The Sun.
London, England, 1847-07-09 00:00:00

FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE I LAW of SETTLEMENT and RATING.
PETERBORO' AND ELY RAILWAY. I That a vast amount of legalised injustice is inflicted
PETERBOROUGH; THURSDAY.—An accident of a very f on the industrial portion of British Society, by the pre-
serious character, terpairating fatally to one person, and ‘ sent Law of Settlement. and Rating, for the relief of the
with injury we understand to one or two other-, hap- necessitous poor, must, we think, be apparent to every
penei k arly this morning, on the above l'ne of railway, one from statements we have already advanced, showing
near the " Hundred Feet" bridge, twenty-two miles so clearly the huge disproportion between the amount
distant by the 6.10. express train running off the rails. levied on property in one: locality, for the maintenance
The train consisted, on leaving the station, of two pas- of the poor, and that which is levied in another for this
stinger carriages, a first and second class, a break van, object.
tender and engine, driven by a steady and experienced Could it be shown that. the. inhabitants ofr thosethaaeny
driver, named Staples. In all these were about twelve districts peculiarly burdened with the relief and main-
passengers, two or three being picked up at intermediate tecance of the indigent poor of the land, whether en-
stations, up to Manes station, where it arrived at its gaged in agriculture, manufactures, mining, o
fixed time, 57 minutes past six o'clock. other industrial pursuit, were exclusively, or, even prin-
After a brief delay it restarted, and proceeded with cipally, benefited by the labour so directed, why
every apparent steadiness until it arrived about 100 there might be some show of- justice, at least, in compel-
yards on the Ely side of the above bridge (the Hundred ling a provision to be made by the property of such
Feet), where there is a descending gradient of lin 250. districts exclusively for the support of the aged, the
It had not gone down the incline many yards before the maimed, the imbecile, the destitute, the orphan, and the
engine was thrown off the rails, and was, with the tender, widow residing among them.
hurled completely round, and then fell down an embank- But such it is well known is not the ease. The labour
ment to the edge of a waterway, which runs for some of the country—whether employed by sea or land—
distance along that portion of the lase. Fortunately whether engaged in agriculture, in manufactures, or how
the carriages broke away from the tender, and brought else, is a mighty portion of the general property of the
up a few feet from the spot, owing to the wheels being country : is that, indeed, which gives value to all the
embedded or fixed in the gravel of the permanent way, rest ; and exerted in any way, eventually confers e.
the rails being torn up or displaced by the engine. benefit upon all, whether situated proximately or re-
How the passengers escaped seems very remarkable; motely from its own immediate sphere of action.
yet the writer is assured that all were unhurt save a few The labourer then, we say, in the outset, ought to be
trifling bruises on one or two of them. The stoker was well taken care of; his wants ought to be sufficiently
found apparently much hurt, while the engine-driver provided for; and the widest field possible opened to
was discovered crushed on the rails by the break iron, him, in which to exert his skill and industry; first for
quite dead. The poor fellow's death must have been in- his own benefit and that of his family, and next, for that
stantaneous, as that portion of his body on which the .if society in general. Should disease, however, or
iron rested was nearly flattened. accident, or any of those other casualties to which his
A young man engaged in the telegraph office of the station in life so peculiarly renders him liable, overtake
company is described by an eye-witness to have been him, he ought to be legally entitled to prompt and sufli-
badly bruised. _ cleat relief, on the spot where his necessities arise, from
The necessary signals were placed to stop the up and funds levied CM the property of the. nation at large for
down trains, and the company's principal officers were that specific purpose.
immediately telegraphed for. On their arrival a strict The t. Law of Settlement," then, by restraining the-
inquiry was entered upon as to the cause of the accident, spirit of enterprise and free exertion, on the part of
and on examining the rails, one was found fractured in the labourer, condemns him to a species of serfdom
three places. Whether these arose from the sinking of - which is alike debasing to his mind:and-injurious to hia
the soil or permanent way, which, it should be observed, circumstances—whilst the system of Parochial Assess-
passes over the treacherous fens in this part of the ment, ostensibly established -for -his benefit,.is made to
country, or from the metal being defective, is difficult work—through the temptation it. presents to the great
to ascertain. territorial proprietary of the country. to promote their
,
The engine is one of the small four-wheelers used by own selfish objects by ejecting him froth their estates,
the company, made by Braithwaite, marked No. 7, and or preventing his residence thereon—injury alike to him
was considered a very steady and safe traveller. and the holders and occupiers of property in other parts
It is thought that a slight subsidence or unevenness in of the country, -
the road would naturally give the engine more or less We have, in two recent numbers of our publication,
a bumping movement, and that coming upon a defec- Thown how extensively this principle is at work, and
tive rail, would be likely to fracture it in the way the has been for a number of years, in certain parishes and
one in question is. townships in the northern part of the country, and shall
now proceed to furnish our readers with a few more
instances. This we do from a conviction _that no por-
tion of our domestic policy requires a more thorough
and speedy reform than the laws relating to " Paro-
chial Settlement" and " Assessment for the Relief of
the Poor."
