The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-04 00:00:00

tition presented that evening against the re-commital of
the Bill. He was informed that the promoters of the
Dublin and Galway Railway would not make the line
on their own responsibility, for the shareholders had
held a meeting, and agreed not to go on with the Bill,
unless it was leased to another company.
Mr. BLAKE opposed the re-committal of the Bill, on
the ground that the town of Athlone would not support
two railways.
Mr. MOFFATT was also of opinion that the decision
of the Committee ought to be supported as it was quite
carried out by the evidence.
Mr. T. S. DUNCOMBE said, that in consequence
of one or two observations which had fallen from the
Hon. Member for Roscommon, some answer was required
from him. What were the reasons which the Hon.
Member for Roscommon adduced for the recommittal
of the Bill ? The first ground of complaint
was that he (Mr. Duncombe) as chairman of the
Committee, did not turn a Parliamentary agent out
of the room for giving his counsel the lie.
What was it that the Honourable Member for Roscom-
mon (Mr. F. French) proposed ? Why, that the
Bill should be re-committee, but that it should
not be sent back to the same Committee. What
was this but saying that it should be sent back
to some other Committee, whose decision was to over-
throw the decision of a Committee properly constituted;
and this he believed to be so contrary to the usage of
the House that it was not at all likely to be adopted.
The Honourable Member for Dundalk had stated that
he should have been satisfied if the Committee had
passed both lines, and that good feeling would
thereby have been secured ; but in reply to
this, he (Mr. T. S. Duncombe) was bound to assert
that he had never in the whole course of his
life seen such bad feeling and so much jealousy as bad
been exhibited by both parties in this Committee. It
should be recollected that this line had last session
been thrown out by the Lords. The same had
occurred with regard to the Pertarlington line, as
well also in the case of the Mullingar and Galway line.
The Cashel line, it was notorious, was to be sold to this
Company, and he thought, therefore, that, taking all the
circumstances into consideration, there was every reason
for the decision at which the Committee had arrived.
Then the Irish Great Western, by an agreement, was to
cease to exist if they obtained this Act, as they had en-
tered into an agreement to sell it to the Cashel
Company. What guarantee had the public
that this line would be made to Galway ?
He maintained, therefore, that the Mullingar
Company ought not to be entrusted with the construc-
tion of this line of railway. Then it was necessary three-
fifths of the shareholders of the Cashel Company
should be in favour of carrying out this
bargain, but the evidence adduced before the Commmittee
was to the effect that that Company would not con-
sent to such an agreement. The petitions, too,
presented from parties holding shares in the Company,
were to the same effect. What operated on the minds
of the Committee was, that the Cashel Company were
not the parties to make this railway. Sir John Bur-
goyne, whose official position rendered him an impartial
witness, was also of the same opinion, and considered
that there ought to be three main branch lines—one
radiating from Dublin down to Cashel and the
southern part of Ireland—the other going west
by Mullingar, through Athlone to Galway, and
the other from Dublin to Belfast. The Hon.
Member here produced a large map of Ireland,
in which the coentry was divided into three large
divisions coloured separately, red, yellow, and blue.
The portion coloured red, which occupied nearly
the half of the map, was that which the Hon-
ourable Member said the Great Western
Company modestly claimed for themselves.
Another map was also produced, showing the decision of
the Committee, marked in a similar manner, but show-
ing that the portion coloured red was more equally
divided with the other districts.—(Considerable laughter
was caused by the Hon. Member exhibiting these maps.)
Mr. F. FRENCH repudiated the maps in question.
Mr. SHAW thought there was no sufficient reason
shown for the re-committal of the Bill.
Strangers were ordered to withdraw.
The House then divided, when there appeared—
For the motion
Against it
_ _

GROUP XLII.
The Committee on this group re• assembled to-day at two
o'clock, and went seriatim through the clauses of the
LIVERPOOL AND EtTRY (EXTENSION AND
BRANCHES) BILL,
the preamble of which bad been proved, and then separated.

for common, and some of fins parcels have been taken at
2s 4d to 3s per gallon. For Corn Spirits the demand has been
limited, but prices remain firm. The market is quiet for Gin.
OlLL—This afternoon at public sale 75 tuns of Southern
Oil were all sold at 2215 s to 241 for low to fine quality, being
rather cheaper, 8 tuns of Sperm Oil went at 771 to 77110 s
per tun.
TALLOW.—There are few purchasers of any kind of Russian
on the spot, and the tendency of prices is still downwards,
still foapmakars and chandlers operate with extreme cau-
tion. For forward delivery few buyers are to be met with,
although there are sellers upon lower terms. All other sorts
of Tallow are heavy of disposal.

