gbe niobium.

The return to order at Manchester proceeds gradually. Although many of the working people leave work after having resumed it, it does not appear that the gross number of those in employment decreases. The power-loom weavers, to the number of 4,000 or 5,000, held a meet- ing in Carpenter's Hall, on Wednesday, when they agreed to continue out of work. They also formed themselves into an association for the protection of their wages, and a set of rules was adopted, which require that every weaver should be a member of the association, that each member should be furnished with a certificate of enrolment, and those who could not produce such certificate should not be allowed to work anywhere. The savings-banks and money-clubs have been drained to support the turned out workpeople ; but that resource, it is supposed, cannot last mach longer.

Several prisoners, captured during the late riot at Clifton, were ex- amined at the New Bailey on Saturday ; and depositions were ordered to be taken down with a view to their commitment.

It appears that the Mr. Gregory sent down by Government is not a barrister ; and his business is understood to be, to examine the deposi- tions for the purpose of shaping in the best manner the legal proceed- ings against the several parties accused. The papers publish a correspondence between the Mayor of Manches- ter, Mr. D. Maude, the Magistrate, and Sir Charles Shaw, the Commis- sioner of Police, intended to remove the impression that the Borough Ma- gistrates knew on Monday the 8th of August that the operatives of Ashton intended to invade Manchester on the following day, and negleeted to take the necessary precautions. Mr. Maude says that the first intima- tion which he had on the subject was in a note from Sir Charles Shaw, dated Tuesday, (the 9th,) nine o'clock. He immediately put himself in communication with Colonel Wemyss, the officer commanding in the district; and they watched the entrance of the people from Ashton. These appeared in two bodies, headed by " very neatly-dressed young women ' ; and there was no appearance of any disposition to riot. Mr.

Mande's object was, to keep the body together, and to get them out of the town quietly ; in which be partially succeeded ; and if any of them went aside and turned out the hands of the mills they did so in parties of such small numbers as to prove that the hands were quite ready to turn out without compulsion.

To this exculpation the Manchester Guardian rejoins- " But it may be said that the Borough Magistrates ought to have taken care to obtain information of passing events that might threaten the peace of the community over which they preside. No doubt they ought to ob- tain such information ; and if no adequate provision exists for that purpose, it ought at once to be made. The source, and the only source, upon which they

can pretend to rely for such information, is undoubtedly the Police force; and

if that force was under the control of the Corporation and the Borough Magis- trates, those bodies would be responsible for the due vigilance and activity of the officers, not only in repressing offences, but in procuring intelligence of events affecting the peace of the borough and its neighbourhood. The Police, however, is not at all under their control, but under that of an authority en- tirely independent of them ; and of course they are in no way responsible for its efficiency or its vigilance." It is hinted that blame is imputable to Sir Charles Shaw for not putting the Magistrates in possession of the requisite information.

A letter is published in the papers, signed "Gilbert Hogg, Secretary," which states that Sir Charles Shaw " has expressed a fixed determina- tion to remain silent on the subject of the riots in Manchester as long as the public service points out the propriety of such a course."

At a meeting of the Town-Council, on Wednesday, the Mayor entered into some further defence of the Magistrates from the charge of not having acted with sufficient -rigour— "What these parties want, I for one am at a loss to conceive, except they expect tranquillity to be restored by the Magistrates charging the workpeople

sword in hand, and forcing them to resume work whether they choose or not ; or, in order that quietness may be restored, want us to shoot one portion of the community to strike terror into the rest. What are the facts of the case ? As soon as the Magistrates had intimation of the state of affairs in our borough—as soon as they had an opportunity of organizing such a furce as was necessary— has there been a single proclamation or notice issued by the Magistrates which has been disobeyed ? Not one. Are the Magistrates, then, because the pro- clamations and orders which they issue are strictly obeyed—and I am not aware of a single instance where the contrary has been the case—are they to

fall upon the people because they obey the law ? That would be a most strange and inconsistent procedure. With regard to the dispute that may exist betwixt the employers and the employed, that, I apprehend, is no part of the considera-

tion of the Magistrates. It is no affair of theirs whatever, whether people

work or forbear working, so long as the peace is preserved. That is their affair, and theirs only. Now, it is their duty, whenever the hands manifest a wish to resume employment—it is the Magistrates' duty—to protect them from vio- lence and intimidation. And I am not aware of a single case that has occurred in the borough where that has not been done—where the supremacy of the law, in every case, has not been positively asserted and carried out."

