Star.
London, England, 1828-11-22 00:00:00

THE REPORTED CONCORDAT.

At the meeting of the Catholic Association in Dublin
on Tuesday last, Mr. O'Connell, in moving the thsrrt•
of that body to Mr. &leas Alacdonnell, alluded to the
teported negociation with the Po, e for a concordat in
the bllowing terms:
41 A concordat with the Cnnvt i f Rome has been
spoken of. A concordat has been tried in the Nether-
lands, and has not worked well. I have now, continued
the Honourable and Learned Gentleman, a f ct of great
importance to ronounce It is this—l have letters from
!tome of bo late a date as the £6.h of October last. and

I stare, upon the most unquestionable authority, that
up to that date there wete three several and distinct ap-
plications made by the British Government to the Pope
fur a concordat, and the answer, repeated each time,
and couched in terms of the utmost civility, was, that
until the Catholics of Iceland were emancipated he
could enter into no negotiation for a concordat—(Beer,
hear, and loud cheers). Ido not mean to say that the
Btitish Minister communicated officially with the Court
of Rome. Ili the present state of the law he could not
do in, but there are vati. us ways in which his wishes
may be conveyed to the Pope, jiist as clearly and
effectually as under the seal of office. The K•ng of
Hanover has a resident representative at Rome. Until
the Catholics are emancipated then, an arrangement
with the See cf Rome is out of the ques'ion. When tha
event takes place, I would not refuse to discuss in Par-
liament any plan which should have fur its basis the
perfect integrity of the Catholic religion."

SOUTH CONSOLIDA MD MINING COMPANY.

Yesterday an Adjourned Meeting of the P.opriet• r,
in the above speculation took placer th Q,ieen's Arms
Tavern, in CheapsiJe, for the purpose ..t taking into
consideration the pr••pricty of winding u,) the aff Ars of
the A•snciation; Sir Was. Itawi.tvs, in the Chair.

The Report of the Direct' rs stated, Oat they were
compelled to suspend all operations upon the works, in
consequence of the S' areholders not having paid their
calls upon their shale.; that all the thsecsors had paid
the inAalanents, but that these remained unpaid upon
720 shares; that these remained 3001. in the Bankers
hands, which, with the last call of 11. per share upon
the 720 shares, would viable the Directors to pay off
the claims upon the A,sociation ; shat the Directors
would be then enabled to sell the Mines for the ben fit
of the Shareholders.

Upon the expediency of adopting this recommen
dation, a very lung discussion took place, during which
several of the Proprietors expressed their indignation at
the price given for the mine to Mr. Skip', which
amounted to 6.0001. although the as•ignment trucl
whic'i the Directois held the mine. was made by the
Lady of the Manor, a►sd no considers ion mentioned in
the deed.

Mr. GERRARD, the S. cretary, said. that Mr. Swan
had purchase] the mine from M,. Roberts ; that the
Directors had purchased the property upon the recum.
mendaion of a deputation which sent to Cornwall to
value the ptoperty ; that although the sum was too high,
the Directors wet e not li,ble to blame. It was finally
agreed that three Shareholders sh—ulti be appointed to
confer with the Directors, and adopt the most effectual
means to compel the defaulters to pay their instalments,
and wind up the affairs if the Company.

BATH, Ni'v. ft—Friday Madame CATALAN!, in her
way to Clifton, stopped at the hou,e of the Bev,,, W.
BowEN, of Bswdrip ; and in the course of the evening
sl.e sang" Rule B itanoia," in her magnificent and un-
rivalled style, to a large concourse of persons assembled
on the lawn, who evinced their gratification by loud
and repeated acclamation.
Thursday a fire was observed in a workshop near
Buckingham Palace. No other damage was done than
in the apartment where it commenced. By the plentiful
supply of water and the arrival of several engines, to-
gether with the ready exertions of the workmen, they
in a shots time extinguished the fire. Fortunately, no
damage was done to the Palace itself, as the workshop
was completely detached from the edifice.

