The Sun.
London, England, 1848-12-07 00:00:00

DECEMBER 7, 1848. [PaicE SD.

BIRKENHEAD, LANCASHIRE, and CHE-
SHIRE JUNCTION RAILWAY.—(ABANDONMENT of
PART of LINE, EXTENSION to LONDON and NORTH-
WESTERN RAILWAY, ALTERATION of LEVELS of CHES PER
BRANCH, and of MODE of CROSSING CANNINA-S rREET, in
BIRKENHEAD, EXTENSION of TIME for PURCHASE of
LANDS, AL rg RATION of TOLLS, and DECREASE of CAPITAL
nil AMENDMENT of AC I'S.)
Notice is hereby given, that Application is intended to be made to
'.'arliament, in the ensuing session, for an ACT to alter, amend, ex-
:end, and enlarge, and to repeal some of the powers, restrictions,
and provisions of the several Acts relating to the Birkenhead, Lan-
cashire, and Cheshire Junction Railway (that is to say), local and
i)ersonal, first Victoria, chapter 107, third Victoria, chapter 2, eighth
and ninth Victoria, chapter 99, nine and tenth Victoria, chapter 91,
-enth and eleventh Victoria, chapters 222 and 223; and to authot
-Ise the Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire Junction Railway
s!ompany to abandon the formation of so much of the main line of
:he railway, authorised to be made by the said Act of the ninth and
tenth of Victoria, as lies between a point situate in a field, num-
bered I 15, in the township of Norton and parish of Runcorn, in
the county of Chester, on the plans of the said railway referred
to in the said Act, and the termination of the said main line, in the
township o" Heaton Norris, in the parish of Manchester, in the
county of Lancaster, and also to abandon the formation
of the branch railway authorised by the sdd Act, commencing in
the township of dtrincham and parish of Bowden, and terminating
by a junction with the Manchester South Junction and Altrincham
Railway, in the township of Timperley and parish of Bowden, all
in the said county of Chester, being the railway in the said Act of
the 9th and 10th of Victoria, secondly described ; and also to aban-
don the formation of the branch railway authorised by the said Act,
commencing in the town of Warrington, and terminating by a June-
Um with the Grand Junction Railway, in the township and parish
of Warrington, all in the county of Lancaster, being the railway In
the said Act of the 9th and 10th of Victoria lastly described.

And it is also proposed by the said intended Act to enable the
said Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire Junction Railway Com-
pany to make a Railway to commence by a Junction with the said
main line of their Railway in the said field, numbered 115, in the
said township of Norton and parish of Runcorn, and thence passing
from, in. through, or into the several parishes, townships, and
extra-parochial places of Kekewick, Norton, and Runcorn, and to
terminate by a junction with the line of the London and North-
Western Railway at or near Kekewick, in the township of Keke-
wick and parish of Runcorn, all in the said county of Chester.
And it is also proposed by the said intended Act to enable the said
Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire Junction Railway Company to
alter the levels of so much of the Chester branch of the said railway
as authorised by the said Aft of the 10th and 11th Victoria, chapter
223, as lies between a field numbered 73 in the township of Boole,
and parish of St. John the Baptist, on the plans of the said branch
7eferred to in the said last-mentioned Act, and a field numbered 43
In the township of Helsby, and parish of Frodsham, on the said
clans, which portion of railway will pass from, in, through, or into
'he several parishes, townships, and extra-parochial places of St.
John the Baptist, Hoole, St. Oswald, Great Boughton, Plemstell,
otherwise Pitmondstall, Guilden Sutton, Mickle Trafford, Barrow,
Bridge Trafford, Thornton, otherwise Thornton-in-the-Moors, Dun-
ham-on-the-Hill, Hapsford, Frodsham, and Helsby, all in the said
county of Chester.
And it also proposed by the said intended Act to enable the said
Company to alter the mode of carrying the railway authorised by
the said Act of the Bth and 9th Victoria, chapter 99, across a certain
road in the extra-parxhial chapelry or township of Birkenhead, in
the said county of Chester, known as the Corporation-road or Can-
ning-street, so as to carry the said road across the said railway upon
the level thereof instead of by means of a bridge, and for such pur-
pose to alter the existing level of the said road, within the said extra-
parochial chapelry or township of Birkenhead.
And it is also proposed by the said intended 'Act to extend the
time granted by the said Act of the ninth and tenth of Victoria, for
the compulsory purchase of lands and houses within the several
parishes, townships, and extra-parochial places of Eastham, Chil-
der Thornton, Little. Sutton, Overpool, Whitby, Stoke, Great Stan-
ney, Stanlow, Ince, Thornton-in-the-Moors otherwise Thornton,
Elton, Hapsford, Frodsham, Helsby, and lordship of Frodsham,
in the said county of Chester, and for the completion of the works
therein.

