POSTSCRIPT.
BOTH Houses of Parliament sat last night.
In the House of Lords,
Earl STANHOPE wished to know if the Government had received informa- tion of the despatch by the Federal Government of a second fleet of stone- laden ships, to be sunk in Charleston harbour, and the equipment of a third. He also asked if it was probable that any steps would be taken on this sub- ject in concert with the French Government?
Earl Ressma, said he hoped the rumour was untrue. The destruction of Charleston harbour would be a most barbarous act, as it could only be looked upon as a commercial harbour. The American Government, in reply to representations on the subject, had stated the ships had been sunk in aid of the blockade, and not with a view to the destruction of the harbour. The French Government had taken the same view as that of her Majesty, and had remonstrated against any act which might lead to the destruction of the harbour.
In the House of Commons, Mr. Cox (Finsbury), amidst shouts of laughter, gave notice that on Tuesday he should ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he intended to introduce a Reform Bill this session.
The sitting was chiefly occupied with answers by members of the Go- vernment to questions on various subjects, none of which presented any feature of striking interest.
The poll for the election of a member for Great Grimsby in the room of Lord Worsley took place yesterday, and resulted in the return of Mr. Chapman, the numbers at the close of the poll being—Chapman, 456 ;. Heneage, 436; majority, 20.
The Princess Royal arrived at Osborne this (Friday) morning.
The Australian mail brings intelligence that the whole of the New Ministry in Victoria have been re-elected. They are believed to be very strong.
Sir J. Trelawney has deferred the second reading of his Church Rate Bill to Wednesday, 5th March.
The Calcutta mail, of 8th January, has arrived, but there is a total ab- sence of news. Public securities had declined, and all trade was checked by dread of an American war. The native dealers wholly refused to take piece goods.
About eleven oclock on Tuesday morning the neighbourhood of Stard- forth-street, Birmingham, was thrown into a state of considerable excite- ment in consequence of the frightful and melancholy end of Mrs. Sarah Stanley, the proprietress of the Stanley Saw-Mills, Staniforth-street, who, met her death, as far as we have been able to ascertain, under the following circumstances : At the time above-named the deceased was in the act of stepping over a spindle in the middle, when her dress was caught, and she was dragged into the machinery. Her son, who was standing close by at the time, immediately took hold of her, and prevented her from being car- ried round by the shaft, and raised an alarm. The engine was at once stopped, and the unfortunate woman was extricated from her awful position. It was then found that her body was almost severed in two, her clothes torn from her person, and that her intestines were protruding. Death must, in fact, have been instantaneous.
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