The Sun.
London, England, 1841-12-23 00:00:00

NIGER EXPEDITION.

From the intelligence received from this Expedition,
extending in part to the 10th of October, the following
statement a :acts may be gathered, and, us it is derived
from various sources of the highest character, may be
relied_ on as the most accurate that has as yet appeared.
The Albert, Wilberforce, and Soudan, with the liar-
riot transport, and Amelia tender, after a favourable
though somewhat tedious voyage, arrived off the Nun on
the 9th and 10th of August. In unloading the transport
they were detained a considerable time, owing to the
heavy rolling of the vessels in the swell outside the bar
A further detention arose when they had crossed the
bar from the necessity of refitting the tails of the rud-
ders, which had been carried away on the passage from '
Cape Coast, and without which the vessels were almost
unmanageable. These repairs the badness of the wea-
ther and strength of the tide did not permit of being com-
pleted till the 20th.

This necessary delay does not, however, appear to have
positively injured the health of the crews, as they enjoyed
a wholesome sea-breeze, and every precaution was taken
to preserve them from illness. Up to this period there
had been seven deaths—four from casualties, one of
apoplexy, and two of fever, not African, but typhus. Of
these last one only was an European.
Under these favourable auspices they commenced their
ascent of the river on the 20th of August (not the 13th,
as has been erroneously stated). Their progress was
necessarily slow, as they do not ordinarily make more
than six miles an hour, and the current runs at the rate
of three. They were delayed still further by looking for
the Wilberforce, which had gone up a different channel.
Thus the 22d (Sunday) was spent, and at last it was
found that she had gone ahead. They rejoined at Eboe
on the 26th. This deviation was, however, the means of
discovering a new branch of the river, with numerous
villages, and a larger population than had yet been seen.
Six days after they arrived at Iddah, when the fever
broke out, and continued to the Confluence (272 miles
up) with increased violence.
The following is a list of the number of persons on
board the expedition, from Sept. 3-17, with other par-
ticulars, according to returns sent home :—Victualled in
the three vessels and Amelia, total number of persons,
including officers and crew, 302. Placed, on fever list
since Sept. 3, 70 ; died, 8 ; discharged to duty, 2 ; con-
valescent, 11.
In consequence of this alarming sickness, and their in-
ability to examine the higher grounds for a healthy sta-
tion, it was deemed advisable to send the sick to the sea-
side. Forty-three of the forty-nine' remaining cases
were accordigly embarked in the Soudan on the 19th,
and reached the mouth early on the 22d. On their way
they lost two hopeless cases, Mr. W. B. Marshall, sur-
geon of the Soudan, and one of her men. They were
fortunate enough to fall in at once with her Majesty's
ship Dolphin, Commander Littlehales, by whom they
were taken on board, except two, and carried to Ascen-
sion. On their way eight more died, but the rest reco-
vered in a most sudden and striking manner.
Assistant-surgeon Stirling, who came home in charge
of the invalids, has since returned to the Niger, and
several medical men have volunteered to supply the place
of the two that were lost, and the number of whites who

have died of African fever. •
The following returns show the entire mortality from
the first setting out, and the number of whites who have
died of African fever :-3 officers, 14 white seamen, 3
marines—total 20 ; and the number of deaths from all
causes was as follows :-3 officers, 19 seamen, 3 marines,
and 2 coloured men.

It appears, then, that of the entire number of whites,
one-eighth have perished by this dreadful disease ; of the
officers, one-seventeenth ; and of the men about one-
sixth. The scientific men attached to the expedition
have suffered very slightly, and the Rev. Messrs. Muller
and Schon not at all.