And it is also proposed by the said intended Act to reduce the
capital of the said Company, and to to make regulations as regards
the division thereof into shares, and the payment of dividends or in-
terest thereon.

And it is also proposed by the said intended Act to take power to
stop up, alter, or divert, whothcr temporarily or permanently, all
such turnpike and other roads and highways, railways, tramways,
aqueducts, canals, streams, and rivers, within the aforesaid pa-
rishes, townships, and extra-parochial or other places, or any of
them, as it may be necessary to stop up, alter, or divert, by rea-
son of the construction of the said railway and works, or any or
either of them.

And it is also intended by the said Act to take powers for the pur-
chase, by compulsion or otherwise, of lands and houses for the pur-
poses of the said intended railway and works, and to alter, vary, or
extinguish all existing rights and privileges connected with such
lands and houses, or which would in any manner impede or inter-
fere with the construction, maintenance, and use of the said in-
tended railway and works, or any or either of them, and to confer
other rights and privileges ; and also to levy tolls, rates, and duties,
for or in respect of the use of the said intended railway and works,
and to alter the tolls, rates, and duties, at present leviable upon the
Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire Junction itailvray, and to
confer such exemptions from the payment of such tolls, rates, and
duties, or any of them, as may be thought expedient.
And notice is hereby further given, that maps, plans, and sections
of the said intended railway and works, and of the lands and houses
proposed to be taken for the purposes thereof, and also amended
sections of the Chester branch, showing the levels thereof as pro-
posed to be altered, together with a book of reference to such plans
containing the names of the owners, lessees, and occupiers of such
lands and houses, and describing such lands and houses respectively,
and a copy of this notice as published in the " London Gazette," will
be deposited on or before the 31th day of November, in the present
year, with the Clerk of the Peace fir the county of Chester, at his
office in Chester, and that a copy of so much of the said plans and
sections and book of reference, as relates to the several parishes in
or through which the intended railway an works and alterations of
section are proposed to be made, and also a copy of this notice, as
pablished in the " Loncloa Gazette." will, on or before the 30th day
of November, be deposited with the parish clerks of those parishes at
their respective places of abode (and as regards the extra-parochial
place of Birkenhea I, with the clerk of the parish of Bidsten, in the
said county of Chester, immediately adjoining to such extra-paro-
chial p ace). _

JOHN B. LLOYD, Solicitor for the Bill.
Dated the 4th day of November, 1848.

THE ROYAL POLYTECHNIC
INSTITUTION, REGENT-STREET.

A Lecture on Agricultural "Draining on Friday, the Bth instant,
at Half-past Three o'clock, by W. Bullock Webster, Esq.—Lectures on
Agricultural Chemistry, by -Dr. Ryam. at Half--past Three.dally, and
on the Evenings of Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, at Nine o'clock.
—A Lecture en ••••• • •••—•----- ---
Evenings of Tuesday. Thursday, ard Saturday, at Nine o'clock, hy
iiicrOS74hengetiti;ilPogriC.l daily.—aTthicse DdiasisloylvaittigTwV"iefosel,mvoklt—The
his-
torical descriptions.—The Chromatropc.—Tho Phantasmagoria, by
Child°, at Eight o'clock—Diver and Diving-bell—Working Models
explained.

Open daily from Eleven to Five , and in the Evenings (including
Saturday) from Seven till Ilalf-past Ten.
Admission, Is.—Sehools, Ilalf-price.---The New Catalogue, Is.

