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Northern Star (1837-1852), 27th June 1846, Edition 2 of 3, Page 6, BRITISH AND FOREIGN INSTITUTE. This Soci...

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  • Departments (2)
    • Opening of ihe North British Railway.—Fatal
    • RURAL AFFAIRS .
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      The Northern Star June 27, 1846.

      THE NORTHERN STAR June 27 , 1846 .

      The Marrhng Scoundrel. Trial Akd Convict...

      THE MARRHNG SCOUNDREL . Trial akd Conviction of Mobtisier . — At the Central Criminal Court « n Friday . Joseph Mur » i » ier , aged 38 , described as a labourer , was indicted for feloniously intermarrying Caroline Wright , on the " tliof June , 1815 , his wife Josephine Laugborne , being thm aliw . Xo Counsel was _ engaged fur the ywsecutiou , and the prisoner wln » was undefended , pleaded not guilty . As soon as tiieindiciuirm had been read , the prisoner put in a writtrii pdper . requesting his trial mijlu be postponed until ; the ensuing sessionin order that he might

      , engaae and instruct Counsel for his defend , and also that lie might be enabled to hav .- c-rtain documents brought forward that n-mld pmre him to be a citiz < " of the United States , a circumstance which hi him to infer that the Court , on that ground , had not the p . w « to convict mm of an offence commuted iu tnis country ; » nd , again , that he should have :, o . nplefe . m wer to the charge , from * his circumstance , « tbatan agreement was drawn up m Kew York between him aud Josephine Lau-borne , that -ither party should be at liberty to marry again , which by the laws of the United States was equivalent to a

      divorce . . „ ^ . ,. ,, The Recorder said that , assuming all contained in the paper pat in to be correct , it would be no answer , or would beofno service to the prisoner , as lie was proved to be a British subject and owing aiicuauce to her Maj My , and even could he prove himself 10 have been naturalised , and become a citizen of th-: United States , that would not clear him of an offence committed ajaiust thelawsofthiscountry . where the ofivncedi > aothaveany teft-renceto the international laws of the * wo countries . TliecertiCcatesof the marriages « vre « h < m put in and proved , and the jury returned a verdict ol Guilty . A second indictment , charging him with inttrmarryin s on tbeSiad of June . 1814 . at St . Phillip ' * Churjh , Liverpool , with Mary Susannan L-jvejoy . A witness nimed Isabella Cave , who was present at the marriage , deposed to the prisoner being the man married to MissLovejoy . The prisoner offered no defence , and the jury returned a verdict of Guilty .

      The prisoner was then indicted for stealing a trunk , containing a quantity of wearing apparel the property of Miss Loyer . The facts proved in support were , in the early part of the present year the prosecutrix put an advertisement in the paper for a situation as cook and housekeeper , in answer to which she received a letter from the prisoner , who stated himself to be a New York merchant and a widower , and after a few family particulars expressed a wish to see her , and he had no doubt but they would become man and wife , The result of this was that she consented to become his wife , he having spoken largely of barrels of flour and variety of merchandise that was then lying in bond at Liverpool , and that the present fluctuation of the corn market , resulting from the pending corn debate , was the reason he did not sell until it

      was settled , and that kept him short of money . She was induced to let him have some money . Before they could get married she was ar / ested by one of her creditors , hut hearing she was about to get married set her free . She subsequently lived with the prisoner , visiting Paris and various places , he succeeding in drawing her of every farthing she possessed , and he finally abandoned ler , taking with him the trunk . She heard nothing more of the prisoner until about six weeks ago , " when having put an adverdsementlike the first one , only with different initials and a difierent place of address , this was answered by the prisoner , an appointment made by a friend of her ' s , who knew him , and on being recognised , lie was taken into custody . On the police going to hit lodgings at Chelsea , Hiss Layer ' s trunk was found .

      The prisoner- examined tbe witnesses , and in his defence said the things had partly been given him byproseculrix and part he had bought her . The Jury found him guilty . The Recorder in passing sentence characterised the offence as one of the basest nature , and said that comment to a man so degraded as the prisoner would be useless ; for the latcency he should transport him for seven years , and reserve his judgment on the other indictments until a future day . Tl e prisoner left the dock quite unconcerned . On Monday Mortimer was again brought up to receive sentence upon the two convictions for-bigamy .

      The Recorder , addressing the prisoner , said he thought it right to inform him that since the period of his conviction inquiries had been made , and information had been obtained which quite confirmed the original view entertained by the Court that his case was one of the worst possible aspect , and that in addition to the serious injury which he had inflicted upon those whom he had deceived by false and pretended marriages , he had greatly aggravated his offence by practicing the utmost cruelty towardi his victims . It had been ascertained tbat in addition to the cases of marriace that had been proved against him , a gentleman was in attendance upon the Court on the day on which he was tried , who was prepared to give him into custody upon the charge of having contracted another false marriage in Ireland , if he had been acquitted upoa the charges then made against him . With

      regard to the case of Miss Lovejoy , the young lady whom he had married at Liverpool , hs thought it rigutto let the prisoner know that the Court was in possession ot a letter written by a highly respectable surgeon of that city , wio was acquainted with al > file circumstance * of his connection with her , and he stated , «• one of his unfortunate victims , Miss Lovejoy , was for several years a patient of mine , and a more confiding , kind , or amiable creature never existed ; before she took the unfortunate step which , I baTC no hesitation in sajlpg , consigned her to an untimely grave , she mentioned the circumstance to me , and I advised her strongly against the union , until she knew something mon o : her fumre partner , but she , too soon ,

      poor creator * , gave way and became the victim ef the scoundrtl ' s machinations . She had not been married twenty-four hours before she repented the irrevocable act most bitterly . In a few days she again sent for me , as a 'confidential friend ;' as soon as she saw me she burst into tears and said , 'lam a murdered woman . He has taken everything I possess in the world from me , except the clothes in which I stand , and to-day ( it was then afternoon ) I have not been allowed any thing to eat . ' The monster was in an adjoining room , and I went to remonstrate with him ; but he maintained a dodged silence , and as I left the room I told him that if that woman died her blood would be upon his head . "

      Tbeprisonerheredccaredhekuewofno such occurrence , and he wished to know who the party was that had addressed the Court ? The Recorder said , the letter was written by Dr . Cripps , and every reliance was placed upon the contents , because the writer was known to be a respectable person by some members of the corporation of the City of London to whom he had given reference . The prisoner said he knew nothing about it . - The Recorder proceeded . —In addition to what he had just read , Dr . Cripps stated in his letter , " I once more saw her on the day before they left . England . She called on uie , she said , for the purpose of' bidding me good bye forever . ' She again mentioned tome his brutal treatment , the details of which were so atrociously revolting that I

      almost recoil when I think of them . I wished her , even at the eleventh hour , to reconsider her determination of accompanying him to America , but she said that , 'although she believed she should never cross the Atlantic alive , yet that she had cast her lot with his , and it was her duty to submit . '"—( The reading of this sentence earned a great sensation in the Court . } The gentleman concluded his letter in the following terms : — "I do solemnly declare that I could most conscientiously hare accepted her expressions of the conviction , that she could not recover as her dying declaration . These convictions were realised , and her husband's object effected . " The Recorder went on to address the prisoner , and said he knew that she did die on the passage , and that immediately afterwards he returned to this country , and contracted another false marriage .

