West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser. Friday 19th August, 1851. THE ARMY - We understand the Mr. CORYTON KEMPE, eldest son of Capt. Kempe, of Truro, has obtained his Lieutenancy in his regiment the 41st Foot, now stationed in India. POTATOES - Extraordinary Produce. Mr. GEORGE PAINE, Inspector of Police, Truro, drew on Wednesday last, in his garden in the allotment field at Richmond Hill, 8 1/2 lbs. weight of potatoes, the produce of one potatoe. The potatoes are of a large size and good flavour, and known as the "Farmer's Delight." They were first brought into Truro about two years since, by Mr. MITCHINSON, seedsman. CALIFORNIA - The following letter from a young man, a native of St. Agnes, to his wife in the United States of America, may perhaps be of some interest to our readers. "After a long and tedious journey, I have at last got the pleasure of writing you from the land of gold. I know that very melancholy accounts have reached the States, relative to the Californian emigrants, which I am afraid have caused you a great deal of uneasiness, therefore I only write you a brief and hasty letter just to let you know that we are all well. JACK ANTHONY, NEEDHAM and myself arrived in the mines on the 5th of September. I have got a great deal to write, I believe enough to fill a newspaper, and I scarcely know how to condense it in this small sheet so as to make it interesting. I must give you a short account of how we got along, since I wrote you last, which was at Fort Laramie. We left that place on the 10th of June, crossed the Black hills all well, and went on to Deer Creek, about one hundred miles from Laramie. There we were told that the ferries above were so crowded that there was no chance for us crossing the Platte river for a week, so we thought we had better build a boat and put ourselves across; a few of our men swam across, the rest of us set to work and in a little more than a day, we had a ferry boat of our own, ready to cross the swift and once dreaded Platte, which at this place is a quarter of a mile wide. By this time there were a number of emigrants applying to us for a passage, who were so anxious to get over, that they would pay almost anything for it, so we agreed to stop a day or two and work our ferry-boat; we need not do anything but take the passage money, as they would row their own wagons over and pay besides. We got from three to four dollars per waggon, the first day we earned one hundred dollars, I would not wish for a better California than that, but notwithstanding, we sold our boat at a high price, and pursued our journey. About twenty-six miles further up the river than where we passed, one man by means of a rope ferry was fast making his fortune, he made from five hundred to three thousand dollars a day. After we left the Platte river we travelled sixty or seventy miles under very great difficulties, as we had no water and very little grass for our oxen until we reached Sweet Water River, but here we found pretty good grass. We travelled up this river for four or five days, till we came to the summit of the South Pass in the Rocky Mountains, which a person scarcely perceives on account of its gradual ascent. A day's drive from here brought us to the Salt Lake Road, which route we took in preference to the one leading to the Forks of Fort Hall. We generally had plenty of grass and water without going out of the road. We reached the great city of Salt Lake on the 10th of July. I should like to give you some description of it, but space will not permit. We stayed here fifteen days recruiting ourselves and teams, which was a great deal longer than we ought to have stopped. One of Jack's oxen died a little before we got here which was a great loss to us. On leaving the city of Salt Lake, we went on without any accident until we reached the sink of Humboldt River; we travelled down this disagreeable river for three hundred miles, to where it spreads very wide and sinks in the earth. Here one of my oxen that I would not have sold for one hundred dollars died after two hours' illness. From the sink to Carson River, a distance of forty-five miles, it is a complete desert; there being neither wood, water, nor grass, and some part of the road very sandy, it is a trying place for teams; we started on it, taking with us about fifty gallons of water and a considerable quantity of grass, and our teams went through very fine. The destruction of property on this desert is beyond my description. You will scarcely believe me when I say that I do not think 250,000 dollars will cover the loss of property on this forty-five miles; dead horses, mules, oxen, wagons, harness, and all kinds of outfit, were strewed over the place; the