Aug. 31 J 



THE NEWSPAPER. 



Achille, 76, out o( the basin on Wednesday, was struck 

 with apoplexy ; the gallant Officer was instantly con- 

 veyed to liis residence in the Dockyard, where the besc 

 attendance was promptly at hand, but it was unavailing, 

 and he died in a few hours. 



Sheffield. — The Duke of Norfolk has promised, on 

 the expiration of a few leases, to give up 50 acres of his 

 land for a pleasure-ground, for the recreation of the 

 people of Sheffield. In Birmingham the question has 

 already been discussed in the town-council, and the 

 great advantage and benefit of public parks unanimously 

 affirmed. That body has opened a communication with 

 Government, for the purpose of obtaining a grant 

 towards providing public walks, which in Birmingham, 

 with 220,000 inhabitants, are felt to be imperatively 

 needed. While on this subject, we may mention that 

 Messrs. Jones, Lloyd, and Co., the bankers, have sub- 

 scribed 1000/. towards a new park at Manchester. 



Winchester. — The presentation of colours to the 49th 

 regiment, recently returned from China, took place on 

 Tuesday, in the presence of a numerous body of spec- 

 tators, who had congregated from all parts of the country 

 to witness the imposing ceremony. The Bishop of Win- 

 chester addressed the men at some length, and at the 

 conclusion of the address performed the ceremony of 

 consecrating the colours. Lady Pakenham then pre- 

 sented the new colours to the ensigns, and in doing so 

 said — * I feel much interested in the scene before 

 me, and must beg to express the high importance I 

 attach to the present solemnity. I consider the colours 

 that I am about to present to the 49th as emblems of the 

 past career of the regiment as well as earnests of their 

 future success ; they bear the names of many battles, 

 extending from the Rocky Mountains of North America 

 to the Great Wall of China ; but I esteem it one of the 

 greatest privileges of British arms that wherever they 

 have been successful hitherto that success has been 

 attended by the bright halo of Christianity spreading 

 abroad where the darkness of Paganism formerly reigned. 

 May T express a humble hope that such will be the case 

 in China, and that the success of the 49th at Amoy may 

 be the pledge of this happy result? Receive these 

 colours and bear them forward as gallantly as you have 

 already done, and may the Lord God, the God of 

 Battles, give you the victory.' ' Sir H. Pakenham and 

 Lieut.-Col. Adams afterwards addressed the regiment. 

 The new colours were then paraded in front of the regi- 

 ment in the usual manner, after which the regiment 

 marched past the general in slow and quick time. After 

 the men were dismissed they all sat down to a substantial 

 dinner provided for them by their officers, in a pavilion 

 -erected in the barrack-yard for the purpose. The officers 

 subsequently entertained their visitors at a dejeurur, 

 and on Wednesday gave a ball in honour of the event. 



Stafford.— On. Tuesday week the village of Little 

 Madcly was alarmed by the explosion of two boilers 

 connected with the engine at the iron furnaces belonging 

 to Mr. Finnstone, attended with fatal results to one of 

 the firemen. Shortly before the accident an examination 

 of the boilers had been made, and all was considered 

 safe, when, from some unknown cause one of them ex- 

 ploded with a tremendous noise, and the second in a 

 moment after. A large piece of iron, about 15 cwt., 

 was seen to rise over the tall chimney, and fall in a field 

 opposite, across the turnpike-road. Another piece, of an 

 immense weight, travelled in a contrary direction, and 

 fell in a field above a quarter of a mile distant, and was 

 found as flat as a plane. A third huge piece, after ap- 

 parently striking the earth several times in its course, 

 fell in a plantation. A number of smaller pieces were 

 distributed around in every direction. A quantity'of 

 bricks, displaced from about the boilers by the violence 

 of the explosion, were hurled through the roofs of the 

 cottages ; others were thrown into an adjoining corn-held, 

 to the great danger of setting the corn on lire, as the 

 bricks were red-hot. One man was struck by the bricks 

 and killed, and the jury returned a verdict of Accidental 

 Death. 



St. Asaph.— The Bishop of Sodoraud Man, in conse- 

 quence of the great age and infirmities of Dr. Carey, 

 Bishop of St. Asaph, has undertaken the temporary 

 duties of the diocese, and on Wednesday last confirmed 

 773 youths of both sexes at Oswestry Church. 



