The Sun.
London, England, 1848-04-29 00:00:00

PERTH CIRCUIT COURT OF

J CIS FICIA RV, APRIL 22.

CHARGE OF MURDER.—James Robertson was placed
at the bar, accused of having, on the 24th December,
1847, in a house on the farm of Unthank, near Brechin,
occupied by William Norrie, got possession of a female
illegitimate child, of which he was the father ; and that,
on the farm of Cookston, end mar the public road lead-
ing to Breehin, did thereafter %iekedly and feloniously
put the clothes which were upon the person of the child
over her head and miff .sated her, and in that way mur-
dered her.

The prisoner pl-aded not guilty.
Witnesses were examined in support of the prosecution,
faun whose evidence it appeared that the prisoner, who
wii.y a farm servant, was fatherof several other illegitimate
children. Jean Guguid, the mother of the child, deposed
to buying carried the infant to the prisoner, at his request,
three Weeks after
charge, at his sister's house, who
was married,.. Oil the
its birth, .and to having left it in his
prisone. s sister t.
un.derstrding th.oartrlioeb-owraast-i!atothieinavditailinst,7asetestliotn.y,Tarliide
stated that her brother desired her to say that the child
was-to be with her-all • night. The prisoner, however,
after the mother a it: feft took away the child, which
was wrapped up in three shawls to protect it from the
cold. Before doing so, his sister requested him to leave
the child with her ! I-Ave') it ; but he objected, and said
1 that his mother would hear of it. He said he was going
to cake it.to a place-about - a mile and a half west from
I. the place he livedat,.where [l, *Oman was to keep it.
Ii William Jack, 1 a14;*!Li,144 'in the Forfarahire rural
'police. d,poned ihat.on. the -sth March the mother of the
;child:and ,hee brother • came to him, anti stated that the
;prisoner haliconfessettiii "the fOrmer that he ha-1 made
,„ ....
1 away with the chttit.on the night she gave it to him, anti
buried it in a tielii-of- land. In consequence of this in
Iformation, he apprehended the panel on the followilig
!morning. Panel confessed to having made away with
ithe child by gathering the clothes over its 114 ad and
istnnthering, it. .• .
The rri.oner's ireet.4:rations. were then read, which de-
tsilv d with great itun.utenesaajulleotifession of the whole
af air. lie stated that was 25 t-ear, of age ; had three
other illegitimate children beside those that Jean I)uguid
had to him ; that their maintenance pressed hard upon
him ; anti it was from that circumstance that he had been
imluced to do the deed.

The jury retired for about 15 minutes, and on return-
ino.' into court delivered a unanimous verdict of Guilty
as libelled; but, from the candid way in which he had
oonfessed the deed,'strankryireaommended the prisoner
o mercy.
I Lord .UOSCREIFF then addre.sed the prisoner upon
the awful situntwa in which his crime had placed
him, and advised him eamestly to reflect on his
aondition, and turn to God in prayer and repentancs
ttat his sins might be washed out in the blood of
the Redeemer. In reference to the recommendation
o the jury, it would certainly be attended
to in the pr‘per quarter ; but the Court could hold out
to him no strong hope; of mercy. He was then sett-
t6nc,•d to he executed at Forlar on the 19th of May.
The prisoner heard his sentence unmoved, and ap-
peared throughout the whole trial to be little impressed
with his situation.

CHEMISTRY OF THE SEA.
The folloning report of a lecture on the ab,we subject,
f-ecntly delivered by Dr. Williqrni, of Swansea, at the
Royal Institution of Britain, will be read with
luterost

