The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-21 00:00:00

T
;
LONDON., WEIIN ES 1-4XENTIN a MAX •• 21, 1856.

TR'E 11At,F-HOLIDAY MOVEMENT.

DEPITTATION :TO, SIR. GEORGE .GREY.

- Yesterday, 'a deputation from the Early Closing As-
sociatifin waited upon the Secretary of State for the
Home Deprtment,' at his official residence. The depu-
tation consisted of the Earl of SliafteShury ; the Mar
gads of -Blandford, ; the. Hen: A. Kinnaird, M.P.:
Captain Stuart,- M.P. ; Rev. .J:`.11! Gurney ; Rev. T.
Binney ; Arthur Mills, Esq. • G: `11;' Davis, Esq. ;' B.
Shaw, Eq. ; Mr. J. R. Taylor CJ: J. Me,•hi, E.4q. ;
John Corderoy, E- q. ' • W. ,Locke; Esq. ; Mr. Lilwall
(Honorary Secretary), &c. -
Toe Earl of. SHAFTESBCfRY, having introduced the
deputation, observed that they did not speklcir.
tive action, which, indeed, the nature of tio case did not,
admit 'f ; but if the Government would useits,influence,
and, above all, -set the exa nple by introducing, the halt,
holiday into their, offices, into the arsenals, dockyards,
and all institutions under Government control, the
happiert results. mu• t folio*.
The Lion. Mr. 'KINN/MD observed that. the Saturday
half bo;iday had already been adopted in Glasgow, Dun-
dee, and other Scotch towns, producing the greatest pos-
sible satisfaction to all parties ; adding, that two o'clock'
was the hour at which it was propoied business Should
be suspended. ,
_

Sir G. GEM. said that-with regard to the state estab-
lishments; such as the dockyards, it was unavoidable that
the men ;herein employed bad to work at all hours. He
th,iught also that it vrotild not ba.practicable, especially,
during the sitting of Parliament, to close the public
offices at two o'clock on Saturday, besides .hich he felt
that the clerks employed in those offices were not. much
in need of a weekly half-holiday. •
The Rev. J. GURNEY observed that there were other
departments connected -with the Geverninent where a
half-holiday on• Saturdays would be a great boon.
In reply to a question from Sir G. GREY,

Mr. LILWALL said he •believd that in all cases where
the ha f holiday had been granted, no reduction_ bad
been made in the pay_ for the reason -that it was found
that 110 risen, exerting themselves with greater spirit,
application, and energy, really did as much work in the)
five days and a hail as before they did in six. Mr. Lii-
wall read a letter received that morning from. Sir
Mer-
ton Pete, in which the hon. baronet stated that he
" deep,y felt the importance of the Saturday half-holiday,
and believed that if the Government adopted it in their
establi,hments by way of example the greatest good •
would result." The society he (Hr. Lila/al.) represented
• was very desirou. to obtain the services of the bands. in
the parks on Saturday afternoons, but finding that the
carrying nut of that arrangement did not properly be-
long to the Government, it was intended to apply to the
eorarnandi g officers of regiments with that view.
Lard SILIFTESBIIRY ..b.erieed that, speaking for him-
self ant cer,atrY Other members of the deputation, whilst
strongly in favour of the b end i-•!aying on Saturday,.
they dosiral t guari themselves against beicg supposed
to imply that it wail any part of the duty of the Govern-
ment to provile ainuse.ment for the people. Such a prin-
cip!e, if once admitted, might lead to dangerous as well
as iinonvenient results.

Sir G. GFEY stated that the reason why the Govern.
merit had interfered in the matt-r was, because they
thou ht, a, a band had for some time been playing on
certain week days in sington Gardens, it was due
to pers.ms at the east end of London that they should
have a Similar privilege.

