The Sun.
London, England, 1860-10-25 00:00:00

ROYAL .21IAIL STEAM CONPANY.

A meeting of the Royal Mail Steam (West
India) Company was held yesterday, Captain C.
E. Mangles in the chair, when the report was
adopted, and a dividend declared of £2 per share,
free of income-tax. It was explained that the in-
crease in the working expenditure arises from the
use of larger ships, which have enabled the service
to be carried out with greater speed and regularity.
The large earnings of the Tasmanian and the pro-
ceeds of the letting of the Parana to the Galway
Company do not appear in the present account, al-
though they have been now received. The cost of re-
pair has been beyond the stipulated sum, but the
amount standing at the debit of this ac-
count will be considerably reduced in
the current half-year. To show the satis-
factory working:, of the new service it was
mentioned that of the 14 trips to St. Thomas's, out
and home, 13 have been performed within-the time
allowed, while the other was only 10 hours behind.
The Brazilian service has been performed equally
well. Annexed is a list of the company's fleet :
Registered Horse
Tonnage. Power.

Name.

1 Shannon (iron)
2 Seine (iron). 3,440 800
3 Atrato (iron)
4 Parana
5 Magdalena 2,567 800
6 La Plata 2,404 1000
7 Oneida (iron screw)
8 Tasmanian (iron screw)
9 Tyne (iron)
10 Avon
11 Tamar
12 Medway
13 Thames
14 Trent
15 Solent
16 Teviot
17 Dee
18 Clyde
19 Mersey (iron)
20 Conway
21 'Wye (iron screw) • • 751 180
22 Derwent 794 260
23 Eagle
24 Prince (iron)

44,345 11,730

UNEXPLODED SIIELLS.—A fatal accident with
an Armstrong shell took place on Tuesday at the tower
near Eastbourne, which was fired at some two months ago
with Armstrong guns. This tower is being prepared for a
further series of experiments, several workmen being en-
gaged in clearing away the debris of the last bombardment ;
among this it was known there were several unexploded
shells, a caution to this effect having been distributed at the
time the experiments terminated. In the course of clearing
away the rubbish several lire shells have been found, and
on Tuesday afternoon a 100-pounder was fished out and laid
on the beach, a short distance from the tower. Three sol-
diers, belonging to the Line Depot stationed here, were exa-
mining the tower, when one of them saw the shell and com-
menced handling it; it is said that he pushed a piece of
paper into the fuzee-hole, and lighted it with a Inciter. The
shell exploded, inflicting injuries from which the poor
fellow died in about four or five hours afterwards, the only
wonder being that he was not blown to atoms. As it is, the
destructive nature of these shells was most fearfully appa-
rent, the left leg being blown off at the thigh, the right one
smashed and broken, and the whole surface of the chest
driven in, while one of the arms was broken in several
places, and the face blackened, presenting a most ghastly
spectacle. As soon as possible the sufferer was taken to the
Military ,gespital, but he sank rapidly from the fearful in-
juries he hat; sustained. A coroner's inquest will be held,
when it is hoped hat a full investigation will be made as to
the way in which t:2e shell was ignited.
Two MURDERS I'vBitECoNSIIIRE.—At a very
early hour on Friday morn!og the body of a -man named
David Price was found iu a n.Cadow through which passed
a footpath to his own house, at Urmdyhesfa, near Trecas-
tle, with injuries which put out of the question an 7 doubt
as to their having been wilfully inflicted. Two ribs had
been broken, and the ends had passed into the lungs. Some
other ribs had been loosened from the cartilage, ;knife or
other sharp weapon had been thrust quite through the fleshy
part of the thigh, and several cuts appeared on the scalp.
The deceased had been at a sale by auction about two miles
distant, and, having partaken freely of drink, had been
quarrelsome on the occasion. Ho bore the character of be-
ing a violent and quarrelsome man, and was particularly
unpopular in the neighbourhood. Two young farmers who
had last been seen in his company have been taken into
custody, and a coroner's inquest opened on Saturday has
been adjourned to the 31st inst. The evidence hithert !
obtained has been of a scanty nature, there being great
luctance in the vicinity to give any information. Cries
distress were heard on the previous night, but, being
to to be those of drunken men returning from t
suffered to pass unheeded. On Saturday
eft pl
hoiwell, was
woman residing at Gwyn Vecham, near Cridk
died in a few
dd le-aged
shot by a young man, her own nephew, an
give the affair
minutes. young man, her nephew, and died in a few
minutes. Statements made by the nep
et hues
taosdp; aspect otfhempuorudceer:
awaitingand t ot fh acthe
rceiedatt teg,wflud
ih.negi4seifinti the