The Press. — London, England, 1857-01-17 00:00:00

68 In this state of things the only alternative left to them was to try and make the best of detention at home. On this subject he would remark, in the first place, that he did not think the ticket-of leave systnn hail yet had a fair trial, much less was responsible for the whole of tile out. ragaous crimes winch had been recently perpetrated. A large number of men had been discharged from the militia ; regiments of the line which had returned home, on being reduced, had naturally got rid of some of their worst cha racters; and, owing to those two causes, there was no doubt a larger criminal population than there would have been under other circumstances. But, in the next place, he did not think the principle on which the ticket-of leave system was framed had been fairly carried out. As he understood that system, it was implied that the residence and occupation of every loan having a ticket of leave should be known, so that if there were merely a strong suspicion that any such person was getting his living dis honestly, he should on that ground alone be called to account. The principle of the ticket•of•leave system should be applied with much greater strictness than it had been. Now, he would just point out one or two means by which he thought the existing evil might be alleviated. It struck him as a great misfortune that in their prison dis cipline there was no provision for an intermediate state between actual seclusion in prison and absolute freedom of life out of doors. The man who left prison was bewil dered by the new state of things in wiiiith he found himself. Moreover, the men who were the best behaved in prison were often the worst behaved out of prison —and for this reason, that they were the men who were most sus ceptible to any influences, whether good or ball, which were brought to bear upon them. The man who was docile when subject to good influences was equally docile perhaps when placed in contact with his old companions. He thought, therefore, that one evil which required to be corrected was the sudden transition from a state of abso lute prison seclusion to a state of absolute freedom. He was also of opinion that more consideration ought to to given to the recommendation of Captain Maconochie, that the length of a man's imprisonment should be made to depend to a certain extent on his own labours. Another question arose. namely, whether, taking into consideration the state of employment in this country, and the extreme difficulty of sending criminals abroad, it would not be practicable to provide continued employment for those who were willing to accept it on public works, or other wise, after their discharge from gaol. It was, he thought, a reproach to the state of the law that a ticket-of-leave man should be compelled to come before a police magistrate, as had been the case recently, and say—"lVliat am I to do ? No one will give me employment." He would conclude by saying that, though they did not pretend to see their way out of all these difficulties, they should at least warn the public against trying vain and fancied remedies. It was better to know that the problem remained unsolved, than to put trust in some imaginary solution, which was sure to break down at last. an Dilitarg 3ntelligentt. THE AUTHORITIES OF THE WAR DEPARTMENT have determined to increase the force of the Commissariat officers on the Chinastation. Orders have been issued that a number of persons connected with that branch of the army shall hold themselves in immediate readiness to embark for Hong Kong. A CIRCULAR HAS BEEN ISSUED, making some slight alterations regarding the undress uniform of the army. The tuft of the men's forage cap is to be dark blue for all regiments of infantry except light infantry and rifle regiments, which are to be of the same colour as the forage cap—viz., green. Chin straps are to be worn—peaks only to be used on the stations prescribed by regulation. The forage caps of officers and men of light infantry and fusilier regiments are to bear the Arabic numerals, surmounted by a bugle or grenade, as the case may be ; the officers' in em broidery, the men's in brass, as by pattern lodged at the Army Cloth►ng Department. The knapsacks of all regiments are to have the numbers in Arabic numerals,ll inches in height, painted in white in the centre of the pack. THE INSPECTOR-GENERAL OF INFANTRY (Sir Colin Campbell) has ordered that every subaltern in the British army of less than two years' service shall be required to fill up and return a nioathly report of the state of his regiment to the officer commanding the depot. SEVERAL. EXTENSIVE IMPROVEMENTS AND ALTERA TIONS are being carried out at Chatham Dockyard, which, when completed, will make that establishment the most commodious Government dockyard in the kingdom. One of the principal improvements now in progress is at No. 7, granite slip, which is to be lengthened sixty feet, giving a length of 330 feet. No. 2 dock is also in course of being lengthened to 360 feet, and will be the largest dock of any belonging to the naval establishments. Obituarg. RETIRED REAB•ADMIRAL ROBT. HENLEY RODERS died at Plymouth on Thursday week. This officer entered the navy in the spring of 1796 as firit-cla•la volunteer on board the Concorde, 36, Captain Anthony Hunt, whom he followed in August of the same year, into La Virginie, Bt. After cruising on the Irish and THE PRESS. Baltic stations he sailed for the East Indies, where he remained from September, 1798, until April, 1803. He was promoted on the