The Press. — London, England, 1854-10-28 00:00:00

OCTOBER 28, 1854. gorrtspoOttnEt. TO THE EARL OF ABERDEEN. My Lord,—l am childless. My only son was killed at Alma. For his death I hold you responsible. I will not employ the sentimentality of grief to describe the agony of bereavement, to exaggerate the extent of loss, or unduly to exalt the value of him who has been taken ; but I presume to tell you, in simple words, the nature of the responsibility you have in curred to God and man. The views of Russia upon Constantinople were known to you. You had warnings, and you despised them—you had confidences, and you concealed them —you had duties, and you betrayed them. In order that there should be no misapprehension, a direct correspondence was addressed to you by the Emperor of Russia, in which he expressed his desires, and, without subterfuge, detailed his future operations. He imparted to you the secret of his state policy you preserved inviolate the revelation of your imperial friend. You cajoled him into a belief of your sincerity. He was deceived. You undertook to protect your country. Disloyalty is a sorry weapon. Foiled in diplomacy, you adopted the bluster of the braggart. In the first place, you might have prevented the necessity of war ; in the second place, it was your duty to have provided a sufficiency of material. An aggressive policy, if it be not prepotent, is worse than impotent. The late triumph, which has caused my loss, was achieved by personal bravery ; the deficiency of sol dier material was supplied by the cool prowess of chivalrous valour. Therefore it was that my son died. There was a still graver want—that of medical assistance—and rough, honest, and kind-hearted sailors performed duties that imperatively demanded the superintendence of chirurgical science. There fore did my son breathe his last in their arms. And have you nothing to answer for in neglecting those precautionary duties which formed one of the prin cipal obligations of your high office? Ambition prompted you to strive for the honour of an appointment for which neither nature nor art had designed you. Tacit deception, which you term, &office, prudence, concealed from the councils over which you presided, the conspiracy of your imperial friend: prevarication assisted the mystery, and im becility has led you to be dishonest to him, and faithless to the cause you affected to serve. eart less man—cunning Scot—disloyal agent—the justice you presume to despise will reach you at last, and the memory of wrong will outlive the curse of your ministerial rule! lam childless. My only son was killed at Alma. For his death I hold you responsible before God. ISMAEL. Gab-el-Tayef, Oct., 1854. Obituarz SIR THOMAS BUM MARTIN, G.C.8., Admiral of the Fleet, expired on Saturday afternoon, at the official residence of his son, Rear-Admiral Superintendent Martin, in Portsmouth Dockyard. The deceased, who had attained the advanced age of eighty-three years, arrived at Portsmouth on a visit to his son about a month ago, in a very delicate state of health. He was the third son of the late Sir Henry Martin, Bart., Comptroller of the Navy, and for some time M.P. for Southampton. The name of the deceased was borne on the books of the Foudroyant, 80, Captain John Jervis, from 23rd June, 1782, until the 31st of December of the same year. He entered the Royal Naval Academy in August, 1785, and in March, 1786, embarked on board the Pegasus, 28, com manded by his Royal Highness Prince William Henry, with whom he continued to serve in that and other vessels until July, 1789. Ho was subse quently employed on Channel service. On the 22nd of October, 1790, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant; and, after various services, in May, 1793, to the command of the Sisiphone, 12. On the sth of November, 1793, he was present at Lord Rood's occupation of Toulon, and was made post into the frigate Modeste. In the Artois, to which he was next appointed, he co operated in the reduction of Bastia. Captain Martin was afterwards appointed to the Santa Margaritta, of 40 guns and 237 men, in which vessel he succeeded in making many prizes. Amongst others, he captured, after a hard-fought action of about twenty minutes, the Tamise, of 40 guns and 306 men. The Tamar, 38, was his next ship, in which he was ordered to the West Indies, where he was present at the unsuccessful attack on Puerto Rico, in 1797. Captain Martin was appointed to the Dictator, 64, and afterwards to the Fisgard, 46. In this ship he succeeded in making a prize of the French ship Immortatite, of 42 guns and 580 men, including troops. The conflict on this occasion was a very obstinate one. Another gallant action he per formed in the Quimper River, on the 23rd of June, 1600, On that night he took personal command of THE PRESS. the boats of a squadron, entered the river, and com pletely demolished three batteries on its banks, mounting seven 24-pounders, together with their magazines. After commanding several other ships, and performing a long series of active