GROUP XLVIII.
THE TATT VALE.

The Committee met this day at twelve o'clock, Mr. Aldara,
chairman.

Mr. H. Mu, addressed the Committee for a ➢lr. Vaughan,
a landowner, whose property would be affected by the Bill.
At the conclusion of the Learned Counsel's address, the
room was ordered to be cleared.

FRIDAY NIGHT'S G.A.LETTE.
DOWNING-STREET, JULY 2, 1846.

1S hen the parties were called in,
The CHAIRMAN said. that the Committee ,would postpone
giving their decision on the preamble of the Bill till Monday
next.

The Queen has been pleased to appoint Lieutenant-Colonel
Henry De-Tard, of the 99th Foot, and Lieutenant-Colonel
Robert Henry Wynyard, of the 53th Foot, to be Companions
of the Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath.
WAR-OFFICE, JULY 3.

GROUP LIII.

(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)

The following is a farther list of non-commissioned officers
and privates of the Queen's army, kilted in the recent battles
on the Sutlej, or who have subsequently died of wounds re-
ceived in those actions :—_ _ _

DERBYSHIRE, STAITORDSIIIICE, AND

WORCESTER JUNCTION.

This case was resumed by Sir John Rennie, engineer-in-
chief to the line, being called to substantiate the evidence
given yesterday by his coadjutor, Mr. Remington.
It being intimated to the Committee, at the conclusion of
Sir John Rennie's evidence, that all opposition had been
withdrawn, they decided that no further evidence was ne-
cessary.

29th Foot—Pierce Ambler. John Barry, James Beaumont,
Richard Bentley, Charles Beresford, Michael Blackburn,
William Blazer, William Box, George Boyce, \Villain
Boardman, Isaac Bobbin, Benjamin Broom head, Joseph Brown,
John Burrell (alias W. Holmes), Peter Callan, C. Challener,
Andrew Colquhoun (corporal), Edward Courtnay, John
Chapman, Charles Clee, Charles Copeman, James Corbett,
Bernard Dailey, George Day, Patrick Dormody, William
Duckham, William Duncan, Patrick Dunphy, John Do-
naughey, James Drew, Jeffery Durston, Marma-
duke Davis, John Deeran, Daniel Denny, Charles
Elvin, Abraham Ellender, Thomas Evans (corporal),
Edward Fuller, Edmond Fitton, William Flood, Patrick
Frayne, Frederick Green, Richard Green, William Guire,
Thomas Goodier, William Gates, John Giles, George Green,
Francis Greenway, Thomas Hadkinson, John L. Harter, John
Hastewell, William Haltu, William Hearne, William Helum,
David Hodgkinson, Jas. Harrison, Wm. Harrison, Wm. Head,
Alexander Henry. Robert Hodder, John Huolahan, James
Holmes (sergeant), John Howlett, William Hunt, William
Hill, Thomas Illingworth, Edward Johnson, John Jackson,
Robert Jones, George Jubb, Matthew Kelly, Patrick
Keelan, James Kehoe, Charles Kerle, Henry Lane,
James Lewis, William Lord, James Locock, Thomas
Langham, William Larner, Mathias Laugelin, John
Marshall (colour sergeant), Patrick M'Anley, Matthew
M-Kenny, John M'Crackin, John M'Ken, Thomas M'Manus,
James Manhinny, Thomas Mellon, William Mullholland,
Jeremiah Murphy, Patrick Nolan, John Neal, Michael
O'Connor, James O'Donnell, Robert Pitcher, John Parle
(drummer), John Robert, Wm. Reading, Jas. Rice, Daniel
Rice, Thomas Ryan, John Roebuck, Geo. Reed, Geo. Sands,
William Saunders, William Sheldon, William Shelton, John
Smith (sergeant), Charles Smith, John Smith, Michael
Smith, Daniel Sullivan, George Sutton, Robert Scott, William
Stanton, Hugh Stewart, Thomas Stewart, John Swaby
(colour sergeant). James Teasdale (corporal), Joseph Tcole,
William Toms, Hugh Taggert, John Taylor.
29th Foot—James Warren, John Watts, Henry Webb,
Robert Whinyates, Charles White, James Wier, George
Wilkins (colour sergeant), Charles Withey (corporal),
Henry Wilson, , Winniford Winn, James Woodcut, Henry
Watts, James Wason, James Weathers, John Webb, William
Willis, John Wilson, Gorge Walton, Thomas White.
ADMIRALTY, JUNE 23.
Corps of Royal Marines—Sergeant Major W. Ruston to be
Quartermaster.

