The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-28 00:00:00

give glimpses of those in the vicinity of the larger
lake. About half-way up this fine broad road, it is
crossed by paths winding to the right and WI. To
Lille right there cvend&l cha:apaign view, and to
the left a view of the whole of the artificial hillS,
which now assume an amphitheatrical form, and
which, when planted, will no doubt look extremely
beautiful.

At the head of this road, and seated on the height
of the rising ground, is Claughton Hall—a mansion
now in course of erection by Mr. William Jackson.
It is large, built of fine white free-stone, and is alto-
gether a beautiful structure.
Even at this distance from the town of Birken-
head, there is a good deal of building going on, the
houses erected consisting chiefly of large and
handsome ones in rows or of detached villas. In
Grosvenor-road, two blocks of fifteen neat, stone-
fronted, and substantial dwellings, are just on the eve
of completion. In the front, they have a good-sized
garden-plot, and they command an extensive and
varied prospect, in the foreground of which is the new
park. The aspect of the latter from this point is not,
as might be anticipated, as yet very prepossessing;
but when the black mounds are planted, and the work
of the gardener has been finished, it will be wonder-
fully improved.

Skirting the township along the road, you come
to a point where there are ways leading to Clif-
ton-park, Holt-hill, and Oxton- hill ; but we kept
to the left, and entered Grange-lane. Here
two good-sized hotels and a considerable number
of dwelling-houses and shops have been erected.
One of the hotels has as its landlord Mr.
Smith, who for many years kept a house
just above the Woodside Ferry. An old-fashioned
farm-house just below, which was a short time ago
isolated and rural looking, now looks completely out
of place, and presents a curious contrast to the new
and modern-built erection in its vicinity.
On. approaching the town, the evidences of pro-
gression multiply amazingly; and it is not a little
startling to see on every hand houses which, but a
brief time ago, were supposed to be country residences,
with their garden plots and green-houses, now form •
ing a portion of a long and unbroken line of street,
and perhaps having in proximity to them a handsome
shop, with plate-glass windows and so brilliantly
lighted that the plants in the adjoining green-house
may at least have artificial light, if they have been
in some measure deprived of that of the sun.
In the principal streets of Birkenhead the shops are
extremely good ; many of them would now be con-
sidered very handsome here, and the occupiers seem
determined, in fitting up and Mocking them, not to be
surpassed even on this side of the Mersey.
The new market is fast approaching completion.
With the exception of the cornice, the outer walls
are complete; the interior, which is fitted up
with iron, will shortly be finished, and men are
now engaged in laying the iron roof. Notwithstand-
ing the doubt recently expressed, the walls seemed
to us abundantly strong. The total cost of con-
structing this handsome building will be from 17,000/.
to 20,0001., and the Commissioners have already let
a sufficient quantity of stalls to produce a rental of
1,600/. a year.

EXTRAORDINARY CASE, IF TRUE.—On Wednes-
day night, about ten, Mr. Barry, a gentleman residing
at 67, Lower Gardiner-street, discovered an interesting-
looking young woman on the steps of his hall-door,
nearly naked, and almost dead with cold. lle, in the
most humane manner, procured her clothes, and had her
taken to Saekville-place station-house., where every at-
tention was paid to her, and, after setee time, the recu•
vered, and told the following story:--t-,'he said her name
aas Anne Reilly, mid that. she catee from a called
Thornville, near Dundalk, in the county of Louth, and
that she was on her way to gee her brother, who is a
cabinet-maker at Kin stow n ; that about four o'clock in
the evening she arrived by one of the Swords' ears, e as
set down near a bridge, adjoining the city, and met a
respeetahle-looking young woman, from on she in-
quired could sle. rei.omriestl her ton decent- lodging.
The young woman, in reply, said she could, and brone-ht
her to a house where there were three young girls, and
a middle-aged wetnam, -4% iih A dark mark on her face.
About six o'cloek silo partook of tea. She then became
quite stupid, as she alleges, from the effect of some drug,
and went to bed, where she immediately fell asleep.
About nine o'clock, when she awoke, she found herself
standing in a lane, with her back against a wall, almost
naked. She afterwards made her way to the steps of
Mr. Barry's hall-door, where she was found by that gen-
tleman. When she went into the house, she had in her
possession a thirty-shilling note, a sovereign, and three
half-crowns, beside a blue cloth cloak, large cape, a white
straw bonnet, a blue cashmere new frock, two petticoats,
a pair of black cloth boots, a pair of shoes (single tie),
.a pair of gray worsted stockings, a pair of white ditto, a
pair of stays, a yard of white muslin, tied round the
bonnet ; all of which were taken from her. She gave a
very minute description of the parties alluded to, but
could not tell the locality of the house. The police were
in search of the parties all day on Thursday ; but up to
a late hour they were not successful in discovering any
of them.—Freeman.
Between eight and nine o'clock on Monday night,
a stack of wood, of very large dimensions, containing
several thousand faggots, situate by the road-side near
Sawbridgeworth, in Herts, was discovered to be on fire ;
and after a short time it was completely destroyed.
The stack was the property of Mr. Barnard, maltster,
and there is little doubt it was wilfully set on fire. The
conflagration was distinctly observed here.—Chelmsford
Chronicle.
EXTRAORDINARY SHIPWRECK.—The Esk trader,
Captain Stokes, left Newcastle on Saturday afternoon,
shortly before high-water, on her voyage to London,
with a valuable general cargo. She was towed by two
powerful steamers from the usual berth at Newcastle-

