The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-08 00:00:00

THE CHOLERA IN THE EAST.

TREDISONDE, DEC. 7, 1846.—The cholera is pursuing
its march towards Europe. We have received accounts
from Tabriz to the 24th of November, by which wo
learn that the scourge had ceased in that city. During
eight days no case had been declared. The disease had
carried its ravages to Choi, Nlakou, and Bajasid. This
last city, of which the population had been several times
decimated by the plague, is situated on the Turkish ter.
ritory, adjoining the Persian and Russian frontiers, to
the south of Mount Ararat. Thus the cholera is ap-
proaching the Black Sea by the road taken by the
caravans, whilst it ascends, in another direction, the
banks of the Euphrates and the Tigris, shaping its
course towards Syria. Europe, therefore, is menaced
on two sides. Notwithstanding the intense cold which
prevails in Aserbeidjan, and on the table lands of
Turkish Armenia, the scourge has extended thither.
Neither the elevation of a town nor the cold appears
to destroy the terrible epidemic. An English physician
who has long resided in Persia states in a letter
to me that no town in that country, with a
population exceeding ten thousand souls, has been
spared by the cholera, with the exception of those of
Salmas and Urmia, which are situated on the Turkish
frontier. When spreading from Mesched, where the
disease first broke out, towards the west and south, it
appeared to have passed over several vast districts, leav-
ing behind it several populous towns, but at a later period
the malady always returned, and desolated the localities
which it had hitherto spared. The population of Tabriz,
which counted 125,000 souls, is now reduced to 100,000.
More than 15,000 perished, and all the foreign merchants
have quitted it.
Our letters from Tabriz further state that a deputation
from the Nestorians of Djulamerk, with the Bishop
Marilia at their head, had arrived at Urmia, on their
way to Teheran to implore the protection of the Shah of
Persia. The entire population of Djulamerk, which
fled from the swords of the Kurds, have abandoned the
Turkish territory, and settled in the fertile plain of
Urmia, in the midst of a colony of the same religion.
More than three hundred families have already arrived
there, and have experienced the greatest hospitality
from the American missionaries, particularly Mr. Per-
kins, who is much beloved by the Nestorians. Those
Christian mountaineers prefer the oppression, at least
systematic, of the Persian Sirdars to the anarchy and
pillage which prevails in Kurdistan. The Pacha of
Mossoul has himself declared that he found it impos-
sible to protect them against the sanguinary excesses of
the Kurds.

FAILURE or AN Ex-M.P.—Mr. Andrew White,
who a few years ago was Member of Parliament for
Sunderland, has suspended payment, and his furniture
and effects at his residence at Frederick Lodge, in Sun.
derland, and Tunstall Lodge, near that town, are now in
course of sale by auction, under a deed of mortgage.
Mr. White is the principal partner in Whitwell and
Croxdale collieries, and held a large amount of shipping
property at Sunderland, where he was considered toler-
ably wealthy. In 1835, he allowed himself to be drawn
greatly into the political agitations of the " Liberals,"
and was a chief actor in setting up the municipal corpo-
ration in Sunderland, wlich was afterwards legalised by
the Corporation Amendment Act. At the
elec-
tion in 1837, he became a candidate for the boroughgeneral
of ofSunderland, and only succeeded in the object
oreftlirBc4dLfrom the
dardbaittei.on
Mr.by awfhewitevodteeoshooveedr tinhepsoepeounladr"fL"vioboerrald"ocrainng-
hthoenoPoarrslioafmtehnet
sfeonr
He has
interfered very little in public affairs, and gradually
a wt
eh iactht hh ee sdaist;oalnudtiohne
crept out of political agitation. He is a magistrate for
the borough of Sunderland, and a deputy-lieutenant and
a magistrate for the county of Durham. The bank-
ruptcy of his brother and partner, Richard White, took
afternoonN COTTON, TOW,
eha d Are p
ISe Aa
swu Dr
eu
os
wit
place two or three weeks ago.
Wed-
nesday .—°nenssNinYgeda;
Ladywell Quarry several ex • •
experiments with these explo-
sive compounds, the result of which, we think, fully
warrants the opinion that, as agents for blasting pur-
poses, they are likely, in a great measure, soon to
supersede common gunpowder. The first experiment
was on an immense mass of granite, into which a two-
inch bore had been made. The rock was charged with
about 22 ounces of gun cotton, as prepared by Mr.
Campbell, druggist, Argyle-street, and on being fired
the result was most surprising, nearly 70 tons of the
metal being brought down by the shock. To have
effected a similar result with gunpowder, we are in-
formed, would have required 181bs. or 201bs. weight.
The superiority of this preparation for blasting was fur-
ther illustrated in the smoothness of the faces of the
pieces of rock which had been separated. A smaller
quantity of the gun tow was next tried upon a square
piece of stone, about one ton weight. The bore which
was a little one, was made in the centre of the metal,
and the effect of the blast was so equal as to divide the
stone into four parts, all of which were as smooth on the
surface which had been operated upon as if wrought
with the chisel. Mr. Campbell superintended the expe-
riments, and the effects were such as even to surprise
the workmen connected with the quarry.—Glasgoto
Chronicle,