THE WHEAT-FLY (Cholops Lineata)
described with Woodcuts.

hee the AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE and GARDENERS'
CHRONICLE of Saturday. The Gardeners' Chronicle may be or-
dered of any Newsvender, price 6d., stamped to go free by post.
Office for Advertisements and Communications, 5, Upper Welling-
ton•street, Covent-garden, London.

EXTENSIVE CONFLAGRATION.
Last night, about half-past ten o'clock, a fire, at-
tended with a serious destruction of property, broke out
upon the extensive range of premises in the occupancy
of Mr. Clarke, wholesale bed and furniture warehouse,
227, Tottenham-court-road, at the corner of Store-
street. The first discovery was made by a person pass-
ing by the premises. Smok', which he perceived pour.
ing forth from the shop window shutters, convinced him
that a fire was burning within. An immediate alarm
was given, and the police coming up, they forthwith
commenced knoniting at the door, with a view of arous-
ing the inmates. Whilst they were so employed, a man
suddenly made his appearance at the first floor front,
and by leaping out of the window he succeeded in effect-
ing a safe retreat. The escape belonging to the Royal
Society for the Protection of Life from Fire, stationed
on the opposite side of the road, was in the course of a
few minutfs on the spot, but by that period the flames
had fired every compartment in the spacious building,
and were rushing out of the various windows with
such impetuosity as to prevent the machine from
being raised either in front or at the sides of the
blazing property. From careful inquiries, made
by Mr. Baddelly and the several conductors of
the society, there is every ground for sup-
posing that the whole of the residents were able to escape
out of the building. Intelligence having been dispatched
to the engine-stations with as litttle delay as possible, the
various engines of the parish, London Brigade, County,
and West of England Company arrived. The firemen
then found the whole of Mr. Clarke's premises burning
so furiously that the houses in Store-street, and those
adjoining Mr. Clarke's place of business in Tottenham-
court-road, appeared doomed to destruction. Fortunately,
an immediate supply of water was obtained from the
mains of the New River Company, from which the fire-
men set their engine 3 to work; but in spite of the im-
mense torrents of water that were scattered over the
fire, it continued to rage with the greatest vehemence,
and it was not until half-past twelve o'clock this morn-
ing that the firemen were enabled to get the mastery
over this fearful conflagration, and not until the flames
had penetrated every portion of the establishment, de-
stroying in their progress the whole of the costly stock
in trade, and nearly gutting the building. The houses
on either side of Tottenham •court-road and Store-street,
have sustained material damage by fire, water, and hasty
removal of furniture. The origin of the disaster, or
whether or not any of the sufferers are insured, could
not be ascertained during the confusion which prevailed

MR. WILSON IN AMERICA.—This gentleman's
trip across the Atlantic has commenced most auspici-
ously. Having given six of his popular entertainments
in New York, where his reception was most gratifying,
he proceeded to Boston, where he was greeted in the
same enthusiastic manner. He was to open the New
Assembly Rooms, in New York, on the 27th ultimo, and
to give a regular series of his entertainments. From
thence he will proceed to Philadelphia, Baltimore,
Washington, Ace., and so on to New Orleans, returning
to New York early in May.
[ADVERTISEMENT.]—Apprehended Approach of
Cholera.—lt is feared that Asiatic Cholera is again on
its way to this country. No disease attacks more sud-
denly, and none proves so fatal, unless proper means be
promptly applied for its removal. It proceeds, in most
cases, from a redundancy and putrid acrimony of the
bile; and the results are heart-burn, flatulency, pains of
the stomach and bowels, cramp in the extremities, pal-
pitation of the heart, faintings, and convulsions. The
Vegetable Restorative Pills, prepared by John Kaye,
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ture be further assisted by applying bottles of hot water
to the feat, the disorder will very soon be checked, and
a cure completed in a few days. And it is important to
know that these pills prove of admirable use as a preven-
tive of that fearful malady, by strengthening the whole
nervous system, and preserving all the organs in a healthy
tone. None are genuine unless Mr. Kayc's coat of arms
and a fac-simile of his signature are found on the di-
rections for use, wrapped round each box. Price
Is. lid., 2s. 9d., and 4.. 6d. each box. Sold by all re-
spectable Medicine Venders.
13m°iRrfeljulGoult
rADVERTISEMENT.j—THE EARL OF AuLiii:
AND HOLLOWAY'S PILLS.—An astounding cure by
medicine, aster every other means had failed. See extract front his'
Lordship's letter, dated " Villa Messina, Leghorn, Feb. 21 184
Professor Holloway—Sir : I beg to acquaint you that your pills have
effected a cure of a disorder in my liver and stomach alt the moat
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cure any disease of the liver or stomach.—Sold (also Holloway's
Ointment) at Professor Holloway's Establishment, 244, Strand, and
by all medicine vendors throughout the civilised world.

