The Press. — London, England, 1857-08-22 00:00:00

TERNS OF SUBSCRIPTION FOR ebe 11) re/50 : (STAMPED) Per Annum .. Half Yearly.. Quarterly .. .. 11 6 0 .. 6 13 0 :. ii - 4 i PAYABLZ IN ADVANCE. Subscribers are requested to send their orders through News ♦gents; if direct to the Office, aseompanied by a remittance. Advertisements also must have a reference or remittance. Money Orders to be made payable to Mr. Martini) Iva, 110, Strand, London. irtv Tog+ LONDON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 1857. POSTSCRIPT. HERAT. A telegraphic despatch from Trieste, Aug. 20, announces that Mr. Murray has demanded from Persia the immediate evacuation of Herat. Despatches from Monte Video state that, on the reiterated demand of France and England, the Government of Uruguay has just authorised the nomination of a mixed commission to arrange the claims of the subjects of those two nations. General Windham bas arrived in Patis on his way to Marseilles to embark for India, where, as already announced, be has been appointed to a high military command. THE INDIAN NAVY. We learn that a circular was addressed yesterday from the East India Company to all the officers of this efficient body, at present on furlough, ordering them to India immediately. It has been a matter of general surprise that this order has been so long delayed. The official report on the purchase and sale of army commissions has been published, the com missioners Mating as a preliminary that their recom mendations are purely experimental, and, after examining the question most minutely and at great length, suggest that the principle of selection be applied to the highest ranks of the service ; that here after the lieut.-colortelcy of a regiment should cease to be purchaseable, and that the Commanderin•Chief should make the appointment from the majors; and, finally, that the lient.•colonelcy of a regiment should not be held for more than eight or ten years. Sir De Lacy Evans, in signing the report, added a codicil to the effect that be intends to hand in some suggestions for a speedier termination of the pur chase system than is at present contemplated. LAST NIGHT'S DEBATE. HOUSE OF LORDS. APPROPRIATION DILL. This bill was read a third time and passed, on the motion of Lord GRANVILLE ; and after some remarks upon the financial system of the country from Lord MONTEAOLE. The Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Bill having been brought up as amended in the Commons, Lord REDESDALE moved that the amendments should be considered that day six months. The LORD CHANCELLOR, with much warmth of ex pression, denounced this proceeding as irregular and unfair. It was, he said, altogether unprecedented to move the rejection of a bill without proper notice, and he accused the noble lord of attempting to defeat the me sure by surprise. Lord REDESDALE repudiated the charge of irregu larity or unfairness. The course he pursued was customary. On the previous evening he had given public notice of his intention to take the step he had now done. Earl GRANYILLE believed the motion to be irre gular, and was sure it took the house generally by surprise. Himself and other peers had believed that the notice given by Lord Redesdale referred to the day when the amendments really came up for consi deration. _ Lord ST. LEONARDS, without considering the motion irregular, recommended that it should be withdrawn, some misunderstanding baying evidently arisen. He trusted, however, that the session would not be hurried to a close without affording time for ample deliberation upon the very important changes effected in the bill by the House of Commons. The Marquis of Winchilsea, Lord Wynford, the Marquis of Westmeath, Lord Dungannon, the Mar- quis of Bath, the Marquis of Lansdowne, Lord Campbell, and some other peers baying spoken on P R E S S, l AUG 1 the question whether the motion was or was not irregular, Lord REDESDALE consented to withdraw it, and the amendments were ordered to stand for consideration on Monday next. Their lordships adjourned at half-past seven o 'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS. The house met at twelve o'clock. RETIRING DISHOPS. In reply to Mr. Griffiths, Lord PALMERSTON stated that a bill would be brought in next session to provide pensions for such bishops as might resign their sees from age or in firmity. SAVINGS BANKS. In answer to Mr. Hamilton, The Ciiascemon of the EXCHEQUER said that be proposed next session to move for a select com mittee to inquire into the management and working of savings banks. THE DIVORCE BILL. On the motion that this bill be read a third time, Mr. HENLEY proceeded to offer some remarks upon the measure, and as to the way in which it was passed through the House of Commons. When on the 24th of July the bill was first proposed, the Go vernment said it was a perfect measure, and in con sequence the Opposition had had, both in the house and out of it, " the dogs of war" let slip on them for opposing the measure and attempting to discuss it. On its introduction the Opposition stated that there was no time to fully consider the measure, and he thought be should be able to show, from the result, how correct was their prophecy. It was said that the bill made no change in the law, but merely altered the proceedings relative to divorce, and got rid of a great blot on the institutions of the country and the scandal attaching to actions of crim. con. ; and it was further alleged that the bill would bring home to the doors of all classes of her Majesty's subjects those privileges in reference to divorce which were only now within the reach of the rich. Sir G. GREY congratulated the house on the pro spect of the bill being read a third time without a division, from the right hon. gentleman having con cluded his review of the measure without a motion. He said that he considered the statements of the right hon. gentleman showed that the bill had been maturely considered, and was a sufficient answer to the charge of undue haste made against the Govern ment. Sir W. HEATHCOTE said the Opposition were by no means satisded with the state of the bill, and their declining then to go to a division which would not test the real opinion of the house was not to be taken as consenting on their part to the bill passing. Mr. ATRTON thought the house hiri done its duty in making the bill as perfect as possible. Mr. NEWDEGATE MRS glad that the Government had bowed to a largely expressed wish on the part of the house, and had to some extent consulted the conscientious scruples of the clergy with regard, to the obligation to remarry divorced persons. The measure as at first introduced was a most incom plete one, but it had been improved by the untiring exertions of that side o: the house. Lord J. MANNERS entered a last protest against the bill. He objected to its principle ; which affirmed the dissolubility of marriage, and he objected to the manner in which it was proposed to carry