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January 15, 1853.] THE LEADER. 55
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THE DARIEN CANAL. . AMONG- the gigantic ...
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THE GREAT POULTRY-SHOW. Now Protection i...
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OXFORD RAILWAY ACCIDENT. INQUEST CONTINU...
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THE RESPITE OF JAMES HARBOUR. Elsewhekk ...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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January 15, 1853.] The Leader. 55
January 15 , 1853 . ] THE LEADER . 55
The Darien Canal. . Among- The Gigantic ...
THE DARIEN CANAL . . AMONG- the gigantic projects of the day is that of making a ship canal through the Isthmus of Darien . It is confidently asserted that a passage has been discovered through the Cordilleras ; and a company is forming to carry out the great work . The Isthmus of Darien extends from the Atrato River to the point of St . Bias , in Mandingo Bay , and Caledonia Bay is the locality from which this interoceanic navigation is to commence on the Atlantic side , terminating on the Pacific in the Gulf of St . Miguel .
No published maps give a correct notion of the interior of this country ; it has been heretofore perfectly unexplored . The Cordilleras were supposed to extend in an unbroken range along the coast of the Atlantic ; they present that appearance from the seaward , and the native tribes of Indians have so carefully guarded their territory that for 250 years this fallacy has been received as a fact . It appears , however , that the River Caledonia , sometimes called Aglasenaque on old Spanish maps , passes through a gorge , at the back of which extends a large plain ; the true limit between the water sheds of the two oceans is situated in the centre of the
isthmus , and consists of a low range of hills , separating the Caledonia and Savannah rivers . The culminating point of this range is only 150 feet above the mean level of the two oceans . The Savannah river flows through an uninhabited tract of land ; the high tide of the Pacific affects its waters for twenty miles into the interior , and there is six fathoms depth at low water seven miles from the mouth . The mean water of the two oceans , or that of mid-tide , is on a level . This had always been a disputed question , and one which the great Humboldt himself did not decide , although his opinion and that
of the scientific men of the day has been confirmed . When we say on a level , we speak practically to within a few inches ; further observations and investigations are necessary to submit the question to those learned in differential calculus . The Atlantic has only a tide of 14 to 16 inches , the Pacific one of 24 feet , so that every twelve hours the Pacific ocean is 12 feet above and 12 feet below the Atlantic , causing an alternate maximum current of three miles an hour each way . Mr . ' Gisborne recommends the formation of a continuous channel without locks , having a breadth of 160 feet and a depth of 30 feet at low water , the cost
of which he estimates at 12 , 000 , 000 Z . sterling . The figures are rather startling to those who have hitherto limited mercantile speculation to the necessities of one or two countries , although in this respect even their impressions are false , for in Great Britain 30 , 000 , 000 ^ . sterling have been expended in docks ; the London and North Western Railway Company represent a capital of over 30 , 000 , 000 Z . ; foreign loans amount to much larger sums ; nearly 300 , 000 , 000 / . have been sunk in the railways of this country ; 6 ur national debt is beyond 770 , 000 , 000 / ., the interest at three per cent , beintr collected from ourselves . What a trifle
12 , 000 , 000 / . or 15 , 000 , 000 / . is reduced to , when the payment of interest upon it is spread over tho commerce of every nation . What a . small outlay in the cuuao of peace and civilization .
The Great Poultry-Show. Now Protection I...
THE GREAT POULTRY-SHOW . Now Protection in over , the English agriculturist is turning his attention to other sources of income besides whe . it . Poultry—and it is astonishing how much poultry has been neglected—now has its shows . On Tuesday , tho first annual exhibition of the feathered tribes intended for the table , was held nt the Bazaar , in Baker-street , famed in the annals of tho Sauthiield Club .
The show includes fowls , turkeys , gee . se , ducks , pigeons , and rabbits , but among them what is ordinarily spoken of as the fowl tribe vastly preponderates , and in this littlo world of fowls , the Cochin Chineso liuve a decided majority . Thn Cochin China fowls won ; , we believe , introduced into this country some half-dozen years ago under Ivoyal patronage , and now enjoy a preference over the Dorking , game , and Hamburgh fowls . The respective merits of these ; classes can , however , only bo determined by connoisseurs , and it is enough for us to say that the Cochin China fowls in tho collection are of remarkable size and beauty . The
price set upon some of these birds seems almost incredible . There is a pen belonging to Mr . KniiTie , of Cheveley-pnrk , near Newmarket , consisting' of : t cock and three lions , for which no lost * than sixty guineas are required . It may , however , bo observed that all the luns have been exhibited separately at provincial shows , and that each has gained a prize ; so thut the pon is probably as valuable a one as could bo found in the country . Among those which attracted marked attention , some exceedingly line Poland fowls , with white topknots ( class ' Mi , No . I ); a pen of three gcone , weighing together , ua wo were told , 481 b . ; a pen oi '
gigantic pigeons from India , whose heads are surmounted by a sort of plume , not much unlike the feathers of a peacock ' s tail ; several very fine Australian pigeons , the beauty of whose plumage was much admired ; a large collection of pigeons , including some very good specimens of fantails , tumblers , and carriers ; and some remarkably fine ^ turkeys , bantams , and rabbits . So great a value is placed upon the eggs of many of the birds in the exhibition , that eight policeofficers of the detective force are continually on the watch to prevent their abstraction by persons employed in the building , or by visitors . We find the following letter in the Times , provoked by this novel metropolitan exhibition : —
" During the present novel exhibition at Baker-street , it may prove interesting to some of your readers to have a description of the laying powers of a Cochin China hen in my possession . At the close of last autumn , one of my children was presented with , a male and female bird' by a clergyman in Kent ; they were hatched late in spring , and in November , two eggs were found one morning in the nest , supposed at the time to be the produce of two days .
