The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-30 00:00:00

WEDNESDAY EVENING CONCERTS.--These delight-
ful concerts still attract a crowded audience. On
Wednesday evening the programme contains some
first•rate compositions. Miss Day will perform a
fantasia en themes from .Wallace's opera of Marituna,
on the pianoforte, Mr. Sims Reeves will sing the
beautiful Irish melody of "Ihe Last Rose of Sum-
mer," the elder Braham will again with Sims Reeves
sing "Laverm's duet, "A Father's Blessing," and
altogether a dalightild evening may be anticipated.
HANOVER-SQUARE Rooms.-111r.13arker, the talented
composer of several wry popular pieces, gives a
musical entertainment here on Saturday evening;
the programme contains among other very pretty
songs " The Irish Emigrant," " The Dream of Life"
and " The Lament of the Irish Chieftain."
LONDON SACNISD 11,111130N1C
oratorio of Samson will be performed at Exeter-hall
by th's society on Friday evening. Miss Birch, Miss
Dolby, Mr. H. Phillips and Braham will sustain the
principal solo parti,
On Thursday Sir H. Bishop delivered the first of
two lectures at the Whittington Club, on " Secular
Music in England during. the 17th and 18th Centu-
ries." The lecture was received With the greatest
attention, and the vocalists that performed the illus-
trations were highly applauded.
The first meeting of the Melodists' Club took
place on Thursday, at the Freemason's Tavern, when
about 50 persons sat down to dinner ; E. Goldsmid,
Esq., in the chair. Several glees,
duets and songs
were sung,'and the evening gassed oft most delight-
fully.

Mr. VENABLEs (with reference to the loss which the
project would entail upon the millowners and tenants on
the banks of the Thames) said that if the quantity of
water mentioned in the prospectus of the company were
taken from the Thames, it would, in dry seasons, be
tantamount to an absorption of the whole quantity
coming down the River. As an inevitable consequence,
the mills would for that period be entirely useless.—
(Hear, hear.). ' Independently of the waterworks at
Windsor, which were constructed at a very large expense
indeed, there were tleven mills that would be effteted,
and thus compensation to a very considerable amount
would be required, both by the owners and tenants of
mill property on the banks of the Thames,—(llear.)
The resolution was put from the chair and carried
unanimously.
Mr. LLwIS ROSE moved the next resolution, which
was also carried unanimously:—That a due regard to
the interests of the proprietors and occupiers of the land
and mills requires that the propsed schemes should be
oppo.ied in the most strenuous manger before the Com-
missioners for the preliminary inquiry, under the recent
Act of Parliament, and the proprietors and occupiers
present (in person or by their agel:ts) pledge themselves
to such oppositi
Sevfrat other resolutions of a similar chara2t2r were
agre,ll to; and a vote of thwiks haring been passed to
Mr. Vansittart fir his able and efficient conduct in the
Chair, the meeting separated.

