The Sun.
London, England, 1861-01-15 00:00:00

Coroner—How many persons slept on the premises.

. _
Witness—Two or three. The stud groom Reynolds was
one. The last time I saw the lions was about half-past six
on Monday morning. The shutters were up and all secure.
Coroner—Before you left did you admit anybody uncon-
nected with the premises ?
Witness—No.

Coroner—Then how did the countrymen who came for
the manure get in ?
Witness—l had left before they arrived. Reynolds, I
suppose, would let the men in, but I cannot say for certain
that he did. I had no fear about the lions being properly
secured. I visit them now nearly every half hour. I
don't know that anybody saw the sick lion after I left. I
have a comrade, but he was not at the theatre after twelve
o'clock on Sunday.

Mr. Batty—There are two watchmen on duty every
evening except Sunday, and then there not being so much
fear, one man gets a rest.
Coroner—Have you, Mr. Batty, any evidence to give ?
Mr. Batty—No, sir, none. I agree with Mr. Crockett in
all he has said. I know the watchman had properly done
his duty, as I have the ordinary tell-tale clock in different
parts of the establishment.
The father of the deceased was called, and said his son's
name was Edward Smith.

The Coroner then summed up the evidence, at the ter-
mination of which the room was cleared, for the purpose of
enabling the jury to deliberate on their verdict. At the
expiration of half an hour the public were again admitted,
when

The Coroner announced that the verdict of the jury was
"accidental death." The jury, he stated, were of opinion
that the cage containing the animals was not of sufficient
strength. He need not make any observation on that part
of the verdict, as he felt the opinion of the jury would be
attended to as 711 the event of a second accident, if such was
not the case, the verdict would amount perhaps to one of
manslaughter. The jury, however, up to the present time
were of opinion that the owners of the animals were exempt
from all criminal consequences.

Dr. M'Cann, of Parliament-street, was in attendance on
the part of Mr. Batty, to give evidence as to the cause of
death in case any doubt should arise in the minds of the

THIS DAY'S MARRETS.

HIE CULTIVATION OF COT2ON.

A writer in a contemporary says :

Having observed in your impression of yesterday a letter
From Mr. Mackay, . Liverpool, advocating the growth of
cotton in Queensland, I venture at this critical period in
' the history of our cotton trade to request space in your
valuable paper for the following remarks :
Cotton may be successfully cultivated iu temperate re-
gions where there is a mean summer beat of 73 deg to 75
i deg, that of winter being not less than 46 to 48 deg.

I think there can be no doubt that these conditions exist
in some parts of Australia in a very favourable degree.

Even so far south on that continent as Melbourne, Vic-
toria, lat 37 deg 49 min, the lowest temperature recorded in
the winter month of July, 1855, was 29.7 deg, and the high-
est 60 deg ; the adopted mean being 48.3 deg. In January,
1856 (summer month), the adopted mean temperature was
67'9 deg. Ihe highest temperature recorded in that month
being 98 deg, and the lowest 49 deg. As we proceed north-
ward, however, towards New South Wales and Queensland
these favourable conditions improve.
In the United States, where the temperature of the winter
months is very much lower, it has been observed as a gene-
ral rule that the magnitude of the crop depends upon the
length or shortness of the period bet ween the spring and fall
frosts. There the average time between the latest and
earliest fro.sts is about seven months. In Australia it is fully
10 months--thus giving a season of three months' longer
duration for the growth and development of the plant.
It is admitted that the Australian cotton is the best in
the world.'

On the, 23d of January, 1854, Messrs. Hollinsbed, Zetley,
and Co of 'Liverpool, reported on a sample of Australian
cotton as follows :

" It ranks with the highest class of Sea Island cotton ;
and free from the few spots of stain, is worth 3s. per lb. in
this market.
" It is superior in fineness and evenness of sample, though
a little infetior in strength of staple as compared with Sea
Island.
" We return to you the sample, as you may not have re •
tained any, and send you a small bit of Sea Island, worth
to-day 2s. 6d. per lb. ; another purchased to-day at 2s. 9d.,
lath infetior to your sample in our opinion, and in the
opinion of the buyer of the 2s. 9d. lot.
At a public meeting in Manchester on the 28th Septem-
ber, 1859, Mr. Bazley, M.P., speaking of Australian cotton,
said :

" The soil and climate of Australia were capable of pro-
ducing 600 lb. of this exquisitely fine cotton yearly per acre.
He valued this cotton at ls. 3d. per lb., which would be
equal to £4O per acre. This was no over-estimate, for he
held Australian cotton for which he had given is. 7d. and
ls. Bd. per lb.

In May last Mr. Dunlop, eng:neer, of Manchester, the
manufacturer of Dunlop's patent cotton gin, told me that
the best cotton he had ever ginned was Australian.
A few months ago a ft iend of mine, who devotes himself
to the subject, received in this country a sample bale of
cotton grown on his own lands a little to the north of
Sydney. I know that this cotton had been neglected, and
should haVe been gathered much earlier, yet it was valued
by the brokers in Liverpool, and by Mr. Batley, M.P., at
]s. Ed. per lb.
With such facts as these before us there is no reason why
we should not very soon become independent of America
for our supplies of raw cotton. Why, then, are our capi-
talists so apathetic on this subject?
Capital ,and labour properly directed would very soon
make cotton the agricultural staple of Australia. That it
will ultimately become so, I have no doubt; and I look for-
ward with confidence to .the time when cotton from the
eastern sea-board of the Australian continent, between
Sydney and Moreton Bay, will be as important an item of
import into this country as Australian wool."