The Sun.
London, England, 1844-07-18 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JULY 18. 1844.

coming to Parliament for a local Act. He hoped the
Government would consent to the amendment, which
would have a tendency to reconcile the ratepayers and
the poor to the operation of the law.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM said this question ought to
be decided upon principle, and he had last year admitted
that many of the unions embraced too large an area, and
be had proposed that committees of guardians should be
formed to receive applications for relief in the distant
districts. He saw a notice given by the Hon. Member
for Westmoreland to give power to the Commissioners,
even without the consent of guardians, to alter the
boundaries of unions. thought it would be better
that the decision of the Committee should be first taken
on the proposition of the Hon. Member for Westmoreland;
if that preposition should be adopted this proviso would
be unnecessary ; and if it were not adopted his Gallant
Friend could, it' he would postpone it now, bring it for-
ward as a distinct proviso on bringing up the report
and if his Hon. and Gallant Friend would make a slight
alteration in the wording of the clause he would consent
to his proposition. But he thought it best that the pro-
position of the Hon. Member. for-Westmoreland should
be first decided, as it was a most important proposition,
and worthy of, most attentive consideration.
Mr. WAKLEY supported the amendment.
Colonel WOOD, at the suggestion of Sir J. Graham,
postponed his amendment till the bringing up of the
report.
The clause as amended was then agreed to.
Onclause 58 being proposed, which related to the
appointment of paid auditors by parishes under. local
Acts,
Mr. HOG G moved that the parishes of St. George,
St. Pancras, Marylebone, and St. James's, should be
excluded from the provisions of-the clause. -
Sir J. GRAHAM said that if he could be satisfied
that an independent audit under Sir John Hobhonse's-
Act was secure, then he should say the present clause
was superfluous and unnecessary as regarded those
parishes.
Sir C. NAPIER did not think that barristers were
fit persons to be appointed au,litors. The system adopti'd
in the parish of Marylebone with respect to the appoint.
ments of auditors had worked iu the best possible man-
ner. Ile moved that the Chairman do report progress.
Sir B. HALL said that he had paid a good deal of at-
tention to the parish affairs of Marylebone, and he had
never heard of any complaint with respect to the ap-
pointment of auditors in that parish. .
Sir J. GRAHAM said he did not care who appointed
the auditors, provided that the auditors were independent
of the body appointing them. He wished to, consult the
wishes of the rate-payers. If they were satisfied, then
he should be satisfied also.—(Hear, hear.) Ile would,
therefore, not press that part of the clause which went
to the appointment of barristers as auditors.—(Hear.)
The clause, as amended, was then ordered to stand
part of the Bid. •
Clause 59 was agreed to.
On clause -60 being proposed,
Mr. HENLEY was understood to propose- that all
future clerks of boards of guardians should he attorne) s
Colonel SII3THORP was understood to support the
proposition.
Sir J. GRAHAM strongly opposed the proposition,
which would have the effect of mixing up law and liti-
gation in every: matter of business, however triviallt
might be. The open system of appointment had worked
well, and why then interfere with it ?
Mr. WAKLEY said.if they were to require the
clerks to boards of guardians to be lawyers they would
instantly entail an expense of thousands and thousands
upon every union in the kingdom.—(]fear, hear.) He
was most strongly opposed to the suggestion of the Hon.
Member for Oxfurdshire, and he trusted the Govern-
ment would remain firm in its determination not to con-
sent to it.

