The Sun.
London, England, 1840-10-21 00:00:00

E SUl\l: LONDO \T. WEDNESDA Y, OCTOBER 21, 1810.

orders given to any one that I heard. I cannot say i
of my own knowledge whether any orders were given
to the guard to have a light at the back of the carriages.
I believe there were two guards to the train. Such
orders might have been given without my hearing. At
Wandsworth stadoa I went to make inquiry about
the fast train. The policeman there bad gone up the
line to make a signal to the fast train that we were
standing there. The person I went to make enquiry
of was a time keeper. I asked him if a signal had
been passed up the line to inform Wilford that
we were standing there. He said there had. I asked
him, because I knew it was coming on the time that
till fast train should be there. No accident whatever
had occurred up to the time of our arriving here. We
had just got the line tight, but I cannot tell whether
they were stationary or not ; at all events, if in motion.
they were not moving at th•e rate of one mile an hour.
We were a minute and a half from the time we stopped
until the rope was tight. I had no occasion to stop my
engine after being in motion, to enable the rope to be
attached a second time. I was delayed first from the
want of a pivot-engine in leaving Southampton.
s By the Ju-y—l hail fourteen carriages, they might
weigh about two tens each. I could not in any mariner
have prevented thic collision. I did not hear the whistle
of the other train coming. I have been - engine-driver
in this Company since February last. I was stoker foe
two years and a half on the Bolton Railway, and after-
wards as engine-drivel% I had been on the Manchester
and Liverpool,and the Kingston and Du Winfor nice years
before I came to this Rang, iy. I have been a driver ever
since I came here, and for nine years before. I have had
no professional education as an engineer. There is no
particle:, tr education for engine drivers. The knowledge
is all acquired by prac.ice, and unless a wan is a stoker
first he his no me ins of acquiring tint knowledge.-
A bystander hcre attempted to ask some questions, but
the Coroner interfered to prevent him. He stated that
as one of the parties whose lila had been in jeopardy he
had a right to ask. some questions.
The ConoNER s6d that if he had any evidence to offer
he weul,i examine hint, hut he could nut permit bystanders
to interfere in the examination of witnesses.
The w itness then stated he had been delayed before, and

that wet weather, by mak:og the rails slippery, would
frequently occasian delay. It is usual to give instructions
at the stations if the trains b,fore are behind their tint-.
that they may slacken their speed. It is usual on the
Manchester line for the next train' to get off the road,
to allow the first train to pass ; and I should adopt the
same 'rule on this line. I have seen others do iL ;
hut have no orders. It is unattended with danger.
There is not the s!ightest danger attending it. There
arc signal flags used on such occasions. You could get
on your own line again to continue your journey. At all
the principal stations, and at several points on the
line there are sidings where you can get out of the way.
I think there are three pilot-engines engage.l on at.:
line. There is no danger of collision from them when
trains get off the line, because in front they can see our

fires, and at night vve hare :amps.
Mr. Easthope, the Chairman of the Company, hero
said that there were signals by flags by day, and. by thn
exhibi:ina of a rcd lamp at night, which were incarial4
used whenever such a chJege as that alluded to by wit-

ness took place, and it teas directly contrary to th-.!
rules of the Campany for any such change of rails to
take place w:thout the signal having been previously

made.

The persan who had before interrupted the proceed-
in7s again interfered, and said wishad to kanw
a 'D:reetor was permitted to interfere and he was not ?
It was not fair.

The CORONER said that the Director was a party di-
rectly interested in the inquiry, which he was not.
George Watts Roberta—l am guard in the employ
of the Company, and was-on duty on the fast train on
Saturday last. I left the Nine Elms statirn at
elevtn o'clock in the forenoon, and arrived at South-

ampton at about two o'clock. I staid there until about
four minutes after three, When
.1 left with the f,;st train.