Windsor.— A* American Quaker, named Sholl, ar- 

 rived in England a few weeks since, with a newly invent 

 beehive, which he submitted to the notice of Her 

 Majesty and Prince Albert. On that occasion he kept 

 his hat on before the Queen, and called Her Majesty 

 and the Prince " friends." On Saturdav last he arrived 

 at W indsor Castle, with five additional hives, beautifully 

 constructed in the shape of castles, for his Royal High- 

 »f S *t J^ey *ere afterwards taken to the Royal Apiarv, 

 m^7\ f"? lQ thc Home Park « Instructions were ira- 

 an »ni»i y ?*™f A by the Maater of the Household to 



ness P w hV/ P ° ld WiQds ° r t0 "PP* his R °y* 1 Hi S h - 

 ITh ri T V? rms of bees to stock the new hives 



Arkthe «w7p W - M Sat ^ factoril y accomplished before 



at1i e cte7snortfy n : ng *"* »™ ad " *™ 



York.— The general subscription fund for the an- 



IZ) 1? is^T °7 he Brltish A --ciatbn exceeds 



J00/. It is exclusively appropriated for covering the 



expenses in this city, where the annual meeting is to 



take place on the 26th of next month. Earl Fitzwilliam 



is a contributor of. 1 00/. ; and among the subscribers are 



the Archbishop of York, 50/.; Lords Zetland, Feversham 



and Genlock, and Sir J. F. B. Johnson Bart., respectively 



25/. ; Viscount Morpeth, 20/. ; the Bishop of Ripon 



Lord Hotham, Hon. Stuart Wortley, M.P., Hon O* 



Buncombe, JSLl\, Sir E. Vavasour, Bart., Sir W B* 



Cooke, Bart., Sir T. De Legard, Bart., Sir G. Cayley, 

 Bart., Sir J. H. Lowther, Bart., Mr. Yorke, M.P., Mr. 

 Warburton, M.P., Mr. Lawson, M.P., and Mr. Broad- 

 ley, M.P., each 10/. 



Railways. — The following are the returns for 

 the past week : — Birmingham and Gloucester, 3107/. ; 

 Bristol and Gloucester, 1138/. ; Eastern Counties, 

 4378/. ; Edinburgh and Glasgow, 2739/. ; Great Western, 

 17,837/.; Grand Junction, 10,223/.; Glasgow, Paisley, 

 and Ayr, 1689/. ; Great North of England, 1978/. ; 

 London and Birmingham, 19,228/.; South Western, 

 7419/.; Blackwall, 1263/.; Greenwich, 808/.; Brighton, 

 5578/. ; Croydon, 622/. ; Liverpool and Manchester, 

 5912/.; Manchester, Leeds, and Hull, associated, 

 8705/.; Midland, 11,140/.; Manchester and Birming- 

 ham, 3531/. ; Newcastle and Carlisle, 2157/. ; New- 

 castle and Darlington, 914/. ; South - Eastern and 

 Dover, 6433/.; Sheffield and Manchester, 814/. ; York 

 and North Midland, with Leeds and Selby, 3052/. 

 — Notice has been given by the Board of Trade, that 

 the Railway Department of the Board, consisting of Lord 

 Dalhousie, Gen. Pasley, Mr. D. O'Brien, Mr. G. R. 

 Porter, and Mr. Laing, intend to examine into the fol- 

 lowing schemes, with a view to the presentation to Par- 

 liament of minutes or reports thereon, in the event of 

 their becoming the subjects of application to Parlia- 

 ment : — I. The schemes proposed for connecting London 

 and York by a new line or lines of railway communica- 

 tion to the eastward of the lines at present existing. 

 II. The schemes proposed for establishing east and west 

 lines of railway communication between Lincolnshire 

 and the West Riding of Yorkshire. III. The schemes 

 proposed for completing the railway communication 

 between Scotland and England. IV. The schemes 

 proposed for extending railway communications to 

 Newbury, and to the districts of Wiltshire, Somer- 

 setshire, and Dorsetshire, which lie intermediate 

 between the London and South Western Railway, and 

 the Great Western and Bristol and Exeter Railways. 

 V. The schemes proposed for completing the line of 

 southern coast communication between Chichester and 

 Portsmouth. VI. The schemes proposed for extending 

 railway communications from London to Gravesend, 

 Chatham, and North Kent. VII. The schemes pro- 

 posed for extending railway communications from 

 Oxford to Rugby, and to Evesham, Worcester, and 

 other districts intermediate between the Great Western 

 and London and Birmingham railways. VIII. The 

 schemes proposed for establishing new and more direct 

 railway communication between Manchester and Leeds, 

 Huddersfield, Halifax, Bradford, and other places in the 

 districts adjoining to the Manchester and Leeds Railway, 

 and intermediate between that line and the Manchester 

 and Sheffield and Leeds and Bradford railways. The 

 principal points into which inquiry will be made, in 

 connection with the above schemes, are as follows : — 1st. 

