The Press. — London, England, 1854-06-17 00:00:00

■ lui4t X 7,1854. .• A-- I, O RD MAIDSTONE AND MR. WILLIAM SIADE, ere, it is believed, to be the Conservative candidates for the representation of Cainbridge whenever a writ for, the election is issued. THE CITY CLERGY were invited to meet at Sion College on Monday to discuss a petition against Lord Barrowby's bill for the removal of certain City churches. Dr. Croly made a long and brilliant speech denouncing the measure, and resolutions in conformity therewith were adopted. THE ELECTION OF CHURCHWARDEN FOR ST. PAUL'S, KNIGHTSBRIDGE, came off on Wednesday and Thurs day, and.caused intense excitement. Mr. Westerton, the anti-Puseyite candidate, headed the poll through out, and the two days' struggle closed with his elec tion by a large majority. The votes stood at the close—For, Westerton 651; Davidson 328: majority 323. THE REV. LORD AUGUSTUS FITZCLARENCE died on Wednesday afternoon at his residence, Maple- Durham, in Oxfordshire. The deceased, who had pot completed his fiftieth year, married in 1845 Sarah, eldest daughter of Lord Henry Gordon. KOSSUTH has been repeating his afiti-Anstrian speeches at Nottingham during the week, and has promised to visit Glasgow shortly with similar L atent. THE first show of American plants for the season took place on Monday at the Botanic Society's gar dens in the Regent's-park. The flowers were very brilliant. Three or four thousand persons were present, and the usual military bands were in attendance. A PRIVATE SOLDIER OF THE 31ST REGIMENT, stationed in Tipperary, died suddenly in the barracks, his death being attributed by the jury at the inquest to the " pressure of the stock round his neck while tin service." THE colohelcy of the 19th Regiment has become ideant by the death of Lieutenant-General Charles Tamer. A Fuorrrm SLAVE, in the employ of Clark and Pond, millers, at Fulton, New York, sent a barrel of specimen flour to Queen Victoria. He presently re oeived, says an American paper, an autogaph letter from the Queen, acknowledging the receipt of the floor, and enclosing 300 dole. in return. THE ieceipt of a despatch from Admiral Dundas Ontiouneing the blockade of the Danube is ratified in Tuesday's Gazette. THE SUBMARINE AND EUROPEAN TELEGRAPH COM PANIES have just joined their wires at Manchester to those of the British Telegraph Company, thus ex tending their system throughout the midland districts Of England and Scotland. THERE is a rumour of a mercantile failure in the worsted trade, witn liabilities in Bradford, Yorkshire, to the extent of 100,000/. Fnou a recent parliamentary return it appears that only thirty men of the artily at home received corporal punishment during the year 1853. The largest number of lashes was fifty, smallest twenty-five. The offences were insubordination, theft, violence to supe riors, and making away with necessaries. Only one soldier was flogged at Chobham : his crime was In subordination. All these men were tried by court martial previously to punishment. THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER has ac knowledged during the week the receipt of ten Mexican bonds, each for 5001., " in further payment of a debt long due to the nation ;" and of 501 4 in ten Post: office orders of Si. each, from "P. J." THE RATES OF " WAR RISKS" now current atLloyd's range from half a-crown to 11. per cent., according to the voyage, steamers of course being insured at much lower rates than sailing-vessels. THE VICAR OF PETERBOROUGH has commenced a system of open-air preaching, and announces his intention to persevere in it during the summer months. ------- A DEPUTATION waited upon Mr. Gladstone on Saturday with the hope of inducing the Government to grant a pension to the daughter of Nelson. The deputation comprised Vice-Admiral Sir William Henry Dillon, K.C.8., Captain James Robertson Walker, R.N., Captain H. Lancaster, R.N., Sir James Duke Bart., M.P. (treasurer of the Nelson Memo rial Fund), Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton, Bali, M.P., Mr. Hume, M.P., Mr. James Walker, F.R.S., LLD., and the Rev. John Hoole, M.A. (one of the trustees of the Nelson Memorial Fund). After hearing their object explained and justified, the Chancellor of the Exchequer asked for a copy of the codicil of Nelson's will in which he bequeathed his daughter "to the care of the English nation," and said that he must consult with his colleagues in the Cabinet before coming•to any definite conclusion upon the matter. The members seem to have considered this reply tolerably hopeful. H.M. SCREW STEAM-Sun' Esk, a fine screw steam corvette, designed in the office of the Surveyor of the Navy, and built by John Scott Russell and Co. ' on similar linea as the Highflyer, 21, was launched on Monday at Millwall, in the presence of a large number of spectators. PlllErour•womina Ti thESS. xab3 ad Volta. A RtmE, preliminary to criminal i nformation, on the charge of publishing a series of libels, was ap plied for at the Bail Court, on Monday, on behalf of Lord Drumlanrig against the proprietors or printers of Reynolds's Newspaper, Messrs. M'Arthur Rey nolds and John Dicks. The plaintiff was the son of the Marquis of Queensberry, an M.P., Lord Lieute nant of Dumfries, Controller of her Majesty's House hold, and Privy Councillor. He became some time since, first shareholder, then director, and finally chairman