lobby with Mr. Baker, engaged in constant prayer. When called to the scaffold, she rose obediently, and, considering her sex, and the death she was about to die, displayed uncommon firmness. Just as the noise intimated to White that the platform was about to fall, he made another violent effort, leaped forward, and gained footing on the stationary plank; his arms were again at liberty, and he instantly clung with both hands to the rope above his head, and thus he remained in an oblique position, until he was pulled down by mere force. Before this was effected, Roberts appeared to have ceased to struggle. White having resolutely refused to have the cap replaced on his head, exhibited an appalling spectacle during his convulsive struggles. 5. CURIOUS WAGER.-A gentleman betted with a friend, twenty sovereigns to ten, that, of the first thirty men who should pass a shop in which they were to station themselves, twenty would have at least one hand in the breeches or coat-pocket, and that fifteen would have both hands so placed. Newstreet, Covent-garden, was selected for the place of scrutiny, as, from its having an extremely narrow foot-path, and being a very public thoroughfare, it would offer the best example of the inconvenience of this prevalent custom. The result of the examination was, that of the first thirty men who passed, eighteen had both hands in their pockets, and five others had one hand so situated: the proposer of the wager thus winning it hollow. FIRE. This morning between five and six o'clock, the extensive warehouses of alderman Atkins, situated in Curzon-lane, and thence back to Dowgate wharf, were dis covered to be on fire. Although several engines were soon upon the spot, they remained utterly useless for nearly two hours, owing to the want of water, and, when it had been obtained, to the difficulty of bringing them to bear upon the flames. Unfortunately, the engines could not approach the building on the western side, excepting through the opposite warehouses; and even there, not more than one or two engine scould be brought to bear on the building. A considerable portion of the roof at length gave way, falling inwards, and carrying every thing with it through two floors. The exertions of the firemen were still paralyzed, and the flames were left to make their way downwards. By eleven o'clock, several engines were got to work from the tops of the warehouses in Curzon-lane, which soon gave a considerable check to the progress of the fire. This immense pile was occupied by the Hartley Bottle Company. It was believed that the fire must have been smouldering throughout the night, as it burst forth with tremendous fury. The different window sills presented a very curious appearance, as, wherever the water was played on them, when they became cooled, it froze, and icicles hung, not from them only, but from the lower parts which had not taken fire. By half-past twelve o'clock a complete check had been given to the flames, but the whole building might be said to be destroyed. It had not been finished more than four months, the former building having been likewise destroyed by fire. 8. DISSENTERS' MARRIAGES. Previous to the celebration of the. marriage ceremony between two parties who were Protestant Dis senters, the bridegroom presented a protest, stating that as a Protestant Dissenter, he had certain conscientious scruples concerning the religious part of the marriage ceremony, against which he begged respectfully to present his protest -He placed the protest upon the cushion before the clergyman who peremptorily commanded it to be withdrawn, adding, that, unless they took it out of the church, he would not marry the parties. This not being complied with, he closed the book, took off his surplice, and proceeded towards the vestry, when one of the party said, "As the father of the bride, I call upon you, as an ecclesiastical officer, to perform your duty." The clergyman repeated that he would not perform the ceremony unless they withdrew the protest, which, he was distinctly informed, would not be done; the parties alleging that they claimed the performance of a legal ceremony, and that they would await in the church the performance of his duty, until they should be removed therefrom by force. Upon this the minister left the church. The parties remained for a considerable time before the altar, which was now prepared for the communion service, and the congregation had begun to assemble. From time to time several persons from the vestry, as the clerk, churchwarden, &c., addressed the parties, endeavouring to induce them to withdraw their protest. The churchwarden, who had retired into the vestry, once more came forward,andhaving again failed in his endeavours to induce the parties to withdraw the document, took it up himself, and, after reproving the beadle for "allowing such things to be in the church," delivered it to that officer, who proceeded with it to the vestry. Soon after which the minister, in full canonicals, attended by several gentlemen, came from the vestry, and proceeded to the performance of the ceremony, the most striking feature of which appeared to be the reading, contrary to usual custom, the whole service, as prescribed by law. During the prayer and benedictions, the bride and bridegroom were compelled to kneel, whereupon the friends of the parties, turned their backs upon the altar, thereby manifesting to the assembled congregation their non-participation therein. FUNERAL OF MR. GIFFORD.The remains of this distinguished scholar and critic were deposited in Westminster-abbey.