The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-18 00:00:00

METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS.

The usual meeting of this board was held yester-
day at the offices in Spring-gardens. The President,
J. Thwaites, Esq., took the chair at twelve o'clock.

FINANCE.
The cash statement for the current week shows a
total general balance of .£100,671 12s.

METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMENTS.

Mr. SAVAGE brought up a report from the Gene-
ral Works Committee, recommending (among other
things) that the board should contribute the sum of
£1,625 towards widening the Beompton-road from
Knightsbridge to the Bell and Horns at South
Kensington. The committee also recommend that
the sum of £2OB 6s. Bd. should be contributed by
the board for setting back the houses Not. 148 to
151, in Upper Thames-street. The committee de-
clined to recommend the contribution of £9B 18s.,
asked for by the city of London, towards the cost
of setting back No. 5, next Rutland-wharf, Little
Carter-lane.

The report, after a short discussion, was agreed to.

THE PROPOSED METROPOLITAN RAILWAY.

Mr. BAZALGETTE, the chief engineer, in continua-
tion of his report of the 24th of March last, stated
that he had not attempted to enter upon the merits
of the different railway schemes, but had confined
his attention to the cffcct of the works of construc-
tion upon the metropolitan thoroughfares, thinking
g
it better (however objectionable some of them night.e
be) that the facts connected with them should r
laid before the Parliamentary committees or otherd
would
authorities by whom the various schemes
have to be investigated.
The board dispensed with the readin of the
report in extenso, as it bad been printed for circu-
lation.
After disposing of the routine business the board
adjourned.

ATTEMTT TO BURN DOWN THE WORKHOUSE OF
ST. GEORGE'S EAST.—Last evening, during the
sitting of the board of guardians of the above parish, an
alarm of fire was raised, and it was discovered that a por-
tion of the workhouse was in flames. The vagrant ward
was entirely destroyed, The incendiary, who was seen to
ignite the straw with a Wafer match, was a girl named
Elizabeth Henley, who had frequently been an inmate of
the workhouse, and bore a very bad character. On being
taken into custody she fully and impudently avowed her
malicious intention, and so far from expressing any con-
trition, appeared to glory in her horrible attempt.

PRICE.-- —..4d.
STAMPED ....sd.

Extensive Forgeries of Federal Notes.

