The Sun.
London, England, 1848-01-28 00:00:00

FR[DAY

THE SLAVE TRADE.

PORTSMOUTH, JAN. 27.—Letters from the squadron
on the coast of Africa up to the end of October have
been received. They represent the slave trade to be
going on in a very brisk manner, and that the coast,
creeks,
.and rivers were swarming with swift-sailing
vessels, all engaged in the traffic. The dealers in
slaves have now adopted a new plan to avoid being
detained by her Majesty's cruizers ; their vessels be-
fore embarking their cargoes are perfectly clear, and
without any trace of slave fittings—so much so, that
a schooner was searched and most minutely over-
hauled by her Majesty's brig Kingfisher, but nothing
found on board to justify Commander Horton in stop-
ping her ; and in a day or two afterwards he ascer-
tained that she went into one of the numerous creeks
in the Bight of Benin, and in a few hours, all being
prepared on the beach, embarked upwards of two
hundred slaves, with all their provisions, medicines,
and fittings, and contrived to elude the vigilance of
the cruizers. A vessel, fitted like a yacht, and packed
with slaves, also escaped from the Albatross by supe-
rior sailing.

SPORTING • INTELLIGENCE.
TATTERSALL'S.—Y ESTERDAY.
LIVERPOOL STEEPLECHASE.
20 to 1 agst Brunette—taken
NEWMARKET HANDICAP.
10 to 1 on the field
10 to 1 agst Mr. Sandford's Kimblesworth
10 to 1 agst Mr. Higgins's Sir Peter Lgure —taken
12 to 1 agst Sir J. Hawley's Miliwood—taken
13 to 1 agst Duke cf Richmond's Reflection—taken
20 to 1 agst Mr. B. Green's Conjuror—taken
CHESTER CUP.
25 to 1 apt Col. Anson's Blaze
25 to 1 apt Mr. Disney's Keleshe—taken
33 to 1 ag,t Mr. Greville's Jonathan Wild—t freely
33 to 1 agst Mr. Gregory's Clumsy-40 to 1 taken
frt-ely.
40 to 1 apt Mr. Mostyn's The Swallow—taken and
afterwards offered
40 to 1 apt Mr. F. Clarke's Cracow—taken freely
40 to 1 ag-it Col. Anson's Qin en Mary—taken
50 to 1 agst Mr. C. Maron's Rufus—taken freely
50 to 1 agst Mr. Meiklarn's Lightning
50 to 1 agst Mr. Bouverie's War Eagle—taken
1,000 to 15 agst Lord Eglinton's Glen Saddel—taken
1,000 to 15 zigst Colonel Anson's Bingham—taken
1,000 to 15 agst Mr. J. B. Day's The Tartar—taken
Jonathan Wild, Clumsy, Cracow, Queen Mary, War
Eagle, and Rufus, were backed with great spirit, War
Eagle and Queen Mary leaving off at an improvement
at several points on the odds quoted, at which the
greater part of the money was invested; 25 to 1 was
offered agst Blaze, at which ads to a small sum was laid
out agst Keleshe.
SOMERSETSHIRE STAKES.
500 to 30 agst Vanessa—taken
DERBY.
Nothing done worthy of notice.

ATTACK DT POACHERS ON GAMEKEEPERS.—
Between 12 and 1 o'clock on Friday morning. James
Hutchison and James Kirk, two of Sir Johu Maxwell's
keepers, when watching at Cowglen, on the Pollok estate,
saw three poachers standing on the private road leading
to Laigh Cowglen, and a dog, apparently belonging to
them, crossing the adjoining fields—and the keepers
having gone up to the poachers, one of the latter threw
a hare over the hedge. At this time the poachers' dog
came upon the road, and was shot at by Hutchison, when
the three men, two of them being armed with bludgeons,
and the third with an iron rod, or poker, made a furious
attack upon the keepers; and the latter having the worst
of it, and being unable to defend themselves, Kirk ran to
the farm house at Laigh Cowglen, for assistance ; and
while Hutchison attempted to defend himself with his
unloaded gun, he was repeatedly felled to the ground by
blows with the iron rod and bludgeons on his head, and
stabbed in his breast and hack with some sharp weapon,
and soon rendered insensible. The poachers then made
off, carrying with them a six barrelled pistol, belonging
to Hutchison, and the wounded dog. On Kirk's return
to the spot he assisted his companion to the gardener's
house at Cowgleu, whence he was conveyed to Pollok,
and medical aid procured. Hutchison was severely cut
on both sides of the head, his nose was severely cut, and
also one of his arms, and he bears on spry part of
.his
body the marks of the brutal violencellrEe towards him.
Luckily, the wounds inflicted with the knife or sharp
instrument were not very deep, otherwise one near to
the heart must have proved fatal. Kirk was not so
seriously injured, but he had one of his arms severely
hurt and disabled, and he bears on his person abundant
evidence of great violence used by the poachers. Infor-
!nation having been promptly given to the Procurator
Fiscal, at Pollokshaws, he proceeded to Pollok, and
instituted a searching inquiry into the case, and was
enabled to issue a warrant against three parties supposed
to be the persons who committed the assault and robbery,
and having procured prompt assistance from Captain
Wilson, of the Glasgow southern police district, they
were all apprehended and lodged in Pollokshaws prison,
preparatory to being examined and transmitted to the
Sheriff. One of the poachers has been fully identified
by the gamekeepers. It will be remembered that about
two months ago a similar attack was made by three
poachers on Hutchinson and Kirk's brother, at Dum-
breck, when Hutchison s life was put in imminent danger
from the violence he then reeeived.—.North British Mail.
THE GARDENERS BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION.—
Yesterday an annual general meeting of the subscribers
to the above institution, founded for the relief of aged
and indigent gardeners and their widows, was held at the
London. Coffee-house, Ludgate-hill, to elect additional
pensioners, officers for the ensuing year, and transact
general business. Captain James Lamont, R.N., in the
chair. The
.report congratulated the subscribers upon
the steady increase of the institution. The funded
stock has increased to 1,8501. Yesterday's election of
two pensioners would make a total of 34 persons re-
ceiving annuities, the males of 161. and the females 121.
each per annum. The financial statement showed that,
including a balance at the end of 1846, of 150/. 7s. 6d.,
the receipts from all sources was 742/. 45., and the ex-
penses (including 439/. paid to pensioners) was 6391. is ,
leaving a balance in hand of 1031. 3s. 5d.. A number
of noblemen and gentlemen were elected Vice-Presidents,
and thanks being voted to the Chairman the meeting
broke up.
THE HOUSEHOLD TROOPS. - The half•yearly
change of quarters of the brigade of Foot Guards will
take place on the Ist of March, agreeably to the follow-
ing brigade orders:—Grenadiers, Ist Battalion, from
Windsor to the Wellington Barracks ; 2d, from St.
George's Barracks to Winchester ; and the 3d, from
Portman street to out quarters, viz., three companies
(head-quarters) to St. John's-wood Barracks, one com-
pany to Kensington, one to the Magazine, one to Buck-
ingham Palace, and one to St. Georges Barracks.
Coldstream Guards-Ist Battalion from Winchester to
the Tower of London; 2d ditto, from Wellington Bar-
racks to Windsor. Scots Fusilier Guards-Ist Battalion,
from the Tower of London to St. George's Barracks;
2d ditto, from St. John's-wood, and out-quarters, to
Portman-street.