'be Vrobintes.

The electors of Kidderminster now have three candidates to choose from' —Mr. Best, the Protectionist named last week; Mr. Crawshay Bailey, son of Mr. Bailey, Member for Brecknockshire, who is a Protectionist of precisely similar complexion to Mr. Best, but is distinguished as " a nominee of Lord Ward "; and Mr. Thomas Gisborne, who maintains a very independent spirit, recalling by his course the conduct of Sir Edward Lytton at Leominster. Local accounts say— "He tells them that they may be a long time making up their minds for whom they shall vote, but he shall not be long in making up his mind whether or not to continue a candidate. He will neither state his principles a bit narrower nor a bit broader to please any man, nor give money or money's worth to secure any voter in the place. Mr. Best speaks most sanguinely of the result of his canvass. "On one occasion, all three candidates and their friends were met to address the assembled multitude, but each party seemed to have made up their minds that nobody should be heard. In this state matters continued for a length of time, notwithstanding every effort to procure a hearing; when suddenly more energetic cries of Silence! 'were heard, order was restored, and an active Chartist leader was hoisted upon some men's shoulders, addressed the crowd, and was at- tentively listened to. He called upon the electors to support Mr. Gisborne, and thought that neither of the other candidates had the interest of the working man at heart. A committee of operatives has been formed to assist Mr. Gisborne's return."

The Gazette of Tuesday announced that the Speaker of the House of Commons would issue a new writ for Kidderminster, in a fortnight after the 13th instant.

One of the largest and most influential meetings ever assembled in the town of Derby was held there on Monday evening, to unite with the citizens of London and other places in expressing sympathy with the Hungarians. The Mayor presided; and Mr. Bass, M.P., was one of the speakers. Mr. Councillor Madeley supported a resolution pressing Government to use its moral influence, with a speech which urged the adoption of more than moral means- "Simply to 'protest 'against theions of hordes of barbarians -would-be • of slight avail, if Russia and Austria did know that there was that love of li- berty in the English nation which could not look on with indifference at the out- rages committed by despotic powers. As an independent nation—a nation enjoy- ing the greatest amount of rational freedom of any country in the world—we Englishmen should not only express our sympathy with the gallant and oppres- sed Hungarians, but also demonstrate to them that we can, if we wish, unsheath the sword in the cause of liberty, and are prepared to defend the oppressed not only with our purses but with our arms. (Several rounds of cheer-mg.) By so acting, we should not only secure the liberties of the Hungarians, but protect

our own." A petition to Government to acknowledge the independence of Hungary was adopted with acclamation; and the meeting separated with cheers for Kossuth, Bern, Dembinski, and Guyon.

At a meeting of the leading hop-growers of the district round Horsmon- done, on Wednesday week, it was resolved unanimously to petition the Lords of the Treasury to postpone the duty for 1848, till after next session of Parliament, so as to allow time to seek its total repeal at the hands of the Legislature.

There is a " strike " of colliers in South Staffordshire, which extends, and threatens to become universal. The masters wish to make a reduction of 6d. a day; the men, on the contrary, demand an advance to that extent. There has as yet been no disturbance in the district.

The site fixed upon for building the New University Museum is in the parks near the Wadham College gardens. Merton College, to whom the land belongs, have consented to let the University have four acres for that purpose. The building, &c., it is expected, will cost upwards of 50,0001.; a great portion of which will be raised by subscription and the remainder will be made up from the University chest.—Oarford subscription,

The Duke of Wellington, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, inspected the progress of the Harbour of Refuge works at Dover on Wednesday. Mr. Walker, the Government engineer, stated to the Lord Warden, that although only a small portion of the proposed wall is finished, striking effects have been obtained. "Since the commencement of the operations, the shingle which formerly accumulated in the bay has altogether disap- peared; in consequence of which, the Harbour Commissioners have been enabled to take away a quantity of rock from the mouth of the old harbour, and give three feet greater depth of water to vessels entering."

