The Sun.
London, England, 1849-06-28 00:00:00

STEAM COMMUNICATION WITH
AUS FRALIA.
A public meeting was held yesterday at Willis's
Rooms, St. James's, to determine on th:; most dejrable
steps to ba takun for promotiu4 steam communication
Auqralia; the Right Hon. the Earl Talbot iu tha
chair.

The CHAIRMAN expressed the great interest which he
felt in the colony of Australia, which was growing day
e by day ofgreater importance, and therefore required a more
' direct steam communication with the mother country.
One route suggested was by Singapore, another by the
Cape of Good Hope, and a third by the Isthmus of Pa-
nacea and the Pacific; but it would not be advisable to en-
ter into a discussion upon the comparative merits of them,
for that was a mere matter of detail, and ought to be left
for after consideration. Their sole object now was to
force upon the attention of the public and the Le-
.% gislature the necessity of a quicker communication
with those distant dependencies of the empire. To
show 'the increase of commerce with them he might
. state that, while in 1800 the quantity of wool lin-
• ported from Sydney was 650 pounds, it had since then
gradually increased until, in 1848, it amounted to 46,612
pounds. The exports from this country to Sydney of
• German wool amounted to 17,000 bales. The whole of
• the wool imported from Sydney amounted now to within
1,000 ba'es of that brought from foreign countries, thus
showing how much the trade of our colonies would in-
crease by a rapid and more regular communication with
England.
ca, The Hon. FRANCIS SCOTT, in rising to propose the first
resolution, said that this important subject had been
played with by the Government, that they had dealt
with the dependencies of England as mere baubles and
1% toys, and in a way totally inconsistent with the cha-
ranter of a great empire. Every one connected with
x these colonies had felt the great inconveniences which
arose from the delays inseparable from the present mode
of intercourse. This subject had been cast about from
one department of the Government to another, between
the Post-office and the Admiralty, the Admiralty and the
Treasury, and between the Treasury and the Exchequer-
iffice, until at last those who had subscribed their cspi•
tAI, to carry out the object which they bad met to pro-
mote, turned away in disgust. It was calculated that
each inhabitant of Australia consumed eight or ten
pounds worth of goods, the produce of British industry,
Nhile the inhabitants of foreign coup lies did not take
• mere than at the rate of a shilling a head. The
i'34 relationship between these two sums would at
ix ',we show the advantage which would arise
Ai, from a more prompt intercourse, because by that means
234 they would offer an inducement to men of capital, intel-
ligence, and influence, to settle in Australia. With
es. a little zeal, and energy, and determination, however,
they might expect to ultimately force the Government to
it grant them some assistance to accomplish that object.
!--j The lion. Gentleman concluded by moving that the rapid
5% increase and importance of the Australian colonies ren-
-0 eered the establishment of a steam communication be-
tween them and England highly desirable.
Lord LYTTELTON seconded the resolution. He had,
some years ago, been connected with the administration
of colonial affairs, and he had then seen enough to take a
most lively interest in everything connected with the
ce colonies, but more especially with Australia. There
could be no more doubt that a steam communication
would ultimately be established with Australia than
that the sun would continue to rise. It would not only
benefit this country, but would Effect a considerable
. improvement in the political and social government of
114 the colony.
Mr. AioNTGOMERY MARTIN supported the motion.
He said that Australia was the only portion of our
transmarine dominions which had no direct communi-
_ cation; and it was the only colony which had been
called upon by the Government to contribute to the
establishment of mail packets. India and North Ame-
rica had not been called upon to contribute a single
shillieg towards such an object, and yet Australia had
scarcely put the English Exchequer to any expense.
The resolu ion was carried unanimously.
Mr. Sergeant MEREWETRER proposed the next reso-
lution—" That the inhabitants of the Australian colo-
nies having, through the medium of their respective
Legislative Assemblies, evinced the deepest anxiety to
approximate their dependencies with England by steam,
it is advisable to co-operate with them in this country
'or the attainment of that important object." He
would not have intruded himself upon the
meeting if he had not been in constant
communication with several dear friends in the colony
and knew something about it. They told him that there
were wide-extended plains in the rude productiveness
of nature, ready to yield all the riches which they con-
tained, and waiting only for labour to be applied to them.
Phe means of the country were unbounded, and there
was scarcely anything useful which it could not produce
if we transplanted there the skill and enterprise of the
character.
Mr. MARK BoyD seconded the resolution, which, after
a few observations from Sir William Vernon and other
gentlemen, was put and carried.
Mr. MONTAGUE GORE moved a resolution to the
effect that it was the opinion of the meeting, that an
appeal should be made to the Government, and peti-
tions presented to Parliament, pointing out the expe-
diency on imperial as well as on colonial grounds, of
establishing a direct system of communication between
34 this country and Australia.
• The resolution was seconded by Mr. MACGREGOR,
M.P., and carried.

