The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-23 00:00:00

MR. WARD.

OXYORD, THURSDAY.-The friends of Mr. Ward hare
caused the following to be extensively circulated amongst
members of Convocation :

" New Form of Declaration which the proposed statute
will enable the Vice-Chancellor to impose.
" Ego A. B. Articulis Fidel et Beligionis necnon
tribus articulis in canons XXXVI. comprehensis sub-
scripturus, profiteor, fide mea data him universitati, me
articulis is tis omnibus et singulis eo sensu subscripturum
in quo eos ex animo credo et primitus editor ease, et nuns
mihi al/ universitate propositos tampon opinionum mearum
cerium ac indubitatum signum:
" The attention of members of Convocation is re-
quested to the following considerations :
" 1. That the proposed statute institutes a new reli-
gious test in the University.
"2. That a local test, thus instituted, places the
members of the university in a religious position different
from that of all other members of the Church, and the
whole body of the clergy.
" 3. That the imposing any new test of doctrine be-
yond those which rest on the authority of the Church,
is a serious innovation, and alters at once the constitution
of the University, and its relations to the Church.
"4. That a great difference of opinion has always
been permitted among those who subscribe the Articles,
and that it is now proposed to introduce a new limit and
restriction to that difference.
"S. That the test proposed, being itself liable to dif-
ferent interpretations, is likely to cause perplexity, and
to operate as a snare to conscience.
"6. That it is not right or safe to rest on the suppo-
sition that this test will not be applied ; since the ob-
vious presumption frora its being proposed is, that it is
meant to be used.
" 7. That a test not applied to all, but liable to be im-
posed upon suspected individuals, according to the will
of the Vice-Chancellor for the time being, is an objec-
tionable form of test, likely to encourage a system of
secret and underhand information, and to, destroy mu•
tual confidence and freedom of intercourse in the Uni-
versity."

•
RAILWAY INTIILLIONNerh"'VII _mum4my 'fist a
deputation of the provisional committee of the Dunstable
Branch Railway to the Birmingham Trunk at Leighton
Buzzard, consisting of Messrs. Edward Burr, Richard
Gutteridge, Henry Goude, William Elliott,
amin
Beßennett, together with the solicitors of the pr ected
line, Messrs. Parker, Twisden, and Co., of Lincoln
r 4
fields,lnn-
and Mr, James N. Cartevelght; of Dunstable,
waited by appoihtment on the Directors of the London
and Birmingham Company at Euston-square. On the
following Saturday the resolution agreed upon by the
said Company at their meeting was communicated
through the secretary, Mr. Creed, to the effect that the
London and Birmingham Company agree to lease the
projected branch line of the Dunstable Company in per-
petuity. and to give a guarantee of 4 per cent. on the
capital employed, with an equal division• of surplus pro-
fits ; the capital not to exceed 5 ,00 01. The proposed
railway is likely to prove a great advantage to Dunstable
—a town which, having recovered from the depression
occasioned by the withdrawal of the . traffic on the turn-
pike-road, is gradually rising into importance. At pre-
sent there is none but the most inefficient conveyance
for coals, and all descriptions of heavy goods, which will
be conveyed at a very reduced price by railway.
Two MEN DROWNED.—SEAHAW, Die. 19.—Yes-
terday an inquest was held at this port, which is about
seven miles north of Sunderland, on the bodies of two
pilots belonging to the.latter place, named John Givens
and W. Maddison. who had been drowned on the pre-
ceding day. It is customary for the pilots of Sunder-
land to conduct vessels in and out of Soaham, (which is
a private port belonging to the Marquis of Londonderry,
for the shipment of his coals), and on Tuesday a coble,
containing four men, was proceeding out to sea " to
seek ships," as it is called. The sea was very high at
the time, and a heaiy wave having struck the coble, it
was dashed with great violence against the pier and
swamped, all the crew being precipitated into the water.
Assistance was promptly at hand, and two of the unfor-
tunate men were saved. The remaining crew met a
watery grave. The Coroner's jury returned a verdict of
" Accidental death," and after the inquest the bodies
were removed to Sunderland. The deceased hare left
large families to deplore their loss.
FIER AT THE OM SAW MILLI: On Friday after-
noon another fire broke out in the extensive saw mills of
Messrs. Esdaile and Co., Wenlock-terrace, City-road,
Islington. It originated in the room appropriated fur
preparing wood for lucifer metches. Having two engines
of their own on the premises, they were soon set to work,
supplied with water from the canal. Several of the bri
gade engines were also quickly on the spot, and, *ter
strenuous exertions, the damage was confined to the room
in which the fire originated. The loss is considerable.
How the fire originated was not ascertained,
BURGHEAD.—UNSEEMLY DISTIIRTIANCE.—We have
just seen a private letter from the fishing-town of
Burghead, near Elgin, stating that a great deal
of ill-feeling and an unfortunate riot had taken
place between some of the people of Hope-
man and Burghead. The occasion of the disturbance
was a meeting held for the purpose of letting the seats
in the new Free Church erected in Burghead. The
parties quarrelled as to the appropriation of the
seats, and an unfortunate adjournment took
place to the public-house. There, inflamed with
drink, the dispute was continued, and fighting took
place, more or less, throughout the whole of the night.
The Free Church clergyman, Mr. Waters, endeavoured,
but in vain, to effect a reconciliation, and get the parties
to disperse. Next morning one of the men was found
dead in a clearly in the neighbourhood. Such are the
terms of the letter, but, of course, an hmetigation
take place,--Inv.ensua Cowan

