The Sun.
London, England, 1836-01-01 00:00:00

CITY ANTIQUITIES.

During the recent excavations in the City, more particu-
larly for the formation of the sewerage in Newgate-street,
and the foundation of the new school at Honey-lane Mar-
ket, a great variety of interesting relics of antiquity have
been discovered by the workmen, which, viewed collectively,
throw a great deal of light upon the .ancient history of the
metropolis. A large number of these specimens have been
placed in the very extensive geological museum of Mr.
Saull, in Aldersgate-street, a gentleman of great antiquarian
and scientific research, and which he has chronologically
arranged, forming a very interesting and connected series of
illustrations. The excavations in Newgate-street, carried
on to a depth of about 30 feet below the surface, went un-
derneath the whole of the foundations of the ancient cities,
and above the solid diluvium, left by deposition from the
river, there were observed the successive debris of the Bri-
tish, Roman, and later London. The lowest was repeatedly
seen at a depth of between 19 and 20 feet below the sur-
face, consisting of cinders and charcoal, the probable rem-
nants of the destruction by fire of the rude wigwams or
wooden huts, forming the first settlement of our British an-
cestors, where likewise a great quantity of human bones
were found. Above these were found specimens of Roman
and Samian pottery, consisting' of vases, lachrymatories, am-
phone, &c., many of which are in a fine state of preserva-
tion, retaining in legible characters the names of the makers.
Coins of the Emperors Constantius, Constantinus Pius,
Antoninus Pius, Nero, &c., a large quantity of vitrified
tiles, &c.

Near the end of Newgate-street, approaching to Snowhill,
at a depth of about twenty feet, the workmen met with an
obstruction, which, from the hardness of the materials, for
some time impeded their labours, and which, on examina-
tion, was found to consist of large solid blocks of chalk, ce-
mented with an infrangible kind of grouting. On penetrat-
ing through, they entered a large magazine of human bones,
loosely impacted together. From the direction of this wall,
and the position of the bones not leading to the idea that
this was a place of sepulture, the probable conjecture is that
it was an ancient City boundary, and that the latter are the
relics of an army, who, attempting to force the portals, and
perishing there, had been loosely covered over. In the ex-
cavations at Cheapside, at a depth of about 18 feet, em-
bedded amongst many pieces of pottery and tiles, and what
is supposed to have been the ruins of a Roman dwelling,
was found a skull, now in Mr. Scull's collection, in a re-
remarkably fine state of preservation, but which, phrenolo-
gically speaking, from the absence of the intellectual and
great predominance of the animal organs, can give no ex-
alted ideas of the moral character of the people to which
the possessor belonged, the bead being more like that of
a Carib than of one of the natives of modern Europe. In
the excavations at Honey-lane Market, likewise, a great
many human bones have been found, in all probability of
very great antiquity, from the immense quantity of Saxon
coins which were also discOvered there. Near the same
spot were also discovered a great variety of tiles and pave-
' ments, of the period of the Plantagenets, many of which,
from the inscriptions on them, must have formed the foun-
dation of some sacred place. From the chronological ar-
rangements, and founded on these data, it would appear
that the site of London must have been raised at least 20
feet from its first foundation, the ground occasionally rising
by the aid of floods from the river, but the debris being most
materially increased by conflagrations to which the city was
formerly so subject; and particularly at the great fire.

A few days ago the following tragical event took
place at Alencon :—An individual, named Besnard Saint
Marc, of independent property, had invited to come and
reside at Alencon his brother, who was married, and lived
in Paris, but had been unfortunate in business. It is sup-
posed that this was done not so much to oblige his brother
as to bring his sister-in-law near to him. Whether from
the refusal of his brother to give him an acknowledgment
for some money advanced, or-from the disdain of his sister-
n-law, it is not known, but he went to their house, and
with a poniard attempted to assassinate the woman. The
wounds were not mortal, and at her cries a neighbour ran
to her assistance ; but St. Marc, presenting a loaded pistol,
forced him to retire. At thp moment of the neighbour's
going away a shot was heard, and St. Marc was seen to
fall ; but 'on penetrating into the house people were asto-
nished at finding no traces of the man, who, it is supposed,
having been only slightly wounded, had made his escape.
All attempts to find him have hitherto been without suc-
cess ; it is said that be had sold all his property, and that,
he is endeavouring to leave the country. He was a young
man_ of a iftec_aia.racter, and this aborratioai_.E..l.l.,_
compassion.

