The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-19 00:00:00

ROYAL ALHAIVIBRA PALACE. IM-
MENSE SUCCESS.—ARTHUR and BERTRAND,
the celebrated French Clowns, will appear every evening in
an entertainment reserved expressly for their engagement at
this establishment -The MARVELS of PERU, the most
wonderful Performers in the WorId—LANGLOIS, the great
Indian Juggler—The FAIRY FOUNTAIN -Operatic Selec-
tions -Grand Comic Divertissement, by the Francesco Family
and Mons. Ratel, assisted by 12 Young Ladies.

Doors open at 7—commence-at half -past 7.

ROYAL ALHAMBRA PALACE. Great
Musical Attraction —lmmense success of SIGNOR
IN ICOSIA, the eminent Violinist, who will appear Every
Evening.

ARGYLL ROOMS, Great Windmill-street,
Piccadilly.
During the Concerts given by Mons. JULLIEN, at Her
Majesty's Theatre, the BALL will commence EVEUY
EVENING at NINE O'CLOCK.
Doors open at 8 o'clock.
Admission, is.

Manager—M. GRENET.

29, GEORGE-STREET, HANOVER-SQUARE.
THE LONDON ANATOMICAL MUSEUM.
Open daily from 10 till 10. Lectures at 4 and 7
o'clock. Where may be seen the Astecs ; Bushman and
Wife ; Julia Pastrana and Infant ; Eng and Shang, the
Siamese Twins; and upwards of 3,000 Models, Natural Pre-
parations, &c. Egyptian Mummies, unwrapped, 4,000 years
old. Admission, One ;Shilling tor Gentlemen only).

MR. A. Be HOLLINGSWORTH,
' COMIC VOCALIST.
SUBSCRIPTIONS RECEIVE') at the OFFICE of THIS
I'APER for the above artist, suddenly afflicted with Bhnd-
ness, and, In his helplessness, having a wife and child de-
pendent on him.

LAMBERT'S ASTHMATIC BALSAM.—AN
EFFECTUAL RE3IEDY, without confining the bowels
or affecting the head, truly efficacious and pleasant, is ad-
mitted to be the best medicine for immediately relieving
coughs, colds, confirmed cases of asthma, and incipient con-
sumption. It frequently cures persons whom the faculty
pronounce incurable, admirably allays the tickling which
provokes frequent coughing. In approaching consumption
its effects are truly beneficial. Persons deprived of sleep, or
even lying; down for fear of suffocation, may depend on relief
in a. few minutes after taking it. Preparea only and sold by
W. LAMBERT, Chemist. 8, King-William-street, Charing-
7oss, London, and by all druggists, in bottles, 130., and
hree quantities in one, 2s. 9d. each. Be particular, and ask
for Lambert's Asthmatic Balsam, The name and address is
engraved on the stamp.

The Relief of Distress in the Manufacturing

Districts.

The following is the report of the Central Execu-
tive Committee to the General Committee:—
Town-hall, Manchester, Nov. 16.
The Central Executive Committee has to report that from
a table compiled by the honorary secretary, and appended
hereto, it ascertains that the outlay for the relief of indi-
gence caused by the distress in the 28 Unions of the cotton
districts up to Michaelmas last amounted to £1,979,369;
tho outlay of the Boards of Guardians in excess of previous
years being in this sum combined with the expenditure of
the local relief committee.
Of this total the extra charge on the parochial rates in
1862 and 1863 was £823,470, and that derived from strictly
local subscriptions to either the local or central funds
amounted to £535,898, irrespective of the large sums ax•