      Prisoner . —I did get married again , my Lord , hut I was legally divorced in America . I know nothing of Dr . Cripps . Pen and paper will say any thing . The Recorder said there was no reason to doubt the truth of the statement , and as to his story about being divorced in America , it amounted to uothiujr , for according to his own showing , there was merely an agreement between himself and his wife to separate , and this coald not by any possibility apply to the case of a British subject proved to have committed an offence in this country . The prisoner declared that he had not had a fair trial . lie said he could not have been worse treated among the Hottentots . As to the person whom he was accused of robbing , he could have proved tbat she was a person of very had character .

      The Recorder said he was well aware that in addition to tbe other injuries he had inflicted upon the unfortunate women with whom he had bet-eme connected , it had been his constant endeavour to destroy their character ; hut he was bound to tell him that even iu the case of a common street-walker , the law would not permit them to be despoiled of their property , by such practices as those adopted by the prisoner . The Learned Recorder then continued his address to the prisoner , and with much feeling and emphasis observed , that under all circum . stances bigamy was a most serious offence , but this was of a most atrocious character . He was proved to have despoiled the unfortunate Miss Lovejoy of everything she possessed , and secretly had her dead body cast into the sea , when he returned to England , contracted another false marriage , and having despoiled Ms victim of all her property , deserted her . His object appeared to have

      been plunder of the worst description , and he appeared to hare married woman after woman with a view of depriving them of what little property they were possessed of , and he could not help expressing an opinion that it was the worst case of this description that had ever been brought before the notice of the Court in which they were assembled . If the prisoner could show that any of the statements that had been made were incorrect , or there were any circumstances that he might consider would produce a more favourable view of his case , he might apply to the Secretary of State ; but he ( the Eecorder ) felt that his duty to the public compelled him to pass upon him the full sentence of the law , which was that he be transported beyond the seas for the term of seven years upon each indictment—the second sentence cfseven years' transportation to commence at the expira- j ties of the first .

      The sentence of seven years'transportation that was passed upon the prisoner on his conviction for robbing Miss Loyer , will , it appears , merge on the present judgment , SO that , iu effect , the prisoner will only hare to undergo a sentence of fourteen years' transportation .

      Brutal Outrage. At The Cen Tral Criminal...

      BRUTAL OUTRAGE . At the Cen tral Criminal Court on Monday , William Manfifild was indicted for feloniously casting and throw-SlSbeth Pollen upon a certain stone pavement , with Inlnl todoher some bodily injury dangerous to life , and ™ srti intent to murder her . The circums tances of this case will he fresh in the recollection of our readers . The prisoner aud the prosecutrix cohabited together , and on the day in question it ap peared tltat they were quarrelling , and the prisoner beat the prosecutrix in a most cruel manner , and he was heard to say that he would throw her out of the window , and almost at the same instant the unfortunate woman was seen to fall from the window , and she was picked up in an insensible state , and covered with blood . She

      was taken to the hospital , where she remained for some t ' me iu a most dangerous state ; but upon the magistrate taking her deposition , she , to the astonishment of every one , declared that she had thrown herself out of the window . The unfortunate woman was called as a witness , and she repeated this itatement , but from the manner in which she gave her evidence , it appeared very evident that she was actuated by a desire to screen the prisoner from the consequences of his brutality . The Recorder inquired whether a surgeon was in attendance to speak to the nature of the injury received by t ' la prosecutrix »—The police-constable said that Mr . Bnm-11 , the magistrate who committed the prisoner , considered the evidense of a surgeon was unnecessary . The Recorder said he was very much surprised that the magistrate had given such an opinion . The prisoner was charged with inflicting a bodily injury dangerous to life , and they had no evidence of a surgeon to show the character of the injury .

      Directions were then given that the constable should go to the hospital , and procure the attendance of tha surgeon , and in a short time he returned and stated tbat the pentleman who had attended upon the prosecutrix was gone out , and it was uncertain when he would re turn . In answer to further questions put by the Recorder , the constable stated that the prosecutrix was found lying upon the ground , perfectly insensible , covered with blood , and a portion of her hair and some blood were also found on a brick upon which she had fallen . He also stated tbat she was three weeks in the hospital before she could be removed . The prisoner , in his defence , said that the woman < f-r « w herself out of the window , because he would not let her go out of the door .

      The Recorder , in summing up , said that it would have been more satisfactory to have had the evidence ofa surgeon ; but still it would be a question for the jury , supposing they should consider the facts to be proved , whether they could entertain any reasonable doubt that the injury inflicted was calculated to endanger the life of the prosecutrix . The jury returned a verdict of Guilty . The Recorder told the prisoner he had been convicted of a capital offence , and judgment of death > ould be recorded against him . The sentence of death would not , however . be carried out ; but , taking into consideration the brutal character of the offence , he should feel it his duty to recommend that he be transported for the term of his natural life .

      Great Skiff Race On The Tyne.—Newell ¦ O...

      GREAT SKIFF RACE ON THE TYNE . —NEWELL ¦ o . CLASPER . This match between the champion of the north and Newell , a first-class London waterman , came oft ' on Monday , on tbe Tyne . The amount at issue was 100 sovereigns a-side , and the distance to be performed about five miles , being from Newcastle-bridge to Leamington . A great degree of interest had been excited in tbe aquatic sporting circles , which increased as the time approached for the decision of the race . Both men enjoyed a very high character , Clasper having defeated the Thame ? watermen on their own river , Carrol on tho Hersey , and lately , Poeoclt on the Tyne . The present Match If 096 . if we we are not mistaken , in consequence of the London men not being satisfied with Pocock ' s defeat , and they .

      therefore , put forward Newell , and proposed this match , which was at once accepted . Newell arrived on Monday week , with a b eautiful skiff , made of cedar-wood , by W « tzell and Cownden , of Lambeth , in model not unlike Clasper ' s , the improvements from tbe usual London skiffs having evidently been cepied from it . The skiff was 30 feet in length , 22 inches iu breadth of beam , and 7 inches in tbe highest part ; it was covered in entirely at each end . and an oilskin is provided to fit round the rower , if required . Immediately on arriving at Newcastle , Newell launched his skiff , amidst cheers from the ' quayslders , and proceeded to Scotswood " , took up his quarters at the hotel kept there by Mr . Cox , and entered into training both on shore aud afloat , attended by Coombes and a trainer . Clasper , meanwhile , took exercise on the river in his skiff , that in which he contested with Pocock and

