The Sun.
London, England, 1850-04-25 00:00:00

THURSDAY EVENING, APRIL 25, 1850.

DREADFUL MURDERS.

;:leasant inerksz town of Otley, ie the valley,
of tee Whertse aa:out ten rni!es :ran Leede, it. the
direct line f road between llarregta and ailton-
alibe::,., Las j use been the ecene. cif a most out-
raee, in Wien one man's life was instantly sacrificed,
and six or seven other persons were stabbed, including
a married woman, who lies in a very precarious state
from the vvourel inflicted upon her. The circumstances
are as follow :—Por some time past a number of men
have been employed in making a reservoir for the
supply inn of a woollen-cloth manufactory with water,
at a place called Burley-wood-head, on a high bar-
ren ti act of land known by the name of Rombald's-
moor, open a portion of which is situated the well-
known Ben Rnyriding hydropathic establishment.
Five sr six of these men, generally known by the
neme of " navvies," were drinking on Saturday after,
neon and evening at the Red Lion public-house,
Otley, kept by Henry Roundel!. They left that
house quietly, about twelve o'cluck at night,
worse for liquor, but apparently quite able to
know what they were doing. Soon after they
had got out of the house it appears they stole
a live fowl from Roundell's premise,, and after they
had turned into a street or road called Westgate,
which leads towards Burley-wood-head, where
some of the men lodged, they wilfully commenced
breaking the windows of some of the inhabitants.
Some they broke by throwing stones through them,
and others by striking at them with their fists, utter-
ing at the same time brutal threats against the in-
mates of the houses. Two of the party appear to
have gone quietly home, and the four now charged
with the wilful mui der remained behind breaking
windows. The noise occasioned by the smashing and
falling of the glass attracted the attention of Henry
Thornee, a clerk in the post-office, who lives in West-
gate. He went out of the house with his slippers on,
walked Lop to three of the men, and calmly asked
them to pay for the windows they had broken, but
they refused, doubling their fists and putting them in
Thornes's face, with a threat to pay with physical force.
A man named Ives, whom Thornes had met on the road,
was present, and one of the men, afterwards identi-
fied as George Towleston, struck Ives over the mouth
with his hand, which caused his mouth to bleed a
little. As soon as Ives felt the blow he struck
Towleston over the head with his walking-stick with
such force as to inflict a wound, and knock the
man down. When this was done, Thornes and
Ives ran away, pursued by two of Towleston's
companions, who uttered the most violent im-
precations, but soon gave up running. The
noise of the disturbance caused two women,
named Mrs. Dickinson and Mrs. Kershaw, to go
to the doors of their houses to see what was the
matter, and at the same time Mrs. Dawson, the wife
of Robert Dawson, a neighbour of the other women,
went to the door to throw some water out, in a mo-
ment or two after which she was followed by her
husband, and a navvy came along the street break-
ing the windows of one of the houses. As soon as he
gut to where the women, Robert Dawson, and Towle-
ston were, Dawson asked him if he knew what he
had been doing; but, instead of giving him an answer,
the man dragged Dawson into the street and com-
menced using him with great violence. 'Airs. Dawson,
seeing her husband ill-used and another navvy going
up, ran a short distance to a public-house ter some
assistance. She was only away a few minutes, but
before her return her husband's brother, John Dawson,
who lived only about 40 yards off, had run out cf his
house in his trousers and shirt to his brother's assist-
ance, and bad been stabbed in the right thigh by one of
the navvies, and was lying dead on the steps of his own
door. She also found that her husband had received a
deep cut in his cheek, that Mrs. Dickinson had been
stabbed in the thick part of the thigh, and a daughter
of Mrs. Kershaw, about 15 years of age, had been
stabbed in one of her shoulders. It would appear,
indeed, that two or three of the enraged brutes ran
about with knives in their hands, stabbing or threaten-
ing to stab all persons they came near. One of them
actually attempted to cut a young man's throat
when he was looking at the dead body of John
Dawson, but the young man got away from
him. In a short time, after information of
the murder having been conveyed to some
men who were at the White Horse Hotel, four or
five persons (constables and others) set off in pursuit
of the perpetrators of the barbarous outrages. They
were overtaken about half a mile from Otley, on the
road to Bradford, and after a desperate resistance, in
which they inflicted with knives some severe wounds
upon two or three of their captors, three of the
villains were secured and placed in custody, and
the fourth was apprehended. not very far off, on the
following day. On Monday afternoon an inquest was
held on the body of the deceased John Dawson, be-
fore Mr. Brown, coroner, at the White Horse Hotel,
Otley. The deceased was a very steady, sober man,
aged 28. He was unmarried, and lived with his
father, and was a sawyer. The wound which
caused his death was at the upper part of the
right thigh, where the femoral artery and the
first branch from it were cut, as if with a stab
from a knife. The jury, after the examination
of twenty witnesses, returned a verdict of
" Wilful Murder" against the four prisoners, who
gave their names George Towleston, Robert arrar,
Nathaniel Scholey, and William Jaques. The
Coroner made out his warrant, and they were all
committed to York Castle to take their trials at the
next assizes.
Three of the prisoners, it is said, belong to Wake-
field, and the fourth (Jaques) is a Lincolnshire man,
but he married a Wakefield woman. They are from
thirty to forty years of age, and their countenances,
more or less, are of a villanous cast, whilst their
faces bear marks of hard usage and dissolute habits.
Knives were found in the possession of three of the
prisoners, and one knife had blood upon it.
Mrs. Kershaw, the woman who was stabbed and
now lies in in a precarious state, is the wife of a
shoemaker. She is about thirty years of age, and has
four children, one being an infant at the breast.

INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS.
On Tuesday, April 23, (William Cubitt, Esq„ Pre-
sident, in the chair,) the paper read was a" Descrip-
tion of the Insistent Pontoon Bridge, at the Dublin
Terminus of the Midland Great Western Railway of
Ireland," by Mr. R. Mallet, M. Inst. C. E.
This bridge was stated to be situated on the line of
approach from the city to the terminus, and formed
a passage over one branch of the Royal Canal, where
it crossed the Phibsborough-road, Upon the Foster
Aqueduct. By the Act it was provided that the na•
vigation of the canal should be as free and unimpeded
as possible ; and from the circumstance of there
being only a height of 16 inches between the intended
surface of the road and that of the water of the canal,
it necessarily involved the placing of some kind of
moveable bridge, of rather peculiar construction.
After due consideration, the one described in the
paper was designed and adopted, as being more suit-
able to the peculiarities of the situation than any
other, owing to the water channel being only 17 feet
4 inches in width, and that the passage to be made
across it required to be at least 50 feet in breadth.
The general idea of this form of moveable bridge
was that of a pontoon, or flat-bottomed boat, con-
structed of iron, the breadth being nearly equal to
that of the water space to be crossed, and the length
about equal to the width of roadway required. The
deck beams of this pontoon projected over the sides,
and rested, while Ira situ, upon a rabbate, or continu
ous recess, formed along the top course of each quay
wall, but awhile the pontoon was floating light, the
projecting deck beams were two inches clear of this
rabbet°, and the roadway platform constituting the
deck of the pontoon was elevated to an equal height
above the level of the top of the quay walls, or land,
on each side i in this state the pontoon could be freely
and readily pushed along the canal for a distance of
rather more than its own length, until it was brought
opposite to a lye-by, provided by increasing the width
of the canal at this point, and being put therein, the
navigation was perfectly free.
As a pontoon afloat would form a very unstable
road way for carriages,. means were provided for allow-
ing it to settle down in the water, and rest firmly
upon the rabbates; and also for again raising it
rapidly, so as to float clear of the rabbates, and enable
it to be moved away into the lye-by. For this pur-
pose two large valves were placed in the bottom of
the pontoon, one near each end, by which water was
allowed to enter, and sink the pontoon, until it hung
upon the projecting deck-beams. For removing this
water, when it was required to float the pontoon, a
large syphon, of a particular construction, was pro-
vided, which was capable of being brought instantly
into use, and of being as quickly. detached when a
sufficiency of water had been withdrawn to enable
the pontoon to be moved. These operations were
stated to be performed very.readily by one man, the
navigation being cleared in four minutes, and the
roadway restored in less than three minutes.
The details of the construction of the pontoon, of
the syphon, and all other parts of the work were
then minutely given; also the total cost of the struc-
ture, which, exclusive of the masonry, was 1,1251.,
that of the masonry being about 1501. ; and it was
stated, to have continued in use, with perfect satis-
faction, since its completion in February, 1847.
This form of construction was considered to he
applicable, in situations where a comparatively nar-
row water channel had to be crossed by a very wide
roadway ; but as the particular circumstances of
other localities might differ from the one in question,
the author suggested various alterations in the de-
tulles, so as to meet these exigencies.
The next paper read was a " Description of a
wrought-iron Lattice Midge, constructed over the
line of the Rugby and Ix amington Railway," by W.
T. Doyne, Assoc. Inst C. E.
This bridge, which was 150 feet span, carried a
public road over the Honinghaut cutting. It con-
sisted of two girders 156 feet in length, and 10 feet
6 inches in depth, placed at a distance of 20 feet apart,
and connected together by means of wrought-iron