However , upon the next day there was one , and the day after , two ; one day then elapsed , and two eggs were again layed , and so on to the present time , when she continues to present her young mistress with , five eggs every four days , wliich , for so long a period , is very unusual . It is a remarkable fact , that upon the days the hen lays two ^ ggs , unless closely watched , the cock and she lay claim to one of them , which they invariably consume , leaving the other untouched , which is likewise the case when a single egg is layed . "
The sale by auction of the various specimens was commenced at noon , on Thursday , subject to the reserved prices of the exhibitors . For many of the lots upon which high prices had been placed by the owners there were , of course , no bids at all approaching the nominal value , and although in some cases higher prices were obtained than had been fixed in the catalogue , in many instances the stock failed to realise the amount at which it had been valued . The highest price paid during the day was , we understand , 48 guineas , for a Cochin-Chinese cock and pullet _ ( No . 81 , class 15 ) , wliich were bought by Mr . John Taylor , jun ., of Cressy-house , Shepherd's-bush .
Among those who have honoured the show with their presence , were—the Duke of Rutland , the Earls of Clarendon , Harrington , Ducie , Berwick , and Glengall ; the Marquisses of Salisbury and Granby , the Bishop of London , Baron Rothschild , Lords Hardingc , Monteagle , Hill , Wodehouse , and A . Fitzelarence , Sir G . Wombwell , Sir J . Cathcart , the Hon . C . C . Cavendish , M . P ., and Mr . Hayter , M . P .
Oxford Railway Accident. Inquest Continu...
OXFORD RAILWAY ACCIDENT . INQUEST CONTINUED . The inquest was resumed on Tuesday . Contradictory statements , respecting the lights on tho engine of the coal-train , were made by John Lee , the driver , and Brooks , tho policeman at the SherifFs-bridge level . It will be remembered that , according to the evidence last week , a green light was attached in front of the coal train ; and to this statement the driver adheres . He is corroborated by a person named Cooper , in the employment of tho contractor . This man says he was on Ins way to the engine-house at Oxford , when he saw the coal train advancing , and heard the whistle of the passenger train . The green light was on the buffer of the first engine . The policeman is very positive in stating that there was no lump , and that the only light came from the fire-box of the engine . This is his excuse ; for not having put up his danger signal in time to stop the passenger train . Another policeman , Bates , who was on duty at the Oxford-road Station , swears that the lamps were in perfect order when the coaltrain passed .
William Hairvoy , the policeman at the swivelbridge , substantiated tho account given by Hayes , the bead porter , last week , and also deposed to the extraordinary speed at which the passenger-train left the station . The important evidence was that of Joseph Kincli , the guard ; but Home difficulty occurs in reconciling it with bis remarks immediately after the collision . There is reason to believe , however , that lit ; was so unnerved by the accident , as not to he accountable for any statement ho may then have ; uttered . His evidence on Tuesday was given with much clearness . We extract bis «( ory about the starting of the train : -
" I . know Unit the coal-train hud loft Islip , because Mr . ItloM . hud informed mo ( . hut . it had loft 1 m 11 j > nearly hall nu hour . Mr . Hlott added , that tho f > .. ' l () train was not . to go till l . ho coal-trujii hud arrived . Mr . itlott Hiiid nothing inoro , but wont into liin oflico , and 1 did not seo him agiiin boforo ( ho train started . Mr . ItloM , did not say to mo , Ml ' you seo tho train , or it is sighted , you may go . ' la two or three ininutoH after . Itlott had spoken , I went to tho driver , Tarry , and told him that Itlotl . had said the ooaltrain had le-i ' l Isli |> nearly half an hour , and wo could not So till tho I ruin ciimo in . At thin time 1 watt standing on io tfloptt of llio plutiorin , holding on by tho huudrtul of
the engine . I did not get on the engine at all . This waa after Hayes had looked at the tickets . I was not talking with Tarry more than a minute , and then walked down tho platform towards bis break van . I kept my eye on the signal at the swing bridge . At this time tho red signal was on . It was my duty not to start a train while thafc red signal is shown . I went again to Tarry at the engine , and asked him for his tickets , which , as Tarry was no scholar , I had been in the habit of making out for him ; tickets of the hours of arrival and departure , number of carriages , & c . Tarry said he had not got them , but that he would give them to me in the morning . As I was getting off the steps , Tarry again hallooed out lie would give them to me in the morning , and I replied , ' AH right , ' meaning , ' all right ; you can give mo the tickets in the morning . ' The red light was still on .
