The London Shipping Company's steam-ship Perth, otherwise the Fair Maid,
John Spiuk, Commander, arrived at Hore's Steam Wharf, Wapping, from Dundee, on the evening of the 18th instant, with about forty passengers, and a mOst extensive and valuable cargo of manu- factured linens, and live stock. Prior to her arrival, several of the passengers, from the bustle on board, began to suspect that there was something wrong in the engine-room ; and their suspicions were speedily increased by a strong burning smell. Shortly after she was placed at her moorings it became evident that part of the ship was on fire. The passengers hastily got on terra firma, and the report speedily reached the Thames Police-office. At this time every exertion was made by the crew on board to extinguish the fire by throwing pails of water below, until the arrival of an active body of the Thames Police with the Sun float- ing-engine alongside. The endeavours of the crew to extinguish the fire proved unavailing ; and in a short time the flames burst forth with great force, and then the services of the Thames Police and the power- ful floating-engine were gladly accepted. After plying the engine a short time, the flames were got under with comparatively little damage to ship or cargo. The former is insured. The fire originated, it is reported, by the coals piled around the furnaces igniting from the immense heat. —Times.
On Monday, as the Royal William and the Emerald steam-boats, from Margate, were on their passage to London, the Emerald ran to leeward right across the bows of the Royal William, the passengers in which were much alarmed. Colonel Thompson, 31.P., who was on board the Emerald, has sent a letter to the proprietors of the Royal William stating that the Emerald people were to blame. The Emerald now takes its passengers to Ramsgate and sends them by coach to Margate, in order to avoid the Margate _pier dues of Is. 4d. per head, which really appears to be a very extravagant charge.
011 Thursday a quantity of earth fell upon five men who were em- ployed in one of the shafts near Chalk Farm, on the Birmingham Rail- road. Two of the men were killed, and the three others dreadfully injured.
Some foolish schoolboys, and if the accounts are correct, an equally silly schoolmaster, named Wilson, living at Brentford, have been frightened half to death by a fellow dressed in a white sheet, who has been enacting the part of a ghost, poking about the school-yard and lifting a cellar trap-door which opens into the school-room. Out of eighty boys and one person old enough to be a man, not one had courage to try of what materials the apparition was composed.
On Thursday, two men were dangerously hurt by the falling in of the roofs and some of the flooring of two houses in Pall Mall, which are in process of being pulled down.
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