The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1852-09-14 00:00:00

The. lady scattered flowers among the Cremorne

spectators, wt

were eagerly caug

s prospective mo-

into the car of the balloon, and Madame Poitevin having
taken her place in the basket or car of the parachute, the
whole rose grandly into the air—the balloon with its car,
and below the latter the parachute, in appearance like a
great folded flag, and a few yards below this the wicker
basket, looking so slight that one wondered whether the
bottom might not fall out. The ascent was gentle and
steady, and it was probably six or seven minutes before
an altitude of something near a mile was attained. A
quantity of gas was then discharged from the balloon, and
as it consequently descended, the silk parachute gradually
became inflated with the air which it pressed in its des-
cent, and in less than two minutes it had expanded into
a great canopy or huge umbrella, opened and extending
over the basket car in which Madame Poitevin was. It

was then detached from the balloon, care having thus
been taken that the parachute was afloat before" cutting
the painter." The descent was slow and steady ; it ap-
peared to occupy longer time than the ascent.

FATAL
RAILWAY

EXETER

ACCIDENT ON THE BRISTOL
.—On Wednesday the Great Western ex}

train, after leaving Bridgewater, proceeded for seven
miles at a rapid rate, and then slackened a little, when it
passed under the Chard canal bridge, at Creech, where,
from some unknown cause, the engine got off the line and
ploughed itself right into the left or near bank, and be-
came imbedded in the soft earth. When the up-express
arrived, the four passenger carriages were found to be
some 150 yards in advance of the engine, the first of the
second-class carriages with the front compartment smash-
ed, and the off-front wheel on the up-line, so that the
traffic was completely stopped. The immediate fatality
was in the person of ilumberstone, a Bristol and Exeter
fireman, who appears to have met with instantaneous
death; his head and the upper part of his body could be
just perceived, the remainder being buried in the earth
and in the wreck of the engine and tender. Two other of
therailway servants are injured : Lamb Eaton, the engine-
driver, has his left hand smashed, so that amputation will
be necessary ; his chest was crushed, and it is feared that
his ribs are broken. Joseph Tozer, travelling porter,
has his thigh and leg broken. The only passers
jured was Mr. Fred. Wise, proceeding from Ports

ger in-

. ,
...
to Taunton. He was in the front second-class carriage.
The concussion brought his temples into violent contact
with the rim of the hat of his opposite fellow-passeuger,
which caused a considerable flow of blood, but, it is hoped,
no permanent injury.

REVENUE SEAMEN.—We understand it is again in
contemplation to do that which has been talked of for
many years, namely, place the revenue cutters under the
Admiralty, and remove from them all civilian com-
manders. The importance of this step cannot be denied.
The fine body of sailors composing their crews, perhaps
equal to any in the world, are now in a sort of half-and-
half position, hovering between the Admiralty and the
Custom-house ; sometimes commanded by a lieutenant
in the navy, at others by a civilian commander, a civilian
mate, or a deputed officer. Occasionally they are trained
in gunnery, and anon they are Custom-house officers.
They are given to understand they are liable to be called
upon to serve in the navy ; but, as they have never been
called upon, they think the cry is only " 'Wolf ! wolf 1"
and they heed it not. These fine fellows, if under the
Admiralty, and invariably commanded by lieutenan's,
could do as much service in protecting the revenue as they
now do, and, at the same time, be so many of her
Majesty's tenders engaged in raising men on the different
parts of the coast upon which they are stationed. Consi-
derable expense to the country would also be saved by the
destruction of the jobbery system now prevailing at the
ports in which these revenue-cutters undergo their annual
refit, inasmuch as they would be refitted at the royal dock-
yards. In fact, while there are so many reasons in favour
of turning the cutters over to the Admiralty, we have
never heard one advanced in support of the existing
arrangement. We bear the committee now sitting upon
the subject of manning the navy
,seriously contemplate
making a strong representation in favour of the transfer.
—United Service Gazette.