This loss is certainly much less than that of former
expeditions. Park's whole retinue was annihilated.
Captain Tuckey, in 1816, died with nearly one-half of his
officers and crew, and all the scientific men, with a single
exception. Captain Owen lost nearly two-thirds, and
Laird, by the time he had arrived at the Confluence, had
buried half his white crew, and more than half his
officers. This latter gentleman, in a letter to the
Spectator (December 18), gives it as his decided opinion
that the fever was less malignant in this case than in his
own, that they have " passed through their greatest
danger with much less loss than any reasonable man an-
ticipated," and that those who have escaped are not likely
to be attacked again, unless by returning to the swamps.
This opinion, given with a frankness which does
himj honour, combined with the confirmation
which they give of the healthiness of the coun-
try above the Delta, goes far to remove the
natural fears for their future safety. The expedition, far
from being given up, is going steadily on. Treaties have
been concluded with Obi of Eboe, and Attah of Egarrah,
for the entire abolition of the slave trade and of human
sacrifices. Of the conduct and deportment of both these
Princes the Commissioners speak very highly. A tract
of ground, 16 miles in length, and 6 in width, dry and
elevated, and including a mountain of 1,200 feet in height,
has been purchased, and the Model Farm put in active
operation. The country is represented as fully open for
missionary or other enterprise, and the natives perfectly
peaceable and friendly. One of the steamers may de-
scend for the winter, for the purpose of surveying the
various outlets, but all are expected to join in pursuing
their mission up the river next spring. As the Albert
was on the point of ascending the Niger, and the Wilber-
force the Chadda, when the last accounts left, we may
perhaps shortly hear of various important interesting
discoveries up these rivers.

NEW MUSKET FOR THE SERVICE.
The musket that Colonel Hawker has suggested to the
Ordnance (subjected to a severe trial, which has been
begun, and will continue through the winter months) is
the most simple and the most waterproof that has yet
been in use. He has availed himself of that clever in-
vention, called the patent spring-musket (without a lock)
of Wilkinson, and shortened the communication, by
doing away with the chimney, and cutting deeper the
concave under the stock ; so that the. stud of the
nipple now screws directly into the under part, of the
barrel ; and, by taking Westley Ricliards:sherinetically
sealed primer, he gets rid also of the dtstance which
is taken up in firing down: 'the- orifice of a copper-
cap nipple. The great advantages orfhese-combinationS
are, that the detonating flame fires direddy into the body
of ',the charge, so that the soldier may use (and even
without biting off the end of his cartridge) the*eoarsest
cannon-powder, which stands all weathers, and which,
Colonel Hawker has proved, shoots much. stronger, and •
keeps its strength much longer than, fine powder, and he
gets rid altogether of the copper-caps, which,.like the
fine powder required for them, he never, he
.says, could
depend on in sea-coast shooting and all other continual
damp, although they answer extremely well for the "flood'
and field " sportsman, and may even weather an occa-
sional wet day. With regard to the stocks, he says,
in page 323 of his Bth edition On Guns and Shooting,
--- If strength and consequent cheapness require
them to be so straight that I defy a
man to shoot
with them—put some elevation (similar to that on a
rifle), instead of obliging the
die
head over, beyond the true line soolfari
tnt.,o, in
The
liiinee hiCo-
lonel has added to the stock of the musket, now on
trial, a little knob of wood, merely
screw, and similar to a put on with one
grip, which gives
pistol-
great
steadiness in firing, and a firm hold for the soldier if an
enemy were attempting to disarm him. Should this
musket be adopted the motion of " support arms" would
require to be superseded by that of slope arms," there
being no cock or hammer to it. But this would be an
advantage rather than an objection, as one motion less
would be called for, thus saving the jackets of the men
from being soiled by damp hands, or whitened by
new p
patentip-
clayed gloves. Westley Richards has also t
awill beat all
musket coming out, which he anticipates
‘evho is to receive
others ; and, if so, Colonel Haw
u e. 'hesitate to give it a
one for trial, will not,
we
are
seitrber, beyond his desire
preference, having no interest in
; United Service Gazette.
to benefit her Majesty's service.—United

MURDER 1N SHROPSHIRE.
On Thursday
evening, about seven o'clock, the body
of Emma Evans, an old maiden shopkeeper, was found
lying dead upon the middle of her kitchen floor, in a
stream of blood, with her pocket turned inside out, her
house door wide open, her shop robbed of various arti-
cles, her parlour cupboard robbed of all her silver
spoons, and her bedroom chest of drawers broken open,
and the contents lying in confusion on the floor.
The poor woman lived at a retired spot called Brook-
side, about a mile and a half from the village of Chirk,
and five miles from Oswestry, in Shropshire, and had
lived for years in the same house, without any other
inmate, carrying on the business of a small grocer and
draper, and general provision dealer. She was supposed
to have saved considerable Willey; which she- kept in her
house, and no doubt the murderers expected to meet

