The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-02-22 00:00:00

IRELAND.

CARLOW ELECTION.—A petition has been presented
by the electors of Carlow against the return of Mr. Alex.
ander, on the ground of bribery, intimidation, and illegal
majority.

THE FITZWILLIAM ESTATES.—The Irish estates of
Lord Fitzwilliam, producing £30,000 a-year, are about
to be sold in the Encumbered Estates Court. A petition
for this purpose has been filed by the noble lord himself.
PIERCE MAHONY, ESQ., Clerk of the Crown, died on
Friday. Already a crowd of applicants for the situation
are before the Lord Lieutenant. Mr. Mahony was the
author of the celebrated " Leinster Declaration" of 1830,
which, according to Lord Anglesey and his back-stairs
adviser, Lord Cloncurry, stopped the first agitation for
the repeal of the union:started by Mr. O'Connell.
IRISH POVERTY.—At 'Waterford guardians' board, Mr.
Carroll said—" Although there is a famine in the country
among the poor, and many farmers barely existing, still
in Waterford no less than £1,200 was paid last year for
macassar oil, for the nourishment of the curls and
whiskers of the ladies and gentlemen of the city ! "
PAPAL MOVEMENTS IN THE WEST.—The priests have
identified themselves in all the cases of assault and
violence against what are called Jumpers and Scripture-
readers as much as they possibly can. They make these
acts their own. It is, therefore, in a very proper sense
not particular individuals that are to be brought to trial
in these melancholy cases at the ensuing assizes, but the
Church of Rome in Connaught. Collections were made
on last Sunday in most, if not ell the chapels in this part
of the country, to defray the cost of defending those out-
rages at the coming assizes. This is a matter that must
not be lost sight of.—Mayo Constitution.
HONORARY FREE BURGESSES.—It is stated that a re-
cent decision of the Irish Court of Exchequer in favour of
the claims of honorary free burgesses, even when non-re-
sident, to be placed on the Parliamentary registry roll,
will affect the following boroughs, by adding the numbers
attached to each to the new electoral rolls, the additions,
being, it is added, in nearly all cases Conservatives :
Armagh, 13 ; Athlone, 15 ; Bandon, 13; Belfast, 14 ;
Carlow, 13; Carrickfergus, 41 : Cashel, 18; Clonmel, 20;
Coleraine. unlimited ; Cork, ditto ; Drogheda, ditto ;
Dundalk, 17; Dungannon, 13; Ennis, 13; Enniskillen,
20; Galway, unlimited; Kilkenny, 55; Kinsale, unlimited;
Limerick, 39; Londonderry, unlin-yited ; New Ross, un-
limited; Portarlingtou, 15 ; Sligo,. 13 ; 'Praleer 13;
Waterford, 49; Wexford, 24 ; Youghal, unlimited.
EX7RAORDINARY CASE.—The case of Henry and Rose
Morton v George Birch was tried a few days since in the
Court of Queen's Bench, Dublin. It was an action of
trespass, for assaulting the female plaintiff, with intent to
debauch her. The damages were laid at A5OOO, and the
defendant pleaded not guilty. It appeared that the female
plaintiff WAX the natural daughter of the late Edmund
Kelly, a solicitor of great wealth, by a member of a res-
pectable family with whom Mr. Kelly used to' associate,
in the county of Roscommon, and towards the end of his
life he married a' Miss Kelly, with whom the defendant
was closely and intimately connected, and was even said
to have been privately married to her. The plaintiff, be-
fore her father's marriage, was sent to a celebrated school
in Brighton, whereet.l3oo a year was paid for her edneation.
She remained in that school for a few years, until 182.9 ;
but about that time the connection had been formed be-
tween Mr. and Mrs. Kelly, and the presence of his child
becoming disagreeable to her, the plaintiff was removed
from Brighton, and sent to a more inferior school at Bath.
While there a proposition was made to her to go to Ame-
ricas which she declined ;: and it would appear that :h
1836; while at school, she was visited by a gentleman
whose- name was believed' to be D'Esterre, her father'a
agent, with whom she had had correspondence, but had
never seen. He was accompanied by a female that he
represented to be his sister, and the child was kidnapped
from school before she was' fifteen years of age, and
went through what she thought was a marriage cere-
mony with the deceiver, D'Esterre, who afterwards took
the name of Hamilton. From this- unhappy connec-
tion her life was one of misery' and suffering, and
she became a mother before she' was seventeen. Her
father became estranged from her; and she was enabled to
obtain only one interview with him, at which he exhibited
all the affection of a parent, but from that hour she never
saw her father again. The plaintiff' having been cast off
by the adventurer, Hamilton, employed her talents as a
governess, and for several years remained in that capacity
in families of distinction. In 1848'She was married to her
present husband, who was a native of ' England, and the
plaintiffs having been informed of thelitigation in a case
of Thewles v. Kelly, relative to the will of the late
Edmund Kelly, came over to Ireland. Accord-
ing to the recommendation of the judge, Mrs.
telly was advised to make some. provision for the
next of kin of her late husband, and' Mrs. Morton
waited on Mrs. Relly in Baggot-street, but saw not her,
bat the defendant, her agent, who, the plaintiff having
previously heard Meg. Kelly speaking in a load voice
to him, intimated that he had not been ouccessfal in his
mediation, but asked the plaintiff to call on him at his
office, intimating that he might eventuallykobtain for her
some pecuniary assistance. Mrs. Morton; however, did
not call then, but left' for the Isle of Wightewhere her
husband was lying ill. While in EnglandAhey heard of
the judgment in Thewles v. Kelly, setting aside the will
of Edmund Kelly, and having received a communication
from. Miss Thewles, they came to Ireland 'again' in the
latter-end of 1851. Ms. Morton called en the defendant
to obtain some settlement from Mrs. Kelly' 'he directed
her to call at his offece on Aston's-quay-,,and from time
to time she did so, until the 24th of Julyv 1852;. when.
having called, the defendant's manner sudthinly changed
to her—he called her his dear girl, and addressed her by
her Chrigtian name; .he drew his chair oecr very closely
to hers, and then proceeded to commit an assault on her
with a criminal intent, adding that there could be no great
harm in the crime, as- he pretended that dee was not' mar-
ried to' 'her present husband. The circumstances of the
assault having been deposed to by Mrs. Mbrton, as also
the false marriage with Hamilton, and the defendaat
having made a statement in which he represented the cir-
cumstanees of the case as- regarded his intercourse with
the plaintiff as very different from the actoant given by
her, while he entirely denied the assault, the Chief Justice
briefy charged the jury, and said that the issue was a very
simple one—Did they believe the plaintiff, Mrs. Morton, or
the defendant. The jury ultimately returned- a verdict
for the•plaintiff—darsages £2OO and 6d. costs

