ENGLISH NEWS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XIII, Issue 556, 2 March 1868, Page 3

ENGLISH NEWS.

I'JIE LATE FENIAN OUTRAGES. 1 ! CLj.6tj.ir. 07 GrUKrOWDEii, There has been a seizure of gunpowder ' on the Thames. Some men who left a boat 1 and gunpowder at Vauxhall Bridge are 1 still at large, and there is not much chance 1 now of there being apprehended. The do- ! lice are of opinion that the design was to 1 blow up gome of the craft lying in the ri- . ver. An additional body of police have been placed in the vicinity of Mill bank | Prison, where the Fenian prisoners are now ' confined. The Thames police crews have I been increased, and a sharp lookout will be 1 kept night and day above and below London Bridge. The Standard says “ there is 1 no truth in an alleged discovery of prepara- 1 tions to blow up Millbank Prison. A writ- I ten statement has, it is said, been placed 1 in the hands of the detectives which may seriously compromise the position of the 1 prisoners. Allen, it is stated, sent for one of the inspecting officers of the detective force, and said that ho wished to say for what reason he was in the vicinity of the prison on Friday. His evidence was taken down in writing and duly signed by him. The particulars of the statement it is not thought proper to disclose at present. It is possible that when the other prisoners know what Allen has done they will follow his example. The prisoners are separately confined and narrowly watched. Reports have been current as to a probable general rising of the Fenians in London, but all is quiet,” “ During Tuesday night,” says the Excess, “ a number of detective police, so disguised by their dress that those who knew them personally were unable to idc-n- ■ tify them, were sent out on duty in different parts of the city, as well as into nearly every part of the metropolitan district. The South Kensington Museum, the British Museum, the gas factories, the powder magazines in Hyde Park, those at Dartford, Faversham, and Hounslow are all protected by officers of the police and military. Along the river every barge and ehip ia carefully examined. Detective officers have also been sent to the stations of the various railways, and the telegraph is kept in constant operation in forwarding descriptions of suspected persons travelling by the Uses. A full description is now sent round of the man who fired the barrel.” The excitement in the neighborhood of Clerkenwell lias very little abated, and the announcement that the authorities are ready to avail themselves of the assislancc of special constables has been promptly responded to by many respectable artisans and tradesmen. On Wednesday morning (Dec. 17) both at Clerkenwell and Worship street Police Courts, the magistrates were occupied in swearing in special constables. Many persons have presented themselves, but before they are sworn the police make inquiries, which in most cases are satisfactory as to the character of every one who volunteers his services. At a meeting of the executive committee of the Reform League, on Wednesday night, the outrage at Clerkenwell was denounced as a crime of monstrous depravity, and the inhuman miscreants who, under the name of Fenians, have recourse to indiscriminate violence, bloodshed, and murder, as the worst enemies of Ireland. A meeting of 100 men in the employment of Mr Freake was held at his works, on Wednesday evening, to express their indignation’at the recent attempt to burn down, by means of Greek fire, his property, at No. 4, Grosvenorsquare. A resolution was p:\s-ed that the •workmen should form themselves into a volunteer watch corps to protect the property of their employer, and in doiug so protect their own tools. The circumstances under which a box of ammunition has been discovered at the London and North Western station, Birmingham, are described in the Daily PostOn the 30th of August a man left two boxes at the parcels office of the New-stroet station, one of them being a long narrow box and the other a small one, about a foot long and 6 inches broad, A few days afterwards the long box was fetched away by the same manj who told the porter in charge of the office to be very careful of the small box, as it contained gold. Nothing more was beard of the man, and, on Monday night, some of the officials connected with the station were “ larking ” in the Parcels-office, and amusing themselves by exploding fog signals under the grate. The small box spoken of was close to the fire-place at the time. On Tuesday the man in charge of the office had the curiosity to open the box as it had been there so long, and to his astonishment, instead of gold’ he found that the box contained conical ball cartridges. Information was immediately given to the police, and an officer was sent down, who took possession of box and contents. The cartridges are packed in the ordinary sized packages, labelled “Turner’s Rifle Cartridges,” and were about 600 or 800 in quantity. The man in the parcels office asserts that he can positively identify the man who brought the bos, and, from the description he gives there is very little doubt that it was Thompson, who is on his trial with Hogan at Manchester. If it should prove true that Thompson left the box, it is extremely probable, from the time and circumstances attending the fact, that the ammunition was intended for use at the attack on the prison van at Manchester, and that the longer box which was taken away contained arms. OUTRAGES WITH GREEK EIRE. The Daily Telegraph, Dec. 16, says On Saturday night, at a quarter past 11, a desperate attempt was made, by means of Greek fire, to burn down a very extensive range of premises in Bishopgste-st. Those who are in the habit of passing along this street will remember the shop of Messrs.

