gbe t3TObilICES.

At Newcastle-upon-Tyne, the panic continued intense throughout Fri- day : on the stoppage of the Union Bank a run was made upon the other establishments, with unceasing severity, particularly on the District Bank. The banks continued paying till all demands were satisfied; the applicants being sent away by a private door as soon as their accounts were settled. Not only were parties paid with extraordinary promptitude, but, to prevent delay, large sums were paid in checks upon the Bank of England, which to some extent caused a run for gold upon that establishment; many parties demanding gold instead of notes in payment. Many depositors, on seeing that there was in reality no ground for the panic which existed, after receiving their money, brought it back again to the Bank; who, however, refused to accept it under existing circumstances, lea-,ing the holder to find, if he could, more secure and profitable investment for it elsewhere; and it may be added, that the other hanks in the town, including the Branch Bank of England, at once refused all offers of deposits so unneces- sarily withdrawn. The promptitude and vigour with which all demands were met had considerable effect in restoring confidence. Other proceed- ings were resorted to. A meeting was convened by the Mayor on a requi- sition from the merchants and traders of Newcastle; and resolutions were agreed to, unanimously declaring the most full and unreserved confidence in the stability of the different banks. The result was, that by noon on Saturday the panic had subsided, and business resumed its ordinary career.

The Hull Chamber of Commerce had a meeting on Saturday, to memo- rialize Lord John Russell on the crisis, urging the immediate adoption of temporary measures of relief. A memorial was agreed to, and consigned to a deputation charged with its presentation to the Government.

On Friday evening, the Currency Reform Association of Birmingham had a meeting to memorialize the First Lord of the Treasury on the crisis. A memorial, agreed to all but unanimously, set forth the views of the Currency gentlemen on the causes of the existing distress. According to the memorial the statutes of 1819 and 1844 are founded on erroneous prin- ciples, in so far as foreign exchanges are made the regulators of our inter- nal circulation: the memorialists warn the Government of the necessity of immediate palliative measures, and entreat for a consideration of the whole system of currency with a view to its reform. Messrs. Muutz, Spooner, Scholefield, Salt, Harlow, and Mason, together with the Mayor, were ap- pointed a deputation to present the memorial to Lord John Russell, and if unsuccessful with his Lordship, to seek an interview with the Queen.

The deputation from the operative cotton-spinners of Lancashire had an audience of Lord John Russell on Wednesday. The deputation was in- troduced by Mr. Charles Hindley, M.P. Mr. G. Johnson, of Manchester, read a long memorial, setting forth the views of the operatives on the present condition of the cotton manufactures, and describing the course which had been followed for the purpose of bringing about an arrangement between the masters and operatives for a general cessation of work in the mills. A memorial had been drawn up and communicated to the mill- owners. Their reply was, that the plan proposed by the operatives was impracticable, but that, if practicable, it would aggravate instead of di- minishing the evil. On this the memorialists, not wishing to act in ap- parent hostility to their employers had abandoned their project. But the alternative long apprehended, a reduction in wages, now threatened to be- come general. While sensible of the difficulty of their employers' position, the operatives do not see how a reduction of wages now is at all calculated to strike at the root of the evil; which they ascribe to the improper facili- ties of credit afforded in Liverpool. The memorial concludes with a re- quest that the Government will direct its attention to framing such mone- tary laws, as well as those affecting commercial securities, as will prevent extravagant and wild speculation. In answer to an inquiry from Lord John Russell, it was explained, that, in consequence of the vicious system of credit now obtaining in Liverpool, a speculator could buy 10,0001. worth of cotton by the deposit of 1,0001. or 2,0001.; giving acceptance to the broker for the whole amount, which was discounted by the banker, and the cotton was held by him as security. It was suggested that speculation would be much checked if the securit'l were to be invalid beyond one-half or two-thirds of the value of the pro- duce deposited. The deputation recommended the encouragement of Man- chester as a depot for cotton as well as Liverpool, which now enjoyed a virtual monopoly. Lord John promised that the views of the memorialists should receive due consideration; expressing at the same time a hope that the operatives would discourage any conduct in their body which might lead to a breach of the peace.