•

OPIUM 'GAMBLING IN INDIA.
'Prom the Bombay Gentleman's Gazette.)
The easnbling transactions in opium, carried on by
the native uneechants and shroffe of Ind
'a_more espe-
tracted the so-
cially of the Bombay presidency
riot's as-:eithin of European merchants,ye '
atand largely in-
fluenced the state of our markets, since we last appeared
before our European readers. We felt it our duly—
and, with the exception of two of our native contempo •
raries, we have been solitary in our endea.voars—to ex-
pose in several recent articles the disgraceful doings of
these gamblers, and the pernicious consequences of the
whole system of gambling. As many of our mercantile
friends at home are more or less connected in business
with some of the parties whose names have been men-
tioned (and mentioned on good authority too) as being
mixed up in this unprincipled traffic, we think it will be
interesting to them to learn some of the particulars
which we now proceed to furnish, begging our readers
in India will excuse us for taking up so much space in
recapitulating what must already be known to them
through our columns.
The first sale by the Bengal Government of nearly
1,700 chests of opium, a portion of the produce of their
Patna farm, which was In Id at Calcutta on Monday last,
has formed the nucleus of all this gambling. As many
as 30,000" first sale " chests are said to have been bar-
gained for among the gamblers, at prices varying from
I,loor. to I,Boor. per chest. Of course only 1,700 chests
of the 30,000 can be bought, and the average price at
the Calcutta public sale on Monday last of these 1,700
chests, which are sold in lots of five chests, will be the
settling price of the remainder. The largest specula-
tive purchaser on the present occasion has been Ragoo-
nath dass Ramlall, a Marwarry, and agent in Bombay of
the Indian Rothschild, Lutchmonchund Muneeram,
shroff of the city of Muttra, in Bengal. Ilis purchases
are stated to be to the extent of 8,000 or 10,000 chests,
sold to him at the ranee of prices above-named by a
clique of Ahmedabad, Bombay, and Malwa gamble's,
who during the last two years are said to have won from
Ramlall above seven lacs of rupees in similar gambling
transactions. If Ramlall has been able—as be intended
and was prepared—to run up the price at the Calcutta
sale of Monday, the 30th of November, to above 2,000 r.
per chest—of course driving every other competitor out
of the sale room at whatever cost—it will be seen that
the differences in price to be made good to him by the
Bombay clique and their confederates will be something
enormous ; little less, indeed, than half-a-million sterling.
The bulk of Barnhill's purchase was made about two
months ago, and it was not until the beginning of
November that his intentions became at all known to his
victims, who, seeing nothing but ruin staring them in
the face if their engagements are to be honourably car-
ried out, have been exhibiting the utmost alarm and
attempting the maddest expedients to rescue themselves
from their perilous position. A petition to the Supreme
Government to put a stop to gambling and frustrate the
intentions of their powerful opponents is said to have
been forwarded to Bombay; bearing the signatures, be
it remembered, of the most notorious gamblers, and
themselves the originators of the very evil against which
they profess to complain! Meetings innumerable have
been held everywhere over this island within the last
fortnight, and threats and entreaties have been in vain
used to induce Ramlall to come to an amicable compro-
mise of the matter. One of the most prominent and im-
portant of the threats has been, that they will treat their
engagements as not binding, and refuse payment.
Hitherto these gambling debts have been considered as
debts of honour of the most sacred obligation and we now
hear of " repudiation" for the first time. The Marwarry
gamblers do not, let it be observed, participate in this
dishonourable sentiment. We believe, moreover, that
earnest money having been paid by Hernial' on all his
purchases, and the transactions being otherwise bona fide
bargains, these gamblers can be compelled in a court of
law to pay the full extent of their engagements. It re-
mains to be seen whether this alternative will have to be
adopted. We do not, however, think that where an
honest endeavour is made to pay, Ramlall will press his
debtors harshly or to the utmost.
In the meantime, some of the effects which in our
article of the 20th of last month we predicted would
follow this gambling have become wofully apparent.
Business has been suspended among the gamblers them-
selves, internal exchanges have bcome deranged as a
natural consequence, distrust prevails in the bazaar, le-
gitimate trade is paralysed, and general credit shaken.
Our home readers will recollect that the gamblers re-
present collectively the majority, we had almost said the
whole, of our native moneyed interest. . The conse-
quences already produced by this odious practice are bad
enough in all truth, but we can scarcely bring ourselves
to hope that the issue will not be infinitely worse We
shall know the worst ere another week passes over our
heads. At present all is doubt and conjecture ; bnt a
strong presentiment is felt by many that the crisis will
not pass over without a convulsion of our monetary
system that will be felt far and wide, long and severely.
We trust this presentiment may be wrong, but we have
our fears.
Although we cannot acquit Ramlall of a little -selfi'sh-
ness and a large desire for vengeance, yet we consider
that the mercantile community of India is much indebted
to him for his administering so well that retributive jus-
tice and well-merited punishment which the gamblings
of the last three years so loudly called for. Let us hope
that out of all this " evil" will come " good," and that
the blow which he has so dexterously struck at the trunk
and branches will reach the roots of this baneful tree,
and extirpate it for ever from the soil of India.
We have within the last few days heard it contended
that the petition of the Bombay gamblers to the Supreme
Government, which we have above mentioned, was not
so mad or groundless, after all ; .for, say its advocates,
Government will be made aware thereby that a large
proportion of its subjects will be ruined if things are
allowed to fake their present course, and though Govern-
ment may gain 10 lacs, or even 20 lacs, by the sale of
1,700 chests at 2,000 r., still the ruin of so many opium
merchants will leave but few purchasers for the remain-
ing 14,000 chests produced this season at their Behar
farm, and the Sillier will lose as much or much more in
the remaining eight 'ales as it gained at the
first one. This is very specious— very ingenious,
indeed. But what are the facts ? In the first '
place, Government has no right to interfere ;
in the second, we cannot think that it will have had
any wish to interfere. It wants money now, and
moreover, it is not likely to be a loser by taking as much
as it can get from this same first sale. For suppose it to sell
1,700 chests (we speak of Patna only), at 2,000 r. at the
first sale, it can afford to sell the remaining 14,000 at an
average of about 1,200 r., and yet make as much out of
its Behar opium farm this season as it did last, which,
be it observed was its test. Now 1,200 r. is a price that
may fairly be expected in open market for every chest
the Government possesses, and that rate will pay the
shipper to China, so long as the drug there continues at
its present price, and there will be a ready demand for
every chest of it. Moreover, the Bengal Government is
not, we presume, ignorant that the parties who thus
petition against ruin are by no means large purchasers
of their drug. That their gambling has frequently in-
fluenced the price favourably for Government is not to
be doubted, but without any very serious detriment.
Our horns readers will learn more on this subject when
another fortnight shall bring round our day of inter-
course—always a pleasant one to us, and, let us hope,
not unedifying,' to them.
The subjoined supplement to the Bombay Government
Curate is of sufficient importance to merit immediate
insertion:—

