The Sun.
London, England, 1842-05-31 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR.

The Queen and Prince Albert took an airing yesterday after-
ncon in an open carriage and four, attended by Colonel Ar-
buthnot, the Equerry in Waiting on her Majesty, and Colonel
Wylde, the Equerry to his Royal Highness. On the return of
the Royal party to Buckingham Palace, and after the treason-
able attempt on her Majesty's Life her Royal Highness the
Duchess of Kent, accompanied by his Excellency Count Mens-
dorf, arrived at the Palace, and was followed by their Royal
Highnesses the Duke of Cambridge and Prince George of
Cambridge, and by his Serene Highness the Duke of Saxe
Meiningen.
Her Majesty the Queen„Dovvager and her Royal Highness
the Duchess of Gloucester sent during the evening to make their
inquiries after her Majesty.
The Royal dinner party at Buckingham Palace yesterday
included her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, his Royal
Highness Prince George of Cambridge, his Excellency Count
Mensdorf, Counts Hugo, Alphonso, Alexander, and Arthur
Mensdorf ; the Duchess of Buecleuch, Lady Portman, Lady
Anna Maria Dawson, Hon. Miss Liddell, Hon. Miss Paget, Ba-
roness Lehzen. Marquis and Marchioness of Exeter, Earl of Er-
roll, Lord and Lady Robert Grosvenor, Lady Peel, Baron Stock-
mar, Lord Rivers, Captain Meynell, Hon. C. A. Murray, and
Colonel Arbuthnot.

The band of the Royal Artillery attended during dinner.
At ten o'clock the Duke of Ruccleuch (Lord Privy Seal)
and the Earl of Aberdeen (Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs) who had been invited to dinner, arrived at the Palace.
His Grace and the Noble Earl had attended the investigation
at the Home-office.

Liter in the evening, the Lord Mayor, accompanied by Mr.
Alderman Gibbs, arrived at Buekingham Palace to make his
dutiful inquiries after her Majesty's health.
The Prince of Wales and the Princess Royal were taken an
airing yesterday in a carriage and four. • The Dowager Lady
Lyttelton accompanied their Royal Highnesses.
Prince Albert, attended by Mr. George Edward Anson and
Colonel Wylde, arrived at the office of the Duchy of Corn-
wall in Somerset House yesterday afternoon.
His Excellency Count Meusdorf and his sons, attended by
Colonel Wylde, visited the Tower yesterday morning, and also
inspected St. Katherine's Docks.
The Duchess of Kent visited her Majesty and Prince Albert
yesterday.
The Duchess of Kent, the Duchess of Gloucester, the
Duchess and the Princess Augusta of Cambridge, visited the
Queen Dowager yesterday.
The Duke and Duchess of Saxe Meningen and the Duchess
of Saxe Weimar, inspected the National Gallery yesterday.
The Duchess of Saxe Weimar rode out on horseback in the
Parks yesterday afternoon.
Count Menstlorf visited the Duchess of Kent yesterday.
In consequence of some necessary arrangements, the state
apartments at Windsor Castle must be closed next Wednesday,
for a short time.

The Queen visited the Duchess of Kent at her residence,
Clarence House, on Saturday, and inspected a bust of her
Royal Highness, executed by Mr. Davies, and was pleased to
express her approval of the work.
Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cam-
bridge, attended by Lady Augusta Somerset, honoUred the
Eat i and Countess of Wilton with their company at dinner yes-
terday, at their residence in Grosvenor-square.
Their Serene Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Saxe
Meiningen, and the Hereditary Prince, visited the Duke and
Duchess of Cambridge yesterday.
We regret to state that letters from the Hague, have brought
intelligence of the death of Madame Dedel, wile of Monsieur
Dedel, the Netherlands Minister at this Court. His Excel-
lency is not expected to return to this country before the be-
ginning of July.
A Cabinet Council was held yesterday afternoon at three
o'clock, at the Foreign-office. It was attended by Sir R. Peel,
the Duke of Wellington, the Lord Chancellor, Lord Wharn-
cliffe' the Duke of Buecleugh, Earl of Aberdeen, Lord Stanley,
Sir J. Graham, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Earl of
Ripon, Earl of Haddington, Sir Edward Knatchbull, and Lord
Fitzgerald.
The Council sat two hours.

