July 27,] 



THE NEWSPAPER. 



[1844. 



Friday— After some discussion, the Reports on the Contro- 

 verted Elections Bill was agreed to, the Bill ordered to be en- 

 grossed and read a third time on Monday .—On the order of the 

 day for going- into committee on the Savings Bank Bill, along 

 discussion arose on the management of these banks j and at 

 length the House went into committee. On the first clause 

 being read, which fixes the rate of interest to be paid to depo- 

 sitors at 3/. per cent., and 55. per cent, for the expense of ma- 

 nagement., Sir E. Colkbrooke said that he trusted the Chan- 

 cellor of the Exchequer would consent to allow 6s. 8rf. per cent, 

 for the expenses of management, mak ngin the whole 3/. 6s. 8d. 

 per cent.— The Chancellor of the Exchbqukr was of opinion 

 that 3/. 5s. percent, lor interest on deposits and expense of 

 management was sufficient, and a fair allowance. — Sir T. 

 Aclani) was certain that 5s. per cent, for management was 

 not sufficient, particularly in banks where deposits were small 

 in amount ; he should, therefore, if no other member did, 

 propose that the words 3/. 6s. 8rf. be substituted for those of 

 3/. 5s.— Mr. Labolchkre said, if the Houte divided on the 

 question he should vote for the larger sum.— The Chakckllor 

 of the Exchkqurr again stated, that he considered 3/. 5s. 

 sufficient, and he must abide by that proposition.— Another 

 discussion ensued, in which Sir T. A^land, Mr. Hawes, Mr. 

 Hume, Lord Clive, Mr. Brotherton, Mr. T. S. Duncombe, Mr. 

 Divett, Mr. Tuffnell, and other members took part, alter which 

 the committee divided. — For the amendment, 2o ; against it, 

 51; majority, 31. Some verbal amendments having been 

 made, the clause was agreed to, and ordered to stand part of the 

 Bill. On clause 2 being read, Mr. Hume moved that the 

 words "2/. 16s. 4d." be inserted in the clause, and he hoped 

 the ^Chancellor or the Exchequer would not object to this 

 amendment, the object of which was to secure to depo- 

 sitors in every case a minimum interest to that amount on 

 every 100/. If this proposition was agreed to it would leave 

 6s. 8rf. in every loo/, for the expense of management, which he 

 (Mr. Hume) thought fair and equitable.- Mr. Hawks did not 

 believe that the expense of management could be brought within 

 6s. 8d. — The Chancellor of the Exchequer could not consent 

 to the proposition. He must stand by the clause.— Another 

 desultory conversation ensued, after which the Committee 

 divided.— For the amendment, 14 ; against it, 58— Majority, 44. 

 — After some verbal alterations the clause was agreed to, and 

 ordered to stand part of the Bill.— Clause 3 was agreed to with- 

 out any amendment. — The remaining clauses in the Bill, altera 

 desultory conversation, were agreed to. Some new clauses 

 were added, and the House resumed. The report was 

 ordered to be received on Monday.— A new writ was or- 

 dered for the Boiough of Cirencester in the room of Mr. 

 Master, who has accepted the Chiltern Hundreds. — 

 The Insolvent Debtors Bill was brought down from the Lords, 

 read a first time, and ordered to be printed. — Sir J. Graham 

 moved the third reading of the Poor Law Amendment Bill. — 

 Col. Sibtmorp said, he had opposed this obnoxious Bill in all 

 its stages, and therefore he hoped that he had done his duty 

 to the country, and particularly to the poor, and if he thought 

 there was now any chance of success, he would divide the 

 House against the measure on its last stage. He again regretted 

 that he had no chance of success on a division, and therefore he 

 took leave of the Bill.— Mr. K.Cochrane was happy the Bill had 

 been discussed in all its bearings. The amended Bill would be 

 beneficial to the country, and he hoped to see next year many fur- 

 ther amendments made. He trusted that the Secretary for the 

 Home Department would give full effect to the sentiments he 

 expressed during the debate, and that he would keep a strict 

 and salutary control over the Poor-law Commissioners. — Mr. 

