The Sun.
London, England, 1834-12-11 00:00:00

TREATISE .on the MEANS OF PRESERVING HEALTH,

and particularly the prevention of Organic Diseases.
By A. P. W. piiILLIP, M.D. P.R.S.L. and E. 12s.
X.

• • BR4CTICAL gpip4Npipm of Aupwi
By tlie late Itoicw't gooch, M.D. Prepared for publication
By George Skinner, DI, R. C, S, 12m0.. 75,

The information obtained yesterday, addressed to the
Governor of the Russia Company, from St. Petersburgh, is
of much interest to parties engaged in the trade with Russia.
The advices reach down to the 26th ult., and contain intelli-
gence relative to the state of the navigation. The Neva had
been covered with ice ; but, on the 20th ult., a heavy gale had
sprung up, which broke up the ice, and filled the road with
floating pieces ; and a stream of water was formed as far as
Orananbaum, cutting off all communication from shore to
shore. On the morning of the 10th, not less than twelve sail
of vessels were incrusted in the ice ; 'and those at the edge
endeavoured by setting all sails, to force a passage, but with-
out success. The four ships at the water's edge were sup-
posed to be the Caroline, Allendale, and Blackwater, and a
Russian vessel. The Flora and the Westmorland were en-
deavouring to gain the harbour. Among the ships below, up-
ward bound, were two American, two British, and two Rus-
sian vessels. On the 20th, some of the vessels below attempted
to force a passage through the ice, and an American nearly
succeeded. The Prince of Coburg had, after some difficulty,
reache'd a place of safety. The David Walton, Captain J.
Whitfield, and the Victory. Captain J. Sibbett, were among
the ships in the ice. On the lath, ships and ice remained in
the same position. A large Russian vessel on this day endea-
voured to get up. At Orananbaum the road was not good,
though many people have passed over the ice. The glass was
43- degrees below freezing point, but at the state of the pre-
sent accounts, it had risen to six degrees, and the snow was
melting. Since the commencement of the present season
there had arrived out at St. Petersburgh 719 British ships,
and 707 had left the port, leaving 12 vessels still there.

It is a remarkable fact, though hitherto unnoticed,
that on the 25th of August last, one of the days on which the
late eruption, attended by such disastrous consequences, took
place at Mount Vesuvius, a shock of an earthquake was ex-
perienced at Comrie, in Perthsire. —Scotsman.
CURRENT PRICE OF HOPS, DEC. 10.—The de-
mand is better than it has been since the high rate of duty
was declared, but trade, as it generally is at the present time
of the year, by no means brisk. Inferior qualities of both
Kent Sussex pockets may be rated at 2s. to is. Isawar, but the
superior qualities remain stead price. :Present cur-
rency':—Essex pockets, 4L 15s. to Si. 10S. ; superior ditto,
6/. 6s. to 71. 7s. ; Farnham, 81. Bs. to 9/. ; Sussex pockets,
4L Os. to. 41. 10s. ; superior do., Si. to 51. ss. ; Kent pockets,
41. Its. to 41. 15s. superior 40,2 to 71. Kent bags,
41. 101. tQ al,

Mr. Ballantine said that he had given directions for the
policeman to wear his uniform while under examination, that
the witnesses might be better able to identify him, and was
surprised that he had not done so.
Mr. Stephens, the inspector, was then sworn, but the
subject of the prisoner's dress was not further alluded to.
He stated, in answer to questions by Mr. Ballantine in re-
ference to the rule made with reference to the lanterns sup-
plied to the policemen, that each sergeant was supplied
with them on particular occasions, in reference to the ne-
cessity of the case. The men were on night duty for two
months, and on day duty for one month. He could not
swear that the prisoner had a lantern on any particular
night, but the sergeant would be able to say whether he
had one or not. He remembered the fire on the premises
of Mr. Brook, of the Tunnel Wharf, on the morning of the?
14th of Itlovember. The prisoner had no lantern that night.`
He recollected the attempt to burn the premises of Mr.
Pittman, the barge builder. He was' not present when the
prisoner was placed on duty there. He was not aware
whether the prisoner had any flint or steel, or phosphorus
matches, which would enable him to procure a light on
that occasion. He recollected that the prisoner was placed
in charge of Mr. Pittman's premises on the following night,
though they had been fired while he (Palmer) was on the
premises.
Mr. Ballantine expressed his surprise at this, and asked
for an explanation ? Stephens said that on the same day
an investigation took place before Mr. Murray, the Union-
hall Magistrate, at Rotherhithe workhouse, and he came
to the conclusion that there was no blame attached to the
prisoner, in which the other gentlemen present acquiesced.
Mr. Ballantine—Who was put on Palmer's beat to sup-
ply his place in his absence ? Stephens—One of the A di-
vision, No. 22. a man named Kimber.
Mr. Ballantine—Was the prisoner examined on oath or
not ? Stephens—l don't know, but his statement was
taken down in writing, and he was ordered to return to the
premises of Mr. Pittman.
Mr. Ballantine—Although a fire had taken place while
he was in charge of the building, there could be no deposi-
tion unless it was taken on oath,

