The Sun.
London, England, 1845-11-01 00:00:00

HOOD'S MAGAZINE.

"The Bushranger of Van Dieman's Land," "The
Bar of England," and " The Chronicle of the Fleet," are
continued in the present number, but we find nothing
in them requiring any additional remarks to those which
we have already made. The verses on the death of
Mrs. Fry possess merit, both for their truth and feel-
ing, though, perhaps, deficient in spirit, but it is a
subject difficult to deal with. There is nothing in it of
that stirring character which affords themes of praise in
honour of warriors and conquerors. We select one
verse :

•
" Thou was't not of the world, and yet there came
King's footsteps to thy door all reverently;
And Prussia's. Monarch did not think it shame
To leave thy presence with a weeping eye."
The third number of the article on " Currency and Rail-
ways," comes appropriately at the present time. It is
well written, shows out the vast fluctuations in the value
of property, and the cause of ruin to thousands, in a
brief history of the operations of state-doctors on the
currency. "During the period between 1797 and 1815,"
says the writer, "money was rightly used as • a mere
symbol of value, and not as value itself ; but now money is
made by law a commodity of value, namely, gold. The
consequence is that as gold is a scarce metal, only
a limited quantity uf it is to be procured at
any time ; and as it is a very valuable
metal, the quantity procured must be dearly paid for."
He attributes the distress of 1816 not to a change from
war to peace, but to a diminution of the currency, which
restricted the industry of the country. The same cause
operated in the four years ending with 1523, the crash
of 1825 was the result or measures adopted by the Bank
in unison with Peel's Metallic Currency Bid, and the
failures of 1819.22.34-39 are traced to the same source.
We must refer the reader to the article itself, merely
giving the following facts, about which there can be no
dispute whatever. In reference to Pitt's measure of 1797,
ho says, "The effect was instantaneous and striking.
The country instantly recovered, as if by magic, from
the difficulties under which it was labouring, and which
threatened to weigh it down ; and for eighteen years,
while Mr. Pitt's system was in force, the nation ad-
vanced in a wonderful degree in riches and prosperity,
and laid the foundations of that increased wealth-
creating power which all the financial blunders since
have been unable entirely to neutralise."

THE LATE FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE CROYDON
ATMOSPHERIC RAILWAY.—Last evening, the adjourned inquest on
the body of William Shannons, the young man who was killed on
the above railway on Saturday night last, was resumed and con-
cluded before Mr. W. Payne, at Guy's Hospital. The only addi-
tional evidence of any importance was that of the traffic master,
who supposed that deceased was sitting asleep on the atmospheric
pipe, when, hearing the whistle, he jumped up and was struck in
the back by the buffer of the engine. Mr. Hood, the surgeon,
said the deceased's death arose from extensive injury to the lower
part of the spine.—Verdict, " Accidental death."
THREE PERSONS SUPPOSED TO BE POISONED.—
Yesterday afternoon, considerable alarm prevailed in George-court
and Off-alley, West-strand, in consequence of the report that seve.
rat individuals had been conveyed to Charing-cross Hospital, in a
dying state, from their having eaten poisonous lozenges. On re.
pairing to that institution, our informant learnt that no fewer than
nine individuals had been brought in, suffering greatly from in.
tense inward pain, which was attended with violent vomiting. The
sufferers were promptly attended to, and they were in a short time
relieved. Thre,. children, however, belonging to a woman named
Heath, are still very ill. It was subsequently ascertained that a
man named Edwards, a marine-store dealer in Off-alley, had,
among other things, purchased at a sale a number of bottles, seve-
r
ral of which contained lozenges. These were distributed by the
eon of Edwards to several persons, who partook of them in large
quantities, and they were soon after seised with alarming pains in
the bowels. The lozenges were subsequentlyanalysed by Mr. Burkett,
one of the medical officers of the institution, and were found to be
composed chiefly of ipecacuanha.
DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE.—To-day (Saturday),
the new law with respect to documentary eviderce (8 and 9 Vic., c.
113) will take effect. Its object is to receive in evidence officially
sealed or signed documents which had been previously required to
be proved in regard to the seal or signature.
PROTECTION TO MERCHANT SEAMEN.—The Act of
last Session (8 and 9 Vic., c. 116) comes into operation this day
(the Ist instant). It is to afford protection to seamen, and the se-
veral objects have already been noticed in this paper.
ACTS OF PARLIAMENT.—AII the public Acts or last
Session, numbering 130, are now in force. The private Acts of
last Session exceed the number of the other Acts.
Mr. Wreford, for many years clerk in the long-
room in the Exeter Custom-house, has been appointed by the Lords
of her Majesty's Treasury to be Comptroller at the port of Fowey.
—Dorset Chronicle.