The first .parish, or lordship, for we scarcely know
how to distinguish it in this respect by name, to which
we beg leave to draw attention, is Rufford ; the seat
of the Earl of Scarborough, the Lord-Lieutenant of the
county.
This lordship comprises nearly 10,000 acres of land—
a princely mansion, which has in ancient times enter-
tained royalty itself—and about 80 dwellings, principally
good farm-steads, with a few cottages. The whole pro-
perty of this magnificent lordship, including the Abbey
and its appurtenances, along with the farm-houses and
9,820 acres of land, contributed to the fund legally esta-
blished for the relief of destitution in this country. on
the average of six years, 1835 to 1840 inclusive, 2231.
per annum.
There is not on this vast property either church,
school, or public-house. But though there are no public
facilities for religious, intellectual, or social improvement.
or enjoyment, there is a fruitful source of social evil
-Ind moral depravity, existing in every part of it, in the
shape of a game preserve, which cannot but prove of
the most injurious nature both to the occupiers of the
land and the peasantry of the adjoining hamlets. We
have heard it stated, on what we cannot but deem satis-
factory authority, that the destruction of grain on this
estate by the game amounts to, at least. 500 quarters an-
nually; and that the damage done to the green crops by
the hares and rabbits is fully equal in value to that of
the grain consumed ; for which loss and damage the te-
nancy receive no compensation whatever.
We heartily wish that it was in our power to ascer-
tain with any dgree of accuracy, what expense this
mighty game preserve has entailed on the county during
he last twenty years, in informations, prosecutions,
maintenance of poachers in prisons, and their families
in workhouses ; but it is not. Whatever it may have
been, however, has mattered little to the great feudal
proprietor of the estate. But it is stated that his
Lordship himself, though by no means a wasteful
or extravagant man in his general habits, expends
little less than 2,000/. a year out of his own pocket
in the preservation of this game. So that here is
an annual expenditure on one estate,. by the joint
operation of damage sustained by the tenantry and
payments made by the proprietors, to the extent of
nearly five thousand pounds, in the rearing and pre-
serving of game. Now, we will venture to say, that
were even the half of this sum of money laid out
yearly in additional labour on the farms, in irrigating
that portion of the estate which is capable of being
brought under such piacess of management, and in en-
closing the parts most susceptible of cultivation, not
only would the noble proprietor himself derive consi-
derable benefit from the outlay, but his tenantry would
be richer and happier, and-the country at large consider-
ably advantaged, by an increase in its stock of agricule
rural produce.
We hope, therefore, that the Noble Earl, whom we
believe at heart to he a liberal and patriotic man, will
be led, ere long, not only to see the impolicy and injus-
tice of " game preserving," in the afti,e in which chat
phrase is generally understood, hut that he will likewise
be induced, as a Member of the Imperial Legislature, to
lend his aid to a thorough amendment of the laws at pre-
sent in force in reference to parochial settlement and
rating for the relief of the poor.
We will not insult the patriotic feelings of the
honest yeomanry who occupy the lands on the Rufford
estate by asking whether they would not willingly
take their chance with the rest of their countrymen in
an equable national rate, for the maintenance or relic f
of the aged, the widow, the orphan, the maimed and the
destitute among the labouring population of the land, in
preference to being charged with the support of the
myriads of hares, and rabbits, and pheasants, and part-
ridges, by which their farms are at present overrun, be-
cause we are certain that, as Christian men and English-
men, they would take the alternative with pleasure were
it offered to them. Indeed, were no higher motive than
self-interest present to their minds, they could have no
hesitation which evil to prefer—the relief of the poor, or
the maintenance of the Earl of Scarborough's game.
