The Sun.
London, England, 1862-10-09 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, 'THURSDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 9, 1.862.

in feeling and action with the cause of that people.
It has been impossible for a nation enjoying free
institutions, accustomed,to the exercise of self-go-
vernment as are the English people, to witness the
conduct of the people of Italy, under difficulties
almost unexampled, without sentiments of the
warmest admiration. (Applause.) lam sure Ido
but give utterance to your feelings when I say that
the recent occurrence of an unhappy and ill-judged
outbreak has raised that admiration of the people
of Italy, in the minds of the people of England even
to a higher point than before—(applause)—for al-
though new to self-government, yet they seem to
have been so well trained in the school of affliction
that they have acquired what we may call wisdom
beyond their years; and it has been found impos-
sible to detach them from the path of strict pru-
dence and circumspection, for they would not fol-
low into error even the man that they loved best
upon earth. (Applause.) Our desire, I am sure,
is that this question, which has advanced so far,
may speedily reach a happy consummation. (Ap-
plause.) It is with no second view, it is for no latent
purpose,it is for no selfish, no unworthy, no political
object; it is for the sake of the peace of Europe—it is
for the sake of the civilisation of Europe—it is for
the sake of the sacred principle of moral and social
justice, that we earnestly trust that that con-
summation may not be long delayed. (Cheers.)
For generations back, almost for centuries, divided
Italy has been a focus for the troubles of Europe,
has been a bait and a tempter to ambition, has been
a source of discord, a source and cause of danger.
Italy united will be, as we trust, on the contrary,
not merely the end of that cause of danger, but
likewise will make a powerful addition, and give a
new guarantee to the peace and order of the world
—(great cheering)—and we will find in it a signal
proof that constitutional government, in the spirit
of freedom, with religion apprehended by the people,
rooted in their hearts, and enlightening their under-
standings, is the best security that human wisdom
can devise, not only for maintaining the privileges
that are dae to man as a free agent, but likewise
for the increase of loyalty and for the maintenance
of order and good government. (Loud applause.)
The right hon. gentleman concluded by proposing,
the " Health of their President, the Mayor of New-
castle."

MR. ALCOCK, MR, AND MR. LOCKE
KIN°, M.P., ON PUBLIC AFFAIRS.

CROYDON, WEDNESDAY.
At the annual meeting of the East Surrey Agri-
cultural Association,

