The Sun.
London, England, 1861-01-07 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, JANUARY 7, 1861.

the arms of Savoy, executed in a week by M. Al-
phonse 11 olzico, and representing a young girl,
returning from a masked ball, who had just decided
on laying aside her disguise. The King gave Bolzico
a striking mark of his satisfaction, by ordering
from the young sculptor three other fig ures of the
same size, destined to complete, with the first, a
moral idea. The four are to represent with the
features of the same young girl—lnnocence, Seduc-
tion, Misery, and Vengeance,"
The Evert) of Turin states that King Victor
Emmanuel, at the grand reception of the consti-
tuted bodies of the State, on New Year's-day,
said :—" I am extremely happy to find myself again
in the midst of my old subjects. The progress of
political events, especially regarding Italy, is satis-
factory; but the greatest prudence and concord are
necessary in order to enable us to triumph over the
obstables which are still in our way. For this pur-
pose, it is of the utmost importance that we should
maintain the best understanding with our real
allies.

The Corriere Mercantile of Genoa publishes the
following adhesion to the Bishop of Venosa in the
province of Basilicata, Naples, to the Government
of King Victor Emmanuel :—" I, Anthony Michael
Vaglio, Bishop of Venosa, in Basilicata, do hereby
promise and swear not to take part in any conspi-
racy, plot, or sedition against the present Govern-
ment of King Victor Emmanuel, and also to yield
him obedience and submission in all things not
contrary to the laws of God and the Church.
" Given at Spinazzola, in the diocese of Venosa,
on the 29th of December, 1860.
• . _

" A. M. VAGLIO, Bishop of Venosa."

THE WEATHER AND THE PARKS.

The various parks of the metropolis have not for
many years past presented such a gay and animated
appearance as they did yesterday. From the hour
of 9 on Saturday night until late last night skating
and sliding prevailed to a greater extent than in
any previous season. During the night torchlight
processions and skating matches were kept up with
full vigour, especially upon the Serpentine, in Hyde
Park ; and as soon as the park gates were opened
yesterday morning a great many persons, includ-
ing members of the peerage and elegantly-dressed
ladies and gentlemen, went into the various parks.
There were towards the middle of the day 30,500
persons on the ice on the Serpentine. The Regent's
Park had also 25,000 skaters and sliders on the ice.
St. James's Park had upon the ornamental waters
of the enclosure over 6,000, including men, women,
and children, with a great number of the Scots
Fusileer and Coldstream Guards. The Volunteer
Rifle Brigade, belonging to various corps, also mus-
tered in great strength, and the d;versity in the
colour of their clothing had a singular • and pic-
turesque effect. The Round Pond in Kensington-
gardens had about 4,000 p arsons, including many
ladies, on the ice, and above 6,C00 went upon the
Long Water between the Serpentine-bridge and
Hyde Park. The above numbers, although taken
from the official retarns of the Royal Humane
Society, convey but a faint idea of the number of
persons who thronged the foot promenades and the
carriage drives. The banks on the south and north
of the Serpentine became almost impassable; and
towards the after part of the day the carriage roads
were crowded with vehicles. At length the crowd
upon the ice and also upon the footpaths became
so great, that Mr. Young, the secretary, Mr.
Superintendent Williams, Drs. Christian, Norton,
and Sir John Fisher (chief surgeon to the Metro-
politan Police), the Honourable Colonel de Roos,
Capt. Hawkins, and Mr. Benjamin Hawes, the
treasurer, visited the different parks in order to
render assistance, owing to the many accidents that
occurred. Sir John Fisher attended principally to
see that the sufferers received proper treatment,
and he expressed himself highly as to the manner
in which the sufferers were attended to.
THE SERPENTINE, HYDE PARK.
An immense number of accidents took place on
this water during the previous night. When the
night was dark and some hundreds were skating
over the ice with lighted flambeaux, an alarm was
given from the south shore that a man was in the
water. Deputy-Superintendent Parsons and Ice-
man Green went across the ice with a slight sledge,
being guided entirely by the cries of the man and
the people on the bank, it being too dark for them
to see. They, however, found a Mr. Aldin, living
at the Gloucester Hotel, Kensington, struggling in
the water. Upon taking the sledge to his rescue
the machine broke through the ice, and Deputy-
Superintendent Parsons was pitched head foremost
into the water, and the skin was cut away from one
of his eyes. The cork jacket he had on enabled
him to save the man, but the icemen were unable
to get either the sufferer or themselves off the ice
until Mr. Arnold, of 72, Baker-street (formerly
champion diver of the river), who pushed a drag,
and Green, were enabled to save the whole party.
A lady and gentleman who had been skating by
torchlight were prevented just in the nick of time
by Parsons from falling into the channel caused by
raising the ice for her Majesty's kitchen. During
yesterday 25 persons, with seriously cut heads, in- I
eluding several women, had their wounds dressed
at the Receiving-house by Mr. Superintendent
Williams. A man (name unknown) fell on the ice
and fractured his wrist. Two brothers, named
Neville, of Knightsbridge-green, were tripped up
by the skaters. One had his thigh broken, the
other was so seriously cut and otherwise injured
that, after having his wounds dressed at the
Receiving-house, he became delirious. The other
boy was renaoved to St. George's Hospital.
REGENT'S PARK.
A great number of accidents of a serious charac-
ter happened in this park during the day, which is
not to be wondered at when it is considered that
25,000 persons were assembled, skating about in
the best way they could. Deputy-Superintendent
Parsons estimates the promenaders on the banks as
being three times the above number, To get either
in or out of the park was a work of no small diffi-
culty. Among the persons most severely injured
were a Mr. Rachel, of New-street, Doret-square;
Mr. Franklin. of Middleton-street, Portland-road ;
John Newman, of Grove-street, Poplar New-town ;
William Wright, of Duke-street, Lisson-grove ;
William Dandey, Church-passage, Lisson-grove ;
and Mr. Trowbridge, the Grove, Camden-town. A
lad named C. Martin, of 6, Park-street, Dorset-
square, was cruelly treated by a fellow, who, while
skating, gave him a blow on the mouth and knocked
several of his teeth out. Search was made for the
man who inflicted tha injuries upon the sufferer,
but he could not be found.