asked him' (Mr. Duncombe), to band into them the list
'of witnesses by whom his charges were to be
proved. He said, were he to do this, he should attend
in the condition of an accuser ten times more than be-
fore, and he could only comply with this demand on
condition that he was present during the examina-
tion of these witnesses. The Committee then stated
that they did not possess any such power as that of
letting him be present without the leave or permission
of the House. In that opinion. he (Mr. Dunconibe)
fully concurred ; and as they pressed fur his list of wit-
nesses he (Mr. Duncombe) made a formal application
that the Chairman of the Committee should apply
to the House for permiss; on to enable him to
be present, he of course being perfectly willing
to pledge himself to the same secrecy—(Hear, hear)—
which the other Members- of the Committee were bound
to observe. -He was then ordered to withdraw ; and on
his return he was infOriiiied that the Committee had
decided to ask the permission of the House for him to be
present at their sittings. He (Mr. Duheombe) certainly
had nothing to complaih of'in 'the demeanour of any of
the Members of the CoMmittee towardi him. They were
all of them in their manner, most indulgent to him
(Hear, and a laugh)-e-indeid, hi might almost term
their conduct as almost coaxing.--(Loud laughter.) It
was then suggested to me that I might leave my papers
in the hands of some Member in whom he had con&
dence, and who might put all the requisite questions.—
(Hear, hear.) To this he (Mr. Duncombe) had re-
plied with perfect candour and courtesy that he had
equal confidence in all of them.—(Loud laughter.)
He was perfectly well aware that certain witnesses
would give their evidence reluctantly, to say the
least, and thlt others would, probably, not give it
at all ; in which case it would be impossible for
the Committee to enter into the merits of the
question.. Still the CoMmittee pressed him very
much to give up his list and to place them in a position
in which he stocd himself. He said it was totally im-
possible that he could do so unless he himself
were present at the examination. Well now, let them
look at the state of this question. In the
first place he was called to furnish a list of witnesses to
support certain charges which he had made, and he was
not to be present during the time that those witnesses
were to be examined. The Committee was appointed,
as he had before said, to investigate certain charges which
he (Mr. Duncombe) had brought against the 'Government,
'but it turned round suddenly and converted itself in fact
_into a tribunal for trying his (Mr. Duncombe's) veracity—
(Hear, hear.) He was perfectly ready to submit his
' credibility to that Committee, but it was totally impossi-
ble that -any gentleman 'who hai not taken the pains
that he had to become master of the subject, could exa-
mine the witnesses in the same manner as himself.
They must remember that no lawyer was allowed to be
on the Committee. Here were nine gentlemen turned
into a room, totally ignorant of the subject they were
called on to investigate.---(Hear, hear.) It was well
known that the chief witnesses which they had exa-
mined were the different heads of the depart-
ments, and he maintained . that, as far as they
had gone, or were likely to go, they had only
skimmed the surface on this great and important ques-
tion. The public would not be satisfied if the matter
remained in its present position. The public- did not
want a report containing a great deal of original or
antique research, but they wanted to know the
exat circumstances under which this power had
been exercised by the present and past Govern-
ments. He maintained that the truth could not be
ascertained, unless be were present during the examine.
Lion of certain witnesses. It was for the House to deal
with the question as in their wisdom they might think
proper.
Lord SANDON and Mr. HUME then rose to address
the House amidst some confusion.
The SPEAKER hauing observed, that there was no
question before the House.
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE moved, that it be an instruction
to the Committee that he might be present during the
examination of such witnesses as he might think proper
to examine.
Mr. HUME seconded the motion.
Lord SANDON, as Chairman of the Committee,
wished to make one or two remarks. He complained of
the terms of the Honourable Member's notice, the
Honourable Member having himself admitted to the
Committee that he could not be allowed to examine the
witnesses without an application to the House.
The Committee felt that the Hon. Gentleman had ni'
knowledge of the parties himself, and that he only acted
on information received from others. For him to be
present, therefore, examining witnesses and observing
the evidence, would have been virtually to have put hien
on the Committee—(Hear, hear)—without his having
the responsibility of being a member of it. The Com-
mittee conceived themselves to be quite capable
of examining witnesses themselves ; but they did not
think that it would in any way defeat the object of the
investigation to refuse to admit him to be present during
the inquiry. They should be most happy to have the
Hon. Alember on the Committee, if the House should
think fit to place him there, as he would then have the
same responsibility as the other Members of it.
Mr. HUME said he was sorry that this question had
been managed as it had been. It had thrown a great
deal of scandal on the British Government abroad, and
the present proceeding was likely to add to it.—(Hear.)
He was sorry he was not in the House when the Com-
mittee was appointed, or he should have opposed the
omission of his Hon. Friend's name. He believed in the
annals of Parliament no similar instance• would be found
of a person coming forward as his Hon. Friend had done,
and giving himself all the trouble he had done, fur which
the country owed him a great deal.---(Hear, hear.) The
Committee were placed in a limited sphere ; they had
only official men before them, and could know nothing
of the persons who gave information to his Hon. Friend.
He thought the Noble Lord took a narrow view of
what the Committee had to do. The Noble Lord
said that his Honourable Friend wanted to be
aware of all the secrets of the Committee,
but his Hon. Friend never wanted to be a member of the
Committee, and be only wished to be present during the
examination of those witnesses who were to support
those charges which he made on his own responsibility.
His Hon. Friend' did not want to vote.--(Hear, hear.)
He only wished before the report was made, that an op-
portunity should be given to him to have• that part
of the inquiry sifted. Few persons would have takes upon
themselves the responsibility of making those grave and
serious charges against the Government which his Hon.
Friend had done, and it was impossible to convey to any
individual Member of the Committee that which his Hon.
Friend had the means of doing. He, therefore, put it to
the Right Hon. Baronet whether his Hon. Friend ought
not to be present. On thess grounds he should second
the motion of his Hon. Friend.
Sir R. PEEL said he was unwilling to throw any
technical difficulty in the way of the motion which the
Hon. Gentleman had made, although he thought he was
;justified, according to the rules of the House, in object-
ing to a member of that House stating anything with
respect to'the proceedings "lof a Secret Committee.
but he was unwilling to debar the Hon. Gentleman the
opportunity or making his statement. No notice of.a
motion had be en given, and he (Sir R. Peel) was at a
loss to understand the grounds upon which the Hon.
Gentleman had made the present motion. The
House would recollect the circumstances under
which this Committee had been appointed. When
the proposal first was made' almost unqualified satisfac-
tion was expressed with respect to the formation of that
Committee.—(Cries of " No, no.") He did not mean to
say that it was universal, but the Committee was allowed
to be appointed without notice being given. That
Committee was composed of men well known
for their impartiality and intelligence. In that
Committee the majerity of the Members were
opposed to her Majesty't Government. Four Members
were in the habit of voting with her Majesty's
Government, and five with the Opposition, and the
whole of those five Members voted for the motion of the
Hon. Gentleman for a Select Committee. That Com-
mittee had sat for several days, and he left it to every
Member to judge whether her Majesty's G overnment had
withheld a single fact from the knowledge of the Com-
mittee bearing on the inquiry, and whether they
had thrown the slightest obstacle in the way
of the inquiry, or imposed the slightest