-The procession moved from the late residence of the deceased, in Jamesstreet, Buckingham-gate, at halfpast eleven o'clock, in the following order :--Man bearing a plume of feathers; four men with staves; the hearse, drawn by four horses, and containing the coffin, which was covered with black cloth, with black plates, and nails.-On the lid of the coffin was a square brass plate, bearing the following simple "William Gifford, inscription. esq., died the 31st of December, 1826, in the 71st year of his age." In the mourning coaches were Dr. Ireland, dean of Westminster; general Grosvenor; Mr. Cookesley, sen.; and Mr. Cookesley, jun.; Mr. Croker, Mr. Barrow, Mr. Chantry (the sculptor) Mr. Sergeant Rough, Mr. Palgrave, Mr. Hopner, Dr. Thompson, Mr. Murray, &c. On arriving at the entrance to the Abbey, through the cloisters, the procession stopped; and, the coffin having been removed from the hearse, the mourners alighted, and passed through the cloisters into the Abbey, and along one of the principal aisles to Poets' Corner. There, having ranged themselves round the grave, the coffin was immediately lowered; and the ritual of the Church of England having been pronounced over the remains of the deceased, the mourners withdrew into the house of the dean, which has a private communication with the Cathe dral. The grave in which the remains of the deceased were placed is opposite to that of Dryden, and immediately below the monuments to the memory of Camden and Garrick. ACCIDENT AT THE THAMES TUNNEL. This morning, the work-people and others engaged in this undertaking, as well as the whole neighbourhood of the spot where the excavation is proceeding, were thrown into alarm by a violent report which proceeded from the mouth of the shaft, and was succeeded by an immense body of flame. The shock was felt at a considerable distance from the spot itself; but the accident was not so serious in its consequences as was at first anticipated. For some time past it had been considered that the portable gas was the best light which could be adopted for the assistance of the labourers, and the work has been constantly so lighted. At the summit of that part of the shaft where the bricks and other materials are lowered, there happened on this day to be placed, for the purpose of descent, some bottles of portable gas: the spot, being immediately under the engine, is perpetually agitated from its working; and, one of the bottles not having been carefully secured, the rumbling of the engine gradually displaced it from its level, so that it at length fell down the shaft. On coming to the earth, the distance being seventy feet, it burst, and there being a lighted candle near the spot where it fell, it immediately ignited, and filled the whole body of the shaft, to the very summit with one entire flame, which partially proceeded into the arches themselves, but fortunately not so far as to reach the spot where the majority of the work people were engaged. The men, however, employed on the immediate spot where the bottle fell, suffered dreadfully, although there was no immediate loss of life. A millwright, named Robert Greenshields, employed in laying down the rail-road, was so frightfully burnt, that it was impossible to distinguish a single feature. John Nelson, who had the direction of the shield, suffered in a similar way, though not to so great an extent; as did also Robert Osborn, William Bowling, and Philip Davies. The foreman of the bricklayers, named Lane, observing the bottle falling, and being at the time close to the shaft, with much presence of mind threw himself on the ground, with his face downwards, and although the bottle fell nearer to him than to some others, he escaped unhurt. 11. AVALANCHES IN SWITZERLAND.-In Brettigan an avalanche, on the morning of the 11th, threw the inhabitants of the valley of St. Antoine into consternation. A house and stable, occupied by a person named Walther Tarnuzer, who was in it at the moment, with a girl five years of age, looking after his cattle, were entirely overwhelmed. Aid was most zealously and actively given; and by dint of severe labour, a passage was soon dug, by which two dead and ten wounded cows were got out of the stable. It was not till three hours afterwards that the unfortunate Tarnuzer was discovered; he was dead, having been crushed between two beams; the little girl was found alive, lying upon the feet of her father. This avalanche destroyed sixteen houses and stables. The village of Biel, overwhelmed by an avalanche in the valley of Conches, had four hundred and fifty-nine inhabitants. Sixty persons were withdrawn from the tomb in which they were buried; forty-nine still breathed, but their limbs were frozen. The government of the Valais has exerted itself to send succours of every kind, as well as surgeons to amputate the gangrened limbs of the sufferers. DEAF AND DUMB.