The Sun.
London, England, 1849-08-23 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURS DAY EVENING, AUGUST. 23, 1849.

LITERATURE.

THE CONQUEST OF CANADA. By the
Author of Hochelaga." 2 Vols.
If any thing c3utd increa-e the interest of a work
so rich in historical attractions, it is the very able
and eloquent manner in which it has been treated by
the author of " liochelaga." The introductory
chapter, to which we have already referred, is re-
markable for the energetic and eloquent manner in
which its noble and liberal sentiments are uttered,
as for instance where we read how " Montcalm's
far-sighted wisdom suggested consolation even in his
defeat and death." He felt that the cessation of the
French power in Canada would only precede the
cessation of British influence in the colonies ; and
so it was. " England," eloquently exclaims this
writer, " by the conquest of Canada breathed the
breath of life into the huge Frankenstein of the
American Republic." The "Conquest of Canada" is
the title of the work, and of course the gallant
struggle, in which Wolfe expired, forms a imminent
p:;rtion of its contents ; but the writer is not satisfied
with giving results merely, he traces up consequences
to their causes, and relates the whole history of the
Canadian settlement prior to its conquest. The book
is well worthy of perusal.

IDEAS, OR OUTLINES OF A NEW SYS.
TEIII OF PHILOSOPHY. By A. C., G

Jobert.

To write a book to prove the duality of mind and
matter appears almoA as much a waste of labour as
(according to an old simile) going to market to buy
a hatchet to break eggs. Still Mr. Jo'oert's refuta-
tion of Sir William Hamilton's assertions, that sounds,
odours, colours, &c., do not exist in the object, but
are affections of the senses, is interesting to read and
ponder over. One sentence towards the close of this
volume is singularly beautiful ; it is a happy varia-
tion of that popular expression, " Looking from Nature
up to N ature's God." Mr. Jobert speaks of us,
men, " turning one by one the sublime pages of the
history of our planet, reading them backward like the
Hebrew, until we find out the written types of the
title-page—the beginning—the A B C of the
Creation."

HUNTINGDON RtICES.-TUESDAY.

The Hinchinbroc lc Plate of 501. Heats, once round.
Capt. Lowther's Watchdog, Bst 121 b ...(Rogan.) 1 1
Mr. Spilsbury's Macaw, 3 ) rs, 7st 51b
Mr. Cartwright's Ready Money, 3) ra, 6st 41b 3 dr
The Huntingdot.shlre Stz:kes cot 20 sovs. each, 10 ft, &c.,
with 50 added. Two miles. (21 Subs ,12 of whom
paid 5 sovs. et.ch.
Lord Exeter's Midis, 3 yrs, 6st 61b ........(J. Mann) 1
Colonel Peel's Quinine, 3 yrs, 6st 31b
Lord Canter bury na Rearguard, 3 yrs, Est 81b
Mr. Portman na Kissaway, 3 yrs, Est 41b
Lord Exeter's Gardenia, 4 yrs, 7st 12Ib
Mr. Bating na Keraun, 4 yrs, Bst 71b
Mr. Reynold's na Bird of Paradise, 4 yrs, 7st 91b
The Two yrs old Stakes of 10 soya. each, and 50 added.
Last half mile. (9 Subs.)
Lord W. Powle tes f by Irish Birdcatcher, out of Re-
ciprocity, Bst 7lb (Rogers) 1
Colonel Peel's f by Gladiator, out of Maltbran
Sweepstakes of 5 soya. each, and 20 added; winner to
be sold for 3001., &c. Heats, once round. (7 Subs.)
Colonel Peel's Vasa, Bst Sib (Chapple) 2 1 1
Mr. Baring na Own Sister to Bird of Para-
dise, Bst 21b
Mr. Thornhill na ch g by Epirus, Bst 21b
Lord Sandwich na Rearguard, Bst 21b

THE BERMONDSEY MURDER.

EXAMINATION OF MARIA MANNING AT
EDINBURGH.
(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH )'
EDINBU 11,G 11, WEDNESDAY.
This morning, at ten o'clock, Maria Alarming was
brought up from the Calton•hill gaol, for examina-
tion before Mr. Sheriff Arkley, charged with the
morder, or participating in the murder, of Patrick
O'Connor. After being duly cautioned, the pri-
soner was asked what she had to say to the charge.
She replied that she had nothing to say; whereupon
she was remanded back to prison to await the arrival
of officers to convey her to London. It is expected
that one or more of the metropolitan police will arrive
here this evening, with authority to receive her into
their custody.

