C6 
TIIE FIELD 
[Saturday, 
docks and harbours to accommodate the increased sizes 
of the vessels they were destined to receive, but which 
some years since would have been deemed visionary. 
PROVINCIAL. 
Alnwick.— Singular Instance op Tenacity of 
Life in a Horsb. — On the evening of the 27th ult., a 
person belonging to Cnuledge Park, near Alnwick, Wont 
into a public-house, leaving a horse and cart standing at the 
door. On coming out, the horse and cart were missing. It 
was snowing at the time — tbo night was intensely cold, nud 
the horse, thus encumbered, had left the door, and proceeded 
towards its stable, but had wandered from its path, and got 
into tbo plantations of Cauledgo Fark, whore it was so 
iuextrieably entangled in the low growing woods, that it 
could move neither forwards nor backwards. Search was 
made for it in all directions, without effect, until the 5tli 
instant, when it was discovered in this position by a person 
shooting, within a few huudred yards of its own stable. 
There the poor animal had remained for nine days and 
nights, exposed to the bitterness of the frost which prevailed 
during the whole of that period, without water, food or the 
slightest shelter. When found, he was still alive, but in an 
extremely weak, attenuated condition, and had strength 
sufficient", with a little assistance, to walk to his stable, but 
lias since died from inflammation, produced by the introduc- 
tion of food into an exhausted stomach. — Berwick Warder. 
Birmingham. — Sir Robert Peel has kindly consented 
to deliver, in this and other towns in the district, a lecture 
on “ The Progress of Society — Social and Intellectual,” on 
behalf of the Midland Counties Association of Mechanics' 
Institutes. The lecture will be first delivered on the even- 
ing of the 24th inst., in our Town-hall. — Birmingham 
Gazette. 
Bridgwater.— The Western Circuit. — A letter 
lias been received by the mayor of Bridgwater, dated from 
the Privy Council-office, Whitehall, and signed “ J. It. 
Lennard,” in which it is stated that, with reference to a peti- 
tion from the mayor, aldermen, and burgesses of the 
borough of Bridgwater, praying that the assizes for the 
county of Somerset may not be removed from Bridg- 
water, her Majesty has been pleased, at the last Council, 
to approve of an order directing the assizes for the said 
county to be held for the future at Taunton and Wells. 
The expediency of this removal, before its adoption, was 
debated at considerable length by the county magistracy. 
Exeter. — The Government and the Pood Riots. 
— The Secretary of State for the Home Department 
(Viscount Palmerston) has written to the mayor of Exeter, 
inquiring as to the accuracy of the reports which have been 
published respecting the riots that took place on the Otl« 
inst. His lordship also requested to h« fm-nisheil with the 
particulars of the outbre^. “ llfl tl,e result of tho investi- 
gations wb ioh *>uve been g° in g on before the locul magis- 
trates, A similar communication has been addressed by 
his lordship to Mr. M. B. Bere, a county magistrate, who, 
it will be remembered, accompanied the troops from the 
boundaries of the city into the county, and rendered so 
much assistance in quelling the outbreak and in apprehend- 
ing the rioters. In both instances the noble lord's request 
has been promptly complied with. The business at the 
spring assizes for the county of Devon is likely to be more 
heavy than has been known for years. In Exeter and 
the vicinity alone there have been no less than 44 convic- 
tions, while arrests have been made at Crediton and other 
towns in the north of Devon. After all, however, it is 
generally acknowledged that the men who took the most 
aotive part in these disgraceful outrages have escaped appre- 
hension. Of the 33 who were committed to the Castle on 
Thursday week last, not one of the male prisoners exceeded 
-20 years of age, while at least half of them uveraged from 
1 1 to 17. Of the four or five female prisoners, one only was 
above 20, while neither of the others was above 17. No less 
than 16 of both sexes were under 15, a fact which was ascer- 
tained by the magistrates on the Friday morning, when 
they admitted two under that age to bail. In the city tho 
mob was clearly shown to have been incited by women, as 
was the case in tho riots which took place at Exeter in the 
year 1847. Several of the prisoners of maturer age are the 
mothers of large families, and their infuriated conduct may 
be attributed to their great ignorance, and the excitement 
produced by intoxicating drink. The vigorous manner in 
which the authorities acted has prevented a repetition of 
any similar outbreak ; and the change in the weather 
which has since taken place has enabled tho labouring men, 
many of whom were unable to work when these riots took 
place, to return to their employment again. 