 Hume regretted that such active meaus were taken by influ- 

 ential persons out of doors to prejudice and influence the poor 

 against the Bill intended for their relief. It was the speeches 

 of the opponents of the measure that prejudiced the public 

 mind against its provisions.— Mr. Hardy said he originally 

 opposed the New Poor Law Bill, but it had been so amended 

 that he considered it would now work beneficially. He hoped 

 next session to see the bastardy clauses, and the question rela- 

 tive to out-door relief, considered and amended. [Left sitting.] 



CITY. 



Money Market, Friday. — 

 closed at 99£. Red. Three 

 and-half per Cent. Red. 103. 



- Consols for the account 

 per Cents. 100^, Turee- 

 New Three-and-half per 



199£. Exchequer Bills 78s. 



Cent. 102J. Bank Stock 

 to 80s. prem 



GAZETTE OP THE WEEK—BANKRUPTS.— J.^Atbrt, Mincing 

 lane, City, colonial broker— T. H- Whitmarsh, George-street, Hanover- 

 square, hotel keener— M. Tiiompson, Essex, ironmonger — J. Pim, Clapham- 

 common. linen draper — J. B. Larkk, Eaat Harling, Norfolk, draper — R 

 Dkbw, Compton -street, Regent's-square, licensed victualler — J. Uumjar, 

 sen., Tottenham Court-road, iron founder — W. H. Williamson, Dowgate- 

 hill, City, tobacconist — J. Dunphy, Burford, Oxfordshire, victualler— E. A, 

 Haw, Moorgne-stieet, City, tavern keeper— I. Tobias, Birmingham, factor 

 — E. F. Davis, Bristol, ironmonger — J. Koyi.r, Manchester, corn dealer — 

 R. Yalk, Leeds, Yorkshire, engineer— J. Fairfield, Tranmere, Cheshire, 

 corn-merchant — I. Mukko, Princes-street, Leicester-square, and Manches- 

 ter-buildings, Westminster, builder— h. Deacon, W'aterloo-road f coal-mer- 

 chant— J. and R. Daviks, C kisweli-street, linen drapers — G. Moors, Mid- 

 dlesbrough, Yorkshire, grocer — (i. Ckavkn, jun-, and H. Ckaybn, Wake- 

 field, Yorkshire, and Kochdale, Lancashire, coin millers and maltsters — K. 

 Williams, Brisu 1, dealer in butier and cheese— M. 2U*Divitt, Liverpool, 

 merchant— T. B. Andrkw, Lancashire, t»-a-dealer— A. Watson and G and 

 M. IVIackknzik, Liverpool, ship brokers— S. F. Williams, Liverpool, hosier- 



SCOTTISH SKQUEVrRATIONS.-P. Miller, Forest, Dumfriesshire, 

 cattle dealer— C. Brown, Stranraer, watch-maker, deceased— A. Thomssm. 

 Arbroath, tea dealer. 



* 



jftfairopolis antf its Ffcfmtn. 



Captain Warner's Invention. — The arrangements for 

 exhibiting the destructive effects of the explosive power, 

 invented by Capt. Warner, having been completed at 

 Brighton in the course of last week, the experiment was 

 appointed to take place on Saturday. The interest it 

 excited was evident from the numbers of noblemen, 

 members of Parliament, and naval and military officers 

 who lefc London by the early trains, notwithstanding the 

 disappointment of the preceding week. Brighton was in 

 a state of excitement at an early hour. The cliffs 

 chain-pier, and parades were thronged with inhabitants 

 and yisirors. The ship on which the experiment was to 

 be tried was the John o' Gaunt, which was anchored off 

 Shoreham Harbour, with two steam-boats in attendance, 

 and became an object of frequent and anxious observa- 

 tion as the appointed time for her destruction drew near, 

 bhe was a barque, a vessel with three masts, of 300 tons 

 burthen, and having only ballast on board, she stood high 

 out of water. She had just returned from a voyage in 

 the LeM« n t, and was presented to Capt. Warner by Mr. 