The proposition of the Hon. Member for Oxfordshire
was then understood to be withdrawn.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM then moved that the Chair-
man report progress and ask leave to sit again this day.
SAVINGS' BANKS.
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE presented two petitions com-
plaining of the operation of the Savings' Bank Regula-
tion Bill.

Mr. LABOUCHERE said it would be well for the
House to recollect the principle they had adopted in the
appointment of this Committee.—(Hear, hear.) They
had departed from the usual precedents in form-
ing Committees ; for they had determined that
they would have .no. lawyers on the Com-
mittee that the accuser. himself should not be
present—nnd also that they, would exclude from it all
those who did hold or had held high office in her Ma-
jesty's Council.--(Hear.) He confessed that at the time
he thought this was a fair principle, but circumstances
took place a short time afterwards, which excited in his
mind, and in she minds of many other Members, the
greatest possible surprise..--(Loud cries of " Hear,
hear.") He found from the usual organs of informa-
tion that a Committee on the same subject
had been appointed by. the House of Lords,
which Committee was • formed on a totally dif-
ferent principle than than suggested by the Ministers
for the House of Commons. For on the Committee of

the Lords were three ex-Ministeil, two of them being
ex-Chancellors, men, of course, accustomed to the most
skillful mode of examination ; either for sup-
pressing or for eliciting information. If the Go-
vernment meant to act upon a totally different
principle elsewhere, they ought not to have pursued this
course in the House of Commons. With regard to the
motion before the House, he quite agreed in the statement
that the House must choose between putting -the Hon.
Member for Finsbury on the Committee, or allowing
him to examine particular witnesses himself.
Sir R. PEEL said, he really must say that he thought
it would have been much more consistent with the
duty *of the Right Hon. Gentleman if he felt any objec-
tion to the constitution of the Committee that he should
have stated that objection at the time when it was ap-
pointed.—(Hear, hear.) If the lion. ,Gentleman thought
that there ought to have been two Members of the pre-
sent Government on it, and two of the past, or that there
ought to have been lawyers, it would have been easy for
him to have made a motion to that effect. The Right Hon:
Gentleman complained of the exclusion of the Hon.
Member for Finsbury. V by the Earl of Radnor, who had
brought forward the charge in the House of Lords, had
been excluded by his own consent, although lawyers were
appointed. The appointment of such eminent lawyers in
the House of Lords was a decided proof that the Govern-
ment had no wish to exclude lawyers.
Mr. LABOUCHERE said that the Right Hon. Gen-
tleman had a little misunderstood the nature of his ob-
jection. He had expressed his surprise thaf the Govern-
ment in one place had attached the greatest importance to
the Committee being soconstituted as to exclude lawyers
and ex-Ministers, while in another place the Committee
contained two lawyers and three ex-Ministers.
Mr. V. SMITH said be had understood, when he
voted. for the Committee, that no members of the Go.
vernment were to be concerned in the investi:

gation. The Government ought to have acted the
same in one place as another. The Committee
had not placed the Hon. Member for Finsbury in the
box, and said, " We will report you to the House if you
do not answer, as they ought to have done-7-(Hear,
hear)—the public would now know that there was infor-
mation in the hands of a Member of that House which
he had not been pressed to give. In the Committee on
election compromises the House had not scrupled to
but the accuser on the CoMmittee and in the chair of
it. He should therefore move that the Hon. Manners
Sutfon, and Mr. T. Duncombe be added to the Ctimmittee.
The question having been put,
The O'CONNOR DON referred to what had been
done by the Committee with regard to the presence of
the Hon. Member for Finsbury. He did not think it
would be right for the House to rescind the resolution
to which it had come when it negatived the proposition
that he should be a member of the Committee.
(LEFT SPEAKING.)

ANNIVERSARY of the STORMING
OF THE BASTILE.

The sixth commemoration in London of the above
event—one which has been ahvays honoured by such re-
unions in every town in France—took place at the
Crown and Anchor Tavern, on Monday, 15th July.
The meeting, which was in the large room, and nu-
merously attended, was remarkable for the perfect har-
mony which subsisted, in an assembly composed of such
various elements as the natives of different European na-
tions thus brought together. A new and peculiar cha-
racteristic was exhibited by this festival, in the cordia-
lity and fraternity of sentiment displayed by the natives
of nations but recently considering themselves enemies.
A gratifying and unanswerable proof was thus exhibited,
that a people who are guided solely by their genuine
feelings, and alive to their true interests, have no diffi-
culty in understanding one another, in effacing the pre-
judices which have separated them, and which govern-
ments have basely endeavoured to perpetuate among
them.

The numerous patriotic addresses pronounced in the.
principal European languages, and especially those sen-
timents which invoked the union of all nations in the
same bond of morality and fraternity, were received
with the highest enthusiasm and reiterated plaudits.
Patriotic songs and hymns vi ere also sung, in which all
present j3ined in chorus. So many 'working-men—the
representatives, it may he said, of the chief Continental
nations—thus united, as it were, in one family ineetieg,
and in whom amity and cordiality were displayed no less
in•words than in looks, tones, and gestures, formed a
truly delightful and exhilarating spectacle. The evening's
proceedings redound to the honour of those true
cosmopolitans, who have too much good sense and
humanity to permit their governments and a corrupt
press to foment strives and jealousies among them. and
_ who have shown evidences of a universality of feeling,
which appeared to 'make the natives of each particular
country think he had found his home. It was an • evi-
dence of no ordinary liberality and delicacy •of senti-
ment, that the president,. elected by the conductors of the
meeting—themselves Frenchmen, and assembled on a
French anniversary,==was a native of another nation.
-.A collection was made in the course of the evening for
the 'Spanish refugees.
It was also unanimously decided that an association be
formed for the assistance of foreigners in distress in all
countries. Movement.
IMPEit/AL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF COMMONS. July 17.
METROPOLITAN BUILDINGS BILL.
The House then went into Committee on this Bill.
The various clauses were then rapidly gone through.
On arriving at the schedules,
Mr. HAWES complained of the manner in which
public business was hurried on. He thought the Noble
Lord might have postponed the Bill without any great
stretch of courtesy, knowing that he (Mr. Hawes) had
several amendments to propose. Everything was pressed
on with a degree of reckless precipitancy quite unbe-
coming the dignity of Parliament and unworthy of a
Government. He should give the Bill all the opposition
he could in its future stages.
The Earl of LINCOLN said the objections of the Hon.
Member were vague and uncalled for. The greater part
of the provisions of the Bill had been agreed to. The ob-
jections to the Bill were confined to few individuals. It
was the Hon. Member's fault if he was not in the House,
and he had no right to blame the Government for the effects
of his absence. The Bill had been fully discussed out of
that House, and had received mature consideration in
Parliament. He the (Earl of Lincoln) should consider
himself as guilty of a deviation from his line of duty if
he further postponed the Bill.
On schedule C being proposed, •
Mr. HAWES moved that the words " district sur-
veyor" be inserted instead of "official referee."
The Committee divided, when there appeared—
For the amendment lO
Against it 25
Majority against the amendment —l5
On the question that schedule C stand part of the Bill,
Mr. HAWES moved that it be omitted, and the Com-
mittee again divided, when. there appeared--
For the schedule 29
Against it.
Majority in favour of the schedule —24
Sir J. GRAHAM suggested that the Chairman should
now report progress.
Tha CHAIRMAN then reported progress, and obtained
leave to sit again.
Mr. HAWES defen‘led the course he had adopted in