services, the deceased succeeded to the rank of rear-admiral on the Ist of August, 1811, hoisted his flag on board the Aboukir, 74, in April, 1812, and sailed to the Baltic, where he took a prominent and energetic part in the defence of Riga, and co-operated with the Russian army, under Prince Bagration, against the French troops under Davoust. In the autumn of 1812 he was appointed second in command at Plymouth. He received the honour of knighthood in 1814; was created a K.C.B. 2nd January, 1815 ; a vice-admiral 12th August, 1819; a G.C.B. 3rd March, 1830; a full admiral 22nd July, 1830 ; vice-admiral of the United Kingdom in 1847 ; and admiral of the fleet 13th Oct., 1849. For many years Admiral Martin held the appointment of comptroller of the navy. He was appointed deputy comptroller in 1815, and in 1816 succeeded Sir T. B. Thompson as comptroller. For nearly fifteen years he was one of the represen tatives of Plymouth in Parliament. Admiral Martin was also one of the elder brethren of the Trinity house, had been a director of Greenwich Hospital, and a commissioner of the Board of Longitude. He bad the honour, at the funerals of two British sovereigns—George IV. and William IV.—of acting as assistant supporter of the canopy over the bodies. He married Catherine, daughter of Captain Fan shawe, R.N., resident commissioner of Plymouth Dockyard, and sister of the present Rear-Admiral Arthur Fanshawe, R.N., C.B. By this lady he bad three sons and three daughters. His two elder sons, William Fanshawe and Henry Byam, are both rear-admirals in the Royal Navy. The former is the present Admiral Superintendent of Portsmouth Dockyard ; and the latter, but lately promoted, has had the command of the flying squadron in the Baltic, under Sir C. Napier. The youngest son, Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Fanshawe Martin, Deputy Adjutant-General of the Queen's forces at Bombay, died at Poonah on the 13th of July, 1946. The death of MAJOR-GENERAL MIDDLETON took place at his residence, Rocky-hill-terrace, Maidstone, on Sunday morning last. General Middleton served in the West Indies with the Royals, in 1805 and 1806; on the staff with the army which proceeded from Madras to the Northern Mahratta country, beyond the Nerbudda River, in 1809 and 1810 ; with the 22nd Light Dragoons, in Java, during 1811, 'l2 and 'l3, and was present at the affairs of the 10th and 21st, and at the cavalry charge which finally settled the conquest of that valuable island, on the 26th August, 1811, after the fortress and lines of Cornelius had been forced. Employed also at the taking of Djocjo carta, and all the subsequent operations which took place on tb at island under the gallant Gillespie. Was in the field with the 22nd Light Dragoons in 1815 and 1816, and during the whole of the Mahratta war of 1817, 'lB, and 'l9, and was present with the division of the late Sir Thomas Munro at the capture of the forts of Daumul, Dorwar, Bedamme, Belgautn, and Shallapore, at which place he was severely wounded. The dates of the deceased general's commissions are as follows :—Ensign, September 19, 1804 ; lieutenant, 28th April, 1806; captain, 18th July, 1815; brevet major, Bth Feb., 1819 ; major, 16th June, 1425 ; lieutenant colonel, 19th Nov., 1825 ; colonel, 28th June, 1838 ; major-general, 11th Nov., 1851. He was appointed Assistant-Commandant of the Cavalry Depot, Maidstone, on the 23rd September, 1829, and Commandant on the Ist of January, 1842. On his promotion to the rank of major-general, and conse quent retirement from the depOt, a reward of 1001. per annum for distinguished services, in addition to his pay, was conferred on him by the Government, and he had also for many rears received a pension of 1001. a year in consideration of the wounds he had received in various engagements. It is with feelings of deep regret that we announce the death of VI/V:OUNT CREwrox, of the Scots Fusi lier Guards. His lordship died at Scutari, whither he had been conveyed from the Crimea on the 7th instant, from the severe wounds he had received at the battle of the Alma. This gallant young nobleman was the eldest son of the Earl Waldegrave, and was born June 29, 1816. The late viscount leaves a widow and three young children, the youngest, a son, having been born on the 14th instant. LORD DUNALLET died on Thursday week, at Kilboy, county of Tipperary, after a protracted illness. The venerable nobleman had reached his eightieth year, having been born on the 3rd of March, 1775. He was a representative peer of Ireland, and a steady supporter of moderate and liberal policy. The de ceased peer is succeeded by his nephew, Mr. Henry l'rittie, son of the late Hon. F. A. I'rittie, formerly one of the representatives for the county of Tippe- rary. The death of the COUNTESS OF STAMFORD AND WARRINGTON, took place on Sunday last, at Brighton. The countess had repaired to that watering-place about six weeks back, apparently in robust health, when ) shortly after taking up her residenoe, she was 1023 8 eized with symptoms, which excited