The Sun.
London, England, 1853-09-22 00:00:00

RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS.

-- -
THE GREAT NORTHERN RAlLWAY.—Traffic ret for
the week ending Sept. 11, 1853 £18,677 3 2
Corresponding week last year 13,158 2 5
LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE RAlLWAY.—Traffic re•
turn for the week ending Sept. 18, 1853.. £20,7561 4 6
Corresponding week last year 18,9321 8 11
CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAlLWAY.—Traffic return for
the week ending Sept. 18, 1853 26,039118 7
Corresponding week last year 4,8471 0 10
Increase in 1853 £1,192117 9
SCOTTISH CENTRAL RAlLWAY.—Traffic return for the
week ending Sept. 18, 1853 £3,465 19 9
Correiponding week last year 2,979 6 43

John Finnigan, the deaf and dumb boy, charged with
the murder of James Shanley, a child six years old, by
throwing him into the Rochdale Canal, at Manchester,
on Saturday, was again brought up for examination,
yesterday, before the magistrates at the Manchester
City Police Court.
Betsey Shanley, the mother of the deceased, said her
son left home between 5 and 6 o'clock on Saturday
evening, and she never saw him alive afterwards.
Thomas Shanley, the father of deceased said—l live in
Taylor's-court, Oxford-street. I called at all the police
stations on Saturday night, and did not return home till
past two o'clock on Sunday morning, and on Sunday I
made the same round again, also calling at the work-
houses, without obtaining any information whatever of
my son. I and another man found him in the canal on
Sunday afternoon, between 2 and 3 o'clock.
Angus Thorley, a little boy, ten years of age, who in
giving his evidence, displayed considerable dullness of
apprehension, said—l was going up Garret-road for a
walk on Sunday, with another boy, when two boys
came behind us. One of them was going to throw me
into the canal, and the other got hold of the boy who
was with me, by the clothes, and threw him into the
water. I know it was Sunday.
Alderman Walker—What day did you say it was when
you were here before ?
Witness--I said it was Sunday. I don't know what
time it was. We were going over the bridge. Igo
sometimes to school on Sunday, but I could not go that
day. There were no workmen or carts about. I don't
know when I told my, mother about it. I had never
before seen the boy who threw the deceased into the
canal, but I know the prisoner is the same. lam sure
he did it on purpose, and then he ran away.
Mr. Superintendent Taylor, of the Manchester police,
said—This boy (the lastwitness) came to the Police-office
shortly after 10 on Monday morning with his mother
and the deceased's father, and stated that on Saturday
(not Sunday) evening he was taking a walk up Gasratt-
road with another boy, when the prisoner came up and
threw his companion into the water.

Mrs. Thorley, the mother of the witness Angus Thor-
ley, said—My son came home on Saturday night about
seven o'clock, looking very downcast, and laid his head
against the wall. He has often been stoned and ill-used
by other boys in the street, and I thought they had been
molesting him as usual. Oa Sunday night, after the
body had been found, I was putting him to bed, when
he laid his head on his breast, and said, "Mamma,
I have seen the little boy that was drowned ;" and after-
wards started up and exclaimed, " I saw him throw him
in though."
There being no further evidence, the prisoner was re-
manded till Friday.
Mr. Pattison, master of the Deaf and Dumb School at
Old Trafford, interpreted the evidence to the prisoner,
who seemed, by signs and gestures, indignantly to deny
everything that appeared to criminate him. He is said
to be a.

be a very intelligent boy, and can write very we]

•-•-
He is apprenticed to a joiner, and his father is a nail-
maker, residing in Chorlton-upon-Medlock. The priso-
ner was educated in the Deaf and Dumb School, where
he had the character of a very headstrong and self-willed
boy, but never manifested a disposition from which it
could be inferred that he was likely to commit a serious
crime like this. His appearance is mild but rather sullen.

Mr. Martin objected. All her Majesty's liege sub-
jects were in the habit of being sworn on the authorised
version of the Bible, and he could see no reason why
there should be any exception made in the case of Mr.
Keogh.
The Rev. Mr. Keogh said it was not the true Bible,
and according to his conscience if he took an oath on it
he would be unworthy of credit—he would be a base
man.

