The Sun.
London, England, 1856-02-06 00:00:00

THE STEAMER BELGIQUE.

The following is the full report of the surveyors ap-
pointed to examine the Belgique. She was classed as
A 1 abroad :

" Southampton, Feb. 4.
" Gentlemen,—ln compliance with your request we
this day surveyed the Belgique, steam-ship, in the
dry dock at this port, and have to report as fol-
lows :—We thoroughly examined the hull of the ship,
and the only leak of importance we could discover
was before the main sterepost, between the garboard
strakes and the keel, in the wake of the angle iron
placed there to increase the stiffness of that part of the
keel. We al-o found several of the butts and rivets,
more particularly in midships, slightly disturbed, and
the topside of the ship, near to the large ports, exhibited
symptoms of working. The mainmast has settled dove
in consequence of a want of strength in that part which
supports the step. The port boiler has received da-
mage in the furnaces, caused by the plate having been
overheated. One of the blades of the screw propeller
is cracked, and some of the nuts and screws at the
end of the stern pipe are torn off or damaged. This
may have been caused by the screw having caught a
hawser while it was in motion. In consequence of
the symptoms of working before mentioned, we beg
to recommend that the cargo ports should be en-
tirely closed and plated up to correspond with the rest
of the ship's sides, and that all loose rivets should be
cut out and replaced, and butts of plates examined and
caulked where found necessary. We alas recommend,
in order to remove all doubt as to the strength of the
vessel, that she should be fitted with an iron stringer,
wrought on each side between the main and spar decks,
extending at least three-fourths of the ship's length,
this stringer to be 2 ft. 6 in. deep, and inch thick,
with an angle iron 3 by 21, rivettel to the upper
and slower edges, and fastened to a reverse angle
iron on each of the frames. We recommend that all
the pumps should be overhauled and put in good order,
and wash plates fitted on each side under the floor plates
of engine-room, to prevent them being washed up ; also,
that the hold and 'twixt deck pillars be properly secured
at top and bottom to the beam ; the step of mainmast
should also be made securely fasrened and supported on
the top of the tunnel. The furnace of the defective boiler
must be repaired and made good, and the cracked blade
of the propeller efficiently repaired. Having given a ge-
neral outline of the principal defects which have been
detected, things of minor importance may arise during
the progress of the works.

" We are, gentlemen, your obedient servants,
(Signed) "JOHN RONALDS,
" G. P. RUBIE,
" Shipwright Surveyors to the Board of Trade.
" W. A. SUMMERS,
" Engineer and Iron Shipbuilder.
"Messrs. Owen, O'Carell, and Co., Agents to
the Belgian Royal Mail Steam Navigation
Company, Southampton."

Amongst the passengers by the Peninsular mail
steamer Sultan, which arrived at Southampton yester-
day, was George Rennie, Esq., late Governor of the
Falkland Islands.

Sir William and Lady Knighton have left Howehin's
Hotel, St. James's-street, for their seat, near South-
ampton.

Sir William and Lady Worsley and family have left
Efowchin's Hotel, to take up their residence in Port-
land•pface.