Stephens—lt was not on oath ;it was a statement which
Mr. Murray has in his possession, and he was of opinion
that Palmer was exonerated from all blame, and fifty gen-
tlemen present concurred with him.
James Hamilton, a police sergeant, No. 10 R, who was
examined last week, was recalled, and stated that he placed
the prisoner in charge of Mr. Pittman's premises on the
night of the fire. He believed it was between 10 and 11.
Mr. Ballantine—Who gives the lanterns out ? Wit-
ness—l do. I have so many lanterns for each section,
and I give them to the men they are appropriated to. I
gave the prisoner a lantern on the night of the fire at Pitt.
man's, but it was not lighted.
Mr. Ballantine—Could he have procured a light from
the adjoining public-house, or had he anything in his pos-
session to procure a light with ?
Hamilton said he was not aware that he had. He re-
collected the fire on the premises of Mr. Brooks, of the
Tunnell Wharf, which occurred very early on the morning
of the 14th. The prisoner was placed on night duty
about the beginning of the month. The fire at the Tun-
nel Wharf occurred about half-past two o'clock in the
morning.

Stephens said he thought it was about a quarter before
one.

Mr. Ballantine—Did you not get some information that
a fire'" was to break out there ? Stephens—No, Sir,
not any.

Mr. Chambers, the prisoner's Counsel, here entered the
office, and addressing the Magistrates, said that it had
been erroneously stated that he attended a former examina-
tion on behalf of the Commissioners of Police, but such was
not the fact. He attended for the prisoner, and for him
alone was he concerned.

Mr. Ballantine and Mr. Combe said they had nothing
to do with that subject, but they were quite certain pub-
licity would be given to the explanation.
Mr. Burley, a chemist and druggist, in Rotherhithe,
stated that on the evening previous to the destructive fire
at Mr. Brooks' premises a police constable called at his
shop, and asked for a box of Lucifer matches. He did
not enter the shop, but stood on the steps outside with his
back towards the light. He did not see his face, but he
was quite certain he was a policeman, and that he had his
great coat on. He was of a tall stature, stout, and had
large whiskers. He sold him a box of Lucifers, but the
shutters being up, he could not see his face so as to he able
to identify him again.

Mr. Ballantine--Had he a ring on his finger at the time
you served him ? Mr. Burley—Yes, he had ;it appeared
to be a gold one. It was about half-past ten at night
when I sold the Lucifers, and I thought it was to tte
policeman on duty.

Mr. Ballantine—Did the person you sold ae Lucifers
to make any observation ? Mr. Burley----fes, he said it
was very awkward to go in-doors rtler; he came off duty
without a light. _

Mr. Ballantine—By 'rubbing one of those matches be-
tween some paper, a light can be procured. Witness—
Yes, Sir, *Pt is the case.
Mr• isallantine directed the prisoner to put on his uni-
form coat, which had been sent for, and his police hat, and
he then directed witness to look at him.

Mr. Burley said in size and stature the prisonor cer-
tainly resembled the policeman to whom he sold the matches.
Sarah May, servant at the Standard public-house, ad-
joining the premises of Mr. Pittman, was next examined.
She stated that she remembered the fire at Mr. Pittman's
premises ; it was on a Wednesday night. She was at
home during the evening doing her usual work, and after
taking her supper at nine o'clock she went out about ten.
Mr. Ballantine—Now, on your oath, girl, did you or
did you not go out soon after nine o'clock ; there can be
no difficulty in telling the truth.
The witness, after some hesitation, said she went out
after supper through the passage leading to Pittman's
premises. She did not see a policeman there at that time.
Mr. Ballantine—On your oath, woman, have you not
told some one you did ?
The witness, after a long pause, admitted that she had
said so but that she was mistaken ; she saw a policeman on
the premises on the Thursday night following the fire, and
also on the Friday night. It was between nine and ten
o'clock when she saw a policeman standing on the edge
of the wharf by the counting-house. This was after the fire.
Mr. Chambers begged leave to ask if he was to be al-
lowed to put qustions bearing on the case, and to cross-
examine witnesses ?