PLYMOUTH.
At a highly respectable and influential meeting of the
parishioners of the pariah of Charles, held in the pariah
church, Mr. Richard Martin, churchwarden, in the chair;
Resolved,--lst. That this meeting views with deep
regret and painful manifestation the changes directed by
the Bishop in the services of the Church, and most ener-
getically proclaims to his Lordship the earnest desire of
the parishioners that he will not, in order to obtain con-
formity, compel the clergy and laity to return to prac-
tices which have generally become obsolete. In urging
this upon the attention of the Bishop, this meeting would
remind him, that if a departure from the law of cere-
monies and observances has arisen, his Lordship and his
byhave sanctioned these departures, not *lily
by their tacit consent, but doubtless by their actual pre-
mice upon many occasions.
2d. This meeting most emphatically declares that,
should the Bishop persevere and succeed in his object,
the most ready means by which the parishioners can
testify their dislike and determination to resist, will be
to retire from any church in which the innovations may
be attempted, and seek to carry on the Church service
in unconsecrated buildings until the Bishop shall remove
the mandate and restore peace.
3d. That this meeting reserves its high sense of the
charity and Christian conduct of the ministers of this
parish, and imploring the Almighty to vouchsafe to them
a right understanding, earnestly desires they will exert
their best efforts to preserve the services of the Church
in their accustomed form—this meeting presents to the
Rev. Chancellor, Martin, Doctor Bell, and the other mi-
nisters of the Chapter who supported their views, sin-
cere and grateful thanks for having stood forth in the
present crisis, thereby affording high and excellent ex-
amples to those of the clergy who resist the present in.
novation.

4th. That this meetinc, proposes a systematic arrange.
ment throughout the land, to ensure the most powerful
opposition to the proposed innovations, as well as to cir-
culate the knowledge of authentic information of the
proceedings of those of the clergy who, having reck-
lessly followed the views and practices of the Tractarian
school, despite of the objections of the laity have ac-
quired support by the Bishop's letter, and have, in con-
sequence, introduced other and more Romish prac-
tices, the object of disseminating such information being
to exhibit the design of the party who have commenced
this movement ; and with this view the meeting urges
upon the parishioners of every parish the expediency of
forming permanent committees. This meeting also sug-
gests that n central committee should be formed in
every deanery, to which the parish committees should
commui i< tli . and that in Exeter one or two persons
should be deputed from each parish to form a general
committee o corresponden for the country.
• • . •
MARYLEBONE VESTRY.

