The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-15 00:00:00

various heads of traffic, the lowest amount of charges
made by each company during the two preceding years,
and the maximum of those which are allowed in the Bill
to the amalgamated companies.
Having thus referred to the case of Legislative amal-
gamations, yoar Committee feel that they ought not to
omit to notice that some important lines of railway
originally formed by independent companies, and with
respect to which no legislative amalgamation has yet
been proposed, are at present practically under the same
control and management ; and so long as those parties
feel it to be their interest to combine, all the evils to be
apprehended from amalgamation may be produced by
private arrangements between them. It is true that
such arrangements cannot acquire a permanent cha-
racter without the sanction of Parliament ; but, on
the other hand, they enable the parties, by avoid-
ing an application to Parliament, temporarily to
escape the necessity of submitting to those pro-
visions which Parliament may see fit to impose for
the benefit of the public as the condition of amalgamation.
Your Committee have felt it their duty to advert to
this point as one requiring serious consideration ; al.
though they are not yet prepared to make any definite
suggestion for the purpose of averting any evils which
might arise from an abuse of the power derived from
these private arrangements.
Your Committee trust that the rules which they have
suggested may assist the Select Committees on railway
groups in their deliberations, and may contribute to the
uniformity of their decisions.
As regards the amalgamation of railways with canals,
your Committee have not been able as yet to obtain
sufficient intormation to justify them in offering any
definite suggestions ; but they propose immediately after
the recess to enter more fully into that important branch
of the subject.