DESTRUCTION OF Two SUGAR FACTORIES BY FIRE.
—A most extensive fire broke out on Friday morning, at
four o'clock, and at noon was far from being entirely ex-
tinguished. Property, valued at many thousand pounds
sterling, had been reduced to ruins. The scene of this
terrible fire was Denmark-street, St. George's-in-the-
East, London, whereon was erected the extensive sugar-
refining houses of Messrs. Braden and Co., who carried
on one of the largest businesses in the trade in London.
Every endeavour was made to stop the fury of the de-
structive element, but without avail, and in a comnara-
tively brief period the flames shot forth from one of the
windows, in what was technically termed the " large
house," with such violence as to threaten the destruction
of every structnre near. This, as may be readily con-
ceived, spread dismay and confusion among the many per-
sons living in the immediate locality, and men, women,
and children in their night clothes, were to be seen rush-
ing about the streets, carrying in their arms anything
portable that they could lay their hands upon. The en-
gines of the parish, London Brigade, and West of Eng.
land Office, were on the spot with all possible expedition ;
but by that time the flames had assumed a most terrific
appearance, and had extended into another structure,
termed the new house. which adjoined the first named.
Each place contained many tons weight of sugar, and as
the same became ignited, the flames rolled forth like
streams of liquid fire, throwing up a glare of light which
iiluminated not merely the eastern portion of London,
but the reflectiou could be seen as far off as Gravesend.
Fortunately the mains yielded an abundant supply of
water, from which the firemen set their engines to work,
but in spite of which the work of destructiveness con-
tinued, and eventually the roof and floors of the large
house fell, and consequently the costly stock in trade fell
along with them. The loss, it is expected, will exceed
£20.000, and unfortunately the firm was insured for only
£6OOO.

MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT BATH.—Considerable excite-
ment has been occasioned in Bath, during the last few
days, by the disappearance of a young woman, who, it is
believed, has committed suicide, in consequence of dis-
appointed affections. A young woman, aged 21, named
Ellen Foster, a widow, having one child, had formed an
acquaintance with a tailor named Samuel Newman, living
on St. James's-parade, and had attended his wife in an
illness which resulted in death a few months ago. New-
man, having a young family, continued to employ Foster
in the management of his household affairs. In this way
the young woman became strongly attached to Newman ;
and, though her feelings do not seem to have been reci-
procated, yet she was betrayed. Newman had formed an
engagement with another woman. Foster threatened to
drown herself. She went to Newman's ; and, to induce
her to return, Newman, at the request of her father,
accompanied her home, and remained there until a late
hour. But a few minutes after he had quitted the house, .
and parted with her, she overtook him, apparently a
state of frenzy, anti pressed herself on his notice. Think-
ing to pacify her, he walked with her to the bank of. the
River Avon, intending to conduct her along the towing-
path to her father's house; but while they were conversing,
as Newman states, the unhappy woman suddenly seized
him in an affectionate manner, and made an effort as if to
drag him into the river, but he escaped from her grasp, and
she sprang into the water. The mystery has since been
cleared up by the discovery of the body near the Twerton
Weirs, and an inquest has been held on it by the deputy-
coroner, at
satitn a stateheDolpl of advanceddnlnn,\-e ston,
decomposition.near Bath.
T
The
e
replies of Newman to the coroner and jury as to why he
did not do something to prevent her breaking from him to
jump into the river were not satisfactory. Newman said
he had beard her repeatedly say that she would destroy
herself. Police-constable Barnett corroborated the state-
ment of Newman as to his meeting him after deceased
had plunged into the river. Newman seemed very anxious
for her rescue. They returned with the drags in a few
minutes and commenced a search, but could not find the
-.v/Ilan was in liquor at the time. Some other
ring been adduced, the coroner brie fly remarked
upon it, and said lie thought it did not fix any charge upon
Newman as to the actual cause of death. any
jury re-
turned an open verdict of " Found drowned,"

body. .
evidence