The Sun.
London, England, 1848-10-13 00:00:00

S TT Er 7 OCTOBER 13, 1848.

yelled to and fro between the two towns during the
day. The stations and eminences about Shrewsbury
and Chester were crowded with spectators throughout
the day.
The line has for its object the opening out the mi-
neral districts of North eVales, connecting them with
the manufacturing districts, as well as forming an
improved communication between the estuaries of the
Dee and the Bristol Channel. It was expected to be
opened in August, but the wet weather retarded it.
The line for upwards of sixty miles traverses the rich
vale of the divisionary boundary of the princip:ility,
and of the western counties. Birkenhead may be
lool;ed upon as its main goods terminus. Besides
embracing the agricultural districts of Shropshire, it
is intended to furnish a new means of export to the
vast mineral resources of North and Central Wales,
the produce of the slate quarries, and the naanufac-
taring commodities of Manchester, Liverpool, Ches-
ter, Oswestry, and other places. At present these
have to be carried by a circuitous route of more than
fifty miles. It will likewise be a summer and plea-
sure line, leading to the watering places of Wales, to
Llangollen, Aberystwith, and the most attractive
scenery of the district. Arrangements hive been
made ey which passengers are to be cheaply con-
veyed every day from Liverpool and other places to
these points. The line is made up of an amalgama-
tion of what were the North Wales Mineral line, and
the Shrewsbury, Oswestry, and Chester Junction.
It passes through four counties—Cheshire, Flintshire,
Denbighshire, and Salop—commences in junction
with the Shrewsbury and Hereford and Shrew sbury
and Birmingham Railway, passes through Oswestry,
Chirk, Ruabon, andeWrexham, and terminating in
junction with the Chester and Holyhead Railway at
Chester.
The most striking work, as you traverse the line, is
the great viaduct over the galley of the Dee; in the
vale of Llangollen, which, in dimension, surpas;;es any
other in the Kingdom. It is upwards of 160 feet
above the level of the river, being 30 feet higher than
the viaduct at Stockport, on the London and North
Western, which has hitherto been considered the
greatest work of the kind. Its length is 1,530 feet,
or nearly one-third of a mile long, it is supported by
19 arches of 90 feet span; it connects that part of the
line between Rhos and Chirk. The viaduct which
has been erected by Messrs. Brassey and Mackenzie,
the contractors, has cost upwards of 100,0001. The
works in general are substantially constructed, and,
in consequence of the favourable nature or the soil,
the line will be cheaply maintained. The next work
of magnitude is the Chester station, next to the Derby
station at Derby. It is one of the largest in the
kingdom. It is a central point where several lines
converge ; it has cost 100,0001., and is to be used
jointly and paid for jointly, by the London and
North-Western, the Shrewsbury and Chester, the
Chester and Birkenhead, and the Birkenhead, Lan-
cashire, and Cheshire. The station at Shrewsbury is
on a similar though less extensive scale, and will be
paid for proportionally by the lines that enter there.
The first return train for Chester would le !ach there
at about nine o'clock. The public dinner, in cele-
bration of the event commenced as our expr ass left.

UNION CANAL COMPANY.
On Tuesday a general meeting of the shr,reholders
of this company was held in Mr. Paxton's h: ill. Royal
Exchange, for the purpose of considering and deciding
upon a proposal- to amalgamate with the E dinburgh
and Glasgow Railway Company. Colonel Dl‘Donald,
of Powderhail, occupied the chair.

Mr. Elam read the heads of agreement between
the Union Canal Company and the Edinburgh and
Glasgow Railway Company. These were to the effect
that the two companies should be amalgamated, on the
principle that the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway
Company were to have the canal, and certain houses
and offices necessary to the working of it; the canal
company to retain all the other lands, property, feuing
ground, &c., which, estimated at 20,0001., would be
applied to the extinction of the debt. The railway
company, in return, undertake to give 1,058 of their
1001. shares to the holders of the unburdened shares
of the canal company, and 82 such shares to the
holders of burdened shares ; and such stock to be
issued to the shareholders of the canal company
within' one month after the passing of the Act for
carrying this agreement into effect ; and which Act
both parties bind themselves to apply for in the next
session of Parliament. The rail way company are also
to assume a sum not exceeding 95,0001. of the debt of
the canal company.
Sir JOHN GLADSTONE of Fasque, moved that they
should agree to the proposed arrangement, and remit
it to a committee of management with instructions
to carry it into effect.

