The Sun.
London, England, 1848-08-03 00:00:00

APPOINTMENTS.

The commissions of Captain the Hon. G. F. Hastings
(1845), promoted from the Harlequin, and last of the
Endymit n, appointing him to command the Dragon, and
prospectively to the Cyclops steam-frigate, when he finds
that vessel on the coast of Ireland, were received at Ports-
mouth on Tuesday.
Lieutenants—T. Andrews, additional to the Birken-
head steam•frigate, employed in conveying troops on
the coast of Ireland ; J. Townsheud, to the Pantaloon
sloop, on her way to the coast of Africa.
Mate—Charles Gibbons, to the Hastings, 72, flag-
ship of Sir Francis Collier, on her passage to the East
Indies.

Chief Engineer—T. Bullion, to the Fisguard, pendant
ship at Woolwich.
Assistant-Engineers—J. Stow and W. Ibbett. to the
Lucifer, tender to the St. Vincent, Sir C. Napier's flag-
ship at Cork.

Midshipman—The Hon. H. W. Chetwynd, to the
Eurydice frigate, on the Cape of Good Hope station.
Lieut. Algernon F. H. De Horsey (1846) to study at
the steam-factory, Woolwich.
Master—J. T. Crout 0844) to the Cyclops steam-
frigate, on the coast of Ireland.

Surgeon—John T. Jenkins (1846) to the Waterwitcb,
8, on the coast of Africa, vice Negus.
Assistant Surgeons—Charles Layer Hugs, of the
Trincomalee, 26, in the West Indies, has been confirmed
to that vessel; seniority, May,1847; George H. Edwards,
of the Queen, 116, in the Mediterranean, has been con-
firmed in his rank—seniority, March, 1847; David 0.
West (1846) to the Linnet, 6, packet-brig; James Ed-
mondston and Horan H. Smith, acting, to the Victory,
flag ship, at Portsmouth.
Clerks—Charles D. Lindsay, Frederick Field, and
George Lapidge, to the Raleigh, 50, flag-ship, at Monte
Video.

ROYAL MARINES.—The commissions of Captain C. J.
Hadfield and First Lieutenant Henry Adam have been
received at Portsmouth; and those of Captain Hayes
Marriot and First Lieutenant John Grieve, at Chatham.
DOCKYARD.—Mr. Ebenezer Wood, inspector of ship.
wrights at Devonport Dockyard, having undergone the
necessary examination and reported to be qualified, has
been promoted to the rank of foreman, vice Peake, pro-
moted. Mr. Wood has been engaged most assiduously
in correcting errors and defects in the lines of the Inde-
fatigable, which ship may be said to be as much Mr.
Wood's as Mr. Hyde's, and as much after the lines of the
designer of the Southampton as she is after any of the
naval architectural notions of the above-named persons.
—Herald.
CHATHAM, Am. 2.—The Spy, 3-gun brigantine, was
put out of dock on Monday last, when she was taken
alongside the shears and received her masts.
The Wolverine, 16 guns, was put out of dock also on
Monday last.
The Acorn, 16 guns, Commander John E. Bingham,
from the East Indies, was towed into this harbour yes-
terday afternoon by the African steam-vessel. She is
now alongside the Hussar hulk, and will be paid off on
Tuesday, the Bth inst.
Yesterday a detachment consisting of 45 men in charge
of a sergeant of the Royal Sappers and Miners, arrived
at this garrison from Woolwich to take part in the field
operations under Colonel Sir Frederick Smith, K.H., of
the Royal Engineers.
WOOLWICH, AUGUST 2.—The Spiteful steam sloop,
280 horse power, will be completed by the dockyard
workmen, and ready for commission on Saturday next.
The Daedalus, 12 gun frigate, Capt. Peter M'Quhae.
left Singapore for England on the 25th of May. She
was about to proceed to Siam, to quell a mutiny of the
Chinese coolies (about 4,000 in number), who had de-
stroyed some sugar mills, and done other damage to
British property, but the Meander, 44 gun frigate, Capt
the Hon. Henry Keppel, having arrived on the previous
day, proceeded to the execution of the Daedalus' orders.
Mr. Claude de Crespigny,is o th
s midshipman,eitoyaist, 6 gunhasbe brenaipi
pointed from the Daedalus
and the latter vessel has proceeded to survey the coast
of Borneo, which will occupy her about six or eight
months. -

The Termagant steam frigate arrived at Sheerness
yesterday e►ening at eight o'clock. Her speed was
ascertained to be 7.12 knots per hour, and her engines
were found to work well. The coals on board were not
of the best quality, which prevented a trial with her full
power of steam.