John and Henry Parnall, wholesale clothiers, No. 187. At one side of the street is the Two Swan-yard, through which the pedestrian may pass into Liverpool-street. Almost the entire length of this yard on the one side is occupied by tho warehouse of Messrs Parnall; and from the character of their trade there is almost always on band a valuable and extensive stock of goods. There are several unused doors in the wall ol tire warehouse in Two Swanyard, and above each is a glass one of tuesu doors, and Liio uiisu roast must have intended it to have gone through the glass. Fortunately, the bottle struck the upper portion of the door, the fan-light was not broken, and the burning fluid ran down the floor, setting it on fire. Had the stuff gone through the glass, it would have fallen upon large piles of shirts which were stored in a room into which the door formerly opened. As soon as the flames were discovered the fire brigade, which has a station nearly opposite to Bishapgate-st., turned out, but water was utterly useless in subduing the fire, tho dreadful liquid floating, still in a blaze, upon the top of the water. Ultimately the fire was extinguished with wet sand. The fire brigade was most prompt, or the consequences would have been very serious. One half the door bears visible proof of the destructive character of the fluid, and at miduightyestorday patches of blue flame played about the wet sand which had been used to extinguish the fire. On the bricks also, on one side of tho door, the same blue flame was plainly visible. There are usually six people sleeping in the house, including one of the firm (Mr Henry Parnall), and at the time of tho ocicuvronce four of them were in the house. No reason for the outrage can be assigned. The Daily Telegraph of 17th December contains (he account of two other attempts to burn down buildings by means of Greek fire. Both were partial failures, though productive of great damage, aud in their details closely resembled tlie foregoing. FEXIAXS OX THE IT.XIA X OUTRAGE. We (Daily Telegraph) givetho following communications word for word as wo have received them. The threatening letters are only two out of a number which have been recently transmitted to us : THE OUTRAGE IX CLERKENWELL—A DISCLAIMER (To the Editor of the Daily Telegraph.)

Sir—-The opinion having been circulated through Hie entire public press of Saturday that the body known as flic Fenians arc to bo bold responsible for flic murderous atrocity committed on Friday at the House of Detention, we beg leave to inform >ou as follows:

Ist. Thai we, the London Committee, on behalf of the thousands of Irish Republican Brothers resident here, whom we represent, emphatically disclaim any connection, direct or indirect, with that outrage ; or its being accessory to it in any way before, during, or after its commission. 2nd. That we pledge ourselves to do our utmost to discover the perpetrators, and that, having discovered them, we shall make them amenable to our laws, and carry out on them the punishment that they so richly deserve ; thus, for once, acting in conjunction with the British Government, in order to vindicate our name before the world, ami to show that we do not war on women and children, hut with men—honorably and according to the rub's of war.

3rd. That from inquiries set on foot immediately the terrible new s reached its, we haVe reason to believe that it has been the deed of individuals acting from personal motives and impelled to it by one whom, if our suspicions he verified, vre shall execute without compunction as one unworthy to live in our own interest as well as in that of humanity at large. The London Committee or the Irish Republican Brotherhood.