      Carrol , bat somewhat altered . It 13 28 feet 2 inches in length , 23 inches in beam , and C inches high at the bow , and 4 £ inches aft , and is built of mahogany . IBotU boats have been minutely examined by competent judges , and it has been admitted that two finer craft of the kind were never seen , each skiff Reflecting the greatest Credit on the builder . The condition of the men also was good , though there was some disparity in weight , Newell weigh , ing- lOst . 3 Jb ., while Clas ;« er only weighs 9 st . 51 b , During the latter part of last week several of Newell's friendi arrived from London , Including Messrs . Parish , Wentrell , & c ., all of whom backed their champion freely . Nor were Clasper ' s friends more shy in this respect . At one time the betting was 6 to ion Newell , but as the time of

      trial drew near the position of both became about equal . The interest felt in the event was manifest by the immense concourse assembled to witness it . Never , perhaps , on any similar occasion , was there seen such a re ass of spectators . The Tyne bridge contained a dense crowd , standing in carts and other vehicles ; countless faces were seeing peeping through the balustrades , while the parapets were literally covered from end to end . The various quays , houses , and every other available place on either side of the river , as far as the eye coald reach , was equally well occupied . The river , too , bore thousands on its surface , in craft of every description . At the Redhengh and Scotswood Road railway station , trains Blled with passengers waited the arrival of the boats , and accompanied them as far as the Scotswood Bridge .

      THE RACE . Soon after two o ' clock , the Ocean Bride steamer , containing- tbe umpires and referee , Sic , took up its position at the south side of the river , near the piles driven for the High Level Bridge . At about 17 minutes before three o ' clock , Newell entered his skiff , from the stairs of the Queen ' s Head public house . In a few minutes after , Clasper embarked from a wherry , at Fipewellgate , and on moving off was loudly cheered by his friends . Both men pulled through the bridge and down the quay , and after rowing a few minutes came to tbe post . They looked remarkably well , though Newell was considerably stronger than his opponent . After two false starts , the stroke fell even , and away they darted , and stroke after stroke , following in quick succession , swept them onwards amidst the shouts of the people , which reverberated with strange

      effect from shore to shore . On reaching tbe Skinncr ' sbnrn , the boats were abreast of each other , but , coming too close , unluckily " filed" oars , but in a moment they cleared , and continued their course . From this point to the Shot Tower the struggle was very severe , the boats being equally matched , and all evidently depending upon tbe stamina of the men . Clasper contrived to gain a slight advantage , but as they noared the Elswick Old Staith , Newell made good his gronnd ; a few strokes more and he succeeded in heading Clasper , and continued to improve his advantage . Clasper , nothing daunted , toiled manfully at his oar . but all his efforts to reach his adversary proved abortive , and the race from this point was seen virtually to be decided , for when they reached the

      foot of the Meadows Newell was full three boats' length ahead . Along the Meadows they sped , passing in quick succession Paradise , Scotswood Bridge , and Bell's Close . Newell ultimately won by half a minute , Newell having pulled the distance in 29 minutes , and Clasper 29 $ —the computed distance between the boats being from 80 to 100 yards . Perhaps one of the most remarkable features of the event was the intense interest displayed on Clasper ' s behalf by the assembled thousands . Wherever , in the course of the race , he obtained an advantage , cheer followed cheer to urge him onwards . Soon , again , he fell behind , and silence became universal . It is calculated that an enormous sum will have been lost and won , The stakes will be paid over to Newell , without a dispute .

      Executions In Ireland. The Memorial Forw...

      EXECUTIONS IN IRELAND . The memorial forwarded to the Lord Lieutenant some days since in favour of llayes , Rice , and Fogarty , bavins failed in its object , the wretched men underwent— " the extreme penalty of the law "—at one o ' clock yesterday , in front of Nenagh gaol . The Tipperory Vindicator says : — At a very early hour the police , to the number of one hundred and fifty , were marched into Nenagh , nearly exhausted with the extreme heat of the day and the weight of their knapsacks , carbines , & c . Groups of country people , principally old women and children , gathered about tbe place of execution . Thousands of men flocked into the town , but they remained about the streets , few of them comparatively appearing in the direction of the gaol , and those few the particular relatives and friends of the convicts . The convicts were greatly resigned . Since their return from Dublin they were constantly attended by tbe Rev . Mr . Poivw and ihe Itev . Mr . Bowles . They spent the entire of Thursday , and the greater part

      of the night and yesterday morning , iu prayer . They assisted at mass yesterday morning , in the prison chapel , and received communion , and remained in constant prayer till the fatal moment had arrived when the summons Of the sheriff reached theui , We should have mentioned that very many respectable familiss removed from Nenagh during the day , iu order to be absent from the disgusting influence of the fell outrage , wltich acted like a spell on every mind , which prevented men engaging in th » ir usual occupations , nnd caused a universal involuntary abandonment of labour far and wide . As twelve o'clock approached a death-like stillness pervaded the entire town . Pew stirred abroad except those who were present in front of the scaffold . The sub-sheriff , Mr . Going arrived about a quarter after twelve o ' clock , And remained at Brundley ' s Hotel till within afew minutes of one o'clock , p . m ., when Mr . Rock , the governor of tire gaol , waited on him , and accompanied him ' to the prison . Atone o ' clock a hotly of the 72 d Highlanders were drawn up in front of the prison . The streets were filled with

      Executions In Ireland. The Memorial Forw...

      the loudlamentations ef some female relatives ottheprisoner Hayes , who were present , as three coffins passed up towards the gaol some minutes before the unfortunate men made their . appearance In front of the scaffold . Thousands of persons from the parish of Ballygibbon , Rapla , Ardcroney , i & c , waited in the fields outside the town , in order to accompany the funeral procession of Rice and Hayes , whilst thousands from Dunharrow awaited the funeral of Fogarty , whose remains were conducted to that district . At ten minutes past two o ' clock , p . m ., the unfortunate men made their appearance on the scaffold , accompanied by the clergymen above named . Their faces were covered with white caps , and ropes were about their necks , The executioner ( who , it was said , is the same that hanged Bryan Seery in Muilingar ) made his appearance a few minutes before , for the purpose of adjusting the ropes , & e , A thrill of indescribable horror pervaded the multitude ; hut no expressions wave used by the people , who conducted themselves quietly . Those

      who attended to hear a declaration from their lips were disappointed in their anticipations , as the unfortunate men did not utter a syllable . They came out one after the other , Rice first , Fogarty and Hayes afterwards . Rice exclaimed , "Lord have mercy on us , " the Rev . Mr , Power holding the crucifix before him . After standing a few seconds on the scaffold , supported by the clergymen , theclergymen withdrew , after affectionately bidding them farewell , and in a few seconds they were launched into eternity . Their struggles were very brief , nor did they seem to suffer much . The assembled multitude for the greater part then withdrew , whilst the bodies remained suspended , a revolting spectacle in a christian land , and it was after three o ' clock when they were cut down and deposited in the coffins prepared for them , and at halfpast three o'clock they were conveyed to the residence of their respective friends , where they are to 1 ) 6 Waked this day , and interred to-morrow ( Sunday . ) The excite , ment among the people is intense .

