The Glamorgan Monmouth and Brecon Gazette and Merthyr Guardian

JSIfeciUanroutf. THE LATE AWFUL GALES.—The sacrifice of life an(l property at sea during the last six weeks has been, we regret to say, without parallel in the history of our mercantile affairs. Upon reference to Lloyd's books and other auj- thentic documents, it appears that the total number of vessels lost during the dreadful hurricane on the night qf the 13th of last month was about 180, and that the number of persons who perished with them amounted to no less than 453. On the coast of England 154 vessels were wrecked, and 190 lives lost; on the coast of Ireland, five vessels were lost, with 104 lives; on the coast of Scotland, 17 "essel were wrecked, and 39 lives lost; and on the coast of France 4 vessels, and 160 lives Lost. The value of the vessels and cargoes have been roughly estimated at ;C585,000. -viz., the vessels at jE405,000, and the cargoes at £ 180,0 }0. On the three following days after the 13th numerous other wrecks occurred, to the extent of nearly CO, the losses of which were upwards of £ 240,000; this, with the others, making a total of £ 825,000. To this is to be added the great loss of vessels that occurred in the course of the storm of Friday and Saturday last, the particulars relative to many of which appeared in our journal of last week. THE CUSTOMS BOARD.-The origin of the discovery of the Custom-house frauds is not generally known. The creditors of a bankrupt firm found that the latter claimed credit for enormous sums which were entered as Custom- house fees. The bankrupts refused to explain what these fees meant, but merely said that they had paid the money, and claimed credit for it. The creditors very properly re- ported it to the Board of Customs. A subordinate officer, named Burnaby, having heard of the circumstance, immedi- ately acquainted the Board that he was implicated, and of- fered to reveal an extensive system of fraud. His offer was accepted, and persons suspended and dismissed upon his testimony. Burnaby has, however, been indicted upon two separate charges of gross perjury. The board has bailed him, and he is at the present time giving information of most extensive frauds on the part of the gaugers. COAL-PIT EXPLOSION. V ERDICTOF ^MANSLAUGHTER.— Last week an inquest was held at the George Dragon, Newton, Cheshire, on the body of Joshua SmSth, aged 1-3 years, whose death resulted from injuries received by an ex plosion of fire-damp at the "Victoria coal-mine, Dukinfield. The deceased, who had only been employed at the mine a few days before the occurrence of the explosion, was a waggoner. The foul air, or fire-damp, abounds in this mine and the proprietors, Messrs. Swire and Lees, in order to prevent accidents from explosions, have had rules printed and posted where the men could see them; these rules required the men before commencing working in the mornings not to have any lighted candle in the mine. Con- trary to these rules, on the morning of the 27th of January a person named William Morris went into a part of the mine abounding in foul air with a lighted candle, which he placed on a stump near a current of foul air. An explosion shortly afterwards took place, and the deceased was most dreadfully burnt in consequence. He lingered till Saturday last, when death put an end to his sufferings. The jury, after hearing the evidence, returned a verdict of Manslaughter against William Morris." BUFFALOES IN SMITHFIELD-M.A.RKET.- Considerable cu- riosity was excited in Smithfield-market a few days since in consequence of the arrival from St. Lawrence of two buffa- loes. Originally they were brought from Gibraltar, and imported into the metropolitan market by an English farmer. They were in good condition, though their appearance was not the most fleshy. They were purchased for JE15. TARIFF CATTLE.—The following is the official return of the importation of foreign cattle since the passing of the new tariff up to the 31st of January, 1843 FROM FRANCE. Beasts. Cows. Sheep. London 35 6 150 Southampton 200 15 20 225 21 170 FROM HOLLAND. Beasts. Cows. Pigs. London 200 70 300 Hull 440 160 500 640 230 800 FROM GERMANY. Beasts Cows. Sheep. Pigs. London 400 80 95 75 Hull 860 278 250 1,260 358 345 75 FROM SPAIN. Beasts. Cows. Sheep. London ) Southampton, 920 V. 130 240 Devenport, &c.L Making a grand tdtlK^WiSts, 3,055, at 20s. per head, duty I 3 c 39, at 5 dutyJL544 5s.; sheep, 755, at 3s. duty j^UHr'os.; and pigs, 875, at 5s. per head, duty £ 2LftO|V6d. Total, £ 3941 2s. 6d., duty, under the new tariff. ijSe following were the prices of meat at Smithfield in lStiK^-Beef, 4s. 6d.. to 4s. 8d.; mutton, 4s. lOd. to as.; a to 5s. lOd.; [Wrk, 5s. 2d. to 5s. 6d. On Monday, FebruSfy 6, 1843, beef, 3s. 4d. to 4s. 6d.; mutton, 3s. 4d. to 48. 