PROCLAMATION.
TERRITORIAL DEPARTMENT.
REVENUE.—OPIUM.
1. With reference to the notification dated the 20th of
August, 1846, published in a supplement to the Govern-
ment Gazette of the same date, notice is hereby given—
that, from and after the Ist of June, 1847 passes for
the free transit of Malwa opium to Bombay e ill be
granted ou application to the opium agent at Bombay,
or to the resident and opium agent at Malwa, on pay-
ment of 400 aenbay rupees per chest of 1801 b. weight.
2. Passes will be granted for maunds instead of chests,
should it be desired ; but in no case will a pass be given
for less than 15 maunds or 5 chests.
3. Passes obtained at Bombay will not be given open
d
to the persons taking them out, but enclosed
letter of advice to the opium agent at Malwa, wahoeawill
countersign each pass before the opium is despatched ;
persons taking out passes for Malwa opium, that may
have left that province, will he required to satisfy the
local authorities in whose district the drug may first
arrive, that, in the event of its proving otherwise, the
same may be confiscated, and the pass-money forfeited.
4. No duties will be exacted, on account of the Hon.
Company's Government, on opium protected by passes;
it will, however, be liable, should occasion require, to
examination when in transitu, and also on its arrival at
Bombay, with the view of ascertaining that the quantity
corresponds with that specified in the pass ; but there
will be no detention or obstruction by the eflicers of
Government, beyond what may be necessary for the dili-
gent prevention of any opium being conveyed into the
territories subordinate to this presidency.
5. The owners of the opium will have to make their
own arrangements for its transport. The dispatches
will be accompanied by one or more chuprasses or peons,
as the resident and the opium agents in Malwa shall
consider advisable ; but the providing of escorts for the
protection of the drug will rest with the owners ; and
Government will not be answerable fur any casualties
that may befal the same.
6- It is left to the option of persons taking out passes
toPay at the rate of 17 Bombay rupees per chest, in
commutation of all customs and duties that may be due
to the native states through whose territories the opium
is conveyed, or to pay those duties themselves. Opium
for which this commutation money may have bean paid
shall be allowed to
duties whether exarredequally free from customs and
or Baden), or other marts in
dispatched from, Indore
7. Persons residing at Ahmedabad,. Baroda, Surat, or
other places, desirous of exportingsahlalwa opium under
a pass, will be furnished with the application to
the British authorities resident at suchna °Tl'
8. The Hon. the Governor in CouncilVaaritetees that
the price to be paid for the passes and in commutation of
the duties to native states shall continue as now
to
the Ist of June, 1848, but the guarantee here given will
not debar the Government from continuing to grant
passes after the expiration of this period, should it think
fit to do so, without a further proclamation.
9. For the convenience of individuals, deposits of
Company's papers will be received on account of sums
payable for the passes and duties specified in Articles 1
and 6, interest being payable to Government on the same,
until redeemed at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum, and
the deposit should be redeemed on or before the arrival
of the drug at Bombay, from which period the charge
on account of interest will be doubled.
10. Hoondies may be received by the opium agent in
Malwa for passes taken out there, payable to the opium
agent in Bombay within six days after sight ; if not re-
deemed within that period, a deposit of Company's paper
or substantial security must be given by the parties con-
cerned, interest being charged at the rate of 5 per cent.
until the arrival of the opium, which will be detained
until payment be made. If securities be not forthwith