FIRST REPORT from the SELECT
COMMITTEE ON RAILWAYS AND CANALS
AMALGAMATION.
The Select Committee appointed to consider the prin-
ciple of Amalgamation, as applied to the Railway and
Canal Bilk now under the consideration of Parliament,
have proceeded in the consideration of the matters to
them referred; and agreed to the following report:—
Your Committee, in discharging the duty imposed
upon them, have in the first instance applied themselves
to the task of ascertaining how many of the railway and
canal Bills now before Parliament contain clauses in-
volving the principle of amalgamation.
Owing to the circumstance that several of them are
still awaiting the preliminary investigation of the Com-
mittees on Standing Orders, and have net yet been
formally introduced into the House, and that the Irish
Railway Bills have been commenced in the House of
Lords, it has been found difficult, if not impossible, to
form a correct estimate of their number ; but, making
allowance fur error, and exclusive of the Irish Bills, it
may be stated that they amount to about 161 for Eng-
land, and about 56 for Scotland.
Of this number, 37 are Bills for the amalgamation, by
purchase, lease, or otherwise, of existing railway com-
panies with each other.
Thirty-two of railways with canals.
One hundred and fifty-five for the formation of new
lines, and their amalgamation with existing companies or
with each other.
Amongst the last will be found Bills containing clauses
which give a general power of leasing the tolls, or leas-
in•g or selling the works or lines, with the view of effect-
ing amalgamation at some future time with any com-
panies which may be disposed to take advantage of the
power so given.
Also Bills which, containing clauses with a somewhat
similar object, are, however, restricted to the option of
two or more companies therein specified.
In addition to, and not included in the above list,
there are several Bills in which powers are taken by ex-
isting companies to contribute to the funds for the ex-
ecution of the works of new lines ; thereby securing, in
proportion to the sum subscribed, a permanent influence
in the future management of the company.
Looking to the number of these Bills, and to the fact
that a great proportion of them have been already
grouped, and submitted by the House to Select Corn
euittees for the consideration of their merits, and that
seine of them are advanced even to another stage, your
Committee have felt bonnd to come to an early decision
as to the course which it would recommend the House
to pursue in respect of them.
After the best deliberation which the time permitted,
it has been thought on the whole most advisable with a
view to avoid inconvenient obstruction to the business
before Committees, net to interfere more than is absolutely
necessary with their present progress; and that your
Committee, taking advantage of such information as
could be the most easily and readily obtained, should at
once suggest such regulations for the guidance of Select
Committees as they believe may be safely and bene-
ficially adapted, and which would tend in a great mea-
sure, though not altogether, to the attainment of the
object of the House in referring this matter to them. In
cowing to this determination, they have
railway
in mind
that a clause may be inserted in every ilw Bill, sub-
that
the promoters to such additional enactments as
Parliament may on further consideration deem ex-
pedient.
On taking a general view of the various projects of
amalgamation, yuur Committee were at once struck with
the general tendency on the part of the principal rail-
way companies to extend their operations, and to unite as
large a proportion as possible of the carrying trade of
their respective districts under their own control and
maime• ment. Your Committee have taken evidence on
several schemes of amalgamation, in order to illastrate
this tendency ; and without invidiously selecting one out
id' a great number, it may be sufficient to state that some
of there are so extensive in their combination, that they
way be said to secure, if not a monopoly, at least en
almost overwhelming influence in those districts of the
country embraced within their limits.
Under such circumstance it appears to your Committee
to be the imperative duty of Parliament to consider well
and carefully the probable result of these great combina-
tions, and (if they should be consented to) the nature
and extent of the privileges which should be entrusted
to the directing body of each.
Your Committee are by no means disposed to regard
with undue jealousy the principle of amalgamation.
The benefits arising from it, if conducted within proper
limits and under judicious regulations, are indisputable.
It enables companies to conduct their operations with
less expense to themselves, and consequently with dimi-
nished charges to the public; it conduces to better
arrangements and more efficient control, and thereby to
greater speed, and at the same time to increased safety
to life and to property. It enables companies conjointly
to provide that increase of accommodation for the public
at their terminal stations, and in their general establish-
ment, which many of them could not separately afford.
It also enables small companies, whose lines are
worked at great expense, to obtain the benefits of cheap-
ness and general arrangement which are enjoyed by
lines of greater extent. The above are advantages of no
small importance, especially in the more populous dis-
tricts of the country, where the junction of numerous
lines, under different management, tends to expense, ob-
struction, and confusion, and danger to life and property.
On the other hand, it is equally manifest that, if car-
ried beyond certain limits, and especially if not subjected
to proper regulation and control, amalgamation must
necessarily have a directly opposite tendency in each and
every respect. It might greatly diminish the induee-
ments to a low rate of fares, or to the adoption of new
improvements; it might tend to a laxity of discipline
and decreased attention to public accommodation ; and
in various other ways injuriously affect the public in-
terests. Indeed, past experience affords sufficient and
convincing proof that while, in some instances, amalgama-
tion of railways has been followed by diminished rates of
carriage and increased accommodation, in others the
result has been directly the reverse.
It would not have been possible for your Committee,
without causing much delay and public inconvenience,
to examine into the merits of these various schemes of
amalgamation ; they have therefore directed their chief
attention to the question, whether any general rules
could be laid down, applicable to the system, which,
without fettering the judgment of Select Committees,
might conduce to a greater uniformity of decision, to
a stricter examination into the Bills brought under con-
sideration, and at the same time to prevent undue ad-
vantage being taken of any increased powers and privi-
leges which it might be thought proper to grant.
With this object, your Committee have given an early
and attentive perusal to the report upon this subject,
which was made by the Railway Department of the
Board of Trade, on the 7th of May. 1845.
To the suggestions and to the opinions expressed in
that report, your Committee are disposed to give their
general concurrence; they have appended an extract from
it to this report; and in pressing it earnestly on the con.
sideration of Members, they deem it necessary to make
only a few additional remarks, most of which have been
suggested by experience derived subsequently to its pub-
lication.
In the first place, then, they beg to call the attention
of the House to the general principles therein propounded
for regulating its decisions on amalgamation Bills; and
with a view to carrying out in detail some of those prin-
ciples they recommend—
That " general powers of granting or accepting a lease
or sale of a railway or canal, or of otherwise merging the
independence of one company in another not named,
should not be allowed to be inserted in any Bill."
S- condly, that the same rule be applied to all Bills
which contain clauses enabling the companies to lease
or sell their tolls or works to any one of a number of
railway companies therein specified.
Thirdly, that a clause be inserted in each Bill sub-
jecting all the parties involved in it to all general rail-
way Acts.
Fourthly, that in all instances in which railway com-
panies propose to take powers of amalgamation, the rates
and tolls of the amalgamated companies should be sub-
jeteed to revision.
At the present time, owing in some instances to a
system of law fares being found most profitable, in
others to actual or threatened competition, the maximum
rates or tolls hitherto imposed by Parliament has not
been
generally required as a limitation. It is manifest,
however, that if a system of amalgamation is to be x
Lensively adopted, the latter inducement to low charges
will be materially diminished, if not altogether done
away with.
It would be impossible to -lay down any precise rule
for the guidance of the House in this respect, which
would not be subject to numerous exceptions ; the de-
cision, therefore, as to the exact limitation of fares must
at presci.t be left to the discretion of each Committee, to
be apelied according to the merits of each separate cave.
It ought, however, always to be borne in mind that the
effect of amalgamation is to diminish the expense of
working and managing railways, and thereby to enable
the proprietors to secure a greater profit on their exist-
t..atfic ; and in this view of the case it might be
taken as a general rule, subject to special exceptions,
that the maximum of rates and tolls combined ought not
to exceed the lowest rates which had been previously
demaeded and received by the respective companies. It
will doubtlessly be found impossible to adhere rigidly to
this rule in all cases. Circumstances peculiar to a
particular railway may render it desirable that rather a
wider limit should be allowed ; but your Committee are
confident that in a far greater number of instances,
especially in those of extensive combinations and of
large companies, the limitation which they have sug-
gested would be found to fall short of, rather than to ex-
ceed. that which might be justly imposed with a due re-
gard to the interests of the shareholders on the one
hand, and of the public on the othcer. Y.our Committee,
herelbre, recommend that SelectCommittees appointed
there
the consideration of these Bills should impose a new
limitation of tolls and fares, and specially report any cir-
cumstance which may lead them to allow any increase of
the rates previously received.
There are several instances now before Parliament of two
. or inore companies applying for powers of amalgamation,
whose respective rates and charges vary in amount.
Your Committee submit that it should be the duty of
Select Committees, in these cases, to exercise much care
in the adiustment and substitution of a maximum rate.
Your Committee would strongly urge upon the atten-
tion of the House, the charges made for the conveyance
of coals ; their cheapness being of paramount import
:exec to the manufacturing and commercial interests of
this country.
A glance at the proposed amalgamaiions in the neigh-
Ion:hood of the great coal and manufacturing districts,
R. sot once suggest that if the present competition is to
be eiminiehed, on which alone the public have to rely as
a sec rarity against high charge, it is absolutely necessary
that a new limitation of rates should be imposed, at once
equal to all parties, and as low as is constent with justice.
With a view to affording the House the fullest in-
formation as to the grounds on which Committees have
founded th eir decisions, it would be desirable that a
schedule be appended to each report, giving, under the