CATASTROPHE ON BOARD THE

LONDONDERRY STEAMER.

The following particulars relating to this horrible
catastrophe are from our Liverpool correspondent .
LIVERPOOL, WEDNESDAY ETENING.—The steamer
wh.ch plies between this port and Londonderry is due,
in usual course, this evening, but in consequence of the
s •verity of the weather, the agents do not think she can
arrive before to•morrow's tide.

We have collected from several sources the following
additional particulars:
Captain Coppin, of Londonderry, who. arrived in
Liverpool this morning by the Belfast steamer, and who
left Londonderry on Monday morning, was present when
the bod es were removed from the steamer to the sheds,
and the opinion of the medical men confirm the state-
ment, that the poor people were suffocated.
This gentleman was present during the whole of the
time the bodies wire being removed. It took three hours
and a half to get the dead out, and as putrefaction had
begun, the smell eas so offensive that he had to send for
spirits to give to the men to keep them in a state of half-
drunkenness to get them to go below. The place in
which the poor creatures met their fate was about 20
feet long. 14 feet wide, and 7 feet high. It had capacity
for about thirty passengers; but so crowded was it that
the dead lay four deep on the floor.
The incidents and bereavements aro deeply affecting.
A little girl was saved who was coming to her father in
Liverpool; the rest of the family were with her, to the
number of nine persons, and all except herself perished.
Strong men as well as children were among the ♦ictims,
and their efforts to escape appeared to have been great
—one man's coat being torn completely from the sleeves
in his unavailing attempts for deliverance.
Captain Coppin attributes the suffocation to the fact
of a tarpaulin having been thrown over the companion
to keep the water out.
The following is an extract of a letter received this
morning by Messrs. John Herd and Son, of this town,
from their correspondent at Londonderry:—
“ We have great excitement here to-day, owing to
the steamer Londonderry, Captain Johnstone, bound
from Sligo to Liverpool, having put into this port yes-
terday with seventy-three passengers dead. She sailed
on Friday evening, and the "night being stormy, the pas-
sengers were put below and a tarpaulin fastened round
the companion. At a coroner's inquest held yesterday
a verdict was returned that they died from suffocation.'
The captain and all the crew are committed to gaol.
About eighty others were landed alive, and all are in
custody for examination."

lIov.i; the story arose of these poor people having been
murdered by their fellow-passengers for the sake of
plunder, or falling in a deadly conflict, after which the
captain and crew were obliged to submit to the orders
of the "pirates," is quite inexplicable.
We have received the following letter from a cor-
respondent in Londonderry :
Londonderry, Dec. 4, A.M.
No attempt at robbery or assassination has been
proved at the inquest, which was partly gone into yes-
terday (Sunday), and which has been resumed this morn-
ing before the coroner, Mr. Lindsay, the mayor, and
some of the borough magistrates. The facts disclosed at
the inquiry were, that the Londonderry left Sligo on
Friday forenoon, with her usual cargo of goods and
cattle, and about 150 steerage passengers. The night
coming on exceedingly boisterous, the most, if not all,
of the poor people were forced to shelter themselves,
either by the captain's orders, or by their own accord,
which has not yet been disclosed, to go below, into what
you know is called the fore-eabin of these boats ; and
since the days of the Black Hole of Calcutta I have
never read or heard of such a hole to cram, pack. or stow
so many human beings in. The effect of this was dreadful,
but more dreadful still when the crew came and fas-
tened a tarpaulin over the hatch or companion-way,
which leads down to this place. The consequence was,
that many of the poor unfortunates were suffocated
soon, others afterwards; and it has been told me by one
of the survivors, that the scene more resembled a bedlam
of unearthly infuriates than anything else that could be
conceived. On questioning some of them relative to the
story about the infamous deceptions which had been
circulated, I was informed that it arose from the fact
that many of the passengers had boxes of lucifer
matches, and that they ignited these in their terror, with
the view of obtaining a light. This fearful scene con-
tinued till one poor fellow suceeeded in reaching the
deck, and alarming the mate and crew. Assistance was
then rendered, but, lilac! too late. Seventy-three of the
unfortunates were sacrificed.
The whole affair seems still to be shrouded in ex-
treme mystery. . _

