The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-20 00:00:00

LAMBE, IL

Mr. William Johnson, aliae: IrDowell, was charged before
Mr. Norton with being drunk, and assaulting Mr. John
Widdicombe, at the Leopard Coffee-house, in the Bridge-
road, Lambeth, on the preceding evening.
Mr. Widdicombe, so well known to the frequenters of
Astley's Theatre and the Vauxhall-gardens, as the master of
the "ring" in the former. and master of the ceremonies at
the latter, dew.sed that on the preceding evening he was in
a room of the Leopard Coffee house, when the prisoner, who
was a perfect stranger to him, entered, and commenced ap-
plying to him the grossest epithets. Believing him to be
either mad or drunk, he (Mr. Widdicombe) treated his at-
tack with indifference. Presently the prisoner rushed to-
wards him, and gate him a desperate blow, which stunned
him for several moments. Witness not wishing to contend
with such a person, went in search of a constable, and hav-
ing found one, gave him into custody.
Prisoner—You know that you have seduced my wife dur-
ing my absence, and that your conduct has been most dis-
graceful.
Widdicombe—God bless my soul! I don't know anvthir.g
whatever about your wife. Indeed, I know not whether you
have a wife or not. This, your worship, is a serious charge
against my moral character. What am Ito do about it ? I
know nothing of his wife.
Mr. NoßroN—l confess it is a most unpleasant charge,
and particularly if not true.
Widdicombe—lt is not true, sir.

P quite true, and i can, if allowed time, prove
Mr. NoSTON—
it toribseo
Have you any objection, Mr. Widdicombe.
that those witnesses the defendant speaks of should be sent
Prisoner—lt is
for? Widdicombe—Not at all, sir; on the contrary,! should
wish them sent for, as I am most anxious to remove any im-
pression you may entertain with respect to my knowledge of
the man's wife.
The
e ca3le eras then adjourned, and a constable went thr
~4. Hughes, the witnesses alluded to. He returned,
and informed the magistrate tnat he had seen Mrs. Hughes,
wife
and that lady informed him that the est' the prisoner 1,-,d
lodged at 11.1' house, but that she had not been visited by Mr.
Mr. and
Widdicombe, nor had she any knowledge whatever of any
intimacy, beyond having heard that she was fond of going
to the theatre to see Mr. Widdie4mibe.
Mr. Widdicontbe said he could not help such a feeling on
the part of the prisoner's wife, and repeated he had never
seen the woman, nor had be ever been to the house.
Mr. Nostos repeated his belief that the prisoner was
quite mistaken, and ordered him to find bail for his good
conduct towards Mr. Widdicqmhe and others.

THE LATE COLLIERY ACCIDENT.
Busrox, FILIDAT.—Last evening an inquest was held on
the bodies of the rive men who lost their lives in consequence
of the accident which took place on Wednesday.
The first witness was a man named Morgan, who stated
that he was standing at the top of the pit when the men who
have lost their lives were being let down the shaft ; that
they were all cautioned not to go into the works until the
" doggie " came down : that the skip had just been lowered
down the shaft with a second party, but before they had pro-
ceeded many yards the explosion took place, by which they
were all blown mat:" yards into the air. Four were picked
up dead immediately afterwards, and William Jones was also
found dead at the bottom of the mine, his death having been
caused from suffocation. The remainder of the men and boys
in the mine were got up, having sustained injuries more or
lee extensive. Cux, the a doggie," is ,utfering T'rom severe
contusion of the brats. The witness further stared that the
mine was well ventilate., completely through its workings,
and that it wa:i not usual for the men to go into the pit until
the "doggie" had tried it by means of the mfety• iamp ;
that this trial not uhfrequently takes place three or four
times a day, when there is any apprehension of a collection
of sulphur.
The remainder of the evidence was corroborative of the
statements which have already appeared ie The Sun, and
showed the reckless manner in which Jones had rushed upon
death; one fact, however, was elicited in the course of the
inquiry, which is worthy of especial notice; it was, that the
"doggie" did not always go down the mine in the morning
in the first skip.
The Ci inONSEt remarked on this circumstance, and observed
that it ought to be imperative for him to do so. Had such
been the case (he said) on this occasion, the lives of five
human beings would, is all probability, have been saved.
The jury returned a verdict to the effect tha Wm. Jones
died of suffocation, occasioned by an explosion of sulphuric
acid gas. and that Abraham Atkiss, John Evans, Enoch Bet-
tray, and Thomas Vinsome, died from wounds and bruises
accidentally received in consequence of the explosion.
The remain der of those who are injured are going on
favourably.

