The Sun.
London, England, 1858-08-23 00:00:00

T fIE GREAT DUDLEY CANAL TUNNEL.

The completion of one of the most remarkable pieces o
civil engineering of its class was celebrated on Friday. The
new Dudley Tunnel of the Birmingham Canal was then
formally opened. The effect will be to give a great impe-
tus to the coal trade, in its domestic branch, in East Wor-
cestershire and South Stafferehire. The tunnel is nearly
two miles in length, it will allow two boats to go abreast,
and is furnished with a double towing path. The construe-
tien of the tunne!, with that also of the works which have
been rendered necessary by it, have cost the Birmingham
Canal Company about £300,000, an expenditure, which,
in these days of railways Versus canals, would, by some
persons, be thought to be somewhat injudicious. On the
contrary, however, the investment is a good one. An ex-
tra toll of 41. per ton will be charged upon all cemmodities
paesing t!-Tough it. This 4d. will be appropriated to the
paying off of the interest upon the £300,000, and the re-
paying of the capital. From this toll, if there should be a
brisk trade in South Staff rdshire during that time, the
tunnel will be free in 15 years. There is very little danger
of the traffic being taking taken away by a competing rail-
way; and, in consequence of its construction, some thousand
of acres of valuable thick coal west of the tunnel may now
be opened up, to the great profit of the proprietors of the
land, and the advantage of the consumers in Birmingham
in particular.
The tunnel alone is 11 mile in length, but the open work
in connection with it has made the total length of the new
weak 2 miles. The width is 27 feet; 17 feet of that dis-
tance is water-way, and the remaining 10 feet is divided
into two 5-feet towing paths. The height of the tunnel is
16 feet above the water, which in the middle of the channel
is 6 feet deep. The engineers are Messrs. Walker, Burgess,
and Cooper, of 'Westminster; the resident engineer, Mr.
James Waller. The fist sod of the tunnel was turned on
the 28th December, 1855, since which time between 500
and 600 men have been regularly employed upon it. In its
construction, 17 working shafts were used, some of which
were 345 feet deep. The geological strata passed through
were the bind, marl, coal, ironstone, and basalt. More than
the average of life has been sacrificed—the total number of
men killed is the tunnel having been ten.
On Friday the directors of the Birmingham Canal Com-
pany came from 13irmingham in their boat upon the canal,
and met a numerous company of gentlemen who had
assembled at Dudley Port. The train of boats num-
bered sir. Among the company were Sir George Nicholls,
Mr. J. H. H. Foley, M.P.;
chairman of the company ;
Mr. W. H. W. Foley, M.P.; Mr. W. 0. Foster' M.P. ;
Mr. P. Williams, High Sheriff of Staffordshire; the Mar-
quis of Chandos, chairman .of et I 1 North-
Western Railway; Admiral Moors( eone, di-
rectors of the London and North- env, sac
The railway station and the boats v :corated.
The train of boats had scarcely a mishap
occurred, which at first looked st ;. Some
merchandise boats were following striving
bard among each other for the how
the tunnel. The first boat was het through
iron ore and was down within an calcined
he water.
The surge occasioned by the rapid a and of
the succeeding boats beat over her ailed and
went down with extraordinary rat five man
were in her at the time, and oat :owning.
For all the succeeding boats, ext one, she
stopped the passage. Afterwar( attempt-
ing to get into this empty boat, sal. The
train entered the tunnel about a quarter to 12, and made
the passage through in about 25 minutes. To any one who
had ever been through the old tunnel, which this one will
in great part supersede, the improvement must have been
remarkably striking. Instead of an Bft. dark tunnel, in
which men have to lie upon their backs and " leg" through
themselves and their boats, with their 20 tons burthen—
an operation taking on an average eight hours—here
was a tunnel with a channel wide enough for two boats,
a towing path on each side railed off from the water by
strong iron railing, and lighted with gas. There is now
no necessity for one boat to wait for the passing through of
the train ha leefore it before a journey can be commenced
from the opposite end. Beats can pass etch other and per-
f am the whole 3,335 yards in 45 minutes, or one-tenth of
the time of the passage of the old tunnel. In the words of
the engineer:—" Quite as great a difference as between
the conveyance of goods by the heavy waggon upon
turnpike roads, and of the locomotive engine upon
railways." The great improvement was so manifest
that loud bursts of applause came from the well-
laden train of boats directly it entered the tunnel, and
it was continued throughout the whole tunnel. The
arrivals at the several pieces of illumination, cr at one
or other of the seven working shafts that had been left
permanently open, being the signals fur the repetition of
the applause. The masonry is excellent, there being no
moisture perceptible from the sides of the shafts. to soon
as the boats were through, they all congregated around that
in which were the committee of directors, and Sir George
Nicholls drank "Success to the Netherton tunnel." The
diroctoo having provided the necessaries) the occupaute of