Newcastlk-on-Tynb, Wednesday. — The large fleet 
of coal-laden vessels which had been accumulating in the 
norihern porl6 during the recent bad weather have nearly 
all put to sea. We have had two heavy sea tides during the 
past 24 hours, and next tide will about clear the harbour. 
The vessels that were blown down to Leith-roads are also 
getting up. Several laden vessels passed Shiolds-bar on 
Tuesday, from the north for London, where tho price of coals 
must now fall. 
Sunderland.— Murder of a Stolen Child. — A 
paragraph in several papers has given the particulars of a 
brutal murder of a child by a woman in the Bishop Auckland 
union workhouse. This case is creating a painful degree of 
interest, inasmuch as the murdered child is discovered to 
have been kidnapped from a poor woman of the name of 
Thompson, residing in Minorca-place, in Sunderland. It 
appears that the prisoner, who stated to tho coroner that her 
name was Isabella Thompson, but whoso real name is 
Crosier, in June la9t had been engaged from the workhouse 
at Sunderland by tho poor woman Thompson, to attend to 
n baby about 12 months old, at the time she (Mrs. Thompson) 
was confined to her room through sickness. On the 18tli 
Jane Crosier, who seems to bo of gipsy origin, absconded 
from the town, and took the child with her. The greatest 
exertions were made to trace her 6teps. She was adver- 
ted In the Police Gazette, and a reward of 51. was offered 
for her apprehension, or restoration of the infant to its 
parents, but no trace could be found of her or the kidnapped 
baby. The prisoner had been travelling about the country 
in the neighbourhood of Auckland, and, on the authorities 
at Sunderland ascertaining that a child had been murdered 
there, they directed Inspector Temple to go with Mrs. 
Thompson to Durham gaol and look at the prisoner. 
Immediately upou seeing her, she identified her as tho 
rvant who was with her in June last, and who stole away 
her baby. The body of the child ha# Just been disinterred 
st BUbop Auckland, and Identified bv Mrs. Thompson as 
nw ltr*t child, 
HORTICULTURE. 
Remedy' for the Vine Disease. — It is doubtless 
well known to most of our readers that the vineyards of 
southern Europe and the Madoiras liavo been blighted by a 
microscopic acavus, the Oidium Tuckeri, and that tbo prico 
of wines, raisins, See., bus been considerably raised. It lias, 
however, been ascertained that the use of manures, rich in 
iodine, enables tho vino to resist theso destroyers. In certain 
districts of Spain decomposed seaweeds are ordinarily used 
as manure. In thoso parts in which the amount of iodine in 
the soil may average 1 -600,000th the vines have entirely 
esenped . — The Artisan Journal. 
Wines. — The Custom-house list of port wines exported 
from Oporto during tho past year has been received, from 
which it apponrs that the total quantity was 55,811 pipes, 
being an increase of 24,312 pipes upon tho shipments of 
1852. To Great Britain were shipped 46,834 pipes, the 
proportion this year being unusually large, while of tho 
8,977 shipped to other parts, 2,521 were to Australia, and 
1,002 to Canada. The shippers to Great Britain of above 
1,000 pipes wore — Sandeman and Co., 5,677 ; Cockburn and 
Co., 3,197; Martinez, Gassiot, and Co., 3,102; James 
Dawson Harris, 2,715; Bruno, Silva, and Son, 2,401; 
Offiey and Co., 2,304; Kopke and Co., 2,239; W. and J. 
