The Sun.
London, England, 1845-09-20 00:00:00

4'4
,
' 1

ItANSPORTATION.

In the laa►, report of the inspectors of 111111 bank Prison,
the following information is afforded on the subject of
transports► ion :—After a careful personal examination
of the prisoners and-of the documents transmitted with
them, the inspectors recommend such disposal with re-
ference to, the age, crime, sentence, arid previous convic-
tions of 'each prisoner, as in accordance with the general
principle.; of the system of convict di. cipline which has
been established by Lord Stanley in the penal colonies,
under which the convicts have to pass through certain
stages of detention and discipline before they become
free. The following is an outline of the mode of dis-
pocal of male transports undci'- the instructions of the
Secre,tary of State :2;--Adt.lt male prisoners sentenced to
ti ar.sportation for life ; the more aggravated cases of
c•ny,eicts sentenced for any term not less than fifteen
ye.trs ; all prisoners sentenced for transportation for
any term for burglary, arson, rape, forgery, or for
robberies attended with personal violence ; and pri-
seners sentenced to transp elation for any offence
(le: term who have been previously transported—are
stint to Ncrrolk Island for terms of not less
than two or more than fotir years. After the pre-
sciibed period of detention in 'Norfolk I-land they have
to pass through certain terms, in Van Diemen's Land,
first in the probationary gang,. afterwards as probation
pass-holders, and finally as holders of tickets of leave
before they obtain their freedom. o.her Ellett male
prisoners, with the exception of those selected for Pen-
, tonville Prison, are sent to Van Diemen's Land for a
term of detention in the probationary gangs of not less
than one year, nor, in except in cases of misconduct, of
more than two years ; these prisoners afterwards pass i
through the stages of probationary pass and ticket of
leave-holders before they obtain their freedom. It ap-
pears that other prisoners are sent to Gibraltar and Ber-
muda and Pentonville Prison, before they are aunt to
the Australian colonies, or Van Diemen's Land; others,
. who are unfit for active lablur, to the invalid hulk at
Woolwich. Juvenile male prisoners under sentence of
transportation, wholare deemed fit subjects, are sent to
Parkhurst Prison, and the remainder are sent to Point
Puer in Van Diemen's Land, where there is an esta•
bli.hteent for convict boys.
•
I METEOROLOGICAL PREDIC-

TIONS, WITH OBSERVATIONS ON THE WEA-
THER TO THE MONTH OF DECEMBER IN-
CLUSIVE.

(From the Cheltenham Journal of Sept. 1.)
The statement of the weather, as published in the
Cheltenham papers in May last, and subsequently in the
Morning Herald and Sun newspapers, was to the follow-
ing effect :—" June, to the 10th of the month, will be
generally cold for the season"— the result exactly corre-
sponied. "From the 10th to the 21st the heat will in-
crease considerably?' It will be well remembered that
from the 11th or 12th to th 6" 21st of June, the heat
b, came excessive. Prediction, -from the 21 to the end
of the month, " considerably colder ;" the result corre-
sponding.
July prediction.—'"Prom the 2d to the 10th the heat
will again incrow, though not so powerfully as ex-
perienced during the period froin the 10th to the 21st of
June." The result of the weather from July 3d to the
10th was a return of the heat to a considerab:e extent ;
from the 10th of the month the weather became un-
settled, cold at intervals, and much wet. The cold and
wet on the approach of August, to the Bth day, con-
tinued as stated in the prediction. August, "cold to
the :th."

Prediction 'from the 71h of August.—The weather
would be very hot, and fine harvest weather would suc-
ceed to the month of 'September:
Result.—The Bth of August proved a fine day, but
was followed on the 9th and -10th by two wet ones.
Since the 11th inclusive, the weather continued gradually
improving until Monday (18th) 10 P.M., when it rained
much until Tuesday evening. With the exception of
this one wet day the weather has been progressing to
fine, and to the day I write, 22d August, is splendid.
The error to be acknowledged in this prediction is, that
it has b.,en cold generally from the 17th to the 21st, in
place of being hot, as predicted, arising from an in-
clement aspect with the Sun and Herschell. which I had
omitted to calculate. The science of Meteorology is
one of great magnitude, wherein many aspects are to be
mentally. weighed and considered.
The improvements commencing from the 11th of
August, within three days of my prediction, will generally
continue until Sept. 3, and probably longer, which
interval will balance with the published statement in
May last, viz., that from the Bth August and September
would be fine for the harvest.

