The Sun.
London, England, 1848-11-02 00:00:00

OPENING OF THE BASINGSTOKE BRANCH

OF THE BERMS AND HANTS.

This long delayed branch opened this (Wednesday)
morning, the first train leaving Reading at 5 minutes
past 9, and doing the distance (151 miles) in 45 mi-
nutes, as it arrived at the Basingstoke station at 50
minutes past 9. There are to be. daily (for the present)
four trains each way, viz.—The first from London, Pad-
dington station, at 27 minutes past 7, reaching Basing-
stoke at 50 minutes past 9 ; the second from Padding.
ton, at 15 minutes past 10, reaching Reading at 55
minutes past 11, and Basingstoke at 30 minutes past
12 ; the third leaves Paddington at half-past 12, reach-
ing Basingstoke at 20 minutes past 2 ; the fourth, from
Paddington, at 50 minutes past 4, reaching Basing.
stoke at 10 minutes past, 6. There is but one sta-
tion between Reading and Basingstoke, viz., at Mor-
timer, about 7.11 miles, or nearly half way. The build-
ings, offices, waiting-rooms, furniture, are all of first-rate
quality, and are most substantially built. The Great
Weitern runs parallel with the South-Western to the ter-
minus. An opening is being made, so that passengers
arriving by one to go to the other line have but a few
yards to walk under cover. The advantages are ex-
pected to be considerable to both Basingstoke and Read-
ing, particularly to their markets—Basingstoke, on a
Wednesday, for corn and stock—Reading, on Saturday,
also for corn and other agricultural produce. Passengers
coming from Southampton, Portsmouth, Salisbury, and
other important towns on the South-Western—as well
as from Chichester, and other places on the South-Coast
line, instead of their going as formerly, by way of
London, to Reading, Oxford, Cheltenham, Gloucester,
&c., will now be enabled to get out at Basingstoke and
go directly to Reading, saving a distance of 66 miles by
line, and three miles from the Waterloo to the Padding-
ton station, and the advantage will be still greater,
when the line from Oxford to Rugby is opened, which
is now in progress. By this line, therefore, the
connexion will be complete between the South-
Western, Great Western, North-Western, and South-
Coast lines. Goods also will be conveyed at a great
saving in cost, as well as being delivered in less than
halt the time, without being damaged, as has fro•
quentlY been' le case by being removed first from the
South-Western Railway trains into waggons or carts to
be taken to the Paddington or other stations, many also
being lost in their transit. The passengers from Alton
and places in that part of Hampshire will also save seven
miles in distance going from the Basingstoke station,
instead of, as they have been in the habit of doing, going
from the Winchtield station on the South-Western line,
even to Reading. Graziers attending the large fairs in
Hants, Wilts, and Dorset, will find also this connecting
branch a great benefit to them, enabling them to send
their stock in a more safe and expeditious manner than
driving for many days across the country.
More persons attended the Basingstoke market this
day than had ever been seen before, many corn dealers
from Reading, who before seldom thought of attending,
being present, besides many more millers and farmers.
The road throughout is generally upon a level, and
exceedingly well laid, the rails being chiefly on chalk,
running very easy.
The curiosity for opening lines seems to be much
abated. This day being wet, very few were seen looking
on, excepting those interested in the undertaking.