taking the sense of the Committee upon schedule C of
this Bill. It provided that no man should erect such a
paltry building as a green-house within fifteen miles of
Ile metropolis, without coming to Whitehall-place, in

order to have the plan sithruitted to an official referee.
This, he contended, was vexatious.
The Earl of LINCOLN said the provision was not
compulsory in all cases.
The House again went into Committee,, and the
schedules were proceeded with.
Mr. Alderman HUMPHERY objected to the' para-
graph defining the duties of official referees as to the
style of the construction of green-houses and other
buildings. Such a power was most inquisitorial, and
ought never to have been thought of.
Mr. HAWES said he would certainly divide the
House against that paragraph of the schedule.
Mr. DARBY thought the power ought may to exist
as to public buildings and places of public amusement.
The Earl of LINCOLN said he was anxious to meet the
Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Hawes) fairly, and he would,
therefore, consent to the omission of the paragraph alto-
gether on the bringing up of the report.—(Hear.)
Several other schedules were then agreed to, with
some slight modifications.
-On schedule K being proposed,
Mr. Alderman HUMPHERY objected to the pay-
ment of the surveyors by fees. The surveyors under the
old Act had made 1,5001. a year, which was a great deal
too much.

The Ear] of LINCOLN said the emoluments of the dis

TORY ACT.

THUNDER-STORM IN MAN-
CHESTER.

trict surveyors from fees were various, varying from 7001.
to 501. per annum. The average was not more than 2001.
per annum, and the present Bill rather diminished than
increased their fees.

Oa Moriday morning, about ten minutes or a quarter
past nine o'cluck, this town, with its immediate neigh-
bourhood, especially Ardwick, was visited by a rather
severe thunder-storm. Black and dense clouds, driving
from the- north and west, rapidly obscured the atmos-
phere ; the rain fell in a heavy shower ; and, about half-
past nine there was an exceedingly vivid flash of light
ning, followed at an interval of scarcely a second by a
very loud clap of thunder. This was as experienced in
the centre of the town ; but, as we have intimated, the
locality of Ardwick appeared to be within the more
immediate influence of the storm. In the Polygon
Avenue the electric fluid struck one of a row
of poplar trees, near a wooden fence, and
stripped the bark off it for a considerable breadth,
separating it into loose fibres. The lightning also struck
the paling, and threw a portion of it down. A gentle-
man who saw the place almost immediately afterwards,
describes it as being caused by the flash, almost instantly
followed by the loud clap of thunder already noticed.
But the most remarkable effects of the electric fluid re-
main to be noticed.

Mr. Alderman HUMPHERY thought it would be
better to give each district surveyor 5001. a year, and
make him pay his fees into the Exchequer.
The remaining schedules were agreed to, and the
House resumed.

The Earl of LINCOLN moved that the report should
be brought up at twelve o'clock to-morrow (this day).
After a few words from Mr. HAWES,
Mr. Alderman HUMPHERY said that, unless the
Noble Lord would consent to delay the bringing up of
the report until Monday, so as to give the parties in-
terested an opportunity of making themselves acquainted
with the contents, he should divide. It was too bad to
attempt to pass such a measure in a House of fifteen
Members, at ten o'clock at night.
The Earl of LINCOLN was determined the Bill should
not be fixed for Monday• and, if the Hon. Member for
Southwark chose, hemight persevere in his division, and
count out the House by that means, in which case the
Bill would come up to-morrow as a dropped order, and
then he (Lord Lincoln) would state when he, proposed
to take it.