      Discovery In Liverpool, Of "Women In Sai...

      DISCOVERY IN LIVERPOOL , OF "WOMEN IN SAILOR'S ATTIRE—SINGULAR FREAK ON THE PART OF TWO FEMALE SERVANTS FROM HULL . On Monday very considerable curiosity and interest were excited in the neighbourhood of Fenwick-street , in consequence of two femalo * servants from Hull , bavins been found dressed in sailor's attire , and having their § et discovered just as they were about , to undergo an examination by a medical gentleman , preparatory to their going on board a man-of-war . The females who had in this instance taken it into their heads to ship as seamen in her Majesty ' s service , and who , but for their own confession , obtained from them under the circumstances mentioned , would have carried their intention into effect , are two very fine young women , the one 17 , and the other 18 years of age . Beth are extremely well-looking , intelligent , and about the middle stature . They can read and write well , and upon the subject of their freak they were exceedingly communicative , but apparently very sorry that they had been prevented from doing maritime

      service . They are both the daughters of small , farmers , and their parents are still living . The name of the girl aged 18 is Harriet Palmer . She was born at a place called Barton , in Lincolnshire , and is the eldest of sir children . She has latterly been living as cook at the Blue Bell Inn , situate in the market place of that town , a situation she only held about amonth , and at the inn , she first assumed the male attire . " . - . ,. The name of the other girl is Caroline Sarah Abbey . She was born in Yorkshire , and has thirteen brothers and sisters . She went jto service at an early age , and after being in a variety of places , went to Hull , and wasimmcdiately engaged as bar-maid at the Blue Bell Inn in that town .

      We have now brought the parties together at the Blue Bell Inn , where , though previously strangers to each other , they speedily formed a strong attachment to each Other , as they concocted their plans a fortnight after meeting together . Carolineseems to have first suggested to Harriet , that it would be a capital hit upon their parts if they left their places , dressed themselves in sailors ' clothes , went off to Liverpool , and shipped as apprentices or seamen , they cared not in what capacity , in what vessel , or at what part of tbe world they might be bound , Harriet listened to the tale , and concurred heartily in the plot . Their sweethearts were sailors , and had sent home glorious accounti from distant lands of the scenes they had witnessed ; and the girls , inspired with a love of following their career , seem to have some idea floating in their minds that , by going to sea , they would sooner or later fall in with their friends abroad .

      Acting , then , as tonsors for each other , their beautiful locks and ringlets were cutoff , and having doffed their female attire , they put on that of the masculine sex , and , having paid 13 s . each for their fare , set off on Thursday by railway for Manchester . On reaching Manchester , their funds became so low that they were compelled to walkto Liverpool . On Thursday night they sleptat Warrington , and at eleven o'clock on Friday morning , they arrived in Liverpool . They have ever since then been constantly in the company of sailors , eating and drinking and sleeping in the same room with them . They applied at several shipping offices for situations , and the captain of one of the merchant vessels in the Prince ' s Dock offered to take Caroline on board at once , but she refused to go , as she would be separated from Harriet . They

      visited the Sailors'Home several times ; and at length a young man , whom they accidentally met , advised them to enter themselves as apprentices on board a man-ofwar . They repaired with that view to the Naval Office , in Water . street , on Monday , morning , and the captain immediately accepted them , subject to the approval of the examining surgeon , Mr . Craig . The captain said they were strapping lads , and that they would answer admirably . On being taken to Mr . Craig's surgery , they took off their coats , vests , caps , and shoes , and then announced , to the surgeon's infinite astonishment , that they were not what they seemed to be , boys . They urged him strongly , however , to pass over that insuperable obstacle , and to let them serve her Majesty , but , of course , he was unable to comply with their request .

      From the surgeon ' s they were taken to Mr . Dowling ' s office , and subsequently to the parish office , where they received the kindest treatment from Mr . Gray and Mr , Rowlands , the overseers , They were lodged at a respectable house ; and on Tuesday morning would be clothed once more in female attire , and will then be sent b ick to Hull .

      Opening Of Ihe North British Railway.—Fatal

      Opening of ihe North British Railway . —Fatal

      Accident.—On Thursday The Communication ...

      Accident . —On Thursday the communication by railway , between Edinburgh and Berwick-upon-Tweed , was formally opened . We regret , however , to mention , that a lampmaker , named Matthew Ilowett , was hilled in returning by the first train . He was passing along the top of a carriage , when his skull was fractured by coming in contact with one of the bridges . He was conveyed to the infirmary , where he died yesterday . Mtstkrious Death of a Gentleman in a House of Ill-fame . —On Friday Mr . Carter , Coroner for Surrey , held an inquest at the Royal Oak , Gvanby Street , Waterloo Road , on the body of a gentleman , at present unknown , whose death occurred under very

      mysterious circumstances : —Mary Price , alias Smith , said that she resided at No . 19 , Granby Street , Waterloo Road , and was a single woman . On tho 3 rd instant , she met the deceased at the Surrey Theatre . Since that period they had been cohabiting together , and last week they went to Gravesend , where they remained a day and a night . They returned from Gravesend about a quarter before 0 at night , and the deceased sent witness ' s landlady for some ginger-beer and ale , of which they all drank . He then borrowed 5 s . of witness ' s landlady , alleging that he had nothing smaller than a £ 5 note . She ( witness ) had seen the witness change two £ 5 notes , out of which he had paid £ 3 for rent , and had redeemed some articles in pledge for her . When on

      board the steam boat he told her he had a £ 5 note in his possession : but , when his pockets were searehed only three-halfpence were found therein . On the night of Wednesday last , they went to the Grapes , Suffolk Street , to a concert . After they left they went to two public houses in the Waterloo Road , where they hail some giR-and-water . They then returned to witness ' s lodgings and went to bed . The following morning , about six o'clock , he asked witness if she was awako . and then stated that he had a bad pain in the stomach . He got up and went into the yard , but returned again , and whilst he was taking off his trousers he appeared to faint . Witness bathed his teinples , but he did not recover . She , therefoie , sent for a surgeon , who pronounced life extinct . He

      had told her that became from Southampton , but he refused to state his name . Mr . Sewell , surgeon , of 39 , Lower Marsh , Lambeth , said that on his arrival at tho house in Granby Street , he found deceased dead . He had since opened the body , and found that the lining of the stomach was completely destroyed . The contents of the stomach was of a dark colour , resembling coffee-grounds and blood . The intestines presented an inflammatory appearance . The tongue was partially speckled , and pealed . The internal appearance was such as would arise from taking some corrosive substance . A bottle ( produced ) was found down the water-closet , and had contained oxalic acid . The inquiry , at this stage , was adjourned , to have the contents of the stomach analyzed , and to find out the friends of the deceased .