_ECOMMENDATIONS OF T
summits AGAINST ACCIDENTS
e Elly RAILWA Y COMMIS-
COLLISION.—In re-
porting upon accidents by collision—the most aggravated
form of railway casualty, . but now, owing to the great
care adopted by the companies, the least recurring cause
of accident—the Railwaytbiitp _Commissioners, as the result
of investigation in thirty-seven cases, recommend that
in large trains there should. be a sufficient number of
guards to work the brakes, and that collisions are to be
attributed to their deficiency, It had beets
that a brake should be attached
to every fourth carriage, and, by a royal ordinance of the late Government of
France, a similar proposition was enjoined for all the
trains on the French railways. They consider it ques-
tionable, however, whether, with the extraordinary speed
this'
now commonly in use, even
proportion would afford
sufficient security. The Commissioners assume that the
same power which can stop train within a given dis-
tance from a speed of twent; 're miles an hour would
require nearly four times-
that distance, under
similar circumstances, tostop
epced of fifty miles an hour, a train from a
a speed now frequently
adopted. To attach a number of guards duly pro-
portioned to its weight and the speed. at which it is to
travel would cause a considerabtlbeeinccrease.in the work-
ing charges of railways; but
important tuombemmsioners con-
sider the question too abandoned on
such grounds, and that it requires the serious
considera-
tion of every railway company
in the kingdom. They
have pointed out to Captain finish, of the London and
1 North-Western, these their views as to the evil of a
deficiency of brake power in magnifying the effects of
collisions, in order to the making some joint recommen-
dation to be generally adopted fur pablic safety. The
Commissioners are also of opinion that the unequal
height and gauge of what are called "buffers" tend to
aggravate the injuries arising from accidents by collision,
and they recommend uniformity as far as possible.
A new eight-wheeled engine has been running on
the London and North-Western, with 100 tons, at an
average running speed of fifty-one, and at a maximum
running speed of fifty-three, miles an hour. This is one
of the greatest performances of the " narrow" gauge as
yet, and is looked upon as a stolen march on its rival the

broad."
CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAILWAY.--Traffie for
sandcattle,
a
the week ended October 28, 1848 :--- Coaching traffic,
1,2861. 18s. 71d.; parcels, 711. 135.3 d.; good
6d
239/. 7s. 4d. •
1,7651. 12s. Sid'. steam boats, Total,
1671. 13s.
SOUTH-EASTERN RAILWAY.-Gross traffic receipts for
the week ended the 28th October.-Passengers-First
class, 11,733 ; second class, 29,059 ; third class, 31,070;
total, 71,862; amount, 6,762/. 6s. Bd. ; carrying account,
2,460/. 7s. 10d. Total, 9,222/. 145. 6d.
ULSTER RAILWAY. The traffic on this railway was,
for the week ending the 29th day ut October, 1848 (36
miles)-Passengers, 11,158; amount, 526 L 9s. Id.; goods,
3381. 3s. 9d. Total, 864/. 12s. 10d. Corresponding
week, 1847 (twenty-five miles)-Passengers, 14.709 ;
17
amount, 5151. 15s. Od. ; goods, 3121. 13. ..,. KA
. Total,
828 L 12s. sd.
BELFAST AND BALLYIKENA.-The traffic on this
railway, for the week ending Saturday, 28th
October,
1848, was as follows :-Passengers, 6,614 ; amount,
529/. 3s. 3d. ; goods, 85/. 2s. id. Total amount,
414/. ss. 4d.
THE TouRNAY AND JURDISE.---ThiS litlO was opened
en Tuesday with much pomp and ceremony at Tourney.
The line, which has just been inaugurated, unites the
two chief cities of Hainault, Mons and Tourney, and
connects with the general reseau of the Belgian railways
the district of Ath and the surrounding cantons, and
opens the most direct communication, by Tournay with
Lisle, Calais, the north of France, and Brussels, on the
one hand, Charleroi, Namur, the south and east of Bel-
gium, and the whole of Germany, on the other hand,
The West Flanders railways will be very much benefited
by the opening of the Tourney and Jurbise line, which is
thirty miles in extent.

The Earl of Lincoln arrived in town yesterday
from Nuneham.

Notwithstanding your own ably-written articles
upon railway business, I am much opposed to restric-
tive measures of legislative interference, being more
disposed to leave business transactions, whether com-
mercial, share, or other, as free of the trammels of
law as possible. In my humble opinion, were the
Legislature to properly define the law of debtor and
creditor, lessen the expenses, and award adequate and
certain punishment to the villanous defaulter, few
would have the hardihood to incur the responsibilities
which the designing are daily incurring; but whilst
the debtor can, in the most simple contract debt, ac-
cumulate costs and extension of time before his cre-
ditor can obtain judgment, how is it to be expected
that those who have incurred liabilities in shares,
with the present greater uncertainties of law upon
this subject, should cease to extend those liabilities,
or that new candidates should be found willing to
run the risk of incurring such.
By the last account the "Bulls" have apparently
gored the "Bears" fearfully; yet the Bruins having
the power of assuming the bull's hide and horns,
may return to the onslaught under the disguise, with
dire resolve terminating in victory. You, therefore,
do well to warn the bona fide shareholders; let not
such parties rest from their labours until they have
compelled the Stock-Exchange to adopt such altered
regulations for the government of the members of that
body as shall protect the public as well as themselves.
They should shorten the time for delivery of stock,
and if not delivered in time, give an option of can-
celling to the buyer ; let the quotations in the Lon-
don list show the sales for the account, for money, and
for time, the time being distinctly stated. And were
they to quote the rates of the day for carrying over
stock, it would be beneficial information for country
"Bulls."

