The North Wales Chronicle and Advertiser for the Principality

THE LATE EXTENSIVE FORGERIES UPON BANKERS. No intimation has yet been given as to the extent of commutation of punishment that is to be granted to the approver Chandler, who gave such important evidence against the Wagner gang of forgers at the late trial at the Central Criminal Court; but it is understood-that whatever the nominal sentence may be that is passed upon him, that measures will be taken for his removal from this country. This prisoner, it appears, is very re- spectably connected, and he at one time actually, it is said, realised an income of nearly £2,000 a-year as a discount agent; but his habits of life were so extravagant, that he spent nearly double that sum, and of course speedily got into difficulties, and he then, it appears, adopted the expedient of appropriating the bills that were en- trusted to him for discount to his own use, and also used to advertise as a money lender, and obtained pos- session of bills to a large amount, and he was known to the police as one of the gang of bill stealers that existed a few years ago. This dishonest means of ob- taining a livelihood being at length put a stop to, it seems that Chandler very soon afterwards became acquainted with Wagner, and Bateman, his brother-in-law; and there appears to be very little doubt that the systematic plan of forgery upon bankers which was subsequently carried out was concocted by those three prisoners, and that the others, Humphreys, Foster, and Bramwell, were merely subordinate agents, although they rendered active assistance in every respect that was required of them in carrying out the plans of their confederates. The public will remember that about three years ago, a man named Saward, who was known among his frater- nity as "barrister Saward," he having been actually at an earlier period of his life called to the bar, and also as Jem the penman" who was the head of a gang of forgers that had victimised the bankers of the mctro polis to a very large amount, by a most ingenious system of forgery almost equal to that which has just been developed, was tried at the Central Criminal Court with some of his companions, and sentenced to transportation for life. It has been ascertained that the Wagner gang were all acquainted with this man Saward, and it would seem that when he was removed, the leadership of the gang was taken by Wagner, but he, like his predecessor, kept as much out of active connection with the forgeries that were committed as possible, and was principally occupied in giving directions and obtaining genuine signatures for the purpose of their being afterwards copied and applied to forged cheq nes. After the con- viction of Saward, the bankers of the metropolis appear to have had a respite from any systematic plan of forgery, but very soon after the release of Wagner and his brother- in-Jaw, Bateman, in 1856, under tickets of leave, from the number of forged cheques that were presented, and which, in too many instances, unfortunately, were paid by the clerks, and also the peculiar circumstances that, upon inquiry, turned out to be connected with the forgeries, no doubt was entertained that another guilty confederation similar to that of Saward and his associates had been established, and that a more than ordinary amount of tact and ingenuity was displayed by the members of the gang to carry out their schemes of plunder successfully and at the same time to avoid detec- tion. It was in vain that every exertion was used by the police to discover the guilty parties, and they were for many months completely at fault. If a forgery was discovered, the party who promoted it appeared by the documents furnished to have been so completely an innocent agent, and the dupe of the really guilty, that there did not appear to be the slightest ground for detaining him, and the only caution that was requisi;e afterwards was that the same person should not be em- ployed II second time to present a forged instrument, but, having become mixed up with his guilty confederates, he was, of course, in their power, and he was generally em- ployed in some other way to farther tho guilty objects of the association. It is rather a curious fact that the pri- soner Bramwell would, in all probability, not have beon taken into custody, if he had not had the impudence to go to the office of Mr Mullens, the solicitor for the pro- secution, to ask for remuneration for the time he had lost in looking after the persons, who, as he alleged, had sent him to Drummond!s bank on the 21st January with a forged cheque for £275, and Watkins, who hap- pened to be there accidentally, at once recognised him as the man who had employed him in the first instanee to present a cheque on the cross," as he expressed it, and he was given in charge, and the evidence that was then obtained clearly showed his complicity in the guilty scheme. It is calculated that during the two or three years the gang have been carrying on these operations, they have succeeded in obtaining from different bankers, by means of forged cheques, no less a sum than £10,000, and this large amount was the result of comparatively few operations, as the cheques were mostly drawn for large sums, as much as X440 being obtained by one forged instrument. Wagner and Kerp, the old men who was successfully engaged in copying signatures to be placed upon forged cheques, are both Germans, and the latter is said to have been an extraordinarily clever penman, find to possess a peculiar facility in copying different handwritings. The police have made a strict search after him since the disclosures that have taken place, but no clue whatever has been obtained to his whereabouts, and it is believed that the moment he heard that Chandler was appre- hended, and that the gang would te broken up, he left this country, as all traces of him appears to have been lost. There appears to be no doubt that Wagner, although he was the prime mover in the whole guilty transaction, was very anxious at the last to get himself out of the scrape by selling the whole of his companions, and it is consolatory to the public to find how slight a hold persons of this class have upon each other, and how ready they are to betray their companions at the first symptom of ?- 'r During the trial of the prisoners, the daughter of Wagner and the Miss Fairburn who had lived with him as his housekeeper, and whose name was frequently mentioned during the trial, were seated in the gallery of the court, apparently listening with the greatest attention to all the evidence that was given, but they did not betray the slightest emotion when the sentence was pronounced. The former is stated to be a very accom- plished young woman, speaking several languages with facility, and she has, it appears, at one time filled the position of governess. The whole of the prisoners will shortly be removed from Newgate to the Milbank Peni. tentiary.

