The Sun.
London, England, 1862-06-19 00:00:00

PETITIONS.

Several petitions were presented against the Burial Bill,
in favour of the Sale of Spirits Bill from licensed victual-
lers in the provinces, in favour of the Permissive Bill,
against the order of the Lord Chancellor respecting the
printing of papers to be used in Chancery proceedings from
the law writers of the metropolis, &c., &c.
On the motion of Mr. GREGORY, a return of all the
stipendiary magistrates in Ireland over the age of 60 ; of
all those incapacitated by bodily infirmity or otherwise from
active duty, and the districts of the different stipendiary
magistrates, was ordered.
IMPORTS FROM FRANCE,
On the motion of Mr. PACKE, a statement, showing
the respective value of tha merchandise imported into this
country for each of the months of the years 1860, 1861,
and 1862, was ordered.
CAPTAIN SHERRARD OSBORNE, &e.
Lord R. MONTAGU asked the Under Secretary of
State for Foreign Affairs whether it was true that the ser-
vices of Capt. Sherrard Osborne, or of any other officer of
her Majesty's navy, are to be placed at the disposal of the
Chinese Government ; whether such officer would be paid
by the Chinese Government, and whether he would, at
the same time, retain his commission and receive pay as
an officer in her Majesty's navy : and, whether one or more
gunboats were to be lent to the Chinese Government for
any purpose they may think proper.
Mr. LAYARD said that an application had been made
for gunboats by the agents of the Chinese Government,
and the subject was under the consideration of Government.
WIVES AND FAMILIES OF OFFICERS GOING

THE ACCIDENT TO THE FLEET SEWER.

LATEST PARTICULARS.—(THIS DAN).
The accounts in the papers this morning
but a faint idea of the great destruction of pro"
perty; indeed, the extent of the damage done
could hardly be realised until this morning.
The whole of the battering wall, about 30 feet
in height and 6 feet in thickness, which had
been erected with the best available materials,
together with the massive piles of timber placed as
shores along the roadway, extending from the end.
of the tunnel to the corner of Vine-street, about 100
yards in length, is lying indiscriminately in a heap
of rains. The accident is supposed to have arisen
from the deep cutting necessary for the railway
loosening the earthworks at the sides of the sewer,
which at this spot runs close by the tunnel,
causing the crown of the sewer to collapse.
The great volume of water always pouting through
the sewer after heavy rains was thus enabled to
make its way under the foundations of the battering

wall, and the work of this being quite new, and-

the soil around being of a light loamy description,
it soon became a prey to the great body of water
every minute accumulating.
The gangs of navvies who were set to work yes-

terday to form a new trench for the purpose of
diverting the waters of the Fleet sewer into the
course of the old ditch, which still remains undis-
turbed, continued their labours during the night, and
it is expected they will be able to open a commu-
nication at each end during the day. Until this is
done there is no safety for that portion of the arch-
work still standing, or for the arch connecting the
railway between Ray-street and Crawford-passage.
During the night great quantities of earth,
brickwork, and timber weee constantly falling.
Immediately on the spot where the accident has
taken place was a few years since situated the
burial ground of St. Peter's, which was removed
consequent upon the making of the new street.
The bodies then remaining in the ground were
collected and placed in a mausoleum erected on
the spot in an excavation purposely made. Last
night this building was struck by the falling tim-
bers of the railway, and the upper portions of the
walls shattered to pieces, while the lower part was
flooded by the water from the sewer to the depth of
several feet, and many of the bodies, or what re-
mained of them, were washed out into the open
excavation, presenting a most sickening sight.
At the time of high tide in the river Thames
the water comes up this sewer as high as the
end of Ray-street, forcing back the regular water
of the sewer, and this being the case at 12 o'clock
this day, the water was pouring into the tunnel at
the rate of many thousand gallons per minute,
and at that time it was estimated that there were at
least 10ft depth of water in the tunnel as high up
as King's-cross, and which it is feared by its
force will materially affect the founation of the
line. As soon as the navvies are able to divert the
course of the water, pumping engines will be set
to work to clear the tunnel and excavations of the
water, as until this is done it will be impossible
either to recommence the work destroyed, or clear
away the debris.

Mr. Jay, the contractor, with a large staff of engi-
neers and others, has been upon the ground since the
accid en t,an d they all have exerted themselves as much
as possible to prevent any further destruction of
property. The chief loss will fall upon the con-
tractor, although the railway company, from the
delay which will be occasioned in the opening of
the line, will also suffer to some extent.

MARKETS-THIS DAY.