trer.sverse girders, and by a system -of horizontal_
di: rynn:i bracimz. The bottom of the train gird.ra
were formed of two angle irear, and v.rwsight-iren
plates, eiOlt in number at the ventr, hut ditnini4;ing
to three at th, ends, End of such dinp,nsions as to
tmka the effective sectional area at the centre, Lfzer
deducting the loss by rivet holes, equal to 26 sqlmre
inches; that of the top, which was somewhat differ-
ently constructed, so as the better to resist compres-
sion, being equal to 40 square inches. The lattices
were formed of a series of bars of spoke-iror, intersect-
ing each other at an angle of 60 deg., being crossed at
those points, by longitudinal bars, for the purpose of
giving additional rigidity, and of making a closer
parapet. The transverse girders, 7 feet 6 inches
apart, were each formed of a plate of wrought iron,
with two angle irons at the top and the bottom these
were covered with corrugated galvanized iron, one-
tenth of an inch thick, upon which concrete and then
a layer of gravel and loam metalling, 6 inches thick,
were laid. This bridge was erected by Messrs.
Smith, Smith, and James, of Leamington, upon a
platform which gave to the girders a camber of 7
inches in the centre, which was reduced to 34 inches
upon removing- the platform. The total cost of the
bridge was about 3 5001.
During the progress of the works the author made
sonic experiments upon the strength of rivets of dif-
ferent sizes, front which it appeared that the average
breaking weight, per square inch of sectional area,
was 35.10 tons for a chain joint, and 18 82 tons fur a
lap joint.
The paper announced to be read at the next meet-
ing, Tuesday, April 30th, when the monthly ballot
for members will take place, was No. 834, " On the
Absorbent Power of Chalk, and its Water Contents,
under different conditions," by Professor Ansted.

CLOSING OF LEWES SAVINGS

BANK.

LEWES, APRIL 24.—This town, this morning, was
thrown into a state of considerable excitement, by
the publication of the following notice :
" LEWES SAVINGS-BANK-NOTICE TO DEPOSITORS, &C.

