The Sun.
London, England, 1849-12-27 00:00:00

search of the expedition under Sir John Franklin.
Sir James Clark Ross was elected a fellow of the
Linn= Society in 1823, and a fellow of the Royal
Society Dec. 11, 1828. He is also a fellow of the
Royal Astronomical and Royal Geographical Societies
of London, and of other places in England, a mem-
ber of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Copenha-
gen, and a corresponding member of the Geographi-
cal Society of Paris. In 1833 he received the thanks
Of the Common Council of London, and a piece of
plate from the subscribers to the Land Arctic Expe-
dition ; in 1841 the Founder's Gold Medal' from
the Geographical Society of London ; in 1842 the
gold medal of the Geographical Society of Paris; and
in 1844 the honorary degree of D.C.L. from the
University of Oxford. '
THE LATE SIR FRANCIS COLLIER AND TRH CHINA

THE MURDER AT BRISTOL.
BRISTOL, Dxc, 26.—The adjourned inquest on the
body of William Braund, who was shot on Sunday
afternoon at Bedminster, was concluded this day at
the Hope and Anchor, Redcliff-hill, before Mr. J. B.
Grindon, coroner. The utmost interest was mani-

felted in the proceedings, and a large crowd collected
outside the house where the inquest was held, and
the inquest-room itself, and all the approaches to it,
were densely crowded. Mr. Ayre, attorney, appeared
as before to watch the proceedings on the part of the
prisoner. The coroner having read over the evidence
adduced on Monday,
Mr. Cornish was recalled, and added to his former
testimony, that as the prisoner was being conveyed to
the station, his (Cornish's) nephew asked him a
question as to what the pistol was loaded with, but
he did not hear any reply.
William Roacb, of 19, King-street, Bedminster,
driver of a van to Beth, deposed to witnessing the
circumstances of the struggle, and clearly identified
the prisoner as the boy who fired the pistol at the
deceased. He saw the prisoner take the pistol from
his breast. One of the young men who tried to
take the pistol said to him, " You do not mean
to fire that thing ?" Be replied " No; I know
myself better; but if he (meaning the deceased, and
pointing to him with the pistol) does not leave
Collins alone I will fire at him or at you either."
Witness passed on a few yards, but on turning round
saw the prisoner step on one side of the young man,
run a few yards towards the pavement, and fire at the
deceased, who put his hand to his mouth and fell
forward on his face. After he fired the pistol the
prisoner ran off up the Cut, and witness pursued hint,
when he threw the pistol at his (witness's) head, but
it only struck him on the fingers, and he flung him-
self on him and secured him. The struggle between
the deceased and Collins was not of a violent nature,
nor was there anything in it to excite alarm. Witness
captured the prisoner in Still-house-lane, having pre-
viously picked up the pistol, which he gave to Ser-
geant Black at the station-house. He did not hear
the boy with the pistol call out for assistance before
he fired,

