The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-27 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, THURSDAY.—The Maitland convict-ship,
bound for Van Diemen's Land, came up from Cowes last
evening. She has on board upwards of 200 prisoner; 70 of
whom are juvenile delinquents, taken on board while lying
at Cowes from Parkhurst prison.
The Pique, 36, Captain the Hon. Montague Stopford, was
towed into the harbour this morning by the Echo steam-tug,
to dismantle and be paid off.
The caflower cutter, flornmansles J. P. Hoppel oaned this,
afterneon' to resume flier station acJersertbr•-thlprotection
of the oyster-fishery.
A fire, which, had it •made a little more progress, would
in all probability have been attended with the most dis-
astrous consequences, broke out on Sunday night in the
tarring-house, in the dock-yard, adjoining the rope-house.
It was discovered by one 'of the police, just as it burst into
flame, and was fortunately extinguished without damage by
means of a few buckets of water. It was caused by the care-
lessly throwing some tow which had been used in wiping the
oil off the works of the steam-engine in a heap in the win-
dow. Vegetable oils saturating any vegetable fibre, and the
latter thrown in a heap in a close place, will, it is well known,
ignite, and cautions to that effect are posted in all parts of
the dockyard. The engine-driver was discharged, but it is
said that in consequence of his good character and long ser-
vices he has been restored.
When the Pique left Bermuda (on the 29th ult.) the
squadron was distributed as follows :
The Vindictive, 50, Captain Seymour (flag-ship), was re-
fitting at Bermuda, and was to sail for Halifax on the 12th
inst. ; the Endymion, 44, Captain Lambert, was at Barba-
does ; the Alarm, 26, Captain Frankland, was at Halifax ;
but the Persian, 16, Commander Coryton, sailed on the 27th
of May for Halifax, to order the Alarm to Vera Cruz ; the
Hyacinth, 18, Commander Scott, was at the Bay of Fundy;
the Daring, 12, Commander Matson, was at Port Royal; the
Viper, 3, Lieut.-Commander Gray, was at Port Royal.

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.
On Thurs lay a Court was held for the dispatch of business.
Mr. R. L. JoNns brought up the report of the Consolidated
Committee, with a petition against the West London Rail-
way Improvement and Extension Bill. He contended that
the Government had, pending the legal conflict between it
and the Corporation on the question of the soil and bed of
the river Thames, acted with remarkable unfairness in adopt-
ing clauses calculated to assist in the prejudication of the
subject—(Hear)—and he regretted that the Recorder, who
was so completely acquainted with it, had not been present
in the House of Commons to represent in adequate terms the
character of the proceeding.
The RECORDER said he was engaged in the performance of
his judicial duties when the matter was expected to be
brought forward; nevertheless, he made an arrangement with
Mr. Bullock to enable him to attend during the discussion.
By one of those accidents which interfere with men's most
resolute intentions, he did not arrive at the House until the
doors were closed for a division. The House of Lords was,
however, still to be appealed to, and he felt confident that
any lawyer, upon being referred to, would admit and act
upon the feeling that the course pursued by the House of
Commons was unwarrantable.—(Hear, hear.)
The report was received, and the petition to the House of
Lords was unanimously agreed to.
Mr. Low brought up the report of the City Lands Com-
mission, recommending the erection of a new barge-house at
Kew, at the estimated expense of 1,4701.
Mr. ANDERTON was surprised to hear a proposition to go
to a most unnecessary expense, in these times of reform and
retrenchment. It would, in his opinion, be much more
eligible to employ the superior accommodation and rapidity
of steam-vessels on such occasions as it was customary to call
the City barge into requisition, than to incur the serious ex-
pense of building a barge-house. The City, in fact, could
build for the money proposed by the report to be expended,
twenty or thirty small houses, which would prove a matter
of the greatest advantage to the poorer community.—(Hear.)
Mr. HARRISON said he should hold up his hand against
such a waste of public money as the report advised.
The report was then rejected by a large majority.
NUISANCE AT THE BOTTOM OF HOLBORN-HILL.