Graham and Co., 2,164 ; Hunt and Co., 2,011; Croft and 
Co., 1,717 ; J. J. Forrester, 1,646; Wine Company, 1,553; 
Taylor and Co., 1,500; Goold and Co., 1,426; M. C. 
Browne, 1,208; Lambert and Co., 1,162; Morgan, jun., 
and Ridge, 1,102; Visconde d’Alpendurada, 1,082; YV. G. 
Roughton, 1,025; and Rocher, YY'igham, and Co., 1,001. 
Black Knot on Pi.um Trees. — There has been much 
speculation and research for the causo of the black knot on 
plum trees. Persons have supposed it caused by insects. 
Some years ago I opened the knot and examined it, but did 
not discover any appearance of an insect, nor the eggs of 
one. So far as I know, it has not been satisfactorily learned 
what causes the knot. The gardens of my adjoining neigh- 
bours are full of plum trees. All the trees are filled with 
the black knot, so as to appear as if a flock of small birds 
bad lighted on the branches. Some years ago, I advised 
the owners to cut off the knots so soon as they appeared, or 
they would lose the trees; they thought best to leave them 
to the course of nature. The second and third 90 t of their 
trees are in the condition 1 have described, while my trees 
are free from knots. I have always looked for knots when 
in the garden, and when one appeared I cut it off at any 
season, whether it was loaded witli fruit or not. The trees 
soon put out other shoots, which filled out the place of the 
limb cut off, and my trees are full size, as if no limb bad been 
cut off, and there is not a knot to be seen on them. From 
this treatment I am of opinion that if a knot is suffered to 
remain on a limb, the disease soon spreads, like a canker, 
and fills the whole tree, as it has the trees of my neighbours. 
It is a misconception that when a tree is set, it does not 
require further treatment. [From the Northern Farmer, a 
new Utica paper, of 48 pages, started this month by Mr. T. 
B. Miner, Clinton, Oneida county, New York.] 
THE WEATHER AND THE FARM. 
The Lambing Season. — The lambing season, which is 
looked forward to with so much interest by the fiockmasters, 
has now commenced very generally in the southern counties, 
and the fears entertained by the farmers that the long con- 
tinuance of wet weather during the summer and autumn 
would so affect the ewes as to cause the lambs to come weakly 
are now entirely removed ; for, notwithstanding the unfavour- 
able state of the weather, the lambs hitherto have come re- 
markably healthy aud strong, and the present bids fair to be 
a very prolific year, tho greater portion of the ewes having 
thrown doubles. 
WORK AND WAGES. 
The YY'eaying Trade. — It is with much regret wo have 
to state that, in aggravation of the alarmingly high and still 
rising price of provisions, the price of weaving has been re- 
duced in this city. The reduction was first made on Friday. 
— Perthshire Advertiser. 
Portsmouth Dockyard, Jan. 17. — A movement is 
again afloat among tho artisans of this dockyard for obtain- 
ing an increase of wages. The high price of provisions aud 
coals reduces the artisan in the government employ here to 
a starving point, and an officer of the dockyard has told tho 
master shipwright of the establishment, he knew of the 
family of a man who could not get bread to the extent 
required by the wages he was receiving. A notice has 
been given to the inspectors and draughtsmen of this 
dockyard that an examination of candidates for the situ- 
ation of foreman of shipwrights will take place on the 
1st proximo, a vacancy buying been open now nearly twelve 
months. 
SCOTLAND. 
The Duke op Hamilton has just purchased tho whole 
of that portion of the Island of Arran which belonged to 
Lord Rossmore, at the price of 51,0001. The rental of 
Lord Rossraore’s property in Arran only amounted to about 
8001. per annum; and thus it is seen, tho duke ha9 given 
for it at the rate of 64 years’ purchase. Arran has always 
been a favourite place of the duke’s ; and he has shown liis 
partiality for it by giving this unprecedented price to Lord 
Russmoro. The duke now becomes proprietor of the whole 
island, with a small exception belonging to Mr. Fullarton. — 
N. B. Mail. 
I’onTH and Clyde Junction Railway.— On Thurs- 
day the first sod of this undertaking was cut at Cowan's 
Hospital-park by the Duke of Montrose, chairman of the 
company. The directors of the company and those invited 
to witness the ceremony marched in procession to the 
appointed spot, preceded by the town officers of Stirling, 
from tho Golden Lion Hotel to Cowan’s-park, at two o’clock. 