About the time when the loudest clap of thunder was
heard in Manchester, the electric fluid entered a cottage
occupied by Mrs. Ferguson, in York-street, Chancery-
lane, Ardwick, near Pin Mill Brow, and struck a boy
named James Edward Jackson, about ten years of
age, who, with 'his sister, a young woman named
Ann Jackson, had gone into a house a short time
previously. It appears that the boy was not fully
dressed, and had a shawl wrapped round his waist, the,
shawl reaching nearly to his feet, and a little above the
lower part of his jacket. He was without shoes and stock-
ings, but was standing in pattens, and was also without
hat or cap. The account that he is able to give of the
occurrence, and which we conceive must be taken with
considerable allowances, is as follows:—" I was standing
near the fire-place, and a round ball, red like fire, came
down the chimney, and ran round my head, and then to
my feet; and, after it ran round my head, it burst out
into a flame near the chimney-piece. After it left me,
it went out at the front door into York-street." The boy
also states, that when he felt the " ball of fire" run
round his head, he drew the shawl up so as to cover it.
His hair, especially at the back part of his head, is
singed, as well as the, upper part of the shawl, which
was folded in the ordinary manner. Indeed, the shawl
is much scorched and discoloured at that part. His feet
and ankles are scorched, and the outside of his right leg
blistered; but he received no other injury. He further
states that a teapot, which was standing on the grate, fell
after he felt the sensation of something running round
his head, as above described ; and that, after he saw the
flame, he heard a loud report. His sister, who was in
the house at the time, corroborates the boy's statement
as to seeing flame going out at the front door ; and Mrs.
Thornley, who keeps a shop in the same street, states,
that she heard a scream at the time in question, and
looked out, when she saw flame in the street, and
thought " the whole street was on fire." Mrs. Fergu-
son's house is described to have been full of smoke after
the occurrence; but it does not appear that anything
was damaged connected with the house, except the
chimney-pot, which was broken. All the neighbours
concur in describing the report which accompanied the
flash as one of the loudest and most awful claps of thun-
der they ever heard..—Manchester Guardian.

Alderman HUMPHERY suggested that the Bill
should be again brought before the House on Saturday.
He did not think the Noble Lord had any right to taunt
him ; he had a right to oppose the Bill at the first or at
the eleventh hour. He would persevere in his motion.
It was an obnoxious Bill.

The Earl of LINCOLN said he would give the lion.
Member the unfair advantage he had taken, and fix the
reception of the report for Friday or Saturday, at twelve
o'clock.

After some further observations, the motion was with-
drawn, and it was agreed that the report be received on
Friday next, at twelve o'clock.
The Earl of LINCOLN announced his intention of
abandoning the Damage by Fire Metropolis Bill: for
the present session, with the intention of making in-
quiries ; and if the result proved favourable, bringing
it on early in the ensuing session.
Sir E. KNATCHBULL moved the consideration of
the petition of Sir John E. Honeywood (presented 11th
July). He gave notice that, in the next session of Par-
liament he would move for a Bill to explain and amend
the Act for the Commutation of Tithes.

The petition was then ordered to be printed.
The other orders of the day were then disposed of,
and the House adjourned at Half-past Ten o'clock.

•
THUNDER-STORM AT ROCHDALE. About nine
o'clock on Monday morning this town and neighbour
hood was visited with a dreadful thunder-storm, which
lasted upwards of an hour. The rain descended in
torrents, intermixed with pieces of ice as large as
marbles. Loud peals of thunder followed each
other in rapid succession, and the lightning
was brilliant and dazzling. The heavens tip.
a t shorthe
spoema Tee d
ofwrtahpepedstrienetsdarhkandess.almFeorst
appear-
ance of a river ; and everything threatened a return
of the 4th of July, 1838, when so many buildings were
swept away at Spotland-bridge. The lower part of
the town was quickly flooded. Some little property on
the new wall was spoiled, from the water rushing
in. The lightning was awful and grand. The
electric fluid struck the . counting-house chimney
of Messrs. Petrie, ironfounders, Mount Pleasant, and
ran down the roof, breaking the blue slates, and passed
along the roof by a connecting rod iron, and entered the
moulder's shop, where a number of men were at work.
They describe the place as filled with fire, rolling like
waves. The men rushed out, thinking the building was
falling down, so dreadful was the shock ; and many
complained of feeling smart shocks as if thy had been
electrified. The electric fluid then passed to the plan-
ning room, where Mr. William Petrie was standing in
conversation with one of the men. It played upon IV
polished wheel and the planing machine, and passed
out of the room without doing any injury.—Manchester
Guardiwa