It was unfair to judge of what Mr. Maude did on the spur of the moment, as if he had then received information which did not reach him till several hours afterwards-

" Every man can tell what has happened ; but was there any thing to show Mr. Maude, at the time he was called upon to act, that this peaceable proces- sion, as it then presented itself to him, was any thing more than any one of the numerous processions which have been continually passing through the town? We all know in Manchester, that this is a frequent occurrence.

Strangers may imagine that this was some unusual demonstration, such as was never heard of before, and that all the country, round and square, should have known what was expected to take place. That fact was not so: Mr. Mande was called upon to deal with that case in one moment; and he had no informa-

tion to justify him, as a Magistrate, in taking any other course than the one he did take. It is said that Mr. Maude was so stupid that he allowed the pro- cession to pass through the town without doing any thing to arrest its progress. What is the fact ? The procession was in the town. Mr. Maude asked what was their object ? "We wish," said they, "to go to Stevenson's Square, to excite a feeling of compassion on our behalf." "Where are you from ? " "From Ashton." "You have no business to go to Stevenson's Square, and I shall not allow you to do so; you must return home, and you must return home by a certain direction." Now, at that very moment the turn-out at the mills had commenced. The people went home, the town was cleared of them. There was no evidence to show that these were the people who had turned out the individuals from the mills; and there was no evidence to show Mr. Maude that this was not a procession of the very same character of which we have seen a great many others."

The Mayor entered into a long explanation of the organization of special constables, to a number exceeding 6,000; after which the mili- tary had only to be called out once ; and once they were called out by mistake.

The correspondent of the Times gives some very useful explanations of the rates of wages, and the precise nature of the disputes on that bead— "The class of operatives who state that they have most reason to complain of the starvation-prices, are the power-loom weavers, hand-loom weavers, carders, and coarse spinners. Thefine spinners are considered to have tolerably

fair wages, and few of them have complained. In most instances, the latter can earn, after all deductions, from 28s. to 30s. per week ; and if the children

of the spinners are employed as piecers, &c., from 2/. 8s. to 2/. 12s. 6d. weekly is received from a mill by one family. With respect to the power-loom weavers, I have a list of twenty-two Manchester firms engaged in that branch of the trade, with the average weekly earnings of the people in each mill; from which I perceive that the highest amount of money earned by the able-bodied power- loom weavers, at two looms (ma'e and female), is 13s. per week ; (This is obscure ; we believe it to mean, that the average amount earned by each person, male or female, at two looms, is 13s. each person ; I and this amount 18 only paid by one establishment (the Messrs. Crewdson's) for thir- teen hours' work per day. The rest pay 10s. 6(1., 10s., 9s., 9s. 6d, 8s., 8s. 3d., 88. 6a, 7s. 6d., 7s.,6s. 6d, 6s., and aglow as 58. 6d. The demand now made in Manchester, by men, is about 15 per cent, above these prices; and in some of

the neighbouring towns upwards of 20 per cent in advance is required. The weavers are not paid these sums as a weekly stipend, the rule being to pay so much per cut '; the fine weavers, according to the numbers, receiving from to Is. 3d. per cut, and the coarse from Is. 4d. to Is. 10d. The manufac- turers of other goods are paid in the same way. Persons unacquainted with trade will most probably consider it singular that, according to the prices quoted, some parties should be receiving only 5s. 6d. per week, while others at different mills engaged in the same manufacture should be earning 13s. and 10s. 6d.