 The ability and bond fide intention of the promoters to 

 prosecute their application to Parliament next session 

 for bills to authorise the several undertakings. 2d. The 

 advantages to be obtained, in a national point of view, 

 in completing or extending important lines of railway 

 communication. 3d. The amount of local advantage 

 afforded to the towns and districts more immediately 

 affected. 4th. The engineering circumstances of the 

 line, so far as may be necessary to form a general 

 judgment of the character of the undertaking. 5th. 

 The estimates of cost of construction, and of traffic and 

 working expenses, so far as may be necessary to jud^e 

 of the probability of the line being completed and effi- 

 ciently worked in the event of its being sanctioned by 

 Parliament, and with a view to drawing a comparison 

 between the merits of competing lines of railway. The 

 inquiry, in conformity with the recommendation of the 

 Fifth Report of the Select Committee on Railways, will 

 not embrace questions of private property or interest, 

 which will be reserved altogether for the consideration 

 of the Legislature.— The meeting of the South Western 

 Company took place on Friday. The report stated that 

 the receipts during the first six months of 1843 were 

 142,973/. 105. 3d., while those for the same months of 

 1814 amounted to 150,469/. 4s. 8d., exhibiting an in- 

 crease of 7495/. 14*. 5d. The expenditure during the 

 latter period was 84,076/. 16s. 5c/. ; the amount available 

 for division was 75,174/. 0*. 2</., out of which the di- 

 rectors recommended the payment of a dividend greater 

 by 2s. 6d. a share than that paid in September last, 

 making the present dividend at the rate of 32s. 6rf. a share. 

 This dividend would absorb 74,607/., and a balance would 

 consequently be left of 567/. 0s. 2d. which would be car- 

 ried to the next account. A reduction in the charge for 

 goods had been effected to the extent of twenty per cent. 

 The directors in alluding to the Epsom branch, expressed 

 their conviction that the Croydon Company's proposal 

 had been sanctioned by the House of Commons solely on 

 account of the intention of the promoters of the branch 

 to try the principle of the atmospheric traction on their 

 line. The directors would renew their application to 

 Parliament next session, for a branch line to Newbury, 

 and for powers to construct a branch from Fareham to 

 Portsmouth and Chichester. Instructions had already 

 been given to Mr. Locke to survey the countv for a line 

 to Dorchester and Weymouth, and at a future meeting 

 the intentions of the directors would be stated. The 

 directors intended also to facilitate to the utmost of their 

 power the formation of a railway from Richmond, to ter- 

 minate at Waterloo-bridge. The report was unanimously 

 adopted. The chairman in the course of his address in 

 moving the adoption of the report stated that it was their 

 intention to establish Wheatstone and Cooke's electric 

 telegraph on their line to Portsmouth, Government hav- 1 



ing agreed to pay 15007TT^ear~rT^^r •. 

 for 21 years.-The BirmingU^ndSSt **<<"** 

 a meeting on Friday. The rep ts ut tt? Piny ^ 

 for the half. year had been 53 o(5/ d th * tbe receipt 

 leaving a balance of 13 ^^94#'L D j' e ;, pe ? ditu r e 39,26* 

 25s. per share. The receipts ll^t 1* diTidend * 

 showed an increase of 1590/. over 1™ passen S er tra* 

 year, although no advantage had t°W« *** 

 the opening of the Bristol line on the 8th J 7^ Pri ° r * 

 best understanding existed between fhoV 7 last ' ^ 

 Bristol and Gloucester Comply who IT™ ° f * 

 acting together. The opening of 'the BrTsYol ?**?* 



consderahlv smcrm»T»^,i *i_ •_. Qe ^"stol hue K.J 



, * OH " """ wAiuru; uuc ic was honed thaf *u„ j 

 anticipated in the fares of the Won and R T^f * 

 would restore the traffic to its former channd^fr 

 crease in the goods had been greater than in thL. °" 