stench arising from so many dead cattle was almost insufferable. The next day we struck Carson River - we found the inhabitants here taking every advantage of the poor emigrants - they charged two dollars per lb. for flour, one dollar and seventy-five cents for a little pie, and everything else in proportion. I think they were the greatest land-sharks that I ever saw. The next place of note was the great Sierra Nevada - this is the highest mountain I ever saw, the ascent is almost perpendicular, but the descent is not very steep; we were on the south road, not the one we have read about, where the traveller had to let down his waggon with ropes. I must now be brief and finish with a short account of what I have seen in California. This country is full of speculation. There is gold here and in great abundance, but it is scattered over a large section of country. Some are doing well, while others are not getting their board; it costs a single man a dollar a day to live here on bacon and flour. Pork is thirty dollars per 100lbs., and flour is twenty dollars per cwt., and every eatable thing is very high. I have been digging for gold, but for some days I did not get enough to pay for my board, but I am doing a little better now; yesterday we got four ounces of the prettiest gold I ever saw. Gold dust is current here, the same as silver and gold in the States at sixteen dollars per ounce. I have been in good health every since I left home, and I think it is a tolerably healthy place here generally; but there has been a great deal of sickness on the road this season, and thousands have died on the way, and a great number that came here sick have died since their arrival. I am, your affectionate husband, EDWARD DALE:- Weber Creek, California, September 25th, 1850. TRURO POLICE - On Monday last, JOHN CHARLES PASCOE was fined 10s. and 11s. costs, for assaulting JAMES SAMPSON in Pydar-street, on the 19th instant. JOHN PASCOE was fined 10s. and 11s. costs, for assaulting GEORGE HEARN at the same time, whereby the latter sustained a loss of three teeth. In default of immediate payment they were ordered to be committed to the house of correction for fourteen days each. WILLIAM OSBORN was fined 2s. 6d. and 11s costs, for assaulting ELIZABETH DUNSTAN on the 18th instant. This complainant also preferred informations against Osborne's wife and mother-in-law for assaults, but as proof was wanting, the charges were dismissed, with 16s. costs. FALMOUTH POLICE - On Tuesday last, ELLEN DE FREIZE was brought before Mr. R. R. BROAD, borough magistrate, on a charge of having robbed NICHOLAS WELCH, a butcher, of Mylor, of a bag containing six pounds, the bag was taken from her with some of the money. She was committed for trial at the next borough Sessions. FALMOUTH TOWN HALL - On Friday last, before Mr. BROAD and Mr. CORNISH, justices, the master of the brig "Ruby," of London, appeared to answer a charge preferred by one of his seamen, for not allowing him to quit the ship, although he had a medical certificate to show he was unable to perform his duty. The captain stated that he refused to discharge him until he had orders to proceed to sea. He had several days to remain in port, and the man might be well from the scurvy by that time. The magistrates allowed the case to stand over; directing the man to be discharged if he was not better on the vessel's orders arriving. EAST KIRRIER PETTY SESSIONS - At the Petty Sessions held at Selley's hotel, Falmouth, on the 21st inst., the Magistrates suspended the licence of Mr. PETER SHARP, of Falmouth parish, and of MARY TRURO and JOHN HARRIS, of the parish of Mylor; and renewed all the other licences in the East division of Kirrier. They refused to licence a house applied for by Mr. ROOKE, at Perran foundry. EAST DIVISION OF PENWITH - The General Annual Licensing Meeting for licensing the inns, ale houses, and victualling houses, situate in this division, was held at Camborne on Tuesday last. The magistrates present were Mr. PENDARVES, M.P., Mr. MAGOR, the Rev. URIAH TONKIN, and the Rev. THOMAS PASCOE. There were several complaints against publicans for offences against the tenor of their licences, but most of these were dismissed in consequence of not being substantiated. Amongst the parties thus complained against, were Mr. BECKERLEG, innkeeper, of Lelant, who was charged with having kept his house open during the hours of divine service on the 3rd and 17th inst. The evidence of one of the constables of the parish, in reference to the alleged offence on the 3rd instant, was to the effect, that during the hours of divine service, in the afternoon of that day, he entered Mr. Beckerleg's house and found many persons there, but none of them