Dr. Williams commenced by demonstrating, by
means of en apparatus contrived for the purpose, the
ffecteof pressure on fishes at definite depths beneath
the surtace of the sea. flaying shown that a gold
fish when the water in which it was placed was
subjected . to a pressure of four atmospheres
nelmene paralysed, 1)r. Williams stated the following
eoticlusions:—lst. That, round fishes, having an air
blidder, cannel, without injury, be exposed to a
pr+asure of more than three atmospheres. 21. That the
use of the air• bladder is not so much to regulate the
spticific gravity of the animals as to resist the varying
force of the fluid column, and thus to protect the vis
cern ar.d abdominal 1)1:Jed-vessels against excess of
pressure. 3d. . (Though in this case the results
are less striking), flat fish exhibit a limited capa-
city only for sustaining pressure. From these ob-
servations, Dr. Williams inferred that the condition of
nrAsure regulated the distribution of fishes in depth.
Referring to the experimental researches of Pro-
resior E. Forbes, he expressed his conviction
that pressure would be found the most impor •
tant element in the problem of submarine organic
Ile observed that he lower animals evinced a toler-
ance of pressure peculiar to each species, and deter-
mining its zone of depth. The laws oceanic tempe-
rature were next explained. •It was experimentally
demonstrated that the expansion of sea water is consi-
derably greater than that of pure water under equal in-
crements of heat. It was, however, established by the
aerometer that density did not diminish in exact propor-
tton.with the increase of volume. It was argued that this
experiment went to eccou nt for the expansion of crystals by
hear, as noticed by Mitscherlich : and that it is also proved
.hat.in the case of two strata or water of dissimilar tempe-
rature over-lying each °tie r in the ocean, the tendency
to intermixture by vertical molecular attraction was
ereater than would be the case if the sea consisted
or -distilled water. It was contended that it was in ac
cordance with the principle,: developed in this experiment
that the warm water occupying the greatest depths in the
sea (as discovered by Sir James Ross), rose to the
eurrace and escaped under the form of vapour, which, by
diffusing warmth through the atmosphere, mitigated
the rigour of pier cold. Referring to the stratum of
water of uniform warmth observed by Sir J. Ross, the
lecturer stated that he had ascertained by experiment that
water acquires a considerable increase of temperature
under great pressure, and that he thought that the
temperature of the deep sea could only be satistuc-
terily accounted for by the condensation of bulk
which the air of water' underwent. The increase
of temperature measured downwards from the stratum
of uniform warmth to , the sea bottom was noticed as
proving that the latent heat of the dissolved air was ren-
dered sensible as the pressure, i. e., the depth, increased.
Dr. Williams concluded by reerring to the maximum
density of water, the laws governing the solution of air
to water, and by explaining the influence of those condi
tions 'on the existence and distribution of plants and
animals in the sea."

REPEAL MEETING IN SIANCIIESTEIL—MAN
TEE, 'filutisDAy.—Last night there was a meetincilhEesld.
t., .
h .o
iii Carpenter's Hall in this city, called together bgy .
pla-
cards, which induced the people of Manchester to believe
chat they would have an opportunity (for the first time)
But it
" that man of the people," John Mitchell.
on Wednesday
the
citmtaunrhuie.id oauhtdtteixatc,iateltdhosougmheMr. Mitchell had crossed
degree of curiosity in
Liverpool. a messenger had on Tuesday evening arrived
.fbiti ;ref him that he must with all speed return to
urhewaswanted in the Court. of. Queen's. Bench
man, who, we understand,any
originltedsagainst hire.
morning, a fresh prosecution having been
.country with spee'
the ___.,e .
,g inst hisii. 'Thus were the people who attended
here,tri'dmmr.tipuh., last night doomed to disappointment,
should take annotoriety present. This gentle-
the ambassador from Ireland," was
he only oratonr3..Of"
is to favour other towns in this
fair field at home.
early lon to violate the law here, but he
passed for Ireland happortunity of doing so upon a
was
11,4
his
oiteaijians of his eloquence, said that it
to meet it. He alluded toinre
. slide law to which he referred was
of Ireland in the Ames,Lrenitana dr, i
et
lheesyon were
the prepared
queti,)n
utaian‘d attributed them to the pen
Ireland; of Mr. Babington Mtn
,preparing as before, remonstrat.
The Government Bill, he
said, would not be aufferedin
s before, arming as
they would go on
oefore. And he told those present;
or Irishmen, if they wished to
theirila,i,te, whether Englishmen
rights observ. d,
:10 to have attention paid to•their prayers, that the)
must arm. There were about. - >
,000 working men.
re-
principally Irish, at the meeting, amay nd it b e
grarded, on the whole, as a complete failure.
ei
[AD VERTISEMENT.]—Another Person Cured of
Dropsy by Holloway's Pills.—Mr. Duncan, an extensive
farmer residing at • the Elms, near Boston, had been for
years in a bsd state of health, the disease produced a
swelling in his feet and ankles which gradually ascended
until the whole of his body was affected; convinced that
he was labouring under a confirmed case of dropsy, Lie'
consulted some of the most eminent of the faculty, and
used their remedies, from which he derived. no benefit.
but. became Worse; in this state he determined to try
Hollowal 's Pills; and, to the wonder of all, this superior
medicine cured him in an incredibly short space of
time. Sold by all Druggists; and at Professor Hullo-
•way7s establishment, 244, Strand, London.,

