The Sun.
London, England, 1847-09-17 00:00:00

EPTEMBER 111 We.

THE MEAT - N.
BRYTA
TO CAPTAIN CLAXTON, R.N.
We, the undersigned, certify that we have, at your
request this day been on board the steamer Great
Britain. now lying on the gridiron in the Prince's
Dock Basin, and both inside and out have examined
the means adopted by the foreman boiler maker, Mr.
John Crew, for stopping the leaks in the bottom of
the vessel whilst lying in Dundrum Bay. We find
the principal holes to have been six in number, vary-
ing in dimensions from 2 ft. 12 in. to 5 ft. 9 in.
16 in.; and there are other formidable holes and
cracks of smaller dimensions. From their size and
position, under the keel of the ship, we are of opinion
that it must have been a work of extreme difficulty
to make them in any degree water-tight. We are
informed. that, besides the water in which the ship
lay, .there was never less than 2i m-43 feet of water
and sand in her hold after the damage she sustained
from the gales in the early part of the winter; and
taking this fact into consideration, with the ()firer
difficulties that had to be encountered, we are of
opinion that the greatest ingenuity and perseverance
must have been exercised to stop the holes in such a
manner as to enable the vessel to float. The method
adopted by Mr. Crew for this purpose was as follows :
—A plate of sufficient size was passed edgeways
through each hole from the inside, having a screwed
bolt attached to it as nearly in the centre as possible.
This plate was then adapted to cover the hole on the
outside, and was drawn tight up by a screwed nut
and crossbar from the inside, being packed with felt
to prevent leakage as much as possible.
On the whole, as boiler-makers' or iron-ship-
builders' work, we consider it to be a most extraordi-
nary performance, which, regarded from before hand,
must have appeared of almost hopeless execution,
and must have been one of the greatest amongst the
numerous difficulties over which the energy and de-
termination of the rescuers of this vessel have ulti-
mately triumphed.
We do not conceive that it would have been pos-
sible, under similar circumstances, to stop holes of
the size mentioned in the bottom of a wooden vessel ;
and we may further remark, that the iron of which
the frames and plates are made must have been of
most excellent quality.
FAWCETT, PRESTON, and CO.
EDWARD Ross, Engineer.
THOMAS BAKER, Engineer.
EDWARD PARGETER, Foreman Boiler-maker.
NICHOLAS FURLONG, Engineer.
W. B. M'ALLISTER, Foreman Boiler-maker.
Liverpool, Sept. 2. 1847.

ANOTHER CASE OF POISONING.
TIVERTON, THURSDAY.—For several days the
magistrates and Mr. Leigh, the coroner, have been
engaged in investigating a charge of murder against a
young married woman, named Ann Fisher, who is
suspected of being concerned in causing the death of
her husband, Richard Fisher, by administering arsenic.
It appears that the deceased was a farmer's labourer,
and had been employed by a lady of the name of Par-
tridge, at Woodford. He there became acquainted
with Ann Lee, the sister of a publican's wife, at
Wasbford Pyne, and was married to her three months
since. They went to live at Stubborn Farm, near
the village of Morchard, five miles distant. They
apparently lived happily together until the latter end
of last month, when, from some cause or other, she
left him, taking with her some papers, which bore the
amount he had saved, and which he had left in charge
of Miss Partridge. On the 27th ult. he called on the
parish clerk, to solicit his assistance in obtaining the
documents she had gained possession of, she having,
as it was proved by Miss Partridge, endeavoured to
obtain the wages he had saved. The deceased then
was in good health. The next morning he was a corpse.
At the coroner's inquiry it was shown that the
prisoner had returned to the deceased. She slept
with him the night previous to his death, and at four
o'clock in the morning she sent for her sister, Mary
Hodge, as her husband had been taken unwell, and
then left to go to the surgeon at Woodford. Very
soon afterwards he died.
Mr. Wood, a druggist, residing at Tiverton, de-
posed to two females coming to his shop some weeks
since to purchase ati,enic. They asked for poison for
rats, and he sold them half-an-ounce. He believed
that the widow of the deceased was the party to whom
he sold it. On hearing what he intended to state to
the jury as to what she bad purchased at his shop, she
denied ever being there, and added, "You are come
to swear away my life."
Mr. Haley detailed the result of the post-mortem
examination. The presence of white arsenic was
clearly indicated, and he believed the quantity to have
been sufficient to have caused death.
The jury, however, found " that the deceased died
of poison taken in his stomach and bowels, but by
whom administered there is no evidence to show."
The widow being apprehended on a charge of hav-
ing poisoned the deceased, was examined yesterday
and remanded.

