The Sun. — London, England, 1858-11-15 00:00:00

THE BRITISH ARMY IN INDIA. (From the Times' Special Correspondent.) VALLEY OF CHUMBA, HIMALAYAS, Ocr. 1 I am on my - way to Simla, which I hope to reach in a, few days, and thence I shall proceeu by way of Ag-ra and Meerut to join the Head-quarters Camp, -which will be formed at Allahabad on the 10th, so that I may accompany the troops in their march into Oude, and witness the opening of the cold weather campaign in that turbulent and re fractory province. It is most probable that the troops assembled at Allahabad will cross the river at that place, and commence operations at Soraon and Pertabghur. You will receive from Bombay and Calcutta much more recent intelligence than I can communicate for some time to come, but no very important events are likely to arise till after the date - of my arrival at Allahabad. " Likely," however, is a word singularly inapplicable to the course of events in India. At the present moment we h ave received news up here which I cannot but regard as sinister and ominous. The 10th Punjab Infantry are reported to have marched off with all their arms for Dera Ismael Khan, in the hope of inducing.some of their countrymen to join in an nsurrectionary movement. Should this be an isolated instance of disaffection on the part of the many Sikh battalions in our pay, arising from some sudden pique or the influence of evil counsels, there is little to fear. If it should be an overt act of a great conspiracy—which appears to me most im probable—it is impossible to exaggerate the dan ger. Our empire in India is, indeed, in desperate case should the Sikhs, who are now fighting our battles in every district where an enemy to our rule can be found, turn traitors ere the mass of the reinforcements from England can 'reach us. There is reason to believe that mischief has been brewing at Dera Ismail Khan since the discovery of the plot which occasioned such excitement in the North- Wegtern Provinces a few weeks ago. It would appear as if Brigadier Chamberlain's investigations into the origin of-this plot had led him to the knowledge of facts which he considered of a dangerous character, for it is only within the last few days that a column, con sisting of Blount's troop of Horse Artillery, a wing of the 7th Fusileers, a squadron of the 7th Dragoon Guards, and some 300 Sikh infant 7, marched from Lahore to strengthen the place, which is mainly im portant because it commands the Indus (on the right bank of which it is situated), and, further, that it contains the mtgazine of the whole of the Punjab Irregular Force. All over India the Sikh nation and the Punjabees, composed of Hindoos and Mahomedans, are giving evidence of their courage and devotion to our rule. Each day we hear of actions in which Sikh police and Punjab regiments have defeated the rebels, and it would be deplorable indeed if we were suddenly forced to withhold our confidence from these gallant soldiers, and to exer cise that surveillance over them which is requisite in the case of mercenaries who may become enemies at any moment. There is no use in disguising the fact that the great number of those Punjabee bat talions excited serious apprehensions in the minds of many who were, however, forced to admit their existence to be a necessary evil. Our Frankensteins had created a monster pn whose fidelity and devo tion we must rely in hope and trustfulness, whose services were great as his strength. Those who are acquainted with Lord Clyde's views will admit that he was among those who shared in the apprehen sions so justly causedby our forced reliance on such a gathering of Oriental races—the most warlike of the East—who had many traditions of recent glory and the memories of late defeat ; the knowledge of Affghanistan ' of the passes of Cabool, fresh in their minds, great lust of gold, and all the fickleness and subtlety of the Asiatic. It is remembered that those fierce soldiers even at Delhi were fond of re calling the stories of the great battles in which they in vain sought to destroy the supremacy of our arms, and that they were in rude jocosity wont to say— "We fought against you 10 years ago and you beat us ; now we are fighting for you •, in 10 years more or less we may once more be fighting against you." During the late campaign they fought side by side with our best troops, and were foremost in many of our most desperate assaults. In a former letter I have told you of their strength, which cann* be less now than 80,000 horse and , foot. It would be unjust in the very highest de gree to assume now that any considerable portion, or even any appreciable portion, of these troops are disaffected, but the Delhi regiment is known to have been troublesome on several occasions. The Sikhs of one corps have notoriously , conspired against us, and the question, which might arise, " What would you do in case all the Punjabees re volted ?" is one to which, as matter of pure hypo thesis, we should be prepared with an answer. In the Dora Jet, of which Dera Ismail Khan may be regarded as the capital, there are,unfortunatcly the three Punjab frontier batteries organised by Lord Dalhousie, consisting of 18 pieces of artillery in very complete order ; that this is the only force of guns actually in their hands. The strength of Europeans in the Punjab is about eight battalions of infantry, one regiment of cavalry, and some 54 field guns ; but further south the country is almost denuded of British soldiers. In any case we shall require to manage the Sikhs with great tact, par ticularly when the time comes for reducing the bat talions under arms to a peace establishment. lam told that an occurrence at Umballa the - other day gave great offence to these irascible warriors. The Rajah of Putteeala's wife presented him with a son, on which there were great rejoicings, and the sounds of the salute fired on the occasion alarmed the offi cer on duty at Umballa, who thought that the Sikhs had risen, and in that belief turned out the Euro pean guard, marched them to the posts occupied by detachments of a Punjabee regiment, and forced thern'to deliver up their arms. At the moment I write. a telegraphic despatch has been received by one of my companions, Colonel Tombs, dated Meerut, Sept. 26, informing him that half of his troop has been ordered to Delhi, and requiring him to go down to Meerut without a moment's delay. The Oth Lancers are on their way from Umballa down country, and their presence will probably in sure the safety of the main trunk road for the time. Specific news - I have none, except ofsuch small signi ficance that it would possess no interest for the Eng lish public. The Queen has not yet been proclaimed. Tantia Topee and the Nana Sahib are still free. No details of General Mitchell's great success over the former have yet reached us, but we knovi that all the guns so injudiciously left at Jalra Patin' have been recaptured, and that the enemy are once more " in utter disorder, and thoroughly dispirited." Much of this success is no doubt due to the fore sight of Sir R. Hamilton, whose talents and ability have been strikingly displayed during all the operations in Central India - IF, indeed, the safety of India depended on the ability of the servants of the Government, or on the courage of our own race, I should have little fear of any contingency that might arise now or at any future period, but it must be remembered that, great as may be the British porter in India, it is great only so long as its exercise is consonant with the feelings of the people of India ; for I hold that, weak as those myriad millions are in physical resources, in moral courage, in mental vigour, and in true independence of spirit, it would be quite beyond our strength to hold India by armed force. Were it possible to do so, it would be financially impossible, and even as it is the cost of the military operations which have taken place will astound the nation when the bill is presented for payment. We must learn—and I fear the lesson has not yet been taught, and that it will be unwillingly learnt by many—to conciliate the affections, as I believe we have gained the respect, of the people. Respect for our rule may be independent of regard for ou rse l ves . Th e manifestation of a hostile and contemptuous spirit engendered in the late contest, " the study of revenge—immortal hate," must be counteracted by all powersthc of government. How can we expect the gospel t oprevail in India so long aseve set at defiance mercy all its precepts of charity, orgiveness, and ? What hope can there be of co nvincingt r, h irr e . rY natives c of the purity, morality, and heavenly origin of the Christian faith as long as is i the Indian pressbreathing fire and sword against the people of India because it does no