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    ^^ 432, July 3,1858.] _ TH E LEADER. ^35

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    Miscellaneous. The Codkt.—Mr. Rarey, Acc...

    A Night at Ska . —A number of persons who intended sailiug from Douglas , Isle of Man , for Dublin , by the steamer Queen , of Wliitehaven , were a \\ - ; iitiug the arrival of that vessel from Whitehaven on the 23 rd ult , and got into the boats belonging to the " Whitehaven Packet Company for the purpose of going on board . On the vessel arriving and firing a gun , at half-past eleven o ' clock , the boats proceeded towards her at the out . Mde of the bay , but were unable to get alongside , as the anchor not being down the steamer drifted away from the boats . A squall of wind off the land came down on them at the ssme time , and , proving far too strong for the rowers , swept the boats away out to sea . The largest boat had

    on boaTd twenty-five passengers , and a crew of three boatmen , with only two oar . " , and was encumbered by / a heavy load of luggage , besides the passengers . They passed a -wretched night , and were only relieved long after daylight by seeing a steamer making towards them , ¦ which proved to be the vessel they ought to have been on board of , and by which they were picked up and brought back to the bay . The smaller boat had nine passengers on board , and rode rather lighter ; she had also drifted several miles off Langness when she was picked up . Among the passengers in the boats were several ladies and some youths returning from school . One lady lost a trunk containing jewellery and other property of the value of 2001 .

    Edinburgh ' . University . — The Town Council of Edinburgh , met on Monday for the purpose of electing a Professor of Chemistry in succession to the late Dr . William Gregorj-. Dr . Ly on Play fair was voted into the vacant chair by a majority of 16 over Dr . Anderson , of Glasgow University . Sir Joiin Lawrence . — A letter . from Sir John Lawrence to the Lord Mayor , thanking the Court of Common Council for the honour of having-elected bim a member , was read at a meeting of the Court on JI onday . It was dated " Camp Tilum , Punjab , May ' -9 th , 1858 . " A motion that the letter should Le entered on the journals of the Court was carried by acclamation . Metropolitan Bath Company . —The last annual

    report of the Board of Directors , under whose superintendence the western part of London is accommodated with an unexceptionable set of baths , has been recently circulated . In the previous report , submitted to the shareholders in May , 1858 , it was stated that the works had been commenced when only 500 of the 1000 shares of 10 ? . each ( the capital originally fixed ) bad been subscribed for , in the full expectation that tbere would be no difficulty in . raising the whole amount required . By the last report , submitted to the shareholders during the month of June , it appears that the monetary pressure of the time debarred the company from receiving the support it had a right to expect . The directors have thus

    incurred various liabilities , the total outluy for building , boilers , machinery , advertising , & c , amounting to 8898 ? . 4 s . 4 d ., while to complete the building and furniture ) 000 / . more is required . The company , it should be remembered , is one of limited liability , and the directors compute that the gross yearly receipts of the establishment will be fully equal to 4 G 80 J ., while the working expenses will not exceed 2150 / . During the month that elapsed between the 17 th of May and the 17 th ult ., the receipts were no less than 126 ? . 17 s . Gd , and the baths taken were 1009 in number , although only the ground and first floors are as yet open . The second floor is , however , in an advanced state of preparation .

    Accidents ox Railroads . —The select committee of the House of Commons appointed to inquire into the causes of accidents on railwaj's , and into the possibility of removing any such causes , hus issued its report , which is dated the 25 th ult . We here read : —" Your committee is of opinion that the Hoard of Trade should be invested with the fullest powers to investigate and report to Parliament upon any accident wheli may occur on railways . Your committee is of opinion that u rate of speed considerably in excess of what is considered safe , in the opinion of the great majority of the witnesses examined , is sometimes attained on many of the lines ; that the evidence taken further tends to show that such

    excessive speed has arisen , not so much from the average speed required as advertised by the railway timc-Uibles , as from the want of strict punctuality in the timo of tho departure and arrival of truins from each station , which leads to an excess of speed for tho purpose of endeavouring to make up time lost . " The report thin makes various suggestions for preventing tho evils complained of , but does not recommend any speeiiic legislative action . M . K . Clakkson Stanfjelo , R . A ., fell JYom oiio of the ! Nee < lles rocks last week , while sketching , trained his ankle , and seriously bruised his face and body .