Military operations resembling those lately performed at Chatham, but on a smaller scale, were exhibited at Portsmouth on Wednesday, as an entertainment to the Dutchess of Cambridge and the Hereditary Grand Datchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the vieiters of Lord Frederick Fitzcla- zence, Lieutenant-Governor of Portsmouth. About 3,000 troops repre- sented the operations of a rear-guard covering the retreat of an army through a defile. A vigorous attack, successfully repulsed, is described by the military accounts in all the professional minutiae of advance, deploy, and yielding, of wheeling to reattack, forming in squares in echelon, and retreat under protection of clouds of skirmishers. The movements were successful to the professional eye, and picturesque to the eye of the general spectator. In the evening, there was a night attack made on a citadel, which is popularly described- " The advancing assailants opened their fire of small-arms and field-piecee, ad- vancing steadily at the same time from the beach towards the ramparts; the gun- boat brigade on the water, under Major Davies, and the boats of the Excellent, under Lieutenant Burrows, R.N., also keeping steadily along the beach in line with the advancing troops on the common, and covering their advance with the fire from their great guns: a part was also taken on the land side by the Royal Marine Artillery. Gradually the fire came nearer the glade and as it did so the illusion became more vivid as to the character of the spectacle. The small-arm xnen scattered over the common blazing away at the imaginary enemy towards the fortifications, lighted up at almost every step by the greater flash from the ar- tillery, was an introduction to the grand coup d'osil, which, to be done justice to, should be pictured by one whose familiarity with such scenes in real warfare would insure that no point of the dazzling whole should be omitted. Eventually the attacking party came within the limits prescribed for the besieged within the fortress to open upon them, when suddenly the ramparts were lighted up with blue fire, and the besieged began their part of the night's display. This was the grand moment of the night attack,' and a more vivid picture of the horrors of a siege could nowhere else have been represented. The troops upon the glacis pouring in their fire in smart and rattling vollies, the great guns and field-pieces lighting up their positions as every instant they were discharged at the supposed invaders, the fire upon their heights, the cheers of the troops as ever and anon they seemed to be repulsed, and again returned to ' th' imminent deadly breach,' combined with the effect produced by the light upon the myriads of spectators, lending with their wondering faces another feature to the scene, formed a magnifi- cent illusion. At length the besiegers and besieged having expended their am- munition the trumpet sounded Cease firing '; when instantaneously the ap- parent dreadful strife ceased, and a lull succeeded the busy din of war." A display of fireworks by Darby succeeded the military operations, and the evening was wound up by a banquet and ball.

At Croydon Assizes, two actions, of Harris and others versus Colonel Fox M.P., and Harris and others versus Fox, were tried by Special Juries. The first action was for 6,7881., due upon bills of exchange accepted by Colonel Fox. The plaintiffs are proprietors of the Naval Bank at Plymouth, and they sued as bona Ede holders of the bills, which they had received in the usual course of business from two clients, Abraham Joseph and Leon Solomon. A verdict for the plaintiffs was found; but, on Mr. Sergeant Cbannelfs application for immediate execution, Mr. Chambers stated, that for these bills, and others to a very large amount, no more consideration-money than 2,0001. had been received, and a Chancery suit had been commenced to open up the whole transaction. The Judge thereupon re- fused immediate execution. The other action was brought by the same plaintiffs against Mr. George Sackville Lane Fox, who is Colonel Fox 'a son and a Cornet in the Guards, for money due on bills drawn by the Colonel and accepted by his son. Mr. Chambers attempted some defence to this action, by calling Mr. Leon Solomon, and examining him as to the BUMS originally advanced on the bills; with a view to prove that not more than 2,0001. had ever been advanced on all the bills for the sums of which both these actions were brought. Mr. Leon Solo- mon first demanded his expanses as a witness; and on being paid these, informed the Court that he is "a capitalist," whose custom it is to travel about to differ- ent parts of England to supply the officers of the Army with plate, jewellery, and money "; "not being particular whether the officers were of the Cavalry or the infantry," if their security or expectations be good. Examined by Mr. Cham- bers, he proceeded- " I have known the young gentleman who is the defendant in this action, for two years. He is a Cornet In the Blues ; and he was not of age when I first did business with him. I advanced him a small amount before he was of age. I cannot say how lunch. 11 might have been 5001. or a little more. I cannot recollect It It was 1,0001. Be owed me money when he came of age; but it Is impossible for me to recollect th, amount. It was not 5,000/. ; It was 1,0001.; but I cannot recollect if It was 2,0101 My name is upon all the bills, and their amount is nearly 15,0001 It was ;lei jointly With his father, Colonel Fox. I cannot say how much he owed me when he 10,0001. that he owed me, but he did owe me more than 4,0001. He used the atone; came of age. I swear that when he renewed any bills, I always gave him the sir ones. When he gave me these bills I was to have advanced some more money. hut I cannot recollect how much."