-
At the Sheffield Town-hall en Thursday the two
men charged with forging large numbers of notes I
of the American Treasury were again brought
up. The prisoners were Edwin Hides, engraver,
and Henry Light, a lithographic printer ; and they I
were charged with forging 10 do), notes of the
American Tressury to the amount, of 30,000 dols. ;
with having feloniously in their possession the plate
and the lithographic stone from which such notes
had been printed ; and, thirdly, with conspir.ng to
defraud the United States' Government by uttering
such forged notes, of the various denominations
of 5 dols., 10 dols., and 20 dols. Mr. Sleigh, bar-
rister, of London, conducted the prosecution, at the
instance of the American Ambassador; the pri.
sellers were defended by Mr. Fretson, Sheffield-
The case against the prisoners may be briefly stated
as follows, as far as the prosecution has allowed it
to be developed. It appears that there has been
carried on in the country since the spring of 1862 a
system of forging American notes on a wholesale
scale. Information reached the United States'Am-
bassador some time ago which justified the belief
that these forgeries had been carried on in Sheffield
to a very serious extent. After that information
was given, towards the close of last year,the matter
was placed in the hands of Sergeant Spite], one of
the city of London detectives, and he came down to
Sheffield to prosecute his inquiries, which have led
to the apprehension of the prisoners. Hides has
carried on business for several years as an engraver
in George-street, Sheffield, and Light was for some
time in his employ as a lithographer. About a year
and a half ago Light went over to Ireland, and
according to his own statement, he there " dropped
upon" an American (whose name, for obvious rea-
sons, we do not mention), and the latter suggested
to him the forgery of the notes which the Federal
Government were at that time beginning to issue
so very liberally, and found money to purchase a
lithographic press. In the spring of 1862 Light
made his appearance in Sheffield, and knowing that
Hides had been in difficulties, he seems to have
picked him out as a man likely*to assist in carrying
out his plans. Hides had formerly had in his em-
ploy an engraver named Southard, and Light
sought him out and took him to see Hides, who
told him he had a job for him. He told Southard
he had a really good thing iu hand, and that if he
could help him efficiently money would be no ob-
ject. The job turned out to be the completion of
a partially engraved 10 dole, plate which Light had
got from his American friend. He completed the
Plate, which purported to be dated '° Patented,
Washington, 30th of June, 1857." That being done,
Light, who together with the other prisoner had
constantly superintended the work, sought out a
man named Wood, and they agreed with him to
strike off 3,000 impressions of the plate, which was
accordingly done. The necessary green tinge was
given to the paper by staining it in a strong decoc-
tion of green tea, prepared by Light, who also
stamped the consecutive numbers upon the notes in
red ink. During the engraving of the plate great
secresy was maintained in the shop. Hyde's appren-
tices, of whom there were several, were not permit-
ted to enter the room, and while the man Wood was
engaged in the printing of the notes a particularly
ingenious method of signaling was contrived be-
tween the confederates, only upon hearing which was
he to unlock the door. The notes were of 10 dols.
each, but it is known that the prisoners forged many
others, varying in value from 5 dols. to 20 dole. The
prisoner Hides usually sat in one of the lower rooms,
level with the street, the windows being coloured
over so that he could not be observed ; but a small
space being left so that he could keep watch on what
was going on in the street. The minute precautions
he took against observation excited the curiosity of
his apprentice, Fretwell, and on one occasion the
latter took advantage of the absence of his master,
entered the room, unlocked a drawer in which the
key had been left, and found therein a steel plate.
It appeared to b a bank plate, and the apprentice
with great haste " pulled" three copies of it in black
ink. Only one of these copies was produced, but it
bore the representation of part of an American 5
dol. note, the greater part of the plate being un-
finished when it was taken. The 3,000 notes were
partly printed and partly engraved, the litho-
graphing being done at the residence of Light. A
peculiar " holder" was used for the purpose of stamp-
ing the consecutive numbers upon the notes, and
this was found to have been made from a pattern
supplied by Hides, and it was found in the box of the
prisoner Light. It seems that when Southard was
engaged he did not suspect the matter was anything
out of the ordinary way ; but while he was engaged
on the plate he saw the prisoner Light practising
copying the signature of the United States Trea-
surer on the genuine note which he (Southard) was
copying on the copper plate. He then said he sus-
pected the plate was to print forged notes from.
but he was told to keep quiet, and that would be all
right. The witness Wood was told soon after he
began to print the notes that they were forgeries,
but he was also told that he would be all right.
However, he gave information to the American
consul in Liverpool, and also the consular agents in
Sheffield, but they allowed the matter to go on until
it was ripe for judicial investigation. The notes
when completed were sent off by post by I ight, A
remark was made on one occasion by the clerk that
the parcel ought to be left open at both ends, but
Light said to the man Wood that he " should be a
fool to do that, because they would see what was
inside them." The impressions were carefully erased
from the plate and the stone. Several forged 10 dol.
notes were produced, and were proved to be for-
geries by R. M. Stevenson, United States consular
agent in Sheffield. A remand was granted, after au
investigation extending over four hours, to the 9th
May, when it is probable other persons will be ap-
prehended.

THE SUEZ CANAL.