produced, the hoondies will be returned as dishonoured,
and the opium seized on its arrival.
11. The holders of passes are to take the opium to
Indore, Ratlan,or any other place in Malwa that may
,uit the wishes and convenience of both parties, to be
weighed by persons who will be appointed by the opium
agent in Malwa to perform that duty.
12. Fifteen days' notice must be given to the opium
agent in Malwa, or his assistant, by all persons about to
make exportations under licences, previously to the pro-
duction of the opium at the place of weighment, in order
that he may be better prepared to receive, weigh, and
despatch it.
13. Only one despatch will be allowed under a pass,
or license, which despatch may or may not, at the option
of the holder of the pass, be for the full quantity men-
tioned in it; but a smaller quantity be exported, no
drawback or refund from the sum paid for the pass will
be allowed on account of such deficiency, excepting in
the cases of such parties taking out passes at Bombay,
who will be allowed a refund on account of such defici-
ency, on a report thereof being made to this Govern-
ment by the opium merchant in Malwa; but in the event
of the actual despatch containing a greater quantity of
opium than that for which the pass was taken out, such
excess shall be paid for at the rate specified in the first
article of this proclamation, and shall by way of secu-
rity for payment, be liable to detention by the colleetcr
of customs.
14. In weighing the opium an allowance of 31bs. will
be allowed for each che.it of 1041bs. on account of leafage
and dustage.
15. With the exception contained in Article 8, the
Hon. Governor in Council reserves to himself the right
to adapt from time to time such measures as he may
conceive to be necessary to *vent the illicit trade in
opium, and to secure the object of Government in sane•
tioning the present arrangement.
Published by order of the Hon. the Governor in
Council.

R. K. PRINGLE, Chief Secretary.
Bombay Castle, Dec, 1, 1846.

AMPUTATION WITHOUT PAIN.

