The Sun. — London, England, 1859-02-23 00:00:00

THE LAW OF MARRIAGE. Yesterday morning a large and influential depu tation 'waited upon the Lord Bishop of London, at . 'London House, St. James's-square, to represent to. his lordship the great social•and moral evils resul+, ing from the present state of the law which renders invalid marriage with a deceased wife's sister, and to solicit his lordship to support Lord Bury's bill for legalising these marriages when it shall come before the House of Lords. Lord BURY, in introducing the subject, said that the measure he advocated had repeatedly passed the Commons, but had been rejected in the Upper House in consequence, principally, of the objections urged against it by the episcopal bench. The . Bishop of London had never voted on the question, , the only bishops who had 'voted for it having been. the Bishop of Ripon and the Bishop of Bath and. Wells ; but he trusted that his lordship would be prepared to join those right rev. prelates, and that on further examination of the subject the objections hitherto urged against the meas ure would disap-. pear. Indeed, he thought he might say that the , scriptural argument against permitting these mar riages was generally abandoned, as well as that derived from their long-continued canonical prohi bition. The only point worthy of serious conside ration was the social aspect of the question. It was said that if the law were altered a widower could not with propriety have the sister of his late • wife residing under his roof, and taking the charge of her sister's children. He saw no reason why, in the class of society to which the argument referred, such an arrangement might not, even under the altered state of the law, with propriety be con tinued; but, even if that were not the case, it seemed acting on rather a selfish principle to place a lady under the condition of remaining to the end. of her life unmarried, to condemn her, in fact, to perpetual celibacy, in order that she might devote herself to the children of another. No doubt, the higher classes could regulate their domestic concerns under either state of the law, but it was among the poor that the principal difficulty arose. From the con finednature of the dwellings of the poor they were of necessity thrown into such intimate intercourse that, taking human nature and human feelings as they practically existed, the inevitable result of the residence of the wife's sister was that the parties lived together as man and wife, either with or without marriage. It was admitted that the ex tent of this evil was very great, and that it was continually increasing, and so long as the present law existed it would continue to increase ; and he thought that no amount of what might be called domestic convenience to the upper classes, even giving to that consideration the fullest weight which could be claimed for it, would justify the Legislature in inflicting such an amount of evil upon the community at large. Having touched upon the three principal objections alleged against the measure, he would not enter more deeply into the subject, but rest confident that after what might be advanced by other gentlemen present the ques tion would receive the enlightened consideration of the right rev. prelate. Mr, M. MILNEs referred to the distinction which ex ists between consanguinity and affinity, the for mer being pl iinly forbidden in Scripture and con demned by all mankind, while the restrictions im posed upon the latter had always been regarded as governed by considerations of social expediency and public policy. The manifestations of public opinion in favour of the alteration of the law had been most earnest and general, opposition to it being now the exception rather than the rule. In the borough which he had the honour to represent the petition in favour of the measure was signed by every one of the clergy, and he had not the least doubt that the vastly preponderating feeling of the community called for the amendment of the law. Mr. SCHNEIDER, in answer to the inquiry why the niece and other relations of the wife were not included, said that in the present state of things among us no urgent necessity existed for extending the change of the law to the wife's niece or other relatives. The cases of other marriages were com paratively quite insignificant, and, under those cir cumstances, it was thought unwise to complicate the question by including any case, however proper in itself, for which the public mind was not fully prepared ; and, regarding the subject practically, it was not the wife's niece, but her sister, who came to take charg e of the wid ower ' s h ouse h o ld an d hi s motherless children. No law could prevent this residence or ;g uard against feeli ngs o f a ff ec ti on springing up be tween two persons so situated; but as the law at present stood two persons were driven to the alternative of breaking the law or being made unhappy for life ; they must choose between separation and the commission of sin. To say that if the law were altered persons in this re lation could not live together virtuously was a libel upon the , men and women of England, and imputed to them a state of lawless depravity which it was truly horrible to think of, and which had no exist ence in fact. It was worthy of most serious consideration that, although before the year 1835 these marriages had been virtually permitted for 300 years, none of the social evils so much dreaded were found to have shown themselves. Mr. Malins; M.P., who had been concerned in the case of Brook v. Brook," had searched the records of the various ecclesiastical courts for cases of the dissolution of these marriages, and had found only eight or nine cases in some 150 years. In fact it was found that they were only attacked when it suited the pecuniary interest of the next heir to invalidate the marriage. Mr. AKROYD observed that the whole of the parochial clergy among his constituency were favourable to the bill, having had an opportunity of observing -the disadvantageous effects of the pre sent state of the law. This was also the case with o that learned and devoted clergyman, Dr. Hook, late vicar of Leeds, and now very deservedly elevated to the Deanery of Chichester, who had been at first disposed to continue the present pro hibition, but whose experience as the clergyman of a most extensive parish had convinced him that it was absolutely necessary for the welfare of the poor that the law should be altered. It was found that the poor, being told by their clergymen that the law of God did not forbid, married the sisters of their deceased wives, as being the best mothers to their children. There was another point, too, which demanded to be set right, and that was the great in equality and injustice of Lord Lyndhurst's Act, in making valid the marriage of a noble .duke, and at the same time declaring 'void exactly similar marriages among the poor, and this with the sanc tion of the episcopal bench. This was reasonably felt to be a great hardship. Lord Lyndhurst had stated in the debate on the' Marriages Bill in 1858 that in introducing his bill in 1835 it was not his in tention to render these marriages void for the future. Mr. SPOONER stated that the clergy his con stituency found, in practice, that it was quite im possible to prevent these marriages among the poor. Persons coming to be married stated that there was no impediment, and, as it was not in the power of the clergy to investigate each particular case, they were married, and although it was no doubt true that the majority lived tog ether faithfully and e honourably, yet it was quit possible,oinstances did and did occur in whi c h t h e man took advantage of the law and deserted hi s wife a nd t children. He thought to it must always be dan gerous of en t act a law against y the feelings of th e great bod sonial e peopl e ; an d, while he admitted th at some d they th e disadvantag es would exist, he wa s conv i nce exaggerated; and w ou ld b e found very sma e ll en in' in d u ee eil d in comparison with those evils which it was sought to remedy. The Bishop of LONDON desired to understand precisely the, ecclesiastical bearings of the bill, and how it would affect the canons and the clerg y, Lord BURY and other gentlemen explained that the bill had been drawn under the kind and able superintendence of Mr. Gladstone, and was designed to keep clear of any interference with the privi leges of the Church. The marriage would in every case be a civil contract before the registrar, a ft er which, it being then a lawful marriage, it would be competent to any clergyman who sl ight be willi ng , under the.provisions of the acts cited, to add the benediction of the Church to