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Northern Star (1837-1852), 9th October 1852, Edition 2 of 2, Page 4

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      News Feom T&E Gold Diggings. The Followi...

      lected should be divided into / ire shares . Lieut . G ., Mr . C , and I , to have one each and the ranainina two to be divided between the men and boys . We set to work about the end of February , and the old miners seemed much amused at ouv mode of using the pickaxe and shovel ; however , practice soon made it more easy and before three weeks C . and I went down 25 feet of a hole , and undermined about the same length on one side . It was anything but easy work , I assure vou , particularly the undermining or drifting ; for hours together obliged to work on your knees by the light of a candle , with the thermometer at 97 deg ., and the native flies drawing blood with fifty-musquito-power of bite . Notwithstanding all out hard work and deep sinking we had very bad luck . We

      occasionally got a few ounces at the bottom of a thirty or forty feet hole , which took us two or three weeks to work properly . We at last came to the conclusion that we were an unlucky party , and resolved that it would be better to separate . Lieutenant G . returned , to get his leave renewed . Mr . C . decided to establish stores at Bendigo , and I joined a new party . The men and boys formed them-•• elves into a separate party , and are doing well . My new mate ( there were only two of us ) was an elderly Scotchman , formerly a distiller , named T . He was a wretchedly moan , miserly skin-flint , so we shortly parted . I bought out his share of the tent , cradle , working tools , cooking utensils , & c , and at last fairly started oa my own bottom . It is quite an independent life , and as long as a

      man can pay his half ounce a month to government , he may do as he wishes . I have my own time to read , cook , and wash—not gold washing , but real bond tide laundry washing ; and I have become such an adept in the art , that if ever I return to Ireland I'll be able to give some valuable hints about the saving of soap , and the unnecessary wear and tear of inner garments by over-wringing . Now for my domestic economy : —While by myself . I arose as the spirit moved me , from six to nine . I then prepared breakfast , namely , by throwing two or three handsfull of tea into a kettle , and cooking chops of a quarter of muttonthe smaUest quantity you can buy—and these , wittl a damper , make the breakfast . The damper consists of dough well worked , placed in the hot ashes of a

      wood fire , aud , after remaining there a couple of hours , according to its thickness , it comes out a well-flavoured loaf . After breakfast work till two , then dine ; same as breakfast , rest an hour , then work till evening , and home ; then a general washing and change of working clothes , followed by tea , varied with Yarmouth bloaters , & e . Cigar smoking then commences , and we turn into a neighbour ' s tent aud play chess or backgammon . Bed from ten to eleven , and then the same work next day . On Sundays I go to church up at the camy , and line with whoever will give me the best dinner , like your old friend Dick M— , or some of the boys come down to my location to make the afternoon pass pleasanflr . Every one helps to cook and wash for our removes , & c . If we

      Jjad the dear girls we would be as happy as any of our old pic-nics about Killiney o ? the Dargle , but , except a few elderly ladies , who have followed the fortunes of their husbands—such as doctors , storekeepers , & c . —no respectable women have as yet appeared at the 'Biggins . ' While I worked by myself I made from half-an-ounce to an ounce per day by surfacing ; that is , taking the clay off the surface of the hills in a wheelbarrow to the creek side , and washing it iu a cradle . This is the easiest and surest work here , but you can never find gold in large quantities except by sinking ; and that one man is not fit for , as

      you cannot tell when once you open a hole how deep you'll have to go . I at last got a severe attack of dysentery , and made up my mind to return to Melbourne to recruit , when I luckily stumbled on a storekeeper who had some real old Irish whiskey—and some of it Kinaban ' s LL . I found I had letters to hira from John C , and that he was an old friend of his father ' s . He came out to this country in ' 46 , and is doing well . The ' native * wonderfully assisted in restoring me , * and I have made an arrangement with my friend's son to go to Bendigo , the richest , of the ' diggins * yet discovered .

      " 20 th May . —Kot moved yet . I have just returned to my tent from Truro Creek , after a walk of 12 miles in torrents of rain , which has penetrated both canvass and bedding . We have made arrangements to start in the morning , so I must draw to a close . There is great excitement here about the immense quantities of gold found at Bendigo . An escort had just arrived with upwards of a ton . Cartage £ 100 a ton . Roads almost impassable from the heavy rains , and starvation staling them in the face—not three week's provisions there—a pleasant prospect ! " Tell Willy and Bob if they come here I'll try to make them good cooks , and teach them how to wash ; but if they have any othev means of earning a livelihood 1 st them above all things avoid the ' Gold Diggins . ' " Yours , affectionately , " ROSS , Jun . " * Whiskey is only one pound per quart , and that s ? t & rosa .