thi
nrge
theere reference
departuret
etmaotirnuyoodstmral
Britishoael
Agent,
ttseghehreeeo'tnrrhNti
I:sstorui/ha.ect,e,sia4jinri2rate4sm.
ogtti of the
taiheogsrethbGrul
mentioned.
OFFlClALthlf;tilSint.,P,iirAioaw'iUtiyCr;gHAEpSr
THE EXPEDITION.- A.GAINST
A
S'A.-N JUAN DE NICARAGUA.
28. 1843.
(From the Gazette of last night.)
are extracts or
Dispitches, of which'
copies, have been received at this office :
(No. 45.)
" Vindictive, at Jamaica, March 5, 1843.
iAnsl'at'arSmnit7arneWdpolir:ixen for Blevvsfields, to consult with her
M
means
anji
rhetmosos
let
nyon.
f'
obtaintss
ohnC rtaojti Consul-General
euhnilgrn-
beGs
ylurte,el
release
sseorereal aoosulsnfd
army,an
I have the honour to transmit herewith, to be laid
!setore the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. a copy
of a di-patch, dated the 21st February, which I have
this day- received from Captain G. G. Loch, ~f the
Alum, reporting that the ships arrived at Blewfields on
the sth of that month, and Mr. Walker having been em•
harked, according to his request, they proceeded on the
7th for San Juan, where they arrived on the following
(lay.
" As the nearest Nicaraguan settlement was at Sera-
paqui, about thirty miles up the river, which from the
strength of the current and various rapids, is generally
a four days' journey, Captain Loch, accompanied by Mr.
Walker in his own boat, proceeded
.to that place at (we
with a force of 260 men in twelve briefs, and after a most
fatiguing pull of seventy-two hours, anchored on the
evening of the 11th near the spot.
" It was here that the melancholy death of Mr. Walker
occurred ; he was unfortunately drowned whilst attempt-
ing to save the lite of a friend who had accompanied him
gthoaft tchoelonl2eithsathiaes ewxapsecdoitmi,minangdot
ibno hisl
obsotatti,waitri d
lives.hadp frai,leleeendoevde rtbo owaarrddisn
tthhee night.fo r fort, Th
where, eiYt.
isumtahlleiarrmgisg.s,
As
in orderthis a:i
a t)
her Majesty's forces beir g in the
were they seen than they were
ing officer. On nearing it, Captain Loch and Com-
hu eh°relessi
h-etiahgsehe
v, mratnaodirhneidn
ad
mender Ryder pus
state the
a;tth,heub
ototbhhjoebcsyt.oocoanfne
h erndo n and haeerdl
effectually prevented any peaceable arrangements, boats
were at once brought up, and after an hour and a half's
pull against the rapid tide to reach the landing place,
luring which the crews were exposed to a very heavy
tire from both sides of the river, they effected their
object, and the Nicaraguan troops fled at once, when
Captain Loch totally destroyed the fort, and threw all
the arms into the river.
" The less on our side amounted to two killed, and
one officer and 12 seamen, marines, and soldiers wounded,
a list of which is inclosed.
" I have to express my admiration of the great
gallantry, z-al, and perseverance displayed by Captain
Loch and the officers and men of both services employed
under his orders on the occasion —I have, sm.
(Signed) •• F. W. AUSTEN; Vice:Admiral.
" 'fie the Secretary of the Admiralty."
" Fort Saint Carlos, Nicaragua, Feb. 21, 1848.
" Sir,—ln pursuance of your instructions, and in ac-
cordance with the wishes of her Majesty's late agent
and Consul-General, Mr. Walker, I have the honour to
acquaint you that I proceeded up the river San Juan
de Nicaragua, in command of her Majesty's combined
forces, consisting of 260 officers and men, contained in
twelve boats of her Majesty's ships Alarm and Vixen,
and captured the post of Serapequi, after a sharp action
of one hour and forty minutes, with a loss of two killed
and thirteen wounded.