the marriage so cele brated. The -marriages would be precisely in the same situation as the marriages of Dissenters. The provision that these marriages should be celebrated only before the registrar was not intended to affix any stigma to them ; the only object was to avoid an interference with the canons and with the con scientious scruples of individual clergymen. The bill was precisely as settled by Mr. Gladstone, and passed in the House of Commons last year, and now again read a second time on the 16th inst. The ex clusion of Ireland from its operation was not by desire of its piomoters. There was a strong, but by no means universal feeling against the measure in Scotland ; but, as neither the original prohibition nor Lord Lyndhurst's Act extended to that coun try, and the whole marriage laws of the two coun tries were distinct, it would have been departing from precedent to make this bill extend to that country. The Bishop of L olito , who received the depu tation with great courtesy, after hearing the argu ments and explanation s great attention, and satisfying: himself by inqui i i s several points, expressed his intention of givin g the matter his rendered was one of grow serious consideration. The subje c t g settled, it more ing importance, and every yea r ttsettled. The and more necessary that it should legislative difficulties with which surroundedit became more apparent upon examination, wa s obliged to remember that a grave resp a o n n d s it e lity rested upon him as the representative of th e whole body of the clergy of the metropolis, and that therefore he could not consider merely his own feelings on' the subject; but he could assure the deputation that he would not neglect to give to the consideration of the subject his best attention. — After thanking his lordship for his attention to their representations the deputation withdccw. THE CAMPAIGN IN °UDE, (From the Special Correspondent of the Times.) CAMP, NEAR CHURDA, J. 8. In my last letter I brought my narrative of events to the affair on the Raptee, on the 31st of December, 1858. Our camp moved from Bankee to Pureeniee, just outside the jungle which sepa rated us from the plain descending to the Raptee. On the 2c1.-of January it was proved that all the enemy and their guns were in Nepaul. Christie, advancing northwards on Purneah, was directed to march from that point eastwards and join us. Pratt, with - the 23d Regiment, searched the space between his column and ours ; and Taylor, on our right, .vas directed to keep close under the Nepau lese hills and march towards us from the east. The 3d of January we-received news that the Begnm, Bainie Madhoo, the Nana, and several bodies of Sepoys were making their way to the north of Nepaul, leaving their guns and baggage•animals in the valleys. On the 4th Sir Hope Grant attacked a party of rebels under Bala Rao, north of Tool sepore, and drove them across the Nepaulese fron tier, taking all their guns. It rained heavily during the night, and . Christie's column and the heavy guns joined us after a fatiguing march on heavy ground. The Commander-in• Chief had now a force sufficient to guard the passes, and to enter Nepaul if necessary, hut on the sth he heard that the Begum was 100 miles away, and he had no per mission from Government to invade the kingdom. On the 6th of January, however, the column struck tents, and advanced through the jungle to the plain beyond, by a path enlarged and cut by the pioneers.- It was only a short march of six miles. The morning was clear, and gave us a magnificent view of the mountains of Nepaul, with bits of the snowy range peering aboee them. Maun Sing was in much trouble when he heard we were going to move to the Raptee. He said we should all die of fever, and used so many arguments I think he must have had some special reason to prevent our going. The bodies of those slain lay torn and dismembered by wild beasts in the- jungle. One grayheaded o ld art ill eryman, who had stuck too long by hi s gun, had the top of, his head carried clean away. In his dotie a purse containing a gold mohur and 54 rupees was found by a soldier. The horrid vultures were picking and pecking at the dead—veritable epicures in their own dreadful fashion, and ran away with foetid wings outspread, too gorged and heavy for flight, as we disturbed them. These corpses lay amid wild flowers on the richest beds of green. I remembered Inkermann, where I saw a bunch of violets growing through the jawbones of a skull. A mile or so beyond the belt of jungle, which consisted of fine saul or seal trees, and others to me unknown, laced by long creepers and fenced by bitter trailing thorns, ex tended the undulating plain, beyond which flowed the Raptee, its course marked by a broad forest, which spread away to the foot of the mountains. These rose in broad sloping slabs covered with trees to high serrated tablelands, above which a more distant range of similar formation came in view, and over it 'again the peaks of the snowy range, beyond which there is a new world where neither Hue nor Russian tea merchant has ever set foot. The Raptee had hurried away all traces of its fight with sowar and hussar. It is a strange sort of river, for though it is now nearly 200 yards across, its bed is half a mile wide, and there are islands in its course which would shame that of Eel-pie or of my Lord St. Leonards, nigh the Old Swan at Ditton. " Snags" stick up their great black teeth to swallow navigation up. As I rode up to the high bank an alligator flopped into the river from one of those resting places, and cleft the water upwards in rapid flight, and two gaunt wolves started lower down out of the brushwood, and dashed off towards the long grass on the verge of an island. We were a good way in advance of the column, which was debouching from the jungle behind'in fair show. Hussars in snow white tunics and caps ; carbineers in neat clean blue and white ; Belooches in dark green ; the artillery in their deep blue ; Punjaub cavalry whirling across the plain in red turbans and blue tunics ; rifles and infantry in many-shaded carkee. Per haps the admonition of General Mansfield not to go into the jungle on the left, which reached the river's banks, was very judicious, for there is reason to believe that a good number of Sepoys were lurking there at the time, waiting for oppor tunities of escape. There was time for a good gallop before the camp was marked out and pitched. A few dead horses were' found stuck in the sand banks. One solitary Sowar came out of the jungle on the opposite bank, and, alarmed apparently at being aimed at with a telescope he precipitately retired. The traces of the Begum's camp and of the place where her guns had fired . on 'our cavalry, were visible plainly enough. Pickets were posted, and a guard marched down to the only ford, which is three feet deep. Many canoes, made of trees, hollowed out, were found along the banks, and some fishermen were hauled up from the villages to sup ply the mess tables with the fish in which the river abounds. As the Chief cannot go into Nepaul, he has sent for Sir Hope Grant, and he will hand over to him the Oude force preparatory to his own re turn to the telegraphic world at Futtehpore, or some other central position. Several Sowers surrendered horses, arms, and persons in cam p t o -d ay . On he morning of the 7th, in accordance with their promise, Mehudie Hossein, the Nawab of Furruckabad, and several chiefs of minor note, came across the Raptee to our pickets, and surreze:dered themselves in our camp. They were attended by 200 armed men, who laid down their swords and firearms as they arrived at our side of the river. The great people came in on elephants and in pal kees, and they were foll Owed right into the head quarters camp by a crowd of natives from our bazaars and a number of idle soldiers. Their first visit was paid to Major Barrow, and the Nawab of Furrackabad was first disposed of. His case is peculiar. In accordance with its information, and the general belief at the time, the Government of India, last April, excluded the Nawab from the benefits and rewards offered to the captor 'of the Nana, as one who was almost as guilty as that great criminal, on account of his ordering the massacre of women and children at Futtehghur, which is the station of Furruckabad. A price of £lO,OOO was set on his person, and he was expressly shut out by proclamation from all favour and amnesty. There were, indeed, people who said at the time that the Nawab had nothing to do with the massacre, and that he tried in vain to prevent it. Two Christian ladies, Mrs. de Fountain and Mrs. Byrne, who were known to the Nawab in former times, and were re ceived in his zenana on the