The Sun.
London, England, 1854-10-11 00:00:00

THE GREAT FIRES AT NEWCASTLE

AND GATESHEAD.

NEWCASTLE-ON•TYNE, Tuesday Afternoon.—During
the whole of yesterday afternoon and evening gangs of
labourers were employed in clearing away the ruins in
Gateshead, with the view of recovering the bodies of the
unfortunate people who were known to be buried among
the mass of rubbish.

The bodies of the following persons were dug out :
James Williams, worsted weaver ; Sarah Hutchinson,
single woman ; Samuel Hart, Mary Ann Hart, his
niece, and John Hart, his son. The bodies of the three
latter were taken out of the ruins of a dwelling in the
Church-walk. The body of Hart's wife has not been
recovered, and, without making any exaggerated state-
ments, there is reason to fear that more families are
totally destroyed in the yet smouldering ruins of Hill-
gate and the neighbourhood. The remains of young
Mr. Davison, Mr. Harrison, and Todd, one of the fire
brigade, have also been recovered and identified. They
presented a most affecting spectacle, and were removed
to the aisle of St. Mary's Church. They presented the
appearance of black and charred substances, and could
net possibly have been recognised, but for keys and
rings that were picked up near to where they were
found buried. The body of Mr. Bertram, the magis-
trate, has not been found, but a snuff box which be-
longed to him has been dug up. A young gentleman of
the name of Ingham has not been heard of since Friday
morning, and two Newcastle policemen are among the
lost. Seven persons have died in Newcastle Infirmary
since Friday, from accidents sustained by the explosion ;
and, from inquiries I have made at that institution this
forenoon, there are no hopes of three others in the ac-
cident ward—men named Gough and Henderson, and a
young woman named Short, a servant in the household
of Mr. Davison, the miller. The other patients were
considered to be making tolerable progress to recovery.
I am happy to state that beyond the three deaths al-
ready reported, there have been no more deaths from
the wounds and bruises sustained by the soldiers belong-
ing to the Cameronians who were crushed by the fall of
the Wesleyan school at the time of the explosion. The
15 privates who were in hospital are doing exceedingly
well, and are all considered out of danger. Two pri-
vates who were removed with injuries to Newcastle In-
firmary, were able to leave yesterday, and return to the
barracks. It is impossible to state, within one or two,
the number of deaths that have occurred from this sad
disaster, as in the confusion and excitement, no lists
have been left at any of the police stations. It is close
upon 40.
A meeting of fire insurance agents will be held in the
Central Exchange Hotel to-day, for the purpose of ascer-
taining the losses sustained by the insurance offices, and
taking the necessary measures thereupon. A meeting of
merchants, coal-owners, brokers, &c., will also be held
in the Central Exchange for the purpose of discussing
the expediency of removing the business now transacted
on the quayside to a more central part of the town.
Tha mass of ruins in Gateshead appear still to be full
of fire, and send forth a dense mass of choking vapour,
which is very oppressive to those whose avocations
bring them near to it. There still seems a very strong
impression that gunpowder was the agent which pro-
duced the explosion.
Without attempting to give any opinion upon the sub-
ject, as this point will, no doubt, be strictly examined
into at the adjourned inquest to-morrow, it is only pro-
per to state that the rumour alluded to is not confined
to the lower orders of the town, but is a current topic of
conversation among the influential inhabitaLkts. If
powder has been smuggled into the warehouse, those
who did it have incurred a fearful responsibility.
The Mayor of Gateshead has issued a notice upon the
subject..

Yesterday a public meeting of the' inhabitants of
Newcastle was held in the Guildhall. It was largely
attended by merchants and the more influential classes,
who hastened to give a ready assistance to their poor
neighbours deprived of their all by the calamitous fire.
It was agreed that a subcription should be made, and a
committee was appointed to promote it.
The subscription-list was then handed about, the
_ _

Mayor headini it with a subscription of 100/. In a
short time it was annouced that 2,0001. had been sub-
scribed. Since then it has been considerably increased.
There seemsayraisewortby rivalry among all classes in

the town and district to contribute to the necessities of
the poor families who have been cast on the world with-
out home or habitation. On Sunday collections were
made in the places of worship, and Mr. Davies the
manager of the theatre, gives a full benefit to-night to
the fund. A benefit was given in the Music-hall last
night for the same object.