The name of the engine was the Eclipse. There were I
two vans, and five first class carriages attached.' The
vans were filled with passengers' luggage. I should
sty we had nearly sixty passengers. I sit in the van
behind the train, where the breaks arc. The last sta-
Con we stopped at on our road up, was at Woking-com-
mon. Nothing happened until we arrived at Nine Elms.
In coming into ‘Vandsworth, where the road curve;,
the steam was thrown if, and my break was applied as
a caution, which we generally use. It would, of
course, lessen the speed we were then going, about 27
cr 28 miles an hour. Applegate, a painter, was in the
van with me ; he got in it at the Farnborough sta-
tion. I desired him to look out, as it was a nasty foggy
night, to prevent running into the half-past one o'clock
train at Wandsworth, which might be late. I shoul!i
think we ware then three-quarters of a mile from the
Wandsworth station. The speed was lessened until we
saw the bridge, and. then we put the steam on. I did
not see any signal at that time, which caused me to les-
sen my speed. I had no control over the engine. It
was by the jridgment of the driver and myself that the
speed was lessened. John Welford was driving the en-
gine. The night was foggy, with a slight rein. We
passed the Wandsworth station, Lut I saw no signal.,
lam certain no signal was given there. I looked out
for one, to see it it was requisite for me to lessen my
speed on getting to Nine Elms. I had not on that
night received any signal at any part of the line. We
were not exceeding 20 miles an hour then, but after
passing the curve the full power of steam was put on,
and we ran in at the usual rate. I asked Applegate
what was the time, and he looked at his watch and it
was ten minutes to six, and I remarked we should be
in about five or six minutes before time. I looked out,
and said I can discern nothing beyond the engine. and
I suppose they (waning the half-past one train) have
had gsot in. I looked out to see to be prepared to

. .
come in. Previous to corning to Mr. Perth's Louse, I
pat-my hand to the break to be prepared ; that is about
1,000 yards from the terminus where we usually stop.
The engine-man shut off the steam when we had gone
about 30 or 40 yards beyond Mr. Perth's houie. The
break was put on by me at the same time, and the
whistle was used. lam certain the signal was given by
the use of the whistle, and it had also been used pre-
viously. I did not sre any signal to warn us after we
left the Wandsworth station. I am sure no signal was
made. I have before now seen signals given at the
station at Wandsworth, and at the station at Kingston
under similar circumstances. It is the order
of the Company that signals should be given under
such circumstances, but I saw none such on the pre-
sent occasion. There was a concussion at about 100
yards from the points. At that time I should think our
speed was from five to eight miles an hour, we bad shut
off our steam, and the break had been applied. We
were going at the usual rate we go at to take us in. OR
ecling the concussion I got down and ran forward and
found it was occasiored by the engine going against the
hall-past one train. I saw no signal given to warn the
driver of the Eclipse that the other train was on the rails
or that there was any obstruction to his going up to the
usual place. The signals at night are a red light for
danger, green prceaution, and white when it is all right.
I do not think there was a greater rate of speed on the
engine at that time than would hive carried him up to
the points, and I do not think that he could prevent run-
ning into the other train, as no warning had been
given. Nor could I attach any blame to him.
I examined the other train end saw that there were
no lamps lighted, and I lighted mine, and attached
it to the last carriage of my train to prevent a simiLr
occurrence. The spot where the light should have been
exhibited, is just before the place where the concussion
took place. I examined the place, and there was no-
thing there but a white lamp at the time. There ought
to have been a signal there, hut there was not. There
ought to have been a red light there, and 1 attribute
the accident to the fact that a red light had not been
substituted for a white one. I believe there is a per-
son appointed to look after the light, but I do not know
who it is. The engineer of the Eclpse was perfectly
sober. He is a very steady man, and I always teel, as
a guaro, perfectly safe with him. I em quite certain
there was no negligence on the part of \\Telford. Many
and many a night I have seen that red light, in.the
room of the white one, on going in. I saw the time
by Applegate's watch by the .light of the coke falling
from the engine, On arriving at the station imme-
diately after the collision, I despatched a person to see
what was-the time, and he returned and told me it was
five or six minutes to six o'clock.

