The Sun.
London, England, 1844-01-17 00:00:00

NAVAL AND MILITARY INTEL-
LIGENCE.

COURT-MARTIAL.—The Lords Commissioners of
the Admiralty, at the request of Colonel Parker,
C. 8., commandant of the Woolwich division of Royal
Marines, have ordered a court-martial to assemble this
day at Woolwich, for the trial of a private marine,
named Knowles, for striking a non-commissioned
officer.

The Hon. R. Pakenham, Envoy Extraordinary to
the United States, and W. Bankhead, Esq., the newly-
appointed Minister to Mexico, have arrived at De-
vonport, the former to embark in the Vestal, 26,
Capt. Talbot, for New York, and the latter in the
Helena,l6, Commander Sir C. Ricketts, for Jamaica.
SURVEYING EXPEDITIONS BY THE AMERICANS.--
The Phoenix, American sloop-of-war, Lieutenant
Sinclair, is ordered by the American Government to
proceed to Cuba, for the purpose of ascertaining and
laying down the accurate position of an island called
Bax del Combo, said to be situated in a channel
through which all the American West India vessels
cruise, on the south side of Cuba, and near the noto-
rious Isle of Pines. This island of Combo was thrown
up a few years since many feet above the level of the
sea, by one of those mighty and violent convulsions
of nature which so often agitate and disrupt that de-
lightful portion of the globe.
A Dutch man-of-war steamer, called the Laucies,
was towed into Plymouth Sound, on Sunday morn-
ing, by a revenue cutter. She was from Texel, for
the coast of Africa, and was totally dismasted on
Wednesday last, in a squall, between the Isle of
Wight and Cherbourg. She had jury rigging, but
availed herself of the assistance of the cutter.

The Resistance troop-ship, Commander Patey, ar-
rived at Devonport on Saturday, from Cork, to be
refitted and paid wages.
In Devonport Sound.—The Vestal, the Helena, the
Larne, and the Resistance, and a Dutch man-of-war
schooner.

PROMOTlON.—Lieutenant—P. W. Horton (1819),
for his gallant conduct in the boats of the Dido,
against the pirates at Borneo, to the rank of Com-
mander.

Ar 01NTMENTS.—Lieutenants—Robt. R. B. Mac-
leod, to the Resistance; Alexander Anderson, John
Wilson (b), and John S. Robinson (additionals), to
the Madagascar.
OBlTUARY.—Lieutenant-Colonel Raymond White
died at Wargrave Hall, Berks, on the 14th instant.
He became Lieutenant-Colonel of the 7th (Innis-
killin) Dragoons on the 17th of July, 1840, and was
nineteen years in the army—all the time on full pay.
—Commander John Bernhard Smith, R.N. (1812),
died on the 11th inst., aged 60; was midshipman of
the Hercule, and distinguished himself when in com-
mand of her tender by driving on shore and destroy-
ing a schooner of five guns and 96 men.—Lieutenant
J. H. Peel, R.N. (1820), died at the Isle of Wight,
on the 13th inst.; was wounded when midshipman of
the Albion, in America.

DEATH OF SIR ROBERT ANDREWS DOUGLAS, BART.
—We have to record the death of Sir Robert An-
drews Douglas, Bart., of Glenbervie, which took place
at the Mauritius on the Ist November last, where he
was in command of the reserve battalion 12th Regi-
ment. Lady. Douglas, with her three infant chil-
dren, arrived from England only two days before the
sad event. The deceased Baronet was eldest son of
the late General Sir Kenneth Mackenzie, who as-
sumed the name and arms of Douglas by sign manual,
and married the daughter of the late Joshua Rouse,
Eq., of Southampton, by whom he has a son, Robert,
born 1837, and two other childern.

FALMOUTH, JAN. 14.—A public meeting was held
on Friday evening, at Wesley Chapel, in this town, for
the purpose of affording an introduction to the deputa-
tion of the Free Church of Scotland—the Rev. Patrick
Fairbairn and the Rev. James M'Kenzie. A large body
of Dissenters assembled on the occasion, but the chapel
was not so full as the subject might from its novelty
have occasioned, and the exertions which were adopted
to get up the meeting. The deputation intend visiting
every town in the country ; and, from the large number
of Dissenters therein, the contributions are likely to be
considerable.

ImPROVEMEN'TS OF THE MINT IN THE BOROUGH.
—The long contemplated improvements in that densely
populated locale—the Mint in Southwark, are now it
would seem at once to take place. The same plan for s
new street, which was approved of at a meeting held at
the Town Hall, on September 17, 1840, designed by Mr.
Attiscocks, the surveyor, is to undergo little or no mo-
dification or alteration. It runs in a slightly curved
line from Blackman-street, St. George the Martyr, and
joins Charlotte-street, Christchurch, thus cutting
through the very heart of the miserable dens and those
hotbeds of crime in the Borough Mint. The line Will
intersect Harrow-street, Red-cross-street, Duke-street
and King-street, embracing Mint-square, and widening
Queen-street, Southwark Bridge-road, to upwards of
three times its present width. After crossing the South-
wark Bridge-road it leaves a portion on the north of
Norfolk-street standing, and quitting it at PaTiour's-
alley, intersects Prince's-street and crosses Gravel:line.
into Charlotte-street, only a corner of which will have
to come down. The whole extent is a little more than
6,600 yards. A question naturally suggests itself—
beneficial as the vast improvements at present proceed-
ing must be allowed to be,—what is to become of the
poor who have so long inhabited St. Giles's, the Mint,
and other localities which are now daily being raEpti to
the giound ?