" In cons, queuce of the continued serious illness of the
alusry, Mr. Henry Bartlett, and some unexplained re-
cently discovered tarots in the accounts, the bank will
be closed until further notice, and the committee will
take immediate steps to secure the more complete exa-
mination of the depositors' books, of which a large
number have n, t yet been produced. For the present,
they may be I,ft with the treasurer, George Molineux,
Esq., at the Lewes Old Bank.
"Lewes, April 23, 1850."
The most remarkable circumstance connected with
this announcement is the fact that about six weeks
ago only the depositors' books were called in by the
managers, and an inquiry then, supposed to be of the
strictest and most gratifying character, wee the re-
sult. The best proof of this is the publication of the
following advertisement, which appeared in the Sus-
sex Express of March 16 :
"Lewes Savings Bank.—We, the undersigned mem-
bers of the committee.appointed at a sp, cial meeting of
the trustees and managers to examine the depositors'
books with the ledger, hereby certify that a large pro-
portion of such books have been produced to and exa-
mined by us, and we have found the same correct, and
the whole of the accounts appear to be accurately and
properly kept, and reflect great credit upon the actuary,
Mr. Henry Bartlett.—(Signed) Burwood Gadlee, William
Figg, Geo. Molineux, jun., John Fames, E. Morris,
Wm. Button.—Lewes, Match 7, 1850." _ _

At the last annual meeting, it appeared, by the
statement submitted by the actuary, that there were
2,125 depositors, whose accounts amounted to
46,8751. 18s. 101 ; sixty-two charitable societies,
which deposit 3,060/. 25.; and three friendly socie-
ties, 4811. 1 ls. Bd. ; making a total of 2,180 accounts,
with 50,417/. 12s. 6d. deposits.
Mr. Bartlett, the actuary, who is at present suffer-
ing from a most serious illness, hears the highest
character, and it is hoped by the depositors that, not-
withstanding the closing of the bank, the errors may
admit of a satisfactory explanation. Of course
nothing official has transpired, but the immediate
cause of the announcement that there were " some
unexplained recently discovered errors in the ac-
counts," is said to be as follows:—Last Saturday
night a book from a country depositor was handed to
the manager for the night, of course in the actuary's
absence, with a note requesting payment of the ba-
lance shown on the face of the account, 28/. ; the
whole deposits being 72/., and the withdrawals 341.
On reference to the ledger, however, the balance was
found to be only 6s. The actuary denied that there
was any defalcation, and asserted that the whole
would be found to be a mistake.

Mr. Bartlett has been actuary of the Lewes Sav-
ings Bank about twenty years. His sureties are
bound in moderate sums only.

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, WEDNESDAY—SALES OF ENCUMBERED
ESTATES.—The sales are proceeding rapidly, but
nevertheless, there are yet no indications of that
" ruinous depreciation " in the value of land predicted
by the Protectionist opponents of the Encumbered
Estates Act. On the contrary, notwithstanding all
the discouraging circumstances arising from the
famine difficulties and the present low prices of agri-
cultural produce, the rates of purchase almost daily
realised are fair and satisfactory ; and where pro-
perties of a really valuable kind are offered, the rates
obtained have been in some instances nearly as high
as those prevailing before the potato failure. Others
of an inferior description bring very low
rates, especially when they are in remote and
isolated districts, and the laLid in such a ne-
glected and impoverished condition, as to require
time and the outlay of capital to render it
even moderately productive. There were no less
than six separate sales yesterday, the details of which
possess no interest for your readers, and it will be
sufficient to notice the results. Some of the lots
were by no means attractive—none of them were
considerable in value, and one was merely a lease-
hold interest in a farm of nine acres in the county of
Waterford, held for an unexpired term of seventy-
four years, which was purchased by a tenant-farmer
for 1001. The yearly value was estimated at 131., so
that eight years' purchase has been paid for this ter-
minable interest in a very small holding, and the
rate of purchase must be considered high. But
the experience of the Commission has proved that
much higher prices can be obtained from tenant-
farmers, for small lots, than from any other class of
purchasers.
A small fee-simple estate of 464 statute acres, in
the county of Limerick, with an estimated rental of
357/., produced a very brisk competition, and was
sold to Mr. F. White for 6,0501., or seventeen years'
purchase. This was the only property of any consi-
derable value sold during the day .

REPEAL OF THE ADVERTISEMENT DUTY.
(From Punch )
Yesterday, an enormous meeting of advertisers of
all denominations took place in Palace-yard. Mr.
Jenkins, as representing a class (the large class of
domestic servants), was unanimously bellowed to the
chair.