“ God Save Ikbland !” London, Dec. Id. So, Mr Editor, we are not defunct yet. Last night Clerkemvcll trembled. Who shall say where we may strike next ?

“ The blood of Allen crys aloud for vengeance.” “ Blood for Blood ” is your motto ; you shall have it. England shall rue the day that she murdered our three men at Manchester.

Even now we are preparing you plenty of work. Now for a little advice :—Keep the I'olice at a more rcspectfull distance, or, if not, your premises, being composed principally of brick and mortar, may possibly come tumbling about your Editorial ears. Always recollect that there is another force .in London beside (he Police fofee —that force is the Fenian force, and a mighty force it will prove, too. Therefore, take a Fenian’s advice, and Beware. “ God Save Ireland !” London, Dec. svi. “ God Save Ireland !” “ThcTilood of Allen crys aloud for vengeance'' [Tins sentence is written in red ink.] How do our Saxon friends like (lie inextinguishable “ Greek Fire ” P Perhaps ’twonld be as well to intimate for the benefit of the public at large that wo have a goodly supply, and know full well how to use it. “ God Save Ireland 1”

THE ALTON TRAGEDY.—EXECUTION OF THE MURDERER. From the Daily News, 26th December, we extract the following : The Alton murderer, Baker, was executed on the morning of the 24th December at 8 o’clock, at Winchester gaol, in the presence of 5000 people. He displayed great firmness, was pinioned without betraying the least emotion, and walked to the drop unaided. After Calcraft had put the cap upon him and adjusted the rope, the prayers were prolonged for two minutes, during which Baker’s knees began to tremble, and Ills hands were dcnohcd. When the drop fell he struggled slightly for a minute.

At 7 o’clock probably not more than 1000 persons were assembled, and these were particularly quiet, not a song could be heard, and not a ribald jest, nor the customary “chaff" which is heard in an execution crowd. From this time, how- 1

| ever, to 8 o’clock the crowd was rapidly I augmented, til!, when 8 o’clock arrived, between 5000 and COOO persons were assembled. There were a good number of women in the crowd. Many of the people had come from Southampton, not a few having walked, and wo actually discovered a man who had come from Newport (Isle of White), and brought two children, a boy and a girl, to see the sight. -lo tue cud the crowd was orderly, and their only expressions of dissatisfaction ■ were vented against several street ureachore, who continued siu'd.o o ' and addressing the people from 8 o’clock till they dispersed. There were also many tract distributors in the crowd.

Since his conviction, Baker has made a verbal confession,fully admitting his crime, but maintaining thatjhe did not doit with the intent imputed to him—the violation ot tlie child. He states that ho left the office about half past 1 o’clock in the day, and, going to Flood Meadow, fell in with the children, who followed him up to the Hollow, in which they ran up and down for some half-ponco that he gave to them. Two of the children voluntarily said that they must go homo, upon which Fanny Adams, the deceased, ran up the Hollow away from them and he followed her. He took her down under the hedge of the hop garden, and after going a few yards took her up in his arms. Then it was that the children going homo heard her cry, and at this time it was that the murder was committed. Ho cut off the head and took out the eyes with a small knife produced at the trial—he never had any other—and took the eyes away in his hand. He met the woman in the churchyard, and his hands being bloody at the time, ho was surprised that she did not see them and notice his trepidation. He also saw the witness Noyes, and remembered putting bis hands under his coat in order to conceal the blood on them. Ho most emphatically denied having used any other than the small knife found in his pocket, and which two or three days previously he had sharpened in order to make an erasure in the office. After this he went back to the office and to the pump, where ho cleaned nis knife and oiled it with a feather, being particularly careful to conceal, as far as possible, all stains. At ten minutes past 5 he went out again and back to the place of the murder? Then it was that ha took off the arms and the feet. Ho had one of the latter in his hand when one of the witnesses came up, and, fearing that the foot would be seen, he threw it over the hedge into an adjoining clover field. Ho was not ten minutes doing this—the foot came off in two minutes. He repeated that he did not commit the crime, with the intent imputed to him, and tint he was under the influence of drink at the time. We learn from other sources that the murderer had previously borne a good character, and had been a Sunday School teacher for some years. Shortly before bis execution bo wrote to the relatives of the child, imploring their forgiveness.