 traffic, owing, it was conceived, to the com^C"*"^ 

 their own carriers, and the facilities fo^noL^ ™ 1 ?* 

 merchandise traffic by laying down" line S to £ 

 Gloucester Docks. A saving under new ar«m 

 would henceforth be effected 5 in the £^^ 

 permanent way, to the extent of 3500/. per annum Tk 

 expenses of the locomotive department had also' been 

 greatly economised and the directors had under thrir 

 consideration a scheme for a line to Worcester Th 

 had also a line in contemplation between Bro«.«ofJ 

 and Stourbridge which would open to the main hue a 

 populous and richly mineral district. The report «u 

 adopted without opposition.-At the meeting of the Great 

 North of England Company the dividend declared was 

 1/. 12*. 6d .per share free of income-tax, leaving of 

 the disposable balance of 15,957/. 19*. Ad. the re- 

 serve of 5086/. 145. 4c/. The net receipts of the half- 

 year were 36,189/. 9*., which showed an increase of 

 3109/. U. 4rf. over the corresponding period of last year. 

 The increase had generally been in merchandise andcotl 

 traffic. The coal trade would have been much more 



favourable had it not been for the pitmen's strike At 



the meeting of the Sheffield and Rotherham Company t 

 dividend of 4£ per cent, was declared, but not without 

 some severe observations upon the expenses of manage- 

 ment. Although the concern is working at a profit, it 

 seems that the expectations held out have deceived some 

 of the proprietors, who profess to watch with some con- 

 cern the progress of affairs.— The Glasgow and Ayr 

 Company at their meeting announced a dividend of 

 1/. 2s. 6d. per share, in consequence of the increase of 

 traffic. The sum of 585/. has been invested as an addi- 

 tion to the depreciation and contingent fund invested in 

 the quarter shares of the company, which now amounts 

 to 6914/. 10,000/. has also been paid as a deposit to 

 assist in constructing the Dumfries and Carlisle Rail- 

 way, which the company support in preference to the 

 Caledonian line.— The Bristol and Exeter Company last 

 week declared a dividend of 1/. 8s. per share, and the 

 traffic is improving. A very high compliment was paid 

 to the secretary, Mr. Badham, who is said to have raised 

 the company from a state of insolvency to its present 

 condition. This line is one of the very few finished 

 before the stipulated period, and within the estimate 

 named.— The London and Croydon Company have 

 authorised their directors to purchase the newly-pro- 

 jected railway from Croydon to Epsom. The report 

 stated that for the construction of the line to Epsom, oa 

 the atmospheric principle, a sum of 200,000*. will be 

 required. A further sum of 130,000/. would be required 

 to carry the line to London-bridge. Several defi- 

 ciencies had been discovered in the estimates fur toe 

 works on the Croydon line, and in order to cover these, 

 and obtain the above additional capital, the Rectors 

 proposed to raise 400,000/., by creating new snare* i» 

 be granted to the original shareholders, winch was agreea 

 to. The Croydon and Epsom company on tnes 

 occasion empowered their directors to sell and traDS 

 their railway to the Croydon Company. —1M c v 

 excursion train on the London and Brighton »» lW »J; 

 Sunday last, exceeded in magnitude all the other mon* 

 trains on this railway. No less than 78 carnages, coo 

 taining 2123 passengers, left London-bridge in tue " • 

 ing, and after spending the day in Brighton rrturn^ 

 the evening. In order, however, to avoid we i ^ 

 venience experienced on former occasions 

 delay in providing so large a number of P asse °f 

 accommodation, the train was divided into wn : f 

 tions, each of which was despatched as 800n M 

 The arrangements of this line, and of the steam ^ 

 Dieppe, have already brought Paris within^ n» 

 London. The Baron de Lagos, charged ^^h de «P»» 

 from the Spanish Ambassador in London to tne d 



sador in Paris, left London on Saturday morning ^ 



pages for refreshments, &c.-On Wednesday week^ as 

 first down-train on the Eastern Counties Railway * as P rf 



ing through a cutting of about five feet » the par 

 Rivenhali: half a mile from the Witham staUo , P* 

 from the engine set fire to a field of barley be ongmg^ 

 Mr. Upson. The barley was very ripe and unt ,^ 

 a heavy crop both of straw and grain, not Je 



r acre. The flames passed aero* 

 pidity, till they were stopped by 



seven quarters per acre. The flames passed across ^ 

 field with great rapidity till they ^'W^J,!* 

 hedge or the bottom of the ii.clos.re, win c forC <* 



' lylSrods. The quanity cons 



/and together, be udin* tl .••" 



was a distance of on 



was about two acres, 



the damage sustained is not less than SVi. 

 entirely consumed. The field was IB a 

 before the train was out of sight. 



The straw 

 blaze of & 