The movement amongst the Lancashire operatives for a general suspen- sion of labour does not make way. There were to have been early gather- lags of the workpeople on Monday morning, at Ashton, Dukinfield, Old- bans, Heywood, Stockport, and Heaton Norris; to proceed to a general rendezvous at Hyde, where a meeting was to be held to effect a general suspension. But an unaccountable lukewarmness was shown, and the Hyde demonstration proved abortive. A few men and about five hundred boys assembled at one o'clock, the bulk of the people of Hyde remaining quietly at work. After a consultation among the leaders, in a beer-shop, the project was abandoned, and the party separated.

The latest accounts from the various manufacturing districts indicate, as yet, no appearance of benefit from the recent measures of monetary re- laxation.

The annual meeting of the Dorchester Agricultural Society was held on the 21st, at the King's Arms Hotel in Dorchester. The chair was occu- pied by Mr. J. J. Farquharson, the President of the Society. After a sub- stantial dinner, the different prizes were distributed to the labourers, and also to the farmers for specimens of produce and stock. The health of the President having been given, Mr. Farquharson returned thanks. In the course of his speech he confessed his obligation to the Reverend Mr. Hux- table for the knowledge of various most valuable manures— He believed that Mr. Huxtable's mixture of sulphuric acid and bones was one of the best artificial manures that had been discovered. It promoted the rapid growth of turnips, and brought them to maturity in bad seasons much earlier than by other means. He had used it to a great extent, and should continue to use it.

Mr. Henry Fooks, the winner of the first prize for turnips, attributed his success partly to the knowledge he had acquired in going round the dif- ferent farms with his brother umpires, but mainly to what he had learnt from Mr. Huxtable, to whom he was indebted for his knowledge of ma- nures.

Mr. G. J. Wood dwelt on the importance of the turnip crop, as the foundation of the system applicable to the county—

There could not be more judicious premiums offered than for turnips. Let them not be taunted with the insignificance or trivial nature of their proceedings; their friendly competitions told upon the productiveness of the country. The competitors for those cups had been induced to lay out 201., 301., 401., or even more, in the perfection of their crops; and whether they won or lost they learnt this lesson, that they were amply compensated for their additional outlay by their superior crops. Mr. Bankes, M.P., alluded to the decline of agricultural societies in some parts of the kingdom; which he attributed to the shackles that they placed upon freedom of discussion by the "exclusion of politics." He was always desirous of hearing the opinions of those who differed from him-

" I remember upon one occasion when I had the honour of presiding at the dinner of the Agricultural Society at Blandford, that one of the stewards came to me in some perturbation, and said, 'I am afraid you will have a very trouble- some office tonight." Why ?' I asked. His answer was—' I am informed that Mr. Cobden intends to come down, and to be a guest at our table.' (Laughter.) Does he?' said I; 'I hope you have reserved for him a very good ticket, and also for any of his friends: I am sure he shall meet that reception at our table which every Englishman is entitled to; and as I sin the chairman tonight, I shall insist upon his having a fair and impartial hearing. As Mr. Cobden did not come—(Laughter)--I have this to say, that as he did not come then, I wish he would come now for there never was a time when I should be so happy to hear him pronounce his opinions upon the agriculturalquestion. (Cheers.) I regard him as a man of talent; I should be glad to hear his opinion upon those laws which he has induced as to adopt." Afterwards Mr. Bankes said, that whatever might have been his own opinions on the question of free trade, it was now the law, and as such ought to be obeyed. It must be carried into effect—benefical effect, if it can produce benefit. Their only hope now was in the success of free trade. "As it was observed the other day by my Lord Stanley, than whom a greater politician don't exist, ncr any one to whom I can look with greater hope, where six bushels grew before, you must now produce eight."