outbreak, declared he was innocent, and their testimony was corroborated by others ; but peculiar circumstances were held to invalidate the testimony of these ladies, who were mother and daughter, the wives of British officers, and Mr. Power not only discredited their state ment, but expressed intentions or wishes with re gard to Mrs. de Fountain and Mrs. Byrne which drew upon him the displeasure of the Governor- General. That the Nawab went off with the rebels is notorious, and his exemption from amnesty was equally well known. In person he is a small deli cately framed man, with feminine hands and feet ; his features, of a tine Oriental type, are regular— rather Jewish in character, but his eyes are fine, though somewhat dull. He washandsomelydressed in a rich green and gold turban, a black velvet sur coat lined with fur, and silk trousers • his manners were perfectly quiet an d becoming. He was told to take a chair in Major Barrow's tent, and the com missioner then explained to him that he was to be sent a prisoner to Furruckabad to take his trial for murder. "To kill men in war is fair, Nawab ; but no one ought to murder defenceless women and children, no matter what the excuse, in war or Peace." " The Commissioner says truly •, if I have done so, l e t me suffer. " " You know that you are considered guilty of the massacre at Futtehghur. " Yes, th e best proof I can give that Id o n ot con sider my se l f trial, t a h n o d u I guilty is, that I come h ere t o ta k e my g ha y v o e u have al rea dy pronounce d me guilty, you can do so." m to provemyi nnocence. " " I h ope In &trust is that I m a y, th oug h it is difficult." m course o f conversation he said he had br oug h t has family, and he was allowed to sen d a certainF _urruckabad' number of his own followers with th em to w a o n u d la ho useswhere, in ' by the by, they will find his p a l ace ruins. He was asked wheth er h e bard of Europeans or of natives _ prefer a . He replied, Natives ;" and then, as if anx i ous to explain reasons, added, "But whichever y ou please ; I h 1 only said natives because they would understand bett er, for Ido not speak English well." With his re ti nue ' were four or five elephants, which he handed over to us. Among them was General Wheeler's sport ing elephant, and not only the creature, but the General's mahout, who has been going about with the rebels ever since the Cawnpore massacre. The man could tell us little about the actual murders, for he was not near the place, but he declared that the Nawab had been several times prevented com ing over to us by the Sepoys, who watched him closely, and who had threatened to kill him repeat edly. A guard of the Rifle Brigade was marched up to the tent to guard the Nawab, but as Colonel Christie was starting next day with the 80th for Cawnpore, it was resolved to send the prisoner down with the force, to which some native infantry were added as a special escort. On the Nawab's right, in the tent, was seated Mehudie Hossein, the old °PPollent of General Franks, and recently on more than one occasion. the beaten foe of Sir Hope Grant. The air is filled with the screams of green paroquets, which flash in broad streams of colour and in hundreds at a time from tope to tope, helped well by the never ceasinc , chorus of the animated impudent minas. The large blue jay is common, and tamer as well as more brilliant than the keeper's enemy in England. Shrikes are common on every wild hedge—the large gray—the small brown butcher bird, with a white streak over the e ye , and white head, and two sombre-coloured varieties of larger size. The titmouse is boring away amid every thatched roof, but none of the varieties resemble our English friends. Over every large jeel hover fish hawks, mews, and large kingfishers, whi c h d art down right under water, after a fluttering pause twenty or thirty feet above the surface of the water. On every side there is life enshrined in forms strange and beautiful, but it can only be described by the scientific naturalist who can devote more time to his subject than he could find at the head of a column marching 20 miles a day. As the line of march passed within a few miles of Churda, for several months the residence of the Nana Rao, Lord Clyde got out of his litter, and, mounting an elephant, set off with his staff to visit THE SUN , LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING FEBRUARY 23, 1850. He is a fine, tall, portly man, with a very agreeable face, much more open aid manly than the Nawab's. On his right sat Hijunamoab Hroosein, talookdar of Buthamow, and then round the table, in front of the Commissioner, in order, Meer Dost Ali, uncle of Mehudie Hossein, Gholam Hossein, brother of the rebel, Meer Bundee Hossein, tehsildar of Hussun pore, Sheek Ali Mahomed, tehsildar of Pertabghur, -and Meer Reasut Ali—all rebel chiefs of Oude, vanquished, owning themselves beaten, and seeking pardon. If when we were weak we punished severely and fearlessly, now that we are strong we are clement and generous. Who can deny this, when he hears that all those rebels are permitted to return to their homes, one with 50, another with. 45, another with 50 followers to guard their fami lies and their property; that no questions were asked ; that their written papers were given to them on the spot, the only condition being that they repair to Mr. Martin, at Lucknow, where their followers are to b e di sarme d and they are to learn the terms on which they are to live in Oude in future ? Maun Singh at least under stands this policy perfectly, for he said the other day, " When th e B r iti s h were few and fighting for, their lives, they had to kill and hang every one, and to forgive no offender ; now the day is theirs, they can pardon without any one saying they are afraid." Maun Singh's approbation of any policy is doubtful praise, but this remark shows he appre ciates the arguments of a large party in India as to our conduct in a great crisis. Mehudie Hossein was collector of Salone under the Oude dynasty. When Oude was annexed he was relieved from his charge by Major Barrow, and when the mutiny took place he re-occupied the post which perforce the Commissioner was obliged to abandon, and, " now," said he, " you are here to relieve me again." He spoke frankly and freely, and we learnt that his numbers had never reached the strength attributed to him in despatches, and that his losses had been still more exaggerated. Sir William Russell, who came in during the inter view, was anxious to remind Mehudie of the day he chased him 37 miles to Palee Ghat, but consideration, and, perhaps, good taste, prevented the question being addressed to a beaten man. These men were all well and even richly dressed, and sat at their ease as if they had been our best friends. From the Commissioner's tent the chiefs proceeded to Lord Clyde's, with the ex ception of the Nawab, who as a prisoner remained with Lieut.-Col. Crealock, and conversed with that officer while he was sitting for a pencil sketch that was very successful. Lo r d Clyde invited the chiefs to sit down, and expressed his gratification at seeing them, and his hope that they would settle down and become good subjects of the Queen. "I have been 50 years a soldier," he said, " and I have seen enough of war to rejoice when it is at an end." " Say to the lord that I was 25 years in the service of the King of Oude," replied Mehudie Hossein, evi dently implying that he could not, as a man of honour, help fighting in the cause of one he had served so long. They took their leave, after a short interview, and are now to travel as they please to Lucknow, most of them preferring to accompany the column. Mehudie Hossein says there are 20,000 Se poys and 1,200 Sowars,w ith 200 elephants, in Nepaul. It will be necessary to keep watch and ward on the marches. We cannot expect a sudden calm after such a tempest—the waves will heave after the winds have gone down ; and so there come rumours of troubles in that ever troublesome Bundelcund. The Madras Light Cavalry will march down in that direction on their way home. The 80th, going to Cawnpore, will relieve the regiment of Europeans there, and permit it to go to Calpee. The 64th Regiment is to proceed towards Bombay, where the wives and children of the soldiers are, taking part of the disturbed districts in their course. The 80th Regiment and 24th Punjabees marched to wards Cawnpore this evening, taking with them the Nawab of Furruckabad. On the evening of the Bth Lord Clyde sent for Brigadier Horsford, and gave him directions for the general security of the pass and gorge of the Raptee, and orders came out for, our march this morning. The orders disappointed us a little, for there were