The Sun.
London, England, 1845-01-04 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, JANUARY 4, 1845,

ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF
THE DUKE OF NORMANDY.
Great sensation was excited yesterday in Fulham, in
consequence of a diabolical attempt on the previous night
to murder Charles Louis de Bourbon, commonly known
as the Duke of Normandy, who is at present residing at
Mulgrave House, King's-road, Fulham.
The '° Duke" professes to be the son of Louis XVI.
and Marie Antoinette, and consequently the legitimate
heir to the throne of France. His life has been twice
previously attempted; once before leaving France, and
on the 10th of November, 1838, in the garden of the
house he then occupied on Camberwell-green. On that
occasion two pistols were discharged at him, and three
balls entered his person.
The following authentic particulars have been col-
lected :
An order had been recently received fsr the manufac-
ture of some machinery of a peculiar character, and the
Duke of Normandy superintended the getting of it up,
and worked at it himself. During the last fortnight
he had been working night and day in the shop in
which the engineer's lathes are fixed, and though
generally attended by some of his pupils, he was
occasionally alone, as was the case in this instance.
The shop is at some distance from the house, and easily
approachable at night from almost any part of the
grounds without the persons engaged being aware of the
fact. It is chiefly constructed of wood, and has a sky-
light and a casement with two sashes. The panes of
this window were whitened to prevent persons from the
outside observing what was going on in the shop; there.
fore a person from the garden could not distinguish the
features of the person who might happen to be at work,
although there would be a reflection of the individual's
figure. Opposite to this workshop is another, in an un-
finished state, where there is every convenience for a
person to conceal himself in event of a sudden surprise.
The space between the buildings is narrow, and a man
presenting a gun at the window of the workshop would,
to obtain a steady aim, have to fire from the roof of the
unfinished building.
It appears that on Thursday evening, about half-past
seven o'clock, the Duke was at work at the lathe, which
faces the window, and was in the act of polishing a
piece of brass, when he was suddenly alarmed at a loud
explosion, snd the place being momentarily in flames.
He at first thought that some of the students had in-
cautiously left some combusible matter, which had
exploded ; but a momentary sight of the broken window
convinced the Duko of the true nature of the explosion,
and he instantly blew out the candle and stooped down
beneath the lathe to avoid another shot. The report
instantly brought Mr. Tucker, the manager, and some
of the students, to the spot, where they found the Duke
in the state described. From a hasty examination it
was ascertained that a bullet had been fired through the
window, from either a blunderbuss or a large cavalry
pistol, that it had passed within an inch or two of the
Duke's head, and made its way through the boarding at
the back of the garden. From the size of the aperture in
the boarding, and the violence of the report and concus-
sion attendant upon it, two panes of glass were shat-
tered, besides the one through which the ball passed. It
is evident that the bullet must have weighed nearly two
ounces. The premises were instantly searched tho-
roughly, but the darkness of the night favoured the es-
cape of the assassin, and the only trace that could be dis-
covered was the mark of a man's footsteps coming up
and descending the banks of the river close to the ferry
which separates Mulgrave House grounds from Sir Fre-
derick Roe's premises. The embankment is here not
more than three feet in height, and it is easy for an in-
dividual approaching the place by means of a boat to
obtain access to the grounds. Information was instantly
sent to the station-house of the V division, in Milman's-
row, Chelsea, and Inspector Sheppard, with Sergeant
[hunt, No. 4 V, immediately proceeded to the premises,
which they also examined most minutely, but without
success.
The Duke informed the police that he believed that
the attack was to be assigned to political motives ; that
he had recently abjured the Roman Catholic creed, and
consequently the Roman Catholics were inveterate
igainst him. He had received a letter from a French
priest three weeks previously, informing him that there
was a plot to take his life, and he had also received two
communications from the Baron de Berryer, informing
4irn that two Frenchmen had endeavoured to enlist him
a conspiracy to destroy him.
Inspector Sheppard asked the Duke if it was not pos-
4ible that the attempt might have been made from mo-
lye,: of private revenge alone ?
The Duke said there was no one that he knew of
'airing injured, or that had threatened him. He had dis-
!harged a gardener named Eccles, on the previous week,
seesuse there was nothing for him to do, and the man
said he would mark the Duke.
The police have made inquiries after this man, and
•scertained that he quitted his lodgings in Fulham on
Nlonday night last.
Yesterday morning Mr. Bucknell, the superintendent
ef the V division, visited the Duke of Normandy, and
,nade a strict :nquiry into all the circumstances of the
ease, and also made a careful inspection of the premises.
Pollee-constables Milne, 70 V, and Langton, 35 V, were
eaployed during the whole day searching for the bullet,
hut the fact of its being expended in the kitchen-garden
.nade their search a fruitless task. The general opinion
is, that the offence was committed by an individual well
acquainted not only with the premises, but with the
Duke's habits.

subject of the melancholy event which has caused his ap-
prehension.

