The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-18 00:00:00

T iE
__S.Ulsl)- L.ONDON): 11-11VESDA 'EirENIN G, J _lB, 1.846:

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE
HAMPTON RACES-WEDNESDAY.

The subjoined return of the first day's races will ba
our warrant for giving the lessee credit for havingcatered
bountifully for their patrons. With the Surrey and Mid-
dlesex Sakes as a foundation, backed up by a race for
amateur riders, and two others in heats, no one can have
raised a complaint on the score of quantity ; there was
enough, and considering the intense heat of the weather,
perhaps more than enough ; and it was well that the cus-
tomary intervals between the races were observed with a
strictness that has not usually prevailed at minor races.
The quality of the sport may be gathered from the details;
it was really first-rate, but was not of sufficient import-
ance to attract more than an average attendance.
Hampton is not celebrated for exclusiveness on occa-
sions of this description, but the following names will
show, that if there was no crowd, and no great display
of " rank, fashion, and beauty," the racing was
countenanced by many of the leading men of
the turf :—the Earl bf Chesterfield, the Earl
of Rosslyn, Lord Henry Lennox, Lord Frederick
Fitzroy, Lord George Lennox, Lord Burleigh, Lord E.
Russell, Lord Brownlow Cecil, Lord Somerton, Lord
Giamis, Lord Vivian, Count Bathyany, Sir W. W.
Wynn, Sir G. Haathcote, Sir John Gerard, Sir W. M.
Stanley, Sir V. Cotton, Hon. F. Villiers, Hon. Horace
Pitt, Hon. Cecil Forester, Hon. Capt. Stanley, Hon. IL
Forester ; Messrs. Payne, H. Blair, Balfour, Bastard, J.
Stanley, Drinkald, Lowther, Batson, Campbell, W. H.
Johnstone, Booth, Crommelin, Rolt, Higgins, Pettat,
Rush, jun., &c.
The racing commenced punctually at the time adver-
tised, with—
The Gold Cup of 304 added to a sweepstakes of 5 soya.
each ; for three-year-olds, 7st 7lb ; four, Bst 101 b ; five,
9st 31b; six and aged, 9st 71b; mares &c., allowed 31bs.
The winner to be sold for 200 L, &c. Heats, once round
and a dis. (4 Subs• )
Mr. Dockera, s Lady Charlotte, 5 yrs (Wakefield) 1 2 1
Mr. Parr's Vitula, 6 yrs
Sir G. Heathcote's cby Amato, 3 yrs
Mr. Higgin's Red Leg, 3 yrs
First heat—Betting-7 to 4 agst Lady Charlotte, 2 to 1
agst Vitula, and sto 2 agst Amato colt. Won by a head,
the second beating the third by a neck. The Amato colt
bolted at the top turn, but managed to save his distance.
Second heat-7 to 4on Lady Charlotte. Won by a head,
after a severe race. The Amato colt, ridden for this heat by
Crouch, again bolted and threw his jockey.
Third heat-5 to 2on Lady Charlotte, who won in a
canter, by four lengths.
The Surrey and Middlesex Stakes of 20 soya. each, 10 ft, and
5 only if declared, with 50 added. The second saves his
stake. Two miles. (37 Subs., 26 of whom paid.)
Lord Chesterfield's Jenny Wren, 4 yrs, 7st 31b...(Dufflo) 1
Lord G. Bentin,k's Marquis ofC•myngham, 3 yrs ...... 2
Mr. Parr's Jack Cade, 5 yrs, Bst 31b
Count Batthyany's Master Stepney, 4 yrs
The following also started, but were not placed:—
Mr. Caffall's Mobarek, aged, Bst 71b . (Wakefield) 0
Sir G. Heathcote's br. c. by Velocipede, 3 yrs, 7st llb
Mr. Booth's Titbit, 3 yrs' 6st 101 b 0
Mr. Rolt's Alexa, 3 yrs, 6st 7lb 0
Betting-7 to 4 agst Marquis of Conyngham-7 to 2 agst
Jenny Wren-6 to 1 agst Titbit-5 to 1 agst Master Step •
nev—and 10 to 1 agst Alexa.
-Jack Cade made the running, followed by Jenny Wren
and Titbit; Alexa, atter making the upper turn, taking her
place with the leading horses. Titbit headed Jack Cade for
about two hundred yards at the back of the course, but the
latter with this exception, cut out all the work to within a
quarter of a mile of home • Jenny Wren then took the lead,
kept it to the chair, and very easy by two lengths;
Marquis of Conynghatn beating Jack Cade by a neck, and
Master Stepney by half a length.
The Strawberry Hill Stakes of 5 soya. each, and 25 added,
for three-year olds, 7st 51b; four, Bst 51b; five, &c., Bst
121 b. Heats, one mile and a quarter. The winner to be
sold for-100L, &c. (7 Subs.)
Mr. Wilkins's Barbara Young, 4 yrs (Neale) 2 1 1
Mr. Drewitt's Pimento, 5 yrs
Mr. Pratt's Deodara, 4 yrs
Mr. Rogers's fby Glaucus, 3 yrs 3 0 dr
Mr. Jackson's Abd-el-Kader, aged 0 0 dr
Mr. Booth's Miscellany, 4 yrs .. 4dr
Mr. Wernlnck's Patchwork, aged