From what we could gather of the sentiments of
the speakers, they were (in fragments) as follow :
" A Wet Nurse, a Respectable Young Woman,"
thought it was like their impudence that she could'nt
offer to take charge in the newspapers of a precious
baby from the month, without paying eighteenpence
duty to that Lord Russell.
" A Lady's-maid turned 20," who understands
hair-dressing and millinery, gave it upon her honour
and word that the eighteenpence was shameful—abo-
minable—and if the Queen only knew it—it was her
(the Lady's-maid's) opinion—her Majesty wouldint
permit it, that she wouldn't.
" A housekeeper to a single Gentleman or Trades-
man," said they had only to be unanimous to put down
the eighteen-pence for ever and forever. If they warn't
attended to this time, she gave 'em warning for her
part let the Ministry look to his windows
‘Cheers.)
" A Butler in a quiet Family where a Footman is
kept," said, it was well-known that the corn-laws
was repealed, only that the eighteenpence might
go into the Lord Chancellor's pocket, He hoped he
had always been loyal—always in his own person
rallied round the altar and the throne—but the
eighteenpence on advertisements was a fundamental
blow at habeas corpus. He only hoped—it was his
daily prayer—that he should not be druv to join the
Chartists.
" A Footman, single-handed," said it was hin-
famous—
" A Groom, or to Drive a Brougham," cried.—
" Shabby !"
" A Waiter to an Hotel" asked, if they stood the
eighteenpence, " what next were to follow ?"
And then began a multitudinous roar, hundreds of
advertisements—advertisers we should say—condemn-
ing the eighteenpence.
" The Natural Standard of Sherry,"—hiccuped
" shameful—"
"The Most Approved Stoves" roared " disgusting"—
" The Everlasting Gold Pen" would write it down—
" A Revolution in Light" would show it up—.
" What to eat," &c., would not digest it—
And, in fact, every advertising interest—represented
and declared after its peculiar manner—so empha-
tically denounced the continuation of the eighteen-
penny tax on the advertising industry and commerce
of the country, that—
The noise of the meeting coming to the ears of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, whilst in the House, he
was seen to bend over to Lord Russell, and heard to
say, " I see how it is ; we must give the eighteen-
pence up. 'Tis only a trifle after all—and—yes, I'll
manage it

THE EARL or ELLESMERE.—The Ermina schooner,
Royal Yacht Club, sailed from Portsmouth yesterday morn-
ing with her noble owner, the Earl of Ellesmere, and a party
of live gentlemen, who accompany his Lordship on a voyage
to the Mediterranean, whither he is gone for the benefit vi
his health.

IlAiw WAY INTELLIGENCE.
RAILWAY TOLLS.