the valve to be placed, as usual, in a chest, and the piston
in a cylinder, either above or below the conical valve.
Claim—" What I claim as my invention, and desire to
secure by letters patent, as an improvement on the well-
known conical balance valve, is, connecting the valve
‘sith the balance piston, by means of a hollow stem, as
described."
COUPLING BARS, FOR COUPLING RAILROAD CARS,
LOCOMOTIVES, &c.—Wm. D. Chesnut, Wilmington.—
The patentee says, "My coupling bar has a jaw at each
end, which is kept closed by a spring, so as to embrace
the coupling bolt, and said jaws are so arranged as that
they may play freely to the distance required by the
curvature of the road, but that they shall open and free
the coupling bar from the bolt, should one of the con-
nected vehicles run off the track, or be from any cause
made to deviate a greater distance from a right line
than is due to the curvature of the road ; whenever such
a d.)viation takes place, a pin, or some analogous device,
is brought up against a check-piece under the platform
of the car, or, where a platform is not used, by a check-
piece otherwise situated, near the coupling bolt, and,
the jaws being thereby opened, the coupling bar will
he liberated." The pin, which is above described as
striking against the check-piece, to liberate the coupling
is attached to the bar, and independent of the spring, so
as to separate the bar from the spring, and thus open the
coupling ; or it may be attached to a lever joined to the
bar, so that when brought against the check-piece the
lever may turn and force open the spring jaw. Claim—
" What I claim as new and my invention is, the so ar-
ranging of the bar, the spring, the pin, and the check-
piece, as that the jaw shall be opened when one of the
cars deviate from the track—the respective parts being
connected with each other, and operating substantially
in the manner set forth."
ROTARY INCLINED PROPELLER.—R. F. Loper, Phila-
delphia.—This propeller has four wings, or paddles,
forming a cross, and their places are at or near an angle
of 45 degrees, and, instead of having them project from
a cylindrical hub, as heretofore, they are all connected
together, or made in the solid, and then put on to a shaft,
and the propelling surfaces extend entirely down, form-
ing an angle at the junction of the several paddles, by
which means the inventor claims that he can obtain a
greater amount of propelling surface, within a given
diameter, than can be obtained by having the paddles
attached to and projecting from a cylindrical hub.
Claim—" What I claim as my invention is, the before- I
mentioned manner of constructing the propellers, by ex-
tending their inclined planes or propelling surfaces into
~he hub or centre portion of the propeller, as set forth."

It may be obstrved, that had it not been for the effi-
cient aid of the electric telegraph, both at Slough and
Paddington, the greatest difficulty as well as delay would
have occurred in the apprehension of the party now in
custody.

CORONERS' INQUESTS.
EXTRAORDINARY DEATII BY POlSON.—Yesterday
G. J. Mills, Deputy Coroner for the western district of
Middlesex, held an inquest, at the Kenilworth Castle,
King-street, New North-road, Islington, on the body of
Joseph Haggett, aged 21, late a workman in Messrs. Le
Paige and Co.'s composite candle manufactory, Great
Suffolk-street, Borough.
Edmund Phillips, of 5, King-street, deposed that de-
ceased was his lodger. On last Christmas-day he re-
turned home and complained of his hand being poisoned
by the arsenic used in the manufacture of composite
candles, in the manufactory of Messrs. Le Paige, where
lie worked. Deceased was unable to attend to his work.
and became so ill on Saturday that witness called in a
surgeon, and ho died On the following Monday morning,
about seven o'clock. He had been three months in that
employ, was frequently sick during that period, and
showed how his hands were contracted by the arsenic.
He attributed his ailments to standing over the steam of
the ingredients used in making the candles, which he
said affected his health.
Joseph Lee, gardener—l lodged with deceased, who
was ill during the three months that he was engaged at
Messrs. Le Paige's, and could not eat. When he came
home at night, he showed how his hands were contracted
by the poison contained in the matter of which the
candles were made. On Christmas morning his hand
got inflamed, from, as he :aid, the poison having entered
under the broken skin. His hands were stripped fre-
quently by the poison.
Mr. Edward Roe, surgeon—Attended deceased on
Saturday morning. He found him with the left hand
and fore arm swollen. The glands under the arms were
also swelled. There was likewise an abrasion of the
skin on the back of the hand. The angry appearance of
the limb satisfied him that it had been poisoned, and he
told deceased so, who with some reluctance said " Yes,"
and that he imbibed the arsenic from the composition of
which wax stearine candles were made. Saline draughts,
fomentations, and poultices, were instantly administered.
He rallied a little on Sunday, but in the evening got
worse, and died on Monday morning. Purple patches
gradually covered his arm and side, showing the putres-
cent state of his blood.
By the CORONER—The poison was more tardy in its
effects in consequence of its having been absorbed in the
skin, than it would have been had he swallowed it, and
it acted more insidiodsly as it was a mineral poisou.
There was no doubt of his death having ensued from the
influence of the poison used in his trade.
M. Le Paige having requested to be examined upon
oath, was, after due caution by the Coroner, sworn. He
stated that he was a native of Belgium, and that for the
last twelve months he manufactured wax, sperm, stearine,
and composite candles in Great Suffolk-street, Borough.
He had twelve men in his employ, and deceased was
engaged by him as candle-maker about three months
ago in the manufacture of stearine and wax composite
candles. Eight ounces of arsenic were generally mixed
with the melted stuff in all manufactories, but in his only
two ounces, as he was desirous to do away with arsenic
as much as possible. The arsenic made the candles have
more the appearance of wax, and gave a brighter and
more transparent light.
By the CORONER—Candles made without arsenic
were less dangerous and more pleasant to burn, while
those impregnated with that poison sent forth a dis-
agreeable smell like garlick. In France and Belgium
they were not allowed to use arsenic in the composition
of candles under a severe penalty. Deceased never
touched the arsenic, which was put in the melted stuff
by the superintendent. The duty of deceased was to
take that stuff in ladles from the boilers, and pour into
moulds. Deceased, who was a sober steady man, never
complained of illness until after Christmas-day, and then
he merely said that he had injured his hand. Witness
never heaard of any other man in his employ being
similarly affected.
The superintendent, a Frenchman, stated that he inva-
riably mixed the arsenic with the melted stuff as a pre-
caution against danger, but he admitted that the stearine
acid was of a poisonous character, and required to be
used with great caution, as it was likely to cause morti-
fication if It entered the skin.
Mr Roe re-examined—He was convinced that the
death of the deceased had ensued from the admission of
the poison into the wound, and from its having pervaded
his whole system during his work.
Verdict—" That the deceased died from the mortal
effects of his exposure to the poison of arsenic while at
work in a candle manufactory."
The Coaosea (addressing M. Le Paige) said that he
left the Court without the slightest censure ; but at the
same time he (the Coroner) hoped that in future, should
any of his men complain of illness, he would instantly
obtain fur them medical relief. M. Le Paige promised
he would do so.
CHILD FOUND IN THE REGENT'S PARK.—Yesterday
afternoon, at three o'clock, an inquest was held by Mr.
Wakley, M.P., at the Elephant and Castle, Camden
town, on the body of a new-born female child found ii
the Regent's Park.