Three remarkably fine heats, each having been won by a
neck, with the difference of a head only between second and
third.
The Corinthian Stakes of 10 soya. each, 5 ft, with 25 sovs.
added; for three yr olds, 9st ; four, lOst 71b ; five, 1 lat 31b;
six and aged, llst 91b.; winners once, 31b; twice, 51b
extra; had-bred horses allowed slb. Once round and a
distance. Winner to be sold for 2001. Gentlemen riders.
(4 Subs )
Mr. P. Rolt's Solace, 4 yrs (Owner) 1
Mr. T. Rolt's Alexa, 3 yrs
Captain Curzon's Voltri, 5 yrs
Betting-4 to 5 agst Alexa, and 7to 4 agst Solace.
Won by a neck. Alexa, who laid terribly out of her
ground all the way, beating Voltri by a neck.

ever occurred to the Duke of Richmond to pay a
hundred times as much wae•es to a man who works
with a regard to his employer's interests,' as his
Grace would pay to a mere every day labourer working
for lucre--or, in other words, toiling for his own and
his family's support. Surely the employers ought to be
satisfied with the labour, such as it is—and it surely
is cheap enough at its present miserable price—
without grumbling that the article is not given in
a spirit of the purest disinterestedness. One might as
well taunt a servant with a love of lucre for wanting his
wages, or a tradesman with sordid considerations for
sending in his bill. The agricultural labourers cannot
afford to put money entirely out of the question, though
their employers, by reducing wages to the lowest pos-
sible point, take care not to encourage sordidness too far,
or, at all events, not to give avarice too much to feed
upon. It is quite clear that the motive for giving what
are by courtesy termed prizes to the agricultural la-
bourers, is that they may become more valuable in a
pecuniary point of view to their pretended friends. This
was avowed at the West Sussex Agricultural Associa-
tion, and the purpose is, perhaps, legitimate, or even
laudable; for, as a general rule, workmen, in becoming
inure valuable to their masters, must be happier in them-
selves.

" We fear, however, that there is too much hollowness
in the words of encouragement addressed to them, and
that the premiums offered are too nominal and contempti-
ble to have much influence in producing the desired
effect. The distribution of a few Bibles and Prayer-
books and a few prizes varying from ten shillings to four
pounds, will not compensate for a year's privation,
caused by a rate of wages so miserable as to be wholly
inadequate for comfort, and frequently insufficient for
support. That such is the doom of the labourer, almost
every day's experience affords some proof, and we need
go no further back than our paper of yesterday for a
strong case in point. Under the title of The Poor-law
in a Rural District will be found the report of some
proceedings taken by the parochial authorities to
force upon a married labourer earning only Bs. a week,
the maintenance of his mother, whom he declared himself
unable to support. The energy with which the overseer
went to work to prove the man capable of bearing the
burden affords an amusing illustration of the difference of
treatment the labourer experiences as the hero of after-
dinner eloquence at protectionist meetings and in the
board-room of his own parish, to which he is summoned
that another weight may be thrown upon in ad-
dition to those he is already struggling to bear. In the
case to which we allude every inquisitorial measure
seems to have been adopted for the purpose of proving
that the labourer earning eight shillings a week and
having to keep a wife ought to spore the parish funds by
taking also the support of his mother wholly upon him-
self. First he was taxed with having four pigs and six
stocks of bees,' as if a man could keep his mother ail her
life on honey and pork, and could afford to expend these
luxuries upon her. It turned out, however, that half the
bees were dead, and the pigs were still unpaid for. So
that before his mother could be fed from these sources
there was a mortgage to be paid off ; and the magistrate,
acting probably on this view of the question,
refused to make the order for which
the parish authorities had applied. We
should be glad to know whether this poor man, if he
were to enter the Duke of Richmond's service, full of
affection for the nobleman who has expressed so deep a
eincern for the welfare of the labourer, and who, actu-
acted by his affection, would be worth a hundred ordi-
nary labourers—we wonder, we repeat, if he would ob-
tain from the Duke of Richmond a hundred times, or
even ten times, or twice, the amount of wages usually
paid ? If masters were to be found to appreciate such
zeal as it deserves, it is most likely that the poor man
whose case we have referred to, and many others in
similar circumstances, would not have to appear before
boards of guardians to resist orders for the support of
their aged parents. The labourer, however, can be
much more cheaply cared for in an after-dinner speech
than by giving him a fair remuneration for his services.
Civility costs nothing ;' but unfortunately it is intrin-
sically worth nothing to the party on whom it is bestowed."