appeared to be drinking anything. On behalf of the defendant it was shewn that on the day in question a Primitive Methodist meeting had been held in a field at Lelant, and that the parties seen by the constable in the defendant's house were some of those who had come from a distance to attend the meeting, and had entered the defendant's house for the purpose of taking some refreshment. This evidence was, in some measure, borne out by the constable's statement that the parties in the house were strangers to him. It was also proved that Mr. Beckerleg had been solicited to draw liquor, but had refused to do so. Mr. Pascoe addressed the magistrates for the defendant, and the magistrates being divided in opinion the complaint was dismissed. The complaint against Mr. Beckerleg for the offence on the 17th was withdrawn. BARZILLAI JOHNS, CHARLES RUSSELL, and THOMAS RICHARDS, of St. Hilary were summoned on a charge of having on the 28th of July last committed a breach of the peace and obstructed ABRAHAM GEORGE, one of the constables of that parish, in the execution of his duty. The latter charge concerned the defendant Richards only. It appeared from the evidence that on the day in question the defendants, and another party, consisting of two men named KESKEYS, and two others called respectively ODGERS and TYACKE, met at the house of Mr. JAMES COURTIS, innkeeper, at Relubbus, challenges ensued between them, and a general fight followed. In the melee, the defendant, Richards, struck Miss Courtis and prevented the constable striking the defendant, JOHNS, with his staff, and threatened to knock him down if he used it. The three defendants were the only parties summoned by Mr. Courtis, but as it did not appear that Johns and Russell commenced the quarrel the magistrates dismissed the charges against them. The defendant Richards was fined GBP5 and the expenses. PEARCE and wife against WHERRY and MOFFATT. The complainants charged the defendants with having assaulted them on the 6th instant. The defendants live near Roseworthy. The evidence shewed that the defendants, on the day in question, had been to see the wrestling at Hayle. On the way to their homes in the evening they called at the public-house kept by the complainants, on Connor Downs, known as the "New Found Out." There were many others in the house drinking. By some means a glass was knocked over the table and broken, and it appeared that Mrs. Pearce, believing the defendants guilty of the act, endeavoured to take their jug of beer from them. In this, however, she was prevented by the defendant Wherry. In the struggle the jug was broken, when Mrs. Pearce threw the portion held by her at Wherry, following it up by throwing a glass at his head, and repeatedly attempting to strike him with a tea-tray; she was then joined by her husband, when the defendant struck both the complainants, but not until he had received a blow from the landlord. It did not appear that the defendant Moffatt committed any assault. The case was dismissed. The magistrates were occupied until a late hour in the afternoon, but most of the cases which came before them, were interesting only to the parties concerned. COMMITTAL FOR SETTING CORN ON FIRE - On Thursday the 21st instant, about six o'clock in the evening, whilst a boy in the employ of Mr. RICHARD WILLCOCKS, of Trevarner, in Egloshayle, was passing through the mowhay from his master's dwelling-house towards a field where the harvest people were engaged, he discovered that the large wheaten mow was on fire. Alarm was at once given, and within a very short time a considerable number of persons had assembled on the spot, and every effort was made to extinguish the fire, but this was found to be impossible, as the flames spread so rapidly. The fire soon communicated to the barn, which was immediately contiguous, and within a very short period both corn and barn were in a complete blaze. There being a water machine attached to the barn, pretty much water had accumulated in the machine pool; part of it was turned over the wheel, which kept the wheel from burning, whilst the rest was used in endeavouring to stay the flames. The most praiseworthy exertions were made by the people assembled, and after considerable labour and incessant plying of water the fire in the barn was subdued, not however, until the entire roof, and most of the wood work of the building and machine were consumed. Whilst some of the people assembled were employed in extinguishing the fire in the barn, others endeavoured to save as much as they could of the wheat which was not already in flames; but their efforts were of little avail, - a very small portion could be preserved, the heat from the burning mass being so intense as to