6d i veal, 4s. 6d. to 5s. 6d.; pork, 4s. to 5s. per wnfrjiH offal. »—• THE LATE GALE?—The tremendous sTorni of wind with which we were recently visited has been the cause of much damage. At Clifton, the grove, which has been rendered so famous by'legendary lore, has, from its exposed situation, suffered very severely many of the finest elms and firs have been completely torn up by the roots, and lie prostrated in groups of five or six together. The garden of Sir Juckes Clifton has likewise been much injured. Several trees were also blown down near the Balloon-houses at Wollaton. A waggon loaded with straw was overturned in Wilford-lane, near Nottingham. A windmill at Carlton had its sails carried away; and half a ton weight of lead was stripped off Bulwell jChurch, and blown to a considerable distance from the building. At Kegworth, many trees were blown down the lead was stripped off part of the roof of the church, a window blown out, and other damages done and nearly every house in one part of the village sustained more or less injury. In the neighbourhood of Sutton-in- Ashfield great numbers of trees were -torn up by the roots, several houses unroofed, and many stacks blown down. In Annesley-park, the seat of Mr. J. Musters, several fine trees were uprooted. CONVERT TO THE ROMTSH CHURCH.—It will, no duobt, surprise many of our readers to be informed, not so much that the eminent and gifted vocalist, Mrs. Wood. has with- drawn horselffrom the stage, for that-she intended to retire to an estate, purchased by Mr. Wood, in Yorkshire, was currently reported some time ago, as that this event has been brought about in consequence of that lady having embraced the doctrines of the Roman Catholic faith at least, so we are informed from a respectable quarter, from which we have received the following additional statement 11 As the tenets of the Catholic Church do not recognize the English law of divorce, and as Lord William Lennox, Mrs. Wood's former husband, is still alive, she has been compelled to separate from Mr. Wood before she could be received into the communion of the Catholic Church. To this separation Mr. Wood has consented, and has likewise generously pro- vided for her maintenance. Mrs. Wood at present is staying at Micklegate Bar, a convent at York, and would, in all probability, make her first communion on Sunday last."— Manchester Gnardian. SECOND THOUGHTS.—Last week some boatmen picked up a man swimming in the Rhone, near Lyons, when nearly exhausted with struggling to gain the bank. His features were so dreadfully disfigured that it was almost impossible to recognize that they were those of a human being. It ap- peared that the unfortunate man had attempted to commit suicide by firing a pistol at his head, but having failed to execute his purpose, he tried to conclude the matter by throwiug himself into the Rhone. The water having cooled his brain, the instinct of preservation returned, and he began to swim, and continued doing so until picked up. He re- fused to say why he attempted self-destruction. DREADFUL ATTEMPT AT MURDER AND SUICIDE.—Last week the town of St. Alban's was the scene of a tragical and distressing occurrence. It appears that a loud report of fire- arms was heard proceeding from a place called Hancock- yard, and the alarm having been given, several persons rushed to the spot, when two men were found struggling in agony on the steps of a house occupied by a man named Williamson, who has lately become tenant there. William- son, it would seem, had grown jealous of his wife, who is a shopwoman in the town, in consequence of his having ob- served a too familiar intimacy existing between her and a man named Briggs, who worked in the same shop. On Wednesday se'nnight Williamson quarrelled with his wife, showing her pistols, threatened to shoot her, and at length left her, as she imagined, on a final separation. At night, however, he returned, and concealed himself to watch for the supposed paramour, who came soon after ten o'clock, and as he was about to knock at the door, Williamson rushed to the steps and fired a pistol at Briggs, the contents of which lodged in his cheek. They both closed, and rolled down the steps together struggling. Williamson dropped the dis- charged pistol, and drew out another, which Briggs succeeded in wrenching from him. Williamson then instantly took a small bottle from his pocket, and drank off its contents, which proved to be oxalic acid. At this moment several persons, as before stated, rushed to these wretched combat- ants, and both of them were conveyed to the infirmary, where the stomach-pump was applied to Williamson with some success, and although exceedly ill, some slight hopes are entertained of his ultimate recovery. FORBIDDING BANNS.