of an association entitled the " Deposit and General Life Assurance Company." With this so ciety the defendants had dome quarrel, and, thinking apparently that it could be most easily attacked in the person of the chairman, commenced publishing in their journal the libels complained of : In these articles it was stated that his lordship had been out lawed, that he had connected himself with this association, which these parties represented as a fraudulent and insolvent one, for the purpose of lending his name to it, it being understood that he should have certain shares allotted, and should not be required to pay calls upon those shares. They represented his lordship as being insolvent—brqken down—that he was seeking to evade payment of his debts, that he became chairman of the di rectors for the purpose of obtaining the paltry emolument to which the directors were entitled for their attendance, and that he obtained the appointment in her Majesty's household as a mere shelter for his debts, and as a means of evading the pas. ment of his debts. Of course, if these charges were true, Lord Drumlanrig was not only an improper person to be a director, but an extremely improper person to be a Controller of her Ma jesty's Household. The first libel was published on the 29th of January, in which they said they knew nothing of this com pany beyond the fact that a noble lord who figured in the direc tion was lately proclaimed an outlaw by the sheriff's officer. In subsequent articles down to the 4th instant they stated that many persons obtained Court appointments as a shelter from arrest for debt ; there were plenty of Lord Thimblerigs ready to connect themselves with companies if they could get the guinea for attendance. Over and over again they stated that Lord Drumlanrig was an outlaw ; that the company was concocted in fraud; and there was also an attack upon the sesetary of the company, and an insinuation that the enterprise rad been con cocted in the Queen's Prison. The plaintiff had tiled affidavits specifically denying the whole series of charges set forth in the libels, and declaring that they were utterly baseless and scan dalous. Mr. Justice Wightman granted a rule. The ride was returnable on Thursday, when Mr. M. Chambers, on behalf of the defendants, offered an ample apology for and retractation of the libellous statements in question, and promised to print their amende in the newspaper. This was accepted by the plaintiff, and the rule discharged, defendant being ordered to pay all the costs of the proceedings. JOHN STOCKELL, a commercial traveller in the sta tionery business, was tried at the Middlesex Sessions for committing an aggravated assault on his wife. It was shown that he had come home one evening much intoxicated, and, having ordered his wife and children to get into bed, remained himself up all night, drink ing, swearing, raving, and at intervals beating the poor woman in the most brutal manner. When morning came he was about to send a child out for mOre li quor, when his wife interposed, and was assaulted in such fashion that her screams of murder brought a policeman to the house, who broke open the door and took the prisoner into custody. At the trial it was stated that the defendant was practically insane when intoxicated, and had not long before remained ten days in the Holborn Union under a medical cer tificate. His wife shed tears while giving her evi dence, and said that he was a kind husband and father whenever he was "in his right mind." He was found guilty of the assault, but judgment post poned until the next session, in order to have the question of insanity determined by medical examina tion. COINING AND " SMASHING" CASES generally occupy much time at the opening of every session of the Central Criminal Court. On Monday, the first day of the June session, there were twenty-seven Mint prisoners : three of these, Morris, a mason, Riley, a weaver, and Elizabeth Jackson, spinster, were in dicted for coining. The prisoners were captured in a room in Charles-street, Drury-lane, whither the police were directed by some information they ob tained, and the man Morris was arrested in the act of washing a mould upon the floor with his feet:— Upon the entry of the officers a most desperate attack was made upon one of them by the female, who seized a jug and beat one of them about the head to prevent the capture of Morris. After they had been overpowered the place was searched, and ten crowns, twenty shillings, and a great many sixpences, all bad, were found, besides the usual implements for coining. Riley said that he bad gone by Aimee intothe other prisoners' room, and it was shown that he had occupied the room adjoining only a few days, and was not known as an associate of the others. The jury acquitted him, and found the others Guilty. Morris was sentenced to six and Jackson to four years' penal servitude. SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE NEW TICKET SYSTEM FOR CONVICTS were made by Mr. Witham, the as sistant judge of the Middlesex Sessions, on opening his court upon Tuesday last. He noticed that in the House of Commons it was stated by Mr. Fitzroy that 1,194 tickets of leave had been granted to con victs, of which three only had been revoked. This was a cheering view of the system; but it should not he forgotten that the committals for theft, which for the last few years