Supposing a national poor-rate established, and even
confined as now to real property, the avenge annual
charge on land would, in all probability. not exceed, for
England and Wet s, more than Is. 6d. per acre. But
we would ask the tenants of " pre- erved" estates, and
more espcially where they are preserv' d with the
rigour which marks the Rufford system, how much less
than 10s. an acre the maintenance of the game costs
them ; saying nothing of the mortificat-on of mind
which every industrious man must. endure, at witnessing
a promising crop of grain, or early succulent herbage
needed for his sheep and lambs, entirely destroyed
before his eyes by a host of vermin, without even
being allowed the privilege of fraying them from his
grounds. The poor-rates may occasionally be felt
to be a burden by the farmer, but we are certain
they neither entail the expense upon him, nor awaken
in his bosom a tithe of those angry or resentful feelings
which arise from the loss he incurs by the maintenance
of game for the amusement of his landlard, and a host
of Honourablea and Right Honourables, who are in-
vited to the Hall during the shooting season to seek
amusement mostly at his expense.
The length to which we have run these remarks on
the Rufford estates; precludes us from entering upon
an examination into the condition of any otherho
tth
iss
virtually extra-parochial parishes, with
in countyour
nextaboundspubi i ;c
awt
ieo
n. shall_i
v ott ihowever,nglim m resumeer sy
[Nottinghamshire may be justly
~.. h.
iourc work
called . " a gar"
~:
hot-bed."i

COURT CIRCULAR.
The Queen held a Court yesterday afternoon at Buck-
ingham Palace.
A deputation of the States of Jersey had an audience
of her Majesty to present an address. The deputation
consisted of Sir John de Veulle, the Bailiff and President
of the States of Jersey; Colonel Sir T. Le Breton, Royal
Jersey Militia ; Mr. Peter Le Sueur, Constable of St.
Helier, Deputy of the States of Jersey ; and the Rev.
Charles Marett, Rector of St. Clement, Deputy of the
States of Jersey.
Sir George Grey, her Majesty's Principal Secretary of
State for the Home Department, presented the members
of the deputation to the Queen.
Sir John de Veulle read the address, and at the same
time presented an album to her Majesty, illustrated with
a number of views of the island of Jersey.
The Queen returned a most gracious answer.
Sir George Grey had an audience of her Majesty.
The Queen was attended by Earl Ducie, Lord in
Waiting, and Sir Edward Bowater, Groom in Waiting.
Her Majesty, accompanied by the Prince of Wales
and • the Princess Royal, and attended by the Lady in
Waiting, the Countess of Desart, took an airing yester-
day in an open carriage-and-four. The Equerry in
Waiting, Colonel Buckley, attended on horseback.
His Royal Highness Prince Albert rode out on horse-
back, attended by his Equerry in Waiting, Lieut.-Col.
Seymour.
Lord John Russell had an audience of the Queen yes-
terday.
The Queen and Prince Albert honoured the perform-
ance at her Majesty's Theatre with their presence
yesterday evening. The royal suite consisted of the
Countess of Desert, Hon. Miss Murray, Earl Ducie, Col.
Buckley, and Lieut.-Colonel Seymcur.
A bust of Major-General Sir Harry Smith was sub-
mitted by Mr. Adams to the Queen and Prince Albert,
who were graciously pleased to express their approba•
Lion.
Their Royal Highnesses .the Duke and Duchess o
Cambridge, attended by Lady Augusta Cadogan, Baron
Knesebeck, and Mr. Edmond Mildmay, honoured the
Duchess Dowager of Bedford with their company yes-
terday afternoon at her residence on Campden-hill.
Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of
Cambridge, attended by Lady Augusta Cadogan
honoured the Marquis and Marchioness of Ailesbury
with their company at dinner yesterday at their re-
sidence in Grosvenor-square.
A deputation on the subject of Turnpike Trusts,
consisting of the Duke of Richmond, Colonel Austen,
M.P. for Kent, Mr. A. E. Fuller, M.P. for Sussex.
From Sussex—Mr. C. H. Frewen, Sir S. B. P. Meikle-
thwaite, Bart., Sir C. M. Lamb, part., Mr. W. Phillips
Lamb, Mr. W. P. Beecham, and Mr. Robert lipperton.
From Herts—Mr. Samuel J. Story. From Wilts—Mr.
William Foote. From Sussex--Mr. James Troup and
Mr. Frederic Ellman, had an interview with Sir George
Grey yesterday at the Home-office.
The Commissioners of Metropolitan Improvements
had a meeting yesterday at the office of the Woods and
Forests in Whitehall•place. There were present Vis-
count Morpeth, Sir Charles Lemon, Sir Ro
bertbe 11.