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-,.

FRENCH NAVY CREDITS BILL.
M. THIERS' SPEECH AT THE CHAMBER OF DE-
PUTIES ON THE 15nr.

I M. TRIERS felt it necessary to ascend the tribune, in order
firmly to establish some ideas which had been vaguely stated
during the discussion. Three things were requisite to create
a powerful navy—perseverance, time, and a firm will. Some
Hon. Deputies bad spoken of faults that had been committed
in this department. Undoubtedly faults could be pointed
out easily; but when the general plan was good, mere errors
of detail were redeemed by the efficiency of the ensemble.
If he had found any evidence of such a plan in the report
sent to the King by the Minister of Marine, he should
net have thought it necessary then to address the Chamber.
The questions which it seemed chiefly desirable to discuss,
in connexion with the subject under examination, were
these:—Was the past history of the French navy a cause
of discouragement or of hope? What enemy was France
most likely to compete with? Had she a sufficient number
of men employed in the service, and were adequate
pains taken to secure that point ? And, lastly, what ought
to be dente between sailing vessels end steamers ? Such
were the questions to be examined. As France had about
600 leagues of coast, and only 560 leagues of land frontier,
and as, beeidt 8, she was a commercial country, having goods
to sell and to purchase, the possession of a navy was to her
a mutter of absolute necessity. England and the United
States had at present some differences to settle. He trusted
that an amicable arrangement would be entered into between
these two Powers • bur should a war burst out, what course
was France to adopt? Toe Government had decided that
she was to remain perfectly neutral. No doubt that was a
fine position, as the commerce between the two countries
must mostly fall to her share. But on what conditions
could the eesume that position ? On no other than if she
possessed s strong and effective navy capable of making her
neutrality respected. Franco possessed the great colony of
Algeria, which would succeed in the end, in spite of diffi-
culties, but not unless constant relations could be kept up
between the colony and France. He was a great advocate
in favour of that colony, and not, therefore, opposed to the
existence of a strong navy, as had been wrongly stated of
him. Undoubtedly the army was the principal force of the
kingdom ; but it would be sometimes fourd useful to di-
minish it in order to augment the navy,*and vice versa. At
one period of the English alliance it would have been allow-
able, perhaps, to diminish the navy in favour of the land
forces He considered that alliance of great utility to
France, and was strongly in its favour. He deprecated war
as a great calamity ; but he could not shut his eyes to the
fact that a collision.rnight some day or other take place
between the two countries, as was nearly the case two years
back relative to Tahiti. As. therefore, the alliance was not
so sure that a war might not arise, care should be taken to
have France prepared for such an eventuality. He, there-
fore, should say, "Increase the navy. Increase it with a
gradual increase, and zealously." (Night the past career of
the navy to encourage the country to pursue that plan ?
He thought that the past was strongly in favour of the
development which he recommended; for whenever an
energetic and patient attempt had been made to increase the
naval force of the kingdom it had fully succeeded. ( The
Hen. Deputy instanced various periods in the history of
France in which this had been done, and always, he declared,
with success.) The navy had fallen off during the seven
years' war, and Voltaire had thought it worth while to
examine at great length the causes of that decline. Vol-
taire died in 1778, about the period of the A.: erican war,
and then the navy was in a Ltd condition. Yet by the
firm resolution of Louis XVl.—ill-rewarded for his exer-
tions—it recovered strength, and during that war it fought
not less than seventeen battles, not one of which was lost
except the last. France had, in fact, held the Charnel
free, and had sometimes gained advantages over England.
The French navy did not, it was true, resist altogether the
English power, but it made itself respected in all quarters.
What had there been to achieve all that ? A firm deter-
mination ! The French navy fll off during the revolution.
and Napoleon endeavoured to revive it. He lavished men
and treasure for the purp se. but he wanted to tsrevail much
too quickly—he did not allow sufficient time, and he failed
Front these circumstances be came to the conclusion that
whenever the Government was Cetermined to possess a
powerful navy, it could most surely succeed ; not a nays
certainly, which was to rule over every see, but a powerfu;
timid effective naval force, such as it was under Lsuis XVI.
With what country was France most likely to be engaged it
a maritime war? Not with Austria, or Russia, or Spain, or
Holland, but with England. But what force had that coun-
try to bring against her eeetny ? In the last war she neve,
had one hundred ships at sea at the same time, and, on at,
average, not m .re than eighty. To oppose that number, the
force of thirty-six or even forty ships of the line, spoken of bs
the Committee and in the Bill, could not he regarded as deter-
mined on seriously. It was trate that the quality of these vessels
had been insisted. on ; but quality, though excellent in itselt,
was not sufficient ; quantity was also indispensable, and at leaet
