The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-30 00:00:00

THE CATASTROPHE AT BIRMINGHAM.

The following are copies of a letter received by
Mr. Charles Sturge, mayor of Birmingham, written
by command of the Queen, in reference to the late
catastrophe at Aston-park, and of his worship's re-
ply thereto:—

Osborne, July 25, 1863,

Sir,—The Queen has commanded me to express to you
the pain with which her Majesty has read the account of a
fatal accident which has occurred during a fete at Aston-
park, at Birmingham.
Her Majesty cannot refrain from making known through
you her personal feelings of horror that one of ner subjects
—a female—should have been sacrificed to the gratification
of the demoralising taste, unfortunately prevalent, for exhi•
bitions attended with the greatest danger to the performers,

Were any proof wanting that such exhibitions are demo-
ralising, I am commanded to remark that it would be at once
found in the decision arrived at to continue the festivities,
the hilarity, and the sports of the occasion after an event
so melancholy.
The Queen trusts that you, in common with the rest of
the townspeople of Birmingham, will use your influence to
prevent in future the degradation to such exhibitions of the
park which was gladly opened by her Majesty and the be-
loved Prince Consort, in the hope that it would be made
serviceable for the healthy exercise and rational recreation
of the people.—l have the honour to be, sir, your most obe-
dient
humble servant, C, B. PHIPPS.

The Mayor of Birmingham.

Borough of Birmingham, Mayor's office,
July 28, 1863.

Sir,—l have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of
your letter of the 25th inst., written by command of her
Majesty the Queen.

In the first place, I beg you will convey to her Majesty
my humble assurance that there is not in the kingdom an
individual who laments more sincerely than niyselt not only
the melancholy accident to which you refer, but the de-
praved taste for a barbarous species of amusement which
unhappily has become popular not only in the metropolis
but in all parts of her Majesty's home dominions. It is
only a short time since, and during my mayoralty, that it
was proposed to exhibit a similar performance within the
borough ; but, though I was not empowered by law to in-
terfere, I ventured so far to interpose my authority as to
prevent it. In this unfortunate instants my name appeared,
in conjunction with those of the Lord-Lieutenant and seve-
ral magistrates and members of Parliament, as patrons of
the fits, which was for a charitable purpose ; but I believe
not a single gentleman whose name so appeared had any
idea that a dangerous exiaibition would be attempted. For
the future, I have every reason to hope that, notwith •
standing Aston-park is beyond the jurisdiction of the
authorities of Birmingham, their influence and that of their
fellow-town,men will henceforth limit its use exclusively to
the healthy exercise and rational recreation of the people,
so that the gracious intentions of her Majesty and her re-
versed Consort may not be frustrated but realised.
In the meantime I trust exhibitions of so dangerous and
demoralising a character may be interdicted by Parliamen
tary enactment.—l have the honour to be, sir, your obedi-
ent servant, CHARLES STTJRGE, Mayor.

HER MAJESTY.

OSBORNE, Tuly 29

Their Serene Highnesses Prince and Princess
Edward of Saxe Weimar are entertaining, during the race
week at Goodwood, a select and distinguished company at
Molcomb Lodge. The circle includes his Serene Highness
Prince Herman of Saxe Weimar, the Uuke and Ductless of
Manchester, the Earl of Derby, the Earl of Coventry, Lord
Dunkellin and Sir Henry and Lady Sophia des Vcaux. Theze
was a dance last night at the lodge, to which the visitors of
the Duke and Duchess of Richmond at Goodwood House
and a brilliant circle received invitations.

The Duke of Hamilton and Lord Charles Douglas
left town yesterday to join the Duchess of Hamilton (nee
Princess Marie of Baden), and Lady Mary Hamilton, at
Baden Baden.

The Marquis of Exeter has been detained in
town by indi,position, otherwise the noble marquis would
have joined the company visiting the Duke and Duchess of
Richmond at Goodwood during the race week.

The Eart of St. Germans leaves town to-day for
his seat, Port Eliot, in Cornwall.

The Countess of Dunmore and Ladies Murray
have left town for the family scat in Scotland.
Viscount and Viscountess de Vesci and Hon.
Misses Vesey left Carlton-house-terrace, on Tuesday, for
their seat in Ireland.

