The Sun.
London, England, 1845-02-11 00:00:00

which is 440 yards in length, and is to be made at the instance
of the Admiralty. In another month the entire distance, .84
miles, with the exception of the Bangor portion of the line,
approaching the 'Menai Straits, and the passage over them,
which stands in abeyance at the request of Government, will
oho be under contract. It was originally contemplated by ISIr.
Stephenson, the engineer to carry the railway over the pre-
sent Menai bridge, but this was objected to by the Woods and
Forests, and by Mr. Walker, the Government engineer. He
now recommends the Directors to construct a permanent
bridge over the Britannia Rock, to be used exclusively for the
transit of the trains, and application for the necessary powers
will be made in the ensuing session. The works at this point
will he the weightiest on the line, and the proposed bridge over
the straits of stu pen dous construction. There will be two arches
ofe:3o feet span, the segments of the arch to be formed of iron.
They are proposed to be built without centerings, and of such
a nature as to prevent any obstruction to the navigation ;
fear of which was the principal reason for not granting this
portion of the line last session. Within the last few days
engineers have been taking plans and soundings at the
Britannia Rock, with the view of giving evidence before the
House on the subject. The line was originally laid out by
Mr. George Stephenson iu 18:38. In 1839 Commissioners
were appointed by Government to select the best lines, and
the best harbours to be adopted, so as to furnish a better and
more direct communication between England and Ireland.
The haibours to which the attention of the Commissioners
was direeted were those of Holyhead and Portdinnlaen.
The lines were four, viz., from Holyhead to Bangor and
Chester ; -from Portdinnlaen, via Carnarvon, to Bangor and
Chester ,• from Poetdiunlaen, by Bala and Shrewsbury ;
and the fourth from Ormshead to Chester. The latter lines,
from Portdinnlaen and Ormshead, were rejected by the
Commissioners, who conceived that, being open road-
steads, they could not be well adapted for mail-packet
stations. The Chester and Holyhead starts from the Birken-
head line, auras parallel. for five miles with the Dee,
ant sweeps on to Mostyn, Flint, Abergele, Baghilt, and
Llandowlais, skirting the seashore until it arrives at the pro-
montories of Peuniaen Bach and Pamaen Mawr, where the
chief engineering difficulties occur. Owing to their extreme
steepness two plans were proposed by Mr. Stephenson, either
to carry a ledge along them, or to perforate them by a tunnel. •
The forieer, lie thought, would be the cheapest, but he had
been induced to adopt the latter, as it will prevent the trains
from exposure to the sea, which beats powerfully at those
points. The line sweeps by a viaduct over Bangor, and
through Anglesea on to Holyhead. Fron.qheetee it will
riut for thiltYesilve7tntes-ot(altird;"WhieVin an eigilieitink
point of view, is almost unprecedented. Adeviation, with the
concurrence of the landowners, is proposed to be made in tne
route at Bangor, in consecnience of opposition from the bishop,
whose palace it originally proposed to•pass on a viaduct. The
proposed modification will 'entail an increased expense of
50,000/. We understand- that arrangements have been made
with COlonel Pennant, one of the principal landed proprietors,
that the works between the Ogwm river, near Bangor, and the
Menai Straits, may be proceeded with immediately. The line,
when constructed, will be employed in the conveyance of the
Government mails, troops, and ordnance stores. It will cost
2,100,0001., and bring the metropolis within 270 miles of Holy-
head, by a journey of ten hours. Ten thousand tons of rails
have already been contracted for.