60 at ips of the line ought to be kept up by France. With that
number, she could, he thought, hold heed against the whole navy
of England, for the latter power, from the number of her colo-
nies was obliged to divide her forces into many quarters.
But France must thus concentrate her forces as much as pos-
sible, and on no account depart from that system. It Wit?
because he so clearly felt the importance of this system of
concentration, that he had disapproved of the establishment
of the Marquesas, ana such distant colonies. No. If money
was to be laid out on colonies, let it be in the defence of
Algiers, Port Vendres, and the Port of Berra (qy. Bona.)---
(Mevement.) Some persons imagined that large vessels
could be nispe"sed with al~rgether, and. that frigates souks
be happily employed in naval warfare The case of America
was brought forward in support of the present argument.
But why did America use frigates? Because she pose
sensed t o ethers. She sometimes succeeded, it was true,
but at an immense co ,t. In truth, to speak of the greatuess
of a navy, and to desire to prepare only for a war of priva-
teers, was, in his opininion, absolute nonsense. There must
always exist a certain fitting proportion between the
larger at.d lesser vessels; and, besides, naval warfare with
squadrons was far less destructive than with small divisions
It was said by some that France could not fit out 50 ships of
the line and 50 frigates. That he considered to be a great
error. Taking the Government tables, he found that the
maritime register afforded 125,010 men. Out of that num-
ber there were 24,000 workmen' pilots, captains of coasting-
vessels, &c. Take away the cabin-boys and others who were
not able bodied seamen, and the number left would be 65,000
seamen between 18 and 50. It was said that out of that num-
ber must be taken the men too old to continue in the service.
He believed that up to 50 a sailor was well able to perform
his duties, and it was quite a mistake to suppose that many
did not remain to a greater age it: the navy. But, making
every allowance, the computation of the Minister of Marine
might be taken, and 46,000 chosen men be stated as certain
to be found in the number just mentioned. But if war was
to be carried on with picked men only, the armies of
Europe would be exceedingly reduced, and he should
increase the computation of the Honourable Minister fast
50,000 .at least. But in all crews two-thirds were old sailors,
and one-third the new levy which would give 75,000 men,
and with that complement, according to the calculations of
the Hon. Minister, 50 ships of the line, 50 frigates, and 100
steamers could be fitted out. Many persons thought that
free trade would tend to augment the number of seamen.
Such was not his opinion; he considered the protective
system more favourable to the development of the navy. He
was quite ready to discuss that question, and from the pro-
gress that the public mind was making on the subject, he
conceived that the Chamber would be called on next year
to examine the matter thoroughly. One thing, howeve,
thought self-evident—that if they desired to increase the
meritime register, they must augment the number of vessels.
.Whenever the vessels of the Stare were prepared for a
larger number of seamen, the latter would be
certain to be found, for they would proceed from the
merchant service, which, in its turn, would take its nc w
supply from the population of the seaports. The mode in
which the French navy was kept up, until of tate, was to
have a certain number of vessels in commission de rade, which
was a kind of half-allowence of men—half a crew, about 350,
and.a staff. In that state the crew could be exercised--
could make a voyage from Toulon to Algiers. By adding a
certain number of men the crew would be complete. The
Minister of Marine had changed that systems, and established
ths desponsibilitt de rade, in which case the vessel had no
staff. There was also no crew—namely, a guard of 100 men,
and the vessel remained always in port. That measure ap-
peared to him deplorable, as there should be a crew or
nothing. He had inquired into the expense of keeping up a
crew. To have ten ships of the line completely armed and
provisioned, and ten dismantled, it would be necessary to
add to the Budget hut 6,000,000 f. a-year; and to have
t = elve of each the augmentation would be 9,360,000 t. ;
and for fifteen of each the additional cost would be
14,000,000 f. He should, therefore, propose nothing
abrupt or immeciate. He merely desired to see six, nine,
or fourteen millions added annually to the budget, and if the
Minister refused sums, an insignificant in comparison to the
objects to be carried out, he (M. niers) must think him not
serious in his assertions of readiness to increase the navy.
So much for the men to be employed in the navy. Lie
should now briefly allude to the number of vessels. If a
state of transition was hot now going on, he should consider
the number of forty ships of the line as a puerility, but as
changes were in preparation, he could conceive that an un-
willingness existed to build all the vessels that might be
manned by the seamen whom the State could famish. Al-
though steamers were likely in the end to have the advan-
tage over sailing 'vessels, still ships of the line must.always be
of great importance. Under these circumstances, he should
not oppose the number of thirty-six or forty vessels, but on
condition only, that if the number of vessels was kept down,
the full quantity of stores, timber, and materiel, should be
carefully prepared.
A Voice—That was what the Committee desired.