The passenger who bad before interfered, here ob-
served that he was of opinion it was later.
Jacob Applegate, a painter, residing_ at South Lam-
beth, was in the luggage van with last witness, on
Saturday last, and corroborated his evidence in every
particular. On their arrival at Nine Elms, immediately
after the collision, witness went to the c:ozk at the
station, and it was six minutes to six.
Willians Inglethorpe—l am a policemr'n in the ser-
vice of the South Western Rsilway Conipany. lam
stationed at the Wandsworth station. I remember
the half past one train arriving there on Saturday last
It was about twenty-five minutes to six. It ought to
nave arrived at seven minutes pist five. That train
al-ways stops there, but some of the others tic, riot. I:
stops to take up passengers, and to collect tickets.
Tue tickets were collected on that occikion. While
they cvz-ro collecting, 'I was a few hundred yards up the
line with a signal 1;04 to stop. the fist train, as the
half-past one train was storping. 'There were three
different colours in the I(lN:thorn, red, green, anti white. I
thought it was pose the fast thin might come up before
the st„ppin.4 trivia lcit the station. I rcinainid there from
ten to LtVCiVe. 1:11.)UitS: 1 did not hear or see anything
of the - fast train, until the stopping
train had started
from the station. The stopping train may have re-
mained at the station for seven or eight minutes. I
was returning to the station when the fast train passed
Th„toppiog train must have started five or six mi-
nutes at that time. I was from 400 to 500 yards from
the station at that ttirmr,ein.,
bN2coauligghtls
ewonesried,rheodwtnhitn
stuhre_
passing of ...
:,,i,
.. 1.: . lb, t,:,j,:s ici the ia:n? arij :- ,!.. j, ,r :F^, ;', ,_,F;l
ti^:nt Ilir,t,lll.7l(flasetlrsr,c.l for the stoppin? trAlo. to. ,e.iell

sl-1
tt.e tr:1: -. nod
the
red
to
stopit. I do not kuow what the white
is for; there is no particular signal belonging

to it. I have never heard any orders respecting the
white light. It is the ordinary light with which we go
about. The engineer of the fast train seeing no signal
light, would conclude all was right, and go on as usual.
There was r.o other person on duty Wandsworth
except Mr. Hihlitch and InT,eif. I rather think he
told me to go•up with the light. I had-started before
the train had actually settled. I had no orders from
the driver of the stopping train to go up the line and
show a light. I never had occasion to use the signal
lanthorn before. I have been in-the Company's service
ever since the opening of the railway.

. Mr. Francis, the passenger, who had frequently be-
fore interfered, here expressed a desire to know whether
any register was kept at Wands North of the rime of the
arrival of the trains, end was informed that there was
not, but that the guards were in attendance, who cou:d
furnish him with any isiforrnation.

---------
Johri \\Telford, the driver of the fast train, was then
called, and after being cautioned by the Coroner, ex-
pressed his willingness to state to the Jury all he knew,
and was. examined, but not on oath. He deposed as
kn
Company.
oat u rday after-
noon I left Southampton at three o'clock, with the
South Western ste ar
am an engine-driver, in the employ of the
n t-1
Eclipse, the tender, and seven carriages, Nothing Fr-
ticular happened to us until we got in, when, in come-
is:gut:llll
past one train, which was standino.
ltat the top of the
kept„ in the yard at the
lh I ran into the half-
Yard. There was a white light in it ; on that occasion,
qtiumeen.ce olf,htehesirgentieling limpno
there ought to have been a red one. The white light
is used merely to show a light, andoa seeing_**. it I pre-
tawied all was right, and I unierstoo,
by seeing, it that
the road was clear, and that I r&ght go on. The pla to
where the accident occurred was rather better than 100
yards from the points, and at the time our speed was
about six or seven miles
ffi an hour. There was no steam
on at all at the flew, and the speed was just sucient
to. carry us to the points. I had shut the steam off op-
posite the Whitehouse, about eight hundred or
nine hundred yards from the terminus. The break
was put down at the same time.
The thistle was
sounded before I shut off the steam, Wht.tn I saw the
last carri2.ac of the half-past one train, I reversed the
engine. Tao collision had not cccurred at that time.
I did this to stop the speed, and prevent the coili:lion
with such force. I suppose I was &LOA or ten yards
from the carriage when I first saw it, It WAS quite
dark at. the time. \Veen I saw the last earri,ge I did
all I could to prevent the collision taking place.
have been an engine-driver two,years.
CORONER What distance would it take you to stop
an engine end train going at the rate of !ire or a x
wiles an hour?