WRECK OF THE QUEEN VICTORIA

DUBLIN STEAMER.

Wig. announced last weal is second edition, the report
which had just been received by telegraph,,of the total
wreck of the Queen Victoria steamer, whichsleft this port
on the Monday afternoon, for Dublin. The particulars of
the calamitous shipwreck, as far as they can be collected,
are, as follows :

The Queen Victoria.. Captain Church, commander, be-
longing to the City of Dublin Steam Packet Company,
started from Liverpool for Dublin, at halfi-past three
o'clock on Monday afternoon, with a general cargo, and a
crew and passengers-amounting altogether,..it is supposed,
ta about 120 persons. Of these twelve were cabin pas-
:angers, and about ninety steerage and deck passengers,
the latter including a large number of cattle dealers, re-
turning from the Liverpool market. The Queen• Victoria
was a first-class vessel, and a few years ago had been em-
played carrying the mails between Kingstown and Holy-
head. Captain Church was an officer of great experience,
high in the confidence of his employers, and had been
more than twenty,years in the service, The following
are some particulars, abridged from the Dublin papers :
From the moment that the vessel left the dock at Liver-
pool, up to half-past one on Tuesday morning, all went
well ; the wind- was N.E., the weather favourable, and
she was making.a rapid and easy passage, but about that
hour some heavy,falls of snow took place, which retarded
her progress a. little. No material 'abatement, however,
took place in. her speed, and about two, o'clock the first
mate and some of the passengers perceived the Kish
Light. An anxious look-out was kept for the Bailey
Light, and,, for a few minutes they did. see it, but the snow
coming down in a heavy, dense, impenetrable cloud, com-
pletely shut out the view. Under these circumstances, the
obvious course was to have slackened-speed, and whether
this was affected to any extent or not, we are at present
without any, distinct or satisfactory information, some as-
serting that the vessel continued to goat full speed, and
others that her " way" had been considerably reduced.
However, thin may be, it is but too.clear that the land was
huggad too closely, and the first intimation those who
happened to be on deck had of their impending danger
was a hurried and agitated cry from the first mate to stop
the-vessel. The mate, who was on. the look-out, was hor-
riEed to perceive, looming dimly through the snow cloud,,
at a distance of not more than twenty yards, the dark and
ragged cliffs of Howth, a little to the north of the Bailey
Light.. He immediately gave the order to stop, but it was
too late, and the next instant the doomed vessel went
headlong upon the rock, with a fearful and appalling crash..
The captain was instantly Apon deck, and gave orders, to
reverse the engines. This was done, and the vessel being
released from the rocks, backed out into deep water, when,
finding that she was rapidly sinking, the captain attempted
to run her ashore. In the meantime a scene of the most
melancholy and heartrending description ensued.
The cabin passengers were, of course, in bed, and,
being awakened by the shock of the collision, rushed
upon the deck, when, to their horror, they found the ship
fast going down. The captain, the first mate, and the
other officers preserved their presence of mind, and endea-
voured to keep order, so that the passengers and crew
might have a better opportunity of effecting their escape;
but such was the alarm and excitement, and so short the
period that elapsed between the collision and the final
destruction of the vessel that their efforts proved quite
unavailing.