THE LATE EXTRAORDINARY
AFFAIR AT NOTTINGHAM.
Norriseitain, FEB. B.—The investigation into this extra.
ordinary affair—some particulars of which appeared in The
Sun of last week—was resumed on Thursday, when Mr. M.
Browne, the borough coroner, and
.jury, assembled at the
Milton's Head tavern, Derby-road. The inquirfwas strictly
private, reporters and the public being refused admittance to
the inquest-room. Through the courtesy of the coroner,
however, we are enabled to give some extracts from the depo-
sitions.
The first witness examined was Mrs. Ann Campbell, of
Derby-road. She said the deceased, Hannah Wilmot, was
fifteen years old on the 19th of last October. Up to a recent
period she enjoyed good health. On the Bth of last August
she went to live with Mrs. Farmer, who is a milliner
and dressmaker on the Long-row. She boarded and
lodged in the house, About two months ago (witness con-
tinued) I perceived that her health had undergone a
serious change. She became gradually worse, until about
three weeks ago, when she came to my house, and has
remained there ever since. She was confined to her bed for
the List fortnight, and died on Sunday night, about half-past
trine o'clock. During the time she was at my house I had
several conversations with her as to the nature of her com-
plaint. She told me her illness had been occasioned by
some powders which Mr. Palmer had given her from eight
to ten weeks previously. She said that she took three of
those powders, in succession, at night, and had never been
well since. Mr. Farmer got her a packet of them, but she
only took three. I desired her to bring me one of the
powders she had been taking ; and called to see her, at
Mr. Farmer's, about ten days afterwards, when I found she
had got a bad cold. She came to see me en the Sunday
following, and I then asked her if she had brought the
powder. She told me that when she returned fromeny house
on the former eecasion she found her box had been broken
open, and everything taken out. I did not see her again for
a fortnight ; her cold was better, but she had still a cough;
her lips were very much swollen, and her mouth looked
blistered. I did not see her again till the:following Friday
week, when her mother brought her to my house. She
went home with her mother that night, and returned the
next day to my house, where she remained till her death.
A few days afterwards she appeared to be very ill, and I
asked her how long she had felt so. She told me that she had-
not been well since she took the powders; and on my asking
her why she was prevailed on to take them, she said she was
ashamed to tell me the reason. She, however, went on to in-
form me, that Mr. Farmer had given her the powders be-
cause he supposed she was in the family way by him, he
having taken liberties with her, in a great degree by force;
and he was assisted in the matter of the powders by Miss
Matheson, a young female living in the house. Miss Matte-
sea, when glving, her the powders, told her that if there
should be anything wrong elle must not bring her (Miss
Matheson's) name into question, as she had done it for her
good. Mr. Farmer himself put the powders and a lotion into
her box, and Miss Matheson, after some few days, kept the
key of it.
The next witness examined was Miss Ann Matheson, the
young lady already referred to. Her evidence proved no-
thing but the good understanding which seemed to exist be-
tween her and Mr. Farmer.

Mr. Henry Attenburrow, of Nottingham, surgeon, said—l
was called in to see Hannah Wilmot on the 20th of last
January. I found her labouring under constant sickness,
and, after eating, pain in the head. There were then no other
remarkable appearances. The next day I found that her
breath had a. very strong mercurial factor. Her gums were
very spongYond (1,499 a deal receded from her teeth. I
continued to attend,;the deceased. From the constant
sickness, I could give:her nothing except gum water, beef
tea, and matters of that kind. The medicine which I first
ordered produced such distressing effects that I immediately
discontinued.it. The pain in the head continued, accompa-
nied at fimes with loss of sight. For the last two days be-
fore her death she appeared to be rather improved, as food
stayed on her stomach. On Sunday morning last, when I
called, she had been sleeping much longer than I had
allowed her to sleep, and she seemed to be sinking. I
stopped with her for about three-quarters of an hour,
and gave her some port wine and beef tea, which rallied
her, and she appeared much as she had done the preceding
day. Between eight and nine o'clock that evening I was
sent for in a great hurry, and when I reached the house I
found she had just died. In the morning of that day I was
not without hopes of her recovering ; but when she began to
sink, she sank so rapidly that it was impossible to have her
dying declaration taken in the presence of a magistrate. On
the third day of my attendance on her, she told me about the
powders which had been given to her, and that confirmed my
suspicions as to her being under the influence of mercury.
made apost mortem examination. The only part of the body
where disease was found was the lower part of the brain ;
there were small tubercles, containing matter, in the cere-
bellum, and over the greater part of it, just where the spinal
cord commences. The disease of the brain would account for
the pain in the head, the loss of sight, and, in some measure,
for the constant sickness. She died from that disease of the
brain. I cannot say with certainty how long the disease might
have existed, but judging from the circumstances, I think
about two months. The disease might be produced by mental
excitement. There was not any appearance in the stomach or
bowels to indicate that any corrosive mineral poison had
been administered. The spongy appearance of the gams,
and the state of the breath were the only indications of her
having taken mercury. She was not pregnant, She told
me of powders having been given to her at Farmer's; that
those which she had not taken were pillaged from her box
but she did not know at what shop they were procured.
Several other witnesses were examined, and the evidence
was generally corroborative of that given by Mrs. Campbell
and the surgeon. _ _ _