—A scene, which caused some curi- ous excitement at the time, occurred in Wookey church on Sunday se'nnight. A young man, named Charles Cribb, had been paying his addresses for some time to a damsel of his acquaintance, until the lovers had one of those quarrels which lovers will have till the end of the chapter. The young lady promptly selected another sweetheart, & followed the affair up with such success and decision, that on Sunday se'nnight the banns were published for the first time be- tween her and her new lover. During the announcement, however, Mr. Cribb rose from his seat, and emphatically forbade the banns, on the ground that the faithless one had before solemnly plighted her troth to him! MOCK CoFFEF.-It is stated in the circular of Messrs. Trueman and Co., that dandelian roots, to the amount of 200 tons annually, are now used as a substitute for chicory ia the adulteration of coffee. -7, 1 i THB TEMPERANCE PRINCIPLE ON BOARD MERCHANT VESSELS.—A committee of the House of Commons, in the year 1836, in inquiring into the causes of shipwreck, ascribe a large proportion of them to the practice of drunkenness among the officers and crew; and much evidence was adduced to prove that numbers of lives and an immense amount of property, were occasionally lost from this cause alone. Besides this, it was also proved that the Americans were getting a superiority of the carrying trade, principally from adopting the temperance principle, the practice of which was rewarded by the American marine insurance companies on the return voyages. At Liverpool and New- castle the same principle is fast growing into use, and some of the chief merchants and shipowners who tried it partially have now adopted it wholly. Whatever may be said of Teetotallers" on land, it is quite clear that Teetotallers at sea must greatly conduce to the safety of vessels. BANKRUPTCY ANNULLED.—Friday.—"W. H. Parkes, Birmingham, hosier. — BANKRUPTCS.—Thomas Pearson, Liverpool-road, Islington, builder. James and Thomas Whitelaw, Lichfield-street, Soho, and Store-street, Bedford- square, carpenters and builders. Edward Tribe, Bedford- street, Bedford-square, money-scrivenor. Joseph Cooper, Sutton, near Manchester, mercer. Richard Shepherd, Liverpool, boot-maker. John Barraclough, Bradford timber-merchants. John Spivey, Kirkheaton, Yorkshire, provision-dealer. William Carr Thornton, Birstal,Yorkshire, machine-maker. Aaron Brain, Bedwellty, Monmouthshire, shopkeeper. Nathaniel Dickenson, Manchester, dyer. Thos. Joyce, Bristol, woollen-draper. THE LATE EXPLOSION AT DOVER.—A gentleman who was off a short distance in a boat, and saw this explosion, describes the expulsion of the chalk at the level of the powder as one of the most beautiful phenomena he ever witnessed. He says it literally boiled out, like the lava at JEtna or Vesuvius, and immediately after was followed by the falling cliff in the most majestic grandeur. He describes the beauty of the one and the grandeur of the other as..beyond anything be could have conceived. The cost of tfeis was-wider £ 1000 j and the saving has been, in and in time, 18 monthsi according; to the,contracts offered, •VSFME MUTILATION CASE AT LEEDS—Nothing of impor- tance bearing upon this painful and mysterious affair has been made public since the adjourned inquest on Monday evening last. There can be now little, if any doubt, that a foul murder has been committed; and that, too, in all pro- bability, in Leeds or its immediate neighbourhood.^ As it is almost certain that the parts of the body missing have been consumed by fire, and as such consumption could not take place without a large amount of effluvia, it would be well, if any person who has felt a strong smell of unknown burning at any time during the last two months would communicate the circumstance to the police-office, in order that inquiries may be made as to what the smell arose from. We may add, that the coroner has been informed that a young woman has been missing from Stanley-lane-end, near Wakefield, since the 7th of January; but whether she be the party whose body has been found at Leeds there is no evidence to show.—Leeds Intelligencer. ■- FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE LnNDON AND BRIGHTON: RAILWAY.