THE TEA TRADE.
The commercial intelligence brought by the overland
mail is not of a very cheering character. It is true that
hopes are expressed of an improvement in trade; but at
present prices are recorded as being very low, and busi-
ness as being very limited. All seems to indicate that
caution should be exercised in exporting goods to India
and China. With respect to the latter country, the
parties concerned in the tea trade here are drawing at-
tention to the small consumption of manufactured ar-
ticles as an argument for the reduction of the duty on
tea. The following extracts from two trade circulars
illustrate the controversy that is now going on with re-
spect to this subject. Both of them are in favour of a
reduction of the duty. The first is from the circular of
Messrs. Carlisle, Capel, and Co. :
" If we are to reap the advantages of an extended in-
tercourse with that vast empire which is now open to
the commercial enterprise of the world, it is evident that
we must open to that country a market which will re-
ceive a corresponding return for our increased exports.
That no such market can be looked for under the pre-
sent fiscal arrangements, the history of the tea market
for the past few years affords ample testimony, for the
depression has been such as to subject our merchants
and manufacturers in many instances to losses which
have rendered the trade altogether unprofitable ; thus,
we find from the intelligent circular of Messrs. Gibson,
Ord, and Co., that notwithstanding the very profitable
rates quoted by the last overland mail for the article for
shirtings, the transactions entered into in Manchester
were 6 limited in extent, which can only be accounted for
by the constant apprehension parties are under as to re-
turns.' It is true a gradual increase has taken place in
the consumption of tea, but that increase bears no pro-
portion to the increase of population, or to the reduction
in the bonded price, and oaly serves to indicate to what
extent the consumption would reach were the present
enormous rate of duty sufficiently reduced to admit of a
material diminution of the retail prices."
The second is from the circular of Messrs. Lloyd,
Matheson, and Co.:—

" The injurious effects of the present duty, alluded to
in our circulars of January 1843-1844, as being so espe-
cially oppressive in the lower kinds of congou as almost
to exclude them from consumption, is illustrated by the
fact, that at the present time, with an increase in the
stock of the United Kingdom over that of last year, there
is a great scarcity in all markets of the medium and
finer kinds, the inquiries for which have advanced them
2d. to 3d. per pound, wi.ile the lowest qualities remain
almost stationary, notwithstanding that there have been
very extensive speculative purchases. When, therefore,
we look forward to another year's importation, which
from the extended shipments of our manufactures is
likely still further to exceed gur present consumption,
we can see nothing in prospect but a further accumulation
,f this class, unless by a great and immediate reduction
of the duty a much larger consumption is created, en-
couragement to hope for which is afforded by the very
general opinion ROW prevailing of the necessity, if not the
probability, of its taking place."—Tines.

TILE DUKE'S OWN STATEMENT.
After an interview with the Duke of Normandy.
the Prince gave the following account of the trans-
action. The Prince said :—" I was standing at the
lathe, polishing a piece of brass, part of some ma-
chinery which has been ordered by a friendly
party (at which I have been working night and day,
Noinetimes by myself, and occasionally attended by one
Of my officers), when I heard my dog, which was fas-
tened to the kennel outside the shop, barking furiously.
I went out and released him, when he bounded down the
garden, barking all the while. I returned to the lathe,
And had not been at it five minutes when I heard an ex-
plosion, and saw my workshop all in flames. I thought
at first that one of my officers had left some combustible
in the shop which had ignited ; but directly I saw the
window broken, I knew then that my political enemies
had sent some one to shoot me. To save my life I put
out the light and stooped down behind the lathe. I
know it is a plot of my political enemies ; they thought
to shoot me, and believing the shop was full of my in-
ventions, they thought it would be set fire to, and I
should be utterly destroyed."
The Duke of Normandy, in tke course of the after-
noon, had a private interview with Mr. Clive, at Ham-
mersmith Police-court.

Alfred Stevens, the son of a greengrocer, residing at
41. Albany-street, said that on Wednesday morning last,
about a quarter past ten o'clock, he, togeth'sr with some
other boys, was playing in the Regent's Park, and on
passing the garden facing Chester-terrace, a boy, named
Combe, said there was a parcel lying on the pathway.
Witness and another boy got over the palings, and they
found that the pared contained the body of a child.
They instantly informed a policeman, who brought the
body to the workhouse.
Samuel Combes, another boy, corroborated this state-
ment.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE OF

MAILS.

SOUTHAMPTON, JAN. 3. —The Oriental Company's
steam-ship the Braganza, Captain Lewk left the docks
at 3 P.N. this day for Constantinople, Athens, &c. She
has taken out the East India and China mails, which,
with her passengers, about sixty in number, she will
transfer over to the Iberia at Malta, by which vessel
they will be conveyed to Alexandria. The Braganza has
a full cargo of Manchester and other goods consigned to
her final destination.

Mr. T. H. Cooper, surgeon to St. Pancras workhouse.
deposed to having examined the body, which was that
of a newly-born female child. On subjecting the heart
and lungs to the hydraulic test, they floated, and were
full of air, denoting, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that
the deceased had been born alive. He could not state
the precise cause of death, but it might have been from
bleeding.
The jury returned a verdict of " Wilful murder against
some person or persons unknown."
CHOLERA PRODUCED BY DISEASED PORK.—Yester-
day afternoon Mr. Baker held an inquest at the Leigh
Hoy, Church-street, Mile-end New-town, on the body
of Mr. Charles Marshall, horse hair manufacturer, aged
twenty-seven, who died, on Tuesday afternoon, of the
English cholera.
Mr. Thomas Llewellyn, surgeon, Mount-place, White-
chapel, said that, on being called in, he found deceased
suffering from a severe attack of the English cholera.
His face was sunk, and he was suffering from violent
cramps of the stomach and legs. His screams were so
loud, that they could be heard at some distance. Wit
ness was told that the deceased had pork on Sunday,
and that he was soon after taken ill. It was nearly the
same as the Asiatic cholera, without its blueness.
By a juror—I believe the pork was the proximate
cause of the attack.