pended in private charity.
Notwithstanding that the diminution of the number of
persons dependent on the parochial rates has up to the time
been progressive, and amounts to 288, 551 since January
last, your committee cannot rely on the continuance of the
present amount of employment. It therefore expects to
encounter an increased outlay to meet legitimate claims from
the diminution of work, or from the inclemency of the sea-
son in some of the winter months.
Having regard to the various contingencies affecting the
urgency and the duration of the distress, your committee
has pleasure in reporting that the balance held by Messrs.
Heywood Brothers and Co. on the 14th inst. amounted to
£258,392 4s Id, by the Bridgewater House Fund £86,270175,
and by the Liverpool Committee £39,355 17s 6d, besides
subscriptions in large towns in Yorkshire and elsewhere
promised but not yet transmitted.
At the close of the year 1862 your committee reported
that it had "reached the middle of the winter without the
outbreak of any serious epidemic, or the appearance of any
of those grave forms of disease, such as scurvy, diarrhoea
or dysentery, which commonly follow low diet, with little'
variety of food and the use of inferior kinds of aliment." In
confirmation of this statement, the medical officer of the
Privy Council, in his report presented the 31st of March,
1863, says—" It was a most satisfactory issue to the
anxieties of 1863 that typhus did not become extensively
prevalent in the cotton districts, and that, so far as the
facts are yet known, there was no other great local derange-

meat of the public health." Every month of 1863 has been
marked by the increase of employment and wages, and the
diminution of indigence. And the last report of the hon.
secretary states that " there are now 288,551 more persons
dependent on their own resources, and " 120,000 persons
more in full work," than in January, 1863.
Your committee has carefully watched for any indica-

tious which might arise in the population of the loss of
power to resist endemic or epidemic disease, and it has ex•
amined with solicitude the quarterly reports of the Regis•
trar-General, as well as those of the Local Sanitary Asso•

ciations, to ascertain whether ,the health and strength ol
the cotton workmen has been seriously impaired.

The subject is one to which vigilance may be so pro

perly directed, that your committee solicits public attention
to the following extracts from the Quarterly Reports of the
Registrar-General for 1863 :
On the 30th of January, 1863, after remarking that the
North-Western Counties, Yorkshire, London, the Northern
Counties and the West Midland are five divisions in which
the highest rate of mortality prevails, he states " that the
history of the distress is not written in the death registers
ot the year that is closed" (1862).
On the 30th of April, 1863, occur the following remark-
able passages :---" On comparing the returns ot the deaths
in the 11 divisions (of England) attention is immediately
drawn to the fact, that in all divisions, with one exception,

the deaths were more numerous last quarter than in the
March quarter of 1862—and the single exception is found

in that division where the staple industry in which half
a million of persons are dependent is overthrown, and for a
twelvemonth four-fifths of that number have sub-
sisted, unless the pittance has been added by previous earn-
ings or sale of household stock, on less than 4d a day per
head." It will be gratefully admitted that the legal pro-
vision for the distress and the spontaneous liberality of their
countrymen have hitherto sufficed to maintain the people
in health."

A paper read by Mr, Frederick Purdy, of the Statistical
Department of the Poor-law Board, before the British As-
sociation, after an elaborate comparison of the statistics of
mortality in the distressed districts, arrived at conclusions
in harmony with those of the Registrar-General.
The Registrar-General's Report of the 30th June, 1863,
records the prevalence of measles and scarlatina iu Lanca-
shire and Yorkshire, in common with many southern coun-
ties, but remarks that " in reviewing the whole facts of the
present return they will be found to support the conclusion
which former reports tended to establish, that sickness has

not been aggravated, nor mortality increased, by the dis •
tress which has prevailed, and which, happily, to a certain
extent has now been subdued."
In the report dated the 30th of October, 1863, the Regis-
trar-General states, as to the sanitary condition of England,
that "scarlatina and diarrhoea" widely diffused over the
country, were the chief immediate causes from which the
increase of mortality, then reported “sprung." " The un-
favourable influences that were at work pervaded the coun-
try generally, and Lancashire did not suffer more than most
parts, but less than some." And again, "notwithstanding
the distress which still prevails" in Lancashire, " and the
greater distress it has suffered, it will be seen that in the
present returns it may be compared with Yorkshire with-
out disadvantage."