The English Church in Paris.-It is understood that the church in the Rue d'Aguesseau, Paris, which has been recently obtained from her Majesty's Government by the Colonial Church School Society, is to be opened for divine worship on Sunday next, the 29th instant, and that two sermons will be preached by the Rev Pre- bendary Burgess, who is commissioned by the Bishop of Londen to officiate on the occasion. The Late King of Naples,-The deceased king has left a great deal of treasure behind him, some portion of which is securely stowed away in Dutch ducats ia tho vaults of some of the royal palaces either at Caserto or elsewhere, while the far larger portion is invested in the English stocks and securities, and, if we be not mis- taken, in Russian, Danish, and Dutch bonds. An Ancient Greek Bible.-The Bulletin of the 30th of April contained an account of the very important dis- covery made by Professor Tichendorf in a convent at Cairo of an ancie t Greek Bible manuscript. We have since received fro a friend at Berlin some further par- ticulars, supplied by a letter written by Tichendorf himself on this most interesting subject. The convent in which the literary treasure was found is situated at the foot of Mount Moses, and the Professor states that it is quite as interesting as the celebrated manuscript in the Vatican on account of its antiquity, its extent, and its handwriting; nay, that it possesses qualities which must give it a still higher rank, and a still greater im- portance in Biblical literature. It contains, in the first place, very considerable portions of the Old Testa- ment-namely, the principal part of the greater and minor prophets, the Psalter, the Book of Job, that of Jesus Sirach, the wisdom of Solomon, and several others of the so-called Apocryphal books. After these come the whole of the New Testament, followed by the EpistleofSt Barnabas, and the first portion of the" Shep- herd of Hermas," a writing of the second century, of doubtful Apostolic authoriy, the Greektext of which was, till lately, supposed to be lost. Tichendorf has caused a careful and revised copy of 132,000 lines of the manu- script to be made. He concludes his notice of the dis- covery with the following words:—"The Vatican manu- script had been known for 300 years before the long- cherished desire for its publication was satisfied. Instead of so many centuries, it will, perhaps, require only as many years to enrich our Christian literature with this newly discovered and most valuable treasure. Tle Bulltin.