      The largest Van Diemen's Lakd Nugget . —The [ Messrs . Stevens have returned from the Fingal diggings , with a small nugget ^ weighing seven grains , value one shilling ; it is , however , the largest lump found in this colony . If we receive the testimony of Messrs . Stevens , not only one , but hundreds of nuggets will be found—the inference is just , the deduction is clear . We believe it is just probable the diggers have been working at the fag-end of

      range—being about 20 miles too far to the southward . This specie cimeh of Van Diemen ' s Land gold was picked up at Stanfield Nook , about 14 utiles from Avoca . We have heard a gentleman say , whose geological acquirements are considerable , and whose judgment is not likely to be biassed by the- excitement of the gold mania , that the precious metal will be found in large quantities , and probably in a few weeks , and that great changes may be anticipated in the moral and social position of this colony , from the re-action that will take place , and the stimulus that will be given to industry . —Australian and New Zealand Gazette ,

      / The Crown Revenues of New South Wales and the adjacent colony are estimated to produce 1 , 000 , 0002 . per annum , and if a moiety of this were devoted to the purpose of defraying the direct Cpst of the passage of an emigrant from England to Australia , say IQL per head , men , women , and children included , the result would be an accession to the colony of 50 , 000 souls per annum . The total number of immigrauts into New South Wales and Port Phillip at the public expense for the seven years ending 1850 was 4 i ,-477 , averaging less than-6 , 000 / . a-year , —Sydney Herald , May 9 .

      .. New South Wales . —The last files of the Sydney Morniny Herald contain accounts of a new propeller invented by Sir Thomas Mitchell , the Surveyor-General of New South Wales , a trial of which in a small steamer at that port had just excited great interest . It is called the Bomerang propeller , and is constructed on the principle of the weapon of that name used by the natives to kill game . A & hough the experiment was only on a small and imperfect scale , a speed of 12 knots an hour against a head-wind is stated to have been obtained . The instrument is described to combine great strength and simplicity , while it has also the advantage that its motion in the water causes but a comparatively slight agitation , so that it is capable of being adapted to canal boats as well

      as to other vessels . A Sydney merchant , in a letter dated June 22 , says : —I think w < : shall have some great diggings here soon . You will see that we shall have our Mount Alexander yet , as well as the Victorians . There are deposits to the northward , on the Peel river , called the Handing-rock Diggings , which are being developed very quietly . The parties there are doing wonderfully well . We hear of , and see weekly , large nuggets of lOoz . to 20 oz . and upwards from that quarter . They are doing as well , the few that are there , us those at Victoria . Sir Thomas Mitchell has been testing his new invention , the Bomerang propeller for steamers in lieu of the screw . He has tried it on a steamer here , and it has answered very well . Sir Thomas says he will be able to get 20 knots < au hour out of it . It will be the very thmg for ocean steamships . He has taken out a patent , and wishes to gchome to bring it out . "

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      Ireland. —O—Produce Op The Harvest.—From...

      IRELAND . —o—Produce op the Harvest . —From all quarters the reports respecting the yield of the current year ' s harvest are highly satisfactory , The partial failure of the potato has been more than counterbalanced by the abundance of the cereal crops , especially oats , which , both as regards quantity and quality , have been rarely surpassed . New Ross Elect ion . —According to the Daily Express ^ pe tition against the return of Mr . Charles Gaven Duffy has been lodged in the proper office ; and Mr . Serjeant Wranyham has been retained as leading counsel for the petitioners .