 aomes, t\, e eminent shipowner, who bring desirous 

 tnat no further time should be lost in setting the 



r q r i0 V!. Ust by actual wperiment, offered this 

 vessel, that it might be subjected to the discharge of 



wVvl T P ? WCr V, Mr ' 5omes - with the character- 

 in Z hber * 7 ° f ? BritUh me ™hant, did not select an 

 unsea.orthy vessel for the purpose, the John o' Gaunt 



n^ofnf K°? ?u ld ; eS8eI ' stron S»nd fit for sea, a 

 proof of which is to be found in the fact that Mr. Somes 



. for the vessel only a few days before I son, and Capt. Dickenson, have drawn up a declaration 

 destruction for the patriotic purpose of stating that the vessel was destroyed by some explosive 



projectile tired by Capt. Warner, on the external part of 

 rhe vessel. It is right to state that the experiment of 

 Saturday was in order to show the portion of the inven- 

 tion which may be applied at sea, in the blockade of 

 towns, or defence of places from attack by sea. There 

 is another application of the power, which is intended 

 for a long range in the destruction of forts and places of 

 strength. 



Accident at Blackfriars Bridge. — On Monday even- 

 ing a fatal accident took place at the steamboat pier, 

 Blackfriars-bridge. It appears that some boats were 

 about to start in a race from the opposite shore, and a 

 crowd of people, principally composed of nursery maids 

 and children, crowded to the steps which descend to the 

 river, and filled up the floating pier, which at the best 

 was never very secure, in such a way as to prevent the 

 ingress and egress of passengers. The persons whose 

 duty it was to keep the passage clear found the task 

 utterly impossible, and the pier became crowded to 

 excess. The tide had descended two or three feet, and 

 began to run down rather rapidly, when the timbers 

 which sustained the pier, and which had for a considerable 

 time past been exposed to the action of the tide, suddenly 

 gave way, and according to the most moderate calcula- 

 tion, upwards of 40 persons were precipitated into the 

 river. Several scrambled out as they could, but the 

 rush of the crowd on the steps to see what had occurred 

 forced three or four children, who were standing on the 

 steps, into the water. As soon as those who remained 

 on the still floating portion of the pier recovered from 

 the first consternation, they bestirred themselves actively 

 to rescue the others, and several persons were dragged 

 out of the water in a state of great exhaustion. In the 

 course of a few hours seven bodies were found, but all 

 attempts to resuscitate them were useless. During Mon- 

 day night, and the whole of Tuesday, Bridge-street and 

 its vicinity was thronged by crowds of persons, anxiously 

 awaiting the findingof the bodiesoffriendsor relations sup- 

 posed to have perished. From the extraordinary number 

 of inquiries made during the day, there is little doubt that 

 many of the sufferers still remain unfound. If so, the 

 bodies must have been carried away by the tide, and 

 weeks may elapse before all are found. The pier ex- 

 tends near 100 feet into the riter, being formed of old 

 craft covered with deal planks, a kind of gangway 

 uniting one barge with the other. Upon this gangway 

 the people had collected, and on examining it by day- 

 light, it appears to have been constructed of sound deal, 

 which was originally about \\ inch in thickness, but has 

 been materially worn away, so that at the part broken it 

 scarcely shows an inch in thickness. The cross pieces, 

 or bearings beneath, are not very strong, and are 

 rather wide apart. These and other details of the accident 

 were stated in evidence at the inquest, which took place 

 on Tuesday and Wednesday, on the bodies of the sufferers* 

 After hearing all the evidence, the Coroner summed up 

 at great length, and said that his reason for calling the 

 inquest so early was for the purpose of quieting the pub- 

 lic mind, by taking upon oath the statement of those 

 who had witnessed the accident, so as to set at rest the 

 various rumours which this melancholy occurrence had 

 caused. If the persons were passing from the steam* 

 boat to the land at the time of the accident, and lost 

 their lives owing to the badness of the materials used 

 for such purpose, then the case would have been one of 

 manslaughter ; but in the present case no one, he 

 thought, was to blame but those who had gone on to the 

 bridge in spite of the efforts of the men to dislodge them* 

 The jury consulted for a short time, and returned a verdict 

 of Accidental Death, with a recommendation that some 