DESTRUCTIVE EXPLcSION AND CONFLAGRATION.—
About half-past three o'clock on Thursday afternoon, a
most serious ocourrence took Oleo at the works of the
Edinburgh Gas Coterany, which resulted in the almost
entire destruction of the splendid new gasometer lately
reeled, adjoining ti e working premises.of the company,
in the Not Back of Canongate. The gas-holder,
which is 100 feet in diameter, and 40 in depth, is erected
on a piece of ground entirely isolated from the adjoining
buildings, and completely surrounded by a massive
wall. About the hour mentioned the inhabitants of the
district adjoining the locality in which the gas-holder is
situated were startled by experiencing a severe shock,
as if from some violent convulsion of nature, though
without an explosive noise at all corresponding to the
intensity of the vibration. Tha houses were shaken to
their very foundations, while the inmates were stag-
gered or thrown down, and articles of furniture and
household utensils dashed with violence from their
places and broken or destroyed. The glass in the win-
dows was for the most part completely demolished, the
noise of which, coupled with the suddenness of the
occurrence, caused great and general alarm. The cause
of the disaster was scon ascertained, and the at-
tention of the crowds, who now thronged to the
spot, was drawn to a sheet of bright flame arising from
the gas-holder, a hich told too truly that the immense
quantity of gas which it contained had, by some un
known means, caught fire. In another moment the
whole was one sheet of flame. The fire continued to
blaze with great fury until gradually, as the gas was con-
sumed, the gas holder immerged in the tank amongst
the water beneath, and the conflagration was ultimately
ex, inguished by means of wet h:ankets and coarse sack
ing being spread over the shattered remains of the gas•
holder. The most mysterious part of the matter is, by
what means the gas in the holder became ignited. The
gasometer, as before stated, was completely isolated,
surrounded by a wall, and, as we are informed, no fire or
combustible substance allowed inside. The only con-
jecture which can be hazarded is, that the late high
winds with which we have been visited:must have strained
the pillars and framing of the structure, and thus caused
a friction of the chains and guide rods, which occa-
sioned the catastrophe. There were in the gas-holder at
the time nearly 300,000 cubic feet of gas, the greater
portion of which wou!d of course be consumed; and we
have heard the total damage estimated by a mechanical
gentleman at about 2,0001. It is consolatory that no lives
have been lost, nor any one injured by this lamentable
occurrence.—Edinburgh Advertiser.
DETERMINED SUICIDE BY PRUSSIC ACID.— Yes-
terday morning William Vaux, late an estate and house
agent, aged 45 years, was found dead in his bed, at his
lodgings, No. 2, Trafalgar-place, Walworth, from the
effects of a large doso or prussic acid, which he had swal-
lowed during the night. It appears that the deceased
had latterly been so reduced in his circumstances that
he has been living upon his friends, and the circumstance,
it is evident, had very much preyed upon his mind. On
Sunday he dined out, and having returned home, re-
tired to rest about half-past twelve o'clock. Finding
that ho did not come down to breakfast at his usual
time, a little girl was sent up stairs to his bed-room to
call him, and, after knocking several times at the door,
she entered the chamber and found him in bed quite
dead and cold. On his table was found a phial contain-
ing about two table spoons full of what was found to be
prussic acid, tle,ugh the label on the bottle itself had
been carefully scraped off. In a memorandum, also
found cn the table, there were some lines, in the de
ceased's handwriting, to the effect that his frit nds
should no longer be troubh d with his support, as he
should be found dead, and he cared not if they buried
him in a hogstye.

The wedthel- is still boisterous and generally wet.
Yesterday was one of the worst days we have had for
some weeks ; for although the wind was not so strong
as on that day week, the rain was battering and con-
tinuous during the day, and in the evening wo had some
heavy gusts of wind, with rattling showers of hail, from
the north-vast, which, at a later hour, were followed by
sleet and rain. At the time we went to press there
seemed to be a lull.— Caledonian Mercury.

THE YEAR 1849;
THE 1849TH YEAR OF CHRIST.
5798th after the creation of the world, according to
Sealiger's computation; but the
5853rd year, according to Eusebine.

IT IS THE
6562nd year of the Julian pried.
2625th year of the Olympiad.
2602nd year of the building of Rome.
5610th year of the Jewish computation, which begins
with the 17th of September.
1265th year after the Hegira.
7357th year according to the modern Greek calendar.
783rd year of the Norman lino in England.
695th year since the conquest of Ireland by England.
685th year of the Plantagenet line.
450th year of the line of Lancaster.
388th year of the line of York.
364th year of the line of Tudor.
332nd year since the Reformation of Luther.
224th year of the Stuart line.
135th year since the accession of the House of Wpm.
wick.
13th year of our Sovereign Queen Victoria.