The same Company's steam. ship the Queen, Captain
Russell, came into port at 1.15 A.M. this day from Gib-
raltar, and landed the Peninsular and other mails, which
were forwarded to London by the two A.M. mail train.
Her dates are Gibraltar, Dec. 22, Cadiz, 23d, Lisbon,
28th, and Vigo, 29th. She had no communication with
Oporto. The Queen had ten passengers, and a small
cargo of fruit.

The Montrose steam-packet sailed out of dock yester-
day at 3 P.M., with the Peninsular and Mediterranean
mails, also twenty passengers, among whom were Lady
Granville Somerset and daughter.
The Royal West India mail-packet the Clyde, Capt.
Symmonds, left the river at 3 P.M. yesterday, for the
West Indies, taking out the South America and West
India mails, about forty passengers, 800 bottles of quick-
silver, and 8,0002 in specie.

THE SUSPECTED MURDER AT
SALT-HILL.

SLOUGH, FRIDAY EVENING. This extraordinary
affair, which is wrapped in the greatest mystery, still
continues to excite the most intense interest throughout
this extensive neighbourhood. A great number of per-
sons, anxious to have a view of the interior of the house,
and especially the room in which the supposed murder
took place, and now containing the body of the deceased
(upon which an inquest was held yesterday), visited the
house during to-day ; but the constable, with whom is
deposited the key of the house, has received strict in-
junctions from the Coroner, before whew the adjourned
proceedings will be resumed to-morrow morning, not to
suffer any one to enter the premises, and these orders
have been strictly attended to.
The deceased had two children living with her at the
time of her death—Frederick, the eldest, aged five
years, and Sarah, an interesting little girl, one year
younger. They had been put to bed by their mother
about half an hour before the discovery of the murder
of their unfortunate parent. Mrs. Ashlee, who gave
evidence before the coroner and jury at the inquest yes-
terday afternoon, was the first person who entered the
house, after the prisoner, John Tawell, had left. Both
the children, who were then asleep, were immediately
taken by Mrs. Ashlee to her own house, which was ad-
joining. The boy was --afterwards asked by Mrs.
Ashlee if the gentleman had given his mother any
money before be was put to bed. The child said he
saw no money ; but he heard his mother say to the old
gentleman, " You are a very naughty man, and very
cruel," when the gentleman remarked that he should never
come to see his mother again. It may be observed, as a
somewhat remarkable circumstance, that the boy of the
deceased bears a close resemblance to the prisoner, John
Tawell. During the proceedings yesterday before the
coroner, the boy was taken into an adjoining room,
where the prisoner was in custody, and instantly recog-
nised him as the person who was with his mother on the
preceding afternoon. As soon as the prisoner saw the
child he turned his head away in apparently considerable
agitation.
The room in which the deceased met her death is not
more than about ten feet square. Her head, when her
body was discovered by Mrs. Ashlee, was lying near the
door, and her feet towards the fireplace. It was stated
at the inquest yesterday that her clothes were in great
disorder, her cap off her head, and one of her stockings
pulled down and torn. Her shoes were also off her
feet, and lying in another part of the room. From the
general appearance of the body, and the state of the
clothes of the deceased, it was very evident that she had
been engaged in a desperate struggle. Her eyes were
apen when Mrs. Ashlee entered her apartment, and she
breathed her last within about ten minutes afterwards,
tud just as Mr. Champnes, the surgeon, arrived. The
deceased, who was about 40 years of age, was considered
by her friends and neighbours to be a very quiet and
respectable person.
A pest mortem examination of the body of the deceased
took place yesterday in the presence of Mr. Champnes
and Mr. Norblad, surgeons of Slough, and likewise of a
surgeon from town. The whole of the contents of the
stomach were taken away for the purpose of being care-
fully analysed, there being strong reasons for supposing,
in the absence of any external marks of violence, that
the deceased's death was occasioned from the effects of
some potent poison. The contents of the stomach were
taken to London this morning by Mr. Norbald, followed
by Mr. Champnes. A phial, partly fixed with some
light-coloured liquid, was found this morning thrown
over the rails of Mr. Botham's garden, at Salt-hill, ad-
joining the high road, along which the prisoner passed
on Wednesday evening after leaving Bath-place to pro-
ceed to the Slough station. The contents of this phial,
and also the remainder of the porter found in the tumbler
and bottle on the table at the time the deceased was dis-
covered in the agonies of death, have likewise been
taken to London to be analysed.

