The Sun.
London, England, 1870-05-24 00:00:00

SAD CALAMITY AT SEA.

The Asterias, of Boston, Captain Sloane, 800 tons
register, bound from Cardiff to Hong Kong with 1,230
tons of steam coal on board, and fourteen hands, all told,
when twenty miles off Sandy Island, on Saturday last,
at a quarter to 10 a.m., caught fire and blew up. The
captain was killed and one of the crew. Three men and
the second officer were badly_ injured. The surviving
portion of the crew took to the boats, and were picked up
by the brigantine Success, of Dublin, and taken to
Mounts Bay, whence they were brought to Penzance yes-
terday. It appears that when the explosion occurred
the deck parted in the middle, and each side was blown
up. The captain, who was blown overboard. as was
also a coloured man who was at the wheel, was picked
up alive, but died almost immediately. The uninjured
sailors had barely time to get the ship's two boats afloat,
and their less fortunate companions into them, ere the yards
and rigging came down about them. On arriving at
Mounts Bay, in consequence of a calm, the men took to
their boats again, intending to row to Penzance, but a
breeze springing up they were taken in tow by the
schooner Beryl. The explosion is said to have
occurred from a seaman going below with a light.

ASSAULTS AT THE LONGFORD ELECTION.
At the Longford Petty Sessions yesterday Mr. James
Murtagh, Dublin, was charged by Sub-Inspector Ball
with having assaulted a man named Doyle'on the day of
nomination in ,Longford, when followed by a mob, and
with assaulting himself by tearing his tunic. Mr. Murtagh
had a case against Mr. Ball for an assault, which was
withdrawn, and the other cases dismissed. Mr. H. L.
King Harman, father of the defeated candidate, was
charged by Sub-constable Mowry with an assault on the
same day, by giving him a punch with a stick
when he refused to discharge a prisoner he
had in custody on his order as a magistrate.
Mr. Harman denied having made an intentional
assault, and had a cross case against the polieeman
for giving him a punch and a kick. Evidence having been
taken, the magistrates dismissed both cases. Mr. Molloy,
assisted by Messrs. Fair and Fleming, appeared for Mr.
Harman; and Mr. Murtagh and Mr. M`Loughlin, assisted
by Mr. Reynolds, appeared for the constabulary There
were a number of other cases arising out of the late election,
which were withdrawn at the suggestion of the Bench.

THE REPRESENTATION OF SOUTH
LEICESTERSHIRE.

Mr. Heygate, Conservative, and Mr. Paget, Liberal,
candidates for the representation of South Leicestershire,
addressed their supporters at Leicester last night; the
former at the Corn Exchange, under the presidency of
Mr. Charles Brook, Enderly Hall, and the latter at
the Temperance Hall, Alderman Toiler, president of the
Liberal Registration Society, chairman. Mr. Heygate
hoped the Irish Land Bill would be more effectual for the
pacification of Ireland than the Church Bill had been.
He was opposed to compulsory education and rating,
and praised Mr. Forster for his statesmanlike method;
but could not give equal praise to the Government in regard
to colonial policy, because our colonies were alienated
from the mother country. He deprecated Free Trade as
carried out by the French Treaty, and could not see why
any alteration should not be made when it was known
that it had failed. In reference to the Malt Tax, he
thought some of the enormous surplus might have
been applied to reducing to some extent the
duty on malt for the benefit of agriculturists.
Mr. Paget, in his speech, said, though he had strong
objection to the ballot, he should support it if returned.
Referring to Ireland, he pointed out that the Irish Church
Bill was the first instalment of justice to that country;
and that when landlord and tenant had equal justice
done to them Ireland would be as prosperous as
any other portion of the kingdom. Mr. Paget advo-
cated the abolition of university tests, opposed the
game laws, and said he should give an unre-
stricted support to Mr. Gladstone. Both meetings
were largely attended, the candidates being well received.
The contest is likely to be a close one.

An inquest was held yesterday afternoon at Campsall,
a village near Manchester, on the body of st child four
years old, who was supposed to have died from the effects
of criminal violence, a man named Gough being under
committal for trial for the criminal assault, which was
committed as late as the Bth April last, according
to the prisoner's confession while he was drunk. The child's
mother gave evidence that, though previously healthy, she
had drooped since the day of the assault, and shortly
afterwards became subject to convulsive fits, and died on
Friday. Two surgeons, who made a post-mortem exami-
nation, deposed that the child died from disease of the
brain, which might have been accelerated, but was not
caused by the violence to which she had been subjected.
The coroner said that in the face of such medical tom_
mony, however surprising it might be, he co-'
recommend the jury to return a verdict - -4'd not
After considerable hesitation '
child died from npstural n•—• jury found that the
_.. murder.

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