Mr. Bankes again reverted to his wish for Mr. Cobden's presence; though the honour of hie. company was somewhat above their reach, being as he Was "the guest of Kings and Princes"— " We have no band of music to receive him with royal ceremony. We cannot play the air of'Oh, Richard! oh, my King l' when he enters into our apartment." (Laughter.) He would be glad to see him, if it were only that he would kindly condescend to tell them "something about our foreign policy." "Tell us some- thing of your friend the King of the French—or the Queen of Spain—or the Princes of the States of Italy—or even of the Emperors of Austria and Russia; for it has unfortunately so happened, that while you have been abroad feted by all these great potentates, we at home have been so unfortunate that we have quar- relled with every one of them. (Laughter.) I speak only from newspaper in- formation, or from what the Ministers tell us, which is nothing more authentic. They tell us that the King of France has cheated us; that the Queen of Spain has langhed at us, and laughs at us now; that the Princes of Italy have so mystified their relations towards us, that we have found it necessary to send out a great and influential nobleman to ask the Pope to explain the circumstances in which Italy is placed."

On the subject of railways Mr. Bankes expressed an opinion that the accusations against those great undertakings were most unjust: the blame of their excess rested rather with Parliament and the Ministry, who had encouraged the speculations.

A special meeting of the Dock Commissioners of Birkenhead was held on Thursday, at their office in Argyll Street, to consider a communication from the office of Woods and Forests. There were present Mr. Joseph Malaby, Chairman, and thirteen other Commissioners; only three being absent. The propositions of the Government were these. The Govern- ment would resume possession of the made land on the North side of the entrance to the great float; the Woods and Forests in such case defraying the expense of completing the sea-wall, estimated at 44,0001. The Go- vernment required, as security, township-bonds to the amount of 55,000E; and on this condition it advances 150,0001. to finish the float and dock. The trust to be remodelled, and placed under the direction of thirteen Com- missioners; six to be elected by the ratepayers of Birkenhead, three by the ratepayers of Wallasey, three by the Dock bondholders, and the Go- vernment to have the right to nominate one, who shall be Chairman of the Board. These propositions were agreed to by the meeting.

The opening of the mixed or double gauge line from Gloucester to Chel- tenham took place on Saturday. A large party, headed by Lord Barring- ton, left London by a special train, and lunched at Cheltenham. They afterwards inspected the newly-constructed work, consisting of three rails. The inventor, Mr. Brunel' has abandoned the use of" switches,' and adopt- ed the check-rail. Both broad and narrow gauge trains ran with the tit- Most facility throughout the day. . The Lynn and Ely Railway was opened on Monday. A large party journeyed from Lynn to Ely; took lunch there; returned to the For; and dined in the Town-ball. The principal works on the line seem to be two viaducts, over the Wissey and the Ouse; and the latter is descrited as a noble timber structure, 150 yards in length.

At Chelmsford Quarter-Sessions, Emma Robinson, a girl only thirteen years old, has been sentenced to transportation for stealing a child of three years. Emma Robinson was destitute; she stole the infant from a widow in London, who had been turned out of her home and had passed the night in Hyde Park.