" Here is the peculiar hardship upon the workman, of which he justly com- plains. It appears that those weaving factories at which the lowest amount of money is earned actually pay as much or more per cut than where the highest amount is received. The weaving-establishments differ in the quality of the machinery, the same rate per cut being paid at bad looms as at good ones. Hence it is that an equalization of wages is desired by the operative : but if a certain weekly sum were paid to the power-loom weaver at each esta- blishment, the factories stocked with old machinery would be rendered useless, as they could not compete with good machinery and pay the same prices.

"With regard to the hand-loom weavers, all parties who have paid attention to the statements from the manufacturing districts for the last twelve or fifteen years must be aware of their deplorable condition, manual labour in weaving having to compete with steam-looms; and these poor persons, after working twelve or fourteen hours per day, cannot individually earn more than 4s. or 5s. per week; and the way they eke out a subsistence is by the wives and children (if any, and the latter upon working age) -being also placed at the loom to earn as much as the head of the family. In some neighbour- hoods, this week, hand-loom operatives have been advanced 3d. per piece ; and this, it is said, can be well afforded by the masters, as they can readily sell all descriptions of band-loom cloth at 6d. advance."

The following notice was posted on the walls on Saturday-

" Wanted, 150 to 200 dressers, dyers, finishers, and others. To competent and experienced workmen the under rate of wages will be paid for sixty-one hours' labour per week : head-end dressers, 23s.; tail-end ditto, 14s.; dyers, saddeners, &c. 21s.; copperasers and learners, according to ability, 12s. to 18s.; -finishers, 23s. As the works are now in operation under experienced and first- rate foremen, good workmen may meet with a permanent and satisfactory situa- tion, and learners with encouragement, to earn the above wages, by applying to James and John M. Worrell, dressers, dyers, calenderers, and makers-up of fustians, Ordsall, Salford."

On Tuesday morning, more than 1,300/. was drawn out of Stockport Savings Bank ; and notice was given of withdrawing 1,800/. more on Monday next. The members of several sick and burial societies have agreed to allow them themselves 1/. a week out of their funds during the war for an advance of wages. There has been a subscription among the shopkeepers and tradesmen; and on Wednesday, sixty loads of potatoes and a quantity of bread were distributed among the destitute. Nevertheless, the masters and men cannot come to terms.

The unemployed workmen took possession of a small chapel in Cheadle Moseley, called" Beefsteak Chapel," on Wednesday ; but they were quickly ejected by other parties interested in the property. They 'then proceeded farther into the country, levying contributions on their way, and demanAing money from persons on the hieh road. Only one minims been at work at Ashton-a silk-mill, of which the hands had not joined the strike : they did so, however, on Tuesday.

On the other hand, two of the largest cotton-mills in Burnley re- sumed work on the same day. The owners, Messrs. Barnes and Mr. Hopwood, obliged their workpeople to signify in writing whether they would attend on that day : those who refused were dismissed, and their !places were filled up by others.