TERRIBLE EXPLOSION AT EARL GRAN- I VILLE'S BLAST FURNACES, t On Sunday afternoon, about five, an explosion took place at Earl Granville's old blast furnaces Etruria-road, Henley, which, though happily involving no loss of life, has occasioned the sacrifice of a large amount of money and property and the labour of a number of men for some time to come. It appeared that while the men were casting from one of the furnaces, the engine which supplied the hot air for blasting stopped, and either the valve was neglected to be turned to shut off the hot air into the receiver, or the valve was out of order and would not act, or from some other cause which has not been yet ascertained, the foul gas and sulphur which had accumulated in the furnaces, passed through the pipei, the valve, and into the receiver, and being heated by the pipes, it caused the receiver to explode with ter- rific effect. The receiver and part of the engine were shattered to atoms, and fragments were strewn in all directions, some to the middle of the old race-oourse, several hundred yards off. The buiiding in which the engine and receiver stood, which was a three-storied one and stronglv built, was shaken to its foundations; the roof raised two feet, but directly dropped to its former position, except in the centre, just over theengine, where a large portion was blown clean away; the floors and ceilings were broken into shreds, the walls were shaken and split on each side, and a good portion of that side nearest the engine tumbled to pieces, the windows were shattered to bits, and the whole building and extensive machinery for a time rendered useless. The explosion was heard ot a distance of between two and three miles, and it shook the earth for several hundred yards around. Fortunately no one was injured, though some 60 men were at work in the casting house, 50 yards from the scene of the disaster, and the engineer was at the moment engaged oiling some portion of the machinery at the top of the building. The noise attracted to the spot some hundreds of people, who appeared to look with great in- terest on the ruins which the explosion had caused. The men were set to work on Monday morning to clear away the debris, and as soon as possible, we believe, a new house and new machinery will be constructed, but it will be a long time before the damage can be fully repaired or the men who have been, by this accident thrown out of employ be again r.t work. We have heard that the loss which will be sustained by this explosion will be nearly £100,000, but it is impossible in the present state of affairs to make a correct calculation; probably that sum is an over estimate.—Birmingham Post.

ESCAPE OF A PRISONER AFTER SENTENCE On Monday afternoon, after the business of the Middle- sex Sessions was concluded, it was discovered that a pri- soner of the name of Coveney, alias Norman, who had been convicted of stealing a basket of linen from a laundress's cart, and sentenced to five years' penal servitude, had made his escape. Although but twenty years of age, he was a well known thief, and had been convicted something like fourteen times. It seems that he was placed in a cell on the female side, and contrived, by sheer strength, to wrench the iron bar frame from the wood-work, to which it was fixed by screws, to a sufficient extent to enable him to thrust his body between the end bar and the wall. He then raised the sash of the window and got into the area, a tolerably deep one, at the back of the Guildhall, from which he by some means managed to clamber up to a ledge, having reached which he could easily get hold of the outer railing, over which he would have very little difficulty in getting. He made good his escape, and though but a very short time could have elapsed since he was seen safe, there is no doubt other prisoners who were walking about, were aware of the method of escape he had adopted, and but for the timely arrival of the warder would have followed the example by playing Follow my leader" under cir- cumstances very gratifying to themselves. The police were at once communicated with, and, from what is known of the prisoner, his haunts and associates, it is thought he will not be long at large.

THE LATE FIRE IN LIME-STREET. Mr Alderman Cubitt appeared on Wednesday at the Mansion-honse, before the Lord Mayor, attended by a deputation from the ward, to call attention to the great fire which took place in Lime-street, on Friday last, and asked whether some steps could not be taken to prevent the accumulation of such large quantities of inflammable materials within the City in future. Mr Hubbuck was present. The deputation comprised Mr Tampling, solicitor; Mr Bache. Common Councilman; Mr Jennings, church- warden, of the parish of St Dennis, Backchurch; and other gentlemen, who represented that great alarm had been created in the neighbourhood of the fire, by the supposition, generally entertained, that in addition to a very large stock of turpentine, large quantities of naptha had been stored in Messrs Hubbuck's premises, and were likely to be so again when the buildings were re- built. The alarm felt was the greater owing to the fact that the same firm had once before had their premises burnt down, when in East Smithfield. The inhabitants of the neighbourhood did not charge the principals or any one employed by the firfh with any neglect in the present case, as the result was really owing to an accident, but still they were exceedingly anxious to put themselves beyond the reach of such accidents in future. The Lord Mayor said he thought the proper course would be to put the coroner in motion, and he should therefore do so, at the same time instructing the city solicitor to attend the inquest, and watch the proceed- ings on behalf of the citizens. Mr Alderman Cubitt said he entirely concurrcd in the propriety of this course, as the subject was one which required a patient and solemn inquiry. Mr Hubbuck said he should be happy to give every facility to the inquiry. The deputation then thanked the Lord Mayor, and retired.

