The Sun.
London, England, 1862-08-04 00:00:00

THAMES.

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.—For a great many years suicides
and attempts at suicide had been committed by drunken
prostitutes in the waters of the London Dock from the seve-
ral bridges in New Gravel-lane, Shadwell, and Old Gravel-
lane, St. George-in-the-East, and occasi, nally from the
swivel bridge near Wapping Church, and the swivel bridge
which passes over the Hermitage Lcck, Lower East Smith •
field. In almost every ease the magistrates have remanded
the women rescued from the waters for a week, and the
spiritual advice and exhortations of the Rev. Mr. Jephson,
the pious and excellent chaplain of the Clerkenwell House
of Detention have met with the happiest effects. A few have,
notwithstanding, relapsed and attempted suicide a second
time. About 30 years ago the late Mr. Ballantiu9 committed
several prostitutes who had attempted self-destruction
in the waters of the London Dock, for trial, and the body
of another woman of the town, who had drowned herself,
was given to the surgeons for dissection, after a verdict of
felo de se was returned. The practice has latterly become
so common that something more than mere remands for a
week and a kind lecture (which the frail sisterhood call a '
" blowing up") from the magistrates has become necessary,
in the way of example to deter others from the commission
of a crime contrary to all divine and human laws. On
Friday evening, after Mr. Humphreys and a Jury had held
an inquest on the body of a woman named Emma Hammer-
ton, who precipitated herself from the Old Gravel-lane
bridge, and was drowned, the Coroner remarked that if
the Jury were to return a verdict offelo de se, it might be
productive of some good, for it generally happened after
a case of suicide by ono prostitute that nearly a score
acted in a similar manner.

-Thies morning Margaret Scott, aged 21, of No. 31, Angel-
court, Shad well, where none but " fallen angels" are to be
found, was charged with attempting self-destruction. She
was observed by a butcher's boy, named Nicholas Horns-
worth to "throw herself over" the Old Gravel-lane
swivel bridge into the water. The boy halloaed out
for the drags. There was some delay in bring-
ing them, and a young man jumped into the dock
and dived after her. He brought her up and she was
saved. The brave fellow did not give his name and ad-
dress, nor did he attend to give evidence of his gallantry in
saving the unfortunate and misguided woman. She stated
in answer to questions put to her by the magistrate that
she had been a gay woman for 13 months and came
from Clapham. She was very sorry for what she had done.
She was drunk when she did it.

Selfe said these repeated attempts at suicide were
quite
to humanity. lie remanded the prisoner
to-itie shockingr.
h a prostitute,
Clerkenwellas prison
fora
w week.as
Jane charged by John Bryan, a
police constable, with attempting self-destruction.
t..he was
in a state of intoxication, and shouting and bawling, d
in the midst of her wild delirium she an
went OD. the ne
Gravel-lane swivel bridge, and said she would drown
her •w self. She made a pretence to climb ONer7 and was arrested.
Mr. Selfe committed her to the House of Correction as a
disorderly prostitute for 10 days, and to be kept at hard
labour.
In the month of July there were 17 attempts to colloalt
suicide from the London Dock swivel bridges.

THE FORDINGBAIDGE MURDER.
--George Gil..bert, who was convicted of the atrocious murder Of 4 Vung
lady at Fordiugby4a
Vilts executed this xueraillg,

HALF-YEARLY MERTING—(THIS DAY).
The ordinary half.yearly meeting was held a'
the offices, 31, Parliament-street.
The chairman presided.
The report of the directors states that the balance
at the credit of the revenue account for the half-
year ending the 30th Tune is £1,638, which anables
the directors to recommend a dividend for the
half-year of £2 per cent., instead of £1 108
per cent., which has been the rate for the ccrres:
pending half of the four,preceding years, leaving a
balance of £lO2. The Act for the Addiscombe Ex-
tension has been obtained in fiat present session,
notwithstanding the strenuous opposition of the
Brighton Company in both Houses of Parliament,
on the ground that it was the first step to an exten-
sion of the company's line to Croydon. It was un-
questionably in that view that the project received
such unanimous support from the inhabitants of
that populous town ; and it will be incumbent on
the company, after so decided an expression in
favour of a new line to Croydon, to renew the ap-
plication made to Parliament some years ago, for
powers to provide the desired accommodation, by
the further extension of the Mid-Kent line to a cen-
tral station in the town, which will give access to
the new London stations of Cannon street and
Charing cross, as well as to the important places on
the North Kent line. The additional capital which
will be required for the construction of the Addis-
combe line will be raised by the creation, under the
powers of the recent Act, of 9,000 shares of £5 each,
bearing a preferential final dividend of 5 per cent.
per annum, secured on the net receipts of the exist-
ing railway and on those which will be derived
from the new line. The directors believe that this
arrangement will be found to be the best for pro-
viding the funds and securing the rapid construction
of the line. The extension is only 31 miles in
length, and will be extremely cheap to construct
and it is expected that the line will be completed
and open for public traffic in the early part of next
summer. The expenditure on capital account
amounts to £100,702.

The report was carried unanimously.
A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the
proceedings.

SHIPPING-THIS DAY.