The intelligence conveyed in the above message,
received at a late hour last night, proves one thing
beyond a doubt—viz., that the metropolitan police
have nut understood the correct mode of proceed-
ing with regard to the custody and transmission to
England of the accused party. IVe believe we are
correct in stating that the Scotch law gives no power
to convey into Er.gland the body of any individual ap-
prehended in that country on suspicion of being con-
cerned in crime of any description without the produc-
tion of a legal warrant from an English magistrate.
Oely one warrant has been granted for the apprehen-
sion of the supposed murderers, and that is in the hands
of Inspector Field, who at the present moment is on
the Continent, whither he proceeded in search of
Maria Manning. The Edinburgh magistrates are
therefore correct in detaining the suspected party in
prison, until a London officer, duly authorised to re-
ceive her into his custody, arrives in that city. It is
somewhat strange that the facilities afforded by the
electric telegraph were not called into action to set
this matter right either from London or from Edin-
burgh during yesterday, but it is a fact that, although
the arrival of the prisoner was expected throughout
the day, and officers were sent up to the Euston sta-
tion to receive her, no telegraphic communication took
place between the two cities until the receipt of that
which we have given above. Immediately upon re-
ceipt of this message (a copy of which was obligingly
furnished to us by Mr. Barker, the superintendent of
the police department of the London and North-
Western Railway), Inspectors Walker and Shaw
proceeded to Scotland-yard, and communicated
its effect to Mr. May, the chief superintendent
of the A division, who immediately sought an inter-
view with Mr. Hall, the chief magistrate at Bow-
street, who at once granted a second warrant for the
apprehension of the accused party, which was placed
in the hands of Inspector Haynes of the detective
force, who left town for Edinburgh by the 6.15
A.M. train this morning. Mr. Haynes will arrive in
Edinburgh this evening, and in all probability return
to town with his prisoner to-morrow.
The following particulars in reference to Maria
Manning will probably be read with interest :—Her
maiden name is not Rue, as has been erroneously
stated, but De Roux. She is a native of Lausanne,
in Switzerland, and inherited some small patrimony
from her parents, both of whom are deceased. About
six years since she resided in the family of Sir Law-
rence Palk, at Haldon House, Devonshire, as maid to
Lady Palk, and while travelling to and fro with this
family she appears to have made the acquaintance of
Manning, who was at that time a guard on the Great
Western Railway. At Lady Palk's decease, in
1846, she obtained a situation as lady's maid to
Lady Blantyre, second daughter of the Duchess
of Sutherland. She came to reside with her
Ladyship at Stafford House in July, 1846, and
accompanied her to Scotland in the autumn of the
same year. While on a brief continental tour with
her Ladyship, before proceeding to Scotland, she met
the deceased O'Connor, who seems to have been struck
with her appearance and manners—so much so as to
have offered her marriage. In the early part of the
season 1847, she returned to town with Lady Blan-
tyre, and it appears was frequently visited at Stafford
House by both Manning and O'Connor, the latter of
whom appeared to entertain a very warm affection
for her. Manning, however, seems to have been the
favoured suitor, and on the 6th of August, 1847, she
left Stafford House-with the avowed intention of mar-
rying him. Whether the ceremony was ever per-
formed is not known at present, but it is certain that
she urged an old nurse in the establishment to be
present—a request, however, which was not acceded
to. As an illustration of the woman's finesse, it may
be mentioned that upon her leaving Stafford House,
handsome presents were made to her by members of
the family; and not only was this kindly interest in
her own welfare displayed, but a relative of her sup-
posed husband Manning recently received a Govern-
ment appointment through the influence of Lord Blan-
tyre. After her supposed marriage she accompanied
Manning into Devonshire for a week or ten days,
and then, returning to Stafford House, went with
Lady Blantyre to the Continent a second time, one
motive for her doing so being, as it is alleged, the
opportunity it afforded her of arranging her own
affairs abroad previously to settling down to married
life in England. All this time she had been deceiv-
ing Patrick O'Connor as to her intended marriage
with Manning, and when O'Connor ascertained that
she really was married, he manifested the greatest
distress of mind—tore the hair from his head, and