    Oxpohd Univkkbity Commission . —1 'lie report , of tlii coniii . JHsioii , just issued , chiefly refers to tho question of fellowships . The commissioners have regarded it as an easenji . il part of their duty to ousuro that fellowships shall bo determined , gcnerully , by iho personal merits and fitness of the successful candidate , and not by accidents oV birth and locality . They have thoruforo provided for the total abolition of such preferences , except in the case of two colleges , to which they wore prepared to tidd St . John ' s , tho peculiar circumstances of those collcyCH uj | pcaring to warrant a difference of uoiiHtituiiuu . 1 lie two in which preference continue to exist nr < i New College uiid Jesus College . It would appear tuiit tho

    authorities of St . John ' s College made a proposal , which the commission . 'rs refused , as calculated to secure to the college the odious character of a " close" institution . They . accordingly adhered to tbeir previous decision , which will be carried out . New Assize Couuts i-ou Berksiuke . — It was determined at the county sessions at Abiugdou , on Monday , to erect new assize courts for Berkshire at Reading , where great inconvenience has long beau felt for want of sufficient space . Births and Deaths in London . —Ihe deaths in London in the week ending Saturday , June 26 th , were 1092 . In the ten years 1848-57 , the av-erage number of deaths was 984 ; but , as the deaths of last week

    occurred in an increased population , the average should be raised in proportion to the Increase , ^ vhen the comparison will show that the mortality of last week approximated very closely to the calculated amount . Diarrhoea was fatal last week in fifty-four cases , which is double the average for corresponding weeks ; its recent increase is evident , the numbers of the two previous weeks having heen 18 and 31 . There were also eight deaths from cholera or " choleraic diarrhoea . "—Last week , the births of 823 boys and 839 girls , in all 1662 children , were registered in London . In the ten corresponding weeks of ' the years 1848-57 , the average number was 1525 . — Prom the JRegistrar-General ' s Weekly Return .

    lilt . W . II . Barber . —The select committee of the House of Commons appointed to inquire into the allegations contained in the petition of Mr . Barber , the solicitor who was transported for many years on a false charge of forgery , sat for the first time on Tuesday , when Mr . Barber gave evidence as to the brutal treatment he received at Norfolk Island and the tyranny of Major Child , the commandant . The witness thus con--cluded his statement :- —" Conscious of nay innocence , I made no disposal of my property . '; but after my convicion it was all seized , and . every vestige has been swept away , together with debts due to me , which have been lost through the operation of the Statute of Limitations . I have received a pardon on the ground of my innocence , but have returned to this country destitute , having lost several thousands of pounds , and been permanently injured by the cruelties exercised towards me , " The committee then adjourned .

    The Earl , of Caithness Iia . s been elected one of the representative peers of Scotland to' fill the vacancy caused by the death of the Earl of Morton . Dean Trench has resigned the chair of Divinity at King ' s College , London . The Kino of Delhi at the Cape . —On the 10 th of March , the Governor of the Cape , Sir George Grey , in the course of his address to the Parliament , said : — "A correspondence will be laid before you detailing the reasons for which it is intended to detain the King of Delhi in confinement in British Caffraria . You will find from these papers that this is an isolated case , and that no intention exists of transporting prisoners from India to her Majesty ' s South African possessions . "

    The Chystal Palace . —At a meeting of the Crystal Palace shareholders held on Wednesday , a resolution in favour of opening the building to shareholders on Sundays was adopted . A ballot was demanded , which will tak ; place about the middle of the present month . Tb « meeting was rather stormy . The Kev . Alfked Poole , whose name bos recently been before the public in connexion with the alleged scandals in Belgravia , has lodged an appeal with the Archbishop against the decree of suspension pronounced against him b j' the Bishop of London .

    Tub Restoration ok Oiidis . —The adjourned general Court of Proprietors of the East India Company waa held in Leadenhall-street on Wednesday , when Mr . Jones brought on his motion for the restoration of Oude to the native Royal family . Mr . ll « lps moved the previous question ; but the voto was anticipated by a count-out .

    Sanitary Condition of 1 ' kintiko - offices . — Amongst those trades and professions opposed to the duration of life which are followed in the metropolis by largo numbers of persons , few are . iuor < s fatal than that of the compositor and printer . Tho number of deaths from consumption amongst them is very large . Those who have visited sonic of the London printing-ofticcs , wliich have been adapted for this purpose from oldfashioned dwelling-houses , will not for a moment doubt thut the deaths and loss of health are to bo attributed to tho ill condition of the atmosphere , produced by overcrowding the space , and setting at defiance all sanitary principle *) . I ^ or aro the editors and correctors of tlie press in ninny cases better acco mmodated . Men well aware

    of tlm danger uro shut into closets , partitioned ofT from tlio ill-ventilated space , und little larger than full-aized collins ! Sketches of sonic of these literary dona , in which arc accommodated men who ar « earnestly working to elevate tho taste and improve th < s condition of the community , would antonish many readers . Changes for tho better liavo either been mudo or are in progress in various uujirtiTH . Much , however , that is bad remains to be altered ; and taking tho whole of tho nunltary arrangements that liavo been provided for those engaged in iho printing profession in a mass , there remain defects suflicicnt to account m clearly for the lows of life in printing-orikes an in the barracks of tho metropolis . — Thh JiuiUkr .