Notwithstanding the disagreeable etato of tho weather, 
there being a heavy fall of snow at the time, a considerable 
concourse of persons had assembled iu the park aud its 
vicinity. Mr. Cbrystal, the secretary of the company, 
having stated the objects for which those present had 
assembled, bis grace then proceeded with spade in band to 
cut tho first sod, which, having placed in a burrow, he 
wheeled to a short distance, and then declared tho undertak- 
ing commenced. The procession then returned from the 
park in the same order in which it entered, and marched 
back to the hotel. At 3 o’clock upwards of a hundred 
gentlerqon sat down to lunch— tbo Duke of Montrose in tbo 
chuir, After the rcmovul of the cloth the usual loyal toasts 
were proposed, aud then tho Chairman gave tho toast 
of tho cveniug— “ fluccew to tho Forth and Clyde Junction 
Railway,” which was responded to most enthusiastically by 
the company. All tho other toasts on the card being dis- 
posed ofj the company broke up, very much gratified with 
tho entertainment. Tho band of tho 82nd regiment was 
present, nnd discoursed appropriate music after each toast.— 
North British Daily Mail. 
Whitehall, Jan. 10. — The Queen lias been pleased to 
appoint Alexuudor Currie, Esq., Advocate, to bo Sheriff of 
tho shiro or sheriffdom of Forfar, in the room of Jamos 
L’Amy, Esq., resigned. — Tuesday’s Gazette. 
IRELAND. 
The Beet Sugar Factory at Mountmellicic. — 
We regret to state that somo disappointments are likely to 
ariso iu connection with the above concern during tho ensuing 
season. It has been said that one of tho main causes of this 
difficulty is tbo neglect of several of the agriculturists in tho 
neighbourhood of Mountmellick to plant and supply tho 
requisite number of roots. Of course, little or no fault could 
justly be found with this proceeding, if there were nothing 
more binding on those gontlomen to cultivate a beet crop 
than the mere contiguity of the manufactory. They had a 
perfect right to put their own land to whatever u 60 they 
liked. But tho affair assumes another aspect when we are 
told that many parties contracted in writing to supply re- 
spectively a certain quantity of roots at a fixed prico ; and 
we think it only due to the conductors of tho establishment 
in question, to state that wo are informed of those very 
parties having paid little regard to the terms of their con- 
tracts. Neither, in any one case, was the whole amount 
promised planted, nor was the produce furnished in its 
entirety to the factory. This, we say, is the state of things 
of which we have been made aware — a state of things on 
which we shall not now comment — but, in the event of any 
of the difficulties hinted at arising, it is right that the public 
should know of the causes from which at least some of 
those difficulties shall have resulted . — Leinster Express. 
Dublin. — Price of Bread (YY’edncsday). — The 4lb. 
loaf, which in January, 1853, was 6old at from Gd. to 6£tf., 
was last week quoted from 8^rf. to 9 d., and this week 
another halfpenny has been added. This, too, is for the 
inferior article — in fact, the working-man’s loaf. Bread of 
the best quality is considerably in advance of theso rates. 
RAILWAYS AND TELEGRAPHS. 
Bristol and Exeter Railways — A somewhat novel 
and important case came before the county magistrates at 
Tiverton on Satuiday. It appeared that Mr. Clarke, a com- 
mercial traveller of Exeter, had taken u ticket per the Bristol 
and Exeter line from YVellington to tho Tiverton junction; 
but, instead of alighting thero, he proceeded on to his des- 
tination at Exeter. On nrriving at Helej which is the next 
station from Exeter (where it is the practice of the company's 
servant to collect the passengers’ tickets), he tendered 
Is. 6rf., the fare charged from Tiverton junction to Exeter. 
