The Sun.
London, England, 1847-06-09 00:00:00

GROUP XLV.
EDINBURGH AND PERTH.

The Committee met at twelve o'clock, and proceeded to
hear evidence for the promoters.
Mr. Charles Jopp, C.E., had assisted Mr. Miller in laying
out the line. Its iength (both main and branches) was over
34 miles ; its cost, including land, 650,000/. ; the heaviest
gradient, lin 80; the sharpest curve, 2 furlongs 5 chains.
There were two tunnels on the whole line, one of 400 and the
other of 500 yards. It had two viaducts, one of 160 and the
other of 700 yards.
Mr. Miller corroborated the evidence of the previous
witness.
The Committee afterwards adjourned.

c,OMIVIITTEE on PRIVATE BILLS.
HOUSE OF LORDS.—(THIS DAY.)
The Earl of SHAFTESBURY took his seat at One o'clock
and passed the follow ii,g Bills :
Cork and Bandon Railway.
Cork, Blackrock, and Passage Railway.
Midland Great Western of Ireland (Extension from
Athlone to Galway).
Imperial Continental Gas Company.
Warrington Gaslight and Coke Company.
Dunfermline Waterworks.
Glasgow, Barrhead and Neilston Direct Railway.

STANDING ORDERS COMMITTEE.
HOUSE OF LORDS.—(THIS DAY.)
The Earl of SHAFTESBURY decided that the following Rail.
way Bills had complied with the standing orders:—
East Lincolnshire (Deviation to Boston and Branch to Grea'
Grimsby and Sheffield Junction, Railway at Grimsby).
Glasgow, Barrhead, and Neilston Direct.
Waterford and Limerick.

London and South Western (Andover to the Basingstoke
and Salisbury Branch).
Newport, Abeigavenny, and Hereford Deviations.
Newport, Abergavenny, and Hereford Deviations (Extension
to Taff Vale).
Ambergate, Nottingham, and Boston and Eastern Junction
(Alteration of Line and Branches into or near the town of
Nottingham).

REGISTRY of BIRTHS and DEATHS
DURING THE WEEK ENDING JUNE 5.
Deaths registered in the week. Births registered in the week.
Males... ... ... 4.26 Males ... ... ... 706
Females ... ... 360 Females ... ... 619

Total . • 786

Total ... 1,325

STATE OF TRADE.
MANCHESTER, TUESDAY, JUNE B.—For the last three
days there has been very little demand for goods ; for
yarn, still less ; and prices of both have declined since
Tuesday last. The re action in the price of corn, and
the unfavourable intelligence respecting the re-appear-
ance of the potato disease in various parts of the king-
dom, are generally assigned as the causes of this
unfavourable change in the condition of our market ;
and they certainly are quite sufficient to account for it.
ROCHDALE, MONDAY, JUNE 7.—The flannel market
still remains inactive, and the demand for goods is
limited. In some cases pieces have been bought at
lower prices, and those who are compelled to sell must
submit to the reduction. There is little change in the
wool market ; the dealers complain of having little to
do, and prices for foreign wool have a downward ten-
dency.

HALIFAX, SATURDAY, JuNE s.—There has been a
somewhat better attendance of merchants, we wish we
could say buy&•rs, in our piece hail to day ; and fancy
goods, chiefly for the American market, are rather more
in demand, but prices continue wretchedly low ; and in
the general trade of the district there is manifested no
improvement. The demand for yarn continues very
limited, with a di,pusition, on the part of the spinner, to
yield slightly in price. In lung wool nothing Is bought
but to supply the most pressing wants, and what is dune
is at lower rates. In short wool there is little doing, and
without any alteration in price.
HUDDERSFIELD, TUESDAY, JUNE B.—ln heavy goods
there has been but little dune, in consequence of the
nearness of the wool sales. Manufacturers of vestiugs
continue busy.
LEEDS, TUESDAY, JUNE B.—Our this day's market
is so little different from that of last week, that we can-
no, vary our report; one might perhaps say that there
nas been a slightly Unproved business doing to-day, but
very slightly indeed.—Manchester Guardian.

THE MONOPOLY IN CORN.
TO THE LDII 01? OF THE SUN.
Sin,—The lamentable high prices of provisions, af-
fecting, as it does, all classes of individuals (arid espe-
cially the poor), induces me to offer a sug.estion to the
public, through the medium of your kind indulgence.
No one can deny the failure of the potato crop last year;
but has not the report of a scarcity of corn in this
country been much exaggerated ? We now frequently
read of speculators and farmer., in various parts of the
country, having large stocks of wheat on hand,
_holding
of tit:111)0dr are ridable to purchase a-snpply of bread ;
and, alas ! in poor unfortunate Ireland hundreds have
perished by famine ; and this at a time when the grana-
ries of certain speculators have been almost choked
with grain, thereby tending to uphold famine prices for
personal gain, and thus taxing the poor. It appears to
me, Sir, that a great national calamity is inflicted on the
people by this monopoly in the principal staffof life; and
I humbly suggest, as a remedy, that the corn trade
should be placed in some measure under the power and
inspection of the Excise, to compel periodical returns of
the quantities held by private individuals in every
county throughout the United Kingdom. This would
enable the Government to know how to provide against
scarcity, and ascertain the real state of the market.
Further, I would suggest that no private individual
should given quantity of wheat (to be
m
after it has attained a certain
praene
e recent proposition of the Earl of
nied by
liyoeld Parliament)ons beyondider
t h a
Winchilsea, to provide public granaries for purchase of
grain by Government, as most excellent, and deserving
serious consideration ; and I offer these remarks in
connexion with such a plan. Certain it is that bread is
very dear, and equally certain that there are large
holders and monopolisers of corn. We are near a ge-
neral election—let then the constituents of England look
to themselves, and select such representatives only as
will pledge themselves to assist in correcting this great
and crying evil, that the Government fail not to apply
an early remedy. And let all remember the words of
Scripture—" lie that withholdeth the corn the people shall
curse hint "—I remain, Sir, Sze.,
AN ENEMY OF MONOPOLY IN FOOD.
June 8, 1847.