t , and reviling the Government x ipe ia omit a dragonade against the Hindoo and the tuked.an ? There are some thin there who seem to that we, the 'English in India,.are the bearers ofthe Ark of the Covenant, and that our mission i s to smite t the Canaanite hip and thigh from the morning; o no th t e setting of the inti. ; to go forth and spare hurl down his faith ; has idol, and to force every Nall' to 43 idol to overthrow--to abjure ti faith .; but Heaven has not given us power f or ' nor did we come into the land proclalivnietri'olgt.isoomutirissesli,°.nes' the chosen pcOple of the Lord, who Vie heathen of his inheritance. Others there whose brains have been affected by Thomas Carlyle and and who preach a Puritan crusade, who believe tlia; Oliver Cromwell was the true type of an Indian kgifilator, and. who would apply to all . our subject s the same receipts which had such singular SUCCCS3 in converting the pz.ople of Ireland at Drogheda and el,;0 where from Roman Catholicism.to the faith of VI: , Old T,stainent.. But these are theorists who are only mischievous in so Ihr as their hallucinations may bo taken by the people as exponents of the feelings and policy of the English Government. Let us proclaim to the people of 'lndia that we are a Christian people,. but let us not act as if we were ancient Jews. Let us tell them that we are deter- CVOr rained, as long as we wield the sovereign power, to recognise the claims of the Christian faith to equality and protection, and to secure the freedom or its professors ; but let us notviolate our faith, our profes'sions, and our treaties by arming those who are willing to go forth and preach with the power and authority of State officials. Let us also give a heavy blow and great discouragement to those who seem to have imbibed the worst part of the spirit of Orientalism, and who speak as if Anglo-':axonism meant tyranny, despotism, and contempt of right. I tremble for the effect that may be produced on those young Englishmen who may arrive durinc , this frenzy in this country to act as its judges or its administrators. There are some voices raised, but they arc little heard in the tumult, against the insolence, the cruelty, and the folly to which many of our countrymen have been urged by the sanguinary excesses of the contest in which they have been engaged. The " grifrwilinowbe indoctrinated in a school whose lessons are very . different from those taught in Anglo-Indian society before the mutiny and the rebellion. He will hear natives spoken of almost universally as " niggers" with prefixes of strong adjectives, referring to the sup posed future state of " clarkies" and " pandees." He will be taught that the height of his ambition should be "to make a good bag," which is the specific name used on all occasions for killing a good many of the enemy—that mercy is " snivelling white pandyism," and that " potting a pandy" is one of the highest and purest enjoyments of which Chris tians are or ought to be capable. He will learn that the " nigger" is a being incapable of feeling either gratitude or affection, that it is preposterous to speak of him as a fellow man, that he is not entitled to participate in the equal administration of justice, that he ought to have a distinct code of his own, framed, it is to be presumed, on different principles. and the argionentum baculinum is the only ratiocinatory process he can appreciate. Of such doctrines I dread the influences and the con sequences, but I can give you chapter and verse, printed passages from newspapers, for each, and for much worse, and if called upon I shall do so. In my next letter—this is now closed in obedience to cries of " The dak runner is going"—l shall return to this subject, and to others more pleasing, I hope, if less important. THE CA USES - OF THE INDIAN REVOLT. (From the Delhi Gazette of Sept. 29.) SEAL OF BAHADUR SHAH BADSHAH GHAZEE MAHAM MAD DARA BUKHT, WALI NIAMUT KHALAF, MIRZA KARIM 171, SUJAH BAHADL'R. It is well known to all that in this age the people of Hindostan, botk Hindoos and Mahommedans, are being ruined under the tyranny and oppression of the infidel and treacherous English. It is there fore the bounden duty of all the wealthy people of India, especially of those who have any sort of connexion with any of the Mahommedan Royal families, and are considered the pastors and masters of their people, to stake their lives and property for the wellbeing of the public. With the view of effecting this general good several Princes belong ing to the Royal family of Delhi have dispersed themselves in the different parts of India, Iran, Turan, and Affghanistan, and have been long since 'taking measures to compass their favourite end ; and it is to accomplish this charitable object that one of the aforesaid Princes has, at the head of an army of Affghanistan, &c., made his appearance in India, and I, who am the grandson of Abul Muzuffer Sarajuddin Bahadur Shah Ghazee, King of India, having in the course of circuit come here to extirpate the infidels residing in the eastern part of the country, and to liberate and protect the poor helpless people now groaning under their iron rule, have by the aid of the Majandeen, or religious fanatics, erected the standard of Mahomed, and persuaded the orthodox Hindoos who had been subject to my ancestors, and have been and are still accessories in the destruction of the English, to raise the standard of Mahavir. Several of the Hindoo and Mussulman chiefs, who have long since quitted their homes for the preservation of their religion, and have been try ing their best to root out the English in India, have presented themselves to me, and taken part in the reigning Indian crusade, and it is more than probable that I shall very shortly receive succours from the west. Therefore, for the information of the public, the present Ishtahar, consisting of several sections, is put in circulation, and it is the imperative duty of all to take it in their careful consideration and abide by it. Parties anxious to participate in the common cause, but having no means to provide for themselves, shall receive their daily subsistence from me, and be it known to all that the ancient works, both of the Hindoos and the Mahommedans, the writings of the miracle workers, and the calculations of the astrologers, Pundits, and Rammals all agree in asserting that the English will no longer have any footing in India or elsewhere. Therefore it is incumbent on all to give up the hope of the continuation of the British sway, side with me, and deserve the consideration of the Badshahi, or Imperial Govern ment, by their individual exertion in promoting the common good, and thus attain their respective ends, otherwise, if this golden opportunity slips away, they will have to repent of their folly, as is very' aptly said by a poet in two fine couplets, the drift whereof is that—" Never let a favourable oppor tunity slip, for in the field of opportunity you are to meet with the ball of fortune ; but if you do not avail yourself of the opportunity that offers itself you will have to bite your finger through grief." No person at the misrepresentation of the well wishers of the British Government ought to con clude from the present slight inconvenience usually attendant on revolutions that similar inconveniences and troubles should continue when the Badshadi Government is established on a firm basis ; and parties badly dealt with by any Sepoy or plunderer should come up and represent their grievances to me, and receceive redress at my hands ; and for what ever property they may lose in the reigning dis order they will be recompensed from the public treasury when the Badshahi Government is well fixed. Section I.—Regarding Zemindars.—lt is evident that the British Government in making zemindary settlements have imposed exorbitant jummas, and have disgraced and ruined several zemindars, by putting up their estates to public auction for ar rears of.rent, insomuch that on the institution of a suit by a common ryot, a maidservant, or a slave, the respectable zemindars are summbned in court, arrested, put in gaol, and disgraced. In litigations regarding zemindaries the immense value of stamps and other unnecessary expenses of the Civil Courts, which are pregnant with all sorts of crooked deal ings, and the practice of allowing a case to hang on for years are all calculated to impoverish the litigants. Besides this, the coffers of the zemin dars are annually taxed with subscriptions for schools, hospitals, and roads, &c. Such extortions will have no manner of existence in the Badshahi Government, but, on the contrary, the jummas • will be light, the dignity and honour of the zemindar safe, and every zemin dar will have absolute rule in his own zemin dary. The zemidary disputes will he summarily decided according to the Shurrah and the Shasters. without any expense, and zemindars who will assist in the present war with their men and money shall be excused for ever from paying half the revenue. Zemindars aiding only with money shall be ex empted in perpetuity from paying one-fourth of the revenue; and should anv zemindar who has been unjustly deprived of his lands during the English government personally join the war he will be restored to his zemindary and excused from paying one-fourth of the revenue. Section ll.