    Covjent-gakden Market . —It seems early for so many persons to be abroad , not only to sell but to purchase / lowers , yet there is no lack of buyers for the perfumed stores which meet the eye , and well nigh impede the footsteps . Young sempstresses and milliners' girls , barmaids and shopwomen , pent up all day in a hot and close atmosphere , have risen an hour or two earlier , and make a party of pleasure to come to Covent-garden Market to buy flowers . It is one of Heaven ' s mercies that the very poorest manages somehow to buy these treasures ; and he who is steeped to the lips in misery will have a moml of mignionettc in his window , or a bunch of violets in the cracked j ug on his maatel-sbelf , even as the great lady has rich , savage , bloomiag plants in

    her conservatory , and camelias and magnolias in porphyry vases on marble slabs . It is a thiu , a v ^ ry thin line , that divides the independent poor from the pauper in his hideous whitewashed union ward ; the power of buying flowers ana of keeping a dog . How the halfpence are scraped together to buy the violets or mignionette , whence conies the coin that purchases the scrap of paunch , it puzzles me to say ; but go -where you will among thepauperam tabemas and you will find the dog and the flowers . Crowds more of purchasers are there yet around the violet baskets ,- but these are buyers to sell again . WretcUed-lookiug little buyers are they , halt-starved Bedouin children , mostly Irish , in faded and tattered garments , with ragged hair and bare feet . They have tramped miles with their scanty stock-money laid " up . in a corner of

    their patched shawls , daring not to think of breakfast till their purchases be madu ; and then they will tramp miles again through the cruel streets of London town , penetrating into courts and alleys where the sun never shines , peering into noisome doorways , selling their wares to creatures almost as ragged and forlorn as themselves . They cry violets ! They cried violets in good Master Herrick ' s time . There are some worthy gentlemen , householders and ratepayers , -who would put all such street-criers down by act of Parliament . Indeed , it must bu an intolerable sin , this piping little voice of an eight-years old child , wheezing out a supplication to buy a ha ' pprtb . of violets But then mouthy gentlemen are all Sir Oracles ; and where they are , no dogs must bark nor violets be cried .- —The Welcome Guest . .

    A meeting of the letter-carriers was held on Tuesday evening at the Hole-in-the-Wiill , Chancery-lane . In consequence of the heavy duties the men have to perform , they were not able to assemble until a late hour . Within an liour of the time for meeting , not only the long room , but the entire house , was crowded to suffocation . The chairman of the Lust- meeting , having been , suspended for two or three weeks , and threatened with dismissal from the service by the authorities , for filling such an office , it was feared there would be a difficulty in finding a chairman for the present meeting . However , as soon as the question was mooted , a letter-carrier , of known respectability and long servitude , came forward and volunteered his services to take the chair . Ho opened the meeting by stating they had been , called together that evening by a printed bill ,

    circulated amongst them , a copy of which was forwarded to each branch oflfice , to tlie effect that " A gegeral meeting of letter-carriers will take place at the liole-in-the-Wall , on Tuesday week , the 29 th inst ., to take into consideration the present incessant duties , and to take measures- for the cessation thereof ; also for business of paramount importance . " He would not go into detail . Sulfice it to say tliat their work had been increased twofold , and they had had no extra duty money as heretofore , and that they ( the authorities ) now intended making sorters of the Jetter-carriers , consequently causing them to perform double duty , which no man , however athletic , could stand . A resolution was carried to have a petition presented to both Houses of Parliament . A committee was also formed for carrying out the wishes of the meeting . The meeting was then adjourned till to-morrow ( Sunday ) .

    • A Diviiia * Wajukuii . —A young nmn , named Georgo Mantou , has had his arm dressed at tho Queen's Hospital for a rather severe wound that ho received . It deemed that the patient is soinowhat addicted to sleep walking , dreaming , & c , and , fancying that hu had been insulted , he jumped out of bed , and commenced a spirited attack upon his supposed fuo . Unfortunately , " ho fancied this dreain-pcruou occupied a place clone to his bedroom , window , and in tlm course of his attack he knocked hu arm through a pane of glass , and awoke to realize- the disagreeable fact tlmt he had boon dreaming , and had cut himself badly . —liinninijlmvi , Daily Pram .

    CouiiT ok Common Council . — -At u meeting of th ( Common Council on Thursday , Mr . Hill submitted the following motion : — That tho deinorali / . iug eik-et * produced to the surrounding neighbourhood by tho Suuda } mart hold in Uoundsditch calls for the serious attenlioi ) of this Court , and that , with a view tu its suppression , it be referred to tlie jiolicu committed to inquire into the circumstances rcliiling' thereto , with instruction !) to call for tho production of ; my piipars in the liundu of the coimninHHiiiciid of police connected therewith , « ud to report thereon to ( Iiih court . " The motion was ultimately n ^ rcod to , witUtho omisalon of tho words " demoralization " ami " liupproHuiim . ' —Mr . Deputy Dukin again brought forward •' a putitiuu from tho L > ean and CliuiUcr of . St . 1 'aulV , and tho CuuimiUoo of Ma-

    ^^ 432, July 3,1858.] _ Th E Leader. ^35

    ^^ 432 , July 3 , 1858 . ] _ TH E LEADER . ^ 35

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), July 3, 1858, page 11, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_03071858/page/11/