The Sun. — London, England, 1846-08-07 00:00:00

After a few words from Mr. WOOD. The House went into Committee on the Bill, and the several clauses were read, and agreed to. The House resumed, and the report was ordered to be brought up to morrow. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS BILL. This Bill was read a third time and passed. „Tne rep or t i o f the Copyhold Bill, the Turnpike Act ' ll , the S toc k • i n-Trade Bill, the H i ghway Rates , 15 and the L oan S oc i et i es Bill were rea d an d rece i ve d, and the Bills were ordered to ba read a third time to morrow. 4 . The For ms (A ssesse d T axes ) Bill was read a second "me, and ordered to be committed to-morrow. THE SPIRIT LICENSE BILL. On the motion that this Bill be read a third time, , The CHANCELLOR o f the EXCHEQUER sa i d that he had lately received a deputation from the chemists In London, and he had desired them to go to the chair man of the Board of Excise. Pie had understood that all objections were removed, and came into the House w ith that imp ress i on; b u t since h e came i nto t h e H ouse e found that they were not entirely so. He was ready to make such alterations as might be considered necessary. WAKLL'Y was by no means satisfied with this ;_u" l - It wo u ld b e su pp or t e d b y t h e w h o l esa l e d ea l ers because it would throw a monopoly into their hands. It ta ke render it necessary for 3,000 more druggists to 44 e out licenses under this Bill, or they would not be !ale in having a still or even a retort upon the premises; b esides, th e Bill h a d on l y b een i n the llouse e i g h t d ays. 'le, therefore, wished to ask whether it was just or equitable that a Bill, affecting in such an extensive way II large class of persons, ought to be pushed hastily t hrough the House, without time being allowed for dis cussing it? What the persons who would be affected 'anted was, more time, to enable them to become ac quainted with its provisions, as the chemists and drug gists, whom it would most materially affect, knew no thing of its nature.—(Hear, bear.) They considered that the principle sought to be introduced was altogether un necessary with res p ec t t o th em , as th e o bj ec t of th e Governm en t might be obtained by less objectionable means ; as it required them to take out an annnal license, at the cost of 2/. 2s. a year. The feeling against the excise laws was sufficiently strong already, but they would render those laws more objectionable by placing 3 ,000 persons under the surveillance of a supervisor. If a measure was necessary to prevent fraud, it ought not to be hastily passed, He would not move any amend ment, but would press the Right Hon. Gentleman to Postpone the measure until Mo n d a y wee k, in or d er t o afford time for deliberation. He was authorised to state t hat no factious opposition would be offered : on the contrary, the parties would do their best to promote the object the Government had in view. Mr. HUME wished to know if any report had been Presented to the llouse, relative to the evils which existed under the existing law? If such a report had not been presented, and he did not think that it had, he thought the House ought not to pass a measure which Would affect 3,000 persons. Some case ought to be Made out, yet he had beard nothing of the subject ; nothng of th frauds on te . No reason had been i assig ned e by the Chancellor of revenue xche the Equer and the measure ought to be postponed until they had in formation on the subject. He agreed with his Hon. Friend (Mr. Wakley) that the excise-laws were objec tionable enough. Sir DE LACY EVANS also advocated the postpone ment of the measure, on the ground that the Bill had only been printed since Friday last. Even many Hon. Iletnbers had only been able to obtain copies within the last hour. He trusted, under all the circumstances, the Right non. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer f vt : _ould see the necessity of postponing the third reading or a week or ten days. After a few words from Mr. DUNCAN, which did not reach the gallery, _ The CHAN CELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the Bill was prepared by the late Government in conse quence of great frauds which had been committed on the Excise, and the real object of the Bill was to provide against a recommittal of such frauds.—(Hear, hear.) Ile had, however, no objection to take the third reading t hen, and defer its passing till that day week. He bad some amendments to make to the Bill, and t hese amendments should be added and the Bill after- Wards reprinted. Me. B. ESCOTT presumed that they were to take the consid era ti on o f t h e Bill on t h e quest i on t h at t h e Bill do pass.—(Yes, yes.) He thought that some time 8110 111 d be given for the consideration of the measure. „Mr. WILLIAMS said it was strange, at the close of lue session, for the Government to push forward the pre sent, Bill. He complained that the Excise laws, air eady so stringent, should be f u rther ext e nd e d, and t t t 9at new parties we r e t o b e b roug ht un d er th e i r o p era - ThereL l M was no necessity, in his opinion, for the 'ea-sure. Mr. HENLEY thought the Bill should be recommitted 4 ,1 1(1 printed with the amendments, so that the country 'might be aware of the nature of the measure. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER con ,z Zdered that the course he proposed was a fair one. It :aid not ba recommitted at that stage. His proposal 0111 d enable the Bill with the amendments to be t, r e i nted, and time would be given for their provisions to fully considered. The Bill would not bring fresh parties under the operation of the Excise laws, but a irn PlY under the operation of the officers of the Excise tt, - the extent proposed in the measure. sa Ze.ESCOTT—What he wished to say was, that he sui;.no tofference between putting parties not hitherto xe ' lec t them under the Excise laws and under the the inasmuch as the officers could only act through Alr. WAKLEY wished, for the way in which this Bill would affect London, that the clauses to which he had formerly alluded should be postponed or amended. The CIIANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER would think of it. The Bill was then read a third time, and ordered to be engrossed. Several Bills, brought down from the Lords, were or dered to lie on the table. GAUGE OF RAILWAY BILL. On the order of the day being read for going into et nntnittee on this Bill, Mr. P. M. STEWART opposed the Bill as being of a very unsatisfactory nature, and did not tend to settle the Point in a proper manner. Uniformity of gauge was perfectly desirable, and this Bill would only multiply the evil by adding 500 miles more of the broad gauge than was at present existing. There were 2,700 miles of the narrow, and only 300 mile 3 of the broad gauge. Mr. M. GIBSON said that Parliament was responsi ble for this Bill, and it was brought forward simply for th e purpose of carrying out the recommendations of the Commissioners appointed by both Houses of Parliament. Ile did not think the proposed Bill would at all multiply the evil of the break of gauge. It would have the effect of preventing an increase in the number of those breaks by amending certain Bills which had received the sanction of the Legislature without containing any provision as to the gum of the railways. Uniformity was certainly very desirable, but that uniformity would not be obtained 'without the outlay of very large sums of money. Mr. PROTHEROE said that the broad was much the be st gauge in existence, and the carriages moving upon the broad gauge lines were much more commodious and much better ventilated than any others ; and they were able to travel at a much greater speed. lie thought the inconvenience of the break of gauge was not so much to be deprecated as the break of management which there had been in certain cases. The House then went into Committee on the Bill. Upon clause 1 being read, a short discussion arose, in which Mr. Ewart, Mr. Russell, and another lion. Mem ber took part, upon the subject of locking the doors of the Great Western Railway, which ended in Mr. RUSSELL saying that the directors of the Great Western Railway were anxious to afford every possible convenience for the public ; but he was sure that every arrangement made would be always attended with some partial inconvenience. Mr. P. M. STEWART thought the country must soon come to the decision of obtaining uniformity of gauge, and he thought it would be better to grapple with the difficulty when there were only 300 miles to bo tered, instead of having, as they shortly would if this ill were passed, to alter 800 miles. Clause 1 was then agreed to. Clauses 2 to 4 were also agreed to. Upon clause 5 being rea d, Mr. SPOONER made some remarks on the necessity of giving to Birmingham a competing line, on the broad gauge, to London. This could not be effected by the provisions of the present Bill, as there would be three inconvenient breaks of gauge. After a few words from Mr. M. Gibson, Sir J. Pak ington, Mr. Williams, and Sir B. Ferguson, clause 5 Was agreed to. The remaining clauses of the Bill were agreed to. The House resumed, and the report was ordered to be received on Monday next. NAVAL MEDICAL SUPPLEMENTAL FUND SOCIETY BILL. This Bill went through Committee, and the report was ordered to be received to-morrow. The Steam Navigation Bill and the Rateable Property Bill were postponed till Monday. DUBLIN WIDE STREETS BILL. This Bill was read a third time and passed. FISHERIES (IRELAND) BILL. On the order of the day for going into Committee on this Bill, Captain JONES expressed his dissatisfaction with the 8111, and after referring to the law relating to the fisheries, contended that the evidence taken before the Commission, a report of which he held in his hand, was entirely opposed to the provision of this Bill. The Whole of the North and Ireland were opposed to it, and he was surprised that, under such circumstances, the measure was proposed to the House. LABOUCHERE said the subject was a very com plicated one, but having looked carefully into it in all its bearings he had come to the conclusion which his pre , decessor had arrived at, namely, that the Bill was the one best calculated to do the greatest amount of good.