 stronger measures should be adopted by the city autho- 

 rities to prevent children from playing upon the steps 

 of the bridge or the pier. The investigation excited 

 considerable interest, the jury-room being crowded to 



was offered 1000/ 



he devoted her to destruction tor the patriotic purpose 

 testing a discovery which promised to be ot great 

 national importance. It had been arranged that the 

 signal for commencing operations should be given by 

 Lord Ingestrie, Capt. Henderson, R.N., and Capt. 

 Dickenson, R.N.,by hoisting the union jack on the flag- 

 staff at the battery ; this signal was to be answered by 

 Capt. Warner, by lowering the union jack flying from 

 the mast-head of the steam-boat, to signify that he had 

 commenced. At 4 o'clock the Sir William Wallace and 

 Tees steamboats got under weigh, and proceeded to the 

 vessel for the purpose of getting away the anchor and 

 cables, and making fast a hawser, in order to tow the 

 vessel off Brighton, but considerable delay occurred in 

 effecting this, caused principally by a fresh breeze, and it 

 was not till 5 that the crew on board the barque slipped 

 her cables, when by the aid of telescopes, she was see:i 

 to move, being taken in tow by the Sir William Wallace, 

 and expectation was now more than ever excited. There 

 was a fresh breeze from S.W,, but the barque had no sails 

 set, although they were bent, and a strong current run- 

 ning against the vessel, she moved slowly towards 

 Brighton, followed by the Tees, a small Shoreham steamer, 

 engaged for the purpose of assisting to tow the vessel 

 in case the weather became very rough, and in order 

 to take away the boat when the two men who remained 

 to steer the bark finally left her. Capt. Warner was on 

 board the steamer which had the John o' Gaunt in tow, 

 and shortly before 6 o'clock the ship arrived off the 

 battery, at which were stationed Lord Ingestrie, and the 

 other naval officers, who were to make the signal when 

 they wished the operations to be directed against the 

 vessel. At about 12 minutes to G, Capt. Waruer made 

 bis signal that he was ready, the John o' Gaunt being then 

 about 500 yards from the steamer in which Capt. Warner 

 was stationed, and still attached by a tow rope. In a 

 few minutes subsequently the union jack on the flag-staff 

 at the battery was lowered as a signal that it wa3 time 

 to commence operations, but this was answered by the 

 steam boat hoisting her jack half mast high, to indicate 

 that an unavoidable cause of delay existed. This was a 

 cutter, whose crew, in order to watch the proceedings, 

 sailed so close to the barque's quarter, that Capt Warner 

 feared that if he directed his power against the vessel 

 whilst the cutter was so near, the lives of those on board 

 the cutter would be exposed to great danger. The 

 public anxiety was now at its height, and the crowds on 

 the beach not knowing the cause of the delay, and having 

 waited for two or three hours with great impatience, 

 were more doubtful than ever of the success of the 

 experiment. Those who were foremost in maintaining 

 the powerlessness of the noiseless and invisible agent to 

 destroy so powerful a fabric now triumphed in the delay, 

 and numbers becoming fatigued, began to think of return- 

 ing to London by the train which was soon to start. 

 The cutter in the meantime got off to a considerable 

 distance from the ship, which was about a mile 

 distant from the shore, and Captain Warner let down 

 his flag to indicate that he was ready to com- 

 mence. This was not understood by the people on 

 shore, and consequently attention was not generally 

 revived by it, but suddenly, and with the quickness of 

 lightning, a brown murky cloud surrounded the shin, 

 and, unaccompanied by any noise except the dull crash- 

 ing of riven timbers, sent up from its bosom high into 

 the air the mainmast and all its attached spars splintered 

 into fragments, and falling in a shower of debris around 

 the vessel on all sides, but principally abafc. The cloud 

 was immediately blown away by the strong breeze, and 

 the ship was seen lurching so heavily to port, that per- 

 sons on shore could see through the hatch vay that a 

 large portion of her starboard side was blown away, the 

 principal direction of the force having taken effect under 

 the main chains ; her mizen-mast also had broken short 

 off a few feet from the top, but the foremast, foietopmast, 



and foretop gallant mast still remained, the foremast • suffocation during the proceedings ; and the Lord Mayor 