-Brussels.Dr. André, of this city, distinguished by his fortunate cures of children born deaf and dumb, has operated with great success on the son of M. Maurus, baker, at Bruges, aged fourteen years. The operation took place on the 26th of December. The perforation of the left ear was effected in less than five minutes, and at the same moment the boy heard the ticking of a watch and the barking of a little dog; the operation on the other ear took nearly half an hour, because the lad, too deeply affected by his new sensation, could scarcely contain himself. Steam-washing Company, for the recovery of the sum of 2,3731. 68. 9d., being the balance of an account claimed by the plaintiff from that company for machinery which he had supplied to them. Mr. Young, the plaintiff's clerk, proved the furnishing of the machinery for the company's works at Mitcham by the plaintiff; that the charge for the same was fair and reasonable, and also that he himself had repeatedly applied for payment of it at the office of the company, where he had generally seen the secretary, and on one occasion the defendant; that no objection was ever made to the account; but that the reason assigned for its not being paid was, that the shareholders had not paid up their subscriptions. Mr. Buxton, the secretary to the company, was then called, and proved, that the defendant was one of the directors of the company about the time this machinery was ordered; that there was usually a meeting of the directors once a week at the office of the company; that, in consequence of an order given to him by the directors at one of these meetings, he wrote to the plaintiff, requesting him to supply this machinery to the company: he did not recollect whether the defendant was present at such meeting, but the defendant had frequently attended the weekly meetings. The deed of settlement of the company had never been wholly executed. The prospectus for the formation of the company was then put in and read. Mr. Park, counsel for the defendant, contended that there was not sufficient evidence to connect him with this particular order, as it did not appear that he was present at the time when it was given; and that before he could be made liable generally as a partner in this company, the deed of settlement ought to have been wholly executed, for the prospectus was merely a statement made with a view of inducing persons to become members of the company. Besides, this prospectus showed how the partnership was to be formed-viz., by all the members executing the deed of trust mentioned in it. Until this was done, no partnership in reality subsisted. Mr. Justice Bayley briefly summed up the case to the jury, and observed, that it must be taken for granted that the defendant would never have continued to act, and attend at the meetings of the company in the manner he had done, unless he had felt satisfied that he was a partner in the company. The jury almost immediately found a verdict for the plaintiff. Damages, 2,3731. 6s. 9d. 12. SUICIDE AT THE OLD BAILEY. Charles Pearce and Henry Hitchman were indicted before the Recorder for stealing a trunk, and other articles, the property of Henry Sampson, on the 20th of December. The jury found Pearce guilty, but recommended him to mercy on account of his former good character, and Hitchman not guilty. On the verdict being pronounced, Pearce exclaimed, in a state of great agitation, "Two months ago I was happy and comfortable, but-" and then turning round to walk out of the dock, just as he had got to the door, he uttered some other words, the last of which was "this." Then raising his right arm, with a knife in his hand, he instantly stabbed himself, and fell. He was immediately conveyed to the interior of Newgate. Mr. Box, the surgeon, and his assistant attended, and it was ascertained that the wound was inflicted on the right side, and, although severe, it was not expected to prove mortal. It was inflicted by a sharppointed knife, such as is used by shoemakers, the blade of which was about six inches long, and about an inch and a quarter in width : he had concealed it in his coatsleeve. He was not sufficiently recovered to be brought up till the 11th of April, when he received sentence of death. DEATH IN A SNOW-STORM.— On the morning of Thursday (11th), a girl named Mary Sayner, fifteen years of age, and her brother William, aged eight, left their father's house, at Meanwood, to visit some of their relations at Sherburn, a distance of sixteen miles. They had, with great difficulty, owing to the storm which overtook them, proceeded as far as the village of Newthorpe, about a mile and a half from their journey's end. They were then so much fatigued, and benumbed with cold, that they called at a house on the road side, asked to be allowed to warm themselves. The storm continuing with increasing severity, they begged to remain all night, but were refused, and, about five o'clock, they left the house and proceeded towards Sherburn. fore they had gone far, they were exhausted by struggling with the wind and drifting snow, and despairing of being able to reach their relation's house that night, and |