I may mention that, by advices received, at the
agent's for the vessel, from her owners in Glasgow, it
would appear that they were no better informed on the
subject. This letter, which is from the Messrs. Came-
ron and Co., Glasgow, ad tressed to Messrs. Martin,
Burns. and Cc.. of Liverpool, is dated sth inst., and was
written on the receipt of a letter from Messrs. Lynn, of
London, dated the 4thn inst.. is in substance z.
v. e ,sian.n.t.o tonave neard ot tne sate arrival ot the
Londoodcrry in Liverpool, at ?his date, instead of which
we have received intelligence of her putting into the port
of Londonderry under painful circumstances. We un-
derstand from Mr. Lyon (the agent of the firm in Lon-
donderry), that some dreadful catastrophe, which is not
yet explained, has taken place on board of her, and by
which from sixty to seventy of the p;t6sengers have lost
their lives. An inquiry is going on before the authori-
ties, by whom the captain, crew, and the whole of the
surviving passengers have been taken into custody. Mr.
Lyon writes to say that the captain and mate were quite
correct.

The Northern Whig (Belfast paper) of Tuesday
contains the following further particulars :
" Last night we received several communications,
which show that the loss of li!e has amounted to seventy.
two individuals. We are not aware that any suoh cala-
mity has occurred since the year 1756, when, of 146
human beings thrust into " the Black Hole of Calcutta,"
only 25 were found alive a few hours afterwards. This
has been, as it appears, an affair of simple suffocation,
and the death struggles produced by it. The captain
and crew are perfectly inns-cent of evil intent; but there
is apparently an awful reckoning against them on the
ground of gross inconsiderateness. They seem to have
left out of account that a mass of human beings sent
below decks must perish if they have no air. But we dc
not blame them very much. The system requires alter-
ation. We are bound to say that a vast change is de-
manded in favour of deck passengers carried by our
steamers, and it will be surprisieg if this terrible slaugh-
ter fail to induce legislative intertsrence.
" We now proceed to give a number of the communi-
cations which have reached us. Although a portion of
the annexed accounts has been written under the first
impression respecting the alleged murders, yet we think
it b. st to present both impressions and facts as they are
set forth in the following communications
" LONDONDERRY, SUNDAY, Form, P.M., DEC. 3.
One of the most sanguinary and diabolical wholesale
murders perhaps ever recorded took place on Sunday
morning, about three or four o'clock, on board the
steamer Londonderry, whilst on her passage from Sligo
to Liverpool, when off the county Donegal. The Lon-
donderry came into this port this morning, with about
fifty or sixty dead bodies. All the surviving passengers
and crew, except the captain, have been lodged in gaol,
and, has just come from the wharf, after seeing, in
the vessel's hold and steerage the dead and mu-
tilated bodies, his description of which is most
harrowing. It appears that some passengers were
on their way from Sligo, to take shipping at
Liverpool, for New York, and that either the
crew, some of the other passengers, or a gang of mis-
creants, combined to rob and murder them, knowing they
had money with them. A box of lucifer matches was
first burned, for the purpose of smothering them. This
failing, they commenced to strangle them with ropes;
but this also being too tedious, other methods were
taken, as many have their throats cut, and others their
brains beaten out, and several are mangled in many
ways. Those who are strangled are quite black. It is
altogether a moat shocking sight; and says he will
never forget it. Many of the creatures are nearly
naked; and all are piled together in the forepart of the
ship, and the smell is already very offensive. During the
period the murders were being committed there was one
of the greatest storms the vessel ever encountered, dur-
ing which a good many cattle and sheep were killed, or
knocked overboard. It is stated that one poor woman,
who was asleep in the forecastle, and was awakened
while the savages were strangling another woman, having
made her escape on deck, was immediately laid hold ot,
and pitched into the stormy waves. When the steamer
was coming up the river this morning, a little child looked
down the skylight into the fore-cabin, and cried out,
'There is my mammy! pointing to a dead body. Out
of a family of ten persons, only four escaped alive. Im-
mediately after the steamer's arrival here, the mayor
(Mr. Lindsay) sent for a strong party of military and
police, who took all the surviving passengers and crew
to the mayor's office, and he has been occupied all day
investigating the horrible affair. From the
number
killed, the inquests will, of course, last a considerable
time.'
" DERBY, SUNDAY NIGRT.—The steamer London-
derry, plying between Sligo and Liverpool, left the
former port Gn Friday, with, it would appear, an un-
usually large number of passengers—a great
many of
them, it is thought, being on their way to America. This
morning, between nine and ten o'clock, she put into
Derry, when word was immediately sent to the police au-
thorities that an awful sacrifice of life had occurred after
leaving Sligo. When this news spread through Derry the
whole city seemed to be in commotion, and sorrow was
depicted on every countenance. The first official informa
Lion was obtained by the military and police marching
through the streets, escorting prisoners to the police-
office ; and many were the rumours that were in circu-
lation as to the cause of the melancholy catastrophe.
The authorities were promptly in attendance, and the
captain and crew of the steamer were placed under
arrest, in order that, if any blame should attach to them,
they would be forthcoming. The passengers who sur-
vived the disaster were also lodged in safe keeping, as it
was rumoured that robbers had taken passage by the
ship, so that, on the voyage, they might have an oppor-
tunity of plying their vocation beyond the reach of the
anthorities. Another rumour says, that the severity of
the weather obliged the officers of the ship to confine
the passengers in the steerage, so that the crew, in the
working of the vessel, might meet with no interruption
from them.

