The Sun.
London, England, 1849-06-07 00:00:00

ST. MARY'S HOSPITAL.

The ar,niversary festival of this excellent institution
was held last evening, at the London Tavern, Bishops-
gate-street. There was a large assemblage of gentle-
men present long before the dinner hour, and some dis-
appointment was manifested when it was generally
known that the Duke of Cambridge, who had been ad-
vertised as chairman, would not be able to preside. His
place, however, was supplied by Earl Manvers, who ex-
plained the reason of his Royal Highness's absence—
which was no less than an invitation to Windsor. The
chairman, who, in the discharge of his duties, evinced
considerable interest in the institution, was supported by
the Chevalier Bunsen, the Earl of Waldegrave, Lord
Saye and Sele, Lord Bolton, Sir D. Duckworth, Gen
Sir J. Macdonald, Richard Welby, Esq , and other dis-
tinguished gentlemen.
The toast of the evening devolved as usual upon the
CHAIRMAN. In proposing it his Lordship dwelt upon
the advantages which had been derived from the institu-
tion during the comparatively short period during which
it had been in existence, and the many calls upon them
for an extension of its benefits.

The address of Chevalier BUNSEN, whose health was
coupled with that of " The friends and supporters of the
hospital," expressed in a very warm manner the plea-
sure which his Excellency experienced at being present
on the occasion; and in the course of it his Excellency
passed a very warm culogium upon the English nation,
which he maintained was in no respect held in higher
honour, and in no respect more entitled to the admiration
of surrounding nations, than for the variety and magni-
ficence of its charities.

The toasts of " The Chairman," " The Vice-presi-
dents," " The Trustees," and " The Stewards," were
all heartily given, and suitably acknowledged.
A sum of about 2,5001. was announced as the amount
of the evening's subscriptions.