- •
DESTRUCTIVE FlRE.—Early on Sunday morning
last, the clothing factory, with fulling mill, belonging
to Messrs. IV. and S. Rossiter, clothiers, of Frome, was
discovered to be on fire, and with the whole of the va-
luable machinery, clothing materials, wool, and cloths,
was in a short time destroyed. The factory being in a
lonely situation, near Corsley, and the hour of the fire
breaking out being soon after midnight, it was some
time before any one came to the assistance of the mill-
man, who resides in a house adjoining the mill, and
whose daughter, who was lying ill, was the first who
made an alarm. Great praise is due to this man for his
exertions ; he first took his daughter, who is quite help-
less, and laid her in the field that she might not be
burned, and then employed himself in removing what
property he could for his employers, and succeeded in
getting out 14 pieces of cloth, besides some other articles;
working the whole time by himself, with only his shirt
on, not having stopped to put on any other article of
.lathing. The amount of damage is supposed to be
5,000/. or 6,000/. ; and the property is only insured to
about one-half the amount. The most melancholy cir-
cumstance connected with the fire will be the throwing
a considerable number of workpeople out of employ.—
Wiltshire Independent.
THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.—A great many work-
men are employed in constructing the temporary build-
ings intended as Committee-rooms for the approaching
session of Parliament. They are being built in what is
ierrned the Speaker's court of the old Houses, and are
about ten in number. These rooms have become ne2es-
sary from the alterations made in the lobby of the H ruse
of Commons, which has been reduced at least one-half,
and the preparations are being made in the Speaker's
drawing-room and adjoining rooms, which were used
►s Committee-rooms last year ; thow apartments, as
yell as the fine old dining-room, having to be prepared
fir the extension of the building of the new Housei of
Parliament. The new Committee-rooms are so placed
AS to afford every facility of communication, especially to
\iembers of the House, by a passage through \Vest-
minster Hall and the cloisters leading from the lobby.
Some months back we stated that Bellamy's refreshment-
rooms were required to be removed to make the neces•
nary alterations. They now occupy nearly the same
site as before the fire which destroyed the Houses of
Parliament. In the cloisters presses are being formed
or the papers of the journal-office, as a temporary de-
aository. The two large rooms in New Palace-yard are
intended as courts for the Vice-Chancellors. Ttie
ancient apartment known as the Speaker's dining-room
is to be restored to its original architectural elegance ;
but the connecting buildings are being cleared away for
the building of Sr. Stephen's-hall. The beautiful Gothic
cloisters are also to be renovated, and are to form a por-
:ion of the new Houses.
" THE LIGHT OF OTHER DATS."—The parish of
it. Pancras is doubly blest in this foggy weather, fur it
has its street lamps burning both night and day. We
eounted last Friday, in the Hampstead-road, no less
than ten napthas flaring up d mly one after the other.
vow could not this superfluity of light during the middle
pf the day, when its burning must be an insult to the
miblie eye, and a rank offence in the nostrils of every
political economist, be put by fur the Kensington•roads,
and lent to them every night ? Naptha, it is true, is not
,he most brilliant light the metropolis or the age can
ioast of ; but still Kensington will see, we are sure, with
'rat' on eye, enat naptha, dim as it is, is better than no
light at all,—Punch.

Mr. Mills said that the deceased's wife and a young
woman parto,)l( of the pork, and that almost imme-
diately after they were attacked with spasms, but they
had recovered.

The CottonsEa observed that he never heard of a
stronger case of the English cholera. Verdict—" Natu-
ral death."

SUICIDE AND DESTlTUTlON.—yesterday afternoon an
inquest was taken by Mr. Baker, at the Queen's Head.
Fleet-street, Spitalfields, on the body of Richard Wil-
liams, aged nineteen, a horse-hair spinner. Deceased
was living with his mother, a hawker of fish, at No. 4.
Little George-street. He was of reserved habits, and
had twice attempted self-destruction. On Wednesday
last, in the afternoon, he was discovered suspended by a
piece of cord, and life was extinct. Sergeant Bar
aker,
H 11, was then called in, who found the family in
state of wretchedness and destitution. The following
morning he, after having given the deceased's mother a
shilling, lard the case before Mr. Bingham, of the Wor-
ship-street Police-court, who instantly gave her 5s
from the poor-box, and from the same source ordered a
supply of bread and coals, which were thankfully re
ceived. The sergeant also raised a subscription in the
neighbourhood for her present wants. Verdict—" Te-
mporary insanity."

RECENT AMERICAN PATENTS.
(From the Journal of the Franklin Institute.)
BREAKING COAL.—J. Battin, Philadelphia.—We
make the following extract from the specification of thi,
patent—viz., improvement in the manner of combinint.
and arranging the toothed rollers used in the machine
for breaking coal, which rollers, as combined and ar-
ranged by me, are described, as follows, in the specifica-
tion attached 10 letters patent for a machine for tin
effecting simultaneously the breaki▪
ng and screening of
coal. granted to me under date of the 6th day of Octo-
ber, 1843. The breaking part of my machine consists
of two rollers of cast-iron, the peripheries of which ar,
provided with teeth, so placed as that in the revolution
of the rollers the teeth of each of them shall stand oppo-
site to the spaces formed by two contiguous teeth on the
opposite roller. These rollers are geared together, in
order to cause them to preserve the same relative posi-
tions. In the abovenamed letters patent, this manner
of arranging and combining the toothed rollers was not
made the subject of a claim, the sai▪ d patent having been
obtained for the combining of a roller breaking machine
with a screen, for separating the coal into different size-
required; but as the breaking rollers, so formed.
arranged, and combined, are applicable to the ordinary
cylinder breaking machine, when not used in combint;-
, tion with a screen—and, as I hare found, by
continued experiment, that such rollers consti-
tute a real improvement in any breaking ma-
chine, I have determined to secure to myself the bench
of such improvement in a distinct and seplratt
patent. Rollers for the breaking of stone, of ores
of coal, of c mai, and of other substances, have been ire
quently constructed, and are well known ; some of then,
have been fluted, and others have been furnished with
projecting teeth in their surfaces, but they have never.
as I very believe, been made to operate in the manner
in which my improved rollers operate. Claim—. What
I claim as new, and desire to secure by letters patent, is
the so forming and gearing of such rollers as that th.
teeth of one of them shall always be opposite to a spac,
between the teeth in the other, whenever they are Oper-
ating upon the article to be broken, the same bein;:
effected substantially in the manner set forth."
CONICAL BALANCE VALVES FOR STEAM ENGINES.--T.
111‘Donough, Middletowu.—The following is the descrip
tion of this improvement, given in the speeitieation—viz.,
the nature of my invention consists in connecting tin
conical valve with the well-known balance piston, bl
means of a hollow stem, so that the steam can pa;•
through the hollow stem to act below the balance piston
and thus always have an equal pressure on the upper aid,
of the valve and lower side of the piston, and on the
lower side of the valve and upper side of the piston ;

The following curious note, bearing no date and
giving no clue to ampler information. was written on the
ly leaf of some old records that fell into our hands by
.fiance. "On the grand deputation's return to Buda,
he Diet held a very stormy meetic:;, in consequence of
.which the following anonymous epigram was placarded
to the hall where they sat :
Corrumpit omnia pus ; rodit omnia mus.
Destruit omnia lanatismus ; rapit omnia, nepotismus.
Infecit omnia egoismus ; trahit omnia magnetismus.
Depravat omnia magnatismus; stulta petit Calvinismus.
Paria facit Lutheranismus; sed stultior est Papismus.
Hie, midi crede, est Dietatis catechismus."
‘. minute search into the history of the times might per-
aaps throw some light on the origin of this singular
philippic.—The Pandora.