—Regarding Merchants.—lt is plain that the infidel and treacherous British Govern ment have monopolised the trade of all the fine and valuable merchandise, such as indigo, cloth, and other articles of shipping, leaving only the trade of trifles to the people, and even in this they are not without their share of the profits, which they secure by means of Customs and stamp fees, &c., in money suits, so that the people have merely a trade in name. Besides this, the profits of the traders are taxed with postages, tolls, and subscriptions for schools, &c. Not withstanding all these concessions, the merchants are liable to imprisonment and disgrace at the instance or complaint of a worthless man. When the Badshahi Government is established all these aforesaid fraudulent practices shall be dispensed with, and the trade of every article without excep tion, both by land and water, shall be open to the native merchants of India, who will have the bene fit of the Government steam-vessels and steam- carriages for the conveyance of their merchandise gratis ; and:merchants having no capital of their own shall be assisted from the public treasury. It is therefore the duty of every merchant to take put in the war, and aid the Badshahi Government with his men and money, either secretly or openly, as may be consistent with his position or interest, and forspear his allegiance to the British Government. Section lll.—Regarding Public Servants.—lt is not a secret thing that under the British Govern ment natives employed in the civil and military , services have . little respect, low pay, and no man ner of influence, and all the posts of dignity and oil. olument in both the eepartments are, .-exclusively bestowed on Englishmen • for natives nretahtemi.ni partl itaioTt their c ‘iN a re f s t , e r aft l t i a. a i N n in having devoted Englishmen; p o.s t th o e f subadar, the very height of salary of' 60r. to 70r. per mens l e l ln eir ; a i n pe ti s :ose w i i n th tl a civil services, obtain post of sudder ala, w 7 th l a e salary of 500 r. a-month, but no influen ce , a eer or present. But under th e 132.dshahi jg Government,' like the posts of colonel, seneral, and a c pi otn . e s xn e natn,dtehr-e in-chief, which the English enjoy at corresponding posts pansadi, ilunj-hazari, haft= hazari, aaicl sippah, salaries will be given to the natives in the military te S . e u r d vi n e e e l._ ; u a d i d id e , r 1 j i a lc ( e ig t e l-r se p c r os e t of colleCtor, . tart', and governor, which the European civil ber magistraw THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, NO STEMBER 15, 1858. vants now hold, the corresponding posts of wuzeer, quazi, safir, suba, nizam, and dewan, with salaries of lacs of rupees, will be , given to the natives of the civil service, t )gethe with jageers, khilluts, inams, and influ ence. Natives, whether Hindoos or Mahommedans, who fall fighting against the English are sure to go to heaven, and those killed fighting for the English will, doubtless, go to hell. Therefore, all the na tives in the British service ought to be alive to their religion and interest, and abjuring their loyalty to the English, side with the Badshahi Government, and obtain salaries of 200 or 300 rupees per month for the present, and be entitled to high posts in future. If they, for any reason, cannot at present declare openly against the English, they can heartily wish ill to their cause, and remain passive specta tors of the passing events, without taking any active share therein. But at the same time they should indirectly assist the Badshahi Government, and try their best to drive the English out of the country. sepoys and sowars who have for the sake of their religion joined in the destruction of the English, and arc at present, on any consideration, in a state of concealment, either at home or elsewhere, should present themselves to me without the least delay or hesitation. Foot soldiers will be paid at the rate of three annas, and sowars at 8 or 12 annas per diem for the present, and afterwards they will be paid double of what they get in the British service. Soldiers not in the English service, and taking part in the war against the English, will receive their daily subsistence money according to the rates specified below for the present, and in future the foot soldiers will be paid at the rate of 8 or 10 rupees, and sowars at the rate of 20 or 30 rupees per month, and on the permanent establishment of the Badshahi Government will stand entitled to the highest posts in the State, to jageers and present 2 annas Riflemen . - 2l do. Swordsmen _ do. Matchlockmen 2 annas a-day. iHorsemen, with large horses.... 8 - do. Do. with small do. .... 6 do. Section IV.—Regarding Artisans.—lt is evident that the Europeans by the introduction of English articles into India have thrown the weavers, the cotton-dressers, the carpenters, the blacksmiths, and the shoemakers, &c., out of employ, and have engrossed their occupations, so that every descrip tion of native artisan has been reduced to beggary. But under the Badshahi Government the native artisans will exclusively be employed in the services of the Kings, the Rajahs, and the rich, and this will no doubt insure their prosperity. Therefore these artisans ought to renounce the English ser vice and assist the Majandeens or religious:fanatics engaged in the war, and thus be entitled both to secular and eternal happiness. Section V.—Regarding Pundits, Faquirs, and other learned Persons.—The Pundits and Faquirs, being the guardians of the Hindoo and Mahomedan religions respectively, and the Europeans being the enemies of both the religions, and, as. at present a war is raging against the English on account of religion the Pundits and Faquirs are bound to pre sent themselves to me, and take their share in the holy war, otherwise they will stand condemned according to the Shurah and the Shasters ; but if they come they will, when the Badshahi Govern ment is well established, receive rent free lands. Lastly, be it known to all that whoever, out of the above-named classes, shall, after the circulation of this Ishtihar, still cling to the British Govern ment, all his estates shall be confiscated and his property plundered, and he himself, with his whole family, shall be imprisoned, and ultimately put to death. Interior of the Azimghur district, the 16th MOrhun-um, 1275 Hirij, corresponding i with Bhadobady Tij 1265 Fusly. THE EUROPEAN SOLDIER. The good time which is for all men seems near at hand for the European.soldier. The Go vernment stirred partly by a sense of the pecu niary value of the soldier, partly, we believe, by English kindness, has really tried hard to secure the means of health. The immense addition to our strength, and the new and personal sense of the value of European aid, has quickened the inventive ness; of the departments. Old rules have. been set aside, and most of the great evils which in England have rendered the soldier's life less safe than that of the most dangerous trades are in this country about -to be removed. The new barracks; run up rapidly, and called, we scarcely . know why, temporary barracks, are on a scale never yet allowed. The barracks, for instance, at Barrackpore afford accom modation as excellent as regards health and com fort as the houses of private gentlemen. The blot in our arrangeinemts, the inattention to the re- Tilrements of married soldiers has been for the first time completely removed. Each of the 120 men allowed by the present regulations to marry will have a separate room 22 feet by 16, or the size of an ordinary bedroom. A verandah very broad, and nearly 500 feet long, affords the children space either for sleep or exercise, while the minor ar rangements so often and so fatally overlooked have in this instance at least been properly provided. The punkahs in each room are pulled at the expense of the State, and allowing always from the noise inseparable from a barrack, there seems little to deter a respectable woman from the life of a soldier's wife:. The difference which such barracks will make in the • mortality of a regiment can scarcely be Over-estimated. Three other objects remain, however, to be accomplished. before the life of the "soldier becomes as good as