Monmouthshire Merlin

THE first indications of the approach of winter are not generally regarded as an appropriate matter for congratulation, or a proper subject of merriment. The decadence of summer and the fall of withered leaves around one's path may afford felicity to a poet, but they carry gloom to ordinary men. It is difficult to feel romantic in weather which turns you into an icicle, notwith- standing the warmth of your feelings. No man but a very strong enthusiast indeed can feel himself a poet with the thermometer rapidly descending to zero. We do occasionally meet with some who pretend to be indifferent to the I changes of the seasons, but could we look behind the mask, we should find that they are affected as keenly as other men. If we could obtain a record of all the great schemes which have been brought to nought by what we may term an attack of Weather, we should be astounded at the magnitude and importance of the list. The wisest and most closely-disciplined minds have been unhinged and rendered powerless by a miserably wet day, or a sudden alteration in the atmosphere. The passage from summer to winter is, therefore, not to be taken as lightly and skippingly as a harlequin leaps through a sausage shop into a featherbed. It demands reflection and preparation, a steeling of the nerves, and a mastery of the resolution. It is not cold enough yet to moralise severely, but who can forget that the death of each summer, and the rapid change of every season, leav an indelible mark behind ? Crows' feet gather about our eyes, and the grey hairs get too numerous1 to permit of the tweezers. We get stout and rubicund, and our friends begin to talk of our" wearing well." Children look up to us with respect, and young ladies don't mind placing unreaerved confidence in us. We are edged up to the head of the table, and expected to propose the first toast after dinner. We are asked to stand godfathers to crying infants, and begin to detect a melancholy resemblance in the fathers drawn by Mr. Leech to our own images. 11 All these are unmistakeable indications of the ] years we have seen and those we have yet to ( see, and each autumn wind seems to whisper e the vale, vale, in ceternitm vale of a time which returns no more. i We do not mean to affirm that winter has not i its peculiar pleasures, un the contrary we may admit, without endangering the safety of our argument, that some very agreeable things may take place in winter which could not possibly happen earlier in the year. Some very good hunting may be had on frosty days, but we can. not all go hunting. The amusements of the fire- side, however, belong to every man and then there are the Christmas parties to look forward to, with the accompanying balls and pleasant reunions. But it is not in nature to be always shaking hands and dallying with conviviality, and moreover we have to get over a bleak stretch of ground before we arrive at the season when the friends of our youth meet around us once more. In a town like this the merriest; bon vivant will find many an hour drag heavily 1 on his hands. What a piece of good fortune c then is it that we have in immediate prospect > a subject which is absolutely certain to provide amusement for the dull, occupation for the idle, and a subject for the gossips Just at the dullest time of the year, when evening parties have scarcely began, and people have hardly done posting round the world-in the month; sacred with us, as the French believe, to suicides 1 and murders-in scowling NOVEMBER itself- I an event occurs which will accomplish all we [ have mentioned, and a good deal more that we 1 have not. i Need we specify more precisely that the mo- ] mentous occasion to which we refer is the I Municipal Election ? What other local occur- l rence is half so enchanting as that ? It is a subject the whole town is interested in, and a bopic on which everybody has something j bo say. The most trivial incident of the kind causes a certain degree of excitement. Dickens tells us what animation was occa- j sioi.cd by the election of Bumble to the office « of parish beadle, and how the I- seven small children" were pressed in to the assistance of the aspiring and happy parent. But our elec- 1 bion is not an affair of Bumble. It would be doing it an injustice to say that to the c inhabitants of Newport it is not one of the I most important events of the year, and we be- lieve they so regard it. The burgesses will j soon have agreeable potions of praise and flattery administered to them. They will be told in all the magnificence of broadside type that they are "honest," "independent," and intelligent" men. They will be appealed to as patriots," and be asked to vote with their "accustomed honour and integrity." They will even receive personal visits from civil-looking and smooth-spoken gentlemen, whose pockets are filled with sweetmeat gifts for:the children, and who seem to come for nothing in particular but a general bonversation on this election. This sort of thing may be very confidently predicted of the coming day but we shall not be so premature as to foretell the changes which will probably be made. It is rumoured that one gentleman who intended to offer him- self finds that he is disqualified, and his name is struck out by the revising barrister. It is also said that an attempt will be made to oust a junior member of the Council, but we can give no express reason why this should he elieved. There will be one or two stand for the honours of town councilmen who cannot be successful, Quia sum fortis temeritas ? For the issue of all this we must be content to wait; but in the meantime, we can clear the ground by giving the following information respecting the retiring members and the numbers of voters:- 1Tr ^ETIUING CANDIDATES. z%56 • I WestWard. Mr. E. Dowhng. Mr. W. C. Webb. • WestWard. Mr. E. Dowlmg. Mr w c Webb Mr. H. Sheppard. Mr. W. Williams. Mr. M. Morrison. Mr. H. J. Davis. Of these gentlemen, Mr. Jv uowhng and Mr M. Morrison have announced their intention of T^sio-nir. or. T^sio-nir. or. NUMBER OF BURGE3SES. Borough Q9„ St. Woollos Christchurch 16 Total 1483 Which are divided thus :— East Ward voters 759 West Ward ditto 704 Duplicates. 20 Total 1483-

