The Sun.
London, England, 1847-04-09 00:00:00

THE IRON TRADE.

WOLVERHAMPTON, WEDNESDAY EVENING.—To day
the s, cond of the quarterly meetings of the above trade
as held at the Swan Hotel in this town, and was nu-
merously attended by the representatives of ull the large
houses in the neighbourhood, and a'so by many gentle•
men from a distance. It was reported that iron is at
present in great demand, and many good orders on hand.
There vt as consequently no attempt to reduce the prices,
which stand as follow:—Pig iron, 51 to 51. 10s.; railway
iron, 101. 10s.; and bar, 101 The following notice of the
present state of the trade is from the Birmingham
Gaze tte of Monday
A general expectation seems to prevail that, exclu
sive of railway supplies, a large drain upon our stocks of
iron will take place on the return of the almost innume-
rable vessels now arrivingin our ports with cargoes of
bread-stuffs. These stocks are by no means accumulat-
ing under the present demand, although an increase of
produce in the manufacturing department has been car-
ried out to a great extent—as far indeed as the supply of
materials will allow. This expectation, combined with
the existing pressure of orders, Imparted a tone of cheer
ful feeling at the preparatory meeting at the Hotel,
Dudley, last week, when a resolution was passed unani.
mously to the effect that the prices of iron should remain
the same as last quarter. It appears, therefore, pretty
certain that the full nominal price for manufactured iron,
and the slight advance upon pigs that was established
last quarter-day, will be easily sustained during the ap
proaching quarterly meetings; and, under the adverse
position of the general mercantile interests of the
country, the satisfactory maintenance of existing prices
may be considered equivalent to an advance under ordi-
nary circumstances, thus justifying the views hitherto
taken by ourselves and many others, of the prospects of
the trade, and the propriety of being provided with sup.
plies of materials in anticipation of any movement that
might take place of an upward tendency. An uneasi-
ness among the workmen in the Welsh districts has been
manifested, and in a slight degree has contaminated this
neighbourhood; but it has been met by determined mea-
sures of self-protection on the part of the masters, and
with the prospect of more moderate charges for pro-
visions, and the summer season at hand, we do not think
any general attempt to demand higher
made." wages will be

1847.—The following is the House list of Governors
and Directors of the Bank of England for the year ensuing :

FOR GovinNonS.
William R. Robinson, Esq., Governor.
James Morris, Esq., Deputy-Governor.

AABortbnehaluinLrey:7dwob.rCeaem,
Epsbcie.llFOElS DiR
Charlesc' Fredk. Huth, Esq.
Edward H. Chapman, Esq.(l. Alfred Latham, Esq'
William Cotton, Esq. James Malcolmon, Esq.
Thomas HeasnGkoewy,ejrLE.,sqE'sq cl.
H. St. John Mildmay, Esq.
Charles Pascoe Grenfell, Es Sheffield Neave, Esq.
Palmer, Esq.
John Oliver Hanson, Esq.' James Pattison, Esq.
John Benjamin Heath, Esq. Sir Jno. Henry Pelly, Bart.
Kirkman Dnl. Hodgson, Esq. Henry James Prescott, Esq.
Henry Lancelot Holland, Esq.. Sir John Rae Reid, Bart.
Thos. Newman Hunt, Esq. rhomas Tooke, jun., Esq.
The election for Governor and Deputy-Governo will be
JGoehon. Wards Norman, orman, Esq,
held at the Bank, on Tuesday, the 13th of April, and for
Directors, on Wednesday, the 14th of April, from ten o'clock
in the forenoon till four in the afternoon.
SINGULAR SNOW PHENOMENON IN ORKNEY.—In
the current number of the Philosophical Magazine, Mr.
Clouston, of Stromness, relates a curious circumstance
which, it appears, not only astonished and perplexed
the neighbourhood in which it occurred, but filled the
superstitious with consternation. During one night a
heavy fall of snow took place which covered the plain
to a depth of several inches. " Upon this pure carpet,"
says the writer, " there rested next morning thousands
of large masses of snow, which contrasted strangely
with its smooth surface." These occurred generally in
patches from one acre to a hundred in extent, while the
clusters were often half a mile asunder. The fields so
covered looked as if they hid been scattered over with
cart loads of manure, and the latter covered with snow;
but on examination the masses were all found to be
cylindrical, like hollow fluted rollers, or ladies' swan-
clown muffi, bearing a strong resemblance to the latter.
The largest measured was 3/ feet long, and 7 feet in cir-
cumference. The centres wero nearly but not quite
hollow, and by placing the head within when the sun
was bright, the concentric structure of the cylind,r was
apparent. They did not occur in any of the adjoining
parishes, and were limited to a space of about five miles.
The first idea as to the origin of these bodies was, that
they had fallen from the clouds, and portended some
diroul calamity. But had they fallen from the atmos-
phere, their symmetry and loose texture must have b,•en
destroyed. The writer having examined them, was soon
convinced that they had been formed by the wind rolling
up the snow, as boys form snow-balls. Their round
form, concentric structure, fluted surfa.. e, and position
with respect to the weather side of eminences proved
this. A.l.d also from the fact of their lying lengthways,
with the-ir sides to the wind ; and sometimes their tracts
were visible in the snow for twenty or thirty yards in
the IN indward direction, whence they had evidently ga
thered up their concentric layers.
ARSON.—COMMITTAL OF THE INCENDIARY.—ELT,
APaIL 6.—At the Petty Sessions, held at the Crown
Inn, Soham, on Saturday, before the Rev.
H. Fardell,
chairman, and other county magistrates, Sarah Munson
underwent a final examination un the charge of having
wilfully fired the town on the morning of the 16th of last
month. The prisoner was seen in the locality of the
barn a short period before the outbreak ,
, and from other
was
waiting outside the inn to hear the re-
sultcircumstances the Bench decided on committing her for
trial at the ensuing summer assizes. During the investi•
gation a sun of the prisoner, Josiah Munson, who was
acquitted at the last !Wile at Cambridge on a charge of
firing some buildings in the town in the early part of the
gs against his mother, when the
Ist of November,
magistrates ordered him
.into the room. On entering,
last lovri nt• ehre,
Mr. Wilkin, a solicitor, Immediately accused him with
property of Thomas Peck, of Soham. Evi-
-81
eBt:t i6n, gthfiere
&rice in support of the charge wad s then gone into, and
proceedings
the magistttaotae
old quarters for trial.
ACCIDENT ON THE LONDON AND NORTII“WESTERN
RAILWAY.—LIVERPOOL,
ssttlaeclle‘follfail teradwonownseetnhdeing him back
to
his
THURSDAY.—We are sorry to
announce that as the express train, which left London
at 5 P.m. yesterday, was proceeding_
atreeLgiviaerdpotool, it got
off the rail at Winsford. No serious damage was sus-
tained.
haser
hbeeewnilvlery
;ea
nbPduatsist passengers,
es
uncertain
escapeds eve re 1y
injured,
i Alli.i unhurturetdh,
re-
cover. It is thought that his back is broken. The cause
of the accident is at present unknown ; but no doubt it
will be thoroughly sifted by the directors and the chief
officers, who lrive ever manifested the utmost vigilance
care, and caution, since the line was first opened for
public traits.