The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-02 00:00:00

THAMES.

Mrs. Sarah Baker was charged on a peace warrant
with using threatening language towards Mr. Jacob
Baker, her brother-in-law.
Mr. Pelham appeared for the complainant, who carries
on business as a baker, in High-street, Bromley. The
defendant was th• wife of his brother, a painter and
glazier, in High-street, Stratford. On Sunday, the 14th
of December, the defendant knocked at Mr. Baker's
door, and asked his wife where Jacob Baker was. She
answered that he was at home, and the defendant told
her she had brought him his two children, and he must
support them ; at the same time forcing them into the
pas,age. Mr. Baker on hearing this came out of his
room, and said the children were none of his, but his
brother's. The defendant said the complainant was the
father of them, and demanded a weekly allowance for
their supp)rt, and added that she would compel him to
maintain his offspring. The complainant said if she had
any grounds for charging him with being the father of
her children, to appeal to the law, and told her to go
about her business, for the children were none of his.

The defondant said, before she replied to the charge
she would request her husband, who was seated at the
solicitors' table near her, to withdraw, as what she had
to say was not fit for him to hear.
The husband said he would not leave the Court—he
would hear all.

The defendant then repeated that Jacob Baker, and
not her husband, was the father of the children.

The complainant was then examined at great length
by his solicitor, and he said he believed the accusation
was made to extort money from him. He had lodged
with his brother and sister-in-law, but he never paid her
any particular attentions, nor was he ever guilty of any
Impropriety with her. His sister-in-law had annoyed
him before, and he caused her to be taken before the Il-
ford Bench, and the Magistrates had warmed her not to
annoy him again.

Ultimately, Mr. BALLANTINE expressed his belief
that the woman was labouring under a delusion, or else
her object was to extort money from her brother-in-law.
She might settle other matters with her husband, but he
would not have the peace broken, and would require bail
for her future good behaviour.

The defendant, after being locked up four hours, put
in bail, her own husband, who is a housekeeper, being
accepted as one of the sureties.

George Pullen and William Martin, who surrendered
up-in bail, and John Cruse, who appeared for the first
time, and gave himself up, were charged with assaulting
and rubbing John S. Harris, on the 10th of Nov. last.
After a tedious discussion,
Mr. Pelham said he had a complete answer to the case,
which he knew must go to the sessions, and
Mr. BALLANTINE, who would not entertain the charge
of robbery, held all the defendants to bail, to answer at
the next sessions a charge of assaulting, beating, and
wounding Harris.

THE RECENT ACCIDENT ON THE

NORFOLK RAILWAY.

GENERAL PASLEY'S OFFICIAL INQUIRY.
THETFORD, THURSDAY.—Yesterday morning, Major-
General I'asley, the Government Inspector-General of
Railways, arrived by the early train from town, to in-
stitute his official inquiry respecting the late overturn-
ing of an engine and train on the Norfolk Railway,
whereby the engineer and stoker lost their lives, in order
to frame his report of the catastrophe for the guidance
of the Board of Trade.