FETAL A TERRIBLE CONFLAGRATION. — Few things are more uncomfortable th tn being aroused by an alarm of Fire The news of a flood does not cause half the excitement, even though it may be attended with greater mischief. In our town, fortunately, the nerves of theinhab- itants are seldom startled by the rattle of engines, or the rush of policemen to a ,l terrible conflagration but the other evening it seemed probable that an opportunity would occur of witnessing both those curiosities. A red light was seen to shoot out from behind some houses in Banes'-well, and the atmosphere became red with the reflection of a fire. The denizens of the district, youthful and aged, displayed, great agility in running to the spot, neglecting, in their haste, many of those little articles of wearing apparel which are conventionally deemed indispen. sable. Owing to the darknessofthe streets, several pollisions took place, to the inj ury or utter loss, it is said, of two pairs of venerable spectacles, a woman's cap, an old slipper, and several good tempers, which were not recovered for some time. Ultimately, however, the spot was reached, and instead of finding what London boys joyfully call "a jolly goo l fire," no'hing was to be seen but a huge mass of dry shavings and chips, set alight by a score of ragged urchins, who were grinning and dancing round it like the Witches in Macbeth. They good-naturedly inquired after the healths of the affrighted neighbours who had come to see them, and also made divers observations concerning their beiøg sold again," and licked this time." A cracker" was ignited by one of the young barbarians and thrown at the feet of an "ancient female," who took to her heels, declaring that that 'ere comet's come at last," and it was necessary for her to go and save her furniture. No more wood being procurable, the illumination died away. and the spectators retired home to their porter and cockles in peace. A PUNISHMENT DESERVED.—On Monday last, at the Newport Police Court, a man was brought before the Mayor, charged with using Co indecent and obscene language in the streets," and a fine of 10s. and costs was very justly inflicted on the depraved blasphemer. This sort of offence is beeoming too common in our streets and the boys are frequently the vilest in the abominable language used. Ladies are constantly shocked by such expressions as the prisoner on Monday employed, and the gentleman who appeared to give evidence against him discharged a public duty of no slight importance. The police might exercise their authority oftener on such men as Williams (the defendant) with advantage, and the Mayor, together with his brother magistrates, seem wisely resolved to punish all who are brought before them on similar charges FATAL ACCIDENT AT THE DOCK.-An inquest was held at the Royal George, Pill, on Saturday last, before Wm. Brewer, Esq., coroner, on the body of James Mulchay, labourer, aged 22, who came by his death by being crushed against a coal truck, while employed shipping joal on the previous Wednesday. The accident was men- 1 bioned in our local intelligence last week. John Durston said tbe deceased was working with agangof 6 or 7 men,ship- ip- ping coal, on Wednesday about 2 o'clock in the morning, ieceased, while engaged in unhooking the side chain from f m i truck, was crushed against the buffer through the ludden starting of the horse assistance was immediately j 'endered, and the deceased removed to his father's house. Wm. Mulchay, the father of the deceased, said his son was t wrought home about half-past 2 o'clock, and spoke once. Mr, Hawkins, surgeon, was sent for and pronounced the njuries fatal; deceased died at about one o'clock p.m. of t ihe same day. Verdict, Accidental death. ) HARBOUR COMMISSIONERS MEETING. — A meeting of this body was held at the Town-hall yesterdsvy (Friday) morning, when the following commissioners were present:—Messrs. Thomas Powell, Stephen Campbell, William William, G. W. Jones, John Davis, Chas. Hall, Peter Williams, and Richard Burton. —Mr. Powell made some remark^ relative to the erection of the gridiron. He protested against it on account of its cost, and inti- mated that he should give his vote against it. The sub- ject was deferred till the next meeting.—The Clerk read a letter from Mr. William A. Cox, master of the Filing Fish, complaining of an injury to his vessel, sustained by being removed by the deputy harbour master from her berth. It was shown th tt the removal was necessary, and that the vessel could have sustained no injury by it. ERRATUM.—A case was heard before our borough magistrates on Monday, the 28th inst., in which Mr. Henry Ray, junr., of Pillgwenlly, was charged with assaulting Wm. Reed, a bailiff. The case was reported in the MERLIN of the 3rd. inst., and, in referring to the evidence given, it was mentioned that Reed had stated that he had been instructed to serve a notice from the Bristol Bankruptcy Court in the house of Ray the elder." This was an error the plaintiff Reed having stated that the notice was to be served upon a person named Cox, who lived in a house of which Mr. Ray the elder is the owner. CHURCH MISSIONS, &C.—Our readers will per- ceive, from an advertisement in this day's paper, that the annual meeting of the Monmouthshire District Commit- tees of the Societies for Promoting Christian Knowledge, and the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, is to be held at the National School-room^, Abereaveony, on Friday, the 23rd inst. The Lord Bishop of Llandaff in to preside at the meeting, and a sermon will be preached at St. Mary's Church, by the Rev. H. B. Bevan, M.A., Minor Canon of Llandaff Cathedral THUNDERSTORM.—On Monday evening last we were treated to the novelty of a thunderstorm, rather violent wind-up for the gloriously placid and rich season through which we have just passed. The day had been variable, as though jolly October, in walking forth that morning from the dim Hall of Time, had by mistake ionned the garb of April instead of bis own. About six o'clock several immense dark clouds gathered hastily in the zenith, and shortly afterwards a furious battle of the elements commenced, which was kept up with but little intermission for an hour or more. Ultimately, however, the fiery mutineers, having expended all- their ammuni- tion, retired almost as suddenly as they had congregated, and the beautiful moon, ascending above the scene, lit up with splendour the peaceful plains of heaven." On the horizon, in huge masses of cloud on cloud, now appeared the retreating artillery of thunder, urged before the con- quering winds, which left behind them a delightful calm, inspiring hope of that serenity which shall follow the overthrow of barbarous revolutionists in the sunny land of Hindostan.—Correspondent. GIG ACCIDENT.—On Tuesday evening last Ekbout 6 o'clock a somewhat singular gig, acoident took place in Commercial-street, Newport. Mr. Roberts, jun., of fPilIgwently, was driving down High-street at a fast pace, when the horse suddenly took fright, and ran away with considerable speed. When near Corn-street, one of the parties was thrown out of the gig, but the horse continued dashing on furiously. Just below the Town Hall the gig came in collision with a heavily-laden cart, and was deptived of all its wheels, while Mr. Roberts was thrown out, and conveyed into Mr. Wintle's, spirit mer- chant. Upon examination it was found, that neither he nor his companion had sustained serious iajury. In the mean time the horse continued to drag along the remains of the gig, and rushed through Cross-street, where a number of children were lying about, but foitunately without injuring any of them. It was not arrested till it reached the theatre in Dock-street, when iti was found that although the vehicle was much shattered.. the animal was little hurt. The former was immediately taken by Mr. Roberts, of High street, to his establishment for repairs. SAVE. us FROM OUR FRIENDs.