The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-30 00:00:00

MELANCHOLY OCCURRENCE.

We have been furnished by a respectable corre-
spondent (who sends us his name, and who was an eye-
witness of the facts up to Sunday evening), with the
following details of a melancholy and strange acci-
dent, caused by foul air :
" On Saturday last, as a man named Scanlan, was
raising earth on his land, at Gabard, about three miles
from Ballybunion, county Kerry, he discovered the
entrance to a subterraneous passage, which he en-
tered, accompanied by two other persons, but a con-
siderable time having elapsed without their re-appear-
ance, they were followed by six others, who went in fur
the purpose of bringing them out. Those, also, not ap-
pearing, the apprehensions of their friends, who were
outside, became excited, and intimation of the circum-
stance having been conveyed to the Rev. Mr. En-
right, C.C., he immediately repaired to the spot and
entered the cavity with a view of rescuing those who
preceded, but he had not gone far from the entrance,
when he fell senseless under the noxious influence of
the atmosphere, and was with difficulty brought to
the surface. The alarm of the by-standers now be-
came excessive, and further efforts having been made,
three of those who had gone in were brought out ap •
parently lifeless, but have since recovered. The scene
at this time was heartrending, from the cries of the
relatives of those who remained within, and this was
further increased by the non-appearance of a man who
ventured in in search of his son, against the entreaties
of his friends.

" The Gunsborough police were in attendance
during the night, and succeeded in bringing out the
bodies of four, amongst whom was that of a man who
went in search of his son, with the body of the latter
clasped in his arms, having apparently perished in at-
tempting to bring him out. Crowds of the country
people having collected yesterday, renewed exertions
were made to discover the bodies of two persons stilt
missing, and, about five o'clock, three men having
descended for the purpose, two returned in a state of
exhaustion, leaving the third, who was unable to come
with them, to share the fate of the others.
"A number of men are engaged in excavating the
ground, about twenty feet from the surface, hoping
to reach the extremity of the cavern. This appears
to be a work of great difficulty, as the opening is at
the foot of a high bank on the side of a hill, and the
passage leads downwards. Although the entrance is
not more than two feet in diameter, the interior is
lofty, and arched with masonry."—Limerick I?eporler.