9
7 "' I can fo no opinion as tot ea ause of the
Foccurrenc ~ but true it is, th -sdleast seventy-four
lives h- been lost. To giv ou an accurate descrip-
tion ' the awful scene which the steamer presented,
this evening, is beyond my power. It was near six
o'clock when I succeeded, in getting into the yard
here the steamer lies ; and the stench, on entering,
was quite enough to make the most hardhearted re-
coil frdm the scene, which, had they entered, would have
presented itself to their view. Not so much, however,
through a feeling of idle curiosity, as to place the matter
before the public, I resolved on going on board the
steamer, so that I might be enabled to send you a short
report of what met my view.
" 'On board the steamer, at the hour stated above I
met two Catholic clergymen, the Rev. Mr. M•Laughlin
and the Rev. Mr. Campbell, and Head-constable Magee
—the former on the look out if e.,ey could minister spi-
ritual comfort to any who wire not really dead, and the
latter paying attention to any circumstance connected
with the bringing on deck of the bodies which might
throw any light on the matter. The attendance of the
clergymen was, in this world, of no avail, as death hid
done its work on all. There are survivors who, it Ys
supposed, will (when examined) give some clue to the
cause of the melancholy ~.flair, but as an investigation is
to take place to-morrow (Monday) I think it would be
imprudent in me to state more at present.
" ' When I boarded the steamer a number of men
under the direction of Head-constable Magee and his
subordinates were gaihering the bodies, to have them
hoisted on deck. There they lay in the hold (horrify.
ing spectacle !) like merchandise packed up in sacks in
course of transit ; some of them lying on each other four
in depth, mer, women, and children. Among the most
affecting of all the melancholy scenes I have ever been
present at was the seeing a father brought up from the
steerage with a child in his arms, the child clinging to
the hither, and the father clinging to the child, as if the
cold embrace of death had not reached them. There
were also wives holding by their husbands, sisters seem-
ingly flying for protection to their brothers ; and the last
long, lingering look of affection was stamped on their
countenances when the cold hand of death had seized them.

