THE Government having determined to seek an escape from the exigencies of their financial position by a reduction of the custom duties on articles of general consumption, the party in the country, who had for some time been seeking the abolition of all such duties, immediately assumed a much greater importance. The article first chosen for operation was sugar—Lord John Russell at the same time giving notice that he intended to propose a fixed duty of 8s. upon corn. The ministers, however, were defeated in their proposal to reduce the sugar duties, by a majority of 36; and a vote of want of confidence moved by Sir R. Peel, was carried by a majority of one. Ministers then dissolved Parliament, avowedly appealing to the country on their free trade measures. The elections, however, were decidedly against them. On the reassembling of Parliament an amendment was carried on the address, by a majority of 91, and the Whigs resigned. Sir Robert Peel then took office, but nothing more was done this year in the way of legislation—the finances being made to square by adding the £2,100,000 deficiency in the revenue to the National Debt. Consols averaged 89; wheat, 64s. 4d. JANUARY 20—Accident on the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway, at Bredon. A train, in passing through a deep cutting, had shaken down a large quantity of earth, in which the engine became embedded, and ran off the line. The chain connecting the engine and tender snapped, and so no harm occurred to the passengers; but the stoker fell between the two, and his legs being cut off in a most dreadful manner, he soon afterwards died. JANUARY 26—The body of a respectable young female, named Mary Anne Patrick, found in Salwarpe Brook, under what at first appeared to be very suspicious circumstances. She had been visiting relations at Wichbold, and went out on the Wednesday morning for a walk by herself, but no tidings were afterwards heard of her. When nearly a week had elapsed, the Bromsgrove fire engine was passing through the brook, and the body suddenly came to the surface. There appeared to be some severe wounds on the head, which of course originated the belief that she had been murdered; but when a _post mortem_ examination came to be made, it was clear that she had fallen a victim to the pernicious practice of tight lacing, and had fallen into the brook in an apoplectic fit. The coroner’s jury returned an open verdict.