It will be remembered that when Mrs. Ashlee entered
the room, the deceased was lying on the floor on her
back, foaming at the mouth.We have since been informed
that a quantity of froth, the same in appearance to that
which issued from the mouth, was on that part of the
table near which the unfortunate woman generally sat.
At the adjourned inquest, which will commence to-
morrow morning at ten o'clock, some important evidence
is expected to be brought forward.
The prisoner, John Tawell, who is in the custody of
Mr. Perkins, the superintendent of the Eton police, is
extremely taciturn, maintaining a sullen silence on the

A PARROT ADMITTED AS A WIT-
NESS IN A COURT OF JUSTICE.
The following extraorelirary case was decided at the
College-green Police-office, Dublin. last week:—
Mr. Jones H. Davis, An,glesea-street, summoned Mr.
Moore, of the Quay, for detaining a parrot, his property.
Mr. E. Fullam appeared for the defendant.
The complainant, on being sworn, stated that he
wanted to recover a stolen parrot (and here he pulled
out a bundle of papers). If his worship permitter'. him,
he would read a statement of the case. He was about
to commence reading from the aforesaid papers, when
Mr. Hitchcock interrupted him, and said—Without
reference to that paper, did you lose a parrot, and when?
Complainant—Yes, your worship, I lost a parrot, and a
very good one too.
Mr. Fullam—The parrot is here, or at least outside
the court.
Complainant—Then, being in the bird, and I'll enrage
I'll soon prove my case by his evidence.—(Laughter.)
Mr. Hitchcock—lf the bird is to be examined as a
witness, he ought not -to be in court; he must be subject
to the rule of other witnesses.— (Laughter.)
Complainant—Never fear, your worship ; he will not
say a word except the truth.—(Renewed laughter.)
Mr. Hitchcock—Well, go on, and let us hear your
evidence at any rate.
Mr. Davis said, on Sunday evening, the 28th of April
last, he lost the bird, and did not see it after that until
Friday evening last. [Here an immense cage covered
with black or blue cloth, was carried into the board-
room amid a shout of laughter. The cage was placed in
the duck.]
Mr. Hitchcock—l said before, if he is to be examined,
he ought not to be in court.—(Laughter.) Is there any
objection made to his appearance ?
Mr. Fullam—l don't object. Tell me, Mr. Davis,
when do you say you lost your parrot ? Witness—l
will give up the whole matter if the parrot will not
prove my case. He is my principle witness.—(Roars of
laughter.)
Mr. Fullam—And do you swear, Sir, that Mr. Moore
stole him ? Witness—No, certainly not, for I don't
think he did ; but it may have been stolen by some per-
son, and sold to Mr. Moore ; I lost it, at all events; and
it was either stolen or taken away, which comes to the
same thing in the end, so far as I am concerned.
Mr. Hitchcock—All I can collect about the affair is
the fact that you had a parrot, and that you lost it.
Witness—Just so, your worship ; bat if you let me
read this paper it will explain all.
Mr. Hitchcock—You can tell your story without read-
in the paper, but you may refresh your memory by
looking at it.
Witness—Very well, your worship. The bird is now
in Court, and let me take him on my finger, and ask
him two or three questions, and if he don't answer to my
satisfaction and that of all present, I will give up the
case, because he is my principal witness, as I said be-
fore.—(Laughter.)
Mr. Fullam—Do you inteud to have him sworn ? If
you do I'd like to know on what hook, as it is very
likely he is a Heathen or a Turk.—(Laughter.)
A Voice behind—Get him a Koran then.—(Laughter;
in the middle of which the parrot commenced whistling,
" Take your time, Miss Lucy," amid a scene of the most
boisterous mirth we ever witnessed.)
Mr. Fullam—Let him be examined by you, and then
I have a right to cross-examine him.—(Laughter.) What
words did you teach him ?
Here the cage was uncovered, and the parrot stared
about the board-room for some time until Mr. Davis
stepped over to him and said, " Come, old fellow, give
me a kiss." The bird, which is certainly a very pretty
one, thrust its neck out of the twisted gyres, and kissed
Mr. Davis with great apparent fondness, whilst the by-
standers were almost convulsed with laughter. A fat
young fellow here came forward and said that the bird
would do the same to any one in the room, and, there-
fore, it was no proof that he belonged to Mr. Davis.
Mr. Davis said that the parrot would not kiss any one
but himself, and cautioned the lad not to try the experi-
ment ; but the advice was unheeded, and the boy, step-
ping over to the cage, asked for a buss also. The bird
looked at him for a moment, bristled up its feathers,
stretched out its neck, and seized the boy by the lip, out
of which it nearly took a mou hful before it could be
loosened, and the shouts of the lad mingled with the
laughter had a very excellent effect, indeed.
Mr. Davis requested any other gentleman that pleased
to ttek the parrot for a kiss. but the invitation was politely
declined by the whole of the company. He again begged
the favour of a salute from the bird, which was granted,
as in the first instance, with affection, and then he ap-
pealed to the bench and the audience if the kind bird
was not his property.
Mr. Hitchcock said the evidence was very strong in
his favour certainly ; but Mr. Fullam said his client was
by no means satisfied with the proof adduced on that point.
Mr. Davis —Very well (taking the bird out of the
cage on the fore-finger of his right hand), I will ask him
a few questions now, and I think I will settle the matter,
" Tell me, old fellow, what does the dog say ?"—The
answer was a bow, wow, wow, so loud and musical that
one would imagine the " Kildare hounds" had run a fox
into the board-room.
When the laughter which followed had ceased, Mr.
Davis again asked, " Well, what does the cat say ?"
The parrot gave a sly glance round the room, and then
commenced purring a little, after which lie set up mew-
ing, which forcibly reminded every person present of a
congregated meeting of all the torn cats in the city.
Mr. Davis asked was there any more proof necessary'
and