swear I did give him some. I cannot recollect whether it was 1001. or 1,0001." these bills for 7,5001. ? " Mr. Chambers—. Surely you can tell us how much more money you Were to give for Mr. Clumbers—" Did you make any inquiry respecting the circumstances witness—" I really cannot recollect. I dare say I gave him some money ; I nu

wer

which all these bills had been drawn by the father and accepted by the son?" Witness—. I dare say I did."

Idr. Chambers —" And were you not perfecUy aware that they were accommogagm bills? " Witness I dare say they were I discounted two bills for 2001. each fir the defendant, and gave him 1001. in cash, and 3001. worth of jewellery for them: These bills were discounted for me by the bank ; and at that time they held the de- fendant's dishonoured acceptances for 3,7001." ,Ir. Chambers—" Did not the bank make any inquiries with regard to these two ad- ditional bills, when so large an amount of dishonoured acceptances were alreggy their hands ? "

Witness —" They made no inquiry of me."

Mr. Chambers here gave up the ease. Chief Baron Pollock, in summing np, said it was impossible not to see what was the nature of the transaction betweea the defendant and some of the parties; but the plaintiffs sued as bankers ans bona fide holders of the bills, and upon the evidence that had been adduced they were no less entitled to a verdict. 'I here was nothing before him to lead to a co elusion that this bank was other than respectable; but it was his duty to observe, that it is not customary for respectable banking firms to bring actions in tbs5 manner upon their customers' bills: it certainly was the habit of the eminent London bankers to return such bills, when they were dishonoured, to the parries from whom they received them; they never brought actions upon them ex. cept under particular circumstances, If respectable parties did not lend their assistance in this manner, persons would not be able to scramble through dis. honest transactions so easily as they often did by such means. He did not in- puts to the Naval Bank at Plymouth that they had done so on the present oc- casion, but he did hope the present proceedings would be a caution to them; for upon some future occasion they might meet with a jury who would take a very unfavourable view of their conduct.

After a short consultation the Jury said they were sorry that, under the direc- tion of his Lordship, they had no power to return any other verdict than one for the plaintiff. A verdict was then recorded for 14,4701.; the Jury refusing to give any interest for the period the bills had been over-due.

At Croydon Assizes, an action for breach of promise of marriage was tried, be. tween Miss Martha Brown, daughter of a respectable tradesman at Wandsworth, and Mr. Richard Dellow, a widower in good circumstances, formerly member of the Common Council. The parties had been acquainted from youth, and were suited for each other in social position, the lady .being several years the junior: an offer had been made, the consent of the parents obtained, and the wedding-Say fixed ; but the defendant closed his courtship with the following matter-of-feet epistle. "November 25, 1848.

"Dear Martha—Whatever may be our future lot in life, or whatever may be the change in our circumstances, of this be assured, in me you will ever find a steadfast friend and one always ready to protect your interest. I hope I shall not hurt your feel- ings by informing you that I do not Intend to pay my addresses to you any longer. I hope, however, that this will not destroy our friendship. Give my very kind love to your father and mother. Bronsan DELLOR."

• The Jury gave a verdict for 1201.

