EXTRACTS FROM ENGLISH NEWSPAPERS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume I, Issue 24, 2 April 1866, Page 3

EXTRACTS FROM ENGLISH NEWSPAPERS.

The inquiry directed by the Board of Trade to be instituted into the circumstances attending the ter- ] rible loss of the steamer London, in the Bay of Biscay, is fixed to take place on January 29. The surviving passengers and most of the crew, who succeeded in saving themselves in the boat, have been summoned to give evidence, and other facts will be gone into as to the equipment of the steamer, the character and number of her boats, and the nature and extent of her cargo. The proceedings are likely to occupy several days. A deputation of gentlemen have waited upon the Lord Mayor at the Mansion-house, to ask His Lordship to give bis countenance to a subscription on behalf of the families of those who were lost in the London. His Lordship at once consented, and suggested that the geatlemen present should form themselves into a committee to put before the public definitely the proposal they had to make. A family consisting of twelve persons, residing at Sancreed, near Penzance, had engaged a passage in the London, but their sailing orders did not, unfortunately as they esteemed it at the time, arrive sufficiently early to allow of their joining the ship at Plymouth ; they thus missed the boat, and to that have to attribute the fact that they are among the living. Miss Batchelor, of Union-street, Stonehouse made an application for a passage in the London, but was told that she was too late — all the berths were engaged. Unhappily for her, however, one gentleman was persuaded not to proceed, after he had arrived at Plymouth with the intention of going; and Captain Martin, who knew of Miss Batchelor's anxiety to go out under his guidance, sent to her, and offered her'' the relinquished cabin. She went, and her relatives now deeply mourn what at tlie time was a cause of congratulation. A second-class male passenger was so alarmed at the rough weather which the London encountered on her way down to Plymouth, that immediately on her arival at that port he came ashore, resigning Ms passage, and went back to his home, thus unwittingly saving his life, j A young man, as the result of some family quarrel, left his home, and took passage by the Loudon. He was advertised for in the Times, and importuned to return, his friends being unaware of his whereabouts. Messengers were sent down to Plymouth, and an influential ship-broker in the town was employed to intercept him should he attempt to sail from thence. Fortunately he was detected among the passengers of the London, aud his family communicated with the broker, the result of which was that a brother of the young man came down to Plymouth, and persuaded the would-be emigrant to forego his voyage. It appears that a distressing suicide has occurred owing to the loss of the London. An inquest has been held by the City coroner, at St. Mary Axe, on the body of Miss Sarah Marks, aged 48, who, it was alleged, committed suicide through grief, caused by the loss of a sister, aged 23, who was on board the London when that vessel foundered. From the evidence it appeared that the deceased was in good health and spirits until she had heard of the loss of the London, and thence became quite frantic. She said that her young sister was lost on board that vessel, and it was she who had persuaded her to go to Australia. She said, "I am my sister's murderer." A few days subsequently she was found on the floor of her room quite dead. Oo the table was found a bottle labelled, "Poison, essential oil of almonds." A paper was also discovered, on which deceased had written that " she had destroyed her life, for she was the cause of her sister's death, by persuading her to go to Melbourne in the London." Mr. Lawrence Levy, Upper East Smithfield, said that the deceased and her sister were his nieces. The deceased had been driven out of her mind by grief when she heard the fate of her sister. Witness believed it was Miss Marks who came to the side of the sinking ship and offered to give a thousand guineas to the crew of the boat to take her in. The coroner having remarked upon the melancholy nature of the case, the jury returned a verdict that the deceased committed suicide by taking poison while of unsound mind. A fearful scene occurred at the Lyceum Theatre, Sunderland, on the night of the 2Sth December, during the performance of the pantomime, Robin Hood. A gutta percha tube connecting the wing lights became detached, and the gas escaping -ignited,

and a loud explosion took place, the flame shooting up to the top of the stage. A rush was made to the door by the audience, who thought the theatre was on fire, but they were stopped by seeing Miss Louisa Ricardo, who was engaged as Columbine Watteau, rush on to the stage enveloped in flames. She had been standing amongst a group collected at the wing, waiting her turn to go on, when the flames caught her muslin skirt. She shrieked and rushed on.in the middle of the scene, where her father was playing as clown, but she was thrown down by one of the stage carpenters. Mr. Bell, the lessee, wrapped his topcoat round the poor girl, and the flames were beaten out. The performance then proceeded. Miss Ricardo was removed home and died in the afternoon of the 29th from the injuries and shock to her system. She was daughter to the clown, Mr. Ricardo. A list has been forwarded to the Board of Trade by the Receiver of Wrecks, of something like 400 good ships that have become wrecks, and in - their ruin have destroyed an immense amount of property, and what is still more serious have involved the loss of many lives. In Torbay alone not less 77 lives were lost in 42 ships that were wrecked, and the amount of property destroyed is at least £200,000. The village of Collett, in Savoy, has just been almost entirely destroyed by fire. 20 habitations were reduced to ashes, and 90 persons rendered houseless. Two dead bodies were taken from the ruins, and a number of cattle, sheep, mules, &c, were also burnt. The disaster is believed to be due to malevolence, and two persons have beeh arrested on suspicion. A letter from Devonshire says: — "The state of things here has been fearful. Snow — gale — flood, each without precedent, and within three days. On Saturday, Jan. 13, there were perch caught in the streets of Exeter ; the Bristol and Exeter line was washed away in places ; men were drowned ; orchards and gardens without number ruined by the gale; sheep and cattle by hundreds buried in the snow."