16 
Elbrus are being made to continue the privilege to the 
prisoners. 
The London Necropolis Company. — The ground 
purchased by this company* and destined, we doubt not, 
to become the metropolitan necropolis, is situate at 
Woking, in Surrey, about 24 miles from the Waterloo 
Station, this distance being just what it ought to be under 
such circumstances. In area it consists of 2,200 acres, 
which have been purchased at a cost of 25/. per acre only. 
It appears, moreover, that since their purchase a valuable 
and almost unlimited supply of the finest brick earth 1ms 
been discovered on the property, which must materially 
diminish the expense of tiie requisite buildings, as well as 
enhance the profits of the shareholders. — Mining Journal. 
Death from the Weather.— M r. William Baker has 
held an inquest respecting the death of George Ward, aged 
40. who was found lying in the snow on Tuesday night. 
It appenred that as a police constable was on duty in 
Church-lane, Commercial-road-east, he discovered the 
accessed lying on his back, quite insensible and imbedded 
in the snow. No time was lost in procuring the stretcher 
from the station-house in Leman-strect, on which deceased 
was carried to the workhouse, where he expired in three 
hours after his admission. A Lascar has also perished 
irom exposure. 
THE GREAT FIRE IN THE CITY. 
On Wednesday Mr. W. Payne, the coroner for the 
City of London, held a lengthened inquiry at the 
Old Rod Lion Tavern, Cannon-street West, for the 
purpose of ascertaining “ how certain warehouses in 
Bread-street became burnt on Saturday night last.” 
Mr. Superintendent Braidwood, and most of the sec- 
retaries of the insuranoe-offiees interested in the 
losses, attended. The coroner held the inquest in conse- 
quence of a requisition signed by many of the influential 
merchants in the ward having been presented to him 
requesting him to do so. The following evidence was 
taken : — 
THE FIELD. 
[Saturday, 
Mr. Robert Greenlees said tlmt he was a Scotch agent, 
and that he left the premises before four o'clock, but he 
was unable to form the least idea as to how the fire took 
place. lie was insured for 8,0U0/. in the Sun, and 8,000/. in 
the Imperial. lie had also a lime policy, which expires in 
March, for 3,000/. lie lmd property valued at more than 
those sums, but it was not his own. It was only consigned 
to him. 
The learned coroner having charged the jury, they re- 
turned a verdict, “That there was not sufficient evidence 
to prove how the fire occurred.” 
Another Great Fire in the Citv.— On Thursday 
morning, shortly after 8 o'clock, another extensive lire 
broke out in the city, which, like the four previous con- 
flagrations in the same neighbourhood within as many 
weeks, was attended with the destruction of several 
thousand pounds’ worth of property and considerable 
damage to the ancient church of St. Benet, in Tliames- 
street. The fire commenced in a substantial four-story 
building, occupied conjointly by Mr. Coombes, a builder, 
and Messrs, llodgkinson and Burnside, patent envelope 
manufacturers find wholesale stationers, at 50, Upper 
Thames-strcet. AJauy houses were seriously injured, but 
no life lost. 
PROVINCIAL. 
Birmingham.— O n the 10th of January, 1853, the people 
of Birmingham adopted the outline of a comprehensive 
scheme for the formation of anew institute, and sineo that 
time they have been actively engaged in devising and 
maturing the means for the accomplishment of their design. 
It is one of a very extensive character, involving a large 
ureliminarv out lav. and nvosoniimr diftir-nUinc wluVli 
spirit; that I am sure ho will not need any charitable aid or oon- 
(lesoeniling patronage ; but will readily and cheerfully pay for 
the advantages which it confers; that he will proparo liimsolf in 
individual cases wliero ho feels that the adverse circumstances 
arouii'l him havo rendered it necessary; in a word, that he will 
tecl his responsibility like an honest man, and will most 
honestly aim manfully discharge it. (Great cheering.) I now 
proceed, ho concluded, “ to tho pleasant task, to which, I assure 
j’ou, I lmvo looked forward for n long tiino." 