The thermometer at the Royal Humane Society's
Receiving house in Hyde-park during Saturday
night was as low as 21 deg. ; at 9 a.m. it was 211-
deg., and at noon the mercury was 30 deg. ; but
last night the quicksilver kept descending, and at
5 o'clock it was as low as 27 dog. The barometer
in the park indexed 3019. The wind was north-
east, and very cutting to the eyes.
VICTORIA PARK.

This park was attended by an immense number
of sliders, and, strange to say, nearly one-half were
woolen. Several persons had their heads cut, but
nothing of a dangerous character occurred.
The River Thames yesterday presented immense
sheets of floating ice, and the ponds at Hampstead
and Clapham common were crowded throughout
the day. At 10 o'clock last night persons were still
skating by torchlight on the Serpentine.

The frost has returned with great severity at
Nottingham, and on Saturday the thermometer
stood at 14.5. Notwithstanding the late thaw there
is still a considerable quantity of snow on the
ground, and up to the prevent time it is thought
that very little damage has been sustained by the
young wheat plant, which has made its appearance
in various parts of the county, and is progressing
as well as can be expected under the circumstances.
Wild fowl are very easy to catchrand a large num-
ber has been shot during the past few weeks of
severe weather. During the late intense frost two
deaths were accelerated in the town by the incle-
mency of .the weather. Snow was ye.,terday de-
scending fast, and there was every appearance of a
heavy downfall.
Up to Saturday evening there was no material
abatement in the severity of the weather in Nor-
folk and the surrounding district. On Friday the
snow wasted a good deal, but on Saturday there
was a fresh accumulation, and with vast sheets of
frozen water, snow-clad slope 3, and dull heavy
skies, the country does rot look particularly cheer-
ing at present. The navie•ation on the rivers con-
tinues closed, and the mails have been much delayed
on the country roads during the week. The rail-
way trains have also maintained their punctuality
with difficulty. As some set-off to the gloomy
aspect of the times skating has afforded a vast
amount of amusement, and has been pursued
with ardour and skill, several " matches"
having come off in various districts Wild-
fowl shooting has also been prosecuted with
much success. A writer on agricultural prospects
ot
yu
and
decay cd aaymfargoemd tchr eo
peoff-
fseacytss :0--f
frost,''lf thewi
tthu ronairp
sseashn
mangold, keep for stock will prove fearfully short
in the spring, a circumstance which will inevitably
enhance the price of meat."
The weather keeps extremely severe in the north,
the frost being intense, and snow falling at inter-
vals. On Saturday several vessels had to be cut
out of the ice in the Tyne,
opposite to Newcastle-
quay. The ice remains quite firm in the river oppo-
site
to Newcastle-quay, and an immense quantity is
blocked up above Tyne. bridge. On Saturday there
was another fearful scene on the Northumberland
coast. While 30 sail of Cullercoats fishing cobles were
out on the fishing ground the sea rose with great fury