I went back to my break , and had scarcely done so when Tarry opened his whistle and started . I did not know but that Tarry had been signalled by Mr . Hayes , or some one , to ' draw on' to attach trucks . Trucks are often attached in that way behind my van , tho train being drawn on for the purpose by the engine . The train went on to the bridge . At that moment Hayes and another porter met the train , with , lamps in their hands , and Hayes called out to me something about a ballast train . I did not exactly understand what , but I understood he meant that the coal train was not in , and directly put on my break . This ought to have retarded the engine , but it was a very short train , and Tarry had apparently put on full steam . ' I also exhibited my alarm lamp , but the train , instead of stopping , increased its speed . It was such a light train it could do this , notwithstanding the break having been put on . "
The witness proceeded to state that he saw the red signal at the "bridge changed for a green one , signifying " go on ; " that he never released his break on that aecount , but continued to show his signals , and did all in his power to stop the train ; that he saw the coaltrain , with its green signal , advancing at the distance of a mile ; and that he had but slight recollection of what took place after the collision . The railway officials called as witnesses to Kinch's behaviour at this time , agree that he was not composed ; but they say he seemed sufficiently rational to understand questions , and to answer them . His replies to Mr . Blott were to the effect that he mistook the
ballast-engine for the coal-train , and gave the word to start . But other witnesses , and especially the conductor of tho omnibus whieh conveyed him to the Oxford-road Station , describe Kinch ' s confusion as having been much greater . James Turby , the conductor , states that Kinch , when asked how he felt , replied , incoherently , " put the break on ; go steady . " And William Todd , a servant of the Great Western Company , who went to the spot on the North Western line immediately after the accident , says he found Kinch in a perfectly delirious condition , calling out , " Where's my break ? Where ' s my van ?"
Other witnesses took the same side ; and by far the weight of independent evidence shows Kinch to have been quite incapable of coherent statements at the time he was interrogated by the station-master . The inquest was adjourned at seven o ' clock , till Monday .
The Respite Of James Harbour. Elsewhekk ...
THE RESPITE OF JAMES HARBOUR . Elsewhekk wo liavo statod pretty clearly our belief that however much tho persons subjected to criticism by tho press may object to it , it is still ono of the duties of that " mighty engine" to watch over tho administration of tho law , as it watches over the proceedings of Parliament , nnd to take us much caro that nothing goes wrong in tho ono case as in tho other . Wo shall not therefore stay to apologise to our readers for saying a i ' aw words about Harbour , nor to the gentleman who has forwarded us tho documents to which wo shall refer , for our exercising an independent judgment upon them . He sees , what wo seo and regret , that tho press is now the only court of criminal appeal , and cannot , consequently , complain when we decline to lend him our advocacy , and venture to givo him . our decision .
James Harbour , the prisoner in this case , was Iried at tho York assizes , for tho wilful murder of Alexander Itohison ; " had tho advantage , " according to Mr . . lustico Talfourd , " of being defended with unrivalled ability ;" but was found guilty , and sentenced , without hope of mercy , I lie judge entirely concurring in the verdict . Tho facts proved against him were these : Robison and lie had formerly been in tho name employ , that of a cousin of ( ho latter , a linen-draper residing in Doricastor . They wero travelling packmen in this person's service , but recently Harbour had been dismissed , and previously a watch , which his master had lent to him , wits taken away for Home misconduct , and triveii ( o the deceased as a
reward . Tho murder took placn on Hie iiml September , and on tho . 'trd September the body was found , bearing upon it murks of violence and gunshot-wounds about , tho bead . It , was in August , last tho prisoner was dismissed from his cousin's service , after which , ho went to Scotland for a fortnight , when ho returned to Sheffield , where ho had only been a short , time . Whilst ho was in bis cousin ' s » crvico , ' tlie prisoner bad traded on his own account , and had been assisted by a man named M'Corinaok , who lodged with him at the house of a man named l'igoMi , in Nhnflield . The prisoner , after bin dismissal , had no tfooda to hawk , and had no inoucj / until tho Monday after tho ¦ mitrtlcr . On the dny before tho murder , from oieven to oim o'clock , tho prisoner , tho deceased , and two
Scotchmen , named M'l < ollan and Kugun , wero together . At ono o'clock , they all went to an eating-hoiiHo . At half-pant , ono thoy returned , whou tho docoivuod , had upon him hin
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 15, 1853, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_15011853/page/7/
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