M. Thiers.—No doubt ; but what quantity of timber did
the Hon. Minister specify as the proper quantity to be kept
on hand? 180,000 steres ! Why, that was not a supply for
more than about two years, or three at most. The very
smallest quantity that ought, to be kept up was 300,000
steres. The Hon. Deputy here criticised the mode of making
experiments in building vessels as practised in France, and
gave the preference to England in that respect. To sum
up, France, he said, ought to have a powerful navy, not to
rule over the seas, but to make herself respected ; and in
order to effect that, she must concentrate her forces, have a
considerable number of vessels fitted up, and a large quan-
tity of shores of all kinds. The head➢ of the Marine De-
partment ought to proceed on a fixed plait, which he did
not think could now be asserted. The Minister of Marine,
besides, had no excuse for any inferiority in his department,
for two or three years back the Chamber insisted on adding
3,000,000 f. to his budget. Under such circumstances, if a
Minister did not do all that it was his duty to perform, he
incurred an immense responsibility, such as few persons
would like to accept.—(Agitation.)

IRELAND.

DISTRESS OF THE PEOPLE-THE FOOD RIOTS.

DUBLIW. APRIL 16.—The Tipperary Free Press, received
this morning, atter describing the riots amongst the starving
population of that town, gives the details of subsequent mea-
sures for affording relief to the famishing people. If those
steps had been taken in proper time there would hare been
no popular outbreak:

"-A-general meeting was held in the Court House, every
part of which was crowded to excess. On the motion of the
Very Rev. Dr. Burke, seconded by acclamation,
" Captain Osborne, M.P., was called to the chair, and
Alderman Hackett was requested to act as secretary

" Several resolutions were adopted, and about forty gen-
tlemen then came forward, and subscribed upwards of 500/.,
which will be doubled before the sun sets this evening.
"Tile committee, after dividing the town into districts, and
appointing collectors thereto, adjourned to ten o'clock this
morning, to meet at that hour in the grand jury room.
"A number of our fellow-townsmen, enrolled as special
constables, patrolled the streets during the night, assisted by
the police and military, to preserve order."
Ail the accounts represent the military and police as
having acted with the greatest forbearance all through the
riots in the towns of Chime' and Tipperary.
Those riots were caused by starvation, and when the
means of feeding the people were at length supplied, the
town of Clonmel resumed its wonted tranquillity.
.. . .

A correspondent of the Evening Post of this evening gives
the following account of the outbreak in Clonmel :
"Clunmel. Wednesday, April 15, 1846.
"This town bears all the appearance of a beleagured
city—troops are drawn up in the different localities, and
cannon pointed down the main street ; as usual, the stable
door has been shut when the steed was stolen,' for all the
bakers' shops were entered and plundered early yesterday
morning by a mob, made up, for the most part, of wonien
and children, accompanied by a gang of men totally. unknown
in Clonmel or the neighbourhood. They commenced their
depredations by an attack on the carts conveying flour from
the mills at Cahir, and seriously injured the policemen who
were escorting the carts ; the mob then proceeded to the
mills of a Mr. &infield, on the county Waterford side of the
Suir, which mills they entered and sacked, before the attend-
ance of any magistrate for the county of Waterford
could be procured to accomeany the troops ; after
having laid violent hands on all Mr. Banfield's
flour, they marched, in a b of about 1,500,
to the mills of Mr. James Fluglie, and demanded admit-
tance. Meanwhile, intelligence bad been sent to Mr. Os-
borne, of Newtown Anner, who had but just arrived from
England, and being a magistrate for IN aterford, he hastened
to the mills, but unaccompanied by any tome of military or
police. After addressing the mob, and cautioning them
against their outrageous conduct, he succeeded is averting
the threatened attack, and promised, if they forthwith de-
sisted from all violence, he would give them fend at New-
town; the promise was freely given, and they were fed with
bread and meat on the road side: Too much praise cannot
be given for the prompt and skilful manner Nellie!' was
evinced by Mr. Osborne in saving these mill-. The mob
dispersed quietly, in accordance with their promise, and a
large meeting was convened in the Town-hall of Charnel,
to take the state of the country into consideration, at which
5001. was immediately subscribed, CO give immediate emplo' -
merit to the peasantry. This fund will be much increa-ed,
as the Mayor and most of the surrounding gentry were ab-
sent ; indeed, the gentry have been dilatory in this district,
in not meeting before to take measures of relief into consi-
deration ; out as the Lord-Lieutenant of the county (Lord
Donoughtnore) never resides in it, there is a general feeling
of apathy, and, as all are well inclined, no one likes to take the
initiative step. There is a report that other mills have been
attacked this morning. The country is altoget her in a most
unsettled state, and it is impossible to foresee the results.
\ I ore anon. " AN EX-MAGISTRATE."