The COR6NKR, considering it useless to examine any mono
witnesses, summed up at some length. He expressed his
sorrow that Miss Wilmot's dying declaration had not been
taken before a magistrate; as it stood there was no legal
evidence to convict; and, therefore, however painful it
might be to the feelings of the jury, they would be compelled
to return a verdict of " Died from -disease of the brain," and
this was the verdict recorded.
__

The greatest disgust and indignation were expressed by all
the jurors, and several of them regretted that they could come
to no other conclusion.

THE WEATHER AND THE PARKS.

(From our Afternoon Edition.)
During the past week hastherefro
weather, and a most intense aagarinetursent oinf.wiTntleier
st beenha s
it fell to 25 degrees,
lower than 31 degrees, but on that night thermometer up to the night of Thursday last had not been
at 8 o'clockyesterday
yaas
rosetli
et oaft3let:
Saturday night it was 26 degrees, and_
and on Friday it was again down to he samepoint. On
and the wind veered morning 27- degrees. round to tagnsotittehin; enbuttrt,
it was down to 29 degrees, with a keen ail
noon advanced the mercury began to fall, and at 8 o'clock
last evening
In St. windcuttingJames's and the Regent's Parks,and in Kensington. from the E.S.E., and a cloudy sky.
gardens, so severe had been the frost, that skating commenced
so early as Saturday, and numbers ventured on the Ise without
any accident of a serious character occurring.
The ice in the Serpentine, yesterday, was not above an
inch thick; and, through the exertions of the icemen of the
Royal Humane Society, no persons ventured on, except a
few boys, who kept close to the south shore. No accident
occurred.
ton-gardens, the ice on the Round-pond,
In Kensing
through persons venturing on it too soon, has been broken
in several places ; and, therefore, is in a bad and clan• gerons state, the thickest part being scarcely two inches.
Several of the icemen were, on Saturday and yesterday,
stationed both at the Round-pound and at the Long-water,
and rendered most essential assistance in preventing anti-
dents, About three o'clock Mr. W. Smith, of Claremont-
house, Hammersmith, broke through the ice, but was extri•
cated by iceman Smith, by means of the new ice-sledge, but
not before he was himself immersed in the water. The num-
ber of skaters during the day was nearly 1,000, and no other
accident of a serious nature occurred. On the Long-water
the ice at the Bayswater end is the strongest, and on that
part there were about 2,000 skaters. The marquee of the
Skating Club was on Saturday again placed en the north
bank, and a number of the members were yesterday skating*
on the ice. No accidents occurred.

The ice in the Regent's Park is not above an inch and
three-quarters thick. Yesterday the number of skaters was
about 2,000, and the accidents were numerous. About a
quarter before 12 o'clock Mr. Digby, of No. 20, Easton-
street, Spa-fields, became immersed in eight feet water, but
was extricated by Charles Griffith, one of the icemen, with
an ice-sledge. About a quarter of an hour afterwards
Alfred Stamford, of No. 42, College-street, caT,deq'w.T..!
broke through near the Suspensionb!iggein,tz_bout
hi:o
water, and was rescued by iceman Edwardai Collins.
oucester- place, New-
, the ice on the Broad -water, but was got
o'clockthrou347.lhr. Fennell, of 22,
means of a double-breaker
1. past
o a d , one
broke
kblrYlunnas Summers, of Stamford.-
ladder,
out by
Limon-grove, broke through iceAtbnoauntnrigeehton,rialocn,
near the Suspension..
bridge bridge into eight feet water, but was rescued by means data
ice-boat by icemau George ClapsOU+ and in lea§ than Wing