If this had been accepted by the station-master, the defen- 
dant would have gained Is. on the journey, inasmuch as the 
company’s charge for the through journey from YY’elliugton 
to Exeter is Is. more than it is if a passenger takes a ticket 
from YVellington to Tiverton junction, and then proceeds 
on thence to Exeter. In the present instance the defendant 
went on to Ilele, and when asked for his ticket to Exeter, 
tendered Is. 6 d. as his fare from Tiverton junction to that 
city, at the 6ame time producing his ticket from Wellington 
to Tiverton junction. The station-clerk, however, demanded 
a half-crown, the balance of faro on the through journey, 
which the defendant refused to pay, the defence being that 
it was a great unomaly to charge more for one mode of per- 
forming the journey than for another. It was stated in 
behalf of the company that they had been frequently de- 
frauded in this way before, and "the full penalty of '21. was 
demanded, which the magistrates inflicted, with costs. 
Collision on tiie York, Newcastle, and Berwick 
Railway.— A serious accident occurred to the Great 
Northern night mail train from London to Edinburgh, on 
the above line of railway, between 2 and 3 o’clock on Sun- 
day morning. Tho train, consisting of several carriages, 
most of whicli were full, left York at about the proper time 
(2.30 a.m.), and hud proceeded about a mile and a half from 
that city to the point where a branch diverges from the 
main line to Knaresborough, when the engine of the mail 
train dashed at full speed through a mineral train, which 
was crossing the points at the time to get on to tho branch 
line. Such was the violence of the collision that tho pas- 
senger engine drove one of the coal trucks above the funnot 
of the engine, which it smashed in its descent, and so deeply 
indented tho boiler that the truck rested upou it, or rather 
in it, for the locomotive was nearly cut in two. Ono side of 
a firs’-class passenger carriage was completely torn off, and 
tho others were all more or less damaged, as well as several 
of the mineral waggons. So far as wo can loarn, only four 
of tho passengers were hurt, and nono of them so seriously 
as to prevent their proceeding on their journey when tho 
line was cleared. One gentleman sustained a rather severe 
concussion on the chest ; a lady was bruised in two or threo 
places, and another passenger received a wound on one knee. 
Tho line was covered with tho broken trucks and carriages ; 
but, as the principal obstruction was to tho north of tho 
junction with tho Knaresborough branch, which the mineral 
engine had just reached wli6n tho mail came up, it was 
available to take back to York such of the carriages as could 
be removed, for the purpose of forwarding tho passengers by 
a fresh train. A number of workmen were sent to the junc- 
tion, and, in about two hours, they cleared the down line, 
and all the passengers were forwarded to their destinations 
after a delay of about threo hours. With regard to tho 
cause of the accideut, no doubt, we believe, exists that it was 
owing to the absence of tho signal-man at the junction. It 
is only within the last eight or ten days that the company 
have commenced carrying coal on the Knaresborough branch, 
and it would seem that a night signal-man had not boon 
appointed. 
Plymouth to Hamburgh in an Hour. — Sovcrnl 
shipmasters at Plymouth bound to the Elbe, having tele- 
graphed to Hamburgh for information as to the stato of the 
river, the Consul at Plymouth received on Thursday, at 
10 a. in., a telegraphic message, dated tho same morning, 
stuting the river was full of ice, that vessels could not got 
to Gluckstadt, and that Cuxhavcn was full of ships. Tho 
musters of tho vessels who were preparing to “«U1 from Ply- 
mouth will accordingly remain there somo tirno longer. YV'hat 
would our lorofathers say to gottlng nows ut Plymouth from 
Hamburgh In au hour ? 
Parma. — T ho Parma Gazette of tho 9th publish©. 1 } ft 
decree, by which the Dulto of Purmft grouts to his Prlmo 
Minister, Baron YVard, tho prlvilogo of constructing a railway 