      Sudden Deaths , supposed to be from the Excessive Heat . —Two sudden deaths occurred in Winchester on Wednesday—generally su posed to have been caused through the excessive heat of the weather . A Mrs . Wall , aged about GO , wife of one of the lay-vicars or clerks of the cathedral , complained about twelve o ' clock ofa slight head-ache , and of the powerful effect the heat had upon her while preparing dinner : on the husband coming in from attending h . s duties at the cathedral at his customary hour of dinnev-timo , she named to him also she felt faintand indisposed : after taking a little water the poor woman nearly fainted ; and before medica assistance could arrive , she expired . Within ess leBellfe ^^ V ^ - * W « , IftXdS tSJn . t"i ^"' ? t ^™ town , was similarly nffi ' r c ? J > , inS of the heat ; then an obstruction o the breath ; after which , becoming . aint and weak , ia lees thm twenty minutes life was extinct . i

      Accident.—On Thursday The Communication ...

      Murder meak Fromk . —The fair , formerly held at Mells , has , for several years past , been removed to the village of Little Elm , near Frome , and was accordingly held there on Tuesday last , when a dreadful murder was committed about ten at night , in one of the booths . Two men , named Williams and Wiggans , connected with some horse-dealers who attended the fair , having had an altercation during the day , it was renewed in the evening by Williams , who repeatedly challenged Wiggans to fight ; some blows were exchanged , when Williams having his victim under him on the ground , he , in the most savage manner , plunged a knife into his neck , which divided the jugular vein , and caused death in a few minutes . The murderer , Williams , after inflicting the fatal blow ran off , but was soon taken . A _ verdict of Wilful Murder being returned against him he has since been committed to take his trial at the next

      sessions . Conflagration nbar Bristol . —The utmost degree of consternation and alarm was occasioned here on Saturday night by intelligence which was brought into the city , about ten o ' clock , that the extensive military barracks , now approaching towards completion , at Horefield , were on fire , and in danger of immediate destruction . The fire first broke out in a large building erected as a mill fur sawing timber by machinery , and attached to which were an engine and engine-house . The flames spread with great activity , and in a very short space of time the erection was completely destroyed , together with the machinery and engine . A shop used by tbe carpenters next caughtand this was likewise reduced to ashes ,

      , as were the sheds in which the workmen deposited their tools after work hours for security . Immediately adjacent to those oreetiong were a large number of piles of deal and other timber , which , being well seasoned readily caught , and soon presented a mass of brilliant flame , extending around the yard , and covering an area of hundreds of square yards , The efforts of the contractor , Mr . Duller , and of the engineer and firemen , were divided betwixt attempts to extinguish the already ignited materials , and to prevent the flames from extending to the more extensive and valuable buildings Of the barracks . Fortunately the latter ebject was obtained , but it was hours after daylight before the violence of the conflagration could be so far subdued as to prevent further danger .

      Suicide , induced , by LofB . —On Saturday night , Mr . W . Payne held an inquest at the Cathedral Coffee-house , St . Paul ' s Churchyard , on the body of Mr . Samuel Butler , aged 23 , a chemist , of No . 4 , Cheapside , who committed suicide under the following melancholy circumstances : —Mr . Thomas Harding , partner of deceased , stated that about ten minutes past eleven on last Saturday morning the porter went up to his room to call him , but , receiving no answer , he returned , telling witness of the circumstance , who proceeded , followed by deceased's father to the apartment , and on forcing open the door , discovered him lying on the bed with a bottle by his side that had contained priissic acid . A

      surgeon was called in , who pronounced him to be dead . Mr . James Creep , also attached to the firm , said tiie deceased was quite well at nine o ' clock , at which hour he breakfasted , but seemed much absorbed in meditation . Shortly before eleven he went up to his room for the purpose of changing his dress . It appeared by the evidence of deceased ' s father , that the unfortunate occurrence was induced by an apprehended disappointment in marriage , for although he had the entire concurrence of his parents , in conjunction with that of the friends of the voung lady to whom he was paying his addresses , he exhibited a morbid depression of spirits , and seemed to despair of ever obtaining the object of his affections . Verdict — " Temporary insanity . "

      Attempted Assassination in St . Giles—On Tuesday afternoon , between two and three o ' clock , great excitement prevailed in the neighbourhood of St . Giles , in consequence of a young man having been stabbed in Church lane , by a girl of the town , wellknown by the name of " Bustle Bet , " living in that street . It appears that Martin Welch , the father of the unfortunate victim was in the habit of collecting rents , dec ., for Mr . Mason , the owner of the house at which the occurrence took place . lie had also been cohabiting with the woman Bet , and at the time already alluded to , he repaired to the premises , under the pretence of getting in some money due for rent , but for the real purpose of visiting the prisoner . His wife having heard of the circumstance , at once proceeded to the room , which is on the second floor front , and being refused admittance , she burst open the door , when she saw the prisoner and her

      husband in bed . He immediately got up , and ran down stairs , when words ensued between her arid the prisoner , who threatened to kill her . At this moment , John Welch , a lad about 18 , stepped forward to protect his mother , and the prisoner caught hold of a large table knife , and inflicted a dreadful wound in his breast . She then attempted to stab him in the abdomen , but having missed her aim she struck him on the left legjustabovethe shinbone , an ;! thus cau ? ed a wound of about . 1 ) 1 inch and a half in length , and an inch deep . The screams of murder had by this time attracted the attention of Police-constable 123 . who having secured the prisoner , the boy was conveyed to the University College Hospital , where he remains in a very precarious condition . The prisoner , who is a young woman about twentythree years , was taken to the George-street police-station , and will be brought to Bow-street Police-court on Wednesday morning .

      Steam Power . —Above one hundred thousand men were employed for twenty years in erecting the great pyramid of Egypt . From a computation by M . Dupin , it uppers that the steam-engines of England would equal the whole product of this immense application of human labour , in lifting stones , within the short space of eighteen hours . Ar . Matjcooth , the improvements under the new parliamentary grant & v & surprising . Grand walks are now to be seen , where a few months ago stagnant pools emitted their fetid smell ; delph ware has been substituted for the " pewter platter , " by the inspectors , and the new wings are to be commenced next month . The exercise ground has been also improved ; the bad courts , & c , in excellent order . All the porters , die . of the college have livery now for the first time .

      The most Impudent Robbert on Record . —> A lady went into a store in New York , a few days since , to purchase a shawl . Just as she was handing the clerk two fifty dollar bills , she received a blow in the face from a well-dressed person , who exclaimed , " I forbade you buying a shawl ! " and snatching the money 'Vom her hand evaporated . The lady fainted , and on recovering , the merchant expressed his surprise that her husband should have acted so ungentlemanly , but hia surprise was greatly increased when the lady informed him that it was not her husband , and that she had never seen him before ! The bold thief , however , made good his escape . —American Paper .