ARUNDEL.—It is now quite certain that her Ma
jesty will honour the Duke of Norfolk with a visit in the
course of two months. Apartments are already.heing
fitted up for her reception ; and we understand that the
State liveries are in progress.—Brighton Gazette.
TILE WIDOW OF 'BANIAL—We observe that most
of our London and Dublin contemporaries have fallen
into a mistake in saying that the mother of the late Mr.
Banim is in reduced circumstances in consequence of the
death of her grand-daughter, who had is persion from
Government. The mother of Banim is long since dead,
and it is his wife who is in distressed circumstances in
consequence of the death of her daughter, who had a
pension from Government. We think it is unworthy, of
any Government to be guilty of so paltry an act as to
withhold a trivial support from the widow of the man
whom it deemed worthy of a pension while he lived. It
is unseemly that her few short years should be embit-
tered with poverty and distress. Indeed the Irish peo-
ple themselves, for the honour of their country, and of
him who, though dead, yet lives and speaks in his impe-
rishable works, ought not to permit such a national dis-
grace to exist for one hour.—Limerick Reporter.
ENGLISH NEWS FROM ABROAD.—The Augsburg
Gazette of the 23d inst. publishes the following extract
from a letter dated London, 16th inst. :—" Orders have
just been given to arm several ships of war and frigates.
The number of seamen at present receiving pay amounts
to 36,000 men ; the war steamers represent a force of
13,500 horses. It is not doubtful that in six weeks a
fleet would be ready to assemble at Spithead. The turn
which affairs have taken between France and England
favours the views of the Emperor of Russia. The pro-
posals made by that Sovereign when in London have
been renewed by Count Nesselrode. lam assured that
the French Government is fully informed on this subject.
The Court of St. Petersburgh is said to have offered to
the Queen of England an alliance offensive and defensive
in case of war with France. The Emperor added, that
he would place his entire land and sea forca at the dis-
posal of the allied Powers. It is easy to divine the
answer of the English Government. It expects that the
Cabinet of the Tuileries will yield to the equitable and
moderate representations of England, and that it will not
be necessary to have recourse to war. If, however,
tranquillity should be interrupted, it would be the in-
terest of all the European Governments to put an end to
it as quickly as possible by displaying an imposing force.
It is therefore beyond all doubt that in case of war there
would be a Russian-English alliance."
SERIOUS BREACH OF THE PEACE. --We regret to
understand that a series of personsl attacks was on
Tuesday committed by a party of sappers and miners
recently employed near Glenluce, in taking the levels
of the line between this and that district, upon- our
excellent road surveyor and townsman, Mr. Murray,
who had been on duty near Glenluce, but on his return,
on horseback, was attacked by three of these engineering
worthies, near Challock. The assailants laid hold of
the horse, and repeatedly struck it, and also Mr. Mur-
ray, who fortunately acted with exemplary forbearance,
and sought shelter in the house of Mr. Paul, farmer,
in Whitecrook. The soldiers followed him there—
took possession of the horse—afterwards entered
the house, and assaulted both Mr. Paul and Mr.
Murray. Fortunately the men servants came to the
rescue, and proving an over-match for two of the three
assailants, took them into custody, their companion
taking leg bail for his good behaviour. Mr. Gibson, of
Mains of Park, J.P., was sent fur, while a fresh rein-
forcement of sappers and miners came out from Glenluco
to the rescue of their gallant comrades. Matters now
looked serious, but a goodly muster of buirdly plough-
men, constables, &c., headed by Mr. Gibson, as a magis-
trate of the district, and Mr. Murray, had a salutary
effect, and the three assailants were seized and carried
off to gaol for examination. As the case is under legal
investigation, we refrain from saying more at present.—
Galloway Advertiser.
DISCOVERY OF A CAVE NEAR KENDAL.—On the
through the
hug a north-westlow archswidaye oifnt Aorn a side
cavern Knot.tw en I
twenty
feeten-
te
30th of last month, Mr. J. Ruthven, the indefatigable
geologist, of Kendal, discovered a singular cave, half-
way up
u
in length, and from four to five feet high. In the floor
were several holes, down one of which a candle was
lowered, and a deep chasm was discovered running into
the hill in a south-eastern direction. gr. Ruthven let
himself through the hole, and succeeded in safely de-
scending to the bottom, which was formed of angular'
fragments of limestone, cemented together with stalag-
mite. The roof 'and sides were beautifully covered
with calcareous depositions, clothing the rocks with
drapery, and hanging from the roof in long translucent
stalactites. Six yards from the entrance the fissure
swells out into a cave six yards in length, three yards in
width, and five yards high. At the further end is a
narrow passage, five yards in length, terminated by a
wall of rock, preventing all progress in that direction
On the left side of the passage a hole was discovered,
through which Mr. Ruthven squeezed himself into
a beautiful circular chamber, the arched roof covered
with transparent stalactites, and the floor with
stalagmites, rising towards the roof in the most
fantastic shapes ; the whole forming a most beau-
tiful natural grotto. Last week, Mr. E. Whitwell
and Mr. Ruthven visited the cave, and commenced
a diligent search for bones. They were successful in
finding several beautiful specimens of the bones, claws,
and teeth of extinct animals. Some of the teeth have
been sent to Professor Owen for examination. There is
no appearance of the action of water ; and as the cave
forms part of a fault which runs through Arnside Knot,
it probably was once an open fissure into which the ani-
mals have fallen. G. Wilson, Esq., has taken the means
to preserve this interesting place from injury, by placing
au iron gate at the entrance. He will, however, kindly
afford every opportunity for scientific investigation.—
Kendai Mercury.