" The post is situated on a point projecting into the
river vary abruptly to the height of 50 feet, is protected
in the rear by a dense forest, and in front by an abattis.
formed of large trees felled, with their heads and
branches reaching into the river. It was only to be
approached by heading a rapid current of nearly five
k'iots an hour in order to pass the fort and to descend
towards a steep and narrow landing-place above the
stockaded batteries.
" On Friday, the 19th instant, Commander Ryder and
myself (who were in advance in our gigs) have in sight
of Serapaqui, situe•ed ut the head of a straight reach of
about a mile and a half long. No sooner did my beat
appear, that she was fired upon by two guns, which
effectually precluded the possibility of any peaceful ar
rang ement.
" 1 therefore waited to reconnoitre until the heavy
bows arrived, when I led them up the river. A spare
pinnace, commanded by Leutenant John:ton, of her
majesty's ship Alarm, containing some of her Majesty's
38th Regiment ; the Alarm's barge, commanded by
Lieutenane Ridge, and First Lieutenant B ,yle, of the
Royal Marines, with a part of his detachment, and the
Vixen's port paddle-box boat, with the head quarters of
the detachment of that regiment, commanded by Captain
Smith, owing to their fast pulling, took the lead after
the gigs, and on we went, but the current was so strong
that one hour and forty minutes elapsed before we were
enabled to pass the batteries sufficiently high to drop
down to the landing place previously mentioned, hr
which time Nearly all the boats were up. I then gave
the order to laud, which they did with an Eeglish cheer,
and in ten minutes our flag was hoisted on the fort.
" After a chase of thirty minutes into the thick woods,
I ordered the recul to be sounded, destroyed the stsck-
ades, spiked the guns, broke t+ ear trunnions and threw
them into the river, tog. then with muskets, ammunition;
and, after embarking tne force, set fire to the defences.
" I was Ili:able to ascertain accurately the loss of the
enemy, owing to the density of the cover into which they
retreated; twenty, ho Never, were found dead, and I
have reason to believe that about double the number
were wounded. Their force consisted of about 201)
soldiers, besides some boatmen, pressed by Colonel Sales
into his service.
" Nine prisoners were captured, amongst them two
wounded officers; these I sent to the ship ; the re-
mainder I have distributed amongst the boats to act as
pilots.
" The defences of the post consisted of six angular
stockaded entrenchments, formed of very tough timber,
eight feet high and four feet thick, one side of each
stockade looking across the river, and the other down
the reach. The principal stockade commanded the
landing place, in which one of the guns was mounted at
the time.
" It was with great satisfaction that I saw the cool
and steady behaviour of the men, under the trying cir-
cuinstences of crowded boats, exposed to a het fire,
from both sides of the river, from unseen marksmen,
without the possibility of effectually returning it., while
in almost a stationary position, owing to the current
running like a mill stream. And it is astonishing to
me that a greater loss did not occur, as the boats were
riddled with shot, and nearly half the oars broken.
" To distinguish one bravo officer from another, when
all did their duty, is a difficult task; but I mar remark,
that I found Captain Smith, commanding the detach-
ment of her Mejesty's 38:11 Regiment, by my side on
landing; Commander Ryder, at the head of his division,