A letter from Clonmel, in the Cork Examiner. afterj.de-
Aeribing the riots, thus concludes:—
"To show the state of excitement and detweration to
%,hich the peop.e gave way, and the recklessne,s of life
which they exhibited, I may mention that a Eumber of
.tarts with flour—l believe tifty—were coming into town
From Ciogheen, escorted by forty met' of the 33d Regi-
ment, under the command of Captain Gough acid a tarty
if police, wLen, at the workhouse at the entrance to Irish -
'own, they seized-on four sacks of the flour, which they
Cragged off one of the cars ; and although the military
were loaded, and had received the word " ready," they
it'll refused to g:ve it up, observing "that they may as
sell be shot, as starved!" Ile officer, seeing their deter-
mination, cho,e rather to leave it to them than take their
ives, although he was repeatedly struck with stones. Great
;,raise is due to Major Galloway, 33d Regiment, the com-
oanding officer, tbr his steadiness and coolness dining this
•ventful

The accounts from of her districts show that the sufferings
of the people are daily increasing; but they are appedsed,
even by the promise of relief.

FOOD RICA'S IN CARRICK-ON-SUIR-THE TOWN
SACKED.

The Dublin Evening Post gives the following brief letter
troin Carrick-or-Suir, county of Tipperary, received just as
that journal was going to press :
" April 15. This tiwn is in a horrible state. The popu-
lation rose and broke into all the meal and provision stores;
sod afterwards into the shops generally. Unfortunately,
our excellent resident magistrate was absent front town on
-ome neces,ary duty, and there was nu local magistrate to
bring the military out. The moub had it all their own way,
and the t,wn is just as if it had be, n sacked by an army
of Seikhs."
We have seen another letter from Carrick-on-Suir, which
states that the flour stores of Mr. O'Donnell and Mr. O'Neill"
were broken into and plundered, every bacon-yard was
robbed of its contents, and the retail provision-shops were
cleared out.
FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE CASHEL RAILWAY.

The particulars of the following fatal accid nt (the first,
we believe, that ha-, klee‘l:!:don this: liue), which to,ik place
on Tuesday night, have been communicated by a gentleman
who resides near the scene et' the catastrophe. It appears
that on Tuesday Sir John and some other gentle-
men bad been up towards 'the end of the works (so far as
such has progrrsse r in a dir(c. line from Dublin), and on
their return by a special train they arrived about ten o'clock
at a place called Rhandboon, about tleven miles from Dub-
lin, in the county of Kildare. Her“ the toad was flat, and
some bullocks, belonging to Mr. J:imes Mitchell, of Borehard,
were grazing in a field. It is supposed tha. the noise of the
engine frightened the animals, and :evei al of them ran across
the line. One of the beasts came in contact with the en
gine on the rail and was cut in two, the engit.e passing over
it. This caused the engine to diverge oti ttte rail. by a
most fortunate, but unaccountable, circumstance the link or
chain which attached the carriages to the etgine was either
broken or loosened, and the carriages remained stationary on
the line. The engine, by its own impetus, (la...hed forward
and was thr,wn into an adjoining field. The unfortunate
driver was killed on the spot, and his body waN mangled in
a fearful manner. He was married only on the previous day.
Not the slightest blame is attached to any fumy in refer-
ence to this sad affair. The gentlemen who were in the car-
riages escaped quite unhurt,
.with the exception of oue, who
received a few slight bruises.'