The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-10-15 00:00:00

Lines of equal length, leading from Enniskillen, one to
Dundalk and the other to Derry, surveyed by the same
engineer, the latter can be completed for £2OOO per eftae
less than the former, owing to the peculiarly favourchle
nature of the country in an engineering point of view-
The saving therefore in the Derry Line will be £114,01)1);
and, in addition, it may be observed, that the port of
Derry is one of the most commodious arid the least ex-
pensive in the empire, possessing an extensive trade, fo-
reign and colonial, especially with America, and every/-
desirable facility for intercourse with England and Scot-
land, particularly with the latter country, far which it is
more conveniently situated than any other port in Ireland.
except Belfast.

When it is, therefore, considered that the openinzof
this Line must bring a large portion of the trade of En-
niskillen, and the entire of Omagh, Newtown, Stewart,
and Strabane, with the distticts ac'jacent tothose town*.
to Derry (Strabane being the largest corn market in t'e
northwest of Ireland); that, with the existence of art ex,
tensive water power (already referred to), there is con-
joined an industrious and orderly population, accustomal
to manufacturing pursuits ; that to the westward there
are facilities of opening several tributary railways, Freda
which sources alone an improved traffic is to be expected;
and, finally, that the proposed railway is likely not to have
Any rival mode of conveyance to compete with, there are,
perhaps, few lines in Ireland which hold out greater bone
than this for the improvement of the country, or for VIC
advantage of those individuals who may select it for the
investment of capital.
It is material to state that, on application to Honour-
able the Irish Society, who have so much interest in the-
land upon which part of the line is intended to be -matte.
they came to the following resolution; and there is every
reason to believe that they will eventually give the land
without charge !

Id was resolved,—" That, in the opinion of this society,
the construction of a Railway from Lrndonderry to En-
niskillen will be highly beneficial to the public, and also
to the estates belonging t 3 the society. This court is,
therefore, disposed to facilitate the formation of such a
Line of Railway ; and, upon the production•af The pima
and sections thereof, to give the subjectits most deliberate
and favourable consideration."

Application for Shares to be made at the Company's
Office, Moorgate-street-buildings, London.; the Provi—
sional Committer, Londonderry; Messrs.. J. RA ILTOK
and SON, Exchange-arcade. Manchester; or Mr. S.
WOODS, jun., 3, India-buildings, Liverpool.

ATTEMPI' TO SHOOT A LANDING SURVEYOR:-
On Saturday afternoon last, great sensation was exci-
ted, in the first instance, in the neighbourhood of the
Prince's Dock, by a rumour (which speedily took wing
elsewhere) that apparently a cold-blooded attempt had
been made, by an individual who had formerly belonged
to the Customs, in this town, to shoot a highly respected
officer in the same department of her Majesty's service, in
open day, at the south end of the dock named. It is to he
regretted that this rumour proved to be well founde:, by
the evidence of the facts taken yesterday in the Police-
court, before Mr. Rushton. What available plea may re-
main to be put forth in behalf of the unhappy prisoner,
for this attempt instantly to deprive of life an esteemed
member of society, while in the exercise of his legitimate
functions, and suspecting no such assault, we have, of
course, no means of divining; nor is it our part to offer
even a suggestion on that point,—though, for the honour
of human nature, we would fain hope that the offender
laboured under mental aberration at the time. We shall
therefore best serve the ends of justice by furnishing the
whole of the evidence, as it was proved in this preliminary
investigation of the case, without offering any comment.
On the bench, along with Mr. Rushton, sat Sir Joshua
Walmsley, and the court, as might be expected, was
greatlycrowded. Mr. Brooke, solicitor for the Customs,
conducted the case for the prosecution. The prisoner,
Joseph M'Gaffey, is a sa.all sized, and apparently some-
what emaciated man, of about 40 years of age. The pro-
secutor, Mr. John William Arkle, is a tallish stout man,
stated to be about thirty•five years of age. Mr. Brooke
called