A fire broke out, about four o'clock yesterday after-
noon. in the Hackney Coach Licensing Office, Essex-
street. It is suppled to have commenced in the kit.
chen flue. and to have burned upwards to the attic,
where it communicated with a beam inserted in the
flue, along which it extended, until it'reached a book-
-case, behind which it burst into flames. The exertions
of one of the Thames Police, assisted by Edmonds. of
the Westminster Fire Office, who rushed into the dan-
ger, and tore away the book-ca%e, which, with the va-
luable stock of books it contained, saved them from
destruct on. They further tore up the boards of the
flowing, beneath which the joists were rapidly burning,
and effectually subdued the fire.
. FIRE AT CRUNE.—Tuesday morning, about four
o'clock. flames were discovered issuing from a brew-
house belonging to Mr. Pakner; and so rapid was their
progress that it was wilt the greatest difficulty the
family could be rescued from the impending danger ;
scarcely, indeed, had they escaped when the roof fell in.
The fire now extended, and was not suppressed until
four houses were destroyed, and even then it could only
be effected by pulling down such as would in all pro-
bability have been ignited in a few minutes. From the
very prompt assistance rendered by the neighbours, no
lives wit. lost. The accident is supposed to have arisen
from the negigence of a servant, who was bre A ing.—
The sufferers have lost nearly all their furniture, cloches,
&c. in consequence of the houses being thatched, which
aided the progress of the flames. !his circumstance
will, a e trust, induce the inhabitants of other towns to
guard against the occurrence of such an accident by
substituting tile for thatch. A new engine belonging to
the parish of Sydling. in addition to the Crone engin*,
was used with powerful effect on this occasion. The
Sun Fire-office%ssill sustain a heavy loss by the fire.—
Sher borne Jourfsel.

I

SPORTING INTELLIGENCI.

--row--
II U NTI NG.

-
Rart-Fitxwilliam's Hounds meet on Monday, at N'onks Woad
Wednesday, at Abbott. Ripton ; ant Thursday, at Eery* KI
I ord Scar' erough's Fox Hodods on Monday, at Clayworth
Wednesday. at 'lrwlthill Spital ; Friday. at Lound Hall; and &tura-
day, at Sandbag!' Park.
Lord Yarborough's Hounds on Monday, at Bradley g Wednes.
day, at Wootton House; Friday, at Ellington Cow P st re; and
ilatue da. , Hendaie Lodge.
' Mr. Boy,:ott's Hounds on Monday, at Chlllinga n ; and Thurs.
day, at linneton.
The Warwickshire Fox Hounds on Monday. at Red Hill.
Mr Cedrington's Hounds on Monday, at Chown Clump.
&r Richard Sutton's Hounds on Monday. at Hanwortb Weals
Tuesday, at Fisher ton ; Wednesday, at Wickenby ; Thursday, at
Swinethorpe; and Saturday, at Brattkby.
The Cheshire Hounds on Monday at Barr.bridge; Wednewiay.
at Shaving; 'Thursday, at Cholmoodeley ; and Saturday, at Wrest.
bury Village.
The Worcestershire Fox Hounds on Tuesday. at Bredon Hill;
and Friday. at Grafton Wood.
Mr. Dantey's Hounds on Tuesday, at Westhide Village.
BRIGHTON HARRIERS.

Barativon, Nov. 20.—A numerous geld of Sponneen attended
the throwing off of the Subscription Harriers on the Race Course
yesterday, including the Duke of St. Alban's, Lord Lake, and
others of rank and fashion. The Duchess of St. Albates enjoyed•
the sight in her carriage. Other carriages. together with hackney
Sits, were also numerous on the ground, and pee.estrians, studding
the hills la all directions, multiplied the vatieties of the animated
picture. The first bare, hemmed in by the horsemen, skimmed
round the extended circle, doubling repeatedly, but unable to effect
an escape, was eventually killed. The next hare, penetrating more
deeply into the country, the carriages and the foot throng moved
homewaPd, while the musical notes of the pack in full cry evinced
to them the quality of the diversion enjoyed in that direction.

EXPLOSIONS FROM GAS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE STAR.

