The Sun.
London, England, 1846-02-04 00:00:00

ASSEMBLED.

" The petition of the Inhabitants of Rochdale,
sheweth—That decidedly and conscientiously believing
that the system and practice of war are contrary to all
sound principles of reason, morality, and religion, they
can never look at the existence, much less at the ex-
tension, of this system, but with the most unfeigned dis-
satisfaction and regret.
" It is, therefore, with extreme pain that your me-
morialists have learned that instructions have been given
to enrol the militia of Great Britain for immediate ser-
vice.

" Under any circumstances, your memorialists hold
such system of military training to be altogether at
variance with the spirit and acquirements of the Chris-
tian religion, and fraught with danger to the liberties of
British subjects, and the peace of the empire ; as well
as greatly detrimental to public morals, subversive of com-
mercial prosperity, and peculiarly oppressive to the
working classes of the community • besides adding
largely to the pecuniary burthens of the whole nation.
" But your memorialists are more deeply concern/id
that such measure should be proposed at the present
time, when peace has so long been preserved among all
the great nations of the earth ; when no valid reason
exists for expecting its interruption ; when in so many
instances the possibility and advantage of settling inter-
national disputes by arbitration, without any resort to
arms, have been practically proved ; and when, besides,
so large a standing army is actually embodied and sus-
tained at a coast of so many millions of pounds sterling
per annum.

" Your memorialists are constrained, therefore, by
their most deliberate convictions, respectfully but firmly
to record their protest against the proposed measure ;
and most earnestly to ask of her Majesty's Government
that it be not carried into effect, either in whole or in
part. And your memorialists, &c.
The interest of the meeting was sustained with greet
spirit until about half-past ten o'clock, when a vote of
thanks having been proposed to the chairman, the large
assembly quietly separated. At the close of the meeting
the following individuals were appointed a Committee,
for the purpose of carrying out the fourth resolution,
and adopting every moral means in their power to crush
the war spirit and propagate the principles so plainly
taught by the Prince of Peace :—Messrs. John L'etrie,
Henry King, Oliver Ormerod, James IL Midgley, jun.,
John Ashworth, Edward Taylor, Jacob Bright, jun.,
Jesse Hall, and William Logan.

FALL of a BONDED W AREHOUSE.

FURTHER PARTICULARS.

The particulars of the matter, as far as we have been
with certainty able to gather them, and, as far as they
go. they may be relied upon, are, shortly, as follows :
The warehouse is the property of Mr. John Tipping,
in the rental of Mr. Dean, who again sublets it. It is
situated in Moor-street. To most of our readers, no
doubt, the locality of the street is known ; to such as
may not be acquainted with it, we may say, it is a narrow
street, not more than seven yards wide, and runs west
from Fenwick-street to the Goree-chambers,parallel with
James'-street. To the north of it is another narrow street,
cello] the Old Ropery, and the warehouse which has
fallen stood about midway of Moor-street, and run back-
wards into the Old Ropery, and is said to have been
built more than sixty years ago. Moor-street, it nay
be remarked, en passant, is one of the oldest streets in
the town, and took its name from the once celebrated
family of Mores, of Bank-hall, one of the ancestors of
which, according to the annals of Liverpool, was
knighted and bannereted by Edward the Black Prince,
at the battle of Poictiers, in the year 1346, and it will be
found from the same authority, that so early as 1235,
Sir John de la More occupied the Old Hall, in Old-
hall-street ; and in 1688, the Mores sold all their pro-
perty in Liverpool, and thirteen adjoining townships.
This street is frequently mentioned in the family records.
These particulars, though not absolutely 'relevant to the
matter we have in hand, go to show the antiquity of the
street in which the event we) have to record took place,
and may not prove altogether uninteresting to the ge-
neral reader.