FATAL ACCIDENT AT POULTON, NEAR FLEETWOOD.
—An inquest was held at this place yesterday, on view
of the bodies of four women, who lost their lives under
the following shocking circumstances: A widow,
named Kirkham, with four daughters and two nieces,
occupied a shop in Church-street, near the market-place.
Between two and three o'clock on Tuesday morning,
one of the daughters (Agnes) perceiving a smell of
burning, went down stairs to ascertain the cause, when
she found that flames were issuing from an unoccupied
room on the second story. She immediately alarmed
the family, and some of the neighbours were attracted to
the spot by her cries. Before a ladder could be raised to
the house, she threw herself from the window on the
third story, and being caught by a man below, happily
escaped with but little injury. The premises were en-
tered with as little delay as possible, when one of the
daughters and two nieces were found quite dead, having
been suffocated whilst endeavouring to escape from the
flames. Another daughter expired in the course of the
day. Mrs. Kirkham lies in an insensible state, and fears
are entertained that she will not long survive. It would
appear that the sufferers, on being aroused, stayed to
dress themselves, and thus perished. The names of the
deceased are as follows :—Elizabeth Kirkham, tiered 47;
Sarah Kirkham, 30; Eleanor Ball, 14; and Margaret
Ball, aged 6. The cause of the fire is at present enve-
loped in mystery. The inquiry was proceeding when
our report left.
PENSIONERS FOR THE FALKLAND ISLANDS.—We
understand that arrangements have been made by
Lieutenant-Colonel Tulloch, the Military Superintendent
of Pensioners, which have received the approval of the
Secretary of State for the Colonies, to send out, during
the ensuing month, half a company of pensioners to the
Falkland Islands, under the command of Captain Reed,
who has been appointed to the com:nand of the pen-
sioners in that colony, and who is now superintending
arrangements fur the reception of the men end their
families at Tilbury Fort, previous to embarkation at
Gravesend. The remainder of the company will pro-
bably be sent out in the course of the ensuing year.
The following will also be required to proceed with the
detachment, viz :-1 butcher, 1 baker, 4 carpenters, 1
joiner, 2 masons, 1 shoemaker, 1 blacksmith, I tailor.
Preference in the selection of men is to be given
to the agricultural class; but the staff-officers have
also been authorised, in case of need, to select
from the above trades, and where the characters
are equally good, to give a preference to men having
pensions above 9d. per diem. The memorandum
of conditions issued by the War-office requires that the
maximum age of each pensioner must not exceed 45;
his family to consist of not more than four children.
They will receive a free passage out, and be paid till the
period of embarkation at the rate of, for privates, Is. 3d.;
corporal, ls. 6d.; sergeant, Is. 10d. per day, in addition
to their pension; and a quarter's amount of pay will be
allowed in advance, to enable them to purchase clothing
previous to their leaving England. When at the islands
they will be provided with a cottage of two rooms for
each family, and a free grant of 10 acres of land, with
the right to pasturage not exceeding 100 acres of land;
the former of which-will become their own after seven
years' service, when they will be subject to no more
military duty. Coals, flour, meal, &c., will be pro-
vided them at prime cost for a defiinite time, and tney
will have to be subject, during the period of enrolment,
to twelve days' exercise per annum, for which they will
receive no additional pay. As this system will result in
much good to deserving individuals, and also in the end
be a saving to the nation, by having in each colony a
body of men ready for its defence at no charge on the
public, we hope it will be encouraged.
BRITISH COMMERCIAL LIFE ASSURANCE COM"
PANY.—The annual meeting of this company was held
yesterday, at the offices in Cornhill, John Cattley, Esq.,
in the chair ; when a report was read by Mr. Fernie,
the managing director, which stated, that although the
new business had diminished during the year 1848, from
the extreme caution observed by the directors, the in-
surances effected in the present year exceeded those of
several years preceding within the same period. There
had been a considerable gain upon the whole of the
policies closed in 1848, and the deaths within the same
period had been fewer in number and smaller in amountteof
past. A dividend at the
..
than for several years
7i per cent. per annum was declared at the last rate
meet-
ing. In answer to a question as to the
amount of the
901. Messrs.
gain, Mr. Fernie replied, that it was 9'
Thomas Benson, aad D. J. Thompson were re-elected
directors, and the report was adopted, when a vote of
thanks was passed to the chairman directors, and the
meeting adjourned.
DREADFUL ACCIDENT WITH A FIRE-ESCAPE.--
Yesterday morning a fire of a very dangerous character
broke out upon the premises belonging to Mr. Claggett,
an oil and Italian warehouseman, carrying on business
at 152, Bermondsey-street, nearly opposite Bermondsey
old church. The flames -were first discovered by Miss
Claggett, who, whilst lying in bed on the second floor,
was nearly suffocated with smoke, which entered her
apartment. Feeling convinced that the building was
on fire she aroused the other inmates, consisting of
Mr. Charles Claggett, his brother, and the shopboy.
They got up immediately, but had no sooner opened the
doors of their sleeping apartments than the smoke
drove them back. They succeeded in reaching the
second floor front, and having made their appearance
at the window, called to the conductor of the fire-escape,
stationed at the corner of the churchyard. The ma-
chine was taken to the house, and having been raised
to the second floor the conductor mounted, and placed
Miss Claggett in the canvas bagging, when all of a
sudden the carriage of the escape shot outwards, and
the top ladder struck the front wall with such force as
to break the machine, when the bagging turned over,
and the unfortunate lady fell upon the stone flags be-
neath, a distance of nearly thirty feet. The poor
creature fell upon her head with such violence as to

