The Sun.
London, England, 1850-04-26 00:00:00

SICILY.

Letters from Messina, of the 12th, state that since
the 9th there have been upwards of 40 shocks of
earthquakes, in consequence of which the greatest
alarm was prevalent, and business was at a complete
stand.

FIRST ARRIVAL OF DAHOMEY
COTTON IN MANCHESTER.
We have more than once called attention to two
exceedingly interesting and important communica-
tions from the late lamented Mr. Duncan, the African
traveller, who penetrated from Whydah, the port of
the kingdom of Dahomey, to its capital, and was him-
self astonished at the obvious capabilities of large
tracts of country for growing cotton of an exceed-
ingly good colour and very useful quality. He seems
to have found favour with the sable Monarch of
Dahomey, and having one evening expressed a wish
to have a little of the native indigenous cotton, which
he had seen growing in the neighbourhood, he was
almost " smothered" by the immense quantities which
were brought to him the following morning. His
letters, which were speedily followed, alas, by his
sudden and untimely death, intimated that he was
sending samples of this native cotton to England,
consigned, we believe, to the Manchester Chamber
of Commerce ; but, months after the time
at which it should have come to hand
having elapsed without tidings of it, all expecta-
tion of receiving it was abandoned, when a com-
munication was unexpectedly received from Brest, in
France, announcing its arrival there; and it reached
Manchester only on Thursday last. Its adventures
are not a little remarkable. Mr. Duncan had put
about 101bs. of the cotton, just in the state in which
the natives had gathered it in from the pods, without
attempting to remove the seed, into a small keg, such
as is used to smuggle tobacco, and as at that time
there was no British vessel at the port of Whydah,
he shipped it on board a French vessel called the
Aristide, bound for St. Malo. In the homeward trip
this vessel lost her captain by death, and was afcer-
wards overtaken by a storm, and was ultimately
driven by stress of weather into Brest. Here the
keg was landed; but, as there was no British vessel
there et that time, it was dispatched to the British Vice-
Consul at St. Malo, that he might take means to for-
ward it to its destination. He kept it some time by
him, waiting fir an opportunity of sending it either
to London or Liverpool ; but, none such offering, he
at length determined to send it to a stage nearer
home, and accordingly it was put on board a small
vessel bound for Guernsey or Jersey; and,
once there, it was not difficult to find a
conveyance to London, and thence to Man-
chester. So far as can be judged from this sample, the
cotton, without any of the advantages of regular and
systematic culture, exhibits two excellent qualities.
It is of a clear, good colour, and its staple is fine.
It is intended to have some of it ginned, by different
machines, and then to exhibit it to the trade, and
especially to those skilled in the discrimination of
the various., shades of quality and value; but already,
we believe, there is little doubt that, if a few gins
and a packing-press or two were sent out to Whydah
as a present to the King of Dahomey, on condition
that he should have all the cotton ginned, cleaned,
and packed in bales, ready for exportation, there
would at once be a very considerable supply of this
valuable product coming hither from that part of the
world. We are assured that the King of Dahomey,
who, like more civilized Sovereigns, is extremely de-
sirous of increasing his revenues, would give every
encouragement to the cultivation and export of cotton,
if a remunerative price could be secured. This would
not be difficult, for labour there is probably as cheap
as in any part of the world. It is said, too, that the
King would even gladly give up his slave hunts, if
the cotton and palm-oil trade could be made a certain
source of income. Already the latter article has
become so much sought after that the supply is
scarcely equal to the demand, and vessels are kept
waiting at Whydah for some time before they can fill
up their cargoes exclusively with oil. If to this be
added an abundant supply of cotton, the vessels will
load more rapidly, filling up with either articles as it
can be obtained, and the trade will consequently
become more remunerative. Should the supply of
cotton eventually prove as large as the accounts
would fairly warrant us to expect, we may, ere many
years have elapsed, find the west coast of Africa com-
peting to a very considerable extent with the United
States in the supply of this important raw material
our great staple manufacture.—ManchesterGuardian

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS, April 24.
(Before Mr. Sergeant ADAMS, Assistant-Judge, and
a Bench of Magistrates.)
The Court sat this day to hear appeals and bail
case.