DESTRUCTION OP HER MAJESTY’S THEATRE BY FIRE.

Another metropolitan theatre, on the 6th December, succumbed to that fate to which all theatres are sooner or later doomed —destruction by tiro. At about fifteen minutes to II o’clock the passengers iu the Haymarket, Pall-mall, and Regentstreet wore startled by immense body of flames darting out front the roof of her Majesty’s Theatre, and it at once became apparent that the theatre was on fire. The alarm spread in a moment in all directions, and a rush was made for the stage-door in tho Haymarket, when it was found that tho hall-keeper was in entire ignorance of anything of an uuusual occurrence having taken place. In less than ten minutes from tho flames being first discovered tho whole body of the theatre was one mass of fire, the roof being in flames from end to end.

It was past 11 o’clock before any of the engines arrived at the scene, after which they arrived in quick succession, but the extent of the fire, and the theatre being surrounded with houses on every side, rendered it a matter of difficulty for the firemen to decide at what point to begin operations. By this time the flames had taken possession of the houses on each side of tho Opera Arcade, aud tho houses iu Pall-mall, opposite the United Service Club, and at these points the firemen, mounting the colonnade in front of the houses, began to pour great bodies of water on to the fire, but for some time, owing to the strength of the wind, with little apparent effect. At this time, half-past 11, the scene was impressively grand, the great height of the theatre caused the flames to be visible at a long distance, and by their light masses of people could be plainly seen, completely blocking up the approaches to tho theatre, while every window, house-top, and available space was also filled with spectators. The whole Of the south end of the theatre and arcade was soon a heap of burning ruins, and the efforts of the firemen were directed to save, if possible, the houses of Pall-mall, behind which the theatre stood, and the back portions of which were already on fire. Soon after one o’clock the wind moderated, and an alaim was given that the flames had laid hold of the northern portion of the theatre in which are situated the storerooms and other offices. Before, however, they could bring the hose into’ play, the place was one body of fire, and the flames had caught tho back part of the Grand United Hotel, at the corner of St. Alban’sstreet, and the Haymarket. After half an hour’s unremitting exertion the flames were stopped in this direction also, but tin* part of the theatre was also destroye’d,

and nothing was now left standing of the building but the bare}walls and the colonnade of the Hay market, which was made use of by the firemen to play the hose on the burning mass. The occupants of shops and houses ;n the Arcade had succeeded in getting their goods and furniture out into the Arcade, but such was the intense heat and the rapidity of the fire, that they were obliged to leave them there and make .tlicii* own csccipo* The police available were unable to keep back the crowds, and er t2 o’clock several stronu detachments of Foot Guards we r o uinrchcd down from the Barracks, and with fixed bayonets formed a most effective cordon round the burning pile.

.fortunately there was no performance in the theatre last night, or there must have been a great sacrifice of life, the audience portion of the theatre being in tiames within ten minutes of the fire being discovered. No certain information could be obtained as to how the fire originated, but it is thought to have arisen m the carpenters’ workshops. It appears that all the costly properties, including the wardrobes of the establishment, have perished with the instruments of the orchestra, the grand pianos, and a musical library of incalculable value which has taken years to collect. Mdme. Titicns alone lost jewellery worth from £IOOO to £I2OO, in addition to all her magnificent stage dresses. The grand organ, which cost nearly £BOO, and all the stage scenery and decorations, painted for the most part by Telbin, Grieve, and Caloott, have been destroyed. The actual and prospective loss to Mr Mapleson, the lessee, is estimated at £12,000 ; and the disaster, as it affects him, is greatly aggravated by the fact of his not having been insured to the amount of a single shilling. Ho was about to effect an insurance, but it had not bceu completed. In the course of Saturday morning her Majesty, through the Lord ■Ghamberloin, sent a message to him expressive of her sympathy and regret, and a telegram from Sandringham, in similar terms, accompanied by an expression of hope that no lives had been lost on the occasion, was received from the Prince of Wales.

