The Sun.
London, England, 1848-12-30 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

SOUTH DEVON, BRISTOL, DEC. 29. A meeting of
the shareholders in this undertaking numerously and
respectably attended, convened by a circular issued by
the Bristol committee, was held at two o'clock at the
Commercial Rooms, John Chilcott, Esq., in the chair,
for the purpose of considering several matters :in rela-
tion to the special general meeting of proprietors con-
vened by the directors, in compliance with two requi-
sitions addressed to them, which is to be held in Exeter
on the 6th of January.
F. FRY, Esq., formerly one of the directors of the
company, drew the attention of the meeting to the most
important question for the consideration of the special
general meeting, which was, whether or not they should
at once give up the atmospheric system of traction, and
adopt the locomotive, or otherwise act upon the sugges-
tions contained in the pamphlet recently published by
the late chairman of the company, Mr. Gill,
The CHAIRMAN said the point had not been lost sight
of, but had been embodied in one of the requisitions ad-
dressed to the directors.
Mr. SECCOMBE recommended that the shareholders
wait until the statement of the directors, which he un-
derstood would be printed in the course of a few days,
had been published.
A long discussion then ensued as to the policy or
otherwise of abandoning the atmospheric system, and
adopting locomotive power, but no decision was come to.
Two resolutions were adopted, the first thanking the
directors for convening the special meeting, and the other
expressing the belief of the meeting that a committee of
inquiry to investigate the business of the company should
be appointed.
The meeting then separated.

YORK AND NORTH MIDLANIT.—Such is the extent of
the traffic in corn on the York and North Midland, that
the company want 10,000 corn sacks. In consequence
of other arrangements, the express trains on this line,
between Hull and Beverley, will be discontinued at the
close of the 'car.

NEW LINEFROM FAVERSHAM TO CHILHAM.—At a
meeting held at Faversham on Tuesday, resolutions were
passed in favour of this line, which is to be applied for
in the ensuing session. Letters were received from
Lord Sondes and the Right Hon. S. Lushington in its
behalf, with assurances from the South-Eastern Railway,
at whose main line he proposes a junction with Chilham,
coupled with an intimation of regret that they could not
subscribe any capital tow ards it.
GREAT NORTHERN.—As yet the Great Northern have
rendered no weekly returns of the traffic on their line,
as is the custom of other companies; but the average
traffic is understood to amount to 1,3001. per week, in-
cluding passengers and goods. The traffic between Lin-
coln and Hull is the most remunerative. Last week, the
Christmas conveyance from Louth and Spalding were
very great; 25 tons of poultry came over the line to
London from the former, and 30 from the latter place.
It is said the company intend to apply to Parliament, in
the next session, for an alteration in their tolls, or, in
other terms, for power to raise the charges upon pas-
sengers anti goods.

GALLS.—The calls for January next, already an-
nounced, amount to 2,587,1251., being one million and
a quarter more than during the present month of
December.

EASTERN UNlON.—Traffic for the week ending De-
cember 23d, 1848, 1,210/. 4s. 4d.; ditto for week ending
December 26th, 1847, 1,2021. 10s. 3d.
SHREWSBURY AND CHESTER.—Traffic for the week
ending December 24th, 1848:—Passengers, first class,
1491. Os. 4d.; second class, 356/. Is. ld.; third class,
123/. 18s. 6281. 12s. 9J.; parcels, horses, &c.,
49/. ss. 6d.; merchandise, minerals, and live stock,
827/. ss. 3d.; total, 1,505/. 10s. 6d. Corresponding week
last year—Passengers, parcels, &c., 263/. 13s. ld.; mer-
chandise and live stock, 262/. 103. Id. = 5261. 33. 2d.
Increase, 9791. 7s. 4d.

CHES.,TER AND HOLYHEAD RAlLWAY,—Traffic for
the week ended Dec. 23, 1848:—Coaching traffic, 1,0301.
ls. 6d.; parcels, 411. 15s. 3d.; goods and eattle,l6s/. 7s.
ld.•' steam-boats, 1341. 19s.—Total, 1,372/. 2s. 10d.
SOUTH DEeorz.—Traffic for the week ending Dec. 22
1848, including passengers, goods, &c.:—Passengers
8,049, amount 1,733/. 2s. 10d.; Great Western Railway,
570/. 7s. 4d.; South Devon Railway (including 167/. 4s.
6d. for goods), 1,330/.
A/kIIENS AND BOULOGNE (open from Amiens to Bou-
logne).—Traffic from December 17 to December 24,
1848:—Passengers, 25,391 f. 25c.; merchandise, 6,353 f.
25c. Total, 1,270/. Receipts since March 15, 1848,
54,241/. Total, 55,511/.