Witness—lt wcu!d take fift3. or sixty•ya:ds to stop
it in. When I reversed the canine I put on the steam
to stop the train. I "put off my steam in Wandsworth
cutting, fearing the ether train might be
.there. I saw
the policeman, who gave me no s,gniL to warn me.
If a ri:d ight had been exhibited here I should have
seen it. It is usual to exhibit a light on the last car-
riage of a train after dark. There was no light on the
half-past one o'clock train. 1 should say we continued
the whistle a minute, and I attribute the accident to
there being no signal-light exhibited at the terminus. I
have been a driver five years, two years here, and time at.
Leeds ; before that I was a stoker. lam 22 years of age.
I am receiving 7s. a day, it is as much as any driver re-
ceives. I was is a workshop before I was a fi:eman. I
should have seen the red light at Mr. Perth's as far as I
did the white one if it had been exhibited. Mr. Perth's
is half-a-mile from the terminus. It is a gas lamp with
different coloured glasses. I shut off the steam at the
usual place. If two engines were blowing off their stern
strong it might prevent them hearing our whistles. The
light behind the carriages is a red light. There are
buffers to all the carriages. I had no extra orders as to
speed on that day.
The CORONER said that he wished to put it to the
jury whether or not there was any necessity for car-
rying the case further. If they thought there was no
carelessness attributable to the driver he thought they
need not carry the icquiry any further. It was an
unfortunate circumstance that lights were not exhi-
bited, but when it was shown that a case was one
of accident and not of negligence, such must be their
verdict, and they wou!d then award a dcodand agaicst
the engine.

A Juror said he thought they ought to have some
evidence as to the non exhibition of a signal light,
The CORONER said that undoubtedly the cor.dict of
that person had been bglily culpable, but it could not
be said that the person neglecting to show the light was
within the jurisdiction of the Court, and the Court had
no power over the man, even if it could 1-e shown who
he was, or bow it was, attributable to his neglect. Over
him the Company alone had jurisdiction to reprimand or
dismiss him.

A Juror suggested that it would be better the room
should he cleared, which was accordingly done, and aft: r
remaining in deliberation about three quarters of an
hour, the room was opened, and
Mr. Joseph Lecke, the engineer of the Company ex-
amin?d. Since the collision he had examined the
engines and carriages, they were rlightly injured, they
were not broken to pieces or forced in. In only one
instance had a fracture taken place, and in that one the
pole of a gentleman's carriage had been forced through
the back of one of the carriages. None of the car-
riages bad been smashed or splintered, in three Daly had
timbers been shaken. , Mr.- Locke then gave evidence
as to the signal lights.
The Solicitor to the Company said that ho was desirous