Mr. Ballantine could not allow that course to be
adopted, or he should never be enabled to get through
the investigation ; but the prisoner could put any questions
he thought proper, and his counsel could suggest any. to
him. He believed the police had the same object in view
as he had, public justice and public protection, and there
must be no partizanship on their part, or the appearance of
any or much disgrace would fall on the force, of which he
had a very high opinion.
Mr. Chambers protested against the rule laid down by
Magistrates which confined his duties to that of a mere
note-taker, and said that at most other police-offices cross-
examinations were allowed, and they were often the means
of detecting material facts.
Mr., Ballantine said that although be did not confine Mr.
Chambers to the duties of a note-taker, he could not allow
him to cross-examine, for this was only a preliminary inves-
tigation.
Mr. Ballantine recalled Mr. Stephens, who said the exa-
mination commenced at the workhouse at nine, and ended
at twelve o'clock on the Thursday night, and that the pri-
soner was detained there until that time.
Mr. Ballantine—Then the girl could not have seen the
prisoner on the Thursday night at the time she stated ?
Stephens--He was not sent for by Mr. Murray until ten
o'clock. The inspector then produced a fire-box, which he
said was found a few days ago in the vestry-room of the
Dissenting Chapel in Rotherhithe, which had been entered
during the night by removing a pane of glass, but the pre-
mises bad not been fired, neither was anything stolen.
Mr. Burley said that was not the box of Lucifers sold to
the policeman.

Mr. Ballantine asked Stephens if the prisoner was in the

Mr. Stokes was then examined at great length respect.
ing the fire on Mr. Pittman's premises, and confirmed the
accounts already given that the prisoner was placed on the
premises about eleven o'clock, and that it appeared morally
impossible to him that any person could have moved the
tar barrels and ignited it without the knowledge of the pri-
soner. He was of opinion that the premises were of easy
access, but certainly not without the knowledge of the pri-
soner. He knew there was a sewer under the passage by
the side of the house, but he thought it impossible for a
person to get up that way without been seen. A person
might however escape that way.
Mr. Warner, the prisoner's solicitor, here said that Glar-
mon, an Union-hall officer, and a very tall stout man, had
gone up the sewer, and come out at the end by Swan-lane.
Mr. Ballantine was obliged for the suggestion, and said
the place should be examined.
Captain Davidson, an inhabitant of Rotherhithe, and
Mr. Jones, his friend, who were out on the watch the
night previous to the fire at Mr. Pittman's, saw several
policemen standing near the premises a few minutes before
the fire broke out, who told them all was right there.
Mr. Redmond, a granary-keeper, said he must have
passed near Mr. Pittman's a few minutes before the fire
broke out, but he did not see a group of persons there, as
described by the last witness. There seemed to be a pre-
sentiment. that a fire would break out at Pittman's pre-
mises that night, and a very careful look out was kept.
Caroline Davis occupied the house in Rotherhithe the
back of which very nearly adjoined the granary of Speck
and Redman. There was a shed in the back part of the
yard close to the granary, which was discovered to be on
fire on the morning of Monday, the 24th of November.
About four o'clock she heard a loud knocking at the door,
and she got up and looked out of the window, when the
prisoner, who was on duty there, called out to her, " For
God's sake, make haste, your shed is on fire." She came
down, and let the prisoner into the yard, who exerted him-
self to the utmost to put out the fire. In answer to fur-
ther questions the witness said the sled could not be seen
from the street, but there was a gate at the side of the
granary which communicated 'with the yard.
The prisoner had told tier that another policeman lifted
him up, and he looker!. over the gate and saw fire ; and a
baker who lived intone of the adjoining houses said it was
the shed. Tke gate was very high indeed.
Inspector Stepens said the prisoner reported the fire to
himi.k.nt he understood it was discovered by another man
P:amed Hensom, 87 K. That was the first time he heard
anything of lifting up.

Mr.
Ballantine—Could any one in their ordinary duty
see that shed from the street ? Stephens said he was not
prepared to answer that question.
Mrs. Davis—No one could see the shed from the street
except by looking over the gate.
Redman said any one standing in the street might have
seen the smoke coming from the shed.

Mr. Ballantine—But not the fire, unless lifted up, and
then, in my opinion, it would be impossible to distinguish
whether it was the shed or not.

Mr. Henry Stokes said he told two policemen whom he
met, one of whom was the prisoner, to look out well at the
back of Speck's granary and Mr. Grice's premises, and
these were both fired the same morning.
Mrs. Davis then further stated that on the evening pre-
vious to the fire, her boy saw a man creeping along the yard,
and he informed her of the circumstance, on which she said
it must be a cat ; but the boy declared that it was some-
thing larger than himself.

