The Sun. — 1842-12-08 (London, England)

TUE BURGLARY AND ATTEMPTED MURDER NEAR NEWCASTLE.—Miss Robinson has fully identified one of the parties, who has been apprehended. The prisoner Bell, ho is a tall man, held the candle while the blow was inflicted on Miss Robinson by his companion, whose face was partly concealed behind the bed-curtain. Miss Robinson has no doubt whatever of Bell being one of the men. She knows him by his eyes, and by his' mouth, and by his whiskers, which were not, it seems, so much blackened as the rest of his face. Miss Robinson was much agitated on being introduced to the prisoners, who were remanded (as we have already stated), and there seems no doubt but they will be fully committed for trial. In regard to the pocket-handkerchiefs found on Miss Robinson's stairhead, there seems every probability of the police being able to show that they were in the possession of the prisoners on the Saturday night preceding the burglary. Miss Robinson states that the lesser man, supposed to be Riddle, but to whose identity Miss Robinson cannot speak positively, from her not having had so complete a view of his race, had a knife or dagger in one hand, and the iron pinch, with which the blow was inflicted, in the other; so that it is quite clear that the parties were prepared to commit murder, if necessary, to secure their object, and that Miss Robinson's life was saved entirely through the fortunate circumstance of the servantgirl having been aroused. The greatest credit is due to Mr. Rudd, the Superintendent of the Gateshead police, for thejudicious manner in which he has con • ducted the case, which at one time appeared almost hopeless. WANT OF ROADS IN CHlNA.—Compared with the grand system of water-communication, land-carriage is little regarded ; and Mr. Barrow believes, that in the whole extent of the empire there is hardly a road that can he considered better than a footpath. Tae value of the ground, the scarcity of cattle for waggons, the almost exclusive use of chairs and litters for the convenience of travellers, and of coolies or porters for the transfer of goods, render any greater breadth unnecessary. They contrive, indeed, to employ in these narrow tracks a very peculiar species of conveyance. To loaded wheelbarrows they attach a sail, which, when the wind is favourable, materially aids their progress ; and whole fleets of these vehicles may be seen moving along. Milton even alludes to the plains— Of Sericana, where Chineses driva With sails and wind their cany wagons light. After all, where a road does become actually necessary to connect any of their points of intercourse, the inhabitants spare neither cost nor labour in making it complete. For example, the avenue leading from the capital to its port is at once magnificent and commodious. The surface is perfectly level ; and the middle part, for the breadth of twenty feet, is paved with flags of granite. Again, the road over the mountains of Tche-kiang, though it be narrow, is covered with fine gravel from the neighbouring hills, and kept quite smooth. In the lofty barrier of Quangtung, as has already been observed, a great part of the summit of the Mei-ling mountain has been excavated in order to facilitate the passage.—Liverpool Courier.