drawal of a juror, the Learned Judge observing that he
thought that course the best for all parties. (The effect
of this step is, that each party will have to pay his own
costs.)
This was the last case at Nisi Prins.
CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Baron PLITT.)
William Bishop, aged 35, was indicted for having in-
termarried with one Anne Shipway, during the lifetime
of Elizabeth, his first wife.
Evidence was given of his first marriage, which oc-
curred about eight years ago, at BristoL Six years
since, however, the prisoner was deserted by his first
wife, who went to live, and has during the interval co-
habited, with a man of the name of Baker.
Anne Shipway, aged 37, stated that she was married
to the prisoner at Radcliffe Church, Bristol, on the 23d
of July, 1844, after an acquaintance of about eighteen
months. She was aware that his first wife was alive, but

he told her that " he was parted from her by law, hav-
ing sold her."
Mr. Baron PLATT—Is it credible that you have ar-
rived at your time of life without being aware that a
man cannot sell his wife, and that he can only be sepa-
rated from her by divorce?
The witness proceeded to state, that the prisoner hav-
ing neglected to supply her with money, she had taken
possession of some chattels a hich she had previously
purchased. The former wife, repentant of her past
transgressions, had reappeared, and now claimed the
prisoner as her rightful husband.
The prisoner was convicted, and sentenced to 14 days'
imprisonment, without hard labour.
He was defended by Mr. Greaves.
George Britton, aged 31, was arraigned upon the
charge of having pillaged a trading vessel, which had
stranded at Hambury on the Bth of February last.
Mr. Skinner conducted the prosecution, and Mr.
Greaves defended the prisoner.
The prosecutor stated that the vessel in question,
named the George, of Chepstow, sailed on the 7th of
February from Hentland (Hertfordshire), with a cargo
of timber, spokes, bark, &c., and that, three days after,
she stranded and filled about a mile and a half above the
Bristol river, a little below the new Passage. Several
men were in possession of her at the time witness dis.
covered her in the above situation. He asked them what
he should give them for securing her ; they replied 501.,
but he ultimately compromised the claim for 17/. The
vessel was afterwards taken to Bristol, where, on un-
lading her, several articles were missed, namely, a bunule
of hogshead-hoops, 250 spokes, and some small hoops.
The prosecutor and policeman went to the prisoner's
house, where they found several portions of the missing
property.
The counsel for the prisoner contended that the articles
in question had floated ashore, and that the prisoner and
his companions had secured them, not knowing to whom
they belonged.
He was acquitted, as were three other prisoners, who
bad been charged with the perpetration of similar,
offences.
Thomas Williams was charged with assaulting. James
Osborne on the highway, in the parish of St. George's,
and with having robbed him of seven sovereigns.
M.. Greaves prosecuted ; the prisoner was defended
by Mr. Cooke.
On the evening of the 12th of December, the prose-
cutor, it appeared, was returning home after sundry
lengthy potations, when he was attacked by two men.
one of whom knocked him down, while the other rubbed
him. He swore that the prisoner was one of his assail-
ants, and that he knelt upon him while his pockets were
being rifled.
Other evidence was given to connect the prisoner with
the transaction, and the jury, after remaining some time
in deliberation, found a verdict of Guilty, whereupon he
observed, "I am happy to say that I am innocent of this
crime ; I was in bed at the time of the robbery."
He was sentenced to transportation for the term of
fifteen years.
After the trial of several other prisoners for offences
of no great importance, the assize business of the present
circuit was brought to a conclusion.
DOE, ON THE DEMISE OF WOOD, V, ELIAS.
This cause, which it was expected would have been
tried at these assizes, for the recovery of certain free-
hold estates of considerable value, the property of the
late James Wood, has been made a remanet until the
summer circuit.
A special application upon the subject was made at an
early period of the assizes to the Chief Baron by Mr.
Godson, who requested to know if his Lordship would
fix a day for the trial.
The CHIEF BARON replied—By no means, it must be
made a remanet. It cannot be tried by me at all. It
must have been perfectly well known to those who en-
tered the cause that I should not try the cause in this
court, and it was no secret that I came down here only a
few years age to dispute that very will. I at that time
entertained a very strong opinion upon that case, and
have had no reason to alter that impression since ; and
it would be an act of great indecorum on my part to sit
and try the case. I expressed an opinion as to Dr.
Lushington's sitting in the capacity of judge, after
having been engaged as counsel, and I still adhere to
that opinion. I consider that it is a course which is cal-
culated to bring the administration of justice into ques-
tion, if not into contempt.
Mr. Sergeant TALFOURD, on behalf of the lessee of
the plaintiff, observed that his client would be perfectly
satisfied that his Lordship should adjudicate upon the
case; but if his Lordship felt a disinclination so to do,
perhaps an arrangement might be made for Baron Platt
to take it.
The CHIEF BARON said it was his duty to take the
business of that Court, and he did not conceive that he
should be justified in asking his brother Platt to dis-
charge his office for him. So far, therefore, as he was
concerned, he should direct the cause to be made a