Mr. ALCOCK, in responding, said it gave him
great pleasure and satisfaction to find himself able
to come amongst them upon all occasions, not only
because it gave him pleasure to meet his constitu-
ents, but because it enabled him to get an insight
into their wishes and sentiments, which was ex-
tremely useful to him in the performance of his Pa-
rliamentary duties. It was impossible to come among
them without ascertaining their views upon the
leading questions of the day, and probably upon no
question did they feel a deeper interest at the pre-
sent moment than the great question involving that
disastrous war which was now raging in the conti-
nent of America between the Northern and the
Southern States. He could not avoid taking this
opportunity of saying that when that terrible
struggle first broke out ho felt that, as an enemy to
the continuance of slavery, he could scarcely be
otherwise than opposed to what was termed the
Southern interest in America, because he felt that
inasmuch as they were the only parties in America
who were the owners of slaves, that to avow oneself
in favour of those States would be to support slavery.
It was, however, Lord J. Russell, who, with that
clearness of perception which distinguished him,
first placed this matter in a clear light, and showed
to the world that the struggle between the Northern
and Southern States was not a struggle which in-
volved the question of the continuance of slavery at
all ; but that, in point of fact, it was on the part of
the Northern States a war for power, and on that
of the Southern a struggle for independence.
(Cheers.) When that was made clear, its effects soon
became apparent in enlisting the sympathies of Eng-
lishmen on the side of the Southern States. In this
happy country everybody was in favour of indepen-
dence, and therefore, although properly enough
there had been no outward demonstration, all in this
country sympathised with the people of the Southern
States in their heroic struggle for liberty. (Cheers.)
It was quite true that in consequence of this struggle
great distress had fallen upon our own manufactur-
ing districts, but he was not sure that out of this
unhappy calamity some permanent good to this
country would not arise. Nobody could form an idea
of the value of the spur which this would give to
the cotton cultivation in India. At the present mo-
ment that country grew more cotton than (America
excepted) all the rest of the world together.
Hitherto we have had no spirit of enterprise in
that country. They had done nothing with respect
to railways and canals ; for while there were only
about 1,600 miles of railways in India there were
18,000 in America, and accordingly the facility
which they possessed of transmitting the raw pro-
duce, as compared with that of the growers in
India, was enormous. Hitherto they had been
asleep in India, whilst in America they had been
wide awake : and looking at the probable duration
of the present struggle and the exhaustion in which
it would leave the whole continent of America, there
was little doubt that it would be the means of open-
ing up a steadily increasing trade with India in an
article for the supply of which we had hitherto been
wholly dependent upon America. (Cheers.)
Mr. LOCKE KING said all party spirit seemed
for the present to have subsided, whether they
looked to the House of Commons, or to the country
generally. He knew it wac very necessary that
there should be party, and indeed, in the present
day they found that party spirit acted constantly
upon the Government of this country ; but it acted
in a friendly way, and it kept the Government to a
great extent in check. No doubt there were par-
ties who were ready at any time to take upon them-
selves the responsible duties of governing the coun-
try. This had been the case in all times, and
there would always be persons watching for op-
portunities to seize the reins of power, and to ob-
tain the honourable position of representing the
county or the borough constituencies, whenever
an election took place. (Hear, hear.) For him-
self, he would say most candidly, that having
for a long period possessed the confidence of
so highly respectable and important a constituency
as that which he now represented, he would never
relinquish his post without giving whoever opposed
him a desperate struggle for the place. (Cheers.)
With regard to the House of Commons, he thought
he might say that in the existing state of affairs
there
all,er
ewas scarcely any party at all ; but the whole
country rejoiced that a most distinguished states-
man, who had the sympathies and the kind wishes
presided over the councils of the nation.
(Cheers.) He would say that Lord Palmerston
was,
twryithoutexception, the most popular man in (
the country.
meeting, Chiene
convivialr (Cheers.)
,p
or presiding si
conductingcli ng a ta
the affairs of the nation in the House of Commons,
Lord Palmerston always showed himself to be a
thoroughly true-hearted Englishman, and they
were always proud to say that the leader of the
House of Commons was the first gedtleman iu
Europe.

Several other toasts of a local character followed,
and the proceedings terminated.

eMxciAteßditElAuGroBpeCanABaEtte.--ntiToinl,iBanidaltO
whichLVE i tT
haso N
which a more melancholy interest was added by
extra-
ordinary decision of Lord Ardmillan last session,the. porTtalinEt case,YE
said, set down for hearing by tho Judges of the lightitDi's
Di-
vision for the 4th of next month. The judges meet thus-
early to hear and decide upon the case.—Caledonian
Mercury.
[ADVERTISEMENT.]—Holloway's Ointment and Pills.
Gout, Rheumatism, Sciatica.—These maladies are always
more or less connected with disorder, or disease
of the
digestive organs; hence the facility with which they yield
to Holloway's reraedies. Temporary alleviation responds
immediately to the proper application of the soothing Oint-
ment to the pained or inflamed part, while the Pills inter-
ternally reduce the digestive functions to order, and arrest
all inflammatory tendencies. Nervous invalids will derive
ease and consolation from the influence of these medica-
ments, which are free from mercury and all noxious ingre-
dients. Holloway's celebrated Ointment and Pills present,
at a trifling outlay, the means of preserving the health, or
uprooting diseases which have assailed the body through
accident, luatuT,
indolence, or other causes,

A.3IEI?ICAN AFFAIRS.

