The Sun. — 1847-07-09 (London, England)

FEROCIOUS ATTACK.—On Friday night, as Mr. Ketcher, a respectable farmer of Ratsbro', near Southminster, was returning home from the residence of Mr. Grice, as Asheldham, a few minutes before ten o'clock, on foot, when about fifty yards from Mr. Grice's house he saw a man in an oat field, near which there was no footpath. Observing that the fellow attempted to conceal himself in the corn, Mr. Ketcher went up to him, and asked him what business he had there. An impertinent reply was made, on which Mr. Ketcher took hold of him, and said, " If you are after nothing wrung you will not mind giving an account of yourself." The fellow then raised his hand, and with a wine bottle inflicted a blow on the left side of Mr. Ketcher's head, causing a wound three inches long, and penetrating to the bone. Mr. Ketcher was rendered insensible; on becoming conscious, he found himself in a ditch with his antagoni,t on the top of him, beating him on the head and face with the bottle. Mr. Ketcher's eyes were so enveloped in blood from the wounds, that he was for a time completely blinded, and with great difficulty he got from under the man, who then ran off. Mr. Ketcher, greatly exhausted from the loss of blood, succeeded in getting back to Mr. Grice's, where he fainted. Mr. Rush, surgeon, was immediately sent for, and that gentleman having dressed the wounds, removed him home. On examination it :was found that not fewer than five frightful gashes had been made upon Mr. Ketcher's head, a piece had been cut out of his ear, and there was a wound over the eyebrow reaching to the bone. There were besides a tremendous blow on the jaw-bone, and a triangular cut on the nose, with many deep scratches on the cheek, all on the left side, and Mr. Rush expressed his surprise that so much injury could have been inflicted without immediately fatal consequences. The police were engaged the whole of the night with other parties in scouring the neighbourhood, and we are happy to and succeeded the same morning in discovering in a straw stack the guilty party, whose name it appears is liace, a character well known in the locality. Ile was covered with the blood of the gentleman he so severely injured, add our correspondent adds that he has declared that he intended to have murdered Mr. Ketcher, or any other man who chixed to interfere with him. Since writing the above we learn that Pace has been committed by Mr. J. Pattison, to the convict gaol, Springfield, for three months' hard labour, for lodging in the open air. —Essex Herald.  TAE GREAT BRlTAlN.—Yesterday (Friday) we paid a visit to the Great Britain, for the purpose of witnessing personally the operations which are in progress to raise her, previous to being floated off. The arrangements are certainly very ingenious, but cannot be clearly described to those who have not seen them. On each side of the vessel are driven upon their ends into the sand; until they reach the solid rock, a number of large logs of timber, in an inclined position. Near the top of two of these logs is to be a box or case, filled with sand, weighing about fifty tons. Upon the top of each log is a sheave of iron, in a groove in which runs a rope which communicates with the boxes and with the vessel. The boxes are supported by large chain cables, and their object is to raise the vessel, for according to the principles of mechanism, as they sink the ship rises. There are to be 20 of these boxes, ten on each tide of the vessel. Eight of them are at present in the position intended for them, and in process of being filled ; the rest will soon be completed. The greater number will be placed towards the ship's bow, where she is deeper in the sand, nearly to the depth of four feet two inches, and lower towards the stern, where she is not so deep. The ship had been sunk seven feet, but by means of lightening, that is, pumping out water, and placing stones underneath, she has been raised to her present position. She is now perfectly water-tight. Mr. Bremner, the eminent engineer, is constantly on board, superintending the operations. All is expected to be ready for the final effort by the end of the next month. A Government steamer is expected to be present On that occasion, lending her assistance. —Downpatrick Recorder.