On his reaching the station of this town, he imme-
diately proceeded to that part of the line where the
accident happened, which passes through Kelveston
Valley, attended by Mr. Duff, the Chairman of the
Company, Mr. Till, the Secretary, Mr. Marshall,
the Locomotive Superintendent, and Mr. Merritt,
the contractor for the permanent way, and com-
menced the investigation by inquiring into the
state of the road where the engine went off. Mr.
and Mr. Merritt conducted him about 250 feet
from where the engine was lying to the broken chair,
and then pointed out the exact point, which was
twenty-two feet distant. The course of the engine
was then minutely explained to him, as being in an
oblique direction, how she pitched on her side twice,
and then went over or down the embankment.
Having taken a note of these facts, as also the appear-
ance of the rails which had been torn up, and which
laid on the side of the line, the engine formed the next
subject of his inquiry. It had been raised from the hole
at the bottom of the bank, having sunk deep into the
soil, and was perfectly at view for the most searching
examination. It was minutely inspected by him, as-
sisted by Mr. Marshall, internally and externally. The
plates and cylinders had been removed, and although it
had received many bump 3 and bruises, no damage was
discovered that was likely to hare caused it to run off.
It was thought from the circumstance of the engine
jumping at the same moment as the fire and steam flew
from it, as described by the witnesses at the inquest,
that the boiler or some of the tubes had exploded. The
supposition, however, has been entirely set at rest, as
not the least injury was found that could have caused
such a result ; the regulator remained in the same posi-
tion, and clearly indicated that the steam had been shut
off by the unfortunate engine-driver, Pickering. There
was no axle broke, or any of the rods that worked the
driving wheel ; all were found perfect, with the excep-
tion of a trifling defect, which could not in any way be
said to have led to the accident.

The principal witnesses, Coldman, the guard, who had
charge of the train—Tedder, the second one—as also
the plate-layers, were in attendance to be examined by
the General. He, however, did not take their state-
ment; no doubt finding the newspaper report of their
evidence sufficient for his information.

Mr. Wright, a county magistrate, residing at Kelveston
Hall, was present, and General Pasley, hearing that a
person in his employ had seen the accident, and had
timed the rate of the train just previous, desired that he
might be sent for. On the man arriving, he stated that
he saw the train upwards of a mile before the engine
ran off the line. He saw it pass the mile-post in the
Kelveston-cutting, as also the one near where it hap-
pened with the accident, and it was going at a very
great rate. He thought sixty miles an hour; for he
pulled out his watch and timed it. It ran from post to
post in a minute.

The General requested a sight of the watch, and,
judging from its antiquity that it probably might not
have one of the most accurate movements, having no
second-hand, he thought that there might be some
mistake as to the speed the train was said to be
travelling at.
At this juncture a train was heard coming up, and the
party retired on one side to let it pass, which it did at
the ordinary rate. Mr. Wright, evidently much amazt.d
at the velocity, alluded to that train's progress as a cor-
roborative proof of the man's assertion, and pointing to
the passing train, observed that it was going at sixty
miles an hour. A dismision then ensued, and on the
General being applied to, he remarked that, standing as
they did on the side of the line, the train might seem to
be going at a greater rate than it really was. For his
part, he did not think it was proceeding faster than 30
miles per hour.
It was expected that General Pasley would have gone
on to Norwich, where the shattered carriages of the
train had been taken to, but he left for London about five
o'clock. Although he did not give any opinion as to the
cause of the disaster, yet it is very probable, from the
remarks that fell from him, that he will come to the same
conclusion as Mr. Bidder and Mr. Marshall. He ob-
served, that the escape of the passengers was most mira-
culous.

Since the inquest the bodies have been interred at Ely.
They were married ; and lledgar's widow had only been
confined a day or two prior to his dreadful fate.

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THE OREGON QUESTION.
(From the, Times.)
Our columns of Monday contained, and were almost
monopolised by, the prolix and interesting, but not amus-
ing correspondence carried on during the last twelve-
month between our Minister to the United States and
the two for,igt Ministers of the Republic, Messrs. Cal-
houn and Buchanan. Without at all professing to dis-
sect these State papers with the accuracy and minute
criticism which their importance deserves, we may yet
lay before our readers a summary of the more salient
points which this voluminous correspondence presents.
The first letter of the American Minister, Mr. Cal-
houn, dated September 3, 1844, commences rather omi-
nously :

" The undersigned declines the proposal of the Bri-
tish Plenipotentiary, on the ground that it would have
the effect of restricting the possessions of the United
States to limits far more circumscribed than their
claims ch arty entitle them to. It proposes to limit
their northern boundary by a line drawn from the
Rocky Mountains, along the 49th parallel of latitude
to the north-easternmost branch of the Columbia river,
and thence down the middle of that river to the sea,
giving to Great Britain all the country north, and to
the United States all south of that line, except
a detached territory extending on the Pacific,
and the Straits of Fuca from Bulfinch's Harbour to
hood's Canal. To which it is proposed, in addition, to
make free to the United States any port which the
United States Government might desire, either on the
mainland or on Vancouver's Island, south of latitude 49
&grees."

