The Sun.
London, England, 1865-10-12 00:00:00

Lyons and Mediterranean.

Southern
Western
Eastern
Sardinian .
Austrian
Lombard
North of Spain
Saragossa ...
Ditto to Barcelona
Roman

FIRE AT THE FRENCH EMBASSY.—Yesterday
morning at 11 o'clock a fire broke out at Albert
Gate House, Knightsbridge, the residence of the French
Embassy. Being such an extensive establishment, it pro-
duced the greatest alarm in the neighbourhood. The fire
originated in a store-room on the third floor, immediately
adjoining the bed-rooms, which was stored with very valu-
able carpets. Fortunately the fire was confined and kept
under by the inmates of the house till the arrival of the
Fire Brigade engines, under the direction of Superinten-
dent Swanton, and by a plentiful supply of water the fire
was soon extinguished, but not before several valuable
carpets were destroyed. The French Embassy and the
contents are insured in several offices to a very large
amount.

PARLIAMENT OF CANADA.—NearIy 120 bills,
public and private, were passed in the recent session
of the Parliament of Canada, which closed in September.
The number of private bills has increased remarkably.
Among the public bills passed was one to provide more
fully for the punishment of kidnapping ; a bill for the pre-
vention of contagious diseases at military and naval sta-
tions in the province ; a bill to provide against the intro-
duction and spreading of disorders affecting certain animals;
a bill to impose a tax on dogs and to provide for the better
protection of sheep. The most important measure passed
was a bill for the codification and consolidation of the civil
law of Lower Canada—a work, of which the Speaker said
in his address to the Governo-Gerieral, that it will assuredly
obtain for the jurisprudence of Lower Canada the approba-
tion of the learned profession abroad. Mr. Speaker pre-
sented a bill for granting to her Majesty certain expenses
of the civil Government for the financial year (June)
1865-66, to which the royal assent was signified ; "In her
Majesty's name his Excellency the Governor-General
thanks her loyal subjects, accepts their benevolence, and
assents to this bill." A short speech from his excellency
closed the fourth session of the eighth provincial Parlia-
ment.
ACCIDENT TO MISS MESKEN AT ASTLEY'S
THEATRE.—Last evening an accident, which might
have been attended with serious consequences, happened to
Miss Menken while she was performing in the second act
of the " Child of the Sun," at Astley's Theatre. In this
act she has to ride across the stage upon a " dummy" horse
through heavy seas which are represented as beating
against a rocky shore, and when she had passed about half-
way across, sometimes appearing and then disappearing in
the surf, herself and the horse fell through an opening in
the boards down a descent of about ten feet. There was
a scene-shifter below upon whom both alighted. This
broke the force of the fall, otherwise she must have been
seriously injured. As it was, however, her side and back
were bruised. Tho curtain was immediately dropped, and
great excitement prevailed among the audience. Mr. Dodd,
surgeon, of Westminster-road, was at once sent for, and he
having applied such remedies as were necessary, Miss
Menken was enabled, in the course of about 20 minutes, to
reappear upon the stage and to resume her part in the per-
formance. The scene-shifter received a shock to his system
which will probably be felt by him for some weeks.

DESTRUCTIVE RAILWAY ACCIDENT.—On Tuesday
evening an accident occurred on the Great Western
Railway at Hoo Brook, about a mile and a quarter from
Kidderminster, which occasioned a great destruction of
property, and it was only by a miracle human life was not
lost. The sidings near the station are higher than the spot
where the accident occurred ; and by some mischance
several trucks laden with flour escaped feom them and ran
down the incline and over Hoo Brook viaduct, no one being
cognisant of what had occurred. The up Landon goods
train passed through Kidderminster station at 7 25 p.m.
It was drawn by a fine powerful new engine, which
recently cost £3,000, and was regarded as one of the best
the company possessed. It careered onwards at a rate
which, when it came in contact with the escaped trucks,
probably amounted to between 30 and 40 miles an hour.
The night was dark, and unexpected as the crash was, it
was most terrific in its character. Away at Kidderminster
station the dull reverberation of the shock was heard,
although more than a mile distant, and the apprehensions
it occasioned were soon afterwards confirmed by a gentle-
man who resides near the scene of the collision galloping
into the station with the unpleasant tidings. The wreck
of a train was never more complete. The ponderous
engine was nearly buried in the ground at the side of the
line, and above it was an irregular pyramid of broken
trucks some 20 feet or more in height. The engine-driver
stoker, and guard escaped serious injury. The broken
trucks were about 15 in number, and the chaos into which
the line was thrown was bewildering. Telegrams were
sent to Worcester and Dudley for assistance, and a large
body of men were soon on the spot. The wreck of the
trucks was burnt to afford light for the men to work by.
With-great exertion the down line was cleared soon after
midnight, and the passenger trains, which had long been
delayed, were at length allowed to pass. The engine of the
goods train was dragged out by main force with the aid of
another engine, and the pile of trucks and their contents
were gradually removed. The up line was not cleared till
mid-day yesterday. The damage done is estimated at
between £3,000 and £4,000. Tho yardman has been
taken into custody for negligence.