June 8,] 



THE NEWSPAPER. 



[1844. 



will be put in nomination for sheriffs for the year ensuing 

 at Guildhall on Midsummer-day next. A rumour is afloat 

 that the Livery will adopt some strong resolutions respect- 

 ing the conduct of Alderman Gibbs. 



And- Corn-Law League. — The weekly meeting of the 

 League took place on Wednesday in Covent-Garden 

 Theatre, Mr. G. Wilson in the chair. The meeting was 

 addressed by the chairman, the Hon. E. P. Bouverie, 

 M.P., Mr. M. Gibson, M.P., and Mr. Moore. The 

 meeting then adjourned for a fortnight, the theatre being 

 engaged for the Conservative dinner on Wednesday next. 



"The Will Forgeries. — The convicts Barber and 

 Fletcher are still at the Penitentiary. Barber is a tailor, 

 and was seen in the course of last week making breeches, 

 dressed in the convict's apparel, and with his head closely 

 cropped. Having chosen this trade, he is, as a matter 

 of course, excused from the more disagreeable occupa- 

 tion of picking oakum, which is extremely laborious, and 

 taxes the eyes as well as fingers. Fletcher, whose pro- 

 fession as a medical man is not likely to be called into 

 exercise, and who cannot use the needle or wax-end, is 

 regularly seated along with the other convicts, and kept 

 at work with the oakum. They are both in good health. 

 The Sanatorium. — The anniversary festival, in aid of 

 the funds of this institution, was celebrated on Tuesday at 

 the London Tavern. About 190 ladies and gentlemen 

 sat down to dinner, it being one of those rare occasions 

 in which the former are permitted to descend from the 

 gallery, and partake with the gentlemen of the luxuries 

 which are spread before them. Mr. Charles Dickens 

 took the chair, supported by Mr. Porter, of the Board 

 of Trade; Mr. Stanfield, R.A.; Mr. Maclise, R.A. ; 



Mr. Harrison Ainsworth, Mr. Harley, and other genth 

 men. The subscription* amounted to upwards of 400/. 



Departurt of the Governor-General of India. — Sir 

 Henry Ilardinge, the newly appointed Governor-Gene- 

 ral of India, took leave of Sir R. Peel and his late col- 

 leagues yesterday, and will leave town this morning for 

 Marseille?, where a steamer is waiting to convey him to 

 Egypt. His Excellency will emba/k at Suez on board 

 the Hindostan steamer for Calcutta. His luggage and 

 carriages were sent down by railway to Southampton, 

 and shipped on board the Great Liverpool steamer, 

 which took out the India mails of the 3d inst. 



Dinner to Mr. Charles Knight. — A public dinner was 

 given on Wednesday evening at the Albion tavern, to Mr. 

 Charles Knight, the well-known publisher. The dinner 

 was given by a lirge circle of Mr. Knight's friends on the 

 occasion of the completion of the " Penny Cyclopsedia." 

 "Upwards of 1 50 gentlemen were present. The chair was 

 taken by Lord Brougham, who was supported by Lord 

 Wrottesley and several contributors to the periodicals of 

 the day and other literary productions. 



Sale of G'"ino. — Several sales of guano have taken 

 place during the last fortnight in Mark Lane. The 

 cargoes were all brought from the hland of Ichaboe, on 

 the coast of Africa. The first, by the Maid of Athens, 

 consisted of about 28G tons, and realised prices varying 

 from 10/. 7s. 6d. per ton. The second by the Angra 

 Pequena, consisted of ]f>0 tons, and realised from 10/. 

 to 10/. 12*. 6d. per ton. The third is at present on 

 board a vessel in the Downs, and consists of about 450 

 tons, being the largest importation in one vessel, from 

 Ichaboe. The analysis was stated to be about as 

 follows :— Volatile ammoniacnl salt, consisting of phos- 

 phate, oxalate, carbonate, and huraate of ammonia (con- 

 taining 7£ per cent, of free ammonia), 26 per cent., 

 organic animal matter 8, together 34 per cent., fixed 



on a charge of being concerned in stealing, in September 

 last, a banker's parcel, containing 1700/., from the Bed- 

 ford coach. Several 5/. notes have been traced to the 

 possession of the prisoner, and he was remanded at the 

 request of his own legal advisers. 