His successor, Mr. Buchanan, concludes his letter of
the 12th of July, 1845, by proposing to the British Go-
vernment, in the name of the President, that
" The Oregon territory shall be divided between the
two countries by the 49th parallel of north latitude
from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean ; offer-
ing, at the same time, to make free to Great Britain any
port or ports on Vancouver's Island, south of this pa-
rallel, which the British Government may desire."
It will appear, therefore, on reference being made to
the map, that the representative of the American
Government claimed for his country all the district be-
tween the 49th degree of north latitude, including the
Columbia River and the land on each side of it, and ex-
clusively only of such port or ports on Vancouver's Island
as we might wish to retain, south of this line ; whilst,
on the other hand, our Minister claimer; on our behalf
all the territory that lies to the north and north-west
of a line continued from the present boundary in the
parallel 49 degrees to the north-east point of the Co-
lumbia, and drawn through that river to the sea, with the
reservation of a coast district in favour of America. A
glance at the map will show that the objectof both diplo-
matists was to obtain for their respective countries the
navigation of the Columbia and the possession of the ports
at its mouth. The former of these the American Mi-
nister claims for the United States exclusively ; whilst
ours was content to share both the benefits of its naviga-
tion and the possession of its banks on equal terms with
the counter-claimant. But the terms proposed pleased
neither party. Mr. Pakenham expressed a hope that the
American Government would be " prepared to offer some
further proposal for the settlement of the Oregon ques-
tion more consistent with fairness and with the rea-
' sonable expectations of the British Government."
And Mr. Buchanan replied to this in a letter which
concludes the published correspondence, by withdrawing
the proposition previously made by the United States
Government to Great Britain. Such is the aspect, as
yet revealed, of our diplomatic relations with the Ameri-
can republic. It is one which presents difficulties, but
not such difficulties as can only be cut by the sword.
The correspondence which has taken place, while it re-
flects great credit on the talent, is no less creditable to
the temper, of those who have conducted it; and though
we might be disposed to carp at some of the verbal
sophisms and special pleadings employed by Mr. Buchanan,
we are more inclined to praise the unbluster-
ing and dignified tone which distinguishes both
his and his predecessor's communications. The
rights on which rest the claims advanced by
the Ministers of the two nations are threefold ; viz.,
those of discovery, occupation, and the transmission
of Spanish rights. England claims the valley of the
Columbia River, and the coast to the south of
Vancouver's Island, on the authority of disco-
veries by Cooke, Vancouver, and Mackenzie ; on
the authority of the Nootka Sound Convention in
1790 with Spain ; and of settlements effected and
maintained at different ti mes by British subjects. The
United States claim the territory on the ground of dis-
coveries made by her citizens Gray, Kendrick, &c.; of
the cession made by Spain in 1819 ; and of occupation
and settlements previously, as well as afterwards,
Effected by American traders. It will be obvious that
the right of sovereignty which attends discovery, unless
backed by some decisive measures on the part of the
Government by whom or by whose subjects the disco-
very is made, is worth very little. Did the rule prevail
that every nation was entitled in perpetuity to the sove-
reignty of any territory discovered and claimed by any of
its a übjects, without any immediate act on the part of its
Executive to enforce such claim, the tenure of most colonial
dependencies at the present day would be one of very equi-
vocal legality ; and, indeed, there is so much obscurity
and doubt hanging over the history of all territorial
discoveries, that it would be difficult to suggest a worse
title than that which is conferred by the assertion of
such a claim, unsupported by any evidence of confir-
mation by the Government in whose behalf it is repre-
sented to have been made. In the present in-
stance the honours of discovery appear to be
due to a Spanish navigator of the 17th cen-
tury, Juan de: Fuca, who has given his name to the
strait that separates Vancouver's Island from the main-
land. Nor is a much better title afforded by mere oc-
cupancy unprotected by the home Government of a
state, ant unrecognised by foreign nations. The question
of right is thus narrowed to the consideration of the
original proprietorship, and subsequent alienation. The
American Ministers assert, not only the valley of the
Columbia, but the whole of the Oregon territory—and
territory as far as the 52d degree of north latitude—be-
longed to Spain, and was by Spain transferred to the
United States at the treaty of Florida in 1819. They
say that they have a title not only to the valley drained
by the Columbia, but also to the whole of the
Oregon ; and they take credit to themselves
for evincing no small moderation in proposing the