A SHARETIOLDER said, before agreeing to the
motion, he wished to have a little more information
on the subject. lie should like particularly to know
if the Forth and Clyde Canal Company were decidedly
hostile to this company ?
The CHAIRMAN could not say that they were de-
cidedly hostile, but he had no cause to say that they
were friendly.

The same SHAREHOLDER, said it appeared to him
that if the Forth and Clyde Canal Company were
not. hostile, they might still be able as a company, to
compete with the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway
Company.
The CHAIRMAN said, if it was wished to ask him
whether or not any arrangement could be eutered
into with the Forth and Clyde Canal Company, he
would at once say, decidedly not.
In answer to a series of questions,
The CHAIRMAN stated that, as soon as the Act was
obtained, the stock would be issued to the holders
of the burdened as well as the unburdened shares ;
the shareholders to receive a dividend according to
the amount of their stock; that this stock did not go to
pay the interest on debt; that th 6 Edinburgh Railway
stock was valued, not at its present market price, but
at 1001.; that for every three canal shares, valued at
331. Gs. Bd., the canal shareholders were to receive a
1001. railway share.
A SHAREHOLDER asked if there was any balance
or surplus of revenue divisible among the share-
holders ?

The CHAIRMAN jocularly remarked that the less
they asked about that the better.—(A laugh.)
After some further discussion, the motion of Sir J.
Gladstone, approving of the arrangement, was ap-
proved of, Mr. MILLER stating that, as the judicial
factor for,the heirs of some of the shareholders, he
could not agree to it until he had consulted the bene-
ficiaries.
The meeting then adjourned.—Witness.

ROCHESTER MUNICIPAL RETISION COURT.—"We
yesterday witnessed at this court scenes which we had
believed could not possibly have taken place in England.
To describe the disorder which prevailed throughout the
proceedings is almost impossible ; people would never
credit that spectators in a court of justice could possibly
be permitted, at this time, to indulge in all the boister-
ous ebullitions of the bear garden ; cheers, clapping of
hands, stamping of feet, and frantic shouts of laughter,
hailed every unusually intemperate expression of the
Tory agent, whilst the Liberal agent and witnesses were
subject to the most indecorous interruptions. Hooting,
hissing, yelling, and threats of personal violence, were
aimed at Page, the Liberal objector, and at some mo-
ments the Guildhall more resembled the arena of a prize
fight than a calm, orderly, English court of justice.
Tho members of the court seemed utterly helpless,
and unequal to the slightest effort to preserve order
or decorum. They would doubtless have been laughed
to scorn by their own party if they had attempted it. A
more disgraceful course of proceedings than those of
yesterday it has never been our lot to see ; and, for the
sake of public morality, and public confidence in the jus-
tice seat, we hope it mad• never be witnessed again; yet,
as the court are to sit day by day, we fear that there is
too great a probability of its daily repetition.—Maidstone
Gazette. - -

LIGHTING BY ELECTRICITY. Last evening Mr.
Pepper delivered a lecture on the " Physical Properties
of Light," at the Western Literary and Scientific Insti-
tution, Leicester-square. After going through a great
number of interesting experiments illustrative of the
various modes of producing light by chemical combina-
tion, he proceeded to introduce the apparatus recently
invented and patented by Messrs. Stait and Petrie, for
lighting by means of electricity. The lecturer stated
that electricity, as was obviously proved in the case of
lightning, was a natural element for :the production of
light; the great difficulty consisted in producing the
necessary supply of combustible matter upen which it
should act to produce the luminous result. In the ma.
chine invented by Messrs. Stait and Petrie a certain and
constant supply of charcoal was presented to the action
of electric fluid, and the consequence was a continuous
and brilliant light. The machine, apparently a very
simple one, was then set in operation, and although the
flame was enclosed within a framework of paper, the
effect was so dazzling as almost to be unbearable to the
naked eye. The gas lights with which the theatre was
thei r
lightedex
iws'teerneee virtuallybei n
g a
red s extinguished,pot (the effect of the uncon-
the only evidence of
sumed carbon), the light produced by the electric lighting
machine being of the purest white colour. The lecture was
listened to with great attention by a crowded auditory,
who appeared to be greatly struck by the "new light"
thrown upon their optical faculties.
DEATH FROM Tonacco.---An inquisition was
holden at Coleford, on the body of John Evans. The
surgeon stated he found slight traces of inflammation in
the stomach, and a very strong odour of tobacco. It
appears that the deceased smoked a great quantity—
neavly half a pound per week, besides chewinv DhrtPo
A verdict was returned of " Died b‘, ,L
God, aceelerated, by th‘.

Ri~iT.:.. ~ r.

[PRICE SD.