LECTURES ON THE WAR. I The directors of the Crystal Palace have added largely to the facilities for the enlightenment of the public with regard to the most important details bearing upon the present Italian war, by the engagement of Mr Stocqueler, favourably known to professional men as a writer on military topics, and to the general public as the fluent and agreeable lecturer who so felicitously described the dioramas of Wellington's Campaigns and The War in the Crimea" at the Gallery of Illustration, whose services have been secured for the delivery of lectures on the "Wars in Italy Originating in her Desire for In- dependence," embracing a considerable amount of in- structive historical detail, but dwelling especially upon the origin and aspects of the existing contest. During the past week these discourses were listened to with evi- dent interest by crowded audiences, and on Tuesday Mr Stocqueler greatly increased the value of his exposition by indicating, by moveable pieces of card, the position of the opposing armies and their course of operations. The lecture was repeated on Thursday, and those who desire to profit by a familiar explanation of current events, delivered in the pleasantest manner by a thoroughly competent commentator, will do well to avail themselves of this well-timed addition to the attractions of the Crystal Palace.

The Manchester Non-Intervention Meeting.-The Mayor of this city has received the following official communication:- Downing-street, May 21, 1859.- Sir, I am directed by Lord Derby to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 20th inst, and of the accom- panying memorial of the inhabitants of the city of Man- chester. I am to express his lordship's satisfaction that the memorialists approve of the course pursued by her Majesty's Government with regard to the war which has recently broken out in Europe.—I have, &c, M. DRUMMOND. Proposed Charter of Incorporation in Birkenhead.— A special meeting of the Birkenhead commissioners was held on Tuesday, in order to consider a repol t of a com- faittee to whom a memorial upon the subject of a charter of incorporation had been referred. The report stated that the cost of the charter would be from X700 to 9800; but that by such charter the present limited taxation of 3s in the pound would be entirely removed; that with the adoption of the charter they would have the power to levy an unlimited rate; and as the council would not have powers for the sale of land, which are invested in the commissioners, the sale of land for the reduction of bonded debt would be seriously impeded. The report was adopted, and is to be printed for circulation among the ratepayers. Fatal Railway Accident.-An inquest was held on Monday at the Leviathan public-house, Bushey, on the body of Benjamin Rosser, whose death was caused by his being knocked down by the down train of the London and North Western Company from London on Sunday last. The accident occurred about a mile from the Wat- ford station. George Grace, the driver of the train, de- posed that he did not see the deceased until he was close upon him. The train was going at the time at the rate of thirty to forty miles an hour. It was believed that the deceased was trying to cross the line at the time of the accident. No one connected with the train observed the deceased. The train and engine passed over him, the result being that he was decapitated and frightfully mutilated. He was about seventy-two years of age, and had latterly been employed as a job- bing gardener. No blame was attached to the driver or guards as regards the accident. Assistance was sent as soon as the train arrived at the Watford station, and the deceased was found lying on the rails over which the engine and carriages passed. After hearing the evi- dence the jury returned a verdict of "accidental death."