. -
TEM AFRICAN MAILS.—The Royal mail steamship
Ethiope, Cemmander Barnwell, which left Plymouth on
Friday for Madeira and the West Coast, got as far as
8.30 west lang. and 46 north lat. on Sunday morning,
at 11 o'clock,' when she was obliged to put back leaky.
Her mails are returned to the Post-office, and she will
be discharged for repair.
NAVAL RECEIPT AND EXPENDITURE.—Yesterday was
issued an account of the Naval Receipts and Expendi-
ture for the year ended March 31, 1855. The total
sum appropriated by the Acts 17 and 18 Vict., c. 121,
and 18 and 19 Vict., c. 129, for naval services, in the
year- 1854:55, was 14,812,6091., and the total expen-
diture in that year is shown by the account to have been
15,017,591/. 1.. 5d., a sum which exceeded the amount
voted by the sum of 659,0111. 4s. lid.
MANCHESTER, Feb. s.—The cloth market has not
been so active as on this day week, but manufacturers
have adhered very firmly to their quotations. For long-
cloths there has been a good demand from the Greeks,
at full prices, and a considerable business has been ef-
fected. For some descriptions of printing cloths there
hai been an active inquiry. The demand for r•hirtinge,
Madapollams, and jaconets suited to India has under-
gone a considerable modification, the accounts by the
last mail from Calcutta being regarded as the worst that
have been received for many years. The advises from
Bombay aro also discouraging, but manufacturers are
well engaged to order, and prices are not affected.
There has not been much business in yarns, but prices
are mostly firm. Manufacturers in some iostances have
found the market easier, but on the other baud sellers
report that in twist for export, where spinners are en-
gaged, they have realised a slight advance. These, how-
ever, are exceptional cases. As a rule, the market Las
been less active than last week, but prices are unaltered.

TAUN TOY E

TAUNTON, Tuesday.—The election of a member to
represent this borough in Parliament; rendered neces-
sary by the Right lion. H. Labouchere's acceptance of
office, took place to-day, at a hustings erected in front
of fhe market-place.
-Shortly after ten o'clock the right hon. gentleman
arrived at the hustings, accompanied by his mover, se-
conder, and other influential supporters ; and almost
immediately afterwards the high bailiffs, H. Alfurd
May and F. May, Esqrs., arrived, attended by their
proper officers' and the usual preliminaries having been
disposed of, called upon the burgesses to proceed to the
business of the election.

Richard Mede King, Esq., of Pyrland Hall, then
moved, and H. Lyddon, Esq., seconded, the nomina-
tion of the Right Hon. H. Labouchere, one of her Ma-
jesty's Principal Secretaries of State, as a fit and pro-
per person to represent the borough ; and there being
no other candidate, the returning officer declared Mr.
Labouchere duly elected.
Mr. LABOUCHERE then camelorwarcl to return thanks,
and was warmly cheered. He said that was the twelfth
time he had had the honour of receiving their suffrages ;
and as he considered it unnecessary to detain them at
any length, he should not enter upon many of those
topics which they had discussed at former elections,
and most of which had now become matters of history.
There was, however, one topic which at present en-
grossed the public mind, and upon which he felt it to
be his duty to address a few words t..) the electors.
He referred to the all-important questim of peace. (Hear,
hear). At the time when war was declared by this
country he believed that never was there a community
more earnestly desirous of preserving the blessings of
peace than were the British people. They desired it
because they were perfectly eatisfied with the station
which their country occupied amongst the nations of
the world— (hear, hear)—they desired it because they had
no wish for aggrandisement, no lust for conquest ; and
they desired it, moreover, because they felt and believed
that it was the duty of a Christian people to maintain
peace unless when the gravest causes compelled them
to draw the sword. They felt that it was no light thing
to shed the blood of man or to involve great nations
in all the misery and insecurity of war ; and he (Mr
Labouchere) believed that any government which was
ready to throw this country into a war, excepting that
they could justify that war in the face of England
and the world, would have received, not only no sup-
port, but the most condign censure from the people of
England. (Hear.) He therefore felt satisfied that why
the nation had supported the Government with a steadi-
ness and unanimity of which scarcely any former period
could show an example, was because they were satisfied
that before they resorted to the extremity of war they
bad tried every means to preserve peace, if peace could
be preserved on honourable and secure terms. The
cause of quarrel with Russia was one in which the jus-
tice was altogether on the side of England. As Christian
men, therefore, they were justified in engaging is the
war, and in hoping that Providence would prosper the
object with which it was undertaken. (Cheers.) The
truth was, it was not undertaken because Russia had
meditated certain attacks on Turkey, but because it was
believed that Russia was engaged in a systematic attack
against all Europe, which, if not met by a firm and de-
termined resistance, would have produced a state of things
utterly inconsistent with the freedom of the habitable
world. (Cheers.) It was that feeling which induced the
people of this country to believe that England would be
wanting in its duty to the position which she held
amongst the nations of the earth if she did not stand re-
solutely forward and join with her gallant allies the
people of France, whom he was glAd to see so firmly
united with us in a cause so honourable. It was the
feeling he had referred to which had induced us to come
forward, and take a part worthy of our ancient renown
and of the high station we had so long and held. They
ware now, however, engaged in negotiations for peace,
and he heartily prayed that those negotiations might be
successful. To protract any war unnecessarily, he would
not say for a year, but even for an hour, would not only
be a national error, but a natonal crime, and, therefore,
he should rejoice if the negotiations led to peace—that
was to such a peace—the only one which the British
nation would expect the Government to agree to—as
would afford, by its being honourable, tLe prospect of its
being dui-able. The right hon. gentleman then referred
to the question of civil and religious liberty, and having
again acknowledged the honour which had been done
him in his election, expressed his belief that so long as
he remained faithful to the principles which had always
guided his public life he need never fear to show him-
self to the burgesses of Taunton. (Cheers.)
Cheers were then given for the high bailiff and the
Queen, and the proceedings terminated.