      The Murder of a Somher . —Under the date of " Fermoy , Wednesday Evening , " the Cork Constitution has the following paragra ph on the subject of the assassination of the soldier of the 31 st Regiment : — "At ten o ' clock last night Sub-inspector Sommerville , on some information which he received , started from this town with 30 . of his men , and after some trouble succeeded in arresting some ten or eleven individuals residing on and around the mountains of Ballyholly , who are charaed as having been directly

      or indirectly implicated in the above murder . On their return they gave Mrs . M'Grath , the landlady of the hotel where poor Deegan met his untimely fate , a friendly call , and requsted her to accompany them to Fermoy , where they arrived this morning at half-past seven , considerably fatigued , and ^ deposited their charge in the police barrack here , where a private investigation is taking place before Neill Browne , Esq ., R . M ,, and some of the local magistrates , the results of which will not be known for a few days . "

      The O Comnell Property . —The last remnant of the O'Oonnell property in Kerry was sold last week at Tralee under an order of the Encumbered Estates court . But two lots remained to be sold , the net aggregate yearly value of which was about 210 / ., and the sum brought by the sale was 4 . 520 / ., the purchasers being unconnected with the family . The Galway Packet Station . —It is expected that the Galway gentry , assembled at the great fair of Ballinasloe , which commences to-day , will adopt some course for the improvement of their harbour , so as to suit it for a packet station . It is said that they are prepared to guarantee the repayment of any amount of money that may be required for the purpose .

      Priests and Soldiers . —A lengthy correspondence appears in the Tuam Herald , with reference to a complaint against a military officer stationed at Ballinrobe , for ordering the Roman catholic soldiers under his charge out of chapel during service , without sufficient cause . Mr . Bright in Belfast . —A public dinner was given to Mr . Bright , M . P ., for Manchester , at Belfast , on Monday . Brutal Outrage . —Samideri News Letter has the following ll / K ytni a . I 1 a 1 ( 1 A lint . J * -. ~ * -us a . J 1 j « l » _ 1 ^ 1 .. I ^ . ¦• .. _ . _ - «_ . . _ I . » A C - . _ . ... _ 1 MoateOct 4 herdnamed John Dall about four miles

      , . . —A , y , iving from this town , was last night cruelly beaten by three ruffians who entered his house and left him for dead" , his children gathered around him , and crying fearfully , lifted the poor man from the ground ; his brutal assailants returned , and again struck him six or seven blows , asking him , " Would he ever dare to summon any of the tenants again ? " The only offence committed by Dal y was summoning , by direction of his landlord , some persons who had trespassed , and carried away bog stuff , though duly cautioned against doing so .

      Accident On-The Great Northern .Railway....

      Accident on-the Great Northern . Railway . —On Monday night an accident , which might have been attended with very serious consequences , occurred to the Great Northern express train , consisting of eight first-class carriages , on the main line near Newark . About a mile north of that town the Great Northern intersects the Midland branch from Nottingham to Lincoln , almost at right angles . Signals are of course provided for the prevention of accidents , but it appears from some cause or other , not as yet satisfactorily explained , the Great Northern express and a Midland goods train arrived at the point of intersection at the same instant . They were both going at full speed , and the former dashed through the middle of the goods train , hurling one of the trucks into the river which runs just by , and throwing several others off the line . All ihe

      carnages of the passenger train were much damaged , but happily not one of the passengers was seriously hurt . This , it is believed , was owing to the facility with which the express severed the goods train ; nevertheless , looking at the state of the carriages , which were too much shattered to proceed on the journey , and the circumstances under which the collision took place , the escape of so many persons with so little injury seems almost miraculous . Fatal Accident at the . Blackwall Railway Station . —On Monday an inquest was held by Mr . "W . Baker , at the London Hospital , on the body of Mary Phillips , aged sixty-three years . ' The deceased was the wife of an eating-house keeper , of No . 3 , Horseshoe-court , Clerkenwell . On the evening of August the 29 th the

      deceased and a male friend proceeded from Blackwall by railway and in a third-class carriage , and when the train stopped at the Fenchurch-street station the deceased got out on to the platform , being at the time intoxicated . Directly afterwards an alarm was raised by the guard , just as the train was starting on its return to Blackwall when the deceased was lying between the front of the platform and the carriages . The deceased was released by the servants of the company , when she was found to have received a severe injury to her right hand , whereby several of the fingers were cut off . She was conveyed to the hospital , where she lingered and died on Saturday last . Mr . Alfred Dell , the house-surgeon , said the deceased died from exhaustion from the operation and shock to the system . Verdict : ' Accidental death /'