MANCHESTER, April 17.—1 thereftlAgullmn
an extensive business doing throughout"thezifitik.
Prices have advanced daily, and the market chins
*cl, per lb, higher than on Tuesday. The business
to-day has been very large for ail kinds of yarn for
Indic; at the extreme advance. There has also been
a fair inquiry for China, which has resulted in
some little business in twists suited for that mar-
ket. Buyers for the Levant trade have also been
in the market, at extreme prices. Home trade
buyers have competed pretty freely during the
whole week, and the advance on yarns suitable
to this branch has been fully Id. per lb. The
buyers for Germany have, as usual, acted with
much caution. This cl_ass of buyers seems to be
almost out of the market—a circumstance which
has been remarked with some surprise. There are
telegrams to the 30:11 of March from Cdlcutta
quoting no change. The market was strong and
acti‘e. A telegram is also reported to the 31st of
March quoting the market quieter, in cons( quence
of the high prices demanded by holds rs. In cloth
there is still a good deal of inquiry for India, and
very full prices are demanded. During the week a
very large business has been d';ne in mulls and jac-
conets, light shirtings, and long cloths. To-day
there is less business doing, especially in shirtings
and long cloths, which is owing to shippers having
in many cases completed their orders, as well as to
the bareness of the market in fabrics of this kind
suitable to India. With the slackening in the de-
mand, however, there is not the slightest giving
way in prices, and buyers having to make pur-
chases have found that they must give the extreme
rates asked on Tuesday. The buyers for other
markets do not respond, and the demand has been
mainly for India. The high prices check business
for the home trade, and T-eloths and printers are
not in much request, but prices are firm.
CARDIFF, April 16.—The coal merchants aro
better supplied with orders than has been the case
for a long time. The market quotations are firmly
maintained, but there has been no actual advance in
prices. The iron trade is moderately active. Con-
tinental orders are principally in hand at present.
There is no change to report in quotations.
NOTTINGHAM, April 17.—A better feeling pre-
vailed in the market to-day. There was a numer-
ous attendance of manufacturers at this Exchange-
hall, and sales in lace yarns were effected more
readily, medium numbers being quoted ld. to 2d.
per lb. higher. Hosiery yarns were also held at
an advance, but the amount of business done was
limited. Silks of all kinds were firm at late prices.
In brown nets there was not much doing. An
opinion prevails that if makers would take less
money for fine sorts a speculative demand would
spring up; but this they cannot do, as these nets
are now selling at less than prime cost ; coarse nets
have still a tendency to give way.

The Explosion of a Powder Mill at EwelL

EWELL, Friday, Noon.

This morning Mr. Wm. Carter, coroner for the
eastern division of the county of Surrey, opened an
investigation at the Queen Adelaide Inn, Kingston-
road, upon the bodies, or rather the remains of the
bodies, of the three unfortunate men who lost their
lives at the frightful explosion which took place on
Wednesday morning last at the gunpowder mills
carried on by the firm of Messrs. Sharpe, Adams,
and Co., situated about a mile and a half distance
from Ewell, on the road to Kingston.
The explosion, it may be remembered, occurred
about 6 o'clock on the morning of Wednesday, very
shortly after the men had commenced work, and
from the fact that the corning-mill house, where
the explosion took place, having been completely
blown to pieces, it was for some time deemed im-
possible even to conjecture the cause of the disaster.
A careful and minute search has, however, re-
sulted, it is stated, in a portion of one of
the copper shamps, or glazing barrels, being
found at some very considerable distance from the
premises that were destroyed, and as the hung wag
found in its place, it furnished abundant evidence
that the work of unloading, in which the men would
have had to be engaged at that part of the premises,
could not have been completed when the sad fatality
happened. These shamps or glazing barrels certain
from a hundred weight to a hundred weight and a
half, but it is ❑ot clearly ascertainable upon any
reliable authority how many champs there were, or
what gunpowder there was in the mill. Of course
these facts will be elicited before the conclusion of
the inquiry.
The Coroner having sworn the jury, with Mr. R.
Henderson as foreman, the learned gentleman said
he had only one observation to make in the matter
of the inquiry. He was fully aware that they were
all neighbours and lived in the parish, and they
must understand that they were met to inquire into
the cause of the explosion that was said to have
taken place. It would be their duty to listen care-
fully and patiently to all the evidence, lest there
should be any criminality chargeable to any one; of
course it was quite impossible for him as coroner to
say what might arise in the course of the inquiry,
but it would be the most convenient course for him
(the coroner) to put such questions as he thought
necessary, and then the jury or the professional
gentlemen, if any were present, could ask what they
pleased with a view to elicit the facts of the sad
catastrophe. He proposed that they should view
the ruins of the place and the remains of the bodies,
and get them identified as far as possible, which
might, as he understood, be thoroughly done, as far
as far as one of them was concerned.