THE WILL FORGERY AND POIsONING
AT MANCHESTER.

At the conclusion of the evidence in this case, re-
ported yesterday, Mr. Bradlaugh applied to the magis-
trates to be allowed to put in the paper marked "A,"
as the original will, with pencil interlineations and al-
terations. These pencil marks were proved to have been
written by Edward Dunn, one of the prisoners, and
which copy so altered formed an exact draft of the
will which had been forged.
Mr. Fernley, for the prisoners, contended that there
had not been sufficient proof of the handwriting to
make the paper evidence.

Mr. ALimie was of a different opinion, and deoided to
admit the paper.

Tue
follo.wing is a copy of the paper, or original will,
the words printed in italics being words written in ink in
the body of the paper, bti;, subsequently erased in pencil ;
and those within brackets [], being pencil interlineations
or substitutions for words in the original struck out in
pencil :

" August 3, 1855.
" I, John Monaghan, do hereby bequeath to Eliza,
my daughter, now the wife of Francis King, number
[James Monaghan, my son] eleven, Hope-street, Chorl-
tin upon (on) MeAbck, the sum of ten pounds sixteen
shillings sterling, the sum due on a policy of the Wel.
lington Reversionary Annuity and Life Assurance Society
[Diadem Life Assurance Company, 156, to pay my
debts and all claims after my decease]. Given u❑der
my hand this third day of August, one thousand eight
hundred and fifty-five, in presence of the undernamed
witnesses. Ido hereby certify that this is nay will.

JOHN MONAGHAN, his k mark.
" Witness : JAMES MONOGHAN,
JAS. KEEFE,
THOS. Conlon."
On the fly-sheet was written :
" I certify this to be my act and deed.
"JOHN MONAGHAN, his t,e,t mark.
" James Monaghan, heir to the estate."

Mr. Bradlaugh now applied for the committal of all
the prisoners except Barry, against whom he admitted
there was not sufficient evidence.

Mr. Fernley addressed the court in defence.
When the prisoners were asked by the bench if they
wished to make any statement, Keefe replied that be
would state all he knew, but by the advice of his solicitor
be was induced to withhold his statement.
Dunn said—All he could say was that the pencil
marks were not his, and he never saw the will before he
saw it in the hands of the secretary of the company
in the presence of Mr. Orr, the surgeon, at No. 28,
Cooper-street.
Keefe said be wished to say that Mr. Bradlaugh,
who called himself a gentleman, had told him that he
would transport him.
James- Monaghan, Dunn, M'Loughlin, and Keefe
were then committed for trial on the charge of forgery,
at the next assizes.