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, THURSDAY MORNlNG.—Yesterday after-
neon it was positively asserted that the Government
had dispatched to Clonmel the warrant for the exe-
cution of Mr. Smith o,l3rien, in pursuance of the
sentence pronounced on Monday. In half an hour
afterwards it was announced, in just as positive terms,
that the sentence of death, with all its horrible ac-
companiments, had been commuted to transportation
for life, and that the order for a respite bad been dis-
patched to Clonmel. It is probable that both state-
, merits are mere speculation upon the probable deter-
mination of the Government in the case of Mr. Smith
O'Brien. Meantime public opinion, not to speak of
mere sympathy, is most decidedly against capital
punishment in this case, and all classes appear to
have made up their minds that the unfortunate gen-
tleman will escape the extreme penalty of the law.
The Cork Examiner states that an official intima-
tion was conveyed to the mother and wife of Mr.
Smith O'Brien on Saturday, that " the recommenda-
tion of the jury was almost certain to be attended to
by the Executive."

THE WRIT OF ERROR.
The Cork Examiner of Monday says—
" The certificate was signed and sent to the clerk of
the Attorney-General yesterday, and it is not expected
that the Attorney• General will grant his fiat until the
end of the week—perhaps Saturday. When a certifi-
cate bears the signature of experienced counsel, verifying
the goodness of the plea relied on, the fiat is rarely, if
ever, refused."

The Tipperary Free Press says—
"lt is currently reported that the trials of Messrs.
M'Manus and Meagher will terminate the Commission
for the present, as several witnesses for the Crown in
attendance here had been subpceaaed as witnesses to
attend the trial of State prisoners at the Dublin Com-
mission on the 20th instant, and that, consequently,
the inquest at Clonmel will, be adjourned to the 16th of
December."

The same authorities state that the Commission will
cost 500/. a day, and suggests, as the proceedings are
more national than local, that they should be charged
upon the Consolidated Fund.
STATE OF TIPPERARY.

A Clonmel correspondent notices outrages com•
mitted upon the houses of some of the jurors in this
county. To Bansha, the scene of the recent horrible
murders, an additional police force was sent down
yesterday. The expense of their support is to be
levied off the townland in which the murder was
committed. The tax was to commence from Wed-
nesday.

RESISTANCE TO POOR-RATE.
The King's County Chronicle contains the fol-
lowing :
" Mr. Armitage, collector of poor-rates, proceeded
with a party of bailiffs, on Saturday last, to the house
of one Costoloe, in the immediate vicinity of this town,
and demanded the amount of his rent. Costoloe said
he had paid part of it to Mr. Salmon, the former col..
lector, and that he would now pay the remainder; but
this would not do, as he could not show any acknow-
ledgment for having paid the rate, so the cattle were
driven; but they had not gone far, when Costoloe and
two or three workmen pursued and overtook them
before they reached the town, when a bloody conflict
ensued in which a man named Tierney had his skull
fractured, also Costoloe himself dangerously wounded,
and John Hill, one of the driving party, had his arm
nearly severed from his body by a blow from a reaping
hook ; but, fortunately, no other serious injury oc-
curred, as the drivers decamped, leaving the cattle be-
hind them."

DUBLIN STOCK EXCHANGE.—SaIes at the Commercial
Exchange on Wednesday:—Three per Cent. Consols,
85 85-g-4 Three-and-a-Quarter per Cent. Stock, 85*
op.; ditto, Money, 85, 85 Bank Stock, 1881; Royal
Bank, 10; Wicklow Copper Mines, 81; City of Dublin
Steam Company, 72 ; Peninsular Steam, 55.—Royal
Exchange: Dublin and Drogheda, 24; Waterford and
Limerick, 81 ; City Debenture, Four per Cent., of
921. 6s. 2d., 70i; Royal Bank, 10k.
THE AMERICAN SYMPATHISERS.—I am in a position
to assure you (says another correspondent), that pe-
remptory instructions have beau received by the Ame-
rican Consul from the Minister in London, to insist
upon the immediate release of the two American citi-
zens, arrested some weeks since on their landing in Ire-
land, and who have since been confined in her Majesty's
gaol of Newgate.
MEETING IN FAVOUR OF MR. O'BRIEN.—The Society
of Friends have called a meeting for this day, to pro-
mote a public expression of feeling in accordance with
the recommendation of the jury in the case of Mr. R.
O'Brien.
MR. ME:WHER'S TRIAL.—MR. P. O'DONOTIOE.