Booking, Portsmouth.— A Farmer Convicted op 
Cruelty to a Horse. — At the Booking Petty Sessions. 
Cornelius Major, of Shalford, farmer, was summoned by 
Mrs. Alsop, a member of the Society for the Prevention of 
Cruelty to Animals, for cruelly beating and ill-treating a 
horse, on the 18th of November. The defendant, who 
resides at Hubbard’s Farm, Shalford, had been convicted a 
few months previously for a like offence, and was then 
severely reprimanded for his cruelty. John Wilks said, I 
was sent on Friday, the 18th Nov., by the defendant, ’my 
master, to the barn for a mare and tumbrel ; my master 
put in a quarter of barley and a dressing machine, and 
told me to drive home. In going through a field the tum- 
brel sunk in the mud and set fast. I told my muster, and 
he came and bent the horse on its head, legs, back, and 
sides with a slick ns large as the leg of a chair. The stick 
had a hook to it. He took both hands to beat it, and con- 
tinued nearly half an hour. The horse then moved on 
into the next field, and then fell down. All this time Mr. 
Major was beating it. The horse could not get up, and 
lay there when I went home between five and six. Next 
morning I saw the horse in the stable much bruised, blood 
coming from its mouth, and one eye was closed 
The next 
day (Sunday) I saw the horse lying in the yard. Mr. 
Major and two men were trying to get it up, but they 
preliminary outlay, and presenting difficulties which thole twe^n ft* f $°. win § ^7 (tfopday) 
who are conversant with the nature of such undertakings cruelly and uU^Sriiy. M “ ^ ^ ^ ,0,S ° W ° St 
Robert Culley, police-constable 475, said that being on 
duty he discovered the fire at a quarter past ten o'clock. 
He had passed down tho street just as Mr. l'ownend’s 
men were closing the premises, at ten minutes after ten. 
He saw the porter come up from the cellar, after ho had 
turned the gas off. AN itness held his lump for tho man to 
see to lock the door. Witness then proceeded down 
towards Watling-street, and, on gaining the corner, lie 
turned round to look down the street, when he saw an 
unusual glare of light on Messrs. Foster’s premises. He 
ran down the street, and found Mr. Towncnd’s hat ware- 
house in flames. Not more than five minutes had elapsed 
from the time lie held his lamp at the door to the out- 
break taking place. He sprang his rattle, and found fire 
coining over the shutters on the ground floor. The engines 
having arrived, they were, after some time lost in waiting 
for water, set to work, the premises by that time being in 
one body of flame. He looked through the keyhole of 
Greenlee’s warehouse, and found that building also in 
flames. Ho noticed that before Mr. Toivnend's door was 
broken open to admit the water from the engines. When 
Mr. Braidwood arrived he informed him that the next 
warehouse was also ou fire, when he took a poleaxe and 
broke the door open. 
By the Coroner. — The fire extended upwards. Four 
persons left Mr. Townend’s premises. He knew them all 
by sight. 
Air. Thomas Upton, of Sydenham-hill, proved that he 
was the owner of several houses in Bread-street, that oc- 
cupied by Air Towcend was one of his; there was a 
brick wall 14 inches thick, and 10 or 12 feet high, between 
Townend’s and Greenlees’s premises, with a skylight over 
it. Alossrs. Townend’s warehouse went back as far as 
Messrs. Liddiard’s he believed. He thought it was possible 
that a fire might have been communicated from Townend’s 
premises to Greenlees’s, or vice versti, by means of the sky- 
light resting on the party-wall. 
Air. Braidwood said that lie knew the premises destroyed 
tolerably well; He arrived at the fire about five minutes 
after it was discovered. The firemen got there before be 
did. The premises were, on his arrival, all on fire, includ- 
ing those of Messrs. Greenlees. He was unable to form 
any idea as to the cause of the fire. 
Frederick Webb, warehouseman to Mr. Townend, said 
that he left the premises at 10 minutes past 10 o’clock at 
night. He was in the back part of the shop before he 
left, as he had to go there to fetch his overcoat. There 
was not then the slightest smell of fire. In the middle of 
the warehouse was a small stove, hut the fire in it was 
quite out half an hour before he left. There was nothing 
in the back warehouse to account for the fire breaking 
out, nothing likely to ignite spontaneously. The stove 
was let into the wall, and covered over with ironwork. 
