The Sun.
London, England, 1852-07-13 00:00:00

' existing India mail contracts, and if this plan were
carried out they would not only do a further service to
the State, but obtain profit for themselves.
Mr. CRAWFORD begged to explain that fhe circum-
stances under which he and the other retiring directors
left the board were entirely of a personal character, and
had not arisen from any cliff,:rence in opinion from
those who remained. He had been induced to unite
in the endeavour to improve the communication with
India, having as a merchant long felt the incon-
venience resulting from the defective arrangements
of the old company, and though it was true the
communication was now more frequent, and in-
creased advantages were Obtained, it was conse-
quent on the interference and the expenditure of this
company. At the last meeting the- directors had been
entrusted with two duties; first, to explain to the public
through Parliament what had really occurred, and how
their objects hal been forestalled; and secondly, to de-
vise a new scheme to carry out those objects. With re-
gard to the first, they found that the political cri-is ab-
sorbed all ettention, and when their case was brought
before Parliament, they were in plain terms " pooh-
poohed." It appeared, however, that in the debuts in
the House of Commons the Chancellor of the Exchequer
stated that he had taken on himself the responsibility cf
deciding on the contracts, giving the country to under-
stand that he had so decided on a fair consideration of
all the circumstances of the case; whereas Lord Derby
had written to him (Mr. Crawford) a note, stating that
he and the Chancellor of the Exchequer were unable to
came to any other conclusion than that which had been
arrived at in favour of the other company, the matter
having been decided by their predecessors in office.—
(Hear, hear, and a laugh.) Either, then, Lord Derby,
the Prime Minister, bad put him off with a fudge, or
the Chancellor of the Exchequer was not a Right lion.
Gentlensan.—(Laughter.) Then, with respect to the
new echeme; the board would have had such a scheme
to propound, but that they were upset by a little
trick—one amongst their own proprietors having opened
negotiations- for effecting arrangements between the
Austrian Lloyd's and the Peninsular and Oriental, by
which the co-operation of the Eastern Steam Navigation
Company with the Austrian Lloyd's would have been
impossible. It was in this state of affairs that Mr.
Bernal and other gentlemen acquainted with the sub-
ject suggested the scheme now proposed. He having no
time to carry it out, and intending to leave the board,
had not gore into the details; but should be happy to
assist generally as a private shareholder.
In reply to questions,
Mr. BRUNVL batted that it Was not intended to have
any coaling Station unless under extraordinary circum-
stances, as the high price of freight or other special
reasons should render it necessary. Oro main f;ape ore
.
of the plan Was to purchase the coal at the low price at
which it could only be had in this country, end that
each vessel should carry sufileient for the whole voyage.
Ho had no &inlet that the speed of 15 knots 'as the lowest
average might be maintained. The vessels it was pro-
posed to build would becanstracted principally of iron.
Of course every known improvement would be adopted
in the machinery. They would be very large, and
would carry Probably 3,000 or 4,00 Q tons of coal each,
besides having ample stowage for cargo and the most
extensive accommodatiou, for passengers. No company
could compete with them, all other companies
being more 9r less shackled by reason of their contracts.
—(Hear, hear.) In his opinion Government contracts
were destructive and prohibitory of. !steam navigation;
but they, at least, were free of that, which could not be
said of any other company. Therefore, they need not
tear competition. Their vessels would be constructed on
the screw and paddle principle, .which would give them
provide for all contingencies.
the power of three distinct
and separate engines, and
thus
Mr. SCOTT RUSSELL remarked that there were steam-
vessels now doing eighteen miles an hour regularly, and
instanced the liolyheadeboats, and .it was well known
amongst shipbuilders now that it was much easier to
get a high rate of speed in large than in small vessels.
Length meant speed—and not-only that, but speed and
cargo room, and easy going -combined. The old rule
of ship-building was 2-beams for the length, they then
increased them to 4 and 5, and the -American clippers
were merely the old English and American ships built
rather sharper and in the proportion of 6 beams to the
length. He- had built a small -vessel in the proportion of
12 beams to the length, which had made le miles en
hour in still water, and in a voyage to Hamburgh and
back, in very-rough weather, had not- shipped a drop of
water, and had gone so easy through the sea that no one
was ill on •board, though several were subject to sea
recommendedp
sickness. He did not mean to recommend that or-
don for the Calcutta vessels, but what he
was, that they should be long enouah to secure speed,
propor-
tion
capacity, and ease, and to carry sufficient coal without
interfering with the other requirements.
The resobarion was then put-and carried unanimously;
as were others for increasing the number of directors and
for filling up the vacencies at the board. And votes of
thanks having been pasSed to the retiring directors, the
chairman, and Mr. Brunel, the engineer, the meeting
separated.

