The Sun.
London, England, 1859-01-19 00:00:00

SPAIN.

The Madrid journals of the 14th state that
Marshal O'Donnell having learned that the
committee on the budget proposed to increase
the allowance for expenses of representation
to the President of the Council, sent some of
his friends, to beg that it would not adopt any
measure of the kind. Some of the journals
state that the Government has sent an agent
into England to purchase twenty-four steamers
of small tonnage for the Philippine Islands.
It was said that the Government contemplates
making various important reforms in the ad•
ministration of the isle of Cuba. The French
Peninsular Correspondence asserts that there
is no truth in the statement made by some of
the journals that the Duke de Montpensier is about
to visit Italy. M. Rios Rosas had left Barcelona
to continue his journey to Rome. In the Senate,
the bill presented by Government making new re-
gulations respecting mines had been adopted. A
grand review had been given in honour of Prince
Adalbert of Bavaria.

LONDON AND WESTMINSTER BANK.

The half-yearly general meeting of this bank took place
to-day, Mr. Alderman Salomons in the chair.
The report stated that the net profits of the bank for the
last half-year were £86,350 10s. Id., after the various de-
ductions. This sum, added to £9,852 18s. ld., the balance
of the previous half-year, and another surplus of £lO,OOO
reserved in December, 1857, but not required, would make
the total sum now available £106,203 Bs. 2d. Out of this
the directors had paid the interest on the surplus fund at
6 per 'eent., and they now declared a dividend at the rate of
6 per cent. per annum, and a bonus of 6 per cent on the
paid-up capital. After these payments there would be a
balance of £12,073 ss. 11d., of which £2,073 51. Ild. wculd
be added to the surplus fund ; and the directors recom-
mended that the remaining £lO,OOO, set apart in December,
1857, be also added to the same fund, which would then
amount to £181,407 17s. 10d.

It appeared from the balance• sheet that the total assets
were £12,737,223 ss. sd.

There was a brief discussion, but the report was adopted
unanimously.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

BETTING AT MANCHESTER.—TUESDAY.
TWO THOUSAND GUINEAS.
10 to 1 agst Phantom (offers to take)
500 to 30 agst Ralpho (offered)
CHESTER CUP.
50 to 1 agst Blackthorn (taken)
50 to 1 agst Herne (taken)
50 to 1 agst Royal Sovereign (taken)
500 to 7 agst Solomon (offered)
500 to 7 agst Raspberry (offered)
100 to 1 agst Telegram (offered)
DERBY.
40 to 1 agst Reynard (taken)

THE LATE CATASTROPHE AT THE
POLYTECHNIC.

ADJOURNED INVESTIGATION.

Yesterday, at two o'clock, Mr. Wakley, coroner for
Middlesex, and the jury empannelled on the 6th instant, to
investigate the circumstances connected with the recent
catastrophe at the Polytechnic Institution, re-assembled at
the Lecture-hall of the College of Dentists, No. 5, Caven-
dish-square, for the purpose of further prosecuting their
inquiry.

- -
The first witness examined was Mr. Smith, who stated
that he was present at a number of experiments. made by
Mr. Marsh Nelson and Mr. Eales, the architects, upon a
portion of the fallen staircase. In the course of those expe-
riments the top stair of the upper flight had been very
severely tested, and before it yielded it bore an enormous
strain-20 times as much as it would ordinarily have to bear.
Mr. Marsh Nelson, one of the architects appointed to give
his opinion as to the cause of the calamity, then read his
report, which having alluded to the nature of the accident,
went on to state that it was his opinion that the alteration
of the staircase was not the cause of the accident, but that
the fall was caused by the giving way of the bottom
landing (or the steps immediately resting upon it) of the
first flight. The landing was supported by one end being
pinned into the wall, and on the other by a joggle joint
of imperfect construction, instead of having a solid
bearing upon the iron girder, as is usual.
The landing was cut to a feather edge, and nearly on the
point of this rested the first of a flight of 18 steps,
each five feet in length, and although the steps
were pinned into the wall, Mr. Nelson considered that
quite insufficient for such a staircase. The report went on
to state the parts of the institution which were not fire-
proof, and concluded by recommending the jury to make such
a presentment to Government as would induce Parliament
early in the ensuing session to re-consider and re-construct
the present inefficient building clause, and the laws for the
supervision of places for public amusement, so as to
prevent .es far as possible a recurrence of accidents
which have been so frequent of late.
Mr. Eales, the other professional gentleman, then read
his report, which in the main agreed with that of Mr.
Nelson. He condemned the manner in which the
repairs to the stairs had been effected, and recommended
for the future that geometrical staircases for public places of
amusement should be prohibited, and that for the future
it should be strictly enforced, that when the ends of stairs
projected from the wall, those ends should be supported by
rests rising from the ground.
The Coroner said, the jury having heard the two reports
read, he thought that, in order t 9 allow time for considera-
tion, the present inquiry had better be adjourned for a
short time.
The inquiry was adjourned until three o'clock on Mon-
day next.

THIS DAY'S MARKETS.