There was a strong wall between Townend’s and Lid- 
diard's premises. There were bags of shellac in the place 
but no naptha. ’ 
John Pays said that he turned the gas off at 10 minutes 
past 10 o’clock. He had been in the back warehouse 
shortly before, but there was no appearance of fire there. 
John Bridges, engineer at the Watling-street engine 
station, found Air. Greenlees’s warehouse in flames. He 
thought the fire did not come from the basement. 
Mr. Phillips, private secretary to the Lord Alayor, said 
that he accompanied his Lordship to the fire, and they 
went to Messrs. Groucock's, opposite Messrs. Townend’s 
looked through the front windows, and saw that the 
whole of Mr. Townend's house was in flames, from the 
bottom to the top. In the course of a few minutes he 
perceived that there was a fire in the next house. He 
remained on the spot along with his Lordship till a quar- 
ter to 12. 
John Pemmant, a porter at Mr. Greenlccs’s, said that 
lie left the premises on Saturday at a quarter to 4. They 
had only one stove alight that day, and the fire was ex- 
tinguished shortly after 3 in the afternoon. He could not 
account for the lire. There was a fire in the basement of 
their premises some months ago, and he w as unable to sav 
now that was caused, 
Mr. W. May, of 4, Bread-street, said that he was present 
When the fire took place. If jt had occurred ten minutes 
Jatcr, he should have be4Sfi in bed, ant j perhaps burnt. He 
thought tins fire quite different from the one tlmt took 
place before. 
James Linsdale proved that he turned off the gas at 
balr-puet four o clock ou Saturday in Air. Greculccs’a pre- 
nn y-*. No lights were used afterwards, and no smoking 
took place. e 
will be at no loss to understand. The present idea is that 
the institute should comprehend two departments ; the 
first special in its character, and confined to schools of 
industrial science; the other general, and embracing libra- 
ries, reading-rooms, lectures, museums, mining records, 
meetings for the discussion of original communications, 
accommodation for the literary societies of the town, and 
a gallery of art. It is proposed to secure the permanence 
of the institute by vesting the property in the corporation 
of Birmingham as trustees, and the necessary buildings are 
not to be commenced until the amount which >is required 
for their completion, and which is estimated at 20,000/. 
has been obtained. To collect such a sum as this by 
voluntary contributions, even in the manufacturing capital 
of the midland counties, is a matter of no ordinary diffi- 
culty; but it shows how earnest the inhabitants arc in a 
cause which all must applaud, and it proves that the 
memorable lesson which the Great Exhibition of 1851 
taught the productive classes of this country has not been 
forgotten. Wo noticed in The Field of last week (p. 040) 
the first of the readings, given by Mr. Charles Dickens, at 
Birmingham, for the purpose of increasing the funds 
required for this laudable undertaking— the formation of 
an institute. The third reading of the heart-lifted 
author came off on Friday (yesterday week). The work 
selected was the “Christmas Carol,” and the reading took 
place in the Town Hall. All the large establishments of 
Birmingham were well represented there, and it was indeed 
a spectacle of some novelty, and not devoid of high interest 
to see nearly 2,000 people, whose lives are one long round 
of material toil, resigning themselves during hours that 
never sped more swiftly to the pleasures of the imagination 
and the present influence of genius. They formed an 
eagerly attentive and delighted audience, catching up with 
their applause every stroke of humour and melting at each 
touch of pathos, sensitive to all the changing emotions 
winch it is the object of fiction to evoke, and yielding a 
ready homage to that magic power which by the bonds°of 
sympathy, “ makes the whole world kin.” It is in the midst 
of such assemblages that we perceive the value to authors 
as to every one else, of that genial and kindly spirit which 
old Jacob Marley would not permit to go forth in life and 
" l ,K ’h condemned him to wander through the world after 
death, dragging after him his chain of casliboxes. Dickens 
at least, possesses that spirit, or he would not have been 
listened to so delightedly by the artisans of Birmingh 
I IIP Dlllf'Ol H 1 I Will l«o.l in.l ..nn.l 1. I . . . 