We will now treat upon the month of September.
From the present date, 22d of August, to the 3d of S-p-
-tember, the atmosphere is under the favourable influence
of a trine of the Sun and Jupiter, and will, as observed
in May, produce " fine harvest weather."
About the Bth, the Sun being in parallel to Venus,
will tend to occasional showers ; on the 15th the Sun is
in declination to an inclement planet, therefore it will he
cool for the season, as the 15th approaches. From the
10th to the 18th, I conceive, if cold, it will I,e fine, but
the periol is dubious, and I am not over cotifident, sue-
c.wded as it is on the 21st by inclement action, which
will render it cold from the 21st to the end of the month.
October. from and after the 9th, will be as warm and
as fine as any October on record, to the end of the
month, and although late may nevertheless prove in-
valuable to the harvest—there are no inclement aspects
operating.
November we have several inclement aspects, such as
the Sun in square to Saturn on the sth, and parallel of
that body on the 13-h, and a continuous semi-square of
the planet Venus all the month, which, collectively con-
sidered, will cause cold and moisture to prevail during
the month, but nut intensely so. Near the end rather
frosty.
December, 1845. Near the 7th or 10th, the weather
will be mild for the season to the 21st, and though occa-
sionally showers will occur, from the coAtinuous semi-
square of the Sun and Venus, still the weather may be
considered favourable and mild for December. About
the 21st it will be fine but a frosty air, as the Sun forms
two inclement aspects, and to the end of the month it
will incline to frost severely extending to January, 1846,
inclusive.

If this study, which from its magnitude requires con-
siderable diligence, together with the closest application,
may conduce to the assistance of agricultute or other
scientific advantages, why a purpose of some utility will
be answered by the time devoted to it. Certain lam
that all the minute and important changes in the state
of our atmosphere are greatly connected with the elec-
tric action of the planetary bodies conjointly with each
other, and their magnetic attraction, when forming cer-
tain angh s, with the Sun and the globe we inhabit. That
the attention, gratuitous, as it has been, has not been un-
succesful, I may instance several important epochs.
Firstly, the rains continuously almost of 1841 and 1842,
in autumn of the former year ; the drought* published
in April, 1844, to last until August, a period of four
months, " with but slight intermissions ;" and the incle-
ment winter of 1844 and 5, published in June, 1844, to
be " such a winter" that had not been experienced since
1814, and as the term winter lasts from December till
March inclusive, the sting then felt will not be readily
forgotten.
But in all the predictions submitted, I have repeatedly
stated that the balance of testimony must decide. I do
not pretend to the accuracy of a single day. Petty ob-
jections were made upon the drought the very first
shower, still it was nevertheless a drought, and keenly
the farmer felt it, the great average of the period pre-
dicted being dry. So it was with the predicted severe winter
because there was a remission of cold in January, 1845,
for nearly three weeks ; December .previously, and
February and March subsequently, but too severely
proved the average amount of time implied in the term
" winter" was but too well fulfilled. Again, in the
prediction published last May, we have June
the periods of weather accurately defined. Also
in July, and in August, the cold to the 7th,
so unusual, and the progression to fine wea•
ther from the 11th inclusive to the present
time, so promising, all correct (excepting the intense
heat) for a period of three mouths. The public have
now a further period before them, as a test of the
principle on which nay Meteorological observations
are founded. Subsequently the winter predic-
tions will appear, and the balance of testimony will
decide on the correctness of the system, or my
knowledge of that system. Not the intervening con-
verse effect of a day, far even to the ad of September
the most promising asp"ct we have, may admit of such
a remission, when the bias to a stormy period prevails
so long, and its operation not completely neutralised to
the time I write. G. T. F. SMITH.
* We have no account in any of our English publications of any
competing announcinent of the drought above mentioned, there-
fore it is fair to assume that, with the above exception, such was
unnoticed by any authority in Europe. And scientifically consi-
dered, as a demonstration of cause and effect, is deserving attention,
for whilst the drought was operating the attributed cause was the
conjunction of Herschel! and Jupiter in north declination, aspected
by Saturn, lasting until August, that on their separation it would
cease, and on their return in winter, 1844-5, would produce such a
winter of severity, not equ lied since the one of 1814. This state-
ment appeared in June, three months previous to M. Arago'.s coin-
ciding prediction of the winter being announced in England.