Bradford. — On Whit Monday a procession of the 

 Orange lodges of Bradford and the neighbourhood took 

 place, at which a band of music was hired to play 

 the "Boyne Water," and other party tunes. The pro- 

 cession passed off quietly, but as the band were return- 

 ing home in the evening, carrying their instruments 

 packed up, they were attacked by a mob of Irish Catho- 

 lics, who knocked them down, killed one of the band, 

 and destroyed their instruments. Several Irishmen are 

 in custody for being concerned in this outrage. 



Carlisle.— The inhabitants of the barony of Gilsland, 

 and of the district surrounding Naworth Castle, presented 

 an address to Lord Morpeth last week, expressing their 

 sympathy and regret at the destruction of the ancient 

 border-residence of his ancestors. Lord Morpeth, in 

 his reply, said—" I do not affect to treat lightly the loss 

 which my family, and in some degree the public, have 

 sustained. There were features and lineaments belong- 

 ing to the ancient dwelling-house— the border strong- 

 hold, which gave to Naworth an aspect and a character 

 peculiarly _its own. It is true, you would vainly have 

 sought there the space and the state which are to be met 

 with in the present arrangements of the castles of Aln- 

 wick, Warwick, or Windsor ; but there, as nowhere else, 

 you could look upon the actual halls where old Barons 

 and Wardens presided, and galleries where retainers kept 

 watch for moss-troopers, — upon vaults where the booty 

 of the foray iras stored, — upon dungeons where free- 

 booters, if not Scotchmen, were immured. But while 

 much has undoubtedly been lost which must be mourned 

 over as irreparable, there is still much room, as you 

 properly remind me in your address, for gratitude in 

 what still remains. The entire tower of, whether you 

 call him l Bauld ' or ' Belted ' Will— the whole circlet of 

 the outer walls, both within and without the court, in 

 their full massiveness and their gray simplicity — the very 

 verdure which clothes them in all its freshness — and the 

 ineffable beauties of the site, these are all still left to 

 us." It is said that Lord Carlisle intends to rebuild the 

 castle immediately. 



Chatham. — A Court-Martial was held in this garrison 

 last week, on Serjeant-Major Neelance, of the 12th 

 Lancers, for having offered a bribe to his commanding- 

 officer to report favourably of him as a riding-master. He 

 was found guilty and sentenced to be reduced to the 

 ranks. At the announcement of the sentence he became 

 so excited, that when the stripes were removed from his 

 coat, he threw it upon the ground, and said he would 

 never put it on again. Since that time, the unfortunate 

 man has become a confirmed lunatic. 



Gravesend. — About 10 o'clock on Sunday night a fire 

 broke out in a lane off West-street, Gravesend, and in a 

 few minutes seized upon the adjacent house, and spread 

 from that with inconceivable rapidity to the adjoining 

 coal wharf, belonging to the Commercial Coal Company, 

 where it raged with vehemence, the coal having ignited 

 and sent forth a flame which spread to the adjoining 

 streets. In less than an hour the whole of the area, 

 including the Commercial Coal Wharf, the Star Packet 

 Wharf, Messrs. Elkin and Co.'s Coal Wharf, the block, 

 rope, and sail warehouse, the Cock, the Shipwright's 

 Arms, and the Fishermen's Arms public houses, and the 



urgau.o aiu,™ nuuier o togemer ^ per cenc, nxea whole of the premises ia a back lane , almost altogether 

 alkahne saUprinc.pally phosphate, muriate, and sulphate i nhabUe d by fishermen and watermen, and comprising 

 of potash 11 per cent ; phosphate of lime and magnesia, 12 or U houses, in many of which vrere four and five 



and oxalate of lime, 30 per cent; with only half per 

 cent, of sand, and of moisture 24-50 per cent. There 

 were GO lots of 5 and 10 tons each, the average prices 

 of which were 9/. 7s. Grf. per ton. The whole cargo 

 was disposed of for about 4230/., which, as the only ex- 

 penses were freight, insurance, the pay and support of 

 the crew during the voyage, would leave very large 

 profits to the owners. 