Deputy BEDFORD rose to move that it be an instruction to
the Londoii-bridge Approaches Committee to report forth-
with their proceedings under the reference of the 26th day of
June last, for the purchase cf the houses at Holborn-bridge.
The motion referred to the houses which projected close to
Field-lane into the street, greatly to the danger of passengers,
and to the obstruction of the vast traffic of that crowded
thoroughfare. The unsightly and perilous projection had
compelled the owners of the new buildings in the vicinity to
lower the rents, and accidents were constantly occurring on
the spot.
Mr. KING declared that the system of railway jobbing which
flourished some months ago had impeded the public improve-
ment in the locality alluded to. The inhabitants and the
representatives of the ward of Farringdon Without were
much to be blamed for winking at the obstruction, and they
were certainly bound to set their houses in order.
Doctor LYNCH denied that the representatives of the ward
of which he was a member had neglected their duty as re-
garded the neceesary improvements. The reverse was the
fact. They had urged the necessity of improving Holborn-
hill on every occasion that presented itself—(Hear, hear)—
but there were some members of that Court who were forever
snarling and barkinglike dogs, and were sure to growl, whe-
ther the subject-matter of discussion was one which called
for dispraise or commendation.—(Hear, hear.) The only
way of treating such customers appeared to him to be that of
drawing some of their teeth when they opened their jaws to
carp and snap at the very persons who gave the least provo-
cation.—(Laughter, and cries of" Hear, hear.")
Mr. WILLIAMS said that for years the members of the
board had been making strong efforts to remedy the very
disagreeable evil, and twelve months ago the Court had voted
15,0001. to accomplish the desired object. The question had
been referred to the London Bridge Approaches Committee,
but the Chairman of that Committee always was prepared
with an answer to any question with respect to it, by stat-
ing that certain railway companies were going to Parliament
for Bills which would include the improvement of the whole
neighbourhood. It appeared that the application to Parlia-
ment existed only in the warm imagination of Mr. Jones, and
the houses at Holborn-bridge remained in statu quo, without
the least apparent chance of being removed.
Mr. R. L. JONES said he had abstained from opposing the
introduction of railroads into Farringdon-street, upon the dis.
tinct understanding that the companies should effectually
remedy the Holborn-hill grievance. The Direct Manchester
Railway Company had actually scheduled the projected im-
provement, and no doubt, if that project had succeeded,
the object would have been accomplished, and the dangerous
acclivity would have been overcome.—(Hear, hear.)—The
question was referred to the London-bridge Improvement
Committee.

.....
MR. W.1.01[0R17.
Mr. Low presented the following petition from Sir George
Larpent, Bart., Charles Kerr, and Thomas Elliott, for a grant
in aid of the subscription for the testimonal to Lieut. Wag-
horn, R.N. :
" Sheweth—That a committee of noblemen and gentle-
men has been formed for the purpose of raising a subscription,
to be called the Waghorn Testimonial.' That the amount
at present received is about 3,0004 as per annexed list of
subscribers (subject to deductions on incidental expenses).
But, in the estimation of the committee, the advantages
which have been derived by the citizens of London from the
enterprise of Lieutenant Waghorn, R.N., in personally prov-
ing at all risks, and at considerable outlay, through a series
of years, the practicability of bringing India nearer to Eng-
land by the space of nearly three months in point of time,
deserves the public's thanks and a further pecuniary reward.
Under this impression your petitioners respectfully appeal to
the Corporation of the City of London, in confident expec•
tation that it will not only accord its meed of praise to
Lieutenant Waghorn for his arduous and successful under-
taking, but mark their sense of his devotedness and zeal by
aiding the cause of the committee, thereby setting a noble
and generous example to the citizens at large.
"And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.
"GEORGE LARPENT,
"CHARLES KERR,
" THOMAS ELLIOTT."

Mr. Lott warmly described the exertions:of Mr.Waghorn,
and the wonderful effects produced by that gentleman's skill,
zeal, and perseverance in the most of all labours. Ha
particularly claimed from the citizens of London, whose
merchants had received such extraordinary benefits from the
enterprising spirit of the eminent subject of his commenda-
tion, a marked attention to the petition.
The motion that the petition be referred to the Coal, Corn,
and Finance Committee was received with loud cheers,
which clearly indicated the disposition of the Court to con-
tribute liberally to the testimonial.
Mr. ANDERTON seconded the motion, and only wished that
the Court had the power to vote money at once, without the
delay of a reference.
The petition was then referred to the Committee, amidst
loud cheers.
An election for a fruit-meter took place, and Mr. Rolls,
formerly a highly-respected member of the corporation, was‘
chosen by a great majority.—Adjourned.

FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENTS IN THE LATE STonlit
Yesterday morning, between twelve an done o'clock, the following
frightful accidents, which occurred during the heavy storm that
visited the metropolis, were admitted into the King's College Hos-
pital. The first happened to Eliza Beesley, a young woman about
twenty-two, i
v-ng at 31, St. Clement's-lam. As she was walking
down the lane home, a portion of a chimney-pot ud
sdenly fell upon
her head, and fractured the skull, besides making an ex, ensive lace-
ration of the forehead. The other accident happened in Fetter-lane,
to Mary Thorn, aged forty-eight, a widow, who was running to take
shelter out of the rain, which at that moment won the as descending in
torrents, when the poor creature slipped down stones and
broke her right leg. She remained in this helpless eonditioll for
nearly ten minutes before assistanee arrived, when she was removed
tn the aboye institution, where it was considered that the process
of
amputation must be ram tel to.