G. DAVIS, Est, said that when the half holiday
was first mooted in the establishment with which he was
connected tears were entertaine,l that it might interfere
with thq despatch of buoiness, but that those fears were
not realised. The object of the deputation was not to
secure a half-holiday for gentlemen whose hours were
from ten to four, or who only occasionally required to
remain late, but to obtain the influence of Government
example.
After some further remarks, the deputation withdrew.

BEA I,TH OF ,LoN.pabt:DUitilsl6 TUE
WEER%

(From the Report of the Registrar-General. )

. ,
•In the week that ended on Saturday th.3-deaths of
1,094 persons- -nalety, 538 males ant/-556 females—
were registered in I.4)lition. In the corresponding weeks
of tt n year.; 1846 55, the average nuinber'ol deat.hs was
1,020, which,. if raised by a tenth part .for annpariltan
will the deaths of 1/14 week, which occurred in an in-
creased po potation, ltecotne,, 1,122. It appears that
the rate •of mortality last week was slightly below the
average.

The r'eaths referred to diseases of the zyinotic or epi-
demic character,were last week 242, a number., which
differs little front the corrected average of corresponding
weeks. But typhus, nadir which head cases of common
fever are included, are at present more fatal than any
other disease in the mote class; and shows a disposition
to increase. The deaths caused by it, having been in
ra-
cent weeks generally less than 66, roe legit week to 7d,
of which thoeie;that scourred in•the eastern .divisioo, em-
bracing Bethnal-green, Stepney, and other districts, ex
hibit a decided preponderance in tinmber. With reference
to a death from ,typhus in the Shorediteh workhouse on
9th May, of a person who had been 'orought from 2, Nor-
folk-place, Illateman's.row, Mr. Brwring," the registrar,
mentions that the ,house in which the deceased bad lived
consists of four rooms; with a family in each, and is in a
very filthy condition. Four men dierl in the workhouse,
Mile-end New Town, between the 11th And 17th May
incinsive, all from •` febris." 'twelve- persons died of
small-pox, 2of yvhonawere. children in one house in the
Finsbury subfdistrict; who bad not been vaccinated. A
boy at 7, Frying-pan alleyeClerken well, who also had not
been vaecins.tt•d, died of the name disease ; he was 6 years
old, and the son of a lab'orir-Cr ; and .Mr. Goddard, 'the,
inedidal;attendant, observes that a stable,
•be found sn titfieient- inE all -the chants necessary ter
henslth as Alnioje.o44o-47-Yiltigi Airs •pat Sent • brA lived
cases of diarrhoea were 15, whichli th same
as the average.: Ile, ia was t.:16 cause of death in
8 cases ;1 diabetes in 1; 1 person died of intemperance,;
and 2 men, a house painter arida labourer at lead works,
of colica pictonurn atter 2 and 5 days' illnepzi. •
A 'female pensioner on a charitable endowment died' at
the age of 92 years, and a Wesleyan minister at 94, the
two oldest persons' recorded in the week.
Last week, the births of 853 boys and SOT girls, in all
1654 children, :were 'registered in Lyndon. In the ten
corresponding wrseks of the, years 1846.55 the average,
number was 1,497.
. .

At the Royai Observatory, the mean height of the
barometer in 04' week was 20.493 in. The barometer
rose on Sunday, (the 11th) to 29.79 in., the highest in
the week. The mean tetnerature of the week was 51.2
deg., which is 0.9 deg. below the average of the same
week in 38 years .(as determined by Mr. Glaisher).. The
warmest day was Sunday, when the thermometer in
the shade rose to 72 deg., and that in the sun to 95 deg.
The lowest readiiig was 42.9 deg., and occurred on Fri-
day. The entire range of the week was therefore 29.1
deg. The mean dai'y temperature was below the average
on every day except. Sunday and Tues•lay. The mean
‘few-point temperature was 15.6 deg., and the difference
between this and the mewl temperature of the air was
5.6 deg. The temperature of the water of the Thames
ranged from 48 3 deg., the lowest on Sunday, to 55.9
deg., the highest on the.last two days of the week ; tbt
mean of the week wit,: 52.2 deg. On Sunday, Monday,
and Friday the wind blew ir(u} the north ; at other
times generally it blew fr on the south-west. Rain fell
to the amount of 1.24 in., half of which fell on Tuesday.
['here were heavy showers of hail and rain on Siturlay