The starboard quarter-boat was immediately filled by a
number of the wretched passengers ;. but in the hurry and
confusion of the moment, proper care was not taken to
secure the ropes, and the great weight caused the boat to
slip from her davits into the sea, when she instantly
swamped, and all in her perished. The larboard quarter-
boat was then lowered, with more success. It contained
17 persons. On reaching the water, however, it was
found the boat was leaking fast, and must have gone
down in a short time were it not for the presence of mind
of a lad, who, having searched with his hand, found that
the plug-bole was open, and immediately thrust his fin-
gers into it. At the time the boat was almost immediately
under the side of the sinking ship, the bulwarks of which
were crowded with passengers, whom the captain was
seen endeavouring to quiet and pacify. They had no idea
at that moment that the vessel was so near her final
destruction, but in a few minutes afterwards she went
down bodily, bow foremost, and nearly all who remained
on board were lost.

Up to the latest moment the captain was seen upon the
deck endeavouring to calm the agitation of the passengers,
and to direct their exertions into the proper channel for
the preservation of their lives ; and it is supposed that
when the vessel took her final plunge he went down with
her, together with the first and second mates, who clung
to their ship to the last. In the meantime the boat,
which could not hold another person, shoved off ; the
water was baled out with a hat, and, after severe exer-
tion, ultimately succeeded in landing fourteen persons on
the rocks, about half a mile below the wreck.
terred by the dangers of the enterprise, and intent only
on saving as many lives as possible, two of the passengers,
named Ralph and Kegg, and the young lad, who still
oontinurd to Atop the plug-hole with his finger, rowed

back to the scene of the disaster, when they found the
Queen Victoria had gone dawn, her masts alone being
visible above water. Twelve or fourteen persons were
clinging to these with all the tenacity of despair. Ralph
and his companions took five off the foremast, and were
proceeding to relieve those upon the mainmast from their
perilous position, when the steward of the Queen Victo-
ria, who was one of them, cried out, " Don't mind us,
my dear fellow, the boats of the Roscommon will pick us
up." On turning round Ralph perceived at a short dis-
tance the Roscommon steamer, the boats of which had
already picked up several persons, and were proceeding as
fast as possible to render further assistance. They soon
arrived at the wreck, and the snow having by this time
ceased, they at once perceived what had happened. The
boats of the Roscommon were lowered without delay,
and proceeded to the wreck, where they took off the men
who were clinging to the mainmast, and rescued others
who were then struggling in the water. A little child was
picked up, its body yet warm ; but all effurts to restore
animation failed. Mr. Ralph and those whom he had
saved and landed on the rocks were also picked up by the
Roscommon's boats, and the greatest attention was
shown to the sufferers on board that vessel. All of them
had suffered intensely from the wet, cold, and fatigue
which they had endured, and many were reduced to the
lowest stale of mental and physical prostration. About
45 persons were rescued in this manner, of whom 7 were
females, and they were safely landed at Kingstown by the
captain of the Roscommon. The entire number saved
amounts to 53, of whom 20belonged to the crew.
When the Queen Victoria first struck, about ten or
twelve of the passengers and crew scrambled over her
bows upon the rocks, and eight of them succeeded in ob-
taining a footing. They were afterwards brought by the
police into the town of Howth, and from thence forwarded
by railway to Dublin, where they arrived in a most deplor-
able condition from exhaustion and exposure.
The evidence given at the inquest confirms the fore-
going account of the disaster in all its essential features.
All the witnesses at the inquest concur rrt stating that the
Bailey Light was not discernible until the vessel had been
backed out into deep water after the collision. To give a
list of the cases of individual affliction from the loss either
of relatives or of property would be to enumerate not
only the survivors from the wreck, but the relatives of the
lost. One poor man, named John Reardon, who had in-
vested a considerable sum in a speculation of cheese, and
was returning from Liverpool to the Dublin market with
it, lost his young wife and infant child. The ease of
Roger M'Manus, of Wicklow, is even more painful and
distressing. He held a small farm near Hacketstown,
but the distress of the times having caused him to'turn
his thoughts to the United States, he had saved a sum of
money for the purpose of enabling him to go there. At•
cordingly, accompanied by his wife and three children, he
reached here a few days ago, with a view of taking their
departure from this port for America ; but, alas ! his little'
savings were not sufficient to defray the expenses of the.
passage, he was compelled to return to Ireland, and, in ev
few hours after his departure, he was an eye-witness of
the death of all his family. When the vessel went down-
he bravely battled with the waves for nearly half-an-hour
in endeavouring to save his wife, who was enceinte, and
had' clinging to her bosom her youngest child, but he was
at length compelled to loose his hold of her and allow her
to perish. Every one of the other survivors had his own
tale of suffering and distress to tell.
1 The way-bill gives a total of IZTersons D 3 the number
that left Liverpool, but several more went on board with-
out taking tickets, or after the pay-clerk left the vessel.
The list of cabin passengers gives the names of Mr. and
Mrs. IVa!slie, Mr. Lipman, Mrs. Seott, Miss Arthur, and
three or four whose names are not known.
The sea on Saturday carried the hull about 200 yards
from the shore. It lies on a level bottom, and, should
the weather' continue moderate, there iss no immediate
likelihood of its breaking up. No mere bodies have been
recovered, nor any property of value- Same boes have
been washed away at Bray strand.