Ist of February, 1812, to the rank of commander. His last appointment was to the Dover troopship, the command of which he re tained from the 30th of July, 1814, until the oth of August, 1810. During that period, besides visiting the West Indies and the Baltic, he accompanied the expedition against New Orleans, where he served on shore in the breachinc , batteries and in command of a body of seamen, and was particularly noticed for his exertions by Sir E. T. Troubridge. He attained the rank of captain on the 2nd of September 1810, and accepted the retirement on the Ist of October, 1840. On the 11th of June, 1851, he was placed on the list of retired rear.admirals. MAJon•GENERAL WILLIAM Cox ' K.H., died at St. Leonard's.on•Sea on Tuesday. He was a very dis• tinguished officer, having served in the old 95th at Copenhagen, and throughout the whole of the Penin sular war, from 1808 to 1814. He was present at the actions of Roleia, Vimiera, the retreat to Coruuna, battles of Vittoria, Nivelle, Nieve, passage of the Bidassoa, and battle of Orilies, receiving three severe wounds during the war. In the Kaffir war of 1835 he had the command of a division under Sir Benja min D'Urban, and was subsequently employed in Canada during the insurrection of late years. Major- General Cox was on the staff in Ireland. He had the war medal and seven clasps for his Peninsular services. SIR HUGH RICHARD HOARE, BART., died on the 10th inst., at his seat, Stourhead, Wilts, in his 70th year. He was born Nov. 27, 1787, and succeeded as fourth baronet on the death of his father, August 18, 1841. He married in 1819, Anne, daughter of Thomas Tyrwhitt Drake, Esq., formerly M.P. for Amersham ; but as he had no issue the title has passed to his nephew, Henry Ainslie Hoare, Esq., of Wavendon house, Bucks, who is married to the second daughter of the late Sir East George Clayton East, Bart., by whom he has issue a son, Charles Peregrine Louis, born 1846, now heir presumptive to the title and estates at Stourhead. MR. PELHAM, THE SOI.ICITOR, died on Saturday morning, at six o'clock, at his residence in Arbour• square, Stepney. The deceased gentleman was in his fifty-sixth year, and practised at the various police courts for a period of twenty-seven years, though in the early period of his professional career he attended to the common-law practice in the courts at West minster only. His extensive knowledge of maritime law, and his superior talent as an advocate, caused him to he retained in almost every shipping and mercantile case of importance at the Whiteehapel and Bow County Courts, the Thames Police-court, and the Mansion-house. He was consulted by the Lords of the Admiralty and their solicitor in 1850, when the Mercantile Nlarine Act was introduced, and he framed the principal discipline clauses, which were subsequently embodied in the Merchant Shipping Act of 1554. The late Mr. Pelham was also engaged for a period of twenty-five years in criminal prosecutions and the defence of prisoners at the Central Criminal Court, the Clukenwell Sessions, and the assizes. Mr. Pelham conducted the defence of the notorious Noah Pease Foulger, master mari ner, who shot Mr. Mellish, the eminent contractor, on the Royal Exchange, and the defence of Oxford, who shot at the Queen. It will be recollected that in both cases a plea of insanity was established. Mr. Pelham was much respected by the profession and by the judges and magistrates before whom he so frequently appeared. Illontg glarket nab ditg :11tttiligence. FBIDAT EVENING. THE return of the Bank of England for the week ending the 10th inst. shows the following ci.anges compared with that for the week preceding : Increase in Circulation Decrease in Public Deposits Increase in Other Deposits 548,149 Decrease in Government Securities 86,990 Decrease in Other Securities Decrease in Bullion Increase in Rest Decrease in Reserve Bullion in Both Departments 10,180,4134 Circulation, including Bank Post Bills 20,273,450 The most important changes shown by this comparison have arisen from the payment of the dividends, and the repayment of advances made by the Bank during the last few weeks in anticipation of the dividends. The Private Seemities are now reduced to 16,342,012/., being about 1,100,000/. less than they stood at in the corresponding week of last year. The Bullion, notwithstanding with- drawals to pay for silver bought upon the Continent, only shows a nominal decrease. It is understood that con siderable amounts in coin were received back from Ire land in the week embraced by the return, and this will in part account fur the insignificance of the reduction. The Reserve is less, but this is attributable to the dispersion of the dividends. Ou the whole, the comparison is not unsatisfactory, although the notes hare now shown a SATURDAY, considerable diminution for three weeks in succession. This progressive fulling off will materially assist our compre hension of the policy of the Directors lust week in advanc ing the rates upon loans on stuck from six to six and a half per cent. Notwithstanding the dispersion of the dividends, the Money Market has felt all the week rather acutely the effect of the Bank policy last Friday in advancing the rate for loans upon stock from six to six and a half per cent. That policy was adopted, as we now understand, for a double purpose. One was to restrain the operations of parties desirous of borrowing money upon the security of stock in order to buy gold to send to the Continent ; and the other with a view to check speculation for an advance in the English