many things fixed for the day. There were races to take place close to the place whence the Hussars started for the Raptee—subscriptions paid, horses entered, and the races named "the 'Arai. Sweepstakes," " the Raptee Purse," " the Nepaul Consolation Stakes." Then there was to be a tiger hunt ; item, there was to be a reconnais sance up the Gorge, to go as far as the Nepaulese frontier, the line being ascertained by finding to whom the taxes were paid by the people of the villages. It was expected that the enemy's 15 guns would be brought in, or would be taken by the column. The morning dawned, and with it became visible a cold dense fog, through which the eye could not pierce to the nearest tent. Lord Clyde left with Brigadier Horsford the Rifle Brigade, under Colonel Percy Hill ; the 7th Hussars, Sir William Russell; the Ist Punjab Cavalry; Major Hughes Moir's troop, Bengal Artillery ; and took with himself the Carabineers, a party of Hodson's Horse, a wing of the Beloochees, Lennox's company of Sappers, her Majesty's 20th Regiment, and Fraser's troop of Royal Horse Artillery. As the baggage had to defile through the jungle the march was short, and we encamped four miles south of Bankee, not far from the scene of our little affair with the enemy on the 26th. The reconnaissance was of course put off. The guns were not brought in, but it was ascertained that they are inside the Nepaulese territory. The fog lasted nearly a day. At some undetermined hour on the morning of the 9th the camp was struck in darkness and our little column continued its march southwards to wards Gonda. The dawn was clouded and the day warm, so that we did not see those pleasant Ne paulese hills which have made their appearance so seldom to our plain-wearied eyes. As we are not destined to visit the Ghoorkas, I for one was glad to leave the neighbourhood of those tantalising mountains—the vapour, the mad jackals, the wolves, and tigers of the disaffected Terai, which wage deadly war on the whole human race. The evening before, just at dusk, a large bear ambled out on the plain close to our camp, in front of some officers who had been beating the adjoining wood for game. Captain Bradford fired at him with his revolving rifle, and the second shot struck Bruin, who stood on his hind legs and made a de monstration of assault, but seeing several sports men coming up eagerly, he thought it better to " bear the ills he had than fly to others which he knew not of," and so ambled off and made his exit growling. Tigers' tracks were visible all round our camp, and though they didnot, as at Nanparah, interfere with our postal arrangements, they con jointly with the rumours of lurking sepoys, pre vented thai free excursive investigation of the jungles which would otherwise, no doubt, have been effected. When we left, a large expedition with beaters and elephants was being organised, ,but we have not yet heard if any one was eaten or any tiger killed. It takes time to make proper preparations for a hunt, and in such a volatile column as ours there is little time for aught but eating, sleeping, and marching. As the camp animals go out to graze, thousands of camels, elephants, ponies, buffaloes, and bullocks for many miles round the camp, the wild denizens of the forest are frightened, and go off to great distances, where it is necessary to track and mark them down before a party can start with any chance of success. The day wo arrived on the Raptee I saw two huge wolves close at hand in the thick grass by the river; to-day two were seen within 100 yards of the head of the column, and herds of antelopes and spotted deer rise up_and flee away from our videttes and Rankers, to they despair of the sportsmen, who must keep with their men on the line of march. As to the flocks of wild geese, ducks, and teal—the wonderful long-legged, long-necked waders —cranes, black and white, plover, snipe, quail of many sizes, colours, and varieties, which are seen in the early morning or the course of a march, no place I have ever visited, except the Steppe of Southern Russia, can afford such abundance and diversity of species as those northern plains of Oude. The thickets are haunted by peacocks and peahens, and by the beau tiful jungle fowl, the original stock of our own dear chanticleer and Dame Partlet. In the long coarse grass nibble and gambol hares, much persecuted by falcons and silver foxes. In the same haunts are the beautiful black partridge and his less eatable gray congener. Flycatchers, from the lively, audacious, and gallant king crow, down to a tiny little green fellow, with a yellow foraging cap, not bigger than a wren, flit over the fields in all direc- the fort. It was found to be strong of its kind, well sheltered on three sides by a belt of jungle, but as the fort is situated in a wide level-plain, and the belt of jungle is not broad, and affords' no sure re treat, the Nana did - not select it as a safe' place to make a retreat from, andiell back on Burguddiah. There is reason now to believe that he opened two guns of his on our cavalry the other day at the Raptee. It was unfortunate that Sir Wm. Russell led his Hussars to the right instead of the left when he debouched from the wood and Sir Wm. Mansfield ordered him to charge, as it is just possible he might have hit upon the Nana, according to Mehudie Hossein's story; but the gallant officer was pro bably misled by the Punjab cavalry, who were in his front, and who went away to the right when they crossed the nullah. The Nana is now in Nepaul, more than 100 miles from our, frontier, and the action of Government must be employed to effect his capture should the Goorkas permit him to remain in their territory. Churdah was de - serted, nothing in it save a wounded gun-bullock. The profile is irregular, presenting numerous sa lients, but the ditch is deep and the counterscarp tolerably good, so that a little labour would have rendered the work more formidable than Mejiddiah. The column halted at Nanparah about 11 o'clock, and the troops had food. The garrison of Oude police and some irregulars encamped outside are suffering from smallpox. On our way we passed the village where the head of the column and Lord Clyde and his staff halted before daybreak on the morning of the 31st of December. The best house was in flames, burnt by some camp followers, of whom the chief was flogged. The hamlet of Bur guddiah, burnt by them the night of our first halt on the 26th of December, was still in black ruin, desolate and uninhabited. The column pushed on six miles beyond Naparah, making a march of 174- miles, and pitched tents at Kootawah, on ground close to that which had been occupied by Christie's force up to this morning. The small corps under Colonel Pratt is also marching southwards in ad vance of us. The following are extracts from my diary " CAMP NEAR BURAECH, JAN. 10. " First bugle at five a.m. March at six a.m.' It is pitch dark till 6.30. That little fact may lead one to imagine the desagremens of such early hours, — not fully to realize them, however, unless he has seen an Indian camp and can appreciate the diffi culties of pouring out those immense streams of men and animals through the proper channel. But, as our camp was close to an extensive marsh several miles in length, we were favoured with a morning fog worthy of London, which did not depart till we had been two hours groping and stumbling on our way. This portion of Oude, between Churda and Buraech, is not so well cultivated as that on the verge of the Terai. Coarse tufted grass trips up horses,and makes soldiers angry. There is no road in particular, and we steer just as the mariner does at sea. Immense herds of cattle show why this land is not covered with crops. The owners are fast driving them away as we approach, and the villages are but partially inhabited as yet just hereabouts. Small as our column is now—about 200 Carabineers, a party of Hodson's horse under Sir Henry Havelock ; a squad ron of the 6th Madras Light Cavalry, Capt. Mac gregor ; Frazer's troop of Royal Horse Artillery, some heavy guns en route southwards, her Majesty's 20th Regimeat, and a wing of Belooches,—there is apparently baggage enough for an army of 20,000 men. I can compare a column on the march to no thing handy on my mind except a block of omni buses in Fleet-street, when the footpaths are thronged with foot passengers, and the interstices of the larger vehicles grouted in with Hansoms and cabs. The column is but a small, compact, orderly body, but on each side of it and behind it miles back are elephants, camels, and horses enough for the Grand Army. A hundred and sixty elephants make a great show. The monster, however, costs for his keep only 2s. a-day. A camel costs