But to the subject matter. The south-side of the ware-
house, situated as we have described, fell on Saturday
forenoon. About twenty-five minutes to twelve o'clock
police officer 540 was on duty at the south end of
George's Dock, when he heard, as he describes it, " a.
long rumbling-noise," and!immediately ran in the direc-
tion from which the noise proceeded, but was prevented
going far by an immense cloud of dust, and when it had
somewhat cleared away found himself near to the ware-
house, and a man standing close beside him. He found
the street blocked up with ruins, and the place
in which the warehouse had stood as open
space, nothing more than a part of one wall
being left standing. He immediately ran and
gave notice to Mr. Dowling, at the office in High-
street, and that gentleman proceeded at once to the
place, accompanied by Chief-Superintendent Quick and
Superintendent Cluff ; and, shortly afterwards, the
mayor, Mr. James Lawrence, Mr. James Aspinall, Mr.
Maxwell, and others, and also Mr. Hewett, of the fire
station and a number of his men_ were in attendance.
Mr. S. Holme was also there, we believe on the part of
the corporation. to assist by his valuable directions as to
what could best be done. Every exertion was made to
clear away the ruins, which work was carried on with
the greatest anxiety for several hours, as it was up to
that time generally supposed that the man Tracy, if not
others, were beneath the rubbish.

" The warehouse was seven stories high, exclusive of
a cellar, stored with rum, belonging to Mr William
Preston, but the cellar being arched, it is probable no
injury bas been done to it.
It is not positively known whether, at the time of the
building falling, there were or not persons within the
cellar, but it is satisfactory to know that the customs'
locker states that he left there but ten minutes before the
event took place, and at that time there was not any one
within. The upper stories of the building were filled with
barrel flour, a quantity of wheat, oats, and a large quan-
tity of peas. Several men, (their number. is not exactly
known), were employed turning wheat in one of the rooms,
but on hearing the first noise intimating the giving way
of the building, they ran backwards, and made their
escape from the rear into the Old Ropery. One of the
men states that he was working on
~the second story
rauwhenup,
d isaatwe hel
)t,hh eeraarnd beamswbha ac what
veai
backwards,
sl
aasye
overz cerdasahh,jigahgnedear, uponhead.
op,
ie look-
aimn
d
threw himself out, and in less than half a minute after-
wards a tremendous crash took place, the beams in the
front portion of the building having snapped like
matches, and the whole of the front part of the immense
pile toppled into Moor-street, a mass of ruins, inter-
mixed with the wheat, flour, and other contents of the
warehouse.
One incident connected with the subject is worth re-
lating. There was a man delivering corn from a lorry
into the warehouse, in Moor-street, directly opposite the
building which fell, and, as is usual, the chain horse bad
been unhooked, and the chains thrown over his back.
Upon hearing the crash, the horse erected his ears, and
evinced alarm ; instantly another noise was heard, when
d
the animal
ss
hsctaai
wstul
co
caught
eughx aatdolmtl
fohppet
permit,hpeee,
but
bud;lf
andpti
hwt
Ia
ieri
nt t
instantlyhgl
ooarf(l
rlfyio tt hewi
had
hhsddpeeeenseseedhdat
arhhsfeeotie an
ilhyaeower
warehouseokls
fewa fol.her awkward
r
fbthleohralweirlenekdidensito the street. Had it not been for this impulse of
the horses, both man, horses, and lorry would have been
covered by the falling pile.
We understand that Mr. Slattery is the owner of the
corn, and that the flour belongs to Messrs. Steele and
Co. The amount of the contents of the warehouse, or
the value of the damage done, we have not been able
yet to ascertain, but it will of course be immense.
There is but one opinion, that the casualty took
place in consequence of some of the floors being over-
laden, but which floor first gave way we have not as-
certained.

No doubt inquiry will be instituted into the whole
circumstances of the case ; therefore it would be pre-

mature and wrong to offer any comments, butowe are
positively informed that upon one floor, a large room,
barrels of flour, averaging about 2 cwt. 201bs. each,
were piled seven deep, independent of a very large
quantity of other goods.
As it may, to persons not acquainted with the circum-
stances, appear strange that the back part of the building
did not also fall, we may observe that there may be two
reasons assigned for this. In the first place, we under-
stand, it was not so heavily laden; and in the next, that
the house was flanked on either side by buildings of modern
date, and that in the back part these were built close up;
whilst in the front, on the Fenwick-street side, there
was a narrow distance intervening, so that when the side
wall gave way, the beams naturally became unsupported,
and the building toppled and fell in the manner described.
It must be remarked, that the part of the warehouse
looking into the Old Ropers is much bulged out and
cracked, and will, of course, have to be taken down. At
present it is supported by props, and istin a very dan-
gerous state.