ORNING SUN

with a prize, of great value. Her house is surrounded
hj• numerous cottages at short distances, but is not
within 100 yards of any other dwelling. On the same
evening three men were seen walking quickly along the
road from her house towards Chirk Castle Park which
is not half a mile off; at five o'clock, three men were
met in the park walking towards the road leading to her
house. The description of the men agrees.
About nine o'clock two men walked into the King's
Head public-house at the Cefn, in Rhuabon parish, and
took some refreshment. While the men were in the
house the landlady discovered a large bundle in the back
kitchen, which one of the men claimed on being asked
whether it belonged to either of them. The son of the
landlady, William Bradley, knew the two men by name
and character. On leaving the public-house, at ten o'clock,
the two men set out on the road to Wrexham. Bradley
obtained the assistance of his wife's brother, who is a
powerful young man, and in five minutes after their de-
parture set out in pursuit, with the intention of taking pos-
session of the bundle. They overtook the men about IV
mile and a half from Rhuabon, and on claiming the bundle,
both men ran away with all possible speed, the bundle
being instantly dropped on the ground. Bradley re-
turned home with the bundle, and on the following
morning the contents were clearly identified as being the
property of the murdered woman.
The names of the two men are John Williams and
Joseph Slawson, the one a horse-breaker, and the other a
tailor.

The police have been unremitting in their exertions,
but up to Sunday evening they had not been apprehended.
The body still hes in the position in which it was found,
the Magistrates not allowing it to be touched before the
inquest, which cannot be held before Monday morning.

THE PARISH OF BARRY AGAIN.—Mr.
Maitland Makgill Crichton having succeeded, in the
name of religion, in creating the indecent disturbance
which lately took place in Arbroath, apparently highly
gratified with his success, resolved tb play over again the
same game at the village of Barry, and Mr. Lumsden,
nothing loath, agreed to lend him the kirk for his per-
formance. But it appears this gentleman not only over-
rates his own powers, but he seems not to understand
very clearly the rights of others. The kirk is at Mr.
Lumsden's command whenever the services of religion
require ii„ and only in these cases. But he has no more
right to give the use of it to any itinerant lecturer, than
he has to make it during the week, his dining-room,
kitchen, or stable. The kirk belongs to the heritors,
who are bound to uphold it for sacred purposes only—
certainly not for the accommodation of any hot-headed
agitator and his unruly mob. The heritors, there-
fore, applied to the Sheriff to interdict the intended per-
formance ; and the whole performers, from the Rev. Jas.
Lumsden, minister, to James Buick, session-officer, have
been interdicted from using the kirk for such a purpose.
The heritors who petitioned were—William Bruce
Gardyne, Esq„ of Middleton ; William Henderson, Esq.,
of Grange of Barry ; James Miln, Esq., of Woodhill ;
Misses Cecilia Kinloch and Ann Oliphant Kinloch,
residing in Carnoustie House ; and Miss Helen Kinloch
Guthrie, residing in Edinburgh, proprietresses of Car-
noustie—with the special advice and consent of Charles
Guthrie, Esq., of Tay bank, father and legal curator of
the said Helen Kinloch Guthrie. There was no time to
communicate with Lord Panmure before presenting the
application for interdict ; but his Lordship has since in-
timated that he will, with pleasure, go along with the
other heritors in putting a stop to those itinerant agitators
who are disturbing the peace of the country.—Dundie
Advertiser