MORTALITY IN THE METROPOLIS.
NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES REGISTERS

IN THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, MAY 17.
Zymotic Diseases
Diseases of Uncertain Seat
Tubercular Diseases
Diseases of the Brain, Nerves and Senses
Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels 39
Diseases of the Lungs and other Organs of
Respiration l7B
Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs
of Digestion
Diseases of the Kidneys, &c.
Childbirth, Diseases of the Uterus, &c.
Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Muscles
Diseases of the Skin, &c..
Malformations
Premature Birth and 'Debility 23
atrophy
• Old Age
Sudden
Violence, Privation, Cold, and Intemperance 43
Causes not specified

241

13
9
6

DEATEIS FROM ALL CAUSES 1,094
Population Deaths in corre• Deaths
Enumerated. spending week in th

1851. . ,
of IS"S. Week
West Districts
North Districts ' 490,396
Central Districts 3.93,256 ..'1,6- -.4.... --I -
East Districts 455;522 -

-- ,' ~

South Districts

Totals
Males
Females.
BIRTHS IN THE WEEK.
_ _ _

1,143

1,094
538
556

Males
Females..

Total 1,654

STATE OF TRADE.

-
MANCHESTER, May 20,--In the general market there
has not been mach business, buyers manifesting but
little disposition to give the prices asked.- In this the',
have received some little encouragement from th,
drooping state of the cotton-market. In shirtings, anti
madapollams for India there has been more done, be-
cause the makers of these cloths are corning out of CM--
tract pretty generally, and, being unwilling to hold
stocks, they have shown more or less willingness to
make some concession in price. In some cases a reduc-
tion of P,d. to 3E per piece has bean allowed, and a
more general concesstm to this extent would probably
have led to large sales for India and China. There is a
pretty general feeling that no greater cause exists for
this redaction in prices than there did a month ago ;
but the. fact is, that at that time manufacturers had
pretty generaly large orders on hand, while now those
orders are mostly completed, and the production, espe-
cially of India and China .shirtings, is on a large scale.
Vivre is a great feeling against the accumu-lation of
stocks. In yarns there has been a dull market, the
demand both for h me consumption and export being
small, and spinners wishing to force sales have bad to
submit to a reduction of Ad. per lb. on the prices of la:t
Tuesday. Mes,,rs, George Fraser, Son, and Co. report:—
" there is no improvement in our market to-day ; the
demand is inactive, and prices show increased weak-
ness."

LEEDS, May 20.—The attendance in the cloth-balis
this meriting has not been very great, and business bas
not been very brisk ; but the tone of the market has
ken firm, and tob,rably cheerful. The Chancellor of
the Exchequ r's budget has not called forth much re-
mark, nor produced any tangible effect on the market.
Upon the whole it has given satisfaction, as few persons
have been unreasonable enough to expect any great re-
duction from the present taxation. There have been
some tolerably and parcels of heavy cloths for autumn
and winter con,urnption sold, and altogether, with very
firm prices, the market has been as satisfactory as could
be expected.