and threatened to overwhelm them and their crews
before they reached the shore. The vilisge was in r
dreadful state of excitement, and the Percy lifeboat
*as pulled outside the bar to meet any contingency.
This appeared to give the men confidence as they-
approached the coast, for they dashed at the bar in
gallant style, and though there were many hair-
breadth escapes, the poor fellows all brought their
frail craft in the harbour in safety.

THE ArCIDENT ON PIM SHREWS
.73URY AND HEREFORD RAILWAY.

HERE ORD, SATURDAY.
The inquest uprn the bodies of the unfortunate
young ladies who, as we stated in a telegram yes-
terday, came to their deaths by drowning while
travelling on the above line of railway, was opened
this afternoon before Mr. Peter Warburton, coroner.
An envelope in the pocket of the eldest lady led to
the discovery that she is a Miss Lowe, of Curzon-
park, Chester, and was going on a visit to Bristol.
The other was named Mary Jones, from Breinton,
in this county, a respectable young girl, who had
been upon a Christmas visit in the neighbourhood
of Leominster. In the absence of the friends of
Miss Lowe, who, however, had telegraphed their
intention of being present at the inquiry, the coro-
ner's jury simply viewed the body, and adjourned
the investigation to 11 o'clock on Tuesday moi fling.
The extraordinary character of the accident, and
the truly marvellous manner in which so many
lives were saved from the fate that awaited the two
unfortunate women before-mentioned, may well
claim a portion of our space.
The train which left Shrewsbury at 12.40, and
which should have arrived at Hereford at 2.40, is
known as the express, and on this occasion con-
tained an unusually large number of passengers for
this period of the year. The line, from traversing a
country that is frequently inundated by the river
Lugg, runs along an embankment nearly the whole
of the distance from Leominster to Hereford (up-
wards of 12 miles), and to facilitate the drainage of
the land a deep dike, generally filled with water
from the low level of the ground, runs along either
side and parallel with the line. About midway
between Leominster and Hereford there is a tunnel,
three-quarters of a mile long, known as Dinmore
tunnel, through which the gradient is one of the
steepest on the line. The run from Dinmore to
Moreton, along the whole extent of which the em-
bankment and flanking dikes exist, is generally
accomplished at full speed. Between these two
points also the Lugg (which from the late thaw has
covered the land on either side for miles with seve-
ral feet of water, until the whole country seemed
one vast frozen lake) has to be crossed twice.
Shortly after crossing the first bridge, which is
from 20 to 30 feet above the river, the passengers
in the carriage next to the tender noticed a peculiar
sensation and observed something fly off, and one
of them, a young man named White, thrust his
bead through the -window and ecreamed to the
engine driver to stop the train, but it does not ap-
pear that this was heard by him. At this time Miss
Lowe and the young girl Mary Jones were sitting
nearly together, the former reading a book, and
opposite to them a sergeant of Marines, named Wil-
cox, with a recruit. Wilcox early noticed that the
carriage was going without its regular comple-
ment wheels,and expressed his fears that all would
not be well with them, when a loud report was
heard, and a portion of the axle forced its way
through the bed of the carriage. At the moment
he instinctively lifted his legs to the opposite seat,
close to the dress of the unfortunate Miss Lowe,
who dropped her book, convulsively clutched him
by the cloak, and the next minute the carriages
had all toppled off the embankment on their sides
into the dike, the momentum of the train bring-
ing the last van upon the top of the others ;
though, from the coupling chain of the tender
giving way, the engine did not leave the line.
The water being from five to six feet deep broke
the fall of the carriages, and probably prevented
that fearful crash which must have resulted had
they been thrown to the earth without an inter-
posing force, and which probably would have
resulted in many deaths by the violence of the
shock. Sad to relate, however, another fate awaited
them. The intensely cold weather caused all the
windows except that through which the young man
White thrust his head, to be closed, and hence the
passengers were huddled together in closely-cons
fined prisons, which immediately became filed
with water, and in the course of the terrible panic
that ensued the strongest and most active got up-
permost, and the weak and more terror-stricken to
the bottom. The intense anguish of the moment no
pen can describe. The guard's van containing two
persons, Brown and Child, both of whom were
severely injured by the accident, seems to have
fallen into very deep water, in fact over their
heads, where they must both have been suffocated
but for the timely assistance of the engine-driver
and stoker, who rushed to the rescue, and with
hammers broke open the windows and sides of the
vans, to liberate, if possible, those imprisoned
within. The marine Wilcox, a tall powerful fellow,
and William Watkins, a member of the Flintshire
Militia staff, stationed at Mold, behaved most gal-
lantly, each saving several lives, though both
thoroughly immersed in the water, and with their
clothes frozen on their backs. Watkins got out a
lady, her nurse, and child, whomust have perished
but for his timely-applied courage. Wilcox, after
rescuing several, assisted an old man out of one of
the carriages, lifting him up cold and stiff by the
coat collar. He then assisted a woman to a cottage
at a crossing at some distance from the accident the
only site uncovered by water except the line, over
some extent. He returned and observed the clothes
of bliss Lowe floating in the water and endeavoured
to catch her up, but the cold had overcome his
strength and he failed. Soon after a farmer arrived
with an agricultural implement called a pike, used
in haymaking, and by their united assistance she
was got up and conveyed to the cottage, but there
was an absence of the proper restoratives neces-
sary in such a case, and, indeed, of means of ap-
plying them, the cold had so benumbed every one.
But who ever dreamt of being drowned upon a
railway, and in such a place ?
The young girl Jones having been carried to the
cottage, her head was Placed towards the fire, and
the starved militiaman and a comrade endeavoured
as best they could by chafing her hands to restore
animation. During this operation she was observed
to breathe once, and then her bead fell back and
she was a corpse. Miss Lowe is supposed to have
been quite dead when she was recovered from the
water.