The jury then prJceeded, accompanied by the
coroner, to view the ruins of the mill, or, as should
rather be stated, the charred and blackened ground
on which it formerly stood, for not a vestige remains.
On inspecting the premises it certainly appeared.
that every precaution had been adopted that human
ingenuity could devise to prevent even the possi-
bility of an accident. The corning mill was far
removed from all other works, and a large pond (the
best non-conductor) separated it from a thick wood
which intervened between it and other buildings.
The jury then performed the painful task
sofavnie_wii
ing the lemains of the unfortunate sufferers,
is a
the
trunk
is perhaps needless to say that the
fragments
a most
.nd as_ far as possible.
of
harrowing and sickening
The remains of
Henry Hook
ham showed only
of the
pthe
pcorpses e
th atdogbeetehnercoilnleost:epedi;l:sa
body with the back part
completely blown away and the left
at the shoulder. This poor old man had
wards of 30 years at the works, and of the
head, the face being
arm blown off
been up-
,was recently
nsioned off, but for a fewPe
working as a substitute. He was past had been
a thorou
ex-
perienced man. The lower ghly part of the body only of
James William Baker
was found, and that, of course,
could not be identified
part of the skull w until yesterday evening when
the hair. This
unhappy
discovered and recognised by
six children. The ap p y man has left a wife and
Woolman, had
hit otherlertlemahnl, Tbomffas Warman orh
and the other just below leg blown
kwnneeo T
ah
t e
tr
heewtabsi
thigh
difficulty in identifying him, as his features were
quite perfeot.

We glean the following amusing scraps from an interest-
ing article by Lieut. Jayrle, of the French navy, published
in this fortnight's Revue Gontemporaine, under the title of
" Une Visite aux Travaux de Percement de l'lsthme de
Suez." To reach the works part of the distance is done by
rail : the third• class vehicles mere vans protected from the
sun's rays by an awning, are the only ones which a native
Egyptian will select, for there ho can breathe freely, and
may sit down without the encumbrance of cushions and
°t a tsfirlkleesthhche..w, fresh-water canal,
waits
official,o t her newfangleddresse
d inab lEuropeanblouse,
is the comforts.
only
being
negv errivtli.do station an
s
very obsequious to the European travellers,
their leisure
quietly till all have resumed their seaartsurn. If a
pas.
hadit i s
done.very
before he gives the signal forkde:
likely the train would
TDeells-ecrelta:ntili;isiiharv'meent of the Arabs, trees and
senger chose to Bit down and
start
_zBigh'wwiltehnecteourist the way to Lake
the first halting-place, a few
attempted agricultural pur-
The works begin at Zagiai
aculrot ascarho.ss
Athte
in the midst of the sand of the
adventurous Europeans
notice, and various tribes have
the canal. When a visitor
awa.titnrgacted
set up their tents along
El Abassieh, a
plants itast s;
of distinction arrives at Tell-el-Kebi E
ll
age s
taarne
duopp
open
rifles comel 8 e
ar ttso.aaarneTd;heeit
marksolhgt of joy; the gates of
village on the same route, the male populationthrie oN
once and in the saddle, go out to meet
him, and let dr their
to receive him, drums beat, bonfires are lit, and the women,
squatted before thedoors of their huts, set up a croaking sound
which none but an experienced ear can distinguish from the
music of a communityof
frogs. Of all means of locomo-
tion in this district, the omnibus drawn by seven drome-
daries is the most original. lt goes over eight kilometres
of sand ; the dromed • aries get on slowly, sink into the
sand up to their knees, got out again as well as they can,
and only attempt a trot when inspired by a few hearty
whacks from the driver. In this way the vehicle; reaches
the Scull plateau, where the central European settlement,
consisting of a few houses, stands. Here upwards of 20,000
Arabs may he seen at work in the cutting of the great canal,
going and coming with a little basket of earth on their
heads, which they go and empty some way off. The com-
pany has tried hard to bribe them into using wheelbarrows, ------7---- -----
n
but to no purpose, the Arab will not part with his basket.A
.
telegra iphc
despatch from 'burin anllol.lrteeS
He lives upon vegetables, and drinks water; he may even
that M. Farini is in a dying state, but Without
do with the latter alone ; a pay of 10 sous per day is quite
iist manner his health was affected, say"
The
a fortune to him. The article from which we borrow this ing m' Iv statement by declaring ()Pinion •
explains the that the 1
is full of other pereillings of the kind, and is well deserving
labouring under the effects of a ox--limster id
stroke of apoplexy. ,
of perusal.—Galt:gnani.