fracture the skull. Tanner, the escape man, to save his
own life, was obliged to jump from the second fln.or, and
in so doing was severely hurt. Mr. Thomas Claggett
succeeded in getting out of one of the back windows, and
forcing his body through a glass skylight, but in so
doing he was frightfully cut,l and when -he reached the
street his night. clothes were covered with blood. The
conductor again raised his escape in front of the house,
and, having ascended, succeeded in saving the lives of
the other two persons—viz., Mr. Charles Claggett and
the shopboy. The engines of the parish, London Bri-
gade, and West of England Company quickly attended;
but the parish engineer had barely entered the shop with
the branch of his engine, and begun throwing water on
the flames, when a fearful explosion of gunpowder took
place, which blew the front of the shop out. Fortunately
the engineer escaped uninjured. The fire was extin-
guished before it had extended beyond the shop. Miss
Claggll was forthwith removed to Guy's Hospital,
where r-le remained last evening without any hope of
surviving through the night.
THE DANISH BLOCKADE.—The steamer Malcolm
Brown, which left the port of London some weeks since
for Hamburgh, regularly cleared for that port with a
cargo of general merchandise, was warned off by the
Danish blockading squadron, and was consequently
obliged to return to the Thames without having dis-
charged any portion of her cargo at the place of her
destination. This was more than two months ago, and
a portion of the cargo having been sent to Hamburgh,
as a favourable opportunity offered, arrangements have
now been made for the further portion of the cargo, con-
sisting of British manufactured goods, which have been
detained on board the whole of this time, to be tran-
shipped on beard one of the mail packets allowed to carry
merchandise for delivery at theirdestination. This is a re-
markable instance of the great commercial inconvenience
which is experienced owing to the continued blockade
of the German ports against mercantile traffic by vessels
belonging to Denmark. Another vessel, the Poblano,
Captain Remmentina, has arrived in the docks from the
Havannah with a cargo of coffee, tobacco, honey, and
other articles of foreign produce. The cargo of this
vessel was originally destined for Hamburgh; but the
Danish blockade of that port prevented her from com-
pleting her voyage to the place of destination, and the
various persons to whom the goods are consigned aro
consequently under the necessity of discharging a por-
tion of her cargo. and transferring such portion as is
absolutely required to be forwarded to Hamburgh to
privileged vessels allowed to traffic to and from that
port, and arrangements have therefore been made to
tranship it on board the General Steam Navigation Com-
pany's mail steamer Wilberforce, for delivery at its des-
tination.

SERPENTINE BATHING CLUB.—At a meeting on
Tuesday evening, after other busieess, votes of thanks
were severally passed to deputations, consisting of the
Earl of Harrowby, the Rector cf Chelsea, Drs. Cope-
land, Wilson, Lankester, Tilt, and Woolley, %he had
waited on the Commissioners of Woods and Forests,
upon the impure state of the Serpentine; also to Mr.
Lilwall, for his exertions to purify that river. Mr.
Lilwall, in acknowledging the compliment, gave a brief
account of the progress of the movement. He stated
that Lord Carlisle had promised that the sewer running
into the Serpentine should be effectually stopped, that
the mud should be forthwith removed from the Ken-
sington-garden end of the river, and that the supply
of water should be increased. These promises had
already been fulfilled. In consequence of the extra
water supplied to the Serpentine, the cascade at the
lower end was, after many year's disuse, at length brought
into partial operation. Mr. Lilwall read a letter which
he had that day received from the office of the Woods
and Forests, from which it appeared that the Govern-
ment are going still farther to increase the supply of
water, the present quantity, though a great improve-
ment on the past, being said to be inadequate for the
necessary purpose. The following is art extract from
the letter: Measures are in progress for throwing an
increased supply of water into the Serpentine. The
quantity proposed to be supplied will exceed 2,000 tons
daily during the summer months, but the completion of
the necessary works will not be effected for some weeks
to come." It was suggested that if the grating at the
lower end of the river were carried from shore to shore,
the filth floating on the surface would be much more
effectually carried off, and thus, at a comparatively
trifling expense, would a material improvement in the
water be effected.

EFFECTS OF THE THUNDER-STORM or TUESDAY
LAST.—Baron Rothschild, of Gunnerbury House, Acton,
had 3,940 squares of glass broken with the hailstones
which fell about two o'clock on Tuesday last, during
the violence of the thunder• storm. Two market gar-
deners living at Starch Green had more than 1,000 panes
broken. Mr. Day, of Hammersmith, had many smashed;
also a great number of private dwellings round Turn-
ham Green had the windows broken. Some of the hail-
stones were nearly two inches long, and of an uneven
oblong shape.