SQUADRON.
The Southampton portion of the Indian mail has
brought us the following additional letter from our
correspondent in the China squadron :
" Hong-Kong, Oct. 30, P.M.
" I was obliged to close my letter hurriedly, and
write this to correct a mis-statement which appeared
in a paper here last night about the Admiral having
been found dead in his bed by his servant. Captain
Morgan ; Mr. Price, the late Admiral's secretary ;
Dr. Bankier, of her Majesty's ship Alligator; and
Dr. Scott, of her Majesty's ship Hastings, were
with him for many hours before his death; and the
lion. Mr. Hulme, the Chief Justice of the colony, in
whose house Sir F. Collier died, paid him the most
unremitting attention personally during the whole of
the last night of his life. We shall anxiously expect
to hear who is to succeed him in the command.
" The Mariner, 16, Commander Matheson, is daily
expected from Shanghae. The Pilot, 16, Commander
Lyons, is at Amoy ; the Arab, 12, Commander
Norris, is at Ningpo ; and the Medea steam-sloop,
Commander Lockyer, is at Anson's-bay, in the Canton
river, having been ordered down from Whampoa in
consequence of the sickly state of her crew, who are suf-
fering severely from dysentery. The Fury steam-sloop,
Commander Wilcox; the Columbine, 16, Commander
Hay ; and the Hon. Company's steam-sloop Phlege-
then, have been absent for the last three weeks on a
cruise to the island of Hainau in search of pirates.
No authentic intelligence has been received of them
since their departure, but their return is hourly ex-
pected. Sir Francis Collier's flag was struck last
night, and Captain Morgan has assumed the com-
mand of this part of the station, which he will retain
until the arrival of Captain Massie in the Cleopatra,
26, who will then be senior officer until superseded
by Commodore Plumridge, who will, of course, come
here as soon as possible as a first-class commodore.
Mr. Thomas M'Knight, her Majesty's agent victualler
at this place, died of Hong-Kong fever on the 9th
inst.; and Mr. Walker Burke, Paymaster and Purser
of her Majesty's ship Hastings, has been appointed to
the temporary charge of the naval stores in the dock-
yard, by Rear-Admiral Collier. He will retain the
appointment until the arrival of his successor.
Lieutenant Everest, lately commanding her Majesty's
ship Royalist, and Acting-Lieutenant Bennett, R.N.,
late of her Majesty's ship Meander, hare been inva-
lided ; the latter goes home overland. There are no
other changes. The Medea has been sent for to pro-
ceed to Bombay, to apprize Commodore Plumridge of
the death of Sir Francis Collier."
PLYMOUTH, DEC. 24 —Her Majesty's brig Brit°.
mart, Captain Chamberlayne, from Sierra Leone,
was towed up harbour to-day by her Majesty's
steam- tug Confiance. She is to be paid off here
forthwith.
Her Majesty's steamer Archer arrived yesterday
from Woolwich.
Her Majesty's steam-sloop Stromboli sailed to-
day for Queenstown with seamen for her Majesty's
ship Superb.
Her Majesty's frigate Indefatigable, Captain Smart,
will go into the Sound on Wednesday.
A general muster of the artisans and labourers in
the Devonport Dockyard took place to-day in the
presence of Admiral Superintendent Sir John Louis ;
the Master-shipwright, Mr. Edye ; the Master-At-
tendant, Mr. Henderson ; and the other officers of the
establishment.
Wind—North-East; fine.
APPOINTMENTS.
WOOLWICH, DEC. 26.—Acting Mate—Thomas B.
M. Sulivan (1848), to the Stromboli steam-sloop.
Carpenters—William Waldron to the Enterprise ;
George James Ford to the Investigator.
Captain Austin, C. 8., Acting Superintendent of
this dockyard, in the absence on leave of Commodore
Henry Eden, accompanied by Captain Collinson, of
her Majesty's ship Enterprise, walked round the yard
yesterday morning, and afterwards attended to all
the official duties required for the day.
Commander M'Clure left Woolwich on leave on
Monday afternoon, and is not expected to return
before Friday morning.
Captain Hope, C 8., was on board the Terrible
steam-frigate yesterday evening, and that fine vessel
had her steam up this morning, and was ready to
start her moorings, being partly unloosed, when the
fog set in so thick that it v-as considered advisable to
postpone her departure, which s ill take place to-
morrow at 9 A M., if the weather is favourable.
It is now fully anticipated that an expedition will
proceed at an early period to the Arctic regions to
make further research, in the hope of meeting with
Captain Sir John Franklin and the officers and crews
of the Erebus and Terror. This expedition will be
fitted out by private enterprise, and entrusted to the
command of Captain Sir John Ross, already celebrated
for his voyages to the Arctic regions ; and it is
but justice to:state that Sir Felix Booth is exerting
himself in a most laudable manner in this under-
taking. It is contemplated to have a fast sailing brig,
the best description of clipper that can be obtained,
with a light draught of water, and that she should be
accompanied by a steamer, and a screw-propeller will
be preferred, in order to tow the vessel through the
ice when requisite. From the known energy and
perseverance of Sir John Ross, and the promises of
volunteers whose knowledge of the northern regions
has been tried on several previous occasions, there is
every reason to hope the expedition will be successful
in the objects contemplated, and a grateful country
will appreciate the exertions made by private enter-
prise to a greater extent than could be expected from
a powerful Government. The long absence of the
missing voyagers will give a double interest to the
uniertaking, and the knowledge of two searching ex-
peditions being dispatched—one by Government
round Cape Horn to Behring's Straits, and the other
by private enterprise to Davis's Straits, Lancaster
Sound, Barrow's Straits, and ultimately to Melville
Island, where there is every reason to believe intelli-
gence of the missing expedition will be found, will
create a spirit of emulation with every prospect of
favourable results, so as to set the minds of the public
at ease as to the fate of Captain Sir John Franklin
and the gallant officers and crews of the Erebus and
Terror.