The Court of Assizes of the Seine was occupied
23,
for
yesterday with the trial of Jacques RibiCre;a
rob-
bery and incendiarism. It appeared t
January, 1843, in the service of an
old
Poncourt barracks.
fus, holding the post of concierge iaot e
tticergprenidsaonnieedr ‘Svaaisii-ei!
One night a cry was heard to ro at
ceeepdofirioncpi gn
thethe door
rmibet
was
I
the prisoner, and on somepersons
found that the roroomwas on tire. Another room was also
discovered to be in the same and the prisoner appeared
with
the
nearly suffocated.
so much overcome 9smtaotke as to e
By the exertions of the soldiers the flames were got under in
both places. It was then discovered that in the second room
a secretary
and writing-desk had been forced open, and large
sums of money in notes and gold taken out. Suspicion fell
onthe prisoner, and he was arrested ; but as no property was
found on him, and as no proof could be procured, after some
time lie was dismissed. He then went to Bellac, his native
place, and there spent large sums of money, for the posses-
sion of which he accounted for differently and contradictorily.
He afterwards disappeared, and nothing was heard of him
until lately, when he was arrested at Marseilles. He was
brought up yesterday to take his trial for having robbed M.
Saurefus, and then set fire to the place to conceal his crime.
When asked to explain the possession of the large sums of
money which he spent in his native place, he replied that he
had found the treasure of Courvoisier. The latter, it may
be remembered, had committed a number of robberies in the
Faubourg St. Germain, and had succeeded in concealing from
detection the property which he had accumulated. When
confronted with Courvoisier the latter denied positively that
the prisoner's story could possibly be true. The prisoner per-
sisted in his assertion, and declared that having been detected
by Courvoisier he had given him back a I,ooof. note.
Conrvoisier allowed that the prisoner had handed him such a
note, but it was for the purpose of getting it changed for him.
The prisoner was found guilty, and 4444110 d to hard labour
for Woo* Galignani of Tgoada7

GRATIS.

THE MURDER OF MR. THOMAS
PEACOP, NEAR ROCK FERRY.

(From the Liverpool Courier of Wednesday.)
Yesterday the prisoners were again brought up before dui'
Rev. R. M. Fie!den, W. Jackson, and W. Porter, Esq.,
The Court was, as on the previous day, crowded with per-.
ions of all clas:;e4 and the greatest excitement was rr. ntr
fest e d..

. The first evidence taken was that of Mr. John ri
Keyzar, commercial trivelkr, who said that he lodged at
New Ferry, near the turnpike-gate.. On the night cf tins
31st of December last he carne from Liverpool by the 'thus
o'clock Uoat, and -after landing he . pt.( ceeded towaTtls his
home- by Rock-lane. %%Alen he had reaclud the tot, and
was turning into the road to Chester, Le heard a cry of
" murdet." It did not strike him that it was anything Liois
than a drunken brawl, and he did not tal- e much noti,_•e 4
it. The cry was repeated again and again, and apra-ently
became fainter. W hen he had gone about 200 yards he per-
ceived something lying on the ground from which' the cries •
proceeded, and he hastened to the spot.- The night was very
thick and dark, and he had to get quite close before he per-
ceived that a man was lying on the ground wtth two men =
dressed in white clothes on him. One was at his head try- '
in}; to stifle his cries, and the other was rifling his pochets.
Witin ss said, " Come oft' the man, you would not murder L
hint ?" He took hold of the cost of one to pull him off, when
he suddenly •perceived a third man in dark clothes; who
struck hint a blow on the forehead, and knocked him sense-
less. He distinctly, saw the stick with which tLe blow was •
given. It was apparently about two feet long, and had
lump at the end of it ; the lump seemed very large to what -
the stick was.- When•witness came to himseff, he found that
he was lying on the road. He went into Butler's public-
house and told them what had happened. Witness was cm.
fined to his bed a week from the effects of the blow ; the large
scar on his forehead was the result of it. He also received a
severe blow on the shoulder, but he did not recollect that
being inflicted. It was done ater his senses were gone.
•

Cross-examined by Mr. Chew—Could not swear to the
stick if he were to see it again.
Superintendent 31‘Kity produced a stick found in Lynch's
house, about eighteen inches in length, with one end
covered for several inches with lead ; but on its being shown
to the witiuss • he said- that had not the appearance of the
weapon with which he was wounded; the knob was not '
sufficiently distinct. The head of a pavier's hammer, con-
sisting Of a lump of iron about an inch and a half long,
an inch broad, and an inch thick, also found in f.3mclee
house, was next shown to the witness, and be said it wo•dd
make such a knob as the one with which be was wounded. -

Mary Sparks, daughter of a farmer at Rock Ferry, remem-
bered the night of the 31st of December. She came fr,ux
Liverpool with her sister in the nine o'clock boat. Mr.
Keyzar went on the lane before them. On reaching the
wood they heard the cry of " Murder," and -" Pray, spire
my life." They went on, but liearing a noise, were afr; id
to proceed, anti waited in the road until constable Newt in
came up. They saw two men run away over the field on the
road side.