of showing that this was an instance of accident arising
from individual neglect, and not from want of general
arrangement.
The CORONER would have parties caled to, prove
that if it were thought desirable, although he considered
sueh evidence irrelevant to the p'esent inquiry.
Mr. Joseph Woods was then examined—l was at.
Southampton when this accident occurred. lam the
superinvmdent of the locomotive department on the
South Western Railway. The Company has an engine
called the Eclipse. I know that it was employed on
Saturday last. I have the regulation of the signal.
lamp at the Nine Elms Station.j There are three co-
loured glasses used—it is .rt revolving light with a
there is an -obstruction
red, a green, and two white glasses. The red is
caution to
the engine-drivers arriving fro n down the line ;
givetn
; t
a signalie green
when n the
station
is
for
giving
to come in slowly. The white is a negative signal, that
extra caution is not necessary.
The on 1)
th-e guards of trains have is a red lamp, and a red lame
is attached to the night carriages. There is a white
lamp on the front of the ens ine, and a small s'gnal••
lamp attached to the tender, with the red light turned
aackwards, to give signals when the train is delayed.
Tile light of the stationary signal-lamp is in the care
of a man named John Turner ; his duty consists in at-
tending to the signal-lamp, and the crossings in its
neighbourhood. The red is to be exhibited when there
any kind of obstruction on the line. I was not at
home on the night in qucation, and cannot tell whet her
or no Turner attended to his duty as he ought to do.
I saw the Eclipse on Saturday night ; it had received
slight damage, but not to arty great extent. This was
about 11 'o'c'ock. The buffer was slightly in-
jured, and an iron rod a little bent ; I/. would re•
pair all the damage. The engine ran yesterday to
Southampton and back. I have examined the carriage
in which the deceased .was, and the injury is very
slight. The collision was not so violent a one as it
has been represented in the Times. The statement of
damage done is confirmatory of the statement of Wll-
ford as to the speed at which he was going. I think
this accident would not have occurred it Turner had
done his duty. The coneuet of Welford has always
been good.
The jury, after deliberating a short time, returned
the following verdict:—" The deceased was aceidontally
end we place a deodand of 3001. on the Eclipse
ioc-Inotive steam-engine, the property of the London
and South Western Railway Company, and we attribute
the accident to the
want of proper caution not having
been taken by hoisting a
signal light to warn the driver
cattle Eclipse of the obstruction on the line, and cannot
but deprecate the rate of speed the trains are brought
up to the terminus."

dissatisfaction depicted on their countenances at Mary-i
lebone yesterday. We have no doubt, that with the
able assistance and experience of Mr. Coppock (who,
much to his honour, gratuitously devotes his talented
aid to the.Llberal interest on every Middlesex registra-
tion), and of Mr. James, the active and intelligent
Secretary of the Middlesex Reform Registration Club,
the Register will next year be still further purified, hut
if an' election were to take place even this year, the
Reformers of Middlesex will be happy to hear that two
Liberals would be returned. In addition to the above
mjority upon the objections, the Libzrals have also
succeeded in placing on the Register 401 new claims.
In conclusion, Tve feel it due to Mr. Coventry, one of
the Revising Barristers, to say that his impartiality and
gentlemanly feeling, has won the admiration ti a d esteem
of al! parties.

CENTRAL CHIIIIINAL COURT.

OLD COURT.

Oliver Death surrendered to take his trial for wilful
and corrupt pznjury.

Mr. Cimdwiyek Jones appeared for the prosecution,
Mr. Pnidips and Mr. Clarkson for the defence.
Mr. Jones briefly addressed the Jury, and said that
the defendant was a constable belonging to the City
Police, and et the time the occurrence took place be
was employed as a reserve man, and his duty was to
visit public-houses, and see tbvt proper order was kept
in than. O. the Ist August he went to the house of
the prosecutor, whO keeps a beer-shop in Field-'ane,
and he aft,,rwards la d an
.inforuntion against the.prose-
eutor for allowing gaming in his house, and upon the
hearing of the information he took his oath to that
fleet. It would be proved that no gaming took place
it the lions:,
,and that the charge was entirely ground-
ess, and he, apprehended that under these circum-
stances the ilefetyla.nt must be found guilty of the of-
fence imputed to him.
Evidence was then adduced to show that an informa-
tion against the prosecutor was heard at Guildhall, and
!he defendant, upon that occasion swore that he went
into the prosecutor's house at half-past ten o'clock on
the night of the Ist of August, and he saw persons play-
ing at cards there. summons, it appeared, was dis-
missed.

Dennis O'Brien, the pro&ceutor, deposed that he re-
mrn.hered on the night of the Ist of August th,t the
defendant eama to his house and remained there for ten
minutes or a cunt-ter of an hour, and he came a4ain soon
afterwards with another policeman named Cole. He
was quite tare there was no card playing going on on
that evening.