" Every one here is crying out, why is it that when
we have Acts of Parliament limiting the number of pas-
sengers in stage coaches, steam-carriages, and American
packet vessels, to the accommodation which they can
severally afford, some practical regulation has not been
made in reference to steam-packets ? It is a fact which
cannot have escaped the observation of every one, that
those poor creatures whose limited means cannot procure
for them a cabin passage are generally treated like dogs,
tossed about by the captain and the crew, as if they were
beings of another species.
" ' You will do a great service, in my bumble judg-
ment, to the community, by calling the attention of the
country and the Government to the necessity of steam-
packet reform—a necessity which this distressing case
loudly proclaims. I do not by any means intend by the
above observations to insinuate that the crew of the
vessel are in this case culpable. The result will not be
known until after the investigation. There is one thing,
at all events, certain—that the size of the storeage Of
the Londonderry is anything but adapted to the number
of passengers with which, in this instance, she was
crowded.'

"‘ DERRY, DEC. 3,1848.—0 n Friday evening last
the Londonderry left Sligo, and had on board a large
number of cattle, and a good many passengers. They
had proceeded a considerable distance on their voyage,
being out about ten hours. The wind getting high, the
passengers were put down into the forecastle, and the
passage-way shut up. The storm seemed to keep high
still, and no one seemed to pay any attention to the
shut-up passengers; but in the night a person, as far as
I could hear, named Brennan, went to the mate, and
told him that something extraordinary was occurring
below amongst the passengers, which the mate thought
was all nonsense; but he (Brennan) got a candle, and
took the mate to open the passage-door, to see if it was
true that some of the passengers were smothering; and,
in doing so, the door being opened, the candle was
blown out, which was caused by the foul air; and
Brennan having two sisters and his mother below, suc-
ceeded in finding out where they were, and got hold of
one sister and his mother and brought them up on deck,
but his other sister was dead. On the alarm being giTen,
a number of the hands made ;a search, and to their
utter astonishment the immense number of seventy• two
persons were found, between di ad and persons unable to
speak. Where the suffocation was very severe, many
persons bled at both mouth and nose. Others have their
arms blackened and bruised, and some are a litle disfi-
gured in the face, but very few—the cause being crush-
ing to get air at every nook, and falling on the
top of one another, Every attention was paid to the
persons who were living at the time, but a few only were
saved.' "

(From the Banner of Ulster of Tuesday.)
The following are the communications which have
reached us on this subject:—
" Derry, Sabbath Evening, Four o'clock.
" My dear Sir,—Our peaceful city was this morning
thrown into a dreadful state of excitement by the arrival
at our queys of the Londonderry steamer, bound fiesta
Sligo to Liverpool, and out at sea since Thursday last.
She had on board about forty dead bodies in a most
awfully marglrd state. or course there are various
reports as to how this dreadful mortality occurred—
some say mutiny on board, others that persons went
~n board at Sligo on purpose to murder and rob
farmers is lit) sold their land and were a mierating to
A ineric:i. The Londonderry encountered much storm,
and I belit,ve the e iptain got the passengers, for the
roost p on% to g:s down to the hold, and thi re they were
either mut rlerel or suffucat,d. i lanv..lsc.utl!nedviit bag:
human life nothing can be
disiineily known until the coroner's inquest is held,
which I believe is to be either this evening or to-morrow
morning. Toe rcznitinieg putt en of the deck passengers
were, en the arrival of the veel here, escorted by the
police and inilitar), and lodged in gaol, and I believe
such a En, laneholy sight as the survivors were has sel-
dom been paraded thr* ugh our streets—hell-naked and
had-starved looking creature.! Many cattle on board
were :is.) suffocated and taken out dead. It is stated
that brim stone arid other masters were set on fire, to suf-
focate the poor people in the hold.
" ' Derry, Sabbath Evening, Five o'clock.
" My dear Sir,—l sit down to write you a few par-
ticulars of one of the most awful and melancholy oc
currences that have happened in this city, I suppose,
since the siege. The Londonderry steamer, bound from
Sligo to Liverpool, came in here tbis morning, at eight
o'clock, with about fitly corpses on board; forty-three
bodies have been landed; and the whole of this holy
Sabhath has been occupied in an examination of them.
The steamer left Sligo at five o'clock on Friday evening,
a great number of the poor passengers being bound for
America. The captain represented that a band of vii.
lairs were on board determined on robbery, and the
work of massacre had commenced in the forecastle.
Finding it necessary for the safety of himself, crew, and
ship, he was obliged to secure them down in the hold ;
but the epillion here is, that numbers of them must have
been suffocated. The captain, all his crew, and all the
surviving passengers, arc in custody. lie did not come
to the quay till a part of the police went on board ; and
the military, with the manor and principal gentlemen of
the town, were present. 'lhe survivors, too, were such
a picture of misery and distress as could not be beheld.
Everything is doing to alleviate their sufferings. The
brute cr* anion have also shared in the sufferings. A great
number of cattle are dead. We saw them carted in droves
past our house.'
" Siece the above reached us, we have rcesived
the lolloning, containing later particulars:—
" Sabbath Evening, Six o'clock. a.ar.
" Sir,—l dropped Mr. M— a few lines this even-
ing regarding the frightful carnage on beard the Lon-
dond,rry steamer, bound from Sligo to Liverpool, and
told him to submit it to you, as you probably did not
hear of it through arty other channel. At six o'clock
this evening there were sixty-eight dead bodies carried
out of the hold, and it was supposed then they were not
all out. A coroner's inquest was held this afternoon, and
the verdict was, ' Died from suffocation.' It came out,
I understand, on the inquest, that the unfortunate crka-
' tnres were stowed down in the hold, and to prevent the
sea water from washing into the hold the hatches were
put down; and, it is supposed, to prevent the unfortunate
beings from making their way hack again, the hatches
were spiked down with a tarpaulin, to the total exclu-
sion of air, which must soon, and most certainly, have
terminated the life of all. After the inquest the captain
(Captain Johns!on), the whole crew, engineer, engine-
men, and all hands engaged on board, were lodg, din
gaol, and most likely they will be examined before the
placed geistriantestheto6morpororroawtionTLell,
wretchedandfoodsuTovriwvoarrsded were
them by order of the magistrates. To witness such a
pile of dead bodies as one of the stores of the Scotch
steam-boat company presents, would wring tears from
the most hardened, and almost frighten the spectator
from the scene. We bt,lieve coffins are being provided
for the dead.'"

