that instant the floor gave way, and she was precipitated into the burning gulph beneath. Milend then withdrew, and in a few seconds the house was level with the ground. The flames rapidly increased, and communicated with the adjoining houses, nine of which, including the Ship public house, were consumed. Very little of the property was saved. The Sun fire-engine was first on the ground, and was soon succeeded by others, which prevented the devouring element from extending its ravages further. No other life was lost, or personal injury sustained, except the melancholy catastrophe which befel Mrs. Cock. The next day, on digging in the ruins of the house, a part of the poor old creature's bones were discovered almost calcined to a powder. Search was made during the week for the remainder, but in vain.. On Friday evening a Coroner's Jury sat on her ashes, and, after hearing evidence, none of which threw any light on the origin of the fire, re-, turned a verdict of—Accidental Death. Most of the houses were insured.

31. The detailed accounts of the expedition to explore the river Congo, or Zaire, have reached the Admiralty. Melancholy as the result has been, from the great mortality of the officers and men, owing to excessive fatigue, rather than to the effects of climate, the journals of Captain Tuckey and the gentlemen in the scientific departments are, it is said, highly interesting and satisfactory, as far as they go; and probably they extend considerably beyond the first Rapids or Cataract. It would seem, indeed, from the

extract of a letter from the Surgeon of the Congo, inserted below, that the mortality was entirely owing to the land journey beyond these rapids, and that Captain Tuckey died of complete exhaustion, after leaving the river, and not from fever. The climate, we understand, was remarkably fine; scarcely a shower of rain, or any humidity in the atmosphere, and the sun seldom shining out but for a few hours in the middle of the day; Fahrenheit's thermometer seldom exceeding 76 degrees by day, and never descending below 60 degrees at night-such a climate, in fact, as one would wish to live in : but an anxious zeal and overeagerness to accomplish the objects of the expedition, and to acquire all the information that could possibly be obtained, seem to have actuated every one, from the lamented Commander to the common seaman and private marine, and led them to attempt more than the human constitution was able to bear. The total number of deaths amounts to 18, of which 14 were on the land expedition. They consist of

Capt. Tuckey, Commander of the Expedition; Lieut. Hawkey, Lieutenant of the Congo; Mr. Professor Smith, Botanist; Mr. Tudor, Comparative Anatomist; Mr. Cranch, Collector of objects of Natural History; Mr. Galwey, a friend of Captain Tuckey, who volunteered from pure love of Science; Mr. Eyre, the Purser.

The names of the remainder have not been returned.

The Dorothy transport that accompanied the Congo into the river lost but one man, and he fell overboard and was drowned.

Extract

Extract of a Letter from Mr. Mackerrow, Surgeon of the Congo. -"Of the eighteen who died in the river, fourteen had been on shore, marching for some time, and were far advanced before reaching the ship.

"Professor Smith, who saw many of them when taken ill, gave to some a dose of calomel, but to others nothing had been administered.

"The fever appeared in some degree contagious, as all the attendants upon the sick were attacked, and before we left the river it pervaded nearly the whole crew, also some of the transports: but as for myself, although constantly among them, I did not feel the slightest indisposition until we left the coast, when I was attacked; however, I considered mental anxiety and disturbed rest as the sole causes.

"Captain Tuckey had been afflicted many years with chronic hepatitis; and on returning from travelling, five weeks on shore, he was so excessively reduced, that all attempts to restore the energy of his system proved ineffectual.

"Mr. Tudor was in the last stage of fever before I saw him, as were Messrs. Cranch and Galwey.

"Professor Smith died in two days after he came under my care, during which time he refused every thing, whether as nutriment or medicine.

"Lieut. Hawkey was taken ill after leaving the river, and died on the fourth day; his case was rather singular; symptoms were irritability of stomach, with extreme languor and debility, but he had neither pain nor fever.

"Mr. Eyre had a violent fever,

and on the third day breathed his last: before death a yellow suffusion had taken place, with vomiting of matter like coffee ground.”

By official documents received from Ceylon, it appears that the planters of that island, Dutch and others, have adopted, at the suggestion of the Chief Justice, Sir Alex. Johnston, some judicious regulations for the gradual abolition of slavery. All children börn of slaves after the 12th of August last are to be considered free, but to remain in their master's house, and serve him for their board, lodging, and clothing, the males till the age of 14, and the females till that of 12, after which they are to be wholly emancipated.