LONDON, Aug. 4.—Wind this day at noon—South
Westerly ; fresh breeze, and very fine weather.
PLYMOUTH, Av. 4 —Wind S.W.—Arrived—Jared,
screw steamer, from Havre for New York.

PORTSMOUTH, Aug. 3.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—Rain-
bow, from Quebec. Sailed—Blenheim, for Calcutta.
NEWPORT, Aug. 3.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—lntrepid,
from Quebec. Sailed—M. C. Stevens, for St. Thomas ;
Minnie Gordon, for Bermuia.

- -
CLYDE, Aug. 2.—Wind W.—Arrived—Mangeston,
from Moulmein ; Rosina, from Hayti ; Acadia, from
Quebec.

FALMOUTH, Aug. 3.—Wind variable—Arrived—Argo,
from Quebec.

(By ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)

SOUTHAMPTON, Monday Morning.
Arrived—Therese Aristede, from Bordeaux ; Le Coq and
La Poule, from Cherbourg.
Sailed—London Ricket, for Shields; Jessie, for Dundee ;
Mystic, for London.

GRAVESEND, Monday Morning.
Arrived, August 3—Maria Matilda, from Hornosand ;
Harriet, from Pugwash.

Arrived, August 4—Lioretta, from Girgenti ; Torrance,
from Bayonne; Gesin t, from Archangel; Azorian, from
Teneriffe ; Kong Carl, from Skeleftea.

DEAL, Monday Morning.
Passed—Argo, from Hull for Odessa ; Malcolm Brothers
(of Sou‘hamptona), and Maria Leocidie (of Melbourne),
from the west, for the north.

FATAL BOAT ACCIDENT.—A dreadful accident
occurred yesterday about nine miles from Preston. A num•
ber of factory operatives left Ashton Quay in a boat for an
excursion. On the return the vessel came into contact
with a schooner and capsized; eight of the unfortunate
excursionists were drowned. Only two of the bodies have
been recovered ; the others have drifted out to sea.
THE ALPHABETICAL TARGET.—Mr. Dempster's
alphabetical target, an account of which appeared in our
columns a fe w days since, has since then been admitted
into the Military Engineering Department at the Great
International Exhibition.

A Berlin letter states that, on the 31st ult., the
Prince Royal was about to start from Potsdam to the capital,
to inspect a body of troops, when he suddenly sent word
that ho should not leave. It appears that the cause of his
absence was the critical situation of the Princess, whose
acconchement was hourly expected.

'Fitz PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT.—The Queen
will hold a council at Balmoral on Tuesdny next (to-mor •
row), when the royal speech for the prorogation of Parlia-
ment will be settled, and the Ito yal Commission issued.
As these cannot arrive in London until the following day,
the close of the session will probably be postponed till
Thursday.—Observer.
OFFICIAL APPOINTMENTS.—.AIexander Wison
Moir, Esq., has been appointed president of th Council of
the Turks and Caicos Islands, and their dependencies,
John Reid Jolly, and George Wall, Es
are appointed
members of the Legislative Council of thns'land of Ceylon,
and Col. William Crowley Stace, ILE ,
the Council of the Island of St. Rel • to be a member of
John
Hazel!. Esq., to be a member et theeEtiaxe;euti
Esq.,
of
the island of St. Vincent ; William Lynch, to be a
member of the Executive Council of the Island
of h
loq f : St. iTtt
cent, and William Macin_t_yre, Esq., to be a member
Council of Dominica-Ulmerver. , wm•
THE LATE CASE OF CRUELTy.—The
the'
Bishop, has so far recovered from the
dwith sand
punishment inflicted on him by being scrubbedittthe hospital,
effects °ti
cruel
and water at the garrison cell, that he
A 114sune til it is and is is now confined at the guar"-rrthe Royal Artillery tamed whether he is a deserterf from
military police, who
Sergeant-major Ashton,
I was reduced by order of
till:went, has been superseded by
chiefi Like of Cambridge for having
caused the illegal P
.•Afaui:risOsborno.
Garrison Sergean,-- L
INE ACCIDENT.—A few days
ANOTHER art"Wvinan, resident in Leamington, was
since as an aged clergyman,
his foot got entangled in an ex-
tendedpassing along the
and ho was flung to the ground with
c"il°,leine The rev. gentleman was stunned for a
great vi°ll,7e-fime, and the back of one of his hands was
considera d swollen by the fall. The wearer of the
brai''ed an
offending article of drs proceeded on her journey in ap-
parentes i
disregard of the injuries she had inflicted, while the
ergyman was assisted to his feet by some by-
prostrate cl
standers.—Leanzzng to is Courier.
Teacher—What part of speech is the wordeg g?
Boy : Noun, sir.—What is the gender ?--Can't say,sir,
till it's hatched.--`Nell,lad, then, my you can't tell me
the case r-011, yes, sir, the shell.