OVERLAND MA. ne merchants and others con-
nected with China, &e,
tions of the Governme.nt a
thisr anxious
wt
itkh nroewg
atrbde
to
on t et
then-
Overland Mail, which is usually dispatched on the even-
ing of the 24th via Marseilles. The 24th in the present
instance falls on a Sunday, and the following day is
Christmas-day. Under these circumstances, the feeling
seems to be that it would be desirable to dispatch the
mail on the evening of the 23d, since, if it were delayed
till the 26th, it would in all probability disarrange the
homeward return mail in January, so as to retard its
arrival until after the 24th, and thus cause the loss of a
month to the public in answering their correspondence
from China, Singapore, &c.
THE laow TRADE.—With respect to the state of
the iron trade, the monthly circular of Mr. W. Short
thus observes:—" Welch iron continues in limited de-
mand, and the price has considerably declined during the
month, sales of good makes having been effected (but it
is said not by makers) at 41. 15s. per to:', free on board
in Wales; and while 51. to 51. ss. per ton is the gene' al
price :Irked, every desire is evinced to meet the market,
if the doing so would induce order.. Scotch pig iron at
Glagow is quoted in the market there about 415., assorted
3-5 No. 1, and 2-5 No. 3 free on board, immediate cash,
against store-keepers' warrants or makers' undertakings;
but the makers' price fur early delivery is, according to
make, tram 2s. to 4s. per ton above this price. But little
progress has yet been wade towards the accumulation of
stock at Glasgow, and a fair business is done daily for
consumption. There is not much demand for export, as
the late American aclvices announce a decline there, with
sonic increase of stocks. In-4tte absence of export
orders an increase of stock in makers' hands is expected
durirg the winter. Dealers, both here and in Liverpool,
are, however, but sparingly supplied."
- THE ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF THE TOWN-.
CLERK OF G REENOCK.—EDINDURGLI. TIIESDAY.—The
trial of John Thompson for the attempted assassination
of Mr. Grey, came on yesterday in the High Court of
Justiciary, before Lord Chief Justice Clark, Lord Wood,
and I.ord Mackenzie, and ended in the conviction bed
sentence of death on the prisoner.