The Sun.
London, England, 1848-01-10 00:00:00

IRELAND.
DEATH OF REAR-ADMIRAL SIR THOMAS
USSHER.
DUBLIN, JAN. 7.—The death of this veteran officer,
who had just assumed the command of the Irish k
craval
station at Cove, is thus announced by the Cor B

porter of Thursday :
" We regret to have to announce the demise of
this distinguished officer, which melancholy event took
place at the Admiralty House, Cove, this morning, at
three o'clock. Ile had attained to the age of nearly
seventy, and was universally esteemed for bis
thee
mable qualities. He was selected to convey
Emperor Napoleon to Elba, and remained on that
station in command of her Majesty's ship Undaunted,
until the royal captive had made his escape from it
and returned to France. The following is an emi•
meration of Admiral Ussher's services :—Midshipman
of the Invincible in Howe's action in 1794. Acting
Lieutenant of the Minotaur, serving on shore
with a division of seamen at the reduction of St.
Lucia. Acting Lieutenant of the Pelican in the
action with the French frigate Medea in 1796.
Acting Lieutenant of the Pelican at the sinking of
the French 16-gun privateer, Trompeaur, in 1797,
and at the capture of Trinidad. Commanded the
boats:of the Pelican in twenty. five actions, in which he
was twice badly wounded. Lieutenant commanding
the Colpoys destroyed several batteries and signal
stations on the French coast. Commander of the
Redwing, 1806 and 1807, in which period he drove
or, shore a Spanish flotilla at Tariffs, again at Calassel
Valencia, and subsequently destroyed three priva-
teers, and attacked a flotilla off Cape Trafalgar, sink•
ing four and capturing eight of the number. Cap-
tain of the Lewden in the expedition to Walcheren,
and of the Hi acinth in 1811, and in command of
the boats of the latter ship, in conjunction with those
of the Goshawk and the Resolute, entered the harbour
of Malaga, spiked the guns on the Mole•head batte-
ries, and boarded and brought out two privateers.
1812, Captain of the Undaunted at the destruction
of a five-gun battery at Carai, and cutting out a
French brig. Captured the town of Cassis, destroyed
the batteries, and brought out or sunk all the
vessels. Conveyed Napoleon to Elba. Sir Thomas
lissher :received the appointment of Rear-Admiral of
the White and hoisted his flag as such on board the
Crocodile, at Cove, only two days ago. He has left
Three sons and two daughters. His eldest son is
pos-captain in the navy, the second Captain of Ma-
rinas, I:nd the youngest is, we believe, in the Com-
missary department, serving at Canada."
THE LORD CuaNcEaLoit.—We are happy to state
that his Lordsh;o is so far recovered that he was able
to come down 'to the drawing-room on Wednesday
and Thursday, and renained several hours.

THE IRON TRADE.
BIRMINGHAM, SATURDAY.--'l he colliers in the iron
district still continue out, and front the further sus-
pension of forges, in all probability, in the course of
a few weeks the number of men unemployed will
be considerably increased. From a statistical
account published in the Birmingham Journal this
morning, it appears that the Staffordshire mining
diArict, which six months ago presented a scene of
busy and profitable industry unequalled in any other
part of England, wears just now a changed and
cheerless aspect.
There are altogether 137 blast furnaces in the dis-
trict. Of these, 58 are out of blast and 79 in, and so
lately as since December, 38 of the 58 named as blown
out have been stopped in consequence of the depressed
state of trade.
The number of furnaces in blast in the depressed
state of trade in June, 1843, was 72, and out of blast
69—total, 141.
The ironmasters' meeting next week will be looked
forward to with considerable anxiety, both by sellers
and buyers, to know what will be done. If the men
remain out, several of the ironmasters now working
short time will close their works altogether until the
crisis has passed over.