parallel of the -49th degree as a boundary line. The
question, therefore, arises, which is the better claim ;
that which is founded on the treaty by Spain with Eng-
land in 1790, or that which rests on the Florida treaty
with the United States in 1819 ? By the former Spain
agreed to give indemnity to British subjects dispossessed
of their settlements about Nootka Sound, and to gua-
rantee the same liberty of access to the citizens of both
nations, "as well in those parts which were to be re-
stored to British subjects," as in the other part of North
America, which then belonged to Spain. By the latter
she ceded all her authority and jurisdiction over her
provinces in North America to the United States.
Now, when it is recollected that in 1789, Spain
abandoned her settlements in Nootka Sound, and
that from this time she appears to have ne-
glected this portion of her colonial empire alto-
gether, it seems a very questionable doctrine to hold
that any treaty made 30 years afterwards could trans-
fer to another nation possessions left, and recognised as
left, in the hands of Englishmen. The only parties to
the treaty of 1790 were England and Spain. The
country which was the subject of the treaty was after-
wards abandoned by Spain. The parties expressly men-
tioned in the treaty as to be " indemnified " and " re-
stored " were English. It seems difficult to avoid one of
two conclusions on premises like these, viz., that the
property and possession of this district were virtually
ceded to England, or that Spain and England were to
hold it on terms of joint occupancy. In the former case
Spain could have no right whatsoever to transfer it
by a treaty made 30 years afterwards ; in the other
she could only surrender the moiety of her posses-
sions and rights which she shared with England.
In neither case can the United States claim the exclu-
sive sovereignty of the Oregon territory. But we are
aware that it is not the equity of a title which is alone
allowed to determine questions of this kind. The inte-
rests of the litigant parties form an important element
in the materials for the deliberation of diplomatists. It
is for the advantage of the two
it
countries that the dis-
pute should be speedily settled ; is for the advantage
of the whole civilised world that it should be settled
amicably. It would be monstrous that two nations
which have for twenty or thirty years been enjoying
this vast territory on terms of joint occupancy,
should now proceed to a violent and sanguinary ter-
mination of their several claims. It' would be mon-
strous that claims virtually disallowed by the hitherto
existing conditions of settlement should now he
set up to deprive British settlers of some of the chief
advantages which they have heretofore possessed in
security. If Great Britain had no right to any portion
of the Oregon territory, or if the occupation of the
Columbia valley was an invasion, how comes it that the
United States Government did not remonstrate long
ago ? Why were Englishmen allowed to settle at all in
the Oregon ? How came they there at first ? The
answer is plain. There could have been no exclusive
right avowed on the part of the United States to the
possession of this district at the period of their first
settlement. There is nothing of the kind pretended to
in this correspondence. The whole country was prob-
ably regarded as open to the colonists of every nation.
Florida Afterwards, the treaty of was pronounced
or pretended to have ceded the entire government of
it to the United States. But the very policy pursued by
them shows that they felt the difficulty of acting upon
such a title. And, if there were difficulties then in the
way of an exclusive claim, there are no less difficulties
now, when the numbers of the settlers have been in-
creased and their relations complicated by time. It
must be a matter of arrangement. Each of the two
nations has enjoyed the full advantages of the district,
in respect of rivers and harbours. It would be unjust
to make such a partition as would take from the subjects
of either state privileges to which they have been accus-
tomed. Great Britain proposes to oivide the use of the
Columbia River with America. Why should the latter
reject this offer ? The subjects of Great Britain have
privilegehitherto enjoyed this in common with American
citizens. It would be carrying concession to the verge of
servility were the English Government to assent to such
a deprivation without obtaining some compensatory
benefit ; and why did the American Government reject
the proposal of submitting the question to arbitration ?
The English Government has no other desire on this
subject but that which inspires the English people to act
in the spirit of fairness and of peace. It covets no ex-
tension of empire ; it seeks no unjust aggrandizement ;
it earnestly deprecates the notion of hostilities between
two kindred nations, but as earnestly revolts from the
idea of neglecting a few helpless. subjects in a remote
and unprotected district, or of subitiing to any sacri-
fice incompatible with tLa national honour. It, there-
fore; would wittingly confide the decision of its claims
and .the definition of its rights to any impartial arbiter,
if it should be found impracticable to arrive at a Wis.,
factory settlement by negotiation,