Prior to the reception of this last Quarterly Report from
the Registrar-General your committee had before it a
report, obtained by Mr. Farnall, from the medical officers
of the several Poor-law Unions of the cotton districts.
This report exhibited a remarkable concurrence of opinion
among these gentlemen that, apart from epidemic maladies
whose origin and progress have been similar to those of other
counties in which no distress exists, the health of the popu-
lation is in a satisfactory condition, there being no ascertain-
able connection between the origin, character, or spread of
these diseases and the distress.

In the Ashton-under-Lyno Union alone, in which the
duration and pressure of the distress have been exceptionally
great, did the medical officers report that the tone of the
general health retarded convalescence from exhausting dis-
eases, and the recovery of women from child-birth,
Dr. Noble, in a report to the Manchester Statistical
Society, says concerning Manchester—" I have a certain
well- grounded conviction that, within the last two years,
there has been nothing as to the mortality of the cotton
districts in any respect unusual, and assuredly nothing to
establish a relation of cause and effect between it and the
distress."

Your committee has borne in mind the "almost singular
mildness of the winter" of 1862-3 (see " Report of Medical
Officer of Privy Council), and would call the attention of the
committees of all relief districts in which want of employ-
ment and consequent distress still prevail extensively, to the
ekpediency of precautions against a winter of greater seve-
rity. An allowance for fuel and the distribution of clothing
are necessary wherever the family has been long mainly de-
pendent on the relief funds, and these may be provided from
the general grants.
Having regard, also, to the more remote rather than the
immediate consequences of a prolonged period of privation,
your committee has, in the " Manual" recently published,
called the attention of the local authorities to various sani-
tary precautions, especially the immediate emptying of
cesspools and ashpits; the lime-washing of the houses ; the
removal of all nuisances; and a house to house visitation
to secure cleanliness and ventilation in the dwellings of
those in the receipt of relief, as well as to the arrangements
required to prevent the spread of infectious andleontagious
disease. Your committee has likewise informed the
various local committees that it is prepared to take into
consideration applications for clothing suitable
for the cotton operatives about to be employed on public
works.
The fluctuations of employment will require the utmost
vigilance both from your executive committee and from the
local committee of relief, in order to meet the real wants of
the unemployed,
Signed on behalf of the committee,
DERBY, Chairman.
JOHN WM. MACLURE, Hon. Sec.

Full benefit of reduced duty obtained by pur.
chasing Horniman's pure Tea; very choice at 3s. 4d. and
4s. "High Standard" at 4s. 4d. (formerly 4s. Bd.), is the
strongest and most delicious imported. Agents in every
town supply it iu packets.

Naval and Military Intelligence.

THE NAVY.

A number of condemned 32-pounder cast iron naval
guns, 8 feet in length, and weighing 42 cwt. each, 21 of
which were formerly on board her Majesty's screw steam
frigate Liverpool, 29 guns, at Devonport, were yesterday
landed at Woolwich from the War Department vessel Alma,
Among the number was a 45-pounder Armstrong gun with
one side of the muzzle carried away.
A cargo of cast iron ordnance, weighing 50 tons, and con-
sisting of guns minus one of the trunnions, broken off during
proof, was yesterday shipped at Woolwich for transport to
Messrs. Pegg's .7/mks, at Brentford, to be broken up.

A large amount of war stores for China is now awaiting
transport at Woolwieh, including B.inch 52 cwt, guns for
Shanghai, 20 and 24-pounder howitzers, and 20-pounder
naval guns, &c., for Hongkong.
The heavy shaft, weighing 22 tons, manufactured by
Messrs. Penn, at Greenwich, for her Majesty's iron screw
ship Minotaur, 6,621 tons, and 1,350-horse pawer, now
building at the Thames Ironworks, at Blackwall, was yes-
terday shipped at Woolwich for conveyance to the building
yard. The Minotaur is now in a forward state for being
launched.

Instructions were yesterday received at Woolwich to
commence stripping the paddlewheel sloop Ardent, brought
home from the South-East Coast of America, as well as the
iron steam-tug Kite, from Bermuda, in order to their being
sold by public tender. A number of other ships at Wool-
wich known to be in a condition unfit for service are also
in progress of being stripped—namely, the Banshee, Flying
Fish, Firebrand, and Spiteful ; they will, in all probability,
likewise be ordered for sale.