Mr Grave’s premises were destroyed. He is the well-known English engraver and print seller of Pall-mall. He had a rare collection of ancient and modern works of art collected during forty years. They have been nearly all destroyed. Mr Graves is insured in various offices to the amount in all of about £IO,OOO, and owing to the preservation of his collection of steel plates, he will be enabled to carry on his business.

Thu London correspondent of the North British Mail says : —“ It is questionable if Eurl Dudley, to whom the Opera House n the Haymarket belonged, will seriously regret the destruction of the building last night. It seems that the property has been a source of concern, if not of absolute annoyaucc, to the noble lord for many years past. The rent was far below the value of the building (looking upon the large amount invested in it,) and it is well known that it has not at all times been punctually paid. Indeed in former years the noble owner had to mike heavy pecuniary sacrifices to prevent the doors being closed, as the rival house in Covout Garden had attracted many of the patrons of the original home and had thus divided profits which formerly flowed into one treasury only. Under these circumstances, it is quite possible that Lord Dudley may make some other disposition of the site, and decline to grant a new lease for tho purpose of erecting another Opera house, which might prove as poor a speculation as that destroyed. Her Majesty’s Theatre was built during 1790. The Pall Mall Gazette says:—“We are given to understand, on good authority, that Lord Dudley’s property in Her Majesty’s Theatre was not insured. We hear also, that two valuable pictures belonging to the Prince of Wales, which were temporarily in Mr Graves’ custody, were destroyed by tho fire on Friday night” It was stated in tho Glowworm that in all probability, the site of herJMajesty's Theatre will not again be occupied with an Opera house, but either a bank or a clubhouse will most likely be built upon the spot.

SERIOUS EXPLOSION OF NITROGLYCERINE AT NEWCASTLE. The town of Newcastle was thrown into a state of the wildest excitement on tho afternoonof December 19, arising from a terrific explosion which occurred on the town-moor. Inspector Ainas aud Sub-inspector Wallace of the Newcastle police, on Monday, Dec 16, received information that a quantity of uitro-glycerine was stored in a collar iu tho White Swan yard, in the Clothmarkct, immediately behind the Branch Rank of England, and it belonged to an auctioneer named Spark, They examined the place, and found that it was contained in nine square canisters, and in baskets packed iu

straw ; they immediately sought the owner of it, in order to have it removed to a place of safety. They found him at his place of business, and represented the matter to him. He said that ho would have it sent back to the person who consigned it to him, and, in company with the odicors, he tried the railway company, but they refused to carry it. An application was then made to Mr Nesham, who has a gunpowder store, to have it put into a magazine, but he also refused to take it. The case was then represented to the magistrates, who, upon consultation, gave instructions to have it destroyed. The Sheriff of Newcastle (Mr John Mawson) is a well-known practical chemist, and the police applied to him as to the best method of dealing with this liquid; he, after consulting with other