The county of Somerset has again been the scene of a
murder of singular and atrocious character. In this instance
the victim is a little girl, six years old, named Hannah
Maria Burgess, daughter of a labourer named William
Burgess, working at the Forest Mines, Exmoor, znd the
murderer is the child's father. The only motive the
wretched parent bad for destroying his daughter was to
save the expense of half• a-crown a-week which he paid for
her board and lodging.

Burgess was left a widower with five children, four of

them old enough to go into service, and places were pro-
cured for them accordingly. The deceased, the youngest of
the family, was sent to a neighbour to be kept at the
expense of the father, who paid 2s. a week for some
time, and then the child was removed to the house of
a person named Marley, at an additional cost of sixpence
per week. He bad frequently complained of having to pay
this weekly sum for the support of Its daughter, and being a
man of intemperate habits the tax appeared to be a source
of great annoyance to him. On Sunday, the 25th of July,
Burgess took the child away from Marley's at four o'clock
in the morning, under the pretence of taking her to some
of his relatives at Porlock, about 14 miles off. While at
work some days afterwards he was asked what had become
of the child, and he said he had taken her to Brinsworthv,
in Devonshire. Nothing further was heard of the child
until last week; and in the meantime Burgess bad left his
work and quitted the neighbourhood. In the early part of
last week a man going along a secluded spot on Exmoor
Forest found the remnants of some female apparel which
had evidently been burnt, and the fragments were
identified as part of the clothing the child wore when she
left Marley's in company with her father. Suspicion being
thus excited, a person was sent to Burgess's relations at
Porlock, and it was ascertained that neither Burgess nor
the child had been there on the Sunday above-mentioned.
Some men at work at the iron mines heard that the child
was missing, and in conseqoenee commenced searching the
forest; they found the turf had been cut, and a grave had
been dug about four feet long .by two feet wide, and about
three feet in depth, and on throwing out the mould they
observed a strong smell of decomposed animal matter, but
failed to discover the body. Information was then sent to
Superintendent Jeffs, of the Wiveliscombe division of the
county constabulary, who at once went in search of the
father.

At L3nmouth, Devon, it was ascertained that Burgess
bad hired a boat and had gone in the direction of the Welsh
coast. Mr. Jeffs procured a fast-sailing yacht and went in
pursuit; he reached Swansea on Thursday afternoon, and
there found Burgess at work at the new docks now in
course of construction at that port. The officer arrested
him, and charged him on suspicion of murdering his
daughter, when he said, " I done it, and I must die for it ;
I'd sooner die than live, for I shall never be happy again."
He also told the superintendent that he intended to have
made away with himself, and saved him the trouble of tak-

ing him.
The prisoner was temporarily lodged in the police-station
at Swansea, and the next day conveyed to Lynmouth, and
from thence to Dulverton. He was brought up at the petty
sessions there on Saturday, before Mr. J. A. Locke and
Capt. Bernard, county magistrates, when some formal
evidence having been offered, the prisener was remanded
for further examination, and committed in the meantime to
the county gaol at Taunton.
The prisoner attempted to carry his threat of self-destruc-