APPENDIX.
Extract from the Report of the Railway Department
of the Board of Trade on proposed Amalgamations of
Railways ; dated Railway Department, Board of
Trade, Whitehall, 7 May, 1845.
"The present unsettled state of the railway system,
when almost every day brings forward some proposal
for a new railway, or some new combination among
existing interests, renders it peculiarly undesirable that
permanent amalgamations should be precipitately al-
lowed, unless in cases where the advantage to the public

is perfectly manifest.
" These observations apply principally to the case o
amalgamations between railways which have been ori-
ginally projected and sanctioned as independent under-
takings. There is another class of cases where new
lines are brought forward by the aid of, and in alliance
with, existing companies, who subscribe a portion of
tke capital, or guarantee a certain return upon it, and
take powers to lease or purchase the line when made.
In such cues it is evident that greater latitute must be
allowed, as otherwise the inducement to the existing
company to support the new line would be in a great
measure withdrawn, and in many cases the undertaking
could not otherwise be supported. In such cases it
would appear to be fair to allow an existing company
promoting a line sanctioned as an useful undertaking, in
exchange for a guarantee on their part to complete what
they undertake, to purchase or amalgamate with them-
selves such small lines as may be considered natural
branches of the parent line, and to lease, for a long
period, such larger schemes as they may have promoted.
" Where such new schemes, however, are of sufficient
magnitude to support themselves independently, and
are not so intimately connected with the parent line as to
be necessarily worked along with it, it may in some
cases be advisable to make some provision for the
existence of a degree of independence and local manage-
ment in the new concern ; and also for limiting the
period during which the union of interest is to exist
without the necessity of a fresh application to Parliament.
" We refrain, however, from entering more particu-
larly upon the details of such cases, since they are neces-
sarily brought fully under the cognizance of the Com-
mittee on each Bill, in the course of the general investi-
gation of the merits of the projected lines which it is
proposed to amalgamate with existing companies; and
we shall confine our observations more especially to
those in which the amalgamation of existing independent
Companies is proposed, and in which the bearings of
the case upon public interests are not necessarily brought
under consideration by opposing parties.
" With regard to these, we incline, under present
circumstances and on the whole, to the opinion that such
amalgamations should only be allowed where there is a
natural and manifest identity of interest for public pur-
poses among the different portionsof railway which seek
to unite into one whole. For instance, when two or
more lines form continuous portions of what is evidently,
for permanent public purposes, one great line of com-
munication, or whenever in fact there can be no reason-
able doubt that, if the whole system were now proposed
for the first time, an integral scheme would obtain a
preference over separate and unconnected portions, we
think that the benefits which we have already pointed
out as likely to ensue from unity of management, may be
considered as sufficient to justify the sanction of amalga-
mation under proper guarantees and conditions.
"But where there is any appearance of any conflict of
interest between the companies proposing to amalga-
mate and the public, and if there be any reason to sus-
pect that the amalgamation is sought as a defensive
measure to ward off legitimate competition, or to prevent
new and useful projects from being brought forward, it
appears to us very undesirable that amalgamation should
be permitted. And even in cases where there is no very
evident interest adverse to the public at the present
I moment, but where there is no such natural identity of
interest as properly to unite the lines proposing to amal-
gamate into one whole, we think, that having regard to
the present fluctuating state of railway affairs, it would,
generally speaking, be more prudent, at any rate for the
present, to pause before sanctioning such proposals, and
uniting irrevocably, or for long periods, companies whose
relations to one another might in a few months have been
entirely changed, or which might be discovered to have
some unforeseen interests adverse to those of the public.
" We are the more inclined to recommend this course,
as no great evil could result from the postponement of
such amalgamations for a year or two, by which time
further experience will have been gained, both of the
true interests and relations of the company and of the
public, as well as of the efficacy of any legislative pro-
visions against undue monopoly. In the present state of
experience, it would hardly be wise to trust much to
such provisions, unless in cases where they shall be
seconded by an obvious coincidence of interest between
the company and the public.
" There is also reason to believe, that many of the
benefits sought for from amalgamation may be obtained
without unions of this permanent character, by mileage
arrangements, arrangements for the supply of locomo-
tive power, and others of a similar description, which
would not be open to the same objections ; and this in
our opinion, affords another reason why, in cases which
are at all doubtful, the more prudent course would be to
postpone, for the present, the concession of powers to
carry into effect lasting amalgamation."