ANTMERICAN VIEW OF THE WAR. A AMERICAN W OF THE WAR. The New York Tribune of the 7th inst has the follow- ing excellent article upon the course incumbent upon all sincere friends of liberty.- Two of the great military monarchies of Continental Europe appear about to plunge into a desperate, deadly strife, and already we see attempts to enlist the feelings of the American people on the side of one of the belli- gerents. In common with the Republicans of Europe we protest against this entanglement. Neither the Austrian nor the French despot has any claim on our sympathies, nor is there any probability that the foresworn assassin of the liberties of France will hereafter deserve more from the advocates of human rights than the assassin ot the liberties of Hungary. Have the two not vied with each other for years in upholding the priestly despotism which blasts and scourges Central Italy. When the Roman Republic fell, pierced to the heart by French bayonets, was the voice of Louis Napoleon raised in re monstrance against the fratricidal crime? How can he who has rendered France one vast prison, with a gagged press, a corrupted soldiery, and a manacled people, be expected to strike the chains from the limbs of Italy? Even the hope is monstrous. We hope, indeed, for great advantages to the cause not of Italians merely, but of European liberation, from the struggle now beginning, but not through the good will of either of the chief com- batants. God, who causes the wrath of man to praise him," has, we trust, great purposes of good to be effected through the mediums of this war. But, in order that the Republicans of Europe should be in a position to profit by the opportunities which this war is likely to bring them, they must give earnest heed to the scriptural in- junction, Put not your trust in princes." No despot can rationally be expected to lavish the blood and treasures of his people in the championship of the rights of man, whether at home or abroad-least of all a despot who has waded to his throne through rivers of blood, or even crossed those rivers on pontoons of perjuries and lies. The complete triumph of Napoleon III cannot plausibly be expected to result more favourably to the cause of liberty than did that of his avowed exemplar and patron saint, Napoleon I. And what was the effect of his European autocracy, let Switzerland, Holland, Germany, and even Italy, attest. The notion that Louis Napoleon is impelled to his present course by sympathy for Italy, writhing under the heel of Austrian despotism, is preposterous. Can the world be expected to forget that a large section of Italy has for years been held quiet in a hated bondage by the orders and the arms of this same Louis Napoleon? Can they forget that the noblest of the Frenchmen who, on the restoration of the Republic in 1848, removed the interdict which forbade his return to F, ance, have since been killed or banished to penal colonies by him, where so many of them as have not yet fallen victims to pestilence or famine still remain? Must not that Republican have resolved to forget every- thing and learn nothing who pins his faith to the sleeve of anv Bonaparte whatever? Nor can any but the wilfully blind fail to see that this quarrel has been skil- fully provoked by Louis Napoleon, though he has had the address to make his adversary begin it. His menace to M Hubner on the 1st of January was clearly meant to produce all that which followed. He laid his train adroitly, and has compelled his adversary to fire it or be blown up by it. If he should now see the Sardinian army hurled over the Alps a shattered, decimated mob, leaving its artillery, munitions, and stores ia the hands of the Austrians, the King and Court leading the flight, and leaving the people to respond to war contributions, and to the license of a ruthless and triumphant soldiery, he may be driven to suspect himself less clever than he has hitherto imagined. To our countrymen we say most earnestly, Hands off!' Let us keep perfectly cool. The belligerents seem about equal in capacity to do each other mischief, and are quite equal in the badness of the cause they respectively uphold. The Austrian Emperor has no right to tyranise in Italy any more than he had to crush Hungary. Louis Napoleon cannot really design or desire to give Italy that freedom which he denies to France, and the choice between one despotism and another is not worth a hundred of the million lives that this war is likely to destroy. The triumph of neither of these despots can result in lasting good, but the injury they are about to inflict on each other may be of great benefit to the people. whose turn is to come next. Let no Republican willingly shed his blood in this war of autocrats; let no Republican embark in it even his sym- pathies."

BRITISH ASYLUM FOR DEAF AND DUMB On Tuesday afternooa the annual meeting of the friends of this institution took place at the asylum, Homerton, Charles Jacomb, Esq, in the chair. The report, as read by J. G. Simpson, Esq, the honorary secretary, and unanimously adopted, showed a steady increase in the funds, which exhibit this year a more flourishing appearance than heretofore. The receipts from all sources in the year amount to S512 Os 10d, against a revenue of X359 56 in 1857-8, and the expen- diture (inclusive of payments previously mentioned) to X469 3s 4d, against C334 I Is 6d for 1857-8. Had these extraneous expenses not have had to be paid, the ordi- nary expenditure would not exceeded C370. Since the last public meeting the reserve fund had increased, and X439 16s 2d was now invested in Government Funds, realising S458 18s 7d stock, and there is every reason to believe this will be largely added to in future, and it is hoped that consequent thereon they may be encouraged to look out for some suitable site, whereon to raise a noble institution for the reception of the unfortunate objects of their care. The report then proceeded to st:ite that Lord Ebury had consented to become one of the Vice-Presi- dents. Resolutions embracing thanks to the committee, and requesting their re-election, as well as the office bearers, together with thanks to the chairman of the day, were severally spoken to by the chairman, by J. G. Simpson, Esq, hon secretary, the Rev J. Connell, J. Sutton, Esq. P. S. Mitchell, Esq, etc, etc, and carried unanimously. The proceedings then terminated.