tion into execution on Saturday morning just prior to being
taken before the magistrates. One of his handcuffs was un-
locked, to allow him to take some refreshment, when he
seizes a pair of scissors lying on the table and plunged
them into his throat. Several policemen were in the room,
and stayed his deadly purpose, but not before he had cut his
neck severely. A surgeon (Mr. Collins) was soon at band,
and with difficulty the wounds were sewn up.
The county police are diligently engaged searching for
the body of the child, which had not been found when our
parcel was despatched; and the intricate nature of the
ground in the forest renders the search a matter of no little
difficulty.

MURDER.—At the Reading police-court,
en Friday, Mary Newell was placed at the bar, charged
with the wilful murder of her infant on the 9th August by
drowning it in the Thames in the King's Meadow. The
unfortunate woman came into court weeping and looking
very pale. She was accommodated with a seat near the
dock, and, although she exhibited little outward emotion,
yet it was evident from her appearance that she felt
acutely the serious position in which she was placed.
A great crowd had assembled outside the police-court, while a
number of persons were present during the examination, all
of whom seemed to compassionate the unhappy prisoner, the
general impression being that she had been driven to despe-
ration, and had committed the act from the heartless treat-
ment she had received. The evidence as given at the inquest
was read over to the several witnesses and confirmed, the
prisoner declining to ask any glesions of either of them.
The usual caution having been given to the prisoner,
she made the following statement :—I have known William
Francis these six years, and have been in service ever since
I knew him. I left Mr. Ice's last Augest, and came to
Reading to seek for another situation, and going home
I met with him in the street. lie, knowing me, asked
me how I was, and if I would go and have some-
thing to drink. I refused, but by being persuaded I
went, and was in his company some hours. He asked
me if I was engaged, for he wanted a wife, but he did
not want to marry yet. He said his sister was keeping
his house. When we parted he did not ask me my address,
or where I was going, nor anything, and I thought he did
not care anything about me, only far his own ends. I had a
situation, and I went to it. I stayed too tnonths and a fort-
night, but I was so unwell I was obliged to leave. I came home
end stayed with my mother until I got Weir. Then I came to
Reading and told him how I was, and asked him what I was
to do. He knew that I was is trouble by him. He said he did
not know what I was to de, for he was engaged. He could
not have me, but he would keep the child. I said " Why
not have me as well as any one else ?" as he knew that I
was in trouble by him. After that I went to the union.
There I stayed until the 9:11 August. I came out with the
intention of going to Shepherds' Green, but I altered my
mind, and came to Reading, and got to Reading about
half-past seven. Ile was not in the shop when I went
there. His sister and some one else were picking fowls.
I asked her where her brother was. She said lie
would be in in a few minutes. He came in. I asked
Ilan what he thought of the baby. I told him I waet,el
wytneuultd
out
tt
with
he
some money. I asked him what he intended to do, and
wbat I was to do. He said he did not care what
the
person who -was picking the fowls. His sister said it was
elf] ydtiltili rig! 111 iHeg ht
putd. do as
his liked
--aIL
no use for roe to wait, for he might not be hsme until
: le or 12, and being destitute of a farthing, I
walked about to see if 1 could see anything of him. I
saw no tidings of him. The temptation was very
great to lead me t- do what. I did. He so frowned en me
nod the dear baby—which he knew was his—it drove me
to do what I never thought of before. I went on the
road for home, and went inside a field and sat under a hedge
till morning, and on Tuesday I went home. Mother asked
me what I had done with it—where the baby was. I said I
couldn't tell her. I then told her I hrd put It out. The
mayor, addressing the prisoner, said : You are committed to
the county gaol to take your trial at the ensuing assizes.