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.
MIDLAIVD CIECUIT—Lincoln, July 12.
Mr. Baron Alderson entered the city on Saturday, and
forthwith opened the Commission in the city and county
courts, and then adjourned' the business till this morn-
ing. Justice Coleridge 'arrived last evening, he having
gone to Oxford to vote at the University election. The
calendar is light, and the cause list contains only seven
entries.
HORSE STYALING BY A 80Y., Richardson, aged
17, was indicted tor stealing a horse and gig, the pro-
perty of Frederick Clark, of this city. He hired the
horse and gig to go to a neighbouring village, hit imme-
diately made his way to Gainsborough, thence into
Yorkshire, and was arrested the next day at Thorne
just as he was selling the property. There were found
upon him a pistol and seine bullets, and these ho said
he should have used against any person who overtook
him on the road.—Sentence deferred.
ATTEMPT' TO Poisorsi.—Mary Ann Blackburn, wife
of Thomas Blackburn, landlord of the. Red Lion Inn, in
this city, was indicted for attempting to poison her hus-
band with laudanum on the 281 of March.
Mr. Flowers conducted tho prosecution, and Mr.
O'Brien the defence.
The evidence for the prosecution was that the prosecu-
tor ordered a 'beefsteak for his sUpper,'Which Was prepared
by a servant and placed.On the bar table, and that in the
course of eating it he complained there was laudanum
in it. The 'Wife, who 110 been asked to partake of the
food, refused; and the husband, finding himself ill, went
into the taproom and said he was poisoned, and then
went and laY down, and: fell into a comotose state. It
was proved that the prisoner had sent for laudanum.
After the evidence for the
presecution had concluded,
and Mr. O'Brien
jury for the pri-
soner, was p4dreuing tho

The Junqg stopped him, and said that in the absence
of proof, motive, or that the woman had actually put
laudanum on the steak, it wsts unsafe to convict on such
a serious charge. Verdict—Not Guilty.
CROWN COURT.—(Before Sir J. T. COLERIDGE.)
Henry Glen was indicted for feloniously cutting and
wounding James Kettle, on the 4th of April.
Mr. BITTIXSTON prosecuted ; the prisoner was unde-
fended.

The prisoner lodged M tho.house. of the prosecutor's
mother. A.qusrrel ensued ; Glen resolved to leave the
house, and on coining down stairs with his clothes and
a
a reap-hook, be inflicted very dangerous wound on
the neck with. the hook. The .prosecutor's life was in
danger for a fortnight, and it will be some time before
he will be able to work.—Ten years' transportation.
THE FATAL ACCIDENT AT BLACATC.-
FRIARS BRIDGE. ,
Yosterday an elderly man, one of the survivors of the
party which was run down in the shallop by the Dahlia
steamer on Sunday evening, applied to Alderman Law-
rence for assistance. He stated that on Sunday evening
he came with his friends in the shallop from Greenwich,bre
when having. cleared the arch at •Blackfriars-
them. cittle,
they saw the Dahlia bearing
(applicant) hailed the steamer, of the shallop
command to 'stand off, while the steersman
direction; but
endeavoured to take a more southerlythe steamer came in before they had time to do s downi dmens:inrnend the man in
The boat sank colli-
sionimme-
diately, with them,
instantaneously into the water.
being a swimmer, tried to
and ho (applicant). .
diately, and precinpitated all, ten in number,
minutes, and when he rose to the
himself for about four m
surface almost exhausted,he caught a line that had been
mer, and induced his father to
save his aged father, and in doing so was under water
ultimately rescued from
d they were
do the same,
anposition by.watermen who put off to their
taken on board the steamboat,
mih
their
mid a
and they were .
assistance,
throwpneoriulotufrso
e stea
female relative and friend. gentlemen
but in the meantimeapplincaontmeltowstithhtsoister:
on board,
captains of other vessels, who condemned the
captain's want of caution in not having any ono on the
look out.
Alderman
LAWRENCE asked if it was dark at the time?
Applicant—Certainly not; it wanted 20 minutes to
nine o'clock, and everything on the river could be dis-
cerned distinctly.
Alderman LAWRENCE—Then what do you want of me ?
Applicant—The coroner's inquest will soon take place,
and the two' gentlemen on board the Dahlia are going
out of town. I want to know if I can summon them to
attend, us their testimony will be impktant to prove the
negligence on the part of the captain, whose name I came
here to ascertain.
Alderman LAWRENCE—Do you intend to charge the
snierg;lifgoernictewinasrnunonin Fault youof
ours,down?as w 0
capAt apipnl i we
ai
nt ht
.:..w..y.i l re' usl,
hadA ladnermexapnerLielnwcßedEsseteEefllmaavne
withbodiesuu been found?
Applicant—No, sir, not yet.
Alderman LAWRENCE---Tnen the inquest cannot be
held until they are found. However, if you write to the
directors of the company, they will bo sure to furnish
you with the name of the captain, and then if you will
come here we will consider the propriety of granting
you a summons against him; but you can do nothing to
detain the two gentlemen, who I should imagine would
deem it an imperative duty to render every assistance in
their power.

ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.
Yesterday a very searching inquiry was made by the
directors of the London and Westminster Steam-boat
Company, for the purpose of ascertaining whether the
persons in charge of the'Dshlia steamer were the cause
of the distressing accident and loss of life which occurred
on Sunday night at Blackfriars-bridge.
Captain Elliott, who was in command, had been indis-
posed for three or four days, but instead of laying up, he
made no complaint, and continued to go with the vessel.
On Sunday evening, however, he became worse and
during his temporary absence in the cabin ho left the
vessel in charge of the first mate, who took his position
on the paddle-box. The boat had gained the entrance
to the fourth arch of the bridge when he espied the
shallop. Seeing that there vfai plenty of room for boys