During the greatest part of this month, the magistracy and police of the metropolis were principally occupied with examinations respecting the persons concerned in the late riots, several of whom were committed to custody. The public interest was particularly drawn to those persons who had harangued the populace from the waggon, of whom the elder Watson was apprehended at Highgate after attempting to stab with a dirk the men who took him. His son absconded; and the papers were long filled with reports from every quarter of the island, and even from the continent, of his supposed discovery, and with accounts of the examination of persons brought up on a mistaken supposition of their being the object sought for. The uncommon anxiety for his apprehension was occasioned by the strong suspicion of his being the assassin of Mr. Platt. No tidings were obtained of him to the close of the year.

BIRTHS.

BIRTHS.

January.

The Marchioness of Lansdown, a son and heir.

The Countess of Ilchester, a

son.

The lady of Sir J. F. Boughey, Bart. M. P. a son.

The Countess of Wemyss, a daughter.

The lady of Hon. Charles Law, a daughter.

The wife of Lieut. Gen. Loft, of a son.

The lady of Rear-Adm. Sir G. Cockburn, a daughter.

The Countess of Ashburnham, a daughter.

The wife of Major-gen. Beatson, a daughter.

The wife of T. Tyrwhitt Drake, Esq. M. P. a son and heir.

The wife of Major-gen. Carey, a daughter.

Lady Edmonstone, a son. Rt. Hon. Lady Edward O'Brien, a daughter.

Hon. Mrs. Henry Butler, a son and heir.

The wife of the Hon. Thomas Orde Powlett, a son and heir.

Lady Georg. Quin, a daughter. The wife of Albany Saville, esq. M. P. a son and heir.

The Duchess of Orleans, a daughter.

Lady Eliz. Smith, a son. The lady of Sir G. Anson, M. P. a daughter.

Lady Brooke, a son.

The wife of John Smith, Esq. M. P. a son.

The lady of Adm. Wilson, a daughter.

The lady of Sir Charles De Vaux, Bart. a daughter.

The wife of H. Willoughby, M. P. a daughter.

ter.

The Hon. Mrs. Bland, a daugh

The lady of Sir Thomas Tancred, a son.

The lady of Sir James Anderson, a daughter.

The Hon. Mrs. St. Ledger, a

son.

Lady Petre, a daughter. Lady Fitzroy Somerset, a son. Lady Katherine Halkett, a son. The wife of S. R. Lushington, Esq. M. P. a daughter.

The wife of J. Round, esq. M. P. a son.

The wife of R, Rickards, esq. M. P. a daughter.

The lady of Major-gen. Sir H. Torrens, a son.

The lady of Sir W. Geary, bart. M. P. a son.

Lady Theod. Hale, a daughter. The wife of the Hon. Mr. Legge, a daughter.

The wife of the Hon. Captain Pellew, M. P. a daughter.

Hon. Mrs. Mason, a daughter. Lady Eliz. Hope Vere, twin daughters.

The wife of the Hon. A. Hely Hutchinson, a son.

The lady of Alex. Don, M. P. a

son.

Lady Charlotte Crofton, a daughter.

The Marchioness of Ely, a son. The lady of Earl Compton, a son and heir.

The lady of Sir E. Knatchbull, a daughter.

The lady of Sir John Louis, a daughter.

The lady of Sir J. C. Honeywood, a son.

The wife of Major-gen. Hawker, a son.

Lady Fran. Riddel, a daughter.
Lady Thurlow, a son.

June.

Hon. Mrs. Bedford, a daughter. The wife of H. Goulburn, esq. M. P. a son.

Lady Emily James, a son. The lady of Gen. Sir Lowry Cole, a daughter.

Hon. Mrs. Butler, a son. Hon. Mrs. Winn, a son. The Countess Cowper, a son. The Lady of Sir Fred. Baker, a son and heir.

Hon. Mrs. Harbord, a daughter. Countess of Bristol, a son. Hon. Lady Forbes, a daughter. Hon. Lady Mary Long, a son and heir.

The lady of Sir J. H. Thorold, bart. a son and heir.

The lady of Adm. Sir J. Beresford, bart. a daughter.

Rt. Hon. Lady Caroline Wood,

a son.

May.

The lady of Sir Alex. Mackenzie, a daughter.

The lady of Sir W Pole, a son. Hon. Mrs. Pell, a daughter. Right Hon. Lady Georgiana Charl. Finch Hatton, a daughter. Rt. Hon. Lady Wm. Somerset,

a son.

The