As soon as all the passengers were believed to
have been rescued, the engine was despatched with
Child, one of the guards, who was much cut about
the head, to Hereford for medical assistance, while
Brown was left signalling that an accident had
occurred, and that the line was blocked by the
debris of the broken carriages. This man, with
with many others who could not be accommo-
dated with dry clothing, had to remain in his wet
clothes, shivering, for nearly two hours.
On the arrival of the train at the Hereford
station, messengers were despatched into all parts
of the city for medical aid, and the Mayor of Here-
ford, Mr. Thomas Cam, Dr. Bull, Mr. Charles
Lingen, Mr. Henry Vevers, Mr. J. C. Lane, Mr. T,
Turner, and, in fact, almost the whole of the
medical talent of the city, hastened to the spot, but
Miss Lowe and Mary Jones had been dead some
time, and their attention was directed to the
alleviation of the sufferings of the survivors.
Cordials were procured and administered freely,
and everything done that humanity could suggest.
The passengers were conveyed to the Green Dragon
and Kerry Arms Hotels, in this city, where several
remain, some of them much shaken and unable to
leave their bedrooms. Others preferred being sent
on to their places of destination as soon as changes
of dress could be procured for them. Mr. Herbert,
an extensive farmer from Grosmont, remains at
the Kerry arms in a bad state. A Mr. Daw, a
retired farmer, a neighbour to the former, and
79 years of age, saved his life by means of a walk-
ing-stick, the hook of which he brought to bear
upon a piece of timber, and thus kept his head
above the surface of the water until assistance
could be rendered him.
Among the passengers was a Miss Powell, who
was unable to proceed, and a gentleman named
Rule and family, going to Camborne, in Cornwall.
Three children of one family in the train- were
nearly frozen to death. The accident furnishes an
instance of the extreme peril attending railway
travelling during such a frost as we are now ex-
periencing.