iu their favour; — 
“Jly good friends.” lie said, “when I first imparted to the 
committee of the projected institute my porlioulnr wish that on 
one of the evenings of my readings bore tho main body of rnv 
audience should be composed of working men and their 'families 
(cheers),— 1 was animated by two dosires-first, 1 JV i|, e wish 
to have the great pleasure of meeting you face to face at this 
Umstmastune, and accompany you myself through one of mv 
ittle Christmas books (cl.eors),— and second, by tho wish to 
have nn opportunity of stnting publicly, in your presence and in 
the presence of the committee, my earnest hope that tho institute 
will from the beginning recognise one greet principle, strong in 
reason and justice, w hich I believe to he essential to the ver/lifo 
♦iff ifV” I , ns ' 1 . tut . Ion> , 11 19 > that the working man shall, from 
rtiinr^ “"I 1 ? i h - e ? St ! hnv ,°, a 8,,ure in lIje management of on in- 
l,v rl ' vI,,ch '® dcs, ?ned for his benefit, and which calls itself 
(Ch0Cr3 } , 1 hflV0 no Imre of being misundcr- 
etood of being supposed to mean too much in this, if there 
e» cr wos a tune w hen any one class could of itself do much for 
itZl? UmI fo f. ,ll0 'yelfarc of society, which I greatly doubt 
Jfiiwi f h Un ? U68t ,‘“ n . ab1 ^ P nat - 11 18 in the fusion of different 
classes, without confusion; in the bringing together of employers 
and employed; in the creating of a belter common understand? 
„ ".i , , •* 'toiler common unuerstQnii- 
mg nniong those whose interests are identical, who depend upon 
each other, who are vitally essential to each other, and who never 
one SIS 0 ™ 1 antagonism without deplorable results, that 
Hist Vc LSm ? P ? n nC i? ■“ ° fa 1 r ? ccl "' ,nic8 ’ institution should con- 
sist. (Cheers.) In this world a great deal of the bitterness 
ICbtm? ‘‘Zfi !T\t£ ? PP r fc<,t “Winding of one another. 
— nrmfpL .i ' Birmingham a great educational institution 
properly educ'ilionnl—edueationiil of the feelings ns well as of 
the reason-to which all orders of Birmingham .noTcMWbito 
n w hich all orders of Birmingham men meet, wherein nil orders 
of Lm/mighnm men arc faithfully represented, and you will erect 
a temple of concord here which will he a model edifice to the 
d-ud cheers.) Contemplating nsl do Z 
iSa H? f * Arlwans' Committee, which not long ago con- 
Zl • l8h I Inent of ! l,e institute so sensibly and sup- 
« r f’ earnestly entreat the gontlemon-earnest 
r,» n °V n 1 F .", d W0I-k ’ n ," d who aro now among us— by all 
0 n7i„ ir id ,i h °, 6aoi tcoiD ing of similar instituting; 
?l" d » !“ ueklng th 1 e *. ork !M wa " for bis confidence, to sot him 
YoVimft T e,Y0 \" n ‘b® ir8 1,1 return. (Great cheering.) 
I ou will judge or yourselves ll I promise loo much for tho woi k- 
w$h m tZ*ntZL S y/ n at 'r Vvl * 1 ? tand ]) y Bud ‘ enterprise 
with the utmost of his patience, his perseverance, sonse,' and 
William Goodwin, a labourer, 
confirmed this evidence, and the bench, considering the 
case fully proved, severely reprimanded Mr. ATajor for his 
gross cruelty, and convicted him in the highest fine of 5 /. 
with 1 4s. 6d. costs — Chelmsford Chronicle. 
Dover.— The explosion at East Cliff will take place 
to-day (Saturday), the 7th of January, at two p.m. — 
Maidstone Journal, 
Harwich Harbour. — Our harbour presented a very 
animated appearance last week, there being from 400 to 
500 sail of vessels of all sizes, and almost all r igs, at anchor 
in its spacious waters safe from the rage of winter gales. 