Our readers are aware that a series of experiments
recently made by an American physician, led him to an-
nounce to his professional brethren the discovery of a
gas, the inhalation of which was capable of reducing the
inhaler to a state of insensibility of so intense a charac-
ter, that the most painful operations might be performed
without causing any, even the slightest, suffering to the
patient. We stated on Saturday that an operation had
been performed on the preceding day, at the Richmond
Hospital, in this city, on a female who was subjected to
the inhalation of the gas whose newly-discovered pro-
perties promise to confer such benefits on suffering hu-
manity ; and that the result was of the most satisfantory
character. Through the kindness of a professional
friend, we are enabled to-day to give some of the details
of this most interesting and successful experiment.
The patient was a young woman under twenty years
of age. She received an injury in the elbow-joint some
weeks since, which is supposed to have been inflicted by
a bramble penetrating the joint, and inducing inflamma-
tion of the delicate membrane that cover the surfaces of
the bones of the joint. When admitted to the hospital
the joint was much swollen, and in a state of suppura-
tion. Mr. M'Donnell, the gifted surgeon, under whose
care, she was, applied every remedy which professional
skill could suggest, but without effect. The patient was
rapidly sinking ; her constitution was unequal to the
combat ; hectic fever set in, and on a consultation being
held it was the unanimous opinion of the surgeons of the
institution that there remained but one means of saving
the girl's life—amputating the arm. The poor girl was
apprised of her position ; she consented to undergo the
operation, it being the last chance of life, and Wednesday
last was fixed on as the day on which it was to be per
formed. We understand that on Tuesday evening Mr.
M'Donnell first conceived the idea of testing the efficacy
of the narcotizing gas—the fumes of pure sulphuric ether
—but with that self-devotion so characteristic of great
minds, he resolved that his first experiment should be on
himself. The necessary apparatus had to be made, and
the contemplated operation on the girl was postponed to
Friday. The apparatus necessary to apply the fumes
of the ether with effect, though simple, requires nice
adaptation. That recommended consist essentially of
two valves placed in a tube, and acting in different direc-
tions—the one opening at each inspiration, so as freely
to admit the fumes of the ether, and closing at each ex-
piration ; the other opening at each expiration, so as
to anmit of the escape of the expired air, and closing at
each effort at inspiration, so as to exclude the atmosphe-
ric air, and thus prevent the too great dilution of the
fumes. These valves, it is obvious, must play with such
freedom as to offer no serious obstacle to the process of
inhalation. After several failures an apparatus was pro-
cured, and Mr. M'Donnell, accompanied by a professional
fsiend, in whose steadiness and skill he had perfect con-
fidence, retired to his study to make his first experi-
ment—and on himself.
After a few minutes' inhalation the operator became
perfectly insensible. lle, however, was quickly restored
from his temporary death. No unpleasant sensation re-
mained, and—resolved that the poor girl should not be
experimented on till he had first properly satisfied him-
self that no possible injury could result to her—Mr.
M'Donnell again and again operated on himself, each
time producing the most pet feet insensibility—in fact, a
complete absence of all sensation ; and on being restored,
each time felt, as he afterwards described it, no unplea-
sant sensation ; but, on the contrary, rather a pleasing
sense of quiescence during the return of sensibility,
which lasted for some minutes.
Having thus convinced himself of the safety of the ex-
periment, and his friend of the perfect temporary anni-
hilation of sensation, Mr. M•Donnell proceeded -on Fri-
day to perform the operation (amputation) on his pa-
tient, in the presence of a number of his professional
brethren. Having treated his patient as he had pre-
viously treated himself, she became insensible in a few
minutes, and he proceeded to operate. The several
stages of the operation were proceeded with, the patient
all the time evincing no evidence of consciousness. The
integuments and muscles were cut through, the bone
was sawed across, and the amputated arm laid aside,
the patient continuing to all appearance ignorant of the
whole proceeding. These several stages occupied some-
thing more, we believe, than a minute and a half, and
more than two minutes more elapsed before the patient
evinced any symptons of returning sensibility. When
she first became conscious, the distinguished opera-
tor was tying one of the bleeding vessels. This she felt,
and described her sensation accurately, she also com-
plained of a sense of smarting, such as is usually felt
after an incised wound, over the surface of the stump.
She was perfectly conscious during the dressing of the
stump, and her sensations at the time in no way ap-
peared to differ from those of patients operated on in
the usual way. She appeared, however, to suffer less,
and was less agitated, than other patients. Since Friday
the patient has been doing well. No bad symptoms
lave appeared—none of any character attributable to
he inhalation.
We cannot conclude our notice of this interesting and

' • -
instructive case without congratulating Mr. M‘Diinnell
on the new triumph this operation adds to an already
remarkably successful professional career. —Dublin Free-
man's Journal.