ST. SWITHIN.
The continuance of rainy weather commonly experi-
enced about the middle of July, has given rise, it is sup-
posed, to the popular tradition respecting St. Swithin,
whose anniversary day is on the 15th of the month.
We have elsewhere noticed the thunder-storm which
ushered in St. Swithin here, on Monday morning ; and
have since had the curiosity to make some inquiries as
to the quantity of rain which has fallen in Manchester
during the month of July for the last fourteen years ;
and we find the following to be the quantities :
July. Inches. July. Inches.
1830 3.21 1837 3'4B
1831 3.50 1838 3'46
1832 2.47 1839 4'63
1833 " 2'27 1840 5lB
1834 6'7l 1841 5'54-
1835 1.94 1842 3.40
1836 3'4o 1843 s'l7
This gives an average fall of rain during July of
nearly four inches. In 1842, we find that 2.09 inches
fell in the first half of July, and only 1.31 inch in the
latter half—which is the one appropriated to St. Swithin's
rainy influence. In 1843, on the contrary, 1.66 inch fell
in the first, and 3.51 inches in the last half of the month.
In the present month (1844), the fall of rain in the first
half, including the shoWers on Monday morning (0.29
inch); measures 1.51 inch.
But we next come to the state of the weather on St.
Swithin's day (Ju7y 15) on the last nine anniversaries of
the watery saint. In 1836 (Friday) the day was wet,
and the fall of rain during the week was 1.20 inch.
In 1837 (Saturday) it was a rainy day ; fall dur-
ing the week 1'25. In 1838 (Sunday) it was a
fair morning, but a rainy afternoon ; and the fall
during the week was only 0.54 inch. In 1839
(Monday) the day was showery ; but the rain during
the week only 0.75 inch. In 1840 (Wednesday) it was
very fine all day, but rain fell at night ; and in the week
beginning on the following day, two inches of rain fell.
In 1841 (Thursday) it was gloomy in the morning, showery
at noon, and fine in the afternoon ; only 6-100ths of an inch
of rain fell during the day, and 1-17 inch during the week.
In 1842 (Friday) it was fine all day ; not a drop of rain fell,
and the quantity during the week was only 0.10 inch. In
1843 (Saturday) it was cloudy, and a little rain
(2.looths of an inch) fell the early part of the day ;
but the remainder of the day was fine, and the
week's quantity was 0.27. In 1844 (Monday last)
there was a heavy thunder shower in the morning,
Which cleared the air, and the weather was beautifully
fine the remainder of the day. The fall during two hours,
however, exceeded the week's quantity of last year, being
0.29 inch. The above, though ranging through only a
limited number of years, will serve to show that St
Swithin's day is not always so wet as is generally sup-
posed ; and all that can be predicated with any degree of
certainty is that, from causes familiar to meteorologists,
July is usually a very rainy month, as well as upon an
average the hottest month of the year ; and it is worthy
of note, that the increase to the mean temperature is de-
rived chiefly from the night.—Manchester Guardian.

INFORMATION UNDER THE FAC-

At the Ashton petty sessions, on Saturday, Mr. Davies,
the inspector of factories for this district, preferred an
information against James Shaw, an overlooker in the
employ of Messrs. John and Nathaniel Howard, for
having, on the 27th day of June, employed a boy, named
Hugh Harrop, to work as a piecer for twelve hours in
the day, he not being of the age required by law.
The case excited some degree of interest. Mr. N. Earl
solicitor, appeared on behalf of the defendant. Mr.
Davies said that he had the painful task of bringing the
present charge before the Bench ; but, considering all the
circumstances in connection with the case, he felt it his
duty to do so. He visited Messrs. Howard's mill on
the 27th of June, and found the boy, who had not the
appearance of being thirteen, working as a piecer.
On referring to the books in the mill, he found he
was regularly entered as having been certified by
the surgeon to be of the proper age, seeing which, he
was led to make further inquiry into the matter.
He waited upon Mr. Wood, the certifying surgeon,
and inquired whether he had given a certificate to such
a lad as he pointed out. Mr. Wood told him that he
had not done so ; that the boy Harrop was brought
to him, but he refused to give any certificate, say-
ing at the same time that he would not do, but that
he did give one to another boy who was much olds r, of
the name of Hugh Harrop. Several witnesses were called
who, on being sworn, stated that they saw the defen-
dant coming out of Mr. Wood's 'surgery, on Monday
the 10th of June, and that the boy Harrop was waiting
outside, to whom the defendant give a piece of
paper. The certificate found in the book at the mill,
Mr. Davies said, bore the date of the 10th of June. Mr
Wood, in answer to Mr. Davies, said that he was quite
sure that he had never passed the boy Harrop. In
answer to Mr. Earl he stated that he did pass one boy
working at Messrs. llowards, but not the boy referred
to. Was quite certain that the boy he found at work was
not the boy certified in the name of Hugh Harrop.—The
boy Harrop, on being called, said that he was passed,
and that Mr. Wood put his hand upon his head,
and looked in his mouth, to judge of his age.—Eliza-
beth Boyles said she was in Mr. Wood's surgery on the
10th of June, when a lusty man came in with two boys,
and that , one of the boys was registered by the
surgeon ; she could not say positively whether defen-
eant was the person who brought the boys in or not.
In answer to Mr. Earl, the witness said that she
could not say whether the last witness was the boy that
was registered. She did not take particular notice at the
time. Mr. Earl said that it was not so much for the amount
of any pmalty that might be inflicted, as it was. to
clear up what appeared to him so mysterious a ease
as the one before the Bench, that he appeared there on
that oceasiol. He argued at some length the possibi-
lity that Mr. Wood, in the multiciplicity of business,
might easily have made a mistake. He called several
witnesses, who stated that they saw the defendant
leave the surgery, there being no other boy with or
near him at the time but the boy'Hugh Harrop.—Mr.
Davies replied, and referred the Bench to the evidence
given by Mr. Wood and the witness Boyles. He stated
that he entirely exonerated. the Messrs. Howards
from all blame in the matter, believing, as he did, that they
knew nothing at all of the cases—Mr. Lord said thnt he
considered the case had been very properly conducted on
both sides. There was no doubt from the evidence which
had been given, that defendant had acted improperly, but
he thought a small penalty in the present case would serve
every purpose.—Mr. Davies said there was another ease
arising out of the first, but he did not wish to press for
more than a nominal penalty for the second offence.—
Mr. Garnett, the Chairman, said the Bench were quite
satisfied of defendant's guilt, and convicted him in 40s,
--Mr. Davies said that if defendant paid costs in the se.
cond case that wouli be all he should require.—Mr.
Howard said that he believed the defendant to be inno-
cent, and he would pay the money for him.