-Int.elligence has reached the superintendent of police in this town of a robbery committed by a workman at Pontaberpergwm, on a fellow labourer, named Isaac Hisley. Both men worked together, and the dishonest one took advantage of Hislay a confidence to rob him of L5 and several articles of weacing apparel He has absconded with them, and notwithstand- ing careful enquiries on the part of the police, nothing;, has yet been heard of him. THE REV. MR. GUINNESS.—We understand that this popular minister is to preach three sermons at Newport, on Sunday, the 18th, inst., at Dock-street chapel, in the morning; at Ebenezer chapel in the after- noon and at the Tabernacle in the evening. Mr. Guinness is ateo to preach at the Wesleyan chapel, Com- mercial-street, on Saturday evening, the 17th inst. THE LAST EXHIBITION of Mr. Forrest's panorama took place at the Town Hall, on Friday evening, when a handsome gold watch and a "nugget of gold" were given away. Extraordinary as it appears to the non- professional public that an. entertainment in which so much is given away, can be made to pay-, it is, yet indis- putable that the silver services" and other gifts are really presented as announced. The names of the holders of successful tickets for these prizes are read every evening in the room, and the parties reside, with a, single excep- tion, in the town. Mr. Wharton's system is not only in- genious and clever, but fair and straightforward. Of the panorama itself we have spoken before. Mr. H. Von's performances on the piano and "flutonia" are distinguished by considerable ability, his knowledge of music being evidently great, and his taste well trained. He also sings. various good songs in an unaffected and telling manner. CAPTURE OF A THIEF AND THE BOOTY.- Two of the Newport Police Force, Knight and Samuels, succeeded on Monday last in apprehending a man who. had stolen two milch cows, the property of Mrs. Ann Wood, Cardiff Arms Inn, Cardiff. The constables also traced the cows, which had been sold at St. Brides for 27. The pri- soners will be brought before the county magistrates to-day (Saturday). POLICE COURT, THURSDAY.—Several cases of drunk and disorderlies were heard before the Mayor, and G. Gething and R. F. Woollett, Esqrs.— William Reea was charged with stealing coal from a truck, on Tuesday. Mr. Thompson, agent of Mr. Benjamin Young, deposed that he deteoted the prisoner standing on the buffers, throwing down coals, but he had no receptacle for them with him. Mr. Young said he did not wish to press the charge, and it was shown that the prisoner was drunk, and did not know what he was doing. Mr. Huxtable told the Bench that Rees's Ifather was oonvicted of the same offence. Committed for one month to hard labour. John Davis was charged with assaulting Ellen Reed. The defendant is a lodging-house keeper, and the quarrel arose about rent. Mr. Cathcart defended. The defendant to pay coats.—Jas. James, of the Waterloo beer-house, was charged with assaulting and resisting P.S. Williams, in the execution of his duty. At 2 o'clock on the 2nd inst. the officer saw several persons in the back room through the window, and in endeavouring to obtain admittance was resisted by the landlord. Fined 5s. and costs -Elizabeth Smith was brought up on suspicion of stealing two silk dresses and various other articles, the property of Thomas Williams, Bute-road, Cardiff. Two of the fair (and frail) sex, belonging to the establishment, came up and identified the articles. Prisoner pleaded guilty. Committed for 21 day" with hard labour, J MONMOUTH CATTLE SHOW AND PLOUGHING MATCH.—We understand that the above cattle show will take place on Wednesday next in Chippenham, where the races are held. It promises to be a most grand affair. The entries of animals are very numerous for example, not less than one hundered pens have been already entered. The entries of other beasts are in proportion. The plough- ing match is to come off next Tuesday in a field on the Priory Farm, close to the town. See our advertising columns. THE LOCAL SUBSCRIPTIONS towards the Indian Relief Fund have now reached, we understand, a good amount. The gentlemen who kindly undertook to canvass from house to house, have been actively engaged during the past week in their task, we trust with success. The list of subscribers will be publilfted, we believe, next week. POSTAL ARRANGEMENTS. — We understand that Magor has been constituted a sub-postal district under Chepstow, instead of under Caerleon, as heretofore. SINGULAR AND TRUE.—A curiosity has been exhibited in the window of Mr. Fennell, fishmonger, High- street, during part of this week—a sturgeon, measuring five feet ten inches, and weighing upwards of one hundred weight. It was caught at Goldcliff, in the Severn, and attracted considerable attention. RELIEF FUND.-It will be seen by an advertisement in another column, that a concert will take place on Thursday, the 29th inst., for the benefit of the Relief Fund. We trust it will be well supported. LLANELLY.-On Wednesday last according to Royal Proclamation, ^services were held at the different pjaces of worship. A very appropriate sermon was preached at the parish church, by the Rev. Titus Lewis, curate. ZADKIEL'S ALMANAC, of which we publish an advertisement to-day, will very shortly appear. We have noticed a singular instance of the prophecies contained in it, in our supplement, under the head A good Guess." THE EAGLE LINE OF AUSTRALIAN PACKETS. We recently noti.el the departure of the "King of Algeria," from Liverpool to Melbourne, with a large num- ber of passengers, including 40 compositors for the Mel- bourne Argus. We have now to state that the new clipper ship Planter," of 4000 tons burthen, has just been placed on the berth, and is appointed to take her departure on the 15th October. As she is the finest vessel aflfoat without exception, there is no question of her being a desirable medium for reaching Australia. Her 'tween decks are lofty and spacious, the ventilation is all that the most fastidious can require, andjthe baths and washhouses are a great improvement on other ships engaged in the Australian trade. All we could say in her favour would not convey the idea of one half of the attractions of this vessel for intending emigrants she must be seen to be ap- preciated. CLIPPER; SHIP" RED JACKET."—A paragraph is going the round of the papers of the day to the effect that this vessel has been taken up for the conveyance of horses from the Cape. We are instructed to contradict this statement, if it is meant to appty-trr the celebrated clipper of that name, so favourably known in the Aus'ra- lian trade, in connexion with the White Star Line" of Liverpool and Australian Packets this vessel is now on her passage home from Melbourne, and her owners intend to despatch her as the packet of the 20th November.