There has again been violence and bloodshed at Glossop. Last week, the factories of Mr. -Samuel Shepley, of Brookfield, Mr. Joseph Cooper, of Holehouse Mill, and Messrs. Platte, of Hadfield Lodge, began work; and various attempts were made to turn out the hands. Mr. Shepley armed his people, and the assailants were repulsed. On Friday, three among the mob who attacked his mill were seized, and four at Mr. Cooper's mill ; and they were committed to Derby for trial. "After their commitment, Mr. Cooper and his two sons, who had been ex- amined as witnesses against those concerned in the attack upon Holebonse Mill, were returning home across the fields, accompanied by one or two of their overlookers, when they were recognized by some women, who by their outcries speedily collected a mob; and the Messrs. Cooper were pursued for some dis- tance, and severely pelted with stones. Mr. Cooper and one of his sons, and the overlookers, succeeded in making their way into a house, where they re- mained concealed ; but Mr. Joseph Cooper junior having been knocked down by a stone, fell into the hands of the rioters, who treated him with the most savage barbarity, and eventually left him for dead upon the ground. Indeed, it was said that he had sustained a fracture of the skull, and that his recovery is considered extremely doubtful." The turned-out workpeople at Glossop now sent for -succours -from their allies in Ashton and Staleybridge ; and a body of four or five hundred strong attacked Mr. Shepley's mill on Tuesday. Mr. Shepley appeared in front of the building, at the head of a number of his people, who had been sworn in as special constables, and armed. For some time they succeeded in preventing the crowd from approaching the door ; but at length they began to give way under the pressure of supe- rior numbers. Mr. Shepley threatened to fire ; and he was answered by vollies of stones flung at the windows. The defenders retreated within the mill ; the owner pointed a double-barrelled gun between the doors, and drew the trigger, but both barrels successively missed fire. Other fire-arms were handed to him, and he fired off two or three guns loaded with small shot, and a pistol loaded with ball ; aiming low. People in ,the erowd 'were struck, and began to winoe and move off; but the mob were about to commence a more furious attack in the rear of the mill, threatening to murder Mr. Shepley and his family, when a party of foot soldiers came in sight, and the rioters fled. It is ascer- tained that four persons at least were wounded.

A writer already quoted gives an account of the prices paid in Mr. Shepley's mill-

" The average price per head per week paid to the spinners in Mr. Shepley's factory is lie. 10d., but some of the spinners can earn as much as from 20g.-to 25s. per week. The average price paid to weavers is 10s. per week ; but maoy young women weave four looms, and, after paying 44. 6d to a tenter, earn dear 15s. per week. The average price paid to weavers for four looms is 16s. per week. The operatives under 18 years of age work 69 hours a week, and those above 18 years 72-hours. The,dreasers earn on an average 30s. a week, and work 10 hours a day."

Some slight disturbance has occurred in Staffordshire. A body of colliers turned out at Oldbury, Bilston, and Wednesbury, on Monday, and entered Westbromwich ; for the purpose, it is supposed, of stopping the hands at the Earl of Dartmouth's pits ; four of which were at work under a guard of cavalry. The military were sent towards Darlaston, to drive them back ; but while the troops were thus engaged, another band of rioters demolished the windows of a public-house, and injured several special constables. Thirteen were arrested, and committed to Stafford Gaol.

At the recommendation of a constable who interrupted a meeting in Westhromwich, on Thursday, delegates were appointed on the spot to confer on grievances with Lord Dartmouth and other Magistrates, sitting at the Dartmouth Arms. About twenty men were deputed; an intelligent man named Shelton being the chief spokesman. They complained of the truck-system and the conduct of the middlemen, who compelled them to take out wages in goods and drink.

Mr. Willet, Magistrate, asked how it was that the men did not look out for good masters who had no betties, and who did not track ? To this question a simple man said-"-My lord, we are too numerous : there are more of us than they want, and we cannot choose masters." A fourth collier said-" We wish the thing was settled, because we only want what is right, and to come to an understanding with our masters."

Mr. Willet-" You have been taking the wrong means before now."

The Collier-" We have been misled."

Mr. Willet-By whom P" The Collier-" We have been misled by the Chartists."

Mr. Willet-" Then you feel that you have been misled by the Chartists?" Shelton-" Yes, rny Lord. I apprehend that we shall have no more to do with the Chartists."

The miners begged Lord Dartmouth to use his influence with the masters to assemble and meet the men, in order to a general and amicable conference on grievances. Lord Dartmouth, in his capacity of Magistrate, refused to interfere ; but he allowed the men to hope that-he would recommend the masters to comply with their proposal.