THE TIPPERARY BANK.—On Monday the Master
delivered ju•igment on the claims for exemption from
liability to the creditors of the Tipperary Bank, re•
lied up,in by Mr. Vincent Scully and Mr. Wilson
Kennedy. He decreed that both were liable as share-
holders. Counsel was heard on behalf of Mr. James
Starling, merchant, and Mr. James Birch Kennedy,
banker, both of Dublin. Having sold their shares in
the year 1853, the master removed their names from
the list of parties primarily liable. Mr. John Henry
Doyle, of London, applied to have his name removed
from the lilt, as he had merely allowed his name to be
used at, the request of John Sadleir. The Master re-
tained his name. Several otber names were retained,
although strong cases of misrepresentation and fraud
were shown.
Miss JEWSBURY'S NEW NovEL.—The new stery, en-
titled " The Sorrows of Gentility," just published, from
the pen of Miss Jewshury, will be welcomed by all novel
readers as one of her cleverest productions. It describes
the adventures of a village beauty, who attempts to
escape from the coarseness and vexations that surround
her path, by marrying a hanger-en of the world of
fashion. Her subsequent career is powerfully portrayed.
Ignoring all false or hackneyed sentiment, Miss Jews-
bury lays bare the secret history of a woman's heart
with a firm hand, and shows us some of its shadows as
well as bright gleams of heroism and virtue, The
volumes deal largely with what is commonly nailed good
society, and displays it under very significant aspects ;
but it is with the real men and women of the tale that
the reader's attention will be engrossed, and his heart
interested.

LAKE NGAMI OR, EXPLORATIONS AND DISCOVERIES
IN SOUTH WESTERN AFRICA. By Charles John Anders-
ea. 1 vol., with 50 ikutrations.—" We heartily recom-
mend Mr. Ander: son's work as that of one eminently
qualified to bo a traveller, not only from his endurance
and love of adventure, but from the variety and extent
of his knowledge. He gets and gives interesting infor-
mation on all the subjects which come before him ; the
geographical features of the countries he visits, and their
natural scenery—the beasts of the field, the birds of the
air, the plants above the surface of the earth, and the
geological structure beneath it ; and all detailed in an
unaffected and agreeable manner. He encounters and
describes all kinds of strange animals—the lion, the
oryx, the elephant, the rhinoceros, the hippopotamus,
the buffalo, the ostrich, and many others. His sporting
adventures are related with great spirit, and these and
other incidents of his narrative are beautifully illuatrated
l by tho lithographs of Zir, WQll!"_+-/f0 kua.

THE BXPhOSION AT IVOCILW

. .
Mr. carter and a 'double jury ;isvitnbled yesterday
morning at 10 o'eloCk it the Gun Tavern, Woolwich,
for the .purpose of into,. the death of William
Powell, which arose from injuries reoeived from the sud-
den ignition of at mrbilheiracket, which he was in the
act'Of hiring .with, a steel drill, worked by moans of a
lathe,
...at Woolwich Arsenal. Before entering upon
the, inquiry the jury- proceeded t, the 4aitionse'aria
...3camiovd,t46 ixtflY, Which: La.-I. b2cri.phteed in a shell
prior to interment, That of Fiaek, the foreman, who
was killed by the last - acdident.. on Saturday, was
likewisa etamiuftl, nithithe ipateetion of investigating
the canse of the several deaths which occurred on
that occasion; that of the boy Richardson, who was
taken to the hospital on the same occasion in a hope-
-1(1.4 state, and -who died -on Monday; had been re-
movo to the deadhouse, so that, together with the
body of, an artilleryman, there were no less than 7
bodies in it.

Tpe Coroner info:arc' the jury that all would be
classed in one investigation, as all must have perished
from the same cau,o. He should commence by endea-
vouring to ascertain the origin of the first accident,
which must not be mixed up with the second, but pro-
bably the inquiries into the one case might aid in the
investigation of the other.
Mr. B. Forman, a solicitor, attended to watch the
proceedings on behalf of the Ordnance. •
Jo neph Powell identified the body as that of his bro-
ther.