Mr. Martin.—Here we have a Roman Catholic cler-
gyman stating in open court that a person taking an oath
on the authorised version of the Bible is unworthy of
credit. I will leave the question_ there.

Mr. Keogh—l did not say anything of the kind. I said
if I myself were base enough to take an oath on that
i
Bible I would be unworthy of belief.
Mr. Kemmis—You stated as your opinion that the
authorised version was untrue, and that your oath taken
on it would be unworthy of credit.
Mr.
examined on
gbhet
worthy
behy
exaun
of credit ; but having investigated the matter myself, I
have formed my own opinion, and if took the oath on
n
that Bible I would feel that I had violated my conscience
oghi—t. I
and do
thatnot meantheir
othaatht
would others might
so much that I would be unworthy of credit. That
opinion was not intended to apply directly or indirectly
to others.
Mr. Kemmis said it would, perhaps, have been more
fortunate if this question had not been raised ; he would,
defore deciding the motion, consult Mr. Shaw.
Mr. Crean observed that Roman Catholics were
allowed to take the oath of allegiance on their own Tes-
tament. It was also permitted by one of the commis-
sioners in another court.

Mr. Martin said he looked upon this as a most impor-
tant question, and he was anxious that it should be set-
tled as speedily as possible.
Mr. Keogh—Where is the liberty of conscience if I
am not allowed to use my own Bible ?
Mr. Martin—The subject, he would repeat, was of
vast importance to her Majesty's subjects generally.
Mr. O'Gorman, the revising barrister at Kilkenny, re-
cently insisted upon a juror being sworn on the New
Testament, although he refused, stating that it was
untrue.

After some further discussion,
The Bench decided upon allowing the agent for the
priests to produce his evidence.
Mr. Crean replied that he was not prepared for this
gentleman's objection to be sworn. It came on him
quite by surprise. If the Court would let the case stand
until the morning he would bring forward some of the
other gentlemen residing in the house.
Mr. Martin opposed the appliaation.
The Bench allowed the case to stand.

ADVENTURES OW A LETTER.—So admirably are mat-
ters conducted nowadays under the direction of the
authorities at St. Martin's-le-grand, that an Irish letter
addressed to Weybridge, and having to be forwarded
subsequently elsewhere to the party to whom it was ad-
dressed, was compelled to make the following extraor-
dinary peregrinations : —Passing through London, it was
sent from the central office to Weybridge, from Wey-
bridge it was sent to Chertsey, from Chertsey to Wey-
bridge, from Weybridge to Chertsey, from Chertsey to
Weybridge, from Weybridge to London, and from Lon-
don to its ultimate destination.

FATAL BOILER EXPLOSION.—A. very serious and fatal
boiler explosion took place on Monday morning, at Mr.
Hammond's flax mill, Bank, Leeds. The explosion,
which waa owing to the reckless carelessness of the en-
gineman, drove the partition of one of the lower rooms
asunder, and scalded seriously upwards of twenty per
sons. Three since have died in the infirmary. Their
names are as follows :—Thomas Hamilton, aged 23
years ; Jane Middleton, aged 24 years ; and Ann
M'Douald, aged 13 years. The lives of several others

are despaned-of. ILn inquest was held on the bodies by
Mr. Blackburn, the coroner, and was postponed till
Wednesday. the 28th inst.
CRUSADE AGAINST GIPSIES.—The crusade which com-
menced against these wandering tribes sometime since,
still continues. On Sunday evening a party were dis-
covered encamped beneath the hill in the neighbourhood
of Mordiford, and one of them, named Boswell, was
taken into custody. On the fol lowing day he was taken
before the magistrate, mulcted in the expenses, and
cautioned for the future to find some other home than
the " wide, wide world," and some other roof than the
canopy of heaven.—Bereford Journal.