being held by the forestay, which withstood the shock 

 that destroyed all the other standing rigging. In a 

 moment after tke lurch she righted, and settled down 

 rapidly for a few seconds, and then, again heeling over, 

 she sunk in five fathoms water exactly in two minutes 

 and a half after she had received the stroke of this 

 strange and unaccountable force. Up to this time 

 astonishment had held people nearly mu r e, but as soon 

 as the vessel had sunk three thundering cheers were 

 given for Capt. Warner. A> Nothing," says the Morn- 

 ing Chronicle, from which we have borrowed this 

 aceouut, M could be imagined more striking than the 

 sudden, noiseless, and complete destruction of the ship. 

 It inspired a feeling almost of horror, occurring as it 

 did without any of those concomitant incidents which 

 usually are the accompaniment of a destructive ex- 

 plosion. No shell was thrown ; nothing was osten- 

 sibly propelled from the steam-boat ; no human 

 agency appeared to be engaged against the vessel, 

 and yet she crumbled to pieces more quickly than 

 if struck by the whole broadside of a man-of-war." 

 As might have been expected, numerous specula- 

 tions are afloat as to the mode in which Captain War- 

 ner applied his discovery. Some have supposed that he 

 had ignited some explosive substance on board the vessel 

 previous to leaving her, but this has been set at rest by 

 Mr. Walesby, the Middlesex magistrate, and late Anglo- 

 Saxon Professor at Oxford, who states that Captain 

 W -truer was never once on board the John o 9 Gaunt 

 from the time of her having lefc Gravesend, ten days 

 before the experiment came off- In consequence of 

 another report that the vessel was destroyed by means of 



voltaic electricity, Lord Ingestrie, M.l\, Capt. Header- time the great room was filled almost to suffocation b? 



on Tuesday announced at the Mansion House, that the 

 state of the steam-boat piers should receive the imme- 

 diate attention of the city authorities. 



Ftte at Caen- Wood. — On Tuesday afternoon the Earl 

 of Mansfield gave a fete champetre at Caen- Wood, 

 Hampstead, to several members of the Royal Family, 

 above 700 of the aristocracy, and most of the foreign 

 Ministers. The beautiful grounds have not been thrown 

 open for a fete of this description since the 23d July, 

 1835, when the late King and Queen Adelaide honoured 

 the late Earl by a visit. About 3 o'clock company began 

 to arrive, and it was after 6 when the carriages discon- 

 tinued to bring visitors. The Duke and Duchess of 

 Cambridge, the Duchess of Gloucester, the Hereditary 

 Grand Duke and Duchess of Mecklenburg Schwerir*, 

 and the Duke of Wellington, were among the earliest ar- 

 rivals. The company sat down 500 at dinner, in a tent 

 erected for the purpose, and after dinner dancing took 

 place, which was kept up till nearly midnight. The 

 whoie of the grounds were brilliantly illuminated with 

 variegated lamps, tastefully displayed in festoons from 

 tree to tree, the " Lime Avenue" presenting a scene 

 equal to Vauxhall in its best days. The border of everj 

 flower-bed was also marked out by a row of lamps of va- 

 rious colours, and every bush glistened with similar deco- 

 rations. A display of fireworks took place on the mar- 

 gin of the lake at 'ten o'clock, shortly after which tne 

 Koval party took their departure. ' 



Government School of Design.-On Wednesday the 

 annual distribution of prize, to the pupils of thu . tnst.tu- 

 tion took place at Somerset-bouse. The hour fixed for 

 the business of the day was four o clock, and by that 