This would be a step in the right way until next
session of Parliament, when a removal of the onerous
transfer and proxy stamps ought to be insisted upon ;
after their removal, further stringent alterations in
the Stock-Exchange rules might be made to advantage.
I think few persons engaged in the share trade
will believe that the present rise is either owing to the
published accounts of the London and North-Wes-
tern, or the letter of the Iron King ; the public is, I
believe, not now buying to any extent, and until con-
fidence is restored I am persuaded the real invester
will hesitate to trust his capital in the market; the
" Bears," I doubt not, will endeavour to cover their
losses by " bearing" at present prices.
I am, yours respectfully,
B. E.
Nov. 1, 1848.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR,—Your valuable journal having lately taken
much interest in the state of the share market, and
contributed mainly to the greater improvement which
has taken place, you may be gratified to hear that
the Liverpool stock-brokers have this day come to a
resolution to limit the time for delivery of transfer
shares to seven days after account day, and thus give
less time to the " Bears" to hold tickets before they
deliver stock.

It is generally expected here that the measure will
meet with the warm approval of the public, bring
much bond fide business to our market, and ultimately
induce all of the principal stock-exchanges in the
country, and even that of London, to follow the ex-
ample.
Should you consider the resolution worthy your
notice, you have my full permission to use the inlor-
mation.—l am, Sir, yours, &c.
JOS. iIASELDEN,
Of the firm of John Haselden and Son, Brokers.
Liverpool, Nov. 1, 1848.

CHARGE OF ROBBERY.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Sin,—Having my attention called by a friend to
your report of Worship-street in yesterday's paper,
in winch my poor unfortunate boy stands charged
with robbing his employer of copper• plates and
selling them for old copper—l shall not now attempt
to extenuate the crime with which he stands charged.
I. merely wish you to contradict the last paragraph,
which states that he appeared perfectly callous. That
apparent callousness arises from an almost total deaf-
ness ; that he did not hear a word the magistrate
said to him, and would not have made an answer if
the policeman in attendance had not repeated to him
the question of the magistrate, as to what he had to
say for himself. As a proof that he is not callous,
when the officers closed the cell and separated him
from his afflicted mother, she herself inlormed me his
shrieks were heart-rending. In justice to his
afflicted parents, I beg you to contradict that state-
ment. Proofs of his integrity up to this unfortunate
affair will be produced at his trial, and other circum-
stances of a palliating nature. I would not have
taken this liberty but for the fact that it will be
copied into the weekly papers, and thus create an
erroneous impression with those who may have to sit
in judgment over him, and with my friends and rela-
tions in the country.
Your obedient and afflicted humble servant,
G. BU ItRO WS.
48, Long-alley, Bishopgate, Nov. 1.

z _
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR,—Thomas Storar and Co. present compliments
to the editor of The Sun, and beg to correct as under
in statement, as copied from the Northern Whig of 24th
inst., as to the Skibbereen flax meeting.
" Mr. M'Adain stated that several vessels had lately
brought into Belfast, flax of the value of about 6,000/.,
and not that 10 vessel► had arrived bringing 60,C00/,
worth. lie also spoke of some flax grown in this country
(Ireland) worth 604 per ton, and nut as ho is reported to
have said 180/.
138, Cheapside, Oct. 31, 1848.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
CHA.NNEI, SQUADRON.— The following ships and
vessels aro ordered to sea, on the 15th instant, from
Portsmouth :---The St. Vincent, 120 guns, Rear-Admiral
Sir Charles Napier, KC.B.; the Prince Regent, 92,
Captain W. F. Martin ; the Powerful, 84, Captain the
lion. Robert Dundas, C.B. ; the steamers Stromboli,
Commander Lord Amelius Beauclerk ; Reynard, Com-
mander Cracroft ; Rifleman, Lieutenant Crofton, and
Sharpshooter, Lieutenant Bailey. Madeira is reported
as the extent of their cruising ground. The St. Vin-
cent, Prince Regent, Powerful, and Sharpshooter, are
at Spithead; the Stromboli, Reynard, and Rifleman, are
being refitted in the harbour and dockyard.
The Sappho sloop, 16 guns, is being rigged b)
'he Dockyard hands at Portsmouth, preparatory to
commission.