EXTRAORDINARY FESTIVITIES.—ProbabIy the largest
dinner party that ever sat down under one roof at one
time took place at Saltaire, the model mill of Mr. T.
Salt, alpaca manufacturer, near Bradford, Yorkshire, on
Tuesday last. The dinner (which was the commence-
ment of the day's festivities) was given by Mr. Salt to
3,750 persons, comprising the notabilities of the West
Riding, the leading merchants and manufacturers of
Yorkshire and Lancashire, his personal friends, and his
own workpeople, to commemorate the opening of the
stupendous works at Saltaire, the majority of his eldest
son, his own birthday, and the completion of his 50th
year. In a gigantic room hereafter to be used as a
combing shed, there sat down at one time 3,200 per-
sons, of whom 2,500 were Mr. Salt's operatives, and the
rest invited guests. Mr. Salt, the host presided at this
immense dinner-table, having on his right and left the
Earl of Harewood, Lieutenant-Colonel Adams, the
Mayors of Leeds, Bradford, Halifax, and Wakefield, Sir
G. Goodman, M.P., Mr. Crossley, M.P., Mr. George
Sandars, M.P., Mr. H. W. Wickham, M.P., together
with a large number of ladies ; and at 27 tables in front

of the chair were seated the remainder of the guests

and the workpeople from the various mills of Mr. Salt.
Saltaire is a stupendous, but a model mill, in which
every mechanical science is brought to bear for the con-
centration in one vast whole of the utmost economy of
labour in the manufacture of alpaca and mohair fabrics,
and as it is to be surrounded by a model town for the work-
ing classes employed therein, it is situate about 4 miles
from Bradford, and forms one of the most remarkable
objects on that part of the Midland Railway which lies
between Leeds and Colne. The area appropriated to
the buildings is computed at six acres, while the
several floors in the mills, warehouses, and sheds,
form a superficies of 55,600 yards, or 11i acres.
The mill, which runs from east to west, is 550 feet in
length, and 72 feet in 'height above the level of the
rails. It includes six stories, and is constructed of
massive stonework in the boldest style of Italian archi-
ttoecwtnurteh.anTohfe
aw ab
building
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suits of commerce. The floors are formed on arches of
hollow brick, the openings in the bricks being used for
the purposes of ventilation, Rows of ornamental cast-
iron columns and massive 'cast-iron beams support the
arches. The roof is of iron. The windows, of large
size, are entirely filled with immense squares of cast
plate-glass. The whole of the building is fire-proof.
The weaving-shed will hold 1,200 looms, and the length
of shafting in the works will be 9,870 fest, or nearly two
miles, and weigh between 600 and 700 tons. The steam-
engines to work these shafts are equal to 1,200 horse
power, at a pressure of 301 b. to the square inch ; and
that the 1,200 looms will be capable of producing
30,000 yards of alpaca cloth per diem, or nearly 18 miles
each day, and a total length of 5,688 miles of cloth per
annum. When the works are wholly finished, 4,500
hands will be required to keep them going. This will
involve an addition to the population of Saltaire of front
9,000 to 10,000 persons. To accommodate these, Mr.
Salt proposes to erect forthwith 700 dwelling-houses of
various classes, replete with every convenience requisite
for the health, comfort, and well-being of the inhabi-
tants. The architects are expressly enjoined to use
every precaution to prevent the pollution of the air by
smoke, or the water by sewage or other impurity. Wide
streets, spacious squares, with gardens attached, ground
for recreation, a large dining-hall and kitchens, baths
and washhouses, a covered market, schools, and a
church, each combining every improvement that modern
art and science have brought to light, are ordered. to be
proceeded with by Mr. Salt. After the dinner and a suc-
cession of toasts, dancing in an adjoining meadow, and
a grand concert in St. George's-hall, Bradford, to which
the guests and workpeople were conveyed in special-
trains, wound up the day's rejoicings.
SYMPTOMS OF IMPROVEMENT.—The best and most
satisfactory proofs of improvement in the social condition
of Ireland, are to be seen in the workhouses, where the
number of inmates of paupers are reduced in some
cases to a mere fraction. In the union of Gort the per-
sous receiving relief in the workhouses amount to 730,
this time twelvemonth they numbered 3,500. The same
state of things prevails in most of the southern,
and many of the western unions, while in Ulster the
rates are in numerous cases applied almost exclusively
to the mainteance of the house, and payment of the
officers. The Clare Journal states, that the farmers in
the neighbourhood of Gort are giving 2s. 6d. per day
and food to mowers. Agricultural labourers are rely
scarce, and tradesmen of every sort in fall and prat-.
able employment. •
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