At the Cambridge Borough Sessions, on Monday, Henry Braine, student
of Trinity College, was charged with an attempt to burn or destroy the letters in the letterbox of the Cambridge post-office, " by introducing into the letterbox a certain case containing gunpowder, and attempting, by means of a length of paper pre- pared with wet gunpowder, to ignite the case with a lighted cigar." It was proved, that on the night of the 10th of December, about seven o'clock, Braine was close to the post-office, and, in conse-
quence of some suspicions, was watched by two constables, and the son of Mr. Brown, the postmaster. One constable was inside, who, when any thing particular WIIS dropped into the box, was to break a
pane of glass. Whilst in the act of putting the combustibles into the letterbox, as Braine stooped to disguise the touch-paper, the two per- sons outside came up behind hint; the signal was given at that instant
from within; he was taken into custody, and conveyed before the Mayor. The "case" contained an ounce and a half of gunpowder. No motive was assigned for this strange attempt against the diffusion of knowledge. The defendant was sentenced to six months' imprison- ment and a fine of Si.
A pauper, named Joseph Ellum, has been taken up, charged with setting fire to the premises of Mr. Headley, at Great Shelford, Cam- bridge, on the night of the 15th ult. He was arrested through the acti- vity of Taunton, the Bow Street officer, and is to be finally examined, previous to committal, to-day. The prisoner is a fine specimen of the blessed condition in which the landed interest, who clamour so loudly of their claims to the gratitude of the public, are content to have their labourers. So ignorant was he of the,consequences of the crime with which he is charged, that, in a conversation with the officer, he was under the impression that an imprisonment of six months was the only punishment which could be inflicted on a party found guilty of such an offence. Ellum had formerly been employed as an agricultural la- bourer; but for some time past he has received parochial relief, and was set to work, by the parish officers, at a gravel-pit, where he was appre- hended by Taunton. On the 24th of December, upwards of 1,000 pitmen assembled together at Waldridge Colliery, near Chester-le-Street, and while from twenty to thirty men were at work in the mine, stopped the engine, and then threw large iron tubs, wooden cisterns, and other articles, down the shaft ; the workmen were placed in the utmost danger of being drowned, and must certainly have perished, except for the timely arrival of assistance from Newcastle. The Hue and Cry offers a reward of 250 guineas for the apprehension of the offenders. Nearly five hundred persons have been thrown out of employment in consequence of the late destructive fire at Patricroft.—Mandiester Rerald.
The persons recently employed by Messrs. Livesey and Rodgett arc still out of work, no adjustment having yet taken place between the rovers and their employers. On Thursday and Friday, a few new hands were obtained from Bolton ; but on being set to work, they were :beset by the old hands, and the protection of the military only prevented them from being maltreated.—Blackburn Gazette.
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