TRADE OF THE GAMBIA. RIVER,
AND THE MANCHESTER CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE.
The House of Commons have just ordered to be
printed the petition of merchants and trades connected
with the Gambia, and the Chamber of Commerce at
Manchester. As many of the facts adduced must possess
considerable interest for such of our readers as are en-
gaged in the African trade, we submit the substance of
this document, which commences by showing that the
trade in which the petitioners are interested is one which,
apart from the insalubrity of the climate, necessarily in-
volving considerable personal and pecuniary risk, is ex-
posed to the general competition of French, German, and
American traders, whereby profits are rendered extremely
limited and precarious. The trade from this country is
carried on by residents at the Brith h settlement of
Bathurst, on the island of Saint Mary's in the said
river, where the affairs of the colony are conducted by
a Lieutenant-Governor, assisted by a Legislative and
Executive Council, whose local expenditure and the
salaries are defrayed out of the revenue derived from
duties levied upon merchandise imported into the settle-
ment. The power of imposing duties and taxes is vested
in the Legislative Council, consisting of Governor,
Chief Justice, Colonial Secretary, Queen's Advocate,
Military Commandant, and one merchant ; and the
Executive Council empowered to collect those duties are
the Colonial Secretary and the Collector of Customs.
Whence it appears, that the commercial interest of the
colony, from taxes upon which is derived the whole of the
-colonial fund dispensed by the local government in
_pay-
ment of salaries and other expenses, is only allowed one
member in the seven composing the legislative body em- I
powered to impose those taxes, the remaining, six consist.
ing of officers holding Government appointments, inelud;.
ing the Colonial Secretary and Queen's Advocate, whose
salaries are chated upon the revenue of the colony.
The trade is also placed under special disadvantage by
an independent French station at Albreda, on the north
bank of the river, which- the British Government has
hitherto neglected to remove, notwithstanding that ex-
clusive possession of the Gambia has been guaranteed to
Great Britain by France. The French merchants at
Albreda, not being burdened with an expensive civil es-
tablishment, import goods, forming the staple of trade,
free of oppressive import duties. The duties upon mer-
chandise, up to a recent period, at Bathurst, were three
per cent., ad valorem on all imports, an "extra"
sixpence per gallon, equal to twenty-five per cent.
additional on all spirits, and a farthing per pound,
equal to five per cent. additional on tobacco ; and the
aggregate collected by direct and indirect taxation
amounted for the year ending sth January, 1845,
to nearly five thousand pounds, while the value of the
whole British trade of the river did not exceed seventy
thousand pounds. Seven and a half per cent. in favour
of the French trader at Albreda, because, as the colony
of Bathurst is maintained solely by commerce, all taxa-
tion, whether direct or indirect, necessarily falls upon
its trade. The petitioners have learnt, with considerable
alarm, that the council of Bathurst has increased the
import duty from three to four per cent. ad valorem, im-
posed an extra duty on wines of sixpence per gallon,
equal to an additional ten per cent., and further contem-
plates the imposition of fresh taxes on property. British
trade at the Gambia has already been placed under such
disadvantage, that additional burdens will totally
deprive it of all chance of successfully confronting
foreign competition. The root of misgovernment
lies in the constitution of the Council of Bathurst. There
is no legitimate check upon the expenditure of the Exe-
cutive. Local ordinances take effect . from the moment
of their enactment at the colony, the assent of the Colo-
nial Minister being taken for granted. It would be wiser
economy to abandon the present establishment altoge-
ther, and, if British authority is to be maintained at the
settlement, to assimilate its government to the plan pur-
sued at the forts on the Gold Coast prior to their late
resumption by the Crown; because neither the state of
the military defences of Saint Mary's, and certainly not
the interests of its trade, either justify or require the
present scale of taxation and expenditure in operation
at the colony. Petitioners, in addition to the compe-
tition at Albreda, have to contend against Americans,
Germans, and other foreigners afloat at the native
trading stations on the neighbouring coast, where no
import duties exist, and, as the produce,which is brought
down from the interior is naturally attracted to the
market where it can be bartered to most advantage by
the native traders, the visible effect of the .system of le-
gislation complained of has been the gradual transfer of
the trade from the British settlement to those places on
the coast where the foreigner, in consequence of his ex-
emption from the taxation to which the British merchant
is subject, derives most advantage from the traffic ; for,
although drawback of the "extra" duties on wines,
spirits, and tobacco is allowed on exportations from
the British settlement, still the general impost rate, now
increased to four per cent. ad valorem, is retained, while
the expense of landing, warehousing, and transhipping
goods stored in depot at Bathurst, for the coasting trade,
operates as injuriously as a direct tax • and thus the
British merchant, in endeavouring to follow; he trade
which has been driven out of the river by an impolitic
system of taxation, finds himself still pursued and
thwarted by its consequences. Wherefore, petitioners
trust that such measures will be adopted as will confer
upon the commercial interest at Bathurst adequate re-
presentation in the Legislative Council of the colony, and
thereby relieve them of the grievances of which they
complain.