The accident in the tunnel, near Leek, mentioned
in last Saturday's Mercury, was not so disastrous in its
results as was at first feared. David Smith was the
only workman killed; three others were seriously in-
jured, but are in a fair way of recovery; the other three
men who were in the works at the time of the accident
escaped unhurt. An inquest was held on the body of
Smith, on Saturday last, before W. Harding, Esq., co-
roner. From the evidence then adduced it appears that
all the workmen got safely out of the way of the blast,
and were returning to their work when, without the
least notice, about twenty tons of red sandstone fell,
striking Smith, and the three others, who were injured.
Some hours strenuous exertions were necessary before
the pour fellows were extricated from the fallen mass.
The jury returned a verdict of " Accidental death."—
Staijordshire Mercury.
The Earl of Carlisle, we are happy to state, has
rallied, and his medical attendants have hopes of his
ultimate recovery. Viscount Morpeth has returned to
Castle Howard, from Hull, where his Lordship was stay-
ing on official business, when intelligence of his noble
parent's sudden and serious indisposition reached him.
A body of more than 4,500 students waited yester-
day on M. Michelet with an address, expressing their re-
gret at the suspension of his lectures at the College of
France. Not the slightest disturbance of public order
took place.—Galignani of Friday.
STRANGE OCCURRENCE.—A very strange occur-
rence happened last week in the neighbourhood of Llan-
geitho. A poor weman—who occupied a part of a small
cottage, in one end of which, separated only by a par-
tition, lived other people—was taken ill, and after a
short time died. The corpse having been laid out in the
usual manner, the neighbours left the house and locked
the door. They were, however, soon aroused by a very
strange noise in deceased's apartment, similar to hard
coughing, which, as might be supposed, frightened them
not a little, but no notice was taken of it; but, on enter-
ing the apartment the next morning, they found the
corpse turned on one side, the eyes wide open, and the
bands that tied the hands together were loose, and the
sheet that covered the body thrown off. It is presumed
that the deceased must have been in a kind of trance
when laid out, and afterwards in the agonies of death
struggled violently. The neighbours are greatly to
blame for not entericg the house when they heard the
coughing.—Observer.
SNUFFERS.—A gentleman travelling in the interior
of Brazil put up for a night at a farmhouse, furnished in
the primitive style of the country; but on the table, in
company with a long tallow candle, :were placed a
handsome pair of plated snuffers and its stand, which he
had received as a present from Rio Janeiro. " What
conveniences you invent in Europe!" said the Brazilian
to his guest. " Before Treceived this present, I used, after
taking off the candle snuff, to throw it about the floor, or
perchance on the bench where I was sitting, or over my
clothes—but now, mark the difference." So saying, he
pinched off the lung snuff between his thumb and finger,
put it carefully into the snuffers, and put them up with
a look of triumph at his highly amused spectator.
REMARKABLE EXPERIMENT.—A recent work of
science gives the following novel experiment, which
settles questions of some importance in philosophy:—
" Two hundred pounds weight of earth were dried in an
oven, and afterwards put into an earthen vessel. The
earth was then moistened with rain water, and a willow
tree, weighing five pounds, was planted therein. During
the space of five years the earth was carefully watered
with rain rbzilnlgo willow
mixed
dw
withan d
flourished;
water,and t
oor p
rpeuvreen
twtahtee
earth
fresh earth or dust blown in it by the winds, it was
the
covered with a metal plate perforated with a great
number of small boles, suitable for the free admission of
air only. After growing in the air for five years, the
tree was removed, and found to weigh 169 pounds and
about three ounces ; the leaves which fell from the tree
every autumn were not included in this weight. The
earth was then removed from the vessel, again dried in
the oven, and afterwards weighed ; it was discovered to
have lost only about two ounces of its original weight;
thus 160 pounds of woody fibre, bark, or roots were
certainly produced ; but from what source? The air
has been discovered to be the source of the solid
element at least. This statement may at first appear
incredible, but, on slight reflection, its truth is proved,
because the atmosphere contains carbonic acid, and is a
compound of 714 parts by weight of oxygen, and 338
parts by weight of carbon."
A LIBERAL LANDLORD.—That excellent and truly
liberal nobleman, the Lord Dinorben, has intimated to
his numerous tenantry, that in future they may consider
the hares and rabbits on their farms entirely at their
own disposal.—Carnarvon Herald.
HIGHWAY ROBBERY AND ATTEMPTED MURDER.—
On Saturday the police received information that on
Thursday last, about six o'clock in the evening, whilst a
man named Joseph King, a travelling tradesman, was
passing through a lonely part of Exminster-lane to
Kenford, near Exeter, he was attacked by_two men, who
first demanded his money or his life. The poor fellow
having refused, they threw him ,upon the ground and
his ri aud s
treated him with brutal violence. One of the men gave
him a kick in the side which
severely injured him in other pabr
rts ok
ofe the bodbs, c
y, that he
brought up a considerable quantity of blood. Whilst in
an insensible state they robbed him of three 5/. notes and
41. in gold and siears of age, remains it-
lver. The unfortuna.te man, who
ca-
upwards is
a a very pra-
upwards of sixty y
rious state.
The Earl of Durham is at present at Lambton
Castle, near Chester-le street, in the, county of Durham.
His Lordship has also staying with him another young
noble, Lord Bruce, we believe. They both appear ardent
admirers of the sports of the field. The Earl of Dur-
ham is in his 20th year.—Nerocastk Guardian.
GLASGOW COTTON MAUSItT, JAN. 7.--Holders
still demand rather higher rates than those current
lately, which has in man.y instances been acceded to,
though the demand has been very slightly improved.—
Scotch Reformers Gazette.
ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY.—At the meeting of this
society on Tuesday evening, January 11, a paper will be
communicated by Professor Owen, on some remains of
the large extinct birds of New Zealand, which have
lately been transmitted to him by Mr. Mantel!, and
which include nearly perfect crania of Dinornis and
Palapteryx.
A temporary change of wind in the latter part of
last week enabled a number of vessels to leave this port,
where they had been windbound for several weeks.
Indeed so great had been the detention, that it wits
estimated that there were not less than 1,700 ships in the'
harbour, a greater number probably than were ever
collected in the river before.—Newcastle Chronicle.