The first witness called was Thomas Crossley, who
said he had charge of the shed in which 15 men and 6
boys were employed, one of whom, the deceised, was
engaged in boring a half-pound..tourhilon• rocket with
a lathe. The hole was being bored in the metal case
without the brass cover by means of a steel bit, which it
77,46,neeessary should penetrate as far as the composi-
Calitions went ointinuolly being given to 'see tht
the drill was not overheated, to avoid which the man at
she lathe was st rietly enj.iineil to remove it frequently and
wipe it with a wet cloth. The deceased was anew band at
that work, and was often ordered to be careful that the
drill was not overheated. Witness Considered it safer to
bore without the outer case, as unless a man were very
steady the two metals might come in contact and cause
ignition. He was present when the rocket ignited. It
did not explode, but caught fire and burnt, as those
rockets generally do. Tnere were in the shed about
1,000 serge bags, called miner's bags, with 20 squibs in
each, which also caught fire. Some of the men were
filling starshells of brightcomposition, which also ignited.
No large amount of cainbustible matter was allowed to
accumulate in the sheds, but it was removed every hour
to a place of safety. One of the men was in the act of
packing some of the materials in a coi.per-lined case
when the accPent occurred. Witness a •nsidered that
Powell worked too fast, and be bad often been cautioned
not to do so. A cork stopper was attached to the borer
to prevent it from entering into the composition.
By one of the Jury.—l never knew of any one having
been discharged for being slow at work. Buckets of
water are always standing in readiness, and damped
cotton lies on the table for cooling the borer.
The Solicitor for the Ordnance here remarked that
no fireworks had been prepared in the Arsenal since
1814.

William Marks was next called.—He said he was a
labourer employed in the Arsenal, and was engaged
treading the lathe for boring the rockets. He
oad oftee been ordered to tread with caution.
ale witness proceeded to say that as soon as
'ie perceived the ignition he made his escape
from the shed. Had often seen the instrument taken
out to be sharpened. He did not see the deceased use the
e ailing cotton nor the water. He had been in that neon-
:)ation upwards of three weeks. Had repeatedly heard
Crossley advise caution. Ha = never heard of any one he-
el complained of for being slow at work. No particu-
ar orders as to speed hid been given.
Capt. Edward Mounier Boxer, Royal Artillery, was
the next witness examined—He said that ho was the
iuperietendent of the Royal Laboratory; that for the
last two months they had been principally engaged in
rreparing fireworks, and he was below when the acci-
lent happened. Everything in that department Wl'
ander his special direction ; ho was responsible to Go-
:eminent for whatever occurred, but it was impossible
*or him to look minutely into every man's work. To
insure the equilibrium of the rocket it was necessary
to be very particular in boring the middle hole. This
bould be done with much caution. He did not consi-
der there was the slightest danger if properly done. Con-
idered that a steel drill was infinitely safer in its use
-hall any other kind of metal for that purpose. In the
Med where the accident occurred two kinds of composi-
ion were used, which—in reply to a question from one
af the jury, he said--being a mixture of steel filings—
were not extraordinarily dangerous, not so mus'i so as the
irdinary war rockets ; the other was a brilliant compoei-
,ion, mixed up with charcoal. Had seen cases where for
ipplying a fuse for a particular range the shell bad to be
oared through, in doing which the borer became much
heated. Was very particular .in preparations to discard
4n thing of a gritty subatancs, The materials, when pros,
:A; Epra,.Arated ilkerieff erteerrea
Otidonliotedly occasioned bYorvilkaheate7ilb:W•
sits for the bit to penetrate the composition.
de 'a that kind were less probable with a lathe
than by any other method of boring. Had given orders
that no accumulation should be kept in the shed.
There were several cases lined with copper and full,
which were untouched. If the man had had presence
of mind he could • have extinguished the rocket without
accident; instead of which it was thrown among the
squibs. They had other preparations much more dan-
gerous. Although he knew that the greatest possible
precaution was ordered, he was in a constant state of
trixiety, and continually paid visits to the whole of the
!apartments to observe that all due caution was used
throughout. A burn from gunpowder was much more
-every than from any other material. The hole might
:lave been choked—a gouge or spoonbit might be less
, dangerous, and should be tried. It was very natural
chat information should be gained by these occurrences.