— (Rear.) It was supported by the majority of the influ ential people of Ireland, and he did not think the oppo sition of the Hon. and Gallant Member opposite was well fo unded. —(near.) Sir R. FERGUSON pretested against the system which the Board of Works pursued towards the fishing interest of the north of Ireland. Mr. PIGOTT said the Bill had been introduced at the I ‘liggestio n o f a num b er of h i ghly respecta b le i n di v id ua l s inte rested is the t ra d e , an d b ase d on th e i r suggestions,with the recommendation of the Board of Public Works. s almon th e Bi ll passed this present session, the season of _, l e mon fishi ng would expire on the 20th of August, and T benefit o f the extension of the period sougt would thus be lost for the present year. • Mr. P. M. STEWART thought the Government ought to pause cue th ey passed such a B i l l . A s i m i lar measure had been t r i e d i n Scot l and an d h a d f a il e d i n producing any beneficial results. After a few words from Captain JONES, to the effect that uniformity of season' could not be obtained in the manner sought. Mr. PIG OTT explained that, according to the 3,1 clause of the Bill, the Board of Public Works were bound to exercise their powers, and to say yea or nay whenever it was called to their attention that the season was such as to render its ,xtension. expedient. The several clauses were then read and agreed to, and the report was ordered to be brought up to-morrow. The House resumed. BATHS AND WASIIHOUSES (IRELAND) BILL. This Bill was read a third time and passed. Mr. HAWES intimated, in answer to an Hon. Mem • ber, that it was intended to extend the provisions of the Bill to Scotland. STEAM NAVIGATION BILL. ho was born in 1822. Mrs. Cooko always appeared to me to be very fond of her husband. I should consider her good. looking on an evening but not on a morning.— (Laughter.) She is well got up.—(Renewed laughter.) By that expression I mean, she was always very well dressed. In answer to a suggestion from a juror, the witness said he declined to state the reason why he declined to act any longer for Mrs. Cooke. He sail it was in conse quence of an opinion he had formed. The juror—Was it one of disgust ? Witness—l should rather not answer the question or give any further reason ; but I declined to act in con gnome of an opinion I had formed founded upon parti cular facts. . Sergeant SHEE—Was there anything in the conduct of Mr. Wetherell towards his daughter, or in her con duct towards him, which induced you to decline to act any longer for the lady ? Witness—l would rather not state my reasons. I was acting professionally for the lady, and I do not think I ought to state anything mere. Sergeant SHEE—Did you see anything in the conduct of the father? Witness—lt appeared to me that there was a most extraordinasy degree of intimacy between the father and the daughter, and that he had an extra ordinary influence over her. Baron PARKE--How old is the defendant ? Witness —I should think about sixty. Sergeant SUER then put in a letter, without date, from the plaintiff's wife to her father, and the letter of the defendant to her, signed " The Wretch." They will be found in the copies of the correspondennce. Gordon, the clerk to the plaintiff's attorney, was then called, to prove, that upon an execution being served against the effects of the defendant, the letters that had been produced. and a number of others, to , ether with some envelopes, addressed to T. C. M 11;, Esq., and a copy of the letters sent by the plaintiff's wife to her husband, wero found in a box among his property. In cross-examination, the witness said that there were five or six hundred letters in the box. Some envelopes were addressed T. C. Mills, Esq., but he did not see any letter addressed to Miss Mills. Mr. Cooke was now living in Great Ormond-street. Before that, he lived in Seymour-street. Mrs. Baynton was thb landlady of the house. He said he had not seen her present when the witnesses who were to be questioned were present ; but he would not swear that she had not been in company with Mr. Cooke in the Queen's Bench Prison. Ho did not see Mrs. Baynton in Croydon upon the occasion of the last trial, and he had not seen her in Guildford since these assizes commenced. The House went into Committee on this Bill. Mr. P. M. STEWART wished to know whether the Bill had been altered from its original form. Mr. M. GIBSON said it remainci almost as it stood at first. It was intended, however, to compel paddle wheel steamers to carry paddle-box boats, unless in par ticular circumstances, in which case the Board of Trade, if it thought proper, might license them to sail with only the common description of boat. As to the mail steamers, they would be subjected to another super vision than that appointed by the present Bill. Mr. P. M. STEWART said the Oriental Steam Com pany had been in correspondence with the Admiralty ; trial had been made of the paddle box boats, and it ended in the Admiralty being of the Company's opinion that the attempt was a failure, and the expense was useless. _ Tho whole of the clauses having been agreed to, the House resumed, and the Bill was ordered to be reported to-morrow, (this day.) Mr. BROTHERTON, in the absence of Mr. Hutt, who had previously given notice of the motion, moved for a return of all the appointments made by the Se cre!ary of State for the Colonies, since the Ist day of September, 1841, to public offices in any of the colonies or dependencies of the British Crown ; stating the name and previous employment (as far as it is known) of each individual so appointed, the date and nature of his appointment, and the salary attached to it. Mr. LABOUCHERE obtained leave to bring in a Bill to provide for removing the charge of the consta bulary force in Ireland from the counties, and enlarg ing the reserve for ce ; an d t o m ake further provision for the regulation and disposition of the said constabu lary force. _ _ _ The Bill was brought in and read a first time. The remaining orders of the day were then disposed of, and the House adjourned at a Quarter to Ten o'clock. Some other letters were here put in and read. Mr. Baron PARKE observed that he did not see how those letters could, in strictness, be produced as evi dence. Sergeant CHANNELL said he did not object. He wished the documents to be read. The first nuptial settlement was then read. It com menced by reciting that a debt was due from the defen dant to his daughter amounting to 15,0001., and the defendant undertook to repay the amount by yearly in stalments of 5001., the whole of which was placed at the disposal of Mrs. Cooke, and the plaintiff did not take any interest or advantage under the deed. At three o'clock the Court and jury adjourned for a few minutes to take some refreshment, and the trial was :hen proceeded with. Eleanor Williams, examined by Mr. JAMES —I am at present chambermaid at the Rummer Hotel, Bristol, and in 1843 I was in the same capacity at the Beaufort Arms, Chepstow, and I remeniber inquiries being made of me in June, 1845, relative to some parties who had come to the Beaufort Arms in August, 1843. I remem ber an old gentleman coming to the inn at Chepstow in that month. He was accompanied by a young lady ap parently about eight-and-twenty years old. There was nothing particular about the dress of the gentleman, but I noticed that ho wore gold spectacles. I saw them both upon their arrival in the inn, and they engaged a bed room, a sitting-room, and a dressing-room. Two of the rooms were numbered 12 and 13. There was a large bed and a small bed in the bed-rooms, and they selected the room which was usually occupied by a lady and gentleman. They stopped two nights in the hotel at Chepstow, and both occupied the same bed. When they went away from the hotel they left a box in the care of the boots, and I am not aware of anything else being left. I left my situation at Chepstow to go to Bristol, in December, 1844. After the lady and gentleman left, some appli cation was made about a cloak and an umbrella, but I do not think the articles were found, and I do not know who made the inquiry respecting them. I was first asked whether I could identify this lady and gentleman in the summer of last year. Two gentleman came to the Rummer Hotel, at Bristol, aad I saw a portrait, in the bed-room, of one of them. I was taken to the Queen's Bench prison in June last year;and I there saw the gen tleman whom I had seen before at the Beaufort Arms with the young lady. He had gold spectacles on, and I recognised him immediately. I afterwards saw the lady in the same prison. I am sure they are the parties who were at the Beaufort Arms at Chepstow, and who slept together. I went back to my situation at Bristol, and in a short time the plaintiff, Mr. Cooke, and another gentleman, came to the Rummer Hotel, and it was on this occasioa that I found a portrait in their room. It was the portrait of a clergyman in his robes, and I believe it to be the one now produced. I had not seen the portrait before I recognised the gentleman in the Queen's Bench prison. I saw the same gentleman sitting in the Court at Croydon upon the last trial, and I pointed him out. Cross-examined—There was another chambermaid at the Beaufort Arms when I first went there, and we shared the perquisites. She had them one week and I had them the other. I cannot tell whether she had left the service in August, 1843. The lady and gentleman came to the inn in a postchaise. I will not swear that they did not come by water. I will not swear either way, or that a waterman did not bring their luggage. I cannot say whether any other party came to the inn that day. No. 13 was the dressing-room, and 12 the bed-room. I cannot exactly say what number their sating room was, but I think it was No. 12. I have learned since that Mr. Cooke was one of the gentlemen who applied to me at the Hummer. He was accompanied by a lady, and they both occupied one room. The lady first spoke to me upon the subject of the lady and