that. of the civilian. The clothing .is still not absolutely - suited to the climate. Few regiments now wear the stock, but it is .not yet formally abolished. The 'unlucky pri vate who at inspection cannot produce the stock he is never allowed to wear is fined ls. for a careless ness sanctioned by opinion and by habit. Any colonel who chooses can still compel its use, and there are officers. still. who believe it essential to a soldier's carriage. It should be prohibited at once, and not supplied again. The new uniform for the summer is"excellent, for though we miss the red colour, the light gray stuff is perhaps the one of all others best calculated to resist the heat. But the winter clothing is still terribly heavy for such a climate. The coatee just supplied to the men for the coming season is lined with strong serge, of it self as much as men left to themselves would be inclined to wear... The trousers are made of cloth so heavy and close, and in fact so good, that they almost stand alone. The boots are heavy, and the dress, we are told, with the belt, but without a filled knapsack Or firelock,. weighs 511 b. In this dress, if we are not mistaken, the men after the 15th of Nov. are required 'to march. Imagine an English pedestrian, sportsman, or even yachtsman putting three stone nine pounds on him by way of a prelimin ary. Such a costume would be embarrassininCanada, And in India, if it does not injure health, it at all events diminishes speed. We are aware that new soldiers like all other men just arrived, are apt to think warm clothing unnecessary ; but nothing gives diarrhoea and dysentery so quickly cs insuffi cient warmth. But a long flannel shirt would give all the heat required, and be twice us clean, with out embarrassing the freedom of movement. The absurd weight of the boot should be diminished at once, and with pretty strong shoes, a' stout flannel shirt, and his summer uniform, the English soldier will be at least in a position to do all that it is in his physique to accomiilish. To, outmarch a native, however well he may be dressed, is for the Euro pean nearly an impossibility. The remaining ob ject is to provide occupation. Supposing . the sol dier to sleep eight hours ' and to be eight more engiked in parade, barrack duties, and eating, he ,has still eight hours to live through somehow or other. Soldier's gardens, a great resource, are of necessity confined to special localities. Reading, another great resource, is available only to a por tion of the men. There is just now too much in clination to rely on this exclusively, to forget that even emong the educated it is not one in two who really cares for reading. To those who do not books are merely a wearisome employment. A very large proportion of every regiment is therefore composed of men idle, not so much from dislike to work as from a positive want of the means of occupation. • Why not give them the means ? Why . should not all the. work required by a regiment be done within the regiment, every man taking up some trade according to his training or his taste ? We see no necessity for compulsion and . no object in employing it. Let every man•be paid for his labour, of course at a very different rate from that demanded outside, and there will be no lack of volunteers.. .Boots, caps, tents, all the carpentry of a regiment, all its iron work, and all its form printing might be done within the regiment itself. Two hours' work a-day of 1,000 men is worth thousands of rupees a-week, and even two hours of steady employment takes away the irksome sense of idleness. It would, too, take away one of the most prolific sources of dis ease.—Friend of _Twill. [ADVERTISEMENT .—R rtrey' a Horse and Cattle Improv ing Food is equally adapted to improve the stamina of ill conditioned Horses, Cows, Bullocks, Calves, Sheep, and Pigs. It causes no extra expense, as it contains far more and better nourishment than its cost of lid. per feed sup plies in corn and hay; hence ensures an actual saving in the keep. But its principal advantages are a great improve ment in the digestive functions, the stamina and general condition of horses enabling them to perform far more labour without getting distressed. It imparts new vigour to sick, debilitated, or old apparently worn-out horses, and it puts rapidly the finest flesh on cattle generally, and im proves the milk in cows, as it enables them to extract the entire nourishment out of . everything they feed on. Rarey and Co., 77, Regent's Quadrant, Piccadilly, London. Packed i n tins of about 90 feeds, lls. ' • in casks of about 460 t e e ds.. mss. ; of aboul 1,000 feeds, £5, being about lid. pei LA IT INTELLIGENCE.—Nov. 13. COURT OF BANKRUPTCY. (Before Mr. Commissioner Gourburn.) THE WEST HAM DISTILLERY.--DAVIDSON AND GORDON'S BANKRUPTCY.-IMPORTAWT CASE. Before proceeding with the report, it may be r.s well to state the position of the affairs of the firm of Sargant, Gordon, and Co, in which the bank rupts were partners. It is necessary to do so, be cause reference was made to it in the course of the proceedings, and in order to lay before our readers a perfect history of thislvery remarkable case. It appears from Mr. Evans's " Commercial Crisis," a reliable book, that Messrs. S argant, Gor don, and Co. failed in Nov. 1847. Whe creditors agreed to a liquidation by inspection. The report states that a first payment of 2s. 6d. in the pound has been made, and some further swill dividend is anticipated. The creditors on open balances were £2,888 ; bills payable, £74,759 ; less secured in all or part, £37,560 ; leaving a deficit of £42,000. The amount likely to be claimed, say 5A2,000 ; liabi ties bn bills receivable, £40,327 ; less expected to be duly paid at maturity, £21;611, of which amount £6,000 was covered by R. Heringway. A moun t o f creditors holding security £90,658 ; less securities, £83,000 ; leaving a deficit of £7,649. On the credit side the good debts were £1,976 ; doubtful, £936 : available surplus of property of parties who have made advances, £519 ; debts on produce, £999 ; produce in hand, £953 ; balances estimated to come from shipments on which advances had been made, £,5,500; rent to be paid in full, £232. Suchwas the state of affairs when the firm of Sar gant, Gordon, and Co., failed in 1847. Sargant, Gordon. and Co. were described as colonial brokers. In the same month of the same year the in which J. W. uproar of £lOO,OOO. h c o u u le se w o a f s J a oh p n ai s t o u n e , r, C f o a l i e le , d an fu d r Co„ The bankrupts were colonial brokers, and carried on business in Mincing-lane and elsewhere. This was the certificate meeting. The transactions in which those bankrupts were engaged obtained great publicity, and were the subject of a criminal prose cution at the Old. Bailey, where they were sentenced to a term of incarceration. Gordon is said to be connected with a Scotch family of rank. Their dealings were a good deal mixed up with those of Joseph W. Cole, who was convicted at the Central Criminal Court of forgery of dock warrants, and he too was sentenced to a long term of imprisonment. Those alleged dock warrant frauds excited deep interest in the mercantile community. Mr. Linklater appeared for the assignees, Mr. Roxburgh for Daniel M. Davidson, and Mr. Lewis for Cosme IV. Gordon. The following is a copy of the excellent report of the balance-sheet and accounts, prepared by Mr. Hart, acting for Mr. Nicholson, official assignee. The petition bears date June 20, 1854, and 19th August, 1854, was originally fixed for the last exa mination, upon which day the bankrupts did not surrender. Both bankrupts surrendered on the 16th Dec, 1857, and 10th March, 1858, was appointed for their last examination. On the 10th March the last examination was adjourned until "June 2. The accounts not being then filed, the meeting was ad journed to July 7. The balance-sheet commences the Ist Jan., 1853, with a surplus of £52,520. It embraces a period of one year and six months, and shows the following figures Creditors _ Creditors holding security /231,329 5 7 Less value of security.... 120,425 18 1 110,003 7 6 Liabilities £221,800 16 9 To meet which the assets are returned.