I Tbe correspondence publislted in this column must not be always considered necessarily in contormity with the' prin- ciples or opinions of the journal.] MR. FROST'S LECTURES. [TO THE EDITOR OF THE MERLIN AND SILURIAN.] SIR,—I have read in the local papers of to-day, a letter signed by Messrs. J. Williams and Samuel Lloyd, jun., to the material points of which, I beg to give the most unqualified contradiction, In the first place, I never suggested that I thought Mr. Frost ought to be allowed the Town Hall gratuitously, as had I thought so, I should have used the power vested in me as Mayor, and granted it, as I have done in, other cases what I did say was, that I would submit the application to the Council, leaving it for them to act as they thought fit." I was then asked, in the event of their refusing to grant it gratuitously, to request its use at a reduced charge at the same time, to point out that the application came for an old inhabitant of the town, who was not in affluent circumstances. In the second place, I never promised to preside at the above meetings, neither did I suggest that they should be deferred until after my return home.. And in the third place, I made no particular remarks whatever with regard to Mr. Frost, beyond obtaining a pledge, before I would consent to allow the use of the Town Hall under any circumstances, that the subject of the lectures, viz., the Evidences of Christianity" and "Education," should be most strictly adhered to, and that nothing political, personal, or foreign to these subjects, shouldl be on any account discussed. How far this pledge was fulfilled, I leave the public to judge. I shall not, Mr. Editor, again enter upon this subject, consi- dering. the same to be unnecessary and undesirable. I am, Sir, yours very obediently, CHARLES LYNE, Mayor. Newport, October 3rd, 1857. -0

[TO THE EDITOR OF THE MERLIN AND SILURIAN.] Sm,—I perceived in one of the county. papers, last week, an intimation that the next Court of Quarter Session will be moved to confer on the Star of Gwent the privilege of printing the county advertisements in sonjunction with the Merlin and the Beaton. I must object to this motion, if made, 1st—For want of proper notice. 2ndly—Because a similar motion was made a few years since, and, upon due consideration by the Court, rejected. It is my opinion that a due regard to consistency calls on the Court to maintain and adherato its decisions. In fact, when attempts are made to reverse them without full cause shown, I consider the dignity of the Court to be attacked, and that it should.be upheld and vindicated. A short time since such an attempt was made, and the Court marked their sense of the experi- ment by a majority of 22 to 2. I hope that if the pro- posed motion should.be made, it will meet with a similar fate. Lastly, can any unprejudiced person believe that the county interests suffer at present from the want of publicity to the county advertisements-? I am, Sir, your obedient servant, A MAGISTRATE. Abergavenny, 8th October, 1857.

THE MURDER AT BRAMALL.—James Henderson, the son of the man whose murder is recorded in another por- tion of our paper, has been found guilty by the coroner's jury of willul murder.