The following letter appears in the Times:—
Although still without any report of the Battle
of Sharpsburg from the other side, it is already
following the fate of all the Northern victories—
of Grant's at Shiloh, of Pope's at Alanassas, of
INlTlellan's strategic move at Richmond. From
the temperate and able account that appeared in
your columns, extracted from the New York Tri-
bune, it appeared that the main attack of the Fede-
rals was repulsed with terrible loss, while that of
Burnside was saved from ruin by nightfall only ;
and while the army of APClellan was too much

crippled to move on the following day, that of the
Confederates was executing a most difficult move-
ment with entire success. Harper's Ferry is now
stated to have contained a garrison of 11,000 men,
and the results of the Maryland campaign are thus
summed up by a writer in the Nucl. ork Times :

" The rebel leaders have drawn after them from Wash-
ington an immense army, with its enormous train, which
has marched, toiled, fought, and been dragged over three
mountain ranges at an untold outlay of strength, expense,
and suffering ; they will have supplied their starving army
with all it needed, slaughtered and wounded thousands of
our brave Union soldiers, and then have escaped back into
Virginia to laugh in their sleeves at our laggard way of
following up our successes."

It appears from the later accounts of the battle
that the Confederates stood entirely on the defen-
sive, from which we must infer that they found
themselves inferior in numbers. If so, there will
remain a considerable portion of the army of Vir-
ginia yet to be accounted for, and from which
tidings may yet be heard. Letters by the present
mail state that Fitz John Porter had crossed the
Potomac with his corps, which, being in reserve at
Sharpsburg, had escaped all injury, and that he was
repulsed, and compelled to recross into Maryland
with severe loss. It appears at present, as so often
before, that a retreat of the Confederates is ominous
of disaster to their foes. What, indeed, is the
Federal army to do now—return to Washington
for the third time, or persist in crossing the river,
and, if it can, advance up the valley which so far
has proved to the Northern armies, " a bourne from
which no traveller returns ?"

But the movements of the armies are of small
importance when compared with the astounding
political intelligence by this mail. Of late Mr.
Lincoln had broken away from the zealots. The
appointment of General Halleck and of M'Clellan,
the release of political prisoners, some relaxation of
the reign of teiror—all proved that fanaticism had
fallen out of favour. For this reason former ex-
perience should have taught us that the next oscil-
lation would carry it higher than ever—and so it
proves. The proclamation now issued is the most
consummate folly ever perpetrated by a ruler. No
wit of man could devise another measure so fatal

to the political unity of the North, so disastrous in
its effect on the wavering States, and especially
the great State of Kentucky, or so stimulating to
every energy of the South, if there were one that
flagged. Practically it is the recognition of the
independence of the South by Mr. Lincoln. No man
sets fire to a house of which he expects to become
the owner by process of law. Mr. Lincoln now
sees it is inevitable that the South will be an inde-
pendent Power, and he appears to deem it his
policy to make a last attempt to ruin it.
What will be the effect of this measure, if it pro-

duce any effect whatever? Its professed object

can only. be attained by a revolt of the negroes.
Peaceful, contented, faithful as they have proved
through all the turmoil of the war, it is assumed
that on the Ist of January they will end all this,

and rise at the bidding of Mr. Lincoln. Is there
any one so ignorant as not to know what a negro
revolt means No race is to be found more docile,
more readily contented or of a kindlier disposition ;
but underneath all this African blood is hidden, as
the claw sheathed in the tiger's paw, and that
blood was never yet aroused without atrocities from
which the mind shrinks with a shudder. Such a
revolt would begin on lone plantations, where at
once every white man would be murdered, every
traveller waylaid, every white woman seized, every
pale-faced child tossed into the fi Imes of the burn-
ing homestead. And what would be the end of this
hideous spectacle ? The white population of the
South is to the black as two to one, and in power
of destruction as 20 to 1. The first surprise would
lay low its miserable victims; but the scene would
close on the utter extermination of the negroes of
the revolted district.
Lest this picture should appear overdrawn, let
us take that of an eminent Northerner, Horatio
Seymour, now candidate for the position of Gover-
nor of the State of New York. In his speech on the
10t hof September, at Albany, he says:—