— Debts contracted, good £ 378 6 0 ' Ditto, doubtful Property Amount standing to the debit of the West Ham Distillery, being cost thereof. ..... ..206 i 189 1 10 ____----£214,517 1 6 Leaving a deficiency of • 7,283 15 3 To wilich must be added-. Surplus in January, 1853 Profits on trading Ditto, West Ham distillery 108,794 3 1 Which is disposed of as follows : Sundry expenses in trade .. £3,871 7 9 At distillery Losses Bad debts 11,371 13 9 Amount drawn out by Davidson , 1,104 16 2 Ditto by Gordon 2,660 13 1 Liabilities per contra 74,874 7 2 Difference in balance l9B 2 3 £108,794 3 1 The bankrupts state that they commenced business in 1841, in partnership with Thos. Sargant, under the firm of Sargant, Gordon. and Co. The capital of the firm was £7,500 ; each of the bankrupts had about £3,000. Subsequently this capital was largely increased by additional money brought in by Davidson and Gordon. This partnership con tinued until 1849. About 1847 the firm of Sargant, Gordon, and Co. stopped payment, and composi tions were paid to the various creditors, varying from 10s. 6d. to 12s. in the pound. The liabilities were then about £60,000. In 1849 Davidson and Gordon commenced by themselves,. and by a state ment entered in their books they appear to have had a capital of £5,300. By an account taken in Dec., 1850, this capital appears to have been in creased to £8,750. No other statement of capital for any period subsequent to 1850 appears to have been made. Messrs. Davidson and Gordon had large transactions with Mr. Webb. These transac tions commenced about the end of 1848. Webb was introduced to them by Mr. Tindall, who gave them a guarantee to the extent of £3,000. David son and Gordon purchased for Webb molass es an d sugar, and they also advanced him cash from tim e to time to pay duty. The transactio ns i n 1849. were about 1850 ~ 1851 „ 1852 ~ 1853 ~ About July, 1851, finding that Webb's account was so heavy, and that he was entering into other matters, Davidson and Gordon obtained security for their debt by taking a mortgage upon the dis tillery at West Ham. In July, 1853, Davidson, and Gordon took possession of the distillery under the mortgage, at this time Webb owing them about £184,000. Davidson and Gordon were then liable on Webb's bills to the amount of about £38,000, and subsequently they advanced money to Webb's creditors in the shape of a composition upon his debts. Upon closing the account with Webb the debit against him amounted to £209,000, which is taken as the cost of the distillery. The surplus with which the accounts .commence arises from a statement showing that in Jan., 1853, the bankrupts had assets consisting of debts and property amount ing to the sum of £325,121, against which the lia bilities were £272,601, leaving a surplus of £52,520. The figures in this statement are extracted from the bankrupts' books and accounts. - The liabilities are returned at the sum of £164,874 7s. 2d., of which £104,000 were upon bills renewable, the remainder upon bills in connection with Cole Brothers and Webb. Of these liabilities about £90,000 have run off, and will not be proved upon the estate, leaving, therefore, a net liability of about £74,800. The profits on trading, also the profits upon the West Ham distillery, are vouched by the bankrupts' books. The expenses are also vouched. The drawings are also vouched, with the excep tion of two sums of £2OO, which the bankrupts have charged as drawings, and which in - fact repre sent the amount disbursed by the bankrupts be tween the time of their leaving this country and their surrender. The official assignee concludes his his report. by stating the books given up by the bankrupts, which it is needless to give, as it is ad mitted upon all hands the books had' been well kept. An analysis of the separate balance-sheets is also given, but. this it is needless to publish. Mr. Linklater, on behalf of the assignees, ad dressed the Court. It was impossible for the as signees to ignore the fact that the bankrupts had been convicted elsewhere, and had undergone a con siderable punishment, having been convicted and sentenced to two years' imprisonment and hard labour. It was with a feeling of regret that the assignees, in discharge of their duties to the credi tors, the Court, and to the public, had instructed him to bring under the notice of the Court the facts of this singular case, He must ask the Court wholly to refuse rho certificate. Gordon was for merly a member of the firm - of Sargant, Gordon, and Co. That firm made a_ composition with its crcditrs. Subsequently Gordon and Davidson entered into partnership, and carried on business as colonial brokers and metal agents. The balance sheet of the bankrupts was of a very startling cha racter. It stated that in January, 1853, the bank rupts had a surplus or capital of £52,000, but this capital consisted wholly of figures, and was en tirely unreal and unsubstantial. In January, 1853, they owed to unsecured creditors, £86,859 ; to se cured ditto, £185,741 ; the property held by ersdi tors was £15,600 ; Messrs. Overend, Gurney, and Co., were creditors, Jan. 1, 1853, for £151,277, and held against it property about £15,000. ,The debts were said to amount to £305,600, of which sum due to the bankrupts no less than £235,000 was said to be due to them by a person named Webb, who car ried on the 'West Ham distillery ; £50,000 was due to them by Joseph Windle Cole, so that £285,000 was owing to them by Webb and Cole. Advances to a very large amount were made by the bank rupts to Webb, and it would be a question whether the bankrupts when they made those advances could haxe any reasonable prospect of their repay- went. The alleged surplus of £52,000 consisted for the most part of Cole and Webb's debts, which the bankrupts must have known was hoplGssly lost. The bankrupts, the Court would observe, had com menced business with only a few thousand pounds capital, but had in a few years inereased their dealings to the amount of from £500,000 to £1,000,000 annually. During this time their bill dealing and bill discounting were enormous. In October, 1853, the bankrupts , discovered that some spelter warrants, handed to them by Cole, re presenting property to the amount of many thou sands, and deposited with Messrs. Gurney, Overend, and Co., were fictitious; that • there was no spelter to represent these warrants; that the spelter had been removed by . Cole ; and under suck circum stances it was manifestly impossible they could hope to receive one shilling of the debt due to them by Cole. In August, 1853, it was also obvious to them that Webb was utterly insolvent. When Webb stopped, the bankrupts became guarantee for the payment of 2s. 6d. in the pound, taking the dis tillery into their own hands. In October, 1853, the bankrupts must have been aware that the warrants were fictitious, and they had, or .at least Gordon had, an interview with Chapman. Cole had'con fessed to Chapman that the warrants were fictitious. Overend and Gurney had received a promissory note of the bankrupts for £l2o,ooo—a note drawn by the bankrupts in favour of " Cole, Brothers," and endorsed to Messrs. Overend. The day after the interview between Gordon and Chapman (one of the members of Messrs. Overend and Co.'s firm) the title deeds of the distillery were deposited with the latter, and they were not obtained from the hands of their solicitor until after the bankruptcy. The interview between Gordon and Chapman was, at Chapman's request, kept concealed. Commissioner—Concealed ? Mr. Linklater—Yes ; and here he must state, with whatever reluctance; that, although Messrs. Over end, Gurney, and Co. knew Messrs. Davidson and Gordon were guilty parties, they, nevertheless, per mitted Messrs. Davidson and Gordon and J. W. Cole to go on, with what object might be best judged from the fact that in January, 1853, the debt due by the bankrupts to Overend and Co. was £150,000, whilst at the time of their failure it had been reduced to £llO,OOO, thus Messrs. Overend clearing themselves to the extent of £40,000 ; and it should be also borne in mind that a considerable portion of Messrs. Overend's debt was repre sented by interest with which they charged Messrs. Davidson and Gordon. The bankrupts had also given a promissory note to Cole for 120,0001, which was passed to Messrs. Overend. and Co. as security. The firm of Overend also held at the time of the bankruptcy the :title deeds of the distillery. They (the bankrupts) now owed about £150,000, for which they had assets, good debts, £378 ; doubt ful debts, £5,340 ; in property, £2,600. It was greatly to be lamented that in Oct., 1853, when Messrs. Overend discovered Messrs. Davidson and Gordon's, and Cole's position, they did not at once put a stop to their career. It was to be regretted that for any consideration or any pecuniary advan tage Messrs. Overend had been induced to continue their course with the bankrupts. Cole became bank rupt ; he was indicted for frauds committed with the dock warrants, and sentenced to four years' im prisonment. Davidson and Gordon went on as long as they could, and when they could go on no longer they left the country. They travelled over a great part of the continent, visiting Ostend, Berne, Malta, and Naples, and, in fact, they left England when their embarrassments could no longer be concealed, and returned when foreign states became too hot to hold them. Mr. Roxburgh—My