Henry Delaney, a young man of very respectable
appearance, surrendered in discharge of his bail,
charged with having committed a violent assault upon
Mrs. Jane Rose, on the 13th of November last.
Mr. Carter conducted the prosecution ; Mr.
O'Brien was for the defence. _ _ _

The facts of the casea;Proved in evidence were,
that at about nine o'clock on the evening of the 13th
of November last, Mr. Jonathan Rose, and his wife,
the prosecutrix, were walking in the neighbourhood of
the Gray's Inn-road. They turned up a narrow street,
and Mr. Rose left prosecutrix for a short time. He
had scarcely left her a minute when she was followed
by the defendant and another person, and the defend-
ant, without any cause or provocation, gave her a
violent blow on the lower part of her back, which
knocked her down and greatly alarmed her. She
called to her husband for assistance, and upon his
coming up the defendant was given into custody.
Being then in a far advanced state of pregnancy, she
became very ill; a surgeon was sent for, and for some
time he was of opinion that premature labour would
be the result. Before leaving the station•house, the
defendant wished to compromise the matter, but this
was declined on the part of the prosecutrix.
Mr. O'BRIEN, in the course of his cross-examination
of the prosecutrix wished to place in her hands the
de positions to which she bad sworn before the ma-
gistrates.

Mr. CARTER objected to this proceeding as alto-
gether irregular.
Mr. O'BRIEN, without noticing this objection, at-
tempted to hand over the depositions to the witness.
Mr. CARTER protested against this course until the
Learned Judge.had decided upon the objection he had
raised.

Mr. O'BRIEN still presented the paper.
Mr. TURNER, a magistrate on the bench, said he
thought it right that the Learned Judge should first
determine upon the validity of the objection taken by
the Learned Counsel for the prosecution.
Mr. O'BRIEN said the only authority there was the
Learned Judge upon the bench. To that tribunal only
would he bow, and therefore he, looked upon the in-
terference of any other person on the bench as a gross
act of impertinence.
Mr. TURNER replied that he was not at all disposed
to submit to the remark of the Learned Counsel.
Mr. O'BRIEN would not be interfered with by per-
sons who hgvi no business there.

Mr. CARTER said that, according to the rule laid
down by Mr. Justice Patteson on the lust Oxford
circuit, it had been decided that the Learned Counsel
(Mr. O'Brien) was proceeding in a way that he had
no right to do. If he wanted to use the depositions,
let them first be read by the officer of the court, and
then put in in a format way, when he would be at
liberty to ask any questions upon them.
Captain CARPENTER (another magistrate) agreed
in the expressions of his friend Mr. Turner.
Mr. O'BRIEN should like to know where the case
alluded to was reported.
Mr. CARTER said that there had not been sufficient
time to allow it to be included in the regular reports,
but it would be found fully reported in the Law Times.
Mr. PuisiN remarked that he was present at the
trial referred to, and remembered the case ; and the
point in dispute was not on the depositions.
The Learned JUDGE said he had no objection what-
ever to this proceeding.
_ _

Mr. TURNER wished, before Mr. O'Brien pro-
ceeded, to draw his attention to the statute 7 and 8
Vic., c. 57.

Mr. 013 aux replied that he should only recognise
the Judge in that court.
Mr. TURNER said that be must recognise others if
he intended to continue his practice there.
The Learned JUDGE said, they (the magistrates)
had as much right and authority there as any one
else.

Captain CARPENTER said that he never interfered in
matters of law, as he had great confidence in the in-
telligence of the Learned Judge who presided ; and if
ever he had offered an observation it was upon some
matter of fact_

Another witness, a policeman, was then put into
the box, and, in the course of his examination, Mr.
Turner wished that he should more clearly answer a
question.

- The Learned JUDGE hoped that Mr. Turner would
allow him to preside, notwithstanding the 7th and
Bth Victoria to which he had referred Mr. O'Brien.
In the case of the Learned Judges sitting in banco,
the senior judge always took the lead in the business,
and this was also the practice in the Central Criminal
Court, where two or three judges of equal power
presided, but even there one judge always took the
initiative to try the prisoner, or the criminal business
of this country would soon get into a state of the
greatest confusion.
Mr. TURNER said he should never interfere unless
he saw something wrong in the evidence.
The Learned JUDGE—Cannot you leave this to a
man of forty years' experience ? if not, the sooner
some one else presides here the better.
This amusing episode having passed over, the trial
proceeded, and terminated in the defendant being
found Guilty by the jury.
The Learned JUDGE ordered that he should make
compensation to the prosecutrix by a fine of 71., which
was paid, and be was discharged.
The appeals presented no feature of interest, being
confined to orders made in bastardy cages.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
WORSHIP-STREET.