" The scheme for an immediate emancipation and general
arming of the slaves throughout the South is a proposal for
the butchery of women and children, for scenes of lust and
rapine, of arson and murder unparalleled in the history of
the world. Its effect would not be confined to the walls of
cities, but there would be a widespread scene of horror over
the vast expanse of great States, involving alike the loyal
and seditious. Such malignity and cowardice would invoke
the interference of civilised Europe. History tells of the
fires kindled in the name of religion, of atrocities com-
mitted under the pretexts of order or liberty ; it is now
urged that scenes bloodier than the world has yet witnessed
shall be enacted in the name of philanthropy I"

But, although this would follow the proclama-
tion as its natural result, there is a safeguard to
humanity in its impotence. Some months ago a
General Hunter issued his proclamation overthrow-
ing the entire social system of three sovereign
States with a mere wave of his pen. This did not
provoke revolt; it only provoked, laughter. What
greater right or authority has Mr. Lincoln to do
this thing ? Doubtless he has as much as to stop
the writ of Habeas Corpus over all the extent of
the North. At the same time that he proposes to
free the Southern blacks he proceeds to enslave
any Northern white man that gives him displeasure,
sends him to one of his bastilles, or to cell No. 4,
New York, and there feeds him on salt pork so long
as he may choose.
But doubtless Mr. Lincoln knows right well that
nothing can come of his proclamation. All evi-
dence agrees that he is a man of jocose and kindly
disposition. What, then, can be the object of a
measure from the smallest effect of which he would
shrink ? A very important object. There is a
presentiment in the North that recognition cannot
be long delayed, and this proclamation is aimed,
not at the negro or the South, but at Europe. We
are now to be told there is a great lofty principle
in the way which shall overawe Europe in its ma-
chinations. Unfortunately for its purpose, this
virtue comes a little too late and halts a little too
clumsily. We are not believers in conditional vir-
tue, and if the rebellious States are to be made
clean of their iniquity why is the disease to be re-
tained in those that send members to Congress ?
Where was this great principle the other day, when
Mr. Lincoln told the coloured deputation to their
faces that they were an inferior race, and could not
be permitted to live with white men, and must go
to live somewhere else ? Will philanthropy do
much good to 4,000,000 negroes by taking a few
hundreds from their homes and sending them to work
in a coalpit at Panama ? And where was this prin-
ciple when Mr. Lincoln tortured words into every
complication to prove there was no principle in the
affair—to declare that if it suited his purpose he
would free some of the negroes, and if it suited his
purpose ho would free all of them, and if it suited
his purpose to free none of them, he would free
none of them ? The European understanding may
be slow when compared with that of theNewWorld,
but it is not quite so shallow as tobe cajoled by such
principle as this.
They who respect the demand of the Southern
States to exercise the right of self-government, and
who hold that they have amply proved their power
to maintain their independence, believe the time has
arrived when recognition can no longer be delayed
without injustice to them and great political injury
to ourselves. But it is rather for the friends of the
like North to be eager in this matter. Another year of
this war and the North will disappear as a political
Power. The Unionist, of course, will make merry
at this, as two years ago he did at the prediction of
a civil war. Take a thin sheet of iron ; you cannot
tear it.
Butif p you
r. u
Thatbetween North and make a
cut
fissure into . it, it may then
;n the Union is
now made, and a fraction of the first disruptive force
will rend it further. There was never more hatred
ao
be torn p
Souththan there is now be-