—An accident, attended with loss of life, happened on the London and Brighton Railway last Friday. A loco- motive engine, driven by Goldsmith, was proceeding up the line with a train of ballastwaggol18, at 1 o'clock, just as a. number of labourers, who had been to dinner, were return- ing to their work, near the seven-arched bridge, between; the Redhill and Horley stations. As the train approached at the usual speed, one of the labourers, named Thomas Andrews, stepped in front of the engine, when only about 10 yards off, and his companions immediately called out lustily to him but, in an instant, before there was a possi- bility of stopping tue engine, he was knocked down, and the whole train passed over him, completely severing his head from his body and mutilating the trunk in a frightful man- lier. The deceased was a man of extraordinarily penurious habits, and had contrived, from his wages as a common labourer, to amass a considerable property for his station in; life. He has often, we hear, been seen making his dinner from the beans given to the horses. He was conversing cheerfully with his companions just before the accident, and the only way in which his actions can be accounted for is by supposing, that he was suddenly taken with a fit, which caused him to stagger on to the rails in front of the .train. INCENDIARY FIRE AT WEST ILSLEY.—On Saturday evening last, about 6 o'clock, an alarming fire was disco- vered on the premises of Mr. C. Caudwell, a highly respect- able farmer, at West Ilsley. It commenced in an oat rick, and the wind was blowing very brisk at the time, but pro- videntially changed to another quarter in a few minutes after the tire broke out, or the other property adjoining, consisting of three wheat ricks, oat and hay ricks, barn, stable, cart-houses, &c., must in a few minutes have been involved in one general conflagration. And there is not the slightest doubt that the whole of the premises would have been destroyed had it not been for the above-mentioned cir- cumstances, and the exertions of M*. Taylor, the bailiff, who, with a few neighbours, zealously and .successfully at- tempted to arrest the progress of the devouring element. Mr. Caudwell was soon on the spot, and, with the assistance of Jenkins, the metropolitan police-officer, stationed at Chilton, succeeded in getting sufficient information to take two men on suspicion to Abingdon, where they will be finally examined on Saturday, and the evidence being so clear, there is no doubt but they will be committed to take their trial at the approaching assizes, N«Meause £ assigned for the commission of this dastardly and diabolical act. GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURE OF CARDIGANSHIRE The metalliferious ground of Cardiganshire lies upon the greenstone of Merionethshire. The town of Dolgelly is this material, and the rocks are blocky and lava-like, with every appearance of having been lately ejected from the crater. On the south side of the magnificent Cader Idris, on the primitive clay slate, rests Machynlleth. This mass of roofing slate reclines upon the Giant's Cradle, dipping to the southward and upon it, bounded nearly by the river Dyfi, or Dovey, lies the greywacke region, divided into the upper, or metallic, and lower, or building-stone, districts, following the margin of the sea. The Aberystwith buildings may be considered a specimen of the strata, where it is used as a building material. The upper and lower series of greywacke are divided by a circuitous boundary, varying from five to seven miles from the sea coast. The lower series is generally divided into beds of a hard granular stone, about seven Inches thick, and very loosely imbedded to- gether by interstices filled with decomposed clay-slate, having little or no power of adhesion. The general lamel- lation of this ground undulates with the surface, forming curves with no apparent system or order, but, if anything, dipping westward a few degrees from the horizontal. This ground is also interstratified with thick beds of porphyry, varying from a foot to two feet in thickness, offering in this state a strong and good building material, and the metallic lodes pass through this ground in a rotten, or decomposed, state, principally composed of alumina. The metallifcrious district is, in the middle, burst through by a range of moun- tains, holding a north and south line through Wales, of which the principal peaks are those of Brecon, Cwmystwyth, Plynlymon, Cader Idris, and Snowden. The divisional planes in this district are north and south, and vertical, agreeing with Mr. Hopkin's Theory of the Structure of the Earth." The whole of the upper district is crossed by lead veins, running from east to west, with large quartz veins running from south-west to north-east, and it is frac- tured and broken up in places by eruptions of porphyry. The lead veins of Cardiganshire vary in width from two to thirty feet; but, in Montgomery, in a mine called Dungwm, there is a lode of the width of forty feet, and in some places have been filled with metal to a very considera- ble extent—so much so, that they have been worked from generation to generation, from theoborigines down to the present time, and are now productive of greater quantities of lead and silver than perhaps they ever were and they seem, indeed, to be almost inexhaustible. If we refer to the thickness