DEATH FROM AN OVER DOSE OF OPIUM.—An in
quest was held yesterday by Mr. Bedford, at the West-
minster hospital, on the body of Elizabeth Tolley. The
deceased was the wife of a hawker, and for some years
had suffered much from rheumatism, and was in the
habit of taking small quantities of opium to make her
sleep. On Saturday last she purchased a pennyworth of
opium at the shop of Mr. Saxeby, chemist, in Tothill-
street, who gave her twenty grains, which she took on
the following morning. Deceased was very sleepy, and
she was allowed to remain so all the day until nine
o'clock at night, when Mr. Pierce. surgeon, was called
in, who applied the stomach-pump, but without any
effect. She was conveyed to the above hospital, where
she died on the following evening. Verdict—" Died
from swallowing opium, but there was no evidence to
show that it was taken with suicidal intent."
ALARMING FIRE ON THE DUKE OF SUTHER-
LAND'S ESTATE.—TWENTY-FIVE STACKS OF GRAIN
CONSVMED.—SHIFFNALL, TUESDAY.—An awfully, de-
structive fire broke out on Saturday on the estate of the
Duke of Sutherland, at Burlington, near this town. It
originated about eleven o'clock in the forenoon, in the
rickyard of his grace's homestead, tenanted by Mr.
Bellis, where some labourers were engaged in thrashing
wheat. A lad, it appears, had occasion to light a lucifer
match, which he incautiously threw down, igniting in-
stantaneously a quantity of straw that was strewn over
the ground. The flames speedily communicated to an
adjacent wheat stack, and the labourers exerted them-
selves in a very vigorous manner to stay the progress of
the destructive element. All their efforts, however, were
of little avail, for in a short time no fewer than five
ranges of corn stacks, numbering twenty-five, of this
year's produce, and occupying the entire side of one
portion of the farm, were in one general blaze. The
engines belonging to the Duke and the Earl of Bradford
were promptly brought to the spot, as also two from
Shiffnall. These were got into active operation, and,
being well directed, the many farm buildings, which at
one time had caught, were preserved. The conflagra-
tion raged the entire night, and attracted thousands to
the scene. The amount of grain destroyed is estimated
at between 2,0001. and 3,000/.
FRACAS BETWEEN A CORONER AND A JUROR.—
Last night, in the course of an inquest held by Mr.
Payne, the City Coroner, at the Sun and Anchor, St.
Dunstan's-hill, Thames street, on the body of Morris
:sheen, aged nine years, who was accidentally drowned,
in consequence of the Coroner having to dispatch a
messenger for a witness to give additional evidence, the
jury were unavoidably kept waiting for a short period,
when a Mr. Hemmingfield, on the penal, by his insolence
to the Coroner, gave rise to much confusion, and the
following fracas took place :—After several observations
directed to the Coroner, expressive of his dissatisfaction
in having to wait, the juror said—l think this a most
unnecessary waste of time, and I cannot understand why
we are kept in this way. The Coroner—Because the
officer was not aware this evidence would be required,
and, besides, he had no time to procure it. Juror—
Well, then, things ought not to be done in such a hurry,
and the body was only discovered this morning, and here
we are called together to-night, and before the evidence
is hulf got up—the inquest ought to have been fixed
for to. morrow. Coroner— The body has been in the water
sii days, and it would have been in an unfit state for the
jury to view to morrow night. Juror (with much
warmth)—I say the inquest ought to have been held to-
morrow instead of keeping us in this way; besides re-
collect we are not paid for our services, and the coroner
is, therefore it does not matter to him. Coroner—lt you
don't be quiet I shall flue and commit you, sir. Juror—
I don't care for that; you can do so if you please; I am
right to maintain my own opinion. Coroner—These ob-
servations are very indecent, and I say again, if you do
not behave yourself, I shall fine and commit you. No
man studies the convenience of the jurors more than I
do, and, therefore, the least they can do is to treat me
with respect. Juror (much excited)—Well, then, if you
commence again, I must say something, for I wont give
in to any body. Coroner—l am surprised you should
persist in those indecent remarks, sir. Juror—Well, I
don't know that lam wrong. Coroner—l tell you, sir,
you are wrong. This ended the dispute, and the addi-
tional evidence having been brought forward, a verdict of
" Accidental death" was recorded.
Advices from Germany mention that the railroad
between Berlin and the Rhine is almost entirely com-
pleted, and that the whole line will be thrown
e open onf
the 15th of October, the anniversary of di 9
Prussia's birthday. On that dayw iel l
_beer geld
an
a meeting.
of delegates from the railways of the vari?u Gl b
states and of Belgium, to arrange co-operative p ans y
which a harmonious working may be adopted, so as to
book passengers and goods for the entire route from
Trieste to Ostend, one paymentho has taken an active
for either end suffictivecing
for the whole. Mr. Waghor,
interest in the matter, is to be present at the proposed
meeting.
The members of the Westminster Literary and
Scientific Institution were much gratified last night by a
discourse by Mr. Field, on the creation and attributes of
man, accompanied by musical selections from the great
masters of the sacred drama. Mr. Field's execution of
the recitative " And God created man," and the air,
" In native worth," from the Creation, justly elicited
warm applause for the manly, earnest tone in which i
was given ; while his "Deeper and deeper Still," from
Jephtha, if it did not remind us of Braham, for Mr.
Field's style is his own, proved that we possess a
vocalist of considerable power, who has an intellectual
appreciation of Handel's finest compositions, and the
capability of rendering them with the purity and finish
of an arttst. The lecture and illustrstieue were received
with wally token. pf apprOotion.