ESCAPE OF A LUNATIC MURDERER.—It will be in
the recollection of our readers that, at the last Cheshire
assizes, Henry Bloorufield was charged with the wilful
murder of his wife, at Lyme Handley, by killing her with a
hatchet as she lay in bed. From the commission of the
murder to the day of his trial the prisoner had been con-
fined in the Cheshire Lunatic Asylum, and on being brought
into court the learned judge, Mr. Justice Crompton ordered a
jury to be einpanoellee fer the purpose of deciding whether the
prisoner was in a fit state of mind to plead. The jury found
"That the prisoner is of unsound mind, and not in a fit
state to plead or take his trial," and he was accordingly
remanded to prison. A representation of the case was
made to the Home Secretary, and ou Monday last an nrdzr
came for his removal to Bethelehern, St. George's Fie.ds,
London. The medical attendant at the Castle thought it
would be unwise to handcuff him, and, in company with a
turnkey named 011erenhaw, and a boy who was on his
way to a reformatory
school, he was locked in the second-
class compartment of a railway carriage, the train leaving
Chester at 10 45 a.m. Nothing particular occurred until
the train arrived at the Watford tunnel, which is a mile
long, and Omit seventeen miles from London, when, just
as the train was emerging from the tunnel, Bloomfield
gave the turnkey such a terrific blow, as to knock him
senseless on his seat; and the next moment the maniac
disappeared through the window. He was seen by several
persons in the train to scramble up the embankment of the
railway, but all traces of him from the moment disap-
peared. The train was going at the rate of 40 miles an
hour, and it is supposed that he can hardly have escapedi
unhurt. There is an extensive wood adjoininfeiitf
t
where he made his escape, and it was thought at
_first
that
he had secreted himself in it, though OD searching the
wood with dogs, no trace of aim was disco -
hension. The
re-
ward of f,5 has been offered for his app
turnkey who had achcaolmilpisanbieedenhirno
on
Thursday evening, only
scPaPrrreeehtuorfo returned
m late
si
since
Monday.
rs —We last week reported
THEATRICAL MARRIAG
and
most
promising actress,
young, v
the marriage of a We
yc'lewi.eterhl'ol:slinSg.toWt litieli‘a‘mHs'a pEisi sq:Li
vocalist,
was now, with pleastu •
Miss Lc.uise MaryeKnededle
the
a e
tpe opularl
iatenttr.7
as
eD°drodnm°e''bid'rain Weiss, Esq., lienten Rut in her
majesty's service, and son of the late Lieutenant J. Weiss(August 21), at St.
,
Cw—ltha.:3!":ll.-.micsshallrilritirnaerdjJri3o.erantFtel.srl%lrrerrall, lessee and clerk of the course at
Pancras rri • •to Miss Ke sister-In-law to Mr.
Lewes,ischtourbeeh,united this morning
Cathcart of the Princes,.'s Theatre. Another interesting
union will shortly take place. We are informed, from the
very best authority, that Mr. Albert Smith, immediately on
his return to England, will he married to Miss Mary Keeley,
tl e deservedly-favourite little actress of the Adelphi Theatre.
—Era.

The little theatre in the Strand will be closed for
a week preparatory to the re-opening, with Miss Swan-
torough's complete company for the winter season, on Mon-
day the Oth September.

he L9ndon and
lom and Ik. Mo
-West trCompt
wero,'", pily ,de
stet', re'sbeO
cline
vi.
'serious
the; 4n ~and
our of tan first
slily. I ,
, itetvith
inch` ,< (tor ti-
lily .. . motioi
sid-' - . she fi
?idit - our or
motirw aped di
:cept empty
Is, two men in :
, fell into the can

•

')YAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.
Er.der t: le Management of Mr. Charles Kean.
Last Week but Co ie
The of the Prhanesent Se
Venice .ason, "
and Last Nights of
" t of
THIS EVENING will be presented Shakspere's Play of THE
MERCHANT OF VENICE : Shylock, by Mr. C. Kean ; Portia, by
Mrs. C. Kean. R=eceded by the farce of LIVING TOO VAST.