conducted himself altogether in a most extraordinary
manner. On her return from the Continent she
went to reside with her husband in lodgings at No.
2, Church .street, Paddington, Manning at this time
was still filling the situation of a guard on the
Great Western Railway. We should here state
that Manning in prosecuting his addresses succeeded
in persuading Maria de Roux that he was entitled to
property under his mother's will, amounting to be-
tween 6001. and 700!. This was of course only a
fiction, to assist him in obtaining her hand, but so
deeply did he lay his schemes that he actually drew
up a will, which has been found among the papers
in his wife's possession, by which he bequeathed
this property to his " very dear and beloved wife,"
to the exclusion of all other claimants, appointing her
executor, conjointly with Henry Poole, the scoundrel
recently convicted of the mail robberies on the
Great Western Railway, who is one of the sub-
scribing witnesses to the deed. There does not
appear to be the least reason to believe that
Manning had any property himself; but with
money he obtained from his wife, very shortly after
their marriage, he took a public house or hotel at
Taunton, which promised at first to do well ; but,
partly owing to the bad associates with whom he
became connected, and partly to the unfitness of his
wife to play the hostess among the "homely boors"
of Devon, the business soon fell off. While they lived
together here, Mrs. Manning on one occasion left her
husband, pretending that she had to go to the Conti-
nent to receive some money. She remained absent
about five weeks without communicating with her
husband, and Manning finding the business of his
house falling off, made over the lease to another party
and left Taunton. At length Mrs. Manning re-
turned, and presented herself at her former house,
where she was of course refused admission. She then
hastened back to London, and found her husband
living with his brother, in Francis-street, Newington.
She remained with him only a short time, and then
decamped again, and was at length discovered living
with O'Connor. A second time their differences
were healed, and they next appeared as the host and
hostess of the Old King John's Head, in the Kings-
lanchroad, where they remained only a very short
period, and on leaving Kingaland they went to live at
adinver-place, the scene of their diabolical crime.
Mrs. Manning is described to be a remarkably fine
woman, and it is said that correspondence discovered
in her boxes discloses familiarity with persons far
above her own station in life. She is woman of very
violent passions, and Manning's brother states that
while she lived at Taunton she more than once at-
tempted to stab him with a knife during a family
quarrel.
The accused parties resided for a short period at
No. 6, Philpott-terrace, Paddington, before they went
to Taunton.
Manning is still at large, but there is great reason
to hope that ere long he will be in custody. The police
authorities believe that he is lurking in some part of
the west of England, and two or three officers have
been sent down in that direction. It was several ,
times re ported during yesterday that he had been
seen in London, but the officers do not attach any
credence to these statements. It is quite certain that
he left town by the South-Western Railway on Wed-
nesday morning, the 15th instant, and it is fully
believed that he is now hiding himself in some of the
villages or towns on the west coast of England.
The furniture purchased of the supposed murderer
by Bainbridge, the broker, is advertised for sale by
auction today. It consists of articles of the commonest
description.
A great crowd of spectators awaited the arrival of
the various trains at Euston station yesterday, under
the impression that Mrs. Manning would arrive in
town from the north.
Yesterday the police succeeded in tracing the
shovel with which the grave of the murdered man
is supposed to have been dug. It appears that on
Wednesday, the Bth instant, Mrs. Manning went to
Mr. Langley's, an ironmonger, in Tooley-street,
Borough, where she saw the shopman, and said she
wanted an iron shovel, at the same time stating that
she wished it to be a very strong one." The shopman
asked her w hether she required a regular shovel.
She replied, "No • she would like a short-handled
one." One was shown her, for which she paid 15.2 d.,
leaving her name and address, and requesting the
article to be sent to No. 3, Minver place, New
Weston-street, in the evening, which was done, and
it was received ~by Mrs. Manning. The shopman
can identify her ? Mr. Langley is quite certain
that the shovel in question was strong enough to
remove any earth, but it would require more time
than a long-handled shovel.