ROYAL ADELAIDE GALLERY. •
The enterprising proprietor of this favourite Gallery
of Practical Science, end Theatre of Instructive Antwe-
ment, has made one of his most successful hits in the
production of concerts a la Jullien, since the discontinu-
ance of those charming entertainments at Covent-gars en
Theatre. The Gallery is crowded every night, .and the
splendid performance 'of this orchestra receives the
warmest manifestations of arprobalin from the name.
rous audience, which is evidently composed of perso: TZ •
from the clk.ss of society in which the highest musie'll
merit is most appreciated. Last evening, besides the
various concerted pieces there were two solos of rare
merit and brilliancy, by Mr. Jarrett, -on the horn, and
by Mr. Shargool on the violin. They were much and
deservedly applauded. In a grand selection from thu
Mose in Egitto, and the Guillaume Tell, there were also •
introduced Musard's very effective. and expressive solos •
on the oboe, and cornet-a-piston—of the latter of which,
we mush say, that Kczhig seems to have spread such a
rage for its study, that ere long his play will cease to be
regarded as miraculous. The exertion of the gentleman
(Mr. Davis), who talcos Herr lirenig's place in this
orchestra, Eel's by no means far short of his prototype's
excellrnce.

Previous to the concert, and also between the first and
second parts, the gas microscope was exhibited in the
theatre, and a highly interesting and instructive explana.
Lion of the wonders of minute nature and elaborate'of
art therein disp!ayed, was given by the exhibitor.
In th.r course of the evening a good deal of sport was
afforded, especially to the younger portion of.the visitors,
by the administration of the borrliing gas to a number
of adventurous and voluntary experimentalists, who,
upon their recovery from the eiieeis, enjoyed the laughter
which they themselves had provoked, in the most naive
and inn. cent unconsciousness of the. capers they had cut
during their brief r.nd hilarious intoxication. The drol-
lery of this experiment has the great recommendation of
being as harmless as it, is amusing.
The dissolving views continue to be very beautiful and
attractive, and, on the who;e, it is gratifying to say, that
the Royal Adelaide Gallery receives and merits the
patronage which it has so liberally received from the
commencement of the pres,,nt management.

MILITARY FRACAS and SUICIDE.
SUNDERLAND, THURSDAY EVENING. Yesterday
being New Year's-day, •-is usual, a great cleat of festive
di.s,pation and ss,ci4:lrieking took place in this town
among the lower clas me of the inhabitants, and the
puolic-houses and streets were rather numerously filled
with persons in various stages of intoxication, amongst
whom quarrels and fights were not unfrequent. As the
day waned away the excitement among the dis(,rderly
increased, and the police had plenty of employmens in
the different public-houses and tap-rooms to preserve the
peace among quarrelling disputants who were ready and
anxious to settle their grievances and maintain their
arguments by an appeal to the " fists." In this way the
day was spent in the lower parts of the town, and
amongst the disorderly guests ac some of the tap-rooms
were a few straggling privates of the 26th, or Came-
ronians, the depot of which regiment is in garrison in
these barracks. Efforts were made to get the refrac-
tory soldiers to the barracks by the police and the
sergeants and corporals of the corps, and this was
done without creating any mischief or confusion par-
ticularly calling for notice. At the barracks, however,
matters did not pass off so quietly, and some of the
soldiers, being highly stimulated by liquor, and impa-
tient of control, quarrelled with the non-commissioned
officers whose duty it was to keep order, and a great deal
of wrangling, it is understood, was the result. A pri-
vate, who was greatly under the influence of drink, in a
fit of excitement, unfortunately seized the bayonet of the
picquet on duty, and with it made a rush at a corporal,
who was endeavouring to enforce discipline, and stabbed
him in the side, but we are glad to say the wound is not
considered to be very dangerous, and hopes are enter-
tained that the injured man will speedily recover. In
the hurry and confusion of the moment the soldier who
committed this desperate attempt made his escape from
the barracks into the town, and on being pursued by the
police and some soldiers, he made his way to the river
side, and threw himself over the quay into the Wear,
and was drowned before any assistance could be ren-
dered, the difficulty attending which was increased by
the darkness of the night. His body has not yet been
found. This unfortunate affair has been the subject of
general conversation and remark in the town, and, as
usual, many exaggerated reports of the occurrence have
been in circulation. The matter will undergo full inves-
tigation before the proper authorities. It is proper to
say, that the soldiers of this gallant regiment, whilst
they have been in this town, have conducted themselves
with becoming propriety, and that this unfortunate affair,
arising out of a drunken debauch, is the first reproach
that has attached itself to the uniform good conduct of
the depot.
THE