from 16s. to 20s. a-month, and carries about 4001 b. The load of an elephant varies with his size from I,ooolb. to 1,6001 b. He is generally used to carry tents and stores and to draw heavy guns ; but he is largely used by the officers' servants as a means of conveyance, and six, seven, and even eight bearers, kitmutgars, and chu prassies may be seen seated on the pad, and 60 or 70 elephants may been seen heaped up with light coloured groups of Madrasses and Bengalees, tower ing over the sates and moving steadily along the flanks of the march. A most quaint and peculiar animals is the tattoo or native pony. He is not as large as the smallest of English donkeys (Indian asses are about the size of a new-born calf, only they are not so long in the legs) ; his hind legs are generally distorted by premature and over loading; he is often short of the usual allowance of eyes or ears, and is altogether a most miserable, mangy, starved, and worthless looking creature. Never theless, in love or war he is animated by the highest spirit, and he is ready at all times to engage the largest and fiercest horse in battle, and neighs his addresses to the proudest mare from Arabia. There are hundreds and hundreds of them attached to the bazaar people. They carry the goods and families of the merchants, and all the followers of trades and professions which may be found there. Officers bestride them on the route, and the ser geants of some regiments seem to be specially privileged to hire them as chargers while marching. The bazaar woman, seated on a pile of curious merchandise, with her legs projecting over his neck, a child on her hip and another in her arms, directs the course of the 'tat' with her toes, and thinks nothing of giving a friend a lift,' so that at last all that may be seen of the quadruped are its wretched rag of a tail, its ragged legs, and a dilapi tated head, moving along under an enormous heap of animated and inorganic matter. Next to the "tats," the most numerous animals are goats. The Indian goat is a clean, docile, handsome creature, abounding in kids and milk. There are probably 1,000 or 1,500 of these animals in different flocks with our camp, each flock belonging to a small milkman, whose walk' is ve r y extensive, averaging 20 miles a day. The agents of the establishment are women, who carry the milk along the march or in camp in bright brass vessels, on their heads, and grateful to the thirsty private who has a few pice in his pocket is the well-known cry of ' lai dooh,' as was the announcement of fresh oysters' to the proprietor of the Splendid Shilling. Next to the goats and asses are indubitably the monkeys. Poor .Jacko is to be seen on all sides in a state of durance vile, in chattering rage and indignation, riding on the top of a camel—old, young, and middle-aged—shaved, and with clothes on their backs, rugged as au naturel, tailed, tailless, grave, stupid, lively, running along on all fours, or placidly sitting in a cart or dooly. There are also pretty pets—antelopes, deer, and young neilghye, which accompany us faithfully; and, of course, the subal tern has his terrier, or his dog or dogs of some sort or other; to which confidential attendants are at tached or doolies appropriated. Then there are the gun bullocks and the bazaar hackeries, drawn by oxen, and the spare oxen, the beesties' bullocks, and the butcher's sheep and cattle. Then there are private stores. A regimental mess will order, perhaps, 100 dozen of beer, 150 dozen of port and sherry, 60 dozen of champaigne at a time, not to mention groceries and stores of various sorts, and these move along with us. Coolies may be seen carrying each a chair or a table, or a fowling-piece, or even a spare cap. What wonder, th en , th a t t h ere are 4,000 men hanging on the skirts of this column, who have no ostensible mode of life, who are not engaged in any known way in the bazaars—which, by the way, are very dirty collections of very dirty little tents, in which all sorts of things can be had for money,—and who do not draw rations from the Commissariat. Those natives to whom rations are issued amount to about two and a-half to each fight ing man. Some officers have as many as 40 servants in the field. Each has an attendant sprite or two —possibly a wife, a child, a .mother, a father, who follow his daily fortunes. There is a perfect chorus of camp followers in a state of infancy, and studies from the nude are afforded by little black imps toddling about the horses' feet to any who may like to take them. What becomes of these generations when an army is broken up is a question I have' asked in vain. Surmises do not solve the problem, but I should say early education of this kind was not exactly a promising preparation for the more sober pursuits of trade and commerce. In a fog the melange is not agreeable, and I was heartily glad when I could see my way through elephants, camels, goats, tats, and babies this morning, and get a good gallop in front of the column. We passed The village still deserted. tor restore the houses burnt by our ca mp followers. Breakfast e d b eyon d I n th a i n a c a No Intha steps t e about pfoslltoawk ee 9 r sn o'clock. tope of trees. The Commander-in-Chief took a long walk by the side of the column, but he is not yet able to ride. Halted at 1.30 p.m. on the plain, two miles from Buraech, and 18 miles from our camp this morning. The day hot and heavy. Sir Hope Grant was waiting under a tree for Lord Clyde, having ridden over with the Rajah of Bulrampore from Bingha, 24 miles distant, to arrange with the Commander-in-Chief for the military dispositions in Oude. Sir Hope is the officer in command of the Oude field force, and a better there could not be. Lord Clyde has the utmost reliance on his skill, sagacity, promptithde, and judgment, justified and evinced on every occasion. It appears the gal lant officer, less cautious than his chief, actually passed the Nepaulese frontier in his ineffectual chase of Bala Rao's rebels on the 4th. He took his stereotyped number of 15 guns, which seems to be Sir Hope's ' allowance' on such occasions, but the rebels only fired four or five of them before they fled. The Rajah of Bulrampore is one of the heartiest, frankest-mannered men I have ever seen. He is a tight, compact man, about 25 years of age, full of vivacity and vigour, a keen sportsman, with an armoury of the beet English rifles by the best 1 makers, hawks, hounds, dogs, elephants. He wore a pair of English keeper's leather leggings, a -vel vet frock; and a brocaded cap with gold tassels. But am I hypercritical, am I too curious and minutely observant when I remark what was patent to all the street,' that the lady of Bulram pore must be in difficulties with his tailor, seeing the highly important article of dress under his tunic, and above his leggings, were sadly rent, and could scarcely have cost as much as King Stephen paid on a well-known occasion for a similar gar ment ? However, our sporting friend has broad acres, and I believe, by his visit to-day, he received a pleasant accession to them from Major Barrow, who is tossing about estates, little kingdoms, and whole shires as a juggler tosses balls about, or as Napoleon used to fling away empires. To any one who would take it has been offered a magnificent strip of the Terai, and the adja cent land, rent free for five years, with the exclusive usufruct of trees of a certain lac thereon abounding, on the sole condition that he cuts down all the jungle. Such was the offer made to us all. Even I felt obliged to decline this splendid opening for a ,young man, and to refuse the chance of becoming a zemindar of Oude." JAN. 11. The force halts on their present ground .to-day, that Lord Clyde and Sir Hope Grant, and the Chief of the Staff may complete their arrangements before his Lordship proceeds to Lucknow. It is probable that we shall not march by way of Gonda, as the only object in view was to inquire into the fitness for a cantonment, which could not be determined without a regular commission. The place is nearly 40 miles distant, and so it is probable we shall march straight to Lucknow, whither Major Barrow and Major Bruce have preceded us this day. Lord Clyde is anxious to place himself in telegraphic communication with Central India as speedily as possible, for at Banda, Rewah, and Bundelcund affairs are in an unsatisfactory position. Instant steps have been taken to flood the , provinces with troops. Her Majesty's 43d Regiment has been ordered to Banda from Calpee and detached posts. Her Majesty's 45th have been sent up from Cal cutta to the same district. The 97th Regiment is marching down from Lucknow via Futtehpore, and the Madras Rifles are taking the same route. General