client came voluntarily from Malta. Mr. Linklater—You may call it " voluntarily" if you like, but they were under surveillance, and felt it abroad. The detective officer returned with them. Commissioner—Can it be said that bankrupts who so act have, in the words of the statute, con formed to the law of bankruptcy ? Mr. Linklater—l should think not. When the bankrupts landed at Southampton they were in cus tody at that moment. Mr. Linklater then alluded to the offences for which they had been - tried ; • but as these trials have been before the public it is needless to recapitulate the circumstances. The last trial—that upon which they were convicted under 5ee.253 of the Bankruptcy Law Consolidation Act, which is to the effect that if any bankrupt shall within three months next preceding his bankruptcy, under the false colour and pretence of carrying on business and dealing in the ordinary course of trade obtain on credit from any other person any goods or chattels with intent to defraud the owner thereof, or if any bankrupt shall within such time or with such intent remove, conceal, or dispose of any goods or chattels so obtained, knowing them to have been so obtained, every such bankrupt shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanour, and on conviction be liable to imprisonment for any term not exceeding two years, with or without hard labour. This ex treme sentence the bankrupt had undergone, and this was the main reason the assignees did not wish then to press more severely on them than their duty compelled them to do. Since the bankruptcy he cheerfully admitted that the bankrupts had given to the assignees, in the realisation of their estate, all the assistance in their power, and their aid had been of much use in collecting the assets, though not at all adequate to the reparation of the grievous injury which they had inflicted upon their credi tors. On behalf of the assignees he felt bound to ask that the certificates be wholly refused. After some discussion, The Commissioner -reminded Mr. Linklater of the maxim, nenzo bis punitur pro eodenz delicto. Mr. Linklater replied that this was an overt act on the part of the bankrupts. They asked the cer tificate of the Court to go into trade again ; they asked the Court to state that they had conformed to the law of bankruptcy. How could the commis sioner do this ? Mr. Linklater referred to the case of "Ex parte Dobson," 25 L. J. Cases in Bank ruptcy. • The Commissioner admitted, after hearing the dicta of Lords Justices Knight Bruce and Cran worth,•that the authority for Mr. Linklater's view Was very strong, and added that it was very fortu nate for the creditors and the public that the assig nees were represented by Mr. Linklater. Mr. Roxburgh said that in the case of Dobson, to which Mr. Linklater referred, there had been no indictment. Mr. Linklater—l am not aware of any case where a bankrupt, having been convicted, applied to the Lords Justic3s for a certificate. There is no such precedent. Mr. Roxburgh—Then perhaps we would make a precedent. Commissioner—Suppose the case of a pardon from the Crown. It is laid down that having un dergone a punishment it is equivalent to a pardon. Mr. Linklater—Lln the case of outlawry, upon re versal, the civil rights which had been suspended revive. After some discussion, The. Commissioner said this was a case which ought to be fully , and thoroughly investigated. It was one of much importance to the commercial public, and nothing ought to be left undone to elicit the whole truth. The bankrupts' transactions with Mr. Chapman, of the firm of 0 verend, Gurney, and Co., ought to be well sifted, for otherwise it would be impossible for the Court to arrive at any satis factory conclusion relative to the conduct of David son and Gordon. He desired, therefore, that Mr. Chapman be called and examined in this court, so that he might tell them what he recollected of the interviews with the bankrupts. I say again, it highly imports commerce itself that those tzansae tions be fully explained ; and upon former occasions I was always of opinion that upoi“his head they stopped rather - short. I think Mr. Linklater as representing the assignees, is bound to see to this. Mr. Linklater—l certainly will: Mr. Lewis—What the bankrupt Gordon stated to-day is all fours .with one of Mr. Chapman's state ments. Mr. Linklater—Which of them? I.believethere are three or four.. It is not consistent with that made under the hankiuptcy. Commissioner—l think it is your duty to sununon Mr. Chapman. . Mr. Linklater—l will. His position shall not deter me from treating him as 'an ordinary witness. COmmissioner—You will of course treat him as A. B. or C. D. Cosmo William Gordon examined by Mr. Link later=-(The witness did •not seem in the least cast down. He leaned over on the side of the witness• box, put up his glass, surveyed the bench and bar with admirable coolness, and seemed as unconcerned as any other man in court). .He deposed—l was formerly in partnership with Sargant, Gordon, and Co. It failed in 1847. The debts of the firm were about £60,000. A compromise was made with the creditors of from 2s. 60. to 10s. or more. I en tered into partnership with Davidson in 1818 or 1849. He brought in some capital. I cannot say how much. He too was in the firm of Sargant and Co. Our capital was about £3,000, £4,000, or £5,000. In December, 1849, it was £5,300. Prior to January, 1853, we had made large advances to Mr. Webb, who was introduced to us by Mr. Tindal, a deputy chairman at Lloyds', a Quaker. Noble was a distiller. We purchased molasses and sugar from him. In Jan., 1853, Webb was indebted to us more then £230,000. We held produce to the amount of £62,000, produce purchased for him, and not delivered. We drew upon Webb, and discounted with Messrs. Overend and others. • The report of the official assignee is correct. We held secu rity for the whole of Webb's debt. We held' beside produce shipments £22,000, and the mort gage of his distillery for £144,000. A portion of that sum was for advances to Webb to carry on the distillery, or for goods delivered. The title deeds of the distillery were with us in Jan., 1853. Webb failed in August or September, 1853. 'I think he paid a composition of 10s. in the pound. We paid 2s. 6d. in the pound, and guaranteed 2s. 6d. more for Webb in the pound. Webb then re tired from the distillery. We got nothing from Webb for our own debt. We then took possession of the distillery, and carried it on on our own ac count. The title-deeds of the distillery remained with us to the latter end of 1853. • A portion of the deeds was deposited with Mr. Nicholson. We did not deposit the mortgage or lease at all with Messrs Overend. We owed Messrs. Overend £151,000 in Oct., 1853 ; they held warrants as security, and they held securities for the whole amount of their debt, with a margin. In Oct., 1853, I had an in terview with Mr. Chapman, of the firm of Overend, Gurney, and Co. I deposited spelter warrants with Mr. Overend, but do not know there was any spelter to represent them. I was not so told by Chapman or Cole. Cole did not say the warrants were fictitious, nor anything to that effect. Cole said he had taken the matter upon himself. Cole said he was not able to get possession of the speller. Chapman told me that Cole had stopped the goods, and could not get possession of them. Chapman asla d. me, that being so, how I should be able to liquidate their debt? Cole said, as he could not get the goods, he had taken means to cover himself. These warrants represented about £60,000. Cole had stopped the goods to which the warrants referred I did not inquire whether the spelter was at the wharf or not. At the interview with Chapman it was my belief Messrs. Overend would get possession of the speller. How it was I know not. Cole was not in October, 1853, indebted to us. He did not give a promissory note to Messrs. Overend and Co. for £120,000.. I gave such a note, payable to " Cole Brothers," on the understanding that it was going to Overend and Co. I was not then indebted to Cole for £120,000. I was indebted to Cole, but we did not agree as to the amount, but it was not so much as £120,000. As we could not get the war rants for £60,000, we were not indebted so much to Cole. The promissory note was sent to Messrs. Overend. Our indebtedness to Cole .was not dis cussed at the interview with Mr. Chapman. I went into the particulars of the distillery business with Chapman. I did not deposit the deeds with Chapman. I heard Cole had deposited the deeds of the distillery with Chapman. We transferred the deeds to Cole to protect the distillery from Webb's creditors, so that we might be secure. The consideration for the transfer was the sum in which Cole said we were in debted to him—Xlso,ooo. We