We learn from a correspondent that the weather
in the north of Scotland, and particularly in Inver-
ness-shire, has been tempestuous to an almost unprece-
dented degree during all last week. One storm of
wind and rain followed another for several days and
nights, almost without intermission, and with un-
equalled severity and heaviness. Those storms were
frequently accompanied by vivid lightning. Many of
the roads and wide extents of low-lying lands were
flooded, and travelling became exceedingly difficult
and dangerous. But the greatest calamity which
has hitherto come to our knowledge arising from
these storms is the complete destruction, on last
Thursday morning, of the fine old bridge over the
Ness at Inverness, which, after bravely standing the
floods and tempests of more than 160 years, has
been at length, in the apparent plenitude of its
strength, carried away at one fell swoop. There is
much interest of an historical and antiquarian
kind attached to this bridge, and its local posi-
tion and the elementary peculiarities it had to
battle with gave it an uncommon celebrity. It was
built at the foot of the romantic hill on which, ac-
cording to Shakspere, Alacbeth's castle stood. The
building of the bridge began in 1685, and was finished
in the year of the revolution (1688). It spanned the
swift waters of the Ness by seven well-constructed
arches. The late eminent engineer, Mr. Tel;ord,
esteemed it the handsomest old bridge in Great Bri-
tain ; although it had a slight rise in the centre, yet
the arches partook more of the modern eliptical form
than was at ell common in days of old. It is stated in
the statistical account of Inverness that the ancient
gaol of that burgh consisted only of a single damp
dingy vault of one of the arches of this bridge. This
strange place of imprisonment was always pointed out
as a curiosity to strangers. The bridge (older than any
on the Thames) might have continued to defy the
river currents for another century, because the Ness,
although a copious and rapid stream, is a singularly
agreeable and well-behaved one, seldom overflowing
its banks, and never emulating the furious savage
outbroaks of its neighbours—the Findhorn and Spey.
This equability of current was caused by its waters
being husbanded in Loch Ness, and given out gra •
dually by a narrow outlet. From the great depth of
the lake,%nd the short rapid course of the river, there
was never any ice to injure the fabric; but a cause
was at work for its,demoition which could never
have entered into the calculations of its architect. It
is well known that the Caledonian Canal is carried
through the great glen of Scotland, by joining the
three great lakes of Ness, Oich, and Lochie, by short
cuttings between them. The summitlock of the canal,
on Loch Oich, about 35 miles from Inverness, is
95 feet above high water at Inverness. Some of the
banks and locks of the Oich, near Fort Augustus,
are said to have given way, and to have allowed the
waters of the upper level to flow into Loch Ness,
which, although possessing a capacious basin of about
25 miles in length, and of about an average breadth
of one mile, became swollen to such a size as to pro-
duce a fresh or speat in the river of unprecedented
violence, causing the lamentable catastrophe to the
bridge we have just mentioned. All the lower part
of Inverness was laid under water, the houses for-
saken, and the inhabitants glad to make their escape
in boats, and such other craft as could be got at.
Happily no lives were lost, but there has been great
destruction of property; and much inconvenience
must follow from the lines of communication being
interrupted. The wooden bridge, now the only
means of land communication between the two dis-
tricts of the town and between the eastern and
northern counties of Scotland, is left tottering to its
base, and irr momentary danger of being swept away.
Other accounts ascribe the calamity solely to the rise
of water in Loch Ness from heavy rains and melted
snow, and make no mention of the inundation from
Loch Oich.

GREAT FLOODS.—The weather throughout the
week has been exceedingly bad. One storm of rain and
wind has succeeded another, and lightning has been fre-
quent in the evenings. On Sunday it blew hard from
the south-west, heavy squalls occurring frequently, with
rain. The storm increased as night drew on, and the
lighting was particularly vivid till midnight. Some of
the flashes seemed to open up the whole heavens, and
filled the sky with momentary brilliancy. During the
night the storm continued violent, but it gradually sub-
sided towards morning. On Monday night the gale re-
commenced, lightning playing across the sky, and all
night lung the rain fell in torrents almost unequalled in
heaviness. On Tuesday and yesterday the weather con-
tinued wet sr.d stormy. The intmeme quantity of rain
which has fallen has swollen the Ness, and it now flows
discoloured and muddy, heavier than we have seen it for
many a day. It overflows the road behind the Oiled°
man Hotel stables, and on the opposite side it has co-
vered the pathway, and still continues to rise. Meetirg
a difficulty in passing through the arches of the old
bridge, the water sweeps over the piers, and it rushes
beneath the budge in a boiling and foaming flood. By
evening the river had increased t.o much as to make Ness
Bank and Douglas Row impassable. The Maggot and
other IoA -lying quarters were flooded. The Ness has
not been so high since the great flood of 1834. The
North mail last night was upwards of two hours behind
time. We learn that the river Conon is flooded almost
beyond precedent. The mail had the greatest difficulty
in getting across the bridge, where the water was from
fuur to five feet deep on tho road. The Spey is also
overflowing its banks and sweeping, in an immense tor-
rent, ov4 r the adjoining lands. Great damage, we fear,
will be dune by the floods, which, as we go to press, are
still increasing, and cause the utmost alarm and conster-
nation.—lnverness Courier.