of the stratum, calculating from its breadth from the Dovey to the south of Lampeter, or from the summit of Cader Idris to the sea, which may be fairly estimated at 400 fathoms. We may take, as an example, such a mine as Cwmystwyth, orey for nearly a mile in length, with this depth, and we should have a quantity of lead, calling the produce but a ton to the fathom, of 320,000 tons. It is not meant by this to infer what the quantity is, but merely to show how inexhaustible and adequate are the storehouses of nature for the wants of men. Most of the lead is found in the greywacke, at the intersection of lodes, but some of it, such as Llanfair Clydogau, the richest mine for silver in Cardiganshire, is in porphyry Logylas, one of the Lisburne mines, has a formation of trap-rock for its northern side, and Clay-slate for the southern, and to the south-west there is at Ystraedmaeng a large protrusion of porphyry, heaving in a northern and southern direction, and forming part of Grogwinion Hills, a line parallel with the Cwmystwyth and Plynlymon range. In following the stratification from Cader Idris southward, we have, first, the clay-slate, declining southward, upon it the grey wacke, then a range of calcareous slate, the old red sandstone of Brecon, the mountain lime- stone, and the coal-fields of Glamorganshire.—Miniiig' Journal. NORTHERN COAL MINING COMPANY.—In the Court of Queen's Bench, this week, cause was shown against the rule for setting aside a nonsuit, and having a new trial in the case, "Gibson v. Faith and another." The original action was on the celebrated agreement, by which Mr. Gibson had secured the office of coal-fitter to the Northern Coal Mining Company, in which he held 400 shares, and he maintains that it was in consideration of his taking so large an interest, that the plaintiffs had consented to the agreement. No new facts were elicited, and, on the conclusion of the hearing, the Court took time to consider their verdict. REMARKABLE HALO FORMED BY CRYSTALS CF ICE FLOATING IN THE Am.—This rare meteorological phe- nomenon, which is very seldom seen round the sun, was observed and its dimensions measured by Sir David Lrows- ter, at St. Andrews, on the 28th of December, between one and three o'clock. It had the form of a white circle, part of which was beneath the horizon, surrounding the sun at a distance of 22i degrees from its disc. This species of halo has a tinge of reddish brown along its interior margin, and is produced by light that has suffered two refractions in pas- sing through three or six-sided prisms of ice. Several curious phenomena, connected with the polarizations of the sky, as modified by the circle of doubly refracted light, were observed on this occusion, and indicate in a very unequivocal manner, the cause oi the phenomenon,—Vfc &$i\tincl< r v MURDERS IN BOKHARA.—ENGLISH BRA. VERY. The fate of that distinguished officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Stoddart, distinguished alike for his talent, character, and enterprise, massacred in the meridian of life by the mandate of an Asiatic despot, has excited a very general interest to become acquainted with the circumstances of his original detention, his long captivity, the varied forms of insult and cruelty to which he was exposed, and the cause of the lasit act of the bloody tragedy which closed his existence. Those conversant with Eastern affairs will. remember the activity and efficiency of Colonel Stoddart's services in inl dueing the Schah of Persia to raise the siege of Herat l 1838. From Herat he was despatched by orders from Government on a friendly mission to the Ameer of Bokhara!. For a few days after his arrival in Bokhara he was treated with a show of hospitality. At this period many false ru- mours prevailed in Turkistan respecting the designs of the English in marching an army to Affghanistan, and probably occasioned the object of his visit to be suspected. Colonel Stoddart was treacherously seized in his host's house, with his attendants, stripped and thrown into a pit, where he was left for two days without food thence he was taken an strictly imprisoned for nearly two years, during which time, but for the kindness of the Meershub, a police-master, and one Futoollah Beg, the gaoler, who took compassion on him, he would have perished from starvation. After some months of imprisonment the state executioner was sent to put him to death, unless he would become a Mahornetlan, and his grave was dug before his eyes but he evinced no fear, and ap- peared to have calmly resigned all thoughts of life, when the Meershub and Futoollah Beg, the kind gaoler, most earnestly besought him to avert so foul a murder, by repeating the form required by the Ameer, saying, It is well known that your faith will remain unchanged," and