The witness, on being cross-examined by Mr. Phillips,
wouid not swear that cards were not used in his house
on the day before the Ist of- August, ansi he admitted
per Fons did play at cards on that day, a!though he
di-nizd that they had since. He also said that he had a
p tek of cards in his house at the present time, and he
did ridt ailow them to be used.

S,!v'ere.l other witnesses wer.:l examined, and they
all stated that there was no card playing in the pro-
secutoi's house in the night in question. It was ad-
mitted, however, that cards were frcuently played in
the house before the information was issued, and upon
examination the witnesses contradicted each other in
several r.articulars.

The REcor.DER when the cesa was nearly con-
cluded, put it to Mr. Jones, whether he thought it
Rely urder all the circumstances that he should ob-
tain a conviction.

Mr. Jones admitted that he did not, and he said he
had conferred with the prosecutor, and he assented to
withdraw from the prosecution.
Tile Jury imnit!diate4 returned a verdict of " Net
Guilty."
Mr. J acs app:ied for the expenses, and

' The RECORDER sdid that he thought the inquiry
had been a very proper one, and he should thereiore
hilow the expenses.

SURREY QUAitTER SESSION'S.

The General Qaarter Sessions for the county of
Surrey, took place yesterday, at the Court House,
Kingston-upon-Thames, betore B. Barnard, Esq., Chair-
man ; J. T. Briscoe, Esq., M.P. ; W. Denison, Esq.,
; W. Cranford, Esq., M.P.; H. Kemple, Eig„
M.P. ; J. Trotter, Esq.,• M.P.; S:r Henry Fletcher ;
Sir R. Ficldtsick ; H. L. Long, Esq. ; R. Hedger,
; E. K. Adams, Esq. ; Colonel Challenor ; E. W.
Edged, Eiq. ; D. Barclay, E,q. ; the Rev. Arthur
Onslow, and a number of other Magistrates.
Mr. Smallpiece, the County Treasurer, made a re-
port of tho state of the finances of the county, from
which it appeared that since the last meeting of the
Court, he had received the sum of 10,3931. ss. Id.,
and had disbursed 9.0691. 19s. Bd. leaving a balance in
his hands of 1 3231. .Various bills it appeared
were in course of payment, but the rate tit present in
collection, was quite sufficient to meet them, and no new
rate would be required.
Mr. Jefftey called the attention of the Court to a
circumstance which ho thought required immediate at-
tention. He had that day gene into the Kingston gaol
end had examined the place appropriated for the recep•
Con of the prisoners who were awaiting their trial. It
was a room about twenty feet square, and in this room
sometimes so many as twenty prisoners were kept for
four or five days. They were all ironed, and a chain
was passed through the irons of each prisoner, and se-
cured at both ends by staples in the wall. At night a
quantity of straw was shaken down for them to lie upon,
and in this wretched state they were kept for several
da3s, and their situation at night, when closely con-
fined, must be most dreadful, and must approach suf
focation. He believed that in every other prison in
England irons were now done away with, exupt is
cases where prisoners were refractory, but here they
were not only ironed, but literally chained down to the
ground. The Court would also recollect that the pri-
soners were persons of all ages, and some of them were
only charged with a first offence, while others were
adepts in crime, and yet they were all kept together in
this manner. If he had not seen it he never could
have believed that such a state of things existed, and he
i
thought it. would be a disgrace to the county of Surrey i
if the Court allowed it to continue.
Mr. Briscoe thought the Court was much indebted
to his Hon. Friend for bringing the subject to their no-
tice. He had not the least idea that such proccedings
were adopted in that gaol, and ,it was quite clear that
they ought not to continue.

Mr. Gorse, one. of the Visiting Magistrates, said that
perhaps it might be considered that some blame was to
be attached to the Visiting Justices for not havin; re-
medied the evil before, but the fact was, they were not
aware of it, because at the time of the Sessions, when
the prisoners were brought for trial, they were in attend -
once upon the Court. He agreed with both the Hon.
M,igistrates that such a state of things ought not to Le
allowed to continue.

subj.•ct was then specially referred to the Visiting
Committee of the gaol.