Richard Pound and William Langford Jenkins, who
stood charged with having obtained, under false and
fraudulent representations, the sum of 8001., in cash
and bills of exchange, from Mr. William Newman, a
colour manufacturer, at Hoxton, surrendered to their
bail before Mr. Arnold, for final examination.
The facts of the case have already been fully de-
tailed in this paper.
The evidence of the numerous witnesses, which was
very voluminous, having been reduced to depositions
and read over by Mr. Hurlstone, the second clerk, the
defendants, who expressed their intention to reserve
their defence, were fully committed for trial, the
same bail which had been previously entered into
having been extended for their appearance at the next
sessions of the Central Criminal Court to the amount
themselves and their sureties, of 8,0001.
WANOSWOR7'H.
A fashionably-attired and good-looking woman,
about thirty-five years of age, and who had given her
name at the police-station as Anna Mary Anson, a
governess, but had also represented herself as Mrs.
Colonel Ferguson and as Mrs. Coney, widow of
Colonel Coney, was brought up for re-examination
before Mr. Beadon, on a charge of stealing a hand-
somely bound Church Service from the house of Mr.
Brownjohn, a boot and shoemaker in the High-street,
Putney.
There was a second charge preferred against her
to-day of stealing a purse, containing about 2/. and a
miniature, the property of Mrs. Charlotte Bird, the
widow of an officer, residing at Brompton-row.
The prisoner was first examined on Thursday, the
18th instant, before Mr. Paynter, and on that occa-
sion Mrs. Elizabeth Brownjohn proved that on the
prious day, about half-past twelve o'clock, the priso-
ner called on her, and requested to look at some fur-
nished apartments she had to let. The prisoner said
she had a nephew who had undergone a serious ope-
ration, and she wished to place him a little way out
in the country where he would be quiet. She said her
name was Coney, that she was the widow of Colonel
Coney, and resided at 113, Pall-mall, where she let
suites of apartments. Mr. Fox, M.P., was one of the
occupants of her apartments. The prisoner made
reference to her landlord and banker as to her re-
spectability. She then complained of being tired,
and sat down for a few minutes, during which time
she excused herself for not being provided with her
card-case, and asked for a pen and ink, to give her
address. Mrs. Brownjohn went down stairs into the
parlour, for the required writing materials, and was
in the act of returning, when she was met by the
prisoner, who said she was a woman of business, like
the witness, and would net give her the trouble to go
up stairs, but would write the address in the parlour,
which she did, and then left. Almost immediately
afterwards Mrs. Brownjohn discovered that a new and
handsomely bound Church S ervice was missing. A
son of the witness, an intelligent child eight years
of age, was sent after the prisoner, to tell her that
his mother wished to speak to her, and he
overtook her on the Fulham side of Putney-bridge ;
she told the boy she would just fetch her cab and
return with him. The prisoner, however, made her
way towards Parson's-green, and on arriving there
was overtaken by Mr. Knight, a butcher, at Wal-
ham-green, who had heard of the circumstance, re
cognised the prisoner, and followed her in his cart to
Milman's•row, Chelsea, before he saw a policeman.
In the King's-road she went into Mr. Hicks's nur-
sery, and selected plants and a bouquet of flowers, to
be sent to 17, Gunter's-grove, and wished to pass
through a side gate into the grove, by which means
she could; have eluded Mr. Knight, and got into the
Fulham road. However, as the key could not be
found readily, she came out the way she entered, and,
as stated, was given into custody. Cudley, 149 V,
the constable who apprehended her, could find no
Church Service; on her, and there was very little
doubt it was thrown into the river. The prisoner
exhibited no reluctance to go to the police station.
Yesterday Mrs. Charlotte Reid was examined, and
stated that on Monday week, about two o'clock in the
afternoon, the prisoner came to her house, 12, Bromp-
ton-row, to Inquire after some furnished apartments
she had to let. She said she did not want them for
herself, but for her friends, Colonel M'Kenzie and
Mrs. M'Keezie, and she gave her name as Mrs.
Colonel Fergusson. The prisoner was very com-
municative, and witness, believing her to be a lady,
placed wine and biscuits before her. A great deal
of conversation passed between them, and the pri-
soner represented that she lived at 113, Pall mall 4
hell father was an officer in the army ; that her
maiden name was Courtenay, and that she was once
celebrated as the " beautiful Miss Courtenay ;" that
she went out to India at a very early age, and
was married very young. She further said, that
the Duke of Wellington had been godfather to one
of her sons, and her eldest daughter was to be
married to the Hon. Mr. George Baring in three
weeks; that she had two sons studying for the
Church, who were at college, and two others were
following their father's profession, that of the army,
and the late Queen Dowager had left her second son
5001. to fit him out for the army. She further said
that her brother was the Hon. and Rev. Mr. Courte-
nay, chaplain to the Quen, and that on the return of
her mother, a short time since, from India, she ex-
pressed an ardent desire to see the Queen, and she
was introduced by her son, the Hon. and Rev. Mr.
Courtenay, to the Sovereign. The prisoner went on
to state that her Majesty rose to receive her mother,
took hold of her hand, and said, " My dear Courte-
nay, this is a pleasure to take you by the hand," and
her Majesty led her to a seat. Presently the Queen
asked her mother what o'clock it was, and her mother
apologised for not having her watch with her, and the
Queen instantly presented her with her own. Mrs.
Reid said she did not immediately miss anything after
the departure of the prisoner, because she did not
suspect her, but presently wanting her purse, which
she had placed on the table, on coming in from mar-
keting, she missed it, as also a miniature of her late
husband, which was on the sideboard. The loss of
the money was nothing to her in comparison to her
deprivation of such a relic. She had not seen or
heard anything of it since, but the purse produced
(which was found at prisoner's lodgings) was her
property.
The prisoner was remanded until Tuesday next.