      Progress of the Cholera . —It has been confidently rumoured , in the best informed medical circles , that the labours of the commission of sanatory inquiry will be rendered permanent by the appointment ofa board of health , to suggest and enforce precautionary measures against the dreaded visitation ol the asiatio cholera .

      Rural Affairs .

      RURAL AFFAIRS .

      Accounts From Holland And Belgium State ...

      Accounts from Holland and Belgium state that the rye crop is in a very precarious state in both countries , the plant having changed its colour , and ripened before the seed was properly formed . This will be a great loss in th ' ose countries where , as well as in Germany , rye bread is still geii .-rally eaten , and even preferred to wheateu bread , as it was in the north oi'Lancashirehalf a century ago . The use and growth of rye have now almost ceased in this country , but a few patches which tve have seen this year are unusually luxuriant in their growth , and promise to yield abundantly . Much of the' straw is upwards of sis fee thigh .

      The potato crop seems to he failing this year in Portugal , Tuscany , and other parts of the south of Europe . In Portugal tbe weather has been unusually wet , whilst in Italy it has been unusually dry . It thus appears that either extreme is fatal to the plant . The same fact has been observed in the United Stares , and it strongly confirms the opinion that the sets of the plant now in use are in a wtak and dejrem-rate state , and therefore unable to resist any kind of extreme in the weather . There has been a greater quantity of hay secured in first-rate condition since our last publication than was probably ever secured in an equally short time . During the whole week , all that was necessary was to cut down the hay-grass and after leaving it in the sun for a couple

      of days , to carry it to the stack . On many farms the whole crop is thus eecured , and even on those where the quantity is too great to be saved in so short a time , many stacks have been got together . Except in dry and stiff lands , the hay craps are'large as well as of excellent quality , and on some { Farms they are the largest that ever were grown . The cost of getting the crops has not been one half as heavy this year as it usually is a fact of which the farmers have great reason to congratulate themselves in this part of the kingdom , as farm labourers were never so scarce as they are at present . The wages given for mowing in this country are this year about a shilling an acre higher than they were formerly , and in tho nei ghbourhood of London the advance is said to be much greater .

      The wheat is now in flower in all parts of South h < xncashira . This is a very critical period in its growth , and one in which it is especially liable to be injured by heavy rains and high winds . There is this year erery prospect that it will escape both these evils , and that the seed will " set" firmly and in ' good condition . Whatever may be the result of other crops , nothing but a complete and violent change of weather can now deprive us of a good wheat crop . Allthespring crops are beginning to stand much in need of rain , but we believe that none of them are yet much injured , unless it is thconts and barley on a few very dry soils . After many weeks of dry weather , we had a few refreshing showers last evening in this neighbourhood , which will , we trust , be general If that should be the case , every thing will grow as in a hot-bed j—liucrpoot Timet ,

      Accounts From Holland And Belgium State ...

      THE BISHOPS AND THE CORN LAWS . TO THE EDITOR OF THE MORNING POST . Sir , The Bishop of Qxford's speech , on the 12 th instant , is , perhaps , the most extraordinary oration of the present session . Had I time , I should have pleasure in giving it that attention which it calls for . ,.. ' . ' £ must , however , leave " the working clergy" and "the landlords whose estates are mortgaged" to take care of themselves , merely asking the Bishop how he , a Christain Prelate , can give his support to a measure fraught with injury ( as lie says Free Trade is ) to those parties—seeing that it is evident the principle of Free Trade cannot be Love—for it is said" Love worketh no ill to his neighbour ?"

      , On one part of the Bishop ' s speech I must make a remark , because , it seems to me . that the Right Reverend Prelate has . admitted a principle as much at variance with every Christian principle as it evidently is with the best interests of the farmers ^ and labourers . The Bishop has declared the spirit of competition to be just and beneficial , although every writer on political economy admits that competition has its origin in covetousness and selfishness ; surely the Bishop need not be tohl that Christianity is " a great experiment" * to eradicate covetousness and selfishness from the heart of man . The Bishop has , if I mistake not , reduced the

      farmers and labourers to the condition of brutes , for he says "Be he farmer , or be he labourer , what is it that makes him valuable to those above him ? It is competition ?" That a Bishop of the Church of England should be driven thus to degrade his fellow-creatures , is perhaps one of the most awful signs of the times . I feel quite sure , that during the most exciting periods of the Anti-Corn Law movement , no hired lecturer of the League would , at ameeting of the people , have ventured on an expression so repugnant to the feelings of every well regulated mind . It has been reserved for a Bishop in the House of Lords successfully to " compete" with the orators of the League .

      Universal competition is univcrfal war—war io the knife—against all who have to work for their living . Its effects have whitened the plains of the East with the bones of the famished weavers . They were killed by the competition of your Yorkshire and Lancashire weavers , who , in return , by their competition , were reduced to live on carrion . This ia no figure of speech ; it is a day , naked ' fact ; and all that while—from the Throne downwards—we were told that" our manufactures were prosperous !" But what matters it ? Those poor weavers " were making themselves valuable to those ABOVE them . ' " So says the Bishop of Oxford ! 1 am , Sir , Yours respectfully , London , June 15 . Richard Ostler . P . S . If the Bishop ' s philosophy be the Christianity of the Church of England , I have read her Liturgy and homilies very incorrectly . —R . 0 .

      LETTER H . Sir , —One word more in reference to the Bishop of Oxford . I find that he has been a great reader , observer , and thinker ; he says , ' It was an easy thing to talk about an opponent in argument being young , but it was a strange thing , if a man who had for forty years been studying ,-not idly , books , men , and things , could not express his own views on a great political question , without being taunted with being a young man . I refer not to his youth or his age—it is tohis long-continued diligence in research—his acuteness in thought—his promptness in decision , that I now allude . He must be a very clever man . He has settled that abstruse question which Adam Smith , Malthus , and M'Culloch have each declared their

      inability to solves he has settled the question of " theincrease of wealth ! " The Bishop ' s reading , observation , and thought , have carried him far beyond the knowledge of those great teachers of political economy . Where they hesitated , he is positive—where they doubted , he is sure ! No matter that , afterall , his knowledge is " slight "—instead of learning we have positive conclusions . Read the following , and wonder at the modesty and diffidence of Adam Smith . Malthus , and M'Culloch . The Bishop of Oxford said , "I shall not follow the example of the Right Reverend Prelate ( the Bishop of Exeter ) in disclaiming all knowledge of political economy , because some slight knowledge of political economy is necessary for the consideration of this