COUNTY LUNATIC ASYLUM.
The Comrnittee appointed to superintend the erection
of the Lunatic Asylum for the county of Surrey then
made a report, which led to a very animated diinu-
sion. The itvort, after referring to matters connected
with the building, concluded by stating that the Com-
mittee regretted to inform the Court that they had ex-
pent all the 75,0001, voted for the erection, except
4,0001., and that that sum would not complete it,
and they could not tell how much more would be re-
quired. It also appeared that the building, instead of
being calculated to accommodato 350 patients, accord-
ing to the original plan, would not receive more
than 280.

Colonel Challenor said, that, as one of the Com-
mittee, he could not allow the Report to pass without
observation. The county had voted the sum of
75,0001., which they considered amply sufficient for
the purposes of the building. They now found that
they had uecrly got to the end of that sum, and, in-
stead of the building that was promised to the county,
they found they could not be able to accommodate so
many patients by 70 as was proposed. He thought that
great blame was due to the architect and surveyor, who
had deceived the Committee, but the County ought not
to soff,r. He should therefore submit a motion to the
Court that the Committee should not spend any more
money than the remainder of the 75,0001., and that the
building should ha completed to its present extent of
accommodation for '2B 0 patients and no further.
Afar a lengthened discussion the motion was put and
negatived.

INTELMGENCE.

MANSION-HOUSE.

A man named Joseph Thacker was charged with
hating thrown an iron pin, about the size of a small
poker, at a policeman, with intent to do him soaie se-
-601)7. injury.

The -dr.fend int, who sated that. he was a waiter, had
been taken to the station-house for drunkenness and vio-
lence on the preceding night. Inspector Brake, how-
ever, who, whenever he can with propriety, discharges
persons who have work to vo to in the morning, without
sendivg them before the Lord Mayor, allowed him to
depart. The return made !or this indii7gence was the
most marked ingra:i' Polieunan No. 540 was the
man who prq!ect,tl Hin irjury in lb@ s'rects and
couvry: Linn to the tation-hf-o-se, but the dcfen.knt
Wa3 u) sooner at liberty than he seized the first opper-
toni!y of retuning ti compliment by snatcliiilgthe iron
fr.,nl tr.wl:. in the street, dehherately taking aim
,11'; n'~ i+ po'cotnan. The wenpon
hut it th;tud a tort of Sid' blew 111
yang :roman who stood near him and marked her. The
defendant also struck another person, and upon being
again taken into custody, endeavoured to do another
policeman the most desperate mischief.
The LORD MAY oR—How can you account for this
condo et after the kind manner in which you had been
treated in the station-ho•ne? Defendant—l do declare
my Lord it was oh! an accident.
LoRD MAYOI--D) ym; to gtv tit

The. Loi ictus I:ear. kyr; thisac-
cident happened ? Defendant—Why, you see, my

Lord, ns I w•as gait c,r along, I saw this here trioek
going 9100; too, and so I tAtes hold of the pin, when
out it fLw• quite unexpected, and away it went against
the y,ung Worn n.

Thy; LORD MAYOR—This heavy piece of iron flew
out of your hand ? Defendant—That's just it, my
Lord. Iron wiil fly sometimes.
The LORD MAvoa—You might have killed the po-
liceman. It would appear as if policemen were made to
be khoek,id and kicked about by drunken %agaboodc.
I shall endeavour to• protect them when they meet
with such fellows as you. Defendant—l am very sorry,
my Lord, and rhope you'll let me 4o this time.
The Lola) MAYOR—Certainly not. You shall be
remanded, and the City So shall receive instruc-
tions to prosecute you.