DESTRUCTIVE HAIL STORM.—At an early hour on
Monday Brighton was visited by one of the most furious
and destructive bail storms which has occurred in this
vicinity for some time. It began about a quarter past
six o'clock, and lasted half an hour; but the mischief
that it did in that short time was very great. The hail-
stones were many of them the size of a wallnut ; they
were very hard—pieces of hard ice, in fact, with jagged
sharp edges. A credible person told the writer that two
which he picked up covered the palm of his hand. It is
fortunate that the storm occurred so early in the morn-
ing, before many persons were out, for the shower was
like a furious pelting with shingle, and it would have
been dangerous to man or beast to have been out in it.
The hail was preceded by thunder and lightning. In
the western part of the town the storm was furious in-
deed, and, as might be expected from the large size of the
stones, great damage was done to windows, especially
skylights and conservatories. The conservatories and
green-houses belonging to Baron Goldsmid at the Wick
were broken almost to pieces, some thousands of panes of
glass being smashed. The conservatories and green-
houses of his neighbour, Bright Smith, Esq., were like-
wise much injured; about 400 pieces of glass being
broken. Six thousand were broken in the green-
houses opposite Montpellier-crescent. The green-house
at Mrs. Steer's, Silwood-house, had about 3,000 panes of
glass broken. Mr. Dobie, Western Cottages, had about
4,000 panes in all destroyed in his conservatories. In
one of these a quantity of grapes were growing in
marketable condition. About 501bs. of these were
spoiled. The selling price was 7s. or 83 per lb. The
property belongs to Sir David Scott; it was not insured.
The roof of the conservatory at Hampton Lodge, the
residence of Sir Ralph Darling, was at least one half of
it destroyed, as was also the skylight at the top of the
house. We shall not attempt to give a list of the per-
sons who sustained damage to a lesser and comparatively
small amount. Suffice it to say that skylights innume-
rable were smashed, and such was the violence of the
storm that in many cases the hailstones after lighting on
the window-sills rebounded against and cracked or broke
the lower panes of the windows.—Brighton Guardian.
THE PEACE MOVEMENT.—PARIS CosiGnEss.—The
secretaries of the Peace Congress Committee, the Rev.
Henry Richard and Elihu Burritt, have just returned
from Paris, where they have been making preliminary
arrangements for the Great Peace Congress, which is to
be held in that city in the month of August. Their re-
ception has been cordial and encouraging. They have
had interviews with some of the most influential men in
France, who have entered with lively interest into the
objects of the proposed Congress, and who have readily
off-red to take a part in its proceedings. A Committee
of Organisation is now forming in Paris, and will com-
prise members of the National Assembly, the editors
of some of the leading French journals, and several of
the most distinguished: philanthropists and literary men
in that country. This committee will act in concert with
the other national committees which have been formed
respectively in London, Brussels, and Boston. The
Americans are taking active steps to manifest their
sympathy in this great movement. A public meeting,
which was largely attended, was held at Boston on the
28th of March, when resolutions were unanimously
adopted in favour of sending a large and influential de-
putation to represent the American people in the Paris
Congress. A very large number of gentlemen in Eng-
land and Scotland have signified their wish to attend
the Congress, and it is expected that the British dele-
gation will be on such a scale, and of such a character
as to demonstrate the deep interest taken by all classes
in the establishment of permanent international peace.
CORRESPONDENCE WITH HAMBURGII, VIA HULL.--
The following Post-office notice has just been issued:—
A contract having been entered into for the conveyance
of mails, by steam-packets, between Hull and Altoua and
llanaburgh, all letters and newspapers for Hamburgh,
Denmark, &e., specially addressed to be forwarded via
Hull, will in future be transmitted by these packets. The
postage on letters thus forwarded will be the usual
packet rates chargeable upon letters to Hamburgh, Den-
mark, &c. To those countries to which newspapers are
conveyed without charge by the mail-packets from
London, newspapers will hereafter be forwarded free via
Hull. It must be understood that all letters and news-
papersbe addressed via Hull, otherwise they will made up in
intended to be forwarded by these packets
bpackets must
the regular mails dispatched from London.
NEST.BUILDING EXTRAORDINARY.— A. pair of
magpies built their nest this season in the Lamonag
Coppice, near Murrayton, Girthon, on the estate of
Cally. Before they had kept possession long, a kestrel
ousted Mrs. Magpie, and occupied the building as a
dwelling-place for her own young. The pyets, how-
ever, had become very much attached to the locality, and
actually built another nest right over the top of the old
ono, where they again commenced their nursing cares,
the two pairs of birds appearing to live very amicably,
notwithstanding the summary ejection by which their
acquaintance was first commenced. The gamekeeper
first discovered this curious fact in natural history; and
in his calling as a discoverer of vermin, killed all the
young, shot the magpies, and one of the kestrels. In the
circumstances this was hardly fair; the magpies, no doubt,
do not deserve much quarter; though in this instance
they should have some consideration upon their peculiar
case; but the kestrel is comparatively a harmless bird,
doing but little injury to game, and killing large quan-
tities of mice, cockchaffers, beetles, &c. The kestrel is
usually termed a hawk, which it is not, but a falcon
(Falco tinnunculus); its common name in England is
.‘ windhover," from the wonderful power which it pos-
sesses of poising itself steadily in the air, over a parti-
cular spot, when on the outlook fur prey, even when a
gale is blowiug.—Dumfries Courier.
BURGLARY IN THE CITY.—A daring instance of
housebreaking occurred at an early hour on Tuesday
morning on the premises of Mr. Jolley, fruiterer, of 79,
Farringdon-street. The thieves, who are supposed to.
have been three or four in number, effected an entrance
by forcing a back window overlooking the lately closed.
burial ground, lying between Shoe-lane and Mr. Jolley's.
premises. The lower rooms were thoroughly ransacked,
and a considerable quantity of plate and jewellery, to-
gether with two watches and a trifle in money abstracted.
, The house was secure at a little after one, the perpe-
trators effecting a safe retreat by the way they had
entered.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, June 6.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
BRIBERY AT ELECTIONS BILL.