• MURDER IN LIVERPOOL.
LIVERPOOL, WEDNESDAY EVENLNG.-A coroner's inquest
was held to-day on view of the body of Catherine Wignall,
' a young woman about twenty-five years of age, who was
murdered on Monday night last, in Gore-street, Thxteths
park, in this town, by her husband, Richard Wiguall. The
husband, who is a joiner, is about twenty-seven years of age,
and bears a bad character in the neighbourhood for drunken-
ness and licentious habits. The death of the woman was al-
' most instantaneous, and was perpetrated under cicumstances
which led the coroner to state to the jury, that a more re-
volting case had never come before him. The whole of the
particulars will be found fully detailed in the evidence which
we subjoin :
Charles Lear was the first witness called. Ile said—l
am a labourer, and live in Bolds-place, Gore-street, Tox-
teth-park. I knew the deceased very well by sight, and
the prisoner also. On Monday evening last, about eight
o'clock, I was sitting on some steps smoking my
pipe close to where the prisoner lived, when I saw him
throw a pint mug into the street. I saw the de-
ceased make an attempt to come to the door, when the
prisoner pushed her back and shut the door, and
directly Wier I heard a rustling inside, and some words
pass as if they were quarrelling. In about five minutes after
the prisoner opened the door, and I saw the deceased in
the act of getting up from the floor. She was on her
knees. The prisoner had a stick in his hand, and while
she was rising he turned round and struck her with it some-
where about the head. The stick he had in his hand
was similar to the piece of wood now produced, but I
cannot say that it is the same with which lie struck her.
The deceased fell down from the effects of the blow, and
while down lie kicked her thrice about the ribs. After he
had kicked her he came out of the house and threw. his ca up and said, " This is the way to do business, I don't care for;
never a man that walks Gore-street." He then went
into
the house of his father close by. A woman went in
to the deceased and lifted her up. She was unable to stand. I
sal; some blood about her face, but a crowd collected, and I went
away. In a few minutes after I heard she was dead, but I
did not go to see her. This is all I know about iL The de-
ceased was the wife of the prisoner. They did not live
agreeably together. She was a very sober woman. Five
minutes elapsed between the prisoner striking her and giving
her the last kick. After he kicked her I went for a police-
officer.