did not owe him that sum. If the warrants held by Overend and Co. had been delivered we would owe him 60,0001. In August, 1853, the deeds of the distillery went out of our possession and into that of Cole. Messr". Overend sold some of the warrants. I never got any. Heard some were delivered to buyers. I know of no - fictitious warrants. At the interview with Mr. Chapman the details of the distillery were discussed. The warrants were valueless to Messrs. Overend by reason of Cole's stoppage. I believe that all the spelter was at the wharfs through the whole transaction, and that the warrants were genuine. The reason alleged by Cole for the non• delivery of the spelter .was because there was a dispute between us as to advances. I understood' Cole to say the spelter would be delivered. The spelter was always in Cole's name. There was no transfer; it was a mere deposit of the [warrants. I do not reeollect it being stated by Cole at the interview with Chapman that the spelter had been recovered. I was introduced to Webb by Mr. Tindal, who guaranteed his transactions to a certain amount. I dealt with him so exten sively in consequence of that introducton. Warrants were sold to various parties by 'Messrs. Overend, to the value of 20,0001. At the time I gave Cole the deeds I believed that all the goods represented by the warrants were delivered, and I never knew they were not. I expected that the spelter which the warrants represented would be delivered. I sup posed the spelter was there; that Cole would re move any stop that might be upon it. I. did not know Cole had any difficulty in getting at the spelter. Cole had formerly stated that he protected himself to the amount of 60,0001. We might have given our acceptances for the amount, but I am sure we did not for the full amount. In October, 1853, we owed Cole 6001. When I gave the pro missory note for 120,0001. to Cole I must have con sidered I owed him that sum. I did not keep the books. The cash was entered day by day, exclud ing the 60,0001. warrants. Ido not know I owed Cole anything, Cole had the distillery deeds in his possession before the interview with Chapman. The promissory note and deeds were not given at the same time. I gave Cole the note for 120,0001. because I thought it better to do so. Cole claimed that aViount. Cole was to have cleared all the warrants, which were delivered to the extent of 20,0001. I did not hear the other 40,000 spelter was removed. I believe the spelter was at the wharf. I went to the wharf after I saw Chapman. I saw a vast quantity of spelter at the wharf. I believe it was all there, even 60,0001. worth. I did not calculate how much spelter and copper were at the wharf. I believe it was all there—that I swear. This was after the interviews with Mr. Chapman. I did not hear Cole say there were no goods to represent the warrants—l swear that too. Mr. Chapman's evidence was then referred to. It was objected to by Mr. Roxburgh. Mr. Linklater—l only want to ask the witness whether what Mr. Chapman says is correct or incorrect. Mr. Roxburgh—The evidence was taken behind the back of the bankrupt, who could not cross examine him. Mr. Linklater—l am about to read the evidence given by Mr. Chapman at the trial. • Mr. Roxburgla—And I object to that. If there be a shorthand writer's note it must be proved. The Old Bailey reports are not authorised. You might as well read a newspaper. Mr. Linklater would put the question differently. Witness said that, according to his recollection, what Mr. Chapman stated about a conversation re garding fictitious warrants was not true ; that it was not taken for granted at the interview in ques tion the warrants at the wharf were fictitious. I heard the warrants could not be iieiive;d. - iiiCard 53 warrants had been stopped by Cole, but I never heard they were without value. , I never heard until after my bankruptcy that the warrants held by Messrs. Overend were without value. I should say there was a loss of 40,0001. by the warrants. Mr.' Chapman used no unkind language to me. The interview lasted about half an hour. No one was present. I had an interview afterwards with Cole. The interview with Chapman did not last three or four hours, up to 12 o'clock at night. As well as I remember, Chapman said, " I wish the matter to remain between ourselves." After we went away Cole got into difficulties. I do not recollect that Chapman told me there were I not any goods at the wharf to represent the ; warrants. I heard Overend and Co. lost 40,0001. by the warrants ' but I do not k now it. ; We became indebted as agents to Messrs. Freeman and Co. Mr. P. Vaughan was a partner in that house. We had communications with him ;we did . not tell Mr. Vaughan we were using their monies in our business. If Mr. Vaughan said I stated we had been using their monies for our purposes he must have misunderstood me. That is not true. We owed Freeman and Co., 14,0001. in October, 1853. I do not recollect having given Messrs. Freeman warrants for goods at the wharf ',Acne . October, 1853. I gave Mr. Vaughan one warrant. I heard that the' goods were there, • and that the goods were not there, and that Messrs. Freeman got nothing. ...We gave them our note for what we owed them, and continued to be their agents down to the tine of our leaving, the country. Messrs. Freeman pressed us to make large sales of property. We did so, and made the sales to ourselves, and shipped the copper on our own account. We did not inform them we made the sales to ourselves. I do not recollect we told them we made the sales to any one else. Yes, in one or two cases, it' was so to the extent of about 5 000 k., perhaps. It was our duty to send true accounts of the sales, but I do not consider we sent untrue accounts. We paid Messes. Vaughan, Freeman, and Co. a part of their debt in bills and money. They are not creditors now. There are some liabilities on bills of Mr. Hudson, but I believe they got security. They ap pear on the balance-sheet as liability creditors on bills receivable, 11,0001. We owed to unsecured creditors 150,0001., and in January, 1853, 86,0001. to unsecured creditors. We went on down to June, 1853, buying goods and raising money on them. I considered I was solvent after both Cole's and Webb's failure. We had the distillery, and there was a large amount of consignments. Those con signments were not pledged. I find there was an unsecured margin of upwards of 100,0001. I gave up good debts, 378/. ; property, 2,200/. ; doubtful debts, 5,3491. Up to the last I purchased and con signed goods, generally borrowing money upon the goods. I went abroad June 17, 1854. I left because I could not meet the debt due to the excise, 7,1001. I knew there were other engagements coming due. Davidson and I went to Ostend. We took 1,500/. with us in bank notes ; 500/. I got from Davidson, and the other 1,0001. from bills discounted. I paid on the day I left, for spirits, 3,100/. for GI +men, Clarke, and Co.-rand Hayes. I got bills for 3,1001. discounted. I received 2,600/4 but I.may be wrong. We got 5001. besides from Messrs. Nicholson. Ben nison 'and Leonard discounted the bills I had in my posseSsion on June 17, 3,100/. I considered the 500/. as Davidson's own. A portion was given to Mr. Elmslie, 1,600/. ; was our solicitor—a portion hink, Sax .for law costs and aportion to retire. I t dinian Bonds, which I had received of my mother, who lent them to me, I forgot when. I borrowed money on the bonds of Mr. Edwards. think as much as 2001. I left it to Mr. Elmslie's discretion whether or not le would redeem the bonds and give them to my ?mother. I did not think when we went away there would be a bankruptcy. I thought we would be ba ek in. a week as soon as the Excise were off. We inveited. 