remanet.
This course was finally adopted, an arrangement being
moreover proposed, by wbich the evidence of an im-
portant witness, now 90 years of age, should be admitted
by the opposite party.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE
G 1) IL DH A LL.
John Sharp and six other inmates of the East London
Union were charged with refusing to work, because it

was Easter Monday.
Mr. Alderman Gums asked what work they were
set to? Mr. Mortlock, the master of the house—lt was

hair-picking. There was no objection to it. The pri-
soners were all young men, able to get their living by
labour; but they were reconciled to workhouse fare and
workhouse labour, and some of them had been in the

poorhouse four years. Sharp had left a place where he
had 12s. a week, that he might work less hard with
workhouse diet in the poorhouse. Though it was holi-
day time, he thought it was his duty to keep such
characters to work.

The paupers said they hid a holiday last Easter
Monday.
The master said he had then newly come into office.
Mr. Alderman Gums said, he thought the master
acted properly in keeping them to work, and he asked
the prisoners if, after hearing his opinioa, they would
now do the work?—The prisoners said they would; and
the magistrate discharged them.
They were guarded back to the workhouse.
MARLBOROUGH- STREET.

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.
OXFORD ClRCUlT.—Gloucester, April 11.
Yesterday being Good Friday, the business of the
assizes was not resumed till after the termination of the
morning cathedral service, when Mr. Baron Platt took
his seat in the Crown Court, the Chief Baron having
departed from Gloucester very shortly after the disposal
of the last two causes in 'the list. There were two city
cases ; the following is a brief summary of the proceed-
ings in each:— ,
lIORRISON T 7. 'WALKER AND ANOTHER.
Mr. Sergeant Talfourd and Mr. Self appeared on
behalf of the plaintiff ; Mr. Godson, QC., and Mr.
Beadon on the part of the defendants.
From the statement of counsel it appeared that the
plaintiff was captain of a vessel called the Trial, and the
defendants were partners in a firm of timber-merchants,
known by the name of Price and Co., in this city, from
whom Morrison claimed a balance as the price of a
'cargo of timber, in respect of which they were admitted
to have already made several payments on account. No
witness seemed to have been present when the contract
was entered iato, but on the day previous to that occur•
rence, a Mr. Edwards heard the offer made by Morrison
relative to some part of the transaction. The cargo con-
sisted of deals and battens, for which 1,4191. 103. ld.
was claimed ' • birch and pine timber, valued at 4541.
9s. 3d.; and lathwood, at 60/. 155.; forming a total of
1,9341. 14s. 4d., of which the defenants had paid 1,564/.,
so that the amount now sought to be recovered was
3701. 14s. 4d. The dispute between the parties arose
mainly from an alleged difference in the quality and
quantity of some of the timber, regarding which the
I Learned
nnsoceedltihtStel eetTagean,rgalouterretmhbaroatruktgehd,he that, in Nova Scotia,
t'mterrChbearntwsas wereso pnl eont tvi feurly,
accurate in their measurements, and in the present case
the measurement of the Custom-house officers caused a
great apparent difference when compared with the quan-
tities specified in the manifest.
At this stage of the proceedings,
The Learned JUDGE inquired whether a party accus-
tomed to the measurement and valuation of the kind of
goods above enumerated would not be the most compe.
tent person to decide the question ?
Upon this suggestion a discussion ensued, which ter
minuted in the adoption of, the Chief Baron's recom
mendation.

