during the night of the 17th, struck on the north end of
the Long Bank, a little eastward of the Forth. The
descriptions given by some of the sufferers of the scene
which followed are horrifying. All the passengers were
in their berths when the vessel struck, and it does not as
yet appear whether any blame is to be attached to the
captain or officers. On the calamity being known at
Wexford, great exertions were made to send assistance to
the passengers and crew; and, before the ship went to
pieces, all the people on board were brought on shore,
with the exception of five persons, who were
unfortunately drowned. The Bhurtpore was a fine ship, and
only on her second voyage.

A shocking Accident has occurred at the terminus of
the Brighton Railway. On the 21st, a widow lady,
named Eastwood, who resided in Edward-street, had
arrived at the Brighton terminus from London, and in
stepping from the carriage next the break whilst the
train was in motion, she missed the platform, and one
foot went between it and the step of the carriage. She
was immediately dragged under the carriage wheels, in
spite of the attempt to rescue her, and one of the wheels
passed over her left foot, and nearly severed it, whilst
the other leg sustained very serious injury. She was
also much bruised about the body. She was conveyed
to the County Hospital, when it was deemed expedient
to amputate both legs. The operation was skilfully
performed, the patient exhibiting great fortitude; but
she died on the following morning.

Second Lieutenant Walter Scott Reeves, of the
Artillery corps of Royal Marines, and a waterman,
have been drowned while attempting to cross from
Portsmouth to Ryde. Their boat was found by Major
Martin while he was yachting, and she had evidently
been upset; and a hat-case, labelled "Lieutenant
Reeves," was also picked out of the sea: these were
the first intimations of what had happened.

While Mr. David Rees, a farmer, and his little
grandson were standing at the door of the house during
a storm, at Cevenmenrig, in Wales, they were struck
by the lightning. Medical aid recovered the child, but
the grandfather was dead.

SOCIAL, SANITARY, AND MUNICIPAL
PROGRESS.

A summary of the proceedings of the commission for
the sale of Encumbered Estates, since the commencement
of the sittings in November, 1849, to the 1st of
September, 1852, has been published. It is as follows:

The British Association has had its meeting this year
at Belfast. On the 1st inst. Captain Sabine, the president,
delivered his inaugural address, which was of
great length, and dwelt chiefly on topics drawn from the
applicate sciences. On subsequent days sectional
meetings were held, and scientific papers were read by
eminent men. The most remarkable were, a paper on
the census of Bombay, by Colonel Sykes; on the
productive industry of Paris, by the late Mr. G. R. Porter,
(read by Mr. McAdam); and on emigration and its
reparative agencies in Ireland, by Mr. Locke; a highly-
important paper. The session of the association was
closed on the 8th, at a general meeting for the purpose,
in Dr. Cooke's church. Mr. Hopkins is appointed
president of the next meeting; which is to be held at
Hull: the other towns competing for the honour were
Leeds, Brighton, Glasgow, Liverpool, and Dublin. The
total of money-grants recommended amounts to £355, of
which sum £200 is appropriated for the maintenance of
the Kew Observatory. The remainder is to be appropriated
in small sums, principally for the prosecution of
investigations already commenced. The establishment
of an observatory in the Southern hemisphere is again
to be pressed on the notice of the government. The
financial success of the meeting at Belfast has been very
striking as compared with the meeting at Ipswich. The
total amount received for tickets at Belfast has been
£1106; at Ipswich it was £711. The number of associates
at Belfast has been 510, and of ladies 292; the
respective numbers at Ipswich were 246 and 141.

The Progress of the Cholera on the continent of
Europe is giving rise to some measures of precaution on
the part of our public bodies. The Board of Health
have expressed their formal opinion to the government
that two medical officers should be specially appointed
to take such steps as may seem best calculated to meet
and mitigate any attack of cholera upon this country.
At a meeting of the committee of management of the
Royal Free Hospital, it has been resolved, "That in
consequence of the existence of malignant cholera in
the northern parts of Europe, it is greatly to be feared
that the disease may again visit this metropolis; and
that, in order to afford every facility for the relief of the
poor who may be afflicted with that malady, the premises
belonging to the hospital, lately in the occupation of
Mr. Seddon, which are capable of containing 300 additional
beds, be not relet at present, but kept ready for
the reception of cholera patients, in case of the
emergency arising."

The Metropolitan Commissioners of Sewers have
adopted the following important resolution, and have
appointed a committee to carry it out:—

"That inasmuch as it appears to the court that the cholera is
rapidly approaching this country and metropolis, and it is
urgently necessary for the public health that foul open sewers
and ditches should be covered over, and other aggravated
nuisances removed; and inasmuch as the commissioners have
failed in their endeavours, under the existing law, to raise the
sums required for the execution of such works by loan on the
security of the sewer-rates, it is, in the opinion of this court,
expedient and necessary that immediate application be made to
her Majesty's government lor a temporary advance of such a
sum as will enable the commissioners to execute the works of
urgent necessity above adverted to."

Tottenham has set an example to the other districts
of the metropolis, in the important matter of Drainage
and Water-supply. There a local Board of Health has
been formed, and has actually carried out the objects of
the Public Health Act. There are about 1500 inhabited
houses in the district; and the necessary drainage and
water-supply for these have been completed at a cost of
£7500. The charge for water will amount to about 2d.
per week per house on en average. Glazed earthenware
pipes have been substituted for the old brick drains; a
constant current of water at high pressure will keep
these thoroughly clean, and sweep away all noxious
matter before the process of decomposition has even
begun. The supply of "pure soft water obtained from
the deep springs will be neither exposed in open
reservoirs to the sun and the atmosphere, nor exposed in