A murder of a very distressing kind has been committed at Birmingham. A few months since, Ann Wilkes, a woman of decent appearance, dressed as a widow, with four children, opened a small tobacconist's shop in Cheapside: she attracted notice as being cleanly and careful, agreeable in her manners, and as having probably known better days: but her trade did not thrive. On Saturday morn- ing, it was noticed that the widow's shop was not opened at the usual hour; ae the day were away, suspicion was excited; and as no reply could be obtained to repeated knocks at the house-door, Mr. Edwards, a neighbour, entered through the first-floor window by a ladder. There was no one there. He ascended to the next floor, up a narrow, dark stair; and on entering one of the rooms he be- held a shocking sight—extended on the floor, near the entrance, was Mrs. Wilkes, with her youngest child, lying in blood; in a truckle-bed were the other three children, with their throats cut. Mr. Edwards having raised an alarm, assistance was obtained; and it was found that the woman yet lived: the wound in her throat was bandaged, and she was conveyed to the hospital. She made desperate attempts to tear off the bandages. She was considered to be in great danger. On examining the house, it was found that everything wore the air of poverty, but yet of cleanliness and industry. In the shop the goods were few and of little- value. In the room on the first floor was an open Bible: it contained a registry of the dates of her children's births, and in another room was found a transcript of this record which Mrs. Wilkes had been making. The murders were effected with two new razors, which were found in the upper room. The children were a boy of twelve, a girl of eight, and two other boys, six and four years old. Those in the bed appeared to have been destroyed while they slept, but one seemed to have been aroused and to have attempted to get out of bed, as his body was partly resting on a chair. It is surmised that the youngest child was taken from the bed by the mother' placed on his knees in the attitude of prayer, and then killed,. falling forward on his face.

The inquest was held on Monday. One witness, who had had some commu- nication with Mrs. Wilkes on a legal matter, expressed his conviction that she had not been married to Wilkes. But another person stated his belief to be quite the reverse of this. Witnesses deposed that the woman did not appear to be excited at all on the Friday night: on that evening she scrupulously washed all the chil- dren, before putting them to bed. At night she fetched a quart of ale; a very unusual quantity for her to have; and it was not known that she had any visiters. A Mr. Banks stated that he knew all about the woman's circumstances. Since her husband's death she had kept several little shops in succession none of which had succeeded. For some months past she had been in a very embarrassed con- dition, and had been obliged to sell or pawn articles to maintain her family. She had talked to him of her distress; and said, that sooner than come to utter want, she would destroy herself and children: Banks did not think much of these ex- pressions, as he doubted that Mrs. Wilkes had the heart to kill even a cat. She never had lodgers; and he did not know that any one had recently been paying her particular attentions. It is understood that the woman has made a full con- fession to the Reverend Mr. Miller, the Rector of St. Martin's; but the Coroner declined to receive it. The Jury returned a verdict of "Wilful murder" against Ann Wilkes.

The woman died an Thursday morning, in the Queen's Hospital. Before her death, she made a full confession, and stated that her children died without a struggle.

An alarming accident happened on the Berwick and Newcastle Railway, last week. A passenger-train was at Tweedmouth station; by some gross negligence or mismanagement, a pilot-engine dashed into it; and a number of persons were much bruised and cut.

The boiler at New Hey Mills, a woollen-manufactory near Rochdale, exploded last week, with fatal consequences. The engineer was absent at the moment;. but a number of the workers, principally children, were in the engine-house during their breakfast-time. The front ot the boiler was blown off; and the boiler it- self was forced through several buildings into a field. As in a recent instance at Newark, the force of the explosion drove-to a door and jammed it so tight that the people exposed to the steam could not escape till the door had been forced in from the exterior. The consequences were very lamentable: before noon next day four persons bad died—a man, a girl, and two boys; two other boys and a girl were considered to be in a hopeless state; and a man was much hurt.

Farmer, an engine-driver, has been killed at Gloucester, by a locomotive,. as he was crossing the rails.

The bone and seed mill of Messrs. Lake, at Wakefield, has been entirely de-. stroyed by fire. Besides the building, a large quantity of seeds and oats was. consumed.

Property to the value of several thousands of pounds has been destroyed at Andover, by the culpable practice of letting loose fire-balloons. A workman at e carrier's, to amuse his master's son, made a balloon, inflated it by means of burning alcohol, and set it free: the balloon struck the tower of the church, fell over, was immediately in a blaze, and descended in the stack-yard of Mr. Los- combo. Stacks of wheat, barley, peas, well-filled barns, and other buildings, were destroyed. The trees of an adjacent rookery also caught fire; several were burnt, and some of the terrified birds were roasted alive. The farm was sur- rounded by buildings, and close to the church; all of which were in jeopardy.