It is a singular fact that, although every pre-
caution seems to have been taken in the commission
of this murder, and in the arrangements for the
escape of the perpetrators of the crime, yct Maria
Manning retained in her possesion the
rail-
way scrip and shares, and the other property be-
longing to the deceased, which could not be of any
value to her, but which, on the contrary, were
certain to lead to her identification as the murderess,
if any chance exposed them to the view of other
parties. This is one of many instances of that peculiar
sort of fascination which seems to exist in all these
cases, namely, that which induces the criminal to
retain possession of portions of the property which
must inevitably lead to conviction if apprehended.
EXPLOSION AT THE LETTLY

SHENKIN COLLIERY.
ABERDARE, TIIESDAY.—The Coroner's inquest on
the bodies of the 52 sufferers by the late appalling
explosion at the Lettly Shenkin Colliery, was resumed
yesterday morning, at the Town hall, before Mr. G.
Overton, one of the county coroners, and the jury
previously empanelled.
Thomas Rees, a collier, described very fully the
explosion. He never knew of any colliers about there
working by the safety lamp. He, however, never
experienced a want of air in the pit, nor did he observe
any change in the ventilation that day.
Daniel Rowlands was next examined. He de-
scribed where he worked in the pit, whom he saw
before the explosion, of his attending the meeting, and
then going towards the stall. (The poor fellow gave
his evidence in such a contradictory strain, that it
appeared doubtful whether he had recovered his re-
collection since the accident.) He did not know that a
fall from the roof of a stall would drive the gas out
into the level.

Mr. David Thomas said his object in coursing the
air was to sweep the gass out from the old goats. lie
relied upon that current to clear the works, but there
might be gas in the cavaties, and the roofs of the old
stalls to the west of No. 1 crossing, which the current
of air would not clear off. It was possible that these
accumulations of gas might be brought down sud-
denly by falls from the roof, and forced into the level,
thereby coming in contact with the naked candle of
the hauliers. He believed it would be possible to dam
up the old workings with safety, provided a portion of
the south returns had been passed over the main
levels into them by air bridges, and then conducted
into the north returns, but was not aware that such a
mode was adopted anywhere there.
Mr. Samuel Dobson, mineral surveyor to the lion,
E. Clive, who was desired by the jury to examine
the pit, stated that he had had considerable experience
in collieries in Northumberland and Durham. Ex
amined the colliery on the Wednesday after the
accident, accompanied by Mr. Blackwell, the Governor
Inspector; Mr. Williams, and Mr. Smith. At the
time they examined it the ventilation had only been
partially restored. On descending the winding pit,
they proceeded along the main level to the division of
the levels, and turned down the lower level along
which they went until they arrived at No. 2 deep
heading. There they found that the two doors, which
were placed at the mouth of that deep heading, bad
been blown inwards. From the heading they proceeded
along the level to No. 4 deep heading, when they
found that the door of its mouth was blown inwards.
From No. 4 they went to No. 5 deep heading, beyond
which point on that level they did not go, in conse-
quence of the air being bad. They then returned to
the division of the levels, and proceeded along the
upper level, and found the door, which was placed
about 30 yards from the division, blown outwards.
On arriving at the double parting in that level, they
saw evident traces of the fire. There were full trams
of coal standing at the parting, the last of which had a
portion of the coal blown upwards. The coal upon
the trams was charred, and the timber in the sides of the
level was covered with coal dust. From the double
parting they went to the first crossing, or No. 1, down
which they went until they arrived at the second west
stall, the roof of which had fallen considerably. They
examined the entrance of the stall, climbed over the
fall, and the gas fired in the lamp. After leaving No.
1 crossing they proceeded along the level, until
arriving at No. 1,2, and 3, rise headings. There had
been doors at the mouths, all of which had been
blown inwards. There was also a door between Nos.
2 and 3, in the upper level, which had been blown in-
wards. He found that the level beyond No. 3 rise
heading was standing foul, viz , with sufficient gas to
fire in the lamp. From the fall of the door, being
b own outwards from the No. 1 crossing, and five
men severely burnt, it was there he was of opinion
the explosion took place, radiating from a point of
No. 1 cross heading. From the timber being burnt,
and the coal upon the trams being charred, induced
him to conclude the point of explosion must have oc-
curred at or near the rise of No. 1 cross heading. It was
also the most elevated part of the level, rising towards
it from all directions, and the gas most likely to lodge
there in consequence—if it had been issuing out of the
goaf which was between the two levels, and which it
was very likely to do if there should be any accumu-
lation of gas in that goaf, as there were two or three
open communications from the goaf to the upper level.
He judged from what he had heard, and hisexatnination
of the colliery, that the accumulation of gas might
never have taken place in the goaf, and from a sudden
fall of the barometer or a fall in the roof, or both
combined, gas might be thrown out and produce an
explosion, as in the present instance. By coming out
into No. 1 crossing, being the highest point of the
upper level, the gas issuing out of the goaf would be
likely to accumulate there, and would be fired
there probably by the naked lights of some of the
hauliers. He considered that it was not safe
to allow the goaf to have communication with the
intake-air course, for if there was any accumulation
of gas in the goats it might issue into the air courses
and produce danger. He was not prepared to say
how it could be avoided. In the north of England it
was usual to force a portion of the return air through
the goaf, and make a separate way not communicat-
ing with the air course, and no possibility of going
into it, or the gas in it coming in contact with the
naked lights, and was kept locked, and no one could
enter it without a safety-lamp.
A Juror—Are we to understand that Mr. Dobson
considers the mode of ventilation in the collieries in
this district more imperfect than in the north of
England ?—Mr. Dobson thought it was more imper-
fect. He, however, considered that the ventilation of
the Lettly Shenkin colliery quite as good as the other
pits in the district, which were worked on the plan
there in practice.
This closed the examination of Mr. Dobson, and
the jury being desirous of hearing all the evidence
that could be collected in reference to the lamentable
event, the proceedings were again adjourned.