THE ACCIDENT at -WOLVERTON.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR,—The alarming and astounding account of the
simplicity with which a terrible accident is caused, deal-
ing so much death and destruction, arouses the anxieties
and feelings to discover where or how the remedy lies.
I. Sir, as a rigid observer during years of travel to the
extent of 700 or 800 miles weekly on all the railways,
have never failed to notice the every-day apathy evinced
by the inferior officials to some of the most important
details of the railway ménage. There has more par-
ticularly appeared to me to be an absence at such im-
portant stations as Wolverton throughout England
(York excepted) of any generally intelligent, eagle-eyed,
indefatigable party, who, with energyand delight in his
duties, snould have to be here, there, and everywhere,
with a strong memory and clear head, to watch over all
sorts ol matters, and see that everything is done that
every body could wish. There are plenty such to be
had : other businesses have them, why not railways?
There is watching stringent enough that passengers
should not exceed their provin.,•e or tre,pass on the
companies' int,rests ; but here is a lever which a child
can raise, arid capable of hurling hundreds into eternity,
left to the charge and irresponsibility of one individual.
Again, it luggage arid wail trains are expected at
Wolverton sirbultaneou,ly, there should be a difference
in lights or signals. According to evidence the officers at
the station sAw the train diverge (to their astonishment),
and were powerless. Granting that at inferior stations,
where there is no congregation of carriages, a policeman
is sufficient for such a purpose, it is the more obvious
that at such a station as Wolverton there ought to be
such a watching, ruling power of the working minutia
as I name above.--4 am, Sir, &c.,
I. L. W Commercial Traveller.

June 8, 1847.

ABOLITION OF SMITHFIELD MARKET.—The Select
Committee of the House of Commons on the abolition of
Smithfield-market, met again yesterday in Committee-room
No. 7. Several witnesses were examined. Mr. W. Sylves-
ter, butcher, of Chancery lane, said the sheep and beasts suf.
fered no injury up to the time of their arrival in the neigh-
bourhood of London. He considered that the damage was
done in moving them from the suburban layers to Smithfield,
where the space was so confined as to render excessive cruelty
unavoidable, which caused the meat to be very much bruised.
The greatest cruelty was,
he considered, in forming the ring
droves, which was in consequence of the very limited space
of Smithfield obliged to be
practised, and it was done in the
following manner :—A grazier who had only been able to get
150 instead of 200 feet standing room for a certain number
of beasts, formed them into a ring by which all their heads
met in a circle, and to compel them to go into those rings
the most horrible cruelty was adopted. Chairman—How do
you account for the fact that salesmen have preferred Smith-
field-market to any other which has been proposed P—Wit-
ness—Smithfield is maintained by a combination amongst
money takers and salesmen, against whose influence no
market, however advantageous, could compete successfully,
and the sooner that conibinatron is done away with the better
for all parties.
FIRE IN LElTlL—Yesterday (Sunday) morning a
confectioneri, 53,
fire brae: out in the premises of M'Pherson and Brown,
ToJbooth-wvild, about half-past five
o'clock. Two engihtS were speedily on the spot, but no
water in the pipes, until the Leith water officer journied to
the Castle•hill, and ordered it to be put on. By this time
the fire had obtained a considerable ascendancy, but was
ultimately subdued about ei4ht o'clock. The tenement con-
the firm, and is fitted up with ovens, '
sists of five floors; the underground flat is the workshop of
flues, &c. ;
the street
flat is the retail shop of the establishment, and the first flat
above is the wholesale department. These three floors all
I communicate by inside stairs, and are completely destroyed.
Both the stock and building are said to be insured.— Cale-
timzian lifercury.
Th. weather since our last has been most favour-
owe s,
aiserve, is telling in price, ,
,ii and the crops are mailing great progryss. Corn,
re is every prospect
of an ;abundant and comparatively early narvest.—Boss-
Akar* Adoortiser,

GROUP XXXVIII.
The Committee met at the usual hour this morning; Mr.
Rie,•;::

LIVEIZPOOL. MANCHESTER. AND NEW-
CASTLE-UPON-TYNE JUNCTION (ALTERATION
OF MAIN LINE AND HAWES BRANCH).
NORTHERN COUNTIES UNION DEVIATION.
The Committee having passed the preambles of these two
Bills, were engaged the whole of the day in disposing of the
clauses.
The clauses were agreed to, and the Chairman was directed
to report the same to the House accordingly.
This closed the labours of the Committee.