meet

S wit:

COMMERCIAL PROSPERITY.— A gentleman in
Edinburgh, just returned from a commercial tour in the
English manufacturing districts, mentions-to us, that at no
former period, or at least for many yeass, has there been
such briskness in nearly all the departments of manufac-
tures as at the present moment. Many of the manufac-
turers and merchants have orders on hand which it would
require twelve months to execute. Some are literally re-
fusing orders for goods, and not sending out their travel-
lers, but transacting business by letter. , A vast quantity of
the goods now preparing is for the United States of Ame-
rica ; the stagnation of trade in that country, caused by
the agitation of. the Bank question, having been succeeded
iby a corresponding activity in all kinds of traffic. As an
s of the present briskness in the iron and hardware
departments, we are told that a merchant the other day
received an order from America for 1,0001. worth of nails,
which he could get no nail manufacturer to begin executing
sooner than three ,months afterwards. Such accounts as
those are exceedingly gratifying, and we are glad to say
that a similar healthful demand is in operation for several
Of "our Scotch Manufactures. The manufacture of paper,
which is principally carried on at Mid Lothian, is at present
in great activity. The demand for both writing and print-
ing papers, particularly the latter, is daily increasing, and
would be still greater if the question as to the reduction of
the duty were fully settled, which we hope it will soon be.
—Scotsman.
A HORRIBLE VILLAIN.—The Natchez Daily
Courier of the 6th of November states that a being named
William H. Short, who had been an inhabitant of one of
the penitentiaries of the western States, but was liberated
on account of his good behaviour, hired himself as a wood
chopper to a man near Natchez a few weeks since ; that he
worked in the woods some time, then pretended sickness
as an excuse to return to, and sleep in, his employer's
' house ; that he was permitted to sleep in the room with
the son of his employer ; that he arose in the night and
went out several times ; that he at last came in, struck a
blow with an axe at his room mate, which lighted upon his
forehead, stunned, but did not kill him ; that he next went
into the room of his employer, attempted to cut his throat,
and partly succeeded ; that he stabbed him several times in
the temple and about the head, and with an axe broke
several ribs and the wrist of his wife ; that the son, in the
meantime, recovering from the effects of the blow he had
received, and hearing screams from the room of his father
and mother, seized a musket and rushed down stairs, when
the villain, perceiving a man coming upon him armed, fled,
carrying- with him, however, the contents of the, musket,
which was loaded with shot ; that he fled naked, and got
off beyond the reach of pursuit. A few days afterwards,
Short offered hiS services as a wood chopper to a man
living about Point Coupee, 1.50 miles from Natchez. On
going out to look at the woods where he was to work,
Short walked behind his new employer, raised his axe, and
killed him at his feet. He then returned to the house, in
which there was no one except an old negro woman, whom
lie attempted to kill. She got clear of him and fled. He
then robbed the house of what articles he wanted and went
off. An alarm was raised, and he was soon after taken,
when the facts being proved against him he was permitted
to make a confession, and was then hanged. In his con-
fession, which is to be published, he stated that he would
have killed any man for five dollars.—New York Paper.
CHARRING OF ANIMAL SUBSTANCES.—A pam-
phlet, published at Florence, gives an account of a strange
discovery by Girolamo Segato (known by his maps of Tus-
cany, Africa, and Morocco), the general accuracy of which
is attested by the principal professors in that city. It ap-
pears that Segato, while traversing the deserts of Africa in
1820, for the purpose
,of perfecting his map, discovered in
one of the hollows which a whirlwind had ploughed up, a
completely charred human body, the flesh and bones of
which were in good preservation. It struck him instantly
that the process of charring could only have been effected
by the scorching sand, and that if the heat of the sand had,
in this instance, effected the complete desiccation and car-
bonization of animal substances, it might be possible to ef-
fect something similar by artificial means. On his return to
Italy he commenced his practical experiments, and at length
succeeded in imparting to the limbs and bodies of animals
solidity and indestructible durability. By this process whole
bodies, as well as individual parts, acquire a thoroughly
firm consistence which is more perceptible and decided ac-
cording as the respective parts are harder or softer. The
skin, muscles, nerves, veins, fat, blood, all undergo this
change, without its being necessary to remove the intestines,
which assume the same consistence. At the same time
the colour, form, and character in general remain unchanged ;
no smell is perceptible, and both joints and limbs remain
flexible and moveable, as when alive. When bodies have
acquired this consistency, neither damp, air, moths, nor
water, can affect them. The weight is but slightly dimi-
nished. Not a hair is lost ; on the contrary, they are
rooted more firmly than ever. Birds and fishes lose nei-
ther skins, scales, nor colours ; and in like manner insects
and worms remain in every respect. Segato's.cabinet con-
tains many curious specimens of this novel and singular
discovery. One of the most remarkable is a table corn-
poSed of two hundred and fourteen pieces joined together.
The observer would take them for so many different kinds
of stone, and yet they are nothing more than portions of the
human members.