DUBL/N AND KINGSTOWN.—Traffic for the week ending
the 26th of December, 1848:—Daily passengers, 6381.
Bs. Subscriptions, 6L 14s. 4d. Total amount, 6451. 2s.
4d. Corresponding week of 1847:—Daily passengers.
5811. 18s. 3d. Subscriptions, 11. Total amount,
589 L 18s. 3d.

GREAT SOUTHERN AND WESTERN, IRELAND
(open to Carlow and Limerick Junction, 1301 miles).—
Return of traffic for the week ending Saturday, 23d of
December, 1848 :—Passenger traffic, parcels, and mails,
3,0701. 7s. 74d. ; merchandise and cattle, 6401. 15s. 4d.
Total, 3,711/. 2s. 11d.
BELFAST AND BALLYDIENA.—The traffic on this rail-
way, for the week ending Saturday, 23d December,
1848, was as follows•—Passengers, 6,134; amount,
3081. 2s. 10d. ; goods, 991. 16s. 3d. Total amount,
407/. 19s. ld.

ORLEANS AND BORDEAUX.—Receipts for the week
ending December 22,1848.—Passengers, 5,330 ; amount,
22,737 f. 30c. ; goods and cattle, 39,396 f. 15c. Total,
62,133 f. 15c. Corresponding week of last year,
93ece4ime 4fb7rs: 1848, l,
.Tota7 8
107,2ceifft.s77frco.m the Ist July to 22d
D

EXTRAORDINARY TELEGRAPIIIO FiiT.—President
Polk's cumbrous message, containing upwards of 50,000
words (I), was flashed all the way from Baltimore to St.
Louis in twenty-four hours, and this, too, with the mi-
nutest punctuation mark in the document. Copies were
also dropped on the way, at York, Harrisburg, Carlisle,
Chambersburg, Bedford, and Pittsburg, in Pennsyl-
vania; Massillon, Cleveland, Zanesville, Columbus,
Dayton, and Cincinnati, in Ohio; Madison aad Evans-
ville, in Indiana; Louisville, in Kentucky; and Saline,
in Illinois. The gentlemen who accomplished this won-
der ful mental, mechanical, and electrical feat are Messrs.
0' R4411y, of the Atlantic and Lake Telegraph Company,
and H. J. Rogers, of the American Telegraph Company,
who wished to prove beyond all cavil that the lightning
line can be made available for the transmission of large
documents as well as for short messages, and we think
they have pretty well satisfied the public of their ability
to do it. Messrs. Reddish and Hough, of Philadelphia,
connected with the O'Reilly line, were detained for the
most important part of the duty to be performed, that
of writing the entire document in Baltimore. Their
arduous task was begun on Tuesday, shortly after the
message came to hand, and at a few minutes before two
o'clock on Wednesday afternoon finished their almost
Herculean undertaking—at which, hour the signature
of James K. Polk and the Washington date were
written as plain and legibly as the caption had been, 24
hours previously. The two operators were at work, re-
lieving each other occasionally, during the entire time,
with the exception of a couple of hours, when they
were interrupted by a storm et the western end of the
line.—New York Express.
POWER OF THE PRESB.—The Ilants Independent
says—" The press is very powerful—but it oan't atter
all induce its correspondents to write only on one aide
of the paper when they want their letters printed."

THE LATE ACCIDENT AT THE

VICTORIA THEATRE.

Yesterday afternoon Mr. Carter held an inquest at
the Hero of Waterloo Tavern, Waterloo-road, on the
bodies of John Costello, aged 13 years, and William
Phillips, aged 11 years, who were killed by the giving
way of the rail of the lower flight of stairs at the gal-
lery entrance of the Victoria Theatre, on Tuesday
evening.
The jury viewed the bodies, which lay in the vaults
of St. John's Church. Tho following evidence was
adduced:—