Mr. Edward Jones, who, being sworn, said :—I am a
weigher in the Customs. On Saturday afternoon last-I
was at the Prince's Dock Depot, and saw the prisoner
leaning against the counter in the searcher's office. I
went up to him and asked him how he was. lie made me
no answer, but asked me where was Mr. Arkle. I Loki
him he had gone under the shed of the Prince's Dock.
He said that would do, and I saw him go to the shed.
(The prisoner declined to ask the witness any questions.)
.Mr. John William Arkle, being called, said :—I am a
searcher in the Customs, and also act as Landing Sur-
veyor. I have known the prisoner as a weigher in the
Customs for about nine years. Four or five months ago
he was dismissed. I was his superior officer, and had oc-
casion to report him for drunkenne:s. An investigation
took place before the Inspector, and I attended as a wit-
ness to prefer the charge. The prisoner was present, and
lie rd all that passed. This was about four months ago.
He was dismissed in consequence of the report against
him being proved. He held no office in the Customs after
this. I was on Saturday last acting as Landing Surveyor.
At three o'clock, I leit the shed, on the east side, and met
the prisoner, who was on its west side, nearest the dock.
He came towards me, and I think that lie saw me. He
turned suddenly round, came under the shed and crossed
it, to within a few yards of me. Hestopped me, and held
a pistol opposite to me. He presented the pistol at my
person, and I saw the muzzle towards me. I observed
him take it from his person, and heard the usual noise of
(as we understood him to say) the snapping of a lock.
He pulled the trigger, I think, twice. At the second time
he pulled it, I called out to a person near,—" Don't you
see he is going to shoot me !" This person seized hint.
About half a minute had elapsed from his stopping me.
Wilson, a Custom-house officer, came up into the hut,
and I told him what had happened. lie went out, and
returned with the pistol in his hand. Two police•officers •
came to my assistance. One of them examined the pistol,
and found it to be loaded.
Charles M. Wilson said am a weigher in the Cos- -
tome. I saw the prisoner speak to the last witness (as
stated.) He then went towards the shed. I went to the
depOt-room, and in three or four minutes heard Mr.
Arkle calling out loudly. I sprang out of the building,
and asked the latter what was the matter. He (Mr. A.
said " Do you not see he is attempting to shoot ine,—go
aed get the pistol from him." I ran to the door and saw
the prisoner struggling in the arms of a man who had hold
of him behind with his arms. The prisoner had a pistol
in his right hand, and said to we—" I will give the pistol
to you, Charley." I took it • it was at full cock • there
was no percussion cap on it. I west for the police officers,
and left the prisoner in the charge of Mr. Bodill, the
superintendent. At the depot I probed the pistol with a
small iron rod, and found it deeply loaded. In about
twenty minutes after the prisoner was taken in charge I
returned to the dock, and on the very spot where the
prisoner had stood, I found a per: ssion cap (produced.)
It was bruised as if it had been bruised by being [fodder'
upon. It appears to have been too large for the nipple.
I said to the prisoner How could you think of shooting
at such a nice roan as Mr. Arkle," and he said " Such
fellows deserve shooting." This was said in presence of
the police officer in the hut.
The prisoner, who again declined to ask any questions,
here remarked that with regard to the last expressions
said to have been used by him, he had no recollection of
them whatever.
Mr. John Scholfield, agent to a dyer, said: I saw the
prisoner at the time in question approaching the shed.
He appeared to be funililing with something in his hand.
which I afterwards found was a pistol. I saw him after-
wards present it at Mr. Arkle. He altered his position
and followed that of the pistol, and followed the gentle-
men as he retreated. Ali Arkle cried out to me "He is
going to shoot me—try to sieze him." I immediately
got hold of him by both arms. He attempted to get loaee,
and cried " Let go," but when I got hold of him I held
him fast until he was placed in the hands of the police.
William Bodill, superintendent of the lockers at the
Prince's Dock, said,--while I was passing I saw the
prisoner and the last witness together. I heard an alarm
and went to assist. I asked the prisoner—" Joe. how
came you to do i' ?" He said he was mad—he wee de-
ranged; that Mr. Arkle made him do it, for he had taken
away his bread from him. I saw the pistol, which was
handed over to Messrs. Williams and Powell, gunatnitha
South Castle-street. The assistant in the shop tied te;
draw the charge, but could not. It was s foreign-riarin
pistol. Witness described the mode of discharging it, as
it appears by the next evidence.
William Summers, assistant at Messrs. Williams and
Co's., gun and pistol makers, said—The last witness and
two police officers came, between three and tour o'clock
on Saturday afternoon to the shop. One of them pro-
duced a pistol, which he requested should be unloaded. -
I got a rod with a worm, but found the charge so firm.
that I could draw up only small portions of lead. It was
a French-made pistol of common description. 1 found
no wadding. I got a percussion cap and placed it on the
nipple. The nipple was shorter than that of an English pistol, and an ordinary cap was likely to drop off, if not
put on with great care. The cap I put on was too large,
and got split. When I lifted the cock it fell off. I put
it on again, and fired it at an oak board in the yard. The -
pistol went off, and the ba'l entered the oak board, indent- -
ing it about a quart r-of-an-inch. There were no previous .
marks in the board. The ball was flattened on the aide
that struck the board. It rebounded, and struck me one-
the stomach, and I saw it fall. I picked it 1113, .and gave
it into the charge of a police officer.
Thomas Moorey, police officer, who was at the Prince;
Dock at the time of the occurrence corroborated whattad
been stated as to the occurrence there, as stated by hie
brother officer and others. He then said—On going to
Bridewell, prisoner said he was very sorry for what had
taker place. We put no questions to him, and caution el
him that whatever he might say would come out before
the magistrate and be used against him. When first
taken he said he was mad, and afterwards made (leer ex-
pressions, but I am not sure of the precise words, as there
was a crowd and much confusion at the time. He said ism
going up to Bridewell, he was sorry that what be had
done had not taken effect ; and on being again cautioned
repeated the expression, adding that he hoped I and the
other officer would not say anything about it.
Mr. RUSHTON (who had noted down all the evidence
as it proceeded) asked the prisoner if he had any questiou
to ask, or if he wished any to be asked through him. at
this stage of the proceedings—adding that be would have
another opportunity—(when the depositions formally
taken, were read.)
The prisoner answered in the simple negative, and the
magistrate stated that be must be committed for trial ait
the Assizcs.
It is somewhat remarkable that the officer (abov¢
named) who arrested the prisoner was the same individual
who, several years ego, apprehended Norman Welch, tot
shooting Mr. Southgate, landing surveyor, in the 04
Customhouse-yard. Welsh effected his purpose, and wee
afterwards executed at Lancaster.

TILE IRON TRADE.—Circulars have been issued frog
the first houses in the trade announcing a redaction in this
prices of iron, viz. :—Bar iron 20s. and pigs 10s.