FLANDERS MAIL.
BRUSSELS, DEC. 30.—The Moniteur Beige contains iD
its official part the promulgation
1. Of the law which fixes the contingent of the arse
for 1846 at 80,000 men. The amount of the levy fbr
1841 is fixed t 10,000 men.
2. Of the law authorising the importation 41
Dutch and Belgian ships, of 4,083,000 kilogrammes °f
toff, e, the produce of the Dutch colonies at the reduce"
duty of llf. 50c. per 100 kilogrammes during the 115',
seven months of the year 1846, and also of 1.05,000 t).
grammes of tobacco, not of European growth, at "'e
same duty as that imported under Belgian colours dire'
from the place of its production.
The Senate met on Sunday evening, at half-past eigbl
o'clock, to discuss the project of law relative to
/10II:
treaty with the United States. After three '
deliberation, it was adopted unanimously, on M. Cassie'.
declining to vote.
A letter from Antwerp, of the 28th, says, " The start
from the south-west still continues, accompanied with
heavy rains. We are still without information from 01
river. Several chimney-roofs in the city have beet'
damaged by the storm."
The Precursier has the following, dated Antwerp'
29th:—" :—" The Princess Victoria steamer has at leper
brought in news from Flushing. During the whole c
yesterday a dreadful storm continued to rage. The
Soho could not put to sea till this morning. It paged
_A
the night in the channel of Terneuse. It is report c 7
that a vessel has sunk on the coast, between Heist all
Blankenburg. We hope that there is some mistake,
that this vessel is the Malabar, which has entered
Ostend. It is, however, certain that considerable vac'
tities of wreck have been picked on the coast of
ders. It is also said that a strange vessel has been Oh
on the bank of Calloe, N.E. of West Cappel, but nothics.
certain is known."

BELGIAN FUNDS.—Bausms, DEC. 30.
Actual Debt, 2% per Cent ••• • • •
Rothschild's Loan, Five per Cent .. —
Loan of Thirty Millions, Four per Cent • • •
Ditto Three per Cent.
Ditto Thirty-seven Millions, ditto
Ditto, ditto, 1840 • .
Ditto, ditto, 1842........
Ditto, 1844... • • •••••• • • • • • ..... • •• • 99 St
Ditto, 1836.. ........ •••• • • • • • •
Ditto, 1838 ............. ..... •.. 74%
Ditto of the City, 1332
Ditto, 1843 ............. ••• • • • • •••• • • 1003(]
Bank
•..• •••. • • • • 777 775
—Brussels Papers. Dike. 30.