At the Chester Assizes, .last Saturday,- Mr. William Edward Ferguson, sur- geon, was indicted for perjury, in denying upou oath that he had committed adultery with the wife of Mr. Sainter, surgeon, of Macclesfield. The main case has already been reported in our columns. Mr. Ferguson was Mr. Sainter's as- sistant, and left his service on account of improper relations which sprang up be- tween him and Mrs. Sainter. He set up in business for himself; but Mr. Sainter commenced legal proceedings against him, sued him for damages, and applied to the Court of Chancery for an injunction to restrain him from practising in Macclesfield contrary to the agreement under which he had become Mr. &ainter's assistant. The action ended in a verdict against Mr. Ferguson, for considerable damages; but the injunction snit failed; and it was for taking a false oath in the course of that suit—for swearing that he had never com- mitted adultery with Mrs. Sainte; or used undue freedom with her—that this in- dictment had been preferred. Most of the evidence given at the trial in the spring was repeated on Saturday. An artist and a gardener's lad swore to having seen Mrs. Sander and Mr. Ferguson pass through a gap in a hedge into a plaatatian, and to having witnessed the criminal fact denied. In addition, there was put in evidence a note by Mr. Ferguson to Mrs. Sainter, written just after the first accu- sation was made against them, in which he used these expressions—" Would to God that I could believe all you say was true. I thought you confessed all. 1 denied everything to Wilkinson. As to what any one else can say, it will not affect us." For the defence, Mr. Townsend made a speech imputing all the proceed- ings to professional jealousy—Mr. Ferguson was young and successful, Mr. Sainter declining in popularity and practice; and he called witnesses who swore, in contradiction to the artist and the gardener's lad, that there was no gap in the hedge, and that at the time when Mrs. Sainter and Mr. Ferguson were said to have been in the plantation together, Mrs. Sainter was alone in another place. The gardener's lad was proved to have previously made such accusations against other persons, to extort money. The Jury returned a verdict of "Not guilty "; thereby affirming that the oath denying the adultery was a true oath; and inferentially affirming that Mr. Sainter had not been entitled to the damages which the first Jury gave him in the spring.

At Gloucester Assizes, last week, John Millard, a man of forty, was tried far cutting andstabbing his wife with intent to murder her. Millard had been in the habit of ill-treating the woman; one day she left his house in consequence of his threats, but at his entreaty she came back. He then thrust her una a little room, closed the shutters, and locked her in. The poor woman heard hira sharp- ening a knife; and he returned to the room, threatening to cut her throat from ear to ear. She screamed; the man attempted to carry out his threat; and ia the struggle he gashed her forehead and nearly severed her nose. Millard pre- tended that his wife bad wounded herself. He was intoxicated at the nine.

Jury found a verdict of "Guilty." Sentence of death was recorded; but it will probably be commuted to transportation for life.

In December 1847, Thomas Kay was murdered on a railway in the coarse of construction at South Aston, Yorkshire: the reputed assassin, William Watson, escaped; but he has just been captured in a limestone quarry at Arkleby, in Cum- berland. When seized, he appeared confounded, and at night he wept mach; bet he said nothing. He now awaits his trial at York.

A frightful explosion of fire-damp occurred on Friday sennight, at Mr. \Valiant Thomags colliery, two miles from Aberdare. A cloud of smoke arose from the shaft, and quickly brought the relatives of the miners to the pit's month; where I dreadful scene ensued as corpse after corpse was brought up. One hundred 511 twelve men and boys were in the pit at the time, and fifty-one were killed by burning or suffocation. Seven horses were destroyed. It is said that the disaster was caused by miners working in a dangerous heading without safely-himPs- While Captain Badcock, his two sons, a brother, and a Mr. Clayton, were fishing in a boat off Boudnor, a small Lyinington yacht bore down to them to give a fresh supply of bait. When passing along her bow, the yacht's boom jibed towards the boat; but this would have been of no consequence had not the elect to which the main sheet was attached drawn with the shock: the boom, in con- sequence, flew over the quarter, struck the boat's masts, and instantly capsized her. The two boys, Captain Badcock's sons, both perished; but the others were picked up by the yacht. alary Ann Ball, the woman who was convicted of poisoning her husband, was hanged at Coventry last week. She had previously confessed her guilt.