Lord Stanley, M.P., has returned to town from
visiting the Marquis and Marchioness of Salisbury, at Hat-
field House, Herts.

The Marchioness of Salisbury and family intend
to leave Hatfield Ilaise, Herte, to-morrow, to pass a few
weeks at Bournemouth,

The Elrl and Countess of Yarborough have le,
,own for Brocklesbury Park, Lincolnshire,

The American Iliad in a Nutshell.
-.---

BY THOMAS CARLYLB.
(New Number of Macmillan for August.)

PETER of the North (to PAUL of the South)—" Paul,
you unaccountable F coundrel, I find you hire your servants
for life, not by the month or year as Ido ! You are going
straight to Hell, you —1"

PALL---" Good words, Peter! The risk is my own; I
am willing to take the risk. Hire you your servants by the
month or the day, and get straight to Heaven, leave me to
my own method."

PETER—" No, I won't. I will beat your brains out
first 1" (And is trying dreadfully ever since, but cannot
yet manage it.)

CRYSTAL PALACE.-FIVE SHILLING DAY.-
WEDNESDAY, July 29.—Admissions on payment, 2,532,
ditto by season tickets, 4,237 ; total, 6,819.
DEATH OF LORD MACDONALD. —After a pro-
tracted illness, Lord M•.cdonaid died on Saturday
last at Bessingby Hall, Yorkshire. From his impaired
health, the mournful e'eent has been no surprise to his
friends. The late Right Hon, Godfrey Win. Wentworth
Macdonald, Lord Macdonald, Baron of Slate, county An-
trim, in the peerage of Ireland, and a baronet of Nova
Scotia, was the eldest of the two sons of Godfrey, third
lord, by Louise Maria, daughter of Mr. Farley Eclair. He
was born March 7, 1809, consequently he was in the 55th
year of his ago.
SUICIDE WITH CYANIDE OF POTASSIUM.-A
determined suicide was found to have been com-
mitted by a young married woman, named !Alen Harris,
this morning, at No. 11, Circus-road-east, Kentish-town.
From what could be gathered by our reporter, it appears
that the husband of the deceased had bought a photographic
apparatus and some chemicals, including the cyanide of
potassium, intending to commence business as a photo-
graphic artist. The wife last evenng had been out drink-
ing and returned home about one o'clock this morning and
laid down on the bed. About three o'clock she got up, and,
without disturbing her husband, went to the cupboard, took
out the bottle containing the cyanide, and drank a large
portion—so large a portion, indGed, that it made her very
sick. This amused her husband, who, finding what she
had done, called for his sister, who was sleeping in
an adjoining room. The) at once gave her copious draughts
of water, which made her vomit still more, and seemed
somewhat to allay her suffe,ings. The sister then made her
up a bed, and placing her therein, requested her husband

no, to disturb her. Both of them then left her, without
having called in any medical assistance, and went to rest
again, On toe husband, about seven o'clock this morning,
going to where his wife lay, he was s,artled at finiing her
quite dead and very much discoloured. He knocked vio-
lently at the street door, arousing the whole neighbourhood,
at the same time shouting " She's dead I she's dead I"
Medical assistance was at once called in, but of course of no
avail. Information has been forwarded to Dr. Lankester,
the coroner, of the occurrence,

THE MEMBERS FOR MARYLEBONE.—Lord Fer
moy and Mr. Hai vey Lewis, the members for Mary.
kbone, attended the vestry meeting at St. Prancras yester•

day, and gave an account of their conduct dui ing the ses-
sion that has just come to a close. Both gentlemen dealt
principally on local topics ; but Lord Fermoy, glancing for
a moment at general politics, deprecated the idea of our
going to war on behalf of Poland. The meeting, by reso-
lution, expressed their approbation of the conduct of the
members.