The Ancient City Wells. — In the course of last week, 

 while making excavations in Friday-street, Cheap-side 

 (where formerly stood the Saracen's Head Inn, and the 

 house of Sir C. Wren), a deep well, said to be of Roman 

 construction, was discovered. It was about two feet 

 below what was supposed to be the ground on which the 

 Saracen's Head was erected, but upon digging the earth 

 massive walls were met with, of the Roman and subse- 

 quent periods. The Roman wall was composed of Kentish 

 flags, flint, and cement. Other walls, which were made 

 of bricks, were so firmly cemented together that the 

 pickaxes were blunted, ahd it required wedges to be used 

 in order to separate the bricks from each other. The well, 

 on being plumbed, was found to be about 40 feet in depth, 

 and the water was pure and pellucid. It was not known 

 to the late occupier of the inn that such a well was in 

 existence. A short time ago, in Addle-street, a similar 

 description of well was found upon clearing away the 

 earth for a foundation. It is supposed that after the 

 fire of London many wells were lost, which were coven 

 over with tue bricks and rubbish of the houses destroyed 

 as in several other parts of the City wells have been 

 found on removing the earth. 



Mortality of the Metropolis.— The following is the 

 number of Deaths registered in the week ending May 25. 

 — W r est Districts, 132 ; Northern, 179; Central 136* 

 Eastern, \9l ; Southern, 228; Total, 876. Weekly 

 average for the last five years, P 16. 



Ifftcbfr 



facial Xcfos. 



Bedford. — A man named James Richards was exa- 

 mined last week before a bench of magistrates, at Luton, 



families, were enveloped in flames. These houses were 

 constructed of wood, and the materials on the burning 

 premises being of the most combustible kind — coals, 

 ropes, hemp, tar, spirits, oil, paint, and a quantity of 

 gunpowder, the fire of course raged with the utmost fury. 

 The town fire-engine was brought down but without the 

 hose. Some delay occurred in sending for the hose, and 

 when it arrived it would not fit. The authorities did not 

 know the exact position of the water-plugs, but at length 

 water was brought in buckets, when it was discovered 

 that the engine was out of order. The inhabitants of all 

 the streets adjoining the scene of destruction were at this 

 time in a state of bewilderment, no less astounding than 

 that of the town fundi onaaofe All, however, were 

 aroused at length to activity by the instinct of self- 

 preservation, and concluding that the town would be 

 consumed (a conclusion not extravagant, as the wind from 

 off the water bore the flames and the burning embers into 

 the very heart of the town), they commenced removing 

 the household furniture out of the reach of the appre- 

 hended conflagration, and a scene of confusion followed 

 which can scarcely be conceived. The furniture and 

 valuables only escaped the fire to be whipped away by 

 the thieves, who congregated from all directions, and who 

 even entered the shops and public-houses in the neigh- 

 bourhood of the conflagration, and seized all they could 

 lay hands on, until the arrival of the military put some 

 check on their movements. The troops crossed from 

 Tilbury Fort, and three engines arrived from Chatham, 

 Rochester, and Dartford, and by their united efforts the 

 lire was extinguished by pulling down several houses in 

 the line of its course. Altogether 28 houses were de- 

 stroyed, most of them uninsured. Fortunately there 

 was no loss of life. When the fire was at its highest 

 pitch, the scene from the opposite shore was awfully 

 brilliant, and some idea may be formed of the reflection 

 it produced in London, when it was seen from the metro- 

 politan bridges, and several brigade engines were called 

 out, but the locality of the fire not being known, and it 



turned. No such calamity has occurred in Gravesend 

 since 1774, when 200 houses were burned down. 



Lancaster.— On Tuesday, the 28th ult., an extensive 

 conflagration took place on the turf moss, near YeaUnd 

 Redmayne. To put a stop to the fire was impossible 

 though every means were used to check its progress! 

 Immediately a large number of persons were on the' 

 ground, each one endeavouring to preserve his own pro- 

 perty. On Wednesday the fire raged with redoubled 

 fury, and was still raging on Thursday evening. Similar 

 conflagrations have taken place at Fowlshaw, Winmarley 

 and Brigsteer Mosses. At the Winmarley Moss, a cor- 

 respondent informs us that about 8 acres of newly sown 

 corn were destroyed. 



Louth. — On Thursday of last week, a man named 

 Markham, formerly a keeper at the Lincoln Lunatic Asy- 

 lum, made an attempt to murder an old man named 

 Gainsley and his wife, who keep the toll-bar oa the 

 Spilsby road, about two miles from this town. He 

 attempted to destroy them with a razor, and also by 

 firing a loaded pistol at them, and afterwards endea- 

 voured to commit suicide. He did not, however, suc- 

 ceed in either instance, but so much injured himself 

 that he is not likely to recover. 