on their solicitations the disguise was adopted. On the arrival of despatches from the Indian Government the Ameer was convinced of the authenticity of Colonel Stoddart's commission and, releasing him from prison, treated him with the highest consideration during eight or ten months, making repeated promises, alas! but delusive ones, of release. During the time of his libera- tion from restraint, Colonel Stoddart laboured most devotedly to promote the interests of his country and the enlightenment of the barbarians. At one period the intervention of Russia in behalf of his liberation was declined, from a chivalrous feeling of honour that he should await despatches from his own country, but the arrival of applications for his release both from our Government in England and India, as well as otheis from Russia, Constantinople, Khiva, and other neigh- bouring states, were equally disregarded, nor were the hopes which were entertained in consequence of Her Majesty ad- dressing a letter to the Ameer destined to be realized. In consequence of the intelligence which reached Bokhara of the disasters which had befallen our troops in Cabul, the tyrant threw Colonel Stoddart a second time, together with Captain Conolly, an English officer recently arrived at Bok- hara, into confinement in the house of the Topshee Bashee, where they remained until June. At that period a letter ar- rived from Akhbar Khan and other chiefs at Cabul, intima- ting that if the Bokhara chief feared to put the two English officers to death, as they had done those at Cabul, he had better deliver them up to the writers of the letter. Thus Stimulated the Ameer no longer hesitated. On June 13, 1812, both the officers were seized and removed to the com- mon prison. In stripping Colonel Stoddart, a pencil and some papers were discovered round his waist; the Ameer in- sisted upon knowing from whom they were received. Upon Colonel Stoddart's resolutely refusing to betray another to the. despot's fury, he was beaten with heavy sticks, and this treatment repeated for two or three days, but in vain no re- velation escaped him. On the 17th of June the Ameer gave orders that Colonel Stoddart should be put to death in the presence of Captain Conolly. They were both led into a small square near the prisoni" where Colonel Stoddart's head was cut off, and on Captain Conolly refusing to embrace Mahomedanism, he also fell under the headsman's knife, Their bodies were buried on the spot, in the graves which had beendug in their presence. (1"'1': WRECK OF ANOTHER INDIAMAN. Letters received at Lloyd's announce the total wreck of another fine Indiaman, called the Harmony, a vessel upwards of 700 tons burden. The catastrophe took place at a late hour at night, on the 27th of October last, while on her passage to Bombay, and, unfortunately, four fine fellows belonging to the crew met with a watery grave. At the time the ship had all her sails standing, and a stiffish breeze blowing from the westward, when suddenly she. struck heavily upon a sunken shoal, situate in lat. 12 deg. long.. 11 deg. 3 min. east. So severe was the shock, that those who were upon deck were thrown down, and the mainmast itself gave way and fell overboard. As soon, as the ship floated off, which was quickly after, the pumps were sounded, AND several feet of water was found in her hold. Orders were then given to launch the boats in case of emergency, and the passengers, a great number of whom were on board, were apprised of the condition of the vessel. In the meanwhile the rest of the crew took to work at the pumps, which they did with praiseworthy energy, but instead of decreasing the quantity of water in the hold, they found to their astonishment the ship to be fust sinking, for the water was up to the beams. The utmost terror and con- fusion now reigned throughout the vessel; all were scram- bling over the bulwarks for the boats, which were no sooner THAO- they were PUSHED off, and before they had Jched many yards the ship GU^'S'TURCTI and went down in great depth of water, carrying with her the four seamen, who were supposed to* be in the forecastle endeavouring to save their clothes. It was a most providential circumstance that the boats succeeded in reaching the distance they did before the ship sunk, for had .they been nearer the draught was so great that they would have been sucked down also, and all must have perished. LLANELLY RAILWAY AND DOCK COMPANY'.