THE SITE OF THE ROYAL EXCHANGE.—
At the meeting of the Society of Antiquaries, held last
Thursday evening, a paper of considerable interest was
read by Mr. C. R- Smith. on the recent discovery of
Roman antiquities in London, particularly with reference
to the foundations of the new Royal Exchange. The
completion of the foundation was much retarded by the
excavators finding an extensive gravel pit, which it re-
quired many loads of concrete to fill, on the part oppo-
site to the entrance of the Bank of England. It after-
wards appears to have been employed to receive the rub-
bi:,ll and refuse from the shops and houses of the City,
and amongst the debris removed were large quantities of
bones and other remains of animal and vegetable matters,
with abundance of articles of domestic life, as shoes
and sandals ; knives and cutting instruments, on some
of which were engraven the names of the makers ; and
some weaving instruments, in which part of the wool
remained entwined, and which seemed to show the anti-
quity of this staple branch of British manufacture.
There were also found coins of Vespasian, Domitian,
and Severus ; but in the rubbish at top were coins of
much later dates, showing this part of the city to be of
comparatively recent formation. From the discovery
within the last few years of tesselte in the Bank of Eng-
land, Cornhill, and the site of the French church in
Threadneedle-street, where Roman villas doubtless stood
the results of the present inquiry seemed to show that
Roman London was continually entrenching on the fields
which surrounded it, and that the excavation alluded to
was situated in fields.

BOROUGH OF MARYLEBONE BANK.—Tues-
day night a considerable number of shareholders assembled
at the Boar and Castle, Oxford-street, for the purpose of
adopting measures for the protection of the shareholders
from the threatened consequences of litigation. The
chair was taken by Mr. Parnell, who explained the ob-
jects of the.meeting ; and was followed at considerable
length by Mr. Abrahams, a shareholder, who took a re-
trospective view of the management of the Directory,
which he characterised as being grossly, at variance with
the interests of the proprietary.
,The respective financial
statements were described by Mr. Abrahams ; one being
from the bank, and another front Mr. Quilter, an account-
ant, their variation bei:.g described by the speaker as
evincing a desire to conceal. He concluded by moving
a resolution to the effect—" That this meeting do form
a defence society, and fund, to be applied in liquidation
of public creditors, and in defence of actions which might
be brought against individual proprietors," &c. A meet-
ing of the Directors having been appointed for Thurs-
day next to arrange about calling a general meeting of
the proprietors, but not till after the Directors had been
much pressed to do so by Mr. Bebb, solicitor to the pro-
prietors, as they had omitted to furnish a list of creditors,
and other information, the above meeting had been
called. After a vote of thanks to the Chairman, the
meeting adjourned to Tuesday, Jan. 11, 1842.
MARRIAGE OF PRINCE NICHOLAS ESTER".
HAZY AND LADY SARAH VILLIERS.—It iS now defini-
tively arranged' that the long-expected nuptials of his
Highness Prince Nicholas Esterhazy, eldest son of his
Excellency Prince Esterhazy, Ambassador at the British
Court from the Emperor of Austria, and the Lady Sarah
Villiers, the lovely and accomplished daughter of the
Earl and Countess of Jersey, are to be solemnised on
Saturday week, the Ist of January. The marriage is
to be as private as possible, in consequence of the recent
demise of the venerable Earl of Westmoreland, the
maternal grandfather of the fair betrothed. His Excel-
lency Prince Esterhazy is, notwithstanding reports to the
contrary, likely to be present at the ceremony, for his
Highness was to leave Vienna for this country at the
close of the past week, and it is expected will arrive at
Chandos House, the Austrian Embassy, by Monday or
Tuesday next. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of
Gloucester has presented to the fair bride a very valuable
armlet, set with brilliants of the finest water, with the
princely ciphers in the centre, of the same precious
stones. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge
has also presented her Ladyship with a diamond aigrette.
In the Court of Queens Bench, Guildhall, yes-
terday, a great disappointment took place, owing to the
case of Hopkins v. Hardwicke being settled without hear-
ing the evidence. It was an action for a breach of pro-
mise of marriage, brought by a lady of about 30 years
of age, against the defendant, who is upwards of three
score. On the case being called, and the Jury being
sworn, a consultation took place between Counsel, when
Mr. Erle stated that the case was settled, the defendant
paying 500 L A verdict was then returned for the plain-
tiff for the above sum, and thus the affair terminated.
SUDDEN Tuesday night, shortly
before nine o'eleck, as a-decently dressed man, about 55
years of age, was drawing a truck over Waterloo bridge,
from the Middle Sex to the Surreyside , and when within
twenty yards of the toll-houses he suddenly fell down.
He appeared to be labouring under the effects of a fit,
and by the advice of Tilt, the toll collector, he was con-
veyed to the shop of Mr. Hundey, a surgeon, at the
corner of Stamford-street, when that gentleman and his
attendant paid instant attention to the case, but in a few
minutes after his arrival at the shop life was quite extinct.
ROMANCE FROM AMERICA.--A young female,
whose name appeared on the charge-sheet as Elletl_Rosa-
Possessed of grunt beauty, and most elegantly attired,
street office, Dublin, by
Rosa-
lind Holmes, was brought before Mr. Dleulff,y,
Cat twi
statednry
Police-constable
onduty
that at a late hour the
in Elephant-lane
previous night.-he, was
in Saekville-street, and hearing a neosiaswe
four or five girls
he went to ascertain the cause ; h
the prisoner ; they were
along with, or rather encirclingndcauing a great disturbance ;
abusing each other,
when they saw but the prisoner re-
tion of the prisoner,l
him caoramningawtahyej; all, with the excep-
as a lady, though he was
to believe the statement in conse-
quencehardly
inclined
conduct; so•-tilAnrt and long of the mat-
ter of her
took her the station-house, and
that he
ter was, dmghim she w
her with being disorderly in the street. The
charged
fused to go, telling
to Mr. Duffs-, stated that she was
prisoner, in reply
I;friends, who she saida
native of New York, where tier
were highly connected, reside, and that about two
years ago a titled English gentleman (she refused
to tell his name) was ; introduced inte her family he
paid
her great attention for some time, and wanted her
to marry him privately ; but this she at first refused
to do, telling him her father could give her a princely
dowry, and that she was willing to become
his wife with the consent of her parents. He refused
his, and continued to prosecute his addresses with
uch zeal, that she, in a moment of weakness, Was in-
duced to elope with him ; and, in order to prevent a dis-
covery, she put on male attire, and passed as his Lord-
ship's page. He brought her to Europe, and visited tho
" Eternal City" (Rome), where they passed some
months, and thence they travelled through German
Spain, and all the continental countries ; at last theyy,
came to the great English " Babylon" (London)
where
she doffed her page's apparel; and was first introduced
into the first circles of society, where she passed
as the bride of her destroyer ; they came to Dublin
a short time since, when shortly c
thterwards ho
departed, she km,w .not whither, leaving her in a very
distressed state, so far as her mind was concerned, but
with a tolerably large purse to support her. The-occa-
sion of her being out so late was, that she had heard his
Lordship was stopping at Kingstown, whither she went
in search of him, but without success, and, on her return,
she was attacked by a number of girls, from whom she
was obliged to defend herself in the best manner she
could ; she was willing to pay any penalty that might be
I imposed on her for the improper manner in which it was
stated she had conducted herself. Mr. Duffy said her
story, if true, ,was very strange, and ordered her to enter
into her own security to keep the peace, which being
done, the fair but unfortunate daughter of the " laud of
' liberty" was at owe discharged.