The Collingwood, 80 gun-ship, in deck at Ports-
mouth, is undergoing an extensive repair to fit her for
another commi,sion.

Captain Edt n, of the Victory, is chosen to supply the
place of his brother, Captain Henry Eden, as private
,ecretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty, the former
succeeding Commodore Bremer in the superintendency
of Woolwich Dockyard. Captain Francis Blackwood
is one of the officers named as the successor to Captain
Edt n, as flag-captain to Admiral Sir Thomas Capel, at
Portsmouth.

APPOINTMENTS.
::Commander--George H. Gardner, to the Steam Fac-
tory, Woolwich.
Lieutenant—F. H. Hawkins, to the Steam Factory,
Woolwich.
Surgeon Superintendent—C. A. Browning, M.D., in
charge of the Hathemy convict ship.
Second Master—J. P. Dillon, to the Fisgard pendant
ship, at Woolwich:
Midshipmen—A. J. Innes to the Daphne corvette at
Chatham; C. J. Grant to the Teazer steam-vessel at
Woolwich; George B. Thomas to the Amazon corvette at
Devonport; S. B. Piers and J. Ward (b) to the Victory,
tlog ship at Portsmouth.
Naval Cadet—G. D. Brockman to the Amazon.
Ships to be Advanct d—The Queen Charlotte, 104
guns; the WineheLter, 50, pcop frigate; the Vindictive,
50, and the Carysfort, 26, a: Portsmouth, are ordered to
be repain d and made ready fur recommission at Ports-
mouth.
Th© Driver steam-sloop, Commander Johnson, is at
awaiting ailing orders.
anchor at Spithead,

BRISTOL A FREE PORT.—BRISTOL OCTOBER 31._
Yesterday a most important special meeting of the cor-
poration of this city was held, in orch r to carry into
ffect the Act of Parliament passed during the last
session, by which the docks and harbour were transfers d
to and vested in the mayor and corporation, who were
previously vested in a private company.
t‘mpowtred to reduce the various dock dugs,
&e., the
(Eloeksha
committeeving m bee(
ensisting of the most eminent merchants,
kc., in the town council, to consider what reductions
could be made, yesterday presented their report, which
recommended that the tonnage rates upon first class for-
•!iga shipping, which had hitherto been 3s. per ton,
should be reduced to Is.; that the tonnage rates on
second class foreign ghippin:7 should also be reduced front
2s. to Is. per ton; that the duties upon Irish shipping
hich had been Is., should be reduced to 6,1. pertot7:
and that the tonnage on coasting vessels should be re'•
duced from 6d. to 4d. per ton.