Norwich Election Petition.-It appears that a peti- tion is to be presented on the meeting of Parliament against the return of Lord Bury and Mr SchHeider for Norwich. The petition originates with the Conser- vatives, and it is stated that Mr Slade, Q C, has been specially retained to conduct the case against the sitting members. Attempted Suicide in the Public Streets .-On Tuesday night the neighbourhood of Brunswick-square was thrown into a fearful state of excitement, by a deter- mined attempt at suicide in Long's-yard, Lamb's Conduit-street, by a German gentleman, who, between 10 and 11 o'clock, in the presence of several persons who were passing, fell down on his knees, and, placing a pistol to his left breast, deliberately discharged the contents into his body. The unfortunate man was con- veyed into Mr White's surgery, Lamb's Conduit-street, and subsequently to King's College Hospital, where he lies without the slightest hopes of recovery, the whole of the charge having lodged in his left lung. From documents found on his person it appears that the un- fortunate man is a German, related to a noble family, and resides in St George's-street, Whitechapel. Right of Workmen to Notice.—At the City Sheriff's Court, on Tuesday, was decided the case of Prime, Prime, jun, and others, v. Davies, which was of a series of sum- monses brought by several journeymen bootmakers against defendant, a master bootmaker. The first plain- tiff stated that he had been suspended by defendant and discharged at a moment's notice, and he now sought to recover for a week's notice. He applied to defendant, who refused to see him. His Honour (Mr Kerr) said he was entitled to his notice, and gave plaintiff a verdict. The other cases were settled in a similar manner. Sale of Shares in the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.- On Tuesday, at Garraway's Coftee-house, Change- alley, Cornhill, Messrs Price and Clark offered to public auction a number of shares in the Theatre Royal, Drury-lane, the property of Mr Charles Hammersley, which attracted a large attendance of gentlemen con- nected with the theatrical world. A renter's share of £500, now paying an annual dividend, with a free ad- mission transferable or saleable annually, held for an unexpired term of forty-bix years, the income and free admission for the present season included, sold at £ 64. Forty joint-stock or proprietor's shares at £100 each, with the right of nomination to a free admission for life to every performance, also conferring a nomination to the general committee, were sold in lots of five shares each at from X 18 16s to X23 per lot. Two hundred similar shares, affording a nomination for the general committee, were then soid in lots of five shares each at from X8 10s to X9 10s per lot, with the exception of the last two lots, the competition for which was so great that 922 and 923 per lot were obtained for them. A New Church-Rate Movement.—The Archdeacon of London, at the close of the election of proctors on Friday week informed the clergy that he considered the time had come when a decided stand should be made in support of Church-rates, and that for that purpose he thought it would be highly desirable that the city should be called in to assist the clergy in their deliberations as to the course which should be adopted in the present crisis. He intimated that with that view, at several meetings of the clergy which have recently taken place, eighty laymen of the archdeaconry of London was invited to meet the clergy at Sion College on Thursday evening last, when the subject of Church-rates was fully discussed, and some line of action determined upon. The Archdeacon presided over the jomt meeting of clergy and laity. Amongst the laity who have been nominated s are Alderman Sir lv. W. Carden, Alderman and Sheriff Condor, Alderman Finnis Alderman and Sheriff Hale, Mr Henry Hoare, the banker, Mr J. G. Hubbard, MP, Mr G. B. Hughes, barrister, Mr G. Lyall, MP, MrJ. McGregor, barrister, Mr G. H. Oliphant, barrister; Mr P. F. O'Malley, Q C, Mr William Ilivington, Mr G. A. Spottiswoode. Mr H. Tritton, the banker, and Mr William Cotton, of the Bank of England.

MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH COMPANY. An extraordinary special meeting of this company was held at the company's offices at Liverpool on Tuesday. Mr J. C. Ewart, M P, in the chair. The meeting was called to sanction a resolution autho- rising the directors to borrow a sum of money not exceeding £ 30,000. The chairman explained that the object of the directors was to enable the submarine company to complete an arrangement by which the latter were bonnd to lay a cable to Hanover and another from the coast of Norfolk to Denmark. The Magnetic Company agreed at the time this arrange- ment was made to assist the Submarine Compantin placing shares to the amount of X500,000 for the laving of these two cables. The line to Hanover had been com- pleted under the arrangement, and there now remained the line to Denmark, for which X30,000 was to be ap- propriated. The directors therefore require powers to issue debentures to that amount in exchange for shares which the Submarine Company would hand over to them. The money borrowed upon these debentures would be replaced by the sale of the shares, whenever they could be sold, at par. The meeting, after a hrt conversation, agreed to sanction the resolution.

FEARFUL ACCIDENT. A fearful accident occurred at the Consett Iron Works, in the county of Durham, on Saturday. Im- mense operations are carried on in these works, and while 70 men were busily employed in the rail mill, rollisg iron for railway plates the flywheel suddenly broke, spreading confusion and destruction around. The wheel was making seventy revolutions a minute at the time, its weight was about twenty tons, and its diameter twenty- four feet. The principal portion of the shattered frag- ments of this ponderous machine fell into the wheel pit, but others flew to the right and left. One weighing about three and a half tons, was driven a distance of twenty-nine yards and against a wall, making a breach in it fully four feet in depth and two in breadth, passing on other twenty-one yards. Near to that there is another fragment weighing one and a half tons, deeply imbedded in the ground. The roof of the mill has been shattered some 160 feet in length and 40 in breadth, and it fell upon four men while at work cutting iron at the shears in front of the flywheel. The men were buried beneath the rui ns. Measures were at once adopted to extricate them, a very difficult task from the quantity of heated iron lying about. The first person discovered was Patrick Marther, who had been killed instantly by the roof falling on him. Daniel Duffy was the next person discovered. He fell over a hot rail end, and is much burnt. He has also lost one of his fingers. Matthew Murphy, a married man, was found covered over by the slates. He is much burnt, and suffers from wounds in various parts of his body. Michael Duffy, the fourth man, was at the time of the accident carrying iron from a waggon to the shears. lie was knocked down, and the huge mass of iron falling 00 his legs they were dreadfully smashed. One of his legs has been amputated.

EXTRAORDINARY RECOVERY OF A Pt:R5E FROM A THIEF. The following is about the most extraordinary instance of the recovery of stolen property from a thief that we remember to have heard of:-Between twelve and one o'clock on Tuesday, two respectable women were walking in Corporation-street towards Market street. One of them had in her right hand a small velvet purse and also a parasol. The purse contained xg 10s in gold, 10s in silver, and a £5 note; the money being partly saved and partly borrowed, and all intended as a means of entering upon a small business. In Corporation-street the women were metby threerough fellows wearing caps, who boggled in passing, as if they were not certain whether to keep to the right would be right." While this was going on. the pursebearer (whom we may call Mrs A.) heard a sharp snap, as did also her friend, but Mrs A. looking down, observed that her shawl-brooch was unfastened, and to its slipping she attributed the noise. After walk- ing a few yards she discovered that the handle of her parasol was missing, having been snapped off, but, in- comprehensible, as it may appear, she had forgotten that she had been carrying her purse in her hand, and she still had no suspicion of her loss. Not until two hours had passed did she ascertain that her purse, and the £15 it contained, were no longer in her keeping. Then she was almost distracted, for not to have recovered the money would have been ruin to all her prospects. But in the best sense of the words, Mrs A-- seems to be really a strong-minded woman," and rejecting the advice of a friend to go at once to the police anddcscribe, as well as she could, the fellows whom she now supposed to have robbed her, she started rapidly for the residence of the lender of the £5 nute, with a view to ascertain its number. In this she succecded, and hurriedly she retraced her steps to the centre of the city, intend- ing now to go to the detective-office and gain the ail of the police. In Deansgate, when near the Parsonage, she saw standing seven or eight men, looking very much of the same class as the three she had strong reasons to remember having en- countered in Corporation- street. Sheneared them; and with a comprehensive and most keen glance in passing she saw that one of the group was on the act of showing something to his comrades, that that something was of the colour of her purse, and that the fellow "all hast;ly turned so as to hide from her his act and its object. At the same instant she recognised this man as having been the nearest to her of the three in Corporation-street; and, dashing through the group, she seized what the thief held. He and they were all but paralysed by the suddenness of the meeting and the pounce; he strove to fling her off, and they began to hustle her, but she maintained her grasp, and with a last wrench, when all but exhausted, she carried off-her purse, with note, gold, and silver, as it left her hand some four hours previously. During the scuffle twenty or thirty persons gathered round, but they may well be excused for not comprehending the real nature 01 what was going on; and Mrs A-, in her excitement, was not likely to give them much infor- mation. There happened not to be a policeman near, and so the thief escaped for the present. A moral" may be appended: As ladies generally are not likely to be, under similar circumstances, so lucky or so daring as Mrs A- all should avoid walking in the streets with purse in hand, lest its exhibition should create in the breastof a thief an" uncontrollable impulse (as doctors in lunacy phrase it) to pursue his vocation.—Manchester Guardian.