LATE MAJOR-GENERAL SIR
WILLIAM NOTT, G.C.B.
The following short memoir of the career of the above
distinguished officer will be found interesting, We find
we were in error yesterday in stating that the decease of
Sir W. Nott took place at Neath. That melancholy
event occurred at Carmarthen
The exact date of Sir W. Nott's birth is matter of un-
certainty ; one very good authority setting it down at
1782, and another ai:1780; if the latter date be correct the
gallant General would have been at the time of his de-
cease in the 65th year of his age. He was the second
son of the late Mr. Nott, of Pontgarney, near Carmar-
then, who was for many years proprietor of the Ivy bush
Hotel, in that town, and was an extensive mail contractor.
During his boyhood the military spirit of England was
elevated to its highest point of excitement, and so strong
was his predilection for the profession of arms, that he
joined the Carmarthen Militia in 1798, and Captain
Davis, of Myrtle hill, near Carmarthen, Adjutant to the
Carmarthen staff, has now in his possession a book in
which are entered the payments made to this distin-
guished soldier, then serving in the ranks as a mili-
tiaman.
He was scarcely twenty years of age when he went
out to India as a cadet. His entrance into the military
service of the East India Company took place in the
year 1800, but the progress of an unknown and un-
patronised soldier was necessarily slow. Although his
talents, his activity, and his gallantry were universally
acknowledged, six-and-twenty years elapsed before he
reached the rank of Major. In the year 1826, finding
his health seriously affected, he returned on leave of ab-
sence to England, when he availed himself of that op-
portunity to visit Carmarthen, in the neighbourhood of
which he purchased an interesting seat, called "Job's
Well," where he resided for two or three years.
At the end of this time an event took place, which,
in a pecuniary point of view must have been considered
disastrous, but which, in reference to his professional
reputation, and his eventual eminence, must be regarded
in the light of an extremely fortunate occurrence. He
had invested by far the greater portien of his savings in
the Calcutta Bank, and the failure of that establishment
rendered it once more necessary for him to become a
soldier of fortune upon the plains of Hindostan ; he
was then nearly fifty years of age, and it is a remark-
able evidence of his energies, moral, mental, and phy-
sical, that at that advanced period of life, he should have
engaged in a fresh career of military adventure. Hie
promotion, however, did not now proceed at a " snail's
pace," for in three years he rose to the rank of Colonel,
and, finally to that of Major-General.
To relate " the moving incidents by flood and field"
through which this gallant officer led the troops under
his command, would be to write a volume, for which the
materials are alike interesting and abundant. By an
exercise of skill, judgment, and valour, not often equalled,
and probably never surpassed, he extricated our army
from difficulties by %%inch they were surrounded in Aff-
ghanistan, and succeeded in conveying them, and several
captives, whom he released, across the frontier, bringing
them with perfect safety, and without any loss of honour,
within the limits of her Majesty's dominions. The vic-
tories which be achieved in Candahar closed the Affghan
war, and drew forth the gratitude and the applause of
the whole British empire ; even the Duke of Wellington
departed from that peculiar severity of taste which marks
his generally sparing eulogium, and with a fervour un-
usual to him, he—the best possible judge of Indian war-
fare—pronounced in a manner the most emphatic his
unqualified admiration of General Nott. The Crown,
of course, lost no time in conferring on him the highest
military distinction—that of a Knight Grand Cross of
the Bath ; neither was Parliament slow to give expres-
sion to the national sentiment. Both Houses voted him
their unanimous thanks for the intrepidity, skill, and
perseverance which he had displayed during the Affghan
war. Unfortunately it is not every military commander
who, after the termination of his dangers and his toils,
is destined, like the Duke of Wellington, to enjoy thirty.
years of dignity and repose. The favour of the Crown,
the nation's gratitude, the Senate's thanks, replenished
coffers, high command, troops of friends, present no
barrier against disease.
The Afghan war being concluded, Sir William found
that the pressure of ;hreescore years, the hardships af a
military life, and the insalubrity of an Indian climate, had
impaired the vigour of a constitution originally strong.
He lost no time in embarking for England; he landed
for a short thee at the Cape of Goad hope, on the home-
ward voyage', when he was attseksd so severely by
disc ase, that from teat tune till the period of his death it
could scarcely be said that he was otherwise than an in-
valid. on his arrival in Eugland he naturally repaired
to Carmarthen; and it seemed to afford him much plea-
sure that he was enabled to re-purchase the place celled
" Job's Well." He caused the house to be pulled down,
with a view of bui;ding a residence there in the Eliza-
bethan style, but unfortunately he did not live to effect
its completion. His last illness commenced with the be-
ginning of the present winter, and though his sufferings
were at first severe, they appeared during the last few
days of his life to have been altogether abated.
Sir William Nett was twice married; his first wife was
tho daughter of Mr. henry bwinhoe, an attorney in the
Supreme Court at Calcutta. ihu issue of that marriage
are—the Rev, William Nutt, Mr. H. N. Nett, Miss Not;
and Miss Charlotte Nott, all of whom, together with
Lady Nott, were present when the subject of this
,me-
moir ceased to exist.

Mr. Hitchcock said the evidemca was quite conclusive,
and he would order the bird to be returned to its original
owner, Mr. Davis.
Mr. Fullam said Mr. Moore was a most respectable
person, and he could bring proof that he bought the par-
rot in July last for 11. 13s.
Mr. Hitchcock said that might be true, but it was
quite clear the bird belonged to Mr. Davis, and he must,
therefore, make an order for ins restoration.
Mr. Moore—And I am to be done out of my property
in this manner ?
Mr. Davis—You admit that you bought the bird after
the police notice was served on you. Here it is (showing
a printed notice).
Mr. Hitchcock—You bought the bird after you read
the notice, and I will not allow you anything for its sup-
port ; on the contrary, if Mr. Davis claims costs in this
case, I will give him a reasonable sum, which you must
pay him.
Mr. Davis said he did not require costs. All he
wanted was his bird.
Mr. Hitchcock—you have him now, and keep him.
The parties then left the offico, the parrot whistling
" There's nae luck about the house," amid loud and
continued laughter.—Freeman.

We understand that in Carmarthen and its neighbour-
hood the poorer classes vi ill have great reawn to lament
the death of Sir William Nott, for his munificent chari-
ties were at once extensive and well-directed.

GREENWICH RAILWAY.—We have authority to
state that the paragraph respecting the condition of this
line, which eppeared in the Globe this week, and which
was subsequently copied inw the Tin es, is utterly with-
out foundation, the railway and its appointments having
been found in a most satisfactory state when delivered
up to the Dover Company.— Railway Record.
FOREST OF DEAN RAILWAY.—The Quarterly
Court of Justices for Gloucestershire resolved, on Tues-
day, to "dissent " from the Forest of Dean Railway Bill,
on the ground that the line went too near the County
Gaol at Gloucester, although it does not approach within
less than forty feet of it.—Railway Record.