hold of it, and all were got out safe, though with
some difficulty.

A Fatal Railway Accident occurred on the Midland
line, near Kegworth, on the 15th inst. A porter
belonging to the company, named Lester, while the train
was in motion, was attempting to throw some bags into
the carriages, in doing which he approached too near
the train, and his foot slipping, he got entangled among
the wheels of the carriages, which passing over him,
mutilated him in the most frightful manner, from the
effects of which he died. This is the third fatal accident
which has occurred on the Midland line within these
few weeks, which may be said to have been the result
of carelessness. The jury, at the official investigation
into the circumstances connected with the death of
Potts, who was killed on the line near Nottingham,
came to the unanimous opinion, "that if there were a
regulation made by the directors of the Midland
Company which forbade the line of conduct which had been
the direct cause of the deceased's death (viz.,
incautiously riding upon the buffers of the carriages), that
regulation ought to be strictly attended to, and enforced
by a heavy fine if not duly regarded; and if no such
regulation had been made, they trusted that the directors
would consider it an important part of their duty
to take the subject into their serious consideration.

Another Railway Accident occurred on the 19th
inst., on the main line of the Great Northern Railway,
near the junction with the Lincolnshire loop line at
Peterborough. It appears that the No. 1 goods train
from the metropolis to the north, consisting of several
trucks and cattle vans, had arrived at the junction about
the usual time, when the man at the points put the
train on to the loop instead of the main line, and then,
apparently discovering his mistake, he suddenly
reversed the points, thereby dislocating the train, and
producing a shock which threw several of the carriages
off the line, smashed some of them, and killed three
bullocks. Part of the train being on one line, and part
on the other, both were blocked up, and the next down
passenger train was delayed an hour before a clearance
could be made for it.

On the morning of the 22d inst., at an early hour, a
Fire broke out at a public-house known by the name of
the Black Horse and Windmill, Whitechapel Road.
The landlord, Garrett Fretner, had held possession but
a few months. During the progress of the fire his wife
leaped from an upper story and fell through a skylight,
injuring herself in a dreadful manner. She was
conveyed to the London Hospital in a hopeless state. When
the fire was subdued, the firemen discovered the lifeless
body of the landlord crouched in a corner of the parlour,
apparently having died from suffocation. No clue has
yet been obtained as to the origin of this afflicting
occurrence.

SOCIAL, SANITARY, AND MUNICIPAL
PROGRESS.

The Cattle Show of the Royal Dublin Society was
held on the 29th ult. The number of animals exhibited
exceeded that of any previous year—the young stock
especially. In the evening, the Lord-Lieutenant was
present at the meeting of the Society. A vote of thanks
being passed, he delivered a speech dwelling chiefly on
the merits of the show; but adding that Ireland appears
no longer paralyzed by the depression caused by the
adverse circumstances of former times, and there is no
longer occasion to stimulate the energies of the gentry,
the farmers, and the landed proprietors. He hoped
Irish agriculturists would soon send specimens to
English exhibitions, and bring back some of the prizes
carried off that day by English exhibitors.

The third general monthly meeting of the members
of the Working Man's Emigration Society was held on
the 30th of March; Cornelius Varley, Esq., in the
chair. Mr. R. C. Soper, the manager, reported of the
meeting of last month. Mr. Soper stated that there
were nine passages allotted at the last meeting, beside
those paying to the amount of £15; that three members
were now on their way to Australia, seven more were
to sail on the 6th of April, and two on the 10th, making
in all twelve members of the society provided with
passages since the meeting in February. Mr. Soper also
stated that two of the members to whom passages were
allotted had appealed to the board for more time to
complete their securities, and that a month had been
granted them for that purpose. A lengthened discussion
here ensued respecting the want of security for the
repayment of the passage money, which appeared to be
severely felt by many of the members. It finally resulted
in a resolution, moved by Mr. John Jenkins and
seconded by Mr. Stabbach, "That every member who
cannot obtain security shall be requested to pay 3d. per
week towards a security fund." This was carried
unanimously; as also a proposition by Mr. Henry Long,
"That a box be placed in the office for the reception of
contributions for the security fund, and that the directors
be requested to take means to bring the fund to
the knowledge of the friends of emigration, and to
request their contributions thereto." Passages were
allotted to nine members.

The annual dinner in aid of the funds of the General
Pension Society took place on the 6th at the London
Tavern, and was attended by about 80 gentlemen, who,
in the absence of Lord Stanley, were presided over by
Mr. Henry Pownall. From the report of the past year
it appears that the society, which was established so long
ago as 1818, has been the means of dispensing £57,713,
in monthly pensions, to 886 poor persons. It is the
parent of all the class pension societies with which the
metropolis now abounds, and though of late years its
means of usefulness have been more limited, it still
remains the object of munificent bequests. During the
past year four new pensioners (two men and two women)
have been placed upon the fund, and a handsome legacy
has been received under the will of the late Miss Sibbon.
In the course of the evening subscriptions were
announced to the amount of £600.

The 113th anniversary festival of the London Hospital
took place on the 7th, at the London Tavern. The
Lord President of the Council, the Earl Granville,
presided, supported by the Bishop of Norwich, Mr. Bramston,
M.P., Mr. Cotton, Mr. Alderman Salomons, Mr.
Hanbury, and several gentlemen of distinction in the
mercantile world. According to the report, the annual
expenditure of the charity averages nearly £15,000, and
the fixed annual income, including subscriptions from
public bodies, but exclusive of subscriptions from
individuals, donations, &c., averages £11,000, so that there
is a deficiency to be supplied annually, by general
exertion, of £4,000.

On the same day the annual meeting of the supporters
of the Asylum for Female Orphans was held at the
board-room of the charity, Westminster-bridge-road,
Mr. Robert Pugh in the chair. A donation of £250 was
announced from the Prince of Wales, who thus becomes
a life governor of the charity. The total income of the
year had been £5,375. 16s. 2d., which, with the balance
held over last year, had enabled the trustees to expend
£6,039, £1,800 of which had been invested in consols.
At the present time 155 children are maintained in the
establishment.

The foundation-stone of the first model lodging-houses
of the Society for Improving the Dwellings of the
Working Classes, over which Viscount Ingestre
presides, was laid on the 12th inst. by the Duke of
Cambridge. The site of the building, in New Street,
Golden Square, was formerly covered with wretched
hovels, the abode of cows and pigs, and of human beings
not much above them. The new Bishop of Lincoln
began the ceremony with a prayer; and Lord Ingestre
read an address to the Duke of Cambridge, explaining
the design of the new buildings, and stating that they
would contain cheap and comfortable accommodation
for sixty-eight families. The stone was then laid with
all the customary formalities; and the proceedings closed
with prayer. Among the company were the Duchess
of Sutherland, Lady Blantyre, and Earl Talbot. In
the evening a dinner, in aid of the Society's funds,
was given at the London Tavern; The Duke of Argyll
in the chair. Sir John Pakington, Lord Talbot, Lord
Grosvenor, Lord Dynevor, Lord Ingestre, and Mr.
Dennison, M.P., spoke after dinner. The objects of this
society, as explained by the chairman are:—"To