By the CORONER—No blows passed between any
parties whilst he was present. IV hen the boy flung
the pistol he was running, and when witness overtook
him he had fallen, and said, " Let me rest." Witness
asked him how he came to do such a thing ? He said
he did it in the height of passion, and wished some one
to go for a surgeon. Witness heard Mr. Brown ask
him whether the pistol was loaded with ball, and
he said he did not know.

Thomas Black, police sergeant, 18, deposed that he
was on duty at the Bedminster station, when the
prisoner was brought in by Mr. Cornish and the
other witnesses. The prisoner gave his name either
as James or Alfred Dauncy, of No. 10, Clarence-
place, Brown's-row, aged 14, which witness entered
in the police charge-sheet. He took from him the
articles now produced, except the pistol, which was
received from Roach. (The pistol was here produced ;
it was a brass screw barrelled weapon about eight
inches in length.) There were seven bullets fitting
the pistol, one imperfect, a bullet mould, three pieces
of lead, one the letter Q, and two other pieces of
printers' type battered, a picklock, a purse containing
three sovereigns, and ls. 6d. in silver, four percussion
caps (one discharged), a pack of cards, a boy's cap,
and a German silver pencil case. The prisoner also
had a cap on his head. Whilst witness was tak-
ing down the other witnesses' names the prisoner
said voluntarily, " It was done in the heat
of temper." He said nothing else. The witness
also produced a coat, waistcoat, and other articles
of dress delivered to him by Mr. Rogers, house sur-
geon at the Bristol General Hospital, which belonged
to the deceased. The coat had been divided in two

for the purpose of getting it off the deceased's body.
Marks of blood appeared on it, and the hole made by
the bullet was distinctly vi-Able just under, but in
front of the right arm. Corresponding marks ap-
peared on the waistcoat and shirt. The other articles
were more or less stained with blood. Witness also
produced a life-preserver broken in two, which had
been taken to the police-station by a boy named
Howard.
Susan Brown, daughter of Thomas Brown, turner,
of 20, Brown's-row, who witnessed the occurrence,
gave a similar version of the affair to that which has
already appeared in evidence. She said she distinctly
saw the pistol in the prisoner's hand, and, being
afraid, moved away. Witness thought she heard
Horgan say, "If you do, I'll throw you into the
water." The prisoner pointing at Horgan said, " I'll
fire at thee in a moment." Witness saw him then
run round Horgan and fire. She afterwards saw the
deceased lying on the ground bleeding from the mouth
and nose.

Francis Staples, of Windmill-hill, sawyer, gave
similar testimony to that of the preceding witnesses.
He differed from them, however, by saying that in
tl e struggle the deceased threw the lad Collins on
the ground, but did not fall himself. Some one then
said, "Shoot him," but he could not tell whether it
was the prisoner or the other one. llorgan tried to
keep the prisoner away from the deceased, and asked
the prisoner if he would shoot him. He said " No,
if he would let his partner go; he knew himself
better." Then the one who was shot pushed the
other up against the railings by Mr. Brown's house,
and th© prisoner held up his pistol in his hand and
shot him. It was a brass pistol.
Frances Eliza Jenkins, having been sworn, de•
tailed at some length the particulars of the occur-
rence, but there was nothing in her evidence which
materially differed from that which had already been
given. She added that when the deceased was shot
he held his side and said, "Oh 1" Large pieces of
congealed blood fell from his mouth, and soon after-
wards be fell. This witness swore positively that the
prisoner fired the pistol. She said she saw him run
away immediately he had done it, and shortly after-
wards she saw him in custody at the station-house.
Alexander Fairbrother, M.D., deposed that he was
one of the physicians at the Bristol General Hospital.
He saw the body of the deceased last Sunday even-
ing, about nine o'clock, or later. It lay in the dead-
house of the hospital. He had since made a post
mortent examination, in the presence of Mr. Rogers,
the house-surgeon; and Mr. Lansdowne and Mr.
Lang, surgeons, were both there part of the time.
The body was dressed when he first saw it. He
observed that the coat, waistcoat, and shirt had marks
of blood on them, and there was an appearance on the
right side, near the second rib, in front of the right
armpit, of a bullet having penetrated, there being marks
corresponding to the wound beneath. On the body
being stripped he carefully examined the exterior of it,
and found no mark or wound upon it, excepting a
wound inflicted on the right side, in front of the
right armpit, near the second rib. The wound pre-
sented an appearance of having been caused by a gun
or pistol ball. Witness examined all the cavities, and
found everything healthy, except such morbid appear-
ances as were caused by the wound. The bullet had
passed through the second rib on the right side, and
splintered it, then through the right lung and the
windpipe; it grazed the gullet, wounded some of the
vessels, then passed through the left lung, then through
the second rib on the left side, leaving some of the
cloth in it, and then it lodged in the fleshy part just
above the left shoulder. The wound was sufficient to
occasion death. The bullet produced was the bullet
in question ; it was in the state in which he found it.
(The witness here handed the bullet to the coroner.
It was quite flattened.) He had compared the bullet
with the pistol, and found it to fit ; he had also _com-
pared it with the other bullets produced this day, and
sworn to have been found on the prisoner, and it
matched them. He had not the slightest doubt that
the death of the deceased was caused by that bullet.
His death must have been nearly instantaneous, the
bullet having gone through the windpipe.
The CORONER then asked Mr. Ayre whether there
were any witnesses in attendance whom he would like
to be examined on behalf of the prisoner, to which an
answer was returned in the negative.
The CORONER then recapitulated the whole of the
evidence to the jury, making his comments thereon as
he proceeded. He concluded by observing, that in
the present instance he saw no circumstances either of
provocation or of alleviation that would reduce the
crime to that of manslaughter.
The jury, after a short deliberation, returned a
verdict of " Wilful Murder" against the prisoner,
Alfred Dauncy, who was, therefore, committed to
take his trial for the capital offence on the coroner's
inquisition.
During the whole of the lengthened inquiry this
day the prisoner maintained the utmost indifference.
He even heard the verdict of " Wilful Murder" re-
turned against him quite unmoved. As, however
he was being removed in the custody of the police,
some of his friends stepped forward to wish him good
bye, and just at that juncture he appeared to be con-
siderably affected.