prevent a near approach to the mows. The efforts of the people were now directed to keeping the fire from spreading further. There being a large stack of hay in the mowhay not far from the mows on fire, and at the end of which was a thatched house which almost adjoined the dwelling house, the probability was that if the hay had taken fire, it would have spread to the building; but fortunately through the means adopted, and the wind also being in favourable direction, the fire was confined to the corn, the whole of which, with the exception of the trifling quantity saved, was entirely consumed. None of the property destroyed was insured, and the loss which Mr. Willcocks will sustain is estimated at upwards of GBP200. Mr. Willcocks having finished carrying his wheat in fine order the day before the fire occurred, and there being no probable cause that could be assigned to lead him to suppose that the fire had originated through accident, an inquiry was instituted the following morning, which led to a hearing before Mr. STEPHENS, of Trewornan, on Saturday, and after the examination of several witnesses, sufficient evidence was adduced to satisfy the magistrate that a case of suspicion had been made out against the boy (called CRADDOCK, about ten years of age) who first gave information of the fire, and he was accordingly committed to take his trial for the offence. The boy has since been admitted to bail. COMMITTAL - On the 21st instant, THOMAS HAMBLYN, labourer, was committed by Mr. ENYS and Mr. PELLEWE, for trial at the ensuing sessions, for stealing a chimney ornament the property of Mr. COUCH, the keeper of a beer shop near the Quay, in the parish of Falmouth. There were four others implicated, but no evidence was adduced against them. They were a party of youths who landed and went in for a pot of beer, and took the ornament worth about one penny, for a lark. MELANCHOLY AND DISTRESSING OCCURRENCE - At Boscastle, on Monday morning last, great sensation was occasioned by a report that a young lady had been drowned in the harbour. The facts of the painful case are as follows:- It appeared that the deceased, Miss MARY ELIZABETH HARRIS, a young lady, aged 22 years, had come from London, on a visit to her uncle, the Rev. J. KIRKNESS, of Forrabury. On Monday, about twelve o'clock, she went out with another lady named MANN, for the purpose of bathing. She undressed herself on the rocks, put on her bathing dress, and went into the sea. She was advised to be careful, as there was a great ground sea. Miss Mann who was looking on, saw her as she thought slip her foot from a rock, and a wave coming in carried her off. Miss Mann could render her no assistance, and not seeing any one near she ran into the town, and it was some time before assistance could be had. However, a vessel going out, the crew saw her floating, lowered a boat, picked her up, and brought her on shore. Mr. EMELING, surgeon, was soon on the spot, and the usual remedies to restore animation were resorted to, but the vital spark had fled. An inquest has been held on the body before Mr. HAMLEY, county coroner, and a verdict returned, "accidentally drowned." CORONERS' INQUESTS - The following inquest has been held before Mr. HAMLEY, county coroner:- At St. Teath, on the 22nd inst., on JOHN EYRES. He was a labourer, and was mowing barley with some other men at Mr. MAY's, Suffenton. He had never complained during the day, but just as he was about to leave work, he fell with his scythe in his hand, and on being taken up was found to be quite dead. Verdict, "visitation of God." On Friday last, an inquest was held at Mylor Bridge, in the parish of Mylor, before Mr. CARLYON, county coroner, on the body of WILLIAM SYMONS, aged eight years, son of Mr. JOHN SYMONS of that place, butcher, who was drowned the preceding Wednesday evening, whilst bathing in Mylor Creek. Verdict, "accidentally drowned." On the same day, at Mitchell, in the parish of Newlyn, on the body of JOHANNA NANCARROW, widow, aged eighty-three years. The deceased had been drinking tea at a relation's the previous Wednesday evening, and on her way home through East Wheal Rose mine, she was joined by her grandson, and another person called JOHN GATLEY, who were returning from their work. She was then walking quite strong and apparently in her usual health, and they all walked on together; but in the course of a few minutes the deceased was taken suddenly ill, and fell to the ground in an insensible state. Her companions removed her to the side of the road, and her grandson then went to a farmer in the immediate neighbourhood and procured a cart for her, into which she was placed and carried home, but she died on the road. Verdict, "visitation of God."