The preamble was then declared to be proved, the clauses
gone through and passed, and the report agreed to.

SHREWSBURY, WOLVERHAMPTON, AND

SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE JUNCTION.

The clauses of this Bill were then gone through and agreed
to, as well as the report.
This brought the Committee's labours to a close, and they
accordingly dissolved.

Majority against it —vll2
NEW WRITS.

On the motion of Lord MARCUS HILL, new writs
were ordered to be issued for the following places :

PLYMOUTH.

In the room of Lord EBRINGTON, appointed a
Lord of the Treasury.

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVtNING, JCLY 4, IM6.

THE ECLAIR AND THE AFRICAN

FEVER.
(Prom the Medical Gazette.)
In the last volume of this journal some remarks were
made upon the alleged importation of the African fever,
and the state of the Eclair steam-sloop, which had
recently reached this country from the coast of Africa.
The official report of the condition of that vessel on its
arrival, by Sir W. Pym and Mr. J. M. Arnott, will be
found at p. 1,043 of the same volume. So soon as this
report appeared, we did not hesitate to express the
opinion, that the fever had certainly, in this instance,
spread by contagion, and that it was prebably some
sevAv modification of the African coast fever, described
by Dr. M.William as non-contagious. The report
read red it evident that the fever thus imported to our
coast retained its virulent contagious character, even
after the arrival o:' the vessel at the quarantine station
of Standgae Creek. This inference was drawn from
the facts-1, that so many medical men entering the
ship at different places during the voyage had been at-
tacked, and four had died ; 2, that the coast pilot taken
into the vessel at Portsmouth was speedily carried off by
an attack ; and 3, that a physician who had volunterred
his services on the arrival of the vessel at Standgate, had
been soon afterwards seized with the fever.