(PROM OUR OWN REPORTER.)
The examination of witnesses having been concluded,
the Coroner inquired if there was any person who
wished to say something, or to put any question to any
of the witnesses, or in any way to throw any light on
the subject of inquiry; if there wore, now was the time
to come forward.

Mr. Blackwell observed, from the position in which
he was, he could not, of course, consistently with his
duty, give anything in evidence. lle had assisted in
the examination of the pits, and had very minutely ex-
amined, as far as the workings would permit, the state
of the air courses, he fully concurred in the opinion of
Mr. Dobson Williams and Mr. Smith as to the course of
the explosion, and where it occurred.
Mr. Williams, as foreman of the jury, said the thanks of
every one of them were due to Mr. Black well for tie great
aid he had given to them in this inquiry, In fact be had
rendered them the most material assistance, and he
thought his presence had rendered the inquiry far more
satisfactory than it otherwise would have been, and
tended very much, he thought, to give the publio at
large satisfaction that they had done their duty as a
jury, and as men.
The CORONER then proceeded to sum up the
evidence of this melancholy inquiry, and said, he
thought it unnecssary to read the whole of the evidence,
but gave an epitomy of it, noticing the place, and the
different steps of evidence which led the witnesses to form
such conclusions to the cause of the accident. Such ac-
cidents must be attributed to one or two causes—from
neglect or willfulness. The law lay down offences of
omission, as well as commission; the first would make
parties liable to punishment, if the owner of the col-
liery employs people who were wanting in skill and
ability, is guilty of a grave offence. If you think there
were very improper omissions, you may bring it in man-
slaughter ; it, however, you think it was an accident,
which no prudence could avert, your verdict will be
accidental death.

The jury retired, and after two hours returned with
the following verdict—" That we find that the several
personswhose bodies we have viewed came to their death
by accident, in consequence of an explosion of fire-
damp, caused by gas oozing out of old and abandoned
stalls in No. 1 crossing; caused even by a fall from the
roof of these stalls, or by a sudden fall of the barome-
ter, or of both of these causes, the gas thus sent coming
in contact with the naked lights at the time engaged
in the upper level. And we further find that the tire
which took place in No. 1 cross-heading to the rise, and
in the face of No. 4 deep-heading, was caused by the
first explosion agitating the air, and causing the gas to
come in contact with the naked lights of those meu
working in those parts.
" 2dly, We also recommend in all instances that
the gas which generates in the o:d work should be car-
ried off by separate air currents from that which venti-
lates the working, and then brought into the turn-air
course, without any communication whatsoever with the
intake-air, and should be kept entirely secure from any
communication with the naked lights of the workmen.

THE MURDER OF MISS PRENDERGAST.—We have
been informed that the warrant for the execution of
Patrick Cormack, convicted at the last assizes of
this
wilful murder of Miss Prendergast, at Portumna, in
county, has arrived in town, and that same directs him
to be execs ted on the 25th inst. Oa reference to the
calendar we find that the judge directed his execution
on the 28th inst., and that intimation has been given to
him to that effect; by the present warrant his execution
has been anticipated by three days, which forms
ground for a memorial, and the same will be accordingly
forwarded on his behalf.-00/way Vindicator.