allowed to "go through the tube." The train, which was almost long enough to cover the whole extent of the tube, passed slowly through without apparently causing the slightest strain. the The effect of the recent hurricane on the calibre of the tube has proved that its lateral surface strength is sufficient, and far more than sufficient, to resist strongest wind. It is calculated that, taking the force of the wind at 50 lbs. on the square foot-an excessive supposition-the resist ance offered by the bridge would be 300 tons × 2=600 tons, which is not two-thirds of its own weight. The wind going at 80 miles an hour, the rush of a hurricane, would only press in the ratio of 128 tons on the side. This great work has only been four years in hand, and is nearly complete, while Telford's suspension-bridge took eight years. The third tube was floated and fixed in its place on the 10th of June, and the fourth and last on the 13th of Sept. The following is an official return of the cost of the entire structure: Pedestals and abutments on Carnarvon side, 17,4591.; Carnarvon tower, 28,6267.; Britannia tower, 38,6711.; Anglesey tower, 31,4301.; pedestals and abutments Anglesey side, 40,470.; lions, 2,048.; total, 158,7041. Wrought iron used in tubes, 118,9467.; cast iron in tubes and towers, 30,6191.; construction of tubes, 226,2341.; pontoons, ropes, capstans, painting materials, 28,0961.; raising machinery, 9,782.; carpentry and labour in floating, raising, and completing bridge, 25,498.; experiments, 39867.; total, 601,8657. 8. LORD CAMPBELL'S ACT.Explosion of Gun-cotton.-At the South Wales Circuit Assizes, at Swansea, an action was tried, in which the plaintiff, Mr. Phys Hopkins Rhys, a young man of great scientific acquirements in the mining districts, sought to recover compensation from Messrs. Hall and Co., well-known traders in gun-cotton, for the loss of his sight through an explosion of gun-cotton. The damages were laid at 10,000l. It appeared from the evidence gone into that the plaintiff was invited by the defendants to witness divers experiments, with a view of showing the superiority of gun-cotton over gunpowder for blasting minerals and rocks. The experiments were tried in the limestone quarries near Dowlais, and, by the neglect and unskilfulness of the persons intrusted with conducting them, an explosion took place, by which the plaintiff and other persons were most seriously injured. The plaintiff, at the time of the accident, was obtaining a handsome income from his scientific abilities, but by the accident, notwithstanding that every remedy possible had been tried, and the most eminent oculists employed, he had become totally blind, and rendered quite helpless. From the evidence of Mr. Martin, a mineral agent, it appeared that several experiments had been successfully made upon small portions of rocks, when Mr. Wheeler, who acted as the agent for the defendants, and conducted all the operations, was asked whether there was not a larger hole to be had for trying a more extensive experiment. Upon this Mr. Wheeler tried to introduce a cartridge, containing 6lbs. of cotton, which was equal to 36lbs. of powder, into another hole, but could not. He then said he would cut it open and put it in loose. Several persons asked him whether this would not be dangerous, but he said it would not, and commenced forcing the cotton in with a stick. It was then rammed in by another person with an iron bar, when an explosion ensued, and all that were near were injured more or less. The plaintiff was standing close to the hole. If the cotton had not been taken out of the cartridge no accident would have happened. Other evidence was produced to show that the experiments were not judiciously conducted. Mr. Justice Williams, in summing up, left three questions for the consideration of the jury, namely first, if the agency of Mr. Wheeler, who conducted the experiments, was proved against the defendants; and secondly, if it was proved that the plaintiff attended by the invitation of the defendants; and, thirdly, if so proved, the amount of damages to which the plaintiff was entitled. The jury found a verdict for the plaintiff, damages 1500l. POISONING.-At the Central Criminal Court, Anne Merritt, 31, a widow, was indicted for the crime of wilful murder upon the person of her husband, James Merritt, by administering to him a large quantity of deadly poison, called white arsenic. The deceased was a turncock of the East London Waterworks Company, and, with the exception of a slight cold, appeared to be in good health. On the 24th of January the deceased was in the yard of their house, retching violently, and said he had been drinking some broth and a cup of hot tea upon it, and he expected it had turned his stomach, and made him sick. He continued affected with painful thirst and sickness, and had some gruel, which his wife made for him. In the afternoon he died. It appeared that a few days before her husband's death the prisoner had been talking with a neighbour respecting the death of an acquaintance, a member of a burial club, upon whose death his widow had received 77. 