On Saturday two gentlemen, residing in Newman-
street, Oxford-street, presented to the above vestry a re-
quisition from the inhabitants of Newman-street, con-
cerning the macadamisation of that street.
Mr. Dowmins, one of the deputation, reminded
the vestry that on a previous occasion, the vestry
having been requested to cause this street to
be macadamised,, agreed to do so the next
time the road required repairing. In consequence
of some repairs which were going on in Oxford-street,
Newman-street had become the principal thoroughfare
for omnibuses, and it being now in a very bad state, the
inhabitants, a great number of whom were artists, were
much annoyed by the noise of the rolling of the wheels.
and, indeed, some of these artists had said that
they were unable to study, in consequence of it. A
great number of hackney cabs and other vehicles had
also made this street their thoroughfare, in order to
avoid as much as possible the wood pavement in Ox-
ford-street.

A VESTRYMAN thought that not only the cabs and
coaches, but also a great number of the inhabitants of
Oxford-street, would be glad to fly to Newman-street,
to escape from the wood paving.—(A laugh.)
The vestry, after a long discession, resolved that the
requisition should be complied with.
The VssTnr-cbsna read to the vestry a communica-
tion from the Committee appointed some time ago to in-
quire into a nuisance complained of by Mrs. Jennings, a
resident of Nottingham-terrace, New-road.
Some weeks ago a communication was received from
that lady, complaining of the erection of some buildings
in front of several homes, of which hers was one, and
which were contrary to the " New-road Act," the 27th
of George 111, The committee appointell to inquire
into the correctness of this lady's statement this day re-
ported to the vestry that they had examined into the nature
of the erection complained of, that they were nuisances,
and contrary to the Act, but that the committee were
of opinion that they were no public inconvenience; and,
thefefore, if they were any annoyance to this lady it was
her place to prosecute as a private individual, and it was
unnecessaryfor the vestry to interfere.

THE HOUSE OF CORRECTION.
On Thursday an adjourned inquest was held by Mr.
Wakley, M.P., at the House of Correction, on the body
of a late prisoner, named James Hodges.
It appeared, the evidence of the various warders of
the prison under whose charge the deceased had been
having been read, that another prisoner who had been
in the same yard with him was examined in the absence
of the officers of the prison, and in the course of his
statement he said that the cell in which the deceased had
slept at night was an extremely cold one ; that he had
himself slept in it, and consequently was in a condition
to state the fact ; that the prison diet did not allow a
sufficient quantity of sustenance for the maintenance of
health and warmth in the body during the winter months.
He also stated that ifs prisoner made a complaint to the
surgeon of the gaol that he was ill, and the latter
thought he was not so, that he was punished by being
deprived of half his meal; and that if it happened to be
on one of the meat, days, then that meat would be taken
from him, and he would be put upon gruel. The effect
of this system was to deter prisoners, when they were
ill, frequently from reeking the complaint of their being
unwell, and especially if that visitation should chalice to
be on a " meat day. "fhe witness also made further
statements, which were of so serious a character, as
affecting the general treatment of the prisoners, that
The CORONER at length said, it was most painful to
hear such statements without possessing the power or
means of applying a remedy for them. If these accusa-
tions were justly made they demanded a remedy, and as
from the length of the inquiry it would be impossible to
conclude the investigation upon that occasion, he would
endeavour to procure the attendance of the visiting jus-
tices, to hear them on the next occasion—on the day to
which an adjournment of the case might eventually be
agreed upon.
Mr. MILLS, the deputy-coroner, accordingly waited
upon the visiting justices, who happened to be sitting in
another room in the gaol, and who, upon being informed
of the nature of the statement which had been made by
the prisoner, at once arranged with him to be present
upon the renewal of the inquiry which was held on the fol-
lowing day. The proceedings on the return of Mr.
Mills is 61100T011.61 court were adjourned accordingly.
On Friuuy, Litereture, the jury re-assembled at the prison,
when a number (if indeed they were not the whole of
that body) of the visiting justices were present.
Amongst them were Mr. Wilke, Mr. Tulk, Mr. Notch,
Mr. Hoare, Mr. Bluck, Captain Bague, Mr. Rose, Mr.
France, Mr. Crake, and Mr. Kemshead.
The father, step-mother, and widow of the deceased
were also in attendance.

'the inquiry occupied upwards of four hours, and was
again adjourned. The prisoner, who had been examined
on the first day, again underwent a protracted examina-
tion, but failed to confirm many of the heaviest charges
he had set up on the first occasion. We, therefore, think
it to be fairer to all parties to abstain from publishing
any report until the whole proceeding has been brought
to a conclusion.