Captain Crawford, R N., Pall-mall, was charged with
having knocked out two of the teeth of George Long, a
solicitor's clerk.
The complainant said he was walking with a friend in
Oxford-street about nine o'clock the previous evening,
when he happened accidentally to kick against the foot
of the defendant. He turned round and immediately
begged the defendant's pardon. The defendant, how-
ever, instantly struck him on the face, and followed up
the assault by another blow, which broke two of his
teeth and knocked him down. As soon as the defendant
had finished this cowardly assault he ran away as
quickly as he could. He was, however, pursued and
given into the custody of a police-constable.
A witness corroborated the statement of the com-
plainant as to the accidental touch of the defendant's
foot in passing. The defendant, after receiving the
apology, struck at the complainant violently, with the
remark, "- your eyes, get out of the way."
The defendant said the complainant tried to trip him
up; and, as he believed this was done for the purpose of
picking his pocket, he certainly knocked the complainant
down. He ran away because he had no wish to find
himself involved in a police charge.
Mr. MALTBY said the evidence disproved the asser-
tion of the kick against the defendant's foot being inten-
tional. The complainant had done all that a gentleman
could require, for he made a full apology; but this had
not satisfied the defendant, who had instantly com-
mitted a violent and aggravated assault on the com-
plainant. For this assault he should fine the defendant
in the highest amount of penalty, namely, 51.
The money was paid.
Henry Bishop, a young man, a bricklayer, was charged
with committing the following brutal outrage on his wife.
The complainant, a young woman, of cleanly and
decent appearance, stated that she was living at No. 15,
Morton-street, Middlesex Hospital. She bad been mar-
ried to the prisoner about two years, and, before n week
had expired he commenced using her in a most brutal and
inhuman manner. She was scarcely ever without a black
eye, or severe bruises about her person. She had been three
times in the hospital from his violence, and, in one
instance, her life was placed in imminent danger by his
kicking her with dreadful force on the head. His ill-
usage at length became unbearable, and, about Christmas
last, she left him, he having previously sold off all the
furniture, and dissipated the produce in drunkenness, to
which be was habitually addicted. Her lather supplied
her with the furniture she had at her present
lodgings. Between one and two o'clock on Sunday
morning last, the defendant, in a state of furious drunk-
enness, gained entrance to the house, and forcing open
the door of her apartment, beat her in a most shameful
manner, and broke the chairs, table, crockery, and
nearly everything in the place. As he was leaving the
room, he inflicted a severe kick on her person, as she
was lying nearly insensible on the bed. This morning
he again came to her place and ill-used her, on which
she gave him in charge to the police •
Mr. MALTBY asked the defendant what he had to say
for himself ? The defendant said he certainly had
struck his wife, because she was saucy to him ; but he
did not hurt her.
Wilks, the gaoler, said the defendant had, a few
months ago, been committed from this court for two
months to hard labour, for assaulting the complainant.
The complainant said such was the fact.
Mr. MALTBY ordered the defendant to pay a fine of
51., or undergo two months more imprisonment to hard
labour.

CLERKEIV WELL.
Michael Brien was brought up on a charge of attempt-
ing to murder his wife.
The prisoner is one of the most desperate characters
in Clerkenwell. He is the !error of the police, many of
whom he has seriously maimed. Since he came from
Ireland, ten years ago, he has spent half his time in
prison, having been more than twenty times convicted

SitlN, LONDON. WEDNESDAY MOtNING, A`PRIL 15,_1846.

at this Court. The assaults for which he has been con-
victed have been committed, in most instances, without
any provocation ; like some wild beasts, his sole object
seemed to be that of spilling blood. Last night, about
twelve o'clock, he entered the wretched apartment in
Pavel), court, Islington, where his wife and children
live. Immediately upon entering it he smashed the
windows, and without receiving the slightest provoca-
tion, dragged his wife out of bed and kicked her violently
with his heavily-nailed boots on the head and breast.
The unfortunate woman bared her breast in Court, and
horrified every one present by the appearance it pre-
sented. Having kicked her until she was almost in-
sensible, he swore he would murder her, for that he
might as well hair for her now as at another time. He
then went to the cupboard and brought out the chopper.
The unfortunate woman seeing his determinati.m,
craw!ed into bed, went upon her knees, and beLged of
him to spare her life. He aimed a desperate blow of the
chopper at her head, which struck the bed post ; he
aimed a second, which, raising her arm, she received on
her wrist. At length the neighbours, hearing her
screams. rushed in and the fellow was secured.
Mr. CostnE decided upon committing the prisoner
for trial.

ment, but he was not able to state whether or not the
prisoner's purpose had been fully effected.
The prisoner, who about four years since was sum-
marily convicted and imprisoned for 21 days for some
indecent conduct to sonic pauper girls at Chiswick, was
remanded until Saturday next, in order to ascertain if
the parochial authorities will undertake to prosecute.