Mr. Meagher will not be brought up for some days, as
I mentioned to you in my last note. The Crown is
still hunting for evidence, not wishing again to produce
Dobbin. The active pursuit they have been engaged
in for the past week more than amply refutes the calum-
nies so industriously circulated against the peasantry, to
the effect that they were tendering the informer's evi-
dence for the informer's wages in such crowds that the
Crown knew not whom to select. Several most respec-
table persons have recently been summoned, amongst
them a most respectable Protestant clergyman, to whom
it was intimated that his evidence would be required,
and that he probably has committed himself by some of
the occurrences in O'Brien's and Meagher's presence to
which he was a party. This was a little too much, for
it so happened that the clergyman in question never
saw Smith O'Brien till he saw him in the dock. Meagher
he knew well, but O'Brien he never spoke to. He will
not be one of the Crown witnesses.

Mr. P. O'Donohoe will probably be arraigned to-mor-
row. ~The Solicitor-General begins his reply nt the
opening of the court, after which Mr. Justice Doherty
charges the jury.
The jury cannot retire to consider their verdict before
three o'clock.

A rumour was prevalent through town yesterday
evening that Mr. O'Mahony, for whose arrest a reward
of 1001. has been offered, had been take❑ up on the
North-wall by the police, while endeavouring to escape
to Liverpool by one of the boats leaving this port.—
Freeman's Journal.

SPECIAL COMMISSION.
TRIAL OF APMANUS.

CLONMEL, OCT. 11.—The Court sat this morning at
half-past nine o'clock, when the prisoner was placed at
the bar.

Mr. BUTT, Q.C., then proceeded to address the jury.
After urging them to dismiss from their minds every-
thing of a prejudicial character, he said the prisoner was
a stranger in that county; but, if the jury deserved the
character he had heard of them, then would he best
consult the interest of his client by not flattering the dis-
tinguished Judges who presided over them, but to speak
to them as became the advocate of a man's life. He
would tell them again, that a preconceived opinion of
guilt was not affording an accused man the benefit of the
principle of British law. One other principle whieh he
asked them to bear in mind was, that no man could be
convicted upon moral probability or presumptive evi-
dence. The rule was, that if the facts proved be con-
sistent with any reasonable supposition of the prisoner's
innocence, they could not find him ;guilty. He would
not undertake to satisfy them that his client may not
have linked himself with designs which loyal men would
say were not free from all blame; but if the evidence
produced did not establish clearly the tremendous crime
charged in the indictment, and the precise charge speci-
fied, they should not find him guilty.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL here stated it was the in-
tention of the Crown to rely upon the first five counts
only, and that be would withdraw the sixth altogether.
Mr. BUTT continued—lt was his (Mr. Butt's) wish,
in defending his client, to take his stand upon the most
ancient and unquestionable authorities of the law ; and
he would therefore tell them, not in his own words, but
in those of the greatest legal authorities, the meaning of
this statute of Edward the Third. Sir Edward Coke,
whose name was honoured and revered in the British
law, stated that this statute has not only accurately de-
fined the charge, but the nature of the proof upon which
alone a man can be attainted. It was to be observed,
that the word used was " proveably" attainted—that
was, by direct and manifest proof, and not upon conjec-
tural presumptions, or inferences, or strainings of wit,
but upon good and sufficient proof. He (Mr. Butt)
quoted this passage from Lord Coke, not to influence the
jury in coming to a conclusion further than this, to call
on them to try his client according to the law ; that law
by which the Queen, who prosecuted in that
Faso, held her throne, and by which alone the
jury could be empanelled in that box to try the prisoner.
By another statute it was necessary and indispen-
sable that every overt act of high treason, must be
proved by two witnesses; and therefore, if one man
came on the table and proved a case of treason against
the prisoner—although his evidence might bring con-
viction to their minds of the guilt of the accused—yet
the law compelled them to find the prisoner not guilty.
The offences charged against his client were spread
through five separate counts. The first of them con-
sisted of a general charge of levying war, and four dis-
tinct overt acts were set out in support of that charge..
The marching of an armed multitude of above 500 per-
sons through the country on a particular day in July
last; the visit to the police barrack at Mullinahone; the
erection of a barricade at Killenaule; and the attack
upon the police at Farrinrory. The jury were bound to
take each act by itself, and say upon their oaths
whether the prisoner had actually levied war, and
their verdict pronounced on each act. They had two
questions to try; first, how far the prisoner was con-
nected with the act charged as treason; and secondly,
how far that act amounted to a levying of war. The
levying of war was an attempt to subvert the law and
the constitution. The levying of war must have been
actually carried into effect. They should recollect that
if a man formed a:design of assassinating the De--
left his house for that purnne
and did not no-- ' '