THE COLLIERS' STRIKE AT ST. HELEN'S.—The
great body of workmen are still remaining out on strike, to
the disadvantage of themselves and families. A number of
miners from the north arrived on Friday last. This caused
another disturbance, and all sorts of threats were resorted to,
to deter the new corners from working. Four additional police
have been sent to protect the property of the inhabitants and
to prevent any breach of the peace.—Liverpool Mercury.
OXFORD CLERICAL INTELLIGENCE. - The Lord
Chancellor has presented the Rev. Shadwell Barkworth,
M.A., of Worcester College, and formerly curate of St. Peter-
le-Bailey's parish, Oxford, to the rectory of St. Clement's, in
Oxford. The trustees of St. Katharine's Hospital have con-
ferred the valuable living of St. l'eter's, Northampton, on the
Rev. Havilland de Sausmarez, Fellow of Pembroke College,
ilud lector of St, Aldate's, Oxford.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF LORDS, April 25.
Their Lordships met at Five o'Chick.
PETITIONS.
Lord MONTEAGLE presented a petition from
Colonel Biddulph, tte Lord-Lieutenant if the county of
Denbigh, :,nd three other gentlemoo, complaining that a
certain railway which ran through that county had got
into the hands of certain proprietors of collieries, who had
abused the powers conferred on them by Parliament, by
carrying their own coals at a less rate than they carried
the coals of other proprietors. He believed that this was
not a singular instance in which colliery proprietors,
who were also railway directors, had, in a similar man-
ner, abused their trust.

Earl NELSON presented a petition from the parish
of Ply mpton, against an increase in the number of beer
shops.

The Earl of CARLISLE presented two petitions
against Post-office labour on Sootily ; ais,) petitions
from Leeds and Cork against the puni,hment of death;
and a petition praying for a removal of the taxes on
knowledge.