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.
Yesterday a court was held for the dispatch of

business.

PRIVILEGE OF EXEMPTION FROM ARREST FOR DEBT.
Mr. ANDERTON gave notice of a motion, " That the
Court petition the House of Commons that the Mem-
bers of that House shall not, by virtue of their being
so, be privileged from arrest upon writs of execution
issued against them by their creditors, for enforcing
the payment of their judgment debts."—(Hear.)
The Chairman of the Markets Committee brought

up a report recommending the approval of the bye-
laws, rules, orders, and regulations for the control of
Billingsgate-market, the same having been approved
by the Committee of her Majesty's Privy Couneil for
Managing the Affairs of Trade.
Agreed to, and ordered to be carried into effect.
THE OFFICE OP UNDER-S/lERIFF.
Mr. R. TAYLOR brought up the report of the
Secondaries' and City Courts Committee, to which
the subject of the last appointment of the clerk of the
county of Middlesex was referred.

The report stated that the committee, upon pro-
ceeding to the inquiry into certain statements, to the
effect that a judicial appointment had been disposed
of for a sum of money, by one of the under-sheriffs,
who had served in the office some years ago, were led

to believe there were grounds for the imputation, by
the remarkable fact that the gentleman alluded to as
the principal in such transaction had refused to answer
the question put to him by the members. That how-
ever, upon further investigation, and upon the solemn
assurance of the suspected official that the situation
had not been sold, and additional testimony in proof
of the incorrectness of the charge, the gentleman sup-
posed to have been a party to the sale of the place
was completely exonerated from reproach or insinua-
tion. _ _ _

Mr. TAYLOR said he had been induced by his sense
of duty to the Court, which he considered to be mo-
rally as well as legally responsible for the conduct of
the shrievalty, and to be empowered to exercise a
control over the execution of the office, to go into the

inquiry.—(Hear, hear.) He was convinced that the
court would be of opinion that, as under-sheriffs were
in the habit of requiring the sheriffs to sign bonds,
giving up to their deputies the whole of the profits
which might accrue in virtue of the shrievalty, it was
necessary to look with jealousy to the course pursued
by the former, and that the question should undergo
due consideration at a future time.—(Hear, hear.)
The report was ordered to be entered upon the
minutes of the court.