Mr.
COMBE ordered that warrants for the immediate
apprehension of the parties should be made out; and,
being placed in the hands of Hardy, the officer, early in
the morning he brought up Captain 34,dr from his resi•
dence, No. 26, Ric'.mond row, Islington, wh,o ho was
ordered to find bail, himself in 2001. and two suretioF in
1001 each, which he instantly procured, and was
liberated.

Captain Shepherd, however, was not at his residence,
No. 31, Shepp,rton-cottages, Islington, but the officer
captured him in the course of the day at the Jerusalem
eutfee-house, City, and brought him to the Court, when
he was ordered to put in ba►l to the same amount, lie
was detained until nearly the hour of closing the Court,
when two ladies entered and became his bail, and he
was liberated.

WORSHIP-STREET.
IMPORTANT APPLICATION.—Mr. stutfiold, one of the
Middlesex county magistrates, and chairman of the
managing committee of the London Hospital, accom-
panied by the Rev. Thomas Ward, the chaplain, Mr.
Birch, the resident medical officer, and Mr. William
Nixon, secretary to that institution, attended to request
the advice and assistance of Mr. Hamada in a matter
seriously affecting the patients of the hospital and the
general health of the inhabitants of the neighbourhood.
Mr. Birch stated, that having adopted every means in
their power to obviated the necessity of their present
application without success, he and the gentleman who
attended with him felt it their imperative duty to seek
the interposition of the magistrate for effi.cting the abate-
ment of a complete nest of destructive nuisances which
existed in the immediate neighbourhood of the institu-
tion to which they were attached, and the continuance
of which, in the present heated state of the atmosphere,
was productive of the most serious consequences. The
evil in question consisted of a congregation of various
factories and other premises, in which almost every
business that was of a noxious and del,terious character
was carried on, comprising no less than nine bone-
boilers', and numerous animal charcoal burners', iur-
makers', knackers' yards (at one of which, directly lacing
the hospital, an average Lumber of 100 horses were
slaughtered weekly), and a patent concentrated manure
manufacture on is most extensive scale, in which ex-
crementitious matter, soot, and other materials were
agglomerated into a compost, and disposed of in
large quantities. The whole of these premises
were clustered closely together, and so completely
surrounded the hospital, the union workhouse,
and the parish schools, which respectively contained,
the first 400 permanent inmates, the second 1,000, and
the third 500, upon the average, that in some instances
a distance of scarcely 30 yards intervened between them
and the walls of the buildings. From all these premises
the most injurious and offensive vapours were incessantly
exhaling, which had such a pernicious ell ct upon the
health of the inmates of the institution he had men-
tioned, that no fewer than 50 cases of diarrhcea, had oc-
curred almost simultaneously a short time since in the
workhouse, the master of which had also that morning
informed him that eight other inmates, chiefly children.
had just been attacked with the ;same disorder. In ad-
dition to the baneful effects the effluvium so generated
had upon the health of the patients under his own imme-
diate care, whose several diseases were greatly aggra-
vated in intensity, and not unfrequently fatally termi-
nated by erysipelas supervening though its agency, the
inhabitants of the surrounding neighbourhood, which
was most densely populated, were constantly attacked
by diseases from inhaling these noxious gases; and
one street in particular, Queen Anne-street,
chiefly inhabited by the lower class of Irish,
was never free from typhoid fever in its most virulent
form. As an instance of the deleterious effects of
these manufactories, he might mention that the district
where they existed stood considerably higher in the
scale of mortality than any other in the metropolis; and
the perfect impunity with which these nuisances were
permittetr was cuntnysty-ntustratErt—nrati adVt7itise-ment
which appeared in several of the morning papers a few
days since, in which the writer, in setting forth the un-
usual advantages effered by his premises, stated that in
that locality any kind of business might be carried on,
as nuisances were freely tolerated.
Mr. Sturfield alsD entered into many particulars en-
tirely corroborative of the statement just made by Mr.
Birch; and the Rev. Mr. Ward, whose residence closely
adjoins the hospital, complained that he was compelled
to keep his windows constantly closed to exclude the
vapours arising from these factories, which were of such
a mischievous description that two members of his fa-
mily were at that moment suffering from an incipient
attack of cholera, by which he had also himself bee
affected for several days.
_ _

