The Press. — London, England, 1856-10-18 00:00:00

THE PRESS. VITRIOL AND BLUNDERBUSSES IN BRITAIN. [The insertion of this horrid narrative has been delayed for a week in order that we might obtain satisfactory vouchers for the writer's respectability, sanity, and truth. fulness, and on those points we have no doubt. Short of a miracle, we never read anything so simply stated, yet so incredible in its substance.—ED.l WE left town on the 11th, by the 10.17} Parliamentary Train of the L. N. W.R. On taking my seat iu a saloon compartment, my attention was arrested by two young women in the carriage, A. and F. They were whispering together with peculiar earnestness. The only other occupants of the saloon were two wet nurses, a 3 oung widow, It., and five babies. By observing the countenances of the two young ladies, it was easy to perceive that they anticipated au adventure of no pleasing description ; but hardly had I begun to conjecture what was the special subject of their apprehensions, when the train stopping at the W— station, a small acid-looking olive-complexioned Italian entered the cal riage, bearing in his hand a black bag with the letter " 8., painted on it in white. He sat himself down, viz a vis to A. F. and R., when the latter com menced a delicate flirtation with the olive-complexioned Italian. Hardly, however, had an assignation been agreed upon when the train again stopped, and an elderly gentleman, P., pulled open the door and flung himself into a vacant seat close to B. " You're a nice fellow, I don't think," was his halft•uculent, half-jocose remark to B.; upon which A. asked B. what P. meant? when B. explained to R. that P. always wished to bully and insult him before his friends. F. then questioned P , who detailed the circumstances ; when R. said that B. should not be interfered with, and A. backed up B. against P. P. appealed to F. F. asked P if he intended to fight ?if so, he ought to send a challenge to B B. said that was already done, and that P. had his challenge in his pocket. P. said he was ready to fight if A. would choose weapons, when 8., urged on by R., drew a stiletto, and, with the speed of lightning and the ferocity of a wasp, struck a blow at P.'s heart. B. missed his aim, but left the quivering steel in P.'s great toe. P. immediately seized the blunderbuss always considerately slung in every first-class carriage of the L. N. W. R. in order that gentlemen may never be at a loss for a weapon in case of any unpleasant discussion arising, blew the would-be assassin's left arm to shivers, and then offered to fight R. and A. on the spot. SATURDAY, R. instantly drew a Colt's revolver from her pocket, but P. blew R.'s brains out before she could use it, and severely injured A. with some stray slugs. A.'s screams wers heartrending. Poor R.'s body lay on the floor unheeded. The passengers in the other compartments (ours was open at the back, and they could see all that passed) signified by loud cheers and shouts of encouragement their savage sympathy with the venerable blunderhussier. But the matter was destined to receive still further complication. At the next station a wooden•visaged old gentlewoman in a tartan cloak joined us, and began to scold B. and P. with tolerably impartial dulness and acerbity. The little stiletto carrier hugged the stump of his arm and groaned sulkily. P., who had quite recovered his naturally rather jovial temper, now indulged in a little quiet chaff, saying, " Come, come, Abby, don't try the high moral dodge with us. Who was poor N.'s friend of forty years, eh? and who pinned his financial faith to 111q - } of the British, and patronised a Sadleir? " Whereupon the old Scotch termagant drew from her reticule a hand grenade, which she threw violently in the midst of us. It almost immediately exploded, killing the two wet nurses and four babies. P. and the women escaped unhurt. The sight of the innocent children's mangled remains flying about the carriage was too much for my nerves, already unstrung by the horrible scene I had just witnessed, and I fell into a state of syncope, in which I remained for about ten minutes. When I came to myself I discovered that new horrors were in store for me. The fifth baby, crying after its murdered wet nurse, was rudely seized by F. and A., his head inserted into a Wellington boot, and at the first station we stopped at carried off by P. and dropped down the funnel of the locomotive. Soon after this a vicious old maniac, the other side of eighty, swung himself from the next compartment into the centre of ours, and screaming out, " Ha ! thus does the tyrannicide avenge himself," scattered seven bottles of vitriol in the midst of us. B. F. and A. and even P. him self were immediately burnt to cinders. I alone escaped with life. Both my legs were charred off at the stumps, and I still carry the back of my head in a sling. When the train arrived at its destination I ex pressed myself to the superintendent in terms of becoming horror and reprobation. He only laughed at me, and said, " Put a stop to it ! Lor' bless you, sir ! why folks would never take excursion-tickets if they weren't to be allowed a little rational excitement on the journey. Bill, sweep up the mess in that compartment." I make no comment. Facts like these speak for themselves, for no account has yet appeared in the newspapers. To CORRESPONDENTS. It Is impossible to acknowledge the mass of letters we receive Their insertion is often delayed owing to a press of matter and when omitted, it is frequently from reasons quite inde pendent of the merits of the communication. We cannot undertake tore turn communicationsof which we do not avail ourselves. Gominunieationsshould sly ay s belegiblywritten, and on one side of the paper only. If long it increases the difficulty of finding space for them. Whatever i s intended fort nsertion must be authenticated by the name and address of the writer, not necessarily for publica tion, but ass guarantee of his good faith. Advertisements sent from the country must be accompanied by a remittance or a reference for payment in town. TERNS OF SUBSCRIPTION NOR (STAMPED.) Per Annum .. Half• Yeas ly .. Quarterly .. ebt Vrtsfs: .. Al 6 0 .. - 0 18 0 .. 0 6 6 Payable is advaiwt. Subaeribersare requested to send their Orderathrough their News Agent; if direct to the OMee. accompanied by a remit tance. Advertisements also must have a reference or remittat.ce. Mone t . orders to be made payable to Mr. ALISID lac, iie, Strand London. Cts 1-.