Nottingham. — About 18 months ago a young man, of 

 the name of John Millington, disappeared mysteriously 

 from Holme Pierrepont, and suspicions were entertained 

 that he had met his death through foul means. He was 

 only about 23 years of age, and had been 13 or 14 years 

 in the service of the Rev. J. J. Cleaver, of Holme 

 Pierrepont, latterly in the capacity of gardener. He 

 was about to be married, and on the 10th November, 

 1842, he went to Nottingham, where he purchased some 

 articles of domestic use. He was last seen at an inn 

 near the Trent-bridge, when it was observed that he had 

 been drinking too freely. He left to go home by the 

 footpath leading from Adbolton to Holme, which lies 

 partly along the towing path of the Trent. He never 

 arrived home, and the next morning his basket was 

 found on the banks of the river, containing two or three 

 wine-bottles, drained of their contents, and some other 

 articles. Last week a skeleton was found in the water 

 above the weir, with several articles of clothing, &c, 

 which have been identified as belonging to the young 

 man. An inquest was held, and the jury returned a 

 verdict — " Found in the river Trent, but how he came 

 there no evidence appears to prove." 



Oxford. — The following is a copy of the Vice-Chan- 

 cellor's decision upon the sermon on which the charge 

 of heresy against Mr. Garbett was founded :—" The 

 Vice-Chancellor begs to acknowledge the receipt of a 

 copy of the sermon which, in consequence of a formal 

 allegation of complaint, he requested Mr. Garbett to de- 

 liver to him under the provisions of the statute, Tit. 

 XVI., sec. 11. The Vice-Chancellor having had before 

 him since Friday, the 24th inst, the sermon which has 

 thus been called in question, and having carefully consi- 

 dered what steps it might be his duty to take on the 

 occasion, informs Mr. Garbett without delay, that in the 

 exercise of the discretion reserved to him by the statute, 

 he deems it unnecessary to institute any further pro- 

 ceeding.— St. John's College, May 29." 



Plymouth.— The lighthouse recently erected on the 

 Breakwater was lit on Saturday for the first time, and is 

 now lit up nightly. It is distinguishable from the Lddy- 

 stone by being a red light, while the Eddystone light is 

 the usual white one. The light will be kept up without 

 a charge upon shipping, and will be of great use to all 

 kinds of vessels frequenting or passing Plymouth, a 

 large sonorous bell, fixed on the west side, will be regu- 

 larly rung by machinery during foggy weather. --a 

 court-martial was held at Devonport, on board the »an 

 Josef, on Thursday, for the purpose of investigating the 

 conduct of Mr. C. D. Newman, assistant surgeon ot the 

 Lucifer, on a charge of drawing a bill on Government tor 

 40/. 15s., which bill was not signed by his commanding 

 officer, and on which he obtained the money, he Ming, 

 at the same time, under stoppages, and indebted tow 

 Crown 38/. 3*. Sd. The Court considered the cbar 8 ; w 

 have been fully proved, and sentenced him to oe a 

 missed from H.M.S. ship Lucifer. . 



Portsmouth.— The Lords of the Admiralty, with a view 



of ascertaining to what extent the mercantile stearr in Tf 

 could be rendered available for the exigencies or 

 service, should any emergency require their co-opera ^ 



des; 

 tour 



ments ot the various comp^mca ai •"•"rr-"* , - a a 

 and other ports. The establishments at ^eptford, ^ 

 number of the fine steam-vessels belonging to th-ue 

 Steam Navigation Company, were inspected las t we . 

 the officer deputed by the Admiralty, and it is stateu 

 from this establishment alone 40 or ^vessel^ u 

 supplied and armed for the service of the ^ r "^ os t 

 a few days' notice, whose speed woud be superior to ^ 

 of her Majesty's steam ships, as they are supplica 

 engines of greater power. The other *}*™ f™* m t 

 in London, Liverpool, and other places i have also a ^ ^ 

 number of large steamers, capable of carry in s th(J 

 »ore guns of a large calibre, which could je.P 1 "" d th at 

 isposal of Government in case of war. It ia ssar y 



, 32.pounders, with the n ^ 



disp 



long traversing guns 



are to 



of the 



fixings, tackle, carriages, and ammunition 

 lected at the various sea-ports, for the armms 

 merchant steamers in case of necessity. at 



Romford.— The bank which carried on hus ^ ^ 

 Romford under the name of Johnson and uo., Th(j 

 sorry to announce, stopped payment on ll » u ™ '' c hienf 



business of this bank was not extensive, an ° ne igh- 



.... : i* i «i„« 4™ flip, immeoiaic 



evidently appearing some distance from town, they re- J amongst the agricultural class in the 