A resolution was then passed appointing a committee
to carry out the objects of the meeting.
Earl Talbot was compelled to leave the meeting be-
fore it terminated, owing to an engagement, and he was
,ucceeded in the chair by Sir W.
.After it a vote or thanks to bo
the meeting separzted.
A great number of influential gentlemen were present,
'e• many of whom were largely interested in the colony of
Australia.

iose gene

fenien,

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
COURT OF QUEEYS BENCH, June 27.
Sittings at Nisi Prins, at Westminster, before Lord
Chief Justice DENMAN, and Special Juries.)
PRIVILEGE OF COUNSEL.—THE DUKE OF BRUNSWICK v.
LANES, BARRISTER.
This was down in the cause paper for trial to-day; but
'o when called on it was announced that the action was
withdrawn. It was an action brought by his Highness
the Duke of Brunswick, to recover compensation in
734 damages for expressions uttered by the defendant, Mr.
Edwin James, in the delivery of a speech to the jury in
5 cause wherein his Highness was the plaintiff, and the
Learned Gentleman was Counsel for the defendant. The
expressions were regarded by his Highness as derogatory
to his character and feelings, and actionable. The point
at issue excited considerable interest among the "gen-
tlemen of the long robe," and in the minds of the curious j
in matters passing in Courts of law, involving the ques-
tions how far a barrister may go in attacking, in his
forensic eloquence, the plaintiff or defendant against
i whom he may happen to be engaged as counsel, and
iv whether he is liable, if be pass a certain limit, to be pro. I
34 ceeded against by action, and subject to be amerced in I
A, damages by the verdict of a jury for any imputations
?s which he may, in his zeal, cast upon his client's oppo-
-5% [lent, and for any tongue•flagellations which he may
73r choose to inflict and delight to revel in. Both the public
- and the profession were, however, disappointed, and the
5414 question, " like Mahomet's coffin between heaven and s.
earth," is poised in doubt.
4 HOARE V. COUPLAND.
) Mr. Carter and Mr. Griffiths appeared for the plain-
-314
tiff, and Mr. Sergeant Shee for the defendant.
- This was an action of libel, brought by a lady whose
6d name has been much before the public, to recover da•
t 2
wages for a libel on her, inserted in the Hampshire Ad-
7, vertiser, of which the defendant is the proprietor. The
oalibel in question gave the report of a trial at Croydon
in an action brought by the plaintiff against a Captain
- Dickson, the secretary of a benevolent institution, in
_
_ which the plaintiff did not succeed; and then it corn-
-6s mented on the trial and on the plaintiff's conduct. In
dthe course of its comments it employed
,some vitupera-
zu tive and slanderous epithets to the plaintiff. This was
6d the libel in question. Evidence was given to show that
- the plaintiff had formerly contributed articles for the
Ir. s
defendant'sergepaaurttys
lliEnE, in politics,
his
adbdurtetshsatto the jury lately differences
had arisen between them, and this evidence was given
for the purpose of showing the probable existence of a
malicious spirit.
[ce, the existence of the spirit; and argued that the coin
ments were fair and temperate.
Lord DENMAN summed up the case, and the jury re-
turned a verdict for the plaintiff, damages 501.