A gentleman waited .upon the Lord Mayor to inform
his Lordship that Mr. Joseph Ady, who had so fre-
quently been complained of for putting people to the
expense of postage, by writing to them that he would
communicate matters to their advantage upon the pay-
ment of certain fees, was hard at work at his old (rc..
cupation about unclaimed dividends. It came to his
(the communicant's) knowledge that Mr. Ady paid a
boy •1/. a thousand for copying his old piece of intelli-
gence, and that great numbers of these letters were
directed to the Cape of Good Hope, the Mauritius,
and other distant places. The consequence might be,
as was the case years ago, that some credulous poor
people might endeavour to scrape tog titer the means
of coining to this country upon the representations of
this indefatigable correspondent, and be obliged to de-
pend upon parochial relief for the rest of their days.
• The LORD MAYOR said he had no doubt of the
vigilance and activity of the press in doing all that was
necessary to prevent any such contingency. He con-
sidered Mr. Ady's perfeverance, notwithstanding ail
that had been said and done in the matter, as strong a
proof as could be afforded of the disposition of the
people to listen to impostors.

iMPROVEMENTS NECESSARY IN

THE RIVER THAMES.

The Navigation Committee are making a stir about
the condition of various parts in and about the river
Thames, which has, particularly since the removal of
that frightful nuisance, old London-bridge, presented
many serious obstructions in its capacious bed. There
can be no two objects more disgraceful to the spirit of
those who are competent to effect extensive improve-
ments, than the bridges of Batteriea and Putney. In
consequence of the awkward and unscientific manner in
whicL these crazy oh bridges have been erected, the
tide, as the ratermon say, sets eross-ways amongst
them, so that all sorts of craft pass frequent Iv at consi-
derable hazard, and many lives are annually lost by the
upsetting of boats at time jottings of the narrow arches..
The Committee are endeavouring to prevail upon the
proprietors to widen the arches, and to make such
other-alterations in the bridges as may correspond with
the changes which the river is undergoing, where
amendment is more difficult, and the advantages likely
to reqalt ore leas palpable. 13.2f0re Mr. R. L. !ones
thought of his grand project of removing old London-
bridge altogether, a very important alteration was
made in that fabric by the enlargement of the central
arch, accomplished by throwing two arches
into one ; and the judgment of the bold or,
chitcct who advised the experiment was highly
commended. Experiments something similar are,
we understand, not only recommended by the
Committee to the shareholders of Battersea and Put-
ney bridges, hot pressed upon them as indispensably re-
quired under existing circumstances. Hitherto athiee,
recommendations, and explanations have been unavail-
ing, but if the proprietors continue insensible to the
pre,:ent applicAions, it will be the duty of the Naviga-
tion Committee to proceed for the attainment of the
great public object with the assistance of the City So-
licitor.

Indeed, the Navigation Committee are blamed by
many for not having tred the efficacy of indictments in
the cases of these twa perilous eye-sores. They surely,
it is thought, go up the river often enough on what
they call their viewing excursions, to ascertain the
nature of the nuisances, except they set out upon their
views with a vision as dim as it is often said to be upon •
their return. In them lies the juri,diction called the
conservancy of the Thames, for the Lord Mayor is
merely the nominal head, and his Lordship's Courts of
Conservancy are merely the form al type and ostentation
of their authority. While they are about the business
of improvement, it would be as well if they included
Hampton Court Bridge in their views. That bridge,
next to those which we have mentioned, presents the
most dangerous impediments to the navigation between
London-bridge and Staines, the limit of their power.
Mr. Walker, the President of the Society of Civil
Engineers, is now engaged in the laborious work of im-
proving Westminster Bridv, end during the operations
there the Commissioners will not permit the ballast en-
gines to be worked in the vicinity from the apprehen-
sions entertained, it is said, of the foundations of some
of the piers. The moment, however, the improvements
are completed, the most eff!ctu4l and entire means will
be adopted to clear away all the obstructions arising
from shoe's and other impediments, which have so vastly
increased, and as it were sprung up in that part of the
river since the removal of old London Bridge, with its
dangerous cataracts. We trust and believe that the
Committee will act with zeal and expedition.