MURDER IN THE COUNTY MONAGllAN.—lntelli-
gence reached Dublin on Saturday morning that two men
named Robert and James Shaw were on the previous day
found dead in their house, which is distaut a few miles from
Monaghan. It is stated that there is little doubt bit that
the two men have fallen victims to a desperate and brutal
murder.

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TIIE NEW COINAGE AND THE' MINT

AT SOHO,

--

The issue of the new coin to the public having
now commenced, it will not be uninteresting to our
readers to give them some account of the history of
the old coppc, coinage, and of the measures which
it has been necessary to take for tho preparation of
the new.

;'as in the year 1788 that Mr. Boulton, the
well-known 172rtner in business of the celebrated
Mr, Watt, first inventt2 and perfected the beautiul
coining tiael-inery which is 1, use at the present
day, that firm having erected a mint at:- their works,
Soho, near Birmingham, at which the who..: of the
copper coinage which was issued betweeen 1797 nd
1806 was executed, amounting to 4,200 tons weight.
Prior to that period the operations of preparing
and striking the coin were conducted by a very
tedious, expensive, and rude method, which Mr.
Boulton's ingenuity was destined to supersede. The
screw coining press, making from 60 to 100 blows
a minute, and driven by the atmosphere acting on a
vacuum produced by the steam-engine, is one of the
most perfect and delicate pieces of mechanism ever
contrived. Many thousands were expended by Mr.
Boulton in experiments in the construction of the
first pre.bs 1)L o: hc. ucncded in producing a really
satisfactory coin. His perseverance, however, in the
end reaped its reward. The Government were so
impressed with the rapidity of action and improve.
ments at the Soho Mint over the system then
adopted, that they ordered, in 1806, Messrs. Boulton
and Watt to construct the machinery of the Royal
Mint, on Tower Hill, which, with the new buildings,
was completed in 1810, at a total of about £200,000.
Subsequently that firm constructed the Russian,
Danish, Spanish, and Mexican Mints, and also
those at Calcutta and Bombay for the East India
Company..

The British Mint has, when greatly pressed,
turned out as much as 150,000 pieces a day.
In the course of the past summer the Government
contracted with Messrs. James Watt and Co. for the
execution and delivery of the new bronze coin ; the
quantity to be produced by them in the next two
years and a half amounts to the enormous quantity
of 1,800 tons. To give the reader some idea of the
magnitude of an operation of this kind, we may
inform him that it involves the striking of upwards
of 400,000 pieces per day on an average during the
two years and a half. These pieces have to be made
up into about 60,000 roleaux per day, wrapped up
in paper, placed in separate canes of £1 each, and
' packed in strong boxes of £2O each for delivery
and distribution. More than 40,000 of such boxes
and 800,000 internal cases are required.
The old Soho Mint, after an existence of nearly
sixty years, was taken down about ten years since,
to make room for the new suburbs of the expanding
town of Birmingham ; but we have been favoured
by an inspection of the new Soho Mint, containing
13 coining presses, whilst the latter has only 8,
has been erected, and all its beautiful machinery
manufactured and brought into operation. We
found a new foundry erected for the melting and
mixing of the metal, all of viaich has to be done in
crucibles capable of producing from four to five
tons per day. We passed the laminating apartment,
where the bronze slabs, or ingots, are rolled into
plates, and into the cutting rooms, where the blanks
are punched from thin plates; thence to where the
milling; cleaning, pickling, and annealing opera-
tions are cerried on, and finally into the long press
room, in which the 13 presses can complete more
than 40,000 coins per tour. The packing of all
these—no small operation in itself—is the last pro-
cess. Nearly 200 persons are thus employed, and
we could not help contrasting the rapidity with
which such an establishment has been raised and
organised by private enterprise, with the delays too
commonly attendant on our public works. During
the past year the Indian Council have had con-
structed by Wessrs. Watt and Co. a new copper
mint for Calcutta, and have enlarged their, existing
mints at that place, and at Bombay and Madras,
at a cost for the machinery of more than £70,000.
The demand throughout India for copper coin has
rendered this imperative, in addition to the exports
of large quantities of coin manufactured in this
country.—Aris's Birmingham Gitzette.