DUBLIN, MONDAY.—A man, of the name of Fitz-
gerald, was arrested in the p, dice barracks, near Thurles,
with an " Address to the People of Ireland," signed
" Shanarest," calling on them to rescue Mr. Smith
O'Brien. The fact of his walking into the police bar-
racks with such a document in his possession would go
to prove that he was either mad, or an agent of the con-
stabulary.
lama LAW Ch ANGES.—The Evening Packet states
that a measure is in contemplation with a view to abolish
the equity jurisdiction of the Court of Exchequer in
Ireland, and to transfer it to the Court of Chancery. As
a measure of economy the proposition has, we believe,
been brought under the consideration of the Treasury
authorities, anti has met with their approbation. Ru-
mour has already selected an eminent equity lawyer,
now upon the Exchequer-bench, as likely to be the first
occupant of the Vice-Chancellor's seat.
POLITICAL REFUGEES.--Mr. Joseph M. Rivers, o:
T.) broughney Castle, county Kilkenny, has arrived in
France, and is now in Boulogne-sur-Mer. Mr. T. B.
Ryan, of Li:cahill, has arrived in France, and is in Bou-
logne. Mr. John Farrell, of Carick-on suir, and his
family, have arrived at Havre, with the intention of pro-
ceeding to Americo.
TRIAL OF MR. KE VIN IZOD O'DOHERTY.
Yesterday, the Hon. Judges Torrens and Crampton
took their seats on the bench at ten o'clock precisely.
Mr. BUTT commenced his address to the jury, and said
that they knew that the punishment which the Act un-
der which they were trying that young gentleman im-
posed was transportation for life, or for a term of years,
with a power in the Court to mitigate to imprisonment.
But they knew also that in every case, and he did not
complain of this, in which there had been a conviction
under that Act, the penalty of transportation had been
inflicted; and that even where verdicts were returned
accompanied with the stongest recommendations to
mercy, the Court, merciful and humane, did not consider
themselves at liberty to act on ',it further than by reduc-
ing the punishment from transportation fur life to trans.
portation for a long term of years; and therefore, in
considering the case, they must consider that they were
deciding on the destiny for life of the young man at the
bar. The Learned Counsel referred to different points
on which he had already dwelt, and proceeded to say that
if they (the jury) should differ with him in think-
ing that the original article in evidence was
in the handwriting of the prisoner, ho would
ask them to examine it, and judge of it by the cir-
cumstances of the country; and if they should find
that it was merely an incitement to retain the harvest at
home, not to find a verd:ct of guilty against his client.
He would ask them, was such an expression of senti-
ments
respecting the harvest worse than what Lord
Althorp said in the House of Commons, during the agi-
tation for reform, when he declared that, if that measure
were not granted, when the tax-collector next came to
his residence he would tell him to call again ?
Judge CRAMPTON—That was not said by Lord Al-
thorp, Mr. Butt.
Mr. Burr—Well, perhaps it was not by Lord Althorp,
my Lord.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL—Oh, no ; nor a great many

other things that have been attributed to the Whigs.
Mr. BUTT—The Solicitor-General will have an oppor-
tunity of replying to me by and by. No doubt it that
observation were not made by Lord Althorp, his Lord-
ship (Judge Crampton), as the friend of the Noble Lord,
was naturally anxious to give an immediate contradiction
to anything of which he thought his Noble Friend would
be ashamed. The Learned Counsel, in continuation,
adverted to the absence of any proof that his client had
been connected with clubs, or had committed any act
evidencing felonious intentions, and said that the fact of
such proof being wanting should be presumptive in
favour of the prisoner.
The following witnesses were then examined for the
de fence :
Edward Purdon—l printed the Tribune newspaper.
Dr. Antisell first called upon me with a view to get an
estimate of the cost of printing; there was not a regular
written contract drawn up, but the terms were agreed on
in letters; I never entered into any contract with the
prisoner fur printing the paper. A Mr. Meany was
appointed the editor of the paper. I accepted the
printing of that paper on condition that nothing sedi-
tious should appear in its columns. Mr. Meany super-
intended the publication of the two last numbers of the
Tribune. I did not see the prisoner at the Tribune
office after Mr. Meany became connected iith it. When
the paper first appeared Mr. O'Doherty used to come to
my office.

-Cress•examined by the ATTORNEY-GENERAL—He
often came to my office during the first three weeks, in-
quiring for proofs of the articles which were afterwards
published in the paper, and I have seen him receive them,
and take them away with him; there is some moi:ey yet
due to me for the printing of the 1 ribune newspaper, fur
which I hold no security.
Thomas Connor proved that M'Keevcr had 51. from
him to go to Carrick; some days afterwards he came to
me and said that ha had changed his mind, and had not
gone to the country, but that he had secluded himself in
the Brazen Head hotel; he offered back a portion of the
51., and said he was willing to run the risk of a line for
not obeying the subpoena. Afterwards saw him
at the hotel, and -asked him, amongst other
matters, how he had proved Mr. o'Polierty's
h.ndwriting at the last trial, and he said that it
was his province to post the entries from the day book
into the ledger, ard that he was told these entries were in
the handwriting of Mr. ('Doherty. I asked him wheal, r
he considered such a mode of proving a man's hand-
writing a satisfactory one, and he replied that he did
not, and remarked that if I thought so too, I might
mention the fact to Mr. O'Duherty's counsel,inorder that
he might raise a point upon it in the prisoner's favour. 1
know that Mr. M'Keever has for some time past been on
unfriendly terms with the prisoner.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL objected to this evidence as
illegal.