The Commissioners of Itellways have made their
report to the House of Commons on the Railway
Bille introduced during the present session in which
it is proposed to rare or alter the tolls authorised
under existing Acts. Tnirteen days after receiving
the order of the House the Commissioners were in-
formed by the promoters of the Aberdeen (Amend-
ment of Acts, increase of capital, alterations of
station and of line and levels, &c) Bill, that the
toll clauses would be withdrawn to avoid the de-
lay which their retention would cause to the
progress of the Bill. Under these circumstances
the Commissioners ceased to consider it as one of the
Bills referred to them. It was proposed to increase
the toll for the use of the line 50 per cent., and the
charges for conveyance 161- per cent. In the South
Yorkshire, Doncaster, end Goole (amendment of Acts
and deviation) Bills it is proposed to increase the tolls
for the use of the line to convey manure and
minerals 100 per cent., and the toll and charge
of conveyance 25 per cent.; the toll on stones
for building and paving to be increased 200
per cent., aed cl-:arges for conveyance, inched-
iog use cf line, 75 per cent. ; for the carriage of fish
and poultry a decrease of 33 per cent. An increase
of 50 per cent. in the fares of first-class passengers,
and 25,per cent. in those of second and third class
passengers. The proposed increase in the charge for
the conveyance of sheep is 200 per cent. ; for pigs.
300 per cent.; and for mules and other beasts of
burden, 400 per cent. With the exception of about
five miles, employed for coal traffic, the only part of
the lines authorised, at present open for traffic, is that
between Swinton and Doncaster, eight miles in
length. The line has only been opened about five
months, during which period it has been worked by
the Midland Rail Way Company for 25 per cent. of
the gross receipts, and is to be worked at that rate for
a period of seven years. Considering the short time
that the line has been worked, and that the company
are the proprietors of a great extent of navigation
competing with the railway routes of the district, the
Commissioners are of opinion that no sufficient reason
has been shown for the alteration of tolls proposed
by the Bill. The South Wales, No. 2 (Repeal and
alteration of powers as to Forest of Dean Railway
and Milks, &c.) Bill proposes to authorise a charge
for the conveyance of goods on the Forest of Dean
and the South Wales Railways of 3d. per ton per
nille, being id. more than the maximum authorised
by the Act of 1847, and also to sanction a limited
charge for the use of the wharves at Bullo Pill,
for which no charge can at present be exacted.
The Commissioners state that if the Bill be
so alte ed as to secure the observance of articles
entered into between the promoters of the Bill
and opposing parties, no objections would exist
to the proposed alterations of the tolls. The
Lancashire and Yorkshire Bill for the alteration of
tolls, &c., proposes to increase the present rates and
tolls 20 per cent., except in cases of corn, the increase
upon which is 50 per cent. In addition to the in-
crease of fares, this Bill renders a first-class passen-
ger liable to an additional charge of 61, the same
with a second or third-class passenger in the smaller
sums of 4d. and 2d., in addition to which, however
short the distance travelled, or however convenient or
otherwise the station may be, whether terminal
or not, the company seek to add to every fare
so computed, the sum of 61, 41, or 21, as a
terminal charge. Memorials have been received in
opposition to this proposed increased traffic from
landowner., merchants, manufacturers, &c., on the
railway, from the East Lancashire R silway Com-
pany, and parties resident at Halifax, Huddersfield,
Bolton, and Oldham. From the statement sub-
mitted by the company for the consideration of
the Commissioners, it appears that in 1847
the productive capital of the company was
3,699,7631., and the gross revenue was 356,9331.,
which, after deducting all expenses, 142,7561, left a
net revenue of 214,1751., being at the rate of 5.78
per cent. profit upon the expended capital ; the
length of line opened for public traffic at this time
being 641 miles. At the end of 1849 the productive
capital of the company appears to have been
8,179,5091., being an increase of 121 per cent. upon
that of 1847, the mileage of railway open being
157* miles, exclusive of 23 opened in October and
December, 1849, being an increase of 144 per cent.,
while the gross revenue had become 545,174/., being
au increase of 52 per cent. The working expenses
had, in the meantime, increased to 266,3721., or by
86 per cent., and the net revenue had become
279,3321., having therefore only increased 30 per cent.;
and it now, therefore, yields, at the rate of last year,
only 3.41 per cent. profit upon the productive capital
of the company. Considering that the company,
have, in the statment of their reasons for this appli-
cation of an increased tariff, set forth that the dimi-,
nution of the dividend is not consequent on a dimi-
nution of traffic, the Commissioners are of opinion
that the present traffic on the main line is at least
sufficient to yield the same dividend, 5 78 per cent.,
that it yielded in 1847 upon the capital expended in
the Construction of that portion of the line. From
this consideration it would appear that the present pe-
cuniary position of the company has been brought
about, not by the reduction of tolls by the Act of 1846,
but by the investment of a capital sum amounting to
three times the capital producing revenue at the end
of 1847 in 181 miles of railway, of which 1571 were
completed and open for public traffic at the end of
1848, which are either unprofitable speculations or the
companies have not had sufficient experience fully
to ascertain the extent of the traffic upon them.
This railway had, at the time of accepting the
tariff in the Act of 1846, which also conferred
powers for making several branch railways, a full
knowledge of the capabilities of the district, their main
line having been in operation through the heart of it