tween Democrat and Abolitionist. If the North is
to be in the futureas all desire it may be—a great
and prosperous Power, there is no time to be lost in
ending the age of bastilles, and the freaks of the
"war power." It is doubtful whether it will re-
quire so much as another year to break up the
North into fragments: Europe, anxious for the
termination of slavery by rational means, and to
the mutual gain of master and slave, would then see
the Southern States the paramount Power and the
Northern a prey to chronic discord, by which our
interest and those of humanity would be sufferers
with themselves.
This none desire. Whatever the Northerners
may think, the basis of European belief and senti-
ment in regard to this war has been a conviction
that the severance would benefit both sections of the
American people. In this view it may be well to
consider that while the recognition of the Southern
Contederacy—which is the only means of ending this
war—is needed by the South, to save it from suffer-
ing, it is needed by the North to save it from ruin.

FEARFUL STEAMBOAT COLLISION AND

LOSS OF LIFE.

SHIELDS) WEDNESDAY MORNING.

A most terrible steamboat collision occurred on
the river Tyne last night, just about darkening, and
with a sad loss of human life. The Tynemouth
packet steamer, belonging to the Tyne General
Ferry Company, left the Quayside, Newcastle, with
a number of passengers on board, for Shields and
the riverside villages, where their boats call, at the
same time that the Forester steam packet, belong-
ing to the Percy Company, the opposition line of
boats, left Shields, having on board a number of
passengers and several women and children, who
had been spending a holiday at the seaside. As she
came up the river, she picked up a number of work-
people coming to Newcastle, and close upon six
o'clock, while to the eastward of Bill Point, the
crew on board the Forester observed the Tyne-
month coming down the river. From some cause not
explained, certainly from bad seamanship, the boats
came into collision with an awful crash. The Tyne-
mouth came down with considerable speed, struck
with her iron stern the bow ports of the Forester,
and cut her transversely right through the fore
cabin, altogether a distance of about 12 feet. And
now a scene of confusion, of horror, of heart-rend-
ing, and at the same time inexpressible, occurred
on the deck and in the cabins of the ill-fated boat.
Hard and fast stuck the sharp stem of the Tyne-
mouth in the planks of the Forester. Both vessels
were towards the north side of the river, in compa-
ratively shallow water; shouts of men, amidst the
shrieks of women, were heard exclaiming to the
crew of the Tynemouth to allow their vessel to re-
turn to its position. Every one did what seemed to
them for the best, and the commander of the Tyne-
mouth caused his engines to be reversed imme-
diately, but when it was too late, as it afterwards
was apparent, with the most dreadful consequences.
Amidst all the hurrying and struggling the majority
of the passengers reached the deck of the Tyne-
mouth, were received into the boats which the hu-
mane sailors of the moored ships had instantly
manned, or had buffeted the tide and at once found
safety on the sandy beach. Of the passengers, many
of the men had taken shelter in the fore cabin, and
when the collision occurred, and the water rushed
within, a rush was made by some to the staircase,
and by others to the scarcely accessible skylight.
Some escaped, others were saved, and yet more we
believe to have been drowned, or, as if may be be-
sides, crushed within the narrow compass of the en-
I closure.
When information of the accident was received
by the Red Star Company, Superintendent Brad-
shaw, and several other gentlemen proceeded down
the river to the scene of the disaster, on board the
Walker, but although they examined the wreck,
they had not succeeded in finding anything leading
to a belief that the results of the collision were so
serious as they might have expected them to be.