• rog. LONDON, SATURDAY,OCTOBER 18, 1856. POSTSCRIPT. NAPLES. The answer of the Neapolitan Government to the last note presented by Baron Brenier is expected here from one moment to another (says the Paris correspondent of the Times, second edition) : It is not anticipated that it will be satisfactory. As soon as it is rec e ived the Mosife r r will publish an article on the Neapolitan question, giving, it is said, full infor mation, at least as full information as it is the practice of the Government to do. The recal of M. Brenier is cer tain, but, as to the fleets, I can say nothing more than I have already mentioned. I believe that the Government will be glad to get out of the affair as soon, and of course as well, as possible, and that a v e ry m o de r ate concession would satisfy it. King Ferdinand, of course, knows his advan tage, and interpreted forbearance sh own t owar d s hi m will no be doubt to unwillingness to brave the conse cinences of a revolutionary movement. A diplomatic dinner was given ye-tenlay at the hotel of the Foreign Minister. Among the guests was the Neapolitan Am bassador, M. Antonini, who, to all appesrance, was as tranquil and as much at his ease as if Naples and the allies were the best friends in the world. Another Neapo litan of rank, the Prince of San Giacomo, was also present. The second edition of the Times has also a letter from Naples, Oct. 13 : His Majesty is still at Gaeta, and apparently still bent on resistance. Great quantities of ammunition have been taken to St. Elmo, and not a day passes in which we do not witness signs of military preparation. The Vienna correspondent of the Times (second edition), in his letter dated October 13, writes as follows:- 1n financial circles it is related that the British and French missions have already been recalled from Naples, but the assnrance has been given me that no official news to that effect has yet been received here. According to private letters the King is assembling an army of 40,000 " trustworthy " troops around him at Gaeta, and the Austro•Neapolitan correspondents express their conviction that his Majesty will not make the concessions demanded of him unless literally forced to do so. There is reason to believe that this Government will send a couple of vessels to the Bay of Naples "for the protection of Austrian subjects and property " as soon as it has received official notice that the Anglo-French squadron is on its way to Naples. In more than one of my recent letters it has been hinted that the relations between Austria and France are not so satisfactory as they were, and it is now in my power to speak more plainly on the subject. This Government strongly suspects that there is something passing between France and Russia, or rather between Count Walewski and Prince Gortschakoff, which is kept from the knowledge of Austria and England. AUSTRIA IN THE PRINCIPALITIES. A letter from Berlin in the German Journal of Frankfort says :—" It is probable that the occupa tion of the Danubian principalities will give rise to grave debates. It is asserted that a note of Count Walewski has been received at Vienna, in which it is openly stated that the continued occupation by Austria is in flagrant contradiction with the stipu lations of the treaty of Paris. We learn that at Vienna no readiness is displayed to evacuate the provinces. This question will be decided by the Congress of Paris, and Austria will probably be compelled to give way. DEFEAT OF THE RUSSIANS IN CIRCASSIA. Intelligence from Constantinople, of the 9th inst., states Sefer Pacha has gained two victories over the Russians in Cirzassia, and has taken from them about 800 prisoners and 21 guns. The Emperor Napoleon has decided that, in order to give French industry time to prepare, the project submitted to the Corps Legislatif relative to vari.)us prohibitory enactments shall not come into effect until the Ist of July, 1861. The project referred to repealed prohibitions and substituted protective duties. An Imperial decree nominates General Count de Goyco, aide-de-camp to the Emperor, to the com mand of the army of occupation at Rome, in the room of General de Montreal, who is admitted to the reserve. Other decrees make nine alterations in the commands in different military &visions and subdivisions. THE LATE MILITARY FRACAS AT BRIGHTON. DISMISSAL OF LORD E. VANE TEMPEST ♦ND CORNET GIRT FROM HER MAJESTY'S SERVICE. (From the London Gazette of last evening.) Mitsmakenue. Cornets Lord Ernest Vane Tempest and William J. Birt, of the 4:11 Light Dragoons, are dismissed from her Majesty's Army, in consequence of conduct unbecoming officers and gentlemen, and subversive of good order and military discipline, as reported to her Majesty by his Royal Highness the General Commanding-in-Ch ief.—D ated 17th October, 1858. The Corps of Royal Sappers and Miners are henceforward to be denominated the Corps of Royal Engineers, and form one body with the existing Corps of Royal Engineers. Ax brvzimom of considerable interest to the public as well as the trade, is just now beginning to attract attention in Lancashire. It is a discovery by Mr. John Leigh, surgeon and analytical chemist to the Manchester Corp,ration Gas Works, of a sub stitute for the size hitherto made from flour, which is used in the manufacture of cotton cloth. This substitute is made of a silicate of soda, or preparation of sand. It is calculated that a saving of 2:5 to 50 per cent. will be effected by the adoption of this instead of flour size, whilst the quantity of flour which will be set at liberty for the purposes of food, should it become generally adopted, will be equal, it is thought, to about 3,000,0001. to 3,500.0001. worth per annum. THE CAPTURE of the two Grelets and Parot, the French " Northern Railway " cashiers, who embez zled some 5,000 shares of the company, and squan dered the money away in fruitless speculations on the Bourse, is fully detailed in the New York papers. The prisoners were captured without much difficulty while waiting in New York to change their French hank notes for gold. They reached London last Monday, in charge of the detectives, and have stare 1 for Paris. The legality of their seizure in New York is doubtful, as the article in tho treaty of extra dition mention` "public officers " only.