---
Since theabove was put into type we find that we have
been somewhat misinformed in stating that all the work-
men have been accounted fir. The man Tracy has not
yet appeared, and it is now almost beyond a doubt that
the poor fellow is buried beneath the ruins, as his coat,
which hung in the warehouse near to where he was
working, has been found. Yesterday carts were engaged
removing the rubbish, but in doing this, little progress
has been made. It is right to say, however. that we have
heard that Tracy was seen in the Haymarket after the
time of the accident.—Liverpool Albion.

NARROW ESCAPE OF LIFE FROM
TUE FALL OF A WALL AT DOVER.
(From the Dover Telegraph.)
One of the most miraculous preservations from im-
pending t
o record occurred
cacnuded in bn
death that a irethtea s. everst
ree td
fallenua4t o 04
present week.
About midnight on Mondry Mr. E. Bottle, grocer, of
Snargate-street, was disturbed by a noise, apparently
like the falling of bricks, in the rear of his premises.
Supposing that depredators were endeavouring to effect
an entrance, he aroused the male inmates of his
establishment, with whom he searched the yard, &c.,
and for a while watched the back of the premises; but
observing no indications rendering further precaution
necessary, the whole then retired to rest, totally un-
conscious of their critical and perilous position. About
three o'clock (Tuesday morning) Mr. Bottle was
awakened by a loud crash, and on proceeding towazds
the supposed spot a brick struck his hand, and knocked
out the light which he held. The fearful truth now
flashed upon his mind—that the wall at the back had
fallen against the house, and alarming the inmates,
whose exit by the staircase was stopped by bricks, &c.,
he then called the assistance of the police, who promptly
repaired to the spot and procured ladders, by which all
in the house, viz., Mr. and Mrs. Bottle, two Miss Frys
(who were staying on a visit), two young men, and
a maid-servant effected their escape in their night-
clothes from the front-window. After some time had
elapsed it was found, on an examination of the
premises, that the wall erected against a bank at
the base off the cliff, about thirty feet in height,
and the same in length, as well as some of the bank, had
fallen, and partially destroyed a range of storehouses,
and the parlour, some of the furniture of which was
driven into the cellar, while portions of the fallen mass
had forced their way into the very apartment where the
Miss Frys slept, and who, but for the fortunate position
of their bed, must have been crashed to death. At the
dawn of day the removal of the rubbish was commenced,
and upwards of two hundred loads have been already re-
moved. We hear that Mr. Bottle, who hai recently
purchased the premises, is a sufferer to the extent of
about 4001., and that the re-building of the destroyed
property, &c., will require an expenditure of 3001. or
4001. more.
The premises adjoining Mr. Bottle's also experienced
the destructive effects of the calamitous occurrence. At
Mrs. Brewer's (the Bee Hive) large masses fell on a
workshop and the kitchen, driving the materials into the
tap-room, over which Mrs. Brewer was sleeping ; but
the head of the bed being placed against the wall, the
progress of the large stones was checked. Some loose
rubbish fell, however, on the head of Mrs. Brewer's bed,
and slightly grazed her face, while two pigs were actually
forced into her bed-room.
At Mr. Eiger's, fruiterer, a quantity of rubbish al,to
fell through the roof into an attic, where twr. of his sons
were sleeping. The whole family were immediately
aroused, and in a state of alarm all rushed into the
street with only their bed clothes on.

