The Manchester Examiner. — 1848-01-04 (Manchester, Greater Manchester, England)

TRE COAST DEFENCES.—Orders have been received at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, to expedite with all possible speed the armaments for the coast defences of this country and the colonies which are still incomplete, viz.:—Portsmouth, Gosport, Portsea, Sce.: Three 8-inch guns of 65 cwt. twelve 8-inch guns of 50 cwt. twenty-seven 32-pounder guns of 56 cwt. three 24-pounder guns of 50 cwt. and three 8-inch howitzers—total, 48. Gravesend: Fifteen 32-pounder guns. Tilbury Fort: Fifty 32-pounders. Medway District: Twentysix 32-pounder guns of 56 cwt. Guernsey: Eleven 24 pounders of 50 cwt. and one 18-pounder gun. Gibraltar: Fourteen 8-inch guns of 63 cwt. Malta: Twelve 8-inch guns of 65 cwt. and and fifty-four 32-pounder guns of 50 cwt. Halifax: Nineteen 32-pounder guns of 56 cwt. Hong Kong: Fourteen 32-pounder guns of 56 cwt. and three 24-pounder guns of 50 cwt. It is stated upon good authority, that a commission appointed by the master-general of the Ordnance, consisting of Lieut.-Colonel Hardinge, director of the laboratory department of the Royal Arsenal; Lieut.-Colonel Colquhoun, of the carriage department; and Major Saulham, R.E. has been sitting for some time at Woolwich, to consider the subject of extending the coast defences and of strengthening the existing lines of fortifications. In pur snance with instructions, the commissioners have visited the whole of the eastern, southern, and western coasts of England, and have inspected every place where they judged it probable that a hostile fleet would, in the event of a war, attempt a landing. An extensive correspondence has also been opened up with the various pilots at the outposts, with the view of ascertaining the spots where it would be practicable for an enemy to attempt a landing,- even in flatbottomed boats and launches, in order that the whole of our coasts may be effectually guarded against the possibility of a surprise. The report of the committee will be referred to the master-general when completed. DREADFUL SUlClDE.—Througbout the whole of Sunday a most intense and painful degree of excitement was caused in the vicinity of Fitzroy Square in consequence of the circulation of it too well-founded report that Mr. Alexander Toms Williams, and Mrs. Williams, his wife, had committed suicide, the former by hanging himself, and the latter by cutting her throw, with a razor. Our reporter has instituted the most diligent inquiry into the melancholy facts connected With the affair, and the following particulars may be relied Upon as being strictly correct. Mr. Williams was at one period a sergeant in a foot regiment, and was subsequently a constable in the E division of police, No. 40, and was considered a most efficient and meritorious officer; about ten months ago he quitted the force, and, with his wife, a young Woman of highly-respectable family, entered upon the occupancy of the Star Coffeehouse, 33, Cleveland-street, which business was found to answer their expectations, and there was every prospect of their pursuing a successful career. It does not appear that immediately antecedent to the perpetration of the awful crime of self-murder, or indeed upon any other occasion, the parties had been known to quarrel; but for some time past Williams had been less buoyant of spirits than usual, and his friends had made many remarks upon his altered and dejected appearance. The house was kept open, as visual, until twelve o'clock on Saturday night, and at half-past twelve Mr. Williams retired to his bedroom, a back epartment on the first floor. In a quarter of an hour afterwards his wife went up. and after knocking several times and receiving no answer, site burst open the door, when to her hotror and amazement she discovered her husband suspended from the bedstead; she screamed out loudly, and in an instant Mr. Matthews, a lodger, rusSed forth to see what was the matter: he cut the Lean clown, the body being at the tune warm, and being anxious with regard to what had become of Mrs. Williams, Who upon her making the appalling discovery of the dreadful deed committed by her husband had made her way down stairs in a state of mind bordering upon madness, made search for her, and at length found her, with her throat cut, and lying with her head upon a mat in the coffee-rootn below; Dr. Hatfield, who resides within a few doors of the scene of the awful catastrophe, speedily arrived, when lie pronounced the man to be dead. The woman had with a razor, which Was lying by her side, inflicted a large and deep wound in her throat, which completely severed the windpipe and gullet, and she expired in less than half an hour.—Tines.