had been gradually decreasing, 5611 ware, since the establishmeut of the ticket-of-leave) system, frightfully on the increase—the committals in that county (Middlesex) alone in the present year, to the 12th of June, exceeding by upwards of 400 the number committed in the tome period last year. lie did not intend to infer that this increase was caused by the ticket-of-leave system, but it was, to say the least of it, a remarkable coincidence: -GEORGE BARBELL was re-examined at the Mansion house on Tuesday, charged with having snatched a bag of gold from a truck at the door of the Bank of England. He had been remanded for the purpose of being examined by the medical officer of Newgate as to the state of his mind. Mr. Mldurdo's certi ficate pronounced the prisoner perfectly sane, and he was sentenced to a fortnight's hard labour at Holloway. THE RAILWAY PASSENGERS' ASSURANCE COMPANY were defendants in an action brought by a Mr. Theobald, and on which judgment *as given in the Court of Itxchecluer on Tuesday. The Plaintiff had taken out an insurance with the company to the amount of 1,0001., for two railway journeys. His foot having slipped while getting out of the railway carriage atithe platform he injured bis leg, and was confined for some time under medical attendance. When he applied for damages, the company alleged that the accident was not of the class for Which, under the terms of the insurance, they incurred liability. The case being brought before a jury, however, a verdict was given for the plaintiff, with 341. 19s. damages and expenses, 1001. for his loss of time, and 1001, for loss of profits in business. The verdict was carried for revision into the Ex• chequer Court, when the Chief Baron affirmed the decision of the jury as to liability, and as to the 341. 19s. for expenses, but disallowed the 2001. on the score of time and profits. " This consequential mischief," he remarked, " ought not to be taken into account, otherwise one passenger whose time is more valuable would receive a larger amount than another. The contract is made by the company with reference to death or personal injury, but with out regard to the station in life of the insurer." Loan PALMERSTON stated to the House of Com mons on Tuesday that the Government had deter mined to abridge the term of separate confinement of convicts sentenced to penal servitude to a maximum of nine months ; so that, supposing a convict to be sentenced to seven years' servitude, the first nine months only would be passed in separate confine ment, after which he would be placed in association with others. AN ATTEMPT AT ROBBERY upon the premises of Mr. Reid, a dairyman in Great Titchfield-street, was discovered and frustrated by the agency of his cat. On Friday evening last week the master noticed that the animal showed symptoms of uneasiness, so exhi bited as to draw his attention to the counter of his shop. Upon searching he found a man secreted be neath, who was of course promptly drawn forth and given into custody. Being brought up at Marlbo rough-street police-office next day, the prisoner, whose name is Cooper, was recognised as connected with a notorious gang of thieves, and sentenced to three months' imprisonment. dr. Reid said that this was not the first time that the same cat had saved him from being robbed. FIVE BOYS, aged from thirteen to sixteen, Donegan, Green, Lawrence, Grindley, and Phillips, were charged before Mr. Bingham, at Marlborough-street, on Monday, with having played pitch-and-toss in the public streets on the previous Sunday. They were caught at their illegal gambling by policeman Lewis, who took them into custody for the offence. Law rence and Donegan, when questioned by his worship, pleaded that they were not playing, only looking on. The three other defendants admitted to having had a game of " chuckfarthing," but did not know it was contrary to the statute : Mr. Bingham handed the defendents Donegan and Lawrence over to their parents, with a recommendation to administer a little gentle chastisement upon the lads. Gambling In any way generally led to thieving and everything else that was tud. There were plenty of good and interesting books, with which they could amuse themselves on a Sunday without resorting to such a thieve's game as pitchrind•toss. With this admonition he should discharge the other defendants on payment of 2s. 6d. each, as a warning to them for the future. VICTORIA RIFIXB.—Last year her Majesty was pleased to sanction the formation of a rifle corps in Middlesex, to be called the Victoria Rifles. The number was limited to three hundred, in four com panies of seventy-five each. This select corps is in tended to consist entirely of gentlemen. The duties are to attend drills every Wednesday after six o'clock p.m., and it is desired that members will also attend he firing parade at Kilbnrn turnpike at four p.m. the same day, but these attendances are not obligatory, an intimation to the commanding officer that it is not convenient to attend being all that is necessary to procure exemption, from duty. The subscription is 21. 2s. per annum. Mr. W. T. I'ritcbard, of Doctors'-commons, is the honorary secretary. As it is the object of this corps to com bine rifle practice with military drill, and as Its rules are convenient, we have no doubt that the vacancies which now exist will speedily be filled up. 11.1101.111111 ~--