out the principles of the bill, but, more than all, he denounced the precipitancy with which a measure of such mag nitude and importance had been hurried through a jaded House of Commons. Lord PALMERSTON thought that the course taken by hoc gentlemen opposite with regard to this stage of the bill was most creditable to them and to the house. The noble lord had preferred a bill of indictment against him (Lord Palmerston) for the manner in which he had conducted pub lic business, but the whole charge, to his great relief, seemed to be confirmed in the manner in which this bill had been pressed forward. It had never been the wish of the Government that the house should adopt this bill without discussion as it came down honk the House of Lords. On the eve of the bill coming down to the House of Commons, hon. members who were opposed to legislation on the subject, said they would thwart it in every manner in their power—that the bill should not pass, and that every obstruction should be thrown in its way. One hon. member had said to him, "You shall not pass this bill." He (Lord Palmerston', replied, " Wont we," and had expressed his readiness to sit on and on in order to get rid of objections. The bill was then read a third time and passed. SALE OF OBSCENE BOOKS. This bill was read a third time and passed. The house at half-past nine adjourned to three on Monday next. GEORGE Cox, the prisoner charged with stabbing his wife in St. Martin's-le-Grand, on 20th July last, was tried and found guilty. THE ATLANTIC TECEGRAPH. THE failure of the first attempt to connect England and America by telegraph is to he attributed, accord ing to the official report, neither to the faulty struc ture nor comparative lightness of the cable employed, but to a mere mechanical accident. The man attending the paying-out machine, not being suffi ciently expert or experienced to manage it in a sea way, blundered with the break, turned the handle the wrong way, and, instead of easing it at the right moment, tightened the retarding strain too abruptly, and snapped the cable like a packthread. Mr. Bright has made a lengthened report to the directors of the expedition, and thus details the unfortunate accident. They sailed from Valentia on the 7th of August, and on the 10th the ship had reached a depth of two thousand fathoms. There was a heavy swell on, with a strong breeze ; the retarding strain upon the cable was raised to about 20 cwt., in order to check the egress of the cable to a speed not exceed ing the rate of the ship's progress, and up to sunset on the 10th all went well Shortly after this, the speed of the cable gained consi derably upon that of the ship, and up to nine o'clock, while the rate of the latter was about 3 knots by the log, the cable was running out from 5} to 5f knots per hour. The strain was then raised to 25 cwt.; but, the wind and sea increasing, and a current at the same Vine carrying the cable at an angle from the direct line of the ship's course, it was not found sufficient to check the cable, which was at midnight making 2i knots above the speed of the ship, and sometimes imperilling the safe uncoiling in the hold. The retarding force was therefore increased at two o'clock to an amount equivalent to 30 cwt., and then again, in consequence of the speed continuing to be more than it would have been prudent to permit, to 35 cwt. By this, the rate of the cable was brought to a little short of 5 knots, at which it continued steadily until 3.45, when it parted, the length paid out at that time being 335 miles. I had up to this time attended personally to the regal*. tion of the breakers; but, finding that all was going on well, and that it being necessary that I should be tempo rarily away from the machine to ascertain the rate of the ship and to see how the cable was coming out of the hold, and also to visit the electrician, the machine was for the moment left in charge of a mechenic who had been en gaged from the first in its construction rid fitting, and was acquainted with its operation. I was proceeding to the fore part of the ship when I heard the machine stop. I immediately called out to ease the break and reverse the engine of the ship, but when I reached the spot the cable was broken. On examining the machine, which was otherwise in perfect order, I found that the breaks had not been re. leased, and to this, or to the keindwheel of the break being turned the wrong way, may be attributed the stoppage and the consequent fracture of the cable. When the rate of the wheels grew slower, as the ship dropped her stern in the swell, the break should have been eased ; this had been done regularly before whenever an unusually sudden descent of the ship temporarily withdrew the pressure from the cable in the sea; but, owing to our entering the deep water the previous morning, and having all hands ready for any emergency that might occur there, the chief part of my staff had been compelled to give in at night through sheer exhaustion, and hence, being shorthanded, I was obliged for the time to leave the machine without, as it proves, sufficient intelligence to control it. The origin of the accident, adds Mr. Bright, arose no doubt from " the amount of retarding strain put upon the cable, but had the machine been properly manipulated at the time, it could not possibly have taken place." In conclusion, he suggests some trifling alterations in the machinery, and eApresses full confidence in overcoming every d;fficulty in the next attempt. The directors also express their full confidence in the ultimate success of the undertaking , and will continue to sit until their plans are dis cussed and determined on. Three hundred and thirty.five miles of cable have been lost by this un toward accident, and the cost to the company of the failure altogether may be estimated at about 25,0001. YESTERDAY morning 'neat sensation was created in the metropolis in consequence of the apprehension of a man, answering the description of Jonathan Geydon, charged with the murder of Mrs. Mary White, at Chingford Hatch, Essex. it appears that Sergeant Smith, of the fifth City division of police, took a man into custody near Tower-hill, answering the description of the suspected mrrderer, who re fused to give any account of himself. He appeared to be in a most destitute condition. A CURIOUS TRIAL FOR LIBEL is about to take place, in which a Mr. Evans, of 15, Bush-lane, and Captain Thorne, of 11, Pall-mall, a , -e charged with having addressed a letter to the Times libelling the Hon. W. F. Cadogon, and for attempting to extort money from the bon. gentleman by offering to suppress the libel for a consideration. Mr. Beadon beard the case (at Marlborough-street Police •court, on Thurs day, and bound over the parties for trial. Two CONVICTS, Fox and Edwards, aged 23 and 18, the one condemned for shooting his sweetheart at Canterbury, and the other for murdering his brother, were both hanged at Maidstone on Thursday.