William Toser was neat said he was
manager of the composition, and was in the shed three
minutes before the accident. Had att9mpted himself to
bore a rocket with the outer case on, and had broken
two bits in so doing. The facility of boring was much
greater without the brass case, and as it could be held
much more easily ho considered it. safer to bore without
the ca,s,P. Supposed that the bit was forced too far into
the rocket while overheated. In order to gain all the
assistance in their power, they were aided by a pyre-
r,eohnical artist, blr. Soutiibv, whose son was one of
their foremen. There were 2,000 iquihs and one metal
hoed case of starshells at the time of the accident.

By one of the Junrs.—We have had no difficultx
since the accident in procuring men to work at the same
process. Not a single man has given notice that he
wished to leave his employ. My opinion is that there
was a want of caution on the part of the deceased. I
have not offered higher wages since the accident. I nin
certain no man is require :1 t i work immoderately quick
None of the men are t,asked to do any quantity of work.
Captain Boxer sometimes remains halt an haw directing
the labourers.

It being now half•past 3 o'clock the Coroner proposed
an adjournment till Thursday.

THE ACCI D T A7' NETLEY.

PORTSMOUTH, May 20.—A a inquest was held this
morning on the bodies of the two seamen who were killed
yesterday on board the Hardy, gunboat, Lieut. C=-
mender Swinburne, during the firing of the salute at
the laying the foundation stone of the New Military
Rospital at Netley. The names of the deceased are
Michael Devan, aged 30, an ordinary seaman, and Cor-
nelius Flannagan, aged 28, an A.B. Mr. S wainson, A,l
rniralty coroner, presided, and the jury wee' composed of
an intermixture of officers and seamen. The inquest was
held on board the Hardy, in harbour. By the evidence,
it appears that the gun-boats were ordered to fire a salute
of 21 guns between them ; each vessel firing,again at five
seconde' time. The Hardy had fired her first gun, and
her turn to fire again had arrived ; the gun had been
run in for re-loading, and the second charge was
being rammed home by the twe deceased men when
Wehe bomb exploded and blew them against the side
of the vessel. This act of " ramming home" brought
the bodies, oe rather heads, of the unfortunate men in
Quell close contiguity to the mouth of the gun that the
flame from the explosion of the powder set their dress on
fire and burnt their faces in tha most frightful manner.
Flannagan did not speak or move after he fell ; he ap-
peared to have been instantaneously killed. Devan dis-
played some slight indications of vitality for about half
an hour after the explosion. The surgeon of the Royal
Yacht, and the surgeon of the Arrogant were immedi-
ately signalled for by the commander of the Hardy, who
also lifted his anchor, and ran the Hardy towards those
veesels, in order to pick up the boats containing these
officers. The jury were very minute in their inquiries
as to the cause of the accident, the size and condition of
the sponge, and other details of a similar character.
They had the sponge produced and tried it in the gun ;
but they pronounce it in perfectly good condition, and
in every respect suitable fir the gun. By the evidence
it would appear that the accident arose from some burn•
ing fragment of the first charge being left in the gun,
and igniting the second charge. This could only arise
from defective sponging by one of the unfortunate de-
ceased. The captain of the gun had his thumb over the
vent at the 'norm:et, as usual, and it was blown off.
Devan had served in the trenches before Sebastopol, and
was wounded by a shell at the storming of the Malakhoff.
Flannagan had served in various parts of the world.
Tho verdict was " Accidental death."

ST. PAUL AND ST. BAB.NABAS.—The appeal in, this
now celebrated case commenced on Monday morning
before Sir John Dodson, the dean of the Arches Court.
It is the custom in law courts for the counsel for the
appeal to commence, but in this case Dr. Bayford
opened on behalf of Mr. Westerton. .Te learned gen-
tleman spoke all dav, and added littlezr nothing to the
arguments advanced when the matter was under the con-
sideration of Dr. Lushitigton. Ho er.tered very fully
into the subject of church ornaments, showing that those
employed at St. Paul and St. Barnabas were not war-
ranted by ecclesiastical usage, and had not concluded his
speech when the Court rose. It is not expected that
iwhicaent will be giveg Wore V-ovexber.