ROYAL STRAND THEATRE.
lesseo and Directress, Miss Swanborough.
Last Six Nights of the Present Season.
THIS EVENING. the Comedy of COURT FAVOUR: characters by
Messrs. Emery, Belford, Poynter, Misses M. Wilton, Hughes, and
Mrs. C. Melville. After which, the Farce of KING'S GARDENER :
Messrs. J. Clarke, Poynter, Burt, and Miss 31. Wilton. To conclude
with DEAF AS A POST : Messrs. Belford, J. Clarke, Poynter, Misses
11. Wilton, E. Wilton, Hughes, and Mrs. C. Melville.

CANTERBURY HALL, Westminster-road.
OPEN EVERY EVENING.—The following company of Vo-
calists are engaged for the performance of Seleetions from all the
popular OPERAS, MADRIGALS , CHORUSES, GLEES, DUETS,&c.,
viz.:—Miss Russell, Mrs. Badsey, Miss Brune% Miss Ray, Madame
Bartolettl, Miss Montague, Mrs. Lawrence, and Mrs. Anderson;
Herr F. Jonghinans, Mr. Renshaw, S. Jones, J. Barker, W. Melling,
enor Antonio, E. L. Rime, Mr. Badzey, Senor Tiroll, Mr. Cozens,
Mr. Bell;• Mr. Barnard, and Mr. St. Albyn. Mr. John G. Forde,
and E. W. Hackney. Pianoforte, Mr. Cecil Hicks ; harmonium,
Mr. Courtnay ; Director, Herr F. Jonghmans. Commence at seven
'clock precisely. Suppers, &c., until twelve o'clock.

THE WEATHER—SUS OFFICE,. AUGUST 22,
THER3IOMETER, IN THE SHADE.
63—highest since noon yesterday.
60—lowest m
this orning and during the night.
68—this day at noon.
BAROMETER, 20,94.
WIND, S.E., ; light and fine.
AUGUST 23.
THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE.
69—highest since noon yesterday.
[A—lowest this morning and during the night.
68—this day at noon.
BAROMETER, 30.11.
WIND, Easterly; light, with dull weather.

The first messages transmitted through the At-
lantic telegraph are of a peculiarly appropriate de-
scription. They are the expressions of amity and
good will between the heads of the respective execu-
tives of the two great nations of the Anglo-Saxon
race, and afford strong evidence that the magical
chains will really prove to be a bond of perpetual

peace and friendship between the kindred nations.
Her Majesty Queen VICTORIA, with characteristic
taste and kindly feeling, took the initiative—she
seized on the golden opportunity to congratulate the
PRESIDENT on the successful completion of the
great international work, in which she had
taken the deepest interest ; fervently hoping
that it will prove an additional link between the
two nations, whose friendship is founded upon their
common interests and reciprocal esteem. The
answer of the PRESIDENT is manly and straightfor-
ward. He very felicitously adverts to the skill,
science, and indomitable energy displayed by the
two countries, in the completion of the miraculous
enterprise, by which was achieved " a triumph more
glorious, because far more useful to mankind, than ever
won by a congaest on the battle-field." Emphatically
adding—" May the Atlantic telegraph, under the
blessing of HEAVEN, prove to be a bond of perpetual
peace and friendship between the kindred nations,
and an instrument destined by DIVINE PROVIDENCE
to diffuse religion, civilisation, liberty, and law
throughout the world."
These are generous sentiments, expressed with
republican simplicity, but which will nevertheless
find an echo throughout the civilised world. Every
true-hearted man, no matter what his creed or na-
tion, will cordially :reciprocate the aspiration of the
First Magistrate of the United States, will pray that
it may be a bond of perpetual peace and friendship
between those sprung from a common stock, in
whose veins the same blood vigorously circulates,
speaking the same language, and worshipping the
same Deity.