The Earl of HARROWBY presented several peti
tinny praying for a repeal of the Sale of Bt-er Act.
TITLES OF RELIGIOUS CONGREGATIONS

(SCOTLAND) BILL.
On the motion of the Marquis of BREADALBANE
this Bill was passed through Committee, and some ver-
bal amendments were introduced.
ALTERATIONS IN PLEADINGS BILL.
This Bill rassed through Committee.
PIRATES HEAD MONEY REPEAL BILL.
On the motion of the Marquis of LANSDOWNE the
House resolved itself into Giintnitfee on this Bill.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGLI objected to the
stigmatizing persdns as pirates until they should have
been convicted of piracy. The words of the Bill should
have been "alleged pirates." The Noble Lord con-
cluded by proposing a verbal amendment calculated to
meet this objection.

The Earl .•
of MINTO defended the wording of the
clause.

After a few observations from the Earl of MINTO and
Lord COLCHESTER,

Earl GREY said be bed no objection to adopt so
much of the amendment of the Noble Earl (Ellecbo-
rough) as would make the Bill applicable to the capture
of pirates on shore as well as at sea.

After some conversation the amendment was nega-
tived without a division, and the Bill passed through
Committee.

The Bishop of OXFORD presented petitions from
Jamaica and from an anti-slavery society, complaining
of the ruin brought upon the inhabitants of that island
by the introduction of slave-grown sugar into our mar-
kets, and praying for redress; also a petition from Buck-
inghamshire against Sunday labour in the Post-office;
and also a petition from a place in Surrey praying for
the suppression of beer-shops.
Their Lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, April 25.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock.
PRIVATE BILLS.

The following Bills were read a third time and
passed:—
Glasgow and Shotts Turnpike-roads Improvement;
Guardian Fire and Life Assurance Company.
LONDON (WATFORD) SPRING WATER COM-
PANY BILL.

Sir DE LACY EVANS moved the second reading
of this Bill.
Mr. HALSEY suggested that the second reading of
this Bill be postponed fur a fortnight, in order that time
be allowed for the report of the Sanitary Commission
being laid on the table of the House.
Sir G. GREY expressed himself favourable to the
postponement of the second reading until the report of
the Board of Health was on the table.
After an animated conversation, in which Sir B. Hall,
Lord Ashley, Mr. B. Denison, Sir G. Grey, Mr. Brown-
low Knox, Mr. W. Patten, and Sir De Lacy Evans took
part,
Sir DE LACY EVANS agreed to withdraw his mo-
tion, and—
The second reading of the Bill was eventually post-
poned until Monday fortnight.
METROPOLITAN WATERWORKS (HENLEY-
ON-THAMES AND LONDON AQUEDUCT)
BILL.
The second reading of this Bill, for the same reason,
was postponed until Monday fortnight.
KIDDERMINSTER ELECTION.

Mr. BOUVERIE, the Chairman of the Kiddermin-
ster Election Committee, appeared at the bar, with the
report of the Committee appointed to try the petition
presented against the return of the sitting Member. The
Committee reported that Mr. John Best was duly elected
a burgess to serve in this present Parliament for the
borough of Kidderminster.
PETITIONS.