CHRISTCHURCH LOCAL BOARD OF HEALTH. The fortnightly meeting of the Board was held at Maindee, on Thursday evening last, Mr. W. Graham in the chair. The following members were also present- Mr. R. Graham, Mr. Wells, Mr. Andrews, Mr. Walter, Mr. Evans, Mr. Richards, and Mr. Bladon. Mr. Kessick and the surveyor were also in attendance. The clerk read the minutes of the preceding meeting, and stated that the notice for the new rates had been affixed to the church doors, and the mortgage to Mr. 0 Gething registered. THE WATER COURSE. The Chairman produced two letters, signed F. J. Hall, giving notice to the board that he and his sister would not allow them to interfere with the water which flows through Kensington-place, &c. Mr. Andrews asked whether the water belonged to the property ? Mr. Wells said it did, and if he used the water for household purposes he should certainly object to have it interfered with. The Chairman said they had heard complaints at the Board that the drains of the Freehold Land Society ran into this water. He thought that by making a culvert through the stream an advantage would be conferred upon the owners of the property through which it passed. Mr. Evans suggested that a drain should be made by the side of the stream, without interfering with the brook. Mr. Kessick observed that he considred the water at the bottom of his garden a positive nuisance. The Chairman considered that it would be best to con- vey the water down by a six-inch pipe, and not disturb the course. He thought it would be advisable to ask the surveyor to report on the subject generally, before the matter was decided on. Mr. Wells and the other members agreed with this suggestion, and a minute was entered in the book in accordance with it. THE CONTRACTORS. A letter was read from Mr. Williams informing the Board that work had been done by the contractors to the value of £230. Mr. Wells and Mr. Richards proposed and seconded that JE184 be paid immediately. The motion was agreed to after some' discussion, rela- tive to the mode of payment. THE SURVEYOR'S REPOKT Was read. It was as follows GENTLEMEN,—I beg leare to lay before you a state- ment of the progress made in. your drainage works, since youy last Board meeting of the 23rd ult. Ballast heading driven. the whole of which is bricked andcompleted 47 feet "Main sewer ditto, 4 feet by 2 M 330 Ditto ditto, feet 6 by 2 8 12 » Railway heading bricked, complete 41" Invert put in but not turned 24 Driven and ready for brickwork 9' II Complcied. 577 feet Ie A considerable amount of earth-wofk is nearly ready for bricking. A good stock of bricks is on the ground, and should tie weather prove favourable, I expect the whole length from the river to the north side of the rail- way, will be completed in about six weeks from this date. Charles Garland has paid me JE210 0 I I Denias Daw ditto- 2 10 0 M Rates in hand. 1 17 11 "Total £6 17 11 JAMES CARTER" The Chairman, Mr. Wells, Mr. Richards, and others, agreed that the work had been satisfactorily performed. Otherwise the report occasioned no remark. THE BILLS-. Several bills were ordered to be paid, and others to stand over. COLLECTION OF RATES. The Chairman reminded the meeting that the Surveyor had declined to collect the rates, avd as he still re- mained in the same mind, it was necessary to decide upon what course should be adopted. Various jocose remarks were made upon the subject, one member suggesting that Mr. Kessick should collect,. and another that the entire B.Qard should engage in the work. Neither of these propositions met with favour. It was afterwards stated that Mr. Wring had offered to collect the rate upon the allowance of a commission of four per cent., and it was agreed that if a. bond for L50 was produced, the task should be allotted to him. COMPENSATION. The Chairman mentioned a conversation he had had with Mr. Reece, agent to Sir Charles Morgan, relative to compensation for the drain passing through Sir Charles's land. The Chairman added that Sir Charles was well disposed towards the Board, and he had no doubt the matter would be satisfactorily adjusted. A communication received from., the Clerk of the Board, relative- to. the terms of remuneration., stands over for discussion* till the next meeting of the Board.

(feriiitf JnltEipft. INQUEST.—An adjourned inquest was held at the Town Hall, on Tuesday evening last, on the body of Thomas Goggan, a stoker on board the Iron Duke steam tug, who was found drowned one day last week in the gut way, near the Bute docks. It appeared from the evidence of a witness,.named John James, that deceased had formerly belonged to the Cardiff Castle tug, but at the time of his death was employed in the former vessel. His body, when found, was embedded in the mud, and presented a mutilated appearance in consequence of a portion of theflesh being eaten by crabs, several of which were found creeping about the unfortunate man. John Apperly, master oftheZyoM Duke, deposed to knowing the deceased but for a short time, he having only been taken for the trip, instead of another man, named John Bennett, who was on leave of absence. The last witness saw of deceased was on the morning of the 30th ult., he was then on deck, and witness, with two other men, was about to go ashore. The mate, another fireman and,a boy remained on board with deceased. Witness joined the crew again in about an hour afterwards, it being then about 6 a.m.—did not see deceased on board and had-no occasion for his services in consequence of Bennett's return to his work. The tug then proceeded on her voyage to Gloucester, after lying at anchor a short time to await the return of the tide. Witness did not know what became of deceased until he was informed by the captain of a steamer at Kingroad. In answer to the coroner, witness said deceased might have been below.in the Iron Duke at the time they left the Bute docks-for what he knew, but he witness had heard that Goggan was on board the Marques tug boat after he left the Iron Duke. Mrs. Goggan, wife of deceased, now said that witness had made a different statement to her at the time of the body being found, and that it was his (witness's) duty to see her husband ashore. Witness said he was not aware that he had stated any other but the truth as he was now upon his oath. Witness continued that he heard deceased complain of ill health in consequence of having eaten some apples which he had purchased. It was witnesses opinion that deceased lost his life in cross- ing from the Iron Duke to the Marques, which was lying alongside when in the docks. The engineer of the Iron Duke was now examined, but his evidence only. corrobor- ated that of the last witness. One of the jury here said that John Ryan, fireman on board the Marques,.had told him on Sunday lastthal He (Ryan) saw deceased stepping across, from the Iron Duke to the Marqu.s. The pro- ceedings were adjourned to another day tti order to obtain the attendance of Ryan. THE POLICE.