FEARFUL RAILWAY ACCIDENT
SOCITH SHIELDS, SUNDAY.-A serious accident oc-
curred on the Brandling Junction Railway, near this
town, by which several persons have been injured, some
of whom, it is thought, cannot survive. The ten o'clock
train from Gateshead was proceeding at a rapid rate„
from Brockley Whins to Shields, when, on taking a
curve near the Jarrow Alkali Works, the engine got off
the line, dragging the tender with it, and having become
disconnected from the passenger carriages by the break-
ing of the coupling chain, dashed over the embankment,
and through the roof of a row of dwelling-houses, on
the ground floor of one of which it finally stopped, rest
ing on its end, wish the tender above it, poised in a most
fearful position. The only inmates of the house which
has thus been completely demolished were two women
and a child, all of whom are most seriously injured, one
of the women by the engine having fallen upon her leg,
which was literally crushed to atoms; and she, as well
as the others, by the escape of steam and boiling water
which rushed frotn the boiler. The force of the engine
and its great weight seem to have cut through the build-
ing almost like a razor, which accounts for the inmates
of neighbouring houses having sustained but little in-
jury; in fact, none at all worth mentioning. The en-
gine-man and stoker were thrown from the engine, and
alighted on that portion of the roof which remained, re-
ceiving serious contusions from the fall. One passenger,
who was riding outside the train, bad both his legs
broken. Fortunately, none of the passenger carriages
were dragged from the line, and the extent of injury
received by the passengers is not so great as might have
been expected under the circumstances. Several dan
gerons ounds and contusions were received.
MONDAY MORNING.—The women and child are still
alive, and are said to have passed an easy night. It is
now hoped the child and one of the women will recover,
but the other is so fearfully scalded as to preclude the
remotest chance of her surviving. Her hair was com-
pletely scalded from her head, and her face and other
parts of her bed) present a most shocking sight.
Workmen have been engaged all night in preparing a
temporary way, and in other preparations to get the
engine up. Hundreds visited the spot during yesterday
evening and this morning, but a strong body of police
are stationed to keep off the crowd.

THE ACCIDENT on the EASTERN
COUNTIES RAILWAY.
ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.
Of the many railway accidents that we have had occa-
sion to notice, probably Mat which occurred on the
Eastern Counties (Cambridge) line on Sunday afternoon
VMS the most extraordinary.
The directors, in order to meet the convenience of the
subscribers to the Newmarket Craven Meeting, deter-
mined to run a spf o al train from Shoreditch en Sunday
afternoon at half-past one o'clock, to Chesterford, and
undertook to do the distance to Newmarket within four
hours. At the appointed time on Sunday the train
started, conveying Lord and Lady Chesterfield, Lord E.
Russell, and the elite of the sporting world, amounting
to near 100. In advance, drawing the train, were two
of the finest engines the company possess, both of the
same construcion, with the exception of the foremost
one having inside cylinders, and the second outside ones.
The train was rather heavy. Next to the tender of the
second engine were five- horse-boxes, containing cattle ;
then a second-class carriage, three first-class carriages,
three second class, and two trucks at the rear. The
being anxious to promote the best arrange-
ment and promptitude in the passage of the train, pro-
ceeded with it ; their head locomotive superintendent,
Mr. Scott, on the first engine ; Mr. Roney, the
secretary, on the second, and Mr. Waddington, the
deputy-chairman of the company, in a first-class car-
riage, accompanied by some of his co -directors.
The train stopped at Lea-bridge station to take up
passengers, up to which period everything worked
favourably. It app' ars that here Mr. Roney joined
Mr. Scott on the foremost engine, and in a few
seconds the train resumed its journey. The special
express speed, it seems, must at this juncture have been
got up, and by the time that it had passed Edmonton
station it was travelling at the rate of 43 miles an hour.
That speed was satisfactorily, ascertained by Mr. Roney
and Mr. Scott comparing their watches. These gentle-
men, we are informed, had scarcely noted the time,
however, before they were considerably alarmed by a
peculiar dragging movement on the engine they were
on. and, on looking towards the train, saw sufficient to
convince them that an accident had occurred. The
train was then midway between Edmonton and Pon-
der's-end station, a distance of nine aid a half miles
from the metropolis. The second engine they saw had
left the rails, and was tearing up the road fearfully,
dragging with it the train, and almost instantaneously
the steam of both engines was shut off. For the mo-
ment nothing short of the second engine dragging the
train into a large ditch was expf cted. Such was the
momentum of the foremost one, that it still held the
second one, and eventually forced it on to the rails un-
injured, the fireman and stokers still maintaining
their position. The fate of the carriage portion of
the train, however, was more unfortunate. As before
stated, it followed :he course of the second engine
on the permanent way for about twenty five yards,
when the coupling which held it snapped asunder, and
as the engine retook the rails the train shot down the
embankment into a ditch filled with water. The crash
of the carriages was terrific, and the alarm amongst the
passengers was of the most painful character: The fore-
most part of the train, comprising the horse-boxes,
were partly buried in-the- ditch, and al-lost crushed
to pieces by the weight of the carriages. The next
catriage, a second-class one, containing a number of
porters, who were going down to assist at the Ches-
terford station during the races, was thrown on its side.
Such was the concussion, that every portion of it, except
the side uppermost and the flooring, was knocked away,
and yet not a soul inside was hurt. The second guard,
George Gordon, was on the roof of the carriage, and
his escape from immediate destruction is surprising, as
the next carriage, a first-class one, mounted the roof.
He was found amongst the fragments bleeding from the
bead, and at first it was thought he was mortally injured;
we can state, however, that he was so far recovered as to
come up to town yesterday afternoon. The remaining
carriages were more or less damaged, and the chief guard,
it appears, was saved by being hurled on to the wire of
the electric telegraph, and tilted over into the ditch,
luckily escaping with a ducking. The officials travelling
with the train promptly released the passengers, who,
with the exception of the fright they had sustained,
were uninjured. Conveyances were procured as soon as
possible from Edmonton, and they were taken on to
Pondet's-end and Waltham, where another special train
was provided for them, and was more fortunate in reach-
ing Chesterford.
The greater part of yesterday Mr. Waddington, the
deputy chairman of the Company ; Mr. Kennard, one
of the directors ; Mr. Roney, the secretary ; Mr. Dun
can, the solicitor ; and Mr. Phipps, the engineer, were
engaged in instituting an inquiry into the cause of the
accident. By some it is supposed that the oscillation of
the second engine caused it to rise and leave the rails,
and by others that a rail at a joint had shifted and shot
out after the first one had passed over and thrown the
second one off.
The loss to the Company will amount to between
3,0001. and 4,000/.