gen tleman coming to Chepstow. I don't think Mr. Cooke said anything to me upon the subject till the next morn ing. Mr. Pring is the landlord of the Rummer Hotel. I believe the lady said that they were in search of a gen tleman and lady, and that the gentleman was an elderly man, and that he stooped, wore spectacles, and had the appearance of a clergyman, but I cannot say whether I replied that I did not recollect any such persons. I will swear that this did not occur in the presence of Mr. Bring. The gentleman did say to me, " Try what you can recollect by to-mor row." I went to London on the following day. I was alone. I went to 29, Seymour-street, where I saw Mrs. Baynton, the lady whom I had previously seen with Mr. Cooke at Bristol. I was taken to tho Queen's Bench prison on the same day. I cannot swear whether I saw Mr. Cooke and Mrs. Baynton the next day, or whether they examined me. To the best of my belief, I cannot say. Mrs. Baynton gave me the money to pay my fire back to Bristol, and I was afterwards sent for a second time by Mrs. 13.4nt0n, and it was upon this occasion I was taken to the chapel of the prison, where I saw the defendant and his daughter. Mrs. Baynton paid my ex penses both on the first and second visits. I showed the portrait that was left in Mr. Cooke's room to the house she seemed to be poorly, and was much thinner. I told her she looked ill, and she said she had been ill, but when I said she ought to have a doctor, she replied that her papa was her doctor. The witness then proceeded• to describe the appearance of some linen that was brought home by the defendant's daughter, upon her return with her father from their journey, and said that in her opinion it denr)ted that a miscarriage had taken place. She likewise said when Mr. Cooke was taken into cus tody, and the inquiry took place at the Queen-square Police-office, upon their return home she heard Mrs. Cooke say, that sooner than live with her husband again she would see him transported beyond the seas. Mr. IL G. Shute, a surgeon residing in Mecklenburgh square, deposed that he was in extensive practice as a surgeon and accoucheur, and he expressed an opinion that the appearances described by some of the witnesses denoted a miscarriage to have taken place, and could not be reasonably accounted for in any other manner in the cage of a young healthy woman. In answer to questions from the Court, the witness said that some disorders of a character peculiar to fe males mi4ht produce somewhat similar results. Mr. Sells, another medical gentleman, gave a similar opinion as to the appearances described being the result of a miscarriage. James Russell, the husband of the former witness, de posed that in consequence of a communication made to him by the husband of the laundress, he was induced to pay particular attention to the conduct of the defendant and his daughter, as they thought there was something very wrong going on. After he had gone to bed, he re peatedly heard the doprs of the bed-rooms of Mr. Wetherell and his daughter open and shut, and this hap pened at all hours of the night. The coachman (Revell) also used to watch, and he had seen him listening on the staircase. He once went i n t o M r . W e therell's bed-room without knocking, and he found them both there, and Mrs. Cooke appeared very much confused, and her hair was hanging about her shoulders. She complained to her father of his going into the room, without knocking, and he replied, "Oh, never mind Russell." He had seen Mrs. Cooke go into her father's bed-room with nothing on but her dressing-gown. They used to be very loving at meals, and used to shake one another's hands, and if she happened to forget to bring any thing down stairs, they would playfully struggle together and push each other to try which should be first to get it. They used to drink love to each other at dinner time, and he had often seen Mr. Wetherell's arm round his daughter's waist. He had seen her also lying upon the sofa after dinner with nothing but a dressing-gown on, and with her hair hanging about her ears. Upon another occasion, about seven o'clock in the morning, he missed Mr. Wetherell from his bed room, and his suspicion being excited, he knocked at the bed-room door of Mrs. Cooke, and she said something in a low tone and sent him away. The witness went on to state, that before Mrs. Cooke and her father left town is August, 1843, he had observed that the former ap peared to be getting very stout, and on their return she appeared very much thinner, and seemed to be very ill. Cross-examined—Witness and his wife went to the house in Eaton-place in April, 1843, and it was under stood that they were to remain there until the house was let, and that they were in the mean time to wait upon the defendant and his daughter. Could not say when the occurrence took place of his not finding Mr. Wether ell in his bed-room ; it might have been in May, June, July, or September, or perhaps August. He had re ceceived 101. from Mr. Cooke, and the money was marked in the presence of Mr. Wetherell and a police. man ; and on this occasion Mr. Wetherell told him not to be bought cheap. He had seen Mr. Cooke at the house in Seymour-street, but he did not know that he was living with Mrs. Boynton at that house. He saw Mrs. Boynton two or three times in the year 1844, but he denied having asked her for any money. Mr. Cooke was present on those occasions, but he did not examine him, or inquire the evidence he had to give in her presence. When he said that he had seen Mrs. Cooke with nothing but a dressing-gown on, he did mean that she had no other articles of clothing on, but she had taken her gown off, and put on a dressing-gown. It was hot weather at the time, and Mrs. Cooke was said to be very poorly. When he was examined at the last trial, he did not say a word about the defendant and his daughter toying together when they were at dinner Mr. Wetherell would say to his daughter at dinner! " My love to you, my dear." Mr. CLanKsoN—And did you think that indecent ? Witness—l did. I thought their conduct was improper. Baron PARKE —I think you should give some other reason for your opinion than what you have just stated. By Mr. CHAMBERS—Had lived in many respectable families, and he never saw a father act towards her daughter in the manner Mr. Wetherell did to Mrs Cooke. At half past seven o'clock the further proceedings in the cause were adjourned until this morning. QUARAN TINE. The following is the report of the Academy of Medi cine of Paris upon this much-agitated question:— " We have lately shown how urgent it was becoming that reforms should be introduced into the existing sys tem of quarantine ; we demonstrated the evil conse quences arising out of the maintenance of rigorous measures, the only effect of which is to create difficulties in our relations with the East without insuring more security to public health. England and Austria have long since freed themselves from this excess of useless precaution, and experience has justified their temerity. Consequently, unless we choose wilfully to abandon the advantages of commerce with the East, it is high time for us also to modify the rigour of ouesanatory rules now enforced at Marseilles. " The experience of those two great nations is alone sufficient to show that the limits of the danger are much more circumscribed than ono would suppose. This im portant question has, however, been submitted to the Academy of Medicine and the Academy of Sciences. Of these two learned bodies, the latter is more particularly charged with enlightening Government on all points where public health is in question, and has already made its report. That of the Academy of Medicine has just been delivered, and it does not appear favourable to the sanatory precautions actually taken in France. An opinion may be formed on this subject from the follow ing extract from it:— keeper, and several other of the servants. I afterwards took the portrait with me to Seymour-street. Mrs. Baynton accompanied me to the last assizes in a cab. I saw Lee, the boots at the Rummer, at Mrs. Baynton's, in Seymour-street, but he did not stay till the trial. Ile was one of the persons to whom I had shown the por trait. When I was examined upon the last trial, I said that I had never seen a portrait, and I repeated the answer, although I was asked the question several times. I did not know what I was saying. I don't think I said a word about finding the portrait in the dressing-case. I have never said that the rooms occupied by the parties were Nos. 13 and 17. This important document is the work of a commis• sion composed of Messrs. Adelon, Begin, Dubois (d'Amiens), Dupuis, Perrus, Londe, Malier, Pariset, Poisenille, Royer-Collard, et Prus (reporter). The re port is divided into four parts:—The first refers to countries in which the plague has arisen or still arises spontaneously. The second relates to its epidemic or sporadic character, and to the manner in which it pro pagates itself. The third treats of the transmissibility of the disease. In the fourth and last part, the object of the Commission was to inquire what is the common or exceptional time for the incubation of the plague. Then are introduced the applications that may be made to the question of quarantine. " What definition is to be given of the plague?