—A special meeting of the watch com- mittee, was held on Tuesday last, to take into conside- ration a reply from Captain Willis, to the enquiry ordered to be made at the last meeting, but after some discussion the matter was adjourned until Monday next. The reply of Captain Willis was to the effect that it was his duty to report upon the effective- condition of the police on the day when he inspected them, and to give a certificate accordingly, but added, that if the additions he had' recommended, ware made to the Cardiff force, he considered that when he should in- spect them, it would be his duty to certify that they were efficient, and in that case, the Borough would be entitled to, the Government allowance of one fourth of the above cost. COAT STOLEN.—Early on Monday morning a brindled cow, the property of Mrs. Woods, was stolen from the Cardiff Arms Park. The gate leading into the Cowbridge road had been broken down in order to drive her out. WATCH STOLEN, On Tuesday afternoon Patrick Sands, labourer, lost a silver watch while drinking with some navvies," in the Waterford and Kinsale Arms, Rute-terrace. i ROBBERIES.—On Sunday a servant girl absconded from No. 197, Bute-road, taking away a quantity of wearing apparel.-On Thursday a lodger absconded from a house at Pontypridd with a variety of clothing, the property of a fellow-lodger. THE INDIAN RELIEF FUND,-The adjourned meeting in aid of the relief fund was held at the Town-hall, on Thursday evening last. The attendance was respectable, but not so numerous as might have been anticipated. In consequence of the indisposition of the Mayor, the chair was taken by the Ex-Mayor, C. Vachell, Esq., who ex- plained that the meeting had been adjourned in order to afford all classes an opportunity of evincing their sym- pathy for the sufferings of their fellow-countrymen in India, the hour at which the meeting of Monday had been held being considered inconvenient for the attend- ance of parties engaged in business. John Bird, Esq., moved the first resolution in a very eloquent and stirring oration, and was seconded by the Rev. F. Lewis in a very able speech. Resolutions were then proposed and supported in very eloquent speeches by the Rev. A. Tilley, Mr. Ensor, Rev. N. Thomas, Rev. R. T. Verrall, and Mr. Thompson, and all unanimously agreed to. A collection in aid of the fund was made at the close of the meeting. It will be seen by the list in another column that the subscriptions have been rery liberal, T[IE FAST-DAY. — On Wednesday last, there WOO total cessation cf business in Cardiff. Sormons delivered in the principal places of worship.. i CAKDIFF BCJRIAL BOARD.— IN the report of the speal ineetiug of this Board, which appears in our 6th the name of Mr. J. Elliott should appear among members who voted lor rescinding the resolution, inflt*" of the name of Mr. D. Jothan, who was not present.

THE LEIGH WOODS MURDER. The nature of the evidence taken on Friday last such as to induce the Magistrates to commit the prisoØ" for trial. i The person of the deceased is clearly identified; Beale is traced with her to the very spot of the murd#' is seen going away afterwards by himself her prope^f is found in his possession he obtains leave of absto from his master, Capt Wa'kins, at Daventry, on false pretence that he has to attend the burial of a sistet1 and, on his return to Daventry, he accounts for the pjt session of the boxes of the murdered woman by w: equally false allegation that they were part of the e<Te«j of his deceased relative. He tells the housekeeper7 the Rev. Mr. Bythesea that he is going to marry lotte Pugsley, in direct contradiction to the statemff he volunteered before the magistrates, that he knew was already married. Such are the facts as they st«t* at present, and which will have to be submitted to jury at his trial it is no part of our duty to com upon them. The penny-a-liners have been laudaW industrious in furnishing long, true, and particul^ accounts of the birth, parentage, and subsequent life » the unfortunate deceased. It will suffice for us to mfl* tion that Charlotte Pugsley was an illegitimate cb*jj born at Bishop's Lydiard, in 1824. She was brought1] by the parish, and afterwards went into service, is but fair to her memory to state that she appears^? have been always a well-conducted young person, gained the respect of the different families in which lived. It was at the Hon, Mrs. Hutchinson's, Dot* House, Clifton, that she first met Beale, who was footman or butler. Beale is about thirty years old born in Bath was brought up by an uncle at Asht^j afterwards obtained a place as errand-boy in BrisWt and subsequently became a man-servant. The- prisoner, who preserved the most listless ind' ence throughout the whole proceedings, which occupy about six hours, seemed for the first time to compreh the nature of the awful position in which he was p when he was informed of the intention of the magistral Mr. Harris applied that the property of the priso" such as his watch, gun, &c., might be given up to « father, to enable him: to provide for the emergency which his son was cast. Mr. Miles said he did not think the Magistrates WO<j be justified in doing that. They would be justified delivering up the money, but not the watch, an>d for tl reason. Evidently the poor woman, whoever wM. J murderer, had a considerable wm of money in her P* session at the time she was murdered. A considfetw time had elapsed between the murder and the ùa.f which the prisoner was taken into custody, and hH not know but that the very articles asked for, suc £ ? ;he watch and gun, were purchased by that money, ;herefore it would be very wrong for the Magistrates. ;ive up any articles of that description. As to noney, he did not see any reason at ail why the prisof should not have that