Inglis, the Lord Mayor, A. MAne, Esq.,
and H.
C. A. Gore.
Mr. M'Donald had an interview with Earl Grey yes-
terday at the Colonial-office.
The Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England had a
;micro,' meeting yesterday.

HER !MAJESTY'S THEATRE.—The Queen and his
Royal Highness Prince Albert honoured the perform-
ance at her alaiesty's Theatre yesterday' (Thursday)
evening with their preserce. The royal suite compri-ed
the Countess of Desart, the Hen. Miss Macdonald, the
Hon. Miss Murray, Earl Ducie, Lieutenant Colonel
Seymour, and Colonel Buckley. His Royal Highness
the Prince Waldemar of Prussia and suite also honoured
the theatre with their presence. Amongst the company
were—the Duke of Wellington, the Duke and Duchess
of St. Alban's, the Duke and Duchess de Palmella, his
Excellency the Turkish Minister and the Princess Cali-
maid, the Marquis and Marchioness of Westminster, the
Marquis of Clanricarde, the Marchioness (Dowager) of
Sligo and the Ladies Browne, the Marchioness of
Douro, the Earl of Jersey, the Earl of Shelburne, the
Countess of Westmoreland, the Countess of Dundonald,
the Earl of Munster, the Chevalier Correa de Sa, M. C.
de Koudriaffsky, the Viscountess Duncan, Viscount and
Viscountess Sellham, Lady Frances Hope, Lord Adol-
phus Fitzclarence, Lord Sandys, Lord Saltoun, Lord and
Lady Mountgarret, Lady Stanley, Lord and Lady
Egmont, the L ,rd Chief Baron and Lady Pollock, Sir
William and Lady Clay, Sir William liussell, Sir Geo.
Wombwell, B irt., Sir Frederick Trench, Bart., M.P.,
Sir John Lowther, Bart., M.P., Lady Mackenzie, Sir J.
Guy, Lady Goldsmid, Hon. Mr. Lascelles, Hon. George
Bvng, Mr. Broadwood, M.P., the Hon. Mr,. Tollemache,
11-on. Mrs. Norton, General the Hon. A. P. Upton, Col,
Wildman, Mr. E. Divett, M.P., Etc.
ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY.—The last musical fete of
the season will be held at the Zoological Gardens in the
Regent's park on Saturday. The arrangement of se-
lecting the orchestra from the three military bands
of the Foot Guards, which has proved remarkably
successful, will, we understand, be again adopted. The
band of the Royal Caledonian Asylum will also attend,
and the presence of several distinguished personages is
expected.
ROYAL SEA BATHING INFIRMARY, MARGATE.—
Yesterday a general meeting of the supporters of this
charity was held at the London Coffee-house, Ludgate-
hill. It was stated by the secretary that the institution
was at present quite full of patients. A great alteration
had taken place in the general diet, and meat, porter,
and ale were daily administered to all patients medically
sanctioned to receive them, and the diet tables were uni-
formly of a more generous and varied character. The
balance carried to the next account amounted to
3881. 17s. 9d., and the total receipts for the past year
2,9331. Is. ld. The report having been received, and the
accounts duly audited and signed, the meeting separated.
THE MIRFIELD MURDERS,--A Government re-
ward of 100/. has now been offered to any person who
should give such information and evidence as will lead
to the conviction of the murderer or murderers of the
late Mr. Wraith, his wife, and servant, at Mirfield; and
also stating that the Secretary of State would advise the
grant of her Majesty's most gracious pardon to any sc.:
complice not being the actual perpetrates of the iltetctds
On Monday last, says the ,Yalija Guardian,
strafes,
solicitor, appeared before the sitting me
Dewsbury, to request that his cli
advertisement, and
have the full benefit offered by that
tenderhis evidence
stated that M'Cabe was ready
Weired to their private
W.Ciasche, might
through him. The magistrates re
ti
opinion appears to be that
made public. The genera=
his trial, having, through
room with Mr. Watts, but what transpired has not been
M'Ca'oe will"not be put p
evident
tn it,
marks a and
him to the constables will •
in
and that the story told by.
his attorney, eommunicatued most important information
the main be true; that
what he is Prepared to his own
wwilillwbaeyaroef
ve no doubt on the mind of any
truth, and
who one as to
the awho committedthe •
horrid deed. There are
many rumours afloat respecting this murder, but to
which we attach very little credit. It is generally re
ported that the statement of M'Cabe implicates one or
more women in the atrocious affair, and that he was the
fellow who watched at the door of the house whilst the
unfortunate inmates were being d mur ered by Reid.—
Manchester paper.