Alice Sparks corroborated her Sister's testimony.
John Newton, police-constable, said that he saw the
Ferry nine o'clock boat land, and the parties who had gin
ev,idence go on the lane. He followed, and heard a noise,
but not the cries of murder. He found the Misses Sparks in
a' state of-greit alarm ; and they went on under his pro-
tection. About half way between Mr. Peacop's shop and t !le
end of the Rock-lane, he found a man lying on the catva-
way. He lifted' him up, and the blood fell like rain on Lis
hiuld. He took the man towards Butler's public-house, trill.
Met some parties coming from thence in search of the de-
ceased; and he'then found it was Mr. Peacop.
After the examination of other witnesses,

Mr. Palmer, special high constable of the hundred of Wir-
rail haying depOsed 'upon oath that he had further import:qit
evidence against the prisoners, they were remanded until this
.day (Wednesday), at two o'clock.. -
The •
The prisoners were then removed, and the crowds of
people who were collected in the neighbourhood of the courts
shortly dispersed.
We have been informed that Burns, who has impeach -A
his accomplices, was in the habit. of making"dangerous"hinte
while in Birkenhead, caul that his life had been threatened by
the others if he.were not more discreet. They then found the
money to take him to his own country ; but change of scele
could not quiet the stings of conscience, and that, making
known his crime -to a priest, under the seal of confession, the
_reverend father advised.him to make a clean breast by giving
information. . •
BurKENnEan, WEDNESDAY. —The further examinatiba
was proceeded with to-day. A company of the 47th Foot
took up their quarters at the Town-hall, which adjoins the
Bridewell. During the whole night, and up to the period of
the removal of the prisoners this evening, all sides of the
prison were :guarded with double sentries.' A disgraceful
scene occurred just before the opening of the court this after-
noon. Several of the soldiers were iu a most beastly state of
intoxication, one so dead drunk that he was carried through
the court into the Bridewell. Two others were also oblig4
to be locked up in consequence of their disorderly state.
The magistrates on the bench were the Rev. R. M. Fiel l en,
Colonel the Hon. Sir Edward Cust, J. R. Shaw, Henry
Winch, William Jackson, and William Potter, Esqs.
There were also in court, amongst other gentlemen from the
surrounding neighbourhood, Sir Joshua Walmsley, Mr.
Rushton, the stipendiary magistrate of Liverpool, and Mr.
Dobbing, the head-constable.- •
The prisoners Tullant, Lynch, Nowlan, and Burns, having
been placed at the bar, the first witness called was Mr. J. G.
Foulkes, the surgeon, who attended the deceased, and after-
wards made a post mortem examination of the body. He
described the nature of the injuries he had received, from
which it appeared he had been most dreadfully beaten about
the head and face, but the two fatal wounds were one which
divided the upper part of the nose, and fractured the base of
the skull. The other was over the left eye ; either of whit ft
were fatal. The former he thought was most likely to have
been inflicted by a kick with a strong boot, and the latter
with some blunt instnanent, such as the loaded stick found
in the house of Lynch.
Mr. 'W. Stevenson, who had also attended the deceased,
confirmed this statement.