LATEST NEWS. •' MERLLV OFFICE, Fi-iday, 5 p. J froczamatiox OF HER majesty A*. EMPRESS OF KINDOSTAN.. We are informed upon good authority, that steps b* been taken for immediately proclaiming the QI1 Empress of Hindostan. It is not unlikely that the 11. telegraph will bring the news of the proclamation 9 Calcutta.-Morning Chronicle. E ADVANCE IN THE RATE: OF DISCOUNT-j The directors of the Bank of England, at their weOT board meeting, on Thursday,advanced the minimum of discount and interest to 6 per cent.-per annum. change has been expected for some time past, and «¥ consequently not caused any surprise in City cir^j The object of the movement is doubtless to restrain^ efflux of bullion to the Continent, which has withi last week assumed,ai more considerable importance for some time previously. The drain of bullion haS the same time been accompanied by very unsatisfacW intelligence from the United States, and atotal Bus sioa of specie shipments from that part of the world,

EDGAR F £ FISHMONGER T HIGH STREET, NEWPORT, JL A TI SUNDERS his best thanks to the fu>U« tor their continued, r^troe* I f regrets that, m consequence of the great scarcity^ Fish, he has been for a time unable to execute orders with which he has been favoured; but be™ now made arrangements whereby he can ensure a -i CONSTANT S'U L'PLY OF FISH, 1 Ani would assure his Patrons that their esteemed shall have immediate attention. [1 COLEFORD, MONMOUTH, USK, AND POiS^i POOL RAILWAY. j NOTICE. A THE Public is respectfully informed-that Railway will be further OPENED, from Monmouth, for Passenger Traffic, ou MONDAYI TOBER 12th. } THE TRAINS WILL RUN AS FOLLOWS:— J WEEK DAYS. SuNDAtfJ a.m. p m. p.m. a.m. F Monmouth, dep. 8.30 12.40 5.40 9.15 ? Little Mill, arr. 9.3) 1.30 6.40 .1015 a.m. p.m. p.m. a.m. 6* Little Mill, dep.11.30 2.5 7 5 .10/30 f Monmouth, arr .12.25 3.0 8.0 .11 33 Usk Quarter Sessions 2Hh, 21st, and 22d, October-| SPECIAL TRAIN will leave LITTLE MILL the arrival of the 7.30 a.m.. up Train from Newpof" each of these days. For further, particulars see Time Bills, which 111,.1 had at the stations. By Onler, WM. LANE, Traffic Manager pro t40& Newport, Sih October, 1857>. CARDIFF YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN A CIATION AND LITERARY IN5TIUTE. Winter Course of Lectures, 18-57. Jjt THE FIRST LECTURE of the Seasoan be delivered in the ToWN-HALI, I BY THE REV. WILLIAM BRUCE. M.A., Incumbent of St. James's, Bristol, on TEUJRSDAY, ber 15th, 1857: Jk Subject:—The Workhome Boy, his sorrows, "jS| travels, and triumphs, exemplified iu the Life ol j JOHN KITTO. J Chair to be taken at a" Quarter-past; Eight o'& j Admission, Reserved Seats, 6d. Back Beats, 3d. j The WIOTER COURSE will consist of SEVEN LECT^I Tickets for the course—Rfcserved seats, 2s 6.1. bers, Is. 6J. Back Seats, Is- 6d Members, Is. jjfc be had of the Hon. Secretaries, Mr. T. WHITE, t S. P. KERNICK, or of the Secretary^ Mr. PHILLI?9'. the Rooms of the Institution. V Tbe Rev. N. HAYOROFFT, M.A SOLOMON LEOL^F Esq., A.M., E. A. FREEMAN, Esq., the Rev. J. JONES, &C., have engaged, to Lecture for the Socitfk/' { A Pregramuie of the Winter Lsctures will sborw | issued. { Cardiff,. October 5th, 1857.

J On the 2nd inst., tbe-wife of Mr. David Lewis, of Pcotypool, of a son.. j On. the Gth inst., at Garth Newydd, Merthyr 1Y, the wife of J. D. Thomas, Esq of a son. fi On the 7th inst. at Llangollen, the wife of tb%f John. Jones (" Mathetes"), late of this town., of a dafl# IHorrtagce. i On the 6th iust., at St. Woollos Church,, by tb0 Edward Hawkins, vicar, John George Palling, of the Rev. Edward Palling. M.A., to Jane Louisa J j youngest daughter of the late Edmund James, Es<l''dJ granddaughter of the late Robert Borfijeld, Esq., bO Saint Bride's, in this county. i On the 5tbinst., at the Register Office, in tbi0^ by license, Mr. Alfred Israel Stockwell, Stow-hilli^t port, to Miss Baker, daughter of Mr. Daniel i Llanvrechva, schoolmaster.. I On Monday last, at the Register Office, Newpo'^ff William Griffiths, of Pillgwenlly, to Miss Mary daughter of Mr.David Evans, estate bailiff,Velin N° Breconshire. Dfatf)6. On the 6th ult., at his residence, Stow-hill, aged 62 years, Mr. John I. Skinner, greatly belove. respected by a large circle of friends. [This anno*' ment was inadvertently omitted last week.] f On Sunday last, at New-street, Falmouth, at advanced age, Mrs. Folk, mother of Mr. H. C» MERLIN Office, Newport. a On the 30th ult, Mr. Daniel Jones, Coed-y-dei near Pontypool, aged 82 years. Deceased was very respected. f On the 4th inst., at Wentworth Woodhouse, Earl: william, K.G., aged 71. i||l On Tuesday, the 22nd of September, at Scbw^ji in Germany, Mary Anne Lady Strachan, the beloved of J ohn Chappell Tozer, of Cliffden, Teignmoutb, ■ Esq. On the 1st inst., in the 23rd year of her age*, "ft, Roger Huddleston, the beloved wife of Ferdinand} (PI dleston, of Swaston Hall, Cambridgeshire, Esq., 0{ child of the Count and Countess Roger du Nor<*> Cours la Reine, Paris. Newport and Cardiff, &■ttoibcr Printed for the Proprietor, Eir-V i Kl> J.><> Pleasant, Ilill-street, in the Boro .a of X. port, tjlK Ifef CHRISTOPHERS, of No. 7, f'oniiaefeiaJ-itr Borough and published at the Jtcu.iv r.ei'isrv gi a», 'I No. 15, Commercial-street_ Newport &lül it ¡i!. ,(.1 Streat —— í