THE BIRMINGHAM BLACK-HOLE.
At the close of the Borough sessions, at Birming-
ham' on Saturday, two men, named James Smith
and John Taylor, were placed in the dock to answer
a charge of assault upon police-constable Buckertield.
Mr. Mellor appeared for the prosecution, and stated
the case. The Learned Gentleman said he had to
request the attention of the Court and jury to that
case, which was instituted by the superintendent of
police for the protection of his officers, one of whom,
the complainant, Buckerfield, had been grossly as-
saulted on the 25th of December, whilst in the execu-
tion of his duty, under the following circumstances :
It appeared t hat on that day Buckerfield was sent to
quell some disturbance in a place in this town, which,
from all he could hear, was a disgrace, not only to the
town of Birmingham, but would be a disgrace to any
country or to any age. It was called a prison, con-
nected with what was termed a Court of 1-tquests.
It was a prison, indeed, but the like of which he had
never heard of since he read of the celebrated Black-
hole at Calcutta, or those dark and loathsome dun-
..

geons which had disgraced bygone days. Itw;a
prison under ground, in a cellar of the house ; and in
this place twenty-three persons were confined for
debt. He was told that the situation of these unfor-
tunate persons was truly intolerable, and that it was
really impossible for language to describe the wretched
condition in which these beings were detained. He
was told its common name in the town was the Louse
Hole; by that it was known, by that it was called ;
and he could not refrain from saying, that it was really
a disgrace to think that such a prison, such a sink of
filth and cruelty, could be permitted to exist in a
town like this. Having thus noticed the place of as-
sault, which he had no doubt would soon undergo a
change, he should state the facts of the case he had to
prosecute against the prisoners. It appeared that some
disturbance arose in this place, in which the assist-
ance of the police was required. On the 25th Dec.
(being Christmas-day), the governor permitted a
number of persons, friends of the unfortunate debtors
who were confined in this hole, to go into the place,
for the purpose of seeing their friends and spending
some time with them. A certain time was allowed
for them to remain in ; but it appeared that they re-
mained longer than the time allowed, and under the
influence of drink they began to quarrel. In fact, a
regular fight ensued, and the governor was in a state
of terror and alarm. He was afraid to go near the
place, and he in consequence applied for the assistance
of the police. The complainant, Buckerfield, was
sent to the place, and he entered this cell, where he
was immediately seized hold of, the cape of his coat
was torn off, his staff was taken from him, he was
beaten with a stick upon the head, and grossly
used by the persons in the room.
Mr. Boot was then called, and on being examined
by Mr. Mellor, stated that he was keeper of the prison
called the Court of Requests.
Cross•examined by Mr. Millar—lle had been
twenty-six years altogether in his present situation,
and the cell of which he had been speaking had been
used all that time as a prison. It had been called
the Louse Hole from time immemorial. Men women,
and children,' were altogether in one room. He could
not refuse to let their wives in, if they came at proper
hours. He could not tell the size of the room. It
was something larger than the area around that table.
Respectable persons were placed in an inner room.
Mr. Millar—And what sort of persons, pray, do
you put in this glorious pandemonium ? Witness—
I put all those there who do not go out under the
Insolvent Act. They did not sleep in that room at
night; they slept in a room up stairs. Sometimes
they requested to be allowed to sleep down in the
room already described. The parties up stairs had
straw beds if they paid for them.—(Sensation in
Court.) They had no beds when they slept below
stairs. He could not tell the size of the place they
slept in above stairs. It was snore than five yards
square. He would not swear it was twenty yards.
There were twenty-seven persons sleeping in the
room at the time.

Mr. Mellor—And dow do they lie ?
Mr. Spooner, barrister—They lie down beads and
points like a parcel of dogs.
The Recorder—Has any person in authority visited
the place during your time ? Witness—A person
from London visited it two years ago, and since then
one came down.