Sir. BUTT remarked that he knew what legal evidence
was as well as the Solicitor-General.

The SOLICITOR GENERAL remarked that he never
doubted the egotism of Mr. Butt on that or on any other
subject._

fir. Burr then addressed the Court and said—My
Lords, since this trial has commenced the Solicitor-
General has sought every opportunity of making per-
sonal attacks upon me, by adopting a tone of language ut-
terly unworthy of the place he holds under the Crown.
Judge TORRENS-It does not appear to me, or I be-
lieve to my brother Judge, that any language has been
mado use of in the course of this trial that ought to give
rise to angry feelings upon the part of counsel on either
side, or which might not be made by one gentleman to
another.

The evidence for the defence hero closed.
'I he SOLICITOR-GENERAL then rose and said, that it
now became his duty to address the jury on the part of
the prosecution. lie complained that there were in-
troduced topics which might be very well used on the
hustings or in the round room of the Rotunda, but it
was an abase of the privileges of a prisoner's counsel,
upon a trial such as this, to resort to topics of a politi-
cal character, or to statements made by men in public
positions, stating all these things upon his own autho-
rity, none of which were portions of the case which was
for investigation beforo them. If he (the Solicitor-
General) was in their situation, he would treat it as a
personal insult to his position as a juror, if he was ad-
dressed on political topics for the purpose of swaying
his verdict. He knew many of them to be men of high
position and respectability, and he felt perfectly confi-
dent that in arriving at their decision upon the issue,
those irrelevant topics which had been touched upon for
the purpose of distracting and misleading them, would
not have the slightest influence on their judgment. lie
denied that what the Learned Counsel for the prisoner
had laid down was the law of the land. He had said

that a general insurrection or rising of the people in
Dublin, Cork, Waterford, Youghul, and Galway, would
not be a rebellion against the authority of the Crown.
There never was a more untenable proposition put for-
ward, because any insurrection, incited or provoked for
a particular purpose, was high treason, and the people
should not be misled by contrary doctrines.

Judge CRAMPTON--If it would not interupt you, I
would suggest that, although Mr. Butt laid down that
doctrine in the first instance, he afterwards qualified it
by admitting that a general insurrection would amount
to a levying of War, but would not be the particular
charge in the indictment.
Mr. BUTT—Precisely, my Lord. My argument was,
that the words of the statute would exclude that con-
structive levying of war.
The.SOLICIToII-GENERiL said he was only desirous
that the public should not understand that the people had
a right to rise in the different parts of the country, and
resist to the death the exportation of provisions. The
questions for the jury were these:—Hau the prisoner en-
tertained the intention of deposing the Queen from the
Imperial Crown of the United Kingdom, and had he not
manifested it by these publications in his journal?—also,
whether he compassed the levying of war and express( 1
that design? Mr. O'Doherty and Mr. Williams had made
a declaration stating that they were the sole and only
proprietors of the Irish Tribune, which rendered them
civilly and criminally responsible for the treasonable
manifestos which appeared in their journal. That
they were treasonable, he thought there could be no
doubt. The British " foe," referred to so often, meant
every man who was well affected to his Sovereign, and
desired to preserve the unity of this great empire. It
was possible that an article might be inserted in a daily
paper without the knowledge of the proprietor ; but
that could not happen with respect to a weekly journal,
where every article was inserted after mature delibera-
tion; aed in this instance, the paper was actually esta-
blished for the purpose of effecting a revolution—sever-
ing England from Ireland, and setting up a Republic.
The Learned Counsel admitted that these publications
were so seditious and so atrocious, that if the prisoner
were indicted for sedition he would not defend him.
The Solicitor-General then referred to the evidence of
li•Keever as to the handwriting of the prisoner, and
contended that it clearly established his guilt. It was a
disgrace to the administration of justice in Ireland that,
when a man was charged with a heinous offence of this
nature, tending to shako the bonds of society, every
person who came forward to give evidence against him
was branded as an informer and held up-to obloquy and
scorn. No one had been calleci 04-ertite hi,.

A somewhat warm altercation hese took place (occu•

--'~.~