SUICIDE BY PHOSPHORUS.--An inquest was held
on Tuesday evening at the London Hospital, before
Mr. John Humphreys, upon the body of Eleanor L,igh,
aged 27 years. From the evidence adduced, it appeared
that the deceased had been in domestic service up to the
previous Friday, but that she had given way to drinking.
On that day she became so mad that her mistress discharged
her, giving her 10s., five or six of which she spent in drink.
She then went to the house of a relative, and said, " I have
done for myself. I am poisoned." Assistance was procured,
and she was conveyed to tne hospital, where she died. Mr.
N. Hickford, resident medical officer, said that deceased had
swallowed a quantity of liquid phosphorus. Every remedy
was administered, but without avail. It was stated that
inquiries had been made with the view of ascertaining how
the deceased had possessed herself of the phosphorus, but
without success, No bottle was found with her. The
coroner having summed up, the jury returned a verdict of
" Suicide while of unsound mind."

THE ARCHDUKE MAXIMILIAN of Austria is
again talked of as a probable candidate for the throne of
Mexico. What will be said to this, however, by the
Prince Napoleon ?
bEA MCiSTERS. The Sentinelle 7oulonnaisse
states that the fishermen of the Isies of Hyeres have
been astonished during the last two or three weeks by the
disappearance of fish from their usual haunts off the coasts,
and attributed the fact to the presence of sharks, which fre-
quently visit those waters in summer. The teal cause, how.
ever, was accidentally discovered by a vine-grower of Port
Cr s, who, having observed tat his vines in a field oh the
coast had been ravaged during the night determined to keep
watch. He accordingly went about 2 the following morn-
ing, and was astonished to see a number of marine monsters
wallowing in the vineyard. Panic struck at the sight, he
threw down his gun, and ran away as fast as he could. The
next night sevetsl persons watched, and they st,on asc‘r-
tamed that the monsters were a herd of seals which appear
to have taken up their abode in the Day of Hyeres.

----
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-(innl,ll.r.

The Queen, accompanied by Princess Helena and
Prince Leiningen, drove out yesterday. The Hon.
Mrs. Bruce and Colonel the Hon. A. Fitzhardinge
were in attendance.

The Prince and Princess of Wales cruised yester-
day in Lord Alfred Paget's yacht, and sailed to the
Needles.

Viscountess Jocelyn has succeeded the Dowager
Countess of Mount -Edgcumbe as Lady in Waiting.

A deputation from the Fisheries Preservation Society,
consisting of Mr. P. L. Simmorlds (secretary of Sanitary
Committee, Society of Arts), Henry E Bicknell, Lord Sdl-
toun, Mr. Martin T, Smith, M.P., Dr. Waller Lewis, Dr.
Peter Hood, Chevalier de Caphn, M.D., Lord Llanover,
the Hon. Colunel Keane, R.E., and Francis Francis, had
an interview with Viscount Palmerston yesterday.
The Right Hon. T. Milner Gibson left town yesterday.
The Right Hon. W. Hutt and Mrs. Hutt left town yes..
terday for Gibside, near Gateshead, Durham,

The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council sat yester.
day. Lord Kingsdown gave judgment in an appeal from
Bengal, " Khajah Gour Ali v. Ashruffoonissa and others,'
and in an appeal, " the same parties v. Ahmed Khan."
An appeal from the Admiralry Court—the Corinthian (part
heard), was concluded, and judgment given by Lcrd
Chelmsford. An appeal from the Admiral Court—the
Falkland and Navigator, was heard. The lords present
were—Lord Chelmsford, Lord Kingsdown, and Lord
Wensleydale.

Despatches were received yesterday at the Colonial-office
"rom the Governors of the West India Islands.

PRINCE ARTHUR AT DOLGELLY.—His Royal
Highness ascended the lorry Caner Idris, and the
view from the top was all that could be desired. On Mon-
day the Royal party visited the Cambrian and Clogau gold
mines, and were saown the process of crushing and amal-
gamating, and some beautiful specimens of gold in quartz
were presented to him. After extending their journey to
the little seaport town of Barmouth, they strolled to the
Precipice •walk and Nannau park. On Tuesday the High
Sheriff of the county, Mr. H. Morgan, called on his Royal
Highness. The High Sheriff was attended by his splendid
retinue of javelin men. The Cader Idris Rifla Volunteers
mustered on the green in front of the Lion Hotel, and were
inspected by hie Royal Highness. The Royal party de-
parted in the High Sheriff's carriage for Carnarvonshire,
via Bala and Festiniog.