TERRIFIC SNOW STORM.
iOSS'OF Li7E.-STOPPAGE OF THE. MA 3,

The recent severe weather, which has- continued' for
newly a week, with all the intensity of an extremely cold
winter, has not been equalled, at least in- this country, for
many- years. The wind still prevails from the piercing
quarter of NNE, and there is every indication of the frost
continuing with increased severity. In the course of
Saturday accounts were received at the General P6st
Office, St. Martin's-le-Grand, of a heavy fall of snow
having taken place on Thursday evening and Friday morn—
ing in almost all' parts of the country, which rendered,
many of•the important lines of railway perfettlyimpassable.-
The mail trains were blocked up, and in several instances.
they were not extricated for twelve or more- hOurs, and'
even then the bhgs had to be conveyed by cross-roads tc..
their destinations. 2barcely a county seems to have es•
taped the•storm, and in places where the snowlas drifted,
its depth is enorrnovisrsuch as cuttings and tross-roads;
to the extent 'of some twenty feet. In the northerirdis--
tricts the storm was accompanied by thunder and- light
ping, whi:e the aurora borealis shone luminously in the -
heavens, all prognosticating more severe weather. The •
fall on Thursday visited the counties bordering on the -
eastern and northern coast to such an extent as to cause
an obstruction to all traffic. Stretching from Essex'
through Surfdik,- Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Ycrkshire, Dur-
ham, Northumberland,. &Lc., the snow came down
in a general mass. Communications with villages were -
cut off, and rnanch mischief arose. In the vicinity of Nor-
wich the faa was very considerable ; the anew lay in the
streets several -feet in depth, and the mail trains which
should have reached that city from London—at half-past
two on Friday-morning, did not arrive until late in the
afternoon, more than twelve hours behind its time. It
appears that the snow drifted on the Eastern ,Counties
line, in the neighbourhood' of Brandon, to a great depth.
After numerous efforts- to get along the - engine was
brought to a complete block, the carriages being embedded
almost half their height in the drift. In this position the
train could not proceed for many hours. Gangs of navi-
gators were procured as soon as possible to cut a passage,
and it was only after the above detention that the mail
could proceed.' The inhabitants of the fen country are
in a most distressing condition. The ground is covered
with several feet of snow, which, obscuringthe tracks to
the main roads,-rendera an attempt to travel very danger-
ous. A respectable baker, named George Lamb, living
in Whittlesey,, loot his life in that way. Ie mistook his -
road, fell into a river with his horse and cart, and
was drowned: Several vessels were lost off Wisbeach
during the anovvystorm.. They were unable to distinguish
their bearings, went ashore and were wrecked.
Throughout Lincolnshire, and far extending into the
Midland Counties, the snow appears to have fallen heavily,
and, as in other parts, the railways and cross roads were
for a time impassable. Further northward the fall seems
to have been more severe, and all communication with
York by means of its various railways was discovered on
Friday morning to be blocked up by huge driftings of •
snow. The mail train, which should leave that city for
London at; two did' not get away until eight o'clock, and
even then could mate but small progress. Numerous
gangs of men were employed in clearing the lines, and:
much inconvenience was occasioned to the traffic.
The Hull and Scarborough line and the Market Weigh--
• worser,ana great inCOn.
venience has been. experienced in the
.neighbourho,9d.
ewarse.n r
iE endered thole wlineaethwereri
Some of• the trains near Newcastle required four or liven
engines to ,get
fleetthe ofacloonge.rslhnotud
Ltyhneefrwoisltl continue,..
the the numerousanything,
Towards Durham
in. Frem•,all parts of the country similar accounts have-
been received..
Theintelligence from the French coast
announces- the snow to be falling fast, and the line,of,
railway. from Calais to Boulogne to be much obstructed,