Another errand, made somewhat later by another
party, revealed results of unfortunately too opposite
a nature to those which the explorers from the
Walker had acquired from their researches. About
half-past 9 o'clock, Capt. Hall, secretary to the Percy
Mutual Insurance Company, accompanied by the
committee of the company, set out from amidst the
little knot of anxious gazers on the Newcastle Quay
to seek for themselves, independently of the praise-

worthy efforts of the Walker's crew, some explana-
tion of the disaster, and to make further inquiry

as to the consequences. The Laurel was chosen
for the conveyance of the party, and in the bright

moonlight a rapid sail brought up the steamer
alongside of the now partially revealed hull of
the Forester. Spectators were gathered on the
beach, sculler boats glided calmly hither and
thither, a solitary lamp warned approaching vessels
of the submerged wreck, whilst the dark shape of
the Tynemouth lay scarcely perceptible on the

rocky southern beach. Very quickly and very ener-
getically those on board the boat set about their
work, and in little more than half an hour two
bodies were brought up from the cabin skylight.
Five bodies in all have bean recovered.
The Forester, which belongs to Mr. Dobson, has
been sunk once before during the past twelvemonth,
and it is only a day or two since that, newly
painted and thoroughly renovated at considerable
expense, she was again placed on the station. She
is insured to two-thirds of her value.

HUMAN SACRIFICES.—One of the most difficult
tasks of the British Government in India is that of winning
such wild tribes as the Khonds to civilisation. In the an-
nual statement showing the progress and condition of India,
recently issued by the Government, there is a report by
Capt. A. C. M'Neill, from which it is plain that the prac-
tice of female infanticide has not ceased in the hill tracts of
Orissa ; legal evidence, however, is seldom procurable, and
the.only check is considered to be an annual visit at which
the agent insists upon seeing all the children of both sexes,
and it is suggested that the head men of those villages in
which the relative number of the sexes is proportional
should receive some mark of favour from Government.
Although many more female children are now reared than
formerly, it is clear that infanticide must still obtain to
in a
great extent. Large districts here are inhabited bysacri-
ficing Khonds. Capt. M'Neill was plainly told the
hill tracts of Bundhasir of Karoonde that compulsion alone
causes them to refrain from human sacrifice. Is mong the
Khonds of Jeypoor he found an uneasy feeling prevailing
under the relinquishment of sacrifice. In the last
three seasons, he writes, the rains had been scanty in the
Karoone and Jeypoor Khond tracts, and the crops of cattle
suffered much in consequence. The Khonds were anxious
to revert to their long-cherished rite, and applied to the
pant rajah of Tooamool for permission to sacrifice, and asked
him for a meriah, or victim. This he declined to give,
stating that human sacrifices had been prohibited, but
offered them buffaloes and sheep. The offer was rejected by
the Khonds, and they resolved that, be the consequences
what they might, a public sacrifice should take place at the
full moon of Poosoo last year. The question was then raised
where a victim could be procured, and was solved by a
Khond stating that he would hand over for sacrifice a
" toorie," who, though not purchased as a meriah, was an
agrarian slave, bought for srs. The offer having been ac-
cepted, the intended victim, an elderly woman, was removed
to the village of Puckregoodah, and there heavilyironed, and
on an unsuccessful attempt on the part of the pant rajah to
rescue her, was taken off and secreted on the hills. The
paut rajah then sent an express to the agent, and within an
hour a guard of 58 sebundies started under a trustworthy
sirdar, marched 52 miles in 38 hours over a very hilly and
rugged country, and reached the scene of sacrifice as the
victim was being removed to the post erected for her im-
molation. The assembled Khonds, at least 5,000 in num-
ber, found themselves at the last moment deprived of what
they fancied no power could dispossess them. A most de-
termined
judicious
tempt at rescue was made ; but the Birder, mak-
ing a disposition of his small party, and 50 match-
lockmen sent by the pant rajah, was able to defeat the at-
tempt, though he was obliged, in self-defence, to fire when
attacked by the Khonds. Tooamool, the scene of this de-
termined attempted at sacrifice, is an elevated plateau,
rising abruptly from the plains of Karoonde to a height of
4.,000 feet. The plateau is about 50 miles in length, and
its extreme breadth from 15 to 20 miles. It is an undulating
country, well watered; the lower ranges of hills are covered
with dense bamboo and other jungle ; the upper ranges are
overgrown with a very rank coarse grass, which in many
places attains a height of 12 or 15 feet. No less than 53 in-
tended victims for sacrifice were rescued in the hill tracts of
Orissa in this one season. In Chinna Kimedy the Khonds,
when interrogated regarding the renouncement of the
meriah, endeavoured to avoid the question by evasive re-
plies, such 'as--,4 How can we sacrifice meriahs when the
Yet 30 pe.rsons dedicated to
sirdar has taken them away ?"
dhe9d ohrosnadc rei
hfilFeef,s wweerree rescuedinvari-
ably meriah goddess, and interrn
there in the season 1860-61-
ably carefully exhorted to remain true to their pledges, and
not to be led away by the evil counsels of badly-disposed
men. The yearly visits of the agency alone prevent a re-
. turn to the old state of affairs.