chemists, advised that it should bo buried in some of the creeps or crevices of some old pit workings in the neighbourhood, file Sheriff and Mr Bryson, the town surveyor, with sub-inspector Wallace, and a policeman named Donald Eain, accompanied the cart to the Town-moor. They jfound a crevice or creep near to the Cholera Hospital, into which the liquid from the nine canisters were poured ; bat after this ’was completed, it was found that a quantity of crystallised matter was adhering to I the bottoms of three of the canisters. The ! Sheriff then instructed Wallace to put some earth over the liquid that had been poured into the crevic£, and ordered the other men to bury the three crystallised canisters in the earth at some distance off. While Wallace was shovelling the earth into the eiwice he was startled by a frightful explosion in the direction where the three men had gone, and, running to the scene, he found that a sad catastrophe had occurred. The three canisters had exploded. Donald Bain, the policeman, was nearly blown to pieces, and dead; Shotton and Appleby, two carters, were killed ; Mr Bryson was dreadfully mangled about the face, and apparently dying, and the Sheriff was shockingly hurt. A boy named Samm 1 Wadley was lying in a hole dreadfully injured. Mawson, Bryson, and Wadley were taken with all, despatch to the infirmary, and the bodies of the other three were removed to the Cholera Hospital. The reader will notice the perfect facility with which an amount of explosive material sufficient to destroy half Newcastle was brought into the very centre of tho town. There now seems reason to believe that the three canisters had actually been buried when the explosion took place, the earth having been violently torn up as if by some subterranean force. If Ibis conjecture be well founded, the accident was probably occasioned by blows from tho spades of the poor fellows who were instantaneously killed. The number of killed has been raised to seven, Mr Mawson, the sheriff of Newcastle, and Mr Bryson, the town surveyor, having died from the effects of the injuries they received on the dread* ful occasion. An inquest was held on Dee. 19, on tho body of Mr Mawson, and a verdict returned of “ Accidental death*-’ coupled with an expression of opinion that the law in reference to the storage of nitroglycerine had been grossly violated. The coroner was of opinion that the conduct of tho person at Wigan who owned tho dangerous compound had boon very reprehensible.

TERRIBLE FIRE AT NEWCASTLE. Ne\V(ja3tli>on-T\'^e appears to be passing through an unfortunate cycle. The sound of the fatal explosion of nitro-giycorine has scarcely ceased to shock the public when the telegraph brings news of another terrible fire. A splendid block of new buildings on the Quay side and other houses have since been destroyed, and the lire raged with great violence for several hours. It is not many months since the Exchange and News-room and a large number of houses in (lie best part of Newcastle were burnt to the ground. MISCELLANEOUS. On the 11th December the Queen, with all the members of the Royal Family now at Windsor Castle, paid the customary annual solemn visit to the mausoleum at Frogmore, where repose the remains of the Prince Consort.

A sad sequel to a love adventure is reported from Cumberland. Two farmers went out to visit their the (laughters of a neighbouring farmer ■ and the farmer, mistaking them for burglars, shot them. They were seriously wounded, but it is stated that the police are not to be troubled in the matter.

Complaints have reached London by the Australian mail just arrived that letters addressed to Melbourne by the Panama route are charged sixpence on delivery, iu addition to the postage paid in London. Letters so addressed are sent first to Queensland, then to Sydney, and lastly to Melbourne, the sixpence charged being for the Sydney postage. Advices from Florence state that the Prince of Wales has subscribed £IOO for the wounded (laribaldians.

There seems to bo no doubt that women are superseding men as teachers in tho schools of the United States. An examination of the census, in the Daily Tribune, shows that of tho 150,241 teachers in the common schools ol tho country, exactly 100,000 are women. In Massachusetts there are six times as many female as male teachers. In Vermont the proportion is live to one ; in lowa three to one. The disproportion is most marked in the largo cities.

Tho projected conference having failed, the Roman question will now have to be settled between France, Italy and the Pope. Already speculation is widely indulged in as to the next step to be taken in this matthe part of the Fmpcror Napoleon, no weii-grouuued opinion can bo formed as to the probable settlement of the dispute. The general opinion is that the Emperor will continue the occupation of Rome and resolutely maintain the temporal power of tho rope. Eight thousand tickets were sold in twelve hours for the Dickens readings in Boston, including every reading of the course. The sale was conducted with the utmost impartiality, and the first ticket was purchased by a negro, who took his stand at the door at midnight and waited seven hours in the bitter cold for the first choice of seats, which he obtained. Mr Dickens is announced to deliver a lecture before the Now York Press Club on the “ Life of a Reporter.”