Mr. G. DUNCAN presented a petition from the phy-
sicians of Dundee, praying that the assistant-surgeons
in the navy might be placed on the same footing as sur-
geons in the army with respect to accommodation.
Petitions were presented by Sir R. H. Inglis from
places in Dorset and Wilts; by Sir W. Verner from
Armagh; by Mr. Lockhart, Lord Barrington, Mr. Law,
Lord Charles Manners, and Sir Charles Lemon, praying
the House to pass such measures as would prevent the
transmission of mails on the Subbath.
Mr. COWAN prwsent ed a petition from the governors
' of Heriot's Hospital, Edinburgh, against the Public
Health Bill for Scotland, and also against the Police Bill
for Scotland. The lion. Member presented several pe-
titions to the same eff-ct from Edinburgh.
Mr. C. LEWIS presented several petitions against
Sunday labour in the Post-office, and a petition in favour
of the extension of county courts.
Mr. WYLD presented several petitions praying f)r
a better supply of water to the metropolis ; also some
petitions from places in Lancashire in favour of the Ten
Hours Bill.
Mr. FARBER presented a petition from the county
of Durham complaining of agricultural distress, and
praying for relief.
Mr. STAFFORD presented a petition against Sunday
labour in the Post-office.
Mr. B. DENISON presented several petitions from
places in Yorkshire to the same effect.
Mr_ SANDARS presented a petition from a place in
the West Riding of Yorkshire in favour of a ten hours'
factory Bill.
Mr. CARDWELL presented a petition from Liver-
pool praying, as we understood, for certain alterations
in the Stamp Duties Bill.
Mr. LASCELLES presented a petition from Ripon
in favour of the Marriage Bill.
Sir GEORGE CLERIC presented a petition from
Mid Lothian against the Educational Bill far Scotland.
Colonel THOMPSON presented a petition praying
for a better supply of water to the metropolis.
Mr. CHRISTOPHER presented several petitions
against Sunday labour in the Post-office.
Mr. 11EY WOOD presented a petition from a place
in Lancashire in favour of international arbitration.
Lord GEORGE MANNERS presented a petition
from Essex complainints of agricultural distress.
Mr. GEORUE THOMPSON presented a petition
from the Tower Hamlets in favour of financial reform,
and praying for the repeal of the windew duties; also,
petitions from Bromley and Shoreditch praying tor the
abolition of church-rate,, and a petition from Belfast
praying the House to take more effective steps for the
suppres.ion of the slave-trade.
Mr. PAGE WOOD presented a petition from the
Corporation of Oxford praying for a reform of the Court
of Chancery.
Mr. CLAY presented a petition from the Corporation
of Hull praying the House to ex tend the jurisdiction of
county courts.

Lord DUDLEY STUART presented a petition from
Marylehone praying the House to adopt measures for
bbtter supplying the metropolis with water.
Sir B. HALL presented a similar petition from St.
Pancras.
Lord H. VANE presented a petition from the Stock-
ton and Darlington Railway Company against any
alteration in the scamp duties.
Mr. ROEBUCK presented a petition from Sheffield
against church-rates.
Mr. MANGLES presented a petition from Guildford
in favour of secular education.
Sir W. CLAY presented a petition praying for a
better supply of water in the metropolis.
NOTICE OF MOTION.

Mr. STUART gave notice that on the adjourned de-
bate on the motion of the Member for North Lanca-
shire, respecting the Universities, he should move an
amendment that any advice given to her Majesty to
issue a Royal C .mmission tor inquiring into the state of
the revenue of any of the colleges or halls of the Uni-
versities of Oxford and Cambridge would tend to a vio-
lation of the laws and institutions of the kingdom, and
the rights and liberties of her Majesty's subjects.
RAILWAY COMPANIES.
Mr. BASS asked the President of the Board of Trade
whether he had considered the subject of the Bills for
extension of time sought for by various railway comps-
nies; and if so, whether he deems it expedient that this
House should instruct its Committees to inquire and re-
port to the House, whether the companies seeking exten-
sion Bills have sufficient means to carry out the under-
takings for which such extensions of time are required ?
Mr. LABOUCHERE did not see any necessity for
passing any such resolutions.
LIGHTHOUSES.
Mr. HUME asked Sir Francis Baring what steps had
been taken in respect to lighthouses on the Basses Rocks
on the south-east coast of Ceylon; also, in respect to the
lighthouse on the south-west point of the Isle of
Guernsey at Pleinmont Point; also, in respect to the
lighthouse on Europa Point in the island of Barbadoes,
for many years recommended.
Sir F. BARING said, with regard to the first ques-
tion that had been put to. him, a communication had
been made to the Admiral, who had expressed a strong
opinion of the advantage of having a lighthouse on the
Basses Rock, on the south-east coast of Ceylon. With
regard to the second question, a lighthouse would be very
desirable at that point, but the money was the
great obstacle, and at present the East India
Company were not prepared to share in the expense.
As regarded the third question, he hoped that a light-
house on Europa Point would bo in a very short time
Constructed.

ENCUMBERED ESTATES IN IRELAND.
Colonel DUNNE asked the Solicitor-General for
England whether be war aware that the Commissioners
of Encumbered Estates in Ireland bad now refused to
delay salts of property on the ground of inadequacy of
value?

The SOLICITOR-GENERAL bad no information
on the subject.
IRISH ASSISTANT-GUARDIANS.
Colonel DUNNE asked the Secretary for the Home
Department whether it was the intention of the Govern.;
Went to pay the assistant-guardians in Ireland in the