RE-OPENING OF COAL-PITS.-011 Saturday last
there was a procession of a somewhat novel character
through the streets of Manchester and Salford, to cele-
brate the re opening of two of the coal pits at the Pen-
dleton Colliery, belonging to John Fitzgerald, Esq.,
a hich have for upwards of three years been inundated
with water. In the month of August, 1844, the working
of coal at both the Albert and the six-foot mine was
totally stopped by their being flooded. Mr. Fitzgerald
shortly afterwards erected a stationary engine and pump,
in order to endeavour to clear the pits; and though for
some time the task seemed almost hopeless, the exer-
tions were continued with vigour, till, after incessant
pumping night and day, for nearly three years, the men
were again enabled to commence coal-getting operations.
—Manchester Guardian.
THE WEATHER AND THE PARES.—REPORT OF
THE ROYAL HUMANE SOClETY.—Yesterday the ice upon
the several lakes in St. James's, Hyde, and Regent's-
parks, which had afforded so much exercise and enjoy-
ment to all classes of society, was reduced to such an
extreme thinness as to be considered entirely unsafe. In
some parts it had disappeared altogether. The secre-
tary of the Royal Humane Society yesterday issued a
report of the icemen's operations, and the numbers of
sliders and skaters since the commencement of the frost.
From the statement it appears that the number of persons
immersed was 55, all of whom were rescued by the
society's icemen, with the aid of their apparatus. One
accident only (in St. James's-park) terminated fatally—
a report of which was published in our paper some time
since. The total number of individuals who have ven-
tured upon the ice of St. James's-park, the Serpentine,
Hyde-park, Regent's-park, and the two ornamental
ponds of Kensington-gardens, exceeded (it is stated)
100,000. The accidents by falls upon the ice were very
numerous, and of a very serious description ; and in
these cases surgical and other assistance was afforded by
the society's officers, and medical gentlemen engaged for
that purpose. During the operations of the society,
several munificent donations have been received at their
marquees and receiving houses in each park, from the
Earl of Ellesmere, the Hon. Mr. Cadogan, F. Regon,
Esq., J. Ouseley, Esq., &c.
FIRE IN MANCHESTER.—About half-past five
o'clock on Tuesday night a fire broke out in the premises
occupied by Mr. William Bentley (executor of Messrs.
Massey and Travis), calenderer, Ste., 28, Deansgate.
The fire originated in what is called the raising-room,
where the searing of certain descriptions of cloth is
carried on, and all the hands were at work at the time.
It was first perceived amongst the waste on the floor,
and as this is of an exceedingly inflammable nature, the
fire in a short time had spread over the whole room, and
ignited the roof of the building. An alarm was imme-
diately sent to the police-yard, and Mr. Thomas Rose
was speedily on the spot with an engine ; but meantime,
the w orkpeople had done all they could to extinguish
the flames, and after the engine had played for about ten
minutes, the fire was completely subdued. It is not
known at present how it originated, as ail the lights
aced
fourl. lb:::
in that room are protected. The damage done is
Ponpceiprtayll) to. the machinery ; out of eight raising ma-
chinesfor Mrs. ElizabetThal
rnegd.temacia,l,ll).:tteernutilrieal7y.d.
Guardian.
The
enter on hymeneal blessedness. A. HALT AT ALTAR. Thursday was. fixed
object of her affeetio of Bromyard, a third time to
under 40. The bride esseadsneassaialwart smith, of Norton,
She was 78, and the
not,By By-and-by
wearybtywojohn
appears,hours
in time—her groom was
she wait for his coming.
tolerably„ cool. " I'm sorry
Ps kept you waitin', Bet
says she.
smoke, ebinto the
have you bin, John," an y'saYs he. " Why, where
castle, a cleaning the squire's " Oh, I've
was satisfied—business must be attende,icalackn.d" to—worklThe filardsty,
though it is but c!eaning sinokejacks
though it be but the small joke of marrying apwa?; afifesr;
golden rule. And so the two were hitched together in
the matrimonial noose.— Worcester Herald.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.
The terms offered by the Waterford and Limerick to
the land proprietors of Iffs. and Offa, Tipperary, for
such part of their grotuid required on the line, are twenty-
five years' purchase to fee holders, and seven years' to
tenants at will.
It is expected that the heavy portions (" heavy,"
indeed, where the contractors have to fight through
fifteen tunnels) of the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock, and
Midland, in the neighboirhood of the High Tor tunnels,
will be ready for openint in eighteen months.
The amalgamation system is migrating very far north.
The old Dundee and Arbroath, a six per cent. line, has
thought fit to fuse itself with the Dundee and Perth, one
of the generation of last session.
Rumours are afloat that the proprietors of the East
Lothian Central Railway are in negotiation with Mr.
Hudson for the sale of that line, extending, as it does,
I through the valley of the Tyne and the principal lime
I and coal districts of the richest agricultural county in
Scotland.
Every train on the Leeds and Bradford to and from
Leeds, says the Railway Gazette, has now attached to it
third-class covered carriages, very comfortably fitted up,
and securing their inmates from the wet and cold of this
inclement season. Parties taking thirdiglass day tickets
are excluded from these carriages; so t iat, by taking a
single ticket, the passenger obtains a place in a carriage
almost equally comfortable and weather-tight as the first
and second-class passenger.
MINISTERIAL GRANT.—The Minister of Public Works,
by a decision dated the 16th of December, makes an ad-
vance of one million six hundred thousand francs to the