THE TEN HOURS' BILL.
TO JOHN BRIGHT, ESQ , M.P.
Sir,—l have marked your public progress with con-
siderable anxiety and attention. I have joyfully watebe,i
you emerge from your privacy at One Ash, to become
the Honourable Member for Durham. Since then, I
have seen you warmly, zealously, and eloquently plead
for the emancipation of Commerce. Your course was
rugged—indomitable persoverence bath rendered it com-
paratively smooth, and von are now on the eve of wit-
nessing our virtuous QUeen sign the death warrant of
monopoly. Through this you have deservedly earned
and won the esteem, achnirat!on, and gratitude of your
countrymen. They have brheld a young and earnest
pleader of their rights, nervously confront a titled
oligarchy, in language rendered doubly beautiful
by its intensity of vigour ard truthfulness.
You have appeared as " the poor man's guardian ;" and
helpless intellect—because destitute of worldly wealth—
bath silently prayed for you and yours. The pale
cheeck of poverty and destitution have hung with un-
fading hope upon your holy denunciations of wrong and
misrule. You have thus created a fair and spotless
fame in the brief period of seven years. Why, will you
blight it.? You advocate the establishment of mental
institutions for working men. But of what avail are
they if time is not allowed for the feasting of the mind ?
You assert " that a majority of the working classes are
not in favour of a Ten-hours' Bill." Fain do I trust
'that you did not mean it. The vast majority of the
operatives in manufacturing districts are heart and soul
for the Bill unimpaired. This being the case, who else
ought to be asked ? If the tenant-farmers were
for unshackled trade in corn, you would hold
that alone as sufficient for its repeal. Opera-
tive cotton spinners are tenant labourers for
millowners, as tenant-farmers are for landowners, and
they request a Ten Hours Factory Bill. Will you
grant it ? Will it bring suffering ? Hear yourself :
"He (Mr. Bright) did believe that many years would
not pass by before the operation of the eleven hours'
system would become universal. * * * And no one would
rejoice more heartily than he should to witness such a
state of matters." Why, then, retard, the benign con-
summation? Sir Robert Peel says, three years before a
repeal, and you reply, now ? You say a few years, and
then shorter hours of labour ; but the operatives say,
" now 1" Either procrastination is good or it is not ;
and if you will not allow Sir Robert to defer, how can
you expect the working-classes to permit you to post-
pone ? They join you, Sir, and ejaculate, Now ! It is
truly painful to witness you sacrifice yourself thus.
Whether right or wrong, the feeling will go abroad that
you are determined to " protect " your call at all hazards?
I incline to the contrary. I attribute your unfortunate
support to long and tedious hours of labour, to
miotaken views which reflection will cure ; and, to pre-
serve your unblemished reputation, reflect in time. In
your speech you say, "On one point we were all agreed,
that for men to work ten hours was a more comfort-
able and a more desirable thing than to work twelve."
de-
sirable ,S!,r,foyroumeanretoalwl "
r‘
pry
why don't you support the ten hours! r01i511,76."
you, why ? I don't wish to " parade" _. of nor-
seen
a c i t factate d for Intellectual ‘
y operatives, when
leaving their emplopment, jaded, fatigued, and ex-
okagtreenedho "
hours iaitif!tet is
ad more
ofta i
twelve,
e
hriabulsets:d,buatndyetotally
ine
cap
en-
joyments. It has appeared as if
" Their very pulse of life stood still,
And nature made a pause."

I wish you, respected Sir, to consider this brief effu-
sion as the spontaneous production of half an hour, and
not as a studied or elaborate piece of composition, meant
for critical analysis.—l am, Sir, your faithful friend,
3, South-street, Manchester, J. E,
Opposite the Free Trade Hell.

MURDERS at the CAPE of GOOD
HOPE.

(From the South African Commercial Advertiser, Dee.l3).
MURDER OF CAPT. SHEPHERD, R.A.
The following shocking intelligence has just been
transmitted to us. We give the account in the words
of our correspondent, who writes from Port Beaufort,
under date 31st ult.

" Information has just come in from Post Victoria, of
the murder of Captain Shepherd, R.A., supposed by a
man of his own corps, and who is said to have shot him
as he passed his quarters about two o'clock in the after-
noon. No person saw the act committed, but on going
immediately into the room of the suspected man, his
gun was found quite warm, and had other appear-
ances of having just been discharged. The man himself
was found lying on his bed, apparently quite uncon-
ctrned and unconscious of what had taken place. It
seems that the ball entered the side of the deceased, and
taking a slanting direction passed out at the shoulder
blade. His death was instantaneous."
On Tuesday, the accused, under a strong military
guard, was brought into Graham's Town. He is at-
tached to the unfortunate deceased's company as an ar-
tificer, or what is technically called a wheeler. It is
said that he had been on bad terms with Captain Shep-
herd and that the evidence of his guilt is very strong,
if not altogether conclusive.
MURDER OF THE REV. MIL SCHOLTY.
The following most distressing intelligence has been
received from the Rev. W. J. Davis, Wesleyan mis-
sionary at D'Urban. _

" D'Urban, Nov. 29, 1834, Noon.
" In much haste and great distress I send you an ac-
count of an affair of the most painful nature, which occur-
red in this neighbourhood last night. Three newly ar-
rived German missionaries, of the Berlin Society's
Mission, reached the top of the Fish River Heights,
about seven miles from Port Peddie, with three wag-
gons, on their way to join their brethren in
Kaffirland. They retired to rest in their wag
gons, and the men in charge lay down by the fires as