Whitlock has already got two squadrons of the 12th Lancers, the 3d Madras Europeans, Ist Regiment Bombay Native Infantry, Ist Madras Native Infantry, 50th Madras Native Infantry, two troops of Madras Horse Artillery, and a Madras field battery ; so that with the reinforcements and additional irregular cavalry he will soon have a splendid little army under his com mand. The Naval Brigade of the Pearl, under Captain Sotheby, having rendered most conspicuous service in the Shahabad districts, and the disturbed provinces north-east of Allahabad, are going down to Calcutta on their way home. Those gallant sailors have been active in all branches of military duty, and they have appeared in the field as infantry, artillery, horse artillery, and cavalry ! A charge by mounted sailors must be a formidable demonstra tion to all parties concerned. The Pearl's men have, whether on foot or on horse, contributed mainly to the pacification of the country confided to their charge, and Captain Sotheby has added to a reputation which was always high by his conduct in a difficult command. The 86th Regiment, to be relieved at Gwalior by the 3d Europeans, will be sent home, after a long and distinguished career of Indian service, crowned by the storming of Jhansi. Volunteering from re giments going home will soon take place, and I ,look with some anxiety to the result, for I do not think it will be as favourable as the authorities expect. The four regiments will go home as soon as possible —some little jealousy being caused by the 32d Light Infantry being permitted to leave India before its time on account of its services at Lucknow. The Carbineers will go to Meerut, and the 7th Hussars probably to Umballah. The 3d battalion Rifle Brigade is ordered to Agra from Seetapore, and the Camel Corps, under Major Ross of the brigade, is on its way to the same city. The regiments are her Majesty's 10th, 32d, 78th, and 84th, the Military Train Battalion, and possibly her Majesty's 29th--in India since 1841—to which must be added her Majesty's 86th. The general disposition of the troops is not yet fixed, and must remain undetermined while disturbances exist. We march to Seerora-312 miles—to-morrow ; thence to Lucknow at the rate of 30 miles a-day. SPRING ASSIZES. NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—APPLEBY, FEB. 21. The learned judges of this circuit took their seats on the bench at the Court-house at 10 o'clock this morning, the commission having been opened by Mr. Justice Byles on Saturday afternoon. Mr. Justice Willes did not arrive from Lancaster until late last night. There was one cause in the list, and the calendar contained the names of six prisoners —an unusual assize for Appleby. CROWN COURT. (Before Mr. Justice Byles.). George Parkin, aged 26, was indicted for the manslaughter of George Copstick, at Knock, on the 26th September last. The Hon. A. Liddell and Mr. Brett appeared for the prosecution ; Mr. Scott defended the prisoner. The prisoner, it appeared, is a cripple, having a withered leg, and carrying a crutch, and is a tailor by trade. The deceased was a labourer, and a young man of 20 years of age, living at Long Marston. It appeared that the prisoner and several other young men had been drinking at a publiclouse, where a quarrel arose between him and a young man named Mason, when the prisoner used his crutch to Mason and Mason gave in. The deceased then went up to the prisoner and asked him for a subscription towards some country games. The prisoner said he had not a sixpence, and the de ceased made use of.somo coarse . observation, which was retorted by the prisoner. After leaving the public-house Mason reported to the deceased some thing the prisoner had said about him, and the deceased then walked up to where the prisoner was sitting on a wall, and asked him what he meant, at the same time seizing him by the collar. The pri soner again used provoking expressions to the de ceased, who said, " If thou was not a cripple I would th rash thee." The prisoner answered by saying, If thou does not leave off I will fell thee." The deceased then caught hold of the priso ner ' s l eg , an d the prisoner raised. his crutch; which was shod with iron, and dealt the deceased a blow with it on the head, which knocked him down. When the de ceased got up he staggered against a wall and offered to fight the prisoner, but staggered about and walked away with some other young men. On the 7th of October he complained of his head, and feeling giddy and sick, Mr. Armstrong, a surgeon, was called in to attend him, but, he became worse, had convulsions, and died on the 31st Oct. There was a cut on his left temple, under which the bone was dead, and after death, on remouing the scalp, an abscess was found , in the brain under the injury, which had been the cause of death. For the defence it was contended that the injury had been received when the deceased staggered against the wall; and further that the prisoner had not used more violence than was necessary to rid himself from the attacks of the deceased. His Lordship, having summed up, left it to the jury to say whether it was necessary for the pri soner to strike the deceased on the head with this formidable ironshod-weapon to rid himself of the deceased. If it was not, they ought to find the prisoner guilty. As to the first point raised, it was contrary to the evidence. The jury found the prisoner guilty. His Lordship sentenced him to two months' im prisonment without hard labour. MIDDLB SEX SESSIONS, Feb. 22. (Before Mr. Pashley, Q.C., Assistant Judge.) David West, 23, a cellarman, in the service of Mr. L. Clow, a wine and bottled beer merchant in Prince's-street, Fitzroy-square, was indicted for stealing bottles of beer, the property of his master, and George Packard, a calico glazer in Tottenham place, who surrendered, was indicted for feloniously receivint , them,knoNVing that they had been stolen. Mr. Metcalfe prosecuted ; Mr. Ribton defended Packard. West was not defended. The case lasted the greater part of the day. It rested principally upon the evidence of two boys who had been in Packard's service, and the learned counsel for that prisoner ably contended in a length ened address that the jury could not with safety convict a respectable man upon such testimony. A number of witnesses spoke to Packard's good character hitherto. The jury found West guilty and acquitted Packard, The Assistant-Judge sentenced West to eight months' hard labour. John Nash, a deserter from the Coldstream Guards, was indicted on Monday for feloniously breaking and entering the warehouse of W. G eorge Watson, and stealing therein the sum of X 1 l s . 6d . The prosecutor's premises are situate No. 34, Narrow-street, Limehouse, and ab ou t 4 o ' c l ock on the morning of the 15th inst. the policeman on duty saw that all was safe. In about half an hour, on again completing his beat, he saw the prisoner and another man leave the doorway, and subsequently found that an entrance had been effected through the countinghouse window. The next night the prisoner was found asleep in a stable at the back of the premises, from which, by means of a ladder, a person could without much difficulty get up to the countinghouse window. The prisoner said at first that he was not out at four in the morning, but he had let a horse out of the stable about that time, having had a job of work at the stable. An iron safe in the countinghouse had been removed from its proper place, broken open, and a small sum of money which had been left in it taken away. The books were strewn about, and the clerk's desk had been opened and robbed. The prisoner said, whatever decision the jury might come to, or whatever any one might think of the evidence, he was innocent. It was true he was a deserter from the Coldstream, and was found in this stable, but it was for this reason—he had been out, and while in a state of intoxication lost his bearskin cap, value £4 155., and not liking to return to barracks, absented himself, and slept in this stable. He knew nothing of the robbery, whatever might be done with him. The jury, after some deliberation, said they: en tertained a doubt of which they would give the pri soner the benefit and acquit him. Tho prisoner said, now it was all over, ho could solemnly declare he was innocent, thought it did not matter what he might say. He was then discharged, but was immediately taken into custody by the police as a deserter from her Majesty's service. THE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL AT FELTHAM. Several juvenile offenders have been sentenced to terms of detention in the industrial school for this county, which is now open for the reception of a small number; but a curious