      Man Lost in Loch Doon . —We are sorry to have to record the somewhat unusual event of a person being lost in Loch Doon It appears that on Wednesday , the 15 th , a party of men , engaged at the ironworks , having procured a boat , resolved to have a day ' s amusement ou the loch . Between eight and nine o ' clock , p . m ., they landed near Craigmulloch , with the exception of a man named Alexander Reid , who insisted on remaining in the boat till the rest returned . Hits was agreed to , and on his companions returning , Reid was missing , nothing but his cap being left in the boat . It was thought by his companions that he had started by the road for Dalmellington but arriving there they found he

      on had not made his appearance On the Friday , a party of the workmen becoming alarmed , set out to watch the loch , and it possible to discover the body of their comrade who , by this time , there was too much ground to fear , had met with a watery grave . I here was no appearance of the corpse that day nor on successive days , when efforts were made for its recovery , until Sabbath afternoon , when a dark object was observed on the surface of the water in the line where the boat passed from Portmoak to Craigmulloch , and near the Castle . On a boat putting off , this was found to be the corpse ot Reid . It was brought . to the foot of the loch , and afterwards conveyed by a cart to the village A CoNVERT .-Davis , a pensioner , receiving 2 s . a day as a discharged sergeant of the 25 th regiment , and living at Bristol ,. has been struck off the list by the Chelsea commissioners , for carrying about a bill , issued by the Peace Society , to deter persons from joinuig the mihua . rf

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      Eight Lives Lost At Lytham. —Preston, Oc...

      Eight Lives Lost at Lytham . —Preston , Octoh ligeucc was received here to-day of a melancholy « , ![ Hniri happened off Lytham yesterday afternoon , and by \ K * % men have lost their lives , each of whom has left , ei $ C children destitute . The fatality arose from the cap & ^ w ' W boat , belonging to Lytham , under c ircumstances deto ^ ° W Lytham , the scene of this unfortunate occurrence is e W watering-place , situated at the estuary of the river » TiIav H twelve or fourteen miles from this town . In coiwequ , ! > W numerous vessels which have from time to time been , of 4 e Lytham , it was deemed expedient that a life-boat 8 hoJPH off chased . For that purpose a considerable sum was ni * 2 e Inscription amongst the visitors and residents , and a few ' mn i ^** - fine boat was obtained from the establishment of \ t ^ m bko *

      , and Son , of Great Yarmouth . Yesterday afternoon ten v . r ^ men , all natives of Lytham , set out to test the capabilir , Sei - new boat . Though the weather was squally , many ** , of fo congregated on the beach to witness her departure anT (? ,, etc craft seemed to make way very satisfactorily , -ty /^ £ " ^ l ittle "lug sail" was used on the occasion . It was observed ? , a experienced persons , as the boat proceeded oil its course t ? 5 ° llle much sail was carried considering the weather . When ' I l () ' short distance out a sea was shipped without any dama ^ tf ? 0 t a righting herself immediately . Between two and three m when dashing through the breakers at a distance of abol i * miles from the shore , the boat careened greatly , oivin , quantity of sail she carried . About that time a heavy show * * on , and concealed the boat for a brief interval from i \ J - ^ those on the look out . When next she came in ai ^ i m . _ VIew «( those on the look out . When next she cainc in si ht she

      g a uppermost . Some men on the hills skirting the sea rushed ? the beach and gave an alarm , and it is needless to say tliatfl l 0 intense excitement speedily prevailed . Two boats were m ^ f with the least possible delay to proceed to the scene of thei d ' - The smallest of them was taken to the edge of the Hor se h *?!' large sand bank in the channel ) , where it was moored . The then hastened across the bank , plunged into the waterj mdv ? to the ill-fated boat , underneath which they discovered two H crew , named Richard Gillet and James Parkinson , the latter ) taken up , being nearly exhausted . As the lifeboat has six aperli in her bottom ( which formed a sort of dome over the two suffered these enabled them to breathe freely . None of the other mrf tunates being visible , the boat returned to Lytham about sov o ' clock with the two survivors . The scene on its arrival wasn ? fui beyond description . The following is a list of the lost i-Ha" ]

      man , who has left a widow and six children ; J . Gillet , widow and five children ; Swann , widow and three children ; Davis , widow J three children ; Whiteside , widow and three children ; Winder widow and two children ; Cookson , widow and two children-T Gillet , widow and two children . Swann , a pilot , had the comm ' ani of the life-boat , and it is considered that he acted somewhat reck