so much alarm that the noble earl, who was in Scotland, was called to Brighton by telegraph. The deceased countess was married on the 23rd December, DAS, at the Old Church, at Brighton. She leaves no issue by her marriage, but her loss will be greatly felt by the aged poor and necessitous on his lordship's estates, to whom she was a considerate benefaetress. Her Royal Highness the Docitzss or WUSTENBURG died on Saturday, aged eighty-nine. She was a Prin cess Czartoryski, and sister to Princ.s Adam Czarto ryski. Her Highness shared her brother's exile, and is greatly regretted by all Poles. Intelligence has been received at the War-office of the decease of Loan FREDERICK LEVESON GOWER of the Coldstream Guards. The deceased escaped unhurt at the victory on the heights of the Alma, where he served with the Rifle Brigade ; but subse quently fell a victim to the prevailing epidemic. His lordship was on the eve of returning to England, wing just exchanged into the Coldstream Guards. THE Punta° Haar:ie.—The Registrar-General says in his last report :—The deaths registered in London, which in the first two weeks of October were 1532 and 1394, declined in the week that ended last Satur day to 1321. In the ten weeks of the years 1844-58, corresponding to last week, the average number was 942, which, being raised in proportion to increase of population, becomes 1,030. About three hundred persons died last week more than could be estimated from the experience of former years at the middle of October. Last week the deaths from cholera were 163. The mortality from the epidemic declines, but not so rapidly as in the same month of 1849. In three weeks of October in that year the deaths were 288, 110, and 41; in the last three weeks of the ex isting epidemic they have been 411, 249, and 163. The fatal cases of diarrhea and dysentery were 102 and 100 in the first two weeks of the present month; last week they declined to 83. In comparing the returns from the five metropolitan divisions for the last two weeks it will be seen that the improvement which they show is greatest on the north side of the river. Of the five northern districts cholera lingers most in Marylebone, though the mortality in it is not great. In the last two weeks the deaths in that district were 9 and 12 ; while in Pancras, with • larger population, there were only $ last. week, which occurred in Camden-town. Only one death occurred last week in Islington, and one in Hackney. Among the sub-districts on the south side of the river still haunted by the disease are St. James's, Bermondsey, the Kent•road subdistrict, and St. Peter, Walworth. PRESENTATION OF A TESTIMONIAL TO DR. ARM STRONG, OF " INVESTIGATOR." — On Tuesday, at the Ship Hotel, Woolwich, a valuable gold chro nometer, and chain of a cable pattern, was presented by the seamen belonging to her Majesty's ship Investigator, recently returned from the Arctic regions, after having been absent nearly five years, to Dr. Armstrong, the medical officer belonging to the vessel. On the back is engraved an exquisitely finished view of the Investigator locked in the ice, the obverse side bearing the following inscription : "Presented, October, 1854, to Alexander Armstrong, Esq., M.D., late surgeon of her Majesty's ship Inves tigator, by the petty officers, seamen, and marines of that ship, as a testimony of their sincere respect and gratitude for his unwearied professional skill and humanity during their unparalleled hardships in the Arctic service, which resulted in the discovery of the north-west passage." Two STEAMERS, the Empress and the Queen, built by Mare and Co. for the Dover, Calais, and Ostend Royal Mail Service, were launched at Blackwell on Saturday last. They are of 304 tons measurement, and of the following dimensions :—Length between the perpendiculars, 155 feet ; extreme breadth, 20 feet; depth, 11 feet 3 inches. Their machinery, of 100 nominal horse power each, will he fitted imme diately, and in every short time they will be on their station. Their guaranteed speed is thirteen knots, but it is confidently anticipated that they will run the distance between Calais and Dover regularly within one hour and a half, and between Dover and Ostend within four hours. THE receipts for admission at the Crystal Palace last week were 7961. 14s. The number of visitors was 17,729. A aumotie is current in the county of Selkirk that the present member, Mr. A. E. Lockhart, intends shortly to retire into private life. It is understood''' that Mr. Charles Plummer, Sunderland-hall, will be brought forward as his successor on the Coneerva the side, and will be opposed by Mr. J. N. Murray, of Philiphaugh, on the Liberal interest. ARRANGEMENTS are in progress for the appointment of a missionarT bishop for the islands of the Pacific Ocean, where it is calculated more than fifty different languages are spoken. ONE gentleman in Herefordshire will realise 8,0001. by the sale of this year's growth of hops, while num bers of other hop-growers there have not a hop to eell4 J miiiiiMIIIINIMIMMENII it+