The Sun.
London, England, 1852-10-13 00:00:00

THE MAIL PACKETS FROM PLYMOUTH.

T 11; AUSTRALIAN MAILS.—The steam-ship Mel-
bourne would be out of the hands of the dockyard, De.
vonport, it was expected, yesterday, and if so it will sail
to-day for Australia.
THE ASCENSION, CAPE, MAURITIUS, AND CALCUTTA
MAILS —The Calcutta screw-ship, 1,800 tons and 240
horse-power, Captain Hall, left Blackwall yesterday, at
noon, cn route to Plymouth, to embark mails and pas-
sengers for Ascension, the Cape, Mauritius, Madras,
and Calcutta. She has the best freight that has been
carried by any of these splensiid new steamers. She
has seventy-five passengers, 100,0001. in specie, and 500
tons of goods.
A fair test of her sailing and steam qualities will be
afforded i❑ the run of this ship and the Australian
packet Melbourne, alias her Majesty's steamer Greenock,
on their voyage out. The Meloourne, as we have stated
above, will most probably leave to-day, the Calcutta will
leave on Friday. They both take their departure at
Plymouth, and each calls at St. Vincent.
Plymouth, no doubt (notwithstanding the apathy of
the Plymouth and Exeter Railway Company) is the
most eligible port for the departure of those large screw
ships, and we feel assured that the Government will con-
sult the feelings and convenience of passengers going or
returning by the General Screw Company's ships, by
peremptorily resisting any manoeuvre of interested par-
ties to substitute any other port for Plymouth.

OY.STEII FISHERIES.
The correspuudmice between the oyster-dredgers and
the Board of Trade has just been printed. The object
of the dredgers was to obtain an extension of the period
allowed for dredging oysters in the Channel. The ca-
ricature which appeared during this summer in the
pages of Punch, representing a child swallowing oys-
ters in Jul), on the earnest recommendation of their
excellence by the seller, had a better foundation in
truth than our facetious contemporary was himself
aware of. The memorialists state that within the last few
}ears large beds of oysters had been discovered in the
Channel at a depth from 20 to 30 fathoms," These oysters
(they say) cannot he dredged except during moderate wea-
ther, and unless they are obtained during the summer
mor,ths they will not be obtained at all." From the
depth of the water in which these oysters lay they do
not spawn until late in the summer, and find a ready
sale in the London markets, as thoy retai❑ their quality,
and consequently their wholesomeness, in the warm
weather. The dredging for these oysters from the port
of Colchester alone employs yearly 170 vessels, each
numbering a crew of from five to six men. Similar me-
morials were presented from Margate and from Dover.
From the answers of the Board of Trade it appears that
tho convention between the F: each and English Govern-
ments, limiting the period of dredging from the Ist of
September to the 30th of April, in the seas lying be-
tween the two countries, is rigidly enforced; but no such
limitation applies to any part of the east coast of &g-
-land within three miles of the shore.

THE LATE MURDER AND SUICIDE.
Yeszerday Mr. W. Luker, the coroner, opened an
inquiry at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, Nelson-
street, Stepney, respecting the deaths of William
Thomas Elliott, aged eighteen months, who died from
violence, and Jsne Collins, aged sixteen years, who
committed suicide under most extraordinary circum-
stances, the particulars of which were reported yes-

terday.
Elizabeth Mary Elliott deposed that the deceased
child was her son. The other deceased was her ser-
vant. She never exhibited any symptoms of insanity.
Daceased was repeatedly complaining of headache.
On Aonday ^ morning last, at 7 o'clock, the elder
child, aged four years, came to witness's bed room
and said, " On, father, Jane has been beating Billy
,o." Mr. Elliott got out of bed, and left the room.
When be returned witness asked him to call Jane.
Witness He did so, but she did not answer. went up
bed,
partially and found the infant lying dead on the
partially covered with tile bedclothes. A search
was made for the femalo servant, but they could not
find her.
Mary Lee, a lodger, was called, and said she had
heard a wise on the night of Sunday last, before Mr.
Elliott and his wife came home. Witness spoke to
i Collins, and asked her if sha had been beating the
children, for witness had heard a loud screaming.
By a Juror—The deceased Collins was very pas.,
aionate at times. Had beard the deceased say on
several cccasions, "If rny mother was to die, I
should cut my throat." When witness remonstrated
with her, deceased said, "I could do anything when
I am in a passion. The deceased had made these
observations on a Sunday "
evening, while her master
and mistress were gone out for a walk. Deceased
was very fond of reading the Bible, and generally
seemed happy.
Mr.
road Henry Taynton, of Bedford-place, Commer-
cial-
East, surgeon, stated that he was called to
the deceased child on Monday morning last, and
faund him dead. Witness had examined the deceased.
The appearances externally were not sufficient to
cause death, and in the absence of apostmortem
examination witness could not say what the child
had died from. Witness afterwards wentti up stairs,.
and found the female servant lyingdoomn
tihoefloorhole,
quit)
dead. Sho had just been pulled
had two superficial cut wounds in the front° Of and
neck. There was a mark round the neck, which had
been
caused by a cord or ribbon being tightly tied
round it. The immediate cause of her death was
strangulation. The wounds were not sufficient to
produce death.
The witness Lee was recalled, and in answer to the
coroner said she had repeatedly heard deceased say,
" When I am in a passion I could kill the child, and
then cut my own throat."
The Coroner said the case was one of a vary pe-
culiar nature; and that as the invegigation could not
be completed that evoning, he should adjourn the
proceedings until Monday next, to give Mr. Taynton
time to make a proper examination of the body of the
child, and to give the summoning officer an opportu-
nity of obtaining additional evidence.
—.

The weekly reviews from the Amsterdam and
Rotterdam produce markets allude to a greater feeling of
confidence among operators. The demand for coffee, al-
though not extensive, was sufficient to support prices, and
in some cases a slight improvement had been established.
several large transactions bad taken place in sugar at an ad-
vance. Rice had not been so freely purchased, but for indigo
there Was an active inquiry, and quotations were rising.
The accounts from Antwerp and Hamburgh represent a si-
milar state of trade,