The Sun.
London, England, 1836-12-27 00:00:00

Trowbridge, or Bradford,
by a branch of 9 miles 4 15
Bath 4 10

Bristol .

4 40

will be 30 miles per hour.]

The foregoing article must be interesting alike to the
public and the proprietors.
One thing is quite clear that that the Great Western line
is unassailable by competing lines, in consequence of its situa-
tion and almost perfect level.
If there be any line whose traffic has been under-rated, it
is this one. The passenger-traffic, which experience now
shows to be increased at least four fold, and, in some cases,
twenty to thirty fold, as compared with previous modes of
travelling, is here taken at only two fold, and all travelling
(immense in amount) less than 15 miles from London, is
omitted altogether.
There is au important feeture in this line, not sufficiently
considered by those who seek investments, that its revenue
will commence in the autumn of the coming year, 1837,
and that by the following May more than half the entire
revenue will be accruing, that is, on the traffic in the first
place from London to Maidenhead, and, at the second pe-
riod, to Reading and from Bath to Bristol.
We believe the public, and even those generally inte-
rested in railways, are so little in the habit of close investi-
gation, that they will be surprised to learn, what we are
able to prove is the fact, that there are upwards of 90
coaches up, and 90 back, daily, between Maidenhead and
London, and nearly as many on to Reading and back ; that
there are 34 coaches from Bath to Bristol, and the same num-
ber returning, performing altogether 72 journeys daily, be-
tween the two latter cities. This is on nearly half the en-
tire line from Bristol to London, and exclusive of all private
carriages and other conveyances. There is nothing like it
besides in the united kingdom. _ _ _

The coaches on the road between Liverpool and Man-
chester, before the opening of that railway, only amounted
to 25. The latter railway cost upwards of 40,000/. per
mile ; and it is now ascertained that the " Great Western"
will not exceed an average cost of 23,000/. per mile, in-
cluding all extras. It is also ascertained that the deduction
made in Parliament for the annual expenses is full one-
third more than will be incurred, owing to improvements,
to the amended levels, and the adoption of a wider guage
for the rails. It must, then, be clear to any person who
will investigate the foregoing details, resorting to simple
arithmetical calculation, that this line will return a very
large pi-Tit from the day of its opening to lifaidenhead in
September next.

Sunday, according to immemorial custom, after
the performance of service in Westminster Abbey, forty
poor old widows of good character received each 2lbs. of
prime beef without bone, a half quartern loaf of bread,
and twopence in money. The origin of the bounty is nearly
lost in antiquity ; but, according to tradition, Lady Mar-
garet of Richmond, mother of Henry VII., bequeathed
certain lands to the corporation of the Abbey, subject to
this bounty. The records of the Abbey afford no informa-
tion on the subject ; for at the time of the civil wars Oliver
Cromwell seized the whole of the property of the Abbey,
and by public auction disposed of its landed possessions.
Some of the ancient records were transferred as titles to
the purchasers, and others were lost or destroyed. At the
restoration the lands were wrested from the purchasers,
and restored to the Abbey.

Sunday morning, between one and two o'clock,
the following fatal and appalling occurrence took place at
Mr. Banks's, landlord of the Hare and Hounds, Buckeridge-
street, St. Giles's. It appears, from the statement of a
number of females that witnessed the melancholy occur-
rence, that Margaret Tate, a female between 40 and 50
years of age, residing in Buckeridge-street, accompanied by
her daughter, 16 years of age, entered a large public room.
at the back part of Mr. B.'s house, which is appropriated
as a public kitchen, for the accommodation of persons fre-
quenting that part of the neighbourhood. After they had
been sitting in the room some length of time drinking, an
altercation ensued with the elder Tate and another female,
blows ensued in the scuffle ; the unfortunate daughter in-
terfered, for the purpose of taking her mother away, when
she was suddenly seized round the waist by her and thrown
with tremendous violence to the ground ; in her descent
the back part of her head struck against a form, which
caused the unfortunate girl to instantly expire. Surgical
assistance was immediately procured, but all endeavours to
restore animation proved unavailing, as the vital spark had
fled. The deceased possessed remarkable muscular powers,
and was famed amongst her companions for her courage.
The body lies for a Coroner's Inquest, and the mother was
conveyed to the station-house in George-street, to await the
result of it. .

THE CELEBRATED FRUIT-GlRL.—Betty Neale'
for many years lived in St. James's-street, in a small house
with a bow-window, on the western side, afterwards occu-
pied by Martindale. It had not the appearance of a shop,
but was exactly as it now is. It had been built by subscrip-
tion for her, and was, in fact, the rendezvous of the opposi-
tion party, who met at her house every day. She never
admitted chance customers ; and one day, upon Col. Lut-
trell's calling, and asking for fruit, Betty desired him to walk
out, as she only kept fruit for particular persons. Betty
Neale was greatly in the confidence of the heads of the op-
position party, and often employed by them in gaining in-
telligence.—Horace Walpole's Letters.

The following statement was made to the agent of
the British and Foreign School Society, when at Shrews-
bury, a week or two ago :—From Michaelmas, 1834, to
Michaelmas, 1835, there were convicted 660 persons, who
had been previously confined in Shrewsbury Gaol. Of this
number, only 130 could read and write. Nearly 300 were
in a state of total ignorance. The most atrocious crimes
were committed by the most ignorant.
At the sale of the effects of the late J. Fortescue,
Esq., at Buckland Felleigh Park, on Wednesday, a gentle-
man bought a copy of Sir W. Davenant's works for a few
shillings. On taking it home and turning over the leaves
he found a new Bank of England note for 101., dated 1766,
which had doubtlessly lain there since its issue from the
Bank.—Western Times.