
the immense increase of manufactures during a period of
tranquillity and order. At the commencement of the pre-
sent century England produced 13,000,000 tons; in 1838
the quantity rose to 26,000,000 tans. England alone pro-
duces much more than half the coal extracted throughout
the world. The production of coal in the United States is
valued at 15,000,000 tons; that of Belgium at 9,000,000;
the Zoliversin produced upwards of 14,000,000 tons
in 1862 ; so that, if England be omitted, France
is one of the richest coal-producing countries in the
world. The production of coal is intimately con-
nected with that of iron, in which article England
again holds tho first rank, In 1789 France only produced
69,000 tens of cast iron. This quantity rose to 115,000
tons in 1812 ; in 1830, to 317,773 tons of cast iron and
237,379 of wrought iron; in 1847 the figures were respeo
tively 602,772 and 376,686; in 1850 the production bad
fallen to 406,000 tens of cast iron and 246,000 tons of
wrought iron. A new rise occurred immediately after the
Republic; in 1859 France produced 856,000 tons of cast
iron and 520,000 of wrought iron ; and in 1563 is vaguely
stated at the enormous figure of 1,180,000 tons of cast iron
and 705,500 tons of wrought iron. The production of Eng-
land is nearly 4,000,0,0 tons of cast iron; that of the
7.ollverein, 591,593 tons; of Sweden, 143,000; of Austria,
270,000; and of Belgium, 161,000.—Galignani.
A HARDY VENTURE.—A few days back a fishing
smack named the John Bull, of 26 tons burden, left Yar-
mouth port for Constantinople with a general cargo. She
has been purchased for Mr. Norton, of the latter place, and
had on board four experienced fishermen of Yarmouth,
being intended for the trawling. trade in the Black Sea. A
largo number of the seafaring population collected on the
quay to witness her departure and wish her success on hea
venturcEme voyage,