Mr. Birch then called a poor woman tenanting a house
next to one of the bone-boiler's premises, who described
tEe stench emanating therefrom as being of so powerful
a nature that she could not frequently use the greater
part of her habitation; and Mr. Birch intimated that he
had a number of other persons in attendance to depose
to the same eff,ct; but

Mr. HAI%LMILL considered it unnecessary at present to
hear their evidence, and directed Inspector Ellis to put
himself into immediate communication with Dr.
Letheby, the eminent professor of chemistry, and Mr.
Byles, the surgeon of the district, who tendered their
services in effecting the suppression of these grievances,
and whose joint representations, in conjunction with
the board of guardians, would, notoubt, have the de-
sired effect.
LAMBETH.
Yesterday a person named Blakeborough appeared be-
fore Mr. Norton to answer a summons taken out against
him at the instance of the guardians of the parish of St.
Mary's, Newington, and charging him with keeping a
number of swine, to the danger of the health of the in-
habitants of the neighbourfne d.
From the evidence it appeared that the prisoner kept a
number of pigs in front of John-street, VValworih•com-
mon, and three or four of the inhabitants who live oppo-
site were called to prove the place was an intolerable
nuisance. The appearance of the witnesses was quito
sufficient to prove the unwholesomeness of the place
without any corroborating testimony, and the testimony
they gave fully proved that the nuisance was most in-
tolerable, and highly detrimental to public health.
Mr. Tailor, a member of the board of guardians,
said that a number of fever cases had been admitted
into the workhouse from the locality, and described the
premises of the defendant as most injurious to public
health.

Mr. Games, who appeared on behalf of the defendant,
urged several technical objections to the summons; but
they were all overruled by Mr. Norton, who made an
order for the imm, diate removal of the nuisance.

'HE SCOTTISH HOSPlTAL.—Yesterday a quar-
erly Court of the Governors of the Scottish Hospital
was held at the hall of the corporation, Crane-court,
Fleet-street, to receive the report of the past quarter.
The Duke of Montrose, the president in the chair.
' Major Adair, the secretary, read the report, which
POLICE IN TELL! GENCE. showed that 708 applicants, exclusive of the select list
MANSION-HOUSE. (the pensioners, &c.), had been relieved, at a cost to the
1,4 George Roe, the conductor of en omnibus which runs institution of 516/. 14s. 6,1., and that the, receipts
from Bayswater to the City, was summoned before Mr. amounted to 914/. 165., which included 100/. 165., annual
Alderman Carden, for having deceived Mr. Ernest subseriptions, 2311. contributions at the annual festival,
Sharpe, of Mark-lane, as to the destination of the vehicle. and 5g3/. interest on stock. The report being adopted,
Mr. Sharpe, it appeared, got into the omnibus at Bays- Mr. W. Mettle Webster was elected solicitor to the cor-
water, having observed the words ~ Blackwell Railway" poration, in the room of Mr. Thomas who had resiAned.
upon the flag, and intended to be set down there. When A resolution was agreed to acknowledging the
N the omnibus reached the Bank some of the passengers thanks of the court to the secretary, for the
got out, but Mr. Sharpe said he wished to be put down presentation of a " mull," or Scotch snuff-box,
.at the Blackwell station. The omnibus then went along and which it was resolved should be treasured among
Cornhill and into Leadenhall-street, and stopped to set the valuables of the hospital, and be place on the table
him down at the corner of Bilhter,street instead of taking at each anniversary festival on Saint Andrew's-day.
him to Fenehurch-street, close to which is the terminus The .. mull " consisted of a ram's horn surmounted by
of the Blackwell Railway. I:pon being expostulated a silver cap, and inlaid with amethyst and Cairngorm
with the conductor merely said, " You may as well walk Pebbles. Professor Donaldson then, in reference to a
a dozen yards to save me trouble," and refused to convey full-length portrait of the late Duke of Montrose (also
Mr. Sharpe any further. a presentation from the secretary), who was many years
The complainant stated that great public inconvenience president of the hospital, and which hung in the room,
arose from the mode of deception he described, and a near proposed a resolution that"the following inscription be
.—uo
relative of his, who was lame, was more than once a
affixed to the picture When the Duke
M 1782,n -
tance, although informed by the usual mode of indication
Mon-
sufferer, by being obliged to walk a considerable dis-
trose became president. on Saint Andresv,sk.eda of
the corporation had 650/. stocsk,atraAitnynddwid.eauwsri,sBn . .
Igd. theasys:
18p 1
Isisr
le -:
"Near to the Blackwall Railway," and produced the
that the omnibus was bound to a certain point. vu s y
eo
bstieni president gi
ven i
no
ne
h
ioeeeaarsedtht
The defendant said the direction upon his flag was, Grace
the stock then was 17,2951., and the sum given in
authority by the direction of the Alderman. charities 9491. So long as he lived he continued a warm
Alderman CARDEN observed that the words ~ Black- friend and a liberal beneractor of the charity." His
wall Railway" were in large letters, but the words "near Grace had subscribed 1,750/. The resolution was agreed
to" were in letters not visible at even a very short dis- to nem. eon., when it was further resolved that the build-
tance, and quite invisible to near-sighted persons. It was ing committee should be re quested to report as to the
palpably a trick, and he happened to be aware of the ex-
progress taken in reference to the removal of the building,
e
siting practices amongst conductors and drivers, and was Thanks were voted to the Noble Chairman, and th court
determined upon every occasion in which an offence of separated.
the kind should be proved before him to inflict the highest ARRIVALS AT MIVART'S 110 TEL.—The Princess
Grdssallrovieh, accompanied by the Countess ALI
penalty. rray,
The owner of the omnibus submitted that his licence from a continental tour. Prince and lirioce:-•, D )r• '
would not permit him to go to the Blackw,,u station, and ramfiii and famAy, from
}lrnmottarrli tales:Eiiti:rir)l.,a(o7o•Cipi Conn
:lip,
firm 't
i i le:
stated a great many other things which were just as of Shrewsbury, from Alin Tow,rs; Sir 11, 1,1,
_, te-s
strong argumen's against the infliction of the penalty. dock, from Cheshire; M. andtchreAslolltaettmice(e:ld•
One of the grounds upon which he mast relied, was the Paris; Le Marquis de Casa Riets, from ~ M!, from
fact that Alderman Carden frequently travelled in the Marquis de Sauli, De. and,
same omnibus himself, and could say whether the con• FATAL ACCIDENT.-13IRMINGRAAT /. In -NOW York.
Mr, 1, • '• / .EDl`ltsnAy.
duct of those who had it under their care was not unex- A fatal l.ccideet oei•urr,ede
ceptionable. of Hill, Hoof, and Hill
The Alderman admitted that he had travell©d in the and Sour Valley Eldway) la
omnibus to the City, but never to the Black wall hail- from GI-, atbridge, the , ei, tiliellci .ictsitnercii:: vn his retUg
way.—(Laughter.) He knew that deceptions of the 1 sion, to his residence at Land°' "tti.ie, eotpyoetsx po -
kind were onstantly practised, and had frequently wit- was thrown from his b 940 sworth
upon t is town, he