—A special general meeting of the proprietors in this company was held at the company's offices, Old Jewry. The report stated that the incrcrease in the traffic on the railway during the past year over the previous one was while the expenses had not increased. Owing to the extension of the business of the railway, the directors found it necessary to make the last call of jL5, only £2 10s. of which would be received at present, for the purpose of building new waggons, shipping stages, &c. MATRICIDE. On Tuesday an inquest was held at Ledbury on the body of Elizabeth Webb, aged 79, who died on the previous Saturday from the effects of blows inflcted upon her by her son, John AVebb, a thatcher, in a fit of insanity. Sarah Taylor, who has been a neighbour of the deceased, deposed that John Webb has been considered occasionallv deranged for the last four years, and at this season of the year was worse thau at other periods. She never before knew him to commit any violence, and he always appeared' kind to his mother. The jury, after some consideration re- turned a verdiet, That deceased came to her death from blows inflicted by her son, John Webb. whilst labouring under mental derangement." Webb was committed to the county gaol on Wednesday, to take his trial at the next assizes. In the course of a day or two after his incarceration his reason appeared to return and he has not since exhibi- ted any symptoms of insanity. His sister, Milborough Webb, who received from his hands a very severe blow on the head, has quite recovered.—Hereford Times. THE GATES OF SOMNAUTH. A short account from Gibbon, of this interesting relic of antiquity, recently the subject of Lord Ellenborough's proclamation, and alluded to by Mr. Vernon Smith in his motion on Friday night, may be inter- esting. The pagoda of Sumual was situate on a promontory of Guzerat, in the neighbourhood of Diu, one of the last re- maining possessions of the Portuguese. It was endowed with the revenues of 2,000 villages 2,000 Brahmins were consecrated to the service of the Deity, whom they washed each morning and evening in water from the distant Ganges the subordinate ministers consisted of 900 musicians 3UO barbeis, 500 dancing girls conspicuous for their birth or beauty. (Laughter.) The faith of Mahmoud was animated to a personal trial of the strength of this Indian deity. 50,000 of his worshippers were pierced by the spear of the Moslem, the walls were scaled, the sanctuary was profaned, and the conqueror aimed a blow of his own mace at the head of the idol. The trembling Brahmins are said to have offered 10,000,000 sterling for his ransom it was urged by the wisest counsellors that the destruction of a stone image would not change the hearts of the Gentoos, and that such a man might be dedicated to the relief of the true believers. 'Your reasons,' replied the"Sultan, « are specious, strong; but never in the eyes of posterity shall Mahmoud appear as a merchant of idols.' He repeated his blows, and a treasure of pearls and rubies, concealed in the belly of the statue, explained, in some degree, the devout prodigality of the Brahmins. The fragments of the idol were distributed to Guzna, Mecca, and Medina. Bagdad listened to the edify- ing tale, and Mahmoud was saluted by the Caliph with the title of Guardian of the Fortune and Faith of Mahmoud." TREATY OF NAVIGATION AND COMMERCE WITH RUSSIA. —The general purport of the articles (which are sixteen in number) is to secure for the vessels of both nations recipro- cal privileges and immunities. Thus, the ships of Great Britain on entering or departing from any Russian port will not be subjected to higher duties than those imposed on Russian ships; whilst, in return, the latter on entering our ports will be treated as if they were British; also, British and Russian vessels arriving from other countries than those of the contracting parties are to be admitted on payment of the same duties as would be required of them by their re- spective nations. And, generally, the vessels and subjects of the two nations are to enjoy all the privileges in either country to which they would be entitled in their own. WE look upon this treaty, says the" Times," indeed, as the prelude to a relaxation of that restrictive system by which the development of Russian resources—resources infinite in their numoer and variety—has hitherto been obstructed- and as the first fruits of a sound, temperate, and vigorous policy, which, without vaunting or promising much before- hand, will yet steadily and surely extend the influence of British commerce, and the fruits of British industry, to the most remote and now most unfriendly nations of the earth FAILURE OF THE COLD WATER CURE—A curious Scene was witnessed a few days ago in King's-square Avenue Bristol, which attracted a numerous crowd of spectators' Some bailiffs who had to execute a distress warrant were seen to stand under the windows of a house, holding um- brellas over their heads, to shelter themselves from copious falls of water poured from buckets by the inmates. They gained admittance in the course of the day, the cold.water system" not having prevailed. I