FIRE IN EAST SMITHFIELD.--Last night, about
seven o'clock, a considerable alarm prevailed among the
inhabitants of Rosemary-lane, East Smithfield, in con-
sequence of a fire having been discovered on the pre-
mises of Messrs. Tidmarsh and Brown, dealers in earth.
would
es adjoining
shhortt sgtipveons;itbhlee
were rows of houses which were entirely built of wood,
that have been erected many years. The
others which
fire was '
first
cratebs'eewnheicxhpel'iatisoufilll'dturned
spread orfaptihdely. The alarm being • ' %ith
straw,observeadn
dinsp
Welllose-square engtn© arrived in the
was speedily
time. It was speedily set at work, with
on, and abundantly supplied, the
who had, in
a large number of
soon arrived; the water having
checked, much to the satisfaction of fire
persons of the Jewish persuasion, an adjoin-
ing building called " the London
Exchange," a large amount f Bazaar," or " The
up in boxes, vthich would haveo wearing apparel locked
THE RECRUITING S been inevitably destroyed.
orders have been TsrEm.—We understand that
received here for
to their respective regiments the immediate return,
officers and men of the non-commissioned
branch of the engaged in the recruiting service. This
com-
mitted to the lo service, it is understood, is to he com-
cal pension corps, by which a saving is
Expected to be made i
stationed here in the expenditure, The parties
are to leave Edinburgh to-day.—Cale-
donian Mercury of Monday.
THE MARTYRDOM KING
CIIMILES.----ThiS day
is the two hundredth anniversary of the decapitation of
Charles 1., at Whitehall,

W' oom,vica, JAN. 29. —The J anus steam-vessel is no w
nearly ready tor sea, end the President having arrived
with several other vessols to be paid off, when ttat takes
ph:co the Janus will hoist the pendant of Lit ut. Powell,
.who has !Jaen appointed to her, and Captain Fitzroy will
hoist his pendant on the Arrogant steam-frigate, at
Portsmoatb, about the same time.
The Nigt r steam-vessel is making ready for sea, and
will be stationed at Devonport as one of the advanced
war steamers.

The Superb, Captain Purcell, is getting ready for sea
at Portsmouth with all dispatch, and is expected to pet,-
teed to Cork for t,crvice on that station, and relieve the
Ganges, the latter b;:ing about to proceed to the Medi-
terranean station.

The firm named in the account of the launch of the
Vulcan steam•frigate shoUld have beta Carter and Bo-
nus, instead of Capper and Bonus.
SERIOUS ACCIDENT ON BOARD THE PRESIDENT.—
The President, 50, Captain Stanley, arrived at the Nore
en Saturday from Portsmouth, and saluted the Port-
Admiral. On Sunday she weighed anchor, in leaving
which the paul of the capstan gave way and seriously
hurt 19 of the men who were working it, three of whoua
are in a dangerous state. In going into harbour she
missed stays in tacking, and ran into the ffag•ship
Ocean, carrying away the jib boom of that ship and her
own flying jib boom ; she ultimately dropped anchor,
which brought her up, but not before she got nearly on
to the dock-yard wall. The Afticaine and Fearless
steamers were promptly at her assistance, and got her
to moorings adjacent until she can be navigated to
Chatham to be paid off.
The Espiegle, 12, Commander, F. A. Camhpell, arrived
at the Nore on Sunday afternoon, to be paid cff.
The Formidab:e, 84, was undocked on Saturday, at
Sheerness, and is being masted.
The Driver steam-sloop, Commander Johnson, arrived
at Plymouth with the convoy of steamers for the re-
served squadron on Saturday night, and hit on Sunday
on her return for Portsmouth ; she arrived yesterday
morning with the officers and crews of the respective
vessels.