Mary Phillips sworn—l am a widow, and reside at
No. 6, Wood's-buildings, George-street, Chelsea. I have
seen the two bodies under the church, one of which is
coy son. He was ten years and eight months old, He
left his home about four o'clock in the afternoon of
Tuesday, for the purpose of going to the Victoria
Theatre, it being the first time he ever went to the
above theatre. Hearing from the newspapers that two
youths had been killed, I came on the following morning
to the church, and there saw the deceased.
Thomas Costello of No. 2, Plough-court, Plough-
place, Fetter-lane—l am a labouring: man. I have seen
the bodies at the church, one of which is my son. His
name is John Costello, and was thirteen years and five
months old. The last time I saw him alive was on the
morning of Tuesday last. He was then in an excellent
state of health. I next saw him on Wednesday, dead.
Mr. Benjamin Verge, sworn—l am a baker, and reside
at No. 79, Lower Marsh. About ten minutes before six
o'clock on Tuesday evening, I was passing by the
Victoria Theatre, when, hearing a terrible noise at the
gallery entrance, I crossed over to ascertain the cause.
I should think there were between 400 and 500 persons
about the door ; they were mostly boys and lads. I had
been standing there about two minutes, and observed the
mob to be crowding up the stairs, and I also observed
two lads being handed down to the bottom of the stair-
case. The first one appeared to be dead. The second
one was handed down directly after. He did not appear
to be quite dead. They were both conveyed to Mr.
Sewell's, the surgeon. Immediately after the two had
been taken away, I saw three or four fall. They
appeared to come from above into the landing-place. At
this time dreadful screams commenced. I cbserved no
movement on the stairs, the whole mass being wedged
together. _ _ _

William Franklyn, a drover—About four o'clock on
Tuesday afternoon I went to the Victoria Theatre, and
got up as far as the second landing. After I was there
the persons began to increase very much. At the time
of the accident the door which leads into the house was
closed. I had been on the stairs about an hour and a
quarter before the accident—the heat of the place was
oppressive, and several lads fainted away. I passed
out six or seven boys, they appeared to me to be nearly
suffocated; one of the lads that I pulled out appeared
as if he were dead. From my position I was the only
person that was enabled to get them out. The lads
were on the second landing, next to the window; they
bad fallen from exhaustion. There was a private of the
Rifle Brigade next to me, and I said to him " for God's
sake can you go round to Mr. Edgar, and tell him to get
the doors open, otherwise some of them would be mur-
dered." One of the boys whom I lifted up was bleeding
from the mouth ; he appeared to have been trodden on
and dead. The boys were rolled down over the heads
of those below and handed down. Some of them were
thrown down. When I went in there was a rail all the
way up ; I subsequently heard the rail snap, but I did
not see what occurred, for where the breaking took place
was below me. I heard the cry of "murder" at the time
the rail was broken. The soldier to whom I spoke went
down in that way, and returned in the same manner.
The door of the gallery was shortly afterwards opened.
I am positive there was nothing done to any of the lads,
or that any one was maliciously thrown over. I think
there were from 300 to 400 people on the stairs.
Mr. Osbaldiston, who came into the room in the course
of tho inquiry, informed the jury that if they wished to
see the gallery he would have it lighted up. Accord-
ingly, after the above witness had been examined, the
jury proceeded to view the spot where the boys had
fallen.
Mr. Henry Knight, assistant to Mr. Sewell, of No.
59, Lower Marsh, sworn—On last Tuesday evening I
received six persons at the shop of Mr. Sewell. The
first one brought in appeared to be about fourteen years
of age. He was dead. He was very much disfigured in
the taco, the upper lip was bruised, and his neck hung
back. There was a trifliag portion of blood on the lip.
The next was suffering from a concussion of the brain.
I did not observe any injuries on his person. He reco-
vered in about ten minutes. The last one that was
brought in was dead when I examined him. Ho ap-
peared to be about twelve years of age.
Leonard Titchner sworn—On Tuesday I went to the
Victoria Theatre, and arrived there at half-past two
o'clock. I was in company with two other lads. We
stood against the gallery door, which was opened about
half-past three o'clock. We went up and sat down on
the stairs. About four o'clock a man in a brown coat
came pp and pitched me down the first flight of steps.
At this time there were about fifty persons present.
I was not then hurt. After this tour men came up,
and pushed me against the wall under the window.
I said to one of the men, "Let me out," and
he said he could not, for I was in a vice, and I must
stop. The man continued to push and get higher and
higher. I then got so hot that I called out " Murder!"
for the purpose of getting out. I then slipped down, and
tried to get out through the men. I again tried to call
out " Murder!" but could not. I think I was down a
quarter of an hour, when a man put his hand down and
caught me by my hair. I was then handed to another
man, who placed me on a beam. I was afterwards
handed down, and subsequently taken into the stree►. I
was not thrown over the bannisters. I never made a
statement that I ►vas t'►rown from the top to the bottom,
and fell on a boy's head. If such a statement has been
published it is incorrect.
The CORONER proceeded to sum up; when the jury
returned a verdict of—" Accidental death from suffoca-
tion; and we the jury wish to impress on the mind of
the Lessee the necessity of a greater ventilation, and
that the doors of the theatre bo not opened in future at
so early an hour." ,t
The jury awarded Franklyn !Os. in addition to his
expenses; they also made a collection for the parents of
the deceased boys.