The House then went into Committee on this Bill.
Clauses up to 9 were agreed to without discussion.
On clause 10 being proposed,
Mr. R. PALMER suggested that a Committee should
be appointed to settle the law of bribery and treating at
elections. At present the law was so undefined that last
session two Election Committees came to different
conclusions upon the same point. If they left
the law in the state which this clause devised
they would find that at the next election the walls
of every town would be placarded by the orders of the
several candidates, stating from each that extensive
bribery and treating was going on, and that his oppo-
nent, if elected, would be incompetent to sitin the
House of Commons.—(Hear, hear.) His opinion was
that the decision on the Cheltenham election was cor-
rect; and he firmly believed, that unless a notice
was rightly given so as to impart a sufficient
knowledge in all cases of the real facts of
the case to the electors, the votes given for the
candidate who obtained tho majority ought not to be
struck off.—(Hear, hear.) Unless some system was
adopted the whole of the mischief which this Bill was
intended to obviate would be as rife as ever at the next
election.

Mr. BUNBURY trusted that this clause would be
maintained, but with the addition suggested by the Right
Hon. Gentlema❑ (Mr. Goulburn) and with that also
proposed by the Hon. and Learned Member for Ply-
mouth (Mr. Roundel' Palmer). If those alterations were
made they would confer a great benefit upon the whole
constituency of the country.
In reply to the CHAIRMAN,
Sir JOHN PAKINGTON said that he desired to
postpone the clause until he could give it a careful con-
sideration, and with a view to embody the two sugges-
tions which had just been made.
Lord MAHON quite concurred in the wisdom of
adopting the suggestions which had been made, but
thought that the Bill should have a title of a
less comprehensive character than that which it now bore.
He thought there could be no objection to adopt the
course suggested by the Hon. Baronet, viz., to with-
draw the clause for the present. As the greater por-
tion of the Bill had been amended and much of it
omitted, and very properly omitted, he thought the Bill
ought to be reprinted, and the title and preamble ought
to be altered, as in its present form it seemed too com-
prehensive.—(Hear, hear, and a laugh.)
After a few words from Mr. G. J. HEATHCOTE and
Mr. ARMSTRONG, the clause was postponed.
Clauses 10 and 11, and the preamble of the Bill,
were then agreed to, the House resumed, and the report
was brought up and ordered to be received this day
week.