TO CORRESPONDENTS. What are we to do with our contemporary? Shall we permit him, like Bottom, the weaver, to play Roarer to the end. with all the laughter, if cot all the honors, due to the unique peifoi mance, or shall we again place him on the bad eminence," with FALSEHOOD fester- ing on thebrcnzod—the still-unabashed ],NW? We have PROVED that to gain the COUNTY ADVERTISEMENTS he descended for weeks-nay, for months-to give publicity to a great and glaring Mrs STATEMENT. The machine-booli returns, which ho impudently parades every week, are nothing more than a delusion, a la^ckerv, and a snare; for a machine-book only j,ov33 what papers have been PRINTED, NOT what papers have been sold. Besides, Mr. BOTHOMLEY, THE ACCOUNTANT, HAS NEVER YET CERTIFIED that the sheets of the South Wales Times, thrown off by the same machine, do not go to swell the grand tolal given in the Sta", and until Mr Bothomley furnishes his signature, we can believe nothing uttered by our contemporary to be THE TRUTH Such is the unfortunate reputation he has earned for himself by the course of mendacity he has run h1 Our Town." We hope we may now be permitted to leave the "Dodger" alone in his glory. T He cannot reach—much less injure us. We have received a communication dated Newport Athenaeum, Oct. 5, and signed" The Secretary," which "Wte presume is from the pen of Mr. Matthew Johns, and which we unhesitatingly refuse to insert We are ever ready to throw open our columns for explanation or self-defence to persons who conceive themselves to have been injured by anything which may have ap- peared in the MERLIN, provided Lheir communications be couched in language which is free from personal invective and unwarrantable insolence; but when a gentleman connected with the Press is singled out and assailed with impertinence and insult, we cannot permit the MERLIN to be made the medium of such vituperation. The introduction of the ticket-of- leave" and other extraneous elements by The Secretary," is an ebullition of juvenile petulance which might have been forgiven, had not his communication abounded with expressions indicative of unusual arro- gance, and imputations which, notwithstanding their silliness, are insolent and unwarranted. Mr. Johns grievance and his manner of meeting it may be stated in a few sentences:—The writer of the paragraph which appeared in last week's MERLIN, with regard to Miss St. George's entertainment, stated, in substance, that that lady had good reason to complain of not having been met at the train, on her arrival at Newport, by any one representing the Athenseum, and at having, on reaching the Town-hall, to act as "her own stage carpenter." To the second point, Mr. Johns replies that the stage (which, he admits, was not quite large enough) was erected before Miss St. George came and that the Curator was directed to render that lady any assistance she might reqnire on her arrival at the hall. With regard to the other point, Mr Johns says it was not his duty to meet Miss St. George—"that he has never met a single lecturer since ho has been Secretary," &c We will only add that the writer of the paragraph in the MERLIN received his information as to the want of attention exhibited towards Miss St. George from her pianist, who remarked that he bad never seen her similarly treated and that we appear to have been wrong in expecting that Mr. Johns would be courteous enough to meet Miss St. George on her arrival. BLAENAVON—The report of the India Relief Fund meeting reached us too late for insertion this week. It shall be given in our next paper.

TREDEGAR COUNTY COURT. JENKINS V. LLOYD. [TO THE EDITOR OF THE MERLIN AND SILURIAN.] Sir ,-Ha ving been concerned forthe defendant in this matter, I venture to trouble you with a few lines to correct the erroneous impression which the report of the case in your paper of Saturday, the 26th ult., is calculated to convey. Your reporter, I conclude, was not present on the second day of the court, and was consequently un- aware that I obtained on that day a renersal of the judgment of the day before. He also omits to state that I on the first day took an objection to his Honor's jurisdiction, on the ground that the action was barred under Stat. 9., Geo. 4., c. 31., ss. 27, 28, by the previous conviction of. the defendant before the Justices at Bryn- mawr, and that the conviction signed by the two Justices who convictad, was produced to the court j; but that thiiob- jectionwas overruled by his.Honor,who held that the pro- duction of a certificate of the conviction was indispensable. Not having the Act of Parliament before me, I was unable at the moment to contravene such decision,; but on the next day, having in the meantime looked into the Act of Parliament, and satisfied myself of. the validity of my objection, I applied to His Honor to review his Judg- ment, on the ground of the misinterpretation of the Act. My application was immediately granted, ard on refer- ence to the clauses of the Act, His Honor most un- hesitatingly reversed his judgment of the day before, into which he had been misled by the erroneous inter- pretation given in a text book, and not having the Act of Parliament to refer to. I think it further due to, my client, to. state that he did not obtain his summons against Jenkins in the first instance with a view to its being a bar" to any pro- ceedings against him, which of course it could not be, but under the belief that a gross and outrageous, assault had been committed on him by Jenkins and I am firmly convinced, notwithstanding the evidence of the man Thomas, that Jenkins was the aggressor, and that the injury inflicted on him by my client was really only in self-defence. What amount of resistance will not the prospect of being gouged justify ? This was the view of the case taken by the Justices at Brynmawr they evidently thought that evidence which was sufficient to dismiss Lloyd's summons at Crickhowell, was not suffi- cient to sustain a charge of gross assault on the part of Jenkins at Brynmawr, and though they could not so entirely disregard the oath of Thomas, with reference to the first blow having been given by Lloyd, as to dismiss the summons in this instance, yet they thought the ends of justice would be amply satisfied by a fine of One Shilling. I shall fell obliged by your inserting this letter in your next. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, G. SYDNEY DAVIES. Crickhowell, Oct. 1st, 1857. Defendant's Attorney. [Our correspondent must have overlooked the report of the case Jenkins v. Lloyd, in the MERLIN, of the 26th ult., of the second day of the Tredegar Court. It was there distinctly stated that Mr. Davies did make the ob- jection he adverts to, and moreover the clause of the Act on which it was founded, was inserted. The reversal of the-first day's judgment, so far from not being mentioned at all, was given in the very words of the judge.]