The Sun. — 1861-02-22 (London, England)

ATTEMPTED MURDER AND SUICIDE.--On Tuesday rt allbli re. circumstances, Palmer cut rp, a b his w ifue ,tsc butcher, o throat, f B andr i gin afterwards temeo . arrnd 8fbis own. For some time past they have lived very unhztp. pily, and on several occasions, when in a state of excitewent, caused through drink and jealousy, he being a person advanced in life, while his wife is not more than 20, he has threatened her. On Tuesday, they having had some angry words, he took a clasp knife, and deliberately cut his wife's throat, whilst she was in bed, in a most shocking manner, and then cut his own. He at once ran downstairs and alarmed the neighbours, who sent for the neatest medical assistance. The wounds were dressed, and although they were found to be very extensive, the lives of the unhappy individuals are not despaired of. During the day the prisoner Sharp was able to speak, and was informed that he must consider himself in custody, to answer the charge at the Lincoln assizes, to be held in March neat.  The following is from the circular of Messrs. Carr, of Rostock:—  The tot al shipments of wheat from Russia up to the end of September were 684,871 quarters, against 5(38,105 quarters in 1859. Taking into account t he sad havoc done by the locusts in the whole of. Southern Russia, Russian and Austrian Poland—•the devastation being so enormous that in the Odessa districts alone some 400,000 or 500,000 quarters of wheat were destroyed—and considering that from the St. Petersburg, Riga, and Aro•hangel districts, and from Poland the yield is not great, but the reverse, I think I may estimate Russia and Russian Poland's capabilities or exports for the next campaign at one million quarters.  Having so often been written to and asked to give an idea of the devastation committed by the locusts, it may not be out of place, once for all, now to do so. In the distance a swarm of locusts looks like a dark thunder-cloud, and as they approach a whistling sound is hoard in the air, similar to a violent thunder-storm ; the sun, if shining at the time, is darkened, and the temperature becomes 5 or 10 deg. Reaumer, cooler, as the warmth of the sun is prevented from penetrating the mass. The swarm takes from twelve to fifteen hours to pass over, and the enormous mass or quantity of this fearful scourge in the atmosphere, as far as the eye can reach, makes such an overpowering impression on the human frame that a person feels such an inward depressing feeling, such as difficult breathing, and inability to shake off the horrorstriken nervous sensation. Business is suspended.. If these plagues have once reached the ground the earth is for several miles in extent a foot deep at least with them, and they do not ascend until they have eaten every particle of grain, pulse, grass, &c., and the soil then looks as if it had been laid waste by fire. _ _  These insects can only be got rid of when they are not tired and able to fly away, when a great noise is made and several thousands of persons set to work together ; indeed, it often happens that the Government sends two or three regiments of soldiers to assist the farmers ; if, however, the swarms are tired and so enormous that they cover the fields a foot deep or more, then it is not in the power of human beings to prevent their committing sad havoc, and when killed and left on* the ground (or should a swarm be driven into the sea and afterwards washed ashore) the stench is past bearing and generally is followed by a pestilent disease.  According to a map drawn whilst the Governor General of Odessa made a tour of inspection. early last May, about seventy-five Russian sqßare miles were covered with the eggs of these insects. In the fields surrounding the small town of Tomaszow no less than 625 baskets of living locusts (each basket containing about 6,400, and 551 gornats of 15,600 eggs each, making in all about four million locusts and nine million eggs) were delivered to the burgomaster of the place.