The Fly, dockyard barge, having been damaged by a
collision at Woolwich, has been hauled up on the slip for
repairs, which are estimated to require an expenditure of
upwards of £l,OOO. Her timbers are quite rotten, so that
a very small portion of the old barge will be found useful
for future service.

The hired sailing transport West Derby, Capt. Sargent,
arrived at Spithead yesterday morning with the left wing
of the 31st Regiment on board, from Shanghai. She sailed
thence on the Ist of July, and called in at the Mauritius on
the 3d of September, and at St. Helena on the 7th of Octo-
ber. The names of the officers and number of men are as
follows :—Capt. Mitchell, Bayley, Pepper, and Thompson;
Lieuts. M'lntyre, Maynard, and Hasham ; Ensigns Lam-
bert, Townsend, Bateman, and Hill; Assist.-Surg. Giraud;
19 sergeants, 5 drummers, and 282 privates. Four deaths
occurred during the voyage. The 31st are ordered into
garrison at Plymouth, and yesterday a telegram was de-
spatched there from the Admiralty, ordering the Geyser, 6,
paddle, to proceed at once round to Portsmouth, and receive
on board the left wing from the West Derby and convey it
to Plymouth.

In consequence of a large number of lads having recently
been transferred from the Wellesley, 72, training ship in
Chatham harbour, to various ships of war, there are now a
number of vacancies on board that vessel. The limit of age
at which candidates for entering the navy are taken is lb
years. They must be over 4tt Bin in height, free from phy-
sical defect, and able to read and write well. The necessary
forms of application are forwarded direct to applicants by
the commanding officer of the Wellesley.
Sir R. Mayne, Chief Commissioner of the Metropolitan

Police, accompanied by Mr, Mallslieu, principal superin-
tendent of the police forces at the Royal dockyards, visited
Chatham dockyard on Tuesday for the annual inspection of
the police at that establishment. After mustering the whole
of the officers andmen who could be spared from their ordi-
nary police duties, Sir R. 4ayne saw the men go through
their drill, which is now a regular part of their duty. He
also inspected their clothing and ace ,utrements, and after
examining the books and documents of the division, and
transacting some business with Superintendent Richardson
he left the dockyard and inspected the recently erected
quarters of the married police, the internal arrangements
and all the details connected with which he found most
satisfactory.
Orders were received yesterday at Devonport to put into
commission the screw steam frigate Aurora, 35, now in the
first class of the steam reserve in Hamoaze. She is to have
a complement of 515 mon, is to be fully stored and provi-
sioned, and for the present will be attached to the Channel
squadron.
The paddlewheel steam tender, Princess Alice, M. Dyer
Master, has been placed in No, 1 dock at Devonport to have
her bottom cleaned.
The iron screw steamship Defence, 16, Capt. Augustus
Phillimore, went yesterday outside Plymouth breakwater
to make a trial of her engines at the measured mile.
The screw steam corvette Pelorue, 22, Capt. Boys, got up
steam yesterday, and went from Hamoaze into the Sound,
where she will receive her powder and ammunition. 'lo-
day she will make a trial trip,
The screw steam frigate Constance, 39, was removed yes-
terday from Hamoaze into the Prince's dock, at Devunport,
to have her bottom cleaned and valves overhauled, prepara-
tory to her being placed at moorings in the first division of
the steam reserve, in place of the Aurora.

The India Department has proposed, and the Admiralty
has approved of, an allowance of 50 rupees a month being
given for services as interpreter to one officer in each of her
Majesty's ships so long as they may remain on the East
India station. Any officer who may pass the Staff test in
Hindustani, or a good colloquial examination in Arabic or
Persian, will receive a sum of 180 rupees, being equivalent
to six months' allowance at 30 rupees a month, drawn by
interpreters of regiments for the entertainment of a moon-
shoe, or instructor of native languages. The Government
of Bombay will communicate to the senior naval officer on
the East India station as to the place where the proposed
examination will be held, and the regulations under which
it will be conducted.
The following appointments were made yesterday at the

Admiralty :—Sub-Lieut. Augustus 11. B. Bradshaw, to the

Wasp ; Reginald 0. B. Carey, naval cadet, to the Pelorus ;
Edward A. Amphlet, paymaster, to the Curagoa, additional,

for transport service at New Zealand; Dr. F. B. Hurley,
assist.-surgeon, to the Warrior ; and Isaac B. Liddell, in
the Shearwater, promoted to acting engineer.