FUNERAL THE Two FIRE BRIGADE MEN.—
Yesterday afternoon the remains of Piercy and Hancock,
the two firemen who lost their lives at the recent fire at
Wapping, were deposited in the parish churchyard of
St. George's in the East. A procession of sixty firemen
attended on the occasion, and a great concourse of per-
sons were present. Provision, for a time, will be made
by the establishment for the benefit of the unfortunate
men's widows and children. Mr. Mackay, the engineer,
whose life was so fortunately saved on the fatal occasion,
is fast recovering; but it will be 80/110 months before he
will be able to do duty.

A JEREMY DIDDLER.--" Will you pay me my
bill, sir?" said a tailor to a waggish fellow, who had got
into him about a foot. "Do you owe anybody any-
thing, sir?" asked the wag. " No, sir," said the tailor.
" Then you can afford to wait!" an'd be walked off. A
day or two afterwards the tailor called again. Our wag
was not at his wit's end yet; so, turning on his creditor,
he says—" Aro you in debt to anybody?" " Yes, sir,"
says the tailor. " Well, why the devil don't you pay?"
" Because I can't get the money." " That's just my
case, sir; I am glad you can appreciate my condition—
give us your baud, old fellow!"

DREADFUL MURDER.
One of those fearful deeds of blood, which are but too
common where large bodies of labouring men are con•
gregated, occurred on the morning of Saturday last at
the works now in course of formation for the purpose of
crossing the Menai Straits near the Britannia Rock. It
appears that the extensive platforms on which are con-
structed the enormous iron tubes, with the massive ma-
chinery, materials, workmens' tools, &c., are watched and
guarded every night ; and.one of the watchmen thus em-
ployed has been the victim of a most foul and brutal
murder. His remains were discovered on the shore close
by the staging, whence they had been thrown ; the head
was disfigured by two fearful gashes; one extending over
the left side of the head, cutting through the temple,
and the other on the crown of the skull, and both these
fractures had evidently been inflicted by some heavy
blunt instrument, in all probability a piece of iron. *The
deceased's brains were scattered about, showing with
what fearful effect the fatal blows must have been in-
flicted.
No marks of blood were observed, nor was there
anything which could afford a clue us to who were the
perpetiatcrs of the awful deed. One of the fellow-
watchers of the deceased was at first suspected, but as
no evidence could be brought forward at the inquest to
show that he was at all connected with the crime, he was
discharged, and we regret to say that the daring perpe-
trators of the revolting outrage are still at large. On
Monday last an inquest was held at the offices of the in-
spector of the works, at the Bridge, before E. G. Powell,
Esq., coroner, and a highly respectable jury.
The evidence adduced was to the effect that the de-
ceased's name was John Rowlands, a native of Anglesey,
and that he and John Pritchard, his fellow-watcher,
were on duty on Friday evening; that the latter, about
half- past t,celve o'clock en Saturday morning, came to
the house of Robert and William Lewis, stating that
two men had broken into a shop, or wooden house, at
the works, where paint, hides, &c., were kept; that the
deceased had been attacked by them; and that he (Prit-
chard) had heard them express a determination to kill
Rowlands in consequence of deceased having said that
he recognised them. Pritchard said that he had been
also attacked as he was proceeding to Rowland's assist-
ance, but that he had escaped by running into a small
house up a midden, and had dropped himself through
and waded down to his neck in water, in order to pre-
vent the men detecting him, where he had remained for
half an hour; that he had heard the deceased cry out,
but dared not again proceed to his assistance; that when
he came out of the water he ran to Lewis's house and
gave the alarm, and they, with others, went down to the
staging, and discovered the dead body of Rowlands lying
on the beach. It had been thrown from off the stage;
the head was much fractured, and the deceased's hat was
on the platform. Another witness deposed to having
been called up about half-past twelve o'clock by Prit-
chard, who stated that Rowlands had been murdered. He
went with the rest, and had the body removed into the
joiner's shop.
Evidence was brought to show that Pritchard was
perfectly wet when he gave the alarm, and that he ap-
peared much terrified. The paint-shop had been broken
open and articles disturbed, and placed ready for being
carried away.
Pritchard, on being questioned, said, that he could not
recognise the men who had attacked him as he was going
to the assistance of Rowlands, who he heard call out,
" Spare my lifer He jumped into the midden, whith
opens on to the water, to save his life. His lantern fell
from bis hand and rolled on the beach, where it was
found. He distinctly heard the deceased cry out while
he was in the a ater.