THE MARKETS.

COUNTRY CORN MARKETS DURING THE WEEK.

beat. 1 13arley.

Oats. Beans.

Per Qttarter. s. to s. Is. S. •s. to s.
Blanchortl '36 40 28 33 23
33 40 23 29 18 25
33 21 16
Chard 35 38 26 28 13 19
1-1untingd0n......... 4•) 44 24 30 15 19
Long Sutton-- 28 33 10 20
Louth 33 38 -* 25 28 15 17
36 41 28 30 '22 20
Newark 31 40 123 33 20 30

Slottingham 31 28
i'etorl)orotigli 24 37 22
Piymontli 40 50 30
L'onte (tact-- 67
'ilea for!! ,—.. j 65 70 36
Uipi 11311 al • 34 37 24
NisLcch .. , 39 --

DEVIZES CORN

Per Sack. s. d. s. d.
Firztl%.heat.... 2l 0 to 23 0
Secotill l7 0 20 0
Thirds
1236 Sacks of Wheat sold/ 19 3
at the average of

31 I 9 •28
29 15 23
34 20 23
43 - 27
38 22 28
29 20 20
- - 20

S. to S.

36 40

36
33 99
30 34
32 35
36 • 42
33 46
35 42
32 40

- 43
41 43
23 44
31 33

Pease.

S. tO S

:32 -
32 36

32 34
23 30

IARKE•[—Dec. 31
Per Quarter. s. d. s. d.
Barley '2s 0 to 33 0
Oats lB 0 25 0
Beans (per sack) l7 0 22 0
Flour (per bag) 27 0 49
Bread (per gall.) 0 9 —• 0

LEEDS CORN MARKET.—Dec. 29.
Wheat, Norfolk and Siitit,ll4 601 b.
---- York. and Lincoln. 601 b.
Barley, Norfolk and Sutiblk
--- Yorkshire and Lincolnshire -
-:-.-- Grinding
Beans
Oats, I'otatoe 2ls. to 245. J n.
--:dealing, For. 12d. to 13d. Eng. lOd. to 11d. per stone.
Shelling
Rapeseed, English, 26/. to 27, ...... .... Foreign, —l. to —/.. per last.