funds where carried on upon borrowed capital. It cannot be said that either of these results has been actually accomplished. As to the first, the whole, or within a mere fraction, of the Australian gold which arrived last week, amounting to 320,0001., was bought and sent to the Continent; and as to the other, the effect has been only partial. Money can still be borrowed for both purposes. As to the effect upon commerce, it certainly has been injurious. It has virtually advanced the rates upon good mercantile bills a half per cent., and created apprehensions as to the future which have caused much embarrassment. Yet along with this state of things the supply of capital has been ample. Money to any amount could be hail on good security, provided the price required was paid. Indeed, such large amounts of capital have been placed in profitable employment during the week, that some of the banks have found themselves rather pressed, and they have been selling Consols and Exchequer Bills, thus neutralising any tendency to improvement which the public securities might otherwise have mani fested. Under these circumstances it cannot be said that the disposition of the market has been satisfactory ; and few persons are sanguine enough to expect it to be much better next week. Yet, apart from these conditions, there is every element favourable to improvement. The difficul ties with Russia are arranged, and the Neufchatel question is virtually settled ; and though the Persian and Chinese disputes attract a great deal of attention, they are not at present of sufficient magnitude to create much anxiety. At the same time it must be admitted that their conclusion would be t'elt as a relief. Besides, there is some reason to believe that the Government contemplate a large reduction of taxation by lowering the income tax to 7d. in the pound, as well as a considerable diminution in the naval and military expenditure. Changes of this sort, by strengthen , ing the resources of the people, will enable them to employ their money reproductively, and thus favourably affect the commercial value of capital, and so influence the price of securities. But, notwithstanding these prospects, things at present are unsatisfactory. Not money only, but every thing else is dear. To-day there was no improvement, anti the week seems likely to close gloomily. Letters from Paris indicate an intention on the part of the authorities to permit the capital of the Bank of France to be increased. The proposition finds favour in Paris, and it has had a good effect upon Rentes and shares ; but the improvement to which it led was speedily checked by the state of the English money market. Trade is rather improving. The specie imports during the week have been small. They are only about 120,000/., of which between 80,0001. and 90,000/. have been taken for France. The West India packet brought 179,0001. to-day, thus bringing up the week's imports to 296 ,000/. We have no further arrivals from Australia, and none are due till about the end of the month. Meanwhile the demand for silver has been increased by the East India Company having lowered their rates of exchange, and its value hasincreased Id. per ounce. Large orders have been sent to the Conti nent, for which gold will be withdrawn from this country in order to export to India and China by the packet leaving Southampton on Tuesday. The over-due silver from Mexico, winch is valued at 600,0001., is expected to arrive by the packet due on the Ist of February. The excha►ges continue rather adverse, though they have been a little firmer on France and Italy. Considerable investments have been made during the week in English Securities, particularly in Reduced and in the New Three per Cents ; but little or no effect has been produced by them upon the value of Consols. The general disposition of the market however has been good, though stock has been less firmly held than might have been ex pected, owing to the causes already explained. Last Friday, before the change made by the Bank Directors, Consols were firm at 91f, but they declined to 941 to I. This has been the highest price of the week. Occasionally they have stood at 931 to 91. Yesterday they left off at 91 exactly. The market has thus been steady. The tendency to improve was arrested by the supply of stock, while any disposition to recede was checked by investments. To•day Consols opened at 94 to I, anti closed pretty firnily at 93f to 94. Exchequer Bills were rather firm at last week's prices until \Vednesday, when they declined 25., being quoted at 2s. dis. to 2s. prem. There has been no alteration since. Itusiness in the Railway Market has for a great part of the week been restricted by the settlement which com menced on Tues.lay and terminated yesterday. Prices have tended upwards, though there is no great change tore port. Yesterday there was a decided improvement in the early part of the day, but it was almost completely lost be fore the close of business. Reports were circulated that the dividend upon Great Western Stock would be at the rate of only three per cent. per annum ; and they caused a fall of nearly one per cent., from which there was only a trifling recovery. To-day there was a disposition to ope rate for higher prices; hut, the supply of stock being con siderable, it was checked. Grand Trunk of Canada stock was in great favour, at higher rates, and this was the only feature in the market, except the downward tendency of the Belgian lines. The Foreign Market has not presented much interest. Quotations are generally steady.