1,1001. of the money we took away in Prussian Railway Stock, and spent the rest. We went to Ostend and Aix-la-Chapelle. At the latter placowe bought the railway stock. We stayed there two, or three days. We then went to Cologne. We did not hear of thebankruptcy for come time after. Iha ard of my bankruptcy for the first time in Berne. We went to Baden, thence to Berne, and arrivt 'd there about a fortnight after we left England. IV e did not come back then, because we heard Cole brad got into trouble about the war rants, and we Nvi, shed to seethe result. I heard there was a warrant omit against us. I anticipated there would be procee odings against us under the bank ruptcy. We of fered to come back to our solicitor, Mr. Elmslie. We were at Neufchatel two or three months. Mr. B e ard, a creditor, took steps against us and obtained the railway shares, but I am in formed he is not entitled to them. We were at Genoa. We Nve nt from there to Naples, thence to Malta. We tra.7;elled in our own names. Part of our object, no nibt, may have been to avoid pur suit. From Ma, lta we came to Southampton, where the officer, with 'us, arrested us. We were arrested at Malta, and dis . charged by the magistrate. We offered Bull, the detective, to go to England at Malta, and he act 'opted out invitation. Examined by A. fr. Roxburgh—l left because I was unable to pay the Excise. I intended to ar range with the 23 :cise and return in a few days. I had no idea of ba;:tkruptcy when I went abroad. I did not intend to Ceceive my creditors. The distil lery at West Ham. cost 300,0091., and the profits by it during the nine, months were 10,0001. Several London firms att(r.mpted to ruin the distillery, but failed. Webb's '3ecurity increased with his debt. We wished to h; t-ve the distillery under our own control. Estim:tting the distillery at cost price, we were not insolv , ant. I thought the distillery would have paid us 4'3,000/. a-year, and it would if we could have car tied it on. I considered myself sol vent in Oct., 1 p 53. I thought the spelter warrants were genuine. I had in my possession in 1353 large quantiti e s of sugar, by which we hoped to clear a large a mount. I explained the whole na ture of my dce.lings to Mr. Vaughan, who was sa tisfied, and continued us as agents of his firm up to. our leaving F,ngland. The warrants I gave him I believed to be, genuine. Whenever I dealt with the spelter war rants I believed them to be genuine. In the intervie w with Chapman the genuineness of the warrants was never mentioned, and Chapman so stated in his evidence. Mr. Lewi,s--I intend to postpone my cro3s examinatioi a until Mr. Chapman has been examined. Commissiioner—l do not know that you ought to do that. Mr. Lewis—l surely have a rightto examinehim after Chapman P Commis gouer—Do you oppose that course, Mr. Linklater ? Mr. Lewis—lf not, I shall have to cross-examine the bankr npt twice, instead of once, and go over the same ground. Mr. Laklater—l am in the hands of the Court. Commiusioner—Well, in bankruptcy we do not tie ourselves down to very strict rules. The com missioner then directed that the case should stand adjourned to Friday, the 26th inst., at half past 10 o'clock, directing that Mr. Chapman be summoned to attend and give evidence on that day. Adjourned accordingly. COUNT.RY MARKETS'. NORWICH—Noy. 13. --- The eastern counties markets have presented little change during the week, and late rates have been supported. At the commef tcement of business here to-day the farmers be gan by askiug higher prices for wheat, which the buyers were not disposed to concede. The sales made were upon the terms of this day se'nnight. The supply was good. There was a fair supply of barley, and the trade was fully as dear for the best malting qualities. In oats, beans, and peas little doing STAMFORD—Nov. 13. At this corn market to-day there was a tolerable show of wheat and a fair attendance of farmers. Wheat sold at is to 2s under the rates of last week. Wheat 39s to 42s Oats.. 3os to 32s White do 48s to 48s Beans, new 44s to —s Barley 44s to —s Ditto, old - .46s to 48s CAMBRIDGE—Nov. 13. Wheat was dull at late rates. Flour irregular. Scotch barley held for 6d advance, which checked business. Oats were dull, but not lower. Beans and peas were unaltered in value. Wheat 3Bs to 41s Oats.... 24s to 30s White .40s to 44s Beans 40s to 48s Barley .28s to 30s Peas . 448 to —s OXFORD—Noy. 13. --- At this morning's market the supply of wheat was mode rate, and the attendance was good. More sales of wheat were effected than for many market days previously. Great inquiries for good barley at is higher. Oats are better, and beans firm. Flour steady: Red wheat, 40s to 45s ; extra, —5 ; white, 48s ; barley, 45s to 465; oats, 21s:to 32s ; beans, 39s to 42s per qr. LEICESTER—Nov. 13. The supply of wheat from the growers was good, and although an attempt was made to buy at a reduction, the farmers succeeded in obtaining last week's prices. Barley of fine quality maintained former rates ; indifferent sorts nearly unsaleable. Oats easier to buy. There was very little alteration in beans. Wheat, white 44s to 45s I Beans, Mazagan..4Bs to 50s red 40s to 44s I Middle & small 40s to 46s Barley 3os to 44s White peas. 44s to 46s I Oats 3os to 36s Grey.. 42s to 45s CHELMSFO: .D—Nov. 12. We have to report a small supply of wheat at market, and prices ruled abbut the same as last Friday. Wheat, white 36s to 47s Peas, Partridge ..:14s to 46s red 32s to 44s White 41s to 43s Barley 34s to 41s Boiling 42s to 48s Chevalier ....37s to 45s Dun 44s to 46s . Grinding 27s to 33s Beans, Tick ....38s to 40s Malt 70s to 73s Harrow Ticks 38s to 42s Chevalier 72s to 73s Mazagan 36s to 39s Oats 25s to 35s NOTTINGHAM—Nov. 13. - - • --- At the market to-day there was a fair supply of English wheat, which sold readily at the extreme rates of this day se'nnight. Foreign held too high to meet the views of the buyers. Beans.moved off steadily, and late-prices were fully supported. Beans and peas met a slow sale, but were not quotably lower. Oats dull and rather cheaper. RIPON—Noy. 11 There was a middling supply of grain to-day, and a fair business at the annexed prices :—White wheat, from 5s Od to 5s 9d per bushel ; red, 4s 6d to 5s 6d ; barley, 30s to 36s Od per do. ; oats, 24s Od to 30s ; beans, —s to —d. ROCHESTER—Nov. 13. We are fairly supplied with wheat, the demand limited, but prices are firm at the rates of last week. Barley as last quoted. Beans sell in retail at former rates. Oats and other articles without alteration. White wheat, new, 44s to 46s Red do. 4os to 42s Old white 44s to 46s Red do. 38s to 40s Barley, roalting 40s to 42s Barley, grinding 28s to 34s Oats, old, .. —s to —s New do 23s to 27s Beans. 44s to 484 Malt.. —s to —s DUBLIN. At this morning's market grain, and prices remained s. d. a. d.. Wheat, white 22 6 to 24 fi Do., red 2l 6 to 22 6 Do., new 21 6 to 24 6 Barley Oats Do., black ll oto 12 0 BIRTHS. -Nov. 12. there was very little doing in ithout much change. x. d. s., d. Do., new Bere Rapeseed Oatmeal l2 6 to 14 6 Bakers' flour Indian corn BUTLER.—On the 11th inst., at Tilsey Farm, Wonersh, near Guildford, Surrey, Mra. Nicholas W. Butler, of a son and heir, COURTENAY.—On the 12th inst., at Dawlish, the wife of G. H. Courtenay, Esq., of a daughter. WARD.—On the 12th inst., at 39, Leighton-grove, Camden town, the wife of Edwin Ward, of the Inner Temple, barrister-at-law, of a son. MARRIAGES. MILLER—LEITH.—On the 11th inst., at St. George's, Hanover-square, William Miller, Esq., of Piccadilly, to Mary Anne,. the eldest daughter of John Farley Leith, Esq., barrister-at-law, of Gloucester-terrace, Hyde park. PELL—TYNDALE.—On the 11th inst., at St. Peter's, Eaton square, Beauchamp H. St. John, second surviving son of the Hon. Lady Pell and. the late Sir Albert Pell, to Julia Caroline Maria, second daughter of the late Edward Tyn dale, Esq., Lieut. R.N. DEATHS. BAKER.—On the 10th inst., at 26, Bedford-place, Russell square, Alfred Thomas Israel Bake; Esq., solicitor, aged 53. BAXTER.—On the 12th inst., at Lewes, Mr. John Baxter, publisher, aged 78. CROSLAND.—On the 11th inst., at Nottingham, Mr. Edwd. Crosland, aged 11. d : aga t 72 e . Glthi llth inst., Frances, wife of Douglas Charles Gardiner, Esq., of Tottenham-park, Tottenham. HENDEu.soN.—On the 1:1th inst., Ellen, wife of William Henderson, Esq., of 7, Chester-place, Hyde-park-square, and 10, Lancaster-place, strand. MARTIN.—On the 12th inst., at Keston Rectory, Kent, the Rev. Joseph William Martin, LL.B., aged 82. VENADLES.—On the 11th inst., at Hampton Gay House, Sarah, wife of Charles Venables Esq. , aged 62. LONDON : Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, No. 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy,' in the county. of M..ddlesex, Monday, November 15, 1858. .-} MUROI don. -- 11 0 R, street,:: Public o all kind= largest R fo urze n r, Room, a Room al Appli( made fox 13A Partic mine thi of intere Depos. Without The Ix DEC howerer state, Nv 'TAHOE many ye. the furth Price On WH exPort.th Tea Com Black, GI the Berr Yard, Cit Bank-1 TEEE AC Eta The . bu COMPANI Maittivz Company teed and ettrance ditiona ut Tot Am Insuran eldents, ai together ; Proposal Itpply to t uompany' 7, Bank. NORI Este Preside] Solie] C4pital of ( Revenue crea ß i n ,. Nie-len divided amraluniB. A ll Prot! la at e ve , the Prof Th - jV n 2,5 n •••••• 70 pei 4, I NTER CIE SO Ctab 8h Lciety.to ra ce. —It O 6- t!. tidin g ti 0f grace, an PhYrnerit tt e °Mee b( T TI.E oUßVlVCllll3olvered EDMO: " • Aenwor laniu i Ellioti rat. Professor J= j~fii~iL Resars.-Grp The nxt RaY, e 186 ' o l.ley taken outin t r 7 t t e sti lrla tianait a e t ti i °: ,The R o g' e l ,' W o-thl f 11 1' five y ri Ifa Rubs& it "la braes The U a A, nurni — e o tlt on, 41 41 Ce its "l n, a 4:bano_:P 7r.. 1 142 • St ran Fon NV. s Messt 183 1811 1818 1845 1851