NEW PORTS IN THE CAPE OF Goon HOPE.—Last
night's Gazette orders that Waterloo Bay and East Lon-
don shall be constituted free warehousing ports for all
goods which can bo legally imported into the other ports
of the colony of the Cape of Good Hope.
FOREIGN REPRINTS OF ENGLISH Booxs.—The
Gazette announces that the prohibition against the im-
portation of foreign reprints of British copyright works
into any of her Majesty's dominions has been suspended
as far as regards the island of Barbadoes.
_ _ _

M. Canuti, charged with a special mission by the
Roman Government to the Cabinets of France, Bel-
gium, and Great Britain, was to leave Paris on Thursday
for London, via Brussels. his mission being from the
Government established since the flight of the Pope, the
French Government was said to have declined receiving
him.— Times.

Tics lcE.—The curlers have at last had the plea-
sure of enjoying a game. On Saturday the pond at
Culcabock was frozen over, and the ice sufficiently strong.
A muster took place accordingly at mid-day, when u
hearty game took place of several hours' duration.
Many were the hopes that the frost would hold over
Sunday till Christmas day. But fortune was unkind,
and though the club mustered on Monday, the ice was
not suitable. Skating was prosecuted on Lochnashanish
under many disadvantages, by bands of adventurous
youths. On Friday, on this loch, a narrow escape was
made by a skater, who had ventured too soon, and who
was only rescued by timely assistance, after having
been for at least twenty minutes in the water.—lnver-
ness Courier.

Snw Leuiccu.—On Wednesday last a new iron
steamer, called the Porvenir, was launched from the
building yard of Messrs. Cato, Miller, and Co., west
aide of the Brunswick Dock. She is 250 tons burd,n,
and will be fitted with engines of ninety home power,
manufactured by Forrester and Co. It is understood
thet the is intended to be sent to one of the principal
seaports in Spain, to be used as a tow boat.—Liverpool
Mercury.
COUNTY COURTS.—TWO orders in council, issued
in September last, make a number of alterations, which
come into force on Monday next, with regard to the
sittings and the districts of the County Courts of Berk-
shire, Kent, Essex, Sussex, and other counties adjoin-
ing the metropolis. By the first of these orders, the
Berkshire court, now held at Beading, is also to be
held at Henley-on-Thames, notwithstanding that place
is in Oxfordshire; and the County Court of Kent, held
at Greenwich, is also to be held at Woolwich; whilst
the other court, held at Deal, is to sit also at Sandwich.
The second of the Orders in Council is a mere adjust-
ment of districts, with a view to the accommodation of
suitors who resort to these tribunals.
Tim WEATuan.—Since our last the weather has
been very changeable—cold blustery winds, heavy rains,
and keen frosts, presenting themselves in alternation. A
hard frost set in on Wednesday night, and still conti-
nues.— Carlisle Journal.

JURY COURT, EDINBURGH.-011 the 17th October,
last year, Mr. Wilson, dentist in Edinburgh, was killed at
the Trinity-station, by falling down a stair. This stair
led immediately from the station-room down to a cellar,
being separated only by a door, which Mr. Wilson had
opened, supposing ho was entering a passage leading to
another apartment. Mr. Wilson left eight children, and
an action was raised in their name, against the Edin-
burgh and Northern Railway Company, concluding for
8,0001. damages. The case was set down to be tried by
a jury yesterday (Wednesday), but after the Court had
met, we understand a compromise was agreed to, by
which the company bound themselves to pay to the chil-
dren of Mr. Wilson the sum of 1,100/., each party pay-
ing their own expenses.—Caledonian Mercury.
On Wednesday a man unknown was brought from
the ship Hottinguer, lying in the river. Ile was in a
deplorable state, his body being worn almost to a ske-
leton. It is said that he stowed himself away at New
York, and, when found, could not be induced to leave
the place where he had secreted himself; that subse-
quently, in consequence of refusing sustenance, he lost
the use of his reason, and so relapsed into the state in
which he was when brought to the hospital. An inquest
will be held to-day, when the circumstances of the case
will be fully inquired into.—Liverpool Mercury.
Loss OF THE BARQUE " ROSANNA." —We are
sorry to learn that this vessel ran on a rock near Cape
Wrath, on the morning of the 16th current, and has
become a total wreck, all hands, with the exception of
the captain, having perished.—Dundee Advertiser.

EXTRAORDINARY FORTUNE.—A. labourer named
Worth, employed in the rope-yard at Devonport dock-
yard, has, by the death of his uncle, come into very
considerable property. We have not heard the exact
amount, but it is stated to be above 20,000/.—Flyinouth
paper.