Pissfeet of Creuse for the purpose of proceeding with the
works of the central line.
Every now and then examples occur showing the dan-
ger of swing' gates and level crossing, corroborating the
position of those who contend for their abolition by the
general substitutlen of light bridges, likely in the long
run to be more economical to the companies and protec-
tive to the public than the machinery at present in use,
which must of necessity hale annexed to it a lodge and
a keeper, or salaried superinteridant of some sort. As
an illustration, we understand that last week one of the
most miraculous affairs occurred on the Ardrossan line.
The Londonderry steamer, which should have arrived at
Ardrossan on Friday morning, did not arrive till a late
hour in the evening, and the passengers had to be con-
veyed by a special train to Glasgow. On the signal
given by the engineer, two gates have to be opened at
the crossing of the railway on Raise-street. The
Iteeper, not expecting it to pass through, went away,
and left the gates closed, when the train came up and
carried away gates and posts. The crash, which re-
sembled thunder, did not discompose the passengers the
least. Happily, no lives were lost, nor any bruises sus-
tained.
THE MENAI BRIDGE EXPERIMENTS.—These experi-
ments on the large scale, of which we formerly gave en
gravings and notices, have been continued till now, and
are quite satisfactory. The only point on which doubt
remained was as to the ability of the bridge to withstand
the effect of gusts of wind by its lateral strength. For
the purpose of bringing this to the test, some further
experiments have just been completed. The following
are same practical details of the most valuable of these
experiments:—The result of the experiments clearly
proves that the lateral stiffness of the tube is sufficient
to resist the strongest wind which can act upon it—that
is to say, for a constant blast, for should the blasts recur
at regular intervals (which I believe they sometimes do),
the vibrations would of course be increased. Taking the
force of the wind at 501b3. on the square foot, which
greatly exceeds any recorded measure, the resistance
offered by the Menai bridge would be about 300
tons x 2600 tong, which is not two-thirds of its own
weight; so that if the Menai tube, or a similar tube,
support its own weight, when laid on the side, the weight
thus supported would exceed the pressure of the wind.
Now, the model tube, which is in every respect a similar
tube to the Menai, being one-sixth of the dimensions,
weighs 6 2 tons, and when laid on the side deflects .85 in.
only. The greatest weight we loaded it with in this
position was 26,7811h5. (12 tons) half its own weight
=l5 tons, with which the total deflection was 3i in.
Under this weight the tube showed no signs of falling;
but as we did not wish to injure the tube, no more
weight was added. When in its natural position this
tube deflected 3.2 in., with 60 tons, which after beiAg
left on for sixteen hours increased the deflection to
3'35 in. Since that time the tube has been loaded again
with 60 tons, which has been left on for ten days, and
the deflections at the end of that time only increased of
an Inch. The calculated breaking weight of this tube is
about 80 tons. I subjoin the areas of the different parts
of the tube as it now stands :—Top = 24 square inches
of metal throughout. Bottom = 22.3 square inches of
metal at centre. Ditto =_s_ 9.0 square inches of metal at
ends. Two sides = 9'6 square inches of metal, same
throughout. 75 feet between supports. Top, 1-10 in.
thick. Sides, 1-12 in. thick. Bottom, double, 5-16 in.
thick at centre. Ditto, single, a inch thick at ends.—
Railway Chronicle.
MALDON, WITLIAM, AND BRAINTREE.—PRESENTA.•
TION OF PLATE TO THE CHAIRMAN AND SOLICITORS.—
On Wednesday evening a grand entertainment was given
at the White Hart Hotel, Witham, on the occasion of
making a valuable presentation of plate to the Rev. Sir
John Page Wood, Bart., the chairman, and Messrs.
Blood and Douglas, the solicitors to the above under-
taking, for which the Act was obtained in the last ses-
sion of Parliament, and the shares (on which the depo-
sit only had been paid) have recently been sold to the
Eastern Counties Company, at a premium of V. per
share. The establishment of the railway being regarded
as of great importance by the inhabitants of the three
towns, the occasion was honoured by the company of the
principal inhabitants. The chair was filled by Mr. Sa-
muel Courtauld, of Braintree; and there were present
Sir J. T. Tyrell, one of the Members for the county ;
Mr. Quinton Dick, M.P. for Malden ; Messrs. D. Wad-
dington, deputy-chairman ; W. C. Wells, and othsr di-
rectors ; J. Duncan, solicitor ; C. P. Roney, secretary
to the Eastern Counties Company ; J. B. Western, W.
W. Luard, &c., &c. Letters were read from Mr. Hud-
son, M.P., C. G. Round, M.P. for North Essex ; Mr.
John Round, M.P. for Maldon, and others, apologising
for absence.
The Journal des Debats, the organ of the French Mi-
nistry, has an important article on the subjects which
will be brought under discussion on the opening of the
Chambers. It is now confessed that the concession
system and the restrictions laid on railway companies
by the Government, have had the effect of throwing
France behind in the career of improvement. It appears
that the chief subject to be brought before the Chambers
will be the poper policy to be pursued with a view to
the promotion of railways. In endeavouring to concen-
trate attention on the railway question, it is, of course,
the object of the French Ministry to avoid other. seb-
jects of political discussion, and with no friendly inten-
tions either to companies or capitalists ; but if the
disadvantages and difficulties in th 3 way of enterprise
be removed, the motive of their removal is of little
mportance.