Dr. Barrett, of Ewell, who was attracted to the
spot by hearing the explosion, has, since the finding
of the bodies superintended the painful work of
putting the fragments together in as near a complete
form as possible. It may bo added that fragments
of fingers and toes are being found all about the

place.
On the return of tliejury from their painful duty,
which occupied upwards of an hour, the evidence
was pro3ceded with.
The witnesses were for the most part the work-
men about the premises, and they described the
mode in which the manufacture was conducted,
and the precautions taken by the owners
expected,
f the
mills to ensure safety ; but, as might be exp
es
they could throw no light whatever,
nor suggt
any reasonable conjecture as to the cause of the
explosion.
verdict of accidental feat
The jury returned a h
from the explosion of the mills.

ITApER MAJESTY'S THEriIARE.-
THIS EVENING (Saturday), 18,T Verdi's
favourite Opera,
IL TRO VATO RE.
Titiens, Alboni, Corsi ; Santley, Bassi, Sold!, Casaboni, and
Giuglini.

Conductor, Signor ARDIT I.
To be followed (second time) by the highly successful new
and original Ballet, LA. FARFALLET rA, supported by
M. Alessandro Paul, M. Frari, M. Prospero Diani ; Mdlle.
Pieroni, and Mdlle. Amalla Ferraris.

ARRANGEMENTS FOR NEXT WEEK.
Tuesday, April 2I.—LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR. New
Ballet.
Thursday, April 23.—Titiens, Giuglini. Debut of Madame
Therese Ellinger. New Ballet.
Doors open at half-past Seven. The Opera will commence
at Eight o'clock precisely.
Prices :—Stalls, One Guinea ; Reserved Box Seats, Half-a-
Guinea ; Pit Tickets, Bs. 6d. ; Gallery Stalls, ss. and 7s. ;
G.llery, 2s. 6d. ; Private Boxes, in the Gallery Circle, to
admit three persons, 21s.

Notice. - It will be necessary for those parties who intend
visiting the Reserved Box Seats (at 10s. 6d. each), to attend
in Evening Costume.

Boxes, Stalls, and Tickets may be had at the Box-office of
the Theatre (under the Colonnade in the Haymarket`, which
is open daily, under the superintendence of Mr. Nugent, from
Ten till Six ; and at all the principal Libraries and Music-
sellers.

THE A T RE-R YA L, DRURY-LANE.-
Lessee and Manager, Mr. Edmund Falconer.
THIS EVENING, April 18, for the 357th time in London,
PEEP O'DAY. Mes=rs. Henry Lorraine, Walter C.
Verner, Addison, J. Graham. G. Spencer, T. Neville, &O.;
Misses Cleveland, Clara Weston, M. Hudson, Acc.
To conclude with MAGIC TOYS. Valentine, Miss Lydia
Thompson.