7HE SECOND MARSHLAND INUNDATION

KING'S LYNN, WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

Last evening the wind fortunately lessened, and
the tide was consequently not quite so high as anti-
cipated. It was nevertheless 19ft. bin. above zero
—nearly two feet above the level of the highest
land in Marshland. It was again of the same
height this morning, but there is now a prospect of
its " neaping,'' as the full moon is past, and the
weather again very fine. The quantity of land
actually flooded by this morning's tide is estimated
at full 4,000 acres. Of this quantity 3,000 acres
are in Marshland fen, and constitute about half the
land subjected to the former inundation, The Smeeth
and Fen drain serves 7,040 acres, and the Marshland
sewer about 15,000 acres. The whole of these quan-
tities are liable to participate in tho misfortune, if

the extension of the flood be not soon stopped in its
progress. It is true that there are plenty of defensive
banks across Marshland, some of them dating as far
back as the second or third century of our era; but
in many places they have been cut through for
earth to fill up hollows, or excavated for clay to
make bricks—a process still continued, although
it may not be so much in favour after the dis-
astrous results following the use of the bank be-
tween the two drains.

It is satisfactory so far to state that the dam
accross the Fen drain of St. Mary's brick bridge
was commenced and completed yesterday, between
tides, and with such success as to stand against that
evening's and this morning's assaults. The frame-
work consists of six piles driven into the bed of the
drain, across which three timbers are fixed hori-
zontally. The intervening spaces were covered
with battens, forming a shield, against which 5,000
sacks full of earth were deposited. The woodwork
was executed by Mr. Harding; but the farmers of
the district claim the credit of the earthwork, which
was done under their direction, as they were dis-
satisfied with what they were considered the dila-
tory nature of the engineer's proceedings.
As a matter of course, the closing of one channel
by the dam has sent the water in large quantities
over the banks between dam and sluice, which are
still very low—so low that at high water they were
for a considerable length invisible. The work of
heightening them was resumed as soon as the sub-
sidence of the water would admit, and sanguine
hopes are entertained that by this evening they
will be effectually raised the one or two. feet neces-
sary for their purpose. These raised banks are
DOW being systematically made of good clay mixed
with straw and roughly paddled. The work is

superintended by the farmers of the two districts
jointly ; the working committee of Marshland,
Smeeth, and Fen, and the expenditors of Marshland
taking the lead.
The dam at the junction sluice has been com-

menced under the direction of Mr. Murray, C.E.,
and preparations are making for that proposed by
Sir J. Rennie, near the sluice. A number of men
are engaged in pulling the sluice to pieces, in order
to save the materials, which would soon have fallen
in a confused heap. The north as well as the south
wings are now decided undermined and cracked,
and large masses of masonry have fallen into the
bed of the drain. The sheet-piling, not long since
put down, is also being washed away. But the
most alarming fact is, that the south bank, where
it joins the bank of the Ouse, is caving
in rapidly—portions of a score or more tons
weight every now and then falling into the
gulf with a crash. They are soon softened and dis-
persed by the stream.
Mr. Valentine, C.E., and Mr. W. S. Simpson,
contractor, having been retained by the Court of
Sewers, have inspected the Marshland drain, and are
making preparations for their work. The first thing
is to heighten the banks from the outfall up to the
junction sluice ; and it is also intended to have piles
and pile-engines, and all other essentials, prepared
for striking a dam at any time should it become de-
sirable. The dam which was put across the junction
sluice itself has been taken out again, under Mr.
Valentine's directions, to allow the back water to
run off through the sewer, as otherwise there was
danger of its bursting the dam.
The meeting and dinner of the Marshland Agri-
cultural Association, which was to have been held
under the presidency of Mr. G. P. Bentinck, M.P.
(an extensive land owner in the district), has been
postponed sine die, in consequence of the present
• calamity.