for several years ; and, therefore, the Commissioners,
considering that the traffic upon the main line at the
rates of the present tariff, is sufficient to yield a pro-
fitable revenue of at least 6 per cent. upon the capital
expended upon it, consider that the company have not
established a case for the repeal of the Act, and there-
fore do not recommend that powers should be granted
to the company to increase their existing tolls.
The Liverpool, Crosby and Southport Bill proposes
to amend the six mile clause of the Lancashire and
Yorkshire Company, as applied to the line between
Liverpool and the junction, stated to be about
11 miles in length, and to provide that the
owners of the line shall only be empowered to
demand tolls as for three miles. The East Lan-
cashire Company have stated, in opposition to the
proposed alteration, that the joint line from the junc-
tion to the town of Liverpool has cost at the rate of
250,000/. per mile, including stations ; and that,
therefore, the present tolls are unusually moderate.
The Commissioners recommend that such a modifica-
tion of the six-mile clause as will enable the Liver-

pool, Crosby, and Southport Company to convey pas-
sengers over the joint line into Liverpool at a mode-
rate rate should receive the careful consideration of
the Committee on the Bill. The Great Northern Rail-
way Bill, for amending of Acts and alteration of tolls,
proposes that the present authorised tolls be increased.
The Commissioners state that, considering the outlay
upon the Great Northern Rail way has been very great;
that it does not pass through any very extensive manu-
facturing districts with a dense population ; and con-
sidering, also, the competition to which it will be
subject at several points from other companies when
open throughout the whole length, and that the tolls
upon the navigations possessed by the company are
not affected by the Bill ; and considering, also, the
particularly low rates of charge now authorised upon
the Great Northern Railway, being less than the
average rates which other railway companies are em-
powered to levy—the Commissioners are of opinion
that the company have shown a sufficient reason why
Parliament should grant them an amended tariff.
They recommend that a tariff on the same scale as
that of the London and North-Western Railway,
with which it is a directly competing line at many
points, should be adopted and conceded to them. The
Commissioners, however, are of opinion that the clause
by which the company seek to continue their powers
to demand from all first and second-class passengers
6d. for every fractional part of 6J. beyond the integral
number of
sixpences will be objectionable, iri case Par-
liament should see fit to concede to the company a
higher tariff than at present. The Commissioners enter-
tain great objections to the inquisitorial powers possessed
by the company, by which it is rendered unlawful to
include in one package several parcels of various sorts
and intended for various individuals, and by which
the company may demand a separate sum for each
such parcel. It appears to the Commissioners that
if the charges of the company are raised, it is due to
the interests of the public that the powers for
repealing the provisions of former Acts to
the effect that the second-class carriages
shall be closed and have glass windows, that
third-class carriages shall be covered and have
seats, and that the company shall run third-class
trains every day, as often as the Commissioners
shall prescribe, should be withdrawn from the pre-
sent Bill. The Commissioners are of opinion that
the repeal of the clauses in the former Act, pro-
viding that the direct geographical distance, as mea-
sured on the Ordnance map, and not the distance
according to the length of railway, is to be that for
which companies are empowered to charge, will
not operate prejudicially to the interests of the public.

ANOTHER GORHAM CASE.—It is stated that a case
very closely resembling that of the Rev. Mr. Gorham and
the Bishop of Exeter is likely to occur in the diocese of
Gloucester and Bristol. The magistrates having appointed
the Rev. Mr. Simpson, who is understood to be the editor
of a publication called The Protestant, to the chaplaincy of
the Bridewell, in that city, a number of the high church
clergy have memorialised the Bishop, alleging that the Rev.
Gentlemin holds the heretical opinion that baptismal rege-
neration is not a doctrine of the Church of England, and
praying his Lordship, on that account, to refuse him the ne-
cessary licence. It remains to be seen what course the
Bishop will take in the matter, which has giyen rise to a
good deal of interest in the neighbourhood.