The Recorder—What was his name ? Witness—
Ido not know. He came and said he was an in-
spector of prisons, and I showed him all the rooms,
and told him the number of prisoners they contained.
The Recorder—ls not this Court of Requests pre-
sided over by Commissioners ? Witness—Yes.
The Recorder—Do they ever look over the pri-
soners ? Witness—They are there every Friday.
The Recorder—Do any of them ever go down to
look at this place ? Witness—Yes ; they have seen it.
Evidence was then given of the assault, and the
Recorder addressed the jury. Twenty-seven fellow-
beings—fellow-men, endowed with all the sensibilities
of nature, had, it appeared, from time to time, been
subject to bodily torture and mental degradation, to
the manifest injury of body and soul, in this miser-
able dungeon—a dungeon existing below the sur-
face of the earth, although no person ought
to be confined below the earth—in a dun-
geon that recalled to the mind those horrible places
which he had hoped had passed away for ever.
In his opinion, unless they saw good reason to doubt
the evidence they had heard, the two prisoners were
clearly guilty of the assault ; and they stood then in
a position which he hoped would be long peculiar to
themselves in the administration of English laws.
They stood in a position in which a verdict of guilty
would draw upon them, not, in point of fact, a punish-
ment, but a reward; for one could readily believe
that it would be, after the description they had heard
of the place of their confinement, a blessing to them
to be removed under almost any circumstances.
The jury returned a verdict of Guilty. After which
The Recorder, addressing the prisoners, said he
was not giving them any pain by pronouncing the
sentence upon them, that they be imprisoned in the
county gaol, and kept to hard labour for three months.
In that gaol they would find cleanliness and humanity,
and attention would be paid to their spiritual as well
as temporal wants.
The prisoners were then removed.

BRITISH ORPHAN ASYLUM.—On Monday, the 33d
Annual General Meeting of the subscribers to this
Society took place at the London Tavern, Bishopsgate-
street, Mr. S. B. Brook in the chair. The Report, after
congratulating the subscribers on the continued pros-
perity of the charity, stated that the Society's asylum
had lately been enlarged at a cost of 1,786/, about 4881.
of which still remained to be paid oft: During the past
year 13 orphans had been received into the asylum, and
17, of whom 13 had completed their education, had left
and obtained situations. The number received since the
commencement of the year had been 78, of whom 53
were boys and 21 girls. The Committee had to announce
that his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge had
become Vice-Patron of the institution, and that the
amount subscribed at the last anniversary dinner, at
which his Royal Highness presided, was 545 L During
the day an election of seven children out of a list of 23
took place.

THE WRECKED FISHERMEN.—We are glad to
observe that the appeal to the sympathies of the
public in behalf of the poor fishermen who have
lost their bread-winners, is not likely to have been
made in vain. The subscriptions advertised to-day
amount to upwards of one hundred and sixty pounds,
and we know that more is forthcoming. Nor will it be
unrequired. The sum necessary to replace the wrecked
boats is much larger than was at first supposed ; and, as
the people can do little or nothing themselves, there will
be the greater claim on the generosity of the public.—
Aberdeen Herat'.

CORONER'S INQUEST.-DREADFUL DESTITUTION.

—Mr. Payne held an inquest on Monday evening at the
workhouse of the West London Union, West-street,
Smithfield, on view of the body of Dominic Cousins,
aged 58. Police-constable Joseph Dunney, No. 258, stated
that about three o'clock on Thursday afternoon last, de-
ceased came to the station-house in Smithfield, just at the
time witness was taking in a prisoner. He asked leave to
come into the station-house and lie down. Witness
told him that could not be allowed, and directed
deceased to go the workhouse in West Smithfield.
Witness subsequently took deceased to the work-
house. That was only a few minutes afterwards.
He told witness that he had a wife in a madhouse.
He said also that he was a cabinet maker and a
foreigner. George Henry Davies, a porter at the 'West
London union workhouse, said that he saw deceased
on his being brought in, and was with him up to the
hour of his death, which took place about seven
o'clock the following (Friday) morning. Deceased
had some tea and bread and butter, and was put to
bed almost as soon as he was brought to the work-
house. He appeared to be dreadfully ill, and in a very
emaciated state. Ile could hardly speak, and gasped
for breath. By Mr. Ray's order, the parish surgeon,
he had several' glasses of port wine, and also some
medicine given him. Mr. Ray attended him several
times in the cotfrse of Thursday night. At first he ap-
peared to rally, but he gradually sunk, and every effort
to save him proved ineffectual. Deceased evidently died
from exhaustion. From a paper found in his hat at the
time he was brought to the workhouse, it appeared that
ho had been a patient of the Royal Free Hospital not
long before. After some deliberation, the jury returned
a verdict that deceased died a natural death, brought on
.by want and exhaustion.
FIRE.—On Monday morning, shortly before three
o'clock, a fire broke out in a private dwelling-house in
the occupation of Captain John Shepheard, situate at
No. 7, Mansfield-street, Portland-place. The fire origi-
,nuted in the upper floor, from, it is supposed, a spark
flying nut of a lighted candle amongst the bed and
bedding. The Brigade, County, and West of England
engines were remarkably quick in reaching the spot, but
fortunately the fire was extinguished without calling the
engine.; into requisition. One of the domestics, in
assisting to get the fire out was burnt about the itinds
and wrists. Captain Shepheard is understood to be
'mired in the Imperial. . _

ANIMAL IN'STINCT.—A dog going along the High-
street, in Sunderland, flew at a coil of sawagts, and
began tearing them furiously to pieces :—and- why ?
Because, it seems, they were made of a dog that he had
had a fight with the day be(eALI