IVe propose to divide this district into three sections ; the
first extending from Deptford to Westminster-bridge, the
second from Westminster-bridge to Vauxhall-bridge, and
the third from Vauxhall-bridge to Battersea-park.
With respect to the first section, as the existing thorough-
fares
with the new street now being made between South-
wark and Blackfriars roads will, in our opinion, afford suftl
ciently convenient and direct means of communicao
Lion for :he traffic,—and as the flooding of the low dying
districts could be obviated by a more efficient drainage--
there does not appear to us any public necessity for as em-
bankment and roadway between Deptford and Westmin-
ster-bridge. The formation of such a roadway would in-
volve a vast expenditure of money, and cause a great dis-
turbance of the trade and commerce of that part of the
metropolis. If, however, the owners and occupiers of such
wharf property shenld be doetroue at any time of construct-
ing an embankment, which, whilst increasing their own
accommodation, would ensure uniformity of design, and
improve the navigation of the river, we are of opinion that
every facility should be afforded them for so doing, although
we are unable to recommend that the cost should be de-
frayed by the public.

With respect to the second section, namely, from West-
minster-bridge to Vauxhall, we are of opinion, that a new
and improved communication is necessary, and this, we
think, may be effected by constructing an embankment and
roadway between those points. The property adjacent to
the river between Lambeth Church and Vauxhall-bridge
is of an inferior character. The wharf walls are insufficient
to keep out the water at high tides, hence many of the
streets are at times flooded, causing distress and sickness
to the inhabitants, who are for the most part of the poorer
classes.

Between Vauxhall. bridge and Battersea-park, which
comprises the third section of our inquiry, an embanked
roadway would afford access to the Battersea Station of the
South Coast Railway, and to the Goods Station of the
South-Western and Chatham and Dover Railways, would
improve and embellish that part of the metropolis, and
afford a convenient and agreeable approach to Battersea-
park from the densely populatei districts of Lambeth and
Southwark.

We, therefore, humbly submit to your Majesty that an
embanked roadway of about two miles should be formed
between Westminster-bridge and Battersea-park, com-
mencing at the east abutment of Westminster-bridge, on
a viaduct of an ornamental character opposite the Houses
of Parliament, as far as Bishop's-walk ; thence on a solid
embankment to the north side of the London Gas Works ,
continued upon Vauxhall-bridge as far as Nine Elms on a
viaduct, and thence on a solid embankment, passing under
the land arch of the railway bridge, and terminating
at the approach road of the new suspension bridge
at Battersea. The plan and section, which are
append to this Report, show the direction and levels of the
intended road, and the an angements proposed for accom-
; and
interfere, in
more suggesting
than
isviaducts
absolutely
accom-
modating some of the occupiers of the most important.of the
ewnadt
ee
ar -sidevo u r e pd r
ne mo
ti st eos
sary, with the trades whichmust be •
carried on upon the
banks of the river. wen
ehcaevse-
The dredging of the foreshore in
the front of the em-
bankment to a level of five feet below low water (Particu-
larly at Lambeth and Nine Elms) improve the navigation,
water dip-
compensate to a great extent for the loss of tidal
and as the
placed by the solid portions of the embankment'
foreshore will be formed, under the viaductofsolid material,
and on a suitable incline, it will tend to prevevnetn accumula-
tions of mud, where the shores are flat or
km tunweould be made
Communications with the ernbanx-e:road, and at Stangate, by prolonging Falace
side, Church. street,
widen-
ing Bishop's-walk on the western
Broad-street, Vauxhall-row High-street, Battersea-road,
near Nine Elms Goods Station,, New Park road, leading to
station
Wandsworth, and the
eof the London, Chatham,and
Dover Railway Comp :f this work, including land and
The estimatsd.cei,
compensation, 100,000 ; but it is important to observe,
„,,is-istt favourable opportunity for carrying out
that if the pribe not at once embraced, the cost will
this great Rork be
greater, by reason of the increasing
be mu
demand f"
land and buildings for trade purposes in and
o,metropolis. This scheme would be a metropo-
litan to ...e
n improvement ; and with reference to
litan iinpr
that the coal
for such which the costis to be defrayed, we consider
and wine dues should be appropriated the means by
a further
period which we
as may be necessary for the purpose. All
humbly report to your Majesty.
Witness our hand and seals this 29th day of July, 1864
WILLIAM CUBITT.
JOSHUA JEBB.
DOUGLAS GALTON.
BOW"). BORSTAL.
HENRY A. HUNT.
JOHN ROBINSON AITLEAN.
Secretary.
Henry Ringscote,

The Correspondencia of Madrid, of the 2v9atghueulrtu..!
says :---,, For some days there has been a
mour that intrigues were on foot for
disturbing
public order in different parts of the peninsula. It
is a fact that certain individuals have been engaged
in a conspiracy which was to have taken effect. this__
summer. Whatever their designs might have 0,e.,
they soon found their attempt was hopeless,
eannta ac-
cordingly relinquished the it. The Government
nothing to fear bas
from that quarter. .
n nitration of the co
order. and rPg
continuance war and thesttreuuga and energy
o f the Government 5 which now prevaltriihihne the admi-
of ent,. are. the soresriF3.„rantee of the
The same
j c.ur hal states thaetmitshteinflariquisP de la Havanna., the
11," Ambassador to France, was to leave Madrid on
the 18t August for Pala.