The Sun.
London, England, 1846-08-28 00:00:00

" GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS,

" Her Maje sty has observed with satisfaction the
care you have taken to prevent permanent loss to the
revenue, and to maintain the public faith.

"Her MajE:sty has commanded us to acknowledge
the zeal and unanimity with which you assented to
the increase in the naval and military estimates which
a regard to the exigencies of the public service induced
her Majesty to, propose for your consideration.
" MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,

" Her Majesty has to lament that the recurrence of
a failure in the potato crop, in an aggravated degree,
will cause a serious deficiency in the quantity of a
material article of food.

" Her Majesty has given her cordial assent to
measures by which this calamity may be mitigated in
that part of the United Kingdom where the cultiva-
tion of the pc tato has hitherto afforded the chief
supply for the !subsistence of the people.
" Her Majesty has seen with pleasure that a con-
siderable dirninution of crime and outrage has taken
place in th,ase counties of Ireland which had been
most disturbed.

" Her Majesty is confident that on your return to
your several counties, you will find a spirit of
loyalty generally prevalent. The extension of works of
improvement has increased the demand for labour,
and the tranquillity of the country has favoured the
pursuits of industry in all its branches.
"Her Majesty trusts that by a combination of
prudence with enterprise, and of a willing obedience
to law with a desire for social progress, her people
will, through the Divine blessing, enjoy the full ad-
vantages of pea.ce."

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

(THIS DAY.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
The SPEAKfIR took the Chair at Twenty Minutes to
Three o'clock.

POOR-LAWS.
A return was presented from the Poor-law Commis.
sioners.

NEW WRIT FOR DERBY.

A new writ for Derby in the place of J. Strutt, Esq.,
the present member who has accepted the Chiltern
Hundreds was moved for.

On the motion of Mr. CEIRISTIE, a return was or-
dered of the number of days, in each of the years 1842,
1843, 1844, and 1845, on which only one Poor-law Com-
missioner has attended at the office, the powers of the
Commission not having been delegated to him
as provided by the Act 1 and 2 Vic., c. 56 ;
specifying each day, the name of the Commis-
sioner who attended alone on each day ; and wherever
a Commissioner has so attended alone for two or more
continuously, the length of the period during which he
has been alone in attendance, without a delegation of
powers. Return of the number of orders, in each
of the same years, which bear date on
days when only one Comissioner has attended at the
office, without a delegation of the powers of the
Commission. Return of the number of letters
in each of the same years, which, having been
written by direction of one Commissioner
when attending alone without a delegation
of powers, have been dispatched previously to
the days on which they are recorded in the " Minutes
of the Directions of the Board upon Correspondence,"
as sanctioned by the signatures of more than one Com-
missioner.

Statement of the names and nature of the books frcm
which the foregoing returns shall be prepared.

EXTRAORDINARY INVESTIGATION.—EAST MANNING-.
FIELD, AUG. 26.—This morning Mary Peters, a young woman
respectably connected, and who has for upwards of eight
months held the situation of governess in the family of Mr.
J. P. Ricketts, of this place, was brought before the dis-
trice magistrates, charged on suspicion of having concealed
the birth of her child. From the evidence adduced, the body
of the infant was found in a highly decomposed state near
the mouth of a drain communicating with Mr. Ricketts's
premises. Jane Grooves deposed to being nursery-maid
in the family of Mr. Ricketts. Witness and other per-
sons residing in the house had remarked a change in
the figure of Miss Peters for several months past. The
appearances were such as to induce the belief that she was-
enciente. Remembers, particularly, one night, about a month
ago, hearing dreadful groans in the governess's room, upon
which she (witness) knocked at the door, when Miss Peters
desired her not to be alarmed, as it was only her old com-
plaint. Some short time afterwards, on the same night,
witness heard her leave her room, and proceed down stairs,
upon which she (witness) entered the room, and perceived
indications which raised her suspicions ; but, observing
that Miss Peters's appearance was not at all altered
in the morning, witness did not know what to think.
A fortnight afterwards, witness, having gone into the
governess's room, and found her asleep on a sofa,
prompted by curiosity, observed her person closely, and
discovered that her dress was wadded so as to give her
figure the dropsical contour so observable. Had kept every-
thing a profound secret until the body of the child was dis-
covered. Miss Peters had given notice some time of her in-
tention to leave her situation. At this stage. of the pro-
ceedings the magistrates suggested the propriety of the ac-
cused being examined by a medical man, and the case was
adjourned. Aug. 27.—This morning the magistrates re-
sumed the inquiry into the accusation of Mary Peters, whose
case was adjourned in order to procure medical evidence.
After hearing the testimony of Dr. Marsden, of Manning-
field, who had been deputed to examine the accused, the ma-
gistrates were of opinion that the evidence adduced was not
sufficiently conclusive to warrant a committal, and she was
accordingly acquitted.
NUMEROUS FIRES IN ONE TlGHT.—Between the
hours of ten .at., on Wednesday, and one A.M. of yesterday,
not fewer than six fires occurred in the metropolis:—One
happened at 62; High-street, Shadwell, on the premises in
the occupation of Mr. Charles Watson, grocer and tea-
dealer. The flames, when first observed, were burning
furiously in the shop, and the inmates having effected a
safe retreat, the engines were sent for and set to work; but
before the firemen could got the flames subdued the con-
tents of the shop were nearly consumed and the building
severely damaged. The loss will fall upon the London
Fire-office. Another fire occurred at No. 118, High-street,
Shoreditch, the property of Mr. F. Watts, oil and Italian
warehouseman. It appears that whilst a man was drawing
off some varnish in the cellar it became ignited, and
falling amongst a quantity of patent fire-wood, set it
on fire; a large glass carboy filled with oil was broken
during the confusion, and it was at one period feared that
the whole building would have been destroyed. The fire-
engines quickly attended, and owing to the exertions of the
neighbours and inmates, the fire was happily confined to that
portion of the premises in which it originated. Mr. Watts
was Insured in the Dissenters' Fire-office. The third fire
took place at 4, Oriental-terrace, Grundy-street, Poplar, oc-
cupied by Mr. Thomas Penny. It did considerable damage
to the first floor before it could be extinguished. The fourth
happened on the premises of Mr. John Cooper, No. 22,
Little James-street, Lisson-grove, Paddington. It was
caused by the embers of a tobacco-pipe falling amongst the
straw in the stabling. Four brigade engines attended, but
before the fire was got out the corn-bin and some harness
were burnt. Mr. Cooper was not insured. The other two
fires were in Garton-court, Barbican, and South-street,
Shoreditch,