      - lessly in not relieving her of some of her sail . —Lytham , Oct 5-Yesterday afternoon Mr . Palmer , of Preston ( the district coroner ? held an inquest at this place on the bodies of John Davis 35 Thomas Gillet , 29 , and George Cookson , 41—three of the eight unfortunate men who were drowned on Friday last by the capsizing of the lifeboat . The bodies of Cookson and Gillet were recovered

      on Saturday , having been washed up on the "Middle Bank , " a short distance from the spot where the -accident occurred ; Davis ' s body was found on Sunday morning in Croston Pool . The jury agreed to a verdict of " Accidentally drowned / ' On the same evening a meeting of gentlemen was held at the Clifton Arms Hotel for the purpose of organising a committee to obtain subscriptions for the relief of the widows and orphans of the sufferers . Mr ,

      J . lalbot Clifton , of Lytham Hall , presided , and there wasanume . rous attendance of those who sympathised with the bereaved . Nearly £ 200 was contributed in a few minutes , the chairman headmg the subscription list with £ 60- £ 50 on his own behalf , and £ 10 from Mrs . Clifton . Gentlemen were deputed to receive donations in Preston and other places . On Sunday evening , after a sermon in St . John ' s church , Lytham , by the Rev . W . H . Self , £ 33 was re ceived for the same benevolent object . In a short time , therefore , a very handsome sum will be realised .

      Explosion and Loss or Liee . —On Sunday night an explosion occurred in the premises of Mr . Holyhead , a firework maker , in Long-alley , Eldon-street / Finsbury . During the night whilstoneof the hands was filling a squib it exploded , and the sparks falling on a quantity of gunpowder the latter also exploded with a fearful noise , and the heap of composition placed for the use of another lad likewise blew up , and in an instant the room became filled with blame

      and three persons who were unable to escape were completely prostrated . The cries of the unfortunate individuals were pitiable in the extreme , but , owing to the fury with which the fire was raging , it was with considerable difficulty that any one could enter . Some one , however , more courageous than the others , rushed into the apartment in question , and succeeded in throwing one of the lads out of window , and at the sume time another jumped out mtb his clothes on fire , and a third was , it is understood , also thrown . The poor creatures were immediatelcollected together and removed to St .

      y Bartholo mew ' s Hospital . Everything was done for them that surgical skill could devise , but two of them , Cornelius Crawley and John Hawes , died the same night . An inquest on their bodies wis held on Wednesday afternoon , by Mr . Payne , at St . Bartholomew s Hospital . The manufactory , so-called , was a back room of a small tenement in the vicinity above-mentioned , a confined , thickly-populated thoroughfare . The other apartments of the cottage were occupied by the family of the factor , a man named George Holy head , and

      considering the manner he pursued his act of firework making . and the crowded state of the locality , it is deemed most marvellous that a more calamitous result , as regards loss of life , did not take P 'I * t . TIle evidence > in a great measure , confirmed the particulars which have already been published . It addition , it appeared tfl » the youths had only been at work making fireworks about a wee * , receiving 2 s . wages from Holyhead , who employed them . They we » urged to work on Sunday night , the room being lighted with a tallow andle itHo

      c ma flat candlestick , with a small glass globe over . " the fireworks became ignited no one can now explain . BotU uw sufferers died soon after their . admission into the hospital . Ihe w Holyhead was present to be examined , but , after being cau wnea ^ uy the coroner , he had nothing more to say than he told one ot the v nesses , a man named Pigot , a substance of whose testimony is gw » above . The coroner then addressed the jury . It might be imagiW that common prudence would haje suggested to Holy head grew caution than he had exercised in such a dangerous calling . £ ot

      thing was clear , that if he had not been the manuMrcr » works in such a place , and had not set the boys to ™ r » tliem . explosion would not have happened , and their lives fm ^ d been lost . The jury would consider whether the * S ^ , them sending the case before another tribunal . ^ m % Lc sulfation , a verdict was returned of « Manslaughter "V ^ SfiA Holyhead , the firework manufacturer , and he was forthtfth conwj to Newgate . 'V ; V % r tf Fatal AcciDENT . ~ On Saturday an inquest was held W rJ Carter , the coroner ; at the Hero of Waterloo Tavern , vvatemou on the body of George Downes , aged eight , who came by ' »*

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), Oct. 9, 1852, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns2_09101852/page/4/