Mary Morton—l am the wife of Richard Morton, and live
at No. 58, Gore-street. I knew the deceased ; her name was
Catherine Wignall. We live opposite to the prisoner's cellar.
A little before eight o'clock on Monday night last I heard
the deceased scream out, "Oh ! you are going to kill me."
I then went out and into their cellar, and found the deceased
sitting at the foot of the bed, and the prisoner striking her in
the face with his fists. lie struck her several times. While
she was in the act of getting up from the bed he kicked her
several times in the belly. She got up, and I went and stood
between them, when the prisoner took up a stool (the one now
produced), which was close to his feet, and struck her twice on
the back of the head with it, and the third blow be made he
struck me. The deceased did not fall, but went and sat
down on a chair, and the prisoner then went and struck her
on the neck with his fist, and she fell across the bed, and
lie then kicked her with his foot three times on the head. I
came c ut, and soon after the prisoner came into the street,
and threw his cap up, and dared any one to take him up.
I went into the cellar, and found the deceased lying on the
bed, quite insensible, and blood flowing from a cut on the
back of her head. She never spoke, and died almost di-
rectly. I gave the alarm, and a surgeon was sent for, but it
was of no use. The prisoner was in liquor, but the deceased
was quite sobsr. The prisoner had nothing in his hand when
I went ieto the cellar.
Frances Irvine—l am the wife of William Irvine, and live
in a cellar under No. 54, Gore-street. I knew the deceased
and theprisoner. Betweeil 7 and 8 o'clock on the Monday
evening I heard a noise, and went out to see what was the
matter, and on looking into the cellar occupied by the pri-
soner I saw him draw his hand and strike towards the bed
several times, and heard the deceased scream, but could not
see her. I heard her say, " I am not a w----. I'll never
give in to be called a w--." The last witness then went
into the eellar and saw the deceased, the prisoner, and her
standing upon the floor. Mrs. Morton was between them.
I saw the prisoner with the stool, now produced, in his
hand, striking the deceased over Mrs. Morton's shoulder. Ile
struck twice, but I cannot say whereabouts he struck her.
The prisoner then shut the door, and soon after he opened it
and threw a jug into the street, and then closed the door
again. Some women went and opened the door, and I saw
the deceased lying on the floor and the prisoner striking her.
I saw him give two kicks, but I cannot say where he kicked
her. I remained on my own steps, and saw the prisoner
come out into the street, and directly after I heard the de-
ceased was dead, but did not see her until yesterday.
Mary M'Ghee—l am the wife of John M'Ghee, and live
at No. 43, Gore-street. About eight o'clock on Monday
evening last I was in the street, when 1 heard a call of
" Murder," proceeding from the cellar where the deceased
lived. I went to the cellar to see what was the matter, and
found the door partly open and the prisoner and the deceased
standing up. I saw him raise his fist and strike the deceased
in the face and then push her, and she fell down, and while
down he kicked her about the head once, that I saw. I
then went away, Soon after the prisoner came out and
went away, and I then went into the cellar and found the
deceased dead.

Samuel Maddocks—l am an inspector of police. On Mon-
day evening last I heard of the occurrence in question, and
went tnthe cellar occupied by the prisoner, and found the de-
ceased dead. He was in the cellar, and I took him into
custody. He was under the influence of liquor. I found the
stool now produced in the front cellar, and the piece of wood
in the back cellar. The prisoner told me, when I took him
into custody, that the quarrel took place about some panes of
glass which he had not put into the cellar opposite.
' Mr. John Cameron—l am a surgeon. I was called to see
the deceased on Monday night, and found her quite dead.
The face was much swollen, and exhibited marks of bruises
over the forehead, cheeks, and nose. There was a severe
bruise, with a slight laceration of the skin over the right
temple, also an irregularly lacerated wound on the upper
and back part of the head, about an inch and a half in ex-
tent.. There were bruises, also, in different pails of the
body. These injuries were not sufficient to account for death,
but must have been the result, of external violence.
I have since made a post inortem examination of the
body. On removing the scalp I found blood
effused underneath the skin, in different parts, corresponding
to the external injuries. On opening the head I found ex-
ternal effusion of blood at the base of the brain, extending
downwards into the spiral column, and upwards to the outer
surface of both hemispheres of the brain, which was the cause
of death, and the.reealt of external violence. Every other
organ of the body was perfectly healthy.
Erlis—l am a joiner, and live at No. 22, Upper
Hanington. On Monday evening last I was sitting at my
own door when I heard a cry of" Murder," but took no notice.
as ours is a very disturbed neighbourhood, and soon after
my daughter told me that the prisoner had killed his wife.
I went to the cellar, and found the deceased on the bed in
sensible, and she died in about seven minutes after. The
prisoner attempted to make his escape, but I assisted in pre-
venting him. I was there when the surgeon came in and
pronounced her dead.
This closed the evidence.
The prisoner stated in his defence that he was quite drunk
at the tinge of the occurrence, and that he had no recollec-
tion of what had taken place. The deceased, he said, was in
the habit of drinking as well as himself.
The CORONER' in charging the jury, said it was the most
revolting case of which he had ever heard, and that there
was no doubt the violence had been committed by the
prisoner.
The jury, without a moment's hesitation, returned a ver-
dict of " Wilful Murder," and the prisoner was committed to
Kirkdale Gaol, to abide his trial at the ensuing assizes.