The Sun.
London, England, 1838-08-27 00:00:00

UNION-HALL.

Maria Whitehead, servant to Mr. Soswell, of New Kenyon-
street, Bermondsey, was charged with robbing her master of
a silver teapot, four silver spoons, and a butter knife.
A report was spread by the girl that the house was broken
into and robbed in her absence ; but she having had her sweet-
heart to visit her on the day of the robbery, and having been
seen to leave the house with a small hand-basket, was re-
manded until a search warrant could be executed at her sweet-
heart's lodgings.
Mary Crouch was charged with a burglary in the house of
her former master, and stealing various articles therefrom.
She was fully committed for trial.

CIIICORY.—As this article is much used in Bel-
gium as well as France as a substitute for Coffee, sometimes
alone, hut more generally in equal proportions, its history may
be interesting to some of our readers. During the war be-
twixt England and France, when t'he latter were blockaded by
England, coffee became so scarce on the continent, that its
cost precluded its general use, a substitute was sought, and a
premium offered by Bonaparte, for the best which could be
discovered, chicory was suggested, which is a species of
Dandelion ; a commission of medical men was appointed to
examine into its qualities and wholesomeness as a beverage,
and to make a report thereon. A report was made favour-
able to its use, its consumption increased rapidly, its culture
and increase were attended to, and it has continued to be
extensively consumed since that period, and lately has been
exported to England in considerable quantities, where its con-
sumption will, no doubt, be extensive on account of the com-
parative high price of coffee in that country. Some people
are of opinion that it improves the flavour of coffee, but that
is altogether a matter of taste; the working classes in France
and Belgium use it pure, and it is considered more wholesome,
inasmuch as it has a less heating quality than coffee ; it is
anti-scorbutic and slightly diarrhcetic ; it is also used in com-
mon as a vegetable, and is highly delicious.—Brussels
British Advertiser, Aug. 10, 1838.
A few days sire?, Mr. Robert Stephenson (prin-
cipal Engineer for the London and Birmingham railway),
with a party of friends, performed the journey from London
to Birmingham by the railway in four hours and a half, that
great work being now nearly completed. The left London
at six a.m., and breakfasted (with Mr. Gandey 11, one of his
Engineers) at Castlethorp. The distance from Coventry to
Birmingham, 191 miles, was performed in 29 minutes. Mr.
R. S. entertained his friends at dinner at the Stork Hotel,
and returned to Coventry, where he left the party, who then
proceeded to London, where they arrived at 10 p.m., without
meeting the slightest accident.
On Monday morning a man named John Wallis
was cony :led to the London Hospital under the following
unfortunate circumstances :—lt appears that he was driving
a dray, belonging to Messrs. Manvers, Furze, and Marshal,
the brewers, through Stamford-hill-gate towards London,
when the horses took fright at sprinething in the road and
ran off at full_speed, when the poor fellow was thrown frcm
his seat and the wheels passed over him, by which means
he sustained a severe fracture of one leg, and his body was
dreadfully injured, so ranch so that very little hopes ere enter
tained of his recovery.