The circumstances which came to the knowleige of
Sir W. 11)3ra and Mr. Arnott in October last appear to
have left not the slightest doubt in their minds that
there would be the greatest danger in allowing free
intercourse with this pestilential ship ; and subsequent
events have most strongly justified the conclusion at
which they then arrived. It was considered necessary:
—l. To observe strict quarantine. 2. To separate the
sick from the healthy so soon as an opportunity should
occur without endangering the public health. Some
dissatisfaction was expressed, at the time, that this plan
of separating the sick from the healthy had not been
adopted immediately on the arrival of the Eclair; and we
gather from the correspondence now before us, that a
propcsition has been made to remove the sick at once to
Haslar Hospital. This was on the 29th September,
1845, when, on the day preceding, the following certifi-
cate had been given by Dr. T. H. Salter:—
" Motherbank Quarantine office, Sept. 28, 1845.
" I hereby certify that I have examined the comman-
der and sergeon on board her Majest)'s steam-ship
Eclair. I find that as many as 60 have died of fever,
and that as many as seven are still suffering from that
disease. Three of the cases have commenced within the
last week; and the type of the fever is of the most severe
form—that accompanied with black vomiting. Under
these circumstances, I have recommended the superin-
tendent not to release the vessel, and submit this report
of the case. I cannot but consider the disease contagious.
" T. H. SALTER, M. 1)."
Dr. Richardson, however, in a letter addressed to the
Admiral if the station, calls the disease the "tilious
remittent fever," and ascribes its spreading among
the crew to the Net that they had all been exposed
to " malaria "on the coast. He further observes,
Notwithstanding the extraordinary mortality that
has swept off so large a proportion of the
crew of the vessel, I entertain no fears of her being the
means of introducing epidemic disease into this country."
At the very time these lines were penned, the so-called
bilious remittent" had actually, as we now find, be-
gun to spread with fatal rapidity among the inha-
' bitants of the huspitabh island where the vessd had
been allowed to take shelter on her way to England.
Dr, Richardson's view was supported by the opinion of
Sir W. Burnett ; but, fortunately for this country,
judging from the facts now brought to light in the cor-
respondence before us, these suggestions were not acted
upon. The vessel was ordered to Standgate Creek, and
arrangements were mane to separate the sick without
exposing any person to the risk of infection, or giving
this " bilious remittent " the opportunity of diffusing
itself through England. In our judgment, it certainly
would have been better could this plan have been carried
out on the first arrival of the vessel, without incurring
loss of time by sending her to a remote quarantine sta •
tion ; and Mr. Arnott, it appears, had entered into an
arrangement to that effect with Read-Admiral Parker.
We learn, however, from the correspondence of Sir
NV. Pym, that there was a want of proper accommoda-
tion at the Moth-,rbank; and, on the whole, it was con-
sid ,red better for the healthy and sick that the vessel
should proceed at once to Standgate Creek. The pro-
gress of the disease, after the arrival of the vessel there,
has been already detailed in our columns, and we shall
therefore pass to another part of the subject.
The must interesting portion of the correspondence
before us, is that which refers to the results which fol-
lowed the visit of the Eclair to Bona Vista. Govern
ment has been for some weeks in possession of the im-
portant information, which is now, for the first time, laid
before the public. The correspondence can, we think,
leave no reasonable doubt that the fever of the Eclair
was of the worst and most malignant form; that its real
character, as marked by the occurrence of black vomit,
was concealed from the Portuguese Governor-General of
Bona Vista; that it was eminently contagious, and
wholly different in its nature from the coast remittent
fever.

