The Sun.
London, England, 1870-12-10 00:00:00

STORM AT SOUTH SHIELDS,

During the whole of Thursday, at South Shields, a
strong -wind blew from the north-east. In the evening
it increased to a heavy gale. The sea rose rapidly, and
dashed.with great violence above the bar. About mid-
night' the wind changed to east by south, and
was 'blowing from the same direction, with great
fury, at the latest accounts. About seven o'clock
this morning signal guns of distress were fired from
her Majesty's ship Castors lying in the Tyne, It
soon became known that a large screw collier, the Eagle,
of London, was aground ; but fortunately the tide was
considerably back. As soon as day broke Use crew were
observed to be clinging to the rigging. The vessel having
drifted • within gOO yards of the South pier became
firmly embedded.in the sand. The two large lifeboats'
belonging, to South Shields, and also one belonging
to North Shields, were quickly manned: After the life-
boat Tyne, of South Shields, had made many unsuccessful
attempts to get near the collier, with the assistance of a
tow line she at .last got alongside of the vessel, took
Off tlit crew of seventeen hands, all told, and landed them
at the Cables lauding, South Shields. The captain,
John- Seddall, of Woolwicli, reports that he
left 'the' Tyne yesterday afternoon, with the
Eagle- of and bound to Landon, laden with coals.
Shortly after leaving the Tyne she experienced bad
weather, and about half-past ten last night, when off
Whitby, the pumps got choked, when it was resolved to
put back to Newcastle. Losing her steering apparatuS,
and her fires being extinguished by a heavy sea, the
vessel was allowed to drift. The crew reckon it little
short of a miracle that they were saved. It is doubtful
whether the vessel will he saved, though it is possible she
may float off by next tide. The Eagle is owned by a
London firm, and is about 600 tons. It is said she is
insured.

'the powder recently seized at Blaelcwall-stairs by
the Thames police has been taken to the Royal Arsenal at
Woolwich, where it remains in a barge moored between
the Red Buoy and the Talbot powder magazine. It con-
sists of five tons, in 100 barrels containing 1101 b. each. It
is awaiting the orders of the War Department.

Dr. medical officer of health for Newington,
has offered an excellent practical suggestion t 9 his vestry,
which is that they should utilise one or more of the nume-
rous railway arches in that district for a mortuary, and
for establishing a public disinfecting apparatus. Both
these conveniences, rather we should say necessaries,
ought to exist in every district.

On Thursday the liQlf-yearly meeting of the Royal
4gricultural Society of England was held in Hanover-
square, London, Lord Vernon presiding. The 'organise,-
tion now numbers 5,60 a znernbers—P, nunAeT whinh, in the
opinion of one of the speakers, would be quadrupled if
the true principles of the society were thoroughly under-
stood by the farmers of England.

The Lancet understands that a project, originating
with Sir William Fergusson, is on foot to form a national
collection of surgical instruments in connection with the
Museum of the College of Surgeons—such a collection as
shall serve to illustrate, as far as possible, the progress of
faupgipo art in our country, and the improvements made
'from tune to qnan stßical, appliances and instruments,
thereby inci4ntally furnishing exact data for various com-
parisons in the future 'touching question's of priority and
the like.

The meet of the Ileythrop hounds in Blenheim
Park on Thursday was honoured by the presence of the
Prince of Wales,'tbe Princess of \\Talcs, Prince Hassan,
and a numerous company,*who, however, were doomed to
disappointment as far as the pleasures of the chase were
concerned, as the sharp frost of the previous night
rendered it impossible to follow the hounds across
country. The Royal party, however, with the hounds
took a circuit round the spacious park, in which they
were followed by those present. The Prince of Wales
and the Egyptian Prince wore scarlet. The Princess of
Wares rode in a carriage, accompanied by the Duchess of
Marlborough,

A large store of gqnpowdev his hepn discovered by
the police in a court in tack Berry-street, -4,lyfirpool.
Major Greig, the Chief Constable of that borough; received
a note on the subject, in consequence of which he sent a
detective officer to make inquiries. He saw Mr. David
Miles, the officer
for a neNt railway, who said
that in consequence of requiring the powder for blasting
purposes for carrying on the works, Alt the 25th tilt he
placed eight quarter-barrels of powder, about 200 lb, h the
middle room of an unoccupied }mute. The bottom room
of the house was used daily by the workmen to cook their
dinners. Under these circumstances, proceedings were
taken against Afilps, whq was fined 25 and costs.

SERIOUS CHARQR 4.q4INsT A CLERGYALiN.—The
Rev. James John Merest, vicar of liptcn finodsbiuryt in
Worcestershire, an elderly man, was on Thursday charged
before the Bristol magistrates with falsely and fraudu-
lently uttering worthless cheques drawn on the Worcester
Old Bank, he having no account there. It appeared that
the prisoner had given them to women of the town and
had signed them in the name of Matthews. It was con-
'tended for the defence that the cheques were given for an
immoral, and therefore illegal, consideration. The
prisoner was remanded to Bridewell, being unable to
obtain bail.