DEMISE OF AN AGED RADICAL.—At Parkhead, in
the house of his son, on the 29th ult., after a long period of ill
health, which terminated in dropsy, Mr. J.ihn Allan, in the
64th year of his age. It may be said of this excellent man,
that throughout the whole course of his life his_raind was de-
voted to his God, his country, and the human family. Reli-
gious, but rot fanatical—patriotic, but not visionary—and
glowing with a generous wish for the emancipation of his
fellow-men in every land. His sympathies, and his efforts,
as far as his humble rank permitted, were uniforml3 enlisted
in every righteous movement. About the end of the last
century, when but a very young man, he became the un-
flinching advocate of civil and religious liberty. In 1815,
his whole energies were directed against the enactment of the
corn-laws, and the description which he then gave of the
ruinous consequences of that measure was truly prophetic.
Two years afterwards he appeared at Thrushgrove, and the
series of splendid meetings that succeeded testify against
oppression ; but his high-toned and discriminating mind
saved him arid those under his influence from becoming the
victims of the hired emissaries of Government. In 1819,
urged on by the spirit of the age and his ardent love of jus-
tice, he was found among the foremost in the agitation for
Parliamentary Reform. A few weeks prior to the crisis in
the history of that movement, he was delegated to England
to ascertain the state of public opinion there, and on his re-
turn be assured his constituents that they were deceived,
and reiterated his former exhortations in favour of enlight-
ened and peaceful agitation. Unfortunately, however, his
judicious counsels were not attended to, otherwise the Con-
vict-ship would not have lien required to convey its poli-
tical victims to a penal colony, nor would the gibbets of
Stirling and of Glasgow have been stained with the blood of
their martyrs.
1831 came, and he was again in the ranks of
freedom, rejoicing in the prospect I,f his country's deliver-
ance, and from that time till the period of his dissolution he
maintained, without a blemish, the character he had ac-
quired, of being an upright, uncompromising Reformer; even
when he felt himself drooping to the grave, be was thankful
to his Creator that he had lived to see the day when the
iniquitous monopoly of the people's food was about to
roniclbe
e.
numbered among the things that were.—Glasgow
A SOLDIER FOUND WITH HIS THROAT Liv.r LiHAT-
HAM, APRIL 13.—0 n Saturday afternoon,at the IClaChntienesnt:,st.
Hinde, Esq., coroner, held an twinest
Mary's Barracks, on the body of JahmeswGaarandtia,caaveprreidvabtey oaf
the 2d Battalion Rifle Brigade.
intentlying in one of the
private soldier of the 40th Rg
i 'wot
empty casemates a quantity of congealed blood. The
soldier gave immediate alarm, When it was found on exami-
nation that the deceased had cut his throat with a razor, as
that instrument was lying covered with blood about two feet
from where the body lay. The, wound of the throat ex-
' tended from one ear to the other, and it appeared that the
deceased, after cutting his throat, had stuffed his pocket
handkerchief into the wound, as it was firmly cemented and
stiffened with gore. The man had been missed from the
barracks for several days; he was first found absent on the
sth inst. at tat-too, and no tidings could be gleaned as to
where he had gone, until the 10th inst., when a private of
the 40th, wishing to exchange his tin can for a better,
applied to one of the staff sergeants, and he was directed to
go into the said empty casemate to change it, and in doing
so he discovered the body in the position above descriaed
Evidence was given that the deceased, since his return from
Halifax to this depot, had been noticed by his comrades to
be silly in his conversation and eccentric in his conduct.
Death was caused by the loss of blood, as the cut in the
throat had not divided the windpipe, or any of the principal
arteries. Verdict—" Temporary insanity." The deceased
liar? been 16 years in the service, was 35 years or age, and
was waiting at the depot to receive his discharge. On his
person was found 11. 55. 2d. He was a single man.
EPIDEMIC AMONG RABBITS. The rabnit-far curs
have had great losses from a disease now prevalent arcong
fancy and other rabbits.