A letter addressed to the Earl of Aberdeen, by Mr.
Rendall, our consul for the Cape Verde Islands, dated
St. Antonio, December 22, 1845 (received March 9,
1846, extracts from which we have already published),
detailed the opinion which led to the belief that the
disease was the common African fever, which led to Dr.
Kenny granting pratique to the Eclair, and to the ad-
mission of her unfortunate crew to the fort upon the
island.
This letter, it will be observed, is dated Dec. 22. The
deaths are therein stated to have amounted, at that time,
to 250. The latest intelligence, in this correspondence,
brings us to a letter from Ponta do Sal Antonio, dated
March 9, 1846, received April 17. From this we learn
that the sickness still continued in the villages of the
interior of the island, awl that the number of deaths
then amounted to upwards of 400. Our space will
not allow us to make any fuither comments on
this report in the present number ; but we must
request our readers to observe that after the crew
had left the ship, and were stationed on the island, the
disease continued to spread and to prove equally fatal—
that only one short week after the departure of the
Eclair, a Portuguese soldier, who had been housed with
the crew, was seized and died, that the following day
another soldier died, that two more were seized, brought
into town, and from this time two or three cases occurred
daily, all within the immediate neighbourhood of the
houses where the first death took place! Those who
were inclined to disregard this clear order of causation,
and to refer the disease to stagnant water, malaria, &c.
—very convenient means of evading a difficulty in a
theory—now began to alter their opinion, and finally de-
clared the fever to be of a most contagious nature. If any
confirmation of this opinion be required, it will be found
in the statement that the fever, almost without exception,
proved contagious to those who acted as nurses to the sick !
Now we care not whether a disease of this description
be called " bilious remittent fever," or not ; but the facts
here related are entirely opposed to the premature as-
sertion of Dr. Richardson, that there would be no fur-
ther risk of infection under the circumstances than in
ordinary cases of typhus fever. These facts pleinly
show that the greatest ri.k might have been incurred
according to his suggestion. It is, indeed, a matter of
vtryf
iuslrteiag teffects
hnae nradniodnif t
progressstohraaabtl
apnaardr partial
go iunoa
perished on board this vessel ; but we must balance
aarbi:. enTgytgedai
dorianeindetscamof tati
tltthahtt' tii;hsnooei admitting
thaiihesdti
intercourse with the crew which has led to the depopu-
f
lation
by those who had strength to remove from it.
fevers are very interesting as subjects of discussion,
and
merit or written treatises. So long as they are
confined to discussion no harm is done ; but
when carried into practice, at the possible
risk of endangering the lives of
thousands,
it is but a poor compensation to find, when hun-
dreds are laid in their graves, that the medical theorist
retracts his opinion and acknowledges his mistake. We
are no advocates for the maintenance of the •
quarantine
laws in their present absurd and anomalous condition ;
but we are still less disposed to join with the commercial
party, who either, cannot or will not see anything like
cause and effect in events like these, which to unbiassed
minds cannot fail to bring home the most complete con-
viction. If any explanation can be given of the diffusion
of this " common African fever" throughout the island
of Bona Vista, independently of its importation by the
Eclair, and its subsequent propagation by human conta-
gion, we think that the common opinion of small-pox
or any other disease being contagious, must be at once
abandoned. If no other explanation can be given than
that which we have suggested, then we must admit that
this country has had a very narrow escape from a disease
more dangerous than either the plague or cholera.
The most important question in the correspondence
on the subject of the Eclair is undoubtedly that which
relates to the contagious or non-contagious nature of the
fever, which this vessel is alleged to have brought from
the coast of Africa. On this point the Superintendent-
General of Quarantine, Sir %V. Pym, and the Director-
he
ing
General of the Medical Department of the Navy, Sir.
fearful
theai
W. Burnett, entertain directly opposite opinions; and it
may be easily conceived, therefore, that the Lords of the
Admiralty have felt exceedingly embarrassed in laying
down rules for the commanders of vessels on the African
station, or in advising or sanctioning a departure from
any of the quarantine regulations now in force. The
question at issue involves many important ques-
tions: thus it not merely includes the possible importa-
tion of a very fatal and unmanageable disease into our
own country, but the entire prohibition of commercial
intercourse with other European states. The tact that
we are satisfied with certain medical theories on the
subject, by no means binds other countries *o join in our
views ; and we should very soon find that by prema-
turely laying aside our own quarantine laws we should
only be adding to the rigorous and universal application
of those restrictions which the non-contagionist party
already complain of as a great bar to commercial inter-
course. The House of Commons has already, and very
properly, ganetioned tie principles of a relaxation
these laws ; but the Govyrument most go beyond this,
before it wide:laic.* their :holi!iori—it must be prepared
to show, to the satisfsction of all Europeln
that there are no grounds fir tueintaining them, or a
reform of our own etem will only be productive of
greater injury than that which already exists.
Thus, to take th case of the Eclair, we find from t 1; :g
thtJ, on the intelll.zence th:?. arriv,o
this vessel in Eneland reacoing Napl,,s, tiA English ves-
sels were immediately required to undergo a severe
quarantine, those coining from parts between Portland
and Doter be:rig abs .lotely excluded I The British
Minist.-r ate-re! fed to effect some mitigation of thi
order—a rept csesiteti. having been made that, owing
to the sanitary restrictions imeosed, tie fever fad ti t
spree I ; hut this was of no avail. Without entering
into the- cptosti.,:i of the infitir‘t?oe znia=nrta, the use
ardent spirits, inert! See., it the prAlhc-i<
of the disease, wits- titer :t w 3; a river or coast
a simple remittent or e h•lious remittent—the Neapo-
litan Council, on the 25th of October last, came at once
theories
earimense:,dsulnipiclehofettl
ingenuity,
itlnecnotai:l