—lt is a disease of the whole organisation, in which the nervous and lymphatic systems, as well as that of circulation, are principally affected, and which is commonly characterised externally by buboes, carbuncles, and petechim. From the numerous documents consulted by M. Prus, the plague thus defined has arisen spontaneously at different times, not only in Egypt, Syria, and Turkey, but also in a great number of other parts of Africa, Asia, and Europe. At the present moment it is almost exclusively from Egypt that we have to fear the importation of that disease. But if in the view of health we compare the different points of the globe acknowledged to give birth to the plague, we are amazed to see in Egypt, in spite of its fino climate, a miserable population inhabiting villages composed of filthy huts, unfit for human beings, living on spoiled seeds, unsound meat, and putrid fish ; we are surprised to see even the towns—even Cairo—encum bered with cemeteries, and composed of houses built ou sepulchral caves, where dead bodies lie mouldering. The same circumstances are to be met with at Erzeroum ,a large town, having 50,000 inhabitants, built in a penin sula formed . by the two northern sources of the Eu phrates. This city, where the plague arises spon taneously, is traversed by filthy streets; dead animals lie in them unheeded ; every description of filth is thrown into them , • the butchers kill animals in these streets, Re-examined—There was no other old gentleman and young lady stopping at the house at the time in question. I recognised the gentleman again the moment I saw him in the Queen's Bench. A man named Screm miger was with me, but he did not point him out to me. I was taken ill, and fainted about the time. I was exa mined respecting the portrait. No one did 'show me the portrait. I found it myself. lam still in the same ser vice at Bristol. Mary Anne Hall—l am a married woman, and carry on the business of a washerwoman in Hill-street, Dorset square. In the early part of 1843 I was in the habit of washing for Mr. Wetherell and his daughter, and I noticed from the first that a portion of his linen had been washed with scented soap, and his shirts have been sent to me wet. I noticed similar appearances upon the linen of his daughter. The rest of the evidence of this witness was of a simi lar character, and may not be further alluded to. Mr. Wm. Pitman, clerk to a stock-broker, proved that during the year 1841 he sold out 18,0001. standing in the name of Miss Wetherell, by direction of Mr. Wetherell. his daughter was present, and sanctioned the proceedings of each sale of stock. Mrs. Russell deposed, that she and her husband were in the service of Mr. Wetherell in April, 1843. They were engaged as general servants, and had the charge of the house in Eaton. place. They were in the habit of going backwards and forwards to Byfield. Mrs. Cooke's bed-room was on the first-floor, and her father's was next to it, and a dressing-room adjoining it. The witness then said, when I had been in the service a short time, not more than a week, I saw Mr. Wetherell come out of his daughter's bed-room at half-past five o'clock in the morning , and he had nothing on but his dressing gown and slippers. I saw him come out two mornings running, and about the same time. The first time I saw him he made a kind of stop or baulk ; but the second he did not appear to take any notice of me, I went into Mrs. Cooke's bed-room tho first morning I had seen her father come from it, and I found her which are, in short, as unhealthy as they can possibly be. The population of it are, generally speaking, very poor. " The same poverty is to be met with likewise on the banks of the Danube, and the want of rapidity in the current of that river produces the same effects as do marshes. On its banks the diseases, which are frequent in all seasons, frequently assume, after hot weather, a remarkably serious aspect. In the autumn of almost every year very dangerous intermittent fevers appear, and are soon followed by the plague, which is generally sporadic, but which in some years assumes the epidemic form. It is thus ascertained that in all countries where this disease has been observed to be spontaneous, it may reasonably be considered as arising from deter mined causes acting on a great portion of the population; these causes are, living on a marshy soil near the Medi terranean sea, near certain rivers—the Nile, the Ea phrates, or the Danube ; living in houses that are low, , and where th e r e ex i s t s supera tion of inhabitants ; hot and d am p animal a n d vegeta bl e su b stances in a bna s t iuor a nt fe wat nhe o tle f laalcc.etcinuotmniaoutlfea d .decomposition ; and, lastly, great moral and bodily misery. these generating causes being united every year in Lower Egypt, the disease is endemic in that country, where it is observed to assume the sporadic form every year, and the epidemic about every ten years. Besides, if we consult history, wo shall find that during the reign of the last of the Pharaohs, during the 194 years of the occupation of Egypt by the Persians, these laibescs r o o asl' theyl countries a and the Kables living, the first under Algiers forms an exception, be the 301 years during which l aste d the dom i nion o f Al e xander, the dynasty of Ptolemus, an d a grea t por tiOn of that of Rome , Egypt was free from the pl a gue. This absence of any epidemic for the long space of time during which go od administration and the sanitory police of the cou n t r y conquered the producing causes of the plague, jus tifies th e expectation that the same means will be followed by the sane results. " Epidemics of the plague have appeared in Syria, in ntries Algiers having being remained excepted, in it th m e ay b e same Turkey, in the regencies of Tripoli and Tunis, in Mo were when th e p l ague b ro k e ou t, for thi n ki ng that s i milar ep i dem i cs r ssmet ohtaa state uedt c yrse o ee ni a i oishnt that whichend do ohAAo sa reason tents, the second in abodes placed on the tops or sides of mountains, cannot give birth to the disease ; and also because that several marshy parts of that country have been made more healthy, and the truly remarkable improvements introduced into the construction and police of the small number of existing towns there seems to be a sufficient security against spontaneous epidemics of the plague. Prom this statement (which we may draw thi s i mportant conc l us i on — t h at is a summary of the first part of the work of the7com mission), the progress of civlli,ution and a constant and general , $ application a the laws of hygiene can alone furnish u 3 setting at a table, with only a dressing-gown. On one occasion, when I looked at Mrs. Cooke's bed, I have no doubt that two persons had slept in it. My husband was assisting me to make the bed at this time, and I pointed his attention to it. I never saw Mrs. Cooke's night dress in her bed-room, and it struck mo as being a remarkable circumstance. I do not know where she put her night-dress. I never saw it except on ber person. Mr. Wetherell always used to make his own bed, and his daughter gave me directions not to make it, as she said her father always did so him self. I never saw his bed, or the condition as though it had been slept in. I remember the de fendant and his daughter going away alone in August, and being absent about ten days. I do not know where they went. On the previous June and July I had re marked that Mrs. Cooke appeared getting much stouter, and I had much difficulty in getting her dresses to meet, and I saw her altering two of them. She said to me, on one occasion, that if I could not fasten her dresses without tearing them that her papa should dress her. When she came back, after being absent about ten days, THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, - AUGUST 7, 1846. with the means of preventing the outbreak of spouts nious plague. Let us now pass on to the second part. " Is the plague an epidemic disease, according to the sense of this word ? " A disease is epidemic when, in a given time, it at tacks a great number of persons. Epidemic. diseases present characters by which they may be distinguished from those that are not so. 1. There is a special march in their progress. Three periods are generally admitted —the commencing, the confirmed, and the declining or ending period. These often display neither the same symptoms, the same alterations, nor the same gravity. 2. During the reign of an epidemic disease other dis tempers are less frequent, and bear the stamp of the predominant affection. 3. Whilst an epidemic disease is raging, it seldom occurs that the persons who retain their health do not feel, more or less, the general in fluence. 4. Epidemic diseases often return and disap pear in the same season, and last generally the same length of time. 5. An epidemic disease is often pre ceded by other affections, offering various degrees of gravity, which are more or less general, and seem as it were its precursors. " All these characters having been observed in the plauge when it has raged with violence in Africa, Asia, and Europe, it ought, under these circumstances, to be considered as an epidemic disease. " But sometimes, in countries where the plague arises spontaneously, it attacks a small number of separate individuals; it is then termed sporadic, and is wanting in the characters belonging to epidemic diseases. " The plague, the influence of those labouring under the disease being put aside, is propagated in the same manner as the generality of epidemic diseases—that is to say, by the action of general causes. " After this follows, in the third part, an inquiry into the important but difficult question of the transmissibility of the plague, both within and without the epidemic focus. "Is the plague transmissible by inoculation? Is it transmissible in and out of the focus of the epidemic by immediate contact of those that are infected, by that of their garments, of goods, and by the miasmata exhaled by the persons infected, and which are conveyed by the air? " The following are the answers to all these questions, such as they flow, with so much order and lucidity, from the conscientious and profound discussion established in M. Prus's report. " The inoculation of blood drawn from the vein of an infected person, or the pus taken from a bubo, only gave equivocal results; the same attempt made with serosity taken from the plycterim of a carbuncle of the same na ture, always failed to give the plague. It is consequently not proved that the plague can be transmitted by inocu lation, even within the focus of the epidemic. " A severe and attentive examination of the facts of which medical science is posssessed, establishes, on one hand, that in the 'focus of the epidemic the immediate contact of infected persons by thousands proved to have no ill effect on those that were exposed to it in the open air or in well ventilated places; on the other hand, that the possibility of disease