The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-05 00:00:00

A WRITER AND A TRAVELLER.

Feb. 4, 1853.

THE WEST INDIA MAILS.—The Royal mail steamer
Thames, with the mails from the West Indies and
Pacific, due at Southampton on the 16th of February,
and now consequently 16 days overdue, has not yet
made her appearance. The Orinoco was also due yes-
terday, and may be momentarily expected. The ma-
chinery of the Thames was notoriously in a non-efficient
condition, and that vessel was, in point of fact, to be sent
home for repairs. It is considered, therefore, that she
bas either broken down or has had to put into Fayal for
fuel. The evil of the company possessing no spare
steamer in the West Indies thus receives a further illus-
tration, and the mail service is subjected to these con-
stant and inconvenient delays from no provision existing
at St. Thomas to replace any steamer that may break
down or become temporarily disabled from want of
repairs.

SHOCKING DEATH OF AN OCTOGENARIAN BY FIRE.—
This morning a most respectable female, named Caroline
Malin, aged 79 years, expired in Queen Anne's Ward,
Westminster Hospital, from injuries sustained under the
following melancholy circumstances. It appears that the
unfortunate woman was sitting by the fire, in an apart-
ment she occupied at No. 30, Grey Coat-street, West-
minster, when by some means her clothes caught fire,
and the old lady became so much alarmed that she fell
off the chair in a fit. The neighbours, perceiving a
strong smell of burning, hastened to the room, and dis-
covered the unfortunate woman extended on the floor,
which had just been ignited by her burning dress, the
l•wer part of her body being in nearly a calcined state.
She was removed with all possible dispatch to the above-
mentioned institution, but, notwithstanding the surgical
skill of Mr. Cotterill and Mr. Farren, death soon termi-
nated her sufferings.

FRIGHTFUL AND FATAL ACCIDENT.--As Mrs. Skippon,
the wife of a shoemaker, residing at 11, Pancras-place,
St. Pancras, was yesterday proceeding along Albany-
street,
nßoeugte
bn
yt ' sa- psaurdkd,
sudden
nn aj
ecrakr cart lee
n cartby a
intoboy, he road,
at the moment that one of Pickford's vans was passing,
when its wheels went over her head, crushing it to
pieces. The unfortunate woman was carried to the
University College Hospital, where Mr..Grainger, the
house surgeon, pronounced life gone. No blame it ap-
pears was attachable to the driver of the van, who was
going at a very steady pace.
RAILWAY ACCIDENT.—Last night the express train
from Preston to Manchester ran off the line and up the
embankment. The engine overturned upon a first-class
carriage, which it crushed, and set on fire a second-
class carriage, which was also destroyed. The engine-
driver and the cokeman were killed ; as was also a child
belonging to a Mr. Barbour, a merchant of Manchester,
who, with his wife, is very much injured. Ten persons,
some of whom were severely injured—M. Kamm, a
Greek merchant, it is feared, mortally—were taken on
to Manchester, and conveyed in cabs to the Royal In-
firmary. The accident occurred six miles from Man-
chester.

REFORM OF THE LONDON CAB DRIVERS.—In conse
quence of numerous complaints from the public of an-
noyance and abuse in the vicinity of cab ranks from the
drivers and others congregating there, the Commissioners
of Police have issued orders that no person, except the
actual drivers and the watermen, are to be allowed to
remain on the stands, and the cads and bucks who loiter
about them are to be all apprehended.' The drivers of
cabs standing for hire are in future to remain with their
vehicles, and will not be allowed to stand on the foot-
path ' • they must not clean their cabs or horses on the
stands, nor smoke or drink malt or spirituous liquors ;
and, on request of the driver of any private vehicle, are
bound to move to permit the same to pass. The water-
men at each rank is required to see that the litter created
by watering and feeding the horses is cleared away. Sir
R. hsase
regulations,give and instuctionsfothe rigorous enforce-
ment of these officers are to be specially
appointed to see they are observed ; the refusal or
neglect to obey them entailing the forfeiture of the party's
licence.
Mayne