WORCESTER, WARWICK, AND

RUGBY RAILWAY.

A meeting of shareholders in this line was hel3 yes•
terday afternoon, at the London Tavern, to consider
the propriety of requiring the directors, under Lord Dal-
housie's Act, to call a general meeting of the shareholders
for the settlement of the affairs of the company.
Mr. SPACKMAN, who was called to the chair, said that
he and his friend Mr. Samuel represented several thousand
shares belonging to parties in different parts of the coun-
try, and who were willing to concur in any steps that the
ineetingmight decideupon taking. He considered the last
meeting of the shareholders a nullity, inasmuch as the
directors introduced 4,240 shares which had been pre-.
viously paid off and cancelled. The effect of this pro -
c:eding was to neutralise the votes of those present. If
those 4,240 shares were deducted from the number of
shares represented, the votes given on that occasion were
not sufficient to constitute a meeting. The share-
holders, therefore, under the Act, could call
upon the directors to hold another meeting
to decide either upon desolving the company in the ordi-
nary way, or doing so by an act of bankruptcy. With-
out taking such step, the shareholders would be de-
prived of all their deposits. They would recollect the
assertion of Mr. Ward, M P., the chairman, that, in
order to relieve himself and the directors.of all liability,
the whole of the claims against the company, and those
previously disputed, would be discharged in order that
there might be no creditor to support a fiat in bankruptcy.
The course he (Mr. Spackman) suggested they should
pursue under these circumstance was to sign a requisition
calling upon the directors to hold another meeting, and
if they refused that, they, the shareholders, should call a
meeting for them, at which the dissolution and bank-
ruptcy should be discussed. In the event of their not
being able to obtain a satisfactory statement of their
affairs, they would then petition the House of Commons
for a Committee of inquiry, more especially with regard
to the conduct of some of their own members connected
with the company. That petition would also show the
defective state of the present law with regard to joint-
stock companies, and pray for its amendment.
Mr. DIXON then proposed, and Mr. GOOLD seconded,
a resolution to the effect that a requisition be sent to the
directors calling upon them to convene another meeting,
which was unanimously passed, and the meeting sepa-
rated.

HYDROPTIOBIA.—Yesterday a dog in a highly rabid
state was shot at Parton, after it had thrown down and
severely bitten a child about the head and face, which it
would probably have worried to death had the little
sufferer not been released by assistance. The rabid
animal snapped at everything that came in its way, and
as it has been seen in different parts of the county be-
tween Wigton and the place where it was destroyed, it
may have bitten several other dogs ; it would, there-
fore, only be showing a due regard for public safety
were all owners of dogs in the locality we have men
• tioned to confine these animals for a certain time until
they had ascertained that there was no fear of danger,
or in case of their exhibiting symptoms of hydrophobia
that they might be destroyed.—Cumberland Packet of
Tuesday.
LONDON COACIIMAKERS' BENEVOLENT INSTITU-
TION.—Wednesday the yearly meeting of the members
and supporters of this society, which is established for
the relief of indigentmembers, their widows a nd orphans,
was held at the rooms of the Institution, King-street,
Golden-square, Mr. Savage in the chair. Mr. Brown
the secretary, read the report, which stated that the so-
ciety's funded property amounted to 3001., exclusive. of
100 L in the banker's hands, and that the subscriptions
of the year, including a previous balance, figured
681. 17s. 6d., leaving a general balance of 4211. Upon the
motion of Mr. Lee the report was adopted.
PROVISIONS FROM THE UNITED STATES. -- The
instant, bring Emma Watts, from New York, and the Sunbeam, from
New Orleans, which arrived at Liverpool on the sth
g 5299
barrels baorrfelnsdoiafnflocourrn, 4m,7el
Bas,
Isrkhshdosf.
andcorn, 200 barrels of pork, 100 half-barrela of beef, and 50
barrels of lard.