SPRING ASSIZES.
WESTERN CIRCUIT.
The commission days on this circuit have been ap-
pointed as follows:
Winchester Thursday, March 1.
Salisbury ... ... Thursday, March 8.
Dorchester ... ... Tuesday, March 13.
Exeter ... . . ... Saturday, March 17.
Bodmin ... Saturday, March 24.
Tauuton Saturday, March 31.

METROPOLITAN FINANCIAL REFORM ASSOCIATION.
—A muting was held at the Whittington Club yester-
day to consider the propriety of forming a McVey°Mat
Financial Reform Association, to act in unison with the.
Financial Reform Association, Established at Lisearpeeiro.r.
and Manchester. The meeting was convened by
FrancisesualmarueslignlleadrrilsonMabr:
unavoidablethplace and other
sence of Sir Joshua Walmsley,
Mr. Place'
of Notting-
leading members of the party.
had Ptoladceep;lorebut
Mt.•
the effect—" That,
Notting-
hill, moved the first resolution,
tovils which have been
to avert from this country
the evils
from the want of
inflicted in other European, states, the
the chairman.
the part of the people
a wholesome control
oenrainents, it is necessary that
over their respective Plow be adopted by our Go.
the strictest economy biA
e a continuance of th onumy
vernment, and to secure
Ise necessar that the II -1
011912
when obtained, it
is
be forthwith reformed
, until it
of Commons should
state to exercise complete con-
trolfit
shall be in a
expenditure of the public over the exPe money." Other
A ' •
• !edged the ssoclatua to act in •
resolutions punison with
•similar bodies as have
h other suebeen, or may laere-
ituted. Inproposing
, after be, lust
Mr. Hyde called attention to the wondertul effect the
creation of forty shilling freeholders in South Lnc -shire had crated. Vtili
- r years and half agoa
con-
tested South Lancashire and were defeated. tilt)?
Corn-law League set to . The Anti-
work and made forty shilling
freeholders, and at the last lt • .ly did free-
trade election not co
principles triumph,e '•
but that triumph did more to
insure the repeal of the corn-laws than all the agitation
which bad preceded it. Ile moved, " That it is also
necessary to promote throughout the country a well
organised system for increasing the number of forty-
shilling freeholders in counties, and complete atten-
tion to the registration of voters in counties, cities, and
boroughs." Mr. Dyke, of St. Pancras, bore his testi-
mony to the ease with which forty-shilling freeholders
were manufactured, the small sum of two shillings and
sixpence per week being sufficient. A committee was
appointed to carry out the details connected with the
formation of the Association.
STAFFORD AGRICULTURAL PROTECTION SOCIETY.

—'l.leannual meeting of the members of this society
was held at the Swan Hotel, Stafford, on Saturday lasr.
Earl St. Vincent, the president occupied the chair, and
among the gentlemen present were—Mr. C. 13. Adder-
ley, M.P.; Major Chetwynd, Mr. Thomas Boultt ee, Mr.
J. Ilartdiorne, the Rev. T. Hicken, &c. Ihe report
having been read and approved, Major Chetwyfld, in a
short speech, highly eulogistic of the deceased, pro.
axVinwcaesnt.wwar•amsly
posed that the sum of 251. be subfeeibed out of the funds
of the institution towards the testimonial to the memory
reap-
pointedcarried upraensiimdeotutts.ly.
of the late Lord George Bentinek. The motion was
Earl The de-
flounced, and the opposition of the Metropolitan Society
to its continuance supported. The meeting did not last
an hour. t a
ISt
-tt.
A subscription has been commenced at Norwich,
headed by the Mayor, for a portrait of Jenny Lind, to
be placed in §6 AladreTe# 11411.