      subject , and if the Right Rev . Prelate says he has none , he puts himself out of the condition of the argument . " " This is a matter whicli lies in the alphabet of political economy ; so far as I have been able to understand it , I approve of this measure . " The Bishop may , during his " forty years' reading , " have somewhere seen " a little learning is a dangerous thing . " The " slight knowledge" of the Bishop gives him much more confidence than that possessed by the great masters of the science of political economy . His " Alphabet of Political Economy" lias puzzled those whose names stand highest in the school of political economy . Well , then , the Bishop of Oxford has " read books , not idly , for forty years , " and has decided , that Free Trade , or universal competition , is the sure mode of increasing wealth ! I will record the words of the Bishop , because they never ought to be forgotten . "The effect of lerieaUriS them'esent law is , that

      it will produce competition . What is it that makes any man more valuable in a life of labour ? It is the amount of competition he has to strive against . Be he farmer , or be he labourer , what is it that makes him important and valuable to those above him ? It is competition ; and unless the foreign labourer compete with our own , he will never raise his present position ! " And this from a Christian Bishop ! Among all the books which , during "forty years , " the Bishop has read , did he , think you , ever stumble upon the '' old Boole , " the Bible ? Did he ever meet with the Homilies ? Did he ever open the Prayerbook ? If S " , how happens it that his philosophy has led him to conclusions so entirely at variance with the religion taught in those three books ? If the Bishop ' s philosophy be true , covetousness is a cardinal virtue , and selfishness is an angelic prace ! The Bible being true—the books of the Church being true— " covetousness is idolatry , " and selfishness is a sin .

      Mark nie , Sir , I do not play with words ; on the highest authority in the school of political economy , competition is declared to be the offspring of covetousness and selfishness ! Does the Bishop dispute this fact ? If so , I am prepared with proof . One word more , and I have done . If competition be really a good thing—if it exalts man in his social relations—what pity that the Bishops should be excluded from its benefits ! I know many of "the working clergy" who would make excellent Bishops . Why is not the road to the bench by the way oF competition ? The episcopal work

      might , by chance , be as well done for hundreds as it is now done for thousands . Is it not possible that , by this " right rev . plan , " the Bishops might be made more valuable , not only to those above , but also to thosebelowthem . Who would be injured , if every , properly qualified clergyman were allowed to compete for a mitre ?—to bid at a Dutch auction ? Depend upon it , Sir , the principle of " What is sauce for the goose , is sauce for the gan . der , " will chime in beautifully with the principle of competition . Let the Bishop of Oxferd , if he can , define where competition should end . I am , Sir , yours respectfully , Richard Oastler .

      London , June 18 , 1846 . P . S . —I have some interest in the Bishop of Oxford ; twice I have shed my blood in defence of his father . Is the Bishop of Oxford really the preceptor of the Prince of Wales ? R . 0 . * See the Bishop of Oxford's speech .

      British And Foreign Institute. This Soci...

      BRITISH AND FOREIGN INSTITUTE . This Society , of which the Earl ol Devon is President , has just issued its Third Annual Report , of which we have received a copy . By this it appeals that the assets of the Society are valued at £ 7 . 800 , and its liabilities arc only £ 1 , 800 ; while its members include persons of the highest rank and the greatest eminence in Literature , Science , and Art , in almost every country in Europe , as well as in Asia and America . The following extracts from the Report will sufficiently explain the nature of its procecdiugs : —

      The regular succession of the Soirees , Lectures , Conversazioni , and discussions of the past year , 1 ms been productive ofa great variety of useful and interesting information , and yielded a large share of enjoyment to the . members and visitors attending them . And the arrangements connected with the Reading Room and library have been continued with uninterrupted regularity , according to tho original design on which the Institute was founded .. The addition of foreign visitors and honorary memberg has been very considerable , and is constantly increasing ; and as these are admitted to all the privilege * of the Institute without fee or charge , one of the most important purposes for which it was established has been successfully achieved ; namel y , that of increasing to

      foreigners the opportunities of agreeable intercourse With English Society , ' and bringing together men of kindred minds and congenial tastes from all parts of the globe . In confirmation ' of this , it may be mentioned , that atone of the Soirees there were present , on tho same evening , a learned and travelled Chinese , from the very heart of that distant empire—a Canadian Chief of one of the North American Tribes of Indians near Toronto—a very intelligent youth from Neir Zealand—aud an accomplished Prince froio Bulgaria—each of whom was sufficiently acquainted with English to communicate readil y with the others ; and their very different impressions of our country and its people were full of interest aud no . velty , while all agreed in the expression of gratitude for the hospitality and kindness everywhere shewn to them .

      Among tho subjects of the Lectures and Discussions , those of Geograph y , Astronomy , Meteorology , Geology Agriculture , Zoology , Anatomy , Physiology , Navigation

      British And Foreign Institute. This Soci...

      Mnemonics , Political Economy , Colonisation , Music Painting , Architecture , History , Finance , Jurisprudence , ' and questions of great moral and social interest , have had their share . And among the exhibitions of Worksof Art , and recent inventions , have been a great variety asmuch admired for their novelty and utility as for their worth and beauty . The cordial and disinterested assistance of the musical members of the Institute deserves the most grateful acknowledgments of the Committee , and of all who have participated in the high gratification which their exquisite performances have conferred : a gratification for which they feel the more indebted , from the cheerfulness and affability with which it has been always accompanied , though the sacrifice of time and labour involved in these delightful contributions has often been greaterthan those not acquainted with the difficulties to be surmounted could conceive .

      The Ten Hours' Bill. On Monday Evening A...

      THE TEN HOURS' BILL . On Monday evening a meeting of the Lancashire Central Short Time Committee was held at their rooms in Manchester , for general purposes ; also for agreeing to an address ordered by a district meeting , to be sent to their friends in Parliament . The Chairman of the Committee presided . The delegates who had attended a district meeting , gave their report , from which it appeared tbat the operatives throughout the country , were more resolved to prosecute their efforts than on any former occasion . They had authorised the Committee to re-engage their secretary , and requested them to call upon the districts for the necessary funds . The following i & the Addresa agreed to by the Committee : —

      TO THE FBIENDS OF THE FACIOBT BILL IN PAKLIIMENT . Gentlemen—At the most -numerous meeting of delegates from the factory districts of Lancashire , the Central Short Time Committee were requested on behalf of the factory workers and their children , once more to express their gratitude for the interest you have taken in their welfare , in recording your votes in favour ofa Bill introduced by Lord Ashley and subsequently con . ducted by Mr ; John Fielden , to' limit the hours of labour far children and young persons employed in factories to ten hours per day .