MORNING SUN

VESTRY MEETING, ST.BOTOLPH,

BISHOPSGATE.

TIIE " BLESSINGS" OF CHURCH-RATES, AND

THE NEW POOR-LAWS.

Yesterday a vestry meeting was held in the church
of St. Botolph, Bishopsgate, for the purpose of making
a Church-rate, and" also a rate for the relief of the
poor. The meeting was but thinly attended, in
consequence of the election for Common Councilmen,
and it may be fairly inferred the day was selected to
avoid a meeting with the leaders of Reform in this pa-
rish. The Senior Churchwarden took-the Chair.

The Vestry-Clerk then read the accounts of receipts
and disbursements of the last Church-rate, and said the
Churchwardens now required a rate of 41d. in the pound.
After some discussion the rate was agreed to.
A rate of ninepence in the pound was then proposed
for the relief of the poor for the present quarter.
The CHAIRMAN said the claims on them were heavier
than usual, and the Poor-law Commissioners had called
upon them for 1,360/. as their quota.
Mr. APCARE, as he was a new inhabitant, wished to
know whether the rates had been increased under the
New Poor-law, and was answered by the Vestry-Clerk
in the affirmative.

A PARISHIONER wished to know whether the increase
arose from the badness of the system.
The VESTRY-CLERK must be excused from giving an
opinion. He did not attend to discuss systems, and with
this unsatisfactory answer, the rate was agreed to. The
meeting then broke up.