A public dinner is to be given on Monday week to the members for the West Riding. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has a full dress dinner party at his residence in Grosvenor-strcet. on the eve of the commencement of the Parliamentary session, the 6th of next month. Literary Treasure Trove.-A young savant, M de Lamothe, formerly a pupil of the Ecole des Chartes, has just discovered at Madrid some unpublished manuscripts of great interest for the history of France, There is, among others, a letter from the Spanish Ambassad r in Paris, written at the Louvre on the very day of the mas- sacre of St Bartholomew, and filled with carious details; also one from Philippe II to Charles IX, congratulating him on having struck so great a blow; likewise an account of the battle of Pavia by Pescaire; a letter con- taining an announcement of the death of Henri IV, by a Jesuit in Paris to another in Spain, and other very curious letters of Charles V, Francis I, the Constable Bourbon, and the leading personages of the Fronde. Volunteers from the Merchant Service.-A circular has been issued by the Admiralty, relative to the treat- ment of volunteers from the merchant service to the Royal navy. The purpose of the circular, which is addressed to officers in the Royal navy, is to suggest the propriety of kind and considerate treatment of the men connected with the merchant service who may volunteer to serve her Majesty. It refers to the repugnance mani- fested by sailors of the merchant service for the navy, a feeling which, it is suggested, may be removed, if those whose duty it may be to instruct them are patient and forbearing. Minute directions are embodied in the cir- cular for the guidance of those who are placed over such volunteers, in reference to discipline, and the various navy regulations as to clothing, hammocks, &c, in order that they may adapt themselves with readiness and satisfaction to ships of war on joining the service. Their lordships, in conclusion, state that they rely on officers of the fleet for carrying out the instructions contained In the circular for dispelling the aversion for the navy which merchant seamen have conceived from traditional misre- presentations of the Queen's service; and they request their views may be made known to the executive com- missioned officers in charge of decks, and that all the warrant and subordinate officers may conform themselves thereto. City of Dublin Militia.-On Monday evening tbe City of Dublin Militia Artillery marched into Colehester camp, to take charge of the two batteries of guns Its, tioned at that garrison for the protection of the C0t. The regiment, in strength 337 rank and file, and 1,,a,illg 15 oinjers. left Dublin on Thursday, and landed at ,I- bury Fort on Monday morning, where 110 men and fill officers were left for garrison duty, and the head quarters, consisting of 227 men and 9 officers, proceeded ?  to Colchester. The officers Mcompany'ngtM' quarters of the regiment are, Hon Robert F. HtndcOOk, Lieutenant Colonel Commandant; Captains H_ej'rv?, Arthur R. Pelly, and William James M?' Li,u,e-, nants A. G. W. Gardner, John Albert Vincent- T* e Montmorency Armstrong, Robert M. Al'oway, ?,?' Adjutant Charles M'Cailum; Quarter Mas e ^1;^ M'Adams; Surgeon, E. H. Scnven. The regiment ,1 met at the railway station by Colonel H. K. Bloo?my Commandant of the Camp, and accompanie,i quarters by the Gres and drums of the depot bat??.?