close by me; Lieutenants Johnston and Ridge, of the
Alarm, leading their nen -in gallant style; and First
Lieutenant Boyle, Royal Marines, of the same ship,
leading his detachment as my guard, and showing an
example which bis marines could not but follow.
" Mr. Martin, paymaster and purser of the Alarm,
accompanied me in my gig, and was of the greatest value
and assistance. Besides these officers, I beg to recom-
mend to your favourable notice Mr. Collins, paymaster
and purser of her Majesty's ship Vixen, who was a
volunteer in the head quarter-port paddle-box boat; the
Honourable M. A. Moreton, mate of the Alarm, who
commanded the pinnace, and did good execution; Mr.
Tyler, mate of the saute ship; Mr. N. E. B. Tumour,
midshipman of the Vixen, who was badly wounded; and
I beg to mention a seaman of the Vixen, named in the
margin,* who captured the colours._l have, &c.,
(Signed), e GRANVILLE G. LOCH,
Captain H. M.S. Alarm, and Senior Officer, &c.
" P.S. Commander A. Ryder has brought under our
notice the zeal and gallantry of Mr. F. A. Dewdney,
the S. P. B. boat. Vixen, commanding
midshipman of her Majesty's ship
"I beg also to mention the zeal and activity of Lieut.
Scott, First of the Vixen, in forwarding the advance of
the launches over the rapids, and his exertions in push-
ing on the slow boats of the force.
" Vice-Admiral Sir Francis W. Austen. K.C.8.,
Commander in-Chief, &c. &c."
A. LIST OF BOATS AND THE NUMBER OP MEN ON THE
RIVER SAN JUAN DE NIcARAGUA EXPEDITION.
HER MAJESTY'S SHIP ALARM.
Galley—Captain Loch; Mr. Martin, acting paymas-
ter and purser; crew, 6.—Total 8.
Barge, 12-pounder carronade—Lieutenant Ridge ;
Lieutenant Boyle, R M.; Mr. Tyler, mive; crew, 13;
marines, 10.—Total 26, 3 wounded.
Spare Pinnace, 12-pounder howitzer —Lieutenant
Johnson; Mr. Irvine, midshipman; crew, 13; soldiers,
18.—Total 33; I killed, 1 wounded.
Pinnace, 12-pounder carronade—Honourable H.
Moreton, mate, Mr. Ilatherly, assistant. surgeon; Mr.
Balfour, midshipman; crew, 13; marines, 10.—Total 26;
1 wounded.
Ist Cutter, rocket boat—Mr. W. Rees, boatswain ;
crew, 11.—Total 12.
6.—Total 17-
Tot al 122.
2d Cutter—Mr. Blake. ,• crew, 10;
HER MAJESTY'S STEAM SLOOP YTICEN.
Gig—Commander Ryder ; crew s.—Total 6,• 1
wounded.
Port P. B. boat, 24-pounder carronade—Mr. Collins,
acting paymaster and purser (volr.); Mr. Tumour, mid-
shipman; Captain Smith, 38th Regiment; crew, 15;
soldiers, 22.—Total, 41; 1 killed, 1 wounded;
Starboard P. B. boat, 24-pounder carronade—Mr.
Deudney, midshipman; Lieutenant Hugonin, 38th Regi-
ment; crew, 13; soldiers, 23; Mr. Brown, engineer (volr.)
—Total 38; 5 wounded.
Pinnace, 12-pounder carronade—Mr. Fa rev mid-
shipman; Mr. Le Blanc, assistaet surgeon, 33th Regi-
ment; crew, 13; marines, 10 __sretal 25; 1 wounded.
clerk (volr.); crew; 10 soldiers,
Cutter—Mr. Mol;es, midshipman ; Mr. Campion,
Second Gig—Mr. Lambert, midshipman; crew, 5.
Total 6.
2 Dories Crews—Total4.
6.—
Total 18.
Total 138. Grand total engaged 260; 2 killed and 13
wounded.
Her Msjeity's KILLED.
H M Her Majesty'd ship artn—Jrn
aes Johnson, boat-
swain's mate.
steam-sloop
Vixen—Charles Powell,
captain foretop.

WOUNDED.
Her Majesty's ship Alarm—John Mitchell, cox-
,wain, slightly; Wm. Smallthan, private marine; slightly;
J9hn Powell, private marine, slightly;
John Benney,
priiate marine, slightly; John Nolan, private 38th Re-
giuicnt, slightly.
Her MO
''tY's steam-sloop Vixen—William Haycock,
:corporal 38th Regiment, severely ; Philip Maloney,
private 38th Regiment, severely; David Goodman, pri-
slightly; William Cubitt, private

* Dennis Burke, stokes.