SOUTHALL CATTLE MA RKET.—Dec. SO
The supply of Beasts, Sheep, Calves, and Porkers, to this day's mar-
ket was moderately good. There was n moderate attendance of town
and country buyers, and the trade was dull, at the following prict s
per stone o 1 81b. to sink the ofials

Beef 3s. 4d. to 4s. 4d. Veal
f
Mutton 3 2 4 4 1 Pork 3 2 4 2
Beasts, liS ; Sheep, 1 P 88; Calves, 39; Pigs, 60. A small portion of
the supply left the market unsold

ROMPORID MARKET.—Dec. 30.
s. d. to s. d. s. (1. to s. d.
130 e f. 3 0 4 2 Veal
Mutton 3 4 4 4 Pork 3 4 4 4
Suckling Calves, 12s. to 275.; Quarter old Store Pigs, 10s. to 20s,
• Mitch Cows, with their small Calf, 12/. Os. to 16/. Os.
Supply moderate, and trade rather dull.

LEWES M A RKET.—Dee. 29. •
Beef 3s. 81 to 45.4 d. I Veal .... .......... .. 4s. 2d. to 4s. Bd.
Mutton 3 S 4 6 Pork 3 4 3 8
A moderate supply; the trade with prime Beef and Mutton rather
brisk, but otherwise dull.

MEETINGS OF CREDITORS TO-MORROW.
.1. Jarmain, bill-broker, Air-street, Piccadilly
J. Wilson, tipholsterer, Liverpool-street, Bishopsgate. 1 - 11-
E Farrar, apothecary, Guildford-street, St. Pancras 1 12
S. S'rong, draper, Oxford-street 1 11

On the evening of the 15th inst., a fine heifer, the
property of Mr. James Machen, vestry-clerk of Eccle.sfield,
near Sheffield, Was shot through the head by some villains,
as it would appear, from motives of revenge. On the same
night, a note, of which the following is a copy, was put Un-
der the door of the Workhouse :--" .Tatnes Machen.—
This is to let the no sorcbargf or sorcharg. The bool is
made fOr they head and I, hope it will have good luck.
Thear is a nother or too may expect the same. Thear is
Hall Round Hat." A note, in the same handwriting, and
of a similar threatening character, was left with the body of
the heifer. We understand that a man is in custody, un-
der the suspicion that the notes are in his handwriting,—
Halifax Express.

At the present time there is not a single.unocCupied-
mill at Wakefield ; and, what is better, they are all fully
employed.

TIIE DELICACIES OF THE . SEA&ON..--A few
nights ago, at the village of H., iiot ten miles from Knares-
borough, a party met in the stall of a son of Crispin for the
purpose of wiling away the gloom of a winter evening, by
recounting their village news. Among other topics the
unprofitableness of fatting swine was discussed. There was
in the company, however, one of the swinish multitude,
who asserted that no pig's flesh was ever found so fat, but
he could eat it, and wash it down with warm new milk.
Such an opportunity of beholding the gormandizing powers
of this two-legged hog was too rich to be lost, and accord-
ingly a quarter of a pound of the fattest bacon that could
be. procured was provided, and with it a basin of warm
milk. Another of the company, in order to heighten the
treat, offered to add to the mess three pinta of ale, if the
glutton would swill them in 15 minutes. This was also
accomplished, and the enormous masticator offered to take,
by way, of a dessert to the whole, a jack of linseed oil.
This was sent for, but the caterer took the liberty of pur-
veying train oil instead. Sueh was the delicate perceptions
of this gourmand's organs of taste, that placing the itussian
vessel of deliciousness to his lips> -having first wished the
company 1 '.he gliped.l. the whole of the

without perceiving the difference, and actu
ally offered to add the same modicum of the rancid beverage
he had unwittingly swallowed. The company, however,
had had sufficient proof of his monstrous capabilities, and
declined adding to the quantity of hog wash- he had already
taken.— York Courant.

i (ADVEATISEXLEXT.3
POWERFUL MUSICAL BOX,ES, in wood
cases, 12 inches long, by 5 inches wide, each playing Four Airs,
with the music finished in a very superior manner, are offered for
Five Guineas each. Also a few of the same description, with Six
Airs, price Seven Guineas each, at T. Cox Savoicr's, Working
Silversmith, Goldsmith, and Watchmaker, 47, CornlrAl, London.
N. B. The small musical boxes, 3 inches long, cot-cc-inns selling
in tin cases, price 19s. each, or in composition shell cases, at 255.
each.