mssed disputes and confusion at the bottom of Oxford-
' street, particulaily as regarded females, who were very
to imposition of the sort. The public wen much
indebted to Mr. Sharpe for having taken the trouble,
which the c,)nfluetors well knew but few. gentlemen,
comparatively, could conveniontly- take for the coerce.
Lion of such au evil. The Alderman then fined the con-
ductor in the full penalty of 20.3. and costs.
Mr. Shsrpe put the price of the summons, to which he
was entitled, in the p wr box.
The public may form some idea of the extent to which
impositions of all kinds are carri,d on by omnibus con-
ductors, when Mr. Goodman, the chief clerk, stated that
upwards of 4 OGO summonses had been issued against
them within the last year.

CL-ERKENWELL.
Yesterday, Captain Henry Bonham Shepherd, a mili-
tary officer in the East India Company's service, was
brought up in the custody of John Hardy, 2u5 S, on a
warrant, and placed before Mr. Cornbe, charsed on the
oath of Mrs. Helen Moir, wile of Captain John M.
Winter Moir, a naval officer in the same company's
service, fur that, in c4JrisE (pence of a letter written end
signed by the said Henry Bonham Shepherd to her said
husband, with intent to incite him to fight a duel with
him ; and further, that in consequence of a meeting in
a street in Islington between her husband and the said
Henry Bonham Shepherd, at which she was present, and
wherein the latter made reference to the said letter,
which was previously kept by her from the knowledge
of 11,r husband, and also he then called her husband a
blackguard and coward, she was apprehensive that a
duel would take place between them, and she gave the
information to prevent such breach of the peace.
The dispute which gave rise to this unpleasant affair,
originated from a private family matter, the particulars
of which did not transpire in court.
Captain Shepherd, it appears, is brother-in-law of
Captain Moir.