On Wednesday it blew hard from N.E. and E., with a 
heavy fall of snow; but. on Thursday the weather bad 
somewhat moderated. The town must have been benefited 
by the crowds of sailors ashore, as the butchers, bakers, 
grocers, and innkeepers can testify from the business they 
have done. Tho post-office has also shared the activity — 
1,000 letters having been posted up to four o’clock on 
'1 hursday, principally from the ships. This is another in- 
stance of the importance and utility of Harwich as the 
finest harbour on the Eastern Coast; and as the railway 
works are now brought almost within a stone’s throw 
of flic Borough we may hope that before another winter 
Harwich and London will be united by that iron, but 
useful and most valuable link, the rail. — Essex Stan- 
dard. 
Liverpool, Januavy 5. — In the absence of The Times, 
nnd the letters delayed by the spow on the railroad, the 
merchants on ’Change have lmd recourse to a snowballing 
match, which ended jn a riot on a small scale. They were 
ranged in two sides— cotton-brokers versus share -brokers, 
the latter section being marshalled by a leader of pro- 
digious proportions. The melee raged thickly ami furiously, 
and a dense crowd assembled to witness the encounter! 
L Itimately, the head constable. Captnin Greig, entered on 
the scene of action, accompanied by a section of police, 
and attempted to put the belligerents to flight. They were 
however, upon their private property, and asserted their 
right to do as they liked with their own. They renewed 
the match in the captain’s presence. He ordered arrests 
to be made. An indescribable scene followed. Several 
merchants were taken into custody, and marched off to 
Bridewell, amid the yells and grouns of the infuriated 
‘merchant princes,” who wreaked their vengeance upon 
Captain Greig and the “ Blue coats” by hurling at them 
showers of well-aimed snowballs. The’ matter will not 
end here. 
Portsmouth. —Love of Literature. — The Town 
Council having resolved to take a poll of the burgesses upon 
the question of establishing a Public Library and Museum 
under the provisions of the Public Libraries Act, 1850 
such poll has been taken, when there were 1 099 votes 
against the proposal, nnd only 137 in favour of it. It lmd 
been demonstrated that the cost to the smaller class of 
housekeepers would not have been more limn threepence 
per annum for carrying out this excellent project, but a 
dread ut increased taxation, joined to local party feeling, 
produced the above result. The above numbers’ together 
do not comprise one-tenth of those entitled to vote on the 
question in Portsmouth. 
AIURDER ON R0B0R0UGII DOWN. 
A painful excitement has been produced in Plymouth 
by the circulation of a report tlmt a most dreadful murder 
bad been committed on Roboroiigli Down, which lies about 
seven miles north of Plymouth, and is intersected by the 
turnpike road between Plymouth and Dcvonport and 
Tavistock. The particulars, solar ns they have transpired 
are ns follow: — 
Benjamin M’Donahl, an Irishman of about 22 or 03 
years of age, having recently enlisted in one of the towns 
of the north of Devon in the ltoyal Artillery, was, with 
other recruits, marched to Devonport to join the division 
lying there, 1 1 is manner was so strange, being fitful) v 
desponding and obstreperous, that it attracted the ^ 
atten- 
tion of his companions, and the corporal of the escort 
On them arrival at barracks it was found tlmt in the middle 
of October last M'DonaJd bad deserted from the 50th 
legimcnt, stationed in the citadel at Plymouth, and lie was 
IIera C be P tefi !!! m ' Q8t ft " d loiigcd in thc »»■«& prism)! 
Here lie became even more wretched tlmn he had pre- 
viously been, and on Thursday week he reques ed tbe 
son, the senior, wardens, to come to his cell. They 
from tho U i!iti 0 / T . h ? st ' Ue ‘ 1 tlmt When he 
nom the 50th lie bad induped a young womr 
Iiund a- who had been a factory girl fit p rc 
Who, . lmvmg given way to abandoned lmbifs, hac 
the » eminent through the country to Plymouth— 
pany him. That on leaving Plymouth they took 1 
