Weekly News. — 1889-10-10 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

SUICIDE OF A MEMBER ( PARLIAMENT.  Brighton has been deprived of its junior member by a sad occurrence. Sir William Tindal Robertson, M.P., for some time past has been in a serious mental state. He has recently been residing at Broadstairs for the benefit of his health, and returned to his Brighton residence about five weeks since. Restored to his family circle, he appeared to improve, and the anxiety of his friends was in some measure removed. On Saturday night he retired to rest at his usual hour, nothing unusual being apparent in his condition, but when his attendant went to rouse him on Sunday morning, about a quarter to 8, he found him dead, with his throat cut and a razor lying close by. Medical aid was at one* sought, and Dr. Lowe, who lives close by, wet called, and was of opinion that death had ensued about an hour before the body was found. The deceased had been in a desponding state for some time past. Sir IV. Tindal Robertson was the eldest son of the late Mr. Frederick Fowler Robertson, of Grantham, was born in 1825, educated at King Edward VL's Grammar School? Grantham, and studied at University College Hospital with • view to entering the medical profession. In 1846 he matriculated at the London University, and, after serving as junior medical officer at the Middlesex Hospital, graduated as doctor of medicine at the University of Edinburgh. In 1873 he was chosen • Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians. His connection with Brighton biman in 1576. He was elected a member of the Town Council, and chairman of the Conservative and Constitutional Association, which post he continued to occupy until he was unanimously selected by the party for nomination as member for the borough. In 1886 he was elected to Parliament to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Alderman David Smith. Sir Tindal Robertson rendered signal service as a member of the Royal Commission on the Blind, the Deaf, and the Dumb, and it was in connection with the Commission that he received, in 1888, the honour of knighthood. The deceased gentleman was blind, the result of a disease which attacked him when in the prime of life. He was extremely popular at Brighton with all parties. An inquest was held on Monday as to the death of the hon. gentleman. The evidence shewed that he had of late suffered from illnessdepression of spirits, and bewilderment. The jury returned a verdict of suicide while of unsound mind.  Captain S. J. Engelhardt Jorgensen, who left London on the 1211 September in a new lifeboat called the Storm King, has arrived at Madeira. The Nagant new five-chambered repeating rifle, invented by a Belgian, whose name it bears, is reported to be a most excellent weapon. It is of small calibre, and carries an elongated steel bullet, which is said to penetrate at a distance of 647 yards substances representing nine men fully equipped placed in line. Exhaustive trials are now taking place at Liege, where these rifles are being manufactured in large numbers, and the Belgian Government will probably decide in the course of the 'next three months as to its adoption for use in the Belgian army. A smokeless powder used ix these trials is said to have given satisfactory results. •• • •  Miss Alma Beaumont, the American parachutist, made an ascent at Jarrow, and in her descent fell into the Tyne, near Howdon dock. She wee promptly rescued. Owing to the prevalence of scarlatina and scarlet fever in Plymouth, Devonport, and Stonehouse, and the number of cases that have been sent to the Royal Naval Hospital from ships in harbour, the naval Commander-iu-Chief at Devonport, Sir William Dowell, has ordered the Lion training-ship for boys, to be placed in quarantine. There are about 800 boys on board, so that, if the restriction lasts long, it will prove very onerous. Communication with the vessel will be restricted as far as possible. A number of cases of fever have also been sent from the reserve ship Indus.  iv L s stateu toot tnb aultan will shortly promulgate In amnesty for the Gretans, an act of clemency which will strengthen the Parliamentary situation of the Greek Ca:Unet, and will, it is calculated, give pleasure to the German Emperor. The amnesty will be made to coinside with the time of We Imperial Majesty's visit to Constantinople.  . . --The Queen has signified her approval of the election of Pasteur Massie, of Brighton, by the Consistory of the French Protestant Church in London. The Consistort have secured temporary premises for worship. in 'sottenham-court-road, their former church in Aldersgate-street having been removed to make room for Post-office imnrovements A subordinate magistrate at Tinnivelly has ffled a suit against the Secretary of State for India for 1ia.65,000, the value of precious stones alleged to have been stolen while in the charge of the postal authorities. The Postmaster-General maintains that the jewels were never posted. Advices from Vera Cruz state that the island of Carmen, in the gulf of Mexico, has been visited by a cyclone of unprecedented violence. Twentyseven vessels were wrecked on the coast, and 123 houses levelled to the ground. It is feared that the loss of life is heavy. . .  Owing to an exceptionally high tlcle occurring in the Thames on Sunday morning, the engine rooms of the new Greenwich Ferry Company on both sides of the river were filled with water. The services of a steam engine on each side of the river to pump the water out were required. The working of the ferry wail interfered with..  _