difficulty has arisen. The Court, under the Act, has the power to direct such offenders to be " conveyed" to the school, but there are no officers to perform the duty of convey ing them provided. According to the rules of the House of Detention no prisoner can be received there after conviction ; and, if sentenced to be de tained in the industrial school, they cannot be re ceived into the House of Correction or Westminster Bridewell. The Court will have to make an order, directing how, by whom, and at whose cost these prisoners shall be conveyed. to Feltham: _ _ John Rose, 22, a Grenadier, was indicted for stealing a gold watch, value £l2, the property of Augustus Butt, from his person. Mr. Ribton appeared for the prosecution. The prosecutor, a chemist, of 26, Tichbourne street, Paddington, on the night of the 14th of Jan., was returning home, having been dining out, from St. John's-wood, when he met the prisoner, with whom he got into conversation, and invited him into a publichouse to partake of drink, he himself having then had more than sufficient. The prose cutor had some ale and then fell asleep ; when he awoke the prisoner was gone, and his watch, he found, had been taken from his pocket; about three weeks afterwards he, singularly enough, saw his watch in a pawnbroker's window in the Edgware road, and went in and ascertained that it had been purchased of a Soldier for £4 10s., the account he gave of it when he sold it being that it had been given to his grandfather by a Waterloo officer under whom he had served. That soldier was the prisoner and subsequently he called with another watch to dispose' of, when the pawnbroker sent for a police man and gave him into custody. The prisoner de clared he had never seen the prosecutor before, and that he had bought the second watch of a man in the street, which could not be disproved. The pawnbroker was anxious that this watch should be given to him as part compensation for the loss of the £4 10s. he had paid for the gold watch which had been restored . to the prosecutor. The Court said that it could not make an order to that effect under the circumstances ; the pawnbroker had bet ter apply to those who had the disposal of the forfeited property of prisoners in their hands, and they would deal with the matter. A pawn broker ought not to have bought of a private soldier. for £4 10s. a gold watch which its owner said was worth £l2. The pawnbroker said it was only worth £5 or £5 10s. at the utmost to him in trade, and he gave £4 10s. for it. The Prisoner was found guilty. The jury recom mended him to mercy on account of the very good character which his sergeant had given him. The Assistant• Judge said, giving full•effect to the recommendation, he could not pass a less sentence than six months' hard labour. (Before Mr. Payne.) George Saville, 20, was indicted for stealing a purse and the sum of 2s. 11d. from the person of Jane Merrell, the wife of a chemist, of Queen's terrace, Camden-road. The offence was committed on the evening of the 7th inst. at the Kentish-town school-room, during a lecture by Gavazzi. The prisoner was caught in the act, and gave the purse up when it was demanded of him. The jury found him guilty, and three former con victions for robbery from the person were proved against him. On the last occacion he was sentenced by this Court to 12 months for stealing a watch. Mr Payne sentenced him to be kept in penal servitude for seven years. Mr. Dickie prosecuted; Mr. Barry was for the prisoner. - Two labourers, named Goddard and Sweeny, were tried for stealing a truss of hay, the property of a farmer at Teddington. They surrendered. The jury found them not guilty. Mr. Abram prosecuted ; Mr. F. H. Lewis de fended the prisoners. POLICE INTEELIGENCE.—Feb. 22. MANSION-HOUSE.—Robert Raynham, a re spectable-looking boy, between 14 and 15 years of age, messenger to Messrs. 'Hackett and Co., ship agents, of Savage-gardens, was brought before the Lord Mayor, charged • with having robbed his employers of a bag containing £ll 10s. Mr. R. Hackett said—On the 17th of this month I left in a bag in my safe in the office £ll 10s., and other moneys, received during the day by one of my partners, were also placed there. Ori the evening of that day I missed the bag and the money, and questioned the prisoner, who was a messenger in the office, and who had access to the safe, but he denied all knowledge of either. On Saturday morning we commenced a search, and in a drawer which contained some private papers of his, we found some memoranda which had pre viously been in the bag. Upon being shown these papers he snatched them up, but upon our taking them from him he fell down on his knees and cried and begged for mercy. We then sent for his father, who took him home and undertook to produce him at 10 ,o'clock this morning, which' he did. Amongst the papers found in the drawer was a receipt for £9, which he had paid in advance for board and lodging for three months at the house of a man whose daughter, I understand, he has been court ing. Ido not want to be vindictive, but I have taken these proceedings under the idea that he might be placed in a reformatory. The Lord Mayor—How old is he ? Prisoner's father—He was 14 in August last. The Lord Mayor—Then he is too old for a re formatory. (To the prisoner)—What have you to say to this charge ? Prisoner—Nothing. _ _ The Lord Mayor- - -Are you desirous that the case should be dealt with here, and that you should not be sent to the Old Bailey for trial ? The prisoner, who made no reply, held down his head. Smith (officer)—He wants to know whether if it is dealt with here he will get off. He wants to go to a reformatory. The Lord Mayor—He cannot do that ; he is too old. It is for ignorant boys who have no parents, or depraved parents, that reformatories have been instituted. The prisoner, who pleaded guilty to the charge, was then remanded till Friday, when he will be brought up in petty sessions. WORSHIP-STREET.—George Inskip, 21, a shoemaker by trade, was charged with violently assaulting Mary Ann Clark. The complainant's story was a very sad one. Eight months since her mother died, and her father soon married again. She was glad to leave her former comfortable home for servitude. There she by some casual circumstance was introduced to the defendant, and unfortunately listened to his per suasions to take a lodging and consent to his ad dresses. She did so. Their marriage was arranged, and then she fell into the trap which it was mani fest had been systematically set for her. He threw himself out of work, and commenced a series of ill usage which resulted in her following the streets to supply them both with the necessaries of life. At length from incessant kickings and beatings she left him, resolved, as she said, to lead a new life, but ashamed to seek her father. She shared the lodging of a young woman whom she formerly knew, and was endeavouring to procure a situation again as a servant, when on Monday evening her seducer met her, struck her with his' fist twice on the face, and gave a third blow which inflicted a terrible injury to left eye in presence of police constable Walsham, 73 G, who thereupon took him into custody. The front of the girl's dress was covered with blood, yet despite the ill-treatment endured on this and former occasions, she appeared very much td regret having appeared against him. Defendant I said he was sorry, and Mr. D'Eyn court, sentenced him to'four months' hard labour in the House of Correction, and to find two sureties for a like term. LAMBETH.--Joseph Lock, a person of respect able appearance; who described himself as a com mercial traveller, and who had been brought in custody from Birmingham, was placed at the bar before Mr. Elliott, charged on his own .confession with stealing a gold watch, gold chain, and a signet ring, of the value of £2O, the property of Mr. Joseph William Jones, a watchmaker, in Gravel lane, Southwark. The prosecutor deposed that on the 17th of last September he gave a gold watch to the prisoner to pawn, and at the same time let him have a gold chain and signet ring. It was his wish that the watch should be pledged at the shop of Mr. Richards, in the Westminster-road, and he accom panied the prisoner there, and waited his return with the money he was to get on it, but he did not make his appearance. He (witness) waited in the Belvidere-road and saw the prisoner go into Mr. Richards' at a door in that road, but on inquiry it appeared he passed out of another door into the Westminster-road, walked off with the property, and he had not seen him from that time to the present. The prisoner, however, had forwarded to him the ticket of the watch, which it appeared he had pledged at a shop in Farringdon-street for £B, though the sum he was to have pawned it at Richards' for was £lO. Prisoner—Might I ask you, Mr. Jones, why you did not pawn the watch yourself? Witness—Because I was known as living in the neighbourhood, and did not like to go to a pawn shop. l i risoner—Now don't you. make a living by buy ing and pawning watches ? • Witness—Certainly not. The prosecutor admitted that some offers had been made to compromise the case by paying the money for the articles, but he refused to listen to it. The prisoner contended that the offence was not one of a felonious character—he said if his worship thought otherwise he should request that he might be remanded for legal advice and assistance. Mr. Elliott remanded him to Monday next. WANDSWORTH.