10s.; upon which the prisoner said, that if anything happened to her husband she would be entitled to the full benefit. Upon the death of her husband, the prisoner exclaimed, "How true Mr. Toulmin's words were; he always said that when my husband took to his bed he would go off like the snuff of a candle." On the day the body of the deceased was opened, the prisoner asked me (said a witness) if I had inquired of Mr. Toulmin the cause of death, and I replied, from what I had heard pass there was not the least doubt that the death was occasioned by poison. The prisoner, upon my saying this, clasped her hands together, and said, "Do you think I am guilty. Mrs. Gillett?" and I answered, "I do not doubt you." After this the prisoner walked about in an agitated manner, and appeared very distressed in her mind. On the day the coroner's inquest was to be held the prisoner said to her, "You know, Mrs. Gillett, that Annie (meaning her little girl) ate the remains of the gruel." I replied, Don't say so, for I did not see any of you eat it." On the 31st of January I was in the prisoner's house, and she said to me, 66 Do you think that if I had had any hand in his death, I should not have let him live till to-day, and then I should have received the full benefit from the society?" She always appeared to be a kind and affectionate woman, and paid attention to her husband, and while he was ill she appeared to be fretting. I have heard the deceased complain of the difficulties his wife had plunged him into, and on the Monday before he died the prisoner and the deceased had a quarrel. Mr. Toulmin, surgeon, detailed the circumstances of deceased's death. He suggested the propriety of a post mortem examination, to which the prisoner objected, saying she had no objection herself, but her husband had expressed an aversion to such an examination, and she had promised him it should not take place. I then said, that under these circumstances I should not press it. I afterwards did make the examination by the direction of the coroner. The stomach presented evidences of the presence of some irritant poison. All the external symptoms I observed in the deceased on the night of the 24th were such as denoted the presence of some poison of that description. I do not remember ever having had any conversation with the prisoner upon the subject of the probability of her husband's sudden death. I never observed any symptom in the deceased to induce me to form such an opinion. To the best of my belief never used such an expression to the prisoner. I the Mr. Brown, chemist, in Church Street, Hackney, knew the prisoner, and remembered selling her some arsenic in the afternoon of Saturday, the 19th of January. The prisoner asked him for twopennyworth of arsenic, which he refused to supply her with at first; she then said his father knew her very well, that he had often let her have it, and she at the same time mentioned her name. Witness was then about to supply her with the poison in one paper, when she said she wanted it in two papers, as one portion was for her sister, who lived at some distance. He asked her what she wanted the arsenic for, and she said to poison rats and mice. Witness supplied her with two packets, as she requested, and labelled them "Poison," and also wrote the word "Poison" on both the packets and gave them to the prisoner, who took them away. The packages would have had something the appearance of effervescing powders. Inspector Coward, and others of the police were examined, when it appeared, that after taking the prisoner into custody, he had "got up' a scene, evidently for the purpose of observing the demeanour of the prisoner when she was confronted with witnesses whom he had ready at hand. The humane Lord Chief Baron commented in deserved terms on this proceeding, and added, that Coward's statement to her afterwards, when he had got all he wanted from her, that she had better state what she had to say to the magistrate, appeared to him to be a piece of hypocrisy which accorded with all the rest of his The contents of conduct. He wished it to go forth Dr. Letheby, Professor of Chemistry at the London Hospital, proved that the result of the tests to which he subjected the contents of the stomach of the deceased was the discovery of a quantity of white arsenic, much more than sufficient to have caused death. He thought that a portion of the arsenic had been administered not more than two or three hours before death. Baron passed extence Thorsoner innered to been most miairy treated. conduct of the police attempts to convict her were spocking to our morni sense of suce. The prisoner utei from simre ignorance of her position, and hai not even prepared for defence. Her brief was only placed in her counsels hand as the ral commenced, and her witnesses were not at hand. Under se arcumstances, some benenient individuals interceded for the prisoner, and her sentence was m muted into transportation for life. 11 EXPLOSION OF THE POWDER MILLS AT HOUNSLOW.-A fearful explosion took place in the afternoon at the powder-mills of Messrs. Curtis and Harvey, near Hounslow, attended by a lamentable loss of hte. The buildings are situated about two miles from the Houns low nulway station, and about half a mule on the southern side of the public highwAY About half past clock in the afternoon the inhabitants of the surrounding district were startled by a sound resembling change of a whole park of y, which shook the houses to it Brentford, Richmond, from evemi hundred peoa rain what acciLi Imenei. It is also Witt lies and pedestrians Dear mie warm the mills were umown town by the concus FOLL Summi ther explosions cei The scene which followed bafdes il description; women rushed mail forward to ascertain the fate of their husbands, and children also hurried to the spot to know if their parents had been injured. A dreadful spectacle presented itself when the crowd of anxious inquirers reached the mills. Seven of the buildings were found levelled to the ground, and scattered in different directions were the miserable workpeople, some bleeding profusely, while others, scorched and blackened by the explosions, could hardly be identified by their friends. Five were quite dead, and in the surrounding fields the shattered remains of other human bodies were found, the whole number killed being eight. Others of the sufferers yet living were so frightfully injured that no hope |