O'Neil, a Chartist preacher, who was apprehended at Oradley on Friday, was finally examined before the Magistrates at Dudley on Monday, on a charge of sedition. Mr. John Collins assisted in his defence. Among the spectators in court were several females of Mr. O'Neil's congregation ; who wept bitterly during the proceedings. As he was led to the Court-house he was much cheered: and soon after he was placed at the bar, with Blanchfield, a tailor, associated with him in the charge, there was a disturbance outside ; the Riot Act was read out of -the Court-house windows, and Dragoons cleared the streets. The prisoners refused to take off their hats, and they were uncovered by policemen. The chief -witness was Mr. J. J. Dransfield, accountant of the British Iron Company's works, who had been spectator at a meeting at the Five Ways on Friday ; where the prisoners uttered the language which formed the ground of the charge- " O'Neil said, have declared, and do declare, that I owe no allegiance to the Government. It is an usurped Government. I am aChristian' and a man of peace.' According to my notes, the prisoner said, 'This is a bloody Government '; but the prisoner corrected me in my former examination, and said that he used the term warlike Government.' I will not, therefore, swear positively to the words. He went on to say= I will not pay taxes. I have not drank any intoxicating liquors for two years, nor have I drunk tea, coffee, or any exciseable articles for many months.' He told the meeting that there was once a King of France Who attempted to levy a poll-tax. A poll-tax was a tax upon every head. A countryman of mine resisted this tax, and killed the collector. His name was Wat Tyler; and from that time to the present no Government has ever dared to impose a tax upon each individual."

Charles Small, a mine-agent, deposed to other seditious expressions-

" O'Neil said, he found by inquiry that trade was reviving; that the day before, iron bad risen 1/. a ton ; and was that a time for masters to reduce men's wages ? The next witness could hear was 'a rotten and corrupt House of Commons, and that Sir Hobert Peel was a robber.' He referred to the Income-tax, which would be 7d. in the pound ; and said, the /nesters, to meet it, were reducing wages 6d. a day, which would be a very profitable thing. The tendency of his speech was to induce the people not to pay taxes, and to dis- obey the laws." Evidence was also given of Blanchfield's participation. Mr. Twam- -ley, the prisoners'legal adviser, contended that the meeting, which was peaceably conducted, was legal ; for the Queen's proclamation did not alter the law relating to public meetings. A Magistrate observed, that the meeting, after the proclamation, was an offence at common law. The prisoners were committed-for trial; but the Magistrates agreed to take baiL

A correspondent of the Morning Chronicle, who avows himself to be a coal-dealer, explains the chief points in litigation in this quarter, the causes of frequently recurring strikes-

"The amount of wages varies in different districts. At Westbromwich and neighbourhood, it is 4s. per slay ; at Oldbury, &c., 38. 6d.; and at Bilston, &c., 2s. 9d These scales it is attempted to reduce to the various items of 3s. 6d., 3s., and 2s. 6d. At Westbromwich, in particular, there is a feeling with the men of a breach of faith on the part of their employers, it being generally con- sidered to have been a mutual understanding at the last adjustment of wages that neither party should make alteration from the 4s. per day; and it is the opinion throughout the district that the men have been better satisfied with this rate of wages than with any other ; and that if they commence work at a lower rate, they will avail themselves -of the -first improvement in trade to strike for their favourite sum of 4e. The -opinion is very general that such would be the case. But there is a greater grievance than even the amount of wages which should be paid, especially 'at Oldbury, Bilston, &e. Westbroniwich and neighbour- hood, in every 'respect, seem to be the best-regulated, and the employers and men to be more nearly allied and reciprocated in each other's interest than in any of the other districts. The sore grievances the imposition which the • bodies continually practise, who are generally the ostensible employers and masters of the men. It is a common thing for the men who go down the pits at six o'clock, to be had up at eleven, and for the butties to pay them at the rate of a quarter of a day for these five hours. Occasionally this has been done the week through, and the men paid on the Saturday for six quarters only. Moreover, when there is a greater demand, it has been usual to work them from six until two for half a day, and -very frequently from six to eight in the morning, which they all bildesses, and not reckon the two hours any portion of the day, but give them a drop of ' pit-drink' only. These are.the reasons why the men so pertinaciously desire for the day to be reckoned eight hours' labour; so that it shall be an understood arrangement for them to be paid for a quarter of a day if they work two hours. On the aggregate, for a long time, only three days a week have been worked. Moreover, there is scarcely a butty ' who does not keep a 'bear-house' or a tommy-shop,' &e. : and aeccordingly as the wages are spent in them, so are the men selected for employment ; the most sober, or those who have the greatest desire to provide for home, being marked men, and having the least work."