—Three gentlemen, residents of the parish of Battersea, applied to Mr. Ingham for his advice and assistance under the following circumstances :—They stated that they were the auditors of accounts under the Metropolis Local Management Act, appointed by the Vestry of St. Mary's, Battersea, and although the general rate had advanced over a period of three years they had never been able to audit the accounts. Applications had been made to the overseers by the auditors for the production of all vouchers for the payment of money, &c., ,and they had declined to make any statement hatever. The auditors now asked for his worship's advice in the matter. Mr. Ingham, upon referring to the Metropolis Local Management Act, said it appeared that the accounts were to be audited every May. He wished to know if the auditors attended at the vestry or district Board of Works last May to examine the accounts. One of the applicants said he did not. Mr. Ingham then inquired when the auditors gave the overseers notice to produce the accounts ? The applicant said that three weeks ago they gave them notice to produce the accounts to be audited. Mr. Ingham—Did you mention any specific time? Applicant said they gave them notice to produce them within a week, but they had not attended to it. Mr. Ingham said the notice would not do. He should state the day and hour when they should produce the accounts. He, however , should advise them to wait until next May, and then give the overseers formal notice to appear at a certain day and at a particular hour with their accounts to be audited. His worship then inquired if they knew what proviso there was in the act to enable the magistrate to deal with the overseers in case of refusing to allow the accounts to be audited ? Another of the applicants said he did not know if there was any proviso. Mr. Ingham said they had better adopt his advice, and in the meantime they could look through the act to ascertain if there was any powerfor the magi strates to interfere. If there was not, they would have to apply to the Court of Queen's Bench for a mandamus compelling the overseers to produce all their accounts. The applicants thanked his worship for his ad vice, and promised to follow it out. HEALTH OF LONDON .DURING THE WE.EK. (From the Registrar-General's Report.) The returns for London exhibit a comparatively satisfactory state of the public health. The deaths registered; which in the previous week were 1,274, declined to 1,156 in the week that ended last Satur day. In the 10 years, 1849-58, the average number of deaths in the weeks corresponding with last week was 1,178; but as the deaths in the present re turn occurred in a population which has increased, they should be compared with the average after it is raised in proportion to that in crease--namely, with 1,296. The result of the comparison is that 140' persons survived last week whose deaths would have been placed on the registers if the mortality had been equal to the average rate for this period of the year. The mortality from scarlatina and diphtheria showed a decrease in the first week of the present month, but it has been stationary since that time. The deaths from these two diseases last - week were 90, the corrected average for corresponding weeks being 36. Diphtheria was recorded in 21 cases, which occurred in the following sub-dist r i c t s : One in St. Mary's, Paddington ; one in Chelsea, north-east ; two in Belgrave, one in Long-acre, one in Golden-square, one in Regent's-park, one in Tottenham-court-road, one in Gray's-inn-lane, one in • Kentish-town, one in St. Mary-le- Strand, one in London City, north-east ; one in Ratcliff, one in St. Saviour, one in St. Olave, one in London-road, one in Trinity, Newington ' • two in Peckha m , one in Woolwich Do c ky ar d, and one in Lee. A girl diedifrom diphtheria last week at 7, Rush-grove, Woolwich, and it appears that six children, five of whom were in one family, have died in that house from the same disease since January 3. It is satisfactory to observe that smallpox was less fatal last week, the deaths, which had risen to 29, having again declined to 13. Seven children died of syphilitic disease; two persons from intern perance, five infants from malformations, two by murder. Five minagenarians, all women, were registered ; the oldest was a widow, aged 96 years. Last week the birth of 996 boys and 944 girls, in all 1,940 children, were registered in London. In the 10 corresponding weeks of the years 1849-5.8 the average number was 1,662. At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean height of the barometer in the week was 29.991 inches. The mean daily reading was above 30 inches on three days. The barometrical readings varied from 29.69 inches on Sunday to 30.25 inches on Saturday. The mean temperature of the week was 45.1 deg., which is 6'9 deg. above the average of the same week in 43 years (as determined byMr. Glaisher). The mean daily temperature was above the average throughout the week, and on Wednes day and Thursday this excess was equal to about 12 deg. The thermometer in the shade reached its highest point, 59 deg., on Wednesday, and fell to its lowest, 33.2 deg. on Saturday. The range of the week was therefore 25.8 deg. The mean daily range was 14.7 deg. The difference between the mean dew point temperature and air temperature was 5.1 deg. The mean temperature of the water of the Thames was 44.3 deg. The wind blew gene rally from the south-west. On Friday it was in the north-west. On Wednesday the horizontal movement of the air was 255 miles, and on that day the wind reached a maximum pressure of 121 b. on the square foot. The amount of rain in the week was not more than o'o9 in ches. DESTRUCTION OF NAPHTHA WORKS BY FIRE.-- On Sunday, the extensive naphtha works of Mr. Read Holliday, at Huddersfield, were , destroyed by fire. The total loss is estimated at £2,000. The property was not insured. BIRTHS. • • - - ERSRINE.—On the 19th inst., at Woolwich, the wife of Lieutenant-colonel Erskine, Military Train, of a son. FITZROY.—On the 21st inst., at 25, Belgrave-square, the Hon. Mrs. Horatio Fitzroy, of a daughter, KEKEWICH.—On the 21st inst., at Edgbaston, the wife of Trehawke Kekewich, Esq., of a son. • • Tonics.--On the 22d inst., at 51, Cleveland-square, Hyde park, Mrs. E. M. Tobias, of a son.• • • MARRIAGES BEAUMONT—DAY. — On the 21st inst., at the parish church, Hove, Joseph Beaumont, Esq., of Lineol n ' s -i nn,, eldest son of the late Rev. Dr. Beaumont, to Mary, the second daughter of the late Wm. Day, Esq., of Hadlow House, Sussex. OLIVER—HAIVTAYNE.—On the 15th inst., at St. Peter's Church, Dublin, Richard C. D. Oliver, of Rock Mills Lodge, county Cork, Esq., to Katherine, only daughter of the late Von. Jbhn Ha*tayne, D.D., Archdeacon of Bombay. DEATHS. Arrsox.—On the 14th ult., at Deyrah Dhoon, Octavius IL St. George Anson, Brevet-Major 9th Lancers, 'the second surviving son of the late General Sir Geo. Anson, G.C.8., from fatigue and exposure, having served all through the Indian campaign. CURLING. -011 the 20th inst., at Prospect-place, Deal, G. Curling, Esq., aged 77. HALLETT.-011 the 19th inst., at Rotherhithe, Mr. Jesse Hallett, aged 46. HASTIE.—O n the 19th inst., at his residence, Camberwell grove, James Hastie, Esq., of 8, Gray's-inn-lane, aged 58: ' O WELL.—On the 21st inst., John Powell, Esq., of Herne hill, Surrey, and of Lloyd's, aged 76. WISE.—On the 18th inst., at Galatz, Commander Charles Arthur Wise, R.N., commanding H.M.S. Wezer, aged 31, eldest son of the late Charles Wise, Esq., of the New Forest. 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 Middlesex, Wednesday, Febraary 23, 1859. Ti an tl Cp 11:ao1 and Pi Box( Gail Tv Chair A John r .,aPta "Pta at ‘-'apta "antes 84 Jo rl, Gentl bevy sass t ake to, allotted the Art O 1 went, (1 Nonaf in "ter th (t N E WE A I i M ITIE tr aCtivr W hich" B* °Y tl 1 ° II the lAto rati 1 40ie ' pa in or of moil IST - DI Janie: To th 111( fp ( ph- 0 Ac oi