THE AFFAIR OF THE DAUNTLESS.

COURT MARTIAL-SENTENCE ON LIEUT.

KNIGHT.

PORS3IOIJTH, OCT. 10.—A court martial was held on
board the Victory to-day, to try Lieut. Knight, of the
Royal Marines, for a breach of the regulations of the
service, in taking Matilda Jane Lodge on board the
Victorious, hulk to the Dauntless on the night of Sun-
day, the 17th of September. The court consisted of
Rear-Admiral Martin (president), Captains the Hon.

Orey, Sir T. Maitland, Elliott, Robinson, Massie, the
Hon. F. Hastings, Harris, and Crispin. The following
were the charges against Lieut. Knight.
" For that the said First Lieutenant Frederick Charles
Knight of her Majesty's Royal Marine Forcs, did on
the night of Sunday, the 17th of September, 1854, bring
on board her Majesty's hulk Victorious, two improper
women, and did act improperly towards such women, in
supplying them with wine and spirits in immoderate
quantities, when so on board the said hulk, the same be-
ins scandalous actions in derogation of God's honour
and corruption of good manners.
" For that the said First Lieutenant Frederick Charles
Knight did, on board her Majesty's hulk, Victorious,
on the night of Sunday, the 17th September, 1854, sug-
gest to Mr. Robert Hancock, midshipman, falsely to in-
form the chaplin of her Majesty's ship Dauntless, that
the women which he, the said First Lieutenant Frede-
rick Charles Knight had so brought on board the said
hulk were sisters of him, the said First Lieutenant, he,
the first lieutenant, well knowing at the time that such
was not true, the same being a scandalous action, in de-
rogation of God's honour, and in corruption of good
manners.

" For that the said First Lieutenant Frederick Charles
Knight was on the 17th day of September, 1854, with-
out his proper uniform, and without having obtained the
requisite leave or permission dispensing with his wear-
iag such uniform.
" For that the said First Lieutenant Frederick Charles
Knight was on the night of Sunday, the 17th day of
September, 1854, and on the following morning, drunk
on board her Majesty's hulk, Victorious.
" The said First Lieutenant Frederick Charles Knight
at the time mentioned in the foregoing charges, being
borne on the books of her Majesty's ship Dauntless,
then and now in commission."

After the examination of a number of witnesses, but
whose evidence contained nothing in addition to what
has already been repeated several times, the prisoner
read his defence, in which he admitted the truth of the
first charge, but pleaded in extenuation that the fault
specified was committed in a moment of indiscretion, at
the request of the girls themselves, and that he did not
intend to have kept them long on hoard. With respect
to the words forming the subject of the second charge,
they were uttered by him in joke, and he did not intend
them to be repeated, nor think they would have been re-
peated to the chaplain. The third charge he admitted
but pleaded ignorance of the regulations on that point,
and the fourth charge he indignantly denied, and as-
serted that no proof had been given in its support.
The Court found Lieutenant Knight guilty of the Ist
and 3rd charges, and acquitted him on the others, and
taking into consideration the irreproachable character
he has borne, sentenced him to be placed at the bottom
of the list of first lieutenants of Royal Marines.
Lieutenant Jervis was then tried for allowing the wo-
men to come on board on the night in question, and not
reporting the fact to the officer in command of the ship.
Re was honourably acquitted of the charge, having had
nothing to do with the affair.
To-morrow a court-martial is to be held on Lieutenant
Elphinstone, for allowing the women on board, he being
the commanding officer of the ship for the time.
By the sentence on Lieutenant Knight that officer
loses 11 years' service.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.