STEAM NAVIGATION IN THE PACIFIC.—PANAMA,
MAY 21.—The Pacific Steam Navigation Company's
steam ship the Ecuador, from Callao, arrived here May
21, bringing, in addition to her usual passengers and
cargo, the mails in continuation with the company's
steamer, Chile, which left Valparaiso, April 28, from the
underinentioned ports in Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador,
and New Grantida, of the respective dates as under-
noted. Chile—Valparaiso, April 25 ; Coquimbo, April
29 ; Huasco, April 30,; Copiapo, April 30. BoLivia
Cobija, May 2. Peru—lquique, May 3; Arica. Ma
t 3,
Pa
4;
Pa
-Islay, May 5 ; Flier), May 7 ; Callao, May 11 ; y
May 'l4. Ecuador—Guayaquil, May 16 Granada
. New
—Buenaventura, May 19. Nvoss,—The value
FRENCH EGGS AND FRENCH
d has been almost
of French eggs exported to Englanf
hese es benu,
equal to that of French winesne o t
In 18,45 the ovaal value
free, and the other fettered. _ g
of wines of France exported to England was ~365,000 c
that of eggs, 44480,000foorliays Das. Maack&
-

---Saturday
jz—Oa morn-
vras met
along
,ton okagentlemßu.a4
wisn egeEl:a.krTnoyi loao"Adu :t hj
'wit 'Bl7l 1 (bt
1 ht ASTi
‘Ol I" )CYW Da
: 176 itA: er rage t or overtaken b y a
nger off his left hand. He Ina-
dog, which bore every appear-.
state,piclidiliohneedgogn:biwbiescetnh;ripiledboelnhitgsobrbnitnnt:liin:filhaageeatitaelleatretc-ibieennimndneiegrteeheaeavnefrdeikminibltled it ; then, re:
&Me 0
deliberately
penknifeitA)theofh ay
nidarnaol
cut off are finger by the first joint. After this he went
to the office without taking further notice of the matter,
and went about his usual business without giving intl."
oration to any one of what had happened. At last,
however, a quantity of blood which oozed from the
woundexer led to detection, when be was sent to Mr. Jor-
dan,
esmuirtgye,onie,eoefaßirtidngeeesstsraereyt,
to amputate
on examining the
at the second joint. This the youpthurrethweithfingtheer
same indifference as he did the pain which he must
have caused himself whilst practising the surgical art
upon his own person ; the operator in the latter case
leciaring he had never before met with's patient who
showed such great indifference to pain. After the opera-
tion was over he went to business as usual, and Id
Man`
us
yesterday that his finger was again „ all right"— t
chester Courier.
0c549 barrels, 41
York, has brought 195 barr, f p
r- Qis
'3333 barrels and 7 tierces
AMERICAN PROVISIONS. ..-.- An —inerkicsaifirom line
seowf
packet ship, arrived in the Lon_doonrAhll;
baits and 23 tivrces o.hißesaso:.
w,_eat ; 307 bnrrels of
of beans ; 11,100 buns_ ,1240 t "
bags .of corn meal 554
flour ; 168 barrels d
andoe 80
productionbales
thekn ;
Unitedwit h variety
States of
f
The American line of packet ships trading
nhdeinNgewFrYinocrikpaiti;rmleedreley, birnouegdhdittinoon
otherbag s of
America. oats
articles, T ;11
nda,
kiescriptions of merchandise, with salted
and other articles. Now it will be seen
grainbetween
e atths
the usual
of
cu
has Londoneuneaysle,
it forms. as in the instance under notice, by far the
greater proportion of the entire cargo. There is an
interesting corclusi.tu .deducible from this fact—viz.,
that in ad'lit on to the vast supplies of grain and provi-
sions of all kinds which pour into the port of Liverpool
from the United Skates it America, with which from.
its position it is so Intimaely and extensively connected,
and also to the numerous arrivals at this port Inca
Boston and Philadelphia, every available means °Coon-
veyance, including passenger packet ships, are made
instrumental in rendering assistance for the introeuc-
tion of grain anti weal t 9.44 cr9.41 qle vols Ailet" iat/3
I.
#45 oouutzy.
•