Tnn PANIC ABOUT A HIGH TIDE.—Mr. Conway,
of the Dubin Enening Post, has applied to the Astrono-
mer Royal for his opinion as to any foundation existing
for the apprehended deluge next week, and has elicited
from that authoritative quarter the following sedative
information: " Observatory, near Dublin, Dec. 24,
1849—Dear Mr. Conway, I have requested my assistant,
Mr. Thompson, to revise his calculations relative to the
spring tide at the end of this month, and he reports to
me that he finds no reason to expect that the tide in
question will obtain any extraordinary height. Of
course it may be favoured by winds, but that we cannot
foresee.--I am, dear Mr. Conway, very truly yours,
Wm. Rowan Harail:on.—F. W. Conway, Eq."
THE SHOREHAM ELECTION.—The nomination will
take place on the 28th. There is little doubt that Lord
Alexander Lennox, the Protectionist candidate, will be
returned without opposition, no other candidate havieg
offered himself since the retirement of Mr. Shelley.

On 'Wednesday last a large eagle, who has taken
up his quarters at Blarney, seized upon a plump, well-
grown pig, and flew .a considerable distance, but was
terrifivd ir.to the surrender of his prey by the ;hotting
of the spectators.—Cork Reporter.

THE SUN, _LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, DECEMILE

RAIL WAY INTELLIGENCE.
MIDLAND.

BIRMINGHAM, WEDNESDAY.--The turn-out of the
porters connected with the above line of railway has
extended to the company's extensive establishments in
this town. According to a placard plentifully posted
in the neighbourhood of the Birmingham and Derby
station, in Lawley-street, after having previously re-
duced the wages of the men from 13s. to 17s. per
week, it is now further attempted to reduce them to
163. This has been resolutely resisted, and on Satur-
day evening nearly, if not quite, 100 porters, quitted
their employ. The men, in the placard alluded to,
complain bitterly of the company in thus forcing
them to contribute out of their extremely limited in-
comes twevards meeting the deficiencies brought about,
as they say, by the mismanagement and extravagance
of the directors—not very conciliatory language, it
must be admitted, but still not without some truth.
In the mean time the advertisement issued for men to
fill the vacant situations has been responded to by
numerous applicants, and yesterday there appeared
to be every probability that the vacant places would
speedily be filled. As a matter of course, great delay
and inconvenience have been experie: ced by the
company, more especially in the efficient management
of the goods traffic, and one unfortunate servant in
their employ, unaccustomed to the work, who was
called upon to assist as a porter, has had his thigh
broken and been otherwise seriously ir3jurcd by ore
of the engines. Two or three of the old porters,
shose services are of particular value, have returned
to their employ, on the understanding, that the pro-
posed reduction will be "made up to them" in some
other way.