quay down the river, and on rounding the Whitehill-
point, near Shields, she grounded, in consequence of
taking the point too closely, on a rocky bank, which ex-
tends some distance into the river. She heeled round and
was tevved off, as was supposed, with little damage. The
steamers towed her slowly down the river and across
the bar, without any leak being discovered. She
being supposed all light, went to sea. The wind blowing
from the east, it was desirable to give her what is called
"a good offing," and she was towed out about seven
miles. The steamers then left her, and in about an hour
afterwards it was discovered that she was making water
rapidly. The pumps were entirely useless against the
rapid progress of water, and the long-boat was launched,
into whick the crew had just time to get when
the Esk went down. The crew were unable to save
anything, and had they not. been prompt in launch-
ing and getting into the boat, all hands would have
suffered. It was broad daylight, and several other ves-
sels we: e near, into one of which the crew was taken.

It is supposed the vessel was strained by getting on the
bank. and the heaving of the sea caused her to spring a
bulk-head." It is somewhat remarkable that a vessel
belonging to the same company, also called the Esk,
likewise foundered at sea, when all hands perished, in
her voyage from Newcastle to London, some years ago,
and the vessel which foundered on Saturday was built
to supply her place.—Doncaster
CHANNEL ISLAND SPERITS.......The Commissioners of
the Customs linve rec,Ared a letter from Mr. Trive!yan,
one of the Seeretarit s t the Lords of thy' Treasury,
signifying that, having laid before their Lordships the
BoAl d's report on a memorial praying that the duty on
certain Channe 1 Island spirits may be paid according to
the quantity ascertained after vatting, instead of toat
ascertained at the time of importation, he (Mr. Trevelyan)
was commanded to comninnicate to the Board their
Lordship's concurrence in the course recommended by
them, and to desire that they would cause information to
that effect to be given to the parties interested.
And the Commissioners, adverting to the course
recommended by them, alluded to by their Lordships—
viz., that duty should be charged upon all deficiencies of
Guernsey and Jersey spirits ascertained to have arisen
between the period of importation and that of the re-
gauge, prior to their reduction in strength, under the
Excise regulations, for home use, but 'hat no duty shall
be charged on any deficiency arising from such process,
orders have been issued that the memorialist, and others
by whom applications have been addressed to their
Lordships, be apprised accordingly, and copies of this
order have been furnished to the revenue officers at the
several docks and other stations, for their information
and future government.
A PUBLIC THANKSGIVING DAY IN AMERICA.—
A Boston paper makes the following estimate of the good
things consumed by the people of Massachusetts on
Thanksgiving Day, viz.:—" 5,000 ducks, 130,000 chick-
ens, 20,000 geese, 35,000 turkeys, 50,0001b5. of beef, pork,
and other meats, 25,000 bushels of potatoes, 28,000 bush-
els of turnips, 8,000 beets, 10,000 bushels of onions,
20,0001b5. of cheese, '25,000 gallons of apple sauce, 2,000
gallons of cranberry sauce, 737,499 pumpkin pies,
100,000 apple pies, mince pies 25,000, other pies, 75,000,
and eggs 1,000,000. In the preparation of the above
there would be used, at a rough estimate, 80 hhds. of mo-
lasses, 100 boxes of Havannah sugar, 100,0001bs of all-
spice, ginger, cloves, nutmegs, and other spices, 900 bar-
rels of flour, 90,0001b5. of butter and lard, and 600 hhds. of
milk." A New York paper says—" If the 'tarnal Yan-
kees gormandise at this rate, it is worthy of considera-
tion whether New York ought not, in self-defence, to
hold her Thanksgiving earlier. As the case now stands,
we are a fortnight later than Massachusetts, Connec-
ticut, &c., and have to take our chance out of what they
have left."

HORRIBLE OCCURRENCE.—On Saturday week the
wife of a person named David Monteath, one of the cot-
tars on the farm of Ingleston, in the parish of Irongray,
went to the farm mansion, nearly a qtaarter of a mile
distant, without the proper precaution of shutting the
door, leaving within a child from three to four years of
age, and an infant, two months old, in the cradle.
During her absence a brood sow, the property of one of
the adjoining cotters, entered the dwelling, when the
child left with the infant ran out from a sense of danger,
as we presume. Its cries soon attracted the notice of the
person to whom the sow belonged, who immediately
made towards the scene ; but, shocking to mention,
upon reaching the door of the cottage she found the sow
shaking and tearing the little innocent. No time was
lost in rescuing the infant from the savage beast, but
before this could be done its cheeks, neck, and arms
were sadly lacerated. A medical gentleman was pro-
cured as soon as possible, and upon first inspection he
thought the little one would not lone, survive. We under-
stand, however, that it is still living-, though in a very
precarious state. Even should the accident not prove
fatal, the disfigurement that must follow the severe in-
juries it has received will prove very distressitig. Such
an occurrence should serve as a cautitm to mothers not to

leave their little ones unprotected. The poor child is
still alive, but suffers very much.—Dumfries Courier.