Sergeant Hamilton, 10 R, said the prisoner told him
that a man had lifted him up to look over the gate.
Inspector Stephens here produced a cotton handkerchief
which was found on the premises of Mr. Christall, the
ship-breaker, after the attempt to fire his premises. He
said that it had gone forth to the world that it had been
withheld by the new police. There was no disposition to
withhold it.

Mr. Ballantine said he did not ask fey it, nor had ho
seen it before, and therefore there could be no blame at-
tached to Stephens.

Several gentlemen, among wi:.om was a Mr. Luthwaite,
who were standing near Ste,;:nens, here observed that the
handkerchief had been wished and ironed since it had been
given over at the paeish meeting to Stephens.
Mr. Ballantine questioned Stephens as to whether the
handkerchiec was in the same state as when he received it ?
twhen bP:declared it was in the same state, for it had never
Deo', out of his possession.
Several gentlemen here declared that the handkerchief
was in a filthy state when delivered to Stephens, and re-
ferred to two reporters who were present at the meeting,
and they said the handkerchief had certainly been washed
and smoothed since Mr. Christall had given it up.
Stephens said the handkerchief had never been out of his
house.

' Mr. Ballantine said he should not pursue the inquiry
any further that day. The prisoner must be again re-
manded, and further inquiries made. His only object was
to elicit the truth, and he should be very happy to discharge
the prisoner from the suspicion that was attached to his
conduct.

Mr. Chambers said that he hoped it would go forth to
the world that the prisoner had not had the full benefit of
Counsel, or he should on cross-examination have been able
to have got rid of much of the suspicion, and have collected
from some of the witnesses facts which had been withheld
'respecting the situation of Mr. Pittman's premises. He
wished the Magistrates would hear witnesses on the pri-
soner's side, as it would most probably assist in developing
the mystery of the monstrous and abominable system of in-
cendiarism lately so prevalent in Rotherhithe. After an
unsuccessful applicatien on the part of his client to bail, the
prisoner was again remanded until Monday next.

. DISCHARGE OF STAGG, THE FIREMAN.—Just after the
close of the proceedings at the Thames Police Office yes-
terday afternoon, the worthy Magistrate ordered Magg, the
fireman, who has been remanded three times on suspicion of
incendiarism at Rotherhithe, to be placed before him, and
told him that he was at liberty to go home, as from what he
had recently heard, he did not consider it necessary to de-
tain him a moment longer from his family and duty. Seve-
ral of his friends in and out of the office congratulated hits
on the result, and he was conveyed home in a coach.

VILLAGE REMINISCENCES.—" The title oI this
work will recall Miss Mitford. These volumes are not, how-
ever, merely records of village character, village sentiments, or
village society ; they embrace several aspects and conditions of
life. The title was dangerous, but the work is not hurt by it
in the perusal. It is evident from some of the leading inci-
dents that the author is a student in that almost inscrutable
branch of moral anatomy—the heart, and the variety of situa-
tions in which her
.persons are placed affords a fair test of her
powers of observation. She succeeds in procuring attention
by the natural progression of events, and the life-like quietness
with which results are brought about. Yet, without appearing
to be very forcible, she is not deficient in energy. Some of the
passages are eloquent and stirring, but the main characteristic
is the inherent truth that pervades her narrative."—Atlas.
LIVERPOOL COTTON-MARKET, TUESDAY, DEC.
9.—We have had a very dull market to-day, and the opera-
tions are under 2,000 bags, of all descriptions, at a decline of
id; to id. per lb, on the quotations of Friday last.
CHANGE IN THE CLIMATE.—Those who re-
collect and paid attention to the climate of this country thirty.
years ago, or less, must be convinced that it has rapidly im-
proved, and that it is at least fifty per cent. more favourable
now than it was at that period, and the air infinitely more sa-
lubrious. Formerly a single fine day throughout the month of
November was a rare circumstance, and it acqeired from the
continual fogs, mists, and gloom that prevailed, the name of
suicide month, but it has long ceased to deserve that charac-
ter. Irrigation has reduced the humidity of the atmosphere,
but there are other causes for the great and favourable change
which merit investigation and inquiry. Formerly, in conse-
quence of the destruction of the apple blossoms by harsh and
uncertain weather, the proprietors of orchards did not expect
more than one good crop in three years ; but for some years
past in succession the apple-trees have produced abundance of
fruit annually without any failures.