Mr. James 3PHarg, Superintendent of the Birkenhead po.
Ike, deposed to apprehending Lynch, when at work in the
turnpike-road near Bock-ferry. He was engaged in :laying
down gas pipes; and, when pounced upon, took up an im-
mense wooden mallet, used for driving plugs into the mains,
but was seized just as he was swinging it. After lie was
placed in prison, his house was searched. In his bedroom
were found three pistols and a mould for casting balls ; and,
concealed in a cupboard, were found one pistol, a stick about
two feet long (loaded with lead at one end), and the head of
a ham Mer such as are used by stone-breakers. Lynch, on
being told the nature of the charge, was much agitated, and,
after a pause cf about a minute, said—" I am innocent."
Michael Burns was then addressed by the Rev. Mr. Fielden,
and told that a statement had been made by him privately.
If, however, lie wished to make any statement openly now,
and in the presence of the other prisoners, he was at liberty
to do so; but whatever he did say would be taken down in
writing and would be read against him when tried, if ho
were tried.
Burns then proceeded to say that he had been to Chester
to look for work, and that he was returning to Birkenhead
on the afternoon of the last day of the old year when he
met the prisoner Tallant, who asked him (Burns) to go along
with him (Tallant) to Rock-ferry, and they would get
seine money from the baker (meaning Mr. Peacop), and
desired him to see Lynch. It was then agreed that he
( Burns) and the other prisoners should all meet together at
the toll-gate at Rock-ferry at half-past eight o'clock. Be
and Lynch walked to the place together, Lynch saying
Nowlan had gone before, and Tallant, living in that neigh-
boorhood, had gone home previously. At the time ap•
pointed all met at the toll-gate, which is almost directly op-
posite Mr. Peacop's place et business. The prisoners then
posted themselves in various parts of the road, but not far
from each other, Nowlan being placed to watch the shop door
to see when the baker (as the deceased was called by the pri-
soners) left ; and when he came up to Tallant he (Tallant
was to whistle, when all were to make to the spot. They
waited about half an hour or more, until about half-past
nine, when he (Burns) heard the whistle, and on going to
the place found Lynch and Nowlan fighting with the baker.
The latter then made a struggle across the road, when
Lynch knocked him down with a whip he had in his
hand. Burns described the whip to be the same instru-
ment as the stick loaded with lead found in the house of
Lynch. He said there were two of them belonging to
Lynch, but the other had more lead at the end, and WAS in
the possession of Nowlan that night. After Lynch had
knocked the baker down lie struggled on his right side to
rise, when Nowlan struck him on the head with one of
the whips. He fell, and Nowlan threw himself upon him,
and took twenty-five or twenty Six. shillings out of his
pocket. When the baker was down, another per-
son came up the road from towards Rock-ferry.
Nowlan struck at the man and hit him, but could
not tell whether he fell or not, as he ( Burns) ran oft
towards Birkenhead. He crossed over the road into the
fields, and came part of the way along the fields. He then
waited opposite a public-house at the lower end of Back
Chester-street, where in about twenty minutes lie was
joined by Nowlan, who said he hail got four or five-and-
twenty shillings, and gave him (Barns) half-a-crown. He
then went over to Liverpool and lived in Bannister-street
for about two months. Three days after the robbery he
again saw Nowlan, when he told bins ( Burns) lie could
not give him more than another half-crown, as it did not
turn out so much as he thought it was, and he gave him the
half-crown. After being in Liverpool for two motnolts_rditg
odd jobbs, such as getting in coals, he returneditt
for seven
vaennd,Ng,
toetk NsYotl rt kofxo rtotz o oTrhtehnr,e n dea)o-is;eaqenetel r efd-
bethweaismooill lireuoef,a
being threatened by a woman connect
he went to Dublin. After he got
Father Kickers to confess, and
bad leg, and he went direct to
being made by Burns,
During the time this statement edPubwliinth
to be in a most dreadful state
The4ntl ooll:lic'eeem:sa
id he was a native of Pleasant-
he told him to snake this statement :it.as.to the magistrates.
d.
the prisoner Tenant pp
to addresethe bench, but Iraq
prisonersti were not so much affected.
cross-examined by the attorney for the
re a. tnen c
Viictalosmb-,eeannt SEertng•edlandhiasbaiipuptresnix-
' .opfr
eiB3,
vent; ,
Pleasant-
other pri,oners.
years, and it is about five since he first came to this place.
Was in the army, and left
lon:h :oil ea
countystois em nos of
on his own account. Never
committed any robber), befor:s, nor any other offence, except
getting drunk. Had known Lynch about a year and a-half.
Was not aware of there being a reward of 3001. offered in this
case. Did not want it if there was. The reason he did not
give information sooner was because he had not gone to con-
fession before, or he should have been told to do so. Be'.
lieves, with the help of God, the priest can forgive bins after
he has done penance, but must do penance the remainder
of his life. Lynch and he went about a month before to
rob Mr. Peacop, when he was armed with one of the whips
and Lynch with the other. They did not rob him, because
the opportunity did not serve. There was an oath among
them. Lvnclissvore him at his house to be the same as him-
self and Nowlan and Tallant in anything they did. In an-
swer to further questions by the attorney, Burns repeated
nearly the whole of his former statement in nearly the same
terms as he had previously given it.
The magistrates, after consulting together for a short time,
announced that they would remand the prisoners until that
day week, Mr. Palmer, the special high constable, stating
that be expected by that time to be ready with a good deal

more evidence.
The prisoners were then remanded, and for their greater
security, they were removed in the evening, under escort,
to Che..ter Castle, followed to the railway by an immense
crowd.

SIR HENRY POTTINGER.—This great negotiator
arrived at Douglas' Hotel on Wednesday last. On Thursday ho
v:6;te.d several places-in she city, and also drove to Portobello.
Dtus-
scltarnb, and other quarters. Sir Henry left for the south on Friday..
A recognised t sttrting he was recosed by several persons near the hote
Edi l, who
evinced great respect towardt our distinguished vorr—boryla
Notting PM PrWedllesday.