Mr. Florence, surgeon on the works, deposed that the
skull of the deceased was fractured in three places, and
the scalp was much lacerated. There was a deep wound
on the upper lip, and a heavy blow had been intlictod
on the cheek bone. There were blood and brains on the
upright post, but none on the platform. The wounds
had been cased by some heavy blunt instrument.
Evidence was brought to show that no quarrel existed
between the two watchmen.

The jury brought in a verdict of " Wilful murder
against some person or persons unknown."

THE KIRTON MIikDER.

LINCOLN, Aua. 2.—lt will be in the recollection of
our readers that a young man, named Joseph Travis,
was convicted at the late assizes at Lincoln, on a charge
of having robbed Charles Copeman. Th© case excited
unusual interest, in consequence of the circumstances
attending it, which may be briefly stated as follows:---
Travis and Copeman had been companions for some time,
and both were sons of respectable farmers, one residing
at Kirton and the other at Blyborough. On the even-
ing of the 19th of December .last the two parties had
been drinking together at a public-house; the next morn-
ing the body of Copeman was found on the road leading
from Kirton to, Blyborough, bearing several marks of
violence, and also having a wound on the throst.
Deceased was quite dead, and consequently no direct
evidence could be obtained as to who was the perpe-
trator of the murder. Circumstances, however, trans-
pired that led to the suspicion that the prisoner was the
guilty party, and he was, therefore, committed upon the
coroner's inquisition, on a charge of having murdered
the deceased. Ho was tried at the Lent assizes upon
this charge, before Mr. Justice Maule, when he was ac-
quitted. Other circumstances afterwards came out which
led to a man named William Fell, together with Travis,
being taken into custody, and committed upon a charge
of having robbed the deceased. Subsequently Fell Was
admitted as an approver on the part of the Crown, when
his evidence, corroborated by that of other witnesseet
left no doubt upon the minds of the Court and jury as to
the guilt of the prisoner, and he was consequently con-
victed, and sentenced by Mr. Justice Patteson to be
transported for life. After his conviction the demeanour
of the prisoner became altogether altered, his spirits were
greatly depressed, and he appeared to be labouring under
considerable mental agitation; this increased to such an
extent, that at the request of the prisoner Captain Ni-
cholson, the governor of the gaol, together with the Rev.
Padley, the chaplain, attended the unhappy man in his
cell, when he -made a confession, of which the following
is the substance:—" On the night that the murder was
committed, I overtook Copeman, when we had some
words together. A scuffle took place, and I became so
excited that I took my penknife, on the point of which
I had stuck a cigar that I was smoking, and jobbed
him several times in the neck, after which I cut
his throat, but, at the time when I first came up with
the deceased, I had no contemplation of murdering MM.
nor should I have done so, had it not been for the scuffle.
After I had committed the act, I took four sovereign*.
from deceased, and then; finding that my hands were
very bloody, I went to a gate-post and wiped them upon
it, as stated by Fell. As to the shirt that I wore at the
time, and which the police could not find, I burnt it as
soon as I got home; but how Fell came to know these
circumstances I cannot tell, as I never saw him. He
might, however, have been near the place at the titnet
and watched me in the manner stated by him." The
prisoner entered into a general detail of the circum-
stances attending, and subsequent to the murder and
robbery, in which he fully supported the evidence given
by the numerous witnesses examined at the respective
trials. After signing the document, the prisoner said
he felt easier in his mind, and was now more reconciled
to his fate. We doubt not that the foregoing acknow-
ledgment of guilt by the unhappy culprit will, bo satis-
factory to the Court and jury betore whom he was tried.
as well as to the minds of the friends of the deceased.

RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS.
LIVERPOOL,
Sxocx EXCHANOR.—The following are the' quotations of
the actual sales of to-day. It will be observed that they are •
barely so good as yesterday, and the market closes dull.
The sales are—Caledonian, Preference, 4 p.—Grest.
Northern, ri dis.—Lancashire and Yorkshire, 10/. Prete..
rence, 3 p.—London and North-Western, New Quarterly
c. p.—Ditto, Thirds,2 dis.—London Brighton,and South.
Coast, New 5/. Shares, 14 p.—Midland Stock, New Halves/
•
534 dis.— Shropshire Union, 2% dis.—York, Newcastle, ant
Berwick (G. N: E. Purchase), ILA p.—Ulster, 6% dis.
MANCHESTER, AZG. 2.
STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales are—Eait Lancashire, '
Preferenc Quarters, 6-16 p.—Great Northern, 8 15-16
Lancashire and Yorkshire, Preference, 6 per cent., 13-16 P.
—London and North-Western, Fifths, 6 p.—Ditto, Quarters
(C), 2% n. p.—Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire,
Eighths, 51/s dis.—Ditto, Preference, 101 A—Ditto (Grimshy)r
501. Shares, 2134 dis.—Ditto, ditto, 201. Shares, 8 11.16 dis.
—Ditto, ditto, 12/. 10s. Shares, 514 'dis.—North Stailerdshireo
dis.—South-Eastern and Dover, No. 4, c. dis. •
HULL; AUG. 2.
STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales are—Hull and Selby, 100
—Ditto, Halves, 491 A—North British, Halves, 914—Ditto,
Quarters, 43/4--.Ditto, Extension (scrip), 3s. 9d.-Ditto,
Thirds, 525. 6d. n.
BIRMINGHAM, Aua.' 2.
Srock-Exciferwx.—The glint market, from some cause or
other, has been so languid the last two days that there
has not been any official list published.

-----
BRITISH MACHINERY AND MILLWORK.—It
ap
pears, from a return just made to Parliament, that t
declared value of British machinery and millwork, ez•
ported from the United Kingdom in the year ended tbo'
sth of January, last was 1,263,0151. 10s. 4d.

ti
On Monday last, at Easton, the lady of John Henri
Gurney, Esq., of a son.
On the 30th ult., at Brooke Vicarage, near Norwich, the
wife of the Rev. W. Beal, LL.D., of a daughter.
On the 30th ult., at Reading; the lady of H. Phillips, Esq.,
of a son.
On the 30th ult., at Hartharn- cottage, Kentish-town, the
wife of John W. Bennett, Esq., of a daughter.
On the 31st ult., at Havering-grange,•Essex, Mrs. Hope,
of a daughter.
On the 31st ult., the wife of E. West, Esq., of Mornington*
road, Regent's-park, of a son, stillborn.
On the 31st ult., the wife of the Rev. W. Beckett,'ef
Harlow-bush, Essex, of a son. - -
Oa the 31st ult., at Denmark-hill, Camberwell, Mrs. W•
A. Bain; of a son. - •

MARRIED.
On the Ist inst., at St. Min's, Paddington, the Rev. G.
R. Mackarness, M.A., of Merton College, Oxford, to Marl
Ann, eldest daughter of the late Crosby Young, Esq.,
Lahard, county of Cavan.

DIED.
On the 29th ult., at Burght-hall, Norfolk, aged 32, Mrs
Frances Astley, wife of .Fraiteis L'Estrange Astley, Esq. On the 30th ult., Francis Yates, Esq., of Streatham sad,
Mincing-lane, aged
On the 30th ult., at Albert. street, Regent's-park, Benjamin
West, Esq., the youngest scn of the late Benjamin Weill
PresiOent ‘f the Royal Academy.
On the 30th ult., at the Woodrow, Broomsgrove, Worcer
tershire, G. F. Iddins, Esq., aged 66.
On the 31st ult., at Wadenhoe, Northamptonshire, Willis"
Mackworth Bulkley, second son of B. J. M. Freed, aged lour
years and four months.

On the 31st ult., at Brighton, aged 18, Eliza Jane, the
eldest daughter of J. H. Chancellor, Esq., of Chester-terrace,
Regent's-park.
On the 31st ult., aged 42, at Notting-hill, the Rev. Edward
Owen, late curate of Gawsworth, Cheshire.

London: Printed and Published by MURIA) 1:01JNO:116
No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, No. 1010_,
Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, is the meaty
Thursday, August 3, 1848.

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