BIRTHS. COI9
04 .$ oly
On the 10th inst., at Longford Hall, Derby, A --°
of Leicester, of a son, which survived its birth lifo
hours. 0-4'
Pal>/
On the 10th inst , at Brunswick-square, St.
Robert Aylwin, of a daughter.
all
ei r
MARRIED. . e/ /SIP
On the 2d inst., at Edinburgh, Lieutenant-Cola
fief, 40,
Low, of the Madras Army, to Thomasina Afejler4,l
daughter; and William. Logan White, Esq., °f„, Sir ''
advocate, to Jane, younger daughter, of the late 31,04,..(1'
Foulis, Bart., of Colinton.
,_, t. Moe P.
On the 6th inst., at St. John's, Paddington, LAPf the ',,
Royal Artillery, to Cara Mary, only daughter 0 i,......._.._ j,....,.......,,./gce''
Dance, Esq., bcputy Commissary-General to the
'
DO: • ID.
On the Bth inst., at NewD
Brighton, near Liyel,°:ol;e3Y;
ham Welland, Esq., late of the Hon. East India
~04, 0
Bengal Civil Service, aged 79. vila
On the Bth inst., at Gravesend, Mrs. Ann SbarP' Dsll°
J. Sharp. 'los
NOT MERELY A CURE BUT ALMOST A MIRACLE,
h i
On the 9th inst., at Preston, the Rev. T—e°Ph
c ble,
Rector of Horndon aged 47. of 'ref' Li
EFFECTED BY HOLLOWAY'S PILLS.—Mrs. Curley, resid-
On the 9th inst., in London, Mr. T. A. Teulon, ecoo
ing at 15, Green-street, Bonner-street, Betlinal-green, park, Limpsfield, Surrey, aged 81. arrlet , °
Mn
had been dangerously ill for two years,,was a patient at On the 9th inst., at Boulogne-sur-
er, plOcel
the London and Bartholomew. Hospitals, and told that daughter of Henry Hewgill, Esq. .reeo,, °-
her stomach and kidneys were much diseased, could keep On the 9th inst., in Wilton-street, Gr°s' gad
nothing whatever on her stomach ; she was likewise a Ph(c)cnbeihtehLwife. of C. Falconar, Esq.
,5,,..._t0,, Dfisl4
dreadful sufferer from piles: finally, she got so bad as to hdaniiisztaeart -(.3,lfltirienrayte-row,
Louisa, eldeNtt keep her bed for nine months, from which dsngerous On the 10th' inst.,- at Petworth, Sussex, Gal
,
state she haA just be:n restored-to the full enjoyment of Hale, Esq., M.D. ,6,01,
health, by the means of these extraordinary pills. Sold ; .........----... --- -- -,—n- -OR 111
(also Holloway's Ointment) at Professor Holloway's es- ; London : Printed and PUblislted by MUltviice. 11-.tf
tablishment, - 244, Strand (where advice may he had i No. 112. Strand, Printer, at The Sun 0,4 00
gratis); and by almost all respectable vendors of medi- i Strand, in the Prg,cinct of the Savoy, hi '
cine throughout the civilised world, Middlesex, Thursday, July 18, 1844.