being transmitted by the simple contact of persons infected is not demonstrated by any rigorous observation. "A great number of facts prove that clothes having belonged to infected persons did not communicate the plague to those who made use of them without any pre vious purification in a country actually or recently sub mitted to a pestilential constitution. The facts which seem to have offered a contrary solution, can only be come of any value by being confirmed by new observa tions made without the epidemic focuses, far from those of miasmatic infection, and from countries where the pest is endemic. "The transmissibility cf the plague by goods, in coun trieswhere the distemper is endemic or epidemic, is by no . means proved. " Within the focus of the epidemic, the plague is trans missible by means of the miasmata arising from infected persons. " The pest is indubitably transmissible without the epidemic focuses, in ships at sea, or in the lazarettoes of Europe. " Nothing proves that the plague is transmissibls without the epidemic focus by the immediate contact of those who are infected. " It is not established that the pest is transmissible out of the epidemic focus by clothes that have been used by persons infected. "It is in no manner certain that goods can convey the plague out of the epidemic focus. " The classification existing in our lazarettoes for ob• jects liable and not liable is not grounded on any facts or experiments worthy of credit. "The investigation into the proper means of disin fecting clothes and goods has not yet been achieved. To make it rational it would be necessary that it should be preceded by the proof that these objects can be impreg nated with the principle of the plague. " The plague may be conveyed out of the epidemic cases by miasmatic infection—that is to say, by air charged with miasmata exhaled from the bodies of per sons infected. " From the various facts exposed in the chapter re lating to the transmissibility of the pest, it may be in ferred that infected persons, by vitiating the air of lo calities they inhabit, can create focuses of infection liable to transmit the distemper. " These focuses may remain after the parsons infected have been removed. " When once formed by the presence in a ship of one or a greater number of infected persons, the focuses of infection are liable to be carried great distances. " Patients labouring under the sporadic plague do not appear to have the power of creating focuses of infection sufficiently active to enable them to transmit the dis temper. " The degree of transmissibility of the pest varies ac cording to the intensity of the epidemic, according to the period it is in, and finally to the organic dispositions of individuals exposed to the action of the pestilential effluvia. " If it is not proved that the existence of a pestilential constitution in a country where the plague has been im ported be necessary to its transmission and propagation, it seems certain, however, that it can make no great ravages without finding in the climate, in the atmosphere, and among the inhabitants, favourable conditions to its increasing. " The fourth and last part of the report refers to the time of incubation of the pest. This is the name ap plied to the space of time during which the plague may remain concealed in an infected person previous to its becoming manifested by evident symptoms. " The time of incubation of the plague is very variable; it depends on the period of the epidemic, and likewise on other powerful influences. These variations, however, are restricted within certain limits. It is the knowledge of these that is of importance, for it is by them that the duration of quarantines is to be logically ruled. " It has been observed that when a pestilential epi demic commences in a town, the incubation is excessively short. Hence those cases of plague which prove mortal in a few hours. _ "In the second period of the epidemic, the duration of the incubation is from three to five days. " It is the same in the third. "If it be true that a fixed and absolute limit cannot be ascribed to the time of incubation, it seems, however, obvious, from well-known facts, that at a distance from countries where the pest is endemic, and out of the fo cuses of infection, the distemper never broke out among persons that had been exposed to its action, after they had been isolated for eight days. " The small number of facts seeming to depart from this rule arc all liable to different interrietation. "This extract, on account of the limits within which we are forced to keep, cannot give an idea of the extent of the work from which it emanates, but it is sufficient to show that among the numerous questions the Com mission had to examine, it has met with a certain number to which it has been able to give a clear and precise answer, pointing out as the object of future in vestigations, those questions to which the want of posi tive observations has prevented a solution being given. " in order to complete this laborious task, the Com mission thought proper to give a summary of the prin cipal applications of the scientific results it has come to. The Commission only gave advice and expressed desires; Government alone has the right to decide over them, and bring them to execution. " The sanitory measures which are to insure security to France may be reduced to five heads, viz.:— . " 1. The indication of the countries from which we may fear importation of the plague. " 2. The precautions to be taken on board of ships sailing for France from suspected countries. " 3. The rules to be observed during the voyage. "4. The precautions to be taken on reaching a French port. " 5. The measures to be adopted should the plague break out in a French town. " If wo did not want space we would lay before our readers the regulations made by the authorities of Mar seilles. " These regulations having been dictated under the influence of exaggerated fear, and a total ignorance of the limits of the danger, are stamped in several points with a character of barbarism which, as well as the re mainder of them, demand an early reform. "The fundamental idea which prevails through the regulations proposed by the Commission, consists in comprehending in the quarantine the time of the voyage, and imposing such measures as may offer the necessary security to the health of the persons on board during all the time elapsed since the moment of the ship's sailing. "But if any persons suffering with the plague are received in the lazarettoes, how are they to be treated? Aro they to be, according to the present regulations, shut up in a solitary room, examined at a distance of six feet through bars, turned about with hooks, or their tisanes to be conveyed to them on the extremity of a long board ? Is it necessary, when a bubo requires opening, that the surgeon should use long-heeled instru ments, or is a knife only to be thrown to him in cider that be may operate on himself ? "Persons infected by this distemper have a right to all the assistance that civilisation, science, and art can offer ; once admitted in the French lazarettoes, they are to receive all the relief and attendance that are given to common patients in the best-established hospitals. " The buildings in which they are to be received must be so disposed as to offer the patients and those that arc to attend on them the best possible hygiene conditions, and above all an easy and complete ventilation. " Other regulations that cannot fail to create indigna • tion, are those prescribed in case the plague should break out in a French town or only in a few houses. They consist in enclosing the population within acertain space, and by thus doing expose them to the general epidemic causes when they exist, and at all events laying them open to the influence of pestilential infection, to the crea tion of which they cannot fail concurring. " The Commission proposes a line of conduct entirely opposed to the measures now taken : they are to be re placed by means simple and of easy execution, which have already received the sanction of experience. " If the plague should break out in a house, the pa tient is to be removed to some distant and well-ventilated place, where ho may receive all necessary attendance. All the inhabitants of the house must repair to some ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. HOME ClRCUlT.—Guildford, Thursday, Aug. 6. (Before Mr. Baron PARKE and a Special Jury.) COOKE V. WETHERELL, CLERK. This was an action brought by the plaintiff, Mr. John Mynde Cooke, against the Rev. Charles Wetherell, his father-in-law, for criminal conversation with his wife. Mr. Sergeant Shee, Mr. Mostyn Chambers, and Mr. E. James appeared for the plaintiff. Sergeant Channell, Mr. Clarkson, and Mr. Lash were for the defendant. It will be remembered that this action was tried at the last summer assizes, at Croydon, when a verdict was re turned for the plaintiff, with 3,0001. damages ; but upon subsequent application to the Court, a new trial was ordered, which now came on to be disposed of. The proceedings appeared to create a . great deal of interest, and the Court was crowded the whole day. Mr. Sergeant SIIEE addressed the jury, and detailed in his novel, clear, able and forcible manner, the cir cumstances of the disgusting and horrible case which he said it was his painful duty to have to lay before them. He then called the following witnesses : Mr. W. H. Reade examined by Mr. James—l have known the plaintiff for several years, and was present at his marriage with Mrs. Cooke at St. George's, Hano ver-square, on the 25th September, 1842. The marriage took place in presence of the father of the lady. About nine or ten days afterwards, I called upon the defendant in order to ascertain what liabilities the defendant had incurred by his marriage, and this was done in conse quence of a bill having been presented to the plaintiff, accepted by his wife. I saw the defendant and made the inquiry of him, and mentioned one bill of 5501., of which his daughter was the acceptor. The defendant said there was but this one bill, and that it would forth with be arranged. I saw the defendant a