when the flames rose high in the air, lighting up the
east end and the Surrey side of the water. The floating
engine from the dockyard was soon in attendance, and
as quickly set to work, and was followed by the float
from Rotherhithe, and the steam floating–engine from
Southwark–bridge. About eleven o'clock a frightful
scene took place as the ponderous vessel, in a state of
ignition, glided off the stocks most majestically into the
river, amid the shrieks of some thousand persons who
were in boats at the mouth of the dock. Several persons
were so terrified that they jumped into the water,
fearing the blazing vessel would fall and crush them to
death. Fortunately the whole were rescued by the
Thames police and watermen. The battery was totally
destroyed, and both the other vessels were seriously
injured.

The Emigrant Ship John of Plymouth has been
wrecked, with a deplorable loss of life. This vessel left
Plymouth on the 10th inst., bound for Quebec, having
on board 119 adult passengers, 98 children, and 16
infants, together with a crew in all of 19, making the
total number of souls on board 282. She left the Sound
at four in the afternoon, on the top of the ebb tide,
with a favourable wind off the land. She struck on the
Manacles Rocks, and immediately afterwards drove into
Godrevy Cove, and sank, it being then about half–past
10 at night. The number saved was only 75, so that
the number of those drowned is about 200. The jury
returned a verdict of manslaughter against Captain Rawle,
and strongly condemned the conduct of the crew.
Captain Rawle was committed to gaol on the coroner's
warrant. The magistrates of Falmouth have held an
inquiry into the loss of this ship, and have made a report
to the Board of Trade. It states that out of four boats,
three were efficient, but two of them, the life–boat
especially, were neither properly stowed nor prepared; and
that there was only one lantern wherewith to make
signals of distress. For these two defects the government
emigration–officer and the owners are pronounced
culpable. They further report, that the ship was lost
in consequence either of the ignorance or the gross
culpable carelessness of the captain; that the captain's
conduct, that of the chief mate, and of the crew with the
exception of two men, was most reprehensible after the
ship struck. They helped themselves, and did nothing
for the passengers. In consequence of finding that the
mate was ignorant of his duties, the report suggests,
"that in all passenger–ships the first mate should be
required to have a certificate of competency, instead of
one of services only; and that the number and nature
of the night–signals required to be provided by the
owners of passenger–ships should be specified."

A fatal Railway Accident happened on Saturday
morning on the 12th inst., on the North London line of
Railway. Mr. Dyer, the manager of the cattle department,
and principal cashier to the company, was walking
on the line, proceeding from Fenchurch–street–station
towards Camden, when he met the eleven o'clock a.m.
passenger–train coming from the latter place, and not
being quick enough in getting out of the way, was
knocked down by the engine and much injured. On
examination at the University Hospital, where he was
immediately conveyed, it was ascertained the unfortunate
gentleman had, in addition to a fractured arm,
sustained extensive internal injuries, from the effects of
which he died the following day.

      SOCIAL, SANITARY, AND MUNICIPAL
                        PROGRESS.

From the Registrar–General's Return, it appears that
95,332 persons were married in the last quarter of the
year 1854. The number exceeds the average, but is
less than that of the corresponding quarter of 1853.
The falling off has taken place in London, in the parts
of Kent round Maidstone, in Portsmouth, Plymouth,
and the seaports, which have been affected by the
absence of seamen in the war; in Northamptonshire,
Huntingdonshire, Cornwall, Shropshire, Staffordshire,
Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Yorkshire, Cumberland,
and Westmoreland. The marriages in Manchester and
Ashton declined, but in the aggregate the marriages in
Lancashire were not below the average.

As usual in the month of May, there have been many
Meetings of Benevolent Societies.

The annnal meeting of the British and Foreign
School Society was held on the 8th at the Schoolroom
in the Borough Road. The Duke of Argyll occupied
the chair, and addressed the meeting. He looked upon
the society as the monument and standard of certain
great principles; and he thought that public opinion
is every day tending more and more to some such
practical solution of the question as that offered by the
society's rules. The more the differences in the schemes
before parliament are discussed, the smaller they will
become; as they are differences in theory rather than
practice, and such as may be overcome by the exercise
of a little toleration and good sense on the part of the
English people. Though objecting to their plan, he
defended the advocates of secular instruction from
the charge of indifference to religion. He also found
the "Denominational or sectarian system" objectionable,
because it would leave a great part of the people
uneducated; but at the same time he must say that the
Denominational system is quite compatible with larger
and more liberal views, and that the plan of throwing
schools open to all, with the option of religious in
addition to secular instruction for the scholars, is very
generally adopted. There was, however, a third mode—
that adopted by the British and Foreign School Society
—the only one that can possibly be made the groundwork
of a great and general system of conjoined secular
and religious education, having for its basis the Scriptures
and the Scriptures alone. According to the report,
11 new schools, affording education to 4000 children,
have been opened; 892 visits of inspection have been
made to schools in 443 towns and villages; and 977
pupils have attended the model schools. The total
receipts of the year have been £17,358, of which £5,425
consisted of legacies; the expenditure, including the
repayment of loan, £15,691.

On the 7th a meeting was held at Willis's Rooms in
aid of the funds of the Plymouth Royal Sailors' Home.
Rear–Admiral Spencer presided, and a number of naval
officers were present. It was stated that some time
since the Queen and Prince Albert had jointly contributed
£300 towards the enlargement of the Home, and
promised £200 in addition provided a sufficient sum be
subscribed by the public. The Home had been found
the greatest moral and material benefit not only to our
seamen, but to shipwrecked mariners and sailors in
want of shelter. A considerable sum was subscribed by
the meeting.

On the same day, the Duke of Wellington presided
over the first annual meeting of the Soldiers' Infant
Home—intended to provide shelter and training for the
orphan daughters of soldiers. Colonel Wynn, the Rev.
Henry Mackenzie, the Chaplain–General, and Colonel
Crawford, spoke on behalf of the objects of the meeting.
The forty–seventh anniversary of the Society of
Friends of Foreigners in Distress was held on the 9th,
at the London Tavern; Mr. John Labouchere in the
chair. Since its foundation, the society has granted
relief in 87,028 cases: whether friend or foe, it relieves
all alike. The subscriptions of the evening amounted
to £1,490.

The eleventh meeting of the Ragged School Union
was held on the 7th, at Exeter Hall: the Earl of
Shaftesbury in the chair. It appeared that 300 schools
connected with the society are now at work in the
metropolis. In connection with the institutions now
on the society's list there are 113 Sunday schools, with
14,248 scholars; 79 day schools, with 10,449 scholars;
101 evening schools, with 7,184 scholars. The increase
of scholars during the past year was—in Sunday schools,
1,148; in day schools, 1,449; in industrial classes, 294.
The average of shoe–blacks engaged was 95, 54 of whom
had been sent out during the last six or seven months.
The total earnings were £1,413  7s.; and the number of
pairs of boots and shoes cleaned, 346,404; 837 scholars
had been sent from 54 of the schools to situations, the
remaining 80 schools not having forwarded their returns.
The income of the Union was £5,085; the balance at
the banker's, £453.