Thomas Cooper, the Chartist lecturer, was finally examined before the Magistrates at Newcastle-under-Lyne, on Saturday. The subject of the charge against him was seditious language, uttered at a public meeting in Crown Bank, on the 15th August. A resolution was pro- posed that the men should cease work until the Charter be the law of the land. In supporting that resolution, Cooper significantly told the meeting, that there were not more than ten soldiers for each large town in the kingdom. James Wildin, a china-painter, said that his speech was full of " innendo," that is, "he meant different to what he said." This witness quoted one passage-

" There is plenty on the ground, ead it may be gathered up ; but winter will come, when there will be snow on the ground, and you cannot see what there is there. I do not tell you to take what there is—I don't tell you to gather it ; I don't know who may gather it. I distinctly tell you, I don't tell you to gather it but you understand what I mean. I must be very guarded in what I do say."

Other witnesses alluded to this passage in very similar terms. Cooper cautioned the meeting, however, to shed no blood ; and he repeatedly admonished them against drunkenness. It was after this meeting that the riots in Hanley and the burning and plunder of the houses occurred. Cooper delivered a long statement to the Magistrates, the object of which was to show that be had taken no part in the illegal acts of the rioters. He was committed for trial.

Duffey, an Irishman, delivered a lecture at Carpenter's Hall, in Man- chester, on Saturday, to prove that the Anti-Corn-law League were the primary promoters of the late outbreak. At the most about a hundred persons were present. He spoke for more than an hour ; accusing the millowners of reducing wages 40 per cent, and the members of the League of compelling their people to strike— The Morning Chronicle and other Liberal papers had been lately reporting the daily meetings of the Anti-Corn-law Conference : and what was the re- sult of those meetings? Why, what they predicted had come to pass, because they had the power to bring it about. They said they would reduce the wages of their hands until they had not enough to live on, and then they would cry oat for a repeal of the Corn-laws ; and Mr. Sharp, of the firm of Sharp, Ro- berts, and Co., bad said they would reduce the wages of their men twenty per cent. Mr. Chappell had also said, if the Corn-laws were not repealed, the League would stop all their mills and leave the men to their own resources. Be knew an instance where one large manufacturer bad, during the last six months, reduced his hands to the extent of 10s, per week ; and when asked the reason why he did so, said, it was because the Corn-laws were not repealed, and because Parliament would not listen to the demands of the Corn-law Confer- ence. He asked whether there were any present who bad been compelled to become members of the Anti-Corn-law League, and who had had one penny per week deducted from their wages to pay ter their card of admission ? (A number of voices called out, "Yes, yes! ") No longer ago than the 16th of July, Mr. J. Brookes, one of the Magistrates who had signed the proclamation against the Trades Delegates meeting, had at a meeting of the Corn-law League proposed the following resolution— Tint, believing this country to be on the eve of a revolution, and being utterly without hope that the Legislature will accord justice to the starving millions, a requi- sition be forthwith prepare& signed, and forwarded to the Members for this borough. calling upou them, in conjunction with other Liberal Members, to offer every possible opposition to the taxing of a prostrate people for the purpose of a bread-taxing aris- tocracy, by argument and other constitutional impediments, that the wheels of govern. meat may be arrested, through the rejection or prevention of all votes of supply." This, he contended, was advising a revolution ; and whilst the supporters of that resolution were allowed to escape, it was unjust to punish the poor men who were now in custody. Further, Mr. Cobden had said, as there was no chance of stopping the supplies by a vote of the House of Commons, there was a way of doing it, and that was by suspending labour. The working- classes were only carrying out that recommendation ; and now the members of the League turned round on them and prosecuted them. One Michael Donohoe stepped forward, and accused Duffey of being in the service of the Tories : he had sold or offered himself to all par- ties— Mr. Donohoe had himself presided at a Teetotal meeting, where Duffey had publicly signed the pledge, and a guinea was collected for him to deliver a lec- ture on drunkenness; but next day he had gone and spent the guinea in get- ting intoxicated and violating his pledge. He had also offered himself to the League as a lecturer, and had been paid 10s. 6d. to give a lecture against the Corn-laws in Stockport.