second time the same day, and he told me he had seen his solicitor since I was with him, and he should decline having any further communications with me upon the subject. In the beginning of October I went down to Byfield, ac companied by the plaintiff, and I there saw the defen dant and his daughter. There was a difficulty about our admission to the meeting, and Mr. Cooke said he had only come to demand to see his wife, and to take her away with him. He was eventually admitted, and I heard some conversation in a loud and angry tone be tween the plaintiff and the defendant, bat we all left, and by arrangement with Mrs. Cooke returned to Byfield on the following day, and it was fully arranged that Mrs. Cooke should accompany her husband back to town, and she did so on the following day. This was on the Sunday fortnight after the marriage had taken place. Mr. Cooke appeared very kind and affectionate to his wife. At that time he had only just come of age, and ho had been admitted and was practising as an at torney. I know nothing of any liability incurred by the plaintiff except the bill I mentioned. Cross-examined—l am a bill discounter by professiou. My offices are in Duke-street, St. James's. I have had money transactions with Mr. Cooke, and at the time of his marriage I owed him five or six hundred pounds. I paid him that sum, and he has once owed me money, but he purged himself of the debt in the Insolvent Court. I did not know the marriage was to take place forty eight hours before the ceremony. Captain Gadsell and Mr. Waddy signed the marriage register. I myself fetched Miss Wetherell in Mr. Cooke's brougham to be taken to be married. Mr. Wetherell proposed to sell everything at Byfield and Eaton-place, and settle the proceeds on his daughter, and then go abroad and re side. I afterwards took possession of the house in Eton place, and when Mr. Wetherell endeavoured to move in, we refused to let him do so, and he remained outside for an hour or more. Mr. Waddy, Mr. Cooke, and my self went the day after this down to Byfield, but I swear it was not our intention also to take possession of the property there. I wished nothing of the kind. I did not see any one seize a poker, neither did I see Mrs. Cooke throw her arms round her husband's neck dur ing the altercation that took place at Byfield. Ido not know where Mr. Cooke is living now. His last resi dence was in Seymour-street Edgeware-road. Ido not know a Mr. Baynton. Re-examined—Mr. Waddy is a Parliamentary agent, and Mr. Gadsell is a captain in the army. At the time Mr. Wetherell agreed to dispose of the property in Lon don and at Byfield, it was stated that everything had been bought with Miss Wetherell's money, and it was in consequence of this statement that Mr. Cooke took pos session of the house and property in Eaton-place. Mr. Cooke did not owe five shillings beyond what he could pay at the time of his marriage, and all his embarrass meats had occurred since. The letters of the sth and 6th October, written by Mrs. Cooke to her husband were here put in and read. Mr. G. H. Corfield, examined by Sergeant SIIEE— I am an attorney; and acted in that capacity for Mr. Wetherell in 1842, as referree to the affairs of Mr. Cooke, and it was part of my duty to ascertain the liabilities of Mrs. Cooko previous to her marriage, and I found the amount to be from 1,5001. to 2,000/. I re member in particularr one acceptance of Miss Wetherell for 550/., and the furniture in Eaton-place had been seized as security for the payment of this bill. Mr. Wetherell and his daughter took up their residence at Mivart's Hotel, in Oct. of the year 1842, and Mr. Cooke endeavoured to see her, and I and Mr. Wetherell ar ranged that an interview should take place on the 22nd of November, and Mr. Cooke came about seven in the evening. He did not, however, see either Mr. Wetherell or his daughter, because the former objected to it, and he sent me down to pacify Mr. Cooke, and while I was gone he took his daughter away in a cab. Mr. Cooke was very much disappointed and excited at this proceed ing. Prior to this I had seen Mr. Wetherell near Gray's Inn. Mr. Cooke was with me, and when Mr. Wetherell saw him he ran away. I fellowed and over took him, and insisted upon his accompanying me to the chambers of a gentleman named Nesbit, to clear up something he had stated I had said respectieg Mr. Cooke. I then told him that Mr. Cooke had come to me in a very excited state, and said that the defendant had said, that I had told Mivart that Cooke's wife was unchaste when he married her, and I asked the defend ant whether he had ever made any such statement, and the defendant admitted he had, and persisted in the statement of my having said so to Mivart. The witness corrected himself, and said this occurred ten days after the proceeding he had alluded to at Mi vart's, and not before. He now proceeded with his evi dence. I insisted upon the defendant accompanying me to Mivart's, and after objecting for some time he agreed to do so, and two cabs were ordered, but when we ar rived at the hotel the defendant made his escape, and would not see Mr. Mivart. Another appointment wes made, but the defendant did not come. During my connexion with Mr. Wetherell he frequently made use of strange expressions towards the plaintiff, and on the 28th of October, when at my office, after discussing different matters, he said he had heard a strange charac ter of Cooke, and asked if I knew him about town. I replied that I did not. He then said he had heard amongst other things that he was a man-whore, and that he drove about the parks for hire. Upon another occa sion, when the defendant was endeavouring to induce his daughter not to return to Mr. Cooke, he said amongst other things that if she went back to him he would dis ease her, and another time I was present when the de fendant made his daughter take an oath that she would never return to her husband. I thought he seemed to possess very great influence upon her, for whatever reso lutions she came to when alone, they were all upset the moment her father had been with her, but she generally seemed anxious to return and live with Mr. Cooke. Ne gotiations were at this time going on regarding the first nuptial settlement, and it was agreed by all parties that Mr. and Mrs. Cooke should live apart until the set tlement was completed. I acted professionally for Mr. Wetherell, on the 25th November, and I then gave up all the papers to Mr. Nesbit. Cross-examined—l was acting in these matters as the attorney for Mrs. Cooke, and had not had any conversa tion with Mr. Cooke before. She was very anxious that such a settlement should be made as would have the ef fect of protecting her father from legal proceedings. When the defendant made his daughter take the oath that she would not live with her husband, I said, " Surely, you only wish this to be during your life." The oath was proposed ; but I cannot say positively whether it was taken or not. Mr. Wetherell all along appeared to have the greatest animosity and antipathy for the plaintiff. I once heard Mr. Wetherell say, that his daughter's life was in danger from Mr. Cooke, and she repeated the statement ; but I cannot state the time when this occurred, I never heard from Mr. Cooke that spot pointed :out by the authorities, and placed under the inspection of a medical man ; the house, after being ventilated, purified, and well cleaned out, must remain empty for a month at least. should the distemper break out in several lioues the same line of conduct must be adopted for each. " If a whole town were invaded by a pestilential i‘pi demic the same measures should be resorted to on a larger scale with the utmost severity, but the principle should not be altered. " Having thus fulfilled its duties by establishing the medical facts which are to be the groundwork of a reform, the Commission has ended its task by drawing up a summary of the principal applications which are to be made of the scientific results to which it has come. " It has not failed remarking, that by leaving to the Intendance Sanitiire of the various places the faculty of ascribing the business of their members, as well as the practical details in the application of the doctrines hitherto adopted, the central authority has in reality intrusted to these persons all the active part of the sanitury police, and has submitted to their arbitrary authority all ships, passengers, and goods. " The question on the means to be employed 'by the country, in order to preserve itself from the plague, is obviously a general one. There can be no doubt as to the propriety of consulting the towns which are the most exposed to the introduction of the disease; their experi ence and traditions are not to be overlooked; but it is the central authorities, enlightened by the opinions of the most competent men, that must prescribe under the form of ordinances, regulations, or instructions, not only the general principles, but even. the smallest details of the sanitory regulations." HOW TO MAN THE FLEET. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES. Sir,—ln the course of the last ten years several events have occurred which have brought this country to the verge of war—events equally unprovoked and unforeseen, but which the most anxious desire for peace on the part of England has failed to prevent. In most of these cases, war has been avoided either by concessions carried to the utmost limit, or by accepting a very inadequate reparation for wrongs inflicted. The unprepared state of England rendered any sacri fice preferable to war, for steam, as a new element of warfare, has wrought a complete revolution, by depriv ing her of at least one•half the security hitherto afforded by her insular situation. There can be no question that the means of defence to be derived from steam fleets bears no proportion to the advantages which in a much greater degree it gives to attack; but while France cultivates this arm with startling energy, and maintains, under the " Inscription Maritime," her whole seafaring population available for the fleet on the instant, England has entirely failed to realise the change in her own position, and to take those measures which a large steam navy, 100,000 sea men, and 40,000 regular troops, across the water, have rendered indispensable to her security. With the exception of the part between the Thames and the Land's-end, the whole coasts of England, Ire• land, and Scotland, lie completely bare to the attack of an enemy; and of hundred of ports, containing mil lions of property, not ten are capable of defence against Ave steam-frigates with as many thousand troops on board. The very notion of preventing the egress of such a force from the ports of France and Belgium by blockade is ridiculous, and our ports must henceforward be pro tected by works capable of repelling such attacks, and an efficient land force, in addition to our wooden walls. But, during the period mentioned, not only has the navy been the only means of defence, but it has been in general reduced to the lowest possible amount, and all attempts to increase it to meet occasional emergencies have proved wholly impracticable. In 1839.40, when seven or eight line-of-battle ships were added to the force, not one was manned within five months, and more than a year elapsed before all were ready for service. _ Thus, instead of a proof of preparation and efficiency calculated to prevent hostilities, a deplorable spectacle of weakness was exhibited, offering the most powerful inducements to aggression. The prestige with which the name of England was invested afforded the best security for the peace of the world ; but she has suffered this gradually to decline ; and a peace policy that consists in neglecting the means of defence—in conceding every. thing and enduring everything—must eventually cause the evil it weakly endeavours to avert, and render it, when it does occur, in the last degree disastrous. The political horizon is at present without a cloud, and this breathing time will be well employed in con sidering the events of the past ten years in connexion with the preparation of the country for defence, and as a means of making a better preparation for the future. I propose to confine my observations to a branch of the subject of inestimable importance—" The means of manning the fleet"—a point in which we have hitherto been utterly deficient, unless by means of impressment. While most people believe that this method would fail to supply our need in time, every one will agree that to resort to it would be in the last degree disgraceful, see ing that during thirty years' peace a proper organisation of resources would have rendered a recurrence to such a system of injustice and cruelty wholly unnecessary. The tyrant plea " necessity " can never be allowed where the necessity is distinctly caused by a wilful and obstinate refusal to adopt other adequate and effective measures for securing the ends desired. . . Of the 40,000 men now voted for the service of the navy, nearly one-half are comprised under the heads o officers, marines, artificers, servants, and boys, leaving only about 20,000 seamen and landsmen. The whole number of merchant seamen falls but little short of 400,000, and yet when a small increase for the navy is required, no volunteers can be obtained. The navy is manned by men who entered as boys, and have become attached to it—by seamen who alternate between the two employments and by landsmen. Tho great mass of merchant seamen regard the royal service with the greatest dislike, and may be said on the whole to form a distinct class from those who man her Majesty's fleet. Here is, indeed, an anomaly in the utmost degree as tonishing and alarming ; the mere statement of the fact is enough to create on the part of every Englishman the most anxious desire for an explanation and a remedy, but the more it is inquired into, the more true will it be found. I, however, am clearly of opinion that at a trifling ex- I pense, and without the slightest diminution of the powers necessary for the preservation of discipline, but by means of a complete remodelling of our system, the navy may be made in the highest degree popular, and from an object of dislike may be in a short time rendered one of general desire and competition to merchant seamen. This expectation may appear too sanguine, but it is to be remembered that one-half of our merchant seamen have never even seen a man-of-war, and that all take their notions either from the traditions of the last war, or from deserters, who are not likely to trace their offence to their own misconduct. Moreover, the men who man the fleet, for the most part, continue to serve in it by repeated re-entries, after the termination of each period of three years, and this although in the merchant service an able seaman receives 21. ss. a month, and in the navy only 11. 14s. The treatment endured in the last war is undoubtedly a prominent cause of this alienation, which is kept alive by the conviction that a similar course will be again pursued, for seamen are well aware that impressment has been relied on by every successive Government as the sole means of meeting any emergency. However painful it may be to open this sad page of our history, it is necessary that it should be well considered, in order that the future may be free from the same blot. The practice was entirely destitute of the direct sanction of the laws, and was carried into effect with every mark of lawless violence. The community at tached the badge of slavery to a small but clearly dis tinguishable section, and tearing them from a state of security and high pay, compelled them to defend the country on wages a third part of what they were before enjoying. Thus were tens of thousands of seamen thrust on board ships of war, and without a moment's notice severed from their wives and families to serve for a long course of years, without once visiting their homes, and kept under by an iron discipline, rendered indispensable by a system so unjustifiable. During a war of long continuance, in which, for a time, the very existence of England trembled in the balance, these men served her with the most devoted and un conquerable spirit, and, lavish of life and limb, won for her imperishable glory, and under Providence, secured to her those blessings which have been so bountifully showered upon her. But if the war was brought to a triumphant issue by men raised by a system so oppressive and unjust, the advent of peace was marked by a cruel disregard of the welfare of men on whom their country had inflicted so much, and to whom she owed all. At the peace of Amiens (1802) the fleet was reduced, at one fell swoop, from 130,000 to 70,000, 60,000 men being thus turned adrift to beg or starve, for that such a multitude should suddenly find employment was out of the question. The same course was afterwards pursued. In 1814 the fleet was reduced from 140,000 to 90,000, and in the beginning of 1816 from 90,000 to 33,000—thus throw ing, in the first instance, 50,000, and in the other 57,000 men into the labour market without the slightest means or prospect of subsistence. What a catalogue of human suffering is contained in these few words! Let us be slow to blame our seamen for any want of patriotic at tachment, let the country rather blush for the past, and no longer delay to organise measures for meeting the hour of trial without a repetition of such injustice and ingratitude. Lest 1802, 1814, and 1816, should be forgotten, the same thing was repeated on a small scale in 1841, when 3,000 or 4,000 men were suddenly paid off before the period for which they entered was completed, and when no employment could be obtained in the merchant ser vice. Those bitter months passed in a state of destitu tion, aggravated by the idea that faith had been broken with them, have not been without their effects in strengthening those prejudices which it is so essential to combat. But it seems that in dealing with our seamen every principle of equity and of sound policy is to be alike subservient to the narrowest and most sordid motives of economy. Having alluded to the influence of the past in account ing for the alienation of the great mass of our seamen, I shall take an early opportunity of entering upon tile present causes, both in the merchant service and in the Royal Navy, which tend to the same result. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, A CLPTAIN IN THE ROYAL NAVY. July 24. A fire broke out on the 12th ult. in the town of Menemen, three leagues from Smyrna, and destroyed 600 shops in the bazaar. Twenty Turkish houses, two mosques, and a public bath, were also destroyed. A quantity of gun powder blew up during the fire, but it does not appear that any liyes were lost. COURT CIRCULAR, Lord John Russell had an audience of th tcrday. The Queen, the Queen of the Belgians, Albert, walked yesterday forenoon in grounds of Buckingham Palace. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Ke: Majesty and Prince Albert, and their King and Queen of the Belgians. Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales, Prince Alfred, the Princess Royal, the Princess Alice, and the Princess Helena. took their accustomed walks and rides yesterday in the Royal gardens. The Queen had a dinner party yesterday at Bucking ham Palace, which included their Majesties the King and Queen of the Belgians, her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, their Royal Highnesses the Hereditary Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Mecklenburgh Strelitz, his Royal Highness Prince George, his Ex cellency M. Van de Wey e r, th e M arqu i s and Marchio • ness of Normanbury, the Countess Vilain 11111., Lady Anna Maria Dawson, Lady Augusta Cadogan, Baroness de Speth, the Countess of Morley, Earl Spencer, Earl Granville, the Right Honourable Sir George and Lady Gray, Sir John Ilobhouae, Lord George Lennox, Major A. d'Hanins de Moerkerke, Mr. Edmond Mild may, and Captain the Honourable J. P. Murray. A military band attended at the Palace during dinner. Her Majesty had afterwards an evening party. Tho company began to arrive at the Palace soon after nine o'clock, The following had the honour of receiving in vitations:—Madame Van de Weyer, Baron and Baroness de Moncorvo, Prince Castelcicala, Le Commandeur and Madame Marques Lisboa, Count and Countess de Jarnac, the Duke and Duchess of Norfolk and the Ladies Mary and Adeliza Howard, Lord Edward Howard, the Mar quis of Anglesey and Lady Adelaide Paget, the Mar quis and Marchioness of Clanricarde and Lady Emily de Burgh, the Marquis and Marchioness of Londonderry and the Lady Alexandrina Vane, the Earl and Countess of Jersey and Lady Clementina Villiers, Viscount East nor, Lady Elizabeth Dawson and two Misses Dawson, Dowager Lady Lvttelton and the Hon. Caroline Lyttel ton, Lord Foley, Lord Adolphus Vane, Hon. Frances and Lady Anne Charteris, Mr. George Edward and the Hon. Mrs. Anson, Lord Brownlow Cecil, Hon. John and Mrs. Bloomfield, Captain the Hon. Mortimer West, Hon. William Cowper, Sir Robert and Lady Gardi ner, Miss and Nliss Emily Gardiner, and Captain Francis Seymour. Her Majesty's private band was in attendance during the evening in the Palace. his Royal highness the Duke of Cambridge, attended by Colonel Keate, visited the Surrey Zoological Gardena on Wednesday evening. Mr. Wilshere, M.P., for Great Yarmouth, with a deputation, consisting of the Mayor of Yarmouth, Mr. Clarke, and Mr. Saunders, had an interview with the Right Hon. T. Milner Gibson, yesterday, at the office of the Board of Trade, upon the Wreck and Salvage Bill. The Marquis of Normanby transacted business on Wednesday, at the Foreign-office. Mr. Andrew Tennent and Mr. Peter Drew, of the North British Bank, Glasgow, had an interview with the Earl of Clarendon, yesterday, at the office of the Board of Trade. ➢lr. Wickham, Chairman of the Stamps and Taxes, had an interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday, at his official residence in Downing-street. Mr. Carr, Solicitor to the Excise, had also an interview with the Right Hon. Gentleman. Dispatches were received yesterday, at the Colonial Office, from the Governors of the West India colonies. Dispatches were sent off last evening for the Governor of New Zealand. Captain G. Smith, R.N., had an interview with the Right Hon. T. Milner Gibson yesterday, at the Board of Trade, and explained his invention of the paddle box safety boat, recommended by the Committee on Shipwrecks to be generally adopted in all sea-going steam-vessels. Mr. H. llouldsworth had an interview with the Earl of Clarendon yesterday. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. TATTERSALL'S—YESTERDAY. ST. LEGER. 5 to 1 agst Mr. Gully's Pyrrhus the First—taken 7 to 1 agst Mr. O'Brien's Grimston—taken 7 to 1 agst Mr. W. Scott's Sir Tatton Sykes—taken 9 to 1 agst Col. Anson's lago 10 to 1 agst Mr. O'Brien's The Traverser—taken 10 to 1 agst Mr. Meiklam's Fancy Boy—taken 12 to 1 agst General Shubrick's Brocardo—taken 20 to 1 agst Lord E. Russell's Sting—taken 25 to 1 agst Mr. W. Scott's Eringobragh 30 to 1 agst Lord Chesterfield's Free Lance—taken 35 to 1 agst Mr. Dawsen's Poynton—taken • 40 to 1 agst Mr. Cranston's Cranebrook 400 to 100 agst Sir Tatton Sykes and Fancy Boy—taken. DERBY. 12 to 1 on the Field—offered. BRIGHTON RACES—TitunsnAr. Her Majesty's Plate of 100 guineas. Heats, two miles. Lord Stradhrooke'sLynceus,3yrs,Gst 131b(Clay) 3 3 1 1 Mr. Ramsbottom's Queen of Cyprus, 4 yrs, 6st 21b 1 4 5 2 Sir W. M. Stanley's Pic Nic, 4 yrs, Bst 91b 2 1 6 3 Mr. A. Johnstone's Annandale, 4 yrs, 7st 41b 4 2 2 dr Mr. \Vallee* Columbus, 4 yrs, 9st 6 6 3 dr Lord Chesterfield's Jenny Wren, 4 yrs, 8A 91b 5 5 4 dr First Beat-5 to 4 agst Annandale, and 4to 1 agst Lynceus. Won by a length, only two having run for the heat. Second Heat--6 to 5 agst Annandale, 3to 1 agst Lynceus, and 4to 1 agst Queen of Cyprus ; Pic Nic jumped off with the lead, was never caught, and won by 15 lengths. Third Heat-5 to 2 agst Annandale, 3 to 1 agst Lynceus, and 3 to 1 agst Jenny Wren. Won by a length : Columbus a good third. Fourth heat-7 to 4on Lynceus, who won by two lengths. Sweepstakes of 3 sovs. each, and 30 added. Heats one mile. (9 Subs.) Mr. Leigh's Correct Card, 4 yrs, 7st Mr. Jackson's Syntaxina, aged, Bst llb Lord Chesterfield's New Brighton, 6 yrs, Bst 111 b 1 4 dis Mr. Cuthbert's Bourra Tomacha, 6 yrs, 7st 101 b 2 3 dr Mr. G. Hobson's Twyford, 3 yrs, 6st 31b 3 dr Mr. Booth's Moose Deer, 3 yrs, Gst 121 b On Wednesday the winner of the Town Plate was ridden by Sly, not Esling, as stated in our return. BANBURY RACES—TuEspAv. The Warden Hill Stakes, of 10 sovs each, h ft, with 30 added. Heats. One mile-and-a-half. (6 Subs.) Mr. Martin's Triflle, 5 yrs, list llb (S. Darling, jun.) 1 1 Mr. Wills's c, by the Count, out of Polly, 3yrs, 9st 41b 3 2 Mr. G. Symonds's Tincton, aged, list 91b Mr. Brown's Lightning, 3 vrs, 9st 41b The Banbury Stakes, of Hi sovs each, with 50 added Two miles. (15 Subs.) Mr. S. Scott's Mosque, aged, Bst 111 b ...... (S. Mann) 1 Mr. Norris ns Valiant, (h b) 4 yrs, Bst 41b ...... .. 2 Mr. Pratt's Venus, 4 yrs, Bst 41b Mr. G. Ongley's Mystery, 4 yrs, Set The Tally-ho Stakes, of 3 sovs. each, with 15 added ; mile and a distance • (6 Subs), was won in four heats by Mr. Collins's Brunel, 5 yrs, Bst 131bs (H. Darling), beating Mr. Symonds's Tincton, aged, 9st 21bs—Mr. Brown's The l'reten der, 3 yrs, Bst 101bs—and Mr. B. Austin's Fancy Girl, 3 yrs, 7st 31b. The winner was claimed for 201. The Neithrop Stakes, of 5 sow. each, with 50 added; one mile and a distance; was won by Mr. Cowper's Roebuck, 4 yrs, Bst, beating Mr. Pratt's Venus, 4 yrs, Bst—Mr. Green. wood's Tit-bit, 2 yrs, Gst 101bs—Mr. Wall's Zela, 5 yrs, 7st 51bs—and Mr. llolmes's Chevy Chase, 2 yrs, 6st 101bs. NOTTINGHAM RACES—WEDNESDAY. The Nottingham Stakes of 10 sovs. each, with 50 added; three yrs old, ist ; four, Bst 41b ; five, Bst 121 b ; six and aged, Oat 21b. Once round and a distance (4 Subs.) Mr. Hesseltine's Fitzwilliam, 3 yrs (Langstaff) 1 Lord Chesterfield's Arkwright, 3 yrs Mr. Lancaster's Lutestring, 3 yrs... Plate of 50/. ; three yrs old, 6st 101 b ; four, 7st 121 b ; five, Bst 51b ; six and aged, Bst 101 b ; mares and geldings al lowed 31bs ; and the second to receive 101. nests, two miles and a half. Lord Chesterfield's c by Don John, out of Game Lass, 3 yrs (Longstaff) 1 4 1 Mr. Harrison's Lady Mallorie, 3 yrs Mr. Clifton's Pedlar, aged • 3 2 dr Mr. Mallett's Paleface (late Utica), 6 yrs ... 2 3 dr The Two year old Stakes of 10 sovs. each, with 50 added ; colts, Bst 71b ; fillies, Bst 21b ; winners 31b extra. T.Y.C. (7 Subs.) Mr. Clifton's Conceit Colonel Anson's Treacle 0 2 Mr. Copland's Cheapside Lord Chesterfield's cby Don John, dam by Ishmael 4 The first was a dead heat, the second won easily. The Chesterfield Handicap of 20 soya. each, 10 ft, and only sif declared, &c., with 100 added. The second to save his stake, and the winner to pay 10 soya. to the fund. Twice round and a distance. ... (Bumby) 1 Af M r r . . J l o 3e h l n l's st l o V n i o n ,: s ß o r u o r ih 6 er Y t r o s 'S B i s r H t9l e b nry, 3 yrs, Gst 2 Mr. Godson's Susannah, 5 yrs, fist 121 b 3 A Plato of 50 soya. ; three yrs old, 7st 41b ; four, Bst 71b ; five, 9st ; six and aged, 9st 41b. The winner to be sold for 2004 if demanded, &c. Heats, once round and a distance, (5 Subs.) Mr. J. Scott's Curiosity, 3 yrs (Simpson) 4 1 1 Mr. Edmonstone's Pinkinkindness, 3 yrs 1 3 2 Mr. Lancaster's Lutestring, 3 yrs Mr. Wildman's The Heiress, 5 yrs 3 4 dr Mr. King's Minnette, 3 yrs _ ___...„............. 4 ~..., N . , 13''• ~ . k.' •-j R. 41,, :191 1,9.. .4 .4;7- A- , ..., i stc he 1 , ~, :0 -- s 9 - Acis.4— - At : .1 - ••••.• .1. 4 : ' ,4 ..1 the i". - ..--- 4. V ..... ent visiteo-17 7 0 Majesties the POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION. The chemical lecturer to this establishment, Dr. Ryan, has been engaged during the past week in delivering a course of lectures on the application of chemistry to the various arts and manufactures, such as glass-making, &c. In one of these lectures the Doctor illustrated a method of cutting and boring glass by common iron instruments, employing, however, a solution of camphor and tur pentine, instead of the usual preparations, such as emery, sulphate of copper, &c. By keeping the instrument moistened with the camphorated turpentine the Doctor showed that glass might be cut and bored as readily as any of the metals. This is a secret well worth know ing, and we cannot avoid expressing our thanks to the learned lecturer, who thus prominently has explained to the world a matter of such moment. This Institution, we are exceedingly sorry to hear, experienced great damage from the late thunder storm. The expense of repairs, we hear, exceeded a hundred pounds. ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.—The Ethiopian Serenaders took their benefit last night, at this house, after an engage ment of seven months. After the performances Mr. Mitchell was presented, by the party, with a very valuable gold watch, as a slight token of esteem. OXFORD, THURSDAY.—There is a report that George Jelf, Esq., barrister-at-law, has acceded to the wishes of the Tory electors, and will be put in nomination to succeed Mr. Donald Maclean in the representation of this city, as soon as the resignation of the latter arrives and a writ can be pro cured. The Liberal party are also on the alert, and as the registration is highly favourable little doubt exists of the issue. A meeting of the Whig party will take place to-night at the Wheatsheaf Inn, and measures for securing the seat to a Liberal will be resolved on. It is said that Mr. Jelf has taken an active part in defeating the efforts of the inhabitants of this city to form a General Cemetery,for all classes, by using the influence ho possesses as secretary to the Church Building Society, which has lent its aid to a rival scheme of parochial burial-grounds. His connexion also with the University is an additional ground of objection, and will con tribute to secure his defeat, should he be induced to stand. by a large majority. GRAVESEND AND ROCHESTER RAILWAY- The fol lowing are the traffic returns for the week ending Aug 1,1846: --Passengers 14,269; amount received 3466 ls. 7d. i the ,veral ' the ?, for most ?rind. t. the DO* ;tig ht here- :t ile nail . in s groA ece ° .s s e b i deep, ais e a for r ieuc l deoc! [ieve ° [ fr°l33 1r i513 [AO • Re e ' th e th e o'o ib e 018