      We can assure you it is a matter of deep regret to tho factory operatives , that they will again be under the noccBBitj of appealing to the Legislature for this measure of justice and humanity—a measure calculated to raise them mortally , physically , andintellectually , to a position in society to which honourable and honest minds aspire . The recent expression of opinion in the House of Commons is of itself sufficient to convince us that the claims of the factory children must soon be settled by Legislative enactment ; The progress which our cause has made of late

      encourages us to more active exertion ; and the support we have received from our friends in the House of Commons inspires us with hopes of speedy success , It is our de « termination never to change our course of procedure ; powerful appeals to the councils of our country will ever be our mode of action , and our friends may rest assured that we shall never , hy any acts of ours , destroy " that confidence which they have ever reposed in us , Our efforts from this time shall be redoubled with increased firmness , but , as heretofore , directed by lawful and constitutional means .

      Signed on behalf of the Lancashire Central Short Time Committee ,, Joseph Mollineaut , Sec Committee Room , Old Swan Inn , Pool-street , Manchester , June 22 , 1846

      The Weatheryears Which Were Extremely Ho...

      THE WEATHERYEARS WHICH WERE EXTREMELY HOT & DRY . ¦ ¦ ¦• In 763 the summer was so' hot that the springs driei up , In 870 the heat was so intense , that near Worms , the reapers dropped dead in the fields . In 921 , and again in 993 , it was so hot that the corn , and fruit were burnt up . The year 1000 was so hot and dry that in Germany the pools of water disappeared , and the fish , being left to stink in the mud , bred a pestilence . In 1122 the heat was so excessive that both men and cattle were struck dead . Iu 1130 the earth yawned with drought . Springs and rivers disappeared , and even the Rhine was dvhiu up ia Alsace . In 1159 not a drop of rain fell in Italy after May . The year 1171 was extremely hot in Germany . In 12 S 2 the heat was so great , especially in Germany , that it is said eggs were roasted in the sands . In 1260 many of the Hungarian soldiers died of excessive heat at the famous battle fought near Bela .

      The consecutive years 1276 and 1277 were so hot and dry as to occasion a great scarcity of fodder . The years 1293 and 1291 were extremely hot ; and so were likewise 1303 and 1304 , both the Rhine and the Danube having dried up . In 1333 the corn fields and vineyards were burnt up . The years 1303 and 139 * were excessively liot and dry . In 1447 the summer ivas extremely hot . In the successive j- ' ars , 1473 and 1474 , the whole earth seemed on fire . In Hungary one might wade across the Danube . The four consecutive years , 1538 , 1539 , 1540 , and 1541 , were excessively hot , and the rivers dried up . In 1556 ' . the drought was so great that the springs failed . In England wheat rose from 8 s . to 5 Ss . a quarter . The years 1615 and 1 G 16 were very dry over Europe . In 1646 it was extremely hot .

      In 1652 the warmth was very great , the summer beinf the driest ever known in Scotland ; yet a total eclipse of the sun had happened ; that year , on Monday , the 24 th of March , which hence received the appellation of "Mirk Monday . " The summer of 1670 was remarkably hot . It is related that one of the minions of tyranny , who in that calamit 0 U 5 period harassed the poor Fresbyterians in Scotland with captious questions , having asked a shepherd in Fife whether the killing of the notorious Sharp , Archbishop of St . Andrews ' s , ( which had happened in May , ) was murder , he replied , that he could not tell , but there had been fine weather ever since , The first year of the eighteenth century was excessively warm , and the two following years were of the same description .

      It is a singular coincidence , that in 1718 the weather was extremely hot and dry all over Europe , The air felt so oppressive that all the theatres were shut in Paris . Scarcely any rain fell for the space of nine months , and the springs and rivers dried up . The following' year was equally hot . The thermometer , at Taris , rose to 98-degrees by Fahrenheit ' s scale . The grass and corn were quite parched . In some plp . ees the fruit trees blossomed two or three times . Both the years 1723 and 1724 were dry and hot , The year 1745 was remarkably warm and dry , but the following year was still hotter , insomuch that the grass

      withered , and the leaves dropped from the trees . Neither rain nor dew fell for many months ; and , on tho continent , prayers were offered up in the churches to implore the bounty of refreshing slioivers . In 1754 it was likewise extremely warm . The years 17 C 0 and l'Gl were both of them remarkably hot ; and so was the year 17 C 3 . 1774 was excessively hot and dry . Both the years 1778 and 1779 were warm and very dry , The year 1788 was also very hot and dry ; and of the same character was 1811 , famous for its excellent vintage , and distinguished by the appearance ofa brilliant comet .

      Thundbk Storm Is The North.—Man's Memory...

      Thundbk Storm is the North . —Man ' s memory cannot go back to the time when there was such an awful and terrific thunder storm as one which visited the counties of Cumberland and -Westmoreland on Thursday , nor one of such long duration , It commenced about four o ' clock in the afternoon , and continued with unabated violence till near eight in the evening . When the storm begun the liuhtning proceeded from the south-east , accompanied with the largest drops of rain ever seen in that part of the country . The atmosphere was oppressivclj close and sultry ; indeed , the very air smelted of lire , and flash and thunder-clap succeeded each other in rapid succession until about a quartet' past six , when most portentous oniens ' pres < . 'nted themselves in the heavens and the storm tlien increased to a most frightful

      pitch , and the stoutest heart quailed from its cnects . At this period the electric fluid , which was of the forked description , literally darted in igneous streams from the south , at the rate of eight or ten flashes per minute , while the continuous pe ; ils of thunder , which were of the most sudden , loud , and startling kind , like the mighty crash of houses , one falling upon another , and the rain at the time falling in water spouts , with little abatement till near eight o ' clock . The loss of life and damage done lias been frightful . On the moor at Shap Beck-onte , in Westmoreland , the wife and daughter of Benjamin Girdale , a labourer , were gathering tufts of wool on the fences on Knipe Soar , when the daughter was killed on the spot , by the side of her heart-broken mother , who escaped destruction , bnt who is slightly injured . A man of the name of Hinde , of

      Hardeendale , was also struck down , and so much hurt that faint hopes are entertained of his recovery . In a field near Penrith , eleven sheep and one-lamb ; the property of Mr . William Robinson , were killed while lying under a tree , whicli was shivered to splinters . Tho family of Mr . Thomas Dawson , yeoman , of the village of Stainton , near Penrith , had a most miraculous escape from instant destruction . It appears that a thunderbolt entered the kitchen , and drew the crooks out of the ceiling , on which dried hams were n n B" ? R' , Ifc then proceeded to the clock , the case of which it shivered into a hundred piece . * , but none ot the inmates were hurt , they at the time being in another apartment of the house . Large trees on the estate ot Lord Brougham , at Brougham Hall , were struck and shivered by the lightning . There was another awful thunder-storm in the same localities on the following afternoon , but not so violent . ..

      Ihe TeeiI Govbiwmext , —The Standard of Tuesday evening contains tho following : — " It is confidently rumoured tlwt Sir Kobert Peel will r . sign finally on Saturday , and declare his resignation to the house on Monday . Sir James Graham ' s patent as Baron Preston is engrossed . "

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), June 27, 1846, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns2_27061846/page/6/