Dreadful Explosion at East Greenwich.

LOSS OF LIFE AND SEVERAL PERSONS

SERIOUSLY INJURED.

The utmost excitement was occasioned yesterday through- 1
out the borough of Greenwich, arising from a terrible ex-
plosion by which a great amount of property was reduced
to ruin, and one man was killed, and several persons se- '
riously, and, it is feared, fatally injured. The scene of this
disaster was the extensive manufactory of Mr J. Bether, of
38, King William•street, City, but whose works are
situated at East Greenwich. The premises formed nearly a
parallelogram, and were used as steam saw mills and creo-
sote and alum works. That part of the building comprised
the steam-boiler house, 70 feet by 60 feet ; the engine-
house and alum stores, 50 feet by 60 feet, tapering off at the
end to only '2l feet. From the inquiries made of the offi
dials at the works, it appears that the workmen commenced
their work at the usual hour in the morning, and the steam
being up the work progressed in its usual way, and not the
least danger was apprehended of any part of the machinery
being out of working order, but all of a sudden, just as the
clock chimed half-past seven in the morning, a fearful scene
presented itself. In the first place, a loud explosion oc-
curred, resembling the discharge of a piece of artillery,
but upon looking out of their windows the inhabitants
were convinced that a fearful occurrence had taken
place in the vicinity of Greenwich, for the frag-
ments of the boiler and engine-house, as well as the
alum stores, were falling to the ground, after having been
blOwn high into the air. At the same time, immense vo-
lumes of dust were hovering over the buildings, and it was
some minutes before the exact nature of the catastrophe
could be learned. A glare of light shining through the clouds
of dust showed that a fire and also an explosion had taken
place, and the neighbours and police at once rushed to the
scene. They then beheld as the dust cleared away a fearful
sight—the boiler-house and engine•house, two substantial
the boiler blown
brick and timber buildings, hurled to pieces,
into a mis-shapen form, and the alum store similarly de-
stroyed. The cries of several men. told at once that the work-
men had not received sufficient warning to enable them to
escape with their lives before the explosion took place.
The rubbish was removed as quickly as possible, when
one man who was employed on the premises, named Anson,
35 years of age, was found frightfully burned and scalded,
The medical gentlemen of the district promptly attended,
and upon examination of the polow he was pronounced
to be quite dead. The body waso removed for an inquest to
be held by the coroner.
Four other workmen were next extricated, who were also
most frightfully injured, so that they were obliged to be re-
moved to the Dreadnought and Guy's Hospital, but the
nature of the burns and scalds they have received leave little
hope of their recovery. now the other persons working
near escaped appears quite a miracle.
The engines from Penn's engineering works and other
firms in the town, as well as those of the parish quickly at-
tended, and an express was sent off to London for the aid of
the brigade. Mr. Henderson, chief officer of the D district,
upon receiving the news started with a couple of engines to
the spot. A plentiful supply of water having been obtained,
the firemen and the inhabitants at once went to work, but
the stock in the open yard having become ignited, to get the
fire out was a work of difficulty. All hands, however, kept
to their work, and eventually they succeeded in getting the
fire extinguished. The total damage is very considerable,
and is thus officially reported by Mr. Henderson to the
in-
surance companies forming the London Brigade :---t
_re
" Nov. 18, IS63—Called at half-past 7 a.m.
moilla flro-
at the premises of Mr. J. Bather, steam s
prictor, and creosote and alum works,
eialwes that attended, two of B district an ta
1 • astl those of th
Greenwich;