Messrs. ➢Mulholland, of Belfast, had an interview with the
Earl of Ripon yesterday, at the Office of the Board of Trade,
on the subject of the rais.ng of the duties on linen yarn imported
into France.

The Archbishop of Canterbury and Mr. O'Reilly had inter-
views with Lord Stanley yesterday at the Colonial-office.
Baron de Moncorvo, the Portuguese Minister, and Baron
Brunow, the Russian Minister, transacted business yesterday at
the Poreion- office.
r_.

Despat.Ches from the Governors of Canada, New Brunswick,
and Nova Scotia, and frem the Governor of Gibraltar, were
received yesterday at the. Colonial•oflice.

SOUTH-EASTERN RAILWAY.

Nothing particularly worthy of comment appears to
have presented itself among the Railway matters this
week. The opening of the portion of the South-East-
tern .line as far a 3 Tonbridge on Thursday, already sug-
gests to the minds of parties acquainted with the locali-
ties through which it passes the possibility of some set-
tlement of the differences between the Greenwich and
Croydon Railways being brought about. In the mean-
while, however, the contest continues as fierce as ever,
with as much show of justice on the one side as on
the other. Ou the occasion referred to, the first train
of the South-Eastern Railway started at half-past
nine, arriving at the Tonbridge station, a distance of
forty miles, by half-past. eleven. For a distance of twenty
miles, from the• London station, the South-Eastern
Railway runs jointly with the Brighton line, so that it is
only that portion commencing at the point of divergence,
Redstone-hill, which is entirely new to the public. The
intermediate stations between this point and Tonbridge
are three in number—the Godstone station, the Edens-
bridge, and the Penshurst ; and throughout the whole
of this distance the railway follows one continued
straight line, which is subsequently carried on to Ash-.
ford, where the line makes a turn in the direction of
Folkestone, and thence passes on between the cliffs
and the sea to Dover. The works in that part of
the line which is now completed present no feature
of any importance, save a tunnel at Blotching-
ley, which is about three-quarters of a mile in length.
The stations are constructed with a due regard to the
convenience of passengers and the exigencies of business,
but nothing more, the utmost simplicity and plainness ap-
pearing here as in the other works of the Company, which
have been carried on in a wise spirit of economy, pro-
misin,,,r well for the prosperity of the concern ; and
though this road presents in many places great difficul-
ties,, its total cost is estimated at not more than 30,0001.
per mile—a notable difference from that of other lines.
The largest and most extensive station is at Tonbridge,
Which is intended to become the central station for the
.county of Kent ; and here the manufactories fir the Com-
pany's engines and carriages will be erected; the latter will,
for the most part, be constructed with what are called bow-
springs, the working of which renders the motion ex-
tremely gentle and easy ; in other respects they are most
commodiously fitted up, and possess a very desirable
quality in the height of their roofs. In the construction
of the railway itself there are certain peculiarities deserv-
ing of notice=-first, as regards the unusual width of the
formation level; and, secondly, in the plan adopted in
laying down the rails, which rest upon sleepers only.
The sleepers are triangular in form, four being cut out
of one balk, and rest upon one edge ; the same bearing
surface and strength are thus obtained as with rectan-
gular sleepers, together with great economy of
timber, and facility of drainage. The rails are fitted
into chairs cast with great accuracy, from which
they receive an uniform inclination inwards with-
out depending upon the rail-layers. This system, al-
though it does not effect any direct saving in the mate-
rials used, ultimately proves economical from the extreme
rapidity with which the work can be done. The whole
of that portion of.the line which is now open is in a most
finished state, and presents an appearance of great neat-
ness. The carriages move on the rail with considerable
ease, •which, though not so great as use will subsequently
render it, presents a great eontrast with the Croydon
line. The next portion of the line to be opened will ex-
tend to Ileadcom, and will be completed in three months,
and by next Christmas it will have advanced to Ashford.
The completion of the entire line to Dover is promis'ed
for the end of next year.— Times.

MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT ON THE RtvER.--Yester •
day afternoon an inquest was held at the Magpie and Stump,
Cheyne-walk, Chelsea, before Mr. 11 akley, M.P., Coroner, on
the bodies of Sarah and Hannah Graham, two iaters, of the
respective ages of 18 and 20 years, who were ,Lrowned in the
river under the following. melancholy circr,mstances It ap-
peared, by the evidence of several witnesses, who were examined
at great length, that on• Sunday afternoon, a party of six per-
sons, consisting of four females and two young men, pro•
ceeded in a• boat from Vauxhall-bridge, with the inten-
tion of going to Richmond. The boat was rowed by the
two young men. On arriving at Hammersmith Suspen-
sion.bridge the party altered their intention of proceed-
ing further and returned back. On reaching Chelsea,
the whole party landed, and went into the Magpie and Stump
public-house, where they partook of some refreshment, but
were perfectly sober when they returned to the boat at eight
o'clock, for the purpose of going to. London. It being per-
ceived by several persons that the young men were pushing the
boat from the causeway near to the Cadogan New Pier,
at which a steam-boat was then lying, with the intention
of going outside of her, they were cautioned, as the tide was
running very strong, to pass underneath the pier, but they
unfortunately disregard such advice, and, owing to their
unskilfulness, and the strength of the stream, the boat was
carried between the dummy of the pier and the steamer, and in
.a
moment she filled with water, and went down stern foremost,
leaving the whale party struggling in the river. Every exer-
tion was made, by a great number of persons who witnessed the
aceidint to save them, but only four'of the party, whose names
are Edward Hopkin and his wife (the latter of whom was sister
to the ddceased females), a young woman, named Jane PrQll,
and a young man, named Pinkerton, were got out. The two
unfortunate young females having sunk beneath th,ssteamer,
immediately went down, and did not rise agakr. The bodies
were picked up in the mud near Mr. Thorne's malt-house,
opposite
the Red-house, Battersea, upwards of half a mile from
the spot where the lamentable accident occurred. All the wit-
nesses
concurred in stating that, had the young men gone under
the pier, instead of attempting to go outside of it, the accident
would not have occurred, and that it was entirely owing to
their inexperience in the management of the boat. The Jury
returned a verdict of " Accidental Death."
NEW lIOUSES OF PARLIAMENT.—The progress of
this truly sdlendid pile !of building has been very active, con-
sidering its immense length, since the panic caused by the
late disagreements and misunderstandings among some of
the misled operatives. It is now arrived at. the first tier
of apartments, and the corbels for many of the windows
alreapy dial lay numbers of beater-shaped shields, charged
with the Royal arms of England before and after the con-
quest, together with those of the loyal continental houses
with which the present reigning family is intimately allied.
Other' sections of the edifice are also enriched with innu-
merable escocheons bearing the heraldic ensigns of illus.-
trious ancestors who had fought in Palestine, bled on the
fields of Arragon, or who once had aided the sturdy Barons
who compelled John to sign our. ever-memorable Charter.
These exterior embellishments will sustain painted windows,
" casting a dim religious light—a light as not of day," over the
interior of a finer structure, ard one every way more conveni
ent, censidered as the two Houses of Parliament, or one snore
becoming the dignity of the nation, can scarcely be conceived.
A remarkable passage in " the minutes of evidence (952) be-
fore the Select Committee of the House of Commons, °' on the
subject of Member's accommodation, runs thus : The near
approach to the library and a ct nvenient smoking-room are now
of more importance than ever; in old times such aecommida-
tions were less necessary, Members came and sat a few hours
in their seats, heard the debates, voted, and went away in
reasonable time, but now a Member of Parlariament who at-
tends his duty closely spends twelve hours a day in the House,
to say nothing of Committees. It, 'therefore, becomes im-
portant that he should have the convenience of a library, and
what is called a smoking-room."
A man, named Uueroult, was condemned a few
days ago, by the Court of Assizes at Rouen, to 15 years' hard • •
labour at the hu'ks, for hating committed. 71 church robberies..