Sia—The repeated accidents that have arisen, and are condoning
to arise, from explosions of gas, and the deplorable one which has
just happened at Covent-garden Theatre, will probably induce you
cosies insertion to this letter. Considerable and just anxiety is at
last excited in the public mind ; and if that be properly directed by
the public Press, it may produce public good.
It was very natural, when so brilliant a light as gas came to be
generally introduced in the streets, that Proprietors of public and
private establishments should be anxious to avail themselves of hit
advantages and beauty. Unfortunately, the necessary precautions
have not generally been taken to use the gas in a safe manner, and
hence the alarms and loss of life which have occurred. The public
will now recollect the explosions in Pall Mall, Coburg Theatre,
Peter-street, &c. &c. and unless greater precautions shall be taken.
and other modes adopted, than are generally practised, occasional
explosions may he expected to increase. Eight years ago. I ventured
to state, that there was great danger in introducing, in the usual
manner, gas, by means ..f pipes, to public or private houses Out as
I was known to have proposed another mode of using gas, I was re-
presented as an interested person, and not listened to. I now,
again, state, that gas can never be safely brought by pipes into close
rooms, and that neither gas.hulders nor gas.meters can ever be
safely placed in the interior of any building, not provided on put...
pose with proper ventilators, and these frequently examined. Slit
years age, a number of public-spirited individuals formed thee-
selves into a Company, to give the public the benefit of portable
' gas ; the attempt, however, was violently resisted, partly from
ignorance, and partly, I fear, from interested motives. Sir Wm.
Congreve, the Government Inspector of Gas Works, in a report to
Parliament, rep►esented the pioject as wild, impractic.ble, and
dangerous—(see Repertory for October, 1823, p. 276). In a
Periodical Journal, a series of Letters and Editorial Articles ape
peered, the most absurd and unfounded that could be conceived.
All the Gas Companies, with a capital of upwards of two millions.
opposed the Portable Gas Company getting an Act of Parliament
or Charter, but in spite thereof a Charter was last year granted.
And now, after five years experience, not one accident has ever or-
cut red front portable gas, although often in the bands of the most
ignorant cn•tumers. Ott the contrary, as the Company assert in
their Prospectus, it has been proved to be by far the safest of all
lights. The introduction, however, of that mode of lighting has
been very mush retarded by the attempts of the great Gas Com•
panics, first to crash, and since to impede, the success of the Portable
Gas Company; and also by the Joint Stuck mismanagement of the
Provincial Portable Gas Company, which caused the abandonment

of their establishments at Manchester and Edinburgh.
To Mr. Windsor the public are indebted for the introduction of
gas by means of pipes along the streets, like water; but is was
quite unnecessary that the pipes should be deeply laid, and em.
bedded in the earth like water-pipes, which causes great expense,
frequent disturbance of the pavement, and is the parent of many
of the explosions which occur, and which will be more frequent as
the pipes progressively decay. Seven years ago, upon observing
labourers iu Edinburgh blasting rocks, to get the pipes laid deep, I
suggested another mode of la, ing the pipes, and which I have upon
every opportunity re-iterated elsewhete but with no success. There
are few engineers or managers who will adopt the suggestions or
inventions of another. My plan was, to form a small square trough
of loose bricks or stones alongside of the curb, just sufficient to con.
tain the gas pipe, and to cover this, nut quite closely, with Sat
stones ; by which means the whole length of the pipes would be
easily accevible, any leak easily di.coverable, and from which no
gas could escape by fissures into cellars ur common sewers. in
this way the carriage pavement would remain undisturbed, and the
foot pavement be but very partially removed, when inspection of
the pipes was required, or lateral pipes had to be laid to the horses
or street lamps.
The Public are now alive to the subject, and it remains for the
conservators of the public safety to take the requisite measures.
I am, Sir, your most obedient bumble servant,
DAVID GORDON.
No. 8, Claremont square. list Nov. 1828.

Saturday afternoon, Mrs. Metcalf, of Penton-street,
Pentonville, was accosted near the Angel, at Islington,
by a female, of short stature, who represented her self
as a servant out of place, and de,irous of a situation.
Mrs. Metcalf was so pleaed with her, that sbe engaged
her, and took her home to Penton street. In a few days,
however, the female absconded from Mrs. M.'s house,
taking with her about 200 sovereigns, and about 1004
in Bank of England notes.
Yesterday an Inquest was held at the Duke of York
public house, Clapham-road, on the body of Mr.Chee.
Harland. Ott Wednesday morning the deceased, wt o
is a master builder, went to the Clapham-road to inspect
some buildings which he was erecting, and ascended a
I tdder to go on the roof of one of the ['owes, when the
ladder slipped and lie fell to the ground. S veral of his
ribs were broken, and his head was severely Hared. He
di: d the same alernoon. Verdict—Accidental death.

Thursday evening an Inquisition was held at the
Mercer: Arme, Titchfield-street, Paddington, touching
the death of Caroline Smith, a healthy and promi,ing
child, three years old, the daughter of a re.pectabk
mechanic. It appeared by the evidence given before
Mr. STIRLING, the Coroner, that on Sunday eight the
deceased drank some boiling water at the spoil of a
tea-kettle, which was standing upon the hob cf a grate
belonging to a house in But wood place, of which her
parents at pre ent have the care; and akhongh the
utmost exertion was made by a medical man in the
neighbourhood to give her relief, she lingered a short
time in rumble pain, and died. The mother was in
the room with her when the accident occurred, but, it
seems, had Rot Iht power of preVenting it. and the
Jury returned a ntdict, .s Accidemal Death."