EXT.RA.O.RDINARY ESCAPE AND SUICIDE

OF A LUNATIC GENTLEMAN.

Yesterday an inquiry was held by Mr. H. Raffles
Walthew, the deputy coroner for East Middlesex,
at the Grove Hall Asylum, Bow, respecting the
death of Mr. Benjamin Ward, aged 40, who com-
mitted suicide through mortification at being re-
captured after an escape, which he effected with
singular address and determination.
The jury having been shown over the asylum
and grounds,
John Hill, an attendant, said that the deceased
was a private gentleman, and had been an inmate
of the Gentlemen's Ward for some time. He had
great conversational powers and spoke quite ra-
tionally. On Thursday evening he watched his
opportunity, and contrived to squeeze himself
through a ventilating aperture in the dining-room
window, only a few inches in width. He then
dropped down into the flower-beds, and by some
means got over the lofty walls surrounding the
grounds. An alarm was immediately raised, but
he got clear off. No trace could be discovered
until next day, when he was seen quite acciden-
tally by the barber of the establishment in Mile•end
walking into London. The barber, recognising him,
came out of his shop, and to his dismay accostea
him, and asked him to return to the asylum.
Though overwhelmed at the sudden upset of his
plans, he made no resistance, but allowed himself
to be brought back, and was given into witness's
charge. Witness, to amuse him, took him into
the garden, and he there said that after he had
escaped over the wall he determined to throw his
pursuers out of their reckoning by walking to
Woodford, which was about 7 miles in the opposite
direction to London, and thus avoid the road they
would be almost sure to suppose he had taken.
When he got to Woodford he took lodgings, where
he spent the night. The next morning, however,
he considered that if he could get into London he
should be more likely to escape notice, and he
accordingly set out early to enter it un-
observed, and he should have succeeded per-
fectly only for the accident of Gilbert, the bar-
ber, spying him from his shop as he was passing in
the morning. He said that he had set his heart on
accomplishing his escape. Shortly after this conver-
sation witness turned his back for a moment, and
directly afterwards missed the deceased. Supposing
that he had again tried escape witness had the
grounds searched, but without avail. Upon the house
being searched, however, he was found hanging to
the cornice of his bedstead by a new rope, which he
must have bought while in Woodford. The body
was warm, but life was quite extinct, and all reme-
dies proved of no avail.
George Gayton, another assistant, having given
evidence,
Dr. A. Stocker, medical superintendent, said that
the deceased when brought back by the barber from
the Mile-end-road seemed extraordinarily agitated.
He said that he was led to make his escape by a
vision which told him his wife was dead. Witness
took from him a small penknife of his wife's, and
gave instructions to have him carefully watched,
which the attendants appeared to have done, except
for the instant in which he gave them the slip.
The Coroner remarked that it ought to be ren-
dered impossible for any lunatic to commit suicide
in an asylum.
Dr. Stocker said that if precautions of an extreme
kind were carried out the place would partake of
such a prison-like aspect that the curative treatment
of the patients would become impossible. There
were 100 or 200 patients in the establishment who
had been admitted as suicidal, but the cheerful un-
restraining system had such an influence on them
that the present was only the second instance of
suicide that had been accomplished.

The jury returned a verdict of suicide while of
unsound mind.