Duffey charged his accuser with telling " lies "; and promised to rebut the imputations on Monday. On that evening, four or five hun- dred persons were present. Duffey reiterated his charges against the League, and declared himself to be in fear of " assassination "; "but although they might assassinate him, they should never intimidate hint." And he sneered at them for being reduced to send their paid agent, "big Mick," to defend them. Michael Donohoe denied the agency ; and the remainder of the evening was spent in listening to the string of charges against Duffey, whom his opponent described as " no longer in the Repeal Association, nor fit to be trusted by the Chartists," and in mutual recriminations ; the whole terminating at midnight in uproar.

At Bristol Assizes, on Tuesday, the Reverend William Lucy was. tried for giving a false answer at the poll for the last election for Bristol. Being asked whether he possessed the same qualification as that for which he originally registered, be answered, " Yes "; such not being the case. It turned out that the Deputy-Sheriff had not put the whole of the question, and therefore the case fell to the ground. His counsel then stated that Mr. Lucy had acted under the direction of an agent for Mr. Berkeley, the candidate to whom he gave his vote, not being him- self certain of the proper course ; and he supposed that he had acted correctly. An acquittal was directed, to the manifest satisfaction of a crowded court.

At York Assizes, an action of replevin was brought by Mr. John Dale against George Pollard and Benjamin Briggs Popplewell, Church- wardens, and two Constables of Bradford. Mr. Dale refused to pay a rate levied by the Churchwardens and a minority of the parishioners ; the majority having previously declared themselves against a permanent rate. A warrant of distress was issued, under which some account- books belonging to Mr. Dale were seized ; and it was now contended that a rate could not be valid which was made by a minority of the parishioners. After some discussion, it was agreed that a verdict should be taken for Mr. Dale for the sum of 31. 3s.; the facts to be put into a special case for an appeal.

On Friday, Mr. Edward S. Whetenhall recovered damages against the Manchester and Leeds Railway Company, for injury sustained by I the negligence of their servant. He was travelling with two friends on the 1st of March, in a third-class carriage belonging to the Com- pany, from Wakefield to Leeds ; and he was leaning against the door or the carriage, when, owing to its not being properly fastened, it flew open, and he was thrown out, with one leg on the line : the whole train of carriages passed over it. The guard was implored by the young man's friends to stop the train ; but he refused, on the ground that the man must have been dead after such a fall. The train went on, and forty minutes elapsed before any means could be procured to convey him to a surgeon. Mr. Whetenhall has since been obliged to suffer amputation, and he will probably be disabled all his life from the in- jury. A number of witnesses were examined, who corroborated the facts stated, but differed as to the conductor's motives for going on : on the part of the defence, it was contended that the young man and his friends were conducting themselves in a riotous and frolicsome manner, and that the guard did not stop the train because he thought it was only wished to recover a hat. The Jury awarded 1,0001. damages.

Curious and fatal coincidences occurred at Castle Eden Colliery, near Durham, during a thunder-storm on Tuesday. Mr. William Proud, a sawyer, returned home, and found his wife lying dead ; the child whom she was nursing being still unhurt by the lightning which had killed the mother. Thomas Proud, a young man not at all related to the other family, was struck dead while loading some barley. And in the house of Mrs. Stokell, the sister of Thomas Proud, her eldest son was struck, but is expected to recover.