" Ccelum, non animam, mutant, qui transmare currunt."
They merely change the climate and locality, not
the natural instincts and dispositions belonging to
those who ought to be brethren. Any contest be-
tween them must assume an " internecine aspect."
It will virtually be
" Civil dissension with its vip'rous tooth
That gnaws the bowels of the common weal."

United England and America might defy the world
in arms. The empire of the ocean would be unques-
tionable. None could stand before them. Their
standards would sweep every sea, creek, and inlet
wherever vessel could ride, or boat could float.
But there is something even still stronger than
these political objects to cement the alliance. We
are mutually the best customers of each other, and
we find a mutual profit in so being. It would be far
from the interests of either to destroy the property
of their debtors, or to prevent the receipt of raw
materials that are absolutely required for the deve-
lopment of the national industry. The consequence
of extensive orders will appease any temporary irri-
tation that may arise, and a conciliatory word in due
season, before the grievance has been expatiated on,
or, like the Fame of VIRGIL, " gathered strength
in going," will smooth down difficulties and
arrange differences. Before the completion of
the telegraph it would have required at least 24 days
before an answer could have been received to and
despatch forwarded from London to Washington, or
vice versit. During that time angry feelings migh:
be excited which it would be difficult to appease, and
words and threats hastily—and, we may add, reck-
lessly—uttered, would rankle in the hearts of those
against whom they were fulminated, until matter:
were greatly complicated, and additional and almost
insurmountable impediments opposed to a satisfactor3
arrangement. These evils will all he removed b 3
the establishment of the Atlantic telegraph, which
may therefore be justly regarded as the greatest
blessing to mankind, of all the wondrous works of the
present century.
But there is one point in the PRESIDENT'S admi-
rable message worthy of especial notice. He says—
" In this view will not all the nations of Christendom
spontaneously unite in the declaration that it shall
be for ever neutral, and that its communications shall
be held sacred in passing to the place of their desti-
nation, even in the midst of their hostilities." This
is a suggestion worthy of immediate acceptation, and
which, we believe, would be ratified by every
State in the civilised world. No amount of
bitterness could induce seamen to damage light-
houses. An injury to any submarine or even over-
land telegraph would be worse than the most atro-
cious act of iconoclastic Vandalism ever perpetrated.
There should be forthwith a general agreement,
rendering any deliberate injury to the Atlantic
or any other submarine telegraph an act of piracy of
the worst class. Such an agreement would preserve
the mighty work, and we believe that it would be
arrived at without difficulty.

Many observations have been offered on the un-
fortunate collision that took place, a fortnight since,
between Lieutenant CLAVERING, R.N., and Mr.
EDWARD JOHN GATES, in which the latter unfortu-
nately met his death. Notwithstanding the plain,
straightforward, and candid statements of Lieutenant
CLAVERING, fully corroborated and sustained by that
of his friend, Captain MILLER, RN., who was with
him on the deplorable occasion—notwithstandinc, the
full and complete exoneration by the magistrate who
closely investigated the case, very unfair attempts have
been made to cast odium on these gallant officers,
to represent them as men reckless of human life,
who went forth armed with deadly weapons, utterly
indifferent to the fatal consequences that might result
from their use. We arc totally unacquainted with
all the parties, and the few brief observations which
we now offer are conceived in a spirit of fair-play, to
prevent innocent persons from being unduly pre-
-3 tdieed by what is opposed to the leading principle
of the English law.
It must be remembered that Lieutenant CLAVER-
ING was his own accuser—not the slightest suspicion
rested on him in any quarter, and it was not until he
read an account of the very melancholy transaction
in a Sunday paper that he suspected the truth, viz.,
that he had inflicted a fatal injury on one whom he
who had merely
believed to be a drunken man

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THE SUN.
MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 1858.